The human mind is limited in its receiving capacity. At some point, events occur that are beyond the capacity of the mind to process, and we become unable to "wrap our minds" around what we are seeing and experiencing.

We are living in such a time. As we survey the current landscape, we have profound difficulties making sense of it all. But if we are to meet the challenges we face and overcome them, we need to understand them as they are, not as we would like them to be. "Know thine enemy," said the great ancient warrior Sun Tzu, and "in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated."

It's common to marvel at what "2020" has brought us. Impeachment, pandemic, lockdowns, economic collapse, race riots, and it's only June. But in reality, "2020" has not done this to us; people have.

It was partisan politicians who brought us impeachment, it was agenda-driven decision-making that forced us into our homes for weeks on end and caused the economy to collapse. Indeed, the pandemic itself could've been avoided if people, namely government officials in China, had acted properly and responsibly.

Now we face a resurgence of racial discord culminating in public disorder, anarchy, and vicious riots. It may be tempting to place the blame on a murderous cop and his supposed racial animus, but that too would be incorrect.

What we are experiencing now and what we have undergone throughout this year have been brought to us, lock, stock, and barrel, by the left. That's all there is to it. As is often the case, the truth is simple, albeit not easy to accept. But accept it we must.

We must be willing to acknowledge the obvious truth staring us in the face. That truth is that the left formerly known as "liberalism" does not exist any longer. The left of honorable, if mistaken, patriots such as FDR, Harry Truman, Adlai Stevenson, JFK, RFK, Hubert Humphrey, Scoop Jackson, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and even Bill Clinton is gone. Dead and buried.

In its place, we have "Progressivism," the ideology of anarchists; the Weather Underground; Bill Ayers; Saul Alinsky; and ultimately Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin. This is not an exaggeration, nor is it a vision of the future. It is here, with us, asserting itself and taking over, right now. One need go no farther than comparing the Democrat party platform ten years ago to their platform today. There is no Democrat politician who's been in office for more than ten years who hasn't had to repudiate most of his previous positions, including policies he proudly ran on for decades. The left is no longer the loyal opposition, it is the enemy. There is no longer that shared background and bedrock of principles that once caused Ronald Reagan to have drinks with Tip O'Neill. If war was once politics by other means, we now have a politics that is war by other means.

When we have the first non-peaceful transfer of power in U.S. history, that is war. When Big Tech and the media openly and brazenly lie, cheat, and manipulate to "cancel" and censor those they disagree with, that is war. When we have an unprecedented, completely partisan impeachment over a phone call, while an attempted coup is actively covered up and ignored, that is war. When we face a pandemic and decisions are made based on ideology, not science, that is war. When the greatest economy the world has ever known is wrecked based on demonstrably false models while labeling any and all dissenters as mass murderers and "Grandma-killers," that is war. When a universally condemned, brutal killing by a cop is evidence of "systemic racism" and halts society in its tracks, that is war. When practitioners of religion and family members visiting dying loved ones are deemed killers while thousands gathering in protest are sacrosanct, that is war. When a society that has struggled mightily, with demonstrable success, at overcoming racial discord is smeared and libeled as irredeemably racist and deplorable, that is war. When a top general and former secretary of defense publicly slanders the president of the United States for trying to protect innocent people from violence and murder, to widespread acclaim, that is war. When a reasoned, evidence-based op-ed by a sitting United States senator is deemed unworthy of publication by the same newspaper that has published screeds by terrorists, dictators, and mass murderers, that is war.

A hot war, a civil war? No, not yet, and God help us all if it comes to that, because that will mean the end of Western civilization and a return to the Dark Ages at best. But we need to fight the political and cultural war we are in lest we bring upon ourselves that horrible outcome.

To fight this war, we need to be clear-eyed about all of the above. We need to overcome our natural optimism, the hallmark of the American experiment, and face facts; namely that the "liberal left" we once knew is gone, never to return. In its place are people and an ideology who want us dead or politically subservient and incapacitated. We must fully understand that the left is a lost cause who cannot be reasoned with and will respond to all attempts at persuasion with contempt, willing ignorance and verbal and physical violence.

Therefore, we must turn inward. We must build ourselves up while completely ignoring and disregarding the existence of the left. We must create our own narratives while completely shrugging off the left's fantasy tales; we must build our own institutions and organizations while not participating in any forum that is run by the left. We must disengage totally from futile efforts at compromise and accommodation and we must fight to win. Our elected officials must be willing to act as if the left does not exist; to ignore the shrieks and hysteria sent their way by their "colleagues" in public office, and to do what's right to save this great republic.

All is not yet lost and we are buoyed by the fact that God has a special providence for the United States of America. Disengaging from, and eventually defeating, the left, will take time, money, patience and sacrifice, but it is worth it, we are worth it, and the world is owed the continued existence and greatness of God's gift to humanity, the United States of America.

Image credit: Wikipedia, public domain.
A viral video showed a Maryland man angrily rip George Floyd protest flyers from a young girl's hand.

Victor Stoddard/Twitter

On Friday evening, Maryland-National Capital Park Police announced that they have arrested a man in connection with a viral video that appears to show the assault of two young people putting up signs supporting justice for George Floyd.

Anthony Brennan III of Kensington, Maryland, was charged with three counts of second-degree assault.

The viral video of the incident had almost 30 million views on Friday. Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh asked for help finding the man, leading to hundreds of tips, and multiple false accusations.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Maryland-National Capital Park Police announced Friday evening that they have arrested and charged Anthony Brennan III of Kensington, Maryland, with three counts of second-degree assault in connection with the viral video showed a man who appeared to assault two young people who were posting flyers about George Floyd on Monday.

Three young people were posting flyers on Capital Crescent Trail about the death of George Floyd when they were approached by a man riding a bike wearing cyclist gear, ABC7 reported. A video, which has been viewed almost 30 million times on Twitter as of Friday evening, captured by one of the young people shows a man appearing to walk towards a young woman as the other two yell at him to leave her alone.

The man appears to grab a flyer from the woman's hands and then crumples it. Another young woman is heard in the video yelling "get off of her." The man then appears to pick up his bike and charge at the person filming the video.

On Thursday, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh sent out a tweet asking for help identifying the man. Frosh also asked those on social media to not expose or doxx the man, instead asking them to send info to the Park Police and other officials, after multiple men were wrongfully accused of the crime.

Story continues

In the press release announcing the arrest, the Park Police said they have received hundreds of tips, which detectives used to help identify a suspect.

Brennan voluntarily turned himself in on Friday evening after being contacted by police, the department said.

Police released a mugshot of Anthony Brennan III after his arrest for two counts of second-degree assault.

Maryland-National Capital Park Police

The flyers that were posted said "KILLER COPS WILL NOT GO FREE" and, below that, "Text 'Floyd' to 55156," according to ABC7. Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who knelt on Floyd's neck for eight minutes as Floyd shouldn't that he couldn't breathe, has been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter. The other three officers on the scene were charged with aiding and abetting murder.

Read the original article on Insider
Barring sadhus, no pilgrims above 55 years of age will be allowed in the Amarnath yatra which has been curtailed to 14 days this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, officials said Saturday.

The pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre high holy cave shrine in south Kashmir has been re-jigged due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The pilgrimage will now take place through the shorter route from Baltal to the Amarnath caves. The longer route from Pahalgam will not be used for the pilgrimage which will now begin on July 21 and end on August 3.

While Deputy Commissioner of Ganderbal, of which Baltal is a part, has already pressed men and machinery for clearing the tracks, officials of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) will start leaving Jammu on Monday for assisting in clearance of Baltal track and lay bailey bridges over streams.

The decision to shorten the span of yatra was taken during a meeting held by Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor GC Murmu last week.

It will be regulated in view of the pandemic and all those undertaking the Yatra must possess Covid-19 negative certificates. The pilgrims will be cross-checked for Covid- 19 infection on entry into J&K before they are allowed to undertake the yatra, said an official who did not wish to be named.

All pilgrims except sadhus will have to register themselves online. No pilgrims above 55 years of age will be allowed, he said.

In a first of its kind SASB is also trying to telecast live Aarti from the cave shrine in the morning and evening for the devotees, he said.

Since it would be a curtailed yatra, the SASB is also mulling to allow it via helicopters only, another official said.

However, the lieutenant governors principal secretary and CEO of SASB, Bipul Pathak said, Board is yet to meet and take a decision. When it is decided, media will come to know.

On Friday, the exercise for the yatra got underway with the ritualistic Pratham Puja.

The government had decided in February this year to hold the annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine.

The Amarnath yatra was originally scheduled to begin from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on June 23 and end on August 3 on the day of Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan).

Last year, the yatra was cut short following intelligence inputs of terror threats ahead of the Centre scrapping Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2018, the pilgrimage was held for 60 days.

Thousands of pilgrims either trek the traditional and longer 45-km long Pahalgam route or the shorter 14 km route through Baltal to the shrine every year.
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(Photo : Elijah Nouvelage on Reuters ) Facebook Bans 200 Protester Groups Inviting People to Join; Russia and China's State-Medias Will Soon be Labeled (Photo : Jon Nazca on Reuters ) Facebook Bans 200 Protester Groups Inviting People to Join; Russia and China's State-Medias Will Soon be Labeled

Facebook is under a lot of issues lately. To make it worse, Mark Zuckerberg's platform is now removing protester groups that suggest people join several protests in the United States. But in their defense, the company said that the removed protester groups recommend violence amid riots, which said to be violating their policies. Meanwhile, Facebook also announces that all Russian and Chinese state-media platforms will soon be labeled on people's feed. Here's why.

Why is Facebook removing protester groups?

Facebook removed almost 200 groups that invite people to join the mass protests happening in the country due to the death of George Floyd, showing 'Black Lives Matter.' But it is not what you think it is.

In a report of Associated Press, the said removed social media accounts were linked to white supremacy groups that aim to show violence amid the mass BLM protests.

"We saw that these groups were planning to rally supporters and members to physically go to the protests and in some cases were preparing to go with weapons," said Brian Fishman, Facebook's director of counterterrorism and dangerous organizations policy.

The accounts on Facebook and Instagram were tied to the Proud Boys and the American Guard, two hate groups that were already banned on the platforms. Both of the banned accounts were said to post hate speech against the black people joining the several protests.

Aside from these white supremacist groups, Facebook also said that they are now looking furthermore on fake accounts that pose as famous personalities, politicians, and other health groups amid coronavirus pandemic.

Russian and Chinese state media are now labeled on Facebook

Meanwhile, a change in the labeling system will soon happen on the platform. Reuters reported that Facebook will soon label all the state-controlled media groups, coming from Russia and China.

This means that Russia's Sputnik, Iran's Press TV, and China's Xinhua News will soon have labels as state-controlled media. Not only that, but it was also reported that all ads from these state-medias will soon be blocked once they target American users on Facebook.

Of course, this action was not taken very well by the countries involved. They even said that Facebook should also focus on U.S. Pres. Donald Trump's controversial claims than pinning them.

"We hope that the relevant social media platform can put aside the ideological bias and hold an open and accepting attitude towards each country's media role," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang.

Russia's Sputnik advised governments "to regulate Facebook when it tries to impose U.S.-inspired suppression of the freedom of speech."

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
New data gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) points to the alarming effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine pediatric vaccinations. Data from two different sources examinedVaccines for Children Program (VFC) provider order data and Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) administration data. Both sources showed a significant decline in routine pediatric vaccinations beginning one week after the national emergency declaration on March 13, 2020.

Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) is a federally funded vaccine program that accounts for roughly 50 percent of pediatric vaccines in the US, providing vaccines to the under- and uninsured. The Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) data is collected from a collaborative project between the CDC and eight US health care groups serving publicly and privately insured patients.

Both data sets compared two different weekly intervals: January 7, 2019April 21, 2019 (time period A) and January 6, 2020April 19, 2020 (time period B). Data was further separated to examine all non-influenza vaccines and measles-containing vaccines only, as well as age group categories of under 24 months and over 24 months18 years of age.

[Source: CDC Authors: * VFC data represent the difference in cumulative doses of VFC-funded noninfluenza and measles-containing vaccines ordered by health care providers at weekly intervals between Jan 7Apr 21, 2019, and Jan 6Apr 19, 2020]

As the graphs above show, the administration of non-influenza vaccines and measles-containing vaccines dropped precipitously after January 20, when the first COVID-19 case was reported in the US. On April 13, non-influenza vaccines from time period B were down 3 million as compared with time period A of the previous year. Measles-containing vaccines dropped 400,000 doses in time period B as compared with time period A.

The decrease was less prominent in the under 24 month age group for both vaccination categories, suggesting that the systematic prioritization of vaccinating this age group before and after the start of the pandemic has had a minor effect.

On a global scale, the decline in vital pediatric immunizations is of monumental proportions. The WHO dedicated its May 22 press conference to the issue of routine immunizations during COVID-19, with guest panelists Henrietta Fore, UNICEF executive director and CEO of Gavi, and Dr. Seth Berkley of the Vaccine Alliance. Together, the WHO, UNICEF and Gavi warned that at least 80 million of the worlds children under the age of one are at risk of vaccine preventable diseases such as diphtheria, measles and polio.

Immunization programs became widely available in high-income countries beginning in the 1950s. To increase access to immunizations, the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) was founded in 1974 with its first major goal being the eradication of smallpox. Just six years later, as a result of coordinated and international participation, smallpox was eradicated worldwide.

Since the smallpox milestone, EPI has continued to play a major role in the rising levels of immunization around the world contributing to the 86 percent global child protection rate from vaccine preventable diseases. In 1974, only 5 percent of the worlds children were protected from the aforementioned diseases. Globally, the WHO estimates that vaccinations saved 10 million lives in the years 2010 through 2015.

COVID-19 threatens to unwind this progress. Fifty-three percent of the 129 countries with sufficient vaccination data have reported moderate to severe decline or total suspension of vaccination services in March to April 2020.

Mass immunization campaigns, especially crucial in developing countries with fewer resources, have been severely cut back, putting children at risk for diseases like cholera, measles, meningitis, polio, tetanus, typhoid and yellow fever. Mass immunization campaigns for measles and polio have been particularly hard hit with immunization campaigns put on hold in 27 countries for measles and 38 countries for polio.

There are several factors contributing to the decline of immunizations. Regular health clinic appointments and mass immunization campaigns have been halted in the name of social distancing or because of a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE). Health workers have been pulled from clinics and campaigns to work with COVID-19 patients instead. Parents, understandably, are fearful of bringing their children to hospitals or clinics for regular check-ups for fear of exposing their families to COVID-19.

The comeback of vaccine preventable diseases as a result of a decline in immunization rates rivals the global threat of COVID-19.

One study from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine seeks to develop a risk-benefit analysis of routine childhood immunizations against risk of COVID-19 infections in Africa. While the study is currently in the process of peer-review, its results are worth a closer look.

The study takes into account that upon infection with COVID-19 a child would likely infect his or her entire family. Even with such risks accounted for, the researchers found that for every one COVID-19 infection acquired during the process of routine immunization, 140 childrens lives could be saved by maintaining immunization schedules. While health clinics and mass immunization campaigns must be prepared to implement infection control protocols to decrease COVID-19 infections, the above data clearly indicates that regular immunizations must continue.

Furthermore, the disruption of global systems of immunization threatens to slow or halt the delivery of a COVID-19 vaccination when it is available.

To further highlight the global crisis of missed vaccinations, it is necessary to zoom in on the measles crisis. In an April edition of Nature, an article titled Why measles deaths are surgingand coronavirus could make it worse outlines the risk of the spread of measles, especially in developing countries. The article explains that in many countries, measles is a constant, simmering at low levels until the number of children susceptible to the virus builds up and it takes off.

Measles is the most contagious known virus in the world, with a reproduction numberthe scientific term used to quantify the infectiousness of a virusof 12 to 18. For comparison, COVID-19 has a reproduction number between 2 and 3 and Ebola is estimated at 1.52. Measles is spread by respiratory droplets that can remain in the air for hours, infecting those who enter a room hours after a measles infected person has exited.

With this high of an infection rate, immunization rates of a population at minimum must be 92 percent to keep the virus at bay. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, many countries had low measles immunization rates. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, had a 57 percent immunization rate against measles. These figures are worsening due to COVID-19, creating the perfect conditions for a worldwide measles outbreak. Global measles immunization rates are currently stalled at 86 percent.

Under-immunization of children in one country presents a risk in all countries. In addition, the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the Southern Hemisphere presents the possibility of a new flare-up in the US later this year. Pathogens dont recognize borders. The fight against infectious disease will inevitably fail within the outdated nation-state system. Instead, the mobilization of society against the pandemic requires internationally coordinated scientific planning, which at every point comes into conflict with the pursuit of private profit and individual wealth.
Colombo port comes under scanner By Sunimalee Dias View(s): View(s):

The Colombo port a sensitive hub of economic activity, has had its workers subject to a COVID-19 test on Tuesday following requests by trade unions and random tests carried out in the city.

About 250 port workers have been subject to a random test for COVID-19 by health authorities together with the health unit at the port, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Gen. Daya Ratnayaka told the Business Times.

He noted that the workers were subjected to a test as part of a scheduled testing carried out randomly in the city and also following requests made by trade unions in the recent past.

Trade Union leader Chandrasiri Mahagamage had written to Health Services Director General in April requesting for testing of port staff following the detection of COVID-19 infected navy personnel from the Welisara base. The Colombo Port is manned by security personnel from the Sri Lanka Navy.

Following this request, last Tuesday health authorities had carried out testing of workers at the port, it was noted.

Meanwhile, the navy personnel manning the gates at the Colombo port were removed last Sunday following a detection of a COVID-19 infected sailor that had been to the Gaffoor building in Fort where navy personnel were carrying out work. The navy was reinstated at the Colombo port on Wednesday, authorities stated.
Colombo, June 6 (IANS) A person has been arrested in Sri Lanka for allegedly forging the signature of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and misusing Presidential letterheads, it was reported.

The suspect has produced a letter to the Chairman of Bank of Ceylon on a Presidential letterhead with Rajapaksa forged signature, requesting to reinstate him with his salary, allowances, and a promotion, reports the Daily Financial Times on Friday.

Bank of Ceylon authorities, upon finding that the President's signature had been forged, summoned him to headquarters, and later he was arrested by the police.

Police officers seized the laptop and other accessories used to prepare the forged documents.

The suspect has been remanded until June 8 after being produced in court, the Criminal Investigation Department said.

--IANS

ksk/
Hyderabad, June 6 : Even before the row over auction of properties belonging to Andhra Pradesh's Tirumala temple could completely die down, a fresh controversy has embroiled the famous hill shrine.

The move by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government to regularise the lands 'additionally occupied' by two mutts on the sacred hill has come under criticism from a section of devotees and opposition parties.

They have questioned the decision of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) and the government to allow the mutts, including the one headed by a swami considered close to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, to take possession of the occupied lands when there is hardly any land available around the temple.

The state government on June 4 issued an order according permission for regularising an extent of 1,870 square feet additionally occupied by the Mouna Swamy Mutt and 4,817 square feet by Visakha Sri Saradha Peetham at Tirumala.

These mutts had occupied land in addition to what was originally allotted to them in the past. TTD, which manages the affairs of the world's richest Hindu temple, had passed a resolution in December last year to regularize the land and had accordingly made a request to the state government.

TTD fixed an additional lease amount of Rs 374 per square feet for the Mouna Swamy Mutt and Rs 964 for Visakha Sri Saradha Peetham.

The GO issued by Special Chief Secretary to Government, J.S.V. Prasad referred to the representation received from the executive officer of TTD.

This is the latest in a series of controversies to hit the Sri Venkateswara Temple popularly known as Tirupati Balaji temple during last one year. It came close on the heels of the row over TTD's move to auction some properties donated by devotees in Tamil Nadu.

Facing a backlash for its controversial decision, the TTD on May 29 decided that hereafter none of the immovable properties donated by the devotees will be disposed of.

The latest move became controversial as Visakha Sri Saradha Peetham is headed by Swamy Swaroopanandendra Saraswati, who had hailed the victory of Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP's victory in the last year's elections.

After taking oath as the chief minister, Jagan had visited the seer's ashram in Visakhapatnam to take his blessings.

The YSRCP chief has been following Swamy Swaroopanandendra for the last three years. Interestingly, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao also follows the seer and had visited his ashram for blessings after retaining power in 2018.

"Just for the political interest you can't allow somebody to occupy the land and then regularise it," P. Manikyala Rao, BJP leader and former minister, told IANS.

He said the government, the endowment department or the TTD had no right to give away temple lands which belong to devotees.

"Just because you could not protect the land does not mean you can regularise what somebody occupied. If somebody is occupying the land it shows government's inability or inefficiency. If you can't protect the temple lands hand it over to the concerned institution or otherwise leave the management (of the temple)" he said.

TTD chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy, however, dismissed the criticism saying no new allotment has been made.

"No new allotment has been made. This has not been done for individuals. They are the mutts who are engaged in propagation of Hindu dharma," the TTD chairman told IANS.

He said the mutts had raised the compound walls for protection from wild animals. "Due to Covid-19 the temple was closed for darshan and since there was no movement of devotees, the wild animals were straying into the area. To prevent this they erected fencing and raised compound walls," he explained.

Subba Reddy, who is maternal uncle of Jagan Mohan Reddy, said there was nothing wrong in what TTD or the government has done.

"The mutts already had their lands buildings which they were using for various activities related to propagation of Hindu dharma.To improve their existing facilities they had sought some more land," he said.

The mutts already have buildings in Tirumala. These buildings have kalyana Mandapam, meeting halls and rooms for devotees' stay.

The series of developments involving the Tirumala Temple, ever since Jagan Mohan Reddy, a Christian, took over the reins of government this year, have raised the hackles of opposition parties, especially the BJP. On the other hand, Subba Reddy on Friday said that he has ordered a probe into what he termed as 'frequent smear campaigns' frequently surfacing against the TTD.
At daybreak on Saturday, Charles Shay stood lonesome without any fellow veteran on the very same beach where he waded ashore 76 years ago, part of one of the most epic battles in military historic that came to be known as D-Day and turned the tide of World War II.

Compared to last year, when many tens of thousands came to the northern French beaches of Normandy to cheer the dwindling number of veterans and celebrate three-quarters of a century of liberation from Nazi oppression, the coronavirus lockdown turned this years remembrance into one of the eeriest ever.

I am very sad now, said Shay, who was a 19-year-old US Army medic when he landed on Omaha Beach under horrific machine-gun fire and shells. Because of the virus, nobody can be here. I would like to see more of us here, he told The Associated Press.

Normally, 95-year-old Shay would be meeting other survivors of the 1944 battle and celebrating with locals and dignitaries alike, all not far from his home close to the beaches that defined his life. This year, I am one of the very few that is probably here, he said, adding that other US veterans could not fly in because of the virus.

When a full moon disappeared over land and the sun rose the other side over the English Channel, there was no customary rumble of columns of vintage jeep and trucks to be heard, roads still so deserted hare sat alongside them.

Still the French would not let this day slip by unnoticed, such is their attachment to some 160,000 soldiers from the United States, Britain, Canada and other countries who spilled their blood to free foreign beaches and fight on to finally defeat Nazism almost one year later. Its a June 6 unlike any other, said Philippe Laillier, the mayor of Saint-Laurent-Sur-Mer, who staged a small remembrance around the monument.
MUMBAI: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra will purchase 10,000 vials of the drug Remdesivir for treating coronavirus patients. The announcement was made by states Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Saturday.

"GoM to procure 10k vials of Remdesivir. Based on evidence from Laboratory, animal and clinical studies, it has generated promising results in MERS-CoV and SARS which are also caused by Corona Virus," Tope said in a tweet.

In another tweet, Tope informed that the expensive medicine will be made available to the poor and needy patients across the state.

"WHO (World Health Organization) suggests it may have some positive effects in Covid-19 treatment. This expensive medicine is being made available for poor and needy patients," he added.

Meanwhile, the state government has also constituted a 4-member committee to fix rates for coronavirus testing in private laboratories in Maharashtra. The committee will decide the fees of the COVID-19 test in private laboratory in 7 days.

The state government has constituted a Fee Determination Committee under the chairmanship of Dr Sudhakar Shinde, Chief Executive Officer of the State Health Guarantee Service Society, to make full use and maximum testing of laboratories in the state.

Ajay Chandanwale, Joint Director, Department of Medical Education and Research, Grant Government Medical College and Hospital Amita Joshi will serve as the member while director of Health Services will serve as Member Secretary.

In view of the increasing prevalence of coronavirus in the state, ICMR has approved corona testing in 44 government and 36 private laboratories with RT-PCR testing facilities. These tests are being done free of cost in government laboratories.

The ICMR had fixed a rate of Rs 4,500 for private laboratories. During this time, the kits required for inspection tests had to be imported. But now such kits are being made and available in the country. Therefore, ICMR has decided to fix the corona test rate by negotiating with accredited laboratories.

The announcement came on a day when Maharashtra reported a spike of 2,739 COVID-19 cases taking the total number of cases to 82,968. Death toll due to the COVID-19 infection also went up by 120 to 2,969, the states Health department said.

Maharashtra had on Friday reported 80,229 coronavirus cases and 2,849 deaths, which were the highest in the country.
This time of year, high school seniors would normally be preparing to walk the graduation stage and accept their diplomas.

When COVID-19 swept into New York in mid-March, schools were forced to close and cancel all public gatherings. Commencement events in the Capital Region are up in the air.

While students are missing out on the exciting milestones of senior year, many in the Class of 2020 aren't thinking about themselves. Instead, they are using the end of their final year of high school to help the families that are less fortunate and front-line workers whose lives have been upended.

On the day school was canceled, Kini-Analysa McCalmon's thoughts went to often-ignored communities. Since March, she and her family have been collecting hand-made masks from nonprofits and handing them to families living in poverty in the Schenectady's Steinmetz Houses and the Hamilton Hill neighborhood.

"Some families had eight people living in the house, but they only had one (single-use) mask. They were using it so much that it was visibly very dirty," she said. "It's not safe or good for their health or their family's health."

McCalmon, 16, is an early graduate of Schenectady High School. She credits her "headstrong" mother for pushing her to excel in school and eventually skip 11th grade.

With the help of Saratoga Sews and the C.O.C.O.A. House at Union College, McCalmon, her sister and mother have handed out more than 400 masks to families in need. McCalmon knows their struggles first-hand; she and her family were once homeless and they lived in low-income housing in Hamilton Hill when she was a toddler.

She said she has warm memories of the people there, but knows many view these communities in a negative light and wants to use her relative privilege to make their lives better.

Rachel Silberstein interviews high school seniors

RELATED: Class of 2020: Submit your poems, art, songs

Families she spoke to were eager to talk to someone, particularly school-age children. Many lacked phone and Internet access and said they couldn't get in contact with their teachers. Many had responsibilities caring for siblings or parents or were living on their own.

"I think in those communities, people are so used to not getting anything and they don't really know who to ask, so they try to fend for themselves," she said. "They were really surprised that we came and gave the masks for free."

McCalmon is graduating with half of her credits toward an associate degree at Schenectady County Community College. After a year, she hopes to transfer to Quinnipiac University in Connecticut.

Since the end of March, Owen Ball, a 17-year-old Columbia High School student, has been making hundreds of face shields on his personal 3D printer and donating them to front-line health care workers.

Courtesy of East Greenbush CSD

Ball, valedictorian of the Class of 2020 and part of East Greenbush's nationally ranked science olympiad team, was contacted by a family friend about Northeast Face Shields Project, which was organizing volunteers to use 3D printers to manufacture the masks and distribute them to regional hospitals.

"It just feels like I have the supplies to do it, which is more than most people have, so I felt an obligation to work on this," Ball said. "Not many people have a printer they can use for recreational use."

When the East Greenbush district heard about his efforts, it loaned Ball a second 3D printer so he could produce even more. Ball monitors the machines, which produce hundreds of masks a day, through an app on his phone.

"The nature of 3D printing is there are quite a few things you have to try to get right ... but once you get it working it stays pretty consistent," he said.

He plans to major in electrical and computer engineering when he attends Carnegie Mellon University in the fall.

Angelina Bolio, 18, is a senior at Albany High School who has been working with children with disabilities throughout the crisis.

Bolio will attend Hudson Valley Community College in the fall and hopes to become a nurse, like her mother, who cares for children with physical and mental disabilities at Saint Margaret's Center in Albany.

Will Waldron/Times Union

During the year, Bolio and her peers at Albany High School's Best Buddies program pair up with children who have physical or mental disabilities and organize events for them to "enjoy the same things other kids can enjoy."

Bolio is also an ROTC leader at school, which she said has helped her connect with her father and grandfather who were in the military.

"I grew up with a strong foundation, a strong sense of discipline," she said.

Now that school buildings are closed and children are stuck at home, Bolio and her peers check in with their "buddies" by phone and organize weekly videoconferencing events. At last week's Google Meet, she said, all the kids had smiles on their faces.

"It was a really great time for them and us, getting to know that the kids are OK," she said. "It's important to keep your sanity under control when you are locked in the house... being able to talk to someone, in general, it's a way to keep yourself under control."

She worries about how the children are managing in quarantine and how they are affected by the sometimes violent clashes between police and protesters unfolding in the streets of Albany, part of the national unrest around the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. Many of the children she works with are sensitive to loud noises.

Bolio said she is upset about not having a traditional graduation ceremony but recognizes that there are many children who are worse off.

"I'm going to be different than all the other graduating classes. All I can say is I made it through during this virus, at least I was able to get my diploma," she said. "But there are other people suffering for whom graduation is not their number one priority right now."

In some districts, high school seniors pooled their resources to help people harmed by the pandemic. In Bethlehem, the entire graduating class, 398 students, asked family members and friends to donate blood in their honor, recognizing a shortage at local health care facilities.

The students also donated $10,000 they had raised at the homecoming dance last fall and spirit wear sales to the South End Childrens Cafe and the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce Small Business Hardship Fund.

I have tears in my eyes, South End Childrens Cafe director Tracie Killar said in an email to senior class adviser and Bethlehem teacher Jessica Westervelt, when notified of the funds headed to the Albany-based center. What a beautiful and heart-wrenching donation!

The senior class at Duanesburg Junior/Senior High School voted to donate $4,000 of their senior fund to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York to help local people in need.
Eager to join the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, a 23-year-old Ludhiana youth pursuing hotel management course from a private university in Mohali turned shooter to execute the firing outside a businessmans house in Sector 33, Chandigarh, on May 31, police said after his arrest on Saturday.

Identified as Karan Sharma, he was one of the five men who had fired 17 shots outside the bungalow of hotelier Rakesh Singla, what police said was a targeted attack on his younger brother, liquor baron Arvind Singla.

This is the third arrest in the case after Sewak alias, Guri, 25, who lives and runs a gym in Kharar, and Kulwinder Singh, alias Kala, 40, of Sarangpur village were held for their alleged role in the crime. However, Karan is the first shooter to be arrested.

Karan is one of the shooters. The earlier arrests were of people who provided logistical support, said Manoj Kumar Meena, superintendent of police (SP, crime), Chandigarh.

Meena said after committing the crime, Karan was hiding in Mauli Jagran, waiting for further instructions. He was arrested following disclosures made by Sewak. He will be produced in court on Sunday.

Bishnois aide gave instructions from jail

Lawrence Bishnoi, who studied from DAV College, Sector 10, has been running his gang in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan from behind the bars. He had even threatened to kill film actor Salman Khan.

Investigations revealed that Bishnoi, who is lodged in the Bharatpur jail in Rajasthan, planned the attack and got it executed through his key aide Deepu Banur, who is lodged in the Ambala jail in Haryana.

Karan was staying in Banur and studying in a private university. He got in touch with Deepu Banur through Facebook in February this year, aiming to become a part of the gang, said a senior police official, privy to the investigations.

It was Deepu who directed Karan to execute the firing along with four other gang members, said Meena.

Karan was reportedly told that if he succeeds, he would become a part of the gang. Though he was also promised money, no payment had been made yet, said sources.

To unearth the conspiracy and ascertain the motive, police are now seeking Deepus custody.

We have sought his production remand. He is likely to be produced before court on June 9, said Nilambari Vijay Jagadale, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Chandigarh.

Gym owner spilled the beans

Deepu was in direct touch with Sewak, after the two came in contact in the Ambala jail. Sewak had provided logistical support to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang on earlier occasions too, said sources.

Sewak, during his interrogation, allegedly told police that Deepu had called him from jail, asking him to contact Bishnoi for some work. Sewak, in his initial questioning, had told police that he had received a WhatsApp call from Bishnoi, asking him to arrange a vehicle for his men who were coming to Chandigarh for sightseeing.

He had then borrowed a Ford Ikon from Gurdeep Singh of Banur and handed it to the men, who executed the shooting. Gurdeep has become an approver for the police, and it was on his statement that Sewak was arrested.

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Lyn Wallwork holds items salvaged from the fires. Credit:Joe Armao There are people still fighting their insurance companies tooth and nail, Allan said. There are young families so shaken by it all they don't want to rebuild." Inside their shed, two grey armchairs sit side by side facing a small, flat-screen television on a table Allan built. Patches of old, mix-matched carpet are scattered across the concrete floor. Allan narrowly escaped with his life the night fire rained down on their home of 26 years. He left in the middle of the night as fire tore through the road after Lyn, who had fled to their daughters home in nearby Bairnsdale, called him distraught, pleading with him not to stay.

Early the next morning, he watched as a sea of flames engulfed his home under a blackened sky. His wife's chipped, porcelain cow ornament, a charred souffle dish, a small white china bowl and salt and pepper shakers in the shape of roosters that he gave to his mother as a boy were the only possessions salvaged from the smouldering mess. Lyn and Allan Wallwork inside the shed they are living in. Credit:Joe Armao Allan's most-prized possession, a 1936 Royal Enfield motorcycle, was consumed in the blaze. Your mind feels dead, Allan said. I take a long time to make simple, every day decisions. I dont have interest in a lot of things I did before. I used to love motorcycles. They're just bikes now.

Allan often drives to the supermarket but is so overwhelmed by the time he arrives, he can't remember what groceries to buy and leaves empty-handed. Geoff Belmore, who lost two houses when fires tore through the sleepy, coastal town of Mallacoota, calls it bushfire brain. Mallacoota was a town under siege from fire over the new year. Credit:Justin McManus Your memory and thoughts are all muddled," Geoff said. "I go to counselling every week to try to process my emotions and understand it. I'm a very capable person, but there have been times I have struggled to even make a phone call." Haunting and apocalyptic images of Mallacoota burning on New Year's Eve were broadcast across the world but in the months following, there is a sense of a community that feels forgotten as attention shifted to the COVID-19 crisis.

We were this huge tragedy, this huge catastrophe at the beginning of the year, said Jann Gilbert, whose Mallacoota unit was also destroyed in the fires. "But then the next month went by and we were apparently invisible. The process of collectively grieving for what has been lost; the 100 homes burnt to ash, the innocence and tranquillity of the isolated coastal town robbed from the 1000 locals who live there, has been disrupted by the deadly pandemic. I feel like the state government didnt consider the fire victims when they locked everything down, Geoff said. The isolation caused by coronavirus has been really hard. There are a lot of people hurting. We needed to be around to support each other, but we couldnt be. Geoff Belmore and parrot George sit in his temporary caravan. Credit:Rachel Mounsey Geoff, a chaplain to bikie outlaws, has holidayed in Mallacoota for 25 years and has lived there for the past five. His classic car collection, boat, caravan and Harley Davidson perished in the fires.

Like many of the fire's refugees, Geoff  with his parrot, George  is living in a donated caravan. The remains of his burned houses have been removed, but Geoff is yet to decide if he will rebuild. "I'm not in a place emotionally where I can make that decision yet," he said. There was a sense of stark liberation, Geoff said, from being free of all your worldly possessions. "When you lose everything, it's easy not to get so worried about things," he said. "You have to find a way to cope with it and look at the positives. I focus on the all the support I have been given and the people I've got me around. That makes me feel very blessed and grateful." Six months after the fires, Jann Gilbert sits in the ruins of her Mallacoota home. Credit:Rachel Mounsey

Jann walks past the wreckage of her unit most days on her way into Mallacoota from her temporary accommodation. At night, she still has vivid dreams about being stuck on a wharf with thousands of locals and tourists as fire rips through Mallacoota turning the sky black and then blood red. "I remember being so terrified somebody would drown if we all jumped in at the same time," the marine biologist said. "I was certain people would die that night." She jumps when the phone rings or when she hears her dog bark. Her initial paralysing shock and sadness have turned to frustration. Three weeks ago, Grocon workers came and cleared all the burned houses in the street, except Jann's.

I have waited patiently, but its been an absolute debacle since the very beginning, Jann said. "I feel stuck, like I can't move forward with my life." While grateful for the support Mallacoota has received through grants and fundraising efforts, Jann fears Bushfire Recovery Victoria, a dedicated state government agency working directly with fire-affected communities, rushed its response in the first instance. Unfortunately, they launched the plane while they were still building it," she said. "I understand, there is a huge amount for governments to deal with at this time but we don't seem to have a proper emergency services plan." Trauma counsellor Victoria Shaw, whose own Clifton Creek farm was on fire for weeks during the bushfires, said the coronavirus lockdown had "exacerbated everything" with many locals grappling with post-traumatic stress. One out of five people I would usually see would be beside themselves, Ms Shaw said. At the moment, its five out of five.

Free meals put on by volunteers at community halls for locals devastated by the fires and fundraisers to rebuild were cancelled due to COVID-19. "Ive got one client who just sits in my room and she shakes with rage because she feels like she got forgotten about," Ms Shaw said. "It isnt the case, but if youre somebody who has been profoundly affected by the fires then it feels like that. Its a tough time around here." In the tiny hamlet of Wairewa, in remote East Gippsland, where half of the 22 houses were razed in January, new life is emerging through the fire-ravaged bushland. Plantation growing back in Wairewa. Credit:Joe Armao Green leaves sprout out of tall, blackened tree trunks. Last week, locals spotted the first eastern yellow robins they had seen since fires tore through the valley.

Scientists estimate that nearly 1 billion animals, some of them found only in Australia, perished in the fires. The rebuilding of Wairewa has been made difficult by its remote geographic location. Two families have decided not to rebuild in the hamlet, while another is still weighing up their options. "People feel like they have been hit in every direction," said Wairewa local Elizabeth Blakeman, who defended her home from out-of-control bushfires with husband Brian using sprinklers and fire hoses twice in five days. Elizabeth said some locals were still camping next to the town hall with no running water or electricity. Elizabeth and Brian Blakeman at their Wairewa home. Credit:Joe Armao

One young family who lost their house had a crop to harvest in the months after the bushfires and were fielding calls from backpackers all over Australia looking for work. "They had just lost everything and they had to decide would they risk bringing backpackers into this little valley where there was no coronavirus," Elizabeth said. "They decided they couldn't do it and destroyed their crops. It was devastating." Bairnsdale farmer Ken Curtis said farmers had lost their homes and all their cattle in the fires. Some were still finding carcasses scattered across their land weeks later. "They lost everything in an instant," Mr Curtis said. "One guy lost 60 young cattle. He couldn't afford to replace them. How do you recover from that?" Barry Walker, who owns the Exchange House Food Store in Bairnsdale, worries for the future of businesses scattered across Lakes Entrance, Paynesville, Metung, Orbost and Mallacoota, which rely on the tourism to survive.

Forest regrowth at Wairewa. Credit:Joe Armao "It's the double whammy of fires and coronavirus," Mr Walker said. "Some businesses haven't reopened in months. It feels like the final nail in the coffin." In Mallacoota, where thousands of people were forced onto beaches to escape the fires, locals are anxious about the long, cruel summer months to come. They say authorities must act now to improve bushfire management of the tiny, isolated town to ensure such a diaster does not happen again. I hold all levels of government responsible for the bushfires we experienced because none of them have done really anything about climate change," Jann said. If we do nothing about this, it's going to happen again and then we will have all lost our homes for nothing.

A Bushfire Recovery Victoria spokesman said specially trained crews were clearing up to 50 damaged or destroyed houses a week. The rate of clean-up had increased by "300 per cent" since March with all properties to be cleared by August. Chair of Bushfire Recovery Victoria, Ken Lay, said authorities remained committed to helping affected communities rebuild. "I want to reiterate the promise that I made to those communities earlier this year," Mr Lay said. "Were here for the long haul." The state government has provided more than $300 million for bushfire recovery so far, including $90 million worth of grants for individuals, businesses and organisations.
The nation's top military officer, Gen. Mark Milley, spoke privately with congressional leaders and many other lawmakers as Pentagon officials came under fire for the military's role in containing protests following the police killing of George Floyd.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to express her concerns on Tuesday, according to two people who were not authorized to publicly discuss the private conversations and were granted anonymity. That was the day after authorities cleared protesters near the White House so President Donald Trump could hold a photo opportunity at a nearby church. Milley and Defense Secretary Mark Esper were sharply criticized for accompanying Trump and thereby giving the impression of endorsing a politicization of the military.

Milley also reached out Tuesday to Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York, said another person granted anonymity to discuss the situation. A third official said Milley had spoke with perhaps 20 or more members of Congress in the days following Monday's photo op and Trump's implicit threat to invoke the Insurrection Act to permit him to use federal troops in a law enforcement role in the nation's capital and in other cities.

The outreach comes as Milley and Defense Secretary Mark Esper have tried to contain damage in the aftermath of Monday's walk with Trump. Federal authorities used smoke canisters and pepper balls to clear peaceful protesters from a park so the president and his entourage could walk to the church and Trump could pose with a Bible.

Late Friday, Esper and Milley declined a request from Democrats to appear before the House Armed Services Committee next week.

"This is unacceptable," Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the committee chairman, said in a statement Friday, joined by the panel's 30 Democrats.

"Our military leaders are sworn to be accountable to the people of this country, and Congress is constitutionally responsible for oversight," the Democrats wrote. "They must appear and testify on these crucial matters in order to meet that responsibility."

An informal briefing Friday with the secretary of the Army was also canceled, according to a congressional aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a matter that had not been publicly disclosed.

The White House has prohibited officials from the administration from testifying before the House unless they have cleared any appearances with the White House chief of staff.

The protests in Washington were among those nationwide following the death of Floyd, a black man who died when a white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes.

In the call with Milley, Pelosi raised a number of issues that were spelled out in a subsequent letter to Trump seeking an accounting of "increased militarization" in response to the protests.

Schumer on Tuesday warned Milley and Esper, in a speech on the Senate floor, not to allow the U.S. military to engage in "ugly stunts" like the event the night before outside the White House.

Esper told reporters Wednesday he was not aware of the operation to clear the park and did not know he was heading into a photo op. He also distanced himself from Trump's threat to step up the military's role in quelling protests, arguing against invoking the Insurrection Act.

Milley released a message this week to military leaders stating that the Constitution "is founded on the essential principle that all men and women are born free and equal and should be treated with respect and dignity" and that it "also gives Americans the right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly".

The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, James Inhofe, R-Okla., defended Milley's handling of the protest.
LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MI  Former Livingston County judge Theresa Brennan will be released Wednesday from her jail sentence a couple weeks early, according to the Livingston Daily.

Brennan, who was removed from the bench in 2019, was serving a six-month jail sentence for lying on the stand and betraying the publics trust of the judicial system.

Brennans original sentence end date was June 25. According to the Livingston Daily, who cited Livingston County Sheriff Michael Murphy, she is scheduled to be release after earning credit for good behavior.

MLives message to Murphy was not immediately returned.

Brennan pleaded guilty Dec. 3 to the felony perjury charge, and as part of the plea agreement, charges of misconduct in office and tampering with evidence were dropped, the Michigan Attorney Generals office previously said. She faced up to 15 years in prison before accepting the plea agreement.

Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Paul Cusick also sentenced Brennan to 18 months of probation and 200 hours of community service. Cusick was selected to preside over the case after all Livingston County judges recused themselves to avoid any conflict of interest.

Ousted Judge Theresa Brennan gets 6 months in jail on perjury charge

The former 53rd District Court judge was removed from the bench in June 2019, by order of the Michigan Supreme Court, which followed a Judicial Tenure Commission recommendation to defrock Brennan and suspend her from any judicial position for six years.

The commissions complaint detailed how Brennan lied about her relationship with a Michigan State Police trooper, the lead detective in a double-murder case over which she presided.

The commission also accused Brennan of failing to disclose her relationship with an attorney representing a litigant in a case over which she presided, failing to immediately recuse herself from hearing her own divorce case, tampering with evidence in her own divorce case and lying under oath," according to the Supreme Courts summary of the case.

The defendant in the murder trial, Jerome Kowalski, was sentenced to life in prison, but now faces a new trial.

On Dec. 19, the state suspended her license to practice law.

State suspends ousted Livingston County judges law license

The Supreme Court ordered Brennan to pay $16,500 for the costs of the Judicial Tenure Commissions proceedings that led to her removal.

READ MORE:

Teflon judges: They wield great power, but are tough to remove

Michigan quietly scolded biased, absent judges, records show

Should Michigan stop electing judges? Secretary of State, Supreme Court justice weigh in

6 Michigan judges removed in the last decade
A long-time advocate for the M20 corridor through North Cork, County Mayor Ian Doyle has issued a warning to parties currently negotiating the terms for a new Government:

"Hands off the M20! The M20 is part of the capital plan - and should remain part of it!"

Speculation about the fate of the 900m project has been mounting ever since the post-February election fog began to lift to show Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Green Party as the most likely to form the next Government.

This has intensified because of the COVID-19 crisis as the massive expenditure on pandemic-related measures has increased the possibility of funds earmarked for capital projects being diverted or simply not being available to an administration newly burdened with fresh debt.

As far as Charleville-based councillor Ian Doyle (FF) is concerned, the M20 corridor, which has been identified as the 'green' option, must go ahead: "In terms of accessibility for rural towns like Charleville and Mallow, it is the environmentally friendly option," he said, adding that the entire south-west region, and North Cork and Kerry in particular, were depending on the M20 for its future development.

Mayor Doyle also said that the proposal to add a greenway and cycle path to the proposed motorway was an idea he supported, but that the priority had to be to get the motorway in place.

Due to EU regulations around large infrastructural projects, a study is underway on the comparative benefits and risks between a motorway and improving the rail corridor between Cork and Limerick.

"While commuters would welcome this, it wouldn't work as a significant proportion of the existing traffic on the route is freight - approximately half of the 50,000 vehicles which travel through Charleville every day is Heavy Good Vehicle traffic - [and] this couldn't be accommodated on a rail link."

He also pointed to the possible repercussions of the COVID-19 restrictions, which could take some traffic off the roads as more people opt for remote working options: "Towns like Charleville and Mallow could become digital hubs."

Party colleague Michael Moynihan TD stands four square behind the proposed M20 project. "The M20 should go ahead - that's my party's position and that's my position," said the Cork North West TD, who was the Fianna Fail Chief Whip in the last Dail.

Fine Gael councillor John Paul O'Shea has proposed that a green way/cycle route should be included in the M20 project to allay Green Party concerns about the impact the project would have on Ireland's efforts to reduce carbon emissions, as per our commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement: "The M20 project is the most crucial piece of road infrastructure to be built and, in my view, should proceed."

A number of questions have been sent to Green Party Transport Spokesman, Grenagh-born Joe O'Brien TD, about the M20 project. He has previously told this newspaper that the current route between Cork and Limerick 'certainly had a number of issues which needed to be addressed'.

"I am very familiar with it as I grew up beside the N20," he said. "Current estimates have the proposed motorway coming in at a cost of around 1.2bn.

"This is serious money at the best of times, but now it's even more important that we ensure we use public money wisely.

"I think we would be wise to examine ways of making the N20 faster and safer while also looking at improving public transport infrastructure within the cities of Cork and Limerick."
According to Ruslan Ryaboshapka, the audit was intended to probe whether cases he had inherited from his predecessors had been handled properly

Former Prosecutor General of Ukraine Ruslan Ryaboshapka slovoidilo.ua

Ruslan Ryaboshapka, former Prosecutor General of Ukraine, who had launched an audit of thousands of old case files by Ukrainian prosecutors, stated that no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Hunter Biden had been found, Reuters reports.

According to Ryaboshapka, the audit was intended to probe whether cases he had inherited from his predecessors had been handled properly.

I specifically asked prosecutors to check especially carefully those facts about Bidens alleged involvement. They answered that there was nothing of the kind, he stated.

Ukraine's ex-Prosecutor General also stated that there had been no pressure on him.

Regarding the call to Zelensky and this story with Burisma. I can say that there was no pressure on me. The audit was completed," Ryaboshapka added.

As we reported earlier, U.S. Senate committee voted to issue a subpoena as part of its investigation into Hunter Biden, former Vice-President Joe Bidens son.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 8-6 to subpoena Blue Star Strategies, a lobbying firm that was a consultant to Burisma, a gas company in Ukraine that paid Hunter Biden to serve as a board member.
A Chinese company was charged for sending nearly 500,000 defective masks to the United States that were misbranded as N95 respirators, the US Justice Department said in a statement.

A Chinese manufacturer was charged today with producing and exporting to the United States in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic nearly half a million misbranded and defective masks that falsely purported to be N95 respirators, the release said on Friday.

The company, King Year Packaging and Printing, for each of the four counts faces a fine of up to $500,000 or the total gain and/or loss, whichever is greater, according to the release.

The company was identified and charged due to the efforts of the Justice Departments new Covid-19 Hoarding and Price Gouging Task Force, the release added.
And in Australia? Prime Minister Scott Morrison had ventured to the country town of Googong just outside of Canberra, with the press pack in tow, to make an announcement about the new HomeBuilder scheme. Loading He's in full stride when the voice of the homeowner whose lawn is being lightly trespassed upon rings out: Can everyone get off the grass, please? The PM doesnt hesitate, and looking up to see a barefoot Australian citizen in his tracky-daks, responds in a split second. There is no high horse to be seen from the PM. He takes neither offence, nor even a hint of umbrage. He gets it. He is on another blokes turf, and it dont matter what office he holds. Sure, he says to the press pack, taking a few steps back himself, lets just move back from there.

The homeowner watches, but is still not quite satisfied with the level of co-operation he is receiving from the press. Hey guys, I've just reseeded that, he says, pointing to the lawn they are crushing. The PM agrees. Yeah, please, off the thing . . . he says to the press, who shuffle off. Police in riot gear advance on protesters in Minneapolis following the police killing of George Floyd. Credit:AP The bloke appreciates it. Sorry, mate, he calls to the PM, for having had to interrupt the press conference. Its all good, the PM calls back, with a thumbs-up. The blokes goes back inside, king of his castle, uninterested that the most powerful politician in the land is now just one metre off his front lawn. And the PM goes on with his press conference.

In this country we have our issues, things we need to resolve, inequalities we have to address, systemic racism that needs to be rooted out. But interactions like that, where Prime Minister, press and punters all treat each other with basic respect, and on much the same level, gives you faith that even in these difficult times we will muddle a way through. Watching it from Washington, the now-famed Australian journalist Jonathan Swan  who is making it big in the American media  was quick to tweet vision of the whole exchange: This clip tells you more about Australian politics than most any book. And it makes me homesick. Joke of the Week Jacko, from down Goulburn way, is feeling terrible and goes to the doctor. The doctor checks him over and says, "Sorry, I have some bad news. You have Yellow 24, a really nasty virus. It's called Yellow 24 because it turns your blood yellow and you usually only have 24 hours to live. Theres no known cure so just go home and enjoy your final precious moments on Earth ... So Jacko trudges home to his wife and breaks the news. Distraught, she asks him to go to the Goulburn Soldiers Club with her that evening as hes never been there with her before. They arrive at the bingo and with his first card he gets four corners and wins $35. Then, with the same card, he gets a line and wins $320. Then he gets the full house and wins $5000. Then the national game comes up and he wins that too, getting $780,000. The bingo caller gets him up on stage and says, Son, Ive been here 20 years and I've never seen anyone win four corners, a line, the full house and the national game on the same card. You must be the luckiest bastard on Earth!"

Lucky? Jacko screams. Lucky? Ill have you know Ive got Yellow 24. Well Ill be buggered, says the bingo caller. You've won the meat tray, too! Quotes of the Week This is an awful man, waving a book he hasnt read, in front of a church he doesnt attend, invoking laws he doesnt understand, against fellow Americans he sees as enemies, wielding a military he dodged serving, to protect power he gained via accepting foreign interference ... - Father Robert Henderson, Rector at St Phillips Episcopal Church, Arizona, on President Trump using armed force to clear away peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square, so he could hold up a Bible for a photo op. Seems a fair summation, yes? When I joined the military, some 50 years ago, I swore an oath to support and defend the constitution. Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the constitutional rights of their fellow citizens  much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected Commander-in-Chief, with military leadership standing alongside. - General James Mad Dog Mattis, Trumps former secretary of defence, speaks up for sanity. Congratulations to the astronauts that left Earth today. Good choice. - American comedian Andy Milonakis.

The President seems to think that dominating black people, dominating peaceful protesters, is law and order  its not. He calls them thugs  whos the thug here? Hiding in a bunker, hiding behind a suit, who is the thug? People have waited for days for this wannabe wartime President to say something, and this is what he says, and that is what he does? - CNNs Anderson Cooper, off a long run. Loading 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 US military and quickly solve the problem for them. - Donald Trump, threatening to restore peace with brute force. Policing have told the government that unless it's a huge gathering, it's pretty much unenforceable now. Lockdown has essentially ended to all intents and purposes. - A senior London police source as British police chiefs advised the government the public will "do what they want to do". When people are making enormous sacrifices right now, I think situations like this and protests like this on the weekend clearly shouldnt go ahead. You cant defend the indefensible. I think its ridiculous. - Treasurer Dominic Perrottet to 2GBs Ben Fordham on Friday morning, contravening Premier Gladys Berejiklians initial position on the Black Lives Matter protest.

We're still working through some legal procedures right now, so I think the time for those sort of statements are at another time, not right now. Over the course of dealing with this issue, the [income-averaging principle] was not something that could be relied upon. That doesn't mean those debts don't exist. It just means that they cannot be raised, solely, on the basis of using income averaging. - Scott Morrison, refusing to apologise for the complete cock-up that was robodebt, even though the government is faced with repaying $721 million to innocent Centrelink welfare recipients. A thousand dollars hush money is an insult to a nurse. - Brett Holmes of the Nurses Association about the NSW Treasurer's suggestion of a one-off $1000 payment instead of a 2.5 per cent pay rise. This latest attempt by the Treasurer to impose a pay cut upon teachers adds insult to injury. It's unacceptable. It's rejected. - Angelo Gavrielatos of the Teachers Federation. Loading All we've seen so far is money thrown at advertising campaigns. If you're just going to keep doing the same old, same old, nothing will change. But think outside the box  give people a tax-deductible holiday to a bushfire-affected area and see how many people take it up. It actually incentivises their travel and gives people a reason other than their goodwill to go and spend money in towns that are suffering significantly. -
The leadership of the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) has made an appeal to the government to convert their placements in various institutions into permanent engagements at the end of the three-year contract period.



In a collaboration interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr. Dennis Opoku Katakyie and Ms. Jacklin Okyere Darko, National President and Secretary respectively of the Association of NABCO Trainees, indicated that much as they appreciated the bold initiative of President Akufo-Addo in providing jobs for 100,000 unemployed graduates across the country, they humbly appeal to him to go the extra- mile to make them productive and beneficial to the Ghanaian society, by retaining them at the expiry of their contact.



When we leave, the vacancies would definitely be filled by engaging new hands, so why not retain us to use the experience and knowledge acquired on our various jobs, to serve our nation to the best of our abilities and continue to free our families and relatives of financial burdens", they maintained.



The group leaders in this regard urged their colleagues to put up the best behavour and work diligently to win the trust and confidence of their various superiors under whom they served to merit their recommendations.



They also urged Ghanaians to appreciate the efforts of President Akufo Addos government in steering the affairs of the nation and rally solidly behind him, especially in this COVID-19 times, so that he would achieve the best for Ghanaians.

Source: GNA









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The glaring shortcomings and lacunae in the United States (US)  Taliban Agreement of 29 February have been outlined in several EFSAS publications, including the Commentary of 06-03-2020 titled The US  Taliban Agreement: Vindication of terrorism and betrayal of the common Afghan.

The flaws in the US reasoning behind signing the agreement and the advantageous position that its doing so had put the Taliban in, have been commented upon by several other regional experts. EFSAS has also been critical of the incessant Pakistani attempts to destabilize Afghanistan with the aim of propping up a puppet regime there, which in turn would facilitate turning the country into a safe haven for Pakistans terrorist proxies.

The Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which was formed to assist the ISIL & Al Qaeda Sanction Committee set up under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 1267, had submitted its annual report titled The eleventh report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team submitted pursuant to resolution 2501 (2019) concerning the Taliban and other associated individuals and entities constituting a threat to the peace, stability and security of Afghanistan to the UNSC on 30 April.

The report, which was publicly released on 1 June, concurred broadly with skeptics of the US  Taliban Agreement and highlighted the disquieting role being played by Pakistan in Afghanistan.

Signing of the agreement US-Taliban agreement in Feb this year.

One of the key conditions that the US had got the Taliban to agree to before the signing of the 29 February agreement was that the Taliban would jettison its ties with Al Qaeda.

The agreement said that the Taliban will not allow any of its members, other individuals or groups, including al-Qa'ida, to use the soil of Afghanistan to threaten the security of the United States and its allies.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had asserted shortly after the signing that the Taliban had 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, adding that the agreement had a deep, complex, well-thought out, multi-month negotiated verification complex and mechanism by which we can observe and hold every member of the agreement accountable.

The recently released report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, however, expressed serious doubts about the sincerity of the Taliban in implementing this important clause of the agreement.

Not only did the report say that, The senior leadership of Al-Qaida remains present in Afghanistan, as well as hundreds of armed operatives, Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent, and groups of foreign terrorist fighters aligned with the Taliban, but it added significantly that, The Taliban regularly consulted with Al-Qaida during negotiations with the United States and offered guarantees that it would honour their historical ties.

It added that the Talibans interactions with Al Qaeda were held to discuss co-operation related to operational planning, training and the provision by the Taliban of safe havens for Al Qaeda members inside Afghanistan.

It further informed that, "Relations between the Taliban, especially the Haqqani Network, and Al-Qaida remain close, based on friendship, a history of shared struggle, ideological sympathy and intermarriage. The report also noted that, Al-Qaida has reacted positively to the (US Taliban) agreement, with statements from its acolytes celebrating it as a victory for the Talibans cause and thus for global militancy.

The revelation that the Taliban was running with the hare and hunting with the hounds throughout the period of negotiations with the US is outrageous in itself, but when seen in conjunction with the other disclosures in the report, it morphs into outright shocking.

The report states that during these meetings with Al Qaeda, the Taliban regularly assured Al Qaeda that it would not abandon its ties with it. Citing an example, it said that in the spring of 2019 a former adviser to the Taliban's founder, Mullah Omar, met with Hamza Usama Muhammad bin Laden (Osama bin Ladens son) to reassure him personally that the Taliban would not break its historical ties with Al-Qaida for any price.

The report concluded that the Taliban, instead of breaking or watering down its ties to Al Qaeda, actually appeared to have strengthened its relationship with it. It quoted one member State as averring that, that the regularity of meetings between Al-Qaida seniors and the Taliban made any notion of a break between the two mere fiction.

Among the other issues highlighted in the report that had the effect of acting as dampeners on the US Taliban agreement was the fissures that existed within the Taliban leadership. The UN report observed that while the Taliban remained a disciplined fighting force, internal divisions within them had come to notice. As a result, their messaging was always extreme and hard-line.

The report added, The group also appears well prepared for the 2020 fighting season and raising the tempo of its attacks on Afghan government targets while trying to avoid provoking the United States.  Hard-line Taliban believe that they can and will still achieve their aims by force.

The UN report opines that with an estimated strength of between 55,000-85,000 fighters, it is clear that the Taliban are not struggling with respect to recruitment, funding, weapons or ammunition. However, the Taliban have been struggling to capture and hold district and provincial capitals largely because of the air support given to the Afghan security forces by the US. Once the US withdraws and this assistance is no longer available, the rest of Afghanistan could fall rapidly to the Taliban.

The differing interpretation of the US Taliban agreement by all the parties involved was another factor. An example of this was provided by the Afghan media house Tolo News, when it reported that the Taliban claims that 426 of the 2,710 prisoners released recently by the Afghan government in pursuance of the US  Afghan agreement were not Taliban members at all, while the Afghan government claimed that several of the 460 prisoners released by the Taliban in exchange were not members of the government forces.

The UN report, therefore, quite rightly noted that such Differences in interpretation of the agreement will be difficult to resolve.

It came as no surprise, therefore, that the US response to the report appeared rather sheepish and defensive. US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, did not respond to a question from the media on whether the US was aware of the meetings between the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Noting that the report covered the period till 15 March, which was only a fortnight after the signing of the deal with the Taliban, Khalilzad said, We recognize it takes time to take the steps necessary operationally to deliver on their commitments. If the Talibs do not deliver, and I'd rather not speculate, then as I said before, the commitments that we have made is also then subject to change, if the other side doesn't deliver on its commitments.

The UN report has served to highlight just how fragile the US  Taliban agreement really is and how the return of peace and stability to Afghanistan is likely to remain elusive, the US  Taliban deal notwithstanding.

It also demonstrates that for the US, stability in Afghanistan figured way lower in the pecking order of its aims and objectives for signing the agreement than it actually ought to.

It reiterated and reinforced the fact that for the US, the overriding objective was for it to fulfill its Presidents electoral promise of 2016 to get US troops out of Afghanistan, and to ensure that this was done well before the 2020 elections came around, no matter what the cost of such a withdrawal for Afghanistan and its people.

The UN report is, unsurprisingly, also highly critical of Pakistan and its role in Afghanistan. It asserts that the Afghan Taliban's role as a credible counter-terrorism partner for the international community in the aftermath of the 29 February agreement with the US will require careful monitoring because of the number of foreign terrorist fighters in search of a purpose and livelihood in Afghanistan, including up to 6,500 Pakistanis. These foreign fighters pose a serious threat to Afghanistan's security because of their activities and permanent presence in the country.

The report added that Afghan officials had highlighted the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and the Lashkar-e-Taibah (LeT), both of which are internationally known and acknowledged as being terrorist proxies of the Pakistani military establishment, among the foreign terrorist groups posing a security threat to Afghanistan.

The report said that both these groups had a presence in the eastern Afghan provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar and Nuristan, where they operate under the umbrella of the Afghan Taliban and facilitate the trafficking of terrorist fighters into Afghanistan, who act as advisers, trainers and specialists in improvised explosive devices. Both groups are responsible for carrying out targeted assassinations against government officials and others. Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-i-Mohammed were stated to have approximately 800 and 200 armed fighters, respectively, co-located with Taliban forces in Mohmand Darah, Dur Baba and Sherzad Districts of Nangarhar Province. In Kunar province, LeT retains a further 220 fighters and JeM has a further 30, all of whom are dispersed within Taliban forces.

Interestingly, the report of the same Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team for last year had in June 2019 assessed the total number of LeT fighters active in the Kunar and Nangarhar provinces as being about 500.

The fact that the total number of LeT terrorists in these two provinces has more than doubled in the last one year lends credence to reports that have appeared over the past year suggesting that the LeT and the JeM, both of which have been responsible for high-profile terror attacks in India, had been relocating hundreds of their fighters to Afghanistan following increased pressure from the international community on Pakistan to crack down on these Jammu & Kashmir-centric terror groups.

The relocation was reportedly undertaken at the instance of the handlers of these terrorist groups in the Pakistani military establishment.

This years report also highlighted the presence of Pakistani terrorists in the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), the name under which the ISIS operates in Afghanistan. These include ISKP commander Abdullah Orakzai alias Aslam Farooqi, who was apprehended along with 21 others in Kandahar in March.

Twelve Pakistani nationals were among those arrested along with Farooqi. The report, interestingly, also observes that many of the attacks claimed by the ISKP demonstrated some degree of involvement, facilitation, or the provision of technical assistance by the Haqqani Network. This had also been suggested by EFSAS in earlier publications.

The Haqqani Network is widely accepted to be yet another important terrorist asset of the Pakistani military establishment.

The Indian government took note of the UN report, and the spokesperson of its Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement on it on 2 June. He stated, We note with serious concern reference in the Report to the continued presence of the senior leadership of the UN designated terrorist organisation Al Qaida and its affiliates in Afghanistan; as well as a large number of foreign terrorist fighters, including up to 6500 Pakistan nationals, operating in Afghanistan. Besides, UN designated entities like Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-i-Mohammed, operating from Pakistan controlled territories facilitating trafficking and imparting training to other terrorists in Afghanistan. This vindicates Indias long standing position that Pakistan remains the epicentre of international terrorism.

"That proscribed terrorist entities and individuals continue to enjoy safe havens and recruit, train, arm, finance and operate with impunity from Pakistan with State support. They inflict violence and spread terrorism in the region and other parts of the world. Pakistan has failed in fulfilling its international obligations, including under relevant UNSC resolutions and the Financial Action Task Force, to put an end to support to terrorism emanating from territories under its control.

"The international community should hold Pakistan accountable and seek sustained, verifiable and irreversible action by Pakistan against terrorism. India will continue to contribute and support all efforts towards securing peace, security and stability in Afghanistan.

In response, the Pakistani Foreign Office attempted a feeble rejoinder by claiming that there was no reference to 'safe havens' in Pakistan in the Monitoring Team report. This statement ignored completely the remaining damning portions of the report relating to Pakistan.

Other than the presence of a large number of Pakistani terrorists belonging to Pakistan-sponsored terrorist groups in Afghanistan, and the disruptive activities undertaken by them there, two significant aspects pertaining to Pakistan in the report, both of which figured in the section on Taliban finances and connections to criminal activity, are noteworthy. Both these aspects have been glossed over by the media.

In the first of these, the UN report states at paragraph 52 that narcotic smuggling networks operate in Nangarhar and into Pakistan with the reported acquiescence of security officials who regulate and profit from the smuggling of heroin, hashish and other goods. Security officials reportedly allowed smuggling syndicates, known as tanzeems, to operate without fear of arrest in return for a portion of the profit. Revenues were ultimately shared between security officials, heads of the tanzeems and the Taliban. Interlocutors stated that this system was a big source of revenue for the Taliban.

A study to quantify the volume of funds that the Pakistani security officials generated from the proceeds of narcotics smuggling from Afghanistan could reveal a very high figure. The flow of these funds, especially the percentage of it that eventually makes its way into the pockets of the high ups within the Pakistani military establishment, would also be interesting to compute.

After all, the military leadership in Pakistan, which is known to commandeer a sizeable proportion of the countrys budget, would certainly not squander away the great riches that accrue from control over the narcotics trade by selflessly leaving its lower ranked personnel who man the border to prosper alone and fill their personal coffers.

The second aspect that has not received the attention that it deserves figures at paragraph 55 of the report. It reads, During visits to Helmand Province, the Monitoring Team received reports of the illicit extraction of onyx marble, gold, rare earth minerals, aragonite, copper, tin and zinc being carried out on a large scale by the Taliban in districts not under government control, such as Dishu and Khan Neshin. Local sources reported that mining companies in Balochistan Province of Pakistan were involved in excavating precious minerals and marble that was later refined in Karachi and sold as products of Pakistan.

Taxation and revenues from mining contracts were reportedly overseen by the Talibans Dabaro Comisyoon (Stones and Mines Commission). Quite obviously, such blatant plunder and laundering of war-ravaged Afghanistans precious natural resources could not possibly have taken place without the full knowledge of the Pakistani military establishment, and, indeed, without it having a finger deep in the pie.

The oft-repeated contention of the Pakistani establishment that it wished Afghanistan well could clearly not be true while the establishment simultaneously exports terrorism to Afghanistan, profits from narcotics smuggling out of Afghanistan, and illegally and surreptitiously exploits Afghanistans natural resources.



(Located in Amsterdam, the European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) is an EU accredited leading independent, non-profit think tank and policy research institution)
Express News Service

CHENNAI/TIRUCHY/MADURAI: At a time when we are fighting a losing battle against plastic pollution, the novel coronavirus has brought a new twist to the tale. While the three-month lockdown did lower air and water pollution to considerable extent, the rise in usage of disposable masks and gloves has become a serious threat. One, these items are neither recyclable nor biodegradable. Two, improper disposal can cause another spike in disease outbreak.

Chennai has 201 notified containment zones and over 8,000 active cases. Though there is no data on disposal of medical waste, sanitary workers tell us tales of sights they see. Its very common finding used masks lying on roadsides, near or around dustbins, says P Kumar, a sanitary worker attached with Zone-8. Some houses handover these items in yellow carrybags, and they go straight to the incerinators. But most of them, do not bother to segregate.

Kumar tested positive in May. He recently returned to work. His entire family, including his nine-month-old granddaughter had tested positive subsequently.They are worried I will get infected again. If the public behave responsibly, we are largely safe doing what we do. The corporation estimates that the city produces 6-8 tonnes of bio-medical waste every day. This includes waste from containment zones and quarantined houses.

Pollution control board officials say they are constantly monitoring the waste generated at Covid hot spots. Ten days back, the city corporation signed a pact with two treatment facilities. Hereon, workers of the treatment facilities will directly collect waste from containment zones and hot spots in GPS-enabled vehicles, and dispose them scientifically.

A waste handling facility claims it receives around 300 kg of Covid waste daily from Tiruchy and surrounding districts currently. This is exclusive of the 1,400 kg of other bio-medical waste generated on a daily basis. It received 8,000 kg of Covid waste in May, and 3,200 kg in April. Despite repeated instructions, appeals, and warnings, many people continue to discard masks in public posing a threat for others, says a sanitary supervisor with the Madurai Corporation. In many places, bins meant for collection of used masks come back empty.

High impact on marine life

Joe K Kizhakudan, officer-in-charge at the Kovalam Field Laboratory of the Central Marine Research Institute (CMFRI) acknowledged these discarded masks and gloves can be a major environmental hazard, if proper measures are not taken. We are finding them near the bar mouth, although not in large numbers currently. However, once the monsoon rains start, they can easily get washed down the drains ending up in the ocean and waterways. Plastic wreaks havoc on marine ecosystems. As plastic swirls around in the water, much of it breaks down to tiny pieces called microplastics and consumed by fish species, he said.

These materials also pose threat to stray cattle, known to ingest plastics. G Arun Prasanna, founder, People for Cattle of India, said cow is a ruminant. Cow eats almost everything. It is certain that they will pick these pharma waste. What if any of these masks contains coronavirus and the animal ends up in a slaughterhouse.

A sustainable option

A typical surgical mask has a three-ply structure: a waterproof front and back layer, and a sub-micron pore-sized non-woven fabric middle layer. They limit water droplets from the sick making contact with the wearer, as well as droplets from those infected from escaping.

However, the reusable makeshift cloth masks that are touted as reusable and eco-friendly arent meant for such purpose. Experts say they may not have the required well-defined pore sizes and porosity of surgical masks.However, ESI Hospital Dean A Nirmala says N95 masks are only for healthcare workers who treat the COVID-19 patients at the wards.

Apart from the surgical or three-ply masks, the public can use reusable cloth masks too, she said, adding they need to wash it every 8 hours.Nirmala added, Using masks is mandatory. As far as cloth masks are concerned, it is also effective. We need to wash it daily. Frontline workers, on the other hand, have no option but to use plastic items.

Filling the demand gap between the plastic and cotton products are brands producing Hypashield protection mask. Gaurav Dublish and Siddharth Sood, co-founders, Wildcraft India, told Express that masks are going to become a part of ones lifestyle. We are in the middle of a health and economic crisis and the next one would be an environmental crisis, considering if all of us consume disposable masks everyday and throw it out then this would become a huge burden on the environment and already there are red flags going up about all the garbage collection and increasing impact of the virus. In such a scenario a mask such as this with 95% filtration levels which is reusable for up to 30 days would straightaway reduce the impact on the environment drastically.

While doctors dont have an option, others can definitely help the environment by using reusable cloth masks. Even frontline workers after duty can wear reusable masks, said Dr Aleem, Neurologist. Safe disposal is also of paramount importance, say activists. Government must create awareness amongst people about safe disposal. Corporation should ask people to segregate their masks, gloves etc and dispose them separately. They can be placed in a separate bag and disposed once a week, said KC Neelamegham, an environmentalist. While the PPE kits cannot be reused, wherever masks can be reused, they should be.

(With inputs from Coimbatore, Erode, and Salem)
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky had a phone conversation with His Holiness Pope Francis on Friday, June 5.

According to the press service of the head of state, the conversation took place in order to develop the dialogue initiated during the official visit of Zelensky to Vatican City State on February 8, 2020.

"The parties discussed the current crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily the humanitarian challenges facing the world," the report says.

Pope Francis noted that he appreciates Ukraine's desire for solidarity.

Zelensky informed Pope Francis about the successful measures taken by Ukraine during quarantine, in particular the online learning for students. The good example of some Ukrainian churches in supporting the government's quarantine restrictions was also noted.

The president informed His Holiness about the security situation in Donbas and appealed to the Holy See for assistance in the release of all Ukrainians illegally detained in the occupied areas of Donbas, the occupied Crimea and Russia.

"We are looking for a solution to move forward in a peaceful settlement. Ukraine will not violate the "red lines" regarding its own security, sovereignty and territorial integrity," Zelensky stressed.

His Holiness thanked the president of Ukraine for his attempts to achieve a peaceful settlement, and also noted that he was dealing with the issue of the release of Ukrainian serviceman Vitalii Markiv.

The interlocutors discussed bilateral cooperation in the humanitarian sector. They agreed to strengthen cooperation in healthcare and environmental protection and implement joint initiatives in this direction.

The president reiterated the invitation to Pope Francis to make a visit to Ukraine.

His Holiness stressed that he appreciates Zelenskys efforts to end the war and achieve peace in Donbas.

ish
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Years ago, I had some patches of melasma on my face removed with IPL treatment. When I went to make an appointment with my dermatologist recently for the same condition, I was told IPL should not be used for melasma. Why is this? What treatment should be used?

ANSWER: The skin condition melasma can be challenging to get rid of completely, and as a chronic condition, it can come back after treatment. With the treatment you mention, intense-pulsed light or IPL, melasma often reappears quickly. Intense-pulsed light also carries a risk of heating the surrounding skin, which is thought to worsen melasma. To treat melasma, sun protection, topical medications and cosmetic procedures often are combined to achieve the best results.

Melasma is a common condition that appears as irregular patches of tan, brown or brown-gray pigmentation, usually on the face. Melasma affects women much more frequently than men. Patients with darker skin also are more likely to develop melasma.

The most common trigger for melasma is ultraviolet light from sun exposure. Melasma may develop as a result of hormone changes due to pregnancy or certain medications, such as oral contraceptives. Recently, research has found that blue light emitted from light bulbs, computer screens and other electronic devices can worsen melasma. Melasma tends to run in families, which points to a genetic component of this disorder too.

When facial pigmentation first appears, its important to see a dermatologist for a definitive diagnosis because melasma may be subtle and can look like other skin conditions. Once diagnosed, the goal of melasma treatment is to decrease the production of pigment and remove areas of excess pigmentation that already have appeared.

Intense-pulsed light treatment for melasma uses a broad spectrum of light to generate heat to target and remove pigment. But the heat diffuses to all the surrounding tissues. That can lead to complications, including a condition known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which causes more dark patches to appear. Research shows that intense-pulsed light can improve melasma in the short term, but relapse often is seen within three months.

More recently, fractional nonablative lasers have been studied for the treatment of melasma. These lasers resurface the skin and remove pigment through heated columns, but they leave the skin around the columns untouched. Different devices with different levels of power are available, so the treatment can be individualized for each patient. Unlike the set 100% coverage of intense-pulsed light, these lasers can treat as low as 5% of the skin to slowly remove pigment with a much lower risk of relapse or worsening of melasma.

When considering melasma treatment overall, however, topical treatment is the key to success. It should be used before any light or laser procedure and, to decrease the risk of relapse, it should be continued even when those procedures are recommended. Topical hydroquinone is the most common lightening agent used. It works by decreasing the production of pigment. Your doctor may recommend combining it with tretinoin, corticosteroids, antioxidants or other topical products for added efficacy. In some cases, superficial chemical peels also may be considered to remove pigment.

Avoiding sun exposure and protecting your skin from the sun is absolutely essential to prevent further development of melasma and to maintain treatment results. That includes wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses when youre outdoors and using sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 50 or higher on a daily basis. A sunscreen with a physical blocker, such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, is best. Reapply it every one to two hours.

Research into melasma treatment is moving forward. Recent data has identified that melasma is associated with inflammation, skin barrier breakdown and an increase in blood vessels. Those findings may inform new treatment options. Talk to your dermatologist to learn more about topical and oral treatments on the horizon.  Elika Hoss, M.D., Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona

(Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesnt replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org.)

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As yet another African-American dies in police custody in a recorded incident, has not the time come to seriously re-examine the legal doctrine of qualified immunity, which substantially impedes recovery for police misconduct? There is no simple solution to this complicated problem, but lowering the unfairly high, in many cases insurmountable, barrier for civil recovery for police misconduct would be a meaningful step in the right direction.

It is beyond debate that, on a national level, there is a valid concern regarding the abuse of civilians, particularly minorities, by police officers. Repeated instances throughout the country of people dying in police custody for no legitimate reason, most recently George Floyd, in Minneapolis, have led to destructive civil unrest and the increase in racial tensions. These tragic events have also produced additional troubling results.

The abuse and, in fact, the homicides of those placed in police custody have undermined the confidence that we as a nation have in our law enforcement to properly conduct themselves. This situation is particularly acute as it relates to inner-city minorities. Being a police officer is a challenging and difficult job to properly perform, especially in troubled urban areas. But the maltreatment of those in police custody is completely unacceptable to our national standards. The depth of this problem is reflected in the incredible fact that many of the officers involved in these incidents are aware that they are being recorded. This lack of confidence in police officers is detrimental to our communities and to responsible law enforcement. Further, in the wake of these tragedies and subsequent investigations, law enforcement has a tendency to retreat into a passive level of field operations, which have led to a dramatic increase in crime. The death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore is an example of this result.

There are currently three means by which to address this problem of police misconduct  departmental discipline, criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits. To date, none have been particularly effective in combating this abuse. Why?

Few have significant confidence in the ability of the police to effectively discipline their own members for misconduct given the considerable protections of collective bargaining and the reluctance of other officers to publicly condemn their fellow members. The officer involved in the death of Mr. Floyd, Officer Derek Chauvin, had 20 complaints against him that resulted in only two reprimands. That number of complaints itself is troubling given the general reluctance of civilians to formally proceed against the police. The system of internal police discipline falls far short of the desired result. Likewise, criminal prosecutions against police officers, by themselves, are not the solution. State or federal arrests for police misconduct are very rare and usually not successful even if they are initiated. Few police officers, it would appear, are deterred from misconduct by the prospect of either departmental discipline or getting arrested.

The last avenue to attack this problem, civil lawsuits, is the most promising. Lawsuits against law enforcement for misconduct are regularly brought but, like criminal prosecutions, are very difficult in which to prevail. This is due largely to the doctrine of qualified immunity that shields the police and government entities from liability in the vast majority of such cases. In essence, the doctrine of qualified immunity provides that if it was objectively reasonable for an officer to believe his/her actions did not violate the law, there is no legal liability for the conduct of the police. This doctrine is routinely employed by municipalities to ask the court to summarily dismiss a case without a trial. This request is frequently granted by the court. The practical effect of this rule prevents a jury from even considering the merits of the case.

By usually prevailing in this manner, cities have little incentive to address issues with their police departments, knowing it is unlikely that they will suffer significant monetary damages for police actions unless the misconduct is egregious. These claims of police misbehavior should be decided by a jury, not a judge, after a trial in which all relevant evidence is introduced by the parties.

The results of this modification of the law would be beneficial in many ways. Initially, it would lead to the prospect of increased financial recoveries against municipalities for the actions of their officers. The potential loss of substantial money would be a powerful incentive to cash-strapped municipalities to seriously address the issues in their police forces. In the face of this increased exposure, cities would be pressured to more selectively hire police officers, increase and improve training procedures, enhance departmental programs for officers with personal issues and improve disciplinary procedures. These efforts, if properly administered, would decrease the likelihood of unnecessary deadly encounters between the police and the citizenry.

To be sure, the death of a person in police custody is not always attributable to police misconduct. There are times when the suspect is in part or wholly responsible for their own demise. However, there are far too many situations in this country where that is clearly not the case. The present state of law enforcement is unacceptable to anyone who subscribes to the view that our police officers should always discharge their duties in a lawful fashion to everyone and under all circumstances. Our legal system needs to contribute more to solving this troubling problem.

Eugene J. Riccio is a criminal defense lawyer in Fairfield.
New drivers will soon be hitting the road again in New Jersey.

In his latest move to gradually lift coronavirus restrictions, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Friday that state Motor Vehicle Commission offices will reopen June 15 for a variety of pick-up and drop-off services. And he said the agency plans to begin conducting behind-the-wheel road tests and issuing new licenses and permits June 29.

We know that there is a lot of pent-up demand for these services, and MVC is ready, and has roughly tripled the number of road test examiners so to be able to complete roughly 16,300 tests per week, Murphy said during his daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton.

Murphy closed the states MVC services on March 16 as he started imposing near-lockdown orders to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The state extended expiration dates to help those with expiring licenses, registrations, inspection stickers, and temporary tags. And license and registration renewals have still been allowed online.

But customers havent been able to conduct business that requires in-person visits to an agency, inspection station, or road-test facility.

With MVC offices reopening in the coming weeks, Murphy also said the agency has taken steps to operate safely during the pandemic. Social distancing will be required at all offices, and staff will be required to wear masks while customers will be asked to cover their faces. Plexiglass barriers have been installed in the offices, and floors have been taped off to make safe spacing.

Motor Vehicle Commission used to mean a lot of people crowded into tight spaces," said Sue Fulton, the chief administrator of the MVC. "We cant operate like that in a COVID-19 world.

But thats just the beginning. Fulton said that the agency is taking advantage of a one-time opportunity to rethink and streamline how the it operates.

The biggest change is that some MVC offices will be designated as license centers, which will handle license and ID transactions, as well as driving tests. Other others will be designated as vehicle centers, dedicated to processing registration, title and license plate transactions.

Fulton said this separated model is meant to streamline processes at MVC offices, and is modeled off of similar strategies in Florida, California, Georgia and Pennsylvania.

People trying to take road tests or get the new REAL ID can start making appointments online on June 15. Fulton added that the MVC has set up 11 temporary road test courses and brought in more than 100 new road test examiners from the agencys bus inspection unit to increase the states road test capacity.

Fulton said that anyone who had a road test canceled because of the MVC closure will be given priority for the new testing.

New Jersey teenagers and other new drivers have been waiting a long time to get the drivers licenses theyve been looking forward to," Fulton said. "And were keenly aware of the road testing backlog.

The MVC faces a massive backlog of work after being closed since mid-March. To deal with that mountain of waiting tasks, the new license centers will be processing permits in bulk from driving schools and high schools on a drop-off bases. The vehicle centers will be dealing with titles and registration transactions in bulk from dealerships.

We have to clear the backlog," Fulton said. "Clearing the bulk transactions is necessary to make room for walk-in customers.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

As New Jerseys outbreak has slowed steadily in recent weeks  and as the states economy struggles mightily  Murphy has gradually lifted his statewide restrictions.

The state is set to enter Stage 2 of a multi-phase reopening plan on June 15, beginning with allowing outdoor dining and nonessential retail stores to welcome customers inside at reduced capacity. Hair salons and barbershops will follow June 22. Gyms, libraries, museums, and some government offices are also expected to reopen during the stage, though there is not timeline yet for those.

Murphy has not outlined specific benchmarks the state has reached to guide each decisions. Instead, he has pointed to an overall drop in the number of new cases, deaths, and hospitalizations, as well as a steady decrease in the virus rate of reproduction.

He has also noted that New Jersey has ramped up testing and is expanding contact tracers that will allow officials to more easily track any coronavirus spikes.

Murphys administration has not yet rolled out a comprehensive plan to increase contact tracers, but the governor said hell have more details early next week.

Bear with us on that, he said.

New Jersey, a densely populated state of 9 million residents, has reported 12,049 known deaths attributed to COVID-19, with at least 163,336 cases, since the states outbreak began March 4. Only New York has more deaths and cases among American states.

Officials on Friday announced 79 new deaths and 864 new positive tests in New Jersey.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com.
New Delhi :

Stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma on Saturday said he had only expressed his concern about corruption which took an unnecessary controversy. He also said he is not a part of any political organization to create such controversies.

Sharma said, I have utmost respect for the honorable Prime Minister and Governments, both Union and State, it's agencies and Statutory Bodies. I am a law abiding citizen and shall act as legally advised. This was my anger against corruption which I expressed on twitter.

Also read: Kapil Sharmas bribe charge backfires, BMC points at more violations

On Friday, Kapil Sharma claimed in a tweet that he was asked to pay a bribe by a BMC official for his new office that is under construction.

BMC vigilance chief engineer Manohar Pawar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have both responded to Sharma and assured that they are looking into the matter.

Earlier in the day, a complaint has been filed against comedian Kapil Sharma for destroying mangroves while constructing his office. A complaint was filed at Versova police station by RTI activist Asad Patel.

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Pakistan-based American blogger Cynthia D Ritchie levelled accusations of rape and molestation against some top leaders of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari-led Pakistan People's Party. On Friday, Ritchie accused Pakistan's former interior minister Rehman Malik of raping her in Islamabad in 2011 after he laced her drink with sedatives.

She also alleged that former federal minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin and former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani of "physically manhandling" her. Gilani has rebuffed the accusations.

"In 2011, I was raped by the former interior minister Rehman Malik. That's right, I'll say it again. I was raped by the then interior minister Rehman Malik," Ritchie said a live video on her Facebook page. Ritchie was embroiled in controversy with the PPP last week after she made objectionable remarks against late Benazir Bhutto, the Dawn reported. The PPP termed her remarks against late Bhutto as "slanderous and derogatory".

As the case surfaced online, Ritchie faced opposition,but support poured in too with #MeToo trending on Twitter. #MeToo movement began 2018 where women across the world came out with their stories of facing sexual abuse. Men in influential, political circles came under scanner after they were accused of raping, abusing and harassing women.

The worst thing a woman does to another: #victimblaming,not believing another woman when she says she was #RAPED. Are you in your senses? Youre negating the entire #metoo movement & are not worthy of being called a woman if you cant offer another woman empathy for being violated https://t.co/rgAM1I2GZU Sana Mir (@SanaMirTweets) June 5, 2020

What ? I was raped by Ex-Interior Minister Rahman Malik at the President House In Islamabad@CynthiaDRitchie This needs to be investigated. This is too serious of a claim to be taken lightly.Cynthia stay strong. This is too much. Too too much.We are with you. Mir Mohammad Alikhan (@MirMAKOfficial) June 5, 2020

I admire your courage, bravery and thank you for coming out against this mafia, stay strong. God Bless syed hamza ali (@syed_wiki) June 5, 2020

I am so sorry to hear all that happened to you in Pakistan. May Allah help you in bringing those scoundrels to justice. Amina Tariq (@aaminah_tariq) June 5, 2020

There were some who found vested interests in Ritchie's allegations, much like the debate back in 2018 where people discredited allegations owing to political affiliations of either the accused or the accuser.

First they used dharnas of every goon (TuQ, IK, KR) in town, then they used media pups, then they made judiciary their maiden, and now they are using their Mata Hari.... All but to malign and discredit political parties. Shame on you doctrine owners. Shame on you. Marvi Sirmed (@marvisirmed) June 5, 2020

Is it too late to expose them?Why not earlier? Shafiq Ahmad (@shafiqndu992) June 5, 2020

Before going live from her Facebook page, Ritchie tweeted saying she was being threatened by the members of the PPP.

#ZardarisFilthyPPP keeps threatening me. Why? Because they know that over the years I have been raped/assaulted by men in the highest ranks of PPP. They don't want the world to know. I have decided to go live on facebook in approximately 30 minutes & continue to tell my story. Cynthia D. Ritchie (@CynthiaDRitchie) June 5, 2020

"I have received countless threats against my life, rape threats, claims that PPP has my father," she said in the video, adding that she has "evidentiary support". The blogger said that she had informed about the incident to "someone" at the US Embassy in 2011, "but due to 'fluid' situation and 'complex' relations between US and Pakistan, response was less than adequate".

On Saturday, Ritchie wrote in a series of tweets, "This is not an indictment of PPP, as I have been mistreated by men from various parties. However the majority of my cases, including two more have not mentioned were either Pk lobbyist or 2nd tier PPP."
Colorado Springs Republican state Rep. Dave Williams circulated a pair of images on social media over the weekend of an alleged antifa recruitment flyer that does not appear to be genuine.
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Moscow, June 6 : Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered an investigation into the cause of an Arctic oil spill last week.

A fuel tank at a power plant near the city of Norilsk in Siberia collapsed on May 29, leaking 20,000 tonnes of diesel oil into a river within the Arctic Circle, reports Efe news.

On Friday, Putin has demanded that Russian authorities bring the situation under control and investigate the cause of the incident after previously declaring a state of emergency over the disaster.

"I ask all the agencies that should be directly involved in this work, certainly the Ministry of Emergencies, to establish full special control over the situation," he was quoted by Russian news agency TASS.

"Definitely, causes should be identified and damages should be assessed thoroughly and uncompromisingly, objectively." The President also ordered Russia's environmental watchdog to check all storage facilities for oil products in the country.

"I ask Russia's Federal Supervision Service for Natural Resources Management to analyze thoroughly the condition of similar facilities across the entire country and organize checks, if necessary, including involving emergencies ministry specialists and law enforcers," he added.

Emergency Minister Yevgeny Zinichev flew over the affected area on Thursday along with a commission created to respond to the ecological disaster.

It was the first incident of such a magnitude in the Arctic and is comparable to the Exxon Valdez tanker spill three decades ago off the coast of Alaska, according to Greenpeace.

Russian Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology Elena Panova said at a press conference on Thursday that the recovery of the environment in the area could take at least 10 years.

The cleanup has been complicated by the conditions in the area, she added.

Around 6,000 tons of diesel spilled onto the land and another 15,000 tonness went to rivers, according to state watchdog for natural resources Rosprirodnadzor.

A deployment of 70 rescuers from various Russian regions has been dispatched to the scene, in addition to special equipment from the Russian oil companies, including pumps, machines to collect oil, excavators and floating containment barriers.

Drones and helicopters have been sent to monitor the disaster area from the air.

Nornikel, the company responsible for the spill, has also been involved in the cleanup operation and has said the bulk of the fuel can be collected from local rivers within 14 days if conditions are favorable.

A criminal case has been opened into the incident for negligence, land damage, violation of environmental protection standards at work and water pollution.
New Delhi, June 6 : The CBI on Saturday said that it has arrested an official of the Eastern Coalfields Limited from Jharkhand's Godda in a graft case.

Accused Gokul Chandra Saha, posted as Clerk in Rajmahal Open Cast Project in Godda, was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 25,000 as first instalment of the bribe he demanded from a complainant, the Central Bureau of Investigation said.

The arrest was made after the CBI filed a case on the basis of a complaint that Saha had demanded a bribe of Rs 35,000 from the complainant for processing a case relating to his appointment on compassionate grounds in Eastern Coalfields Ltd in Godda after his father's death.

"A CBI team laid a trap and caught the accused while accepting Rs 25,000 as first instalment from the complainant," a CBI official said, adding that incriminating documents were also seized.

The official said that the accused will be presented before Special CBI Judge in Dhanbad.
In most years, a UFC fighter who fights three times in a calendar year can consider him/herself fortunate.

Yet, were not even at the halfway point in 2020  and Ray Borg is, or soon will be, at three and counting. The Albuquerque bantamweight has been added to a UFC card scheduled for June 13 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Borg (13-4) is matched against Merab Dvalishvili (10-4) in what will be Borgs third fight in less than four months.

On Feb. 15 at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, Borg defeated Rogerio Bonterin by unanimous decision. He lost by split decision to Ricky Simon on May 13 in Jacksonville, Florida.

The matchup with Dvalishvili, a native of Georgia (the country, not the state), is an interesting one. They have two opponents in common.

Borg has lost to Simon and Casey Kenney (by unanimous decision). Dvalishvili has lost to Simon (technical submission/guillotine choke) but defeated Kenney by unanimous decision at the Star Center.

After the Simon fight, Borg tweeted the following: Had to (sic) much fun, ready to go again if yall need me @UFC.

Apparently, the UFC was paying attention.

Before this year, Borg had never fought more than twice in any calendar year since signing with the UFC in 2014.

Borg will join fellow Albuquerquean Jordan Espinosa on the June 13 card. Espinosa (14-7) is matched against Texan Mark De La Rosa (11-4) in a bantamweight fight.

Espinosa trains at Luttrell-Yee, Borg at Jacksons Acoma.

ITS ON: Albuquerque-based light heavyweight Devin Clark (11-4) weighed in at 205.5 pounds, an allowable half-pound over the weight-class limit, for his fight Saturday in Las Vegas on UFC 250 against Texan Alonzo Menifield (9-0). Menifield weighed in at 205 even.

Clark trains at Jackson-Wink.

Clarks fight is on the early prelim portion of the card, scheduled to start at 4 p.m. Listings show it is available on UFC Fight Pass, that organizations streaming service, as well as on ESPN and streamed on espn+.

The main card, headlined by Amanda Nunes featherweight title defense against Felicia Spencer, will be aired on espn+ pay-per-view, starting at 8 p.m.
Kabul, June 6 : The Taliban has freed 36 Afghan detainees from its custody in Farah province and handed them over to security forces on Saturday, in the latest round of prisoner swap.

However, Mohammad Shuaib Sabit, the governor for Farah province asserted that some of the released persons were civilians, reports Xinhua news agency.

The exchange of prisoners is part of the US-Taliban peace deal that was inked in Doha on February 29 to facilitate the intra-Afghan dialogue for finding a political solution to Afghanistan's prolonged war and withdrawal of the US-led forces from the country.

Under the agreement, the Afghan government has to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners for the exchange of 1,000 security forces languishing in Taliban custody.

So far, the government has released 2,700 Taliban detainees, while the Taliban has freed over 420 prisoners, 73 of them during the last few days from Balkh, Logar, Kunduz, Paktia, Paktika and Khost provinces.
As per the safety protocols, all passengers underwent a thermal screening prior to terminal entry and maintained mandatory social distancing through special queuing arrangements.

On 6th June 2020, Hyderabad International Airport handled a Departures Repatriation Flight for Somali Nationals stranded in Hyderabad, Telangana State. A relief charter flight of Daallo Airlines DAO178 ( Arrival)/ DAO179 (Departure) landed from Mogadishu (Somalia) via Muscat as a ferry flight today at 9.30 AM and departed at 11.39 AM (Morning) with 128 passengers to Somalia via Muscat.

All departing passengers were serviced through the fully sanitised Interim International Departures Terminal (IIDT) of GMR Hyderabad International Airport as per all safety protocol in place. Special screening and safety measures were in place during the flights handling to protect against the COVID-19 threat including thermal screening prior to terminal entry, mandatory social distancing enforced through special queuing arrangements at all passenger processing points.

To meet these emergency requirements, apart from the State/Central Govt. representatives, State Police, CISF (Central Industrial Security Force), Immigration, Customs, a select group of personnel from GHIAL Terminal Operations, Airside Operations, AOCC (Airport Operations & Control Center), ATC (Air Traffic Control), IT Team, Landside Security, Airline Ground Handlers, ARFF (Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting) services, RAXA security, Trolley Operators, Housekeeping Staff, among others were available to ensure safe and seamless arrivals of the passengers.

Also Read: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal warns private hospitals against indulging in black marketing of beds for Covid-19 patients

Also Read: India ranks 6th among worst affected Covid-19 countries, surpasses Italys tally, cases now at 2,36,657

Amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, while Hyderabad International Airport recommenced its services for commercial domestic flights as per govt. direction; it is also seamlessly handling evacuation flights both arrivals and departures with all safety protocols in place. So far the airport has handled 18 Departures Evacuation flights facilitating about 1700 foreign nationals stranded in Hyderabad City, Telangana to various countries. The airport has also handled 34 Arrivals Evacuation flights under the two phases of the Govt. of Indias Vande Bharat Mission facilitating over 5000 Indian Citizens from various foreign destinations to Hyderabad. All arriving passengers were quarantined by the state govt.

Also Read: Cyclone Nisarga: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray announces Rs 100 crore emergency relief fund for Raigad

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Princess Martha Louise of Norway has shared photographs online as she and her daughters 'took the knee' to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

The mother-of-three, 48, posted a self portrait on her Instagram page, as she took part in a 'virtual protest' while holding a sign reading: 'I commit to learn, listen and take action.'

She went on to share three other images of her daughters Maud Angelica, 17, Leah Isadora, 15, and Emma Tallulah, 13, performing the action and holding protest signs reading: 'Black lives matter.'

Alongside the images, she wrote: 'Although we cant be at the protest in Oslo today because of the coronavirus, we still support all of you risking your lives every day out in the world for change.

Princess Martha Louise of Norway, 48, shared an Instagram post as she 'took the knee' and said she was 'committed' to listening, learning and taking action

The royal went on to share several photographs of her daughters holding protest signs and kneeling to show their solidarity with those protesting the death of George Floyd (pictured, 17-year-old Maud)

Meanwhile the royal also shared a picture of her 15-year-old daughter Leah (left) and 13-year-old Emma (right) performing the protest gesture while holding signs reading: 'Black Lives Matter'

'And since everything has gone virtual these days, here is our protest: We fill our hearts with love and let it flow into the world so we may grow into individuals who can support our black brothers and sisters because we know that black lives matter.'

'Enough is enough! We will listen and learn to become the best allies we can be. And WE WILL TAKE ACTION.'

In one picture, her eldest daughter Maud, 17, can be seen holding a tablet with a picture of George Floyd, whose death has sparked protests across the world.

Meanwhile she also shared pictures of Leah, 15, and Emma, 13, holding signs while kneeling in the ground.

It comes days after Princess Martha spoke about how being in a relationship with black man Durek Verrett, 45, has given her a 'crash course in white supremacy'

It comes after the princess said that before she began dating self-described shaman Durek Verrett, 45, in May 2019, she did not realise how widespread racism is.

What does it mean to 'take the knee'? American football star Colin Kaepernick took to his knee during the National Anthem in 2016 in an effort to draw attention to racial injustice and police brutality in the country. In 2016, Mr Kaepernick began making the gesture at the beginning of every game in an effort to cast a light on discrimination towards African Americans in the nation. He told NFL Media at the time: 'I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.' On Wednesday night, hundreds of Britons stepped outside their doorsteps to 'take the knee' and demand justice for the American police killing of George Floyd that is provoking increasing global anger. Families, children and emergency services across the country showed their support for the Black Lives Matter movement by standing outside their homes and places of work at 6pm in solidarity with protesters in the U.S. The campaign, which was created by Stand up to Racism, comes as demonstrations continue to increase around the world after George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, died after police officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on his neck in Minneapolis on May 25 for nine minutes. Advertisement

The royal spoke out about how being in a relationship with a black man has given her a 'crash course in white supremacy' after witnessing how he is treated.

She wrote in an Instagram post: 'Being @shamandurek 's girlfriend has given me a crash course in how white supremacy is at play and the way I have consciously and subconsciously thought of and acted towards black people.

'It is in the details (which I had no idea still existed).'

The princess added that since she and Verrett began dating, she noticed that many of her friends instantly distrusted him.

'It is in the way people shy away from Durek. How friends assume he lies about everything,' she wrote.

'That he is evil for being kind. The words muttered under their breath, making it perfectly clear to him that he does not have a natural place at the table.

'The press presents him as a liar, being violent and a threat to my family and myself, sharing scrupulously his X's [ex's] story without checking facts, because it supports the belief system already in place about him. THAT IS RACISM!'

The mother-of-three went on to say in the post to her 98,000 followers that she has taken her 'rights for granted' and never properly examined 'what racism really is.'

'I am not proud of it, but I realize I need to grow into understanding this deeply rooted system to be able to be part of the dismantling of it,' she wrote.

'I, as a white person, need to grow, educate myself and become better and move from being against racism to being anti-racist.'

The post comes just days after the princess shared a lengthy emotional Instagram post about the death of black man George Floyd.

He died after white police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground by kneeling on his neck last month.

The killing has sparked a wave of successive nights of protests across the US, some of which have led to violent clashes with police.

The princess said that before she began dating self-described shaman Durek Verrett, in May 2019, she did not realise how widespread racism is

She wrote in an Instagram post: 'Being @shamandurek 's girlfriend has given me a crash course in how white supremacy is at play and the way I have consciously and subconsciously thought of and acted towards black people

There have also been similar demonstrations in the UK and other countries.

Alongside an image of a protester, the Norwegian royal 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'.

She added: 'Stop!!! It has been going on for too long; the killing of innocent men and women!

The post comes just four days after the princess shared a lengthy emotional Instagram post about the death of black man George Floyd

The royal shared the post online and said that the 'killings of innocent men and women' had been 'going on for far too long'

'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 threatened, before anything changes?'
DOYLESTOWN >> The James A. Michener Art Museum has announced growth-focused changes in leadership at a pivotal time for the Michener. New additions to the museum's management team and board are in place and exciting exhibitions are lined up, all with the goal of strengthening the Micheners commitment to inspire and nurture a lifelong connection to the arts. A newly-formulated...
After eight days of protests in the District of Columbia over the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, officials are preparing for the weeks biggest demonstration in Washington.

Tens of thousands of protesters are expected in the nations capital on Saturday in an all-out rebuke of aggressive police tactics, racism and the Trump administrations militant approach to the days of unrest that have gripped cities from the District to Los Angeles and hundreds between.

Starting at 6 am on Saturday, police will close much of downtown to vehicle traffic, creating a pedestrian-only demonstration zone.

A fortified perimeter around the White House, including a tall black fence that was erected late this week after days of volatile confrontations between police and demonstrators, will remain.

Unlike many other large-scale demonstrations that the District hosts, no one person or organisation is leading Saturdays events.

Nearly a dozen different demonstrations run by as many organisations or individuals have been advertised for Saturday, starting at 6 am and running into the night. Many protesters plan to stay out until the early hours of Sunday morning.

There are no leaders to speak to and no agenda to follow.

Stages and podiums that are hallmarks of rallies such as the March for Our Lives and the Womens March on Washington have given way to people with megaphones commanding the attention of nearby crowds.

For the past eight days, the protests have ebbed and flowed with the energy of the day. Demonstrators march from memorials to the White House and back again.

Even Black Lives Matter DC has repeatedly announced this week that it is not behind all the grass-roots activism that has taken hold and flooded the city with protesters. Online, people from around the Washington region and neighbouring states announced their intention to join and encouraged others to do the same.

District police chief Peter Newsham said no arrests have been made during protests since Tuesday. He said he hoped that that streak would continue as he expected on Saturday to see the largest crowd since protests began in the city on 29 May.

We anticipate the largest demonstrations with regards to numbers that weve seen in the city to date, he said. And we anticipate that the protesters will continue to be as peaceful as they have been over the past couple of days.

In response to large crowds, Metro announced Friday that it will reopen the first and last rail cars on trains starting Saturday to boost capacity for rail riders.

The transit agency had kept the end cars closed on eight-car trains as a way to protect train operators from interacting with passengers during the coronavirus pandemic. Though operators work in enclosed compartments, the added buffer was a safeguard the transit union representing most of Metros workers had sought.

Opening the first and last cars is one of the few options Metro has to increase capacity, and officials said the move will be indefinite, not just for Saturday.

Demonstrators gather on 16th street near Lafayette Park during a peaceful protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd (Getty)

Though District police and the National Park Service are preparing for tens of thousands of demonstrators, no one can say exactly how many to expect. Typical mechanisms used to gauge crowd size have been suspended or scaled back because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Park Service has stopped issuing protest permits. Agencies that might typically discuss plans with community organisers have halted in-person meetings. Many administrative officials are working from home.

On Friday, District mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, renamed a street in front of the White House Black Lives Matter Plaza and had the phrase Black lives matter painted in giant yellow letters along 16th Street NW near the White House.

The move, an escalation in Bowsers feud with Donald Trump over control of District streets, was meant to be a stark reminder to the president and legions of federal forces and military personnel called to the District amid the protests that the citys allegiance is to peaceful demonstrators, said John Falcicchio, the mayors chief of staff.

Some District residents and activists criticised the move as merely performative and demanded that the mayor follow up with substantive changes to the District police department.

On Saturday, protesters planned to target city officials and buildings alongside those of the federal government with demonstrations in front of the US Senate office buildings, the District governments Wilson Building, at Judiciary Square and Freedom Plaza, and the White House.

Officials said they expect demonstrations to be fluid and roaming, with groups breaking off to join other demonstrations as the day progresses and marches taking protesters through the city.

On Friday, crowds that jammed roads and flooded the White House for more than a week had eased into a jubilant rhythm.

Marches crisscrossed the District from the White House to Freedom Plaza and back again. Protesters arrived with speaker systems to play music and amplify the words of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr outside Lafayette Square, where peaceful protesters days before had been gassed, pepper-sprayed and aggressively corralled by federal police.

We arent going to let any Mace stop us, Kings voice echoed through the air. We are masters in our nonviolent movement in disarming police forces; they dont know what to do.

All around, demonstrators stood in silence, listening intently.

Military personal walk out of the White House as workers build a metal fence reinforced with concrete block on 15th Avenue (Getty)

Its phenomenal, said Jacqueline Stallworth, a teacher. Everything he is saying is still relevant today.

When the smoke grenades and pepper pellets started to fly earlier in the week at Lafayette Square, Kandyce Baker sat in front of the White House and prayed.

She returned on Friday to a starkly different scene: The riot police were gone, the smell of chemicals no longer tainted the summer air, and a large fence encircled the park. Instead of facing the White House, as she did last time, Ms Baker turned her back.

I came here today ... to be here where the people are, she said.

Around her stood several hundred people as the sky darkened and a thunderstorm rolled in. Dancers hopped and grooved in the middle of the road as a crowd gathered to cheer  it was a street party as much as a protest.

Its amazing how all that has made people want to be out here with us even more, said Aaron Covington, a resident of Navy Yard who is organising a rally Saturday at the Lincoln Memorial. Ive gotten messages from almost every state, people around the world, saying, I wish I could be there with you. 

The anger and sorrow that spurred demonstrations in the District and across the country this week was far from gone.

At the Justice Department, dozens of protesters marched on Pennsylvania Avenue chanting No justice, no peace while carrying a letter demanding the release of any demonstrators arrested this week.

At the Henry J Daly municipal building, where a group of District police officers stood guard, protesters called out the names of black men and women killed by police, including Breonna Taylor, the 26-year-old Louisville paramedic fatally shot in her apartment by police officers who were executing a drug warrant.

Some in the crowd then shared stories about their own encounters with police.

Im scared I wont live long enough to have children, said Terrence James, before recounting how he and a group of friends were approached by police in 2017 at a Silver Spring 7-Eleven. Explaining that a robbery had just occurred, he said, the officers forced Mr James and his black friends to lie facedown in the parking lot. They didnt ask his white friend  who looked on in disbelief  to do the same, he said.

At Lafayette Square, demonstrators from outside the region had already begun to arrive.

Cindy Puentes stood outside the wire fence clutching a sign that said: My husbands black skin isnt a crime.

Ms Puentes and her husband travelled hundreds of miles this week from their home in Kansas for Saturdays demonstrations  and any that might follow. She plans to stay for three weeks, coming out daily to march.

This is about my family, she said. I was tired of crying at home. Im tired of seeing so much hate everywhere.

With a leaderless movement come challenges  not knowing who to follow or where to go, not having a preprinted list of slogans to chant along with as you march.

As night fell Friday, a crowd of protesters drenched in another evening thunderstorm tried to sync up as they wound their way towards the US Capitol.

Say it together, a woman screamed. Were trying to make history.

The group walked another block, but they still didnt have it quite right.

Use your ears, a woman said, urging the few hundred gathered to try again.

They say we cant do this, they say we cant organise, she said. Lets show them we can do this.

The Washington Post
Police in New York have thanked protesters who alerted them to an Ohio-registered car which was found to be full of weapons.

Officers said they were tipped off by demonstrators in Brooklyn, who on Thursday saw a man waving a machete near a car with Ohio plates.

When police searched the car, they found knives, bricks, point-to-point radios, gas masks and gasoline.

'All types of different things that you won't bring to a peaceful protest,' said Captain Melody Robinson, 84th Precinct Executive Officer.

An Ohio-registered car seen at protests in Brooklyn was found to contain a cache of weapons

The Ohio-registered car, pictured, was searched and found to contain incendiary materials

Aaron Evanshine, 36, from Columbus, Ohio and Brian Contreras, 24, from Queens, have been arrested and charged with weapons possession.

Capt Robinson praised the demonstrators, rallying in New York to protest against the May 25 killing of George Floyd, for their vigilance.

'They said: "this is not right, something's wrong with this picture",' she told ABC News.

Robinson said officers quickly tracked down the car and approached the driver and his passenger, who surrendered without incident.

Investigators are trying to determine whether the two men took part in any of this week's demonstrations, or whether they played a role in orchestrating the violence that gripped New York City for five straight nights.

In particular, officers want to know whether they participated in any of the attacks that injured members of the NYPD.

'I commend the peaceful protesters that actually saw something and they said something,' Robinson said.

'You know we need more of that in this city, so we can come together as one. They definitely saved lives.'

Thousands of protesters march over the Brooklyn Bridge to demonstrate against the death of George Floyd, in New York on Thursday. Protests have proliferated for over a week

Demonstrators in Brooklyn call for justice for George Floyd on June 4

While the vast majority of protesters were peaceful, some turned to violence. Pictured are protesters using a fire extinguisher and their bodies to stop looting on May 31 in New York

A damaged New York City auxiliary police vehicle from the 88th Precinct in Brooklyn

News of the arrests of the pair came as two NYPD officers were suspended without pay, after one was filmed violently throwing a female protester to the ground and the other was seen pulling a man's mask down to pepper spray him.

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea announced the suspensions on Friday, saying both cases have been referred for disciplinary action.

Neither of the officers were identified.

It comes amid mounting criticism of the NYPD and Mayor Bill de Blasio over police officers' aggressive treatment of peaceful protesters, after some officers were seen moving in on people without provocation and hitting them with batons.

Videos of both incidents, which occurred during the first week of protests in the city on May 29 and May 30, were widely circulated on social media and sparked calls for the officers involved to be punished.

In one video, one officer was seen forcefully shoving 20-year-old Dounya Zayer to the ground as she protested outside Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The officer had allegedly called her a 'stupid f***ing b***h' before pushing her.

Zayer later shared updates from the hospital saying she suffered a seizure and a concussion from the attack.

The following day, a second officer was caught on video yanking down a man's coronavirus mask to pepper spray him.

The man had been among a massive crowd of demonstrators in Brooklyn and had been holding his hands up.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has vowed government support for street vendors as part of efforts to ease unemployment and revitalize small businesses following the countrys coronavirus epidemic.

The street-stall and small-store economy is an important source of employment and human culinary culture  its part of Chinas livelihood just as much as larger, high-end businesses, Li told small business owners during a Monday inspection of the eastern city of Yantai, according to state media. The country will only get better once markets, enterprises and individual traders get back on their feet and develop. We will give you our support.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

Holtec Internationals proposed nuclear waste interim storage facility in southeast New Mexico faces a new legal challenge.

Anti-nuclear group Beyond Nuclear filed a petition for review Thursday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The group asks for review of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions rejection of their petitions.

The group alleges that the NRC cannot issue Holtec a license because the companys application includes a provision that the U.S. Department of Energy may be the owner of the facilitys nuclear waste. The group says approval would violate the Nuclear Waste Policy Act.

That law prevents the government from taking ownership of nuclear waste from private utilities before a permanent repository is in operation. The government has yet to open such a site.

The reason that provision is in the NWPA is to protect a state like New Mexico from being forced to store this waste before a permanent repository is opened, said Kevin Kamps, a radioactive waste specialist with Beyond Nuclear. (Holtec has) now added a clause that includes and/or nuclear utilities in the list of potential customers. That was good enough for the NRC, apparently.

Beyond Nuclear presented its petition to NRCs Atomic Safety and Licensing Board. In April, the NRC upheld that boards dismissal of the petition.

An April 23 NRC order says Holtec hopes Congress will change the (NWPA) law to allow DOE to enter into temporary storage contracts with Holtec.

But the order notes that Holtec has committed to not enter into unlawful contracts.

We disagree with the assertions that the license would violate the NWPA, the NRC writes.

An emailed statement from Holtec issued to the Journal says the company believes that the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board and the (NRC) were correct in denying the petitions argument  having to do with ownership transfer to the federal government of spent fuel to be stored at the HI-STORE facility.

Holtec is confident that the Court will agree with NRCs analysis.

The petition alleges that the NRC is also violating the Administrative Procedure Act.

Agencies have to work with what Congress gave (them), said Mindy Goldstein, an attorney for Beyond Nuclear and the director of the Turner Environmental Law Clinic at the Emory University School of Law. We feel NRC is stepping around that requirement. Congress has said that DOE cant own this waste.

The proposed facility would store spent nuclear fuel in 500 canisters on a 1,000-acre site between Carlsbad and Hobbs. The full project could store 10,000 canisters.
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 6 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday arrested a conspirator, Abdul Rehman Abdul Jabbar Sheikh, in connection with the Visakhapatnam espionage case, wherein 14 people including 11 naval personnel allegedly leaked sensitive information to Pakistan.



Jabbar Sheikh's wife Shaista Qaiser was already arrested and others were involved in terror funding.

"His wife Shaista Qaiser (already arrested accused) and others were involved in terror funding, dated December 29, 2019, originally registered as FIR No. 1/2019 dated November 16, 2019, at CI Cell, PS Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh under Sections 120B and 121A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Section 17 and 18 of UA (P) Act and Section 3 of Official Secrets Act, NIA said in a statement.

"During the search at the house of Abdul Rehman today, a number of digital devices and incriminating documents have been seized by NIA," the statement added.

Further investigation is underway.

The NIA on May 15 had arrested the key conspirator in the case, Mohammed Haroon Haji Abdul Rehman Lakdawala in Mumbai.

The case relates to an international espionage racket involving individuals based in Pakistan and at different locations in India.

Pakistan-based spies recruited agents in India for collecting sensitive and classified information regarding locations/movements of Indian Naval Ships and Submarines and other defence establishments.

Investigation revealed that few Navy personnel came in contact with Pakistani nationals through various social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp and were involved in sharing classified information in lieu of monetary gains. The money was deposited into the bank accounts of the Navy personnel through Indian associates having business interests in Pakistan. (ANI)


MUMBAI, June 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to unleash chaos across the globe, many of us have had the privilege to adjust to a new normal of working from home and staying sheltered. However, this privilege doesn't extend to everyone. For over 65 days now, the city's police force comprising of brave men and women have been working day and night to fight the spread of Covid-19. They are at the forefront of this invisible war and is also at the maximum risk of contracting this virus. Building immunity is the need of the hour and in a bid to support the brave Mumbai Police, Meyer Vitabiotics in partnership with Rohit Shelatkar's Grand Maratha Foundation has come forward to provide them with its Wellman, Wellwoman and Ultra D3 immunity boosting supplements.

Wellman is scientifically formulated for building immunity and overall well-being of males. On the other hand Wellwoman is specially made to contribute towards female health and immunity. The company will distribute 40000 units of Wellman and 6000 units of Wellwoman immunity boosting supplements. In addition, the company will also be distributing 46000 packs of Ultra D3 vitamin D supplements to the entire force.

Expressing his views Mr. Rohit Shelatkar, Vice-President at Meyer Vitabiotics said, "It gives us immense pleasure to support our Mumbai Police Force who are working day and night to fight this pandemic. Wellman and Wellwoman tablets are scientifically researched and have proven to boost one's immunity. We want to thank the Mumbai Police Force for their commitment to the cause and extend our care by providing them with our Wellman, Wellwoman and Ultra D3 supplements."

Meyer Vitabiotics together with the Grand Maratha Foundation humbly support the Mumbai Police Force for their dedication in fighting the pandemic. Truly, they are one of the Real Heroes of Mumbai.

About Meyer Vitabiotics:

Meyer Vitabiotics is part of the UK's No. 1 Vitamin Company Vitabiotics Ltd, headquartered in London. The organization has proven itself as one of the leading pharmaceutical manufacturers with a range of pioneering Vitamin and Mineral Supplements available in more than 110 countries. Most prominent products like Wellman, Wellwoman, Ultra D3, Perfectil, Pregnacare, Menopace etc. are all market leading supplements in their respective segments. Meyer Vitabiotics is committed to excel in human health care, research and providing Nutrition Supplements for all age groups. At Meyer Vitabiotics high emphasis has always been laid on improving the production technology, safety and environment protection in production system.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1177160/Meyer_Vitabiotics_CP_of_Mumbai.jpg

SOURCE Meyer Vitabiotics
All the leaders of Armenia are united by one thing: they would never have come to an agreement with our enemy. This is something that Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan did in Dushanbe, said Mikael Minasyan, the former Ambassador of Armenia to the Vatican.

It began in Dushanbe, where Nikol Pashinyan and his cultural and constructive comrade Aliyev began to negotiate, and this shameful fact provided Nikol Pashinyan with the opportunity to seize power in Armenia or bring this process to completion, and Ilham Aliyev provided such a strategic and a tactical advantage, the price for which we have already paid, and I hope we will not pay for long, but I can say with confidence that it will be very, very difficult. The process of digesting all this will begin from the day when Nikol Pashinyan will be removed from power in Armenia," he said.

"What is the greatest fear of Nikol Pashinyan? He was terrified of war or aggravation at the border. Therefore, when he first met Aliyev in Dushanbe and had the opportunity to talk face to face, and there were problems in the Nakhichevan direction, Nikol Pashinyan begged for peace at the expense of the people of Armenia and at the expense of Armenia. He begged for time to strengthen his power, to hold elections."

"Why does Aliyev need this time and why did he provide this opportunity? Well, after the April war, the diplomacy of Armenia achieved something very important - something that all the Armenian authorities were seeking, something without which Armenia was constantly under the threat of war. All Armenian authorities voiced the question that we are obliged to have an observation mission and technical means to monitor all incidents on the contact line and to get an opportunity to understand who shoots first," he said. "This means that the largest card is taken from Azerbaijan because Armenia never starts shooting."

"After the April war in Vienna, a document was signed at the level of the co-chairing countries, as well as the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, according to which, funds should immediately be introduced that will lead to an increase in the international observing mission and the introduction of technical equipment based on this along with the line contact."

"Then it was confirmed in St. Petersburg, already in the presence of the Russian President. If this were done, we would practically zero out the number of incidents and there would be practically no threat of war, and, most importantly, there would be no casualties," however, according to Minasyan, Nikol Pashinyan conceded in this asking for a temporary cease-fire.

According to him, after that Pashinyan said that he was starting a new revolutionary process on the Karabakh issue.

As Minasyan noted, Ilham Aliyev tried to advance in the direction of Nakhichevan every spring and did the same in April 2018, and the Armenian Armed Forces secured positions by fire, but in May the situation changed and the political leadership did not give specific orders to intensify fire.

"This is precisely what provided the Azerbaijanis with the opportunity in places to reduce the 5-kilometer distance to 750-1500 meters, approaching the Armenian villages, because they wanted to seize this section, which was under the control of the Armenian Armed Forces, to keep Armenian villages under fire, and, most importantly, the strategic road from Yerevan to Goris."
Dozens of medical professionals at Baystate Health stepped outside the operating rooms and away from their patients bedsides Friday in of the ongoing protests against anti-police brutality.

The protest was part of the nationwide movement called White Coats for Black Lives," a medical student-run organization that seeks to end racial discrimination in medical care and support physicians in becoming advocates for racial justice.

The group gathered Friday and took a knee for 8 minutes and 46 seconds - the amount of time George Floyd was held down with a knee on his neck by Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was pronounced dead shortly after at an Minneapolis hospital.

The day following his death, Floyd and the three other officers involved in his arrest - J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao - were fired. Four days after his death, Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder.

This week, the charge was upgraded to second-degree murder. Kueng, Lane and Thao were each charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

Chauvin, a 44-year-old officer who served with the Minneapolis Police Department for nearly 19 years was subject to at least 18 prior complaints, department internal affairs records show.

The day of Floyds death, Chauvin was assigned to train Kueng, a new member of the Minneapolis Police Deparmtent who was working his third shift as a police officer.

Floyds death sparked protests nationwide, with protests held in each of the countrys 50 states. More than 10,000 people have been arrested in the protests, with the county growing by the hundreds daily. Los Angeles has had more than a quarter of the national arrests, followed by New York, Dallas and Philadelphia.
Paris, France (PANA) - Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has rejected as "indecent and unacceptable" the explanation of the Cameroonian defence ministry on the death of journalist Samuel Wazizi in military custody and demanded an "impartial and independent" investigation into the tragedy
A seemingly innocent wallpaper is causing Android phones to crash. The issue is related to the way Android phones compute luminance is computed. Google and Samsung are close to releasing a fix in an OTA update.

Were in a year when an invisible virus has practically made the world come to a standstill. And if you thought it cant get weirder, theres a wallpaper that is making smartphones crash and bricked. A seemingly innocent-looking wallpaper of a sunset is causing smartphones, primarily by Samsung and Google, to crash and become unusable. There have been multiple reports about users having to factory reset their phones and losing all their data, in order to make their devices functional again, after applying the wallpaper.

Heres the wallpaper in question 

Anyone looking at this wallpaper will see a stunning landscape with mountains, clouds and a lake. But its whats happening behind the scenes thats causing a havoc among smartphone users. Popular tipster Ice Universe also warned his followers about the wallpaper. Thankfully, its only the original image thats causing phones to crash, and not when you take a screenshot or when you download it off social media.

Whats happening to phones which apply the wallpaper?

When this cursed image is set as the wallpaper, users are reporting the phone crashing and getting stuck in a bootloop. Some users got it fixed by accessing Safe Mode and changing the wallpaper, but many have had to factory reset their smartphone, ending up losing all their data.

Why is a wallpaper crashing phones?

While its still not completely clear, it seems like an incorrectly coded Google colour profile in the image is causing the image to wreak havoc on smartphones. In one of the discussions on Twitter about this lethal wallpaper, a Google representative named Romain Guy said the real problem is the way luminance is computed.

We ended up fixing the issue differently ( avoiding the color space conversion ) but here it's the real reason we have the crash https://t.co/KERlStb7bC

:)  Luca Stefani (@luca020400) June 3, 2020

According to a report by 9to5Google, the bug is not affecting devices running on the Android 11 beta, or Huawei devices with no Google support or Android phones with heavily skinned interfaces. Thats one good thing to come out of Huawei not being able to use Google services.

Will there be a fix?

According to a report by SamMobile, Samsung is close to releasing a fix that will be issued over the air. Google may also patch the issue in the forthcoming security patch.
A group of leading scientists have called on Boris Johnson to hold an urgent inquiry to prepare the UK for a potential second wave of coronavirus this year.

In a letter to The Guardian, 27 medical and scientific experts have warned that many more Britons may die if a second wave hits at the end of the year and the Government is without quick, practical solutions to some of the structural problems that have made implementing an effective (coronavirus) response so difficult.

Signatories to the letter say issues such as the fragmentation  of the NHS, public health and social care  the channels by which scientific evidence feeds into policy and an inability to plan for necessary goods and services threaten to undermine the Governments response to a potential future spike.

They write: Despite strenuous efforts by health professionals and scientists inside and outside government, the UK has experienced one of the highest death rates from Covid-19 in the world, with the poor and certain minority ethnic groups affected especially badly.

If, as seems probable, there is a second wave this winter, many more will die unless we find quick, practical solutions to some of (these) structural problems, adds the letter signed by former World Health Organisation director Professor Anthony Costello and former Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) member Professor Deenan Pillay,

We call on all political parties to commit to a rapid, transparent, expert inquiry to address these issues. This must avoid diverting the efforts of those responding to the crisis or apportioning blame, but should propose feasible ways to overcome the obstacles faced by those on the frontline of the response and help them to save lives.
Environmental group, CLAP GH has reiterated the need for attention to be given to protecting the environment as a means to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

In commemoration of World Environment Day, the group is encouraging individual and group tree planting drives for a clean healthy environment to fight pollution and diseases.

About one quarter of global disease is linked to the environment or caused by environmental factors that could be changed, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The environment influences our health through the air we breathe, the water we drink, radiation and noise, the work environment, and also the climate and ecosystem.

Polluted air causes respiratory diseases; unclean water and lacking sanitation causes diarrhea; poorly-managed water bodies cause vector diseases such as malaria.

The WHO says more than 3.5 million deaths each year are from respiratory infections, diarrhea disease and malaria alone.

Often the practice has been to wait for diseases to happen before resources are deployed for treatment afterwards.

Living Clean, Green and Healthy

Scientists have observed that taking care of the environment and keeping it clean directly affects the health of the environment we live in.

Interventions that will help develop a better and cleaner air, clean and safe water, is critical to promote good health.

The Climate, Livelihoods & Agriculture Platform (CLAP GH) is therefore constituted to build synergy along the Science, Environment and Agriculture nexus to drive a common goal of addressing climate change for sustainable development.

We believe that in as much as the global economies are being disrupted, health systems and people being affected, there is the need for us as individuals to think about how we need to be clean and cater for the environment as part of the actions to bring this coronavirus to a halt, said Environmentalist Kofi Adu Domfeh, who is convener of CLAP Gh.

While we are fighting Coronavirus in the short term, climate change is for the long term, and the actions we are taking to mitigate and adapt should be more focused even at this time than ever before.

The call is to ensure a clean and healthy environment which is very crucial to curtail most of the things that help the virus to grow.

Climate Scientist at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor Isaac K. Tetteh, admonishes the society to be mindful of actions that might pollute the environment.

He emphasizes the importance for every individual helping to manage the micro environment because poor environmental quality makes the society susceptible to many diseases.

Poor environmental quality can make us highly susceptible to many diseases in the environment. We need to look at our environment and keep it clean so that we dont become vulnerable to the COVID-19 and other diseases, so we can enjoy infection-free environment, said Professor Tetteh.

In the face of the COVID-19, the little we can do at the individual level in protecting the environment is attitudinal change towards the environment.

We must adhere to strict etiquette [no spitting around] and coughing freely into the air, and indiscriminate nasal discharges around. This normal practice in Ghana contributes much to polluting the environment, he noted.

Planting CoronaVirus Trees

Healthy environments are the key for better health. Policy makers are expected to take decisions and actions to protect the environment.

CLAP GH is however calling on individuals and groups to endeavor to plant trees in commemoration of World Environment Day as contribution to promote an infection-free environment.

The "CoronaVirus Tree Planting campaign is to encourage collective actions to protect the environment even as the planet survives this pandemic.

CLAP Gh believes the world must not lose sight of the need to take collective action on climate adaptation and mitigation.

The environmental group mobilizes young professionals to become part of the momentum created by the Paris Agreement on Climate Change to partner all interest groups to share knowledge and take action.
Gloria Yang, a recent Glenbrook North High School graduate, said she and her family fully support the Black Lives Matter movement and the protests for the cause. She said the looting and destruction, though, are making people focus on that rather than the change that needs to happen.
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Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said he won't call for two police officers who were seen pushing a 75-year-old man to the ground to be fired because it's 'very important they get due process' during the ongoing investigation.

Brown addressed the incident in a press conference on Friday after 57 officers on the Emergency Response Team resigned in support of their two colleagues who were suspended without pay after video showed them shoving Martin Gugino and causing him to fall and hit his head.

Gugino, a longtime peace activist from Amherst, had been at a protest at Niagara Square near Buffalo City Hall when he approached a line of officers in riot gear after the city's 8pm curfew went into effect.

Mayor Brown also addressed a separate incident that took place earlier in the week in which another protester was tackled to the ground and arrested by police.

Brown said he had been informed the man, identified as Myles Carter, was an 'agitator' and 'was trying to spark up the crowd of people.'

Initial reports from local news station WBEN incorrectly stated Brown was referring to Gugino.

'There has been vandalism, there have been fires set, there have been stores broken into and looted. According to what was reported to me, that individual was a key major instigator of people engaging in those activities,' he said of Carter.

Mayor Brown reassured the community that 'everyone who is peacefully protesting will be protected.'

Martin Gugino, a longtime peace activist from Amherst, had been at a protest at Niagara Square near Buffalo City Hall when he was pushed. He hit his head on the ground causing it to bleed

An elderly man was seen approaching Buffalo police officers in riot gear outside of City Hall on Thursday

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown on Friday said he would not call for the cops' termination ahead of the investigation, saying it was important they get 'due process'

He also responded to criticism over the police department's initial statement on Gugino which said he had 'tripped and fell.'

'I will be the first to say that initial communication was an error, but it was a desire to respond to media inquiries really quickly and to provide information to the community quickly,' Brown said.

Martin Gugino (pictured) is in serious but stable condition at Erie County Medical Center following the altercation with cops which left him lying in a pool of his own blood on the sidewalk in front of City Hall Thursday night

After video footage of the incident emerged, Brown said officials corrected their statement and took immediate action.

When asked about the 57 members who resigned, he said the city had 'contingency plans' and assured 'Buffalo will be safe this weekend.'

Earlier, the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association confirmed to the Investigative Post that all members of the department's Emergency Response Team have since resigned.

'Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders,' PBA president John Evans said.

The 57 officers have not resigned from the Buffalo Police Department - only the Emergency Response Team they were serving on.

It comes after Erie County District Attorney's Office revealed it was investigating the officers for potential criminal liability.

'The Erie County District Attorney's Office continues to investigate the incident captured on video outside City Hall Thursday evening that resulted in the injury of (a) protester,' a spokeswoman for the office said in a statement on Friday.

Gugino is in serious but stable condition at Erie County Medical Center following the altercation with the officers, which left him lying in a pool of his own blood on the sidewalk in front of City Hall.

The incident, which comes amid nationwide protests against police brutality, has prompted calls for the officers involved to be fired. The police department has also been criticized over its initial statement claiming the man had 'tripped and fell.'

Shocking video showed two officers inexplicably shoving him before he staggers and falls to the ground

The sound of a crack is heard on the video before blood is seen trickling out of the man's head. He remains lying on the ground before being rushed to hospital

Earlier today, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called for criminal charges to be made against the officers.

In his daily press briefing Friday morning, Cuomo played the shocking footage which he said made him feel 'physically sick' in the same way the horrifying state death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has hit him over the last 90 days.

'I was sick to my stomach... it was the same feeling I had for 90 of the past nights when I got the death tolls for coronavirus. I was physically sick to my stomach,' he said.

The governor called for the city to fire and charge the two cops responsible for the attack on the elderly man and urged authorities to move quickly.

'I think the city should pursue firing and I think the DA should look at the situation for possible criminal charges and I think that should be done on an expeditious basis,' he said.

Cuomo urged officials to learn from the handling of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis where authorities were slammed for moving too slowly in bringing charges against the officers who killed him, sparking outrage across America.

'We saw in Minneapolis that people want answers and they want accountability and they want it quickly,' said Cuomo. 'The wheels of justice move slowly - they don't have to.

'I would encourage the DA to not do what happened in Minneapolis, which was the delay itself caused issues.'

He pointed to mistakes made where the Minneapolis authorities suggested evidence would lead to the cops involved in Floyd's death not facing any charges.

'When the DA said initially 'there's other evidence that suggests something else'... people don't want vaguery... they're upset, angry and frustrated... I would encourage the DA to move quickly and fairly and I think the mayor and police chief should pursue firing,' he added.

Cuomo's outrage comes as Gugino's (pictured) friend Terrence Bisson told Buffalo News the 75-year-old is a peaceful activist who has campaigned against several issues including nuclear disarmament, the detainment of migrant children, climate change and Guantanamo Bay

Many of the officers continued marching, while two cops leaned over to check on the man

Cuomo praised Mayor Brown for acting quickly in suspending officers immediately Thursday night.

'The mayor suspended those two cops quickly and I respect that.'

The governor also slammed the actions of the several other officers who ignored the man and kept on walking by as he lay unconscious and bleeding on the sidewalk.

'Where was the threat and then you just walk by the person when you see blood coming from his head and the police officers walk by. It's fundamentally offensive and frightening,' he said.

Cuomo said he he had spoken with the elderly man about the incident.

'I just spoke with Mr Gugino on the phone - who is that gentleman - who thankfully is alive,' the governor said.

'But you see that video and it disturbs your basic sense of decency and humanity,' Cuomo said.

'Why was that necessary? Where was the threat?'

'Who are we and how did we get to this place?' he asked, before reeling off a list of horrifying incidents over the last week including cops pushing the press, police being hit with bricks and officers being violent toward protesters.

Cuomo's outrage comes as Gugino's friend Terrence Bisson told Buffalo News the 75-year-old is a peaceful activist who has campaigned against several issues including nuclear disarmament, the detainment of migrant children, climate change and Guantanamo Bay.

Bisson said the elderly man, who has a YouTube channel where he discusses such issues, would 'never resist physically any kind of orders'.

'He's a gentle person who really believes that he must stand up for what he thinks is right,' he said.

'That's why he went to the demonstration. He would never resist physically any kind of orders,' Bisson said. 'He's a bit frail, not because of his age. He has some health problems.'

Governor Cuomo responded to the incident on Twitter calling it 'utterly disgraceful'

The shocking footage of Thursday night's incident has sparked outrage as protesters continue to gather across the US demanding an end to police brutality following the death of George Floyd in police custody last week.

The video, which was taken by a reporter from local radio station WBFO, shows Gugino approaching a line of officers in riot gear outside Buffalo City Hall after the city's 8pm curfew on Thursday.

As he tries to speak to the officers, they immediately begin shouting at him to move along, before one of them pushes him with a baton and a second cop shoves him with his hand.

The elderly man is then seen staggering before falling back and hitting his head on the sidewalk.

The sound of a crack is heard and then blood is seen pouring from his head.

In the horrifying scenes, most cops ignore Gugino who lies unresponsive and bleeding on the ground and keep marching past.

The cop who pushed him with a baton is seen pausing to lean over him, before he is motioned away by another officer.

Someone is then heard calling for a medic for the man.

Gugino was taken to the hospital where he is still being kept in a serious but stable condition Friday morning.

Mayor Brown slammed the incident saying he was 'deeply disturbed by the video.'

'Tonight, after a physical altercation between two separate groups of protesters participating in an illegal demonstration beyond the curfew, two Buffalo Police officers knocked down a 75-year-old man. The victim is in stable but serious condition at ECMC,' he said in a statement late Thursday.

'After days of peaceful protests and several meetings between myself, police leadership and members of the community, tonight's event is disheartening.'

The officers were said to have been heading to clear Niagara Square where protests were taking place.

The video has been widely shared on social media, with many calling for the police officers to be fired.

MSNBC correspondent Joy Reid was among those who expressed outrage over the police officers failing to help the man as he lay on the ground.

'The rest just step over him while one calls it in. And then they grab another protester. What country is this and what century?' she tweeted.

Actor Kumail Nanjiani also criticized the Buffalo Police Department's initial claim that the man tripped and fell, suggesting the cops would have likely gotten away with their actions if video hadn't emerged.

It comes as the NYPD, as well as police officers across the country, have come under fire for using excessive force on people protesting peacefully.
June 06 : The year 2020 has made us realise how we have ill-treated the environment. Decades of abuse have culminated into cyclones and earthquakes, which are clear signs of global warming. To top it all, the deadly virus forced us to stay indoors, while Mother Nature healed herself.

Many Bollywood actors took to Mother Nature and celebrated with the world the biodiversity themed World Environment Day on Friday. While they urged their fans to protect the environment around them, many did their bit to pay tribute and raise awareness about the environment.

Amid Mumbai rains, Kajol planted a sapling and passed the message that we live in the environment we create.

Sidharth Malhotra is seen biking amidst Kashmirs serene greenery, mountains and a clear sky, making it loud and clear to preserve the environment.

Ajay Devgn is seen in a pool surrounded by nature, as he trusts the point to nurture the sensitive nature.

Kriti Sanon is seen in a jungle amid pristine nature as she urges all to be better with nature and protect the world we live in.

Shilpa Shetty is seen amid a beautiful and colourful environment as she reminds all to celebrate biodiversity to be happy and healthy.
By Trend

Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia Natia Turnava met with Ambassador of Poland to Georgia Mariusz Mashkevich, Trend reports citing Georgian media.

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Minister of Economics Genadi Arveladze and Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration Mariam Kvrivishvili.

The parties discussed the possibility of resuming direct air communication and cooperation in the field of tourism between the countries within the framework of a safe tourist corridor.

According to the minister of economy, in recent years, the number of visitors from Poland to Georgia has increased, and this was facilitated by direct air communication with several Poland's cities.

Turnava expressed hope that Poland will become one of those countries from which Georgia will be able to receive travelers to whom safe travel services will be offered.

Mashkevich noted successful actions of the Georgian government to prevent the spread of coronavirus and stressed noted that this contributes to the positioning of Georgia as a safe tourist destination.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
OMJASVIN M D By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: When the COVID-19 cases are on a rise, common sense suggests an increase in testing. The trend in the State, however, has been quite opposite. From the single-day spike of 266 cases on May 2, the State went on to record a whopping 1,162 cases on June 1.

The deaths too have risen to 208 by June 3 from just 27 at the end of April. Despite the rise, the average daily testing has hovered around 11,000 since last month, even after the expert committee a few days ago recommended an increase in testing.

Experts say number of tests needs to be increased at the earliest.

We may need to test an average of 15,000 people a day at this point to flatten the curve, says former Director of Public Health Dr K Kolandasamy.

Last week, the States medical expert committee had suggested Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to ramp up testing immediately to prevent manifold-rise in fatalities.

On May 7, when the State tested its daily high till then of 14,102 people, the confirmed cases were 580. On May 8, when the second high till then of 13,883 tests were done, 600 cases were recorded. On subsequent days, the testing rates came down to 12,000 and even touched a low of 8,270 on May 16.

On May 29, when the State recorded 743 cases, testing stood at 11,441. When the daily average cases crossed 800 on May 25, testing was just 11,835. While the State touched 938 cases on May 30, only 12,039 tests were conducted on the day.

There was an influx of returnees to the State after May 16 but the testing average has not increased even after 1.26 lakh people arrived in the State by various means as of June 4.

Need for focused testing

The rising cases could be an indication that more testing has to be done, especially in hot spots.

There is no doubt about community spread at this moment. The rise in number of deaths is a clear indicator of the severity of the spread and we need to test the right people, says Dr Ram Gopalakrishnan, infectious diseases specialist at Apollo Hospitals.

Dr Gopalakrishan adds that testing must be focused in hot spots, and all the in-patients at hospitals must be tested.

Testing the right people is now important. For Chennai, vulnerable population in hot spots should be tested whereas in other districts, people in low prevalence areas should be tested, adds Gopalakrishnan.

Dr Kolandasamy says that instead of mass testing, focused testing of the elderly and people with comorbidities is important.

Apart from those mentioned in the ICMR guidelines, testing all pregnant women is a must as it will help in understanding the trend in a specific area, as expectant mothers may not travel outside much, he says.

Dr Kolandasamy adds that due to the high presence of cases, more tests will definitely bring in more cases but the resources must be used prudently.

There are more cases in certain districts, but mass testing could be misused as big companies may want to test all their staff if one tested positive. People too would want to test unnecessarily, he adds.

No control on tests

Meanwhile, the State tested its single-day maximum of 15,991 people on Thursday.

Director of Public Health Dr TS Selvavinayagam said the number of tests is not artificial or controlled.

Whoever needs a test, we are testing, as per the ICMR protocol, he told Express.
Editors note: This is the last of a five part series on Ben Kuroki and the story of his service during World War II and his efforts to overcome racism and discrimination.

Kurokis 59th Mission

After Ben Kuroki was discharged on February 10, 1946 at Ft. Dix, New Jersey, he continued what he called his 59th mission, staging a one-man nationwide speaking tour to various organizations and schools, according to the Most Honorable Son documentary.

Returning to the United States after the war, Kuroki was able to participate in a 1946 nationwide radio broadcast.

Ive got one more mission to go. There is still the fight against prejudice and race hatred, I call it my 59th mission, Kuroki said in the broadcast.

In an address on Oct. 29, 1946 at the New York Herald Tribune Forum on Current Affairs, Kuroki said Not only did I go to war to fight the fascist ideas of Germany and Japan but also to fight against a few Americans who fail to understand the principles of freedom and equality upon which this country was founded.

The speech attracted attention and was reprinted in the January 1946 issue of Readers Digest.
"The Monk Project," new CD by saxophonist Dan Willis and Velvet Gentlemen. Monk plays orchestrationally. On saxophone, I can only play one note at a time. ... Our aim became to get a lot more lowdown and dirty to fully capture the blues aspect of this music.

Dan Willis puts his idiosyncratic spin on the tunes of the godfather of jazz idiosyncrasy with the July 17 release of "The Monk Project" (Belle Avenue). The saxophonist/multi-reedists fourth album with his ensemble Velvet Gentlemenguitarist Pete McCann, keyboardist Ron Oswanski, bassist Evan Gregor, and drummer John Mettam (with special guests bassist Kermit Driscoll and drummer Ian Froman)is an intriguing and highly exploratory set of performances that, like Thelonious Monks compositions, could never be mistaken for the work of anyone else.

Though it follows up "The Satie Project," Velvet Gentlemens two-volume assaying of the French modernist composer, "The Monk Project" actually began life as a solo saxophone concept for Willis. Not far into it, however, he realized that his non-chordal instrument was insufficient to the task of Monks ideas. Monk plays orchestrationally, Willis explains. On saxophone, I can only play one note at a time. There was no way I could play up to what Monk performed.

Bringing in the band let him account for the composers multiple layers of melody and meaning. In the process, it expanded Williss personal palette for the project: He plays three different saxophones (tenor, soprano, and baritone), along with two wind instruments from central Eurasia, the duduk and the zurnaand, in several places, the electronic wind instrument (EWI).

If this sounds cerebral and highfalutin, however, its anything but. Tunes like Eronel and Criss Cross take on a seamy, creeping funk, while Crepuscule with Nellie, Rhythm-a-Ning, and Pannonica capture the dark, earthy mystery of New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta, where jazz and blues came to be. Our aim, says Willis, became to get a lot more lowdown and dirty to fully capture the blues aspect of this music.

Group effort though it became, "The Monk Project" still manages to be a tour de force for Willis himself. On Epistrophy alone, he masterfully wields three different axes, alternating tenor sax and EWI on the main theme before laying down a simmering solo on a distortion tenor saxophone. The EWI becomes the primary voice for the album-closing Think of Onea tip of the hat to Michael Brecker. The instrument, Willis says, is particularly suited to Monks orchestrational approach to composition: You can play one note and make it sound like a large orchestra.

Dan Willis was born Daniel Wieloszynski in Fredonia, New York, on September 23, 1968. The scion of a large musical family that included his father, arranger and multi-instrumentalist Stephen Wieloszynski, Willis experimented with drums, piano, and trumpet before finally settling on saxophone. By the time he was 12, he was sitting in on jazz gigs in nearby Buffalo.

Following in his fathers footsteps, Willis enrolled after high school in the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. There was no undergraduate jazz program at the time; however, while Willis formally majored in oboe (and was a featured soloist on English horn with the Eastman Philharmonia), he nonetheless studied jazz with eminent faculty members Bill Dobbins, Ramon Ricker, and Dave Liebman.

Upon graduation he embarked for Europe with a touring production of West Side Story, then settled in New Jersey to become a freelance musician and study with Bob Mintzer. He made his first recording, "Dan Willis Quartet" (1998), with a band featuring guitarist Ben Monder, bassist Drew Gress, and drummer John Hollenbeck. The following years "Hand to Mouth" brought guitarist Pete McCann into Williss orbit; pianist/keyboardist Ron Oswanski arrived in 2003 with "Velvet Gentlemen," establishing Williss primary musical vehicle that after nearly two decades is still thriving.

The pandemic has touched our lives in such a profound way, says Willis. Aside from the economic hardship of the disappearance of performance opportunities it has, for some, been a very difficult time where we hesitate to create for fear of an uncertain future. I think of what would my heroes do or say to me for advice? I almost immediately began to wonder if this would be for me what it was like for Sonny Rollins and his almost two-year-long self-imposed isolation. Would I create my 'The Bridge' [Rollinss 1962 masterpiece]? Ultimately, life is about the journey, not the destination.
Even as India and China are holding Corps Commander-level talks on Saturday at Moldo, Twitter blocked the social media page of Dairy giant Amul for a limited period on Saturday morning. Although the page has been restored now, Twitter had blocked Amul allegedly for publishing a doodle against China. Amul in the creative had written 'Exit the dragon' in a reference to the Chinese military entering Indian territory and in an obvious pun on Bruce Lee starrer movie 'Enter the Dragon'. The Amul girl in the creative is seen pointing at the Made in India products with her one hand and with other she stops the Dragon, which is a symbol for China. Chinese company like TikTok is seen behind the Dragon. The doodle was captioned as 'About the boycott of Chinese products..." in reference to the rising trend in India to boycott foreign goods after PM Modi appealed for Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Amul is known for its creatives on global and local topics that made headlines.

Here is the Amul doodle on Indo-China border dispute:

Here is the screengrab at 6.43 when Twitter had blocked Amul

At the time of publishing the article, Corps-Commander level talks are going on to end the standoff along the LAC at Moldo. Sources said that Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, the Commander of 14 Corps is holding talks with Major General Liu Lin, who is the commander of South Xinjiang Military Region of China's People's Liberation Army. Ten other officers from both sides are also present.

As per sources, both nations have tabled specific proposals to end the standoff and a number of skirmishes that have taken place between the army of both the nations along the LAC in the past few days. This crucial meeting comes after a breakthrough has not been achieved despite nearly 10 rounds of talks between the two sides.

READ | Blocked in China, why are Internet & social media giants protecting the protectionist?

Sonam Wangchuk's appeal to boycott Chinese products

Engineer turned education reformer Sonam Wangchuk posted a message on Twitter that went viral on the platform  "Cheen ko Jawaab, Sena degi bullet se, Naagrik dengey wallet se (Answer to China will be given by soldiers with their bullets and citizens with their wallets)".

Speaking to Republic TV on Friday, Sonam Wangchuk said the Chinese actions on the border with India are a result of domestic dissatisfaction over the Chinese government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis. He encouraged people to drop the use of Chinese softwares "within a week". Wangchuk went on to suggest that Indians need not depend on cheap Chinese products and look for domestic alternatives.

"We should uninstall all their apps that make their (Chinese) companies rich. That money goes to make bombs and bullets to point at our borders. So first uninstall their apps. Then we should vote out hardware like electronics, clothes, and machines slowly over a year. This signal, first from India and then the rest of the world will hurt China which will affect their economy," Wangchuk said.

READ | Amul MD seeks clarification from Twitter for blocking its page; can't imagine reason

Remove China Apps and Mitro app removed from Google

Earlier, 'Remove China Apps' which gained massive popularity in India crossing over 5 million downloads since its release in May has been pulled down by the Google Play Store on account of violating the Google Play Stores policies. 'Remove China Apps' developed by Jaipur based company-- OneTouchAppLabs detected apps made in China on the users' phones and provided a simple UI to remove them. In less than two weeks, the app had crossed one million downloads and was the top free app available on the Google PlayStore.

Moreover, Google also removed the Mitron app, a much-touted Indian alternative to TikTok, from its Play Store for reportedly violating its spam and minimum functionality' policy. Mitron app emerged from nowhere and crossed 5 million downloads within a month of its launch on Play Store but, later, reports emerged that the app owner bought the source code from a Pakistani company Qboxus and rebranded it as Mitron.

READ | Amul vs China: Netizens bash Twitter for temporarily blocking dairy giant's account
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-05 23:18:21|Editor: huaxia

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HANGZHOU, June 5 (Xinhua) -- A freight train carrying anti-coronavirus supplies departed the city of Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province Friday bound for Madrid, Spain.

The train carried 86 TEUs with about 257 tonnes of cargo, including 25.05 million face masks and 400,000 protective suits.

It will arrive in Madrid in about 20 days.

Statistics show that as of the end of May, a total of 200 China-Europe freight trains departed from Yiwu this year. The trains carried 16,672 TEUs, up 72 percent year on year. Enditem
The real question is that youve got a certain amount of state revenue at stake, he said. If the Legislature does nothing, Congress determines who gets that money.

He pointed out that the federal government can go into debt when it wants to stimulate the economy. Nebraska, however, must balance its budget so federally driven tax reductions mean less available for such things as health care, education or property tax relief.

A spokesman for Gov. Pete Ricketts said administration officials are aware of the issue and are reviewing it.

But Sen. John Stinner of Gering, the Appropriations Committee chairman, argued against undoing the state effects of the federal tax changes, saying that would be contrary to the economy-boosting intent of the federal legislation.

He said lawmakers should know more about the states economic picture when they meet in late July. By then, officials will know what happened to sales tax collections after the pandemic hit and will have a couple of months of income tax withholding to analyze, along with some quarterly income tax payments.
US District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson limited the force Denver cops can use against protesters in a ruling Friday night

A Denver judge has restricted cops from using tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters, saying smashed windows and graffiti are a 'fair trade' to prevent demonstrators' bones being broken and their eyesight being lost at the hands of police.

US District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson limited the force cops can use against protesters in a ruling late Friday night, which also included ordering cops to keep their body cameras on at all times.

Jackson said the safety of demonstrators and their right to free speech is greater than the need to protect buildings during protests.

'If a store's windows must be broken to prevent a protester's facial bones from being broken or eye being permanently damaged, that is more than a fair trade,' Jackson wrote in the ruling.

Cops pepper spray a woman next to the Colorado State Capitol last week. A Denver judge has restricted cops from using tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters, saying smashed windows and graffiti are a 'fair trade' to prevent demonstrators' bones being broken and their eyesight being lost at the hands of police

'If a building must be graffiti-ed to prevent the suppression of free speech, that is a fair trade. The threat to physical safety and free speech outweighs the threat to property.'

Jackson put in place the temporary 14-day ruling, ahead of demonstrators gathering for the tenth day in the Colorado city on Saturday.

It came after at least four protesters filed a lawsuit claiming cops used riot control tactics without warning on peaceful crowds and asking for a temporary restraining order against aggressive police actions.

The suit stated that some cops were firing randomly into crowds of peaceful protesters including deliberately aiming for people's heads and groins.

Jackson announced the temporary ruling late Friday after hearing the suit, as he blasted the Denver Police Department saying it has 'failed in its duty to police its own'.

He slammed the actions of a 'minority' of Denver cops using aggressive tactics as 'disgusting.'

Jackson wrote that while cops have a 'very difficult and often thankless job,' protesters 'have an absolute right to demonstrate and protest the actions of government officials, including police officers.'

Protesters are seen running from tear gas in Denver Sunday. US District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson limited the force cops can use against protesters in a ruling late Friday night

'It is one of the many freedoms on which this country is built,' he added.

'Although I do not agree with those who have committed property damage during the protests, property damage is a small price to pay for constitutional rights - especially the constitutional right of the public to speak against widespread injustice.'

Jackson ordered a number of measures with immediate effect, giving cops limited occasions when they can use force such as tear gas and rubber bullets.

These include that an officer ranked captain or higher must give permission for projectiles or chemical agents to be used and they can only do so if they have witnessed acts of violence or destruction that justify the level of force.

Chemical agents like pepper spray and tear gas cannot be used unless cops have ordered protesters to disperse and they have then refused.

Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen (center) links arms with people protesting. The temporary 14-day ruling includes an order that cops keep their body cameras on at all times and never fire rubber bullets at heads, pelvises or backs

Peaceful protesters gather in Denver Wednesday. The ruling came after four protesters filed a suit against cops claiming cops used riot control tactics without warning on peaceful crowds

Cops must also ensure protesters have heard the orders to disperse and must repeat them if they may not have, before tear gas or pepper spray can be deployed.

Projectiles such as rubber bullets cannot be shot at peoples' heads, pelvises or backs or fired indiscriminately into crowds.

The ruling also states cops must keep their body cameras running at all times and not block them and that no officers from outside Denver can use force in the city.

Denver police tweeted a statement saying officers would comply with the rules 'many of which are already in line with our community-consulted use of force policy.'

Cops in Denver and all across the US have come under fire after they have been caught on camera violently attacking and detaining peaceful protesters, who have gathered demanding justice over the death of George Floyd and calling for an end to police brutality and racism.

Shocking footage has shown New York cops pushing an elderly man to the ground causing him to crack his head open, a black protester with part of his chin shot off by a rubber bullet in Denver, and cops kneeing and punching a man as he lies face down on the ground in Compton.
New appointments, which include minister of oil, complete the 22-member government of PM al-Kadhimi.

Iraqs parliament has given its vote of confidence to seven cabinet ministers, including the key oil and foreign affairs posts, completing the 22-member government of Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.

Fifteen ministers were approved last month, ending months of deadlock following the resignation of former premier Adel Abdul Mahdi who stepped down following unprecedented protests, which began in October, over corruption in government and unemployment.

My cabinet is now complete with todays vote. This is vital in implementing our program and delivering on our commitments to our people  who are waiting for actions, not words, al-Kadhimi said in a tweet on Saturday.

The new ministers include Ihsan Ismaeel, the former head of the Basra Oil Company (BOC), who has been appointed minister of oil of OPECs second-largest producing country.

Ismaeel will inherit a challenging task, as Iraq is struggling to cope with a collapse of crude prices and a decision by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut production.

Low revenues have been catastrophic for Iraq, which relies on oil sales to fund more than 90 percent of its budget.

Fuad Hussein, who served as finance minister in the previous government, returned to the cabinet but this time to head the ministry of foreign affairs.

A Kurdish veteran politician known to be close to Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, Hussein is the only member of the old government to join the new lineup.

He will take up his post just days before the launch of a strategic dialogue between Iraq and the United States, which has complained of Baghdads close ties to its neighbour, Iran.





Human rights groups say at least 600 protesters were killed during the unrest.

Al-Kadhimi has promised to hold those responsible for the killings accountable, but some of his early actions have already sparked further discord.
Nana Boakye, National Youth Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has appealed to members and supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) not to participate in the new voters' register by Electoral Commission (EC).



The registration exercise will begin in the last week of June 2020.



The EC piloted the exercise on 2nd and 3rd June to test their machines and also assess the process in order to prevent any mishaps during the main exercise.



Although the EC has justified its decision to conduct the exercise aimed at compiling a new voters' register, the NDC has raised red flag over the exercise.



The opposition party has dragged the EC to the Supreme Court praying the court to direct the Commission to act according to the constitution because, to the party, the Commission's decision for a new voters' register contravenes its constitutional mandate.



The NDC has also accused the EC of trying to rig the 2020 elections.



Speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Nana Boakye, popularly called Nana B asked the opposition party to stop fighting so hard against the EC and just abstain from the exercise.



''I want the Electoral Commission to commence the process but I plead with the NDC members and supporters not to register their names. Don't write your names. I have started mobilizing our youth. We're going to register in our millions. And if you think you are a man with strong muscles, just come to the polling station where the youth are registering their names and cause commotion, and you will taste the wrath of the security forces. It's a legitimate exercise. It's by law and they don't break any laws, he said.



Listen to his submissions below:





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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An online poll has revealed that most Indians prefer US President Donald Trump over Chinese President Xi Jinping. The poll was conducted across 13 languages and involved all Network18 digital and social news platforms.

An online poll has revealed that most Indians prefer US President Donald Trump over Chinese President Xi Jinping. The poll was conducted across 13 languages and involved all Network18 digital and social news platforms.

The poll included online platforms of News18, Moneycontrol, Firstpost and CNBC-TV18 and concluded that 91 percent of the respondents were in favour of a boycott of Chinese products.

The boycott sentiment is the strongest among Marathis (97 percent).

At least, 72 percent of the respondents said they will not buy anything Chinese if they can; 23 percent are willing to cut down on purchases of Chinese goods. Only 4 percent say they would still want to buy Chinese products.

The poll, with 21 questions, received 31,000 responses in total and was carried out for four days.

Among Indian communities, Xi's ratings are higher than average among Malayalis and Urdu speakers. On the other hand, Marathi and Odia respondents liked Trump the most and Xi the least (98 percent versus 2 percent).

Close to 94 percent of the Indians believe China has been dishonest in its handling of the coronavirus crisis.

In case of China's conflict with another world power, 74 percent respondents want India to side against Beijing but 51 percent of those from Tamil Nadu and 52 percent from Punjab want India to stay neutral in such a conflict.

88 percent of the respondents do not want Chinese companies to build 5G infrastructure in India; 87 percent of Indians do not want more Chinese investment in the country.

However, Indians largely remain undecided upon reconsidering India's friendly approach towards China -- 53 percent are in favour while 47 percent opted for a no.

Additionally, Indians across all languages uniformly believe that China is a strong supporter of Pakistan. 80 percent of Indians see China as an unfriendly or very unfriendly nation. Only 3 percent believe China is friendly.

70 percent Indians fear that a military conflict between Indian and China might take place. However, 56 percent Malayalis do not agree.

61 percent of respondents see China's actions as that of an enemy state. Exceptions are Gujaratis, Tamilians and Malayalis, who believe China is merely posturing. In all, 84 percent of the respondents don't have a favourable view of China.
On Wednesday, the Ohio Senate passed its version of COVID-19 immunity legislation for health care providers and other businesses during the coronavirus emergency. Senate Bill 308 sailed out of the Senate on a pure party-line, 24-9 vote.

The bill puts the Senate at odds with the Ohio House, which last week passed its own compromise immunity bill -- with substantial Democratic support.

Among those supporting House Bill 606 were Democratic state Reps. Bride Rose Sweeney and Terrence Upchurch of Cleveland, Phil Robinson of Solon and Casey Weinstein of Hudson. Even so, all of the nays on the Houses 84-9 vote were Democrats, including Kent Smith of Euclid; Mike Skindell of Lakewood; and Stephanie Howse and Juanita Brent of Cleveland.

HB 606 also includes workers comp protections for front-line workers who contract COVID-19, and is more strictly delimited timewise - expiring at the end of this year (as opposed to April 1, 2021, for the Senate bill).

The Senate bill, sponsored by Matt Huffman of Lima, extends its immunity protections to professional disciplinary actions, which the House bill, sponsored by Rep. Diane Grendell of Geauga County, specifically excludes.

The two bills will need to be reconciled.

Both bills have exceptions. The House bills exceptions appear a bit broader. As summarized by the Legislative Service Commission, they include reckless disregard of the consequences or intentional conduct or willful or wanton misconduct on the part of the person against whom the action is brought; and, in cases where the person lacks the skills, education and training required, an exception for actions undertaken in good faith and in response to a lack of resources caused by a disaster or emergency.

Proponents of these bills include small-business groups, retail merchants, and operators of nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. Trial attorneys initially opposed HB 606 but cleveland.coms Jeremy Pelzer quoted state Rep. Bill Seitz of Cincinnati saying that trial lawyers now support the bill. AARP Ohio has opposed the bills, and other critics note that during the pandemic, the ability to learn about possibly reckless, unsafe actions by health care providers, especially at long-term-care facilities, is diminished, providing fewer ways to prove recklessness.

But this is a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. Are short-term immunity bills appropriate? Is the Senate or House approach more appropriate?

Our Editorial Board Roundtable offers its thoughts.

Ted Diadiun, columnist:

Critics here routinely delight in savaging the GOP-dominated Ohio Legislature, so Im happy to salute the conservative majority for offering this protection to our heroic medical providers so they dont have to worry about lawyers peering over their shoulders, waiting to pounce on well-intended errors or misjudgments. Dont expect similar protection from U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her minions anytime soon.

Thomas Suddes, editorial writer:

No. That would violate the Ohio Bill of Rights: Every person, for an injury done him in his land, goods, person or reputation shall have remedy by due course of law, and shall have justice administered without denial or delay. Furthermore, malpractice suits are already plenty difficult to win.

Eric Foster, columnist:

Im rarely on board with taking away peoples ability to get their day in court. Bringing a COVID-19 claim is difficult even without this legislation. Imagine proving exactly where you contracted COVID. Thats hard. Especially now, given that much of the state has reopened. It begs the question, why does the General Assembly want to make a hard thing harder?

Lisa Garvin, editorial board member:

The last thing small businesses need right now is to fight pandemic-related lawsuits from tort lawyers looking for a payday. Immunity from liability until 2021 seems sensible until cooler heads prevail and workplace violation patterns emerge. However, this shouldnt let employers off the hook. There will be justifiable cases, and in our legislature, moratoriums have a tendency to become permanent.

Mary Cay Doherty, editorial board member:

All businesses, not only those in health care, need COVID-19 immunity legislation. Even the most safety-conscious employer cannot control nature. Careful crafting will preserve avenues for legitimate grievances. Tragically, the elderly may be among the most aggrieved. Absent their families vigilant advocacy, many nursing home and assisted living residents undoubtedly endure neglect in understaffed facilities. Immunity cannot thwart justice for them.

Victor Ruiz, editorial board member:

If a business does everything to ensure that it is creating a safe space (PPEs, social distancing, proper sanitation, etc.), then they should be protected. Individuals must also do their part to keep others safe (i.e. masks, washing hands, etc.). With that said, institutions and individuals must be held accountable for creating unsafe environments, so any bill must be balanced and include both protections and oversight.

Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion:

Blanket immunity laws, even those as seemingly narrowly drawn as Rep. Grendells proposal, are dangerous, especially in a pandemic world of great risks and even more unknowns. That said, any short-term immunity legislation must be broadly bipartisan, strictly limited and paired with new safeguards against abuse. Neither of these bills meets those requirements.

Have something to say about this topic?

* Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.

* Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this editorial board roundtable to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com.
Parents who have watched their children struggle with online learning since schools across the country were closed in March are painfully aware that virtual classes are no substitute for face-to-face instruction. Even so, many of these parents worry that schools might hastily reopen without taking the necessary precautions to shield children  and everyone in the school community  from infection.

If this crisis of confidence continues to fester, millions of families could well decide to keep their children home when schools begin opening around the nation this fall. This would further harm the prospects of schoolchildren who have already lost ground because of the pandemic and who are at risk of falling irretrievably behind. By the start of the next school year, the average student could have already lost a third of his or her expected progress in reading and half in math, according to a recent working paper from the nonprofit NWEA and scholars at Brown and the University of Virginia. The learning losses are greatest among black and Hispanic students. The decision to keep some children home next year would also undermine support for public education generally and damage the possibility of economic recovery by keeping caretaking parents at home and out of the work force.

Parental anxiety is strikingly evident in recent polls, including one released last month by USA Today/Ipsos. Elected officials should find it sobering that six in 10 parents say they are likely to continue home learning instead of sending their kids back to school this fall. One in five teachers say they are unlikely to return to their classrooms. And when parents and teachers are considered together, about four in 10 oppose returning to school at all until a coronavirus vaccine is available  in other words, possibly years from now.

One Texas father and teacher among those surveyed spoke for many others: The expectation of parents and society is were sending our children to be educated in a safe environment, and how were going to provide that safe environment is completely unknown.
A new TV series is set to tell the story behind ten of the greatest painting in the world - but according to a new study, only six per cent of adults can correctly identify them.

Starting tonight on Channel 5, Greatest Paintings of the World with Andrew Marr, looks at some of the most famous works of art in history, including the Mona Lisa and Van Gough's Sunflowers.

Ahead of the show, YouGov asked 2,000 British adults to identify paintings by artists including Mone, Botticelli, Constable and Turner.

When shown these works of art, Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa came out on top as the most recognisable overall, with 95 per cent of those polled able to identify the masterpiece, whilst The Rokeby Venus by Diego Velazquez was the least well known, with only 22 per cent correctly naming the painting.

So, can YOU name all ten? Here FEMAIL share the famous paintings, and there's a bonuse point if you can identify the artist too...

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ANSWERS 1. The Hay Wain by John Constable 2. The Fighting Temeraire by J. M. W. Turner 3. Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gough 4. The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli 5. Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci 6. Water Lillies by Claude Monet 7. The Night Watch by Rembrandt 8. Rokeby Venus by Diego Velazquez 9. Weeping Woman by Pablo Picasso 10. Ophelia by Sir John Everett Millais Advertisement
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Greece wants to advance the successful mutually beneficial partnership with China, Greek officials and ship owners said during a webinar hosted in Athens on Friday on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

"We can leave behind the COVID-19 lockdown and further our cooperation. We want new partnerships between Greek and Chinese companies. We are sure the best of our relationship is ahead of us," Gregory Dimitriadis, Secretary-General for International Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told the online discussion organized by the Hellenic Chinese Chamber.

The official suggested exploring more potential opportunities in sectors such as shipping and tourism, the two traditionally strong engines of the Greek economy, as well as many other fields.

With a strong background of excellent political relations, the two sides have made strides in recent years to deepen economic ties.

COSCO Shipping's investment in Piraeus port over the past decade has changed its image and is praised by many as a shining example of bilateral cooperation in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative as well. Piraeus port now ranks first in the Mediterranean, 4th in Europe and 25th in the world, while expansion and upgrade works continue.

"The Dragon Head of the Silk Road in Europe must continue in all sectors," Vassilis Korkidis, President of Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry said.

"The Sino-Greek partnership was always beneficial to both, there is good communication. The only way to recover is through partnerships and this one with China is successful and can be more successful," shipowner George Pateras, President of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, stressed.

"Through challenging times, we value the importance of friendship. The pandemic has shown who are the real friends and partners. Our friendship and cooperation now have even stronger foundations. We are very confident our relations will have more fruits to come," Chinese ambassador to Greece Zhang Qiyue said.

"We all have to work together. We have to contribute to efforts to bring peace and friendship between countries. This is the only way to move forward," Andreas Potamianos, President of the Greece-China Association concluded.
Both mother and baby died. For days before dying, the animal wandered with excruciating pain. The incident has caused outrage in the country, but the authorities do not yet know if it was an accident or deliberate. India is home to 27,000 wild elephants and 2,500 in captivity.

Thiruvananthapuram (AsiaNews/Agencies)  A 15-year-old pregnant elephant and the baby she was carrying died in Kerala after she eat a pineapple spiked with firecrackers.

After straying into a village where she ate the fruit she wandered off in excruciating pain. Seeking relief, the animal immersed her trunk and mouth into the water of a river.

Wildlife workers and vets tried to save her, but the injuries caused by the explosion were too serious, and prevented her from eating.

The incident sparked outrage across the country, but the authorities do not yet know if it was a deliberate act or an accident.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that that the investigation was focused on three suspects and that two people were questioned and released.

Some surmise that the animal ate a pig cracker, a firecracker-spiked fruit used to scare away wild boars and pigs from crops, a rather common practice among farmers who sometimes also target tuskers.

India has 27,000 wild elephants and 2,500 in captivity. When they come near villages and farmland, farmers are known to retaliate, an issue raised by environmental groups in India as well as other Asian countries, especially Sri Lanka.
(Photo : George Frey on Reuters ) UPDATE: COVID-19's 'Game-Changer' Malaria Drug Isn't Helping Patients at All, Reveal U.K. Experts (Photo : LUCY NICHOLSON on Reuters ) UPDATE: COVID-19's 'Game-Changer' Malaria Drug Isn't Helping Patients at All, Reveal U.K. Experts

Despite being promoted by US President Donald Trump as a "game-changer," the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, unfortunately, cannot cure patients with coronavirus.

Based on a British study, experts have found that the drug doesn't help COVID-19 patients to fight against the virus. Worse, the mortality rate with the use of this drug is the same as patients who aren't taking it.





'Game-Changer' Hydroxychloroquine drug Is 'Ineffective' says UK study

In a report from Associated Press and ABC News on Friday, June 5, leaders of a large study in the UK recently withheld British hospitals to use the malaria drug to help COVID-19 patients.

According to the report, the study tested more than 11,000 patients in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. They were all randomly assigned to test a famous treatment that was recently released. Some of these include hydroxychloroquine, the antibiotic azithromycin, the HIV combo drug lopinavir-ritonavir, the steroid dexamethasone, the anti-inflammatory drug tocilizumab, or plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19.

After the study, experts discovered found out that in 1,542 patients, the malaria drug did not reduce deaths, their time in the hospital or other positive factors to prove its efficacy. In fact, 25.7% of the time after 28 days in the hospital, the patient dies. This was nearly comparable to the 23.5% chance of dying of patients without any medications due to the coronavirus. This means that the chances of dying without inducing any drugs versus using hydroxychloroquine are almost the same.

"Although it is disappointing that this treatment has been shown to be ineffective, it does allow us to focus care and research on more promising drugs," study leader and Oxford professor Peter Horby said in a statement.

So far, this Oxford study is the largest study conducted to test the malaria drug.

ABC News said that the full results of the Oxford study have not yet being released and that World Health Organization (WHO) chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan will be glad to be the first one to see it once it is published.

Another study shows the drug's ineffective but receives backlash

A day before Oxford released the study, the medical journal Lancet also released a similar study saying that the malaria drug's effectivity is not yet clear. It was very controversial since the study was said to be one of the biggest research projects ever conducted on the drug, involving more than 96,000 patients on six continents.

Unfortunately, many scientists who are not involved in the study said that they were in doubt with the released findings of Lancet. Most of the data are not sufficient enough to draw conclusions from.

"Based on this development," Lancet wrote, "we can no longer vouch for the veracity of the primary data sources." They have since retracted the report.

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A Pakistan-based American blogger has accused three senior leaders of the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of raping and assaulting her in 2011.

Cynthia D Ritchie made the allegation through a video clip posted on her Facebook page on Friday and soon it went viral on social media.

In 2011, I was raped by the former interior minister Rehman Malik. Thats right, Ill say it again. I was raped by the then interior minister Rehman Malik, she claimed.

She also said that former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin physically manhandled her while Gilani was staying at the Presidents House in Islamabad.

Ritchies allegations have escalated the already bitter row between her and the party after she posted a comment on a tweet on May 28 against slain PPP leader and former prime minister Benzair Bhutto, which was termed as derogatory by the party leaders who filed a complaint against her at the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Her comments came on a tweet discussing the violent confrontation between model Uzma Khan and a woman, who accused the former of having a relationship with her husband of 13 years and used this allegation to justify her violent treatment of the model.

This echoes stories of what BB used to do when her husband cheated. Shed have the guards rape the women. Why do women condone this rape culture? Why arent the men ever held accountable? Where is the justice system? Ritchie wrote the comment on the tweet.

According to media reports, PPP, on the same day, filed a complaint with the FIA against Ritchie for hateful comments and slander against Bhutto.

In another post, Ritchie said that the rape assault against her took place at Maliks house in the Ministers Enclave around the time of the raid in which Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan in 2011.

I thought it (was) a meeting about my visa but I was given flowers/a drugged drink, she wrote.

He also said that she kept mum as no one in the then PPP government helped her.

PPP was in power from 2008 until 2013 and Gilani was the prime minister until he was removed by the Supreme Court in June 2012 for disobeying court orders.

Ritchie also said she had informed about the incident to someone at the US Embassy in Pakistan in 2011, but due to fluid situation and complex relations between US and Pakistan, [the] response was less than adequate.

Referring to her ongoing battle with the PPP, she said it was not really about that tweet but about the individuals who know she had a lot of dirt on a lot of people in Pakistan. It is primarily those who use and abuse others, particularly women and the vulnerable population. And I am one of them, Ritchie was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper.

However, Gilani has denied the charges and said that he is even considering responding to such allegations, humiliation and disgrace.

While talking to ARY News, he was asked what Richie was doing at the Presidency when she was allegedly manhandled, and why she had been staying in Pakistan.

Gilani alleged that she had come to Pakistan as part of a campaign to malign politicians.

Who has given them the right to malign politicians? he asked.

He said Ritchie was maligning him because his two sons had filed a defamation case against her for her allegedly defamatory tweet against Bhutto.

However, the two former ministers have not so far responded to the allegations. PTI SH RS AKJ RS

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Han Kuo-yu, the opposition candidate in this years Taiwanese presidential election, has been removed as mayor of the city of Kaohsiung following an unprecedented recall vote on Saturday.

Han, 62, conceded defeat after more than 900,000 eligible voters backed his removal for beingunfitfor office

He was the first Taiwanese official ever to be removed in this way, a result that will have a ripple effect on future elections.

It was also a reflection of the growing resentment on the island towards mainland China after Beijing announced plans for a national security law in Hong Kong last month, analysts said.

Expressing his deep regret and describing the recall motion as unfair, Han told his supporters outside the city government building that he had faced mounting criticism and mudslinging from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party ever since he took office late in 2018.

[The] government had mobilised all resources, including buying 90 per cent of the media time to attack me instead of focusing its efforts on administering the country, Han said.

He thanked the 890,000 or so Kaohsiung residents who voted for him as mayor in November 2018 and offered his blessings and hopes for a better future to the city and the public.

According to the Kaohsiung Election Commission, 939,090 voted for his removal with just 25,051 opposing the proposal.

More than 42 per cent of the eligible 2.29 million voters cast their approval for Han to step down  well above the 570,000-threshold required to oust him.

Han, a former legislator for a New Taipei constituency, faced heavy criticism from the public over his failed campaign for president in January against the incumbent Tsai Ing-wen.

Less than eight months into mayoral office, he officially announced his presidential bid after winning the Kuomintang (KMT) presidential primaries in July and even took three months off from the city government in his campaign for the January presidential election  a decision that upset many local residents.

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He has betrayed the citizens [of Kaohsiung] by failing to keep his campaign promise that he would stay put in the city if elected mayor, said Aaron Yin, founder of WeCare, a pro-independence group that initiated the recall campaign.

Yin also accused Han of failing to live up with his commitment to develop the city and bring prosperity to the Kaohsiung public.

At the height of his popularity in late 2018, Han was elected mayor in Kaohsiung  a pro-independence stronghold  with a landslide victory and helped other candidates from the mainland-friendly KMT to win big in 14 of the 22 cities and counties on the island.

No one would have expected this result as the number of voters who showed up to vote for Hans removal was actually more than the 890,000 ballots he received in the mayoral poll in late 2018, said Wang Kung-yi, a political-science professor at Chinese Culture University in Taipei.

Rather than expressing their disapproval of Han, voters actually meant to use their vote to tell Beijing that they increasingly resent the political actions of the mainland in sticking its nose into Hong Kong as well as its persistent military threats and diplomatic pressure against Taiwan, he said.

Han, from the mainland-friendly Kuomintang, was reported to have been Beijings favoured candidate during the presidential campaign.

Beijing, which considers Taiwan a wayward province that must be returned to the mainland fold, by force if necessary, has tried in vain to get Tsai to accept the one-China principle since she was first elected in 2016.

A large number of these voters who are from Kaohsiung  a pro-independence stronghold  do not want cross-strait unification nor the one-China principle, Wang said.

They also reject the one country, two systems formula proposed by Beijing for reunification, and are upset by Beijings erosion of the [promised] 50 years of autonomy in Hong Kong by introducing the national security law in the city.

On Wednesday, Tsai, who doubles as the DPPs chairman, instructed party officials to mobilise as many voters as possible to make sure that the recall motion succeeded.

Analysts said while the outcome of the recall will further bolster the DPPs grip on power, it will also trigger a new round of infighting in the mainland-friendly KMT and damage its chances in next years local elections.

Han Kuo-yu lost the recall vote by an overwhelming majority. Photo: CNA

It will affect the KMTs strategy in the 2020 local government elections and further damage the KMTs chances in the 2024 presidential poll if it suffers a serious setback in the local races, said Arthur Wang Zhin-sheng, secretary general of Asia-Pacific Elite Interchange Association, a Taipei-based political and international relations research organisation.

Wang said that Hans defeat would also threaten the KMT chairman, Johnny Chiang Chi-chen, a younger-generation KMT leader who was elected in the hope he would reform the party.

The old guard will use the ouster to accuse Chiang of failing to help save Han and might want to challenge him in the KMT chairman election next year, Wang said, adding that Han may seek the post himself.

Han will have to step down as mayor after the election authorities officially announce the result of the recall vote in a week.

The cabinet will then nominate an acting mayor and an election to pick the new mayor will be held in three months time.

Taiwans electoral law allows for a recall vote to remove officials to be held if enough voters sign a petition backing the measure.

Han himself saw off a recall vote when he was a member of the legislature two decades ago.

In total 13 recall votes have been held against village heads, legislators and even the former DPP president Chen Shui-bian  but Saturday was the first time one succeeded.

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The finance minister has announced the suspension of fresh insolvency proceedings for up to one year. During this period, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) will not be available for debt resolution and distressed companies and their creditors may turn to schemes under the Companies Act, 2013.

The Companies Act provides the framework for schemes of compromise or arrangement between a company and its creditors or any class of them or a company and its members or any class of them. These provisions are used extensively in ...

Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard.
APSL distributes pandemic relief View(s):

The Association of Professional Sri Lankans in the UK (APSL) launched an Emergency Relief Fund (ERF) on March 25 to support vulnerable people and deserving families who face many hardships due to the coronavirus pandemic in Sri Lanka.

After carrying out the programme for seven weeks, the APSL concluded its Covid-19 relief activities, having provided Rs. 3.2 million worth of assistance to 1,650 families all over Sri Lanka and to nine key hospitals.
A European study also attributed this increased susceptibility in men to the presence of a strong biomarker called the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), the gene located on the X-Chromosome

India has seen a continuous spike in the number of positive cases. Recent Government estimates suggest an approximate 190,000 positive cases, with the figures of death roughly at 5,300. Interestingly, several recent studies, including one by the WHO and another published on May 10 issue of the European Heart Journal, have noted that more men are dying from COVID-19 than women are.

Closer home, Dr K. K. Aggarwal, cardiologist and president of both the Confederation of Medical Association of Asia and Oceania (CMAAO) and the Heart Care Foundation of India, adds to the insight. The analysis of the death cases showed that the demographic profile was mainly male, he explains. Male accounted for two-thirds and females accounted for one-thirds deaths, of which were mainly the elderly. More than 80% were elderly men over 60 years and more than 75% had underlying diseases present such as cardiovascular and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and, in some cases, tumour.

Why are men more susceptible to the disease?

Sex differences

According to Dr Viswesvaran Balasubramanian, Senior Interventional Pulmonologist & Sleep Medicine Specialist, Yashoda Hospitals, the reason could potentially be sex-based immunological or gendered differences, such as patterns and prevalence of smoking. Sex differences that influence the immune system may offer answers here, reiterates the doctor. Immunological differences with cytokines, which is associated with cytokine release syndrome (CRS) preferentially expressed in men, and those associated with defence and recovery from viral infection preferentially expressed in women.

A European study also attributed this increased susceptibility in men to the presence of a strong biomarker called the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), the gene located on the X-Chromosome.

The ACE2 receptor is found in the pulmonary alveolar type II cells, heart, kidneys, testes and other organs, adds Dr Viswesvaran.

The circulating levels of ACE2 are much higher in men than in women and in patients with diabetes or cardiovascular diseases. In COVID-19, the ACE2 receptor on the surface of cells facilitates the binding of the virus and allows it to enter and infect the cells. Thus, the high expression of ACE2 makes male patients more prone to die from the virus called SARS-CoV-2, which caused the COVID-19 disease.

For the uninitiated, SARS-CoV-2 is the abbreviated form of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and is the official name of the 2019 novel Coronavirus, as given by the International Committee of Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) on 11 February 2020.

Behavioural aspects

While both men and women are equally susceptible to the 2019 novel coronavirus, and experts point the reason to be partly that women tend to have a stronger immune system as compared to men, there are both biological and behavioural reasons for more men succumbing to the disease than women.

Dr Hari Prasad, president, Apollo Group of Hospitals, adds to the above interesting insight. Women have stronger immunity because of their extra X-chromosome, which gives them the power to recover, he says. Also, a higher percentage of men have co-morbid conditions such as heart, liver and kidney diseases, diabetes and hypertension diseases. Now, with COVID-19 adding to that list, men become easy victims. Recent behavioural studies also indicate that men tend to have greater social exposure, engage in more risky behaviour, are more prone to ignoring social-distancing norms and are casual about symptoms or about seeking medical help.

Dr Latha Sharma, Consultant Pulmonologist, KIMS Hospitals, also points to the behavioural aspects of men, which may contribute to more deaths among them. Women have stronger adaptive immune responses and die less of infectious disease their entire life, she adds. Social behaviour, more interaction with people, ignoring of physical distancing and habits such as smoking may also play a role in the diseases impact on men. Women are less likely to engage in health-related risks and are more meticulous at handwashing.

Just as even Dr Viswesvaran sums up his views on the matter, perhaps the above scientific observations do stress upon the view that gender is an important biological variable to be considered in future trials on the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
I was nervous. My trip to the Tropical Medical Bureau (TMB) was the most exotic one I'd taken in 10 weeks.

I had my supermarket and exercise routines down, but visiting a clinic for an 80 antibody test? With Covid-19 screening measures likely to dominate future travel, however, I felt it was worth stepping out of my comfort zone.

Arriving at the clinic, I was asked to use hand sanitiser and don a free face mask. In a consultation, Dr Graham Fry outlined the procedure.

While PCR swab tests tell if you currently have the disease, antibody tests check blood for specific Covid-19 antibodies that may be present if you had it in the past.

There are different tests, types of antibodies and lots of debate to read up on, but a positive result from TMB's lab-based test is over 98pc accurate, Dr Fry says. "So you can trust it".

A negative result is 95pc accurate, he adds - a high figure, but clearly not ruling out previous infection. Results are available within 48 hours (home testing kits will be available in the future, too - though will involve drawing 20-30 drops of blood).

Back in March, I had a persistent cough and chest pressure, but not enough symptoms for a Covid-19 test. People like me are starting to show interest in antibody tests, Dr Fry says, and he also sees potential for business and travel, with two crucial qualifiers - we don't yet know if antibodies confer immunity, or how long they will last.

"The chances are you are protected," he ventures. "But we don't know at this stage." We are "still learning" about Covid-19, he adds; it could take months to find out.

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As countries open and airlines take off, however, debates on testing, quarantine and digital health passports are raging. All arrivals at Hong Kong Airport must now take tests, for example, while Iceland plans to offer visitors the choice of a test or a 14-day quarantine from June 15.

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Discovering you have Covid-19 at an airport is plainly not ideal, and while infrared checks set a tone and have their uses, Dr Fry says people can have high temperatures for various reasons, and paracetamol and cold packs can influence readings.

If antibodies are shown to be protective, that raises fascinating and scary questions.

Could travellers or citizens with immunity move freely - on planes, in workplaces, hotels or bars - while others cannot, or face discrimination?

The mind boggles.

Clearly, we are speculating at this point, but if antibodies do make us immune to Covid-19, does Dr Fry think they will be part of future travel?

"Until we have a vaccine," he says.

My blood test was straightforward - sore but short. After our chat, given that I am healthy now, I felt like a positive would be the best outcome. After 48 hours, I logged on.

The result was negative.

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The aircraft carrier Liaoning formation returns to a military port. Photo: cnsphoto

A US warship made a transit through the Taiwan Straits on Thursday, the seventh of such an event in 2020. The move is not only preparing the US military for a potential conflict in the region and an attempt to provoke the Chinese mainland, but also an attempt to shift domestic pressure from widespread protests, COVID-19 and a poor economy, for which the Chinese mainland should maintain its strategic focus and not dance to the US' tune, analysts said on Friday.

The USS Russell transited the Taiwan Straits on Thursday "in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific" region, the US 7th Fleet said on Friday on its Facebook account.

This is the seventh time a US warship has sailed through the Taiwan Straits this year, Taiwan media reported.

The USS Russell is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer with a displacement of around 8,000 tons. With a length of about 154 meters, it is equipped with anti-air, anti-ship and land-attack missiles and torpedoes. This class of destroyer is one of the main battle surface vessels of the US Navy and has frequently passed the Taiwan Straits.

US warships' transits through the Taiwan Straits provides an opportunity for the US Navy to gather related military intelligence including hydrologic information, allowing the US to become familiarized with the sea area and gain initiatives in a potential military conflict, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Friday.

Such an operation is also sending the wrong signal to Taiwan secessionists and letting them think the US military is backing them up, which is also a provocation to the Chinese mainland, Song said.

The latest US destroyer transit came at a time when the US is facing huge domestic pressures including widespread protests that were triggered by the death of African American George Floyd, the world's most COVID-19 infections and deaths and a depressed economy.

US President Donald Trump is attempting to shift these domestic pressures by instigating a provocation with China, which is likely to become an election issue, Song said, adding that China should maintain its strategic focus and not dance to the US' tune.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has the firm will and full capability of resolving the Taiwan question if it comes to that, and this cannot be changed by some US warships' transit through the Taiwan Straits because the PLA had an overwhelming advantage in the region, analysts said.

Frequent and intensive amphibious landing and naval drills are continuously being held by the PLA, including amphibious tanks storming the beaches, civilian ships transporting tanks and armored vehicles across the sea and training missions by the aircraft carrier Shandong and other advanced warships, recent reports show.
French forces have killed the leader of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Algerian Abdelmalek Droukdel, in northern Mali, Frances defence minister said.

Droukdel was killed on Thursday near the Algerian border, where the group has bases from which it has carried out attacks and abductions of Westerners in the sub-Saharan Sahel zone, Defence Minister Florence Parly said Friday.

Many close associates of Droukdel -- who commanded several affiliate jihadist groups across the lawless region -- were also neutralised, she added.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) emerged from a group started in the late 1990s by radical Algerian Islamists, who in 2007 pledged allegiance to Osama Bin Ladens Al-Qaeda network.

The group has claimed responsibility for a string of attacks on troops and civilians across the Sahel, including a 2016 attack on an upmarket hotel and restaurant in Burkina Faso, which killed 30 people, mainly Westerners.

France has deployed more than 5,000 troops to combat jihadist groups in the region -- a largely lawless expanse stretching over Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger, where drugs and arms flow through porous borders.

Northern Mali is the site of frequent clashes between rival armed groups, as well as a haven for jihadist activity.

In 2012, key cities fell under the control of jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda, who exploited an ethnic Tuareg-led rebel uprising, leading to a French-led military intervention.

According to the UN, Droukdel was an explosives expert and manufactured devices that killed hundreds of civilians in attacks on public places.

He was sentenced to death in Algeria in 2013 for his involvement in the bombings of a government building and offices of the UNs refugee committee in Algiers that killed 26 people and wounded 177.

The US said it had provided intelligence to help track down Droukdel.

US Africa Command was able to assist with intelligence and... support to fix the target, spokesman Colonel Chris Karns told CNN on Friday.

Islamic State official captured

France also claimed on Friday to have captured a leader of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS) group, which carries out frequent attacks over Nigers western borders.

On May 19, French forces captured Mohamed el Mrabat, veteran jihadist in the Sahel region and an important cadre in EIGS, Parly said on Twitter.

Operations against EIGS the other great terrorist threat in the region are continuing, said Parly.

Mali is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that erupted in 2012 and has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives since.

Despite the presence of thousands of French and UN troops, the conflict has engulfed the centre of the country and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

A source told AFP that some 500 jihadist fighters had been killed or captured by French troops in the region in recent months, among them several leading figures including commanders and recruiters.

Droukdels death is a symbolic coup for the French, a military source said.

He had remained a threat in the region, capable of financing jihadist movements, even though his leadership had been contested, the source added.

His death, and that of other Al Qaeda figures, could leave the group disorganised in the Sahel.

Born in 1971 in a poor neighbourhood of Algiers, Droukdel took part in the founding in Algeria of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC).

Abdelaziz Bouteflika, elected Algerian president in 1999, managed to convince most of the armed groups in the country to lay down their weapons.

The GSPC, however, refused to do so and Droukdel decided to approach Al-Qaeda.
Christian woman killed, raped in Nigerian church while studying, family says

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A 22-year-old Nigerian Christian student was raped and killed while she was in her church studying last Wednesday, family members have said.

Uwaila Vera Omozuwa, a University of Benin microbiology student, died last Saturday, two days after she was attacked inside the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Benin city, the capital of the Edo state in southern Nigeria.

Omozuwa, a member of the church's choir, was found half-naked lying in a pool of blood by a security guard, family members told media outlets.

"She wanted to be a minister and preach the word of God," Omozuwa's sister, Judith, told CNN, explaining that the church was her favorite place to be. "That she was murdered where she always found peace is just devastating."

Police have arrested one suspect believed to be connected to Omozuwa's murder. Edo Police Command spokesperson Chidi Nwabuzor told Nigerian media that the suspect was detained after the fingerprints found on the fire extinguisher she was attacked with were analyzed.

"The item used in the assault, which was a fire extinguisher, was recovered, immediately the operatives who were with some specialists screened the fingerprints which led to our suspect," Nwabuzor was quoted as saying. "Around the place of the incident, the suspect was arrested."

RCCG General Overseer Pastor Enoch Adeboye said in a statement released on social media that the denomination worked with authorities to ensure they "bring the perpetrators to book." RCCG is one of the largest Christian denominations in Nigeria.

"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," Adeboye wrote.

Reports of the woman's murder have sparked the hashtag trend #JusticeforUwa. Her death has sparked a national outcry.

Throughout Nigeria, many women and girls have been kidnapped, raped and killed by various actors, including Islamic militants, radical herdsmen and criminal gangs. Women and girls also suffer from acts of sexual abuse and domestic violence. The U.N.'s Children's Fund found in 2014 that about one-in-four girls have been victims of sexual violence in Nigeria.

Osai Ojigho, the director for Amnesty International in Nigeria, told The Guardian that Omozuwa's case has garnered so much attention because "even in the spaces that women and girls should be safest from gender-based violence, the home, the schools and now places of worship, it is getting there."



While family members said medics told them Omozuwa was raped, CNN reports that authorities in Nigeria have not yet ruled the incident as rape but are instead describing it as an "inhumane sexual assault."



"It shows how police are unwilling to even investigate rape cases and will rather probe murder allegations," Ojigho said. "Both are heinous crimes and none should be dismissed for the other."

Christians are frequently killed in Nigeria by different factions.

Omozuwa's death came less than a week before the murders of the Rev. Emmanuel Bileya and his wife, Juliana, in the Taraba State of Nigeria on Monday while on their farm.

Bileya, a pastor with the Christian Reformed Church in the Donga local government area, studied at Calvin Seminary in Michigan and was in the final stages of a doctoral program at Robert E. Webber Institute of Worship Studies in Jacksonville, Florida.

A recent estimate from the nongovernmental organization International Society for Civil Liberty & Rule of Law suggests that over 620 Christians have been killed in Nigeria so far in 2020, while thousands have been killed in recent years.

Nigeria was added to the U.S. State Department's "special watch list" of countries that engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious freedom for the first time last December and is ranked as the 12th-worst country in the world for Christian persecution by Open Doors USA.
LOS ANGELES, June 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten schools in Los Angeles County will receive free masks, gloves, and sanitizer from Health Supply World, a local startup company with a mission to reduce the unmet need for personal protective equipment (PPE). Health Supply World invites L.A. schools to request a donation by emailing the company at [email protected]. The first ten schools will receive a free supply of protective face gear, disposable gloves, and disinfecting hand sanitizers.

We offer most affordable prices on Hand Sanitizer and Face-mask to our community.

After the ten schools have been selected, Health Supply World will continue providing PPE to schools and colleges in L.A. County at cost. "Our goal is to have a positive impact in our community," said co-founder James Bae in the company's mission statement. "As a local startup company, we aim to make a real difference in how people have access to the necessary personal protective equipment for appropriate health and safety."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Infection (CDC), it's important to provide children with simple yet accurate information about the COVID-19 pandemic. Children may be frightened based on what they've seen and heard in the media. Teaching them the proper use of PPE not only helps slow the spread of disease, it will also reassure them that they are not powerless to protect themselves. Because of their commitment to serving the needs of the whole family, Health Supply World also offers a blog with useful tips for teaching kids about PPE, and for coping with the mental stress of living under lock-down with children in the house.

Health Supply World was founded by two college classmates to create a platform to address the nationwide shortage of PPE supplies. They offer equipment to protect the health of both children and adults. In keeping with their mission of maintaining ethical business practices, always donate a portion of their profits to hospitals, schools, and other charities. In the near future, they will also offer medical grade PPE.

Health Supply World is located on East Slauson Avenue in Los Angeles. Anyone who needs high-quality, affordable health protective equipment is welcome to visit the website (https://www.healthsupplyworld.com), call them at 213-273-5289, or email [email protected].

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Gov. Tom Wolf has taken a very good first step to address the issues that are propelling thousands of Pennsylvanians into the street. But even the governor of this great commonwealth cant by himself solve all of the problems to dismantle the systemic racism that led to the killing of George Floyd.

As tired as many people are of black men dying; as tired as some of us are of the blatant discrimination and harassment that continues to oppress black and brown people in the United States, ending racism will not happen immediately or with the stroke of a pen. But the governors proposals are a good place to begin.

Gov. Wolf has stepped out to stand with those who are demanding an end to the systems that have perpetuated racism, even taking to the streets with protesters this week in a symbolic show of solidarity. But the young people protesting in the streets dont just want a good show, they want to see real action in eradicating the racism that denies too many Americans life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

In the wake of the killing of George Floyd and the days of protests that have ensued, many people are calling for police reform. House Democratic Whip Jordan Harris and House Democratic Chairwoman Joanna McClinton are leading the call in the commonwealth to enact reforms to address the continuing protests over police abuse of power. They join us today on Facebook Live. Posted by PennLive.com on Friday, June 5, 2020

A group of state representatives, including House Democratic Whip Jordan Harris and House Democratic Committee Chairwoman Joanna McClinton, has proposed a slate of reforms that would require cooperation from elected officials at all levels. They want to not only tackle police abuse to stop more killing, but they want to tackle inequities in the criminal justice system, as well as the economic issues that keep black and brown people in poverty, unable to access quality health care and unable to achieve equal justice under the law.

The governor has at least signaled hes ready to do his part to begin the process.

Hes proposing creation of the position of Deputy Inspector General within the Office of State Inspector that would focus on deterring, detecting, preventing and eradicating fraud, waste, misconduct and abuse amongst law enforcement agencies under the governors jurisdiction, according to his office. This is a bold move that would send a clear signal to protesters about his commitment to holding police accountable for abuse.

Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf (right) and Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse (center) joined Wednesday's rally against injustice, gun violence at Pa. Capitol. Police Commissioner Thomas C. Carter is to the immediate left of Mayor Papenfuse. Photo by Steve Maroni | PennLive

According to the governors office, he also is proposing the following:

Creation of a Pennsylvania State Law Enforcement Advisory Commission that reviews allegations of misconduct by law enforcement personnel under the governors jurisdiction.

Providing technical assistance to municipalities from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) to encourage the creation of local citizen advisory boards.

Creation of a Racial and Ethnic Disparities Subcommittee under the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee (CJAC) at PCCD.

Reviewing Training and Education of Officers. All training academies for law enforcement must review current use of force training standards for law enforcement and form a workgroup to develop model training standards to ensure that all officers receive the best instruction in their interactions with the public. Departments should be striving to obtain state and or national accreditation. Accreditation is a key component in assisting departments in evaluation and improvement of their standards and practices.

Enhancing Officer Safety and Wellness. Enhancing current mental health initiatives and offering targeted mental health supports for officers to deal with trauma and reduce stigma for getting help.

Supporting Legislative Reforms. The governor will work with the legislature on reforms, including legislation proposed that provides for improved access to police videos, an oversight board for officer training and continuing education, a special prosecutor in deadly force cases, interdepartmental law enforcement hiring reform and PTSD evaluation for police officers.

These proposals are in line with those offered by the coalition of legislators led by Harris and McClinton. They may not be perfect, and opposition is already surfacing to try to block reform. But the governors proposals, and those of Harris and McClinton, are worth taking seriously. They provide a good foundation for change.

State Reps. Jordan Harris and Joanna McClinton joined PennLive Opinion Editor Joyce M. Davis for a Facebook Live discussion on police reform.

Elected officials from both parties should be at the table working to craft the reforms we all know are needed now. They should join the governor and these legislators in the march against racism.

To ignore the protesters on our streets and the testimonies of millions of African Americas will only feed the anger that is now threatening our communities. And it will only perpetuate a virus far worse than COVID-19 in its ability to kill, shut down our economy and destroy our democracy.
While US President Donald Trump has showcased optimism about the COVID-19 vaccine being available by the end of 2020, countrys medical experts have raised concerns over the federal governments Operation Warp Speed vaccine program. According to reports, even though the approach of Trumps administration is reasonable, the manner in which the information is being mitigated to the people is creating a sense of panic and even fueling anti-vaccine movements.

In a televised interview with the CNN, Dr Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and professor of paediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine said on June 6 that there is a lot of chaos and confusion regarding the federal governments program. According to the sources cited by the international media outlet, the Warp Speed program under the Trump administration has selected five companies that would most likely to manufacture the COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases dr Anthony Fauci has said that he expects at least 100,000 doses of one vaccine made by the Moderna to be available in the US by 2020.

Read - UK High Commissioner Thanks PM Modi & India For Global Vaccine Summit Participation & Aid

Read - AstraZeneca Aims To Boost Potential Supply Of COVID-19 Vaccine To 2 Billion

US-based firm begins human trial in Australia

Meanwhile, as some parts of the world are currently facing the peak of coronavirus pandemic, a US-based biotechnology company has announced its plans to start enrolling 130 people to test a new experimental vaccine. As per reports, declaring the tenth human trial for a potential vaccine of COVID-19 disease that has infected over 6.7 million people across the globe, Novavax said that the first batch volunteers were vaccinated last week in Australia. The trial for coronavirus vaccine is planned to take place in two phases at two sites in the island nation. The Maryland-based company has named the potential COVID-19 vaccine as NVX-CoV2373 which is a perfusion protein made with proprietary nanoparticle technology.

Read - When Covid Vaccine Arrives, Need Global Solidarity To Ensure Access For All: UN Chief

Read - Merkel Pledges 600 Million Euros To Vaccine Alliance

(Image Source: Representative/Pixabay)
When Caroline Taylor first considered whether to attend a protest in the wake of George Floyd's killing, she was apprehensive. She has elderly family members, some of whom have preexisting conditions, and she worried about catching and spreading the coronavirus.

But for Taylor, and many others, the protests are about much more than just police brutality. They're also about the lingering racial disparities and economic inequities that have resulted in vastly higher rates of death among black residents in Louisiana from the coronavirus than people of other races.

To Taylor, the pandemic has revealed more reasons to protest.

At this point, African Americans are disproportionately affected by everything. We cant just let one thing trump the other," she said at a protest on Friday, wearing a KN95 mask. "Were protesting all inequalities."

The May 25 killing of George Floyd, a black man, at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer have inspired millions nationwide and thousands in Louisiana to emerge from quarantines and take to the streets in the midst of a global pandemic.

State and local medical experts have warned the string of protests in Baton Rouge and New Orleans could derail the progress the state has made when it comes to mitigating coronavirus.

Susan Hassig, a Tulane epidemiologist, said the protests show a deeper problem with testing for coronavirus. Even if someone protests in a large crowd one night and gets tested the next day for coronavirus, their results are likely to be negative, she said.

BRAC calls region's racial disparities 'jarring,' plans sustained action to address inequalities The Baton Rouge Area Chamber said the stark disparities that persist between black and white residents is negatively impacting the local econo

Even the most rapid testing for coronavirus cannot detect when someone has been infected until a few days afterward, she said.

"Im really worried about the protest marchers," Hassig said. "While most of them have been wearing masks, theyre yelling, shouting. Theyre probably shedding virus if someone in the crowd is infected."

Still, protesters wonder: If not now, when?

Unfortunately, this virus isnt going away. If people would rather us stay home and do nothing, I cant sit and let that happen," said Aleah Harris.

East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome said she understands the passion that's driving people to risk their health in order to join the protests and speak out against decades of racism and inequities.

"As someone who grew up in the '60s, I've seen people risk their lives for what they believe is right and just," said Broome, who is the first black woman to hold the city-parish's top position.

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Broome, who spoke at a protest on May 31 attended by more than 1,000 demonstrators, described Floyd's killing as a tipping point for a community that has long struggled for equality.

"We know we're in a pandemic, but we can't just put this on hold. It's a situation where people feel moved at this moment that you have to deal with it," Broome said.

Masks are commonplace in the protests. Broome's office handed out face coverings to attendees of the May 31 march. Organizers for demonstrations along Siegen Lane have also taken to handing out surgical masks to anyone who doesn't have one.

John Bel Edwards: Police use of tear gas in New Orleans was reasonable Gov. John Bel Edwards on Friday said he agreed with New Orleans police using tear gas against protesters Wednesday night on the Crescent City 

But not everyone is complying, and given the very nature of protesting, few are able to socially distance themselves in the throngs of attendees at marches and demonstrations over the past week.

"As African Americans, we really don't get the luxury of choosing which battle to fight," said Metro Councilwoman Chauna Banks, who's also black. "Those are the hard choices we have systematically faced our entire existence as people in this country."

"The pandemic didn't come first, it came in the middle of the fight regarding police brutality," she added.

At a hearing of the state's House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, concerns over whether the recent protests would cause a spike in coronavirus cases were posed to officials with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.

Dr. Alex Billioux, assistant secretary of the state health department, told state leaders it's hard to predict given the large gatherings that occurred locally and in the rest of the country over Memorial Day weekend.

BREC announces launch of phase 2 plan after months of coronavirus restrictions BREC plans to launch the second stage of their re-opening on Monday following weeks of coronavirus restrictions.

"There is a risk," he said. "(But) there's a risk any time people are coming together, even as we are reengaging the economy."

Antoine Pierce, who attended a protest in Baton Rouge on Friday and is challenging Sen. Bill Cassidy in November's election, said the willingness of attendees to risk their lives to protest speaks volumes to the severity of the issues at hand.

"People are stuck between two choices: they can risk their lives and be quiet, or they can risk their lives to try to save their lives. I think people will always choose the latter," Pierce said.
The letters BLM were written in the sky above Sydney on June 6 as Black Lives Matter protesters took to the streets to demonstrate against racism and police brutality.

Footage shared to Instagram showed the Black Lives Matter initialism written in the sky.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the city to protest racism against indigenous Australians.

The Sydney protest was one of many anti-racism and anti-police brutality demonstrations held across Australia and the world sparked by the police-involved death of black man George Floyd in the US on May 25. Credit: Sam Mostyn via Storyful
BANGKOK (AP)  Factories and stores are reopening, economies are reawakening  but many jobs just arent coming back.

Thats the harsh truth facing workers laid off around the world, from restaurants in Thailand to car factories in France, whose livelihoods fell victim to a virus-driven recession thats accelerating decline in struggling industries and upheaval across the global workforce.

New U.S. figures released on Friday showed a surprise drop in joblessness as some of those who were temporarily laid off returned to work. But it's only a dent in the recent months' surge of unemployment, which remains near Depression-era levels. In a pattern repeated across the world, high unemployment means less money spent in surviving stores, restaurants and travel businesses, with repercussions across economies rich and poor.

My boss feared that since we come from Kibera (an impoverished slum), we might infect them with COVID-19, and so he let us go, said Margaret Awino, a cleaning worker in a Nairobi charity. I dont know how I can go on.

As the virus and now protests across the U.S. have shed new light on economic inequalities, some experts say its time to rethink work, wages and health benefits altogether, especially as automation escalates and traditional trades vanish.

THAI CHEF

When Wannapa Kotabin got a job as an assistant chef in the kitchen of one of Bangkoks longest-established Italian restaurants, she thought her career was set.

But five years on, shes in line with more than 100 other jobless Thais outside an unemployment office.

The government ordered all restaurants closed in March to combat the coronavirus, and 38-year-old Wannapa has been spending her savings on food and shelter.

When restaurants were allowed to re-open in May, Wannapas restaurant told staff its closure was permanent.

I never thought this would happen, she said. Its like my heart got broken twice.

Around the world, new virus safety rules mean restaurants and stores cant hold as many people as they used to, so they cant afford as much staff. Many cant afford to reopen at all.

Bangkoks restaurants are firing, not hiring, she said.

I will have to go on and keep fighting, she declared. If there is any job that I can do, I will do it.

Wannapas unemployment benefit can only tide her over for so long. She said if she cant find work, shell have to return to her familys rubber plantation to start life all over again.

ISRAELI PROGRAMMER

When the coronavirus first broke out, Israeli software developer Itamar Lev was told to work from home. Then the online advertising company he worked for slashed his salary 20%. Finally, just as restrictions started to ease, he was fired.

Lev, 44, is among hundreds of thousands of Israelis out of a job as a result of the pandemic, more than 25% of the workforce.

It was sudden. I wasnt ready for it, he said.

Tied to the American market, Levs companys advertising revenue dried up and they had to make cutbacks. Lev said he was treated respectfully, and sees himself as simply a victim of the times.

He is already preparing for interviews and confident he will find a new position soon. In a country versed in disruptions from wars and security threats, he said Israelis have built up a certain resilience to upheaval.

Still, he said this time feels different. His wife, a self-employed dance instructor, has also seen her income temporarily evaporate, forcing the couple to dig into their savings.

The comeback is going to take longer, said Lev, father of a 5-year-old girl. Its a difficult period. Were just going to have to take a deep breath and get through it.

KENYAN CLEANER

Perhaps hardest-hit by virus job losses are low-paid service workers like 54-year-old Awino, who lost her job after 15 years as a cleaner at one of Mother Teresas charities in Nairobi.

Awino shares a shack with her four daughters, including one who has epilepsy and requires costly medical care, and they share a communal toilet nearby. She hasnt seen her husband in nine years.

Without her regular $150 monthly salary, she now buys raw chicken and fries it on the streets for sale.

Ever since I was fired because of COVID-19, I put all my efforts into my business, she said.

Some days she earns more than what she was making at her old job, but its hard work, and unpredictable. City council and health inspectors are known to raid informal street vendors, who are often arrested and have their goods confiscated.

Awino has no choice but to take the risk, and shes not alone: Hundreds of thousands of Kenyans have also lost their jobs because of the pandemic.

CLOUDY SKIES

On a global scale, the industry perhaps most vulnerable is aviation.

Germanys Lufthansa is losing a million euros an hour, and its CEO estimates that when the pandemic is over it will need 10,000 fewer workers than it does now. Emirates President Tim Clark signaled it could take the Dubai-based airline four years to return to its full network of routes.

The ripple effect on jobs in tourism and hospitality sectors is massive.

Countries like the United Arab Emirates are home to millions of foreigners who far outnumber the local population  many of whom have lost their jobs. Their families in countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal and the Philippines rely on their monthly remittances for survival.

Egyptian hotel chef Ramadan el-Sayed is among thousands sent home in March as the pandemic began to decimate Dubais tourism industry. He returned to his wife and three kids in the city of Sohag, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) south of Cairo. He has not been paid since April.

Theres no work here at all, he said. Even tourism here is operating at 25% so whos going to hire here?

He sits idle, relying on his brother and father for support. He is hopeful the Marriott hotel where he worked will bring him back at the end of the summer when they plan to re-open.

We are waiting, God willing, el-Sayed said.

LONG ROAD AHEAD

So why aren't all the jobs coming back, if economies are reopening?

Some companies that came into the recession in bad shape can no longer put off tough decisions. Meanwhile, even though reopened cities are filling anew with shoppers and commuters, many consumers remain wary about returning to old habits for fear of the virus.

"Some firms that were healthy before governments imposed shutdowns will go bankrupt, and it could take a long time for them to be replaced by new businesses, Capital Economics said in a research note. Other firms will delay or cancel investment.

It estimates that a third of U.S. workers made jobless by the pandemic wont find work within six months. And some European workers on generous government-subsidized furlough programs could get laid off when they expire, as companies like French carmaker Renault and plane maker Airbus face up to a bleaker future.

Holger Schmieding, economist at Berenberg Economics, warned: The COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing mega-recession may shape political debates and choices for a long time."

___

Charlton reported from Paris. Aya Batrawy in Dubai, Khaled Kazziha in Nairobi, Aron Heller in Kfar Saba, Israel, David Biller in Rio de Janeiro and Dave McHugh in Frankfurt contributed.
Good Morning Britain's Alex Beresford has spoken candidly about his personal experience with racism, as he insists the problems in the US and UK are 'similar'.

The 39-year-old weather presenter penned an impassioned essay for The Sun, in which he shared his own thoughts on George Floyd's killing in police custody, which has sparked worldwide protests since late last month.

Ex-police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter after a video surfaced of him crushing 46-year-old Floyd's neck with his knee in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Similarities: GMB's Alex Beresford has spoken candidly about his personal experience with racism, as he insists the problems in the US and UK are 'similar'. Pictured in 2019

'There is a perception that racism which results in police brutality is "not as bad here as it is over there",' Alex wrote. 'This perception is wrong, there are many similarities. Systemic racism has been proven to exist in these institutions.'

Going on to state that the police have been 'proven to use excessive force disproportionately with people of colour', the Bristol native also said that things wouldn't unlikely improve until lawmen stopped 'stop policing stereotypes'.

In sharing his point of view, Alex deemed it 'unthinkable' that US President Donald Trump would publicly say so little on a matter, given his usual outspokenness.

Killed: A private autopsy ordered by the family of George Floyd has found that he was killed by asphyxia due to 'neck and back compression that led to a lack of blood flow to the brain'

He continued: 'It's also unthinkable that the leader of the "free world" has stayed uncharacteristically quiet, missing the biggest opportunity to address injustice and gain the respect of African Americans with an upcoming presidential election and hopes of a second term.'

While he branded the rioting that has accompanied some protests 'unfortunately predictable', with history as his reference point, Alex said he believed no solution could be reached without looking back at 'systemic racism going back 400 years'.

The TV star, who was born to a white English mother and black Guyanese father, also spoke of his own experiences with racism, dating back to when he was first called the N-word at just 11 years old while growing up in his hometown of Bristol.

Criticising those who keep 'clapping back' with #alllivesmatter to counter the #blacklivesmatter hashtag, Alex also spoke out at those who will 'seek to discredit the victim', despite video evidence of Floyd's shocking death.

Trump: In sharing his views, Alex deemed it 'unthinkable' that US President Donald Trump would publicly say so little on a matter, given his usual outspokenness. Pictured in 2018

'It is hard to prove covert racism and unconscious bias, which is often invisible to the naked eye,' he said, after touching on white privilege. 'Being on the receiving end of racism scars you mentally. Its traumatic.'

It has been an emotional time for Alex, who in April revealed his family's anguish at not being able to say goodbye to his step-grandmother after she passed away.

The weather presenter tweeted the sad news about Ivy Stewart, saying he felt 'upset, trapped and powerless' as he couldn't mourn the loss with his family due to lockdown restrictions.

And speaking during his first appearance since the death on GMB later that month, Alex further revealed the heartbreaking circumstances of her death as he explained that the family missed so many key moments in the final days of her life.

Heartbreak: In April, the TV personality revealed his family's anguish at not being able to say goodbye to his step-grandmother after she passed away amid lockdown

Speaking from his home, Alex appeared emotional as he explained to his co-stars Ben Shephard and Ranvir Singh that he and his family have an agonising wait to see if Ivy had contracted coronavirus while in her care home.

He explained that with her cause of death as yet still uncertain, the family still face the heartbreak that so many in the country are facing in not being able to comfort each other or gather to celebrate their life together.

He said: 'She has been in a care home. Ironically she used to work in care homes when she first came to England.

'We dont believe she died of COVID-19 but we understand she did have cough in the last week. Were still waiting to find out.

Sad: The weather presenter, 39, tweeted the sad news about Ivy Stewart, saying he felt 'upset, trapped and powerless' as he couldn't mourn the loss with his family

'Whatever reason she died of the circumstances are still very much the same. Because she was in a care home it was understandably on lockdown.'

The TV personality went on to add that with lockdown restrictions in place, he and his family missed key moments in the last days of Ivy's life, including her last birthday.

He continued: 'As a family it meant we missed her last Mothers day, her 77th birthday and her last day.

'She comes from a massive family. In other circumstances we would have all gathered there on mass and she wouldnt have been alone.

Anguish: Speaking during his first appearance since the death on GMB that month, Alex explained that the family missed so many key moments in the final days of her life

'Unfortunately, like many people who are passing away in these circumstances, theyre passing away alone.

'My mum, step dad, aunt and uncle are fairly vulnerable. Theyre staying indoors until June, which obviously makes the situation even worse.

'Its not been great. My heart goes out to family and everyone else in this situation. This is happening up and down the country.'

Meanwhile, Alex praised his step-grandmother for her strength and unwavering belief in God.

So difficult: He said of Ivy, 'She comes from a massive family. In other circumstances we would have all gathered there on mass and she wouldnt have been alone'

'Upset and trapped': The weather presenter revealed the sad news to his fans on Twitter, explaining his step-grandmother passed away 'on her own' during the lockdown

He said: 'She was a very powerful, strong woman. Very god fearing. In her later years if you asked if she was OK she would say, "Im OK, but the lord knows best". I think thats helping us all get through this.

'She would have put her trust in God and understood why things have panned out this way.

'She was a very strong woman and amazing cook. I used to love going to her house for Sunday dinner. We will miss her massively.'

Alex announced Ivy's death via Twitter, writing: 'My lovely step grandmother died on her own tonight! I can't even go to my mums to hug her or my stepdad.

'They also can't leave the house because they are vulnerable and I doubt they would let us in to pay our respects. I feel upset, trapped and powerless!'
Malaika Arora reveals she worked and travelled through her pregnancy, says marriage was never a hindrance
Delegates applaud as President Xi Jinping arrives for the opening session of China's National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, in this May 22 file photo. AP



China is advising its citizens not to visit Australia, citing racial discrimination and violence against Asians, in what appears to be Beijing's latest attempt to punish the country for advocating an investigation into the coronavirus pandemic.



A notice issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism late Friday said there has ''been an increase in words and deeds of racial discrimination and acts of violence against Chinese and Asians in Australia, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.''



''The ministry advises Chinese tourists to raise their safety awareness and avoid travelling to Australia,'' the notice said.



As part of its perceived retaliation, China has already effectively ended imports of Australian barley by putting tariffs of more than 80% on the crop, accusing Australia of breaching World Trade Organization rules by subsidizing barley production and selling the crop in China at below production costs. That came a week after China banned beef imports from Australia's four largest abattoirs over labeling issues.



Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham on Tuesday said the country did not want a trade war, but said China ''has made errors of both fact and law'' in applying WTO rules, adding that there was no evidence that Australia was engaged in the dumping of products.



Australia has been among countries pushing for an international investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic and responses to it. Beijing has denied its measures against Australian beef and barley were related to those calls.



The World Health Organization has bowed to calls from most of its member states to launch an independent probe into how it managed the international response to the virus, which was first found in China late last year. The evaluation would stop short of looking into contentious issues such as the origins of the virus.



Chinese Ambassador Cheng Jingye's has told Australian media that the country might face a Chinese boycott of its tourism and exports of wine, beef and other goods if the government pressed for a coronavirus inquiry.



China is the No. 1 market for Australian beef, accounting for about 30% of exports. It's also the biggest foreign buyer of Australian barley.



Beijing has regularly used access to its huge market to punish governments from Norway to Canada in political disputes. Chinese officials routinely refuse to confirm the trade disruptions are related to political clashes but make it clear that Beijing wants concessions. (AP)


Such dialogue would be red line that Ukraine will never break in negotiations regarding occupied territories

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Ukraine will not go to direct negotiations with the militants of the self-proclaimed "DPR" and "LPR", and will only engage in dialogue with the Kremlin. Kuleba said this on the air of the program Freedom of Speech of Savik Shuster on one of the Ukrainian TV channels, as RBC reports.

"(...) one of our red lines, the principle, which infuriates our Russian neighbors - we will not enter into direct dialogue with the so-called DPR/LPR, Kuleba noted.

He stressed that the Ukrainian side would only conduct negotiations on the Donbas directly with Russia, as it is part of the Trilateral Contact Group.

As we reported before, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Ukraine was ready to discuss the special status of Donbas and Crimea within Ukraine.

The Minister has noted that the Ukrainian side was ready to negotiate on the special status of these regions within Ukraine, without giving them the right to veto any national decisions.
Memorial Day is typically the most profitable weekend of the year at North Peak Brewing in Traverse City  as it is for many restaurants in northern Michigan.

Four days before Memorial Day weekend kicked off, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Michigan would allow restaurants Up North to reopen their dining rooms. It created an initial surge in demand, as the coronavirus pandemic had prompted the closure of restaurant dining rooms for more than two months.
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A food bank in Corpus Christi, Texas, one of the areas where unemployment has shot up, even as the number of virus cases has remained relatively low. Ilana Panich-Linsman for The New York Times

In Corpus Christi, Texas, many people strain to name anyone infected with the coronavirus. In east central Wisconsin, members of the Y.M.C.A. express frustration with a distant health crisis that shut down the groups community services. In western Colorado, the summer recreational season was canceled before it even started  again with little sign of the virus.

The coronavirus has killed more than 100,000 Americans and brought much of the economy to a grinding halt. Though all 50 states have begun to reopen against a bitter partisan backdrop, in many parts of the country the dual health and economic calamities are not playing out in parallel.

A New York Times analysis of coronavirus infections, official layoff notices and federal unemployment data highlights the sharp disconnect between extreme economic pain and limited health impact from the pandemic in many parts of the country. It is a split that presents local officials and businesses with difficult choices even after Fridays encouraging jobs report suggested more of the country was returning to work.

Some business owners and workers in these communities have embraced reopening as urgently overdue because of their firsthand experiences. Many are angry or confused. Others plead for caution. But most agree the virus has not posed the local public health threat that so many were expecting  even while acknowledging that things could get worse and the numbers would likely already be higher with more testing.

The Times focused the analysis on 726 counties in 45 states that fall within the lower half of infection rates nationwide. Those counties have had fewer than 140 cases of coronavirus per 100,000 residents and unemployment rates over 12 percent in April, the latest month for which official county data is available. (By contrast, New York City has had 2,483 cases per 100,000 residents.)

Four of the counties where residents are wrestling with the disconnect are in Colorado, Florida, Texas and Wisconsin. Largely out of the spotlight, they have not had overwhelmed morgues, or piles of body bags in hospitals, or dozens of deaths linked to a single nursing home. In these four counties, there has been mostly waiting.

In the first two weeks when they said this was coming, I was like, Lets all stay in, hunker down, and if we all do this, that can help while we figure out what is going on, said Stephanie Anderson, a real estate agent in Satellite Beach, Fla.

But since places here arent producing mass death, she said, dont tell me I cant open my business in a responsible manner.

Nueces County, Texas Scratching Their Heads Population Cases Deaths Unemployment 362,294 280 3 15.8%

Texas counties where coronavirus cases are above or below the national average, compared with how much unemployment has increased in those places: Fewer infections More infections Higher unemployment increase +15 percentage points Circles are sized by each countys population National average Nueces Harris Bexar +10 Dallas + 5 0 0 0.25 0.5 1 0.75 Percentiles of the national average Higher unemployment increase Fewer infections More infections +15 percentage points National average Presidio Nueces Circles are sized by each countys population Harris Bexar +10 Dallas Walker + 5 Moore 0 King 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 Percentiles of the national average Fewer infections More infections +15 percentage points Higher unemployment increase Presidio Nueces Harris Circles are sized by each countys population Hidalgo Bexar +10 Dallas Walker + 5 National average Moore 0 King 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 Percentiles of the national average Note: Data are the number of confirmed and probable coronavirus cases per capita in relation to the national average and the change from February to April of county unemployment rates. April figures, the most recent month for which county-level data is available, initial estimates. Case counts are through Wednesday and may be lower than actual infection rates because of incomplete testing.  Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (unemployment); Census Bureau (population); New York Times reporting of data based on reports by states and counties (coronavirus cases).

In Corpus Christi, the oil and gas and vacation town on the southeastern coast of Texas, it can be tough to find people who have experienced the coronaviruss devastation, or even know someone who has. But people hit with job losses or business closures? They are everywhere.

Theresa Thompson has been furloughed from her position as a catering and events manager at a Holiday Inn. Richard Lomax has seen sales fall by more than 90 percent at the two restaurants his family owns. Brett Oetting, chief executive of the tourism office, has been working with countless businesses struggling to navigate the economic collapse.

None of them knows anyone local who has been sickened by the virus.

In early March, things were as busy as ever in Corpus Christi and across Nueces County. But then fears of the coming virus hit and nearly everything came to an abrupt halt. The beaches cleared. The oil rigs idled. The hotels emptied.

For a very long time, everyone in the business community was scratching their heads, said Mr. Lomax, whose family operates Water Street Oyster Bar and Executive Surf Club. Together they furloughed about 150 of their 200 employees.

You look around, there is beautiful weather and the beaches are empty and you dont know anyone who has it, he said. That is hard  to keep that disciplined mind-set.

It also seemed arbitrary, he said, that people were allowed to pile into grocery stores but not other businesses.

You just want to help and want to not be part of the problem as well, he said. It is an awkward series of emotions. For us and our friends, it started to get existential.

Corpus Christi remained something of a ghost town into April, but traffic has picked up since Texas began reopening.

Recent high school graduates on a graduation trip to Corpus Christi. Photographs by Ilana Panich-Linsman for The New York Times

A Corpus Christi oil refinery. A temperature check outside a beef-processing plant.

Cleaning fish at Billings Bait & Tackle.

Theresa Thompson, a furloughed hotel worker, at Whitecap Beach. Volunteers at the Coastal Bend Food Bank in Corpus Christi.

Confirmed infections have also inevitably risen as testing has increased, with many of the positive tests connected to a meat-processing plant. The numbers remain relatively low, but with a contagion that has defied prediction, the increase has unsettled some and even raised questions about the wisdom of reopening so quickly.

It has made a lot of us take a pause and say, What do we do if we are the next outbreak? said Mr. Oetting, head of Visit Corpus Christi.

Brevard County, Fla. Open for Tourists Population Cases Deaths Unemployment 601,942 428 13 12.9%

Florida counties where coronavirus cases are above or below the national average, compared with how much unemployment has increased in those places: Fewer infections More infections Higher unemployment increase +20 percentage points National average Circles are sized by each countys population Osceola +15 Brevard Broward Miami- Dade +10 Franklin + 5 Liberty 0 0 0.25 0.5 1 0.75 Percentiles of the national average Higher unemployment increase Fewer infections More infections +20 percentage points Circles are sized by each countys population National average Osceola +15 Brevard Broward Miami- Dade +10 Franklin + 5 Liberty 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 Percentiles of the national average +20 percentage points Fewer infections More infections Higher unemployment increase National average Circles are sized by each countys population Osceola +15 Orange Brevard Broward Miami- Dade +10 Franklin + 5 Liberty 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 Percentiles of the national average Note: Data are the number of confirmed and probable coronavirus cases per capita in relation to the national average and the change from February to April of county unemployment rates. April figures, the most recent month for which county-level data is available, initial estimates. Case counts are through Wednesday and may be lower than actual infection rates because of incomplete testing.  Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (unemployment); Census Bureau (population); New York Times reporting of data based on reports by states and counties (coronavirus cases).

Brevard County, Fla., touts itself as the only place in the country to watch a space launch from the beach. When the first manned launch since the end of the shuttle program blasted off last Saturday, tens of thousands did just that.

The event helped announce to the world that Floridas Space Coast was reopening for business. For many residents, the moment was late in coming.

Its been a nightmare, to be honest, said Puneet Kapur, who has managed the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Palm Bay for 11 years.

The hotel went down to 10 percent occupancy from 95 percent during the peak of spring break, Mr. Kapur said. During the worst of it, he laid off about two-thirds of his staff.

He has since rehired some of them and says he is staying positive: Our county is open for tourists.

Watching the SpaceX rocket launch at Space View Park in Titusville on May 30. Photographs by Eve Edelheit for The New York Times

Crowds on the A. Max Brewer Bridge after the launch. Capt. John W. Murray, chief executive of the Canaveral Port Authority, at the new cruise terminal.

Katerina Nencini and her toddler, Nicole, waiting for the launch.

Alex Litras, the owner of Cafe Margaux. Back out in the water in Cocoa Beach.

Lynda L. Weatherman, president of the Economic Development Commission of Floridas Space Coast, said many were hoping the space launch had provided a little shot in the arm to the economy.

Alex Litras, owner of Cafe Margaux, a French seafood and steak restaurant a few blocks from the water, has seen an improvement but is proceeding cautiously to avoid becoming a weak link in staving off the virus. Under restrictions, he can seat up to 50 percent capacity; tables with room for four or more diners often have just two.

We are turning guests away simply because there are not enough tables in the dining room, he said. We are far from anywhere we were before. If we were able to add more volume, that opportunity is there.

Ms. Anderson, the real estate agent in Satellite Beach, said the relatively low number of infections in the area  even as people began to venture out more  gave her confidence that they were on the right track.

She has created a Facebook group focused on the pandemic. It is called REOPEN BREVARD COUNTY!

Outagamie County, Wis. Need a Sense of Normalcy Population Cases Deaths Unemployment 187,885 232 8 14.1%

Wisconsin counties where coronavirus cases are above or below the national average, compared with how much unemployment has increased in those places: Fewer infections More infections Higher unemployment increase +20 percentage points Menominee National average Circles are sized by each countys population +15 Milwaukee Outagamie +10 Dane Waukesha + 5 Taylor 0 0 0.25 0.5 1 0.75 Percentiles of the national average Higher unemployment increase Fewer infections More infections +20 percentage points Menominee Circles are sized by each countys population National average +15 Milwaukee Outagamie +10 Waukesha Dane + 5 Taylor 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 Percentiles of the national average +20 percentage points Fewer infections More infections Menominee Higher unemployment increase National average Circles are sized by each countys population +15 Milwaukee Outagamie +10 Waukesha Dane + 5 Taylor 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 Percentiles of the national average Note: Data are the number of confirmed and probable coronavirus cases per capita in relation to the national average and the change from February to April of county unemployment rates. April figures, the most recent month for which county-level data is available, initial estimates. Case counts are through Wednesday and may be lower than actual infection rates because of incomplete testing.  Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (unemployment); Census Bureau (population); New York Times reporting of data based on reports by states and counties (coronavirus cases).

Bill Breider, who runs five Y.M.C.A. centers in east central Wisconsin, described having to shutter them for most of March, April and May as heartbreaking and agonizing.

About one in five people across the region belongs to the organization, which provides a second home for older residents, day care for the children of working parents, and everyday programming like swim lessons and fitness training.

The centers also provide more than 1,500 full- and part-time jobs.

We have had to make some gut-wrenching decisions around furloughs and layoffs, coupled with how to keep employees safe, said Mr. Breider, the chief executive of the Y.M.C.A. of the Fox Cities, which has four of its five centers in Outagamie County.

An organization built on service suddenly could not serve  even as the region experienced relatively few confirmed cases of the coronavirus. The centers reopened with restrictions late last month. Before that, only day care services for children of essential workers had been running.

The virus-versus-economy dynamic created a tug back and forth as to what is the right thing to do, Mr. Breider said. It is a difficult time because I think there is a feeling like we need to open back up, we need a sense of normalcy.

A member working out at the Y.M.C.A. in Appleton. Photographs by Lauren Justice for The New York Times

The Appleton center and four others in the area reopened with restrictions late last month. The Y.M.C.A.s were closed because they were categorized as fitness centers, though they also provide many other services.

Businesses have been reopening since stay-at-home orders were lifted.

Coronavirus cases in the county have doubled in recent weeks, but the spread remains limited. When weeks passed and the virus did not hit the way people had expected, patience began to wear, a Y.M.C.A. board member said.

The Fox Cities, 19 communities along the Fox River in Outagamie and two neighboring counties, have faced a persistent risk that the virus would migrate from Green Bay or Milwaukee, which both have far more cases. But while the number of cases in Outagamie has doubled in recent weeks, the spread remains limited.

Andy Rossmeissl, who serves on the Y.M.C.A. board and has been a member since childhood, said its absence had been much discussed in the community during the lockdown. Residents, by and large, were quite understanding in the first weeks, he said, but then grew restless.

As it became more and more apparent that the hospitals were not being overrun, and that our support structure in our community was able to keep up, patience began to wear, he said.

What was particularly difficult, he said, was that the organization had not gotten to decide when or whether to close, but had been required to do so under the governors orders, which categorized it as a fitness center.

In this community, it is so much more, Mr. Rossmeissl said.

Mesa County, Colo. Practically Zero Disease Population Cases Deaths Unemployment 154,210 55 0 12.6%

Colorado counties where coronavirus cases are above or below the national average, compared with how much unemployment has increased in those places: Fewer infections More infections Higher unemployment increase +20 percentage points National average Circles are sized by each countys population Eagle Grand +15 Denver +10 Jefferson Dolores Larimer Mesa + 5 Logan 0 0 0.25 0.5 1 0.75 Percentiles of the national average Higher unemployment increase Fewer infections More infections +20 percentage points Circles are sized by each countys population National average Eagle Grand +15 Denver +10 Jefferson Dolores Mesa Larimer + 5 Logan 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 Percentiles of the national average +20 percentage points Fewer infections More infections Higher unemployment increase National average Circles are sized by each countys population Eagle Grand +15 Denver +10 Jefferson Dolores Larimer Mesa Logan + 5 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 Percentiles of the national average Note: Data are the number of confirmed and probable coronavirus cases per capita in relation to the national average and the change from February to April of county unemployment rates. April figures, the most recent month for which county-level data is available, initial estimates. Case counts are through Wednesday and may be lower than actual infection rates because of incomplete testing.  Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (unemployment); Census Bureau (population); New York Times reporting of data based on reports by states and counties (coronavirus cases).

Far from Denver, pushed up against the Utah border, Mesa County is known for its stunning flat-topped mountains and abundant outdoor activities. Residents are proud of their record so far on the coronavirus  just 55 known cases, and nearly all have already recovered  but some worry about the price the county has paid.

The largest country music festival in Colorado has been canceled. So has the Junior College Baseball World Series. Despite getting state permission to open some businesses ahead of the rest of Colorado, many in the county are struggling  and patience is thinning.

Obviously we dont want to let it get away from us, we dont want to ruin a good thing, but did it really have to be this level of shutdown? said Doug Simons, a third-generation owner of Enstrom Candies, which has five retail stores that have remained open as essential businesses.

There was a real reluctance from our leaders to let things open back up, even though we had practically zero disease in our community, he said. I thought: What the heck is going on? We dont have any cases here and were being told to shut down like its New York City.

Weekends that used to draw thousands and cause hotels to sell out have passed by quietly. Graduation last month from Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, the countys biggest city, was held online.

It feels a little bit strange here because the weather is nice and everyone can still go out and hike and mountain bike and do all of the naturally socially distanced activities that we love to enjoy, said Amanda Michelsen, director of sales at the Courtyard and Residence Inn, which had furloughed about three-quarters of its 80-person staff.

Wakeboarding at the Imondi Wake Zone in Fruita, Colo. Photographs by Benjamin Rasmussen for The New York Times

Doug and Jamee Simons, owners of Enstrom Candies. A sparsely populated downtown Grand Junction.

Empty porta-potties next to the field where the Country Jam was to be held.

The chef Josh Niernberg at his restaurant Bin707 Foodbar. Well be able to stay open for now, Mr. Niernberg said of Bin 707, but he was cautious about whether it was sustainable.

Mesa County has suffered before. When the Great Recession struck a decade ago, the region was overly dependent on oil and gas extraction. Recovery was slow, but local groups worked to diversify the economy, in part by focusing on tourism. The efforts contributed to three really good years of growth, said Robin Brown, executive director of the Grand Junction Economic Partnership.

Josh Niernbergs restaurant, Bin 707 Foodbar, was among the successes. In February, he was a semifinalist for a James Beard award. But recently, he has been able to keep paying his employees only by borrowing through the federal Paycheck Protection Program and by shifting some of them to a second restaurant he owns.

Well be able to stay open for now, but we dont have the customer base we foresee at this time of year and I dont see it coming any time soon, he said.

Angela Padalecki, executive director of the Grand Junction Regional Airport, equates the sadness and anger among residents with stages of grief.

Were grieving the loss of those good times, she said.
New Delhi, June 6 : The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) on Saturday said that it will fight Bihar Assembly elections later this year under the leadership of NDA ally Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and it is not right to consider the partys views on shortcomings in the state governments working as an expression of displeasure or annoyance.

"Definitely, we will enter the Bihar poll arena under Nitish Kumar's leadership. We will go by whatever the BJP decides. All three parties are (NDA) allies in Bihar as well," LJP Vice-President and Chief Spokesperson AK Bajpai told IANS.

"We point out the Bihar government's shortcomings so that there can be improvement in governance. The Nitish Kumar government should become more serious about the problems faced by the migrant labourers," he added.

Giving an example, he said that when the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was diluted, the LJP had raised objections and taken up the issue with the Union government, which ultimately helped redress the grievances.

"So, pointing out shortcomings helps remove them. There is no harm in raising the problems faced by the migrants in Bihar," he added.

The LJP leader said that his party was geared up for elections in all 243 Bihar Assembly seats, making it clear that LJP did not have any objections to projection of Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar as the chief ministerial face of the National Democratic Alliance led by the BJP.

"Making preparations for 243 seats does not mean we will contest all. It is meant to strengthen our position so that alliance candidates on these seats can be helped in elections. LJP is working at the booth level to strengthen its base," Bajpai said.

The LJP leader said that the party had made 31 lakh members before the nationwide lockdown was imposed in India and had set a target of 1 crore membership.

He said that the party President Chirag Paswan, son of LJP supremo and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, will hold on June 7 a videoconference meeting with party leaders at the district level in Bihar to discuss preparations for the coming Bihar elections.

Chirag Paswan had recently said that the BJP will decide who will be the face of the NDA alliance in Bihar elections even though BJP leaders Amit Shah and JP Nadda have already made clear that Nitish Kumar will lead the NDA in the poll battle.

(Navneet Mishra can be contacted at navneet.m@ians.in)
A 33-year-old disabled mans half-burnt body was recovered from his house in Guru Nanak Pura locality here on Saturday. The victim was stabbed to death before being set ablaze, police said.

The deceased has been identified as Ramesh Kumar, alias Raju. He was a jewellery artist.

Police said the preliminary investigation has suggested that the accused had got the victim drunk before stabbing him to death.

The victim lived with his mother, sister-in-law and two daughters. Police said the incident took place in the afternoon when the victim was alone at home.

I got a phone call that my brother had been killed. My husband and I reached the spot and found Rameshs half-burnt body was lying on the ground. A bottle of wine was also present in the room. It appeared as if the accused had killed my brother before setting him afire to destroy the evidence. His cellphone and wallet were also missing, said the victims sister Saloni, who lives in a nearby locality.

She alleged that three persons, who often came to meet her brother, had committed the crime.

Station house officer Anil Kumar said, It appears that the accused first stabbed him in the neck with some sharp weapon and then set him on fire.

He said the police were trying to ascertain the identity of the accused. A case of murder has been being registered against unidentified suspects, the cop added.
African-American hip-hop star, Kanye West donated $2M to the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. Kanye West has established a fund that will assist with the legal fees for the families of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. West also made a $2M donation to establish a fund that will also help black-owned businesses in crises in his Chicago hometown and elsewhere, his representative stated.

"Kanye West has established a 529 education plan to fully cover college tuition for Gianna Floyd, the 6-year-old daughter of George Floyd."

Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis, Arbery was shot after being chased by three white men in a Georgia neighborhood, and last but not least, Taylor was shot when Louisville police went to the wrong address in a drug raid.

Kanye was also spotted in Chicago's south side on Thursday night joining the #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd march, in protest of Floyd's death during his arrest by Minneapolis police, footage of which was captured and seen by millions around the globe.

Earlier this week, West's wife Kim Kardashian offered to pay for medical expenses of the young protester who suffered a nasty head wound after she was shot in the face with a rubber bullet.

Kanye prays for healing throughout the movement of 'black lives matter' as he continues to encourage individuals to remain faithful in God.

"People really know you, push your buttons like type write

This is like a movie, but it's really very lifelike

Every single night right, every single fight, right?"

Kanye's gospel song 'Follow God'
BALTIMORE - Dar'Yana Dyson's memorial service was set up as a block party.

It stretched from the dilapidated yellow monkey bars where the 15-year-old high school sophomore played not too long ago, through the parking lot, all the way to the other end of the O'Donnell Heights public housing complex. Rap music played as relatives in face masks fired up barbecue grills for the crowd.

The gathering for the youngest victim of the coronavirus so far in Maryland, Virginia or D.C. took place this week just a few miles from where thousands were marching at that very moment to protest the killing of George Floyd - and where five years ago another black man, 25-year-old Freddie Gray, died while in police custody.

Floyd and Gray's deaths were police-related. Dyson was killed by a mysterious pediatric complication associated with covid-19.

But to the three generations of family members, friends and supporters who came together on this afternoon to grieve, the depredations of the novel coronavirus, police brutality, economic inequality and institutional racism all blur together.

Dyson was a healthy teenager, which should have made her among the least vulnerable. But she had two things working against her that were out of her control. She was black, and she was poor, living in a community full of people considered essential workers who came and went to their jobs every day.

"We don't get justice," said Lebra Foster, a 64-year-old Postal Service employee and Dyson's great aunt. "They treat us like we are not worth anything. I work hard every day, and it's not fair."

John Comer, a 38-year-old community activist who has been involved in demonstrations against police violence in Ferguson, Mo., Baltimore and other cities said he chose to attend Dyson's service instead of the protests down the street because he sees the virus's impact as an urgent new front in the battle against racism. He said he has been surprised that so many people he has met could not afford masks or did not know where to get them.

For the time being, he said, he has put down his protest signs to hand out free masks. As a moment, he said, "this feels different."

"I know people that died," Comer said. "To me, the virus has joined forces with racism. It feels like another trap in a long list of issues we are fighting every day."

The Trump administration, which has been accused of failing to recognize the disproportionate effect of the virus on communities of color, on Thursday moved to address the growing anger. Robert R. Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, apologized "for the inadequacy of our response" and said new requirements for reporting coronavirus data based on race, ethnicity and other demographic factors would take effect Aug. 1.

The public health agency reported new data this week that showed the coronavirus was not the great equalizer some had anticipated. Instead, it was laying bare long-standing health disparities that have traditionally resulted in higher death rates for African Americans from a range of causes. With the coronavirus, 23 percent of deaths have been among black Americans, although they make up about 13 percent of the U.S. population.

The unequal burden of the disease is most acute in Washington, where nearly 76 percent of deaths have been among black Americans even though they make up only about 47 percent of the population.

The National Medical Association (NMA), which represents 50,000 African American physicians, has blamed the high death rate on an amplification of "years of discrimination, unequal treatment and injustices in health care, criminal justice and employment."

Four out of five black Americans' jobs require them to be outside of the home. They are more likely to live in multigenerational households, which increases the virus risk. And a disproportionate number have been furloughed or laid off during the pandemic, putting pressure on their ability to pay for housing and food. A large number also have health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity that make them more vulnerable to the disease.

Add to that the impact of pollution and other environmental factors that are more acute in poorer communities, and the chances of a bad outcome due to the virus increase.

Oliver T. Brooks, a physician and president of the NMA, said in an interview that the deaths of Floyd, Gray and Dyson are part of the same problem: People with the least power and least access to resources being left unprotected.

"They are all linked," he said. "African Americans are 2.5 times more likely to die of covid-19 and three times more likely to die of police violence. The clear underlying cause is racism."

Brooks, who was part of a group of doctors who were consulted about the crisis early on by the White House, said officials have not done enough to address racial disparities. "I feel we have not yet seen true action from the federal government," he said.

Leana Wen, an emergency physician and Baltimore's public health commissioner during the Gray protests, ascribed the recent protests to "underlying, longtime systemic injustices that are boiling over in anger and frustration."

"All these issues are interrelated," Wen said. "And ultimately, we have to be honest that police brutality is a public health issue and racism is a public health issue, too."

Dyson, her family members said, had done everything right when it came to the coronavirus.

Despite her low risk, she came home one day early in the outbreak with a mask and insisted on wearing it despite her friends' good-natured teasing. She was the one who begged her mom to go to the store to pick up hand sanitizer and other supplies. The eldest of four sisters, she enforced social distancing for the little ones.

But her mother, Kandice Knight, 32, worked as a hairdresser, and as her clients dwindled during the shutdown, she could no longer afford her own place. So they had been staying with relatives - nearly all of whom work jobs that force them to be out in the community, potentially exposed to the pathogen. Dyson's grandfather is a truck driver, their neighbor works for Burger King, an uncle for the electric company, and so on. The shops nearby and other neighbors' homes were also probably full of people who are essential workers.

Jerome Patterson, who called Dyson a "hype cousin" as a sign of his adoration, said she rarely ventured out and took stay-at-home orders seriously. Instead, she passed the time making TikTok videos with her little sisters and posting on Instagram to her friends.

Patterson, 15, the same age as Dyson but in ninth grade while she was in 10th, said the two of them had been sitting around listening to music when suddenly her stomach began to hurt her.

"One minute was fine, and then she was not," he said. "I've been sad and angry and really very scared."

Things got so bad that on May 11 - after several days of fever and severe stomach pains that left her unable to eat - her mother rushed her to the nearest hospital.

Over the next few days, Dyson's condition deteriorated further, and she began to experience the telltale symptoms of a rare and mysterious pediatric syndrome related to covid-19 that has killed several children in New York state and other parts of the world. It has been described as similar but distinct from Kawasaki disease, a condition whose cause is unknown but usually affects children under the age of 5. Some doctors have described the condition as the pediatric equivalent of the "cytokine storm" occurring in some adults with severe illness.

Health commissioners in New York and New Jersey released data this week that showed black or Hispanic children have been disproportionately affected by the pediatric syndrome - representing roughly two-thirds of all cases.

Similar findings have been reported in Europe. In Paris, doctors at one hospital wrote in the medical journal BMJ that 12 of 21 children seen there were of African or Caribbean heritage. In another outbreak in the southeastern United Kingdom, six of eight cases were children of color.

"These clinical findings should prompt high vigilance among primary care and emergency doctors . . . in countries with a high proportion of children of African ancestry and high levels of community transmission," the French researchers wrote.

Like others with the condition, Dyson tested negative for active coronavirus but had antibodies showing she had been infected in the past. Dyson broke out in a rash on her face, back, hands and feet. Her blood pressure plummeted. And her heart began to fail.

Doctors desperate to save her put her on a heart bypass machine and ventilator. Six days after she was admitted to MedStar Union Memorial Hospital and then transferred to Johns Hopkins, and a month shy of her 16th birthday, she died.

In the weeks since Dyson's death, family members have struggled to make sense of what happened - why, in a state with more than 1.3 million children, was an African American child the one to perish? Why are black deaths from covid-19 such a big share of the total? Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has tweeted alarm about the "troubling disparities," and the state was one of the first to start collecting racial data.

Memorialized in a poster-size picture with silver balloons blowing in the breeze on the day of her funeral, Dyson stared down at the gathering from a small patch of grass in the complex. Her mother and three little sisters - ages 13, 5 and 3 - ran around dressed in identical tulle skirts in blue, the teen's favorite color, and a custom T-shirt picturing her with wings.

Knight said she and Dar'Yana were so close in age that she felt as if she had lost her best friend as well as a daughter. She said she was still in a state of shock.

"The virus took my baby," Knight said. "A girl this young and healthy - she shouldn't have died."

Knight and other family members, while respectful of the doctors who treated Dyson, expressed confusion and suspicion about what she experienced in those six days at the hospital. Some wondered whether it was the ventilator that might have killed her, given she was so strong and healthy before she went to the hospital. Her heart stopped just as doctors were getting her onto the machine. She was resuscitated but died several hours later.

"It wasn't supposed to affect someone her age, but it did," said Manuel Henderson, 61, Dyson's grandfather. "I think it's because they put her on the ventilator that did it."

The reflections underscore an eroding public trust in the medical establishment - trust that some relatives, friends and neighbors said was already fragile because of months of flip-flops and conflicts about the virus between President Trump and state health officials, as well as a history of mistreatment.

Ahing Castro, 39, a home improvement contractor who lives in the housing complex, said he has not been surprised that so many black Americans are dying from covid-19. He said this was happening for the same reason he felt underperforming schools festered in black neighborhoods and large numbers of liquor stores got licenses to open up.

"It's how it's set up," he said. "It's another way to keep us down."

He described how he was recently working on renovating a home and police saw him through the window and immediately assumed he had broken in. Even when he showed them he had the key and his tools, he said, they detained him until they could reach the owner.

Looking back, some family members say, it may have been almost inevitable that Dyson was exposed, given the community in which she lived. Everyone seemed to know someone who had been infected or died. But family members also said there has not been enough testing, and many neighbors do not have cars.

"We need to know who has it so we can protect ourselves better," said Dyson's aunt Rhonda, 42. She asked that her last name be withheld because she works for the government. "We are out here scared, and we don't know what to do."

Suncercy Smith, a 33-year-old single mother and family friend who is a cashier working during the pandemic, said she is angry at the government for not doing more to protect black communities when it should have been clear they would be affected so severely.

"They knew," Smith said. "They should have been prepared. It's not right."
The Police Administration has organised a farewell ceremony for four of their Commissioners as they proceed on retirement upon attaining age 60, as mandated by the Constitution.



They are Mr Prosper Kwame Agblor, Mr David Nenyi AmpahBennin, Mr Alex Amponsah-Asiamah and Mr Simon Yaw Afeku.



At the short ceremony, held at the Police Headquarters, in Accra, Mr James Oppong-Boanuh, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) praised the Commissioners for their hard work and commitment to the Police Service and the nation.



"The Police Service is proud of these Commissioners and wishes them the best as they start another journey in life," an official statement released by the Public Affairs Directorate stated.



He decorated the retired Commissioners with Distinguished Service Medals and presented citation plaques to them on behalf of the Police Management Board.

Source: GNA









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Have Sheriff Offices in North Carolina, possibly even Beaufort County's Sheriff Office, become too political in the discharging of their sworn constitutional duties?

No, the sheriff is a constitutional officer.

Yes, the Sheriff Office, on strong occasion, often reverts back to political patronage in the dispensation of their sworn constitutional duties.
Jammu, June 6 : This year's annual Amarnath Yatra to the Himalayan cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir will be of 15 days duration beginning on July 21 and ending on August 3.

This was stated by the officials of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) that manages the affairs of the Yatra to the cave shrine situated at 3,880 metres above the sea level in J&K's Anantnag district.

The 'Pratham Puja' for the Yatra was held here on Friday.

The duration of the Yatra has been cut short this time because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Except for the Sadhus, only pilgrims below 55 years of age will be allowed.

All those undertaking the Yatra must possess COVID negative certificates.

"The pilgrims will be cross-checked for the virus before they are allowed to undertake the Yatra on entry into J&K", an official of the SASB said.

All the pilgrims will have to register themselves online for the Yatra except the Sadhus.

It has also be decided that the 'Aarti' performed at the cave shrine in morning and evening during the 15 days will be telecast live for devotees across the country.

Officials said because of the non-availability of local labourers and the difficulties in maintaining the track from the base camp to the cave shrine, Yatra 2020 will be performed by using helicopters from Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district to the cave shrine.

Yatra 2020 will only be undertaken through the north Kashmir Baltal route.

"No pilgrim will be allowed to undertake this year's Yatra through the Pahalgam route", officials said.

Yatra 2020 will conclude on August 3 on Shravan Purnima which coincides with the Raksha Bandhan festival.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
A fundraising campaign has started to modify the Rathnew home of a 40-year-old father-of-three who was given only a one per cent chance of survival after being placed in an induced coma after suffering a massive stroke.

Kevin Moore suffered the stroke on January 5 and was immediately admitted to Beaumont Hospital where he underwent two high-risk surgeries to stop the bleeding and reduce the swelling on his brain.

He remained in a coma for three weeks, with medical staff only giving him a one per cent chance of survival. His wife Emma and their three children Toby, Kealen and Robyn had to brace themselves for the worst-case scenario.

'It was devastating,' said Emma.

'I had to sit the children down and we all said our goodbyes. We were told his chances of survival only stood at one per cent. Even if he did recover we were told he would be in a vegetative state and wouldn't be able to breathe by himself, or talk or walk. But Kevin is a real fighter and he slowly managed to regain consciousness.'

After a further two weeks Kevin's recovery was such that he was stable enough to be transferred to St Vincent's Hospital. However, the Moore family were dealt another blow as the Covid-19 pandemic hit Ireland as the country went into lockdown. Restrictions meant none of the family were able to visit Kevin and his recovery was hampered by the lack of contact with his family and their support system.

'Kevin went into a deep depression and got a bit down from not being able to see his family. We were also concerned that he might get the Covid-19 virus in his weakened state. It was very difficult for everyone. After four weeks in St Vincent's the medical staff thought it might boost Kevin's spirits if I was allowed see him. Kevin still hasn't seen any of his children though since March, which hasn't been easy,' added Emma.

On May 18, Kevin's improvements were considered such that he was transferred to the National Rehabilitation Hospital, where he will undergo months of intensive, carefully planned therapy, in order to allow him to regain use of his left-hand side and learn to walk again.

The family are hopeful he will be allowed return home in July or August but a number of modifications to the family-home will have to be carried out, from wheelchair accessible hallways and doors to stair lifts and modified bath and bedroom facilities.

A Go Fund Me campaign was started on Wednesday, with the intention of raising 50,000. Some 22,304 had already been raised by Tuesday afternoon.

Emma has been overwhelmed by the response the fundraising campaign has received.

'People have been unbelievable and it means so much to us. People were great to us even before we set up the fundraising page. Our goal now is for Kevin to be back home reunited with his family. The house needs plenty of modifications to accommodate Kevin and we are all so grateful to everyone that has been so generous towards us,' said Emma.

If you want to make a contribution toward the 'Help get Kevin home' campaign then visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/m8ntgv-bring-kev-home?.
Last week, Facebooks decision not to take action against Donald Trumps controversial posts about mail-in ballots and Minnesota protests sparked widespread dissent among employees, leading a few hundred to participate in a virtual walkout.

Tuesday morning, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg held a meeting with employees over video chat to discuss concerns related to the decision. A recording of the 85-minute meeting was obtained by the Verges Casey Newton, who wrote that meeting offers a valuable window into Mark Zuckerbergs decision-making progress, his planned next steps, and the ongoing dissatisfaction of some employees.

Among Newtons takeaways from the meeting was the revelation that Zuckerberg may consider implementing temporary speech restrictions for state actors in the United States if unrest continues. If we were entering a period where there may be a prolonged period of civil unrest, then that might suggest that we need different policies, even if just temporarily in the United States for some period, compared to where we were before, Zuckerberg said, noting that the company had taken similar measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 misinformation.

The call also revealed that Zuckerberg had talked to Trump about the posts, but supposedly only after the decision to keep them had been made. Only one black employee, Facebooks global diversity officer Maxine Williams, was involved in the final decision, though Zuckerberg claimed there are additional black employees on the policy and integrity teams.

Zuckerberg also said that Facebook has a seven-point plan to address concerns over the decision, which includes re-examining various policies and including more diverse viewpoints on the policy team.

Employees told Newton that the conversation with Zuckerberg was largely unconvincing, with one reportedly saying the CEO seemed really scared on the call. I think he fears his employees turning on him, the employee said.

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The post Heres What Mark Zuckerberg Said to Facebook Employees About Trump appeared first on InsideHook.
ALBANY  It's the first sign of movement since Gov.Andrew Cuomo announced plans last winter to name a blue-ribbon panel to "re-examine and rethink strategies to bring high-speed rail to New York." And rail supporters say it's heading in the wrong direction.

The Federal Railroad Administration last month quietly added another year to the timetable for the arrival of the final environmental impact statement, a document required before the project can advance, pushing it back to the end of June 2021.

"Yes, IF this target date is met, the entire Tier One EIS process will have ONLY taken 11 years & 281 days!" the Empire State Passengers Association, an advocacy group, said on its Facebook page. "Simply Unbelievable!"

The EIS would evaluate alternatives for upgrading the tracks west of Schenectady, where Amtrak passenger trains share the rails with dozens of daily freight trains operated by CSX, which owns the tracks.

CSX has balked at mixing high-speed passenger trains with its slower-moving freights, calling them a hazard to its employees. South of Albany, CSX uses a separate set of tracks on the west side of the Hudson River, while it leased the tracks on the east side several years ago to Amtrak, which operates trains as fast as 110 mph along portions of the route.

West of Schenectady, trains travel no faster than 79 mph and the average speed is about 51 mph.

There aren't many alternatives to Buffalo. No airline flies nonstop between Albany and Buffalo, the two largest airports in upstate New York. Driving takes about 4 1/2 hours, while the train takes a little over five hours.

A range of alternatives would boost top train speeds to anywhere from 90 mph (the least expensive upgrade) to 125 mph (most expensive). The latter would include a new corridor, possibly elevated, dedicated to passenger trains. There's one other choice: to do nothing. So far, that appears to be the front-runner, passenger advocates fear.

One thing is clear: Information is hard to get.

"Im going to defer you to NYSDOT contacts (copied here) who may be able to answer questions about state priorities and movement," wrote Brandon Bratcher, who was listed as the contact person at the Federal Railroad Administration website.

The state Department of Transportation's response? "Questions about the timing of the completion of the Environmental Impact Statement should be directed to the Federal Railroad Administration as they are the lead agency in this process, a spokesman emailed.

The high-speed rail project isn't the only rail improvement that's stalled. And given the costs of the pandemic and the deep recession that has followed, funding is only going to get more challenging.

The Trump administration, which proposed a $1 trillion nationwide infrastructure program when it entered office, declined to fund two new tunnels under the Hudson River connecting Manhattan and New Jersey along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor even before the pandemic. The tunnels completed in 1910 under the supervision of Pennsylvania Rail Road CEO Alexander Cassatt, a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute civil engineering graduate, were heavily damaged during Superstorm Sandy.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

A failure would sever the heavily traveled corridor linking Boston to Washington and the Northeast to the rest of the nation.

Gary Prophet, president of the Empire State Passengers Association, suspects the federal government may be in no hurry to finance what could be billions of dollars in transportation spending in New York.

"I'm not sure the executive branch favors New York state," Prophet said.

Relations between Trump and the Cuomo administration have been strained, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo has undertaken numerous airport, rail and bridge infrastructure projects with little federal support.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration even barred New Yorkers from enrolling in the federal Trusted Traveler program over a dispute on federal access to motor vehicle license data. The program, intended to improve security clearance procedures at airports and other ports of entry, now is off-limits to New Yorkers.

Meanwhile, state-funded initiatives are rebuilding Penn Station and have added new terminals and parking garages at airports from Albany and Plattsburgh to Elmira and LaGuardia. New rail stations have gone up along the Empire Corridor from Schenectady to Niagara Falls.

But the top speeds trains will reach between those stations remains 79 mph, including a stretch of track in western New York where the Albany-built steam locomotive 999 reportedly reached what was then a land speed record of 112.5 mph, hauling the Empire State Express in 1893. You can see that locomotive at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
Beijing: The prime minister of Singapore called on China and the US on Friday to dial down tensions or risk splitting the Asia-Pacific region and triggering a new nuclear arms race.

As relations deteriorate over Hong Kong, trade and the coronavirus response, Lee Hsien Loong issued an appeal for the two countries to find a way to cooperate rather than go down a divisive path that would lead to wider confrontation.

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Credit:AP

It came as Western politicians piled further pressure on Beijing over Hong Kong, with parliamentarians around the world launching an alliance to encourage governments to adopt a tougher approach toward China.

Writing in Foreign Affairs magazine, Lee painted a dire picture of the future of the Asia-Pacific region as he warned against ratcheting up pressure.
GRAND BLANC, MI -- A crowd of more than 500 sang Happy Birthday to Breonna Taylor before walking in peaceful protest from the parking lot of Kohls in Grand Blanc to the City of Grand Blanc Police Department.

They all gathered for a peaceful protest in support of Black Lives Matter Friday, June 5. The protest also honored Breonna Taylor on what would have been her 27th birthday.

Taylor was killed in March by police executing a no-knock warrant at a Louisville, Kentucky apartment in the middle of the night.

Grand Blanc High School Class of 2020 celebrated at unique drive-in commencement ceremony

Following more than a week of protests across the nation, Grand Blancs protest was led by newly graduated high school students Kayla Shannon, Chloe Gill, Lyric Johnson, Saniyah Vanover, Shamar Poole, Matia Swain, Blake McQueary, Nakayla Adams, Jaiden Kendal and Nia Howard.

Hundreds gather for peaceful protest for Black Lives Matter in Grand Blanc in honor of Breonna Taylors 27th birthday. Posted by The Flint Journal on Friday, June 5, 2020

Lyric Johnson opened the protest by saying she was humbled to be there.

Life is a gift from a higher source and that gift should not be taken lightly," Johnson said. "There is an unwritten rule that you should treat others like how you want to be treated and, even though those words are common and weve heard them since we were younger, there are people who still fail to take those words and use them and apply them to their own lives.

Chloe Gill said she could see herself in George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and other victims of racial violence.

A child does not know that it is loved until it is shown that it is loved, just how the black community does not know that their life matters to those outside of their community until they are shown that it matters, Gill said.

Kayla Shannon read a poem she wrote to white, moderate American citizen.

To the white, moderate American citizen whos upset because we are making police brutality a race issue: Youre right. Its not a race issue, its a racist issue --meaning the problem is not that the victim is black, but rather that some officers mistake blackness for a weapon," Shannon said. "It means nothing if you dont see my color if the ones killing us do. You shouldnt have to ignore my skin to love me. See, color blindness is a moderate citizens excuse for complacency and this is unacceptable. Dont call yourself an ally if you can only support me from the comfortable confines of a social media post. My freedom is not your charity case. It shouldnt have to be a hashtag for you to care. The value of our lives is not a debate. Saying all lives matter is a disgusting sidestep of the root issue which is this: white supremacy has killed more people than this pandemic and the bubonic plague combined.

Police brutality is a symptom of a system built on a foundation of oppression, according to Shannon. She said she loves being black and that loving black people means continuing to speak out when protests stop, supporting politicians who support equality and to fight for equity. She said people need to educate themselves.

We would be so glad to welcome you to the movement, but dont pretend this has only begun because of your arrival, nor will it end in the wake of your absence.

Black people have carried a burden for generations, she said.

We are not asking you to take on our struggle, only that you carry the weight with us.

As the crowd dispersed following the protest, Shannon said young people were leading many of the movements toward change because they are tired of being silenced and seeing a pattern of silencing across generations.

Now is the time to stop thinking of young people as the next generation and understand that we are the organizers for now and its long overdue, she said.

Historically young people in the black community have been integral in change, she added.

Im thankful for the fact that those around us were here to listen, Shannon said.

Shannon plans to attend Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia in the fall. She said she would like to study social justice.

While there were many young people in the crowd, parents, family and other members of the community also joined.

Bill Sams Jr said he graduated from Grand Blanc High School in 1987. While he is from the area, he now lives in Columbus Ohio. He said he came to support Grand Blanc youth.

Im proud of them," Sams said. Young, black kids forming something like this. Its uplifting. Look at the following they have. That speaks volumes in itself. Im proud of them.

Read more:

Lapeer community holds peaceful assembly against police brutality

Flint emerges as symbol of peace and unity amid protests and turmoil

'Enough is enough: Hundreds march in Saginaw to demand justice for George Floyd

Michigan sheriffs condemn ex-Minneapolis cop in George Floyds killing

Kalamazoo protesters urge police to join them, are tear-gassed after curfew

Seniors cruise in style as part of International Academy of Flints 2020 commencement ceremony

Marchers in Flint push for end to police brutality as protests reach third day
Protesters have defied warnings from authorities and flooded city streets across the country in a show of support to the Aboriginal community following the death of George Floyd in the United States.

The Sydney rally was initially subject to a Supreme Court decision making it illegal to go ahead, but in an eleventh hour announcement made by organisers on Saturday, the ruling was overturned.

Just thirteen minutes before it was due to commence, the appeal was upheld and NSW police were forced to back down and allow the protest to take place.

The decision was met with huge cheers by crowds already gathered outside Town Hall this afternoon.

Thousands have taken to the streets across the country to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Source: AAP

It means protesters cannot be arrested for blocking roads along the planned route from Town Hall to Belmore Park.

Just an hour before the Sydney rally was to commence, NSW Police posted to Twitter reminding people the protest was not going ahead due to the Supreme Court ruling.

But a short time later, after the rally was legalised, shared another tweet asking protesters to keep 1.5 metres between each other.

Due to the large crowds, social distancing was not always maintained and despite the courts overruling the NSW police ban, the state's Nationals leader, John Barilaro, said if people breached social distancing rules, they should be arrested.

How can we have one rule for protesters and a different rule for those who want to go to the footy?, he told reporters on Saturday.

The news helicopter has gone up. Here's how the Brisbane Black Lives Matter rally looks from the air. Huge crowd. @abcnews @abcbrisbane pic.twitter.com/mSCkte5anO  Jessica van Vonderen (@jessvanvonderen) June 6, 2020

Other politicians, however, were more sensitive to the protesters' motivations.

Story continues

If you are a young black man in Australia, you are more likely to go to jail than university, federal Labor frontbencher Jason Clare told ABC television Saturday.

A man who displayed a poster reading All Lives Matter was verbally abused by members of the crowd in Sydney before being handcuffed and removed by police, ABC News reported.

A number of signs displayed the number 432  denoting the number of aboriginal deaths in police custody since a 1991 Royal Commission into the matter. There have been no convictions for any of those deaths.

Protesters displayed the number 432, the number of aboriginal deaths in police custody since a 1991 Royal Commission into the matter. Source: AAP

A counter protester holding a sign reading 'All Lives Matter' is confronted in Sydney. Source: AAP

Tears of pride streaming down my face

Marches in major capital cities and some regional towns have taken place already today with thousands turning out in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Wagga Wagga.

The nationwide demonstrations are using the momentum of the George Floyd protests to highlight aboriginal deaths in custody and the need for greater police accountability in Australia.

Photos of thousands of people protesting were shared to Twitter as the event unfolded, with the crowd in Brisbane being described as incredible due to its size.

Indigenous woman Dr Tracy Westerman from Western Australia said she had tears of pride after seeing images of the thousands of people attending marches.

Not gonna lie. I have tears of pride streaming down my face watching the size of these crowds in early images from Brisbane & Adelaide for the #blacklivesmatteraustralia marches, she wrote in a tweet.

Black & white together saying enough is enough. Thank you Australia.

Protesters display posters at the rally in Brisbane on Saturday. Source: AAP

#BLM is written in skywriting ahead of the Sydney rally. Source: AAP

Massive crowd in Brisbane hear of police brutality

People packed into inner-city Brisbane to protest police brutality against indigenous Australians and call for justice for those who have died in custody.

Crowds spilled from King George Square to neighbouring blocks, with people packing stairwells and balconies, brandishing signs calling for reform in Queensland and across the globe.

Speakers, including elders and traditional owners, detailed police brutality against members of their own families.

"We rise together and we speak in one voice against racism ... and legislation that takes away our freedom in this country ... our right to have a voice, our right to be free," Wangan and Jagalingou man Adrian Burragubba said.

The Brisbane BLM protest. Incredible. pic.twitter.com/gg8qvOp16a  Sophie Beer - Arthur and the Tiger out NOW! (@sophiebeerdraws) June 6, 2020

There were similar scenes in Melbourne where thousands poured into the heart of the city for its Black Lives Matter rally.

Wurundjeri leaders are leading protesters in mourning for Aboriginal lives lost in police custody at the demonstration held at the Victorian Parliament.

The traditional custodians are expressing solidarity with the US Black Lives Matter movement and the family of George Floyd.

Wurundjeri leaders, whose native land is Melbourne, painted white ochre across their foreheads as a sign of mourning.

We all bleed red because we are human, another speaker said, to shouts of support from the crowd.

This will be one for the history books: the Flinders/Swanston St intersection brimming on all sides, with a smoking ceremony in the middle; not a single person in sight not wearing a mask. #blacklivesmatteraustralia @FarragoMagazine pic.twitter.com/vlPIyQX0N3  Finley Tobin (@finley_tobin) June 6, 2020

Protesters are wearing face masks and organisers are offering hand sanitiser, with volunteers reminding protesters to space themselves out.

Authorities had urged people to avoid the mass gathering because of COVID-19 fears.

Victoria Police have warned rally attendees could be fined because of COVID-19 rules, while police in Queensland have said they wont arrest anyone taking part in the protest.

While the Black Lives Matter protest was held in breach of the Chief Health Officer directions, police were generally pleased with the behaviour of those who came into the city to protest today, said Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius.

As of 5pm, there were no arrests made during the protest and we are not aware of any acts of violence or property damage.

Meanwhile in Adelaide, police praised the organisers of the march saying it was one of the biggest and well behaved events they had seen.

Absolutely massive crowd in Brisbane - a large percentage wearing face masks - to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Possibly 8,000 to 10,000 have crowded King George Square and two blocks of Ann and Adelaide streets. There has been no problems with police. pic.twitter.com/p8it0qfz6h  Tony Moore (@eastTMoore) June 6, 2020

Crowds turned out in Canberra on Friday, with people pictured displaying large Black Lives Matter signs and marching through the city wearing face masks.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced on Saturday a $4 million investment into a range of projects aimed at improving the health of Australia's indigenous people.

The funding ... will particularly assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and those in the community identified as most at risk of poor health outcomes, Mr Hunt said in a statement.

Protesters participate in a Black Lives Matter rally in Adelaide on Saturday. Source: AAP

Fears of virus transmission at protests

Australia's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said authorities have always feared an outbreak in indigenous communities.

Professor Murphy said that while people had the right to protest, mass gatherings were dangerous in the midst of a pandemic.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also urged Australians not to attend protests.

In South Australia, the state's police commissioner granted permission for a BLM protest to proceed in Adelaide, calling it a unique and extraordinary event.

Unity and anti-violence were key themes of a peaceful Black Lives Matter rally in Adelaide as more than 5,000 protesters passionately had their say during a show of solidarity.

Speaker Jack Buckskin, a Kaurna and Narungga man, welcomed the large turnout, telling the gathering whether Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal, they were all part of the same society.

This is about us coming together as people. Today we stand united. Our movement happens with people.

The protest did garner some criticism online with people labelling attendees COVIDIOTS for partaking in the mass gathering during the pandemic.

With AAP

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
Actor Jamie Waylett, who appeared in the Harry Potter movies, has a history of run-ins with the law. Waylett played Draco Malfoys sidekick, Vincent Crabbe, in the Harry Potter movies, before he was removed after part six.

In 2006, Mirror reported that Waylett was photographed snorting cocaine, at the age of 17. In 2009, he was arrested for growing cannabis. He pled guilty and performed 120 hours of community service. According to a Guardian report, the cannabis cultivation was on a small, but sophisticated scale.

Also read: When Daniel Radcliffe admitted to sleeping with Harry Potter fans a few times when I was drinking

In 2011, the actor was captured on CCTV during the London riots, holding a petrol bomb in his hand. He was also seen drinking a bottle of stolen champagne. According to the BBC, Judge Simon Carr told him: A considerable amount has been said about what happened over those few days. Anyone watching the footage in this case can only imagine the mayhem that took place on the streets. You chose to go out on to the streets on what was the third day of the violence. You were pictured on a number of occasions with a bottle full of petrol with a rag as a wick. He was sentenced to two years in prison.

Wayletts lawyer said that hed become a withered actor at the age of 22, for failing to handle fame. Although he had the good fortune to be in the Harry Potter films, it turned out to be not so good fortune, she said.

Initially considered for the part of Dudley Dursley, he was cast as Vincent Crabbe after an audition with director Chris Columbus.

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PHILADELPHIA, June 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaskela Law LLC announces that it is investigating Evoqua Water Technologies Corporation ("Evoqua" or the "Company") (NYSE: AQUA) on behalf of the Company's stockholders.

In 2019, a shareholder class action complaint was filed in federal court on behalf of investors who purchased shares of the Company's stock between November 1, 2017 and October 30, 2018. Among other things, the complaint alleges that during that time period "Evoqua engaged in increasingly aggressive tactics to artificially inflate its reported revenue, including fraudulent accounting manipulations in blatant violation of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ('GAAP'")."

According to the complaint, on October 30, 2018, "the Company announced materially decreased revenues and further reduced guidance, which it attributed to 'acquisition integration issues,' 'supply chain disruptions,' and 'an extended delay on a large aquatics project.' The Company also disclosed that management had determined that Evoqua's business had to be re-structuredyet another stunning admission coming less than a year after the Company went public." Following this news, shares of the Company's stock declined $4.78 per share, or nearly 35% in value, on October 30, 2018.

The investigation seeks to determine whether the members of Evoqua's board of directors breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the above alleged misconduct.

Current Evoqua stockholders who purchased or acquired shares of the Company's stock prior to October 30, 2018 are encouraged to contact Kaskela Law LLC (D. Seamus Kaskela, Esq.) at (484) 258  1585, or by email at [email protected] or online at http://kaskelalaw.com/case/evoqua/, for additional information about this investigation and their legal rights and options.

Kaskela Law LLC prosecutes shareholder actions in state and federal courts throughout the country on behalf of investors. For additional information about Kaskela Law LLC please visit www.kaskelalaw.com. This notice may constitute attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions.

CONTACT:

D. Seamus Kaskela, Esq.

KASKELA LAW LLC

18 Campus Blvd., Suite 100

Newtown Square, PA 19073

(484) 258  1585

(888) 715  1740

www.kaskelalaw.com

[email protected]

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Theres a lot going on in the world right now - a global pandemic, governments mismanaging their people, protests against racism and brutality, Anonymous is back, people in power are being exposed, and Elon Musk is still tweeting about weed.

On June 2, at the heights of the US Black Lives Matter protest with people wanting accountability for murder of George Flyod, Elon Musk announced that he was going Off Twitter for a while."

It also coincided with SpaceXs historic launch of two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station.

Off Twitter for a while Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 2, 2020

But people werent pleased with the escapism.

Go f*ck yourself, Elon. You sold your soul. Jon Cooper  (@joncoopertweets) June 2, 2020

Imagine hitching your wagon to maga. Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) June 2, 2020

I am ashamed to have viewed you as a hero a while ago. As systemic racism is challenged, you flee the country. Red Pill indeed.   Tommy J (@ResistMonsters) June 3, 2020

Literally no one cares, read the room. Kathy Sue Holtorf (@KathySue17) June 2, 2020

Four days later, hes back and still hasnt mentioned the movement. Instead, he started with an unpopular opinion" trope.

This will probably get me into trouble, but I feel I have to say it Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 6, 2020

But with the element of mystery gone, the tweet just seemed in bad taste.

Selling weed literally went from major felony to essential business (open during pandemic) in much of America & yet many are still in prison. Doesnt make sense, isnt right. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 6, 2020

While vague, the tweet could perhaps be Elon Musks way of pointing out racial discrimination in America, or the mass incarcerations and police brutality attached to it, owing to The War on Drugs and race being closely interlinked. A study in 2020 found that African Americans are arrested for violating marijuana possession laws at nearly four times the rates of whites, yet both ethnicities consume marijuana at roughly the same rates.

Perhaps, this is as woke as we can except from Elon? Because his next tweet doesnt cut it.

The gerontocracy is out of touch with the people Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 6, 2020

While advocating for change in government elected representatives is great - and it really is how you get closer to systematic change, but the very least a person in a position of power, privilege and clout can do, is be vocal about it, clearly.

Musk certainly had no problem specifically tweeting against elected US officials when it came to his own company, Tesla.

Yes, California approved, but an unelected county official illegally overrode. Also, all other auto companies in US are approved to resume. Only Tesla has been singled out. This is super messed up! Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2020

And even pushed it to doing something which was directly against the law.

Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2020

For now though, he seems to have lost the respect of everyone who saw him as a fan, Anonymous included.

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here
Iran has completed its probe into the shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger jet and is ready to hand over the planes black box for further investigation, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

We are ready to hand over the black box for reading by a third country or company, although that may not significantly help with the process of the investigation, Mohsen Baharvand, the foreign ministrys deputy for international and legal affairs, said in an interview with IRNA on Saturday.

In January, Iran said that it accidentally shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 after mistaking it for a cruise missile, killing all 176 aboard the plane.

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 Flash

Another 357 COVID-19 patients have died in Britain as of Thursday afternoon, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in the country to 40,261, the British Department of Health and Social Care said Friday.

The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community.

As of Friday morning, 283,311 people have tested positive for the disease in Britain, a daily increase of 1,650, said the department.

Charing Friday's Downing Street press briefing, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the number of people on ventilators in hospital has dropped to 571, from a peak of more than 3,000 on April 12.

These are "encouraging trends", he said.

Hancock also announced that all hospital visitors and out-patients will have to wear face coverings from 15 June.

All hospital staff, whether working in a clinical setting or not, will have to wear a type one or two surgical mask, he added.

Earlier in the day, British government's chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance told reporters in a virtual briefing that the R-number -- the average number of people that will contract coronavirus from an infected person -- for England was between 0.7 and one, while it remained between 0.7 and 0.9 for Britain as a whole.

The latest data suggested that northwestern England is an area for concern and some regions may have R-number above one, at which point the epidemic will begin to grow in these communities, the Guardian newspaper reported.
Bach Mai Hospital, one of the biggest public hospitals in the country, has recently announced it would gradually wipe out so-called serviced beds or beds on demand.

Bach Mai Hospital. (Illustrative image.  Photo : VNA)

It means all patients would be treated fairly in public healthcare facilities.

Of course, the plan was applauded by many people, especially those on low incomes, because they thought it was a way to wipe out the rich-poor gap in public health facilities and ensure all patients were treated fairly.

In prestigious public hospitals like Bach Mai, overloading of patients is common, meaning a lot of patients have to share beds, with some even having to lie in hospital corridors.

Those who want to have their own beds have to pay extra.

To deal with this, hospitals set up serviced beds or beds on demand.

Hospitals expanded most rooms and departments, while doctors and nurses were willing to narrow their offices to have as many serviced beds as possible, because many high-income patients want to pay for more convenience and high-quality service in public hospitals.

In contrast to the well-furnished private rooms for the rich, there are crowded community rooms with dozens of beds which were shared by two or three patients.

Many people believed that hospitals had focused too much on investing in the service to collect more money from rich patients while the quality of treatment and beds for patients with medical insurance was not guaranteed.

This caused concern among patients.

Rich and poor arguments

Many people, especially those on low incomes, said all patients must be treated equally in public hospitals. Hospitals are where places for medical treatment, not for vacation. If someone had a lot of money, they should go to private hospitals where they would be treated with convenience.

I was very happy to know that Bach Mai would wipe out the serviced beds, said Le Thu Tra, a 50-year-old worker living in Hanois Thanh Xuan District.

I felt sorry for myself when I had to share bed with another patient while in serviced departments, one patient could have a private room with an air-conditioner, Tra said.

It presented inequality in medical treatment at public hospitals, the female worker said.

Hoang Tien Hung, 50, a resident of Hoang Mai District, said: As a guard of a residential building, I could never afford serviced beds in hospitals. So, I have no way to share the bed with other patients who really want to stay comfortable.

Why dont rich people go to private hospitals where they can enjoy convenience?, Hung said.

People thought that if there are no serviced beds in public hospitals, there will be better services for all.

However, the middle- and high-income people thought different.

I could afford private hospitals, but I preferred public hospitals such as Bach Mai or Viet Duc. Because they had more experienced and high-qualified doctors than in private hospitals, said Nguyen Ngoc Mai, a businesswoman.

So, I found that public hospitals providing serviced beds was reasonable. The service brought profits which were used to invest in medical facilities and improved quality of healthcare services and health workers qualification, Mai said.

This benefited both the hospital and patients. So why would the serviced beds be wiped out? the businesswoman said.

I did not feel like I was stealing any chances from anyone, she said.

Meanwhile, Pham Van Minh, a manager of a foreign-invested company in Hanoi expressed his opinion that: I trust doctors in public hospitals. This way is not fair to the rich.

Perhaps wiping out serviced beds in public hospitals would take chances of receiving the best medical treatment for high-income persons. The decision seemed to be in line with the market economic rules, he said.

Best service for all

According to leaders of Bach Mai Hospital, the plan was essential to narrow rich-and-poor gaps in the public healthcare facilities and ensure equality in healthcare access of all people.

When the patient bed-sharing situation is finished, all patients would be offered similar service. It is equality, said Doctor Duong Duc Hung, deputy director of Bach Mai Hospital.

Once beds on demand no longer exist, we will offer a wide range of healthcare packages which prioritise patients benefits and treatment quality, the doctor said.

Speaking with Kinh Te & o Thi (Economy and City) newspaper, Dr. Tran Van Phuc from Saint Paul Hospital in Hanoi, said that to realise the plan, Bach Mai Hospital must improve all services of medical examination and treatment to attract more patients as well as increase professional expertise and economic effects.

This was an inevitable and necessary thing that should have been done a long time ago, said Phuc.

More patients mean more profit. It should not offer more high-cost serviced beds which took opportunities of fair treatment from other patients, said the doctor.

It is true that socialising education and health care should not mean narrowing the chances of accessing public facilities of vulnerable groups. VNS

Chu Lan Huong

Bach Mai hospital after disinfection Hanois Bach Mai hospital was disinfected on March 28 after it was linked to novel coronavirus infections. Currently, no one gets in or out of the hospital, except for special cases.
Breonna Taylor wasnt safe in her own home.

The EMT was killed by police officers during an apparent botched drug raid on March 13 while she slept in her Louisville, Ky. home.

We need to honor her life and uplift her name, because her life is just as important as anyone who has been murdered by the police, said Shelly Baker, the grassroots organizer of a Friday protest at Discovery Green that called for justice for Taylor and national police reform.

Several hundred people turned out in downtown Houston to honor Taylor on what would have been her 27th birthday, joining other protests across the nation as concern about racial injustice intensifies since police killed George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn. more than a week ago. Floyd will be buried in Houston next week.

Officers shot Taylor eight times while they were executing a no-knock search warrant on her home. Police officials said they suspected that a man involved in a drug ring was sending packages to the house.

No criminal charges have been filed against the three officers involved in Taylors killing. They were put on administrative leave. Protesters Friday called for their arrests.

Baker said the group is calling for a national ban on no-knock search warrants. The Houston Police Department stopped the practice in the wake of the deadly botched Harding Street Raid in 2019.

Akayla Jackson, who drove from Lake Jackson to demand justice for Taylor, said that as the Black Lives Matter movement continues to grow, its important to fight for the rights of the entire community.

Its not just black men, said Jackson. Its black women, black children and people in the black trans community.

They pointed out that Fridays crowd was much smaller than Tuesdays march for Floyd, the former Jack Yates High School student.

Where is everyone today? one activist asked the crowd.

Houston activist Roni Burren told the crowd the fight for black liberation began with black women like Harriet Tubman, Fannie Lou Hamer and Houstons Barbara Jordan.

Black women were on the forefront of the movement, she said. We need to make sure black womens lives are not forgotten. We wanna make sure that the Breonna Taylors of the world are never forgotten.

Araselios Harris, of Houston, said shes glad police brutality against black people is getting national attention now, but hopes it doesnt lose momentum.

Its important to remind people that this is not just something that we do for one week and forget it, she said. You face this forever. We grow up with this. We walk outside of our houses and feel oppression.
For Subscribers Farmers concerned about chemical costs, supply issues heading into 2022

Higher fertilizer and chemical costs are on the minds of farm groups as they look toward spring planting.
A family of four trying to enjoy a day of camping on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state cut their trip short when several people allegedly armed with rifles accused the family of having ties to anitfa, said police.

The Spokane family, which officials described as multi-racial, called police on Wednesday evening when they were left stranded after "someone" placed trees across a roadway and prevented them from leaving the campgrounds.

Earlier in the day, the husband and wife along with their 16-year-old daughter and the husband's mother, went to a store to buy camping supplies when they were confronted in the parking lot by up to eight cars loaded with people, police said.

PHOTO: Hundreds of protesters gather at Government Center including a protester with an ANTIFA flag draped over his shoulders during a rally in Boston on May 31, 2020. (Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

"The people in the parking lot repeatedly asked them if they were 'ANTIFA' protesters. The family told the people they weren't associated with any such group and were just camping," the Clallam County Sheriff's Office said in a press release Friday.

Antifa, which is short for "anti-fascist," is not a structured organization, but supporters of the ideology have been accused of showing up at peaceful protests and instigating violence.

MORE: What is antifa? Behind the group Trump wants to designate as a terrorist organization

The family left the parking lot and headed to the camp site as "at least four vehicles followed them. Two of the vehicles had people in them and carrying what appeared to be semi-automatic rifles," police said.

At some point, the family "became concerned for their safety after hearing gun shots in the distance and power saws down the road from where they were camping," police said.

PHOTO: In this Aug. 12, 2018, file photo, a member of antifa is shown at the Unite the Right 2 rally in Washington, D.C., celebrating the first anniversary of the Unite The Right rally in Charlottesville, Va. (J.M. Giordano/Sopa Images/LightRocket via Getty Images, FILE)

As the family left on the same road they entered the camping site, they were stopped by the fallen trees and called police.

A group of high school students helped clear the trees from the road for the family to get through, police said.

The Clallam County Sheriff's Office is actively conducting a criminal investigation into the incident and is seeking any and all information regarding those persons involved.

Family of campers accused of having ties to antifa menaced by gunmen: Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Airstrike Attributed To Israel Kills Nine Iran-Backed Forces in Syria

Radio Farda June 05, 2020

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says airstrikes attributed to Israel has killed at least nine "Iranian-backed" forces in the Syrian province of Hama.

The airstrikes were conducted on Thursday evening, June 4, during which missiles were fired at workshops linked to the Syrian army's Military Industries Complex.

"Anti-aircraft defense systems have been activated in Hama, responding to 'Israeli aggression,'" Syria's official news agency, SANA, reported Thursday evening. "Loud explosions" have been heard in the suburbs of the city of Masyaf.

Meanwhile, SANA claimed that the missiles were intercepted, and "the enemy" failed to achieve its targets.

The director of the London-based Observatory, Rami Abdulrahman, told AFP the area was under the Syrian army's control and Iranians were present there."

He also said the target was a factory and research center manufacturing short-range surface-to-surface rockets.

At least nine Iranian-backed forces, five other individuals and four Syrian citizens were killed in the attack, Abdulrahman maintained. He has not identified the nationality of the other five.

Israel, which did not immediately comment on the reports, has launched hundreds of strikes in Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011, AFP reported.

The recent airstrikes, like the similar ones in the past few months, have been carried out by firing missiles from the Lebanese airspace without the need to enter Syria.

Earlier, the Lebanese army had announced on Thursday that seven Israeli fighter jets violated the country's airspace. The Lebanese government once again accused Israel of "abusing" the country's airspace for airstrikes on Syria, asserting it violates the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.

While Israel has made no comments on such airstrikes, its local media say that the attack was aimed at cracking down on plans to build precision rockets at Syrian military workshops.

According to the Jerusalem Post (JP), the latest attacks targeted the Musayyaf Military Defense Industries Factory in northeastern Syria, which had previously been the subject of "Israeli attacks."

JP maintains that Iranian military experts are assisting their Syrian counterparts to manufacture surface-to-surface missiles.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/airstrike- attributed-to-israel-kills-nine-iran-backed- forces-in-syria/30655371.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.

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By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Union Minister of Environment Prakash Javadekar directed heads of all forest department of all states to ensure that the Kerala elephant tragedy does not repeat anywhere else.

Speaking to forest officials on Friday as part of World Environment Day, through video conference, he said he was shocked with what had happened in Kerala.

Karnatakas forest officials assured the minister that they were taking all measures to ensure such an incident does not happen in the state. The forest officials said, We have issued directions to all staffers to undertake extensive patrolling and search for meat bombs. Staffers have also been told to keep a close watch on areas where there are man-elephant conflicts and villages abutting forest boundaries. Javadekar also directed all states to take up the Nagara Vanas (urban forests) project. Karnataka has been given a target of creating 200 in the state.
Gandhinagar, June 6 : The 'Adhia Committee' formed by the Gujarat government for the economic revival after the slowdown has recommended the government to take austerity measures till the completion of this fiscal. Following which the Gujarat government on Saturday announced certain restrictions on expenditure.

The coronavirus outbreak has badly affected the state government's revenues and also the industries in the state.

The state government has formed a six-member committee (an expert advisory group) headed by former Finance Secretary in the Union government, Hasmukh Adhia, for economic revival in the state.

The Gujarat government on Saturday, in a press release, stated that due to the prohibitions and restrictions on various activities in the state, following the provisions of lockdown, the revenue generated to the state government has taken a huge deep.

According to the committee's interim report, it is necessary now to put a cut in the government expenditure. Following this, the Gujarat government on Saturday announced certain austerity measures where the purchase of new vehicles and sanctioning of new vehicles has been put on hold till the next fiscal.

The curb has also been put on new rentals for rented vehicles and sanctioning of vehicles on rent for the same period.

Similarly, all procurements of new machinery like computers, printers, photocopy machines, ACs and other required machines and peripherals have been prohibited till March 31. Likewise, all new furniture procurement has also been put on hold.

Besides this, all government offices have been instructed to control electricity bills and take necessary action to bring down the power consumption and billing amount.
Weightlifting probe finds corruption, doping cover-up

WEIGHTLIFTING: An investigation into the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) found widespread corruption and dozens of covered up drugs tests, officials said Thursday (June 4).

Weighlifting

By AFP

Saturday 6 June 2020, 09:54AM

Lord of the Lifters: an investigation into the International Weightlifting Federation has accused former president Tamas Ajan of corruption. Photo: AFP

Lead investigator Richard McLaren said the probe into the IWFs affairs under former president Tamas Ajan uncovered millions of dollars in missing money and 40 positive doping cases that had been hushed up.

McLarens report accused Ajan of an autocratic, authoritarian leadership style which had resulted in dysfunctional, ineffective oversight of the sports governing body.

The report said Ajan had used a tyranny of cash to control the IWF during his decades-long reign, with the Hungarian boss directly pocketing doping fines and regularly withdrawing large sums from the organisations coffers which remained unaccounted for.

It is absolutely impossible to determine how much of the cash collected or withdrawn was used for legitimate expenses, an executive summary of the investigation reported.

A total of US$10.4 million (B327mn) remained missing, the report said.

Everyone was kept in financial ignorance through the use of hidden bank accounts, McLaren said. Some cash was accounted for, some was not.

McLaren, who was also the lead investigator in the Russian drugs scandal in 2015, said the probe had also found 40 positive drugs cases buried in IWF records.

This includes gold and silver medalists who have not had their samples dealt with, the report said.

This information has been passed on to WADA for further investigation, it added citing a culture of doping that existed within weightlifting.

Rampant vote-buying

In addition to financial and doping irregularities, the McLaren report also uncovered corruption in the IWFs appointments process.

The two most recent Electoral Congresses were rampant with vote buying for the President and senior level positions of the Executive Board, the report said.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) described the findings of the McLaren investigation as deeply concerning.

The IOC will continue to support the efforts of the IWF and its interim president to fundamentally reform its governance and management, said an IOC satement.

Furthermore, the IOC will contact WADA to determine whether there are any doping cases concerning the Olympic Games, and will follow up accordingly.

Ajan stepped down as chief of the IWF in April following allegations of corruption made in the documentary Lord of the Lifters broadcast by German outlet ARD earlier this year.

The documentary alleged a culture of corruption had been established in the Olympic sport with prominent weightlifters rarely subjected to drugs tests and cash being taken by doping controllers to accept manipulated urine samples.

Ajan, 81, who had been at the IWF since 1976 serving 24 years as general secretary and the past 20 as president, denied the allegations.

Ajan insisted he had been the victim of an unjust attack by ARD.

This film has completely ruined my life and 50 years of my work. A large part of my work has been about doping prevention, he said.

However the McLaren report published Thursday painted a scathing portrait of Ajans reign, saying the Hungarian official had honed his authoritarian management techniques during the Cold War era when Eastern Bloc countries dominated weightlifting.

The report said Ajan had retained a firm grip on the sports member federations through patronage, reward and punishment.

Ajan ran the IWF as if it was his own personal fiefdom or private company over which he had absolute control, the report said, noting that he controlled all withdrawals and deposits into the federations main bank account.

The report detailed a history of lax accounting practices, noting that up until 2009, the work of the IWFs internal audit committee (IAC) had been a sham.

According to a confidential witness, the yearly audit consisted of the IAC going to Budapest, collecting $100 or a bottle of whiskey and Ajan would say Here you are, here are the books. Sign them and we go to dinner, the report said.
According to the president, the Cabinet will remain in its current state until the publication of presentations of ministries

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Interfax-Ukraine

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that he had no complaints against the Minister of Health Maxym Stepanov. He stated this at a meeting with reporters, writes RBC-Ukraine.



According to the head of state, he expects to see the presentation of each ministry about their activities. These presentations should take place in a few weeks.



"We agreed that this Cabinet will withstand in the state, in which it is, until we see the presentation of each ministry. In two weeks they should present all their steps," he said.



Zelensky also commented on the situation with Interior Minister Arsen Avakov. According to him, Avakov should complete the case of the murder of Pavlo Sheremet, but there is no better minister yet.

Related: Foreign currency reserves of Ukraine decreased by 1.3% in May 2020

Earlier Zelensky held a telephone conversation with Pope Francis, according to the website of the Head of State's Office.

The parties discussed the current crisis situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, primarily the humanitarian challenges facing the world. Pope Francis noted that he appreciates Ukraines desire for solidarity.



Support of Your Holiness in the issue of unity, solidarity and openness of Europe is important for Ukraine. It is important now to work on restoring mutual trust and strengthening cooperation on the continent, the president said.



The head of the state informed Pope Francis about successful measures taken by Ukraine during quarantine, including the online format for teaching children in schools. A good example of individual Ukrainian churches in support of quarantine restrictions imposed by the government was also noted.
Actor Kangana Ranaut has lashed out at the hypocrisy of Bollywood celebrities once again. After Abhay Deol, Kangana has also slammed celebrities for supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, but also endorsing fairness products in India.

Speaking to the BBC, Kangana said, The Indian celebrities theyve been endorsing all kinds of fairness products and today shamelessly they stand and say black lives matter, I mean how dare they? Our industry even shies away from casting darker actors for characters that are supposed to be fair-skinned. Why is no one asking them about these million-dollar deals that theyve been doing with all kinds of fairness products and how come suddenly all black lives matter because racism is deep-rooted and when you have commercialised such events that is the lowest humanity can hit.

Actors such as Priyanka Chopra, Disha Patani and Sonam Kapoor have all voiced support for the movement and have also been called out online for promoting skin lightening products in the past.

Kangana has never endorsed any fairness product. Speaking about it, she once said, My sister (Rangoli Chandel) is dusky, yet beautiful. If I go ahead and be part of this campaign, then, in a way, I would be insulting her. If I cant do that to my sister, then how can I do it to the entire nation?

Earlier, Abhay had wondered if those tweeting their support for the black community protesting against racism and custodial killings of black persons in US after the death of George Floyd, would also stop working for fairness creams and lotions. Do you think Indian celebrities will stop endorsing fairness creams now, he shared, adding data about search trends. Overall analysis. Fairness creams in India have evolved over the years, from being fairness creams to now using euphemisms like skin brightening/ whitening, or lightening creams. Most brands no longer want to be associated directly with being termed as fairness creams. So now we have brands selling HD glow, White beauty, white glow, fine fairness, and so on, he wrote in an Instagram post.

Also read: Begusarai actor Rajesh Kareer asks people to stop giving him more money, says Ive received more than Im worthy of

Kangana has also earlier slammed her contemporaries for failing to condemn local injustices, but not hesitating to join the BLM movement. The Sadhu lynching happened a couple of weeks ago; still no one said a word. It happened in Maharashtra where most of these celebrities resideBollywood anyway is a derived name from Hollywood. It is a shame they [Bollywood celebrities] continue to live in a bubble and never fail to jump on the bandwagon, which can give them two minutes of fame, but white people must drive the bandwagon. Perhaps, it is because of their pre-independence colonial slavery genes, she had said in an interview with Pinkvilla.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Mumbai, June 6 : Unconfirmed sources state Shah Rukh Khan is all set to return to the big screen in a couple of big-ticket releases over the next few months.

While the announcement of a big project with the superstar in a central role is still awaited, SRK reportedly has special roles in R Madhavan's debut directorial feature "Rocketry: The Nambi Effect" and Ayan Mukerji's fantasy adventure film "Brahmastra", which stars Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt.

Talking about SRK's role in Madhavan's film, a source told Mumbai Mirror: "In 'Rocketry', he plays a journalist who interviews scientist Nambi Narayanan and takes us through the protagonist's journey in flashback." "Rocketry: The Nambi Effect" is based on the life of Padma Bhushan recipient ISRO scientist and aerospace engineer Nambi Narayanan.

According to Mumbai Mirror, Shah Rukh has already shot his portions for the two films last year.

SRK was last seen in Aanand L Rai's "Zero" which had hit theatres in December 2018. The film, costarring Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma, did not see critical or commercial success.

Lately, Shah Rukh has been busy producing web series for Netflix. He produced the espionage drama "Bard Of Blood" last year and recently came up with the horror series "Betaal". The response has been mixed for both shows.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Kristina Knox, a 25-year-old child development teacher from Maryland, cried for days after watching video footage of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man in Minneapolis who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck while Floyd gasped for air.

She had posted about high-profile episodes of police brutality wielded against black Americans on her social media accounts before she attended her first protest this week - spurred, in part, by hoping to create a better world for her two-year-old son.

Im over being walked over, mentally, physically, emotionally, Knox said at a protest outside the US Capitol. Enough is enough.

Floyds death has sparked protests nationwide and around the world, engulfing city streets with thousands of demonstrators.

Many of the demonstrators who milled around the US Capitol this week were black people in their twenties who, like Knox, had felt compelled after Floyds death to march on the streets for the first time.

The US has been rocked by demonstrations over police killing of unarmed black men, women and boys over the past decade. During the most widespread protests, after the fatal shooting of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014, many of the protesters in Washington D.C. this week were just teens themselves.

New demonstrators said they had been driven to protest after seeing too many videos and hearing too many stories about black Americans dying at the hands of police officers - and by their concerns about the future of the country itself.

Its not to say that Ferguson did not anger us, but theres definitely something different about this moment, especially because it is an election year, said Arianna Evans, 23, a political science student, who attends Prince Georges Community College in Maryland.

Were grappling with the soul of this country this year, Evans said. If US President Donald Trump isnt voted out of office, and a new generation doesnt push for the reforms they want, we may never see that chance.

The protests are broadly popular among Americans. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, 64% of American adults were sympathetic and 55% of Americans disapprove of the way Trump handled them.

Trump, who is seeking re-election in November, has suggested to some governors to call in the National Guard.

While it is not clear exactly how many people taking to the streets in protests over the past nine days are first-timers, organizers say the number of new protesters is significant.

Freedom Fighters DC, a newly formed group that has hosted multiple demonstrations within Washington, said that about 150 were first-time protesters of the 500 or so protesters outside the Capitol building on Wednesday.

Alayshia Florida, 20, a self-described first-time protester who is headed to nursing school this fall, convinced a white officer to kneel with her outside the US Capitol Wednesday, amid cheers.

Its time we change how police officers view us by inviting them to see us as human beings, she said.

Asked what made this moment different, Kelsey Marshman, a 29-year-old mail handler, said: Its 2020! This should not be happening still. It really shouldnt. Im sick of there being video and these police (officers) not being held accountable for that.

The protesters demands include better police-sensitivity training, more serious background checks and convictions against the police officers involved in the case.

Derek Chauvin, the police officer who pressed his knee against Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes, has been charged with second-degree murder. Minnesota sentencing guidelines suggest that someone convicted for second-degree murder without a criminal history receive between 22 and 30 years in prison. But Christa Groshek, a defense attorney in Minneapolis, said prosecutors would likely seek more than that if they secure a conviction against Chauvin.

Minnesota also filed a civil rights charge against the Minneapolis Police Department over Floyds death and said it would investigate the department for systemic discriminatory practices.

On the hot, sunny day in Washington on Wednesday, volunteers passed out water and hand sanitizer, in a bid to minimize risks from the coronavirus pandemic.

Most protesters wore masks as they held up handmade signs bearing phrases like Black Lives Matter, Stop Shooting and There comes a time when silence is betrayal.

The people rose up against oppression in 2020. Were we successful stopping it? I doubt it, said Lorenzo Bell, 36. But did we just let them do it? ... No.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an impromptu appearance at an anti-racial discrimination rally in the countrys capital Ottawa, and proceeded to kneel along with protestors as they paid homage to African-American George Floyd who was killed by police in Minneapolis recently.

Trudeau walked in unannounced at the rally and mingled with the crowd. He was joined by Somali-Canadian Cabinet colleague Ahmed Hussen, the Minister for Families, Children and Social Development.

Trudeau kneeled for nearly nine minutes, at the rally that took place on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Though videos of the event showed there were scattered shouts of Go away from some in the crowd, Trudeau nodded along to chants of Black lives matter. Some of the shouts also included the term blackface, referring to the multiple photographs and videos of the Prime Minister that emerged late year with his face darkened.

The Canadian Prime Minister has been criticized and ridiculed for a 21-second long pause during a recent media briefing when he was asked about the words and actions of United States President Donald Trump. Trudeau did not mention Trump even once in the response that followed the silence. He did not address the protest gathering on Friday. However, Hussen, the only black member of Trudeaus Cabinet, told the outlet CBC, I think its powerful when you have the head of government taking a knee and clapping when people say black lives matter.

Trudeaus presence at the protest comes days after Dr Theresa Tam, Canadas chief public health officer, warned against such gathering because of the Covid-19 threat and advised virtual rallies instead.

Similar marches also took place in other Canadian cities including Toronto.
At the height of his influence, in the 1980s and 1990s, Rev. Sheldon could mobilize hundreds of supporters to appear at legislative hearings and thousands more to write letters to lawmakers. He was a member of the Republican State Central Committee in California and lobbied for municipal ordinances and state legislation to repeal laws outlawing discrimination against gay people in the workplace. He touted what he called reparative therapy as a way to change the sexual orientation of gay people  a discredited practice that is illegal in some states.
itel Mobile, Africas leading consumer-centric smartphone brand, has introduced cutting edge additions to its flagship power series with Olamide, itel P36 and P36 Pro LTE, at her first ever virtual product launch in Lagos.

The P36 series consolidates the smartphone for everyone brands investments in mobile communication offerings that are budget-friendly, durable, and reliable. The series advances the legacy of long-lasting battery performance with a 72-hour battery life and internet connectivity upgrades.

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Prior to the unveiling, itel Mobile narrated a compelling growth story. Through detailed understanding of the consumer, the brand has satisfied mobile communication needs and earned significant recognition over the years. In 2019, the International Data Corporation (IDC) ranked itel Mobile as one of the top 4 smartphone players in the Middle East and Africa. It is also the global no. 1 feature phone player according to another 2019 report from the IDC.

First of Its Kind

Sustaining a well-established culture of providing innovative mobile communications offerings to everyone, the itel P36 Pro LTE is fitted with 4G LTE, the first of its kind on the series. Its a premium offering that delivers superfast internet connection without buffers. Its 8 times faster than the itel P33 Plus launched last year. This amazing speed ensures fast uploads, downloads, and smooth play of HD videos.

The introduction of the itel P36 series aligns with the expansion drive of the brand, from mobile products to consumer electronics. There is itel TV comprising S and A series, and itel smartphone accessories  power banks, smart fitness bands, and Bluetooth earphones which have been introduced to provide more budget-friendly options in these categories.

With the recent signing of Afro-pop star, Olamide Adedeji as brand ambassador in Nigeria, itel Mobile initiates a mutual partnership for improved engagements with consumers. Both brands share similar values  they serve the mass markets. itel Mobile is a leader in the smartphone mass market in Nigeria offering reliable and affordable smartphones for everyone, while Olamide makes popular music for the streets, rolling out frequent hits they can relate with.

The Superfast Advantage

Enabled by a 5000mAh battery, the series comes with a 5V, 2A, 10W fast charge feature. This means 10 minutes charging gives the user 1 hour for phone calls. To get the series to full charge, it takes just 3 hours and 25 minutes- two times up from the 7 hours, 50 minutes obtainable on the regular 5000mAh battery. And the battery can last 72 hours.

The series has an impressive 6.5 HD+ Waterproof Fullscreen display and 8.6mm slim body design set-up. Also, itel has equipped the series with the i-Cast feature to project the smartphone screen on itel TV for bigger viewing experience. itel P36 and P36 Pro LTE sport dual security  face unlock & a multi-functional fingerprint sensor to protect and guarantee privacy for users.

The introduction of itel P36 and P36 Pro LTE affirms itel Mobiles sustained push towards innovative and stylish smartphone offerings at a budget-friendly price. Its also about value creation for the consumer with major improvement on features and specifications that surpass what is obtainable in the market. The brand is keen on sustaining this momentum for the ultimate goal of satisfying our consumers. said Oke Umurhohwo, Marketing Communications Manager (West Africa), itel Mobile at the launch of the series.

The itel P36 and P36 Pro LTE are available nationwide from June 6th, 2020.

With itel P36 series, itel sets a new innovation and growth record in her quest to rank among the top-three mobile brands globally.

##

About itel

itel is an entry-level and reliable mobile phone brand for everyone. Adopting Join  Enjoy as its brand philosophy, itels mission is to provide budget-friendly mobile communications technology to everyone. It democratizes technology by giving entry to technology and connectivity to consumers without prior access to it, allowing them to get closer and benefit from their social connections. itel has a product portfolio of smartphones, tablets, and feature phones.

After years of development, itel has expanded its presence in around 50 emerging markets globally. African Business, an authoritative business magazine in Britain, has ranked itel 17th in the 2018/2019 TOP 100 MOST-ADMIRED BRANDS IN AFRICA ranking. For more information, please visit: http://itel-mobile.com.
Lyle Lovett, left, and Donnie Wahlberg in CBS' "Blue Bloods," one of 26 scripted crime shows examined in the Color of Change study "Normalizing Injustice." (Patrick Harbron / CBS)

For more than a week now, our screens have been flooded with footage of cops shooting rubber bullets at reporters , driving police vehicles into crowds of protesters , detaining essential workers exempt from curfews , macing a 9-year-old child , shoving elderly people to the ground and, of course, kneeling on the neck of George Floyd until he died.

But such horrifying real-life images are at odds with the fictional portrayal of law enforcement we've consumed on TV for decades. Amid nationwide protests of police brutality against black people and other marginalized groups, that dissonance has spurred an industry-wide reexamination of the role pop culture plays in shaping our perception of both the police and the people they deem a threat. Nonprofit civil rights advocacy organization Color of Change released a detailed study on the topic earlier this year.

"[These shows] create a world where we have cities, police officers, political officials, poverty, different races, and yet racism doesnt seem to exist  a fictional world that is often quite diverse but without racism," Rashad Robinson, president of Color of Change, told The Times this week. "As a result, that normalizes injustice. It makes it seem like the changes that we are fighting for are changes that are not necessary."

Titled "Normalizing Injustice: The Dangerous Misrepresentations That Define Televisions Scripted Crime Genre," the study includes the following findings.

Crime shows are largely created and written by white people







Of the 26 series from the 2017-18 season examined in the study, 21 had showrunners who were white men. At least 81% of these shows' writers were white, compared to the 9% who were black. A whopping 20 of 26 series had either no black writers or just one black writer.

CBS and NBC aired seven of the nine series that were the least diverse with respect to race and gender:

On CBS:



 "NCIS" was 100% white and 80% male.



 "Blue Bloods" was 100% white and 75% male.



 "Elementary" was 90% white and 70% male.



 "NCIS: Los Angeles" was 82% white and 82% male.

Story continues

On NBC:



 "The Blacklist" was 93% white and 80% male.



 "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" was 93% to 100% white and 57% male.



 "Blindspot" was 92% white and 58% male.



 "Chicago P.D." was 80% to 90% white and 60% male.





Characters of color are often written by largely white writers' rooms





Netflix's "Narcos"

Jon Seda, left, and Jason Beghe in "Chicago P.D." (Matt Dinerstein / NBC)

Racism is generally nonexistent in these shows









When wrongful acts are committed by cops, they're normalized as harmless or noble





These actions were rarely objected to or acknowledged as unlawful by other characters, and therefore were categorized as "part of the job." Many times, characters played by people of color were depicted as endorsers of these actions. Excessive force was rarely depicted.

As a result, the crime shows studied generally reinforced the idea that what police (and other criminal justice professionals) do is "right" simply because they are police.





Police rarely face any consequences for wrongful acts they commit







Read the full study here.

Meredith Blake contributed to this report.
With the Punjab government targeting the Centre over an ordinance which allows barrier-free trade in the farm sector, Union Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday asserted that the ordinance would not violate the spirit of federal structure in any way.

The Union minister also slammed people who create "illusions" over the minimum support price (MSP) for foodgrain and said the assured price to farmers would continue.

The Union minister's statement came a day after Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh dubbed the ordinance as "violative" of the federal structure.

The chief minister had also warned that it could pave the way for disbanding the MSP regime as well as the foodgrain procurement regime, triggering unrest among the state's farmers.

The Centre on Friday notified two key ordinances to kick in agriculture reforms and help farmers trade freely and fetch better prices.

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance 2020 allows barrier-free trade in agriculture produce outside the notified APMC (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees) mandis.

It proposes to bar state governments from imposing taxes on sale and purchase of farm produce undertaken outside the mandis and give farmers the freedom to sell their produce at remunerative prices.

Whereas the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance 2020 empowers farmers to engage with processors, aggregators, wholesalers, large retailers and exporters through advanced agreements on pre-agreed prices.

Union minister Tomar on Saturday said the ordinance would not affect the spirit of the federal structure. "I want to clarify that this ordinance does not violate the spirit of the federal structure," he said during a video conference here.

He further clarified that this law also did not encroach upon the rights of any state government.

"There is no need for anyone to fall prey to the illusions over MSP and I also understand that nobody should create illusions in this matter," Tomar said.

"Purchase of crops at MSP will continue," he asserted.

He said the state's APMC Act will stay and the states continue to collect taxes within their mandis.

The Union minister said the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance 2020 gives freedom to farmers to sell their crop to anyone at their prices at any place.

"Till now, farmers had no freedom to fix crop prices and choose buyers," he noted.

He said any person, who has a PAN card, can buy crops from farmers and he will not require a license.

Tomar said the Centre had neither intention nor tried to force any law on any state. He was reacting to Amarinder Singh's remarks that the law was forced on Punjab.

The Union Agriculture minister asked why should not the Centre remove the restrictions from the farmers if it can do so. Shouldn't the inspector raj end and farmers have right to sell their produce at their own price? he asked.

Also Read: Coronavirus crisis: India records highest-ever spike of 9,887 new cases; tally rises to 2.36 lakh

Also Read: Haryana CM launches portal to bring all registered enterprises on single platform
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 03:27:09|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, June 6 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday asked for a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere in Burundi after the final results of the presidential poll were declared, said his spokesman.

The secretary-general takes note of the final results of the presidential and legislative elections, as declared on Thursday by the Constitutional Court of Burundi, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement.

"The secretary-general encourages all parties to continue to promote a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere among all Burundians. He reiterates the UN commitment toward long-term stability and sustainable development in Burundi," said the statement.

Burundi's Constitutional Court on Thursday upheld the May 20 presidential poll results which showed Evariste Ndayishimiye of the ruling party as the winner. The ruling paves the way for Ndayishimiye to succeed current president Pierre Nkurunziza, who has been in power since 2005. Enditem
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- Lucy Nyawira said their father had used religion to brainwash them and that they would not do anything without his permission

- He made them believe that their mother was practising witchcraft and that she was planning on killing her children

- It was for this reason that her mother was kicked out of their home before her best friend moved in

- Lucy was tasked with nursing her baby-sister who was barely months old when her mother left

- With time life became difficult in the hands of their stepmother who would often torture them

- She ran away from home when she realised she was pregnant but her stepmother accused her of having attempted to poison her son

- She was sent to remand and her brother to an approved school after the judge demanded to hear from their biological mother before making a judgement

- They were released and reunited with their mother who forgave her for beating her when she had gone back to look for them

Lucy Nyawira made headlines in 2015 as the teenage girl in a red dress who was recorded beating her mother when she went to demand her children from her estranged husband.

In the video, she could be seen putting her taekwondo skills into practise as she knocked her mother to the ground before her brother stepped in to save their mother.

READ ALSO: 7 American celebrities who traced their roots to Africa

In the video that went viral in 2015, Lucy Nyawira could be seen putting her taekwondo skills into practise as she knocked her mother to the ground. Photo: Edwin Ochieng.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: George Floyd: Barack Obama asks protesters to make people in power uncomfortable

Telling her side of the story, Nyawiras mother, Virginia Nyawira said she had been kicked out of the house in the guise that she was practising witchcraft so her husband could bring in another woman.

Lucy was asked to nurse her months old sister after her mother was kicked out of their home and that a house-help would be brought in to help her with the house chores.

Unknown to the then teenage girl was that life was going to take a turn for her and her siblings after their father brought in another woman in their home instead of a househelp.

Speaking to TUKO.co.kes Lynn Ngugi, Lucy revealed the days that followed the one that was caught on camera were tough days full of torture and suffering.

READ ALSO: Kieni MP Kanini Kega on the spot for locking tenants' houses over unpaid rent

The woman who replaced their mother was not a stranger to them as she was their mothers best friend and the wife to a senior member of the Church where her father preached.

However, that did not guarantee that she was going to be a good stepmother. Weeks after she moved in with her five children from a previous marriage, she began showing them her true colours.

It began with reduced food portions to being overworked and a thorough beating from their father who would often be incited by their stepmother.

Lucy and her siblings persevered through the suffering for some time but when it became too much, they decided they were going to sit down their father and tell him what they were being subjected to.

READ ALSO: Alive and well: Bishop Margaret back to doing home chores days after being declared COVID-19 free

Before that happened, Lucy confronted her stepmother for using her biological mother's name to con people their money by claiming she was sick and needed money for treatment.

This landed her in trouble and left her vowing not to open up to her father again and it dawned on them that indeed their mother was wrongfully kicked out of their house and they missed her.

Having cleared high school, she joined a catering colleague and there she met with people from different walks of life for the first time exposing her to what life had to offer.

She found a confidant in her friend whom she would open up to about what she and her siblings were going through back at home.

READ ALSO: George Floyd: 3 other ex-cops involved in black man's killing to be charged with abetting murder

In the process of finding comfort in her friends, Nyawira conceived and decided to keep the pregnancy.

A couple of weeks later, she could not hide her protruding belly any longer and the only way to escape the wrath of her father was by running away from home and moving in with her friend.

To her surprise, her father did not bother to look for her but he instead showed up at their school in the company of her step-mother and was taken away to a police station without any explanation.

On arrival, she demanded to know what they were doing at the station and she was told she had been accused of having attempted to poison her stepbrother before running away from home.

READ ALSO: Former Lesotho first lady arrested again over killing of husband's ex-wife

Her younger brother who was in Class Seven at the time was also brought to the station and the police told her that he had confessed to having attempted to poison him under her instructions.

The two were taken into custody after a kind police officer advised Nyawira not to plead guilty to the accusations as they would end up being locked in prison on a false accusation.

Days later they were taken to court and their stepmother asked the Judge to send them to prison and approved school respectively, but the judge demanded to meet their biological mother first.

Lucy was taken to remand and her younger brother was taken to approved school while their mother was being traced.

READ ALSO: Classrooms, teachers' shortage a major concern as gov't mulls over reopening schools - TUKO.co.ke spotcheck

In the remand, Nyawira was avoided by her fellow inmates who questioned her intentions to position a fellow child.

This made an expectant Lucy lonely and desolate as she had nobody to talk to except for a female police officer who kept giving her hope and encouraging her.

Days later, her mother was traced and she went to visit Nyawira in remand not minding what had transpired the last time the two saw each other.

She felt a sigh of relief when she saw her mother who immediately forgave her; she told her she knew she was pregnant and that she did not blame her and she would get her released from there.

READ ALSO: Samson Cherargei: Nandi senator involved in road accident

The siblings were presented in court this time around with their mother present for the hearing. She pleaded with the court to release the children after explaining what they had gone through.

The judge heard Virginias plea and released the children to her on a KSh 5000 bail each.

The mother of 12 did not have even a single shilling on her but had faith and hope that she would raise the money to free her children.

Lucy's friends managed to raise the money and extra thousands that her mother, brother and herself used to rent an iron sheet bedsitter in Zimmerman after leaving the court.

READ ALSO: Not guilty: Court awards Kayole man KSh 5 million for wrongful arrest

The mother of one is now helping her mother fight to have her six other siblings out of their fathers house where she believes they are being tortured at the expense of their stepmother.

One thing Lucy is grateful for was that her mother was able to forgive her, put everything in the past and took her and her baby in without judging her.

She has faith that one day her father will change and bless her child because to her he was still her father.

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
The Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday arrested Anamika Shukla, a teacher who allegedly worked in 25 schools for months and withdrew over Rs 1 crore in salaries for more than a year till last February.

Kotwali SHO Ripudaman Singh said police are questioning the accused.

Shukla had sent her resignation letter to the Kasganj Basic Education Officer through a friend who was detained at the office. Later, the officer sent staff who caught the teacher on a road and handed her over to Soro police station.

A native of Mainpuri, Shukla was working as a full-time science teacher at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya in Faridpur in Kasganj and simultaneously at many schools in Ambedkar Nagar, Baghpat, Aligarh, Saharanpur and Prayagraj districts etc.

The matter came to light when a database of teachers was being created on Manav Sampada portal that required details like teachers' personal records, date of joining, and promotion.

Once the records were uploaded, Shukla's personal details were allegedly found listed at 25 schools.

Basic Education Officer Anjali Aggarwal, who had stopped withdrawal of salary by Shukla on Friday and issued her a notice, said an inquiry had been initiated against the teacher on charge of using someone else's record.

The Additional Director (Basic Education) in Aligarh is probing the charges against the accused teacher.

On Friday, Director General of School Education, Vijay Kiran Anand, had confirmed that a probe was under way to ascertain the facts in the case.
Indian and Chinese armies on Saturday held Lieutenant General-level talks in their first major attempt to resolve the month-long border standoff in eastern Ladakh, official sources said.

The Indian delegation was led by Lt General Harinder Singh, the general officer commanding of Leh-based 14 Corps, while the Chinese side was headed by the Commander of the Tibet Military District, government sources said.

The talks were held at the Border Personnel Meeting Point in Maldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.

Without specifically mentioning the talks, an Indian Army spokesperson said: "Indian and Chinese officials continue to remain engaged through the established military and diplomatic channels to address the current situation in the India-China border areas."

Saturday's meeting took place after 12 rounds of talks between local commanders of the two armies and three rounds of discussions at the level of major general-rank officials could not produce any tangible outcome, the sources said.

The high-level military dialogue took place a day after the two countries held diplomatic talks during which both sides agreed to handle their "differences" through peaceful discussions while respecting each other's sensitivities and concerns.

Earlier, sources had said the Indian delegation at the military talks will press for restoration of status quo ante in Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso and Gogra in eastern Ladakh, oppose huge build up of Chinese troops in the region and ask China not to resist development of infrastructure by India on its side of the de-facto border.

After the standoff began early last month, Indian military leadership decided that Indian troops will adopt a firm approach in dealing with the aggressive posturing by the Chinese troops in all disputed areas of Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie.

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.

The sources said satellite images have captured significant ramping up of defence infrastructure by China on its side of the LAC, the de-facto border, including upgrading a military airbase around 180 km from the Pangong Tso area.

The Chinese Army has been gradually ramping up its strategic reserves in its rear bases near the the LAC by rushing in artillery guns, infantry combat vehicles and heavy military equipment, they said.

China has also enhanced its presence in certain areas along the LAC in Northern Sikkim and Uttarakhand following which India has also been increasing its presence by sending additional troops, they said.

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.

The road in the Finger area in Pangong Tso is considered crucial for India to carry out patrol. India has already decided not to stall any border infrastructure projects in eastern Ladakh in view of Chinese protests.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on May 5 and 6. The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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AFP via Getty Images

New York City may have seen no confirmed coronavirus deaths in the city for the first day in months since deaths started rising in mid-march.

According to preliminary data from the citys health department, there were zero confirmed additional deaths from Covid-19 on Wednesday 3 of June.

This is great news, a spokesperson for Mayor de Blasio told The New York Daily News.

The department stipulated that the data is only preliminary and may be incomplete due to delays in reporting.

Notably, the department recorded three probable deaths from Wednesday that may be linked to coronavirus, which could be reclassified as information develops.

At the height of the pandemic in New York City, which became known as the epicentre of the virus in the US, more than 500 people a day were dying from the respiratory disease in April.

This number has been stubborn on its way down, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said of the death toll in May.

You see how quick that spike went up and how slow it is to come down, so we want to make sure we dont go back there ever, ever again.

The state has seemingly reached a number of landmarks in its fight against the virus over the last month.

In the face of extraordinary challenges, New Yorkers have gone above and beyond to keep each other safe throughout the crisis, City Hall spokeswoman Avery Cohen told The New York Post.

With hope on the horizon, we will continue to do everything we can to reopen safely without losing sight of the progress weve made, Mr Cohen said.

On 22 May Mr Cuomo announced that the number of new cases per day in New York state has reached its lowest level since the outbreak began.

At the height of the outbreak, the state recorded 12,312 cases of the virus in one day on 4 April, according to The New York Times daily case tracker.

Seven regions of the state have already begun phase two re-opening amidst the ongoing pandemic, and Gov Cuomo announced on Wednesday that outdoor dining will be permitted to re-open in those areas.

Story continues

The states re-opening has continued as a backdrop to national unrest erupting across the country in the wake of the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, who died on 25 May after a Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground by his neck for a prolonged period of time.

Hundreds and thousands of New York residents have taken to the streets to protest the death of Floyd over the last week, demonstrating against police brutality and systemic racism.

As a result of the large gatherings for demonstrations, the governor announced on Thursday that the state will expand its Covid-19 testing criteria to include any individual who attended any of the protests.

Our numbers have been going down every day, but now we have tens of thousands of people who have been protesting statewide that could lead to the new spread of the virus, the governor said at his daily coronavirus briefing.

Were going to open the testing facilities for all people who were at a protest statewide and encourage any individual who attended any protest to be responsible and get tested.

New York state has recorded more than 375,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, 205,000 of which are in New York City alone. More than 24,000 people have died of the disease in the state.

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To the Times:

This is an open letter to the residents of Delaware County:

You placed your trust in us last November and we vowed to make your County government more ethical and transparent. We did this because you need to be able to trust your government.

One of the staples of our new plan to restore public trust in Delaware County government was to reverse one of the darkest and murkiest deals in county history: the sale of the Delaware County Regional Water Quality Control Authority (DELCORA) to Aqua Pennsylvania.

DELCORA and Aqua were hoping you would miss it, but in 2019, DELCORA entered into an agreement  using a no-bid process and allowing no public input  with Aqua Pennsylvania to sell DELCORA and privatize its operations. This deal was negotiated with executives of DELCORA, who had already been promised lucrative employment by Aqua if they signed off on the deal.

Equally as bad, the former Republican majority on county council created an illegal separate trust on their way out of office that distributed the sale proceeds not to the benefit of Delaware County and its residents, but instead back to Aqua themselves. The buyer was paying itself.

We vowed to reverse this deal because it is a tale as old as time  a publicly-held company takes hold of a taxpayer-owned asset and says it wont raise rates on customers. But Delaware County, dont let them play us for fools. We all know that publicly-held companies answer to shareholders, and shareholders care about profits.

So where would those profits come from? You, the people of Delaware County. DELCORAs deal to sell itself to Aqua will unquestionably result in higher rates for DELCORAs customers. Aqua would raise your rates to recoup the cost of their purchase and pay its shareholders.

That is why county council is doing everything in its power to prevent this sweetheart deal from happening  because we want to keep rates as low as possible for DELCORAs ratepayers.

On top of all that, this deal was an absolute give-away to a friendly Republican campaign contributor  Aquas political action committee has given more than $110,000 to Delaware County Republicans over the last five years.

Simply put, this deal was the worst kind of government corruption.

You may have already heard political appointees at DELCORA and executives at Aqua throw around frivolous barbs accusing us of having conflicts or of raiding your money. They are even using public dollars to run paid political ads targeting us and launching personal attacks against us online. The fact of the matter is theyre not really trying to protect you. Theyre trying to protect themselves, their new jobs with Aqua, and to save the sweetheart deal that Aqua was handed on a political silver platter.

It would be dangerous for us to allow unelected political appointees to give away an asset that belongs to you. You elected us to be stewards of your tax dollars and to look out for you.

To make good on our promises to you, over the last month we have taken swift and decisive action to:
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A tug of war has started in the Gujarat unit of the Congress over whom it will choose between two candidates for the lone Rajya Sabha seat it can win from the state after a raft of resignations by its legislators dashed its hopes of wining half the four seats up for grabs in the June 19 elections to the upper House.

Eight Congress legislators have resigned from the assembly since March, and apart from two other vacancies due to court cases over poll-related disputes, the effective strength of the 182-member Gujarat assembly now stands at 172.

The Congress, with 65 legislators, is now in a position to win just one seat while both Bharatsinh Solanki and Shaktisinh Gohil remain in the fray for election to the Rajya Sabha from the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah. A candidate will need 35 votes to get elected to the House.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with 103 legislators, is comfortably placed to win three seats. It has fielded Abhay Bhardwaj, Ramilaben Bara and Narhari Amin.

The Congresss predicament has triggered a show of strength between supporters of Solanki and Gohil.

A Gujarat Congress leader said on the condition of anonymity that 42 of the 65 legislators back Solanki and would vote for him.

Though the final decision rests with the party high command there is also a possibility that Gohil might announce his withdrawal from the contest if all other options dry up, he said.

Asked to elaborate on the options, the leader claimed that some disgruntled BJP legislators might cross-vote in favour of the Congress candidate.

Wait and watch, he said.

However, a Gujarat BJP functionary rubbished the claim. The Congress is daydreaming. Unlike Congress, there are no disgruntled legislators in BJP, the functionary said, requesting anonymity.

The Congress is also banking on the support of the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) which has two legislators, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with one and independent legislator Jignesh Mevani.

The Rajya Sabha elections to 55 seats were earlier scheduled to be held on March 26 but deferred due to the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent imposition of the nationwide lockdown from March 25.

While 37 candidates were later declared elected unopposed, polls were to be held for the remaining 18 seats  four each from Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, three each from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, two from Jharkhand and one each from Meghalaya and Manipur.

The Election Commission later clubbed four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka and one each from Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram and the elections to all the 24 Rajya Sabha seats will now be held on June 19.

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No fewer than three local illegal miners and 63 northern youth were arrested on Thursday by the officers of Amotekun corps in Osun.

The miners  Lawal Dauda, Abiodun Agboola and Obafemi Ademola  were arrested at a Kaolin mining site at Kitibi village, in Egbedore Local Government Area of the state.

This newspaper gathered that the southwest security agency, known as Amotekun, also impounded an excavator and a truck on the mining site.

PREMIUM TIMES has reported a series of arrests of illegal miners in the state following an investigative report published in December on how illegal miners carry out their activities in Osun communities with the support of officers of the Nigerian Police Force.

Many of the illegal sites exposed by this newspaper have been busted by Amotekun in the last couple of months.

Our correspondent understands that those arrested on Thursday were handed over to the state Joint Task Force on combating crime on Friday.

63 northern youth

On the same Thursday, the local security outfit intercepted no fewer than 63 northern youths going to Ilesha and Ife axis in Osun for illegal mining activities.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that they were intercepted at Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area of the state around 3 p.m.

About 53 of them said they were coming from Zamfara State. They were hidden in a truck when they were intercepted, the Director of Amotekun, Amitolu Shittu, said.

Non-essential interstate travel across Nigeria has been banned for about a month due to the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the ban, however, a PREMIUM TIMES investigation showed how corrupt security officials across Nigeria still enable interstate travel.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the arrested youth in Osun were interrogated by the police at Ikire Divisional Headquarters and Amotekun officers before being escorted back out of the state through Osun/Oyo boundary, along Osogbo/Ogbomosho road.
Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

PATNA: For the second time this year, an official letter issued by Bihar police headquarters has created embarrassment to the state government.

On Friday, a letter citing apprehension that crimes may go up in the state with the return of migrants.

The letter, which is in the possession of The New Indian Express, was issued on May 29 by ADG (law and order) Amit Kumar from the police headquarters revealing 'fear' for rise in crimes with the return of migrant labourers to the state.

The letter, along with embarrassment, brought attack from the opposition to the state government in the issue of migrant labourers.

Earlier, a letter was issued to keep vigil over the activities of RSS and other associated wings by gathering details of its office bearers. The MS and TNIE were the first to break this news that had created a major problem within the NDA and the letter was declared later invalid.

In the latest letter by ADG, who is considered as an upright and tough senior IPS officer at headquarters, had stated that a huge number of migrants have returned in the last two months and they may be upset and stressed due to severe economic challenges.

ALSO READ: Amid COVID-19 crisis, Tejashwi Yadav ramps up attack on government as Bihar Assembly poll nears

"Despite all efforts being taken by the government, there is less possibility to get all of them required employment. As a result of this, they may indulge in unlawful activities to feed themselves and their families. For this reason, the migrant labourers may be involved in unethical and illegal activities for the purpose of maintaining themselves and their families," the letter said.

All the DMs and the SPs were directed to prepare an action plan keeping the situation in the view.

As soon as the letter leaked out from the police department on Friday, the opposition attacked the state government accusing Nitish Kumar of being anti-migrant labourers and called the letter as an insult.

In a press meet, Tejashawi Yadav accused the state government of humiliating the migrant labourers. He tore the letter in full media glance into pieces terming it an insult to the poor migrant labourers.

Congress party's state chief Madan Mohan Jha also attacked the state government saying that migrants are not criminals. "The letter has exposed the intention of the government towards the migrant labourers," Jha said.

The leak came at a time when the state government continues claiming to have started to providing employments to the migrant labourers according to their skills and virtually contradicted the claims of government causing embarrassment.

Seeing the issuing going out of proportion, the Police Headquarters admitted to the mistake and withdrew the letter and order with immediate effect.

ADG HQ Jitendra Kumar told the media that letter was declared null and void.

According to the Disaster Management Authority data, more than 28 lakh migrant labourers have returned and the skills mapping of more than 10 lakh of them has been done till date.
In the race to end the coronavirus pandemic, the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, said at a virtual medical conference on Thursday that a vaccine, by itself, is not enough.

Mr Guterres said in a video message to the Global Vaccine Summit, that there is a need for global solidarity to ensure that every person, everywhere, has access to the vaccine.

The Global Vaccine Summit, hosted virtually by the UK government, was attended by many world leaders including the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, King of Jordan, Abdullah bin Al Hussein and Ethiopia President Sahle-Work Zewde.

The summit was convened to find and fund collective solutions for COVID-19-related vaccines and to strengthen routine immunisation commitments and resources for other preventable diseases.

The summit is Gavi, the vaccine alliances third pledging conference, and follows the successful Berlin summit in January 2015.The summit marks 20 years since Gavi was founded.

COVID-19 is now the greatest public health crisis of the generation and it has moved vaccines to the top of the global agenda

Miracle

Mr Guterres said vaccines are the most important public health intervention in history.

He credited the lifesaving miracle of vaccinations, for saving tens of millions of lives each year, eradicating smallpox and preventing outbreaks of diseases like measles, rubella and tetanus.

He maintained that a COVID-19 vaccine must be seen as a global public good  a peoples vaccine.

He lauded the incredible work of GAVI, the vaccine alliance, and its partners in allowing people of all ages and income levels throughout the world to access vaccines.

The United Nations is proud to be part of this effort towards universal health coverage, he said, reiterating its commitment to being part of the next phase, because there is still much work to do.

Funding commitments

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation welcomed the funding commitments made at the summit.

The new pledges will enable Gavi to protect the next generation and reduce disease inequality by reaching an additional 300 million children with vaccines by 2025.

WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said vaccines only realise their true power when they are deployed to protect the poorest and most vulnerable.

We join Gavi in celebrating the collective success of this great Alliance. These pledges are not just an investment in the Alliance of which we are a very proud partner; they are an advance on our shared vision of a healthier, safer and fairer world.

The COVID-19 pandemic is unravelling many of the gains we have made, with vaccination campaigns for polio, cholera, measles, diphtheria, and meningitis.

Thanks to vaccines, hundreds of millions of deaths have been prevented. Polio has been pushed to the brink of eradication, and just in the past few years new vaccines have become available for Ebola and malaria,

Mr Ghebreyesus said the bold funding commitments mean that the Gavi Alliance will be better able to maintain immunisation in lower-income countries, mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They will also help strengthen health systems.

The backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic is a sobering reminder of how much individual health depends on collective health and the critical role that vaccines play in keeping the global population safe and healthy.

Missing shot

Mr Guterres lamented that about 20 million children miss their full complement of vaccines and one-in-five have received no vaccines at all.

He said under the shadow of COVID-19, their plight is even more desperate.

He painted a picture of halted immunisation campaigns and broadening gaps in global vaccine delivery.

The Secretary-General appealed for three main commitments, beginning with finding safe ways to continue delivering vaccinations, even as COVID-19 spreads.

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Secondly, he asked that vaccine-delivery networks be used to deliver a range of other primary health services.

And finally, when the COVID-19 vaccine does become available, it should reach everyone, he said.

Disease knows no borders, that is why a fully funded GAVI will be critical to ensure we continue to progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),he said.

World leaders

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: Together, we have replenished this Alliance and here comes the number youve been waiting for: we have secured a fantastic $ 8.8 billion for GAVIs vital work over the next five years

The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said vaccines work, and 86 per cent of the worlds children have been reached by routine immunization.

In the midst of a global pandemic it has never been more important to build capacity to respond to disease outbreaks and work with organizations to deliver vaccines.

The King of Jordan, Abdullah bin Al Hussein, called guaranteed equal access not only the moral and just approach, it is also in the interest of the entire international community It is our responsibility as an international community to make sure the most vulnerable are not left behind.

Egypts President, Abdel al-Sisi, maintained that it was pivotal not to allow the pandemic to affect the importance of fighting other infectious diseases or to exert collective efforts to resume immunization campaigns against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Ethiopia President, Sahle-Work Zewde, underscored the importance of inoculations by saying that her country had boosted routine immunisation from 30 per cent in 2000, to 72 per cent today, spelling out that since 2018, 1.1 million girls have been spared from the scourge of cervical cancer due to the introduction of the HPV vaccine.
The US powerful Secretary of Department of State Mike Pompeo in a statement says the US acknowledges the Burundian Constitutional Courts certification of Evariste Ndayishimiye as the next President of Burundi.

We encourage the new government to include a broad representation of political stakeholders. As steadfast supporters of democracy, we call on the government to address reports of electoral fraud and investigate and pursue accountability for all allegations of voter intimidation before, during, and after the elections Statement reads.

It adds We also urge the release of any authorized party representatives and other election observers who were unjustly detained or arrested for engaging in election observation activities, including possessing voting information after polling stations closed, to promote electoral transparency.

A swift resolution, in accordance with existing laws and procedures, will help reassure the Burundian people of the new governments commitment to strengthen respect for the rule of law and allow all its citizens to participate fully and equally in the electoral process.

The United States salutes the people of Burundi for their resolve for a peaceful transfer of power. We also recognize outgoing President Pierre Nkurunzizas commitment to a peaceful transition. Should it occur, this will be a historic moment for the people of Burundi, as it will represent the first time in Burundis modern history that a government came into power peacefully and also peacefully transitioned to a new president-elect.

The United States looks forward to working with President-elect Ndayishimiye and the new government to strengthen the rule of law and democratic institutions, improve citizen-responsive governance, promote prosperity, and safeguard regional and global security
Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Salopek is on an intercontinental journey of 24,000 miles, tracing humankind's movement out of Africa right down to South America.

Nikita Puri traces his passage through India.

IMAGE: 'First steps in India with new walking partner Arati Kumar Rao. Only 3,700 kilometers (2,260 mi) left to Bangladesh,' Paul Salopek writes. All comments and photographs: Kind courtesy PaulSalopek/Twitter.com

In February 2018, Arati Kumar-Rao waited at India's Wagah-Attari border with Pakistan.

An environmental photographer and writer from Bengaluru, Kumar-Rao was there to welcome Paul Salopek, a journalist who by then had been walking across countries and documenting stories through writings, videos and pictures for five years.

The American is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner (1998 and 2001) and a National Geographic Fellow whose entry into India was part of a journey that spans 24,000 miles.

He hopes to trace the paths of the first humans who migrated out of Africa 60,000 years ago.

This project, called the 'Out of Eden Walk', will end at Tierra del Fuego in South America, one of the last places to be inhabited by humans.

IMAGE: 'Buckshot gravel- facing the bodi Wakhan winds, in Tajikistan.'

Salopek's journey began in Ethiopia, at Herto Bouri, one of the world's oldest human fossil sites, in January 2013.

It took him five years to reach the India-Pakistan border, where Kumar-Rao met him.

She is among the nine men and women who became Salopek's walking partners as he traversed India.

Every time Salopek crosses into another country, he writes a 'goodbye letter', an essay commemorating his time in the country he leaves behind.

His last dispatch from India is now online but differs from the previous essays -- this time it is Salopek's walking partners who share their stories.

These, alongside Salopek's own documentations, sprawl across the fields and rivers of Punjab, Rajasthan's Thar Desert and the hills of Madhya Pradesh to Uttar Pradesh's holy cities.

Stories from Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and Manipur also feature.

For Salopek and his fellow travellers, shelter was sometimes the shade of a tree, or a granary.

They'd walk between 15 and 27 miles a day.

A break could mean sleeping on plastic chairs, waking up to find their t-shirts drenched with sweat.

IMAGE: 'Sawbones. Donkey wrangler Verinder Singh performs his dark arts on the twisted ankle of walking partner Prem Panicker. Rajasthan, India.'

Salopek's route out of Africa was planned taking into account archaeological records and advances in human genetics.

The day-to-day diversions and stops are not.

"In the short term the anchors for our routes were more for the stories we could find, and not really the cities and the towns," says Siddharth Agarwal, a Kolkata-based aerospace engineer who has been documenting India's rivers as the founder of a non-profit called Veditum. He was one of Salopek's walking partners.

Dependence on Google Maps meant unexpected adventures.

When Bengaluru-based journalist Prem Panicker, another partner, sprained his ankle, he hitched a ride on a tractor to secure accommodation at a supposedly nearby guest house. (Panicker insists the ankle wasn't bad the first time he hurt it; Salopek insists it was amazing that Panicker walked for miles on desert roads with an ankle that had swollen to the size of a grapefruit.)

IMAGE: 'Moonlight and air conditioning. Walking partner Prem Panicker in a backyard camp. Near Rawatsar, India.'

There was no guest house. The place was where a local family, the Tandis, would set up rest stops for pilgrims. It was a pilgrimage-season affair only.

That night, the Tandis fed their unexpected visitors in plates so large they had to be carried by two people.

One of the biggest takeaways from the trip, says Panicker, was the kindness of strangers and the camaraderie between the walkers.

Another, says Kumar-Rao, is the knowledge that all her needs can be packed into a bag: A case for minimalist, sustainable living.

IMAGE: 'Three rivers - the route ahead through central India. Map by sidagarwal.'

Among the countless stories is the time when Kumar-Rao ventured out to the Beas river while Salopek was unwell.

She asked a boatman if he had seen any Indus river dolphins -- a 2018 WWF-India study indicated there are only five to 11 of them left in India.

"I just saw two," the boatman said.

Kumar-Rao hopped on to his boat and they went up the river in time to spot a mother and a calf.

Salopek dragged himself out of bed to see the dolphins.

The mother and calf finally rewarded him on his third attempt.

IMAGE: 'Oxygen break. Ashram near Prayagraj, India.'

Salopek stumbled into journalism by accident.

He was headed to a job in the Gulf of Mexico, on a prawn fishing boat, when his bike broke down.

Salopek picked up a reporting job in 1985 at a local newspaper only to earn money to fix the bike.

Stories are all that Salopek carries with him.

"I can't carry much weight, so I don't collect souvenirs," he says.

He accepts some gifts for their emotional significance, such as a keffiyeh headdress given by a walking partner in Saudi Arabia, slippers knitted by a host in Kurdistan, and a traditional Uzbek shirt.

He ships these home to the United States.

IMAGE: '100 walked km into Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. 900-yr-old Altit Fort, Silk Road kingdom of Hunza.'

"Paul wanted his walking partners to share their biases with him. He wanted to see India from our lens too," says Agarwal.

This wouldn't be the first time Salopek has tried different perspectives.

Salopek, who has a pilot's licence, has also worked as a labourer in a gold mine and on fruit farms, managed a cattle ranch, installed walk-in freezers, worked as a landscape labourer, and refuelled aircrafts at airports.

A coalition of perspectives shapes Salopek's writings which touch a multitude of subjects, from sand mining in Bihar to the songs of the cicadas in the Jaintia Hills. (These songs were so loud that Salopek says it was as if all the world's cicadas had converged there, a 'global conclave of cicada-dom'.)

IMAGE: 'The last dacoits - A walk through north India's remote Chambal frontier -- notorious hideout of robbers and revolutionaries -- tamed by massive police raids & road building.

"I was a rebel. I fought injustice," says former dacoit Malkhan Singh, 76, who lives in Gwalior. He sleeps with a rifle "for my protection".'

He writes of meeting a former dacoit in Gwalior (who still sleeps with his rifle), and a pizza-maker from Bihar for whom the US-Afghanistan conflict meant good business.

He writes of how farmers in Manipur find relics from the Battle of Imphal.

In between deep dives on subjects as serious as climate change, Salopek's humour shines through.

One of the great dangers in the world is the 'homicidal motorised traffic' of northern Pakistan, he writes.

IMAGE: 'Walking two rivers at once. Partner sidagarwal geo-locates a great unseen frontier in India, the ghostly boundaries between the Ganges & Brahmaputra watersheds. Near Siliguri, W. Bengal, India.'

The 'Out of Eden Walk' was originally meant to take seven years -- this could have been the year that marked the end of the walk.

Instead, Salopek, who crossed into Myanmar through the Moreh Tamu crossing in Manipur, is currently in a remote town called Putao in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Halted by COVID-19, he's researching the route ahead.

IMAGE: 'My India. Band of sisters & brothers seeing me off at the Moreh border with Myanmar. From left Sid Agarwal, Prem Panicker, Luciole, Arati Kumar Rao, Hormazd Mehta, Pri Borpujari, and Bhavita B.'

His commitment to the walk, of slowly discovering the world, has only deepened, says Salopek.

"I never knew, leaving Africa, how far I would get. I can say now that I was measuring things all wrong -- stupidly -- by distance, by time," he says.

"Measured properly, by the quotient of joy this journey deposits in my heart every morning when I wake up, I can report that this journey is just beginning: it starts freshly again and again, every single day."

Salopek doesn't always have guides or walking partners.

His lean frame walking across countries might cut a solitary figure, but there's a world of readers that keeps step with him.

National Geographic Fellow Paul Salopek can be followed in real time on outofedenwalk.org

Production: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
New Analyses Presented at the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Digital Congress

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) ("Takeda") today announced findings from two new interim analyses of data from the Phase 3 HELP (Hereditary Angioedema Long-term Prophylaxis) Study Open-label Extension (OLE). The analyses suggest that TAKHZYRO (lanadelumab) is well-tolerated and can prevent hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks over an extended treatment period, with sustained and consistent reduction in monthly attack rate across a range of different patient subgroups. The data are being presented at the 2020 European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Digital Congress.

The original Phase 3 HELP Study was conducted in 125 patients aged 12 years and older over 26 weeks, making it the largest randomised, controlled prevention study in HAE, with the longest active treatment duration, to date.1 The HELP Study OLE was designed to evaluate the long-term safety (primary endpoint) and efficacy of TAKHZYRO for up to 2.5 years and was completed in November 2019. These interim analyses were based on data collected between May 2016 and August 2018 and included 109 rollover patients, who were originally evaluated in the HELP Study, and 103 eligible non-rollover patients who did not participate in the initial study but had experienced at least one HAE attack in 12 weeks. At the time of the interim analyses, patients received treatment for a mean duration of 19.7 months (0-26.1).2,3,4

"HAE attacks are unpredictable, often painful and can be debilitating for those living with the disease. These data are exciting as they help us better understand the potential of TAKHZYRO to provide sustained prevention and reduce attack frequency long-term, across a range of patient demographics," said Donatello Crocetta, M.D., Global Medical Head, Rare Immunology and Metabolic Diseases, Chief Medical Office, Takeda. "The HELP Study OLE analyses add to the evidence that supports TAKHZYRO as a leading option in preventive HAE treatments."

Results from the HELP Study OLE showed that the safety profile of TAKHZYRO was consistent with the original findings from the HELP Study, with treatment-related treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurring in 50% of patients (n=106).5 In addition, data from the HELP Study OLE showed that the efficacy of TAKHZYRO 300 mg administered subcutaneously every two weeks in rollover patients was consistent with the original findings from the HELP Study. A sustained reduction in attack rate was observed in this group, with numerically lower mean monthly attack rates of 0.18 (n=25) during the extended treatment period of the HELP Study OLE and 0.26 (n=25) at the end of the HELP Study.6 The efficacy profile of non-rollover patients was similar to efficacy in rollover patients with two years of cumulative study experience in the HELP Study and HELP Study OLE. The median attack rate reduction was consistent across all subgroups, including patient sex, race, HAE type, age, BMI, history of prophylaxis use, history of laryngeal attacks, and baseline attack rate.7

In the study TEAEs occurred in ~95% of patients (N=212) and were mostly mild or moderate in severity. The TEAEs related to treatment that were reported in more than 5% of patients are injection site pain (33.9% of rollover patients [n=37] and 42.7% of non-rollover patients [n=44]), injection site erythema (11.9% of rollover patients [n=13] and 15.5% of non-rollover patients [n=16]) and injection site bruising (4.6% of rollover patients [n=5] and 9.7% of non-rollover patients [n=10]).5

Lanadelumab is well-tolerated and effective across patient subgroups: findings from the HELP open-label extension study; OAS 21 Recorded scientific content (#1287)

In this interim analysis, treatment with TAKHZYRO 300 mg every two weeks was well-tolerated and effectively reduced attack rates over an extended treatment period across different patient demographic and disease characteristics.7

According to the interim analysis, the median attack rate reduction was consistent regardless of patient sex (98.6% reduction in males [n=69], 97.4% females [n=143]; race (97.8% white [n=198], 95.9% non-white [n=14]); HAE type (97.6% type 1 [n=189], 97.4% type 2 [n=21]); age (97.4% <18 years [n=2]), 97.4% 18-40 years [n=77], 98.4% 40-65 years [n=103], 92.0% =65 years [n=11]); BMI (98.5% normal [n=61], 97.5% overweight [n=60], 97.1% obese [n=59]); history of long-term prophylaxis use (97.2% C1-INH use [n=106], 97.1% no LTP [n=87]); history of laryngeal attacks (97.1% yes [n=130], 99.8% no [n=82]); and baseline attack rate (92.2% <1 attack/month [n=25], 100% 1-<2 attacks/month [n=74], 98.1% 2-<3 attacks/month [n=30], 96.5% =3 attacks/month [n=83]).7

The safety profile of TAKHZYRO was comparable across all subgroups, with treatment-related treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurring in 50% of patients (n=106) and the most common being mild injection site pain.7

Efficacy of lanadelumab is durable over time: Findings from the HELP Study and HELP OLE; OAS 21 Recorded scientific content (#1096)

According to the interim analysis, treatment with TAKHZYRO 300 mg every two weeks demonstrated sustained reductions in HAE attack rates in patients who received treatment for a mean duration of 19.7 months (0-26.1).6

At the end of the HELP Study and at the start of the HELP Study OLE, the mean attack rates per month in the patients receiving TAKHZYRO 300 mg every two weeks ranged from 0.26 (n=25) for the treatment group and 2.39 (n=33) for the control group. For patients treated with TAKHZYRO 300 mg every two weeks in the original HELP Study, sustained reductions in HAE attacks were observed in the HELP Study OLE, with a mean monthly attack rate of 0.18 (n=25).6

Similarly, further numerical reductions were also shown for the number of attacks requiring acute treatment and for the rate of moderate or severe attacks for this group as well as for patients receiving TAKHZYRO 300 mg every four weeks in the HELP Study (n=25).6

The efficacy profile of non-rollover patients was similar to efficacy in rollover patients with two years of cumulative study experience in the HELP Study and HELP Study OLE.6

Takeda will present the following analyses during the EAACI Digital Congress:

An open-label, multicentre phase 3 study evaluating lanadelumab for the prevention of hereditary angioedema attacks in paediatric patients: SPRING study design; TPS 07 Recorded scientific content (#1490)

Evaluation of long-term effectiveness of lanadelumab for hereditary angioedema in real-world clinical practice: design of the ENABLE study; PDS 06 Recorded scientific content (#1126)

Effectiveness of Lanadelumab in the Real-World Setting: Findings from a Temporary Authorization of Use (ATU) in France for the Treatment of Hereditary Angioedema Type 1/2; PDS 06 Recorded scientific content (#1285)

The Relationship between Treatment with Long-Term Prophylaxis and Attack Rate in Hereditary Angioedema (HAE): A Multinational Chart Review Study; PDS 06 Recorded scientific content (#1216)

Treatment-Specific Normalization of Plasma Kallikrein Activity Observed in Patients with Hereditary Angioedema (HAE); PDS 06 Recorded scientific content (#708)

A Novel Dried Blood Spot Assay of Functional C1 Inhibitor Activity from Patients with Hereditary Angioedema; DCPD 07 Recorded scientific content (#675)

Implementation of a novel DBS-based methodology to diagnose hereditary angioedema in subjects with recurrent abdominal pain of unclear etiology the international EHA study; OAS 21 Recorded scientific content (#1475)

Study to evaluate metabolomic profiling of hereditary angioedema and identify candidate biomarkers for disease monitoring (HAEKA Study); PDS 06 Recorded scientific content (#1360)

Effectiveness of icatibant to control symptoms of HAE attacks in real-world clinical practice; PDS 06 Recorded scientific content (#1300)

Treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema due to C1 inhibitor deficiency with icatibant in paediatric versus adult patients: findings from the Icatibant Outcome Survey; PDS 06 Recorded scientific content (#1333)

Long-term effectiveness and safety of icatibant for the on-demand treatment of hereditary angioedema attacks: 10 years of the Icatibant Outcome Survey; OAS 21 Recorded scientific content (#1118)

All of the presentations are available throughout the duration of the digital congress via the online scientific programme.

About The HELP StudyOpen-label Extension

The HELP (Hereditary Angioedema Long-term Prophylaxis) Study Open-label Extension (OLE) is an evaluation of the long-term efficacy and safety of TAKHZYRO in hereditary angioedema (HAE) patients of at least 12 years of age and older. Two hundred and twelve patients received treatment with TAKHZYRO at the start of the OLE Study (109 rollover patients originally evaluated in the HELP Study and who continued into the OLE, and 103 eligible patients who did not participate in the HELP study but who had experienced at least one attack in 12 weeks). Rollover patients received a dose of 300 mg TAKHZYRO on Day 0 and then every two weeks after their first attack. Non-rollover patients were treated with one 300 mg dose every two weeks, beginning on Day 0. One hundred and ninety-three participants completed at least 12 months of treatment and 27 participants completed at least 24 months of treatment at the time of the interim analyses.2,3,4

About Hereditary Angioedema

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disorder that results in recurrent attacks of oedema swelling in various parts of the body, including the abdomen, face, feet, genitals, hands and throat. The swelling can be debilitating and painful.8,9,10 Attacks that obstruct the airways can cause asphyxiation and are potentially life threatening.8,9 HAE affects an estimated 1 in 50,000 people worldwide. It is often under-recognized, under-diagnosed and under-treated.8,11

About TAKHZYRO (lanadelumab)

TAKHZYRO(lanadelumab) is indicated for routine prevention of recurrent attacks HAE in patients aged 12 years and older. TAKHZYRO is a fully human monoclonal antibody that specifically binds and decreases plasma kallikrein activity. TAKHZYRO is produced in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells by recombinant DNA technology.12

TAKHZYRO is formulated for subcutaneous administration and has a half-life of approximately two weeks in patients with HAE. TAKHZYRO is intended for the self-administration or administration by a caregiver, only after training by a healthcare professional.12

TAKHZYRO Safety Information for Europe

Please consult the TAKHZYRO Summary Product Characteristics (SmPC) before prescribing.

TAKHZYRO treatment should be initiated under the supervision of a physician experienced in the management of patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE). TAKHZYRO may be self-administered or administered by a caregiver only after training on SC injection technique by a healthcare professional.12

Contraindication

Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients.

Warnings and Precautions

Traceability: In order to improve the traceability of biological medicinal products, the name and the batch number of the administered product should be clearly recorded.

Hypersensitivity reactions have been observed. In case of a severe hypersensitivity reaction, administration of TAKHZYRO must be stopped immediately and appropriate treatment must be initiated.

General: TAKHZYRO is not intended for treatment of acute HAE attacks. In case of a breakthrough HAE attack, individualized treatment should be initiated with an approved rescue medication. There are no available clinical data on the use of lanadelumab in HAE patients with normal C1-INH activity.

Interference with coagulation test: Lanadelumab can increase activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) due to an interaction of lanadelumab with the aPTT assay. The reagents used in the aPTT laboratory test initiate intrinsic coagulation through the activation of plasma kallikrein in the contact system. Inhibition of plasma kallikrein by lanadelumab can increase aPTT in this assay. None of the increases in aPTT in patients treated with TAKHZYRO were associated with abnormal bleeding adverse events. There were no differences in international normalised ratio (INR) between treatment groups.

Sodium content: This medicinal product contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per vial, that is to say essentially 'sodium-free'.

Interactions

No dedicated drug-drug interaction studies have been conducted. Based on the characteristics of lanadelumab, no pharmacokinetic interactions with co-administered medicinal products is expected.

As expected, concomitant use of the rescue medication C1 esterase inhibitor results in an additive effect on lanadelumab-cHMWK response based on the mechanism of action (MOA) of lanadelumab and C1 esterase inhibitor.

Immunogenicity

Treatment with lanadelumab has been associated with development of treatment emergent anti-drug antibodies (ADA) in 11.9% (10/84) of subjects. All antibody titres were low. The ADA response was transient in 20% (2/10) of ADA positive subjects. 2.4% (2/84) of lanadelumab-treated subjects tested positive for neutralizing antibodies.

The development of ADA including neutralising antibodies against TAKHZYRO did not appear to adversely affect the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) profiles or clinical response.

Adverse Reactions

The most commonly observed adverse reaction (52.4%) associated with TAKHZYRO was injection site reactions (ISR) including injection site pain, injection site erythema and injection site bruising. Of these ISRs, 97% were of mild intensity, 90% resolved within 1 day after onset with a median duration of 6 minutes.

Hypersensitivity reaction (mild and moderate pruritus, discomfort and tingling of tongue) was observed (1.2%)

Very common

(frequency =1/10): Injection site reactions* Common

(=1/100 to <1/10): Hypersensitivity**, dizziness, rash maclo-papular, myalgia, alanine aminotransferase increased, aspartate aminotransferase increased.

*Injection site reactions include: pain, erythema, bruising, discomfort, haematoma, haemorrhage, pruritus, swelling, induration, paraesthesia, reaction, warmth, oedema and rash.

** Hypersensitivity includes: pruritus, discomfort and tingling of tongue.

For European Union Summary of Product Characteristics, please visit https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/takhzyro-epar-product-information_en.pdf.

For full U.S. Prescribing Information, including the approved indication and important safety information, please visit https://www.shirecontent.com/PI/PDFs/TAKHZYRO_USA_ENG.pdf.

About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to patients by translating science into highly-innovative medicines. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Diseases, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries.

For more information, visit https://www.takeda.com.

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1 Banerji A, Riedl MA, Bernstein JA, et al; for the HELP Investigators. Effect of lanadelumab compared with placebo on prevention of hereditary angioedema attacks: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2018;320(20):2108-2121.

2 K. Paes, Craig T, Bernstein JA, Longhurst HJ, et al; for the HELP OLE Study Investigators. Efficacy of Lanadelumab in Hereditary Angioedema Patients With and Without Prior Long-Term Prophylaxis Use: Interim Results From the HELPOpen-Label Extension Study. AAAAI 2020.

3 Banerji A, Riedl MA, Tachdjian R, et al; for the HELP OLE Study Investigators. Consistent Reduction in HAE Attack Rate with Lanadelumab Regardless Of Baseline Attack Frequency: Interim Findings From the Phase 3 HELP Study Open Label Extension (OLE). AAAAI 2020. Abstract #319.

4 Riedl MA, Johnston DT, Lumry WR, et al. Attack-Free Status of Patients With Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) During Extended Treatment With Lanadelumab in the HELP OLE Study. AAAAI 2020.

5 Johnston DT, Banerji A, Nurse C, et al; for the HELP OLE Study Investigators. Long-Term Safety of Lanadelumab in Hereditary Angioedema (HAE): Interim Results From the HELP OLE Study. ACAAI 2019.

6 Kiani S et al. Efficacy of lanadelumab is durable over time: Findings from the HELP Study and HELP OLE. EAACI 2020. OAS 21 Recorded scientific content #1096

7 Maurer M et al. Lanadelumab is well-tolerated and effective across patient subgroups: findings from the HELP open-label extension study. EAACI 2020. OAS 21 Recorded scientific content #1287

8 Cicardi M, Bork K, Caballero T, et al; on behalf of HAWK (Hereditary Angioedema International Working Group). Evidence based recommendations for the therapeutic management of angioedema owing to hereditary C1 inhibitor deficiency: consensus report of an International Working Group. Allergy. 2012; 67(2):147-157.

9 Zuraw BL. Hereditary angioedema. N Engl J Med. 2008;359(10):1027-1036.

10 Banerji A. The burden of illness in patients with hereditary angioedema. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2013;111(5):329-336.

11 Longhurst HJ, Bork K. Hereditary angioedema: causes, manifestations, and treatment. Br J Hosp Med. 2006;67(12):654-657.

12 TAKHZYRO (lanadelumab) European Summary of Product Characteristics.

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Contacts:

Japanese Media

Kazumi Kobayashi

kazumi.kobayashi@takeda.com

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Emily Bunting

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Tens of thousands of people rallied in Mali's capital Bamako on Friday demanding the departure of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, in a show of force from his recently energised opponents.

The protest follows several demonstrations last month in the West African state over the outcome of recent parliamentary elections, which the president won, as well as over coronavirus restrictions.

On Friday, tens of thousands of people amassed in a central square in Bamako, AFP journalists said, to the blare of vuvezela horns.

The protest organisers, an opposition alliance called Rally of the Patriotic Forces of Mali (RFP), put the number of protesters at one million people.

A police official told AFP some 20,000 people attended the demonstration.

Some protesters waved banners bearing slogans such as "IBK, get out," using the acronym by which the president is popularly known.

Others marched with banners demanding the liberation of Soumaila Cisse, a former prime minister and opposition leader who was kidnapped in volatile central Mali on March 25 while campaigning for the parliamentary election.

Mali's government has struggled to quell jihadist violence that first broke out in north in 2012, and which has killed thousands of soldiers and civilians to date.

The conflict has since spread to the centre of the country, as well as neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

"We are here to demand the departure of President IBK," said Issa Kaou N'Djim, an RFP official.

Addressing the large crowd in Bamako, he called on people to stay in the streets until Keita agrees to step down.

The president, who enjoys strong international support, has not yet responded to the protests.

- Opposition alliance -

The RFP alliance that organised the rally is a newly formed grouping of opposition parties and civil-society groups.

Among its leaders are Cheick Oumar Sissoko, a former culture minister, and Mahmoud Dicko, a prominent imam and politician.

A religious hardliner, Dicko was considered an ally of President Keita before he entered politics several months ago.

Dressed in white and wearing a turban, the imam told protesters on Friday that the president's government was guilty of "mismanagement, embezzlement, lies".

"If he does not listen to us, he will see worse than today," Dicko said.

The RFP on Friday also urged the "implementation of all necessary actions" to release kidnapped opposition leader Somaila Cisse.

According to security officials, Cisse is suspected to have been captured by jihadists.

Keita -- who was first elected in 2013 and then won a second five-year term in 2018 -- has been under pressure to find solutions to Mali's cycle of violence.

The president admitted to contacts with jihadists in February, after having long resisted the option which many view as way necessary in order to stop the bloodshed.

Mali also held a parliamentary election in March, which had long been delayed, mainly over security concerns.

Holding the election was seen as a step towards solving the country's crisis.

There are hopes, for example, that new MPs will endorse changes to the constitution that will promote decentralisation -- another policy which experts which argue could reduce conflict.

The parliamentary poll provoked several protests last month, however, after the results for several seats were disputed.
The ongoing pandemic has created a health and an economic crisis worldwide. In India, we hope to attract several companies that may shift their operations from China. While it is seen as an opportunity to propel India to be an economic powerhouse, we see migrants trying desperately to return to their villages. Between the jubilation of China based industries shifting to India and the long march of the migrants is a message that will determine our future.

Indias path to development has been an environmental disaster. Vast swathes of forests have been destroyed, rivers polluted and the very air that millions breathe is toxic. The lockdown provided a welcome relief to the environment; the air became clearer and the Himalayas were visible from afar, rivers and streams sparkled and wildlife appeared to frolic. However, this scenario will not last long as the nation springs back to life for economic reasons.

The real danger is that in our zeal to get the economy back on track, to achieve our targets of GDP, to kick start the economy and to revive employment, we will be putting added pressure on our already stressed environment. Dr NH Ravindranath, former professor, Indian Institute of Science, states, A vaccine or drug will be the silver bullet for the pandemic, but there will be no silver bullet for the looming threat of climate change. This entails that the economic recovery post the pandemic should not take us back to business as usual. It should take us along a new path of sustainable development with respect for the environment.

Once we have crossed the tipping point of climate change, there will be no going back; perhaps humanity will then be playing out the end game. Claude Alvares from Goa Foundation visualises an exodus from the coastal areas of Kerala due to rising sea levels. These climate refugees may have to be relocated in the Western Ghats at the cost of the precious forests that bring the South West Monsoon. Millions will flee our coastal cities, including Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Time is our enemy. We do not have the luxury of time. Incredulous though it may seem, most scientists seem to have ignored the phenomenon of permafrost melt in the Arctic and other snow-covered regions. Permafrost melt will set off a vicious cycle of carbon dioxide release, which in turn will result in more rapid melt.

Climate scientists have warned that to keep global temperature below 2 degree Centigrade, carbon dioxide levels have to be cut by 45 per cent by 2030. However, if permafrost melt is factored in, then we do not have even that much time. Be that as it may, these are matters for global negotiations and commitments. What is the way forward for India? Subsidies should shift to electric vehicles, solar energy, clean cook stoves etc. Production units moving in from China must be accepted only with latest clean technologies, located away from existing industrial hubs and metropolises and set up in regions where forests and catchment areas are not sacrificed.

While carbon dioxide is the known villain, we have opportunities to buy precious time by drastic reduction in black carbon emissions. This has been brought out with amazing clarity in Jonathan Mingles book Fire and Ice. We also have opportunities for regional cooperation in reducing black carbon. My paper on the HIMEK Alliance envisages a regional cooperation of 11 countries to mitigate climate change in the Himalayas and the Mekong Basin through a strategy of reduction of black carbon emissions coupled with largescale forest land restoration programs. The HIMEK proposal has been endorsed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Asian Institute of Technology. Mahatma Gandhi said that the future of India lies in its villages.

Watching lakhs of migrants return home reminds us of his words. Decades after Gandhi, Anna Hazare championed the cause at Ralegan Siddhi. With watershed management as the main area of focus, he strengthened the village community, fought corruption, brought prosperity to the villagers, and reversed migration to cities. The present exodus from cities to villages has exposed the glaring fact that the rural poor have been exploited to enable growth of metropolises that are imploding under their own weight. It is time to reconsider the very paradigm of development and the mad rush towards improving the GDP.

We must move to the Bhutanese philosophy of Nine Domains of Gross National Happiness which includes psychological well-being, health, cultural diversity, resilience and ecological diversity among others. These domains cannot have meaning if village communities are compelled to leave homes and made to live in crowded, unclean slums in far away cities. While the government may be genuinely concerned about the plight of farmers, destruction of catchment areas for multilane highways, railways, dams and power lines have resulted in droughts that drive them to debt and suicide. It is also a factor that acts as a catalyst for migration to cities. There is a strong case for agriculture to be made lucrative by eliminating middlemen and providing well thought out subsidies. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) should ensure gainful employment through work on watershed development and forest land restoration. Populist schemes need to be restricted lest we create a generation that thrives on doles.

The one big worry is that we will act in haste to revive the economy and create a situation on environment and climate change that create scenarios worse than those prior to the pandemic. Hence, there is a need for extensive consultations and deliberate planning. We also need to plan ahead and carry out proper landscape management with a vision for the future. We can then protect our catchment areas (perhaps, we should rename them as water producing areas for better effect) and food producing regions while developing industrial hubs and population centers in a pragmatic manner with a timeline of 2050 and beyond. In fact, the urgency to revise and dilute the laws regarding Environment Impact Assessments and the Finance Ministers announcement that private parties would be allowed to carry out coal mining are very worrying.

This indicates that the government will carry out activities that will cause further damage to the land and forests by giving a greater impetus to coal. We will see more destruction of forests and eco-sensitive areas for mining, quarrying and for infrastructure projects such as multi-lane highways, railways and power transmission lines. We have to tread with caution and the old narrative must change. Continued assault on the environment in the name of development will ultimately lead to economic ruination. Industrialisation is a reality, and smart cities are certainly needed. But at the same time, let us also create flourishing villages with healthy rural economies. Gandhis vision, coupled with the Bhutanese philosophy of the Nine domains of Gross National Happiness, could be the Mantra for India!

COL CP MUTHANNA (RETD)

vice chair, Kodagu Model Forest Trust,

founder, Environment and Health Foundation (India)
Vietnam announces two more SARS-CoV-2 test kits of international standards

Two more 'made-in-Vietnam' SARS-CoV-2 test kits meeting international standards were announced at a ceremony in Hanoi on June 5.









The test kits, One-step RT-PCR COVID-19 KIT THAI DUONG and RT-LAMP COVID-19 KIT THAI DUONG, have been widely used in Europe and named in the World Health Organisation (WHO)s Emergency Use Listing procedure. (Photo: VNA)





The test kits, One-step RT-PCR COVID-19 KIT THAI DUONG and RT-LAMP COVID-19 KIT THAI DUONG, have been widely used in Europe and named in the World Health Organisation (WHO)s Emergency Use Listing procedure.



The SUNSTAR JSC have joined hands with the two groups of scientists from the National Institute for Control of Vaccine and Biologicals, and Hanoi University of Science and Technology, in the production of the test kits.



RT-LAMP THAI DUONG has drawn much attention from European and American nations thanks to its applicability, said Nguyen Thi Huong Lien, Deputy General Director of the SUNSTAR JSC.



Earlier, the WHOs medical product evaluation agency sent a letter informing the certification of the SARS-CoV-2 test kit LightPower iVA SARS-CoV-2 1st RT-rPCR , which was jointly produced by the Vietnam Military Medical University and Viet A Company.



The British Ministry of Health and Social Care also issued a certificate of European standard (CE) and a certificate of free sale (CFS) for the made-in-Vietnam test kit.



Vietnam reported no new COVID-19 infections on June 5 evening, marking the 50th day in a row without coronavirus transmissions in the community.



The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country still stands at 328, including 188 imported ones, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

On June 5, five COVID-19 patients were declared fully recovered, raising the total recoveries in the country to 307, or 93.6 percent.

Among the active patients, 10 tested negative for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 once, and three others tested negative for the virus at least twice.

At present, 8,143 people having close contact with patients or arriving from pandemic-hit areas are being quarantined, including 83 at hospitals, 6,964 at concentrated quarantine establishments and 1,096 at home and places of residence.
A lot of comparisons are being made between the unrest in the United States during 1967 and 1968, and the current turmoil that followed the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis while he was in police custody.

[Read our complete coverage of protests around the world over racism and police violence.]

Then, as now, the United States is in upheaval over issues of racism and police violence. But here in Canada, we dont have to look across the border to find instances of racism.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau paused for 21 seconds of silence before not directly answering a reporters question about President Trumps reaction to the unrest in the United States. Mr. Trumps reaction was widely seen as fanning the flames of discord.

Declining an opportunity to take a shot at Mr. Trump personally, Mr. Trudeau cautioned Canadians about being complacent on issues of race.

It is a time for us as Canadians to recognize that we too have our challenges, Mr. Trudeau said. There is systemic racism in Canada.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused the government of actively destroying the country's economy by refusing to provide cash support to people and small and medium enterprises as he termed the Modi regime "Demon 2.0". He shared a news report on Twitter on the impact the coronavirus pandemic would have on the economy and the state of affairs of the MSME sector in the country.

Gandhi has called for an immediate provision of Rs 10,000 to the poor and an economic stimulus package for the MSME industry to come out of the current situation.

"Government is actively destroying our economy by refusing to give cash support to people and MSMEs. This is Demon 2.0," he tweeted.

The Congress has also been demanding an economic stimulus package for the MSME sector, which provides employment to a large number of people, together with cash in the hands of people, to help generate demand.

Gandhi had earlier said that it was criminal on the part of the government not to provide cash to people and the industry to emerge out of this crisis.

He had termed the lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of virus as one that "failed" in achieving its aim and purpose.

Also Read: Coronavirus crisis: India records highest-ever spike of 9,887 new cases; tally rises to 2.36 lakh

Also Read: Haryana CM launches portal to bring all registered enterprises on single platform
Srinagar, June 7 : Suspected terrorists shot dead a civilian at the Bomai area in north Kashmir's Baramulla district on Saturday evening, officials said.

The victim has been identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Najar, the police said. Najar received grievous gunshot injuries and was shifted to the hospital for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries.

The police said an investigation is in progress and officers are working to establish the full circumstances of this terror crime.

The area has been cordoned off, and search operations are in progress.
A suspected human slavery victim has died after he was trapped inside a burning cannabis factory in Brierley Hill, West Midlands.

Two men - believed to have been trafficked to the UK from abroad - were pulled from the blaze, which started in a locked industrial unit at Premier Trading Estate, Leys Road, on Thursday evening.

They were both taken to hospital but one of the men, aged 43, died on Friday afternoon. Police say a postmortem examination will take place to establish the cause of death.

The other man, who is in his 20s, has since been discharged.

Pictured: Smoke rises from an industrial unit in Brierley Hill, West Midlands containing a cannabis factory. A 43-year-old man has died, and was believed to be a slave being held in the factory against his will. Another man in his 20s was also pulled building but survived

West Midlands Police believe the men were 'effectively being held against their will' and said they had no way to escape the fire as the unit, used to grow cannabis on an industrial scale, was locked.

Detectives continue to work closely with West Midlands Fire Service and its specialist investigation team to establish the cause of the fire and the scene is currently being held for forensic analysis.

Detective Inspector Jim Mahon, from force CID, said: 'A man has sadly died and we're working to establish the full circumstances of what happened.

'We are urgently appealing for anyone with information about who is involved in exploiting these men, and involved in the set up to contact us.

'We know there was a drone flying over the unit when the fire first broke out, so we are appealing to the owner of the drone to contact us directly, as the footage recorded may hold vital information in our investigation.

'In order to make the site safe and to recover vital evidence, we have had to suspend power to the trading estate. I want to thank anyone affected by this power outage for their co-operation.'

The two men caught in the fire are believed by the police to be slaves forced to grow and farm cannabis (stock image) against their will

West Midlands Police believe the men were 'effectively being held against their will' and said they had no way to escape the fire as the unit (pictured), used to grow cannabis on an industrial scale, was locked

Superintendent Jason Anderson, from Dudley Neighbourhood Policing Unit, added: 'Our thoughts are with the family of the man who has tragically lost his life in these awful circumstances. We will be supporting detectives leading this enquiry anyway we can.

'A cannabis factory was discovered at the unit and we now believe these vulnerable men were trafficked into the UK and criminally exploited.

'We understand the concerns and harm that drugs cause in our communities and we continue to work tirelessly with partners to prevent organised criminality and the exploitation of vulnerable people in this way.'

Anyone with footage, or any information that could assist the investigation is urged to contact the police via Live Chat at www.west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight or by calling 101.
Akwaowo Otu, otherwise known as Mayor Otu, a 2008 graduate of biochemistry, University of Calabar, boldly embraced photography as a profession, and today he has made impact in documentary photography in Nigeria.

He is the author of the book, WE ARE ALL AFRAID: A Beginners Guide To Street Photography.

PT: What are other things you are passionate about other than photography?

OTU: I am passionate about evangelism, I am a very spiritual person. I am passionate about non-profit, my photography is actually based on that.

PT: What is that one thing that continually pulls you to photography?

OTU: The impact that one image can actually create. You could just have this frame, a picture, and it could change someones life, change a communitys life, change a nations life. It is the impact that a picture creates, not really about the glamour. Over time, I have seen my images impact lives, change things for people, get school fees, and school supplies for people, get money for people to start businesses, get water for communities.

PT: One can still do excellently well, make profits from photography as a hobby, while pursuing a career in a complete different field?

OTU: Being a doctor is a profession, being a lawyer is a profession, so photography is a profession. It could be a hobby, but its a profession. If I am supposed to go out and be the best in my profession, like medical surgeons are or lawyers, economists, accountants, and the likes, they spent time in the career, they put in years, they put in work. For me, that is the same thing. I want to put in years, and put in work, and put in everything I have into it because I am trying to build a career out of it. Because with a career, you are building a legacy.

PT: Many parents would disapprove of their children taking to photography as a career?

OTU: I have parents that wanted me to get a Ph.D. in biochemistry. The idea of photographers to them were people who go around at event venues, photograph for, maybe, N250 per copy. The idea of photography wasnt something they could buy into. But my parents are the kind of people that would not want to readily push their ideas to you, they would want to see you do what you want to do, maybe in their mind, they want you to fail so that you would come back to what they wanted you to do.

When I started, it wasnt like they supported it. They were not (also) against it. To support it means they would have given me money to get cameras and all of that, but they didnt do that. Turning against it means they would have stopped me from actually trying to photograph. They didnt do that, too.

But things have greatly changed. Two things happened. Once, my dads car got bad and the mechanic called a large amount for its repairs. He (dad) couldnt do it at that point, he was a civil servant. So, I asked the mechanic how much it cost and his account number. I transferred the money to the person. So he (dad) was like, where did you get the money from? I said photography! So, for the first time he was like, Is this boy really making this kind of money from photography? My dad is an upright person, his interest now was  he wants to be involved to know I was not ripping people off. Immediately he realised I was making genuine money, he was okay.

Then one of his friends in the government told him about my work that I did. The man didnt know me as my dads son, he just knew me as me. When he had that conversation with my dad and how proud he was of me, my dad told him, Yeah, thats my first son. That conversation actually changed a lot in his head, the way we (my dad and I) talked about photography changed. More so, I got married from photography money, so he is proud (of me).

PT: There are many people who would have wanted to own a camera, but perhaps got discouraged because of the one on their phone. How does this make you feel?

OTU: I know a lot of phone photographers who are making it as phone photographers. They are not regular guys, they dont want to buy cameras and all that, they just use the camera on their mobile phone. They are doing good and are getting sponsorship, too. So the point is knowing and harnessing your skills. It is not really about the tools, tools can be hired. People outside Nigeria dont buy it because it is costly. It is better you rent, do the work, make money, and go away.

PT: For people who wish to learn photography, where should they go to?

OTU: Find someone that is doing it (photography) and learn from the person. If you have internet access, YouTube is the best place. Type in your questions (about photography) on YouTube just like the way you do on Google, you will find answers  people have created videos for it and tutorials.

PT: You post on Twitter, a lot of photos with strong emotions. Have you ever reached that breaking point where you feel like crying during a photoshoot?

OTU: I have had it more times than I can count. (Laughs) There is a project I did, when I came back people said I looked depressed. It was the story I did about the women living with fibroid. That project changed my life, I would say, because having to hear conversations from these women, the things they are going through. Having to witness the surgery, stay inside the theatre and photograph the surgery, and having to see them wake up after the surgery. It was something very profound for me. It was in Uyo, actually. I see the fight in their eyes.

I dont photograph anybody I dont have a conversation with. So, when we have the conversation, people tend to tell you things that break their heart and as a human being, you connect to that. So when I am trying to photograph, what I do is to remind them of what they said to me and have that played back in their head. So immediately the react that is when I photograph. And most of the time I cant hold my tears. I believe that the strongest images are created at the moment of someones vulnerability. And when someone is vulnerable, it is at their breaking point. And as human who has empathy, you will be broken too. Sometimes, the tears come.

PT: Has your camera ever come in between you and your wife?

OTU: No. My wife was my best friend (before we got married). I think she was the very first person I said, back in Uyo then, I would travel Nigeria and I would be photographing. So she understands the dream. And I understand the part that when I am back, I am back. When I come back home after I shoot, I dont even want to copy the card, she is the one that is always telling me, Hey bring the picture, let me see.

PT: How tough is the competition out there, for you?

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OTU: I dont see competition. Let me tell you why. Before I moved to Lagos, my works were on exhibition in Abuja. I went to Abuja, people that I have not seen before loved the work. The presidents photographer bought some of the work, he told me I am doing great stuff and that if I actually want to do better I should just move. He told me in October (first week) and by the third week of October, I was in Lagos. That was in 2017.

I knew how to shoot portrait and I was a light assistant at a studio, so I learnt a lot about lighting and doing portraits for music artistes. I used to shoot for music artistes, too. Then I just told myself I dont enjoy (what I was doing), let me go back to my documentary stuff. When I was shooting artistes, it was only people that knew me that would refer people to me, there were bigger guys in the industry shooting artistes before me. So I went back to shooting documentary. I remember my friends telling me, You have to shoot everything so you could survive. I said to them, No, I dont have to shoot everything; I have to shoot what I know how to shoot. I knew I could shoot strong portrait of people on the street like nobody can.

Before long, people started sharing my work (on social media), people started asking Who is this guy? So my work was almost everywhere. I shot like two images and they went viral on Instagram. The attention started coming. Most of the people that come to me, they know exactly what they want, that is why most of the times I work with non-profits. With what I am doing, I am not seeing competition.

PT: Lets talk about the worth of the industry in terms of revenue and employment generation.

OTU: I believe the industry is still young. The industry is large enough to employ a lot of people and there is a lot of money to be made in the industry. The problem is that most people dont know how to access the funds (available for photography) or because of the fact that most people dont have the needed skills, so what is happening is that people are averaging at the lowest price.

PT: Whats the biggest amount youve ever made in photography in one single project?

OTU: It was $5,000 for one day.

PT: We will like to have you talk briefly about story-telling in photography.

Story-telling in photography, for me, is just your ability to use images to create attention, awareness to a particular cause or actually try to change stereotype with it. It is just like the rudiments of normal story-telling. Your images, as a story-teller, must be simple enough for someone to understand, but yet intriguing enough for them to ask questions.

PT: Do you think the industry has been underrated in Nigeria?

OTU: I think it has because of the fact that people who were successful did not show off. By that I mean when a lawyer wins a case in court, the person celebrates, the family gets to know, and everybody celebrates. The same with a medical doctor that just did a very difficult surgery, everybody celebrates, same with the accountant and the rest of the professionals. But a successful photographer before now didnt use to show off. And when people dont have something they can look up to as being successful they actually have to find a way of downplaying its place in society.
CALGARY, Alberta, June 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Resverlogix Corp. ("Resverlogix" or the "Company") (TSX:RVX) is pleased to announce the Company will host a Corporate Update Conference Call and Webcast on June 10th, 2020 at 9 am MT/11 am ET. The Company also announces its participation at the 57th ERA-EDTA Virtual Congress on June 9, 2020 with further details outlined below.



Conference Call & Webcast Details

For those wishing to join the June 10th Corporate Update Conference Call and Webcast, the event will start promptly at 9 am MT/11 am ET. It is highly recommended to access the webcast over the Internet using the following LINK . A replay of the webcast (using the same LINK provided) will be available for one month following the conclusion of the event.

If dialing in by phone, dial 1-800-319-4610 (within Canada / USA) or +1-604-638-5340 (International Toll). Callers should dial-in at least 10 min prior to the scheduled start time. A teleconference replay will be available for one month following the conclusion of the event and can be accessed by dialing 1-800-319-6413 (within Canada / USA) or +1-604-638-9010 (International Toll) and using the replay access code: 4697#.

57th ERA-EDTA Virtual Congress

Resverlogix is also pleased to announce that on June 9, 2020, Dr. Kam Kalantar-Zadeh, MD, MPH, PhD, Professor and Chief, Division of Nephrology, Hypertension, and Kidney Transplantation, University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA, will give a virtual oral presentation at the 57th ERA-EDTA Virtual Congress, titled: Effects of the bet-inhibitor apabetalone on cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and acute coronary syndrome, according to presence or absence of chronic kidney disease. A BETonMACE trial report. The presentation will be available via the Company website HERE , once available.

About Resverlogix

Resverlogix is developing apabetalone (RVX-208), a first-in-class, small molecule that is a selective BET (bromodomain and extra-terminal) inhibitor. Apabetalone is the first therapy of its kind to have been granted US FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation  for a major cardiovascular indication  to help facilitate a time-efficient drug development program including planned clinical trials and plans for expediting the manufacturing development strategy.

BET inhibition is an epigenetic mechanism that can regulate disease-causing genes. Apabetalone is a BET inhibitor selective for the second bromodomain (BD2) within the BET proteins. This selective inhibition of apabetalone on BD2 produces a specific set of biological effects with potentially important benefits for patients with high-risk cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease treated with hemodialysis, neurodegenerative disease, Fabry disease, peripheral artery disease and other orphan diseases, while maintaining a well described safety profile.

Resverlogix common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:RVX).

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For further information please contact:

Investor Relations

Email: ir@resverlogix.com

Phone: 403-254-9252

Or visit our website: www.resverlogix.com

This news release may contain certain forward-looking information as defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation, that are not based on historical fact, including without limitation statements containing the words "believes", "anticipates", "plans", "intends", "will", "should", "expects", "continue", "estimate", "forecasts" and other similar expressions. In particular, this news release includes forward looking information related to the potential role of apabetalone in the treatment of patients with cognitive disorders, high-risk cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease treated with hemodialysis, Fabry disease, peripheral artery disease and other orphan diseases. Our actual results, events or developments could be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We can give no assurance that any of the events or expectations will occur or be realized. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions and risk factors including those discussed in our Annual Information Form and most recent MD&A which are incorporated herein by reference and are available through SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and are made as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention and has no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
A University of Queensland student who organised protests against the Chinese Communist Party and was suspended from classes for two years will now have his appeal heard by the UQ Senates Disciplinary Appeals Committee.

However, no date for Drew Pavlous appeal hearing was given in a UQ Senate statement on Friday night.

Drew Pavlou (centre) at a protest outside the Chinese consulate in Brisbane the day the University of Queensland said he would be suspended for two years. Credit:AAP

"Mr Pavlou remains an enrolled student and no action will be taken on his suspension while the appeal is being heard," the statement says.

In response, the philosophy student said the university was trying to bully him and harm his mental health by keeping him in limbo.
Lucknow, June 6 : Questioning the Rs 20 lakh-crore economic package of the government, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday said there was nothing in the package for the poor.

Taking to twitter on Saturday, he wrote, "Can the government inform the people as to what's there for the poor in the so-called 'maha package' of Rs 20 lakh crore? What proportion of it will be given to farmers, daily wagers, migrant labourers, small traders and retail traders? Can the people who are best in dividing the society please tell how this package will be divided among the people who are in need." In an earlier tweet, he said, "Tragic reports of suicides are coming in, the latest being from Barabanki where a family of five committed suicide. The BJP government is expected to make arrangements for food and livelihood. First and foremost, deaths due to hunger in the state should be stopped."
The High Commissioner for Human Rights focuses on 12 countries, including the Philippines, Myanmar, China, India, Thailand and Nepal. The situation in Vietnam, where 600 people have been targeted for their social media postings, is worrisome. An independent publishing house in Ho Chi Minh City wins the 2020 Prix Voltaire.

Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews/Agencies)  The United Nations is concerned that the emergency triggered by the novel coronavirus pandemic is being used by many Asia-Pacific governments, be they liberal democracies or dictatorial regimes, as a pretext to limit freedom of expression and citizens' rights.

Michelle Bachelet UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) warns that in the age of COVID-19, at least 12 countries in the region have curbed the public debate in the name of the fight against fake news.

Arrests for expressing discontent or allegedly spreading false information through the press and social media, have been reported in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, the High Commissioners office said.

In many countries, laws on alleged fake news raise human rights concerns and have been used in other contexts to deter legitimate speech, especially public debate (and) criticism of government policy, it added.

While Governments may have a legitimate interest in controlling the spread of misinformation in a volatile and sensitive context, this must be proportionate and protect freedom of expression," Bachelet said.

At a time of great uncertainty, medical professionals, journalists, human rights defenders and the general public must be allowed to express opinions on vitally important topics of public interest, such as the provision of health care and the handling of the health and socio-economic crisis, she added.

The High Commissioners office noted that in Vietnam, more than 600 Facebook users were summoned by police for questioning over their online posts about COVID-19 since the start of the epidemic in that country.

In most cases, the Facebook users were handed administrative sanctions, and ordered to delete their posts, but at least two received criminal sentences that included up to nine months of detention and fines exceeding US$ 1,000.

Vietnam has been monitored by UNHCHR for a while over its media restrictions and criminal convictions against people and groups fighting for rights and free thought.

This crisis should not be used to restrict dissent or the free flow of information and debate. A diversity of viewpoints will foster greater understanding of the challenges we face and help us better overcome them, said the High Commissioner.

The UN warning about respect for rights in the Asian country comes at the same time when a Vietnamese publishing received a prestigious prize. The Liberal Publishing House (LPH), the country's only independent publisher, won the 2020 Prix Voltaire awarded by the Switzerland-based International Publisher Association (IPA).

In operation since February 2019, the Ho Chi Minh city-based LPH has challenged government control of publishing, delivering works of local dissident writers. Often it has had to operate underground with the risk of penalties of up to 20 years.
President Trump on Friday celebrated an unexpected decline in the unemployment rate in May with an appearance at the White House, where he also talked about tremendous progress made on a vaccine for Covid-19 and the nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd.

George is looking down right now and saying this is a great thing that is happening for our country, Mr. Trump said, an assertion that, as fact checkers say, lacked evidence. A great day for him, its a great day for everybody.

Here is a fact check of some of his other statements.

What Was Said

Nobody has ever done for the black community what President Trump has done.

False. Even assuming that Mr. Trump was just comparing himself to other presidents and not abolitionists and civil rights leaders, experts said his claim was profoundly ahistoric.
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As summer approaches, so do several months of baring your arms and legs. Fortunately, a good body scrub from a clean beauty brand (meaning no parabens, sulfates or silicones) can help shed dry winter skin, and also cleanse it of sweat and sunscreen after any outdoor activities  done at a safe distance, of course. The Exfoliating Bar ($15), from Hanahana Beauty, which is based in Chicago and Accra, Ghana, can be used on even the most sensitive skin. The blend of adzuki beans, almonds and rice sloughs away dead skin cells, while shea butter (ethically sourced from Ghana), cocoa butter and avocado oil leaves the body soft and moisturized. Or pick up The Body Exfoliator ($30), from the personal care brand Necessaire, which relies on pumice powder, bamboo charcoal and three types of gentle acids to smooth skin and remove dry patches.

For a product with more grit, invest in the Polish Detoxifying Body Scrub ($70) from the Los Angeles-based brand Beneath Your Mask. It exfoliates with Dead Sea salt crystals, and the formula includes tea tree oil, which can help heal spots and scars. (You can also put it on your scalp to remove product buildup.) The Absolute Anti Aging Body Scrub ($45), from the Ayurveda-inspired brand UMA, uses sea salt as well, but in combination with Epsom salts, coconut sugar and citrus essential oils, which have mood-lifting aromatherapy benefits. To add some extra zest to any of these scrubs, or to exfoliate your skin with any standard body wash, try a rough bath cloth like the Mesh Body Exfoliator ($18) from Luv Scrub. It can be scrunched up and used like a loofah or opened up to reach tough spots like your back.
With overseas holidays still mired in quarantine issues, it looks as if many families will holiday in the UK this summer. It will be a return to a bygone era when most people opted for fashionable resorts including Southport, Scarborough and Bognor Regis.

A knock-on effect of this refocusing on the UK holiday resort is renewed interest in vintage holiday posters as a collectable that rises in value  a tick-up in demand gently pushing up prices.

Over the last ten years, the most sought-after have risen in value by about 20 per cent. Many sell for 5,000 or more, though you can still pick up quality original printed travel artwork for less than 1,000.

SKEGNESS, 5,000: This iconic image of a frolicking fisherman  by John Hassall, issued by the Great Northern Railway in 1908 and later by the London & North Eastern  was one of the first to urge Britons to travel by train to the seaside.

Patrick Bogue is a poster collector as well as an auctioneer at Onslows Auctioneers in Dorset. He believes lockdown has added to the appeal of these posters.

He says: 'Cancelled holidays mean renewed interest in taking a break in Britain. And there is no better way to celebrate than by investing in a poster that captures our resorts as once luxury destinations.

'The golden age of travel was between the World Wars  from about 1924 to around 1931 when the Great Depression arrived. This was an era when the two great railway lines of the time  London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) and London, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) competed for custom with posters promoting travel to holiday resorts reached by their trains.'

The posters promoted the glamorous side of travel, using artists and designs that captured the traveller's attention and imagination.

For example, Birmingham was an industrial powerhouse and was targeted with posters promoting holiday locations such as Weston-super-Mare and Aberystwyth  places visitors could get to in sometimes less than three hours by train.

East Coast Joys, 19,500: A set of six different posters revealing the joys of holidaying on the East Coast  the drier side of Britain. This Art Deco set was produced by artist Tom Purvis for London and North Eastern Railway in 1931.

Yorkshire workers and employees in other Northern powerhouses, such as Manchester, were encouraged to travel by train with posters of holiday hotspots that included Scarborough, Southport, Skegness and Blackpool. Those based in London and the South East were tempted by posters of seaside resorts such as Bognor Regis and Cromer.

Bogue says: 'At the time, the artists of these posters were treated with great deference. The Art Deco movement helped bring out the best of their talent.'

Art Deco helped bring out the best of the artists talent

Among the most sought-after artists  whose posters sell for thousands of pounds  is Tom Purvis. He is known as the 'king of the hoardings', worked for LNER and was a member of a school of LNER artists known as 'the big five'.

Others in this talented pool  whose stunning posters can still often be found for 1,000 or less  include Fred Taylor, Frank H Mason, Frank Newbould and Austin Cooper.

Night train to Scotland, 18,000: The luxury of steam railways in 1932. The artist Philip Zec produced this poster for customers of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company and London & North Eastern Railway.

Bogue says: 'The LNER artists made some of the most captivating and bold images of the era  that still look fresh almost a century later. In contrast, those working for the LMS had a more traditional approach and often employed Royal Academicians. The success rate of LMS posters was more hit and miss than the LNER images  but they also created fabulous artwork.'

Collectable artists of the 'golden era' for travel posters belonging to the LMS stable include Stanhope Forbes, Norman Wilkinson, Fortunino Matania and William Orpen.

The poster art of the era embraced a timeless appeal that still captivates art lovers and collectors. For example, LMS posters of the Lake District, Scotland and Northern Ireland by Norman Wilkinson make you yearn to visit their beauty spots, with images of a landscape largely unchanged to this day.

The Yorkshire Moors, 4,500: An evocative silhouette with a timeless appeal of a cloth-capped visitor overlooking Mallyan Spout waterfall near Whitby. Produced by Tom Purvis in 1925 for London & North Eastern Railway.

Such original travel prints might cost between 200 and 2,000  with the condition and appeal dictating price. Posters from before the First World War are also sought after.

Perhaps the most famous is the 1908 'Skegness is SO bracing' image by artist John Hassall. This helped kickstart the travel poster revolution.

Original early Skegness posters can sell for 5,000 or more. Investors should be wary of buying unseen 'original' posters off the internet using websites such as eBay. Instead, buyers should use a specialist dealer who offers a guarantee of authenticity.
Incidents of wildlife poaching in India have more than doubled during the COVID-19 lockdown with animals being killed for meat and trade.

A study conducted by TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network and an NGO working globally on trade in wild animals, said that between February 10 and 22, the number of animal poaching incidents was 35 while during the lockdown between March 23 and May 3, the number escalated to 88.

The highest increase in poaching was reported to be of ungulates mainly for meat. The report, however, maintained there was no evidence of stockpiling of wildlife products for future trade.

The findings indicate that despite consistent efforts by law enforcement agencies, wild animal populations in India are under additional threat during the lockdown period.

The second group of animals which showed a marked increase was poaching of small mammals including hares, porcupines, pangolins, giant squirrels, civets, monkeys and smaller wild cats.

Tourism was a major protection for wild animals. With that stopped during the pandemic, there were less guard patrols and poaching saw a significant rise. People living in areas around game reserves also could have been involved, S Nallamuthu, wildlife filmmaker told RFI.

Big cats threatened

Among big cats, nine leopards were reported to have been killed, against four in the pre-lockdown period. In all, 222 people were arrested in poaching-related cases, higher than 85 arrests before lockdown was implemented.

If poaching of ungulates and small animals remains unchecked, it will lead to depletion of prey base for big cats such as tigers and leopards and a depletion of the ecosystems. This, in turn, will lead to higher incidences of human-wildlife conflicts, said World Wildlife Fund India CEO Ravi Singh.

Larger birds such as Indian pea fowls and game birds such as Grey Francolins, which are popular for their meat, were reported to be targeted during the lockdown.

There was less reporting of poaching and illegal trade in tortoises and freshwater turtles, with almost no seizures of these species during the lockdown period.

Several endangered Indian gazelles, a protected species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, were reported to have been poached in Rajasthan and a poaching racket was busted in the western city of Jaisalmer.

Pangolins, despite being linked to the Covid-19 crisis, were targeted by poachers in various parts of the country, says the report.

Human threat

As the world marked World Environment Day, the threat from humans to other species' survival is a growing concern to conservationists. The Covid-19 crisis has damaged forest conservation and anti-poaching efforts.

Conservationists fear that desperate communities - which have for decades helped control deforestation and poaching - may be exploited by criminal gangs to poach endangered animals or cut down trees for the charcoal trade, to get by.

It is for this reason that South Africa has dehorned dozens of rhinos in three popular game parks, aiming to prevent armed poachers taking advantage of the post-COVID-19 crash in tourism to kill them for their h
Uttarakhand Board of School Education (UBSE) will hold tests for the pending Class 10 and Class 12 papers from 20 to 23 June.

Uttarakhand Board of School Education (UBSE) will hold tests for the pending Class 10 and Class 12 papers from 20 to 23 June.

The subject-wise detailed timetable of the examination will be released by the board soon.

The Class 10 board exams began on 3 March, while Class 12 exam commenced on 2 March. Examinations for both the classes were to conclude on 25 March. However, some papers were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 2 lakh students are estimated to have appeared for the board exams in the state this year.

Uttarakhand secretary (Education) Meenakshi Sundaram K said that the evaluation of answer sheets is expected to be completed by 15 July, as per Business Standard.

UBSE is also considering conducting the remaining board examinations in two shifts daily to finish it on time, as per a report in The Times of India.

State education minister Arvind Pandet said that the examination centers which were earlier being used as quarantine centers will be properly sanitised from 15 to 19 June.

Around 350 examination centers are currently being used as quarantine centers for treating the COVID-19 patients.

Students as well as staff on examination duty will have to follow the Government of India guidelines and maintain social distancing at the exam centers. Students will also have to cover their mouth with face masks and sanitise their hands.

Several examinations including CBSE, CISCE and state board examinations along with entrance and competitive tests which were postponed earlier due to COVID-19 lockdown are now being conducted by the respective authorities. The exams were deferred for the convenience of students.
The Greater Accra arm of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has warned President Nana Akufo-Addo against taking credit for the Tema Motorway Interchange as, according to the biggest opposition party, the government plans inaugurating the project on Friday, 5 June 2020.



In a statement read on behalf of the Greater Accra Regional Communication Officer, Jerry Johnson by Deputy Regional Youth Organiser Amos Blessing Amorse at a press conference on Thursday, 4 June 2020, the party said: We are reliably informed that President Akufo Addo will commission the Tema Motorway Expansion Project tomorrow, June 5, noting: This event counts in the series of projects among many other projects initiated by President John Mahama before the December 7, 2016 elections. The project is, thus, one of President John Mahama's popular legacies before leaving office in January 2017.



To be exact, this project is amongst the four major interchanges constructed by H.E. John Dramani Mahama before exiting power in January 2017, the party said.



To corroborate this claim, it is imperative to explore some historical facts to expose attempts by President Akufo-Addo and his NPP government to take credit for the project, which genesis they knew nothing about, save the briefing they got during the transitional process and the sod-cutting they did for its commencement, the party said.



Read the rest of the statement below:



Following on the trajectory of events that established the three Interchange projects, i.e. the Pokuase Interchange, the Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchange and the Tema Motorway Interchanges, there is obviously no gainsaying that these are part of the many lasting legacies of President Mahama. Needless to say, no amount of facts twisting and fruitless obliterating of the legacies of President John Mahama can install President Akufo-Addo and his government as initiators of these projects.



For the records, Ladies and gentlemen, President John Mahama in his last State of the Nation Address to end the sixth Parliament of the fourth Republic on January 5, 2017, highlighted a number of major road projects his government had secured funding for ahead of existing office in January 2017. His Excellency John Mahama said: ...Many other projects are ongoing such as the Tema motorway roundabout decongestion project and a new bridge from flowerpot roundabout on the Spintex Road over the Accra- Tema motorway into East Legon.



There are others ready to commence with financing arranged such as the Obetsebi-Lamptey interchange, the Pokuase interchange, and Motorway expansion project among others.



For ease of reference, this statement can also be found in the January 5, 2017 Hansard of Parliament. On the Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchange, suffice to state without any fear of contradiction that, Musah Yahaya Jafaru reported in the August 5, 2016 edition of the Daily Graphic, that the Parliament of Ghana had approved a buyer credit facility and a commercial credit facility agreement totalling $39.2 million for the implementation of the Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchange project and related works. The agreements, the report noted, was between the Mahama government and the HSBC Bank Plc of the United Kingdom (UK).



In the face of these apparent facts, however, President Akufo-Addo, at a short ceremony on Monday, October 22, 2019, to cut sod for the construction of the aforementioned project failed to acknowledge his predecessor, John Mahama for initiating the project and securing funding for it before exiting office. At the ceremony, President Akufo-Addo said, the construction of the interchange was part of a number of actions being undertaken by his government to improve urban mobility within the western parts of Accra. This seeming lack of due acknowledgement of President Mahama was well thought through and an elaborate agenda by President Akufo-Addo not only to deceive Ghanaians but also deny them knowledge of the rightful brain behind the ongoing construction of the Obetsebi-Lamptey interchange.



Ladies and gentlemen, it is also important to mention that the ongoing Pokuase interchange is also an enviable legacy of the visionary President, H.E. John Dramani Mahama. For the records, Mabel Aku Banesseh reported in the November 1, 2016 edition of the Daily Graphic that Parliament approved a $83.6-million loan for the expansion of the Pokuase-ACP Junction road in Accra to ease traffic congestion on that stretch.



The facility was provided by the African Development Bank (AfDB), while the Government of Ghana (GoG) offered a counterpart funding of $11.1 million. Again, in the face of this glaring evidence indicating that President Akufo-Addo inherited the project after funding had been concluded by his predecessor, attempts are being inexorable made to package the ongoing construction of the Pokuase interchange as an achievement of the failed NPP government.



To provide further proof that President Mahama secured funding for these projects before leaving office, the NPP's Daily Guide, owned by its National Chairman, Freddy Blay, in its November 2, 2016 edition reported under the banner headline "Mad Rush for Loans at Parliament", how NPP MPs were against approval of Loans for the construction of the Pokuase Interchange. The story reads in parts "Parliament principally approved a number of loans put before it by the government yesterday, with the minority raising alarm about the numerous loans in the last days of the government.



The approved loans were a $112 million loan facility for the construction of a new bridge over the Volta River in the lower basin of the Volta at Volivo in the Shai-Osudoku District of the Greater Accra region; a $83.4 million facility for the construction of a 3-tier signalised interchange at Pokuase Junction on the Ofankor-Nsawam highway as part of the Accra Urban Transport Project"



The latest of the many infrastructural projects of the Mahama government that President Akufo-Addo is fighting tooth and nail to lay claims to is the Tema Motorway interchange.



Unfortunately for President Akufo-Addo, existing documents and facts on the project do not support his devious plot. As far back as 2013, President John Evans Atta Mills/John Dramani Mahama/Amissah Arthur-led National Democratic Congress Governments thought of expanding the motorway to ease traffic. As a result of traffic congestions coupled with the need for the country to expand its frontiers in terms of trans-border trade, there was the need to improve access routes to the Tema Ports. On Monday, October 28, 2013, President John Mahama announced at a sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of the Nkrumah Circle Interchange, that his government would expand the Accra Tema motorway into six lanes with an Interchange at the Tema roundabout to ease traffic.



Flowing from this, in 2014, the NDC government, through the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, signed an agreement with Meridian Ports Services Limited for the expansion of the Tema Pors at a cost of $1.5 billion dollars, and on November 11, 2016, President John Mahama cut sod for the expansion work to start. As part of this project, the Mahama government negotiated with MPS to as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, expand the Tema motorway at a cost of approximately $7 million dollars. This formed the first phase of the project which included the extension of 2.1km three-lane dual carriage with 730m underpass on the national route-N1 beginning from the tollbooth on the Accra Motorway and ending around the Allied Filling Station on the Aflao road, improvement of approximately 1.9km two-lane dual carriage on the national route-N2 from Ashaiman roundabout onto the Harbour road, a pedestrian bridge among others.



Ladies and gentlemen, it is important to note that the motorway expansion project was also planned to have a flyover. This constituted phase two of the project at a cost of approximately $60 million funded by the Japanese government through Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA). This facility was also negotiated by the Mahama government. Before construction works on the first phase of the project could start, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress lost the 2016 election. The project was thus, bequeathed to His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo's government.



The Akufo-Addo government, having been briefed on the importance of the project and all the financial arrangements, cut sod for construction works to start. These processes gave birth to the motorway flyover that the Akufo-Addo government intends commissioning. Even at the sod-cutting ceremony, there was no mention of President John Mahama as the brain behind the project. We, in the NDC, are not unaware of schemes to credit the Akufo-Addo government as the initiator of the project. But as has been stated, facts are sacred and no amount of facts twisting can change it.



It would be recalled that when late Prof John Evans Atta Mills inherited the George Walker Bush highway from former President John Agyekum Kufuor, he credited his predecessor for initiating the project and also showed statesmanship by inviting him to its commissioning. The NDC, and, indeed, Ghanaians, expect nothing short of this from President Akufo-Addo if he really believes honesty is a virtue of a public officer. To be exact, we expect President Akufo Addo to invite President John Dramani Mahama not only to the commissioning of the Motorway interchange but any other commissioning of projects he inherited from President John Mahama.



For the avoidance of doubt and for purposes of emphasis, the number of Interchanges constructed in Accra and its adjoining areas stand at 7 under the NDC government with John Mahama administration alone taking credit for 4 Interchanges out of the number namely, Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange, Obetsebi Lamptey Circle Interchange, Pokuase Interchange and the Kasoa Interchange.



Again, it is on record, as reported by myjoyonline news portal that President John Mahama negotiated and secured the grant from the Japanese Government for the construction of the Interchange way back in June 2016. It is also a fact that President John Mahama, on the 2nd of November, 2016 cut sod for the start of the project as reported by Ghanaweb on 3rd November 2016.



In view of these facts, it is evidently clear that the said project was an initiative of President John Mahama at a time Akufo-Addo and his NPP members were questioning the relevance of such a project to the people of Ghana.



With the foregoing evidence establishing a clear inheritance of such a project from a visionary leader, John Mahama, we expect Akufo-Addo to espouse these virtues in these last days of his presidency as he prepares to commission the facility.



As expressed in Article 35(7) of the 1992 Constitution, President Akufo-Addo must take steps to continue all projects started by John Mahama and publicly acknowledge his predecessor who birthed the idea and placed priority on the project motivated by its economic and social benefits to the society.



Unlike the previous disposition where the University of Ghana Medical Centre and other projects were commissioned by Akufo Addo with trepidation, it is relatively laudable this time to accept to commission a project initiated by John Mahama in the case of the Tema Motorway Interchange. However, in the further interest of image restoration, the nation expects an honest presentation which must consist of an acknowledgement of the visionary leader, John Dramani Mahama.



Thank you.



(c) Greater Accra Communications Bureau









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Los Angeles, June 6 : Actor Johnny Depp says it is time to take a vow to fight against "racism and judgmental ugliness".

As unrest continues in the US after the death of George Floyd, the "Pirates Of The Caribbean" actor took to Instagram to post a message along with a video of rapper Killer Mike. In the video, Mike is delivering an emotional speech at the Mayor's office in Atlanta, Georgia, reports dailymail.co.uk.

In the caption, the actor opened up about police brutality and systemic racism.

"As the majority of American people, our global community and our extended family of humans helplessly watched a man die on television... I too, was exposed to the atrocity of blatant barbarism, ruthless cruelty and unmitigated lack of humanity," he said.

The actor continued: "A handcuffed man, pleading for his life lay prone with the full weight of a man sworn to defend the peace on his neck. The victim of this heinous act of cowardice, George Floyd, told the officers that he could not breathe. As he called for his dead mother, how could our collective hearts not break as his face was ground and mashed firmly into the pavement by those sworn to protect him, and all of us? Justice, I desperately hope, will address the horror of Officer Chauvin's nonchalance and indifference to his participation in the agony, suffering and ultimately the murder of our fellow traveler George Floyd in a grotesque illustration of the abuse of power!!!" Depp said there is "no way to make sense of what is senseless".

"There is no way to restore a life that has been taken. Just as there is no way to un-break a heart that is broken. What we can do is make a vow to ourselves that racism and the ignorance inherent in such judgmental ugliness that it gives birth to, is NO LONGER AN OPTION!!! THERE MUST BE A CHANGE!!! DEMAND IT!!!!" he added.

Floyd, aged 46, died last month after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, pinned 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 three-degree murder and manslaughter.

Through his passionate post, Depp also gave a special shout-out to his "dear friend and brother" Killer Mike of Run The Jewels.

"My dear friend and brother, Killer Mike - (Run The Jewels), is a brilliant musician, artist, activist for social justice and the son of an Atlanta Policeman. He is also, one of the kindest, most caring and loving human beings that I've ever had the pleasure and honor to know!!! I beg everyone to listen to the remarks of this true statesman. True statesmen have never been so needed, and they've never been in such short supply," he said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The coronavirus pandemic may have forced the Lone Star College System to postpone graduation ceremonies, but not the celebration, said LSC-North Harris Interim President Archie Blanson in a video to graduates.

Lone Star College recognized thousands of students with virtual graduation tributes for each of its seven campuses the week of May 25.

College system celebrates new facility: Lone Star College hosts virtual grand opening for Transportation & Global Logistics Technology Center

Congratulations graduates of 2020 and family as well because we know this has been a family effort to get you where you are today, Blanson said. Now, you may not walk across the stage in May as planned, but you earned your degree and Im proud of you.

On March 19, LSC announced the cancellation of all graduation ceremonies, originally scheduled to take place May 6 through May 9, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. LSC Chancellor Stephen Head said in a March announcement that the decision to cancel was not easy, but that the college system was still determined to honor the achievements of graduates.

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your achievement during this extraordinary period, Head said via a virtual commencement message. Graduation is the highlight of our academic year, and we are honored to share that with you.

The 2020 spring semester saw a total of 8,863 students earn associate degrees and certifications, according to a June 2 press release  a 7% increase from 2019. The virtual commencement videos on LoneStar.edu/CongratsGrads featured speakers from each respective campus and the names of graduates scrolled across the screen.

On HoustonChronicle.com: We finally did this: Houston seniors mark graduation with citywide celebration

LSC-Kingwood President Katherine Persson said students hard work has paid off, adding that the first degree is the hardest to earn.

While we cannot be together to celebrate your accomplishment, I promise that next May we will have a double graduation ceremony and you will be invited to walk across the stage, shake our hands, while everyone is cheering you on, Persson said.

LSC-Kingwood 2020 graduate and student speaker Corey Carpenter said that despite being unable to gather in their caps and gowns surrounded by friends and family, overcoming challenges is part of achieving success. This challenge is just one of many they will face in their journey, she said.

But like this one, you will overcome it stronger and better, Carpenter said.

LSC closed campuses in March and reopened classes online four weeks following spring break. The college system added more than 5,000 online courses so students could complete their semester. Even though students had to finish out their LSC experience in a time of social distancing, LSC-Tomball President Lee Ann Nutts door will be open to grads wishing to visit in the future.

Stop by the office sometime, well shake hands and take a selfie, Nutt said.

Valeria Gonzalez Romero, 2020 graduate of LSC-University Park, knows this isnt how they expected their semester to turn out but have nonetheless completed a huge milestone. LSC-Houston North President Quentin Wright hopes graduates derive confidence by reflecting on their academic experience at LSC.

I know when many of you started your journey at Lone Star College, you probably wondered if you would ever get to this point, and now here you are, Wright said. So, take this to know that theres nothing you cannot do if you just work hard, persevere and stay focused on it.

Lena Isabella Morales said she was at a crossroads in her life before enrolling at LSC-Montgomery, but she is now graduating with her Associate of Arts degree.

Im sure everyone here today has experienced struggle, setback, failure or financial difficulty at some point, Morales said. The very fact that you are here today shows your steadfast pursuit in the face of adversity.

LSC-Cy-Fair President Seelpa Keshvala said even though theyre unable to be together to celebrate students important milestone, it wont stop Lone Star from recognizing them and their accomplishments.

This diploma or certificate that you will receive is representative of all of your hard work and dedication and has provided a foundation for lifelong learning, Keshvala said. It is our hope that your experience has deepened your capacity to understand to appreciate the inner qualities that unite us all.

alvaro.montano@chron.com
Every time something awful happens in the United States, outraged Americans declare it enough.

Sometimes, we even take the time to add a hashtag before posting.

In the summer of 2014, 43-year-old Eric Garner resisted arrest and was put in a chokehold by a New York City police officer while other members of the NYPD helped immobilize him; the arrest was caught on video. Garner died about an hour later. Protesters took to the streets across the nation demanding that police officers be held accountable for using excessive force on black men.

America was angry. Police officers were issued body cameras, and the nation let law enforcement know that we  at least folks with camera phones  were watching. From that point on, officers who crossed the line and used unreasonable tactics when facing black Americans were going to be held accountable. The nation wasnt going to stand for it  we were ready to act.

JOHN DAVENPORT /San Antonio Express-News

That was before Walter Scott. And Freddie Gray. And Philando Castile. And, most recently, George Floyd. And it wasnt because we didnt press the record button.

Lest we believe that this is the only violent social ill that plagues us, the same can be said about mass shootings.

In December 2012, 26 people were killed in a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Twenty were children between 6 and 7 years old. The photos of the dead children are heartbreaking. It was hard to imagine anything like that ever happening again, because legislation to prevent it had to be just around the corner.

That was before Orlando. Las Vegas. Charleston, S.C. El Paso. Sutherland Springs.

Police violence against black men and gun violence are two complicated yet sinister issues rooted in a system that has failed to evolve with the times. And time is at least a small part of this problem.

On Tuesday, Nickleodeon, a childrens network, aired a spot for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in support of justice, equality and human rights. The spot, which aired after the network ran its Declaration of Kids Rights, showed a black screen with the letters I cant breathe timed with the sound of a person breathing. The spot drives home the point that 8 minutes and 46 seconds  the amount of time Derek Chauvin kept his knee on Floyds neck  is a really long time.

Scott P. Yates / Associated Press

Time is relative. The 2017 shooting in Las Vegas, the deadliest mass shooting committed by an individual in U.S. history, lasted about 10 minutes. The New York Times, using audio extracted from video taken at the shooting, reported that those bullets flew at a rate of about 90 shots per 10 seconds. In San Antonio, it takes the police a little less than seven minutes to arrive after someone calls 911, according to a 2019 study. When bullets are flying or youre waiting for the cops to arrive, a few minutes can seem like forever.

Minutes seem like forever when one is waiting in line at the polling place, too.

In contrast, it takes only a few seconds to read provocative memes written by trolls or bots bent on wasting our time  and only a second to share a phony post about piles of bricks or terrorist groups  posts that would take only a few minutes to vet.

And although a day of marching and protesting takes longer than a trip to the ballot box, the latter is a lot less popular. By Election Day, all of that passion has a tendency to fade. Which is too bad, because as far as systemic change is concerned, the polling place really is where America speaks the loudest.

Conveniently, Nov. 3 is only 149 days away.

mariaanglinwrites@gmail.com
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), Vietnam is seeing plenty of opportunities to outstrip Thailand in rice exports this year thanks to more competitive prices and a strong rally in shipment volume after the removal of the export quota.

During the first four months of 2020, the Philippines was the largest buyer of Vietnamese rice, purchasing 902,100 tonnes for US$401.3 million, up 11.4% in volume and 26% in value.

Vietnam also saw substantial increases in rice shipments to China, Indonesia, Taiwan (China) and Ghana, but exports to the Ivory Coast fell sharply by 44.5%.

As Vietnam fully resumed rice exports from May 1, prices of the Vietnamese grain during the month rose to the highest level for years, reaching an average of US$527 per tonne, up 5.6% from the previous month and 21.4% compared to a year earlier.

Vietnamese rice prices in the first five months of 2020 averaged at US$485 per tonne, up 13% compared with the same period of last year.
As the desert locust attack continues to wreak havoc in India and Pakistan, the two neighbouring countries are cooperating with each other to tackle the outbreak, Pakistan Foreign Office said on Friday. Pakistan and India are members of the Food and Agriculture Organisations Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in South-West Asia (SWAC).

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui informed that the ministerial meeting of the commission was held in March during which the member states decided to reactivate communication on the locust issue. A Technical and Operational Coordination (ToC) team was formed to exchange information, improve coordination at the border areas and increase synchronization to combat desert locust attacks in the region.

READ | Pakistan Goes To War With locusts; Imran Khan Wants To 'catch Them & Sell As Chicken Feed'

Farooqui said that Pakistan had been participating in the SWAC meeting on a weekly basis."We believe that the respective technical teams have been coordinating appropriately through FAO," she added.

Pakistan remains committed to cooperating with all SWAC member states, including India, in combating desert locust outbreak," the spokesperson said.

READ | Annual Locust Swarm from Pakistan & Iran Arriving Early; Imran Khan's Govt Incommunicado

India reaches out to Pakistan

Last month, India had said Pakistan has not yet responded to its suggestion for activation of a local channel to address the issue of desert locust attack.

"There is an existing local channel of communication with Pakistan. This is normally activated in June every year. Seeing the alarming situation, India suggested to activate the channel but there is no response from Pakistan yet," India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had said.

New Delhi had proposed a coordinated response to tackle desert locust along the border to Pakistan and also offered to facilitate the supply of insecticide malathion to Islamabad for the same.

WATCH | Locals Fight Locusts By Clanging Utensils & Bursting Crackers; Admins Prep Drones

Desert locust attack

India and Pakistan are confronted with the worst locust attack in recent years. The desert locusts are known to devour everything in their path, posing a great threat to the food supply, farms and livelihoods of millions of people. Locust swarms that travelled from Pakistan entered India through Rajasthan and spread to the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh causing major damage to cotton crops and vegetables. Rajasthan is the most affected state in the country with respect to locust attacks.

READ | India Awaits Pak Response On Offer Of Coordinated Response To Control Desert Locusts Issue
A Lincoln-based student finance company announced plans to open in Columbus and bring plenty of jobs.

Nelnet announced Friday that it will open a call center in Columbus for its loan-servicing division, Nelnet Diversified Services.

Nelnet stated in a news release that the office will open by the end of the year. It plans to start hiring next month and expects to eventually employ about 100 people.

The company said it considered more than 30 cities in Nebraska before picking Columbus.

The 12,000-square-foot call center at 3620 23rd St. will be in a former Walmart store that is being redeveloped by a Lincoln company. The entire area has been redeveloped with a new apartment complex, a Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers that recently opened its doors and a Hampton Inn. Bomgaars also relocated there.

Nelnets call center is a great use of a portion of the old Walmart building," said Mike Works, managing member of REV Development LLC. "We think Nelnet and their employees are a nice complement to the other key pieces of our development.

Todd Duren, co-chair of the Columbus Economic Council and vice president of corporate services at Loup Power District, said the city is "extremely excited to begin this new partnership with the Nelnet call center."

Nelnet recently hired more than a dozen remote employees in Sidney and is working on establishing a physical office there. The company opened an Omaha office in 2013.

"This is a big win for Columbus and a testament to its workforce, high quality of life, and productive business climate  which are ingredients youll find throughout our state,"Nebraska Department of Economic Development Director Anthony L. Goins said. "World-class companies like Nelnet don't locate just anywhere; they expand where there is an abundance of opportunity and talent."

Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz.

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Mexico City, June 6 : Dozens of people protesting against police violence in Mexico and the US vandalized the American Embassy here.

Mostly masked and clad in black, the demonstrators on Friday hurled rocks, bottles and Molotov cocktails at the diplomatic mission on Reforma, Mexico City's main thoroughfare, reports Efe news.

In the same area on Thursday night, a peaceful march in solidarity with protests across the US triggered by the May 25 death of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis.

But Friday's demonstrations were also about a young man's deadly encounter with police in the Jalisco stat.

After trying to topple the metal fencing erected in front of the embassy by authorities, the youths taking part in Friday's protest went to the rear of building to toss projectiles and firebombs.

Besides the US mission, the protesters targeted nearby banks, hotels and shops while spray-painting graffiti on walls. They also tore down protective barriers around monuments, blocked traffic and vandalized bus stops.

Two members of the media said they were physically assaulted by protesters.

The demonstratos then moved on to the Jalisco state government delegation, located in capital city's exclusive Polanco neighbourhood, to demand action against the police involved in the death of Giovanni Lopez.

A video emerged this week of the violent arrest of Lopez on May 4 in the town of Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos.

The next day, authorities contacted his family to inform them that Giovanni had been taken to a hospital, where he died.

Lopez, who was allegedly detained for failing to wear a mask in compliance with COVID-19 restrictions, showed signs of having been beaten and had a bullet wound in one leg.
While an anti-China sentiment is rising across the globe, with many blaming it for not being transparent about the coronavirus outbreak. Businesses across countries now want to make their supply chain multilocational instead of China-dependent, which many argue is purely business prudence. However, it may not be wise to underestimate China's strengths. To assume that businesses will start moving out or start snapping links with the country would be wrong, at least, for the moment. This seems to be a message coming across listening to G V Prasad, co-chairman and managing director of Dr Reddy's, at a webinar organised by FICCI, FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO), Hyderabad on Saturday.

"There is a lot of negativity on China as it is being blamed for the virus but I do believe that China is going to be one of the strongest countries of the world, if not the strongest," said Prasad. Drawing a comparison between China and the US, "the two dominant economies of the world," he asked: "where would you lay your bet today?"

Ruled by the Communist Party of China, China shows "a certain level within the government is a pure meritocracy with best talent going to government. There is a level of competence in the government you will not see anywhere in the world. If you want to start a business, the level of enablement is superb, the way they protect their industry is unparalleled," Prasad said.

And that is not all. "Look at the number of people who have come out of poverty in China. It is the biggest in the history of the world. No other country has got this kind of accomplishment. They have overtaken US last year on the number of patents they have filed. They are leaders in artificial intelligence, renewable energy and biotech. They have identified eight sunrise industries where they will overinvest in," Prasad said. Therefore, he argues, "this is a powerful country and it will be a mistake to underestimate them."

One could argue that Prasad may be seeing the positives in China because his company is keen to built its presence there and look at tapping the growing pharma market of that country, apart from sourcing some of the raw material from China. But then, his company's interests also lie in the US, which is the largest contributor to their revenue today. While Prasad argues that there is much that stands out about the US as a "leader of the free world, an amazing nation in terms of innovation capabilities and a great democracy", there are concerns today. Be it around its effectiveness in global leadership or just the current developments ranging from "the social unrest to its mishandling of the pandemic leading to high death rates there".

On the point raised by author and webinar moderator Sriram Karri that businesses may now want to move out of China and perhaps head for India, Prasad feels for that to happen, "India will have to do something special and do much more at enabling and supporting its industries." And in the midst of all this, he is quick to remind also that "the supply chain from China is working and materials are reaching on time from China."
A chief of a northern Alberta First Nation is accusing the RCMP of assaulting him and his wife during a confrontation over an expired licence plate nearly three months ago.

Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam has been charged with assaulting police and resisting arrest stemming from a March 10 incident in a mall parking lot in Fort McMurray. But his lawyer says its the officer who should be under investigation.

According to Adam, the incident started when a police officer  who was parked behind the truck belonging to him and his wife  told them that their licence plate was expired. He says it eventually escalated to an altercation where he received numerous blows to the head and was tackled to the ground. He said police also used excessive force in arresting his wife, which he believes amounted to an assault.

Because we are a minority and nobody speaks up for us, every time our people do wrong and the RCMP go and make their call, they always seem to use excessive force, Adam said at a Saturday press conference. And that has to stop. And enough is enough.

A spokesperson for the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team confirmed they would investigate the incident. ASIRT investigates incidents involving Albertas police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.

In a Saturday media release, Wood Buffalo RCMP said they approached a vehicle with an expired plate and a confrontation occurred when Adam approached the vehicle. Police say he resisted arrest and officers were required to use force to arrest him.

They say they have reviewed video footage from a vehicle camera and have no further comment on its contents.

This video of the incident was reviewed by superiors as per our policy. It was determined that the members actions were reasonable and did not meet the threshold for an external investigation. The matter is now before the courts, the statement said.

Statement from Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam View document on Scribd

According to Adam, the incident started at about 2 a.m. after he and his wife, Freda Courtoreille, were entering their vehicle in the Peter Pond Mall parking lot after leaving a casino in Fort McMurray, about 450 kilometres north of Edmonton. Courtoreille, who was in the drivers seat, noticed an RCMP vehicle parked behind them.

Adam says he approached the RCMP officer to ask them why they were parked there and introduced himself as Allan Adam, chief of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation.

He said the officer told him I dont need to talk to you, so he returned to the truck and told Courtoreille they were told to remain parked.

Adam said his wife lowered the window when the officer approached and knocked on it. He said the officer then reached into the vehicle, put it into park, turned off the ignition and said it could not be driven because the licence plate was expired.

Adam says he tried to explain his registration was out of date because he just got it out of the impound after a family member borrowed his vehicle without permission.

He says the officer responded hed heard enough and arrested his wife.

The cop grabbed her, put her up against the truck again, manhandled her and everything. And my wife suffers from stage four (rheumatoid) arthritis. And this RCMP is 250 pounds, Adam said.

Adam says he told his wife to get into the vehicle and told the officer he didnt like how he manhandled his wife.

Thats when the situation escalated.

He says an officer ran toward him and knocked him to the ground with his arm. He described a tag team match where one officer was holding him by the arm while another hit him in the face.

I dropped to my knees and slowly I could feel I was going unconscious. But all I could remember was that my blood was just gushing out of my mouth, Adam said.

And all this was for an expired licence plate.

Brian Beresh, Adams lawyer, alleges an officer also put an elbow on Adams back and a knee on his neck when he was on the ground. He says Adam suffered several blows to the head and was left with numerous scars, bruises, a chipped tooth and a laceration in his mouth.

He said Courtoreille was arrested for obstruction, but not ultimately charged. He said she was handcuffed in what he would describe as a very violent kind of way.

Adam was charged, detained overnight and released the next morning, Beresh said. Police never issued a ticket for the expired registration, he added.

Beresh is calling for a full investigation of the incident by an independent police force, a suspension of the constable theyre accusing of assault and for body camera equipment to be worn by every police officer. They also want the RCMP to release the video they have of the March 10 incident.

He said the video would show there is no evidence of Adam resisting arrest or assaulting a police officer.

The only police report of injury is road rash on the tacklers hands. And yet Chief Adam is the one charged with assault resisting arrest, he said.

Adam and his lawyer have released two videos of the incident, which they say were filmed by citizens. The first, which is about 41 seconds, shows several police officers at the side of a truck with their lights flashing. They tell a woman to get out of the car numerous times. The woman is talking but her words are not completely clear.

Near the end of the video, a person who Adams lawyer identified as the citizen filming the video says Take it easy on the lady, guys.

In the second video, which lasts about three minutes, sirens can be heard as a scuffle occurs. The resolution is low quality and the video is dark, so its hard to make out exactly whats happening.

About 50 seconds in, a man can be heard saying Maam go back in the car now. After the one-minute mark, a man who has been identified as Adam screams irately What the f_ is wrong with you guys  Im not resisting. Stop it. You cut my f-ing mouth, look Im bleeding. Im a chief.

Police can be seen handling someone on the ground. Adam calls for the officers badge number to be taken down. Near the end of the video, the sirens get louder as it appears more police cruisers arrive to the scene.

Adam and his lawyer are now using the incident to draw attention to what they say is a pattern of systemic racism and police brutality in Canada and among police forces. Adam said he waited to speak out until now for several reasons, including that he was busy with preparing the COVID-19 response with his First Nation and to give his wife and him time to heal physically and emotionally.

He said seeing numerous cases of Indigenous youth being killed by RCMP in recent months have further encouraged him to use his voice as a leader to highlight what he believes is systemic racism.

He specifically referenced a March incident where a youth was killed after colliding with an RCMP vehicle in Pond Inlet, Nunavut, as well as one earlier this week, when a 26-year-old woman from Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, in B.C., was shot and killed by police in New Brunswick during a wellness check.

In a phone interview, Adam told the Star his wife has been traumatized by the incident.

Every time she talked about it, she broke down and cried. And then when that George Floyd incident happened in the United States, you know, everything started coming back to me, he said.

He felt further compelled to speak out as he watched riots erupting across the U.S. in response to Black American George Floyd being killed at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis, Minn.

Adam is to appear in Wood Buffalo Provincial Court, on two charges, on July 2.

This story has been updated to include the news the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has confirmed they would investigate the incident.

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Those whove been keeping up with Little People, Big World know the saga of Matt and Amy Roloff. While the couple did the show together for over a decade, theyve since decided to divorce after 30 years of marriage. Now, weve seen Amy decide to sell her half of Roloff Farms property to Matt in the wake of the divorce, and shes since found a new place just 15 minutes away from her old home.

Amys new home looks beautiful from what weve seen, and shes shared the process of her move with her followers. Aside from Roloff Farms, Matt has another place he calls home, too  and its in Surprise, Arizona. It looks like Matts home in Arizona wasnt that much less than Amys new place, either. Heres what we know.

Matt Roloff said he and Amy Roloff still co-own part of Roloff Farms

Amy Roloff and Matt Roloff appear on NBC News Today show | Peter Kramer/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Roloff Farm is a staple on LPBW, and Amy had to make a major decision post-divorce when it came to her living situation. While she and Matt were coexisting on the property in separate homes, Amy ultimately decided that she would sell her half of the property to Matt and move out. Through the show and Instagram, weve watched Amys moving-out process  and it certainly hasnt been an easy adjustment for her.

Now, fans assume Matt is the sole owner of Roloff Farms property since Amys completely moved out. But that still doesnt seem to be the case. On April 14, 2020, Matt explained to a follower that he and Amy still co-own part of the property.

I dont own the whole thing, he wrote to a confused follower. Amy and I still co-own the North side. (Original farm with big house). I only own the south parcel. Hope that helps. I know its confusing.

Amy Roloff bought her new home for over $580,000

RELATED: LPBW: Matt Roloff Thought it Would Take Amy Roloff Years to Move Her Things Off of Roloff Farms

Amy had a tough time when it came to her new place. She chronicled her journey on Instagram before anything was shown on LPBW, and she looked at plenty of places before finding the perfect one. Not only did Amy want to remain somewhat close to Roloff Farms so she could still be in the loop with whats going on with the rest of her family, but she also wanted to make sure the home she bought could be made accessible for someone of her height.

Ultimately, she settled on a place in Hillsboro, Oregon  and her fiance, Chris Marek, was the one to help her seal the deal. And she ultimately profited from the deal she made. She reportedly sold her half of Roloff Farms to Matt for $667,000. And her new home cost her around $588,000  though of course, thats just the beginning. Amys had to make some major adjustments in the home since then.

Matts second home in Arizona was nearly $400,000

RELATED: LPBW: Matt Roloff Is Currently Building on Roloff Farms Despite Talk of Leaving it All Behind

Those who follow Matt on Instagram know hes frequently visiting Surprise, Arizona. He has a second home there which he adores due to its warmer location. And according to The Sun, Matt bought the home off of his girlfriends parents back in June 2018.

So, how much was Matts home in Arizona? The publication notes it cost him $375,000. It also includes photos of the interior that features a kitchen with Corian counters and stainless steel appliances as well as tile and hardwood flooring throughout. Not only that, but the home has two bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, a patio, and a fire pit. While not as large as Amys place, certainly not bad for a second getaway.

Matts talked about selling Roloff Farms in the past so he could live in Arizona full time with Caryn Chandler. Were not sure if thats really happening, but he seems to love his second home, so we wouldnt be surprised.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio  Art museums across the country closed to the public in March as state governments responded to the mounting coronavirus pandemic.

But the museum-quality collection at the Cleveland Clinic, greatly enhanced over the past 14 years under its recently retired director, Joanne Cohen, has remained available to patients and caregivers.

Thats one reason why Ellen Rudolph, a veteran Northeast Ohio curator and museum professional, was thrilled to succeed Cohen this spring after starting work at the clinic as a curator in June, 2019.

Im very passionate about art museums, but there is something very alive about the collection at the clinic and the way it interacts with people, every day, 24-7, Rudolph said in an interview with cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.

Under Delos Toby Cosgrove, the clinics CEO and president from 2004 to 2017, the institution emphasized the power of art and architecture to aid in healing patients and to provide comfort for caregivers and family members.

Cosgrove and Cohen were honored for their work with a 2010 Martha Joseph Prize from the Cleveland Arts Prize, as were then-Curator Trudy Wiesenberger and then-President Thomas Zenty III at University Hospitals.

At the clinics 165-acre main campus west of University Circle in Clevelands Fairfax neighborhood, Cohen significantly expanded the art collection from roughly 2,500 to more than 7,000 objects, Rudolph said.

Its not decoration, Rudolph said. Its intended to inspire people and to make people think, hopefully in a way that feels good, and that offers some kind of escape.

The clinic has declined to say what it spends on art acquisitions, but Rudolph said funding comes through portions of construction budgets when for new buildings are built, and through earmarked donations of money or gifts of art.

Cohen also said during her tenure that the clinic sold heavily appreciated works previously donated to the institution. In 2007, for example, the clinic netted $2.5 million from the auction of an important painting by the American 20th-century artist Milton Avery.

Major acquisitions have included some 40 large-scale, site-specific commissions, such asBlueBerg, 2008, a monumental sculpture suspended in the four-story Great Hall between Miller Pavilion and Glickman Tower.

The 2008 work, by the Spanish-born Chicago artist, Inigo Manglano-Ovalle, traces the outlines of an iceberg in precisely constructed aluminum tubes.

Last year, Cohen oversaw the installation of two massive wall drawings by Sol LeWitt in the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion, home of the Health Education Campus, a project of the clinic and Case Western Reserve University.

Joanne Cohen, executive director and curator for the Cleveland Clinic, holds Sol LeWitt artwork, to show what the background will represent inside the CWRU-Cleveland Clinic Health Education Campus, Wednesday, February 27, 2019. (Marvin Fong / The Plain Dealer) The Plain DealerThe Plain Dealer

Rudolph, 48, brings extensive experience to her work. A native of Shaker Heights, she directed the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Beachwood from 2014 to 2017, and had two stints in curatorial leadership positions at the Akron Art Museum from 2008 to 2014 and again from 2017 to 2019.

She declined to comment on recent turmoil at the Akron museum that led to the resignation of director Mark Masuoka amid allegations of workplace violations that had occurred on his watch.

Rudolph earned a bachelors degree in art history from Northwestern University in 1994, and a masters degree in art history in 2007 from Case Western Reserve University.

At the clinic, Rudolph heads a seven-member curatorial team. Her goals include caring for and rotating objects on view, and building the diversity and breadth of the collection, which now represents artists from 70 countries. Some 40 percent of the collection comprises work by women artists.

Rudolph aims to add new environments integrating art and technology, including virtual reality, and she wants to expand education, programming and interpretation, especially online. This work will include enhancing the clinics free AR+ cellphone app, which features audio, video and written content.

Im thinking about how we can use the art collection as a catalyst for conversations with caregivers about unconscious bias and visual learning strategies, Rudolph said in an email.

Programming also includes a daily Art Break for caregivers, presented on an internal Facebook account. New offerings focus on artworks with anti-racist messages in recognition over of the national uproar over police violence against blacks.

One such work is ...for those who come to bear witness...," 2018-19, by Jamaican artist and educator Ebony G. Patterson, which explores the variations on the phrase See Me in printed and sewn fabric.

We talk about the idea of bearing witness to the experience of people of color in our country, Rudolph said of the Patterson piece, which she helped acquire for the clinic collection.

Future opportunities for acquiring art will include construction of an expansion of the clinics Cole Eye Institute and a new Neurological Institute, she said.

The clinic had planned to break ground on the Cole expansion this year, and the Neurological Institute by 2021, but both projects have been paused, a spokesperson said.

For now, Rudolph is grateful to be involved with an art collection that people can see during the coronavirus pandemic.

We have this incredible opportunity to touch people, she said. Thats one of the things thats so exciting about this role, and being able to play a part in this healing environment for people.
Chandigarh, June 6 : The Punjab government on Saturday announced to open malls from Monday with guidelines that the visitors must have COVA app on their mobiles, besides their entry will be restricted to no loitering and trial of clothing. In temples and gurdwaras, there will be no 'prasad' distribution.

The presence of shoppers at one point in time should not exceed 50 per cent of the capacity of the mall, as per the new guidelines.

Entry will be granted on the basis of token system to prevent crowding.

A family can be allowed to enter a mall even if one of its members has a COVA app installed in his/her phone.

The COVA Punjab (Corona Virus Alert) app has been developed by the state to provide people with preventive care information and government advisories.

The new guidelines also allowed the opening of restaurants and religious places.

For restaurants, only takeaway and home delivery has been allowed till 8 p.m. with no dine-in facility.

The government would review the situation on June 15. The restaurants in the hotels will remain closed and food will be served in the rooms to the in-house guests.

At religious places, the maximum number of people at one point in time shall not exceed 20 with due maintenance of social distancing.

The night curfew in the state will remain enforced from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Also, air or train ticket would serve as a curfew pass for one-time movement of the guests to and from the hotel during the curfew hours.
Not for distribution to United States newswire services or dissemination in the United States.

TORONTO, June 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Euro Sun Mining Inc. (TSX: ESM) (Euro Sun or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced bought deal prospectus offering of 57,235,384 units of the Company (the Units) at a price of C$0.39 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of C$22,321,799.76, which includes a partial exercise of the underwriters over-allotment option for 5,953,332 Units (the Offering). Each Unit is comprised of one (1) common share in the capital of the Company (each, a Common Share) and one half of one Common Share purchase warrant entitling the holder to purchase one Common Share at C$0.55 at any time on or before June 5, 2023.

The Offering was conducted by Sprott Capital Partners LP, as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner, and BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. (together, the Underwriters). The Company paid to the Underwriters a cash commission of 7% of the gross proceeds raised under the Offering and issued warrants of the Company to the Underwriters, exercisable at any time on or before June 5, 2022, to acquire that number of Common Shares which is equal to 7% of the number of Units sold under the Offering at an exercise price of $0.39.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for the exploration and development of the Companys projects, including permitting and the feasibility study, and for working capital purposes.

About Euro Sun Mining Inc.

Euro Sun is a Toronto Stock Exchange listed mining company focused on the exploration and development of its 100%-owned Rovina Valley gold and copper project located in west-central Romania, which hosts the second largest gold deposit in Europe.

For further information about Euro Sun Mining, or the contents of this press release, please contact Investor Relations at info@eurosunmining.com

Caution regarding forward-looking information:

Story continues

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the Offering and the use of proceeds of the Offering. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including risks inherent in the mining industry and risks described in the public disclosure of the Company which is available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.eurosunmining.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information 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 information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

The TSX does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

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. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (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.
The last words a dear friend and colleague offered me as she lay dying in a hospital bed were a maxim that has taken on ever more significance in the years since passed: Dont forget to stop and smell the roses.

She was a deeply spiritual person whod spent years seeking meaning through religion. Born Jewish, her search took her towards alternative religions and my sense was she had finally found the truth and the peace shed been searching for. The simplicity of her advice struck me at the time: not to follow any particular religious teaching or guru, as she had done, but simply to stop and be in the moment.

She has come to mind these decades later, particularly on my precious daily walks, and I wonder, if she were here now what shed make of this coronavirus world. Id like her to know that I literally stop to smell the roses, now more than ever.

Moments of quiet contentment give us space to reflect. Credit:iStock

Theres another friend I find myself thinking about, too. She too was a teaching colleague and, like me, would write a list of tasks to be fitted in to each day. Wed compare our progress regularly and her advice was to expect to get through only 80 per cent of the listed tasks. She also died prematurely with many of those chores being uncompleted. That didnt matter of course. What did matter was she still had so much living to do: books to read, conversations to have, meals to share. Most importantly, to see her only child married and to meet her two grandchildren.
QUARANTINE for prisoners, preparedness for hurricane season and irregular migration were discussed at the latest meeting of the TCI National Security Council (NSC).





Governor Nigel Dakin and Deputy Premier Sean Astwood co-chaired the virtual meeting on Tuesday, May 12.





In attendance as members were Deputy Governor Anya Williams, Commissioner of Police Trevor Botting and the National Security Strategy lead.





Hon. Goldray Ewing, Minister of Home Affairs, Public Utilities and Transportation, was invited to speak on his area of responsibility.





He was joined by the Permanent Secretary of Home Affairs, Permanent Secretary of Immigration and Superintendent of HMP Grahame Hawkins.





A statement from the Governors Office on Monday (June 1) said that at this meeting the NSC:





-Was updated on the nations state of preparedness for hurricane season, including the provision of shelters in light of Covid-19, relief supplies and food stocks, communications uplift, command and control structures, preparing NEOC/EOC venues, private sector engagement, strategic support from the UK military team and plans for testing the national disaster plan in advance of this years hurricane season.





-Was updated on the recent Royal Navy exercise on West Caicos by RFA Argus designed to test their capabilities, response scenarios across multiple islands and relationship building with TCI stakeholders.





-Was updated on the issue of irregular migration, including use of data to measure and shape responses, the role to be played by Royal Marines in support of the Police Maritime Unit, progress with uplifting radar capability, work to establish a temporary detention centre as a quarantine, illegal immigrants who sought to transit from the TCI on to other countries and pending court cases, the repatriation of other detainees, and collaborative work with local stakeholders and international partners to date.





-Was updated on crime statistics and new trends, ongoing murder investigation work, need for community engagement and witness protection, threats to life and amendments to existing legislation, proposed introduction of community policing in September, ongoing gun crime work and existing gun amnesty, positive impact of Covid-19 related curfew, and a newly developed multi-stakeholder process to tackle illegal migration.





-Discussed issues relating to HM Prison in light of Covid-19 including temporary detention centres for quarantine purposes and provisions for current inmates.




When Gov. Kim Reynolds said last week that a moratorium on home foreclosures and rental evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic would be lifted on the 27th, the move was made in conjunction with an announcement that the state would create a program to assist Iowans who have lost income due to the pandemic.

An initial $22 million would go toward the program, run through the Iowa Finance Authority, and would be available until the end of the year or until money runs out and isn't reupped.

Since the applications became available, more than 300 people have put in for funding to pay mortgages and rent during a time when they're dealing with COVID-19 layoffs and hours reductions.

And the possible peak in need for the program isn't even here yet.

According to Iowa Finance Authority Communications Director Ashley Jared, the program currently doesn't allow people who are receiving the extra $600 in unemployment benefits to apply for eviction and foreclosure assistance. But once that expires on July 31, Iowans in need of such housing help can apply.

And the Iowa Finance Authority is expecting them too.

"If that does expire we think the need will greatly increase," Jared said. "It might have a slower start but then were expecting it to pick up through the fall." In Iowa, the renting population totals 790,918 (according to Princeton University's Eviction Lab project). Which means that an eviction rate in Iowa of even 2.3% (a rough national average) would result in 18,191 people being left without a home.

Based on a rough estimate, Jared said that the program would possibly be able to support 6,500 people with the $22 million. If demand surpasses that, the Iowa Finance Authority could have more funds allocated to it.

As of right now, no actual money has been disbursed as the Iowa Finance Authority is still reviewing at least 300 applications for eligibility requirements. It isn't just enough that those who apply aren't receiving the added $600 in unemployment benefits, their income needs to be 80% of median income for the county they reside in and there needs to have been a COVID impact to their financial source.

Iowa Legal Aid Litigation Director Alex Kornya said that he fully understands the $600 stipulation but that it's "always tough to turn people away who need help" especially when that need appears to be increasing.

According to Kornya, his organization has at least 700 eviction cases currently on file and a sizable portion of those may have violated moratorium orders. "The single largest area of our 15,000 cases is housing," Kornya said. "Even in normal times, were doing a lot of cases related to evictions. Right now that has only increased. Were seeing the same issues weve always seen plus more because of the pandemic."

He thinks there will be more of those as well as more foreclosure cases because, as he said, "Cash assistance is good if someone is able to get a job but all it does is buy you time."

As far as time goes, Kornya said he's also worried that disbursements from the state fund might not happen quickly enough for some people. The way he framed the question was: "Will they be able to access these funds in time?"

For Kornya, who began his legal career at the onset of the 2008 recession, all of this is starting to feel like the worst case of deja vu.

"I worry that were going back to those days. I think there are a lot of people that will be doing everything they can to help people, but I would be ignoring reality if I said I wasnt worried."

One reason such a program like the one being operated by the Iowa Finance Authority is needed is that someone worried about an eviction or foreclosure right now doesn't necessarily qualify for existing housing programs.

North Iowa Regional Housing Authority Executive Director Justin Stotts said that the program from Reynolds' office helps people that fall through the cracks or "make just a little bit too much to enroll in our program." What the North Iowa Regional Housing Authority does tends to be more proactive while this new program is more reactive.

In either case though, applications are trending upward. Stotts shared that applications to the North Iowa Regional Housing Authority waiting list totaled 160 in April and 143 in May and called that a "sizable increase."

But not a totally overwhelming one.

Stotts said that his organization continuously puts out applications when it has funding available and it does at this time.

"We continue to make sure that our current program participants are supported if they have loss in income or change in circumstances," he said. "Were making sure to get those changes processed quickly so that we can prevent them from getting into a situation where an eviction from their landlord could be an issue."

Jared McNett covers local government for the Globe Gazette. You can reach him at Jared.McNett@globgazette.com or by phone at 641-421-0527. Follow Jared on Twitter at @TwoHeadedBoy98.

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The coronavirus-related economic downturn may have set off a sudden plunge in global greenhouse gas emissions, but another crucial metric for determining the severity of global warming - the amount of greenhouse gases actually in the air - just hit a record high.

According to readings from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air in May 2020 averaged more than 417 parts per million (ppm).

It is the highest monthly average value ever recorded, up from 414.7 ppm in May of last year.

Carbon dioxide levels are the highest they've been in human history, and likely the highest in three million years. The last time there was this much CO2 in the atmosphere, our early human ancestors lived in Africa, global average surface temperatures were significantly warmer, and sea levels were 50 to 80 feet higher.

The continuing rise in CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere may sound surprising in light of recent findings that the pandemic and the associated lockdowns had led to a steep drop in global greenhouse gas emissions, peaking at a 17pc decline in early April.

Forests

But the CO2 that winds up in the atmosphere is driven not only by human emission levels, but also through processes on land (especially forests) and in the oceans that fluctuate on a yearly basis.

According to a Scripps announcement, CO2 reductions of the order of 20-30pc would need to be sustained for six to 12 months in order for the increase in atmospheric CO2 to slow in a detectable way.

"The build-up of CO2 is a bit like trash in a landfill. As we keep emitting, it keeps piling up," said Ralph Keeling, who directs Scripps's carbon dioxide monitoring programme, and whose late father, Charles David Keeling, began measurements at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii in 1958.

"The crisis has slowed emissions, but not enough to show up perceptibly at Mauna Loa. What will matter much more is the trajectory we take coming out of this situation," he said.

The rate of increase of this long-lived greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is accelerating.

In the 1960s, the annual growth rate was about 0.8 ppm per year. It doubled in the 1980s, and eventually climbed to 2.4 ppm per year during the past decade.

Multiple lines of evidence show the cause of this increase is greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, said Pieter Tans, who leads NOAA's Carbon Cycle Greenhouse Gases Group.

The Scripps researchers found the average atmospheric CO2 concentration for May 2020 was 417.16 parts per million.

Using different calculations to the Scripps team, NOAA researchers found the peak monthly value was slightly lower, at 417.1 ppm.

The annual high typically occurs in May before CO2 levels temporarily ebb as trees and plants in the Northern Hemisphere absorb vast quantities of the planet-warming gas during the summer growing season. Although CO2 levels exhibit a seasonal cycle, the overall upward trend is clear.

The rate of increase in the past 12 months was slower than from the same period in 2018-2019, but natural factors such as El Nino events in the tropical Pacific Ocean and changes in terrestrial carbon sinks, such as forests, can have a large influence on this from year to year, Mr Tans said.

El Nino can contribute to drought and extreme heat in large areas of the world, Mr Tans added, noting they can weaken the ability of forests and other lands to soak up carbon dioxide, leading to a higher natural contribution to atmospheric CO2 levels.

The combination of record fossil fuel use and mild El Nino conditions between May 2018 and 2019 can explain the above average increase in atmospheric CO2 of 3.5 ppm that year.

Wildfires and deforestation can add to the increase in atmospheric CO2 as well, though their influence ultimately is overwhelmed by the global burning of fossil fuels.

Deforestation

According to Rob Jackson, an expert with Stanford University and the Global Carbon Project, emissions from wildfires were up in 2019 and 2020, contributing to the May peak, as was Brazil's due to deforestation and burning.

This year's May CO2 peak marked an increase of about 2.4 ppm compared with a year ago. The 2010 to 2019 average rate of increase is precisely the same at 2.4 ppm per year, according to NOAA.

The decline of El Nino during the past year may help explain why the increase in the last year was not as large as the previous, Mr Tans said.

Because atmospheric levels of CO2 are cumulative, they will continue to increase until net emissions are cut to zero.

They will not decrease until human activities and natural ecosystems are removing more greenhouse gases than are going into the air.

Molecules of CO2 can remain in the atmosphere for up to 1,000 years.

Scientists warn that we're on course to reach 450 ppm by mid-century, when levels would need to stop increasing to have a decent chance of meeting the goals in the Paris climate agreement, which seeks to limit climate change to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2100.

Kim Cobb, a climate scientist at Georgia Tech, said the new findings underscore the need to act now.

"It is a reminder that climate change is not on pause in any way, shape or form," she said.

Mr Keeling said it would take a sustained drop in emissions, rather than a sudden decline related to the coronavirus pandemic, to show up more clearly in measurements of atmospheric CO2.

"What really matters here is setting a new trajectory," he said.
A bipartisan committee of the Oregon Legislature agreed Friday on how to carve up $247 million in federal coronavirus relief to help Oregon renters, workers, business owners and others hit hard by the pandemic.

Lawmakers spent 2  hours questioning and criticizing some aspects of the plan, but ultimately cast unanimous votes in favor of all aspects of the plan except paying wage replacement to undocumented workers laid off amid the COVID-19 scare.

The largest single element of the package is $55 million that will be paid to landlords who rent to low-income Oregonians whove lost wages because of the virus. That money will be doled out through local community action agencies, just like the $12 million in state funding already allocated for that purpose.

The next largest chunk is $50 million in grants to help certain small rural hospitals that saw their patient load  and income  plummet after Gov. Kate Brown ordered them to delay non-essential surgeries and other care and Oregonians became reluctant to seek medical help.

The Emergency Board, composed of 13 Democrats and seven Republicans, had stalemated in April over plans to give those same hospitals millions in zero-interest loans. At least one Democrat joined many Republican members in arguing the hospitals could not take on more debt and should receive outright grants.

So the panels co-chairs, House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, and Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, came up with the new proposal which awards $50 million in grants to 33 rural hospitals for coronavirus related costs they incur in 2020.

Other large items in the spending package include:

>> $30 million in small grants to help child care providers to stay open as the economy recovers or to reopen if they have closed. Under Phase 2 reopening, providers still cannot care for more than 10 children in a room.

>> $30 million to protect agricultural workers during the pandemic. The money will be used to cover employers costs to provide housing with greater sanitation and more distancing, equip fields with more hand-washing stations and transport workers in vans and busses with room for them to remain many feet apart. Another large chunk will be used to replace the wages of workers who have to quarantine after catching or being exposed to the virus. And some will provide workers with personal protective equipment.

>> $25.6 million for additional mental health services, with a particular emphasis on providing more culturally and linguistically appropriate services, such as outreach to communities of color, tribes, and vulnerable populations.

>> $20 million to expand rural broadband to help workers and students who are working or learning from home and need robust internet access. The upgrades would focus on improving connectivity in and near Roseburg, Medford, Ashland, Klamath Falls, The Dalles, Pendleton, La Grande, Ontario and Burns.

>> $10 million to help small businesses buy personal protective equipment for their workers.

Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose, ultimately voted for the plan to give businesses money to buy the protective gear. But first she explained her strong preference that the state use its larger buying power to secure the gear for them rather than leave them to shop on their own.

Were leaving them naked in a shark-infested marketplace, she said.

In a statement Friday evening, Kotek praised lawmakers choices but called on Congress to give states even more money.

We sent meaningful support to renters, families with young children, and workers in need, she said. But we have a lot more to do.

-- Betsy Hammond; betsyhammond@oregonian.com; @OregonianPol

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All 4 former officers involved in death of George Floyd now charged

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Derek Chauvin, 44, a former Minneapolis police officer who was previously charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter for the death of George Floyd, had his charge upgraded to second-degree murder on Wednesday, while three other former officers were charged with aiding and abetting Floyd's murder.

The charges come just two days after Minnesotas Attorney General Keith Ellison took over prosecution of the case from Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman.

"I strongly believe that these developments are in the interest of justice for Mr. Floyd, his family, our community and our state," Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in announcing the charges. Im the lead prosecutor on the states case and I will be speaking for it  and this is absolutely a team effort. Ive assembled a strong team. We have one goal and one goal only: justice for George Floyd.

Chauvin was recorded kneeling into the neck of Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, who died in police custody on Monday 25 when he stopped breathing.

Ellison said he and Freeman also filed charges against former Minneapolis officers J. Alexander Kueng, 26, Thomas Lane, 37, and Tou Thao, 34, of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for their role in Floyds death.

The complaints allege that on the evening of May 25, the officers arrested Floyd at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis. Chauvin used an unauthorized restraint technique in which he pressed his knee into Floyds neck to restrict his movement while Floyd was handcuffed and laying on the pavement.

Lane and Kueng held Floyd by the legs and hips to further restrict his movement while Thao stood guard to prevent members of the public, who gathered nearby to witness the police action, from intervening. Chauvin was arrested on May 28 and remains in custody, which Kueng, Lane, and Thao were arrested Wednesday and remain in custody.

The recent charges and arrest of the officers satisfied a demand from protesters nationwide who have been marching for days and calling for justice in the streets.

To the Floyd family, to our beloved community, and everyone that is watching, I say: George Floyd mattered. He was loved. His life was important. His life had value. We will seek justice for him and for you, and we will find it, Ellison said.

The very fact that we have filed these charges means that we believe in them. But what I do not believe is that one successful prosecution can rectify the hurt and loss that so many people feel. The solution to that pain will be in the slow and difficult work of constructing justice and fairness in our society, he said.

Chauvin is being held at the Minnesota Department of Corrections facility in Oak Park. His bail was increased to $1 million Wednesday, according to court documents. Lane, Kueng and Thao are also being held on $1 million bail.

In a statement on Twitter Wednesday, Benjamin Crump, the attorney for the Floyd family, said his clients were deeply gratified by the charges and the arrests.

This is a bittersweet moment. We are deeply gratified that @AGEllison took decisive action, arresting & charging ALL the officers involved in #GeorgeFloyd's death & upgrading the charge against Derek Chauvin to felony second-degree murder. #JusticeForGeorge, the statement said.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz who appointed Ellison to take over the case called the charges a meaningful step toward justice.

"The charges announced by Attorney General Keith Ellison today are a meaningful step toward justice for George Floyd. But we must also recognize that the anguish driving protests around the world is about more than one tragic incident," he said in a statement.

"George Floyd's death is the symptom of a disease. We will not wake up one day and have the disease of systemic racism cured for us. This is on each of us to solve together, and we have hard work ahead. We owe that much to George Floyd, and we owe that much to each other, he added.
Despite the city being one of the most affected places by COVID-19, ride-hailing companies Ola and Uber have decided to resume services in Mumbai. Both the companies have said they'll follow the norms laid out by the Centre as well the state governments for the safety of riders, and that services will focus on essential travel. Notably, Mumbai, now one of the biggest global hotspot in terms of coronavirus, contributes 57.37 per cent of the state's cases and 19.94 per cent of the Centre's cases.

Not only Mumbai but Ola has resumed services in other parts of Maharashtra, including Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Solapur and Amravati. As per Ola, people living in these cities will be able to book cabs anywhere within the state for their essential travel needs. The release said the homegrown firm has introduced five layers of safety that include strictly adhering to steps that ensure the highest standards of safety and hygiene for every ride.

Also read: Unlock 1.0: Ola resumes services in Pune with precautionary measures

"This includes compulsory mask usage for driver-partners and passengers, deep sanitisation of cars before and after rides, amongst others. A flexible cancellation policy has also been introduced that allows either the passenger or driver-partner to cancel the ride if they feel the other party is not following the rules or not wearing a mask," the release stated.

Uber has also started inter-state travel in Maharashtra, including Pune. The other states where the company has resumed services are Assam, Chattisgarh, Delhi NCT, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

As part of the precautionary measure, fares in tolls and parking charges will be paid directly to the driver in cash. Travellers are not permitted to cross containment zones and need to plan their route accordingly.

India on Friday has reported its highest single-day jump in coronavirus cases in the past 24-hour. As per union health ministry data, India reported 9,851 new cases of coronavirus since Thursday morning. The death counts in the last 24-hour surged to 273.

Overall, India's coronavirus cases tally has now jumped to 2,26,770, out of which 1,10,960 active cases,1,09,462 cured/discharged/migrated and 6348 deaths, the ministry data added. Maharashtra's total confirmed cases' tally has surged to 77,793, Tamil Nadu 27,256, Delhi 25,004, and Gujarat 18,584. So far, Rajasthan has registered 9,862 COVID cases, and UP 9,237.

Also read: Coronavirus: How Ola, Uber, radio cabs will be sanitised at Delhi airport
Invoking the killing of George Floyd and the ravages of COVID-19, former Vice President Joe Biden told Texas Democrats that it has never been clearer why he must defeat President Donald Trump in November.

I said from the beginning: The very soul of this nation is at stake, Biden said at the partys online state convention Saturday. Thats why Im running for president and why I stand united with every single Democrat behind our mission to beat Donald Trump and restore real leadership to the White House.

Biden said the horrifying killing of Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer has forced the nation to face an uncomfortable truth.

Its time for us to face the deep, open wound of systemic racism in the nation, Biden said, declaring that hes the candidate who can set the stage for that. Nothing about this is going to be easy or comfortable if we simply allow this wound to scab over once more without treating the underlying injury. Well never truly heal.

Biden is expected in Houston on Tuesday for Floyds funeral.

His remarks built upon a speech he made four days earlier in Philadelphia as racial injustice and police reform have redefined a presidential race that polls show has tightened even in Texas, which no Republican presidential candidate has lost in 44 years.

Trump questioned Bidens commitment to criminal justice reform earlier in the week, reminding Americans that Bidens work on the 1994 crime bill sent more black people to jail.

On Friday, Trump invoked Floyds name in calling for all people to be treated fairly by police.

TRUMP IN TEXAS: With Democrats locked in primary battle, Trump revs up Texas campaign

Equal justice under the law must mean that every American receives equal treatment in every encounter with law enforcement, regardless of race, color, gender or creed, he said at a briefing at the White House. They have to receive fair treatment from law enforcement.

While Trump and Republicans have used the past two weeks to pivot to a law-and-order message to rally conservatives, Biden and Democrats have used it as a call to action for their supporters to champion communities of color.

If we can make our country work for the most vulnerable Americans; if we can unrig our economy so that it benefits every single person and not only a select few, then we can live up to the promise of America, former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro told Texas Democrats before Biden spoke.

Castro, who endorsed Biden earlier in the week, has joined forces with the former vice president to work on police reforms. Earlier in the week, Biden in Philadelphia called for a national ban on police chokeholds and the creation of a model use-of-force standard for all law enforcement agencies  proposals Castro made a centerpiece of his own presidential campaign last year.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Biden took his message Saturday beyond the racial injustice the black community has faced, also shaming Trump for damaging Hispanic communities with his rhetoric and tough immigration policies.

Since day one of this administration, there has been a relentless attack on the Latino community, Biden said. We saw the results last August in El Paso, as El Paso was targeted by a hateful attack. Donald Trumps anti-Latino, anti-immigrant agenda has targeted Latinos with dire consequences.

Biden was referencing the shooting last August in El Paso, where a 21-year-old from Allen is accused of targeting Hispanic shoppers at a Walmart, killing 23 people.

But for Biden, the speech was delivered like most of his speeches during the COVID-19 outbreak  in isolation. Instead of having a rousing ovation in a packed arena in San Antonio as originally planned, Biden delivered the message by video from the back porch of his Delaware home.

Trumps re-election campaign ridiculed him for hiding out from a nation in turmoil.

While Joe Biden hides in his basement, rather than constructively add to the national conversation, President Trump is leading Americans through the pandemic and restoring law and order, Trump Victory spokesperson Samantha Cotten said.

Bidens address comes as public polls have shown him in a virtual dead heat with Trump for the states 38 electoral votes in November  second-most in the nation. Biden thanked the state party for Texas fast-changing role in the presidential race. Biden said there is a real shot this year for Democrats to win Texas, once a solidly red state.

I think we have a real chance to turn the state blue because of the work all of you have done, Biden said. Were building a diverse coalition to win up and down the ballot in the fall.

Election Day is now less than 150 days away, with just over 100 days until the first ballots are sent to military and overseas voters.

A Democratic presidential candidate has not won Texas since 1976, when Jimmy Carter pulled off the feat against Republican Gerald Ford. But Democrats point to tightening election results in 2016 and 2018 as evidence that they have a shot in 2020. In 2016, Hillary Clinton lost to Trump by 9 percentage points, the closest a Democrat has come to winning Texas in two decades. And in 2018, U.S. Senate candidate Beto ORourke, a Democrat, came within 3 percentage points of beating incumbent Ted Cruz, a Republican.

The last five public polls of Texas voters since the start of April have all shown the Trump-Biden race within 6 percentage points. The most recent poll, released last week by Quinnipiac University, showed Trump with a 1 percentage point lead  a virtual tie, given that the margin of error of the poll was 2.9 percentage points.

But Trumps campaign has been bracing for 2020 for months and vowing to not take Texas for granted, holding virtual day-of-action events aimed at engaging its top volunteers early.

By doing that, the campaign hopes to boost turnout for Trump in Texas come November. Trumps campaign has said it is convinced that it is in a position to grow its share of the vote in the state.

Texans want results, not lip service from the Democrats, and they will make that clear when they re-elect President Trump in November, said Cotten.

Republicans cannot afford for Texas to be in play. If Trump cannot hold the states 38 electoral votes, to help offset Democratic states such as California and New York, it would be virtually impossible for him to get the 270 Electoral College votes he needs to win re-election.

ORourke, who also spoke at the virtual convention Saturday, said Biden has to win Texas to ensure that the race is not close in November. If Biden wins Texas along with other Democratic swing states, it would be an overwhelming victory and reduce doubt about the results.

It will be absolutely seismic. It will stop Donald Trump in his tracks forever and will change what is politically possible in America, ORourke said.

jeremy.wallace@chron.com
India's former Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale asserted that Chinese President Xi Jinping is speedily carrying out a campaign to take over the international institutions like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) as the world spins to Coronavirus crisis.

Gokhale, who is also the former Indian ambassador to China, said that China officials are in fire fighting mode to regain their reputation, which is under fire for their part in the pandemic. The country further reproached their move to assert control over Hong Kong, he added.

Sharing his opinion with an international daily, Gokhale further disclosed that President Xi has left Coronavirus battle to his subordinates as he is engaged in a bigger campaign that is "taking over the international institutions like the World Health Organisation and the United Nations, that manage the world."

READ | India, China trying to end army standoff in Himalayas

"Contrary to speculation, China has always said it is not seeking to overthrow the global order. We should listen. Why would China go to the trouble of capsizing the global order when it can simply take it over, whole and intact?," Gokhale pointed out.

READ | Top diplomats from India & China hold virtual meet, stress on peaceful & stable relations

China biggest beneficiary of globalisation: Gokhale

He further opined that China is the biggest beneficiary of globalisation. It has systematically used Western-led multilateral institutions such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to advance its interests and influence.

"Though still fighting for greater control of the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), it has determinedly captured the leadership of four key United Nations agencies that set international rules and standards. (It almost claimed a fifth, the World Intellectual Property Organisation, this year.)," he revealed.

China has steadily been building up its influence

The diplomat is of the view that China has steadily been building up its influence in international institutions for years by funding them. China's message to the world is clear that "China is ready to pick up the slack, as the United States retreats from its global responsibilities", he said.

"For a world exhausted and impoverished by the pandemic, it's a seductive proposition. Anybody who takes the reins will be good enough; few will ponder its significance for the global order. Development and stability, not China's ambitions to lead, are the priorities for most countries," he said.

Adding further Gokhale said that China had stumbled at the start of the pandemic but the West appears to be "losing the moral high ground." "The world needs balance at the moment, no country other than the United States has the means to ensure it. At a practical level, its leadership is indispensable," he stated.

READ | Donald Trump says COVID-19 is a 'very bad gift' from China to the rest of the world

READ |China urges citizens to shun Australia as dispute simmers

(With inputs from ANI)
A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Nu Skin Enterprises (NUS). Shares have added about 11.9% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Nu Skin 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 catalysts.

Nu Skin's Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates, Decline Y/Y



Nu Skin Enterprises released first-quarter 2020 results, with earnings and sales declining year over year. Reduced sales leaders, especially in Mainland China, hurt quarterly results. Also, Nu Skin continued to battle foreign currency headwinds. Nevertheless, both the top and the bottom line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate.



Q1 Highlights



Nu Skin delivered quarterly earnings of 36 cents a share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 24 cents. However, the bottom line tumbled 53% from earnings of 77 cents reported in the year-ago quarter.



Revenues of $518 million fell 17% year over year. Nevertheless, the metric surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $474 million. First-quarter revenues included a negative impact of 2% (or $14.3 million) from foreign currency fluctuations. Also, a reduced sales leader count due to declines across all regions hurt revenues.



Sales leaders were 49,551, down 22% year over year, with Mainland China accounting for majority of the decline. In fact, sales leaders deteriorated in all regions. Further, Nu Skins customer base fell 5% year over year to 1,130,947, with declines in all regions except Southeast Asia (up 5% year over year) and Mainland China (flat year over year).



Gross profit came in at $392.2 million, down 17.8% from the year-ago quarters figure. Gross margin contracted 80 basis points (bps) year over year to 75.7%. Nu Skins base business gross margin expanded 60 bps on a year-over-year basis to 78.1%.



Selling expenses amounted to $206 million, which accounted for 39.8% of revenues compared with 40% in the year-ago quarter. Meanwhile, general and administrative expenses of $149.6 million accounted for 28.9% of revenues, up from 25.4% in the year-ago quarter. Operating income came in at $36.6 million, while operating margin fell year over year from 11% to 7.1%.



Regional Results



Revenues declined across all regions from the prior-year quarters level. The highest drop was witnessed in Mainland China, where the metric fell 34%. Further, revenues fell 14% in the Americas/Pacific, 10% in South Korea, 4% in Southeast Asia, 12% in Hong Kong/Taiwan, 1% in Japan and 15% in EMEA.



Other Financial Details



Nu Skin ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $352.6 million, long-term debt of $327.2 million and stockholders' equity of $800.5 million. During the quarter, the company paid out dividends of $20.7 million.



In a separate press release, Nu Skin announced a dividend of 37.5 cents per share payable on Jun 10, to shareholders of record as of May 29.



Guidance



Nu Skin continues to focus on improving sales leaders through technological advancements. Moreover, the company has been witnessing improved trends in Mainland China region as restrictions related to contain the spread of coronavirus are being lifted gradually. Management expects this trend to continue in other markets globally. This along with global preview of its new beauty device, late in 2020, is likely to enable the company to return to growth by the year end.



Management expects 2020 revenues in the range of $2.17-$2.26 billion, including currency headwinds of 2-3%. In 2019, Nu Skins revenues amounted to $2.42 billion. Prior to this, the company had anticipated 2020 revenues of $2.17-$2.30 billion, including currency headwinds of 1-2%.



Further, 2020 earnings are projected in the range of $2.05-$2.35 per share, which indicates a decline from $3.10 delivered in the prior-year quarter. Earlier, Nu Skin had envisioned earnings in the range of $2.00-$2.40 per share.



For the second quarter, thecompany projects revenues in the band of $520-$550 million that includes adverse currency impacts of 3-4%. Earnings are anticipated between 42 cents and 52 cents.

Story continues

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

It turns out, estimates revision flatlined during the past month. The consensus estimate has shifted 17.6% due to these changes.

VGM Scores

At this time, Nu Skin has a nice Growth Score of B, however its Momentum Score is doing a bit better with an A. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of B on the value side, putting it in the top 40% for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Nu Skin has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). We expect an above average 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



Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NUS) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
May 12, 2020

Contact: Ashley Danielson

Omaha, Neb.- An expedition is only as successful as its preparation. On May 12, 2019, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail was extended to include eastern sites that played vital roles in the planning and supply procurement for the expedition. With a new historical trail-head at the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Trail now winds 4,900 miles to St. Louis, Missouri, along the Missouri River to the Great Plains, across the Rockies and on to the Pacific Ocean. This week, we celebrate the first anniversary of this 1,200-mile extension.

The trail extension has increased opportunities for interpretation and education. The extension also highlights recreational opportunities along the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and engages partners and stakeholders in trail management and related activities.



National Park Service staff continues to work with partners and communities to integrate the new trail extension with the existing trail and continue to build strong state and local partnerships. Much progress has been made in the last year to incorporate these new sections in the larger national historic trail.

Work is never done when commemorating and protecting a national historic trail. National Park Service staff continues to work with partners and sites in the east to assist in the telling of the Lewis and Clark story.

The 4,900 miles of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail traverses the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon.



For additional information about the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, visit

and join the conversation at

,

and
Michigan U.S. Senate hopeful John James said Republicans and Democrats both failed African Americans as the country experiences mass demonstrations against police brutality and generations of systemic inequality.

In a Saturday interview with MLive, James said the protests are focused on addressing human rights violations and pervasive racism that African Americans have faced for the last 400 years. The Farmington Hills Republican said politicians have done little to address these issues, and he is running to increase black representation in Congress.

The Democratic Party has neglected African Americans, James said. The Republican Party has not even tried.

James pledged to be a unifying figure in new television ads addressing the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died on Memorial Day after being pinned by a white Minneapolis officer for nearly nine minutes. Americans in all 50 states hit the streets in the last week to protest Floyds death and raise broader concerns about the unequal treatment of black and brown people.

James, a former U.S. Army combat veteran, Southeast Michigan businessman and descendent of slaves, would be Michigans first black senator if elected in November. He said having more diverse representation in the Senate is an important step toward fixing the underlying causes behind Floyds death.

We need the first-hand lived experience of somebody who understands what its like to walk around in black skin and recognizes the urgency of the situation demands action, not more talk, James said.

Demonstrators across the country have demanded Congress take action to hold police departments accountable for racial violence and the use of excessive force. The GOP-controlled Senate is planning June hearings on police misconduct, while Senate Democrats are proposing legislation to reform training policies and gather more data on misconduct.

In Michigan, the Republican-controlled state Senate unanimously passed a police reform bill introduced this week. Senate Bill 945 would require officers to undergo implicit bias and de-escalation training and participate in mental health screening.

James said he supports increased training for police departments and initiatives to recruit more diverse officers. His campaign said James has had conversations with Detroit Police Chief James Craig and the Police Officers Association of Michigan.

James denounced proposals to defund police departments as insane," saying it would cause more harm in African American communities. He also criticized Peters bill to create a National Criminal Justice Commission, which would study the entire criminal justice system and propose reforms.

Calling for commissions looks like work, but it needs to -- in a concrete manner -- change the lives of people throughout our communities, James said. My focus is going to be on economic opportunity, entrepreneurship, education and infrastructure; how to modernize government and how we bring people out of poverty to begin with, not police them better in poverty.

Peters has also participated in meetings with African American leaders across the state and voiced his commitment to addressing racial inequalities after Floyds death.

James and Peters characterized Floyds death as murder. Derek Chauvin, the former officer who prosecutors say held his knee on Floyds neck until he died, was charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Three other officers who were present at the scene also face charges related to Floyds death.

Michigans Senate race is among the most hotly-contested in 2020, as Peters is one of only two Democrats defending seats in a state that President Donald Trump won in 2016. Trump narrowly took Michigan by an 11,000-vote margin, and Democrats are optimistic he wont manage a repeat since the president lags behind presumptive nominee Joe Biden in various polls.

James has said hes willing to disagree with Trump but has kept a close relationship to the presidents re-election campaign. He spoke at several Trump campaign rallies in Michigan, and Donald Trump Jr. said James is "all for his fathers agenda during a virtual fundraiser last month.

James acknowledged being a Republican means he would probably lose the majority of black voters during a private conversation with African American leaders in April, according to a transcript provided to MLive. James said Saturday that African American Republicans face a deep level of distrust," but he remains committed to having tough conversations with the black community.

One thing Im saying when I go into these meetings is the fact that when 90% of African Americans vote Democrat, then youve disincentivized either party to work for you," James said. "Im asking voters of all stripes to evaluate me based upon the character that I have, the experience I have. Look at my actions and not the 'R' by my name.

Several major cities in Michigan experienced largely peaceful daytime demonstrations that preceded violent clashes with police and national guardsmen tasked with enforcing evening curfews. Property damage and nighttime violence has reportedly waned in Michigan demonstrations held throughout the week and curfews have been lifted in some cases.

Trump is reportedly considering invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act to send active-duty troops to American cities. A spokesperson said James is not in favor of deploying the military to quell peaceful protests.

Earlier in the week, James campaign released two television ads calling for unity in the wake of Floyds murder. James called Floyds death an an evil act" and said opportunistic looting and destruction that followed peaceful demonstrations dishonors the cause of justice.

Politicians will never solve these problems  only you and I can do that," James said in one of the ads. "No laws, no legislation can possibly change peoples hearts. But you and I can. And God certainly can.

James spoke with MLive exactly one year after launching his Senate campaign on the anniversary of D-Day. It was James second interview with MLive; several attempts to speak with the Farmington Hills Republican earlier this year were unsuccessful.

The Michigan Democratic Party has criticized James for not participating in interviews with local press since launching his campaign.

James said the COVID-19 pandemic has made it challenging to hold traditional campaign activities, but plans to be more visible as the August primary approaches.

I really want to be a unifier who gets results, who will put people before politics, James said. I think that when people hear that message, it will resonate and especially in times as in times like these when we so desperately needed results, leadership and unity.
A 40-year-old Aboriginal man has died after collapsing at a prison in Western Australia.

The Acacia Prison inmate was found on Friday but he could not be revived and was pronounced dead at hospital, the state's Department of Justice said in a statement on Saturday.

The Acacia Prison inmate was found on Friday but he could not be revived and was pronounced dead at hospital, the state's Department of Justice said in a statement on Saturday

Police say there does not appear to be anything suspicious, but they are investigating and there will be an inquest given it is a death in custody.

The Department of Justice will also conduct an internal review.

Acacia Prison is privately-run by Serco Australia.

The incident comes as thousands of demonstrators plan to step out onto the streets across Australia to join the global Black Lives Matter protests and call for an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody.

Thousands are expected at rallies in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart on Saturday to show solidarity with the movement and African American George Floyd, who died while being arrested in Minneapolis.

NSW's highest court has banned the Sydney protest because it breaches coronavirus restrictions but it is unlikely to stop marchers.

'The organisers have received strong advice from lawyers across the legal community that the decision has significant flaws that amount to jurisdictional error,' Greens MP David Shoebridge said on Saturday.

'Taking the legal jargon away the case will be that the judge got it wrong. That rally is in fact authorised and was agreed to by police.'

Mr Shoebridge gave evidence in court on Friday in support of the rally.
India went past Italy to become the sixth worst-hit nation by Covid-19, with the country registering a record single-day spike of 9,887 cases which pushed the nationwide tally to 2,36,657. Indias death toll due to Covid-19 rose to 6,642, with a record increase of 294 deaths in the last 24 hours till Saturday 8 am.

The country has registered over 9,000 cases for the third day in a row. India is now the sixth worst-affected nation in terms of coronavirus infection cases after the US, Brazil, Russia, Spain and the UK, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

The number of active Covid-19 cases stands at 1,15,942 in the country. A total of 1,14,073 people have recovered so far, with 4,611 Covid-19 patients having been cured in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said. Thus, around 48.20 per cent patients have recovered so far, a senior health ministry official said. The total confirmed cases also include foreigners.

The health ministry said cumulatively 45,24,317 samples have been tested so far with 1,37,938 samples tested in the last 24 hours.

Of the total 6,642 fatalities, Maharashtra tops tally with 2,849 deaths followed by Gujarat with 1,190 deaths, Delhi with 708, Madhya Pradesh with 384, West Bengal with 366, Uttar Pradesh with 257, Tamil Nadu with 232, Rajasthan with 218, Telangana with 113 and Andhra Pradesh with 73 deaths. The death toll reached 57 in Karnataka and 48 in Punjab.

Jammu and Kashmir has reported 36 fatalities due to the disease, Bihar 29, Haryana 24, Kerala 14, Uttarakhand 11, Odisha eight and Jharkhand has reported seven deaths so far. Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh have registered five Covid-19 fatalities each. Assam has recorded four deaths, while Chhattisgarh has reported two deaths so far. Meghalaya and Ladakh have reported one Covid-19 fatality each, according to the ministry data. According to the ministrys website, more than 70 per cent of the deaths are due to comorbidities.

The health ministry data updated on Saturday morning also stated that the highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra at 80,229, followed by Tamil Nadu at 28,694, Delhi at 26,334, Gujarat at 19,094, Rajasthan at 10,084, Uttar Pradesh at 9,733 and Madhya Pradesh at 8,996 cases.

The number of Covid-19 cases has gone up to 7,303 in West Bengal, 4,835 in Karnataka, 4,596 in Bihar and 4,303 in Andhra Pradesh. It has risen to 3,597 in Haryana, 3,324 in Jammu and Kashmir, 3,290 in Telangana and 2,608 in Odisha. Punjab has reported 2,461 coronavirus infections so far, while Assam has 2,153 cases. A total of 1,699 people have been infected with the virus in Kerala and 1,215 in Uttarakhand.

Jharkhand has registered 881 cases, Chhattisgarh has 879, Tripura 692, Himachal Pradesh 393, Chandigarh 304, Goa 196, Manipur 132 and Puducherry has 99 cases. Ladakh has 97 Covid-19 cases, Nagaland 94, Arunachal Pradesh 45, while Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Meghalaya have registered 33 infections each. Mizoram has reported 22 cases, Dadar and Nagar Haveli 14, while Sikkim has reported three cases till now.

A total of 8,192 cases are being reassigned to states, the ministry said on its website, adding our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR. The state-wise distribution is subject to further verification and reconciliation, it added.
Actor Sara Ali Khan on Friday shared some beautiful unseen pictures of herself in the midst of nature to celebrate World Environment Day.

Sharing four solo pictures, Sara wrote: Happy World Environment Day, followed by a bunch of nature emojis. In one of the pictures, she sits in front of what appears to be a stone-made entrance of a temple or some old structure in the mountains. In another, she sits with her back to the camera and gazes into the lush green expanse of land. In the third, she stands with her back to the camera again, looking at a gorgeous sunset. The picture appears to be from the African continent; in the distance, there appear to be wild animals on the move. The fourth picture shows her enjoying the rain, with snow-capped mountains in the background.

Sara is an ace at throwback pictures and videos and often shares them to show her body transformation. Only recently, she had shared video and written: Namaste Darshako Lockdown Edition Episode 2: From Sara ka Sara to Sara ka aadha (from whole Sara to half of her).

Speaking about her weight loss journey, she had told BBC last year, I went to Columbia for four years and at the end of the second year, I decided that I really want to act, like I said I have always known, but that realisation coincided with the weigh scale saying that Im 96 kilos. So, it was a bit difficult. Then it was the senior year of college in America itself that I lost the weight.

Also read: Begusarai actor Rajesh Kareer asks people to stop giving him more money, says Ive received more than Im worthy of

I was a regular kid. It made it very hard for me to a. lose weight and b. the hormone level was very high. So, as you can see, there is a level of delusion that was in me...I was confident, I was delusional, she had added.

Jahaan aapko pizza milta hain, wahin aapko protein milta hain. Jahaan pe chocolate milta hain, wahin aapko salad milta hain (where you get a pizza, you also get a protein drink; on one hand, you could go for chocolate and on the other, you could eat salad). That was it. So, I lost all the weight that I had gained there and lots more by working out and maintaining a disciplined life, she had said.

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New discovery advances optical microscopy

URBANA, Ill. - New Illinois ECE research is advancing the field of optical microscopy, giving the field a critical new tool to solve challenging problems across many fields of science and engineering including semiconductor wafer inspection, nanoparticle sensing, material characterization, biosensing, virus counting, and microfluidic monitoring.

The question is often asked, "Why can we not see or sense nanoscale objects under a light microscope?" The textbook answers are that their relative signals are weak, and their separation is smaller than Abbe's resolution limit.

However, the Illinois ECE research team, led by Illinois ECE Professor Lynford L Goddard, along with postdoc Jinlong Zhu, and PhD student Aditi Udupa, is challenging these cornerstone principles with a brand-new optical framework.

Their work, published in Nature Communications opens new doors to using optical microscopy to unravel difficult problems that impact our daily lives.

"Our work is significant not only because it advances scientific understanding of optical imaging but also because it enables researchers to directly visualize unlabeled objects that have deep sub-wavelength separations. We can see nanoscale structure without performing any image post-processing" said Goddard.

The team's breakthroughs began in May 2018 when Zhu and Goddard stumbled upon a remarkable result in one of their simulations. "At the time, we were conducting a theoretical study on wafer defect inspection and needed to build a simulation tool to model how light propagates through a microscope system. When we saw the simulation result for one of the configurations, we were quite confused by it," Goddard recalls. "We worked day and night for the next three months trying to understand the physics behind it. Once we developed a closed form analytic expression that explained what was going on, we could devise an experiment to test our hypotheses."

However, it would take another five months of trial and error to learn how to build and align the optical system such that the experimental configuration replicated the model assumptions. Meanwhile, Ms. Udupa fabricated suitable test samples at both the Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory and the Materials Research Laboratory with the assistance of Dr. Edmond Chow and Dr. Tao Shang. In January 2019, the team finally realized the necessary experimental conditions and directly visualized their first set of deep sub-wavelength objects.

"Using a standard optical microscope to visualize nanometric objects is extremely challenging not only because of the diffraction barrier, but also the weak signal," said Zhu. "Our experiment had to utilize two new and interesting physical concepts, anti-symmetric excitation and non-resonance amplification, to boost the signal-to-noise ratio of the nanoscale objects."

The team demonstrated the technique can sense both free-form and fixed-form nanoscale objects across a wide field of view (726-m  582-m) using a low numerical aperture objective (0.4 NA). Zhu explains, "We were quite lucky that some of the nanowires on our test sample shown above had fabrication imperfections. This allowed us to demonstrate the visualization of sub-20 nm defects in a semiconductor chip. In the future, one may also apply our method for the visualizable sensing of biological objects (e.g., viruses or molecule clusters) by choosing nanowires with optimized geometry and proper refractive index and patterning functional groups around nanowires. Once target analytes are trapped, they act as objects that may be directly visualized from the optical images."

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This work was funded by Cisco Systems Inc. (Gift Awards CG 1141107 and CG 1377144), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Engineering Strategic Research Initiative, and Zhejiang University - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (ZJUI) Institute Research Program. Professor Goddard acknowledges the Center for Advanced Study at the University of Illinois for teaching release time to pursue this research. He is also affiliated with the Beckman Institute and HMNTL.

This story has been published on: 2020-06-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
SHELTON  The Board of Aldermen adopted Mayor Marks Laurettis proposed 2020-21 fiscal year budget Friday, but Alderman David Gidwani claims a disconnected phone line prevented his no vote.

Gidwani, who had called in to the meeting, said his call was disconnected, and he was unable to vote no and make a statement about Laurettis proposed budget of $128,182,039, which includes a $610,565 overall increase over this past year while flat funding the education budget.

With the budget approval, the citys mill rate will remain 22.42 mills. Because of coronavirus pandemic shutdowns, the budget anticipates a tax collection rate of 98 percent and reduces the revenue estimate on motor vehicles by $200,000, creating what Lauretti calls a significant drop in cash that will certainly impact the ability to pay bills for vital services.

Gidwani said he was unhappy his vote did not get to be counted during the meeting.

To whoever at city hall disconnected me, shame on you, Gidwani posted on his Facebook page immediately as the meeting adjourned.

Lauretti, when asked after the meeting, said the individual handling the technology never saw Gidwanis number as disconnected from the call and stated he had plenty of opportunity to speak up when the aldermen voted to adjourn the meeting.

The disconnected call from a dissenter is the latest twist in what has been a contentious budget process, which began in April with Laurettis presentation of his budget and featured clashes with Democratic members of the Board of Apportionment and Taxation, which met twice, never once voting on the mayors budget.

This budget will not end with this adoption today, said Lauretti. Things are going to change. We know this. We just do not know how much and when. People have to be patient.

The focus now turns to the Board of Education. Before Fridays aldermen vote, the school board began the process of slashing $3.1 million from its budget. Overall, the school board has eliminated 22 positions, including eight layoffs, but still has some $450,000 to cut.

Contributed photo

The school board initially had proposed a $75,083,945 budget  an increase of $2,318,945, or 3.19 percent. The school budget request maintained present services with money set aside for a new pre-K teacher and curriculum writing.

Our revenues are grossly uncertain and back-to-school plans are unknown, said Board of Aldermen President John Anglace Jr., so the mayor recommended to start at last years levels and add to it as more is known. Finalizing and funding an uncertain plan would be a disservice to our entire community and adversely impact our major service providers, especially education.

Gidwani submitted a statement to the Herald that he had planned to read after recording his no vote, he said.

I disagree with the current city budget because we are flat funding education in a time when our Shelton students have been displaced from schools due to Covid-19, said Gidwani. When Shelton students return to our schools, they will need more support than ever before.

Gidwani asked that city officials work together to find a way to keep the teachers and support staff.

Students will need more counseling, more intervention and may even need smaller class sizes due to CDC guidelines, said Gidwani. We must work together to keep Shelton strong and support our future generation of Shelton residents.

Lauretti said that city teachers are the 10th highest paid in the state and the districts facilities are as fine as any in Connecticut, but it is never enough for some people who make rude and derogatory comments.

I am not moved by that  I am not threatened by anyones vote, said Lauretti. When I take action on behalf of this city, I take into consideration of every sector that lives and works here.

Lauretti said, during the pandemic, everyone must sacrifice, including the school system.

It cant be for the kids all the time, said Lauretti. What about the seniors living on fixed incomes? Should we not consider them?

Lauretti said over his 29 years in office, he often hears during budget season how the school system is underfunded and in overall bad condition.

But that only exists at budget time, added the mayor. After that, we have a great system.

After Lauretti finished his comments during Fridays meeting, he asked for any other comment from the board. When no one responded, he called for the vote.

All the aldermen that could be heard voted yes. Lauretti then asked twice for Gidwani, who has been a vocal critic of the mayors stance on many issues, with no response. After waiting a moment, Lauretti stated the vote was 7-0 in favor, with one abstention, that being Gidwani.

But Gidwani said he was disconnected during Laurettis comments. When he tried to call in, an automated message told him the meeting had finished.

Gidwani contacted both Anglace and the aldermens secretary Friday night to demand that his no vote and the statement he had planned to read be entered into the official record of the meeting.

The contentious budget season had featured separate petitions from both the Shelton Democratic Town Committee and the SHS Students Fight for Change student action group supporting Democrat Apportionment and Taxation members call for joint budget workshops between the A&T, the aldermen, the Board of Education and city department heads.

The DTC also urged the aldermen to hold a public hearing before the final budget adoption. The aldermen, citing the governors executive order, instead asked interested residents to send in letters and emails with comments on the budget proposal.

In a statement released Thursday, the DTC charged that the Board of Alderman violated the city charter and Gov. Ned Lamonts executive orders regarding municipal budget processes.

Executive Order 7I, which the BOA cited in adopting a resolution to waive requirements for public hearings, does not allow them to do that. EO 7I is very narrow and applies only to municipalities that require voters to vote to adopt a budget via public town meetings or referendums suspending those requirements.

The DTC stated the executive order calls for municipalities to hold all required hearings in a manner as closely consistent with the applicable statutes, special acts, town charters, municipal ordinances, resolutions or procedures as possible.

Why is it important to hold public hearings? Because you have a right to know how your tax dollars are being spent and you deserve to have a say in that process, stated the DTC.

brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
The sight of thousands of people snaking along streets in towns and cities across Belarus to sign petitions for opposition would-be candidates has apparently spooked authoritarian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who has ruled since 1994 and is seeking a sixth term in an election on August 9.

Since the opposition rallies and gatherings started more than a month ago, Lukashenka has ordered arrests, including of two key opposition leaders, sacked his government, and vowed there will be no Maidan-style revolution in Belarus -- a reference to the protests that pushed a Russia-friendly president from power in neighboring Ukraine in 2014.

The trouble comes as Belarus struggles to contain COVID-19, a disease Lukashenka has dismissed as a psychosis and suggested can be warded off with a tractor ride, vodka, or a visit to a sauna. Belarus is one of the few countries that hasnt shut its borders and hasnt imposed any restrictions to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Belarus had almost 47,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus as of June 6, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University, with 259 related deaths. Health officials note the infection rate is high given Belaruss population of about 9 million. But analysts and others fear the real figures, especially deaths, could be much higher. Some have likened Lukashenkas response to the Soviet governments handling of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Quite rightly, many are comparing the situation today with the situation in 1986, when Chernobyl exploded, when we really dont know now how many were sick, how many died, what the real situation in the country is. The figures that we see defy all the rules of mathematics that exist. In fact, people see this complete disregard for them, and they, of course, join the lines [to sign petitions for opposition would-be candidates], said Yaraslav Ramanchuk, an economist and a presidential candidate himself in 2010, in comments to RFE/RLs Russian Service.

However, the arrests and the barring of would-be candidates to even collect signatures to get on the ballot suggest Lukashenka, 65, may hold the levers hell need to ensure he comes out the winner on August 9, as has been the case in every other election since he was first voted in three years after the Soviet collapse. None of the votes has been deemed by Western governments and international observers to have met democratic standards.

"In my opinion, everything is predetermined. Lukashenka is in complete control of the situation. No matter what percentage of voters actually vote for him, he has the means to ensure that the figures appear in the final tallies that satisfy him," said Igor Mintusov, a Russian political consultant who worked for Boris Yeltsin during the 1996 Russian presidential campaign, in comments to RFE/RLs Belarus Service.

Government Reshuffle

On June 4, Lukashenka named 46-year-old Raman Halouchanka, who previously oversaw military industries, as prime minister. The appointment came a day after Lukashenka, who had been promising a government shake-up ahead of the election, dismissed Syarhey Rumas along with his government.



Lukashenka said that we need to clench our teeth and show more discipline in order to repair the economic damage inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic and save what we have built.

We need to mobilize to cope with multiple new challenges over a short period of time, Lukashenka said.

Lukashenka is trying to secure full control over the plummeting economy and block protests, and he needs a prime minister who is predictable and ready to fulfill any order, said Minsk-based political analyst Valer Karbalevich in comments to Reuters.

Dzmitry Bolkunets, a Belarusian political analyst, said the move is little more than window dressing aimed at portraying Lukashenka as taking action to improve an economy damaged by the coronavirus.

But whomever he puts at the head of the government, it must be understood that in Belarus the head of government is not responsible for anything. His role is minimal. He solves some technical issues, Bolkunets told RFE/RLs Russian Service.

Crackdown Continues

The appointment came a day after police in the city of Homel said they had found some $900,000 at a home belonging to Syarhey Tsikhanouski, the blunt-talking vlogger whose call for Belarusians to take up their slippers to squash Lukashenka, whom he calls a cockroach, has resonated with many Belarusians.

Tsikhanouski, 41, has traveled across the country preaching his desire for an "independent" Belarus free of Lukashenka. His YouTube channel, A Country For Living, has more than 200,000 subscribers, and has documented alleged corruption and graft in Belarus.

Tsikhanouski has been in and out of jail on charges of holding unsanctioned meetings with supporters. He has been barred by election officials from running for president, but his wife, Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, has been allowed.

Tsikhanouski was arrested again on May 29 in Hrodna, a western city where he had traveled to collect signatures for the nomination of his wife. He was charged with assaulting a police officer, although he and supporters said police were blocking them from legally collecting signatures.

Another prominent opposition leader, Mikalay Statkevich  who challenged Lukashenka in the 2010 election, which was marred by allegations of fraud -- has been barred from running this time around.

Statkevich was also sentenced on June 1 to 15 days in jail for taking part in an opposition event in Minsk a day earlier when Belarusians lined up in the capital and other cities and towns to sign petitions to support those would-be candidates who have been vetted by election officials.

According to the Belarusian rights NGO Vyasna (Spring), numerous bloggers, activists, and supporters of Tsikhanouski" were arrested on May 31 across the country during the signature collection drive. Vyasna said the Interior Ministry told them that a criminal investigation had been opened into an alleged act of violence against police officers, in which Tsikhanouski and other detainees were allegedly involved.

In May, Human Rights Watch warned that Belarusian authorities were intensifying their crackdown on protesters, opposition bloggers, journalists, and other government critics.



Pent-Up Frustrations

The large crowds not only in Minsk, but in Brest, Hrodna, Homel, Slutsk, and other locations have underscored pent-up frustration in Belarus and just how widespread it is, said Bolkunets.

[Lukashenka] has been in power, lets remember, 26 years, and he feels he hasnt carried out reforms in the country  [he's] asking for five more years, and maybe Ill finish it. He promised people a lot: good living standards, high pay, etc. But he has been unable to achieve a $500 [average monthly wage]; he finds some excuse every time. But this time, I think, the difficult economic situation in the country was certainly finished off by the coronavirus, he said.

The fact that Valer Tsapkala, a prominent businessman and former Belarusian ambassador to the United States, and Viktar Babaryka, a banker and philanthropist, have thrown their hats into the race suggests even business leaders and other influential Belarusians are eager for change as well.

Lukashenka, in my opinion, has transformed into his former opponent from 1994, Vyacheslav Kebich, who also was the last of the Soviet-era leaders who remained at the helm of power of the independent state, said Ramanchuk.

In 1994, he said, People just wanted some new face. In 2020, the situation has been aggravated by the coronavirus and issues such as what he called glaring gaps in the education system and the health-care system.

Lukashenka's Levers

While Lukashenka may be facing the biggest electoral challenge to date, analysts caution he is still firmly in control of the levers.

Vyasna and others have criticized the formation of the country's election commissions, the bodies overseeing the voting process.

The human rights group has said that the lack of "legal guarantees for the representation in the election commissions of all political entities participating in the election results in an arbitrary and discriminatory approach to opposition parties and groups."

That criticism has been echoed by the European Union, which in a May 27 statement condemned the overall crackdown on peaceful protesters in Belarus and said it was worried by the decision by the Belarusian Central Election Commission to bar prominent opposition figures.

The United States and the EU have continuously criticized Belarusian authorities for flawed elections and their crackdown on the opposition, introducing sanctions against Lukashenkas government. However, some of those penalties have been lifted in recent years as Belarus freed political prisoners as part of Lukashenkas efforts to reach out to the West during tense times with Russia, Belaruss main financial backer and partner in a close, often tense relationship.

Mintusov noted the head of the Central Election Commission has been in her post for more than two decades and has no record of upholding clean elections.

"Lidziya Yarmoshyna has been the head of the CEC for 20 years, and all the elections have passed through her hands. The fact that this commission has not changed for so many years shows that the president himself will decide how many votes will be handed to him in the final voting figures," said Mintusov.

During parliamentary elections in 2019, an independent observer filmed a woman who appeared to be stuffing voting papers into a ballot box at a polling station in Brest, a city on the border with Poland.

Yarmoshyna responded by saying the observer who filmed the video should be stripped of his accreditation.

It doesnt matter what an observer says, she said. The most important thing is the ballot box. The truth is determined by the vote count.

During those elections, the opposition did not win any seats. Two opposition members who did have seats in the lower house of the National Assembly -- Hanna Kanapatskaya and Alena Anisim -- were barred from running.
New Delhi, June 6 : When will the coronavirus pandemic end in India? There is no definite answer yet, but senior officials of the Health Ministry predict that the pandemic in India may go in mid-September this year.

According to Dr Anil Kumar, Deputy Director General (Public Health), Directorate General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health and Family welfare, the pandemic in India will be over in mid-September.

In his article published in Epidemiology International Journal, Kumar, along with co-author and Deputy Assistant Director General (Leprosy) of Directorate General of Health Services, Health Ministry, Rupali Roy, have predicted that the pandemic would extinguish in India in mid-September.

Their prediction is based on Bailey's model where Relative Removal Rate (BMRRR) is considered for reaching a conclusion.

Speaking to IANS, Dr Kumar said, "There is a well-known model called Bailey's Model. It is based on Relative Removal Rate which means how many cases are entering the pool and how many are going out of the pool. When the number of infected is equal to the number of removed patients, the coefficient will reach 100% threshold, then this pandemic will be over." In this model, the removal rate is calculated which is the percentage of removed persons in the infected population. Further, a regression analysis has been done to show the linear relationship between the total infection rate and the total recovery rate.

"This model is applicable on any infectious disease. Whatever you do, you will be reaching 100 per cent one day. The relative removal rate means all those who have got infection will be either cured or dead. when we did the study on May 19, it was 42% but now it is around 50 per cent and in the middle of september, it will be 100 percent," said Kumar.

According to this mathematical calculation, taking the rate to higher and higher level is reflection of moving forward in the right direction and success of control measures being taken. The linear regression analysis has been used in this study and it is showing that the linear line is reaching 100 in the middle of September, 2020.

"So it may be interpreted that at that point of time, the number of the infected will be equal to the number of removed patients, and that's why the coefficient will reach 100% threshold," said the study.

"This is a very good model to support analysis and interpretation of State and District data (whenever the number of cases is high) and it will also help in relevant decision-making in control activities of COVID 19 pandemic," said the study.

"This will further help the government to take long-term disease prevention and intervention programs," it said.

However Kumar said all the mathematical models are not absolute and it depends upon the quality of data available.

"All states have different policies in reporting the number of cases. Some are reporting only severe cases, while some are reporting both severe and mild cases. A few states conduct less tests, thus report less cases. Therefore it is very important to report correct data for more accurate results," said Kumar.

Talking about the implementation of lockdown in the country, Kumar said the lockdown could have yielded even better results.

"We could not achieve what we could have. However the idea of lockdown was very good, but due to various reasons, it was not so effective. Lockdown is more of an administrative decision, but the real measure needs to be taken at community level," Kumar told IANS. "Otherwise, we can not get benefit of it, he added.

"If you allow transmission to occur and no measures are taken at community level, then it will be very difficult to control the outbreak," Kumar said.

When asked what percentage of the population will get the infection in India, Kumar said the study does not predict the number of cases in the country. "No one can predict how much the population will get affected -- it depends upon so many things such as, from now on, how people are going to maintain distancing and how public health measures will be taken in future.

"It also depends upon how different governments are going to act," Kumar said, adding it is very much possible to prevent so many corona cases from occurring in the country.

"There should be uniformity in applying public health measures at the community level throughout the country. My model does not suggest the number of cases. I have only predicted when this will be over. The prediction depends upon the surveillance system and quality of data." (Sfoorti Mishra can be contacted at sfoorti.m@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
We have no worker protection laws like mandatory paid sick or family leave or, of course, universal health care. Workers are expected to be on call around the clock. Publicly traded companies are typically beholden to stockholders first, even above employees and customers.

And guess who is expected to be on the job during a crisis  those with the lowest pay, the least protections  the essential workers who are on the bottom of the economic rung.

Even now, after Congress passed two stimulus packages to lessen the damage of the pandemic, the deck has been stacked for the rich. Congresss Joint Committee on Taxation revealed the administration sneaked a $135 billion bailout for real estate developers into the $3 trillion emergency spending.

Columnist Nicholas Kristof commented, In other words, a single mom juggling two jobs gets a maximum $1,200 stimulus check  and then pays taxes so that a real estate mogul can receive $1.6 million.

No wonder the nations top 10% earn nine times more than the bottom 90%.

The SEIUs Henry is optimistic the pandemics lessons will cause working people to rise up and demand changes for the nations economic future.

Im not all that sure. But, it will have to start by replacing the politicians who for decades now have done their best to protect the wealthy while ignoring the people who actually make the country work.

Dave Zweifel is editor emeritus of The Capital Times. He can be reached by email at dzweifel@madison.com and on Twitter @DaveZweifel.
By Trend

Iran's government continues to supply supportive packages to people that got affected by coronavirus spread in the form of bank loans, unemployment insurance fund and packages containing basic goods until COVID-19 is curbed, said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Trend reports via IRNA.

Rouhani said that the government will continue to supply the packages until the end of the current Iranian year (began March 20,2020), to help low-income families.

"A total of 1,200 centers across the country are ready to test people for coronavirus for free, while 17,500 more health houses are offering their services as well," he said.

Rouhani said that all the kindergartens and educational institutions will resume work on June 13 by implementation of necessary instructions.

"The National Headquarters to Fight Coronavirus has confirmed that domestic flights can start their activities on June 13, cinemas will be able to start their activity from June 21, following protocols, and working with half of their capacity," said the president.

The outbreak of the coronavirus began in the Chinese city of Wuhan (an international transport hub), at a fish market in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.

Iran continues to apply measures to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 infection.

Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease.

The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
It's bizarre that America, alone among the developed nations, has no universal health care along the lines of Australia's Medicare. Barack Obama tried to change that. Even though he enjoyed control of the White House, the House and the Senate for a while, he was unable to get the result he sought. America's health-care system remains one of its deepest sources of inequality and disadvantage. The coronavirus crisis has exposed this anew, but as Arundhati Roy observes, "it is the wreckage of a train that has been careening down the track for years. Who doesnt remember the videos of 'patient dumping'  sick people, still in their hospital gowns, butt naked, being surreptitiously dumped on street corners? Hospital doors have too often been closed to the less fortunate citizens of the US." It's horrible, but Australia created Medicare. Why shouldn't we feel a bit smug? Because Australia had been heading in the same direction. Look at the last decade and the pointlessness of its revolving-door prime ministership. Look at the last decade and the pointlessness of the so-called debate on climate change. Going into the 2007 election, John Howard and Kevin Rudd concurred on the need to address climate change. Both proposed an emissions trading scheme. It seemed straightforward. But the bipartisan agreement ruptured. Mayhem followed and a decade was lost, to the satisfaction of the mining lobby. Illustration: Jim Pavlidis Credit:

What was the last decade if not an example of Australian "vetocracy"? We suffered national complacency, compounded by political polarisation and ideological self-indulgence, exploited effectively by the mining lobby. The economy seemed to take care of itself and the political class felt liberated to pursue ever more frenzied party-room parlour games. Of course, other vital reforms in Australia also withered. Two of Australia's most eminent public policy experts, Ken Henry and Ross Garnaut, separately declared that Australia had entered a great complacency around the turn of the century. Problems didn't get solved. The problem-solving mechanism wasn't working. In America, decay went much further. After all, Fukuyama identified the problem of "vetocracy" well before Donald Trump arrived. When Trump turned up, another political scientist described a far worse syndrome. Norm Ornstein had to reach back centuries to find a word to capture it  "kakistocracy". What's kakistocracy? "It's the worst kind of government by the worst among us," explains Ornstein, a longtime scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. The word is based on the Greek kakistos, meaning worst. But it's simple, really: "Ask any child what kaki is," says Ornstein. "Kakistocracy is shit government." US police clear the area around Lafayette Park. Credit:AP

In a term of many lows, Trump's attempt to deploy the country's armed forces against protesters is, so far, perhaps the lowest. It was so extreme that it provoked Trump's own defence secretary, Mark Esper, into a statement of public defiance. Reinforced by Trump's former defence secretary, Jim Mattis, a retired general of real standing. According to US media reporting - yet to be denied - Trump's attempt to put the armed forces onto America's streets also was opposed in private by the country's top military officer, General Mark Milley, in discussions with Trump. This is not just a political crisis. It's a constitutional one as a president tests his power to deploy the military in a power struggle against the Pentagon and his own defence secretary. Loading Donald Trump didn't invent racism. He didn't create America's long-running problems of racial disadvantage and racist police officers abusing their powers. He didn't condone the killing of George Floyd. But he has stoked division in pursuit of political advantage. As Mattis said: "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. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort."

Trump is a product of America's failing political system and the people's long-simmering frustration. As his former campaign chief, Steve Bannon, has explained, Trump's election campaign captured American anger at "managed decline" by the country's elites. Norm Ornstein says that Trump's populist appeal was to communicate that "they are all a bunch of crooks so let's blow the whole thing up - how could it get any worse?" So today America seems to be making the transition from managed decline to unmanaged decline with a destructive president dividing America. Ornstein's warning to Australia, and to democracies everywhere, is that the US is not uniquely vulnerable to such political failure. "Our experience is that it happens in increments. It can happen anywhere." "You," he says, meaning Australia, "have checks and balances in your system. We had even more." Ornstein argues that the impossible polarisation of politics and the unworkability of the system has its origins in the radicalisation of the Republican Party beginning with Newt Gingrich in the 1990s.

It was from around this time that the Republicans "focused not on problem solving but on how to gain advantage".

Today, he says, "the Republicans in the House and Senate have done nothing to check Trump, not one thing. That's unleashed him. We have less of a party now and more of a cult. It takes more than one person  it takes a group of people to go along with this." He attributes Rupert Murdoch's creation of the Fox News network as a central part of the radicalisation of the Republicans and the creation of the cult of Trump. "It can happen here," says Ornstein, "it can happen anywhere." Australia might have been suffering signs of vetocracy, but any possible journey to kakistocracy has been interrupted. Or at least postponed. Australia had been suffering years of deepening dysfunction and division, but the pandemic has interrupted the deterioration. The bushfires showed Scott Morrison as the worst of leaders; in the coronavirus crisis he has transformed into one of the best. Even some Americans noticed, including Ornstein: "Scott Morrison was no one's idea of a towering leader, but with COVID he did things conventional political leaders do and not only did it work, it also led for soaring popularity for him." Alas, he says it's too much to expect Trump to make any such transformation: "He's a narcissistic sociopath with no interest in problem solving." Loading The transformation of Morrison from tribal chief to national leader combines with the end of Australia's long complacency to throw open the possibility of real reform. Indeed, Morrison has set out the process for his first two priorities, skills training and workplace relations, with more promised.
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Madeleine McCann murder suspect Christian Brueckner was thrown out of his adopted home because of his disruptive and criminal behaviour, MailOnline can reveal as his parents are exclusively pictured for the first time.

Brigitte and Fritz Brueckner had taken baby Christian into their family as an act of charity for the tiny foundling who had been given up by his mother.

But the kind-hearted parents sent him to live in a reform home for delinquent teenagers after Herr Brueckner was seriously injured in a car crash and could no longer discipline the boy.

Widowed Frau Brueckner today told MailOnline she knew nothing about her estranged son's alleged crimes.

Standing inside the doorway of her modest home in Bergtheim, near Wuerzburg, she told MailOnline: 'I don't know anything about it. I don't want to know anything about it.'

She distanced herself from the 43-year-old prisoner as neighbours revealed the family's difficulty in controlling Christian.

They told of how Frau Brueckner could not cope with Christian's disruptive and increasingly criminal behaviour and simultaneously look after her disabled husband who suffered brain damage and was confined to a wheel chair following the smash in 1992.

As the re-energised investigation into Madeleine's disappearance 13 years ago gathered pace:

Scotland Yard revealed it has received 400 tip-offs after convicted sex fiend Brueckner was named as the key suspect;

German prosecutors linked Brueckner to the 1994 disappearance of six-year-old boy Rene from the Algarve and the 2015 vanishing of five-year-old girl Ingra Gehricke;

Brueckner became eligible for parole this weekend but is unlikely to be released from custody for his 15-month sentences for drug offences;

It was claimed Brueckner was not cooperating with German officers in the McCann investigation;

Lawyer Jan-Christian Hochmann confirmed he was representing Brueckner but said he had no comment on the case;

It was revealed Brueckner was flagged as a key Madeleine McCann kidnap and murder suspect seven years ago.

Brigitte and Fritz Brueckner (left) had taken baby Christian (right, as an adult) into their family as an act of charity for the tiny foundling who had been given up by his mother

The former home of Christian Brueckner: Today neighbours of the couple in the village of Bergthei, where he grew up told of their shock that Brueckner has been linked to the murder of four-year-old Madeleine in 2007

The primary school in the village of Bertheim, southern Bavaria, where Christian Brueckner grew up (pictured today)

Brigitte (left) and Fritz Brueckner (right) had taken baby Christian into their family as an act of charity for the tiny foundling who had been given up by his mother

Today neighbours of the couple in the village of Bergthei, where he grew up also told of their shock that Brueckner has been linked to the murder of three-year-old Madeleine in 2007.

One neighbour told MailOnline: 'The Brueckners were a lovely couple, very kind. But what happened with their boy Christian is a catastrophe.

'They took him in as a baby and brought him up as their own. He was often in trouble and he got worse and worse as he grew into a teenager. Christian must have been 13 or 14 when Herr Bruecker, Fritz, had the car accident.

'As the man of the house it was Fritz who disciplined the boy. Christian needed a firm hand. But after the accident he could not do that any more.

'Brigitte, the mother did her best, but she could not cope with the boy and look after her husband. Christian had been in trouble and that is when he was sent to a reform school for delinquent teenagers in Wuerzburg.'

She added: 'Sadly Fritz, the husband is dead now. But his wife Brigitte did everything she could for him. She was awarded a medal.'

Another neighbour added: 'Brigitte is a lovely woman. I knew Christian but I have not seen him for years.

'If what I read is true it will destroy his mother. Brigitte and Fritz did everything they could for him when he was a boy.'

Christian Brueckner (pictured left) left Portugal after then three-year-old Madeline (pictured right) disappeared in 2007

Bergtheim is a small municipality in southern Bavaria, Germany, where Brueckner grew up before being sent to a reform school

The village of Bergtheim in Germany where Brueckner grew up. He later moved to Praia da Luz, where Madeleine McCann vanished in 2007

Christian Brueckner was flagged as a key Madeleine McCann kidnap and murder suspect SEVEN YEARS ago Christian Brueckner was flagged as a key Madeleine McCann kidnap and murder suspect seven years ago by police but the report was ignored by German authorities. According to German magazine Spiegel, police in Braunschweig sent a report about him being a prime suspect to the Federal Criminal Office (BKA) in 2013, two years before Inga Gehricke, 'Germany's Maddie McCann', disappeared. It was ignored. Braunschweig police were monitoring the 43-year-old around the clock at the time.The report was triggered after an appeal from British police on a German unsolved crime show, on which the news about Brueckner was also broadcast this week. Spiegel went on: 'One person did submit a tip about Brueckner but the resulting report from police in Braunschweig to the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation was apparently not acted upon, much to the consternation of the local investigators.' Brueckner was born to a woman named Fischer but given over to youth authorities at an early age. Between 1992 - when he was 16 - and 1994 he lived in a facility for young people with learning difficulties. A neighbour told German newspaper BILD: 'There were only bad young people there.' During this time he committed his first burglary and received a suspended jail sentence. He finished his high school education and embarked on an apprenticeship as a car mechanic. Advertisement

A close family friend revealed the discovery of Brueckner's alleged involvement in the murder of Madeleine will destroy his mother.

Monica Veirheilig told MailOnline: 'This will destroy Brigitte. For your child to kill another child is the worst thing imaginable for a mother.

'She is a kind woman and she has already had to deal with tragedy. She had to cope with looking after her husband after he suffered brain damage in the car crash and later his death.

'But finding out her son may be a killer is a second tragedy for her.'

She added: 'I don't want to judge Frau Brueckner. I hope Madeleine parents will finally find out the truth about what happened to her. The not-knowing must be the worst.'

Another neighbour has told how Christian Brueckner and his brothers had bad reputation in their home town while growing up.

A mum-of-three who knew Christian growing up said he was well known in the area for getting in trouble.

The mum of three told MailOnline: 'I knew Christian growing up - I was two years younger than him so I wasn't that close to him but I knew him well because of his reputation.

'He was well known in our area for getting in to trouble. Everyone knew that he was handful and was not easy for his parents...I was a child at the time so I can't remember the details but I remember other adults talking about the fact that Christian was not easy for his parents.

'His parents are lovely people. They are very kind, they obviously must be because they adopted three boys.

'I was fully aware of the Madeleine McCann case, everyone does. I was horrified when I heard that the suspect is from a family that lives over the road from me.

'You never thing something like this is going to come to your doorstep. It makes me feel so bad that he might be involved. I just hope for the poor parents of Madeleine that the case is resolved soon.'

Brueckner, now 43, is the key suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine from Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007.

He moved from Germany to the Portuguese coastal town in 1995 after serving part of a two-year sentence for molesting a six-year-old girl in Wurzburg.

Following his naming by German police, he has further been linked to the disappearances of six-year-old boy Rene Hasse in the Algarve, 1996, and five-year-old girl Igna Gehnricke in Germany, 2015.

Now languishing in a German prison in Kiel on a drug-related sentence, at the time of Madeleine's vanishing he was living in the area about a 10-minute drive away.

In 2005, two years prior to the infant's disappearance, he raped a 72-year-old American woman on a waterfront villa less than a mile from the Ocean Club hotel where Madeleine went missing.

Prosecutors in Germany are now desperately trying to build a case against Brueckner, who is eligible for parole this weekend but unlikely to be granted a release from custody.

Information continues to pour into Scotland Yard's Maddie squad Operation Grange. A force spokesperson said today: 'We have now received just short of 400 pieces of information. We are pleased with the amount of calls and emails coming in and we are assessing them and prioritising them.'

Maddie's parents Kate and Gerry of Rothley, Leicestershire, 'continue to hope she is alive until they can be shown incontrovertible evidence which proves that she is dead,' family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said.

He told MailOnline: 'Kate and Gerry continue to be encouraged by the level of response and nearly 400 fresh pieces of information so far is exactly what the Met wanted from their appeal.'

Lawyer Jan-Christian Hochmann confirmed he was representing Brueckner but declined to comment on the case.

'It is correct that I and my colleage David Volke are representing him, but we are not making any comment at the moment,' Hochmann told Reuters by phone.

Brueckner himself is reportedly refusing to cooperate with the police investigation. A source close to the German police told the Sun: 'So far he is saying absolutely nothing to officers, he is keeping schtum.'

What do we know about Maddie murder suspect Christian Brueckner and his criminal past? 1976: Christian Brueckner is born in Wurzburg under a different name, believed to be Fischer. He was adopted by the Brueckner family and took their surname. 1992: Christian Brueckner is arrested on suspicion of burglary in his hometown of Wurzburg, Bavaria. 1994: He is given a two-year youth jail sentence for 'abusing a child' and 'performing sex acts in front of a child'. 1995: Brueckner arrives in Portugal as an 18-year-old backpacker and begins working in catering in the seaside resorts of Lagos and Praia da Luz. But friends say he became involved with a criminal syndicate trafficking drugs into the Algarve. September 2005: He dons a mask and breaks into an apartment where a 72-year-old American tourist. The victim was bound, gagged, blindfolded and whipped with a metal cane before being raped for 15 minutes. She said afterwards that he had clearly enjoyed 'torturing' her before the rape. April 2007: He moves out of a farmhouse and into a campervan now linked to the crime. The farmhouse is cleaned and a bag of wigs and 'exotic clothes' is found. May 3, 2007: Madeleine McCann is snatched at around 10pm from her bed as her parents eat tapas with friends yards away. Brueckner's mobile phone places him in the area that night. He returns to his native Germany shortly after that. October 2011: He is sentenced to 21 months for 'dealing narcotics' in Niebull, in northern Germany. In 2013 police released a photofit of a man seen lurking near the McCann apartment and Scotland Yard said that suspect last night had not yet been ruled out of the probe 2014: He moves to Braunschweig where he starts running a town-centre kiosk. He then goes back to Portugal with a girlfriend. 2016: He is back in Germany. He is given 15 months in prison for 'sexual abuse of a child in the act of creating and possessing child pornographic material'. May 3, 2017: Brueckner is said to be in a bar with a friend when a ten-year anniversary appeal following Madeleine's disappearance is shown on German television. He is said to have told him in a bar that he 'knew all about' what happened to her. He then showed his friend a video of him raping a woman. MailOnline understands the friend went to police shortly afterwards. June 2017: He heads back to Portugal and extradited again to Germany. The reason was a sentencing of the Braunschweig district court to 15 months' imprisonment for the sexual abuse of a child. August 2018: After his release from prison he lives on the streets. But he was jailed again for drug offences. First Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters addresses the media during a press conference on the Madeleine McCann case at the public prosecutor's office in Braunschweig September 2018: Brueckner is arrested in Milan, Italy and extradited to Germany and put on trial for raping the American tourist in 2007 after a DNA match to hair found at the crime scene. July 2019: He is jailed for 21 months for drug dealing in the northern German resort of Sylt. August 2019: Brueckner is charged with the rape of the American tourist in Praia da Luz in 2005. December 2019: He is convicted of rape of extortion of the tourist based on DNA evidence. He is given a seven year sentence, but this has not been imposed pending an appeal. June 3, 2020: Scotland Yard and the German police reveal that that they have identified a suspect in the Maddie McCann case June 4, 2020: Prosecutors in Braunschweig, where he lives, say they believe Madeleine McCann has been murdered, says spokesman Hans Christian Wolters. He is named in the German press as the prime suspect. Advertisement

Did Christian Brueckner snatch this boy too? German cops contact family of six-year-old who vanished near Praia da Luz in 1996 after running into the sea while new Madeleine McCann suspect was in area

By Emer Scully and Paul Thompson for MailOnline

The family of a six-year-old boy who went missing in the Algarve 24 years ago have revealed they have been contacted by German police in the wake of the Madeleine McCann developments.

Rene Hasse's father Andreas Hasee told his local newspaper that an investigator from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) phoned him yesterday, for the first time in 20 years and said they were re-investigating the case.

The six-year-old from Elsdorf, Germany, was on holiday with his family in Aljezur - just 25 miles from Praia da Luz, in the Algarve - when he vanished on June 21, 1996.

The prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine, Christian Brueckner, now 43, moved from Germany to Praia da Luz in 1995 at the age of 18. He was already convicted of sex offences against children and would have been 19 at the time Rene disappeared.

The schoolboy went missing after running towards the sea and his family and the authorities had previously accepted Rene drowned in a tragic accident.

German detectives investigating Christian B, 43, have contacted the family of Rene Hasee to say they were looking into his 1996 abduction again

Inga Gehricke vanished from Diakoniewerk Wilhelmshof in Saxony-Anhalt during a family outing on May 2, 2015 in an case that detectives have been unable to solve ever since. Prosecutors confirmed they have reopened a preliminary investigation into whether Christian Brueckner (pictured in 2018) was involved in the unsolved Inga case

Christian Brueckner, pictured with a friend in 2011, was adopted as a baby after being given up by his birth mother and began abusing children as a teenager

Brueckner had lived in this remote villa overlooking Praia da Luz from 1999 to 2006. Neighbours described him as unfriendly

Painful memories of the past return to Praia da Luz A man walks next to the apartment where three-year-old Madeleine McCann disappeared in 2007 The Portuguese coastal town where Madeleine McCann vanished has once again been forced to relive the shuddering events which rocked the community 13 years ago. Praia da Luz has been tossed into a fresh media frenzy following the naming of German paedophile Christian Brueckner as the key suspect in the 2007 disappearance of the British three-year-old. The developments have dredged up painful emotions for residents, who are hoping the police investigation is conclusive and allows them to 'move on'. But after a decade of new leads and false hope, which has frequently pinned the holiday hotspot under the spotlight, locals say memories of the fateful night and frantic search will never fade. 'Everyone hopes this is the end, that they got the right guy and we can get closure,' one resident told the Guardian. Mayor Hugo Pereira acknowledged the region has never shaken off the events of May 3, 2007, when Madeleine disappeared from the ground floor Ocean Club hotel room while her parents were a dinner. He said the subsequent hunt for Madeleine throughout the night and over the following days and weeks has forever remained etched in his brain. The community leader said: 'I remember the first news and the beginning of the searches and efforts to try to find Maddie. That stays with you.' Advertisement

He had been running ahead of his mother and step-father during a walk on the beach. After losing sight of him, they never saw him again, with just his clothes left lying on the beach.

Andreas Hasee, Rene's father, revealed an investigator from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) contacted him today - the first time he had heard from police in 20 years. He told German newspaper Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger: 'There could be a connection.'

This comes as MailOnline can reveal the paedophile suspected of abducting Madeleine carried out a brutal rape at a beach front villa less than a mile from where the three-year-old disappeared in 2007.

Brueckner broke into the secluded home two years before Maddie went missing from her family's apartment in the resort of Praia da Luz.

A 72-year-old American woman was tortured and raped by Brueckner who filmed the savage attack. He was jailed last year for seven years by a German court after DNA evidence linked him to the assault.

The villa, called Casa Jacaranda, is just a ten-minute walk from the Ocean Village apartments where Maddie was sleeping in a ground floor apartment when she was snatched 13 years ago.

It has also been revealed that paedophile Brueckner, 43, vowed on a web chat to 'grab himself a little something and abuse it for days'.

He fantasised in an online chatroom in September 2013 about kidnapping and sexual abusing a child, according to German magazine Der Spiegel.

He allegedly added it would be safer 'if the evidence is exterminated afterwards'. The German word he used, vernichten, is the same word the Nazis used for the final solution.

Mr Hasee, who had accepted his son had drowned, added: 'Rene went to Portugal with my ex-wife and her new partner.

'He was actually also a very careful child, he would not have easily climbed into the Atlantic alone. Of course you start thinking, yes. I don't imagine that Rene is still alive,' he added.

An expert at the time found tide and current conditions in the sea made a swimming accident unlikely and BKA police officers in Germany have maintained other victims could be linked to the Maddie investigation. The force declined to comment on Rene Hasee.

It comes after prosecutors re-opened the investigation into whether Brueckner abducted five-year-old Inga Gehricke after she was grabbed from Diakoniewerk Wilhelmshof in Saxony-Anhalt during a family outing five years ago.

Her disappearance on May 2, 2015 - almost eight years to the day after Madeleine vanished in Portugal on May 3, 2007 - was only 48 miles away from where Brueckner lived on the five-acre site of a box factory in the isolated of village of Neuwegersleben, south-east of Hanover.

One day before Inga went missing, Brueckner's vehicle was in a minor crash at a service station close to where she wandered away.

More than 100 officers descended on the old box factory in February 2016, digging holes looking for Inga's body.

The little girl wasn't found but Brueckner's USB stash of child sex abuse images was found on a USB stick hidden under 'animal bones' with police now set to return, according to German tabloid Bild.

Police are set to return to this abandoned box factory in Neuwegersleben, Germany, where Christian Brueckner lived in a caravan and hid child porn among animal bones. Police raided it in 2016 looking for missing Inga Gehricke

Police say Brueckner may have been living in this campervan at the time Madeleine vanished

Justizvollzugsanstalt Kiel in northern Germany where Brueckner is currently being held in jail

Brueckner was prosecuted over the child porn but he was never charged with Inga's disappearance when the probe was dropped after four weeks.

He refused to comment about the disappearance recently when questioned in prison by German police. A Met Police detective from the Operation Grange team is also thought to have been present at the time.

But today prosecutors confirmed they have reopened a preliminary investigation into whether he was involved in the unsolved Inga case.

Stendal Public Prosecutor's Office spokesman Birte Iliev said: 'It is now being examined whether there is any new evidence in connection with the murder suspect in Braunschweig.'

Petra Kullmei said: 'Just a day before Inga disappeared near Stendal, Christian B. was seen nearby on the A2. The file was closed again only four weeks after starting work. I think that's not very ambitious.'

Last night Portuguese police last night hit back at claims that Madeleine McCann suspect Brueckner slipped through their net.

Policia Judiciaria insisted the German's name was one of those passed to British police in case files in 2012  and said Scotland Yard had never asked them to take a closer look at him.

Inga's disappearance on May 2, 2015 was almost eight years to the day after Madeleine vanished in Portugal on May 3, 2007

A map of the area of Praia de Luz in Portugal showing the suspect's house and the McCanns' holiday apartment which was nearby

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann are pictured in London in October 2014 at a function to promote Child Rescue Alert

Deputy director Carlos Farinha said: 'If the suspicions about this man were so obvious, he would have been the subject of requests made by the British, which were always authorised by Portugal, but those requests about him were never made.'

In an interview with Portuguese news agency Lusa, he added: 'If the PJ is being accused of giving Brueckner a lack of priority, the same could be said of the Metropolitan Police. In theory everything could have been different but in 2007 and in 2012 we didn't known what we knew in 2017.'

He said this week's fresh appeal was an initiative of the German police who were convinced it could lead to additional information coming in.

But appearing to hint that the evidence the three police forces have may not be enough to bring charges and a successful prosecution, he said: 'Suspicions about the German national have grown but unfortunately they are not enough to make him an arguido and formally accuse him.'

It also came as documents revealed by Spiegel allegedly show Brueckner fantasised in disgusting online chats about the kidnapping and sexual abuse of a child in September 2013.

Madeleine McCann prime suspect Christian Brueckner was released from Portuguese prison just months before three-year-old vanished from Praia da Luz villa

By Paul Thompson and Harry Howard for MailOnline

Madeleine McCann's parents are encouraged by public response More than 270 people contacted Scotland Yard in the first 24 hours of its appeal for information about the new Madeleine McCann suspect. Parents Kate and Gerry McCann are said to be very encouraged by the response. They are now waiting to learn if potential witnesses have crucial information about German convicted child sex offender Christian Brueckner. The McCanns believe the appeal was the most significant development to date in the 13-year search for their missing daughter. Spokesman Clarence Mitchell said the couple, both 52, from Rothley, Leicestershire, were 'trying to maintain as normal a life as possible' for the sake of their younger children Sean and Amelie, who were toddlers when Madeleine disappeared. He said: 'They certainly will be encouraged to know the appeal is yielding results already and hopefully within that there will be crucial bits of information. 'They are continuing their medical work where necessary and bringing the twins up as best they can, while shielding them from all the attention.' Advertisement

The paedophile suspected of abducting Madeleine McCann had only been released from a Portuguese prison just months before her disappearance from a family villa.

Christian Brueckner served nine months in jail for robbing a petrol station in 2006 and was released in December - just five months before Madeleine went missing.

Soon after his release the three-year-old girl disappeared and has since been the focus of a worldwide hunt with the 43-year-old German now the prime suspect in her disappearance.

Brueckner was imprisoned after leaving a petrol station in the coastal resort of Portimao, just over 20 miles from Praia da Luz, the resort where Madeleine disappeared.

It also emerged that the Brueckner had previously been jailed in 1999 after carrying out a string of thefts from villa's and apartments in and around Praia da Luz.

He was known to supplement his income from drug dealing and working in restaurants by stealing from homes.

In 2005 he broke into a luxury beach-front villa where he raped a 72-year-old American woman.

It was thought he had initially entered the property to steal valuables rather than carry out a sex attack.

Police sources said Brueckner's name was well known to them from his previous crime with his fingerprints and other details on their files.

This led to his name being included among the hundreds of suspects identified as part of the Portuguese police investigation and later passed to Scotland Yard who launched their own inquiry into the disappearance of the three year old.

Brueckner, who is serving a seven year sentence in northern Germany for the 2005 rape, was first jailed in 1999 three years after settling in Portugal.

He spent two months in jail in the city of Evora in central Portugal.

After being released he stayed out of trouble and relocated to the Algarve, moving into a remote villa in the hillsides above Praia da Luz.

But in 2006 he was convicted of driving away from a petrol station in the coastal resort of Portimao and jailed for nine months.

He was released in December of that year  a few months before Madeleine went missing on May 3rd, 2007.

At the time of Madeleine's disappearance he was understood to have been living in a distinctive camper van.

As he was known to police his name was one of 600 that became suspects in the hunt for the missing toddler.

It is not known if Portugese police contacted their German counterparts to find out if he had any other convictions.

Had they done so they would have discovered a string of sex offences starting from when he was a teenager.

Portuguese Police have insisted that they passed all the relevant details on Brueckner to Scotland Yard in around 2012.

Carlos Fariniha from the Portuguese Judiciary Police (JP) said British police, who launched Operation Grange to locate the missing girl, showed no interest in the name of Brueckner and did not ask for any further details.

He said it wasn't until 2017 when German police provided information on Brueckner that they became interested and have since launched a new appeal for witnesses to come forward.
But the hurricane season has just begun, and already there have been three named storms, including the one swirling above the warm gulf waters right now that dumped a deluge of rain and caused deadly flooding in the Mexican state of Chiapas. The storms create a potential double threat this year, as those who would normally evacuate from a hurricanes path now must weigh fleeing their safe environments and bunking in shelters with people who are potential carriers of the coronavirus.
The ultimate policy wonk is in his element. The Green Party negotiators wanted detail so Fine Gael rolled out Richard Bruton.

Almost 10 years to the day since his failed leadership heave, the Fine Gael minister is still centre stage and taking an increasingly prominent role in the talks with the Greens and Fianna Fail.

He was brought in three weeks ago to deal with climate change. A participant in the talks said Bruton had a tour de force this week on transport, energy and emissions reduction policies.

Even the man of minutiae became frustrated by the Green idealists. The mild-mannered Bruton turned around in the talks and politely told them it was time to "get real".

The layers to the Greens' negotiating process, with large numbers of politicians and activists involved and reference back to groups, is causing impatience.

The most frequent line-up of TDs Catherine Martin, Neasa Hourigan, Roderic O'Gorman and Marc O Cathasaigh, and Senator Pippa Hackett tends to be supplemented by other TDs, senators, councillors and activists.

Fianna Fail has brought Jack Chambers in as a substitute with a good grasp on climate and health policies.

"There has never been any momentum in these talks. Fianna Fail would have had the deal done weeks ago," a negotiator says.

"For them, it's government or nothing. Fine Gael is letting their current popularity go to their heads but there will be a point at which the mood turns.

"It's hard to see how the Greens won't agree to a deal after being in there for four weeks. There is no read on the members though."

The high bar of getting two-thirds of Green Party members to sign off on any deal is a big demand and it's making the leadership nervous about getting items set in stone and driving a hard bargain.

The Greens will have a significant batch of policy wins to point to when they emerge.

The energy section of the Programme for Government is viewed as ambitious, pragmatic and achievable. The party's proposals on retrofitting of the housing stock is being fully taken on board, providing a stimulus for construction.

The National Development Plan will be reviewed with greater allocations for footpaths and cycle lanes, although there are doubts over the ability of councils to spend the money fast enough.

The ending of direct provision is still viewed as aspirational in the short term, but what's likely to emerge are reforms to the asylum seeker process to speed up applications for refugee status.

Leo Varadkar's defence of the direct provision system this week didn't go down well.

The contentious 7pc reduction in carbon emissions remains the big sticking point.

Notably, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are not quibbling on the figure. It will become an EU-wide target anyway. How it will be achieved is the issue.

The Greens made a last-minute hard push on agriculture emissions this week. Among their demands were higher reductions in the national herd and more dramatic targets for organic farming and the use of organic fertiliser.

After farming was mainly left out of the climate action plan, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have agreed agriculture will have to make a contribution to tackling climate change.

However, the larger parties want to link those changes to incentives from the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. And there is also debate over exemptions for biogenic methane, largely created by cows belching, from inclusion in greenhouse gas emissions.

EU leaders will agree later in the year on continent-wide emissions reductions with a budget attached for troublesome sectors.

Eastern European countries will be compensated for winding down their fossil fuel industries and Ireland will pitch for assistance in agriculture.

Aside of CAP reforms, the contribution from farming may well be back-loaded to the latter part of the decade.

The parties are also agreed on the need for bringing the public along with them on climate issues, like increased carbon taxes, to avoid a repeat of the water charges fiasco.

Expect a public information campaign on saving the planet as 'citizen engagement' becomes the buzzword.

Collective cocooning in the talks for four weeks doesn't seem to have improved relations all that much.

Fianna Fail's Michael McGrath has repeatedly mentioned deadlines for completion of the talks. The move is seen as a subtle check on Fine Gael's commitment to the talks succeeding.

Fine Gael remains in power until a new government is formed and its poll performance during the Covid-19 crisis makes a second general election an attractive option.

The Greens are still deeply suspicious of Fine Gael, particularly on housing.

The role of the Land Development Agency (LDA) will be amended to make it focus more on providing public housing.

Francis Noel Duffy, the Green TD and husband of Catherine Martin, is said to fume whenever there is any mention of "developers" or "commercial remits".

It's viewed as a sign of Greens' sensitivity to their left flank and Sinn Fein accusations that the LDA is a new form of Nama lining up public land for private development.

"It's a small but telling example of how exposed they will feel to their left from the Shinners if they go into government. The Greens will always be looking over their shoulders," a source said.

Fianna Fail's red-line issue is fast becoming the increase in the pension age to 67.

Micheal Martin promised to reverse the proposal which flared up during the general election campaign and is digging in.

Fine Gael is retorting by saying the cost will simply mean other social welfare initiatives, like increasing benefits by 5 per annum, won't happen.

Fine Gael is also insistent on the budget deficit being tackled by 2023. However, the parties agree the economy should have recovered by that point, so growth in tax revenue should ensure the books balance out.

Down to the wire, the final bones of contention where compromise will be required is the detail of the 7pc emissions reduction, the pension age, direct provision and the deficit reduction.

"The next 48 hours is key. It's down to the hotspots now," a source in the talks said.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are worlds apart from the Greens culturally, which has an internal power struggle going on between party leader Eamon Ryan and deputy leader Catherine Martin, who heads up their negotiations.

"If she agrees to the document, how does she not recommend it to the members," a participant says.

It still doesn't guarantee the Greens' grassroots are on board. The back-up plan is returning to the Independents and maybe getting support from the Labour Party for some sort of non-blocking voting pact. It's a long shot.

The Greens' membership rejecting it would have massive repercussions, with a second general election the most likely outcome.

Fianna Fail is in a more invidious position. Micheal Martin can't possibly lead the party into another election.

Leo Varadkar and Fine Gael would fancy the chance of being the party of stability and fiscal rectitude in the wake of the leadership shown in the coronavirus crisis.

Sinn Fein and Mary Lou McDonald would await a left-right ideological battle with Fine Gael.

"I'm not sure the Greens' members realise it but they hold a lot of people's political destinies in their hands," a source in the talks said.
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Over the last few months, we have faced a relentless pandemic and seen humans rising to serve the most critically ill. However, we have also borne witness to the relentless evidence of health and health care disparities during a time in our countrys history in which the discourse around race, nationality, gender, sex, sexual orientation, class, and religion have reached a fever pitch of discord. We have become increasingly frustrated, sad, and exhausted from witnessing the relentless violence marching unfettered across our country for generations.

Within this context, we have borne witness to the hunting and murder of Ahmaud Arbery, an African American man out jogging in his own neighborhood in Brunswick, Georgia.

We have borne witness to the murder of George Floyd, an African American man pinned down for several minutes by an officer.

We have borne witness to the false accusation of Christian Cooper, an African American man bird watching in Central Park, with a manipulative, deliberate weaponization of the police to take advantage of his accusers privileged position.

We have borne witness to the death of Breonna Taylor, an African American woman and EMT shot in her own bed while sleeping, by officers.

We have borne witness to the death of Nina Pop, an African American transgender woman, stabbed to death in her own home.

As a human race, we are capable of great feats of heroism, kindness, and ingenuity.

As a human race, we are also capable of great feats of violence, oppression, and racism.

Despite our physical and emotional exhaustion, we must respond. We must recognize our institutional and individual commitment to provide a safe haven for our communities, patients, colleagues, students, faculty, and staff, to recognize that we are not powerless, and to remind ourselves that we are not alone, despite physical distancing policies.

Every single person reading this essay has the capacity and a responsibility to diminish and extinguish everyday acts of harmful bias, of violence, and of oppression. We need to examine ourselves, our communities, and our profession. We need to examine the ways that we each continue to support systems of oppression. We need to examine what we teach our children, what we neglect to teach our children, and how we teach them. We need to remember what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us, A riot is the language of the unheard and Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.

Indeed, our medical profession, our medical education system, and health care delivery system, with origins rooted in profound oppression and racism (i.e., African American medical school closures recommended by Abraham Flexner, the repeated and conscious exclusion of African American physicians from the American Medical Association, the practice of patient segregation within hospitals, the research conducted on racial minorities without consent and more) must be radically altered.

We need to take time to say the names, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Christian Cooper, Breonna Taylor, Nina Pop, and so many others to our family, friends, and colleagues and do the hard work of having respectful and honest conversations about our reactions to their stories. There are countless others whose names we do not know. We need to plan the specific steps that we will take as individuals to do our part in reducing and eliminating the acts of violence, oppression, and racism that we witness in the news and in our daily lives.

There are so many of these acts that we can feel overwhelmed  xenophobia against our Asian American populations, the continued decimation of our Native American populations, the persistent oppression of our Latin American populations, and the debasement of our LGBTQ populations and countless others. There are many amongst us walking with such great pain and sadness that it can feel easier to turn away and distract ourselves from their suffering by engrossing ourselves in our daily activities.

However, the immensity and complexity of these problems also provide us with a plethora of opportunities to make positive change. We work in a very special field. Most of us have chosen this profession with its opportunities to educate, to innovate, to serve, and to lead because of a profound commitment to address injustices.

Please take a moment to pause and reflect, to remember why we are in health care, and to hold dear those who are most profoundly affected. Then, together, lets take the next step to rise and address what we can through our everyday activities and relationships, through our scholarship and teaching, through our leadership and health care delivery. Some suggestions include donating to civil rights groups and reading on racism and implicit bias in medicine. In all of this, take heed that our colleagues of color are exhausted  do not lay the burden of teaching anti-racism solely at their feet. As Benjamin Franklin, the converted abolitionist, noted, Justice will not be served until those that are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.

Monica Vela, Dionne Blackman, Deborah Burnet, Marshall Chin, Scott Cook, Karen Kim, Edwin McDonald, Doriane Miller, Monica Peek, and Milda Saunders are members, The University of Chicago Department of Medicine Diversity Committee.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Libyan government forces retake Haftar's last stronghold in west

Iran Press TV

Friday, 05 June 2020 10:12 AM

Libya's government forces have regained control of the strategic town of Tarhuna in the southeast of the capital Tripoli, the last major stronghold of Libyan rebels under the command of renegade general Khalifa Haftar.

"Our heroic forces have extended their control over the whole of Tarhuna," Mohamad Gnounou, the military spokesman for Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA), said on Friday.

The GNA's operations room also announced in a statement that its forces had reached the center of Tarhouna after entering from four sides.

Tarhuna was the main launchpad for the 14-month offensive against the capital that Haftar's militias finally abandoned this week.

The Libyan government forces announced the full liberation of the capital Tripoli and its suburbs on Thursday after being besieged for more than a year by Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army.

Libya has been in chaos since 2011, when a popular uprising and a NATO intervention led to the ouster of long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Since 2014, two rival seats of power have emerged in Libya, namely the internationally-recognized government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, and another group based in the eastern city of Tobruk, supported militarily by Haftar's rebels.

The strongman, supported by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Jordan, launched a deadly offensive to capture Tripoli, the seat of the GNA, in April last year. His forces, however, haven't been able to advance past the city's outskirts.

International attempts to bring about peace between the two warring sides have also failed.

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Cristobal strengthened into a tropical storm on Friday evening as it prepares to make landfall in the US on Sunday and gasoline prices rise due to US oil producers shutting down wells.

The National Hurricane Service announced that Cristobal had upgraded from a tropical depression into a tropical storm after picking up speed.

The storm was traveling north at 13mph with a sustained wind speed of 45mph, which boosted its status with meteorologists.

On Friday, Cristobal strengthened from a tropical depression into a tropical storm as sustained wind speeds surpassed 40mph (pictured)

The most recent update from the National Hurricane Center forecasts Tropical Storm Cristobal making landfall in the US on Sunday evening

Wind speeds must be between 39mph and 73mph to be classified as a tropical storm. Anything stronger would be considered a hurricane.

A satellite photo shows the tropical storm winding closer to the United States' southeasten region after it first made landfall on Wednesday in Mexico.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that Tropical Storm Cristobal will reach the United States by Sunday evening near Louisiana and Mississippi.

Form there it is expected to travel further into the southeast, with Tropical Storm Cristobal reaching parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Florida and Arkansas.

After Monday evening, Cristobal will transform back into a depression to cause rainfall over the Midwest and some states in the north.

Accuweather reports that the storm was located 535 miles from the mouth of the Mississippi River as of 4pm CDT on Friday.

It began to cross the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico as well.

Tropical Storm Cristobal is expected to enter the US through the southeast before heading through the Midwest to the north

After Monday, meteorologist believe Cristobal will downgrade to a tropical depression that will continue to pour rainfall on the US

Tropical Storm Cristobal first made landfall this Wednesday in Mexico, where at least 30 people have died and flooding occurred

Cristobal is expected to bring significant storm surge, prompting the authorities on the coastline of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida to be on alert.

A tropical storm watch was issued for the northern Gulf of Mexico coast from Intracoastal City Louisiana to the Alabama-Florida border.

The storm watch is in effect for offshore waters, including coastal waters from Port Fourchon to the lower Atchafalaya River, Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River to Port Fourchon and from Stake Island to the Southwest Pass.

In addition, a flood watch is in effect for all of southeast Louisiana and coastal Mississippi through Tuesday morning.

In Louisiana, Governor John Bel Edwards on Thursday declared a state of emergency to prepare for the storm's possible arrival there.

'Now is the time to make your plans, which should include the traditional emergency items along with masks and hand sanitizer as we continue to battle the coronavirus pandemic,' Edward said in a statement.

States expected to be impacted by Tropical Storm Cristobal include Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkansas

Winds will remain elevated through early Monday and will gradually start to back off into early Tuesday.

'The increasing winds will lead to an increase in coastal flooding with a building storm surge, well ahead of the center beginning on Saturday,' said Kottlokowski.

Accuweather predicts a storm surge between three to six feet near or just east of where Tropical Storm Cristobal's center makes landfall.

Sustained winds are expected to reach between 50mph to 60mph with wind gusts reaching up to 70mph.

'The city is monitoring the progression and movement of Cristobal which is moving toward our direction,' New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said during a news conference.

'We are expecting heavy rain throughout the weekend with local totals upwards of 10 inches.'

'We're talking wet and wind here,' Cantrell said.

Meteorologists expect for some shift in Tropical Storm Cristobal's path based on how an area of high pressure currently over the the South interacts with it.

'As expected, interaction with the land mass of southeastern Mexico caused Cristobal to weaken and spend time as a tropical depression from Wednesday to Friday,' said Dan Kottlowski, AccuWeather's top hurricane expert.

'Now we are watching for the storm to strengthen more as it departs the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and moves back over warm water Friday night into Saturday.'

Although not immediate, there is a chance Tropical Storm Cristobal could become a hurricane as it travels over warm Gulf waters.

Pictured: A more definitive tropical signature was emerging with the cloud patterns over southeastern Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico

Pictured: Areas expected to be impacted by Tropical Storm Cristobal, according to Accuweather meteorologists

Pictured: View of the Panteon Florido flooded by heavy rains caused by the passage of the Tropical Storm Cristobal in Merida, state of Yucatan, Mexico, on Friday

Water temperatures were in the lower 80s across the central Gulf region, which is the temperature needed to sustain tropical systems.

Cristobal made landfall in Mexico as a tropical storm Wednesday before weakening.

It had formed this week in the Bay of Campeche from the remnants of Tropical Storm Amanda, which had formed last weekend in the eastern Pacific and hit Central America.

The two storms have combined to soak the region with as much as 35 inches of rain in some areas over the past week.

At least 30 deaths have been attributed to the two storms and the flooding and landslides they unleashed.

In Bacalar, in the south of Quintana Roo state, 230 families were isolated by the rains and had to be airlifted out, David Leon, Mexico's national civil defense coordinator, said Friday.

Leon added there had been light damage in 75 municipalities in seven states.

'Now is the time to start paying attention and getting ourselves ready.'

Energy companies on Friday evacuated 10% of production platforms and shut nearly 30% of offshore oil output, pushing gasoline prices higher, as Tropical Storm Cristobal entered the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

Equinor ASA, BP PLC and Occidental Petroleum Corp halted production and evacuated offshore staff, while Murphy Oil Corp and Royal Dutch Shell PLC evacuated some platforms, the companies said.

Operators evacuated 65 offshore facilities on Friday and moved seven drill rigs out of the storm's path, according to offshore regulator Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.

Sustained winds are expected to reach between 50mph to 60mph with wind gusts reaching up to 70mph

Well shut-ins took out 544,814 barrels per day of oil and 601 million cubic feet of natural gas production, BSEE said.

Spot Gulf Coast gasoline prices rose a half a penny on Friday as buyers acquired contracts in case the storm disrupts the market, traders said.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center issued tropical storm and storm surge warnings for areas from Louisiana to Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

Winds were 40 miles per hour (64 km per hour) and expected to reach 60 miles per hour (96 km per hour) before landfall, according to NHC forecaster Richard Pasch.

Cristobal is forecast to strike central Louisiana on Sunday after passing through U.S. offshore oil production areas. U.S. Gulf of Mexico waters account for about 15% of total U.S. crude production.

CBOB gasoline rose a half penny to trade at 11.50 cents per gallon below futures, traders said.

Equinor was evacuating workers from its Titan platform on Friday, a spokesman said. Earlier, BP reducing production at its Thunder Horse, Atlantis and Na Kika platforms and withdrew non-essential workers from its Mad Dog platform.

Murphy Oil said it was evacuating all workers from the Gulf of Mexico, but declined to say if its production was affected.
Donald Trump again scrubbed his Twitter account this week, deleting tweets supporting defeated Alabama Senate candidate Luther Strange. The president isnt fooling anyone: Countless online observers, from ProPublica to an army of Twitter bots, had already scooped up the tweets and preserved them for posterity.

But beyond the dubious public-relations value of deleting tweets, the move has reopened a legal debate the media has variously called intriguing, heated, and ambiguous. So does Trump have the right to hit the delete button? CJR set out to explore that question, with particular attention to laws governing presidential speech.

Is Trump breaking the law when he deletes tweets?

No. The debate here isnt so much about the act of deleting tweets, but whether Trump keeps the deleted tweets archived somewhere. It doesnt matter that journalists and amateur Twitter hacks are keeping copiesthe 1978 Presidential Records Act, passed in response to Watergate, puts the responsibility to make a permanent copy of records squarely on the shoulders of the president. One good way of doing this, experts say, would be through the National Archives, the agency that keeps and organizes federal records.

ICYMI: 7 examples of amazing journalism published by Playboy

So is Trump archiving his deleted tweets?

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In a statement to CJR, a spokeswoman for the National Archives says theyve been told the White House is backing up Trumps deleted tweetsfrom both his personal and official Twitter handles. But the Trump administration hasnt done much to prove that. (CJRs requests for comment from the White House Press Office were not returned.) The White Houses online privacy policy states that tweets, direct messages, and Twitter mentions are automatically archived. But that language was crafted by the Obama administration, and only applies to official White House accountsso presumably not @realDonaldTrump.

So if Trump isnt archiving his deleted tweets, is he breaking the law?

Thats the crux of the debate, and the answer hinges on whether his tweets are considered to be presidential records under the Presidential Records Act. In April, the National Archives advised the White House to treat them as such and back them up. The Archives dont have the power to define what constitutes a record, but their official word carries a lot of weight. The PRA itself contains a pretty exhaustive definition of what constitutes a presidential record. As Nate Jones of the National Security Archive, a nonprofit focused on government secrecy, puts it: Generally, I think theres extremely little question that tweets are considered presidential records.

But the PRA was passed in, what, 1978? Twitter wasnt around back then

That doesnt really matter. As Jones notes, The PRA didnt use to say the word email but they were defined as records as well. The original act actually does contain language around the digitization of documents. And in 2014, the law was updated to explicitly include electronic records.

Thats not to say everyone thinks tweets always fall in the purview of the PRA. In an email to CJR, Corey Goldstone, a spokesman for the Campaign Legal Center, says the law was designed to reduce secrecy, but in this case, President Trumps position on the Alabama Senate race was publicly reported and in no way a secret. But according to the letter of the law, it seems far more likely than not that tweets do count as presidential records.

ICYMI: Oof! Here are headlines editors probably wish they could take back

So thats that.

Not quite. The PRA only covers records that relate to the constitutional, statutory, or other official or ceremonial duties of the President. That wording is ambiguous, but its certainly possible that tweets supporting a Senate candidate dont fall into one of those categories.

But Shontavia Johnson, a law professor at Drake University, says excluding that type of tweet from the definition of a presidential record would be creative. The way [a record] has been interpreted is to include things that have historical or informational value or significance, she says. Courts are hesitant to tell the president what to do, but courts also err on the side of archiving as much information as possible.

And Trump has deleted tweets before that came much less ambiguously under the umbrella of his official duties, including one in February about a meeting with generals at Mar-a-Lago.

Just tell me already: Is Trump getting impeached over this?

Almost certainly not. He says hes archiving his deleted tweets, and its not clear who has the authority to ask him for supporting evidence. And theres probably enough legal ambiguity in presidential records laws to protect him, in any case.

So should we all stop worrying about this?

Definitely not. The National Security Archive, where Jones is a senior researcher, is suing the Trump administration over broader breaches of records lawsnot just deleted tweets, but encrypted messages on apps like Signal. And records retention isnt the only legal question hanging over Trumps continued use of his personal Twitter account.

The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University reported Wednesday that the White House will not contest its claim that Trump has blocked users for criticizing the president and his policiesthe heart of the institutes court push to establish that the presidents personal Twitter is a public forum. A bedrock principle of First Amendment law is that the government cant restrict speech based on viewpoint, says Katie Fallow, a senior staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute, in an interview.

Away from the legal realm, the president trying to alter the historical record on his own presidency just isnt good practice. For people to have trust in the government there needs to be a clear record of what did and didnt happen, says Jones. Its never good when the government tries to rewrite history.

ICYMI: Reuters reveals new ambitious Trump plan

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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.
Shah Rukh Khan, who was last seen in Aanand L Rai's 2018 film Zero, is yet to officially announce his next film, while speculations around the same continue to surface on the internet. However, during this self-imposed break, it looks like King Khan wants to make sure that his fans don't miss watching him on the big screen.

According to news reports, the Baadshah of Bollywood will be making a special appearance in R Madhavan's Nambi Narayanan biopic Rocketry: The Nambi Effect. A Mumbai Mirror report stated that the superstar will be seen essaying the role of a journalist in Madhavan's film.

The tabloid quoted a source as saying, "Ayan and Maddy are extremely fond of SRK and believed no one but he fits the bill. Neither are run-of-the mill cameos, but are integral to the plot and carry the narrative forward."

He further added, "In Rocketry, he plays a journalist who interviews scientist Nambi Narayanan, and takes us through the protagonist's journey in flashback." The source revealed that Shah Rukh shot for this brief role last year.

Madhavan's Rocketry: The Nambi Effect is based on the life of Nambi Narayanan, a former scientist and aerospace engineer of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) who was accused of espionage. Besides playing the lead role, the actor has also written, produced and directed the film.

Shah Rukh Khan will also be seen in a cameo in Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt's Brahmastra. The fillm also features Amitabh Bachchan and Mouni Roy in pivotal roles.

Speaking about full-fledged roles in films, recently, King Khan had hinted at a collaboration with Rajkumar Hirani in a #AskSRK session on Twitter. Buzz is that the film is a social drama set against the backdrop of immigration.

Keep watching this space for more updates.

ALSO READ: Shah Rukh Khan's Foundation To Provide Aid To Child Trying To Wake His Dead Mother In Viral Video

ALSO READ: BMC Starts Using Shah Rukh Khan's Office As COVID-19 Isolation Centre!
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Officials from Hungary and South Korea held a minute's silence and threw white flowers onto the waters of the Danube on Friday, marking the first anniversary of a boat accident which killed 25 South Korean tourists and two Hungarian crew.

All 27 victims were from the Mermaid, a small tourist boat which sank in just half a minute after it was hit by a much larger cruise liner under a bridge in Budapest in torrential rain on May 29, 2019.

Panorama Deck, the shipping company that owned the Mermaid, held a small ceremony on the river near the site of the accident, lowering a wreath and flowers into the river and blasting a ship horn in memory of those who died.

"May 29th will always be a day of mourning for Hungarian shipping, said Mihaly Toth, spokesperson for Panomara Deck. Behind him a black flag flew fluttered at half mast.

Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony was joined by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and South Korean Ambassador Kyoo Sik Choe for the ceremony on the embankment.

"For those families who had a piece broken off their hearts ... it perhaps feels as if this all happened just yesterday," Karacsony said. "We share their pain."

The foreign minister and South Korean ambassador also gave speeches, before the three officials bowed their heads to observe a minute's silence.

Near the Margaret Bridge, where the accident occurred, mourners left flowers and candles at a makeshift memorial. A sign said: "We love you Korea."

"No such accident had occurred in 75 years until in 2019. Everyone was shocked that such a dramatic event could happen in what is a well regulated form of transport," Toth said.

The trial of the captain of the cruise liner, the Viking Sigyn owned by Swiss-based Viking Cruises, began in Budapest in March.

Prosecutors have charged Yuri Chaplinsky, a Ukrainian national, with one count of gross negligence leading to an accident with mass casualties. They also charged him with failing to provide assistance to those aboard the Mermaid.

He denies any wrongdoing.

(Reporting by Krisztina Than and Anita Komuves; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
Cavan General Hospitals midwife-led unit  one of only two in Ireland - must not be downgraded, the INMO has said.

The INMO had previously been assured by RCSI hospital group management that full consultation would take place before any decisions on the future of the service were made.

Despite this, it now appears that plans to downgrade the service are advancing.

At an INMO midwifery section meeting today (Saturday), midwives called on government to intervene to ensure the promotion of midwife-led units as set out in the National Maternity Strategy, and preserve the status of the unit in Cavan.

All local public representatives are being contacted by the INMO and asked to oppose this decision, as it removes a service to women of the region.

The midwife-led unit is one of only two in the country and is made up of a team of midwives who provide care for women throughout their pregnancy, during labour and in the postnatal period.

The INMO had earlier this year called for the long-delayed implementation of the National Maternity Strategy which recommends the expansion of midwife-led units.

The two midwife-led units in Cavan and Drogheda were introduced in 2004 when a controlled trial (the MidU study) found that midwife-led care:

 was at least as safe as consultant-led care,

 required less medical intervention,

 had higher satisfaction rates from women,

 was more cost-effective.

A further retrospective cohort study conducted in 2017 showed that midwife-led care is a safe option that could be offered to a large proportion of healthy pregnant women.

David Miskell, Industrial Relations Officer with the INMO for Cavan General Hospital said: There is a very clear strategy for the maternity service, but the HSE hasnt properly implemented it.

The expansion of midwife-led care is an integral part of the National Maternity Strategy. Downgrading the service would fly in the face of national policy.

Any diminution in the service provided at Cavan General Hospital is a retrograde step for the provision of maternity services in the North East and is limiting choices for expectant mothers.

We need clarity and a rethink from the HSE and government.
Hundreds Rally In Kyiv Demanding Interior Minister's Resignation

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service June 05, 2020

KYIV -- Hundreds of protesters calling for the resignation of Ukraine's interior minister, Arsen Avakov, have set off smoke bombs and fireworks in front of the parliament in Kyiv.

Avakov, who was inside making a speech on June 5, has come under intense criticism in recent days.

Critics say the minister has failed to rein in police abuses, bring about reform, or promote law and order in the country during his six years in office. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has thrown his support behind Avakov, calling him "a really powerful minister."

Demands to sack Avakov from the post he has held since 2014 were sparked by reports about the alleged rape and torture of a woman by police officers in the town of Kaharlyk near Kyiv and a shoot-out between criminal gangs in the Kyiv region in late May.

The demonstrators represented different political groups and parties, including Holos (Voice), a pro-European opposition party founded by popular rock musician Svyatoslav Vakarchuk; the nationalist Praviy Sektor (Right Sector) party; gay rights group Kyiv Pride, as well as individual citizens holding posters, some of which said: "Avakov Is A Syndrome," "Where To Turn When The Police Rapes Me?"

The rallies were held as Avakov was giving a report about the crimes allegedly committed by police officers and other high-profile cases, which some lawmakers and Avakov's critics say have been poorly investigated.

As Avakov started his testimony in parliament, protesters brought to the site an old Soviet-made UAZ car that was used as a police vehicle across the former Soviet Union until the late 1990s. The demonstrators pelted it with firecrackers, calling the action "a memorial to police reforms."

One of the protesters poured gasoline on his body and set himself on fire but police managed to extinguish the flames right away.

The man, who introduced himself as Yuriy Lyashenko from the southern town of Nova Kakhovka, claimed that he had come to Kyiv to protest what he called the "illegal taking of his property by police."

Hundreds also rallied in the western city of Lviv, demanding Avakov's resignation.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/hundreds-rally-in-kyiv -demanding-powerful-interior-minister-s -resignation/30654891.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.

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Facebook has removed nearly 200 social media accounts linked to white supremacy groups planning to infiltrate protests over police killings of black people.

Some of the groups even planned to attend the rallies with weapons, company officials said Friday.

The accounts on Facebook and Instagram were tied to the Proud Boys and the American Guard, two hate groups already banned on the platforms, AP reported.

Officials were already monitoring the accounts in preparation for removing them when they saw posts attempting to exploit the ongoing protests prompted by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.



We saw that these groups were planning to rally supporters and members to physically go to the protests and in some cases were preparing to go with weapons, said Brian Fishman, Facebooks director of counterterrorism and dangerous organizations policy.

The company did not divulge details of the account users  such as their specific plans for protests or where in the US they live.

It said approximately 190 accounts were removed overall.

Both the Proud Boys and American Guard had been banned from Facebook for violating rules prohibiting hate speech.

Facebook said it will continue to remove new pages, groups or accounts created by users trying to circumvent the ban.

Earlier this week, Facebook announced the removal of a handful of other accounts created by white supremacists who had been posing on Twitter as members of the far-left antifa movement.

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They might not have seen it coming.

Tipplers in Kerala initially scoffed at the very idea of the opposition parties in the state demanding the government to shutter the beverages shops across the state in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. They asked. How can a consumer-state like ours survive the crisis without all that revenue from excise?

The logic sounded reassuring to them until that fateful day when the Prime Minister without mincing his words asked the nation to stay where they were. Everything must close up shop. Beverages too? Kerala asked with bated breath.

Beverages too, the centre replied.

The state government knew the gravity of the situation with the land suddenly drying up. The initial spate of suicides almost confirmed its worst fears. How many more deaths do they need to realize that a state like ours could not just go dry, drinkers thought aloud. Counselling centres mushroomed throughout the state to help people cope up with their withdrawal torments.

Then one morning when it was thought that the situation would get out of control, people just stopped taking their lives. What happened! It was like that eerie silence in a horror movie when the heroine looks around, relaxes, and lets her guard down assuming the monster has finally gone away.

The monster returned but in innovative guises.

Brewing on WhatsApp

WhatsApp groups all across the state suddenly buzzed into life with vivid pictures of fruits  apple, pineapple and molasses  along with self-help guides and recipes on how to toss them together to make interesting solutions to beat the COVID blues. Sensing danger, the excise department swung into action cracking into secret bunkers and abandoned godowns. Drones flew across the pandemic-hit landscape after the smell of hooch smoke.

But there were too many for their tiny hands.

Not that there weren't people who turned pious. Many kicked the habit and dutifully presented themselves at home as responsible men. They took care of their kids, helped them with their studies, read to them stories late into the night, taking occasional breaks only to hurry into the kitchen to see how they could assist their wives. They even worried about the hardships and the weakening health of their poor partners. O what more could I do for you, dear! It was a dream come true for the womenfolk.

Also Read: Here's all you need to know about Kerala's new liquor app BevQ

Alas, dreams are not meant to last.

After the first two stages of lockdown, the central government, already reeling under economic pressure decided to lift the country-wide restrictions stage by stage. At one point they eased the curbs on selling alcohol.

Beasts Let Loose

The beast hibernating inside the good samaritan at the homes in Kerala woke up with a shudder and smelled the vibrant air. Oh, don't tell me happy days are here again!

They are, the state government said, but don't worry, not that fast.

The authorities knew well that hell hath no fury like the beverages outlets in Kerala suddenly pulling up their shutters. Social distancing, hell, it would be sheer pandemonium at the gates. So they deliberated for a while before deciding on to launch a virtual-queue app to restrict the potential crowd.

A call for bids was made and after an elaborate procedure, a startup company based in Kochi was selected as the most competitive of the lot. The deal was made.

For the impatient crowd still reeling in darkness while people in other states lined up in serpentine queues to get their stuff, a hero was made out of the void  Faircode Technologies. They turned in thousands to the company's Facebook page to inundate them with blessings and wishes. Without imagining what was in store for them in the future, the company, basked in all that sudden glory, replied to the messages, exhorting customers to be patient while they'd carry on with their work, a work only saviours could understand.

Days withered. People grew more and more impatient. Just before it came to a flashpoint announcement came: the app had been submitted to Google Play Store for approval.

Sundar, You Have Messages

Sundar Pichai, the Google boss, might have doubted something serious had occurred in some particular corner of the world or why else this carpet bombing in a curious script on his social media pages. As an Indian-American, he could have finally got someone to read out to him the frantic messages in English. One typical message waxed on, "Sundara anna (bro), you are the most handsome man in the world. Please be kind enough to approve our BevQ app (Well, by that time, someone had given that name to the app) at the earliest."

There were requests, prayers, wailings, orders, threats.

Meanwhile in villages and towns all over Kerala, a curious phenomenon was taking place. People from all walks of life, even those in their nineties were furiously learning technology. Ask an oldie past lockdown, what the procedure of creating an app, he would blind you with technology - developing, load testing, beta version, play store etc etc. He would flip out his new mobile phone to show you how to access Google play store and download an app in a flash.

"But you know," he'd tell you still looking at his mobile over the rim of his glasses, "we have to be patient until the load test is over."

While it took decades for successive governments to make the state hundred percent literate, this new virtual queue app was already threatening to make the state 100% technologically brilliant.

Finally, the day came. The excise minister of the state convened a press conference and announced to the state, listening with bated breath, that the app would hit the Play Store for download in the evening. Hours of intense waiting began.

Many rushed to the startup company's page to thank them profusely and also to inquire about the exact time when the magic would hit the shores of the dry state.

Patience, the company replied.

Morning turned to noon, noon grew into evening, evening thickened to midnight, but BevQ didn't appear in the Play Store.

Now all hell broke loose on the FB page of the company. The saviours were suddenly found to be the monsters. To take the intense pressure off, the company bypassed the Play Store and opened a few links for the clamouring customers to get in.

In a minute, the bridge crumbled under the feet of lakhs of customers who rushed in, revealing the structural weakness of the app.

Oh! The Wait!

After keying in all the details in the interface customers found that the OTP, that last step towards their elusive bottle would not come. Many a tired soul dozed in their sofas that harrowing night with their fingers still woke up and clattering on the keys, resending OTP every time it failed. And people who never in their life heard about this new app sat up in their beds that night wondering what the OTPs they received in their phones actually meant!

After 24 hours of intense railing at the doors of the company's portal, some kind of a pattern evolved in the behaviour of the new app.

Even if you get the OTP, you could not rejoice. Look again, the outlet which the app had allotted you could most probably be in a red zone, where you are not allowed to enter.

A few reached the outlet they were directed to, took their position in the queue, slavering at their mouth at the sight of all those bottles waiting for them on the shelf. But as they got to the counter, poor customers, they found to their horror that the code that had to be produced before the scanner, had vanished from their mobiles! "Connection error: Try after some time," the app said and looked away. "It was there!" Some screamed. The tight-lipped men at the counter shook their heads. You have seen God but the God is now not willing to vouchsafe that claim.

Customers erupted in fury. The government interrupted. After 48 hours of work on it the company could bring the app to the play store without any technical hitches. Happy days are here again for the tipplers!

Also Read: BevQ on Google Play: How Kerala is selling liquor during coronavirus lockdown

I stood in a queue outside a bar on the outskirts of the city wondering how they'd finally managed to solve the technical hitches in the app. Suddenly I got alarmed. I wanted to know whether I was standing on the right position in the queue. I asked the one before me. What app! I don't have any mobile, he replied. I asked the one behind and soon much to my chagrin realised that I was the only one in the queue with the app.

Kerala has beaten technology to win its rightful bottle.

Manu Remakant is a freelance writer who also runs a video blog - A Cup of Kavitha  introducing world poetry to Malayalis. The views expressed here are personal.
At least 20,000 protesters have defied pleas by the NSW Premier and police and marched through Sydney's CBD as part of the Black Lives Matter movement that has swept the world and reignited debate over the treatment of Indigenous Australians.

In the biggest public gathering in NSW since the coronavirus restrictions were imposed in mid-March, thousands of protesters gathered at Sydney's Town Hall on Saturday afternoon, chanting "Black lives matter" and "I can't breathe".

Thousands of protesters kneel and salute at a Black Lives Matter. Credit:James Brickwood

They turned up despite concerns about coronavirus transmission and the protest being ruled unlawful by the NSW Supreme Court late on Friday evening. This decision was overturned by the Court of Appeal shortly before the march officially began.

Fears of violent unrest did not come to fruition, although after the rally, several people were arrested in Central Station where police used pepper spray to disperse a small group of protesters.
Protesters across Australia call for justice for Aboriginal Australians who have died at the hands of police.

Tens of thousands of people protested across Australia in support of the Black Lives Matter movement while also addressing the deaths of Indigenous Australians in custody or at the hands of the police.

In Melbourne, thousands gathered peacefully on Saturday to listen to speeches from Indigenous Australians who had family members killed.

Gathering in front of the states Parliament House, protesters sang in Indigenous language, with thousands tapping their chest in accompaniment. Protesters held placards, with chants of Black lives matter and always was, always will be Aboriginal land.

Lawrence Austin and Murray Calgaret hold a placard of their relative Veronica Nelson who died in custody on January 2, 2020 [Ali MC/ Al Jazeera]

Like protesters in the United States and around the world, people chanted I cant breathe.

These are the words uttered by African American George Floyd as a Minnesota police officer kneeled on his neck, leading to his death.

They are also the words spoken 12 times to prison officers by Indigenous Australian man David Dungay Jr in 2016 as he was restrained and forcibly sedated in his cell.

Dungay subsequently died, yet none of the five prison officers has been convicted so far.

Around one Indigenous Australian has died in custody or at the hands of the police every month since a landmark Royal Commission was conducted on the issue in 1991, making a total of 432 deaths since.

A lot of fear and anger

Justin Grant, a speaker at the rally, told Al Jazeera about his relative, 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker, who was shot dead by police last year in the small community of Yuendemu.

There was a lot of fear and anger [in the community] about what happened, he said.

The police officer involved has been charged with murder, but is yet to stand trial.

Grant said an ongoing issue was the poor historical relationship between Indigenous Australians and the police.

[The police] are breaking our trust and scaring our people  they [dont] respect our culture, our laws or our practices.

Flowers and photographs of the deceased lay at the steps of Victorias Parliament House [Ali MC/Al Jazeera]

Belinda Days mother, Tanya Day, died after sustaining head injuries while locked in a cell on the charge of public drunkenness.

Belinda told Al Jazeera on Friday that prison officers should have taken better care of her mother. She added that racism was a factor in the arrest and subsequent treatment of her mother.

Her uncle also died in custody, and she said that to have two family members lose their lives in the same way was very distressing.

Mum now has grandchildren that have a fear of the police. And that level of fear gets passed on through the generations, she said, adding that while it was good the issue of Indigenous deaths in custody was getting attention, it was a shame that it was occurring due to the Black Lives Matter movement in the US.

Its just really frustrating that we need to wait for something to happen internationally so that we can get Australians on board and understand whats happening here.

Its time for change. And that time is now. We need the support of all Australians to stand with us and say enough is enough. How many more Aboriginal people need to lose their lives in this manner before we make change?

Larry Walsh, an elder in the Melbourne Indigenous community, told Al Jazeera he began advocating for the implementation of the 1991 Royal Commission after his uncle died in custody.

Since then, he said, the situation hasnt changed, its just gotten worse.

On average, one Indigenous Australian has died in custody or at the hands of the police every month since a landmark Royal Commission was launched on the issue in 1991 [Ali MC/Al Jazeera]

Walsh said it was important for people to come together to support the families of Indigenous Australians who lost family members due to deaths in custody, and also to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement in the US.

Its important that we support our brothers and sisters in America who are needlessly killed like our people are, he said. And the only way we are going to get change is if we work together in solidarity.

Protests were also held in large cities across Australia, including in Sydney, where, despite an attempt by the state government to have it declared illegal, the Supreme Court ruled it could still go ahead.
People are seen in front of buildings in the City of London, London, Britain, on Feb. 1, 2020. (Photo by Stephen Chung/Xinhua)

"Progress remains limited but our talks have been positive in tone. Negotiations will continue and we remain committed to a successful outcome," said Britain's chief Brexit negotiator David Frost after the end of the fourth round of post-Brexit talks.

LONDON, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Britain's chief Brexit negotiator David Frost said Friday that Britain remains "committed to a successful outcome" in talks with Brussels after little progress was made in the fourth round of crucial talks.

"Progress remains limited but our talks have been positive in tone. Negotiations will continue and we remain committed to a successful outcome," said Frost in London after the talks.

"We are close to reaching the limits of what we can achieve through the format of remote formal Rounds. If we are to make progress, it is clear that we must intensify and accelerate our work," he said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers a speech to the virtual Global Vaccine Summit at 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, on June 4, 2020. (Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua)

"We need to conclude this negotiation in good time to enable people and businesses to have certainty about the trading terms that will follow the end of the transition period at the end of this year, and, if necessary, to allow ratification of any agreements reached," he added.

"Any such deal must of course accommodate the reality of the UK's well-established position on the so-called 'level playing field', on fisheries, and the other difficult issues," he added.

The latest talks, like previous rounds of negotiations over the past few months, were conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The focus will now switch to a crucial meeting reportedly to take place later this month between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, proposes a major recovery plan during a plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, May 27, 2020. (European Union/Handout via Xinhua)

Johnson has continually insisted he will not extend the transition period beyond Dec. 31, with Britain and the European Union (EU) facing the prospect of trade being conducted under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules if there is no agreement.

For his part, Michel Barnier, EU's head of Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom, said Friday in Brussels that there had been no significant progress in the latest talks started Tuesday, noting that the EU has always been open to the possibility of an extension to the transition period.

"Our doors remain open," he said.

Britain ended its membership of the bloc on Jan. 31 and has until the end of the year to agree a permanent trade deal with the EU.
Mrs Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, Minister of Tourism, Creative Arts, and Culture on Thursday said per the Presidential Directives on easing the COVID-19 restrictions, all night clubs and drinking bars across the country remains closed.



The Tourism Minister said the government has provided some guidelines concerning easing restrictions on the operation of the tourism sector for compliance by all operators, however, night cub and drinking spots were exempted.



Mrs Oteng-Gyasi observed the Ministers press briefing to provide details of the easing of restrictions for the tourism industry in Accra.



She explained that these guidelines were to support the interventions already put in place by the government to reduce the impact on businesses and the tourism and hospitality sector.



It was also in support of the recovery of the hospitality sector which has been badly hit by the pandemic.



She said concerning Food and Beverage establishments, comprising of Restaurants, Chop Bars, Highway Rest Stops, Fast Foods, Coffee/Tea Shops, and Snack Bars, should display of No Mask No Entry signage and ensure that all patrons were wearing masks on entry.



Mrs Oteng-Gyasi said they should provide soap and running water and hand sanitizers or disinfectant gels with paper towels in public areas.



She said guests should be reminded when entering and leaving to wash their hands or disinfect their hands with disinfectant gel, preferably located at the entrance to those facilities.



She said they must limit the number of guests for dining to 50 percent of the current-carrying capacity of the restaurant to ensure adequate spacing for seating.



Operators are also to maintain social distancing of at least one metre, regularly disinfect surfaces and where the use of bleach was not suitable - telephone, remote control equipment, door handles, buttons in the elevator, then alcohol-based sanitizers (70% and above) must be used.



Buffet style of service if necessary must limit communal handling of serving cutlery, and when necessary, change tongs and ladles more frequently, always leaving these items in separate containers. Clean and disinfect the buffet surfaces after each service, she said.



She said the wearing of a mask and protective wear by kitchen staff must be compulsory and must wash their hands with soap and running water frequently (maximum every 15mins.) and dispose of used paper towels in a bin immediately.

With events such as conferences, awards, workshops and weddings, the Minister said, the No Mask No Entry signage must be displayed at the entrance to ensure that all patrons wear masks on entry, adding that event organizers may supply facemasks as souvenirs at entrances in case any person arrives without a face mask.



She said enough Veronica buckets together with tissues and stand-alone sanitizer dispensers must be positioned strategically at venue entrances in a manner as to prevent queueing and crowding. People in a queue must stand at least a meter apart.



Strictly washing of hands before entering event venues, ushers upon application of hand sanitizers at entrances shall escort guests to their seats, strict observance of social distancing of not less than 1 metre, and a maximum of 50 percent of carrying capacity or 100 people per event, must be critically adhered to, she said.



Mrs Oteng-Gyasi, said with regards to activities, to critically observe social-distancing, tables usually designed for ten chairs shall be reduced to 50 percent of the current seating capacity.

Source: GNA









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Family members of two people killed by Houston police officers in recent months publicly defended Police Chief Art Acevedos decision to withhold body camera footage of the shootings from public view.

The news conference came as Acevedo drew criticism this week for withholding the footage. Some at Tuesdays rally for George Floyd chanted release the tapes as Mayor Sylvester Turner addressed the crowd. Turner said Saturday he would ask a task force on police reform he announced this week to establish criteria for when to release footage in future cases.

Houston police officers shot and killed six people in late April and May, drawing public scrutiny and leading to a private meeting between Acevedo and several minority City Council members. Most, if not all, of the people killed were people of color, and police say all were armed or appeared to be armed with varying kinds of weapons  guns, a piece of rebar, a BB-gun or a stun gun  during the confrontations.

Families in three of those cases have now asked for footage to be withheld, Acevedo said. A relative in another case has not yet come to police to view the footage herself, and in two cases Acevedo has been unable to either contact or find family members of those killed, he said.

We needed to put a face on the issue, the chief said of Saturdays news conference.

Jessica Chavez, the widow of 27-year-old Nicholas Chavez, tearfully told news reporters she didnt want the tapes from that April 21 shooting to be public. Acevedo said she had previously told him that her daughters, ages 4 and 5, saw news coverage of a cellphone video of that incident  which showed Chavez on his knees at the time of the shooting  and it profoundly affected them.

I dont know what to say, Chavez said, beginning to cry.

Acevedo has asked the FBI to review Chavezs case, calling the videos difficult to watch. Police had initially responded to reports that Chavez was threatening bystanders with a piece of steel rebar.

Audrick Medearis, the brother of 48-year-old gospel artist Adrian Medearis, said his family has also asked for footage of that incident to be withheld. Adrian Medearis was shot during a May 8 police stop, after police said he grabbed an officers stun gun and pointed it at the officer.

I only have two priorities right now, Audrick Medearis said. Thats protect my family, and protect my brothers name. Thats what I want to do right now by not letting those videos be released.

The family of Rosalie Cook also attended the news conference. Cook, 80, was stabbed to death outside a Walgreens by Randy Lewis, 38, who was then shot and killed by police.

She was a wonderful woman, and we laid her to rest on Wednesday. We celebrated her legacy, and we want to leave it just like that, said Chuck Cook, her son. I dont need my children or grandchildren to see the videos of their grandmother or great-grandmother lying on the concrete.  I dont need my children to relive that horror.

Cook said he implicitly trusts Acevedo, and he cast blame for his mothers death on the criminal justice system that freed Lewis, who had a long and violent criminal history and was out on a personal recognizance bond.

Turners task force, which he said would be citizen-focused, will convene this month and will have 90 days to make its recommendations.

While no family in the recent cases has publicly called for tapes to be released, Turner and Acevedo notably stopped short of promising they would do so in such a scenario. They said other factors would also be considered.

Acevedo has also said releasing the tapes could jeopardize the prosecution against the officers  if they were to ultimately face charges  by tainting the jury pool and prompting the cases to be relocated to a different part of Texas, perhaps in a community less diverse than Houston.

All fatal shootings by officers prompt an investigation by HPD Internal Affairs, as well as a probe by the Harris County District Attorneys Office. Prosecutors automatically present their findings to a grand jury, according to the district attorneys office.

The six recent shootings were:

Nicholas Chavez, 27, was shot and killed by police April 21 in Denver Harbor, after allegedly threatening residents with a piece of rebar. HPDs internal investigation is expected to wrap up by Wednesday, according to the chief.

Christopher Aguirre, 28, was shot and killed by police April 27 after he allegedly was shooting a gun at random at a Lane Street home. Police said he eventually raised his gun at officers, and three of them opened fire. Acevedo said Saturday the officers in that case were too far away for body cameras to capture the incident, but there is footage from a helicopter. He said he hasnt been able to reach Aguirres family yet.

Adrian Medearis, 48, was shot and killed by police May 8, during an early-morning arrest on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Police said he was shot after grabbing an officers stun gun and pointing it at him. The Medearis family asked the city to not release the video.

Rayshard Scales, 30, was shot and killed by police on May 14 after reports that he was carrying a gun on Scott Street. Police say he advanced toward an officer, who retreated back and then around his car, and was shot after reaching for what appeared to be a pistol in his waistband. The chief later said it was a BB gun, a replica of a 9 mm pistol. Acevedo said Scales relative had been scheduled to review the footage, but she hasnt come in yet.

Randy Lewis, 38, was shot and killed by police May 16 after fatally stabbing Cook to death at a Walgreens. Acevedo said Lewis did not listen to commands and approached the officer with the knife. The city has said it has not found a relative to contact regarding Lewis case.

Joe Louis Castillanos, 38, was shot and killed by police May 25. Castillanos had a gun and fired it several times into the ground. He was shot after pointing the gun at officers, police said. Acevedo said Saturday the Castillanos family was supposed to attend the news conference but couldnt make it. He said they have also asked him not to release the footage.

dylan.mcguinness@chron.com
The Deer Park Parks & Recreation Department isnt letting a global pandemic get in the way of its annual Independence Run.

But in 2020, its going to be held virtually, just like so many other fun runs this year. Any runner may do their 5K or 10K distance throughout the month of July. Its open to all ages and the fee is $15.

Competitors may choose a course of their liking. It can be a road, a track even off the beaten path, wherever that might be. All will receive a commemorative medal. After registration, competitors can record their times at https://bit.ly/2AHKWmQ.

Lets just hope that next years event can return to those running shoes pounding the city streets and a banner declaring a finish line on East San Augustine Street.

Junior high students get creative in virtual dental musical

The run isnt the only thing in Deer Park going virtual.

Deer Park Junior Highs theatre group turned a lemon into lemonade recently when they performed a virtual performance of Brushes With Greatness: The Dental Hygiene Musical.

When their spring show, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was canceled because of Covid-19, it left theatre arts instructor Jennifer McLaughlin in tears.

But with lots of creativity from 16 students of hers, the show did go on but in a cute and fun distraction kind of way as McLaughlin put it.

We were not going to go for perfection, stated McLaughlin of her students performance on YouTube. McLaughlins emotional, heart-wrenching scene at the shows virtual performance start was pretty close to award-winning.

One of her students attempted to sing while brushing her teeth, another tried some ventriloquism. Plaque was turned into the antagonist or the bad guy in another scene. Another put two wiggly eyes on a toothbrushs handle and turned it into a fun character that took on a life of its own in its short debut on the stage.

Then at the end of the 33-minute production, each took bows as their names flashed across the bottom of the screen.

Members of the cavity-free cast were: Phoebe McLaughlin, Sandi Rodriguez-Gonzales, Margo Bullock, Abigail Reeves, Autumn Ramsey, Tayler Kingan, Lucy Richardson, Megan Butler, Robin Bellard, Avery Longrigg, Bella Castillo, David Spiller, Sofie Locklear, Serena Gossett, Austin Partlow and Abigail Grant.

You can see the musical at https://youtu.be/ewaVjmWAaPI.

Businesses mark 50th anniversaries

A hearty congratulations to three businesses celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. Charburger, 1921 Center St., has been owned by the Phillipos family all this time. Once from Chicago, the family brought a cooking background to the city that has led to a large customer fan base.

A Barber Shop, located next door to Deer Park High Schools south campus, is owned by Bob Quinn and Susan Pagel. At its current location since 1985, you cant miss the place because it has deer welcoming customers by the front door. Inside, one can view interesting barbershop memorabilia. You can call for your next trim at 281-479-4792.

Kens Restaurant, 1122 Center Street, celebrated its 50th anniversary in February. It was originally called Kens Taco Burger. To honor that original name, taco burgers were served all day during the anniversary.

The restaurant received its ultimate honor when it received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition by the office of United States Representative Brian Babin for the business longevity.

ravery@hcnonline.com
New Delhi, June 6 : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered probe into alleged illegal expansion of a farmhouse by Telangana Minister K.T. Rama Rao.

A Bench of Justice K. Ramakrishnan ordered the probe after hearing a petition filed by Congress lawmaker Anumula Revanth Reddy alleging that Rao expanded the farmhouse by "violating the environmental laws." The bench has asked the Minister, the Telangana government, the state pollution control board and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to reply to its notice by August 26.

It also formed a committee, comprising a senior officer from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, the Chennai District Collector, the Pollution Control Board, Commissioner and others.

The committee has been asked to inspect the area and submit a factual and action-taken report if there is any violation in two months.

In the petition, Anumula Revanth Reddy alleged illegal construction in the bio-conservations zone in the catchment area of Osman Sagar Lake. Reddy also alleged that the Minister's act was likely to affect the water storage capacity of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar Lakes.

K.T. Rama Rao, working president of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), is son of Telangana Chief Minister Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao.
HAMILTON  Councilman Pat Papero Jr., a longtime Mercer County sheriffs officer, is well aware of the looting and attempted burglaries that have occurred in the Hamilton area and beyond following the death of George Floyd.

We saw a week of civil unrest, Papero said at Thursdays Hamilton Council meeting. Something that we saw in this country as a whole was despicable, for lack of a better term. We saw an event that triggered a lot of emotion.

Papero was referring to the slaying of Floyd, a black man who died at the hands of four Minneapolis cops last month.

The gang of four has been fired from the Minneapolis Police Department and charged heavy crimes, including second-degree murder for Derek Chauvin, the white man who pressed his knee into Floyds neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds during the evening of May 25, killing him, authorities said.

People want justice and rightfully so, Papero said, adding the actions of the disgraced ex-cops in Minneapolis does not paint the picture of the broader law-enforcement community across the United States.

Papero, a Democrat, said it is important for law-enforcement officers to support their communities.

We have to remain one family, he said. We will stick this out and fight this together.

The Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Woods, pastor of Saint Phillips Baptist Church of Hamilton, delivered an invocation at Thursdays Hamilton Council meeting, where he prayed for justice in a country tainted with police brutality.

Recalling the brutal nine minutes of Chauvins deadly restraint of Floyd, Woods expressed a hope that no one else will have to experience another minute that looks like those painful minutes.

Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Hamilton Council meeting featured remote public participation via telephone.

I share in the outrage of the legal protesters, the peaceful protesters, Council President Rick Tighe said at the meeting, and I also appreciate the professionalism that our law enforcement officers and first responders displayed this week under difficult circumstances.

Hamilton Police this week announced several arrests of defendants accused of attempted burglaries or curfew violations.

Meanwhile, police were searching for the suspects who had burglarized the CVS pharmacy at the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Klockner Road across from Nottingham High School about 12:40 a.m. Monday.

The front doors to the store were pried open, the glass was broken and approximately $900 was taken from the registers in the store, Hamilton Police said Monday in a news release.

Tighe, a Democrat, said he represents all of Hamilton Township and that all of his constituents have equal stake in our government and equal say in our government.

We are going to be looking of ways to have that dialogue, Tighe added, saying he wants to raise the confidence level of the public by assuring township residents that everyone will be treated fairly in this 40-square-mile community.
The National Secretariat of the Ghana Muslim Mission, (GMM) after extensive consultation with the National Imams Council, the National Executive Council and the National Council of Elders, has directed that all GMM mosques should remain closed until further notice.



However, an exception to the above, would be given to all mosques in our schools which should be opened for the third-year students only who have been asked to go back to school.



The School Administrations were required to ensure that all the measures enumerated in this directive relating to our Mosques are complied with.



The Secretariat said this directive including other ones were to guide their actions in their bid to curb the spread of the COVID-19.



In a release signed by Alhaji Abubakar Kwame Essuman, National Secretary, GMM and copied the Ghana News Agency, on Friday in Accra, said the GMM had come out with some directives for members regards to easing restrictions for religious bodies.



It said considering the fact that COVID-19 was likely to be in existence for some time, they needed to find ways to adjust to the new normal, saying, Islam has provided directions and guidance on such situations and they had been guided accordingly.



Our physical and spiritual health are both important and we must seek to achieve the right balance. Our directives are within the broader directives issued by the President, and our aim is to strive to do our best to worship our Maker under the circumstances.



As such, any Region, District or Branch that is able to put in place all the measures listed below should notify our National Organiser who will go through the necessary procedure to get the National Secretariat to approve for opening of the Mosque.



It said the GMM shall form a COVID-19 Task Force both at National, Regional, District and Mosque levels immediately. All levels of GMM should take steps to disinfect all mosques within its jurisdiction immediately, while training PPE would be provided to officers who would be required to interact with others at the various Mission locations.



On the condition for ablution, the release encouraged members to do ablution at home before proceeding to the Mosque, and for those who would perform ablution at the Mosque, they must wash their hands with soap and water before ablution.



If there are no taps at the Mosque, Veronica Buckets should be purchased for this purpose. Ablution must be performed with running water and another Veronica Bucket would be made available for this purpose, if there are no taps. 

It added that all must wash their hands with soap and water before entering the mosque if ablution was done at home and all Buuters or kettle and containers were banned.



However, where the above measures could not be adhered to, the place should be closed

The release, on the condition for GMM mosques said wearing of face mask would be compulsory, a recent contact with confirmed COVID-19 patient would not be permitted into the mosque, a traveller who came into the country less than 14 days shall not be permitted into the mosque.

Source: GNA









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Hyderabad, June 6 : With uncertainty looming over Haj this year due to Covid-19 pandemic, the Telangana State Haj Committee on Saturday announced that those who desire to cancel their pilgrimage can do so and will get 100 per cent refund.

The announcement was made after a circular by the Haj Committee of India that said that Saudi Arabia has so far not communicated further on Haj 2020.

The committee said that in view of enquiries and concerns expressed over the uncertainty surrounding Haj 2020, those cancelling their pilgrimage will be refunded full money which will be transferred directly to their bank accounts through online transfers by the Haj Committee of India, Mumbai.

Telangana Haj Committee Chairman Mohammed Masiullah Khan said that they will to have to fill up cancellation forms available on website www.hajcommittee.gov.in and email the same along with copies of bank passbooks or cancelled cheques to hajcommittee@nic.in.

Committee Executive Officer B. Shafiullah, IFS, said that those intending to wait for announcement by Saudi authorities and the Haj Committee of India, can do so and decide accordingly later on.

In case of pilgrims who expired after provisional selection in a draw of lots (Qurrah), their nominees can submit their bank details along with the letter and copy of death certificate etc to Haj Committee of India, Mumbai.

For Haj 2020, Telangana was allotted a quota of 4,341 pilgrims, for which 10,752 online applications were received. The prospective pilgrims were selected through a draw of lots.

Haj pilgrimage is scheduled in the last week of July. About two lakh Indians are expected to perform Haj this year.

In view of the Covid-19 pandemic across the world, Saudi Arabia is likely to curtail Haj this time. The country may not allow foreign pilgrims but only a limited number of locals to perform the rituals.
Mumbai, June 6 : Actor Karan Aanand has utilised his free time during the lockdown to make a short film at home, titled "Aaina".

"This is my first short film. We have shot this film in the pandemic and lockdown situation without breaking the rules and regulations of the government. The film is shot by us, and yet the actress and I did not even meet each other," Karan shared.

"Aaina" is about the fight of a couple during the lockdown, and the problems of daily wage workers.

"I would request everyone to watch the film and know of the importance of our daily wage workers," said Karan, who has worked in films such as "Gunday" and "Kick".

On Saturday, Karan also unveiled the film's poster, showcasing a girl lost in her thoughts.

The film also features Preeti Verma.

Latest updates on Lockdown diaries
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Officials at Children's Mercy Hospital have apologized for the content of a letter sent by administrators to hospital staff last weekend, which contained information critical of police.
RTHK: WHO encourages masks where virus widespread

The World Health Organisation on Friday updated guidance on wearing face masks during the coronavirus pandemic, encouraging their use in crowded situations in places where the coronavirus is widespread.

As the deadly virus continues to spread, the WHO changed its stance on who should wear a mask, when it should be worn and what it should be made of.

"Governments should encourage the general public to wear masks where there is widespread transmission and physical distancing is difficult, such as on public transport, in shops or in other confined or crowded environments," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

"In areas with community transmission, we advise that people aged 60 years or over, or those with underlying conditions, should wear a medical mask in situations where physical distancing is not possible," he added.

The WHO also issued new guidance on the composition of non-medical fabric masks, advising that they should consist of at least three layers of different material.

But Tedros stressed that masks were only one part of an effective strategy to suppress the virus and could lead people into a false sense of security.

He said they were not a replacement for physical distancing and hand hygiene.

"Masks alone will not protect you from Covid-19," he told a virtual news conference.

"Find, isolate, test and care for every case, and to trace and quarantine every contact. That is what we know works. That is every country's best defence against Covid-19."

The coronavirus has infected at least 6.6 million people and killed more than 390,000 since the outbreak first emerged in China last December. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2020-06-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 20:39:00|Editor: huaxia

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MALE, June 6 (Xinhua) -- An eighth COVID-19 patient died in the Maldives on Saturday, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) said.

In a tweet on its official Twitter account, the HPA said that a 38-year-old Bangladeshi patient who was taken to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in critical condition passed away on Saturday morning.

With the latest death, four out of eight deaths are of Bangladeshi nationals. A total of 1,018 Bangladeshi nationals have contracted COVID-19 in the Maldives, making up 54 percent of all the confirmed cases in the country.

The Maldives hosts a large community of around 100,000 Bangladeshi migrant workers who have been vulnerable to infection due to poor housing conditions.

According to information from the National Emergency Operating Center (NEOC), the Maldives government has repatriated 2,153 Bangladeshi nationals so far.

The Maldives has had 1,883 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far, out of whom 716 have made full recoveries. Enditem
A legislation seeking to eliminate functional redundancies and regulate the educational sector effectively and efficiently has been passed by Parliament and is set to become law.



The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, moved the motion for the adoption by the House on behalf of the Education Minister. It was seconded by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wa West, Joseph Yieleh Chireh.



The Education Regulatory Bodies Bill, 2019 is made up of six parts and 127 clauses, and describes the structures of the various regulatory agencies.



They are the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), the National Accreditation Board (NAB), the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET), the National Teaching Council (NTC), and the National Inspectorate Board (NIB).



Part one of the Act restructures and merges the existing National Council for Tertiary Education and the National Accreditation Board into one institution, to be known as the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission.



Part two has merged the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, the National Board for Professional and Technician Examinations and the National Vocational Training Institute into a new body, to be known as the National Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.



The third, fourth and fifth parts of the Act provide for the National Teaching Council, the National Inspectorate Authority and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment respectively.



Part six, which is the final part of the bill, deals with the administrative and financial provisions in respect of the five regulatory bodies established under the bill.



The Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, Prof. Kwesi Yankah, during the debate on the bill, said it had no intention of rendering people redundant, and that it was coming to harmonize the consolidated bodies in order to lead to greater efficiency in the running of tertiary and other levels of education in the country.



Various aspects of education have come under criticism. It is best understood alongside of existence of a number of documents for tertiary institutions, including the various reforms in the tertiary education sector, he noted during the second reading by the House.



Prof. Yankah indicated that Ghanaians should bear in mind that the document (bill) had travelled a long journey to arrive in the House, adding that various stages of the journey of the document had taken care of issues raised, such as small differences and overlaps of existing documents.



He, however, pointed out that the bill was silent on the process of obtaining certification, accreditation and charter, and that this aspect of the document would rest with the regulatory body, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), that will come out with specific regulations not stipulated in the bill.



On the issue of access, Prof. Yankah stated that it is one area that had confronted tertiary education in the country, and that the limitation of access all these years had been an unfortunate perception about private university.



In all the discussions that I have heard on the floor, I get the impression that private universities are probably setting us back in terms of quality. What we often forget is that we have so many spotlights in private universities challenges that we intend to completely ignore the challenges faced by public universities, he argued.



The minister said the public had not put the scale objectively on the issues, and asked rhetorically, if relevant at all, which of these two aspects of issues of education are probably running us down.



What extend has the National Accreditation Board spotlighted public universities and raised issues that we normally see about private universities? he quizzed and continued that nobody talks about student-lecturer ratio at public universities which is clearly a function of NAB.



But when a private university faulted in one way or the other it is natural that we are all up in arms because of the perception that private universities are substandard, he added.



The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, moved the motion for the adoption by the House on behalf of the Education Minister. It was seconded by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wa West, Joseph Yieleh Chireh.



The Education Regulatory Bodies Bill, 2019 is made up of six parts and 127 clauses, and describes the structures of the various regulatory agencies.



They are the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), the National Accreditation Board (NAB), the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET), the National Teaching Council (NTC), and the National Inspectorate Board (NIB).



Part one of the Act restructures and merges the existing National Council for Tertiary Education and the National Accreditation Board into one institution, to be known as the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission.



Part two has merged the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, the National Board for Professional and Technician Examinations and the National Vocational Training Institute into a new body, to be known as the National Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.



The third, fourth and fifth parts of the Act provide for the National Teaching Council, the National Inspectorate Authority and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment respectively.



Part six, which is the final part of the bill, deals with the administrative and financial provisions in respect of the five regulatory bodies established under the bill.



The Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, Prof. Kwesi Yankah, during the debate on the bill, said it had no intention of rendering people redundant, and that it was coming to harmonize the consolidated bodies in order to lead to greater efficiency in the running of tertiary and other levels of education in the country.



Various aspects of education have come under criticism. It is best understood alongside of existence of a number of documents for tertiary institutions, including the various reforms in the tertiary education sector, he noted during the second reading by the House.



Prof. Yankah indicated that Ghanaians should bear in mind that the document (bill) had travelled a long journey to arrive in the House, adding that various stages of the journey of the document had taken care of issues raised, such as small differences and overlaps of existing documents.



He, however, pointed out that the bill was silent on the process of obtaining certification, accreditation and charter, and that this aspect of the document would rest with the regulatory body, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), that will come out with specific regulations not stipulated in the bill.



On the issue of access, Prof. Yankah stated that it is one area that had confronted tertiary education in the country, and that the limitation of access all these years had been an unfortunate perception about private university.



In all the discussions that I have heard on the floor, I get the impression that private universities are probably setting us back in terms of quality. What we often forget is that we have so many spotlights in private universities challenges that we intend to completely ignore the challenges faced by public universities, he argued.



The minister said the public had not put the scale objectively on the issues, and asked rhetorically, if relevant at all, which of these two aspects of issues of education are probably running us down.



What extend has the National Accreditation Board spotlighted public universities and raised issues that we normally see about private universities? he quizzed and continued that nobody talks about student-lecturer ratio at public universities which is clearly a function of NAB.



But when a private university faulted in one way or the other it is natural that we are all up in arms because of the perception that private universities are substandard, he added.

Source: daily guide









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2. Yes. Teachers are out sick and subs cant handle the load. Online learning is needed.

3. No. Its too late in the school year to make a wholesale switch in teaching platforms.

4.No. Many parents arent in a position to stay home while their kids learn virtually.

5. Unsure. It may seem like a good idea from a health standpoint, but it has shortcomings.

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A petition calling on the Government to protect British food standards from inferior foreign imports such as chlorinated chicken was last night nearing 750,000 signatures.

This newspaper's rallying cry to keep controversial US food products off our supermarket shelves has turbo-charged the response to the National Farmers' Union plea.

More than 600,000 have signed it since celebrity chef Jamie Oliver threw his support behind The Mail on Sunday's Save Our Family Farms campaign last week.

Our crusade to safeguard Britain's world-leading food standards has also received the backing of former farming ministers Sir Nicholas Soames and Theresa Villiers.

More than 600,000 have signed the petition since celebrity chef Jamie Oliver (pictured ) threw his support behind The Mail on Sunday's Save Our Family Farms campaign last week

Minette Batters, President of the National Farmers' Union, last night said: 'The numbers of people signing the petition since The Mail on Sunday launched its campaign has been astonishing.

'After Jamie Oliver wrote his article last weekend, the numbers went through the roof. I think we are well on the way to having a million people before the end of the month.

'That will send a very strong signal to the Government about the strength of public feeling about food safety and security.'

Ministers have pledged not to undermine animal welfare, environmental and food standards with low-quality imports in any deal with US negotiators.

However, farmers and environmental campaigners were furious last month when a bid to enshrine the promise in law was defeated  not least because Environment Secretary George Eustice has previously described animal welfare laws in the US as 'woefully deficient'.

Up to one million chickens are crammed together in vast facilities on some farms (file photo)

Up to one million chickens are crammed together in vast hanger-like facilities on some farms. On others, tens of thousands of cows are housed in grassless outdoor pens. Most US states still allow pregnant pigs to be housed in metal 'sow stalls' and slaughtered chickens are sometimes washed in chlorine due to the number of bugs on American poultry farms.

US cattle farmers can also use steroid hormones to speed growth by up to 20 per cent  a practice banned across the EU since 1989. One of the drugs routinely used, 17 beta oestradiol, is a known cause of cancer in humans.

The petition calls on the Government to 'ensure that all food eaten in the UK  whether in our homes, schools, hospitals, restaurants or from shops  is produced in a way that matches the high standards of production expected of UK farmers.'

You can find the petition by clicking here.
Demonstrations have been taking place in Lebanon since October to demand solution to the ailing economy and corruption.

Beirut, Lebanon  Thousands of anti-government protesters filled a main square in downtown Beirut to voice their discontent at the slow pace of reforms in the crisis-hit country.

The peaceful demonstration  the largest in some three months after the country eased a nationwide lockdown aimed at stemming the spread of COVID-19  devolved into clashes between protesters, counter-protesters and security forces.

The Lebanese Red Cross said 37 protesters had been injured, of which 11 were taken to hospitals for treatment.

Demonstrations have been taking place in Lebanon since October, when more than a million people burst onto the streets to demand a solution to the ailing economy, an end to rampant corruption and the downfall of civil war-era politicians.

We had a small break during coronavirus [lockdown], but were back, Mario Sawaya, a 65-year-old retiree, told Al Jazeera from Beiruts Martyrs Square.

He said the government of Hassan Diab, which gained confidence in February after protesters toppled the government of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, had failed to show it could take strong independent decisions.

I dont think theyre humans, because humans are defined by a conscience and values. They do not have any of that. This isnt a government, its a zoo, Sawaya said.

Saturdays protest saw a more mixed crowd than previous demonstrations, after former governing parties, with a majority-Christian support base that now finds itself in the opposition, called on their supporters to participate. Some called for the removal of the arsenal of Shia Hezbollah, a powerful Iran-backed militia and political force.

Most protest groups have pushed back, focusing on immediate reform  such as a new electoral law that reverses deep gerrymandering and the independence of the countrys judiciary  before tackling such divisive issues.

The Lebanese Red Cross says that 37 protesters have been injured in the demonstration [Anadolu]

Clashes ensued when dozens of counter-protesters, who support Hezbollah and its main Shia ally the Amal Movement, emerged from a neighbourhood near Martyrs Square and shouted sectarian slogans.

Hundreds of protesters ran towards them and hurled rocks and sticks at thick lines of riot police and soldiers. The protesters were pushed back but they clashed with security forces for several hours.

Protesters set fires on main roads and at one point destroyed police motorbikes and set one alight.

Security forces pushing to clear protesters who remain on the main north-south highway. #LebanonProtests #__ pic.twitter.com/ftKJODwkIT  Timour Azhari (@timourazhari) June 6, 2020

They were eventually dispersed with large amounts of tear gas.

Later, men from the neighbouring Chiyah and Ain al-Remanneh neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Beirut  majority-Shia and majority-Christian areas, respectively  clashed across a street that formerly divided Christian east and Muslim west Beirut during the countrys 15-year civil war.

Some protesters fear that the uprisings secular goals are in jeopardy as sectarian undertones come to the fore and living conditions deteriorate.

Prominent opposition groups like Li Haqqi have continued to push for concrete, universal demands.

A banner raised by activists at the protest read: Work, health, food, housing for all.

We still havent really changed anything, but its either this or we die of hunger, Camille Attar, a 19-year-old protester studying finance at a local university, told Al Jazeera as he escaped a wave of tear gas on the main north-bound highway outside Beirut.

Theres a lot of anger, theres a lot of letting off steam, but the reality is that I dont see a future for myself here.
The Allentown Public Library has devised a new system to get books and other materials to its patrons during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The library building at 1210 Hamilton St. has been closed to the public during the pandemic, and will remain closed until Lehigh County moves to green.

But starting June 15, patrons can pick up reserved materials at the librarys drive-through window off 12th Street from noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, library Director Renee Haines said.

The window was used by the library for patron pick-ups before the library, but will now be the sole way patrons can get items. Haines said they will keep the window open even after the building is re-opened.

Staff will return to the library this week to catch up on things since the library closed, like processing returned items and hold requests, Haines said.

Were all in position now where we all have to catch up, she said of other Lehigh Valley libraries.

Items can be reserved by phone or using the librarys online catalog. The orders will be bagged and marked, and patrons can push a buzzer when they drive up.

Wed like people to have their cards, just so we can verify who they are, Haines said.

Materials cannot be returned at the window and fines will not be accepted there. The librarys drop box in the rear parking lot is open for returned items, and the library has extended due dates for items during the pandemic.

If you dont have an Allentown library card, you can apply for one online at allentownpl.org.

When Lehigh County does move to green, Haines said the library building will not immediately open. But the spacious building allows for a little more room for people, and for people to social distance," she said.

Since closing, the library has focused on broadening its online offerings of things like books and magazines. The magazine vendor -- RB Digital -- offers magazines from around the world, and Haines said during the pandemic she looked began perusing German home decor magazines there.

Next week will be the first time many staff will be seeing each other in person since the library closed, though they have been meeting virtually. Haines plans to designate people to work on specific floors, and masks and other preventative measures will be in effect even though the building is closed.

The news in Allentown is one of the first changes for libraries in the Lehigh Valley since the pandemic began.

The Whitehall Township Public Library is closed and items are currently not due until July 1, but it will begin accepting returned items Monday at its yellow drop boxes. The boxes will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The Whitehall library is working toward a curbside pickup program, also starting June 15, but did not have details yet on its website.

In Northampton County, the Easton Area Public Library is closed, and all due dates have been extended to July 15. In Nazareth, the library and its book drop are closed; no books are due and no fines will be incurred until further notice.

All Bethlehem Area Public Library locations are closed, and they are not accepting returned items at this time. All due dates have been extended to July 1.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com.
Actor and wrestler Dwayne The Rock Johnson is speaking out against President Donald Trump in a new video supporting Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality after the death of George Floyd.

Where are you? Where is our leader? the 1990 graduate of Freedom High School asked early Thursday morning. Where is our leader at this time when our country is down on its knees, begging, pleading, hurt, angry, frustrated, in pain with its arms out, just wanting to be heard?

Where is our compassionate leader whos going to step up to our country whos down on its knees, and extend a hand and say, You stand up, stand up with me because I got you. I hear you, Im listening to you. And you have my word that Im going to do everything in my power, until my dying day, my last breath, to do everything I can to create the change that is needed, to normalize equality because black lives matter. Where are you? Johnson continues. Of course, all lives matter, but in this moment right now, this defining, pivotal, explosive moment where our country is down on its knees... we must say the words: Black lives matter."

Variety called it one of the strongest political stances openly taken by Johnson, whose credits include Fast and the Furious, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Hercules and Moana." He doesnt name Trump in the video, but made it clear he disagrees with the presidents actions.

We must become the leaders we are looking for. Ill ask it one more time: Where are you? Where is that compassionate leader who steps up and takes accountability for his country and all the people in our country? Johnson said. Where are you? Ill tell you what, were here. Were all here. The process to change has already begun. You can feel it across our country. Change is happening. Its going to take time. Were going to get beat up. Were going to take our lumps. Theres going to be blood, but the process of change has already begun.

The video has been viewed more than 1.6 million times in seven hours as The Rock," Johnsons WWE nickname, became a trending topic on Twitter. Trump posted more than 30 tweets Thursday morning, but did not comment on Johnsons video.

Floyd, a black man, died on Memorial Day when a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Video of his death went viral, sparking protests in all 50 states; four cops have been fired and charged over the incident.

President Donald Trump on Friday declared it was a great day for George Floyd as he discussed a strong jobs report for the country and efforts to bring about racial equality. Joe Biden, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, said Trumps comments about Floyd were despicable.

Trumps comments about Floyd came as he shifted from discussing a drop in the unemployment rate to say everyone deserved equal treatment in every encounter with law enforcement, regardless of race, color, gender or creed.

We all saw what happened last week. We cant let that happen, Trump said. Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying this is a great thing thats happening for our country."

He added: This is a great day for him. Its a great day for everybody. This is a great day for everybody. This is a great, great day in terms of equality.

Biden panned Trump's comments during an economic speech in Delaware.

Were speaking of a man who was brutally killed by an act of needless violence and by a larger tide of injustice that has metastasized on this presidents watch, Biden said.

George Floyds last words, I cant breathe. I cant breathe, have echoed all across this nation and quite frankly around the world," Biden added. "For the president to try to put any other words in the mouth of George Floyd, I frankly think, is despicable.

Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said some news outlets had purposely misreported the presidents comments to insinuate that Floyd would be pleased about the positive jobs numbers. He said Trump was referencing the national conversation that followed Floyds death and Americans coming together on the belief that everyone should be treated equally under the law.

The sentences that preceded and followed the presidents sentiments about Mr. Floyd made the context crystal clear, Murtaugh said. "Media claims that the president said that Mr. Floyd would be praising the economic news are wrong, purposefully misrepresented, and maliciously crafted.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Pastor E.A Adeboye showered prayers on William Folorunso Kumuyi, the General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, as he ...

Happy birthday beloved Pastor W.F Kumuyi.@PastorFAAdeboye and I join the rest of the world to celebrate Gods faithfulness in your life, family and ministry.



May you finish strong and end very well in Jesus name. pic.twitter.com/EKcPDWDhPc  Pastor Adeboye (@PastorEAAdeboye) June 6, 2020

Adeboye took to Twitter as he prayed to God to grant Kumuyi the ability to end well.He said: Happy birthday beloved Pastor W.F Kumuyi.Pastor F.A Adeboye and I join the rest of the world to celebrate Gods faithfulness in your life, family, and ministry.May you finish strong and end very well in Jesus name.Kumuyi was a mathematics teacher in 1962 at Mayflower School, his alma mater.He went on, in the early 1970s, to become a lecturer of mathematics at the University of Lagos after he bagged a first-class honours degree in mathematics at the University of Ibadan.He also finished as the overall best graduating student in that year (1967).Subsequently, he took a post-graduate course in Education at the University of Lagos.He became a born-again Christian in April 1964.Pastor Kumuyi began the foundation of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry in 1973.He started with a Bible study group with 15 students.Kumuyi was expelled from the Apostolic Faith Church in 1975. He was expelled for preaching on the baptism of the Holy Spirit.He continued his independent ministry, which in 1982 became the Deeper Life Bible Church.
Afghanistan denounced Iranian police after a disturbing video of a car carrying Aghan refugees set ablaze went viral, triggering fresh anger after earlier reports of the drowning of migrants by Iranian border guards. Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement on June 6 that it has closely monitored, investigated and evaluated the incident.

Citing initial reports, the ministry said that three people died, four suffered injuries and a number of Afghan citizens disappeared after their vehicle was shot by Iranian police. In the video footage shared on social media, a boy was seen begging for water while escaping from the blazing car with burns on parts of his body.

The ministry has confirmed the veracity of the video footage saying Afghans in Iran are trying to identify the victims. Quoting a Yazd province official, it said that the vehicle caught fire due to high speed and severe collision after the car was shot. Afghanistans Ambassador to Iran will be visiting Yazd to meet the victims of the accident and discuss the details of the bodies. The envoy will also seek the reason behind the firing on the vehicle carrying Afghan nationals.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take the necessary decisions regarding the results of this research and evaluation of the next steps and measures with Iran, the ministry added.

Read: Afghan War Veteran Among Three JeM Terrorists Killed In Kashmir: IGP Kashmir

'Human lives matter'

The video was widely circulated on social media and human rights activists demanded accountability for the horrific incident. Shaharzad Akbar, the chairperson of Afghanistans Independent Human Rights Commission, said that the incident should be investigated and perpetrators should be held accountable. Akbar also demanded that the result of the joint investigation into the drowning of Afghans should be made public.

The results of joint Afg-Iran investigation on drowning of Afgs needs to be made public. The incident in Yazd, Iran that led to burning of passengers in a car needs to be investigated. Perpetuators need to be held accountable. Human lives matter. Reufgee rights are human rights.  Shaharzad Akbar (@ShaharzadAkbar) June 6, 2020

Read: UN Report Claims 6,500 Pakistanis Among Foreign Terrorists In Afghanistan

Read: Trump Renews Pledge To Bring Back US Troops From Afghanistan To End US' Longest War

(Image: AP)
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Washington DC is gearing up for its biggest day of protests yet with one million Black Lives Matter demonstrators set to hit the US capital following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd last week.

Soldiers were seen standing guard outside the Lincoln Memorial yesterday as groups of local High School graduates posed for photographs on the iconic steps.

Meanwhile, just a stones throw away, the White House was transformed into a fortress, with black fences between seven and nine feet high erected around its perimeter.

The measures were taken in preparation for a planned demonstration protesting police brutality against black Americans and over the death of Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.

Soldiers were seen standing guard outside the Lincoln Memorial yesterday as groups of local High School graduates posed for photographs on the iconic steps

Washington DC is gearing up for its biggest day of protests yet with one million Black Lives Matter demonstrators set to hit the US capital. Pictured: A high school graduate poses for a photograph at the Lincoln Memorial as a soldier stands guard

Protests today are set to be one of the largest the capital has ever seen. Pictured: A demonstrator raises her fist as she takes part in a protest in Washington yesterday

People held up candles and cell phone lights as they marched during a rally in Las Vegas. This is the second week of demonstrations following the death of George Floyd

A woman is arrested for breaking curfew in Brooklyn as protesters gathered to demonstrate following the death of George Floyd

A high school graduate poses for a photograph at the Lincoln Memorial as a soldier stands guard. Just a stones throw away, the White House was transformed into a fortress, with black fences between seven and nine feet high erected around its perimeter

Soldiers huddled together as a graduate posed for photographs at the Lincoln Memorial. Authorities suspect that today will be the city's biggest protest yet

Protesters shouted 'Black Lives Matter' in front of Lafayette Park next to the White House yesterday as demonstrations continued

Chief of police of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia Peter Newsham said in a press conference on Thursday: 'We have a lot of public, open-source information to suggest that the event on this upcoming Saturday may be one of the largest that weve had in the city.' Pictured: High school graduates poses for a photograph at the Lincoln Memorial as a soldier stands guard

A group of high school graduates poses for a photograph at the Lincoln Memorial as a soldier wearing a face mask stands guard

The hashtag #1MillionDCSaturday is trending on Twitter as demonstrators are called to march in DC today. Pictured: A high school graduate takes photographs at the Lincoln Memorial as a soldier stands guard

Authorities think the protests will bring as many one million people to the streets.

Chief of police of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia Peter Newsham said in a press conference on Thursday: 'We have a lot of public, open-source information to suggest that the event on this upcoming Saturday may be one of the largest that weve had in the city.'

He wouldn't commit to a number but predicted it would be smaller than the 1 million people who attended the Women's March in 2017.

The hashtag #1MillionDCSaturday is trending on Twitter as demonstrators are called to march, McClatchy DC reports.

Floyd was killed when white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds despite Floyd's desperate pleas that he 'can't breathe'. He passed out and later died in Minneapolis on May 25.

Workers install a security fence at Lafayette Square across from the White House on June 5 as many compare the news measures to a fortress

Tall black fences, between seven and nine feet, have sprung up around the perimeter of the White House as protesters have demonstrated over the death of George Floyd. Pictured: The White House during a protest over the death of Floyd

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser commissioned a 'Black Lives Matter' mural down 16th Street, which leads to the White House, ahead of the planned weekend protest

The letters span two blocks of 16th Street, are 35 feet high and take up the width of the two-lane road (left and right)

His death is seen as a symbol of systemic police brutality against African-Americans sparking outrage and largely-peaceful protests across the US.

Protests continued across the country last night with authorities appearing to heed warnings about the use of heavy-handed police tactics.

Residents of Minneapolis and St. Paul were no longer under a curfew on Friday night and the state is planning to start sending state troopers and National Guard members back home.

Protesters were seen walking down a rain-battered road in Washington DC during the Black Lives Matter protests in the capital

Washington has featured daily protests for the past week and they have largely been peaceful, with people marching back and forth from the White House to the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. Pictured: Protests in Washington yesterday

The cities saw violent protests and store break-ins late last week following Floyd's death after being arrested by Minneapolis police.

But peaceful protests have replaced the more violent scenes for nearly a week. Governer Tim Walz credited peaceful protests for helping achieve rapid change on Minneapolis Police Department policy.

On Friday, the city agreed to ban chokeholds and neck restraints as a civil rights investigation of the department begins.

In Seattle, Mayor Jenny Durkan banned the police use of on CS gas for 30 days as protests continue.

Washington has featured daily protests for the past week and they have largely been peaceful, with people marching back and forth from the White House to the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial.

In Los Angeles, California, a dance was performed as part of the protests to support the Black Lives Matter movement at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Thousands of protesters gathered at Jackson Square and Washington Artillery Park in New Orleans to protest

But the demonstrations have brought out gradually-increasing defences around the White House.

Critics bashed the move, saying the White House, which has always been referred to as the People's House, was suddenly no longer accessible to the American people.

On Tuesday morning, a tall fence was put on the north side of Lafayette Square, along H Street, so no one can enter the park, which is usually open to the public.

This is the place where peaceful demonstrators were teargassed by police to clear a path for Trump to take photos in front of St John's Church.

Trump didn't say anything, but just stood in front of the partially-burned church, later holding up a Bible for the photo-op.

On 17th Street, which borders the Eisenhower Executive Office Buildings, hundreds of feet of wall were erected all the way down, and around Constitution Avenue.

White House officials told The Washington Post that adding more security to the White House perimeter was not Trump's decision, nor was he involved in it.

However, Trump has frequently referred to himself as a 'law-and-order' president who wants to portray himself as strong and in control.

Supporters of the president see the moves as decisive action to quell protests.

But Trump's critics see this tactics as dictatorial and compared the new fencing to the president's pledge to build a wall along the US-Mexico land border.

Rain poured down on protesters in front of Lafayette Park next to the White House in Washington DC yesterday

Authorities in DC have sought to reduce tensions by having National Guard troops not carry weapons. Pictured: Protesters in DC yesterday

Authorities in DC have sought to reduce tensions by having National Guard troops not carry weapons.

There were zero arrests during demonstrations on Thursday and Friday and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser canceled the curfew that had been in place since Monday. She said she will decide on Saturday morning if it will be reinstated.

Yesterday, President Trump blasted the mayor of Washington, DC as incompetent after a street near the White House was renamed 'Black Lives Matter Plaza' and the slogan was painted on a road leading to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

On Friday, Mayor Bowser commissioned 'Black Lives Matter' to be painted on the street that leads to the White House.

The letters span two blocks of 16th Street, are 35 feet high and take up the width of the two-lane road.

She also renamed a portion of Lafayette Square, the site of Trump's ill-time photo-op as Black Lives Matter Plaza.

Protesters gather at Jackson Square and Washington Artillery Park yesterday as protests following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd continued

This all came as Bowser announced that the Utah National Guard, more than 1,200 troops of 10 states, would be evicted from all DC hotels on Saturday.

'The incompetent Mayor of Washington, DC, @MayorBowser, who's budget is totally out of control and is constantly coming back to us for 'handouts', is now fighting with the National Guard, who saved her from great embarrassment over the last number of nights,' Trump tweeted Friday afternoon.

'If she doesn't treat these men and women well, then we'll bring in a different group of men and women!'

'It's a sad commentary that the [White] House and its inhabitants have to be walled off,' Bowser told reporters during a press conference on Thursday.

'We should want the White House to be opened up.'
NBA legend Michael Jordan and his Nike-linked brand announced Friday a $100 million donation over the next decade will go toward "organizations dedicated to ensuring racial equality, social justice and greater access to education."



"Black lives matter," Jordan and his brand said in a statement. "This isn't a controversial statement. Until the ingrained racism that allows our countrys institutions to fail is completely eradicated, we will remain committed to protecting and improving the lives of Black people."

Jordan, the 57-year-old former Chicago Bulls great, is the owner of the Charlotte Hornets. The Jordan Brand is a subsidiary of Nike, the shoe giant that earlier Friday committed $40 million over the next four years to support the black community.

Jordan also released a statement Monday on George Floyd and the killings of black people at the hands of police.

I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry, Jordan said. 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.

"Through our Jordan Wings Program, we have been focused on providing access to education, mentorship and opportunity for Black youth facing the obstacles of systemic racism. But we know we can do more," said Craig Williams, president of Jordan Brand, said in a statement. "We must join forces with the community, government and civic leaders to create a lasting impact together.



"There is still more work for us to do to drive real impact for the Black Community. We embrace the responsibility."



Video: Why these nationwide protests are different

Floyd was in handcuffs when a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck as he pleaded that he couldnt breathe. Derek Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder. Three other officers are charged with aiding and abetting. All have been fired.
China Deplores the UK's 'Gross Interference' over Hong Kong Citizenship Offer, Warns of Consequences

Sputnik News

05:52 GMT 05.06.2020

Earlier, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated he was prepared to offer the right to live and work in Britain to some 3 million Hong Kong citizens eligible for a British National Overseas passport, in the event that Beijing proceeded with enforcing its security legislation within the city.

The UK has been slammed by China's foreign ministry for what it labelled as "gross interference" in the country's affairs.

Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a press briefing on 3 June that it was time for Britain to recognise and respect the fact that Hong Kong has returned to China, and stop using the Sino-British Joint Declaration as an excuse to make irresponsible remarks.

The spokesperson underscored that the UK's historical link with Hong Kong arose from a period of "invasion, colonialism and unequal treaties".

"The UK flagrantly claims that the Hong Kong-related legislation is 'authoritarian'. Well, this is precisely the word to describe its colonial rule in Hong Kong To quote its own words, we urge the UK to 'step back from the brink', reject the Cold-War mindset and the colonial mentality, and recognise and respect the fact that Hong Kong has already returned to China as a special administrative region. It should abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's domestic affairs. Otherwise, there will be consequences," said China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

The National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China passed a resolution at the end of May, under which the NPC Standing Committee would be in charge of developing a national security law for Hong Kong that bans secessionist and subversive activity.

In response to the legislation, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on 2 June in a statement in the House of Commons on the situation in Hong Kong that the UK had respected the Sino-British Joint Declaration, but that China's "authoritarian national security law" in respect to Hong Kong undermined the "one country, two systems" framework. According to Raab, Beijing's decision to impose the new security law allegedly lies in conflict with its international obligations, assumed under the Joint Declaration.

The UK's position on the issue is rooted in the joint declaration between the two countries, registered with the UN, which had paved the way for the handover of Hong Kong in 1997, pledging the city 50 years of autonomy from that date, with protection of its rights and freedoms, writes The Guardian.

Subsequently, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed in an op-ed article, published on 3 June in the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post that his country was prepared to introduce changes to the immigration system to allow Hong Kong residents eased access to immigration and UK citizenship if China enforced its national security law for the city.

Johnson was referring to some 350,000 Hong Kongers, the holders of a British National Overseas passport, who would be granted an extendable 12-month visa and further immigration rights, including the right to work, with another 2.5 million eligible to apply for the aforementioned passports.

"If China imposes its national security law, the British government will change our immigration rules and allow any holder of these passports from Hong Kong to come to the UK for a renewable period of 12 months and be given further immigration rights, including the right to work, which could place them on a route to citizenship", said Johnson in the article.

While the UK's offer was hailed by protesters in Hong Kong, many were cited by The Guardian as preferring international efforts in the form of possible sanctions against China or officials in Beijing, instead of just "sanctuary for those who want to flee".

"I think it's a shame in a way that they only offer us an exit, and do not offer to stand by us in our fight for Hong Kong," a veteran activist, Lee Cheuk Yan, was cited as saying.

Concerns have also been voiced that the UK offer would exclude Hong Kong youth, who have been spearheading the year-long protest movement, writes the outlet, as British National Overseas passports are issued only to people born before the 1997 end of British colonial rule.

A Sputnik

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The United States District Court Judge has ordered the Denver police on June 5 to abstain from the use of less-than-lethal measures including tear gas, plastic bullets and flash grenades to dismiss the protests over the death of George Floyd. Since the African American died in police custody in Minnesota, unrest has prevailed in almost all states in the country demanding justice and equality. The temporary ruling by the judge came in response to the lawsuit filed on June 4 in Denver District Court by the demonstrators who had complained about the use of excessive force by the police authorities.

According to international reports, a spokesperson for Denver Police Tyrone Campbell has assured that the force would adhere to the courts order as the protests have been continued for the 11th day. Recently, at least one person was shot near the state capitol which has been the main area of protests. Denver police had clarified that somebody shot an individual who was carrying a weapon and at least two people are possibly connected to the incident and they went to the hospital by themselves. According to reports, one has been shot and other, stabbed.

Read - Protest Arrests Logjam Tests NYC Legal System, Bail Reform

Read - US: New York Police Arrest Protesters For Defying Curfew In Manhattan

UN calls for 'urgent action'

Meanwhile, in the wake of violent protests prevailing in the US against racial discrimination, the UN has urged the country to address racism systematically and called for an independent investigation into cases that involve police brutality. Unrest has rocked America since Floyd death who became the latest face of the Black Lives Matter movement. Appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, at least 30 independent experts have jointly called for the US to reform its criminal justice system in the statement issued on June 5.

In the comprehensive release, UN broke down racism in the US by mentioning the roots in slavery, followed by the killings that fueled lynching and also the double standards of the American government in inciting and threatening violence against protesters.

Read - France Bans Protests At US Embassy And Eiffel Tower Over Risks Of Large Gatherings

Read - Houston Hip-hop Artists Organize Massive Protest

(Image Source: AP)
People crowd into the Tripolis main square to celebrate the fall of the nearby city of Tarhuna, the remaining stronghold of Haftars forces.

There have been scenes of jubilation in Libya after the sudden end of renegade military commander Khalifa Haftars 14-month offensive to seize the capital.

People crowded into the Tripolis main square, celebrating the fall of the nearby city of Tarhuna.

It was the remaining stronghold of Haftars forces and a strategically important base in the countrys west.

The UN-recognised government said it had seized the city on Friday.

Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Abdelwahed has the story.
PHILADELPHIA - Thousands of people demanding justice for George Floyd flooded the streets of downtown Philadelphia on Saturday, chanting No justice, no peace!

Demonstrators gathered near the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its famous Rocky steps before setting off for the City Hall area, with the line of marchers stretching for several city blocks along the tree-lined Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

The protesters circled City Hall, clapping and shouting, Black Lives Matter! as some residents of an apartment building held signs on their balconies reading BLM and Keep Going, Philly, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

To police officers and National Guard members, they chanted: What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!

Qadir Sabur, 22, handing out water and snacks and holding a sign that read Dont just say Black Lives Matter, show us, said that in addition to opposition to police brutality, African Americans in the city should benefit from the same opportunities in jobs and education.

Im not just seeing blacks come together today as one, he said, Im seeing everyone coming together as one, he told the Inquirer.

By late afternoon, many protesters had left but others lingered around the Art Museum area or along the parkway. Smaller demonstrations were held in other areas, including one by the African American Museum in Philadelphia near Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.

City officials earlier announced street closures, saying much of the city centre, from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill River, would be closed to vehicles. A curfew will be in effect again overnight, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., during which time only people with essential duties are allowed out.

Smaller groups also marched in other cities around the state, including several hundred in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area.

Floyd, who was black, died on May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee into his neck even as he pleaded for air and stopped moving. His death has sparked protests over police treatment of African Americans and racial injustice nationwide.

In Pittsburgh, authorities were searching for someone they said threw an improvised incendiary device at an officer last weekend, resulting in injuries to another officer. Police said the device exploded on the ground near Mellon Square, causing a nearby officer to suffer concussion-like symptoms.

Robert Swartzwelder, president of Fraternal Order of Police Fort Pitt Lodge 1, said the officer could have been permanently disfigured, if not killed if he had been hit by the device.

Authorities announced formation of a task force to investigate what they call a small group of people amid largely peaceful protests who have attacked journalists, looted businesses, caused property damage and committed other crimes such as arson.
Guaido seeking refuge at French embassy in Caracas: Venezuela FM

Iran Press TV

Friday, 05 June 2020 7:49 AM

Venezuela's US-backed opposition figure Juan Guaido is said to have sought refuge at the French embassy in the Latin American country's capital, Caracas.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza broke the news during a local radio interview on Thursday, when he was asked by a journalist about Guaido's supposed presence at the French embassy and another leading opposition figure, Leopoldo Lopez, at the Spanish ambassador's residence, where he has remained for more than a year following attempts to incite a military uprising against the government in Caracas.

"We cannot enter the premises of any country's embassy whatsoever, in this case Spain or France," Arreaza said, adding that an arrest by force therefore "is not possible."

"We hope that these governments will change their mind and deliver those who wish to escape Venezuelan justice," Arreaza continued.

Describing the situation as "deeply irregular," the Venezuelan foreign minister underlined that, "it is a shame for Spain's diplomacy, it is a shame for France's diplomacy what has happened and it will take its toll very, very soon."

France and Spain are among the countries that recognize Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela after accusing Maduro of vote-rigging in his re-election in 2018.

Arreaza's comments were made three days after Maduro had hinted that the opposition figure was "hiding" at a diplomatic mission.

Maduro and his administration in Caracas have previously called Guaido, who was behind an abortive coup against the Venezuelan leader in 2019, a "fugitive from justice."

Guaido pushed Venezuela into political turmoil after he unilaterally declared himself "interim president" of the country in January last year, and with Washington's assistance and help from a small number of rogue soldiers, later launched a botched putsch against the elected government. There was also an attempt at assassinating Maduro with a drone in 2018.

Guaido's self-proclamation and his coup received backing from the US administration.

Washington has imposed several rounds of crippling sanctions against the oil-rich South American country aimed at ousting Maduro and replacing him with Guaido.

The sanctions, which include the illegal confiscation of Venezuelan assets abroad and an economic blockade, have caused enormous suffering for millions of people in the country.

In yet another show of animosity toward the government in Caracas, a group of US-backed mercenaries attempted to intrude into the northern Venezuelan state of La Guaira on speedboats last month, but the country's military foiled the attack, killing eight of the armed men and arresting several others.

One of the two US citizens arrested during the marine incursion said in a public interrogation on Venezuelan state TV that the purpose of the military operation had been to seize an airport in Caracas, kidnap Maduro, and take him to the US.

The contract under which the mercenaries carried out the attack bore Guaido's signature as well as those of other opposition figures.

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NYPD in formation as nearby demonstrators hold a rally in Times Square denouncing racism in law enforcement and the May 25 killing of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis, on June 1, 2020, in New York.

Scott Heins/Getty Images

A Manhattan judge on Thursday ruled that anyone arrested in the Bronx, Brooklyn, or Manhattan could be held for more than 24 hours without charge.

New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Friday that the ruling was "unconstitutional" and a "suspension of habeus corpus," the 900-year-old foundational legal doctrine that prohibits extended detention without charge.

Legal advocates said it was retaliation for protests against police brutality, while lawyers representing police said that characterization was "disenginous."

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A Manhattan judge on Thursday ruled that anyone arrested in the Bronx, Brooklyn, or Manhattan could be held for more than 24 hours without being formally charged with a crime after the Legal Aid Society, an advocacy group, sued the NYPD in connection with holding George Floyd protesters.

As of Friday, 92 New Yorkers had been held for more than 24 hours without charge, according to the Legal Aid Society.

New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez condemned the ruling Friday, denouncing it on Twitter as "unconstitutional" and a "suspension of habeus corpus."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Civil liberties protect ourselves from governments using "crises" and "emergencies" as justification to dismantle our rights.<br><br>This is suspension of habeus corpus, it is unconstitutional, and it is deeply disturbing that both NYPD is seeking it and a judge rubber stamped it. <a href="https://t.co/t3K4EoNB6j">https://t.co/t3K4EoNB6j</a></p> Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) <a href="https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1268702650276732928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Story continues

Habeas corpus is a 900-year-old legal doctrine that prohibits unlawful detention without a criminal charge and is one of the earliest bedrock principles of the English and American court systems. While the principle is protected at the Federal level by the Constitution, the 24-hour standard in New York was established by the Roundtree v. Brown case in 1991.

Habeas corpus was first lifted in America by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War to detain people with Confederate or antiwar sympathies and more recently was used to justify the indefinite detention of hundreds of people at Guantanamo Bay.

Protests have erupted across the US after a Minneapolis police officer, later charged with second-degree murder, knelt on George Floyd's neck until he died. After large protests embroiled New York for days, Mayor Bill de Blasio enacted a curfew, the first in the city since 1943.

New York City Criminal Court Judge James Burke said he made the decision because there was "a civil unrest crisis within the overarching COVID-19 crisis."

Legal Aid lawyer Marlen Bodden told the New York Post that jail conditions were challenging for social distancing, especially for people without masks or hand sanitizer. Coronavirus has the potential to spread rapidly in detention as social distancing may be impossible in cramped cells.

"This flagrant violation of law by the New York City Police Department appears to be designed to retaliate against New Yorkers protesting police brutality," said Tina Luongo, the Legal Aid lawyer in charge of the organization's criminal-defense practice, in a news release announcing the original lawsuit.

"The accusation that officers are retaliating against New Yorkers who are protesting is disingenuous, exceptionally unfair, and perhaps deliberately ignoring the fact that the Police Department is dealing with a crisis within a crisis," Patricia Miller, chief of the Special Federal Litigation Division, which defends the city police in civil suits, said in a statement to Insider.

Lucian Chalfen, a spokesperson for the Office of Court Administration, put blame on the police and prosecutors for the slow pace at which they were filing the necessary paperwork in a statement to The New York Times.

"We are working as fast and safely as we can," an NYPD spokesperson told Insider on Friday evening.

On Friday the Legal Aid Society filed an appeal to the decision.

Read the original article on Insider
The U.S. Coast Guard on Friday suspended its search for a 50-year-old man who went missing after falling off a kayak while late night fishing in Monmouth County.

Two Burlington County men were fishing on the Navesink River in Rumson about 11 p.m. Thursday when rough weather toppled the vessel, throwing both men into the water, authorities said.

A severe weather system caused the mens kayak to flip over. One man was able to swim to shore, the Rumson First Aid Squad posted on its Facebook page.

The coast guard, along with the Monmouth County Sheriffs Office dive team, New Jersey State Police aviation squad and local first-responders searched the waters for several hours on Friday before calling off the search due to rough seas.

The coast guard tweeted the search was called off pending further information. The mans name has not been released.

Remember to always familiarize yourself with the environmental conditions, always wear a life jacket and never go out on the water without telling anyone, the first aid squad said, adding that their prayers and well wishes are with (the missing mans) family.

*UPDATE* The Coast Guard has suspended its search for the missing kayaker in the Navesink River #NJ, pending further information. @NJSP @MonmouthSheriff #SAR #WearIt  USCG_Tri_State (@USCG_Tri_State) June 5, 2020

First-responders in Rumson on Friday as they prepared to search for a man who went missing in the river.Rumson First Aid Squad

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Inmates of the Ho Central Prisons have appealed to the Government to provide the Prisons with isolation centres in the wake of COVID-19.



They also appealed for minor offenders to be freed to make room for social and physical distancing in the cells.



The prisoners made the appeal when Mr Prosper Pi-Bansah, Ho Municipal Chief Executive, donated assorted personal protective equipment, including an infrared thermometer gun, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, liquid soaps, and packs of tissue paper to the Prisons.



The inmates commended the MCE for the gesture and government for efforts at containing the pandemic and said it was time attention was given to us too.



They said despite social distancing being a major protocol in preventing the spread of the virus, they continued to sleep in groups of 70/80 in a cell with no isolation centre for inmates who are very sick.



The prisoners said though people the world over were adapting to a new normal, it was business as usual for the inmates with overcrowding everywhere. Overcrowding in cells, pavilion, everywhere



They also lamented on the sanitation situation in the Prisons and called for support.



The Ghana News Agency observed that the pavilion in the male prisons was jam-packed with only about five inmates wearing nose masks.



A few of them were also spotted eating together and others singing and shouting in close proximity.



Last month, the Prisons allegedly threatened to shut its gates to new inmates due to overcrowding.



The MCE urged inmates who had nose masks to wear them regularly to stop the spread of the disease, stressing, nose masks are now the new pattern of dressing for our safety.



Mr Andrews Dzokoto, Deputy Director of Prisons, Volta Regional Commander of Prisons commended the MCE and the Assembly for the support.



He said the Ho Central Prisons, designed for 150 inmates had 423 prisoners with some sleeping under the beds of others.



Mr Dzokoto said the major challenge was overcrowding and that all inmates had nose masks and were regularly encouraged to wear them.



The MCE made similar donations to the Police, Immigration, and military in Ho.



He observed that some security officers were not observing the safety protocols, especially the wearing of nose masks, and said, it was affecting enforcement.



Mr Pi-Bansah said the Assembly was, therefore, forming a multi-taskforce to ensure all safety protocols were observed strictly to curb the spread of the virus.



Ho, Volta Regional capital as of May 31, 2020, had 23 COVID-19 positive cases out of 84 in the Region.



The Region is said to have also recorded two COVID-19 deaths and 35 recoveries at the end of May.

Source: GNA









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With the aim to boost the Kingdoms aquaculture, Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) has developed a fish farm at its Calciner and Marine Plant in Sitra in collaboration with the Bahrain National Guard Consumer Association.

Albas fish farm is in response to His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Royal Directives to develop strategic projects for the National Production of food as well as achieve food security. This project is also in line with the companys commitment to Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) in particular the Environmental Biodiversity and enriching the ecological system around Albas operations, Alba said in a statement.

Commenting on this occasion, Albas Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali said: Aquaculture is a leading method to grow food sustainably. As an island, Bahrain is home to a variety of marine life; Fish Farming is the most natural and sustainable approach to protect biodiversity and maintain environmental balance. With the successful set-up of the Fish Farm, Alba has demonstrated that its Calciner & Marine operations are safe and favourable for aquaculture. The proceeds from this Project will be spent on Albas various CSR initiatives in the local community.

We also take the opportunity to thank Bahrain National Guard Consumer Association for their extensive experience and guidance in developing Albas Fish Farm Project.

The full-functional Alba fish farm Pilot project consists of two fish farming cages submerged next to Albas Calciner & Marine jetty wherein one cage cultures more than 5,000 of a well-known local fish type - Sabiti (Sparidentex) and the other one holds more than 10,000 Sea Bream type. The proceeds from this project will be spent on Albas various CSR initiatives in the local community, the statement said.

Major General Shaikh Abdul Aziz Bin Saud Al Khalifa, Chief of Staff, National Guard Bahrain added: Implemented in cooperation with the Bahrain National Guard Consumer Association, Albas Fish Farm Project supports the Kingdom of Bahrains pioneering efforts in enhancing food security and marine sustainability.

We look forward to more similar projects developed in the Kingdom of Bahrain.TradeArabia News Service
TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Forces loyal to Libya's internationally recognised government took the last stronghold of eastern commander Khalifa Haftar near Tripoli on Friday and advanced further south, capping the sudden collapse of his 14-month offensive on the capital.

Military sources in Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) said their forces had withdrawn from the town of Tarhouna towards Sirte, far to the east, and al-Jufra airbase in central Libya.

The advance extends the control of the Government of National Accord (GNA) across most of northwest Libya, reversing many of Haftar's gains from last year when he raced towards Tripoli.

The GNA gains could entrench the de facto partition of Libya into zones controlled by rival eastern and western governments whose foreign backers compete for regional sway.

The GNA is backed by Turkey, while Haftar, whose LNA still controls the east and oil fields in the south, is supported by Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari said on television that "friendly countries" had urged an end to the fighting. But he vowed the fight would continue and called it a holy war against Turkey.

The United Nations has started holding talks with both sides for a ceasefire deal in recent days, though previous truces have not stuck.

"What is happening now is the beginning of the division of Libya," Saeed Mugheeb, a pro-Haftar lawmaker, said in a statement that echoed comments from others in the east.

The United Nations says weapons and fighters have flooded into the country in defiance of an arms embargo, risking a deadlier escalation.

Turkish military support for the GNA was key to its recent successes. Ankara regards Libya as crucial to defending its interests in the eastern Mediterranean.

However, the LNA still retains its foreign support. Washington said last week Moscow had sent warplanes to LNA-held Jufra, though Russia and the LNA denied this.

Story continues

Located in the hills southeast of Tripoli, Tarhouna had functioned as a forward base for Haftar's assault on the capital. Its swift fall suggests his foreign supporters were less willing to sustain his offensive once Turkey intervened.

It has raised questions over Haftar's predominant position in eastern Libya though few other figures there appear capable of holding together the coalition of forces he has assembled into the LNA.

Some Tarhouna residents fled east, and the Kani family, which had controlled it since 2014 also withdrew, LNA military sources said.

Footage inside Tarhouna showed GNA forces there cheering and firing into the air. The GNA later said it had discovered more than 100 bodies in a morgue in the town and was investigating.

Later on Friday, the GNA said it had entered Bani Walid, a small town south of Tarhouna and site of an airfield. Two residents confirmed the GNA had entered it without opposition.

"There could be a solution at the table, but Haftar's forces are losing ground in every sense," said a Turkish official.

(Reporting by Reuters Libya Newsroom; additional reporting by Orhan Coskun in Ankara; writing by Angus McDowall in Tunis and Aidan Lewis in Cairo; Editing by Jason Neely and Alistair Bell)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 6

By Fidan Babayeva  Trend:

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) together with the Azerbaijani government will begin to develop a new program starting from the second half of 2020, Melek Chakmak, Head of the FAO Partnership and Liaison Office in Azerbaijan, told Trend.

The program will cover the period of 2021-2025, Chakmak added.

She said that discussions will be held on a new program for planning measures in accordance with the requirements and tasks of the current period.

"As known, the FAO organization has been cooperating with Azerbaijan for more than 20 years. This cooperation is planned on the basis of five-year program documents and is aimed at supporting the country's top priority areas," Chakmak noted.

Head of the office said the framework program of cooperation between the government of Azerbaijan and the FAO, covering 2016-2020, provides for the implementation of various measures and projects on ensuring sustainable agriculture and food stability in the country, supporting the development of six priority sectors in the field of forestry and fish farming.

"Naturally, our main goal is to ensure food security of the country, reduce dependence on agricultural imports, stimulate exports, and also for more efficient use of natural resources," she emphasized.

Concluding the results of the five-year projects of the current Partnership Program, which ends in 2020, Chakmak said that most of the goals have been achieved within the framework of this program.

In November 2016, the FAO and the Azerbaijani government signed the Partnership Program for 2016-2020.

Azerbaijan has been a member of the FAO since 1995. The organizations office in the country has been operating since 2007.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: Fidan_Babaeva
WASHINGTONOutraged Americans flooding the national capital this weekend will be greeted by two oversized, street-level reactions to the countrys latest historic flashpoint  a study in political contrasts built by separate work crews.

Black Lives Matter  block letters as tall as the roadway is wide, stencilled by city workers in yellow traffic paint  jumps off the asphalt along the two blocks of 16th Street leading to Lafayette Square, ending just before the pastel walls of the boarded-up St. Johns Episcopal Church.

Just across H Street, meanwhile, a two-metre black steel fence, initially erected to keep protesters out of the park, was being extended and fortified late Friday to encapsulate the entire White House complex and adjacent buildings, with contractors installing concrete barriers for good measure.

By all accounts, both the protesters and the perimeter will be there for a while.

Well be out here for as long as it takes  as long as it takes, said Adele McClure, 31, a lifelong social activist and executive director of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus.

Even from behind her white cloth face mask, adorned with the words Stop Killing Us in black marker, McClures frustration and determination was clear as she spelled out her reasons for persisting.

Were tired, were angry ... Every single time we see a murder, we see our brothers, we see our uncles, we see our fathers  we see everybody in those murders. So were done, she yelled, straining to be heard over the gospel music blasting from a nearby amplifier.

Its not just police brutality, McClure added  deep-seated institutional racism has deep roots in the U.S., and has been holding back African-American communities and other people of colour for centuries.

As long as it takes, were going to continue to put the pressure on and make sure that we fix and dismantle these systems.

Protesters have been clogging city streets for more than a week, moved to action by the death of Floyd at the hands of police officers May 25 on a Minneapolis street. And while the violence and looting that marred the earliest days of the protests has diminished, their numbers have not.

Hundreds more turned out Friday, many with kids in tow, to check out the striking pavement mural ordered by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

Theres a lot of anger, theres a lot of distrust of police and the government, there are people who are craving to be heard and to be seen and to have their humanity recognized, Bowser said Friday.

That message is to the American people, that Black lives matter, that Black humanity matters, and we as a city raise that up, as part of our values as a city.

Floyd spent the last eight minutes of his life lying on the pavement, the knee of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressing into his neck, after being arrested for allegedly trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill.

Chauvin now faces a charge of second-degree murder and manslaughter, while the other three ex-officers involved  Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng helped restrain Floyd, while Tou Thao stood nearby  are charged with aiding and abetting the murder and manslaughter counts.

Those upgraded charges, along with a cathartic memorial service Thursday featuring the famously combative Black activist Rev. Al Sharpton, have done little to salve the palpable sense of public anger and impatience.

We anticipate numbers that are larger than any of the numbers we have seen to this point, D.C. police Chief Peter Newsham told a news conference Friday.

He likened the potential turnout to the Womens March of 2017, the day after President Donald Trumps inauguration, which by some accounts attracted a million people. Still, he doesnt expect a turnout that large, Newsham noted, because similar events are taking place all across the U.S.

The critical thing for us in ensuring the city is safe when we have large gatherings, outside of the public health issue, is to ensure that we dont have people who are inclined to engage in bad behaviour.

McClures mother said shes confident it wont come to that.

Im praying that with the Lords will, that this will make a difference, she said.

Im just praying that with all the people, all the different races and nationalities out here, that we can make a positive impact. And peacefully.
Barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari announced the nomination of the former finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as Nigerias candidate to be the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the Egyptian government on Friday filed objections to her candidature.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala has a global stature as a former Managing Director (operations) of the World Bank, finance expert, economist and international development professional with over 30 years experience.

Despite that the July 8, 2020, deadline for the closure of nominations for the elections is more than a month away, the Egyptian government has sent a letter to the Ministerial Committee on Candidatures for the elections to reject Mrs Okonjo-Iwealas nomination.

In confirming Mrs Okonjo-Iwealas nomination on Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari said Nigeria was replacing a previous Nigerian nominee for the post, Yonov Frederick Agah, who was being withdrawn.

Egypt seeks Nigerias disqualification

In his diplomatic communication through the Nigerian Embassy and Permanent Mission to the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, the president did not give reasons for his decision to withdraw Mr Agahs candidacy.

But, the Egyptian government in its communication No. 081 /2020- AU of June 5, 2020, to the Permanent Missions of the WTO Member States of the Ministerial Committee on Candidatures said the decision to withdraw Mr Agahs candidature meant Nigeria forfeited its chance to participate in the race.

A copy of the memo was sent to the African Union Commission (Commissioner of Political Affairs/Office of Legal Counsel).

In the memo, Egypt said as far as it was concerned, three candidates, representing Benin Republic, Egypt and Nigeria, had already obtained the endorsement of the Executive Council to contest the position of the WTO Director General vide its decision EX.CL/December. 1090(XXXVI) of February 2020.

It named the three candidates to include Eloi Laourou of the Republic of Benin, Abdulhameed Mamdouh of the Arab Republic of Egypt Arab Republic, and Mr Agah of Nigeria.

With the withdrawal of Mr Agahs candidature, the Egyptian government said it was requesting the Ministerial Committee on Candidatures to officially inform the African Group in Geneva about the development and Nigerias disqualification.

Eyeing consensus candidature

Consequently, Egypt said the committee should acknowledge that Abdulhameed Mamdouh of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Eloi Laourou of the Republic of Benin are currently the only two endorsed African candidates in the race.

In this context, the Permanent Mission of Egypt would like to highlight that Government of Egypt is undertaking consultations with the Government Benin with the aim of reaching a consensus on one African candidate between the only two currently endorsed African candidates, and will communicate the outcomes of these consultations to the esteemed Ministerial Committee at the soonest possible date, the memo said.

The Egyptian memo said its decision was based on a legal opinion expressed by the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) during the Ambassadorial level Ministerial Committee on Candidatures meeting of June 4, 2020, regarding Nigerias nomination of Mrs Okonjo-Iweala as her new candidate in the race.

In the memo, the Egyptian government said the OLC noted that Nigerias nomination was not in conformity with the Executive Councils decision EX.CL/Dec. 1090(XXXVI), since three candidates submitted by the Ministerial Committee report had already been endorsed.

WTO Director-General selection process

But, a review of the process for the selection of the WTO Director-General announced in May reveals the procedures contradict the purported OLCs opinion on the matter.

On May 20, 2020, the WTO General Council Chair, David Walker of New Zealand, informed members that the appointment process for the next Director-General of WTO would formally commence on June 8, 2020, with nominations accepted from that date until July 8, 2020.

Mr Walker, who said the procedures would be as prescribed in document WT/L/509, announced the procedures were adopted by the General Council on December 10, 2002.

In keeping with the general WTO practice, he said the selection process normally begins nine months before the expiration of the incumbent WTO director-generals four-year term.

During the first month of the selection period, he said, member states would nominate candidates who are interested in the position. Candidates cannot run without being nominated by their government.

In line with the current selection process, Mr Walker said WTO members would be informed of nominations of candidate as soon as they were received.

After July 8, Mr Walker said, he would issue to members a consolidated list of all candidates.

Shortly after the nomination period has closed, he said, part of the official procedures would be for the candidates to be invited to meet with members at a special General Council meeting, to enable them present their views and take questions from the membership.

Exit of WTO DG

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On May 14, the Director-General of the WTO, Roberto Azevedo, announced his decision to step down on August 31, one year before his term would expire. Election of a new DG was earlier scheduled for between June 8 and 11. But, the process was delayed until 2021 due to the disruptive impact of COVID-19.

Under normal circumstances, the selection process for the new WTO boss would have begun in December. But, members decided to shorten the selection process from nine to three months.

Ahead of the elections, five candidates announced their intent to seek nomination from their government to run. They include Hamid Mamdouh, a trade lawyer, member of the WTO Secretariat, and trade negotiator for Egypt; Yonov Agah, the Deputy Director-General of the WTO from Nigeria; Eloi Laourou, the ambassador and permanent representative of Benin to the United Nations and other organizations in Geneva, including the WTO; Amina Mohamed, a Kenyan international civil servant with a long career in public and foreign service, and Peter Mandelson, from the United Kingdom, a former European trade negotiator.

However, two of the candidates were said to have opted out of the race leaving the trio of Mamdouh of Egypt, Agah of Nigeria and Laourou of Benin.
In April 2018, a political scandal of such significance emerged that it almost took peoples minds off of Brexit for a period of time.

The Windrush Scandal saw hundreds of Caribbean immigrants living and working in the UK wrongly targeted by immigration enforcement as a result of the governments hostile environment policies.

As a result, many elderly people were suddenly being barred from working, refused access to government services, and lost access to welfare benefits.

In some cases, they were even detained and deported.

Some of the most notable cases included a man who had worked and paid taxes for more than 30 years and was charged 54,000 for cancer treatment and a woman who had been living in Britain for five decades and was thrown into a detention centre.

Tuesday 22 June marks the fourth national Windrush Day, which was established to honour the British Caribbean community and the Windrush generation.

Heres everything you need to know about the Windrush scandal.

Who are the Windrush generation?

The Windrush generation were a group of Caribbean immigrants who arrived on British shores between 1948 and 1973.

The name comes from the Empire Windrush ship that was the first ship to bring these immigrants to the UK on 22 June 1948. The ship was carrying 1,027 people.

The immigrants, who were from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and other islands, were brought to the UK to help fill post-war labour shortages.

(Sitting in Limbo/BBC One (Sitting in Limbo/BBC One)

When did the scandal begin?

The problem first came to light in April 2018 at a meeting at the Jamaican High Commission in London that saw politicians, diplomats and campaigners demand that ministers provide an immediate remedy for a developing situation in which, due to changes in the immigration system, Caribbean immigrants were being deemed illegal immigrants.

This meant that elderly Caribbean immigrants were being denied access to NHS healthcare, losing their jobs and even being threatened with deportation.

Why did it happen?

Of around 550,000 people from the Caribbean who migrated to the UK between 1948 and 1973, roughly 50,000 who were still in the UK may not had yet regularised their residency status, according to information from the Migration Observatory at Oxford University.

Hence, because of a hostile environment towards immigration as spearheaded by Theresa May when she was home secretary, the government viewed them as illegal immigrants and they were stripped on many of their rights as UK citizens unless they could prove they were UK nationals with relevant documentation.

But most people arrived on parents passports and never applied for travel documents.

What were some of the worst cases?

One highly publicised case was that of Albert Thompson, who had lived in London for 44 years after having arrived from Jamaica as a teenager. Mr Thompson went for his first radiotherapy session for prostate cancer only to be told that unless he could produce a British passport he would be charged 54,000 for the treatment.

Sitting in Limbo (BBC)

Despite having worked as a mechanic and paid taxes for more than three decades, Mr Thompsons free healthcare was denied and he was evicted, leading him to be homeless for three weeks.

In another case, Michael Braithwaite, who arrived in Britain from Barbados in 1961, lost his job as a special needs teaching assistant after his employers ruled that he was an illegal immigrant.

Another case was that of Paulette Wilson, who had been in Britain for 50 years when she received a letter informing her that she was an illegal immigrant and was going to be removed and sent back to Jamaica. Ms Wilson had left Jamaica when she was 10 years old and not returned since.

The government said that more than 160 members of the Windrush generation may have been wrongly detained or deported. But more than 1,270 claims have been made to a compensation scheme.

What was the impact?

The then-home secretary Amber Rudd resigned as the scandal unfolded. She had claimed the Home Office had no deportation targets, but less than 24 hours later admitted that some immigration officers did use targets for the number of people they should deport.

Ms Rudd resigned days later, admitting she had inadvertently misled MPs.

An independent review into the scandal has since found there was a profound institutional failure that wrongly stripped migrants of their rights, and the current home secretary Priti Patel said on behalf of this and successive governments I am truly sorry for the actions that span decades.

This article was amended on 10March 2021 to reflect the fact that the Empire Windrush was carrying 1,027 people, not 492, when it docked in the UK in June1948.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - SpaceXs debut astronaut launch is the biggest, most visible opening shot yet in NASAs grand plan for commercializing Earths backyard.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FILE - This artist's rendering made available by Elon Musk on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017 shows SpaceX's mega-rocket design on the Earth's moon. Amazon's Jeff Bezos and Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson favor going back to the moon before Mars. Musk also is rooting for the moon, although his heart's on Mars. (SpaceX via AP, File)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - SpaceXs debut astronaut launch is the biggest, most visible opening shot yet in NASAs grand plan for commercializing Earths backyard.

Amateur astronauts, private space stations, flying factories, out-of-this-world movie sets  this is the future the space agency is striving to shape as it eases out of low-Earth orbit and aims for the moon and Mars.

It doesnt quite reach the fantasized heights of George Jetson and Iron Man, but still promises plenty of thrills.

Im still waiting for my personal jetpack. But the future is incredibly exciting, NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren said the day before SpaceXs historic liftoff.

NASA astronaut Nicole Mann, who will test drive Boeings space capsule next year, envisions scientists, doctors, poets and reporters lining up for rocket rides.

I see this as a real possibility, she said. Youre going to see low-Earth orbit open up.

The road to get there has never been so crowded, with Elon Musks SpaceX company leading the pack.

A week ago, SpaceX became the first private company to send people into orbit, something accomplished by only three countries in nearly 60 years. The flight to the International Space Station returned astronaut launches to the U.S. after nine long years.

This is hopefully the first step on a journey toward a civilization on Mars, an emotional Musk told journalists following liftoff.

Closer in time and space is SpaceX's involvement in a plan to launch Tom Cruise to the space station to shoot a movie in another year or so. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine embraces the idea. He wants NASA to be just one of many customers in this new space-travelling era, where private companies own and fly their own spaceships and sell empty seats.

Kind of a changing of the guard in how we're going to do human spaceflight in the future, said Mike Suffredini, a former NASA station program manager who now leads Houston's Axiom Space company.

FILE - In this Monday, Oct. 28, 2019 file photo, Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic, poses for a photo outside the New York Stock Exchange as fireworks are exploded before his company's IPO. In 2020, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said space is currently a $400 billion market, including satellites. Opening up spaceflight to paying customers, he said, could expand the market to $1 trillion. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Axiom has partnered with SpaceX to launch three customers to the space station in fall 2021. An experienced astronaut will accompany them, serving as the commander-slash-tour guide. Two private flights a year are planned, using completely automated capsules belonging to SpaceX or Boeing, NASA's two commercial crew providers.

The ticket price  which includes 15 weeks of training and more than a week at the space station  is about $55 million. Besides the three signed up, others have expressed serious interest, Suffredini said.

Since last weekend's successful launch, everybodys starting to wonder where their place in line is, Suffredini told The Associated Press on Thursday. "That's a really, really cool position to be in now.

Space Adventures Inc. of Vienna, Virginia, also has teamed up with SpaceX. Planned for late next year, this five-day-or-so mission would skip the space station and instead orbit two to three times higher for more sweeping views of Earth. The cost: around $35 million. It's also advertising rides to the space station via Boeing Starliner and Russian Soyuz capsules.

Jeff Bezos Blue Origin and Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic are taking it slower and lower with tourist flights. These space-skimming, up-and-down flights will last minutes, not days, and cost a lot less. Hundreds already have reservations with Virgin Galactic.

Branson is the only one of the three billionaires planning to launch himself before putting customers aboard at $250,000 a pop. His winged rocketship is designed to drop from a customized plane flying over New Mexico.

Blue Origin's customers will launch on rockets from West Texas; the capsules sport wall-to-ceiling windows, the largest ever built for a spacecraft.

It's not just rocket rides that have companies salivating.

Beginning in 2024, Axiom plans to build its own addition to the 260-mile-high (420-kilometre-high) outpost to accommodate its private astronauts. The segment would later be detached and turned into its own free-flying abode.

Space Adventures is marketing flights to the moon  not to land, but buzz it in Russian spacecraft.

The moon  considered the proving ground for the ultimate destination Mars  is where it's at these days. NASA is pushing to get astronauts back on the lunar surface by 2024 and establish a permanent base there.

Musk's company recently won contracts to haul cargo to the moon and develop a lunar lander for astronauts.

But the bigger draw for Musk is Mars. Its why he founded SpaceX 18 years ago  and why he keeps pushing the space envelope.

I cannot emphasize this enough. This is the thing that we need to do. We must make life sustainably multi planetary. Its not one planet to the exclusion of another, but to extend life beyond Earth," Musk said after last weekend's launch.

I call upon the public to support this goal, he added, beckoning to the NASA TV cameras.

To fulfil that vision, SpaceX is using its own money to develop a massive, bullet-shaped steel spacecraft called Starship at the bottom of Texas. Prototypes repeatedly have ruptured and exploded on the test pad, most recently on the eve of the companys astronaut flight from Floridas Kennedy Space Center.

NASA's Bridenstine said space is currently a $400 billion market, including satellites. Opening up spaceflight to paying customers, he said, could expand the market to $1 trillion.

The goal is to drive down launch costs and ramp up innovation, drawing in more people and more business. By NASA's count, 576 people have flown in space, with only the wealthy few footing their own bill.

The worlds first space tourist, California businessman Dennis Tito, paid a reported $20 million to the Russians to fly to the space station in 2001  against NASAs wishes. The Canadian founder of Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberte, shelled out $35 million for a Russian ticket in 2009. Space Adventures arranged both deals.

It really is the billionaire boys club, former space shuttle astronaut Leland Melvin said during last Saturday's launch broadcast. Once prices drop, hed consider returning to space, but not without his dogs.

Theyre ready to go, need SpaceX suits for them, he said.

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Once lunar bases are established, the next step will be Mars in the 2030s, according to Bridenstine.

Those are the kinds of things that inspire the next Elon Musk, the next Jeff Bezos, the next Sir Richard Branson. And thats what we have to get back to as an agency, he said.

SpaceX still has to get NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken safely back to Earth this summer in its Dragon capsule. But the company already is looking ahead to the next astronaut crew. Crew mission director Benji Reed got a brief taste of this future as he wrapped up a chat with the astronauts Monday.

Thank you for flying SpaceX, he chimed.

___

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.
A five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court will hear on June 9 a batch of review petitions challenging the top courts September 2018 verdict upholding the validity of Aadhaar, the unique identity number assigned to people resident in the country .

The bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde will decide the review petitions in chambers.

In its judgment on September 26, 2018, the top court had by a 4-1 majority affirmed the constitutionality of the 12-digit unique identity scheme and the Aadhaar Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services Act, 2016 (Aadhaar Act).

The court held that Aadhaar would be mandatory for accessing social welfare schemes, but it cannot be forced on people for opening bank accounts or for mobile and internet connection.

The Aadhaar scheme was first challenged in the Supreme Court in 2012 on the grounds that it lacked statutory backing and invaded the right to privacy.

Parliament later introduced the Aadhaar Act in 2016 to give it legal backing. The Aadhaar Act itself was then challenged before the apex court on the grounds that it was passed as a money bill, thereby circumventing the upper house of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha.

A money bill, according to Article 110 of the Constitution, is a bill which contains only provisions relating to taxation, borrowing of money by the government, appropriation of money out of the Consolidated Fund of India and expenditure from or to the Consolidated Fund of India.

A money bill originates in the Lok Sabha and once passed by the lower house by a simple majority, is sent to the Rajya Sabha for its recommendations. The recommendations made by the Rajya Sabha on money bills are not binding on the Lok Sabha.

When the challenge to the Aadhaar Act was being heard, a constitutional question came up  whether or not right to privacy is a fundamental right under the Constitution?

A 9-judge bench of Supreme Court heard this issue and gave a unanimous verdict in August 2017 declaring privacy a fundamental right, being a facet of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

More than a year later, a five-judge bench headed by then CJI Dipak Misra delivered its judgment, upholding the validity of Aadhaar saying it saying it involved parting with minimal information to fulfil the larger public interest of the marginalized and the poor, who can use it to obtain government benefits and subsidies, an argument which was strongly put forward by the central government in defence of the unique identity number.

The sole dissenting judge, justice DY Chandrachud, said the Aadhaar Act could not have been passed as a money bill, calling it a fraud on the Constitution.

This issue of whether certain laws including Aadhaar Act could have been passed as a money bill is to be heard by another seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court in a separate case.
Britons could enjoy a holiday in Turkey as soon as July 15, as officials hint that an 'air bridge' deal that would spare tourists a 14-day quarantine is close to agreement.

If reports are confirmed it means Brits would be allowed into the country within six weeks.

An air bridge allows quarantine-free travel between two countries and is under discussion by the UK and a number of holiday destinations.

It would allow the travel sector - an industry that has been brought to its knees because of the restrictions imposed amid the pandemic - to begin its recovery.

More than 2.5 million British tourists visited Turkey last year on holiday

If agreed, the travel corridor would spare both tourists and British nationals from having to quarantine for 14 days after arriving in the UK - a policy that comes into effect on Monday.

Transport Minister for Turkey Adil Karaismailoglu revealed the country plans to reinstate flights with around 40 countries in June.

He said Turkey has reached preliminary agreements for reciprocal air travel with 15 countries, The Sun reported.

One government official told the FT an agreement with the UK is on the horizon and that a provisional date of July 15 has been set for travel to restart between the two countries.

The news will come as welcome relief to the tourist industry, with more than 2.5million Britons holidaying in Turkey last year.

A drone photo shows an aerial view of Ilica beach in Cesme during the first weekend without coronavirus restrictions in Turkey's Izmir province

Turkey's rate of infection is nearly three times lower than the UK's

The best places to bag a summer bargain in the Med... but only if restrictions are lifted Ponta Piedade Cave, near Lagos in Portugal, could soon see a return of British tourists The government's 14-day quarantine rule starts on Monday as all non-essential overseas travel remains banned. But if both rules are later reversed this summer., these are the best holidays where tourists can bag a bargain, according the The Daily Mail's Escape team. Chances of a summer break Portugal: 4.5/5 - quarantine for Brits has already lifted, opening up the possibility of a travel corridor. France: 4.5/5 - although the border remains closed to tourists until June 15, France is an ideal candidate for an early travel corridor with the UK because of its closeness and popularity with holidaymakers Spain: 4/5 - an air bridge could be established if the UK's infection rate falls. Italy: 4/5 - quarantine rules have already dropped for Brits, meaning tourism may well be on the horizon. Greece: 4/5 - there is a strong chance the UK will be given the green light to enter the country without quarantine on June 30 Croatia: 4/5 - the UK's director of Croatian tourist office says Brits can come if they complete an online form and have printed confirmation of their accommodation Cyprus: 3.5/5 - the island is gradually reopening to tourists from 13 countries on Tuesday, though Brits remain banned Advertisement

The UK government had previously issued a statement saying it would look at air bridges with countries in a bid 'to recognise each others departure screening measures for passengers and removing the need for quarantine measures for incoming passengers.'

The government official said the final decision would be based on latest coronavirus infection rate, as he told the FT: 'The two sides are in close contact. The UK is a very important country for us.'

UK government ministers have been given a list of 45 nations to prioritise travel between, as agreed by major airlines including easyJet, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways.

Top holiday spots including Turkey, Spain, Greece and the US feature on the list.

Turkey largely closed its borders as part of measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak, which has so far infected 168,340 people and killed 4,648 according to the latest figures.

Domestic flights resumed on Monday to some provinces as the Turkish capital Ankara eased restrictions following a significant drop in infection rates.

As of June 1 the current infection rate was 9.85 in every million - nearly three times lower than the UK's rate of 28.52.

Karaismailoglu said flights to Turkey would be reinstated across five stages this month, and added that the country was in talks with 92 countries on resuming flights in a safe manner.

'We believe that we have left behind an important point in the battle against the virus globally. Now, we have to continue our global ties and trade,' he said in a written statement as reported by The Mirror.

He said that flights to Northern Cyprus, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Qatar and Greece will resume on June 10 and flights to 17 destinations, including Germany, Austria, Croatia, and Singapore will restart on June 15.

Flights to a further 16 countries will begin on June 20, 22 and 25, including to South Korea, Qatar, the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium, he added.

Ankara has already reached a preliminary agreement to restart reciprocal flights with 15 countries, including Italy, Sudan, the UAE, Albania, Belarus, Jordan and Morocco.

Earlier this week Germany said it was in discussion with Turkey about reviewing travel restrictions but was awaiting an EU recommendation before doing so.
Following the death of George Floyd, many artists have been moved to speak out against police brutality and anti-black racism. Today, T.I. and Nasty C have connected for a powerful new collaboration called "They Don't," an anthem designed to raise awareness for the changes that must transpire. Nasty C opens the song with a reflection of the tragedies present within South Africa, drawing poignant parallels with those occurring in North America. His voice soaring as he expresses his frustrations, singing "I can only imagine the pain and the grief/from the innocent mothers with all the shit they had to see/ when you lose the ones you love to the fuckin police /it cuts deep."

T.I. contributes his own thoughts with some impactful bars, directly naming George Floyd and Emmett Till while moving to hold abusive police responsible for their violent actions. "Guess theyd rather see us all in civil unrest than to go and make some fuckin arrests," he muses. "How you supposed to serve and protect with your knee on my neck?" An important question, and one that has yet to be answered -- though given the ongoing protests and unity transpiring across the world, perhaps there's hope that change is on the way.

QUOTABLE LYRICS

I can only imagine the pain and the grief

From the innocent mothers with all the shit they had to see

When you lose the ones you love to the fuckin police, it cuts deep
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 04:35:41|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Embassy to Libya on Saturday welcomed the Egyptian initiative for a political settlement between Libya's UN-backed government and the eastern-based army.

"The United States is watching with interest as political voices in the east of Libya find expression. We look forward to seeing these voices incorporated into a genuine nationwide political dialogue immediately following the resumption of the UNSMIL-hosted 5+5 talks on the modalities of a cease-fire," the embassy said in a statement.

"We welcome efforts by Egypt and others to support a return to the UN-led political negotiations and the declaration of a cease-fire," the statement said.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi announced on Saturday the Cairo Declaration for a political settlement in the neighboring war-torn Libya following his talks in Cairo with Libyan eastern-based military leader Khalifa Haftar.

Cairo Declaration seeks cease-fire between warring Libyan parties starting from June 8, a UN-supervised election of a Libyan presidential council and drafting a constitutional declaration to regulate elections for the later stage. Enditem
CEDAR FALLS  Central Rivers AEA board of directors Wednesday approved another 12-month lease with the Waterloo Community Schools for 2020-21.

Until the pandemic closed schools in March, Lowell students had been attending classes in former Central Rivers Area Education Agency office and conference space in Cedar Falls, 3712 and 3706 Cedar Heights Drive, and will continue in the fall.

Demolition began in May on the Waterloo elementary school at 1628 Washington St. after a February 2019 roof collapse made it unsafe to occupy. Demolition is expected to be finished in July, when construction will begin on a $21.94 million school to replace Lowell, expected to be ready for the 2021-22 school year.

Waterloo Schools will lease the space from July 1 to June 20, 2021, for $100,000 for the year, or $8,333 per month. Officials said last year the same lease cost $120,000.

The board also discussed having AEA staff, who have been working from home during the shutdown, return to the buildings in two phases. Phase I has begun with custodians, maintenance, print and media employees returning to work. Phase II will include all other staff and is set to begin in early August with guidance from the state and the Black Hawk County Health Department.

Hopefully by Sept. 2 were back to the normal, if you will, where everyone is working in their traditional spaces and were past this, said Sam Miller, chief administrator.

In addition, the board passed a COVID-19 pandemic pay resolution for employees if the temporary closure of Central Rivers AEA is extended past June 30. The extension will kick in July 1 through Sept. 2. If the agency is still closed through Sept. 2, the board will reconvene.

All agency activities, new employee orientation, staff and regional meetings will still be done virtually in August.

In other business, the board approved the purchase of 100 iPads for River Hills School in Cedar Falls at a total cost of $39,395. The devices will be used by students for summer online learning.

Amy Knupp, the executive director of special education, said it will help to get students back in the swing of things at school. For some of them it will feel like almost a lifetime since theyve been back.

The board also committed agency funds for a number of upcoming expenses:

$100,000 for replacement of the Marshalltown facilitys parking lot.

$250,000 for replacement of staff laptops.

$200,000 to replace HVAC units getting close to the end of their useful life. The three larger units cost over $100,000 each.

$50,000 per year for the replacement of carpet in the Cedar Falls building, likely in the next five years.

Among other expenses, a $200,000 technology upgrade has been completed and a Cedar Falls parking lot project is expected to be completed for less than $200,000.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 6

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

The 179th Meeting of the Conference of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was held via videoconference, on 06 June 2020, under the Chairmanship of its President, HE Mohamed Arkab, Minister of Energy of Algeria and Head of its Delegation.

All Member Countries agreed to the five key elements in reaching their unanimous decision, which will be recommended to non-OPEC Participating Countries. They:

Reconfirmed the existing arrangements under the April agreement

Subscribed to the concept of compensation by those countries who were unable to reach full conformity (100 per cent) in May and June, with a willingness to accommodate it in July, August and September, in addition to their already agreed production adjustment for such months.

Agreed the option of extending the first phase of the production adjustments pertaining in May and June by one further month.

Recognized that the continuity of the current agreement is contingent on them fulfilling elements 1 and 2 above.

Agreed without dissent that the full and timely implementation of the agreement remains inviolable, based on the five key elements.

The Meeting therefore agreed unanimously to extend the first phase of the production adjustment agreed at the 10th (Extraordinary) OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting for a further month, to now run from 1 May 2020 to 31 July 2020.

The Meeting called upon all major oil producers to contribute proportionally to the stabilization of the oil market, taking into consideration the substantial efforts made by the OPEC and non-OPEC Participating Countries of the DoC.

Member Countries reaffirmed their continued focus on fundamentals for a stable and balanced oil market, in the interests of producers, consumers, and the global economy. The Conference emphasized the ongoing dialogue with both producing and consuming countries, and the consultations undertaken in a collegial spirit before reaching decisions. Member Countries are resolute and committed to being dependable and reliable suppliers of crude and products to global markets.

The Conference confirmed that its next Ordinary Meeting will convene in Vienna, Austria, on 30 November 2020.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday asked people in the national capital not to head to Covid-19 centres and hospitals to get themselves tested for the disease if they dont have symptoms of the disease. The chief ministers appeal comes days after the city government changed its testing strategy to severely restrict access to Covid-19 tests.

Under the new guidelines, direct contacts of infected people that are asymptomatic will be tested only if they have comorbidities or are senior-citizens between Day 5 and Day 10 of coming in contact with a confirmed Covid-19 case. The co-morbidities listed in the order are diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. A senior citizen is one over the age of 60 years.

Kejriwal followed up the change in policy with his appeal to people, underscoring that the Covid-19 testing system in the capital could get overwhelmed if everyone was tested.

Delhi conducts the maximum Covid-19 tests among all states, the chief minister said. But it is a limited resource and was bound to fall short of the demand.

If all asymptomatic people reach hospitals and testing centres to get themselves tested, the system will collapse, he said, adding that he did understand that people were scared of getting the disease.

But Delhi has a population of 2 crore. If 10,000 people turn up everyday to get themselves tested, our labs will fall short irrespective of the capacity that we may build.

Please dont get yourselves tested... Please do not insist, he said, the appeal directed to people who do not have symptoms of the disease.

Delhis restrictive testing policy has been faulted by doctors.

There is no other way to know how much of your population is currently infected. In fact, if possible, make it walk-in for it to be feasible and expand the list of those who need to get tested to even asymptomatic people as many of those returning positive are asymptomatic carriers, said Dr Lalit Kant, infectious disease specialist told Hindustan Times on Friday.

The new testing strategy is also a contrast to the city government 5T plan - testing, tracing, treatment, teamwork, and tracking - that was announced in April.

Chief Minister Kejriwal had then argued for aggressive testing.

If you dont test, you wont be able to find out which houses have been affected. It will go on spreading. South Korea identified every single individual through large scale testing. We are now going to do mass testing like South Korea, Kejriwal had said on April 7.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Army on Saturday claimed to have shot down an "Indian spying quadcopter" allegedly intruding across the Line of Control (LoC).

Military spokesman Major General Babar Iftikhar said that the mini copter violated the country's airspace in Khanjar sector of the LoC.

"The quadcopter had intruded 500 metres on Pakistan's side of the LoC," he said in a statement.

The spokesman claimed that it was the eighth Indian quadcopter to be shot down by the Pakistan Army troops this year.

Last month, two such quadcopters were downed, the first on May 27 and the second on May 29 after they allegedly intruded deep inside the Pakistani territory, he said.

India has dismissed previous such claims by the Pakistan Army.

The ties between the two nations strained following the Balakot strike when the Indian Air Force jets bombed a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Pakistan on February 26 last year to avenge the killing of 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in the Pulwama terror attack on February 14.

Pakistan retaliated on February 27 by attempting to target Indian military installations.

The ties further nose-dived after New Delhi abrogated Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir in August last year.

Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations with India and expelled the Indian High Commissioner.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 23:27:55|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

BEIJING -- The coronavirus spreading in New York is unlikely to have arrived directly from China, but from infected people traveling to the United States from Europe, the South China Morning Post has reported, citing a study published in Science magazine.

Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York said genetic analysis of samples taken from 84 COVID-19 patients in the city showed "limited evidence" of direct introductions from China, said the report.

- - - -

MINSK -- Belarus reported 883 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Saturday, taking its total to 47,751.

The country also reported 949 new recovered cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total to 23,015, while 263 people with chronic diseases have died, according to the country's health ministry.

- - - -

KATHMANDU -- The Nepali government on Saturday reported two new deaths from COVID-19 as the toll from the pandemic climbed to 13 in the Himalayan country.

It is for the first time that Nepal reported two deaths in a single day as the country witnessed deaths from the pandemic four days in a row, according to Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population.

- - - -

KABUL -- A total of 582 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of patients affected with the disease to 19,551 in the country, spokesman for the Public Health Ministry Tawhid Shakohmand said Saturday.

According to the official, 18 patients died due to the disease over the past 24 hours, bringing the total deaths from COVID-19 to 327 since the outbreak of the disease in February in the country.

- - - -

DOHA -- Qatar's health ministry on Saturday announced 1,700 new infections of COVID-19, increasing the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 67,195.

Some 1,592 people recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 42,527, while two died, raising the fatalities up to 51, the official Qatar News Agency reported, quoting a statement by the ministry.

- - - -

TEHRAN -- Iran reported 2,269 new cases over the past 24 hours, taking the total confirmed novel coronavirus cases to 169,425 on Saturday, according to official IRNA news agency.

Kianush Jahanpur, head of Public Relations and Information Center of the Health Ministry, said during his daily update on Saturday that 75 people died overnight, taking the total fatalities over the virus to 8,209. Enditem
Accusations of alleged forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings are mounting against national armies in the Sahel, worrying their allies in the fight against jihadist insurgents in the semi-desert African region.

The Sahel has seen years of conflict with Islamic militants, who first emerged in northern Mali in 2012 before sweeping into the centre of the country, and neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed in the conflict to date and hundreds of thousands have fled their homes.

Worries from allies such as the United Nations and former colonial power France about the conduct of Sahel soldiers are not new. But reports of abuses have increased significantly over the past few months.

Last month, for example, the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali -- known as MINUSMA -- said that the country's army committed 101 extrajudicial killings between January and March.

It added that Nigerien soldiers, operating on Malian soil, were responsible for another roughly 30 extrajudicial killings over the same period.

"These figures, names and circumstances have been documented," said Guillaume Ngefa, MINUSMA's human rights director.

Suspicions of similar abuses are also present in neighbouring Burkina Faso.

Twelve people who were arrested on suspicion of jihadist activity in the West African state died in detention in May.

Relatives and NGOs say the detainees were ordinary citizens who were summarily executed. Burkinabe authorities have promised to investigate.

Niger has faced similar accusations. The International Crisis Group, an NGO, this month pointed to 102 civilians who have gone missing from the western region of Tillaberi.

In response to suspicions of army involvement, Niger's defence ministry has vowed to investigate, although it also praised the professionalism of its troops.

Ignored reports

Des soldats togolais de la Minusma sAcurisent un congrAs du mouvement touareg MSA, A Menaka, au Mali, le 14 mars 2020. By Souleymane Ag Anara (AFP)

Each time human rights groups publish a missing-persons report, most people on the list usually belong to the Fulani ethnic group.

The pastoralist Fulani people are accused of being close to jihadists, a perception which has led to tit-for-tit massacres between them and other groups.

"We have made lots of reports, denounced the fact that Fulani have been killed and thrown down wells ... nothing is done afterwards," said a member of Mali's Fulani association, Tabital Pulaaku, who requested anonymity.

The president of Tabital Pulaaku, Abou Sow, said it was "undeniable" that some Fulani had become jihadists.

"But is naive to blame jihadism on one ethnic group alone," he added.

Soldiers in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are often poorly paid, underfunded, and suffer large casualties in skirmishes with militants.

Their governments also usually defend them from criticism.

At a U.N. security council meeting on Friday on the issue of security in the Sahel, for example, Nigerien ambassador Abdou Abarry told attendees: "we fully subscribe to human rights".

Credibility problem

Criticism of Sahel armies comes at a pivotal moment in the region's recent history.

The UN, for example, is facing criticism from some security council members for the size of its 13,000-strong deployment in Mali.

Triggered by the death of 13 soldiers in a helicopter crash in November, former colonial power France is also rethinking its role in the Sahel.

Jihadist attacks have continued across the region, despite the presence of UN and French troops.

Neither has the so-called G5 Sahel force appeared to dent the number of militant attacks.

Created to much fanfare in 2017, the initiative groups soldiers from five Sahel states into a joint 5,000-man anti-terror force.

Une unitA de soldats sAnAgalais de la Minusma A Gao, le 24 juillet 2019. By Souleymane Ag Anara (AFP/File)

Ibrahim Maiga, a Bamako-based researcher with the Institute for Security Studies, said that the priority of local armies is to eliminate the jihadist threat.

Protecting civilians is only a secondary objective, he added.

There are fears such tactics could backfire.

General Pascal Facon, the French military commander in the region, told AFP that abuses committed by Sahel armies are "intolerable," and added that they could undermine credibility in armed forces.




The World Trade and Colombia Solidarity bridges in Laredo, Texas, saw 41,100 fewer commercial truck crossings in April compared with April 2019, according to the city of Laredo.

Laredo's bridge revenue for April was $3.6 million, down 36.3% from $5.6 million in April 2019.

Commercial truck crossings totaled 148,447 vehicles in April, compared with 189,598 during the same period last year, a 21.7% decline.

The decline was caused by Mexico's closure of all nonessential businesses on March 30 to slow the spread of the coronavirus. This included automakers, electronics, steel and textile factories, aeronautics, and beer producers.

Many factories across Mexico began to slowly reopen on Monday.

Laredo's outbound tender volume (OTVI.LRD) is up 66% since May 25, signaling market conditions are improving for carriers, according to FreightWaves' SONAR platform.

Top exports that cross through Laredo into Mexico include motor vehicle parts, vehicle engines and auto parts, and gasoline.

During April, Mexico's exports to the U.S. also decreased by 41%, according to data from Mexico's National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).

Exports from Mexico to the U.S. totaled $23.4 billion in April, the lowest amount since 2010, and the largest percentage decline since March 1986's 42% drop, according to INEGI.

Some of Port Laredo's top imports from Mexico include motor vehicle parts, passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, tractors, and computers.

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > A Tale of Two Credit Agencies! | L. K. Sharma

by L. K. Sharma

Moodys spoils Modis historic day, a daily screams. Moodys pricks the Modi governments balloon by downgrading Indias foreign currency and local currency long-term issuer ratings from Baa2 to Baa3  the lowest rung in its investment-grade rating system. It points to the risks of a sustained period of relatively low growth, significant deterioration in the general government fiscal position and stress in the financial sector.

The report did not plunge India into gloom and doom because Indians give equal opportunity to facts and fiction. They trust and love the rival credit agency called Modis that issues glowing reports on Indian economy every now and then. Modis depends on alternative statistics manufactured to enhance the feel-good factor. Moreover, Modis reports are also released in the audio format for the benefit of those who cannot read.

Modis credit agency is trusted by millions of political activists who see India evolving into a golden bird after the next parliamentary elections. On the other side, Moodys audience is restricted to experts who examine fine print in English. Moodys expert analysis is keenly awaited by business leaders who have started feeling uneasy about economy. Every such report increases their gloom. They are feeling let down because Modis government is founded on the rock of the business communitys faith in him.

Moodys should have had a loving relationship with Modi who came to power with the help of the agencys billionaire friends. And it is based in the US whose President is Modis closest friend. Perhaps it suffers from professional integrity and does not let Trump stop it from calling spade a spade. Or it does not see India becoming an economic superpower in the next couple of years.

The BJPs IT Cell is surely cursing and saying you too Moodys! The BJPs reaction does not shake the confidence of Moodys. It cannot be harmed by the Hollywood Hindus angered by its silence on Modis economic miracle as seen by them. The influential credit agency is not an isolated American intellectual vulnerable to a hostile social media campaign and a boycott of his new book criticising Modis India.

Since coming to power, Modi managed to impress many American business leaders and institutions. Moodys seems to have remained uncharmed. Even in 2015, paying no heed to Modis claims, Moodys Analytics issued an adverse investment risks research report. The agency had then the temerity to suggest that the Indian Prime Minister should rein in his party members in order to curb ethnic tensions.

That was in 2015 when Indias then finance minister was busy fighting the dissenting writers, artists, scientists, historians, sociologists and filmmakers. Moodys Analytics warned Prime Minister Modi against losing domestic and international credibility. It noted the belligerent provocation of various minorities in India. It had perhaps read the daily reports of the sectarian clashes and rising intolerance.

Moodys does not produce lasting literature but generates words that shake or thrill the political and business leaders around the world. A Prime Minister courting international investors can hardly ignore Moodys Analytics. However, an agency talking of tolerance was talking to the deaf in India.

The agency was not flooded with hate mail for manufacturing dissent and interfering in Indias internal affairs. No screaming TV anchor shouted that Moodys Analytics is doing politics through other means. Or that it was encouraging an international foundation to release data on the nutrition value of beef or an Indian NGO to organise a wake for the death of diversity. That was because not many voters know what Moodys is. Its advice did not halt the Project Polarisation that went into the top gear during successive election campaigns, widening sectarian divisions.

Prime Minister Modi has never been short of unsolicited advice on maintaining Indias pluralistic traditions. Some plead with him on the moral grounds and some others on practical considerations. This has been so since he assumed office in New Delhi. Even his dearest friend Obama delivered a sermon on religious tolerance as soon as he freed himself from Modis brotherly embrace. A stinging editorial in The New York Times followed. By a coincidence, there was a sudden stoppage of the attacks on the Christian churches and the re-conversion of Christians as part of the Ghar Wapsi movement.

But that limited positive move did not stop the politically empowered fringe groups from spreading sectarian hatred. Many violent incidents including murders resulted from their insistence that the people should read, write, speak, wear and eat only what they permit.

Soon a stage reached when the writers could take it no longer and started expressing their dissent. They and many leading scientists, artists, filmmakers and academics issued statements and returned their awards in protest. They faced ferocious verbal attacks by the BJP and RSS leaders. They were blamed for manufacturing dissent and playing politics. For lacking integrity and remaining silent during the earlier tragic events.

Any activist running an NGO was told that he was protesting only because the present government stopped foreign funding of several NGOs. The TV studios and social media became the battlegrounds for an unprecedented cultural war. The then President of India found it necessary on four occasions to refer to Indias civilisational values including pluralism. He too invited trenchant criticism for his remarks.

This war of words was going on when Moodys joined the fray in 2015. The battleground shifted from cultural to economic. The then RBI Governor highlighted the link between economic growth and virtues such as tolerance, free debate and mutual respect. In a convocation address that raised eyebrows in the ruling party, Raghuram Rajan said a quick resort to bans will chill all debate as everyone will be anguished by the ideas that they dislike. It is far better to improve the environment for ideas through tolerance and mutual respect, he said. He wanted alternatives ideas and the right to behave differently protected as long as it does not seriously hurt others.

Thanks to the 2015 report by Moodys, the debate about the rising intolerance spilled over into another domain. For the first time a business leader, Infosys founder N R Narayanamurthy, spoke up on the issue of the minorities living in fear. He was the first prominent businessman to raise his voice against the atmosphere of religious intolerance. He expressed his concern about the growing resentment of the people belonging to different religions and regions. Perhaps he saw no point in invoking the moral imperative and so he said that no economic progress can be achieved if the current situation continues.

Subsequently, Naryanamurthy fell silent. But it was noted widely then because Indian business leaders generally maintain a studied silence in such situations. They fear the politics of revenge and being deprived of the benefits from the politics of rewards. Only a couple of business leaders dared to condemn the large-scale violence in Gujarat when Modi was the chief minister. Most of them felt it was not their business to speak on the tragedy. Modi won admiration from business leaders for his pro-business policies and ability to attract investments.

Businessmen know how to behave with the government of the day. In Iran, during the revolt against the monarch, the bazarias showed Shah-friendly conduct. The German business leaders; role during Hitlers time has been well documented. Some researchers say their financial support was not to the extent assessed earlier and that many of them were buying an insurance policy for themselves. Hitler had promised the end of all strife by creating a nation of a pure breed after eliminating the impure other.

Most Indian business leaders forget that economic progress requires social harmony and a nation at peace with itself. The establishment of the London Stock Exchange contributed a lot to the end of the religious strife in Britain, historians have recorded. The business acumen of the Gujaratis till the sixties contributed to social harmony.

In Gujarat, the businessmen of an earlier era ignored distinctions of class and religion. Their leaders demonstrated model employer-employee relations, took part in conflict management and helped in times of a crisis. They were respected and were listened to by all sections. That ethos vanished with the rise of religious fundamentalism promoted by political formations. Still the Gujarati business leaders indifference to the communal killings came as a surprise.

In the battle for power in Delhi, Modi appeared as a coming Messiah and a powerful orator. The people wanted a change. Once the big business saw which way the electoral wind was blowing, it found it safe to support Modis election campaign in a big way. It felt mesmerised by Modis dynamism as an administrator and his generous offers of incentives.

Indian business leaders lack a long-term vision and are thrilled by the promise of short-term gains. They paid no heed to the signs of coming confrontation and strife in Modis election campaigns in Gujarat and then in different parts of India  violent language and gestures and emotive issues. Perhaps they thought that Modi will keep the nation on a tight leash and protect them from labour unions, environmental laws, bureaucratic delays and corruption. So, they felt least bothered about Modis divisive politics or the provocative statements by his ministers and M.Ps. Social harmony was not their concern. The poll-eve propaganda to pitch one community against the other had no immediate impact on the share prices.

Thus, Narendra Modi as an aspirant for the post of the Prime Minister achieved the feat of yoking the antithetical forces of communalism and capitalism to race his chariot towards victory. This alliance has now come under strain. The strain will grow if the economy continues to falter as a result of the governments policies. This is what has been pointed out by Moodys. A few months ago, a prominent business leader Rahul Bajaj spoke out against the government.

The issue of economic development raised by the credit agency will be considered far more important than any campaign for free speech. A new brief will be given to the ruling BJPs rapid response teams who denounce those talking of the dangers of the lynch mobs enjoying political patronage and of the Hindutvas holy terror. They will try to feed some strange figures to the masses.

Moodys has thus opened another battle front. This will involve economists, business leaders and financial institutions. No one in the government will ask how many battalions does Moodys have. That question was relevant to the protesting writers. The sentiments of poets and painters can be trivialised. Business sentiments matter.

One has to observe the impact of Moodys on Modi. The Prime Minister of India faces a fork in the road. Some commentators say that more the economy worsens, the greater will be his desperation to use the Hindutva pill to suppress the political side-effect of the economic failure.

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Bishop Harry Jackson Hosts Vice President Pence for Listening Session with Black Faith & Community Leaders





NEWS PROVIDED BY

A. Larry Ross Communications

June 5, 2020



BELTSVILLE, Md., June 5, 2020 /Christian Newswire/ -- Following the unjust death of George Floyd and a week of protests and violence, Vice President Mike Pence and Executive Director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council Scott Turner today joined Bishop Harry Jackson, senior pastor of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland, and author of the forthcoming book "A Manifesto: Christian America's Contract with Minorities," for a listening session with a select group of Black and minority leaders representing churches, businesses, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations.



The Vice President addressed attendees with brief opening remarks, noting his main goal during the event was to listen and learn.



"I couldn't help but feel that as our nation reels from the tragic death of George Floyd, that a place to start a conversation is a place of worship. It's the wellspring of our nation's strength. It's been the wellspring of our national unity and our steady march toward a more perfect union," Pence said. "It will not be enough for us just to heal our economy. We have to heal that which divides by breaking down the barriers to opportunity for African Americans and any American that's been left behind, so I'm anxious to gain your insights."



Jackson, who through The Reconciled Church movement has been actively engaged for many years in leading conversations and working with faith leaders to heal racial divides, equated the current climate following Floyd's death to the events surrounding the 1955 death of Emmett Till, which led to the start of the civil rights movement.



"His death was almost prophetic and symbolic of a time and season that change had to come. Black and Whites came together to address the civil rights movement, and we found momentum. I think we will similarly find momentum during this time," said Jackson.



Jackson noted that as a diverse nation, it is vital that every American feel loved and accepted. He stated this is not solely the role of government but requires all three sectors of our country  government, business and church  uniting together.



"Minorities need to hear that they are valued and that the lives of people really matter," Jackson said. "It's not just George Floyd's death alone. His death is representative of the nearly 400-year history of challenges we've had ... This administration didn't create this problem, but it has the opportunity to help us heal."



Following opening remarks, a select group offered personal reflections of their own experiences as minority leaders, fathers, educators, business owners and citizens as well as insight into a way forward. The representative voices provided input regarding a number of issues, including:

Ensuring Black youth feel heard and acknowledged;



Encouraging leaders of faith to use their platforms to address race;



Increasing funding and resources for Historically Black Colleges and Universities;



Tackling criminal justice reform; and



Providing more practical, hands-on training, evaluation and accountability for police officers.

Pence assured those present the Administration is working with a commitment for equality in our nation, while mourning with those who mourn and grieving with those who grieve. He also expressed support for the right to peaceful protest, explaining that is why forces were mobilized to make space for peaceful demonstrations so voices can be heard.



"My prayer is that we as a nation have ears to hear, to listen to one another, with open hearts," said Pence.



Video of the event can be seen on the White House YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zJroldWSNA.



About Bishop Harry Jackson

In addition to serving as Senior Pastor of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland, Bishop Harry Jackson is one of the chief conveners of The Reconciled Church: Healing the Racial Divide Movement; an effort to heal the racial division first in the church and then the nation. He is also founder and Chairman of the High Impact Leadership Coalition (HILC), which has become an agent of healing for our nation by educating and empowering churches and community leaders to make grassroots improvements in their communities, states and our nation. He is also author of a number of books, including "A Manifesto: Christian America's Contract with Minorities," releasing August 18, 2020, from Whitaker House. For more information, visit harryjacksonministries.com.



About Hope Christian Church

Hope Christian Church located in Beltsville, Maryland, is a multiethnic, intergenerational congregation of people from all walks of life and 23 nations. Led by Bishop Harry Jackson, the church's mission is to turn the hearts of youth and families to God and each other, help believers develop their God-given potential in order to win in every area of our lives and advance the Kingdom of God, first through circles of influence then to the nations abroad. For information, visit thehopeconnection.org.



SOURCE A. Larry Ross Communications



CONTACT: Kristin Cole, 615-289-6701


A healthcare worker collects a nasal swab from a man attending an event in Montclair in San Bernardino County. San Francisco on Friday announced it has created a pop-up testing site for protesters to be screened. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

San Francisco city officials on Friday established a free, pop-up coronavirus testing clinic for people protesting for racial equality in the aftermath of George Floyd's death.

Across the country, massive protests have sparked fears of a second wave of coronavirus cases with thousands of demonstrators crowding close together, yelling and holding hands, potentially spreading the virus.

I think there is a concern around the possibility that the virus would increase as a result of the protests, said Grant Colfax, the city's public health officer, at a virtual news conference.

The clinic is free for people who are worried they may have contracted the virus at the mass demonstrations this last week  even if they have no symptoms.

I certainly understand and support the right of people to protest, said Colfax, adding that most of the people he saw demonstrating seemed to be wearing masks and keeping their distance from one another.

So, hopefully we will not see a surge in cases as a result of whats happened," he said.

Nevertheless, the pop-up site will be open every day until Tuesday. It is at St. Marys Cathedral, 1111 Gough St., northwest of City Hall, where several of the protests have taken place.

The new pop-up clinic comes as local governments across California decided to close testing sites amid protests that sometimes turned violent in the wake of Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police. Los Angles was one county that closed testing sites, limiting the county's ability to track the spread of COVID-19.

Since Saturday, half of the approximately 40 government-run testing sites throughout the county had been shut down at some point, The Times reported Friday. As of Thursday, eight were still closed, but Friday the county reported that all had reopened.

There were no immediate reports of new pop-up clinics in Southern California aimed at encouraging protesters to get tested.

In San Francisco, Colfax also provided guidelines for those people who are beginning to venture out of their homes to see friends and family, although, he warned, the safest thing still is to stay home.

Story continues

However, if socialization is desired, people should try to meet with one another outdoors, wear masks, keep six feet apart, wash their hands frequently and  most importantly  stay home if they are not feeling well.

Thats really a great risk to the people youd be engaging with, Colfax said.

To date, San Francisco had recorded 2,698 coronavirus cases, including 54 new ones Friday. A reported 43 people in the city have died of COVID-19.

Times staff writer Hailey Branson Potts contributed to this story.
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A 35-year-old gorilla underwent a CT scan today after it was discovered he had polyps developing in his nasal passages.

Makokou, a male Western Lowland Gorilla was airlifted from his home at Johannesburg Zoo in South Africa via helicopter to the Onderstepoort Vetinary Academic Hospital in Pretoria.

The enormous animal, which weighs around 210kg, had to be taken to the hospital more than 40 miles away because it possesses a CT (computed-tomography) scanner capable of holding his weight.

Specialists at the Pretoria's Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital prepare Makokou, a 35 year-old Johannesburg Zoo male Western Lowland Gorilla,for his CT scan

The hospital in Pretoria was the closest place that had a CT scanner capable of holding the gorilla's weight

It took five people to lift the sedated gorilla, which weighs around 210kg, off the stretcher after the CT scan procedure

It took more than five people to lift the sedated Makokou off the stretcher after the diagnostic scan and he was closely monitored.

Staff at the Johannesburg Zoo first became concerned about the gorilla in May after he had chronic nasal discharge which had not cleared up despite medical treatments.

They formed a team with a group of specialists to help diagnose his ailment and conducted a health examination, including a physical exam, extensive blood work, radiography, electrocardiogram, cardiac ultrasound, ophthalmic exam, dental exam, rhinoscopy, blood pressure analysis and various other sample collections.

A team of staff at the Johannessburg Zoo, where Makokou lives, and medical specialists teamed up to find out what was wrong with the gorilla

Initial medical assessments conducted by the team discovered Makokou had a growth in his nose and a CT was needed to find out more

The only way to find out how bad the lesions in his nose were was to conduct a CT scan at the teaching hospital for a closer look

Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo spokesperson, Jenny Moodley, told Rosebank Killarney Gazette: 'During this procedure it was discovered that Makokou had a nasal growth which had been causing his symptoms.

'A biopsy of this was taken and sent for histopathology. The results revealed that he has chronic Rhinitis with inflammatory polyps developing in his nasal passages.

'The well-being and care of Makokou who will celebrate his 35th birthday on 9 July, remains of paramount importance for all staff at the Joburg Zoo.'

The only way to see how bad the lesions are is using the CT scan.
Douala, June 6 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Jun, 2020 ) :Cameroon's army on Friday confirmed anglophone journalist Samuel Wazizi died in detention last year, accusing him of associating with terrorists but denying allegations he had been tortured.

The army said Wazizi died "as a result of severe sepsis" on August 17, 2019 -- 15 days after his arrest, according to press watchdog RSF.

The military's statement came after Cameroon's journalists union reported that Wazizi died and said the army had tortured him.

The 35-year-old had worked for the local CMTV channel in one of two regions where anglophone separatists have launched an armed campaign for independence from French-speaking Cameroon.

He was arrested in the city of Buea on August 2 and "accused of speaking critically on the air about the authorities and their handling of the crisis," according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

The army said that while "claiming to be a presenter on a television station," Wazizi was "in fact a logistician for various terrorist groups," a reference to English-speaking separatists.

- 'Tissue of lies' - Denis Nwebo, president of the National Union of Cameroon Journalists (SNJC), said in a tweet that the statement was "a tissue of lies and a final provocation." France's ambassador to Cameroon Paul Guilhou said on CRTV that President Paul Biya was going to "conduct an investigation" into the death, after the two met on Friday.

The army also said the journalist's family had been notified at the time -- a claim his lawyers refuted -- and had not turned up to take his body.

"We are in close contact with his family, who say they were not contacted, and we were already representing him at the time of his death -- we were the people to be told," lawyer Edward Ewule told AFP.

Ewule said he first heard the confirmation of his client's death when the army's statement was read on national radio.

"I am devastated, 10 months ago I was the last civilian to see him alive," he said.

The reports of Wazizi's death sparked outrage among journalists and rights groups this week, many using the hashtag #JusticeForWazizi on social media.

Jude Viban, the president of the Cameroon Association of English-Speaking Journalists, said "only an independent commission of inquiry would be able to shed light on this affair".

"Why did the government not inform the justice system of the death of our colleague?" RSF said on Twitter that it was "outraged" by the military's statement.

"The family was never informed of his death and the journalist was in perfect health at the moment of his arrest," it said.

The army called media reports of Wazizi's death "a new episode of demonising our defence and security forces".

- Separatist revolt - The West African country's Southwest and Northwest regions have been gripped by violence since the separatist revolt began in October 2017.

The conflict, rooted in long-standing perceptions of discrimination among Cameroon's English-speaking minority, has claimed more than 3,000 lives and forced nearly 700,000 people to flee their homes.

Rights groups say atrocities and abuses have been committed by both the separatists and the security forces.

The RSF described Wazizi's death as the country's worst assault on journalists in a decade.

It ranked Cameroon 134th out of 180 countries and territories in its 2020 World Press Freedom Index, three places lower than the previous year.
Ride-hailing major Ola on Friday said it has resumed its services in Pune with necessary safety and precautionary measures. Along with Pune, Ola will also be offering its services across major cities such as Mumbai, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Solapur, and Amravati.

Citizens across these cities will now be able to book both in-city and out-station trips (intra-state only) for their essential travel needs, the firm said in a release. The release said that the firm has also introduced five layers of safety that include strictly adhering to steps that ensure the highest standards of safety and hygiene for every ride.

"This includes compulsory mask usage for driver-partners and passengers, deep sanitisation of cars before and after rides, amongst others. A flexible cancellation policy has also been introduced that allows either the passenger or driver-partner to cancel the ride if they feel the other party is not following the rules or not wearing a mask," the release stated.

Ola has mandated all vehicles on the platform to follow hygiene and safety standards that will include the cars being cleaned and sanitised before every ride. Dedicated fumigation centres will also be set up across Pune and other cities in Maharashtra to fumigate vehicles and screen driver-health every 48 hours.

Anand Subramanian, spokesperson for Ola, said that as per the latest guidelines issued by the Maharashtra government, driver-partners operating three and four-wheelers will be able to serve the mobility needs of Punekars through the Ola platform. "We are thankful to the Maharashtra state government for bringing relief to thousands of auto-rickshaw, kaali-peeli and cab driver-partners whose livelihoods have depended on mobility," he said.

Complying with state government regulations, Ola cabs will operate with one driver and two passengers in cabs and auto-rickshaws.
Mild-mannered high school chemistry teacher with cancer meets a small-time meth dealer somewhere in Albuquerque. They hook up and learn to cook crystal meth out of an RV. Together they build their drug empire, killing a lot of people along the way. Such is the premise of Breaking Bad, where Drug Enforcement Association chemists gave the show a reality check by teaching Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul how to cook meth.

Bryan Cranston, aka Walter Heisenburg White

Some people might believe Cranston had the transformative role of a lifetime. Cranstons Walter White celebrated his fiftieth birthday knowing that he had about two years to live.

Suffering from lung cancer, he kept his diagnosis away from his expectant wife and his teen son who lives with cerebral palsy for around the first four episodes. After watching how much cash dealing meth can bring in, White decides to ensure his growing familys financial security by using his chemistry background to create his own meth.

A Greek tragedy waiting to happen, right? Cranston didnt let Whites transformation into drug kingpin happen quite that way. Over five seasons Cranston crafted Whites metamorphosis, using Whites intellect, his pent-up pride and frustrations to become a character that just wont dieWalter Heisenburg White.

He didnt become Heisenburg alone. It all started with his hooking up with his ex-student and drug dealer, Jesse Pinkman, and his long spiral into the desolate world of greed, arrogance and power.

Aaron Paul, aka Jesse Capn Cook Pinkman

When White sees his former student hop out of a window during a drug raid ride-along with his brother-in-law, DEA agent Hank Schrader, eerily played to the hilt by Dean Norris, he seemed both surprised and intrigued.

Pauls Jesse was supposed to be the catalyst for Whites descent from decent man to drug dealer before being killed off in the ninth episode of the first season. Jesse became so popular with Breaking Bads cult following that the powers-that-be thought it folly to kill him off. They were right. The not-so-perfect storm of a partnership hit the meth scene after setting up their lab in a Winnebago out in the Albuquerque, New Mexico desert.

White and Jesses relationship was stormy, to say the least, but there was underlying respect there. Jesse couldnt even bring himself to call his former teacher anything but Mr. White. Both Cranston and Paul credit Breaking Bad with their iconic characters longevity in the minds of viewers. But they also are careful to note that neither would fall to cooking meth as a back-up career, although the DEA itself taught the actors how to cook it.

How the DEA taught Cranston and Paul to cook meth

Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul | Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

When you have a hit show, youre responsible for your fans. The show has to be believable, but youre not going to spell out exactly how to cook crystal meth so that fandom can follow suit, right?

Right. So thats why Breaking Bads science consultant, Donna Nelson, and real DEA chemists taught Cranston and Paul how to cook meth and make it believable. After all, Walter Whites chemistry background foreshadowed that hed have the mindset to cook meth and question how to make it the purest on the market.

Jack-of-all-trades producer Vince Gilligan brought in the DEA chemists to make sure that Breaking Bad didnt turn into a science documentary on how to cook meth. They guided the cast every step of the way right down to what the meth labs should look like minus some key ingredients that needed to be left out of the entire meth synthesis.

For example, theres no such thing as blue meth. That was fiction that kept the audience recognizing that Walter Whites blue meth set him apart from any other dealer. Blue meth identified with Whites alter-ego, Heisenburg. When he brought out the blue, you knew that the scene was going to be badass.
Sure, it might be warm Wednesday, but what about the rest of the week?
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published a study by Chinese researchers who found that restaurant diners became infected with the coronavirus by droplets blown by an air conditioner.

The study analyzed the infection routes of 10 cases confirmed in January and February, and found that the 10 people had lunch in the same restaurant in the Chinese city of Guangzhou on January 24. Their three tables were next to each other and the restaurant had no windows.

A family that had traveled from Wuhan, the initial epicenter of the outbreak, was seated at the middle table. One family member developed coronavirus symptoms after the lunch.

The report says droplets from this person are believed to have been spread by the strong airflow from the air conditioner to the people at the other tables. The airflow direction was consistent with the droplet transmission.

The distance between the air conditioner and the opposite wall was six meters. The virus was not detected in the air conditioner itself, and no infections were confirmed among the 73 other customers on the same floor.

The report says restaurants should increase the distance between tables and improve ventilation.

The US Environmental Protection Agency also recommends that homes are sufficiently ventilated. It says air purifiers, when used properly, can help to reduce airborne contaminants, including viruses. But the agency says that a portable air cleaner, by itself, is not enough to protect people from COVID-19.
Japan's coronavirus-hit tourism sector expects a rebound to take between one to two years after being hit by huge customer losses, a Nikkei survey shows.

Close to 60% of tourist businesses in Japan are experiencing a fall of more than 80% in their number of customers amid the coronavirus, according to the results of the survey conducted at the end of May.

Nikkei got answers from 103 tourist-related companies including hotels, transportation services, and other facilities.

It found that more than half of the businesses are experiencing a sharp fall in the number of tourists, with an expectation that it will take one to two years until demand bounces back again.

The ongoing pandemic has affected the movement of people domestically, but also restrictions on the entry of foreign citizens have led to a huge drop in inbound tourists, damaging related businesses.

When asked about the number of customers, 33% of businesses said they saw a 90% decrease compared to the same period a year ago while 16% said they have experienced an 80% drop. 11% of the businesses answered that they have had zero visitors.

The survey also showed that some businesses have been forced to close for a lengthy time as the coronavirus hinders travel and consumption. Even operating hotels in tourist sites are seeing about an 80% to 90% drop in customers.

Many businesses expressed a cautious future outlook for when demand will start to pick up.
A Friday-night shooting in southwest Birmingham left one person dead.

Birmingham police responded before 7:30 p.m. to a report of a person shot at 17th Street S.W. and Jefferson Avenue. Sgt. Rod Mauldin said officers arrived on the scene to find the victim unresponsive on the sidewalk. He had been shot.

The victim, whose name has not been released, was taken to UAB Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Mauldin did not release any additional details. Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
A police force is investigating claims its officers attended a barbecue that led to an outbreak of coronavirus at their station.

Six officers based at Bedworth, Warwickshire, fell ill after the party, held on the spring Bank Holiday. At the time, Britons could only meet one other person from outside their household in a park.

Now the force is investigating five officers who reportedly went to the barbecue.

Warwickshire police are investigating five police officers who reportedly attended a barbecue on May 25, despite lockdown restrictions only allowing people to meet one person from another household at the time (file image)

Sources told The Mail on Sunday that local chiefs are 'on the warpath' over the 'stupidity' of staff who were responsible for enforcing the lockdown.

Meanwhile, the entire police station where they are based has had to be deep-cleaned and all staff told to take Covid-19 tests.

However, it is claimed that only those who tested positive are having to self-isolate.

An insider said: 'It's an utter shambles. Officers are worried for their families and the general public are being put at risk.'

Warwickshire Police confirmed last night that six officers who work at Bedworth police station have tested positive for coronavirus since the Bank Holiday on May 25. Just 14 officers have had it in the entire force since the start of the pandemic.

Bedworth police station (pictured), where the officers are based, has been deep-cleaned but remains open. Staff were told to take Covid-19 tests but an insider claimed only those who tested positive are having to self-isolate

A force spokesman said: 'At this time, the source of these infections is unknown. We have been made aware that a small number of officers may have breached social distancing regulations. All of those officers involved are currently subject to an internal misconduct investigation on which it would be unfair to comment further at this time.'

The station has not been closed. Other staff who have taken tests have all come back negative.

Assistant Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith said police were working with Public Health England to 'minimise the risk to the public and our wider workforce.'

Warwickshire Police have issued just 40 fines for lockdown breaches  fewer than any other force.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > LETTER TO THE READERS - COVID 19 Lockdown Edition No.11 - 6 (...)

Letter to Readers - Mainstream, June 6 2020

It is disturbing to see the Delhi police on a wild goose chase against all sections of people who are being picked up for having had a connection with the Anti-CAA protests. Incidentally, the President of the National Federation of Indian Woman Aruna Roy in her message on the 67th founding anniversary of NFIW on June 4th has highlighted the present governments attack on freedom of expression and called for a sustained campaign against the suppression of democracy and democratic rights of the people. This, according to her, is the most important task in the present conditions.

It must be mentioned here that what used to happen in far away locations is now happening in major metropolitan cities  arrests based on trumped-up charges meant to silence and intimidate citizens. We should recall how a few years ago the JNU student Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested apparently on grounds of sedition (later released on bail) but the police have not produced a chargesheet against him till date even though the case is going on for the last six years. The arrests of women activists of Pinjra-Tod (a the rights group active on University Campuses of Delhi) who are students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (one of whom has been charged under a section of the UAPA) and the subsequent arrest of students who were protesting the arrests of people who participated in the anti-CAA agitation are other recent examples. We are supposed to be in a democracy where citizens have the right to protest, but something is going terribly amiss in the past 6 years. We are not suggesting that misconduct by police or anti-terror agencies didnt exist in the pre-Modi years. What is new is its normalisation.

The Police is being used by the ruling political masters to go after respected journalists and commentators. The Delhi unit of the BJP has filed an FIR against well-known TV anchor Vinod Dua with Delhi Police Crime Branch for allegedly spreading fake news. In Bengaluru, the police have registered a case against Aakar Patel, noted journalist and human rights activist, for his post on Twitter that quotes a tweet by a US media site. The Colorado Times Recorder had tweeted a video clip showing thousands of people protesting. And he had tweeted saying that we should have powerful protest like these. (See: https://www.deccanherald.com/city/bengaluru-crime/fir-against-aakar-patel-over-his-twitter-post-845838.html)

Assam has now gone one step further, saying Lal Salaam [Red Salute], calling someone Comrade, on the social media is now enough to invite the draconian clauses of UAPA, the anti-terror law. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) chargesheet against Bittu Sonowal of the KMSS, a peasant organisation is an example of such wrongdoing.

o o

The death of an Afro American citizen named George Floyd on 25 May in Minneapolis during his arrest by the Police has triggered a wave of protest on the streets in Minneapolis and all major cities in America; The widespread protests called by Black Lives Matter has had a considerable social echo of indignation against racial prejudice and police atrocities. This is not one isolated incident but part of routinized violence by the police  and naturally, the oft discriminated Black community face much greater discrimination in their arrests and incarceration. The roots of all this lie in the peculiar long history of institutional confinement and discrimination faced by Black America  slavery in the 17th century, the Jim Crow system of segregation in the agrarian South and later the proletarianisation and ghettoisation phase till 1965 a majority of black Americans residing in the southern states were not allowed the right to vote. The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s and protests by black Americans helped create an enabling environment and change many things but discrimination persists on a wide scale. Since the Obama years, the white supremacists have been reactivated and they have gotten much oxygen under the Trump presidency. Only a conscious re-cultivation of a national civil rights movement will put pressure on the political system and society to change.

There have been solidarity protests by citizens in Argentina, Mexico, France, the Netherlands, UK and in New Zealand and also expressions of solidarity in India.

Using the death of George Floyd, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry criticised the US Government response to anti-racist protests and called out racial discrimination in the U.S. a "persistent social ill; ofcourse its own record vis a vis ethnic minorities and on human rights is appalling  Chinas has detained one million people, mainly Uighurs, Kazakhs, and Kyrgyz in re-education camps in Xinjiang and continues to go after the pro-democracy activists in mainland China, as in Hong-Kong as the world observes the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre of June 4, 1989.

While we talk of racial question and discrimination in the US let us not forget the widespread persistence of social prejudice, caste discrimination, banalisation of communal beliefs and racism in India. (There are frequent reports of mistreatment and racism against African nationals who live in India as students.). The largest number of people in Indias prisons happen to be from the labouring classes and mostly Dalits, Muslims and other minorities. The Sachar Commission Report, which identified large scale under-representation of Indias largest minority community has been put into the cold storage.

o o

The current worldwide health crisis is an opportunity for WHO member countries to reinvent the Organization, making it a stronger and more independent public international agency with the capacity to manage and coordinate global health actions. India must actively contribute to this process, which it is not doing at present.

o o

Today happens to be the anniversary of Operation Blue-Star that took place on June 6, 1984 leading to horrendous implications in the form assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and large scale pogrom of Sikhs, the blot of which continues to afflict Indian democracy.

In this issue, we fondly remember Mukul Dube, an author who also wrote for mainstream, a talented photographer, an editor, a sharpshooting social commentator, a dog lover and a man of multiple interests. He lived a life against the stream. Mukul Dube passed away on the April, 18 2020.

We pay homage to Basu Chatterjee, the popular filmmaker who started his career in the mid-1960s with a film on tensions of married life and made a name for himself for his films in the 1970s-80s on lives of ordinary Indian middle-class people, where men and women were equal, and economically independent women working in offices in Bombay. They sought autonomy and privacy in the face of the conservative traditional joint Indian family etc.

The Editor, June 6
New Delhi, June 6 : Stressing on the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi to stand for a cause even if being oppressed, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday slammed the Uttar Pradesh government over the arrest of UP party chief Ajay Kumar Lallu for serving the people amid the nationwide lockdown last month to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

"Gandhiji taught us that oppressors will stop you from doing good work. But one should stick to his karma and follow the path of truth. UP Congress President Ajay Lallu was jailed for serving. We are opposing this repression through Seva Satyagraha," Priyanka Gandhi, who is also the in-charge for eastern Uttar Pradesh, said in a tweet in Hindi.

The party has launched Sewa Satyagrah across the state pressing the demand for Lallu's release. On May 20, after a standoff between the state government and the Congress over the party's offer to run 1,000 buses to ferry migrant labourers, Lallu was arrested twice in Agra. He was first arrested for sitting on a dharna against the Yogi Adityanath administration for not granting permission for the buses to ply.

Though he was granted bail by an Agra court and released, he was arrested soon after in connection with another case filed in Lucknow regarding alleged forgery of the documents of the buses. After being brought here from Agra, Lallu was produced before a court which sent him to 14 days' judicial custody. He has been in jail since May 21.

His bail plea was rejected by a special MP-MLA court in connection with the alleged forgery of the documents of the buses his party arranged for ferrying stranded migrant workers.
New Delhi:

Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan on Saturday wrote to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and resigned from all posts.

Two-days after the Anti-Corruption Branch raided the Delhi Waqf Board office, AAP MLA Amantullah Khan on Saturday resigned as its chairman claiming that he was being framed in false cases. The Okhla legislator, who was also a member of the State Haj Committee, sent his resignation letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

His resignation came two days after the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Delhi government raided the Delhi Waqf Board office here in connection with an alleged recruitment scam involving Khan.

In his letter, Khan stated that he has run out of patience of issuing clarifications to the public pleading innocence over a number of allegations levelled against him and his family members.

(Read More: Case of sexual harassment registered against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan)

Some people dislike my honesty and service and false allegations are being levelled against me and my family to frame us. I want to be free from all the responsibilities given to me by the government and therefore I tender my resignation from all the posts, Khan said.

Speaking in the Delhi Assembly yesterday, Khan defended himself saying he had made the contractual recruitments following due procedures. Waqf Board was reeling under shortage of staff which necessitated the appointments, he said.

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Philadelphia Police Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna Jr was charged on Friday

A police inspector in Philadelphia has been charged with aggravated assault after disturbing footage emerged appearing to show him beating a college student in the head with a baton during a George Floyd protest.

Police Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna Jr was charged on Friday after video emerged of an incident in which protesters grappled with cops and one student was struck by a baton and subdued.

The student, identified by his attorney as 21-year-old Evan Gorski, a Temple University engineering student, detained for 24 hours, but was released without charges after officials saw the footage.

The incident unfolded on Monday during a demonstration at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway protesting the death of George Floyd.

Police Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna Jr is allegedly the officer seen raising a baton and striking Temple University student Evan Gorski in this image

Bologna is seen wrestling Gorski to the ground and arresting him. Prosecutor Larry Krasner refused to charge Gorski, instead charging the police inspector

It was around 5.30pm, as the city's 6pm curfew neared, and police were apparently attempting to disperse the crowd and get them to go home.

Video from the scene shows Bologna, wearing a white supervisor's shirt, pushing back a group of protesters as they grapple with uniformed officers on a sidewalk.

As Bologna tries to pull apart an officer and protesters, Gorski, wearing a Philadelphia Eagles jersey, appears to reach over Bologna's shoulder to grab another protester.

Bologna whirls around, and as Gorski retreats the officer strikes him across the head with a collapsible metal baton, and pushes him to the ground

Another protester squirts Bologna with something from a water bottle as he grapples with the student on the ground.

Bologna, a 31-year veteran of the Philadelphia police force, holds the rank of staff inspector

Bologna is seen being honored at a community event. Now he faces assault charges over a melee with protesters in which he struck a student on the head with a baton

Prosecutors say that the Temple student suffered serious bodily injury, including a large head wound that required sutures and staples in a hospital.

Police referred Gorski to prosecutors for charges, but after seeing the video, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner's office declined to charge the student, and instead charged Bologna.

'We are trying to be fair. Accountability has to be equal. This moment demands a swift and evenhanded response to violent and criminal acts based on the facts and evidence,' DA Krasner said in a statement.

'Americans are taking to the streets to demand a remaking of political, economic, and legal systems that serve the powerful at the expense of citizens' health, welfare, and lives. There can be no safety or peace without justice. My office will continue to hold people who cause harm to others equally accountable,' he continued.

Krasner was elected to office last year on a social justice platform, and his campaign was backed by a PAC funded by billionaire financier George Soros.

Police referred Gorski to prosecutors for charges, but after seeing the video, Krasner's office declined to charge the student, and instead charged Bologna

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner (kneeling center) was elected to office last year on a social justice platform, and his campaign was backed by a PAC funded by George Soros

John McNesby, president of the Fraternal Order Police Lodge #5, blasted Krasner over the charges, saying that Bologna was using lawful force to defend his fellow officers in the midst of a violent melee.

'These charges clearly illustrate Krasner's anti-police agenda in Philadelphia,' McNesby said in a statement.

'This issuance of an arrest warrant for Bologna comes on the same day police issued a new catch and release policy for those who assault police officers. Why are officers not afforded those same basic rights?' he continued.

'Along with arsonists, looters and thieves, Krasner is complicit in the destruction of our great city,' McNesby said.

The union boss vowed to 'vigorously defend Bologna against these baseless allegations and charges.'

At a news conference Friday, Philadelphia Police Chief Danielle Outlaw said that Bologna is one of several officers under investigation after videos on social media depict them using force during this week's protests in a manner that 'does not appear to be in accord with our policy.'

She called the videos of Bologna particularly troubling because they appeared to show him striking someone above the neck.

'I am deeply concerned about this,' she said. 'I assure you that each of these investigations will be conducted in a thorough and objective manner without undue delay.'

Bologna is charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault as well as misdemeanor counts of simple assault, possession of an instrument of crime, and recklessly endangering another person.

He is currently free on a $75,000 unsecured bail, court records show.
Indore/Bhopal/ Jabalpur, June 7 : The cash-strapped Madhya Pradesh government, keen to reopen liquor shops and raise some quick money, will now have to either take over the liquor trade or refloat tenders for the business for private players.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered the private liquor contractors to surrender their licences or to continue the business under the prevailing terms.

The issue went to the court as the liquor cartel wanted the government to revise the terms for the trade in the state in view of the downturn caused by nearly 70 days' of lockdown.

The government was coercing the vendors to continue business with all the restrictions thrown in by the lockdown. The business hours were brought down from 12 hours to less than six hours and the bars attached to the vends were forced shut due to lockdown terms, causing immense loss to the traders.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice A.K. Mittal and Justice V.K. Shukla said the state government is entitled to auction shops afresh if liquor contractors don't submit the affidavit in the given time.

The petitioners' lawyer Naman Nagrath said that the court noted that recovery of dues from the petitioners in case of re-auctioning of shops shall be subject to the decision of the writ petitions being heard.

The division bench restrained the state from taking any coercive action against the petitioners during the pendency of the writ petitions till next date of hearing on June 17, the counsel said.

A petition filed by 30 liquor contractors along with 23 other petitions having common issues came up for hearing in the court. In their petition, the liquor contractors sought direction from the court to the state government to either revise the terms of liquor contract or recall the entire bidding process for the current fiscal in view of the downturn due to the pandemic.

Around 60 percent of outlets selling Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) were closed in Madhya Pradesh for over a week following a tussle between the state government and the liquor contractors.

The liquor contractors began surrendering their licenses from Saturday just a day after the court offered the option. In Indore, a group of liquor contractors surrendered their contract, through a letter to the excise department. The traders asked the excise department to return part of the earnest money amounting to Rs 58 crore. After Indore, liquor contractors of Bhopal and of other districts may surrender their contracts.

On the other hand, the state government has planned for fresh auction of liquor contracts to be surrendered by the contractors. The file related to fresh auction of liquor contract has again been sent to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

The tenders of those contractors who will not submit affidavit will be cancelled. After the cancellation of tenders, the excise department will be free to let shops reopen through fresh tenders, the court said. The court said the contractors who will submit affidavit will be allowed to run shops on the present terms.

The court assured the contractors that the government will not penalise them if they surrender the licenses. After the lockdown, there was a dispute between the government and the liquor contractors over licence fee. The state government gave relief to the liquor contractors by raising the prices of liquor by 10 per cent. But the contractors in many districts refused to reopen shops.

The state government has constituted a Group of Ministers for the year 2020-21 to take decisions on the implementation of excise policy and related matters and to take necessary and immediate policy decisions in the revenue interest on the situation created.

The Group of Ministers constituted under the chairmanship of Narottam Mishra, Minister of Home and Public Health and Family Welfare, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection, Cooperative Minister Govind Singh Rajput and Tribal Welfare Minister Meena Singh Mandve will be the members. The Principal Secretary will be the Secretary of the Commercial Taxes Committee.
Odds On Osiris might not be a household name outside of Indiana but his connections have high hopes for the sophomore pacing colt, including a possible appearance north of the border at the end of August.

During the Saturday (June 6) qualifying session at Harrah's Hoosier Park, Indiana Sires Stakes star Odds On Osiris was making his sophomore debut against one of his archrivals from 2019 -- in fact, the last colt to defeat him -- Sawyers Desire. Chris Page sent Sawyers Desire to the top ahead of Odds On Osiris and driver Peter Wrenn, and Sawyers Desire fronted the field through fractions of :28.3, :59.3 and 1:27.4. Those two colts gained some separation on the field heading into the final turn and began a sprint for the wire. Wrenn let his colt follow and gain speed then right-lined him with about 1/16 to go. Odds On Osiris responded powerfully through a :25.4 final panel, opening up to win by more than three lengths to hit the wire in 1:53.3.

Odds On Osiris (Rockin Image - Antigua Hanover) is trained by Melanie Wrenn for owner Odds On Racing of Boca Raton. Fl. The colt went 7-1-1 in 10 rookie starts and banked $343,895 during his freshman season. Those accomplishments landed him in the top 10 of the 2020 TROT Magazine Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book at odds of 28-1.

The favourite in the 2019 Pepsi North America Cup was Workin Ona Mystery, and he was also an impressive winner during the Saturday qualifying session at Harrah's Hoosier Park. With Trace Tetrick aboard the four-year-old pacer for trainer Brian Brown, Workin Ona Mystery watched on from third as Air Force Hanover (Lewayne Miller) cut fractions of :27, :56 and 1:24.3. Tetrick angled Workin Ona Mystery off the pylons and he complied willingly. With a :25.4 final quarter, Workin Ona Mystery powered past the pacesetter and tripped the timer in 1:50.4.

A winner of nine races and more than $463,000, Workin Ona Mystery (Captaintreacherous - Dragons Tale) is owned by Diamond Creek Racing, Stambaugh Leeman Stable, Alan Keith and Wingfield Brothers LLC.

(Odds On Osiris was in the first qualifier. To view Workin Ona Mystery's mile, advance the video to the 4:42 mark.)
06.06.2020 LISTEN

Award winning Journalist formerly with EIB Network, Kennedy Mornah has joined Accra based Asaase Radio.

Mr. Mornah, with over 20 years experience in the media industry joins the new Radio station which is due to be launched on Sunday, June 14 2020 as a Producer, News Anchor and Deputy News Editor.

He has worked for various renowned media houses in the country including Radio Progress in Wa, Diamond Fm in Tamale, Radio Justice in Tamale, Luv Fm in Kumasi as well as Oman Fm, NET2 TV and Starr Fm all in Accra.

Throughout his professional career as a Broadcast Journalist, Mr. Mornah has hosted various programs on air.

He is credited with introducing the first specialized bulletin on radio (Maritime and Port News) on Oman Fm, a programme he produced and presented for several years.

He also anchored the news on Net2 TV and hosted the stations current affairs programme, The Evening Edition.

He left Oman Fm in 2015 after nearly a decade of service and joined EIB Networks Starr Fm as Lead Producer for the stations flagship morning show, the Morning Starr.

He also worked in the Newsroom as an Anchor while hosting the stations financial literacy programme Personal Finance Today which aires every Saturday Morning.

MBK as his colleagues in the media call him, resigned from Starr Fm in May 2018 and founded online news portal BestNewsGH.com.

Kennedy Mornah is also the Publisher of the Maritime and Transport Digest, a specialized Newspaper dedicated to covering the Maritime industry in the country.

In 2017, he won the Reporter of the Year Award at the maiden edition of the Ghana Shippers Awards.

Mr. Kennedy Mornah has also been very active in the Public Relations space, offering consultancy services to various organizations including the Association of Customs House Agents Ghana (ACHAG), the Ghana Chamber of Shipping and LCB Worldwide Ghana Limited among others.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree in Communication Studies, specializing in Strategic Communications from the African University College of Communications (AUCC) in Accra.

He is at the tail end of his studies for a Master of Arts (MA) Degree in Public Relations at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ).

He also holds an International Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Shipping and Transport Management and Materials and Logistics Management respectively, from the Cambridge International College (CIC) UK.

Mr. Kennedy Mornah is a member in good standing of the Institute of Public Relations Ghana (IPR) and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).
Penguin Random House is the last of the Big Five American trade publishers to announce they will not attend this year's Frankfurt Book Fair.

"As a long-time annual participant in the Frankfurt Book Fair, who believes in its enduring value and importance, Penguin Random House greatly regrets it will neither exhibit at this year's Fair, nor attend in person, to protect the health and well-being of our employees, authors, and partners," said the company in a statement. "Our companies will strive to support the Fair's virtual activities this October."

Late last month, the Frankfurt Book Fair revealed plans for a smaller event, one limited to 20,000 people at a time, with larger booths spread out over a greater area on the fairgrounds. The fair is also developing a full slate of digital events. "This will not be the same book fair as before," said book fair director Juergen Boos. "But the changes we make and tools we implement now will help us have a better book fair in the future."

Previously, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster all said they would not attend the fair, but did not rule out taking part in online programs.
Tourist spots, national parks face quotas

BANGKOK: Visitors to national parks must now make reservations before entering and the number of visitors to beaches and tourist hotspots is also to be limited, officials announced.

CoronavirusCOVID-19tourismenvironment

By Bangkok Post

Saturday 6 June 2020, 09:04AM

Visitors stroll along Bang Saen beach in Chon Buri province which opened on Monday after closing for two months to prevent Covid-19 transmission. Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul / Bangkok Post

A walk in the park? Just sign here...

Visitors to national parks must now make reservations before entering, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment says.

Parks are expected to be opened before the end of the month but visitors who usually can just walk in, must now register.

"Online reservations will be required for health reasons," Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said.

The governments Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) is expected to lift many remaining lockdown measures next Friday (June 12).

All Covid-19 vulnerable sites including concert events, pubs and karaoke shops, massage parlours, amusement parks and national parks are expected to be reopened.

Mr Varawut said the same restrictions need to be in place at parks to help visitors to follow social distancing policies.

"By next week, we are going to have an announcement of what visitors should do and should not do while visiting the parks," he said.

"One of the certain measures is that visitors must make a reservation first. They cannot just walk in."

He said the Department of National Parks (DNP) will use a sophisticated reservation system to control the number of park visitors.

He said national parks have high visitor rates, citing the number of people at Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai province on 30 Dec 2018 as being recorded at 20,469, according to DNP figures.

Apart of introducing the reservation policy, the minister said the DNP must require visitors to check in via the "Thai Chana" mobile application.

"I understand that there will be problem at the early stage of implementation so we are going to have a hotline to provide help and information for those who are in need," he said.

He said the reservation and check-in system is likely to be implemented until the Covid-19 pandemic is under control.

However, Mr Varawut said the DNP will consider using both measures in the long run in a bid to keep the number of park visitors at an optimal level, so the ecological system will not be strained.

He said the two-month lockdown during the Covid-19 crisis has allowed time for ecology in national parks to recover. The ministry is also considering new land zoning plans for national parks. Each national park will have zoning regulations based on public accessibility.

Tourist spots face quotas

In a separate development, the Department of Health (DOH) announced it will push for measures to curb the number of visitors to tourist spots to prevent a new surge in Covid-19 transmission as the government considers allowing the resumption of more businesses and activities ahead of schedule.

DOH director-general Panpimol Wipulakorn said that even though some restrictions on domestic travel have been relaxed, travellers should adopt "new normal" practices and maintain social distancing and safety precautions such as wearing masks and regular handwashing wherever they go.

For the next phase of lockdown easing, it may be necessary to issue measures to curb the number of visitors to tourist spots, similar to limiting the number of people going to shopping malls, Dr Panpimol said.

She added that local organisations should also come up with measures to control the number of visitors to beaches in their respective provinces to prevent overcrowding. Tourists and workers in the service industry should also be required to wear masks while on the beaches, Dr Panpimol said.

Enough hand sanitisers should also be provided for beach-goers while toilets and bathrooms on beachfronts should be cleaned every two hours, she said, adding that visitors must check in and out at beaches so they can be traced, among other measures.

Dr Panpimol said the department has been monitoring every phase of relaxation and found that while people continue to wash their hands regularly, they are tending to wear face masks in public places less.

She also said movie-goers are not prohibited from eating popcorn and soft drinks in cinemas, but they have been urged to take precautions and wear masks all the time.

More restrictions to be lifted

Meanwhile, Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said on Friday that some businesses and activities will be allowed to reopen ahead of schedule in the final phase of the relaxation of the Covid-19 lockdown if they can give assurances that they have plans to prevent virus transmission.

Dr Taweesilp said that the CCSA has regularly discussed the fourth and final phase of relaxation for businesses and activities that are in the red or high-risk category such as pubs and bars.

The spokesman quoted Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who is the CCSAs director, as saying that any businesses and activities that come up with plans to prevent transmissions may be permitted to reopen ahead of the next stage of relaxation which will effectively lead to a complete reopening of the country.

However, such plans have to be approved by the CCSAs business resumption committee first, Dr Taweesilp said.

The committee is headed by National Security Council secretary-general Somsak Roongsita.

The government plans to completely lift the lockdown on all businesses and activities on July 1 across the country. This includes lifting inter-provincial travel restrictions as well as ending the emergency decree and curfew.

The emergency decree, which was invoked on March 26 to deal with Covid-19, will end in June, and the ban on international travel would end at the same time it is lifted.

The CCSA on Friday reported one new case of Covid-19 infection, an asymptomatic returnee from Kuwait who tested positive just before leaving quarantine. There were no new deaths.
Vietnamese citizens wait to make health declarations at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, June 6, 2020. Photo courtesy of Vietnam Airlines.

A repatriation flight brought 310 Vietnamese citizens stranded in 10 European nations, current Covid-19 hotspots, to Hanoi Saturday.

The Vietnam Airlines VN2 flight that landed at Noi Bai International Airport included children, students, the elderly and sick, pregnant women, guest workers whose labor contracts had expired and tourists with expired visas.

The citizens were stuck in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Latvia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland, Portugal, and the Czech Republic as nations hard hit by the pandemic closed their borders and imposed stringent travel restrictions.

The Vietnam Airlines flight took on passengers from Stockholm International Airport in Sweden and Helsinki International Airport in Finland.

All passengers underwent medical checks before boarding and wore face masks throughout the flight. They submitted health declarations and were quarantined on arrival. Their samples have been taken for testing.

Europe has so far recorded over two million infections and over 178,000 deaths, with Russia having the highest number of infections at nearly 458,000.

In the last few months, several special flights have repatriated thousands of Vietnamese from several countries including Canada, France, Japan, Russia, the UAE and the U.S., alongside other Southeast Asian hotspots. Passengers paid their own fares.

So far, Vietnam has repatriated over 5,000 Vietnamese people stranded abroad.

Officials have warned that the risk of community infection in Vietnam remains high as more foreign specialists, highly skilled workers and Vietnamese citizens stranded overseas are allowed to enter Vietnam.

The latest infection case in Vietnam confirmed Saturday morning is a 22-year-old student returning from the U.K. on a repatriation flight that landed at Ho Chi Minh Citys Tan Son Nhat Airport Thursday, raising the countrys Covid-19 tally to 329.

Saturday morning also marked the 51st day that Vietnam has gone without community transmission of the novel coronavirus. With 307 patients having recovered, there are 22 active patients in the country.

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected 213 countries and territories, with more than 397,400 deaths reported.
Tens of thousands of anti-racism protesters defied COVID-19 health warnings and their state and federal governments, as they took to the streets of Melbourne, Sydney and other cities on Saturday for Black Lives Matter rallies.

A massive crowd flocked to State Parliament on Spring Street to join the global wave of protests sparked by the killing of African American man George Floyd by police officers in the US city of Minneapolis on May 25.

The demonstration was by far the largest gathering of people in the state since the beginning of social distancing in March to contain the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus and health experts are worried, with Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton issuing a last-minute warning for people to stay away to protect their health.

Event organisers were happy with the numbers and the peaceful nature of the protest, but they still each face a $1652 fine from Victoria Police for organising a gathering in breach of public health orders.
Mandatory tests for diplomats after row over US officials refusal to undergo check By Kumudini Hettiarachchi, Ruqyyaha Deane & Meleeza Rathnayake View(s): View(s):

The refusal of a US official possibly with diplomatic status to give a sample for COVID-19 testing on arrival at the airport this week has resulted in revised instructions being issued by the Ministry of Foreign Relations to all foreign diplomats arriving in the country.

The US Embassy quoted the Vienna Convention on the movement of diplomats, but the issue has caused a major row between the airport authorities that allowed the diplomat through without being tested and the Health and Foreign Relations Ministries. The matter has been taken up at higher Government levels, the Sunday Times learns and this has resulted in new instructions.

These include mandatory testing for diplomats arriving in the country unless they can provide a RT-PCR test report taken within 72 hours before departure from their home countries. While Heads of Mission and their family members can quarantine at their official residence for 14 days after arrival, other diplomats will have to undergo the usual 14 days either at a designated hotel or at government quarantine centres.

The US official, believed to be a high level military officer of the US Asia Pacific Command, arrived along with a diplomat at the BIA from Doha on a Qatar Airways flight with the original embarkation point being the US, on June 3 around 2 a.m., said Airport and Aviation Services Chairman, Major General (Retd) G.A. Chandrasiri, explaining that they were the first diplomats to arrive after the testing procedure was established at the airport.

Pointing out that there was no refusal on the part of the US official, Maj-Gen. Chandrasiri explained that the official could have made a choice and either give the sample at the airport or let the US Embassy handle the process of getting him tested and quarantining him. He stayed at the airport from 2.30 a.m. to 6 a.m. awaiting a decision by the authorities.

The Sunday Times also understands that both the Health Ministry and the Foreign Ministry were not in favour of allowing the official to leave the airport without the sample being taken, with health sources reiterating that the principle of taking samples and testing people coming through the airport should apply across the board without exception.

They underscored that Sri Lanka had the virus under control and there was a need to protect these gains.

This is why mandatory testing at the airport was introduced this week.

We had nothing to do with exempting the US Embassy diplomat from taking the RT-PCR test, a senior Foreign Ministry official said.

Explaining the background, the official said that at the time the clearance for his arrival in the country was given earlier, the requirement of a test at the airport was not in place. Earlier foreign missions in Sri Lanka had been informed that those who arrived from abroad had to be in home quarantine for the specified period and submit an RT-PCR test report within 10 days of coming in.

The Sunday Times learns that pursuant to new protocols being stipulated by the Presidential Secretariat on June 4, a diplomatic note went out the same day to all diplomatic missions with the new instructions.

According to these instructions, if a diplomat gets infected by the new coronavirus, he/she has to seek admission at a hospital designated by the Sri Lanka government.

The COVID-19 pandemic is an extraordinary situation and it is not relevant to cite the Vienna Convention in these circumstances. What needs to be considered is that Sri Lanka has no community transmission of the infection, while the US is a very high-risk country, a senior government source told the Sunday Times, stressing that hiding behind the Vienna Convention is not acceptable with regard to testing at the airport.

With more US diplomats due to arrive in the country today, the source said the rules should strictly apply to them equally.

When the Sunday Times contacted the US Embassy spokesperson Nancy VanHorn, seeking information on a detailed list of queries including whether the diplomat in question was a diplomat, an administrative staffer or a Marine holding a diplomatic passport, her reply was: U.S. diplomatic staff adhere carefully to Sri Lankan COVID-19 guidelines, including quarantine restrictions, in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Relations.

The arrival of US diplomatic staff to Sri Lanka also complies with the norms and procedures outlined in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, just as it applies to arrival of Sri Lankan and other diplomatic staff to the United States. We refer you to the Ministry of Foreign Relations for information about their guidelines for arriving personnel of diplomatic missions. These guidelines, to which all incoming US personnel strictly adhere, apply to other foreign missions as well, she added.

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Controversy over SriLankan crews testing samples at Asiri

By Kumudini Hettiarachchi, Ruqyyaha Deane & Meleeza Rathnayake

A new controversy has emerged over the decision by the airport authorities to send samples taken from airline crew members to the private Asiri Group of Hospital laboratories for testing on a payment-per-sample basis, sources told the Sunday Times.

This was as health authorities were channelling the samples of arrivals only to designated state laboratories at no cost, since samples were collected at the airport for RT-PCR testing from May 31.

No answers were forthcoming as to how the Asiri laboratories were chosen to carry out the tests of SriLankan Airlines crew when there are many state laboratories performing them as well as three other private hospitals, sources alleged.

The Sunday Times understands that the other three private hospital laboratories were not approached to conduct these tests.

When asked by the Sunday Times what private hospital was conducting the tests for SriLankan Airlines crew, Airport & Aviation Services Limited (AASL) Chairman (Retd) Major General G.A. Chandrasiri said, I dont think I should tell those things because these are confidential tests. I dont think we have to inform everybody what hospitals we are using. Under the direction of the Ministry of Health I am using the hospitals.

To the query whether these private hospitals are conducting testing of both passengers and crew, he said that it was only the airline crew which was being tested there.

That too is in its initial stages as we are still organising ourselves. Today (on Thursday) we had a discussion at the Presidential Secretariat and we are planning on a different concept. Sometime next week, we will establish a laboratory system at the airport, he said.

Explaining that there will be a totally different plan from next week, Mr. Chandrasiri said that in the initial seven days we are doing our testing trials so that we can find the best possible way.

When asked about the cost incurred for these tests at private hospitals, he said the AASL was spending for the tests because it had to establish a constructive plan. However, from next week when the Health Ministry takes over the whole thing, they will be moving out.

Although Mr. Chandrasiri did not divulge the cost, sources said a test would cost a minimum of Rs. 7,000 and samples of about 70 crew members had been sent to the Asiri laboratories.

With many sources alleging an unholy nexus, as the head of the Asiri Group is also Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, when the Sunday Times contacted Asiri Hospitals, the response was that theres no one available to comment on your (the Sunday Times) questions. But Asiri Health is not handling the testing for the crew and passengers anymore.

Attempts to contact the Media Head of SriLankan Airlines were futile.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministrys Chief Epidemiologist, Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said that sample collection from arrivals at the airport was initiated on June 2.

We have trained the airport health staff, the Health Ministry staff and Negombo Hospital staff to take such samples, he said, adding that so far (till June 4) around 300 samples have been taken and sent to the MRI for RT-PCR testing. They are planning to send them on a daily basis to other designated laboratories.

When asked about the Asiri Hospital Groups involvement in testing crew members, he said he did not know anything about it.
Brasilia: President Jair Bolsonaro threatened on Friday to pull Brazil out of the World Health Organization after the U.N. agency warned Latin American governments about the risk of lifting lockdowns before slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus throughout the region.

A new Brazilian record for daily COVID-19 fatalities pushed the countys death toll past that of Italy late on Thursday, but Bolsonaro continues to argue for quickly lifting state isolation orders, arguing that the economic costs outweigh public health risks.

Latin Americas most populous nations, Brazil and Mexico, are seeing the highest rates of new infections, though the pandemic is also gathering pace in countries such as Peru, Colombia, Chile and Bolivia.

Overall, more than 1.1 million Latin Americans have been infected. While most leaders have taken the pandemic more seriously than Bolsonaro, some politicians that backed strict lockdowns in March and April are pushing to open economies back up as hunger and poverty grow.

In an editorial running the length of newspaper Folha de S.Paulos front page, the Brazilian daily highlighted that just 100 days had passed since Bolsonaro described the virus now killing a Brazilian per minute as a little flu.

While you were reading this, another Brazilian died from the coronavirus, the newspaper said.

Brazils Health Ministry reported late on Thursday that confirmed cases in the country had climbed past 600,000 and 1,437 deaths had been registered within 24 hours, the third consecutive daily record.

Brazil reported another 1,005 deaths Friday night, while Mexico reported 625 additional deaths.

With more than 35,000 lives lost, the pandemic has killed more people in Brazil than anywhere outside of the United States and the United Kingdom.

Asked about efforts to loosen social distancing orders in Brazil despite rising daily death rates and diagnoses, World Health Organization (WHO) spokeswoman Margaret Harris said a key criteria for lifting lockdowns was slowing transmission.

The epidemic, the outbreak, in Latin America is deeply, deeply concerning, she told a news conference in Geneva. Among six key criteria for easing quarantines, she said, one of them is ideally having your transmission declining.

In comments to journalists later Friday, Bolsonaro said Brazil will consider leaving the WHO unless it ceases to be a partisan political organization.

President Donald Trump, an ideological ally of Bolsonaro, said last month that the United States would end its own relationship with the WHO, accusing it of becoming a puppet of China, where the coronavirus first emerged.

Bolsonaros dismissal of the coronavirus risks to public health and efforts to lift state quarantines have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum in Brazil, where some accuse him of using the crisis to undermine democratic institutions.

But many of those critics are divided about the safety and effectiveness of anti-government demonstrations in the middle of a pandemic, especially after one small protest was met with an overwhelming show of police force last weekend.

Alfonso Vallejos Paras, an epidemiologist and professor of public health at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said infections are high in Latin America as the virus was slow to gain a foothold in the region.

It is hard to estimate when the pace of infection will come down, he said.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

The journey began on June 3 and will last until June 8. Between 30 and 50 thousand pilgrims are expected, ignoring all indications and health restrictions. In early June, there were already 2,000 Covid-19 positive cases in the region. The Moscow Patriarchate has decided not to intervene for fear of creating a "clandestine orthodoxy" which rejects health rules and ecclesiastical authorities.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - In the Kirov region in northern Russia, the pilgrimage to Velikoretsk has begun, one of the oldest and most important popular processions in the country (photo 1). The fact is that various spacing and isolation measures are still in place for Covid-19. The reopening of the Orthodox churches will take place in a few days, but the pilgrims did not want to miss the annual reccurance.

In 2000 the pilgrimage of Velikoretsk received the status of "national procession". In that jubilee year, several thousand people attended. Since 2008, between 150 and 50 thousand people have walked the 150 kilometers that divide the city of Kirov from the sanctuary of Velikoretsk, and even more gather directly on the place where the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is located.

This year, because of the pandemic, the bishop responsible for the pilgrimage, the metropolitan of Vjatka Mark (Tuzhikov), addressed the faithful on May 13 with a message. It confirmed that the pilgrimage would take place regularly from June 3 to 8, but with "changes due to the epidemiological situation". According to these instructions, the icon is transported by car by diocesan priests, and not carried by hand by pilgrims. The liturgical celebration on the Velikaja river, one of the most significant stages of the route, was also eliminated.

Stages have been set up with camps organized for overnight stays and food preparation, with the presence of doctors and volunteers. According to current health regulations, pilgrims from other regions of Russia should spend two weeks of quarantine and self-isolation, which is absolutely impossible to control. In fact, the "true believers" have organized themselves on social media, exchanging advice on how to participate in the pilgrimage, bypassing quarantine measures.

Several hundred people were already present at the initial liturgy, held in the monastery of Saint Tryphon in Kirov. Some volunteers distributed masks and other protections, with warning flyers, but the social distance was not maintained on the territory of the church. At least 3 thousand pilgrims from even very distant regions joined the local faithful: From the Don area, Udmurtia, the Arkhangelsk and Komi region, as well as from St. Petersburg, finding means of transport and welcome in homes, and all kinds of on-site support through social media.

At the end of the pilgrimage, the effects of all this on the spread of the virus in the region will have to be verified. As of June 2, there were almost 2 thousand cases out of 1.5 million inhabitants. In other areas, cases of infection due to the massive presence of faithful and pilgrims are also confirmed. In the Nizhny Novgorod region, where the Diveevo monastery is located (photo 2) where the remains of St. Seraphim of Sarov rest, 76 residents were found positive, and some nuns (the older ones) died. The cause of these infections, as communicated by the councilor of the governor of the Njuta Federmesser region, is certainly attributable to the large influx of pilgrims.

The patriarchate of Moscow, after many controversies and some suspensions in recent days due to the failure to comply with the rules of protection from the coronavirus, has decided not to intervene to repress the great pilgrimages, which for climatic reasons in Russia take place between June and August. The Orthodox hierarchy and Patriarch Kirill (Gundjaev) himself are already highly criticized for their excessive submission to civil authorities, and the fear is that a kind of "clandestine orthodoxy" inspired by monks and starets will spread, in conflict with the ecclesiastical authorities.
Europe could have its free travel zone up and running again by the end of this month, but travellers from further afield will not be allowed in before July, a European Union commissioner said Friday after talks among the blocs interior ministers.

Panicked by Italys coronavirus outbreak in February, countries in the 26-nation Schengen travel zone  where people and goods move freely without border checks  imposed border restrictions without consulting their neighbours to try to keep the disease out. The moves caused massive border traffic jams and blocked medical equipment.

Free movement is a jewel in Europes crown that helps its businesses flourish and many European officials feared that the very future of the Schengen area was under threat from coronavirus travel restrictions. These added to border pressures already caused by the arrival in Europe of well over 1 million migrants in 2015.

I personally believe that we will return to a full functioning of the Schengen area and freedom of movement of citizens no later than the end of the month of June, European Union Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said Friday after the video-conference meeting.

All but essential travel into Europe from the outside is restricted until June 15, but many ministers suggested Friday that they want this deadline extended until early July.

The meeting came as the Czech Republic was easing restrictions with some of its neighbours; Austria, Germany and Hungary. Also Friday, Switzerland said it plans to lift restrictions on travel from EU nations and Britain on June 15. Switzerland is not an EU member but is part of the Schengen travel zone.

Johansson said Europes Centre for Disease Prevention and Control believes that confinement, social distancing and other health measures are working. More than 175,000 people have died in Europes coronavirus outbreak, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, mostly in Britain, Italy, France and Spain.

Physical distancing and other health-related measures are still needed, of course. But health authorities are clear that there is no longer a clear justification for either travel restrictions or border measures within the EU Schengen area, Johansson said.

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, whose country plans to lift its remaining border checks on June 15 like many other EU countries, said the internal border controls will be over in all of Europe at the end of June. The news should come as a relief to millions of Europeans still trying to work out their summer vacation plans  which begin for many in July once the school year is over  and who are anxious to know whether they will be allowed to head to the continents beaches or mountains.

Its also good news for European countries whose economies have been ravaged by the spread of COVID-19 and are hoping for a much-needed boost from their decimated tourism industries.

But the perception that Italy is still dangerous is weighing heavily on its tourism sector, which along with related industries accounts for 13% of Italys gross domestic product.

In an apparent reference to Austria and Greece, which have not fully opened to Italian tourists, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio denounced the ad hoc measures put in place by some countries as a violation of the European spirit that has always distinguished us.

Di Maio said Rome would provide regular infection data to Austria so they can have certainty about Italys numbers. Last week, he said Italy refused to be treated as a leper after Greece announced a list of 29 countries whose citizens could visit without testing or quarantine requirements, but excluded Italians, Britons and residents of other hard-hit countries.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte have sent a joint letter to European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen urging the lifting of restrictions at our internal borders (...) in a coordinated, non-discriminatory manner. The letter was shared with media in Spain on Friday.

The government leaders of the eurozones third- and fourth-largest economies want the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to play a leading role in defining as soon as possible these criteria together with the member states. Spain, which relies on tourism for 12% of its GDP, plans to wait until July 1 to drop its 14-day quarantine requirement for everyone who crosses its borders, Spaniards included.

Many of our member states are approaching the date when they are going to reopen their borders to tourist mobility, Sanchez and Conte wrote. How this process is carried out will largely determine our citizens perception of the centrality of the European Union in tackling this crisis.

Germanys Seehofer said most of the EUs interior ministers want to extend the current entry ban on outside travelers by 14 days until July 1.

Visitors from the United States, Russia or Brazil, for example, would only be allowed back into Europe on based on how those nations have brought the spread of the virus under control, he said.

Those three nations account for 44% of the worlds confirmed infections and nearly 38% of the worlds confirmed coronavirus deaths, according to Johns Hopkins.

Worldwide, 6.6 million people have been confirmed infected by the virus and over 391,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins, but experts say the tally understates the true toll of the pandemic due to limited testing, missed mild cases and deliberate government undercounts.
The Coalition removed the role of Centrelink staff in that process. Previously they would have investigated a discrepancy between claims and tax office data, but after the change it was assumed that if there was a discrepancy, there was a debt. The onus was now on welfare recipients to contact Centrelink with payslip information to dispute the alleged debts. Before the Coalition's policy was introduced, about 20,000 welfare recipients were notified of potential debts each year. Robo-debt was issuing 20,000 notices each week. By the summer of 2016, the trickle of concerns had become a flood. "December is usually a quiet time of year for us," says Rowan McRae, the Victoria Legal Aid lawyer who steered the test robo-debt lawsuits essential to the upcoming class action. "In 2016, it was not a quiet time of year. We suddenly had all these people calling through with these letters they received. It was quite distinct." Two key problems with the program were quickly realised. First, ATO data was averaged over the year, so the algorithm thought some people with up-and-down income were lying about it. And second, if an employer made a mistake with the information it gave to the tax office, it could lead to Centrelink believing welfare recipients held two jobs instead of one.

Asher Wolf, a long-time robo-debt activist who helped bring the issue into the mainstream, said the policy was announced "quietly in a government gazette". "There were a few articles here and there - one from The Australian, a couple from Triple J - mostly focused on students getting debts," she says. "Then, suddenly, a lightbulb went off." Greens senator Rachel Siewert says "a couple of emails" started "turning into a flood" over the school holidays. A group of digital rights activists and privacy advocates set up a "network operation command" for the movement through the online messaging system Slack, bringing in lawyers, activists, academics, Freedom of Information request experts, financial aid services and politicians to kick up a fuss about robo-debt.

Wolf feared welfare recipients were losing homes, relationships and sometimes their lives while robo-debt marched on. "We had to call emergency services in response to someone self-harming on a Twitter livestream because of a robo-debt," she says. "I worried every single day of that campaign. You came across people who were desperate. They were hungry or they were terrified they were going to lose their house." Greens senator Rachel Siewert says "the pain and suffering people have felt is totally real". Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Siewert says despite pressing the issue relentlessly at inquiries, Senate question time and estimates, "it was really, really hard to interrogate".

"The sheer numbers, and the failure of the agency to listen  I just remember people coming in with these big files of information - spreadsheets and letters and numbers," she says. "The pain and suffering people have felt is totally real. It is totally genuine. I've sat in front of people in tears. We've had family members that directly blame robo-debt for the death of their loved ones." Despite a mammoth coordination across civil society, the campaign still took time. McRae says they filed the first test case in February 2019: "She was a young woman who worked as a nurse and she had this alleged robo-debt of $4000 from when she received Youth Allowance. "Soon after we filed, Centrelink wiped her debt. We were facing an argument from Centrelink saying her case shouldn't continue."

Loading So McRae filed a second test case in June 2019. And this time it worked - the federal government settled the case for an undisclosed amount and conceded the debt was unlawful. Soon after, shadow minister for government services Bill Shorten phoned Peter Gordon, a leading class action lawyer, and asked him if he rated the chances of putting together a much bigger claim. "I gave it to a couple of the junior people - a lawyer and a law student in my office - and didn't think too much more about it," says Gordon. The pair from Gordon Legal found something. A rarely-used tort called unjust enrichment could be used to bring forward a class action, they thought. Gordon wasn't sure. Two senior lawyers were brought in.

Eventually, the four of them sat Gordon down for two hours and presented their case. "I went back to Bill [Shorten] and said we're going to take it to the next stage. It went from there," Gordon recalls. Shorten says the robo-debt fight is not over yet. "The government know they're in trouble with this class action," he says. "This is not over until the grieving mothers and the various victims of robo-debt are repaid the money stolen from them with interest and a just payment for stress, damage and loss." Last Friday, the federal government announced it would refund $720 million to 330,000 Australians from unlawful debts raised since July 2015.

Digman was one of hundreds of thousands hit with an unlawful robo-debt. Credit:Penny Stephens Gordon will push on with the class action, seeking not just repayment but compensation for lives lost and derailed. The federal government has refused to apologise for the scheme, citing the upcoming legal battle. Government Services Minister Stuart Robert did not comment. Services Australia General Manager Hank Jongen says he will not comment on the class action while it is before the court. "Our staff help people facing difficult situations every day and we don't ever want people to feel they're in a situation of helplessness," he says.
New managers of Ghanas ports, Ghana Link Network Services Limited (Ghana Link), has denied claims by freight forwarders over the new Integrated Customs Management Systems (ICUMS) inability to ensure the effective clearance of goods at the port.

Tensions between freight forwarders and management of Ghana Link over the past four days at the port have risen, due to the unsuccessful attempts of freight forwarders to have their goods cleared from the port.

A situation they claim is due to the inefficiency of the ICUMS.

The forwarders say, their inability to have their goods cleared from the port, has resulted in high costs of demurrage to be paid to the shipping lines and therefore pleaded with the government to intervene and help solve the challenges at the port to avert further costs to them.

But addressing the issue in an interview on Joy News Market Place on Friday, Public Relations Manager for Ghana Link, Norvan Acquah-Hayford, noted that there were no challenges with the new system ICUMS  as 4,793 Bill of Entries (BoE) as of Friday, June 5, 2020 had been cleared.

I can tell you on authority that, ICUMS has been effective since Monday. The ICUMS since Monday has been able to clear over 4,793 BoEs, he stated.

Speaking further, Mr Acquah-Hayford noted that, the aggrieved freight forwarders were those who had made declarations and been issued BoEs under the old system  Ghana Customs Management System (GCMS).

Those complaining are the ones who made declarations and payments of duties under the old system which was shut down on Monday. Their challenges to have their goods cleared from the port has nothing to do with ICUMS, he added.

According to him, Ghana Link upon commencement of operations made arrangements to ensure the clearance of goods under the old system by forwarders and advised them to properly follow the arrangements and have their goods cleared from the port.

Background

The Ministry of Trade and Industry in March 2018 signed a contract with Ghana Link Network Services Limited in collaboration with Customs UNI-PASS International Agency of Korea Customs Services to introduce the UNI-PASS system now named ICUMS in Ghana for a period of 10 years at a cost of $40 million.

This was after the government had ended its contract with Ghana Community Network Services Limited and West Blue Consulting, managers of the old system  the Ghana Customs Management Systems.

The new system is an all-in-one customs management solution specially tailored for the port needs of Ghana. It is a modern and world class technology acknowledged by international bodies such as the World Trade Organisation and the World Customs Organisations to facilitate trade, ensure end-to-end supply chain security and increase revenue.

Watch interview with Ghana Link PRM below:
The federal NDP health critic says he is greatly concerned that there is no tracking of COVID-19 infections in long-haul truckers who are travelling back and forth across the United States border.

I think Canadians should be not only concerned but alarmed, said Don Davies, member of Parliament for Vancouver Kingsway.

The Public Health Agency of Canada does not collect information on long-haul truckers. The department deferred questions on COVID-19 cases in the industry to provinces and territories.

The majority of provinces, however, are not looking at infections in long-haul truckers, even though the drivers are among the few Canadians crossing into areas in the United States hard hit by the pandemic. The border between the two countries closed to most travellers in March. It is still open to people and businesses providing essential services.

As of Friday, there were almost two million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and more than 108,000 deaths.

Davies said truck drivers crossing the border should be tested and data should be collected at a federal level so as to know the risks involved in fully reopening the economy.

Thats important not only for the health and safety of the truckers and their families, but for the community at large.

Health officials in Manitoba said Friday that two new cases in the province have been linked to a long-haul trucker and a close contact. Two other Manitoba cases were linked last week to truckers who took multiple routes through the U.S. A cluster of at least 10 cases last month was also linked to a trucking company in the province.

Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitobas chief public health officer, said drivers, even those without symptoms, can now get tested for COVID-19.

Trucking is necessary for the supply of goods, he added, and there is some level of risk.

British Columbia health officials said it is not currently tracking cases by profession, but that will be implemented soon. Alberta is not releasing information about professions except in health-care workers.

Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec said that level of detail is not being collected. Quebec has issued special recommendations for truckers since they do not have to be in isolation for 14 days upon their return.

Transport Canada is regularly updated by provinces, industry and labour representatives about the impact of the virus. Department spokeswoman Frederica Dupuis said in an email that measures have been put in place to ensure driver safety and access to personal protective equipment. Dupuis, too, noted that data collection remains up to provinces and territories.

Stephen Laskowski, president of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, said he is not aware of any concerning number of drivers testing positive.

We just havent had spikes or any problems out of the norm of society, he said.

Access to testing has widened across Canada to include workers in the trucking industry. Laskowski said he isnt distressed that specific statistics arent being collected.

Long-haul trucking as an industry largely keeps people distanced from one another, he said. And drivers and receivers have put in new protocols to ensure safety, he added.

Long-haul truck-driving is self-isolation in itself, he said.

You can go days where maybe you deal with one person.
Michelle Monterrosa wrapped an arm tight around her sister Ashleys shoulders as the two stood before a crowd of people clutching signs with their brothers name. For many who gathered at the Mission District rally on Friday afternoon, Sean Monterrosa was the name of the latest victim of police violence.

But to his sisters, Sean Monterrosa was the middle child who should have been standing between them.

He should be here right in the midde, said Ashley Monterrosa, who turned 20 this week.

Instead, her brothers grinning face was on a poster hung behind them. Ashley Monterrosa knew she would never get to hug him on her birthday again. The 22-year-old San Franciscan was shot and killed by a Vallejo police officer on Tuesday while kneeling outside a Walgreens that had reportedly been burglarized.

In little groups, people carrying flowers and signs assembled at the corner of 24th and Mission Streets on Friday afternoon to honor Sean Monterrosas memory. The sisters said they felt his presence in the energy of the group. They felt him in a gust of wind so strong it made them take a step back. In the stories that his friends and community members told about the young man who loved to read and was passionate about social justice issues.

We will fight, Michelle Monterrosa said. Im going to school for Latino studies, but I am also going to get a degree in criminal justice now because Im going to fight for my brother and more people like my brother.

The family is calling on the Vallejo Police Department to release body-camera footage of the shooting and to identify the officer who fired shots.

Vallejo police said one of the officers who responded to the Walgreens on a report of looting opened fire while still in his police vehicle, shooting Sean Monterrosa through his own windshield. The officer mistook a hammer in Monterrosas sweatshirt pocket for a gun, police said.

Vallejo police did not notify the family about the death, Michelle Monterrosa said. Instead, the sisters stayed out until 5 a.m. in an attempt to find information. A police watch commander told them that they would find out on the news, she said. The death was confirmed when a family friend called the coroners office.

John Burris, a civil rights attorney representing Sean Monterrosas family, said the case was one of the worst he has seen because the young man was in a position of surrender when he was shot.

Sean was on his knees, and he was putting his hands up what else can you do? Burris said. He never reached for anything, he never charged for anyone, he never said anything of a threatening nature, but yet he was shot and killed by this officer. Its just flat out murder.

Burris said he doesnt know what Sean Monterrosa was doing near Walgreens the night he was shot, but that it does not matter because it did not justify his killing.

The killing comes amid national outrage marked by day after day of protests, rallies and marches as people demand reform in the countrys systems of racial injustice and continual police killings of people of color.

My little brother would be right here fighting for George Floyd too, Michelle Monterrosa said. In the last text he sent her, Sean Monterrosa asked his sister to sign a petition for justice in Floyds death.

The rally drew many people who had never met Sean Monterrosa but were compelled to show up as part of the fight against brutal police treatment of people of color.

Jada Cabie, 19, said she and her friend had been protesting for the past few days. They were among thousands who walked miles through the Mission District on Wednesday in a massive rally organized by San Francisco high school students. She said the Vallejo incident shows that Bay Area law enforcement agencies are just as bad as any others.

Were tired, but definitely when I saw what happened to him... obviously he needs justice, Cabie said. We need justice for all the lives that were lost. Another protest? Count me in.

Jennifer Siswandi rode up on a bike with the words Asians for Black Power wrapped around the frame of her bike. She showed up to demand repercussions for police officers who abuse their power, advocate for defunding the San Francisco Police Department and stand in solidarity with black people.

Although Ibrahim Baig, 25, did not know Sean Monterrosa, he said the young San Franciscan reminded him of himself and his friends.

When I see him, I see a kid that could be hanging around with me, he said.

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Maricar Bamba, 25, said she worked with Sean Monterrosa at Horizons SF, an organization that helps Latinx youth. Sean Monterrosa created a library so other people could read his favorite books: The Art of War, 48 Laws of Power, anything by Malcolm X. He taught younger kids how to pop a tent and build a fire and pick up trash on a camping trip, she said. He drew a mural of Bamba  her bun, her glasses  on the white board in her office. It was her job to tell him to do his homework, but he often reminded her to do hers too.

Very few have ever shown me the amount of love that Sean gave me during those two years, Bamba said.

During the rally, dancers with the Latina Task Force performed a healing ceremony wearing colorful shawls and skirts, feather headdresses and jangling beads around their ankles. Sean Monterrosas sisters held up a poster of their brother while the circle of dancers moved and jumped and twirled to the beat of a drum. Wind carried the scent of burning sage through the crowd.

Every dance is a prayer, one of the organizers said, adding that the wind was a blessing. Thats also cleansing all the hurt, all the pain were feeling.

At one point, the crowd assumed the position Sean Monterrosa was in when he was shot by taking a knee. They were silent for a moment. Later, they chanted his name again and again. They raised fists in the air. They chanted No justice, no peace.

Sean is part of a bigger movement, Michelle Monterrosa said. My momma always said God told her Sean had a bigger purpose. We never understood what that meant.

Bamba picked a passage from one of Sean Monterrosas favorite books, Malcolm Xs Public Speaking Power, to end her speech: And if I can die having brought any light, having exposed any meaningful truth that will help to destroy the racist cancer that is malignant in the body of America  then all of the credit is due to Allah.

As those words washed over them, Ashley Monterrosa grasped the back of her sisters hat as the two bent their heads together and, shaking, wept.

Anna Bauman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: anna.bauman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @abauman2
More than 800 people turned out on the front lawn of Vestavia Hills City Hall on Friday afternoon for a rally to remember George Floyd that turned tense at the end when a former police officer apologized for racial profiling and was shouted down by the crowd.

Sally Herring, who is now retired and lives in Vestavia Hills but was a Miami-Dade County police officer from 1974-80 and associate director of the police academy from 1982-90, said she was on the force during the 1980 Miami riots that erupted after the acquittal of four officers in the death of Arthur McDuffie. McDuffie, 33, a salesman and former Marine, died from injuries inflicted by officers trying to arrest him after a high-speed chase.

Herring said 18 people were killed in the riots. It was the deadliest rioting since the 1960s, and remained the worst until the Rodney King riots in 1992 in Los Angeles.

Herring said she knew the officers involved in McDuffies death. She said after the rally she does not sympathize with the four Minneapolis police officers who handled the arrest of Floyd last month, which ended with an officer kneeling on the back of Floyds neck until he died.

There is still a part of my heart that wants to go stand with them, Herring said during the rally, indicating later that she meant the Vestavia Hills police officers who were standing nearby. I am here to repent to you all. Ive pulled people over while driving black. Im here to apologize for what Ive done wrong. My ancestors had a plantation and slaves in South Carolina.

A black protester holding an anti-police sign began shouting Herring down, and others joined in. Dont you stand there and say its hard! said Jasmine Linson of Avondale. You have guilt!

I dont want my words to hurt you, Herring said.

Linson, holding a sign that said Whats the point of taking an oath if you dont abide by it? Serve & protect black lives, repeated the message on her sign and said, You took an oath!

Linson pointed at several Vestavia Hills police officers standing nearby and said if Herring wanted to apologize, she should bring the officers down to apologize with her.

One of the main speakers for the rally, Onoyemi Williams, a community organizer for Faith in Action, intervened as others in the crowd also shouted at Herring.

We love you enough to tell you, you need to think a little bit deeper, Williams told Herring. Its pain that bubbled up as a result of your words.

Williams said she has been racially profiled and pulled over just because she was black. Telling me youre sorry after youve stripped me of my humanity  I hear you, but why? I hadnt done nothing to you. Weve got some work to do.

Herring left the speaking area. Well, that was startling, she told an AL.com reporter. I feel like I need an escort out of here.

Linson said later she didnt accept Herrings apology. I know she said its hard, Linson said. You took an oath, but youre doing the opposite of that oath. You dont get to say youre sorry for that. Bring those officers down and make them apologize with you.

The protest was organized by Alabama Rally Against Injustice, which held a similar event in Mountain Brook on Thursday.

Were not saying just black lives matter, were saying make them matter as much as a white life, said Williams.

Speaker D.J. Curry said he lives with a white family in Vestavia Hills and has been pulled over just because hes black. He recalled once being pulled over in Walker County when the officer admitted that he pulled him over because he was driving through an area where no black people lived. Im going to fight that every day until I die, he said.

Karan Vance said she used to take ballet lessons in Vestavia Hills and once her mother got pulled over and given a speeding ticket by Vestavia police and told she was speeding when she wasnt. Someone can be innocent and still be found guilty because of the color of their skin, she said.

Casey Bush of Moody said her son, a 24-year-old plumber, has been pulled over in Vestavia Hills and Hoover multiple times and three times going into his own neighborhood in Moody. After a meeting with Moody police, it hasnt happened again, she said. There are places my son cant go because hes afraid of being pulled over and one of them is here, Bush said. We are talking about a system thats a problem. Its not working for everyone.

She said she knows the family of the Moody police officer, Sgt. Stephen Williams, who was gunned down in the line of duty on Tuesday night and sympathizes with police also. Its not one or the other, Bush said. Its not (support) police or Black Lives Matter. It can be both.
A possible sighting of Madeleine McCann by an Irish family on the night she went missing has come back into focus as the net closes in on a new prime suspect.

In May 2007, members of the Smith family from Drogheda revealed to police investigators that they saw a man carrying a young child through the streets of Praia da Luz.

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The sighting happened on the night Madeleine went missing from her family's apartment on the Algarve.

The account of what they saw was allegedly dismissed by investigators at the time, who, it is claimed, focused instead on an earlier sighting that turned out to be a British tourist carrying his child from a creche.

Martin Smith, a former Unilever executive, made a statement along with his wife Mary, daughter Aoife and son Peter soon after Madeleine vanished on May 3, 2007.

Mr Smith helped compile e-fits a year later, but the images were not released at the time and were only made public in 2013.

He described the man he saw as Caucasian, around 175 to 180cm in height.

He said he appeared to be about 35 to 40 years old, of an average build, a bit on the thin side.

His statement also said that the man's hair was short, in a basic male cut, brown in colour.

Mr Smith and family members who were interviewed said they went to Kelly's Bar in Praia de Luz, after a family meal in a nearby restaurant.

They spent about 30 minutes in the bar before leaving at around 10pm.

As the group made their way back to their apartment, several noticed a man walking down the middle of the street, Rua 25 de Abril, carrying a girl, about three or four years old.

It was claimed the child's head was lying against the man's left shoulder and the arms hanging down alongside the body.

The child had blonde hair, according to detailed descriptions given, and her skin was very fair. At the time the family thought little about it, and headed for home from the holiday the following day, but images from Portugal surrounding the case triggered their memories of the chance meeting.

Their evidence has always been regarded as significant, although they couldn't definitively identify the individual concerned.

At the time, local officers were focused on another sighting of a man near Kate and Gerry McCann's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz 45 minutes earlier.

Scotland Yard detectives, who later reviewed the case, established that the suspect Portuguese police were so keen to trace - spotted by holidaymaker Jane Tanner at 9.20pm - was just an innocent British tourist returning his own child from a creche.

The review, nicknamed Operation Grange, considered the information that was given by the Smith family as credible.

In light of what police described as "a revelation moment", altering six years of thinking about the case, investigating officers formed the view that Madeleine could have been taken up to 45 minutes later in the evening.

The Smith family gave a statement to police soon after their holiday.

The e-fits were compiled by private detectives in September 2008.

However, in 2012, Det Chief Insp Andy Redwood, from the Metropolitan Police, said that for years the sighting was seen as "wrong place, wrong time" and thus unimportant.

Now that a new prime suspect has been identified in the case, it is likely that further attention will be given to what the Smith family witnessed on the night in question.
ATHENS, Greece, June 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diana Shipping Inc. (DSX), (the Company), a global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels, today announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Uniper Global Commodities SE, Dusseldorf, for one of its Ice Class Panamax dry bulk vessels, the m/v Atalandi. The gross charter rate is US$9,300 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, for a period of minimum thirteen (13) months to maximum sixteen (16) months. The new charter period is expected to commence on June 9, 2020.



The Atalandi is a 77,529 dwt Ice Class Panamax dry bulk vessel built in 2014.

This employment is anticipated to generate approximately US$3.63 million of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the time charter.

Diana Shipping Inc.s fleet currently consists of 41 dry bulk vessels (4 Newcastlemax, 13 Capesize, 5 Post-Panamax, 5 Kamsarmax and 14 Panamax). As of today, the combined carrying capacity of the Companys fleet is approximately 5.1 million dwt with a weighted average age of 9.72 years. A table describing the current Diana Shipping Inc. fleet can be found on the Companys website, www.dianashippinginc.com. Information contained on the Companys website does not constitute a part of this press release.

About the Company

Diana Shipping Inc. is a global provider of shipping transportation services through its ownership of dry bulk vessels. The Companys vessels are employed primarily on medium to long-term time charters and transport a range of dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.

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The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words believe, anticipate, intends, estimate, forecast, project, plan, potential, may, should, expect, pending and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, Company managements examination of historical operating trends, data contained in the Companys records and other data available from third parties. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies that are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Companys control, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.

In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Companys view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the severity, magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, including impacts of the pandemic and of businesses and governments responses to the pandemic on our operations, personnel, and on the demand for seaborne transportation of bulk products; the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for dry bulk shipping capacity, changes in the Companys operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for the Companys vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors. Please see the Companys filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Corporate Contact:

Ioannis Zafirakis

Director, Interim Chief Financial Officer,

Chief Strategy Officer, Treasurer and Secretary

Telephone: + 30-210-9470-100

Email: izafirakis@dianashippinginc.com

Website: www.dianashippinginc.com



Investor and Media Relations:

Edward Nebb

Comm-Counsellors, LLC

Telephone: + 1-203-972-8350

Email: enebb@optonline.net
A foolish consistency may indeed be the hobgoblin of little minds. But wait! My head happens to be gigantic, as a former publisher here once noted, insisting that my column photo be enlarged to accommodate my rather ample skull. He actually said something like, John, you have a big damn head.
A Police officer appears walks ahead of protestors. Rally against aboriginal deaths in custody in Australia as well as in solidarity with George Floyd killing, Martin Place, Sydney, NSW, Australia, June 02, 2020. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

Saturday Protest Could Trigger Health Catastrophe in Australia

Australias top medical officer says it would be catastrophic if COVID-19 spread to remote indigenous communities, as protesters are urged not to attend Black Lives Matter rallies.

Thousands are expected at protests in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart on Saturday to show solidarity with the movement and African American George Floyd who died while being arrested in Minneapolis.

The Australian protests are also a show of support to the Aboriginal community to highlight high levels of indigenous incarceration and deaths in custody.

Brendan Murphy says authorities have always feared an outbreak in indigenous communities.

The risk to loss of life and spread of this virus in some of those remote communities would be catastrophic, he said on June 5.

This would be an absolute tragedy if we got that virus into one of our remote communities.

Huge crowds gathered in Perth, Sydney and Canberra this week to support the movement.

The NSW government initially endorsed the protests but on Friday, the states highest court banned a protest against Aboriginal deaths in custody because it breached coronavirus restrictions.

About 5000 people were expected to rally at Sydney Town Hall on Saturday in honour of George Floyd and Australian man David Dungay Jr, but Supreme Court Justice Des Fagan declined to approve the Stop All Black Deaths in Custody rally as an authorised public assembly.

Before the decision, however, Dungays mother vowed she would march regardless of the ruling.

Justice Fagan said he appreciated the rallys central issue and that it was designed to be concurrent with similar events in other countries.

I dont diminish the importance of the issues and no one would deny them in normal circumstances, he said.

No one denies them that but were talking about a situation of a health crisis.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant told the court a protest of 10,000 could increase the risk of community-acquired infections and the seeding of clusters.

In a statement on Friday, NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said police would have a strong presence in Sydneys CBD on Saturday to enforce the decision.

Murphy said that while people had the right to protest, mass gatherings were dangerous in the midst of a pandemic.

One infectious person was able to pass on the virus to as many as 50 others, he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also urged Australians not to attend protests.

Australians have worked incredibly hard in recent months and have undergone great sacrifices to protect the health of the most vulnerable, and that does include our indigenous communities, Morrison.

He noted some Australians had not been able to attend funerals for loved ones and others commemorated Anzac Day by standing on their driveways rather than attending ceremonies.

Indigenous academic Marcia Langton said Aboriginal people wanted to support African Americans who suffered similarly from racism.

At this time in history we have a civic responsibility to stand up against racism, Langton said while urging people to attend rallies responsibly using social distancing.

The academic told ABC television there had not been a single charge laid against a police officer responsible for an Aboriginal death in custody in Australia, let alone a conviction.

Victorians have been told not to attend the rallies out of concern it could spark a second wave of cases.

South Australians have been granted a permission to attend a protest in Adelaide.

There were 10 new cases of COVID-19 recorded on Thursday, eight in Victoria and two in NSW.

There were 474 active cases, including 23 people in hospital.

On Friday morning, Victorian authorities reported three further cases, with Western Australia and NSW reporting four each.

It comes as figures from the Parliamentary Budget Office show Australias bottom line is expected to be nearly $200 billion in the red next year thanks to the coronavirus.

Rebecca Gredley
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A young Indonesian couple were whipped 100 times each for having sex without being married and violating the extremist Islamic law implemented in the region.

The two lovers were flogged in the province Aceh, the only Muslim-majority region in the country that imposes extreme Islamic law, with a rattan cane outside a mosque on the western tip of Sumatra.

The man's flogging was paused briefly when he could not stand the pain and someone else had to finish lashing the woman.

A young couple who were caught having pre-marital sex in the Indonesian province Aceh were flogged 100 times each by local authorities. Pictured: The man wincing as he is flogged

The man's whipping had to be paused because he could not take the pain and the woman's punishment had to be finished by a different flogger Pictured: The man being wincing at being flogged

Usually large crowds of hundreds of people watch floggings but fewer people were there on Friday because of the coronavirus pandemic.

'Not so many people came because today because they've seen it many times before - or they're afraid of COVID-19,' local resident Faisal said.

Local officials insisted they took adequate safety measures by checking the couple's temperatures and wearing masks.

'This young couple deserved a hundred lashes because they violated Islamic law,' said Agus Kelana Putra, head of general crime division at the prosecutor's office in Aceh Besar district.

A different man was also flogged 40 times for being caught in a hotel room with a girl but the underage girl was spared.

Aceh's law, known locally as Qanun, allows for people to be flogged if they are charged with offences including gambling, adultery, drinking alcohol and sex with someone from the same gender. Pictured: The woman being escorted by authorities before receiving her lashes

Local authorities insisted they took adequate safety measures in light of the coronavirus pandemic by taking each other couple's temperatures (pictured) and wearing masks

The law in Aceh, locally known as Qanun, allows authorities to whip people for charges including gambling, adultery, drinking alcohol and sex with someone from the same gender.

Aceh is able to enforce Qanun law because it has an autonomy deal that was made with the Indonesian government in 2005 that ended a decades-long separatist insurgency.

Human rights groups have slammed public caning as inhumane and cruel and Indonesia's president, Joko Widodo, has called for it to end.
Studies revealed the relationship between Obesity and COVID-19 infections and deaths, according to a recently published article.

Who Are Known as Vulnerable for the Virus?

It has already been established that pregnant, elderlies, those who have pre-medical conditions, and those who have a weak immune system are vulnerable to get the new coronavirus easily. It is for this reason that they are still required in some countries to stay-at-home even if some measures are already lifted.

Meanwhile, there are also many contradicting studies as to who poses a higher risk of getting infected in terms of gender. In the previous article of Latin Post, it was reported that males could easily get infected because of their lifestyle while females could also get easily infected because they comprised the vast number of medical healthcare workers and other essential jobs.

Do Obese People Pose Higher Risk?

A person can classify himself if he is severely obese or not using the Body Mass Index. This is used to measure body fat based on height and weight that is both applied to men and of women of different ages.

COVID-19 has hit obese people disproportionally around the globe. Many are also thinking why industrialized countries from Europe to the U.S. are leading the COVID-19 infections and death toll compared to impoverished ones.

An example of this is Britain and the United States. Britain has long been described as the "Fat Man in Europe" and has one of the highest COVID-19 infections in the region. At present, 30 percent of their adults are classified as obese.

Meanwhile, nearly 40 percent of the total population in the United States is classified as obese. The country has recorded more than 1.9 million infections and a death toll of more than 109,000 according to worldometers.

What Does the Study Reveal?

Experts revealed in their study that obese people are more vulnerable and are posing higher death risk. This is because obese people could have other complications like type 2 diabetes, chronic diseases, heart problems, and more.

Barry Popkin, a professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health in the US, said that obesity weakens a person's immune system. It was also found out by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control that 73 percent of critically ill patients who have COVID-19 in Italy, Sweden, Netherlands, and Spain are obese.

According to another researcher, one of the reasons that obese people have a higher mortality rate is because of difficulty in using a ventilator. Wilder said that the lung capacity of Obese people for their body size is lower which means that there is a less reserve system.

If obese people will have severe respiratory problems, the ability of their lungs to get oxygen will be affected. Aside from this, most of the obese people have pre-medical conditions like diabetes and heart problems which remained not diagnosed for many individuals.

There are still many things that everyone including scientists do not know about COVID-19. That ranges from its transmission, groups who are vulnerable, and most of all is its cure.

Read a related article:
An American blogger, who has lived in Pakistan for more than 10 years and is known for her pro-army stance, has accused a former interior minister of raping her and a former prime minister and health minister of harassing her.

All three politicians have denied the charges, and in two instances have filed a complaint with the countrys law enforcement agencies to investigate the matter further. This is the latest controversy involving Cynthia Ritchie, a combative social media influencer whom most outside of Pakistan would never heard of.

Ritchie posted a Facebook live video on Friday in which she named former interior minister Rahman Malik, currently a member of the Senate or upper house of Parliament, of sexually assaulting her. She also accused former premier Yousaf Raza Gilani and former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin of harassing her. All three politicians belong to the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

This Facebook video was the latest in a series of exchanges between Ritchie and the leadership of the PPP, which has been incensed by the barrage of accusations flung their way by the American.

Also Watch | They want riots...: PoK activist on Pakistan bid to hold Gilgit Baltistan polls

Ritchie started the current spat by accusing late prime minister Benazir Bhutto of having ordered the rape of those women she suspected were having relations with her husband, Asif Ali Zardari. As on many occasions in the past, Ritchie offered no evidence to substantiate her allegations that have been described by several commentators as bizarre.

While Zardari did not react to the accusation, the PPPs senior leadership responded by asking who Ritchie was, who had authorised her stay in Pakistan, and what her source of income was, given that she did not seem to be engaged in any work with remuneration.

Details were leaked from both sides - the PPP accused Ritchie of being a troll funded by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency while Ritchie questioned the actions of PPP leaders.

In one bizarre gaffe, Ritchie posted a picture of Murtaza Wahab, a provincial minister from the PPP, standing next to a scantily dressed woman and accused him of being immoral. Wahab clarified the woman in question was a wax model at Madame Tussauds in London.

Ritchie has accused PPP leaders of links with Gulf-based businessmen and alleged they were involved in a number of scams  all without any evidence whatsoever.

So far the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan, which is perceived as being close to the army, has taken no action despite a number of complaints filed against Ritchie with the cybercrime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency.

In her latest accusation, Ritchie said her ordeal took place at Rehman Maliks official residence in the ministers enclave in Islamabad in 2011 around the time when the Osama Bin Laden incident happened.

I thought it was a meeting about my visa but I was given flowers [and] a drugged drink, she claimed, adding she had kept quiet about the incident because who in the [ruling government] would help me against the [accused minister]?

Cynthia said she also informed the US embassy in 2011 about the incident, adding that owing to fluid and complex Pak-US relations, the response was less than adequate.

In a tweet, exiled political commentator Aisha Siddiqa said the Pakistani establishment may be wanting to put pressure on the PPP leadership ahead of moves to roll back the 18th amendment to the Constitution. This amendment was passed by the former PPP government and gives enhanced powers to the democratic civilian government and to the provinces.

Many commentators and experts in Pakistan also believe Ritchie  who has never shied away from flaunting her connections to the military on social media and often takes up nationalistic causes in her social media posts  could be acting at the behest of the powerful security establishment.

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New York, June 5, 2020  In response to a statement issued by the Cameroonian Ministry of Defense today that journalist Samuel Wazizi died in government custody in August 2019, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement:

The Cameroonian governments cruel treatment of journalist Samuel Wazizi is truly shocking. It is unbelievable that authorities covered up his death in custody for 10 months despite repeated inquiries from press freedom advocates and his family, colleagues, friends, and lawyers, said Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa program coordinator. An independent autopsy should be conducted immediately, and Cameroon must also launch an independent commission of inquiry so that those responsible for Wazizis death are held accountable.

A statement issued by military spokesperson Colonel Cyrille Serge Atonfack, which CPJ reviewed, alleges that Wazizi died of sepsis on August 17, 2019.

The statement denied that Wazizi had been tortured or abused, and said that the journalists family had been in contact with him in custody. Wazizis sister-in-law, Metete Joan Njang, told CPJ today in a phone interview that the journalists family had not been able to contact him since shortly after his arrest on August 2, 2019, and was not made aware of his death until a news report on May 3.

Police arrested Wazizi on August 2, and transferred him to military custody on August 7, after which he was held incommunicado, according to CPJ research.

In 2010, journalist Bibi Ngota similarly died while in government custody; his death certificate said he died from a lack of medical attention while in prison, according to CPJ research.
Some angry supporters of a New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary aspirant in Saboba in the Northern Region, Emmanuel Kotin on Saturday morning (June 6, 2020) burnt tyres in front of the partys constituency office to register their displeasure over his disqualification from the race.

The supporters braced up at the entry to the constituency party office and smashed the louvre blades of the window.

The supporters allege that the defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwol, is behind the disqualification of Emmanuel Kotin.

Chanting No Kotin No Vote, they called on the National Executive Council of the NPP to reverse the disqualification of their candidate immediately.

Leader of the group, Samuel Oyal spoke to Citi News, says the supporters have threatened to burn the party office in three days if the decision of the NEC is not reversed.

We have burnt the tyres in front of the party office because we can see that there is no fair play in NPP today. Emmanuel Kotin has been disqualified unfairly. We believe that the basic principle of any democracy is the sovereign will of the people but that is not in the NPP today. He has been disqualified without any reason. All that we know is, the disqualification is because of the personal interest of the Defence Minister. All that we are saying is, Emmanuel Kotin be reinstated in three days. If that is not done, the party will see mass destruction and voter apathy in Saboba on December 7, 2020. Disqualification accusations

The upcoming NPP primaries have been characterized by allegations that some executives are making incumbent MPs run unopposed by disqualifying some aspirants.

For instance, 64 candidates were passed in the Eastern Region after the vetting. Notable among the candidates who did not pass the vetting process was Gloria Ofori-Boadu who had been disqualified from contesting the Abuakwa South constituency.

In the Offinso South Constituency, aggrieved delegates marched to the Offin river to perform a ritual to resist any attempt by party executives to impose the incumbent MP, Abdallah Bandah on them.

The situation is not different in the Juaben Constituency of the Ashanti Region where delegates have protested the decision of the party executives to disqualify an aspirant, Francis Owusu, from the constituency's primaries.

The NPP has set Saturday, June 20, 2020, for its suspended presidential and parliamentary primaries.

The election which was supposed to have come off on April 25, 2020, was postponed indefinitely due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country and the related restrictive measures announced by the President.

At a Steering Committee meeting held on Monday [June 1, 2020], the party agreed to hold the election in electoral areas rather than at the constituency level in order to ensure social distancing.

NPP was to use the primaries to elect parliamentary candidates in constituencies where it has sitting Members of Parliament, ahead of the 2020 general elections.

Many parliamentary aspirants suspended their campaigns due to the decision.

But with the easing of some of the COVID-19 induced restrictions, some aspirants have resumed some level of campaign.

 citinewsroom
It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Telus (TU). Shares have added about 14.3% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Telus 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.

TELUS Q1 Earnings Miss Estimates, Revenues Rise Y/Y



TELUS reported mixed first-quarter 2020 results, with the top line beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate and the bottom line missing the same.



Net Income



Net income in the March quarter decreased 18.2% year over year to C$350 million or C$0.28 per share, as EBITDA growth was more than offset by higher depreciation and amortization due to growth in the companys capital assets from recent acquisitions, including Competence Call Center (CCC) and ADT Canada, as well as ongoing investments to support the expansion of its broadband footprint. First-quarter adjusted net income was C$400 million or C$0.32 per share ($298.2 million or 24 cents per share) compared with C$453 million or C$0.38 per share in the year-ago quarter. The bottom line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny.



Revenues



Quarterly total operating revenues increased 5.4% year over year to C$3,694 million ($2,754 million), reflecting the companys leadership in broadband network and excellent customer service. The top line surpassed the consensus estimate of $2,632 million.



Segment Results



Operating revenues in TELUS Wireless slipped 2% year over year to C$1,898 million ($1,415 million), as network revenue growth was more than offset by a decrease in equipment and other service revenues. Network revenues increased 1.3% to C$1,511 million, reflecting 5.6% growth in the subscriber base over the last 12 months, partly offset by declining mobile phone ARPU. Equipment and other service revenues were C$374 million, down 12.4% year over year. This reflects lower contracted volumes, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as customers reduced their shopping habits and as a significant number of physical sales channels were closed in the final weeks of March. The segments adjusted EBITDA of C$940 million increased 2.6% over the same period a year ago, reflecting higher network revenues driven by a larger subscriber base, higher equipment margins and savings from cost efficiency programs. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 49.5% compared with 47.4% in the year-ago quarter. Capital expenditures increased 9.6% year over year to C$194 million.



TELUS Wireline operating revenues increased 14.3% year over year to C$1,873 million ($1,396.4 million) driven by data services revenue growth, partly offset by a decline in legacy voice services revenues. Data services revenues were C$1,444 million, up 18.5%. This was driven by a combination of higher revenues from the companys diverse portfolio of solutions, including TELUS International customer care and business services which included contribution from the acquisition of CCC, growth in business volumes from both expanded services and customer growth. Voice service (local and long distance) revenues were C$236 million, down 6.7%. Other service and equipment revenues were C$98 million, remaining stable. The segments adjusted EBITDA of C$535 million increased 7.2% from the year-ago quarter figure. This was driven by increased contribution from TELUS International customer care, expanded services for existing customers, growth in home and business smart technology and higher Internet margins. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 28.5% compared with 30.4% in the prior-year quarter. Capital expenditures were up 0.4% year over year to C$471 million.



Other Details



Overall EBITDA was C$1,409 million, up 2.2% year over year. This reflects growth in wireline data service margins and an increased EBITDA contribution from TELUS International customer care as well as higher wireless network revenues driven by a growing subscriber base. However, the momentum was partly offset by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly due to the travel restrictions and border closures mandated by various governments. Adjusted EBITDA increased 4.2% year over year to C$1,475 million.



Cash Flow & Liquidity



During the first quarter of 2020, TELUS generated C$1,177 million of cash from operating activities compared with C$790 million in the year-ago quarter. Free cash flow for the same period increased 256.2% year over year to C$545 million. As of Mar 31, 2020, the company had C$1,058 million ($746.5 million) of net cash and temporary investments with C$17,884 million ($12,618.5 million) of long-term debt, compared with the respective tallies of C$535 million and C$17,142 million at the end of the prior quarter.



Guidance Withdrawn



During these unprecedented times, TELUS has experienced incremental demand for some of its products and services due to physical distancing. However, the company is currently unable to predict the full range of positive and negative impacts of the crisis on its business and previously-issued guidance. As a result, TELUS has withdrawn its consolidated financial guidance for 2020. It intends to provide an update on the assumptions and guidance when it reports second quarter results at the end of July.

Conversion rate used:

C$1 = $0.745525 (period average from Jan 1, 2020 to Mar 31, 2020)

C$1 = $0.705574 (as of Mar 31, 2020)

Story continues

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in fresh estimates. The consensus estimate has shifted -10.62% due to these changes.

VGM Scores

At this time, Telus has an average Growth Score of C, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. However, the stock was allocated a grade of B on the value side, putting it in the top 40% for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of C. 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, Telus has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). We expect an above average 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



TELUS Corporation (TU) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky had a phone conversation with Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel on June 5, the presidents press service has reported.

Angela Merkel is a sincere friend of Ukraine. In telephone call we confirmed the necessity of consistent implementation of all the Paris N4 Summit agreements. Their effective fulfillment will pave the way for the summit in Berlin, Zelensky wrote on Twitter.

During the conversation, the leaders of the two countries discussed the restoration of peace in Donbas and, in particular, the results of the working visit of the Ukrainian delegation to Germany on June 2. The interlocutors noted the high level of mutual understanding between the Ukrainian and German sides on key approaches to a peaceful settlement, emphasizing the lack of alternatives to the diplomatic path.

The interlocutors emphasized the need for consistent and strict implementation by the parties involved of all agreements reached during the Paris Summit in the Normandy format.

The Ukrainian side reaffirmed its commitment to maximum coordination of efforts with partners in the peaceful settlement in Donbas - Germany and France. Merkel expressed her support for the changes in the work of the Trilateral Contact Group initiated by Ukraine.

Zelensky informed Merkel of the current security situation in Donbas, emphasizing the problems that need increased attention from our international partners.

A number of issues on the Ukrainian-German bilateral agenda were also discussed, including cooperation between the countries in the field of counteracting the COVID-19 pandemic, and financial and economic relations.

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Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has red-flagged Grasim Industries' proposed caustic soda manufacturing facility near Balabhadrapuram in East Godavari district.

The chief minister said he had extended support to the people against the project while he was in the opposition and the project was then being promoted by KPR Industries.

Just because Grasim took over KPR, what credibility will we have if we clear it now, he pointed out.

To a tyre industry proposal too the chief minister said the environmental issues should be considered.

The chief minister also deferred the clearing of 'tailor-made' incentives of Rs 300 crore recommended by the State Industrial Promotion Committee over and above the incentives extended under the 2015-2020 policy.

Jagan Mohan Reddy referred to the recent LG Polymers gas leak in Visakhapatnam and said no one had a clue how styrene would react in certain conditions and the damage it could lead to. He wanted officials to identify clusters and allow industries there depending on the category. He wanted to discourage stand alone proposals wherein the industry acquires land at a place of its choice and then comes to the government for clearances and creation of infrastrcuture.

Suggesting a new process, the chief minister said any application for permitting a new industry should first be vetted by the Pollution Control Board which should tie up with international agencies having domain expertise. Once the PCB clears the proposal, the chief secretary-headed investment promotion committee should hold talks with the promoters and explain the industrial policy.

Depending on the investment ability and credibility of the promoters, the proposal should be referred to the chief minister-headed SIPB for final nod. All the clearances would be issued under the single window system and government would continue to hand hold the promoter on long term basis, he said.
Evolution in customers buying experience has changed, and brands need to make more of an effort to go to their clients and be present where they currently shop and find inspiration. E-commerce transactions have surged spectacularly due to the lockdown imposed by the health crisis. In response to the current e-commerce boom Ulysse Nardin is using its agility to accelerate its digitalization process, moving forward the launch of its new e-commerce website to the 3rd of June. Launching e-commerce is crucial nowadays, however one should have a strong yet balanced omni-channel strategy to meet the expectations of younger clients and to continue inspiring them to engage with the brand  it has been predicted that by 2025, Millennial and Gen-Z consumers will represent nearly half the audience for luxury goods . To mark the occasion of the e-commerce launch, Ulysse Nardin lovers will have the unique and Xclusive opportunity to buy the DIVER X NEMO POINT available exclusively online for the entire month of June.

Diver X Nemo Point  Ulysse Nardin

Selling online comes as a natural course in our desire of rejuvenating the brand image, explains Francoise Bezzola, Chief Marketing Officer at Ulysse Nardin. With an increasing visual identity for the last two years, followed by the implementation of new boutique concepts in Geneva, Shanghai, Dubai and Beijing, e-commerce was evident and the next logical step. Today, we Xplore a new digital path. However, it is crucial to do it in a good cooperation with the traditional multi-brand retail network, to make the online experience as seamless as possible and also do it by offering exclusive products whose rarity will justify the online purchase. she concludes.

Diver X Nemo Point  Ulysse Nardin

This novelty is perfectly in-line with the brands strategy, which is mainly relying on its distribution network. Although not all the Haute Horlogerie brands opt for e-commerce  less than 5% of the hard luxury market (timeless items as jewelry and watches) is presently online  Ulysse Nardin seeks this opportunity as an advantage even for its retailers. Moreover, analysts from Vontobel Bank have predicted that 20% of hard luxury sales could be executed online by as early as 2025.

 Ulysse Nardin

E-commerce will not cannibalize sales in brick-and-mortar stores," explains Stephane Carlier, Chief Digital Officer of Ulysse Nardin. "On the contrary, we see it as a first approach to final customers, an additional factor that will generate more drive to store, to both retailers shops and Ulysse Nardin boutiques, for a personalized advice. E-commerce is also a step forward to helping our retailers increase their notoriety.
Kerry Anne and Michael Gordon came out to show their support for Black Lives Matter and the protest over the death of George Floyd on their wedding day along 16th Street and Benjamin Parkway on Saturday June 6, 2020. Read more

The protest along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway briefly turned into a wedding party Saturday afternoon, as Kerry Anne and Michael Gordon joined the march on their wedding day.

The newlyweds exited the Logan Hotel in their wedding attire, to a roar of applause and cheers from the crowd marching from the Philadelphia Museum of Art to City Hall.

The crowd parted for the couple, who held hands and kissed in the middle of the street.

It was a large wedding party for the Gordons. They celebrated against the backdrop of thousands of protesters who marched on the eighth day of protests in Philadelphia.
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme aims to provide income support to farmers for easing their liquidity needs to facilitate timely access to inputs. This study, based on 1,406 farmers of Uttar Pradesh, uses a binary choice model to examine the targeting accuracy and correlates of the spending pattern of farmers. Triple difference with matching estimators is used to identify the differential impact of the scheme on the Krishi Vigyan Kendra beneficiaries. Results show that the scheme reached one-third farmers in the first three months of its implementation, and has significantly helped those who are relatively more dependent on agriculture and have poor access to credit. Moreover, the scheme has significantly stimulated the Krishi Vigyan Kendra's impact on the adoption of modern cultivars.

Adoption of modern technologies is one of the most promising strategies to increase farm incomes. Among the constraints in technology adoption, the most prominent ones are the lack of information and credit (Varshney et al 2019). Banerjee et al (2017) also show that access to formal credit significantly increased the investment in existing small businesses. In India, more than half of the farming households do not have access to formal credit. In such a situation, the introduction of a cash transfer scheme, namely the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) in December 2018, to ease liquidity constraints of farmers for procuring inputs, is quite salient. While the scheme is pitched as a general cash transfer scheme for the farmers, its role in the adoption of modern technologies remains an important research question that this paper addresses.

In general, the effects of cash transfers are well analysed on outcomes such as household consumption, educational attainment, and health (Gertler 2004; Fiszbein and Schady 2009; Adato and Bassett 2009). However, the impacts of cash transfers on the agriculture sector are comparatively less studied, including, importantly, its impact on technology adoption (examples include Sadoulet et al 2001; Gertler et al 2012; Haushofer and Shapiro 2016; Tirivayi et al 2016). In this context, PM-Kisan presents a natural experiment to assess the effects of cash transfers. For any intervention to provide long-term impacts, there must be some investments in productive activity. In this context, Gertler et al (2012) and Handa et al (2018) show that a small monthly cash transfers may lead to increased consumption, even after beneficiaries left the programme. Haushofer and Shapiro (2016) show that a large unconditional transfer to poor households may increase future earnings by encouraging investments in livestock. Sadoulet et al (2001) show the multiplier effect of cash transfers.1 All these studies point towards a productive investment in the short run leading to sustained long-term impacts. How does PM-KISAN fare in this context?
IPv4 Connect It is always nice to partner with a company such as Indatel. They have a great reputation among industry peers, and we look forward to working with them - Jake Brander, President

Brander Group Inc. joins the strategic affiliate partnership program with INDATEL. Their group members part have relied on Brander Group to buy IP address blocks across the United States for the past few years. As local regional internet services providers continue to expand their internet services, the need for IPv4 addresses becomes an integral part of their core network infrastructure.

Over the years, Brander Group has build partnerships with global Internet Services Providers, telecommunication companies, hosting providers, and large enterprises, which gives them insights and access to IPv4 blocks in ARIN, RIPE and APNIC. They developed a unique approach to find un-routed IPv4 blocks around the world, and then help bring them to market

The knowledgeable team at Brander Group works with policy makers from ARIN, RIPE and APNIC registries to keep up with IPv4 transfer updates, changes, market dynamics and potential issues to ensure the clients have smooth transfers of IPv4 subnets in every transaction. They implement best practices and strict IPv4 transfer guidelines that allow them to scale and handle the growing demands for selling and buying IPv4 address space in a global marketplace.

One of the most unique and important services Brander Group offers is a detailed blacklist report and cleanup on every IPv4 address block. This is especially important for companies who use these IP address for business, email and security.

Through their fully managed service offering, Brander Group assist their clients in navigating the complexities of pre-approvals, legal queries, and general transfer process questions.

They also launched an informational marketplace called IPv4Connect to help users seamlessly buy IP address ranging from a /24 up to a /16 block in ARIN, RIPE and APNIC. You can register for free and browse IPv4 addresses http://www.ipv4connect.com

About Brander Group

Brander Group has been in the data center, network and telecom industry for over 12 years. The company leverages its buying power and relationships to offer the best rates on global WAN, dedicated internet, cloud, and IPv4 allocations. Brander Groups portfolio includes over 100 global network providers, as well as tier 2s & 3s, regional ILECs, CLECs, and smaller networks for tough to reach markets. Brander Groups client base spans over 50 countries worldwide. They safely process 40  50 IPv4 transfers each month in ARIN, RIPE and APNIC regions for IPv4 address subnets ranging from a /24, all the way up to a /12. They also provide consulting and brokerage services for managed connectivity, colocation, and cloud solutions. As Brander Groups continues to make a positive impact in the IPv4 market, they continue providing IPv4 services and quality experience to every client. Visit http://www.brandergroup.net

About INDATEL Services

As the largest rural-focused carrier in America, INDATEL offers wholesale customers the opportunity to extend their reach into rural America. INDATEL is committed to helping our clients grow, leveraging our robust rural fiberoptic network via 30 state and regional wholesale member-owners and affiliates serving more than 5,000 communities. INDATELs national members represent more than 100,000 fiber optic route miles and 475,000 serviceable buildings. INDATEL and its members serve 1,100 nationwide points of presence representing 700 independent rural telephone providers operating in 47 states. For more information about INDATEL Services
We write as a group of fathers with children, either currently or in the past, in Greenwich schools. We have varied political affiliations, career experiences, and views for the future. In addition to concerns about education for our own children and other children in town, one thing we have in common is that we believe it is in Greenwichs interest to have a strong public school system.

We are concerned about the Board of Estimate and Taxations (BET) poor decision to cut $3 million from the Board of Educations (BOE) 2020-2021 school budget request. In addition to this, there is a $1.5 million budget shortfall due to larger than expected out-of-district special education costs mandated for the upcoming year.

There has been a lot of misleading information presented to attempt to justify this decision. To ensure elected members of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) have all the information, we present the following facts:

Members of town boards claim that Greenwichs economy and revenues will be severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of us has seen clear impacts on our families, our jobs, and even our financial condition. That said, the U.S. unemployment rate released June 5, 2020 was 13.3 percent, far better than the 20 percent doomsday scenario described by some members of the BET, BOE, and RTM. In May, approximately 2.5 million jobs were added  by far the highest one-month gain in history. We also know that in the financial crisis of 2008-2009 that Greenwich collected nearly 99 percent of its anticipated property tax revenue. Further, town revenues for FY 2020 are well ahead of budget and expenses are expected to finish approximately 2 percent behind budget, resulting in millions of surplus income by the end of June. Taking all of these considerations together, plus an influx of new residents, it is reasonable to believe that Greenwichs financial position will be much stronger than presented.

We know from Town Comptroller Peter Mynsarski that the Town of Greenwich currently has a rainy day fund of $63 million that has been set aside for use in a crisis. The BET has proposed using millions of this fund in the coming year to pay for various expenses but is unwilling to give a penny more to the Greenwich Public Schools. As taxpayers who have paid into this rainy day fund, it makes no sense that our public schools, the greatest portion of the town budget, should receive nothing from the rainy day fund. When you consider that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely a short-term crisis and not a prolonged downward slump caused by persistent or irreversible economic trends, using the rainy day fund is even more logical.

The BET has said that it would like to cut the mill rate by 0.79 percent to ease the burden on town property owners. To completely fund the BOEs budget request, which came in within the BETs January 2020 guidelines, it would cost the median Greenwich taxpayer approximately $116 in property taxes in the coming year. By contrast, with only 1,000 school teachers/staff, it would cost each of them considerably more to take a pay freeze, which many of the budget cut proponents are demanding.

Greenwich teachers are relatively well-paid because the cost of living in Greenwich is high and the town is trying to incentivize good teachers from other towns to work here. That said, even at current salary levels, no teacher in Greenwich is able to afford anything more than a very modest home in town. Compared to nearby Westchester towns with a similar high cost of living, Greenwichs teacher pay scale is lower.

Some members of the BET and RTM have produced misleading information that neighboring peer towns have also cut their school budgets as a result of COVID-19. While many towns have adjusted their original budget requests, we know from town documents that Darien, Westport, Fairfield, and New Canaan have all decided to increase their operating school budgets year-over-year. Specifically, when health benefit costs are removed from other town budgets, each of those towns are increasing their budget for FY 2021 by 2-3 percent. Removing health benefit costs highlights the portion of funding that will impact the quality and level of school services and programs. Greenwich is the lone town among its peers that is not doing so.

For the past decade, Greenwich has followed a rigid guideline of 2 percent increases in school funding per year. Other towns, like those above, have approached budget increases with greater agility to maintain a desired level of excellence. Their annual budget increases are often at levels of 3 percent and 4 percent. This disparity means that Greenwich is not keeping pace with fixed costs, contractual obligations, and mandated costs legally obligated through FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education). Further, the 2 percent guideline inhibits proper funding adjustments in the event of student population growth. It shows why our public schools are no longer first in the state and is one of the major reasons the BETs decision this year is so controversial. Other towns realize that properly investing in public education is a strategic, competitive imperative and has a direct impact on property values. So should Greenwich.

Maintaining a level services budget in the coming year would require a 2.62 percent increase to the public schools. The BOE and superintendent already had to find efficiencies, reductions, and deferrals to get to the BETs original guidance of a 2 percent increase for Fiscal Year 2020-2021. For example, Professional Learning and Curriculum Development programs were cut in 2019-2020 and remained cut in the pre-COVID 2020-2021 budget. These types of cuts have been a common occurrence since the rigid 2 percent guidance was implemented and they have compounded for a decade.

From the 2013-2014 school year to the 2017-2018 school year (the most recent data from the Connecticut Department of Education), Greenwichs Per Pupil Expenditures grew by a total of 4 percent while Westport, Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield, Weston, Wilton, and West Hartford grew by 16-22 percent. Greenwichs public schools are falling behind.

In reverting to the previous years budget, the BET ignored best practices for municipal financing. According to the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), across the board cuts are considered near term tactics that require extreme caution. The BET did not bother with many of the primary near term tactics or best practices suggested by the GFOA.

Taken in total, it makes no sense to us that Greenwich should be placing such an onerous burden on our public schools. Our children are the ones who will pay for it  and the BET will own any resulting education, public health, economic, and property value impacts of this poor decision.

We strongly urge the RTM to support the Education Committees SOMR. As we all know, the schools are going to be required to do much more in the coming year. There are clear economic and social benefits of investing in our childrens education and we encourage you to do what is in the best interest of our town.

Frank Altomaro, Michael Bodson, Kevin Dolan, George Dutile, Joe Femenia, Jeffrey Goldberger, Scott Griffith, Stephen Kampf, Marko Kostovic, Ante Kusurin, Ed Lerum, Michael McMahon, Matthew Maciejewski, Edward Mendelsohn, Robert Nizielski, Thomas OConnor, Duke Perrucci, Mark Ranta, Andrew Reid, Stefan Savov, Torsten Sippel, Marc Staal, Tom Tidgwell, David Ward, James Waters and Wayne Yu.
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the Upper East Region have called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to suspend the compilation of the new voters register until all residents in the Region get the Ghana Card and other documents to enable them register.



The CSOs include the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA), the Women and Orphans Movement (WOM), the Development Research and Advocacy Centre (DRAC), the Bolgatanga, Nabdam, Bongo, and Tongo (BONABOTO), the Witty Minds Foundation (WMF) and TEERE.



The CSOs made the call at a joint press conference on the compilation of a new voters register in Bolgatanga addressed by Mr Bismark Adongo Ayorogo, the Executive Director of NORPRA.



Our position is very simple; the Electoral Commission (EC) must suspend the compilation of the Register till all citizens especially the good people of Upper East Region have, in our hands, the Ghana Cards and probably the Passports to enable us register for the new Voter Card without having the trouble and frustration of going round to find people to vouch for us in the registration process.



They said, Credible and verifiable source of data, facts and figures suggests that the development of the Upper East Region and Northern Ghana will be greatly compromised, disadvantaged and short-changed by the planned actions of the EC should the voter population of an area at any point in time become the basis, criteria and determining factor for national resource allocation, political appointments, creation of additional polling stations, constituencies, districts and regions by any government or policy maker.



They said the total population of the Upper East Region aged 18 and above as at May 2020, according to estimated and projected figures from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) stood at 721,702.



Also, a source from the National Identification Authority (NIA) indicates that, in the Upper East Region, a total of 220,000 people were registered for the Ghana Card of which only 13,200 representing just six percent had their cards issued to them, they said.



The CSOs expressed worry that in spite of the frustrations and stressful conditions under which the 220,000 residents went through to register for the Ghana Card, just a small percentage of the people were issued with the cards.



Equally important to note is that persons whose ages were between 15 and 17 also registered for the Ghana Card, this therefore points out clearly that those with the Ghana Card and are eligible to register and vote are currently less than the 13,200 holders of Ghana Card in the region.



This, makes it abundantly clear that more than 695,291 people will have very serious challenges getting to register for the new Voter Card to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to vote.



The CSOs, therefore, called on the EC to suspend the compilation of the new voters register for all citizens in the Region to get the Ghana Cards from NIA for the registration.



They assured the EC that CSOs would not allow it to engage in actions detrimental to their political, social and economic well-being through actions of systemic exclusions and marginalization of the Region.



We will not hesitate to embark on series of constitutionally guaranteed and democratically supported civil actions including public protest if the EC fails to listen to the voices of the ordinary citizens from the Upper East Region, they said.

Source: GNA









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WASHINGTON  In 1967, the nation was consumed in protests over racism and police brutality, and Sen. Fred Harris watched from Washington, D.C., as Newark, N.J., and Detroit burned.

Despite that painful history, the retired 89-year-old, a Democrat who represented Oklahoma, is hopeful. As the last living member of a famous commission on the civil unrest of 1967, he believes that todays protests are indicative of a broader awareness in American society and could finally lead to lasting improvement in race relations.

These protests are larger, Harris told Yahoo News from his home in New Mexico, where he has lived for decades, having until recently served as a political science professor at the states flagship university. They are more widespread, theyre multiracial, theyre longer-lasting. He adds that in comparison to 1967, there is less violence  though too much of it.

What is commonly known as the long, hot summer of 1967 saw African-American communities across the nation explode in anger over police brutality, lack of job opportunity and other forms of discrimination. By summers end, there had been a total of 164 disturbances so far that year. While the causes were disparate, they broadly expressed disenchantment on the part of African-Americans about what they could expect from society at large.

President Lyndon Johnson was personally stung and stunned by the civil unrest, which he saw as a rebuke of his own efforts at racial equality. Early in his presidency, he had signed the Voting Rights and Civil Rights acts, both landmark achievements. But there were, it was evident, problems that the legislation could not fix.

On July 27, 1967, Johnson appointed the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, to be led by Gov. Otto Kerner Jr. of Illinois and Mayor John Lindsay of New York. There were 12 members, from NAACP head Roy Wilkins to Atlanta Police Chief Herbert Jenkins.

Then-Sen. Fred Harris and fires caused by race riots in downtown Detroit in July 1967. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: AP)

Eleven of them have died. Harris alone remains.

Story continues

And now the country is burning again. Im sick at heart and grief-stricken and mad as hell, Harris says of the protests that have followed the May 25 killing of unarmed black civilian George Floyd by several white police officers in Minneapolis.

The committee appointed in 1967 is generally known by its chairmans name, but Kerner was not among its central figures. Much of the work was done by Harris, the son of white sharecroppers who was then serving as a liberal senator from Oklahoma, and Lindsay, the photogenic mayor who entertained presidential dreams. (Though a Republican, Lindsay would be a progressive by todays standards; he eventually switched parties.)

The report published in 1968 by the Kerner Commission remains one of the most prescient documents in recent American history, an indictment of discrimination and injustice that remains true for many Americans today, especially for those who are neither white nor well-off. With remarkable bluntness, the document places the plight of black Americans at the feet of their white counterparts.

Decades before demonstrators filled streets in New York City and Washington, D.C., with placards decrying white silence, the Kerner Report warned that racism had created in the inner cities a destructive environment totally unknown to most white Americans.

The historian Stephen Gillon, who wrote a book on the Kerner Commission, called its report the last full-throated declaration that the federal government should play a leading role in solving deeply embedded problems such as racism and poverty.

Indeed, the reports language  at times aspirational, but not infrequently confrontational  is almost difficult to fathom for anyone accustomed to the careful bureaucratese of federal documents.

Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white  separate and unequal, the reports widely cited introduction says. That same introduction urges the U.S. to turn with all the purpose at our command to the major unfinished business of this nation.

The report was a survey of the 23 cities that had undergone convulsions of violence months before. Police brutality was at the center of many of the conflagrations, as it has been today in Minneapolis and many other places before that.

Police officers wearing riot helmets and carrying batons arrest rioters in Roxbury, Mass., on June 1, 1967. (Bob Dean/Boston Globe via Getty Images)

With a sensitivity that seems striking, the report warns of the suspicion with which many African-Americans viewed law enforcement. The police are not merely a spark factor, the Kerner Commission warned. To some Negroes police have come to symbolize white power, white racism and white repression.

Members of the commission toured the cities devastated by civil unrest. They came away with conclusions that were nuanced and, at times, counterintuitive. What the rioters appeared to be seeking was fuller participation in the social order and the material benefits enjoyed by the majority of American citizens, the report says at one point. Rather than rejecting the American system, they were anxious to obtain a place for themselves in it.

Throughout, a sense of two separate nations uneasily coexisting within the same border pervades. That divide remains all too real for many. Some observers in recent days have highlighted a double standard in how President Trump praised the armed right-wing (and almost uniformly white) protesters demonstrating against coronavirus lockdown restrictions but condemned the Floyd protesters as thugs. That disparity led Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell to conclude in a recent piece that there is the white America, where citizens can expect to be served and protected  and the black America, where they cant.

That brought her to where Harris and his Kerner peers have been since 1968, lamenting racial divisions that demand reconciliation.

The difference, Harris says, is in the awareness of the public at large. The Kerner Report makes clear that most white Americans did not know what life was like in the inner cities  and hence could not understand the reasons behind the protests.

The prescience of the Kerner Report has continued to haunt sociologists and political scientists who worry that we have forgotten it, to our detriment. The 1968 Kerner Commission Got It Right, But Nobody Listened went the headline of a Smithsonian Magazine story by historian Alice George published two years ago.

President Lyndon Johnson speaks to members of his advisory commission on civil disorders at the group's first meeting on July 29, 1967, with Gov. Otto Kerner Jr. of Illinois, left, the chairman of the group, and Mayor John Lindsay of New York, vice chairman. (AP)

Princeton political scientist Julian Zelizer turned to the Kerner Report after the killings by white police officers of several black men, including Eric Garner in New York City and Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. I honestly had not read it closely in a while, Zelizer told Yahoo News.

It holds, he said of the 52-year-old report. Zelizer was especially struck by its frank addressing of white racism as a cause of the unrest.

Conservative critics say that both Johnsons Great Society and the Kerner Commission called for too much federal spending and government control.

Politically, the unrest of the late 1960s proved a boon for Richard Nixon, who appealed to white Americans terrified by the images of burning cities. Just as we cannot have progress without order, we cannot have order without progress, he said as he accepted the Republican nomination for the presidency in 1968.

Trump has made the same point with less nuance, sending tweets that say simply LAW & ORDER and SILENT MAJORITY, the latter a widely given name to the white supporters who propelled Nixon into the White House in 1968.

Then, as now, some wanted to portray the unrest as the work of opportunistic looters, dismissing the concerns of African-Americans who saw themselves as victims of systemic racism and excessive police force. Harris was not among the skeptics then, and he is not among the skeptics today.

We dont need to militarize, he says. We need to communitize.

Princetons Zelizer thinks the Nixon playbook will be difficult for Trump to execute, since he is the incumbent, whereas Nixon was running against eight years of Democratic rule. Hes the one in charge, he told Yahoo News. The breakdown in order, the chaos, work against him. Then again, he believes that Trump could reenergize and solidify his base, which is made up of nonurban white voters more likely than other groups to view the ongoing protests with suspicion.

Even as others have either forgotten the Kerner Commission Report or dismissed its idealistic conclusions, Harris has spent decades insisting that both the diagnosis it delivered and the cures it proposed remain relevant, especially since racial strife and inequality remain persistent.

He says the progress of the 1960s stopped  and then reversed, largely as the work of a conservative movement invigorated by the ascendancy of Ronald Reagan.

Though Zelizer deplores the violence on display nightly on television screens, he says it is hardly the main thrust of todays protests, praising the passion and determination of the people gathering before the White House, across New York City and in many other cities.

Demonstrators in Washington, D.C., vandalize a car on May 31 as they protest the death of George Floyd. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Whether that determination translates into anything lasting remains to be seen.

Weve studied this problem to death, Harris says. We know what needs to be done.

The solutions he lists, including fair housing, incoming equality and urgent improvement of schools, are all Great Society proposals. They have been roundly rejected by generations of conservatives, as well as some next-generation liberals. At the same time, a younger generation of progressives appears to embrace these abandoned solutions of yesteryear.

People want to do this, he says. People are far ahead of politicians.

Such reforms cannot wait, Harris believes, because the fire next time could be all-consuming. He urges people to stay mad as hell and, when the time comes in November, take part in the democratic process and vote.

This may be our last chance, he warns.

Fred Harris in 2016. (Morgan Lee/AP)

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
In the aftermath of last Octobers federal election, in which voters rejected Liberal candidates across a 1,800-kilometre expanse of Western Canada, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney commissioned a fair-deal panel to capitalize on his provinces desire to cut ties to Ottawa.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In the aftermath of last Octobers federal election, in which voters rejected Liberal candidates across a 1,800-kilometre expanse of Western Canada, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney commissioned a "fair-deal panel" to capitalize on his provinces desire to cut ties to Ottawa.

But when the report was finished last month, Kenney shelved it. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Alberta is relying heavily on federal funds to survive the economic fallout  including the subsidized staff in his own political party.

JASON FRANSON / THE CANADIAN PRESS Last month Alberta Premier Jason Kenney shelved a report that explored ways the province could cut ties to Ottawa.

Its a role reversal few would have predicted eight months ago, when Alberta and Saskatchewan bled Tory blue and stoked Wexit flames, and Manitobans cut their Liberal representation in half.

"All the pressures in the fall are still there  and, in fact, may have gotten significantly worse," says Jim Farney, the head of political studies at the University of Regina.

"We may just be accumulating federal-provincial tensions, and once were through the initial emergency phase, those will start to come to the surface."

POSTMEDIA FILES The concept of Western alienation was coined in the 1980s, when former prime minister Pierre Trudeaus National Energy Program directed Albertas oil wealth to Ottawa.

Western alienation has been around for decades. The concept was coined in the 1980s, when former prime minister Pierre Trudeaus National Energy Program directed Albertas oil wealth to Ottawa.

Jared Wesley, a political scientist at the University of Alberta, says the province has long felt held back by Ottawa. But his polling shows a shift, from feeling like a better province deprived of its full potential, to one quickly losing its status.

"There is now an external threat to Albertas economic psyche in the face of the global environmentalist moment," he says.

The surveys show that sentiment only differs by political party  the feelings dont change much by ethnicity, age or gender.

"Even among people in the far left, theres a feeling that Alberta is not being fairly treated, or that theyre falling behind," Wesley says.

With similar feelings in Saskatchewan, Premier Scott Moe has blasted federal environmental regulations and the health-transfer formula, using the motto of "standing up for Saskatchewan."

Meanwhile, Premier Brian Pallister positioned himself as a bridge between Trudeau and the simmering anger across the Prairies.

Even among people in the far left, theres a feeling that Alberta is not being fairly treated, or that theyre falling behind.  Political scientist Jared Wesley

"Western Canada is hurting. The federal governments economic, energy and environmental policies have caused todays discord," the premier wrote in an open letter to Trudeau this past winter.

Just as the pandemic hit North America, the Supreme Court was about to hear Alberta and Saskatchewans objections to the federal carbon tax.

By February, anti-pipeline rail blockades were crippling Canadas supply chains. In March, the price of oil tumbled in a dispute between Russian and Saudi Arabia.

"The feeling has always been with this government that Western Canada is kind of left in the dust; we dont seem to be Ottawas No. 1 priority," says farmer Warren McCutcheon, who grows corn near Carman, 70 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg.

"I dont see anything thats really changed or benefited Western Canada, in general."

ADRIAN WYLD / CANADIAN PRESS FILES Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has praised the premiers for taking a Team Canada approach.

From the first week of the pandemic, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has praised the premiers for taking "a Team Canada approach," putting aside political differences to combat the coronavirus.

Since then, theres been virtually no public sparring between Ottawa and the premiers.

Meanwhile, the Liberals have offered support without blasting provinces for shoddy COVID data-reporting and contact tracing.

"No premier wants to pick a fight with the federal government right now," says Duane Bratt, a political science professor at Calgarys Mount Royal University.

He notes Kenneys sudden withdrawal of his "fair-deal" report, after constantly touting his plan to push back on Ottawas treatment of Alberta.

"I think thats a pretty good illustration of where the national-unity battle is. In the midst of COVID, its been put completely on the side," says Bratt.

This has completely changed the nature of politics, in so many ways. But the common theme is further centralization.  Political science professor Duane Bratt

Another example is the Liberals response for the oil-and-gas sector. For weeks, they invited energy companies to put laid-off workers on a general wage subsidy.

Eventually, they carved out a program to pay people to remediate abandoned oil wells, and a large-company loan program that is contingent on reducing carbon emissions.

Bratt was surprised the Alberta government hardly pushed back on the program, which is intended to support oil companies.

And while provinces first reflex is to tell Ottawa to butt out of their jurisdictions, the Liberals push to get provinces to boost paid sick leave hasnt yet prompted strong pushback.

"This has completely changed the nature of politics, in so many ways. But the common theme is further centralization," Bratt says.

JEFF MCINTOSH / CANADIAN PRESS FILES The Liberals carved out a program to pay people to remediate abandoned oil wells.

Kelly Saunders, a political scientist at Brandon University, says the pandemic has revealed the importance and general function of Canadian federalism.

"Before, they were all just taking potshots; it was always doom and gloom," she says. "And lets face it, the dialogue was horrific in intergovernmental relations. I think weve turned a corner on that."

Despite thousands of coronavirus deaths and Ottawas apparent lack of pandemic preparedness, the collaboration with provincial governments offers a stark comparison to American governors fighting with the president to obtain medical supplies.

Its no coincidence the United States has seen more deaths, Saunders says.

"Were able to work together better and more functionally and respectfully than we gave ourselves credit for," she says.

ADRIAN WYLD / CANADIAN PRESS FILES Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has positioned the federal government as a benevolent provider of resources for testing, contact tracing and reopening, but left provinces to control when and how to undertake those measures.

The collaborative spirit is, however, unlikely to last.

"People rally together in the earlier part of crises," Wesley says. "Were about to enter, Id argue, into the second phase of the crisis, where the patriotism will start to die off and people start to look locally."

He expects western grievances will mount if premiers manage to successfully pin economic problems on Ottawa.

That might be tricky.

The premiers declined to cede powers to Ottawa under the federal Emergencies Act. Instead, Trudeau has positioned the federal government as a benevolent provider of resources for testing, contact tracing and reopening, but left provinces to control when and how to undertake those measures.

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister is taking a different approach, slashing spending.

That leaves missteps largely at the feet of the premiers, such as an unforeseen second wave or a reopening that comes too late for particular industries.

"The ultimate responsibility for it falls to the provincial governments," Wesley says.

ven without a blame game, he predicts a clash between Ottawa and the Prairie premiers, who are already leaning toward belt-tightening.

In the 1990s, Jean Chretiens Liberal government imposed conditions on health and social programs that forced provinces, who held more cash than Ottawa, to share expenses.

This time around, Ottawa can borrow more easily than provinces, and the minority Liberals are relying on support from parties that pushed them to open the taps.

The Manitoba and Alberta premiers are taking a different approach, slashing spending. Thats despite lagging approval ratings over the course of the pandemic.

"They seem hell-bent on using COIVD as a pretext for even deeper cuts and more dramatic austerity," Wesley says.

For weeks, Conservative MPs have donned face masks and flown to Ottawa for the bare-bones committee meetings being held in the House of Commons.

The other parties have overwhelmingly relied on Ontario and Quebec MPs driving in for those sessions, and let other MPs tune in through videoconferencing.

But the Tories feel western MPs arent actually heard when they speak through the Zoom app, especially with so few Prairie voices in the government.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS "Ive been doing what I can virtually, both for Manitoba and the North. These are tough times for a politician," Dan Vandal said.

Last fall, Trudeau had his deputy Freeland focus on the west. Winnipeg MP Jim Carr had served as minister of natural resources and then minister of international trade diversification in Trudeaus first cabinet, but was diagnosed with a blood cancer the day after last Octobers election. Trudeau named him special cabinet adviser for the Prairies.

Carrs office said he was not well enough for an interview this week.

Trudeau named Winnipeg MP Dan Vandal northern affairs minister last fall. His focus has largely surrounded co-ordinating Ottawas pandemic response with Inuit and territorial leaders.

Conservative MP Candice Bergen wishes Carr a speedy recovery, but says he and Vandal havent been visible.

"They have been very quiet, and it is indicative of Trudeaus approach to Manitoba and Western Canada overall; hes just basically dismissed us and written us off," the Portage-Lisgar MP says, arguing it echoes Pierre Trudeaus legacy of sidelining the Prairies.

ADRIAN WYLD / CANADIAN PRESS FILES "We havent even seen or heard from Dan Vandal; I havent heard a peep from him through all of this," Conservative MP Candice Bergen said.

"We havent even seen or heard from Dan Vandal; I havent heard a peep from him through all of this."

Vandal disagrees.

"Thats completely unfair," he says, arguing he, Bergen and all MPs have been hunkered down at home, doing their jobs as much as they can online.

"Ive been doing what I can virtually, both for Manitoba and the North. These are tough times for a politician."

He says the cabinet talks about the Prairie energy sector almost every time they meet, once or twice a week.

He said hes regularly speaking with city officials, provincial ministers, both chambers of commerce and urban Indigenous groups, all to make sure Winnipeg gets a fair cut of the federal spending bonanza.

In the six months since he was appointed to cabinet, Ottawa has lurched from the Iran plane crash to rail blockades to the pandemic; Vandal pines for normal days.

"There really hasnt been any time for the government to implement the agenda that Canadians elected us on," he says.

"We are definitely still in the COVID crisis."

AMBER BRACKEN / THE CANADIAN PRESS Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage was criticized for suggesting pipeline-construction companies take advantage of the pandemics cap on protesters.

Albertas energy minister Sonya Savage was mocked last month for suggesting pipeline-construction companies take advantage of the pandemic by limiting protesters from gathering.

Irrespective of Albertas chest-thumping for the oilsands, the province has slowly been shifting toward a greener economy.

Just in February, Kenney made waves when he used the phrase "energy transition" in a speech in Washington, acknowledging one day tapping "the last barrel."

"Its the first time Id heard the premier signal that we are in an energy transition," says Gary Mar, president of the Canada West Foundation, who has spent decades overseeing Albertas energy industry.

His non-partisan group advocates for the four western provinces. Under COVID-19, thats meant pushing for the pipelines needed in the immediate term while buttressing a gradual, long-term transition away from oil.

That means projects such as converting abandoned wells into geothermal plants and lithium mines.

Small towns across the Prairies are already making that shift.

Its the first time Id heard the premier (Jason Kenny) signal that we are in an energy transition.  President of the Canada West Foundation Gary Mar

"Albertas having a tough time in terms of just everything thats going on," says Chris Warwick, mayor of Hanna, Alta.

The nearby coal mine is shutting down, and its processing plant is switching to natural gas as a result of the provinces carbon-reduction strategy.

After layoffs and tumbling house prices, the town of 2,500 is pivoting to agriculture, while downsizing retirees are buying cheap houses.

Echoing Mar, Warwick feels Albertas tumbling oil prices has evaporated the cash needed to bankroll a wider shift.

"Its put the province in a tough space, because you dont have the funding to transition yourself from an energy-dependent province to whats next," Warwick says.

JEFF MCINTOSH / CANADIAN PRESS FILES The coal mine near Hanna, Alta is shutting down.

At the start of the pandemic, North American demand for oil dropped to an amount the industry had forecasted for 2050.

"That reduction in demand happened not over three decades, it happened over three weeks," Mar says.

Eco-conscious MPs have argued that now is the time to let the oilsands die, but Mar says that would cut off the main income source for Quebec iron mines, Ontario steel plants and workers from across Canada.

Farney fears a generation of massive youth unemployment similar to Greece and Spain during the Eurozone debt crisis. He says theres still an expectation that someone without a college degree can get a six-figure salary driving a bulldozer.

"Somebody needs to tell (them) that dream is dead. And I havent seen anybody step up to the plate," he says.

"Were going to have  especially in Western Canada  a generation of angry young people whose careers and lives have been interrupted. And were only going to see the implications of that in the next couple of years," he says.

"Thats going to be a really dramatic shock."

In the wake of Aprils mass shooting in Nova Scotia, the Liberals proceeded with banning firearms, a move popular in Quebec and large cities, but one that left mostly rural gun owners wondering about compensation.

Meanwhile, Ottawa still doesnt have a strategy for the rise in rural crime nor Winnipegs ongoing meth crisis, both of which were the subject of parliamentary hearings last spring.

Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said last month she needs farmers to apply for aid programs in order to get her colleagues on board with putting up more funding for the industry, which sits outside the Liberals urban base.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Farmer Warren McCutcheon says Western Canada continues to not be a priority for Ottawa.

From his corn farm, McCutcheon argues thats a circular argument from a Quebec minister, instead of looking at why programs designed decades ago arent working during the pandemic.

"Were an integral part of this country," he says.

This week, the Liberals blew their deadline for an action plan within a year of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, a tragic situation that disproportionately occurs in Western Canada.

"Im sure there are lots of issues that are going by the wayside," Bratt says, noting the re-emergence of the Bloc Quebecois has put that province at the top of Trudeaus mind.

Last month, Trudeau never even mentioned Manitobas 150th anniversary, either in a spoken or written statement.

"Normally, Trudeaus pretty good at the symbolic stuff. So to have missed that shows whats happening  if its not COVID-related, its not getting on (his) agenda."

FREE PRESS FILES Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said last month she needs farmers to apply for aid programs in order to get her colleagues on board with putting up more funding for the industry, which sits outside the Liberals urban base.

Meanwhile, the ongoing federal Conservative leadership race has no westerners in its lacklustre contest.

Loleen Berdahl, political-studies head at the University of Saskatchewan, says western premiers have become the prominent voices for Canadians who disagree with Trudeaus agenda.

"The real wild card is this Conservative leadership race," Berdahl says. "Will this mean that well see a more energized (federal) opposition, or not?"

If so, the minority Liberals could call an autumn election, on the basis that Canadians should choose whod be best to steer them through an economic recovery.

Bratt notes that Western Canada and the Maritimes have largely contained the virus, but face a more dire economic recovery than Ontario and Quebec. He said its important for the cabinet to understand that difference.

"Regional ministers explain how the impact is hitting different parts of the country in different ways," he says, noting that questions at Trudeaus daily press briefings focus heavily on the ongoing crises in Montreal and Ontario.

SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Trudeau and the minority Liberals could call an autumn election, on the basis that Canadians should choose who would be best to steer them through an economic recovery.

Ministers from British Columbia make brief appearances for their relevant files, but "its Trudeaus show; he sets the agenda every morning," Bratt says.

The Prairies come up when First Nations push ahead with powwows and sun dances, with the Trudeau government siding against premiers urging Indigenous groups to scale down events that exceed public-health orders.

Farney predicts more tension with the West is around the corner.

"All those flashpoints are still there. I think the bickerings been put on hold because of the crisis. But I get the sense that its kind of returning to normal," he says.

Yet Saunders is optimistic the premiers co-operation with Trudeau could carry through to figuring out the future of the energy industry and the issues that drive western alienation.

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"Its been a good time for us take a deep breath; to pause and reflect, and maybe find ways of engaging with each other  as provinces and the federal government, across partisan lines and with the private and public sector."

Back in small-town Alberta, Warwick says his province needs Canadians to focus on their common ground.

"Its never been an us-and-them thing," he says.

"This is one nation, and when one province succeeds, we all succeed."

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
New moderate income housing program could be on the way to Long Beach
Psycho Yoga Instructor (Lifetime at 8) Justine is unhappy with her life and her marriage when a handsome yoga instructor enters the picture and seems like he may turn things around. That is, until hes revealed as a sociopath whom she must escape from.
City officials are reviewing the lessons learned after last-minute signs and an intimidating letter failed to stop about 400 people from gathering at Cannon Park on Saturday for a peaceful protest of the nations immigration policies.

The signs posted that morning at the park stated that any gathering of more than 50 people would require a permit, which had not been granted, and that violators could be charged with a crime.

Also, an organizer of the event received a letter from the city attorneys office stating that she could be fined up to $1,000, imprisoned up to six months, and financially responsible for city expenses as a result of the event, including the costs of additional police officers alone (that) may be in excess of $15,000.

City officials downplayed the signs and letter on Monday, saying they were only precautions.

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Nobody is going to get a bill, said Police Chief Neil Gallucci. The letter wasnt meant to be a threat or convey a threat. Its really just to inform people and ensure its a safe event.

This is the first one of these weve had in our city, he said.

Obtaining a permit for a special event normally takes about 90 days, he said. That allows time to set up traffic control measures, arrange for additional security, check for conflicts with other events and evaluate other potential resources that might be needed. There is a provision in the municipal code for spontaneous demonstrations, but those must be fewer than 50 people.

Tensions flared as police posted signs around Cannon Park threatening to arrest anyone who participated in a rally.

Political protests can grow and spread quickly in the age of the internet, leaving cities like Carlsbad unprepared.

This is sort of a new phenomenon we are experiencing because of the evolution of politics in our country, Gallucci said. Our goal is to protect peoples (First Amendment) rights as best we can, but also to protect public safety.

Cannon is a small, grassy park with no off-street parking near the beach at the northeast corner of the busy Carlsbad Boulevard and Cannon Road intersection. Its often used for childrens birthday parties and other small, private celebrations.

The event also was the first of its kind for organizer Robin Mastro, a Carlsbad resident who said she was shocked to get the letter from the city.

They need to be a little more flexible with this, Mastro said Monday.

People want to come together so that they can have a voice, she said. There are people suffering at the border. Im just a concerned citizen who wants to get involved.

More than 700 people had signed up online to attend the event, she said. Some of them, including musicians and speakers, saw the signs and left before it began.

It turned out alright, given the limitations they had on us, she said. For the people who came and stayed, it was successful for them.

She learned there was no permit when she took over the event at the eleventh hour after someone else backed out, Mastro said.

She and her husband had met with police multiple times last week trying to work out the permit and the plans, she said. Several locations were considered for the demonstration, which originally was to include a march.

She even attempted to cancel the event after arriving Saturday morning and seeing all the signs and police, she said. However, the demonstrators refused to leave, and others stepped forward to organize the event and keep it peaceful.

As the host, I would like to thank the police for their compassionate cooperation, Mastro said in a written statement she released Monday afternoon. They were very helpful.

Mastro said she and some of the other event organizers have contacted Carlsbad City Council member Cori Schumacher, and they plan to request a change in the permit application process at the July 10 council meeting.

As it is now, it is onerous and burdensome and does not encourage people to exercise their constitutional rights in the current climate where news is changing so quickly, Mastro said.

The event remained lawful despite the confusion caused by the signs.

Some people took it to mean we were trying to shut down the event, and that was not the case, said Kristina Ray, the citys communications officer. She called it a lesson learned for the city.

If we put up a sign in the future, we would make it clear that we support the publics right to free speech and assembly, she said.

Multiple demonstrations, some involving thousands of people, have been held over the last several weekends in larger cities across the United States against President Trumps immigration policies.

philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @phildiehl
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., June 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Many states are opening up after the Covid-19 shutdown, companies are starting to get employees back to work, but with opening, there are rules around bringing employees back.

As an example, Michigan Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, recently sent an order, Executive Order 2020-97, to all business owners in Michigan. Included in this order is the following:

Contact Tracing and Social Distancing technology to bring employees back to a safe working environment.

Provide COVID-19 training to employees that covers, at a minimum:

1. Workplace infection-control practices

2. The proper use of personal protective equipment

3. Steps the employee must take to notify the business or operation of any symptoms of COVID-19 or a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19

4. How to report unsafe working conditions

The above includes a lot of work for both company and employee. Tools to help with these needs include:

Self-declaration  a set of questions or PPE needs required to be answered daily as employees enter the building

Contact Tracing  tracing contact of employees breaking the 6-foot proximity recommendation by CDC over a period of time

Social Distancing  ability to track and warn employees when approaching or breaking the 6-foot proximity of another employee.

Data Collection  collecting data on contacts, to determine which employees have symptoms or test positive, and a way to inform employees they are exposed and what to do.

From the CDC website

"Adoption and evaluation of digital tools may expand reach and efficacy of contact tracers."

CompanyTRAK is the leading digital solution to help with Self-Declaration, Social Distancing, Contact Tracing and Data Collection. With patent-pending technology including mobile location services, Bluetooth tags and scanners, the solution traces employee interaction within a geofenced building. If an employee has contact within the CDC recommended 6-foot distance, that contact is logged. If employees self-reports as symptomatic or having tested positive, CompanyTRAK notifies an exposure risk to any employee that they have been in contact with over the last 14 days. This minimizes employee risk in the office or facility by understanding who is at risk, symptomatic, or is tested positive. The solution leverages a combination of proprietary mobile technology, web portal and Bluetooth tags to achieve this and be accurate.

"We built CompanyTRAK to help companies bring their employees back to work and provide a safe means of operating their business leveraging technology," said Varchasvi Shankar, President & CEO of CompanyTRAK.

CompanyTRAK includes a daily "Self-Declaration" with customizable questions, a PPE list and temperature input. This helps with understanding which employees are prepared for the day and which should return home or work in other areas.

Data is securely encrypted and available through our CT Portal. This portal enables assigned admins to set-up/geofence locations, manage users, run reports and send out broadcast messages. When an employee is exposed, self-reports as symptomatic or positive, the admin is provided a notification and views all contacts that employee has had since adopting the solution.

CompanyTRAK helps companies bring their employees back safely while meeting regulations now. It includes a mobile app, web portal, and Bluetooth tags and scanners to help quickly and efficiently.

Find out more about CompanyTRAK, send a note to [email protected], or visit www.companytrak.com.

Media Contact: Ray Drzala, [email protected], 248.904.1739

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(Newser)  Florida is trying to get back to some level of normalcy during the coronavirus pandemicand the latest crime report shows it may be doing just that. The Smoking Gun reports that Tanya Cordero, 47, was arrested Monday after an incident in a mobile home in Largo, Fla. Per an arrest affidavit, Cordero and her boyfriend, with whom she shares four children, got into a fight in the home owned by the man's mother. The argument was said to have started when Cordero got miffed that her beau closed a window. That's when, according to investigators, Cordero "smashed hamburger in his face."

story continues below

Cops who questioned Cordero said she denied doing so, but the man "still had hamburger in his ear upon arrival." They added that Cordero mentioned that she "hoped he choked on the burger." Cordero was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery and released on her own recognizance. She's not allowed contact with her boyfriend, per judge's orders. The children's grandmother has custody of them. TSG notes she's been in other legal trouble before, including convictions for theft, narcotics possession, and battering her boyfriend in October after an argument about a Halloween outfit for one of their kids. She spent three months behind bars for the latter incident. (Read more weird crimes stories.)
New Delhi, June 6 : Hours after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal gave a stern warning to private hospitals over novel coronavirus (COVID-19) patients, the Congress described him as a helpless "Chief Minister" accusing him of misleading the people.

Delhi Congress chief Chaudhary Anil Kumar in a video statement said, "Kejriwal should immediately apologise to the people of Delhi. The way he was attacking the private hospital in the press conference and the way he was misleading the people of Delhi by accusing the private hospital, people of Delhi have witnessed the most helpless Chief Minister." He accused Kejriwal of hiding his failures and taking the help of the "mobile app" to improve his image.

His remarks came after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor in his press conference gave a stern warning to private hospitals over coronavirus patients. Kejriwal also said that the Delhi government has also decided to deploy health department officials in private hospitals to ensure availability of beds to each and every Covid-19 patient.

Kejriwal said: "All hospitals built on government land will have to treat corona patients. The government will take strict action against hospitals that refuse to treat such patients." He accused some of the private hospitals in the national capital of blackmarketing the beds during the COvid-19 pandemic. "I want to warn them that such a hospital will not be spared. Hospitals are built to get treatment, not to earn money," Kejriwal had said, adding, "Owners of many private hospitals are not giving space to corona patients in their hospitals because of their high reach. I want to tell everyone clearly that no such hospital will be spared at all." However, the Chief Minister also praised most private hospitals, saying "Most private hospitals are serving the Delhiites in this hour of crisis, but a few selected hospitals are blackmarketing Corona Beds." The Delhi Congress leader slamming the Chief Minister said, "It has been once again proved that Kejriwal is hiding the truth about the problems government hospitals are facing, the shortage of ventilators, people dying and the less number of beds available in government hospitals." He said, "It is saddening and raises questions on the Delhi government." Chaudhary Anil Kumar also targeted the AAP government over the much hyped Mohalla Clinics, one of the most ambitious project of the AAP government.

"Where are the Mohalla Clinics about which you boasted a lot around the world. Not even a single person is getting treatment at Mohalla Clinics," he added.

The Delhi government has been facing flak over the spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in the national capital.
The deal to sell Peterboroughs electricity distribution system to Hydro One is set to close on Aug. 4, states a new city staff report  and now city councillors have four new proposals to evaluate as they mull how to use the proceeds.

Councillors had previously considered banking the proceeds in a Toronto investment firm or backing its own renewable energy company, but now they can also think about four new ideas: creating a home energy retrofit program, creating a trust to support renewable energy projects, investing in a local bank or creating a stream of grants for local charities.

City council approved the sale of Peterborough Distribution Inc. (PDI) more than three years ago after a contentious debate. The deal was finalized in the summer of 2018 and approval from the Ontario Energy Board came in April.

PDI is the wires and poles distribution arm of Peterborough Utilities Inc., which will continue to exist as a power generation company.

The agreement to sell PDI to Hydro One includes the wires, poles and transformers of Peterborough Utilities, which delivers electricity to 37,000 customers in Peterborough, Lakefield and Norwood.

Although the sale price is $105 million, the city is expecting to receive somewhere between $50 million and $55 million once fees and debate are paid.

In a virtual meeting on Monday, councillors will discuss the idea of striking a new group made up of city staff plus three councillors (Andrew Beamer, Gary Baldwin and Dean Pappas) to review all options for use of the sale proceeds and make recommendations to council later.

Councillors will also vote Monday on a staff recommendation to invest 100 per cent of the sale proceeds and spend only the returns from the investment.

At a meeting earlier this year at City Hall, councillors heard two detailed pitches: one to place the money in a bank portfolio with the Toronto non-profit One Investment and the other to invest instead in renewable hydro and solar generation facilities of the municipally owned City of Peterborough Holdings Inc. (CoPHI) in a plan that would return dividends to the city.

But now the city has received four new proposals that merit consideration, states the staff.

Those new proposals include:

Home Energy Retrofits

Alan Slavin, climate activist and physicist, suggests investing the sale proceeds but using the interest as homeowner loans for energy retrofits.

Renewable Power Generation Trust Fund

Fred Irwin, founding director of Transition Town Peterborough, suggests the creation of a trust fund to ensure theres money available to maximize local renewable power generation in the future.

Local Bank Investment

George Ripoll, investment adviser at BMO Nesbitt Burns, suggests investing through a local bank with a Peterborough-based adviser rather than going with the Toronto-based non-profit ONE Investments.

Community Well-being Fund

The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough suggests banking most of the sale proceeds but setting aside at least 20 per cent  or $10 million  for a new fund, with interest disbursed as grants for charities.

Although the sale closes Aug. 4, the report states that council may not have settled yet on a final plan by then  and if thats the case, the money would be placed in a short-term investment.

PDI is a branch of Peterborough Utilities Inc., which was founded 105 years ago.

The previous councils decision to sell it wasnt popular with some residents who said at public meetings they didnt want the city to lose control of the asset because electricity rates could increase over time.

But CoPHI, which governs PDI, had advised council at the time that replacement of PDIs aging infrastructure would cost so much it would soon threaten the distribution systems viability and so the city was better off to sell.

joelle.kovach@peterboroughdaily.com

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Fifty-seven members of the Buffalo Police Department resigned on Friday to protest the suspension of two officers shown on video shoving a 75-year-old protester to the ground, causing him to hit his head on the sidewalk and suffer a serious injury, officials said.

The footage, shot Thursday evening by local NPR affiliate WBFO, shows the man walking up to uniformed officers in Buffalo's Niagara Square during an anti-police brutality demonstration over George Floyd's death. The officers, who had begun enforcing curfew, yell what sounds like "move!" and "push him back!" One officer can be seen pushing the man with an outstretched arm, while another shoves a baton into him. A third officer appears to shove colleagues toward the man.

The man falls to the ground. His head whips backward onto the pavement, and then he lies motionless.

"He's bleeding out of his ear!" someone yells, as blood pools beneath the man's head.

The officers then keep walking, leaving the man on the ground, before two state police officers step in to render aid.

On Friday, the police department's entire emergency response team resigned in protest of their colleagues' suspension, according to several local news reports. The team was formed in 2016 to respond to civic unrest.

"Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders," Buffalo Police Benevolent Association president John Evans told WGRZ.

The man, identified as Martin Gugino by the group People United for Sustainable Housing Buffalo, was taken to a hospital after his fall and was in "stable but serious condition," Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, D, said. Buffalo police spokesman Capt. Jeff Rinaldo said he believes the man's injuries include a laceration and "possible concussion," while Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said it was a "serious head injury."

Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood launched an internal affairs investigation into the officers after seeing the video, Rinaldo said. He declined to identify the officers who were suspended without pay.

Video of the incident provoked widespread condemnation online, as police in cities across the country fall under intensifying scrutiny for using excessive force against peaceful protesters. Poloncarz said the incident "sickened me," while New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, D, called the incident "fundamentally offensive and frightening."

Cuomo said Friday that he had spoken with Gugino, and he praised the mayor for quickly suspending the two officers.

"I would say I think the city should pursue firing," Cuomo said at a news conference. "And I think the district attorney should look at the situation for possible criminal charges. And I think that should be done on an expeditious basis."

A Buffalo police statement initially said that a man was injured when he "tripped and fell" during "a skirmish involving protesters," in which several people were arrested. That language only amplified the criticism, as the video soon showed it was false.

Rinaldo said the claim that the man "tripped" came from officers who were not directly involved and were standing behind the two officers who shoved the man. Rinaldo said that once the video surfaced, it was brought to Lockwood's attention, leading to the officers' immediate suspension.

Mayor Brown said he and Lockwood were "deeply disturbed" by what they saw.

"After days of peaceful protests and several meetings between myself, Police leadership and members of the community, tonight's event is disheartening," Brown said. "I hope to continue to build on the progress we have achieved as we work together to address racial injustice and inequity in the City of Buffalo. My thoughts are with the victim tonight."

New York State Attorney General Letitia James said her office was aware of the video.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Harper S.E. Bishop, a Buffalo resident who is the deputy director of People United for Sustainable Housing Buffalo, told The Washington Post that Gugino is a longtime member of the group and community organizer who works on issues like affordable housing and racial justice.

"Martin shows up for his people, our community, to dismantle systems of oppression," Bishop said. "That's what he was doing tonight at City Hall. He shouldn't have been met with police violence for showing up and demanding accountability for the ongoing brutality and murder of black lives."

Thursday marked the second time since last month that a viral video led to an internal affairs investigation of a Buffalo police officer. On May 10, an officer was filmed repeatedly punching a black man in the face during a traffic stop arrest, leading the Erie County District Attorney's Office to open an investigation into the officer.

Nationwide, video footage has played a key role in exposing police abuses during the protests that ignited over Floyd's death after a Minneapolis officer was captured pressing his knee into Floyd's neck.

In Philadelphia on Wednesday, a Temple University student was released from jail on charges of assaulting a police officer during a protest after video emerged showing that a police officer was the one beating him in the head with a baton, while another used his knee to press the student's face onto the pavement, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

A Salt Lake City police officer in riot gear was captured on video last week using his shield to knock down a man who was shuffling slowly with a cane, after ordering him to clear the sidewalk outside of a public library. He fell to the ground face-first. The police chief called the incident "inappropriate" and said it is under investigation, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

In Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last Sunday, an officer was suspended after shoving a black woman who was kneeling on the concrete behind him with her hands up. That incident inflamed an otherwise largely peaceful protest, as outraged demonstrators threw water bottles the Miami Herald reported. Police soon responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. One officer ended up striking a woman in the face with a rubber bullet, cracking her skull and leaving her bloodied and bruised about the face, the Herald reported.

As in the Fort Lauderdale case, police tactics have regularly turned peaceful protests into violent confrontations this week. Most infamously, federal officials in Washington, D.C., forcibly removed protesters Monday from Lafayette Square using pepper balls, batons and rubber bullets, sending hundreds running, crying from the chemical agents, so President Donald Trump could have a photo op outside St. John's church.

After Thursday's suspension of the two Buffalo officers, the New York Civil Liberties Union demanded that demonstrators be allowed to gather "without the threat of police brutality on the street tomorrow."

"Police officers cannot continue to hide behind the lie that they are protecting and serving," the NYCLU said in the statement. "City leaders need to take this as a wake-up call and seriously address the police violence during this week's protests and the culture of impunity that led to this incident. There is no place for military-geared police to enforce curfew by inflicting violence on the very people they are supposed to protect."
The coronavirus left dozens of Hollywood films in limbo as they were forced to shut down either mid-production or just as they preparing to shoot. Now all those films will need to resume at a point when it is deemed safe to do so, most likely with stringent new restrictions on set. How will films proceed without the aid of large numbers of extras? Will studios look to resume productions in foreign countries that have already begun reopening? And will they be able to meet new timelines after studios have already been forced to juggle their release slates for 2020 and beyond? TheWrap has compiled a list of movies from each studio that will need to either resume or start production. This list will be updated as more information becomes available: Also Read: All the Hollywood Films Arriving on Demand Early Because of the Coronavirus Disney & 20th Century Studios The Last Duel What: Director Ridley Scotts historical drama, from 20th Century (formerly Fox), stars Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Adam Driver and Jodie Comer. Status: Began filming in February in France and completed four and a half weeks of shooting, with production shut down in Ireland in March Release Date:...

Read original story All the Studio Films That Hope to Resume (or Start) Shooting, From Little Mermaid to The Batman At TheWrap
A new free counselling service in Fingal set up by Family Carers Ireland hopes to alleviate some of the stress and anxiety experienced by carers during lockdown.

The service offers a safe space for family carers to talk to a qualified professional and work through any problems they are experiencing in their role as carer, in what for many is a very difficult time.

Jacqueline Millman, Carer Supports Manager for Fingal with Family Carers Ireland, explains: 'The service was set up the beginning of last week. We have been providing free face-to-face counselling for family carers with professional counsellors, but that had to be suspended of course because of the virus.

'The counselling is for family carers, it doesn't have to be because of the virus, but things can be very challenging for them at the best of times even when they have supports. At the moment, the day centres are closed if you're looking after an older person, the schools are closed if you have a child with special needs and the SNAs aren't available to you either.'

She says: 'It was set up to give family carers a trained professional who they could speak to in confidence, because most family carers generally don't discuss their innermost feelings with anybody, because the source of the stress could be the person they care for, and you don't want to make them feel bad or guilty.'

Jacqueline explains that counselling is carried out face-to-face online or by telephone, though she says the online service is often easier for family carers because it is more personal.

The counsellors help carers tease out any difficulties they may be experiencing in their role as carer, which may include complaints such as stress, anxiety, 'burnout' or depression.

The idea is to offer a line of support for family carers who are finding lockdown particularly difficult, and to provide a listening ear from a trained professional.

Jacqueline says: 'Just speaking to the family carers, they can feel very lonely and isolated because of course they may not be people who may need to cocoon in their own right, but because they're caring for someone who's vulnerable they're cocooning anyway.

'It can be very lonely, and of course there's the worry of 'what's going to happen if I get the virus?', and who's going to look after the cared for person?

'They could be thinking what happens to the cared for person if I give it to them?, and the worry and the anticipation and guilt of that.'

Jacqueline, who runs a resource centre in Malahide, says that she has already had a number of enquiries for the new counselling service from family carers in Fingal, and expects a number of people to engage with the service.

Family carers wishing to avail of the service or who need support with any other aspect of their caring role, can contact the National Freephone Careline: 1800-240724 or see familycarers.ie for more information.
More than 150 rental units sit vacant in the buildings at 103 and 105 West Lodge Ave., a pair of low-income towers in Parkdale known for years for their poor conditions.

Tenants in the 732-unit complex, and a representative from a local legal clinic, fear the vacancies signal property owner Timbercreek Asset Management intends to empty the buildings and turn the site into luxury rentals catering to higher-income earners.

Theyre holding vacant units off the rental market in the midst of a housing crisis, says Cole Webber, a community legal worker with Parkdale Community Legal Services, who says Timbercreek has made a serious push to evict a large number of tenants since taking over.

The owners say they do not intend to convert to upscale rentals.

Our current strategy is to restore West Lodge  a property that has been badly neglected for many, many years  and rent vacant units at market rents. We are committed to a long-term investment in West Lodge, for all our residents, Colleen Krempulec, a senior spokesperson for Timbercreek, said in a statement to the Star this week.

Timbercreek, which describes itself as a global alternative asset class manager with more than $10 billion in assets under management, took over the two troubled 19-storey towers in the fall of 2018, purchasing the property near Queen Street W. from Wynn Properties for nearly $170 million, according to records.

The two buildings came with a host of issues, including poor heating, electrical problems, leaks, faulty windows, rodent infestation and elevators that constantly broke down.

Tenants launched hundreds of property standards complaints against Wynn over the years, and the company was kept busy addressing dozens of compliance orders slapped on them by the city.

Now the new owners say they want to turn things around at West Lodge. Timbercreek has invested $12 million in a year and a half since taking over, including work on electrical and fire prevention systems, and elevator improvements. But the upgrades take time because the repair work is extensive and needs to be done in a specific order, the company says.

Yet suspicions about the companys motives remain.

Webber argues there are several troubling signs that Timbercreek is trying to evict a critical mass of tenants and then upscale and remarket units to a higher-income demographic.

Counters Krempulec: It was a long-neglected building and, with that, I believe residents have come to distrust their landlord. Were really working very very hard to gain that trust back and earn that trust back.

Charles Doucette is thankful his cat catches the mice that run up the two gaping holes in the walls inside his bachelor unit.

The 47-year-old has been renting at West Lodge since 2014. Building management informed him in January that there would be drywall demolition in early March, followed by plumbing work the next week and drywall repair and painting the week after. The work is part of heating pipe replacement Timbercreek is doing on suites in the buildings.

The drywall demolition in Doucettes unit took place on time, but the plumbing work stopped. He has had to live with the two holes workers left behind in March.

Not much I can do about it, he said. Im glad my cat can catch the mice that run up the pipes.

Doucette said a neighbour moved out around the time Timbercreek took over and the unit remains empty. He walked by the unit recently and the door was open. He says he could see major water damage inside.

Theyve had plenty of time to do (the repair work), Doucette said. It seems like they want to get everyone out and turn this building over to higher-income earners.

Paterson Hodgson, an illustrator who lives in a two-bedroom unit at West Lodge, says the empty suites give the hallways in the two buildings a ghost-town, ominous feeling she and other tenants find unsettling.

Theyre trying to get rid of all of us  their plan is to displace and replace, Hodgson said. The more of us they get out, the less power we have  Our broader demand is the vacant units be prepared and rented out immediately.

The empty suites pose other worries for her.

As tenants, its actually unsafe to have so many empty units. Were experiencing a higher amount of mice and cockroaches, and we think its directly related to the empty units. Some of the empty units are full of debris, balconies full of debris.

Krempulec acknowledged there is an unusually high number of vacant units in the buildings. But there were structural issues with the buildings that needed to be tended to first, along with a backlog of work orders for tenant suites, she said.

Before we can turn our focus over to getting the vacant units ready to rent out, we had to prioritize fixing the structural and life safety projects. We spent the first year, before even looking at individual units, doing a few things, one addressing a significant backlog of work orders from existing residents, she said.

That has included working to replace the heating and hot-water systems in the buildings and bringing in a state-of-the-art boiler, custom-made for West Lodge, Krempulec said. Fire, life safety and electrical systems were also serviced, and the eight elevators in the two buildings were replaced.

When we bought the buildings, two out of eight elevators were operational, Krempulec said. Were talking about two highrise buildings, so thats just unacceptable.

Heat risers (pipes) are also being replaced in both buildings, work that includes opening up drywall in units.

Unfortunately its a very intrusive project, but it absolutely needs to get done to address heating and hot water, Krempulec said. And the entire system needs to be replaced. Its about 18,000 feet of pipes (shared) between the two buildings, and it requires having to go into the units.

The risers run on stacks. We are doing that in units currently occupied, but it needs to be done in vacant units as well. And so we have to prioritize getting that work done  before these (vacant) units can be ready.

So were in the middle of that work right now. The work has stops and starts, and we need resident co-operation in order to be allowed entry into their units and address the piping that happens to reside behind their walls. So its an undertaking.

COVID-19, she said, has delayed some of the work.

Webber believes there are other concerning signs about the intentions of the owners.

According to Landlord and Tenant Board case dockets from early 2019 obtained by Parkdale Community Legal Services, nine tenants had eviction hearings initiated by Timbercreek in the week of Jan 14-18 last year, 19 tenants faced eviction hearings the week of Feb. 4-8, and there were another 16 eviction hearings March 25-29.

I believe these dockets corroborate Timbercreeks intentional legal action against West Lodge tenants to evict them and obtain vacant units, Webber said. Timbercreek cannot characterize every move out as voluntarily when they have actively litigated to evict so many tenants.

And this is only documentation of three weeks of hearings in early 2019.

Timbercreek counters that, in most cases, a payment resolution is reached well before a final eviction is processed.

Since we took over West Lodge in the fall of 2018, there have been 22 evictions. Evictions are a very long process and are often the result of many months of unpaid rent and arrears, the company said.

Webber said a quote a few years back from Timbercreek CEO Blair Tamblyn points to the companys desire to change the demographics at West Lodge.

In an online report from 2015, Tamblyn commented on a multi-residential, value-added fund launched by Timbercreek in the U.S. for nearly $100 million, saying, On the front end, you put in a multi-(residential) asset that, in our view, has not been operated to its fullest potential, and about two and a half years later, it comes out the other end looking squeaky clean and ready for an institutional buyer to acquire it.

Webber called it a way of describing the process of social cleansing and the displacing of low-income tenants.

When asked about Tamblyns quote and how it might apply to West Lodge, Krempulec said investments are being made to support and engage with West Lodge residents so we can meaningfully contribute to the community.

She said the company has hired a full-time community liaison to engage with tenants.

Our community liaison is out at West Lodge on a weekly basis delivering fresh food to the doors of residents we believe or have identified as being in need of support for food. Either seniors, isolated, physically or financially or (individuals who are) challenged accessing fresh food.

We have a ton of initiatives (at West Lodge) that we are really proud of, including launching a community hub space we have donated to the community. So a really important third-party service provider can come right into the West Lodge community and provide much needed supports to residents.

We believe that as a long-term investor we are part of the community, and it is our responsibility to continue to make sure its a great place to live for residents who call West Lodge home.
Mumbai, June 6 : After Indian Film and Television Directors Association (IFTDA) wrote a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, seeking reconsideration of certain guidelines by the state to resume film shooting, another film body, Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association (IMPPA), has written to the chief minister calling the guidelines "impractical".

Just as IFTDA had requested the government to reconsider the guideline stating that no person above 65 years of age shall not be allowed in shooting areas, IMPPA has also sought a rethink on this particular issue.

"We have so many stars who are over 65. Bringing an elderly person on the set is risky, but we will take more precautions. We will shoot for only four hours with them instead of eight hours and complete their portions first. We will also keep them secluded," said IMPPA Secretary Anil Nagrath, according to a report in Mid-Day.

While on the guideline that the crew must be put up in a hotel in order to reduce contamination risk, Nagrath told Mid-Day: "That is impossible to implement as most hotels have been taken up by the government as quarantine centres." IMPPA also had an issue with the suggestion that family members of actors could be cast in supporting roles, to restrict contact with outsiders. "Their suggestion of casting actors' family members in the supporting roles is impractical. Not everyone belonging to a star's family is an actor! They have put roadblocks by way of the regulations." The IMPPA letter has not only urged the government to reconsider these guidelines, but also reportedly shared a copy of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the Karnataka government, which they feel is a little more "flexible".
Rain Friday evening didnt stop several hundred people from gathering in Bloomfield at a peaceful demonstration that saw Black Lives Matter activists and police officers side-by-side to protest the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The planned march was held in conjunction with local police and began at Bloomfield High School before ending at the Bloomfield Police Department. Officers watched as speakers captivated the peaceful audience, including a Black township resident named Miles who told a story about a time he was pulled over on Bloomfield Avenue. He and his white friend, he said, were treated differently by police.

Thats when I finally realized that racism is real in America and in Bloomfield, he said.

Another protester, Nathaniel Louis-Capois, urged the crowd to work together to correct systemic problems.

We all have room for more growth, more progress," he said. "We must be better. We will be better.

Friday, June 5, 2020 - Protestors march on Franklin Street in a rally in conjunction with the Bloomfield Police Department, in memory of George Floyd, from Bloomfield High School to Bloomfield Police Department.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Med

Matt Arnold, along with Lewis and Austin Tirador, organized the march, and Arnold said the police department played a role in effort.

As protests popped up around the country in the last week, Arnold, a 25-year-old Bloomfield resident, said it felt like a responsibility to make something happen in his hometown.

What drove me to do this  Im not like an activist or anything like that  I woke up every day thinking, saying, Damn, I have to do something, because I personally just wouldnt feel good, Arnold said. So it got to that point, and it got to that point where I said, You know what, I need to do something, and I know that I have powerful voice to be able to get something done.

In addition to the activists, Bloomfield Public Safety Director Sam DeMaio, who took over the department in 2014 after a long career in Newark, addressed the crowd on a bullhorn. He got a round of applause when discussing the departments policy of tracking racial data on every vehicle stop its officers conduct.

It identifies problematic officers early, he said to claps and cheers from the crowd. Not after the fact. DeMaio also thanked the protesters for supporting what he called a worthy cause and for remaining peaceful throughout the demonstration.

In the early 2010s, Bloomfield was the focus of several high-profile incidents in which officers severely beat men who were in custody, and later paid out large settlements to the victims of those incidents.

Friday, June 5, 2020 - Protestors march on Franklin Street in a rally in conjunction with the Bloomfield Police Department, in memory of George Floyd, from Bloomfield High School to Bloomfield Police Department.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Med

It has since then, its leaders have said, been working aggressively to correct police misconduct, and DeMaio and Bloomfield Mayor Michael J. Venezia both spoke about that progress. But several speakers at Fridays protest spoke about continued instances of racial profiling by the police department.

The large crowd Friday also spoke of other high-profile police killings, including that of Breonna Taylor in Kentucky. At one point, the crowd sang happy birthday to Taylor on what would have been her 27th birthday.

After arriving at the Bloomfield police station, the crowd sings happy birthday to Breonna Taylor. She would have been 27 today. pic.twitter.com/fSDe1vRaUl  Chris Ryan (@ChrisRyan_NJ) June 5, 2020

The protest was one dozens held over the last week following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Several others held on Friday included White Coats for Black Lives demonstrations outside several New Jersey hospitals in which doctors rallied to support the cause.

There have been dozens of protests against police brutality in New Jersey since last weekend, as protests and marches over Floyds death have continued to spread across the nation.

The four police officers at the scene of Floyds death have been fired, and one, Derek Chauvin, was initially charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the case. Three other officers were charged with aiding and abetting, while Chauvins charge was upgraded to a second-degree murder Wednesday.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Chris Ryan may be reached at cryan@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Indian and Chinese armies on Saturday held high-level military talks with a "positive" approach, signalling an intent to end their month-long bitter standoff in mountainous eastern Ladakh through peaceful dialogue, people aware of the development said.

The Indian delegation was led by Lt General Harinder Singh, the general officer commanding of Leh-based 14 Corps, while the Chinese side was headed by the Commander of the Tibet Military District.

"The talks were held in a positive atmosphere. The approach (by both sides) was positive," a senior military official said on condition of anonymity.

It is learnt that the Indian delegation at the marathon talks pressed for restoration of status quo ante in all the sensitive areas along the Line of Actual Control besides seeking withdrawal of additional Chinese troops from the region.

The talks at the Border Personnel Meeting Point in Maldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control in Chushul sector was scheduled to begin around 8:30 AM, but were deferred by over three hours due to bad weather in the high-altitude region, sources said.

They said the Indian delegation was warmly greeted by senior officials of the Chinese Army before the talks began.

Neither the Army nor the Ministry of External Affairs provided any details about the much-anticipated talks.

Without specifically mentioning about the talks, an Indian Army Spokesperson said: "Indian and Chinese officials continue to remain engaged through the established military and diplomatic channels to address the current situation in the India-China border areas.

" The Lt General-level dialogue took place after 12 rounds of talks between local commanders of the two armies and three rounds of discussions at the level of major general-rank officials could not produce any tangible outcome, the sources said.

They said India was not expecting any "concrete outcome" from the meeting, but considers it important as the high-level military dialogue could pave the way for a negotiated settlement of the tense standoff.

Saturday's talks also came a day after the two countries held diplomatic talks during which both sides agreed to handle their "differences" through peaceful discussions while respecting each other's sensitivities and concerns.

About the diplomatic dialogue, the external affairs ministry on Friday said the two sides agreed to settle differences in accordance with guidance provided by leadership of two countries, in a reference to decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in their first informal summit in Chinese port city of Wuhan in 2018.

"Both sides agreed that in accordance with the guidance provided by the leadership, the two sides should handle their differences through peaceful discussion bearing in mind the importance of respecting each other's sensitivities, concerns and aspirations and not allow them to become disputes," it said.

After the standoff began in early last month, Indian military leadership decided that Indian troops will adopt a firm approach in dealing with the aggressive posturing by the Chinese troops in all disputed areas of Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie.

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.

The sources said satellite images have captured significant ramping up of defence infrastructure by China on its side of the LAC, the de-facto border, including by upgrading a military airbase around 180 km from the Pangong Tso area.

The Chinese Army has been gradually ramping up its strategic reserves in its rear bases near the the LAC by rushing in artillery guns, infantry combat vehicles and heavy military equipment, the sources said.

China has also enhanced its presence in certain areas along the Line of Actual Control in Northern Sikkim and Uttarakhand following which India has also been its presence by sending additional troops, they said.

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.

The road in the Finger area in Pangong Tso is considered crucial for India to carry out patrol.

India has already decided not to stall any border infrastructure projects in eastern Ladakh in view of Chinese protests.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on May 5 and 6.

The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9.

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.
Anticipating that the Delhi government will allow them to reopen businesses after June 8, restaurants and mall owners in the national capital are busy with preparations to open shop after a gap of over 70 days.

Restaurant owners said they are working on a set of plans such as opening with just 30% to 50% seating capacity, putting a cap on parking facility to ensure less crowding, and presenting patrons with e-copies of drinks and food menus to minimise contact with staff and ensure social distancing.

Restaurants and shopping malls have been shut since the nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 25 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Coronavirus outbreak: Full coverage

The standard operating procedures (SOPs) prepared by the National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI) states that thermal screening of all guests will be compulsory at entry points and all patrons will have to wear masks. Provisions will also be made for special UV light filters, air filters and air purifiers on the premises. The air-conditioners will be kept at a constant temperature between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius.

Manpreet Singh, treasurer NRAI, said, We are ready to open restaurants as owners are suffering huge losses. We will follow social distancing and other preventive measures. Restaurants will operate at reduced seating capacity of 30% to 50%. All staff members will wear masks, face shields, gloves and hand sanitisers will be placed on all tables. Thermal screening will be mandatory for visitors.

Singh further said guests will have to sit on alternate tables, and all crockery and cutlery will be sanitised. Visitors will be given sanitised copies of the menu card. They will also have an option of checking the menu on their phones and place orders from their phones while seated inside the restaurant. He said the digital mode of payment will be encouraged.

Sunil Malhotra, of Embassy Restaurant in Connaught Place, said, It is not yet clear when the government will allow us to open. But when the nod comes, we will follow all guidelines issued by the central and state government.

Sandeep Khandelwal, president, Delhi Hotel and Restaurants Owners Association, said, Nearly 50% of the workforce has returned to their home towns and so we will have to operate with fewer staff members. We want that the government to consult us before taking a call on the opening.

Over 40 mall owners on Saturday convened a meeting with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) trade wing and appealed to the government to allow the opening of malls.

Brijesh Goel, AAPs Delhi trade wing convener, said there are nearly 100 malls and shopping centres in the city. The government gets about 3 -10 crore revenue a month from each mall. Due to the closure of malls, the government is losing about 500 crore a month. A decision regarding the opening of malls is likely to be taken next week, Goel said.

Harshvardhan Bansal, owner of Unity Mall Group, said closure of malls has caused a job crisis for 10,000-odd employees.

We will have separate entry and exit points in every mall and all employees will be required to wear face shields and masks. Visitors will undergo thermal screening at every entry point and guards will also wear perosnal protective equipment kits, if required, he said.

A spokesperson at Select City Walk mall said they have prepared SOPs which include markings on the floor to help visitors and retail outlets maintain social distancing.

Parking will be restricted and will be kept to 50% of the total capacity, and we are looking at having contactless service. There will also be proper markings at counters and cash registers to prevent crowding, Plexiglas shields at all checkout points are also being looked into. Markings for social distancing will be made on escalators; whereas elevators will operate with a maximum of four people at a time, the spokesperson said.

We will have isolation rooms and various retail outlets are formulating guidelines on the trials and return / exchange of products and will be as per the policies of individual brands, the person said.
Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will address the people of Bihar through an online event on Sunday in what is being seen as launch of the party's campaign for the assembly polls, which are slated for October-November.

The saffron party is pulling out all the stops to make the event a success as the COVID-19 outbreak has ruled out any big political gathering.

Though this 'virtual rally' is part of the BJP's over month-long campaign to highlight the achievements of the Modi government after it completed the first year of its second term on May 30, Shah is expected to dwell in length over the upcoming assembly polls in which his party is in alliance with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party.

Bihar BJP leaders have said the party has made arrangements at most of the over 72,000 booths in the state for its workers and the masses to hear Shah's address.
Kenya on World Environment Day barred all single-use plastics such as water bottles and straws from its national parks, beaches, forests and other protected areas. The implementation of the ban, first announced a year ago, was ordered in a letter from Tourism Minister Najib Balala last week. It took effect on Friday, three years after Kenya announced one of the world's strictest bans on plastic bags. "This ban is yet another first in addressing the plastic pollution catastrophe facing Kenya and the world, and we hope that it catalyses similar policies and actions from the East African community," Balala said in a statement on Friday. Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, Kenya welcomed some two million tourists annually to see the Big Five animals in its national parks or visit its stunning coastline. The ban was welcomed by environmentalist Dipesh Pabari, who led a project to make the world's first sailing boat made entirely of plastic waste, which sailed 500 kilometres (300 miles) along the coast from Kenya to Tanzania in 2019 to raise awareness about plastic pollution. "We have witnessed the catastrophic effect single-use plastics have on our ecosystems and our communities," Pabari said in a statement. "And now, during the pandemic, we are witnessing first-hand what happens when we destroy our planet, which is that we destroy the system that supports human life." Like much of the world, where plastic bottles, caps, food wrappers, bags, straws and lids are made to be used once and then tossed away, Kenya is battling the curse of plastic pollution, which chokes turtles, cattle, and birds and blights the landscape. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates more than 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic have been produced globally since the early 1950s, about 60 percent of which ended up in landfill or the natural environment. "By banning single-use plastics in national parks and protected areas, Kenya continues to demonstrate its commitment to addressing the global scourge of plastic pollution," UNEP said in a statement to AFP.
Mumbai, June 6 : Kangana Ranaut has taken a dig at Bollywood celebrities who are protesting the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, US, and taking part in the Black Lives Matter campaign, but preferred to stay mum when two sadhus were lynched in Palghar.

"I feel it has become fancy to somehow be a part of this bandwagon which is relevant to the West. But if you see how Asian celebrities and actors work, they are very impactful in this part of the country. I don't know how they are participating in the socio-political reform of America. Just a few weeks ago, two sages were killed openly in a mob, they we're lynched to death. But unfortunately cops handed them over to the bloodthirsty mob. There was not a word from anyone. I think that would probably resonate with the majority Indian sentiments," said Kangana, in an interview with BBC.

A video clip of the interview has been shared on the actress's official Instagram page.

In the interview, Kangana also pointed out that many Bollywood actors and actresses who endorse fairness creams were now talking about racial discrimination.

"These people, especially the Indian celebrities, the successful ones, certainly I am the exception, they have been endorsing all kinds of fairness products and today shamelessly they stand and say black lives matter. How dare they? Why is no one asking them? What about these million dollar deals that they have been doing with all kinds of fairness products and how come now suddenly black lives matter?" she said.

The actress added: "When you politicise your compassion, your activism, your humanity, then you are also a part of the problem. The problem is selective compassion and I think that is what we are seeing here in India. Most celebrities are being called out on this that why there was no outrage over the monks because sadhus are like monks. They were killed precisely because they were wearing saffron clothes. There is no outrage. Everybody is mum about it. I think the dissent is also being commercialised to look busy without work I'd say." "A fully developed super power, a developed nation like America, we want to involve ourselves in their political issues but we have so much to do here...We should take a lead from them and we should talk about our issues because every country has their own set of issues and we need to first deal within the house before we go out and try and reform the world. We are failing to do that," she told BBC.

-- Syndicated from IANS
In many Perth suburbs weve lost the village: retreating behind our six-foot fences, locking ourselves in our lounge rooms, distracted with all the pleasures and convenience consumerism has provided us. We have forgotten that it used to be us who delivered on many of our local needs, not government and not the free market, and we were automatically more engaged, influential and fulfilled for having done it.

Having been voted in to the City of Vincent council as an elected member at only 35, I was almost bucking the trend  pale and male, yes, but only slightly stale. I spent four years on council and the months that have elapsed since then have provided me some time for reflection.

The Beaufort Street Festival was run by the Beaufort Street Network, which was the first 'Town Team', now part of the Town Team Movement. Credit:Beaufort Street Network

Most people dont often think about how their favourite park gets watered or maintained, or who looks after the local sporting club grounds and building, or how their local town centre is cleaned and managed, it just happens!

But the actual remit of modern local government is enormous. It covers a huge breadth of services; from economic and community development, sustainability, leasing, transport, community, learning and recreation services, asset management, events, planning, enforcement. Many people even expect councils to deal with homelessness and to combat antisocial behaviour. Our communities expect more of local government than they did 50 or even five years ago and councils are certainly trying to deliver.
During the first few months of the American coronavirus outbreak, the country experienced an acute shortage of test kits and related equipment  the supplies needed to track the spread of the virus and trace infected individuals.

Since late April, shortages have eased, and testing capability has expanded in many parts of the country. This has been possible, in part, because of collaborative efforts among scientists, health experts and businesses that retooled operations to produce COVID-19 testing kit components.

At the outset of the pandemic, Ramy Arnaout, associate director of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratories at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, knew that the first COVID-19 testing bottleneck hospitals would face was the shortage of nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs needed for sample collection. The reason why is that these swabs are manufactured by a company in northern Italy called Copan, and northern Italy, as everybody knows, was hit very hard, especially in the early going of the pandemic, Arnaout told Yahoo News.

Only a few factories in the world, including Copan, produce these swabs, generally by traditional plastic-fabricating techniques: either extrusion (forcing plastic through a small opening), or injection molding (pouring liquid plastic into a mold).

The NP swabs are not your typical Q-tip. They are usually a 15-centimeter (nearly 6-inch) plastic stick, with a head that's about a centimeter and a half long and 3 millimeters wide. The neck of the swab is a little narrower, flexible and usually coated with a velvet-like material called flock, which allows efficient collection of the virus from deep in the upper respiratory passage.

Once the sample has been collected, the swabs tip is snapped off into a vial containing a preservative fluid known as viral transport medium (VTM) and sealed. Then, lab technicians test the VTM for the presence of the virus, using a genetic test called a polymerase chain reaction, or PCR.

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Arnaout says it is important that the material composing the swabs does not leach into the VTM. Some materials can inhibit chemistry. Itd be no fun if you put in the swab, and some particles go into the test tube and then the PCR test fails because some residue on the swab has inhibited it.

All these requirements make manufacturing NP swabs complicated. In an effort to address the nationwide swab shortages, Arnaout reached out to old classmates from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who pointed him in the direction of 3D printing.

The beauty of 3D printing is that the time between a development of a design and a prototype in hand is a matter of hours. So you can get on a computer and you can draw on a computer the shape of the swab  and then you hit enter, and it sends that design to a printer, and it is printed out just like that.  And if you look at it and decide it doesnt work for you, you can change the design and get a new prototype back in again, in a matter of hours.

Arnaout says he knew right away that this was going to be the technology to get the job done. So he led a multidisciplinary team of experts that included Beth Israel health care workers and scientists and 3D printing manufacturers to develop new NP swabs and have them evaluated clinically. After 22 days, they had the first of four prototypes ready for immediate mass production by 3D printing.

Origin, a California-based 3D printing company, was one of the four manufacturers whose swab prototype was clinically validated by Arnaouts team. Shortly after, the company quickly shifted its resources from being a 3D printer producer to become a medical device manufacturer.

So far, Origin has produced approximately a half-million swabs, at the current rate of 70,000 a day. CEO Chris Prucha told Yahoo News that having his NP swab prototype clinically evaluated and validated by Arnaouts team was very important to his company. The first rule of medicine is do no harm.... We were very concerned about seeing people 3D-print equipment, especially swabs, which are semi-invasive devices. It was important for us to develop a product that was absolutely safe and effective.

While successful clinical trials are not necessarily required to sell this type of product, NP swabs are still a medical device, and Arnaout says their manufacture should be taken seriously.

The effort led to the formation of a new industry consortium called PrintedSwabs.org, which enables hospitals and health care providers to order directly from validated manufacturers around the country. According to the website, it is now poised to rapidly produce up to 4 million 3D printed swabs per week. The consortiums swabs are all FDA-registered.

Arnaout says the process was speeded greatly by transparency. His team created an open-source repository to share results, data, best practices and everything it learned in the process of engineering these swabs.

We made it possible for anybody and everybody else to add what they found, to what we had.  If we had gone a more traditional method waiting for, you know, being cagey about it and trying to make our reputations on it, or for the companies trying to make contracts out of it, as a sort of a competitive advantage, this would never have happened.

But swabs were not the only component of COVID-19 testing kits in short supply. Worldwide supplies of VTM were also severely disrupted. This too motivated many scientists, chemists and companies to come up with innovative solutions.

In Chico, Calif., Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. partnered with Enloe Medical Center, a local hospital, to produce the substance. Sierra Nevada CEO Ken Grossman told Yahoo News that his beer company already had sophisticated laboratories for quality control, so he knew it could also easily produce VTM.

Our laboratory produces media all the time to use for testing for yeast and bacteria, Grossman said. We obviously dont test for viruses, but the media is a solution thats used to stabilize the sample, and preserve it essentially ... so weve got a lot of experience mixing media and doing it in a sterile way.

Sierra Nevada has supplied 1,000 vials of VTM to Enloe Medical Center and has the capacity to make 10 times that amount, Grossman said.

The beer company has donated all the materials and labor. It has received requests from other institutions and plans to work with them as well.

Despite these efforts, most states are still falling short of the level of testing needed to continue the process of safely reopening businesses, schools and parks.

As of June 1, some 17,340,680 people in the U.S. had been tested for COVID-19, per CDC data. A recent report by economist Paul Romer concluded that to responsibly reopen, the U.S. should make the investment necessary to test people every two weeks, which would mean 25 million tests per day on an ongoing basis.

Were really disappointed with the lack of testing, from hospitals and governments locally and federally. It hasnt scaled, even though weve definitely had the time to scale it. Origins Prucha said.

Origin does not plan on slowing down its swab production anytime soon. It has hired more workers in recent weeks for the effort.

Its been a huge morale boost to the existing team, to do something that has a direct impact on this crisis, Prucha said. You know, every swab that we ship is one additional test that could be done.

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SAN FRANCISCO - At an emergency town hall meeting Facebook held this week, days after President Donald Trump posted, "When the looting starts, the shooting starts" on his account, 5,500 Facebook employees had a demand for Mark Zuckerberg.

Before the meeting, the employees voted in a poll on which questions to ask the chief executive at the meeting, according to internal documents viewed by The Washington Post. The question that got the most votes: "Can we please change our policies around political free speech? Fact checking and removal of hate speech shouldn't be exempt for politicians."

Zuckerberg also met privately with black executives to discuss their pain and objections to Trump's post, which referred to responding to protesters over George Floyd's death while in Minneapolis police custody. And employees questioned whether Facebook was in an "abusive relationship" with the president, according to a trove of documents that included more than 200 posts from an internal message board that showed unrest among employees.

Although some Facebook employees have taken to public forums such as Twitter to express their displeasure, the internal poll and the documents show just how widely and quickly their dissent and discontent has spread about Zuckerberg's decision to double down on allowing unfettered speech by politicians on the platform. He even appeared on Fox News Channel last week to defend his viewpoint.

Facebook faces a boiling crisis that is dragging the company into yet another major controversy, this one dealing with the explosive matters of police brutality, race and free speech. And Zuckerberg's early public words about the issue - in which he said the post didn't break the company's rules against inciting violence - have sparked widespread anger internally, with three high-ranking employees quitting in protest and others complaining about the post on rival site Twitter. Dozens of former employees signed a letter critiquing the decision, saying it was a betrayal of Facebook's early ideals.

But inside the company, criticism has been even more widespread and personal, according to the documents, which show how many employees believe Trump is purposefully testing them. Facebook, like other tech giants, has struggled to recruit African Americans, especially in its top ranks. That has led some employees to say that company leaders don't understand how deep the issues are. Only 4 percent of employees are black, a number that falls to 3 percent among senior leadership, according to Facebook's latest diversity report. Only one black person, diversity chief Maxine Williams, was involved in making the decision to leave Trump's post up.

Employees in recent days have wrestled deeply with issues of race and free speech - suspecting that Trump and other Republican leaders are purposefully testing social media companies in the lead-up to the November election.

"What's the point of establishing a principle if we're going to move the goal posts every time Trump escalates his behavior?" software engineer Timothy Aveni asked on an internal message board over the weekend. He quit this week.

"My toddler basically does the same thing to test boundaries," another person said.

Silicon Valley companies, and particularly Facebook, tend to demand loyalty from employees, who typically sign nondisclosure agreements that forbid them from speaking out publicly about the company. They ply them with big salaries, perks and some measure of voice: holding town hall meetings and allowing them to vent internally on message boards. Facebook's left-leaning workforce of about 45,000 full-time employees has been a target of Trump.

At Facebook, workers are recruited with the idealistic mission to connect the world and build products that can affect 2.9 billion users across its family of apps, including WhatsApp and Instagram.

But the 2016 presidential campaign changed the way the world - and workers - viewed Facebook, after Russians meddled in it by amplifying divisive messages to millions of Americans on the platform, showing how easily it could be exploited to hurt democracy.

Two years later, a privacy scandal involving Cambridge Analytica erupted, in which political operatives who had worked for the Trump campaign were found to have breached the personal data of tens of millions of Americans.

Those two incidences and others have engendered a slow-burning crisis of confidence in the company's leadership and direction, according to employees there and the posts, creating a flash point with last week's events.

"We have teams around the company giving serious attention to the ideas we're hearing, especially those from our Black community," spokeswoman Liz Bourgeois said in a statement. "This is a time not just to listen but to act."

Facebook's decisions have left some employees questioning whether the company has kowtowed to the right, said two executives who have been part of the discussions. Zuckerberg made a personal call last year not to take down a video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., that was altered to make her appear drunk, and chose not to fact-check political advertising or statements by politicians, said a person familiar with the decision-making who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

Company executives sometimes made political considerations, particularly about whether a decision would provoke conservative backlash, when deciding how to handle abusive content, according to the executives involved in the decisions.

Elizabeth Linder, a former executive in Facebook's policy and government division and one of the people who signed the letter, said that policies regarding what speech would or wouldn't be allowed were baked into the platform from the beginning.

"What bothers me to the core about the way Facebook is talking about this issue is that there is no such thing as freedom of speech on the platform," she said. "Facebook as a company has already decided what speech is allowed or not allowed through its content policies. And to say that the more power you have you can say whatever you want because it's newsworthy is hugely problematic."

Last week, Twitter marked erroneous tweets by the president on mail-in ballots with fact-checking labels for the first time. That prompted Trump to retaliate, signing an executive order that threatens to undermine a decades-old law that shields the tech industry from being held legally responsible for harmful content on their platforms.

He also posted and tweeted about sending in the military to control looting and "thugs" at the protests over the death of George Floyd, who was black, using the phrase, "When the looting starts, the shooting starts." That was perceived as racially divisive comment because it had a history of being used by segregationist politician George Wallace and by a police chief who had been aggressive with protesters.

Twitter marked the post as breaking its policies against inciting violence, but Facebook, which has a similar policy against provoking violence, decided not to follow suit. A week ago, on May 29, Zuckerberg said in a public Facebook post that he would not take action, because the company wants to enable free expression and public debate about political activity - and because he did not think the post broke the company's policies.

Facebook employees took another tack.

They tried to report Trump's post, TASK T6770430, as problematic to trigger review by content moderators, contractors who remove offensive content. Some dove into the company's systems to try to understand the rationale for keeping it up, while others counted the hours and said they assumed it was just a matter of time before a post that so clearly broke the company's policies would be removed.

"I'm trying to reassure myself that we will do something here. We HAVE to, surely? Are there any lines that remain to be crossed?" someone asked.

"While we understand that people commonly express disdain or disagreement by threatening or calling for violence in non-serious ways, we remove language that incites or facilitates serious violence," according to Facebook's policy on inciting violence.

They also unleashed complaints on Workplace, the internal messaging board.

"It might be a coincidence, but the timing of this feels like a test balloon . . . of what we should expect through November 2020 and beyond," said one person.

Employees directly involved in implementing these standards also weighed in. "This is exactly the kind of content that can incite violence and is exactly what we should be taking action on," said one employee who worked on Facebook's Societal Violence team for 15 months.

At the same time, a group of black executives met privately with Zuckerberg and chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg on May 30 to protest the decision, according to the documents. The group collectively agreed to provide more input about content policy decisions, such as how Facebook evaluates racial "dog whistles," and to meet more frequently with Zuckerberg and Sandberg.

Some on the message board pointed out the racially divisive history of the language in the post.

On Tuesday, Zuckerberg decided he would hold an emergency town hall meeting, pushing up the weekly companywide Q&A that is usually held on Thursdays.

During the gathering, Zuckerberg said the language in Trump's post had "no history of being read as a dog whistle for vigilante supporters to take justice into their own hands," according to a transcript obtained by Vox and workers who attended. The comment was a reference to "aggressive, even excessive, policing," he said, but he took Trump's post to be a warning or threat of using the military against looting. He thought it was important for people to see and discuss.

Zuckerberg said that he had thought long and hard about the issue, but that when it came to the moment when he could take it down, "he couldn't get there." He said he knew employees would be very upset.

He also said he was exploring a labeling option, similar to Twitter's middle ground between removal and merely leaving a post up. He said he was open to reexamining Facebook's policies on violence committed by state actors, such as police.

The comment struck some employees as inconsistent because Facebook had already taken down accounts by state actors previously and of military leaders in Myanmar, according to the executives. Facebook took down the accounts after criticism that the company had allowed military leaders on the platform to threaten the Rohingya ethic group, helping to fuel a genocide.

And employees were also surprised because Zuckerberg had said in past congressional testimony that politicians were not exempt from the company's prohibitions on inciting violence, transcripts of which workers shared on Workplace.

"I'm really bothered by the Q+A today," one black employee wrote. "We hear where the leaders of this country and our Execs stand and know that the Policy Matters more than Black Lives."

In addition to diversity head Williams, the team that made the decision included Zuckerberg; Sandberg; Joel Kaplan, the vice president for U.S. public policy; and Nick Clegg, the vice president of global affairs and communications; as well as the head of human resources and the general counsel.

Another executive who posted a message said he originally supported the decision to leave up Trump's post, but changed his mind after contemplating the lack of diversity within Facebook's leadership.

"After the call was made on Friday to keep Trump's post, I convinced myself that it was the only logical decision. [But] slowly, over the weekend and Monday, doubt has crept in," the executive wrote. "I did not feel threatened by it but would the black community feel threatened? Can I understand why and where they come from? Can the people who were involved in making the decision? I don't think so."
The leader of terrorist group Al-Qaeda's north Africa affiliate has been killed in a French military operation following a seven-year hunt, the country's defence minister announced last night

Florence Parly has announced that Abdelmalek Droukdel and members of his inner circle were killed on Wednesday during the operation in the African country of Mali, where thousands of French troops have been deployed to tackle jihadist groups in the area.

The operation to kill Droukdel reportedly involved helicopters and ground troops, who 'neutralised' a small group of men before formally identifying the leader's body, and took place near the north-western Mali town of Tessalitm.

A senior Islamic State (IS) group commander was also captured in an operation in May, she added.

Ms Parly said the operations had dealt 'severe blows to the terrorist groups'.

Droukdel was the leader of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, known as AQIM.

The terrorist group have not yet confirmed the death of Droukdel.

France has announced that Abdelmalek Droukdel (pictured) and members of his inner circle were killed on Wednesday during an operation in the African country of Mali, where thousands of French troops have been deployed to tackle jihadist groups in the area

Droukdel was killed on Wednesday in Mali near the Algerian border, where the group reportedly had bases from which it carried out attacks and abductions of Westerners in the sub-Saharan Sahel zone, Defence Minister Florence Parly said Friday.

Colonel Frederic Barbry, a military spokesman, explained that the operation took place 'north of the Ifoghas adrar, 80 km east of Tessalit, and was carried out by an intervention module made up of helicopters and ground troops.'

French special forces 'neutralised' a small group of men, and were able to formally identify the body of Droukdel.

A French general involved in the operation said: 'This one was made from crossings of French and American intelligence - Washington has important aerial surveillance means in the Sahel.'

The death of Droukdel - once regarded as Algeria's enemy number one - could leave AQIM in disarray, French military sources suggested.

Abdelmalek Droukdel (pictured) was the leader of Al-Qaeda's north Africa affiliate, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, known as AQIM

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) emerged from a group started in the late 1990s by radical Algerian Islamists, who in 2007 pledged allegiance to Osama Bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network.

The group has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks on troops and civilians across the Sahel, including a 2016 attack on an upmarket hotel and restaurant in Burkina Faso, which killed 30 people, mainly Westerners.

Droukdel had evaded death on numerous occasions. In 2013, he was sentenced to death for his involvement in the bombings on a government building, the offices of the UN's refugee committee in Algiers. The attack killed 26 people, wounding 177.

Northern Mali is the site of frequent clashes between rival armed groups, as well as a haven for jihadist activity.

In 2012, key cities fell under the control of jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda, who exploited an ethnic Tuareg-led rebel uprising, leading to a French-led military intervention.

According to the UN, Droukdel was an explosives expert and manufactured devices that killed hundreds of civilians in attacks on public places.

The announcement of Droukdel's death was made on Twitter by French Defence Minister Florence Parly (pictured)

The group have made millions of dollars abducting foreigners for ransom over the years and made large swaths of West Africa too dangerous for aid groups to access.

French Defense Minister Florence Parly tweeted that Droukdel and several of his allies were killed Wednesday in northern Mali by French forces and their partners.

It was not immediately clear how his identity was confirmed by the French.

Droukdels reported death comes after French President Emmanuel Macron and the leaders of the G5 Sahel group - Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad -launched a new plan in January to fight jihadists in the area.

France deployed 600 additional soldiers as part of its Operation Barkhane - an ongoing anti-insurgent operation launched in August 2014 and led by the French.

The latest addition of troops raises the number of troops there to 5,100.

France, who were the former colonial power in the area, moved troops in after terrorist groups overran the northern area of Mali - which was eventually recaptured by the country's army, though tensions are still rife in the area and around the borders with neighbouring countries.

In a March video released by the extremist monitoring group SITE, Droukdel urged governments of the Sahel region to try to end the French military presence, calling the troops 'armies of occupation.'

France deployed 600 additional soldiers as part of its Operation Barkhane - an ongoing anti-insurgent operation launched in August 2014 and led by the French. The latest addition of troops raises the number of troops there to 5,100.

It was not clear how long Droukdel had been in Mali.

For years he was thought to be holed up in the Kabyle region east of the capital of his native Algeria.

He was widely seen as the symbolic leader of Al-Qaeda's North African branch, whose operational centre for attacks shifted to northern Mali over the past decade.

That led to the French military invasion of the region in 2013 seeking to counter Islamist extremist designs on southern Mali and the capital, Bamako.

Droukdel made his reputation as a feared extremist leader in Algeria, which beginning in the early 1990s was convulsed by violence in what the nation now calls the 'black decade.'

Droukdels Al-Qaeda's affiliate had claimed responsibility for numerous deadly suicide bombings in Algeria, including targeting a United Nations building in Algiers in 2007, shattered by a vehicle packed with explosives.

More recently he had been commanding all the Al-Qaeda's groups in North Africa and the Sahel, including the JNIM, which has claimed responsibility for attacks on the Malian military and U.N. peacekeepers trying to stabilise the volatile country.

Parly identified him as a member of Al-Qaedas 'management committee.'

She said the operations dealt a 'severe blow' to terrorist groups in the region that have been operating for years despite the presence of thousands of French, U.N. and other African troops.

The operation took place 'north of the Ifoghas adrar, 80 km east of Tessalit, and was carried out by an intervention module made up of helicopters and ground troops.'

In this file photo taken on November 19, 2010 a man looks at a picture of Abdelmalek Droukdel, aka Abu Musab Abdul Wadud, head of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) seen on US monitoring group SITE Intelligence, in Paris. Droukdel was killed on June 5, 2020 in Mali

France also claimed on Friday to have captured a leader of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS) group, which carries out frequent attacks over Niger's western borders.

'On May 19, French forces captured Mohamed el Mrabat, veteran jihadist in the Sahel region and an important cadre in EIGS', Parly said on Twitter.

Operations against EIGS 'the other great terrorist threat in the region' are continuing, said Parly.

Mali is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that erupted in 2012 and has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives since.

Despite the presence of thousands of French and UN troops, the conflict has engulfed the centre of the country and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

A source told AFP that some 500 jihadist fighters had been killed or captured by French troops in the region in recent months, among them several leading figures including commanders and recruiters.

Droukdel's death is a symbolic coup for the French, a military source said.

He had remained a threat in the region, capable of financing jihadist movements, even though his leadership had been contested, the source added.

His death, and that of other Al Qaeda figures, could leave the group disorganised in the Sahel.

Born in 1971 in a poor neighbourhood of Algiers, Droukdel took part in the founding in Algeria of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC).

Abdelaziz Bouteflika, elected Algerian president in 1999, managed to convince most of the armed groups in the country to lay down their weapons.

The GSPC, however, refused to do so and Droukdel decided to approach Al-Qaeda.
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Linkedin Dyaning Pangestika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 6, 2020 11:14 594 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdc892b1 1 World Harvard-University,Indonesia,graduation,commencement-speech,Indonesian-students,Indonesian-students-abroad,graduates,Boston Free

Indonesian student Nadhira Nuraini Afifah was given the honor of presenting the commencement speech to the graduation ceremony of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.

The 25-year-old student, who graduated with a master's degree in public health from the school's Global Health and Population Department, was selected to read a speech she had submitted during the virtual graduation ceremony on May 28.

"The school didn't specify any theme [for the speech], so I decided to talk about my experience as a minority student. I talked about how I struggled with it until I found out that Harvard provides musholla [small prayer house] in the campus as well as interfaith networks," Nadhira told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

In her speech, Nadhira stated that working in public health provided people with the privilege of saving millions of lives and improving the health and longevity of future generations.

"In a time of crisis, we realize that no matter how privileged we are, no matter where we come from, we are exposed to the same risks that [can only be overcome] through helping each other," Nadhira said in her speech.

Read also: Obamas, Lady Gaga, LeBron James join forces for US virtual graduations

In her speech, Nadhira highlighted the importance of the public health sector and emphasized that it was vital that people put aside their differences to work together during the current pandemic..

Nadhira also encouraged other young Indonesians, especially those her age, to pursue their dreams. Dont be afraid to dream. Pursue your education as high as possible.

She posted her story about the selection process on her YouTube channel Nadhira Nuraini Afifa.

In her vlog, she said she was not the only Indonesian student awarded the opportunity to deliver a commencement speech at Harvard, as another student named Andhika was also selected to present his speech during the Harvard Law School graduation ceremony.
Im scared I wont live long enough to have children, said Terrence James, 26, before recounting how he and a group of friends were approached by police in 2017 at a Silver Spring 7-Eleven. Explaining that a robbery had just occurred, he said, the officers forced James and his black friends to lie facedown in the parking lot. They didnt ask his white friend  who looked on in disbelief  to do the same, he said.
'India has ramped up infrastructure on its side, so the Chinese military is finding Indian soldiers in locations where they are not used to seeing an Indian footprint,' points out Harsh V Pant.

Photograph: Desmond Boylan/Reuters

The Line of Actual Control is once again on the boil with border clashes between the militaries of India and China seemingly at their highest since 2015.

Talks to resolve tensions have not had an impact so far and there remains the perpetual danger of crisis escalation with neither side willing to budge.

As per Indian ministry of defence records, Chinese transgressions have increased significantly, in particular in Ladakh where around 130 transgressions were witnessed till April.

Indian and Chinese troops have been eyeball to eyeball in eastern Ladakh after China objected to the construction of a road in the Galwan river area, well within Indian territory.

The Chinese foreign ministry has warned of 'necessary counter-measures', underlining that 'Chinese border troops are committed to upholding peace and tranquillity in China-India border areas', but will 'resolutely defend the sovereignty and security of our homeland'.

The Indian-China border is not fully demarcated and the LAC remains highly contested.

What is also true is that barring the middle sector, the two nations have not even had a mutual exchange of maps about their respective perceptions which has led to operational challenges whereby soldiers from either side have ventured into areas deemed as theirs by the opposite side.

As a consequence, local instability has been a perpetual feature of this terrain for decades.

But in recent years, border clashes have become routine though most have remained localised and defused at the local commander level.

The 73-day Doklam standoff on the Sikkim-Bhutan border in 2017 became a major flashpoint, waking Indian policymakers from their slumber that China is not to be taken for granted.

Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi tried to deal with this problem by reaching out directly to the Chinese president. Their first informal summit at Wuhan in April 2018 resulted in 'strategic guidance to their respective militaries to strengthen communication in order to build trust and mutual understanding and enhance predictability and effectiveness in the management of border affairs.'

They also 'directed their militaries to earnestly implement various confidence building measures agreed upon between the two sides, including the principle of mutual and equal security, and strengthen existing institutional arrangements and information sharing mechanisms to prevent incidents in border regions.'

While it did manage to stabilise a seemingly free-falling Sino-Indian relationship in 2018, it has clearly failed to bring any stability at the border.

A number of factors can be attributed to the border clashes.

There is the perpetual issues of differing perception of the border.

More significantly, India has ramped up infrastructure on its side, so the Chinese military is finding Indian soldiers in locations where they are not used to seeing an Indian footprint.

The Indian Army's patrolling is also more effective than in the past, forcing Chinese military to up the ante.

The fact that more Chinese soldiers are now crossing over into the Indian side can also be the result of growing Chinese aggressiveness on territorial issues.

Flaring up of tensions between India and China in 2020 even at a time both the countries are grappling with containing the spread of COVID-19 cannot, but be linked to the larger approach the Communist Party of China is following in its engagement with the outside world.

Despite growing worldwide rancour about Beijing's behaviour in the initial phases of the pandemic, the Communist party is busy demonstrating its military prowess vis-a-vis its weaker neighbours on various territorial issues.

And New Delhi's evolving posture supporting the demand for an independent enquiry into the origins of coronavirus as well as reinstating Taiwan as an observer into the World Health Organisation means that the Communist party would like to draw some red lines for India by upping the ante on the border question.

The US has reacted by challenging China on its behaviour with Alice Wells -- the outgoing principal deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs -- suggesting, 'There is a method here to Chinese operation'.

Arguing the need to resist China's 'constant aggression, the constant attempt to shift the norms, to shift what is the status quo,' Wells called for a strong pushback 'whether it's in the South China Sea where we've done a group sail with India, or whether it's in India's own backyard, both, on land as well as in the Indian Ocean.'

A new report submitted to the US Congress as mandated by the National Defense Authorisation Act 2019, United States Strategic Approach to the People's Republic of China, also makes this point by underlining that 'Beijing contradicts its rhetoric and flouts its commitments to its neighbours by engaging in provocative and coercive military and paramilitary activities in the Yellow Sea, the East and South China Seas, the Taiwan Strait, and Sino-Indian border areas'.

For New Delhi, it has now become imperative to assess the implications of Chinese behaviour not simply by looking at the bilateral matrix but also by integrating China's role as a global power into its calculations.

The present border turmoil can be calmed down temporarily, but so long as the Communist party continues to face internal pressure to use the military instrumentality for injecting a sense of nationalism into the nation's body politic, India will have no option but to continue to build up its deterrence capabilities by enhancing its internal strength and by developing more robust external partnerships.

Harsh V Pant is professor of International Relations, Department of Defence Studies, King's College London.
A Pakistan-based American blogger, Cynthia D. Ritchie, has levelled grave accusations of rape against former Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik and alleged that the senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader laced her drink with sedatives prior to the sexual assault in 2011. Ritchie made the allegations during a Facebook live, which went viral on Twitter on Friday.

The US blogger further accused former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and former Health Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin of physically manhandling her inside ex-President Asif Ali Zardaris House in Islamabad.

The conflict between the PPP and Pakistan-based American blogger Cynthia D. Ritchie intensified on Friday after the latter came out with allegations of rape and assault against some top PPP leaders.

After her allegations brought a whirlwind of conflict in Pakistan's politics, Ritchie tweeted, "Occurred at IM's house in min enclave 2011 around the OBL incident. I thought it a meeting about my visa but I was given flowers/a drugged drink. I kept quiet - who in PPP gov't would help me against PPP IM (referring to the Interior Minister Rehman Malik). Recently they attacked family; I've had it. Ready to face any accuser."

In a subsequent tweet, Ritchie said, "And, yes, I did tell someone at the UsEmb in 2011, but due to 'fluid' situation and 'complex' relations between US and Pakistan, response was less than adequate. I've been engaged to a wonderful man who I met in PAK. He encouraged me to speak out, so we can move on as a couple."

While Malik could not be reached for a comment despite multiple attempts, Gilani and his son strongly denied the allegations, The Dawn newspaper reported.

The blogger also stated in her video that she was reserving "some of the more graphic details" because her audience could include children and would be happy to go into detail with the "appropriate, neutral investigative journalists" and that she "will be ready to meet any and all investigators, as is required by law, as early as next week".

"I was physically manhandled by then Health Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin and then Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani -- while the latter was staying at the President's House," she said.

Ritchie has close to 220,000 followers on Twitter, who ran supportive hashtags such as "pride of Pakistan" (#CynthiaIsPrideOfPakistan) since she made the allegations public on Friday.

In a tweet before going live on Facebook, she alleged that members of "#ZardarisFilthyPPP" were threatening her because "they know that over the years I have been raped/assaulted by men in the highest ranks of PPP. They don't want the world to know."

"Recently they (PPP members) attacked family; I've had it. Ready to face any accuser," she said, adding that she was encouraged "to speak out" by her fiance, who she met in Pakistan, so that the duo can "move on as a couple".

In the explosive video, the blogger alleged that she has been "harassed for years now by the PPP". "I have received countless threats against my life, rape threats, claims that PPP has my father," she claimed, adding that she has "evidentiary support" of everything she has been alleging.

Besides, Ritchie claimed that she had informed about the incident to "someone" at the US Embassy in 2011, however, "due to fluid situation and complex relations between US and Pakistan, the response was less than adequate".
The Eden Project is to investigate the feasibility of creating a new attraction in Dundee.

The original Eden Project in Cornwall, known for its geodesic Biome domes, one of which houses an undercover rainforest, has welcomed more than 22million visitors since it opened in 2001.

The organisation has a number of UK and international projects and is now considering creating Eden Project Scotland in Dundee.

The Eden Project is to investigate the feasibility of creating a new attraction in Dundee. Pictured is the original Eden Project in Cornwall

It said the attraction would be 'transformational and regenerative with an overarching theme of humanity's connection to the natural world'.

David Harland, chief executive of Eden Project International, said: 'We are really excited to be working in Dundee. It is a vibrant city with big ambitions and we hope to be able to create something that encapsulates its unique appeal.

'The opening of the city's V&A in 2018 was a bold statement of intent and we want to be part of the next wave, helping establish Dundee as a truly world-class destination.

'The city was traditionally known for its "jute, jam and journalism", to which we would hope to add some joy, jubilation and, if not an actual jungle, at least the spirit that enabled us to build one under cover in an abandoned quarry in Cornwall.'

Eden will be working with Dundee City Council and the University of Dundee on a feasibility study for the new project

The Eden Project said it has generated more than 2billion for the regional economy in Cornwall since it opened.

Eden is working with Dundee City Council and the University of Dundee, with the study being supported by businesses and institutions in the area.

The feasibility study, which is due to start in early June, will establish a suitable site for the project, begin developing content ideas and explore the potential for creating jobs and boosting the regional economy.

John Alexander, Dundee City Council leader, said: 'We are delighted to be working with Eden Project International and our local and national partners on such an exciting collaboration.

The Eden Project in Cornwall has welcomed more than 22million visitors since it opened in 2001

'Bringing Eden Project Scotland to Dundee would not only mean securing an amazing asset for local people to enjoy, but also adding another world-class attraction to our future visitor offer.

'The vision, ambition and determination embodied in projects like Eden  and V&A Dundee before it  will be critical to creating jobs and prosperity as we as a city recover and rebuild.'

Eden's portfolio of international projects also includes developments in China, Australia, New Zealand and Costa Rica as well as UK projects in Morecambe, Derry-Londonderry and Portland.

Scotland's Tourism Secretary Fergus Ewing MSP said: 'In these incredibly challenging times for tourism, business and the wider economy, it is encouraging to see potential new growth through the next steps towards Eden Project Scotland being taken.

'Dundee has a growing international reputation as a prestigious cultural and tourism destination and today's announcement is incredibly welcome news for the city and wider region.'
At District Combined Hospital  Ghaziabad's primary Covid-19 facility  there's a severe shortage of medical personnel as many doctors have withdrawn from Covid-19 duty citing age or underlying health conditions.

According to a report in The Times of India, out of the 26 doctors designated at the isolation centre with 100 beds, only 12 are involved in Covid-19 patient care.

The report said that a few doctors had even tapped into bureaucratic connections in order to be shifted to duties where the chance of getting infected with Covid-19 is less. This, as per sources, led to heightened tensions in the hospital with other doctors on Covid duty feeling disgruntled.

Not just this, 10 doctors from other districts were called in and put on Covid duty.

The issue first surfaced after the hospital was designated a level-two Covid facility. Initially, five doctors wrote to authorities seeking exemption from Covid duty citing "serious illnesses," the report said quoting sources. Since then, the list has only gotten bigger.

Sources alleged that some doctors who were placed on Covid-19 duty would refuse to go inside the isolation ward. They would instead monitor the patients' condition by speaking to nurses outside the ward and further prescribe medicines over the phone.

Chief medical superintendent Naresh Vij said that the hospital was facing an acute shortage of doctors and added that those who were taken off Covid duty and given other work were all above 55 years of age.

"We have been continuously putting up a demand for doctors and nurses with the government, but to no avail. We need at least 12 more doctors and an equal number of nurses, Vij told TOI.

Doctors say that the situation is under control now given that, presently, there are only 32 Covid patients, but they the rue that the condition could deteriorate if there was to be a sudden spike in the number of cases.

A team of at least 53 health workers, including doctors, nurses and other staff, is required for 100 beds," a doctor was quoted as saying.

Commenting on the issue, chief medical officer Dr NK Gupta told ToI that the health department can step in and provide a few doctors to the hospital if there's a need.
Climate change is often discussed as if it is an issue that affects the world uniformly, as if the whole world warming will affect all people in identical ways  but clearly that is not the reality. Climate change is tightly wound up in the systemic racism problems being discussed in the world right now.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Climate change is often discussed as if it is an issue that affects the world uniformly, as if the whole world warming will affect all people in identical ways  but clearly that is not the reality. Climate change is tightly wound up in the systemic racism problems being discussed in the world right now.

We can think of it along similar lines to the COVID-19 pandemic. As much as it is a global issue, minority groups around the world had much higher infection and death rates. According to the United Nations, black people in the U.S. are twice as likely to die from COVID-19. In one state in Brazil, people of colour are 62 per cent more likely to die. Risk is exacerbated by socio-economic factors, geography, living and employment situations, unequal access to health care, and so on  much of which has determinant roots in systems of inequality both in the United States and Canada.

Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times Rising sea levels threaten the existence of Marshall Islands.

So these massive, global problems still end up affecting minorities more, further deepening inequalities. This is not an exhaustive list, but here are three key ways that play out when it comes to climate change:

- Environmental disasters have bigger impacts on minority communities

Mudslides, flooding, tropical storms, desertification  all of these environmental disasters, and others, are expected to increase in frequency globally as climate change progresses.

Hurricane Katrina is perhaps one of the most-cited examples of how inequality plays out in these disasters. In 2005, the storm caused more than US$160 billion in damage and officially the death toll was 1,200 people, though many people were never properly accounted for.

The storm had the most devastating effects in flood-prone areas, which were predominantly lower class neighbourhoods, inhabited by predominantly black people. Furthermore, recovery efforts were heavily criticized for not prioritizing the needs of the communities most significantly impacted.

"It should be clear that Katrina is as much a political disaster defined by racism, sexism and capitalism, as it is a natural one," wrote Jean Ait Belkhir and Christiane Charlemaine, editors at the journal of Race, Gender and Class.

Failures of this nature were replicated in the response to Hurricane Sandy on the U.S. east coast, and in Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

- The countries at risk of the biggest climate change impacts are predominantly countries with non-white majority populations

Global greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets that need to be met in order to limit warming to 1.5 C seem to be slipping further from a possible grasp. And the difference in countries like Canada, between 1.5 degrees of warming versus 2, will be significant. But not compared to that of island nations.

It was 2015 when Marshall Islands foreign minister Tony de Brum began warning the world that the difference between 1.5 and two-degree targets for Pacific island nations would equate to cultural genocide.

"Displacements of populations and destruction of cultural language and tradition is equivalent in our minds to genocide," de Brum told Radio New Zealand.

A year earlier, the leader of the nation of Kiribati, Anote Tong, announced that the purchase of land in Fiji had begun with the intention of the people of the island moving 2,000 km from their homes as sea levels rose. There are 110,000 people scattered among Kiribatis 33 low-lying islands facing the possibility of losing their entire country.

"We would hope not to put everyone on (this) one piece of land, but if it became absolutely necessary, yes, we could do it," Tong told the Associated Press in 2014.

Other countries, including Seychelles and Maldives, have expressed that this could be an option in their futures as well.

In a nearly annual occurrence, hundreds of people die as a result of flooding in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and other south Asian countries. Monsoon season is nothing new, but researchers are tracking increased rates of extreme flooding in the region.

- Warming in the North disproportionately affects Indigenous people

In Canada, much of the country is warming at twice the global rate. The poles of the Earth are warming faster than lower latitudes. This disproportionately affects the countrys Indigenous populations.

Changing ecosystems alter what animals live on the land. Its forcing Indigenous communities to reimagine their connection to the land in every facet, from hunting to spiritual ceremonies.

"For native people, its not so much about measurement. It really is about relationships and relational networks," Leroy Little Bear, an Indigenous leader in the Blood Tribe of southern Alberta, told the Free Press earlier this year. And those relational networks are being disrupted.

There is also the inescapable truth that greenhouse gas emissions to this point in history have been predominantly driven by white, colonial and imperialists countries. The Industrial Revolution began in Europe and the United States. While countries like China, Japan and India are quickly playing catch-up in emissions output, historically the responsibility for the predicament the world is in lies with white-majority countries.

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The United States, the former Soviet Union, Germany, the United Kingdom and Canada all make the list of the top 10 countries to have released the most emissions since the Industrial Revolution, according to an analysis by environmental think tank Carbon Brief.

Throughout history, environmental problems have plagued minority communities. The continued development of the oilsands brings up unanswered questions as Indigenous communities in the northern Alberta region have been seen to experience higher-than normal cancer rates, but no comprehensive health study has ever been conducted by Health Canada. Residents in Shelburne, N.S., believe higher rates of cancer there are linked to contaminants that leaked from an old dump and blew through the community when waste was burned over the course of decades. The dump was placed in close proximity to Shelburnes south end neighbourhood, inhabited predominantly by black Canadians.

Climate change is just the latest example of how environmental problems are much bigger for non-white communities across the country and around the world.

"Make no mistake, contrary to the supposed solidarity of the message that were all in this together, climate change is set to exacerbate existing disregard for black life, in part through the very universalism embedded in the claim that all lives matter," writes author and researcher Leon Sealy-Huggins writes in the book The Fire Now. "This universalism obscures the fact that climate change entails uneven and unfairly distributed impacts, which are significantly intensified by an unequal distribution of wealth and resources."

sarah.lawrynuik@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @SarahLawrynuik
He was in Brooklyn after midnight on May 31, among the crowds vocalizing pain and frustration over racial injustice. Amid the chaos, which has consumed many cities since Floyds death on May 25 while in Minneapolis police custody, Benoit was hit in the face with a police baton, he has alleged, sustaining a blow so hard it fractured bones in his face that may require surgery to repair. He claims three officers pushed and beat him, and that a fourth sprayed him with mace.
The World Health Organization (WHO) updated its guidance on Friday to recommend that governments ask everyone to wear fabric face masks in public areas where there is a risk of transmission of COVID-19 to help reduce the spread of the pandemic disease.

In its new guidance, prompted by evidence from studies conducted in recent weeks, the WHO stressed that face masks were only one of a range of tools that can reduce the risk of viral transmission, and should not give a false sense of protection.

Masks on their own will not protect you from COVID-19, the WHOs director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at a briefing.

The WHOs technical lead expert on COVID-19, Maria Van Kerkhove, said in a Reuters interview: We are advising governments to encourage that the general public wear a mask. And we specify a fabric mask - that is, a non-medical mask.

We have new research findings, she added. We have evidence now that if this is done properly it can provide a barrier ... for potentially infectious droplets.

While some countries and U.S. states have recommended or mandated the wearing of face coverings in public, the WHO had previously said there was not enough evidence for or against the use of masks for healthy people in the wider community. It had always recommended that medical masks be worn by people who are sick and by those caring for them.

Britain has said masks will be compulsory for passengers on buses, trains, aircraft and ferries in England from June 15.

The U.N. agencys advice that all healthcare workers dealing with COVID-19 patients, or with suspected cases of the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, should wear medical masks remains the same, Van Kerkhove said.

But the advice has been broadened to recommend staff coming into contact with any patients or residents in clinics, hospitals, care homes and long-term residential facilities should also wear masks at all times, she said.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. )

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Ekta Kapoors web series XXX Uncensored 2 has been hitting the headlines ever since Vikas Phatak aka Hindustani Bhau filed an FIR against producers Ekta and Shobha Kapoor claiming that they insulted army personnel in their ALT Balaji show. This was followed by the Ex-Bigg Boss contestant making some controversial statements against Ekta and her family on social media. The whole episode quickly snowballed and went out of hand with Ekta being subjected to rape and death threats online.

And now, in a recent video interaction, the small screen czarina has opened up about the XXX Uncensored 2 row and the ensuing cyberbullying. When Shobha De asked her on the current threat and wrath she has been facing on social media, Ekta shared, "As an individual and as an organization we are deeply respectful towards the Indian army. Their contribution to our well-being and security is immense. Yes, we shall readily tender an unconditional apology if such a demand comes from any bonafide army institution. But we wont bow down to uncivilized cyberbullying and rape threats by random elements.

She then hit out at Vikas without taking his name and said, This gentleman who thinks that hes the 'patriot of the year decided to come out there, abuse my mother and me. And now, has openly put a rape threat on a social platform. This, now, is no longer about the army or sexual content because the idea of this is 'rape a girl, rape her son, rape her 71-year-old mother for making sexual content. It means sex is bad but rape is okay.

Meanwhile, in other related news, a fresh FIR was lodged against Ekta Kapoor by three more folks in the state of Madhya Pradesh alleging insult to the national emblem, Hindu gods & Army personnel in Triple X-2, that first started streaming on February 8, 2020, on ALT Balaji.

ALSO READ: In Massive Support, Women Are Questioning The Rape & Death Threats Targeted Towards Ekta Kapoor

ALSO READ: Triple X-2: Hindustani Bhau Sends Legal Notice To Ekta; Says, 'Apologise Or Pay Rs 100 Cr To GOI'
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Nomads walk with their horse along the Srinagar-Leh National Highway in Sonamarg some 89 Kms of Srinagar on May 28, 2020.

Indian officials say the standoff began in early May when large contingents of Chinese soldiers entered deep inside Indian-controlled territory at three places in Ladakh, erecting tents and posts. They said the Chinese soldiers ignored repeated verbal warnings to leave, triggering shouting matches, stone-throwing and fistfights.

The meeting at a border post is the highest-level so far attended by senior commanders. Local border commanders held a series of meetings in the past four weeks but failed to break the impasse.

Indian and Chinese military commanders are meeting Saturday to try to resolve a bitter standoff along their disputed frontier high in the Himalayas where thousands of troops on both sides are facing off.

Chinese and Indian soldiers also faced off along the frontier in India's northeastern Sikkim state in early May.

Experts in India cautioned that there was little expectation of any immediate resolution in the military meeting. In the past, most disputes between China and India have been resolved quickly through such meetings while some required diplomatic intervention.

Though skirmishes aren't new along their long-disputed frontier, the standoff at Ladakh's Galwan Valley, where India is building a strategic road connecting the region to an airstrip close to China, has escalated in recent weeks.

The Chinese "ingress into the Galwan River valley opens up a new and worrying chapter," Ajai Shukla, a former Indian military officer and a defense commentator, wrote on his website.

India unilaterally declared Ladakh a federal territory while separating it from disputed Kashmir in August 2019. China was among the handful of countries to strongly condemn the move, raising it at international forums including the U.N. Security Council.

The China-India border dispute covers nearly 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles) of frontier that the two countries call the Line of Actual Control. They fought a bitter war in 1962 that spilled into Ladakh. The two sides have been trying since the early 1990s to settle their dispute without success.

The most serious dispute is over China's claims that India's northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh is part of Tibet, which India rejects.

China claims about 90,000 square kilometers (35,000 square miles) of territory in India's northeast, while India says China occupies 38,000 square kilometers (15,000 square miles) of its territory in the Aksai Chin Plateau in the Himalayas, a contiguous part of the Ladakh region.

Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda, who retired as head of the Indian military's Northern Command under which Kashmir and Ladakh fall, said the level of physical violence in the current standoff is "unprecedented and different from the past."

"The tensest of standoffs between soldiers of the two sides in the past have been marked by a remarkable degree of restraint and an understanding of not using force. If this restraint breaks down, each transgression could become a flash point," he said.
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Linkedin Jake Spring and Stephen Eisenhammer (Reuters) Brasilia/Sao Paulo, Brazil  Sat, June 6, 2020 14:30 594 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdc90a68 2 People Greta-Thunberg,climate-activists,activist,protest,united-states,Racism,Brazil Free

The US struggle for racial justice after the police killing of George Floyd is part of the fight against climate change and for social justice that unites us all, teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg said on Friday.

"We need to stand united and remember that the fight for social justice, environmental justice, racial justice and climate justice is the same fight," Thunberg said, when asked by reporters about any connection between her school strike movement and US protests against racism.

The 17-year-old Swede is known for castigating world leaders for inaction on climate change but confronted with nationwide protests in the US and the coronavirus pandemic, she has widened her message.

Thunberg was speaking during the launch of a crowdfunding campaign to buy medical supplies and provide telemedicine services to residents in Brazil's Amazon rainforest, where a lack of robust health services has made the disease devastating.

She said Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro had failed in managing the crisis. On Thursday night, Brazil's Health Ministry reported 1,437 deaths from coronavirus in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to more than 34,000 and surpassing Italy to become the country with the third-most deaths worldwide.

Read also: Climate activists to emerge stronger from coronavirus crisis, says Greta Thunberg

"The Bolsonaro government has definitely failed in tackling the coronavirus pandemic as many other governments have also done," Thunberg said on a video conference with journalists.

Brazil's presidency declined to comment.

Bolsonaro has fiercely criticized measures to shut down non-essential businesses and keep residents indoors to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, saying the economic damage being done is worse than the health risk itself.

Governments around the world, including Brazil, have "failed to save lives and because of that we have seen many deaths that could have been prevented," Thunberg said.
RSAWEB appointed Rudy van Staden as its new CEO in October 2019.

Van Stadens appointment came shortly before the COVID-19 lockdown was implemented in South Africa, and thrust ISPs to the forefront of the shift to working from home.

MyBroadband spoke to Van Staden about the challenges the company has had to overcome during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, as well as his plans for RSAWEB.

You recently took over as CEO of RSAWEB. Can you share a few highlights and challenges you have experienced in the role so far  including what has it been like to run an ISP in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic?

I think its fair to say that running any business during this pandemic has presented many challenges, none more transparent than our governments protracted approach to exiting lockdown, which if not accelerated will result in a socio-economic impact far greater than COVID-19 itself. One of our standout achievements was how seamlessly RSAWEB transitioned from an officebased organisation to a fully remoteworking business overnight, by implementing our very own product stack such as cloud, mobile data, fixed LTE, and other services  ensuring zero impact to our customers. In fact, we actually increased productivity to satisfy the surge in Internet traffic demand. It was also rewarding when RSAWEB was ranked first ahead of all other ISPs for bestincreased download speeds during lockdown  a wonderful testament to the talented and hardworking people here at RSAWEB.

What is your vision for RSAWEB, in terms of its position in the market?

RSAWEB has always been an innovator business, and that wonderful foundation and legacy will continue as we have smart and talented people across both our consumer and business divisions  who all share in our value that the customer experience comes first.

Considering our product range, we are in a unique position to create innovative products that assist customers across our business and consumer divisions.

We look forward to partnering opportunities with like-minded and innovative companies, especially in the IoT and mobile data spaces, who when combined with the RSAWEBs LoRaWAN network will be launching some very interesting products later this year which will supplement, not just South Africa, but other African markets too.

With more South Africans set to work from home in the future, do you see any opportunities in the market which RSAWEB can fill?

The opportunities bound to present themselves wont just be focused on the business who needs their staff to work from home, but also the value chain that then creates. Businesses will need their staff to securely access systems from anywhere at any time, so you will see an increased demand in cloud and mobile data services. As more people work from home, this will inturn drive ecommerce services to grow, increasing connectivity, and web hosting demand. Ecommerce will drive logistics companies to flourish, and these logistics companies will require mobile connectivity and IoT services. Given RSAWEBs product stack, we are very well positioned to satisfy these needs in the market.

Can you share any insight into the trends you have seen in the market over the past two months?

We have seen a huge surge in Internet traffic due to COVID-19, with increased demand in streaming services such as Netflix, online learning, and working from home needs, some within the same household, which has required customers to get or upgrade their FTTH products. Customers are realising the benefits of having a higher bandwidth fibre product as they are starting to place more value on their Internet experience. We are also very excited to launch our new Fixed LTE product, where we expect to see strong uptake in non-fibre areas, but even more excited with what we will be launching in this space in the coming months.

Do you think the COVID-19 pandemic will deliver a permanent, fundamental shift in how people work in South Africa?
Manufacturing and testing of Amtrak's new high-speed Acela trains, expected to debut next year in the Northeast, is on track despite interruptions to production and training during the coronavirus pandemic, officials said.

Testing of the first two Avelia Liberty high-speed train sets from French manufacturer Alstom, is underway in the Northeast Corridor and at a federal facility in Pueblo, Colorado, and Amtrak said railroad crews have started training on the new technology in anticipation of a launch next spring.

The Acela prototype arrived at the Colorado Federal Railroad Administration site for nine months of testing in February. Officials said it recently exceeded performance expectations, traveling at 165 mph, above the 160 mph limit the trains would be allowed to travel once in service between Washington and Boston. The current Acela trains travel 150 mph.

"We are laser-focused on delivering this new fleet of trains," said Caroline Decker, Amtrak's vice president for the Northeast Corridor. "Looking at where we are in terms of the production, we have a high degree of confidence that a 2021 launch is very doable, and certainly we're eager to introduce the new fleet to the Northeast Corridor as soon as possible."

The $2.5 billion project, which also includes major infrastructure improvements to accommodate the new trains, is moving forward at a time when Amtrak is preparing to reduce staff by up to 20 percent and is requesting nearly $1.5 billion more in federal aid to keep afloat amid the unprecedented financial hardship from the pandemic. The health crisis that shut down much of the country in March devastated the passenger railroad's ridership and revenue.

The investment in the Acela was originally aimed to grow one of Amtrak's strongest lines. Post-pandemic, the investment offers hope for the future as the company tries to recoup from massive losses suffered when ridership plummeted with the health crisis. Railroad officials say they are determined to keep the project on track, saying it could stimulate economic recovery.

The contract for the 28 trains was awarded in 2016 and supports about 1,300 jobs across the country, officials said, including 400 at Alstom's facilities in areas of support such as train control, rail signaling, engineering and maintenance. The new trains will replace the existing fleet of 20 sets starting next year.

"It's a silver lining at a time of a lot of dark clouds," Decker said. "We're very mindful that we are in very tumultuous times, but I will say this keeps us very motivated, very focused on what is going to be a real game-changer for train travel."

The entire new fleet should be in operation in 2022, when Amtrak hopes demand for train travel will have rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. Acela, Amtrak's premier service, was performing at an all-time high before the crisis. Ridership on the Acela grew by 4.3 percent in fiscal year 2019, compared with the previous year, and at a higher pace than the growth on the Northeast Regional and the company's state-funded routes. Acela's revenue also grew by about 5.4 percent, according to Amtrak.

That success led Amtrak to pursue expansion of the service, adding nonstop trips between Washington and New York last fall and an additional Washington to New York to Boston round trip on Saturdays.

The new trips showed promise, officials said, until the coronavirus hit and the Acela, popular for business travel, was among the first services to be cut as the virus began to spread and demand for travel sank. Some Acela trips resumed Monday, but officials said the railroad doesn't expect it or its entire network of intercity passenger trains to return to normal anytime soon. It is even less clear when, or if, the new Acela nonstop will return.

In late May, Amtrak chief executive William J. Flynn said the company was projecting a 50 percent reduction in systemwide revenue in fiscal 2021, saying demand remains about 5 percent of normal. The company estimates ridership in the next fiscal year may reach 16 million, or roughly 50 percent of the pre-pandemic levels.

- - -

The new trains are being built with several touchless and self-serve features that Amtrak says should make train travel more appealing in the post-coronavirus era with Americans still fearful of infection spreading through communal surfaces and human contact.

The lavatories are more spacious, accessibility compliant and have touchless and contactless door and faucets. The cafe car will have self-select and self-serve options.

Once the trains go into service, Amtrak plans to implement reserved seating, which the company says may help reduce the long and often tumultuous lines at the station as passengers rush to board all at once to grab a seat.

Among other features: additional interior and exterior signage to assist passengers in finding their way, streamlined overhead luggage compartments and doorless luggage space so passengers have fewer surfaces to touch. Power outlets and USB ports are more accessible to both passengers in between the seats.

Amtrak officials said it is working with the manufacturer to reevaluate the interior design to determine if any other enhancements can be made in response to the pandemic.

"Are there additional features that we could incorporate to provide better and more enhanced safety for the traveling public?" Decker said. "We're going to do everything we can to continue to improve the product."

In addition to their faster speed, the trains can accommodate up to 386 passengers, an increase of 25 percent.

Earlier this year, Amtrak's inspector general warned that the company's plan to roll out the trains early next year could be derailed, citing delays in their delivery, testing and training. Infrastructure improvements, including modifications to three maintenance facilities needed to get the trains into service also were behind schedule, according to the inspector general's report.

Amtrak said last week that it awarded contracts, and work is underway for modification of the maintenance facilities in Washington, New York and Boston. It also said a team of Amtrak engineers is working closely with the manufacturer. Various work groups are leading training, testing and other preparations.

The original plan to roll out the trains starting in January had already been pushed back a few months, Decker said. The expectation now, she said, is to have the first trains enter service in late spring or early summer next year with nine of the 28 train sets operating by fall 2021. That, however, is dependent not only upon the manufacturer completing the train sets but also successful completion of rigorous testing and training.

As of this week, the testing on the first two trains was progressing, Amtrak said. The high-speed testing of the train set based in Colorado completed a "milestone" last month when it traveled at speeds up to 165 mph. That train has six months of testing before it returns to Hornell, New York, for installation of interiors.

On Monday, the second prototype, based for testing in Philadelphia, made its way to Washington. The train is undergoing testing on the same tracks where Amtrak passengers are carried and will be in the corridor through the end of the year. Testing evaluates the trains's performances and safety, from railway dynamics to traction, brakes and train control management systems. After a successful testing, the train also will return to Hornell to be completed.

"The project is on track," Alstom spokesman Michelle Stein said, confirming that the 28 trains "will be produced and delivered by 2022."

Production at the Alstom facility in Hornel slowed in March as New York shut down in its effort to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus. The work at the factory, however, was deemed essential, and although there was a reduction in personnel, it didn't close completely.

Alstom said the impacts have been manageable and minimized in part because of a "strong supply chain of nearly 250 suppliers in 27 states" and because 95 percent of the components for the new train sets are produced domestically. For the testing, Stein said, Alstom deployed advanced digital remote monitoring capabilities, which have allowed the testing program to continue in Colorado despite travels limitations.

Some production activities continued during the crisis, such as component testing, cabling and wiring work, and other warehouse jobs that could be done with social distancing, Amtrak and Alstom said. As of this week, Alstom had recalled all production workers back to the site and work was ramping up, officials said.

As the testing of the first two trains gets underway, in New York more than 250 workers are working on the production of two additional trains at the Hornell factory.

As Amtrak works toward recovery from the pandemic, the new trains are "essential to improving reliability, service, safety and capacity" for travel along the Northeast, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement. Earlier this year, Schumer urged the Federal Railroad Administration to begin the federal inspection and testing of the train sent to the Colorado facility, saying that keeping the project on schedule was critical.

"The Next Generation Acela train sets, built by our world-class workforce in Upstate New York, will help Amtrak grow revenue and ridership for years to come," Schumer said this week.
An elderly couple has had an emotional reunion after spending four months living in separate care homes amid coronavirus lockdown.

Retired police officer Peter Foster, 87, and his wife of 59 years Doreen, 91, were forced apart when Peter fell unwell and had to be hospitalised in February.

Photographs have captured the heartwarming moment they were reunited at Donwell House Care Home, Washington, yesterday.

Doreen said: 'It was very difficult not seeing each other, especially in the evening.

'We missed each other so much. Peter arrived first and said he was so excited to see me and I was ecstatic to have him back by my side.'

Retired police officer Peter Foster, 87, and his wife of 59 years Doreen, 91, were forced apart when Peter fell unwell and had to be hospitalised in February. Photographs have captured the heartwarming moment they were reunited at Donwell House Care Home, Washington

Until last year Peter was Doreen's main carer but in December his health started to rapidly deteriorate.

By February he was in hospital and had been diagnosed with lymphona, a cancer that starts in the infection-fighting cells of the immune system.

While Peter received treatment Doreen was taken in to respite care at Ashley Lodge Care Home, in Sunderland. Peter was then discharged to recover at Alexandra View Care Centre, just 1.3 miles away across the River Wear.

But when the coronavirus lockdown was put in place on March 23 this left the couple unable to see each other for the first time in their marriage - leaving them heartbroken.

After five months of living apart, Peter and Doreen's social worker and family intervened and brought smiles to the two soulmates' faces when they had an emotional reunion.

Doreen and Peter first met in Hartlepool in the late 1950s when he was a young policeman and she was a conductress on the buses.

After five months of living apart, Peter and Doreen's social worker and family intervened and brought smiles to the two soulmates' faces when they had an emotional reunion

Peter used to wink at her at the traffic lights while he was on duty, his charm flattered Doreen, and they started courting.

A few years later, Peter and Doreen got married and spent their early years of marriage in Evenwoof, Durham.

Wanting to start a family, the doting couple moved to Jarrow and Doreen gave birth to their four children; Catherine, Alyson, John and Peter all within four years of each other.

In 1973, the family moved to a new housing estate in Washington while Peter continued to work as a policeman in Gateshead and Sunderland and Doreen was a dinner nanny in local schools.

Doreen and Peter first met in Hartlepool in the late 1950s when he was a young policeman and she was a conductress on the buses

During this time they loved taking their family on holidays, from taking a touring caravan all over Scotland and England to venturing to Italy and Portugal with all four children in the car.

Peter retired from the police force and all their children flew the nest, married and had children of their own.

They now have six grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

Peter said: 'We've had a long and happy marriage together through knowing each other inside out, always making sure we spend time together and of course Doreen is always right.'
June 5, 2020

News

By C. Todd Lopez , DOD News

Defense.gov

Space Development Agency Works Closely With Army, Its Biggest Customer

With the 2019 creation of the Space Force, U.S. Space Command and the Space Development Agency, the Defense Department has a lot riding on space. But the agency's big focus now is on taking care of its biggest customer  the Army  the Space Development Agency's director said.

"The largest user of national security space is the Army," Derek Tournear said during a June 4 teleconference hosted by the Aviation Week media company. "We view the Army as our closest partner. They're the ones, actually, that I work with most closely every day."

Tournear said his agency is responsible for orchestrating development of the whole national defense space architecture, which eventually will include a "mesh network" of hundreds of optically interconnected satellites in orbit that make up its "transport" layer.

"That layer is what communicates directly with weapon system via the tactical data link," he explained. "It also receives data from other sensing layers that are able to do those other missions."

The architecture involves six additional layers, he said: tracking, custody, deterrence, navigation, battle management and support layers. Tournear said the SDA's efforts in developing the national space defense architecture is focused on two priorities that are meant to provide space-based capabilities to the warfighter.

"The first one is beyond line-of-sight targeting for mobile targets  for time sensitive targets," he said.

There, he said, the agency wants to find ground and maritime targets that are moving, detect them, fuse data together, create a fire control solution and then give that fire control solution directly from space to a weapon system.

"We would use Link-16 as our tactical data link to be able to do that," he said. "So you detect it, fuse data, send that data fire control solution directly down, all on orbit."

The second priority is to do something similar to the first priority, but with advanced missile threats.

"These are your hypersonic glide vehicles or any kind of next-generation advanced missiles," he said. "We would want to be able to detect that, come up with a fire controls track that we could send down directly to a weapon system to be able to engage on remote that way."

The Army will be a big beneficiary of the SDA's efforts, Tournear said.

"The Army has their Titan program," he said. "At the brigade level, they want to be able to have a ground system that can communicate with satellites to be able to get mission data directly down from those satellites to help them do what we're calling the custody mission, that beyond-line-of-sight targeting."

The SDA is working closely with the Army to make sure the Titan system will work well with whatever the SDA develops as part of the national defense space architecture, Tournear said.

"We will use that system, that box, to be able to get our data from transport down there, down to Titan, so then Titan can rebroadcast that out via UHF or whatever other means they would like to be able to get it directly to the front line," he said. "Our main way that we're going to get the data from our transport satellites to weapon systems is via this Link-16 ... link."

While not all weapons systems have Link-16, he said, Titan will be able to receive data from the SDA's mesh network of satellites and then send it out to anybody who needs it, Tournear said.

"Titan can rebroadcast that out to actually the edge of the sphere  folks that just might have a UHF or an HF [high frequency] radio, something like that," he said. We're working very closely with them to ensure that the Titan plugs and plays directly with our transport satellites."

He also said the agency is working closely with the Navy to ensure similar kinds of compatibility when SDA's satellite network comes online.

"They have some programs that are doing similar things," he said. "But really, the Army is the one leading the charge on that."

Tournear also said one aspect of development for the national defense space architecture is to not have to have users make use of special terminals to get access to what the system provides. Instead, he said, the system should work with the gear warfighters are already using.

"User terminals are always a long pole, and typically they cause a lot more cost than what people really focus on," Tournear said. "Our plan is to never require any special user terminals. In fact, our plan is and has always been [that] the baseline is to get our data down via existing tactical data links ... I want to be able to get our data down and the community's data that is provided to transport, directly to systems that are already fielded with no modification."

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Delhi health department on Saturday said that mild or asymptomatic patients of Covid-19 need to be discharged by the hospitals within 24 hours.

According to the Ministry of Health, asymptomatic and mild cases of Covid-19 dont need hospitalization.

In a joint press briefing with Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain earlier this week, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that thousands of Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms are being treated at home.

Jain, on the other hand, explained the various categories of Covid-19 patients ranging from asymptomatic patients to severely infected.

ALSO WATCH | Saving lives our priority: Manish Sisodia on Delhis Covid fight

Also read: With over 80K Covid-19 cases, Maharashtra soon to overtake Chinas record

As per Union Health Ministry guidelines, asymptomatic & mild symptom cases don't need hospitalization. Any mild or asymptomatic patient has to be discharged by the hospital within 24 hours of admission: Delhi Health Department #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/3rtQNrDQrc  ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2020

Fever and coughing would fall under mild symptoms. If a persons breathing rate is more than 15 counts in a minute, it indicates moderate Covid-19 infection whereas over 30 breathing counts in a minute would fall into the severe category, the minister explained.

Sisodia said that while most hospitals have been able to follow the directive of reserving 20 percent of their hospitals for Covid-19 patients, some are facing logistical issues and such hospitals will soon be turned into dedicated Covid-19 health facilities.

We want to ensure that those who visit hospitals should receive all facilities, get admitted easily and face no hassle, he said.

In an address on Saturday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that some hospitals are denying admission to coronavirus patients.

I am warning those who think they will be able to do black-marketing of beds using the influence of their protectors from other parties, you will not be spared, he said.

Delhis Covid-19 tally zoomed beyond 26,000 cases. The national capital has reported 708 deaths while over 10,000 patients have recovered from the virus.
The World Health Organization is broadening its recommendations for the use of masks during the coronavirus pandemic and said Friday it is now advising that in areas where the virus is spreading, people should wear fabric masks when social distancing is not possible, such as on public transportation and in shops.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said people over age 60 or with underlying medical conditions also should wear masks in situations where social distancing cannot be maintained. WHO previously had recommended that only health care workers, people with COVID-19 and their caregivers wear medical masks, noting a global shortage of supplies.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

During a press briefing discussing the revised guidance, Tedros added that masks on their own will not protect you from COVID-19 and emphasized the importance of hand-washing, social distancing and other infection-prevention strategies.

"I wish to be very clear that the guidance we are publishing today is an update of what we have been saying for months: that masks should only ever be used as part of a comprehensive strategy.



Masks on their own will not protect you from #COVID19"-@DrTedros  World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) June 5, 2020

WHO also widened its mask guidance to specify that health workers in areas where the virus is spreading freely should always wear masks inside medical facilities. Doctors working in cardiology or other wards, for example, should wear medical masks even if the facilities had no known coronavirus patients, Tedros said.

Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead on COVID-19, said the updated recommendations were based on new research commissioned by the U.N. health agency.

Story continues

Download the NBC News app for full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Other health agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have recommended for some time the wearing of masks or face coverings by the general public to slow the spread of the coronavirus. British authorities said this week that face coverings would be compulsory on subways and other mass transit.

April Baller, a WHO infection control expert, said the type of masks recommended for the general public are fabric or cloth coverings that can be made at home. She said part of the reason for the widening of WHO's advice on face masks was the increasing evidence COVID-19 can be spread by people before they have symptoms.

WHO previously said that transmission from people who do not have symptoms was not believed to be a major driver of the virus pandemic.

What (the masks) do is they prevent a person who may actually have the disease from transmitting it to somebody else, Baller said.

Follow NBC HEALTH on Twitter & Facebook.
The Ukrainian government has consistently rejected a separate deal with Iran and says its position has not changed.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic in Ukraine for the first time admitted that Iran has proposed a settlement to close the case of the country's Flight PS752 which Iran's Revolutionary Guard downed in January.

The statement says Iran is willing to resolve the issues related to the incident and "therefore, underlines that it is necessary [Ukraine] expedites its response to the proposal officially submitted to Kyiv three months ago", Radio Farda reports.

The Ukrainian passenger plane was hit by two missiles shortly after taking off from Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport on January 8. All 176 passengers and crew members onboard were killed in the crash. It took Iranian authorities three days to finally admit that the Revolutionary Guard was responsible for firing the missiles at the plane.

Yevhen Enin, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine who is in charge of the case of the crash dossier, met with the Iranian Ambassador Manouchehr Moradi on Tuesday to discuss the matter. On Thursday he told Radio Farda that Iran's proposed MoU subjects the deciphering of the flight recorders to conditions but Ukraine has repeatedly announced that such no conditions are acceptable.

"We stress that examining the contents of the flight recorders is subject to the responsibilities that Iran has accepted in the framework of Montreal and Chicago conventions. They must submit the flight recorders to a country that can decode them if they are not able to do so themselves, Enin added.

Read alsoIran pushing Ukraine not to take action for downed plane  Radio Farda

According to Enin, Ukraine demands a guarantee of implementation of international laws, explanation of the real cause of the incident -- whether human error or other reasons -- and punishment of those responsible for the incident.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry official in charge of the case also said Ukraine wants technical and criminal investigations to be conducted alongside the legal proceedings for which decoding the flight recorders is only one of the required steps.

Radio Farda disclosed the content of the proposal on April 14 on the basis of interviews with Ukrainian informed sources who had seen the proposal. The proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), contained a vague promise of compensation in return for Ukraine abandoning any further claims against Iran.

Radio Farda's sources said that the proposed MoU appeared to oblige Ukraine and the families of victims of flight 752 to waive their right to pursue the matter any further through courts and accept "human error" as the cause of the crash.

Commenting on the proposal, a Ukrainian aviation law expert told Radio Farda that Iran's aim was probably to separate Ukraine from the other countries with victims in the plane disaster.

The Ukrainian government has consistently rejected a separate deal with Iran and says its position has not changed.
New Delhi: The unprecedented Lt General-level talk between India and China is taking place at Chushul-Moldo border point on the Chinese side in a bid to resolve the month-long dispute over the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This comes a day after the foreign ministry officials of both nations on Friday (June 5) discussed the flaring of tensions on the disputed Himalayan border.

The positive approach by the two countries in addressing strain in ties came at a video conference between Naveen Srivastava, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the external affairs ministry and Wu Jianghao, director-general in China's foreign ministry on Friday evening.

Without directly referring to the military standoff, the External Affairs Ministry said the two sides reviewed the state of bilateral relations including the current developments.

The Indian delegation of officials will include Lt Gen Harinder Singh, the commander of 14 Corps along with 10 other officers who were part of the earlier meetings with the Chinese counterparts.

The Chinese side of the delegation will be represented by Major General Lin Liu, Corps Commander, South Xinjiang Military Division and 10 other officers from the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) who were part of earlier talks with India.

In the military talks, the Indian delegation will press for the restoration of status quo ante in Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso and Gogra in eastern Ladakh. India will also oppose the huge build-up of Chinese troops in the region and is most likely to raise the resistance from the Chinese side on the development of infrastructure by India on its side of the de-facto border, sources said.

India is also likely to seek the removal of temporary camps erected by Chinese force after the violent face-offs on May 5 in which soldiers of two sides were assaulted and injured.

Both sides have been asserting that pending the final resolution to the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquillity in the area.

It is learned that the delegation of two sides is engaged in diplomatic talks to find a solution to the face-off which is turning out to be most serious after the 2017 Doklam standoff.

And even as India does not expect an immediate concrete outcome from the single Saturday's meet, the government considers it important as the high-level military dialogue between the two could pave the way for a negotiated settlement of the tense standoff.


Charleston police have arrested a second person they say set a police vehicle on fire and incited a riot as peaceful demonstrations against the death of George Floyd turned violent on May 30.

Kelsey Donnel Jackson, a 27-year-old Hollywood resident, was charged with inciting a riot, two counts of second-degree burglary, three counts of malicious injury to personal property, two counts of second-degree assault and battery and one count of third-degree arson, police and court records show.

He remained jailed with bail set at $218,174, police said.

Jackson is the second protester Charleston police have arrested in connection with the car-burning incident.

Abraham Elijah Jenkins, a 25-year-old West Ashley resident, was arrested on similar charges after authorities said an undercover detective saw him set a police vehicle on fire, incite the crowd to violence and smashed police vehicle windows with a fire extinguisher.

Jenkins was held on $277,773.50 bail.

Jail records show both men remained in the jail Friday night.
Read what is in the news today.

Politics

 During a reception by Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung on Friday, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Robyn Mudie said that Australia is impressed by Vietnams COVID-19 response and pledges AUD10.5 million (US$7.3 million) to support the countrys post-pandemic recovery.

Society

 Vietnam confirmed one imported case of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an overseas Vietnamese returning from the UK, on Saturday morning  the 51st day of no community transmission. The national infection tally now stands at 329, with 307 recoveries and no death.

 Ninety-nine pregnant women were among 343 Vietnamese nationals returning from Japan on a flight operated by Vietnam Airlines in collaboration with the Vietnam Embassy in Japan and other ministries on Friday.

 Doctors at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases have removed five intestinal worms, identified as Dracunculus medinensis  a species of roundworm that causes Guinea worm disease, from the abscesses appearing on the limbs of a man in the northern province of Yen Bai. This type of intestinal worm had never been discovered in Vietnam before but are commonly found in India, Southwest Asia, and rural areas of Africa.

 Police and military forces in the central city of Da Nang and the north-central province of Thua Thien-Hue have been hunting for a highly dangerous criminal, who broke out of a prison in the central province of Quang Ngai for the second time on Wednesday, on the Hai Van Pass that connects Thua Thien-Hue and Da Nang.

 More than 100 large trees have been left behind at a plant nursery in Hanoi since November 2016 after they were moved from Kim Ma Street for the construction of a railway project.

Business

 Uniqlo Vietnam launched another store in the countrys tallest building Landmark 81 in Ho Chi Minh Citys Binh Thanh District on Friday, less than a month after the opening of its third outlet at SC Vivo City in the citys District 7.

 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines will open two new routes this month connecting Vinh City in the north-central province of Nghe An with Phu Quoc Island off the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang and Nha Trang City in south-central Khanh Hoa Province.

Education

 The seminal 2020 National High School Examination, hosted by the Ministry of Education and Training, will take place on August 9 and 10 after being delayed multiple times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

World news

 Over 6.83 million people have caught COVID-19 around the world, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health. More than 397,000 have died of the disease globally while almost 3.33 million have recovered.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Erin Molan has been heavily criticised for an off-colour joke about the pronunciation of Pacific Island names. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Rugby league presenter Erin Molan has been taken to task by NRL stars Martin Taupau and Braden Hamlin-Uele over her racist joke about surnames of Pacific Island born players.

In a segment with 2GB radios The Continuous Call recently, Molan was on air with Darryl Brohman and Mark Levy when she made the slip-up.

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Discussing the pronunciation of NRL player names, Molan said hooka looka mooka hooka fooka - prompting her confused co-hosts to quickly change the subject.

Taupau, who is of Samoan heritage, took to Twitter on Friday evening to declare his grandfather would be turning in his grave over Molans attempts at humour.

Understandable for our non-Pasifika community attempting to properly announce our names, but to disrespect and make a mockery of former/current Pasifika players in the NRL like how you carried on is DISGRACEFUL! Taupau wrote.

My grandfather would be tossing in his grave in anger!

Understandable for our non-Pasifika community attempting to properly announce our names, but to disrespect and make a mockery of former/current Pasifika players in the NRL like how you carried on is DISGRACEFUL! My grandfather would be tossing in his grave in anger!@Erin_Molan https://t.co/CTMuzHEatl  Martin Taupau (@MartyKapow) June 5, 2020

Cronulla forward Braden Hamlin-Uele took to his Instagram story to criticise Molan, suggesting if she didnt understand what her words meant, she should get off the air.

An inside joke? Show some respect!, Hamlin-Uele said in an Instagram story.

If thats a joke between colleagues then F that workplace. Get out of the job @ErinMolan.

Disgusting to even think that would be ok, to put on an accent and say that. Wake up to yourself.

Story continues

Molan and Channel 9 have defended the gaffe, telling the Daily Mail the former Footy Show host was just referencing an earlier story Brohman had told and that any perceived racial insensitivity on Molans part was just a misunderstanding.

Pacific Island journalists, fans slam Erin Molan

The backlash to Molans comments has been significant, with Pacific Island and Indigenous journalists in particular appalled by their Channel 9 colleagues words.

NITV reporter Madeline Hayman-Reber said Molan clearly did not understand why what she had said was deeply offensive.

A disgusting display of racism made even more racist by her failure to recognise, understand, or learn. This is white Australia, she wrote.

A disgusting display of racism made even more racist by her failure to recognise, understand, or learn. This is white Australia. https://t.co/YOGOUO55MY  Madeline Hayman-Reber (@MadelineHayman) June 5, 2020

ABC presenter Tali Aualiitia said being able to pronounce Pacific Island names was part of Molans job, not a punchline.

Erin Molan works in rugby league and, there are a bloody lot of Pacific players. Its literally her job to say these names and, to do the work to same them right, Aualiitia wrote.

On radio we say a lot of Pacific names - I know theyre not easy - but, we try really, really hard to get them right. Ive watched presenters practice and practice the names and then not get them 100% right and be really disappointed with themselves when they get off air  Tali Aualiitia (@taliaualiitia) June 5, 2020

What she fails to understand, is that a Pacific name is not just a surname. Its your ancestors, your village, your people, your country.

We wear our names with pride and they are not there to be made a mockery of  even as a joke with your co-worker.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6)  A person was killed and around 600 families were left homeless in another fire that razed houses in a village in Mandaluyong City early Saturday, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection.

In an earlier report, BFP said the fire was at Barangay Mauway.

The fire was declared out at 5:40 a.m, the BFP said in a report.

Authorities said the fire in Nuebe de Febrero broke out at about 3 a.m. Less than an hour later, the blaze reached Task Force Bravo, an alarm that required at least 28 fire trucks to put the fire out.

Mandaluyong public information officer Jimmy Isidro told CNN Philippines the victims are staying in a public elementary school and a gymnasium pending their relocation to a temporary shelter. Authorities will provide food to them, he added.

This followed the fire at Block 37 Fabella Street in Barangay Addition Hills, the epicenter of COVID-19 in the city. Authorities declared the highest alarm although there were no fatalities.

The blaze on Monday left 2,000 families homeless and damaged properties worth around 2 million.




With the coronavirus pandemic showing no signs of abating, it seems unlikely that Muslims from India will be able to undertake the Haj pilgrimage this year, sources said on Saturday.

However, they said the government will take a final decision on the matter only after Saudi Arabia makes its position on hosting the pilgrimage clear.

A circular issued by the Haj Committee of India on Friday said only a few weeks are left for the preparatory work in India for Haj 2020, yet the Saudi authorities have not communicated any further development regarding the pilgrimage.

In view of the several inquiries received and concerns expressed over uncertainty over Haj 2020, it has been decided by the Haj Committee of India that, those pilgrims who desire to cancel their Haj journey this year, their 100 per cent amount paid so far will be refunded without any deductions, the circular issued by Haj Committee of India CEO Maqsood Ahmed Khan said.

Coronavirus cases are increasing in Saudi Arabia and two lakh people have to go from here. We had made preparations, but now there is very little time left. We are waiting for an official word from Saudi Arabia, a top source told PTI.

In response to a question, the source said, This time, it is unlikely that people will be able to undertake Haj from India. Uncertainty has been looming large over this years Haj in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and though Saudi Arabia has not made a decision on whether the annual pilgrimage will be held or not, it did ask Muslims to delay their bookings till there is more clarity.

The bilateral annual Haj 2020 agreement between India and Saudi Arabia was signed last December.

In 2020, a total of 2 lakh Indian Muslims were expected to perform Haj.

Over 95,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 600 deaths have been reported in Saudi Arabia due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Some countries have decided not to send their people for Haj this time. The most prominent among these is Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world.

The Haj 2020 is proposed in the period between late July and early August.

The Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam which every Muslim is required to complete at least once in their lifetime if they are healthy enough and have the means to do so.
Why Jyotiraditya Scindia is trending on Twitter?

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, June 06: Amid alleged rift with Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government in Madhya Pradesh, peculations are rife that the former Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia has removed 'BJP' from his Twitter profile.

Dismissing the rumours, Scindia tweeted, "Sadly, false news travels faster than the truth."

In a major blow to Congress, Scindia had switched over to the BJP in March this year along with 22 supporter MLAs. Their resignation from the Congress and the MP Assembly led to the fall of the Kamal Nath government on March 20, and return of Shivraj Singh Chouhan as chief minister on March 23.

India Covid-19 infections crossed Italy's tally making it the 6th worst-hit nation | Oneindia News

After Scindia 'Missing' posters of Pragya Thakur pop up in Bhopal

"There has been no change in my Twitter bio. The reports going on in the media have no basis. People should not pay attention to such rumours. The things that were there in the bio at the time of my joining the BJP are still there. There was only a change of photo on Twitter handle when I came in," news agency IANS quoted him as saying.
Bhubaneswar, June 7 : A labourer, who returned from Chennai, spent two days in jungle after allegedly being denied admission to the quarantine centre, and entry to his village, in Odisha's Ganjam district.

After reaching Balasore by train, Barik Nayak was brought to Bhanjanagar by bus, sources said.

However, when he reached his village, the local residents did not allow him to enter the village.

According to Nayak, he spent two days in the jungle near his village after the Sarpanch and local administration did not help him to get admitted to any quarantine centre.

Later, the police took him to a quarantine centre at Sanakodanda, said sources.
Yokota Shigeru, the father of a woman who was abducted by North Korea, died on Friday. He was 87 years old. He spent more than four decades trying to get his daughter back, but was unable to meet her again.

Yokota's daughter Megumi was abducted in 1977 when she was in junior high school.

When a group of families of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea was founded in 1997, he became the leader.

He and his wife Sakie travelled across Japan to rally support for the group's cause, conducting petition campaigns and giving more than 1,400 speeches.

Yokota stepped down as group leader a decade later due to an illness, but he continued calling for public support to bring the abductees back.

Megumi was found to have got married and had a daughter in North Korea. The Yokotas met their granddaughter, Kim Eun Gyong, in Mongolia in 2014. But their daughter was not there.

Efforts to resolve the abduction issue made little progress. Yokota stopped giving speeches four years ago due to poor health.

One of his cherished possessions was a comb Megumi gave him as a birthday gift the day before she disappeared.

Yokota had been in hospital in Kawasaki, near Tokyo, for more than two years.

Japan's Prime Minister Abe Shinzo spoke shortly after Yokota's death was announced.

He said, "I was waiting for the day when Yokota Shigeru and his wife could hold their daughter Megumi in their arms. I did my best as a Prime Minister, but I could not make that happen. I feel so sorry from bottom of my heart."

The current representative of the abductees' families says Yokota's death should be a wake-up call.

Iizuka Shigeo said, "We knew this was coming. Either you did not notice... or did not do anything even though you knew. This is the result of spending years doing nothing."

Iizuka says if the issue is left unresolved for much longer, only a few parents will alive to see their loved ones returned.
Under an old fig tree in the Paphos district of Cyprus, water flows down a wall of rock to form a shallow pool known as the Baths of Aphrodite.

If you splash the water on your face, youll be blessed with eternal youth and beauty, our tour guide Dena tells us.

Snorting with laughter, I notice others around us earnestly pressing water to their cheeks.

Beauty: The beach in Paphos that's said to have been the birthplace of Aphrodite

Well, I suppose it cant do any harm. So, to my partner Chriss great amusement, I discreetly throw a few drops on my face.

Myths and legends follow you everywhere in Cyprus.

At midnight, swim naked three times around Aphrodite Rock  a large sea stack off the coast of Paphos, which is said to be the birthplace of the ancient Greek goddess of beauty, love and fertility  and youll be youthful for ever.

Thats a mythical promise, but now Cyprus has announced a real one: its government will cover the cost of accommodation, medicine and food for tourists who test positive for the coronavirus after visiting, and their families.

A 100-bed hospital is being set aside for holidaymakers, as well as several quarantine hotels for the patients families.

Luckily, were here long before lockdown, staying in Paphos on the south-west coast, a five-hour flight from the UK.

From the airport, road signs direct us to the tourist area, where most major hotels are located on the waterfront.

Our home for the week is the Louis Ivi Mare  a brand new hotel which opened a year ago.

It is simply immaculate, with bright white walls, big green plants and modern, colourful furniture. We have a room on the first floor, which to our delight has a private hot tub on the balcony.

I dont imagine theres a better place in the whole of Paphos to watch the sun set.

It takes immense willpower to drag ourselves away from the Utopia Bar, where friendly staff ply us with ice-cold bottles of local beer, Keo, as we relax by the Olympic-size swimming pool (the biggest in town). But the paved promenade that stretches from just outside the hotel for miles along the coastline has even the laziest of us reaching for our trainers.

Catherine Zeta-Jones has visited the island

As you might expect in a tourist area, there are a good number of souvenir shops, Irish pubs  and even a Pizza Express.

But these are easily forgotten once you reach the impressive harbour, still guarded by Paphos Castle, which was originally built as a Byzantine fort.

Nearby is Paphos Archaeological Park, which houses incredible Roman villas with floor mosaics telling an array of mythological stories in scenes painstakingly created from tiny pieces of coloured stones.

Then there are the Tombs of the Kings, the graves built as houses for the deceased during the 4th century BC.

If that isnt enough history, head 45 minutes down the coast to Kourion Archaeological Site, where youll find yet more mosaics and a restored amphitheatre overlooking the sea.

For a Classics geek, its Christmas come early. And with archaeologists still digging, its exciting to think there is yet more history under our feet just awaiting discovery.

I only wish that, like the locals, I had come prepared with an umbrella to protect my head from the beating sun.

If you arent as eager to explore the Greco-Roman world, you could try a boat trip to the Blue Lagoon beach instead.

Only accessible via a dirt track on land, most visitors travel by boat from Latchi Harbour. Even then its a fair old swim, because the boats cant anchor too close.

We watch in awe as a group of teenagers dive headfirst off the side of our boat into brilliant turquoise water  before quickly swallowing our pride and opting for the ladder at the back.

Its like getting into a bath, with clear water perfect for snorkelling.

For hikers, nearby Akamas National Park has two main trails  called Aphrodite and Adonis, naturally  which are each around four miles long.

Its a brilliant way to shake off the inevitable food coma you will find yourself in at some point.

Pictured is the Kourion Archaeological Site, where youll find a restored amphitheatre overlooking the sea

Our taxi driver from the airport had warned us about ordering the meze  but its impossible to resist plate after plate of fresh fish, vegetables and cheese.

Another food highlight is Katoi Restaurant in the mountain village Omodos, where we were served an endless array of excellent dishes  including the most delicious creamy, mushroom orzo (pasta that looks like big rice) Ive ever tasted.

We end the meal with a potent shot of Zivania, while the owner patiently explains Greek philosopher Platos Allegory of the Cave.

While charming, he clearly thinks we have seriously missed out by opting for the vegetarian meze.

Barbecuing meat is the national sport of Cyprus, our guide Dena jokes as we leave.

After lunch, we stroll around the 17th-century Monastery of the Holy Cross, check out an ancient wine press and shop until we drop at the many markets.

Must-buys include a bottle of delicious carob syrup and sweet sujuk  which look a little like extra-long sausages, but are actually nuts threaded on to a string and dipped repeatedly in grape juice.

Cypruss strategic position on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea means it has been conquered and divided more times than anyone can count. Even today youve got Turkish territory in the north.

But, with 300-plus days of sunshine each year, Cyprus is, above all, a beach holiday destination  loved by the likes of Catherine Zeta-Jones, Elton John and Rod Stewart.

There are plenty of sandy beaches from which to choose, but Paphos locals seem to prefer the rocky Municipal Baths Beach, where you can enter the water via the sand, or steps from a concrete pier.

Sunbeds here are also among the cheapest in Europe, costing just 5 (4.50) for a lounger and umbrella all day.

With the good weather stretching well into October, Cyprus is an ideal place to go for late summer sun, once were all travelling again.

In fact, if you get swimming round that rock, you may even find its the perfect place to spend your eternal life.
A coalition of civil society organisations and human rights activists Friday simultaneously held a peaceful protest in the Federal Capital Territory and Lagos demanding a state of emergency to be declared on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria.

The protest which took place at the police headquarters in both cities followed a perceived rise in the number of rape cases in Nigeria including the recent deaths of two rape victims.

The groups include TechHerNG, working with Girl Child Africa, Connected Development, Enough is Enough Nigeria, Stand To End Rape, SilverChipFox, Yiaga Africa, Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, Education as a Vaccine, and ActionAid.

Dorothy Njemanze, Executive Director of Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, said the coalition is calling on the government to declare a state of emergency on gender-based violence adding that women should not be treated less because they are born female.

I have been raped several times in my life and I do what I do hoping that others will not have to go through the same thing I went through but we do not see that happening, she said.

At the protest, Chioma Agwuegbo of TechHer cited some reported rape cases most of which were minors, girls below the age of 18, a few above 18 and above 60.

Jumai Umar, a consultant, who was a part of the march said, I am here to lend my voice to the NO, to lend my voice in urging the authorities involved to their duties.

Addressing the group of protesters in Abuja, Frank Mba, the Nigeria police spokesperson, said, We understand the rationale, emotions, pains and frustration driving this protest.

Mr Mba stated that the police is with Nigerians in the quest for a rape free country as every member of the police force has a woman/girl in their lives and would not want them to be victims of sexual abuse or rape.

protest against gender-based violence protest against gender-based violence

We will work with you if you will work with us to drive this advocacy to further extent, he said, adding that one of the ways to fight against sexual assault against women is to end the conspiracy of silence.

We have seen mothers who have compounded cases of incest committed against their daughters, therefore we must work together to build a generation of women who will be bold enough to report cases when they happen.

He added that Nigerians must work together with the police to educate the people, a lot of investigations of such cases are mishandled. He alleged the connivance of relatives to shut down police investigations and prosecution.

protest against gender-based violence protest against gender-based violence

Mr Mba said the police will continue to build the capacity of police officers, build a generation of officers who can empathise with women, show tact and understanding, work with victims, victims family, activists, lawmakers and other well-meaning citizens to fight rape.

The peaceful protest in Lagos and Abuja is one out of the laid down activities for a campaign to push for systemic change on Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) in Nigeria, the groups said.

Among these activities include legislative engagements and engagements with Nigerian Governors Forum and the Federal Executive Council.
The Managing Director of the Nyaho Medical Centre, Dr Elikem Tamaklo in Accra has tested positive for the Coronavirus disease.



A statement issued by the health facility on Friday, June 5, said Dr Tamaklo tested positive on Thursday, June 4.



It said he has since been in self-isolation.



This positive diagnosis has affected his family, but we are happy to say that they are all well, have been self-isolating together and are taking all the medical advice and precautionary measures, the statement said.



Below is the full statement



MANAGING DIRECTOR OF NYAHO MEDICAL CENTRE TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19



Dr. Elikem Tamaklo, Managing Director of Nyaho Medical Centre on 4th June 2020 tested positive for COVID-19. This positive diagnosis has affected his family, but we are happy to say that they are all well, have been self-isolating together and are taking all the medical advice and precautionary measures.



As part of the organisations Business Continuity Plan, non-clinical staff (including the MD) have been working remotely from home through virtual meetings since 23rd March 2020. This was to enable efficient social distancing at the Centre as well as create enough room for clinical staff to continue to provide quality care to patients. Over the last two weeks, Dr. Tamaklo was not physically present on the hospital premises and thus, we can confirm that the exposure was from the community.



In adherence to the stipulated protocols, Dr. Tamaklo and his family are currently under quarantine and will be compliant with all the necessary guidance from the District Health team who have worked closely with Nyaho Medical Centre in the follow up and treatment of patients.



In a short video to all employees, Dr. Tamaklo said I am currently doing well but felt it important to fully live out the Nyaho leadership standards and commitment to building a culture of trust. The stigma that some have had to endure is unfair, unfounded and has no basis. Through no fault of their own, they have been exposed to an invisible threat, a virus, and now have to keep focused on their journey to recovery, for themselves, their families and their wider community. We all need to continue to do our best and remain disciplined by observing all the recommended preventive measures such as washing of hands with soap under running water, use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers frequently, maintaining 2-metres social distance when in public and in enclosed spaces, wearing of face masks whenever interacting with others and being sensitive to our own health to self-isolate if feeling unwell and seek medical advice as soon as possible for quick diagnosis and treatment.



Nyaho Medical Centre continues to operate 24 hours a day 7 days a week, providing quality care to its patients. Dr. Tamaklo will be taking a short leave of absence to focus on his recovery. During this time, Dr. Victoria Lokko, the Medical Director, will be overseeing all clinical affairs whilst Mr. Emmanuel Agyei, the Operations Director, will be overseeing all operational matters of the Centre.

Source: Daily Graphic









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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6)  Education stakeholders say that access to internet and other essentials needed for online learning may hinder some students to continue their education.

The Asian Institute of Management held an online seminar Education Under the New Norm on Saturday wherein stakeholders voiced out their concerns as the countrys education sector transitions to its new normal, online learning.

Catherine Alarzar, a teacher and mother from Camarines Sur, noted that her main concern is the students access to technology, especially the internet, since there are those who live in remote areas who do not even have access to electricity.

Schools in Bohol are also challenged by access to internet, Nalven Acenas, a senior high school coordinator the province said. This is despite their preparations towards the transition to the new normal.

Mothers Mariana Malecdan and Diana Nunez also shared the same sentiment. Malecdan also noted that in order for students to attend online, each student must have his own gadget which would lead to additional expenses for the part of the parents.

As for Nunez, the lack of access to essentials for online learning is very much evident in her area, Tondo, Manila. She noted that families will have to buy load in order to connect to the internet. Moreover, if ever modules will be sent online, children will not be able to have these printed since they are prohibited to go out.

Estelita Pena, a principal from a public school in Zambonga Sibugay, also noted internet connectivity and resources to purchase gadgets as the main challenge for students.

Education and Literacy Programs Director Peachy Abellon of Project Pearls, a non-government organization that provides education for the marginalized children like those in Tondo, said that even though they are still willing to support those in need, the organizations ability to transition to the new normal may be limited in terms of budget.

Abellon said that in order for their learning centers to function, computers and printers must be purchased.

With the transition, teachers must be given enough training about the new method of teaching. Ateneo Teacher Center Director Rita Atienza said that teachers should be trained on how to leverage the features of distance learning.

How do we leverage these features to help us focus on not what we will teach but what can students learn, she said.

Atienza also noted the need to simplify the countrys curriculum. She said that the old way should not just be converted to the new way because this will only fail.

One World School Headmaster Ericson Perez said that the new normal should also be adjusted for children with special needs. Training is needed not only for teachers, but also for parents.

As for Fr. Nolan Que, trustee for NCR schools of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines, the main concern that should be addressed is changing directions of the government. He said that leaders should coordinate with one another to come up with clearer directions as schools prepare for the opening of the new school year.

READ: Online classes still an option for August 24 opening, says DepEd

Schools had to stop operations mid-March as the country prevents the further spread of COVID-19 in the country. The government has already lined up programs for the new normal for schools. However, President Rodrigo Duterte has voiced out his doubts on the countrys readiness towards adopting distance learning. School year 2020-2021 is scheduled to resume on August 24.

READ: Are PH schools ready for virtual learning? Duterte has doubts
Having to experience the novel coronavirus firsthand, the heir to the British throne has opened up about his fears about another pandemic that could hit the world if the people will not get their acts together.

While the United Kingdom is at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in March, Prince Charles was one of the unfortunate patients who has contracted COVID-19. Although the 71-year-old Prince of Wales showed mild symptoms, he was still put under isolation and medication.

Despite being vulnerable to the virus, Prince Charles managed to recover and get back to his feet on his royal duties remotely. But even after recovering from COVID-19, Prince Charles remains quarantined in his Birkhall home in Scotland.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, Prince Charles expressed his sympathies with the people gravely affected by the pandemic. However, he emphasized that the world could experience more pandemic if the people continue to take climate change and loss of biodiversity lightly.

"We've had these other disasters with SARS and Ebola, and goodness knows what else, all of these things are related to the loss of biodiversity," Prince Charles said in a video call interview for the series "After The Pandemic: Our New World."

"We should have been treating the planet as if it was a patient long ago. So no self-respecting doctor would ever have let the situation, if the planet is a patient, reach this stage before making an intervention."

The future king also believes that we are "paying the price as a result" of this global pandemic.

Finding Long-Term Solution

Usually, talking about the health issues of a member of the royal family is considered off limits, but Prince Charles candidly shared his personal experience after testing positive for coronavirus.

The Prince of Wales considered himself lucky to get away with the virus lightly. He said the humbling experience motivated him to push through with his environmental plans and find a way out of the health crisis.

"It makes me even more determined to push and shout and prod if you see what I mean," Prince Charles said.

"But I've had it, and I can so understand what other people have gone through," he furthered, adding that his heart breaks for those who lost their loved ones and didn't even get the chance to see them for the last time.

Prince Charles said that the only way to bring back the wold to normal is to revive the people's relationship with the natural world. He believes that global efforts should focus on "green recovery" to rebuild economies.

Adapting To The New Normal

The future king also aired some of his frustration, thinking that the world has to experience a global pandemic before we get a wake-up call to the threats of our actions.

Like the rest of the world, the royal family adjusted to the "new normal" due to the COVID-19 health crisis. In the past crisis, senior royals would go out of their way to show their support and sympathy through royal engagements. But now, they work from home and utilizing modern technology to stay connected to the people of the United Kingdom.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal served a stern warning to private hospitals on Saturday, accusing some of them of lying about the number of beds they had for patients of the coronavirus disease and promising tough action against health facilities that, he said, were engaged in extortionist practices during the public health crisis  comments that came against the backdrop of a spate of reports and social media posts detailing difficulties people faced in hospital admissions.

Kejriwal said the Delhi government would issue an order making it mandatory for hospitals to admit and treat patients who were in moderate to serious condition even if Covid-19 tests hadnt been conducted on them or test results were still awaited.

By evening, the order was out mandating that no patient who is having Covid-19 symptoms and is in moderate and severe category be denied admission on the pretext that the patient is not having Covid positive report. All such patients should be kept in the Covid suspect patient area till the test report is received. Accordingly, if found positive, then she/he shall be kept in the Covid hospital and otherwise transferred to non-Covid hospital for further management, the order read.

The order starts off by admitting that there has been a surge in the number of positive cases of Covid-19 in the past one week in Delhi, resulting in additional demand for hospital beds, consumables and infrastructure.

In the past six days (Monday to Saturday) Delhi has seen an average of 1301 new cases a day. The citys total n Saturday night stood at 27,654 cases, 16,229 active cases,10,664 recoveries, and 761 deaths.

The government will deploy a medical professional at all hospitals in the city to check the availability of beds and ensure patients are not denied admission on the account of what the chief minister called false refusal by hospitals.

Not all private hospitals are bad. But there are a few that first refuse to admit a patient saying there are no beds and later, on insistence, ask for 5-8 lakh for admission. This is nothing but black-marketing of beds, he said at a news conference by video link. Please give me a few days. We will end this business of black marketing of beds.

On Thursday, June 4, the Directorate General of Health Service of the Delhi government issued an order that asked all private hospitals identified for the purpose of treating Covid-19 patients ... to provide ... their respective schedule of charges by June 5.

Kejriwals warning came on the day Hindustan Times documented cases of patients who had been unable to find beds at hospitals in Delhi and Mumbai despite the insistence of government officials in both cities that there were a sufficient number of beds for treatment of Covid-19 patients.

And it came two days after the Delhi government issued an order asking hospitals to discharge mild or asymptomatic patients of Covid-19 within 24 hours as they are supposed to be either in home isolation or be sent to Covid care centres.

It has come to our notice that many asymptomatic and mild symptom cases have been admitted in hospital facilities Any mild or asymptomatic patient has to be discharged by the hospital within 24 hours of admission, read the order dated June 4.

The Delhi government has been trying to reinforce hospital infrastructure for treatment of Covid-19 patients. On Friday, it directed five Covid-dedicated government hospitals to increase their bed capacity to 13,670, including 750 with ventilators, in three weekly phases to be completed by June 25. Earlier in the week, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said three more private hospitals will be converted into Covid-19 treatment facilities; he warned that hospitals with mixed use beds (20% reserved for Covid-19 patients) would be converted into dedicated facilities for treatment of the coronavirus disease if they didnt comply with the rule.

The chief minister said that some private hospitals refused outright to accept Covid-19 patients. A few hospitals are very powerful. They have contacts in almost all parties. But no matter what, you will have to take corona patients. That is non-negotiable. We had allowed you to build hospitals not to mint money, but to be at the service of the people of Delhi. No one will be spared and any non-compliance would attract strict action, Kejriwal said.

Since Friday, the government has had meetings with the owners of at least 33 private hospitals in Delhi who were told not to deny admission to any serious Covid patients or suspected Covid cases.At these meetings, the hospitals were also given a chance to articulate the problems they faced that could be resolved through mutual agreement, Kejriwal said.

According to the government, as many as 1,100 new Covid hospital admissions have been recorded in the city since the Delhi Corona mobile application, which enables people to track the number of vacant hospital beds, was launched on Tuesday.

The app, which is first of its kind in the world, has made hospitals more accessible. On Tuesday, when the app was launched, the Delhi government had 2,800 admissions in hospitals, maximum of which were in Delhi government hospitals. Today, 3,900 patients are admitted and mostly in private facilities, Kejriwal said.

The app will be updated twice every day, once at 10am and then at 6pm.Kejriwal said that if the app showed that hospital beds were vacant, but hospital staff refuse admission, people can call on the helpline number 1031.

The chief minister also cleared the air about some private laboratories not conducting Covid-19 tests. He said that all Delhi government hospitals and most private ones have flu clinics where people can get Covid-19 tests done. Apart from those, the Delhi government has 12 testing labs.

There are reports that testing is not happening in Delhi. This is not true. Delhi has 42 labs out of which only six labs are temporarily not operating because we have taken action against them for violating ICMR {Indian Council of Medical Research} guidelines. Is it wrong to take action against those who are not doing their jobs well during this pandemic? Delhi currently is doing the highest number of tests compared to all states, he said.

As of Saturday night, 4,225 patients were being treated at the citys hospitals and a total of 4,412 beds were vacant in government and private hospitals combined.

Government reports state that Delhi has one of the highest testing rates with 11,285 tests per million population, as against the national average of 3,291 tests per million.

Till Saturday, 246,873 Covid-19 tests had been conducted in Delhi, up from 241,693 on Friday and 236,506 on Thursday.

Cautioning people not to panic, Kejriwal said only those with mild, moderate, serious or severe symptoms of Covid-19 should get themselves tested.

Those who are asymptomatic should refrain from testing. Because if they also start lining up for testing, then no matter how many centres we open, it will still not be enough. So, only symptomatic people should get Covid tests done, Kejriwal said.

Thats a suggestion that goes against science which recommends that all asymptomatic people who have a high risk of infection (direct contact with an infected person; or who are health care or frontline workers) be tested simply because the chances of them infecting the most vulnerable (people with co-morbidities and senior citizens) is higher. Kejriwal himself, in early April, said Delhi would go for mass testing like South Korea did to halt the spread of the pandemic.

The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) issued a statement condemning the way the CM warned the doctors and threatened the hospitals over Covid-19 patients admissions and tests.

Doctors who are serving the people of Delhi tirelessly from last two months in this pandemic, risking their lives, feel insulted by the way they are being treated. Hospitals are the backbone of healthcare and are serving the patients, Covid or non-Covid. They are being penalised and the government, instead of praising their efforts, is issuing new diktats daily, said Dr BB Wadhwa, president of the DMA.

The association demanded the formation of a coordination committee that would look after all the health care facilities for management of the Covid-19 crisis. It also demanded adequate testing facilities for early detection and treatment and said every hospital or nursing home giving Coivd care should have its own dedicated testing lab facility.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 03:54:25|Editor: huaxia

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U.S. President Donald Trump (L) welcomes German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on April 27, 2018. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)

Pentagon will reduce 9,500 troops from the current 34,500 being assigned in Germany, The Wall Street Journal reported.

WASHINGTON, June 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to reduce U.S. military presence in Germany by September, U.S. media reported on Friday.

Citing U.S. government officials, The Wall Street Journal said in a Friday piece that the move would reduce 9,500 troops from the 34,500 troops that are permanently assigned in Germany.

The move also limits the size of U.S. troops deployed in Germany at any one time at the 25,000-troop level. According to the report, overall troop levels under current practice can rise to as high as 52,000 as units rotate in and out or take part in training exercises.

The report came days after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said due to the coronavirus pandemic, she will not attend the Group of Seven (G7) Summit that initially scheduled at the White House in late June.

A person familiar with the matter was quoted as saying that the troops' reduction plan had been discussed within the administration for months and was not linked to Merkel's decision on G7 Summit.

The reduction plan might further strain the relations between Washington and Berlin. The two allies have been at odds with each other on Iran nuclear issues, Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, and defense burden-sharing, among others. 
The Government on Friday announced that evacuation of Ghanaians stranded in foreign countries following the outbreak of the Covid-19, would be extended to other parts of the world.



The Kuwaiti Government last May deported some 230 Ghanaians from gulf nation.



Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration told Parliament, in Osu Accra, that, following the return from Kuwait, I am pleased to inform this august House about Governments efforts to extend the evacuation exercise to other parts of the world.



The Ministers announcement, was part of her response to an urgent question by Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ranking Member on the Committee of Foreign Affairs and MP for North Tongu on plans by the Ministry for evacuating Ghanaians stranded abroad following the closure of the nations borders in a bid to prevent the importation of Covid-19.



Ms Botchwey said the exercise would be done in phases considering logistical constraints, and announced the schedule of the next phases of arrivals.



Under Phase Two, being done by charter flights, seven persons have been evacuated from Lagos, Nigeria on 5th June; 15 were to be evacuated from Mauritania on the 5th June; and on the 6th June, five from Turks and Calcos; 35 from Washington DC; 14 from Burkina Faso; and four from Mauritania on 9th June, 2020.



Phase Three would be assisted by KLM Charter flights, and there would be 434 and additional one FSO; 299 from New York on 24 June 2020; and 300 from Washington DC on 28th June.



It should be noted that these arrangements are subject to other requirements in the host countries, which may result in changes in the scheduled dates of arrival, the Minister said.



She announced that negotiations were currently underway between Ghanas Mission in Beijing and Ethiopian Airlines for the evacuation of some 675 stranded Ghanaians in China and Ghanas Mission in Abu Dhabi has initiated discussions with the United Arab Emirates authorities for the evacuation of over 500 of Ghanaian nationals stranded in that country.



Similarly, the Foreign Affairs and RegionalIntegration Ministry has arranged with the Scholarships Secretariat and the National Covid-19 Task Force to evacuate by STC buses, 141 Ghanaian students who completed their language proficiency courses in Benin on 13th June 2020.



The Minister said further arrangements were in progress to assist with the evacuation of stranded Ghanaians in other countries as Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Spain, Netherlands, Niger, Norway, Kenya, Ethiopia and Switzerland.



Ms Botchwey said priority might be given to urgent evacuation requests that required minimal Government intervention, such as pre-arranged charter awaiting flights awaiting landing clearance from Government.



Meanwhile, Mr Ablakwa later at a press conference called for consular assistance for the stranded Ghanaians, particularly in Dubai, as they attracted the attention of the security agencies in affected countries.



The videos of the ordeals of some of our women are heart-wrenching. Some of them have not changed their clothes of taken a shower for two weeks, he lamented.



He appealed to the Government to for a more conclusive data collection for a fair and accurate picture of how many Ghanaians were to be evacuated, and a budget line in the Foreign Affairs Ministry for stranded Ghanaians.



Furthermore, the Government should arrange other means of housing the returnees rather than in hotels, for which he complained that their rates were high.



He suggested the use of accommodation facilities not being currently used in the universities and Senior High Schools.

Source: GNA









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Its nice to see people starting to care. To see people uniting for the human right to exist equally.

In Canada, people are acting like they give a crap because of the injustices were watching penetrating so loudly into our collective consciousness through the murder of George Floyd.

Im thankful Black voices are rising up and the world is taking notice. Its long overdue.

Now, what does it take for Canadians to express the same kind of passion for First Peoples? What does it take for governments, who have power and money, to invest to help change the narrative of systemic racism in Canada?

The demonstrations happening in the United States and around the world in response to racism could be a catalyst for systemic transformation. Its an inspiration for many people who are oppressed  specifically for Indigenous Peoples in Canada, who deal with some of the worst effects of racism in the world.

I note many people up here in the Great White North acted shocked by the brutality of police officers murdering a Black man. It was as if racism existed in a far-off land or was something foreign to them. But its here in Canada on such a large scale and has been since this country was founded.

Indigenous people are scared for their lives every day due to racism. Do you know the story of Colten Boushie; Cindy Gladue; or Neil Stonechild? Thats only a few who fell victim to death by racism  look them up.

The injustices keep coming. They seem relentless. Chantal Moore, 22, a mother of a five-year-old girl, member of the Nuu-chah-nulth nation in British Columbia was killed by a police officer Thursday in New Brunswick. She was shot at five times because police say she had a knife. Her boyfriend had called to ask police to do a wellness check because she apparently told him she was being harassed by someone and felt afraid. Her family says she had never been in trouble with the law, weighed 98 pounds, and posed no threat. She was shot five times.

Our people are afraid. There is no justice here. Theyre also fed up with racism. Done with being racially profiled, being targeted for violence and discrimination. When Im alone, driving in the country here in Alberta I get afraid that if my vehicle ever broke down and I needed help I would be targeted/killed because I look Native. Its one of my worst nightmares to get stranded in an area inhabited by white farmers.

This is real life when youre Indigenous. Maybe some people are in denial. They turn their heads back to their ignorant, comfortable lives in the safety of their privileged communities.

Was the revealing of the horrors of the residential school system through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission enough? The federal government and all its institutions sought out Indigenous children to steal their identity through the wiping-out of their culture and attempted genocide. Was it enough that thousands upon thousands of children were brutally molested, physically assaulted, verbally and emotionally abused and condemned because of the colour of their skin? Was hearing the broken stories of the victims who mostly stumbled around lost and drunk afterward, who had their children taken from them because they were robbed of connection to family life  was that enough?

Are the suicides of First Nations youth  at 6.2 times the rate of other Canadians and 23.9 per cent higher for Inuit  enough?

What about other crises, such as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG)? Was seeing the face of a child, Tina Fontaine, and watching authorities removing her body from the Red River enough?

Apparently not. Apparently, more violence is on the agenda. We have a federal government that is lagging in helping the crisis by delaying a national action plan on MMIWG- citing COVID19 as a reason.

But this is a pandemic  a pandemic of racism thats killing and has killed many more people in this country than COVID19.

Systemic racism exists in educational systems, justice systems, child welfare, health care, employment, industry, institutions, and all levels of governments, because Canada is a colonial country founded on colonial principles.

Canada is racist.

Racism is high on the radar of peoples minds right now because of the injustices and demonstrations were seeing in the United States. For many here, especially Indigenous Peoples, those actions are providing inspiration for them: that theres hope; they can stand for justice, be heard and seen.

Our people have stood up before. Remember Idle No More? How about the Wetsuweten crisis that shut down this country for weeks just a few months ago? Momentum is building.

Lately, we are seeing more solidarity from white peoples allyship, which is important because unity is powerful.

I hope Canada has finally had enough of its own racism. Lets keep talking about it, keep confronting it. Whats it going to take to stop? Well, we can start by the decolonizing of our society. Not sure what that means? It means creating a society that doesnt disproportionally enable a group of people to succeed over the other.

What if governments funded supports for communities to heal and connect with each other? What if hate speech, particularly online, was taken seriously and penalties given to people who spread racist agendas?

Imagine the economic impacts for the better if society invested in education and reconciliation instead of pumping money into the oppression of our vulnerable communities?

When will it be enough for Canada to care about its own country and the unbridled injustices, which are a ticking time bomb?

We dont want a George Floyd repeat.

If people care so much about racism abroad, its time to also care at home.
The National Federation of the Blind on Saturday condemned the Delhi Universitys decision to conduct an online open-book examination (OBE) for final-year students from July 1, stating that visually challenged students were more vulnerable during a pandemic as they relied on their sense of touch.

The federation has also filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court challenging the varsitys decision. The matter is listed for a hearing on June 9. They are seeking directions to promote specially abled students based on their previous performances or to conduct offline exams a week after the university reopens and give equal weightage to the internal assessment as well as the exams.

Last week, DU had announced that it will conduct online exams in the OBE format for all final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students as a one-time measure in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

SK Rungta, the general secretary of the federation, said that the decision to conduct exams amid a pandemic would pose a health risk to students.

Scribes may not be available for blind students or others; they might be afraid for their lives and/or want to adhere to social distancing norms, he said.

He added that since students had gone home during the semester break, many did not have their reading material on hand. They do not have the necessary devices with them nor the required infrastructure for the exam, Rungta said. The federation came to this conclusion after surveying 150 students who unanimously expressed their inability to participate in the exam.

Dean, examinations, Vinay Gupta said that students enrolled under the persons with disability category will be given five hours to complete their exam instead of the three prescribed for others. Through a notification, he directed colleges, faculties, and departments to help students arrange scribes. For those special students who are unable to take the online exams in July, DU will give them another opportunityin pen and paper modeonce they return to the campus, the administration had said.
Ministers circulate to TDs and Senators Dr Catherine Days Briefing note on Progress of the Expert Group on Direct Provision

Dr Day identifies a list of measures which would immediately improve the situation of those currently in direct provision and signals her desire that changes will be made

Department to also review actions taken to date in reaction to COVID-19 pandemic

The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD, and the Minister of State for Equality, Immigration and Integration, David Stanton TD, have today sent all TDs and Senators the Briefing Note on Progress of the Expert Group on Direct Provision prepared by its chair, Dr Catherine Day (former Secretary General of the European Commission).

Speaking today, Minister Flanagan said:

How Ireland treats its minorities including those seeking asylum has been at the forefront of many of our minds recently. This is due both to the stress Covid-19 has placed on the Direct Provision system and also the way in which some have drawn parallels with recent events in America. Minister Stanton and I welcome that focus as we believe that root and branch reform of the system and the policy behind it is required. Indeed that is why some months ago we requested Dr Catherine Day to examine, unconstrained by current or past policy, the provision of state supports, including accommodation, to the people in the process. I have now shared her recently submitted Briefing Note with all members of the Oireachtas as I believe it will allow the current debate to be fully informed and allow public representatives to consider realistic options to improve conditions for applicants.

Ministers Flanagan and Stanton had originally asked the group to report by the end of the year. In light of the importance of the issue Dr Day has told them they are in fact aiming to complete their work by the end of September. The Note includes a list of measures, identified so far, which would immediately improve the situation of those currently in direct provision and signal that more far-reaching changes will be made.

These recommended measures include:

- Extending the right to work;

- Exploration of alternative Housing models and funding provisions;

- Clear guidance with regard to ensuring all applicants can open bank accounts;

- Reducing the amount of time taken to process positive decisions;

- Ensuring binding standards for centres are applied and enforced by January 2021;

- Compulsory training and regular networking for centre managers;

- Moving away from the use of emergency accommodation;

- Ensuring vulnerability assessments take place;

- Working with the Department of Transport towards access to driving licenses.

The Ministers have instructed their officials to have proposals on all these issues ready to be considered by the incoming Government.

Welcoming the Briefing Note from Dr Day, Minister Flanagan also referred to the stress which COVID 19 placed on the Direct Provision system:

Todays Cabinet agreement to proceed on 8th June in moving onto phase 2 of the roadmap to easing COVID-19 restrictions is also an opportunity to take stock and review matters. I believe such an exercise is essential as we need to be prepared for a possible second wave of the pandemic, should it materialise. I have therefore asked the Secretary General to undertake a review of our action on DP in the early stages of the pandemic, with particular reference to opening centres such as the one in Cahersiveen, to inform our actions in any subsequent phases. To ensure it is done quickly as possible, this review will be conducted internally with HSE input/involvement. We will seek external expert input on it when it is near completion.

Referring to the challenge posed by the pandemic, Minister of State Stanton said:

COVID-19 emerged across the world with incredible speed. All of us, in reacting to the unprecedented situation had to develop systems, protocols and approaches rapidly. We took heed of the WHO advice to act very fast in seeking to keep people safe. At all times, we had the welfare of residents and staff foremost in our minds and this will continue to be our focus. COVID-19 is first and foremost a public health emergency and this necessitated building, deepening and strengthening relationships between the Department and the HSE locally and nationally. The work of protecting the welfare of residents has placed high demands on all involved and while acknowledging that I expect the Secretary Generals review will provide a valuable insight into how we can react better to any future waves of the virus which may arise.

Notes for Editors:

The Expert Group on the Provision of Support, including Accommodation, to Persons in the International Protection Process (Asylum Seekers), was established in late 2019 by Ministers Flanagan and Stanton. The group is chaired by Dr Catherine Day, former Secretary General of the European Commission. The other members of the group are Dr Frances Ruane (former Director of the Economic and Social Research Institute), Mr Frank Daly (Former Chair of the Revenue Commissioners), Mr Conn Murray (former CEO of Limerick City and County Council), Ms Niamh ODonoghue (former Secretary General of the Department of Social Protection); Ms. Fiona Finn (CEO of Nasc, the Migrant and Refugee Rights Centre); Nick Henderson (CEO of Irish Refugee Council) and Mr Bulelani Mfaco (MASI).

The Expert Group has the following role:

- To advise on the development of a long-term approach to the provision of supports including accommodation to persons in the international protection process;

- To identify good practice in European countries in the provision of supports to persons within the international protection process, particularly dealing with variations in demand; and

- To set out a process for achieving the long term approach to support persons in the international protection process.

It follows on the work of the Working Group chaired by Judge Bryan McMahon (Working Group to Report to Government on Improvements in the Protection Process, including Direct Provision and Support to Asylum Seekers), which reported in June 2015 and issued substantive recommendations on improvements necessary within the international protection process and the direct provision reception system.
Poll workers Mayra Padilla, left, and Jahaira Romero, second from right, sign in voters behind a plastic barrier used to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus at the Cruz Recreation Center in Philadelphia on June 2, 2020. There were fewer polling locations across the city due to the coronavirus pandemic. Read more

At least it wasnt Wisconsin.

As with every election, the Pennsylvania primary Tuesday had its problems, from long lines at some poll sites to ballot screwups. With huge numbers switching to voting by mail because of a new law expanding that option and coronavirus fears of voting in person, the state faces a long slog of vote-counting that, as of Friday, left many elections unresolved. Thousands of mail ballots didnt reach voters in time. Their ability to use those ballots was only saved by a last-minute order from Gov. Tom Wolf that extended the mail-in deadline.

The issues were worst in big cities  which suffered the greatest effects from the coronavirus and, just as the election arrived, the largest protests against police brutality. In Philadelphia, the surge of mail ballot requests and delays caused by protests and curfews contributed to a slow counting process to ensure that those who voted by mail didnt also do so in person, potentially delaying results for weeks.

But even with those issues, Pennsylvanias election Tuesday mostly went OK  at least compared with Wisconsins April debacle, when lines in Milwaukee stretched for blocks during one of the worst phases of the pandemic.

Still, state and county officials and election advocates said that with the primary as a test case, there is more the state can do ahead of Novembers general election, when turnout is expected to be much higher and the fate of the presidency could hinge on Pennsylvania.

The onus needs to be on our elected officials to make sure that voters can vote ... not on the voter," said Suzanne Almeida, head of the liberal group Common Cause Pennsylvania. "Voters should not have to run the gauntlet to cast a ballot.

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, whose department oversees elections, said Friday that she will ask state lawmakers for changes to speed the counting of mail ballots, perhaps by permitting officials to open them up to three weeks before Election Day. Current state law prohibits counting them until polls open.

That would help tremendously. We hope well be able to work with the legislature, she said in an interview. Even if, say, the legislature doesnt want the actual scanning of the ballots to happen three weeks before Election Day, you could do everything but that, and then its much faster on Election Day to just do that last part.

 READ MORE: Pennsylvania held an election. We wont know the results for days. Heres what that means for November.

A number of Democratic and Republican county officials have also called for similar changes including Gene DiGirolamo, a Republican Bucks County commissioner, and Rich Fitzgerald, the Democratic executive of Allegheny County.

Theres a growing fear that a delayed result in a close, charged presidential race could spark distrust, especially if the lead changes as the days, and count, go on. Areas of the state more friendly to President Donald Trump are likely to report vote totals first, so Democrats would likely gain ground as the more populous city and suburban returns came in later.

It plays into the narrative of rigging an election if you cant get it called quickly enough, said Daniel F. McElhatton, a Democratic consultant from Philadelphia.

Boockvar also hopes to automatically send voters mail ballot applications early, as soon as July, to allow lead time before November.

Several progressive voting-rights advocates called for more aggressive steps, but they could face resistance from Republicans who control the state legislature and who signaled skepticism about several proposals.

If we expect the biggest turnout in election history for the general election, we are going to run across the same problems that we had in Philly and in Pittsburgh, said Ivan Garcia, director of community engagement for Make the Road Pennsylvania, a Latino advocacy group.

Even if they werent on the same scale as Wisconsin, Garcia and other advocates said Pennsylvania saw warning signs.

We are going to see significant continued surges in the use of absentee mail ballots in November and we need to prepare for it," said Wendy Weiser, a voting-rights expert at the Brennan Center for Justice in New York. Election officials do not yet have the infrastructure and equipment and staffing to handle this surge in mail ballots, and they need resources now."

"Whatever stresses we saw in the primary, it is going to be double or more in November, she added.

Many of the issues, including long lines due to decreased polling places, hit communities of color that are already disproportionately disenfranchised, Weiser said.

Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh, had just one drop box for people who wanted to return mail ballots in person. It was at a municipal building that, on election day, had law enforcement officers in full riot gear and German shepherds outside, Almeida said. National guardsmen were stationed near a Philadelphia drop-box location at City Hall, she added.

Black and brown people who had just suffered at the hands of the police then had to run the gauntlet to get to a place to drop off their ballots, Almeida said.

Allegheny County officials said there were concerns about being able to ensure security at additional drop-box locations. As for the police presence, Boockvar noted that many polling sites are official buildings, and when they were chosen there was no anticipation of the heavy police presence that would be deployed as protests against police brutality unfolded across the country.

Charlie ONeill, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Republican Party, said there were some poll sites in Allegheny County unable to locate Republican primary ballots when the polls opened, and some people receiving their ballots the day before the election, or not at all.

Garcia and Almeida were two of several progressive voting-rights advocates this week who called for new steps by the state legislature and county officials to smooth the voting process. Those proposals include automatically sending every registered voter a mail ballot to cut down on administrative work for voters and stretched election officials; opening vote centers in each county where any county resident could vote, providing a convenient location and reducing crowds on election day; and extending the mail-in deadline.

Some 13,500 ballots in Philadelphia alone arrived in the two days after the election this week, and would not be counted without Wolfs order extending the deadline in the city and five other counties.

Boockvar embraced some changes, and said that the state would distribute $13 million in existing federal aid, but that more funding would help.

But she said she wont lobby lawmakers for the ability to automatically send a mail ballot to every voter. In a state with little history of mail-in voting, she argued that would be too fast a transition, and requiring applications  though it adds steps  helps voters understand the process and fix problems like outdated addresses.

Its an opportunity for us to give them information as theyre applying, she said.

 READ MORE: Candidates across Pa. have no idea if they won or lost their primary elections

Republicans raised questions about some of the proposals, and the GOP nationally, led by Trump, has largely opposed proposals to expand voting rules, citing the potential for fraud, though it is very rare.

House Republicans in Harrisburg are awaiting a state report on the election, so making any significant changes now would be premature until we can see and verify the impact of the changes weve already made, said Mike Staub, a caucus spokesperson.

But he expressed skepticism about mailing ballots to every voter, saying it would add another expense amid tight budgets, and raised concerns about extending the deadline for returning mail ballots, citing the importance of prompt results.

As for counting ballots earlier, he said the forthcoming report will help lawmakers understand the challenges associated with increased mail-in ballots, and what was the cause of any particular issues.

Similarly, the Senate GOP is awaiting the state report, and is considering a plan that would require an even more thorough assessment by Aug. 1.

Election advocates argue that change needs to come even sooner.

This was an election that gave us a lot of clarity about what could go wrong and what we need to fix for November, said Almeida, of Common Cause. Theres more that could be done. Theres more that could have been done.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated Kathy Boockvars position on sending mail ballots to every voter. She wants the Department of State to do so. She does not plan to push individual counties to do so.
North Korea threatened to permanently shut a liaison office with South Korea as it continued to condemn its rival for failing to prevent activists from sending anti-North Korean leaflets across the border. The statement by North Korea's ruling Workers' Party on Friday came a day after the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un said her country would end a military agreement reached with South Korea in 2018 to reduce tensions if Seoul fails to stop the activists. Kim Yo Jong also said North Korea could permanently shut the liaison office and a joint factory park in the border town of Kaesong, which have been symbols of reconciliation between the two countries. Desperate to keep alive a faltering diplomacy with North Korea, South Korea in response said it would push new laws to ban activists from flying leaflets by balloon to the North, which triggered a debate over freedom of speech. But an unidentified spokesman of the Workers' Party's inter-Korean Affairs Department said Seoul's promise lacked sincerity, and the scrapping of the liaison office will be the first in a series of North Korean steps that would cause extreme suffering for the South. The statement also confirmed an elevated status for Kim Yo Jong, who was described as her brother's top official for inter-Korean affairs.

Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un. Jorge Silva | Reuters

Under her instructions, North Korea has decided as a first step to "definitely withdraw the idling (North-South) joint liaison office housed in the Kaesong industrial zone," the statement said. "We do not hide that we have had long in mind decisive measures to fundamentally remove all provocations from the South and to completely shut down and remove all the contact leverage with the (South)," said the spokesman of the party's United Front Department. Referring to the leaflets, the spokesman said the "nonstop disposal of dirty rubbish from the South side has exhausted us so much as to come to a clearer conclusion that enemies are enemies after all." "Our determination is to follow as far as the evil cycle of the confrontation leads while facing the situation squarely, because our path is always straight." South Korea's government had no reaction to the statement Saturday morning. In a speech marking South Korea's Memorial Day, President Moon Jae-in vowed to strengthen the nation's defense, but he made no mention of North Korean threats to abandon inter-Korean peace agreements. Sending balloons across the border has been a common activist tactic for years, but North Korea considers it an attack on its government. Defectors and other activists in recent weeks have used balloons to fly leaflets criticizing Kim Jong Un over his nuclear ambitions and dismal human rights record. While Seoul has sometimes sent police officers to block such activities during sensitive times, it had previously resisted North Korea's calls to fully ban them, saying the activists were exercising their freedom. The liaison office in Kaesong has been closed since late January after the Koreas agreed to temporarily shut it until the coronavirus is controlled. It is also the location of a now-shuttered factory complex that was jointly run by the two Koreas. It combined South Korean capital and technology with cheap North Korean labor. Seoul's previous conservative government shut it down in 2016 following a North Korean nuclear test, removing a crucial cash source for North Korea's struggling economy.
A 26-year-old man was arrested and a juvenile was apprehended in west Delhis Dabri area for allegedly killing a member of a rival group in May, police said on Saturday.

According to police, three people had opened fire at Gaurav and Vicky on May 20 to establish their supremacy in the area.

Gaurav was killed, while his associate Vicky sustained a bullet injury during the attack, police said.

Vicky told police about the accused following which one of the three men was arrested on May 29.

Gulfam was arrested near Dada Dev Hospital. During interrogation, he told police about his two associates -- Nitish Tiwari and a juvenile.

Gulfam said he had met Tiwari in a jail who had asked him to kill Vicky and Gaurav in exchange of Rs one lakh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Anto Alphonse said.

Based on a tip-off, police laid out a trap near JJ Colony in Bindapur around 9 pm on Friday and arrested Tiwari, he said.

The juvenile was also apprehended in connection with the case, the DCP added. PTI NIT SNE SNE

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Sometimes I feel like Im Col. Nathan Jessop, standing guard and watching everything so you wont have to, because most of you will not be able to handle mistakes Netflix, Amazon Prime and other platforms make when they choose to show you drivel like Ghoomketu, Betaal and Khan No.1. I also try to sit through shows like Panchayat and fail because my imagination anticipates the key to the Panchayat office dropped into a pile of Ragubir Yadavs shit baking under the Sun in the open fields somewhere. I dont know how people find that funny and tell me to have patience because the show will improve upon acquaintance. Thankfully, Paatal Lok showed up mid-May.

If I watched Paatal Lok when it was released on May 15 on Amazon Prime, why am I reviewing it now? As the little kid in the ad asked, Tera sabun slow hai kya? Perhaps, review is an inadequate word. Because Im just going to talk about how this show explores relationships without getting weepy (as in the very popular This Is Us) or drunk (Four More Shots anyone?). Of course, since the lockdown, we've all beeen reflecting on our relationships, eh?

By now everyone has watched Thappad (the movie) on Amazon Prime as well. Please do. It's interesting how that one slap is put on record and its validity questioned. The film showed lives of other women affected by domestic violence too. In this show, everyone talks about how cool Hathi Ram Choudharys wife Renu (Gul Panag) is when she slaps him. It was unexpected and so was his reaction. He knows its an answer to how he used his hand across her face before and wisely, does not do anything. His frustration is felt by the rickshaw puller: Khana kha ke jaayega ke?

Hathi Ram is played brilliantly by Jaideep Ahlawat (and his gentle paunch that was absent in Raazi) who brings out his everyday frustrations both in his language with the people he interrogates and with gentle defeated body language with his family. His relationship with his wife is extraordinary. She calls him out every time he oversteps his boundaries by telling him, You are behaving like your dad and accepts his sarcasm when she allows her brother to talk her into buying ridiculous products. She knows when hes lying to her, and yet worries for his safety because she knows he will go all out after criminals fists swinging. You see Hathi Ram as a policeman who has to salute his station chief who is really inferior to him and knows if Ansari passes his Civil Services exam he will then have to salute Ansari as well. The case that has been handed to him has earned him a suspension for no fault of his own. And his son wont respect him. And yet he is a hero of this show because we see little bits of us in him. And we want him to pursue the baddies even when hes suspended, we like his hunches and we like his relationship with the language. Never have I ever cheered a Thulla (the Delhi equivalent of a Bombay Pandu or policeman) ever, until I heard the thug threaten Hathi Ram, saying, 'I will get you suspended in two minutes! and without breaking his pace and dragging his stunned son, Hathi Ram replies, Tera Phoopa pehle se hee suspend hai B***G***!

I know more than one person who is struggling to understand their kids. Just as Hathi Ram does. He has curried favour to get his son admitted to a good school, but the kid doesnt fit in and hates his father for that. The differences between father and son are handled so wonderfully in this show, you will be forced to look at your own kids. One day you have the answers to all their incessant questions, and the next day theyre finding answers on the Net and have heroes like Raju Bhaiyya who has a shiny gun...Hathi Ram needs to decimate his kids false heroes and become one again. Was so glad to see the lad casually give his dad the undies and even accepts ice cream. But only after his dad shows him that Raju Bhaiyya and the other guys were not really the good guys.

Speaking of good guys, Hathi Ram and Ansari have such a good relationship. Theres no obvious Yeh Dosti songs playing in the background, but just quiet respect. When you see other cops gossiping about Ansaris religion, Hathi Ram literally steps between them and asks Ansari to come along. Ansari goes out of his way to get the file for a suspended Hathi Ram and even sees him off at the bus station.

When Hathi Ram reaches Chitrakoot, we are plunged headlong into looking at other relationships. I am scared of Masterji (although we never really see him) who wields so much power over Hathoda Tyagi. Power that translates into loyalty that scares politicians like Gwala Gujjar. Hathoda Tyagis backstory was a bit much for me, but who am I to say rape and revenge do not exist in the badlands of our country? Abhishek Bannerji plays Vishal Tyagi who becomes Hathoda Tyagi and I hope you watched the movie Stree already, or you will expect him to go berserk in the film as well.

Jagjeet Sandhu who usually plays happy guys in Punjabi films, plays the demented Tope Singh here. His obsession with Chanda is explained off and you dont quite get why he would seek Chanda all the way to Kolkata. His backstory is predictable anger over caste and rape but I so wanted to know why he was crazy for Chanda. She must've shown him some sort of kindness or made him forget his past with lust

The cruellest story is that of Cheeni or Mary Lyngdoh. Mairembam Ronaldo Singhs grief and rage spill out onto the screen and you realise that the violence with Cheeni is more real than what happened with either Hathoda or Tope Singh. Marys fragile, vulnerable life as explained by Kaaliya (played by Amarjeet Singh) is a story of a relationship that seems doomed from the start. Mary is saving money for a dream we know will never come true. She will never leave Paatal Lok.

Annoying home truths come to us in the form of the relationship between the big town big media reporter and the local hack Amitosh Tripathi (played by Shreedhar Dubey). Big town reporter uses the information Amitosh has and wheedles it out without a thought of putting his life in jeopardy. We have also seen how newsmen like Sanjeev Mehra (Neeraj Kabi) use their power and position to seduce starry-eyed juniors and yet hold on to their awkward relationship with their wives to keep their public face. This show makes no pretence to offer any respect to the celebrity journalist showing him to be shallow and selfish, using every possible opportunity to use information to glorify himself at the same time carelessly put others in harms way. His public face and his private face are very well written, and his redemption comes by way of his ignored wife who finds an outlet to her love in Shabitri the street dog.

I loved the connect between what Masterji observed about Hathoda Tyagi and in turn what Hathoda sees in Sanjeevs wife. People do say its very John Wick like, but they forget Hathoda meditated in a Shiva temple, the Lord of all animals. Now that we are stepping into the realm of religion and mythology, let me sidetrack to the most manipulative of all backstories in the show. Kabirs story. Yes, it is tragic and realistic and I am as ashamed of the awful way the Muslims are treated in our country, but it is as obvious as Bollywood showing Muslim characters in movies living in a house that must have a green wall. When it comes to connecting Hindu myth to the characters, the story sort of hets too clever for its own boots. When Hathi Ram jumps into the mela, theres a flashback of a fortune teller talking about a baby being born with the same stars as a mythical king Hiranyakashipu which deals with Vishnu (Tyagis are mostly Vaishnavites). You know the baby will grow up to be Hathoda but this story is related to Vishnu and Vishal Tyagi prays to Shiva when hes with Masterji and Masterjis Rudraksh is like a sign for Hathoda Tyagi Hathi Ram lumbers through the beginning of the story at a pace that suits his name and as he realises that hes being set up to fail, the show picks up pace too. We have made a connection with not just Hathi Ram but with Renu and Ansari and even with Cheeni. You wish there was a second season of Paatal Lok with Hathi Ram storming into Swarg Lok again with a, Dilli pulis hoon B***C***!

Manisha Lakhe is a poet, film critic, traveller, founder of Caferati  an online writers forum, hosts Mumbais oldest open mic, and teaches advertising, films and communication.
Sacramento, Calif.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom Friday ordered the state's police training program to stop teaching officers how to use a neck hold that blocks the flow of blood to the brain and endorsed legislation that would ban the practice statewide.

It marked his first action on police use of force following more than a week of protests across the country over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyd died after a police officer put his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed and lying on the ground.

Police experts have condemned the Minneapolis officer for using an unacceptable method. However, many departments still employ the carotid method, also known as the sleeper hold, that critics say is overly dangerous.

Sacramento, Calif.

california Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered the state's police training program to stop teaching officers how to use a neck hold that blocks the flow of blood to the brain and endorsed legislation that would ban the practice statewide.

It marked his first action on police use of force following more than a week of protests across the country over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyd died on Memorial Day after a police officer put his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed and lying on the ground.

Police experts have condemned the Minneapolis officer for using an unacceptable method. However, many departments still employ the carotid method, also known as the sleeper hold, that critics say is overly dangerous.

It involves applying pressure to the sides of the neck with an arm, which can almost immediately block blood flow in the carotid arteries and render someone unconscious. If the blood flow is restricted too long it can cause serious injury or even death.

Floyd's death has prompted police departments to review their methods. Friday, city leaders in Minneapolis agreed to ban choke holds by police and require officers to immediately report to their superiors when they see use of any neck restraint.

In California, the San Diego Police Department and San Diego County Sheriff's Department are among the agencies that announced this week they would stop using the carotid hold.

Newsom said Friday he has ordered the state Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to stop teaching the hold. The commission provides curriculum for training more than 600 agencies and departments throughout California, according to its website. But the decision on whether to allow officers to use the hold is up to each law enforcement agency.

"We train techniques on strangleholds that put people's lives at risk," Newsom said. "That has no place any longer in 21st-century practices and policing."

Assemblyman Mike Gipson, a Democrat from Carson, has authored a bill in the state Legislature that would make carotid holds illegal. Newsom said he would sign it into law if lawmakers pass it.

San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia said his department still allows the carotid hold as a last option before lethal force. He said officers are taught to apply pressure to the sides, rather than the front, of someone's neck so it wouldn't block their breathing.

"If you take some of these control holds away, then you eliminate steps before you get to deadly force," he said.

Garcia said he understands Newsom is trying to instill greater public trust in police but chafed at the governor's description of the technique as a stranglehold.

"I'll guarantee you that you will not find 'stranglehold' in any police department's duty manual," he said.

Ronald Tyler, director of the Criminal Defense Clinic at Stanford University, said stopping the training will impact new recruits.

"But I think the real pressure is going to be how quickly can the Legislature actually ban it outright," he said. "that's what will lead to a sense among police officers that this increases your liability."

Most of the protests in California have been peaceful, but some erupted into violence that damaged businesses and injured police officers and protesters alike. Police have used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds. That prompted Newsom to say he wants the Legislature to set standards for crowd control and police use of force in protests.

"Protesters have the right to protest peacefully. Protesters have the right to do so without being arrested, gassed, shot at by projectiles," Newsom said. "We need to standardize those approaches."

Last year, Newsom signed a law that limits police use of lethal force to defending against an imminent threat of death or serious injury to officers or bystanders. The old standard allowed officers to use lethal force if they had a "reasonable fear," which made it rare for an officer to be charged or convicted.

That law was prompted by the 2018 fatal police shooting in Sacramento of Stephon Clark, who was black. Newsom spent Wednesday cleaning up graffiti in downtown Sacramento with Clark's brother.
Firefighters extinguished a blaze Friday night that severely damaged the historic art-deco Lorenzo Theatre in San Lorenzo.

More than 40 Alameda County firefighters responded to a blaze at the beloved theater on Hesperian Boulevard at about 5:30 p.m., where they started to battle a fire.

Video shared by the Alameda County Fire Department showed black smoke billowing out from the rear of the building, with the buildings entrance still intact. Fire Department photos also showed a firefighter spraying fire retardant while atop an engine ladder, the black smoke filling the surrounding blue sky.

Shortly before 7 p.m. fire officials said firefighters were focusing on defensive operations and relocating their apparatus out of potential collapse zones at the burning building.

Fire officials announced at 9 p.m. that firefighters had extinguished the fire and that they were in the process of mopping up the scene and extinguishing lingering hot spots at the site of the fire.

The Lorenzo Theatre, which opened on April 5, 1947, opened for business with 700 seats. The theater was the first in Northern California to have flourscent painted murals and black lights, according to the Lorenzo Theater Foundation.

It has a free-standing ticket booth that is centered just below its marquee and tower. The theater closed in 1982. In 2002, the theater was named an Historic Preservation District by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, foundation officials said.

Crews will be rotating through the night for Fire watch, fire officials said.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

No firefighters or civilians were injured in the blaze, officials said.

Drone footage captured by the Alameda County Sheriffs Office shows much of the theaters roof caved in, smoke billowing out from the blackened interior.

Lauren Hernandez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByLHernandez
Part of the Golden Gate Bridge was briefly shut down on Saturday as thousands of people marched across it to protest police brutality.

People climbed the railings and filled the bridge as the march turned back to San Francisco after crossing into Marin. The scene was orderly as two trucks held off car traffic in both directions.

A city alert warned of major traffic impacts to the area around 2:15 p.m., around the time that protesters were partially blocking northbound traffic as police directed cars around them in the roadway and negotiated with protesters to leave. Soon the marchers moved off the roadway peacefully.

It was the ninth day of rolling actions across the Bay Area and nation sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. And it was far from the only protest in the area, or even San Francisco, where people gathered in the Mission District in the early afternoon, and authorities said around 3:15 p.m. that demonstrators were walking down Van Ness Ave. and drivers should seek alternate routes.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

The protesters  who began in San Francisco, went across to Marin and turned around  chanted black lives matter and hands up, dont shoot. Passing cars honked in support. Passengers hung out the windows of cars, with clenched fists raised and homemade sign proclaiming black lives matter flying in the wind.

One protester who gave him name only as Chris said he had come to support the continued fight against injustice.

Im just trying to be supportive, he said. Everybody out here matters.

As protesters made their way across the bridge, it was hard to keep their distance, though nearly everybody wore a mask. One woman with a hand-drawn police brutality is criminal sign handed out surgical masks for the few that hadnt come prepared.

The iconic allure of the bridge was not lost on protesters. Many still stopped to pose, with signs held high and the towers and bright blue sky as a backdrop.

This is monumental, said Bay area resident Ken Mark, 73. This was the third protest hes attended.

Another protester, Tarryn Warn, 26, said George Floyds death woke people up. ... It sparked something. She said she wanted her future kids and grandchildren to see she and others were part of a movement and stood up to racism.

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.

Nate Payne, 41, stood near the walking entrance to the bridge holding a sign portraying former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeling dressed as Captain America.

I hope we can revamp and change laws together, said Payne, who is black.

He questioned if protests would have erupted in the size they have had the coronavirus pandemic not swept the globe.

Would people have cared as much about George Floyd without COVID? He said, adding that without other distractions the issue of racial injustice may not have been able to come to the fore.

Police officers initially kept their distance from the protest at large, waiting in a nearby parking lot, even as the crowd continued to grow. But ultimately, as the protesters shut down lanes of traffic, they negotiated with them to reopen the bridge.

Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @chasedefelice

Correction: An earlier version of this article misspelled the last name of protester Tarryn Warn.
This week, some cities and states already have changed their policies for tracking and limiting police use of force. The city of Minneapolis proposed banning police from putting arrestees in chokeholds and requiring officers to try to stop any colleague who is using improper force. In Philadelphia, the police ordered officers to report any use of force via radio immediately after an incident, rather than filing a paper report after the fact, according to a memo obtained by news outlets WHYY and Billy Penn.
WATERLOO REGION  Projections by two universities suggest 10,000 or more students may delay their studies and withhold tuition because they are unable or unwilling to be schooled online in September.

Also, thousands of community college students may not enrol after campuses shuttered most classrooms through the fall term to help limit the spread of COVID-19.

This may not happen but if it does, post-secondary planners estimate tuition shortfalls could help strip $236 million out of operating budgets collectively valued at almost $1.5 billion.

To me this is an unprecedented disruption, said James Rush, vice-president for academic affairs at the University of Waterloo.

He cautions that enrolment projections are guesses or predictions based on some factors that may or may not come to pass, and are evolving.

Two Waterloo universities announced this week that 12,907 incoming students have accepted offers to launch their studies in September. These new students and others in upper years now have three months to firm up school plans amid unprecedented uncertainty.

Literally this is going to come down to thousands of individual choices by students and their families about whats best, Rush said.

He figures students will weigh how they feel about remote learning, the state of their finances, health and disease concerns, other opportunities, and travel restrictions.

By September students could seek to defer enrolment, interrupt their studies, or enrol and then withdraw before full tuition is due.

Wilfrid Laurier University projects up to 2,030 undergraduate students may not enrol if classrooms stay closed for the fall term only. This estimate includes 781 incoming students and 1,249 returning students.

Add missing graduate students and the school could lose up to $29 million in tuition under this scenario.

Lost tuition could swell to $56 million if classrooms stay closed through next April and 3,971 undergraduates stay away, along with missing graduate students.

Thats a range of between one in eight and one in four undergraduates choosing not to enrol.

Our scenarios are based on projected enrolments predicated on how we believe students might respond to learning in a virtual or online mode, Maureen Mancuso, interim vice-president for academics, told the Laurier board of governors Tuesday.

Were mindful that there are significant institutional risks that are presented by this crisis. We feel that to ignore them for sure would be perilous, but so would be overreacting to them.

Laurier is monitoring student behaviour and aims to do everything we can to maximize the number of students who continue their studies in the fall, Mancuso told The Record.

If thousands choose not to enrol, Laurier expects to respond with freezes on spending, hiring and travel.

The school wants to retain talent and minimize impacts on people during a temporary financial setback, Tony Araujo, acting vice-president of finance, told governors. Laurier expects enrolment to rebound as the pandemic ends or eases.

The University of Waterloo ran one scenario that points to almost 6,700 students choosing not to enrol, almost one out of five at the school. This estimate mixes 5,900 undergraduates and 800 graduate students.

The university ran a different scenario that points to almost 8,600 students choosing not to enrol, including 7,300 undergraduates.

Planners warn of a potential budget hit that could reach $115 million, mostly due to lost tuition. The school has laid off about 100 seasonal workers but is not revealing other steps it might take to manage such a financial crunch.

Our position is to be constantly monitoring that, not making decisions now based on things that may or may not come to be, Rush said.

Conestoga College expects enrolment to fall by thousands after seeing 1,000 fewer students in its online spring semester. It sees the pandemic as the greatest challenge it has ever faced.

Projecting a $65-million shortfall, the college has responded by investing more in online learning, by enticing employees into early retirement, by laying off more than 160 support staff, and by putting building projects on hold.

President John Tibbits expects pandemic impacts will endure for up to two years due to disease fears, travel restrictions, and global economic collapse. He warns that public funding may be constrained after the pandemic ends.

The college has a responsibility to take decisive action and adapt in order to remain viable, he said Wednesday in a statement.

Dire enrolment scenarios that schools are modelling anticipate that foreign students are least likely to enrol. Decisions made by 21,000 foreign students will be the top financial risk facing schools in September.

Foreign students are charged three to four times more for tuition. They have bigger education dollars at stake. They face COVID-related travel restrictions.

Their decisions are critical to post-secondary finances because although they account for just under one-third of collective enrolment, they pay more than half of all tuition collected.

Conestoga faces the greatest international risk. More than half its students come from abroad. Laurier is least exposed as only one in 14 of its students comes from abroad. One in four UW students is from abroad.

Typical annual tuition and fees range from $4,200 for a domestic business student enrolled at Conestoga to $36,700 for a foreign science student enrolled at the University of Waterloo.

Enrolment scenarios deployed by the universities assume that pandemic impacts might persuade 10 to 25 per cent of domestic students against enrolling, while persuading 25 to 95 per cent of international students against enrolling.

Scenarios vary based on the length of campus closure, if students are new or returning, and if they possess an undergraduate degree.

Governments have taken steps to help campuses respond to pandemic impacts.

Foreign students can now enrol in September and study online from their home country in the fall term without jeopardizing postgraduate work permits. Many foreign students covet work permits as a path to immigration.

Recognizing pandemic priorities, Ontario has delayed a new financial arrangement that ties public funding for universities to performance benchmarks.
Los Angeles police officers arrive to arrests protesters for curfew violations after a day of peaceful rally sparked by the death of George Floyd. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

A coalition of criminal justice activists and homeless advocates filed a lawsuit against the city over how Los Angeles police have handled protests following the death of George Floyd, accusing officers of shooting a homeless man in the eye with rubber bullets and holding people for upward of 12 hours for simple curfew violations.

The suit  filed late Friday by the Los Angeles chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, Black Lives Matter and Los Angeles Community Action Network  accused the L.A. Police Department of violating many protesters' right to assemble and using excessive force.

The complaint also provided new information about images of a homeless man bleeding from the eye in downtown Los Angeles that had gone viral and been shared by many critical of the department over the last week.

Protests over the death of Floyd, who was killed while in Minneapolis police custody on May 25, have led to unrest that Los Angeles has not seen since the 1992 riots. While businesses were looted and buildings were damaged and burned in downtown, Van Nuys and the Fairfax District, activists said protests have been largely peaceful and police have focused most of their attention on arresting demonstrators instead of looters.

The LAPD has not completed a full breakdown of arrests during the protests. Department spokesman Josh Rubenstein estimated that about 2,700 people were arrested between May 29 and Tuesday during the height of the protests, and booking records suggest the majority of those arrests were for failure to obey a dispersal order or curfew violations.



The department has not provided updated arrest figures since Tuesday. The lawsuit estimated 3% of the 2,700 arrests were for looting or other crimes. Booking records reviewed by The Times earlier this week showed about 150 people had been arrested for looting in Los Angeles during that time frame, approximately 5% of the overall arrest total.

"Over the past week, while [Black Lives Matter Los Angeles] and its members were engaged in lawful First Amendment activity, the LAPD used force to terminate the protests, including the indiscriminate use of so-called 'less lethal' weapons that caused injury to its members and instilled fear in them that, if they chose to assemble in public spaces to express their opposition to police violence across the nation against black men and women, they would be the subject of such violence and arrest," the suit said.

Story continues

The suit also accused the LAPD of arresting a number of homeless people for curfew violations even though they "had no place they could go to avoid violating."



The suit contained a gruesome picture of a homeless man in a wheelchair bleeding from the eye, allegedly after police shot him in the face with rubber bullets. The LAPD has said it uses less-than-lethal foam projectiles, not rubber bullets.

Carol Sobel, a civil rights attorney representing the plaintiffs, said at least three homeless men in wheelchairs were struck by rubber bullets fired by the LAPD during downtown protests. One of them, a member of L.A. CAN known as "Cincinnatti," had "pleaded with police not to use force on him before being shot in the face," the suit alleges.

Rubenstein confirmed the incident involving the homeless man is the subject of an Internal Affairs investigation, as are several other widely circulated clips of alleged police misconduct that have surfaced in recent days. He urged anyone who believed they were the victim of police misconduct to contact Internal Affairs or the Office of the Inspector General, but declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Even the LAPD's request for information about misconduct in the past week has been met with push back from defense attorneys and criminal justice advocates, who have advised people to discuss their case with an attorney prior to contacting any police officials with a complaint.

Earlier this week, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said the department needed to show more force in response to attacks on police officers and reports of looting in various parts of the city. At least 27 officers have been injured in the last week while responding to protests or looting, including one officer who was hospitalized with a fractured skull.

But in recent days, the LAPD has been criticized for its response to the demonstrations. Two City Council members and the president of the civilian Police Commission, former federal prosecutor Eileen Decker, have called for a review.

On Friday, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) also called on the commission to investigate the department's response to protests and looting in the Fairfax District last week.

Late Friday, Mayor Eric Garcetti said some of the police tactics seen in the last week had "no place in the City of Angels."

"The civilian Police Commissions Inspector General is reviewing the footage and will ensure a full investigation of incidents depicting excessive uses of force, which could lead to officer discipline or removal. Every incident has a larger context, but our officers must keep the peace, without violence," Garcetti said.

Times staff writer Cindy Chang contributed to this report.
You are here: Arts

More than 4,600 activities will be organized across China to celebrate this year's Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, which falls on June 13.

Guilin city in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region is hosting the occasion with events designed to show how historical relics have colored people's life and society, said Guan Qiang, deputy head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Friday.

Forums, open classes, exhibitions and art markets will celebrate the day, said Guan.

Since 2006, China has celebrated cultural heritage day on the second Saturday of June. In 2017, it was renamed Cultural and Natural Heritage Day.




We hope that we dont have to utilize anywhere near as much of this going forward as we have for the past several months, but we have to be prepared for the possibility that might occur, Simeck said.
The London Irish Centre (LIC) is delighted to announce the London Irish Charity Night In on Thursday, June 11 at 8pm, with many Irish stars joining including Niall Horan, Dermot OLeary, Laura Whitmore, Imelda May, Robert Sheehan, plus Kildare natives Jack Lukeman, from Athy, and Jarlath Regan, from The Curragh, plus many more.

The event will be streamed online via the London Irish Centres Facebook and YouTube pages and the EPIC Museum Stay At Home Library page.

Settle in for a fun night of music, interviews and conversation with Irish celebrities from across the UK and Ireland. The evening will also include a charity auction with the opportunity to win great prizes from Ed Sheeran and others, all for a good cause. The event is being produced with supporting partner The Lock Inn online events venue.

I am very proud to be patron of The London Irish Centre. The LIC does amazing work across London, and right now, they need our support. As its not possible to run our usual fundraising events, Im thrilled that our friends and supporters are joining us for a little online fundraising adventure! - Dermot OLeary, London Irish Centre patron.

The LIC has been providing community services and Irish culture to London since 1954 and the Covid-19 crisis has had a huge effect on its capacity to provide this support, especially to Londons large older Irish community, who are especially vulnerable and those more recently made vulnerable.

The Centre closed its doors on Wednesday, March 18 and responded to the pandemic by reshaping its services; increasing web and telephone support to deliver over 1,100 advice sessions and 1,000 health check-in calls, training up over 30 telephone befrienders, engaging over 200 volunteers, and providing over 2,000 hot meals and food parcels to the community and becoming the first Centre shielding the vulnerable in Camden.

They have also announced the SOLAS Season - a curated series of online culture and community to keep us all connected and inspired during challenging times. This includes concerts, storytelling, classes and talks.

The closure of the Centre has resulted in a significant financial loss with the cancellation of several large fundraising events, and the necessity to raise funds for the LIC and its community is now more important than ever. Throughout the evening the LIC hope to raise 100,000 for the older Irish community it supports.

Ellen Ryan, CEO at The London Irish Centre said: I am so proud of the way we have all pulled together as a community through this crisis. Staff, volunteers and our friends have worked hand in hand to ensure that we deliver the services and cultural output needed to enable the community to feel a sense of hope and resilience for the future. We have also received crucial support from the Irish Government and Irish Embassy, London, and our partners at Camden Council. This very special event is your opportunity to join us and support our essential work to enable us to continue our recovery into the future.



Watch the event on www.facebook.com/ londonirishcentre or http:// youtube.com/londonirishcentre.



Full line up below. More guests to be announced:

Dermot OLeary

Niall Horan

Angela Scanlon

Laura Whitmore

Imelda May

Felispeaks

Lisa Hannigan

Loah

Lisa Dwan

Lorraine Maher

Dara OBriain

Richard Corrigan

Gavin James

Robert Sheehan

Ciaran Cannon

Jack Lukeman

Mundy

Liam OMaonlai

Jarlath Regan

The Blizzards

Siobhan McSweeney

Maverick Sabre
U.S. destroyer transits Taiwan Strait on June 4

ROC Central News Agency

06/05/2020 10:36 AM

Taipei, June 5 (CNA) A United States destroyer transited the Taiwan Strait on routine operations on Thursday, the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre in China, according to Taiwan's defense ministry and the U.S. 7th Fleet.

"The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS RUSSELL (DDG-59) transits the Taiwan Strait, June 4," a post on the fleet's official Facebook read.

"Russell is deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific," it said. The 7th Fleet is affiliated with the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Friday that the American warship sailed southbound through the strait on regular operations a day earlier. It has been closely monitoring the vessel's movement, the ministry added.

This was the seventh U.S. naval ship to transit the strait this year, compared to a total of nine in 2019; and it was the first time the DDG-59 passed through the strait since July 2018, according to the MND.

The ministry did not start regularly releasing information on the movements of U.S. navel ships in the strait until July 2018.

The previous U.S. warship to transit the strait was the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer McCampbell on May 13, according to the U.S 7th Fleet.

The Tiananmen Square massacre, also known as the June Fourth Incident, occurred on June 4, 1989 in Beijing, when thousands of student-led demonstrators calling for democracy, free speech and a free press in China were brutally crushed by the military.

Thousands of people attended a vigil in Taipei Thursday to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the event, demanding the Chinese government redress the wrongs of the incident and expressing support for democracy in Hong Kong and China.

(By Matt Yu and Elizabeth Hsu)

Enditem/AW

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 02:18:10|Editor: huaxia

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Two satellites, Xingyun-2 01 and 02, are launched by a Kuaizhou-1A (KZ-1A) carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 12, 2020. (Photo by Shan Biao/Xinhua)

The space partnership has an immense value for Serbia, as it will help the country realize strategic national projects, said Nenad Popovic, Serbian minister in charge of innovation and technological development.

BELGRADE, June 5 (Xinhua) -- China and Serbia on Friday signed a memorandum on space technology which aims, among other things, to put the Serbian national flag on co-designed spacecraft in the future.

The memorandum was signed by Zhang Kejian, director of the China National Space Administration, and Nenad Popovic, Serbian minister in charge of innovation and technological development, via a video conference.

Zhang said the memorandum is in the common interests of both countries, adding that as many scientists as possible will engage in joint space projects.

"Our goal is to put the flag of Serbia on the spacecraft that we will jointly design," he announced.

A visitor takes a photo of a spacesuit at the provincial science and technology museum in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 24, 2020. (Photo by Zhao Song/Xinhua)

Popovic noted that the space partnership will have an immense value for Serbia, saying it will help realize the country's strategic national projects.

Popovic said Chinese partners are willing to share their knowledge and experience in space technology with Serbia.

"We deeply respect the friendship between our two countries, and we wish for the document signed today to bond China and Serbia in friendship and economic development permanently," he said. "I am sure that our upcoming projects will pave the way for our joint vision."

According to the Serbian government, the document envisages the "improvement of bilateral cooperation between Serbia and China in the development and use of space technology, satellite systems and the Earth Observing System, with applications in the field of smart agriculture, telecommunications, ecosystems, remote sensing systems and geolocation positioning." 
The management and some staff of Despite Media on Friday, 5th June, 2020 visited the family of their late colleague, Kwadwo Wiafe popularly known as Favorite Mcs MC.



Scenes from the visit to the family is one that breaks the heart as the likes of Fadda Dickson, Nana Ama McBrown,Kennedy Osei, Abeiku Santana , Roger Quartey and others could not hold their tears during the visit .



His sudden demise which occurred on Thursday, 4th June, 2020 after a short illness at the Nyaho Medical Centre has crushed the hearts and souls of many loved ones.



As Customs demands, rites for the late Kwadwo Wiafe as announced by the family for his transition is as follows; One week celebration will be held on Friday, 12th June,2020 and the final funeral rites on Saturday, 4th July, 2020.



May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.



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A third of companies getting millions of pounds in loans from the Bank of England have been linked to tax havens, a new study has revealed today.

Investigative think tank TaxWatch has claimed 14 out of 53 UK business benefiting from help are either based in a low tax zone or substantially owned by a tax haven resident.

They have been handed more than 5billion in loans as part of the coronavirus corporate financing facility (CCFF) - a Bank of England scheme designed for some of the biggest companies with credit ratings.

British Airways, which has accessed 300million in support, has a parent parent company based in Spain and the UK, but has financial links to Jersey.

Digger-making JCB, whose parent company is located in the Netherlands, and fashion brand Chanel, whose parent company is based in the Cayman Islands, have both been granted loans of 600 million.

Investigative think tank TaxWatch have claimed 14 out of 53 UK business benefiting from help are either based in a low tax zone or substantially owned by a tax haven resident. Pictured, downtown Georgetown, financial district in the Cayman Islands

British Airways, which has accessed 300million in support, has a parent company based in Spain and the UK, but has financial links to Jersey (file image)

TaxWatch said one company receiving a loan is under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office while another is nine months late in filing its UK accounts.

George Turner, the think tank's UK director, said: 'The fact that UK taxpayers' money is being used to make substantial loans to companies that have not filed proper accounts, are currently under investigation for bribery and corruption or are part of some tax avoidance structure demonstrates the lack of any meaningful conditions around government support for business.

'The publication of the Bank of England list reveals only a fraction of the businesses receiving Government support.'

Mr Turner said there was 'a compelling argument' for the Government to publish the names of all companies given loans under the scheme.

'This is taxpayers' money. It is right that taxpayers know who they are providing support to and demand high standards of financial and tax conduct,' he added.

Digger-making JCB, whose parent company is located in the Netherlands, and fashion brand Chanel, whose parent company is based in the Cayman Islands, have both won loans of 600 million. Pictured, a woman carrying a shopping bag on May 30 in Paris

What is the Coronavirus Coporate Financing Facility (CCFF)? On March 17, the UK Treasury announced a number of measures designed to support businesses through coronavirus lockdown. One of them, the CCFF, helped larger firms avoid disruption to their cash flows by allowing them to buy short-term debt. But what do businesses need to be eligible? Make a material UK contribution

Be investment grade rated (or equivalent) as at 1 March 2020

Not be Prudential Regulation Authority - or Financial Conduct Authority - regulated

Not be a public undertaking - meaning controlled by public authorities. Advertisement

The CCFF was brought in by the government in March to help businesses through the disruption caused by coronavirus. High street bakery Greggs, Marks & Spencers and major airline Easy Jet have used the scheme.

It requires organisations to meet a strict criteria in order to be eligible to use it. Firms must have an investment grade credit rating to ensure they can meet financial commitments and make a 'material contribution' to the UK economy.

A Treasury spokesman said a 'series of robust measures' were in place to 'tackle profit shifting arrangements'.

It added: 'We have acted at unprecedented speed to support jobs and the economy. The Covid Corporate Financing Facility directly protects hundreds of thousands of jobs, supports some of our biggest companies' cashflows and enables them to support their suppliers.

'We continue to be at the forefront of global action to tackle tax avoidance.

'That is the right way to challenge rule-breaking, rather than punishing British workers who pay their taxes by denying access to measures that support the British economy.'

The analysis comes after calls for the Government to deny coronavirus loans to companies deemed risky by HMRC.

Labour's Dame Margaret Hodge, a former chairwoman of the Public Accounts Committee, said those who do not pay their fair share in the good times should not be bailed out by the taxpayer when the going gets tough.

In a letter to the Chancellor, she said: 'I am deeply concerned, however, that the support packages offered by the Government during the crisis are open to abuse.

Luxury brand Chanel has received 600m from the Bank of England's CCFF fund.



Chanel Limited which received the loan, is owned by a parent company based in the tax-haven of the Cayman Islands.



Billionaire brothers the Wertheimer's have a controlling interest in Chanel.  TaxWatch (@taxwatch) June 5, 2020

'While for many these schemes will be a financial lifeline, for unscrupulous corporations they will be viewed as easy pickings.'

Last month, JCB contacted nearly 1,000 staff members - and 500 agency workers - to tell them their jobs are at risk, reported the Birmingham Mail.

Around 500 Guidant agency employees, who work at JCB's UK sites, were 'released from the business', a spokesman for the firm said.

JCB chief executive Graeme Macdonald said the company 'had no choice but to take difficult decisions to adapt to this new economic reality'.

He said: 'In 2020 we had planned to sell and produce over 100,000 machines. With so much global uncertainty, that figure right now is looking more like 50,000 machines.'

New research has claimed one in three firms receiving Bank of England coronavirus loans have tax haven links (file image)

It comes after almost 2 billion in emergency coronavirus loans were promised to some of the UK's biggest airlines by the Bank of England.

Earlier this week the bank announced it had agreed funding packages worth hundreds of millions of pounds with aviation industry giants including Ryanair, British Airways, Wizz Air and easyJet.

The cash will help to keep the firms afloat after the current crisis forced them to ground the overwhelming majority of their planes.

Ryanair and easyJet have both been awarded loans worth 600 million each.

Meanwhile, the owner of British Airways, IAG, and Wizz Air will both be able to access some 300 million.

The numbers were revealed as the Bank set out a full list of 53 businesses which have been allowed to borrow under its loan scheme for large firms.

British Airways is one of a handful of UK aviation firms to have agreed to loans with the Bank of England

The aviation industry is hoping for a turnaround in fortunes in the coming months after a sustained period of major disruption.

International travel bans have wreaked havoc with routes but airlines are now targeting the return of more services as restrictions are eased across the globe.

Virgin Atlantic to restart passenger flights on July 20 Virgin Atlantic has announced it plans to restart passenger flights on July 20. The airline will initially operate London Heathrow flights to Orlando, Hong Kong, Shanghai, New York and Los Angeles. Flights will resume to more destinations in August, with details to be confirmed in the next two weeks. Virgin Atlantic has only operated cargo flights in recent weeks due to the collapse in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It said in a statement: 'As countries around the world start to relax travel restrictions, Virgin Atlantic will resume some routes on July 20, while steadily increasing passenger flying throughout the second half of 2020, with a further, gradual recovery through 2021 in line with customer demand.' Advertisement

However, they remain locked in a battle with the UK Government over quarantine plans which will see all travellers arriving in Britain told to self-isolate for 14 days.

The measures, due to come into force on June 8, will see rule-breakers hit with potentially unlimited fines.

The aviation and tourism sectors, as well as a growing number of MPs, are calling on ministers to rethink the proposals amid fears they will torpedo any hopes of an economic recovery.

As well as the major airlines, the list of firms given the green light to borrow from the Bank of England includes defence company Chemring and paint giant Akzo Nobel.

The biggest single loan, 1 billion, has gone to German company BASF  the world's largest chemicals producer.

Some of the awards are likely to prompt protests from climate change campaigners.

Environmental group ClientEarth yesterday called on the Government not to back loans to companies without first putting in place emissions criteria.

ClientEarth chief executive James Thornton said: 'It appears the peak of the virus has passed for now, but we simply cannot put on hold our response to climate change while we deal with the pandemic.

'On the contrary, the recovery allows the Government to kick-start the UK's economy in a way which ensures long-term resilience and a more fair and just transition to a net zero economy.'

The Bank of England's Covid Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) was set up to help large businesses with credit scores through the pandemic.

It complements three other loan support schemes set up for smaller businesses, where the money is provided by high street lenders and guaranteed by the Government.

Even before the Bank of England published its list today, Dame Margaret Hodge, a Labour MP and former chair of the Public Accounts Committee, had called on the Government to publish more extensive data on its loan schemes.

She also said the Government should not lend to companies who might not be paying their fair share of tax.

'While for many these schemes will be a financial lifeline, for unscrupulous corporations they will be viewed as easy pickings,' she wrote in a letter to chancellor Rishi Sunak.

Yesterday it was revealed the boss of British Airways may launch a legal challenge against the government's 'irrational' 14-day quarantine.

Chief Executive of IAG Willie Walsh said there had been no consultation with the industry prior to the rule change and he was reviewing possible action with lawyers.

It is understood the Home Office received no reply from British Airways (BA) after being invited to the meeting, which was attended by several of its airline competitors, including Virgin Atlantic, easyJet and Jet2 yesterday (pictured, Home Secretary Priti Patel)

It comes after BA boycotted a meeting between the Home Secretary and the travel industry to discuss the plan.

It is understood the Home Office received no reply from the firm after inviting it to the meeting, which was attended by several other airlines on Thursday.

The new rule means from June 8 people flying into the UK need to isolate for 14 days, deterring people from booking holidays in another setback for the travel industry.

Mr Walsh told Sky News: 'I wrote to MPs last night to say this initiative has in effect torpedoed our opportunity to get flying in July.

'We think it is irrational, we think it is disproportionate and we are giving consideration to a legal challenge to this legislation.' He said he expected other airlines to follow suit.

BA chief executive Alex Cruz declined to join the call with Home Secretary Priti Patel

Twenty-four representatives from the aviation, maritime and international rail industries were at the meeting with the Home Office and transport minister Kelly Tolhurst.

But BA's chief executive Alex Cruz declined to join the call which Home Secretary Priti Patel also attended.

Sources claimed the airline believes the new plans are 'unworkable' and damaging for the economy, making the meeting a 'waste of time', the Telegraph reports.

A Whitehall source said it was a 'shame' one of the UK's largest airlines turned down the opportunity for 'face time' with a Cabinet minister and to work with Government.

Poll shows a THIRD of public think Priti Patel's 14-day quarantine on UK arrivals should be even tougher A third of Britons want the government's 14-day quarantine to be even tougher, a poll found today - despite scientists dismissing the plan as pointless. Research for MailOnline found overwhelming support for the restrictions on UK arrivals announced by Priti Patel yesterday. But the exclusive poll by Redfield & Wilton Strategies found 42 per cent are satisfied with the move, and 35 per cent believe it does not go far enough. Advertisement

A spokesman for the airline confirmed neither BA nor its owner International Airlines Group (IAG) were at the meeting.

Ministers continue to face pressure over the planned blanket 14-day quarantine for travellers to the UK due to come into force from June 8.

But a MailOnline poll found a third of Britons want the government's quarantine to be even tougher - despite scientists dismissing the plan as pointless.

And Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden today urged Britons to take a 'staycation' at home, rather than abroad.

PM Boris Johnson is already looking to water down the controversial plan by using 'air bridges'.

But his plan could fail because all but two of the 15 countries most popular with British tourists has a lower coronavirus infection rate.

Countries including Spain and Germany warned the UK its citizens will not be able to visit as tourists until the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths drop considerably.

And only Portugal, which has a slightly higher coronavirus infection rate than Great Britain and Northern Ireland, said it is willing to agree an 'air bridge'.

Only Italy is taking British tourists with Portugal expected to follow suit imminently - but foreign holidays elsewhere are currently unlikely, especially short term

The US has the highest infection rate but is not currently accepting any tourists from Europe at all.

France, Germany, Greece and Spain will place restrictions on UK visitors entering their countries as they reopen from lockdowns unless the UK scraps the quarantine plan or its coronavirus infection rates decrease, the Telegraph reported.

Meanwhile, the European Commission is calling on EU member states to lift all border checks within the bloc by the end of June, Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson told Euronews.

French tourism minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne said his country would impose a 14-day quarantine on UK visitors if Britain proceeds with its quarantine plan on Monday.

But he added that France plans to open its borders to other EU nations as early as June 15.

Germany's foreign minister Heiko Maas said he would be 'strongly advising' against travel to Britain due to its quarantine - just as his country lifts its travel restrictions for 30 other European nationalities from June 15.

His Greek counterpart Haris Theoharis was quoted as saying as long as Britain's coronavirus rate remained comparatively high, travellers from most UK airports faced mandatory tests for Covid-19 and quarantine of seven days even if they were found to be clear of the virus.

And Spain, while ruling out 'tit-for-tat' quarantine measures, said the right of entry would partly depend on a country's 'epidemiological situation'.

From next week, people coming into the UK from abroad will have to quarantine for 14 days to stop the spread of coronavirus.

UK is facing a backlash to EU quarantine plans The UK is reportedly facing a backlash from European nations over its planned quarantine on visitors entering the country. France, Germany, Greece and Spain will place restrictions on British visitors entering their countries as they reopen from lockdowns unless the UK scraps its quarantine or its coronavirus infection rates decrease, according to the Telegraph. Meanwhile, the European Commission is calling on EU member states to lift all border checks within the bloc by the end of June, Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson told Euronews. French tourism minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne said his country would impose a 14-day quarantine on UK visitors if Britain proceeds with its quarantine plan on Monday according to the Daily Telegraph, although he added France plans to open its borders to other EU nations on June 15. Germany's foreign minister Heiko Maas said he would be 'strongly advising' against travel to Britain due to its quarantine - just as his country lifts its travel restrictions for 30 other European nationalities from June 15. His Greek counterpart Haris Theoharis was quoted as saying as long as Britain's coronavirus rate remained comparatively high, travellers from most UK airports faced mandatory tests for Covid-19 and quarantine of seven days even if they were found to be clear of the virus. And Spain, while ruling out 'tit-for-tat' quarantine measures, said the right of entry would partly depend on a country's 'epidemiological situation'. Advertisement

But with business chiefs warning this will wreck the travel and hospitality industry, the Prime Minister is pushing for quarantine-free 'travel corridors' or air bridges to popular destinations.

These would allow British families to go abroad and foreign tourists to come here.

A Downing Street source said: 'We will be guided by the science, but the PM does not want to be standing in the way of people's holidays unnecessarily.'

Portugal's foreign minister Augusto Santos Silva revealed he is in discussions with the UK about forming an air bridge so tourists can avoid quarantine.

He added: 'During these weeks our diplomats will work together in order to guarantee that British tourists coming to Portugal would not be subjected on their return to England to any kind of quarantine.'

Ministers are also looking at whether to test travellers on their arrival in the UK  removing the need for automatic self-isolation.

The 14-day quarantine scheme will be reviewed on June 29 to see whether low case numbers in some destinations might allow the measures to be relaxed on a country-by-country basis.

Leading travel operators still fear they will have to lay off 60 per cent of their staff, however.

The news came as it emerged that nearly every country popular with Britons as a summer holiday destination has a lower coronavirus infection rate than the UK.

The UK currently has more cases of coronavirus per million people than most of the 15 most popular holiday destinations for Britons.

Only the US and Portugal have a higher infection rate with places like France, Spain, Greece and Italy all drastically lower than Britain.

The data is sure to fuel the anger of opponents of the quarantine, after some 124 chief executive and owners of businesses worth a combined 5billion said they expect to make up to 60 per cent of their staff redundant if the scheme goes ahead.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said this week he was growing 'more optimistic' about the prospect of Britons taking holidays abroad this year.

Despite the potential news of a relaxation of the quarantine rules later in the month, the Home Secretary intends to push full steam ahead with the plan.

But the PM has been told to drops the plans to avoid a 'catastrophic' hammer blow to the tourism and hospitality industries.

MPs also branded the curbs 'ridiculous' and 'pointless' after it emerged people will be allowed to pop out for food, only a fifth face spot checks, and officials will not be allowed to enter their homes.
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Linkedin Stefica Nicol Bikes (Reuters) Sydney, Australia  Sat, June 6, 2020 07:03 594 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdc85e47 2 Environment Great-Barrier-Reef,coral-bleaching,environment,Australia Free

Australia's Great Barrier Reef suffered its most extensive coral bleaching event in March, with scientists fearing the coral recovers less each time after the third bleaching in five years.

February 2020 was the hottest month on record since records began in 1900, Terry Hughes, Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University, told Reuters.

"We saw record-breaking temperatures all along the length of the Great Barrier Reef, there wasn't a cool portion in the north, or a cool portion in the south this time around," Hughes said.

"The whole Barrier Reef was hot so the bleaching we have seen this year is the most extensive so far."

Hughes added that he is now almost certain that the Reef is not going to recover to what it looked like even five years ago, not to mention thirty years ago. If the global warming trends continue the Great Barrier Reef will be destroyed, he said.

"We will have some sort of tropical ecosystem, but it won't look like coral reef, there might be more seaweed, more sponges, a lot less coral, but it will be a very different ecosystem."

The Great Barrier Reef, covering 348,000 square kilometres was world heritage listed in 1981 as the most extensive and spectacular coral reef ecosystem on the planet, according to the UNESCO website.
An under-trial prisoner at the Muzaffarnagar district jail in Uttar Pradesh died of heart disease, officials said on Saturday.

The middle-aged prisoner, Sandeep, was arrested in November 2019 in connection with a case of murder. He was rushed to a hospital after he complained of uneasiness Friday evening.

He died at the hospital due to heart disease, jail superintendent A K Saxena said.

The body has been sent for post-mortem, the officials said.
With backlog of 400,000 letters and parcels, postal unions plan go-slow By Chrishanthi Christopher View(s): View(s):

With postal workers planning to begin an island-wide go-slow campaign from Monday over a decision to scrap overtime payments, the Government has invited postal trade unions for talks to resolve the issue that could affect the upcoming parliamentary election.

Postal unions are planning to launch trade union action over the Postal Departments move to close post and sub post offices on Saturdays and to scrap resulting OT payments to staff.

Joint Postal Trade Union Front Convenor Chinthaka Bandara told the Sunday Times the Postal Department had more than 1000 vacancies. This meant that employees had to do extra work. In this situation, he insisted that the decision to close post offices and sub post offices on Saturdays was a clear attempt to deprive workers of their hard-earned OT payments.

Accordingly, postal workers would only attend to their normal duties from Monday and would not do any overtime work.

The union leader also warned that if they were forced to continue their action, it would also have an impact on the distribution of election related material via post.

Postmaster General Ranjith Ariyaratne accused the unions of acting like Shylock and demanding their pound of flesh. They are not prepared to deviate from their course. This is unfortunate given how much we have suffered on account of COVID-19.

He said it was no longer economically feasible to keep post offices and sub post offices open on Saturdays as the department earned a revenue of only about Rs 3 million by keeping them open on Saturdays, whereas it lost millions more by having to pay OT to staff who worked on Saturdays.

Mr Ariyaratne said he was hopeful the issue could be resolved by next week, with unions due to meet subject minister Bandula Gunawardena for talks on Tuesday. The Postal Department did not even have a proper budget until this week. However, with money being allocated to us now, I believe these issues can be resolved, he added.

Meanwhile, the Postal Department is being choked with a deluge of more than 400,000 letters and parcels that stockpiled during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The PMG said it would take weeks, if not months, to clear the backlog.
Photo: (Photo : Pinterest/Michelle Holbrook)

In April, Michelle Holbrook's son, Chandler Cook, died of an accidental drug overdose. She is blaming the pandemic for causing her son's depression and death. She wants to share her son's story to help others fight for their lives during the pandemic.

Cook became addicted

The 54-year-old mom told People that one of the hardest things a mom has to go through is losing a child. Cook had shoulder surgery, and doctors prescribed him OxyContin. He got addicted after that. When he ran out of medication, he used heroin and started experimenting with drugs.

Cook got into a drug overdose in 2016, so he went on rehab. Insurance paid only for a month. Holbrook said that rehab patients need at least six months to a year to be sober. After Cook came back, he continued with drug use. In 2017, cops arrested him for selling marijuana to an undercover agent. For six months, he stayed in jail due to drugs.

Cook was sober and got a job

After Cook's release, the family moved him to Jacksonville, Florida. He lived near Holbrook's home on Amelia Island. Holbrook said that Cook came out doing great. She also noted that Cook got a full-time job after rehab.

Cook thrived at his job in the restaurant industry at the start of 2020. He had a strong support system. For a year and a half, Cook had been sober until everything shut down, shared Holbrook.

Holbrook's son developed depression

Cook lost his job, income, and stability, and he became isolated. Holbrook said that her son could not overcome his depression. Cook died of an accidental drug overdose on April 21. Holbrook said that she saw him the Friday before he died.

As a mom, Holbrook could not take not hugging her child before he passed. She was thinking of what she could have done differently to prevent depression and drug overdose from happening. She knows that Cook knows everyone loves him. Her son could just not go on with his life.

Pandemic and isolation caused Holbrook's son's death

Holbrook thinks that the pandemic and having to isolate was the culprit. She is sharing her son's story to tell the people that mental health and drug abuse need more attention. She has neurofibromatosis, and she recognizes how hard it is to treat her condition.

Cook's mom does not understand why people do not give the same attention to depression as they do to other kinds of health issues. She said that depression is a disease just like what she has. It could be deadly if she does not follow up with treatment, and the same goes for drug addiction.

Holbrook said that Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous should be considered "essential" during the pandemic. For her, it would be better for the patient and the therapist to follow guidelines than doing it virtually. She also wants insurance to up their services to help more people recover.

Holbrook is doing advocacy work with "Kids Have Hope" to help her grieve. She said that Cook got baptized years ago, so she knows that he is with Jesus in heaven. She looks forward to seeing her son again.

Admittedly, she has a hard time getting up every day, but she has to keep living. She urges people with relatives struggling with substance abuse to "fight hard for them."
About twenty "Mother Nature" activists organized a bike ride from the island of Koh Kong to Phnom Penh. The goal was to deliver a petition to Prime Minister Hun Sen. The police stopped them, seized the bycyles and T- shirts with their logo. For the authorities, the march risked creating a Covid-19 outbreak.

Phnom Penh (AsiaNews) - On the eve of the World Environment Day 2020, which was celebrated yesterday across the planet, a group of Cambodian activists risked being arrested for promoting a campaign to protect nature.

With the aim of raising the government's awareness of the protection of the natural habitat of the island of Koh Kong - in the province of the same name, characterized by crystal clear waters and a sandy bottomed sea - some young people organized a bike ride; however, the group suspended the project following attacks and threats of arrest from local authorities.

According to reports from Radio Free Asia (Rfa), the police of Koh Kong interrupted the path of the 21 activists of the movement "Mother nature" when they were in the district of Trapaing Roung, threatening them with arrest. The group had covered only 60 km of the long journey that separates the area, in the southwest of the country, from the capital Phnom Penh. The detention took place on the evening of 4 June, after only one day of completed travel.

Group leader Rey Reaksa reports that the police initially alleged health reasons behind the detention, because the march could have helped spread the new coronavirus. The authorities took them to a clinic where they were subjected to the swab. Despite being negative, the following day they were unable to restart and received orders to stop the initiative, under penalty of arrest in the event of violation.

The activists intended to deliver a petition to Prime Minister Hun Sen, in which they asked to designate the island of Koh Kong Krov as a protected area and defend it from the impact of tourism and private interests. The police stopped the trip and seized the bikes, making them sign a confession in which they promised to stop the initiative. After their clear refusal, the group resumed their journey the next day and walked the remaining 140 km on foot. The agents arrested them a second time, seizing their shirts with the symbol of the "Mother Nature" group and threatening to arrest them.

For environmentalists, the island is in danger of being destroyed in the name of unregulated development, as happened in other areas of Cambodia. Hence the choice to promote an initiative, in conjunction with the World Day dedicated to the environment and nature.

The day began in 1972 within the United Nations General Assembly, on the occasion of the institution of the UN program dedicated to the environment. The first edition was held in 1974, under the motto "One earth". The slogan of the 2020 edition was: "It is the moment of nature" with particular attention to the theme of biodiversity, given that there are at least one million endangered species in the world, equal to 11% of the total. Two factors contribute to aggravating the situation: climate change and deforestation, the latter theme that also closely affects Cambodia itself.
Meghan Markle has taken her stance amid the George Floyd outrage and Black Lives Matters movement across the U.S.A and in other countries.

Recently, the Duchess of Sussex delivered a powerful speech to the graduating class of her former school in Los Angeles, Immaculate Heart, condemning the injustice behind the killings of African Americans at the hands of police.

"I wasn't sure what I could say to you. I wanted to say the right thing, and I was really nervous that I wouldn't or that it would get picked apart. And I realized the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing," Meghan said in her speech.

The former "Suits" star went on and mentioned how "George Floyd's life mattered" along with other victims such as Philando Castile, Tamir Rice, Stephon Clarke and Breonna Taylor -- who would have celebrated her 27th birthday this June had she not been fatally shot by officers of the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD).

Meghan Markle Sounded Like Her "Old Self"

On the other hand, a Vanity Fair source cited that the recent video of the former royal was "100 percent" her and noted that she sounded "less restrained" and more like the "old Meghan."

"Like many people, Meghan has felt very raw about what has happened, this is a key issue for her. She knew whatever she said had to be communicated appropriately," the source explained. "There have been a lot of discussions. It wasn't easy, but she was determined to say something. These are her words, her sentiments-it's 100% her," an anonymous friend told the publication."

Prior to joining the royal family, the former actress was known for speaking her mind, particularly on sensitive issues like gender, race and social inequality.

Back in 1993, a young Meghan bravely wrote to Procter & Gamble regarding their ad for an ivory dish soap that says "women are fighting greasy pots and pans" -- a statement which she found sexist. She then requested the company to change the language to "people" rather than "women."

"At the age of 11, I created my small level of impact by standing up for equality," she mentioned at the UN Women's conference in 2015.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Secretly Getting Involved With BLM Movement

Following her emotional virtual message, it has been reported that Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry are getting involved with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Founded in 2013, the international human rights campaign aims to defend the African American community against racial oppression and inhumane treatments.

According to Harper's Bazaar, the couple is having "private conversations" with community leaders and "people at every level" to keep them informed with the ongoing social issue.

Meghan Markle has opened up about the devastating issue anew after the death of the 46-year-old Floyd, an African American man who died at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers.

The unarmed man was pinned down to the ground by former police officer Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee onto Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes.
Paris: France said on Friday its military forces had killed al-Qaeda's north Africa chief Abdelmalek Droukdel, a key Islamist fighter that its forces had been hunting for more than seven years, during an operation in Mali.

"On June 3, French army forces, with the support of their local partners, killed the emir of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Abdelmalek Droukdel, and several of his closest collaborators, during an operation in northern Mali," French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly wrote on Twitter.

Al-Qaeda leader in North Africa Abdelmalek Droukdel has been killed, France says. Credit:AP

The announcement of the death of Droukdel comes almost six months after former colonial power France and regional states combined their military forces under one command structure to focus on fighting Islamic State-linked militants in the border regions of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

Droukdel was among north Africa's most experienced militants. He took part in an Islamist militant takeover of northern Mali before a French military intervention in 2013 drove them back and scattered fighters across the Sahel region.
Former Delhi Police chief and former Governor of Jharkhand, Manipur and Mizoram Ved Marwah was cremated with full state honours and a guard of honour with Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Chief Secretary Parimal Rai paying their tribute.

Marwah, who was a former chief of the Delhi Police, passed away late on Friday evening after a brief illness at the Asilo Hospital at Mapusa in North Goa.

We are deeply saddened at the loss of a great leader of the police force. Ved Marwah (IPS) led the force from the front through difficult times and served as a Governor of three states. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, Goas Inspector General of Police, Jaspal Singh, said in a message.

Marwah used to spend time in Goa along with his wife in order to escape the chilly Delhi winters on account of a lung ailment.

He was admitted to a hospital recently where he breathed his last.

Paid final tribute to Shri Ved Marwah, IPS and former Governor of Jharkhand, Manipur and Mizoram and also former Commissioner of Delhi Police. His services and contribution to the nation will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, the Goa Chief Minister said.

A dynamic and honest personality, extremely sensitive to the public, a cop with a heart, Ved Marwah, IPS was like a rock that weathered many storms. In the aftermath of the 1984 riots, he led the Delhi Police through some of its most testing times. His integrity and dedication was unparalleled which helped in crucial assignments as Advisor to the J&K Government and later as Governor to 3 states. Never a man to rest, he remained active in the public domain till the very last and was a guiding light to all officers who looked to him for guidance. His loss is a loss to the nation, Inspector General of Police, Singh said.

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UP Deputy CM says, ordinance will be brought if the SC decision goes against the Ram Temple

Voting in favour of 'lotus' will mean dropping of nuclear bomb on Pak, says UP Dy CM Maurya

We have named her 'Priyanka Twitter Vadra': UP Deputy CM's jibe at Congress leader

India

pti-PTI

Lucknow, June 06: Taking a swipe at Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday said social media projects her as a "prominent national leader" but she could not even ensure victory of her brother and then party president Rahul Gandhi from Amethi in the 2019 parliamentary election.

Seeking to downplay the impact of Priyanka Gandhi in the state politics, Maurya said, "I do not take her seriously.... We have already named her 'Priyanka Twitter Vadra'.

She only tweets for 2-3 days and the media remains busy and social media shows her as a prominent national leader."

India Covid-19 infections crossed Italy's tally making it the 6th worst-hit nation | Oneindia News

"But everyone knows when she came to Uttar Pradesh to campaign for the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections hoping that she would make her brother the prime minister, she could not even ensure his victory," he told PTI.

Rahul Gandhi lost to Smriti Irani of the BJP in his pocket borough of Amethi in the 2019 elections.

Responding to Maurya's comments, spokesperson of UP Congress Ashok Singh told PTI, "The Gandhi family has sacrificed its members for the nation. Before making such remarks, he should get the potholed roads in the entire state repaired as he is in charge of the Public Works Department."

Please get our buses running: Priyanka Gandhi urges Yogi govt

Priyanka Gandhi has flagged the problems faced by migrant labourers returning to their homes in Uttar Pradesh during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, among other issues.

There was also a showdown between the Congress and the state government in May after she offered 1,000 buses to ferry stranded migrant workers to Uttar Pradesh, but the Yogi Adityanath dispensation charged the party with "forgery" and said the list of buses contained registration numbers of two-wheelers, cars and three-wheelers.

The deputy chief minister said Priyanka Gandhi has been critical of policies of the Yogi Adityanath dispensation only because she looks at the BJP-ruled state "from a negative point of view".

Referring to her tweet on migrant labourers, Maurya said, "Congress does not want to see (what is happening in) Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. It is suffering from 'drishti dosh' (vision disorder). Congress leaders, be it Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra or any other, should get their eyes tested properly."

"If they (Congress leaders) want to see everything in a wrong manner because the BJP is ruling Uttar Pradesh...see it from a negative point of view and level allegations on (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi-ji and Yogi-ji, then there is no cure to it. I can only suggest that they should consult a good doctor and wear good quality spectacles," he added.

The Congress has lost its base in Uttar Pradesh and does not have any leader except those looking for just "photo opportunities", Maurya said.
The latest coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Friday (this file will be updated throughout the day). Web links to longer stories if available.

7:50 p.m. A Maine factory will throw out all coronavirus swabs made during President Trumps visit Friday, USA Today reported. Factory officials did not explain why theyre tossing the tests.

Puritan Medical Products in Guilford, Maine, scheduled limited production during Trumps visit. But any swabs seen in the background of Trumps short trip will not be used.

Puritans Maine factory is one of the largest manufacturers of coronavirus test nasal swabs in the world, the Bangor Daily News reported. The plant received $75.5 million (U.S.) from the federal government to increase production.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, asked Trump not to visit at all, according to USA Today. Maines entire congressional delegation, made up of Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, along with Reps. Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden, skipped the tour.

Trump did not wear a mask during the visit.

5:55 p.m. Comedian and political commentator Bill Maher called the stay-at-home and forced-closure orders prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic a reckless experiment that fomented the current protests overtaking America after George Floyds death while in police custody.

People dont have much to do now. There was a lockdown. Theyve been cooped up, Maher said during Fridays installment of his Real Time show on HBO.

Do you agree with me  probably not  that this has a lot to do with the unrest in the streets? Maher asked during the show. A quarter of the country that was working in February is not working now. You have no jobs. Theres no economy to come back to. Why not be in the streets?

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has warned of needless suffering and death if restrictions are eased too soon.

5:35 p.m. Demonstrators were back in front of the prime ministers riding office in Montreal demanding a firm commitment from the federal and provincial governments for asylum seekers working on Quebecs COVID-19 front lines.

A few hundred  in cars, on bicycles or on foot  met in front of Justin Trudeaus Montreal office on Saturday, a second demonstration by the group Standing for Dignity in the past two weeks.

The movement wants special status granted to asylum seekers working as orderlies in the provinces pandemic-hit long-term care homes.

Following the demonstration two weeks ago, Quebec Premier Francois Legault asked the provinces Immigration Department to assess each request to determine if they could be eligible for a path to citizenship as immigrants instead of through the federal refugee system.

Wilner Cayo, head of the group advocating on their behalf, said the case-by-case approach is still tinged with the logic of exclusion.

We are asking for an extraordinary measure to accommodate all essential workers seeking asylum, Cayo said. Its a question of humanity, fairness, justice  these people are paying a heavy price, they are contributing to this war effort.

5:25 p.m. After roughly 80 interminable days of lockdown, the door is cracking open in New York. The biggest city in the worlds biggest economyis trying try to get back to business, whatever that means in these times. There is exuberance on Wall Street: The Nasdaq 100 hit a record on Friday alone.

By Friday, the citys confirmed daily COVID-19 deaths had fallen below double digits for the first time in months. Figures that day also showed the U.S. jobless rate in May fell as a record number of workers were added by employers.

On Monday, retail shops are set to open in New York for the first time since mid-March, offering curbside pickup to cabin-fevered customers. Nonessential construction and manufacturing will restart, too. If all goes well, workers might begin heading back to the office later in the month.

1:49 p.m.: The federal government is investing $1.1 million to support national disability organizations to help them reach out to people amid COVID-19.

Disability Inclusion Minister Carla Qualtrough says in a statement the additional funds will be used to enhance communications and engagement activities of those organizations.

The issue was one raised as key by an advisory panel that has been briefing the government since April.

The additional funds come as National AccessAbility Week, highlighting the contributions of Canadians with disabilities, wraps up today.

During the week, the federal government announced $6.4 million over three years for up to 16 organizations across Canada.

On Friday, Ottawa announced a $548 million program to send cheques for between $100 and $600 to Canadians with disabilities.

11:30 a.m.: As of 11 a.m. Saturday, Ontarios regional public health units are reporting a total of 31,596 confirmed and probable cases, including 2,430 deaths.

As has been the case in recent days, the jump of 419 cases in the last 24 hours came overwhelmingly in the GTA health units of Toronto and Peel Region, with 198 and 97 new cases announced Friday afternoon, respectively.

According to a provincial database of cases, about 75 per cent of the 3,848 Ontarians with an active case of COVID-19 reside in the GTA, with nearly 85 per cent of those in living in Toronto or Peel.

Meanwhile, the 11 fatal cases reported in the province since Wednesday morning was in line with a recent falling trend. The rate of deaths is down considerably since peaking at more than 90 deaths in a day in May, about two weeks after the daily case totals hit a first peak in mid-April.

Earlier Saturday, the province reported that testing labs had completed more than 23,000 tests, the most in any day since the beginning of the pandemic.

Premier Doug Ford, who has called for widespread testing as a key part of Ontarios response to the pandemic, faced criticism last month after the labs reported daily totals far below target for 10 straight days.

The province also reported 673 patients are now hospitalized with COVID-19, including 117 in intensive care, of whom 97 are on a ventilator  numbers that have fallen sharply since early May.

The province says its data is accurate to 4 p.m. the previous day. The province also cautions its latest count of total deaths  2,407  may be incomplete or out of date due to delays in the reporting system, saying that in the event of a discrepancy, data reported by (the health units) should be considered the most up to date.

The Stars count includes some patients reported as probable COVID-19 cases, meaning they have symptoms and contacts or travel history that indicate they very likely have the disease, but have not yet received a positive lab test.

10:30 a.m.: The federal NDP health critic says he is greatly concerned that there is no tracking of COVID-19 infections in long-haul truckers who are travelling back and forth across the United States border.

I think Canadians should be not only concerned but alarmed, said Don Davies, member of Parliament for Vancouver Kingsway.

The Public Health Agency of Canada does not collect information on long-haul truckers. The department deferred questions on COVID-19 cases in the industry to provinces and territories.

The majority of provinces, however, are not looking at infections in long-haul truckers, even though the drivers are among the few Canadians crossing into areas in the United States hard hit by the pandemic. The border between the two countries closed to most travellers in March. It is still open to people and businesses providing essential services.

As of Friday, there were almost two million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and more than 108,000 deaths.

Davies said truck drivers crossing the border should be tested and data should be collected at a federal level so as to know the risks involved in fully reopening the economy.

Thats important not only for the health and safety of the truckers and their families, but for the community at large.

Health officials in Manitoba said Friday that two new cases in the province have been linked to a long-haul trucker and a close contact. Two other Manitoba cases were linked last week to truckers who took multiple routes through the U.S. A cluster of at least 10 cases last month was also linked to a trucking company in the province.

10 a.m.: The Windsor region is reporting the death of a second migrant worker from COVID-19.

Windsor Regional Hospital says a 24-year-old man was first admitted to a different hospital on Monday, and died at their facility Friday.

The hospital says they have contacted the mans family in Mexico.

A news release also says that local hospitals and health organizations will jointly conduct a mass swabbing for COVID-19 of 8,000 migrant workers in Windsor-Essex starting on Tuesday.

Another temporary foreign worker in the Windsor area who came to Canada in February and tested positive for the virus on May 21 died last weekend.

Approximately 20,000 migrant workers come to Ontario each year to work on farms and in greenhouses  many of them from Mexico, Guatemala and the Caribbean  and this year have been required to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival.

Outbreaks that have affected dozens of migrant workers have been reported in Chatham-Kent, Windsor-Essex, Niagara Region and Elgin County.

9:30 a.m.: The British government faced criticism Saturday for another sudden change in its advice on face coverings that has left those running hospitals in England scrambling to work out how they will be able to meet the new requirements.

On Friday, as the World Health Organization broadened its recommendations for the use of masks, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said all hospital staff in England will have to wear surgical face masks from June 15 while visitors and outpatients will need to don some sort of face covering.

His announcement came a day after the government said face coverings, which can be made from any fabric, would be mandatory on public transport in England, from the same date to coincide with the planned reopening of nonessential shops such as department stores and electronic retailers.

9 a.m.: Ontario is extending its emergency orders for another 10 days, including banning people from dining in bars and restaurants, and gathering in groups larger than five.

The orders had been set to expire June 9, but the province announced today that they are being extended until June 19.

They include the closure of child care centres, though Premier Doug Ford has said that a phased reopening plan for them will be announced early next week.

Extending the emergency orders also means the continued closure of bars and restaurants except for take-out and delivery, libraries except for curbside pick-up or delivery, and theatres.

It also means that Ontarians looking to use playgrounds, or beat the heat at public pools and splash pads are out of luck until at least June 19.

The province recently extended its state of emergency until June 30.

8:30 a.m.: Across Toronto, many neighbourhoods known for their independent, distinctive character are at risk of seeing local institutions close, businesses owners and analysts say.

The Star reached out to the citys 83 business improvement associations through the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas, and focused in on regions where there were reports of long-standing family-run institutions that could be shut forever.

Read the full story from the Stars Rosa Saba.

7:28 a.m.: Indonesia reported nearly 1,000 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, a new single-day high for the country that brought its total caseload past 30,000, as the government unveiled an enhanced stimulus package worth $47.6 billion to anchor the virus-battered economy.

The health ministry said there were 993 newly infected people over the past 24 hours. Indonesia has confirmed 30,514 cases, including 1,801 deaths, the most in Southeast Asia.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said a 677.2 trillion rupiah ($47.6 billion) stimulus package aims to strengthen the health care system, direct more spending toward social protection to boost consumption, and provide incentives to rescue Indonesian businesses from bankruptcy and workers from layoffs.

The package is bigger than the one worth 641.17 trillion rupiah initially allocated in late April.

We are hoping that this stimulus can maintain our economic growth at above zero per cent, Indrawati said at a live-streamed news conference.

She said Indonesias GDP growth could be lower than the governments protection of 2.3 per cent this year. In the worst-case scenario, the government expects the economy to contract 0.4 per cent, she added.

7:28 a.m.: Chinas capital lowered its emergency response level for the coronavirus pandemic to the second-lowest level on Saturday. The move lifts most restrictions on people travelling to Beijing from Wuhan and surrounding Hubei province, where the virus first appeared late last year.

They will no longer face 14-day mandatory quarantines and other forms of monitoring, and those currently in such situations will be allowed to return to their normal lives. Beijing residential compounds will not be required to conduct temperature checks and masks no longer must be worn for outdoor activities.

Kindergartens will reopen and other grades still suspended will restart classes. Beijing has reported no new cases of local transmission in at least 50 days and as many as 90 days in some districts.

7:28 a.m.: India surpassed Italy as the sixth worst-hit by the coronavirus pandemic after another biggest single-day spike in confirmed infections. The Health Ministry reported 9,887 new cases on Saturday, bringing the total to 236,657.

Most of the new cases are in rural areas following the return of hundreds of thousands of migrant workers who left cities and towns after the lockdown in late March. The lockdown is now largely being enforced in high-risk areas while authorities have partially restored train services and domestic flights and allowed shops and manufacturing to reopen.

Shopping malls and religious places are due to open on Monday with restrictions to avoid large gatherings.

4 a.m.: At daybreak on Saturday, Charles Shay stood lonesome without any fellow veteran on the very same beach where he waded ashore 76 years ago, part of one of the most epic battles in military historic that came to be known as D-Day and turned the tide of World War II.

Compared to last year, when many tens of thousands came to the northern French beaches of Normandy to cheer the dwindling number of veterans and celebrate three-quarters of a century of liberation from Nazi oppression, the coronavirus lockdown turned this years remembrance into one of the eeriest ever.

I am very sad now, said Shay, who was a 19-year-old U.S. Army medic when he landed on Omaha Beach under horrific machine-gun fire and shells. Because of the virus, nobody can be here. I would like to see more of us here, he told The Associated Press.

Normally, 95-year-old Shay would be meeting other survivors of the 1944 battle and celebrating with locals and dignitaries alike, all not far from his home close to the beaches that defined his life.

This year, I am one of the very few that is probably here, he said, adding that other U.S. veterans could not fly in because of the pandemic.

Read the full story here.

Correction - June 9, 2020: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said that the number of COVID-19 deaths in Ontario peaked at more than 90 in a day earlier this month. In fact, that happened in May.

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Ireland is hopeful that it will be able to resume air travel to other European countries later in the summer, acting prime minister Leo Varadkar said on Friday.

Irelands prime minister on Friday advised citizens not to book foreign holidays and said the government had no date in mind yet to end its 14-day quarantine for people arriving from abroad.

Id encourage people not to go booking flights or anything like that just yet. That would be premature, Leo Varadkar said, adding that the government was studying the impact of the resumption of flights in other countries.

The government is due to consider whether to extend its 14-day quarantine for incoming travellers, which the Irish airline Ryanair has said is blocking a restart of Irish tourism, on June 18

The point wed like to get to later in the year - hopefully later in the summer - is being able to travel point to point from Ireland to other countries where they have successfully suppressed the virus, Varadkar told Virgin Media TV.

Thats a bit away yet, he added.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. )

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A family of six was found dead at a Far North Side home Thursday after police conducting a welfare check came across a cryptic note and chemical odor, which led to an evacuation.

The bodies of a husband, wife, four children and two cats were found in the garage of the home in the 100 block of Red Willow, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said.

POLICE BRUTALITY: Texas State student brain damaged after being shot by Austin police at protests

While McManus said suicide was a possibility, he declined to elaborate. He did say there is evidence that the deaths were not an accident.

The couple was in their mid- to late 30s, McManus said, and the children were between 11 months to 4 years old.

McManus said police were called at 10:30 a.m. for a welfare check of the husband, who was working from home, when he didnt check in with his place of employment.

They were OK yesterday because he checked in with his work, McManus said. So it happened sometime overnight.

McManus said seven officers walked inside the home and were immediately overcome by a heavy, noxious fume. They were checked by EMS and determined to be unharmed. Late Thursday, McManus said the odor was carbon monoxide.

Most officers know what the smell of decomposing bodies is, and thats not what has been described, the chief said.

MURDER-SUICIDE: Texas woman shot and killed her two children then herself

On the front door was a cryptic note with military jargon, the chief said.

A member of the military helped police with a translation: Bodies or people inside, do not enter, the chief said.

It continued: The animals are in the freezer.

A drone sent inside the house found what appeared to be explosives, preventing police from immediately searching the home in the 100 block of Red Willow at the Heights at Stone Oak subdivision, and prompting the evacuation of more than 200 homes nearby at about 5 p.m.

After officers encountered the carbon monoxide, officials weighed how to continue their investigation.

We believe this place may be booby-trapped, and we have not determined the best way to make entry yet, McManus said at a 5:30 p.m. news conference.

McManus said at about 10 p.m. that no explosives were found inside the home.

Based on the note that we received, we were very cautious about going in, and we were trying to find out what was in there before we made entry, the chief said.

When officials were able to enter the home, the family was found in the garage.

McManus said the family was found in the back of a small SUV, investigators said.

The cats were in a basket in the front seat, he said.

The husband was a member of the military and lived with his wife and children, investigators said. The chief declined to say which branch the man served.

Police said they have only been called to the home, which the family had rented since January, once in the last six months.

Evacuees were allowed back into their homes by about 9 p.m.

Joseph Arrington, a San Antonio Fire Department spokesman, says the evacuation alert that was first sent encountered a glitch and was accidentally sent to the entire North Side before operators could specify the perimeter.

The FBI and military were assisting police with the investigation.

McManus said homicide detectives are combing the home for additional evidence.

This is just the beginning of the beginning of the investigation, McManus said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 05:17:56|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases nudged 170,000 both in Iran and Turkey on Saturday, but with different speed. Meanwhile, a Chinese anti-coronavirus medical expert team shared experience in prevention of COVID-19 with Chinese doctors in the country.

Iran became the hardest-hit country in the Middle East again after the tally of COVID-19 infections surged to 169,425 with 2,269 new cases.

The country also reported 75 new deaths from the virus on Saturday, raising the death toll to 8,209. A total of 132,038 coronavirus patients have recovered, with 2,578 still in critical condition.

On the same day, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani urged people to follow health protocols pertaining to COVID-19 while the country reopens economic and social activities.

In the mean time, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Turkey climbed to 169,218 after 878 new infections were reported, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted.

The death toll from the coronavirus in the country rose to 4,669 after 21 new fatalities were added in the past 24 hours, he said, adding that 1,922 patients recovered in the last 24 hours, raising the total recoveries to 135,322.

It is worth noting that 80 percent of the total COVID-19 cases in Turkey have recovered and the majority of the patients stayed at home without any symptoms, Koca noted.

In Sudan, Chinese anti-coronavirus medical experts discussed the prevention and control of COVID-19 with members of the 35th Chinese medical team in the country, including the scientific nature of COVID-19, laboratory testing and improvement of mental health.

On June 5, coordinated by the Chinese embassy in the Sudan, the Chinese medical expert team also organized a video conference on prevention of the coronavirus with China's embassies in South Sudan, Mauritania and Morocco.

Saudi Arabia announced 3,121 new cases and 34 more deaths, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 98,869 and the death toll to 676.

The kingdom also reported 1,175 more recovered patients, taking the total recoveries to 71,791.

In Qatar, 1,700 new cases of coronavirus infections were detected, bringing the total number to 67,195, of whom 51 have died and 42,527 recovered.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 626 new COVID-19 cases and one more death, raising the tally of infections to 38,268 and the death toll to 275.

The total number of recoveries from the virus in the UAE increased to 21,061 after 724 more fully recovered.

Egypt's coronavirus cases continued the surging trend to reach 32,612 after 1,497 new infections were added.

The Egyptian Health Ministry also reported 32 more deaths and 380 cases of recoveries, increasing the death toll to 1,198 and the total recoveries to 8,538.

Kuwait reported 487 new cases, bringing the country's total number of infections to 31,131, of whom 254 have died and 19,282 recovered.

Israel reported 190 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the tally of coronavirus infections to 17,752.

The deaths from the virus in Israel increased from 291 to 295 while the recoveries rose to 15,050.

Oman's Ministry of Health announced 930 new cases of infections, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 16,016, including 72 deaths and 3,451 recoveries.

Iraq confirmed the highest daily rise of 1,252 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of infections to 11,098, of whom 4,904 have recovered.

The country also reported 33 deaths from the coronavirus during the day, the highest rise in daily fatalities so far, bringing the death toll in Iraq to 318.

The Iraqi authorities on Saturday decided to extend the current curfew to another week until June 13.

Algeria said that 115 new cases of infections were reported in the past 24 hours, taking the tally of infections to 10,050, while the death toll hit 698 and the recoveries reached 6,631.

In Morocco, the tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 8,151 after 80 new cases were added, which included 208 fatalities and 7,315 recoveries.

In Lebanon, the number of COVID-19 infections increased by eight to 1,320, while the death toll remained unchanged at 29.

Jordan registered 11 more infections, bringing the total coronavirus cases to 795, including nine deaths and 586 recoveries. Enditem
The Bishop of Coventry has said he is "deeply saddened" after a decision to ban an Irish language epitaph on a pensioner's headstone due to political "passions" received widespread criticism.

The Church of England said the ruling, which prevented the family of 73-year-old Margaret Keane from inscribing "In ar gcroithe go deo" ("In our hearts forever"), did not reflect its national policy.

The chancellor of the Consistory Court in the Diocese of Coventry, Stephen Eyre QC, ruled that the Irish phrase "must be accompanied by a translation which can be in a smaller font size".

The judgment has provoked outrage, with Irish comedian Dara O'Briain describing it as "deeply stupid".

"The judgment is that an imaginary person, at some time in the future, might see 'You live on in our Hearts' written in Irish, not understand it, but just presume it must be political, since it's Irish and then what? Feel uncomfortable? Unsettled?" he wrote on Twitter.

"So the family don't get to give the tribute they want to their beloved mother because we apparently have to protect the feelings of some imaginary idiot in the future.

Emotions

"Someone who can't imagine the Irish language can carry any human emotions other than 'Tiocfaidh ar La' (an expression meaning Our Day Will Come, often used as an aspiration for a united Ireland)."

Mrs Keane's family had sought permission for an inscription on her grave in the grounds of St Giles Church in Exhall, near Nuneaton.

Since the ruling, the Bishop of Coventry, Christopher Cocksworth, said he was "deeply saddened whenever people's identity is hurt or offended".

"I rejoice in the life of this great city with all its linguistic, ethnic, religious and racial richness," he said.

"And I rejoice in the Irish community of Coventry in all its forms and for the life that has flowed into the city through its people and which continues to flourish today.

"I am deeply saddened whenever people's identity is hurt or offended.

"The Diocese of Coventry will continue to work for reconciliation in our world. I am praying for this particular situation, especially for a distressed family, and I am ensuring they are made aware of their legal rights according to the procedures of the Consistory Court."

Mrs Keane's family are appealing against the decision.
Which America Will Be Ours After the Pandemic?

By Liz Theoharis

June 05, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - In the summer of 1995, when I was 18, I started visiting Tent City, a temporary encampment in an abandoned lot in northeast Philadelphia. About 40 families had taken up residence in tents, shacks, and other makeshift structures. Among them were people of various races, ages, and sexual orientations, all homeless and fighting for the right to live.

Tent City was set up by the Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU), a grassroots organization of poor and homeless people and a chapter of the National Welfare Rights Union. As in so many other areas of the country, homelessness in Philadelphia, a city battered by decades of deindustrialization, job loss, and affordable housing cuts, had become endemic. Although they were still living in what had once been the center of the northeast industrial corridor, many in Philly, especially the residents of Kensington, had been reduced to two main sources of income: welfare and drugs. A teenager might have stood better odds of going to jail or being shot than graduating from Kensington High. More than 40% of the population in the area had to break the law simply to survive. Police brutality was rampant.

Federal and municipal welfare systems were being stripped of funds being funneled into the private sector. City officials assured those of us who protested that there was simply too much need and not enough resources. Even the local paper accused us of engaging in homeless hype -- being too disruptive in our public demonstrations and acts of mutual solidarity -- when the people of Kensington really needed peace and quiet, law and order. At that time, however, there were an estimated 27,000 homeless people in the city and 39,000 abandoned houses.

In that small Tent City lot, poor people were exposing the citys claim of scarcity as a myth. Families who moved there with close to nothing were quick to discover American abundance. Residents shared their food stamps, while individuals, community groups, and religious congregations all made donations. Soon, the abundance was such that hundreds of hungry families started turning out every week to be fed with the surplus food.

Tent City became more than another encampment on the margins of American life. It was a center of political life for Philadelphias poor, as well as a strategic organizing base for sustenance and protest. In the winter, as rats the size of cats arrived, the encampment moved to an abandoned Catholic church, a project the KWRU labeled the new Underground Railroad. Just as enslaved people once had to break the law to bust out of the system of slavery, poor and homeless people needed a growing civil disobedience movement to survive.

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I think about Tent City often in these pandemic days of spiraling poverty and inequality, as protesters in cities across the country question the legitimacy of a system that devalues life, especially black lives, native lives, immigrant lives, and the lives of the poor. Unemployment is now at 41 million and so at Great Depression levels; the shantytowns that spread across the country in the worst years of the 1930s should remind us that mass homelessness exists just on the other side of mass unemployment.

Last week, for instance, Covid-19 moratoriums on eviction began to expire and, in my childhood hometown, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, upward of 40,000 eviction notices are poised to be sent out. Meanwhile, the government has blundered through a string of relief packages that have injected trillions of dollars into Wall Street while excluding millions of people from even the most basic stop-gap protections. In the midst of federal incompetence and outright abandonment, staggering numbers of Americans, children included, are desperate for support and real relief.

This society has long suffered from a kind of Stockholm syndrome: we look to the rich for answers to the very problems they are often responsible for creating and from which they benefit. The wreckage of this pandemic moment is a bitter reminder of this affliction, as well as a signpost suggesting how we must emerge from this crisis a just and more equitable nation. With a possible depression ahead and more social unrest on the rise, isnt it time to stop vindicating the wealthiest people in this country and look instead to leadership from those who were living in a depression before Covid-19 even hit and already organizing and protesting?

The Poor Organizing the Poor

Heres a story from a long-ago moment that's still relevant. Two months before his assassination in 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., travelled to Chicago, to enlist the women of the National Welfare Rights Organization (NWRO) -- the predecessor to the National Union of my day -- into the Poor Peoples Campaign. As he walked into a conference room at a downtown Chicago YMCA, Dr. King encountered more than 30 welfare rights leaders seated strategically on the other side of an exceedingly large table. One of his advisers later noted that the womens reception of the southern civil rights leader was a grand piece of psychological warfare.

Representing more than 30,000 welfare-receiving, dues-paying members, they had not come to passively listen to the famed leader. They wanted to know his position on the recent passage of anti-welfare legislation and quickly made that clear, pelting him with questions. Dr. King felt out of his element. Eventually, Johnnie Tillmon, the national chairwoman of the NWRO, stepped in. You know, Dr. King, she said, if you dont know about these questions, you should just say you dont know and then we could go on with this meeting.

To this, Dr. King replied, We dont know anything about welfare. We are here to learn.

That day, Dr. King would learn much about the long struggle those women had waged for dignity in the workplace and the home. They taught him that programs of social uplift should be a permanent right and that the welfare system of the mid-twentieth century, much like our own, was structured as a public charity that callously differentiated between the deserving and undeserving poor. They introduced him to policy proposals that were generations ahead of their time, including a demand for a Guaranteed Adequate Annual Income, or what many now call a Universal Basic Income (UBI).

Four months into the Covid-19 crisis, with this country already afloat on a sea of inequality that would have been unimaginable even to those women in 1968, a sea change in public opinion may be underway when it comes to whats necessary and possible. Ideas that only a few years ago would have been considered unimaginable like universal healthcare, guaranteed affordable housing, and debt relief are now breaking into the mainstream. Dont think, however, that such policy positions, like the idea of a UBI, have materialized on Capitol Hill and in beltway think tanks out of thin air. They are, at least in part, the result of long-term agitating, educating, and organizing led by the poor themselves.

Those of us in the welfare rights movement always saw our work as the kindling for a wildfire of organizing by the poor and dispossessed. Our projects of survival, like Tent City, were not just about housing and feeding people. They were also about securing the lives of those committed to building the kind of movement necessary to transform society. Projects organized around immediate needs also became bases of operation for policy analysis and future plans.

Such projects, however, were beachheads meant to rally the larger society, as the ranks of the poor grew around us, to create lasting change for them. Perhaps it should be no surprise, then, that this novel pandemic has already galvanized bold collective action on the part of the poor and the precarious. For every sparsely attended reopen protest at a state capital by armed members of Donald Trumps base, hundreds of new mutual-aid networks, ad-hoc tenant associations, and wildcat strike funds have been organized for those at the base of this society. Meanwhile, thousands of protestors have taken over streets in cities all across the country resisting racism and inequality.

Entire communities that are out of work and losing income are taking life-saving action that is also at times, and by necessity, in contradiction to the law. Despite recent media images of vandalism, today's protest movement features countless acts that add up to projects for survival.

In April and May, millions did not pay rent, echoing that most basic of economic principles: those who cant pay wont pay. Indeed, such rent strikes and other protests speak to an essential demand for temporary relief in the midst of a crisis of unparalleled proportions, but they also signal potential new directions for millions of people who, if offered a political home that articulates their desperate needs and demands, might, against great odds, begin to find common cause.

The Rich Organizing the Rich

If this crisis is opening up new possibilities for organizing among the poor, however, the same is true for the rich. Since mid-March, the fortunes of the 600-plus billionaires in the United States have jumped by $434 billion, or 15%. In the CARES Act that Congress passed, legislators slipped in a tax break of $135 billion for 43,000 of the countrys wealthiest business owners. (And, of course, you need to add this to the unprecedented redistribution of wealth from the poor to the very rich that happened via the $1.5 trillion Trump tax cut of 2017.)

This pandemic has already been very profitable for a very few. It should be seen as one benefit from a long-term organizing campaign of the rich that has included crushing the labor movement, consolidating industry, financializing the economy, and what one historian has dubbed a decades-long tax strike. By now, of course, the story of widening inequality in this country has become a familiar one, but that doesnt make it any less shocking. In 1983, median household wealth in the United States was $84,000. Thirty-seven years of growing inequality later, it sits at $82,000. Meanwhile, as a point of comparison, the total wealth of the Forbes 400 was $92 billion in 1982. Now, its $2.89 trillion.

Behind this staggering and rapid accumulation of wealth rests a deep and abiding belief in recent decades that the rich are the engine of the American economy and so the deepest source of societal wellbeing. In this Covid-19 crisis, evidence abounds that such a faith, which emerged fullblown during the presidency of Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, remains, for now, bipartisan and largely unshaken. The CARES Act caught its spirit exactly, managing to direct most of its money to Wall Street and hundreds of millions more to the police, while leaving millions of workers lacking paid sick leave and the uninsured, the homeless, undocumented immigrants, and many more in the lurch.

While the HEROES Act, recently passed by the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, offers improvements on this, many of which are guaranteed not to make it through the Senate, there are once again striking windfalls for the rich embedded in the bill. Within its 2,000 pages is funding for lobbyists, mortgage servicers, and private insurance companies. It does nothing to prohibit the corporate mergers that have produced bigger and more powerful monopolies in other moments of crisis in the recent past. It extends COBRA, a federal program that enables workers to temporarily keep health coverage on their own dime after their employment ends, and again directs vast sums of money to the private insurance industry, instead of expanding Medicaid and guaranteeing healthcare during the most devastating public health crisis in a century.

Meanwhile, at the state and local level, politicians on both sides of the aisle have refused to touch the wealth of the rich, even as they have decried their budget shortfalls, while managing this crisis largely via the playbook of austerity and readying themselves for social unrest. New York State, for instance, passed a budget that will cut $300 million from public hospitals but increase funding for the police. Likewise, the Washington State legislature has been lauded for the bipartisanship it demonstrated recently in putting through deep budget cuts. In no case have legislators chosen to tax their wealthiest residents, nor let up on policing and other forms of control. And Washington is home to Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, at present the two richest people on the face of the Earth.

Of course, the workers who are actually keeping the nation afloat will suffer the most from such cuts. They may now be called essential, but they continue, as ever, to be treated as expendable appendages of the economy.

How to Revive American Society

I recently wrote a piece with the subtitle How to Destroy American Society from the Top Down. The answer remains painfully simple: this country courts destruction as long as the rich are allowed to organize society around their lives and needs.

From my first moments working at Tent City through my 25 years of grassroots organizing, Ive come to see that inverting that subtitle in a positive fashion is crucial to our survival as a nation. Any true revival of American society depends on collective action by those most impacted by injustice and by the willingness of the rest of society to follow their lead. From the abolitionism of the pre-Civil War era to the labor movement of the 1930s and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and beyond, people on the receiving end of injustice have done best when they didnt wait to be saved but, born out of necessity, took heroic action themselves.

When the Kensington Welfare Rights Union declared that we were building a new Underground Railroad in Philadelphia in the 1990s, we were doing more than just invoking a powerful chapter in the history of the abolition of slavery. We were implicitly challenging the dominant notion of who the agents of change in our society should be. We recognized, even then, that in the lessons Americans were taught about that history, enslaved people were often conspicuously missing in action from the story of abolition. We saw in that Underground Railroad a way for slaves to escape the grips of the system that was oppressing them, something far larger than just a physical pathway to freedom. We imagined it as a significant political project of the past exactly because it was one way the poor and enslaved of another era struck the first blows against a brutal and inhumane system.

Today, there is a freedom railroad rumbling underground, all around us. It has stops in the Amazon warehouses and the fast-food restaurants where low-wage workers are organizing for better wages and conditions; in immigrant communities that are protecting themselves against ICE raids in the midst of stay-at-home orders; in cities where people are winning moratoriums on water and utility shut-offs; in housing developments and hospitals where thousands are insisting that housing and healthcare are human rights.

You can hear it in the recent slogan -- stay in place, stay alive, organize, and dont believe the lies -- of the Poor Peoples Campaign that I co-chair, which has called for noncooperation with decisions to recklessly reopen states for business, putting the poor and sick most directly in harms way. You can see it in the tens of thousands of people protesting across the country, refusing to be subdued by years of racism and police violence, people who are demanding full justice and the right for all of us, but especially repressed black lives, to survive and thrive.

In a moment from hell, there is only one meaningful way to revive American society: from the bottom up.

Liz Theoharis, a TomDispatch regular, is a theologian, ordained minister, and anti-poverty activist. Director of the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice at Union Theological Seminary and co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, she is the author of Always With Us? What Jesus Really Said About the Poor. She teaches at Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Books, John Feffers new dystopian novel (the second in the Splinterlands series) Frostlands, Beverly Gologorsky's novel Every Body Has a Story, and Tom Engelhardt's A Nation Unmade by War, as well as Alfred McCoy's In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power and John Dower's The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II.

Copyright 2020 Liz Theoharis

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PHILADELPHIA, June 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaskela Law LLC announces that it is investigating Granite Construction Incorporated ("Granite" or the "Company") (NYSE: GVA) on behalf of the Company's stockholders.

In February 2020, a securities fraud complaint was filed against Granite in federal court on behalf of investors who purchased shares of the Company's stock between April 30, 2018 and October 24, 2019. According to the complaint, during that time period Granite made a series of false and misleading statements to investors "regarding the accounting treatment of several of Granite's largest construction projects, which violated Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ('GAAP') and rendered Granite's financial results issued during the Class Period materially false and misleading." The complaint further alleges that "Defendants knowingly inflated the Company's revenue, income, and margins, among other metrics, which came crashing down in the second and third quarters of 2019 when Granite booked charges exceeding $240 million, reducing profits dollar-for-dollar."

The investigation seeks to determine whether the members of Granite's board of directors breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the above.

Current Granite stockholders who purchased or acquired shares of the Company's stock prior to July 1, 2018 are encouraged to contact Kaskela Law LLC (D. Seamus Kaskela, Esq.) at (484) 258  1585, or via email at [email protected] or online at http://kaskelalaw.com/case/granite-construction-inc/, for additional information about this investigation and their legal rights and options.

Kaskela Law LLC represents investors in securities fraud, corporate governance, and merger & acquisition litigation. For additional information about Kaskela Law LLC please visit www.kaskelalaw.com. This notice may constitute attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions.

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KASKELA LAW LLC

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Ang Pagpakalma sa Unos (To Calm the Pig Inside) by Cebuana filmmaker Joanna Vasquez Arong premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival and won the Grand Jury Prize last Jan. 25. The 19-minute documentary shows the aftermath caused by supertyphoon Haiyan in a city. This is one of the many films she has created, most of which have received various awards and nominations.

Apart from being a filmmaker, Joanna creates film installations for galleries and museums as well as founded Eskwela Haiyan (EH) in 2014, a scholarship initiative to help young victims affected by the supertyphoon to finish school. Before dabbling into films, she worked in various fields around the world from finance to economic development. She returned to the Philippines after living abroad for over three decades, exploring stories from her childhood.

In this feature, Joanna shares about the making of Ang Pagpakalma sa Unos (To Calm the Pig Inside), her early works and message to those aspiring to be filmmakers.

Monica R. Lopez (MRL): How did it feel receiving the Documentary Short Grand Jury Prize for Ang Pagpakalma sa Unos (To Calm the Pig Inside)?

Joanna Vasquez Arong (JVA): It was quite a nice surprise. To be honest, its been such a very long journey making this film. And you almost forget why you made the film to begin with, as you have to deal with the nuts and bolts of finishing the film and getting it out. During the premiere as I was sitting in the audience watching the film, all these memories of filming back in 2013 and 2014 and all of the people I met came flooding back. And soon after, I was starting to feel quite surprised after the two screenings, as people would stop me at cocktails or in cafes, at lunch or in the hallway, and would want to discuss the film. At first, I thought they were being polite, but then I felt people who barely knew the Philippines, were somehow moved by the film. So that really touched me that somehow, the film seemed to be universal. So when on the last day, during the awards ceremony, when the film won, it felt like all of that time and effort was somehow worth it, and I thanked everyone for sharing their stories with me as well as all the people who helped me shoot and create this film.

Story continues

MRL: What other awards did you receive from the making of the film?

JVA: Well so far weve only been able to screen at Slamdance. Two other festivals where it was scheduled to screen (the newly created Daang Dokyu festival as well as Florida Film Festival have been postponed). Our next festivals will be held online and our film is in competition for both, including Palm Springs International ShortsFest in June as well as in Cinemalaya Film Festival in August.

MRL: What inspired you to create this film?

JVA: I had actually spent significant time in Tacloban and Guiuan as I was the local producer for a French/UK production of the 3-D film Hurricane. Soon after, I started a scholarship initiative (EH) where we worked with local groups to choose students in need and affected by typhoon Haiyan. In fact, after six years, students weve supported graduated this year. This allowed me to get to know a wide range of people, from the students, teachers, businessmen, non-government organizations, which gave me a different insight to their personal experience with Yolanda (Haiyan). Somehow, I thought some of these stories werent really shared and I suppose I wanted to share these collective reflections.

MRL: What were some of the challenges that you encountered during the making of the film?

JVA: Funding. Its always such a challenge finding funding. At some point, I actually started selling some of my paintings and furniture, just to pay some bills. And finally, we had two producers come on board, who believed in the film and provided the funding to finish the film the way I wanted to. Structure. I had actually created three short films related to post-calamity realities. The two other shorts, Gabby, which was shot in Bohol, soon after the earthquake a few weeks before Yolanda hit, as well as Sol, which was filmed in Guiuan, two years after Yolanda made landfall. For the longest time, we tried to keep these three shorts in one film, despite this nagging feeling that it didnt quite work. It was a painful decision to finally separate the three films, and release them on their own. But it was the right choice.

MRL: What was the message were you hoping to convey to the audience?

JVA: Thats a tough one. Generally, I prefer to hear what message people get out of the film. But I suppose, I feel that although Yolanda happened seven years ago, many of the same issues that cropped up then after this natural disaster, seem to consistently crop up over and over again. And what amazed me was when people in our Slamdance screening also pointed out how similar issues cropped up even in the United States during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans or Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. In a way, I wonder if there might even be overlapping issues today with how the Covid-19 pandemic is being addressed.

MRL: How long have you started your career?

JVA: My first film Neo-Lounge premiered in 2007. And I premiered two other films: The Old Fool Who Moved the Mountains in 2008 and Sunday School in 2010. To Calm the Pig Inside is the first film I premiered since I moved back to the Philippines. An entire decade passed by! I have also created more experimental short works which have been screened in galleries and museums. In a way, the counterpoint for Ang Pagpakalma sa Unos (To Calm the Pig Inside) is Sampit sa Dagat (Call of the Sea). We first showed this in Qube Gallery last June and since then, its been shown in Manila, Chicago and its presently in another group show in a gallery in New York, but of course, the opening had to be postponed for now. I love collaborating with other artists. Last year, I collaborated with visual artist Melanie Gritzka del Villar on her residency and exhibition, Ghosts of San Luis Potosi at the Leonora Carrington museum in Mexico, which culminated in the creation of three other shorts which were part of the exhibition.

MRL: When it comes to subjects or themes for your works, what are you usually inspired by?

JVA: I sometimes surprise myself when I realize that some of my films seem to have recurring themes. Interestingly, all of the films I mentioned to date, to a certain degree, they somehow touch upon destruction and then renewal. I suppose Im drawn to characters who may be on the margin and are experiencing uphill struggles, and I like to explore that journey. On the other hand, Ive also always been attracted to mythology since I was a child. So these tend to seep into my films as well.

MRL: Do you have any upcoming projects you would like to do?

JVA: Quite a few! Ive just recently revived a long-gestating documentary on a Burmese writer in exile, and this film 116B University Avenue, Rangoon, through the story of this writer who was made stateless at the age of 20, explores the concept of identity, the idea of home and homeland, what it means to have to survive in a cold, inhospitable foreign land and how childhood nostalgia and traumas creep up on you. And we were one of 19 projects selected to participate in a lab called IF/Then Southeast Asia, and we should be pitching (online) this June. I also have my first fiction script ready, The Sigbin, which is set in Cebu and the Visayas. However, Im not sure when we can pursue that yet.

MRL: Whats your advice for those who aspire to be filmmakers?

JVA: What I can say is that its definitely not an easy journey at all. So if you are certain this is what you want to do, I would say two things: try to learn as much as you can, whether its from studying and watching, researching on other films and connecting with other filmmakers and learning from them. Secondly, work on finding your own unique voice, and what you want to share with the world.
Assistant police inspector Sachin Hindurao Vaze, an encounter specialist facing murder charges in the 2003 custodial death case of Khwaja Yunus, was reinstated on Saturday in the police force after having resigned on November 30, 2007.

In fact, three other policemen also accused in the same case; Rajendra Tiwari, Rajaram Nikam and Sunil Desai were reinstated via an executive order dated June 6, 2020 which revoked the suspension of 14 other policemen as well.

Deputy commissioner of police and Mumbai police spokesperson Pranay Ashok confirmed that Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh has revoked suspension of assistant police inspector Sachin Vaze and police constables Rajendra Tiwari, Rajaram Nikam and Sunil Desai. API Waze was posted in Naigaon police headquarters.

Neither Mumbai police commissioner Parambir Singh nor joint commissioner of police (law and order) Vinoy Kumar Choubey responded to messages or calls.

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Additional chief secretary (home) Sanjay Kumar said, I am not aware that he was reinstated because I am out of the city since three days and without checking the files, I cannot say anything. When asked if a police officer can be reinstated pending trial, Kumar said, For a specific answer I need to check the file. Because in most cases trials continue while a department enquiry is closed.

Vaze was suspended on March 3, 2004 after he and three other policemen were charged with murder for Yunuss custodial death. He resigned three years later after his repeated requests for reinstatement were rejected by the government.

After his resignation, Vaze joined Shiv Sena. While talking to Hindustan Times then, he had said that he had even donated his provident fund money to the police welfare fund. Interestingly, despite his resignation, Vazes name had made it into the list of police officers to be promoted to the rank of police inspector in December 2009. Vaze, on Saturday, responded to a text message from Hindustan Times with a smiley and folded hand emoticon.

The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19

Khwaja Yunus, a suspect in the December 2, 2002 Ghatkopar bomb blast case, was reported missing on January 7, 2003 after the police claimed he had escaped from the vehicle taking him to Aurangabad for investigation. Yunuss family moved the high court, which transferred the case to the state criminal investigation department (CID). The CID, after investigating Yunuss disappearance, concluded it to be a case of custodial death and booked Vaze and three other officers for murder and destruction of evidence.

Senior counsel Mihir Desai, representing Khwaja Yunus family, expressed shock over the development and said, The officers should not have been reinstated considering the fact that the state government itself filed a charge sheet against them. This is nothing but a mockery of justice. There cannot be any valid justification, especially when the trial is pending and the cops are prosecuted by the government itself.

The development came as a disappointment for Khwajas family as well. It is really disappointing. We are not getting justice and we have been fighting for so many years. We will consider taking legal steps after discussion with our lawyers, said Hussain, Khwajas younger brother
Some angry New Patriotic Party (NPP) youth on Friday grow wild over the suspension of Peter Wuni Baaga, a parliamentary aspirant in Nalerigu-Gambaga, from the party.

They described his treatment as heinous and barbaric when speaking to the press during the protest.

The North East Region NPP in a letter on May 14 said investigations were ongoing into Mr. Baagas alleged misconduct.

But the status of the investigation is yet to be made public.

The party said Mr. Baagas suspension was because of comments he had made during a radio programme on a local radio station based in Nalerigu on May 12, 2020.

In the said radio appearance, Mr. Baaga allegedly criticised the current MP for Nalerigu-Gambaga, Hajia Alima Mahama and accused her of neglecting the constituency, among other allegations fired towards the constituency executives.

There were already some existing tensions in the constituency because angry youth in three communities reportedly chased away Hajia Alima Mahama and her entourage from the area in April.

The MP, who doubles as the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, was chased out after she visited the communities to rally the support of party delegates in the upcoming parliamentary primaries.

Today, the protestors further warned the party that the Nalerigu-Gambaga NPP risked losing votes if their concerns are not met.

We need to make it categorically clear to Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP that they either reinstate honourable Peter to also contest the primaries or forget the seat of the Nalerigu Gambaga constituency, Abdul Jaili, the spokesperson for the protestors said.

He also questioned the lack of feedback following the investigation into the alleged misconduct.

The youth demand to know the outcome of any possible within 24 hours. We need to know if we are still members of NPP in 24 hours. We need to know if there is equality in NPP.

Abdul Jaili warned that any attempt to gag Honorable Peter is an attempt to incur the wrath of a vast majority of NPP in this constituency.

---citinewsroom
Sonu Sood has funded another chartered flight to help fly over 170 migrant workers to Dehradun in Uttrakhand from Mumbai, in an aircraft operated by AirAsia India.

Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has funded another chartered flight to help fly over 170 migrant workers to Dehradun in Uttrakhand from the city, in an aircraft operated by budget airline AirAsia India.

The Airbus A320 plane with 173 migrants onboard left from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) at around 1.57 pm, an AirAsia India spokesperson told Press Trust of India.

It landed at the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun at 4:41 pm, the spokesperson said.

"As another charter flight takes flight today, our efforts to help migrant workers stranded in various parts of the country have only grown stronger.

Also read on Firstpost Sonu Sood opens up on his initiative to help stranded migrants: 'Expressing grief isn't enough, important to take action'

"Most of them have never had the opportunity to experience air travel, and the smiles on their faces brings me a lot of joy as they take this AirAsia India flight to reach home to their families and friends," said Sood.

The Bollywood actor also said he was looking forward to more such flights in the near future.

Sood had last week arranged a special chartered flight for 177 migrant workers stuck in Kerala to help them reach their homes in Odisha.

Anup Manjeshwar, head of sales and distribution, AirAsia India said "with UmeedKiUdaan (charter flights for migrants) our efforts are aimed at uniting stranded migrant workers with their families, as the nation battles the pandemic."

(Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak)

The plight of migrant workers during this crisis has been heartbreaking, he said, adding Sood has been a pillar of strength in these testing times and has come forward to support airlifting stranded migrants from Mumbai to Dehradun with the airline's charter flights.

"The resounding response that we received nationwide for this initiative, taking migrant workers home from Mumbai, Imphal, Guwahati and Kochi is a catalyst motivating us to do even more," he said.

"This is the sixth charter flight we have undertaken with more on the horizon and we look forward to working with other like-minded individuals and organisations keen on supporting migrant communities," Manjeshwar added.
'The worst affected is the electricity supply.'

'Some 6,000 to 8,000 poles have been damaged completely.'

IMAGE: National Disaster Response Force personnel remove uprooted trees during the restoration work after cyclone Nisarga in Alibag. Photograph: ANI Photo

It has probably been the most extraordinary 72 hours of Raigad District Collector Nidhi Chaudhari's recent life.

"I have not slept for three days," she tells Rediff.com's Vaihayasi Pande Daniel, the tiredness in her voice evidence of it.

It all began with two phone calls and a series of WhatsApp messages.

The calls were from Mumbai, from both the Maharashtra chief minister's office as well as the office of the state chief secretary, around midnight of June 1.

The messages came on the Maharashtra district magistrate group.

They informed her about the imminent arrival of a cyclone -- Nisarga.

Nisarga means: To let something go.

Late June 1, this cyclone was already looming large, far in the distance, but upgrading rapidly, as it grew out of a depression in the Arabian sea.

The calls directed her to prepare well for Nisarga. "Their guidance was crucial."o;

Little did Chaudhari -- an IAS officer -- know, at that time, the kind of instant havoc Nisarga would create in her already overburdened schedule, made chaotic by her district's ongoing fight against COVID-19.

After that, till Friday, it has been a mad scramble for her, and her Raigad team, to first, shut down all parts of Raigad, push the district's population, of 26.3 lakhs (as per the 2011 Census), 63 per cent of which is rural*, indoors, or move them to safer ground, as the cyclone bore down on the coast, proving to be the worst for this area since 1891.

And then post-cyclone, to get it up and running again, as quickly as possible.

After the June 1 late night call, Chaudhari swiftly swung into action and gave rapid instructions for all the administration officials to fan out in every direction to warn people of the cyclone and make certain preparations were in order.

She herself took off for all the coastal villages between Alibag and Murud.

The instructions were very precise:

"Although we didn't get much time because only on the 1st midnight we got the information. From then onwards we were in the field, making people aware from gully to gully -- every gully we went and checked. And NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams went too.

"Administrative officers went inside (homes) and told them: 'These iron sheets may fall, these iron sheets outside your house or this loose material may blow away and hurt someone. So, keep every such thing in a proper shelter'.

"Even people were evacuated in big, big numbers. Some 15,000 people were brought into shelters.

"But much more than that were evacuated and told to move. They themselves wanted to go, saying: 'We have a relative in the village, whose house is a little farther from coastline and whose house is pucca'. So, such kind of evacuation also happened."

She says it was a two-pronged strategy. Evacuation, and getting people to voluntarily move.

"We didn't have much time. We got very little time. We told people that a house with pucca RCC roof structure is what is safe. Even for G-plus-one (ground plus one) structures we told all people that during the cyclone period, for six hours, they should remain in the ground floor only, because the top floor may get damaged through tree fall etc. And they would still have the protection from the tree of one floor and RCC roof.

"That was the way we could create awareness. There were extensive loudspeaker announcements. In every village notice boards were made."

At the district headquarters major planning and groundwork was being done.

"We set up a control room here (in Alibag). Every gram panchayat, every sarpanch, every talati (village official), every village level officer was spoken to. We told them what is to be done during a cyclone.

"To ensure that everybody in the line of cyclonic eye must be evacuated from the shoreline and brought under a shelter which is RCC at least. Some property losses are very likely, but we wanted to save lives."

And then there were the many vital lessons about cyclones that needed to be imparted too.

Cyclones are not usually punctual. Nor do they bother to keep to schedule. Actually, not surprisingly, they are fairly unruly too and don't even follow a predicted path.

Nisarga was meant, initially, as per Indian Meteorological Department updates, to make landfall at 6 am, June 3, near Alibag, a northern municipal council town.

It finally showed up at 12.30-1 pm near coastal Shrivardhan, in the southernmost part of Raigad district.

It is the disparity between ETA and the actual arrival time that can be lethal, Choudhari explains.

IMAGE: Raigad District Collector Nidhi Chaudhari. Photograph: Kind courtesy Raigad Collector/Facebook

"I have been making appeals to people all through, once it started. And before that we started making appeals about what period of time (around a cyclone's arrival and departure) is essential.

"Why a cyclonic lull should not be misunderstood. There is a lull that gets created. Many a time the tragedy is during that time, because people move out to see whether the shore is silent.

"Then we imposed Section 144 also. The curfew helped us so that nobody could come out and people didn't think of venturing out. Otherwise people venture out everywhere and then suddenly the cyclone comes in and then, for us, also, at that point of time, to tell them to go inside becomes very difficult."

When Nisarga slammed into the north Maharashtra coast between Murud and Shrivardhan, post noon June 3, it smashed everything in its path.

Trees were ruthlessly uprooted.

Electric poles snapped over like toothpicks.

Non-pucca homes crumbled.

Any tin sheets, that had not been secured, flew away. As did the heavier cement sheet roofing.

"The cyclone was pretty strong. Come and witness for yourself how many big banyan trees have fallen. Large-sized trees for which, I don't know how many megawatts of power would have been required to otherwise make them fall.

"We received a tremendous force. It was definitely not as bad as Amphan (that hit West Bengal and Odisha last month) but any speed above 120 kmph is very terrible. We received 120 kmph and in some places it went up to 140 kmph. It stayed with us for six hours."

The six hours it raged for were calamitous.

The post cyclone landscape that Choudhari began to view on the evening of June 3 was not pretty.

"It is very bad in a few talukas where the landfall was direct. Shrivardhan, Murud were very badly hit. Lots of damage due to the tin sheds and the cement sheds having fallen or being blown away. The signs of damage were everywhere in Shrivardhan.

"Lots of trees have fallen on houses. Even though the houses were pucca. still there is damage in that area. Thousands of trees have fallen in those areas and otherwise also across the district."

She says all major roads have been cleared and they are now getting to the internal village roads also. In 12 hours, the debris on key roads, up to Shrivardan, had been cleaned up and all the tehsils were connected. Only Shrivardhan area is left. Volunteers are helping everywhere.

"Damage to houses in rural areas is immense. Immense. All kachha homes were blown away, especially in Murud and Shrivardhan. Even interior homes (away from the shore), because the cyclone came at a speed of 120 kmph, a devastating power which reduced afterwards. It was very, very damaging in the coastal areas. But even in the internally, in interior areas like Mangaon, Mhasla, the damage is huge."

"It went across my district. Full. Entire. It has swept the district, especially southern Raigad. Mangaon, Mhasla and Thal -- these places were badly affected too. Worst affected are Shrivardhan and Murud,

"Fortunately, along the coastline (north), due to tourism and all, most of the houses are pucca -- so their damage was a roof, doors, windows. But not the house per se, because being made of stone (or cement). Houses in this remaining part of Raigad, only a roof may be damaged. That's also a big damage, so there is no denial that the entire district, in some way or the other, has been affected."

As of June 5, Raigad is still far from normal, given that only one small area has got electricity.

Chaudhari: "The worst affected is the electricity supply. A huge number of poles, some 6,000 to 8,000 poles have been damaged completely. That will take a lot of time for restoration. We would need teams from other districts also.

"My biggest worry is electricity. Relief for houses, relief for people, everything we may be able to provide. We will try our best to do it at the earliest possible. But electricity -- a big problem."

She can only offer tentative estimates on when the electric supply will be back.

"It all would depend on the additional support that we require. There is generally a panel of contractors available with the MSEB (Maharashtra State Electricity Board).

"If we don't get (assistance) it may take 30 days' time. If we get good teams and good contractors, who are keen on getting the work done on time, then it can be done in seven days. It is quite possible if everybody works towards this."

Alibag town got its electricity back on Thursday, although there is the occasional tripping happening. Nearby areas like Mandwa, Rewas, Kihim etc, she says should be up within two days with the help of "good teams" because there hasn't been sub-station damage.

"At least in the district headquarters we have been able to restore electricity yesterday (Thursday). In two tehsils -- Uran and Panvel -- 80 per cent of the electricity restoration is complete. Srivardhan, Murud are going to take more time."

Cell phone connectivity is also an issue, though less critical.

Relatives of many of the villagers/residents of Shrivardhan and Murud, who live abroad, are frantic with worry about their families, with whom they have lost touch.

Chaudhari says her own phone lacks network.

"Let me tell you: The very reason I told you to call on WhatsApp is because my own number is on WiFi right now. Or you would not have been able to get me."

As a tip she suggests that people opt for manual select of a network.

On Friday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray arrived. He came to the RoRo jetty at Mandwa by boat and drove to Thal, near Kihim.

IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray visited Alibaug in Raigad district on June 5 to take stock of the damage caused by cyclone Nisarga. Photograph: ANI Photo

Says Chaudhari: "Today when the honourable CM came he said he would be taking a review of electricity restoration soon. I personally have to report back to him.

"The CM was not here for inspection of damage and all. He wanted to come and encourage us. And appreciate the efforts that had been made by administration."

Thackeray visited the village panchayat of Thal, where serious crop losses had taken place and houses had been damaged. And then he visited the district HQ at Alibag.

"The political leaders told him about the district situation. I have briefed him about whatever I feel about the situation."

In the aftermath of the cyclone, Chaudhari -- who has not slept for three days -- has already spent time visiting other parts of Alibag, Roha, Mangaon, Mhasla, Shrivardhan.

While, at the moment, the electricity issues look somewhat insurmountable, unless outside teams arrive quickly, Chaudhari is deeply relieved that their efforts in shutting the district, before Nisarga finally popped its head, resulted in a slender death count.

Four people died in Raigad district.

She adds sadly: "Even all the deaths were deaths which could have been avoided. Like of the man who went out during a lull period to check his shop and then an electricity pole hit him."

On a more positive note, she also adds: "We really want to bring back the pre-cyclone Raigad again. The monsoon period is creating further hurdles, even in electricity restoration, network restoration. Had it been a non-monsoon period, we would have been able to perform much better.;

Keeping her ultimate aim of building back a New Raigad in mind, Chaudhari is off this weekend to tour the rest of the district.
In his 20 years as a high-school English teacher in Baghdad, Abu Majeed has seen his fair share of conflict and upheaval. Yet, hes rarely felt so desperate as one of the worlds largest oil producers lurches into another crisis.

The government was late paying his salary of $900 in May, and this month he thinks officials will go a step further and cut it. That would force the 47-year-old father of four to scrimp on foodlet alone other thingsand find a second source of income, probably as a taxi driver.

I have no idea how much Ill get paid this month, Majeed said by telephone from his home in the south of the Iraqi capital, where hes holed up during the coronavirus pandemic. This country is bankrupt. I wonder where its fortunes went. Why didnt they save for such days?

As Covid-19 ravages economies across the globe, Iraqis are feeling a sense of dread again. Their country has been at the crossroads of Middle East tension, a hotbed of sectarian conflict and the proxy war between Iran and the U.S. Now its a question of financial survival, and a fight with rival oil exporters is threatening to undermine the fragile peace within the OPEC+ group.

Saudi Arabia and Russia have run out of patience with Iraq for failing to reduce production as much as agreed. While a breakthrough in negotiations meant an agreement is set to be signed off at a meeting this weekend, the battle over compliance is unlikely to be over.

CRITICAL MEETING: OPEC+ set to extend cuts as meeting called for weekend

In truth, this was always going to be a tough year for Iraq, and reneging on commitments to sell fewer barrels of crude reflect a country on the brink.

At the start of 2020, it was still reeling from nationwide proteststriggered by rampant corruption and failing servicesthat led to the collapse of the government in November. Security forces had killed hundreds of demonstrators.

The situation worsened in January when U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a drone strike on one of Irans most senior generals in Baghdad, an assassination that threatened to turn Iraq into a battleground between the two rivals. Then came the hammer blows of the coronavirus and crash in the price of oil. The pandemic has shuttered businesses and the country reimposed curfews in early June as infection rates climbed.

The private sector is paralyzed, said Mudher Saleh, an economic adviser to Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, a former intelligence chief and journalist who was sworn in last month. The government had to borrow 3 trillion dinars ($2.5 billion) from local banks in May to cover salaries, and will probably do the same this month, he said.

The real economy is so sick that people need government support, said Marcus Chenevix, a Middle East analyst at TS Lombard, a London-based research firm. Without it, wed see a reverse in livelihoods back to the 1960s. It would be devastating. You could see bread riots.

No major producer has avoided deep pain from crudes near 40% drop since December. Prices are now back around $40 a barrel, though the damage was done. Saudi Arabia has tripled value-added tax, Russia and Mexicos currencies have slumped, and more than 2 million Texans have lost their jobs since March.

Yet even among them, Iraq stands out. Crude accounts for more than 90% of government revenue. The economy will contract by 10% this year, the World Bank reckons, and gross domestic product per capita will plummet to $4,282, the lowest level since 2006.

Iraqs plight is causing rifts with OPEC. The cartel and its partners, a group of 23 countries known as OPEC+, negotiated record cuts to oil exports in April to prop up prices. Iraq agreed, like most others, to lower production in May and June by almost 25%. So far, its managed a reduction of less than 10%, one of the worst rates of compliance in the group.

RELATED: OPEC+ unity shaken as Iraq pushed to atone for oil cheating

The governments failure to fulfill its promise is angering Saudi Arabia and Russia, the drivers behind the price war that had sent the market tumbling earlier this year. Iraqs finance and acting oil minister, Ali Allawi, traveled to the kingdom, as well as Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, in late May to seek emergency funding and debt relief.

Iraq said it will improve its compliance. But doing so will be tough for a nation so cash-strapped and would risk a backlash from politicians loath to accede to foreign pressure.

The Iraqis have long shirked on their OPEC responsibilities, said Ehsan Khoman, head of Middle East and North Africa research at Japans Bank MUFG. Its entirely conceivable that theyll continue to overproduce unless they face external monitoring with some form of penalty for failing to comply.

Iraqs status as OPECs biggest producer after Saudi Arabia and its ability to pump more than 4.5 million barrels a day should have helped cushion it against a slump. But since the U.S. invasion of 2003 that toppled Saddam Hussein, its faced everything from insurgencies by Islamist militants to a push for independence by the Kurds in the north.

Amid all the instability, state spending has ballooned to levels the government admitted were unsustainable even before this year, and meant it had almost no savings to fall back on. Some of the splurge couldnt be helped. Iraq spent tens of billions of dollars defeating Islamic State and repairing the schools, hospitals and other infrastructure the extremist group destroyed.

Much of it, however, was down to huge increases in salaries for civil servants and politicians that have left Iraq with one of the worlds highest wage bills as a proportion of the economy. The budget deficit will hit 22% of GDP this year, higher than anywhere else in the Middle East and North Africa, according to the International Monetary Fund.

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Its one of the most oil-rich places in the world and so you wonder how its struggling with its finances, said Emily Hawthorne, a Texas-based analyst with Stratfor, which advises clients on geopolitical risks. But its incredible how much theyve spent. The economys now in deep disarray.

Indeed, problems are mounting for Al-Kadhimis government that suggest cutting oil output wont be the priority. Islamic State attacks and kidnappings have spiked in the past two months in western and northern areas. Thats partly because Covid-19 is restricting the movement of U.S. and Iraqi troops in those regions, according to Stratfor.

For now, protests have died down. After months of chaos and political wrangling, Iraqis seem happy to have a new government in place and to give it a chance. Yet Iraqs complicated system of government designed to bring all sectarian and ethnic sides together often leads to them fighting over the spoils, making it difficult to implement changes at the best of times.

Ahmed Ali, a Baghdad taxi driver, is far from convinced life will get better anytime soon as the pandemic rages on and his finances are squeezed.

I would prefer to die of coronavirus than hunger, the 33-year-old said as police stopped him at a roadblock for defying the curfew. I cant stand helpless if my son or daughter asks me for food.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 23:42:38|Editor: huaxia

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BEIRUT, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's number of COVID-19 infections increased on Saturday by eight cases to 1,320 while the death toll remained unchanged at 29, the National News Agency reported.

Lebanese Health Minister Hamad Hassan has, on many occasions, warned citizens against further spread of the virus while urging them to take strict precautionary measures by wearing masks and using disinfectants regularly.

Hassan previously met with the ministerial committee for infectious diseases to discuss the steps to reopen Beirut's airport and the measures that need to be taken by passengers.

Lebanon and China have supported each other in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

In February, Lebanese President Michel Aoun expressed solidarity with China in its battle against coronavirus.

China donated batches of medical supplies to Lebanon to help with the fight against the virus. Enditem
The Uttarakhand Congress has agreed on the Trivendra Singh Rawat-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments two-month-old decision of slashing 30% of the salaries of all the hill states legislators because of the deepening economic crisis triggered by the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

Congresss Indira Hridayesh, the leader of the opposition in Uttarkhand assembly, said on Thursday that her party lawmakers have agreed to the 30% pay cut.

All our 11 members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) have agreed to the state governments decision of a 30% salary cut. Were supporting the government amid this economic crisis triggered by the pandemic.

Hridayesh, however, took a dig at the government. Its a dangerous trend that the government didnt take the opposition into confidence before taking such a crucial decision. Its unacceptable in a democratic system, she alleged.

Earlier on April 8, the state government had announced the 30% salary cut for all the 70 lawmakers. However, the Congress had accused the government of not taking the main opposition into confidence before it took such a unilateral decision.

On Thursday, the party had a change of heart and wrote to CM Rawat and Speaker Premchand Agarwal, acceding to the state governments decision.

In Uttarakhand, an MLA is entitled to a monthly salary of Rs 45,000, while that of a minister is Rs 45,000. CM Rawat draws a monthly salary of Rs 90,000.

On Friday, the state BJP described the Congresss decision as better late than never.

We welcome the Congresss decision on the matter. Though they are late, theyve agreed in the end, said Ajendra Ajay, spokesperson for the BJPs Uttarakhand unit.

Ajay however, termed the Congresss accusations of not taking the opposition into confidence as illogical. Its a lame excuse for not giving up 30% of their salary in the fight against the pandemic. The Congress MLAs should support the government instead of making such ridiculous excuses, he added.
A new fundraising campaign to support the work of Sr Ann Crawley in Haiti has been launched.

'From Wicklow to Haiti' is hoping to raise 4,156, which is the distance between Haiti and Ireland in miles using a GoFundMe page.

The page was set up by Mary Condron, who alongside with Sadie Cunningham and others, has been fundraising for Sr Ann Crawley, who works in Haiti. In August, the Avoca Haiti Support Group presented Sr Ann with 6,000 towards her work in Haiti which has included building homes and providing education and training opportunities in Haiti.

'We were supposed to have a concert in the Woodenbridge Hotel in March, but that couldn't go ahead due to Covid-19,' said Mary Condron.

'I thought what could we do instead? People have already given so much money to charity. The simplest thing was to set up a GoFundMe page and try to get as near as possible to 1 for every mile.'

In February, Mary did a 'Lap to the Gap' from Ballycoog to the Gap Pub in Ballythomas, Co. Wexford to raise much-needed funds for Sr Ann's mission to Haiti. She was met by Sean Dunne, owner of the Gap Pub when she finished the walk.

Organisers of the GoFundMe page hope to send the money raised to Sr Ann to cover the costs of PPE and other equipment that may be needed due to Covid-19.

If you'd like to make a donation, visit www.gofundme.com/f/from-wicklow-to-haiti.
By Online Desk

India registered its highest single-day spike of COVID-19 cases for the fifth consecutive day on Sunday, with 9,971 new infections taking the country's tally to 2,46,628, while the death toll rose to 6,929, according to the Union Health Ministry.

India registered 287 deaths in the last 24 hours since Saturday morning.

India had raced past Spain on Saturday to become the fifth worst-hit nation by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, only the US, Brazil, Russia and the UK are ahead of it.

The number of active COVID-19 cases stands at 1,20,406, according to the Health Ministry.

A total of 1,19,292 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, the Ministry said.

"Thus, around 48.36 per cent patients have recovered so far," a senior ministry official said.

The total confirmed cases includes foreigners.
Elizabeth Jones | Journal-Courier

Authorities were investigating a report of shots being fired Friday in Winchester. Police were called about 3 p.m. to a High School Street location. Winchester police and Scott County sheriffs deputies blocked off several streets during the investigation. An Illinois State Police crime scene investigator was called to assist. Few other details were available, but state police notified area law enforcement agencies to watch for a car that might have been involved in the incident.
Some Americans may have lost hope for humanity amid the death of George Floyd, but a new study reveals not all is lost, as people really do want to be kind to each other.

Researchers found that people overwhelmingly choose to be generous to others, even if it is at the cost of themselves and regardless of external motives.

The study, conducted online, asked participants to give money to other people, which the team assumed would lead to subjects anticipating something in return for their generosity.

However, the experiment revealed volunteers were largely willing to hand strangers cash without any motivation behind it  just the notion of helping the individual.

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Researchers found that people overwhelmingly choose to be generous to others, even if it is at the cost of themselves and regardless of external motives

'We observe a 'help enough or do not help at all' dynamic, with participants giving more when they had no reason to expect reciprocation from someone (i.e., in the control condition) than to others who had previously helped them but not very much, reads the study in Scientific American conducted by teams at The Ohio State University and the University of South Carolina.

David Melamed, lead author of the study and an associate professor of sociology at The Ohio State University, said: 'We wanted to do an exhaustive study to see what the effects of those motivations would be when combined  because they are combined in the real world, where people are making choices about how generous or kind to be with one another.'

Melamed and his team invited more than 700 people to participate in the study online.

The group used the four main motivators when it comes to helping other people.

The study, conducted online, asked participants to give money to other people, which the team assumed would lead to subjects anticipating something in return for their generosity. Subjects were given different scenarios (pictured) to help them decide on when and how much to give

However, the experiment revealed volunteers were largely willing to hand strangers cash without any motivation behind it  just the notion of helping the individual

One is the idea that someone is inclined to do something nice for someone else with the motive of gaining  the notion of 'you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.'

The second involves observing an act of kindness and reciprocating and the third is a person's doing good in the presence of people in their network who might reward their generosity.

The final motivator is a person likely to 'pay it forward' to someone else if someone has done something nice for them.

These motivators have been studied in the past, but have only been looked at individually or two at a time.

Melamed and his team are the first to investigate how all four interact and affect one another in a real world setting.

'In the real world, the conditions under which people are nice to each other are not isolated  people are embedded in their networks, and they're going about their daily lives and coming into contact with things that will affect their decisions,' Melamed said.

'And these experiments show that all the motivations work. If you want to maximize prosocial behavior, it was a really great thing to see.'

For this study, which was done online, participants had to decide how much of a 10-point endowment to give to other people - these point shad monetary value.

Melamed had hypothesized that kindness might cancel each other out.

Some Americans may have lost hope for humanity amid the death of George Floyd, but a new study reveals not all is lost, as people really do want to be kind to each other

For example, a person may be less apt to indirectly reward another's generosity toward a third person when he is focused on directly giving back help that he received.

'People have a self-bias,' Melamed said.

'If you do something nice for me, I may weigh that more than if I see you do something nice for someone else.

'But we found that all the motivators still show up as predictors of how much a person is willing to give to someone else, regardless of how the differing motivators are combined.'

Each volunteer was paid endowment of 10 points for every decision they made in various scenarios designed to contain combinations of motivators to share income.

This research helps us understand the remarkable quantity and diversity of prosocial behavior we see in humans, Melamed said.

'From an evolutionary perspective, it's kind of perplexing that it even exists, because you're decreasing your own fitness on behalf of others,' he said. 'And yet, we see it in bees and ants, and humans and throughout all of nature.'

Thousands of Americans have hit the streets over the past few weeks to protest the death of Floyd, an unarmed black man killed while in police custody.

And most of them are doing so at the cost of themselves and the motivation of ending police brutality.
Less dazzle, but Thantrimale lights up View(s):

Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. provided the lighting for the historic Thantrimale Raja Maha Vihara near Anuradhapura for the 17th consecutive year to celebrate Poson Poya. On a request by local health authorities, the lighting was kept to a minimum to ensure it did not attract the customary crowds that attend religious programmes at the temple on this day.
- Two African youth pastors who are role models to Tottenham youths walk down the aisle in London

- The couple met three years ago in the church, Kingdom Life Youth, London

- While the groom is from Nigeria, the bride is a Gambian

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Two youth pastors recently got married in London.

The two are pastors of a youth ministry in Tottenham called Kingdom Life Youth, London, Prophet Onyeka Power from Nigerian weds Pastor CyyCyy Bass, a Gambian, said yes to each other despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two are helping young people in gangs and knife crime change their lives around through the gospel in Tottenham where the crime rate is so high.

Prophet Power met Pastor Bass three years ago in the church where they were saddled with the responsibility to hold youth services every Wednesday in their church Tottenham called Kingdom Life Ministries with Bishop EO Ansah as the head pastor.

They mentor and look after the needy not just within the church (Kingdom Life Ministries) but the community of Tottenham.

The couple are role models to a lot of young people living in Tottenham and its environs. They have impacted a lot of lives and help young people in gangs come out of it. This is easier for them to achieve as Prophet Power is an ex-gang member.

Check out a video from their wedding ceremony below:

In another news, Legit.ng reported that marriage has, indeed, been a beautiful run for popular Nigerian clergyman, Apostle Johnson Suleman, and his wife, Lizzy, as they have taken to social media to celebrate 16 years of being married to each other.

The cleric who is well known for being vocal on social issues took to his official page on Twitter to celebrate his beloved wife on the special occasion of their wedding anniversary.

He captioned their photo: "22 years ago heaven sent me a gift, a friend and an example of a virtuous woman and 16 yrs today we got married...thank you Lord for keeping us together..it's my 16th marriage anniversary..to God be the glory."

In a different tweet, the man of God explained that having an understanding of each other is one of the keys to a successful marriage. "One of the keys to a successful union is having the understanding that you both are 'work in progress'...perfect people don't marry, they are called immediately to heaven. (Heb 11.5)" his tweet read.

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The President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, today paid tribute to the contributions that nurses have made to the national Covid-19 response, working in hospitals and other facilities across Ireland.

He made the comments in a pre-recorded video address to graduates of Dublin City University's School of Nursing, released to the public today by the college and streaming below.
Jaipur, June 6 : A hearing impaired girl was among 14 minors, including a 3-year-old toddler, who won the corona battle in Dungarpur and were discharged, said health officials on Saturday.

They said the Covid-care centres in the district were made children-friendly keeping in view their special needs. Attempts were made to ensure that the children did not miss their homes much and recover quickly.

Water colours, sketch pens, crayons, paintbrush, games, puzzles were all provided to the children to keep them engaged. Besides, their parents who had tested negative were also involved in the recovery process.

The hospital staff was jubilant when the 8-year-old minor, who tested positive after coming from Ahmedabad to Dungarpur, was discharged from hospital.

"There were many challenges," says block Chief Medical Officer Aaspur (in Dungarpur) Dr Alankar Gupta. "While her father had tested Covid positive, her mother was negative. However, looking at the circumstances, it was important for her mother to stay with her daughter to give her mental strength.

But the other challenge was her mother's pregnancy.

"In such a situation, we had to be extremely careful. Special arrangements were made in the Covid-care centre for this girl to ensure her mother stays with her without getting infected." Special games were introduced in view of her disability. "At the same time, we ensured that her mother is with her and she too remains safe," said Dr Gupta.

Besides this minor girl, there were 19 asymptomatic children under 10-year age group who were handled with utmost care at Covid care centres. There were two 4-year-old boys who had come with their parents from other states. Both their parents were negative, however, looking at their situation, a special ward was created for them to look into their needs and their mothers were allowed to stay with them, according to Block CMO Simalwada, Dr Narendra Prajapat.

Under 0-5 age group, there were four boys and girls each and under 6-10 age group, there were 7 boys and 5 girls. Overall, 20 kids were admitted in these centres who had come from Mumbai and Ahmedabad, out of which 14 have been discharged, said CMHO Dr Mahendra Parmar.

The first report of the remaining 6 kids has come negative. "Now we are waiting for a second report," said Chhaya Chaubisa, Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations.

District Collector Kanaram said the children were caught in a delicate emotional situation about which everyone was deeply concerned.

"The situation became tougher when their parents tested negative. So, the Covid-care centres were designed keeping in view the kids' needs. We provided them colours to paint and play, music to dance and other interesting games, including Antakshari, so that they could feel the family environment," said Kanaram.

These children were also given Ayurvedic 'kadha' (a concoction of herbs) for their quick recovery, said Dr Abhay Maliwad, AYUSH department Nodal Officer.
Roopa Divakar Moudgil has been transferred several times in the course of her career in the Indian Police Services (IPS). It comes with the territory, especially if you are a bureaucrat with a penchant for arresting prominent politicians, pointing out irregularities in the system, or exposing government-business nexuses. But I dont consider transfer as punishment, dismisses Roopa, who is at present Inspector General of Police  Railways, posted in Bengaluru.

For instance, in July 2017, Roopa was transferred just one month after taking over as Deputy Inspector General  Prisons in Karnataka. No doubt, the fact that she had exposed the preferential treatment given to influential politician VK Sasikala in Bengalurus central prison, where she was serving time for money laundering, had something to do with it. Roopas report alleged that Sasikala, long-time aide of the late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, had been provided various privileges in exchange for a bribe of Rs 2 crore to jail officials. The report not only put an end to Sasikalas political career as AIADMK general secretary, it further enhanced Roopas reputation as a no-nonsense IPS officer.

I did similar things earlier too, but they never came under the media glare because my postings were all in nondescript locations then, she smiles, maintaining that the wrong-doers profile has no bearing on her decision to act. I am a public servant and I draw my salary from the public exchequer. Our work has to have public accountability and transparency, says Roopa, who was awarded the Presidents Police Medal. I had no fear of the consequences because I was doing the right thing as per law. I have acted in public interest. How can they punish me for that? she asks.

Instead, she was transferred for the 41st time in 17 years, and had a Rs 20 crore defamation case slapped on her by her senior officer whom she had accused of connivance.

What perplexes Roopa is the pin-drop silence she encountered within the system after the jail expose. The only support and applause she got was from the general public, she says. Acting as per laws and taking strict action when there is violation, the way I did, should be the norm. I dont understand why my colleagues  especially those who have nothing to hide  dont do it more often. By keeping silent, we have created an environment where politicians think they can get anything and everything done by civil servants. And when people like me stand up against the system, it becomes a problem. The system tries to discredit the whistleblower in order to maintain the status quo, avers the TEDx speaker.

Related stories Constitution has given us the right to protest: Anna

Born in Davanagere, Karnataka, to parents who were both government employees, Roopa had an intellectually stimulated childhood. When she was in class three, her teacher asked students what they wanted to be when they grew up. Little Roopa came home and consulted her parents. While her mother suggested doctor  which didnt appeal much  her father told her about the civil services. This sounded noble, so the next day Roopa announced to her teacher that she wanted to be an IAS or IPS officer. Impressed with the eight-year-olds patriotism and clarity, the teacher asked other students to applaud Roopa. The incident stoked the flame of her ambition further.

Earning a Masters in psychology from Bangalore University, Roopa  who is well-versed with Hindustani classical music and is a trained Bharatnatyam dancer  enrolled in the National Cadet Corps for five years. Thats where the khaki attachment came from, she smiles.

She cleared her UPSC exam in 2000 with an all-India rank of 43, and was ranked fifth in her batch at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad. Not having faced any sort of discrimination at home as a child, the first time she got an inkling of gender bias in the system was when a male IPS colleague in the Karnataka cadre casually asked, Why have you women chosen IPS  what do you think you can achieve here? The question left her bristling.

In our training academy, we are told that we are officers first and then women, she says. But when you enter the field, you are reminded time and again that you are a woman. Your postings are decided based on gender. Though she is happy that things have changed with the entry of more women, she believes there are vested interests at work when it comes to prime postings.

Businesspersons and politicians have many things to get done from the person sitting in that chair. Obviously, this work must be bordering illegality else they would not need to approach the officer at all. So, they want a person who can comply with their desires and demands. And women officers are not suitable for this purpose; you cant tell a woman to bend as much as a man. Thats why women fail to get prime postings, asserts Roopa, who is married to IAS officer Munish Moudgil and has two children.

After a career of 20 years in the civil services, she believes courage is both a personality trait and a virtue one develops over time. If you act courageously in one testing situation, you will be courageous the next time as well, she says. When you have done nothing wrong, why fear? My duty is to the common man who faces the ills of bad governance. The common man has supported me, she adds. That is my faith in India, the public of India, and the Constitution of India.

Photography: Syed ZubairMakeup: Sakshi Gupta

Assistant photographer: Gavin
Britain is to form a deeper relationship with our Five-Eyes intelligence partners that will see heavy investment in areas China dominates  such as technology and research.

Boris Johnson unveiled the change in foreign policy designed to end reliance on Beijing at a meeting of his National Security Council last week  but it exposed a rift at the top of his Cabinet.

The plan to plug gaps in Western skills sectors alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US was subject to a lively debate at last Tuesdays meeting of Ministers and spy chiefs.

Boris Johnson unveiled the change in foreign policy designed to end reliance on Beijing at a meeting of his National Security Council last week  but it exposed a rift at the top of his Cabinet

Senior members of the Cabinet including Rishi Sunak have warned against putting up an economic wall with the worlds second largest economy, but Mr Johnson is determined to reset and reform relations.

In light of Beijings handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, Downing Street figures have warned of a reckoning with the Chinese government.

The Mail on Sunday has learnt the plans discussed at the NSC include urgently seeking a Western-only solution to the lack of expertise in superfast 5G technology.

US officials visiting the UK in January raised the idea of a Western-backed conglomerate as an alternative to Britain using Chinese tech giant Huawei, but this was ruled out because it would take too long to set up.

Senior members of the Cabinet including Rishi Sunak have warned against putting up an economic wall with the worlds second largest economy, but Mr Johnson is determined to reset and reform relations

However, sources in Cabinet and Whitehall have confirmed Mr Johnson has pivoted away from this position and wants Britain to take a world-leading role in ending Western reliance on China.

A senior Whitehall source said: We have lost expertise in dozens of major markets like technology and science, hence why we got into the Huawei mess. The Chinese have just hoovered up. It is not realistic for Britain to go it alone and this malaise is not a uniquely British problem  it is felt across the West. So on this we are going to help our partners plug the gaps that the Chinese are currently exploiting.

Even before Tuesdays meeting the Chinese government was giving Britain increasingly hostile warnings not to move away from current close diplomatic and trade ties. However, the Covid-19 outbreak and the situation in Hong Kong has stiffened No 10s resolve to reset and rebalance relations.

Some Ministers taking part in the meeting pushed back on an overhaul of relations.

The Chancellor warned that putting up an economic wall risked hampering Britains GDP and slowing recovery, and he was backed heavily by Business Secretary Alok Sharma.

Sources claim the pair made a forthright case for continued Chinese investments in a range of sectors including nuclear power, steel and telecoms.

Home Secretary Priti Patel, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab are understood to have pushed for a much tougher line on Chinese relations.

US officials visiting the UK in January raised the idea of a Western-backed conglomerate as an alternative to Britain using Chinese tech giant Huawei, but this was ruled out because it would take too long to set up

Separately, one source claimed Trade Secretary Liz Truss warned against damaging relations, but another insider insisted she had made a case for Britain to focus on wider Asian markets.

A source said: The economic departments were obviously worried about their balance sheets Rishi was reading from the Treasurys script that we are all doomed if we dont do as they say.

An ally of Mr Johnson said: The PM is trying to steer a moderate course between the China-bashers on the backbenches and thosewho worry about retreating into economic isolationism.

The Chinese Embassy in London said: We hope the UK will stay committed to free trade and openness and ensure an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 19:20:14|Editor: huaxia

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VIENNA, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Two women were killed in violent attacks in Austria's southernmost state Carinthia on Saturday morning and a major police operation has been carried out to hunt the suspect, reported local media.

In Drobollach am Faaker See (Villach municipality), a 56-year-old woman was shot on the open road at around 9 a.m. Saturday morning, according to a report by the Austrian Press Agency (APA).

Shortly before, according to the police, a 62-year-old woman was killed in Wernberg, but not with a firearm, said APA. Investigators assume that the two women were killed by one and the same perpetrator.

At noon, the police searched across the country for the perpetrator who was traveling in a white vehicle. Checkpoints were set up near the border crossings, the vehicles were guided through the checkpoints on the motorways, and the police helicopter was also in use.

There was no information about the motive for the two bloody deeds. Local media suspected that the alleged perpetrator could flee to Italy via the nearby border. Enditem
Evening Standard

A teenager who squirted acid in the face of a teenage boy he was attempting to rob in Newham has been jailed for eight years after what has been described as a shocking and needless attack. The court heard that 17-year-old Linden Crick entered Plashet Park about 5pm on February 2 last year. Crick, who was on an e-scooter, approached a group of seven males and initially engaged in conversation with them before demanding their phones.
As a country solely dependent on tourism, Maldives is amongst the worst affected countries in the Asia region and potentially globally, due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the emergence of confirmed cases of the virus in tourist resorts in early March 2020, the Government of Maldives introduced strict containment measures which eventually resulted in the suspension of on arrival visa for visitors at the end of April 2020. This meant that the Maldives tourism industry would completely close for three months until July 2020 which is unprecedented in the countrys history. It is estimated that these local containment measures as well as the pandemics impact on global travel will result in a decline in tourist arrivals for the year 2020 by 50 percent or more. This negative impact on tourism is expected to lead to a significant decline in the GDP growth for the year, the loss is expected to be in the range 11 to 30 percent with substantial declines in revenues for the Government.



The rapid assessment aimed to understand the extent and nature of impact of the COVID-19 crisis in the Maldives and support timely economic recovery planning. The first phase of the assessment aimed to understand the impact of the complete closure of the Maldives tourism industry on employment, livelihoods and the potential knock-on effects on their families and communities. The tourism sector was targeted because it is the largest industry and employer in the country, and it was the sector that was most exposed to the external shock. The data collection for this phase involved reviewing secondary data on tourism employment provided by the National Bureau of Statistics, analyzing secondary data extracted from the Governments online job portal, jobcenter.mv and two primary data collection activities which included a phone survey with resort managers and an in-depth interview by phone and other online mediums with resort employees registered in the Governments online job portal.


This year marks the 250th anniversary of the great composers birth, an event celebrated around the globe. How ironic is it then that the world is now deprived of live performances of his music? Winston-Salem was in the midst of its own celebration  BTHVN Rocks W-S  a year-long series of concerts, operas, lectures and events sponsored by Mercedes-Benz of Winston-Salem. Over 30 arts organizations signed on to the project that began two years ago with a conversation between myself and the general director/artistic director of the Piedmont Opera Company, Jamie Allbritten. With the opera company and the Winston-Salem Symphony taking the lead, the idea spread like wildfire to give birth to a wonderful collaboration of participants (for more information, see https://mbwspresents.org/). The project got off to a roaring start with a festive press conference at the headquarters of the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County in January, and a few concerts in January and February, only to be brought to a halt by the widespread consequences of the pandemic, with which we have all been forced to cope. Many of the events that had been planned  most notably a performance of Beethovens only opera, Fidelio, an opera that deals with the righting of an unjust political wrong  cannot take place.




A group of donors to a residential facility for surviving victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery has filed a lawsuit against the center's operator amid allegations of fund misappropriation.







Employees of the House of Sharing foundation have recently accused the organization of misusing billions of won collected for the so-called former "comfort women." Five women currently live in the shelter in Gwangju, southeast of Seoul, affiliated with the nation's largest Buddhist sect, the Jogye Order.







"There are suspicions that the House of Sharing intended to use billions of won in donations to build a hotel-style nursing home, not to support the elderly victims," said Kim Young-ho, who heads an internet-based association of about 130 donors







Twenty-three members of the donors' group filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court on Thursday. They demand the foundation return their donations valued at 50.74 million won ($41,995).







"The fund was meant for the welfare of the women and should not be used for the purpose of increasing personal or corporate properties. The donations should be returned," Kim Ki-yun, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, told reporters at the court.







The lawyer said additional suits would follow as more members are willing to join the legal action.







The House of Sharing collected 1.8 billion won in donations in 2018 and 2.5 billion won in 2019. A recent inspection by the local government showed a total of 7.35 billion won had been deposited in 19 bank accounts it had opened.







The lawsuit comes amid a separate controversy embroiling the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance, another NGO "working" for the women, sparked by a prominent victim's allegation last month that the former head of the group misused donations and exploited the victims for her political ambition. The former leader, Yoon Mi-hyang, was named a proportional representative at the National Assembly in the April 15 general. (Yonhap)


Race. The word has been racing through my head. Everything I thought I knew, or thought I believed, has been challenged. I am confused. I am sad. I am angry for the black people I know and those I dont.

I am left with a lot of learning to do. I want to learn. Not to be a better husband or parent, a better boss or a better friend. I want to learn so I can be a more productive member of our society.

Since Feb. 23, weve witnessed the deaths of two innocent and unarmed black men and a black woman involving current or former police officers. In South Georgia, Ahmaud Arbery was out for a jog when he was stalked by a white father and his son. Gregory McMichael was an investigator in Glynn County, Ga., for 24 years. McMichael and his son were only arrested and charged after a video surfaced detailing the modern-day lynching.

On March 13, Breonna Taylor was shot eight times in a botched no-knock raid on her apartment by the Louisville Police Department. Taylor was an emergency medical tech. She had educated herself to help others.

Most recently, and most visibly, on May 25, George Floyd, unarmed and without resistance, was cuffed, forcibly pulled in and then out of a police SUV, thrown to the ground and placed on his stomach. For the next 8 minutes and 46 seconds, Floyds chest and neck were compressed by Minneapolis Police Department officers, including Derek Chauvin, who placed his knee on Floyds neck.

Another officer tried to dissuade a growing crowd from videoing the event. With more than 600 pounds applied to his body, Floyd still had the strength to cry out for his mother, and 16 times he told officers, I cant breathe. Chauvin maintained his full body weight on Floyds neck even after it is clearly visible Floyd was unconscious.

Another black American is dead. All four officers involved were fired and have been charged, including a second-degree murder charge against Chauvin.

As the publisher of the Express-News, I wear a few hats. We have more than 100 talented journalists who take seriously their mission to report on what is happening in San Antonio and Texas. We have a talented marketing team that does all it can to create the investment required to support our newsroom and business. We have a talented and connected Editorial Board. As a member of the Editorial Board, I will occasionally weigh in. My true preference is to let Josh Brodesky, Gloria Padilla and Cary Clack do the writing and opining. I do most of my opining on Twitter, @Medici1.

In a recent conversation with Josh, Cary and Gloria, we all understand the past 90 days have been life-altering. COVID-19 will change the way we go about our lives. If COVID-19 will change our lives, our hope is our experience with Breonna, Ahmaud and George will reshape the way we live.

I want the Express-News opinion section to play a central role in the conversation that changes and shapes San Antonio. I want to understand why so many households in this vibrant city lack broadband access. In a world where many of our children will spend more time at home distance learning, how can we educate everyone equally if a home does not have access to broadband? Were we educating everyone equally before the pandemic? Lets fix this.

I want to help feed people. This is Military City, USA. Our DNA is structured to help others. Why are so many people in our city going hungry? Lets fix this.

Lastly, I want to learn so much more about race. Black people are angry. They should be. Hispanic people are angry. They should be. Lets live this so we can fix this.

In closing, I spent nine years living in Atlanta, the epicenter of American civil rights.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is everywhere in Atlanta. On April 16, 1963, after being jailed for organizing a protest for the poor treatment of blacks in Birmingham, Ala., King wrote a letter from his cell.

Inside that note is this quote: I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education, and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits.

Sounds a lot like June 2020.

@Medici1 or email Mark.medici@express-news.net
Sri Lankas age of shame, peril  and little hope? View(s):

As the United States erupts in outrage at the killing of George Floyd, the question posed by multi-racial protestors on the streets is simple. Why are there two Americas, one for the whites who do not fear death, deprivation or insults when stopped by the police and another for communities of colour whose lived realities are entirely different?

The beam in our own eyes

That same question is very relevant in the rest of the world. In Australia for example, demonstrators in Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne raise their hands not only against Floyds death but also in regard to discrimination directed against aboriginal communities and people of colour. In France, rampant racism targeted at migrant black communities is the target of Parisian angst even as they protest the ills of the American justice system. A covid-19 traumatised world has metamorphised into an extraordinarily spectacular global eruption of anger against injustice. There is a connection there which perhaps philosophers or psychologists may point to.

In Sri Lanka however, most have latched on to the trending topic of Black Lives Matter while cosily ignoring evils at home. Regardless, those waxing eloquent on the fate of the African American are advised to look to the beam in their own eyes, not the mote (if that may be referred to as such) in others. For there are two Sri Lankas, at different overlapping levels. One Sri Lanka is for the Sinhalese with special elevation for Sinhala Buddhists and another for Tamils and Muslims who face far more brutal treatment at the hands of state agents.

These are not new realities as I wrote in a collection of essays titled The Other Lanka, more than a decade ago. Rather, as in the case of the United States, this is the grim weight of historical baggage that we carry. And there is also a different Sri Lanka for the political elites and their hangers-on as the wholesale breaking of quarantine restrictions during the funeral of the late Arumugam Thondaman amply demonstrated. Contrast this with the autistic child in Beruwela who was mercilessly assaulted by the police for disobeying covid-19 curfew last week. No further arguments are needed.

Covid-19 is tackled best by strengthened democracies

This is what feeds dissent, anger and ultimately militancy. In the United States, the rage of the young on the street is not a conspiracy, notwithstanding incitement to violence by provocative elements. Rather, it is an exhibition of raw fury against racism and abysmal political leadership. There is a lesson in this for would-be strongmen everywhere. And the other argument of right-wing, military idealogues that human rights cannot be sacrificed for preservation of the health of the population must also be resoundingly debunked.

For that artificial dichotomy between human rights and human lives, increasingly parroted by supporters of the Rajapaksa Presidency, is false. It was precisely because of Sri Lankas functional public health system with democratic checks and balances, (despite the preponderance of the military), that the impact of covid 19 was mitigated. Across the globe, democratic leaders have successfully dealt with the global health pandemic, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan to cite a few. In contrast, strongman rule by leaders whose sanity is questionable, from Brazil to the United States has led to nation-wide chaos. Hungarys right wing Government has used the covid-19 emergency to tighten its grip, giving President Viktor Orban open sesame approval to rule indefinitely by decree. Central oversight agencies such as the Constitutional Court and the Office of the Prosecutor have succumbed to Orbans iron grip.

However, there is hope despite the gloom. Undeterred, Hungarys opposition mayors have become the front lines of resistance. Budapests mayor is solidifying his base by setting up shelters for the homeless and the hungry who have lost their means of income. In a rural outpost, another opposition mayor is opposing a so-called development project started as an emergency covid-19 measure without environmental approvals. This is spirited and concrete resistance in the face of authoritarian aggrandisement , not merely bleating before television cameras and rushing to courts. It has had its results with the Governments plans to strip Hungarian mayors of political autonomy being rolled back.

The Opposition as well as the Government is the problem

What do we have in contrast? Sri Lankas parliamentary, provincial and local authority opposition politicians are embroiled in corruption scandals as much as their government counterparts. Our mayors largely make the news about their children entering politics, disappearances of stray dogs or inordinate funds spent on refurbishing buildings. On the national stage, the main Opposition has lost its way, most pitifully.

That this has happened at the very point that the country faces a perilous entrenchment of the right wing in the corridors of power is a tragedy. It was once observed in these column spaces that the law does not exist in a vacuum. Equally so, lawful societies cannot be built by Task Forces even though President Gotabaya Rajapaksa seems to be on a merry trail of constituting military (Sinhalese) led Task Forces, one to protect archaeological sites in the multi-ethnic East and another to build a disciplined, virtuous and lawful society.

A lawful society, (though the Victorian-ish reference to virtue calls for rude ribaldry) can be built only by the law, as properly implemented. Is the President envisaging presidential rule above the law? Combating these challenges is vital. But an important caveat has to be kept in mind. Neutering the growth of military right-wing ideology requires a clawing back of blindingly naive liberal posturing in Colombo-centric opposition. This does not oppose, but rather enables, or strengthens that ideology.

Our reaction to illiberalism must be bottoms-up

For it is precisely due to the oblivious disdain ofyahapalanaya grandees for the greater populace, Sinhala, Tamil or Muslim as the case may be, that we are in this perilous state. In the wake of those colossal governance failures, reconstructing democratic resistance or, as retired Marine General John Allen pithily worded it in his stinging rebuke of US President Donald Trumps threat to call the military into the streets of New York and Washington, the reaction to illiberalism (A Moment of National Shame and Peril  and Hope, Foreign Policy, June 3rd 2020), which title is modified by this column with apologies, must start bottoms up. The very term, liberal must be restored to its rightful mooring of constitutional rights, of equality and non-discrimination rather than left loose to wander in the strangely twisted realms of neo-liberal cliques, whose sole claim to activism lies in manufactured confines of social media.

This means that resistance must be rooted in everyday struggles of life and livelihoods of communities from the South to the North, left pitilessly to live or die in covid-dystopian nightmares. There is no other alternative. The answer to this crisis does not lie in television appearances, appeals to the Supreme Court for a moribund Parliament to spring to life which appears not to have been graced even by the courtesy of a reasoned refusal, faux anger on Facebook or pleas to Geneva and New York.

That much is clear.
New Delhi:

Security forces have killed one more terrorist inA an ongoing encounter in Nowgam, Handwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, taking the total toll of encounters in Kashmir on Sunday to 5, four terrorists in Nowgam and 1 cop in Poonch district.A

Up scaling tensions in Jammu and Kashmir, two encounters broke out between security forces and terrorists in Poonch district and Nowgam sector in Handwara on Sunday morning. In Nowgam, the security forces have successfully killed three foreign terrorists and have recovered four weapons.A

Meanwhile, reports of clashes between protesters and security forces are also coming in from Pulwama. At least 12 people have been injured, reports said. A

One policeman was killed and another injured during an encounter with two terrorists in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.A

The encounter started after police received information about the presence of heavily-armed terrorists in an under construction government building in the outskirts of Poonch city.



As the police laid a cordon around the building, they came under heavy firing resulting in the death of a policeman and injuries to a sub inspector of the police.



The building is close to an army camp and troops have been rushed in to neutralise the terrorists. Intense gunfight is on, further details waited.A



Meanwhile a youth was killed in clashes between protesters and security forces in south Kashmir's Shopian district on Saturday.



According to reports, at least 50 protesters were injured in clashes with the police and CRPF men in different areas of the Valley.



Shops and business establishments remained closed, even as preparations are underway for the Eid-ul-Azha which falls on Tuesday.



The deadly violence is happening after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir on July 8, where thousands of people have been injured.

Live updates:A



FLASH: One terrorist killed in an ongoing encounter with security forces in Poonch (J&K). Firing still on. a ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016

#UPDATE: One more terrorist killed in an encounter underway with security forces in Nowgam, Handwara (J&K). a ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016

J&K: Army flag marches in Pulwama after a clash between security forces and protesters. pic.twitter.com/KTTeN0RSqr a ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016

Pak has become a failed state, see whats happening in Balochistan, PoK, Gilgit Baltistan & other areas: Nirmal Singh pic.twitter.com/y8tdl5AIkM a ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016

These are highly condemnable actions of Pak, its being done by them. They are creating trouble in Kashmir: J&K Dy CM pic.twitter.com/FdPPLpjSUo a ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016

One policeman killed, and another critically injured. Area cordoned off: Deputy CM Nirmal Singh on Poonch encounter pic.twitter.com/Tx0BtHdJX7 a ANI (@ANI_news)A September 11, 2016

FLASH: Three foreign terrorists killed in Nowgam, Handwara (J&K). Four weapons have been recovered from them. Search operation continues. a ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016

UPDATE: Three to four terrorists believed to be holed up. Encounter between security forces and terrorists underway in Nowgam, Handwara(J&K) a ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016

FLASH: Clash between security forces and protesters in Pulwama (Jammu and Kashmir), 12 people injured. a ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016

FLASH: Encounter between security forces and terrorists underway near the LoC in Nowgam sector in Handwara (Jammu and Kashmir) a ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016

J&K: Police personnel killed in an ongoing encounter b/w security forces & terrorists in Poonch (Visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/3qJ8azG9el a ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016

J&K: Police personnel killed in an ongoing encounter b/w security forces & terrorists in Poonch (Visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/On1Ac93OlY a ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016

UPDATE: Presence of 2-3 terrorists suspected be around a mini-secretariat in Allah Pir area of Poonch, which is under construction.Firing on a ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016

FLASH: One police personnel killed in an ongoing encounter between security forces and terrorists in Poonch (J&K). a ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016

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This weekend, hundreds of thousands of workers and youth will protest the police murder of George Floyd, not only in the United States, but in Australia, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Hungary, Brazil, South Korea and many other countries.

Demonstrations have already taken place this week in hundreds of towns and cities, in countries on every inhabited continent in the world.

In South and Central America, thousands of people protested in front of the Federal University of Parana in Brazil. Others demonstrated outside the state government building in Rio de Janeiro. Hundreds have also protested in Mexico and demonstrations have been held in Bermuda and Argentina.

Australasia has seen dozens of protests, including of more than 3,000 people in Sydney, Australia, more than 2,000 in Perth and tens of thousands in Auckland, New Zealand. They carried banners that declared, The government does not care! We the people must help each other! and Australia is not innocent.

In Asia and the Middle East, demonstrations have been held in India, Japan, the Philippines, Turkey, Israel and Iran.

In Africa, rallies have been organised in Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and South Africa.

At least 19 towns and cities in Canada have seen protests, including many thousands in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver.

Across Europe, Germany saw thousands protest outside the US embassy in Berlin and the consulate in Hamburg. Slogans included Your Pain Is My Pain, Your Fight Is My Fight. Thousands have protested in Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the Netherlands; in Athens, Greece; in Copenhagen, Denmark; Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; Oslo, Norway and Reykjavik, Iceland. Other demonstrations have been held in Italy, Belgium, Spain, Ireland, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia and Switzerland.

The United Kingdom has witnessed at least 25 separate protests. Over 15,000 people gathered in Hyde Park on Wednesday and marched to the prime ministers residence on Downing Street, carrying placards reading, If you are neutral in situations of injustice you have chosen the side of the oppressor, and, as in Australia, The UK is not innocent. In France, 5,000 marched in Montpellier and 25,000 people defied a ban to protest in Paris. A speaker at the rally announced, Whats happening in the United States highlights what is happening today in France.

Of extraordinary significance, in Austria, a massive 50,000 demonstrated in Vienna Thursday. If a similar percentage of the urban population protested in New York, this would equate to a rally of over 200,000 people.

The international outpouring of solidarity is animated by opposition to Donald Trumps brutal repression of peaceful multi-ethnic protests. Their scale also indicates an initial recognition of the dangers posed to the American working class and billions throughout the world by Trumps drive to establish a presidential dictatorship. Moreover, the working class in every country sees in the scenes playing out in the US an echo of its own social conditions, dominated by extreme and growing levels of inequality, which dictate ever more fascistic forms of rule the world over.

In addition to the state violence in the US, Tuesdays demonstration in Paris protested the death of French youth Adama Traore, beaten and asphyxiated by police in 2016. It follows more than two years in which yellow vest protests against social inequality have been brutalised by the riot police of President Emmanuel Macron, the man who has sought to rehabilitate the Nazi collaborator Marshal Petain.

Brazilian workers are demonstrating against the wave of killings carried out by police in Rio de Janeiros favellas under the oversight of fascistic President Jair Bolsonaro.

German workers and youth have spent the past six years watching the unfolding of a conspiracy within the state and academia to rehabilitate the Third Reich, bring the fascist Alternative for Germany (AfD) to the fore and prepare a return to unrestrained imperialist militarism. Trumps threat to designate protestors as terrorists follows the German state security services placing of the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei on its extremism watchlist for the crime of conducting a fight against this fascist revanchism.

The global protests sparked by Floyds killing have also erupted nearly three months into a pandemic, which, due to the deliberate and criminal actions of the ruling class, continues to have a devastating impact on billions of workers and young people. Hundreds of thousands have died, and millions have lost their jobs, while trillions have been funnelled into the coffers of the major corporations by governments of the financial oligarchy. Now workers are being forced back to work in unsafe conditions on pain of poverty and starvation.

The police murder of George Floyd, and the daily scenes of unrestrained state violence against black, white and Hispanic youth have acted as a trigger event setting simmering class tensions alight.

Last year saw a massive escalation of class struggle worldwide, with millions protesting worsening social inequality and the assault on democratic rights.

At its May Day Rally last month, the WSWS drew attention to a concerned report by the leading imperialist think tank, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which warned:

We are living in an age of global mass protests that are historically unprecedented in frequency, scope and size The coronavirus will likely suppress protests in the short term both due to government restrictions in urban areas and citizens own reluctance to expose themselves to large public gatherings. However, depending on the future course of this likely pandemic, government responses may themselves become another trigger of mass political protest.

The WSWS and the International Committee have sought to politically alert the working class in anticipation of precisely such a re-eruption of the class struggle and to provide a revolutionary perspective and orientation.

The moment lockdowns were ended, the first act of murderous police violence in America triggered a social explosion. Even under conditions in which millions rightly fear an escalation in the spread of the coronavirus, global mass protests have returned, in united opposition to the brutality of the capitalist state.

The American media will give little or no indication of the international scope of these events, which testify to the real state of class relations and the real balance of forces in the US and across the world. They prove that the American working class, now involved in a struggle that requires the removal of Trump, has immensely powerful allies. The fight against Trump, hated throughout the world as the thuggish personification of rule by the oligarchy, will find huge support in the working class and youth in every country entering into conflict with their own rulers.

Workers and young people must counter Trumps offensive with the adoption of an internationalist program of struggle on which to remove Trump, Mike Pence and their co-conspirators from office. On this basis, a world movement of the working class will begin to take shape that will take on and defeat Trumps plan to impose a police-military dictatorship and carry out the struggle for socialism.
Courtesy Photo

Presidio County Sheriffs Deputies assisted U.S. Border Patrol search efforts for a missing person Friday morning, according to a Facebook post. The missing Nebraska man, identified as Wes Shackleford, was searching for property that he and his brother had purchased online along Farm-to-Market Road 170 River Road. Shackelford became lost while looking for the property.

He had been missing since 7 p.m. Thursday according to his brother.
I was trying to get out with my hands up. They continue to break the window, and before you know it I was being pulled out of the vehicle, pulled by my hair, Wright said at a news conference Thursday. The officer grabbed me. I had my hair tied in a bun. He grabbed me by the top of my bun and pulled me out of the vehicle. And that is when they threw me on the ground, and he proceeded to put his knee in my neck.
The Grand Canyon Railway

Train fans, first-time train riders, families and solo-travelers can experience one of the great wonders of the world starting on June 15, 2020. The Grand Canyon Railway will begin running daily from the small town of Williams, AZ, along the historic Route 66 to the Grand Canyon South Rim, the Hopihouse and El Tovar.

Known as "The Train," it departs at 9:30 a.m. and returns back to Williams at 5:45 p.m. The journey offers a 2.5-hour layover at South Rim of Grand Canyon to walk along the rim, explore the Hopihouse and iconic El Tovar Hotel. Assigned seating now enables safe social distancing, and the luxury dome cars, open platform observation car and railcars from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s offer opening windows for fresh air.

The Grand Canyon Hotel

Next to the train depot in Williams is the 298-room Grand Canyon Hotel. Stay overnight to easily make the 9:30 a.m., departure to the Grand Canyon. Amenities at the hotel include complimentary wi-fi, an indoor pool and hot tub, and two dining options at the Fred Harvey Restaurant and Spensers Pub.

With the reopening, the health and safety team have set protocols with appropriate sanitizing measures prescribed by the CDC, local authorities, County Health Departments and the National Park Service. They continually will monitor the situation.

Ongoing efforts include increased bathroom and common area cleaning and disinfecting frequency to every (2) two hours. Disinfect all door handles, surfaces and equipment every hour in all guest areas. Employees shall thoroughly wash their hands after each cleaning, and social distancing structures are in place to ensure guests are six feet apart. Groups of fewer than 10 people all allowed in the guest registration area, gift shop, and food-to-go areas. Laundry and housekeeping staff have been trained on procedures for handling linens based on guidance from the Association for Linen Management (ALM).

All employees are required to wear washable face coverings while working and while on the property in communal areas. N95 masks/particulate respirators are available for employees with high-risk responsibilities. Guests are encouraged to wear face coverings while in interior public spaces. Register shields have been installed in point-of-sale areas including the front desk, gift shop, and restaurants.

Employees will have their temperature checked upon arrival to work using a thermal forehead thermometer. Those registering a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher will be denied entry to the area and instructed to contact the local clinic for evaluation.

No-touch solutions have been arranged for guest transactions. These precautions include Front Desk credit card and room charge transactions, the gift shop, and restaurants.

Hand sanitizer stations have been placed at the lobby, gift shop, hotel, restaurant entrances, and point-of-sale areas. Limited guest capacity usage will be encouraged for the elevator and staff will be encouraged to use stairwells when applicable.

Rick Weinlein

Once you arrive to the South Rim, there are plenty of open spaces to appreciate the beauty of the Grand Canyon National Park. Designated as a national park in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson, this park is steeped with American heritage and Western legacy.

Encompassing 277 miles of the Colorado River, Pinyon and Ponderosa Pine and Utah Juniper are interspersed with shrubby cliff rose, blackbrush, and sagebrush. Wildlife that live in the area includes squirrels, mule deer and the silver-gray coyote, known as the Song Dog of the West.

While walking along a paved trail along the rim, hawks, California condors, ravens and eagles soar majestically above.

Jill Weinlein

Be sure to visit the Norwegian villa designed El Tovar Hotel. After months of being closed due to the coronavirus, this grand 78-room hotel reopened on June 5, 2020. Located directly on the rim of the Grand Canyon, inside is a dining room for a snack or lunch, lounge for a drink, gift shop, and newsstand.

First opening its doors in 1905, the hotel was designed by Charles Whittlesey, the chief architect for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Owned and operated by the Fred Harvey Company in conjunction with the Santa Fe Railway, El Tovar was considered the most elegant hotel west of the Mississippi River. In 1987, El Tovar was designated a National Historic Landmark.

The guest list includes Theodore Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Western author Zane Grey, President Bill Clinton, Sir Paul McCartney, and Oprah Winfrey.

Jill Weinlein

Next to El Tovar is the historic village and Hopihouse. Built in 1905, the same time as the hotel was being built, the Native American design was inspired by a typical adobe pueblo lived in by Hopi Indians of Old Oraibi. Inside the two story building are museum-quality Native American arts and crafts to admire, and items to purchase before boarding the train back to Williams, AZ.

Jill Weinlein

With the reopening, there is are two special deals: Arizona residents can save 30 percent on all train fares when they enter 'Arizona' in the booking code field of the train ticket or hotel only reservation form. Also, the Summer Getaway Package offers one to three-night deals that include accommodations at Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel in Williams, dinner, breakfast, a Wild West Show, and roundtrip on the train to South Rim, Grand Canyon.

All guests staying between June 15 and September 30, 2020 can reap the rewards of a long weekend stay at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel. For a one-night stay, guests will receive 10 percent off the rack rate with promo code STAY1. A two-night stay equals a 20 percent savings with promo code STAY2 and three or more nights will result in a 30 percent discount with code STAY3. All rates are per room for one or two people and you must input the promo code when making your reservation.

Groups may charter an entire luxury private railroad car or even an entire private train with luxury railroad cars complete with chefs, bartenders, and staff. These are ideal for milestone moments such as graduations, family reunions, anniversaries, weddings, birthdays, etc. For charters visit www.thetrain.com/charters.
Related video above: Should the confederate flag be banned in school?

The U.S. Marine Corp has banned any and all depictions of Confederate battle flags from Marine installations. The ban follows nationwide protests against institutional racism and police violence.

The ban, outlined in a Marine administrative message (MARADMIN), explicitly prohibits clothing, bumper stickers and more.



Confederate flags are exempt from the ban only under certain circumstances, such as part of a historical display in a museum.



"This directive does not apply to the National Museum of the Marine Corps (NNMC)," the directive reads, "or the museums at MCRD San Diego, MCRD Parris Island, or on any other installations which address the civil war from a neutral, historical, or educational perspective, and are the appropriate venues for such symbols."

Marine commanders will be expected to locate and remove displays of the Confederate flag within work spaces and public areas on their bases, using their "best judgement and discretion."


(Newser)  Police think they have their guy. A 60-year-old man turned himself in to Maryland police and was arrested Friday after allegedly attacking a trio of teens who were putting up anti-police-brutality fliers on a Montgomery County trail. The viral video of the Thursday confrontation on the Capital Crescent Trail showed a cyclist angrily grabbing a flier from one of the teens, then shoving his bicycle toward the teen who was filming, causing the young man to fall to the ground, according to a statement from Maryland-National Capital Park Police. Per NBC News and the Washington Post, authorities say Anthony Brennan III has been charged with misdemeanor second-degree assault, after the video and images of the cyclist were circulated and brought in hundreds of tips.

story continues below

Police say Brennan allowed them to search his residence, where clothing "consistent with what was worn" by the cyclist in the video was discovered, says Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy. Brennan also is said to have shown them his bicycle. "We have the bike. We have the clothes," McCarthy says. In a statement issued via his attorneys, Brennan says he's "sick with remorse for the pain and fear" he caused the victims, and that "I am committed to making amends by addressing, through counseling, the underlying issues that led to my abhorrent behavior." The Post notes that before Brennan's arrest, online sleuths had publicly (and wrongly) named two other people as the assailant. Brennan acknowledges that, too, expressing regret that "their reputations were tarnished." "Mr. Brennan understands that his apology will not be enough to right his wrongs," his lawyers note. (Read more Maryland stories.)
It galls me knowing that I earn significantly less than others who do the exact same job that I do.

If this were happening elsewhere to someone else, Id have a whole lot to say about it.

But since its my job, I mostly stay silent.

I try not to dwell on it, and remind myself not to take it personally. This is a fight that African American journalists have been fighting ever since the legendary, Pulitzer-Prize winning Acel Moore, who was one of the papers first black reporters, joined The Inquirer in 1962 as a copy clerk.

 READ MORE: An apology to our readers and Inquirer employees

I find it ironic that reporters and columnists are often asked to write about issues of equity and fairness but have to fight for it in our own newsrooms.

In college, I was initially attracted to this industry because I thought journalists were more progressive than people in other industries. I hoped that as an African American female reared in the aftermath of the civil rights movement, I would have fewer in-house battles to fight, since I would be with fellow crusaders who made a living by prodding America to live up to the ideals upon which she was founded.

After working at news outlets around the country, I was disappointed to learn that newspapers are microcosms of what exists elsewhere. Black journalists still make up a tiny proportion of the nations newsrooms. We and other journalists of color are sorely needed to add context and help conceptualize stories, particularly those in underserved urban neighborhoods.

The Inquirer was reminded of this earlier this week after an embarrassing headline blunder on a column written by Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic Inga Saffron, who mused about the destruction and looting of some local buildings that occurred hours after peaceful protests about the death of George Floyd. The headline in print versions over the column read, Buildings Matter, Too.

The headline couldnt have been more tone deaf. The wording was a really bad play on Black Lives Matter, which is a rallying cry for demonstrators worldwide calling for systemic changes in the wake of Floyds death last month. It essentially equated the loss of a humans life with the loss of commercial and residential property. Blunders like this undo years of work trying to get sources and readers to trust and read the paper.

Eventually, the headline online was changed to Damaging buildings disproportionately hurt the people protesters are trying to uplift. Inquirer editors also issued a public apology that reads in part, The Philadelphia Inquirer published a headline in Tuesdays edition that was deeply offensive. We should not have printed it. Were sorry, and regret that we did."

 READ MORE: Damaging buildings disproportionately hurts the people protesters are trying to uplift | Inga Saffron

In protest, about 40 reporters and columnists on Thursday called out, saying we were sick and tired. We also submitted a letter to management that reads in part, Were tired of shouldering the burden of dragging this 200-year-old institution kicking and screaming into a more equitable age. Were tired of being told of the progress the company has made, and being served platitudes about diversity and inclusion when we raise our concerns."

Im proud of my colleagues for standing up like this.

We need pay equity. We need more blacks in the newsroom and in the highest levels of management. We could use some cultural sensitivity training, too.

The Daily News hired me in 1991. Even as I was getting used to my new home, I remember colleagues talking about a racially insensitive Inquirer editorial written in 1990 that suggested that black welfare mothers be implanted with the contraceptive Norplant to prevent pregnancies. Back then, Moore told a reporter, "Had blacks been more fully consulted about the Norplant piece, it wouldnt have been as snide and as insulting.

We are sorely needed to prevent debacles like what The Inquirer experienced back then and also earlier this week.

As my colleague Stephan Salisbury so eloquently pointed out in a recent email to the newsroom, black eyes matter, too.
Are Chris Tucker and India.Arie really in a 13-year secret relationship? Its a question fans have been wondering ever since June 4 when a Twitter user first floated the rumor. As it continued to spread and gain traction on the Internet, India.Arie spoke out online and revealed the truth about her relationship with the Rush Hour actor.

India.Arie and Chris Tucker | Santiago Felipe/Getty Images North America; Rich Fury/Getty Images North America

Chris Tucker and India.Aries rumored romance

Tucker and India.Arie were first linked in January 2007 when they traveled to South Africa to attend the opening event for Oprahs Leadership Academy For Girls, per the newspaper The St. Louis American.

People naturally assumed theyd drifted apart when we didnt hear much about them following the appearance. But on June 4, a Twitter user claimed they were still together.

They posted two pictures of the pair along with the caption: Chris Tucker and India Arie have been dating for 13 years??! Its unclear what led to that determination, but, nonetheless, the tweet immediately went viral, attracting tons of replies and over 31,000 likes.

India.Arie and Chris Tucker | Michael Bezjian/WireImage

RELATED: YouTubes Comedy Hype Explains Why Comedian Chris Tucker Left The Friday Franchise

India.Aries response to Chris Tucker dating rumors

Catching on to the dating rumors, India.Arie tweeted: Me and Chris Tucker been dating for 13 years?!!! 13 YEARS?! Whew chile! Thats some STRONG BLACK (LOVE ) Tea.

Going on, she added, Soooo, NO. I Do not date @christuckerreal. However, she admitted they went on A date or 2 some time ago.

Apparently that was 13 years ago? she continued, seemingly having little recollection of their time together. I really dont remember Lol.

In a final tweet, addressing those who positively reacted to the dating rumors, India.Arie wrote: For you who LOVED the IDEA, @christuckerreal and I as a couple lol, I feel you. I have a REAL LOVE story for you, I really do. She did not elaborate on the tweet.

For his part, Tucker has not yet addressed the rumors.

Me and Chris Tucker been dating for 13 years?!!! 13 YEARS?! Whew chile! Thats some STRONG BLACK (LOVE ) Tea  pic.twitter.com/NcHGn3jSD8  India.Arie (@indiaarie) June 5, 2020

RELATED: Despite Almost 20 Years in the Music Business, India.Arie Just Landed Her First Number One Song With This Recent Single

Who have India.Arie and Chris Tucker dated?

Tucker was previously married to Azja Pryor, the mother of his son, Destin, who was born in 1998. After the pairs split in 2003, Tucker was linked to actresses Vanessa Mendoza and Nia Long, but those rumored romances were never confirmed.

India.Arie, on the other hand, has not had many known romances. At the moment, it appears that she is happily single, but shes not opposed to dating either. In a January appearance on The Real, she spoke about what shes looking for and what it would take to enter a relationship with someone.

I desire to be with someone that I would marry, she began. I want to be with somebody where Im like, I just want them here. I dont like anyone around me every day. We were just talking about being empaths and how it feels to absorb peoples energy. So I dont want anyone around every day but if there was someone I felt like that about, I would like that.

Heres hoping they both find what theyre looking for in the future.

Read more: Did Janet Jackson Really Refuse to Kiss Tupac in Poetic Justice?
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

From Good Housekeeping

Just Mercybased on Bryan Stevensons memoirreleased somewhat quietly in December of last year. The film starred Michael B. Jordan as Stevenson, a lawyer who travels to Alabama in hopes of providing legal representation to wrongly-convicted prisoners. Throughout the course of the film, he comes to represent Walter McMillian, played by Jamie Foxx, a death row inmate sentenced for the murder of a white woman. (The films trial is the real-life 1993 case of Walter McMillian v. State.)

In the wake of recent events, highlightinglike the filmfailures in criminal justice enforcement and procedures, Warner Bros. will be making the film free to stream over the next month. The company said their intention was educational, stating: We believe in the power of story. Our film Just Mercy, based on the life work of civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, is one resource we can humbly offer to those who are interested in learning more about the systemic racism that plagues our society.

Before Just Mercy was even made, the project was taking steps toward equality in the arts. It was the first major studio film to use an inclusion rider, which mandated a proportion of the cast and crew to include persons of underrepresented groups.



Jordan told the Associated Press late last year of his motivations to play Stevenson: Meeting that person is like: Man, this is the hidden gem. This is the unsung hero. This is the national hero that needs to be protected at all costs. I wanted to do his story justice.

Jordans film career has featured more than one rolefictional and realwhich illustrate racial injustice. In 2013, he played Oscar Grant in Fruitvale Station. The film chronicles the final hours of Oscar Grant who was fatally shot by police in Oakland, California, after police responded to an apparent fight on the train. One of his earliest roles, Wallace in The Wire, portrayed a kid trapped, chewed up, and then spit out by the Baltimore drug trade.

Story continues

Photo credit: The Weinstein Company

How to Watch Just Mercy

The film will be available on several streaming sites this month, including YouTube, Amazon Prime, and Redbox. Here's a full list of everywhere the film will be available.

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The lockdown has not only been tough for humans but it has also been quite troublesome for pets. Now, in a move that one would have not possibly imagined, a private jet is being hired to transport pets from Delhi to Mumbai to meet their owners.

The price of each ticket is fixed at Rs 1.6 lakh. The pets will be flying to Mumbai in mid-June. This pet-only flight is the idea of Deepika Singh, an entrepreneur.

As per a report published in Mumbai Mirror, Deepika came up with this idea while she was arranging a private jet for her relatives to travel to Mumbai from various parts of the country.

She told ThePrint, Some people wanted to travel with their pets but when the others refused, I decided to arrange for another jet. I contacted a private company. They agreed to give a plane for pets. Till now, four people have agreed to bring their pets from Delhi to Mumbai.

The possible occupants of the flight so far are one Golden Retriever, two Shih Tzus, and a Lady Pheasant. Deepika needs two more passengers to make the flight viable.

She approached Rahul Muchhal of Accretion Aviation for providing the jet. After the government allowed the resumption of domestic flights, Accretion Aviation has been organizing flights across the country.

We havent yet decided on which aircraft to use, but it will probably be a turbo-prop aircraft which can seat 5 to 8 passengers, Mucchal was quoted as saying by Mumbai Mirror.

He mentioned that the company will be taking all necessary precautions for prevention of coronavirus and the animals will be flown in cages. The pets will also go through a temperature-screening before they board the plane and so will their human handlers.
Little is known about him. Was he born in the village of Ghassaniyeh, in southern Lebanon, or in Najaf, the Iraqi holy city? Was he born in 1945, 1959 or 1961? Absent from the media, he apparently has neither the lively verve nor the triumphant charisma. But for some time now, he has been on the rise. So much so that the United States announced a reward of up to $10 million for any information about his operations, networks and associates. His first name is Jaafar or Mohammad, depending on the circumstances. What is his name? Kawtharani.

Since the elimination in a US air raid on January 3 of Qasem Soleimani, former commander-in-chief of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, former de facto leader of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), Mohammad Kawtharani has been the subject of particular attention. And for a good reason. It is this rather puny man who has been temporarily assigned to take on duties in Iraq that were once the responsibility of Soleimani, the former Iranian number two. This promotion is not by chance. A member of Hezbollahs first militant generation, Kawtharani has been for many years in charge of Iraqi affairs within the party. Acting as a link between Beirut and Baghdad and holding dual nationality, he has forged strong ties with successive Iraqi heads of government.

He was sent to Baghdad in 2018 as a mediator to meet with paramilitary leaders, support them in their efforts to form a new government and prevent the dissolution of the Fateh Alliance, the political arm of the pro-Tehran factions. During the same year, he again pressured the government of Adil Abdul-Mahdi so that the appointed ministers be to the liking of Iran and Syria. In the eyes of Iraqi protesters, he is one of the masterminds of the crackdown on the popular uprising that began in October 2019. However, despite his experience, this sudden shift from shadow to light reveals the state of panic in which the Islamic Republic finds itself in the face of the void left by its iconic military commander. It also reveals Hezbollahs place, at least for some time, in Irans post-Soleimani strategy. For the Islamic Republic, the elimination of its strongman could not have come at a worse time. The country is under pressure from all sides, finds itself in the crosshairs of the Iraqi protest movement, indirectly blamed by the Lebanese uprising and out of breath in Syria. Tehran had to react quickly when its providential man died. Its presence in the region is not just a matter of security. Its commitment is ideological; it is almost an existential issue. The axis of resistance depends on it. The new commander-in-chief of the Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, does not have yet the makings of his predecessor, even less concerning the Arab world, which he knows little and does not speak its language, and where he has not yet built strong relations.Of course, he is not lacking strength and has already proven himself as deputy commander. He established important networks in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and continued to develop them thereafter. But this is little  too little  to carry the torch. With Soleimanis disappearance, Iran lost the countrys second most powerful man after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the most skillful and toughest adversary of the United States, the one who maintained control over Syrian and Iraqi territories with an iron fist and almost transformed them into new Iranian provinces. Above all, Soleimani has instilled a sense of trust and loyalty among Irans proxies, said Afshon Ostovar, assistant professor of national security affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School. Soleimani, nicknamed "the ghost", was practically the architect of the consolidation of the axis of resistance that must link Tehran to the Mediterranean. He was a national hero and at his funeral, Khamenei could not hold back his tears. With a sharp mind and a keen sense of strategy, he combined his gift of ubiquity with certain predispositions for directing the stage.

Following his death, a question arises: Who will take over his responsibilities? The assassination of Soleimani caused an earthquake throughout Irans hierarchical structure, said Mohanad Hage Ali, a Hezbollah expert and researcher at the Carnegie Middle East Center. Overnight, a stunned Tehran saw its area of influence without the most evocative symbol of its all power. But faced with this new reality, what can be done other than accepting and adapting. Not one person can replace Soleimani. Full stop. But could many? Esmail Qaani may not be able to perform all the duties, but he is supported by a committee of high-ranking members of the Quds Force whose experience is well established. Moreover, he will be able to count on the significant changes that his predecessor initiated within the elite unit. These changes were inspired by the regional situation rather than by the Soleimani's personality and are to survive him by their majority.

This is the case with the gradual transition from a deployment of militia groups according to their nationalities to a multinational Shiite army," said Ali Alfoneh, an Iran expert at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW). The supreme leader himself goes so far as to refer to fighters without borders. Esmail Qaani will certainly not establish in the short term the same level of confidence as Soleimani did. But, Irans relations with its proxies are built on money and support, more than trust. As long as both continue to flow, the links will remain strong, Ostovar said.

We focused on the man and forgot the organization

Soleimanis death was an undeniable loss for the Islamic Republic, but it made us sometimes forget that supermani  a nickname given to him by a Lebanese satirist  was part of a system from which he emerged. This applies to certain practices that were intrinsically associated with him, including his command style or his constant way of showing off at the front.

It is not something that is specific to him. This is consistent with an organizational culture adopted by all commanders within the IRGC, said Abdolrasool Divsallar, a researcher with the Middle East Direction Program at the European University Institute and an assistant professor at the Milan-based Catholic University of the Sacred Heart. The focus on Soleimani has overshadowed the power of a hybrid structure, characterized by a fuzzy but perfectly controlled operation.We focused on the man and forgot the organization. That is why it is said today that Soleimanis duties have been divided among several officers. In fact, this has always been the case, Alfoneh said.

The new number two in the Quds Force, Mohammad Hossein-Zadeh Hejazi, may play a leading role in this regard. Hejazi, a former commander of the Basij militia within the IRGC  a paramilitary organization much praised by Soleimani to belittle the Syrian army  moved to Lebanon in 2014 to serve as commander of the force of Irans elite unit in the country. He is said to have worked hard at strengthening Hezbollahs militant power, notably through an ambitious project to obtain precision missiles.

In addition to his regional expertise, the man can boast great versatility and sociability. Hejazi is an extrovert. He is better in dealing with people. Qaani, on the other hand, is rather an introvert, Alfoneh said. His appointment shows one thing: with or without Soleimani, Iran's policy in the Middle East remains the same. The assassination of Soleimani did not change Irans regional foreign policy. His goals, aspirations and general behavior will continue with the same vigor, Ostovar said.

Above all, Tehran can count on its most exemplary ally  almost a model for the other proxies  Hezbollah. Benefiting from the aura of his leader, Hassan Nasrallah, Kawtharani becomes the face of Iran in Iraq. The territory is familiar. The Lebanese group has even invested in it economically. Its presence is considerable in Iraq, through the large number of Lebanese companies and enterprises in the country, said Ihsan al-Shammari, director of the Iraqi Center for Political Thought.

From Beirut to Qom

Hezbollah, which has been present in Iraq for a long time, is swapping its role in supporting Irans strategy for a pivotal role. The first signs of this development came in the wake of Soleimanis funeral, with the words of Naim Qassem, the partys deputy secretary general, that the assassination would give Hezbollah new responsibilities in the region. Following this declaration, Hezbollah became more involved in Iraq, Hage Ali said. Several meetings took place during the post January 3 tumult. Senior leaders and officials of pro-Iranian groups in Iraq met on January 9 in Beirut. Among them were representatives of the armed factions League of the Righteous, Hezbollah Brigades, Imam Soldiers Battalions, Sayyid of Martyrs Battalions and Imam Ali Battalions. There was a meeting in Beirut, that is true. A lot of Iraqi officials came here, some met with Kawtharani and others met with Nasrallah, said Mohammad Afif Naboulsi, the partys spokesman. But this was not directly related to Soleimanis assassination, he added firmly.

Acting sometimes as impresario, at other times as prescriber, the Party of God had to unite the pro-Iranian militias, beset by many divisions that the death of al-Muhandis has only exacerbated. From Baghdad to Beirut, there is one course of action that must be established: to present a homogeneous Shiite front to force the U.S. to withdraw its troops from the entire region. Kawtharani seems to be acting above all as an executor and communication channel.

His role is political and relational. He has no militant role, said Hisham al-Hashimi, an expert on security issues in Iraq. Compared to Soleimani, he has neither stature nor influence. And the chiefs seat is already taken. Hassan Nasrallah has the first and last word, Naboulsi said. "When Mustafa al-Khadhimi (Iraqi prime minister) or Muqtada al-Sadr (Iraqi Shiite cleric) come to Beirut, it is Nasrallah who sits down with them. Someone like Kawtharani rather deals with routine meetings, Hage Ali said.

The various post-Soleimani meetings also serve another objective: to push Moqtada al-Sadr, the troublemaker of the Iraqi political scene, on Tehrans side once and for all. After their meeting in Lebanon with Hezbollahs number one, the Iraqi militia leaders went to Qom on January 13 where they held talks with al-Sadr. The following day, the populist leader called on Iraqis to rally in numbers against the U.S. presence in the country.

Because of his ability to mobilize crowds, al-Sadr is often compared to Nasrallah, despite that he is not a talented orator and has a checkered history with Iran. But depending on the circumstances, he is of lesser harm to Tehran. He can count on his performance, which is far more significant than that of more conventional Iraqi leaders, who are unable to respond effectively to the challenges that have arisen since the beginning of the year, notably with regard to the appointment of a new prime minister.

We will be where we need to be

Hezbollah's expansion beyond Lebanon to embrace Iranian affairs in Iraq is not surprising. It is, in short, only the climax of its rise in power in the region since its active intervention in Syria in support of the Assad regime. This is the most successful model that Iran can now duplicate. I think there will be now more freedom in the management of operations for local actors like Hezbollah, Divsallar said.

When Nasrallah officially acknowledged the engagement of his men in Syria in a 2013 speech, he harangued the crowd with a solemn we will be where we need to be. The phrase became a motto, displayed everywhere, in banners, on the signs, even in songs. It is in Syria that the pro-Iran Lebanese-Iraqi alliance has so far grown the most. In addition to the Iraqi scene and the fight against the Islamic State (IS), there is also the Syrian scene, which is at the heart of cooperation between the Lebanese Shiite party and the Iraqi Shiite groups, al-Shammari said.

Tehran has extremely strong ties with the Lebanese faction. For many years, Soleimani was the needed link between the supreme leader and Nasrallah. According to his own claim, Soleimani spent most of the 34 days of the 2006 war in Lebanon, while Israeli bombs rained down on part of the country. For many Lebanese, the late Iranian strongman is a true icon of the resistance, to the point that a giant statue was dedicated to him, after his death, in the village of Maroun el-Ras in southern Lebanon.

Nasrallah has repeatedly praised his Iranian tutor, referring to the psychological, spiritual and intellectual harmony that united them. General Qasem Soleimani was a close friend of Imad Mughniyeh (Hezbollahs militant leader killed in 2008 in Damascus) whom he held in high esteem. However, the same does not seem to be the case for Nasrallah. Soleimani reproached him for having provoked the 2006 war without Tehrans prior permission, Alfoneh said.

After Soleimani, the Hezbollah leader is the most popular man within Iran's regional network. He is seen as the spearhead of the resistance against Israel; the one who, at the dawn of the new millennium, liberated southern Lebanon and, in 2006, gave the Israelis a hard time. He is the only one who can assert an almost indisputable authority. There is a kind of imperial reasoning among the Iranians, which sometimes translates into the designation of one of the men in the region whom they really treat as one of their own.

"Nasrallah is one of them, Hage Ali said. But if Hezbollah is now one of the trump cards, it cannot alone respond to Irans hegemonic impulses, especially since the Party of God also faces its own challenges domestically. Hezbollah is not intended to replace Qasem Soleimani, Naboulsi said. In Iraq, Hezbollah enjoys a certain prestige among the pro-Tehran militias, but this relationship is not, strictly speaking, hierarchical. There is a difference between Hezbollah, perceived as a faithful friend that actively supports them, and the guardians of the revolution, who are considered to be the bosses, al-Hashimi said.

Unlike Soleimani, who managed to forge deep, complex and partly fear-based ties with Iraqs two main Kurdish parties, the Lebanese movement has influence only on the factions affiliated with Tehran. The weight of Hezbollah must be nuanced in general. Its sphere of influence is limited to pro-Iranian Shiite parties, al-Shammari said.

Decentralization

Rather than filling the absence of a man with easily identifiable personalities, Tehran might favor a return to its roots; to the culture of secrecy that has long characterized the functioning of the Quds Force before Soleimani took it over. Under the aegis of the latter, an elite unit with a rather clandestine operation has become a formidable force of popular mobilization. Without Soleimani, the spectacular character that had been pegged to it is bound to dissipate. The Iranians are going to move towards a more decentralized regional command style. They will not have a big head like Soleimani who can be easily identified and eliminated, Divsallar said, referring to a method that has been widely tested in the past. During the deadly conflict between Iran and Iraq between 1980 and 1988, the Pasdaran paramilitary organization had acquired its leadership style and an ability to fight in asymmetrical contexts, notably by delegating decision-making to small groups operating partially independently against much larger forces.

There is no shortage of less personalized command style. The Quds Force can thus conduct its operations in a more discreet, secure and harmonious manner with other institutions, including the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). Soleimani had indeed attracted a great deal of criticism within MOIS. Leaks of documents generated by MOIS officers stationed in Iraq between 2013 and 2015, in the midst of the war against IS, attest to this. They expressed concern about the brutal tactics of the commander and his militias, and accused Soleimani of alienating Sunni Arab communities, thereby creating the ideal conditions for a new US presence. These accusations remained unanswered.

In the Iranian Empire, the limits of Soleimanis reign were overshadowed by the characters brilliance in the eyes of the supreme leader, combined with his aura with some of his subjects. His death highlights this, ushering in a new chapter, but at the heart of the same book. Soleimani was able to demonstrate a quasi-imperial conquering zeal in his regional commitments, to the point of being confused with the Iranian civilizing mission of exporting the revolution. From this point of view, his legacy  as heir to the Iran-Iraq war  will survive him. It is a question for the Islamic Republic to adapt itself to his absence and make readjustments without compromising on the basics. As for the Quds Force, it is its raison detre that is at stake.





(This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour on the 4rth of June)


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The report also covers detailed competitive landscape including company profiles of key players operating in the global market. The key players in the high-performance fluoropolymers market includes 3M, Daikin Industries Ltd., DuPont, Gujarat Fluorochemicals ltd., Hubei Everflon Polymer Co. Ltd., Shamrock Technologies, Shanghai 3F New Materials Company Ltd., Solvay, and The Chemours Company. An in-depth view of the competitive outlook includes future capacities, key mergers & acquisitions, financial overview, partnerships, collaborations, new product launches, new product developments and other developments with information in terms of H.Q.

Furthermore, the report comprises of the geographical segmentation which mainly focuses on current and forecast demand for high-performance fluoropolymers in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The report further focuses on demand for individual application segments in all the regions.

Browse Full Global High-Performance Fluoropolymers Market Research Report With TOC At: https://www.valuemarketresearch.com/report/high-performance-fluoropolymers-market

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Some complaints have recently surfaced about the difficulty to find some medications, including vitamins C, D, and zinc, in pharmacies

The Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) said on Thursday there is no protective protocol for coronavirus, adding that overdosing on medications and vitamins without prescriptions has grave side effects.

"There are currently no medications that have proven efficient for the prevention against or treatment of coronavirus and the authority does not recommend self-medication with any drugs, including antibiotics, whether to protect against or treat Covid-19," the EDA stressed in a statement on Thursday.

The EDA's call came one day after Egypt's health minister Hala Zayed appealed to all nationals to not stockpile medicines, especially immunity drugs, to guarantee they are available for all patients. Zayed also urged pharmaceutical companies' representatives to multiply production, particularly of immunity drugs, to meet citizens' needs.

Some complaints have recently surfaced about the difficulty to find some medications, including vitamins C, D, and zinc in pharmacies, after some social media users -- including doctors and pharmacists -- highlighted their significance as assistant factors to help the immune system fight coronvirus.

The drug authority reiterated the health ministrys appeal to not hoard immunity medicines, nutritional supplements and vitamins, particularly those included in the Egyptian treatment protocol for the fast-growing disease.

"This may cause a shortage in these drugs and inflict harm on patients," the drug authority warned.

The authority appealed to physicians and pharmacists to not publicise any recommendations or prescriptions on the respiratory illness via social media, warning them against causing complications and side effects for citizens.

The EDA's red-flag is not the first of its kind as the Egyptian medical syndicate in March called on its members to not prescribe any drugs for any patient through social media without conducting the medical examination.

Posting treatment for COVID-19 patients on social media could lead to undesirable consequences and cause shortage of some important drugs for other diseases as well, the syndicate emphasised.

The drug authority said that getting too much vitamin D could lead to general weakness, kidney problems, vomiting and nausea, in addition to causing arrhythmia when taken with the Digoxin drug.

According to the EDA, having excessive amounts of zinc in the body could lead to influenza-like symptoms, changes in normal smell and taste sense, vomiting and nausea, in addition to lowering blood sugar levels.

The same happens when it comes to overdosing on vitamin C, the EDA said, adding that it causes headaches, insomnia, diarrhea, and other symptoms.

It also has a negative effect on children's health during pregnancy and lactation, and could increase the risk of death from heart diseases for diabetics.

Egypt's COVID-19 treatment protocol for mild patients includes vitamin c and zinc along with other drugs and antibiotics, according to a document published by the health ministry earlier this week.

The government launched an app, Sehet Masr (Health of Egypt"), through which the health ministry has urged Egyptians to increase the amount of vegetables and fruits containing vitamin C and A to ameliorate the immune system.

Egypt has recorded a total of 28,615 coronavirus infections and 1,088 deaths until Wednesday.

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External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Friday held a virtual meeting with Denis Moncada Colindres, Foreign Minister of Nicaragua wherein the two leaders reviewed cooperation between the two countries. Thanking Colindres's Ministerial colleagues dealing with Health, Energy, and Investment for joining the meeting, Jaishankar said that India is looking forward to more partnerships with these domains. 'Will continue to work closely in global forums,' he added.

READ | Jaishankar discusses COVID & economic recovery with Antigua counterpart, assures support

Reviewed #IndiaNicaragua cooperation in a virtual meeting with FM @DenisCanciller. Thank his Ministerial colleagues dealing with Health, Energy & Investment for joining in. Look forward to more partnerships in those domains. Will continue to work closely in global forums.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 5, 2020

READ | India's election for UNSC non-permanent seat on June 17; EAM Jaishankar releases brochure

EAM holds a telephonic conversation with FM E.P. Chet Greene

EAM Jaishankar further informed that he discussed cooperation between two countries, in the field of education, health and training during a conversation with FM E.P. Chet Greene of Antigua And Barbuda. He further said that the two countries will work together for economic recovery incurred due to the Coronavirus challenge.

"Appreciated the talk this evening with FM E.P. Chet Greene of #AntiguaAndBarbuda. Discussed our cooperation in education, health and training. Have repurposed India-UNDP resources to meet the #COVID challenge. Will work together for economic recovery," said EAM in a tweet.

READ | Jaishankar discusses post-COVID-19 economic recovery with EU foreign policy chief

The Minister also expressed his gratitude to Jerome Xavier Walcott, Barbados for taking care of stranded Indians, including cruise liner staff. Taking to Twitter he said: "Thanked FM Jerome Xavier Walcott Barbados for taking care of stranded Indians, including cruise liner staff. Discussed the need to support small vulnerable economies in face of #COVID challenge. Appreciated his warm words for India's pharmaceutical industry," said EAM.

Thanked FM Jerome Xavier Walcott Barbados for taking care of stranded Indians, including cruise liner staff. Discussed the need to support small vulnerable economies in face of #COVID challenge. Appreciated his warm words for India's pharmaceutical industry.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 5, 2020

READ | Surat returnee dies in home quarantine in Odisha

(With inputs from agency)
Senators Jeff Merkley (L)(D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

The National Police Misconduct Database and Transparency in Hiring Act would create a public, searchable repository of police misconduct.

The bill was announced Friday by US Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, and enjoys the support of Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

Last year, an investigation by USA Today uncovered no fewer than 32 people "who became police chiefs or sheriffs despite a finding of serious misconduct, usually at another department."

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

If a police officer behaves badly in one place, new legislation would let police departments elsewhere  and the US public  know all about it.

"We can't legislate away racism or wave a wand to change culture," US Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, said Friday, "but we can make sure that there are mechanisms in place to hold people accountable for wrongdoing."

The National Police Misconduct Database and Transparency in Hiring Act, introduced by Merkley with support from Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, calls for creating a publicly searchable repository of law enforcement officers who engaged in misconduct. That includes the inappropriate use of force or discrimination.

Human Rights Watch called for such a database more than two decades ago, arguing that a misconduct tracking system would help "prevent officers who have committed abuses and have been dismissed from one department from being hired as law enforcement officers elsewhere."

As Warren argued, "This national database of police misconduct should already exist."

The problem is not theoretical.

As USA Today reported last year, police who are disgraced in one jurisdiction may not just end up as regular beat cops elsewhere. The news organization  without the help of a national database  uncovered 32 people "who became police chiefs or sheriffs despite a finding of serious misconduct, usually at another department." Some had records of domestic violence, for example, while others improperly withheld evidence.

Story continues

A searchable database would allow members of the public to verify for themselves whether a local police officer meets their community's standards. It could be, according to Merkley, "a critical tool for accountability  one of many reforms we need to honor the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others who should be with us today."

Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Natural News) Being a liberal in America means you can hold two opposing ideas or stances in your head at the same time while believing both are true. You believe you are fighting racism while standing face to face with a black cop while flipping him the bird. You can believe that everyone should be on lockdown due to Covid-19 so Trumps economy will get crushed, and then believe you should also go to a Metropolitan city and protest in huge crowds that all blacks deserve reparations for slavery.

You can also protest racism in America and the ill-treatment of blacks, while you spray paint and deface the memorial statue of Abraham Lincoln  the very man who freed the black slaves. Maybe its time to lock up all the rioters and prevent them from voting in November, since they cant make any sense of their thoughts anymore. Its time to tag em and ban em all from participating in the very system they seek to destroy.

Democrat Governors keep small businesses shut down, threaten to arrest anyone who opens their business, while praising Democrats for protesting in crowded streets and destroying property

All small businesses in blue states must stay shuttered, while BLM and the terrorist organization Antifa hit the streets protesting, along with Democrat politicians cheering them on and joining in. Thats the hypocritical Left for you in America. None of it makes sense and they dont care, because the whole liberal platform is rooting for a communist takeover of America where everyone gets free money for nothing while losing all their Constitutional rights and privacy.

Thats right. According to the Left, you should throw bricks at black police officers while standing shoulder to shoulder with your fellow domestic terrorists, screaming that America is unjust and that all cops are racist bastards. Remember, dont leave your house because we are in the middle of a horrific pandemic, unless you are trying to remove Trump from office, then you are completely immune to all germs, bacteria and viruses. Dont worry about getting thrown in jail where you could easily be raped and/or contract Covid-19, because Soros and Obama will bail you out instantly and the Leftist-appointed judges will throw out your case. Sounds perfectly logical, right?

We must all have the right to vote from home to stay safe from coronavirus, but definitely go fight the war on racism by protesting in huge violent crowds while burning down and looting a city you dont even live in. Fight violence! Punch those violent cops (black, white and brown) and throw Molotov cocktails at them while declaring that you hate violence and racism in America. That, my friends, is liberal logic 101.

Deputy Chair of Democratic National Committee promotes terrorist Antifas burning churches, killing innocent cops, and destroying property, by posing with Antifa propaganda book

Yes, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn) promotes violence to fight violence. Another massively hypocritical liberal moron who says he finds the Antifa book good for striking fear in the heart of Donald Trump. Surely, the President, who is in charge of Americas military forces, is trembling in his boots because some low-grade thugs are swinging sticks in the streets in their black hoodies and waving their fascist anti-fascist flags.

Oh wait, you cant access that tweet? Dont wonder why. All of social media is run by the fascist Tech Giants who also seek the destruction of America. Go figure.

Yes, the book on how to burn down America and kill people for being racist is promoted on Amazon and by leading Democrats as a smart and gripping investigation of anti-fascism, even though seething fascism is the central platform and ideology of the organization. Antifas main goal is to incite violence at peaceful protests so America seems to be under siege and consumed by race wars. Its all just smoke and mirrors staged, funded, and presented by George Nazi Soros, mainstream media and all of social media.

Some of the protesters are so dumb, theyre literally stealing Apple i-phones that have trackers, ensuring theyll be found later and arrested.

No matter what the liberal morons are preaching, get out and vote them all out of office in November, and keep Trump safe so he can protect the Constitution for 4 more years. Tune your internet dial to ProTrumpNews.com for updates on Antifa terrorists going to jail for their crimes.

Sources for this article include:

Breitbart.com

TheSun.co.uk

TheGatewayPundit.com

FoxNews.com

ProTrumpNews.com

NaturalNews.com
This last experience taught me that because of my race, the people and places I get to know may not return to me the same courtesy. I am black, and my ability to be seen for the whole of who I am comes with a contingency. To some, I will always be different. I will always be other. I will always stand out. At its best, this contingency is inconvenient; at its worst, it is deadly.
China's central bank introduced two new monetary policy instruments this month to directly channel funds into the real economy, another sign that the country's monetary policy will not slide into quantitative easing.

The People's Bank of China (PBOC) said that, starting this week, it would use 400-billion-yuan (about $56.37 billion) of a special re-lending quota to purchase 40% of inclusive loans to small and micro businesses, issued by local banks from March 1 to Dec. 31.

Another policy instrument that the PBOC introduced allows small and micro businesses to apply for deferring their inclusive loan repayments, maturing by end-2020 to March 31, 2021, with penalty payment exempted.

Both policy instruments are aimed at helping small and micro enterprises maintain cash flow, gain easier access to loans, and lower the financing cost, the central bank said. It added that these tools are more market-oriented, inclusive and direct, compared to previous policies.

The PBOC's move came just days after Chinese Premier Li Keqiang emphasized that China's measures of a sizable scale are designed to provide vital relief to businesses and to revitalize the market.

China's previous measures to recover the economy in the face of challenges brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic were seen by some as below expectations.

In response to such viewpoints, Li told a press conference after the conclusion of the annual national legislative session, that the government will not flush China's economy with liquidity.

China will ensure that measures taken are well-focused and effective, and the prescription is precise, said Li.

The central bank's innovative monetary tools are an example of how China is striving to make small and micro businesses -- an important part of the real economy -- truly benefit from government policies, according to market analysis.

Direct purchase of inclusive loans will lower the debt costs of banks and help with replenishing liquidity, said Li Qilin, chief economist of Yuekai Securities, adding that small firms can then get more credit support.

According to the PBOC, the 400-billion-yuan funds will be offered to local banks via an intermediary special-purpose vehicle, which won't charge interest for banks, making it effectively interest-free.

Local banks will be encouraged to issue new inclusive small and micro credit loans of nearly 1 trillion yuan, compared to over 300 billion yuan issued last year, the central bank estimated.

By offering local banks incentives equal to 1% of the principal to be extended, the central bank said it expected to provide a total of 40 billion yuan, at most, to support about 3.7 trillion yuan in extended loans.

Other enterprises with special difficulties, such as foreign trade companies, could discuss possible loan extension timelines with their banks, the PBOC has said.

Pan Gongsheng, vice governor of the PBOC, said the two new instruments are short-term policies created at a special time, and are different from quantitative easing in nature and scale.

Compared with some developed economies, China still has space for normal monetary policy to support the economy, Pan said.
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In Thiruvananthapuram, the first arrest has just been made for the killing of the now-famous pregnant elephant in Kerala using a firecracker-laden pineapple, according to the state's Forest Minister. It is the first of hopefully many arrests in a case that sparked widespread outrage in many countries when it was shared on social media.

One day after Pinarayi Vijayan, the Chief Minister, disclosed that they had identified three of the suspects, and they made the first arrest.

G. Siva Vikram, police chief of the Palakkad district, said that the man they arrested earns a living tapping rubber trees. He also added that they are currently searching for the other remaining suspects.

Surendra Kumar, Chief Wildlife Warden, said that the arrested man was around forty years of age and allegedly handles firecrackers and explosives. His firecracker was the one that killed the animal. The man also assisted others in the widely despised act.

READ THIS: Pregnant Elephant Dies Standing After Being Fed a Pineapple with Fireworks

It was last month when the animal, a pregnant wild elephant, entered a village located near the Palakkad district's Silent Valley National Park situated in Mannarkkad. Reports said that it supposedly tried to consume food allegedly offered to it by the locals, which had been stuffed with firecrackers.

The explosive went off in the animal's mouth, after which it walked around the village. Surprisingly, it did not harm anyone or destroy anything. When the firecracker exploded, it broke the elephant's jaw, so it wasn't able to eat anything as it walked for days in pain and agony before it went to a river. On May 27, while standing in the river and still in pain, it died.

It is a common practice among the villagers of this region to put firecrackers and explosives and stuff them inside food items, such as animal fat and fruit. The rationale for this practice is to ward off wildlife pests from their agricultural fields, such as boars. It is a horrific practice that has earned widespread condemnation.

WOW: Sea Snail Venom and Human Insulin Hybrid, a Potential "Super Insulin"

Social media has been abuzz with the news. Photos were shared, which depicted the poor animal standing in the waters of the river, her trunk and mouth immersed in the water as if trying to get relief from the surely excruciating pain and suffering it was experiencing.

The pregnant elephant is thought to have endured the injury for 20 days, and then finally giving in and dying from its injury, pain, and extreme hunger. The officials surmised that the animal starved because of the poor health condition of its body.

Pinarayi Vijayan promised in several tweets that "justice will prevail". This was his response to the massive tide of grief and anger that swarmed the internet after internet users saw the photo of the poor elephant, showing it dead in the river. The photo emerged from the post of a forest officer just this week.

PRIDE MONTH SPECIAL: Sexual Segregation and Homosexuality in Animal Species

Vijayan said that the investigation by the government would also attempt to address the increasing occurrences of human and wildlife encounters and conflict. He said in a tweet that climate change might be negatively affecting wildlife species as well as local communities.

Such events cause wildlife to wander into human habitats, which often end badly, usually for the poor animals. This could have been the reason why the pregnant animal walked into the village, as it was hungry and was looking for food.

CHECK THIS OUT: Innovative DNA Fingerprinting Uncovers New Revelations Regarding the Dead Sea Scrolls
Capt Amarinder Singh

Chandigarh: A day after he announced an SIT to thoroughly probe the matter, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday further tightened the noose on illicit liquor traders in the state with the constitution of an Excise Reforms Group to break the nexus between producers, wholesalers and retailers.

Capt Amarinder SinghThe 5-member Group has been asked to submit its recommendations on destroying any such nexus within 60 days, thus paving the way for elimination of illicit liquor trade and maximisation of the states Excise Revenue, according to an official spokesperson.

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The Group shall comprise Housing and Urban Development Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria and Public Works Minister Vijay Inder Singla, in addition retired IAS Officer DS Kalha, Advisor Financial Resources VK Garg and Secretary School Education Krishan Kumar.

Working in parallel with the SIT, which has been tasked with investigation into all aspects of the illicit liquor trade in the state, including complicity of Excise Department officials, the Group will identify the gaps leading to revenue losses for the state due to such complicity.

The Chief Minister has mandated the Group to come out with its suggestions on long-term legal and administrative reforms, after due diligence and consultations with the stakeholders.

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Punjab GovernmentIn this process, the Reforms Group may consider the suggestions/reports received earlier from State Finance Minister on his visit to West Bengal and also from the previous Local Government Minister.

The Spokesperson further said that the Department of Excise & Taxation would provide requisite information and other assistance to the Group to facilitate its functioning.

The Chief Minister pointed out out that despite various policy changes and measures by the Department of Excise & Taxation, the inadequate increase in excise revenue as well as illicit liquor trading remained a matter of concern.

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The outcomes of these measures had not been on expected lines, thus necessitating deeper examination of the issues to formulate and implement long-term excise reforms, he added.
Himachal Pradeshs Rs 4,000-crore fruit economy largely depends on sturdy labourers from Nepal. However, this time most labourers will give the apple harvesting season a miss owing the coronavirus pandemic.

Apple growers say their business, which constitutes 89% of the total fruit economy, will suffer as Nepalese labourers, who have been the backbone of Himachals apple industry for around six decades, have not returned to the state after winter owing to the pandemic.

They are also staring at huge losses owing to transport and market issues.

An apple grower, Naresh Sharma of Dhano village in Theog, said, The yield of apple crop is less than normal this season largely due to unfavourable weather. The shortage of labourers has added to our woes.

Normally labourers return to Nepal in November and start returning to Himachal Pradesh in March-April for apple harvesting, which continues till October.

LABOUR CONCERNED ABOUT GOING HUNGRY

Labour contractor Satish Begta says, Besides the threat of Covid-19, fear of being quarantined is discouraging most labourers from return to the state.

Another contractor said the Nepalese workers fear that they may die of hunger if they are not able to earn during quarantine and as such are not keen on returning to work.

The government should build relief camps for the migrant workers with arrangements to provide food and necessary facilities. A portal must be created for the labourers to get themselves registered with the government, he said.

Himachal Pradesh is one of Indias major apple producing regions, with around 90% of the produce going to the domestic market.

Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said the government was in touch with labour contractors to ensure return of the labourers.

Many labourers had returned to Nepal, but some are still here. Labourer from Uttar Pradesh is also coming. We will ensure labour is available during the apple season, he said.

As per the state horticulture department, this season apple production in the state was 25-30% less than last years record harvest of around four crore boxes.

Besides Shimla district, which alone accounts for 80% of the total apple production, most apple cultivation is concentrated in Kullu, Mandi, Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur and Chamba.

Agro commodities trading house Adani Agrifresh has targeted to procure 23,000 tonnes of apples this season.

Besides Adani, other prominent private trading houses like CONCOR, Reliance Fresh, Mother Dairy, Big Basket and Dev Bhoomi are also procuring apples.

DEMAND FOR INDIAN APPLES HIGH

Trade insiders say the apple market scenario this season indicates that imports from China and Washington have gone down and the demand for produce of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, which is of a superior quality, will capture the market in Delhi and Kolkata.

Growers fear the non-arrival of ladanis, the fruit wholesale buyers who come from other states like West Bengal, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, can also upset their applecart.

The lockdown has resulted in piling up of stock and there are close to 200 workers at our three facilities in Rohru, Rampur and Sainj in Shimla district, said an official of Adani Agri Fresh Ltd, which is engaged with around 20,000 apple farmers in the state.

He said several workers, a majority from Nepal, have returned to their hometowns and the company has arranged for workers to stay back comfortably.

According to Economic Survey 2019-20, a total of 6.64 lakh tonnes of apples were marketed in the state till December 2019 against 3.68 lakh tonne in 2018-19.
Although disturbing, the recent statement by Ralph Eichler, provincial minister of economic development and training, that university funding will be used to align programming to labour market demands is not surprising. The first hint of government overreach came when the Progressive Conservatives moved universities out of Education to Eichlers portfolio: under the current government, higher education evidently is subordinated to job training.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Although disturbing, the recent statement by Ralph Eichler, provincial minister of economic development and training, that university funding will be used to "align programming to labour market demands" is not surprising. The first hint of government overreach came when the Progressive Conservatives moved universities out of Education to Eichlers portfolio: under the current government, higher education evidently is subordinated to job training.

Premier Brian Pallister has now created a new Premiers Economic Opportunities Board to execute the new policy. It embraces the job-training perspective of the Horizon 2020 report on post-secondary education. Programs tied directly to work appear more worthy of government support.

But nowhere mentioned by the premier or his minister is the fate of those programs that do not "align" with current government priorities. These programs  especially in the arts, humanities and social sciences  teach essential critical thinking, communication and problem-solving "power skills" that are in such high demand in the workplace. These programs are foundational to any university curriculum. Are they to be left behind, or worse?

Pallister is undermining the university autonomy that is enshrined in the legislation that established our universities. By design, universities across the western world are set up at arms length to avoid such political interference.

University programs are governed by the University Senate, a body composed of students, faculty and administrators. They represent the diverse interests of the university community and are sensitive to current needs and future challenges that students and society face; and they understand local conditions, such as the interests and aptitudes of students.

Historically, institutional autonomy has faced much resistance. For centuries, external doctrines dictated what scholars could study and teach freely. History shows that when states interfere directly with scholarly independence, they do so to their detriment. Soviet agriculture, for example, was crippled for decades after premier Joseph Stalin eliminated classical biology in favour of a new Marxist-Leninist biology. Evidently crops respond less well to the principles of Marx and Lenin than the principles of natural and artificial selection built into conventional agricultural practice.

It is therefore surprising that our premier chooses to replace university autonomy and student choice with a similar model of central command and control for this key area of the economy. This approach has been tried from time to time elsewhere, usually incorporating government quotas, five-year plans, and expanded bureaucracies, with limited success.

Institutional autonomy and academic freedom protect society from the harmful consequences of such political interference. It prevents, for example, Pallister from disbanding departments of economics if pesky economists disagree with current government fiscal policy. Importantly, it similarly prevents future governments from disbanding business programs that promulgate conservative philosophy.

Rather than a central bureaucracy to dictate programs, university autonomy has served students and society well. Graduates earn more and are more likely to be employed. Not surprising, since universities have always considered preparation for work an important function along with the aforementioned "power skill" valued in the workplace. But in a rapidly shifting landscape, job-related skills valuable today can become obsolete tomorrow. What universities do best is develop graduates who know how to teach themselves, how to adapt to changing circumstances, and how to develop new skills as needed.

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As well as preparing students for life and employment, universities create change by allowing independent research and scholarship that benefits our economy and society. Many emerging job markets and technologies began in university research laboratories, including the Internet which is now an essential utility.

Such benefits did not emerge because politicians knew better what universities should do. They happened because universities were largely free of political intrusion into their activities.

Such benefits of university autonomy demonstrate how misguided Pallister was to claim recently that professors display their "ivory-tower attitude" when they resist universities being subservient to economic needs. He claimed, as one example, that we need more nurses and fewer teachers at the moment. But the province already limits nursing spaces at universities. And faculties of education incorporate government priorities and market realities into their strategic plans.

Critically, students and their families consider job opportunities when they choose programs: that creates market demand. And quite properly, when there is market demand for a program, universities respond to it.

Pallisters recent statements show he does not understand what universities do; what the proper relationship between government and university is (arms-length); and why university autonomy is important.

Jim Clark is a past-president of the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations and a current member of council. Scott Forbes is the current president of MOFA.
Merkel allies criticise Trump decision to cut U.S. troops in Germany FILE PHOTO: U.S. Defense Secretary Esper and Joint Chiefs Chair Milley hold news conference at Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia

BERLIN (Reuters) - Senior lawmakers from German Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling conservative bloc on Saturday criticised President Donald Trump's decision to order the U.S. military to remove 9,500 troops from Germany.

The move would reduce U.S. troops numbers in Germany to 25,000, from 34,500.

"The plans once again show that the Trump administration is neglecting an elementary leadership task: the involvement of alliance partners in decision-making processes," Johann Wadephul, foreign policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, told Reuters.

All NATO partners benefited from the cohesion of the alliance, and only Russia and China gain from discord, Wadephul said, adding: "This should be given more attention in Washington".

Wadephul also spoke of a "further wake-up call" to Europeans to position themselves better in terms of security policy.

The German Foreign Ministry declined to comment.

Andreas Nick, like Wadephul a member of the parliamentary foreign relations committee, told Deutsche Welle the indications were that "that the decision was not a technical but a purely politically motivated decision".

A U.S. official, who did not want to be identified, said on Friday the move was the result of months of work by the top U.S. military officer, General Mark Milley, and had nothing to do with tensions between Trump and Merkel, who thwarted Trump's plan to host a G7 meeting this month.

The withdrawal, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, is the latest twist in relations between Berlin and Washington, which have often been strained during Trump's presidency. Trump has pressed Germany to raise defence spending and accused Berlin of being a "captive" of Russia due to its energy reliance.

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by James Drummond)
Thousands of workers face being left without childcare after the Government fast-tracked the reopening of the economy.

Retail staff will return to work in bigger numbers from June 15 as shopping centres open their doors and the exit from the Covid-19 crisis is accelerated.

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But the first creches and childminders will not be back in business until June 29.

Tourism and hospitality staff and workers at bars that serve food will return to work on that date - but 'essential' workers will get first call on places.

Restrictions on the over-70s mean minding grandchildren is no longer a feasible childcare option under public health guidelines.

General secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Patricia King said some workers will face major difficulties because of a gap between the date they return to work and availability of childcare.

"There is a gap, there's no doubt about that, and there isn't an easy answer as to how it's going to be addressed," she said. "Creches will return on June 29, and you also have primary school children out and some secondary school children who require care," she said. "There is also the non-availability of extended family because of restrictions."

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs was unable to say how many places will be available for children when the childcare sector reopens.

It is trying to gauge potential capacity by doing a phone survey of providers.

When asked when this will be available, a spokesperson said data collection is likely to continue into next week before the data is analysed.

It is also unclear if a wage subsidy scheme for the sector will be extended along with a scheme for other businesses.

Siptu has called for the extension of the scheme in a submission to the department.

"The reopening of the early learning and care sector will raise serious financial issues for services," said the union's head of organising and campaigns, Darragh O'Connor.

"The expected reduction in demand, together with staffing requirements, will make the traditional financial model unviable for services. Without State support, services will have to increase fees; this cannot be allowed to happen."

There are 4,500 early years and school-age childcare services. Fewer than 2,000 of these normally remain open in July and August.

The economy will be fully reopened by July 20 under the new plan. Childcare facilities are due to reopen for all workers from that date. However, it is unlikely to be a full service. The department said it would be done on a "gradually increasing phased basis", and "slowly increasing thereafter".

Meanwhile, remote working is to continue for staff who can currently do so. Those with children are likely to mind them at home unless they can access childcare from June 29.

Before restrictions, 56pc of parents cared for their children at home, 27pc availed of centre-based childcare, 18pc had the support of grandparents and 15pc used childminders, according to department research.

Since restrictions, 97pc of parents said they cared for their children at home. Just 13pc said they intended to return their children to centre-based care when restrictions are lifted. However, the survey was conducted before reopening was fast-tracked.
The current planning impasse impacting the construction of one-off rural houses in Leitrim, must be a priority for the new Government or it may never be addressed.

Cllr Mary Bohan highlighted the issue at the recent special online meeting on May 25 noting "I am very worried as the Green Party might be in government and they are totally opposed to one-off rural houses."

Cllr Felim Gurn, Cllr Sean McGowan and Cllr Enda Stenson, all spoke of the frustration that families feel when they cannot get planning to build on their own land.

Cllr Des Guckian said normality has to be brought to planning in Leitrim and the issues surrounding the testing of sites intending to use septic tanks has to change if we want to keep more of our native population here.

The unique situation facing Leitrim was flagged by Cllr Frank Dolan who said that despite the fact that other areas aren't similarly impacted, something still must be done to address the planning problems in Leitrim.

Cllr Sean McDermott pointed out that the enforcement of the EPA Waste Water Directive for One Off Rural Houses in 2010 had left Leitrim people with no plan B in securing planning for rural houses.

This cannot continue. The next Government has to make this a priority, we're not talking about flooding the countryside, but we need to keep the core population in our rural areas, he said.

Our politicians have to do something whether it is to revisit the laws or to help finance the construction of homes in rural areas.

All councillors unanimously agreed that this issue has to be a top priority going forward and calls were made urging Oireachtas members to show cross-party support for all measures introduced to try and address this impasse.

With 87% of soils in the county unable to comply with the current T values in the soakage tests for one off rural houses, Chief Executive of Leitrim County Council, Lar Power also stressed the importance of finding an alternative solution.

"We'd like to see things reactivated around the zero discharge and minor discharge from the willow systems we are considering, he said, but he pointed out that this issue needs to be a priority for the incoming Government if a solution is to become a reality.

Deputy Marian Harkin agreed there are specific issues around planning in Leitrim "which are not as critical in other counties.

She paid tribute to the work led by Deputy Martin Kenny in recent years in a bid to find a solution to this issue adding that the Bill he brought before the Dail last year "needs to be looked at again".

Deputy Marc MacSharry said he had supported Deputy Kenny's original Bill and said whether it be by such legislation or legislation from others, this must be dealt with.

Fine Gael Deputy, Frank Feighan said that the Department of Environment is very much against the construction of one off rural houses.

"We went to Brussels 10 years ago and spoke to the EU about this and we came up with some workable solutions. Yet here we are 10 years later and it is very frustrating that there is still no solution to this," he said.

Call for grant for older houses

Cllr Paddy O'Rourke said he had put forward no less than two motions calling for a workable grant to encourage the refitting and reuse of old houses in rural areas. While he acknowledged this wouldn't address the planning issue for new builds, he said it could at least provide an alternative.

Whoever is in government next, this needs to be on the agenda, said Cllr O'Rourke.

Cllr Mary Bohan also highlighted this idea noting in Leitrim there is a very high number of old unoccupied houses which could be updated and used if a grant is provided under the new Government. This idea also received support from Cllr Justin Warnock and Cllr Padraig Fallon.

However Cllr Enda McGloin said that such tax incentive schemes for property in the past have had mixed results but he said that a dedicated incentive scheme for derelict buildings might be helpful.

Deputy Martin Kenny said that there is certainly an opportunity for a reconstruction grant for older houses and said that this is an avenue which can be explored.

However, he added that places like Leitrim are not offered this sort of grant "in exchange for something being done about the planning for one off rural housing".

Independent Deputy, Marian Harkin, suggested that perhaps the idea of reconstructing older houses be looked at in the context of carrying out upgrades for energy efficiency to add weight to the argument.
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Initial signs of economic recovery and revival View(s):

The Sri Lankan economy cannot recover until the global pandemic is contained and international trade recovers. Even achieving last years low level of output and growth is not possible without the resuscitation of international trade.

Signs of recovery

Nevertheless there are signs of economic recovery. Economic enterprises that are reviving would hopefully gain momentum and other economic activities too would commence production.

Least affected

It is also important that economic activities that were least affected by the corona virus shutdown perform to their full potential and contribute to increasing output, employment and incomes.

On the other hand, several key economic activities cannot be expected to revive even later this year. These include tourism and economic enterprises linked to tourism, construction and several export manufactures that face a depressed international demand.

Recovering manufactures

Over 200 enterprises in the Free Trade Zones (FTZs), employing over 30,000 workers, are reported to be currently in operation. These FTZ enterprises are in

Katunayake, Biyagama, Kandy, Seethawaka, Koggala, Horana and other FTZs. They are not operating at full capacity but expect to increase their production as the curfew restrictions are gradually lifted. However, their scale of operations could continue to be limited by international demand and disruption of supply chains.

Optimistic

Several manufacturing industries are optimistic about their revival owing to a growth in international demand for their products or new items to which they can shift their production.

Apparel exports

Sri Lankas apparel export industry has new international orders. It also expects to gain by international purchasers shifting from buying Chinese garments. Furthermore, the apparel industry has also diversified into manufacturing protective masks and hygienic items whose demand has increased.

Rubber manufactures

Rubber manufactures are recovering by responding to changes in international demand. While Sri Lankas tyre manufacturing has had a setback due to a decline in demand for solid tyres for airplanes, there is a continuing demand for other types of solid tyres, such as for agricultural machinery. More significant is the massive demand for surgical and other rubber gloves.

Manufacture and export of these rubber products would make a significant contribution to export earnings. However, the low output of natural rubber could limit their production and export gains.

Sea food

Sri Lankas sea food exporters are expecting an unprecedented global demand owing many countries shifting from meat consumption to sea foods after COVID 19. As there is a shift in consumption from meats to fish in western markets, there is strong demand and higher prices for Sri Lankas seafood exports.

The traditional markets for sea food have been European countries, US and Japan. With the corona virus and the shift from meats to fish, the demand has shifted to frozen fish. The increased demand for sea food is from Europe, Japan. Middle East, China, US and even from badly infected Italy.

The constraints faced by the industry are limited air cargo facilities and high air freight rates as airlines are grounded worldwide. Air freight has increased three fold. Exporters have also faced payment difficulties.

New opportunities

Although deep sea fishing was not too badly affected by the shutdown, the sea food industry operated at less than a third of its production last year.This resurgence in the sea food exporting industry due to increased international demand is a new opportunity that must be seized. It is vital that these exports are not adversely affected by an European Union (EU) ban, as happened prior to 2015.

Tea

Tea exports have not been faring too well in recent years. Despite interruptions to tea sales and exports, there is currently a good demand for tea. Tea prices increased recently while tea export volumes too increased. This is in spite of an expectation of lower demand from Middle Eastern countries owing to the pandemic dislocation of trade and lower incomes in these countries owing to depressed incomes due to lower oil prices. It is important to ensure higher tea production to gain from this buoyant tea market.

Rice

Agriculture was the least affected by the economic disruption. The expectation was that food crops, especially paddy production, would be high. The Maha 2019-20 crop was a good one that ensured adequate rice till next year. The Yala 2020 harvest that was expected to dip somewhat owing to lesser rainfall, now appears would decrease even further as there is a fertilizer shortage.

Fertiliser shortage

It is vital that this fertilizer shortage is resolved and that farmers have adequate fertilizer in time. During the Presidential election campaign the two main parties promised free fertiliser. As it turned out, farmers are having difficulties in procuring fertiliser even at a price.

This problem needs to be resolved before the commencement of the next Maha cultivation in September/ October this year to ensure a good paddy harvest next year.

Tourism

Tourism that contributes about 10 percent to GDP is the worst affected economic enterprise. In 2018 tourism brought in US$ 4.4 billion. The Easter Sunday bombings setback tourism and in 2019 tourist earnings fell to US$ 3.5 billion. It is unlikely that tourism would bounce back.

Earnings from tourism woul fall precipitously. The significance of tourism for the economy does not lie only in the foreign exchange earnings. The setback to tourism and related activities has caused severe unemployment, loss of incomes and poverty. Unlike the 2019 setback that faded away after about 6 months, the global corona virus pandemic has put paid to international tourism in the foreseeable future. Furthermore, the prospect of domestic tourism supporting the tourist trade is not feasible till the pandemic is eliminated.

Remittances

In addition to these setbacks, the fall in revenue from remittances is a huge blow to the economy. In 2019 remittances of US$ 6.7 billion offset 80 percent of the years trade deficit of US$ 8 billion. Remittances too are likely to fall sharply.

The impact of this is not only on the balance of payments. It is the deprivation of incomes of a large number of poor households that depend on remittances for their survival. This humanitarian tragedy that has also been brought about by the loss of employment in several sectors of the economy, particularly tourism and related activities, is compounded by the decreased remittances.

Summary

The resumption of international demand and international supply chains is possible only once the pandemic is contained. Even then the international economy is not likely to reach the extents of trade and commerce of the pre-pandemic period owing to trade tensions, depressed demand and new policy outlooks.

The initial signs of Sri Lankas revival of export manufacturing, reorientation of exports to new international demands and enhancement of sea food exports and other exports that were not adversely affected are economic opportunities that must be seized and exploited to the full.

Conclusion

The initial signs of revival of export industries and sea food exports is heartening. However it is prudent to temper any optimism with caution as these gains in exports cannot offset the large losses in tourist earnings and remittances. While the glimmer of hope that some manufacturing industries and exports of sea food and tea may revive, tourism and related activities and the shortfall in remittances are severe loss of incomes of poor households. Behind the economic statistics of the slowdown is a vast humanitarian tragedy of poverty and unemployment.

Hopefully, the worldwide pandemic will be controlled early and the global economy revived to enable the trade tourist and remittance dependent Sri Lankan economy to be revitalized to ensure the growth of employment and incomes of people.
Manyu traditionalists call on separatists to repent or die Facebook

Traditionalists in Manyu Division in Cameroons South West Region have performed dreaded rites to shield the area from the activities of armed rebels seeking to create a state they call Ambazonia.

In a mystical performance at the Mamfe ceremonial ground Thursday, the traditionalists said harm will follow anyone who supports the non-state armed groups in the area even with a glass of water or with information.

The population of Manyu Division are hopeful that the traditional rites at the Mamfe grandstand will cleanse the land of the atrocious activities of separatists who killed the Mayor of Mamfe, Ashu Pristly Ojong.

Former two-term mayor of Mamfe, Ayuk Takunchung John, said the rituals would allow for peace and tranquillity to return to Manyu. He explained that since God has been slow in answering their call, the last resort was to go the ways of their forefathers. Therefore, anyone whether home or abroad, who donates to the separatist fighters, in kind in terms of information and in cash would meet death, a predicament that will run through their maternal lineage.

Anyone who supports Ambazonia fighters or gives them information to come and carry out atrocities, this juju will enter that person and kill them. These rites have been performed in Akwaya, Eyumojock, Upper-Bayang, and now Mamfe Central, the former Mayor said shortly before the traditionalists performed the rites.

Ayuk Takunchung also encouraged those in the bushes to come out from their hiding places and they will be cleansed and reintegrated into society. The ceremony which brought together some chiefs and a few onlookers has turned most people into doubting Thomases as they hope to see the effectiveness of the rituals performed by Monijom,  Mbiam and  Asonka Ijebu.

Manyu became the center of the insurgency from where the separatists launched their first series of attacks on security forces in villages. In December 2017, separatists are known to have killed four gendarmes in Kembong, a village in Manyu Division. Matters have since worsened leading to the deaths of many as well as displacing the local population.
As Texas health officials refuse to say which nursing homes are suffering coronavirus outbreaks, a federal agency released its own data this week that identifies 150 facilities in Texas with COVID-19 cases and 72 nursing homes where residents died.

The preliminary data released by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a federal agency that regulates nursing homes, offers the first nationwide snapshot of how each facility is coping with a disease that is particularly dangerous for elderly residents.

In Texas, more than 1,920 nursing home residents had COVID-19 as of late May, and 321 died from the virus, according to the data. Mountain View Health & Rehabilitation in El Paso had the most confirmed cases in the state with 91 patients  a rate of 700 cases per 1,000 residents, putting it in the top 25 facilities in Texas with the highest rates of infection among residents, according to an analysis by the Houston Chronicle.

Mountain View also had 35 employees who contracted COVID-19, according to the data, but didnt report any staffing shortages. A message left with the nursing home operator wasnt returned Friday.

Nationally, 60,000 nursing home residents had COVID-19, and nearly 26,000 of them died. Facilities with low health and safety rankings by regulators were more likely to have large numbers of coronavirus infections, the federal agency said in a statement.

ENDURING ISOLATION: As coronavirus restrictions lift, what about nursing homes?

The coronavirus data was created under a new federal requirement for nursing homes to report COVID-19 infections, deaths and shortfalls in staffing or protective equipment to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Residents and advocates have repeatedly called for more transparency on how and where COVID-19 was spreading in nursing homes.

Federal officials note there are limitations in the data, which is expected to be updated weekly. Not every nursing home has complied with the new reporting measures. Some reports were incomplete. And the unavailability of coronavirus tests might prevent facilities from providing an accurate count of coronavirus cases, officials noted.

But the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said the data will grow more accurate over time as more nursing home operators learn the reporting requirements, and a spokeswoman said the data will be a valuable tool to the public during an unprecedented crisis.

The importance of ongoing transparency and information sharing has proven to be one of the keys to the battle against this pandemic, the spokeswoman said.

Advocates for nursing home residents said the federal database reveals that far more needs to be done to protect the vulnerable.

These numbers show what we have known for months, that COVID-19 disproportionately impacts the elderly with chronic diseases and the dedicated staff who care for them, said Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living. Todays report validates the need for the assistance that nursing homes have been calling for since the beginning of this pandemic.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has received more than two dozen requests for its own database of coronavirus outbreaks at nursing homes and long term care facilities. But the agency told the Texas attorney generals office that privacy laws prohibit the release of the information  even though federal officials announced that they planned to release their own version of the nursing home data.

The health commission didnt respond to questions Friday, but a spokeswoman previously told the Chronicle that the agency is balancing transparency with legal and privacy constraints.

HHSC is working to release as much information as we are legally permitted to share publicly, in compliance with state and federal law, spokeswoman Christine Mann said in an email.

WHICH NURSING HOMES HAVE OUTBREAKS? Texas wont tell you.

A message left with a spokesman for Gov. Greg Abbott wasnt returned Friday. Abbott in May directed all nursing homes residents and staff to be tested for COVID-19, and that initiative was nearly finished Friday, with testing completed at 1,174 of 1,223 facilities.

State officials released statistics summarizing the confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths at nursing homes. As of June 5, Texas health officials said there were 466 nursing homes with confirmed COVID-19 patients and more than 4,300 cases. There have been 713 resident deaths.

It's unclear why the state and federal counts for nursing homes are so different, but about a quarter of licensed nursing homes in Texas did not file reports to federal officials for the May 31 reporting period and any coronavirus cases at those facilities arent reflected in the database.

The federal data doesnt cover the most recent infection rates at nursing homes. At Oakmont Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center of Humble, county health officials said they were investigating a coronavirus outbreak that has killed 14 people. The federal nursing home data reported only one death for the last week in May.

We are doing everything we can to ensure we stop the spread of this within our center and our community, the facility said in a statement posted online.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said Friday that some nursing homes, including Oakmont, werent cooperating with health officials. The county issued a public health order this week to ensure that prevention measures were being followed at Oakmont.

"With this facility in particular we are extremely concerned so we have issued a control order, Hidalgo said. We need these facilities to cooperate. They need to let us come in."

Aanand Naik, chief of geriatrics and palliative medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, said he was glad to see county and city officials thinking carefully about how to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in nursing homes.

To him, the data showed that even the best prepared states could not avoid the coronavirus getting into long-term care facilities. It wasnt a failing of the industry, as he saw it. What mattered was once they did once they got a case.

What will we do with it once we start to see cases? Thats whats important, he said. Its a dashboard that were going to have to keep watching.

Concerns about a lack of transparency and poor communication from nursing homes were raised since the early days of the pandemic, said Greg Shelley, program manager of the Harris County Long-term Care Ombudsman Program, which advocates for residents.

While some facilities made efforts to communicate using websites or emails, others failed to keep families informed. A lot of families were getting just, No, I cant tell you that, or Im not going to tell you that, Shelley said.

Having a federal data set to search is a step forward, Shelley said. It allows people to look for themselves at what information is available  and press for what isnt.

* This story has been updated to reflect an error in the federal nursing home data. An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Focused Care at Baytown with a high rate of residents with COVID-19. A CDC spokeswoman confirmed to the Chronicle that this facility has no reported coronavirus cases. A different nursing home had mistakenly used its identification number when it reported its coronavirus cases, according to the CDC spokeswoman, who said federal officials are fixing the error in the database and plan to remind nursing home operators to check the accuracy of their coronavirus reports.

Staff Writers Rebecca Hennes, Stephanie Lamm and Taylor Goldenstein contributed to this report

john.tedesco@chron.com
Police concerned fraudsters could take advantage of new coronavirus track and trace system

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Jun 6th, 2020

North Wales Police are urging people to be vigilant amid concerns that the new coronavirus track and trace system will be exploited by fraudsters.

NHS Wales launched its Test, Trace, and Protect Service which aims to control the spread of coronavirus in Wales.

If someone tests positive for COVID-19, they will be contacted and asked who they have been in recent contact with and where they have visited.

A contact tracer will then contact these people to self-isolate, to help stop the spread of the virus.

The contact tracer will ask for information such as peoples names, dates of birth, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses.

However officers have said people should be vigilant for signs of cyber security, phishing or fraud.

You will not be asked for any financial information, bank details, passwords or any other data. If you have any doubts then do not provide the information.

Last week, First Minister Mark Drakeford told people in Wales to be alert to scammers. He said: Sadly even in these really difficult times there are people who will try to take advantage of others.

If you are contacted by anybody who claims to be a contact tracer asking you for information about your bank account or asking you to part with information not to do with coronavirus, that will not be somebody coming from the Welsh Government service,

The Test and Trace service is vitally important, but gives criminals an opportunity to pretend to be contact tracers to gain access to your personal information Protect yourself by making sure the person on the end of the phone is who they say they arehttps://t.co/tY7Rs01Yjo pic.twitter.com/ly3JA2FIHo  North Wales Police #StayHomeSaveLives (@NWPolice) June 3, 2020

Financial Abuse Safeguarding Officer, DC Rachel Roberts, said: Criminals will exploit any opportunity they can to defraud innocent people of their money, or steal their personal details.

This contact tracing service is vitally important to the fight against coronavirus. However, we share concerns that this gives criminals an opportunity to commit scams and we have already begun to receive reports of these being sent.

The NHS Test and Trace Service will never ask you for financial details, PIN numbers or banking passwords. They will also never visit your home.

It is possible for criminals to fake official phone numbers but they cannot fake official websites.

Therefore, if you receive a Test and Trace phone call, text message or email, please check the website address being provided very carefully.

If possible, type the official address, into your browser rather than clicking on any links.

If you think you have been sent a scam text message or email, report it to Action Fraud.

Find out more about how the Test, Trace and Protect Service works: https://gov.wales/contact-tracing-your-questions
Robin Matthews, president of the Australia China Friendship Society Ltd (ACFS), has called for an urgent change in the attitude and behaviour of Australian politicians before further and devastating damage is done to Australia and its relationship with China, in a letter written to the Australian Prime Minister on May 29.

Directors and delegates from ACFS met via teleconference to attend its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday evening, May 27. Members expressed their views and reiterated that the current attitude of the Australian government does not represent the views of many Australian citizens. Matthews then issued the letter based on the views expressed by the members.

Matthews mentioned in the letter that the ACFS views with concern the recent comments by you and other members of the Coalition parliamentary team which quite clearly point the finger of blame at China for its alleged cover-up and failure to act promptly in the face of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst the virus was first detected in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, recent reports from Italy, France and the United States suggest the virus was already present in their countries prior to this date, and patient zero is yet to be identified.

We hope the virus crisis will be resolved soon so everyone can resume their normal activities and we can again concentrate on promoting peace and understanding between our two countries. Matthews noted, Unfortunately the coronavirus has provided an opportunity for unscrupulous people to spread mistruths and fear and this should be condemned. Any misinformation should be challenged and called out for what it is  racism.

Matthews pointed out that most of the statements and actions of Australian politicians (from all three major parties) go against Australias national interest in that they appear to go out of their way to insult a country that Australia has built a strong friendship with over a number of decades, adding that China and Australia matter to each other.

She further noted that the current attitude of the Australian government does not represent the views of many Australian citizens. We wish for and promote a peaceful and harmonious relationship with our neighbours, and reject aggressive political posturing that threatens the peace of our region .
BURLINGTON  Those wanting to go out to eat or go shopping, but still concerned about the spread of coronavirus, will have more options in Downtown Burlington this summer.

In response to COVID-19, the City of Burlington is implementing a temporary open-air dining and retail experience plan for Downtown businesses.

We recognize and support there is a need to bolster the City of Burlingtons Downtown restaurants, taverns and small businesses, said Megan Watkins in an email, assistant city administrator and zoning administrator for the city.

The plan will allow Downtown businesses to expand onto the sidewalks, on a temporary basis, for open-air dining and retail sales. The plan implements certain key safety provisions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Re-Open Racine County and other health agencies.

The plan started this week and will continue through Aug. 31.

Each business proprietor that wishes to participate in the plan should submit an application to the city clerk for the review and approval by the city administrator.

City officials wanted to close off Downtown streets for the event, but it is not possible due to road construction.

First District Alderman Susan Kott said this has resulted in a light start. However, shes still on board with the plan.

Were trying to help get people back downtown and be safe while doing it, Kott said. I think that this is going to be something that grows within the city.

The city may make this plan an annual event, she said, such as every warm season.

Its great for the restaurants, its great for the citizens, the community and surrounding areas, Kott said.

We are excited to see Burlingtons sidewalks fill (responsibly) with diners and shoppers, Watkins said.

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Iran's Zarif Challenges Trump To Return To Nuclear Deal

Radio Farda June 05, 2020

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has responded to Donald Trump's conciliatory tone, following a deal to release an American prisoner, by challenging him to return to the Obama-era nuclear deal.

After what appears to have been secret talks over a long period, Iran on Thursday released Michael White who was held on trumped-up charges since 2018.

As White was on his way from Switzerland to the U.S. Thrusday evening, Trump tweeted, "Thank you to Iran, it shows a deal is possible!"

Zarif, addressing Trump, tweeted Friday, "We achieved humanitarian swap despite your subordinates' efforts".

"We had a deal when you entered office. ... Your advisors -most fired by now - made a dumb bet. Up to you to decide when you want to fix it."

Also, on Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi confirmed that Zarif met Bill Richardson, a former U.S. envoy to the United Nations and a troubleshooter, "months ago" over prisoner releases.

"We have always responded positively to humanitarian efforts that would lead to the release of Iranian hostages in the United States and elsewhere," Mousavi told the official IRNA news agency.

But Trump had earlier fired off another tweet telling Iran, "So great to have Michael home. Just arrived. Very exciting. Thank you to Iran. Don't wait until after U.S. Election to make the Big deal. I'm going to win. You'll make a better deal now!"

Many observers believe Iran is trying to weather the back-breaking U.S. sanctions hoping to see trump out of office in November, counting on getting a break from a Democratic president.

But despite the Iranian foreign ministry's milder comments, a top Iranian security official denied that negotiations with Washington had led to the prisoner swap.

"The exchange of prisoners is not the result of negotiations & no talks will happen in future," Ali Shamkhani, a hardliner Revolutionary Guard commander secretary of the country's top national security body, said on Twitter. He did not elaborate on how the swap had been arranged.

Later on Friday U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook said the door remains open for a wider negotiation with Iran about its nuclear program and other issues but so far talks have been limited to prisoner releases.

"(President Donald Trump) has had the door open...So, we would like to see the (Iranian) regime meet our diplomacy with diplomacy," he told reporters one day after Iran freed U.S. citizen Michael White.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-s- zarif-challenges-trump-to-return-to- nuclear-deal/30655268.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.

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Photo: (Photo : unsplash/Brandon Day)

Babies need their parents' attention all the time. They want to play with their parents all day long. However, most of the time, both parents are working, so they have limited time with their children. They would hire nannies to take care of their little ones.

The nannies become key players in the lives of kids. As well, they could have a significant effect on kids, both positive or negative. However, babies' attention span suffers, and so does their development, if their caregiver's eyes wander during playtime.

Read also: 6 Alarming Signs that Your Child is Developing Screen Addiction

A study revealed that people taking care of babies with wandering eyes would greatly affect the little one's development later in life.

Babies' attention is a strong indicator of their success

Chen Yu said that children's ability to sustain attention is a strong indicator of their success in certain areas. The areas include language acquisition, solving problems, and other key cognitive development milestones. The lead author, Yu, said caregivers whose eyes wander during playtime could negatively affect the baby's attention span.

Linda Smith, Yu's co-author, said that their study is the first to consider the impacts of social interaction to attention. They found that social interaction does need two social partners to perform the activity.

They gave caregivers and babies head-mounted cameras to get a first-person point of view. It showed the IU scientists an environment that closely resembled a play session at home or daycare. The hands-free camera allowed the subjects to play with physical toys.

Yu said that people taking care of the baby fell under two groups. The first group lets the babies direct the course of play. The second group attempted to guide the infant's interest in their toys.

The lead author said that parents were trying too hard to show off their parenting skills. On the actual footage, Yu saw that the children's eyes are wandering to the ceilings. The little ones are not paying attention to the caregivers.

Caregivers affect the development of babies

He found that caregivers who fell under the first group were more successful in sustaining the children's attention. The caregivers waited for the children to show interest in the toys. Then they would jump in to expand the children's interest, encouraging play.

The study noted that when both the caregiver and infant looked at the same object for more than 3.6 seconds, the infant lingered 2.3 longer. Even though the numbers may seem small, it does affect the babies' development. It is significant when done every day for months.

The team found and classified those with the shortest attention span under the third group. In this group, caregivers gave shallow engagement with the infant while playing. They just sat back and did not play along. Some looked elsewhere during the exercise.
The Latino Community Roundtable recently called for Ted Howze to stop campaigning for California's 10th Congressional District over provocative comments on his social media accounts that denigrate the Black Lives Matter movement, Muslims, Latinos, and others.

The roundtable last week came out with a news release "calling for Howze to leave the race, and for the local officials who endorsed him" to withdraw their support and "denounce the hateful statements."

The roundtable has been working for the improvement of Stanislaus County Latinos' social, economic, and political wellbeing.

In the same news release, the roundtable stated that as leaders in their community, they strongly denounce hate speech that particularly "degrades Latinos or any other identity group."

The news release further stated that the insulting statements which Howze made on his social media accounts for the past several years now are quite worrying, not to mention the fact that it does not reflect the diversity and values of the district he is seeking to represent.

Hispanics and Latinos Make up Half of the Population

Turlock Mayor Amy Bublak and Modesto Mayor Ted Brandvold were reportedly among the local leaders who have given Howze's endorsements. However, both leaders have not yet responded to requests for comment on this issue.

Meanwhile, the roundtable release indicates that Hispanics and Latinos make up about 50 percent of the population of the county, and based on the 2010 Census, over 20 percent of the residents of the county were said to be "born outside the US."

Even Howze himself has not yet responded to several requests to comment on the issue. His campaign has hinted that the comments were not made by Howze himself but by those known to him who have access to his social media accounts.

However, a recent statement from Howze's campaign indicated that he was on record a couple of weeks ago, apologizing to any individual who might have been offended by the social media posts.

Taking Full Responsibility

Reports said Howze has committed to taking full responsibility in closely watching his social media pages, as well as those who have had access to it several years back. He is also allegedly considering taking legal action.

The posts on Facebook and Twitter over the period from 2016 until 2018 reportedly included one asking if Muslims can ever be ideal American citizens, and a statement saying the Dreamers' parents -- immigrants who arrived in the US as children, "are criminals and need to return to Mexico." He also supposedly compared the DREAMers to pedophiles.

One of the posts about "Black Lives Matter" allegedly said that "as a culture, 95 percent of you vote in lockstep" for the same political party which, he said, has held the blacks as physical slaves and presently wish to keep them as "political slaves" who are not able to impact any actual change for improvement.

Politico was the first to come out with the story about Howze's social media statements several weeks later when more posts came out.

At 53, Howze is a doctor of large animals and an ex-councilman in Turlock. A Republican, he is challenging US Rep. Josh Harder for the elections in November to become a representative for the southern San Joaquin counties and the Stanislaus in Congress.

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Paris, June 6 : The leader of the Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) had been killed by French forces in northern Mali, French Minister for the Armed Forces Florence Parly said.

"On June 3, the French armed forces, with the support of their partners, neutralized the emir Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQMI), Abdelmalek Droukdal, and several of his close collaborators, during an operation in northern Mali," Parly tweeted on Friday.

"Abdelmalek Droukdal, a member of the Al Qaeda steering committee, commanded all Qaida groups in North Africa and the Sahel strip, including JNIM, one of the main terrorist groups active in the Sahel," she was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Aged in his late 40s, Droukdel fought against Soviet troops in Afghanistan, and was thought to regard the former leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, as his inspiration, according to a BBC report.

Under his leadership AQIM carried out numerous deadly attacks, including a 2016 assault on a hotel in the Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou that left 30 dead and 150 injured.

In 2012 he was sentenced to death by a court in Algeria after being convicted in absentia of murder, membership of a terrorist organisation and attacks using explosives.

The charges related to three bomb attacks in the capital Algiers in April 2007 which killed 22 people and wounded more than 200 others.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Today I have answers to readers questions on unemployment, stimulus checks and whos helping the homeless get their economic impact payment.

Q: Do I need to report the $1,200 federal stimulus check on my unemployment certification form, and will it affect the unemployment amount?

A: No and no. The stimulus money does not need to be reported to the EDD and is not deductible from (unemployment) benefits because it is not payment for services performed, Loree Levy, a spokeswoman for the Employment Development Department, said in an email.

Q: The print shop my wife and I own has been closed since March 17 under the shutdown order. Our two employees filed for unemployment while we waited for a Paycheck Protection Program loan. We got our loan on May 7 and started paying our employees what theyre getting on unemployment, which is more than their salaries. Were paying ourselves the same salary as before. How should we handle the certification process on the EDDs website for these eight weeks were getting paid through PPP and how will it affect things if we need to go back on unemployment after the PPP coverage period ends July 7. Should we just not certify anything or should we fill out each weeks form showing we are getting our usual wages from our current employer?

A: If the employer is paying themselves a full salary as if they are fully employed and they are receiving pandemic unemployment assistance, they should either report their wages on their continued certifications for each week they pay themselves from the PPP loan or stop certifying for benefits because they will be considered fully employed, Levy said in an email.

If they have to close their business or reduce their business hours following the weeks of paying themselves from the PPP loan, and they are unemployed due to one of the COVID-19 reasons, at that time they can re-apply to reopen their PUA claim, she continued.

The same would apply to their employees. If they are being paid wages under the PPP program, they can either report the gross wages on their continued claim form for each week of benefits claimed, or discontinue their UI benefits by not certifying. A claim is good for one year and if the PPP wages end or some other impact occurs on their employment, they can reopen their claim at that time.

They can reopen a claim through UI Online, which is fast and convenient, she added. So it really is up to the claimant as to how they want to deal with their income and probably depends too on how long they may anticipate getting wages through the PPP program.

Q: Did the homeless in Oakland and San Francisco get help applying for stimulus checks? I noticed how stressed the homeless in my neighborhood seem so Im wondering what help is available.

A: Many people who are eligible for economic impact payments are receiving them automatically. This includes people who filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return and had a refund directly deposited into a bank account.

It also includes people who did not have enough income to file a tax return and didnt file a return (perhaps to get refundable tax credits), but do receive Social Security retirement, survivors or disability benefits; Supplemental Security Income; railroad retirement or certain veterans benefits. They are getting their stimulus payment the same way they get those benefits, without having to apply.

Unfortunately, many homeless people dont file a return or get any of those benefits and for them, applying for, getting and using the payment can be a real challenge, especially because so many places where they might get help are closed. The people who need it most immediately need to jump through 18 hoops to get it, said Jenna Statfeld Harris, an attorney with Bay Area Legal Aid.

The only way they can get the payment is to apply on the IRS website for non-filers. That requires a computer, internet access and an email address. When libraries, nonprofit agencies and free tax-preparation sites sponsored by the IRS and the AARP Foundation reopen, they could get help there.

In the meantime, nonprofits are doing what they can to help out.

If someone comes to our case management tent, and says I dont have Social Security or SSI, we help them sign up on the website to get that sent, said Brittany Hodge, director of programs with St. Anthonys Foundation in San Francisco.

If they have a photo ID, they can have their check sent to St. Anthonys. If they dont have a photo ID or any ID, we cant accept the check here, she said. They could have the check sent to someone they know, or another service provider they are more closely associated with, Hodge said. But they will need a photo ID to cash the check. Getting a photo ID from the Department of Motor Vehicles has been problematic during the pandemic although 70 offices are now open.

Eric Gay / Associated Press

Ive heard some social service agencies are holding checks for people, but they may be closed for now, said Steven Weiss, regional managing attorney with Bay Area Legal Aid.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Legal Aid is helping its clients apply and getting referrals from community groups if they hit a roadblock, Weiss said. Once they get a check, they need somewhere to cash it and keep the money, which is a problem if they dont have a bank account.

If they are receiving benefits such as CalFresh or general assistance on an Electronic Benefit Transfer card, when they register on the IRS website they may be able to get their stimulus money loaded onto the card, but they need to call a number to get the account and routing number (it may be different than the card number) and make sure its refillable, Statfeld Harris said.

If they dont have a debit card or bank, they could go to joinbankon.org and find a list of banks and credit unions offering affordable checking accounts, she added.

They could also go to a check-cashing outlet and pay a fee. It would be easier if they could get their payment on one of those MetaBank debit cards the IRS has begun sending out, but people cant ask to have their stimulus payments that way.

One problem they have run into: People who do apply find that they are ineligible for the payment because someone else claimed them as a dependent in 2018 or 2019, or the payment was sent to a current or former spouse they dont live with based on a joint tax return.

Weiss added that the stimulus money should not cause anyone to lose benefits such as Medi-Cal, CalWORKs and CalFresh, which receive federal dollars, and it wont affect any need-based program in the Bay Area.

The good news is, theres no imminent deadline, Weiss said. If they complete the IRS non-filer application by Oct. 15, they will get a payment this year. Its unclear whether the website will operate after Oct. 15, but if it doesnt, people can claim the payment when they file a 2020 tax return.

Weiss said some people who need help may want to wait until libraries, social services and free-tax preparation sites reopen. To reach Bay Area Legal Aid call 800-551-5554.

Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender
Connecticut and hedge fund billionaire Ray Dalios philanthropic arm dissolved their education partnership Friday over the passionate objection of their embattled chief executive.

Partnership for Connecticut CEO Mary Anne Schmitt-Carey, whose friction with the Dalios contributed to the breakdown, pleaded with state and philanthropic leaders not to abandon the program designed to assist some of the states neediest students.

The boards 12-1 vote closed the book on a venture marked from its launch one year ago by its controversial exemption from state disclosure and ethics rules.

Im just astounded that this would happen, Schmitt-Carey, who cast the lone vote against dissolution, said during a video-conference meeting that lasted about 15 minutes. I poured my heart and soul into this work. I was so proud.  The needs are tremendous and theyve become much more complicated given the conditions that were living in.

Schmitt-Carey, who was hired in March, also chastised the 13-member partnership board  which includes Gov. Ned Lamont, four legislative leaders, and Dalios wife, Barbara  for not asking her about the May 4 phone call during which Mrs. Dalio asked her to resign.

Im shocked that no one wants to take a minute to understand the injustice thats happened to me, the attacks, Schmitt-Carey said. Everybodys just packing up the tents and trying to do it as fast as possible? Theres no discussion?

Board Chairman Erik Clemons, who earlier insisted that members discuss dissolution and nothing else, responded to Schmitt-Carey that these resolutions to dissolve the partnership have nothing to do with you, nothing to do with a personnel matter.

At the same meeting, though, the partnership board voted to indemnify all of its members against any legal liability.

And when Lamont announced on May 19 that the Dalios wanted to end the partnership, he said published details about a confidential personnel matter contributed to that decision.

In a May 12 email sent to partnership board members, Schmitt-Carey accused Barbara Dalio and one of her aides, Andrew Ferguson, of ambushing her during a May 4 phone call with false and defamatory allegations.

The CEO also charged Barbara Dalio and Ferguson urged her to resign after just six weeks on the job. Lamont and legislative leaders wouldnt even learn of this confrontation for several more days.

A former CEO of Say Yes to Education, another nonprofit focused on improving inner city education, Schmitt-Carey, who lives in Greenwich has been on paid administrative leave since May 7.

Her contract includes a non-disparagement clause that 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.

The contract also allows for up to six months severance pay  half of her $247,500 annual salary  if Schmitt-Carey is terminated.

Neither Lamont, Barbara Dalio, the four legislative leaders on the board, nor other appointees of the state or the Dalios, commented on the Schmitt-Carey matter.

The Dalios, who originally pledged to invest $100 million in public schools and asked the state to match that, have said they still will contribute the planned amount.

We will continue the work and I hope we can all work in different ways, because I know everybody cares, Barbara Dalio said. Connecticut is a great state. We are committed to Connecticut.
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EDWARDSVILLE  Less than half an hour after its official start, a Black Lives Matter rally in Edwardsville on Saturday had drawn about 500 people with organizers expecting as many as 1,000 to show up for the day-long event.

The rally, held on the plaza between the Madison County Courthouse and Administration Building, was one of several planned in Madison County Saturday. Other events had been set for Granite City and Collinsville.

Protests have been held throughout the country in the wake of the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man, by a white Minneapolis police officer who had restrained him by placing a knee on his neck for almost 10 minutes.

Nationwide there has been civil unrest in many areas, including St. Louis, following Floyds death. The few related events in Madison County have, so far, been relatively peaceful with just a few incidents of minor vandalism.

Saturdays event was organized by Helen Forbes of Edwardsville. She said she had attended a similar event last Saturday organized by another person.

The protest last week in Edwardsville drew about 350 people. On Saturday, Forbes said they could see as many as 1,000 during the course of the rally, from its start at 10 a.m. through its end in the early evening.

I wanted to do it in Edwardsville and show the people were not going to stand for whats happening, said Forbes. Its important to have it here because there is racism here, but its not always as overt.

She said the event was somewhat informal.

There was a stand for people to get up on and talk. Organizers had water and some snacks. And Forbes said there might be music at some point. She said they also had a first aid station set up and were registering voters.

Just a positive, peaceful protest to kind of keep the movement going, she said.

She said she and other organizers started setting up at about 9 a.m. By 9:45, about 100 people  most carrying signs  had set up in front of the plaza.

By 10:30 a.m. the crowd had swelled to about 500 on both sides of Main Street. While most of the crowd was at the plaza, about 100 also were in front of the law offices across the street with a smaller group in front of the MCT Transfer Station.

The crowd waived signs as motorists honked, then Forbes spoke briefly. She was followed by Anya Covington, of Edwardsville who had most of the crowd lay down with their hands behind their backs for the about nine minutes  the reported length of time Floyd had been on the ground in Minneapolis. She then prayed and the rally continued.

Bailey McCarry, of Jerseyville, came early and was carrying a sign saying Black skin is not probable cause.

I was raised in a predominantly white town, said McCarry, who is black. I just want to show my support for the movement.

She added she hoped Saturdays rally brings awareness to the fact that the world does treat people with darker skin differently.

She said she had attended a protest in Alton and planned to attend another in Jerseyville on June 14.

Were all created equal, she said. God put us on this earth to love, and thats what we should be doing.

The killing of black Americans has to stop, said Amy Copeland, of Collinsville.

People have to get out of their comfort zones, said Copeland, who is white. She said there needs to be change, including the election of a new president.

I hope to see a peaceful demonstration where people can show their solidarity with the African-American community, she said Saturday morning.

Jon Bagby, of Troy, a white teacher at Wesclin High School in Trenton, said he came to Saturdays rally because black lives matter and he hoped the event will raise awareness about the issues.

Im a teacher, and I believe the whole community needs to come together, he said.

Mitchell Bushnell-Chamness, a black man from Godfrey, said police brutality is never justified.

I used to be security forces in the Air Force, he said. We learned the use of force module (a formalized system for determining the proper amount of force necessary), and it just needs to stop.
Concerned locals in the Ballinagree area near Millstreet have launched a campaign to stop a new windfarm project proposed for Mushera, which they fear will be fast-tracked through the planning process.

The concern centres on the proposal from Coillte and Brookfield, a Canadian company which has an office in Cork, to develop Ballinagree Wind Farm, a 19-turbine wind-energy project at Mushera.

The wind turbines will be 185 metres high at the tip of the blade when it's fully vertical. The development also consists of cabling and an electrical substation.

Mushera Wind Aware is the name of the group, which is currently being organised online due to COVID-19 restrictions. One of its members, John O'Sullivan, spoke to The Corkman about their immediate concern about the project.

"At present they have lodged a pre-application Consultation with An Bord Pleanala, as they wish to have the project designated as a Strategic Infrastructural Development, which would mean that future planning applications would go to An Bord Pleanala and not Cork County Council," he said.

"At the pre-application consultation stage, An Bord Pleanala will not accept submissions from concerned citizens.

"We must wait until the planning application proper has been lodged - whether that will be to An Bord Pleanala or Cork County Council remains to be seen."

In a statement, the developers for Balliagree Windfarm said they had a pre-consultation meeting with representatives of Cork County Council and An Bord Pleanala in March.

"The project may fall under the following description as defined in the 7th Schedule to the 2000 Planning and Development Act (as amended) which would mean it may be considered Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) by An Bord Pleanala as its current output could be in the region of 100 MW," it said.

According to legislation, if a windfarm has an output of more than 50 megawatts, it could be considered to be a strategic infrastructural project.

"Cork County Council remain a primary stakeholder in this project regardless of the route it takes in the Planning System and the project team will continue to consult with them throughout the process," the developers insisted.

Among the objections of Mushera Wind Aware are concerns regarding what they say is the lack of local consultation by the windfarm developers as well as other issues. The group accused Brookfield and Coillte of operating under a 'cloak of secrecy'

"By their own brochure they began general ecological studies in the summer of 2017, yet it was two years later before the local community were aware of the extent of what was going on. At that stage the 'local landowner discussions' were concluded.

"This was a clear attempt to present the community with a "fait accompli" with no consultation whatsoever."

The group believes that the development will lead to the devaluation of land and property: "On average, properties in proximity to wind farms lose considerable value and often become unsaleable.

"On top of this, the noise and flicker pollution often make them uninhabitable...Many families across Ireland have had to leave their homes due to wind farm developments."

The statement from the windfarm developers insisted that their approach was about more and earlier consultation, but pointed out that their intention to go door to door had been thwarted by the COVID-19 restrictions.

"Our primary focus is on residents of houses within 2km of the project site as we firmly believe it is important that we are able to give dedicated time to the residents of this area," it said.

To date, two newsletters have been distributed to local residents, and all information about the project has been posted to a website, www.ballinagreewindfarm.ie, the developers said, adding that a third newsletter was in the process of being delivered in the coming weeks.
Britain has some of the worlds best food safety regulations. But its important to remember that when it comes to food scares and crises  from salmonella in eggs to listeria in cheese  we have had a chequered past.

It took an extraordinary national effort to reach the enviable position we now hold, with laws protecting the consumer, the farmer and our animals. We must not betray them now.

Perhaps the best illustration of the issue we face comes from an earlier crisis when there were public fears over meat safety and politicians sacrificed food standards for trade, amid grave concerns over the potential collapse of Britains farming industry.

It is important to remember that, while Britain has the best food safety regulations in the world, we have had some scares in the past, including salmonella

The BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) scandal of the late 1980s and 1990s eventually led to a food safety revolution.

This was an era when political decisions about food were dominated by business interests and when concern for human health seemed an afterthought.

Perhaps it was no surprise when, in 1987, this frightening disease emerged in cattle. From the earliest stages, Which? called for new controls  such as changes to feeding practices  but we were brushed aside.

Such was the desperation that the mad cow disease scare should not affect sales that, as late as 1990, Agriculture Minister John Gummer was photographed feeding his four-year-old daughter a burger.

The message of this alarming stunt? British beef is safe, nothing to see here.

It created the impression of a Government that thought sales and exports came before public health

So when Health Secretary Stephen Dorrell announced on March 20, 1996, that BSE was the most likely explanation for a new form of the cruel Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (the human form of mad cow disease) it was a chilling moment.

More than 170 people died after eating infected beef. Many were in their 20s and 30s, cut down in their prime. About 4.4million cattle were destroyed. The progress we have made since then is remarkable.

Despite recent worries over 'mad cow' disease, British beef has proved to be safe following inquiries into UK food safety

After campaigning by Which? the Food Standards Agency (FSA) was set up, with a mission to protect public health and other consumer interests. Its board and scientific committees meet in public and publish their advice to Ministers.

The agency took responsibility for checks in slaughterhouses and tightening controls on how they operated. New laws  embraced by British farmers  were brought in to govern animal feed, traceability and food hygiene.

Now, leaving the EU has given us the impetus to scrap the wasteful and inefficient Common Agricultural Policy and replace it with a farming and food policy that serves the nations health needs.

Two decades after the Governments review into the BSE crisis was published, we have a safe food supply that people trust.

Yet all this could be put at risk if the US gets its way in trade talks, throwing open the doors to chlorine-washed chicken, hormone-pumped beef, antibiotic growth-promoters and foods packed with hidden fat, salt and sugar.

Today is World Food Safety Day, and with trade negotiations with the US at a crucial stage, it is the perfect time to remember that when hard politics and food safety standards intertwine, we must be extremely wary.

Looking across the Atlantic is like taking a step back to an era when neglecting food safety and putting business interests first led to catastrophic consequences for the economy and human health.

In the US, a lack of effective animal welfare and food safety laws result in shockingly high rates of food-borne illness.

The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year about one in six Americans (around 50 million people) get sick from the food they eat. In the UK, the latest FSA estimates (for 2018) suggest there were 2.4 million food-borne disease cases, affecting about one in 28 people.

The US ambassador to Britain, Woody Johnson, described chlorine-washed chicken as a public safety no-brainer. But it is not just the chlorine that should concern us.

Washing birds in chemicals is an attempt to make up for rampant safety problems throughout the food production process in the US. In any case, the chlorine can be ineffective, as alarmingly common outbreaks of salmonella show.

Chicken sold in the UK is subject to rules and monitoring throughout its journey from the farm to our shopping bags, which simply arent replicated in the US but help prevent salmonella and campylobacter, both of which cause food poisoning but can also prove fatal.

If the UK decide to change their food health standards, it could see a rise in washing chickens with chemicals such as chlorine

There is also concern that with chlorine-washed chicken imports, UK welfare standards could be at risk as our farmers try to compete by cutting corners. Or face going out of business.

If the US thinks that British shoppers will stomach such unhealthy and inhuman conditions, they are mistaken. Polls show that food standards are a deal-breaker for consumers.

The Government has promised to protect food standards, but these commitments must be enshrined in law so consumers can have confidence that they wont be traded away. As it stands, the approach of Ministers still falls woefully short of what we need.

For all the divisions over Brexit, when it comes to food standards and attitudes to US production methods, the British people are remarkably united.

Wherever they live, whether they shop in Waitrose or Lidl, people want good quality food made by British producers where possible  and they will not accept any reduction of food safety standards in trade deals.

With negotiations going on with the US over a post-Brexit trade deal, the British people will not accept a reduction in food quality standards

Research by Which? has found that 79 per cent of people would be uncomfortable eating beef produced using growth hormones, while 72 per cent felt the same about chlorine-treated chicken.

About three quarters said it is important that dairy products come from the UK, with 72 per cent wanting British meat products. And 71 per cent say they wouldnt buy food produced to lower standards even if it was cheaper, a response that was consistent across all socio-economic groups.

To its credit, the Government seems to recognise these findings and we have seen repeated reassurances from Ministers that environmental protection, animal welfare and food safety standards will not be undermined in trade talks. But it is a worry that these commitments have so far not been included in the Agriculture or Trade Bills.

Which? is willing to work with Ministers on amendments that will achieve the aims we all agree on  reassuring millions of consumers about the food they eat and upholding the high standards of British farmers.

Putting these commitments into law would send a clear, positive message to our world trading partners.

It would show that we welcome the opportunity to strike ambitious trade deals, providing consumers with greater choice and more competitive prices.

But this means working together in a race to the top on standards  particularly on food production.

The British people must decide on the safety and standards for the food they eat.

These vital and hard-won protections must not be used as a bargaining chip.
Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis.

OPEC+ extends oil output cuts -

OPEC members, led by Saudi Arabia, and other key oil producers agree to extend historic output cuts through July as oil prices tentatively recover and coronavirus lockdowns ease.

Algerian Oil Minister Mohamed Arkab, who holds OPEC's rotating presidency, tells AFP the agreed cut for July was 9.6 million barrels per day, just slightly below the 9.7 mbpd cut for May and June.

Brazil threatens WHO exit

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro threatens to follow in the footsteps of US President Donald Trump and pull out of the World Health Organization.

"I'm telling you right now, the United States left the WHO, and we're studying that, in the future. Either the WHO works without ideological bias, or we leave, too," he tells journalists outside the presidential palace.

397,179 deaths

The pandemic has killed at least 397,179 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year, according to an AFP tally at 1900 GMT on Saturday, based on official sources.

The United States is the worst-hit country with 109,497 deaths, followed by Britain with 40,465, Brazil with 35,026, Italy with 33,846, and France with 29,111 fatalities.

Global rallies

Ignoring social distancing measures, protests are held against racism and police brutality in cities worldwide, from Sydney to London.

Tens of thousands of Australians defy Prime Minister Scott Morrison's call to "find a better way" to protest, while thousands in Britain ignore the health minister's warnings.

In Paris, protesters flout a police ban and rally outside the US embassy compound and near the Eiffel Tower.

Events are also scheduled in Washington and other US cities.

Iran warns of long road

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani tells Iranians to prepare to live with the virus "for a long time", as the country that is battling the Middle East's deadliest outbreak gradually eases restrictions but also sees a rising trajectory of infection figures.

France reboots tourism

France's Palace of Versailles reopens, but without the US and Chinese tourists that usually make up a third of its visitors.

And its overseas territory French Polynesia says it will reopen to international travel next month.

Sri Lanka and Liberia too

Sri Lanka's tourism industry can reopen for foreign guests from August but visitors must carry a COVID-19 certificate and take a virus test upon arrival, and have further checks during their stay, officials say.

Liberia will open its international airport and hotels on June 21 and a state of emergency due to expire on June 9 will not be renewed, the government says.

Tokyo Olympics: 2021 or never

High-ranking Olympic official Pierre-Olivier Beckers confirms that the delayed Tokyo Olympics "will be held in 2021 or not at all", reiterating the stance put forward by Japan and the International Olympic Committee that next year is the last chance to hold postponed Games.

And...action!

California will allow film, television and music production to resume from June 12 if conditions permit, the governor's office says.

It is not yet clear if major Hollywood studios will also be able to resume operations from next week because Los Angeles county is one of the main epicentres in California, recording about half the infections and deaths in the state.

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INDEPENDENT shops and businesses in Henley are re-opening.

The Government says all non-essential retailers can begin trading again on June 15 as long as they follow strict guidelines designed to reduce the risk of spreading the covid-19 infection.

Owners are keen to get back to work after weeks in lockdown during which they had no sales income but still had bills such as rent to pay.

Some businesses have already been allowed to open.

Drycleaner and launderer Reids of Henley in Reading Road

re-opened on Monday.

Owner Ian Reid said he could have remained open during the lockdown as the business is considered essential but decided not to in order to protect his staff and customers.

Mr Reid, 45, who has run the business for 26 years, said: I think that when youre running a business it is as much about public opinion and we followed the public mood at the time.

Now he says its time to get the local economy going again.

I think this crisis has highlighted how much shopping we can do online and businesses need to re-open otherwise it could all remain online, said Mr Reid. He praised the Government for its support schemes, which enabled him to furlough his 12 staff.

Now we have everybody back apart from two and thats simply because theyre part-time workers. Theyre still on furlough so we comply with the guidance.

We also got the 10,000 small business grant, which helped to pay the rent and our utility bills.

Now the store has re-opened, all the staff wear gloves, masks and visors. They have been instructed to apply anti-bacterial sprays to surfaces every time a customer visits and must also observe the 2m social distancing rules.

Only two customers may enter the shop at any one time and are urged to pay by contactless card.

Mr Reid said that as well as the time the business had been closed, he had lost trade because so many events such as the Henley Festival had been cancelled. Well just have to evolve and muddle through, he said.

Brook House, a furniture and interiors store in Reading Road, also re-opened on Monday.

The business has been run by Jonathan and Louisa Bisson, from Nuffield, since 1999 and they used the lockdown period to refurbish the showroom.

Mr Bisson said: It was looking a bit tired and it was time for a change. It really feels like a fresh start and we felt there had to be something positive out of this. We have new stock in and it feels exciting to be opening up again.

The town is getting busier every day and I think people will be glad there is somewhere other than a supermarket to go to.

We have weathered this period well and the Government has been an enormous help. We own the building we operate from and we are very lucky.

The Naughty Mutt Nice dog grooming salon in Reading Road, has been open for about a fortnight but is already fully booked for the next three weeks.

Priority was given to customers whose appointments were cancelled when the lockdown was announced and new hygiene measures are now in place.

Dogs must be washed as soon as they arrive and certain procedures like nail clipping remain off-limits. A protective screen has been put up at the cash register and appointments are being staggered.

Owner Karole Robertson said: Its a relief for owners to get their dogs coats cut because they grow faster in warmer weather, when they need to be shorter to keep them cool.

Many had bought clipping sets at home and given it a go, which they say made them realise how difficult the task is.

Its brilliant to be able to see my regulars again and Im so thankful for their patience and loyalty after such a long time apart.

Chocolate shop Gorvett & Stone in Duke Street will re-open on June 15 but has been offering an online delivery service since the lockdown began in March.

Owner Matt Stone, 47, who has run the shop with his wife Elinor Gorvett, 47, since 2004, said: The first three weeks of lockdown were just before Easter and were key trading times. Our sales were massively affected.

We understand fully the reasons for the lockdown and its one of those things you just have to take on the chin.

He will introduce measures to limit the risk of people contracting the virus.

Mr Stone said: We will do more social distancing, have sanitising stations and our staff will be wearing masks. Im still apprehensive and not sure how its all going to work. Its all very well people queuing when there are only one or two shops open but how are we going to queue in the streets when every shop is open?

He was able to furlough most of his six staff and received a 10,000 grant.

Mr Stone said: Without getting into any of the politics, for small businesses like ours the Governments support proved essential.

The Best Turkish Barbers in Duke Street is hoping to re-open as soon as the Government gives the go-ahead. It has been closed since March 20 and the four staff have been furloughed.

Only two staff instead of four will work when the barbers does re-open and the shop will operate a one in, one out policy.

Owner Zubeyir Gezen said: We will open as soon as they say were allowed and were starting to decorate  something more colourful and brighter.

The lockdown has had a really big effect on our business but its not only about the business. Were fed up at home and want to work. Also, people text and email us, asking us when we are open. We dont know but were looking forward to getting back
Two men are about to see the world for the first time out of prison walls in more than a decade, after originally being sentenced to die behind bars for drug trafficking convictions.

Roberto Cruz, 71, and Flavius Henderson, 66, were both set to be released from Alabama prisons in May after a Jefferson County judge changed their sentences. Cruz served 15 years and 10 months for a marijuana trafficking conviction; Henderson nearly 20 years for a cocaine trafficking conviction. Both were originally sentenced to a mandatory term of life in prison without parole due to the states habitual offender act. Cruz has already been released, while Henderson is awaiting release.

Jefferson County Circuit Judge Stephen Wallace states in one of his new sentencing orders for the men, Interestingly, more inmates are serving life without parole sentences for drug trafficking and drug manufacturing crimes than persons serving life without parole for attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, arson in the first degree, and domestic violence in the first degree combined.

Nationwide, there is a growing consensus that life without parole sentences for drug trafficking convictions are excessive and disproportionate, the order states.

Cruz was one of four people in Alabamas prisons serving life without parole for a marijuana trafficking crime; Henderson was one of 14 people serving life without parole for a cocaine trafficking offense.

Attorneys for both men argued that the life without parole sentences amounted to violation of constitutional rights against cruel and unusual punishment; and the judges orders do mention Cruzs and Hendersons sentences raise Eight Amendment concerns, and noted that both cases satisfy all three of the U.S. Supreme Courts suggestions for determining a disproportionate sentence.

But both cases appeals ultimately turned on legal arguments surrounding whether their cases qualified for sentencing under the states habitual offender (or three strikes) law.

Roberto Cruz

Cruz, now 71, was convicted of illegal drug trafficking of marijuana in August 2005 after a two-day trial. He sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, which was mandatory because of rules in the Alabama Habitual Felony Offender Act.

According to the judges resentencing order issued May 7, the trial court used three felony convictions from a federal court case, which do not actually qualify for sentence enhancement under Alabama law. There was no objection made at Cruzs original sentencing hearing about the use of those felonies, though.

it appears that there were few issues seriously contested at trial, the judge wrote in his order. The states case rested primarily on circumstantial evidence suggesting that since (Cruz) was a passenger in a vehicle and marijuana has a strong odor, then he must have known about the drugs.

The order also said the arresting officer testified in a summary fashion during trial that the driver of the car, Osvaldo Reyes, admitted Cruz knew about the drugs. The officer said Reyes was to receive $2,000 for transporting the marijuana to a person named Max, and Reyes would pay Cruz $500.

The new order states, Even accepting the states case, there was no evidence that Cruz was any more than a drug courier in this exchange. The judge wrote that Cruz played a subordinate and minor role.

Cruzs lawyers claimed in his appeal that because he only had one prior qualifying felony under the habitual offender act, he should not have been given the mandatory sentence. This court agrees that the original sentencing judge mistakenly held that Cruz had three prior qualifying felony convictions The trial court did not have the discretion to then elect to sentence the defendant to a life without parole sentence," Wallace wrote in his order.

According to the trial transcript, Cruz did not speak or understand English well.

The trial transcript shows Cruz then-attorney, Temo Lopez, made a motion to for a court-appointed interpreter, but the judge denied Lopezs request. Here is the exchange between Lopez and the original Judge Gloria Bahakel, according to the transcript:

MR. LOPEZ: It's my concern, Judge, that because of Cruz's obviously heavy accent, that the jury, once I have got him on the stand, is going to have a difficult time understanding him, Judge.

THE COURT: Ricky Ricardo had a terrible accent, too, but people understood him.

MR. LOPEZ: I--

THE COURT: If he speaks slowly enough, we don't have a problem.

Wallace wrote the sentencing range in Cruzs case should have been between 15 and 99 yearshes now served 15 years and 10 monthsand ordered Cruzs sentence to be time served.

Flavius Henderson

Henderson, 66, was convicted in May 2001 of illegal drug trafficking of cocaine and was also sentenced to a mandatory term of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Hes now served about 20 years in prison. In late May, he was also resentenced to time served.

According to the judges sentencing order, there was no search warrant executed in Hendersons case; police said an unidentified man flagged them down and said drugs were being sold in a certain area. Police went to that location, and believing Henderson matched the description of who they were searching for, they questioned and searched him. He was found with about 49.9 grams of cocaine.

In early May 2001, Henderson waived his right to a jury trial and opted for a bench trial before Bahakel. Hendersons then-defense team also waived the right to present witnesses or to cross-examine the states witnesses. According to the resentencing order, no witnesses were called.

Bahakel sentenced Henderson to a mandatory term of life in prison without parole, because he had three prior felonies and again under the states habitual offender law. Henderson argued in his recent appeal, however, that the sentence should not have been handed down because one of those prior convictionsa 1979 grand larceny convictionwas not eligible to count towards that mandatory sentence under the habitual offender act.

This Court can contemplate very few occasions to waive a defendants right to a jury trial along with other trial protections, Wallace wrote in his order. this case moved swiftly through a cursory bench trial and a sentence of life without parole. As noted, there is not even a record of a plea agreement being offered or sought to avoid this result.

Wallaces order said the original sentencing judge mistakenly held that Hendersons priors constituted the life sentence.

Hendersons grand larceny conviction stemmed from an incident where, according to Wallaces order, Henderson stole $90 worth of car batteries from the city of Birmingham. In that case, the judge wrote, the charging paperwork doesnt cite a specific grand larceny statue, and a district judge accepted Hendersons guilty plea- not a circuit judge, who would have had jurisdiction in the case. Within a year of that conviction, the state changed its criminal code to a theft statue that repealed larceny and the intentional taking of less than $100 instead represented a misdemeanor theft offense.

As such, this court finds that the resulting life without parole sentence should be set aside and the matter reset for a new sentencing hearing to determine the proper number of qualifying priors and sentence." Henderson was resentenced May 28 to time served.

Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr, who was not in office during either conviction, did not object to the changes in sentence. I think sentences should be in proportionality to the crime that was committed. There is a saying that the punishment should fit the crime and every case stands on its own merit. If we are honest with one another we all should recognize that just because it is the law doesnt make it right, Carr said. Sometimes we have to look at what happened pursuant to the criminal charge and make an educated decision that makes sense relative to punishment. I truly believe (life without parole) on drug cases where no one was seriously injured or killed is a bit egregious and those cases should be revisited.

Jefferson County Chief Public Defender Adam Danneman represented both Cruz and Henderson on their appeals that were granted. He said that, when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit Alabama, his office worked around the clock with the district attorneys office to reduce the county jail population, particularly for those accused of non-violent offenses and those who were most suspectable to the coronavirus. Danneman said that, as the state tried to do the same, he was contacted by the Southern Poverty Law Center about Cruzs case. Although neither myself nor the (public defenders) office originally represented either Mr. Cruz or Mr. Henderson, it was apparent both of these men were extreme examples of how outdated, overly punitive three strikes and youre out laws impact poor Alabamians, Danneman said. Neither Mr. Cruz nor Mr. Henderson had any prior violent offenses or weapons charges. In most courts around this country, neither of them would have received sentences remotely approaching life, let alone without the possibility of parole.

Fortunately, we were able to find legal grounds for resentencing. Both the District Attorneys office as well as Judge Wallace showed courage by prioritizing a fairer, lawful sentence for Mr. Cruz over everything. There are numerous other non-violent people soaking up limited space and tax dollars being warehoused well into their second and third decades in prison. Im proud that our office played a role in helping a few of them. I hope our state will enact retroactive sentencing reform to help hundreds of others.
Hungary and Germany will lift travel restrictions for each other's citizens from 8 a.m. on Sunday, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said on his Facebook page on Saturday, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

"Germany is our biggest trading partner. Many Hungarians work in Germany. Their employment and contact with their families have encountered very serious difficulties in the recent period," Szijjarto said in a video message.

Germany's management of the pandemic has proven to be effective, the minister said, adding that this provides an opportunity to lift restrictions on passenger traffic between the two countries.

German nationals will be allowed entry into Hungary, and Hungarians who return home from Germany are exempt from the quarantine obligations, according to the minister.

In another development, travel restrictions between Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia had been completely lifted starting from Friday.
Singapore revealed on Friday, June 5, that it will launch a wearable device that will help in the COVID-19 contact tracing. Currently, there are a total of around 36,900 cases in the Southeast Asian country, the nationwide newspaper The Straits Times reported.

The Singaporean parliament stated that this wearable tech will be rolled out to the country's five million residents and more, especially if it is proven effective. Foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan spoke with the parliament, saying they are developing a wearable device that will not be very dependent on smartphones.

Balakrishnan added, "I believe this will be more inclusive, and it will ensure that all of us will be protected."

COVID-19 tracing

As the days unfold since the first time the world faced the coronavirus, authorities are mastering the strategy on how to curb the virus quickly. One example is the use of wearable devices. This is seen as the country's attempt to automate and quicken contact tracing since the city has one of the highest numbers of cases in Asia. This is despite the fact Singapore is regarded with "gold standard" in its approach to combat the virus.

The wearable tech may be worn at a person's lanyard, with official identification cards, for instance, or kept inside the handbag while walking outdoors.

In March, Singapore also launched contact tracing apps known as TraceTogether. These apps make use of Bluetooth signals to assist authorities in knowing which people have been exposed to patients diagnosed with the virus. However, there is a downside.

TraceTogether isn't downloaded by many people and presents glitches when used with Apple and iOS devices.

Wearable tech

COVID-19 has affected millions of patients around the globe and counting. Economies and businesses are affected since many offices and establishments have also shut down.

According to Electronics 360, the pandemic will also affect the smartphone market this year, with the supply chain decline seen at around 12 percent, not to mention issues with the demand, unemployment, and store closures.

With this being said, the demand for wearable tech is expected to grow but slowly compared to the time without the virus. But what's surprising is the growth in the demand, despite changes in the business atmosphere.

"Smartphone shipments are expected to reach 1.2 billion units in 2020 with a decline of 18.2% in the first half of the year due to macroeconomic issues associated with COVID-19. Global smartphone shipments are not expected to return to growth until the first quarter of 2021," Peter Brown wrote in the story.

Consumer confidence is at an all-time low with lockdowns all across the globe, and unemployment, seeing that people are out of the office and staying at home. It will impact the demand for smartphones, with the jumpstart still projected in 2021.

In China, the supply chain eases as factories recently resume operations. However, the decline is evident. This is also what happens in European nations such as Spain and Italy.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
June 06 : Chintu Ka Birthday' a comedy drama film got released yesterday, 5th June, 2020 on ZEE5 and the film is garnering good response for its brilliant writing and fine performances. Actor Vinay Pathak who plays the role of Madan Tiwary in the film writes a heartfelt note thanking everyone for making him a part of the film.

The 'Khosla Ka Ghosla' actor took to his social media account and wrote, "Thank you everybody, yeh movie mere dil ke bahuth kareeb hai! Mein sab directors, crew members, writers aur @ZEE5 and @ZEE5Premium ko shukriya karna chahtha hoon. This movie means a lot to me! #ChintuKaBirthdayWatchParty"

Thank you everybody, yeh movie mere dil ke bahuth kareeb hai! Mein sab directors, crew members, writers aur @ZEE5 and @ZEE5Premium ko shukriya karna chahtha hoon. This movie means a lot to me! #ChintuKaBirthdayWatchParty  Vinay Pathak (@pathakvinay) June 5, 2020

Chintu Ka Birthday is a story of a 6 year old boy named Chintu, stuck in Iraq with family at the times of Saddam's fall. It is his 6th Birthday and the family promises to throw a birthday party for him as last year his birthday could not be celebrated. This birthday party in a war torn Baghdad becomes the centre of the film. The film is an ode to a father for whom the happiness of his child is supreme.

Vinay Pathak along with his co stars in the film Tilotama Shome and Seema Pahwa are being appreciated for their performances. Their brilliant acting has become the heart of this story of a simple middle class family.

Chintu ka Birthday is beautifully written and directed by Devanshu Kumar and Satyanshu Singh. The film is produced by the men behind AIB (Tanmay Bhat, Rohan Joshi, Ashish Shakya, Gursimran Khamba). Film is currently streaming on ZEE5.

Kudos to ZEE5 for giving quality content to the audience!
DURHAM  It may have been a drizzly, overcast day, but spirits were high Friday for the more than 170 Regional School District 13 teachers and others who gathered at the high school for a massive and joyful procession to mark the end of the academic year.

The parade, leaving from Coginchaug Regional High School on Pickett Lane, made its way around 35 miles of streets in Durham and Middlefield. The event also was marked with moments of poignancy, because the transition to online learning during the pandemic meant an abrupt end to in-person classes.

Teachers, who could only see their students via virtual means during the last three months of school, missed their young charges, many of whom are moving on to the next grades in other schools.

They joined food service workers, administrators, paraprofessionals and members of the Board of Education who waited excitedly for the procession to begin.

Its amazing being able to see other people that we havent been given the chance to see. We always unite for kids. Its the first time theyre getting to see people they recognize, said Johanna Schmidt, who teaches fourth- through sixth-grade music at Memorial Middle School in Middlefield.

We know human connection is everything in schools. Getting to see them and build that connection is huge, she added.

June 16 is the last day of school.

Leslie Kilroy teaches fifth-grade math to about 70 young people at Memorial school, which serves fourth- through sixth-graders.

Its a little tricky, but were doing our best to incorporate lots of videos, just so they can see our faces and hear our voices  trying every way to keep connected to them was our priority, Kilroy explained.

The transition was not necessarily an easy one. As a group, we kind of divided and conquered, so I collaborated with two other teachers for consistency. We really looked from where we were in March to the end of the year  as far as priority standards for the fifth-graders, who just came from the lower grades, and will move on to sixth grade.

During distance learning, it takes 10 times longer to learn one concept because its got to be chunked and scaffolded so much throughout the week, Kilroy explained.

She kept in mind brevity, which aligns with students attention spans, and made sure her videos were 10 minutes or less in length, similar to the classroom, where shed spend about that amount of time on a lesson, Kilroy said. We really thought about what could be targeted to get the most out of it.

We dont know what the next year will bring. Where do we start off for kids so there wont be gaps? she added.

The district also includes Brewster and Lyman elementary schools, as well as Strong Middle School.

Bridgette Schlicher is a kindergarten through fourth-grade digital learning instructor at Lyman and Brewster.

Before the parade began, Schlicher acknowledged the morning would be filled with heartbreak, in part because her second- and third-graders are moving up to the intermediate school. Im excited to see former students, current students, and let them know we are thinking of them.

We miss them, and wanted to give them a sense of community. We feel badly for the students who are going to miss that closure, Schlicher said.

Friday, she served as parade captain for one the seven routes, where 25 cars lined up behind each bus.

Brewster kindergarten teacher Jennifer Canning said the district came up with a special plan for their youngest students.

Were doing home learning activities that didnt involve synchronous (simultaneous) learning, as we call it, but asynchronous learning. We designed and developed what they did on their own, she said.

Online education sessions on Google Classroom, Seesaw and other platforms prepared staff for what was ahead during the first two weeks after schools were closed by the governor in mid-March.

After that, Canning said, we got to see the kids face to face, even though it had to be through the computer.

The 5- and 6-year-olds were overjoyed to reunite with their first schoolteachers on Google Meet. We would send them off on scavenger hunts: go find something red, go find something purple or a circle; something you eat with.

Theyd go running off and come back. Id ask them to find similarities and differences between what they found and something else they saw a friend found, Canning added.

The point was to form social connections with their peers, many of whom were miles apart from one another.

They were so missing that, and craving that, and so did we, she said. Staff also kept in constant contact with parents along the way.

Its definitely different, but we had to do something, and this was the best something we came up with on no notice. Theres so much uncertainty about what will happen in the fall, Canning said.
China has issued a travel alert warning its citizens not to travel to Australia due to a significant increase in racist attacks on Chinese and Asian people, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

The Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued the statement on Friday, saying the alleged attacks came in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, ABC News reported.

The warning is the latest sign of deteriorating relations between Australia and its largest trading partner after Prime Minister Scott Morrison led calls for an independent probe on the origins of the coronavirus in Wuhan. Australia is the most China-reliant economy in the developed world, leaving it vulnerable to diplomatic blowback.

The warning comes after Australia announced a tough new screening regime on foreign investors seeking to buy sensitive assets as it bids to bolster national security. Telecommunications, energy, technology and defense-manufacturing companies will be included in the zero-dollar threshold for screening.

The changes, intended to be legislated this year and enforced from Jan. 1, will include a new national security test and give the treasurer last-resort powers to force asset sales. Beijing responded with verbal attacks on the conservative government, saying it was doing the bidding of key ally the U.S.

New tariffs on Australian barley and a ban on beef from four meatworks have raised fears in Canberra that the Chinese government is using economic coercion in retaliation.

Before Australias calls for a probe into the origins of the coronavirus, its diplomatic ties with China were already under stress. The government cited Beijings meddling into national affairs as a catalyst for its anti-foreign interference laws passed in 2018, the same year it banned Huawei Technologies Co. from helping build its 5G network.
United Nations, June 6 (IANS) The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution to extend the measures designed to implement an arms embargo on Libya for a further 12 months.

Resolution 2526, which was approved unanimously by the 15-member Council on Friday, extends the authorizations for UN member states to inspect, on the high seas off the coast of Libya, vessels coming from or to the country if they have reasonable grounds to believe the vessels are carrying arms or related materials in violation of the arms embargo, reports Xinhua news agency.

Resolution 2526 also requests the UN Secretary-General to report to the Security Council within 11 months of the adoption of the resolution on its implementation.

The Security Council imposed sanctions, including an arms embargo, on Libya in 2011 after the political turmoil that led to the toppling of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

In June 2016, the council adopted Resolution 2292 to authorize vessel inspections on the high seas to implement the arms embargo.

The authorizations have been extended several times.

Since 2014, Libya has been split between rival factions based in Tripoli and in the east.

The fighting has killed and injured hundreds of civilians and displaced more than 150,000 others, despite repeated international calls for ceasefire.

--IANS

ksk/
James Middleton has revealed an adorable 'first family photo' after welcoming his latest puppy Nala to join his pack.

The Duchess of Cambridge's brother, 33, took to Instagram yesterday to show off the snap, which showed all six of his pooches posing together.

The entrepreneur, who has six dogs - Golden Retriever Mabel and four black Spaniels called Ella, Zulu, Inka and Luna plus Nala - commented: 'It took a while but Nala got the hang of it! It was a special moment capturing three generations together happy and healthy.'

James, who is currently in lockdown in Berkshire, has often credited his dogs with helping him through his struggle with depression.

James Middleton, 33, shared a rare snap of all six of his dogs posing together for the first time after welcoming puppy Nala to the family (pictured, centre)

As well as the snap of the six of his dogs posing perfectly together, James also shared a video of his behind-the-scenes efforts to get the picture.

In the short video, puppy Nala could be seen racing around the rest of the dogs while they waited patiently.

The snaps come after James revealed his dog Luna had given birth to 'six healthy little pups' last week.

Sadly, he also explained that one of the pet's babies didn't survive after an emergency c-section.

Kate Middleton's brother James is currently isolating with his fiancee Alizee Thevenet at his parent's home in Berkshire

Sharing the snap online, he added that it had 'taken a while' to get the photo but it was 'a special moment' capturing three generations 'happy and healthy'

The animal lover shared several snaps of Luna with her puppies as well as a video showing them 'suckling away happy as can be' to his social media account today.

He captioned the post: 'Six little friends for Nala to play with,' before explaining: 'A week ago Luna had three little pups at 5am, but we had to rush to the vets for an emergency c-section where another four pups were delivered.

'Sadly one didnt make it but there are six healthy little pups suckling away happy as can be. They all have lovely homes waiting for them and I will be donating all the money from the sale of the pups to @petsastherapy_uk.'

Pets As Therapy is a national charity founded in 1983 which 'enhances health and wellbeing in the community through the visits of trusted volunteers with their behaviourally assessed animals,' according to its website.

The entrepreneur, who has credited his dogs with helping him through depression, welcomed youngest puppy Nala to his pack last month

James, who is an ambassador for the charity, is also a volunteer with his beloved dog Ella as well as his fiancee Alizee Thevenet and his pet Golden Retriever Mabel.

James has been open about how dogs have helped him overcome mental health struggles, and last week revealed how his pets were his 'medicine', having helped him with his therapy.

The businessman appeared on an Instagram Live on dog food Barking Heads' social media account to talk about the charity Pets As Therapy.

James said: 'First and foremost, animals are the unsung heroes in our lives.

The entrepreneur (pictured with his pets) has been frank about his struggles with mental health in an effort to raise awareness around the topic

'From my own experiences with suffering with mental health and depression and anxiety, it was over the last three or so years that I've really discovered how much animals were actually helping me. I didn't really immediately realise.

'Over time Ella came to all my therapy sessions and various other events and she was that person that actually I could talk to but without being judged. She was a very good listener, she distracted me from various things.

'And that's when I thought, actually there's something here and discovered Pets As Therapy and straight away managed to get an assessment and Ella was signed up not that long after.

He added: 'And ever since then... I truly believe animals are medicine and they really are incredible for our own wellbeing.'
Cameron Welch said he was about 11 or 12 years old when his mother began making him follow the "unwritten rules for a young black man."

Don't put your hands in your pockets, don't put your hoodie on, don't be outside with no shirt on, check in with your people even if you're down the street, just to name a few.

Welch, now 18 years old, recently went viral after uploading a video of the rules to the popular TikTok app. He wasn't expecting to go viral, he said, but the rules seem even more important following the death of George Floyd.

STREAMING NOW: Netflix and Hulu documentaries that help explain race relations in America

"The rules impact me differently around this time," Welch said. "Missing a rule could cost me my life."

"Don't be out too late, don't touch anything you're not buying, never leave the store without a receipt or bag, not even for a pack of gum," he continues in the video.

Welch, who now has 2.9 million likes and 129 thousand shares on the video, said his mom is very proud of him for posting it.

The video also has more than 48,000 comments, with many people apologizing and saying it puts things into a different perspective.

"The fact that you can't just live your life is sickening," one TikTok user replied. "This sounds like 1965, not much has changed," said another.

For other black men and boys, the impact of the video is even stronger.

"This is the normal life for us I'm used to it," a user replied. "Got this talk at 10 and my brothers at 8 and 6," replied another,

Welch said now more than ever, it's important for people supporting the movement to stay positive.

When asked what he hopes people who have watched his video take away from it, he replied, "I hope people realize the point of the video and understand that no one should live like this."
A man who participated in one of the many police brutality protests taking place across New York City this week was detained by immigration officials who suspected he was carrying a weapon.

The Immigrant Defense Project, an advocacy organization that provides legal services to immigrants, shared a video Friday afternoon showing a man they say is of Puerto Rican descent being detained by a group of men, one of whom is wearing a vest identifying him as a member of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a division under Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A lawyer with the Immigrant Defense Project who spoke with the man told NBC News that a weapon wasnt found.

The incident took place Wednesday, according to the organization, and allegedly involved five agents who jumped out of a van with guns drawn [and] threw him to the ground.

 ALERT  ICE is showing up at NYC protests: On Wednesday, this man was walking with protestors when 5 agents jumped out of a van with guns drawn & threw him to the ground, 1 wearing a POLICE/HSI (division of ICE) vest. This man is a US citizen of Puerto Rican descent. pic.twitter.com/aADNiQG1Co  Immigrant Defense Project (@ImmDefense) June 5, 2020

The pattern that we see in this case is similar to patterns weve seen in ICE arrests outside of courthouses, Terry Lawson, a supervising policy attorney with the Immigrant Defense Project told NBC News. They didnt identify themselves, they terrified him, they were pushing their guns at him and they never said why they targeted him.

HSI New York spokesperson Rachael Yong Yow said in a statement to TIME that the agents were working along with local law enforcement and that the incident wasnt immigration related.

HSI has the authority to make criminal arrests as needed, she said. HSI Special Agents identified a person considered to be in possession of a weapon and a threat to the public safety. No arrests were made. Yong Yow did not respond to questions of whether a weapon was actually found on the suspect.

Story continues

Immigration agents from various departments have been called in to assist local law enforcement in cities across the country seeing mass protests against police brutality after the officer-involved killing of George Floyd on May 25. On June 2, more than 600 immigration agents were in Washington D.C. to assist law enforcement, according to a tweet by Chad Wolf, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

The agency does not conduct immigration enforcement at sensitive locations, including public demonstrations, except when there is an imminent public safety or national security threat, Yong Yow adds.

.@DHSgov law enforcement officers are stepping up again. 600+ personnel from @CBP @ICEgov and @TSA were deployed to stand shoulder to shoulder with @SecretService, Federal Protective Service, and other federal & local law enforcement in DC last night. pic.twitter.com/INaUphISg3  Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) June 2, 2020

According to the Immigrant Defense Project, the man was a military veteran who decided to participate in the protest taking place in the neighborhood where he lives and works.

Its just really concerning to see ICE out on the street, grabbing somebody whos peacefully protesting before the curfew, who was doing absolutely nothing wrong, Lawson said to NBC. The use of force also seems very troubling and the fact that hes a man of Puerto Rican descent is really concerning because it raises questions about racial profiling.
By Express News Service

ONGOLE: Farmers of Prakasam district are eagerly waiting for the purchase of their Bengal gram produce at a support price by the government. Due to lack of support price and lockdown, Bengal gram purchases came to a halt and huge stocks got accumulated with farmers. Hence, the state government has decided to purchase 15,000 MTs of Bengal gram from Prakasam farmers through MARKFED (Andhra Pradesh State Co-operative Marketing Federation Ltd).

According to agriculture officials, 45,000 farmers cultivated Bengal gram in 86,895 hectares in the district. The crop yield was put at 13 lakh quintals. MARKFED purchased nearly 2.26 lakh quintals of Bengal gram from Prakasam farmers earlier. A majority of the farmers who stocked Bengal gram in cold storage, are hopeful of getting a better price for their produce.

On the request of the district administration and peoples representatives, the government has given its nod to purchase 8,000 tonnes of Bengal gram from Prakasam farmers. MARKFED Incharge Additional Director KVN Upendra Kumar met Joint Collector J Venkata Murali recently and discussed the purchase of Bengal gram from farmers.

The Joint Collector wrote a letter to the government seeking special permission for purchase of 15,000 tonnes of Bengal gram from Prakasam farmers out of the total 70,000 tonnes of the crop to be procured in the State as the district is a major cultivator.

"The government recently decided to procure an additional 70,000 metric tonnes of Bengal gram through MARKFED, which will benefit farmers in a big way. The Joint Collector wrote a letter to the government seeking permission to purchase 15,000 tonnes of Bengal gram from farmers of Prakasam at a support price of Rs 4,875 per quintal. We hope that the government will give permission to procure 5,000 tonnes more of Bengal gram from farmers of Prakasam district at a support price," Upendra Kumar told TNIE.
New Delhi, Jun 6 (UNI) Central terror probe agency NIA on Saturday arrested the key conspirator Abdul Rehman Abdul Jabbar Sheikh in the Visakhapatnam espionage case from Mumbai.

During the search at the house of Abdul Rehman, a digital devices and large number of incriminating documents have been seized by the probe agency.

His wife Shaista Qaiser, key conspirator of espionage case Haroon Haji Abdul Rehman Lakdawala and others were arrested on May 15 by the NIA.

During searches at the house of Md Haroon also, a number of digital devices and incriminating documents have been seized by the probe agency.

This case has been related to an international espionage racket involving individuals based in Pakistan and at different locations in India.

Pakistani spy agency ISI recruited agents in India for collecting sensitive and classified information regarding locations and movements of Indian Naval Ships and Submarines, and other defence establishments.

During investigation revealed that few navy personnel came in contact with Pakistani nationals through various social media platforms such as Facebook, Whatsapp and were involved in sharing classified information in lieu of monetary gains. The money was deposited into the bank accounts of the navy personnel through Indian associates having business interests in Pakistan, the NIA said.

Investigation revealed that arrested key accused Mohammed Haroon Lakdawala had visited Karachi, Pakistan on many occasions to meet his handlers under the guise of conducting cross -border trade. During these visits, he came in contact with two Pakistani spies namely Akbar alias Ali and Rizwan, who directed him to deposit money into the bank accounts of navy personnel at regular intervals. The same was done through different means.

So far, 15 accused have been arrested including 11 Navy personnel.

The case was originally registered as FIR No. 1/2019 dated November 16 last year in CI Cell of Vijayawada police station in Andhra Pradesh under sections 120B and 121A of IPC, Section 17 and 18 of UA (P) Act and Section 3 of Official Secrets Act and on December 29, 2019,the NIA took over the case.

UNI AKS
(CNN)  The trail of blood outside the warehouse door was the only immediate sign that a murder had taken place.

But CCTV footage seized by police, and seen by CNN, revealed a brutal afternoon of carnage.

At midday on Sunday, May 24, three Zambian attackers with iron bars entered the grounds of a Chinese-owned textile warehouse in Lusaka. Police said they were pretending to be potential customers.

But the trio did not want to do business.

Over the next 17 minutes, the CCTV footage shows, they beat two men and one woman to death in the courtyard, before dragging their bodies into the adjoining warehouse.

That's where the footage ends. According to police, the attackers then dismembered their bodies and used flammable materials from the Blue Star clothing business to set their bodies and the building ablaze, burning them so severely that it took Zambian authorities three days to retrieve their charred remains from the rubble.

Before fleeing, the attackers raided the property for valuables. A blood-stained machete was found by police.

The gruesome murder of 52-year-old Cao Guifang, the wife of the textile warehouse owner  who was in their home province of Jiangsu, in eastern China, when the attack happened  and her two male employees, Bao Junbin, 58, and Fan Minjie, 33, came at the end of a week when anti-Chinese sentiment in the Zambian capital was nearing boiling point.

In the days leading up to the murder, Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa had accused Chinese bosses in the capital of "slavery reloaded," used the derogatory term "Chinaman," and, stoking racial divides, reminded the public in a video posted on his Facebook account that "black Zambians did not originate coronavirus. It originated in China."

There are an estimated 22,000 Chinese nationals living in Zambia, operating 280 companies, mostly spread between Lusaka and the copperbelt in the north. Beijing owns about 44% of Zambia's debt, which has led to fear among some Zambians that China has too much control over the country.

While police have not directly linked the murder to anti-Chinese sentiment, the crime came as a reminder of the violent outbursts some Chinese have faced while living in Zambia, a key partner for China along its coveted Belt and Road project.

"Even some of the people who stayed here for more than 20 years, they've also been shocked by such kind of criminal activities," says Eric Shen, a Chinese businessman who has been living in Zambia for more than a decade.

Forced quarantine

Zambia reported its first coronavirus cases on March 18. As with much of Africa, the initial infections did not come from China, but Europe, after a couple who had recently returned from a trip to France imported the virus.

The central African nation went into partial lockdown, shutting borders, businesses and implementing social distancing rules.

As the pandemic took its toll on Zambia's economy, reports began to emerge that some Chinese businesses were defying the lockdown measures, either by continuing to serve Chinese customers, or by quarantining Zambian workers inside their premises.

Mayor Sampa began a campaign to expose such cases.

On May 18, Sampa shut down a Chinese restaurant, which had reportedly denied Zambian patrons, for selling products labeled in Chinese and not English, as prescribed by the law. A few days later, he revoked the license of a Chinese barber shop for "discriminating against blacks."

After those raids, Sampa posted video of himself bursting in on Chinese managers eating dinner at a truck assembly factory, where workers had allegedly been told to live on-site during the pandemic, and not return to their families, so they could keep working without risking getting infected in the community.

"We found Zambian workers made to sleep in a small container (six people in one container) with mattresses put on the floor," Sampa wrote on Facebook.

In the video, one Chinese manager responds: "We don't allow them to go home because of the corona issue."

Sampa responds: "Chinaman ... (there) is no excuse to enslave them."

On the same day, Sampa visited a cement factory, where he said workers had been held for two months.

When a Chinese boss explains in the video Sampa posted to Facebook of the visit that within the plant, all the workers were not able to go out, Sampa replies: "That is illegal. You are holding them hostage. That's slavery."

One Zambian employee at the cement factory told CNN: "We were asked by our (Chinese) bosses to stay and work from here until the coronavirus is over because they fear we might contract it from the community and bring it to our workplace.

"But they provide us food, mosquito nests and mattresses where we sleep. We sleep like in a camp ... but some of our colleagues who refused have been sacked and they will reapply once the company reopens."

Another Zambian employee of the same company claimed that his Chinese boss threatened to beat him if he refused to stay. "We were being forced by our Chinese bosses and they threatened to beat you if you refuse. That is how some of us ran away  right now, we just want the government to help us claim our unpaid salaries," he said.

When CNN contacted the factory, an employee who declined to give his name denied accusations of wrongdoing.

"We are not holding them to be prisoners  we are just protecting them from this corona disease," he said. "The workers are paid more for sleeping at the plant."

He would not say how much extra had been provided, but one employee said the workers are normally paid 1, 600 Zambian kwacha ($95) per month.

Rekindled old fires

The Chinese presence in Zambia has been controversial for decades.

In 2005, an explosion at a mine near Chambeshi, a town in Zambia's copperbelt, killed dozens of Zambian workers. Five years later, two Chinese managers opened fire on Zambian workers who were protesting bad labor conditions at the Collum coal mine. In 2012, Zambian workers killed a Chinese supervisor at the same mine.

The incidents attracted global media attention and have often been held up as proof of poor Chinese labor standards  not only in Zambia but across the African continent.

So when the issue of Zambian workers being forced into quarantine by Chinese bosses emerged during the pandemic, "it rekindled some of the old sentiment that people have had against Chinese employers," says Kanenga Haggai, lecturer in the Department of Development Studies at the University of Zambia and PhD candidate at Southeast University, in China. "If not well handled, then it has the potential to ruin China's relations with Zambia, on a people-to-people level."

Today, China trades more with Zambia than any other country in Africa bar Kenya. In 2018, bilateral trade was in excess of $5 billion.

Yet while Zambian exports to China are considerable, thanks to its copper output, what many ordinary Zambians see on the ground is the pervasion of Chinese people and companies in their country. Major infrastructure projects including airports, highways and dams in Zambia have been built by Chinese state-owned, or linked, firms.

China also operates in the crucial mining sector, as do companies other foreign nations, and a Beijing-backed  although not owned  company even bought a 60% share in the Zambian state broadcaster. Local media frequently run inflammatory headlines, such as "How China is slowly colonizing Zambian economy."

"Zambians feel that China is slowly taking over their land, business, and that now Chinese people are given privileged treatment from the government officials," says Haggai. "We've seen a lot of Chinese are acquiring huge chunks of land."

Chinese influence is a lightning-rod political issue in the country. In 2018, a Lusaka politician proposed building a China City, where Chinese expats would be restricted to doing their small business, after Zambians complained about foreigners engaging in their trades such as chicken rearing and running restaurants and salons, which have traditionally been their domain.

Before that, in 2006, the late Zambian politician Michael Sata claimed that 80,000 Chinese were "infesting" Zambia as he ran for the presidency on a xenophobic campaign, which led to racial attacks on Chinese-run workplaces. Chinese shopkeepers had to barricade their stores against attacks by looters. The actual number of Chinese in the country is much lower.

While Sata had threatened to recognize Taiwan as an independent state before taking office, when he finally became President, on his fourth attempt in 2011, he embraced China as "Zambia's all-weather friend" and abandoned his campaign promises.

Mayor Sampa is Sata's nephew, and he likely understands how well taking a hard line on China will play with voters.

In a time of heightened racial tensions globally, Haggai says that Sampa should be cautious in the language he uses when talking about the Chinese presence to not stoke xenophobia.

"Of course, he has the mandate and the responsibility to check what is going on in the companies and factories in his jurisdiction, but he must be careful with what he says because this has become a very sensitive issue that might fuel further resentment against Chinese people," he says.

After being advised to stay in his lane by central government authorities, perhaps mindful of Zambia's economic dependence on China, Sampa issued an apology to the Chinese community.

He said: "I wish to apologies unreservedly ... for the tone and language used towards one of their nationals in particular on the use of the word 'Chinaman.' I did not know hitherto that it was derogatory term, but they have since lodged in a formal complaint against my use of the word.

"Finally, I wish to assure all foreign investors in the city of Lusaka that my office is there to support their businesses 100% ... we shall engage them in a more civil manner through relevant offices and institutions."

A memorial

On Monday, hundreds gathered at the scene of the murder in Lusaka to pay their respects to the Chinese migrants who lost their lives. Zambians and Chinese stood side by side, wearing face masks, as they mourned the dead.

Zambian employees from the textile business said a few words, along with fellow Chinese expatriates, according to Eric Shen, the Lusaka businessman who was master of ceremonies.

According to friends, Cao and her husband had been in Zambia for about 20 years, and from their warehouse they sold textiles, bedding and clothing they imported from Nantong, their home region of China which is known for textile production.

The Zambian ambassador to China, Winnie N. Chibesakunda, told state-run tabloid the Global Times that Zambia will strengthen measures to protect the lives of Chinese living in the country. In October 2015, three Chinese people were killed in a robbery in Kitwe, and in November 2017 a Chinese national died in an armed robbery in the copperbelt.

"The government of the Republic of Zambia has instituted investigations to bring the perpetrators of this gruesome act to justice and shall endeavor to continue strengthening measures to protect the lives of Chinese living in Zambia," she stated. Zambian authorities have arrested two men and one woman on suspicion of murder.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that the murders were an isolated case that "won't affect the mainstream of friendly cooperation between China and Zambia."

Shen, the Lusaka-based businessman, concluded that, "these kinds of criminal activities can happen anywhere, any place, any time in this world." He said the Chinese community was trying not to link the killings to rising anti-Chinese sentiment, in a place where many have chosen to call home.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Three Chinese nationals were murdered and burned in Zambia, in a week when racial tensions were running high"
Former Real Housewives Of Orange County star Kara Keough Bosworth gave birth to her second child, a son, McCoy on April 6 and on April 12 he died from birth complications.

To mark what would have been a milestone for the newborn, when he would have turned two months old, the 31-year-old penned a sweet and heartbreaking tribute to her late son on Saturday.

The former reality star wrote about moments she thought she would be sharing with her son at this point in his life, and gave a glimpse into her much different reality.

What would have been: Kara Keough Bosworth penned an emotional tribute to her late son McCoy on what would have been his two month old milestone, she shared to Instagram on Saturday

'You would have been two months old today,' Kara wrote alongside a photo of baby McCoy from the hospital. 'Youd have found your favorite pacifier by now.'

'Id be grateful that I was finally able to get those first (beautiful) 6+ hour stretches of sleep,' she continued. 'That make me feel like a Disney Princess with birds tweeting above my head.'

But rather than savoring every extra hour of sleep as her newborn learned to sleep through the night, she said sleeping was better than her reality.

Saying: 'Instead, Im clocking in 12+ hours every night because sleeping is decidedly easier than my waking hours.'

Always with us:Paying tribute to what milestones and accomplishments her son would have made by now she also a glimpse into the grief she is feeling saying: 'Instead, Im clocking in 12+ hours every night because sleeping is decidedly easier than my waking hours'

Giving fans a small glimpse into the pain and mourning her family is experience she said 'We should be cleaning up your blowouts, instead were dealing with our own shit.'

She continued to say what should have been a joyous time was pulling on her heart for a more tragic reason.

'At this point, you would be finding your voice - squawking and squealing and making our hearts explode,' Kara wrote. 'Our hearts have still detonated, but for different reasons.'

She ended the heart-wrenching post by explaining small comforts she finds in things that remind her of her son.

Never forget: Kara has promised she will keep her son's memory alive for his sister Decker, four

'I should be looking at your face for most of my day, instead I have to search for you elsewhere,' she wrote. 'I see you in songs, in the sky, in the sea, in your sisters face, in your daddys arms.'

'Ill keep looking for you for as long as I live,' she concluded the post. 'Being without you is hard, but being your mom is one of my favorite things about myself. I love you, McCoy Casey.'

Baby McCoy was Kara's second child with husband Kyle Bosworth, they share daughter Decker, four.

Since the family's tragic loss, Kara has been open about her grief, finding comfort in a doll that is weighted to McCoy's at birth, and a small tattoo she got in his honor.

Last month, posting an update, Kara showed off the design, an M, made with traditional tattoo ink and some of McCoy's ashes, while holding a teddy bear with a ribbon bearing her son's name.

Trauma: Talking to Good Morning America in May , Kara said she was 'literally begging God to save my baby' as she fought to push out her son with the help of a licensed midwife

She wrote: 'This bear weighs exactly 11 pounds and 4 ounces. Exactly the size of the hole in my heart. But thanks to this thoughtful gift, my arms dont feel so painfully empty.

'I cant quite articulate how much carrying the exact weight of McCoy against my body grounds me. I think my physical need for him will be there forever, ' she wrote.

Adding: 'Also feeling thankful for my new (first) tattoo, with my sons ashes in the ink... so that my baby can be with me always. He can stay forever in my arms this way, in the place he last rested.

The post comes after Kara promised she would keep her son's memory alive for his older sister Decker, four.

Siblings: Kara made sure that her daughter Decker got to meet her baby brother even as he lay in hospital with severe brain damage with no hope of recovery

Taking to Instagram on May 14, she wrote: 'I promise that this girl will hear about her baby brother. She will love him. She will miss him. When people ask how many kids I have, she will hear an answer that includes McCoy. Shell hear me wishing him a goodnight and saying I love you when I tuck her in.'

She went on: 'He was here. He matters. And saying his name will always make my heart leap for joy. It might hurt for awhile, too, maybe forever. But itll also bring happiness and pride.'

Kara concluded: 'I will always be Decker & McCoys mama. For as long as Im living, my babies theyll be.'

Talking to Good Morning America , Kara said she was 'literally begging God to save my baby' as she fought 'a Herculean effort' for nine minutes to push out her son with the help of a licensed midwife.

Love: She and husband Kyle Bosworth said goodbye to their son six days after his birth and decided to donate his organs to help others

She had committed to an unmedicated delivery and entered a birthing pool during labor with her husband Kyle by her side.

When it came time to push, the baby got stuck after his head was delivered, a condition known as shoulder dystocia, and it caused his umbilical cord to be compressed, cutting off his oxygen supply and causing devastating brain damage.

The midwife called 911 when it became apparent the infant was not breathing and he was rushed to hospital.

Although medics managed to get his heart beating again, the newborn suffered traumatic brain damage and couldn't be saved.

Kara is the daughter of Jeana Keough who was a housewife on RHOC from season one to five and continued to make friend or guest appearances on the Bravo show up until season 12.
Bengaluru, June 6 : Karnataka registered 378 Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, breaching the 5,000-mark to settle at 5,213, said an official, here on Saturday. "New cases reported from Friday 5 p.m. to Saturday 6 p.m. is 378," said a health official.

Of the new cases, 333 are local returnees, comprising 88 per cent of the new infections. Returnees from Maharashtra accounted for 99 per cent new cases at 329.

Majority infections in Karnataka nowadays are returnees, mostly from the state's northern neighbour. Only 27 new infections were contacts of earlier cases.

On Saturday, cases spiked in Udupi, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Bengaluru Urban, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Davangere and Dakshina Kannada.

Udupi witnessed the highest number of cases (121), followed by Yadgir (103), Kalaburagi (69), Dakshina Kannada (24), Bengaluru Urban (18), Vijayapura and Davangere (6 each), Belagavi (5), Gadag (4), Mandya, Hassan, Dharwad and Haveri (3 each), Raichur, Chikkaballapura and Uttara Kannada (2 each) and Bidar, Tumkur, Kolar and Koppal (1 each).

Among the new cases, three patients from Bengaluru Urban are suffering from Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and another from Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI).

There were seven cases with international travel history to United Arab Emirates (UAE) and one to Turkey.

Meanwhile, 280 people were discharged in the past 24 hours and two persons succumbed to the virus, one from Bidar and another from Vijayapura. Of all the cases, 3,184 are active, 1,968 discharged, 59 dead and 11 in the ICU.

In the past 24 hours, Karnataka tested 11,862 people, of which 11,431 reports returned negative. In total, 3.72 lakh samples have been tested so far, of which 3.61 lakh have returned negative.

Currently, Udupi is leading the state's Covid-19 burden with 785 active cases, followed by Kalaburagi (448), Yadgir (407), Raichur (320) and Mandya (163) among others.

Bengaluru Urban has accounted for 13 deaths, followed by Kalaburagi (7), Bidar, Vijayapura, Davangere and Dakshina Kannada (6 each) and Chikkaballapura (3 each), among others.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
A Birmingham bar owners comments about the George Floyd protests have resulted in the resignation of three staff members and a controversy on social media that threatens the future of the bar.

Michael Dykes, the founder of Parkside Cafe in Avondale, called Floyd a thug and said protesters were idiots in a text message that was sent on Friday morning to Robert Bagwell, co-owner of the bar, and one of Parksides employees. Dykes said Parkside should increase prices at the bar as a protest tax and employees who participated in the protests should resign.

We should go up one or two dollars on everything until June 10th. Call it a protest tax because all the idiots that went to the protests are responsible for us not being able to open normal hours, Dykes said in the text, referring to a 7 p.m. curfew in Birmingham that was imposed on June 1 after protests here spurred violence downtown. Any employees that went or are going should resign," Dykes said. "Mr. Floyd was a thug, didnt deserve to die but honoring a thug is irresponsible.

Dykes text, which was circulated to other employees at the bar, caused three staffers to quit and was posted on Facebook by one of the employees who resigned, Lacey King.

This is the owner of Parkside, this is the man I work for, Michael Dykes, King said in a Facebook post on Friday. Please someone give me a new job bc this man is the most hateful person I have ever met in my life. The evil texts Ive received from him over the years are astonishing. This is just one example.

King took down her post later that day and thanked Facebook friends for their support. In the meantime, however, Kings post had been copied and posted by others on social media, prompting widespread criticism of Parkside and calls for a boycott.

Lacey King's Facebook post about Michael Dykes, one of the owners of Birmingham's Parkside Cafe.(Twitter screenshot)

Dykes told AL.com he was angry when he wrote the text -- blowing off steam to colleagues -- and his hot-headed words dont reflect his true feelings.

I was just complaining about the situation, Dykes said during a phone interview. Im angry that some of my friends own businesses downtown and theyre boarded up. It just makes me angry. I just wish it would stop.

Dykes also said he considered the text a private communication between managers at Parkside that was never meant for public viewing. As a result, he said, his foot-in-the-mouth moment has been taken out of context and misinterpreted.

I feel like Ive been raked over the coals," Dykes said. It was a heat-of-the-moment thing. Im very frustrated, because it was way misconstrued. I was just mad. I didnt get the chance to explain myself. ... I think this has gotten blown way out of control.

Dykes said he regretted sending the text and wanted to apologize 100 percent for the things he said.

Im not a racist. I have many black friends. I have friends from Gambia and other places," Dykes said. Yes, I made a mistake and called Mr. Floyd a thug. I regret that. I really do regret that. ... I am sorry for what I said. I did not mean disrespect to Mr. Floyd, ever."

Dykes said his text was partly prompted by a Facebook video hed been watching by Candace Owens, a conservative commentator and political activist. In the video, Owens explains why she thinks Floyd -- an unarmed black man who died during an arrest by a white police officer in Minneapolis on May 25 -- shouldnt be lifted up in the black community as a martyr.

Dykes said he was pondering Owens words, which reflected some of his own thoughts. I was inspired by a black woman, who is amazing, by the way, said Dykes, who is white.

Also, Dykes said he was upset that protests in Birmingham were continuing to happen, even after the citywide curfew. The curfew, which runs 7 p.m.-6 a.m. daily, forced Parkside to reduce its hours of operation when the business was trying to recover from a loss of income during the coronavirus pandemic.

Finally we get to reopen and then this happens, Dykes said. They started these protests and I was hoping that people wouldnt go. Why would you have a protest during a pandemic? I was angry that my employees were still going to the protests after the restrictions they already caused. ... They shouldnt have protests. Its not fair. I really think the City of Birmingham and Mayor Woodfin are negligent."

Dykes said his cell phone has been blowing up with calls and texts because of the controversy, some of them derogatory.

This is so hurtful, Dykes said. I feel like everybody just wants me out of Parkside.

Dykes said if he could speak directly to the bars customers -- indeed, to all of Birmingham -- heres what hed say:

Im sorry I let everybody down. I really am. I never intended any harm. Everybody is welcome at Parkside, no matter what your skin color and politics are. I did not ever want to cause any disrespect for Mr. Floyd. I would like to apologize to the Floyd family and anybody else I offended.

Later on Friday, via a text message, Dykes said, I would like to add that all lives matter, and police brutality is unacceptable.

Parkside Cafe, 4036 Fifth Ave. South, has been a popular mainstay in Birminghams Avondale neighborhood for about a decade. Dykes opened the bar in 2010, transforming a former home decor shop into a casual and funky nightspot filled with artworks and antiques.

Although Parkside has developed good relationships with its customers over the years, Dykes comments about the protests have caused severe damage to the bars reputation, co-owner Bagwell said.

Im horrified, Bagwell said in a phone interview with AL.com. 'I cant and wont condone what he said. Thats not who we are at Parkside. Im incredibly disappointed right now."

Bagwell, who said he bought a 25 percent stake in the business about six years ago, admitted that hes in a difficult position as the minority owner at Parkside. Dykes has a tendency to rant and make inflammatory statements when hes upset, Bagwell said, and this episode is a prime example.

I think he was just popping off, Bagwell said. He just doesnt understand that his words have repercussions. I dont think hes a racist. I dont think he understood the impact this could have and is having. ... Most of the time, its easy to talk him down or distract him, and hes on to something else."

Bagwell kept the bar closed on Friday after the controversy erupted and said he wasnt sure if Parkside would be open at all this weekend. (Parkside, which closed in mid-March when the pandemic hit, reopened in mid-May with reduced capacity, increased sanitation practices and social distancing guidelines. Because of the curfew in Birmingham, hours have been reduced to 3 p.m.-6:30 p.m. daily.)

Bagwell and his wife Robin were at the bar on Friday, keeping vigil over the place and hoping that no protests would happen on the street. Things were quiet at Parkside when the 7 p.m. curfew arrived, and the Bagwells said they hoped the calm atmosphere would continue.

Im stuck between a rock and a hard place," Robert Bagwell said. I support the right to protest and I would like people to do it safely, peacefully. I get it -- theres a ton of anger out there and its justified anger. If you want to protest Parkside, I get it. Just please dont burn us. This is the only livelihood Ive ever known. This is all I got.

Bagwell apologized for Dykes comments on his Instagram page on Friday, saying, Id just like to say how sorry I am for the dumb shit my business partner said earlier today. It is in no way indicative of myself or any of the staff at Parkside. We love our state, neighborhood and our regulars. This is not who we are.

Robert Bagwell, one of the owners of Parkside Cafe in Birmingham, posted this on Instagram on June 5, 2020.(Instagram screenshot)

The Bagwells also issued an apology on Parkside Cafes Facebook page.

Robert Bagwell, one of the owners of Birmingham's Parkside Cafe, posted this apology on the bar's Facebook page on June 5, 2020.(Facebook screenshot)

Although some commenters on Facebook have been sympathetic, others have said the apology isnt enough. Theyre calling for Bagwell to oust Dykes and take over the business.

Michael Dykes needs to quit/be fired and someone else step in because Parkside is a great bar and community space (one that I once lived in the loft before it was a bar) and I would hate for it to go because of this, Christy Turnipseed said. He is one person that can be removed and let Parkside be even better. Im sure the other owner realizes this. But again, also maybe check your PR before making a statement like this. This apology is not enough.

If it was an individual making these comments, they would be fired immediately," Lana Darby said. Until this owner is fired, I would not expect your community to embrace Parkside again knowing their dollars are enriching this man.

You should def consider 1. Acknowledging what was said, and 2. buying out the partner who said it. Otherwise Im pretty sure you guys are cancelled, said Brandon Wayne.

Bagwell said he spoke to Dykes briefly after the controversy emerged on Friday, but the two have yet to discuss the future of Parkside.

In a perfect world, Id like to say that hes no longer affiliated with Parkside and Im doing what I can to get rid of him," Bagwell said. I havent had time to go over our ownership agreement.

Bagwell said Dykes, who has a 75 percent stake in Parkside, doesnt spend much time at the bar. He stopped short of calling Dykes an absentee owner, but Bagwell emphasized that hes the one on scene every day, interacting with customers and creating a welcoming atmosphere.

Im here seven days a week, Bagwell said. I still bartend three or four times a week. Buying him out seems like the only way to fix the problem. ... He thinks hes being clever and Im just trying to make a good living and keep the bills paid. I would like this business to continue to exist and for me to have a job to come to every day. Our reputation is horribly tainted right now."

Bagwell said its unusual for him to criticize Dykes in a public forum, but his partner has left him little choice.

Im sure hes not going to be happy, Bagwell said. What do I have to lose? Hes crippled our business already."

Bagwell said hes not sure what the future will bring, but he hopes customers will return to Parkside and give the business another chance.

Were just an easygoing neighborhood bar, trying to stay out of politics," Bagwell said. "The people who know us love us. I would hope other people who dont know us would give us a shot and not say, To heck with that place.' ... Ill apologize to anybody who comes through the door for the stupidity of my partner. How about the first beer on me?

Update, June 9: The Facebook page for Parkside Cafe has been taken down. AL.com has confirmed that all five employees at the bar have resigned. Parkside remains closed. The dispute between the two owners has yet to be resolved.
 Flash

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for "China-France contributions" to winning the global battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

China and France need to continuously support the international community joining hands against the pandemic, Xi said in a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Xi stressed that China and France have maintained high-level strategic coordination since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak. Noting that the spread of the coronavirus has not been effectively contained globally, Xi said that solidarity and cooperation are the right way forward.

The two countries, he added, should promote joint research, support international cooperation in vaccine and drug research and development, step up efforts to implement the consensus reached at the 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA), and enhance support for the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Chinese president said the two countries should also carry out more trilateral cooperation against the COVID-19 pandemic among China, France and Africa and support countries in such underdeveloped regions as Africa in fighting the epidemic.

China and France should uphold multilateralism and promote world peace and stability, he added.

Xi said he stands ready to maintain close communication with Macron, work to chart the course, and push for sound and stable development of bilateral relations.

He said the two countries should look to the post-pandemic future, draw a blueprint for exchanges at all levels in the next stage and carry out dialogue and exchanges in a prudent, orderly and flexible manner.

China and France, Xi added, should strengthen coordination and alignment of their macro-economic policy for post-pandemic recovery, tap the potential of cooperation in traditional areas and expand cooperation in emerging sectors.

Noting that the Chinese market is open to France, Xi said he hopes that the French side will make full use of the "fast track" arrangement to facilitate business trips to China so as to help French enterprises in China resume business, and meanwhile create a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies.

Xi pointed out that China and the European Union (EU) are comprehensive strategic partners sharing broad common interests.

He said China is pleased with the progress achieved in EU integration and stands ready to strengthen strategic cooperation with the EU, advance major political agendas between the two sides, support multilateralism, and jointly tackle such global challenges as public health, climate change and biodiversity, so as to work for sound and steady development of China-EU relations.

For his part, Macron said that France and China have carried out good cooperation and demonstrated solidarity in the fight against the pandemic, adding that the French side hopes to continuously strengthen cooperation with the Chinese side by upholding this spirit.

Noting that the French side appreciates the announcement made by Xi that China's COVID-19 vaccine, once available, will be made a global public good, Macron said that France stands ready to work with China to implement the consensus reached at the WHA, support the WHO in playing its important role, enhance cooperation with the WHO, and increase support to African countries in fighting the pandemic.

Expressing his wish to visit China again at an early date, Macron said he hopes that related departments of the two countries could maintain dialogue and communication, deepen mutual understanding, and promote key cooperation projects, adding that the most urgent task is to speed up resumption of work and production.

Macron also said that France is willing to work with China to safeguard multilateralism and strengthen cooperation in such fields as climate change and biodiversity, so as to inject more positive factors into world peace and stability.

France attaches great importance to a series of major exchanges between the EU and China in the next phase, Macron said, adding that the French side stands ready to play an active role in this regard.
A 45-year-old grandmother and two other persons have been arrested for allegedly selling her two-month-old grandchild for GH8,000 at Anyaa in the Ga Central municipality of the Greater Accra Region.



Grandma Comfort Okai is said to have taken the baby from her 29-year-old daughter and sold her through a third party to a childless woman.



After taking the baby, the childless woman, in addition to paying GH8,000, rented a room for the baby's mother and her seven children and also bought a new refrigerator for them.



The woman who bought the baby and her agent are in police custody for investigations.



Burden



Confirming the arrest, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mrs Effia Tenge, said on June 3, 2020, the Anyaa Police received a report that a woman had sold her grandchild.



When Madam Okai was arrested, she told the police that she had sold the child to free herself from child care burden, since her daughter already had seven children with different men.



Mrs Tenge said Madam Okai told the police that she had been weighed down by the burden of caring for her daughter's children, for which reason she took the decision to sell the eighth child.



Baby buyer found



Madam Okai, according to the police, sold the baby through a 55-year-old woman who concealed the identity of the buyer but rented accommodation for the mother of the baby and her children and also provided a refrigerator for them.



Mrs Tenge said the woman who acted as an agent initially told the police that the baby was with her childless sister in Takoradi in the Western Region and then later took the police to Ashaiman and Odorkor, both in the Greater Accra Region, in search of the buyer.



After taking the police on the fruitless journey, she finally led them to recover the baby from the buyer at Dansoman in Accra.



The buyer and the agent were subsequently arrested to assist with investigations.

Source: Daily Graphic









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Thiruvananthapuram, June 6 : After opposing computers and digitization of the party tooth and nail for years, the CPI-M in Kerala on Saturday decided to embrace information technology and finally go online.

CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told the media in a Facebook interaction that on June 13, the various committees of the party would be going online with social distancing the new normal, there was not much choice.

"This is a new change that we have made and all our committee's will be equipped for this online. We are doing this as times have changed these are Covid times," said Balakrishnan.

The Congress was the first to embrace the trend in the most literate state in the country by then Finance Minister Oommen Chandy in 1991. A few days back Chandy's office had come out with an old publication of theirs on what the CPI-M said about computers and the damage that it will do.

And the stock statement of Chandy always has been, "First the CPI-M here opposed mechanisation in agriculture, then they broke computers, which was first installed in one of my department's when I was the Finance Minister.

"Today Pinarayi Vijayan carries two laptops with him. Such is the way the CPI-M handles things, first they oppose everything, then years later, they embrace it," says Chandy.

Incidentally the party politburo also had an online meeting, earlier this week when their top leaders interacted online and held its politburo meeting.

Balakrishnan also told the media that on June 16, 10 lakhs of their party members and fellow travellers will assemble at 2 lakh places with five people in every spot to demand Rs 7,500 to each person and 10 kg of food grains for six months from the Centre. This should be given to all those who do not pay income tax.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Taliban Ambush Kills 15 Afghan Forces, US Attacks Insurgents

By Ayaz Gul June 05, 2020

Afghan officials said Friday fresh fighting in the southern province of Zabul has killed at least 15 members of the security force and 12 Taliban insurgents.

Separately, the United States military reported it has also conducted airstrikes in the south and elsewhere in Afghanistan to disrupt "coordinated" Taliban attacks against Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF).

Gul Islam Sayal, a provincial government spokesman, told VOA that insurgents ambushed a "police reinforcement" convoy early Friday on the main highway linking Zabul with the Kandahar province.

Sayal said the government responded by sending additional police forces and aerial strikes to counter the Taliban raid. He did not discuss details of battlefield casualties.

But a security official requesting anonymity told VOA the clashes killed 15 Afghan highway police personnel and 12 insurgents. He said the Taliban also took away several military vehicles.

Separately, a spokesman for the U.S. forces in Afghanistan (USFOR-A) said an airstrike Friday targeted insurgents assaulting Afghan forces in Kandahar.

Col. Sonny Leggett gave no further details, noting this was the second airstrike the U.S. military had carried out in support of Afghan forces since Thursday.

"Overnight, USFOR-A conducted an airstrike against 25 armed Taliban fighters executing a coordinated attack on an ANDSF checkpoint in (western) Farah province. This afternoon, USFOR-A conducted a strike on Taliban fighters attacking an ANDSF checkpoint in Kandahar province," he tweeted.

Leggett said the airstrikes were carried out in accordance with the agreement between the United States and the Taliban. The pact, signed on February 29, binds both sides not to attack each other's forces. But the agreement allows the U.S. military to act in support of Afghan forces, if they are attacked.

"We reiterate: All sides must reduce violence to allow the peace process to take hold. These were the 1st U.S. airstrikes against Taliban since the start of the Eid cease-fire," he stressed.

The Taliban and Afghan security forces declared a temporary cease-fire during three-day annual Eid festivities, which ended on May 26.

Battlefield hostilities have since resumed, with Taliban fighters launching major attacks and killing dozens of Afghan forces.

The renewed violence comes amid a slow-moving prisoner swap between the insurgents and the Afghan government stipulated in the U.S.-Taliban agreement.

Kabul is required to free 5,000 insurgent inmates in exchange for 1,000 government detainees held by the Taliban.

So far, the government has freed fewer than 2,400 prisoners while the Taliban has released 420 Afghan personnel.

The swap, once completed, would lead to opening of negotiations between Afghan parties to the war to agree on a permanent cease-fire and power-sharing arrangement after the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan.

The U.S.-Taliban pact requires all U.S. and coalition forces to leave Afghanistan by mid-2021, ending the nearly two-decade-long Afghan war, America's longest.

The U.S. military drawdown started just days after the agreement was signed in Qatar to bring the number of troops down to about 8,600 by the middle of July before the full withdrawal next year.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 00:03:45|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-four Chinese centrally-administered state-owned enterprises (SOEs) inked 72 investment deals with the virus-hit Hubei Province earlier this week, according to the state-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) of the State Council.

The move aims to revive the economy of Hubei, the hardest-hit province during the COVID-19 epidemic.

With a combined investment of 327.73 billion yuan (about 46.16 billion U.S. dollars), the deals cover various industries including new energy, environmental protection, intelligent manufacturing and information technology.

The SASAC will provide more policy support to promote cooperation between central SOEs and Hubei Province, said Hao Peng, chief of the SASAC.

Central SOEs have signed 623 cooperation agreements with Hubei since 2016, with total investment exceeding 1 trillion yuan. So far, nearly 80 central SOEs have invested in the province.

China currently has a total of 97 central SOEs. Enditem
OPEC members, led by Saudi Arabia, and other key oil producers agreed Saturday to extend historic output cuts through July, as oil prices tentatively recover and coronavirus lockdowns ease. The 13-member cartel and its allies, notably Russia, decided to extend by a month deep May and June cuts agreed in April to boost prices, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said in a statement. Prices had plummeted owing to falling demand as countries around the world imposed strict lockdowns to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. "All participating countries... agreed the option of extending the first phase of the production adjustments pertaining in May and June by one further month," the OPEC statement said. Under the terms of the April agreement, OPEC and the so-called OPEC+ pledged to cut output by 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) from May 1 until the end of June. The cuts were then to be gradually eased from July, to 7.7 million bpd until December. Algerian Oil Minister Mohamed Arkab, who currently holds OPEC's rotating presidency, told AFP that the agreed cut for July was 9.6 mbpd, just slightly below the 9.7 mbpd for May and June. Oil ministers from key producers will meet monthly to assess the agreement, he added. - 'Important agreement' - US Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette welcomed the extension of cuts. "I applaud OPEC-plus for reaching an important agreement today which comes at a pivotal time as oil demand continues to recover and economies reopen around the world," he said in a tweet. Analysts had expected the May-June cuts to be extended by at least another month, if not longer. Although more countries around the world are gradually moving out of lockdown, crude consumption has not returned to pre-confinement levels, which were already comparatively low. "Today's deal is a positive development and, unless a second COVID-19 wave hits the world, it will be the backbone of a quick recovery for the energy industry," Bjornar Tonhaugen of Rystad Energy said, referring to a feared fresh wave of new coronavirus infections. "The 9.7 million bpd production cuts were already working, extending them an extra month will tighten (the) market more quickly," Ann-Louise Hittle of Wood Mackenzie said. - Respecting quotas - A bone of contention ahead of the meeting had been the willingness of each country to abide by the agreed production quotas. According to data intelligence company Kpler, OPEC+ reduced output by around 8.6 mbpd in May, less than planned, with Iraq and Nigeria seen as the most resistant. OPEC said all meeting participants agreed Saturday that countries that failed to comply fully so far were willing to make up for it in July, August and September. Despite the difficulties, the output cuts have helped support oil prices, which rose to around $40 per barrel at the start of June for both the US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), and Europe's Brent North Sea contracts. Both had slumped to historic lows in April, with Brent falling as low as $15 and WTI briefly entering negative territory. The April deal was signed after days of wrangling between major players, whose revenues have been ravaged by the collapsing oil market this year. The next meeting of OPEC and its allies has been scheduled for December 1 in Vienna, where the organisation is based. burs-jza/jj The 13-member OPEC and other oil producing nations such as Russia and Mexico are to extend output cuts by a month to the end of July
The president of the Junta de Andalucia, Juanma Moreno, announced on Saturday that from Monday 8 June, when the region moves into Phase Three of lockdown easing, travel will be permitted between Andalusian provinces.

The decision, which in Phase Three is in the hands of the regional authorities, has the approval of the central government and the committee of experts avising on Covid-19.

"From 8 June people can travel throughout the territory of Andalucia. We deserve to see the sun rise in Almeria and the sun set in Huelva, to stroll around the Alhambra...," said Moreno on Saturday.

At the same time, however, he asked the people of Andalucia to exercise "caution" and to go "step by step" in this last phase of lockdown easing because, "We have broken coronavirus, but we haven't eliminated it."

The region of Andalucia is formed by eight provinces: Almeria, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaen, Malaga and Seville.
Two Buffalo police officers were charged with second-degree assault on Saturday following national outcry over a video that shows the officers shoving a 75-year-old protester to the ground. Officers Aaron Torglaski and Robert McCabe were charged with second-degree assault in video arraignments in which they both entered not guilty pleas. They were both released without bail after the five-minute procedure and will return to court next month. The two men were charged with felony assault because of the protesters age and the fact that the two officers are more than 10 years younger.

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Just about an hour ago, police officers shove man in Niagara Square to the ground (WARNING: Graphic). Video from: @MikeDesmondWBFO pic.twitter.com/JBKQLvzfET  WBFO (@WBFO) June 5, 2020

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The officers, who had already been suspended, were part of a group of officers who were ordered to clear an area shortly after the citys 8 p.m. curfew on Thursday. The video, which has since gone viral, shows Martin Gugino, 75, approaching the officers who were wearing tactical gear. He appears to say something to the officers before they yell at him to move and one pushes him. Gugino then falls backward and hit his head on the sidewalk. The video then shows blood coming out of his head. Torgalski is the one who is seen pushing Gugino in the video. McCabe is the one who sort of pushes Gugino with his baton as well and is about to kneel after the fall but another officer tells him to keep moving.

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On Friday, all 57 members of the Bufallo Police Departments Emergency Response Team resigned from the unit after Toglaski and McCabe were suspended without pay. Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders, John Evans, president of the Police Benevolent Association, said. They did not resign from the police department and many of them, along with other members of the force, went to the Buffalo City Court on Saturday morning to show their support for the suspended officers.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said the union had been an impediment to reform. This union has been on the wrong side of history for a very long period of time and they have been a real barrier to reform of policing in the city of Buffalo, Brown said on MSNBC Friday night. Brown had previously said he was deeply disturbed by the video but said he did not support an outright firing of the officers, insisting it was important for the investigation to move forward. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo expressed support for Buffalos mayor on Saturday. We saw the video, Cuomo said at a news conference, what we saw was horrendous, disgusting, I think illegal.

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Gugino is in serious but stable condition, his attorney said. He is alert and oriented. The attorney, Kelly Zarcone, also described Gugino as a longtime peaceful protester, human rights advocate, and overall fan of the US Constitution. Hours before the protest, Gugino wrote on Twitter that he was concerned about the curfews and said those types of limits shouldnt apply to demonstrations. Protests are exempt from curfews because Congress (and mayors) may make no laws that abridge the right of the people peaceably to assemble and complain to the government, Gugino wrote Thursday morning.

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As protests have swept across Alabama and the U.S. in recent days, the vast majority of participants have been law-abiding, peaceful men, women and children simply seeking to make their voices heard.

But a certain number of people who have turned out to rallies, marches and demonstrations in recent days have turned to criminality. Incidents of such people starting fires, breaking windows, stealing from businesses, and assaulting others have taken place in cities from Brooklyn to Birmingham.

In many of those instances, politicians and law enforcement officials lay much of the blame for such crime and violence at the feet of the "outside agitator."

A term that's been around for generations, the outside agitator is something of a mythical creature, scapegoated by people in positions of power since Bull Connor used the term in the 1960s, when he directed Birmingham police to use dogs and firehoses against peaceful protesters.

"For 42 days now the city of Birmingham has been under siege from outside agitators led by Martin Luther King," Connor said in a 1963 interview with NBC News amid ongoing unrest in Alabama.

That's in keeping with a long tradition of leaders blaming bad behavior on outsiders, according to Randall Marshall, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama.

"I definitely think that it has historically been a scapegoat because it is easier to blame the problem on someone else, and I think in a way it is almost an attempt to say that, 'well, our folks in Alabama arent affected or arent upset or arent angry about what's going on,' and clearly the opposite is true," he said Friday.

It does not appear that any police force has turned dogs or hoses against people during the protests that broke out across the nation in the wake of George Floyd's killing last month by a Minneapolis police officer.

But in a small number of Alabama cities, police did deploy tear gas and, in at least one city, rubber bullets on demonstrators.

In Huntsville, where police officers have used both types of firepower to shut down largely peaceful protests, Chief Mark McMurray said Thursday that his department believed the people who rallied in the courthouse square on Wednesday were instigated by out-of-towners seeking to cause damage. McMurray said his department determined they were from outside the city by analyzing intelligence gathered in Huntsville and elsewhere, including what he said was a heightened number of cars with out-of-state license plates in the downtown area that night.

In Birmingham, rhetoric used to blame unrest on people who dont live in the city was alive and well this past week.

[T]heres 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, Mayor Randall Woodfin said Monday morning in response to looting and violence following the previous night's rally in Linn Park.

Protests turned violent Sunday night in Birmingham in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer days earlier. People broke windows, attacked journalists, lit fires and engaged in other illegal activity after attempting to topple a confederate memorial in Linn Park.Dez Wilson | DWilson@al.com

The city and the Birmingham Police Department have not provided evidence that a significant number of the people who broke windows, started fires and attacked journalists Sunday night were from out of town.

Chanda Temple, a spokeswoman for the city of Birmingham, declined to comment on the matter, directing questions to the Birmingham Police.

Sgt. Rod Maudlin said in a phone interview that the violence "is being investigated all around the board  We dont have a definitive answer as to if these are outside agitators or not  it's being investigated at this time." He characterized the investigation as "in its infancy" as of Wednesday.

He said the department could not say how many people traveled to Birmingham from other areas on Sunday or how much of the criminal activity they might have committed. "As far as how many outside agitators there are, its almost impossible," he said. "But we're reviewing videos [from] around the city, and we're following up on leads that are coming in from Crime Stoppers, and we're using those to help in conducting our investigation."

Birmingham's leaders are not alone in relying on the bogeyman of the outside agitator or the traveling anarchist when looking for someone to blame for violence and other illegal activity.

Earlier this week, the New York Times published an op-ed by U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton calling for the military to be used to break up protests. In the piece, the Arkansas Republican wrote that "nihilist criminals are simply out for loot and the thrill of destruction, with cadres of left-wing radicals like antifa infiltrating protest marches to exploit Floyds death for their own anarchic purposes."

But as with Woodfin, the Birmingham Police and numerous other political and law enforcement leaders across the country, Cotton did not provide any evidence to back up his assertion. On Friday, the Times appended an Editor's Note to the top of Cotton's piece that said that "the published piece presents as facts assertions about the role of 'cadres of left-wing radicals like antifa'; in fact, those allegations have not been substantiated and have been widely questioned."

John Lentine, a Birmingham criminal defense attorney and adjunct law professor at Samford Universitys Cumberland School of Law and the Birmingham School of Law, questioned the premise of the outside agitator, anarchist or antifa member traveling from afar to cause trouble in Birmingham.

"Outside agitators  what does that mean? Does that mean antifa, does that mean two or three people who drove in to be violent?" he asked. "What does outside agitator mean? Thats not a term that really has a defined definition other than being used as a scapegoat."

Lentine said that he believes part of the reason leaders continue to rely on the outside agitator storyline is that it serves as a convenient scapegoat for problems that may arise partly in response to local issues and have at least some homegrown roots.

"Its easy to say, 'look, any bad thing that happened had to come from outside agitators,' rather than say it came from people in the community," he said. "It's easier to stomach, I guess, to say it came from outside rather than from people in a particular city or community."

Brandon Blankenship, an assistant professor of law and ethics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said that rather than blaming outsiders, leaders should focus on fixing the problems driving people to protest.

A cure for blaming outside agitators might be a look in the mirror, he said. The best safeguard against outside agitators is an equitable community.
KALAMAZOO, MI  Allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community are planning to hold a demonstration on Saturday, June 6, to celebrate the intersectionality between race, sexuality and gender identity.

On Facebook, nearly 2,000 people have expressed interest in attending the Black Lives Matter: Pride event at Bronson Park in downtown Kalamazoo, taking place at noon.

Marshall Kilgore, a candidate for the Kalamazoo Public Schools Board of Education, said once he learned of the event, it was important for him to get involved.

Weve seen, in broad daylight, the murders of trans women. Weve had so many murders that it was a silent pandemic," Kilgore said.

Kilgore referenced Iyanna Dior, a transgender woman, who appeared in a viral video showing a group of men beating her outside a convenience store last week in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Thank god, she still has her life, but the video is just like the George Floyd video for me. Its gut wrenching, Kilgore said.

Kilgore said since the death of George Floyd, 46, on May 25 in Minneapolis, prompting demonstrations against police violence across the country and Michigan, marginalized voices have begun to be heard.

Our voices are finally being listened to and we have a platform now for people to come together," Kilgore said. We gotta speak up for these people too because black gay lives matter, black trans lives matter and sometimes were pushed to the back.

Kilgore, who is black and identifies as a bisexual, said the people living at the intersection of race, gender identity and sexuality, go through two layers of judgment every day.

If youre black and of the LGBT community, youre hit the hardest, Kilgore said.

Those who plan on participating must be mindful of safety precautions to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, organizers said. In a post to Facebook, organizers ask demonstrators to wear masks, not to attend if they are sick and maintain social distancing as much as possible.

The protest comes one day after high school students in Kalamazoo hosted their own protest against police violence and the death of George Floyd on Friday, June 5.

Also on MLive:

New Kalamazoo school superintendent creates equity task force, voices support for protesters

Several hundred march in student-led protest against police brutality in Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo protesters urge police to join them, are tear-gassed after curfew
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Those words have no meaning.

Not until or unless you and I agree they do. After all, neither the parchment on which the promises are written nor the Supreme Court that interprets them has any means to compel our obeisance. The words have force because we choose to be bound by them.

Thats the basis of a free society. A traffic cop has power to tell us when to go and when to stop because we agree she does; if every driver refused to obey, what could she do? A piece of paper with Abraham Lincolns picture on it can be exchanged for a 12-pack of Coke or two gallons of gas, because we agree that it can; but if ever we dont, the paper is worthless.

When people cease abiding by the unspoken pacts that bind us, a free society cannot function. Thats what a riot is  a mass of people rescinding their agreement to obey the laws. For all its fire and fury, though, a riot is a localized affair that eventually exhausts itself.

A far more ominous and far-reaching withdrawal from our social covenant has come in response to that unrest. Meaning the 138 police attacks, most of them deliberate, that had occurred as of Wednesday against reporters reporting on the uprising. We are indebted to Nick Waters of Bellingcat, an investigative journalism website, for keeping track.

The victims include a reporter in Louisville who was targeted with pepper bullets, and a CBS News audio engineer in Minneapolis shot with rubber bullets. A photographer in Minneapolis, who may or may not have been deliberately targeted, was shot and blinded in one eye. And an Australian news crew was roughed up outside the White House Monday, as government goons  the description is apt  wielded gas, flash-bangs and rubber bullets against protesters so that Donald Trump could shamble up to a church he has seldom attended and hold up a book  the Bible  he has almost certainly never read. In so doing, they shredded four of the five guarantees in the Amendment quoted above.

You can lay much of the blame for this squarely at Trumps feet. His nonstop demonizing of journalists  his fake news and enemy of the people mantras  has certainly exacerbated and emboldened this misconduct.

Not to imply a journalists bruises are more important than a welders or a teachers. They arent. But the willingness of police to stomp on the First Amendment while dealing with someone who has a platform and visibility, sometimes live on the air, should raise an obvious question. If thats how they treat a journalist with the world watching, how do you imagine they treat the welder or the teacher when the world is not?

After things quiet down, there will likely be apologies for all this, civil suits and court rulings affirming that this has been a monstrous breach of the First Amendment. To be sanguine about that is to miss the point.

If some cop denies you a constitutional right, whats your immediate recourse? Truth is, you have none. The Constitution is just a 233-year-old piece of parchment whose words have no meaning until or unless we give it to them. And too many police feel far too free to decline. Yes, its well and good to have your freedoms vindicated after the fact.

But if you dont have your rights in the moment you need them, its fair to say you dont have them at all.

Leonard Pitts is a columnist for The Miami Herald. Readers may contact him via e-mail at lpitts@miamiherald.com.

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New Delhi/Kabul, June 6 : The Ashraf Ghani government has rejected Islamabad's allegation that Afghanistan was allowing its territories to be used by India to destabilize Pakistan.

In a statement, the Imran Khan government on Thursday said that the United Nations Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team endorsed Islamabad's claim that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is operating from Afghanistan with Indian support.

Rejecting the accusation completely, the foreign affairs ministry in Kabul on Friday issued a statement saying that it fights all terror groups without any discrimination. "TTP and its splinter groups have the blood of the Afghan people on their hands and are designated as terrorist organizations in the national threat assessment and national security policy of Afghanistan".

Like other terrorist organizations, TTP has allied itself since its emergence with those fighting the government and people of Afghanistan, the statement said. Over the past years, a significant number of TTP leaders and operatives have been either taken out in the battle ground or captured and brought to justice in Afghanistan.

The Ghani government reminded Pakistan that as a victim of terrorism, Afghanistan has striven to play more than its part in the regionaAs collective fight against this common enemy. "The elimination of a number of top TTP leaders and the prosecution and imprisonment of hundreds of foreign fights from TTP, LeT, JeM, ETIM, IMU, ISIS-K and other transnational terror groups are a testament to our strong will and relentless efforts without any distinction in the fight against terrorism," the government said.

Incidentally, the UN security council minority report has said that not only do the Taliban and Al Qaida continue to cooperate with each other in Afghanistan but Kashmir-specific Pakistani terror groups, JeM and LeT are sending their trainers to Afghanistan to carry out target assassinations.

In the interest of transparency and regional cooperation, the Afghan foreign affairs ministry said that Afghanistan has provided access for concerned partner countries to the leaders and operatives of terrorism outfits in its custody.

Reiterating that it is committed in the fight against terrorism, the government said that it has shown transparently it never allowed and will never tolerate any acts by any third party, whether state or non-state, to use Afghanistan to destabilize another country. "This resolve to fight terrorism relentlessly without distinction flows from the solidarity we feel with all victims of terrorism, whether in Pakistan or India or elsewhere in the world," the statement said.

The government sought "determined and far-sighted cooperation of all our regional and international partners" in the Afghan peace process. "A lasting intra-Afghan peace will deny all foreign fighters and terrorist organizations any symbiotic relation they have established with those who fight against Afghan government and people and with those trans-national criminal organizations that are involved in drugs, weapons and human trafficking," the statement said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
An ambulance on the Mexican side of the border passes as U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen tours a replacement border fence construction site in Calexico, Calif., on April 18, 2018. (David McNew/Getty Images)

California Hospitals See Surge in Cross-Border CCP Virus Cases

Some California hospitals on the border with Mexico are seeing a surge in CCP virus cases, and they link the increase in infections to cross-border lifestyles.

The Mexican health care system has been hard-hit by the CCP virus pandemic, and retirees and Americans who have fallen sick are increasingly arriving at small community hospitals in Southern California, the Washington Post reported.

El Centro Regional Medical Center in Imperial County and Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista in San Diego County have noted a spike in infection numbers because U.S. citizens and legal residents living in Mexico are crossing the border from Tijuana and Mexicali for treatment, Kaiser Health News (KHN) reported.

We are now transferring COVID-19 patients out of Chula Vista to other Scripps hospitals farther north on a fairly regular basis21 over the last weekto help decompress our hospital here, Dr. Juan Tovar, an emergency physician and chief operations executive for Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista, told KHN.

Tovar said 48 percent of the CCP virus patients who visited their hospitals emergency room from May 24 to May 30 had recently traveled to Mexico, and this number increased to 60 percent from May 31 to June 2.

Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista is about 10 miles from the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the busiest land port of entry in the Western Hemisphere, according to the U.S. General Services Administration. Every day, 20,000 northbound pedestrians and 70,000 northbound vehicles cross it.

An ambulance crosses the San Ysidro sentry box border crossing in Tijuana, Mexico, on April 27, 2020. (Francisco Vega/Getty Images)

Another facility, El Centro Regional Medical Center, was so overwhelmed by the spike in infections that it had to transfer patients to other facilities in San Diego and National City.

We know that our community has family on both sides of the border, so were relating the uptick to Mothers Day weekend, said Suzanne Martinez, an assistant chief nursing officer at the medical facility. That means more risk as people travel back and forth over the border.

The Mexican state of Baja California is one of the worst-hit areas of Mexico. Tijuana, which is right at the border, has a high number of deaths from COVID-19.

The San Ysidro border crossing in San Diego is the busiest ambulance pickup on the border.

As the pandemic struck the cross-border communities, Imperial County, where El Centro is located, turned out to have the highest hospitalization rate in California, at 44.5 people per 100,000, as of June 7.
The need to safeguard constitutional governance View(s):

The Supreme Court this week dismissed in two sentences, petitions relating to the constitutionality of Executive Presidential decisions. It disallowed the petitioners Leave to Proceed with their cases thus not having to give detailed reasons for their decision.

This decision has legitimised those Executive decisions challenged before the court though one of the issues, that of holding  or not holding a parliamentary election on June 20 now is of academic interest.

Had the Parliament elected in 2015 been allowed to run its full term, these elections would anyway have been held only in October this year. Theres now a sense of urgency on the part of the Government, however, to rush through an election before the deteriorating economy gets any worse.

Public health notwithstanding owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no question that a parliamentary election is high priority  not so much for the reasons trotted out by the Government, but because a country sans an elected Parliament for too long is not in the best interests of Constitutional Government.

Administering a nation by Executive Presidential fiat for an extended period is fraught with potholes on the democratic highway. The Government stubbornly refused to recall the old Parliament opting to interpret the Constitution the way its hurrah boys saw it. It was no different to past Governments. The sum effect of it, however, is the country sliding into dangerous terrain in representative Government.

The fact that the Executive President is a former Army officer and prone to placing ex-military personnel in key public sector posts gave credence to those who saw a trend towards the seeds militarisation seeping in to an otherwise civilian administration.

The Prime Minister defended this exercise arguing that retired military officers are civilians. That premise is technically correct, but wears thin when gun-toting security forces personnel accompany such civilians when they have a job to be done.

The Executive Presidential system sees two countrywide elections costing some Rs. 15 billion because a President and a Parliament have to be elected.

Questions of whether the President has powers to use public funds from the Consolidated Fund after last Tuesday (June 2) also seem academic now. The Government is simply forcing the pace with its own interpretation of the Constitution with no legal or even political impediment to stop the ruling juggernaut from doing as it pleases.

The Government may want to change the Constitution but till it does that it must not trample or make a mockery of the Basic Law of the country. It appears that the Government is getting increasingly comfortable the way it is going about its business in a footloose fashion, administering the nation without a Parliament, without a declared State of Emergency, without a Budget or Vote on Account.

All its actions cannot be put on COVID-19. Theres a need to recalibrate this unorthodox arrangement and bring the country back on track towards proper Constitutional Government before it strays too far from it towards one-party rule.

Human rights: Searchlight on America

This past week has seen much of global attention diverted from the COVID-19 pandemic to the outbreak of angry protests in the United States of America (USA) over the cold blooded murder laced in racism by policemen of an innocent man on a street in the state of Minnesota.

The ongoing happenings sweeping the US and spreading to other parts of the world must be so embarrassing for that countrys State Department that has hectored the world about human rights and pontificated on the treatment of minorities to other nations. Condemning authoritarian rulers in countries that do not promote their agenda, the US State Department is seemingly hoist with its own petard.

The incumbent US President is in the eye of this storm. Not having won the popular vote, he has been gunning for the minorities in his country ever since he became a virtual default President. Accused of being a white supremacist, the Mayor of Atlanta said in an understatement that the US President was throwing matchsticks into the fire by his utterances on the ongoing rioting throughout the country.

Some Governors, Mayors and Police chiefs have asked the man to keep his mouth shut and his fingers off tweets. Some Americans may think he is a jackass and a dangerous jackass at that, but he remains a hero to a group of Americans who want to see him re-elected come November.

For Sri Lanka, a President such as this is not all that bad. He has pulled his country out of the UN Human Rights Council where his predecessor sponsored a resolution against Sri Lanka. The Diaspora lobby of the rump LTTE may win over some Congressmen, but the State Departments wings are clipped today. Mixed signals from the White House make the bleeding hearts (overseas) in the State Department a shadow of what they were in terms of articulating US foreign policy and in bullying smaller nations with homilies on good governance.

An old wound has opened up again in the US; it is called institutionalised racism. Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery (African slaves were treated as property not humans); Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 after a million people marched to Washington DC the previous years under the leadership of Martin Luther King, to give black Americans equal rights hitherto enjoyed only by whites, including the right to vote.

These past few days have seen millions of liberal, educated white Americans stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those protesting continuing racial discrimination in their country. Yet, many Americans just cannot seem to rid themselves of the anti-black, anti-brown and anti-Hispanic DNA in their blood. The worlds searchlight on human rights and minority rights is now on them.
High Density Lipoprotein or HDL is referred to as good cholesterol. This is instrumental in removing blockage in your arteries and also helps in flushing out bad cholesterol. Low Density Lipoprotein or LDL, on the other hand, is bad cholesterol that clogs the arteries and increases the risk of a cardiac arrest and other heart-related ailments. The higher the levels of bad cholesterol in the body, the higher the incidence of blockages and heart attacks, that might also be fatal at times.

Cholesterol levels are rising among Asians even as it is sharply declining in Western nations though it is still higher when compared to the levels in the Asian region, Avula Laxmaiah, Scientist G & Head, Division of Public Health Nutrition, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, said on Friday.

He is one of the authors of the recent research paper that is based on the largest ever study of global cholesterol levels.

The team points out that some countries had less data compared to others, which could influence how certain we are about cholesterol levels and changes over time. Non-HDL (High-density lipoprotein) cholesterol among Indian men ranked 128th in 1980 and remained the same in 2018. However, in case of women, the rank increased marginally from 139th to 140th at global level, Dr Laxmaiah said in a press release.

The new study, Repositioning of the global epicentre of non-optimal cholesterol, which is published in the renowned scientific journal, Nature recently, was led by the Imperial College, London and had hundreds of researchers from across the world contributing to it, it said.

The research used data from 102.6 million individuals and examined cholesterol levels in 200 countries, across a 39 -year time period, from 1980 to 2018, it said.

The work, which was funded by the Wellcome Trust and the British Heart Foundation, revealed that high cholesterol was responsible for about 3.9 million deaths worldwide, said Dr Hemalatha R, Director, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad said.

Cholesterol, a waxy substance found in the blood is needed to build healthy cells, but excess of may lead to a build-up in the blood vessels.

The results of the new study revealed decrease in total and non-HDL cholesterol levels in high income nations, particularly those in North-western Europe, North America and Australasia, while they are rising in low and middle-income nations, particularly in East and Southeast Asia.

China, which had some of the lowest levels of non-HDL cholesterol in 1980, had one of the largest rates of increase in non-HDL over the 39 years study period.

-- with inputs from PTI

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 06:09:47|Editor: huaxia

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DUBLIN, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people gathered here on Saturday afternoon outside the United States embassy in Ireland in protest against racism and police brutality in the United States, reported Irish national radio and television broadcaster RTE.

This is the third protest outside the U.S. embassy in Dublin following the killing of African American George Floyd in the U.S. city of Minneapolis. Floyd, 46, died on May 25 after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed facing down on a Minneapolis street.

On May 31, a group of around 100 people staged a peaceful protest outside the U.S. embassy in Ballsbridge, an area in Dublin where many foreign embassies are located while another group of people held a demonstration outside the official residence of the U.S. ambassador to Ireland, which is located inside Phoenix Park where the Irish president also resides.

One day later, thousands of protesters marched miles from downtown Dublin to the U.S. embassy where they observed a minute's silence for George Floyd and demanded justice for him by shouting different slogans, including the desperate words of "I can't breathe."

The police brutality against Floyd as well as other African Americans in the U.S. and the delayed response of the judicial system in dealing with the four policemen involved in the crime have sparked widespread protests both inside and outside the United States.

During the third protest held in Dublin on Saturday, protesters took to their knees on the streets outside the U.S. embassy to express their anger against police brutality towards George Floyd and demanded a systematic change to the deep-rooted racism existing in the U.S. as well as in other places.

As Ireland is currently under the COVID-19 regulations, organizers had called for people living within five kilometers of the U.S. embassy to attend the Saturday protest while trying to persuade participants to follow a two-meter social distancing rule during the demonstration.

They even handed out personal protective equipment to those who took part in the protest, according to the RTE report.

On Thursday, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said while addressing the country's lower house of the parliament that the world has watched in horror in recent days the events following the killing of George Floyd.

He criticized the United States for the "absence of moral leadership" in dealing with the incident. Enditem
Kate Mara played Sue Storm in Fantastic Four, with Michael B Jordan as her brother, Johnny. (Image by 20th Century Fox)

Fantastic Four director Josh Trank has once again been discussing his maligned comic-book adaptation, admitting that he regrets not quitting the film when 20th Century Fox didnt allow him to cast a black Sue Storm.

Trank said as much during a recent discussion with Geeks Of Color, as he remarked, "There was a lot of controversial conversations that were had behind the scenes on that. I was mostly interested in a black Sue Storm and a black Johnny Storm and a black Franklin Storm.

Read More: Josh Trank was bitter towards other superhero directors after 'Fantastic Four' failure

But I also, when you're dealing with a studio on a massive movie like that, everybody wants to keep an open mind to who the big stars are gonna be. Like, Well maybe it will be Margot Robbie or something like that.' But when it came down to it, I found a lot of pretty heavy pushback on casting a black woman in that role."

SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 11: Director Josh Trank of 'Fantastic Four' speaks onstage at the 20th Century FOX panel during Comic-Con International 2015 at the San Diego Convention Center on July 11, 2015 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

Trank acknowledges that he should have just walked away from Fantastic Four when he realised that he wasnt going to get the cast that he wanted. Something that he feels embarrassed about now.

Those aren't the values that I stand for in my own life and those weren't the values then, or ever, for me.

Read More: 'Fantastic Four' director Josh Trank says movie's reshoots were 'like being castrated'

Because I'm somebody who always talks about standing up for what I believe in, even if it means burning my career up, and I feel bad that I didn't take it to the mat with that issue. I felt like I failed in that regard, but that was a weird, unfortunate situation, I don't know how else to put it."

Trank was at least able to cast Michael B Jordan as Johnny Storm, and Reg E. Cathey as Franklin Storm. However that didnt stop Fantastic Four being both a financial and critical failure.
WASHINGTON - For former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, it was the last straw: the sight of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, walking the streets of downtown Washington in battle-ready camouflage amid a show of brute federal force.

Smoke was still rising from Lafayette Square, where authorities had just used pepper spray and smoke canisters to disperse a group of largely peaceful protesters, when Gen. Mark Milley, along with Defense Secretary Mark Esper, joined President Donald Trump Monday evening as he strolled to a nearby church to pose for cameras with a Bible.

In Mattis's eyes, the appearance of the two top military leaders appeared to condone an unprovoked use of force. The nonpartisan military that Mattis had served for nearly five decades was being featured as decoration for a photo op, and Mattis fumed that the president was using the leaders who replaced him at the Defense Department to further divide the nation, according to four people familiar with his thinking.

He was especially upset to see Milley - whom Mattis believed had sought to curry favor with Trump when he was defense secretary - appear in his Army combat uniform at a peaceful demonstration. That jarring image highlighted the military's involvement in a heavy-handed crackdown on civilians.

With that, the military historian and retired Marine general decided it was time to call out the damage he saw Trump doing to the country.

"The military was never set up to prop up anyone's political agenda, and I think that really pissed him off, when he saw that," said Carlton Kent, a retired Marine sergeant major who advised Mattis in Iraq. "He never wanted them to be in a compromising situation."

In a statement published by the Atlantic two days later, Mattis described himself as "angry and appalled" - and denounced the president he had served for two years.

"When I joined the military, some 50 years ago, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution," Mattis wrote. "Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens - much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected commander-in-chief, with military leadership standing alongside."

Mattis's decision to thrust himself in the maw of the country's fraught politics - after long hovering on the sidelines - grew out of his ongoing concern about the Defense Department's independence, according to people who know him.

His former colleagues still serving in the military had warned him in recent months about Trump's sway over its leadership. Some told him that Esper had been dubbed "Yesper" by some in the Pentagon because he seemed unable to say no to the president. And they said they believed Milley was effectively running the department by talking to Trump directly and bypassing the secretary, a dynamic that potentially threatened civilian control of the military.

Several Pentagon officials declined to address Mattis's criticism on the record.

An administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, defended Esper's actions during a "fast-moving week."

"Esper is working to keep the Department of Defense apolitical in turbulent times," the administration official said. "That is not easy and is not without criticism - both inside and outside DoD - but in the long run it is what is best for the department, the men and women in uniform, and the nation."

The official said Mattis never reached out to his successor to share his concerns before his statement was published.

"Not Monday. Not Tuesday. Not Wednesday," the official said. "He should still have the office number."

Mattis's decision to speak out came after he had long refused to directly criticize Trump, even though the fact that he had been frustrated with the president was well known. Critics have said he should have used his standing to express his concerns sooner, noting that in his book "Call Sign Chaos" that was published last year, he faulted Obama administration decisions but held back when it came to the sitting president.

In a PBS interview during his book tour, Judy Woodruff prodded him on why he had not offered his assessment of Trump, noting that Americans would soon be deciding whether to give him a second term. "Are you saying you don't think it's your responsibility to speak up before the election?" she asked.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Mattis replied, adding that he and other former defense secretaries believe "the defense of this country is a nonpartisan issue."

Mattis had told friends that he did not want any critiques he has to interfere with the efforts of the new defense secretary and his former colleagues at the Pentagon to work with the White House.

He made his general disagreement with the president clear when he announced his resignation in December 2018 amid a dispute with the president's decision to withdraw troops from Syria at the Turkish president's request. Mattis's resignation letter signaled his disapproval of Trump's long-standing objections to international alliances, and his dismay at the president leaving Kurdish allies unprotected in Syria.

"My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues," Mattis wrote.

But while at the helm of the Pentagon, Mattis himself failed at times to shield his department from the perception that the military was furthering the president's political objectives.

The most prominent example was Trump's contentious deployment of active-duty troops to the southern border beginning in fall 2018, just ahead of midterm elections. Trump, citing migrant caravans heading north through Mexico, said that he wanted the military to fortify the border, and at one point said that if migrants threw rocks at U.S. troops, they should "consider that a firearm."

When pressed about the border mission, Mattis dismissed suggestions that the troops were being used for political purposes, saying, "We don't do stunts." He visited the border in November 2018, one month before he resigned, and defended the mission.

In another incident that angered some in the military, Trump signed an executive order for a travel ban on immigrants from several Muslim-majority countries in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes, a revered space meant to honor the nation's Medal of Honor recipients. Mattis stood next to him as Trump signed the order.

Since the civil unrest that has followed the police killing of George Floyd, Trump has repeatedly raised the threat of military force to quell the protests and pushed the Pentagon to deploy troops to cities hit hard by protests.

Last weekend, after a police station in Minneapolis was burned, he tweeted that "THUGS" were "dishonoring the memory of George Floyd," and said he told Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, D, that "the Military is with him all the way." He appeared to threaten protesters, tweeting "when the looting starts, the shooting starts."

On Friday, as protests spread to Washington and other cities, active-duty members of the Army were put on alert.

"Crossing State lines to incite violence is a FEDERAL CRIME!" Trump tweeted Saturday. "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."

Esper and Milley, meanwhile, were advocating privately to use the National Guard - but not active-duty troops, which have rarely been called up to respond to domestic unrest.

The current secretary has repeatedly stressed his belief that the U.S. military should remain apolitical. But at least two incidents on Monday drew Mattis's ire.

First, on a call with Trump, administration officials and governors, Esper said that the sooner that authorities could "dominate the battlespace" in their cities, the sooner things could return to normal. A recording of that call leaked to the media within hours.

Then Esper and Milley walked with Trump from the White House to nearby St. John's Episcopal Church, which had been damaged in a fire started during protests, minutes after federal authorities rushed at demonstrators with shields and batons.

The White House quickly packaged the scene into a video set to triumphant music.

The following day, the Pentagon announced that it was deploying 1,600 active-duty troops to the D.C. region, including infantrymen. That decision was reversed by Esper this week, halted for a day amid the tension and then continued Thursday night.

Mattis was especially irked by Milley's presence at Lafayette Square. The two men's relationship had soured shortly before Mattis resigned, according to people with knowledge of the episode.

At the time, Milley was serving as the Army's top general, and he asked Mattis if he could speak with Trump to seek a new role as chief of U.S. European Command and the supreme allied commander of Europe for NATO. After the meeting, the president chose Milley as the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, bypassing Mattis's recommendation of the Air Force's top officer. Mattis believed Milley had misled him and lobbied for the job; Milley told aides that he and Trump hit it off and that Trump simply offered it.

Amid this week's furor, some Pentagon officials have privately acknowledged that it was a mistake for Esper and Milley to appear with Trump on Monday evening after the protesters had been forcefully cleared away.

Esper's supporters say he has attempted to right the ship when it comes to keeping politics out of the department, sending a message to U.S. troops on Tuesday night that reminded them of their role to protect the American people and highlighting on Wednesday at the Pentagon the role of the National Guard in maintaining peace in the nation.

Under fire, Esper also expressed regret for his use of the term "battlespace," saying it was a part of the lexicon he grew up with as an Army officer. He said that when he joined Trump for the walk through Lafayette Square, he thought he was going to survey damaged buildings and meeting National Guard members, not participate in a photo op.

But for Mattis, the damage was done.

"He knew his voice would have power and he could see that nobody was stopping this danger," one ally said.

Mattis reached out to Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of the Atlantic, which had published a piece he wrote last fall about the importance of the country's unity. On Tuesday, Mattis began writing his statement. He shared it with Goldberg on Wednesday, who published it that evening with the headline "James Mattis Denounces President Trump, Describes Him as a Threat to the Constitution."

Kent, who speaks frequently with Mattis, said he was glad to see his old battle buddy speak up. Other retired generals, including David Petraeus, have since, as well.

"You never should put them in a compromising situation in the military," Kent said. "You should never put them in a political situation, and that's where they are right now."
Senior Telugu Desam Party leader from Andhra Pradeshs Kurnool district AV Subba Reddy on Saturday alleged that his party colleague and former minister Bhuma Akhila Priya had conspired to kill him by engaging hired assassins in March.

Reddy, as informed by the Kadapa Police, told reporters in Hyderabad that Akhila Priya and her husband Bhargav Ram had given Rs 50 lakh as supari (fee) for eliminating him.

On March 23, the Chinna Chowk police in Kadapa town arrested three persons and seized a pistol and cash worth Rs 3.50 lakh from them. During interrogation, they reportedly told the police that they had taken Rs 50 lakh as supari from Bhargav Ram for killing Subba Reddy, who was in Hyderabad.

The police said the money was handed over to them allegedly by the personal assistant of Akhila Priya. The police later arrested her PA as well, Subba Reddy said.

The TDP leader, once a close associate of Akhilas father and former MLA Bhuma Nagi Reddy, said Akhila has been targeting him ever since her father died in 2018.

Recounting the old association, Reddy said he had saved Akhilas father from being attacked by his rivals with bombs. Everybody knows what my political history is in Allagadda...I dont understand why Akhila, who grew up like my daughter, wanted to eliminate me, he said.

The senior leader appealed to the TDP leadership to rethink Akhilas role in the party.

Akhila accused Subba Reddy of making baseless allegations and suspected it was being done at the behest of the YSR Congress Party.

The police have included my name and that of my husband as A-4 and A-5. Law will take its own course. Why should Subba Reddy jump to the conclusion that I had planned to eliminate him? Does it not amount to influencing the police investigation? she asked.
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Linkedin Farid Farid (Agence France-Presse) Cairo  Sat, June 6, 2020 10:06 594 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdc87d79 2 Art & Culture Sinai-Peninsula,Women,Egypt,face-mask,embroidery,Bedouin,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

In El-Arish, the provincial capital of Egypt's North Sinai, a group of women sew colorful Bedouin designs on masks to combat coronavirus, as an insurgency simmers in their restive region.

Egypt's toll from the COVID-19 pandemic has reached over 28,600 cases, including more than 1,000 deaths, while North Sinai itself remains the bloody scene of a long-running Islamist insurgency.

"I learnt how to embroider when I was a young girl watching my mother," homemaker Naglaa Mohammed, 36, told AFP on a landline from El-Arish, as mobile phone links are often disrupted.

A versatile embroiderer, she also beads garments and crafts rings and bracelets.

Now with the pandemic, she has been designing face masks showcasing her Bedouin heritage.

Bedouins are nomadic tribes who traditionally inhabit desert areas throughout the Arab world, from North Africa to Iraq. Many have now integrated into a more urban lifestyle.

Egypt's Bedouin textile tradition of tatriz -- weaving and beading rich geometric and abstract designs on garments, cushions and purses -- has been passed down from generation to generation for centuries.

It has survived in the Sinai Peninsula, whose north has been plagued by years of militant activity and terror attacks spearheaded by a local affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) group.

Keeping Bedouin heritage alive

Security forces have been locked in a battle to quell an insurgency in the Sinai that intensified after the military's 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

In February 2018, authorities launched a nationwide operation against militants, focusing on North Sinai.

Around 970 suspected militants have since been killed in the region along with dozens of security personnel, according to official figures.

Local and international media are banned from entering heavily militarized North Sinai.

But for Amany Gharib, who founded the El-Fayrouz Association in El-Arish in 2010, the violence has not dissuaded her from keeping Bedouin heritage alive while at the same time empowering local women.

She now employs around 550 women like Mohammed -- many of them casually or part-time -- as part of a textiles workshop.

"The masks are composed of two layers -- one inner layer directly on the face which is disinfected, and the colorful, beaded one outside," Gharib explained to AFP.

All the women take the necessary precautions while working, including wearing gloves and masks while using sewing machines.

The finished products are washed, packed and shipped off to distribution centers in Cairo, where they are sold online in partnership with Jumia -- Africa's e-commerce giant -- for about 40 pounds ($2.50) each.

The beading process takes about two days for each mask, Gharib said.

Read also: Ancient Christian manuscripts digitized at monastery beneath Mount Sinai

Living with terror

Amid the volatile security situation, Mohammed has been able to eke out a meagre living with her embroidery skills.

"We work and are given our dues depending on the orders we get... with the masks it has been a new challenge we've tackled," she said.

Dire economic conditions in Egypt have been even tougher for women of the Sinai since the pandemic began.

"Times are really tough for the women but we have adjusted," Gharib said.

And while militant attacks on security checkpoints have continued, Gharib expressed confidence in the army.

"We feel a sense of security and stability with the military presence. We trust them," she said.

The region witnessed the deadliest terror attack in Egypt's modern history when militants killed more than 300 worshipers in a mosque in November 2017.

Gharib said that in North Sinai's tight-knit community, each family knew someone who had been killed in an attack.

"Anyone of us who is killed, we consider them a martyr," she said.

"We are in a war with terror... but the people have learnt to live with it."
The release said that by making high-speed broadband access available, rural communities will gain new opportunities for civic and community development. They will be able to provide better support for students in their efforts to attain higher levels of education and foster job creation via telecommuting, it said. It also will support telemedicine for rural communities, which over time will be critical in providing the ability for senior citizens to obtain quality health care, the release said.

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Wood said hes not sure what the delivery of the service will look like. It will depend on the internet service providers that respond and what delivery options they have.

He said hes currently working on request for proposals to put out to broadband internet providers and hopes to have it ready in 10-14 days.

Wood said a service provider will submit a timeline on the delivery of their services, but he would ask them to complete their work within a year of the contract date. He said the decision on who receives the grant funding will be based on the speed of service they will be providing, how many residents they can serve and if their service area coincides with the countys areas of greatest need.
Largest ever study of radiosurgery for brain metastases from small cell lung cancer

The international First-line Radiosurgery for Small-Cell Lung Cancer (FIRE-SCLC) analysis led by University of Colorado Cancer Center researchers and published today in JAMA Oncology details clinical outcomes for 710 patients with brain metastases from small cell lung cancer treated with first-line stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), without prior treatment with whole-brain radiation (WBRT) or prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI).

The study represented a substantial research effort including international collaborators from 28 individual centers and one prospective clinical trial from Asia, North America, and Europe. Following first-line SRS, the outcomes were encouraging overall with a median time to brain progression of 8.1 months and a median overall survival of 8.5 months.

The investigators also compared these SRS results with a control group of 219 patients treated with first-line WBRT for brain metastases, which is the current standard of care for small cell lung cancer. Importantly, no overall survival benefit was observed with WBRT compared to SRS. In fact, the survival outcomes were slightly better with SRS even after matching for baseline characteristics. The authors were careful to note, however, that the observed differences in survival in favor of SRS could be related to uncontrolled treatment selection factors in the setting of a retrospective analysis.

"As expected, whole brain radiation was superior to focused treatment with radiosurgery in lengthening the time to disease progression in the brain. However, the improvement in brain control with whole brain radiation did not appear to translate into an improvement in overall survival," says Chad Rusthoven, MD, assistant professor in Radiation Oncology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, the paper's lead author.

The study, with senior author Tyler Robin, MD, is the largest analysis of outcomes with first-line SRS for brain metastases from small cell lung cancer, offering important descriptive and comparative data on this potential treatment paradigm.

"Although SRS has become the preferred treatment strategy for limited numbers of brain metastases arising from many cancer types due to improved quality of life and cognitive preservation compared to WBRT, small cell lung cancer remains an important exception where WBRT has remained the standard of care for limited and even solitary brain metastases. The primary reason for this is that small cell lung cancer patients where excluded from the randomized trials that established SRS," Robin says.

Because small cell lung cancer patients were excluded from the landmark prospective trials evaluating SRS, understanding of SRS for small cell lung cancer has lagged behind other cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer.

"Small cell lung cancer is known to have an increased propensity for spread to the brain compared to many other cancers. Historical caution regarding first-line SRS for small cell lung cancer has generally been related to concerns that omission of WBRT could result in rapid disease progression and decreased survival times. Thus, it is an important observation that, in this large international study, the omission of WBRT in favor of first-line SRS did not result in diminished overall survival," Rusthoven says.

This analysis, which may represent the strongest data reported thus far in support of first-line SRS for small cell lung cancer, comes at a dynamic time in the evolution of small cell lung cancer management.

"Paradigms for the treatment of small cell lung cancer are evolving. In recent years, we have seen the integration of immunotherapy into small cell lung cancer management, a decrease in the administration of WBRT, and national guideline updates recommending routine brain MRI surveillance for all patients. These changes may be expected to increase the identification of small cell lung cancer patients with limited brain metastases who may be candidates for first-line SRS," Robin says.

The study also provided detailed analyses of outcomes with SRS by the number of brain lesions treated. Patients treated with SRS for a single brain metastasis experienced the best brain control and overall survival outcomes. After that, the clinical outcomes for patients with 2-4 vs 5-10 brain metastases where very similar, whereas patients with 11 or more metastases were seen to have the shortest time to brain progression and overall survival.

The authors note that prospective trials evaluating the role of first line SRS for small cell lung cancer patients are needed to confirm the encouraging results observed in this retrospective study. In the meantime, this large international analysis provides important descriptive and comparative data on first-line SRS as a potential emerging treatment option for brain metastases in carefully selected small cell lung cancer patients.

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This story has been published on: 2020-06-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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ECT to be fitted with JCT cranes By Sunimalee Dias View(s): View(s):

Sri Lankan authorities are carrying out discussions with India and Japan for plans to open the East Container Terminal (ECT) for operations within the next few months.

Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Gen. Daya Ratnayaka told the Business Times on Tuesday that currently they were in discussion with India and Japan on plans for the ECT.

He noted that on the ground level they have plans to fix three cranes due from China that had been ordered for the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) to be installed at the ECT.

These cranes are said to have been ordered under the previous government from China for the purpose of fitting them to the JCT.

Gen. Ratnayaka pointed out that though these were not the right cranes they would be installed there for best use to increase capacity.

It is likely that these cranes would be brought down by the end of this month, according to the Chairman. Cranes for the ECT have been repeatedly been requested and are yet to be installed at the terminal.

Meanwhile, the Colombo port has been seeing a drop in volumes by about 22 per cent with transshipment volumes dipping by 20 per cent and local imports dropping by 33 per cent, Gen. Ratnayaka explained.

He noted that these figures hold good for this month stating we can expect slowly to start gaining adding that this month also we expect a downturn to continue.

In light of these losses, the SLPA is looking at taking on requests to store containers as they have received a number of containers and inquiries for many more and due to the available capacity they hope to entertain this kind of business for the present, the chairman said.

These containers belong to different companies in other ports and currently with a number of vessels floating in this area there is a demand to store these containers to curtail the costs incurred in keeping them onboard ships until other ports return to normalcy.
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While the COVID-19 pandemic has been straining our health care system, public support for health care workers has never been greater. Every evening for a few minutes, neighborhoods across the country erupt into enthusiastic cheering and instrumental noise as people show their support for us. My social media feed has erupted with posts, artwork, and hashtags praising us #healthcareheroes and #frontlinecovid19.

However, if you really want to support your health care heroes, advocate for policies that help protect us, our families, and our patients.

Inspirational cheers and Facebook posts do not protect us from contracting COVID-19 at work due to insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE), such as N95 masks or powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR), nor does it protect us from getting fired or disciplined if we speak out against unsafe conditions. Free shoes from Crocs do not prevent us from joining the over 100 health care workers who have died on the frontlines or the thousands who have gotten sick with COVID-19.

Calling us heroes does not change the fact that health care workers are getting assaulted outside of work because of COVID-19:

A stranger shot at a nurse in Oklahoma, possibly because of her profession.

A physician was punched in the face while she was shopping at a grocery store.

Most recently, nurses who were recently praised for their response to the COVID-19 pandemic finished their overnight shift to find their car tires slashed.

Hashtags did not stop a man from harassing me on the street right outside my hospital.

Some of us have even had our children taken away because of our heroic jobs, even though health care workers are taking extraordinary precautions to keep our families safe, and even though this contradicts advice from the American College of Emergency Physicians.

It takes many more years of rigorous training and education to produce a health care worker than a ventilator:

A registered nurse (RN) must complete a 2 to 3-year associate or a 4-year bachelor degree program, with a median debt of $40,000-$50,000.

To become a nurse practitioner (NP) or advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), he or she must return to school for at least another 1 to 3 years.

A physician assistant (PA) must complete a 27-month masters program after college, with a median debt of $122,500.

Physicians or doctors have the longest training path: after completing a 4-year bachelor program followed by a 4-year doctorate program, graduating with an average debt of $251,600, they must work as a resident physician for 60 to 80 hours per week (or more during the pandemic) for 3 to 7 years, making around $15/hour, followed by optional years of additional subspecialty training as a fellow, before becoming an attending physician.

In addition to fears about our health and our familys health, we are scared that we will leave our families crippled with this debt if we were to die on the frontlines. Despite our credentials and our status as essential workers, under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and. Economic Security Act (CARES) Act, many of us (myself included) earn less than we would if we were unemployed. Instead of hazard pay, many health care workers are being rewarded with pay cuts or furloughs, while hospital executives continue to make millions in bonuses.

Not only is this mistreatment of health care workers morally wrong, but it also discourages individuals from working in health care at a time when we are most necessary. An internal medicine doctor had to stop seeing patients in person in order to retain custody of her child. How many more health care workers must be forced out? We should not be forced to choose between our children, our safety, and our patients.

Practice social distancing and tell your elected officials to support bills like the Student Debt Forgiveness for Frontline Health Care Workers Act or the COVID-19 Pandemic Physician Protection Act (CPPPA), which advocates for personal protective equipment (PPE), mental health coverage, and student loan debt forgiveness for all health care workers, and creates provisions for our families if we die or become disabled during this pandemic. Sign and share the petition to prevent single frontline workers from having their children taken away. Support a bill that protects the families of health care workers who die fighting COVID-19 against deportation.

We are here for you. Will you stand up for us?

Yuemei (Amy) Zhang is an anesthesiologist and can be reached on Twitter @yzhangmd1.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
150 years ago, Ireland had emerged from the Great Famine and was the seventh richest country in the world. Mohill was thriving and confidence amongst tenant farmers and landholders was growing. This short series looks at how Leitrim and Mohill emerged from the famine, what life was like in 1870, and what changed economically and socially to enable Mohill, Leitrim and Ireland to transition towards independence.

The Land Question

As the 1860s progressed, the emergence of larger landholdings and a new middle class created a constant undercurrent of tension between new landholders, the old landed class and the displaced and disenfranchised tenant and labouring classes.

A campaign to win more rights for tenants gained momentum through the 1860s, though with different levels of intensity in different parts of the country. In Donegal active Ribbon and Fenian organisations engaged in an ongoing, and sometimes violent, campaign for tenant rights. Leitrim, for the most part, experienced fewer crimes of a seditious or treasonous character though local tensions occasionally erupted into serious events such as the murder of William OBrien near Mohill in 1869.

In February 1868, the Leitrim Journal and Carrick-on-Shannon Advertiser noted the growing tensions and published a piece titled The Land Question, stating that the time for peddling legislation for this country is at an end. [Englishmen] know in their hearts that the state of Ireland demands a radical cure.

Part of the radical cure would be Gladstones Land Act of 1870. It introduced some protection for tenants: if they were evicted, tenants would receive limited compensation if they had made improvements or if they were evicted for reasons other than non-payment of rent. The Act also made limited provision for occupying tenants to purchase land.

The Land Act 1870

From the 1860s, Lord Leitrim spent more time on his Donegal estates where he faced organised and ongoing resistance to his harsh and wholesale evictions. There were frequent disruptions to work on the estate and in 1864, two of his bailiffs were shot at. In March 1869, a bailiff named Murphy was fired on within a short distance of a police barracks. On 1 February 1870, a riot prevented Leitrims workmen from quarrying stones, and on 17 March, the earl received two threatening notices.

In parliament, Lord Leitrim had ceased to support the Liberals and voted with the Conservatives. On 30 April 1869, the earl spoke in the House of Lords on the state of Ireland, and offered a new solution to the so-called agrarian murders and outrages: where a murderer was not brought to justice, the district should be made to act like a life assurance company, and be required to put the family of the murdered man in a better position than it was before.



He went further, stating that it was a most dangerous thing to set aside the educated classes of a country, and to suppose that the whole system of administration was to be carried on through the police.

In 1870, he spoke against Gladstones Land Act, believing it to be a gross encroachment on his rights as a landlord. He was one of only eight peers who voted against it. The Act went against everything that the earl now stood for and he was disgusted with his colleagues and the haste with which the Act was passed, writing that the bill was shuffled through in the most indecent way.

The passing of the Land Act did nothing to curb the earls actions, and he seized on an important loophole in the legislation: tenants who had to vacate their land because their leases had expired were not covered by the Act. Lord Leitrim exploited this by forcing tenants to accept restrictive leases, and At Will leases became the norm. In addition to the restrictive lease terms, rents rose substantially, and became impossible for many tenants. In one example, a lease that had stood for thirty years at the same rent of 11/3/8, was increased to 12/12, and a year later to 18. Such an increase for a ten-acre farm required an unusual level of husbandry to turn a profit, and for many tenants, was quite beyond their capacity and means. It was no surprise that in 1877 this holding was surrendered for the purpose of revising the townland.

The earl became increasingly isolated: his few allies in the House of Lords deserted him after he presented false statistics relating to crime in Leitrim, and he found himself on the wrong side of the courts.

In March 1873, the Land Court decided against him over a lease in Donegal and found in favour of the tenant. In July 1873, the earl railed against the perceived injustice and wrote: I regard my estates as a burden too heavy to bear . . . Ireland is no long a country that it is desirable to live in or to have any property in.

By 1878, there was increased anger and resistance against the scale and severity of evictions and land clearances, especially in Donegal. Lord Leitrims policies and general treatment of tenants had gained him serious enemies, and he had taken to travelling heavily armed and with a strong escort.

In January 1878 the Freemans Journal reported that a large number of tenants and their families were to be evicted in the Fanad area, and there were reports that eighty more were planned. The tenants had had enough. In Milford, Donegal, three men decided to take action. On the morning of 2 April 1878, Michael Heraghty, Michael McElwee and Neil Sheils ambushed and killed Lord Leitrim at Cratlagh Wood near Milford, in a well-planned attack. The earls killers were lauded locally as heroes who ended the tyranny of landlordism in Ireland. The assassination was seen as a landmark in the fight for tenants rights and is widely believed to have given impetus to the Land League which was founded by Michael Davitt the following year.

Fiona's book, By Hereditary Virtues: A history of Lough Rynn, is available at www.loughrynn.net
Adhir Saiyadh, a Gujarat-based engineer and radio enthusiast, claims to have connected with SpaceXs maiden manned spaceflight carrying two NASA astronauts into orbit.

ANI

Adhir Saiyadh, a ham radio enthusiast, claims he got a response from the SpaceX Dragon crew, astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, while trying to connect with the International Space Station, reports news agency ANI.

I was on video call with a student explaining how to connect to ISS. It was then that I got a response, the 58-year-old Ahmedabad resident told ANI.

Source/Ahmedabad Mirror

Saiyadh, a computer engineer, was trying out his equipment to communicate with the ISS however he instead got a response from the Dragon capsule that was docked at the station.



A report by Ahmedabad Mirror reveals that Saiyadh got connected to the astronauts when they were holding an interactive session on NASA TV viewers.

He was on the phone with a friend who asked if it was possible to connect to the ISS. Saiyadh knew that the capsule would be passing over India at that time and decided to try his luck.

Gujarat: Adhir Saiyadh, a ham radio enthusiast from Ahmedabad, got a response from SpaceX Crew Dragon's astronauts while trying to connect with International Space Station; says,"I was on video call with a student explaining how to connect to ISS, it was then that I got response" pic.twitter.com/QdqnP7u4wq  ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2020

I was on video call with a friend from Valsad, explaining to him the features of a mobile application that helps track ISS. He asked me if we can connect with ISS. I realised that the capsule was to pass over India around then and I decided to try my luck. I coincidentally got connected to their frequency and received a response from one of the commandants of the capsule, Saiyadh told the Ahmedabad Mirror.

Saiyadh added, "We hardly get five minutes to speak to astronauts. So, it was a pleasant coincidence that when I tried connecting with ISS, it was above India.

Source/Ahmedabad Mirror

A qualified engineer, Saiyadh told the publication that the experience felt personal as he got a response from astronaut Doug Hurley when he got connected.

A ham radio is used by enthusiasts for the purpose of non-commercial exchange go messages, wireless experimentations and other purposes.

Elon Musks company SpaceX became the first private entity to carry NASA astronauts into orbit. A Crew Dragon capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket, both developed by SpaceX, with Hurley and Behnken, lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center at 3.22 pm EDT on May 30 and docked with the ISS around 19 hours later.

The SpaceX Dragon flight marks the first time in 11 years that NASA astronauts were launched into space in an American space vehicle and from US soil.
(CNN) - The World Health Organization (WHO) is now calling for nations to encourage the general public to wear fabric masks in areas where there continues to be intense spread of the novel coronavirus. All health workers and caregivers are also encouraged to wear masks during their shifts.

"WHO advises that governments should encourage the general public to wear masks where there is widespread transmission and physical distancing is difficult, such as on public transport, in shops or in other confined or crowded environments," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a media briefing in Geneva on Friday.

Here's what the WHO's new recommendations say:

1. "In areas with community transmission, we advise that people aged 60 years or over, or those with underlying conditions, should wear a medical mask in situations where physical distancing is not possible," Tedros said.

2. "In areas with widespread transmission, WHO advises medical masks for all people working in clinical areas of a health facility, not only workers dealing with patients with Covid-19," WHO's Director-General added.

3. WHO recommends that where there is widespread transmission, limited capacity to contain Covid-19 outbreaks and physical distancing of at least a meter can not be achieved, then governments should encourage their public to wear a fabric mask, Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead for coronavirus response and head of the emerging diseases and zoonoses unit, told CNN.

The new guidance recommends for these fabric masks  which can be homemade  to be at least three layers: an inner layer of an absorbent material such as cotton; a middle layer that acts like a filter or barrier, such as non-woven material polypropylene; and an outer layer of a non-absorbent material, such as polyester or polyester blend.

Van Kerkhove also said to avoid materials that may be silk, stretchy or porous.

These updated recommendations announced on Friday, are a shift from what WHO previously advised on masks, which was to not wear them if you are not sick or not caring for someone who is sick, in an effort to keep masks available for health workers.

Tedros added that the new guidance was updated based on evolving evidence.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "WHO shifts guidance on masks and urges governments to encourage people to wear them"
After three months of an unprecedented lockdown to mitigate the spread of Covid-19, public libraries across the U.S. are now in the process of reopening. A recent American Library Association membership survey found 37% of respondents expect a phased reopening to begin in June or July, with 47% still unsure when their buildings will reopen to the public. But whenever that happens, the public libraries that will emerge from this historic pause will be changed from the ones that closed their doors in March, librarians tell PW, both in the short term, and into the future.

The most pressing issue facing libraries, of course, is how to reopen safely, for both library staff and the public. For most libraries, that means services like curbside pickup or limits on patron visits to start. It means ensuring library workers have appropriate personal protective equipment, and reconfiguring the library space: less furniture, distance between computer stations, more hand sanitizer stations, spit guards, and plexiglass dividers. It means contactless checkout, new cleaning procedures, and 72-hour materials quarantines.

It also means enormous pressure on library staff, including new rules to enforce, such as physical distancing and wearing masks. None of it will be easy. And all of it will be done under the threat of job cuts, a potential second wave of Covid-19 infections, immense budget pressure, and worsening political dysfunction.

A recent Twitter thread asked library workers to share their biggest fears about reopening, and a common theme quickly emerged among respondentsuncertainty. Uncertainty about their personal safety, about the science behind their safety precautions, about their workload, their managers, their job security, and the risk to their health and the health of their communities. And one of the biggest wild cards: uncertainty about how patrons will behave once services resume.

I know that patrons will refuse to follow distancing rules and will want to argue politics, one librarian offered. Even the best reopening plans are still risk mitigation, not safety assurance, another poster pointed out.

The Digital Side

One of the best things libraries ever did was to change our spaces to be social spaces," says Lisa Rosenblum, director of the King County (Wash.) Library System. "And now thats all being upended.

Rosenblum is quick to praise the work of the library staff in providing digital programs and services during the closures. But her sense of loss is palpable. We just finished a 15-year bond project. Our libraries are beautiful. Some have fireplaces and beautiful views of the mountains, she says. With the internet and e-books, people dont have to come into our libraries any more, but they do. And we take pride that people want to come into our buildings and stay. But now, until theres a vaccine, the whole idea of people coming in and staying is a bad thing.

On February 29, King County reported what was then believed to be the nations first death from Covid-19a man in his 50s, in Kirkland. That day, Washington governor Jay Inslee called the death alarming and declared a state of emergency. Meanwhile, in the White House briefing room, President Trump struck a different tone. He referred to the deceased as a wonderful woman and warned the media and politicians not to incite panic, because theres no reason to panic at all.

Two weeks later, on March 13, the King County Library Systemall 50 libraries, serving some 1.4 million residents in the Seattle areaclosed its buildings to the public. And days later, on March 17, the American Library Association, for the first time in its history, recommended all libraries across the nation close to the public.

Libraries almost never close. We're usually the last to close during a crisis, Rosenblum says, adding that, at first, the idea of a months-long, indefinite closure was almost unthinkable. In the beginning, I thought, Okay, maybe well have to close for a week or two, which is a long time for a library. But eventually, I had to totally rethink everything. And part of my rethinking was to plan as if we were not going to be open again for a really, really long timebecause otherwise, we would keep thinking we were just going to go back to the pre-pandemic model, and thats just not going to happen. Were going to provide services, but theyre going to look very different than they did prior to the middle of March.

In response to the unprecedented stay-at-home orders of the last three months, its fair to say that libraries nationwide have done a remarkable job pivoting to digital services. In a May 28 editorial in the New York Times, New York Public Library president Anthony Marx reported an 864% increase in NYPLs SimplyE digital library card sign-ups since closing, as well as a nearly 200% increase in new users across all its e-reading platforms, and a 236% increase in views of NYPLs educational resources.

Our goal has been to replicate, as best we can, the unique experience of being in a library while at home, Marx wrote, pointing to the librarys online storytimes, virtual book clubs, author talks, and reference services.

A scan of the national headlines on any given day shows libraries across the country reporting similar digital engagement. That includes King County, which was already among the nations top lenders of e-books and digital resources before the pandemic. Rosenblum reports that digital library card usage is up 351%. To accommodate the digital shift, King County has shifted money from physical book purchases during the pandemic to digital licensesroughly $350,000 a month.

I always wanted more people to discover digital, Rosenblum says. I just didnt want to do it this way.

But librarians warn that the success of their digital pivot during the crisis belies the complexity of the digital library market. While many publishers and service providers have eased pricing and access restrictions during the pandemic, what happens when the pandemic ends is still very much unsettled.

When you think about some of the comments that have been made by publishers, its clear that libraries are still not really seen as a player in the market, says Kelvin Watson, director of the Broward County (Fla.) Public Library. The emphasis has been on making sure that libraries dont mess up retail sales. What I think this pandemic has done for some, if not all, publishers is shine a light on the librarys role in the market.

To Watsons point, it was less than six months ago, at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia, that Macmillan CEO John Sargent defended the companys controversial embargo on new release e-books in libraries, telling a room full of librarians that library e-book lending was tipping the publishing ecosystem out of balance. Six weeks later, in the wake of the pandemic, Macmillan abruptly abandoned the embargo. There are times in life when differences should be put aside, Sargent offered as an explanation.

This is not one of those times, Watson suggests. I think the pandemic gave Macmillan the perfect out, but that does not mean libraries should not continue to stand up and speak out, he says. I understand that were all going to be feeling a financial crunch from this pandemic. But that should not become the premise for us not having the conversation we still need to have on e-books and digital content. Now is not the time to take our foot off the gas. Now is the time to put our foot down even more.

Rosenblum agrees. The fact that Macmillan decided to sell to us again, I can take that as a victory, she says. But the discussions werent done. I hope we can get back to the table.

Space Odyssey

Observers in recent years have argued that if public libraries didnt already exist in America, we wouldnt be able to invent them. Following the Covid-19 crisis, the question now is: Can we reinvent them?

In his editorial, NYPLs Marx wrote that Covid-19 has exposed a need for radical change in libraries. The digital public library is a piece of necessary public infrastructure that must be built with the same care, collaboration, and adherence to valuesincluding privacythat we have used to build and run our branches, Marx argued. But it would be irresponsible, and dare I say dangerous, he added, to declare that the library of the future is here, and its only online.

Watson agrees. We are definitely in a new place, he says. But were not going to be giving up on physical books. I do think weve sped up the digital transition, though. I used to think that maybe in five years we might be at 70/30 [print-to-digital ratio]. Well, were probably at 70/30 now.

Sociologist Eric Klinenberg, author of the acclaimed 2018 book Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life, also agrees.

Its been amazing to see libraries increase their e-book offerings and other digital services during this crisis, and I think this moment has helped us understand how the library can better serve people, especially those that cant get to the library, Klinenberg says. But digital isnt a replacement for the physical library. At this moment of crisis, we are asking digital to be a substitute because we have no other option. But I think few librarians would choose to do their storytimes online rather than in the childrens room, and few educators think the Zoom classroom is better than a physical classroom.

In fact, Klinenberg believes physical libraries will have an important role to play as the nation recovers from the pandemic.

The shutting down of cities and public spaces has generated incredible challenges, including an economic recession and a social recession. We now have millions of people who are feeling isolated, and stressed, and out of sorts, he says. This is a moment in our history where we are going to need public spaces like never before. I think this pandemic has magnified the importance of the public library in American community life. There simply is no other place that has such capacity to bring people together.

Its also a moment of great vulnerability for libraries, he concedes, as the extent of the economic damage caused by the pandemic becomes apparent. Communities will tell you their library is essential, but local governments are going to be cash-strapped, Klinenberg says. Im very nervous that, at the moment when we need libraries more than ever, local officials will instead feel they have to cut, or shut them down.

No question, with millions of Americans out of work and high national unemployment rates, many municipalities will be facing tough choices, says John Chrastka, executive director of EveryLibrary, a nonprofit national political action committee dedicated to the support of libraries. Municipal libraries that do not have a dedicated property tax line are the most vulnerable, followed closely by libraries that depend on a significant contribution from a state aid formula, because state aid right now is tenuous, Chrastka says, pointing to guidance from Moodys and Standard & Poors. In other words: any library that depends heavily on local use taxes and fees for its fundingsales tax or hotel occupancy fees, for examplefigures to be hard hit. And thats a significant percentage of libraries across the country.

One lifeline, of course, is the federal government, which, given the state of our politics, isnt exactly encouraging. But libraries are popular, and the library community has proven extremely effective in its advocacy efforts over the years, securing increases in federal library funding in each of the first three years of the Trump administration, despite the administrations proposals to eliminate virtually all federal library support.

In the wake of the pandemic, the advocacy stakes for libraries have leveled up.

Lets be clear, when you hear there is a debate in Congress about whether to bail out states and cities, that is a debate about whether your local library stays open, or closes. Thats about whether the park system stays open or closes. Its about schools and teachers. And American voters are going to need to connect the dots, or we could soon find ourselves without many of the institutions that keep us stable. Klinenberg says. I would say this is a decisive moment.
The talks probed ways of enhancing bilateral ties at the political and economic levels, especially in the fields of trade, investment, agriculture and maritime transport

Egypt and Belgium agreed on the importance of developing bilateral relations to serve the two countries' interests, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday.

This came during a round of video conference political consultations headed by Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs Badr Abdel-Ati and Director General for Bilateral Affairs at the Belgian Foreign Affairs Ministry Anick Van Calster.

The talks probed ways of enhancing bilateral ties at the political and economic levels, especially in the fields of trade, investment, agriculture and maritime transport, as well as the role played by Belgian companies operating in Egypt in supporting the country's economy and benefiting from the investment opportunities available at the Suez Canal Economic Zone.

The two countries reviewed the efforts exerted to counter the spread of coronavirus and coexist with it, with both officials asserting the importance of exchanging expertise to face the pandemic's various repercussions.

Abdel-Ati affirmed Egypt's keenness to boost cooperation with Belgium and benefit from its expertise in the domains of seaports management, developing lakes, information technology, artificial intelligence, and tourism after overcoming coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Van Calster affirmed her country's keenness to promote cooperation with Egypt at all levels and exchange visions on regional and international issues.

The Belgian side was posted on the Egyptian viewpoint about a number of regional issues of mutual concern, including the Palestinian cause, terrorism, and illegal immigration.

Both countries agreed on the necessity of continuing consultation and coordination on issues of common interest to reach a political settlement for such crises as soon as possible.

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The first time Ricky Carson remembers being called out for being black was in the fifth grade.

Growing up in Corvallis, I didn't necessarily experience racism, he said. I experienced this other thing called ignorance.

A white girl in his Hoover Elementary School class told him hed make more friends if he bleached his skin. She didnt know what she said was racist. Neither did Carson, until years later. But that day, he ran to the bathroom and cried because her words hurt all the same.

Carson, a 2017 College Hill graduate now studying mass media at the University of West London, attended the Rotary Club of Greater Corvallis Zoom meeting on Friday to share his story as a miseducated black man from the mid-valley.

I grew up in Corvallis never really understanding why I had this feeling that I didn't belong, Carson said.

Although Oregon  especially the more liberal western side and cities like Portland  has a national reputation for being a more progressive state, Carson said Oregonians still have much to learn and a lot to be reminded of when it comes to the racial history of the U.S. He especially pointed out schooling flaws regarding white supremacy and slavery.

It was kind of just, The United States had slavery. It was bad. We don't have that anymore. Things are good again, he said. And that's basically all I got  Slavery was a real thing. And it's still affecting us to this very day. I did not get that.

He was adopted as an infant by a white lesbian couple and has a light brown complexion  which, he said, has given him the ability to live a more privileged life than some black people.

Carson has protested in Portland in recent days with people of all age groups, races and socioeconomic backgrounds and said hes kept these things in mind.

I have a very white name, Carson said. I do have a certain benefit from colorism. And so I feel like the reason why, perhaps, I haven't had as bad experiences with the police  is because of a number of things.

Although he said hes not against police officers generally, Carson said he recognizes that there is a negative cultural perception of police in the black community. He pointed to police responding peacefully to the many white people who, armed with weapons, protested national health guidelines and stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus outbreak. When Black Lives Matter protests surged, however, the response was much different.

This country is literally built off of white supremacy and capitalism, he said. They stole land from Native Americans. They imported labor  slaves  from another continent to then build (on) and cultivate the land. And they created these class systems that were inhumane (and) almost entirely impossible to get out of.

After slavery was outlawed, Carson noted, freedmen had no wealth and the task of navigating slaverys residual racist systems  including police forces whose main jobs were to protect the property (which historically included slaves) of white citizens.

Thats why, he said, its important for non-persons of color to continue reflecting on their privileges and biases.

Rotary Club President Tiffany Bailey made it clear to the nearly 130 Zoom attendees that it is not the job of black people to teach others about their oppression; it should be widely researched.

Carson, she said, was not invited to preach to the choir, and he was not invited also to provoke shame.

This is not a one time forum, Bailey said. We know each other and care about each other and hold a space where we are allowed to disagree with each other. I just want  to reflect that and that we can grow old together in navigating these spaces.

Ways that Carson suggested people can start educating themselves and supporting movements like Black Lives Matter include reading up on the history of African slavery and donating to historic organizations like the NAACP.

He also urged school districts to hire more diverse teachers and offer more training to those who are non-black. Carson suggested more police officers receive similar training and build connections with the communities they monitor.

The only person of color that was my teacher (were) a couple of people from the Latinx community, he said. There was no one throughout my entire education  close to looking like me  no one close to understanding that, Hey, this kid is growing up in a society thats going to want to knock him down.

Carsons reflections brought club member Dave Henderer, a white man with an adopted black son, to tears.

The thought of him suffering just tears me up and makes me angry, Henderer said of his son. I think people are waking up. Theres hope. People love you (and) you are wanted.

The next time a non-black person finds themselves racially profiling someone else, judging someone for their financial situation, or even rapping the N-word in songs, Carson said, they should consider that the community would be better off if these discriminatory actions are addressed.

If you treat people like human beings, then you can build a bigger and stronger community, he said. And, in turn, our community will then prosper.

Reporter Nia Tariq can be reached at nia.tariq@lee.net.

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Mexico City (AFP) - Three police officers have been arrested in the Mexican state of Jalisco over the death of a man taken into custody for allegedly breaking coronavirus restrictions, authorities said Friday.

Among those placed under arrest over the death of 30-year-old Giovanni Lopez last month is a municipal police chief in Guadalajara and another middle-ranking officer, state prosecutor Gerardo Solis told reporters.

The arrests follow riots in the state capital Guadalajara after protesters had gathered to demand justice over Lopez's death.

At least 28 people were arrested after protesters set police vehicles alight and attacked the headquarters of the state government. One police officer suffered burns.

Authorities said Lopez had been detained for "administrative misconduct."

They denied claims he had been arrested for not wearing a mask in public.

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador mourned the death of the construction worker on Friday and said his government condemned "authoritarian actions."

"I regret the facts because I am in favor of solving problems through dialogue and without the use of force," he said in his usual morning press conference.

The president urged Mexico's national human rights commission to join the investigations into Lopez's death.

Amnesty International on Friday condemned the incident and said Lopez's "death in police custody is a serious symptom of the misuse of force used by the authorities and the widespread use of torture."

Mexican film director Guillermo del Toro, who is from Guadalajara, also condemned the killing.

Jalisco governor Enrique Alfaro accused the federal government of being behind the disturbances on Thursday, but Lopez Obrador denied the allegation.

"If the governor has proof, let him bring it to light," the president said.

Mexico has recorded over 105,000 infections from the coronavirus with nearly 13,000 deaths.
An art gallery in Paris has sought inspiration in ancient China to help it enforce social distancing, by providing hats with winged extensions for visitors, called deconfinement hats.

The colourful papier-mache hats are modelled on headgear from the Song dynasty, which ruled China between 960 and 1279, with extensions just long enough to keep wearers the one metre (three feet) apart stipulated in Frances COVID-19 regulations.

The Song dynasty is considered a high point of classical Chinese innovation in science and technology, an era that featured prominent intellectual figures such as Shen Kuo and Su Song. The first Song emperor is said to have ordered his officials to wear winged hats so that they could not gossip without being heard.

Back in the day, these were worn to prevent public officials from whispering, Dominique Pouzol, who designed the hats for the 59 Rivoli gallery, told Reuters. And so, there was already then this notion of social distancing.

Artists wear colourful "deconfinement hats" made of paper mache and inspired by Song dynasty headwear, for social distancing, at 59 Rivoli gallery in Paris as it prepares a general reopening later in the week, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in France, June 3, 2020. Picture taken June 3, 2020. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier (REUTERS)

The headwear worn by the Song dynasty officials consisted of a black hat with two wing-like flaps. The flaps were stiff and straight, and could extend up to almost a meter each.

Some of Pouzols creations carry a political message too, painted in the colours of the rainbow is a nod to gay rights.

The hats are to protect us from COVID-19, Pouzol said. But I said to myself perhaps they can also shield us from ...human viciousness, from small-minded people.

According to an article by AtlasObscura.com, The original headwear was made of somber black cloth and was called futou, or more specifically zhanjiao futouzhanjiao meaning spreading feet or wings. Early futou were simple cloths wrapped around the head, and wearers eventually padded them with wood, silk, grass, or leather, writes the scholar Mei Hua in Chinese Clothing. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907), as futou gradually took on the appearance of a more fitted, structured cap, officials began adopting them, adding two long wings made of stiffened ribbons.

-- with inputs from Reuters

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TROY  This has been a tense city in recent days.

Though there has been no looting, downtown stores are boarded over and prepared for the worst. Police are patrolling from rooftops, erecting barriers and dragging out their SWAT gear. Neighborhood Facebook pages are rife with claims of planned malfeasance.

The reason for all this is a protest of police brutality planned for 2 p.m. Sunday in Riverfront Park, in the wake of George Floyd's death at the knee of a Minneapolis cop. The crowd is expected to be large and everybody  well, almost everybody  hopes it will be peaceful.

The protest isn't about Floyd alone. Like most American cities, big and small, Troy has its own history of alleged police abuses against black residents. Its police department has long been accused of brutality.

For one, there's the 2014 melee at Kokopelli's, the Fourth Street nightclub where police were captured on video using violent force against black patrons.

There's also the three separate civil rights lawsuits, all settled by the city in 2015, by black residents who claimed excessive force; a federal court that year found Troy police violated the rights of another black man, who was Tasered repeatedly in the head.

There's the 2017 police shooting of Dahmeek McDonald, which prompted passionate civil rights marches in the city. And, yes, there's the 2016 death of Edson Thevenin, perhaps the most controversial police shooting in this region's recent history.

Thevenin, a DWI suspect, was shot eight times through the window of his car, and you may remember that Eric Schneiderman, then the state's attorney general, issued a damning report accusing the police department of overlooking evidence and conducting a sham investigation to ensure no criminal charges against police.

For reasons that have never been explained, Mayor Patrick Madden didn't accept that investigation. He certainly didn't use its findings to fire anybody or otherwise take action.

Nor did the Democrat accept a subsequent report, by the Troy department's own internal affairs unit, which came to many of the same conclusions and called the official account of the shooting "inconceivable." Inconceivable.

Madden kept the findings from the City Council and secretly hired an outside investigator, who apparently came to more favorable conclusions. I say "apparently" because Madden has refused to release that report, as part of a prolonged effort to shield the truth while the city faces a civil rights lawsuit from Thevenin's family.

And yet, despite all that, Madden this week claimed to support Black Lives Matter and Sunday's rally.

"I take a knee in solidarity with the peaceful protesters in humility and empathy and in acknowledgment that collectively we have not lived up to our very own ideals and with a personal commitment to strive harder," Madden wrote in a letter to city residents that didn't mention Thevenin or acknowledge that his handling of the case exemplifies the barriers preventing fairer policing all around the country.

Well, maybe Floyd's death has caused Madden to reflect and look in the mirror. That's been the case for many Americans, it seems. Or maybe those are just more empty words from a mayor who hopes we'll forget his record.

With Madden on my mind, I called the man who almost beat him last November. That's Rodney Wiltshire, who ran as a Green Party candidate backed by Republicans  it's complicated  and came within 500 votes of becoming the city's first black mayor.

Policing wasn't discussed much during the campaign, unfortunately. Neither was race.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

But the death of George Floyd, Wiltshire said Friday, "does shine a light on Edson Thevenin and Dahmeek McDonald and the situation here in Troy. It happens. It happens right here."

Like a lot of us, Wiltshire is somewhat surprised at how Floyd's death has shifted public attitudes about policing. Wiltshire believes the reason isn't just the callous way Officer Derek Chauvin appeared to suffocate Floyd; it's the indifference shown by the three other cops that really opened eyes.

That indifference showed that Floyd's black life didn't really matter, Wiltshire said. It showed that the problem was bigger than one bad cop. That's your institutional problem. That's your systemic racism.

And so now we have protests in cities and towns all around the country, genuine expressions of outrage. And we have the predictable backlash from people who don't want to acknowledge that there's a problem or who believe, with justification, that the good police officers are being unfairly tarnished.

Still, we may have the opportunity for real change as Americans wake up to the grim realities of how streets are too often policed.

In Troy, preparations for Sunday's protest have been extensive. Though most protests around the country have been peaceful, the city has reportedly pulled up bricks from sidewalks and taken away garbage cans. Some downtown streets will be closed. Entire downtown blocks are lined with plywood, making it look as though a devastating riot has already happened.

Wiltshire said he understands the need for caution and prays that peace will rule in Troy on Sunday. But he also worries that the extensive preparation sends the wrong message. It suggests police are gearing up for a fight. It suggests City Hall expects the worst.

"It says we expect you to be violent," Wiltshire said, later adding: "There seems to be an institutional expectation that black people are going to get out of hand."

cchurchill@timesunion.com  518-454-5442  @chris_churchill
China is firmly opposed to the United States adding 33 Chinese entities to its "entity list" of export controls, a Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said Friday.

In response to media inquires, the spokesperson voiced objections to the U.S. action of once again adding Chinese enterprises, universities, research institutions and individuals to the "entity list" on the grounds of so-called "military ties" and "human rights."

By repeatedly abusing export controls and other measures under the pretext of national security and using state power to suppress companies in other countries, the United States has severely disrupted the international economic and trade order, the spokesperson said, adding that it also posed severe threats to the security of the global industrial and supply chains.

"Such action is not conducive to China, the United States or the international community," said the spokesperson. "We urge the United States to immediately stop its wrongful action, and we will take all necessary measures to safeguard Chinese companies' legitimate rights and interests."
71st Cannes Film Festival - Screening of the film "BlacKkKlansman" in competition - Red Carpet Arrivals - Cannes, France May 14, 2018 - director Spike Lee presents his jewelry arrives. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Legendary director Spike Lee has been encouraged by the recent spate of Black Lives Matter protests across America, even though he acknowledges that the entire country is currently in turmoil.

The Oscar winning filmmaker made this admission to ET Online, as he added that he is currently taking the aftermath to George Floyds death by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin day by day.

Read More: Spike Lee and Charlize Theron will not film until there is a Coronavirus vaccine

"My heart is in a good place, though. Something I've seen on television, I wanted to see with my own eyes, and what has given me strength is my fellow white brothers and sisters out there. Strong! And they have joined their black and brown sisters, locked arms, step-in-step

And what's really even giving me more hype, the number of young white brothers and sisters [protesting.] That's given me hope! We had the Panther movement, the anti-war movement, the women's movement," he added. "We haven't seen this since the '60s. So that gives me hope."

Demonstrators hold placards at the Lincoln Memorial during a peaceful protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, on June 6, 2020 in Washington, DC. - Demonstrations are being held across the US following the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, while being arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Olivier DOULIERY / AFP) (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)

Earlier this week, Lee had some very pointed words for the current commander in chief Donald Trumps recent actions. He told the BBC that Trump is a gangster who is also trying to be a dictator, in response to the presidents threat to use the military to stop the protests against police brutality.

Lees latest movie Da 5 Bloods, which revolves around four African American veterans returning to Vietnam to find the remains of their fallen squad leader and the fortune he helped them hide, is released onto Netflix on June 12.

Read More: 'Da 5 Bloods': Watch the first trailer for Spike Lee's Vietnam War film

On Sunday, Lee also released a short one and a half minute long film to Twitter that combined the footage of George Floyd and Eric Garners deaths with a famous scene involving Radio Raheem from Do The Right Thing.
New Delhi, June 6 : TECNO, the global premium smartphone brand of Transsion Holdings, on Friday said it had sold one million Spark smartphones in India in just about seven months.

The milestone comes on the back of a "segment-first" approach to consistently push the benchmark for entry-level and mid-budget smartphones on camera, design and the overall feature-led experience.

With the Spark series, including SPARK Go Plus and recently launched SPARK 5, TECNO brings to consumers affordable dot notch display, bigger screen, futuristic premium design, AI-supported quad camera, and a massive battery.

"The achievement of 1 million Spark customers clearly shows that our customers have acknowledged the value we have created for them and appreciate our efforts," Arijeet Talapatra, CEO of Transsion India, said in a statement.

Following the launch of the Spark series, TECNO strengthened its position as one of the top five offline smartphone brands in the Rs 5,000-7,000 segment, TECNO said, citing a Counterpoint Research report for Q1 2020.

The achievement has also lent a supporting hand in boosting TECNO's immediate efforts to offer a common, interactive online platform for its consumers with "TECNO Spot", the company said.

"With our consumers being the glue that holds the brand together, it is imperative for us to continue putting our best foot forward in order to serve them better. TECNO Spot is one such initiative that we believe will enable us to connect with our customers in a better way," Talapatra added.

TECNO Spot is a community platform for users of the brand.

Within one month of its launch, it became a 6000+ strong user community that keeps them updated with latest news, launches, reviews, tips and tricks on photography and engaging activities.

It allows customers to know more about the functioning of a product, or seek clarity on any issues faced by them in regard to their TECNO smartphones and also share suggestions and feedback about the products.

Consumers can also participate in contests, polls and stand a chance to win exciting prizes, while interacting and supporting each other, just like a community, TECNO said.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administrations aggressive deployment of officers donning riot gear with no identifiable markings has increased tensions with protesters, raised the specter of a secret police force and prompted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to demand that President Donald Trump identify the federal forces he has put on the streets of the capital.

Demonstrators in downtown Washington say federal officers in generic riot gear have refused to identify themselves or display identifying features, and the deployment of federal law enforcement is supposed to get even larger this weekend.

Congressional Democrats say the administrations use of ambiguous tactical teams is infringing on the rights of the protesters. Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, and Christopher S. Murphy, D-Conn., introduced legislation mandating that law enforcement officers and members of the armed forces identify themselves and their agency.

In a letter to Trump on Thursday, Pelosi asked for details identifying the law enforcement and military agencies that had been deployed across the capital to police the protests.

The practice of officers operating with full anonymity undermines accountability, ignites government distrust and suspicion, and is counter to the principle of procedural justice and legitimacy during this precarious moment in our nations history, Pelosi wrote.

The question over the federal law enforcement practices comes as Attorney General William Barr has flooded Washington with agents from the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security and the Bureau of Prisons  an agency that House Democrats said in a letter to Barr was responsible for sending the unidentifiable officers.

Barr on Wednesday night further empowered those teams from the Bureau of Prisons with the authority to make arrests at the demonstrations.

Even as federal troops on Thursday retreated from the area in front of Lafayette Square, which is controlled by the federal government, and Barr said he could reduce the number of security checkpoints after a sharp reduction in violent episodes, officials familiar with the deployment said an even larger federal presence and aggressive crackdown was expected this weekend when thousands of additional protesters were anticipated to march on the nations capital.

The United States would normally condemn this tactic if used by dictators of other countries, and its use here directly threatens our democracy, Murphy said. Americans have a right to know who is patrolling their streets, and to have recourse if their massive power is misused.

Historically, local police departments have required their officers to have some sort of identification on their uniforms, according to Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a research organization. The Justice Department criticized the Police Department in Ferguson, Missouri, six years ago for not forcing officers to display signs identifying their department. But lawyers have found that state and federal laws do little to require that law enforcement agencies identify themselves to the public.

Identification gets even more difficult at the federal level, said Carl Takei, a senior staff lawyer at the American Civil Liberties Union who focuses on law enforcement.

Takei said the use of teams from the Bureau of Prisons particularly hindered efforts to identify officers and de-escalate encounters. Each of the agencies deployed relies on different internal policies and on varied sets of rules. The Bureau of Prisons may be especially out of its depth: Responding to a peaceful demonstration requires a different response than stopping a prison riot.

To transport this prison SWAT team into a position where theyre in a position to manage a protest involving thousands of people, its just such a radically different context, Takei said. That issue is particularly dangerous, not being able to clearly identify them as being federal agents based on the way that theyre labeled. Its deeply irresponsible on the part of the superior officer to not tell them to wear identifying insignia.

The Bureau of Prisons did not respond to requests for comment. Justice Department officials told reporters on Thursday that they were not aware of officers refusing to be identified. Asked about increasing the presence of tactical teams over the weekend, Alexei Woltornist, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, said the agency did not comment on active or tentative operational status of its front-line workers for their protection.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

J. Peter Donald, a former assistant commissioner of the New York Police Department who also worked for the FBI, said it was crucial that law enforcement use every opportunity to build meaningful relationships with the public. Certainly knowing who youre talking to is an important piece of that, he said.

State and local officials have also had mixed reactions to the deployments. Even as Marylands governor, Larry Hogan, approved the sending of National Guard troops to Washington on Wednesday, the citys mayor, Muriel E. Bowser, said the federal presence was unwelcome. Bowser, who on Thursday said she had spoken to Pelosi about the federal agents and troops in Washington, said she wanted them removed from the city.

The first thing is we want the military, we want troops from out of state out of Washington, D.C., Bowser said.

Demonstrators say the anonymous officers have also prompted fears that members of militias could be entering protests unnoticed. Protests were largely peaceful on Wednesday, particularly when the demonstration moved away from Lafayette Square. But hostility grew when demonstrators returned downtown and were faced with the line of federal troops.

Ben Davis, a 23-year-old graduate of American University, attended the protest in Washington on Wednesday and was surprised to see a line of officers with unmarked riot gear standing in front of members of the National Guard.

There was just no way to identify who these people were or who they were working for, Davis said.

God forbid if theres an escalation of violence and theres a video circulating of an officer using his baton on a protester, and theres no way to identify who that officer is, Davis said. Thats what Im concerned about.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Unless the COVID-19 crisis subsides to enable the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections to be held by December 7, 2020, we will be confronted with a constitutional crisis by reason of the combination of certain legal knowns and unknowns. The legal knowns represent clear and obvious legal situations, which appear to be beyond legal controversy whilst the legal unknowns are suppositions and conjectures based on ifs and buts.



It is a legal known that the term of office of (a) the President (article 66(1)); (b) his Ministers (JH Mensah v Attorney-General, 1997); (c) the Speaker and Members of Parliament (article 113(1)) expires on January 6, 2021. Yet the concurrent expiration of the terms of the executive and parliament on January 6, 2021 leads to a number of unsettling legal unknowns or scenarios if no presidential and parliamentary elections are held by December 7, 2020.



a. Scenario 1: No President, No Parliament



In this scenario, there will be no executive or the legislature on January 7, 2021 since the term of office of these two organs of government would have ended by operation of law on January 6, 2021. The only organ of government that would remain is the judiciary. We are in uncharted territory and the resultant legal and political vacuum is not only dangerous, but also presents an unprecedented constitutional crisis.



b. Scenario 2: Chief Justice as Acting President



Scenario 2  Chief Justice as Acting President  rides on Scenario 1. Upon the expiration of the term of the executive and legislature on January 6, 2021 in Scenario 1, we may be tempted to invoke article 57(2) of the Constitution to make the Chief Justice the acting President. However, the 1992 Constitution does not include the Chief Justice in the presidential line of succession (Article 60). Nor did the 1969 and 1979 Constitutions.



From the viewpoint of our constitutional history and for context, it is noteworthy that under the 1969 Constitution the Speaker of the National Assembly acted as president in the absence of the President. (Article 38(3) of the 1969 Constitution). The 1979 and 1992 Constitutions have the same provisions on succession to the presidency. In the absence of the President, the Vice President acts as president, and in the absence of the Vice President, the Speaker of Parliament acts as President. As already noted, the Chief Justice is not included in the presidential line of succession.



Articles 57(2) of the Constitution deals with persons who take precedence over all other persons in Ghana. It does not directly relate to the presidential line of succession. Instead, it is article 60 that deals with succession to the presidency. Therefore, articles 57 and 60 address clear, separate and distinct matters. And there is no direct logical correlation whatsoever between the persons named in article 57(2) and the succession to the presidency provided for by article 60 of the Constitution. Therefore, if we invoke article 57(2) of the Constitution to make the Chief Justice the acting President, it will amount to a desperate move to avoid the doomsday situation presented by Scenario 1  no president and no parliament on January 7, 2021.



It is also extremely doubtful the framers of the 1979 Constitution and 1992 Constitution ever contemplated the Chief Justice acting as President in the absence of the President, Vice President and Speaker of Parliament; considering the constitutional scheme on the presidential line of succession in the 1979 Constitution, which has been reproduced in the 1992 Constitution.



In the 1979 Constitution, we adopted the US presidential system of government with complete separation of the executive and legislature. By the provisions of the 1979 Constitution, the term of office of the President was 4 years (article 53(1)) while that of Parliament was 5 years (article 94(1)). The different terms of office for the executive and the legislature as provided for in the 1979 Constitution, together with the different constitutional stipulations in relation to the period for holding presidential and parliamentary elections was advantageous. This made it exceedingly remote and unlikely that the end of the term of office of President and the dissolution of Parliament would take place on the same date.



Another reason which supports the view that it was not in the contemplation of the framers of the Constitution for the Chief Justice to ever act as president rests on the fact that, the presidential line of succession in article 47(7-12) of the 1979 Constitution (same as article 60(7-12) of the 1992 Constitution) was clearly influenced by the US Constitution and the US Presidential Succession Act of 1947, where the Chief Justice is not included in the line of succession to the presidency.



Despite the lack of textual, historical, structural or conceptual support for the Chief Justice acting as President, Scenario 2 does not look as outlandish as it may seem at first blush given the obvious adverse legal, social and political consequences of Scenario 1.



Scenario 3: Chief Justice as Acting President governs without Parliament

Scenario 3 piggybacks on Scenario 2. If Scenario 2 prevails with the Chief Justice acting as President, it would appear that, by the combined reading and effect of article 113(3) and 297(h) of the Constitution the Chief Justice would have the option of governing the country with or without Parliament for the purpose of holding a presidential election within three months after his assumption of office as acting president (Article 60(13)).



To elaborate further, article 113(3) of the Constitution empowers the President if he is satisfied that owing to the existence of a state of war or of a state of public emergency in Ghana or any part of Ghana, it is necessary to recall Parliament, the President shall cause to be summoned the Parliament that has been dissolved to meet. Relatedly, Article 297(h) states that words directing or empowering a public officer to do any act or thing, or otherwise applying to him by the designation of his office, include his successors in office and all his deputies and all other assistants.



By extension, if the Chief Justice becomes acting president he could exercise presidential powers on the basis of article 297(h) of the Constitution for the purpose of holding a presidential election within three months after his assumption of office as acting president.



Should the Chief Justice act as president for a period not exceeding 3 months for the purpose of holding a presidential election we should expect the most senior judge of the Supreme Court to act as Chief Justice.



If the COVID-19 pandemic persists beyond 3 months after the Chief Justice has acted as president, we have hit a constitutional cul-de-sac. To overcome this, we may creatively deploy article 297 (b) of the Constitution to keep extending the term of the Chief Justice for 3 months in succession until the pandemic abates to enable us hold presidential and parliamentary elections.



c. Scenario 4: Chief Justice as Acting President recalls the dissolved Parliament



By article 113(3) and 297(h) of the Constitution as explained above, the Chief Justice can exercise presidential powers when he acts as president. Starting from that premise, the Chief Justice as acting president may invoke article 113(3) of the Constitution to summon the Parliament that has been dissolved to meet.



Substitute Chief Justice for President in article 113(3) of the Constitution. When that is done, then acting on the basis of article 113(3) of the Constitution, the Chief Justice may recall the dissolved parliament after declaring a state of public emergency pursuant to article 31of the Constitution. In the absence of a formal declaration of a state of emergency, the Chief Justice cannot trigger article 113(3) since that provision is predicated on the existence of a state of war or of a state of public emergency in Ghana or any part of Ghana.



d. Scenario 5: Speaker of Parliament recalled acts as acting president and first deputy speaker acts as speaker of parliament



Should the Chief Justice recall the dissolved Parliament pursuant to article 113(3) of the Constitution after declaring a state of emergency by reason of the persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Speaker of the dissolved and recalled Parliament would replace the Chief Justice as acting president (article 60(11). When that happens we should expect the 1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament to act as Speaker of Parliament.



e. Scenario 6: Parliament legislates to expand the presidential line of succession Article 60 of the Constitution provides for the line of presidential succession in the order of Vice-President and the Speaker of Parliament. However, Parliament could use its residual power under article 298 of the Constitution to expand upon the presidential line of succession. Any such expansion cannot include the extension of the term of the President; that would appear to be patently unconstitutional since the President has a fixed term of 4 years.



We may consider including in the presidential line of succession heads of independent constitutional bodies such as the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice and the National Commission for Civic Education. We could accomplish this expansion in the presidential line of succession by amending the Presidential (Transition) Act 2012 (Act 845).



f. Scenario 7: The President declares a state of emergency and Parliament extends its term.



In this scenario, immediately before or after December 7, 2020 but prior to January 6, 2020 when the window for holding presidential and parliamentary elections is closing or has closed, our President declares a state of emergency pursuant to article 31 of the Constitution. As a sequel, a citizen of Ghana mounts an interpretative action in the Supreme Court arguing that, the expression, At any time when Ghana is actually engaged in war in article 113(2) covers not only war as we know it but extends to war-like situations and the Governments efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic is a war or a war-like situation.



If this tenuous or attenuated legal argument prevails then the current Parliament could extend its life beyond 6th January 2021 in periods of 12 months at a time but not for more than 4 years. When Parliament extends its term beyond 6th January 2021, the Speaker acts as president when the term of office of the president expires on 6th January 2021.



CONCLUSION



What is clear from the above scenarios and analysis some of which appear like a carousel is that a constitutional crisis beckons if we are unable to hold presidential and parliamentary elections by December 7, 2020. Scenario 1 is the worst possible scenario we may ever face. Scenarios 2, 3, 4 and 5 contain too many ifs and buts for comfort and they provide no guarantee that we can avert Scenario 1  the doomsday case of no president; and no parliament. Scenarios 6 and 7 are possible but not in the least probable.



So the buck stops with our Electoral Commission. The impending constitutional crisis suggests that in time the Commission has to consider seriously the prospect of holding presidential and parliamentary elections on different dates. Much more besides, the Commission as part of its risk management and business continuity planning and strategy, and working in tandem with our scientists with epidemiological background, must come out with contingency plans for holding presidential and parliamentary elections by December 7, 2020. Any such plans must not endanger the health of voters.



Meanwhile, we must constantly keep in mind that the legal, political and social consequences of not holding presidential and parliamentary elections by December 7, 2020 are too dire and unsettling to contemplate.



Written by Dr. Abdul Baasit Aziz Bamba, School of Law, University of Ghana

Source: Daily Graphic









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International education providers have sounded the alarm about the growing uncertainty facing foreign students in Australia because the federal government has not rolled out emergency visa changes to protect their future studies and ability to work.

Already under pressure to provide more financial support to international students affected by the COVID-19 crisis, the government is being urged to rapidly deal with inflexible visa arrangements creating extra costs for students and putting at risk their study and work rights in Australia.

International students have faced significant challenges because of the COVID-19 crisis. Credit:Penny Stephens

Some students stranded in the country because of COVID-19 travel restrictions have been losing work rights as their visas expire, forced to pay for temporary visitor visas.

Others are starting online courses with Australian institutions while still living offshore, with no guarantee of future visas and work rights in Australia. They also face further charges to secure new visas for Australia after being unable to arrive because of the border closure.
MAURICE, Iowa -- A train that runs on a track suspended from the ceiling, a ribbon weaving loom nestled between two white bookshelves, and a tree house with Velcro apples that can be picked are just some of the unique, interactive exhibits kids will find when they walk through the glass doors of The Book Bank in Maurice.

More than 60 volunteers used their time and skills to transform the former brick bank building into a free library/children's museum, which officially opened this past week at 210 Main St.

Marissa Maassen, a second-grade teacher and The Book Bank's founder, said the idea for it came from her son Seth's Eagle Scout project.

"We talked about doing a little lending library around Maurice -- those little birdhouse-like libraries," Maassen recalled. "People kept saying, 'Oh, the bank is sitting empty. You should put a library in the bank.'"

Maassen thought about the suggestion and then made an official proposal at a city council meeting. The City of Maurice was so receptive to the idea, that they said Maassen could use the building for the project rent-free and that the city would cover utility costs.

The renovation project was funded by community members, who donated money, as well as materials.

Maassen, her family and a team of residents began renovations in January. She said they "touched every square inch" of the former bank, which was built in the late 1800s. She said her husband, Aaron, did a lot of the tile installation. When she needed exhibits built for The Book Bank, she said there was always someone there with the skills to handle the request.

"It's just so neat. It's just so interactive," she said of the finished product.

The tree house, which children can climb into, is actually positioned atop a bank deposit box.

"We couldn't move that, so there's a tree house above there," she said. "A local carpenter made a grocery store, and then, on either side of that grocery store is a post office and a mechanic shop that is also bookshelves."

The exhibits pay homage to the city's history. Maassen said the grocery store was inspired by Duane's Grocery, a locally owned store that operated years ago.

"The post office is the building in Maurice that's still one of the original businesses, so we gave history to that," she said. "There's several mechanic shops that have been in Maurice and still are in Maurice, so that's why we chose a mechanic shop."

The bank vault was revamped to resemble an opera house, equipped with a marquee over the entrance and stocked with dress-up clothes fit for budding stars. The space also features a train ticket booth, cafe and fire station.

Bookshelves are scattered everywhere throughout The Book Bank, which houses roughly 5,500 books. Maassen said books were collected during book drives and that MOC-Floyd Valley School District also provided a grant for books.

"It's priceless," she said when asked the cost of the entire project. "It's such an act of love."

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TEANECK, NJ - The people of Teaneck gathered today to protest the death of George Floyd. In doing so, they remembered one of their own.

The family of Phillip Pannell spoke during the protest, including his mother Thelma Dantzler and sister Natacha Pannell. Pannell, a black 16-year-old, was shot by white officer Gary Spath in 1990, which lead to Teaneck's 1990 riots.

Dantzler spoke about her son's death, in which the officer was acquitted of manslaughter, and related it to the death of Floyd and others across the country.

She ended by saying "get your knee off my neck", a reference to the final moments of Floyd's life, and the demonstrators responded with a chorus of "I can't breathe", a phrase Floyd said in the viral video of his death.

Floyd, a 46-year old Minneapolis man, died on May 25 with the knee of a white police officer on his neck. Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, who was captured on video kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, was initially charged with third-degree murder. Earlier this week, that charge was elevated to a second-degree murder.

The other three officers present at the time of Floyd's death  Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao  have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, according to court records.

An independent autopsy revealed Floyd's cause of death to be asphyxia due to sustained forceful pressure. Dr. Michael Baden and Dr. Allecia Wilson, who performed the autopsy, ruled his death a homicide.

Natacha Pannell also spoke, and delivered an impassioned message to the protesters who surrounded her.

"This is not a game," she said, of police violence. "This is a black thing, this is a white thing, this is a Spanish thing, this is an American thing."

Many carried signs honoring Pannell, and the scars of his killing were clearly visible throughout the community.

Story continues

A long-time Teaneck resident, who said she graduated from Teaneck High School in 1967, holding signs for Phillip Pannell. (Montana Samuels/Patch Photo)

As protesters marched along Teaneck Road, what have become familiar chants rang out. No justice, no peace interspersed with chants of Say his name, George Floyd were echoed throughout the march.



As has been true at protests across the state and country, social distancing protocols were hard to maintain as the sheer volume of people crowded streets and sidewalks, though many wore masks.

At least two healthcare workers were present in the crowd, and employees of Holy Name Medical Center lined the street outside the facility to support the protesters. One medical professional, donning a white coat as part of the White Coats For Black Lives movement, acknowledged the dilemma facing demonstrators across the country as they gather in large groups to protest in spite of a global pandemic.

I think that people are fed up, and I think it speaks to the depth of the crime that was committed that people are willing to put aside their own health, their own safety, to be out here protesting for this cause, she said. To us, it gives us hope that there are still decent people left in this world that are willing to stand up for this cause.

She declined to be named, referring to herself simply as Jane Doe.

A medical professional holds a sign, signifying her support of White Coats For Black Lives. (Montana Samuels/Patch Photo)





Holy Name Medical Center employees, who have been one of the facilities battling the coronavirus in Bergen County, out supporting the march. pic.twitter.com/we1ngvgEGY

 Montana Samuels (@montanasamuels) June 5, 2020





There was a substantial police presence throughout the march as officers blocked off roads creating space for the march to proceed, but there were no moments of violence, and little tension.

Protesters stopped at Teaneck police headquarters chanting I cant breathe as officers watched from the roof and recorded the crowd on cellphones.

Three law enforcement officers stand on the roof of the Teaneck police building. (Montana Samuels/Patch Photo)

In front of the police station. Three officers watch from the roof. pic.twitter.com/vCA0xIHG0z

 Montana Samuels (@montanasamuels) June 5, 2020





A knee, in honor of George Floyd pic.twitter.com/h96WFVCuYt

 Montana Samuels (@montanasamuels) June 5, 2020





Demonstrators eventually stopped at the corner of North Street and River Road, kneeling, fists raised, in honor of Floyd.

Councilman Henry Pruitt praised the organizers of this protest and others across the country, adding that he felt they were putting their lives in risk by doing so.

I know we made mistakes in the past, but I believe Teaneck is an oasis in the American desert, he said.

The comment was met with vocal agreement as demonstrators watched and listened, but the message was in stark contrast to what other voices had expressed earlier in the day.

As Pruitt finished speaking it began to rain, and the crowd began to disperse back to their homes, places of work and cars. As they walked, the chants continued.

The day is over, but the work is not.

This article originally appeared on the Teaneck Patch
San Antonio lifted its curfew on the downtown business district following days of peaceful demonstrations protesting the death of George Floyd and inequality.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg signed a declaration officially rescinding the curfew Saturday afternoon.

RELATED: Live Updates: Protests continue in San Antonio



The dialogue between the City, organizers, and demonstrators is a welcome development that is emblematic of the San Antonio way, and I am encouraged that we are able to end the curfew sooner than planned, Nirenberg said in a prepared statement.

The curfew was put into place May 31, after a vandalism spree swept Houston Street once a peaceful Black Lives Matter rally dispersed. It prohibited people from being in any public area in the downtown business district or the Alamo Plaza between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. through Sunday, June 7, 2020.

The city announced the decision to end the curfew early as another day of protests began outside the San Antonio Police Headquarters Saturday.



While we cant change decades of inequity or injustice in our community, we can work together to build a better city. To those who are demonstrating, know that we are listening, said City Manager Erik Walsh in a prepared statement.

City officials including San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said in a release that they were working with organizers of the demonstrations such as Antonio Lee, founder of the Young Ambitious Activists, to protect residents' First Amendment rights to protest.
For black business owners, the pandemic and the killing of George Floyd by a police officer and the following protests have been an emotional one-two punch.

Amalfis Italian Restaurant and Abbey Creek Vineyard, like most businesses in the state and country, are reeling from the coronavirus pandemic.

We had to immediately lay off 85%, 90% of our workforce, owner Kiauna Floyd said of her Northeast Portland restaurant Amalfis. Really its our family, we had to lay off 85%, 90% of our family.

Bertony Faustin, owner of Abbey Creek Vineyard in North Plains, said, Weve lost 75% of our monthly income at this time of the year.

And then, came the video of a police officer in Minneapolis, kneeling on the neck of George Floyd as he begged for his life.

As nationwide protests enter their second week, Portlands black-owned businesses have seen a surge in support. But some in the community worry that this moment wont last.

Since the protests started, Kiauna Floyd said she has seen an outcry of just support and love from the community.

Faustin has had a similar experience. We have seen a lot of support, he said, and not just in actually purchasing of product but even just emails of support, or letters or posts.

What I think is amazing about it, he said, is people are being intentional with their dollars.

Social media has been flooded with advice for those who support the Black Lives Matter movement on how to be better allies, including supporting black-owned businesses.

Jomo Greenidge created the website BlackPDX.com in 2016, and works on the site with former Benson Polytechnic High School students Jose Luis Garcia and Jordan Clavon.

The website highlights black-owned businesses in Portland, and Clavon said he is amazed to see how interest in the website has grown during the ongoing protests.

Its wild now to see my friends sharing the website, and it actually doing what its meant to do, Clavon said.

Greenidge estimates that engagement with the website is up 200% to 300%. He said there are so many messages, he doesnt have time to respond to all of them.

The support is welcome by both Floyd and Faustin, who said the killing of George Floyd and the protest that have followed are personal.

I am my brand, they are not separate, Faustin said. So if Im feeling something, through some negativity or whatever is happening in society, it affects me wholeheartedly as well.

Floyd is working to juggle her roles as a business owner and a mom in these turbulent times.

Now I am having this difficult time balancing these two, trying to keep a business afloat during a pandemic as well as now trying to explain to my kids, Floyd said, that, unfortunately, they will sometimes be criticized and critiqued on the color of their skin or at least put in a box because of the color of their skin and not because of their sweet loving hearts.

Her children and her husband have participated in the marches, though Floyd cant while she works six days a week to make sure Amalfis stays open.

But, Floyd said, she has been inspired by the community support for her restaurant.

The beautiful thing of it is, is that we have seen an outpouring of support for Amalfis as a black-owned business but then also just as a staple neighborhood business, she said.

Amalfi's has been in Northeast Portland for 61 years. Kiauna Floyd took over ownership from her father in 2006.

And it is truly heartfelt, she added. It is truly heartfelt.

Greenidge of BlackPDX.com said the swell of support from the white community has surprised him. But, he added, weve been here before.

Weve been here in a time where white people have galvanized themselves to take action that they wouldnt normally take, he said, but then that moment passes and we slip back into normalcy again.

Still, Greenidge is somewhat hopeful.

This feels a lot different than it ever has before, he said. I would hate for us to get excited that it feels different and then for white people to step back away from the opportunity to really make some significant systemic change.

Tony Hopson is CEO of Portland nonprofit Self Enhancement Inc., a nonprofit organization that works with families in Portlands black community.

On one hand theres a tremendous degree of excitement about the protests, Hopson said.

But, he added, for many of us black people, theres a certain level of almost disgust that it has taken folks so long. This isnt the first time somebodys said, I cant breathe. 

As a black person in America, its kind of like youre tired, Hopson said. Its kind of like, wow, what took you guys so long?

Both Greenidge and Hopson agree that while current support for black-owned businesses is welcome, it isnt enough.

How do you take a moment in time and turn it into a full movement? Hopson said.

That is the hope this time. That this is not just another moment where another black man or black person was murdered in broad daylight, he said. That it becomes a movement of which all Americans get behind for change.

The coronavirus pandemic might be one reason this moment may lead to something different, said Libra Forde, COO of Self Enhancement Inc.

I think the additional difference is that its a concentrated moment, she said. Its the first time that everyone is forced to watch. You cant walk away and do something else because we are all stuck in this moment.

Greenidge believes the coronavirus has been a catalyst to get many people out on the streets.

The virus, in some senses, he said, could be one of the greatest things to happen if it can cause worldwide systemic change.

What will it take to make that change stick? Its more than just patronizing black-owned businesses while its trending. Forde and Greenidge agree: white people have to change.

As far as racism goes, we as black folks, we didnt create it, we dont benefit from it, it doesnt serve us, Greenidge said.

If youre to ask about who should be most adamantly dealing with racism, he added, its white folks.

Said Forde, In any relationship in life when someone does something wrong in the relationship, its up to the person who did the wrong to make it right, not the person thats been impacted by the wrong.

So we need to find out something new to do, she said, and we cannot lean on black people to do that.

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker

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Many countries across the world have relaxed restriction norms, allowing more movement of people and getting the economy back on track while maintaining social distancing.

The World Health Organization (WHO), taking note of the situation, said that some countries have seen "upticks" in COVID-19 cases as lockdowns ease, and populations must protect themselves from the coronavirus while authorities continue testing.

WHO updated guidance on the use of masks for control of #COVID19: https://t.co/z6DTZLG5Qs



The new guidance is based on evolving evidence and provides updates on:



who should wear a mask



when a mask should be worn



what a mask should be made of pic.twitter.com/Cu7MEyCs3J  World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) June 5, 2020

The epicentre of the pandemic is currently in countries of Central, South and North America, particularly the United States, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said.

"On upticks (in cases), yes we have seen in countries around the world - I'm not talking specifically about Europe - when the lockdowns ease, when the social distancing measures ease, people sometimes interpret this as 'OK, it's over'," Harris told a UN briefing in Geneva.

BCCL

"It's not over. It's not over until there is no virus anywhere in the world," she said.

She also said the protesters in the US must take all the necessary precautions while being out on the streets.

The WHO has advised people to maintain a distance of at least 1 metre (3 feet), frequently wash hands and avoid touching their mouth, nose and eyes to avoid infection.

Also, the WHO changed its position on masks and encouraged people to wear them in crowded places, citing anecdotal evidence that supports their value in stopping the spread of the coronavirus.

About 6.6 million coronavirus cases have been confirmed around the world, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. More than 389,000 people have died, including some 108,000 in the United States. More than 2.8 million people have recovered.
THe authority wants to create system that will allow most organ transplants to be carried out in Ukraine

The Ministry of Health has created a separate unit for transplantation and treatment of Ukrainian patients abroad. The head of the Ministry of Health Maksym Stepanov, the Coronavirus.info Telegram channel of the Ministry of Health reports.

The Ministry of Health emphasizes that they plan to build a system that will allow for most organ transplant operations in Ukraine.

Stepanov also noted that in the clinics of India, there are now seven citizens of Ukraine who are awaiting treatment: two of them are in inpatient treatment, the rest are on outpatient monitoring.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, operations are delayed for these patients.

As we reported before, as of the morning of June 6, in Ukraine, 26 514 cases of Covid-19 coronavirus were recorded.

So, over the past day, 550 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded. Since the start of the pandemic, 777 people have died from coronavirus in Ukraine, and 11,812 have recovered.

Also, US President Donald Trump said United States has created a vaccine against coronavirus infection. He claimed this during a briefing at the White House.
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BELGRADE, June 5 (Xinhua) -- China and Serbia on Friday signed a memorandum on space technology which aims, among other things, to put the Serbian national flag on co-designed spacecraft in the future.

The memorandum was signed by Zhang Kejian, director of the China National Space Administration, and Nenad Popovic, Serbian minister in charge of innovation and technological development, via a video conference.

Zhang said the memorandum is in the common interests of both countries, adding that as many scientists as possible will engage in joint space projects.

"Our goal is to put the flag of Serbia on the spacecraft that we will jointly design," he announced.

Popovic noted that the space partnership will have an immense value for Serbia, saying it will help realize the country's strategic national projects.

Popovic said Chinese partners are willing to share their knowledge and experience in space technology with Serbia.

"We deeply respect the friendship between our two countries, and we wish for the document signed today to bond China and Serbia in friendship and economic development permanently," he said. "I am sure that our upcoming projects will pave the way for our joint vision."

According to the Serbian government, the document will envisage the "improvement of bilateral cooperation between Serbia and China in the development and use of space technology, satellite systems and the Earth Observing System, with applications in the field of smart agriculture, telecommunications, ecosystems, remote sensing systems and geolocation positioning."
NEW YORK - Another day of protests over the death of George Floyd brought more examples of New York City officials downplaying or denying the police departments rough treatment of protesters  even when it was caught on video.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/6/2020 (595 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Protesters march during a solidarity rally for George Floyd, Thursday, June 4, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NEW YORK - Another day of protests over the death of George Floyd brought more examples of New York City officials downplaying or denying the police departments rough treatment of protesters  even when it was caught on video.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday he had personally seen no use of force around peaceful protests and cast doubt on people who had, belying social media posts and witness accounts of officers moving on demonstrators without provocation and bashing them with batons.

De Blasio made the comment in response to questions at his morning news briefing about teams of officers aggressively breaking up a rally in the Bronx as the city's 8 p.m. curfew kicked in Thursday, leading to scores of arrests and cries of brutality. He said officers were using lots of restraint.

What an absolute disgrace. This is just not true," City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer tweeted afterward. "You are gaslighting an entire City.

The department did later announce the suspensions without pay for two officers, in connection to two separate incidents from the early days of protest. In one, on May 29, a video clip showed an officer shoving a woman to the ground. In the second, on May 30, an officer was shown pulling a demonstrators mask down and spraying pepper spray. Both cases have been referred for disciplinary action.

Protesters take a knee on Flatbush Avenue in front of New York City police officers during a solidarity rally for George Floyd, Thursday, June 4, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Protesters marched through the city again Friday by the thousands. About three hundred people gathered in Union Square for a rally organized by medical professionals who have been battling the COVID-19 pandemic at its epicenter for the last three months. One protester held a sign that read, You Clapped For Us, We Kneel For You, referring to the ritual clapping New Yorkers do each night at 7 p.m. to salute health care workers.

We want to redirect the respect that was given to us throughout the coronavirus pandemic and give that same respect to members of the community who are on the front lines fighting for social justice, said Hillary Duenas, one of the event organizers who works at Mount Sinai.

On Friday night, demonstrators again remained on city streets hours after the curfew, with police generally allowing them. Crowds dwindled on their own at various locations, though officers in Brooklyn made at least a dozen orderly arrests while dispersing one group.

Protesters break curfew and march, Thursday, June 4, 2020, in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

About an hour earlier and not far away, Randy Williams exchanged a fist bump with officers, who steadily removed one hand from their batons to shake with demonstrators. I get in their faces every day not with hate, not with anger, he said. My delivery may be a little rough but the message is the same. I dont dislike cops and I have been to prison. I dont hate cops. I hate bullies

As another sizable group dispersed on the Upper West Side, some who were walking away bantered about not wanting to get arrested because they wanted to be back on the streets Saturday.

The violent flareups that characterized some demonstrations last weekend have almost entirely given way to peaceful affairs. Looting that occurred on Sunday and Monday also appears to have ceased.

Protesters gather in the rain for a rally at Union Square, Friday, June 5, 2020, in the Manhattan borough of New York. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

The tension now has occurred around the city's 8 p.m. curfew, with police at some protests using force to enforce the order barring assemblies.

Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said by wilfully ignoring the evidence of bystanders, reporters, observers, and peaceful protesters being brutalized in plain sight, the mayor is emboldening the police.

I guess at this point the mayor is delusional," Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said.

Protesters gather in the rain for a rally at Union Square, Friday, June 5, 2020, in the Manhattan borough of New York. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Despite de Blasio's skepticism, he promised that all police misconduct allegations would be investigated. He also chided officers for mistreating essential workers exempt from the curfew, such as food delivery workers and journalists.

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, who gave a fiery speech Thursday denouncing a wave of vicious attacks on officers, said sometimes when you're in the middle of something, you dont get to see the big picture too."

On Friday evening, the department announced an arrest of two people in a June 2 incident where a police officer was hit by a car, sending him flying into the street and leaving him in serious condition.

Medical professionals kneel during a moment of silence for those deceased due to confrontations with police during a rally at Union Square, Friday, June 5, 2020, in New York. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

The police department's treatment of peaceful protesters, amid smash-and-grab sprees and sporadic unrest, has come under fire as demonstrations stretch into a second weekend, spurred by George Floyd's May 25 death in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed a knee into Floyds neck.

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After officers were recorded Wednesday shoving and hitting peaceful protesters as they enforced the curfew, it was Gov. Andrew Cuomo who doubted it happened, telling an Associated Press reporter that her question about the use of force was a little offensive and incendiary rhetoric.

Cuomo backtracked after seeing the video and asked the states attorney general to probe that incident in her investigation into police misconduct during the protests. In a tweet, he said: No peaceful protester deserves to be hit with a baton and no self-respecting police officer would defend that.

Protesters who were arrested by police for breaking a curfew during a solidarity rally calling for justice over the death of George Floyd, sit on a sidewalk as they wait to be taken away in a van on Thursday, June 4, 2020, in New York. Floyd, an African American man, died on May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

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Associated Press reporters Karen Matthews and Deepti Hajela, video journalist Robert Bumsted and photographer John Minchillo in New York, and Marina Villeneuve in Albany contributed to this report.

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Follow Michael Sisak on Twitter at twitter.com/mikesisak
While we have heard painful news of many loved ones passing away during this pandemic, a few stories linger in our memories as they carry with it more than their fair share of grief. One such story is the account of a daughter visiting sick father before he succumbed to his illness.

Daughter visiting sick father

Zeng Hui Jing, a Malaysian who had been working in Singapore, recently travelled to her homeland to visit her terminally ill father who was suffering from last-stage cancer, for the last time.

Despite having travelled all the way back home to Malaysia to spend time with her father, she was only allowed by the health authorities to spend 30 minutes in full personal protective equipment (PPE) gear, on her initial visit.

Her father passed away on the day she was allowed to spend her time freely with him.

daughter visiting sick father

Last family picture together. Photo: Sinchew daily

Allowed to spend only 30 minutes in his presence

A fisherman by profession, Zengs 61-year-old father had been suffering from late-stage cancer.

According to media reports, she was not informed of the seriousness of her fathers illness because the family did not want her to worry, and was only told after her fathers condition had severely deteriorated.

Despite travelling from Singapore back to her hometown in Perak to see him, Zeng had to avoid immediate interaction with him as she had to serve a 14-day quarantine notice in keeping with Malaysias Movement Control Order (MCO) that requires all foreigners and nationals coming back into the country to be quarantined.

After appealing several times with officials, she was finally allowed to see him on the ninth day of her quarantine notice in full PPE gear and was accompanied the whole time out of her quarantine leave by a healthcare professional.

daughter visiting sick father

Zengs father. Photo: Sinchew Daily

Due to misinformation, she had initially travelled to the hospital her father was admitted at in Teluk Intan, but was told there that he had been discharged and had returned to his home in Bagan Sungei Tiang.

Story continues

After travelling yet again to her family home, she was only allowed to spend half an hour with her father who was very weak, and the pair were able to exchange around five sentences with each other, according to media reports.

Despite looking very weak and exhausted, her father told her that he was fine in order to console her and not add to her worry. The family also took one last picture together.

Zeng had reportedly donned the PPE gear from 11am to 6pm, and confided with media that even though it was uncomfortable and stuffy, at least I got to see my father and reunite with my family. It was worth it.

Daughter visiting sick father loses him on the day she is allowed unrestricted access

The family in happier times. Photo: Sinchew Daily

However, right on the day when she finished serving her quarantine notice and when she could freely spend time without being restricted by rules and health laws with her father, she received news that he had already passed away.

Zeng finished her 14 days of quarantine and was finally allowed to go home, on the 3rd of June at 10am. Sadly, her father passed away at 6am in the morning on the very same day.

Her father leaves behind two other children between the ages of 19 and 26, who managed to spend time with the dying man. Zeng was the only one who was working in Singapore and could not make it in time to be with her father before the MCO was enforced.

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The post Daughter Travels to Malaysia to Visit Sick Father Who Dies Shortly Afterwards appeared first on theAsianparent - Your Guide to Pregnancy, Baby & Raising Kids.
Individuals across the country have stepped up to tackle the gap between the governments relief efforts and the vast need for help. Some have worked to feed people deprived of their incomes. Some have stepped in to deliver goods to those who cannot leave their homes. Others have banded together to help transport migrant workers who were stranded.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (AP file photo)

Relative newcomers to the Ladakh scene can be excused for believing that the question of Chinese intrusions through the snow-bound, high mountain passes in this largely inhospitable and inaccessible terrain date back to the Narendra Modi era or slightly beyond.

Indias first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru told Parliament in November 1961 that he did not think that the situation in Ladakh had changed to the advantage of the Chinese, adding for good measure that we shall continue to take steps to build up these things so that ultimately we may be in a position to take action to recover such territory as is in their possession. This statement came roughly a year before the ill-fated Sino-Indian border war in 1962.

The anecdote is a pointer to the fact that Ladakh, like nearly the entire 4,056 km Sino-Indian border, including the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the west, the small undisputed section in the centre, and the MacMahon Line in the eastern sector, is a boundary where both India and China have, over the last several decades, broadly agreed to disagree. And this time is no different. If there is a difference, it could be in its outcome.

Premeditated intrusion

The big picture is clear. India faces the most serious Chinese incursion in the last few decades. This is not a routine summer standoff between the Indian Army and Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). Nor is it like Doklam in 2017, triggered by a local provocation that involved a third country, Bhutan. This is a premeditated intrusion at multiple points falling in different army zones. Thousands of Chinese soldiers have entered the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), including areas that were so far routinely patrolled by Indian troops and acknowledged by China to be on the Indian side. The Chinese have made it clear that they may stay put  maybe even permanently. They have dug trenches, put up tents, brought vehicles, built roads and fortified themselves on their side of the border. This is a calculated move to alter the LAC in some sectors by sheer force. To be sure, India has answered in kind; with improved infrastructure, Indian Army has been able to quickly move her battalions, even if not as swiftly as China.

This latest build-up has come as a surprise to many, and not just in New Delhi. Why would China choose to antagonise India now when President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have held several summits, both in India and China? Chinas relationship with the United States is on a downward spiral and Beijing is already drawing flak from the international community over the Coronavirus crisis, facing new challenges in cross-strait relations and the South China Sea, and in the middle of an unprecedented social unrest, particularly in Hong Kong.

Chinas top leadership  much like India - has been tight-lipped about the development. Unlike Doklam, Chinas state-run media has been rather restrained in its coverage of the incident, with just a handful of articles, mostly parroting the official stance that India is illegally trespassing and constructing defence facilities across the border into now-claimed Chinese territory in the Galwan Valley region, leaving the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) no other option but to make necessary moves in response.

In India, a largely uninformed and excitable electronic media has taken upon itself to defend the frontiers  safely ensconced in the safety of their TV studios. If anything, there have been some lively debates and discussions on Chinas state-controlled internet, which does offer cues about Beijings strategic thinking, according to Indians living in China.

Chinas post-COVID assertive foreign policy

Observers in New Delhi have mostly read the current crisis as a continuation of Chinas post-pandemic assertive foreign policy across the world, from South China Sea to Hong Kong, and as a fallout of the overall souring of Sino-Indian ties in the recent past. Some, if not all, believe that the simultaneous breaking out of a high-voltage drama between India and Nepal over Kalapani is a subplot to the broader China-India differences in Ladakh and Sikkim. However, in the Chinese view, the India-Nepal border row seems to be the main plot, which has acted as an impetus raising tensions along the disputed border between China and India.

While there is little doubt that there are multiple triggers for this latest Chinese incursion, clearly building of at least two major roads near the border and upgrading infrastructure by the Narendra Modi government during the last half-a-decade are the principle catalysts.

In India, quite correctly, the focus has remained sharp on the Durbuk-Shyok-Daulet Beg Oldi Road (DSBDBO) along the Galwan River  which runs more or less parallel to the LAC and improves Indias access to the Karakoram Highway  a fact not particularly appreciated by Beijing. From the map makers point of view, the strategic importance of this road can scarcely be underestimated. Beginning south of Xinjiang, it joins the Shyok river in Nubra Valley and has the potential to become an access route between Xinjiang and Ladakh. Some experts believe that China covets this road. Historically, in 1962, Galwan Valley became one of sites of Indias ill-fated Forward Policy when the Chinese overran a post there; 33 of 68 Indian defenders were killed, and the rest taken POWs.

Of equal concern to Beijing is the newly constructed 80-km stretch from Dharchula to Lipulekh (the gateway to Kailash-Mansarovar, a site for Hindu pilgrimage in Tibet), completed on April 17 and inaugurated on May 8 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. In the Chinese scheme of things, Indias construction activity in the disputed areas with Nepal has affected her border security in Tibet. By building the 80 km stretch (76 km remains completed and the last 4 is expected to be finished by the end of 2020), India has moved its frontier vis-a vis China, gaining direct access to the concrete highway in Purang county in Tibet, and has thereby changed the status quo in the region. China already has border defence roads in Purang county on the middle border and Cona county on the southern border with India and a Chinese airport in Purang is scheduled to be completed in 2021. Despite its preparedness on its side of the border, China is concerned that India still has much room for manoeuvre, using Nepals geographical advantage to challenge its dominant position in the region. In other words, while China is free to construct roads on infrastructure on its side of the border, India does not enjoy the same liberty, being a smaller military power.

Veteran analyst Prem Shankar Jha offers the theory that India has reneged upon a fundamental, albeit tacit, premise of the 1993 Sino-China Agreement: going back to strategic cooperation on international issues that had existed at the height of the Cold War.That premise remained valid so long as India, under both Congress and BJP-led governments, maintained a policy of equidistance from power blocs and deepening economic engagement with all, writes Jha in his blog.

But when Modi became premier in 2014, he committed India to signing three comprehensive defence agreements with the US and aligned New Delhi with Washington on the key issue of the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, a sore point with China, if there is one. By May 2016, writes Jha, Modi ended Chinas seven-year bid to enlarge its strategic cooperation with India by sending four Indian warships to join a US-Japan task force for nearly three months in the South China sea. The sole purpose of this exercise was to foil Chinas bid for hegemony over this maritime region by enforcing the maritime border limit of 12 nautical miles enacted by the UN Conference on the Law of the Sea. In his estimation, this was the beginning of the break with China.

Several other complications have since then come in the way. A new map for Jammu and Kashmir, post the abrogation of Article 370, with the assertion in Parliament that come what may, India will re-take Aksai Chin, which New Delhi claims. That was followed by new maps, objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) going through Indian territory and weather reports on PoK. A broad status quo that had existed in Ladakh-Aksai Chin since 1962, was in Chinas view, being challenged by India.

What will happen next?

Even if we assume that China has, indeed, altered the LAC by coming a few kilometres inside Indian territory, can India expect them to go back on their own? An all-out conflagration looks difficult, given Chinas vast infrastructural investments in the CPEC, which will come within the range of Indian guns, should push comes to shove. Over the years, China has nibbled at Indian territory and then offered the olive branch - the Sun Tzu school of The Art of War. Earlier Congress governments looked the other way when intrusions took place, but the present dispensation, indeed, thrives on nationalism. If India finally decides to cut its economic umbilical code with China, as some have been threatening, it is then the actions in Ladakh and at other points along the Sino-Indian border will become more manifest.Ranjit Bhushan is an independent journalist and former Nehru Fellow at Jamia Millia University. In a career spanning more than three decades, he has worked with Outlook, The Times of India, The Indian Express, the Press Trust of India, Associated Press, Financial Chronicle, and DNA.
New Delhi, June 6 : While the world is still battling with the coronavirus pandemic which originated in Wuhan, China is expeditiously taking over international institutions.

Last week, the US terminated its relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO). Justifying its action, US President Donald Trump argued that the WHO had failed to hold Beijing accountable over the coronavirus pandemic because China has total control over it.

Trump said that Washington will redirect funds to other bodies and reconsider his decision, only if the organization makes "major substantive improvements" in the next one month. The US is the biggest source of funding for the WHO, and its exit is likely to significantly weaken the organization.

The move has triggered panic in the EU which has appealed Trump to reconsider his move in view of the ongoing crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

In an NYT article written by India's former Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale has argued that the US relinquishing its position in organizations like WHO is playing right into China's hands. It suits the Xi Jinping regime if the US "falters and the world spins into crisis" because it provides opportunities to China to take over the institutions like WHO and the UN.

China, he wrote, is in the midst of a fierce battle to salvage its reputation. "Under fire for their part in the pandemic and reproached for their move to assert control over Hong Kong, the country's officials are in firefighting mode.

"Their approach has two parts. First, sell the China story -- emphasizing its success in the fight against the coronavirus and glossing over its initial errors. Second, attack those who seek to tarnish the country's image." As per his analysis published in the NYT, China would not go to the "trouble of capsizing the global order when it can simply take it over, whole and intact".

Urging the US not to abdicate its role as the world leader, Gokhale wrote, "The world needs American leadership to remind it that respect for freedom and human dignity provides the best path to a shared future of humankind.

"The Beijing model -- where an authoritarian party-state single-mindedly exalts economic betterment over free political choice -- may look attractive to some. But it cannot be widely emulated." Democracy, by contrast, he wrote, is based on universal principles that can be followed everywhere, by everyone. "And if the West can't recover its faith in the universal power of democracy -- from India to Indonesia, Ghana to Uruguay -- China could then take the world, as it is," the foreign secretary predicted.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Hong Kong: Schools can handle anthem issues

Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung today said schools could exercise discretion in dealing with incidents relating to the national anthem.

Addressing the media after attending a radio programme, Mr Yeung said schools should teach students about the national anthem and help them develop respect for the song.

But if there are incidents that happen that show disrespect to our national anthem, and the seriousness of the incident is so big that it would affect the operation of the school, or affect other students as well, then the school, if they have no other options, they have to call in law enforcement agents to help them to restore the order.

That I believe would be quite exceptional, but I think the schools will make their decisions when these incidents actually happen.

This story has been published on: 2020-06-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The four former officers who were involved in the death of George Floyd, have been charged officially. The ex-officers were charged with Second-degree murder along with aiding and abetting that carries a maximum penalty of 40 years.

According to CNN, Derek Chauvin, 44, was charged on Wednesday with a new, more serious count of second-degree murder. Chauvin was a police officer with the Minneapolis Police Department for nearly 19 years. His charge had been updated from third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Chauvin was arrested last week and is being held at a Minnesota Department of Corrections facility in Oak Park. According to the court documents, Chauvin's bail was increased to $1 million.

The other three officers, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and You Thao, who helped restrain Floyd and stood nearby, are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

The 26 year old Alexander Kueng helped restrain George Floyd along with Chauvin and Lane. The charges of Keung are aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. He was arrested Wednesday and is being held on $1 million bail, county jail records show.

"Kueng was hired as a police officer with the Minneapolis Police Department in December. He joined the department as a cadet in February 2019."

"He had no prior complaints. When Floyd's death took place, it was Kueng's third shift as a police officer, said Thomas Plunkett, his attorney. Chauvin was Kueng's training officer, according to Plunkett."

Thomas Lane, 37, was also charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Lane was arrested Wednesday and is also being held on $1 million bail, county jail records show.

"He joined the police department as a cadet in February 2019. He didn't have a history of complaints. Lane had been on the police force for four days when Floyd died, according to his attorney Earl Gray. Lane was doing everything he thought he was supposed to do as a four-day police officer."

"After earning a bachelor's degree in criminology from the University of Minnesota in 2016, Lane worked as a juvenile corrections officer for Hennepin County and as an assistant probation officer."

You Thao, 34, stood near the other officers as they restrained George Floyd. His charges are aiding and abetting second-degree murder and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Thao, along with Kueng and Lane, was taken into custody Wednesday and is being held on $1 million bail, county jail records show.

"Thao had been a police officer with the Minneapolis Police Department since 2012." He had six complaints filed with internal affairs, one of which was still open, according to a Minneapolis Police Department internal affairs public summary."

Minnesota Attorney General, Keith Ellison stated in announcing the charges.

"I strongly believe that these developments are in the interest of justice for Mr. Floyd, his family, our community and our state,"
OTTAWAThe federal government says it has no positive obligation to help at least 25 Canadian children stranded in a Syrian detention camp amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria houses thousands of suspected ISIS fighters and their families, including an estimated 40,000 children. There is growing concern about safety in the camp amid continued regional conflict and the worst global health crisis in a century.

The Liberal government, which is seeking a seat at the United Nations Security Council later this month, has been under increased pressure from Kurdish allies, the United States and the U.N. to repatriate Canadian citizens being held in the camp. Those Canadians include at least 25 children, including a five-year-old orphaned girl known as Amira.

But documents obtained by the Star show that the Canadian government is arguing it has no positive obligation to help its citizens who are stranded in the camps.

Canada has thus far not repatriated any of its nationals, including children, say the documents prepared for former Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale in July 2019.

Under section 6 (1) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canadian citizens have the right to enter Canada; however, in most cases, Canada has no positive obligation to provide repatriation assistance  The repatriation of children presents a number of complex challenges. Notwithstanding, concern about the welfare of children being held in Al Hol has been growing.

A spokesperson for Goodales successor, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, directed the Stars questions to Global Affairs Canada. A spokesperson for that department said the Canadian government is particularly concerned about the well being of children detained at al-Hol.

But Global Affairs said the situation in northeastern Syria, where the children are being held, is dangerous for their consular officials.

Given the security situation on the ground and the current COVID-19 context, the Government of Canadas ability to provide any kind of consular assistance in Syria is extremely limited, spokesperson Barbara Harvey said in a written statement.

Canadian consular officials are actively engaged with Syrian Kurdish authorities to seek information on Canadians in their custody. We continue to monitor the situation very closely.

Leah West last visited the camp in September 2019. West, a Carleton University professor and former Department of Justice national security lawyer, said for the children in the camp there are almost no educational opportunities, limited outside help from non-government organizations, and the constant presence of ISIS hardliners enforcing their ideology.

These children really dont have any alternative for understanding how the world works other than these rules that are being imposed consistent with ISIS ideology. These kids are not being given any chance to know any different as theyre growing up in this environment, West said in an interview with the Star.

The longer we leave them the more and more this is going to be engraved in them. So we could see them as the future of ISIS.

The situation appears to have gotten worse under the pressures of COVID-19.

According to a recent report by Save the Children, many children detained in the camps already have weakened immune systems or health conditions as a result of living in desperate conditions during their formative years.

With shortages in water supply across the area and regular cuts from the central water station, it is difficult for people to implement the necessary level of hygiene practices to contain the virus, the organization reported in May.

Furthermore, with the high population density within the camp, and with people living in tents without a personal water supply, there are major challenges to implementing social distancing, or if needed, isolation in the event of illness.

On May 20, the United Nations human rights commissioner specifically called out Canada for failing to bring the children home  including the girl known as Amira, whose Canadian parents were killed in a 2019 airstrike.

The girls extended family in Canada has gone to extreme lengths to bring her out of Syria, the agency noted, where it said she is currently living in a situation that fails to comply with the most basic standards of humanity.

Children like her should be regarded primarily as victims and treated as such. Their best interest should be the primary concern in all actions affecting them, the agency wrote.

They should not be punished because the presumed behaviour or affiliation of their parents.

Read more about:
President Akufo-Addo has said former President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) claims of delivering unprecedented infrastructure only existed in their Green Book.

We made a pledge to the Ghanaian people to expand and improve the road network while closing the missing links in the network. We had to make this pledge because we know that the so-called unprecedented infrastructure development of the Mahama administration was fantasy; existing in the Green Book and not on the ground, he said.

President Akufo-Addo made these comments today, Friday, June 5, 2020, during the commissioning of the newly constructed Tema Motorway Interchange.

According to the President, this is the reason why his government has decided to invest in the road sector and is working towards making that a reality for Ghanaians.

About the Tema Motorway Interchange

The motorway was closed to traffic for construction works to take place on the three-tier Tema Motorway Roundabout Interchange.

The project had a June 6, 2020, deadline but it has been completed before the scheduled date.

The Interchange is a $57 million project being financed under a grant from the Japanese government through its agency, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

It is part of the West African Corridor Development Growth Ring Master Plan which is being implemented by Shimizu-Dai Nippon Joint Venture (SDJV), with CTI Engineering International Company Ltd as consultants.

The interchange will facilitate easy connection from Accra to Aflao and onwards to Togo, as well as the Akosombo road.

---citinewsroom
East Oakland activist John Jones III has a request for white people who want to show their support at demonstrations against racism: Dont hold up a sign that says, I cant breathe. This is not about you. Im the one who cant breathe.

Its not that Jones doesnt appreciate the effort. But he said white people who want to be long-term allies of his fellow African Americans can leverage their privilege in more helpful ways, like leading protests in their own suburban communities about police brutality. Or demanding that political candidates not be allowed to receive money from police unions.

There is a vital role for white allies. Its crucial and essential if were going to change these things weve been protesting about, said Jones, community engagement director at Just Cities, an Oakland social justice organization.

Protesting, Jones said, is just a step.

Becoming a strong white ally doesnt happen overnight or after taking a class, though many exist and are often aimed at helping white people see the privilege they were born into.

Longtime advocates say becoming an ally involves a lot of work. And time. And a willingness to become vulnerable.

Shakirah Simley, director of San Franciscos Office of Racial Equity, said friends and acquaintances have been texting her in recent days asking,  What is the one thing I can do?

Well, Simley said, youre dealing with 400 years of oppression. It starts by trusting the people who are close to the pain.

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, told The Chronicles Its All Political podcast that we have not had the type of alliances that we need to really shatter these chains of systemic racism.

Understand that being an ally of the African American community to address systemic racism affects you also, said Lee, who introduced legislation last week to create a racial truth and healing commission. This is a struggle that should be a struggle for everyone with everyone.

Community advocates suggested some ways to start:

Its not about you: To get in the right mind frame to be ally, Simley suggests white people de-center themselves.

When people start to do this work, theyre often caught up in feeling guilt and shame, Simley said. Thats part of the process, but its not productive. Its not about you.

She and others suggested learning about the history of black oppression. Simley shared a reading list that includes Ibram X. Kendis How to Be an Antiracist and Michelle Alexanders The New Jim Crow, and recommends Ava DuVernays film 13th.

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

Simley said white allies have to be responsible for their cultural education so they are not burdening black and brown people with educating them.

But they have to make an effort. Emmy Award-winning comedian and CNN host W. Kamau Bell of Berkeley said that right now, a lot of white people are frozen by the (feeling), I dont know what to do, so Ill do nothing.

Thats why black people get brutalized by police officers over and over again, because white people go, That was so bad, I feel so bad. But then a couple of weeks later (they say), Back to my yoga classes, Bell told Conan OBrien on his TBS show last week.

Its really about how are you in your personal life, because if your personal life is correct, your public life usually is more correct, Bell said.

Get out of your comfort zone: Bay Area residents may pride themselves on living in a diverse place. Its diverse, but it was more segregated in 2010 than it was in 1970, according to a study last year by UC Berkeley researchers.

One racial equity leader suggested that prospective white allies find ways to desegregate their life.

To be a strong white ally, you must assume racism is everywhere, every day, all the time, said Debra Gore-Mann, president of the Greenlining Institute, a racial equity organization. Some people say, That sounds exhausting. Well, welcome to being black.

That immersion process could begin by sitting next to a black person on a bus and chatting with them on the way to work, or talking to someone of another race while in line at a store, Gore-Mann said.

She suggested joining a local organization focused on social action such as feeding the poor.

They tend to have more people of color in them and you can start to make connections, Gore-Mann said. If youre not comfortable with the dialogue and the conversation, you have to start there. Youve got to start working on that uncomfortable feeling.

Focus on an issue: The death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police has shined the spotlight on police brutality more broadly than anything in a generation. There have been demonstrations in every state and more than 600 cities since his death, including places that rarely see protests like Los Gatos, which is 72% white.

A Monmouth University poll found that 3 out of 4 Americans  including 71% of whites  felt racism was a big problem. Thats up from nearly half who felt that way in 2015.

Public pressure driven in part by the recent multiracial protests has broadened the conversation to include how police departments are funded and how much power police unions have over government officials.

On Thursday, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said she would direct some funds from the citys police budget to the African American community. State State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, said he would no longer accept campaign contributions from law enforcement unions, a stance also adopted by his November election opponent, Jackie Fielder.

Jones, the Just Cities activist, said white allies will be key to spreading the defund the police message to predominantly white suburbs.

We need white allies to demand that no elected officials or candidates get money from the police union, Jones said. Go to Orinda and Lafayette. Organize your neighbors and family members and co-workers. We have to expand the paradigm.

Hold other white people accountable: That can start by transforming neighborhood watch groups into something different, said Zach Norris, executive director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in San Francisco.

Law enforcement organizations often describe those neighborhood groups as the eyes and ears of the police, Norris said. But people have more than eyes and ears. We have hearts, we have minds. Maybe that means (the group can) look into ways to offer a previously incarcerated person a job.

Too often, he said, people are calling the police and expecting them to solve the problem.

Thats what happened to Floyd last month in Minneapolis. A store clerk called police to report that Floyd had allegedly tried to use a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes. Four police officers responded, and Floyd was killed when white police Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

That scenario could repeat itself because of coded racist language often used on neighborhood message boards, said Simley of San Franciscos racial equality office.

She said that someone on her neighborhoods Nextdoor.com message group recently wrote that they saw a young black man walking around like he was casing homes. Simley worried that the warning could cause someone to see her 26-year-old brother walking home and mistake him for a burglar.

White people need to hold people on Nextdoor accountable so it is not maintaining unwritten neighborhood codes, Simley said. Otherwise, you have people saying, You dont belong here so Im going to surveil you.

Bell, the Berkeley comedian, hopes white people are still interested in being allies after outrage over Floyds death subsides.

Its easy to change your Twitter (avatar) .... to Black Lives Matter, but eventually youre going to turn it back to that wacky picture, Bell said on OBriens show.

We need white people to not only do the work but show their work, Bell said. Fighting white supremacy, being an anti-racist, should be a selfish act. Because if the world is more equitable and just for black people and people of color, its automatically better for white people. This is truly the rising tide that lifts all boats.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
Can Americans still have a sensible and friendly political discussion across the partisan divide? The answer is yes, and we intend to prove it. Julie Roginsky, a Democrat, and Mike DuHaime, a Republican, are consultants who have worked on opposite teams for their entire careers yet have remained friends throughout. Here, they discuss the weeks events with Tom Moran, editorial page editor of The Star-Ledger.

Q. The attack on peaceful demonstrators outside the White House, and President Trumps threat to deploy troops to fight protestors on city streets, has unleashed a flood of concern over the health of our democracy. Are the concerns overblown? Do you worry about a contested election in the fall?

Mike: I was angered by the force used against protesters to secure a disingenuous photo op at a church. For all the presidents bluster, I dont believe his threats to bring in the military, and I do not worry about a contested election.

Julie: I wish I could be as optimistic as you, Mike. I am incredibly concerned. Mark my words: if he loses this election, he will scream that it was stolen and he will unleash a constitutional crisis, aided and abetted by his enablers in Congress.

Could Monday night have been an inflection point? Inciting violence...not that new. Treating the military as his plaything...not that new. The Bible as a prop...not that new. But causing violence, disrespecting the military, and mocking the Bible all at once...maybe too much?  Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) June 6, 2020

Q. Gen. James Mattis, who served as defense secretary for two years under President Trump, blamed his old boss for the unrest in the wake of George Floyds death, saying he is purposefully dividing the country for political gain. He tries to divide us, Mattis wrote We are witnessing the consequence of three years without mature leadership. Thats a big defection. Will we see more, and will it matter

Mike: Some Republicans face a real quandary. The GOP has a progressive history on race. Abraham Lincoln fought for emancipation. Ulysses Grant stood up to the KKK during Reconstruction. Northern Republicans sided with President Johnson on his civil rights reforms. George W. Bush attacked the soft bigotry of low expectation fighting for school reforms in urban, mostly minority districts. Now, we have a president who uses racial divisions for political gain, and its wrong. The quandary for Republicans like me is that we are not socialists. We dont want Bernie Sanders or AOC in charge. We dont want a crazy Green New Deal or socialized medicine or the redistribution of wealth through higher taxes. Trumps policies are more in line with most Republicans, but he makes it hard to stand with him.

Julie: Fortunately, Mike, neither Sanders nor AOC are running against Trump. Look, there are the cultists who would support Trump even if he shot someone on Fifth Avenue. The rest of us watch in horror as soldiers are ordered to gas and fire rubber bullets at peaceful protesters. We watch in horror as they target journalists. We watch as they block off the Lincoln Memorial, a symbol of racial reconciliation. If you approve all that, nothing Mattis or anyone else says matters to you.

Q. In New Jersey, I was struck that police in Camden joined the protests, and that protests in Newark, a city that knows the carnage riots can leave behind, were entirely peaceful. Are those cities doing something right?

Mike: The peaceful protests in Newark and Camden are evidence not of doing something right last week, but of doing some right for many years. The reforms for the Camden police ushered in by Gov. Chris Christie, Senator Steve Sweeney and Mayor Dana Redd took courage and cooperation across party lines. In Newark, Mayor Baraka is a trusted, visible leader with deep personal connection to the residents. The peaceful protests in Newark set the tone for the state.

Julie: Tone and substance both matter very much. The white police chief in Camden held a sign that read Standing in Solidarity" with Black Lives Matter protesters. In Newark, Baraka is ever-present and has the trust of the protesters to hold the line. Both departments are training their officers to de-escalate confrontations.

Chief Wysocki on the march today, standing together with the residents we serve to remember and honor George Floyd. #StrongerTogether #CamdenStrong pic.twitter.com/UJAjxXkxrx  Camden County Police (@CamdenCountyPD) May 31, 2020

Q. In a scorching critique of the Murphy administration, three anonymous employees of the state Department of Health wrote a letter to the Legislature saying mistakes led to preventable deaths at the states nursing homes and calling for the resignation of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. How big a deal is that?

Mike: The letter is really bad for the governor and his team if its true, but we dont know that when its anonymous. I agree with the governors disdain for leakers, most of whom are just self-aggrandizing know-it-alls disloyal to those they work with. I would give them more credibility if they signed their names to the letter.

Julie: Come on. We consistently see the weight of the government come down on people who put their names to allegations of impropriety. It is up to the Legislature to investigate these claims, but I hope the administration takes it seriously, too. The survivors of those who died want to get to the bottom of why their family members are no longer with them.

Mike: Their jobs are protected under civil service laws. They can speak up.

Julie: How many times have we heard about workers being sidelined who have spoken truth to power? They won't get fired but their careers will be impacted. That's just reality.

N.J. needs tougher oversight to rein in troubled nursing homes, according to $500K report https://t.co/8qyIM79Ok2  Susan K Livio (@SusanKLivio) June 3, 2020

Q. Is the alliance between Senate President Steve Sweeney and Speaker Craig Coughlin on the rocks? They are split on the governors plan to borrow money, and over a reform of teacher health care that could save big bucks. Julie, in the spirit of full disclosure, lets remind readers that you work for Middlesex Democrats, where Coughlin is based.

Mike: I dont think so. Allies are allowed to disagree over policy. The borrowing disagreement will have major ramifications.

Julie: An alliance doesn't mean that you act in lockstep on every single issue. They find common cause on some issues, and go separate ways on others. This is no different.

For Gov. Phil Murphy, a political opening...https://t.co/00bP9EPFLm  tom moran (@tomamoran) May 31, 2020

Q. Finally, a Monmouth poll showed changes in attitudes on race. For the first time, a majority of Americans (57 percent) agree that police are more likely to use excessive force against African-Americans. And the portion that consider racial discrimination a big problem jumped to 75 percent, from 50 percent. How is this crisis going to affect the election in November?

Mike: How can our opinions not evolve over time? I was first exposed to true diversity in college and then in my career in state and national politics. As empathetic I hope to be, I will never know what its like to be a black man in America. Because of that, I have often felt like it may not be my place to speak up. That was probably wrong. I thought it was enough to be racially indifferent, to treat everyone equally, as you would wish to be treated. But maybe being racially indifferent was also racially insensitive.

Mike: As one of five kids in a working class family with parents who never went to college, I certainly didnt feel privileged. But I guess being born a white male in America to two loving parents was actually a really good start in life. Nothing will change unless the power structure, mostly white men, want change or fear being overthrown if they resist it. Black men didnt get the right to vote until enough white men felt that right should be shared. Women didnt get the right to vote until enough men agreed it was time. We must commit to providing more economic opportunity to all. We must improve the education system in urban areas. These are just two examples systemically. We must all do what we can individually to make it a little better every day in our own ways where we work and in how we live.

Julie: Just vote. If you are protesting, vote. If you are sick over what you see on television, vote. If you are worried about the fate of black men who simply step outside their house for any reason, vote. This outrage means little if you dont.

From the November 1967 NBC special "One Year to Go," which looked at how the civil unrest of the previous few years would shape the 1968 campaign, here are Richard Nixon, George Romney, George Wallace and Ronald Reagan on urban riots: pic.twitter.com/8ZSX43fLzi  Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) June 4, 2020

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The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Barr personally ordered the crowd of protesters be pushed back as part of a plan hatched far earlier in the day. According to a Justice Department official, law enforcement authorities, including Barr, had decided to extend the security perimeter outside the White House after earlier demonstrations over the death of George Floyd at police hands in Minneapolis turned violent. When Barr came to the scene Monday afternoon, the official said, he was surprised to see that hadnt been done.
Medical staff at a demonstration to draw attention to systemic racism during a "White Coats for Black Lives" demonstration at Lubert Plaza at 10th and Locust Streets during the seventh day of protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Read more

Doctors, nurses, and medical students gathered across the Philadelphia region and the country Friday to honor the memory of George Floyd by vowing to ensure racial justice and equity in health care.

Dubbed White Coats for Black Lives, the events  at which participants wore not only white coats but also medical scrubs of every color  drew thousands from Penn Medicine, Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, Temple University, the Virtua system in New Jersey, the Jefferson system, and many more.

The hundreds of health professionals massed at the heart of Thomas Jefferson University on Friday afternoon voiced a truth often unspoken: The outcomes of systemic racism appear in hospitals every day in black patients who fare worse than white oneswhen being treated for diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and a host of other illnesses.

The three months of the coronavirus pandemic has made more obvious how the stress of racism, along with greater poverty and disadvantages in education, jobs, and housing, have left black Americans suffering disproportionately. The coronavirus-related death rates among black Philadelphians are about 30% higher than for the citys white population.

We doctors understand this is a fact of medicine, said Danielle Verghese, an internal medicine resident at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, who also organized a similar but much smaller event Sunday in Washington Square. Racism is a very real presence in our patients lives.

 READ MORE: From Friday: Peaceful protests and seeking solutions

Another problem for black patients is rarely seeing physicians who look like them. One Jefferson medical school student noted she was one of four black students  all women  in a class of 270.

Doctors also wanted to shed light on biases  even the unconscious ones in the most well-meaning practitioners  that can make people of color feel out of place or even slighted. A neurology resident described cringing when noticing that white doctors spoke to black patients with louder voices or more simple language than they would use with white ones.

Between the effects of the pandemic and the protests this week, event organizers said, the time was right to point out that racism is not solely an issue in law enforcement.

About 2,000 health practitioners from Penn Medicine and CHOP filled Franklin Field at the same time as their Jefferson counterparts.

One woman there wore a paper heart that read, My black patients lives matter!

Most of the gatherings began at 1 p.m. Friday, and at roughly the same time thousands knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time Floyd spent dying under the knee of Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin.

At Franklin Field, Florencia Greer Polite, chief of general obstetrics and gynecology for Penn Medicine, told the crowd to prepare to be uncomfortable. The scoreboard behind her was set to 8:46.

Eight minutes and 46 seconds is a long time, Polite said. Today we are going to be uncomfortable. Our knees are going to be uncomfortable.  But weve been comfortable for too long.

 READ MORE: The new faces of Type 1 diabetes

Temple University Hospital employees marched down Broad Street to the shuttered Hahnemann University Hospital. All five hospitals and 280 doctors offices with the Virtua Health System in New Jersey and Nemours/A.I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington also showed their support.

Activism doesnt come easily for many health-care providers. Theyre trained in the scientific method and schooled to keep their beliefs and convictions to themselves, Verghese said.

We hold ourselves to a high standard of professionalism, said Traci Trice, Jeffersons assistant dean for student diversity programs and an assistant professor of family and community medicine. Sometimes professionalism means being silent when we should not be silent.

During the rally, she noted that black women are far more likely to die of complications in childbirth  a disparity shown time and again to persist even among women who are highly educated and affluent. Black Americans are less likely to get pain treatment out of the mistaken belief that they feel pain less acutely than white people. A single-digit percentage of American doctors are black, she noted, and patients often are so startled to see black residents, they dont understand that they are qualified physicians.

Deja Rose, the neurology resident, pointed out that even among people who think they have good intentions, old beliefs and biases can persist and pervade. Its just been in the hospital the same things that we see in the rest of the country. Microaggressions. Unconscious bias. Being afraid to speak up.

 READ MORE: Coronavirus has exposed deep race inequity in health care. Can Philadelphia change the trend?

Jeffersons president and chief executive, Stephen Klasko, agreed Thursday night after hearing from students and residents that the hospital system would introduce workshops centered on biases and microaggressions, bolster ways to report instances of bias, establish a committee of African American affairs, and commit to establishing a social justice program.

We see this is unjust, said Rukaiya Bashir Hamidu, a Nigerian immigrant and Jefferson resident, and were trying to change the narrative and stand by our people.
Sisis meeting with eastern-based leaders comes under Cairos unwavering keenness to achieve stability in Libya, Egyptian Presidency Spokesman Bassam Rady said

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalifa Haftar, and Libya's parliament speaker Aguila Saleh have announced a new joint political initiative aimed at ending the conflict in Libya.

In a press conference in Cairo, El-Sisi announced the initiative following a tripartite meeting with Haftar and Saleh.

The initiative, dubbed the Cairo Declaration, mandates a Libyan-Libyan resolution as a basis for resolving the countrys conflict under resolutions by the UN and past efforts in Paris, Rome, Abu Dhabi, and most recently in Berlin.

The Cairo plan comes after the collapse of an offensive launched by Haftar in April 2019 to capture the Libyan capital, further extending the Government of National Accords (GNA) control of most of northwest Libya.

Egypt, the UAE and Russia are backing Haftar, while Turkey has been supporting the GNA.

The initiative stipulates a ceasefire should start 6 am (4 GMT) 8 June, with an adherence to all international initiatives and Security Council resolutions on the unity and territorial integrity of Libyan lands.

It also stipulates the continuation of talks by the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission in Geneva sponsored by the UN, and obliges all foreign parties to remove all foreign mercenaries nationwide, the dismantling of militias, and the handover of weapons to allow the LNA to cooperate with other security apparatuses to carry out their military duty.

It also stipulates resolving the crisis through ensuring a fair representation for Libyas three provinces through a presidential council elected by the nation under a UN supervision for governance in the country for the first time in the countrys history.

It would also see a starting point to unify Libyan institutions to allow them to carry out their duties and ensure a fair and transparent distribution of Libyan resources to all citizens.

The initiative also sees the adoption of a constitutional declaration that governs the upcoming period politically.

Key points on 18-month transitional period

Tripoli, Cyrenaic and Fezzan shall form an electoral college with members selected from representatives of the provinces in the parliament and High Council of State and tribal elders.

The provinces shall be tasked with selecting their representative for the presidential council and a deputy prime minister to form a presidential council comprising of a president and two deputies.

The presidential council shall after naming a prime minister who will carry duties with deputies, form a government and present it to the presidential council ahead of a referral to the House of Representatives for a vote of confidence.

Every province shall receive a proportionate number of ministerial portfolios depending on capita after a consensus is reached on the members of the new presidential council and the appointment of the prime minister.

Per the initiative, Tripoli would receive four ministerial portfolios, Cyrenaic and Fezzan each holding seven and five portfolios respectively.

The six sovereign ministries would be split between the three provinces equally, with each province holding two sovereign ministries with the appointment of two deputies from the other provinces.

The House of Representatives shall be tasked with adopting constitutional declaration amendments through a legislative committee formed by parliament speaker Aguila Saleh.

The committee, which would include representatives from the House of Representatives and State, would agree on the needed amendments in the declaration for a period not exceeding 30 days from the beginning of the committees work.

The electoral college selected by each province under UN supervision shall form a committee comprising national figures and constitutional experts to draft a new constitution for the country and put it to referendum.

The committee shall execute duties within 90 days of its formation after the parliaments approval.

Per the initiative, the transitional period is set at 18 months, to be expanded to no more than six additional months if needed.

Libyan crisis not limited to Libya alone

These two leaders have shown during meetings in the past days their desire to enforce the Libyan peoples wish for stability, El-Sisi said, describing both Haftar and Saleh as leaders who have shown responsibility and patriotism.

El-Sisi stressed on the gravity of the current situation in Libya, especially with the crisis repercussions not being limited to Libya, but spreading to neighboring countries as well.

He warned against some actors on the Libyan scene pursuing any military action in the war-torn country.

What worries us is actions by some actors on the scene despite efforts to find an appropriate solution for the crisis, El-Sisi said.

Speaking in Cairo during the press conference, Haftar said the continued Turkish supply of arms and mercenaries to the unconstitutional GNA would increase the state of polarisation.

We stress our support and agreement for this initiative, hoping to garner international support to push Libya to safety, he said.

Turkey wants to besiege Egypt and Libya, Haftar said, calling on El-Sisi to exert more efforts to oblige Turkey to stop sending arms and mercenaries to Libya.

From his part, Saleh stressed that the LNA was purging the country from terrorist and armed groups, adding that Turkey sent 10,000 fighters and mercenaries from Syria and Turkey during its intervention.

This initiative complies with what the Libyan people are accustomed to and with the Libyan constitution and governance in the transitional period, which I hope is not prolonged, he said.

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The Victoria's Secret store on New Bond Street, London, as the UK arm of lingerie brand, which runs 25 stores across the UK, has slipped into administration. Photo: Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images

Lingerie retailer Victoria's Secret has entered administration in the UK, placing more than 800 jobs at risk.

The chain, which has 25 stores across the country, has been taken over by administrator Deloitte following the closure of all its shops since COVID-19 lockdown began in March.

Deloitte said there would be no immediate redundancies whilst it tried to find a buyer for the underwear brand or re-negotiate rents on its High Street stores.

Some 785 workers were already furloughed before administrators were appointed.

The UK arm of the firm, which is owned by parent company L Brands (LB), had been struggling before the pandemic struck and made an operating loss of 170m ($215.3m) in the year to February 2019.

READ MORE: George Floyd protests: Books about race and combating racism sell-out on Amazon

In recent years critics have accused Victoria's Secret of being outdated, sexist and lacking diversity.

And just last month a deal fell apart with private equity firm Sycamore Partners who were set to acquire a 55% majority stake in the company for $525m.

Deloitte is now taking a "light touch" approach to the administration which means managers can keep running the business.

All of its UK shops will remain closed but they will not be shut permanently for the time being.

The online business will continue trading and is excluded from the administration process.

Rob Harding, joint administrator at Deloitte said this was a "further example of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the entire retail industry."

He added: "The effect of the lockdowns, combined with broader challenges facing bricks and mortar retailers, has resulted in a funding requirement for this business, resulting in its administration."

Several other UK high street brands have called in administrators since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak including fashion firms Cath Kidston, Debenhams and Laura Ashley.
Payment disagreements between Vietnamese authorities and the Chinese contractor have further delayed operation of the nations first metro line.

The test run date for the Cat Linh  Ha Dong Metro Section in Hanoi, whose construction began in 2011, remains undecided after contractor China Railway Sixth Group Co Ltd asked for a payment of $50 million, which Vietnam authorities have rejected.

The Chinese director of the project, Tang Hong, told reporters Wednesday that the money was not an extra payment but has been agreed to in the contract for paying subcontractors and experts for the test run, which has been delayed since February because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Vietnamese authorities have so far paid over 78 percent of the contract, but we need 86 percent," Hong said.

Without this money, suppliers will not send their experts to Vietnam to test the equipment, and the 20-day test run cannot be conducted, he added.

Vietnamese authorities, however, said that the Chinese contractor needs to meet certain criteria to receive the payment.

Vu Hong Phuong, Director of the Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board (MRB), said that the contractor has not submitted documents with details for some equipment, and it cannot make a payment though it has the funds on hand.

Phuong said that according to the contract, Vietnamese authorities will pay 95 percent of the contract after the contractor hands over the project, and the remaining 5 percent will be paid two years later to ensure the contractors maintenance responsibility.

This means Vietnamese authorities want to pay after the test run is conducted, while the Chinese contractor wants the money now to do the test run.

Phuong also said that notwithstanding any shortage of funds, any delay in the test run is the contractors responsibility.

For now, both parties are still negotiating the issue. Among 150 Chinese experts needed for the remaining work, 26 are set to come arrive on June 12. It is unclear when the rest will come.

A safety evaluation is needed before commercial operation can begin. Again, the experts who are to do the evaluation, from French firm Apave-Certifer-Tricc, have not been able to enter Vietnam.

The Cat Linh-Ha Dong Metro Section runs 13 kilometers from downtown Dong Da District to Yen Nghia in the southwestern district of Ha Dong. It is part of Route 2, one of eight metro routes planned in Hanoi.

Construction began in October 2011 and was originally scheduled for completion in 2013. But several hurdles, including loan disbursement issues with China that were only resolved in December 2017, stalled it for years.

Its cost has doubled to VND18 trillion ($775 million), with 77 percent of it coming from official development assistance (ODA) loans from China.
Additional reporting: Paul Hosford

Health Minister Simon Harris has today issued a plea to the Irish people not to "clock up contacts" in Phase 2 of the reopening of the country's economy.

The ongoing process is set to continue from this Monday, with many non-essential retail outlets in cities and towns around the country opening their doors with staggered operating hours.

Speaking on NewsTalk radio today, Minister Harris says people don't need to rush to the shops, as they will remain open:

"So, the shop that opens on Monday, will be open again on Tuesday, open again Wednesday and open again next Monday.

"We don't need to rush there at once, and when we do go there, we need to keep our social distance, keep our face coverings on, because I am concerned that there needs to be a greater use of them, particularly on public transport.

"We don't need to clock up loads of close contacts, because of the new cases in Ireland, we do know that 60% of them are from close contacts."

On the matter of public transport, the National Transport Authority will be running a campaign encouraging users to wear face coverings on their journeys.

Pre-Covid services of trains and buses are to be restored from Monday morning, with people asked not to use them during peak hours.

The World Health Organisation has changed its guidance on face coverings, saying they should be worn in shops and public transport.

NTA CEO Anne Graham spoke today about the upcoming campaign:

"We're going to run a campaign this weekend, to encourage people to wear their face coverings.

"I think as more people wear them, others will be encouraged to wear them also.

"I have to start doing so myself, and I'd encourage using public transport to do so as well."

The warnings come as government has announced it is accelerating Irelands progress through the roadmap for reopening society in a bid to kick-start the economy and save summer.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar confirmed that from Monday, the country will be in phase two plus and he said there will now be four phases of the plan instead of the initial five, with Irelands economy set to be almost fully open by July 20.

However, certain things, such as weddings, will not return until the autumn, Mr Varadkar warned.
Jane Ragoo et Reeaz Chuttoo, principaux dirgeants de la Confederation des Travailleurs des Secteurs Publique et Prive ont ecrit une lettre a Fazila Jeewa- Daureeawoo concernant le remplacement annonce de la NPF par le CSG, mesure annonce le 4 juin 2020 par le minsitre des Finances, le Dr Renganaden Padayachy, au parlement.

CTSP/02/June 2020

5 June 2020

Hon. Fazila Jeewa- Daureeawoo

Minister of Social Integration, Social

Security and National Solidarity

13th Floor, R. Seeneevassen Building

C/r Jules Koenig and Maillard Street

Port Louis

Madam,

It is with great concern that we have been appraised of the introduction of the C.S.G in replacement of the N.P.F in the presentation of the 2020  2021 National budget.

The C.T.S.P executive committee has lengthily discussed on same and is hereby conveying to you our contentions: 

(i) Your Government initiated a multipartite committee on Pension reforms in 2017 which was later freeze under the Ministership of Mr. Sinatambou when the C.T.S.P insisted that discussions ought to be engaged on the National Pension Funds as same would lapsed in 2018 after the prescribed 40 years of existence.

Today without any consultations with the Trades Union, Private Sector workers are learning that the N.P.F will be replaced by the C.S.G where 70 % of the workers will have to contribute 50 % less to enjoy a pension which supposedly will be more than that prescribed under N.P.F

(ii) The marketing of the C.S.G was geared towards the workers to increase their feel good factor that 70 % of workers will contribute less, it was glaring that 70 % of employers will contribute 50 % less although it was Savamment cache. Workers of this country have not yet grasped how this Magical scheme will work.

(iii) The Minister of Finance has put much emphasis on the maintaining of the Basic Retirement Pension of Rs 9,000 for all persons over 60 years which was applauded by Government members of parliament.

The C.T.S.P do not really situate itself on this joyful announcement. The B.R.P was supposed to be aligned with the minimum wage which presently is Rs 10,200 and to increase to Rs 13,500 up to 2024.

Nothing has been mentioned in the budget on the above.

Has this been overlooked purposely?

Is there any further link (Merge between the B.R.P and the C.S.G in the future)?

So many interrogations which the workers have on this confusing budget presentation on pension reforms.

To conclude you have surely understood that without prior social dialogue, it is most inappropriate to propose such a reform which covers not less than 550,000 workers without mentioning all those who benefit from Basic Retirement Pension and do not enjoy the status of worker.

Mauritius has ratified I.L.O convention on Tripartite Consultation. The C.T.S.P sees no justification to the How and Why your Ministry has freezed the Pension Reform Committee to finally impose a new Pension Scheme for workers of the Private Sector where we are supposed to limit us to the Declarations de bonne intentions solely.

The C.T.S.P is requesting a MOST URGENT meeting with the Federations of Trade Unions organizing workers of the Private Sector before the C.S.G Bill is presented in Parliament.

Furthermore, we firmly believe that comparative task on the benefits of the N.P.F and the proposed C.S.G ought to be forwarded to all Trade Union Federation for Government to sustain the magic formula of contributing less to benefit more.

We hope our request will be positively

Yours truly

Mr. Reeaz Chuttoo Mrs. Jane Ragoo President - C.T.S. P General Secretary  C.T.S.P

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Charles Oscar, proprietor of the Oscar House Hotel at Midland,was born Oct. 15, 1841, in Somerset County, Maine. He was the son of William and Jane (Drummond) Oscar.

And was reared on a farm, attending school during the winters.

At the age of 16 he went to Lowell, Massachusetts, and was engaged in a cotton factory, where he was employed the position actually assigned beginners. He gradually advanced to the place known on cloth manufacturing establishments as "second hand."

On leaving the mill, he learned the barber's art and followed it as a business several years. When he was 23 years old, he returned to Maine and again tried farming but found it distasteful. Two years later in the fall of 1868 he came to Midland and opened a barber shop.

After continuing its management about two weeks, he opened a billiard room, which he conducted some time and engaged in the business of wholesale and retail liquor dealer, in which trade he was interested about a year,when he sold out.

He was elected marshal of the village, and filled the position about six months. In the fall of 1874, he was elected sheriff of the county on the Republican ticket by a majority of 150 votes. He was reelected two years later, with a majority of more than 900 votes.

In 1878, he went to Chicago and soon afterwards received a serious injury by jumping from a carriage while the train was running away. He broke his leg and before it was fully healed he contracted typhoid fever, from which he barely recovered. Five physicians pronounced his case hopeless and his burial outfit was provided.

But he recovered and returned to Midland where he purchased the grocery stock of A. Bacon. He conducted its affairs a few months and next found employment in a billiard room, where he remained a few months, after which he leased the "Findlater House" for two years.

During that time he built the Oscar House Hotel. The building was of brick, two stories high, 60 by 100 feet in size, with accommodations for 50 guests. The establishment is fitted with all modern appliances for the accommodation and comfort of patrons.

A fine brick barn 40 by 60 feet in dimension, two stories above the basement was located in the rear ofthe hotel. Mr. Oscar owned 40 acres of farming land in Ingersoll Township. He was a member of the Order of Odd Fellows, and held all the subordinate and camp offices.

He also is a member of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. Mr. Oscar was twice married and had two sons, Charlie J. and Earl.

EDITOR'S NOTE The Midland County Historical Society is partnering with the Midland Daily News for "A Window to Midland's Past," which will feature historical pieces in print and online at ourmidland.com. This particular piece was compiled by retired historical society director Gary Skory from the 1884 Biographical Album. It was originally published on June 2, 1994.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 36-year-old man is dead in a shooting in Clevelands Central neighborhood.

The shooting happened about 1:15 a.m. at East 55th Street and Central Avenue, Cleveland spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said. A 26-year-old woman also was shot and is currently at University Hospitals.

Police say there were several people who fired shots but no arrests have been made.

Police responded to a call of 50 shots being fired and a man who was shot in the head.

Officers arrived and found the 36-year-old. They rendered first aid until the paramedics arrived.

He was taken to MetroHealth, where he was later pronounced dead.

Investigators learned several shooters fired shots striking the man and the woman.

No other injuries were reported.

Read more crime stories on cleveland.com:

The Big Story: How three sets of arrest are shaping Clevelands narrative of whos behind the destruction at citys George Floyd protest

Cuyahoga County Sheriff surrounds Justice Center with temporary fencing ahead of continued protests against police brutality

Medical examiner identifies 14-year-old girl, 24-year-old man killed in Akron double homicide

Man arrested in downtown Cleveland on charges of possessing incendiary device bought items to remove spray paint from car

Video shows black man waiting for bus in Akron approached by white man with apparent shotgun
Hyderabad, June 6 : Facing labour shortage due to return of migrant workers to their home states, construction firms are trying to woo them back by all means.

With resumption of economic activity following launch of Unlock1.0 by the Centre, few leading companies are luring the workers with flight tickets and extra payment to meet their deadlines for completion of the ongoing projects.

One of the contractors of a leading Bengaluru-based construction firm arranged flight tickets to bring back 10 carpenters from Bihar to work on a project in Hyderabad.

While some companies succeeded in convincing the workers to drop the plans of returning home during lockdown, those who lost the manpower are now going all out to woo back them.

Worried over the losses they may incur due to delay in execution of the projects, the companies are ready to spend extra money to bring back the workers.

During the lockdown, major construction companies made all arrangements for the stay of the migrant workers at the construction sites or other locations, provided them food, medical facilities and looked after them well. "They have succeeded in convincing a large number to stay back," said a member of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) Telangana unit In fact the return started about a month ago when nearly 300 workers from Bihar came back to Telangana by a train to work in the rice mills. They arrived in Hyderabad on May 8 when migrant workers stranded across the country were scrambling to return to their home states amid the nationwide lockdown.

Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Gangula Kamlakar and other officials had welcomed the workers on their arrival with flowers.

The minister said huge employment opportunities, higher wages, and measures taken by the government for the welfare of migrants were attracting them to Telangana. This followed a request by Telangana to Bihar to send back migrant workers to the southern state.

More than 90 per cent of the workers employed in Telengana rice mills were Bihari migrants. These workers, who load and unload rice from trucks, had gone to Bihar for Holi and were left stuck there due to the lockdown.

Majority of 8.5 lakh migrant workers in Telangana are employed in the construction sector. It is estimated that over 70 per cent of the workforce in the construction sector in Hyderabad and surroundings are migrant workers, mostly from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.

Aware of the key role played by the migrant workers in the state's economy, Telangana government did its best to make them stay back. Calling them partners in the development of Telangana, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao had announced financial assistance of Rs 500 and 12-kg rice for every migrant.

The authorities had also made arrangements for free food and stay of the migrant workers. However, desperate to return home, many left their destinations on foot.

Officials said over 1.50 lakh migrant workers have been sent to their home states by trains since May 1.

While migrants continue to return to their home states even now, industrial units, especially the construction firms, are vying with each other in offering the doles to bring back the workers.
By Express News Service

SALEM: Funeral of a 40-year-old Havildar with the Indian Army, who died in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, was held with military honours in Edappadi on Saturday evening.

The deceased soldier -- Havaldar Mathiazhagan (40) -- was a resident of Seerangaikadu near Sithoor at Edappadi in Salem district. He had served along the LoC in the Sunderbans sector of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir.

On Thursday night, Mathiazhagan was injured grievously in the ceasefire violation and later succumbed at an Army Hospital. His body was taken by road from Akhnoor to Jammu and then airlifted to New Delhi on Friday. It was brought to Coimbatore on Saturday evening in another flight.

At Salem, Collector S A Raman, police officials, the soldier's family members, and villagers paid their last respects. The collector handed over a cheque worth Rs 20 lakh as solatium to the soldier's family members. The solatium was announced by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. The soldier is survived by his wife Tamilarasi (33) and two children -- Rohit (12) and Subha Sree (8).
Dublin, June 6 (IANS) Ireland will move to Phase 2 of the 'Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business' from June 8 as scheduled, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar announced.

In the announcement on Friday, he said that the originally planned five phases in reopening Ireland's social and economic lives will be shortened to four phases due to the progress made in suppressing the coronavirus pandemic, reports Xinhua news agency.

This means that certain sectors and public amenities can open earlier than previously planned.

Under the new arrangements in Phase 2, people are allowed to travel within their county, or up to 20 km from their home instead of the previous 5 km limit.

Indoor and outdoor gathering of up to six people or outdoor sporting activities involving no more than 15 people will be permitted so long the 2-metre social distancing requirement is met.

The maximum number of people attending a funeral will be raised to 25 from 10.

All retail stores can reopen, but opening times will be staggered to relieve pressure on public transport.

Shopping centres can reopen on June 15 provided that measures have been taken to ensure people do not congregate at benches, fountains or food courts.

Shops are also required to provide dedicated hours for those who are aged above 70 or medically vulnerable.

Public libraries, playgrounds and marts will also reopen to public and greyhound racing can resume without spectators.

Working from home should remain the norm for those who can do so and people can return to work provided their work can be done safely while staying 2 metres away from others.

Varadkar also said that in Phase 3 which is scheduled to commence on June 29, the country will reopen its domestic tourism.

By then, hotels, restaurants, bars that also operate as restaurants, hostels, caravan parks, galleries and museums as well as places of worship in the country will also reopen to public, he said.

Ireland reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 at the very end of February.

To date, the country has reported a total of 25,163 confirmed cases and 1,670 deaths.

Statisitics from the Irish Department of Health showed that over the last nine consecutive days the country's single-day death toll had remained under a single-digit level.

Ireland imposed a nationwide lockdown at the end of March and started to ease the lockdown measures from May 18 when the government began to implement its Phase 1 plan to restart the country.

--IANS

ksk/




Haiti - Embassy : URGENT NOTICE to Haitian students in the Dominican Republic





The Embassy of Haiti in the Dominican Republic informs the student community, in general and student associations, in particular, that it wishes to receive as soon as possible a list of students requiring the regularization of their status.



This list must contain the following information :



1) Full name

2) Name of the university

3) Service Number

4) Career

5) Attestation of the semester or quadrimester for which they are registered.



This information must be accompanied by a copy of the first page of their passport and of the last Dominican visa obtained.



This information will be sent to the Dominican Chancellery for evaluation.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















The driver of a tractor trailer died Friday afternoon after his truck overturned on Interstate 195, police said.

The truck was traveling east on the highway at 3:24 p.m. near Exit 21 in Jackson when the vehicle hit the center median and overturned, New Jersey State Police Trooper Charles Marchand told NJ Advance Media.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash, Marchand said.

The unidentified driver was pronounced dead at the scene, and the highway remained closed in the area of the crash as of 6:20 p.m.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
By Express News Service

PATNA: Amid the COVID-19 battle, the phase for allegations and counter allegations ahead of upcoming Bihar Assembly polls in October has begun between the ruling alliance and the opposition.

On Friday, citing official government statistics, leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav said that more than 30 lakh workers have returned to Bihar from other states so far.

"For the last few days, the government has been assuring them to provide employment within the state. I would like to know from the government what roadmap they have for this apart from assurance? In which areas will they be given jobs and make the details of the work plan prepared for each area public," he asked.

He also asked whether the government can tell that all those returned from outside have met the deadline for quarantine.



He also pointed out that a letter from the ADG (Law and Order) of Bihar police noting fear of an increase in crime in Bihar upon the arrival of migrant labourers.

"How shocking and shameful it is having to come from the police headquarter. We want to know whether the government considers the migrants as thieves, robbers and criminals? Why did the government continue to treat them as criminal animals from the very beginning, suffering from prejudice and understanding?," he asked.

He categorically said that the police letter has been flouting the dignity of labour and dignity of human.

"The people of their own state are not only considered as second class citizens but they are being considered as robbers and criminals," he lambasted.

He asked the government to share details as to how many factories and industries were closed and how many new industries opened up under the fifteen year rule. "The people of Bihar want to know as to how many youths have given jobs so far in the last 15 years," he asked.

Putting a rough estimate, Tejashwi Yadav said that even if 5 members are considered in an average family size, as mucj as 1.5 million people are affected by the return of labourers.

"Apart from this, there are already about 7 crore youth unemployed in the state. Nearly 50 lakh street-workers, rickshaw-workers and daily-wage labourers will also be deprived of employment for nearly two-three months in lockdown. How will the government provide immediate employment opportunities to these 8-9 crore unemployed people," he said.

Yadav also demanded from the government to give a minimum allowance of Rs 10000 in cash to all these labourers initially for a minimum of 200 days and called for a special assembly session.
New Delhi: Speaking on the ongoing COVID-19 situation in the national capital, Cheif Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday (June 6, 2020) lashed out at private hospitals after reports surfaced that private hospitals have denied service to COVID-19 patients.

Addressing a live press conference, Kejriwal said, ''Some hospitals are denying admission to COVID-19 patients. I am warning those who think they will be able to do black-marketing of beds using the influence of their protectors from other parties, you will not be spared.''

Kejriwal further assured people that he will ensure that black marketing of beds is stopped and said that several private hospitals have been overcharging as well as denying COVID-19 patients the necessary care which is unfair.

Speaking on the testing capacity, the Delhi CM said that the maximum number of tests in India is being conducted in Delhi and no other state near to its number. He further said that asymptomatic people should avoid testing as the number of patients now is continuously increasing and it's impossible to get them all tested.

He said there is a chance that the system can collapse if everyone begins or starts demanding tests even if the people wanting to test are asymptomatic.

However, he mentioned that those complaining of breathlessness or high fever should be taken care of. He said that an order will be passed to make sure that these patients are taken in and there is no demand for Covid-19 tests.
New Delhi:

Home Ministry on Friday banned controversial preacher Zakir Naiks NGO Islamic Research Foundation from receiving foreign funds directly and asked RBI to seek prior permission from it before releasing any money to the NGO.



The decision has been taken after a preliminary inquiry conducted by the Home Ministry found that the NGO was carrying out activities contrary to the Foreign Contribution Regulations Act (FCRA) under which it has to function.



Sources said with IRF being put into prior permission category, the Reserve Bank of India, henceforth, has to inform the Home Ministry about all funds coming to the NGO and permission has to be taken from the ministry before releasing them to IRF.



They said that last month the Home Ministry had renewed the FCRA licence of IRF despite several ongoing probes against the NGO and its founder Naik including one by the Home Ministry itself.



Taking strong exception to the goof-up, the Home Ministry suspended Joint Secretary G K Dwivedi, who was heading the foreigners division of the ministry looking after the FCRA-related issues, and three other officials.



Naik was accused of radicalising and attracting youths for terror acts.



Naik has come under the scanner of the security agencies after Bangladeshi newspaper Daily Star had reported that one of the attackers of the July 1 terror strike in Dhaka, Rohan Imtiaz, ran a propaganda on Facebook last year quoting Naik.



He, in a lecture aired on Peace TV, an international Islamic channel, had reportedly urged all Muslims to be terrorists.



Naik, a popular but controversial Islamic orator and founder of Mumbai-based IRF, is banned in the UK and Canada for his hate speeches aimed against other religions. He is among 16 banned Islamic scholars in Malaysia.



He is popular in Bangladesh through his Peace TV, although his preachings often demean other religions and even other Muslim sects.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

Bangalore based Pixxel to launch first small satellite by November-December

Plans to launch a constellation of 24 satellites for 24X7 imaging of earth

Pixxel was started in May 2018 by BITS Pilani graduates, Awais Ahmed and Kshitij Khandelwal

GrowX Ventures and prominent angel investors have invested in Pixxel

Satellite imaging market to grow at 11.3% CAGR to US$4.7 billion by 2025

While Elon Musk's SpaceX made history last week by sending two astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the International Space Station in a privately funded spacecraft, a commercial space-tech start-up in India is putting the final touches to its own ambitious plans. Bengaluru-based Pixxel is gearing up to launch its first satellite by the end of the year.

The small satellite will go in a Russian launch vehicle and will focus on high clarity satellite imagery. It would be helpful for governments and private organisations in collecting AI-powered analytical data related to agriculture, climate, spread of crop pests and diseases, defence monitoring, and mining in order to find illegal operations, monitor oil and gas pipelines, natural disasters, forest fire etc, said Awais Ahmed, founder and CEO of Pixxel.

Also read: Coronavirus impact: How IndiGo is turning Covid crisis into an opportunity

"We were planning to launch it from Russia on a Soyuz rocket next month, but have pushed the launch to November due to coronavirus. We are planning the second satellite launch by July 2021 and to have a constellation of 24 satellites, to be launched in a gap of 3-6 months", he said.

He said Pixxel, one among the first private ventures in the business of satellites, has tied up with an Italian service provider 'Leaf Space', for ground station services to collect and analyse data from the satellite. The Bangalore-based firm has already entered into tie-ups with a few private organisations like Skymet and Maxar to use data based on user fees. Advantage of such refrigerator sized micro satellites is they can monitor the earth with focussed precision and costs only one-tenth of multi-purpose big satellites launched by government agencies like the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The space tech market globally is worth around $350 billion and the global commercial satellite imaging market size is expected to reach $4.7 billion by 2025, rising at a market growth of 11.3 per cent compounded annual growth rate (CAGR), according to analysts. Increasing dependence on location-based services (LBS) is expected to drive the growth.

Also read: Aviation Ministry can't make up its mind on filling middle seats in flights

Astrome, another Bangalore based space-tech start up which has plans to launch a constellation of 198 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites and Mumbai-based space-tech startup Kawa Space are among the few Indian companies in this space. The leading global companies in this space include Spaceflight Industries, Galileo, ImageSat International, Maxar Technologies, Planet Labs, UrtheCast Corporation, Airbus SE, Vricon, Trimble, Leonardo, Thales, L3Harris Technologies etc.

India has around 300 private companies operating in the space technology area and majority of them are suppliers to the ISRO ecosystem.

Pixxel, founded by BITS Pilani graduates Awais Ahmed and Kshitij Khandelwal in May 2018, has funding from private equity company GrowX Ventures and from some prominent angel investors. The company is the only startup from Asia to be selected for the first batch of 10 startups in Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator in Los Angeles, aimed to give young entrepreneurs test and validate their space innovations by the world's top space scientists.

Awais Ahmed and Kshitij Khandelwal were part of the founding team of next generation mobility concept Hyperloop India and in 2017, had presented a working Hyperloop pod prototype to Elon Musk at the SpaceX headquarters in Los Angeles. Issues like climate change, water shortage and environmental impact attracted the young engineers to focus on satellite imaging as a business opportunity.

Also read: Silver Lake to invest additional Rs 4,567 crore in Mukesh Ambani's Jio Platforms
Punjab on Saturday reported 72 new coronavirus cases, taking the states tally to 2,630.

In Amritsar, 28 people tested positive for the virus. Amritsar civil surgeon Dr Jugal Kishore said: Eight are community transmission cases. The 20 other patients are close contacts of Covid patients. With this, the districts tally has reached 468 cases of which 344 have recovered. The district has reported eight deaths so far.

PREGNANT WOMAN AMONG 4 POSITIVE IN PATHANKOT

Pathankot senior medical officer Dr Bhupinder Singh said, Four more residents of Pathankot tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday. A pregnant woman had gone to Ranjit Sagar Dam Hospital for her routine check-up where she tested positive.

10 NEW CASES IN JALANDHAR

Health officials said 10 persons, including five women and three minors, tested positive for the vius in Jalandhar of virus infection. Officials said 9,922 samples have been taken of which 8,827 tested negative while results of 630 are still awaited.

Five persons with travel history tested positive for coronavirus in Sangrur. Health officials said of these, two patients belong to Malerkotla town and the others from Sangrur villages.

2 COPS AMONG 5 TEST POSITIVE IN FARIDKOT

Five persons, including two cops tested positive for Covid-19 in Faridkot district on Saturday, with this district tally has reached 71.

Civil surgeon Dr Rajinder Kumar said that a 25-year-old woman of Tehnan village, an assistant sub-inspector and a constable of Punjab police and two other persons were admitted to the isolation ward of Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital at Faridkot after they tested positive.

A combine operator, who returned from Odisha on June 3, tested positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Moga. Civil surgeon Dr Andesh Kang said the person belonged to Dadahoor village in Moga district and was home quarantined upon his return.

TWO DELHI-RETURNEES TEST POSITIVE

Two Delhi-returnees tested positive for Covid-19 in Bathinda and Fazilka districts on Saturday.

District authorities said both patients were in home quarantine since their arrival to their respective places. One patient belongs to Maur in Bathinda whereas the 64-year-old woman is a resident of Jalalabad in Fazilka. Both are being treated at government hospitals.

COP TESTS POSITIVE IN BARNALA

A constable, 30, with Mehal Kalan police station has tested positive for coronavirus in Barnala. He had come in contact with a Malerkotla-based chemist arrested by police recently on charges of drug peddling.

Seven more persons, including a family of five, have tested positive for coronavirus in Patiala.

Civil surgeon Dr Harish Malhotra said a Rajpura family residing near Mati Das Gurdwara recently returned from New Delhi.

The other patients include 46-year-old returnee from Kuwait and 26-year-old youth from Shergarh village in Patran sub-division.

Meanwhile, 16 persons tested positive for the virus in Ludhiana. While 13 belong to Ludhiana, the other three are from Amritsar, Fazilka and Delhi. Among the 13 patients tested positive from Ludhiana, four are expecting mothers and three are staff members of DMC hospital.

(Inputs from Patiala, Sangrur, Faridkot, Bathinda, Fazilka and Moga, Ludhiana)
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"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." And buy runescape 3 gold with that, Smallwood's group breaks into the up tempo "Lift Him Up."Ushers walk the aisles trying to get audience members to take a seat so people behind them can see. Starting the bedtime routine (brushing his teeth, diaper change, closing the curtains) is the only way I can catch a break at around 6.



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Gallant Soldiers Cadres a subsidiary under the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is calling on the ruling party NPP to as a matter of urgency withdraw the 100% increment of the Petroleum Products.

Read Full Statement below...

The Gallant Soldiers Cadres Of NDC believe the Increment in the Petroleum Products by the Nana Akufo Addo led government smacks off insensitivity and wickedness on the part of the Nana Akufo Addo 's government and this increase is unacceptable and complete wickedness.

Gallant Soldiers Cadres Of NDC registers its protest against the 100% increase in the petroleum products Petrol, Diesel Kerosene, etc on consumers at these very difficult times and accordingly call on the government of Nana Akufo Addo to withdraw the new Increment now.

It would be recalled that not too long ago, the president, Nana Addo, announced some reduction in the electricity bills for Ghanaians.

Now, barely a month after announcing a 50% reduction on Electricity consumption for a duration of 3 months using March Benchmark consumption figures, the Akuffo-Addo led government has turned around to introduce additional burden on the already impoverished Ghanaian by the introduction of 3 different but new taxes on Electricity Consumers a 2.5 % NHIL levy, 2.5% Getfund levy and 12.5% VAT

By a letter dated 29th May 2020, the National Petroleum Authority directs the BOST, and for that matter filling stations to commence Charging the new Price Build Up of petroleum products effective 1st June 2020.

The letter states " This is in line with a decision taken by Cabinet and communicated to the National Petroleum Authority, NPA, by the Ministry of Energy, 29th May 2020."

Petrol is moving from gh3 to GH 6, Diesel from gh 3 to gh 6, Kerosene Mines also from gh 3 to gh 6.

Respectively the NPA has revised template for the computation and onward submission of ex_pump prices by 100 % increases.

This latest Directive and development is not only insensitive and inhumane on the part of this Government but a complete betrayal of the trust of the People Ghana.

Ghanaians were promised of Taxation to Production Economy 3 years ago. However,

from all indications, the Economic Management team under Dr. Mahmoud Bawumia has run out of ideas and hence resorting to such draconian and egregious policies that are inimical to the already impoverished taxpayers under this Government.

With COVID19 impacts on the economic and social life of Ghanaians the mass unemployment coupled with the loss of jobs, laying off workers, cutting down pay, it would be insensitive for Nana Akufo Addo to visit taxes on Ghanaians.

You cannot claim to have given the Ghanaian people a 3 months 50% tariff waiver and within the same time add on new taxes. This is absolutely insensitive and abhorring.

The Akuffo-Addo Government must, with immediate effect withdraw this obnoxious policy or face the wrath of the ordinary Ghanaian who has tolerated the harsh policies of this Government for far too long.

The government should not take the sustained tolerance of the people of Ghana as weakness and ignorance

This is pure deception and robbery

Chairman :Mr Elikem Kotoko

Cc :Mr Richard Ashley

PRO :Richard E A Sarpong, Father Casford, PRO. 0241906363
By Kirsty Needham and Scott Murdoch

SYDNEY/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Australia announced the biggest shakeup of its foreign investment laws in almost half a century on Friday, including giving the government the power to force the sale of a business if it creates a national security risk.

Citing the need to balance economic and national security, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said all foreign investors will face greater scrutiny when bidding for sensitive assets, regardless of the size of the deal and whether the buyer is private or state-owned.

"Technology has been evolving and our geopolitical climate has become more complex," Frydenberg said in Canberra. "In fact, the world over, governments are seeing foreign investment being used for strategic objectives not purely commercial ones."

In one major change, the Treasurer will be given a last-resort power to vary or to impose conditions on a deal or force a divestment after the deal has been approved by the Foreign Investment and Review Board (FIRB). A Treasury document said the power would not be retrospective.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said compliance would also be tightened, with the government to spend an additional $50 million on enforcement of the rules. A Treasury spokesman told Reuters extra resources would go to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) as well as the Taxation Office, Department of Home Affairs and Treasury.

Frydenberg did not provide details of which business sectors would be captured by the national security test and subject to FIRB's scrutiny, but he did give some indication of areas of interest.

The definition would likely cover telecommunications, energy and utilities firms, the defence supply chain, and businesses that collect, store and own data deemed critical to Australia's national security and defence, he said.

Scott Phillips, a partner at M&A law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler, said it was crucial the categories be carefully defined at a time the Australian economy has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Story continues

"While sensible on the face of it, these changes carry a very real risk of discouraging much needed, national interest investment as Australia heads into our first recession in 29 years," Phillips told Reuters.

Under current laws, most private investments under A$275 million ($190.8 million) are not screened by FIRB, while the threshold is A$1.2 billion for companies from countries such as China which have free trade agreements with Australia. The threshold is zero for state-owned enterprises.

The government plans to release a draft of the proposed changes by next month for legislative debate with planned implementation on Jan. 1, 2021.

Changes could affect deals such as the current sale of Virgin Australia <VAH.AX>. The frontrunners for the country's No. 2 airline, which is being sold by administrators, are U.S. private equity firms Bain Capital and Cyrus Capital.

CHINA DEALS

Frydenberg did not single out China, or any other country, when announcing the overhaul, but the Chinese government has previously raised concerns with Australia about changes to foreign investment rules.

Public disquiet over the sale of the Port of Darwin in 2016 to Chinese company Landbridge led to new rules requiring FIRB approval for critical infrastructure deals. FIRB blocked two proposed investments by Chinese companies in Australian listed mining companies in late April, raising concerns by bankers and fund managers of a strategic shift in the governments thinking. China dropped from second to fifth in the list of countries providing the largest sources of approved foreign investment in Australia for 2018-2019. The United States was first, followed by Canada, Singapore and Japan in 2018-2019.

Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said the government should ensure that low risk investments were "streamlined and approved quickly so businesses can attract the global investment they need to get on with creating jobs."

(Story refiles to add missing word 'compliance' in fifth paragraph)

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham, Scott Murdoch and Melanie Burton, additional reporting by Renju Jose; Editing by Stephen Coates and Jane Wardell)
Ten weeks is a long time in a crisis. But it's how long shareholders of Johnson Matthey have had to wait since the FTSE 100 company's last update on the impact of the coronavirus crisis on its business.

Back then it said it expected a profit hit of about 50million to its annual results for the year ended March.

Those results were delayed because of the ongoing shutdown which forced Johnson Matthey to close most of its plants that make catalytic converters for cars.

Johnson Matthey was forced to close most of its plants that make catalytic converters for cars

Around one in three cars worldwide have Johnson Matthey catalytic converters fitted.

The results are due out on Thursday and the company will then give investors a full look under the bonnet of the business.

The size of its debt pile will be a key number to look at. Analysts reckon net debt will be about 1.4billion and that could determine what happens to the dividend.

Scribblers are pencilling in a full-year dividend of 68.3p, according to analysis by AJ Bell. That would be down from 85.5p last year and suggests that they feel a dividend cut is going to be inevitable.

Aveva

Another company which is on dividend watch is Aveva, the industrial software firm which releases its annual results on Tuesday.

Some companies have been criticised for paying dividends while taking taxpayer money.

But Aveva said in April that it had no plans to use Government support. UBS scribblers say if that remains the case, a dividend is likely to be paid, pointing out that majority shareholder Schneider Electric has also paid its own dividend.

One of the targets Aveva set itself in 2018 was to lift profit margins to above 30 per cent by 2022 so any confirmation of that goal will also reassure investors.

Small cap intrigue

There's intrigue at the smaller end of the market. Oil rig supplier Gulf Marine Services managed to fend off an unsolicited 26million takeover approach from Dutch rival Seafox last month.

Now Seafox is unable to make another offer for at least six months under UK takeover laws. So small-cap fanatics were intrigued to see Seafox, which is Gulf Marine's largest shareholder, lift its stake last week...not once, but twice.

The second increase to 29 per cent  just below the threshold that requires a full takeover offer  was disclosed just minutes before the market closed for the weekend.

Urban Exposure

Remember Urban Exposure? A few weeks ago we revealed how an activist fund run by Christopher Mills had secretly built a stake in the AIM-listed residential property development finance firm.

Now City sources say a mystery bidder is looking at launching a tender offer for some or all of Urban Exposure at between 55p and 65p a share, meaning they would take a large chunk or possibly all of the shares.

The move comes after the Wellesley Group, run by Graham Wellesley, the Earl of Cowley, submitted a takeover proposal for Urban Exposure that was rejected by the company.
Mary OReilly (72) from Beaumont with her daughters Deirdre,Fiona and Orla after she came home to a heroes welcome from family and neighbours after surviving Covid and having spent 19 weeks in hospital from January, Pic:Mark Condren

A grandmother who tested positive for Covid-19 was given a hero's welcome home after making a miraculous recovery from the virus.

Mary O'Reilly (72), from Artane, Dublin, completed a staggering 19-week stay in hospital yesterday, six of those spent battling coronavirus.

Around 70 neighbours gathered outside Ms O'Reilly's house to celebrate her return home with tea and Prosecco.

Among the socially-distanced crowd were her children, grandchildren and gardai from Santry.

Expand Close Mary OReilly (72) from Beaumont who came home to a heroes welcome from family and neighbours after surviving Covid and having spent 19 weeks in hospital from January. Pic: Mark Condren / Facebook

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Whatsapp Mary OReilly (72) from Beaumont who came home to a heroes welcome from family and neighbours after surviving Covid and having spent 19 weeks in hospital from January. Pic: Mark Condren

An upbeat Ms O'Reilly told the Herald she was delighted to finally be home with her family after weeks of being apart from them.

"I'm feeling great. I have just come home and they were having a party for me. I'm delighted," she said.

"I'm happy to see everyone, but I'm so happy to see my grandkids and children.

"I have loads to catch up on with everyone because I haven't seen them since January. I've really missed everyone."

She added she was just "so happy" to be back in her own house.

"The first thing I was really looking forward to when I got in the door was having a hot cup of tea," she said.

"I don't drink, so I left the Prosecco for everyone else."

Ms O'Reilly was admitted to Beaumont Hospital on January 29 after she became critically ill with bacterial pneumonia.

Expand Close Mary OReilly (72) from Beaumont grandchildren shelter from the rain after she came home to a heroes welcome from family and neighbours after surviving Covid and having spent 19 weeks in hospital from January, Pic:Mark Condren 5.6.2020 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Mary OReilly (72) from Beaumont grandchildren shelter from the rain after she came home to a heroes welcome from family and neighbours after surviving Covid and having spent 19 weeks in hospital from January, Pic:Mark Condren 5.6.2020

Positive

After weeks of fighting the illness, she was transferred to Clontarf Orthopaedic Hospital for rehabilitation care.

Just as she was showing signs of recovery, Ms O'Reilly tested positive for Covid-19 during the first week of April.

Her daughter Deirdre told the Herald: "Within days, she went downhill.

"She went back into the ICU in Beaumont Hospital, and she was put on a CPAP mask.

"She was in Beaumont for six weeks fighting the coronavirus, and then she got a couple of tests and, thankfully, they were confirmed negative."

The mother-of-four and grandmother-of-six then returned to Clontarf Hospital.

"She went back to Clontarf Hospital because she felt weak after lying in the bed for so long," said Deirdre.

"When we were told on Wednesday that she could come home, we were over the moon."

Deirdre said as her mother is a dialysis patient, the family was worried "her body wouldn't pull through" the illness.

"She's 14 years waiting on a liver transplant. Because of her underlying conditions, we were worried her body wouldn't pull through," she said.

"We are so excited to have her back. It was so amazing to have her home and get her back into her house.

"To think back in April we didn't know if this day would ever come. That's the wow factor for us."

Her family was ecstatic to see Ms O'Reilly after weeks of staying in touch through video chatting.

"We couldn't visit her because of the restrictions, so the fact that she was there on her own and all, that was something we found really hard," Deirdre said.

"The nurses in Beaumont were amazing. They arranged group FaceTime with us all. That was great.

"She was absolutely loving the social-distancing party we had for her yesterday. She was even a bit teary-eyed.

"She was just delighted to see everyone again."

Deirdre added the O'Reilly family would like to thank medical staff in Beaumont and Clontarf hospitals who helped her recover, and Santry Community Garda Station.
Phuket beaches to open on June 9

PHUKET: All Phuket beaches will open next Tuesday (June 9), Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana announced today (June 6).

CoronavirusCOVID-19tourismpatong

By The Phuket News

Saturday 6 June 2020, 01:27PM

Beaches to open next Tuesday (June 9) Phuket Governor announced. Photo: PR Phuket

The re-opening of beaches was approved at todays meeting of the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee at Phuket Provincial Hall.

The announcement was then posted by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department of Thailand (PR Phuket) on its official Facebook page.

Guidelines for beach-goers and business operators are to follow, but it has already been announced that social distancing will be a must.

Through the same post PR Phuket announced the re-opening of Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO). Limited services will be available from June 8, all services will be available from June 22. Driving schools are to open as well.

Of note, earlier today the Bangkok Post reported that the Department of Health (DOH) is going to push for measures to curb the number of visitors to beaches and other tourist spots.

DOH Director-General Panpimol Wipulakorn said that local organisations should also come up with measures to control the number of visitors to beaches in their respective provinces to prevent overcrowding. Tourists and workers in the service industry should also be required to wear masks while on the beaches, Dr Panpimol said.

Enough hand sanitisers should also be provided for beach-goers while toilets and bathrooms on beachfronts should be cleaned every two hours, she said, adding that visitors must check in and out at beaches so they can be traced, among other measures.
No immediate confirmation from al-Qaeda as French minister says Abdelmalek Droukdel killed in northern Mali operation.

France said on Friday that its military has killed al-Qaedas North Africa chief Abdelmalek Droukdel, a key fighter who its forces had been hunting for more than seven years, during an operation in Mali.

On June 3, French army forces, with the support of their local partners, killed the emir of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Abdelmalek Droukdel, and several of his closest collaborators, during an operation in northern Mali, French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly wrote on Twitter.

There was no immediate confirmation of his death from al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, known as AQIM.

Droukdels reported death comes almost six months after French President Emmanuel Macron and the leaders of the G5 Sahel group  Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad  launched a new plan combining their military forces under one command structure to fight armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and the ISIL (ISIS) group.

France, a former colonial power in the region, deployed 600 additional soldiers to its Barkhane force, raising the number of troops there to 5,100.





In a March video released by the monitoring group SITE, Droukdel urged governments of the Sahel region to try to end the French military presence, calling the troops armies of occupation.

The Algerian native was among North Africas most experienced fighters. He took part in al-Qaedas takeover of northern Mali before a French military intervention in 2013 drove them back and scattered fighters across the Sahel region.

Droukdel was believed to be hiding in the mountains of northern Algeria. AQIM was the dominant force in the region, staging several high-profile deadly attacks until 2013, when it fractured as many fighters flocked to ISIL as it seized territory in Iraq, Syria and Libya.

It remained active in North Africas largely desert and often scarcely governed Sahel region. In Mali, it focused its activities to the north in Libya and Tunisia. As ISIL waned, the group has sought to lure new talent from among ISIL veterans.

Parly identified Droukdel as a member of al-Qaedas management committee. Related operations in the region also led to the arrest May 19 of a major figure in ISIL (ISIS) in the Greater Sahara, Mohamed el Mrabat, she said.

Our forces, in cooperation with their local partners  will continue to track these [people] down without respite, Parly said.

Critics in the region have increasingly scorned Paris for failing to restore stability. Anti-French sentiment has grown as fighters have strengthened their foothold, making large swathes of territory ungovernable and stoking ethnic violence.

Parly said earlier this week that about 100 special forces from other European countries would be deployed to the region to support French and regional troops.
Married At First Sight bride Stacey Hampton was so stressed before the birth of her first child she broke out in a viral rash that put her in hospital and one side of her face became paralysed.

Her bikie partner was behind bars, her mother was still struggling with grief over the suicide of Stacey's father 20 years earlier and her sister had never recovered from his death.

Then on the day Stacey was due to give birth, the 21-year-old Adelaide law student's beloved older brother Jaimie was killed in a motorcycle accident.

Stacey's mother Leanne fell apart at the loss of her only son and immediately moved in with her pregnant daughter, who eventually underwent an induced labour.

When Stacey's son was born a week after her 23-year-old brother died she rang her partner Shane in prison from her hospital bed and listened as he wept at the news.

Married At First Sight bride Stacey Hampton was due to give birth to her first child on the day her beloved brother Jaimie was killed in a motorcycle accident in July 2015. She is pictured with son Kosta Jaimie Smith, now almost five, at her brother's grave

Stacey met Rebels bikie boss Shane Smith when she was just 19 and fell pregnant with their first child Kosta a year later. The couple became engaged but parted ways in 2017. Stacey, Shane and Kosta are pictured

Stacey had rhinoplasty - a nose job - shortly after Kruz's birth as well as breast augmentation and abdominoplasty or a 'tummy tuck'. She is pictured with her nose bandaged with Kruz

The couple gave baby Kosta the middle name Jaimie in honour of the brother who stepped up to help raise Stacey after their father Alastair killed himself aged just 25.

Stacey has opened up about her tragic family history to Daily Mail Australia in her most revealing interview since her explosive appearance on the last season of MAFS.

The now 26-year-old explains how she fell for Adelaide Rebels boss Shane Michael Smith when she was still a teenager and was pregnant to him within 12 months.

She talks of juggling her law studies while raising sons Kosta, then Kruz, as she battled loneliness, depression and guilt.

And she reveals how her early experiences shaped her relationships with men, leading to her making poor choices and falling for partners with 'issues'.

'Picture looking back on your life growing up as a highlight reel,' Stacey says. 'Only mine was so dark.'

Stacey (pictured centre) did not know her father had died until her sister told her when she was aged six or seven. Stacey's brother Jaimie (left) felt he had to step into his father's shoes

Stacey's mother Leanne (pictured with Stacey) attended her 'wedding' to millionaire businessman Michael Goonan on Married At First Sight. The relationship was short-lived

As a child Stacey believed her mining supervisor father, who disappeared when she was one, might have been away working but her mother did not want to discuss his absence.

'I tried to ask my mother about my father and all she did was break down and cry,' Stacey says. 'She said, "Stacey I cant do this" and would avoid the question.'

Stacey Hampton and Married At First Sight Stacey was paired with 29-year-old millionaire businessman Michael Goonan on the last season of Channel Nine's Married At First Sight. She was briefly branded the 'bride from hell' after she snubbed 'husband' Michael, saying he was 'not what I usually go for'. Stacey had said she was attracted to 'masculine' men with tattoos, which neatly describes her onetime bikie fiance, Shane Smith. She was also accused of cheating with MAFS co-star Mikey Pembroke, 29, an allegation she strenuously denied. Michael had previously been accused of cheating with another co-star, Hayley Vernon, an allegation he also denied. Stacey was recently seeing 34-year-old Michael Fares, a heavily-tattooed Sydneysider who likes gold jewellery and motorbikes, but they split days after going public with their romance Michael, with whom Stacey split in January, is in a relationship with her once-close friend KC Osborne, a 32-year-old dance instructor who also appeared on MAFS. Advertisement

When New Zealand-born Stacey was six or seven her older sister told her their father had killed himself on New Year's Day in 1995.

'I fell into a trap of not understanding men, always believing I never needed a man which is what led me to my poor choices in relationships and I often fall for men with issues,' she says.

'I always want to be the saviour as this has always been my role in life.'

Stacey met Shane Smith through mutual friends when she was 19 and fell hard for the bikie. He was 11 years older and had a daughter from a previous relationship.

'I fell pregnant at the age of 20 and gave birth at 21 when my partner was incarcerated,' she says.

'I had to get admitted to hospital with shingles from stress, and then I had Bell's palsy with stress whilst heavily pregnant.'

Shingles is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus and causes a painful rash, while Bell's palsy can occur as a reaction to a viral infection and is characterised by muscle weakness which causes one half of the face to droop.

Stacey had been particularly close to her brother Jaimie since the suicide of their father.

'I remember no one was good enough for me and he was always the one to push me to finish my law degree,' Stacey says.

'He had a lot of empty space in his heart and felt he had to be the father.'

Stacey had counted on Jaimie being around when she became a mother but another tragedy was about to strike.

'On the day I was due to give birth I received a phone call from my mother,' Stacey says. 'She was crying, she said, "Stacey, Jaimie is dead".

Stacey initially laughed. 'I said, "Mum, what are you talking about? Stop joking."

'She poured out crying over the phone and said, "He's gone, I can't call him".'

Stacey, who was admitted as a solicitor and barrister of the Supreme Court of South Australia last year, has put her legal career on hold to look after sons Kosta and Kruz (pictured)

'On the day I was due to give birth I received a phone call from my mother,' Stacey says. 'She was crying, she said, "Stacey, Jaimie is dead". Stacey is pictured with sons Kosta, four, and Kruz, two, at Jaimie's grave

Stacey was particularly close to her brother Jaimie following the suicide of their father. 'I remember no one was good enough for me and he was always the one to push me to finish my law degree,' she says. They are pictured above as children and adults

Stacey hung up from her mother and tried ringing Jaimie's phone but it was turned off and her calls went to voicemail.

'I lost two people that day,' she says. 'My brother was my father and my brother.'

Stacey collapsed on the ground and was picked up by her best friend, screaming as she explained what had happened.

'She quickly got me into the car we drove to my mother's,' Stacey says. 'There were police everywhere, my brother's friends and his partner at the time.

'Everyone was crying. I went blank, I felt numb. I couldn't breathe anymore. My priority was my mother so I dealt with the police and their questions.

'I then turned to mum, packed her bags and moved her into my home where I was staying awaiting my baby.

'I heard her crying all night for weeks. I had to be induced due to the stress.'

Kosta was born seven days after Stacey's brother died. Father Shane was in jail at the time. 'I had to call his father from the hospital and I remember him crying and and feeling so blessed. We named him Kosta Jaimie Smith in memory.' Kosta is pictured with his father

Kruz was not even two when Stacey was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of South Australia after completing her bachelor of Laws at the University of South Australia. Stacey and Kruz are pictured

It seemed Kosta just did not want to come. He was born on July 25, 2015, seven days after Stacey's brother died.

'I had to call his father from the hospital and I remember him crying and and feeling so blessed. We named him Kosta Jaimie Smith in memory.'

Shane Smith proposed to Stacehy with a five carat diamond ring (pictured)

Stacey was forced to begin motherhood with her child's partner in jail. She was depressed and alone and began taking anti-depressants.

She helped her mother plan Jaimie's funeral and took two months off work on her law degree before eventually returning to her studies.

A year out from completing her degree Stacey again fell pregnant to Shane and he proposed with a five carat diamond ring.

On June 13, 2017, the couple welcomed Kruz David Smith into the world.

'He was named David for the loss of Shane's brother who died from leukemia when Shane was young,' Stacey says.

This time around Stacey took no time off from her studies.

Kruz was not even two when Stacey was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in South Australia after completing her Bachelor of Laws.

'I found it so hard at times,' she says. 'I would feel so alone, not good enough, and I always felt guilt for being happy to be blessed with my children when I've lost my brother who was my best friend, my rock and my father figure.'

'He still emotionally supports me and my decisions, helps me with relationship advice and also looks out for me and my children's happiness,' Stacey says of her former partner Shane Smith, pictured with their son Kruz

Stacey has had a decade-long battle with anorexia and suffered terrible post-natal depression, which led her to launching a charity called Not Alone, Always Here Inc.

She has had rhinoplasty - a nose job - as well as breast augmentation and abdominoplasty or a 'tummy tuck' since the birth of her children.

How MAFS promoted bride Stacey Hampton 'Stacey is the epitome of beauty with brains, an intimidating package for any potential suitor - in her words, "Heaven forbid you're smart and look like this". Aged 25, she has two kids and a broken engagement behind her - all part of the baggage she blames for her inability to find a partner who can handle her. Self-protective, straight-shooting and high-maintenance, Stacey is unapologetic about the lofty expectations she has of any future partner. Stacey has dealt with tragedy: her father died when she was a baby, and her brother died in a motorbike accident four years ago. As a result, she is scared to let someone in and has learned to protect herself by keeping partners at arm's length. She's now ready to let her walls down and give herself a chance at love.' Advertisement

Her engagement to Smith, 37, ended in July 2017, a month after Kruz was born and a month before he bashed two nightclub bouncers in an assault that almost put him back in jail.

In February 2019, Smith was convicted and fined $3,500 for assaulting the men outside Universal nightclub in Bendigo, 150km north-west of Melbourne.

Three months after being admitted as a lawyer in May 2019 Stacey began filming the most recent series of Channel 9's 'social experiment' Married At First Sight.

Her mother attended her 'wedding' to 29-year-old millionaire businessman Michael Goonan but the couple split in January this year.

Stacey was recently seeing 34-year-old Michael Fares, a heavily-tattooed Sydneysider who likes motorbikes and gold jewellery. However, the couple split this week, just days after going public with their romance.

She has has not used her qualifications to practise as a lawyer because legal firms were unlikely to give her a job when she could only work three days a week while raising her young children.

Stacey, who has no regrets about her time with Smith, describes their break-up as civil and him as an 'amazing' father.

'Shane and I met very young, I fell hard and fast and we will always be each other's kryptonite,' she says.

'He was always very supportive and I had terrible post-natal depression which is my motivation behind my charity.

'He took the kids when I was in no state to have them. I had to fix myself and I was alone. He was great to me.

Shane, Stacey and Kosta are pictured with Santa Claus at David Jones in 2015 for the infant's first Christmas. Shane and Stacey still celebrate their sons' birthdays together

'He still emotionally supports me and my decisions, helps me with relationship advice and also looks out for me and my children's happiness.

'We still share kids birthdays together and do lunches. We just can't be together because we argue and we both have a lot of damage from our past which clashes.'

Stacey's brother is buried at Golden Grove Cemetery at Tea Tree Gully in Adelaide's north-eastern suburbs. She has his name tattooed on her stomach amid a geometric design with the words "forever young' written below.

Her father's remains lie in Ellesmere Public Cemetery at Leeston in Canterbury on New Zealand's south island.

Stacey's sister, who was six when their father took his life, remembers his death 'like it was yesterday'.

'She will never be the same and she suffers terribly to this day,' Stacey says.

Stacey is still exceptionally close to her mother, who she says 'will never be the same' after the suicide of her husband and the loss of her son.

'I still am her main carer to this day and provide her assistance, company and anything she needs,' Stacey says. 'I talk to her everyday and she makes sure I'm eating and I'm happy.

'She's my support but I feel like I'm more her support and I always will be until the day she dies.'
The opening lines of the recently-released 'United States Strategic Approach to The People's Republic of China' are: "Since the United States and the People's Republic of China (PRC) established diplomatic relations in 1979, United States policy toward the PRC was largely premised on a hope that deepening engagement would spur fundamental economic and political opening in the PRC and lead to its emergence as a constructive and responsible global stakeholder, with a more open society." More than 40 years later, it is abundantly clear that this has not happened as the US and its seven Presidents from Richard Nixon till Donald Trump were made to believe by the Chinese that 'all was right'. Only Trump opposed the deal in his 2016 election manifesto and won the election, but the short-term economic pressures of the deal were so severe that he could also do nothing till 2020, when he issued a new tariff notification. So, unable to deal with China effectively alone, for the first time the US talks of a 'democratic coalition' against China, hoping this coalition will pressure everyone to act, and reduce short-term pressures on the American economy.

After all, the entire democratic world is adversely affected by Chinese actions in the market and vis-a-vis China's monopoly over UN institutions, the OBOR scheme to approach new markets and the handling of Covid cases. Based on Bloomberg data, I have shown in my book that if business continues as usual, China will have 50 per cent of the World's GDP in 2070. Along with the US, it is already approaching 50 per cent of the world's GDP (PPP basis-China 22 per cent and US 20 per cent), making the rest of the world 'puppets', achieved due to US-China collaboration.

It may be recalled that the US changed in the 70s when China brought immense pressure on it, taking help of many other 'innocent' world leaders. The policies China laid down with the help of the Americans were progressive, since the US was made to believe for almost 50 years that it had stakes in China's growth. It is also surprising that Deng Xiaoping guided this change, even after he ceased to be the Chief Executive in 1987(after his mandatory retirement in 1987 according to the 10-year rule, which was later changed for Xi Jinping.

The Politburo, the real power in China, knew that they needed Deng to take the growth forward, and check Maslovian forces, and CIA moves to bring more freedom and democracy through Tiananmen freedom agitation. Deng was, therefore, appointed Defence Minister equivalent till he suppressed the Tiananmen movement in 1989. But the suppression caused 30,000 lives to be lost against 300 originally stated, and three Chinese battalions revolted. China's Politburo needed a scapegoat, and again this was Deng. But he saved himself by getting a letter from Bush Sr. that though he will not support him publicly, he sympathised with him for dealing with the freedom movement so strongly. No one has found a reasonable explanation to this letter.

The deception does not end here. It was now thought that Deng would fade away after Tiananmen. He did not, and guided the development of South and West China till he died in 1997. And his investment/industrialization policies continued in China even after his demise, thanks to his brainwashing of the Politburo, and China achieved miraculous growth during the period 2005-2015.

It may again be recalled that Bush Sr. openly said that he did not support the Tiananmen massacre. Despite the Tiananmen massacre, the US made China apply for WTO membership in 1998, and got them accelerated membership in 2001, thus including one billion Chinese workers in 2001 into the WTO framework to everyone's disadvantage, particularly democratic Russia's since it had become more democratic with Boris Yeltsin and Mikhail Gorbachev as leaders at US instance, but had to wait till 2012. As a matter of fact, Gorbachev was the free world's observer at the time of the Tiananmen agitation. But, China fooled everyone and went ahead with the massacre, and later attracted huge FDI, mostly from US companies. But, no one in the US understood the facades in China at all stages, and cooperated with them till 2015. The opposition to China only started showing in Trump's election manifesto in 2016.

Deng wanted the growth to be shown gradually and invested mostly in slow moving infra-structure projects. When Goldmann Sachs looked at the BRICS nations in 2001-05, it found all four countries (later five) were growing similarly. The miraculous growth came mainly in 2005-15, when from 1.8 times India in 2005, China was five times India, and came in the same ball-park figure of GDP vis-a-vis US (PPP), and US panicked, at long last. But, action only came when the entire world was hit by Coronavirus in 2020, leading to intense rivalry between China and the US and also the rest of the democratic world for the way China handled Coronavirus pandemic, suppressing facts.

It is now an opportunity for the entire democratically-elected world to get together to fight China. Everyone, including the US, knows that with China's very strong presence in the manufacturing world, the US alone cannot take up this fight, and all democracies need to come together to fight the mighty China. For the reader, having studied the growth patterns in different periods of time, and in different countries, it is now easy to analyze the reasons behind miraculous growth in China, and reverse the factors responsible. All the world's democracies will have to design the reversal path, like China had designed its own growth path in the 60s, and forced it on the US and rest of the world. It also convinced the US to be a participant, despite many in the US knowing that the path was 'hara-kiri' with the US strengthening its own rival which would take over, by fair or unfair means.

When the world's opposition to massive manufacturing in China, even for fulfilling the world's demand started getting opposed, it came out with OBOR policy connecting the markets with China's factories of mass production. Fortunately, this policy also started being opposed in most countries. The remedies to China's monopolization in the world lie in dismantling the processes they created with the help of the US. I have summarized them below: A. One dedicated man changed a country as big as China, and made it a rich communist state, following the model of a very small city state. Such men will have to be identified.

B. Deng Xiaoping had infused capitalism in the Chinese economy and subsequently the Chinese state promoted meritocracy, following the Singapore model, and likes to define itself as an 'efficient state'.

C. The US maintained total secrecy because it was helping a country which was not following the basic rules of democratic systems to fool other countries into believing the faAade of the multilateral institutions. The secrecy and faAade continued till China officially launched OBOR and crossed US GDP (PPP) in 2014. Xi's decision of giving up Deng's policy of being humble while on their miraculous growth path will perhaps and hopefully be questioned in China in the future.

D. The US tried to plot Tiananmen coup for bringing democracy in China. Deng Xiaoping thwarted it with full might knowing China won't survive long if it follows any other political governance system. But the US lost its way while trying to bring democracy. Perhaps US MNCs enjoyed the Chinese system, giving them higher profits from its regimented labour.

E. China, and particularly Deng, learned reforms from many countries and implemented them with Chinese characteristics.

F. US-China cooperation has changed the world and reversed the balance of military and financial power from the West to Asia.

G. Most of the growth post 1950 in China and India was due to technologies of IR 3.0., IR 4.0 and IR 5.0, giving natural advantage to China and India. China also is a developed country now. China and the US will now use new methods/technologies to stop this higher growth. This is happening already, and the democratic world will have to learn to check technological deviations.

Whichever country is able to deal with the changes better, will be the winner.

(Pradip Baijal is former Secretary, Disinvestment and former Chairman, TRAI. He is the author of Containing the China Onslaught)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi:

ICICI Bank on Saturday said it will make 10 per cent investment in equity capital of Resurgent Power Ventures (RPV), a power platform created to facilitate investment in power projects in India by ICICI Group and Tata Group.

Other investors in the platform are Caisse de dpt et placement du Qubec (CDPQ) of Canada, Kuwait Investment Authority and State General Reserve Fund of Oman.

The equity investment in RPV is a strategic investment to leverage the opportunities in the power sector. RPV as a power platform will facilitate investment in power projects in India, ICICI Bank said in a regulatory filing on stock exchanges. ICICI Bank Ltd, Bahrain branch has entered into a subscription agreement to invest in RPV, it said.

The platform targets acquisition of controlling stakes in power generating companies both conventional thermal, hydroelectric and transmission assets in India, it said.

Tata Power will be a strategic partner and will provide operations and maintenance services to assets acquired by the platform, it added. ICICI Bank further said that it will invest in pro-rata with other stakeholders based on period capital calls.

Yesterday, Tata Power said that it has joined hands with ICICI Venture to set up a joint venture, which will raise USD 850 million to invest in operational and almost ready power projects.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inaugurated the first phase of the newly constructed Tema Motorway Interchange, with an assurance that the second phase of the project will commence by the last quarter of the year.

The project, which lasted for 28 months, was financed with a grant of $56 million (six billion yen) secured from the Japanese government and is to be undertaken by Messrs Shimizu Dai-Nippon, a Japanese construction firm.



It comprises a two-tier intersection, a tunnel in the east-west direction, four kilometres of improved roads, four pedestrian bridges, one at each approach to the intersection, and the construction of several drainage structures.



The four-kilometre stretch project, which commenced on February 18, 2018, saw all four legs stretching from the roundabout towards the Tema Harbour Road being extended by 1.9 kilometres, while the Roundabout-Tema-Aflao stretch was also extended by 2.1 kilometres.



It forms part of the governments international corridor road improvement project aimed at ensuring efficiency in trade within the West African sub-region.



Ceremony



President Akufo-Addo, addressing the inauguration ceremony at the project site in Tema yesterday, said the project would bring to an end the inconvenience of unbearable traffic at the then Rotary Roundabout.



For many years, residents living in and around the Tema metropolis and motorists plying this route have had to endure the inconvenience of unbearable traffic at the main Rotary Roundabout and a poor road network.





Today, we are witnessing an end to this unacceptable situation with the inauguration of the newly constructed Tema Interchange, which is part of the Ghana International Corridors Project, he said.



Phase two



Explaining further, the President said phase two of the Tema Interchange project was scheduled to commence in the last quarter of the year, saying it would see the transformation of the parallel two-tier interchange into a three-tier one to hasten further the turnaround time at the intersection.



Other projects to ensure maximum efficiency of transportation in the enclave, President Akufo-Addo said, included the construction of the 64.4-kilometre Ashaiman Roundabout-Akosombo Junction road at a cost of 256 million from the KFW, the Germany development bank.



That, he said, would see the current single carriageway of the Akosombo road expanded into a multi-lane dual carriageway, service roads, the construction of interchanges at the Ashaiman Roundabout and the Asutsuare Junction in the Shai Osudoku District in the Greater Accra Region.



He added that the dualisation of the 17-kilometre stretch of the Tema-Aflao road project, which was also expected to cost $105 million, would tie the trans-African highway project from Lagos to Abidjan, while the current two-lane dual carriageway would be expanded into a three-lane carriageway per each direction.



He also said the valuation of the Accra-Tema Motorway expansion into a three-lane dual carriageway and service roads under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement had been completed and we are awaiting approval from the PPP Committee of the Ministry of Finance to engage the contractor.



Benefits



Touting the immense economic benefits of such trunk roads being undertaken by the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), the Department of Urban Roads and the Department of Feeder Roads across the country, President Akufo-Addo said the government was committed to the successful completion of all the projects and urged the Ministry of Roads and Highways to see to their expeditious execution.



This year being the year of roads, he expressed delight at the appreciable improvement in the trunk road network in the country, as more sections of roads were being upgraded from gravel surfaces to bitumen or asphalt concrete surface.



He said it was not lost on anyone that the free flow of traffic in the cities and urban areas, as well as safety on roads in the country, was critical to the development of the country and enhancing the growth of key sectors of the economy.



That is why the completion of phase one of the Tema Interchange project is such a welcome development. We made a pledge to the Ghanaian people to expand and improve the road network, while closing the missing links in the networks.



We had to make this pledge because we knew that the so-called unprecedented infrastructure development of the Mahama administration was a fantasy existing in the Green Book and not on the ground, he said.



The President cautioned motorists to be aware of their responsibility in the use of the countrys roads and noted that the severity and frequency of accidents on the countrys highways, due to speeding and indiscipline, were a great reproach to the entire country.



Motorists need to be extra careful and disciplined on the highway and resist the temptation of speeding. Better roads should be a catalyst for national development and not instruments of death and pain. It is time we brought road accidents in our country under control, he said.



While emphasising the relationship between Ghana and Japan, President Akufo-Addo paid tribute to all who contributed to the successful completion of the project, and particularly mentioned the Emperor of Japan, Emperor Naruhito, and the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, both of whom he described as friends of Ghana, and the Japanese people for providing the facility.



Traffic congestion



The Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwesi Amoako-Atta, said traffic congestion at the roundabout had been a major challenge for many years and impeded the smooth and safe movement of people and goods.



He, therefore, urged the GHA to ensure the completion of all ancillary works to ensure the successful take-off of the second phase



Relationship



For his part, the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Tsutomu Himeno, said he was happy and proud to be part of the ceremony to showcase Japan-Ghana friendship and partnership.



He said Japan would continue to foster partnerships with Ghana, particularly in the areas of road infrastructure and agricultural development.



We are a long-standing supporter of Ghanas socio-economic development and the Noguchi Memorial Institute remains one of our valuable contributions to Ghana, he said.



Mr Himeno commended President Akufo-Addo for building a strong relationship with the people and the Japanese government and for creating opportunities to welcome Japanese businesses into Ghana.

Source: Daily Graphic









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Featured Video
WESTPORT  For the third time this week, hundreds of people from around the area of all ages, race and gender gathered peacefully to protest police brutality and systemic racism.

The protests, like those nationwide, came as a response to the killing of George Floyd and other black people at the hands of police.

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 Natasha Johnson, a Staples High School senior, said at the protest on Friday. As long as he cant breathe, I cant breathe. We cant breathe.

Johnson, alongside Niah Michel, a Staples senior, and Isabel Geelan organized the protest. In February, Michel submitted a letter to the editor on WestportNow detailing challenges students of color faced from both their peers and the schools staff.

Racism has been in front of our eyes for decades and decades, and the justice has done nothing about it, Michel said. African American men, women and adolescents have to do so much to be heard.

Several students joined Michel to discuss challenges they also faced in the Westport Public Schools system.

Coming here is not enough, Chet Ellis, a Staples graduate, said. 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.

Ellis, who won the towns teen diversity essay contest last year after writing about the racism he faced as a black student, said education is important to break the walls between communities.

I know a lot of you stood by and watched racism happen not because you were bad people but because you didnt know, he said, adding those gathered should read black literary legends like James Baldwin. Learn about black people.

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 from the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge to 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, Westport Police Chief Foti Koskinas said.

Koskinas said law enforcement has a lot of work to be done to regain the trust of the nation.

Weve had discussions here and its been very clear: If a single police officer feels what they saw (happen to) George Floyd was just, they need to resign, he said. Thats a very clear message here.

Koskinas said police have to be morally sound, ethical and legal in their work.

When we look at these latest incidents, we lack every one of those, he said. We fail when we dont do one of them correctly and we certainly fail when we do all three of them wrong.

Wilner Joseph of Stamford said the unity saw at the protest was important but emphasized the work has to continue.

This can go a long way if were consistent, he said. Us as black folks have been hurting for so long.

Chaquanzha Stephenson, a community activist and founder of DOPE Inc., assisted in organizing the protest but credited the young women who took leadership in putting it together.

They were really the focal point of all this. Im just so proud of them, she said.

Stephenson said its important to stay abreast and keep pushing for change.

Continue that outrage, but be outraged enough to be a change, she said. If you know someone thats in the position, help them with that legislation, help them change those policies, help point it out when you see it.

dj.simmons@hearstmediact.com
ST. LOUIS  Lawyers for a homeless St. Louis man federally charged with posting a napalm recipe on Facebook asked a judge on Thursday for the charge to be dismissed, saying it wasnt supported by any evidence.

Marcus Marlvin Hunt, 29, is one of only three people who have been charged with a federal crime resulting from a week of protests in the St. Louis region.

Hunt was charged by complaint in U.S. District Court on Sunday with distribution of information relating to explosives, destructive devices and weapons of mass destruction. Hes accused of providing a recipe for napalm on Facebook and encouraging his Facebook followers to travel to St. Louis.

In a rare challenge at such an early stage of a criminal prosecution, Hunts federal public defenders on Thursday filed a motion saying the criminal complaint was invalid because Hunt provided no information that wasnt widely available elsewhere online. There was also no evidence that he intended to use the information for violence, the motion said.

Hunt is homeless and has untreated bipolar disorder with mania, a lawyer said during a court hearing Wednesday. Hunt has been variously described as the mayor or governor of a St. Louis homeless encampment that was cleared by city officials last month over coronavirus concerns. He was relocated to a Red Roof Inn, where he was arrested on the federal charge.

Hunt told a judge Wednesday that he had been helping provide food and water to the homeless, and needed to get out of jail to continue doing so.

Separately, a lawyer for prominent area activist Mike Avery, similarly charged for Facebook posts, said Friday that she also will seek to have the charge dismissed. Avery, 28, was charged Sunday with rioting, accused of providing instructions on how to loot, calling for shooters and asking followers for the names of bicycle police.

Avery lawyer Marlene Suarez told the Post-Dispatch on Friday that she would be challenging the recommendation by prosecutors that he be held in jail. She said she also will challenge the charge, citing First Amendment grounds among other arguments.

In a hearing Wednesday, Assistant Federal Public Defender Kevin Gau, who was representing Avery at the time, cautioned that Averys online words had not been linked to any specific acts of violence.

I think theres a real danger in these times (of protest activity) of potential misinterpretation, he said.

He said the reference to shooters could have more a benign interpretation, that it wasnt a crime to write in the third person about what looters did in Minneapolis and that keeping track of the names of police was a valid purpose during times when some officers have been accused of misconduct or crimes during protests.

Those actions are not criminal, he said.

Asked about the charge against Avery, Peter Joy, a professor at the Washington University School of Law, said in an email that prosecutors might have a hard time proving their case without evidence of him specifically advocating violence.

The FBI agent drew a lot of conclusions based on what Avery posted, but Avery never said come and start some looting or shooters, come shooting, Joy wrote.

Avery, of the St. Louis area, is a single father of a 3-year-old daughter and owner of a lawn care business.

Maurnice Baker works with Avery at Bring Them Home Search and Rescue STL, which seeks out missing area youth. She said he always is first to go into vacant houses or possible drug houses.

Mike is our foot soldier, Baker said. Mike has brought over 25 kids home.

She said he helped board up the windows of Cathys Kitchen in Ferguson, and stopped people from looting a Family Dollar.

The third person facing a federal offense, Christopher Thomas Gaston, 40, was charged as a result of the investigation into the shooting of four St. Louis police officers early this week. Gaston has not been linked by authorities to that shooting.

In charging documents, an FBI agent said Gaston was spotted outside his apartment Monday night with a shotgun, and a later search of his apartment found that shotgun, as well as a pistol and ammunition.

Gaston is a convicted felon and is barred from owning guns or ammunition.

His lawyer, Bret Rich, told the Post-Dispatch that Gaston and his wife live across the street from the 7-Eleven at 17th and Pine streets that was looted and burned Monday night.

He said the couple called police but they did not come, and Gaston was just defending the couples cars and themselves and their neighbors.

A prosecutor said Friday that the officers, who were shot near 16th and Olive streets, were not wounded by a shotgun.

The officers were treated for their injuries and released from a hospital.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Marcus Hunt's middle name.

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.
Terrorist groups exploiting COVID-19 in Sahel, UN peacekeeping chief tells Security Council

5 June 2020 - COVID-19 is complicating an already complex security situation in the Sahel, with terrorist groups exploiting the pandemic as they step up attacks on national and international forces, the UN's peacekeeping chief said on Friday.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix told the Security Council that the last six months have been particularly challenging as the G5 Sahel group of nations - Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger  deploys a joint force to restore stability to the vast African sub-region.

"We are seeing attempts by terrorists and other groups in the region to capitalize on the pandemic to undermine State authority and destabilize Governments", with innocent lives being lost daily, schools shuttered and many people denied access to basic social services, he said.

Years to rebuild

"It will take years to rebuild affected communities in the Sahel even under the best of circumstances (as well as) sustained efforts to ensure that nobody is left behind", added the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations.

"In the face of such loss and devastation, we cannot be passive."

Mr. Lacroix was briefing a videoconference meeting of the Council as the United Nations considers options for beefing up its support for the G5 Sahel Joint Force, including through its MINUSMA peacekeeping mission in Mali.

He said that the Joint Force is making "tangible and encouraging progress" in building up its ranks and establishing a command structure based in Niamey that will cooperate with other international forces in the Sahel.

Military operation 'progressing well'

Those efforts have led to an ongoing major military operation, code-named Sama, that is "progressing well", he reported.

With financial support from the European Union, MINUSMA  the French acronym for the UN Stabilization Mission in Mali  is providing "life support consumables" (food, water and fuel) within its mandate.

Mr. Lacroix warned, however, that the Mission is running at maximum capacity and cannot do more for the Joint Force within its current Council-defined mandate and resources.

Comprehensive support package needed Expanding on the Secretary-General's latest report on the Joint Force, he called for a comprehensive support package, funded by Member States through their assessed contributions to the UN.

"This would not only allow for predictable and sustainable support, it would also make it easier to pursue a long-term strategy to phase out this support and to render the Joint Force autonomous," he explained.

It would also free up MINUSMA to focus exclusively on supporting the peace process and stabilization of central Mali, he added.

"The G5 Sahel Joint force is on the right track, but there is still a long way to go", he said, adding that a stronger Joint Force is only part of a comprehensive international approach for the Sahel that includes improving governance, eradicating poverty and protecting human rights for all.

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DeWitt, N.Y. -- DeWitt Police Chief Chase Bilodeau knew when he received a call at 8:30 a.m. on Friday that he wanted to march with the protesters coming to his town.

The protesters, part of a group called Last Chance for Change, have marched through the various neighborhoods in Syracuse and parts of multiple suburbs. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens have each marched with the group. Theyve been applauded by Common Council President Helen Hudson.

But Bilodeau wanted to make sure hed be welcome, and he asked if theyd be OK with it.

I wasnt going to insert myself in a place I wasnt wanted either, Bilodeau said. I wanted to support them in what they wanted.

They said yes.

Bilodeau marched in solidarity, standing apart from others show of solidarity in that hes a police chief in Central New York. While Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner tried to talk to a group of protesters not affiliated with Last Chance for Change on Sunday, the talk did not go well. On Thursday, two Syracuse police officers kneeled with the protesters.

Members of Last Chance for Change were not immediately available Friday night to talk about marching with Bilodeau.

The police department is here to hear their voices," Bilodeau said. "We want to hear their concerns. We want to protect and serve them the best we can. To me, it was about a message of solidarity.

George Floyds death is what pushed the members of Last Chance for Change to protest, and Bilodeau said when he saw the video of Floyds death, he knew the officer was in the wrong. The sentiment has been echoed by Syracuse police union president Jeff Piedmonte and Buckner.

That shouldnt have happened, Bilodeau said.

On Friday morning, Bilodeau said he called in officers to manage traffic control after he received a call about the protesters. Hed introduced himself before the march in the parking lot at Shoppingtown Mall.

What struck Bilodeau as the group moved down Erie Boulevard East was the size and scope of it, he said. Hed seen the group in pictures, but had yet to see them in person.

When you have a group of people who live in your community that youre tasked with protecting and theyre all saying a unified message, it means something, Bilodeau said.

The group marched down Erie Boulevard East for nearly three hours. It stopped at several intersections, where their motorcade was outfitted with a water truck and a medic monitoring protesters in the heat.

Bilodeau chatted with protesters, including Kenzell Cooper, before he left. Together they tried to find common ground.

These are people who want something from me, Bilodeau. How can I help them?

Got a tip, comment or story idea? 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 statement came in the midst of a scheduled high-level military dialogue between the two armies.

The Indian Army on Saturday said Indian and Chinese officials continue to remain engaged through the established military and diplomatic channels to address the current situation in the India-China border areas.

The statement came in the midst of a scheduled high-level military dialogue between the two sides to resolve the current border standoff in eastern Ladakh.

"Indian and Chinese officials continue to remain engaged through the established military and diplomatic channels to address the current situation in the India-China border areas," the Indian Army said in a statement.

"At this stage therefore any speculative and unsubstantiated reporting about these engagements would not be helpful and the media is advised to refrain from such reporting," it said without providing any details about the high-level dialogue.

On Friday, the two countries held diplomatic talks during which they agreed to handle their "differences" through peaceful discussions while respecting each other's sensitivities and concerns. This they said should be done keeping in mind the other sides sensitivities and concerns so that differences do not become disputes.

This was decided during a video conference between the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)s Joint Secretary (East Asia) Naveen Srivastava and Director General in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wu Jianghao.

The two officials recalled the consensus reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in previous meetings including two informal summits in the past couple of years while emphasising both the above aspects.

The references to the resolve of the leaders of the two nations is being seen as a positive indication that the two nations can yet resolve their differences peacefully.

In a statement, the MEA said, The two sides reviewed the state of bilateral relations including the current developments. In this context they recalled the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, that peaceful, stable and balanced relations between India and China will be a positive factor for stability in the current global situation.



The MEA added, Both sides also agreed that in accordance with the guidance provided by the leadership, the two sides should handle their differences through peaceful discussion bearing in mind the importance of respecting each other's sensitivities, concerns and aspirations and not allow them to become disputes. The two sides also exchanged views on the challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and cooperation in various multilateral forums.

In the context of the stand-off between the two militaries, India had last month accused the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) of blocking Indian Army patrols on the Indian side of the LAC which is the de-facto Sino-Indian border. New Delhi had also said that occasionally such incidents do occur as both sides do not have a common perception of the LAC.
Jammu: Apart from neutralising infiltrators and terrorists from across the border to maintaining law and order, security forces in Jammu and Kashmir also have turned saviour to several youths from the Valley by stoppng them from joining terror outfits and helping them return to the mainstream. The forces try their best to dissuade the radicalised youths whenever they receive tip-off of any youth from the locality being motivated to join terror outfits.

Recently, the Awantipora Police received a piece of information that some youths of the Tral area of Pulwama were about to join terrorist ranks. Upon receiving the information, the police acted swiftly along with other security forces and succeeded in saving the youths from joining terrorism.

The three youths, identified as Iliyas Amin Wani (21), Abrar Ahmad Reshi (17) and Ubaid Ahmad Shah (19), all from Pulwama's Tral were motivated by terror associates to join the terrorist ranks. The police also managed to found out the radicals who were the force behind motivating these youths.

Two terrorist associates, identified as Rizwan Ahmad Wani and Rayees Ahmad Chopan, both residents of Tral's Mandoora area, were also arrested for reportedly motivating the youths from the Valley to join terrorist ranks.

The arrested Overground Workers were found to be providing logistics, shelter and other kinds of support to terrorists of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen, terror outfits which are active in Kashmir.

Tral residents hailed the efforts of security forces after report of 'youths from the Valley saved from joining terrorism' surfaced.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police and security forces in the Vallery has been continuously making efforts to save the future of Kashmir youths. These forces have helped more than two dozen youths to join back mainstream after counselling. These youths were handed over to their families; while many among them were provided support to start a new life.
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The controversial Black Lives Matter protest has gone ahead in Sydney as 20,000 protesters descended on the city, after the march was given the green light just minutes before it was due to start.

Crowds gathered outside Town Hall on Saturday afternoon despite the Supreme Court banning the protest on Friday in a last ditch attempt to enforce social distancing restrictions.

But in a last minute reprieve the 'Stop All Black Deaths in Custody' rally was declared an authorised public assembly after a late decision by the Court of Appeal - meaning it could go ahead legally.

The decision means protesters cannot be arrested for blocking roads along the planned route from Town Hall to Belmore Park.

It came after two people were arrested just at around 2.30pm and one man waving an 'All Lives Matter' sign was led away by police.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators are joining rallies in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart on Saturday to show solidarity with the BLM movement and African American George Floyd, who died while being arrested in Minneapolis.

A woman is pictured at the Stop All Black Deaths in Custody rally in Sydney holding a sign calling for justice for George Floyd

Over 20,000 demonstrators gathered on mass at Sydney Town Hall for the Stop All Deaths in Custody rally on Saturday

A protester is pictured offering his hand to police. But the officer stares ahead and is seen ignoring the demonstrator's handshake

A woman in pink is pictured in Sydney protesting against Indigenous deaths in custody. She is seen pulling down her face mask

A young woman in a wheelchair is pictured holding up a sign that reads: Fight 4 Love and Justice. She is seen wearing a face mask along with another woman who is assisting her

A protester at the Sydney Black Lives Matter rally is seen wearing a face mark with the words 'I can't breathe' written on it

Thousands of Australians calling for an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody have gathered for the global Black Lives Matter protests across the country (pictured, demonstrators march in Adelaide on Saturday)

A man collects hand sanitiser from a station before the protest in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon (pictured) amid fears it could spark a coronavirus outbreak

'Sorry isn't enough': Demonstrators gather ahead of the Black Lives Matter protest in Melbourne (pictured on Saturday)

'Laundry is the only thing that should be separated by colour': Two protesters sit with their signs at Victoria Square before marching in Adelaide (pictured on Saturday)

Protesters are calling for an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody and in solidarity with the global Black Lives Matter movement.

NSW's highest court had banned the Sydney protest because it breaches COVID-19 restrictions.

Rally organiser Raul Bassi said he expected to have 5,000 people but early estimates suggest that around 20,000 people were at the rally.

The Sydney protest is also to honour the life of Australian man David Dungay Jr, who died in prison after being held down by correction officers.

Just like Mr Floyd in the US, his final words were 'I can't breathe'.

At least 432 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died in police custody in Australia since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody report in 1991.

Victoria Police officers - in face masks - stand guard ahead of a Black Lives Matter rally in Melbourne

A woman wears a face mask with George Floyd's final words 'I can't breathe' during Saturday's protest in Brisbane

Protesters gather out the front of the Museum of Brisbane in the city's CBD on Saturday afternoon

One man was booed after he raised an 'All Lives Matter' placard as a counter-protest in Sydney, before having his sign ripped from his hand and being led away by police.

Before the event started, two men were arrested at Town Hall station, which had been closed ahead of the protest.

Bystanders said one of the men was tasered and there was some blood on the floor where one had been injured .

The nationwide protests kicked off with around 5,000 activists packing into Adelaide's Victoria Square at 12pm on Saturday.

Speaker Jack Buckskin welcomed the large turnout, telling the gathering whether Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal, they were all part of the same society.

'This is about us coming together as people,' he said.

'Today we stand united. Our movement happens with people.

A counter protester hand a sign reading 'all lives matter' ripped from his hands and crowds booed him before he was handcuffed and led away by police (pictured outside Sydney's Town Hall)

Quade Bayles' sister (left) with other family attend the Black Lives Matter rally in Brisbane

'We want people to walk alongside us. This is what Aboriginal people have been asking for.'

There was a strong police presence with a police helicopter overhead. The mood among protesters and police was peaceful.

Kaysee Rankine, 17, of Peterhead, joined the protests in hopes of bringing upon change and that people can just come together.

'My mother is part of the stolen generation ... so it's really important to me and it matters,' she told The Advertiser.

'Racism is a big thing obviously (but) we are all the same and we should all just come together.'

Tabitha Gallagher, 16, of Taperoo, said she was disappointed such protests were needed.

'We shouldn't have to be doing these marches  it should already be settled,' she said.

'People are people. You don't judge them from their skin colour, you see them as people.'

Two men were arrested at Town Hall Station before the protest started. Officers cuffed this man before leading him away

This happy couple said 'I do' as thousands of people descended on the streets of Sydney on Saturday (pictured) as their special day was caught up in the march

Tens of thousands of Australians across the country are calling for the end of Aboriginal deaths in custody (pictured, activists in Adelaide)

Police lined parliament steps on foot and horseback.

Protesters held up banners with slogans such as 'we all bleed the same colour', 'injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere' and 'tolerating racism is racism'.

Commissioner Grant Stevens granted permission for the BLM protest to proceed in Adelaide, despite the pandemic.

'RENT-A-CROWD WILL ONLY MOVE AUSTRALIA BACKWARDS' Indigenous academic Anthony Dillon has said the protests are 'ridiculous'. Writing for news.com.au he said that many protesters were not across the real issues and were protesting for the sake of it. Mr Dillon pointed to research by the Australian Government that shows Aboriginal people are less likely to die in police custody than white people. 'What we are seeing now is ridiculous,' he wrote. 'If this was just a comedy show I would be laughing. 'But the antics of activists, social justice warriors, and their rent-a-crowds only move Australia backwards.' Advertisement

'This is a unique and extraordinary event. There is a sentiment that suggests people should have a right to protest on significant matters,' Mr Stevens said on Friday.

Thousands of Queenslanders gathered at King George Square as part of the movement at 1pm on Saturday.

Police and the Queensland premier said they would have preferred for people show their support online but would not stop the march against First Nations deaths in custody, and violence and systemic racism towards black people.

Organisers in Brisbane vowed to storm a police station until the officer in charge leaves the station and flies the Aboriginal flag, Courier Mail reported.

The crowds were also heard chanting 'f--k the pigs' and 'KKK' as the passionate protesters rallied.

Quaden Bayles and his mother Yarraka were pictured at the Brisbane protest for Black Lives Matter.

Quaden made international headlines in February when his mother filmed him saying he wanted to die after kids picked on him at school.

In footage shared in February, Quaden - who has the most common type of dwarfism called achondroplasia - is seen sobbing into the camera and saying he is suicidal from being relentlessly bullied.

Since the heartbreaking footage went viral, the Brisbane schoolboy has been inundated with support from celebrities, sportspeople and musicians from all over the world.

In Melbourne protesters charged at mounted police who were guarding the police station on horses.

Angry demonstrators started shouting 'f--- the police' and some gave the stoic-looking officers the fingers.

Tens of thousands of people marched through the city chanting 'no racist police, no justice, no police,'

Protesters hold Aboriginal flags and 'Black Lives Matter' signs at the rally in Brisbane on Saturday (pictured) as thousands turned out to support the cause

At least 432 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died in police custody in Australia since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody report in 1991 (pictured, signs in Brisbane)

The protest started outside the Victorian Parliament where Aboriginals of the tribe native to Melbourne, the Wurundjeri, addressed the crowd.

Organiser Meriki Onus, who was wearing a shirt saying 'destroy white supremacy' then addressed the crowds.

'Aboriginal people are subjected to police brutality and racist police practices and we have had enough. Black lives matter,' Ms Onus said.

'We've got the media on us. We're in this together.'

In Sydney, protesters were told to keep their distance but the sheer volume of the crowds makes it impossible to stay 1.5 metres from one another.

A couple were also spotted getting married as crowds descended on the streets.

Speeches by indigenous Australians were met with claps and cheers by the crowd.

A protester holds up a sign reading 'Trump is a terrorist change my mind' at Sydney's Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday

There was a large police presence in Sydney on Saturday. These mounted police officers watched calmly as the peaceful protest got underway

Quaden Bayles and his mother Yarraka were spotted at the Brisbane Black Lives Matter rally on Saturday

Activists displayed signs reading 'racism is a pandemic', 'same problems different soil', 'white silence supports violence'

Protesters remained quiet throughout the speeches and avoided moving through the crowds.

Organisers advised protesters to try and move in groups of ten at a time as the march kicks off.

At 4:30pm protesters took a knee for one-minute to recognise the 434 Indigenous deaths in custody since 1991.

Footage from the scene showed the crowd on their knees and hands up in the air. One woman noticed police remained standing and called them out for it.

'Not one of you have the guts to put your hands up,' she said.

'Raise your fists and show your support but not one of you have the guts or the courage to show us here today that you care about black people in this country.

An aerial shot of protestors at the Black Lives Matter rally in Brisbane on Saturday where thousands attended (pictured)

Family members of David Dungay Jr participate in a Black Lives Matter rally in Brisbane (pictured on Saturday)

'If you care you will raise your fist and say black lives matter.'

Australian Medical Association President Dr Tony Bartone told Weekend Today the mass gatherings could lead to a second coronavirus outbreak.

'We saw that during the height of that first wave as many as one person infected as many as 35 other people,' Dr Bartone said.

'We know that community transmission is still occurring in low numbers but it is occurring in low numbers but it is occurring.'

'We only need one person to be in the rally and with the potential to infect others and others and within no time we will have a significant outbreak again on our hands and we're back at square one and all the good work that the Australian public has done over the last few months will be wasted.'

Brothers of David Dungay Jr. participate in a Black Lives Matter rally in Brisbane (pictured on Saturday) as thousands turned out to march

Sydney's Town Hall was packed with protesters after the courts allowed the rally to go ahead (pictured on Saturday)

WHERE ARE THE PROTESTS PLANNED IN AUSTRALIA? Protests are set to go ahead in several Australian cities, but Sydney has now banned its planned protest. Melbourne: Sat June 6, 2pm to 5pm Parliament House, Melbourne Sydney: Sat June 6, 3pm to 5pm  Town Hall, Sydney Brisbane: Sat June 6, 1pm to 5pm  King George Square, Brisbane Adelaide: Sat June 6, 12pm to 1.30pm  Victoria Square / Tarntanyangga, Adelaide Advertisement

Australia's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said authorities have always feared an outbreak in indigenous communities.

Professor Murphy said that while people had the right to protest, mass gatherings were dangerous in the midst of a pandemic.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also urged Australians not to attend protests.

Protest organisers Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance have stressed safety of the community is paramount while also insisting the event outside Victoria's Parliament House will go ahead.

Victoria Police have warned rally organisers could be fined $1,651 because of COVID-19 restrictions and that fines could also be issued to individuals.

One person with COVID-19 at Saturday's rally could be all it takes to squander the gains made, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has warned.

Prof Sutton says people should stay home over the Queen's Birthday long weekend unless absolutely necessary.

Victoria has recorded no new cases for the first time since the pandemic began. Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said on Saturday morning there have been no new cases confirmed since Friday.

Hundreds have registered their interest in attending a candlelight vigil on the lawns of Parliament House in Hobart.

'Black Lives Matter' posters are displayed in the crowd during Adelaide's protest on Saturday (pictured) as other marches went ahead across Australia

Protest organisers Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance have stressed safety of the community is paramount during the protest (pictured, hand sanitiser station at the Melbourne protest)

Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Higgins said Tasmania Police supports people's right to protest provided it is done legally.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said there are a range of ways which people can make their feelings known.

'I support the right to protest but I also support making sure that we don't have a second wave, we need to be very conscious about health outcomes,' Mr Albanese told reporters in Queanbeyan on Saturday.

'You don't want people going to a protest and getting sick as a result of it, you don't want also there to be an outbreak and for that to spread around.'

Liberal backbencher Jason Falinski agreed.

'The concern here is one of health and it is applying the health orders to all people and to all events equally and there has to be equality in the way that the law is applied,' he told ABC television.

Protesters are pictured outside the Supreme Court in Sydney on June 5 holding up signs (pictured), ahead of Sydney's Black Lives Matter protest on June 6
Srinagar, June 6 : Timely intervention by security forces and counselling of three youths from Tral, including a teenager, helped authorities persuade them against joining militant ranks in Jammu and Kashmir and arrest two 'sympathisers' of terrorists.

Sources said that police had received secret information that some youths at Tral in south Kashmir's Pulwama district were on the verge of joining a terror outfit.

Police said the trio had contacted terrorists active in their area through two sympathisers who have since been arrested.

Security forces acted swiftly and rounded up Iliyas Amin Wani, 21, Abrar Ahmad Reshi, 17, both residents of Mandoora village in Tral, and Ubaid Ahmad Shah, 19, of Shaldraman village in Tral.

The three youths were taken to Tral police station, counselled against joining terrorists' ranks, and later handed over to their parents.

Meanwhile, Rizwan Ahmad Wani and Rayees Ahmad Chopan of Mandoora village were arrested on charge of motivating the Kashmiri youth to join terrorists' ranks.

Police alleged they were also providing logistics, shelter and other support to terrorists of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen in Panner, Mandoor, Chankitrar, Ratsuna in Tral area.

An FIR has been registered against the duo at Tral police station.
More than 100 activists have been detained by police in Kazakhstan where two opposition parties had planned to hold rallies on June 6 in several cities to demand democratic reforms. RFE/RL correspondents saw uniformed and plainclothes police snatch peaceful protesters off the streets and take them away in vans in the capital, Nur-Sultan, Almaty, and at least three other cities. In several instances, unknown people holding umbrellas tried to stop journalists from filming. The detentions come despite a more liberal law on demonstrations that came into force on June 6. The Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) party and the Democratic Party had organized the rallies, which authorities said breached social-distancing rules. They also said the new law on protests still needed a five-day notice period before being applied in practice.
The Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR) has held a training for 25 girls with disabilities at James Town in Accra on their sexual and reproductive rights.



The half day training program sought to build the capacity of the adolescent on how to protect themselves from sexual violence and exercise their legal rights.



It was part of the of the ARHR and the United Nations Populations Fund's (UNFPA) Adolescent Health Project dubbed Empowering Adolescent Girls through Improved Access to Reproductive Health Information and Services and Quality Gender-responsive SRH Services.



The project, which is supported by the Canadian Government, seeks to improve access to adolescent friendly health services among girls.



Mr Micheal Aggrey, Programs Coordinator at the Alliance, said the ARHR is implementing the project in selected metropolis in 7 regions- Nzema East Municipal in the Western Region; Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem (KEEA) Municipal in the Central Region; Ashiedu Keteke Sub-District in the Accra Metropolis, Greater Accra Region; South Dayi District in the Volta Region and Bosome Freho in the Ashanti Region.



He said many of the participants are ignorant of their sexual rights and even places to seek help should the need arise.



Mr Aggrey urged them to own their reproductive health rights and be bold enough to report anyone who tries to violate their rights to the police or the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU).



Ms Noella Appiah, Programs Manager at International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA- Ghana), said it is very important for persons with disability to know their rights due to the discrimination they often encounter.



She said they will be better off and well protected when they understand their rights.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Award-winning sound engineer, Emmanuel Zapp Mallet (a.k.a Zapp Mallet), has stated categorically that he would obviously go for Nigerian music industry if he was reincarnated.

In an interview with Sandra of RazzNews, the legendary sound engineer asserted that whoever has chosen the music profession in Ghana has chosen a very noble profession but at a crappy location.

Juxtaposing Ghanaian artists with artists of other countries, the legendary sound engineer stated that while the former are crying over hunger, the latter is rather sponsoring politicians.

The veteran record producer said that the main source of revenue for the Ghanaian artists is from shows, but artists from Francophone countries in Africa earn a lot from royalties.

According to him, the Coronavirus pandemic has made a serious hit on the pockets of Ghanaian artists, yet their songs are still being played on TV and radio without earning royalties.

He thus expressed his discontentment with the income and revenue derived from the music industry in Ghanaadding that though the Ghanaian Music industry has not served them well, they are forging on for posterity sakeso that the future leaders of the industry can possibly make a change.

Zapp Mallet who has engineered many hit songs including Ngozi (Michael Dwamena) and Puulele( Terry Bonchaka) expressed regret by emphasizing that the music profession is a noble profession, but he just found himself in an erroneous location hence he would obviously prefer to be in the Nigerian Music industry if he died and reincarnated.

Kindly watch the interview below!
Police on Saturday arrested a 30-year-old hostel warden of a boarding school in Dehradun for allegedly assaulting and sexually harassing a 9-year-old third standard student who was stranded during the lockdown.

Police said the incident happened about one month ago in the hostel of the boarding school where the victim was stranded as his parents could not come to take him home in Uttar Pradesh due to the lockdown. The child was the only student left in the school.

The incident came to light on Saturday when they finally reached school to take their son and the boys parents lodged a complaint in the evening, said police.

SK Rawat, sub-inspector, Raipur police station said, On Saturday the boys parents lodged a complaint stating that her son was stuck alone in the hostel due to the lockdown. Following the recent relaxations in lockdown when they reached school to take him with them, the school staffers were initially hesitant to let him go with them. However, when they sternly requested, they allowed the boy to go.

It was then the boy narrated his ordeal that the accused hostel warden Harish Kumar used to often assault him and forced him to clean his room. He also harassed him sexually. Shocked, the parents then immediately reached the police station and lodged the complaint, said Rawat.

The police officer informed that following the complaint, a case was immediately registered against Kumar.

He was booked for aggravated sexual act under section 9/10 of PoCSO Act and voluntarily causing hurt under section 321 and 323 of IPC. He was immediately arrested from the school premises. Police will present him in a court tomorrow, said Rawat.
SPRINGFIELD  Illinois attorney general asked Congress in a letter Thursday to grant his office the power to investigate practices of unconstitutional policing.

After Rodney King was beaten by Los Angeles police officers in 1991, federal lawmakers established the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. It allowed the Department of Justice to investigate alleged police wrongdoings.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and 17 other attorneys general who signed on to the letter requested that authority as well due to the federal governments refusal to confront the problem of police misconduct.

The violent death of George Floyd at the hands of police has rightfully shocked and outraged a nation, Raoul said in a statement. But the truth is that George Floyd and Breonna Taylor are two of the latest in a long line of African Americans who have lost their lives at the hands of police using excessive force.

Floyd, an unarmed black man, died May 25 in Minneapolis after being pinned to the ground for nearly nine minutes with a white police officers knee on his neck.

The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice launched 69 investigations between 1994, when the act took effect, and 2017, according to its website. Those inquiries resulted in 40 court orders for police departments to make changes.

But in a 2018 memo, former U.S. attorney General Jeff Sessions wrote state and local governments have the responsibility to hold their law enforcement departments accountable, not the federal government. The Department of Justice has not opened any such investigations since.

That decision has left local communities without critical protections for their civil rights, the state attorneys general wrote. Allowing their offices to undertake such analyses as well as to access statistics about police departments use of excessive force would allow much more to be done to combat an issue thousands of Americans are protesting across the country.

One thing is certain: If US DOJ continues to abdicate its responsibility to pursue police reform, someone has to take action. We stand ready to do so, the attorneys wrote. Our country cannot move ahead  indeed our country will not heal  unless we ensure constitutional policing throughout our nation and accountability for police officers who fail to follow our most fundamental law.

They noted police officers take a tremendous risk daily to protect citizens, but added communities will continue to treat them with mistrust if those who break the law are not held accountable.

The letter was also signed by attorneys general from California, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.
It seemed as good a place for an insurrection as anywhere else.

But at more than an hour away from the nearest capital city, and with no heads-up to major media outlets, Friday's revolution was not going to be televised.

It would, however, be live-streamed on social media, putting the little town of York in Western Australia  briefly  on the national stage.

Declared "historic" by the National Trust, York is WA's oldest inland settlement, with more heritage buildings within its small border than in any other town in the state.
 Flash

Italy recorded 518 new cases of COVID-19, but total active infections decreased by 1,453 to 36,976, officials said Friday.

This came two days after people in Italy were once more free to travel within their own country from June 3.

Friday's tally of new cases was up from 177 on Thursday, 321 on Wednesday, 318 on Tuesday, and 178 on Monday, the Civil Protection Department said.

Another 1,886 COVID-19 patients have recovered, bringing the total to 163,781, while a further 85 patients have died, bringing the death toll in the country since the pandemic began to 33,774.

The overall number of cases combining infections, fatalities, and recoveries rose to 234,531 cases over the past 24 hours.

FM on mission to woo tourists

Also on Friday, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio explained in a video posted on Facebook that Germany has said it will allow its citizens to visit Italy from June 15 onwards.

"This is an important day for tourist flows to Italy because after meeting with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, we agreed that starting on June 15, Germany will open to the possibility of German tourists coming to Italy," said Di Maio, speaking from the Italian embassy in Berlin.

"This is my first foreign mission (since the pandemic began)," Di Maio said, adding that he will travel to Slovenia and Greece to press for those countries to also relax restrictions on travel to Italy.

"We reopened to European countries on June 3 and we expect reciprocity, based of course on the timing of each country," the Italian foreign minister continued.

Di Maio added that Switzerland contacted him Friday to tell him it will also allow travel to Italy beginning on June 15.

"The work we are doing is crucial to helping our tourism industry, which represents approximately 15 percent of our national gross domestic product (GDP)," he said.

The tourist season in Italy usually begins in March, but according to the Italian Federation of Hotel and Tourism Associations (Federalberghi), the spring season this year was a complete bust.

"In May, for the third consecutive month, the business has de facto ground to a halt, putting the nail in the coffin of the spring season, which has been erased from the calendar this year," Federalberghi President Bernabo Bocca said in a statement Friday.

He added that 118,000 seasonal hotel jobs were lost in May and that the summer season is also at risk.

"We are apprehensive over the fate of our businesses," Bocca said, adding that unless the market picks up, "the first victims will be some 500,000 seasonal workers who will not be hired back, as well as their families."

Retail down, e-commerce up during lockdown

April retail sales volume was down by 11.4 percent compared to March, and by 28.1 percent compared to April 2019, according to estimates by ISTAT national statistics Institute out Friday.

In particular, non-food goods dropped by 24 percent in April compared to March because shops had to close due to the COVID-19 health emergency.

On an annual basis, the hardest-hit retail sectors were shoes, leather and travel goods (minus 90.6 percent), furniture and textiles (minus 83.6 percent), clothing (minus 83.4 percent), and toys and sporting goods (minus 82.5 percent).

The only kind of retail that posted an increase in April compared to March was e-commerce, which rose by 27.1 percent, according to ISTAT.

In another report published Friday, ISTAT said that according to its latest survey, Italians spent more time cooking, sleeping, and being with their children during the lockdown than they did before.

One-third of respondents said they woke up later than they used to under pre-emergency circumstances, while 67.2 percent said they spent more time with their children and 63.6 percent said they spent more time cooking.

According to the ISTAT survey, 93.6 percent of respondents said they spent their free time watching TV, while 62.9 percent said they called or video-chatted with relatives and 50 percent said they spent time communicating with friends.
Singapores largest opposition party called for a thorough review of the governments coronavirus response, citing public confusion over unclear communication and actions.

There is the perception that the governments handling of the Covid-19 crisis has certainly not included adjectives that are more commonly associated with the Singapore government, such as clarity and decisiveness, Workers Party chief Pritam Singh said in a speech to parliament on Friday. He said citizens have the right to expect a thorough review and accounting of the governments response.

This is first time the party has commented on how the government has handled the crisis overall, though it recently called for more clarity on how campaigning rules would be modified in view of the pandemic. The Peoples Action Party has held power since Singapores independence in 1965 and is widely expected to win an election that must be held by early next year. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the son of founding premier Lee Kuan Yew, has signaled he intends to step aside by the time he turns 70 in 2022.

In the administrations handling of the virus outbreak, Singh said the public seemed to be confused by many piecemeal announcements, U-turns and positions that didnt gel intuitively, such as limiting visits to relatives even after safe-distancing rules on public transport were lifted.

The opposition leader took exception with the governments resistance to requisitioning mask supplies as other nations had done, probably with an eye on the future so that international companies would always see Singapore as a reliable place to do business.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said in parliament on Friday that the government consulted a wide range of people to decide on its response. The government so far has announced S$93 billion ($67 billion) of stimulus, of which Heng said 80% is committed to helping supporting businesses and workers in the city-state, where unemployment is expected to rise to a record of more than 100,000 this year.

In a separate speech to the legislature Friday, Workers Party member Leon Perera criticized the administrations technocratic zeal in issuing too many rules that were often qualified or changed after being announced. He suggested the government should consider leaving the choice to business owners on how they would like to resume operations while still adhering to safe distancing rules.

We need to find the right balance between protecting livelihoods and protecting lives, Perera said.
A member of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Jaha (APC-Borno), says he regrets comments he made on Thursday during a House debate on rape.

He apologised to Nigerians, especially women.

Mr Jaha, in an interview with journalists on Saturday in Abuja, recalled his comments at the debate that women should cultivate a habit of proper dressing to avoid unnecessary harassment from men who could not control themselves.

Nigerians have in the last week debated a seeming rise in the incidence of rape and violent sexual attacks.

At least two women have died in recent weeks after being sexually attacked by yet-to-be-identified assailants.

The lawmaker, representing Chibok, Damboa, Gwoza Federal Constituency of Borno, said he regretted making such a statement as it affected the sensitivity of women.

I have made a mistake that has offended the sensibilities of fellow Nigerians and indeed, fellow human beings, particularly women who are our mothers, wives, sisters and daughters.

While I totally reaffirm my position that rapists should face the death sentence, I regret the part that talks about the dressing of women.

I deeply apologise for this position, because as some have rightly argued, my comments, could imply that women who are victims, share the blame of being raped.

This clearly, could not have been the intention of someone who suggested the death penalty for rapists, Mr Jaha said.

The lawmaker said as human, he was bound to make mistake.

According to him, mistakes are for those who make efforts, but get it wrong. It is then left to them to own up to their mistakes, take responsibility, tender apology and dedicate themselves to genuine repentance, he said.

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Mr Jaha said a womans choice of dressing should not justify rape, saying that if women who are the weaker sex show discipline by looking away when men are not well dressed, men should even do better.

I know that it is a divine responsibility for every good man to protect and preserve the pride of a woman.

Most women are born with natural strength of endurance, that is why they are able to go through childbirth, to nurture families, take care of relations and still able to earn descent livelihoods.

Women do things with completeness. I admire this so much, because I have benefited from the sincerity and commitment of women.

I hold women with the highest respect, with great pride and with so much love that is pure and responsible, the parliamentarian added.

Mr Jaha also apologised to his colleagues in the house and his constituents who might have been disappointed by his comments, especially female lawmakers.

He called for the domestication of Violence Against Persons and Prohibition Act and other relevant laws against gender-based violence in the country.

(NAN)
Cairo, Giza and Qalyubia top Egypts governorates in the number of infections, Egypt's health ministry said

Egypt's health ministry reported on Saturday 1,497 new coronavirus infections, bringing the countrys total number of confirmed cases to 32,612 since the detection of the first case on 14 February.

Health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement that the new cases were detected through the ministrys investigation and contact tracing protocols.

The statement added that the total number of COVID-19 deaths has now reached 1,198 nationwide, after announcing 32 deaths today.

Megahed also said that 380 patients have fully recovered and left isolation hospitals on Saturday, which brings the total number of recoveries from the virus so far to 8,538 cases.

The number of people whose test results have turned from positive to negative, including the full recoveries, has now reached 9,603.

"The governorates that have recorded the highest rate of coronavirus infections are Cairo, Giza and Qalioubia, while the governorates of the Red Sea, Marsa Matrouh and South Sinai recorded the lowest rates," Megahed said, adding that he urges citizens to adhere to preventive measures and follow social distancing guidelines.

The health ministry recently adopted clinical examination results, chest x-rays, and laboratory analyses as a means of diagnosing suspected cases of coronavirus, with those testing positive to start receiving treatment immediately until the result of the PCR test appears.

Health Minister Hala Zayed said in a separate statement on Saturday that the coronavirus' treatment protocols that Egypt adopts "are constantly updated."

The latest update, the minister says, includes the removal of the drug "Tamiflu" from the treatment protocols, as it has not proven effective in treating patients, while the use of the antimalarial drug "Hydroxychloroquine" remains within the treatment protocols.

Egypt recorded its the highest single-day rise in coronavirus infections last Sunday 31 May with 1,536 positive cases, and its biggest daily spike of deaths on Tuesday 2 June with 47 fatalities.

On Friday, Zayed reiterated the ministrys plea for those who have recovered from coronavirus to head to the nearest ministry-affiliated blood transfusion centre to donate plasma to contribute to the treatment of critical coronavirus cases, stressing that they should do so only after 14 days have passed since the date of their recovery.

The blood transfusion centres open for blood donations include the National Centre for Blood Transfusion in Giza's El-Agouza district, in addition to a number of centres in the governorates of Alexandria, Minya, Luxor and Gharbiya, a statement by the ministry said.

"The blood plasma experiments have shown promising initial results, with a good patient recovery rate and a reduction in the need for ventilators," the minister said.

The ministry first introduced the plasma therapy trials in Egypt on 30 April.

Meanwhile, the government has begun reopening a number of suspended facilities and businesses, as it is looking to return to normal operations starting the second half of June, cabinet spokesman Nader Saad said last week.

Marking this gradual reopening, the cabinet has issued a decree making the wearing of facemasks mandatory in public places starting 30 May.

Since the start of last week, facemasks have become obligatory for workers or visitors at markets, shops, banks, governmental or private institutions, as well as for commuters taking public or private transportation, with violators facing a fine of up to EGP 4,000.

Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea said last week in a telephone interview with MBC Misr Channel that washable cloth masks, which can be reused up to 30 times, will be available within days for commercial sale at EGP 5.

"While the normal mask is disposable, the cloth mask will be valid for repeated use  from 20 to 30 times  provided that it is washed daily," Gamea said, adding that masks have become a necessity in the daily life of Egyptians.

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A Nigerian man in a video posted on Twitter has accused some police officers on a highway of forcefully removing his car battery because he refused to give them a bribe.

The video was posted on the microblogging site on Saturday by The Viral Trendz (@TheViralTrendz).

The Viral Trendz said on Twitter in its description of the video, Nigerian police officers seen removing battery from a road users car as the driver allegedly refused to give bribe during a stop-and-Search.

 Nigerian Police Officers Seen Removing Battery From A Road User's Car As The Driver Allegedly Refused To Give Bribe During A Stop And Search. pic.twitter.com/Q0dzzchO7U  VyralTrendz (@TheVyralTrendz) June 6, 2020

Two mobile police officers are seen in the video closing the bonnet of a Lexus car, as they walked away with the car battery, towards a police truck parked by the roadside.

Altogether, there were about five officers around the scene of the incident.

The man, apparently the car driver, is heard yelling at the police officers. His face is not shown in the video.

You dey see wetin police dey do? The unidentified driver said in Pidgin English. You dey carry my battery, abi?

The money wey you wan make for this road today, if you make am make I change my name. You no go make-am.

Throughout the 21-seconds video, the officers were not seen or heard demanding bribe from the driver.

The Complaint Response Unit (@PoliceNG_CRU) of the Nigerian police has requested information on where and when the incident happened to aid in their investigation.
Patients with raised blood pressure have a two-fold increased risk of dying from Covid-19, new research revealed yesterday.

The researchers, who included a team from NUI Galway, found that patients with high blood pressure who were not taking medication to control it were at even greater risk of dying from the virus. The findings were published in the 'European Heart Journal'. The expert team at NUI Galway collaborated with a team in China.

They analysed data from 2,866 patients with Covid-19 who were admitted to Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan, China, between February 5 and March 15.

Of these patients, 29.5pc (850) had a medical history of high blood pressure.They found that 34 out of 850 coronavirus patients with high blood pressure died compared with 22 out of 2,027 patients without the condition. This was a 2.12-fold increased risk after adjustment for factors that could affect the results, such as age, sex and other medical conditions.

Among the patients with high blood pressure who were not taking medication for the condition, 11 out of 140 died from coronavirus. This compared with 23 out of 710 of those who were on blood pressure treatment. This amounts to 2.17-fold increased risk after adjusting for confounding factors.

The researchers include Professors Patrick W Serruys, Osama Soliman and Yoshi Onuma, who recently joined experts in the field of cardiology at NUI Galway.

Prof Serruys said: "There are three remaining questions, and we hope our clinical trial in Ireland will answer the first two: what kind of medication should be given to Covid-19 patients with high blood pressure - RAAS (renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system) inhibitors or non-RAAS inhibitors. And could these medications mitigate the risk of dying in these patients? The last question is whether or not RAAS inhibitors influence the risk of infection for Covid-19."

As this is a retrospective and observational study, it cannot show a causal relationship between RAAS inhibitors and the risk of dying from Covid-19. Other limitations include the inability to include all relevant confounding factors.
Chron.com is following the latest headlines on the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the Houston area.

7:51 p.m.

Texas saw the the single-largest daily increase in new coronavirus cases Saturday, with nearly 2,000 new confirmed cases. According to a new update from Houston Chronicle's Jordan Rubio, this alarming new statistic pushes Texas to more than 74,700 confirmed cases, and the death toll has risen to 1,830.

8:05 a.m.

The Texas Medical Center has seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases since the reopening of Texas on May 1. Cases of COVID-19 have jumped in the Houston region from 267 on May 22 to 358 on June 4.

Data compiled from hospital systems in the Texas Medical Center reveals an increase in the percentage of ICU admissions of coronavirus patients. At 16 percent, the data elevates to the level of "moderate concern" in TMC's ICU bed capacity model as of June 4.

According to Houston Methodist's ICU director, Dr. Faisal Masud, there's been a steady climb in COVID-19 patients who have recently been admitted to the hospital.

"I'm watching these numbers very closely," Masud said. "With recent mass demonstrations, instead of social distancing, there's actually social gathering. Within the next 7 days, I'm concerned about what kind of volume of patients could we see."

Read more in this update. Follow the Houston Chronicle's reports on COVID-19 here.

7:16 a.m.

There are now 6,797,633 confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide as of Saturday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. now leads the world with 1,906,060 confirmed cases, and the death toll has risen to 109,305.

The confirmed COVID-19 cases in Texas have climbed to 71,613, with a death toll of 1,788, according to Texas Health and Human Services. There are currently 13,603 active cases in Harris County.
Anti-police violence protests around the Eiffel Tower have been banned due to coronavirus restrictions, Paris authorities have said.

In addition to this, demonstrations outside the US embassy  also planned for Saturday afternoon - have been barred from going ahead over public health concerns.

La Prefecture de Paris, the capitals police force, said lots of people could be drawn to the protests, while current lockdown rules only allow 10 people to gather outside at a time.

In a statement banning the planned demonstration along the Champs-de-Mars, the park around the Eiffel Tower, police said: Any large gathering could be a breeding ground for Covid-19 infections in an area where it continues to spread.

Police said they also feared public disorder following protests earlier in the week.

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

An estimated 20,000 people defied a virus-related ban and protested against racial injustice and heavy-handed police tactics in the French capital on Tuesday as global outrage over the death of George Floyd in the US has kindled frustrations in other countries.

Tear gas choked Paris streets as riot police clashed with demonstrators and firefighters struggled to put out multiple fires which had been lit during the protest.

People paid homage to Floyd  a black American who died after an officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes  and Adama Traore, a French black man who died in police custody several years ago.

As long as police arent convicted, we will keep coming out in the streets, his sister said.

The 24-year-olds family believe he suffocated to death after three police officers piled on top of him and pinned him to the ground on his stomach during an arrest.

The facts of the case have been much-disputed, with an export report released last week exonerating the police officers and saying his death was down to factors including underlying medical conditions and hot weather . It was quickly contradicted by another medical expert assessing the case on behalf of his family.

No one has been charged with Traores death to date.

Protesters around the world have descended on the streets to support the Black Lives Matter movement and demand justice for Floyd following the 46-year-olds death in Minneapolis in late May.

Laissez Nous Respirer: People attend a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Paris earlier this week (Reuters)

French government spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye dismissed comparisons between police violence in France and the US on Wednesday, claiming there was no systemic state violence in France.

Some law enforcement officials in France have been accused in recent years of disproportionate use of force, particularly during the Yellow Vest protests in 2018 and 2019, during which tear gas and water canons were used against crowds.

The government has always rejected the term police violence despite repeated criticism from human rights organisations.

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, announced a plan at the start of the year to improve the ethics of the security forces.

Additional reporting by agencies
BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua)  Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for "China-France contributions" to winning the global battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

China and France need to continuously support the international community joining hands against the pandemic, Xi said in a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Xi stressed that China and France have maintained high-level strategic coordination since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak. Noting that the spread of the coronavirus has not been effectively contained globally, Xi said that solidarity and cooperation are the right way forward.

The two countries, he added, should promote joint research, support international cooperation in vaccine and drug research and development, step up efforts to implement the consensus reached at the 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA), and enhance support for the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Chinese president said the two countries should also carry out more trilateral cooperation against the COVID-19 pandemic among China, France and Africa and support countries in such underdeveloped regions as Africa in fighting the epidemic.

China and France should uphold multilateralism and promote world peace and stability, he added.

Xi said he stands ready to maintain close communication with Macron, work to chart the course, and push for sound and stable development of bilateral relations.

He said the two countries should look to the post-pandemic future, draw a blueprint for exchanges at all levels in the next stage and carry out dialogue and exchanges in a prudent, orderly and flexible manner.

China and France, Xi added, should strengthen coordination and alignment of their macro-economic policy for post-pandemic recovery, tap the potential of cooperation in traditional areas and expand cooperation in emerging sectors.

Noting that the Chinese market is open to France, Xi said he hopes that the French side will make full use of the "fast track" arrangement to facilitate business trips to China so as to help French enterprises in China resume business, and meanwhile create a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies.

Xi pointed out that China and the European Union (EU) are comprehensive strategic partners sharing broad common interests.

He said China is pleased with the progress achieved in EU integration and stands ready to strengthen strategic cooperation with the EU, advance major political agendas between the two sides, support multilateralism, and jointly tackle such global challenges as public health, climate change and biodiversity, so as to work for sound and steady development of China-EU relations.

For his part, Macron said that France and China have carried out good cooperation and demonstrated solidarity in the fight against the pandemic, adding that the French side hopes to continuously strengthen cooperation with the Chinese side by upholding this spirit.

Noting that the French side appreciates the announcement made by Xi that China's COVID-19 vaccine, once available, will be made a global public good, Macron said that France stands ready to work with China to implement the consensus reached at the WHA, support the WHO in playing its important role, enhance cooperation with the WHO, and increase support to African countries in fighting the pandemic.

Expressing his wish to visit China again at an early date, Macron said he hopes that related departments of the two countries could maintain dialogue and communication, deepen mutual understanding, and promote key cooperation projects, adding that the most urgent task is to speed up resumption of work and production.

Macron also said that France is willing to work with China to safeguard multilateralism and strengthen cooperation in such fields as climate change and biodiversity, so as to inject more positive factors into world peace and stability.

France attaches great importance to a series of major exchanges between the EU and China in the next phase, Macron said, adding that the French side stands ready to play an active role in this regard.

(Source: Xinhua)
Bay Area companies, particularly those in the tech industry, have committed tens of millions of dollars to groups focusing on racial justice and police reform. The efforts came as a Minnesota officer was charged with the second-degree murder of George Floyd, a black man, whose death sparked protests around the world.

Airbnb: The home rentals company is donating a total of $500,000 to the NAACP and the Black Lives Matter Foundation and matching employee donations. Discrimination is the greatest threat to a community built on belonging and acceptance. It cuts to the core of who we are and what we believe in. Airbnb stands with Black Lives Matter, and we reject racism, bigotry, and hate, the company said.

Apple: CEO Tim Cook wrote that Apple is donating an unspecified amount to organizations including the Equal Justice Initiative. 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 the Black community  we see you. You matter and your lives matter, he wrote.

Cisco: The San Jose company is committing $5 million to Equal Justice Initiative, Black Lives Matter and an internal fund for fighting racism and discrimination. We need ACTION to eradicate racism, inequality, and injustice, CEO Chuck Robbins said on Twitter.

Electronic Arts: The Redwood City video game maker is donating $1 million to the Equal Justice Initiative and the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and other groups to come.

Facebook: CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company is donating $10 million to racial justice groups that is it working with employees to identify. Facebook workers have criticized Zuckerberg for allowing a post by President Trump threatening violence against protesters to stay online.

Google: The search giant is donating $12 million to organizations including the Center for Policing Equity and the Equal Justice Initiative. It is also offering $25 million in Google ad grants. The company is matching an additional $2.5 million in employee contributions, the largest giving campaign in company history, CEO Sundar Pichai wrote in a blog post. Googles YouTube division also committed $1 million to the Center for Policing Equity.

Intel: The Santa Clara company is donating $1 million to nonprofits and community organizations and matching employee donations to groups including Black Lives Matter Foundation, the Center for Policing Equity and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

Lyft: The ride-hailing company is providing $500,000 in ride credit to National Urban League, NAACP, National Action Network, Black Womens Roundtable and National Bail Fund Network.

Salesforce: San Franciscos biggest private employer donated $1 million to the NAACP and last month partnered with BET and United Way to donate $500,000 for black families affected by the crisis.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Slack: CEO Stewart Butterfield and his partner, Away co-founder Jennifer Rubio, are giving $700,000 to Black Lives Matter, NAACP, the Bail Project, the Equal Justice Initiative, the Center for Policing Equity, Campaign Zero, Project Nia, Color of Change, Until Freedom, Loveland Foundation. They are also matching donations up to $300,000.

Square: The San Francisco payment processors Cash App division is donating $50,000 each day to a justice-focused organization for 10 days. Its first contribution on Friday was to East Oakland Collective, a community group focused on organizing and homeless services. Cash App is also matching contributions from others to the groups.

Stripe: The payments processor is waiving $1 million in fees for nonprofits combating racism and $100,000 each to unidentified organizations working to reform policing and criminal justice.

Uber: The ride-hailing company is donating $1 million to the Equal Justice Initiative and the Center for Policing Equity.

Roland Li is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf
Artists memorialize George Floyd with murals and street art along Wilmington Ave. and 105th St. in Watts. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

So many people are talking now. I have resolved to listen.

It's the respect that is being requested of those of us who are not black by the leaders of the protests filling our streets in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

They have been fighting for justice for years without the enormous support they're now getting. It doesn't seem to me too big an ask in the moment.

And so I have started to collect voices that say things I think need to be heard in this time of extraordinary truth telling.

When news broke of George Floyd's death, I was making my way for the second time through "The Warmth of Other Suns," Isabel Wilkerson's Pulitzer-Prize-winning account of the Great Migration, in which nearly 6 million black Americans left the South for the North over more than half a century in hopes of better futures, free of the kind of injustice that often got a black person lynched or burned alive, on the flimsiest of accusations, without the slightest attempt to ascertain truth.

That's what I was thinking about when I first saw Floyd die on video, before I even knew that his own family members had been part of that migration.

All of us have seen again and again how Derek Chauvin used his knee to squeeze the life out of Floyd. Many of us have knelt and stood in silence for the 8 minutes and 46 seconds that Chauvin kept that knee pressing down.

But a whole race has been pressed down in so many ways for four centuries, the Rev. Al Sharpton said Thursday in words that I know will long echo.

"The reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed of being is you kept your knee on our neck. We were smarter than the underfunded schools you put us in, but you had your knee on our neck. We could run corporations and not hustle in the street, but you had your knee on our neck," Sharpton said in his Minneapolis eulogy for Floyd.

"We had creative skills, we could do whatever anybody else could do, but we couldn't get your knee off our neck. What happened to Floyd happens every day in this country, in education, in health services and in every area of American life. It's time for us to stand up in George's name and say, get your knee off our necks."

Story continues

I've been thinking about why this moment feels different from countless others in recent years when we've learned of the wrongful killing of a black person by police. Listening to Trevor Noah's take on the wave created by a series of dominoes falling in short order was helpful.

In a recent monologue, Noah, the host of "The Daily Show" who grew up under apartheid in South Africa, put perfectly into words exactly what it was that made a Memorial Day encounter in New York's Central Park between Amy Cooper, a white woman walking her dog, and Christian Cooper, a black man who was bird-watching, such a catalyst in the growing outrage that, followed by Floyd's death, led thousands to our streets.

Christian Cooper was trying to get Amy Cooper to put her dog on a leash. She threatened to call the police and say an African American man was attacking her and then did just that.

The video Christian Cooper took of the exchange went viral at a time, Noah argued, that already was particularly raw.

"Think about how many black Americans just had read and seen the news of how black people are disproportionately affected by coronavirus and not because of something inherently inside black people but rather because of the lives black people have lived in America for so long," Noah said. "You know coronavirus exposed all of it, and now here you have this woman who ... blatantly knew how to use the power of her whiteness to threaten the life of another man and his blackness.

"It was like a curtain had been pulled back" on structural racism, he said.

"She was like, 'Oh I know. I know that youre afraid of interacting with the police because there is a presumption of your guilt because of your blackness. I know that as a white woman I can weaponize this tool against you. And I know that by the time we've sifted through who was right or wrong, theres a good chance that you will have lost in some way shape or form.' "

The devastating video of Floyd's killing, Noah pointed out, was similarly revealing: how calm Chauvin was as he killed him, how Floyd clearly posed no danger to his safety.

"There was a black man on the ground in handcuffs and you could take his life so you did, almost knowing that there would be no ramifications," Noah said.

I listen for a living. Over the years, I've collected a multitude of views about the world in which we live. As a columnist, I now regularly share my own views. Not doing so, even in the moment, doesn't come naturally.

Thinking about that, I reached out to Anna Deavere Smith, who has spent many years helping us collectively examine our attitudes toward race by interviewing a diversity of people about such moments as the 1992 L.A. riots and the 2015 death of Freddie Gray in police custody in her hometown of Baltimore and then portraying them, speaking only their own words, in multi-character one-woman shows.

In my mind, she is one of the all-time-great listeners. Her work offers us a rare opportunity to see how differently people of different backgrounds can process and interpret the same set of events.

Smith told me that she's seen too many tragic events such as the killing of Floyd to be able to say with confidence that the current protests are a turning point. "The window is so small and the curtain opens just a little bit when these things happen and then we have a very short memory and it closes again."

But she said she was heartened by the great mix of people in the protest crowds, which she believes has something to do with the more truthful versions of our nation's experience that many young people are now learning in school, thanks to those who fought to include stories far beyond those of white men.

"I think what that has done to some extent is caused people who are not black to have more questions about what's right, what's wrong, what's fair, what's not fair," she said.

She also spoke to me about how her own work and life have been so enriched by allowing in many different voices, by listening to many points of view, by creating a way "for people to step into each other's shoes." It helped her, she said, to "recover from what de facto segregation did to me."

"I really believe that there's a benefit to chasing that which is not you," she told me.

So do I. I think that it is work that is necessary to understand and feel other people's struggles deeply enough to fight for their lives as hard as you'd fight for your own.
Guwahati, June 6 : A three-member expert team from a Singapore-based emergency management firm is likely to start work on Sunday night to control the 10-day gas well blowout in the Tinsukia district of Assam, according to officials, here on Saturday.

According to OIL sources, the team, led by Michael Ernest Allcorn of the Singapore-based firm Alert Disaster Control, is expected to reach the leaking oil well on Sunday evening. "The delay in their arrival is due to Covid-19 related formalities and clearances at Singapore," sources said.

As many as 650 families, comprising 2,500 people, have been shifted to three relief camps after the state-owned Oil India's (OIL) oil well at the Baghjan village in Tinsukia, around 550 km east of Guwahati, started spewing natural gas on May 27.

OIL will pay Rs 30,000 as immediate relief to each impacted family. It was decided at the Friday's tripartite meeting at the Tinsukia Deputy Commissioner's office, which was attended by the representatives of the Baghjan Gaon Milan Jyoti Yuva Sangha and OIL officials.

Claiming that no human life has been lost due to release of natural gas, crude oil spillage or condensate during the past several years, OIL denied local media reports that four persons died at Natun Gaon (a nearby village) due to pollution from the blowout.

According to OIL, associated condensates coming out with the gas are water sprayed and collected in a pond near the well site and then transported to Duliajan. Utmost care has been taken to check spillage of condensate to surrounding areas. A barricade has been created around the well site to prevent the contaminated water runoff to surrounding and nearby water bodies.

OIL officials said poor weather conditions were hampering removal of equipment from well plinth and development of approach roads for removing equipment from the site. Local fishermen with boats have been deployed to identify oil spillage, if any, in Maguri Matapung Beel (lake) for immediate remedial action.

Meanwhile, over 45 environmentalists, academics, wildlife experts, writers, social activists and journalists have expressed concern over the environmental consequences of the blowout near the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, a biodiversity hotspot.

In a statement, they said the Baghjan oilfield was located next to the Maguri-Motapung wetland, part of the eco-sensitive zone of the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, known for migratory birds and feral horses. The villagers of this area were dependent upon the wetland and the Dangori and Dibru rivers in the Baghjan area for livelihood.
A family-run pest control company that employs just 16 people was awarded a 108million contract to supply the NHS with PPE at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, it has emerged.

PestFix, which has net assets of 18,000, received the large contract in April when the Government was under increasing pressure to meet the demand for PPE.

The revelation comes after Matt Hancock last night announced a plan to make face coverings compulsory in hospitals for all staff, visitors and outpatients from June 15.

However, a furious NHS boss insisted the decision was made 'without any notice or consultation', as other frontline workers slammed the 'pointless' announcement.

PestFix, a family-run pest control company that employs just 16 people, five of which are pictured, was awarded a 108million contract to supply the NHS with PPE at the height of the coronavirus pandemic

The firm, which has net assets of 18,000, received the large contract in April when the Government was under increasing pressure to meet the demand for PPE

Information collected by research company Tussell shows that the Government has spent a total of 340million on securing enough equipment to supply the NHS.

The Times reports that the chairman of parliaments public accounts committee Meg Hillier said: The need for PPE for frontline staff is urgent and critical but tendering outside the normal rules can be risky.

She also said that the committee, alongside the National Audit Office would be scrutinising every contract handed out by the Government.

Normally PestFix supplies customers with supplies for pest control but received the 108million contract after responding to the Governments call for help.

PestFix founder Dan England said: Some of the bigger players that would normally be supplying this were perhaps not as quick to react or as dynamic.

Chairman of parliaments public accounts committee Meg Hillier (pictured) said the committee and the National Audit Office would be scrutinising every contract handed out by the Government

Mr England disputed the reported figure of 108million but did not say whether it was too high or too low.

The contract runs for 12 months.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'We make no apologies for going above and beyond to protect staff and patients by sourcing PPE from a range of companies. As the public rightly expects, we are ensuring that our staff on the frontline are receiving the PPE they need.

The Department of Health and Social Care also said that proper due diligence is carried out for all government contracts, with some offers to supply millions of items of PPE being rejected after investigations revealed supporting documentation to be counterfeit.

PestFix has no external investors and is instead owned by the England family, being run by brothers Dan and Matt England.

The company offers a range of products that help deal with most commonly found pests such as birds, rodents, insects and animals.

PestFix is a member of the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) and the National Pest technicians Association (NPTA) and regularly sponsors and attends the training events held by both organisations.

The company, based in Littlehampton, West Sussex, also sells shooting accessories such as air gun pellets, shooting safety glasses, gun lamps and cases for guns.

The contract awarded by the government was for the supply of PPE and on their website they offer 21 different PPE products.

Pictured: A delivery of PPE at PestFix. The company secured a 108million government contract to supply the NHS with the equipment

These include: disposable gloves, goggles, face shields, an entire one person body kit, disposable hooded suits, overshoes, three varieties of gloves as well as ear plugs a sterilisation kit and beekeeping gear.

In February, the company reportedly distanced itself from Cambridge University after BBC presenter Chris Packham spoke out against the university over using netting to cover trees and prevent birds from nesting.

The company provided the nets but said they disapproved of how they had been used by Cambridge.

In a tweet they said: 'PestFix are disappointed to learn that our products are being used in this way, we have no control over our customers when they decide to use these products for applications that are contrary to our written instruction manuals.

'Our instructions state the use of bird netting on manmade structures only, there is no reference to trees, hedgerows etc.'

In other developments to Britain's coronavirus crisis today:

Care homes are still waiting for Covid tests after weeks of asking - as government rushes out kits to all residences where people are all aged over 65

Boris Johnson is drawing up a 'Great Recovery Bill' to slash red tape and help get the economy moving again

Militant union chiefs vow to strike over government's plan for volunteer 'army' to hand out free face masks on London Tubes

Matt Hancock warns protesters not to gather at George Floyd demonstrations this weekend amid fears they are spreading the virus

WHO finally says everyone should wear a mask while in shops, on public transit or anywhere you can't keep six feet apart

Prince William and Kate Middleton reveal they've been secretly answering crisis helpline calls and phoning people who are vulnerable during the pandemic

Health Secretary says country could have localised restrictions after data reveals the crucial R rate is above 1 in North West and South West

The Health Secretary's announcement that all staff must wear masks came after a similar move on Thursday, when it was revealed face coverings would be compulsory on public transport from the same day.

Mr Hancock said it was required to protect all hospital workers as NHS units gradually reopen their doors for procedures that were delayed by the coronavirus response.

But the announcement sparked fury from leaders in the health service, as Chris Hopson, CEO of NHS Providers accused the Government of 'rushing' decisions, which he said were 'overly influenced by politics and the need to fill the space at the Downing Street press conferences'.

Speaking on BBC Radio Four's Today programme, he said: 'Two major changes on the use of PPE and on visiting policy were announced late yesterday afternoon at the end of what, to be a frank, was a busy, difficult and hard week for our trust leaders, with absolutely no notice or consultation.

Medical and other staff will have to wear surgical masks at all times, the Health Secretary announced last night

Chris Hopson, CEO of NHS Providers, pictured, accused the Government of 'rushing' decisions which he said were 'overly influenced by politics'

Mr Hopson tweeted last night that the change was announced 'without any notice or consultation'

Militant union chiefs vow to strike over government's plan for volunteer 'army' to hand out free face masks on London Tubes Railway workers could strike over government plans for an 'army' of volunteers handing out free masks on the London Underground. Wearing face coverings on public transport will be mandatory by June 15, but the RMT union says the volunteer policy, announced by transport secretary Grant Shapps, was made without consulting staff and is considering taking action in response. A passenger, pictured yesterday, wears a face mask on the Central Line of the underground More than a million masks will be distributed at the capital's busiest Tube and bus stations on Monday before the mandatory rules kick on the following week. 'We are going to have thousands of people from the British Transport Police, Network Rail, Transport for London and actually a whole army of volunteers from a volunteer organisation, who are going to be called journey makers, who will help to remind people,' Mr Shapps said. 'They will be wearing purple tabards and they will remind you to put your face covering on.' In a letter earlier this week, the RMT said it was 'furious' that a 'backroom deal' had been done to recruit volunteers 'without even so much as conversation with rail unions'. The union's general secretary Mick Cash said: 'There is a real danger that the Government and the Rail Delivery Group are sending out a signal that as long as you cover your face you are safe to head back onto the tubes and trains regardless of whether you are an essential worker making an essential journey. RMT General Secretary Mick Cash, pictured in 2016, says his union was not consulted over the proposals and is balloting members for strike action 'It's also clear that the Government and industry bosses are expecting our members to police this policy. 'That will put over-stretched rail workers right in the front line once again and will leave them at risk of being abused, assaulted and spat at by aggressive passengers refusing to comply.' Announcing the new rules earlier this week, Mr Shapps said face coverings will be a 'condition of travel' and failure to abide by the requirement could potentially lead to fines. Young children and people with disabilities will be exempt. Advertisement

'I think it's the latest in a long line of announcements that have had a major impact on the way the NHS operates in which those organisations feel they have been left completely in the dark and they are then expected to make significant or complex operational changes either immediately or with very little notice.

'The Government asks our trust leaders to professionally lead 800,000 staff and to interact with a million patients every 36 hours but they just can't do that job properly if they're on the end of rushed out Friday afternoon announcements that they actually know very little about.'

The Department of Health insists NHS England was fully aware of last night's announcement and that bosses have more than a week to prepare, but Mr Hopson said many questions still remained.

Other hospital workers have also been left frustrated by the news, as they took to social media last night and this morning.

NHS staff member Maggie Mannifield wrote: 'Nice to find out I have to wear a mask at work via a daily briefing.....been feeling worried about working in a hospital since March, and using the same toilets, canteen, stair rails, lifts etc and touching doors....the only way I would catch it is at work with doing nothing else.'

Another frontline worker, JoJo Quinn questioned why the rule had not been brought in sooner.

She said: 'So I caught Covid in March and @MattHancock is now saying I have to wear a mask at work as I work in a hospital. Why did you not make this needed for all staff in march and perhaps i wouldn't have caught it #TooLittleTooLate #Covid19UK'.

In another tweet, she added: 'I have been working in non clinical area of my hospital for past 3 months. We are only allowed 3 in a room where usually was 5 as we work from home some days but wondering why I never had to wear a mask before now. Yet most of us caught Covid in our dept. It's too late.'

A user under the name of The Witchy Woman shared a similar sentiment, writing: 'I am now required to wear a mask at work (I'm in a hospital). Even at the peak of infection this wasn't required. Seems pointless now. I have serious concerns, most don't use single use masks but washable one and I doubt hygiene is up to scratch.'

Geriatrician Emily McNicholas, from South Yorkshire, added: 'If we now have to wear a mask at all times in the hospital, how does eating in the canteen work??'

Meanwhile, railway workers are threatening to strike over government plans for an 'army' of volunteers handing out free masks on the London Underground.

The RMT union says the volunteer policy, announced by transport secretary Grant Shapps, was made without consulting staff and concerns were raised that there would be an expectation for them to police the new rules around wearing coverings while travelling.

More than a million masks will be distributed at the capital's busiest Tube and bus stations on Monday before the mandatory rules kick on the following week.

Announcing the new rules earlier this week, Mr Shapps said face coverings will be a 'condition of travel' and failure to abide by the requirement could potentially lead to fines. Young children and people with disabilities will be exempt.

It comes as pressure grows on ministers to rethink proposals after the World Health Organisation (WHO) said last night that home-made jobs are unlikely to provide adequate protection against the virus, instead insisting on 'at least three layers of different material'.

Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said people over the age of 60 or with underlying medical conditions should wear masks in situations where social distancing cannot be maintained.

The WHO had previously recommended that only health care workers, people with COVID-19 and their caregivers wear medical masks, noting a global shortage of supplies.

NHS workers took to social media to react to the announcement that masks must be worn at all times

Elsewhere, it has emerged that care homes are still waiting for coronavirus tests despite weeks of asking, while dozens more who sent off samples ended up receiving useless results.

The government pledged to offer testing for residents and staff at every care home for the over 65s by June 6 - today - and insists it is still on track to meet that target despite fresh concerns from industry bosses.

Almost half (43 per cent) of the 264 homes which responded to a survey by the National Care Forum (NCF) said they'd been given void and inconclusive results.

Another 12 per cent said they were still awaiting results while some 13 per cent had not even been given a home testing kit, as of Tuesday.

There have even been 'hundreds' of cases of results going missing, according to BBC Radio Four's Today programme.

It comes as government data showed the number of people dying in care homes soared by 61 per cent during March and April as the Covid-19 outbreak gripped England and Wales.

Mr Hancock also revealed he had donated blood plasma to an antibody trial in London today (pictured)

ONS data shows a large spike in the number of people dying in care homes in April, the peak of Britain's coronavirus crisis, as thousands fewer people died in hospitals during that time

It comes as government data showed the number of people dying in care homes soared by 61 per cent during March and April as the Covid-19 outbreak gripped England and Wales

Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures showed hospital deaths fell by 21 per cent between March 7 and May 1, while they rose 43 per cent in private homes.

In a first-of-its-kind report, statisticians said undiagnosed cases were a 'likely explanation' for many of the 13,000 excess deaths not directly linked to Covid-19.

But it also acknowledged that thousands of people may have avoided getting medical help out of fear of catching the virus or adding extra strain to an already over-stretched NHS.

Last month it emerged that the Government had awarded 1billion of state contracts to companies without public tender.

Companies including Randox Laboratories and US-run Brake Bros were among the companies to have been handed contracts.

The Government fast-tracked the rules on awarding state contracts so that they didn't have to allow a time period for other companies to bid for the work.

The contracts included a voucher scheme for children for free school meals, providing food boxes for vulnerable people and coronavirus testing services.

At least 177 contracts have been handed to companies by the government to deal with the pandemic.

115 of those contracts were awarded under the fast-track route.
What lies beyond the pandemic? MassForward is MassLives series examining the journey of Massachusetts businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

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Hundreds filled the Worcester Public Market when it opened in February. That number will be dwindled down to whoever can fit around about 20 picnic tables when it reopens.

Allen Fletcher, the developer of the public market, said initial plans for the reopening of the Canal District space includes picnic tables on Green and Harding Streets as well as expansion into the parking lot on Harding Street.

If all goes well this weekend with Gov. Charlie Baker announcing the state can progress into phase two, Fletcher plans to reopen the Worcester Public Market on June 18.

Were just eager to get going, Fletcher said. And eager to get past that phase so we can go on to the next phase and the next phase. And then finally, at some point in the future going on all cylinders.

When the market reopens on June 18, it may not include Wachusett Brewing Company. The brewery has outdoor seating near Kelley Square. However, it doesnt have a kitchen, which places it in phase three of Massachusetts reopening plan.

With them, the answer is a definitive I dont know, Fletcher said. Obviously, they cant open as a bar room, but were hoping they will be able to operate serving people outside, but we dont have a firm answer on that yet.

The Worcester Public Market opened its doors after years of anticipation on Thursday within the Canal District.

When the market returns it will also include new vendors that, since the market closed on March 17, took the time to move into the 20,000 square foot space.

The vendors will include gourmet dog food, handmade soap, Venezuelan pastries and middle eastern baked good.

At some point after reopening, Fletcher also plans to unveil a new smart locker system that will help innovate pickup orders.

Fletcher described the lockers as similar to those used by UPS and FedEx. Food order will be put into the lockers and a code is sent to the person who placed the order. A unique code sent to the person will allow them to retrieve their order on Harrison Street.

We have the space and the configuration to do it very nicely, Fletcher said. It works well on the Harding Street side.

A pickup system was never a major part of Fletchers vision for the Worcester Public Market. Its purpose was for people to congregate to its shops, eat in its food court and linger at the brewery.

The coronavirus pandemic changed even the best laid plans. In order to survive now and in the future, Fletcher understood the importance of pickup and implementing a sustainable system.

We want to get people in here rather than just takeout, Fletcher said. Everybody in the industry says this is a brave new world and order online and pickup is now just a solid piece of the future.

MassForward is MassLive's series examining the journey of Massachusetts' small businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

Related Content:
A freight train carrying anti-coronavirus supplies departed the city of Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province Friday bound for Madrid, Spain.

The train carried 86 TEUs with about 257 tonnes of cargo, including 25.05 million face masks and 400,000 protective suits.

It will arrive in Madrid in about 20 days.

Statistics show that as of the end of May, a total of 200 China-Europe freight trains departed from Yiwu this year. The trains carried 16,672 TEUs, up 72 percent year on year.
The global electrical protective equipment market was valued at US$ 12. 89 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach US$ 15. 65 billion by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 2. 6% during 2020-2027, the forecast period considered in the study.

New York, June 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Electrical Protective Equipment Market Forecast to 2027 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Product ; End User" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05908645/?utm_source=GNW





Electrical protective equipment includes insulated tools, face and eye protection tools, respiratory protection tools, protective apparels, and head protection tools, which protect the workers from electric shocks, electric blasts, and other hazards.The equipment is primarily used in the manufacturing, construction, oil & gas, healthcare, and transportation industries to ensure the protection of workers and engineers while working in the proximity of the electrical equipment.



The rising awareness regarding workers safety and health, and the increasing industrial fatalitiesprimarily in oil & gas and mining industriesdue to the lack of electrical protective equipment are the major factors that would continue to drive the market growth in the coming years; moreover, advancements in technologies, accompanied by changing consumer needs for electrical protective equipment, is further expected to accelerate the market expansion. The rising investments in the electrical network, growth of the manufacturing sector, and regulations from associations such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are among the other key factors contributing to the market growth.



As per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is an increasing number of electrocution accidents in the manufacturing sector.Severe certification standards that compel manufacturers to produce high-quality products are favoring the growth of the industry.



Further, the power generation industries worldwide are witnessing huge growth; also, various construction and electrical projects are in the pipeline in most of the Southeast Asian countries.All these factors are anticipated to fuel the demand for electrical protective equipment in the coming years.



Moreover, the growth of the global electric vehicle industry and the escalating demand for electric vehicles are also encouraging manufacturers to set up new production plants, which would create new manufacturing jobs; thus, adding to the demand for electrical protective equipment.



The key electrical protective equipment market players profiled in this research study include 3M, Alpha Pro Tech, Ansell Ltd., Cintas Corporation, Delta Plus Group, Honeywell International Inc., Lakeland Inc., MSA, NSA-National Safety Apparel, and Mallcom (India) Ltd. In addition to these players, several other important market players were studied and analyzed during the course of this market research study to get a holistic view of the global electrical protective equipment market and its ecosystem.



Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Electrical Protective Equipment Market

The high growth rate of urbanization and industrialization in various developing countries across the globe is anticipated to offer ample growth opportunities to the market players operating in the global electrical protective equipment market, as the investments in industrial development are quite high.In addition to this, APAC is a global manufacturing hub with countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, and India; it is also a leading contributor to the global electronics and semiconductor industry growth.



The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is anticipated to cause huge disruptions in the growth of various industries in APAC.For instance, China is the global hub of manufacturing and the largest raw material supplier for various industries, and it is among one of the worst-affected COVID-19 countries.



The lockdown of various plants and factories in across the globe is affecting the global supply chains and negatively impacting manufacturing, delivery schedules, and sales of various electrical protective equipment products.



The electrical protective equipment market size has been derived using both primary and secondary sources.To begin the research process, exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the market.



The process also serves the purpose of obtaining overview and forecast for electrical protective equipment market with respects to all the segments.It also provides the overview and forecast for the market based on all the segmentation provided with respect to five major regionsNorth America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and South America.



Also, multiple primary interviews have been conducted with industry participants and commentators to validate the data, as well as to gain more analytical insights into the topic. The participants who typically take part in such a process include industry expert such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, and national sales managers along with external consultants such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders specializing in electrical protective equipment market.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05908645/?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.



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Producer Boney Kapoor on Friday said that three of his house staff members, who had tested positive for novel coronavirus, have fully recovered.

Kapoor said he and his daughters -- Jhanvi and Khushi -- have also completed their precautionary 14-day quarantine.

"Happy to share that while my daughters & I had always been tested negative, our 3 staff members who had tested positive for Covid19, have fully recovered & tested negative. Our 14 day home quarantine period has also ended & we look forward to starting afresh @mybmc @MumbaiPolice," the producer posted on Twitter.

Happy to share that while my daughters & I had always been tested negative, our 3 staff members who had tested positive for Covid19, have fully recovered & tested negative. Our 14 day home quarantine period has also ended & we look forward to starting afresh @mybmc @MumbaiPolice Boney Kapoor (@BoneyKapoor) June 5, 2020

Thanking the doctors, healthcare workers, BMC, Mumbai Police and state and central governments for supporting people across the country, Kapoor added, "Together we shall overpower COVID-19 virus".

My family and I would like to thank the Doctors, healthcare workers, BMC, Mumbai Police, State and Central Government for their help and support not just to us but to all across Maharashtra and India. Together we shall overpower Covid19 virus. @mybmc @MumbaiPolice Boney Kapoor (@BoneyKapoor) June 5, 2020

We pray for the speedy recovery of all the people who are recovering and to the rest, we urge you to Stay Safe by strictly following guidelines given by the Government. @mybmc @MumbaiPolice #Doctors #HealthcareWorkers #Covid19 #CoronaWarriors #StayHomeStaySafe Boney Kapoor (@BoneyKapoor) June 5, 2020

The filmmaker revealed last month that one of his staff members had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

On Friday, India saw a record single-day jump of 9,851 coronavirus cases and 273 deaths, pushing the nationwide infection tally to 2,26,770 and the death toll to 6,348, according to the Union health ministry.

Follow @News18Movies for more
Some 200 aggrieved contractors working with Ghana First Company Limited have pulled out of an agreement to build ultramodern toilet facilities for District Assemblies across the country.

The First Contractors Association of Ghana has since last year accused their employer of failing to pay them for work done after they he had them demolish existing toilets in the districts and municipalities to pave way for the new ones.

One of the Leaders of the Association, Gordian Wononuah told Starr News they are ready to dialogue with government on a new roadmap to get the toilets functional since most of the residents whose toilets were demolished have resulted to open defecation.

The Association is now pleading with Government to engage the Association to find a roadmap for a resolution because our members are dying and properties are being seized by the Banks and suppliers, he said.

But reacting to the story CEO of Ghana First Company Limited, Frank Akuley said the stance the contractors have taken is illegal. He has asked them to seek legal redress.

Below are details of a statement by the contractors

PRESS RELEASE

The First Contractors Association of Ghana (FCAG) wants to bring to the notice of the general public that, about two Hundred (200) contractors have abrogated their contracts with the Ghana First Company Limited as at 4th June 2020. We want to place on record that Ghana First Company Limited has not paid a dime in the construction of these projects apart from the earlier contractors who were paid monies accruing from the 2% commission which is our own money. All Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAS) are hereby informed that some members have abrogated their contracts with Ghana First Company Limited and have copied the various MMDAs. The Association wishes to bring to the attention of Government that the Association is seeking for a dialogue on what can be done about these projects that have been constructed and abandoned in all the regions. Here is the breakdown of the projects in the various regions.

REGIONAL ANALYSIS

REGIONS NO OF FACILITIES CERTIFIED INTERIM PAYMENT CERTIFICATE 1. ASHANTI 2. 2.BRONG AHAFO 3. CENTRAL 4. EASTERN 5. GREATER-ACCRA 6. NORTHERN 7. UPPER-EAST 8. UPPER-WEST 9. VOLTA 10. WESTERN 206 59 38 132 15 30 5 4 15 26 GHC54,536.58 GHC12,486,067.95 GHC6,618,126.42 GHC23,053,199.78 GHC2,591,485.20 GHC5,362,816.40 GHC782,095.30 GHC728,832.57 GHC2,512,908.43 GHC4,098,932.98 TOTAL 530 GHC92,561,472.91

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

TOTAL IPCS FOR ALL REGIONS UN-ALLOCATED REGIONS GHC92,561,47291 GHC1,401,846.65

The Association wishes to draw the attention of Government that by a letter referenced SCR/FB101/412/61 dated 9th August 2017 signed by Hon.O.B.Amoah proposed to enter into a PPP arrangement with the MMDAs was committal.

Another letter dated 29th May 2017 with reference No TA/25/227/01 and signed by Hon.Joseph Kofi Adda to all MMDAs in point 4 of the letter stated The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources has subjected the facility to technical and financial reviews and its viability and sustainability is not in doubt.

By the strength of these letters to Ghana First Company Limited, Government should have done due diligence as to whether Ghana First Company Limited had secured funding to be able to execute the projects before the company went ahead to award the jobs.

Through this set up the agenda to defraud unsuspecting contractors had commenced by Ghana First Company Limited to extort monies by reason of commissions paid to the company. The Association is now pleading with Government to engage the Association to find a roadmap for a resolution, because our members are dying and properties are being seized by the Banks and suppliers.

The Association, by this Press Release is calling on all Contractors who have not yet abrogated their contracts and are interested to terminate or abrogate to contact the following numbers;

0273431405

0244125742

0266422351
The CARES Act was a landmark, $2 trillion piece of legislation that not only provided every American with a $1,200 stimulus check and an extra $600 a week in unemployment benefits, but also put aside money for the Small Business Administration (SBA) to cover the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL). This program provides forgivable, low-interest loans to small businesses that qualify and has already been a lifesaver for many businesses that have been forced to shut their doors during the quarantine.

But as with all good things, there will always be those who take advantage, which means that these loans come with strict standards and regulations for those applying to and receiving federal funds. Although most business owners would do anything to avoid an accusation of fraud, it can be tricky to navigate this complex area of finance and legislation. Mistakes can happen. To avoid any issues cropping up in the future, here are five strategies to keep your business safe from PPP loan blunders.

1. Keep careful records regarding your PPP loan spending

Dont wait until your business is large to keep meticulous records of your spending, especially when it comes to this type of loan. Because of the strict stipulations that come along with a PPP loan, its imperative that you keep careful records of how it is spent so you can prove your compliance with the letter of the law. Your business is no doubt suffering due to this economic downturn, so do not shoot yourself in the foot by being careless when it comes to record-keeping.

Related: PPP Forgivable Loans Will be Unforgiving for Many

2. Dont use less than the minimum mandatory funds for payroll

One of the most important stipulations of forgiveness for SBA loans is that 75% of the funds must go towards payroll if the borrower is looking to get full forgiveness. Although you are allowed to include your own salary in this accounting, do not underestimate the time and effort it will take to re-hire the employees you had to let go during this time. Even if you cannot re-hire everyone, you are still required to use that same percentage of the loan towards payroll.

3. Pay yourself a typical salary

As we mentioned above, you are allowed to calculate the cost of your own salary into your PPP loan and pay yourself from these funds. If you are keeping careful records, there should be no issues producing evidence to support your calculations.

Be careful to not overspend in this category, however. You can be sure that it will be found out somewhere down the road. If you are caught embezzling these funds, you will be subject to the heavy hand of the law, including felony charges and a hefty fine, so ensure your ts are crossed and your is are dotted on every single document to avoid any issues along the line.

4. Including 1099 workers Is unnecessary

If your business often utilizes independent contractors, it is important to remember that their wages are not covered under your payroll for PPP loan funds. 1099 workers can apply for their own loans should they experience financial hardship, so there is no need to calculate extra funds to cover their expenses. Only employees who file W-2 forms each year with your company are eligible for these payroll funds.

5. Do not use PPP funds for unrelated purchases

It may be tempting to put a few more things on your company card during this tough time, but its not a good idea to use PPP funds towards non-business-related purchases, even if its an emergency. Careful record-keeping will expose small mistakes like this one, so be sure you keep your PPP funds separate from your personal expenses in order to avoid any nasty consequences down the road.

Related: 8 Legal Requirements When You Start A Business

The consequences of PPP loan blunders

If you are accused of PPP loan issues, there is no need to panic just yet, especially if youve kept records and done everything by the book. But you should know what type of punishment you are looking at even if you inadvertently commit a crime related to your SBA loan. You may be subject to not just fines, but federal felony charges that come with prison time. Here is just a brief list of the issues you could run into after receiving a PPP loan, along with the consequences you may face.

For dishonest statements made on federal applications, you could be subject to charges brought against businesses by the FBI and Inspector General. These will lead to arrest as well as felony charges. These include: FEMA fraud, SBA loans fraud, and PPP fraud.

When it comes to unemployment benefits and unemployment insurance, any business caught defrauding these systems will be subject to arrest by the district attorney and prosecution by the AG or even the FBI.

Another issue that you may run into is tax fraud, which can come about from lying or submitting dishonest information to the IRS in order to receive more funds. No one wants an issue with the IRS, and these charges can come with an arrest by the IRS Criminal Division. These also include payroll fraud, 1099 fraud, and W2 recipients fraud as well.

Any business that is shown to be committed fraud related to the health crisis, whether it's a dispute between partners and investors or employment fraud, will be subject to charges as well. Dont use the pandemic to take advantage  its not in your best interest.

Keeping your business safe

Although the consequences to these types of criminal actions are extremely serious, a skilled criminal defense attorney should be able to clear your name if you come up against false charges of fraud. Remember: The more meticulous and exact your record-keeping has been, the better off youll be in a situation like this.

Taking the strict regulations surrounding these loans seriously is not just a good idea  its essential if youre looking to run a trusted and successful business whose legacy you can be proud of.

Related: How to Stop a Frivolous Lawsuit From Sinking Your Business

Related:

How Should You Be Talking With Employees About Racism?

A Navy SEAL's Guide to Thriving in Close Quarters, Part 5: Take Breaks

Unemployment Rate Dips as May Jobs Numbers Rebound



Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Carole Baskin will take over the zoo formerly owned be Joseph Maldonado-Passage, aka Joe Exotic, and featured in Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness. This means that Jeff Lowe, who has been running the zoo since Maldonado-Passage went to prison, has to vacate. Thats fine with him and his wife, Lauren.

Jeff and Lauren Lowe | | Ruaridh Connellan/BarcroftImages / Barcroft Media via Getty Images

RELATED: Tiger King: Jeff Lowe Teases Even More Trouble to Come for Carole Baskin After Her Legal Victory Against Joe Exotic

The Lowes spoke with ET.com on June 2 about their thoughts on the court awarding Baskin the zoo, as well as their plans for a new zoo. Jeff Lowe remained positive about Baskins prospects, despite all the animosity between them as depicted on Tiger King.

Jeff Lowe hopes Carole Baskin succeeds with the Tiger King Zoo

Lowes primary concern is for the tigers. Theyre taking Maldonado-Passages tigers to their new zoo. Baskin will move her Big Cat Rescue tigers to the Oklahoma zoo. Lowe doesnt want to worry about what Baskin will do with the zoo.

Carole Baskin | Netflix

RELATED: Tiger King: Jeff Lowe Thinks Carole Baskin Would Have Lost Her Case If Joe Exotic Had Defended Himself

I dont want to pretend to climb into Carole Baskins mind because I think its a very dark place, Jeff Lowe said. Who knows what shell try? I wish her all the luck in the world. She can have this 16 acres of haunted memories.

Jeff Lowe hopes this gives Carole Baskin closure with Joe Exotic

One of Lowes hopes is that Baskin can put her animosity towards Maldonado-Passage behind her. Yes, Maldonado-Passage is in prison for hiring a hitman to kill her. Shes safe now and Lowe hopes she focuses on the tigers.

Jeff Lowe | Netflix

RELATED: Tiger King: Jeff Lowe Says Producers Have Apologized and Begged Him to Come Back

Carole, we hope this puts an end to your spite and to your hatred, Lowe said. Ive got nothing for you. Ive got nothing against you. You do your thing, Ill do mine. In the end, well let the public decide who takes better care of their animals and who is more genuine in their concern for the care of the animals.

There will be healthy competition between Carole Baskin and Jeff Lowe

When the Lowes open their new zoo, they and Baskin will have competing zoos in Oklahoma. Tiger King has resulted in controversy over any party keeping big cats in captivity. Lowe is confident his zoo will prove to be the more beneficial to animals.
Accusing WHO of ideological bias, Bolsonaro says he may follow US presidents footsteps and leave the UN health body.

Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro has threatened to pull his country out of the World Health Organization (WHO) after the United Nations agency warned governments about the risk of lifting lockdowns before slowing the spread of the new coronavirus.

Im telling you right now, the United States left the WHO, and were studying that, in the future, Bolsonaro told journalists outside the presidential palace on Friday. Either the WHO works without ideological bias, or we leave, too.

US President Donald Trump, an ideological ally of Bolsonaro, said last month that Washington would end its own relationship with the WHO, accusing the organisation of becoming a puppet of China, where the coronavirus first emerged.

Bolsonaro has followed a similar script to the US president in his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, downplaying its severity, criticising state authorities stay-at-home measures and touting the purported effects of the drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine against COVID-19.





His threat to leave the WHO came shortly before Brazil announced that its death toll from the coronavirus had risen above 35,000, the third-highest in the world behind the US and the United Kingdom.

In an editorial running the length of newspaper Folha de S Paulos front page, the Brazilian daily highlighted that just 100 days had passed since Bolsonaro described the virus now killing a Brazilian per minute as a little flu.

While you were reading this, another Brazilian died from the coronavirus, the newspaper said.

On Thursday, Brazils Health Ministry reported that confirmed cases in the country had climbed past 600,000 and 1,437 deaths had been registered within 24 hours, the third consecutive daily record. Authorities reported another 1,005 deaths on Friday night, but Bolsonaro continues to argue for quickly lifting state isolation orders, arguing that the economic costs outweigh public health risks.

In Geneva, when asked about efforts to loosen social-distancing orders in Brazil despite rising daily death rates and diagnoses, a WHO spokeswoman said a key criterion for lifting lockdowns was slowing transmission.

The epidemic, the outbreak, in Latin America is deeply, deeply concerning, Margaret Harris told a news conference. Among six key criteria for easing quarantines, she said, one of them is ideally having your transmission declining.

Bolsonaros dismissal of the coronavirus risks to public health and efforts to lift state quarantines have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum in Brazil, where some accuse him of using the crisis to undermine democratic institutions.

But many of those critics are divided about the safety and effectiveness of anti-government demonstrations in the middle of a pandemic, especially after one small protest was met with an overwhelming show of police force last weekend.

In Latin America, the virus has now infected more than 1.1 million people.

While Brazil and Mexico are seeing the highest rates of new infections, the pandemic is also gathering pace in countries such as Peru, Colombia, Chile and Bolivia.

Most Latin American leaders have taken the pandemic more seriously than Bolsonaro, but some politicians who backed strict lockdowns in March and April are pushing to open economies back up as hunger and poverty grow.
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As Indian and Chinese military commanders meet this weekend to iron out the tactical issues driving the unfolding confrontation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, political leaders in the two capitals could do worse than curl up with Tolkiens delicious tale.

The farmer went about with a high step, and luck smiled on him, reads JRR Tolkiens Farmer Giles of Ham, All seemed set fair, until the dragon came. Farmer Giles  properly Aegidius Ahenobarbus Julius Agricola de Hammo, because people were richly endowed with names in those days  becomes a hero after driving away a marauding giant with his ancient blunderbuss.

Fame, though, has its perils: the portly farmers bragging about his  mostly accidental  triumph leads his being volunteered by the King to confront a wily dragon, Chrysophylax.

Guided by his wits, which prove more useful than the magic dragon-slaying sword Caudimorax, Farmer Giles triumphs, over the King, that is. He becomes Lord of Ham, living peacefully with Chrysophylax, housed comfortably in the farms barn.

Like all fables, Farmer Giles of Ham holds out important lessons, key among them, the danger of being prisoner to ones own myth-making. As Indian and Chinese military commanders meet this weekend to iron out the tactical issues driving the unfolding confrontation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, political leaders in the two capitals could do worse than curl up with Tolkiens delicious tale.

The little picture

First up, theres the little picture: Like so many territorial disputes, the struggle over the LAC is wrapped up in cartographic imprecision and evasions. Lieutenant-General HS Panag, among others, has asserted that the Indian Army is very clear about the alignment of the LAC as we have cremated/buried our comrades who were killed in action in 1962. China stopped exactly on its claim line of 1960 and our rear posts were located on this line during the 62 War.

But the maps accompanying General Panags article show the LAC running well to the east of where China claims it reached in the 1962 war. For example, the maps show the Galwan river valley lying on Indias side of the LAC; China, in its 1962 map, claimed to have evicted all Indian posts from Galwan, and asserted the entire valley lay on its side of the LAC. The Chinese claim is affirmed in the account of the battle of Galwan in Indias official history of the war.

The LAC was never surveyed; the India-Pakistan Line of Control, by contrast, was mapped in granular detail, and recorded in documents signed by both countries. For decades, both sides dispatched small patrols into territory the other claimed, a0 largely symbolic assertion of ownership, made by leaving behind cigarette or biscuit packets at their terminal points.

Following the 1999 Kargil war, a Group of Ministers recommended a build-up of border infrastructure like roads, fearing a Kargil-like limited war with China. In the 1980s, China  helped by the fact that its troops in Tibet sit on a plateau  had significantly enhanced its logistical networks along the LAC, and set up posts in territories until then only occasionally patrolled. New Delhi, not unreasonably, didnt want the LAC drifting further west.

As Indias border works came into being, though, the Peoples Liberation Army began to push back. Beginning with the Chip Chap crisis of 2013, the PLA sought to stop Indian construction work and restrict Indian patrols in territory inside territory it claims as its own.

For the most part, the confrontations now unfolding along the LAC are of a piece with this process. The Galwan river confrontation began after the completion of a road running from the airbase at Daulat Beg Oldi, which theoretically allowed Indian troops to maintain posts in valley.

In Pangong, Beijing has responded to road-work by seeing to block Indian troops from patrolling beyond a ridge called Finger 2, well short of Indias claimed LAC.

In other circumstances, this bump-and-shove on the border would have mattered little.

The big picture

But theres a bigger picture: Ever since the 2008 global financial crisis, Beijing has come to believe the United States is leading a coalition to contain its rise. Like India, China suffered enormous hardship because of colonialism, and many in Beijing are persuaded the West seeks to protect its hegemony by denying it its rightful status as a superpower.

Indians see a fire-breathing dragon to their east; Chinas eyes are focussed on the magic swords of the dragon-slaying knights all around.

These strategic suspicions arent new. In 1955, a United States-made Mk.7-type military detonator was found to have set off the bomb that brought down an Air India Constellation sent to carry Chinas premier, Zhou Enlai, to a conference in Indonesia.

Zhou  who survived because he had cancelled his travel plans at the last minute  drew the obvious conclusions.

From 1956, the Central Intelligence Agency set about training arming insurgents who had risen against Chinese rule in Tibet. Though the CIA secret flights supplying the insurgency operated out of bases in East Pakistan, Kalimpong.

Zhou, rightly or wrongly, wasnt persuaded by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehrus repeated promises that he knew nothing of CIA activity in Kalimpong. The full historical record hasnt been declassified, but there are tantalising suggestions Zhous suspicions werent unfounded.

From Indias official war history, its clear India did consider the possibility of using military force to support Tibet in 1950, rejecting it only because the resources needed just werent available.

From 1955 on, there were a succession of Chinese military intrusions: at Barahoti, the Hipki La in Himachal Pradesh, Kaurik and Hipsang Khud. In each case, China insisted the PLA was on its own territory.

Khurnak Fort, in Ladakh, was occupied  and used as a base to supply outposts in Spanggur and Digra. Communist Party of China chairman Mao Zedong had begun drawing lines across the Himalayas in blood.

Former civil servant and scholar Sunil Khatri has argued that the real intention of the CIA operation was to fuel mutual suspicion between India and China and thus destroy the Non-Aligned Movement. If so, it succeeded.

Former CIA officer Bruce Reidels book, JFKs Forgotten Crisis, has also noted that the agencys covert operation played a role in Maos decision to invade India.

Home Minister Amit Shahs vow to retake the Aksai Chin plateau, or boycotts of Chinese-made products in India, might be driven by domestic politics but in Beijing, many see strategic design to the hawkish polemic.

As in 1962, China and India are divided not just by different perceptions of the LAC, but an ever-widening chasm of suspicion.

Toxic ambitions

Like Farmer Giles, both China and India ended up at war because of their own myth-making. Indias 1950 map of its borders included no claim to Aksai Chin, recording its Ladakh frontier with China as undefined. New Delhi didnt even come to know China had begun building a road through Aksai Chin in 1951.

The Indian government, Indias official history of the war of 1962 admits, did not come to know of the building of this road as Indian forward posts in this inhospitable and uninhabited region were far behind the map-marked boundary.

Beijings claims to Aksai Chin were, similarly, nebulous. In 1958, an official map first asserted claims over the whole of what was then Indias North-East Frontier Agency, with the exception of Tirap, as well as parts of Ladakh.

Zhou responded to Indian protests by repeating that the maps were based on old Kuomintang cartography, but added that China hadnt surveyed its boundaries, nor consulted with other countries on the issue.

For the most part, what we now think of as borders were the outcome of imperial Qing and British expansionism, asserting control, Berenice Guyot-Rechards path-breaking scholarship teaches us, over populations which had no sense of being either Chinese or Indian.

New Delhi and Beijing were both more suffused in the habits of imperialism than the citizens of either care to imagine.

Bertil Litners superb work on 1962 has demonstrated how far Maos road to war was paved by domestic concerns, among them, the need to whip up nationalist sentiment behind a regime battered by famine and economic hardship.

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, it isnt widely known in India, was driven by similar forces. In December, 1958, he rejected an offer to survey the contested boundaries.

There can be no question about these large parts of India being anything but India, Nehru wrote. I do not know what kind of surveys can affect these well-known and fixed boundaries.

The following year, Nehru rejected Zhous offer for both sides armies to to fall back 20 kilometres from their lines.

Even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping have had the wisdom to avoid being trapped in the ultra-nationalism that led to the 1962 war, its clear leaders  and public  in both countries dont share their caution.

Ill-informed posturing is increasingly driving public opinion, placing increasing pressure on leadership decision-making.

A man who has a large and imperial dragon grovelling before him, Tolkien noted may be excused if he feels somewhat uplifted. But the millions whove read the gentle fable know exactly why wielding a dragon-slaying sword can be a dangerous thing, even if you think youve won.
A group of students from Kilkennys Loreto Secondary School have stood up as young leaders, not only in Kilkenny and Ireland, but on a world stage.



The young women are the founding members of the Kilkenny Interact Club, part of the Rotary International organisation for secondary school students.



Last week, national leaders in Rotary Ireland joined with local members and the Loreto Interactors to officially charter the club, via Zoom. Despite the coronavirus lockdown the club has been active and already raising money for a local cause.



Rotary Ireland District Governor William Cross said he was thrilled to have a new Interact club established in Kilkenny. He said the young women have embarked on a life changing adventure, and will be able to do some small things to make big changes in the world.



Mr Cross said they will go on to be leaders in their school, community and beyond. As well as telling the Loreto students he will be passing on a letter of commendation from President of Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland, Donna Wallbank, Mr Cross shared the good news that Rotary will be adding to the Interact clubs fundraising.



He said he was touched that the young women were already helping in the community and have embarked on the Ice for iPads fundraiser to help provide iPads to the School of the Holy Spirit in Kilkenny. That fundraiser has raised almost 2,000 on Go Fund Me.

Mr Cross said Rotary will be giving an additional 2,000 to help with the project.



Incoming District Governor of Rotary Ireland, Conny Ovesen, said they are an amazing bunch of young women.

You have shown your parents, families, teachers and fellow students what you are capable of , she said.



Think of what you have achieved, despite Covid-19 you are still here and doing amazing work and showing commitment to your role in society. You have all shown leadership and you are all a role model for young women, not only in Kilkenny or Ireland, but the world.



Ms Ovesen shared her words of advice: Be yourselves, trust yourselves and remember to have fun while living your life.

There was praise for the students from their own school and those they have worked with in recent months, since they first came together.

Elaine ODwyer, teacher at the Loreto who helped set up the club, said they first met with representatives of Rotary Kilkenny last October. She hoped five or six of the Transition Years would be interested but was delighted when 27 of the students joined.



I am immensely proud of the young ladies, they have exceeded the hopes I had for the club, she said, adding she is so proud they didnt let Covid-19 stand in their way.

Loreto school principal, Colin Keher (left), echoed her words, saying he is very proud of the students, and the donation to their fundraiser from Rotary shows the importance of the project.



President of Rotary Kilkenny, Jason Dempsey, said the chartering of the club was exciting for all in Rotary Kilkenny. With 47 people on the Zoom conference it marked the largest ever online meeting of Rotary Kilkenny, he said, but most importantly, this is your day, this is your moment, he told them.



Eve Murphy is the founding President of the Loreto Interact club.

Its an honour for all of us to be chartered and to be founding members of this club, she told the meeting, and outlined the many activities the club members have already been involved in, including attending meetings of Rotary Kilkenny and a Rotary District meeting in Dublin, pre lockdown.



They welcomed a guest speaker from the Chifundo organisation to their club and hope to help raise funds towards the education of children in Malawi. The Kilkenny Interact club are also forging links with Interact clubs around the world.



The major project for the Interact club is the Ice for iPads fundraiser. They hope to raise 5,000 to provide iPads to students of the School of the Holy Spirit who can not access learning and educational resources during the lockdown. That has almost hit its target, but you can still donate on Go Fund Me.



Other members of the new Interact club spoke about why they joined and how they have enjoyed their involvement.

Karen Lowther, principal of the School of the Holy Spirit, thanked the Interact club for their support. What you have done for us is empower us to allow children to learn into the future. Your passion and dedication shines through, she said.
Twitter, Facebook disable Trump video tribute to Floyd over copyright complaint Facebook and Twitter logos are seen on a shop window in Malaga

By Aakriti Bhalla and Rama Venkat

(Reuters) - Twitter Inc, Facebook Inc and Instagram disabled President Donald Trump's campaign tribute video to George Floyd on their platforms on Friday, citing copyright complaints.

The clip, which shows photos and videos of protest marches and instances of violence in the aftermath of the death of Floyd while in police custody in Minnesota, has Trump speaking in the background.

It was not clear what copyright image prompted the complaint, but California lawyer Sam Koolaq told Politico his firm submitted copyright complaints to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Koolaq did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Floyd's death last week after a fatal encounter with a police officer has led to nationwide protests.

Late Friday, Trump criticized the removal by Twitter. "They are fighting hard for the Radical Left Democrats. A one sided battle. Illegal," he wrote on Twitter.

Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey responded in a tweet, "Not true and not illegal"

"This was pulled because we got a DMCA complaint from copyright holder," Dorsey added.

The social media site said it responds "to valid copyright complaints sent to us by a copyright owner or their authorized representatives."

Facebook, which owns photo and video-sharing network Instagram, said it removed the post after receiving the creator's copyright complaint under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

"Organizations that use original art shared on Instagram are expected to have the right to do so," Facebook said in a statement.

The three-minute, 45-second video was tweeted by Trump's campaign on Wednesday. It was also uploaded on Trump's YouTube channel and his campaign's Facebook page. The clip has garnered more than 1.4 million views on YouTube and Facebook combined.

YouTube's parent, Alphabet Inc, said the video the Trump campaign uploaded was not identical to the one uploaded to Twitter. The content identified in the copyright complaint was not present and the site did not remove the video, YouTube said.

Twitter has been under fierce scrutiny from the Trump administration since it fact-checked Trump's tweets about unsubstantiated claims of mail-in voting fraud. It also labeled a Trump tweet about protests in Minneapolis as "glorifying violence."

Story continues

Trump has pledged to introduce legislation that may scrap or weaken a law that shields social media companies from liability for content posted by their users.

In the past, Twitter has taken down at least two of Trump's videos that had music from the soundtrack of the Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises" and Nickelback's "Photograph."

(Reporting by Aakriti Bhalla and Rama Venkat in Bengaluru and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Richard Chang and Leslie Adler)
Long-sought federal funding for the Gateway Tunnel would be included in a five-year, $500 billion transportation bill proposed by House Democrats.

The measure would set U.S. transportation policy and would replace the existing law scheduled to expire Sept. 30. It would allocate federal funds for roads, bridges, transit and railroads

It would begin programs to fortify infrastructure against the impacts of climate change, reduce carbon emissions, increase bus-only lanes to boost ridership, and improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.

And it would eliminate the local share for projects during the first year to help states and localities recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

The bill still would have to pass the House and Senate and be signed by President Donald Trump, who has talked about working with Democrats to fund infrastructure projects, most recently as a way to boost help restart the economy.

And House Republicans already raised objections to the legislation, calling it nothing more than a partisan bill.

Trump has opposed Gateway, even threatening to shut down the federal government at one point rather than fund the project, but his administration did make the new Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River eligible for federal assistance.

While the legislation cannot earmark funding for any specific project, it does create a new program designed to direct funding to the proposed new Hudson River train tunnels.

The key for Gateway is creating a new program to fund projects of regional and national significance, said Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-7th Dist., a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. That is designed very consciously to facilitate and speed funding for Gateway and perhaps handful of similarly important projects around the country.

That section is written very much for Gateway in mind, he said.

Malinowski said that another project that could qualify for funding under this new program is a replacement of a bridge across the Ohio River into Kentucky, home of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Amtrak, which owns the existing Hudson River tunnels that need to be repaired, would see a boost in funding for the Northeast Corridor, providing another source of funding for Gateway.

The bill would emphasize that federal loans that have to be paid back qualify as the local share for funding. Congress earlier passed legislation to overrule federal transportation officials who said such refused to count such loans.

The Gateway Program Development Corporation called the legislation a dramatic step forward in rebuilding our nations infrastructure, including the Hudson Tunnel project.

And Malinowski said he would offer an amendment to penalize the U.S. Transportation Department for its delay in issuing an environmental impact statement allowing Gateway to move forward. The department originally gave itself a deadline of March 2018.

Under the proposal, the Office of the Transportation Secretary would lose one employee for every month it has delayed issuing the impact statement.

Were not going to mention Gateway in that it would apply to any major project if they inexplicably delay the issuance of the environmental impact statement, Malinowski said.

The measure is known as the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act, or INVEST in America Act.

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Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com.
Taking note of the death and the claim, the Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration ordered an inquiry into the matter.

An eight-month pregnant woman died in an ambulance here after a frantic 13-hour hospital hunt failed to find her a bed as over half-a-dozen facilities denied her treatment, her family claimed on Saturday.

Neelam, 30, and her husband Vijender Singh, 30, knocked the doors of eight hospitals, including government ones, before she died in the ambulance outside a facility in Greater Noida on Friday, the family told PTI.

Taking note of the death and the claim, the Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration ordered an inquiry into the matter.

A resident of Khoda colony on the Noida-Ghaziabad border, Neelam was eight months pregnant and undergoing treatment at Shivalik Hospital here, a private facility, for pregnancy-related complications, her husband said.

On Friday, the hospital refused to admit her and then they were forced to run from one facility to another, he added.

"We first went to the ESI hospital. Thereafter, we went to a hospital in Sector 30 (the Child PGI), from there we went to the Sharda Hospital and then to the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Greater Noida. But all refused to admit her," the man is seen alleging in a video circulating on social media.

He said the family also tried to get admission in the private facility Jaypee, Fortis Hospital in Gautam Buddh Nagar and Max in Vaishali, Ghaziabad, but were allegedly told that no beds were available.

"Kul mila ke humari ambulance mein hi death ho gayi (ultimately, she died in the ambulance). Finally, we got to the GIMS where she was put on a ventilator but it was too late," he said.

Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Suhas L Y ordered a probe into the episode.

"Additional DM Munindra Nath Upadhyay and Chief Medical Officer Deepak Ohri will probe the matter. The DM has instructed them to immediately carry out a probe and take action," an official statement said.

This is at least the second instance within a fortnight when a life has been lost in Gautam Buddh Nagar due to unavailability of timely medical treatment.

On the night of 25 May, a newborn child had died due to lack of medical support as his father kept running from one hospital to another between Greater Noida and Noida.

The district administration had carried out a probe in that matter too and pinned the fault on two private hospitals for alleged negligence.
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Vehicles are stuck in a traffic jam in Hanoi's Nguyen Trai Street, May 11, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh.

Hanoi had the most polluted air in Vietnam last month, with the highest PM2.5 levels and AQI, a recent government report showed.

The report by the Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) published on Wednesday showed that its PM2.5 level was 22-48 g/m3, while for Ho Chi Minh City it was 8-30 g/m3.

The capital recorded AQI of 45-92 last month while HCMC recorded between 18 and 61, the report showed.

The report used data collected from several stations in Hanoi, HCMC, Ha Long, Viet Tri in the northern province of Phu Tho, Da Nang, Hue, and Nha Trang.

PM2.5, also described as super fine particles, is a fraction of the width of a human hair and comes from vehicles and factories and natural sources like dust.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Air Quality Guideline recommends an annual mean exposure threshold of 10 g/m3 to minimize health risks.

Air Quality Index (AQI) is used by government agencies to tell the public how polluted the air is or could be. AQI levels above 100 are considered unhealthy.

Hanois AQI levels showed that the city enjoyed either good or average air quality for around 90 percent of May, though it varied in different parts.

Vietnam as a whole, however, enjoyed better air quality last month compared to April, with lower levels of PM2.5, according to the report.

VEA cited the beginning of the rainy season as a factor affecting air quality in May.

Vietnam ranked fourth in the number of pollution-linked deaths in the Western Pacific region, the Pollution and Health Metrics report by the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution said last December.

An estimated 71,365 Vietnamese lost their lives to pollution in 2017, the latest year for which data was available, according to the report. The number included 50,232 killed by air pollution.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that more than 60,000 deaths in 2016 from heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pneumonia in Vietnam were linked to air pollution.
The inequalities in American health care extend right into the hospital: Cash-strapped safety-net hospitals treat more people of color, while wealthier facilities treat more white patients.

Why it matters: Safety-net hospitals lack the money, equipment and other resources of their more affluent counterparts, which makes providing critical care more difficult and exacerbates disparities in health outcomes.

The big picture: A majority of patients who go to safety-net hospitals are black or Hispanic; 40% are either on Medicaid or uninsured.

The other side: Wealthy hospitals, including many prominent academic medical centers, are "far less likely to serve or treat black and low-income patients even though those patients may live in their backyards," said Arrianna Planey, an incoming health policy professor at the University of North Carolina.

An investigation by the Boston Globe in 2017 found black people in Boston "are less likely to get care at several of the citys elite hospitals than if you are white."

The Cleveland Clinic has expanded into a global icon for health care, but rarely cares for those in the black neighborhoods that surround its campus, Dan Diamond of Politico reported in 2017.

Between the lines: The way the federal government is bailing out hospitals for the revenues they've lost during coronavirus is exacerbating this inequality. More money is flowing to richer hospitals.

For example, the main hospital within University of Colorado Health has gotten $79.3 million from the government's main "provider relief" fund  about the same amount as Cook County Health, Chicago's public hospital system, which predominantly treats low-income black and Hispanic people. It has gotten $77.6 million from that pot.

The Colorado system, however, is sitting on billions of dollars in cash and investments that Chicago's safety-net hospitals don't have. Chicago has also seen a worse coronavirus outbreak.

The bottom line: Poor hospitals that treat minorities have had to rely on GoFundMe pages and beg for ventilators during the pandemic, while richer systems move ahead with new hospital construction plans.

Go deeper:
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday a few hospitals lying about the number of beds for patients of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) available with them wont be spared.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that it is non-negotiable and private hospitals will have to treat Covid-19 patients in the national capital.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

Please give me a few days We will end this business of black marketing of beds, Kejriwal said during a video conference.

Also Watch | Black-marketing of hospital beds: Delhi CMs warning over Covid treatment

The chief minster said his government launched a mobile application to stop the black marketing of beds.

We thought of making the information about the number of beds and ventilators in hospitals transparent. There was an uproar over it as if we committed a crime, Kejriwal said.

He alleged some hospitals are lying about beds even though the information on the app is updated by them.

Kejriwal had launched the mobile application on Tuesday to help people know about vacant beds in the hospital in the national capital.

We have been telling you that the Delhi government has made adequate arrangement for Covid-19 patients - in terms of the number of hospitals, beds in there, the ICU facility in those hospitals and how many ventilators are there, Kejriwal had said while addressing a press conference on Tuesday.

The app will be updated twice every day once at 10am and then at 6pm.

Kejriwal said if the app shows information about empty beds in a hospital but its staff refuses to admit them, they can call on the helpline number 1031.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 17:57:39|Editor: huaxia

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Wuhan was a city first hit hard by coronavirus during the COVID-19 outbreak. The city was put under an unprecedented lockdown on Jan. 23 to contain the spread of the virus. Amid the lockdown, a Chinese entrepreneur in Wuhan helped Japan evacuate hundreds of Japanese nationals from the city and neighboring regions.
Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis.

- Brazil leaps to third place -

Brazil's death toll from the new coronavirus surpasses Italy's to become the third-highest in the world, underlining the problem the virus is posing for Latin America, the pandemic's latest epicentre.

Brazil reports a new record of 1,473 deaths in 24 hours, bringing its overall toll to 34,021. It has now confirmed 614,941 infections, the second-largest caseload in the world, behind the United States.

- Pandemic 'under control': France -

The pandemic is now "under control" in France, the head of the government's scientific advisory council says, as Europe cautiously lifts a lockdown imposed in March.

"The virus is still circulating, in certain regions in particular... but it is circulating slowly," Jean-Francois Delfraissy tells France Inter radio.

- More than 390,000 deaths -

The pandemic has killed at least 390,868 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year, according to an AFP tally at 1100 GMT on Friday, based on official sources.

The United States is the worst-hit country with 108,211 deaths, followed by Britain with 39,904, Brazil with 34,021, Italy with 33,689, and France with 29,065 fatalities.

- Borders reopen -

The Czech Republic says it will fully open borders with Austria and Germany on Friday, 10 days earlier than planned.

- Easing restrictions -

Las Vegas casinos throw open their doors on Thursday after 11 weeks of closure, with roulette wheels and slot machines whirring to life minutes after midnight.

The Indonesian capital Jakarta reopens mosques for the first time in nearly three months.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cancels a weekend curfew, pointing to concerns over the economy.

- Economic pain -

Top oil producing countries decide to meet Saturday via video conference instead of next week to assess their current agreement on output cuts amid the pandemic, which has led to a supply glut.

New orders for German manufacturing firms saw their sharpest fall on record in April during the shutdown, plunging 25.8 percent from March.

And German-owned luxury car brand Bentley says it will axe around 1,000 jobs in the UK, almost one-quarter of its workforce there, due to the coronavirus-induced downturn.
SYDNEY, Australia  They were warned by Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia against attending Black Lives Matter marches on Saturday because of the coronavirus risk, but tens of thousands would not be deterred.

The health minister in Britain pleaded with residents not to gather for similar demonstrations in cities like London, Manchester and Birmingham to stop the viruss spread. But throngs showed up anyway  despite the cold weather, the spitting rain and warnings by the police that mass gatherings would violate the rule that only six people from different households could gather outside during the pandemic.

From Paris to Berlin  as in demonstrations this past week in Japan, Sweden and Zimbabwe  people around the world once again turned out in solidarity with Americans protesters calling for justice in the death of an African-American man, George Floyd, at the hands of the police in Minneapolis.

They showed up in circumstances that made it almost impossible to adhere to social distancing regulations. Tens of thousands flowed to Parliament Square in London on Saturday afternoon, shouting anti-racist slogans and carrying signs paying homage to Mr. Floyd, 46, who died after a white police officer held his knee to Mr. Floyds neck in Minneapolis on May 25.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 09:59:47|Editor: huaxia

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RIO DE JANEIRO, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Former Brazil international striker Vagner Love has been released by Corinthians amid speculation that he will return to former club CSKA Moscow.

The 35-year-old reached an amicable agreement with Corinthians after accepting a transfer offer, the Brazilian Serie A club said on Friday, without providing details.

"Because of this, the club will no longer have to bear the costs of the remainder of the contract, which had been due to expire at the end of [2020]," read a Corinthians statement.

Love, who has been capped 25 times for Brazil's national team, scored 14 goals in 72 appearances following his January 2019 move from Besiktas. He also represented Corinthians in 2015, when he netted 16 times in 50 matches.

The Globo Esporte news service said Love was in "advanced" talks with CKSA, with whom he has played 256 games and scored 124 goals over two spells.

"Thank you for everything I have experienced," Love said on Instagram. "I leave the club with a sensation of having achieved my mission and will take wonderful memories with me," he added. Enditem
UK to offer path to citizenship for 3M Hong Kong residents if China imposes new security law

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is offering Hong Kong residents a pathway to citizenship in the United Kingdom should China proceed with implementing a national security law that would effectively control the city-state's government.

China's proposed national security law prohibits sedition, secession, and subversion against Beijing in Hong Kong, and was approved last week by the Chinese parliament, which moved to impose it on the island city-state without the approval of the Hong Kong legislature, through a rarely-used legal backdoor. The law also empowers Chinese national security entities "to fulfill relevant duties to safeguard national security in accordance with the law."

In response, Johnson extended the offer of a possible path to U.K. citizenship to the 3 million residents of Hong Kong, which had previously been under British rule.

"If China imposes its national security law, the British government will change our immigration rules and allow any holder of these passports from Hong Kong to come to the U.K. for a renewable period of 12 months and be given further immigration rights, including the right to work, which could place them on a route to citizenship," Johnson wrote in a commentary published by the U.K. Times.

"This would amount to one of the biggest changes in our visa system in history. If it proves necessary, the British government will take this step and take it willingly."

The U.K. prime minister stressed that he hoped to have a good relationship with China, adding that the powerful communist nation must abide by its international agreements.

"Britain wants nothing more than for Hong Kong to succeed under 'one country, two systems.' I hope that China wants the same. Let us work together to make it so," Johnson said, urging that it was in their best interest to do so," Johnson added.

At a U.N. Security Council meeting last week, the U.S. and U.K. raised concerns about the situation in Hong Kong.

U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft asked: Are we going to take the honorable stand to defend the human rights and the dignified way of life that millions of Hong Kong citizens have enjoyed and deserve ... or are we going to allow the Chinese Communist Party to violate international law and force its will on the people of Hong Kong?"

Since 1997, Hong Kong has been operating under what is known as the "one country, two systems" constitutional principle  that it would be recognized as part of China yet under a British-based legal system and the socioeconomic advantages that came with it  but recent moves by China have led many to believe that principle no longer holds. The agreement was set to expire in 50 years, in 2047.

The Federalist reported that the day before the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China, the Chinese Foreign Ministry declared that as a historical document the Sino-British Joint Declaration  a 1984 treaty signed between the United Kingdom and China on Hong Kong under Chinese sovereignty that stipulated the sovereign and administrative arrangement of Hong Kong after 1 July 1997  "no longer has any realistic meaning."

In so doing, the Chinese Communist Party abandoned any notion that it would honor the promises to Britain and Hong Kong when the city was handed over, the Federalist added.

For most of last year, millions of Hong Kong residents garnered international attention as they protested in the streets against an extradition law that would have forced the government and its chief executive, Carrie Lam, to permit Chinese authorities to identify, surveil, and even arrest Chinese "dissidents" living in Hong Kong.

The anti-government demonstrations were initially triggered by a now-withdrawn extradition bill. The proposed bill was precipitated by the murder of a pregnant teenager by her boyfriend during a vacation in Taiwan. Because the Hong Kong government does not have an extradition treaty with Taiwan, legislation was proposed that would have allowed the extradition of suspects from the city to other countries, including mainland China.

Protests later included calls for greater democratic freedoms and police accountability in Hong Kong.
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Chinese electronics company Xiaomi has teased a new MI Electric Toothbrush for the Indian market on Twitter. The tweet by Xiaomi reads, "How many of you are still stuck with manual brushing? Something amazing is coming soon for a #ProCleaning. Stay tuned!"

The tweet also consists of a seven-second video that shows a part of the electric toothbrush.

How many of you are still stuck with manual brushing? Something amazing is coming soon for a #ProCleaning. Stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/lOdpXrYByw  Mi India (@XiaomiIndia) June 5, 2020

Xiaomi did not reveal any other details about the product.

Earlier this year Xiaomi had launched the new Mi Electric Toothbrush T300 in India.

The electric toothbrush which is priced at Rs 1,299 was made available on mi.com through crowd funding starting 20 February.

The Mi Electric Toothbrush T300 is powered by a built-in 700 mAh lithium battery, and offers 25 days battery life on a single charge. The electric toothbrush uses high-efficiency magnetic levitation sonic motor which generates high-frequency vibrations of over 31,000 times per minute.

The electric toothbrush uses Type-C charging port and uses an LED indicator to notify the battery and charging status. The brush has an IPX7 water resistance rating.

According to a report in GizmoChina, Xiaomi launched the MIJIA T500 Sonic Electric Toothbrush, the second-generation of MIJIA branded electric toothbrush for adults last year as well. The Xiaomi MIJIA T500 Sonic Electric Toothbrush comes with an upgraded magnetic levitation sonic motor with a more refined internal structure.
Privet Fund LP initially filed a 13D on Synalloy Corp (SYNL) in September of 2016. In April of last year, Privet offered to acquire the company for $20 per share (about a 40% premium at the time). In August, Privet updated its previous offer to acquire the company to an offer of $18.50 per share (a 32% premium to the closing price of late April). The company rejected both takeover offers and on March 3 of this year, Privet entered into a group agreement with UPG Enterprises. On March 16, Privet and UPG (the group) delivered a letter to the company nominating five director candidates for election to its eight-person board at the June 30 annual meeting. The group expressed its belief that the company has been plagued by poor operational execution and capital allocation decisions, limited accountability for management and a lack of strategy for addressing corporate inefficiencies and waste. The group stated that the current board lacks strong operating experience in the chemicals and metals businesses and believes that a change in leadership is needed at the company.

For Synalloy, the metals segment accounts for 82% of the company's total revenue and has four different businesses within the segment. The smaller specialty chemicals segment makes up the remaining 18% of the company's total revenue with two businesses within this segment.

The group believes that the company possesses high-quality assets that have significant potential, but they need to be managed properly with better execution and board oversight. As the company has grown through acquisitions, it has been unable to leverage expenses and scale enough, causing margin erosion. Additionally, management has not done a great job of managing its supply chain or raw inputs  each quarter it reports inventory price losses and the company has lost money from inventory charges in eight of the nine past years. This has resulted in an underperformance by the company compared to its closest competitors, proxy peers and relevant market indices over several time periods. The company has underperformed its proxy group (self-selected) by 31.7% and 44.5% over the previous 1- and 5-year periods and by 28.9% during its current CEO's tenure.

The group is calling on the company to revamp its operating plan and this could be done by leveraging resources, looking to continue to fix up assets, improving margins and cash flow, ultimately growing the business. However, the current board has not shown any sense of urgency to create shareholder value and could certainly use some fresh directors.

Privet has a history of selective, productive shareholder activism and is not a short-term activist. Based on their activist history, they likely do want to create shareholder value for shareholders. But based on their history with this company, it is hard to see why this is not them trying to get control through a proxy fight when acquisition offers failed to work. They do not allege any egregious conduct that shareholders and ISS look for in majority control proxy fights. And their motives even look more suspicious when they team up with an industry player who competes with the company.

As a 25% shareholder, the group should certainly get meaningful board representation, and getting a majority is certainly possible, even if it is not warranted under these circumstances. At last year's annual meeting, over 24% of votes were withheld from each of the incumbent directors, indicating strong shareholder discontent. However, the company has cumulative voting, which would guarantee the group two seats if they chose to give up on majority and put all of their votes towards two candidates.

While this is likely to be close, it is hard to see shareholders handing over control of the company at $9.64 per share to an investor who was recently rejected from buying the Company for $18.50 per share.

Ken Squire is the founder and president of 13D Monitor, an institutional research service on shareholder activism, and the founder and portfolio Manager of the 13D Activist Fund, a mutual fund that invests in a portfolio of activist 13D investments.
VANCOUVERJennifer Larue just wants her husband to be able to hold their baby.

But COVID-19 outbreaks at federal prisons and the subsequent lockdown to prevent the virus spread means Larues husband, Norman, hasnt been able to see his wife or children in person for weeks.

Its extremely difficult, she said. People need to know these are human beings.

She is among several family members of inmates, along with the union representing prison guards, expressing a growing concern about segregation-like conditions in prisons and the potential for violence after lockdowns are lifted.

Norman, who was convicted of first-degree murder in 2013 and is serving his sentence at Abbotsfords Pacific Institution, is one of many inmates in the country confined to prison units as Correctional Service Canada works to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus among the prison population.

COVID-19 has swept through several federal prisons, with the worst outbreak occurring in B.C.s Mission Institution.

More than 130 inmates and staff and inmates at the prison in the Fraser Valley tested positive for the illness and one prisoner died.

British Columbias provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry declared the outbreak at Mission over last week, adding that procedures used to limit the spread of COVID-19 there are now being used at federal correctional facilities across the country.

During the lockdown, prisoners are confined to their units with minimal time to go outside.

Units, a term for prison cells organized together, can vary in size depending on the prison. A standard unit at Mission is roughly 30 to 40 people.

The length of lockdowns across the country also varies.

The lockdown at Mission is into its thirteenth week, Larues husbands unit has been locked down for two weeks, while prisons in Ontario have been on lockdown for up to 11 weeks.

Joanne Fry, whose son, Nathan, is serving a 25-year sentence at Mission, said theres a growing concern over what happens after lockdowns are lifted.

Thirteen weeks in a cage the size of your (bathroom) has been pretty devastating, she said in an interview. Usually when (prisoners) get out from prolonged isolation, the violence and problems escalate.

Fry, who has joined a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging Correctional Service Canada failed to protect Mission prisoners from the virus, said shes worried the problems facing inmates will be ignored by the outside world.

Were really in a pretty scary place right now, she said.

Access to skills training and gatherings such as Narcotics Anonymous have been limited or cancelled, leaving prisoners with more spare time and fewer outlets to release their energy, Fry said.

Kelly, who didnt want her last name used for fear her husband would be targeted for her comments, can hear shouting and raised voices in the background of her nightly calls with her husband who is jailed at Beaver Creek Institution in Ontario.

Its brewing and to be honest, Im shocked it hasnt already happened, she said, referring to potential violence.

When I speak to my husband, he says tensions are really high, she said in an interview from Ottawa.

Her husband is confined with 10 other inmates and allowed out 1 1/2 hours a day and in a much-reduced space than before.

He leaves his room to call her once a day  instead of the usual four times  over concerns hell be attacked by other inmates.

Kelly said shes concerned about the mental toll inmates are being placed under, with an inability to visit family members throughout the pandemic except by video call for 30 minutes once a week, if theyre lucky.

These guys thrive off their contact with their family, she said. Its their only support system.

Jeff Wilkins, the president of the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers, said he is concerned about what happens when stringent confinement measures are lifted.

We work in one of the most dangerous environments in the country and were only going to increase that danger if we keep those tight restrictions, he said.

The stress of working through the pandemic has been compounded by mixed communication from corrections to the union about protective gear and the supply of equipment such as masks.

When the pandemic emerged, guards were discouraged by Correctional Service Canada from wearing protective health gear, Wilkins said. That has now been replaced with punishments for not wearing that same gear.

Larue and Fry both say they want Correctional Service Canada to be more transparent with its future plans to allow visitors as well as the ongoing treatment of inmates.

Sav Bains, a regional director of health services for the correctional service, said support for inmates with mental health concerns has continued throughout the course of the pandemic.

He said he hasnt seen any reports of violence in regards to the isolation and lockdowns implemented at penitentiaries.

We are obviously monitoring it quite closely, Bains said, adding that Correctional Service Canada is working closely with inmates to keep them informed of the next phases of reopening.
The Twitter account of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, owner of the Amul brand, was blocked briefly after it posted a cartoon apparently calling for a boycott of Chinese products.

GCMMF Managing Director R S Sodhi said that Twitter blocked its handle @Amul_Coop after its advertising agency posted a cartoon featuring its mascot `Amul girl' with the caption "Exit the Dragon?" on Thursday night.

In the bottom right corner, the advertisement had the words "Amul Made in India".

The cartoon appeared to support the new policy of `Atmanirbhar Bharat' enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as a call for a boycott of Chinese products on Indian social media against the backdrop of a stand-off between the two countries in eastern Ladakh.

Amul's Twitter handle could be accessed when checked on Saturday afternoon and the post containing the cartoon was also visible.

"We do not know why the account was blocked as we have not received any official statement from Twitter....Amul has not run any campaign against anybody," Sodhi said.

"Amul girl campaign is on since last 55 years, and our mascot generally talks about topical subjects, reflecting the mood of the nation in a funny way," Sodhi said.

"When our advertising agency shared this ad on the night of June 4, they learnt through a forward that our Twitter account was blocked. When we requested Twitter for re-activation, the account was restored," he said.

"When we learnt about this, we asked for clarification. We do not know why this disruption occurred. We have not yet received any official message from Twitter on this," he said.

Meanwhile, #Amul began to trend on Twitter with thousands of users coming out in the company's support and accusing the microblogging platform of a bias against India.

"Fantastic by @Amul_Coop. The dragon and their slaves got scared that they restricted the account. Imagine when our Army will be knocking Chinese doors," said Twitter user Raj.

"Shocking @Twitter briefly restricted Amul account because of the post calling to boycott Chinese products. We Indians standwith our company's across India," tweeted Parth Shah.

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Expressing his unease with the handling of migrant workers' crisis, yet again, shortly before Bihar is scheduled to go to polls, LJP chief Chirag Paswan on Friday in an interview said the situation could have been handled much better.

"If Bihar government had begun transporting migrants earlier, then we could have the example of the likes of Jyoti Kumar...deaths of many labourers on their way to home could have been probably avoided," he said in the interview.

Paswan, whose LJP is an ally of the ruling NDA coalition, also said that he will back BJP if it opts for a change of face in the Bihar assembly polls.

"Who will be the face, who will be the leader of the alliance is something that its largest constituent BJP has to decide. The LJP is strongly with the BJP in whatever decision it takes. If they (BJP) want to go ahead with Nitish Kumar ji, we are with them, if they want to have a change of mind... whatever decision the BJP takes, we will support," Paswan told news agency PTI.

BJP had already clarified, as far back as in October last year, that Bihar assembly elections would be fought under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. The then BJP president Amit Shah had, in an interview to News18, said, "The Janata Dal (United) and the BJP will go to polls together and we will fight polls under the leadership of Nitish ji. This is absolutely clear."

Chirag Paswan's statements come at an interesting time when every indication is that the polls will not be delayed due to social restrictions mandated by the pandemic. BJP is kick-starting its campaign with several virtual rallies planned for the people of Bihar. Amit Shah is expected to address a virtual rally on June 7th.

Paswan's statement on the poor handling of migrant workers' crisis is at least the third since May. Just when it seems that the migrant workers' crisis is likely to become the biggest poll issue in Bihar, Paswan has constantly been expressing his dissatisfaction with the way the government headed by Nitish Kumar has handled the situation.

Speaking to a news channel last month, the Jamui MP had said, "I speak as a responsible ally (of the ruling NDA in Bihar) I can see a lot of anger among migrant workers when I watch their ordeal in videos posted on social media. I fear that they might lose confidence in our government."

This happened a day after he wrote a letter to the Chief Minister of Bihar claiming that the helpline numbers for the migrant workers were not functional and questioning the quarantine facilities provided to the migrant workers.

Paswan, however, asserted that the NDA will come back to power in Bihar with a huge mandate, and said the RJD-led opposition was not in a position to challenge it. He claimed that NDA was in a position to win more than 225 of the 242 seats in the state assembly.
Black Lives Matter protesters hijacked a live TV news cross during Saturday evening's six o'clock bulletin.

Channel 9News reporter Damian Ryan was on the air live from Central Station in Sydney as tensions between the police and demonstrators were getting heated.

But from the moment he tried to give an update on the 'few hundred remaining' protesters, a man who appeared to have an American accent interrupted the broadcast.

Black Lives Matter protesters hijacked a live TV news cross during Saturday evening's six o'clock bulletin (pictured)

'He's not going to talk to us,' the protester is heard saying.

'He's not black, I'm black. I'll tell you the story!'

But the veteran reporter kept his cool during the incident and continued to finish his report.

'Generally it has been pretty peaceful,' Mr Ryan said as the protester attempted to shout over the top of him.

Over 30,000 demonstrators gathered on mass at Town Hall at 3pm to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States.

It follows widespread outrage over the death of African American man George Floyd, who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes in Minneapolis.

Sydney's Stop All Black Death in Custody rally was largely aimed at denouncing Indigenous deaths in police custody.

Channel 9News reporter Damian Ryan (pictured centre) was on the air live from Central station in Sydney as tensions between the police and demonstrators were getting heated

Over 30,000 protesters gathered at Town Hall in Sydney for the Stop All Black Deaths in Custody rally on Saturday (pictured)

A protester faces a Police officer inside Central Station after the Black Lives Matter rally (pictured on Saturday)

Many protesters held up signs that said 432 - a number which signifies the number of Aboriginal Australians who have died in police custody since 1991.

Similar demonstrations were also held in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide with tens of thousands in attendance.

While scenes in Sydney were mostly peaceful, as the large numbers dwindled and moved towards Central Station there were some clashes with police.

Photos show several demonstrators who appear to have been pepper-sprayed.

Other images captured the moment a young female protester was pushed down by an officer.

A young woman is pictured being pushed down by an officer inside Central Station after the Black Lives Matter rally in Sydney (pictured)

A young woman is seen in distress and being held back as she faces a row of police officers inside Sydney's Central Station (pictured on Saturday)

The woman who appears to have been pepper-sprayed has water poured over her face (pictured at Central Station)
Amid protests across the U.S., Canada and abroad over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn., people are trying to come to terms with the systemic inequality affecting Black people, while looking to educate themselves on the history of anti-black racism.

If you're looking for a place to start, or simply want to pause and reflect, here are some films to add insight and context.

Do the Right Thing

Where to watch: For rent on Apple TV, Google Play; for free from Cineplex.

When it exploded onto screens in 1989, Spike Lee's fourth film was seen by some critics as dangerous and irresponsible. The setting is a block in Brooklyn, wilting on the hottest day of the year. Your guide is Mookie, Spike Lee as a pizza delivery guy, who works for Sal (Danny Aiello). When Sal refuses to add Black icons to the Italian-Americans on his wall of fame, a boycott begins. By the end there is broken glass, ash and a Black man lies dead.

The power of Do the Right Thing is how it poses the question: What's the right response to injustice? Lee takes his time letting the pressure build, weaving through a multitude of voices, but leaves it to us to sift through the wreckage, looking for answers.

If Do The Right Thing wasn't prescient enough, earlier this week Lee released a new short film, tying together the deaths of Eric Garner, George Floyd and his character Radio Raheem, titled Will History Stop Repeating Itself?

Eli Glasner

Detroit

Where to watch: Netflix; for rent on Apple TV, Google Play; for free from Cineplex.

Kathryn Bigelow examines an infamous case of police brutality during the city's 12th Street Riot of 1967. After the vice squad raided a black-owned illegal bar, a crowd gathered and  enraged over racial segregation, poverty and clashes with the notoriously aggressive police force  began to throw bottles and set fires. The National Guard was called in, as fires burned for five days; 43 would eventually die.

Headed by John Boyega  a highly visible member of the Black Lives Matter movement  as the real-life Melvin Dismukes, the movie recounts the mock executions several Black teens later said officers staged while trying to determine the location of a sniper. It's a tense examination of the corrupting force of authority and how it can, and has, been used to inflict violence against Black communities.

Story continues

Jackson Weaver

I Am Not Your Negro

Where to watch: For rent on Apple TV; for free on Kanopy or Cineplex.

For both its power and poetry, the Oscar-nominated I am Not Your Negro is an excellent place to start about the history of racism in the U.S. The documentary by Raoul Peck uses an unfinished manuscript by author James Baldwin to explore decades of inequality.

With an uncommonly quiet narration by Samuel L. Jackson, Baldwin speaks about growing up without heroes who looked like him and of leaving the States for Paris, to find a place to live and grow as an artist. But when the civil rights movement called him back, Baldwin returned home to march with his brothers and sisters.

As a Black author and gay man, Baldwin never felt fully accepted by American society. At one point he wonders what his future is in the U.S.  how to reconcile with what he describes as "the cruel white majority."

Peck intertwines Baldwin's prose with protests, showing the sad commonality of such images: Oakland, Calif., in 1968; Ferguson, Mo., in 2014. Scenes from Minneapolis or outside the White House this week would not be out of place.

 Eli Glasner

Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution

Where to watch: For rent from Apple TV, and purchase from YouTube and Google Play.

Stanley Nelson's Jr.'s 2015 documentary on the rise and fall of the deeply controversial Black Panther Party draws from interviews with police, politicians and former members. It is polarizing and, like the Panthers, has been critiqued from all sides. Some called it too forgiving, while a former leader labelled it a "condemnable" piece of propaganda for ignoring the group's complexities.

It's an appropriate primer about a group too often reduced to caricature. Because, while Black Panthers doesn't delve deeply into its complicated politics, it does offer an overview of the party and the motivations of activists. Nelson also delves into the fractious leadership of Huey Newton and Eldridge Cleaver and the FBI's efforts to monitor and manipulate groups at the time.

Jackson Weaver

Unarmed Verses

Where to watch: For free on NFB.ca.

A poetic portrait of a community in the midst of upheaval, Unarmed Verses centres on Francine Valentine, a 12-year-old girl who came with her family to Toronto from Antigua.

Originally, director Charles Officer set out to document the consequences of the redevelopment of the Villaways community. But after spending time with Francine, Officer was taken with her poise and quietude.

With an eye for subtle moments of cinema, Unarmed Verses captures the challenges families such as Valentine's face. You sense the absence of her mother, see Francine helping her grandmother and caring for her autistic brother. But Unarmed Verses also is about those who take the time to cultivate voices, such as the instructor of the spoken word poetry class who sees her potential. After a lot of encouragement and patience, there's a moment when Francine puts her words to music that is transformational. Given the space and support, she flourishes.

 Eli Glasner

Ninth Floor

Where to watch: For free on NFB.ca.

"It seems to me that Canadians are racist, but they like to apologize for being racist," says Bukka Rennie, a former student of Sir George Williams University, near the beginning of the film, and the breakdown continues from there.

This documentary uses contemporary interviews and archival footage to look at the 1969 student occupation at what is now Concordia University in Montreal. After its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival it was hailed as one of the best Canadian feature-length films of the year.

The occupation started peacefully after a complaint about the racist treatment of six Caribbean students, but descended into fire and chaos after police tried to forcefully dislodge them. By speaking with people who were there, Ninth Floor examines what went wrong, and outlines a key moment in Canadian history.

Jackson Weaver

The Hate U Give

Where to watch: For rent on Apple TV, Crave, for free from Cineplex.

Starr (Amandla Stenberg) is a teen caught between two worlds  the posh private school where her parents send her and the Black community where she lives. One night driving home, she and a friend are pulled over. When a police officer shoots and kills her unarmed friend, the carefully maintained borders between those worlds are shattered.

Based on the novel by Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give captures the double lives of many African-Americans and Canadians. It also captures the pressure they live with. The film sets the tone early, opening with Starr's father carefully instructing his children how to act in the presence of police. It's a nuanced look at a young woman trying to navigate the toxic consequences of hate.

 Eli Glasner

Let the Fire Burn

Where to watch: For rent on Apple TV; for free on Kanopy.

There are few events as shocking and destructive as the bombing of U.S. citizens by Philadelphia police in 1985, that have garnered as little attention

After years of demonstrations and arrests  including a 1978 shootout that led to the death of one officer, and the police beating a group member who was trying to surrender  members of the back-to-nature, Black liberation group MOVE were ordered to leave their home.

Some resisted, a standoff ensued and, in a completely unprecedented move, police dropped a bomb on the house, with the commissioner choosing to let the subsequent fire continue to burn instead of putting it out.

That decision led to the deaths of 11 people, including five children.

The documentary is comprised entirely of archival footage, news coverage and interviews, in what director and producer Jason Osder called "a pure historical pastiche." That historical nose-dive can make events feel even more present than films that rely on reconstruction and modern-day interviews.

 Jackson Weaver
HOBOKEN  Eight miles from where Eric Garner pleaded I cant breathe six years ago, and 1,200 miles from Minneapolis, where George Floyd uttered the same words May 25, protesters took to the streets Friday, demanding an end to police brutality.

Residents quarantining in their high-rises watched from their balconies as masses  estimates had the crowd size at 10,000  of young people chanted the names of black men and women whove died at the hands police in recent months.

Hoboken is one of New Jerseys most gentrified cities, and organizer Herrana, who declined to provide her last name, said that was one of the reasons her group Allies4Justice selected it as the location for its march.

A lot of the black population here has been pushed out to the edge, she said.

City and State Police surrounded the protest and Mayor Ravi Bhalla and his family marched with the crowd. The event was nonviolent.

Bhalla spoke at the end of the rally, expressing solidarity with the black struggle as a Sikh man.

When asked in an interview if he has considered making cuts in the police departments budget as protesters across the country have demanded the defunding of police departments, he said no.

In this budget were already understaffed within our table of organization so if there are areas for cost reductions well consider them, but there have been no specific proposals made by the community or by any other entity, he said. But we will consider anything that would reduce the pressures on our budget in the context of the coronavirus and what were seeing here today.

Hoboken has faced a budget shortfall of at least $7 million since January.

Many storefronts along Washington Street were boarded up while some instead had signs displaying their solidarity.

The protest lasted more than three hours, beginning at Maxwell Place Park and ending with speakers and music at Pier A Park. The crowd split off into several different groups, with one group heading to City Hall. On the way, they passed the city police plaza, which was well guarded by state troopers with hand shields.

Protesters demanded that the officers take a knee, but they did not.

Speakers at Fridays event in Hoboken included Nevin Perkins of Black Men United, who organized Jersey Citys first protest. He condemned police violence against black Americans and gentrification in Hoboken. Congressional candidate Hector Oseguera also spoke as protest organizers offered attendees voter registration cards.

"For 400 years we have seen our people murdered, Oseguera said. Were here because were tired.

As demonstrators chanted Say her name. Breonna Taylor, one organizer reminded the crowd that today would have been her 27th birthday.

Taylor was shot dead by Louisville police on March 13 when police with a search warrant used a battering ram to crash into her apartment. After a brief confrontation, they fired several shots, striking Taylor, a 26-year-old African-American emergency room technician, at least eight times.

The rally organizers invited members of the crowd to speak at the end of the rally. One Hoboken mother shared how her 5-year-old daughter had been bullied for her black skin at a Hoboken public school and no one blinked.

The speaker said she went to the teacher and principal about the matter and feels it was never resolved.

I couldnt scream she said, referring to how a black womans energy is often misrepresented as hostility. I couldnt yell.

Namita Mehta and Janki Patel, both 29, said that this protest was the first time they had broken quarantine. The Indian community of which they are members too often stigmatizes black Americans, they said.

I wanted to come show my support and show that I want to break that stigma that Indian people have, Mehta said. Thats one of the main reasons Im here. I went to school with these people, I dormed with these people, I grew up with these people.

The protest went well, Herrana said, but its about far more than a single event on a single day.

This cant just be a symbolic protest that were putting together for movement and speeches, she said. We need real implementation.
Indian and Chinese military officials are set to hold high delegation-level talks today in a bid to resolve the month-long row over the Line of Actual Control. This comes a day after the foreign ministry officials of both nations on Friday discussed the flaring of tensions on the disputed Himalayan border.

During Fridays meeting, both sides agreed that in accordance with the guidance provided by their leadership, they should handle their differences through peaceful discussion bearing in mind the importance of respecting each others sensitivities, concerns and aspirations and not allow them to become disputes, the external affairs ministry said in a statement.

Also read: Wont allow differences to escalate, both sides say

Meeting between the military commanders of India and China has not yet started. It was scheduled to start around 9 am but now it is likely to be held between 11-11:30 am: Sources  ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2020

The location

The talks will take place at the Chinese-side of the Chushul-Moldo Border meeting point.

The delegation

The Indian delegation of officials will include Lt Gen Harinder Singh, the commander of 14 Corps along with 10 other officers who were part of the earlier meetings with the Chinese counterparts.

The Chinese side of the delegation will be represented by Major General Lin Liu, Corps Commander, South Xinjiang Military Division and 10 other officers from the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) who were part of earlier talks with India.

Tensions built up along the LAC following violent clashes between hundreds of Indian and Chinese troops in the Sikkim and Ladakh sectors last month. Army officers of the two sides have held several meetings along the disputed border but have been unable to break the impasse.

Statements issued in New Delhi and Beijing after Fridays talks referred to not allowing differences to become disputes. The Indian statement spoke about respecting each others sensitivities and concerns, while the Chinese sides readout said the two sides should not pose a threat to each other and should enhance strategic mutual trust.
Ottawa, June 6 : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his ministers have taken a knee in solidarity with the demonstrators who were marching against racism and police brutality in Ottawa.

Thousands of people on Friday took to the street in downtown Ottawa to protest against racism, chanting "Black Lives Matter," "Enough is Enough," "I can't breathe," and "No Justice, No Peace." On Parliament Hill in the Canadian capital city, Trudeau and his ministers joined the march and took a knee in solidarity with the demonstrators, Xinhua reported.

"We will be walking to inspire policing change. We all see what is happening in the USA right now and the entire world is being shaken. Ottawa also has its share," said Yvette Ashiri of the African Canadians Association of Ottawa.

Several hundred people marched from Parliament Hill to the Senate of Canada Building, and then down Sussex Drive towards the US Embassy.

The Ottawa demonstration came just over 10 days after the death of George Floyd during an arrest in the US city of Minneapolis. Floyd died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed face down on a Minneapolis street on May 25.

Meanwhile, thousands of people reportedly also took to the street in downtown Toronto to protest against racism.

The demonstration, dubbed "I Can't Breathe Toronto March," began on Friday noon and anti-racism protesters traveled in large groups towards Nathan Phillips Square in Canada's largest city.

The slogan is in reference to Floyd's repeated plea to the police officer before he died.

Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders was present at Friday's protest. He was taking a knee with several other officers on a street in a show of solidarity with the demonstrators.

Rallies of similar themes also took place in other Canadian cities including Vancouver, according to the local media reports.
Tui has extended the suspension of all beach holidays for UK customers until June 30 and all Marella Cruises sailings up to July 30, 2020.

The UK's biggest tour operator had previously cancelled all trips up to June 11.

Tui said in a statement that it has extended the suspension of holidays 'due to the ongoing travel restrictions'.

Tui has extended the suspension of all beach holidays for UK customers until June 30 and all Marella Cruises sailings up to July 30, 2020

It added: 'All customers whose bookings are impacted by the above changes will receive a refund credit and if their booking was for a package they will also get an up to 20 per cent incentive, or they can request a cash refund via an online form on the Tui website.

'All customers should receive their refund credit within four weeks before their original departure date. Customers who booked on the Tui or First Choice website or via the Tui or First Choice app can amend their booking with their incentive themselves via Manage my Booking.

'With so much uncertainty around when travel will be able to recommence customers due to travel before the end of August have the opportunity to amend their holiday for free so they dont have to pay until closer to their new departure date.'

Rival tour operator Jet2holidays has also suspended its holidays, up to July 1.

A 14-day quarantine for international arrivals is due to begin in the UK on June 8.

Jet2 has extended the cancellation period of all of its flights and holidays until July 1

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised against all but essential international travel since March 17.

Major UK tour operators will not run trips until the FCO changes its position.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock appeared to be more optimistic than in the past when asked about the prospect of people being able to go on holiday this summer.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think the answer is let's see where we get to.'

Mr Hancock had previously commented that 'big, lavish international holidays' were 'unlikely' to be possible this summer.

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, April and May 2021 have become the most popular months for Britons to book overseas package holidays for

Meanwhile, yesterday, it was revealed that as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, April and May 2021 have become the most popular months for Britons to book overseas package holidays for.

That's according to UK data gathered over the past month by TravelSupermarket, which revealed that the most booked destination is Paphos in Cyprus, followed by the Costa Blanca then Orlando.

The rest of the top 10 most booked destinations list comprises Tenerife (fourth), New York (fifth), the resorts around Antalya in Turkey (sixth), the resorts around Dalaman in Turkey (seventh), Dominican Republic (eighth), Ibiza (ninth) and Majorca (10th).
Felicien Kabuga, the alleged financial mastermind of the Rwandan genocide of Tutsis in 1994, was arrested mid-May in a suburb outside Paris. Police forces throughout the world had been trying to track him down since 1997. The French authorities have now decided to hand him over to a UN tribunal.RFI investigated the ins and outs of the search that ended one of the longest stints on the run in recent times.

6.20am on Saturday 16 May: A unit of the elite Republican Guard move into a residential area of Asnieres, in the Hauts de Seine departement close to Paris. They use a pneumatic jack to force open the door of the small third floor flat in a non-descript building. Most spent a sleepless night. What if Kabuga is not there? Clues gathered over months of sleuthing give them to believe he is, but there has so far been no hard evidence.

Once the door was forced open they find Donatien Nshimyumuremyi, aka Nshima, they find Kabuga's eldest son. He gives his name and points to his father who is still in bed.

Now in his 80s, the man who managed to stay on the run for more than two decades keeps his wits about him. He answers the intervention team in Kiswahili and pretends not to understand the interpreter who addresses him in Kinyarwanda.

In fact, he claims his name is Antoine Tounga and he is from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bad luck this time: the team discovered only the previous evening that this was the latest alias he was using - the 29th in 26 years on-the-run.

Besides, the team have an untrumpable card. One of the gendarmes spots the scar on the right side of his neck, the telltale sign that they have the right man.

It is 8-9 cms long, according to Interpol's red notice, and is the result of a minor throat operation Kabuga underwent in 2007 in Germany. The old man stops pretending, and a DNA test confirms his identity two hours later.

So Operation 955 succeeded. It was named after the UN resolution that gave rise to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and led by the French Gendarmerie's Central Office for Combatting Crimes Against Humanity, Genocides and War Crimes (OCLCH) in close contact with the Paris judiciary authorities.

Kabuga had, until then, escaped arrest despite the $5 million bounty on his head for his capture by the US State Department back in 2002 and the efforts of five international prosecutors over 20 years. He was one of the remaining Rwandan genocide fugitives from justice still on the run.

How did we get here?

Back in July 2019, Serge Brammertz, the prosecutor at the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, which took over from the ICTR after its closure in December 2015, decided on a new strategy in the view of the failure to arrest any of the main presumed genocidaires still at large after years of work by the Mechanism. He changed both personnel and methods.

Brammertz called together a large scale meeting in The Hague, in the Netherlands. The objective was to work closely with the teams of specialists tracking down fugitives from justice in several European countries, especially Belgium, the United Kingdom and France, where most of Kabuga's 13 children live.

Though sightings of Kabuga were reported over the years in Gabon, Burundi and Kenya, Brammertz is convinced that he is now in hiding in Europe - he was last reportedly spotted in Germany 12 years before.

His family and other people were placed under surveillance.In February 2020 they received a tip-off about a French connection. Though that first lead proved to be disappointing, the French investigators beefed up their efforts - search warrants, telephone taps, geomonitoring of Kabuga's close acquaintances....

Then, a few weeks later, the UK police told their French colleagues that one of Kabuga's daughters, who lives in London, regularly travels from the UK to Belgium via France. Closer surveillance showed that the woman spent more time in France than in Belgium. He mobile calls were traced back to Asnieres, a suburb of Paris, though the family have no known home there.

Just recently locked-down, and teleworking in a country that came to an abrupt halt on March 17th because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the investigator who oversaw the inquiry used this hiatus in normal life to dive headlong into analyzing the data coming from various sources: detailed phone tap reports of conversations, specifically telephone bills of people close to the fugitive.

This provided a comprehensive map of their movement and led to the following conclusion: over one year, almost all of the children of the alleged genocidaire actively maintained the same type of telephone relay network from Asnieres, where Seraphine Uwimana was spotted.

By the end of March, through a request from the tax office, the team of investigators found out that an apartment in Asnieres had been rented for several years under the name of Habumukiza, the surname of Felicien Kabuga's son, on the 3rd floor of an apartment building on Rue du Reverand Pere Christian Gilbert.

This was a major discovery, but still did not provide incontestable proof that Felicien Kabuga lived there.

Immediately after this discovery, the Kabuga family's bank statements, obtained by court request, began to make sense. A bank transfer of $10,000 was made to the Beaujon hospital in Clichy, in the Hauts-de-Seine department, and not too far from Asnieres.

The transfer was made in the summer of 2019 by Bernadette Uwamariya, one of his daughters and considered to be the head of the Kabuga clan in Paris. She is also the widow of Jean-Pierre Habyarimana, one of the sons of the former Rwandan president of the same name. The investigators decided to follow this thread.

Over the folllowing days, the tension ratcheted up. It was the beginning of May and the phone taps on Felicien Kabuga's children reveale"d a significant increase in comings-and-goings from the apartment.

Some investigators believe this activity to be abnormal. What was going on? Could Felicien Kabuga be dead? Were they preparing his escape? These thoughts are running through the minds of the investigating team.

In a country under lockdown, with deserted streets and closed shops, it would be impossible to organise hiding Kabuga without the risk being caught. The investigators keep their distance. Some of them called for an immediate raid on the apartment, fearing the fugitive might slip through their fingers.

Maybe they remembered that three years previous, during the burial of Felicien Kabuga's wife on a February day in Waterloo, Belgian police (who were convinced Kabuga would be present) had tried to launch an operation for his capture. It failed.

25 years on the run

There was, however, one reassuring thing: During this period, a phone tap that had listened in on one of his daughters, mentioned that Felicien Kabuga was alive.

This was a piece of good luck as the family carefully avoid using their father's name in telephone conversations.

To cover up 25 years on the run, one must be well organized. They have had plenty of time to break themselves-in, according to a source close to the investigation. In two months, this was the first time that we could say with certitude that he was still alive.

On May 11th, another discovery put the investigation on high alert. Donatien - the eldest son and Belgian resident, being monitored by the local police - escaped their surveillance. He was now undoubtedly in France - in Asnieres.

For what reason other than a girlfriend or a sick parent, would a man stay confined in a place hundreds of kilometres from his home in the middle of a health crisis? asked one of the sources close to the investigation

The whole story gathered pace again on May 15th. On that day the investigators learnt that the man who underwent colon surgery at the Beaujon hospital in the summer of 2019 was in his 80s.

His name was Antoine Tounga, according to the photocopy of a Congolese passport provided by the hospital. This was not a name known to the investigators. They immediately started testing samples of DNA taken from the Beaujon hospital to compare with another sample dating from 2007, given to them by the German police that they had taken before losing track of him.

The results match; Felicien Kaubuga and Antoine Tounga are the same person.

A new battle begins

However, the phone taps revealed another round of intense and worrying activity was taking place. The decision was made to bring forward the date of the sting operation that would, they hope, lead to the arrest of Felicien Kabuga.

It was to take place the following morning. It would involve raiding not just one apartment, but four, simultaneously  the one in Asnieres, but also three other apartments known to the family in the Paris region, including the on Rue Baudricourt in the city belonging to Felicien Kabuga. We wanted to be ready for any type of outcome, we hadn't any proof of where he would be. We couldn't let this fail.

And thus ends the 25 years on the run of Felicien Kabuga, in France at dawn, betrayed by telephone surveillance of those who worked for years to protect him: his children.

On that day, for the family, a new battle began  the legal battle.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Yesterday, the Sint Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA) in conjunction with many of its members launched a #SXMReady Visitor Data Project. By reaching out to people that visited Sint Maarten over the past few years, via various channels, we can learn about their travel intentions.

SHTA intends to provide an outlook of what to expect of the rebound of its main economic pillar in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic. By means of this data, it hopes to provide solid guidance to the industry, mapping a way forward to identify opportunities.

People visiting the island over the past years have received a survey enquiring when they would return to the island, what their main drivers for returning are and what impediments they see for coming back. In addition, the association will compile the demographics of the respondents in order to assist all stakeholders, private and public, in target areas for renewed marketing campaigns.

The association is happy with the initial response rate. In the first 36 hours after its launch, the inquiry was filled in by over 8,000 past visitors from mainly North America, the Caribbean, and Europe.

SHTA thanks the many contributors for spreading the inquiry, with special gratitude for the extra efforts of Dominos Pizza, Sonesta Maho Beach Resort Casino & Spa, and Port St Maarten.

The first results show that enhanced standards of cleanliness befitting the post-pandemic reality are important to the visitors too  as is the fact that St Maarten has contained the outbreak.

SHTA is convinced Sint Maarten is home to a great deal of local marketing talent, these professionals know how best to present the island. Based on a comparable campaign in 2016, SHTA wants to use the preliminary survey results to provide a platform for local talent by launching a #SXMReady video competition.

The best social media videos addressing the topics of; 1. On island activities 2. Shopping 3. Showing the island as a COVID19 safe destination will be rewarded with a free staycation package. There will be three winners, one per category. All videos can be used for marketing the destination. In addition, there will be a fourth category for movies on any other topic that might attract visitors to St Maarten.

If you are interested in participating in the competition please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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A demonstration of a different sort took place Friday morning in South Los Angeles. No chanting or signs in sight -- just rakes, brooms and plastic bags.

More than 400 people spread out along Western Avenue between Florence and Manchester, picking up trash and cleaning graffiti as part of a protest action organized by Diamond Jones, who was born and raised in South Central.

"I felt like instead of going to clean up Fairfax and Melrose, we should be cleaning up over here where the actual police brutality, poverty and inequality is happening in the black neighborhoods," Jones said.

Diamond Jones, the organizer of the event, grew up in South L.A. and wanted to use this protest as an opportunity to clean up the neighborhood. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Jones said she hasn't participated in traditional protest marches around Los Angeles over the past 10 days, but wanted to find a way to channel Angelenos' energy and passion to give back to the local black community.

"I feel like everybody has their own place in what's going on right now, and this is my place," Jones said.

Many in attendance felt the same way, such as Stephanie Conde, who was excited to clean up the community where she was raised.

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Stephanie Conde, who grew up in South Central, passes out trash bags to the participants. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

"I think it speaks louder than just going around yelling with a sign," Conde said. "This is an area nobody pays attention to, it doesn't get as much love as other communities. So, anyone wanting to do anything nice for the area I grew up in, I'm going to be down for that cause."

Some in attendance, such as Tanisha Jackson, said they'd been unable to attend other recent demonstrations because of work.

"So this is my way of protesting, to come to a community that I know and love and to help clean up, to show everybody that lives here that we matter and we love them."

Protestors clean along Western Avenue in South Los Angeles. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Organizers chose to help beautify this particular stretch of Western Ave. because it's home to many black-owned businesses. Standing outside of his auto detail shop, Carl Croom said he was shocked to see a diverse group of young people cleaning up the neighborhood.

"It's definitely a new day," Croom said. "I'm wondering where did they all come from? It's fabulous. All the people coming together and making it clean. That's what we need on Western Avenue. It's a good neighborhood, but we gotta keep it clean. Do it more often."

As the volunteer cleanup crew moved South towards Manchester Avenue, countless passing cars issued supportive honks. Dozens more business owners and families waved from windows or opened doors to voice their appreciation.

"Very surprising," said Beverly Matthews, who runs the Los Angeles Film Kitchen along Western, a business that provides multimedia training in the community. "I asked everyone what group they were with and they said, 'We're here with L.A., volunteering.'"

Beverly Matthews and Micheal Matthews stand outside their business, Los Angeles Film Kitchen. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Alejandra Cruz stood outside with her mother and siblings.

"We really appreciate what these guys are doing. It's helping the kids understand what was going on," Cruz said. "I'm really surprised how many people are here trying to clean the neighborhood and keep everyone safe. Everybody's looking out for each other, and that's really good."

Alejandra Cruz, her sibling Delilah Cruz, and mother Norma Arroyo watch the cleanup from their apartment building. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

At the end of the cleaning route, participants tossed bags of trash into the back of a garbage truck, and some purchased a meal from local black-owned food trucks. Organizers say the event raised more than $4,000, which will be donated to organizations in South L.A. and Leimert Park.

More Photos From The Clean Up:

More than 400 people showed up to participate in the cleanup and protest. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

People of all ages and from all across Los Angeles came to participate. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Diamond Jones welcomes people and relays the ground rules. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Organizers had a table of cleaning supplies to pass out for those who didn't bring any. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

The cleanup gets underway and people begin to disperse along Western Ave. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Participants clean graffiti from walls on Western Ave. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

A group of protestors wipe away graffiti. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Teamwork: Most people worked in groups of 3 to 5. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Viola Smith, a 40-year resident of this neighborhood, and the Karn family, were surprised to see people cleaning on their street. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

This family was watching as the cleanup happened. They said that at first, they thought it might be a riot, but when they saw everyone cleaning they came out to express their gratitude. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Protestors pull weeds along Western Ave. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

A man sweeps in front of an upholstery store during the protest and cleanup. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Some groups spilled into the side streets along Western Ave. and began cleaning. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

A group of protesters walk with their cleaning supplies along Western Ave. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Participants cleaning the windows of a church. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Two participants scrub the sidewalk, trying to remove graffiti. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Participants picked up trash, pulled weeds and cleaned up graffiti. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Local musician Sherriff Drumman showed up and played music for everyone cleaning. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

After the clean-up, everyone congregated at the Ralphs parking lot at the corner of Manchester and Western. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Everyone threw their trash bags into a truck before heading to grab a meal from one of the black-owned food trucks in this Ralphs parking lot. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

People hung out and chatted after the clean up was finished. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

A protester shares her cleaning wipes with other participants. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

The protest ended near a parking lot with black-owned food trucks where participants could buy a meal. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Participants wait in line for food near Manchester and Western. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

MORE ON LA PROTESTS


People around the country are honouring and remembering Breonna Taylor today on what would have been her 27th birthday.

Taylor, a black woman from Louisville, Kentucky, was killed on 13 March when police shot her at least eight times after entering her apartment using a no-knock warrant.

As protests against police brutality and racism continue following the death of George Floyd, activists and celebrities including Demi Lovato and Solange Knowles have also asked people to celebrate Taylors life by demanding justice.

In honour of her birthday, a social media campaign started by writer Cate Young urged people to send birthday cards for Taylor to Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron.

On Thursday, Lovato shared her support for the #birthdayforbreonna campaign on Instagram, where she reposted an illustration of the 26-year-old with the caption: Its Breonna Taylors birthday this Friday. Her favourite colours were blue and purple @iamkevingates was one of her favourite artists. She was an EMT on the front lines during corona. Around midnight on March 13th police broke down her door and shot her eight times, no evidence of a crime was uncovered.

The sole crime was the murder of Breonna Taylor. Her crime being asleep in her own home.

On social media, many people have shared photos of the handmade cards they have sent to Camerons office demanding justice for Taylor.

Sent out my birthday card for Breonna yesterday and donated to the GoFundMe this morning. Happy birthday Breonna, you should be here to celebrate it. #BirthdayForBreonna #SayHerName, one person tweeted.

Another said: Breonna Taylor deserved to have her 27th birthday. This card is going to the Kentucky state attorney general but it should have been for Breonna. She deserves justice.

In addition to sending out cards for her birthday, others encouraged people to donate to a GoFundMe set up by Taylors family.

Recommended Black healthcare worker shot at least eight times by police

As of Friday, the GoFundMe has raised more than $2.5m, surpassing its goal of $500,000.

On the crowdfunding page, where it states that 89,633 have just donated, people have flooded the comments with birthday wishes for Taylor.

Happy birthday Breonna, we will make sure justice is served! one person wrote.

The calls for justice come after the FBI's Louisville office announced it had opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Taylors death.

As of now, the three officers involved in the fatal shooting are on administrative leave but have not been charged with any crimes.

You can donate to Taylors GoFundMe here.
In a response to a class action lawsuit filed by the son of a man who died from complications of the coronavirus at a beleaguered nursing home, the home and its owners claimed that the residents were already very ill and frail and would not have benefited from medical aid or treatment.

In an answer filed Wednesday, attorneys for Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation Center I and II and its owners Chaim Mutty Scheinbaum and Louis Schwartz claimed that the natural degenerative changes of the human body would have led to residents deaths, regardless of any intervention or treatment. The answer is in response to a lawsuit that claims at least 80 people died because of widespread negligence and malpractice by the nursing homes management and owners.

The Andover facility was cast into a grim spotlight when a makeshift morgue crammed with 17 bodies was discovered the day after Easter Sunday. Since the discovery, the nursing home has remained one of the hardest hit of long term care facilities and nursing homes ravaged by the virus.

Plaintiffs conditions were the direct and proximate result of the natural degenerative changes of the human body, and have and would have occurred despite any and all intervention, prescription and treatment, or lack thereof, by these defendants, the nursing home responded in the lawsuit.

Calls to the attorney for the nursing home and its ownership were not immediately returned. A spokeswoman for the nursing home and its ownership declined to comment on the litigation.

As of Wednesday, 78 residents and two staff members had died at the sprawling facility, according to state department of health statistics. The nursing home, one of the lower-rated in the nation by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, consists of Andover I on one side of Mulford Road, and Andover II  the epicenter of the homes coronavirus outbreak  on the other.

Andover II, the larger building, has 543 beds and houses dementia and Alzheimers disease patients and residents with mental health issues. The number of deaths at the facility has led to Andover Township having the most coronavirus-related deaths per capita in New Jersey.

Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation Center where police said 17 bodies were stored in a room at the nursing home in Andover, N.J. April, 16, 2020 Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for

In late April, Bernard Maglioli, son of Joseph Maglioli, filed the individual and class action lawsuit in Sussex County Superior Court, alleging widespread malpractice and negligence on the part of the nursing home, management and the homes owners, that directly led to his fathers death, along with at least 80 other residents at the time of the filing.

The lawsuit claims that nursing home management should have been aware of the coronavirus as far back as January and of nursing home residents particular susceptibility to the virus, but that center management did not prepare.

The lawsuit also claims that the centers management initially provided masks only to registered nurses, ignoring other staff who interacted with residents, including nursing assistants, housekeepers and therapists.

In Wednesdays response, the attorney for the nursing home and its owners denied all of the lawsuits claims, saying the residents were frail and emphasized that the nursing home, its management and owners all did their job correctly.

Any conditions of which Plaintiffs complain or from which Plaintiffs presently suffers are unrelated to any of the incidents referred to in the Complaint or to actions or treatments that were performed or ordered by these defendants, either by causation, exacerbation, or both, the answer reads.

The answer to the lawsuit also claims that the nursing home is immune from the lawsuits claims under an executive order signed by Gov. Phil Murphy and a bill signed into law in April.

The executive order granted healthcare workers treating coronavirus patients from malpractice lawsuits, to encourage volunteers to help stop the spread of the virus.

Any healthcare facility...shall be immune from civil liability for any damages alleged to have been sustained as a result of an act or omission undertaken in good faith in the course of providing services in support of the States COVID-19 response by one or more of its agents, officers, employees, servants, representatives or volunteers, if, and to the extent, such agent, officer, employee, servant, representative or volunteer is immune from liability, whether or not such immunity is otherwise available under current law, the executive order reads.

The law, signed by Murphy in April, provides wide immunity from legal liability to hospitals and healthcare workers on the front-lines of the coronavirus, including if a patient was injured or died during their care. The immunity, meant to ensure people would volunteer to help battle the crisis, does not extend to instances when there were acts or omissions constituting a crime, actual fraud, actual malice, gross negligence, recklessness, or willful misconduct, according to the law.

In a previous statement, Scheinbaum reiterated claims that the facility had taken steps like social distancing and separating sick patients to mitigate the crisis, but acknowledged the difficulties of containing a spread within a nursing home.

The nursing homes response was filed the same day the state released a $500,000 report that showed nursing homes in the state, where more than 6,000 residents and employees have died during the pandemic, were underprepared and under-staffed to deal with the coronavirus crisis and require tougher state scrutiny.

The 100-page report, compiled by a consultant hired by Murphys administration, showed that many nursing homes had previously been cited for infection control deficiencies before the coronavirus struck. The report also noted that nursing homes generally are not sufficiently tied into the larger system of health care, suggesting they did not have strong relationships with hospital emergency departments.

The states report itself comes after a NJ Advance Media investigation revealed a staggering, top-to-bottom failure by the state to react quickly to the coronavirus crisis and a string of missteps at long term care facilities in New Jersey. Among the missteps are state inspectors waiting more than a month after the states first death linked to the coronavirus to do on-site inspections of vulnerable long term care facilities, months after a similar crisis had already unfolded in Washington state.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com.
[June 05, 2020]

Opiant Pharmaceuticals Statement on U.S. District Court Decision

SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey entered a decision in the patent litigation regarding NARCAN (naloxone HCl) Nasal Spray 4mg/spray product. The Court ruled in favor of the Defendants, Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd. Opiants commercial partner Emergent BioSolutions, intends to appeal the decision to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.



While we are disappointed by the decision today, we are mindful of the important role NARCAN Nasal Spray plays across the United States in helping our communities save lives from opioid overdose, said Roger Crystal, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Opiant. With our pipeline and strong financial position, we remain committed to develop best-in-class medicines for addiction and overdose.

About Opiant Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Opiant Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the company that developedNARCAN Nasal Spray, is building a leading franchise of new medicines to combat addictions and drug overdose.









Investor Relations Contacts:

Ben Atkins

VP of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations

[email protected]

(310) 598-5410

Dan Ferry

Managing Director

LifeSci Advisors, LLC

[email protected]

(617) 430-7576
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 20:56:57|Editor: huaxia

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HANOI, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam reported a new case of COVID-19 infection on Saturday, bringing its total confirmed cases to 329 with zero deaths so far, according to the Ministry of Health.

The latest case is a 22-year-old Vietnamese student recently returning to the country from Britain, said the ministry, noting that he was quarantined upon arrival and is being treated in the southern Ho Chi Minh City.

A total of 307 patients in the country have totally recovered from the disease as of Saturday, according to the ministry.

Vietnam has recorded no local transmission for 51 straight days while there are nearly 9,100 people being quarantined and monitored in the country, said the ministry. Enditem
SAGINAW, MI  Eight years ago on July 1, dozens of bullet casings littered the parking lot of Saginaws Riverview Plaza, a shopping center at 290 W. Genesee Ave.

The casings were from 47 bullets fired by six police officers at Milton Hall, a mentally ill black man who was waving a pocket knife at them. Eleven bullets struck Hall, killing him.

Halls death and how police handled the situation sparked protests in Saginaw and led to new police policies. On Friday, June 5, protesters again marched to the scene of Halls death, this time as part of an event tied to the death of George Floyd after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on Floyds neck for several minutes.

Pastor Michael Washington of The Way, the Truth and The Life Ministries and Halls cousin, recounted how his relative was gunned down in broad daylight after he left a store with a cup of coffee he was accused of not paying for.

The thing that angers me most is that he did not have to die, Washington said. How can his life and George (Floyd) be put together? Neither one of them had to die.

Before Fridays march to the shopping plaza, speeches and poems from local leaders and citizens energized the crowd in the parking lot directly next to the site. The event was hosted by a group called Saginaw Solidarity.

Co-organizer Michelle McCoy said almost every city has a George Floyd, and Saginaws is Milton Hall, she said. She added the event was organized to stand up against racial injustice and police brutality.

I want people to see that people do support the Black Lives Matter movement, said McCoy.

Protest in Saginaw near site of Milton Halls fatal shooting by police Posted by The Saginaw News on Friday, June 5, 2020

The crowd on Friday reflected people from different backgrounds, races and ages.

Halls death eight years ago gained national attention, including visits to Saginaw from civil rights activists like the Rev. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson.

The incident changed many policies within the Saginaw Police Department, according to Chief Bob Ruth.

In addition to policy changes, a police advisory board meant to increase transparency and strengthen the relationship between the department and the community was formed.

However, Ruth said the board fizzled out a few years ago due to communication issues.

Now, hes looking to bring it back.

This is something were going to take a look at for the future going from this point forward, Ruth said. Were going to sit down and were going to review all of our policies to make sure that they all fall in line to make sure what happened in Minneapolis does not happen here.

Ruth said policies on mental health and use of force were also changed.

In the past, we would take someone who had mental health issues and we would take them to jail if they did something, or if they were acting strange, doing something they werent supposed to do, Ruth said. Nowadays, we take them to the hospital so they can get mental health treatment for their needs.

When asked about the departments policy of how to arrest someone who may be resisting arrest, Ruth said he would have to take a look at it.

Ruth further explained that if police are dealing with someone who might have mental health issues, medical help would be called on to deescalate the situation.

A lot has changed, Ruth said. Its not just with us. Its with everything in Saginaw County. Weve worked with the medical authority, weve worked with MMR and Saginaw County Mental Health to partner together so that this doesn't happen.

Washington said he feels encouraged about the changes that have been made within the police department. He recently met with the chief and local pastors about how to implement change in how law enforcement polices the community.

Ruth wasnt the police chief at the time of Halls fatal shooting and all of the officers involved no longer work for the department.

Its a different police force, said Washington. So, at least we have a clean slate to start. They know what happened. So, the training began back then. We knew it wasnt going to happen overnight.

Halls mother, Jewel Hall, now in her eighties, resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Jewel Hall settled the federal wrongful death lawsuit against the city and nine police officers for $725,000. None of the officers were charged.

Back at the solidarity rally on Friday, marchers took a solemn stroll to the plaza where Hall was killed.

Washington went into more details of how the last moments of Halls life unfolded and ended. Gasps could be heard and looks of disbelief shaped protesters faces.

Washington asked people to raise their fists to honor Hall and remember Floyd.

Were not here because were angry, were here because we want justice, Washington said.

Related news:

Saginaw police chief says department changed its policies and culture after Milton Hall shooting

Protests in mid-Michigan continue this weekend: heres where to find them
Iran says expansion of US, EU bans on Syria 'unlawful, inhumane'

Iran Press TV

Friday, 05 June 2020 10:31 AM

Iran has condemned the expansion of EU and US sanctions against Syria, calling it an inhumane tool that seriously endangers human rights.

The European Union's move to renew its sanctions against Syria and the United States' introduction of new financial bans against the Arab country are unlawful and inhumane, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Friday.

"Most of the negative consequences and harms of such sanctions will be borne by the ordinary people and citizens of Syria," the spokesman noted, describing sanction as an inhumane tool that directly and seriously jeopardizes human rights.

Mousavi expressed Tehran's solidarity with the "resilient" nation and government of Syria, and called for the removal of all anti-human sanctions against Damascus "so that the Syrians can meet their basic needs and repair the damages caused byWestern-backed terrorist attacks against the country's infrastructure with the help of the international community."

His comments came shortly after the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued the Syria Sanctions Regulations, which implement a 2019 executive order authorizing asset freezing measures and travel bans against Syrian individuals and entities.

On Wednesday, Syria lambasted the United States for practicing "economic terrorism", saying the US new financial sanctions will intensify the sufferings of the Syrian people.

"The Syrian Arab Republic strongly condemns the imposition of further sanctions on it by the US administration through the so-called Caesar Act. The sanctions are based on a bunch of lies and fabricated claims by parties hostile to the Syrian nation. This falls within the framework of their declared war that uses various methods, including terrorism, economic blockade, political pressure and smear campaign," an unnamed source with the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said.

Last Friday, the European Council, headquarters of the 27 EU countries, announced in a statement the renewal of its sanctions against Syrian President Bashar Assad and other top political officials, military officers and business people for another year.

The sanctions would be extended until June 1, 2021, more than a decade after the Syrian conflict began.

Shortly after the renewal of sanctions, Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates censured the European Union (EU) over prolonging the bans against the war-ravaged Arab country for another year, stating such measures expose the hypocrisy of the bloc and spurious statements of its officials.

"These sanctions are a flagrant violation of the most basic humanitarian principles and the international law They are a crime against humanity," Syria's official news agency SANA quoted an unnamed source at the ministry as saying.

He added, "It was no surprise for the EU to renew its sanctions on Syria, particularly as the United States had earlier taken the same step. The measure underlines that the EU has lost its independence in terms of decision-making, and is subjugated to US policies."

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry also condemned the European Union's renewal of coercive sanctions imposed on Syria.

"Russia is disappointed because the European Union, like the US, has deliberately renewed the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Syria" Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a press conference.

The EU imposed the first round of its sanctions against Syria in May 2011. They include travel bans, asset freezes and measures targeting operations like oil imports, certain investments as well as technology transfer.

The bloc claims the measures are designed to avoid hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid.

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By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: With over 150 containment zones in the national capital as on Friday, there seems to be no let-up in the spread of the contagion.

Doctor Shuchin Bajaj of the Internal Medicine department at Delhis Ujala Cygnus Orthocare Hospital, said, As we are currently in stage 3 of coronavirus pandemic, community transmission is deeply entrenched now. So if one house gets an index case, there is a big chance of a lot of people getting infected in that area. Therefore, the government has decided to increase the containment zones with proper sanitization and social distancing guidelines inside them.

Akhila Kosuru, Senior Physician at Apollo Telehealth said that the relaxation of mobility restrictions combined with failure on the part of the public to follow social distancing guidelines and hygienic practices has led to a spike in the number of coronavirus cases in Delhi and thus the subsequent rise in number of containment zones.

If the trend continues, hospitals will be overwhelmed beyond their capacity, which can lead to a huge public health crisis apart from making it difficult for non-COVID patients to receive proper care on time, he said.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan in a video conference with Delhi government officials on Thursday said that while the average testing per million population in Delhi was 2018, some districts such as north east were conducting 517 tests per million population and south east 506 tests per million population, numbers which were far below the number of tests required.

While Delhis positivity rate last week was 25.7 per cent, several districts reported figures above 38 per cent. This Harsh Vardhan said indicates poor infection prevention and control practices in health care settings.

Rise in positivity rate

According to Union Helath Minister Harsh Vardhan a rise in Delhis positivity rate from 25.7 per cent last week to 38 per cent in several districts this week is an indicator of poor infection prevention strategy.

With agency inputs
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 19:06:10|Editor: Lu Hui

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KUNMING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Police in southwest China's Yunnan Province caught a suspect and seized 9.52 tonnes of illegally transported flue-cured tobacco in a recent smuggling case, local authorities said Friday.

After receiving a tip-off that someone was planning to smuggle a batch of illegally purchased flue-cured tobacco to Myanmar, police in the city of Tengchong set up a task force to investigate.

On May 4, police intercepted a suspected truck in the China-Myanmar border township of Houqiao, with a total of 9.52 tonnes of smuggling flue-cured tobacco seized and a suspect surnamed Li captured on the spot.

Further investigation into the case is underway.

Private trading and transportation of tobacco without legal certificates are prohibited in China. Enditem
The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) on Saturday said it will fight Bihar Assembly elections later this year under the leadership of NDA ally Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and it is not right to consider the party's views on shortcomings in the state governments working as an expression of displeasure or annoyance.

"Definitely, we will enter the Bihar poll arena under Nitish Kumar's leadership. We will go by whatever the BJP decides. All three parties are (NDA) allies in Bihar as well," said LJP Vice-President and Chief Spokesperson AK Bajpai.

"We point out the Bihar government's shortcomings so that there can be improvement in governance. The Nitish Kumar government should become more serious about the problems faced by the migrant labourers," he added.

Giving an example, he said that when the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was diluted, the LJP had raised objections and taken up the issue with the Union government, which ultimately helped redress the grievances.

"So, pointing out shortcomings helps remove them. There is no harm in raising the problems faced by the migrants in Bihar," he added.

The LJP leader said his party was geared up for elections in all 243 Bihar Assembly seats, making it clear that LJP did not have any objections to projection of Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar as the chief ministerial face of the National Democratic Alliance led by the BJP.

"Making preparations for 243 seats does not mean we will contest all. It is meant to strengthen our position so that alliance candidates on these seats can be helped in elections. LJP is working at the booth level to strengthen its base," Bajpai said.

The LJP leader said that the party had made 31 lakh members before the nationwide lockdown was imposed in India and had set a target of 1 crore membership.

He said that the party President Chirag Paswan, son of LJP supremo and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, will hold on June 7 a videoconference meeting with party leaders at the district level in Bihar to discuss preparations for the coming Bihar elections.

Chirag Paswan had recently said that the BJP will decide who will be the face of the NDA alliance in Bihar elections even though BJP leaders Amit Shah and JP Nadda have already made clear that Nitish Kumar will lead the NDA in the poll battle.
Greek Defence Minister Warns Athens Prepared for Conflict With 'Aggressive' Turkey

Sputnik News

14:28 GMT 05.06.2020(updated 14:36 GMT 05.06.2020)

Relations between the two NATO members have been poor for centuries following several major wars, as well as tensions over Cyprus, repeated military confrontations in the Aegean Sea, and concerns by Athens that Ankara is deliberately "threatening Europe" with an influx of Middle Eastern refugees.

Greece is ready to defend itself against Turkey by any means necessary, Greek Defence Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos has announced, accusing Ankara of "aggressive" behaviour.

"Of course Turkey's stance has recently been rather aggressive. I believe that the only way Greece can deal with it is, on one hand, to exhaust all its diplomatic weapons, and on the other, to cater for the increase of the deterrence power of the Armed Forces," Panagiotopoulos said, speaking Greece's Star TV on Thursday, referring to the ongoing diplomatic dispute over drilling rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Asked whether Greek efforts include preparations for a military conflict, the defence minister recalled that the national security advisor to the prime minister has recently indicated that Greece is "preparing for all eventualities," including "military engagement."

"We do not want this to happen. However, we are making it clear toward all directions that we will do what it takes to defend our sovereign rights to the greatest extent, if you catch my drift," Panagiotopoulos warned.

The defence minister's comments came hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a press conference in Ankara with Libya's Government of National Accord Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj, and announced that Ankara and Tripoli would proceed with oil exploration and drilling in maritime territories that are part of the Greek continental shelf.

Earlier this week, Alexandros Diakopoulos, the retired Navy vice admiral serving as national security advisor to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, told reporters that Athens was implementing a plan to pressure Ankara into halting its illegal activities. "Of course, Turkey knows that it does not have international law on its side, and that is why it is trying to bring our country into a purely political debate," he suggested. Diakopoulos warned that Greece was ready to react militarily if Ankara violated its waters, but added that the government currently believes "that such a thing will not be needed."

On Monday, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias called Turkey's efforts to set up drilling activities in Greek waters a "provocation."

Centuries of Strife

Relations between Greece and Turkey have been poor for centuries, including most of the last 100 years, with the countries fighting a war between 1919-1922, and clashing diplomatically over Cyprus, particularly after the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974. In addition, despite both being members of the NATO alliance, the countries' naval and air forces have clashed in the Aegean Sea on a regular basis over disputed territorial boundaries, with dogfights between Greek and Turkish warplanes taking place regularly and leading to losses for both sides. As recently as last month, the Greek Air Force reported intercepting Turkish fighter jets over the eastern Aegean islets of Agathonisi and Anthropofagoi.

Last year, the US Naval Institute published a scenario for a possible wide scale Turkish invasion of the Greek islands and proposed how the US might respond to such an event.

In addition to its conflict with Athens, Ankara also maintains tense relations with Cyprus, and invaded parts of northern Syria, ostensibly to establish a buffer zone against Kurdish militants whom it classifies as terrorists. Turkey has also waged a war with Kurdish militants in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan. Earlier this year, Turkey also sent troops to assist the US-supported and UN-backed Government of National Accord in Libya. Libya's Tobruk-based government and the Libyan National Army, meanwhile, have accused Ankara of violating a UN arms embargo.

 Sputnik

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He has hired a top criminal lawyer to represent him in court

Dumped MasterChef star Ben Ungermann was spotted on Friday getting picked up by his manager from his home in Ipswich, Queensland, and taken to work.

The 34-year-old cook was dressed casually as he jumped into his manager's white BMW.

Ungermann returned to work that day as a head chef at Tommy Smith Cafe at Queensland's Woodlands of Marburg resort.

The Back to Win contestant was charged on March 6 with two counts of sexual assault, following an alleged incident in Melbourne's Docklands on February 23 involving a 16-year-old girl.

Heading back to work: MasterChef star Ben Ungermann, 34, (pictured) was picked up by his manager and taken to work on Friday, after being charged with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl

Ungermann wore black jeans and a navy T-shirt and runners as he headed to work.

It's believed that his manager ran some errands for Ungermann earlier in the day, before taking him to work.

While at work, Ungermann looked downcast and deep in thought when he was spotted at work as a head chef at the Tommy Smith Cafe.

Off he goes: The 34-year-old cook was dressed casually as he jumped into his manager's white BMW

Back to it: Ungermann returned to work that day as a head chef at Tommy Smith Cafe at Queensland's Woodlands of Marburg resort

Charges: The Back to Win contestant was charged on March 6 with two counts of sexual assault, following an alleged incident in Melbourne's Docklands on February 23 involving a 16-year-old girl

Dressed in a blue T-shirt and a green apron, Ungermann prepared takeaway orders and intermittently checked his iPhone.

Ungermann was charged by Victorian sexual crime squad detectives on March 6 with two counts of sexual assault.

The charges followed an alleged incident in Melbourne's Docklands on February 23 involving a 16-year-old girl.

Casual: Ungermann wore black jeans and a navy T-shirt and runners as he headed to work

Downcast: While at work (pictured), Ungermann looked downcast and deep in thought when he was spotted at work as a head chef at the Tommy Smith Cafe

At the time, he was filming the latest series of MasterChef - but was removed from the competition once producers learned of his arrest.

On March 20, it was first reported that Ungermann had been arrested.

At the time, a spokesperson for Endemol Shine described his arrest as being 'of a personal nature' but didn't provide further details.

Endemol Shine is the production company behind MasterChef and other popular shows, including Married At First Sight.

Ungermann is expected to deny all allegations and has hired top criminal lawyer Adam Houda to represent him in court.

Making headlines: On March 20, it was first reported that Ungermann had been arrested. At the time, a spokesperson for Endemol Shine described his arrest as being 'of a personal nature' but didn't provide further details

He is listed to appear before Melbourne Magistrates' Court on June 25.

Mr Houda, who has 24 years' experience in criminal law, told Daily Mail Australia his client was completely blindsided by the charges.

'My client is distressed by the charges, which came as a huge shock to him,' he said. 'The allegations, I am instructed, are a complete fabrication and are denied.'

Ungermann was dropped from the cooking show's opening title sequence following as of May 18.

Heading to court: Ungermann is expected to deny all allegations and has hired top criminal lawyer Adam Houda to represent him in court

As reported by TV Tonight, Ungermann hasn't been seen in the titles even though other eliminated contestants are still featured.

MasterChef fans previously questioned why he wasn't edited out of the show after he was charged three months ago.

Virtually every reference to the cooking show contestant has been also been deleted from the website of the family's Brisbane dessert parlour, the Ungermann Brothers.

Any trace of Ungermann has been erased since he was revealed to have been charged with the alleged sexual assault of a teenager.

Dropped: Ungermann was dropped from the cooking show's opening title sequence following as of May 18

Gone is a lengthy 'about us' section which hailed Ben Ungermann as 'the Ice Cream King' and once spoke of he and brother Danny's 'journey ... making an ice cream experience like no other.'

Every photograph of the well-known chef has been deleted.

A prominent picture of Ungermann posing with his business director sibling has instead been replaced with an artistic image of a dollop of ice cream.

A biography which once described Ungermann as the company's founder has likewise been erased.

At the same time, profiles of his business partner, brother and store manager, mother remain online.

Ben's bio had described him as the 'founder' of the business and detailed his achievements as the 2017 Masterchef runner-up, but it is now absent.

Family business: Virtually every reference to the cooking show contestant has been also been deleted from the website of the family's Brisbane dessert parlour, the Ungermann Brothers. Pictured with brother Danny (left)

The deletions could have occurred at Ungermann's suggestion, but neither he or representatives for the business responded to a request for comment.

The profile had said Ungermann developed his love of ice cream while studying desserts as a contestant on the hit Network 10 show.

'When I arrived back home I spoke with my brother Danny and asked if he would start this venture with me.

'Its amazing to see how far we have come and can't wait to release all the other plans and idea's I have in the near future (sic)'.

The brothers' business was launched to much fanfare two years' ago and is a well-regarded local landmark known for its 'artisan' ice cream and 50s-style interior.

Ex: Ungermann's ex-girlfriend Alicia Miller (pictured), who dated him for four years and was also his manager, told Woman's Day on Monday she was 'sorry' to hear about the alleged incident and confirmed she had not spoken to him for a year

Ungermann's ex-girlfriend Alicia Miller, who dated him for four years and was also his manager, told Woman's Day on Monday she was 'sorry' to hear about the alleged incident and confirmed she had not spoken to him for a year.

'I'm sorry to hear this has allegedly happened to some poor, innocent girl. [Ben and I] parted ways professionally last year in June and I haven't had contact since then,' Miller said.

After breaking up with Miller sometime in 2017 or 2018, Ungermann began dating South African radio presenter Leigh-Anne Williams.

It's unclear if Ungermann and Williams, who is based in Cape Town, are still together.
Fresh evidence of Chinas shocking cover-up of the pandemic outbreak has been found in censored media reports from Wuhan.

Samples taken from sick patients and analysed by at least five laboratories had confirmed the existence of a lethal new coronavirus before China told global health authorities about an infectious disease that it claimed was unidentified.

The reports obtained by The Mail on Sunday reveal that one team even found the virus was clearly contagious while others had unravelled its genetic composition  vital for developing diagnostic tests and vaccines.

The director of the Wuhan Institute of Virology passed on a warning from the National Health Commission not to publicise tests or data. Workers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology are pictured above

Yet it took a further ten days for officials to admit there was a novel coronavirus and three weeks before Beijing confirmed on January 20 that it was spread by humans.

China knew the new virus was prevalent last December but failed to inform the public or share with the international community, said Lianchao Han, a pro-democracy activist. Its irresponsibility has probably worsened this pandemic.

The revelations are contained in a long investigation by Caixin, an independent media group.

The Chinese-language report has been removed online, although a shorter English version lacking key details remains accessible.

This original report shows that before December 31  when China informed the World Health Organisation about a mysterious pneumonia-like disease  nine samples from patients had been sent to laboratories around the country.

One sample from a 65-year-old delivery man taken to hospital on December 18 went to a diagnostic centre run by a genomics company in Guangzhou, southern China.

Samples taken from sick patients and analysed by at least five laboratories had confirmed the existence of a lethal new coronavirus before China told global health authorities about an infectious disease that it claimed was unidentified. Medical staff are pictured above with a coronavirus patient earlier this year in January

The firm was so concerned about its findings that it telephoned the Wuhan hospital on December 27 to sound the alarm, then sent its most senior staff to the city.

They just called us and said it was a new coronavirus, said one doctor.

Caixin also found a social media post by a researcher at a private firm in Guangzhou that said they instantly realised the pathogen resembled the bat-borne Sars coronavirus that sparked an epidemic in 2003.

Caixin said the laboratory assembled a nearly complete viral genome sequence on December 27 and passed data to the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

Another medical laboratory testing a Wuhan patients sample warned the virus is transmitted by close-range droplet transmission or contact with the respiratory secretions of patients, and it was clearly contagious.

A third firm testing a sample completed gene-sequencing on December 29, which showed high similarity to Sars, although testing confirmed it was a different disease.

The MoS reported two months ago that Shi Zhengli, the scientist known as Bat Woman for her sample-hunting expeditions in caves, was muzzled after completing gene-sequencing on January 2 at Wuhan Institute of Virology.

The MoS reported two months ago that Shi Zhengli, the scientist known as Bat Woman for her sample-hunting expeditions in caves, was muzzled after completing gene-sequencing on January 2 at Wuhan Institute of Virology

We also revealed the institutes director passed on a warning from the National Health Commission not to publicise tests or data.

Caixin confirmed there was an order banning publication of any information about results of pathogen testing or experimental activities without official consent.

Eight days later, the sequence was published on an open-access platform on behalf of a Shanghai professor. His laboratory was shut down for rectification.

Chinese officials then released the genome but failed to admit human transmission until January 20. Caixin found the earliest sequence was collected on December 24  and it matched a screenshot in the social-media posting.

Leaked recordings of WHO meetings last week revealed dismay over Chinas failure to share data, even as the body praised its response in public.

One study found that if China had acted three weeks faster, it would have cut cases by 95 per cent.
Cyprus opens back up for international tourism on Tuesday, with airports welcoming visitors after an almost three-month shutdown, and a bold plan to cover health care costs for visitors.

But with arrivals expected to be down by 70 percent this year due to the chaos brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, it's a leap of faith for the small Mediterranean holiday island.

"Nobody here is expecting to make any money this year", Deputy Tourism Minister Savvas Perdios told AFP.

"We are setting the stage for the beginning of our recovery in 2021."

The divided island's tourism sector normally accounts for around 15 percent of GDP but has dried up in past months amid global measures to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Cyprus saw a record 3.97 million arrivals in 2019, with more than half its market made up of British and Russian visitors.

But even if the island's airports in Larnaca and Paphos will open up to arrivals on Tuesday with the first flight due to arrive from Athens around midday (0900GMT), neither Britain or Russia are among the 19 countries allowed to land there.

The list of permitted countries, which also include Bulgaria, Germany and Malta, have been chosen based on epidemiological data and split into two categories.

Initially all travellers will need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test undertaken within 72 hours of travel, but from June 20, only those arriving from six countries in the second category, such as Poland and Romania, will need to do so.

The government says the lists will be revised weekly and more countries can be added.

Tourism arrivals have plunged by 70 percent to Cyprus since all commercial flights were banned in mid-March /  AFP/File

Cyprus will also cover accommodation, dining and medical care for any tourists who fall ill with the COVID-19 illness during their stay, as well as accommodation and meals for their families and close contacts.

"What we offer and what we sell is not the sun and the sea, it's hospitality, and this is an extension of our hospitality," Perdios said.

The government has designated a 100-bed COVID-19 hospital for tourists that Perdios said would be located in the Larnaca region, while 112 ICU units have been allocated for visitors.

Perdios said several four-star hotels would provide 500 quarantine rooms for close contacts of those who fall ill.

- 'Right thing to do' -

A raft of other health measures, including disinfection protocols and temperature checks at border controls, aim to protect travellers and locals alike.

"We've gone to big lengths to think ahead of things that could go wrong and try to devise plan Bs and Cs", Perdios said.

The Republic of Cyprus, in the south of the island, has registered 960 novel coronavirus cases and 17 deaths.

Perdios expressed hope that British tourists could be welcomed "sometime after mid-July", with Russia "slightly later, maybe by a couple of weeks".

A recently announced deal with Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air to open a base in Cyprus from July was also an important step towards expanding and diversifying the island's tourist markets, he said.

While no date has been set to allow international tourists to visit the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, only recognised by Ankara, the health care commitment would still apply to those visiting the north during their stay once the crossings are reopened.

"I am very confident that not only will we be able to continue providing our citizens with protection, but also caring for everybody who comes to the island on holiday", he said.

"If we are coming out with a scheme like this, it's because we can afford it, but most importantly, because we feel that it's the right thing to do."
'Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and, at last, you create what you will'.

This George Bernard Shaw quote was the opening sentence in Emma Norton's 'personal statement' in her application to various colleges in the UK. Suffice to say, the Newmarket girl's dearest wish materialised in a spectacular fashion when she got an email from the MGA Academy of Performing Arts in Edinburgh offering her a place in their three year BA (Hons) musical theatre degree course.

At the start of the new college year Emma will undertake a 30-36 hour week of intensive training across all disciplines of theatre, culminating in a BA honours degree in Musical Theatre.

Emma sat her LAMDA exams (London Academy Of Music And Dramatic Arts) in both musical theatre (grade 8) and in drama (grade 7) and obtained a distinction in both. She hopes to take her grade 8 Drama exam later this year as this was postponed due to the pandemic.

Last December Emma began her audition process, travelling to London and various other parts of England to attend auditions; however, a few months ago she was informed that due to the coronavirus, the remainder of her auditions had to be done online - something she found extremely challenging as she had no previous experience of online auditions.

The Corkman chatted to Emma about her amazing journey. "My imagination has always channeled me towards creativity. It has fueled my desire to create a future for myself in performing arts, and I have worked tirelessly towards this goal since I was a little girl with the encouragement and support of my family," she said.

"I grew up in a traditional Irish home, where to pursue an unconventional career is a bold move, but for me a career path that does not involve the inexplicably magical and chaotic world of Theatre is incomprehensible," she added.

At the tender age of three, Emma's mum Helen enroled her at Centre Stage School in Mallow. Her first class was Musical Theatre, with Drama, Singing, Modern Dance, Ballet and Strength and Flexibility Classes added in the ensuing years.

"My family has always been immersed in music and, growing up, trips to the theatre and sing-songs around the kitchen table were commonplace. It was my mom's love of theatre that led her to enrol me at Centre Stage School at such an early age. Had she understood that it was the beginning of a 15 year commitment that would involve a 40 mile return trip five evenings a week she might have never enroled me!

"I am forever grateful that she did, as my passion for theatre was born and cultivated," Emma said.

Her initial years at Centre Stage were all about having fun and boosting confidence. However, at around the age of 13 she began thinking about pursuing musical theatre as a professional career and she is vocal in her praise of the team at Centre Stage School.

"They worked extremely hard with me to make my dream become the reality it is today," Emma said.

She also paid tribute to her teachers at Colaiste Treasa in Kanturk, where she studied higher level Music for her Leaving Cert and also took piano classes.

During her 15 years at Centre Stage she has taken part in numerous shows at Cork Opera House, The Firkin Crane and the Everyman Theatres including Cats the Musical, Miss Saigon, Peter Pan and Oliver. She played the role of Cosette in Les Miserables and, most recently, Fiona in Shrek the Musical.

Emma remarked that her most challenging performance was playing a lead role in 'For Forever', an original musical produced by her senior musical theatre class incorporating the music from Dear Evan Hansen. "This production addressed the sensitive and current topic of adolescent mental health. It forced me out of my comfort zone as an actress, teaching me compassion, understanding and empathy along the way!

"Through my training and my onstage experiences I have learned discipline, commitment, endurance and a strong work ethic. I have learned that teamwork is crucial, because, through the hard grit, sweat and tears that is inevitable in getting a production from script to stage, it is the support and encouragement of friends that gets us through in the end," she said.

Messages posted on the Centre Stage School Facebook Page congratulated Emma:

'There were tears of sheer joy and excitement last week from both staff and students as Emma's dream became a reality. We are absolutely over the moon for Emma who has worked so incredibly hard over the years in all three areas of singing, dancing and acting and was then faced with the difficult task of doing all of her auditions online over the last few weeks due to lockdown.

'This girl is riddled with talent, has an infectious stage presence and comes alive once she starts to sing.

'Her smile is infamous at CSS and she is the glue that keeps a team together. Emma, you have made us all so, so proud. This is the start of your new exciting chapter and we can't wait to see the adventures it brings. Your dream to become a professional performer starts here.'

And, on a final note, Emma mentions that her ultimate goal is to pursue a career in the West End. "I believe that completing my studies in the UK will be more beneficial to me in realising my dream," Emma said.

As the lyrics in Gabrielle's song tell us, 'Dreams do come true' and it's all happening for this talented Newmarket girl as she prepares for the next exciting chapter.
Chennai, June 6 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Saturday said the state was returning to normalcy step-by-step ahead of industrialised Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Speaking at "Luminous Tamil Nadu", a virtual seminar organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Palaniswami cited a report by Elara Securities to say the state was moving towards normalcy.

According to the report, he said Tamil Nadu was one of the five states in the forefront for the country's economic revival.

Palaniswami said the government was trying to attract investment from multinational companies that might relocate from some other country due to Covid-19. The government would further simplify the procedures for getting permissions, he added.

He also urged the industries to use the local workers as the migrant labourers had returned to their home states.
Stobart Air requires significant funding amounting to tens of millions of euro to cover maintenance costs for its fleet, as well as ongoing support when the airline begins flying again

SHARES in the UK's Stobart Group, whose Dublin-based Stobart Air subsidiary operates the Aer Lingus Regional service, plunged as much as a third yesterday as it said it's raising 100m (112m) of fresh equity at a 42pc discount to shore up its balance sheet.

The group said some of the funds will be used to bankroll Stobart Air. The group pledged 25m for the carrier in May, which it reacquired effective control of in April this year.

Stobart Group said this week it also aims to sell its rail engineering and energy businesses.

Stobart Air requires significant funding amounting to tens of millions of euro to cover maintenance costs for its fleet, as well as ongoing support when the airline begins flying again.

The Irish Independent recently reported that Stobart Air had uploaded almost a full flying schedule to the Aer Lingus website for travel to destinations across the UK, starting on July 1. That was despite Stobart Air being unable to confirm if the majority of its 450 employees would be back working in order to support such a flight schedule.

Flights with Aer Lingus Regional between Ireland and the UK are not now bookable until July 14.

"The group has taken a series of mitigating actions to help preserve cashflow through this period of uncertainty," said Stobart Group in a statement to the stock exchange.

"However with the business currently suffering from the severe negative impacts of the pandemic, the group requires additional liquidity both to fund the group's short-term cash obligations and to enable it to build a strong foundation from which it can return the aviation business to growth and deliver on its longer-term strategic ambitions," it added.

Stobart Group owns London Southend Airport, which like other gateways has seen its passenger traffic collapse since the Covid-19 crisis erupted.

Stobart Group has about $100m (88.5m) in liabilities attached to Stobart Air, including aircraft maintenance costs. The 25m it already pledged to the carrier will help cover those and other costs.

The current Aer Lingus Regional contract expires at the end of 2022. But Willie Walsh, the CEO of Aer Lingus-owner IAG, said last month that the contract has not yet been extended.

"We have had approaches from other carriers who'd like to provide that service to us," he said.

Stobart Group recently sold the rights to the Stobart name, taking a 40m hit on the deal.
Is the fight for human rights and racial justice overriding the coronavirus risk? By Thalif Deen View(s): View(s):

UNITED NATIONS (IPS)  The coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed the lives of more than 380,000 people worldwide, has reinforced the concept of social distancing which bars any gathering of over 10 or 20 people  whether at a social event, a wedding, a political rally or even a funeral.

In the US, guidelines laid down by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are clear: Limit face-to-face contact, stay at least 6 feet from other people. Do not gather in groups. And stay out of crowded places and avoid mass gatherings.

But all those warnings have been unceremoniously jettisoned as hundreds and thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets in several cities, including in Hong Kong, Argentina, Lebanon, Brazil, Israel, Ukraine and India, and the US and the UK.

In the US alone, where coronavirus deaths have exceeded 105,000, demonstrators in over 140 cities in 31 States have defied edicts from medical experts and city and State authorities resulting in curfews.

The defiant stand has triggered the question: Is the fight for human rights and racial justice overriding coronavirus threats  even as thousands have participated in demonstrations violating stay-at-home orders and stoking fears of a sharp increase in infections upending virus control efforts?

The Mayor of the city of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms, was quoted as saying: If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to get a COVID test this week. There is still a pandemic in America thats killing black and brown people in higher numbers.

Some of the protesters who set fire to police vehicles, gas stations, post offices, banks and electronic stories, were masked. But others were mostly mask-less.

A new study by the University of Manchester, UK, has found that people are still willing to take part in protests in large numbers, despite the inherent dangers of the pandemic.

Dr Olga Onuch, an Associate Professor in Politics, University of Manchester and principal investigator and lead author of the study, told IPS: My sense is that like in the US, Israel, Hong Kong, Brazil and beyond, large groups of people will continue to protest even when faced with infection. I think all the evidence points to more, not less protests.

Asked if these demonstrators were risking their lives fighting for human rights and racial justice, Dr Onuch said: I am not an epidemiologist but it would be my understanding, especially given the level of Covid-19 infections, I would expect that the risk of contracting the disease during mass gatherings, like protests, is very high indeed.

Yes, I believe they are risking their lives in participating in protests.

It is my hypothesis that peoples patience is lower as a result of the pressures of confinement, and thus, people are actually more likely to get engaged when they see a clear violation of basic rights, said Dr Onuch, who is also an Associate Fellow in Politics at Nuffield College, Oxford University.

The study said that in Argentina, which has seen several mass protests since the end of the dictatorship in 1983, readiness to protest is typically high. Even by Argentine standards, the researchers were shocked to find that 45% of people were still happy to protest despite the countrys lockdown and rising rates of COVID-19 infections.

Norman Solomon, executive director at the Washington-based, Institute for Public Accuracy, told IPS that some people ignore social distancing health-protection guidelines while partying on beaches or congregating in bars.

Other people ignore those guidelines while non-violently protesting injustice. Id certainly say that such protesters are quite admirable compared to those who violate the guidelines merely in order to have fun, he added.

That said, the guidelines exist for valid reasons and should be adhered to whenever possible; the risks endanger not only those who choose to ignore the guidelines but also those who are exposed due to the unfortunate choices of others, declared Solomon.

The protests reached the steps of the White House last week as the Secret Service was forced to rush the US president into an underground bunker for his safety.

The New York Times reported on June 1, there are parallel plagues ravaging America: the coronavirus crisis and police killings of black men and women.

The initial demonstrations resulted from the brutal killing of unarmed black man George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis which was caught on-camera and went viral.

According to the Times, there were at least 600 Americans who reportedly died from Covid-19 on a single day  Sundaywhen the demonstrations were in full swing.

Commenting on the growing protests, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said at his daily briefing: 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. We have to take a minute and ask ourselves: What are we doing here?

Tara Carey, senior media and content manager at Equality Now, who witnessed the London protests, told IPS times of crisis exacerbate inequality, and this had been brutally exposed during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has disproportionally affected disadvantaged and minority communities around the world.

The widespread harm caused by coronavirus has compounded pre-existing discrimination and political unrest, creating a tinder box atmosphere in which many people feel passionately that the dangers posed by systems of oppression must be challenged on the streets, even if this involves the possibility of contracting a potentially deadly contagious disease, she argued.

From the US to Lebanon, the UK to Hong Kong, demonstrators have risked both infection and arrest to join together in demanding change, she noted.

Participating in political protests often comes with personal risk and Covid-19 has added to this. The right to demonstrate against injustice and persecution is a fundamental human right and it is important for people to think about how to protest safely.

For those participating in street protests, they must weigh the health risks to themselves and those around them. For those who think the risk is too high, there are other ways to confront oppression and stand in solidarity, she noted.

Speaking out in support, contacting political representatives and other duty bearers, and donating to organisations that provide support to those in need and campaign for change, all have an important role to play, declared Carey.

The writer can be contacted at thalifdeen@aol.com
NEW DELHI : With the coronavirus pandemic showing no signs of abating, it seems unlikely that Muslims from India will be able to undertake the Haj pilgrimage this year, sources said on Saturday.

However, they said the government will take a final decision on the matter only after Saudi Arabia makes its position on hosting the pilgrimage clear.

A circular issued by the Haj Committee of India on Friday said only a few weeks are left for the preparatory work in India for Haj 2020, yet the Saudi authorities have not communicated any further development regarding the pilgrimage.

"In view of the several inquiries received and concerns expressed over uncertainty over Haj 2020, it has been decided by the Haj Committee of India that, those pilgrims who desire to cancel their Haj journey this year, their 100% amount paid so far will be refunded without any deductions," the circular issued by Haj Committee of India CEO Maqsood Ahmed Khan said.

"Coronavirus cases are increasing in Saudi Arabia and two lakh people have to go from here. We had made preparations, but now there is very little time left. We are waiting for an official word from Saudi Arabia," a top source told PTI.

In response to a question, the source said, "This time, it is unlikely that people will be able to undertake Haj from India."

Uncertainty has been looming large over this year's Haj in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and though Saudi Arabia has not made a decision on whether the annual pilgrimage will be held or not, it did ask Muslims to delay their bookings till there is more clarity.

The bilateral annual Haj 2020 agreement between India and Saudi Arabia was signed last December.

In 2020, a total of 2 lakh Indian Muslims were expected to perform Haj.

Over 95,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 600 deaths have been reported in Saudi Arabia due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Some countries have decided not to send their people for Haj this time. The most prominent among these is Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world.

The Haj 2020 is proposed in the period between late July and early August.

The Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam which every Muslim is required to complete at least once in their lifetime if they are healthy enough and have the means to do so.

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Democrat voters who identify as Christian has plummeted since 2008: Pew

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The percentage of Democrat and Democrat-leaning voters who identify as Christian has sharply declined since 2008, according to a new report by the Pew Research Center.

A report by Pew published in its U.S. Politics & Policy section found that while 73% of Democrat voters were Christian in 2008, by 2019 the percentage had dropped to 52%.

The large decline came for the subset of white Christians, who went from 45% of Democrat voters to 26%; nonwhite Christians had a smaller decline of 28% to 25% during the same time period.

Republican and Republican-leaning voters also saw a drop in self-identified Christians during that time period, going from 87% in 2008 to 79% in 2019.

With Republicans, the white Christian subset fell from 77% in 2008 to 66%, though the nonwhite Christian percentage increased during the same time period from 10% to 14%.

The 52% of self-identified Christians among Democrat voters puts them well below the overall registered voter average of 64% Christian, itself a decline from the 79% reported in 2008.

The U.S. religious landscape has undergone profound changes in recent years, with the share of Christians in the population continuing to decline, stated Pew. These shifts are reflected in the composition of the partisan coalitions.

The share of Democratic voters who are religiously unaffiliated has approximately doubled over this period (from 18% to 38%).

The Pew report drew from an analysis of surveys conducted with approximately 360,000 registered voters over the past quarter century, including over 12,000 in 2018 and 2019.

The report also found strong religious divides among the two major parties. For example, 78% of white evangelicals identified as Republican or Republican-leaning, versus 17% who identified as Democrat or Democrat-leaning.

On the opposite trend were Hispanic Catholics, of which 68% identified as Democrat or Democrat-leaning, while 27% identified as Republican or Republican-leaning.

Republicans also had more support among those who frequently attend religious services, while Democrats had more support among the religiously unaffiliated, according to Pew.

Over the past several years, much has been made about the growing gap regarding religious views between the two major parties, with some saying that Democrats have a God problem.

Last July, Pew released a report that found only 38% of Democrats viewed the impact of churches on the culture as positive, a 19-point drop from 2010.

By contrast, the same 2019 report found that 68% of Republicans viewed the impact of churches on the culture as positive, a 6-point drop from 2010.

Democrats are now evenly divided in these attitudes (38% positive, 40% negative), wrote Carroll Doherty and Jocelyn Kiley of Pew in 2019.

In five previous Pew Research Center surveys over the past decade, significantly more Democrats viewed the impact of religious organizations positively than negatively.
Nearly HK$320 million (US$41 million) worth of illegal drugs had been seized from air cargo mailed into and out of Hong Kong so far this year, as coronavirus travel restrictions forced drug dealers to use airborne shipments rather than human couriers, law enforcement sources said.

Figures obtained by the Post showed that 1.19 tonnes of illicit narcotics was confiscated from 259 shipments intercepted by customs officers at the airports cargo terminal in the first five months of the year, up 165 per cent from the 449kg discovered in 211 packages in the same period last year.

One source said the monthly average number of packages found containing illegal drugs jumped from 43 in the first two months of the year to 58 between March and May.

Customs officers demonstrate how X-rays are used to check incoming air parcels at Hong Kong International Airport. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

The source said the surge in seizures was linked to coronavirus border controls introduced in March. To combat the pandemic, Hong Kong has barred all non-residents from entry from overseas countries since March 25. The city has also required all returning residents, as well as visitors from mainland China, Macau and Taiwan, to undergo quarantine for 14 days.

Because of the restrictions, trafficking activities involving drug mules have died down. No drug couriers have come to Hong Kong since mid-March, the source said.

As there is still demand for illegal drugs, traffickers have resorted to smuggling illegal drugs into the city as air cargo.

Because of the restrictions, trafficking activities involving drug mules have died down. No drug couriers have come to Hong Kong since mid-March

A source on the increase in drug cargo

In the first three months of the year, on average 12 drug couriers, mostly inbound travellers, were picked up at the airport each month. Almost 140kg of drugs with an estimated street value of HK$114 million were found hidden in their suitcases or tied to their bodies. Some traffickers put their lives at risk by swallowing pellets of drugs.

The source said no drug traffickers were picked up at the airport in April or May.

Story continues

As the air passenger traffic has reduced significantly since March this year amid the Covid-19 pandemic, drug syndicates have no choice but to shift trafficking activities to air cargo, postal parcel and express courier channels, a Customs and Excise Department spokesman said.

Customs has been monitoring the development and has made swift adjustments to enforcement strategies and resources deployment to step up actions against drug-trafficking activities through these channels.

Customs department sources say the volume of drugs seized in air cargo for the first five months of 2020 jumped 165 per cent from the same period last year. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

The 1.19 tonnes seized included nearly 100kg of cocaine worth HK$104 million which originated from South American countries, but some of the containers carrying the drug were sent from Europe.

The source said customs officers had recently noticed an increasing number of cases in which cocaine was airmailed from the Netherlands.

Between Sunday and Wednesday, customs officers from the drug investigation bureau confiscated 38kg of cocaine worth more than HK$40 million hidden in three shipments airmailed into the city from the Netherlands.

About 28kg of the drug was found concealed inside powdered formula cans in two of the cases while the remaining 10kg was hidden inside 10 office chairs.

The huge haul also included 133kg of ketamine worth HK$69 million and 135kg of methamphetamine worth HK$88 million.

The source said ketamine was primarily mailed into the city from such European countries as Belgium, France and Germany while methamphetamine was smuggled from Southeast Asian countries.

In response to the trend, Hong Kongs customs department has deployed more resources including upping manpower and the number of sniffer dogs to enhance inspection capabilities at the airports cargo terminals.

The surge in the number of cases weve detected has demonstrated our intelligence operations and deployment have been successful, another source said.

He said local authorities were also monitoring whether drug dealers would adopt other trafficking channels, such as sea routes, to smuggle drugs into Hong Kong.

Last month, customs officers found 217kg of cocaine worth HK$246 million hidden in an aircraft engine shipped from Ecuador in their biggest seizure of the drug so far this year.

A department spokesman said officers were closely monitoring drug-trafficking trends around the world and adopting effective enforcement tactics accordingly.

Coupled with the application of advanced technology, customs clearance at all entry and exit points always remains a strong and powerful gate against drug-smuggling activities despite the wide variety of modus operandi, from hiding drugs on their bodies, to secret compartments in luggage, to cargo or parcel concealment, he said.

Under customs stringent enforcement efforts, the number of detections in 2020 has increased tremendously.

In Hong Kong, drug trafficking carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a HK$5 million fine.

More from South China Morning Post:

This article Hong Kong air cargo drug seizures jump 165 per cent in first five months as Covid-19 restrictions prevent couriers from flying into city first appeared on South China Morning Post

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Investment trust Odyssean is just over two years into its journey, but the manager behind the fund is confident that, like Homer's Odysseus who took ten years to travel back to Ithaca from the Trojan War, perseverance will reap its rewards.

Stuart Widdowson set up the 76million trust in May 2018 to invest in small companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.

This was after previously running a similar investment trust called Strategic Equity Capital for investment house GVQ.

Performance: Over the past year the trust has recorded a loss of just under 9 per cent

Although Widdowson had to take compassionate leave last year for family reasons, he is now running the trust from home in Guildford, assisted by co-manager Ed Wielechowski (working 35 miles away in Beaconsfield).

The trust's performance numbers are not brilliant in absolute terms. It has generated losses of more than 11 per cent since launch and over the past year it has recorded a loss of just under 9 per cent.

Yet Widdowson is convinced the trust's strategy will win through. 'We're only interested in investing in companies with good prospects,' he says. 'Businesses that will over time make our shareholders money.'

The trust has 19 holdings, most of which are either part of the FTSE All-Share or AIM indices. Typically, they are small in terms of market capitalisation  between 150million and 750million  although not so small that Widdowson cannot sell the trust's stakes if thing go wrong.

It's very much a hands-on approach. Widdowson explains: 'We are engaged investors. We like to invest in good companies that we believe can do things better. We take a meaningful stake in the business and then we encourage them to improve.

'This could be through helping them with their investor relations  making them more appealing to a wider net of potential investors. Or it could be by encouraging them to be more shareholder-friendly in terms of environmental, social and corporate governance issues.'

The trust has 19 holdings, most of which are either part of the FTSE All-Share or AIM indices

One company that Widdowson persuaded to reach out to new shareholders was sausage skin manufacturer Devro. The result was a re-rating in the company's shares.

Although the coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll on Devro's share price  down more than 20 per cent over the past year  Widdowson is convinced the company is a cash generator.

'It's got processing plants all over the world.' he says. 'Its earnings are resilient and unlike many businesses it has no need to raise more cash.'

With cash released through the recent sale of holdings in healthcare company Huntsworth and Consort Medical  the companies were respectively taken over by private equity and Swedish firm Recipharm  Widdowson is looking to make new investments.

One new stake is in pharmaceuticals specialist Clinigen while two other positions have been built. Widdowson has a shortlist of six other companies that he would like to buy at some stage this year, provided he can purchase them at the right price.

Although Odyssean's focus on small UK-listed companies means it will be too risky for some investors, it's not without reassuring risk controls.

Unlike other investment trusts, it is not willing to borrow money to increase its exposure to the UK stock market.

It steers clear of companies with big pension deficits and it has set up an investment advisory committee that the two managers use to bounce investment ideas off. The trust's on-going charge is on the high side at 1.58 per cent a year.
What began as a day of peaceful protests on Friday, as thousands of people took to the streets of Portland to condemn police brutality against African Americans and call for change, again ended with clashes between downtown demonstrators and police, which intensified as the night wore on and continued until early Saturday.

Portland Police Chief Jami Resch said in a statement that the events late Friday and early Saturday revealed an escalation in focus, violence, and weaponry directed at public safety officials."

After what police said were demonstrators throwing projectiles including fireworks, glass bottles, blades, mortars, batteries, frozen water bottles and ball bearings, a civil disturbance and unlawful assembly was declared from about 11:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., and orders to disperse were given.

Officers arrested 20 adults and detained one juvenile, according to police. One car was towed, police said, after the driver nearly struck people near Southwest Jefferson Street and 10th Avenue.

The Portland protests Friday were part of a national uprising following ter the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died May 25, after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes. The officer faces charges including second-degree murder, and the three other officers on the scene have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

Thousands have expressed their first amendment rights without violence, vandalism, or destruction, Resch said in a news release. Tonights events revealed an escalation in focus, violence, and weaponry directed at public safety officials. Lives were at risk; our officers deserve better than to be pelted with incendiary devices, batteries, glass bottles, sling shot projectiles, and bricks to name a few.

Fortunately, demonstrators, media and public safety officers have not experienced serious physical injuries in the past week, despite the dangerous life safety risks we have witnessed, she said. "PPB members continue to evaluate the best resource options and strategies to achieve our number one priority for all events, which is life safety, along with the reduction of serious injury for all.

The escalation came after a peaceful rally that drew thousands to Tom McCall Waterfront Park. As The Oregonian/OregonLive reported, while the Waterfront Park event was going on, another group gathered in Chapman Square, outside the Multnomah County Justice Center, where Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler appeared and talked with demonstrators.

Police pulled back, fence started getting pushed in, then police fired some kind smoke grenades? Lots of smoke but no smell of tear gas. Police repeatedly demanding that people leave the area pic.twitter.com/DNLzRbGhF5  Dave Killen (@killendave) June 6, 2020

In answer to a question about police use of tear gas during protests, which has become a point of contention throughout the nation, Wheeler said, I do not like the tear gas. I think it is ugly. It is not focused enough. The city of Seattle today, late this afternoon, banned the use of tear gas for 30 days except in limited circumstances. We should do the same.

Wheeler said that on Saturday, "My colleagues and I will make an announcement.

Portland police said the group in Chapman Square that was joined by Wheeler were nonviolent. After Wheeler ended his speech, police said, demonstrators remained in downtown parks in the area and eventually gathered on Southwest Third Avenue from Madison Street to Main Street.

Demonstrators in the area of Third remained nonviolent for several hours, according to the police, though there were efforts to shake and climb the fence erected outside the Multnomah County Justice Center.

After the push through the plaza, the crowd splintered into a couple groups. Police eventually came back north on third and turned west on Madison, deploying a huge amount of the same gas from earlier pic.twitter.com/zE0TbwE7Xv  Dave Killen (@killendave) June 6, 2020

As police say water bottles, beer cans, bananas and other projectiles began to be thrown at officers, those in the crowd were warned to stay off the fence, to stop throwing projectiles at officers and to stay nonviolent.

By 10 p.m., what police described as agitators were using slingshots to aim projectiles at officers, including bricks, glass bottles, fireworks and more, and lasers were being directed at officers eyes. Police said an improvised explosive landed near an officers feet but didnt explode, as the fuse burned out.

Its not just water bottles. These are the items that are being launched at officers. Bricks, glass bottles, blades, ball bearings, mortars and batteries. At high speeds, these items can be deadly. These officers are trying to protect 400 people inside the Justuce Center. pic.twitter.com/FVJmaNcOpf  Multnomah Co Sheriff (@MultCoSO) June 6, 2020

Police declared an unlawful assembly and civil disturbance at about 11 p.m., and the crowd was told to leave the area and warned that if they didnt, they would be subject to arrest and/or the use of force, including crowd control munitions.

Demonstrators kept shaking the fence, police said, and knocked it down. Multnomah County Sheriffs Office deputies kept the agitators from advancing, police said, through the use of crowd control munitions."

As The Oregonian/OregonLive reported last night: Around 11:10 p.m., officers set off devices that emitted loud bangs and smoke into the air. The crowd began to disperse from some parts of the fence. A large crowd remained on Southwest Third Avenue and Madison Street, on the other side of the Justice Center.

About 11:20 p.m., The Oregonian/OregonLive reported the crowd at Third and Madison responded to the police announcement of an unlawful assembly by chanting, Were not leaving.

Oregonian/OregonLive reporters saw multiple people throw items over the fencing toward officers. At some points along the fence, officers set off stun grenades.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reported police began to advance into the crowd to try to break it up further. As police moved through the crowd, small groups began to reform in nearby blocks. Police continued to set off stun grenades and smoke devices.

At 11:35 p.m. the Multnomah County Sheriff Twitter account posted that deputies used smoke as a deterrent. When smoke was not effective, gas was deployed. It was unclear whether the sheriffs office was referring to tear gas, or another kind of gas.

Despite multiple warnings to disperse, protesters pushed the fence over. Deputies deployed smoke as a deterrent. When smoke was not effective, gas was deployed. There are approx. 400 people inside the Justice Center. We're legally& morally responsible for their health and safety.  Multnomah Co Sheriff (@MultCoSO) June 6, 2020

According to police, from about 11:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., officers started clearing the area to disperse the crowd. Police said a vehicle in the crowd appeared to be serving a support role for some crowd members. As members of the crowd began to disperse, police said, the driver began driving recklessly to leave the area and nearly struck members of the crowd in the area of Southwest Jefferson Street and 10th Avenue. Officers intervened, police said, and stopped the vehicle.

-- Kristi Turnquist

kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist

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Ukraine's Embassy in U.S. gradually restoring reception of visitors on consular issues from June 9 - diplomatic mission

The Ukrainian Embassy in the United States is gradually restoring the reception of citizens, it will be carried out exclusively by appointment, the Ukrainian diplomatic mission said.

"We inform that from June 9, 2020, the Embassy is gradually restoring the reception of visitors on consular issues," the Embassy said on its Facebook page on Friday evening.
School chiefs have refused to say whether a teacher faces disciplinary action after targeting Michael Goves family with vile online abuse.

Alom Shaha, a physics teacher at Camden School for Girls in North London, said Mr Goves 17-year-old daughter should campaign against her parents  and accused the Cabinet Office Minister and his wife, Sarah Vine, of supporting fascism.

In his tweet, Mr Shaha said: I would love to see a f***ing 12-year-old of one of these b******s leave home and claim asylum saying they dont want to live with fascists.

He later added: Im frankly shocked that any self-respecting teenage offspring of these b******s doesnt publicly shame them. I mean, what kind of teenagers are these? I can only conclude they are as awful as their parents.

Mr Shaha (above) has worked at the school part-time for more than 12 years, according to his LinkedIn profile

His Twitter account has since been deleted.

However, when approached by The Mail on Sunday last week, Camden School for Girls refused to say whether it has taken any disciplinary measures against Mr Shaha.

A spokesman said: The school does not comment on internal matters.

Mr Shaha has worked at the school part-time for more than 12 years, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He also works as a film-maker and is the author of books including The Young Atheists Handbook and Mr Shahas Recipes For Wonder.

In response to his abuse, Ms Vine said: Its one thing to be attacked oneself but when these people come after your children, thats when it becomes so deeply personal that you cant ignore it.

The fact this bile is being disseminated by teachers is worse.

Mr Shaha tweeted about Michael Gove (above) and wife Sarah Vine's family and said: I would love to see a f***ing 12-year-old of one of these b******s leave home and claim asylum saying they dont want to live with fascists.

However, last week Ms Vine tweeted to say Mr Shaha had been in touch to apologise.

She wrote: Thank you to Alom Shaha for a much appreciated apology, gratefully accepted. We all make mistakes, and it takes courage to admit them. Time to move on #Forgiveness.

Elsewhere, a rising classical music star has been investigated after making a vulgar gesture to Dominic Cummings outside his home.

Oliver Leith, 29, a composer in-residence with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in association with the Royal Opera House, held his two middle fingers up at Mr Cummings as the adviser ran a gauntlet of abuse on his way home two weeks ago.

The Royal Opera House sought to distance itself, claiming he was not an employee and does not receive any funding from us.

The Guildhall School said Mr Leith had been investigated under the student code of conduct, but refused to share the outcome of the inquiry on data protection grounds.

Neither he nor Mr Shaha responded to requests for comment.
Anita Panda

On May 24, a freelance writer based in Pune wrote on Twitter, Normalise divorce. Denormalise domestic violence. The tweet created a huge controversy, with both men and women commenting on it with their approval or criticism. Roma, who is co-author of the book My Mom Is a DJ, was angered by the fact that divorce is such a big word even today, especially in smaller cities and villages, where a lot of women have started supporting themselves and their children but are afraid to leave their abusive husbands because of the stigma associated with it, she says.

Roma adds, Women can only be completely free when weve shed all expectations of conforming to the ideal of a good woman in society and stop taking mental and physical torture lying down. Her tweet comes at a time when the National Commission for Women (NCW) has reported a spike in reported cases of domestic violence during the lockdown.

Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore various fissures in society when it comes to gender inequality in homes. In her new short film Listen to Her that has been endorsed by UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women and the South Asia Foundation, actor-director-producer Nandita Das portrays a powerful message of abuse, violence and discrimination in Indian families.

In the seven-minute nuanced film, she portrays a mother who  despite being an executive herself  must shoulder the burden of childcare and housework, even serving her husband coffee, while the world is in work-from-home mode.

Her world accidentally clashes with another woman  a poor one, who is being beaten brutally by her family for not cooking well enough and for taking too long to get foodstuff from the market  and the viewer is shown both the similarity and the contrast in their lives.

In Indias contradictory universe, most women would fall on either side of this privileged-underprivileged divide, both with their own versions of gender bias intact.

Misogyny starts at home, and domestic violence is rooted in power and control. As the world spirals down in lockdown, women in abusive relationships are suffering a silent pandemic at home. The spike in cases of domestic violence during the lockdown is only a grim reminder of the brutal truth that when it comes to gender and sexual violence in India, the perpetrator is not always a stranger but the one at home.

Roma Thakur.

The NCW recorded a more than two-fold spike in gender violence pan India, with 315 cases being reported on its special WhatsApp number 7217735372 in April alone. Layoffs, salary cuts, an uncertain future, global recession and anxiety have made homes into nightmarish hell-holes.

Vasundhara Sanghi, counselor at Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai, says intimate partner violence leaves women struggling to access support due to fear and social stigma. They are stuck with violent partners 24/7 not allowing for a reprieve, she notes.

Ankita Kohirkar, programme coordinator for the womens rights non-profit Urja Trust, says that ever since the lockdown began, 21 women from diverse communities have reached out to them for help.

National helplines are buzzing with the highest number of cases. The current situation is leaving women with no access to ration, economic support, sexual and reproductive health care and sanitary products. Instances are higher in lower income groups and the stigma makes it a nightmare for women, she says, adding, If she tests positive for COVID, it is worse! She becomes the vulnerable recipient of male anger, frustration, and physical, mental and verbal abuse.

Urjas work has found that while women of all social strata and caste face discrimination and domestic violence, the types and forms differ. Access to education, health and contraception is deficient in lower-income, marginalised sections.

The women reaching out to Urja hail from varied backgrounds: a 33-year-old single woman being harassed by her sexist father for stepping out of home to work; a 34-year-old homemaker with two kids living with her parents after being beaten up by her husband who neither wants to work nor be responsible for her and their kids; a suicidal woman in her second marriage being tortured by her new husband and mother-in-law, and so on.

Flavia Agnes, eminent Indian lawyer, author, activist, and co-founder of MAJLIS, a forum for women's rights discourse and legal initiatives in Mumbai, agrees with Romas call to denormalise domestic violence. She says, Earlier, society accepted domestic violence as divorce was a stigma. In a situation of domestic violence, women [now] prefer divorce rather than prolong a violent marriage.

But, she adds, this option is mainly for highly qualified young women. If you are a housewife, economically dependent on a husband, then you need a Protection Order from the court to safeguard your rights within your matrimonial home and seek protection from domestic violence. It will protect you for your right of residence there.

But domestic violence is not limited to physical violence. Emotional and financial abuse also takes a toll on the victim in the long term. Flavia says, The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act enacted in 2005 defines domestic violence very broadly as physical, mental, sexual and economic. We have to look at the remedies provided under the Act such as injunction protection order, right of maintenance and compensation, right to child custody and the right to reside in the matrimonial home free of violence. While this is true, the courts focus mainly on protection against domestic violence and economic deprivation such as non-payment of maintenance.

Admittedly, going to court is the last thing on the mind of a marginalised woman suffering intimate partner violence. Persis Sidhwa, litigation head at MAJLIS, shares the bleak situation: There are many police and NGO helplines, but a lot of women are stuck with limited money and are unable to recharge their mobiles with perpetrators at home. In such situations, community support and neighbours are more helpful than reaching out to helplines.

She adds grimly, We will only be able to assess the situation post-lockdown as the impact will be available later.

First published in eShe magazine
A recent N.M. court ruling that part of the states anti-corruption law is too vague to be enforced mustnt be allowed to stunt efforts at rooting out public corruption. Instead, state lawmakers need to revisit language of the law in the next regular session and double down on efforts to ensure the state can criminally prosecute those who misuse their public offices for personal benefit.

The state Court of Appeals on May 29 ordered the reinstatement of ethics charges against former Dona Ana County Treasurer David Gutierrez (accused of pursuing an unwanted sexual relationship with an employee), 6th Judicial District Attorney Francesca Estevez (accused of manipulating or intimidating officers investigating whether she had improperly used a state-owned vehicle) and former San Juan County Magistrate Judge Connie Lee Johnston (accused of illegally recording communications in secure areas of a court building). The court also dismissed a series of charges against them and former Taxation and Revenue Secretary Demesia Padilla (accused of using her position to improperly access tax records, engaging in an official act for personal financial gain, embezzlement and computer access with intent to defraud or embezzle). Padilla also still faces charges that include engaging in an official act for personal financial gain, embezzlement and computer access with intent to defraud or embezzle.

The court ruled that prosecutors may bring charges against officials who use their powers to obtain personal benefits or pursue private interests, but that two other sections of the Governmental Conduct Act are too vague for criminal prosecutions. Those sections call for public officials to conduct themselves in a way that justifies the confidence placed in them by the people and for officials to make reasonable efforts to avoid undue influence and abuse of office.

And just how is anyone supposed to evaluate, much less enforce, that?

The courts ruling shows that language in the anti-corruption law needs to be sharp and crystal clear so true criminal activity is charged, and those charges hold up in court. Its a tall order  consider the Supreme Court decision last month that acknowledged abuse of power yet tossed the New Jersey Bridgegate convictions, as well as in prior cases including (Virginia Gov. Bob) McDonnell vs. United States that essentially made many forms of bribery effectively legal.

It does not instill public confidence when public officials are charged with a crime but then the charges are thrown out. Thats unfair to the official, who may have been overcharged via a murky statute, as well as the public, which deserves accountability from its officials and its legal system. The challenge of crafting fair and successful legislation is even more difficult with a citizen legislature, when every member has a livelihood that can pose a conflict with legislation.

But threading the needle to ferret out outright corruption, though difficult, is necessary. New Mexico needs the Class of 2021 lawmakers to take up the challenge.

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.
Amul's managing director RS Sodhi said that the Amul Butter Girl campaign has been going on for more than 55 years and conveys the mood of the nation.

Twitter restored the official handle of Amul, Indias biggest dairy company, after major uproar over the temporary deactivation on June 4, which was purportedly done after a post supporting the boycott of Chinese goods was shared through it. Talking to reporters, RS Sodhi, Managing Director, Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) Ltd, said the company had approached the micro-blogging site over the reason behind the de-activation.

Our account was blocked on June 4. We got to know about it through some of our followers. Following some protocols, it was reactivated. We have asked Twitter why the account was blocked, added Sodhi. He then went on to add that the Amul Butter Girl campaign has been going on for decades and it presents the mood of the nation rather than the countrys take on any given topic.

This campaign has been ongoing for more than 55 years, where the Amul Butter Girl comments on anything which happens in India or abroad. She only depicts the mood of the nation. She favours none, spares none. This was not Amuls comment. It was the mood of the nation conveyed by the Amul Butter girl, said Sodhi.



Regarding controversy on Twitter on Amul's Buttergirl topic 'Exit the Dragon' Our account was blocked on June 4. Following some protocols, it was reactivated. We've asked Twitter why account was blocked, but haven't received formal reply yet: RS Sodhi, Managing Director, Amul pic.twitter.com/CL0xcu9WrR  ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2020

Also Read: Hyderabad international airport facilitates evacuation of Somali nationals during Covid-19 pandemic

Also Read: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal warns private hospitals against indulging in black marketing of beds for Covid-19 patients

Netizens kept the social media post abuzz after the Amuls account was purportedly deactivated following a post (below) on June 3 with the caption: Amul Topical: About the boycott of Chinese products The dairy company has to date kept the tweet pinned on its official handle. However, later in the day, Sodhi put out another tweet through his personal handle, stating that Twitter India MD has clarified to him that the account was blocked due to technical reasons.

Had a call from Shari Manish Maheshwari MD Twitter India, clarifying the issue that the account was blocked due to technical reasons and not in relation to the content published, Sodhis tweet reads.

Also Read: India ranks 6th among worst affected Covid-19 countries, surpasses Italys tally, cases now at 2,36,657

For all the latest National News, download NewsX App
The first batch of mosquitoes for 2020 have tested positive for West Nile virus, prompting crews with the Precinct 3 Commissioners office to begin treatment of the area Saturday.

According to information from the commissioners office, the mosquito was trapped in one of the departments operational zones in the Panther Creek area of The Woodlands.

WEATHER: Triple-digit feels like heat in Houston this week

Treatment of the affected area is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. Saturday. A second round of treatment is scheduled for the evening of Monday. Treatment will include spraying all streets and county rights of way within the affected area.

Our office is working diligently to minimize the risk of residents contracting a mosquito-borne illness, Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack said.

Residents can check the treatment activity map at www.precinct3.org/mosquito-abatement/ to learn when spraying will occur in their neighborhoods.

Noack urged residents to avoid outdoor activity during the scheduled treatment hours. Personal protective measures, such as insect repellent, wearing long, light, loose clothing and eliminating standing water, also should be taken, he added.

MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR: Montgomery County Commissioners move to provide $500 in stimulus checks for residents

The one thing that all mosquitoes require for reproduction is a source of water. Be sure to turn over or remove anything from your yard that can hold water, Montgomery County Mosquito Abatement Director Justin Fausek said. If you have areas where you cant get rid of water, such as a birdbath or meter box, you can treat it with a larvicide containing BTI instead.

For residents who would like assistance identifying mosquito-breeding sites in ditches or in the county right of way, call 281-364-4203 to set up an appointment. Residents also can send questions via email to justin.fausek@mctx.org or call the mosquito phone line at 281-364-4203.

cdominguez@hcnonline.com
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

The global multiplex assays market accounted for $73.2 million in 2018, and is expected to reach $123.1 million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 6.6% from 2019 to 2026.

Multiplex immunoassays conjugates assays for several target analytes in a single reaction volume, minimizing workflow and sample volume difficulties. In addition, this assay provides a gain in assay dynamic range, and is used to amplify multiple targets in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and collect more information from minute quantities of proteins or other analytes in lesser time as compared to conventional methods such as singleplex ELISA. Multiplex assays finds its application in pathogen identification, mutation analysis, RNA detection, gene detection analysis, linkage analysis, forensic studies, and others.

Multiplex assays hold enormous potential in the R&D of drugs for the treatment of diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases that drives the market growth for theses assays. For instance, bead-based Luminex xMAP multiplex assay provides a platform for cancer biomarker assays, which are compatible with plasma, serum, cultured cells, and other biological samples. In addition, surge in adoption of multiplex assays to reduce operation costs and rise in adoption of personalized medicines are anticipated to boost the market growth.

Request for Report Sample: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/13221

However, high capital investment and dearth of skilled labors are the major factors that hinder the market growth. On the contrary, the emerging economies of Asia-Pacific and LAMEA regions offer lucrative growth opportunities for the expansion of multiplex assays market, due to improvement in healthcare infrastructure in these regions and increase in demand for better healthcare services from majority of the patient population.

The global multiplex assays market in this report is studied based on type, product, technology, application, end user, and region. On the basis of type, the market is divided into nucleic acid-based, protein-based multiplex assays, and others. By product, it is classified into multiplex assay reagents & consumables, multiplex assay instruments & accessories, and multiplex assay software & services.

Depending on technology, it is fragmented into nucleic acid-based, protein-based multiplex assays, and others. As per application, it is segregated into companion diagnostics, research & development, clinical diagnostics, and others. According to end user, it is classified into hospitals, clinical laboratories, research institutes, and pharmaceuticals & biotechnological companies. Region wise, it is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

KEY BENEFITS FOR STAKEHOLDERS

u The study provides an in-depth analysis of the global multiplex assay market along with the current trends and future estimations to elucidate the imminent investment pockets.

u A comprehensive analysis of the factors that drive and restrict the market growth is provided.

u A comprehensive quantitative analysis of the industry is provided from 2018 to 2025 to assist stakeholders to capitalize on the prevailing market opportunities.

u An extensive analysis of the key segments of the industry helps to understand the global trends in the multiplex assay market.

u Key players and their strategies are provided to understand the competitive outlook of the industry.

More Info of Impact Covid19@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/13221

u KEY MARKET SEGMENTS

By Type

 Nucleic Acid-based Multiplex Assays

 Protein-based Multiplex Assays

 Others

By Product

 Multiplex Assay Reagents & Consumables

 Multiplex Assay Instruments & Accessories

 Multiplex Assay Software & Services

By Technology

 Multiplex PCR

 Multiplex Protein Microarray

 Others

By Application

 Companion Diagnostics

 Research & Development

 Clinical Diagnostics

End User

 Hospitals

 Clinical Laboratories

 Research Institutes

 Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnological Companies

By Region

o North America

 U.S.

 Canada

 Mexico

o Europe

 UK

 France

 Germany

 Italy

 Spain

 Rest of Europe

o Asia-Pacific

 Japan

 China

 India

 South Korea

 Australia

 Rest of Asia-Pacific

o LAMEA

 Saudi Arabia

 South Africa

 Brazil

 Rest of LAMEA

KEY MARKET PLAYERS

 Luminex Corporation

 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

 Illumina Inc.

 Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc.

 QIAGEN N.V.

 Becton, Dickinson and Company

 Abcam PLC

 Seegene Inc.

 Randox Laboratories Ltd.

The other players in the value chain include (profiles not included in the report)

 Merck KGaA

 Agilent Technologies

 Quanterix

 Olink

 Sysmex Corporation

 Siemens Healthcare GmbH

 F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd

 Johnson & Johnson

Request for Report Discount: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/13221
KYODO NEWS - Jun 6, 2020 - 09:28 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

The government plans to supply more personal computers to overseas Japanese schools so their students can continue to study online at home as the coronavirus epidemic shows no sign of abating globally.

The education ministry intends to ensure each pupil at Japanese elementary and high schools abroad has access to a computer, widening the scope of the existing domestic initiative.

It estimates a total of 12,000 pupils and teachers at overseas Japanese schools need new computers or tablet devices and plans to start distributing them possibly from this fall by shouldering half the costs to be borne by the institutions.

For the project, the ministry set aside 500 million yen ($4.6 million) in the draft second supplementary budget for fiscal 2020.

For a school planning to newly introduce more than 50 computers, the government will send information and communication technology experts and pay half the costs.

The government will examine the academic effect of the project at around 30 schools and provide up to 6 million yen for trials such as joint online courses involving multiple schools, ministry officials said.

Globally, there are about 100 Japanese schools, where roughly 17,000 children are enrolled, according to the Ministry of Education Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

As of late April, around 13,000 of them were still staying abroad. But only around 30 percent of the schools, including those in Beijing and Shanghai, had resumed classes by May 28, according to the ministry.

Japanese schools in the United States, Italy and other parts of the world hit hard by the coronavirus epidemic are feared to remain closed for an extended period of time.

Due to travel restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic, many of the Japanese schools do not have enough teachers to hold face-to-face classes.

More than 90 percent of some 500 teachers who were scheduled to be dispatched to overseas Japanese schools in April, when the country's new academic year starts, have yet to arrive because of travel restrictions implemented worldwide.

Related coverage:

University students launch COVID-19 multilingual support project

Language schools learn harsh lesson as virus squeezes student numbers

Educational support for children of foreign descent hit by coronavirus
WASHINGTON  The mayor of Washington, D.C., had the slogan Black Lives Matter painted in massive yellow letters on a street leading to the White House on Friday in tribute to victims of police brutality as she sparred with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Mayor Muriel Bowsers defiant message came as tensions remained high across the nation over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody nearly two weeks ago, prompting political leaders in that city and elsewhere to announce new restrictions on law enforcement.

Breonna Taylor, on your birthday, let us stand with determination, Bowser, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter in reference to a 26-year-old black woman who was shot dead by Louisville, Kentucky police in March.

Determination to make America the land it ought to be.

Bowser and Trump, a Republican, are at odds over the presidents use of federal law enforcement agencies and military police to put down demonstrations.

U.S. Park Police fired smoke grenades and chemical irritant pepper balls to break up a protest on Monday night so Trump could walk from the White House to a nearby church for a photo opportunity.

We want troops from out-of-state, out of Washington, D.C., Bowser, who has called for the District of Columbia to be granted U.S. statehood, told reporters on Thursday.

The city also installed a street sign for Black Lives Matter Plaza at the intersection of H and 16th Streets.

The incompetent Mayor of Washington, D.C., @MayorBowser, whos budget is totally out of control and is constantly coming back to us for handouts, is now fighting with the National Guard, who saved her from great embarrassment, Trump responded on Twitter.

If she doesnt treat these men and women well, then well bring in a different group of men and women!

Mayor Muriel Bowser looks out over a Black Lives Matter sign that was painted on a street, during nationwide protests against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Washington, D.C., June 5, 2020. Photo: Reuters

On Friday, a U.S. official said the Pentagon would be sending back the remaining 900 active-duty troops who had been deployed to the Washington, D.C., area.

Streets around the White House have been a focus of demonstrations that have swept the nation to protest the May 25 death of Floyd, 46, after a white police officer pinned him to the ground with a knee to the neck for nearly nine minutes.

Protests have also rocked cities including Atlanta, Denver, Detroit and Los Angeles, as well as many smaller communities.

After video footage from upstate New York raised further questions about the handling of demonstrators by law enforcement, two Buffalo police officers seen on Thursday shoving a 75-year-old protester to the ground were suspended and placed under investigation.

All 57 members of their police tactical unit quit the unit to protest their treatment, local media said Friday.

People participate in a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in front of the White House, in Washington, U.S., June 5, 2020. Photo: Reuters

Lawmakers rush to reform policing

Responding to the still-resonating outcry over Floyds death, Minneapolis officials on Friday voted to end the use of knee restraints and choke holds.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said on Friday that he would end state police training in the use of restraints that restrict the carotid artery in the neck.

Activists have also called for cities to defund police departments.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who in April proposed increasing law enforcement funding, this week proposed some $150 million in cuts to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The demonstrations have erupted as Americans and businesses struggle to recover from sweeping lockdowns imposed by state and local officials due to the coronavirus.

People participate in a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in front of the White House, in Washington, U.S., June 5, 2020. Photo: Reuters

Trump, who is seeking re-election in November, was cheered on Friday by an unexpected jump in U.S. employment in May, defying predictions of further job losses inflicted by the pandemic.

Whats happened to our country and what you now see has been happening is the greatest thing that could happen for race relations, for the African-American community, for the Asian-American, for the Hispanic-American community, for women, for everything, Trump said.

Bowser, who is black, represents a city that is 47% black, according to Census data.

She has said she is fine with D.C. National Guard helping to keep order in Washington, but is examining all legal options to reverse the deployment of federal forces from elsewhere.

Police officers stand guard during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in New York City, New York, U.S., June 5, 2020. Photo: Reuters

Further demonstrations were planned for Washington, D.C. on Saturday, and memorial services were expected over the next several days. Floyds funeral is planned for Tuesday.

The change in mood reflected a determination by activists and organizers to turn outrage over Floyds death into a renewed civil rights movement and reform police departments and the U.S. criminal justice system.

Despite the improvement overall in Fridays jobs report, unemployment among African Americans was higher in May than in April, a statistic that critics were certain to cite as underscoring racial disparities in American society.

The unemployment rate for African Americans is 3.5 percentage points higher than the national rate of 13.3%, while the rate for whites is 12.4%, nearly a full point below the national rate.
A family of six in San Antonio, Texas were found dead inside their residence on Thursday in what authorities believe to be a murder-suicide. Local police officers discovered the dead bodies of two adults and four children rotting inside an SUV located inside their garage.

On Thursday night, William McManus, the San Antonio Police Chief announced the family's death during a news conference. He also said that the identities of the family members had not been identified but noted that the parents were in their mid-to-late 30s and that the children ranged from 11 months to 4 years old, as reported by CNN.

Foul play?

McManus revealed that the incident does not appear to be an accident; instead, he considered it a suicide and that the cause of death was poisoning from carbon monoxide.

On Thursday, police officers arrived at the residence to conduct a welfare check after the man's workplace filed a request. The employer of the man noted that their employee did not show up to work like he usually did as he was at the time working from home.

Police officers quickly smelled toxic fumes when they opened and front door which prompted them to retreat from the premises.

McManus also revealed that officers found a cryptic note that someone left on the front door which had what appeared to be military jargon, according to The New York Times. They roughly translated it to mean that there were bodies or people inside the residence and cautioned anyone not to enter.

A robot was sent to investigate the residence as officers feared the home was rigged with explosives. Authorities also called for medical emergency services to be ready for what they could find inside.

Also Read: Two Children Died in Car Crash After Driving Grandparent's Car

When officers finally entered the garage, they found the bodies of the family inside a small SUV. McManus said the family had ties to the military but did not specify on which branch they were associated with,

The father was last seen on Wednesday checking in for work, which leads the police chief to believe that the deaths happened overnight. "This is just the very beginning of the investigation," he added.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning is severely dangerous as the gas itself has no taste or odour, leaving very little to alert a person to its presence. In small doses, it can produce health risks, and at high levels, it could cause death, as reported by the National Health Service (NHS).

There are around 60 reported deaths each year due to Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in the regions of England and Wales.

When a person inhales carbon monoxide, it quickly enters the bloodstream and mixes itself with haemoglobin which results in carboxyhaemoglobin. This event causes blood to no longer be able to carry oxygen properly and results in less oxygen availability which eventually leads to suffocation and death.

Signs and symptoms of the poisoning include dizziness, exhaustion, the feeling of being unwell, stomach pains, and difficulty in breathing. Extended exposure to the gas will cause the symptoms to worsen gradually.

Related Article: Mom Goes Home Seeing Her Child and Estranged Husband Dead, While 8-Year-Old is Seriously Injured

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A 3D printed Google logo is seen in this illustration taken

(Reuters) - The U.S. state attorneys general investigating Alphabet Inc's <GOOGL.O> Google for potential antitrust violations are leaning toward pushing for a breakup of its ad technology business as part of an expected suit, CNBC reported on Friday, citing sources.

The Justice Department and nearly all state attorneys general have opened investigations into allegations that Google has broken antitrust laws. The federal probe focuses on search bias, advertising and management of Google's Android operating system.

Google's shares were up 1.6% on the day.

Google spokeswoman Julie Tarallo McAlister said the company continued to engage with the Justice Department and the Texas attorney general's office.

"We don't have any updates or comments on speculation. The facts are clear: Our digital advertising products compete across a crowded industry with hundreds of rivals and technologies, and have helped lower costs for advertisers and consumers," Tarallo said.

Reuters and others reported in mid-May that state attorneys general led by Texas were likely to file an antitrust lawsuit against Google later this year. The Justice Department is also moving toward bringing a case as soon as this summer, The Wall Street Journal reported then.

Google on Thursday announced several leadership changes, including expanding senior vice president Prabhakar Raghavan's oversight to search engineering in addition to development of the company's ads systems. Several antitrust complaints against Google center on the company's promotion of its own services in the search engine, and how it charges for search ads. In his expanded role, Raghavan can control the entire canvas of Google's search engine, including organic results and ads.

Google, Facebook Inc <FB.O>, Amazon.com Inc <AMZN.O> and Apple Inc <AAPL.O> are under a series of probes into allegations that the tech behemoths use their clout to unfairly defend their market share.

The federal probe of Google focuses on search, advertising and management of its Android operating system.

(Reporting by Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru, Paresh Dave in California, Diane Bartz in Washington; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Leslie Adler)
By Tracy Rucinski

CHICAGO (Reuters) - United Airlines Holdings Inc <UAL.O> is closing three out of four international bases for flight attendants, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters, saying it is not able to sustain the bases in the current environment.

Airlines are bleeding cash as the coronavirus pandemic has decimated the aviation industry, with international flights hit especially hard by government travel restrictions and a lack of demand.

Chicago-based United is closing its Frankfurt, Hong Kong, and Tokyo bases effective Oct. 1, while keeping London, United's head of inflight services John Slater said in the Friday memo to crew.

About 840 flight attendants will be affected by the decision, a spokeswoman said, but will be able to transfer to U.S. bases for the October flying schedule, depending on their eligibility to work in the United States.

United has received about $5 billion in government payroll aid under the CARES Act which bans any forced job cuts before October. It has rolled out voluntary early outs for staff including flight attendants in an effort to reduce its headcount and cut costs in the months ahead.

(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Chris Reese and David Gregorio)
A man wears a face mask and surgical gloves to prevent Covid-19 spread, at the New York City subway train in New York, United States on March 11, 2020.

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

In a press briefing Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said everyone in areas with community transmission should wear a face mask where social distancing isn't possible to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

WHO also advised that in areas of community transmission, everyone who is over 60 years old or has underlying health conditions should wear a medical mask in spaces where social distancing is difficult.

All healthcare workers in areas with widespread transmission should also wear medical masks, not just those working with coronavirus patients, WHO said.

WHO reaffirmed that face masks alone cannot prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

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If there are confirmed cases of the coronavirus in your community, you should wear a fabric face mask when you are out in public spaces where social distancing is impossible, per an update from the World Health Organization on Friday.

In the June 5 press briefing, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom also announced revised guidelines on who should be wearing medical facemasks in communities where there are confirmed cases of the coronavirus, as well as overcrowded spaces including stores, buses, trains, and planes.

The WHO now recommends medical face masks to everyone who has underlying health conditions or is over 60 years old in spaces where social distancing is difficult or impossible.

Additionally, Adhanom said all healthcare workers in communities with widespread transmission should be wearing medical face masks.

"That means, for example, that when a doctor is doing a ward round on the cardiology or palliative care units where there are no confirmed COVID-19 patients, they should still wear a medical mask," Adhanom said in the briefing.

Previously, the WHO recommended that only healthcare workers, people infected with the coronavirus, and their caregivers wear medical masks.

Story continues

Following the briefing, Adhanom tweeted the new guidelines.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) June 5, 2020

Adhanom also repeated that masks alone do not protect people from the coronavirus in the briefing.

"I wish to be very clear that the guidance we are publishing today is an update of what we have been saying for months: that masks should only ever be used as part of a comprehensive strategy in the fight against COVID," Adhanom said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A Twitter thread has called out Bollywood actors and their hypocrisy as far as the George Floyd protests are concerned. The same actors, who once promoted fairness products are today supporting 'Black Lives Matter'. Ironic?

In the last few weeks, thousands of people around the world have joined the 'Black Lives Matter' global movement to show solidarity with the George Floyd Protestors in the United States.

George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died after being arrested by the police outside a shop in Minneapolis in the US on May 25. Footage showed a white officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Floyd's neck for several minutes while he was pinned to the floor. He was pronounced dead later in the hospital, triggering widespread protests across the US.

The hashtag, #BlackLivesMatter, has also been trending on social media. Interestingly, several Bollywood actors also took to social media to share their perspectives about the movement. Priyanka Chopra, Disha Patani, Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and many others shared quotes or messages in solidarity with the movement. Their effort in urging their fans to support what's right is definitely laudable. But there's just one tiny problem.

The internet was quick to point out how hypocritical this was given that most desi actors have endorsed fairness creams or "skin whitening" creams at some point in their career.

The irony here is startling. How can these celebs endorse fairness creams and simultaneously raise their voice against racism? If that is the case, what are we, as viewers, expected to believe?

The problem with fairness creams is that its very existence is proof of one skin tone being more attractive and appealing than the other, and that is not a message Bollywood actors, influential as they are, should be promoting.

A Twitter user named "Anti Pigeon" has put together a list of such Bollywood celebs.

A few days ago, Priyanka Chopra Jonas posted a message of solidarity on Instagram and said that "we all have a responsibility to educate." However, we cannot help but wonder what she was trying to "educate" when she endorsed a cream that could "reduce dark spots and give a whitish glow" for a popular brand years ago?

List of Indian actors who are speaking on BLM and their fairness cream ads, a thread : pic.twitter.com/yUeRNLch6U anti pigeon (@aluminiummaiden) May 31, 2020

In fact, in an interview Chopra had once said that she would endorse fairness creams since she was dusky herself. Twitterati were quick to call out her lie:

How can she be so blatantly hypocrite? pic.twitter.com/Wa7c5GJ7r9 Major Neel (Retd) (@MajorNeel) June 3, 2020

Similarly, Sonam Kapoor had also been the brand ambassador for a popular cosmetic brand and had endorsed several "skin lightening" creams back in the day. But on May 30, she shared a quote saying that one shouldn't stay silent in situations like these.

Disha Patani and Deepika Padukone too:

This is very vague but let's count it pic.twitter.com/qCRWKsORMw anti pigeon (@aluminiummaiden) May 31, 2020

Not just women, Bollywood's leading men have joined the race to become 'fair and handsome' too. And as this Twitter thread points out, actors like Shah Rukh Khan haven't even spoken up:

Please let us not forget those who haven't even said anything, is that worse? pic.twitter.com/Y3kVyC5jQz anti pigeon (@aluminiummaiden) May 31, 2020

No, don't get us wrong. There's nothing wrong with Indian actors speaking up for the right cause. But the contradictions are obvious, and can no longer be ignored.

Several other Twitter users have called out the hypocrisy as well:

Bollywood : All colours are beautiful (but we will cast white actress and we will endorse fairness cream through racism commercial ads) #MaanKiBaat Swayamsevak Funk (@Bongtweeps) May 31, 2020

As much I appreciate the Bollywood celebs posting their opposition to the institutional racism and police brutality, need to introspect their endorsement of fairness creams, and not speaking up against injustice that sustains at home. Hypocrisy lies under their skin! Adarsh Badri (@Adarsh_Badri) May 31, 2020

Bollywood peeps: regularly endorse fairness creams, practice blackface, actresses whitewash themselves on screen, stoic silence on issues in Indiaalso Bollywood peeps: we condemn racism 10,000 miles away in America #hypocrisy Sunayana Bhatia (@sunayanabhatia) June 1, 2020
Twenty-somethings disregarding physical-distancing rules are being blamed for a spike in COVID-19 cases in Hamilton.

The sense would be that weve got a group of people who are at an age and stage in life where there tends to be less thinking about how these sorts of risks can affect them ... and being very social, said Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Hamiltons medical officer of health. Our sense is they arent following the physical-distancing rules with their social groups and not practising the best preventive measures.

Hamilton had 19 new COVID-19 infections Friday bringing the total to 734 confirmed and probable cases. Roughly, 85 people have tested positive in the last 10 days.

What we see in common among the cases of late, they tend to be concentrated in the 20 to 29 age group and really in the first half of that group, said Richardson. Thats a significant shift.

Twenty-somethings accounted for 43 per cent of new cases in the last 10 days. To compare, those age 20 to 29 make up 19 per cent of Hamiltons total cases.

A concerning increase in that age group is something we need to stay on top of, said Mayor Fred Eisenberger. We were all young once and thought we were impervious and immune and can conquer anything.

Richardson said the citys COVID-19 cases are currently being mapped and she expects to release that information next week. It would be the first time the community has been given the location of cases in Hamilton.

We havent seen anything geographically in terms of hot spots, she said Friday. We dont see a tight correlation either in terms of seeing the number of positives in areas of the city that have lower income like Toronto saw when they did their maps.

Aside from outbreaks, the hot spots have been among people living together such as families or young adults with roommates.

This virus spreads the best when its got frequent, long contact between people, said Richardson. Thats when it spreads easily if you dont have any other measures put in place.

Roommates are part of the reason that young adults are the other Hamilton hot spot for COVID-19.

Its really important that if people have a COVID infection and they are living together with other people that they are taking precautions to isolate within the house, she said. Ideally they have their own bathroom, wearing a mask  and we do give them surgical masks in those kind of settings that have that higher level of protection  and following through with all of our recommendations.

But, for the most part, its simply not following physical-distancing rules and other preventive measures, like good handwashing, while commuting and meeting up socially.

There is really no other thing that defines this pattern were seeing other than age and stage of life, said Richardson, adding that its not connected to certain workplaces or schools.

Its more around the behavioural piece of not doing the preventive measures than it is around any particular setting they are in, she said.

Part of the problem is confusion over what is expected when gathering in a small group.

When we talk about groups of up to five being allowed, were still saying people should physically distance within that group, she said, adding that young adults arent doing that.

In addition, there is worry twenty-somethings are getting fatigued with physical distancing and the risk of COVID-19.

When risk becomes more familiar and they havent personally experienced something that is really bad associated with it  they may have had a friend get sick and it wasnt that bad  people can desensitize to the risks, said Richardson. Were cognizant that we could be going through a phase of that.

The city is starting a social media campaign to try to get through to young adults the importance of following public health measures.

Were really hoping to have them understand they are vulnerable to this illness personally and they can get something that is more severe, she said. Also, they go home to parents, grandparents, people with medical conditions  that they may or may not know about. They could transmit it and they could go on to be very very ill. Were going to be focusing our campaign on trying to reach that group and understanding where they are coming from and help them understand our perspective and what the risks are.

While anyone can currently get tested for COVID-19, Richardson said its really important those with symptoms contact public health or their doctor within 24 hours to get an appointment at an assessment centre.

We really want to see them soon  within 24 hours  because we know that group is the most likely to spread COVID-19 along with anyone else has been infected and hasnt yet shown symptoms, she said. That is why the contact tracing is so important.

So far, none of the cases in young adults have been related to recent anti-racism protests that have attracted hundreds in Hamilton and thousands in Burlington.

These ones dont relate to that at all, said Richardson. However, weve got that 14-day period after that event. Well continue to look and see if any of the cases do relate to that. We wouldnt be completely past that time frame at this point.
George W. England, section 10, Lee Township, was born in Hocking County, Ohio, November 21,1846, and is a son of Titus and Mary J. (Dewhirst) England, natives, respectively, of Germany and England. The father died before his son was born, and the mother died when he was but seven months old, in Ontario, whither she had gone right after his birth. The orphan, thus so sadly bereft, was cared for by his grandparents until he set out in the world for himself.

First he came to Michigan and began to work for Charles Roe, a drover, of Detroit, then for J.J. Baker of the same place, operating between Ontario and Detroit; afterwards he worked a year in Macomb County, when January 27,1863, he enlisted for the war in Company G, Eighth Michigan Cavalry, of the Army of the Cumberland, Colonel Mix commanding. He was in the battles of Knoxville and Nashville and two days after the general capture of Millbury Creek he was taken prisoner at that place. Attempting escape from the general capture he lost his weapons and his horse was drowned in a river, and he was hunted down with blood hounds.
A man who allegedly charged peaceful protesters in Queens, New York, with a wolverine knife claw has been arrested on a number of charges the incident including attempted murder after surrendering to authorities, officials have said.

Frank Cavalluzzi, 54, surrendered to authorities after he was seen in video allegedly intimidating protesters wearing a glove with four long, serrated-edged blades, the Queens district attorney office said.

The incident allegedly occurred on Tuesday at the overpass above the Cross Island Parkway in Queens, where a number of demonstrators were gathered to protest the death of George Floyd.

Floyd, an unarmed black man, died on 25 May after a Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground by his neck for a prolonged period of time.

Outrage over Floyds death has spiralled in the last week, with violent protests and demonstrations breaking out in all 50 US states.

Mr Cavalluzzi, 54, jumped out of a vehicle shouting I will kill you, and chasing protesters while wearing the knife glove, a press release from the office of District Attorney Melinda Katz claimed.

George Floyd protesters have been demonstrating in the area after someone was seen on camera ripping a protesters sign down at the location earlier this week, The New York Post reported.

In a burst of anger and rage, this defendant allegedly sought to kill protesters who were peacefully assembled and exercising their right to free speech, Ms Katz said, adding that it was amazing no one was injured.

Mr Cavalluzzi then got back into his vehicle and nearly ran over the demonstrators by driving on the sidewalk, the release said.

Recommended All four former police officers face new charges

The 54-year-old turned himself in on Thursday and was arraigned on a number of charges including second-degree attempted murder, multiple degrees of attempted assault, reckless endangerment.

He could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted, according to the release.

Bail has been set for the defendant at $100,000. It is yet unclear if Mr Cavalluzzi has legal representation.

Hundreds and thousands of New York residents have taken to the streets to protest the death of Floyd, police brutality and systemic racism over the last week.

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.
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Linkedin (Reuters) London, United Kingdom  Sat, June 6, 2020 22:05 594 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdc9c477 2 Entertainment Whoopi-Goldberg,actor,united-states,Extinction-Rebellion,climate-change,climate-crisis,climate,film Free

American actress Whoopi Goldberg has leant her voice to an Extinction Rebellion animated film highlighting the precarious state of the planet's natural environment.

The three-minute film entitled Gigantic Change was released on Friday to coincide with World Enviroment Day. It is set in 2050 and shows a girl asking her grandmother, voiced by Goldberg, to read a "happy" bedtime story.

After the grandmother chronicles a gloomy planet on the brink of environmental collapse back in 2020, the girl finishes off the tale, switching the narrative to one where the world came together to tackle climate change and protect nature.

While the ending is deliberately ambiguous, the film offers a message of hope. The year 2050 is significant as it is when many nations have committed to becoming carbon neutral.

The film was created by Passion Pictures, the London studio behind the Rang-tan film for British supermarket chain Iceland highlighting the threat of the palm oil industry to orangutans.

Read also: As coronavirus drives climate protests off streets, activists go online

With the world slowly emerging from lockdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, climate action group Extinction Rebellion has been pushing the message that the human race must seize the opportunity to create a greener future.

The film ends with a caption saying that unless the human race changes course, by the year 2050 one billion people will be displaced and half of all species extinct.

Asked about Oscar-winner Goldberg's involvement, co-director George Lewin said: "We thought her iconic voice would bring a perfect sense of gravitas to the performance. Plus she is outspoken on environmental issues and had the potential to inspire her followers to take action.

Gigantic Change went live on Extinction Rebellion's Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and Instagram platforms on Friday.
Tory MPs have expressed concern about growing cracks between Boris Johnson and his Chancellor Rishi Sunak, as Cabinet splits widen over post-Brexit economic policy and the UKs tense relationship with China.

Differences between the two most powerful members of the Government came to a head last week in meetings about the security threat posed by Beijing and the scope of a new trade deal with Washington.

Sources also claimed that a rift has opened up over coronavirus strategy  although allies of both men insisted last night they are on the same page in terms of managing a swift exit from the lockdown and avoiding austerity measures during the recovery.

Tensions are growing between Prime Minister Boris Johnson (right) and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak (left) over the UK's relationships with China and the USA

It comes as Mr Johnson has reportedly secured the use of the tennis courts at the US ambassador's residence, Winfield House, as he attempts to lose weight

It comes as rumours swirl around Westminster that the Prime Minister is struggling to recover fully from being infected with Covid-19, and requires power naps of two to three hours during the day  something Downing Street says is completely untrue.

Mr Johnson is determined to lose weight, after blaming it for his three-day stay in intensive care with the disease.

He has reportedly secured the use of the tennis court at the US ambassador's London residence, Winfield House to help him get back in shape, according to The Sunday Times.

The Queen has also permitted him to make use of the Buckingham Palace gardens for walks and runs, while the Archbishop of Canterbury has opened Lambeth Palace gardens for the PM.

Johnson is reportedly telling colleagues: 'Don't be a fatty in your 50s.'

The claims have fanned febrile talk on the backbenches  also denied  that Mr Sunak is already positioning himself for a run at the party leadership if it falls vacant in the next couple of years.

One of the sharpest differences between No 10 and No 11 is over China as Ministers have been alarmed by sabre-rattling from Beijing.

The Chinese embassy in London is understood to have passed on warnings that the regime will take economic revenge if the Government continues to warn it to respect democracy in Hong Kong  or goes ahead with a mooted U-turn on letting Huawei help to build the UKs 5G mobile phone network.

Mr Johnson (left) and Mr Sunak (right) disagree on a proposed new relationship with China, with the PM aiming to limit the UK's economic dependence on the Communist state, with Mr Sunak wanting to protect the nation's economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis

At a meeting of the National Security Council on Tuesday, Mr Johnson unveiled plans for a new relationship with Beijing which would limit the UKs economic dependence on the Communist state.

However, it was met with stark warnings from Mr Sunak that putting up an economic wall risked hampering Britains GDP and slowing the crisis recovery.

Mr Sunak was heavily backed by Business Secretary Alok Sharma and the pair made a forthright case for continued Chinese investments in a range of sectors including nuclear power and steel.

But sources within the top-level meeting of senior politicians and spy chiefs argue that Mr Johnson sided with more hawkish Ministers such as Home Secretary Priti Patel, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who are pushing for a much tougher line on Chinese relations.

A source said: The economic departments were obviously worried about their balance sheets and made that very clear. Rishi was reading from the Treasurys script that we are all doomed if we dont do as they say.

But a defender of the Chancellor said he was clear that we need to be more transactional with the Chinese, but warned there would be an economic hit if we disregard the worlds second-largest economy.

Mr Sunak also disagrees with Mr Johnson over the terms of a new trade deal with America.

At a meeting on Monday of the XS Cabinet sub-committee, which thrashes out key Brexit policy issues, the Prime Minister rejected calls by Mr Sunak and International Trade Secretary Liz Truss for controversial US produce such as chlorinated chickens and hormone-filled beef to be allowed to enter the UK without being subject to high tariffs.

Mr Johnson, who chairs the meeting, sided with Environment Secretary George Eustice and Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove, who called for UK farmers to be protected from the new competition.

Mr Johnson has set himself against traditional Treasury orthodoxy by rejecting calls for tax rises and spending cuts to try to salvage the public finances following the huge financial hit of the pandemic.

One Conservative MP said: The sense among my colleagues is that Rishi is allowing more cracks to grow between him and Boris.

His approval ratings are better than the PMs, which seems to have given him the confidence to push back in areas where they disagree.

The chatter about Boris needing naps of two to three hours a day has added to the sense that Rishis time could come sooner than expected.

Government sources say that Mr Sunak (left) is allowing the cracks to grow between him and the PM (right), with the Chancellor's approval ratings appearing better than the PM's

Last night a senior source confirmed that the austerity debate was a very live discussion in No 10. The source said: The issue is not so much with Rishi as with the senior Treasury mandarins, who are institutionally geared towards saving money.

But the PMs position is that there is not going to be a repeat of 2008 by cutting public spending. His priority is to protect people and jobs.

This is a very live discussion in the building at the moment. While Rishi is alive to the human costs, the Treasurys departmental mindset is geared towards austerity.

Throughout the coronavirus crisis, Mr Sunak has been the leading hawk calling for lockdown measures to be eased as quickly as safely possible.

While Mr Johnson was originally more cautious about lifting the restrictions  chastened from his instinctive liberalism by his brush with death  he is now understood to agree with Mr Sunak that the economy could suffer irreparable damage if the social-distancing rules are not relaxed more rapidly.

The Chancellor (pictured) is believed to be keen on lifting lockdown restrictions as soon as possible, with the Prime Minister (not pictured) appearing to agree with his right-hand man

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, the leading lockdown dove, is no longer in the driving seat in the issue, sources say.

On China, an ally of Mr Johnson said: The Prime Minister is trying to steer a moderate course between the China-bashers on the backbenches and those, such as the Chancellor, who worry about retreating into economic isolationism.

A Government source said: No 10 and No 11 are as one in their joint determination to steer the country back to economic recovery in the safest possible way.

Downing Street said it was completely untrue that the Prime Minister needed sleeps during the day, or that Mr Sunak had leadership ambitions.
Demonstrators stand in front of the entrance of the 'Fonderie de Bretagne' foundry, a subsidiary of Renault group, on 28 May 28, in Caudan, western France. (Fred Tanneau/AFP via Getty)

French carmaker Renault (RNO.PA) announced on Friday that it will cut 14,600 jobs worldwide and reduce its production capacity as part of a plan aimed to create cost savings of 2bn (1.7bn, $2.1) in the next three years.

Renault, already hit by falling sales before coronavirus caused shutdowns and a collapse in consumer demand, said in a statement that 4,600 of the job cuts would take place in France, and 10,000 in the rest of the world.

The company, which employs about 180,000 people globally, also said it would reduce production from 4 million to 3.3 million vehicles by 2024, and focus on its more profitable models.

The French government, which holds a 15% stake in Renault, is in discussions with the carmaker about a 5bn state-backed loan to help it weather the crisis. However, in exchange for the money, Renault must comply with the governments requests to save jobs and safeguard production in France.

READ MORE: France earmarks 8bn stimulus package to support its car industry

French president Emmanuel Macron this week announced 8bn in aid for the French automotive industry, which directly employs some 400,000 people in the country.

Macron in return wants to see Renault and the Peugeot group focus more on electric and hybrid vehicles. French car buyers will receive big incentives to buy clean-energy cars as part of the government spending package.

Renaults overhaul is part of the new strategy for the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. The Alliance announced on Wednesday (27 May) this week that it would radically restructure to become more cost efficient and avoid doubling up on production.

Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard said at a press conference that the focus would be on efficiency and competitiveness, rather than volume.

READ MORE: Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi reboot alliance with new strategy

Under what it calls the leader-follow concept, Renault will focus on smaller models and diesels and Nissan (NSANY) will lead development of SUVs and bigger cars. Mitsubishi (MSBHY) will be in charge of hybrid SUVs.

The three will also carve up global regions: Renault will be in charge of the European and Russian regions, and Nissan will focus on China, the US and Japan. The smallest partner of the three, Mitsubishi will be head up south-east Asia.

On Thursday, protestors gathered at Nissans plant in Barcelona, Spain, after the Japanese carmaker said it would shut the plant down, making 3,000 people redundant.
Central Bank enters new era, reconstitutes Monetary Board By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):

Sri Lankas Central Bank (CB) is entering a new era of encouraging growth in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis and for this purpose is reconstituting the Monetary Board to tackle different economic issues in line with the present administrations new policies.

The Monetary Board is to be given a new role along with the improvements and a deepening of the financial system.

Senior government officials said that there is need for a shift in the conventional policy measures towards new trends in central banking such as helicopter money, popular nominal GDP targeting regime and developmental banking. Helicopter money is the term used by central banks for a large sum of new money that is printed and distributed among the public, to stimulate the economy often during a recession, according to experts.

In this backdrop, two members of the Monetary Board Nihal Fonseka and Dr. Dushini Weerakoon were asked to step down, ahead of the scheduled completion of their terms, paving the way to appoint new members in accordance with the needs of the present regime, these officials disclosed. They were appointed by the previous regime.

The two non-executive members submitted their letters of resignation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa effective May 31 at the request of presidential secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, a senior official said. Mr. Fonseka is a former chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange and banker while Dr Weerakoon is the Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Studies.

The non-executive board members are nominated by the President before they are submitted for Constitutional Council approval and each appointment is for a six-year term. They cannot be removed even if there are political changes and can be replaced only if they resign on their own will. The same rule applies to the appointment of the CB Governor.

Mr. Fonseka was appointed in July 2016, and has resigned before the completion of four years, while Dr. Weerakoon was appointed in July 2019 and has resigned during her first year.

According to other sources, there also appeared to be differences of opinion between CB Governor Prof. W. D. Lakshman and these two members on recent monetary policy decisions and the recent regulatory actions of the CB including current money printing. These two members were not available for comment on their resignations.

Meanwhile Dr. Kenneth De Zilwa, Managing Director Econsult Asia (Pvt) Ltd and senior economist Prof. S.S. Colombage are tipped to be appointed as their replacements.

The third non-executive board member is Sanjeewa Jayawardena PC, who was appointed in February this year by the present regime. The 5-member board includes two ex officio members  CB Governor and the Secretary to the Treasury.
The Chinese government recently raised the protection level of Chinese pangolins to the top level, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration announced on Friday.

The species, which used to be at the second level under state protection, is now listed among the top-protected animals.

According to a national wildlife survey conducted by forestry authorities in the 1990s, there were some 60,000 Chinese pangolins in 11 provinces, including Yunnan, Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan and Zhejiang provinces. In past decades, the species' population has witnessed a sharp decline due to habitat destruction, rampant poaching and smuggling.

In 2017, the International Union for Conservation of Nature placed Chinese pangolins on the Red List of Endangered Species, as a team of experts believed the population had dropped by 90 percent over the previous decade.
Cardinal Tagle, Francis' message to the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) was widely recognized far beyond the horizon of those to whom it was addressed. Once again the Pope underlined how much the mission is at the heart of the life and identity of the Church. What particularly impressed you with this message?

There are many things that fascinated me about Pope Francis' message to the Pontifical Mission Societies. Let me name a few. First, the Holy Father had accepted the invitation to address the National Directors of the PMS during their general assembly that should have taken place the month of May of this year. Due to the pandemic, the assembly was called off. But instead of welcoming the cancellation of an audience as an opportunity to rest, the Pope still decided to write and send a message. For me, this message contains not only the Pope's words and insights but also his passion for mission and solicitude for PMS. While reading the document, we should listen to his soul, his excitement, his hopes and his preoccupations. Secondly, I believe that while the message is specifically addressed to the National Directors of the PMS, the Pope wants the whole Church, the whole People of God, to read, study and meditate on it. It will serve as a guide for the National Directors. But it also serves as a tool for the examination of conscience of the whole Church in the area of missionary spirit and engagement.

The Pope emphasized strongly that the mission is a free gift of the Holy Spirit, not the outcome of strategies that imitate "models of worldly efficiency". What do you think should be done to avoid this risk of functionalism, of efficiency in the new projects of PMS?

It is important to say that Pope Francis is not against efficiency and methods that could make our mission fruitful and transparent. But he is warning us about the danger of measuring Church mission using only the standards and outcomes pre-determined by models or schools of management, no matter how good and useful these may be. The tools of efficiency can help but should never substitute for Church mission. The most efficiently run Church organization may end up being the least missionary. By emphasizing that mission is a gift of the Holy Spirit, Pope Francis is leading us back to some fundamental truths like: faith in God is a gift from God Himself; the Kingdom of God is inaugurated and fulfilled by God; the Church is God's creation; the Church awakens to her mission, proclaims the Gospel and goes to the ends of the earth because the Risen Lord sends the Holy Spirit from the Father. At the root of the Church and mission is a gift of God, not a human plan. Jesus comes to meet us as the Love of the Father. But we have a role to play  to pray, to discern the divine gift, receive it in faith and act on it as the Giver desires. Separated from this root of grace, the actions of the Church, not just the projects of PMS, are reduced to mere functions and fixed plans of action. God's surprises and disturbances are considered destructive of our prepared projects. For me, to avoid the risk of functionalism, we need to return to the spring of the Churchs life and mission: Gods gift in Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Apart from that vivifying source, our hard work would cause tiredness, boredom, anxiety, competition, insecurity and despair. Firmly rooted in the gift of the Holy Spirit, we could face our mission and its pains, with joy and hope.

With a very strong image, Francis urged the PMS to break every mirror in the house. The temptations of narcissism and self-sufficiency are "maladies" that worry the Holy Father. How is it possible to get vaccinated against this virus that sickens the Church?

Narcissism is a result of a purely pragmatic or functional view of mission. Mission slowly becomes more about me, my name, my success, my achievement, my fame and my followers and less about the Good News of Gods mercy, of Jesus compassion, of the Holy Spirits surprising movements. And when good results come, narcissism or self-focus leads to self-sufficiency. My achievements prove that I can rely on my own capacities. To need God and other people is an insult to my unlimited capabilities. Self-sufficiency deepens narcissism. This cycle traps a person or an institution within the narrow world of self-isolation, which is the opposite of mission. This is the mirror that Pope Francis wants to us to break  self-absorption. I propose that we use a transparent glass that will enable us to see beyond ourselves, not a mirror where I look only at my face and the immediate environment surrounding me. Or better still, as the Pope suggests, let us open the windows and doors, look out, step out to God's creation, to neighbors, to street corners, to the suffering, to the confused, to the youth, to the wounded. Looking at them, we hope to see ourselves too. We see God. They are the real mirrors we should be looking at. The vaccine against narcissism and self-sufficiency is to get out of ourselves. The vaccine is called the Church that goes forth (La chiesa in uscita). Only then will we find ourselves. It is about changing mirrors, I think.

The Pope also asks that we think of the poorest rather than self-promotion. He asks to reach people "where they are and and just how they are in the midst of their lives" and to trust the sensus fidei of the People of God. Are the PMS ready to challenge themselves for a new impetus in their fundamental mission at the service of the Church?

By bringing mission back to the action of the Holy Spirit, Pope Francis reminds us of the Church, Temple of the Holy Spirit, the People of God, the active agent of mission. PMS and other mission-oriented groups are reminded that mission is not their exclusive domain, nor are they the sole promoters of mission. The Church as a living edifice of the Holy Spirit has already been missionary from her historical beginnings. The Pope rightly recalls the origins of the PMS in the concern, prayer and acts of charity of simple people. PMS was born thanks to women and men who lived holiness in their daily ordinary life, a holiness that moved them to share the gift of Jesus to those who need Him. They used the means given to them by the Holy Spirit: prayer and acts of charity. The Holy Father is encouraging PMS and the Church to bring the understanding and practice of mission back to the ordinariness of Christian life, to make mission a simple, non-complicated part of Christian life in families, in workplaces, in schools, on farms, in offices and in parishes. I think one big challenge is how to help our faithful see that faith is a great gift of God, not a burden. If we are happy and enriched by our experience of faith, then we will share that gift with others. Mission becomes sharing of a gift, rather than an obligation to fulfill. We walk together with brothers and sisters in the same journey called mission. Mission and synodality meet.

An important part of the Message is dedicated to donations. For the Pope it is necessary to overcome the temptation to go in search of large donors transforming the Pontifical Mission Societies into NGOs focused on raising funds. How will these exhortations of the Pope be implemented on a practical level?

In the coherent vision of Pope Francis, donations are seen as offerings of charity that accompany prayer for the mission. This perspective makes the donations or collections part of the gift of faith and mission. When the horizon of gift is replaced by that of efficiency in running an organization, then the donations become merely funds or resources to be used, rather than tangible signs of love, of prayer, of sharing the fruits of human labor. The danger is that money would be raised in the name of mission but without becoming an expression of missionary charity on the part of a donor. The goal might shift to simply reaching a desired amount of money rather than awakening missionary consciousness and joy. With eyes set on a monetary target, the temptation to rely on large donors becomes great. I suggest that we devote more time and energy to providing people with opportunities to encounter Jesus and His Gospel and to be missionaries in their daily lives. The faithful who become committed and joyful missionaries are our best resource, not money per se. It is also good to remind our faithful that even their small donations, when put together, become a tangible expression of the Holy Fathers universal missionary charity to churches in need. No gift is too small when given for the common good.

There is no Church without mission, Francis repeats to us once again with this strong Message that recalls Evangelii Gaudium. What is your hope as Prefect of the Congregation that has the mission inscribed in its DNA?

The Message of Pope Francis to the PMS Directors echoes the main themes of Evangelii Gaudium. I believe that Evangelii Gaudium is Pope Francis unique way of articulating for our time the ecclesiological and missiological legacy of Vatican II. He also expresses the influence of St. Paul VIs Evangelii Nuntiandi on his missionary vision. In the past six decades, we have heard the loud affirmation that the identity and reason for existence of the Church is mission. The mission of the Church is to share the Gift she has received. I am reminded of the first letter of St. John where he says, This is what we proclaim to you: what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked upon and our hands have touched  we speak of the word of life Indeed our purpose in writing you this is that our joy may be complete (I John 1:1-4). I hope that we could return to this simple and joyful beginning of the Church and her apostolic mission.

How does an extraordinary moment like the one we are experiencing due to the pandemic affect all this?

The COVID 19 pandemic has brought much suffering and fear to the human family. We cannot and should not ignore its impact on the Church and mission. It might take us many more years to have a better grasp of this event in our lives. But we can declare even now that amidst the uncertainties, the lockdown, the unemployment, the loss of income, and many other effects of the pandemic, the Holy Spirit has vigorously poured the gifts of compassion, heroism, love of family, ardent prayer, rediscovery of the Word of God, hunger for the Eucharist, a return to simple lifestyle, caring for creation, to name a few. When the Church feels restricted in her usual activities, the Holy Spirit continues His mission without any limitations. The Church is called to look and to marvel at the astonishing works of the Holy Spirit. We appreciate the gift and we will narrate the stories of the Holy Spirits action during the pandemic in the many years ahead.

by Alessandro Gisotti
Petronas CEO Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin speaks during the opening ceremony of the 20th Asia Oil & Gas Conference in Kuala Lumpur

By A. Ananthalakshmi and Mei Mei Chu

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's prime minister on Saturday appointed the finance chief at Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) to take over as chief executive at the state energy company, at a time when lower oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic have hit the firm's profits.

The government of premier Muhyiddin Yassin has made a series of management changes at state-owned companies and government agencies since coming to power in March following the unexpected resignation of his predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad.

Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz, currently chief financial officer will take over from Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin as Petronas CEO from July 1, the prime minister's office said.

Wan Zulkiflee, who led Petronas for five years, will join the struggling national carrier Malaysia Airlines as chairman, Muhyiddin's office said.

The changes at Petronas come as the new coronavirus outbreak has wreaked havoc on energy demand and dampened oil prices, forcing the company to review costs and capital expenditure.

The chief executive's position at Petronas, which is fully owned by the Malaysian government, is a prime ministerial appointment.

PETRONAS VETERAN

Wan Zul, as he is commonly known, is a Petronas veteran, joining the company in 1983 as a process engineer and working his way up through the ranks.

He took over as CEO in 2015 and led the company through a period of tumultuous oil prices.

Benchmark Brent crude plunged to near 12-year lows soon after he took over, prompting Petronas to cut $12 billion from costs and thousands of jobs for the first time.

He championed an ambitious $27 billion oil refinery and petrochemical project with partner Saudi Aramco in the southern Malaysian state of Johor. Under his leadership, Petronas also expanded internationally.

His term as CEO was renewed in 2018 for three years.

As oil prices crashed again this year to below $20 per barrel and profits fell 68% in the first quarter, Wan Zul said Petronas would optimise costs and international capital expenditure.

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Petronas is the sole manager of Malaysia's oil and gas reserves, and a key source of government revenues.

In his new role, Wan Zul will be tasked with helping to revitalise ailing Malaysia Airlines, which is owned by sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

The government has been seeking a strategic partner for the financially struggling airline, which is still recovering from two tragedies in 2014, when flight MH370 disappeared in what remains a mystery and flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine.

(Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi and Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Helen Popper)
THREE days after aviation authorcancelled domestic flights, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) resumed domestic commercial flights at Terminal 1 on Saturday, June 6, 2020.

Airport officials clarified that domestic passengers arriving in Cebu will be thoroughly checked for documentary requirements, including a medical certificate to ensure they do not have the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

The MCIA advised passengers to coordinate with their respective airlines and continuously monitor the status of their flights.

Please ensure that all travel documents are complete before proceeding to the airport, the MCIA said.

It also said international commercial flights will resume this month as soon as the airport meets mandatory health screening requirements.

The airport on Saturday accommodated three flights from AirAsia Philippines: Z2 763/764 Manila to Cebu, Z2 775/776 Manila to Cebu and Z2 901/902 Clark to Cebu.

On its website, AirAsia informed passengers of travel documents they needed before they could enter the airport at their point of entry.

AirAsia stated other guidelines for domestic travelers, such as securing a travel authority or pass which is required by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to travel to provinces or regions across the country that are on general community quarantine.

Guests can apply for a travel authority or pass at the nearest police station. A medical certificate from the Municipal or City Health Office is needed to apply for the pass. A barangay certification is necessary as an endorsement to the Municipal or City Health Office to conduct a medical examination.

Not required

The travel pass will not be required for travel related to work or business.

Other travel documents required by local government units (LGUs) may be applicable.

Passengers traveling on domestic routes are advised to check local travel guidelines, the airline said.

Mary Anne Dimabayao, MCIA spokesperson, urged passengers to comply with requirements since these are needed for the new normal protocol in flying.

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You, as a passenger, should know that these are challenging times. So all of those requirements like the travel authority, the travel pass, aside from your ticket, identification cards and medical certificate that you are Covid-19 negative, you should prepare that. So when airport authorities ask for them, you will be able to present them and have a seamless flight, she said.

In Cebu Province, under Gov. Gwendolyn Garcias Executive Order (EO) 17-B, Cebuanos stranded in LGUs outside Cebu for their return home should secure these requirements:

* a negative Covid-19 result, either thru a polymerase chain reaction test or rapid test, or a medical certificate signed by the municipal or city health officer of the LGU where the passenger is stranded;

* a letter of confirmation from the local chief executive (LCE) of the receiving LGU indicating the LCEs consent to accept the returning person;

* a travel authority from the JTV CV (Joint Task Force Corona Virus) Shield provided that the letter of confirmation from the LCE of the receiving LGU has already been secured. The LCEs letter of confirmation must be attached to the travel authority.

Returning persons will only be allowed entry into the receiving LGU provided that he or she is a bona fide resident of the receiving LGU and he or she has a letter of confirmation from the LCE of the receiving LGU.

Any document presented by the returning person must not contain false information and health protocols prescribed by the receiving LGU must be observed.

Overseas Filipino workers, under EO 17-C, should undergo the required five-day isolation.

Resumption of intl flights

As to MCIAs Covid-19 laboratory, Dimabayao said they are targeting for the testing laboratory to be functional on Tuesday, June 9, so by Wednesday, June 10, they can resume international operations.

In an earlier statement, the MCIA Authority and the GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. announced that the MCIA will be the first airport in the country to be equipped with a dedicated Covid-19 testing laboratory with state-of-the-art facilities that can process about 900 swab samples per day rising to 2,000 per day for the benefit of arriving OFWs, seafarers and locally stranded individuals.

Eventually the process will be extended to outbound international passengers requiring a Covid-19 test certificate for entry to other countries.

In an earlier interview, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan said arriving passengers must shoulder the cost of their own Covid-19 test if they cannot present a medical certificate from their place of origin indicating they are free from Covid-19. They will also pay for their hotel accommodation while waiting for the test results.

Private individuals may choose their own accommodation and the City will provide a list of hotels where they can stay, including the rates, Chan told SunStar Cebu.

Other airlines like Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific will resume domestic flights at MCIA.

PAL will mount its Manila to Cebu and vice versa flight PR 1845/1846 daily, effective Monday, June 8.

Cebu Pacific also plans to mount the following flights between Manila and Cebu on June 6 and 7.

From Manila to Cebu, 5J 577 leaves the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 at 10:50 a.m. Cebu to Manila flight 5J 578 leaves the MCIA at 1:35 pm. Another Manila to Cebu flight 5J 583 leaves at 5:20 p.m. A Cebu to Manila flight (5J 584) at 8 p.m. is also planned. (JOB)
06.06.2020 LISTEN

George Floyds suffocating death at the end of a policemans knee in Minneapolis on May 25 has become an international protest movement. What endures beyond this is still to be written, and, in a more vital sense, acted upon. Black Lives Matter has roared back into public consciousness, finding form in protests in cities across the globe. In societies marked by colour, race and an assortment of complexes, the Floyd protests have also struck a note.

That note, however, can be a problematic one. In the case of India, Bollywood has weighed in with twittering on the subject of Floyds cruel end. Social media accounts have heated up with expressions of solidarity and condemnation of US politics. Actress Priyanka Chopra spoke of ending this race war here in the US, and around the world. Wherever you live, whatever your circumstances, NO ONE deserves to die, especially at the hands of another because of their skin colour. Chopra was all virtuous in offering prayers for George (good to be on first name basis with the slain) and for your family.

It is hard to imagine not empathising with the death of an innocent, yet another victim of police and institutional brutality and, importantly, another person of colour. But in the colour virtue games, the big names ought to be careful before casting stones, or, in this case, glorifying certain protests without due reflection. In the Indian context, race casts a long, tormenting shadow; white remains glorious, necessary, and beautiful. The Aryan echo prevails over the Dravidian slave. Rage, in other words, remains selective.

The Indian cosmetic industry has thrived on this. Ranjavati Banerji, writing in the New Statesman, recounts an incident in his childhood. My grandmother must have been 50 when I first watched her carefully extracting the softly-perfumed white cream from the pink tube and gently massaging it into her face. It was a beauty product called Fair and Lovely, one of the first designed, in Banerjis words, to enhance fairness of complexion.

This point was drawn out with some indignation by readers of Chopras tribute, as with others. (Chopra, in any case, has form, having cozied up to the Indian government over such policies as the repeal of the autonomous status of Kashmir. Some things are worth celebrating for the Bollywood patriot.) Fellow actress Disha Patani might have crowed on Twitter that all colours are beautiful, yet promote Ponds skin-whitening Fairness BB cream. As Twitter user Anjali Sharma retorted, this was just another case of a privileged Indian reaping rewards from selling fairness cream on one hand & protesting racism on the other hand. Hypocrisy died a million deaths here.

For another Twitter user, such celebrities were perfectly entitled to babble and blurt for what they want; the problem, more rather, was about selective and performative activism especially when they have at some point propagated a colorist attitude in their own country. Such is the way of all celebrity activism on certain causes: pick and choose wisely; detect the acceptable rage and add your voice to it with bells; avoid the damage of controversy.

The line-up of Indian celebrity voices citing Floyd and US police brutality is lengthening. To Chopra can be added Karan Johar and Kareena Kapoor Khan. Such figures are often silent on local, nasty matters. The closer to home, the easier to forget. Assiduously, they stay away from such polarising debates as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or the Hindu nationalist agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Little is mentioned of the vicious protests that took place in February during US President Donald Trumps visit, when Hindu mobs set upon members of the Muslim community in Delhi. The deaths of 40 people and 200 people have been vicious enough to count as a pogrom, though the Bollywood celebrity bubble resists the tag.

The inconsistency, even hypocrisy of the Floyd protest show, did not elude Abhay Deol, who took issue with his fellow thespians and their peculiar bias. Migrant lives matter, poor lives matter, minority lives matter, he scrawled on a piece of paper he subsequently posted to his Instagram account. Maybe its time for these now? Now that woke Indian celebrities and the middle class stand in solidarity with fighting systemic racism in America, perhaps theyd see how it manifests in their own backyard?

Nor did such behaviour escape the attention of the prickly Kangana Ranaut, who fumed about inconsistencies in what Indian celebrities call out, and what they choose to remain silent over. In an interview with Pinkvilla, Ranaut positively bristled at various instances of violence that escaped the radar of Bollywood social media. The Sadhu lynching happened a couple of weeks ago; still no one said a word. It happened in Maharashtra where most of these celebrities resideBollywood anyway is a derived name from Hollywood. It is a shame they (Bollywood celebrities) continue to live in a bubble and never fail to jump on the bandwagon, which can give them two minutes of fame, but white people must drive the bandwagon. Scathingly, she speculated that such a symptom might be put down to pre-independence colonial slavery genes.

The social cause, if motivated by a white figure, was a legitimate one. Protests from an Indian perspective hardly mattered. In the field of environmental policy, for instance, many a Bollywood star would, charged Ranaut, hold a flame for a white teenage kid. Forgotten were those remarkable elderly women and even children in India who did not need the tokenistic gesture of thespian promotion.

From the political side of things, National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah has also been sharp on the issue. It takes courage to bring your cowardice to the fore when you tweet for American lives but cant tweet for Indian lives.

Race wars, colour wars and cream wars. The tyranny of appearance; the need to be part of an industry. Protest as a matter of surfaces, not substance. For celebrities who appropriate and commodify any cause effortlessly virtue signalling can be hilariously grotesque. To count, you need to have a view, but in Bollywood, to count is to have a view carefully chosen and indulgently promoted.

Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: [email protected]
One of the three politicians named in the hoax, Ondrej Kolar, had spearheaded the April removal of a Cold War-era statue dedicated to Soviet general Ivan Konev - AFP

The Czech Republic on Friday accused a Russian embassy employee of spreading false information about a planned poison attack and expelled two Russian diplomats, prompting an angry reaction from Moscow.

The Russian foreign ministry slammed the expulsion in a statement as a "hostile measure" and said it would deal a "serious blow to Russian-Czech relations."

In April, Respekt newspaper cited security sources as saying that a Russian national using a diplomatic passport had arrived in Prague carrying ricin, a toxic poison that can be used as a biological weapon.

Around the same time, three Prague politicians who had each made political gestures that angered Russia were placed under police protection.

"One embassy employee sent deliberately made-up information about a planned attack on Czech politicians to BIS," Prime Minister Andrej Babis said, referring to the Czech intelligence service.

"We have adopted appropriate and adequate measures and declared two embassy staff personae non gratae."

The case further soured already tricky relations between Prague and the Kremlin.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed the Respekt report as "sick fantasies" in April.

On Friday, the foreign ministry said: "Prague's measures will not only receive an adequate response, but they will also be considered in Russia's policy-making towards the Czech Republic.

"We will seek a response to such provocations," it said.

One of the three politicians named in the hoax, Ondrej Kolar, had spearheaded the April removal of a Cold War-era statue dedicated to Soviet general Ivan Konev - a hero to many Russians but a symbol of Soviet-era oppression to many Czechs.

Another of those targeted, Prague mayor Zdenek Hrib, supported renaming the Prague square where the Russian embassy is based after Boris Nemtsov, a Russian opposition leader murdered in 2015.

The embassy has since started using a different door without moving to have a different address.

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And the district run by Pavel Novotny, the third politician mentioned in the hoax, installed a memorial to the so-called Vlasov Army - Red Army defectors who helped to liberate Prague in May 1945.

Mikhail Bryukhanov, head of the Russian foreign ministry's international cooperation agency Rossotrudnichestvo, said both of the expelled diplomats were its employees.

Speaking to the RIA Novosti news agency, Bryukhanov said one was Andrei Konchakov, the interim head of Rossotrudnichestvo's Czech branch, while Czech media identified the other diplomat as Konchakov's deputy Igor Rybakov.

Czech media have previously reported that Konchakov arrived in Prague in March, suggesting he was the supposed man with ricin in his suitcase.

"The Czech Republic has invented this 'ricin scandal', a mean story out of a cheap thriller.

"The decision is absolutely unjustified and it obviously won't help relations between the two countries," Bryukhanov said.

Babis cited intelligence as showing the hoax was the result of infighting at the Russian embassy.

"Besides burdening our security forces, (the employee) caused further complications in Czech-Russian relations and harmed the good reputation of the Russian Federation in the Czech Republic," said the billionaire populist prime minister.

Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek said Russia's approach to the problem had left his country with no option other than to expel the diplomats "even though we're aware of the expected reciprocal steps".
Jalgaon, a district 400 km north-east of Mumbai, has emerged as the new coronavirus hotspot in Maharashtra. The district recorded three deaths on Saturday. Jalgaon has had 35 deaths over the last two days, which is more than Chennai and Pune and fourth highest in the period.

The death rate for COVID-19 in Maharashtra's Jalgaon is at 12.3%, which is four times of India national average of about 2.8%. It is also the highest death rate recorded in any district in Maharashtra.

The state government has formed a 10-member committee to assess the situation and audit reasons behind each death. The district with a population of 42 lakh had recorded the first Covid-19 case on April 28.

According to health officials, the district has been registering biggest single-day spikes for the last two days and also recorded multiple deaths in the last few days.

Maharashtra's Mumbai with 1,519 fatalities recorded the highest deaths among all districts, Gujarat's Ahmedabad with 968 deaths is second. This is followed by Maharashtra's Pune with 387 deaths, 309 deaths in Thane, and 238 deaths in West Bengal's Kolkata. The biggest jump in cases among districts have been reported from Mumbai, Chennai, Thane, Ahmedabad, and Pune, in the last two days.

Fatalities in India have nearly doubled to 6,642 cases in the last two weeks, with death rate rising 9.3%. Meanwhile, the total number of COVID-19 cases in India increased over the last two days to 236,657.

As per the Indian Council for Medical Research, over 45.24 lakh samples have been tested, including 1.38 lakh in the last 24 hours.

Worldwide, there are 68.52 lakh total cases from the coronavirus outbreak, with 3.98 lakh deaths and 3.35 lakh recoveries.

Covid-19 hotspot: At 25,317, Mumbai has more coronavirus cases than 158 countries

CBDT notifies Income Tax Return forms for FY 2020-21; check details here

Coronavirus Crisis: Ahmedabad records highest COVID-19 deaths per million population
What EPD has also been doing is a lot of listening, the chief said. When you listen to people and their pain, and their anger, and their hurt, and their frustration, you have to internalize it, she said. Im not just there for the people to see the police chief there. Im there to listen.
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.




EVs, Solar, Wind Sidelined as State Budgets Slashed

Green stimulus programs to be defunded to balance budgets

The future of many climate change and renewable energy projects across the United States is in serious doubt as states slash budgets due to the fallout from the CCP virus crisis.

With fiscal black holes looming and taxation and other income having been decimated, state governors look set to cut back where they can to ensure the provision of essential services. Rebates for EVs and funding for renewables such as wind and solar are at the top of the chopping list.

A prime example is California. Gov. Gavin Newsom faces a $54 billion budget shortfall due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as the novel coronavirus. His recent budgetary amendments were singled out for criticism by the California Sierra Club for cutting and shifting funds away from key environmental programs.

Energy Investment Plummets Worldwide

According to the International Energy Agencys (IEA) recent World Energy Investment 2020 report, the global economy is currently facing the largest decline in global energy investment in history.

At the start of 2020, global energy investment was on track for its largest annual rise in six years, according to the report. But after the COVID-19 crisis brought large swathes of the world economy to a standstill in a matter of months, investment is now expected to plummet by 20 percent, or almost $400 billion, compared with last year.

The IEA expects global GDP to decline by around 6 percent, with a U-shaped recovery accompanied by a substantial permanent loss of economic activity. The reduced investment in energy-related spending is due to lower demand and reduced energy company income, particularly in the oil industry, as well as the impact of lockdowns and physical restrictions on movement.

Spending is expected to plunge in every major sector this yearfrom fossil fuels to renewables and efficiency, according to the IEA.

State Budget Crises

States and municipalities across America are struggling to find ways to plug the holes in their budgets and financial plans. An economic impact assessment for the State of New York (pdf) was drawn up by Boston Consulting Group in April that indicates a projected budget shortfall of $13.3 billion as a result of the CCP virus pandemic.

The lost revenues would diminish the States ability to provide services to New Yorkers at a time when they need them most. In jeopardy is funding for health care, hospitals, K-12 schools, higher education, and infrastructure.

Washington State is also facing a budget shortfall. On May 13, the Director of the State of Washingtons Office of Financial Management, David Schumacher, reported (pdf) that collections over the next three fiscal years will be about $7 billion lower than was forecast less than three months ago.

Schumacher directed agencies of the state to identify budget savings options for 2021, and to propose reductions as part of their 202123 budget submittals. In addition to freezes on new hires and purchases of equipment, agencies were urged to reduce, delay or eliminate programs and to identify programs or services that do not meet your core mission.

Californias Newsom Slashes Green Incentives

In his January budget, California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a massive $12 billion climate budget that he claimed would speed the adoption of electric vehicles by firms, provide loans to businesses to adopt energy-saving practices, and provide billions in funding for preparatory measures to combat the effects of climate change, including protections against flooding, droughts, and wildfires. The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project alone was earmarked to receive $238 million in 2019-2020.

With the sources of cash for the climate budget having dried up, however, the Governor was forced to recalculate.

Newsom submitted a budget revision to the state legislature on May 14, outlining the $54 billion budget gap left by the CCP virus crisis that had swamped the states vast $16-billion rainy day fund. Newsom said that the massive job losses and revenue shortfalls in California would require a renewed focus on what he termed the essential priorities of the state.

The numbers have changed, our values have not. Governor @GavinNewsoms budget protects public health, public safety & public education, helps those hurt most by #COVID19 & invests in a safe & quick economic recovery. CA cannot do this on our own  federal support is needed. pic.twitter.com/1tu9PfcBRD  Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) May 14, 2020

While neither carbon emissions, climate change, nor measures to protect the environment were directly addressed in Newsoms 1,400-word statement on the budget revision, a single reference in the last paragraph served almost as a footnote to the policy goals of old, claiming the state would move to ensure a safe, swift, equitable, and environmentally-sound economic recovery.

We are proposing a budget to fund our most essential prioritiespublic health, public safety, and public educationand to support workers and small businesses as we restart our economy, reads the statement. But difficult decisions lie ahead.

The amendments outline measures to cancel and reduce spending, open up reserves, borrow from special credit facilities, and strive for efficiencies. As Newsom implored the federal government to bail out states such as California, he promised citizens that the most painful cuts will only be triggered if the federal government does not pass an aid package that helps states and local governments.

California Cuts Under Fire

The California chapter of the Sierra Club environmental organization expressed its dismay at the Californian cuts, including what it referred to as plans to cut general contributions to the state environmental protection agency by over 94 percent. The Sierra Club also claims that The May budget proposal also eliminates a biodiversity program proposed in January, and raids a fund for habitat conservation to spend the money for other purposes.

Newsoms revision means that $995 million in funds from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds collected through the cap-and-trade program will be prioritized for a list of programs, the Club claims, stating that It is unclear whether those programs will include funding for incentives to accelerate transition of diesel and gas buses and heavy-duty trucks to zero-emission electric trucks and buses.

Director of Sierra Club California, Kathryn Phillips, said Nobody envies this governor or legislature for the job they need to do in this tragic year to balance the states budget. But cutting and shifting funds away from key environmental programs  is the wrong approach.

State Policy, Company Action Key to Green Comeback

The IEA claims that The COVID-19 crisis is hurting but not halting global growth in renewable power capacity.

As a result of the CCP virus crisis, investors across the world are set to build fewer solar arrays, wind turbines, and other renewable energy facilities. But their growth is expected to resume next year as most of the delayed projects come online.

In its 55th Renewable Country Attractiveness Index, EY (formerly Ernst & Young) reports that Despite the global slowdown caused by COVID-19, the renewable energy sector is expected to bounce back quickly as the long-term drivers for investment remain strong.

The company believes that along with other environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, climate change action is being recognized as a key determinant of a companys potential to create value in the future. Institutional investors are demanding that businesses not only deliver financial performance, but also show how they make a positive contribution to society.

EY Global Energy Leader, Benoit Laclau, believes the investment landscape is shifting, driving cash to green projects.

This is a defining and transformative moment for the energy industry, despite the current crisis, he said. Stakeholders are looking to collaborate and invest in companies where climate change and sustainable development is embedded in their strategy. Energy leaders should take action to invest in renewables and related sustainable long-term projects, including energy efficiency, smart power networks, and low-carbon transport infrastructure.
LONDON, June 6 (Reuters) - Nigeria said on Saturday it was ready to make additional oil output cuts from July to September to compensate for producing more than its quota in May and June, when OPEC and its allies implemented a deal to curb supply by record amounts.

"Nigeria reconfirms our commitment under the existing agreement," Nigeria's Ministry of Petroleum Resources said in a statement on Twitter ahead of talks between OPEC and its allies.

It said it also "subscribes to the concept of compensation by countries who are unable to attain full conformity (100%) in May and June to accommodate it in July, August and September." (Reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Dmitry Zhdannikov)
Workers in a labour camp on the outskirts of the Abu Dhabi staged a protest because they have not been paid since February. Meanwhile, their living quarters are turning into hotspots for the novel coronavirus. French construction giant Altrad shut down its building sites leaving workers without pay. Nepal-based trade unionist slams multinationals for taking advantage of the lack of workers rights.

Abu Dhabi (AsiaNews)  Young migrants, crowded in a labour camp on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), have staged a protest for the non-payment of wages.

Although exceptional, this is not a unique event In the Gulf region where workers are often exploited in a silent world.

This is another consequence of the coronavirus pandemic that hit the global economy, with businesses shutting down, construction sites idled, job lost and people left without wages.

The problem affects both West and East, but more seriously the latter, as the Vicar of Arabia Bishop Paul Hinder, noted.

This is especially true for migrant workers who are not only out of work but also without unemployment benefits, and so cannot send money home to help their families in the countries like Bangladesh, the Philippines, or Nepal.

Crammed in tight quarters without physical distancing and protection, they are a great risk of contracting the coronavirus.

In many Gulf countries, including the UAE and Qatar, migrants constitute up to 95 per cent of the workforce. For trade union officials and workers, the situation is becoming increasingly difficult.

French construction giant Altrad illustrates the situation. According to French daily Le Monde, the company  led by founder Mohed Altrad, Frances 31st richest man  employs more than 15,000 employees in the Gulf region.

With its building sites shuttered, many of its Asian workers are confined to living quarters with no pay. Our employer hasnt paid us for two months, said one Indian worker wearing a mask. Although we get food, we have many problems. Hence, we prevent the few people who still do from going to work.

Bibek, not his real name, a 23-year-old man, also Indian, was hired by AMB-Hertel in February to install scaffolds. However, soon after, the pandemic forced the company to stop work and the young man found himself jobless, deprived of his salary of 290 euros (US5) per month.

This has been going for two months, he said via Whatsapp, and although in the last few days I did some work, I caught COVID-19. I'm in a separate room, with others who tested positive. There are many infected people in the camp. People are afraid.

AMB-Hertel is Altrads UAE affiliate. The companys head office is in Montpellier (France).

When contacted by Le Monde, which showed videos and statements, the company reacted by calling them slanderous from a "small minority of individuals" who are not showing the real facts.

With respect to what is real, several sources have confirmed that wages have not been paid, and that the number of coronavirus cases are up, with many workers asymptomatic.

More recently, more and more workers are being laid off. Nepal-based human rights activist Andy Hall notes how like many multinationals operating in the Gulf," Altrad too "took advantage of the total absence of unions in the region to do what it wants."

In France, such practices are totally banned. But in the Gulf, with workers who are less educated and among the most vulnerable in the world, all this is allowed.
When my grandfather aimed for the skies for a blessed occasion By Jehan Makalanda It was on Poson Poya day of 1940 that the restored Ruwanweliseya was unveiled and one man took it upon himself to shower the great dagoba with jasmines View(s): View(s):

The Poson full moon poya day of 1940 marked the unveiling of one of the worlds most sacred monuments, the Ruwanweliseya Dagoba. Originally built by King Dutugemunu (161-137 BC), this beautiful stupa, said to contain the most number of relics of Lord Buddha was lost in ruins in the 19th century.

There was no sign of this marvellous structure despite the numerous records dating back to ancient times. It was only in 1873 that it was rediscovered by Venerable Naranvita Sumanasara and archaeologists of the time, veiled by a thick blanket of trees. Bhikkhus collected money to restore the dagoba and by 1902, the Ruwanweliseya Restoration Committee had been formed. After over 35 years of strenuous work, by 1940 it was ready to once again be revealed to the world.

My grandfather Nandi Sara Makalanda born in 1915 was a well organised individual. For our good fortune, he had kept detailed documentation of this momentous day of nearly 80 years ago.

His involvement began when people all around the nation were buzzing with excitement as the unveiling of the newly renovated Ruwanweliseya Dagoba was announced. Months of anticipation were slowly coming to reality. In just nearly two months on May 21, 1940 the dagoba was to be unveiled.

My grandfather had innovative ideas. He thought of stories he had heard of ancient times where the Gods would bless these significant events by showering flowers over the people. The idea engulfed him. He was determined to fill the skies with flowers on the day of the unveiling.

The Aero Club of Ceylon Limited at the Colombo Airport in Ratmalana conducted internal flights at this time. My grandfather wrote to them in early April regarding his plan and received a favourable response the very next day. As per the letter, they would be willing to fly him to Anuradhapura to drop the flowers as long as he could get the relevant approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs. After writing to the Ministry he received a note to contact the Ven. H. Rewatha, the chief priest of the Maha Vehara Piriwena  Ruwanweliseya and the restoration committee to obtain their permission as well.

They in turn requested for the pilots name and licence and after contacting the Aero Club once again he was informed the pilot was Flight Lt. R Duncanson who held a type B licence. Now that he had the information required he was granted permission. He soon passed on the good news to the Ministry of Home Affairs. After correspondence with the Minister of Communications and Works Major John Kotelawela, both he and the Minister of Home Affairs, Sir D.B. Jayatilaka granted permission for the flowers to be dropped from an aircraft on the day of the unveiling.

Meanwhile the day for the grand opening had been postponed to June.

The big day was approaching and the Aero Club had given my grandfather the opportunity to take a joy ride. He took the chance to test how everything would play out, paying Rs. 127.50 for the 170 minute flight.

Finally the day of the great unveiling arrived  June 19, 1940. Around 2000 people had gathered from all over Ceylon to see the reopening of the stupa. They had come to see the monumental gem.

The Chudamanikya (crest gem) had been placed on the dagoba two days prior at an auspicious time.

Everyone my grandfather knew wanted to be part of his effort and they all contributed jasmines which arrived that morning. Overwhelmed with the number of flowers, far greater than he was permitted to have on board he decided to take at least a few flowers from every contribution.

A few hours later a miraculous metal bird as stated in an article, took to the skies and encircled the stupa. My grandfather knew he needed to check for the wind. He dropped a few flowers and made a quick judgement, before releasing the flowers, bag after bag. The fragrant blossoms floated towards the building as if the Gods had filled the air with blessing. People filled with joy, honked their horns and looked on at the magical spectacle. A gentle shower of flowers swept them into a world of serenity and their hearts were filled with content.

We can get a feeling of what people thought, what they felt about his action from the articles, letters and stories from that time. Thinking about his spirit and determination and the joy he gave, I wish we could all have been there on that day to witness the crowning of the gem.
A large scale PSNI search operation in Londonderry targeting the activities of dissident republicans has found a bomb, a handgun and ammunition.

The items were discovered during a two day search by police and military personnel in a 38 acre area near Ballymagroarty.

Superintendent Gordon McCalmont said: This operation was designed specifically to find items we believed were being stored in this area and which posed a serious and imminent risk to the community. They have thankfully now been removed and will be subject to rigorous forensic examination.

"The despicable criminals using this area for terrorist purposes are reckless and continually put our community at risk.

"Despite the constant threat posed by this dangerous minority, local police officers continue to provide a community-focussed policing service to the people of Derry/Londonderry whilst simultaneously working to thwart their activities through operations like this one.

"Our chances of success are improved by support and information from the local community. Anything you know, or anything you have seen  share that information with us and help us put these criminals out of business."

SDLP Leader and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood has described the discoveries as "deeply disturbing".

The discovery of what has been described by police as dangerous objects in searches linked to dissident republican activity is deeply disturbing. How many times do the people of Derry have to reject those intent on causing murder and mayhem on our streets before they get the message?

The use of violence in the pursuit of political goals is not only immoral, it is a failed strategy. Those who continue to engage in violence have nothing to offer the people of this city or this island.

Justice Minister Naomi Long said: Those intent on bringing Northern Ireland back to the dark days of violence have absolutely nothing to offer our community. They go against the democratic principles that the vast majority of people in our society support.

Leaving such items anywhere, but in particular near a housing estate, poses a real danger to everyone who lives in the area.

The police have undoubtedly saved lives today and their actions keep people safe. They do this without fear or favour, despite being under threat themselves. Their actions are in stark contrast to the callous and malicious behaviour of those who would seek to use potentially lethal weapons to control their own communities through fear and violence.

We must all work together as a community to bring these people to justice. I would appeal to anyone with any information to contact the police on 101 or the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.
The ongoing warm weather has seen a nationwide surge of people descending on parks and green spaces in such numbers that social distancing is almost impossible. Unused to following real-time governmental orders, UK citizens risk spreading infection for the sake of sunbathing.





by Himmi Kariyawasam









What is apparent is that the global West has had worse outcomes than the East and now begins the careful deconstruction as to why. ( Image: Unflash) With ever-stronger calls for a public enquiry into the UK Governments handling of the pandemic in the UK, journalists and citizens alike are performing their own analyses, trying to understand how such a ghastly toll could happen. What is apparent is that the global West has had worse outcomes than the East and now begins the careful deconstruction as to why. As lockdown measures start to ease in parts of the world, countries are taking stock and reviewing their performance in the COVID-19 pandemic. Things are not looking good for the UK. As the death toll approaches 40 000, the UK has a global ranking of having the 5th highest coronavirus death rate per 1 million population . This coming from a country that has the 6th highest nominal GDP in the world. Something has gone wrong such that one of the worlds richest countries has fared so badly in keeping its population safe.With ever-stronger calls for a public enquiry into the UK Governments handling of the pandemic in the UK, journalists and citizens alike are performing their own analyses, trying to understand how such a ghastly toll could happen. What is apparent is that the global West has had worse outcomes than the East and now begins the careful deconstruction as to why.





Whilst the reasons behind this difference are multifactorial, a key issue is how quickly and effectively lockdown measures were adopted in respective nations. The UK has become notorious for its lackadaisical approach in the initial weeks of the pandemic, whereas Sri Lanka, like many other Southeast Asian countries, took coronavirus more seriously from the start. On March 20th the Sri Lankan Government enforced a national curfew, which remained in place for at least seven weeks. The UK too went into lockdown on March 23rd, however, with less success in containing the spread of coronavirus when compared to Sri Lanka.









Sri Lanka, on the other hand, was better prepared to regulate the lockdown arguably because this is not the first time the country has faced an urgent national situation. Having endured a civil war that lasted over a quarter-century, Sri Lanka is well-schooled in exercising social discipline. Curfews are not new to a country that within the spell of twenty years has faced terrorist bombings, armed conflict and a devastating tsunami. Thus, when the government, backed by the military, mandated a lockdown to prevent the spread of corona, Sri Lankans generally knew to obey.





During the civil war years, it was not uncommon to be stopped on roads by armed police or the military performing checks on the credentials and purpose of a travellers visit. Whilst this decreased over recent years, since the 2019 Easter bombings a significant security presence is felt at Colombos international hotspots e.g. airports, hotels and shopping malls. Sri Lankans are familiar with such a presence, whereas in the UK it is the stuff of exception, usually only seen at large public gatherings.





In the case of policing during the pandemic, some UK citizens, unused to having civil liberties infringed upon (even if it is in the name of public health and safety), took issue. This was seen in the Hyde Park demonstrations of May 17th where 70 people gathered to protest the coronavirus lockdown. When confronted by Police, some protestors reacted strongly, shouting abuse and tussling with officers.





Although such a level of opposition is in the minority it is clear that Britons are chafing at the social restrictions and even a mild lightening of lockdown measures has seen a rebound of unsafe behaviour. The ongoing warm weather has seen a nationwide surge of people descending on parks and green spaces in such numbers that social distancing is almost impossible. Unused to following real-time governmental orders, UK citizens risk spreading infection for the sake of sunbathing.





Time will tell whether this means the dreaded second surge of coronavirus cases for the UK but the death toll as it stands is shocking enough. Meanwhile, the UK government continues its tradition of confusing its population with obscure advice, recently downgrading the pandemic slogan from stay home" to the ambiguous stay alert. With little practice in the latter, the UK should be looking to countries like Sri Lanka as to what this actually means.







Born in the UK but with family originating in Sri Lanka, Himmi grew up in Croydon in the UK. After studying Medicine at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Himmi has worked as a doctor in the NHS for a number of years. She also studied global health and languages during her time as Herchel Smith Scholar at Harvard University in 2008 - 2009. Click here to read more about her.
Happy thoughts and a healthy lifestyle are key to preventing or slowing the onset of dementia, doctors say.

Some 1.66 million Koreans over 65 suffer from at least mild cognitive impairment, and the number keeps growing.

Kongju National University in a report based on 2017 government data said elderly people score higher in cognitive tests if they exercise, do not smoke and drink less alcohol.
NEW GLASGOW, N.S.An escaped provincial jail inmate who is considered dangerous is back in police custody after a pursuit in eastern Nova Scotia.

RCMP Sgt. Andrew Joyce said Kevin Edward Clarke-McNeil was arrested Saturday around 9:45 a.m.

The 33-year-old man escaped from the Northeast Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in New Glasgow on Friday night.

The arrest came following an early morning report of a suspicious fire shortly followed by further reports of an ATV on a roadway and a stolen ATV, all within Guysborough County.

After a short pursuit by police, Clarke-McNeil was apprehended on the MacDonald Cove Road, about 20 kilometres east of Sheet Harbour, N.S.

Joyce said minor, non-life-threatening injuries were incurred by Clarke-McNeil during the incident, and no officers were harmed.

Clarke-McNeil, originally from Ontario, is serving time on serious criminal charges, including attempted murder, unlawful confinement, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and resisting/obstructing a peace officer.

Correctional Services issued a release to say it is conducting a full review of the escape.

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T housands of people protesting after the death of George Floyd have descended on central London for a Black Lives Matter rally.

People gathering outside the US Embassy at the protest chanted for justice and took the knee in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.

It comes after violence in the capital on Saturday left 10 police officers injured and 14 people arrested, Met Police said.

Meanwhile in Bristol, protesters topped a statue of a 17th-century slave trader during a demonstration earlier today.

Follow all the latest updates HERE...
You are here: Business

The number of China-Europe freight trains hit a new high of 1,033 in May, up 43% year on year, the China State Railway Group said Friday.



A record 93,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo were transported by the trains, up 48% from a year earlier.

The number of departing trains rose 47% year on year to 556 last month, while the number of returning trains climbed 39%F to 477.

China-Europe cargo train services have become an important logistics channel to ensure smooth trade flows as air, sea and road transportation have been severely affected by the novel coronavirus epidemic.

The freight trains have also been playing a crucial role in helping with the fight against the pandemic in Europe, sending massive quantities of medical supplies such as face masks and goggles.

In May, anti-epidemic supplies totaling 1.2 million items and weighing 9,381 tonnes were sent by the freight trains to European countries such as Poland, Italy, Spain and France.
(STPI), an autonomous society under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), commemorated its 29th Foundation Day on Friday, June 5th 2020.

On the occasion a day-long webinar witnessed live streaming of sessions on three topics viz. 'Role of Government in Driving Innovation & Product Development', 'Re-christening the Narratives of Indian IT Industry' and 'India Ahead with Transformational Ideas, Disruptive Innovations and Pool of Talent'. Experts and thought leaders from government, industry, academia and industry associations deliberated and exchanged their ideas.

"STPI has been the beacon of Indian IT industry and has become its backbone for growth," said Achyuta Samanta, MP and Founder of KIIT University while congratulating STPI on its 29th Foundation Day.

In the inaugural address, Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary, MeitY, reminisced the STPI journey of three decades. "STPI is designed to succeed and designed to help the industry succeed, both of which go hand in hand. STPI has been our partner in implementing many exciting schemes we are recently brought out. It has been instrumental in aiding the growth of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry not only in cities but also in rural hinterlands. e-Governance and digital expansion in sectors such as health, agriculture, education present huge opportunities for India. It is time to reimaging the role of STPI for the coming decade," he said.

"As a policy enabler, STPI has been bringing out futuristic schemes apropos the technological advancements. Having a vision for transforming India into a product nation, STPI has been activating multiple initiatives under 'National Policy on Software Products' approved by Government of India recently. To enable the Indian IT industry to face the challenges of Industry 4.0 and build India's leadership in emerging technology areas like IoT, blockchain, artificial intelligence, augmented & virtual reality, fintech, medical electronics, health informatics, gaming & animation, machine learning, data science & analytics, cyber security, chip designing, ESDM etc," said Dr Omkar Rai, DG, STPI underlining the glorious journey of STPI and its contribution in Indian economy.

Established on June 5th, 1991, (STPI) has since emerged as one of the growth driver of Indian IT/ITeS/ESDM industry. With a mandate to promote software and electronic hardware exports from the country by implementing Software Technology Park (STP) & Electronic Hardware Technology Park (EHTP) Schemes, STPI pioneered the ease of doing business for policy governance in India by building a robust-ecosystem to provide single window clearance services, world-class internet connectivity, state-of-the-art incubation facilities and other infrastructure services to encourage, promote and boost software exports.

"STPI is the only organisation that hasn't lost its purpose in three decades. STPI has never stopped reinventing itself in last 30 years. The essence of the leaders of STPI with unwavering commitment to the evolution of IT industry is notable," underscored Subroto Bagchi, Chairman, Odisha Skill Development Authority.

"Govt. has helped startups take on global giants, get funding from not only domestic sources but also from abroad & drive partnerships with global giants to bring best products to market," asserted Dr Rajendra Kumar, Addl Secy, GoI, MeitY.

"STPI is not just a partner but it has become an integral part of the IT industry, thank you very much for what you do," accentuated Debjani Ghosh, President, NASSCOM.

Today, the USD 191 billion IT industry, comprising around 18,000-plus firms that directly employ 4.36 million strong workforce, that contributes 8.0 per cent of GDP is a testimony to the STPI's resolute performance in transforming Indian IT industry into global outsourcing destination for software exports.

This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article

(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.)
The popularity of comics in libraries has been one of the biggest stories in both sectors in recent yearsbut neither has been spared the effects of Covid-19. Library lockdowns have led to furloughs, layoffs, and uncertainty over future funding due to expected declines in state revenues. In the comics industry, stores have been closed temporarily (and in some cases permanently), and Diamond Comic Distributors, the dominant distributor to the direct sales market, halted shipments of new comics for seven weeks, leading to dramatically altered release schedules and cash flow issues for publishers.

However, it isnt all bad news: in 2019, the newly organized Graphic Novel and Comics Round Table finished its first full year as an official ALA organization. The new unit accomplished many of its goals, and has many more on the table for its incoming board in 2020.

Indeed, in response to the pandemic, libraries are shifting their acquisitions to digital content. The GNCRT has acted swiftly to respond to this collection shift by establishing a resource page for finding comics online and a webinar program under the hashtag #LibComixOnline. Work on compiling a groundbreaking Best Graphic Novels for Adults Reading List continues, with a planned rollout of the list slated for the Midwinter ALA meeting in 2021, in whatever form that meeting takes.

PW spoke with a number of GNCRT board members past and present to get their take on the current climate for digital lending, the roundtables goals, and more.

Libraries reopen; digital expansion

As with most institutions in the time of Covid-19, libraries across North America are slowly reopening and instituting entirely new workflows so as to be able to operate while making efforts to curb the potential spread of the virus. This means the amount of work that goes into lending a single book has dramatically increased.

Alea Perez, kids library department head at Elmhurst (Ill.) Public Library, is the incoming president of the GNCRT (she served as v-p on the previous board). She says planning for the future is a lot like trying to build on quicksand. Libraries become a more needed resource in a time of heightened unemployment, but librarians are already bracing for budget cuts. Its very nerve-wracking right now, she says.

Tina Coleman, membership specialist at the American Library Association, who has also been instrumental in setting up the GNCRT within ALA, also sees a strong niche market like comics as something of a bellwether. The coming changes are not unique to comics, she says, but I feel like its the canary in the coal mine, and will show some early signs about whats going to happen to publishing across a wider scope.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, comics were experiencing strong demand in librariesPerezs graphic novel collection was her third most circulated collection, quite a feat because it was much smaller (3,000 items) than the top two collections, picture books and chapter books for children (more than 20,000 items each). For it to even be contending with those speaks a lot to how comics are resonating with our readers, Perez says.

Digital lending has soared as libraries have been forced to close during the lockdown. Perezs library uses Hoopla, a streaming service that delivers digital content to library patrons, and shes seen a 200% increase in kids using digital platforms. Children do not traditionally use digital if they dont have to, she says. Thats not their preference. So, to see that kind of growth for just a few weeks was pretty impressive. Though she doesnt track adult digital usage, other collections have shown similar surges, according to librarians.

Some librarians are asking if digital lending will become more popular in the long run because of this. It really depends on the users, Perez says of the channels growth. While kids dont necessarily prefer digital, she says, adults are learning that this has been available for a while. She expects that most patrons, kids or adults, will go back to print when they can, but she notes that, with the possibility of more lockdowns coming as the virus ebbs and flows, we are going to see more adopting of digital.

Most librarians in the GNCRT were already aware of the potential for digital comics, Coleman says, but building collections was put off for later. Suddenly, later is now,  she says. One of the things thats really impressed me is how librarians are inventing what virtual and online librarianship is, totally on the fly. That includes everything from handling reference to doing engaging programming that isnt just somebody reading storytime in front of a camera.

Matthew Noe, lead collection and knowledge management librarian at Harvard Medical School, says the forced move to online is making librarians give attention to an area that wasnt a priority before. Its giving us a chance to really look at what our web presence is like and what our priorities should be right now. Noe is remaining as a member-at-large on the GNCRT steering board for 20202021, after serving as resources and toolkits committee chair for 20192020.

But there are still problems with library digital comics collections: some genres are still not available. Ive been frustrated for years with the lack of manga available to libraries digitally, says Matthew Murray, formerly research and scholarship librarian at the University of Guelph in Ontario and an outgoing board member. Theres a massive market for manga, and a lot of libraries would love to be able to have access to that stuff digitally, but it just isnt there.

Digital borrowing has a problem: it can be expensive. Different lending services have different ways of chargingHoopla is essentially a streaming service, but Overdrive, the dominant distributor of digital content to the library market, charges by the number of checkouts. Just leasing a digital book can be five times the cost of a physical book. When something great happens and a book is really popular, it ends up costing more than the library can afford, Noe says.

Its a contentious issue that wasnt helped last year when Macmillan, claiming that e-book lending undermines consumer book sales, announced an embargo and price changes on new digital releases to libraries. Though the embargo was dropped in the early days of the pandemic, the issues around borrowing e-books from libraries wont go away. How do we balance this need for digital content with what we can afford? Perez asks. Its been really challenging to consider how to bolster this collection without essentially bankrupting our whole budget on this.

Library patrons arent aware of the contentious behind-the-scenes conflicts between libraries and publishers. Patrons are just confused about why they cant easily download a digital version of the book they want, Coleman says. I feel like theres a big disconnect with patrons who dont understand that its not like when they buy a Kindle book, she says. The library has a completely different financial relationship with all of those publishers.

Still, the ramifications of Covid-19 may provide motivation to solve some of the problems with digital lending, Murray says. I think theres going to be an increase in interest in digital comics, and libraries right now are doing so much more to promote their digital collections.

Weve been building digital collections for 25 years, and doing all this work to get digital ready and here we are, Noe says. Its paying off.

Online events: #LibComixOnline

The first full year of the GNCRT in 2019 was a big success; the group organized a large presence at the ALA annual convention and also increased programming at comics conventions throughout North America. The group sponsored successful digital and virtual events as well, such as Creators get Carded, an online library card promotion that was spearheaded by outgoing GNCRT president Amie Wright and Chris Arrant, editor-in-chief at Newsarama, a comic book news site. In this promotion, comics creators were shown online posing with their library cards and talking about how it affected their lives.

This success led to a lot of ideas that have been put on hold for now, but some have just been put on pause, and are things that were still really excited to do, Perez says. One approach that was already in the works has been to create online components to complement extensive live event comics programming. While this years ALA annual meeting has been canceled due to the pandemic, the organization has launched an online ALA Virtual event, and many of the comics programs have been ported over to the digital platform. There may also be a virtual artists alley that will allow individual artists to show off their works.

GNCRT has organized webinars and online interviews under the #LibComixOnline hashtag, which includes panels that bring together publishers and creators, as well as reader advisory events with comics shops.

The shift to online platforms has also led to some unexpected and useful team-ups. The first wave of #LibComixOnline programming was a collaboration with the Australian Library Association, an international conversation between global library professionals that might not have been possible in other times, Coleman says. The time difference was radical, but it was a really fun discussion that highlighted the similar challenges libraries face in both countries, she says.

Along with helping the library community, the GNCRT also wanted to support comics shop retailers. We came up with the readers advisory arm, and interviewing comic shops as well as creators, Coleman says. The GNCRT hopes to introduce a second phase for #LibComixOnline in July, which will probably include more professional development based on member feedback, she adds.

Noe helped put together Graphic Medicine Responds: Comics in the Time of Covid, an online version of an event originally planned for the canceled May 2020 Toronto Comic Art Festival, and now available on YouTube. The timing allowed Noe to team up with other events that had gone virtual. It became a worldwide thing with around 300 unique participants, he says. The already growing graphic medicine movementcomics and graphic novels that explore illness and recoveryis growing even more popular during this international health crisis, Noe says.

Several Covid-19 comics anthologies are being plannedincluding new titles from Penn State University Presss new graphic novel imprintand Noe said he sees more people discovering the graphic medicine category via Covid-19 comics. He expects these comics to become a staple of library graphic medicine collections. These will be primary source material about the pandemic that everyones going to be writing about for the next decade, he says.

Best adult comics list

One thing hasnt been changed by the pandemic: the GNCRT is moving ahead to establish a Best Graphic Novels for Adults Reading List, a groundbreaking new resource for adult graphic novels that will help libraries find deserving titles for their patrons. The GNCRT is currently accepting submissions for the adults list, and plans to expand its efforts into establishing a kids/young readers graphic novel list, which will debut in 2022. Its been a great experience, says Murray, who was part of the committee to set up the list. I think its going to be a really great resource.

Nevertheless, creating the list faced growing pains: organizers want to be sure the GNCRT adult list doesnt overlap with other lists. The Young Adult Library Services Association has a well-established and highly influential reading list, titled Great Graphic Novels for Teens, which includes some books that were originally categorized as all ages (a nebulous category formerly used almost exclusively by comics publishers), as well as books aimed at older readers. When youre looking at these things, Murray says, youre like, Well, whats the difference between a book that appeals to a 20-year-old and something that appeals to an 18-year-old? 

Though most publishers support the idea of having a great adult graphic novels list, Murray says its been tricky getting some of them to participate and submit titles. Some of them already have really great connections with the library world and are happy to send out digital or physical review copies of books, he says. Others have been less communicative. But we kind of expected that and knew that it was going to take some time to get some of these books.

Another perennial problem: self-published and crowdfunded books, as well as any other unconventionally produced titles, are not eligible for the list. Libraries are often forced to acquire books through established vendors and channels. There are books that we would like to see on the list that we cannot put on it for one reason or another, Murray says. A couple of books were nominated that were self-published or published by micropublishers. If theyre not available through library distributors or large online retailers, then libraries are not going to be able to purchase them.

The GNCRT is also eager to establish a recommended graphic novel list for young readers, a list that was originally planned to debut alongside the adult list. But GNCRT board members now believe that launching the lists simultaneously is too much to do at once.

While the GNCRTs young readers list has not been formally announced, its expected to debut at the Midwinter ALA in 2021 with a call for nominations and volunteers for the selection committee. The plan is for the initial listing to be released the following year.

Murray has also considered the idea of compiling a recommended reading list of webcomics, though he acknowledges the GNCRT will face challenges to include such an unconventional category. By the very nature of being online, webcomics are very hard to catalogue and collect in libraries. Im hoping that if we do develop this webcomic list, Murray says, libraries will be able to promote them in blog posts and on their websites.

Incoming GNCRT president Perez also hopes that the roundtable can investigate grant and scholarship opportunities for librarians. One of the biggest reasons why I wanted to get involved in the roundtable was to help increase accessibility and representation, she says, noting, our profession is overwhelmingly white, straight, cis, and nondisabled. She adds: Once you bring or maintain those marginalized voices by removing the financial barrier, they are able to advocate for marginalized comics creators being on panels, they can push for works by those same creators to be considered for awards and honors lists, and they can identify which of our patrons arent seeing themselves in the comics in our collections and can advocate to change that.

All in all, as with other industries, the pandemic will leave libraries looking different in ways that no one can entirely foresee, but Perez hopes that some of the changes can be positive. I hope we get to help define what the new normal is, she says. I would really be disappointed if we go back to what we left behind. This pandemic is shining a light on things that were not so great before and are just getting worse.

Perez is passionate about making comics and the events that celebrate them more accessible to patrons. I hope we rethink some of the ways that we do things, she says, such as how much closed captioning were doing for folks, and whether were making stages as accessible as possible for people with certain disabilities. Im hoping that in this pause we can think about how we can include more people when we go back to the physical space.
YEREVAN.  Today at 4:30pm, the majority My Step faction in Armenias parliament will hold a sitting at the office of the ruling Civil Contract Party. Hovik Aghazaryan, a member of the faction informed Armenian News-NEWS.am about this.

He added, however, that he was not aware of the issues to be discussed and was not familiar with the agenda of this meeting.

There are rumors one of the main topics of discussion will be Fridays statement by tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) and of its parliamentary faction.

To note, the PAP on Friday held a special session of its political board, during which Tsarukyan harshly criticized the authorities. "I said a year ago that it is impossible to fulfill the promises made to the people with such a staff. I said then that we need to change 97% [of that staff], but now I say we need to change everyone. The people are not a testing ground," Tsarukyan had stated, in particular.
If things continue, well soon see greater insecurity on the part of some citizens who might welcome a National Guard presence. Or, more likely, we could see a rise in vigilantism, the threat of which is already visible in some cities where armed citizens  Second Amendment gauchos  are taking it upon themselves to protect the citizenry, if not truly, then at least symbolically. How soon before some homegrown soldier decides to open fire on a rioter vandalizing a building? Were a hair trigger from another layer of disaster.
Meet Amy  an unusual new staffer at a local restaurant in the Netherlands.

UPSOT Amy: I will go back automatically in 20 seconds.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) ITALIAN STUDENT FROM VENICE REGION STUDYING IN MAASTRICHT, AGED 17, SOFIA NIGRISOLI, SAYING:

"Like, I don't know, like in a movie, like, I don't know, like Matrix. I don't know, it's weird, really weird.

At your service: a robotic trio of waiters named Amy, Aker, and James.

Theyve been brought into the Dadawan restaurant in Maastricht to help decrease physical contact between human staff and customers.

Each robot has a simple humanoid figure, including arms to hold serving trays. Staff can load drinks onto the trays, press a table number and stand back as the robot rolls away.

The service can be a bit stiff. Customers must pick up their own drinks, and there isnt much interaction involved.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH STUDENT FROM ENGLAND STUDYING IN MAASTRICHT AGED 21, ALEX JAKUBOWSKI SMITH, SAYING: "I like it that we're able to go to restaurants now but I think that getting food from a robot seems a bit strange, I prefer humans."

Restaurants in the Netherlands have reopened since June 1st, but they are only allowed to receive up to 30 people with a minimum distance of 5ft between tables.

For now, Dadawan's robo-service is limited to food and drink delivery, but the owner hopes to quickly widen their repertoire.

So should human waiters be worried about losing their jobs to robots?

Not yet, according to Dadawans representative Paul Seijben.

SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) MARKETING AND BRAND OWNER OF DADAWAN RESTAURANTS, PAUL SEIJBEN, SAYING: "Our team is very happy with the robots. The staff actually have each their own secretary who helps with the work so that they can also come into more contact with the guests. Walking from the bar to the tables and from the kitchen to the tables is no longer necessary. This offers extra space to give our guests a better experience."

Robotic waiters were introduced in China several years ago and have since become a novelty at restaurants around the world.
Portlands campsite cleanup program has increased its communication with people experiencing homelessness and improved the process of cataloging and storing belongings taken from campsites, according to an auditors report.

In a 2019 review, the city auditor found several problems with the way the Homeless and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program operated, in particular how crews took and stored the identification cards, tents, clothes and other personal property left at campsites they cleaned. In the year since, those issues have mostly been resolved, according to the auditor.

The auditor also recommended changes to how the program tracks its progress from the time a complaint about a campsite is filed to when the cleanup is completed. Some that work is still in progress, according to the auditor.

The city created the One Point of Contact system under former Mayor Charlie Hales to be a centralized database of complaints about homeless camps and RVs. Once a complaint is filed, crews are supposed to visit the site, evaluate and rank it based on a variety of metrics, such as the amount of space it takes up, visible syringes, garbage and other factors.

The higher the site ranks, the higher it is prioritized for cleanup.

At the time of the audit, auditors said that the prioritization process was not standard or thorough. The one-year update says that has been resolved.

The audit, conducted when during summer and fall 2018, found that residents said they appreciate having a one-stop-shop for complaints about homeless people and camps, but frequent users said they find the pace too sluggish.

Now, the city is working to better track its data to judge its own timeliness and notify people who file complaints about the status of them.

The city has also expanded its warehouse where homeless peoples belongings are stored, and officials created a secure room where ID cards and other important personal property is held indefinitely.

Since then, the city has also streamlined its notifications to homeless campers as well as taking over cleanups on Oregon Department of Transportation property within the city of Portland. Now, city crews also visit camps in-person the day before a cleanup to make sure campers know they will be cleared.

-- Molly Harbarger

mharbarger@oregonian.com | 503-294-5923 | @MollyHarbarger

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
WASHINGTON - D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser renamed a street in front of the White House "Black Lives Matter Plaza" and had the slogan painted on the asphalt in massive yellow letters, a pointed salvo in her escalating dispute with President Donald Trump over control of D.C. streets.

City officials said the actions Friday were meant to honor demonstrators who are urging changes in law enforcement practices after the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in the custody of Minneapolis police.

"There was a dispute this week about whose street it is, and Mayor Bowser wanted to make it abundantly clear whose street it is and honor the peaceful demonstrators who assembled Monday night," said John Falcicchio, the mayor's chief of staff.

For days, Bowser has strongly objected to the escalation of federal law enforcement and the military response to protests and unrest in the nation's capital.

Trump has urged a crackdown on demonstrators, outraged by sporadic cases of looting during protests in Washington and some other cities. He and Attorney General William Barr marshaled a huge influx of federal police and National Guard units to the capital against Bowser's wishes.

On Friday, city workers included a D.C. flag at the end of the display in front of St. John's Church, close to where federal law enforcement forcefully cleared the area of largely peaceful protesters Monday night just before Trump walked over and posed for news cameras, a Bible in his hand.

5 1 of 5 Washington Post photo by Toni Sandys Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Washington Post photo by Toni L. Sandys. Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Washington Post photo by Toni Sandys. Show More Show Less 5 of 5









The art takes up two blocks on 16th Street Northwest, between K and H streets, an iconic promenade directly north of the White House. Local artist Rose Jaffe said she and others joined city work crews to paint the giant slogan, starting before dawn

Shortly after 11 a.m., Bowser, a Democrat, watched silently as a city worker hung a sign at the corner of 16th and H streets that said "Black Lives Matter Plz NW."

Onlookers cheered, and the song "Rise Up" by Andra Day played from speakers.

"In America, you can peacefully assemble," Bowser said in brief remarks to the crowd.

Bah-Pna Dahane, 45, said he was finishing up a run near the White House on Friday morning when he saw the street-painting effort and decided to pitch in. He said he had been a victim of brutal police tactics in New York and knows that change will not happen if people don't act.

"I said: 'You know what? Let's do it. Let's make it happen,' " he said as he painted.

The group Black Lives Matter DC reacted to the street painting with criticism of the mayor, saying she should decrease the budget for the D.C. police and "invest in the community."

Bowser's proposed budget increases funding for traditional policing while cutting spending on programs to reduce violence through community-based intervention initiatives.

Jaffe, one of the local artists who was painting Friday morning, said she, too, would like Bowser to cut funding for the police department. She said she also would like to see officers express more support for protests, which began a week ago in the District.

"I'm conflicted about doing it. It's about wanting to reclaim the streets, but I also know that it is a little bit of a photo op," said Jaffe, a D.C. native. "Where is the action behind this?"

The D.C. Council has put forth several bills to overhaul policing, including a prohibition on using tear gas and a requirement to disclose body camera footage and the name of an officer within three days of a deadly force incident.

Bowser declined to comment on the proposals Friday, saying she had not had a chance to review them. She also acknowledged her tense relationship with local Black Lives Matter activists, who have criticized her handling of police-involved killings in the District.

"They are critical of me, but that doesn't mean that I don't see them and support the things that will make our community safe," Bowser said, "and that we don't all have a larger responsibility in the nation's capital to send that very clear message to our nation."

In a letter Thursday, Bowser formally asked Trump to "withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence from Washington, D.C."

"The deployment of federal law enforcement personnel and equipment are inflaming demonstrators and adding to the grievances of those who, by and large, are peacefully protesting for change and for reforms to the racist and broken systems that are killing Black Americans," Bowser wrote in the letter.

The mayor criticized unidentified federal law enforcement officials for patrolling the streets of her city and operating outside "established chains of commands."

Demonstrations on Wednesday and Thursday night were largely peaceful, and Bowser has lifted a curfew she had imposed earlier in the week. The federal and military presence on the streets had shrunk to almost nothing.

On Friday afternoon, Trump attacked Bowser on Twitter, calling her "incompetent" and accusing her of "fighting with the National Guard."

The president appeared to be referring to a dispute over a hotel that the city government is using to house covid-19 responders.

Bowser said she had no problem with guardsmen staying at D.C. hotels, as long as the U.S. military or their home state - and not the District - foots the bill.

Asked specifically about the president calling her incompetent, Bowser retorted, "You know the thing about the pot and the kettle?"
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 17:36:21|Editor: huaxia

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People take part in a protest over the death of George Floyd in Frankfurt, Germany, June 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)

"We have been actively looking and we haven't yet seen foreign interference or domestic coordinated inauthentic behavior targeting these protests," Nathaniel Gleicher, head of cybersecurity policy at Facebook, told reporters.



LOS ANGELES, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Facebook said on Friday that it has not seen any foreign interference using its platform to meddle in the demonstrations across the country related to the death of George Floyd.

"We have been actively looking and we haven't yet seen foreign interference or domestic coordinated inauthentic behavior targeting these protests," Nathaniel Gleicher, head of cybersecurity policy at Facebook, told reporters.

People take part in a protest over the death of George Floyd in Canberra, Australia, June 5, 2020. (Photo by Liu Changchang/Xinhua)

"We want to caution people against jumping to conclusions without clear evidence of foreign interference," Gleicher noted.

On Thursday, U.S. Attorney General William Barr said that the federal government has seen foreign actors interfering in the ongoing protests over Floyd's death.



People take part in a protest over the death of George Floyd outside Downing Street in London, Britain, on May 31, 2020. (Xinhua)

Floyd, an unarmed black man aged 46, died in police custody on May 25 in the U.S. city of Minneapolis, and his death at the hands of police officers enraged the public and led to protests that spread to multiple U.S. cities and towns.

Also on Friday, the social media giant said it has removed pages and accounts linked to two white supremacy groups, Proud Boys and American Guard, which planned to encourage people to attend Floyd protests. 
Not wearing face mask, Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro greets his supporters at Praca dos Tres Poderes, in front of the Planalto Palace on Sunday, May 24, 2020.

President Jair Bolsonaro threatened on Friday to pull Brazil out of the World Health Organization after the U.N. agency warned Latin American governments about the risk of lifting lockdowns before slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus throughout the region.

A new Brazilian record for daily COVID-19 fatalities pushed the county's death toll past that of Italy late on Thursday, but Bolsonaro continues to argue for quickly lifting state isolation orders, arguing that the economic costs outweigh public health risks.

Latin America's most populous nations, Brazil and Mexico, are seeing the highest rates of new infections, though the pandemic is also gathering pace in countries such as Peru, Colombia, Chile and Bolivia.

Overall, more than 1.1 million Latin Americans have been infected. While most leaders have taken the pandemic more seriously than Bolsonaro, some politicians that backed strict lockdowns in March and April are pushing to open economies back up as hunger and poverty grow.

In an editorial running the length of newspaper Folha de S.Paulo's front page, the Brazilian daily highlighted that just 100 days had passed since Bolsonaro described the virus now "killing a Brazilian per minute" as "a little flu."

"While you were reading this, another Brazilian died from the coronavirus," the newspaper said.

Brazil's Health Ministry reported late on Thursday that confirmed cases in the country had climbed past 600,000 and 1,437 deaths had been registered within 24 hours, the third consecutive daily record.

Brazil reported another 1,005 deaths Friday night, while Mexico reported 625 additional deaths.

With more than 35,000 lives lost, the pandemic has killed more people in Brazil than anywhere outside of the United States and the United Kingdom.

Asked about efforts to loosen social distancing orders in Brazil despite rising daily death rates and diagnoses, World Health Organization (WHO) spokeswoman Margaret Harris said a key criteria for lifting lockdowns was slowing transmission.

"The epidemic, the outbreak, in Latin America is deeply, deeply concerning," she told a news conference in Geneva. Among six key criteria for easing quarantines, she said, "one of them is ideally having your transmission declining."

In comments to journalists later Friday, Bolsonaro said Brazil will consider leaving the WHO unless it ceases to be a "partisan political organization."

President Donald Trump, an ideological ally of Bolsonaro, said last month that the United States would end its own relationship with the WHO, accusing it of becoming a puppet of China, where the coronavirus first emerged.

Bolsonaro's dismissal of the coronavirus risks to public health and efforts to lift state quarantines have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum in Brazil, where some accuse him of using the crisis to undermine democratic institutions.

But many of those critics are divided about the safety and effectiveness of anti-government demonstrations in the middle of a pandemic, especially after one small protest was met with an overwhelming show of police force last weekend.

Alfonso Vallejos Paras, an epidemiologist and professor of public health at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said infections are high in Latin America as the virus was slow to gain a foothold in the region.

"It is hard to estimate when the pace of infection will come down," he said.
Sadie Robertson offers message of hope: We have a God who's in control of everything

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Christian speaker and reality TV star Sadie Robertson shared encouragement for her fellow Americans having to cope with so much uncertainty.

"We're going through something that's really scary. Something that's out of our control. Something that is causing us loss and sadness," she said of the coronavirus pandemic in a message recorded in April for Fox Nation's "Messages of Hope."

Her message was published this week following the unrest that arose after the death of George Floyd, who died in the custody of Minneapolis police on Memorial Day.

"But the beauty in this, if there is beauty in this, is that we are all going through it together. There's something really beautiful about knowing that even though we don't have control  that we have a God who is a good father, who is in control of everything," she said.

Watch the latest video at foxnews.com

"It says in Psalms 46, He's an ever-present help in times of trouble. So we got to fix our eyes on Him. It says in Hebrews that even Jesus, when he was enduring the agony of the cross, He fixed his eyes on Heaven for the hope that He has.

"Sometimes we're in the midst of something so bad, we have to fix our hope on something in the future, something better. And what better than an eternal home in Heaven? Away from all fear. Away from all pain. Away from our sickness and tragedy. With a good, good father. That's our hope."

The "Duck Dynasty" daughter who is a popular traveling minister shared her message of hope with 60,000 people at her last major appearance, Passion 2020 in January. The Louisiana native also used her voice on Blackout Tuesday to speak out against racial injustice.

You are heard, you are seen, you are worthy, you are valuable, you are loved, you are beautiful and I am deeply sorry that you have not experienced that from everyone around you. You were made in the image of God on purpose and for a purpose just as I believe we all were, Robertson wrote on her Instagram page.

She added, I see that you are tired. I see that you have suffered and as the body of Christ that means we should all be with you in suffering. I am sorry that not all are and that we will never fully be able to understand, but I hope it is seen that many are standing. I hope it is known that many are praying. If one member suffers, all suffer together"

The newly married author of Live Original ended her post, declaring, We all need God - the creator OF ALL, love Himself, justice, and peace so I encourage us all to pray.
Private sector lender Karnataka Bank has reported to the RBI that it has been defrauded of over Rs 285 crore consequent to loans gone bad to four entities including DHFL.

A total of Rs 285.52 crore has been reported as fraud wherein the bank was one of the consortium lenders during 2009 to 2014 to Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFL), Religare Finvest, Fedders Electric and Engineering Ltd and Leel Electricals Ltd, Karnataka Bank said in a regulatory filing on Friday.

The maximum is owed by DHFL at Rs 180.13 crore, followed by Religare Finvest Rs 43.44 crore, Fedders Electric Rs 41.30 crore and Leel Electricals Rs 20.65 crore.

"DHFL (defaulted entity) dealing with us since 2014 had availed various credit facilities under consortium arrangement wherein, we were one of the member banks. In view of Early Warning Signals (EWS) in the conduct of the account and other developments, the account was red flagged on November 11, 2019.

"The borrowing account was classified as Non-Performing Asset on October 30, 2019 and now, for misappropriation & criminal breach of trust & diversion of funds in the credit facilities extended earlier to the company, a fraud amounting Rs 180.13 crore has been reported to RBI," Karnataka Bank said.

Likewise, Religare Finvest Ltd (RFL) was dealing with the bank since 2014, availing various credit facilities.

Following classification of this account as non-performing in October 2019 by a consortium member, Karnataka Bank reported to RBI a fraud amounting to Rs 43.44 crore in the credit facilities extended earlier, on account of diversion of funds.

Leel Electricals was classified as NPA account in March 2019 and it reported to RBI a fraud amounting to Rs 20.65 crore in the credit facilities to the company on account of diversion of funds.

"In all the referred three non-performing accounts, necessary provisions have been made in full to be spread across four quarters," it said.

Fedders Electric and Engineering Limited was reported as NPA in July 2018 by a member bank in consortium, subsequent to which Karnataka Bank reported fraud of Rs 41.30 crore on account of fund diversion.

The account has already been fully provided for, it added.
Statement of Spokesman for United Front Department of C.C., WPK

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, June 5 (KCNA) -- A spokesman of the United Front Department of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea published a statement on Friday.

The statement reads:

Today, our people are feeling towering rage and disgust towards the act of scattering anti-DPRK leaflets by the "defectors from the north" and the south Korean authorities' connivance at it.

Though it is wise to avoid things filthy, it is hard to contain fury towards mongrel dogs which dare faulted the dignity of our supreme leadership and went out of control to fly dirty trash to our sacred area.

Reflecting the enragement of our people, Kim Yo Jong, first vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, issued a statement on June 4 giving a very meaningful warning to those human scum and the south Korean authorities who left the thing to take its own course to properly understand the gravity and catastrophic aftereffect of the situation and to do what they should do.

However, the attitude of the southern neighbor towards this is quite extraordinary.

The south side seems to be used to give a favorable interpretation of dreams. First, it construed the statement as a threat to it and then foolishly analyzed that it is a hidden message proposing the south side to come out for exchange and cooperation first. With time it, saying that though leaflets were scattered ten times last year and three times this year the north side has called the recent one into particular question, has a pipe dream that the north seems to hope for dialogue and negotiations.

What stunned us is that a spokesperson for the "Ministry of Unification" made a senseless remark that the leaflet-scattering should be stopped as most of the leaflets scattered by the "defectors from the north" fall in the area of the south side to pollute the ecological environment in the area of the south side along the Military Demarcation Line and have bad impact on the life and living conditions of the inhabitants.

The south side has gone so impudent as to claim that it has long taken a measure for preventing the leaflet-scattering to fundamentally defuse tension along the line where both sides stand in confrontation and that an efficient plan for improving the system was under examination in a bid to give impression that the inglorious incident happened by mistake.

Nowhere can there be found even slight regret or a will not to take useless acts of escalating tension again.

We clearly know that it is not just a drunken frenzy of a man, being unaware of the fact that the recent incident amounts to the serious abrogation of the historic declaration and agreements made before the nation and a thoughtless act of stoking hostility and tension.

Before caviling at others, they should read each word and phrase of the statement, recalling that it was a warning issued by the first vice department director looking after the affairs with south Korea.

If they fall short of understanding its meaning, they must be ignorant imbeciles and if they feign ignorance, they must be the meanest bastards.

First Vice Department Director Kim Yo Jong Friday gave instructions to the field in charge of the affairs with south Korea to start examination for the technical implementation of the content mentioned in the statement.

It was May 31 when the anti-DPRK leaflets were openly flown but the nonstop disposal of dirty rubbish from the south side has exhausted us so much as to come to a clearer conclusion that enemies are enemies after all.

We do not hide that we have had long in mind decisive measures to fundamentally remove all provocations from the south and to completely shut down and remove all the contact leverage with the south side.

As the first thing, we will definitely withdraw the idling north-south joint liaison office housed in the Kaesong Industrial Zone to be followed by effectuation of various measures which we had already implied.

The south Korean authorities are belatedly making a little more advanced excuses, claiming they are reviewing a bill for stopping leaflet-scattering. Then does it mean that they signed the agreement in the military field on halting all the hostile acts in the areas along the Military Demarcation Line with no definite guarantees like such a bill.

Then even though we start things that can be annoyance to the south in the area bordering it, it will be left with no words until the bill is adopted and put into effect.

We are about to start the work that can hurt the south side soon to make it suffer from annoyance.

Our determination is to follow as far as the evil cycle of the confrontation leads while facing the situation squarely, because our path is always straight.

The south willing to pull down a tower which is hard to build is now keen on turning nightmare into a reality. So will there be any need to stop it.

It is our stand that it is better to remove and break things which would finally be removed and broken. -0-

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Thousands of Nissan workers, their families and sympathisers are striking, protesting and blocking roads to protest the Japanese automakers decision to shut down its Barcelona plant by December. Twenty-five thousand workers are to be directly or indirectly affected by the closure of Nissans largest plant in Spain.

Since May 4, amid the resumption of production in its plants after the Socialist Party (PSOE)-Podemos government imposed the reactionary back-to-work policy, unions have called Nissan workers out on strike. The cynicism of the company formerly led by fugitive CEO Carlos Ghosn could not be clearer. They ordered workers back to work on May 4, amid the pandemic, to complete 1,300 unfinished Mercedes vans and then close the factory.

Last week, Nissan reported a US$6.2 billion loss for the fiscal year ending in March, its first annual loss in 11 years. The plant closure is part of a plan to restructure the Alliance, cut costs and raise profits. Under the plan, the company aims to reduce its production capacity worldwide by 20 percent, to about 5.4 million units, and cut its costs by 15 percent. Another Nissan factory will also be closed in Indonesia.

Their aim is to intensify the exploitation of workers by pooling production facilities elsewhere in Europe as well as in South America, South Africa and Southeast Asia.

Last week, soon after the announcement, workers blocked off streets and burned tires outside the plant, located in the Zona Franca industrial area.

Cristina Montero, 43, a single mother with a mortgage who has been working at the Nissan plant for 15 years, told El Pais, Its very tough news. We knew about it, we imagined it could happen, but you never think its really going to come true. There are many families who could be left out in the street, and we feel impotence and a lot of anger.

Another Nissan worker with 21 years seniority, Jose Antonio Pina, said, We have been doing badly for many years, and now it has been a total collapse.

Outside, hundreds of workers gathered to hear the head of the Workers Council, the trade union delegate Juan Carlos Vicente, after a meeting with company executives.

In an orchestrated announcement to the media, Vicente complained, Theyve left us to die, and asserted that workers will not make it easy for Nissan to shut down: We now have six months to try and make them change their plans.  This is a long process, we have to pressure both the politicians and the company so that they understand that Nissan must stay, because around 20,000 families are at risk, and the industrial fabric of Catalonia and Spain are at stake.

Nissan workers fight against the closure is arousing enormous sympathy and solidarity. The following day, thousands of autoworkers gathered at the doors of the four main Nissan dealerships, shouting with fists raised, War, war, war, Nissan will not close! As protesters marched and blocked roads, dozens of vehicles honked their horns in support; neighbours clapped or raised their fists.

Yesterday, Nissan workers organised a slow march of hundreds of vehicles in the centre of Barcelona. Autoworkers, many accompanied by their families, also received support from taxi drivers, who have been waging a bitter struggle against Uber for over a year.

Amid this jobs massacre, workers now confront a concerted attack by the PSOE-Podemos government, the Catalan nationalist-led regional government, and the trade unions to isolate, wear down and finally suppress the strike.

The unions and the PSOE-Podemos government are sowing illusions that negotiations with Nissan remain open, and that there still exists a possibility of the plant remaining open. The Works Council, run by the Podemos-linked Workers Commissions (CC.OO) and pro-PSOE General Union of Labour (UGT) unions, has argued for delaying any escalation of the strikes and protests until the business meeting of the Nissan executives on June 6, insisting that Nissan could reverse its decision.

In a joint statement with the Catalan regional government, the Foment Del Treball business association, and small business groups, the CCOO and UGT, urged Nissan to reconsider the decision bound with their responsibility with their workers. They added that they would continue working to maintain Nissans supply chain in Catalonia and value the unity of action of the different administrations, employers and unions to avoid confirming the definitive closure of the plants in Catalonia.

Similarly, Economic Affairs Minister Nadia Calvino claimed she is willing to look for an alternative solution, adding, We have proposed to the company to implement a process of discussion and negotiation to see how this process can be channelled, since it is a plant that made strategic sense for the company, being the only one in Europe.

However, Gianluca De Ficchy, president of Nissan Europe, reappeared to state that the decision to close the Barcelona plant has been taken and is irreversible.

Last week, Nissan indirectly alluded as to why it wanted its plants in Barcelona to remain open until December. Ashwani Gupta, the Japanese companys global chief operating officer, said that it would close its Sunderland manufacturing plant in the UK if London leaves the EU in a no-deal Brexit. He stated that with the EU being the Sunderland factorys biggest customer, the tariffs that would come with a no-deal Brexit would mean manufacturing in Britain would not be viable.

Whether in Spain, the UK or France, all the unions are using the same common front to lull workers to sleep as they work to increase the exploitation of workers or force workers to accept plant closures.

In Spains Nissan plant, the last common front of unions, big business and regional and national governments happened in June 2019, when the USOC, CC.OO and UGT accepted a redundancy scheme, backed by the regional Catalan government, affecting 620 workers through early retirement and other cuts. In exchange, Nissan fraudulently committed to making new investments in Barcelona plants.

Spanish unions have even refused to mobilize workers in the other Nissan plants unaffected by the closures, let alone other auto factories of Seat, Mercedes, Volkswagen and PSA. On the same day as Nissan made its announcement, at Ford the UGT and CC.OO signed a redundancy scheme affecting 350 workers from the plant in Valencia, to make the plant more competitive.

This same tactic is now being implemented in the UK, where Nissan announced plans to end a defined benefits pension scheme for hundreds of workers as part of its cost saving measures.

British trade union Unite reacted by announcing that it is more than willing to help Nissan recalibrate to a changing world but this must not come at the expense of our members jobs, terms and conditions or other benefits. In the coming days we will be seeking our members views and be sitting down with the company to find a positive way forward for all.

In neighbouring France, Renault has announced plans for an international wave of plant closings and layoffs, including 15,000 jobs worldwide, 4,600 of these in France. The French unions are not even organizing symbolic protests. Philippe Martinez, the head of the Stalinist General Confederation of Labour (CGT) union, responded with impotent and nationalist rhetoric. We are very upset, he said. What Renault needs is to produce Renault cars in France and work on creating French jobs.

Whether in Spain, the UK, France or other countries, workers confront the same reactionary trade union tactics to divide workers on national lines, trying to sell multinationals their workers labour power for a cheaper market rate than other countries.

A fight against this requires the construction of an international movement among workers. The opposition of autoworkers, including strikes and other struggles, can only be effective if it is mobilized across national borders against transnational companies, which shift production from one country to another to maximize profits. This requires building rank-and-file committees of action independent of the nationalist and pro-capitalist trade unions.
After staying on the sidelines in a primary that originally included two Colorado Democrats, Gov. Jared Polis on Friday formally endorsed Joe Biden for president, saying the former vice president and presumptive Democratic nominee can unify the country.

Polis said last year that he would support his party's nominee but otherwise stayed out of the race that at one point counted U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and former Gov. John Hickenlooper, Polis' immediate predecessor, among the candidates hoping to challenge President Donald Trump.

Joe Biden has the heart and experience for this moment, and is building the broad and diverse coalition of support that is needed to unify our country," Polis said in a statement released by the Biden campaign. "With all that is facing us, it could not be clearer  we need a kind, empathetic, and experienced leader like Joe who has the experience to get our country back on track and start delivering for all of us on day one."

Added Polis: "Im going to do everything I can to elect Joe Biden and I hope Coloradans all across the state will join me.

Biden finished second behind Bernie Sanders in Colorado's March 3 presidential primary, though Sanders suspended his campaign soon after and endorsed Biden in April.

With Polis in his corner, Biden has been endorsed by most of the prominent Democrats in Colorado, including Bennet, Hickenlooper, U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette, Jason Crow and Ed Perlmutter, Attorney General Phil Weiser, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, former U.S. Sens. Mark Udall and Ken Salazar and a bevy of legislative leaders.

A recent poll showed Biden leading Trump among likely Colorado voters by 19 percentage points, though both presidential campaigns say the state will be among the election's battlegrounds.

The same poll, conducted in early May by Democratic firms, found that 66% of voters held a favorable opinion of Polis, up from 50% last fall. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4%.
SPRINGFIELD  Nathan Bills Bar & Restaurant  starting point of what ultimately became a large-scale brawl involving off-duty police officers five years ago  was the focal point of a march against racism and police brutality Saturday afternoon.

Several hundred people carrying signs and chanting gathered outside the East Forest Park restaurant and marched in the rain to a nearby park.

City police were out in force in case the peaceful march turned violent, as have some other rallies nationwide since George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died May 25 at the hands of white Minneapolis police officers.

A dozen officers were at the scene with many more seated inside a nearby PVTA bus.

Nathan Bills and a nearby auto part shop boarded up their windows and doors on Friday in anticipation of trouble. Thirteen current and former Springfield police officers were charged with participating in or helping to cover up the April 8, 2015 fight not far from the Island Pond Road establishment.

The mile-long march from the bar to Nathan Bill Park on Plumtree Road was organized by City Councilors Justin Hurst and Tracye Whitfield, the Springfield branch of the NAACP, and Pioneer Valley Project. U.S. Rep Joseph Kennedy III, D-Mass, was among those in attendance.

Speaking to the crowd before the rain began to fall, Hurst criticized Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood and Mayor Domenic J. Sarno for various actions, and inactions, that he said have contributed to the tensions between the black community and police.

We will continue to protest and march until our demands are met and we are rid of those who aid and abet those who refuse to take their knees of our necks, Hurst said. The commissioner who knows her officers did wrong, but refuses to swiftly take disciplinary actions. The district attorney who wont even investigate police misconduct never mind press charges against officers. Politicians who remain silent when justice needs them now more than ever. The mayor of the city who has allowed injustice, police corruption and fear to fester under his watch.

Whitfield said she once believed that the current mayoral oversight system worked, but has since changed her mind.

I originally voted against (a citizen review board) because I didnt know how civilians would know the laws and union bargaining to make good decisions for the police department, she said. But I have changed my position. One person should not be able to make decisions on behalf of the whole department especially when she and the administration are so tight.

The president of the Springfield Chapter of the NAACP, Bishop Talbot Swan agreed with Whitfield, threatening rebellion against what he said was an unjust and tyrannical system for blacks.

I hope to get rid of a system where one person can hire and fire and make policy, mete out discipline, but only with the approval of the mayor, Swan said. When we said we cant breathe you were not hearing us. How long can you ignore the cries of your citizens and expect them not to rise up in rebellion against a system of tyranny? Trust me when I say when a person cannot breathe they will scratch, they will fight and do all that is within their power to get your knee off their necks so they can breathe free.

Kennedy, now a candidate for the U.S. Senate against Edward Markey, pledged his support to the Black Lives Matter movement for however long it takes to change the system. Kennedy told protesters that the movement, rather than a threat to the country, is exactly what the founders envisioned.

This nation was founded on dissent. What you are doing here today could not be more American. It is a fight  a quest  for justice. We know that our government for hundreds of years has fallen short. We know we have miles to go before we rest. I pledge to be here with you every step of the way; to be with you until that justice comes to pass.

Earlier in the day, another demonstration saw more than 100 participants peacefully marching from Court Square to the Springfield Police Department headquarters. Prayers were said at Court Square and upon arrival at the Pearl Street police station for greater understanding and civility. In one prayer, police officers who have fought against injustice were thanked for their efforts.

Protests were held in other Western Massachusetts communities on Saturday, including Northampton, Greenfield and Chicopee. Additional rallies are slated for Sunday in Amherst, East Longmeadow and Monson.

On Wednesday, some 3,000 demonstrators took to the streets of Springfield and marched peacefully from Springfield Central High School to police headquarters.
One on One with Joe Korkowski, is heard Saturdays on KXRA-1490AM / 100.3fm/105.7fm (@7:40am) and KXRA-92.3FM (@7:00am), as well as each Sunday morning on KXRZ Z99.3fm (@10:15am).

The interview is also re-broadcast on Monday mornings on KX92 at 10:00am and on Z99 at 9:10am.
The annual St. Peters Prep fundraising gala was supposed to be a festive occasion.

The coronavirus had forced the Jersey City Jesuit school to cancel its in-person fundraiser at the Newport Westin, but faculty had drawn up plans for a new event, to be held May 28 via video-sharing app, Zoom.

This year, obviously, like everybody else, we had to pivot pretty quickly, said Jim Horan, St. Peters Prep vice president. We had all our ducks in a row."

But the virtual gala quickly took a disturbing turn. While the schools Director of Special Events Dalma Santana was speaking, unknown people on the Zoom call unleashed a torrent of death threats, racial slurs and obscenities in the apps text chat feature.

When this occurred in real time, everyone, every single little video image of the participants, had a stunned and confused look on their face, Horan said. For a moment we were helpless.

Horan described the verbal assault as really vile racially charged epithets" and obscene drawings.

The slurs were especially offensive that night, as two of the galas main figures were people of color. Santana, the emcee, is Dominican-American. A graduating senior who spoke at the event is black.

In a message posted to the schools website, the schools president, Michael A. Gomez, called the incident a horrifying, gut-wrenching moment, the antithesis of the fundamental values of Saint Peters Prep."

Organizers quickly shut down the event and sent attendees a link to a new Zoom call. After that, Horan said, the gala proceeded smoothly.

Money raised at the annual gala, the schools largest fundraiser, funds scholarships for students. The event usually features dinner, live music, and silent and live auctions.

The incident was reported to the FBI, which records hate crime statistics, and the schools information technology staff is conducting its own investigation. But it will likely be impossible to find the perpetrators, Horan said, since the Zoom link to the original gala had been widely distributed. St. Peters faculty believe the attackers were able to access the call easily.

Once it went outside the closed circle of registrants, it was outside of our control, he said.

Over the past few months, the meteoric rise of the Zoom app has not been without risks. Events across the country have fallen prey to Zoom bombs," in which unknown actors hijack meetings and events, often shouting or writing offensive language or displaying obscene pictures.

A week later, Horan said the incident still is haunting us a bit."

But there is a silver lining: once the gala was restarted, attendees raised $254,000 for the school, exceeding the goal of $250,000.

We thought that, particularly in this economic climate, that might be a little bit of a stretch, Horan said of the original goal. But people really did rally around the event after that awful start.
The nation that likes to pride itself as a beacon of press freedom is getting lectures from foreign governments for the arrests and physical attacks on journalists by authorities during the protests over the horrific killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

You know something is askew when authoritarian-run Turkey feels emboldened to speak out after a reporter for its public broadcaster TRT was struck by a nonlethal round in Minneapolis.

Press freedom is the backbone of democracy, tweeted Fahrettin Altun, a spokesman for the Turkish president, borrowing a phrase the U.S. State Department often uses in tutoring fledgling democracies across the globe.

Obviously, context is due. The United States is not in Turkeys league  and must never be, if the great American experiment is to endure  when it comes to repression of the press. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has shut down dozens of news outlets and is keeping at least 47 journalists in jail as part of his crackdown on independent scrutiny, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

More context: No one would suggest that journalists should expect or deserve a protective shield when they venture into mayhem to get the story. I have the utmost respect for my colleagues who cover these street scenes, especially the photographers who can be targets of lawlessness because of the expensive equipment they carry or a looters fear that his or her act is being documented. And often there is little or no time to retreat from wafting tear gas or a stray rubber bullet. Reporting on unrest is a challenge of courage and craftiness.

But, most important, it is not a crime.

Still, the number, severity and geographic breadth of law enforcement arrests and attacks of journalists during the recent wave of demonstrations has startled U.S. media veterans  and attracted worldwide attention. The Guardian has documented 148 such incidents, and in 72% of them the journalists either had visible credentials or had identified themselves as working media.

Ive never seen so many incidents with police and reporters simultaneously in different cities, tweeted Maggie Haberman of the New York Times.

Some of these disturbing scenes have been playing out on live television. CNN viewers watched on May 29 as reporter Omar Jimenez and crew were arrested in Minneapolis. He could not have been more polite or cooperative with the State Patrol even as he was handcuffed without explanation. In the moments before he calmly told troopers: We can move back to where you like. ... We are live on the air at the moment. ... Just put us back where you want us. We are getting out of your way.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz later apologized on air to Jimenez.

An even uglier scene was being beamed live into Australia on Monday as a crowd of protesters was being cleared out of Lafayette Square shortly before President Trump made his infamous walk to St. Johns Church to hold up a Bible for a photo-op. The camera operator was bashed with an officers riot shield, knocking his camera to the ground, and another struck the reporter, Amelia Brace, with a baton.

You heard us yelling there that we were media, but they dont care, Brace told viewers.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison asked his countrys embassy to investigate.

We take mistreatment of journalists seriously, as do all who take democracy seriously, said Arthur Culvahouse Jr., Australias ambassador to the United States. Journalists from Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Canada and the U.K. also have been arrested or attacked by police during the protests.

Unlike Minnesotas governor, the Trump White House doesnt do apologies. Spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany insisted the officers had a right to defend themselves, even though the video showed an act of aggression. Meanwhile, two Park Police officers have been assigned administrative duties while the episode is being reviewed.

The arrest and physical attacks of journalists on American soil has repercussions far beyond our borders. As illustrated by Turkeys smug reaction, it gives comfort to tyrants elsewhere who then rationalize their suppression of independent journalism by pointing to the scenes in the United States where reporters are detained, roughed up and called scum, fake news and enemies of the people by their president.

Two years ago, I attended a conference of international journalists in Singapore in which Michelle Giuda, a Trump appointee to the State Department, was quoting Thomas Jefferson and calling freedom of the press a right we hold very near and dear. Many in the audience, well aware of Trumps rhetoric and threats to media, openly scoffed at the spin.

Imagine if she tried those sanctimonious lines now.

John Diaz is The San Francisco Chronicles editorial page editor. Email: jdiaz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnDiazChron
The Government has announced it is accelerating Irelands progress through the roadmap for reopening society in a bid to kick-start the economy and save summer.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar confirmed that from Monday, the country will be in phase two plus and he said there will now be four phases of the plan instead of the initial five, with Irelands economy set to be almost fully open by July 20.

However, certain things, such as weddings, will not return until the autumn, Mr Varadkar warned.

The announcement came as a further seven deaths from Covid-19 were announced, along with 28 new cases.

The new plan allows for all shops to be able to open from Monday, the Taoiseach said, provided they stagger opening hours to reduce the burden on public transport; maintain distancing; and dedicate opening hours to older and medically vulnerable people. Shopping centres, meanwhile, can open from June 15. Mr Varadkar said this is to ensure that high street shops do not have an unfair advantage over shopping centres.

The tourism industry can reopen from June 29, including bars that serve food with table service only. Full guidance on how this can be done will be released, but Mr Varadkar confirmed that these pubs will not need restaurant licences.

However, hairdressers, barbers, and nail bars will remain closed until July 20 and Mr Varadkar offered no clarity about the date of the resumption of non-essential air travel. I would encourage people not to go booking flights just yet; that would be premature, he said.

Under the new guidelines, people will be allowed to travel 20km from home as well as anywhere within their own county, whichever is greater. Domestic travel restrictions will be lifted from June 29, and Mr Varadkar said this will allow people to explore our country as if for the first time and rediscover the beauty that is all around us.

This date will also see hotels, B&Bs, and holiday parks allowed to open.

Summer is not lost and this can be a summer of hope if we keep the virus at bay, Mr Varadkar said.

Under the acceleration, groups of six people can meet indoors or outdoors and up to 15 people can train together where distancing can be enforced. Outdoor facilities for children, including camps of up to 15, can open from Monday, while supervised playgrounds can also open. Up to 25 people can now attend funerals.

Earlier, the finance and social protection ministers confirmed that the 350 pandemic unemployment payment will become two-tiered from June 29, with people earning less than 200 per week before Covid-19 set to drop to 203 per week.

The new system will be tailored, more equitable, and fairer, Regina Doherty said

The temporary wage subsidy scheme will also continue until August.
VICTORIACriminal and civil contempt of court charges have been dropped against those who were arrested in February for violating an injunction while fighting the construction of a natural gas pipeline in northern B.C.

The arrests of 22 members of the Wetsuweten Nation and their supporters sparked protests across the country, shutting down rail and roads and putting a dent in the Canadian economy.

The BC Prosecution Service says in a statement issued Friday that criminal contempt charges for those arrested near Houston, B.C., will not be pursued.

The Crown says there have been no further breaches of the injunction, there wasnt enough evidence linking those arrested to damage to a bridge and recent talks between governments and the Wetsuweten hereditary chiefs all played a role in their decision.

Suzanne Wilton with pipeline builder Coastal GasLink says in a statement that in light of work progressing in the area and ongoing talks with hereditary chiefs, it wont pursue civil contempt charges against the protesters.

A post on the Facebook site Gitimten Access Point says while they are relieved that charges have been dropped, they know the RCMP arrests on unceded lands was unlawful.

The Gitimten is one of five clans within the Wetsuweten Nation and the site represents a camp where some of the arrests occurred along a logging road toward the pipeline work site.

Coastal GasLink continues to trespass on our lands under the escort of the RCMP, who maintain an illegal remote police detachment on Wetsuweten territory. We are treated as criminals on our own land, the statement says.

The statement from Dan McLaughlin of the BC Prosecution Service says the court was told that if further evidence was brought forward, other charges could be considered.

Hereditary chiefs and the federal and provincial governments signed a memorandum of understanding last month that was negotiated amid the countrywide blockades, marches and encampments.

The hereditary chiefs have opposed the 670-kilometre natural gas pipeline through their territory, although five elected Wetsuweten councils signed agreements with Coastal GasLink approving the construction.

The memorandum didnt directly address the chiefs opposition to the pipeline but set up timelines on negotiating jurisdiction over land use planning, resources, water, wildlife, child and family wellness and other issues.

While some feared of major economic impacts from the rail blockades that sprang up in response the arrests, Parliaments spending watchdog later said they would leave a minimal dent in the pace of economic growth.

The Parliamentary budget officers report in mid-March estimates the blockades will shave two-tenths of a percentage point off economic growth for the first quarter, with the effects dissipating through the rest of 2020.

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China is using domestic problems in the United States to show the Trump administration in a bad light and depict its strategic adversary as unfair and racist. Meanwhile, tensions are running high as a US warship sails the Taiwan Strait and China carries out military exercises in the same area. A group of 18 Western lawmakers want stronger actions against Beijing as Southeast Asian countries distance themselves from China.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews)  China has gone on the counterattack and is exploiting anti-racism protests in the United States to criticise the Trump administration. However, its attempt to take advantage of the internal problems of the United States and appear as a responsible global power does not seem to be reaping expected benefits.

Washington has taken the lead in an international front against Chinas repression of Hong Kongs pro-democracy movement; at the same time, more and more countries in Asia are beginning to challenge Chinese hegemonic pretentions.

For Chinese leaders, the US government applies a double standard over the riots that broke out following the death of George Floyd, an African-American man killed in Minneapolis.

Chinese diplomats, media and Internet users accuse Trump of criticising Hong Kong police for cracking down on what they consider illegal protests whilst allowing police brutality against demonstrations that are currently shaking the United States.

In doing so, China is trying to get even with the United States by depicting its strategic adversary as an unfair and racist country.

The ongoing confrontation, which began in 2016, when Trump came to power, has seen the two superpowers angrily face off each other.

From trade to technology, from the fight against the coronavirus to territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the status of Taiwan, Washington and Beijing are at loggerheads with tensions running high.

Yesterday, for the seventh time since the start of the year, a US warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait. The transit by the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Russell took place on the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, when thousands of Chinese students were killed for demanding democracy and freedom in China.

For its part, China is currently conducting exercises in the area, with amphibious landing operations in a rehearsal of a possible invasion of Taiwan.

In condemning Chinas national security law in Hong Kong, the US has garnered support from Great Britain, Canada, Australia and Taiwan.

The European Union has also criticised Chinas new legislation, but has distanced itself from Trump's decision to put economic and financial pressure on China.

Meanwhile, to curb China's geopolitical aims, about 18 Western lawmakers have set up a transnational group from the United States, Europe, Australia, Canada and Japan to plan actions against Beijings growing strength.

In Asia itself, some countries are also increasingly concerned about Chinas activism. In an op-ed in Foreign Affairs, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong notes that the US presence in the Asia-Pacific region is vital, and that China will not be able to weaken the US in Southeast Asia.

In doing so, Lee is following in the footsteps of his predecessor and father, the late Lee Kwan Yew, prime minister and founder of the city-state, who insisted that China's power must be counterbalanced and that only the US could do so.

In another reversal for China, the Philippines on Wednesday scrapped its earlier decision to end a 20-year military deal with the United States. Together with Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, the Philippines is opposed to Chinas territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Indonesia, which has tried to steer clear of any row with China in regional disputes, has also taken a stand against Beijing. In an official note sent to the United Nations in late May, Jakarta takes the view that Chinas Nine-Dash line, that is its historic demarcation in the sea, has no legal basis and violates the UN Convention on the law of the sea.
Armed members of the New Black Panther Party were seen marching alongside peaceful demonstrators during a protest in Georgia.

Video has surfaced showing New Black Panther members dressed in all-black, marching arm-in-arm as they formed a line to protect Black Lives Matter protesters during a march in Atlanta Friday. 

They were seen wearing what appeared to be tactical-style vests with assault-style rifles slung across their chests as they marched in the video posted by Redfish.

In Atlanta, armed Black Panthers showed up and formed a line to lead and protect the Black Lives Matter protests.



(photos by @1TraeWay of @WINspiredMedia) pic.twitter.com/qPrLaxNyDK  redfish (@redfishstream) June 5, 2020

Armed New Black Panthers were seen marching during protests in Atlanta and Decatur, Georgia. Organization member Whitney is seen here speaking to protesters in Decatur June 3

Earlier in the week, many of the same people were spotted carrying guns at a protest in Decatur, Georgia.

There, on June 3, they also marched arm-in-arm alongside protesters and addressed the crowd as part of their efforts to protect the rights of the demonstrators, according to Decaturish.

The organization - founded in 1989 and distinct from the original Black Panthers - has engaged in armed protests against alleged police brutality, but its Atlanta chapter did not have a hand in organizing this particular grassroots protest, which was put together by a Georgia State University student.

Decaturish reported that protesters at the march had expressed concern about their presence.

The Southern Poverty Law Center and Anti-Defamation League have both categorized the New Black Panthers as a hate group.

The New Black Panthers were seen wearing all-black outfits with tactical-style vests (at left) while carrying rifles as they marched in Decatur on June 3

A New Black Panther member (left) is seen speaking to the crowd at the protest rally in Decatur on June 3. Civil rights activists said the group was peaceful

The SPLC says they are 'a virulently racist and anti-Semitic organization whose leaders have encouraged violence against whites, Jews and law enforcement officers.'

However, the New Black Panthers members who appeared at the June 3 protest 'were peaceful and talked about love and respect,' Anti-Racist Coalition for Decatur activist Clare Schexnyder told Decaturish.

She noted that the New Black Panthers members at the march were interracial - there was 'one white guy' - and included a female member.

'They were demonstrating their First Amendment rights and Second Amendment rights. And its hypocrisy for white people to call it out when white people with guns have been storming capitols and hanging governors in effigy,' said Schexnyder, who is white and spoke at the protest.

A local civil rights activist also noted that the New Black Panthers haven't caused problems at protests they've shown up at in the past.

'In all the years of having contact with them, Ive never seen or witnessed them do any violence at any public rallies or anything. I dont think theres any threat at all,' civil rights attorney and Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights Mawuli Davis told the news outlet.

He noted that he had seen New Black Panthers members at protests and rallies throughout the years.

Davis also noted that while 'people are concerned about' the New Black Panthers, 'Were concerned about the things that have already been said to citizens in Decatur.'

It's thought that the New Black Panthers may participate in future protests.

The original Black Panther Party was founded in 1966 in Oakland, California, as a socialist political organization and involved the core practice of open-carrying, armed citizens' patrols meant to monitor the behavior of the local police department and challenge police brutality in the city.

The group emerged as one of the most influential black movement organizations of the late 1960s and at its height in 1970, had 68 offices and thousands of members across America.

The New Black Panther Party was founded in Dallas, Texas, in 1989.

Members of the original Black Panthers have distanced their group from the New Black Panthers, claiming that it is not a successor to the original group, despite the similarities of their logos.

According to the SPLC, the New Black Panthers are a 'black separatist group that believes black Americans should have their own nation' and its leaders have publicly made anti-Semitic and anti-white statements.
KELOWNA, British Columbia, June 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Metabolic Insights Inc. (Metabolic Insights) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $300,000 grant by the Industrial Research Assistance Program of the National Research Council through their competitive Innovative Solutions Canada Challenge Program. The funds will be used to re-purpose the Company's existing proprietary salivary insulin technology to detect the SARS-2-CoV (COVID-19) virus in saliva. One of the objectives of the challenge is to demonstrate a new prototype point-of-care COVID-19 test in three months.

The grant will enable Metabolic Insights to expand the markets for its proprietary technology platform, which analyses peptides in human body fluids, into infectious diseases from health, wellness and nutrition.

Testing for the presence of the COVID-19 virus is performed in a centralized laboratory setting using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) molecular assays to detect the viral genetic material. Patients are required to undergo an unpleasant nasal swabbing procedure. This process is time-consuming and can only be completed by qualified personnel in a laboratory setting. Results are generally not communicated to the patient for 24 hours or more. Due to its complexity, it's difficult to provide PCR based testing services to areas where healthcare is not easily accessible. Patients in rural areas must wait for their sample to reach a centralized healthcare facility for testing.

A saliva-based test would be advantageous, being non-invasive, quick, allowing the transfer of testing from a hospital to an outpatient environment. This would make it an ideal tool for screening by physicians, pharmacies, a point-of-care home diagnosis, and distribution to rural populations. A point-of-care device is suitable for testing passengers before flying, regular testing of athletes, and admission into sporting or cultural venues. As government's achieve an acceptable level of containment of the virus and we begin to return to a more normal lifestyle, frequent testing of a wider population would allow return to daily activities in a safer manner.

"We built our technology platform to allow for the testing of a variety of proteins through a simple saliva test. This grant will accelerate the demonstration of the ability to test initially for COVID-19 and for a variety of infectious diseases. We hope to dramatically shift how testing and monitoring for this and other clinically impactful proteins can occur in the future. Our goal is to be able to detect the COVID-19 virus though a small saliva sample in under 10 minutes," said David Turner, CEO.

About the Company:

Metabolic Insights Inc is a Canadian company that has developed a platform electrochemical technology for the analysis of saliva and other body fluids for the presence of a variety of peptides.

About NRC-IRAP

The National Research Council of Canada's Industrial Research Assistance Program is Canada's leading innovation assistance program for small and medium-sized businesses. The mission of NRC-IRAP is to accelerate businesses by providing them with a comprehensive suite of innovation services and funding.

David Turner

CEO

[email protected]

www.metabolicinsights.com

Related Images

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SOURCE Metabolic Insights Inc.
A Melbourne real estate sales consultant has revealed how he bought his first home worth $350,000 at the age of 19.

Andy Pater, 22, shared his insight by posting a video TikTok in December 2019 and outlined a three-step guide explaining how others can do the same.

The Construct Homes employee has been in the property business for four and a half years and told FEMAIL while the process of buying a house was 'stressful' and 'one of the scariest things' he has ever done, he has no regrets.

Prior to purchasing the home, Mr Pater said he made two appointments with a property broker to ensure he was making the right decision.

Scroll down for video

Andy Pater from Construct Homes (pictured) has revealed how he bought his first home at the age of 19

Mr Pater's first recommendation involves purchasing a townhouse 'off the plan' because the developer only requires the deposit with no further progress payments

'To be honest it was a very risky move purchasing the property at 19 because there was no guarantee the bank would give me a loan,' he said.

'When you're that age, even if you have a full-time job, it is highly unlikely you will receive approval for a massive loan to buy a house.'

Mr Pater said his parents opted to be guarantors on the contract to provide additional stability.

'The most important thing to consider before purchasing a house is to think about why you're wanting to buy it in the first place,' he said.

'If you're buying for investment or if it'll make you happy - great! If you're buying to impress your friends or family - that's not a sensible idea.'

In the TikTok video, Mr Pater's first recommendation involves purchasing a townhouse 'off the plan', meaning the property is yet to be built and the developer only requires the deposit.

What are the biggest mistakes people make when buying their first home? People purchase houses that are too big and don't suit their lifestyle - listen to your property broker and choose something you can afford People underestimate the power of townhouses, as they can be a good stepping stone to your dream house Buying a house for the wrong reason - ask yourself why you want to buy a house and if you're financially able to make the repayments Advertisement

He says buyers should then negotiate for the lowest deposit. Mr Pater managed to arrange a 5% deposit of $18,000 to repay over two years.

Despite not having the deposit at the time, Mr Pater said he sold a lot of personal possessions and borrowed money from family to assist with the weekly repayments.

'Because [the house] isn't built yet, you'll have about two years to pay back that $18,000 loan which works out [to be] about $170 per week  and if you're working and living at home that shouldn't be a problem at all,' he said in the video.

Asked about the 'off the plan' method, he said this option worked best for him as he only had to repay the deposit over two years - giving him more time to save.

He also said negotiating for a lower deposit can be difficult and success depends on how eager the developer is to make the sale.

Mr Pater said he managed to arrange a 5% deposit of $18,000 to repay over two years. He got the money by selling personal possessions and borrowing money from his family

HOW DID ANDY PATER PURCHASE A HOUSE AT THE AGE OF 19? Step 1 Purchase a townhouse 'off the plan', meaning the house is yet to be built Step 2 Negotiate for the lowest deposit possible Mr Pater managed to arrange a 5% deposit of $18,000, with repayments costing close to $170 per week over two years Step 3 Once the two years has passed, organise the home loan, move into the new house and take note of whether the property has increased in value When organising the loan Mr Pater also recommends going through a broker to save buyers unnecessary stress and make the process a lot easier Advertisement

The third and final step involves organising a home loan.

'The banks check everything you pay for - so it's a good idea to stop ordering takeaway food from UberEats and cancel your Netflix subscription,' Mr Pater said.

He also recommends going through a broker to save buyers unnecessary stress and make the loan process a lot easier.

Mr Pater says once buyers are up to this stage the house may have increased in value, adding equity to the mortgage.

He said depending on the market, buyers may have anywhere between $40,000 to $60,000 in equity to purchase another property.

The original video has since received more than 161,000 views and Mr Pater has continued to share his advice on the platform and his YouTube channel.

Asked about the current state of the market due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said people are definitely still looking at buying houses.

After paying off the deposit for two years, the third and final step involves organising a home loan and finding out whether the property has increased in value

He said depending on the market, buyers may have anywhere between $40,000 to $60,000 in equity to purchase another property if desired

For those who aren't ready to purchase a property yet, Jared Kirkwood, another real estate agent from Melbourne, posted a 15 second TikTok video featuring three ways to set aside enough money to get started.

In the first step, Mr Kirkwood advises people to open four bank accounts and name them Erry Day, Bills Away, Rainy Day, and Home Someday.

Jared Kirkwood, of Sheridon Holmes in Melbourne, has shared his three-step plan to securing a home deposit online

Next, he recommends dividing your income by putting 40 per cent into Erry Day, 20 per cent into Bills Away, 15 per cent into Rainy Day, and 25 per cent into Home Someday.

The final step is to adjust and live off the 60 per cent of your income in the Erry Day and Bills Away accounts, while saving 40 per cent for a rainy day and home deposit.

The video has racked up more than 155,000 likes since it was uploaded earlier this month, but has left commentators divided.

Some fans praised the advice for being practical.

'You are more useful than school,' one person wrote.

Another added: 'Learned more from this video than my economics class.'

Mr Kirkwood says the first step to saving a home deposit is opening four bank accounts

Mr Kirkwood advises prospective home buyers to split their earnings across the four accounts

Others said the steps were not realistic for their budgets.

'Yeah bit hard when rent alone is 50 per cent plus bills and food/petrol/ day care/ car rego/warrants/tyres,' one woman said.

'Hahaha nope my rent is 75 per cent of my income but nice try,' another comment read.

Mr Kirkwood has been regularly posting popular real estate advice on TikTok since April.

In the videos, the New Homes Advisor recommends building your first home rather than buying a property.

The Melbourne realtor says people should try to live off 60 per cent of their income while saving 40 per cent

Mr Kirkwood explains the price of blocks of land and construction costs can be cheaper than buying a home in the same area.

This gives prospective buyers the opportunity to design their own home, and the value when it is complete will be greater than the cost of having it built.

First home owners can then use the equity made from building their first home to buy another, increasing their property portfolios.

Mr Kirkwood's steps resemble those in step two of best-selling financial guide book The Barefoot Investor.

In it, author Scott Pape advises people to open four bank accounts, and call them everyday, splurge (short term), smile (long term, such as holidays), and fire extinguisher (a house deposit).

Income is then divided, with 40 per cent going into savings (splurge ten per cent, smile ten per cent, and fire extinguisher 20 per cent) and 60 per cent used in the everyday account to live and pay bills.
A Melbourne fruit picker has tested positive for COVID-19 after flying to Brisbane and then on to central Queensland.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said the man  in his twenties  might have been in contact with 50 Queenslanders since he arrived on Monday.

This a time for heightened alertedness for all our population in Brisbane and Bundaberg, she said on Saturday.

Dr Young said the state's 1061st case, the only one confirmed on Saturday, was infectious when he flew into Brisbane on Monday, June 1. He stayed overnight in Brisbane, where he socialised with "about 15" family members and friends, before flying to Bundaberg the following day.
It took more than some moisture from Mother Nature to dampen the spirits of the harness racing community in New Brunswick as live racing returned to Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John, N.B. on Saturday (June 6).

There were six races carded on the afternoon. The first feature of the day was a $1,100 Fillies & Mares Open Pace, and that event was captured by a late addition to the race. Heading into the card, a driver change on Pickpocketprincess was announced, as trainer Wayne Hubbard gave up the lines to the 'Maritime Magic Man' Gilles Barrieau. Barrieau, who had planned to compete at Red Shores in Prince Edward Island but was denied entry to PEI earlier this week, made a surprise appearance at his old stomping grounds and made it count by guiding Pickpocketprincess to a gate-to-wire 2:02.2 score in her four-year-old debut.

Hubbard bred and also owns Pickpocketprincess (Varadero Hanover - Julie Gilmore) , now a 10-time winner in her career.

City Of The Year (Dr. Mitch Downey) showed the off-track wasn't going to stand in his way of a successful 2020 debut in the $1,200 Winners Over Pace, forging first up from before the half against pacesetter Woodmere Ideal Art (Robert Laffin) before wearing down the leader around the final turn and holding off his challengers in a 2:01 mile.

Ellen Stevenson trains City Of The Year (Royal Mattjesty - What Fools Believe) for owner Dr. Downey. The eight-year-old gelding picked up his 20th lifetime victory in the process.

The Saturday opener was the first of 10 race dates for Exhibition Park in 2020. Racing continues for the next two Saturdays in June before taking a week off to host a special Canada Day card on Wednesday, July 1.

For the results from Saturday's card of harness racing at Exhibition Park, click the following link: Saturday Results - Exhibition Park Raceway.
What began as a protest of a bill has expanded into a full-fledged fight for democratic principles. Here are the key events of the protests in Hong Kong.

This article was first published on Stacker
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...
Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said in a statement on Friday that the company is in a strong financial position with adequate cash flows to support group companies as well as new growth initiatives. He added that it is not looking to monetise investments to raise capital.

"We are focused on navigating the current situation and profitable growth. Tata Sons is in a strong financial position with adequate cash flows to support the group companies and new growth initiatives. Tata Sons is not looking to monetise its investments to raise capital," said Chandrasekaran.

Also read: Coronavirus impact: Tata Group top rung to take 20% pay cut

Following a Tata Sons board meeting, Chandrasekaran said that all the group companies are progressing well and facing the challenges and opportunities that have risen out of the coronavirus pandemic. "All our group companies are progressing well, responding to these challenges and opportunities, and we are confident they will emerge stronger," he said after the meeting.

The board is believed to have discussed group businesses as well as coronavirus strategies. However, no specific details on the same were available.

Also read: Coronavirus lockdown: Tata Steel promises to honour all job offers to new hires

Chandrasekaran further said that reports of the impact of coronavirus on the group were false and malicious. "There are recent misinformed and completely unfounded rumours regarding the Tata Group in some sections of the print and social media. These are malicious in their intent to undermine the performance of the Tata Group and discredit the chairman emeritus, Ratan N Tata. The group is well poised to capture new opportunities," he said.

The statement comes amid reports of Tata Group's top management taking a pay cut for the first time in the conglomerate's history. Companies across various sectors have borne the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent nationwide lockdown. Tata Group has presence in most of the impacted sectors including auto, aviation, hospitality and consumer goods. Tata Steel and JLR have been heavily impacted too.

Also read: Tata Power acquires 51% stake in Odisha's TPCODL; stock jumps 7%
Shut down since March, its dutiful citizens forgoing funerals and fun, Melbourne public life returned on Saturday with a jolt, a cry, a three-word call: Black Lives Matter.

It began with a tribute to the spirits watching on, a reverent farewell to lives violently ended.

From closed-off living rooms and home offices, to thousands of feet stamping on Spring and Bourke streets in the rhythm of a beating heart and a mournful Kulin Nations song.

While Aboriginal-led, the shapes, colours and names in the demonstration were typically Melbourne.
Officials from key departments of North Koreas ruling Korean Workers' Party are being mobilized to help with work on farms, ending their traditional exemption from labor in the fields, North Korean sources say.



Drawn from the Partys important Organization and Guidance Department and Propaganda and Agitation Department, some are now assigned to a cooperative farm in the North Korean capital Pyongyang, a local source said.



On May 8, the Korean Workers' Party declared a period of mobilization to run from May 10 through June 10, and sent senior officials to support the Changchon Vegetable Cooperative Farm in Pyongyang, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.



Because this farm had been visited twice for guidance by North Korean leader Kim Jong Unonce in June 2014 and once in June 2015it was decided that high-ranking officials from important Party departments would have to begin working there, the source said.



Officials from these departments had originally been excluded from rural mobilizations during the farming season, but this year all departments of the central Party have been required to voluntarily support the campaign, regardless of rank.



In reality, it is only mandatory for each department to send at least one person, he said, adding, that officials assigned to the farm are well aware that the Party is watching and evaluating them, so they tend to participate faithfully in their daily routine.



Party members are finding work on the farm physically demanding, though, and are confirmed at the end of their work days to have completed their tasks by using their connections to acquire needed fertilizers and films for greenhouses, the source said.



The deployment of central Party officials to a cooperative farm in Pyongyang, and not to a rural area, appears to be aimed at averting the risk of new coronavirus infections among those who work closely with the Highest Dignity, the source said, employing an honorific used to describe Kim Jong Un.



Meanwhile, Party officials sent to work at the farm keep a careful watch on their speech and activities, even during their days off, the source said.



They are aware that central Party inspectors and new coronavirus quarantine workers, who have been instructed to keep an eye on them, are monitoring their movements day and night, he said.



Lower-ranking officials from the North Hamgyong Provincial Party Committee have meanwhile been assigned to work at a local cooperative farm, with the requirement that they report on their daily routine to the provincial Party branch and on the progress of the rural mobilization campaign to the Partys central committee, a source in North Hamgyong said.



These officials are obsessed with power and bureaucracy, though, and are not doing much actual work on the farm, the source said, also speaking on condition he not be named.



If they came to support farming, they should be eager to help with farm work, and not act like managers. The farmers are complaining because the provincial officials just spend their time arguing with workers on the farm management committee, he said.



Reported by Sewon Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Richard Finney.
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30-year-old Huynh Phu Loc, a food technology engineer, aims to have more net houses built all over the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. He plans to pass down the technology to local farmers and plantation owners, believing that with benefits outweighing costs, net houses can facilitate clean agriculture.

The former lab technician now travels widely the many provinces of Vietnams Mekong Delta, consulting net house construction and clean agricultural practices.

A net house is a form of confined agricultural space that aims to reduce damage by insects, wind and hail.

I want to devote my youth and knowledge to helping people in my hometown, Loc said.

High-tech and clean agriculture is inevitable now that consumers are increasingly health-conscious.

His three years of hard work has borne fruits  not the money trees in his net houses, but the joy of working side by side with local farmers.

Technology is the best policy

Locs net house is located in the center of the bustling Vinh Long City, the capital of the namesake Mekong Delta province. It attracts a large number of weekly visitors.

Putting quality and customers confidence first, he has provided in-plantation tours in recent years.

Modern technology is installed in his plantations, with a long-distance watering system in place, providing information on both humidity and lighting conditions.

According to Loc, applications on smart devices allow him to take care of his plantation with the least efforts.

It is so relaxing to do agriculture with technology, and its easy to monitor pathogens too, he explained.

This way, productivity is quite high and we gain more profits than doing it the traditional way.

For the last three years, there has not been a single customer complaint about his products, which have a high consumption rate thanks to their consistent quality.

My produce mainly make their way into supermarkets and clean produce stores. The prices here might be higher, but there is no bargaining, Loc said.

Buyers tend to come back for my products.

The high-tech farmer conducts annual pilot tests of new varieties of plants to see whether the soil and weather of the Mekong Delta are suitable.

If results turn out positive, he proceeds to mass production.

Cucumbers grown in net houses provide outstanding productivity. Harvested cucumbers at a net house by Huynh Phu Loc (unseen) in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam are seen in this supplied photo.

Net houses

When he was still working at the lab, he had multiple field trips to nearby provinces where he got to witness cultivating methods at work.

Near the end of 2017, the man decided to build his own net house, with funding accumulated from earlier years in the laboratory.

He invested all of his financial resources into an over 1,500 square meter net house, with a drip irrigation system installed.

He acknowledged that it was a risky move, but he was confident as consumers preferred clean produce.

His first crop was more than 2,500 Holland tomato plants. However, it was so productive at four kilograms of tomatoes for every plant that he found it quite a challenge to find the output for his ten metric tons of produce.

His tomatoes were sold at around VND35,000-40,000 (US$1.50-1.71), much higher than regular tomatoes, so open markets were not the place to go.

We had to target supermarkets and convenience stores, he told himself.

To gain credibility, the man took his tomatoes to a lab test. With hard evidence of cleanness, his produce soon found a stable market.

His later crops of Black Russian tomatoes also yielded positive outcomes. Then, he moved on to melons.

Melons can help to kill tomato pathogens after its many crops. Also, I can grow four crops of melons a year, he said.

On average, a crop of over one square kilometer of melons can bring back VND100 million ($4,300), quite a dream earning for local farmers who are used to the open fields.

With that in mind, Loc has invested three more net houses in Cho Moi District in An Giang Province.

Going clean with local farmers

The cost of net houses, according to Loc, can amount to thousands of U.S. dollars. Not everyone, therefore, is willing to take the risk.

If you want people to go high-tech, you have to show them the results and help them rest assured of their produce, he explained.

Through his friends recommendation, Phan Nhut Thanh from Tam Binh District, Vinh Long Province approached Loc for help with his net house endeavor on an area of 1.5 square kilometers.

According to Thanh, his income became more stable than ever after only two crops of melons and baby cucumbers.

Loc was so enthusiastic in his instruction. He even recommended an outlet to me, he said.

Doing it the traditional way was so tiring while the money was tiny. The net house is both safer and more economically stable.

According to Loc, it was his passion for applied technology in agriculture and concern for clean produce that drove him to become a farmer. Also, he wanted to do something for himself.

It is not hard to sell the produce. It simply takes devotion and a good heart, he said.

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Marine ecosystems along a stretch of Sydney's coastline from the Hawkesbury River down to Botany Bay and beyond have been devastated by a combination of drought, bushfire debris and severe storms in recent months.

Researchers for The Abyss Project, a commercial and scientific group of divers, say the coast and estuaries have suffered a "mass mortality event", potentially the worst in decades. Hard-hit aquatic species range from soldier crabs to urchins, soft sponges and coral-like bryozoa invertebrates.

Nathalie Simmonds (left), head of marine science at The Abyss Project, examines dead invertebrates with project co-founder Carl Fallon near an inshore Sydney Reef. They immediately returned them to where they had been located. Credit: Kate Geraghty

Carl Fallon, a co-founder of the 12-year old project that monitors aquatic health near Sydney, said it was "a once-in-a-generation event" to have a dry spell followed by fires and then storms from February onwards.

Invertebrate species down to as deep as eight metres appear to have heavily affected by a sequence of changed water quality and conditions.
Arab and Western countries welcomed on Saturday the Cairo Declaration on Libya, a joint political initiative announced by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to resolve the Libyan crisis and end the armed conflict in the Arab country.

El-Sisi, commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalifa Haftar, and Libya's parliament speaker Aguila Saleh announced the new joint political initiative in Cairo on Saturday.

The initiative mandates intra-Libyan resolution as a basis for resolving the countrys conflict under resolutions by the UN and past efforts in Paris, Rome, Abu Dhabi, and most recently in Berlin.

The United States has welcomed the Egyptian initiative, which aims to achieve a ceasefire and help launch the political process.

The US Embassy in Libya said on its Facebook page that the United States is watching with interest as political voices in eastern Libya find expression.

The US is looking forward to seeing these voices incorporated into a genuine nationwide political dialogue immediately following the resumption of the UNSMIL-hosted 5+5 talks on the modalities of a ceasefire.

We welcome efforts by Egypt and others to support a return to the UN-led political negotiations and the declaration of a ceasefire. We call on all sides to participate in good faith to halt the fighting and return to the UN-led political negotiations, the statement read.

Russia also welcomed the Egyptian initiative, describing it as important to end the crisis in Libya.

"Egypt presented today an important initiative to end the crisis in Libya. We welcome all efforts aimed at settling the conflict and restoring peace in all Libyan lands, the Russian embassy in Cairo said.

The UAE announced its support for Egypts "benevolent" efforts to call for an immediate ceasefire in Libya.

"The UAE stands with all efforts that seek to immediately halt the fighting in Libya and return to the political track led by the United Nations in a way that guarantees Libya's sovereignty away from all foreign interference, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

"The political track is the only acceptable option to reach the desired stability and prosperity," the ministry said, calling on the Libyan brothers to respond to the initiative launched by Cairo.

Saudi Arabia welcomed Egypt efforts to resolve the Libyan crisis, expressing its support for El-Sisis call for a ceasefire in Libya.

Riyadh welcomed "all international efforts calling to stop the fighting in Libya and return to the political track on the basis of relevant international initiatives and decisions."

Bahrain announced its support for the Egyptian initiative, and Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, the kings adviser for diplomatic affairs, said on Twitter that the Cairo Declaration is an important step that brings together all parties in Libya to work on starting a serious dialogue in which national efforts are united to reach a historic agreement.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said that his country appreciates Egypt's efforts and described the Cairo Declaration as an important achievement consistent with all international initiatives.

The Cairo plan comes after the collapse of an offensive launched by Haftar in April 2019 to capture the Libyan capital, further extending the Government of National Accords (GNA) control of most of northwest Libya.

Egypt, the UAE and Russia are backing Haftar, while Turkey has been supporting the GNA.

El-Sisi stressed on the gravity of the current situation in Libya, especially with the crisis repercussions not being limited to Libya, but spreading to neighboring countries as well.

He warned against some actors on the Libyan scene pursuing any military action in the war-torn country.

What worries us is actions by some actors on the scene despite efforts to find an appropriate solution for the crisis, El-Sisi said.

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DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Ive had what I think is burning mouth syndrome for about two months, and its getting worse, not better. Are there any at-home treatments that will make it less uncomfortable?

ANSWER: Before you try any treatments, I recommend you first get a thorough evaluation from a health care provider who is familiar with burning mouth syndrome. Its important to rule out underlying medical conditions that could be contributing to your symptoms. Then, if the condition truly is burning mouth syndrome, a wide variety of treatment options are available, including self-care steps that may reduce discomfort.

Burning mouth syndrome is a persistent feeling of burning in the mouth that is not due to mouth abnormalities or other health issues. About 2% of the population is affected by it. The burning sensation often is felt on the tip, sides and top of the tongue; the roof of the mouth; and the inside of the lips. However, it may occur anywhere in the mouth. It also can cause you to experience a bitter or metallic taste, as well as tingling, stinging or numbness. These symptoms may come and go, increase gradually as the day wears on, or be constant. Some people have the feeling of dry mouth.

Burning mouth syndrome that cant be linked to an underlying medical condition is referred to as primary burning mouth syndrome. This is thought to be caused by dysfunction of the nerves that control pain and taste. Secondary burning mouth syndrome means your health care provider has found an underlying cause of your discomfort.

Some of the potential triggers of burning mouth syndrome include hormonal changes, dry mouth, and nutritional deficiencies  especially vitamin B deficiency. But it also can be caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease; allergies; or reactions to foods, flavorings, fragrances or dyes. Psychological factors, such as anxiety, depression or stress, and some oral habits, such as tongue thrusting, biting the tip of your tongue and grinding your teeth, also can contribute to discomfort.

Many medications can cause dry mouth. That, in turn, can lead to a burning feeling. For example, dry mouth is often a side effect of antihistamines, diuretics and tricyclics. If a medication is suspected to be the cause of your symptoms, your health care provider may be able to recommend an alternative.

If you have secondary burning mouth syndrome, treating the underlying cause should eliminate or at least greatly reduce symptoms. Effectively treating primary burning mouth syndrome is more complicated. Research has yet to prove or disprove the effectiveness of available treatments. Still, that doesnt mean these treatments cant provide relief.

Although there is no cure for burning mouth syndrome, there are treatments that may reduce your symptoms and make the condition easier to handle. First, you can try a number of self-care steps at home. They include using mild toothpaste, sipping water throughout the day, chewing sugarless gum, sucking on sugarless candy and avoiding mouthwash. You also may want to try over-the-counter products intended for dry mouth relief, as they also can help ease burning mouth syndrome.

In addition, you should avoid spicy foods and carbonated beverages. They can make burning mouth syndrome worse. Acidic foods also may aggravate your symptoms. These include foods that are tomato-based or vinegar-based, as well as citrus fruits and foods that contain citric acid. Some people with burning mouth syndrome find it helpful to avoid chocolate, too.

Your health care provider also may recommend a prescription medication that may help with burning mouth syndrome. Options include topical medications that are used just in the mouth, as well as medications taken in pill form. Both can help with pain relief.

An approach to managing painful chronic conditions called cognitive behavioral therapy can be useful for people with burning mouth syndrome. This involves working with pain management specialists to learn techniques that help make daily pain less disruptive.

Although symptom improvement may be gradual, one-half to two-thirds of people with burning mouth syndrome notice at least some improvement in their symptoms within a few months of treatment. Work with your health care provider, who can help you develop a treatment plan to minimize your symptoms and control burning mouth syndrome.  Rochelle Torgerson, M.D., Ph.D., Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

(Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesnt replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org.)

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The reputation of the firm overseeing Neil Woodford's failed fund took another battering as investors faced further losses and threatened it with legal action.

Link Fund Solutions said it had reached an agreement to sell a 'significant portion' of the remaining assets in the stricken Equity Income Fund.

But the deal values them at 442million  or 116million less than their stated value two weeks ago.

Link Fund Solutions said it had reached an agreement to sell a 'significant portion' of the remaining assets in Neil Woodford's stricken Equity Income Fund

In a further blow to investors whose savings have been locked in the fund for over a year, there was no sign of when they might actually see the money.

And now London law firm Nelsons is threatening to sue Link on behalf of investors, for failing to stand up for their best interests before the fund collapsed last year.

Link said Acacia Research Corporation, a US firm which invests in early-stage technologies, will snap up the biotechnology stocks held by the Woodford Equity Income fund for up to 223.9million.

But Link warned that under the terms of this deal, investors may not actually receive payment for up to six months.

Adrian Lowcock, of investment firm Willis Owen, said: 'Rather disappointingly there is no detail on what was sold, for how much and what the losses were on those investments.

'Investors should be given an idea of what the costs incurred for this deal are and what they could expect to see back.

It would also help to have an update on the progress with the remaining investments, but these are most likely the ones that the fund will find hardest to sell.'

A few assets, currently worth 218million, are still left to sell. As long as their value falls no further, savers will get back a maximum of only 2.7billion. This is a loss of 27 per cent since the fund first froze their money a year ago.

Many will have lost much more, as they piled their savings into Woodford's once-lauded fund when the value of its assets was higher, and it was much more expensive to invest.
In a major sting operation, Dubais security officials arrested on June 4 Amir Faten Mekky, the leader of one of the most dangerous international crime rings involved in murder, drug trafficking and money laundering, reported state news agency Wam.



A Danish national, Mekky was wanted by Interpol for his association with one of the worlds most notorious international criminals Radwan Al Taghi, the head of the Angels of Death gang, who was arrested in Dubai in December last year and handed over to Holland.



Mekky had eluded security forces across Europe and was at large until he fell into the Dubai police dragnet.



Intelligence gathered by Dubai State Security revealed that Mekky had entered the country on November 14, 2018 using alternative travel documents.



Mekky was arrested following the efforts of a joint task force that included the Dubai Public Prosecution and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The task force ensured the arrest was made in compliance with the UAE legal process and in accordance with international legal standards, said the Wam report.



Special forces from Dubai State Security raided Mekkys place of residence early morning on June 4 and took him into custody.



Mekky is currently being investigated and preparations are underway to hand him over to the relevant authorities.



The high-profile arrest sends a clear message that Dubai will not tolerate international criminal activities even if the crimes have not been committed in the UAE, said senior officials.



It also emphasised the UAEs commitment to fulfill its responsibilities towards combating transnational crime, they added.
President appoints Task Force with wide powers to enhance national security and bring about virtuous and disciplined society

Gotabaya lashes out at Prisons Dept., demands immediate end to mafia style drug operations in jails and use of mobile phones

Election Commission to announce polls date on Monday; guidelines issued to parties and candidates

UNP-SJB dispute continues; Kariyawasams suspension letters apparently stuck in the post A feature that went unnoticed on May 21, near the Jumma Mosque at Maligawatte in Maradana, was noteworthy.

It was the 27th day of the holy month of Ramadan. As he did every year, a Muslim businessman was distributing Zakat or alms  one of five pillars of Islam, along with prayer, fasting, Hajj pilgrimage and belief in Allah and his messenger Prophet Mohamed.

When the word spread, large crowds gathered outside his gate. As it opened, there was a huge rush to enter the compound outside the businessmans residence. In the melee, Police said three elderly women died. Health authorities were furious that the gathering had taken place with little or no regard to their guidelines of distancing due to the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic The man who embarked on a mission of philanthropy ended up in a remand prison with his associates. A case against them is pending.

When the word of this incident spread, it is not only the Police who arrived at the scene. There was also a team of Army personnel on motorcycles. Attired in combat gear and clutching T-56 assault rifles, some wore sunglasses. They moved around the area speaking on comm-sets to their higher command at Army Headquarters. When they realised there were no signs of any violent activity, they withdrew.

Though their brief presence went largely unnoticed, it did highlight that the security landscape is fast changing. The Quick Reaction Team (QRT) from the Sri Lanka Army is now ready to rush to trouble spots which have remained exclusively the domain of the Police during peace times. However, there is an exception  the Army is on the frontlines with the Navy and the Air Force in coping with the outbreak of Covid-19 in Sri Lanka. So are the Police. That has been an onerous task with the number of victims from the deadly virus rising towards the 2,000 mark. Yet, in the security establishment, there are sections who opine that a stronger police force with more powers to cope with internal threats is the answer. There already is also the para-military Special Task Force (STF) of the Police.

That claim, however, has been devalued by many factors which have challenged the efficacy of the Police Department including its specialised agencies. The foray of the military increasingly into newer roles came after the April 21 Easter Sunday attacks. That left 268 innocent men, women, and children dead. The dastardly incident publicly laid bare the acts of a lame administration trying to steer the blame away from its stalwarts. Even worse, in that wake came another shocker  despite specific intelligence warnings, no action had been initiated to prevent the deadly attacks. It remains that way for the past 14 months whilst a Presidential Commission of Inquiry is unravelling a grim picture never known before. Suffice to say it contradicts what a Parliamentary Select Committee said was the truth. It also points the finger closer to those who spoke a lot but did little.

The Easter Sunday massacres by Muslim terrorists saw an enhanced role for the military. They had to guard key installations, secure the residences of Colombo-based diplomats, their missions and protect strategic points in the City of Colombo and other principal towns. The then President Maithripala Sirisena declared a state of emergency and in a different gazette proclamation calling out troops. Though the state of emergency lapsed, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa continues to call out troops to meet security requirements. This is under the Public Security Ordinance. For some brief period even, the Military Police was deployed for traffic duty together with the Police. Checkpoints were manned both by the Army and the Police.

Appointment of task forces

It is in this backdrop that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa established a Presidential Task Force to build a Secure Country, Disciplined, Virtuous and Lawful Society in accordance with the powers vested in him as the President by Article 33 of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Article 33 (f) empowers the President to do all such acts and things, not being inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution or written law, as by international law, custom or usage he required or authorized to do.

The 13 members of Task Force are: Major General (Retired) Kamal Gunaratne  Secretary to the Ministry of Defence; Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva -Commander of the Sri Lanka Army; Vice Admiral Piyal de Silva  Commander of Sri Lanka Navy; Air Marshal Sumangala Dias  Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force; C.D. Wickremarathne  Acting Inspector General of Police; Major General (Retired) Vijitha Ravipriya  Director General of Customs; Major General (Retired) Jagath Alwis  Chief of the National Intelligence; Major General Suresh Salley - Director of State Intelligence Service 9; Major General A. S. Hewavitharana  Esquire Director of Army Intelligence Unit 10; Captain S.J. Kumara  Esquire Director of Navy Intelligence Unit 11; Air Commodore M.D.J. Wasage  Director of Air Force Intelligence Unit 12; T. C. A. Dhanapala - Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Special Task Force of Police; and Waruna Jayasundara  Deputy Inspector-General of Police.

The preamble to the Gazette notification said: While emphasising that it is the most prominent responsibility of the government to give priority to National Security and create a virtuous, disciplined and lawful society which respects the rule of law and justice as it stated in the policy statement Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour, And, whereas it has been recognised that the security of the country is a key factor in establishing economic strategies aimed at the development of a country, And, emphasising the equal protection of the law for the well-being of the people and for building a civilised society, And, considering that it is essential to liberate the entire society from the drug rampant spreading all over the society including the children who are considered as the future of a country is also a major factor in the social decline coupled with the economic decline, Now, therefore, I, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, reposing great trust and confidence in your prudence, ability, and fidelity, appoint you the said:

1. Taking necessary immediate steps to curb the illegal activities of social groups which are violating the law which is emerging as harmful to the free and peaceful existence of society at present in some places of the country.

2. Take necessary measures for prevention from drug menace, prevent entry of drugs from abroad through ports and airports and to fully eradicate drug trafficking in the country and to prevent other social illnesses caused by drug abuse.

3. Take necessary measures to take legal action against persons responsible for the illegal and antisocial activities conducting in Sri Lanka while locating in other countries.

4. To investigate and prevent any illegal and antisocial activities in and around prisons.

Also, I appoint Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Major General (Retired) Kamal Gunaratne as the Chairman of the Task Force, and Senior Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Mr. D.M.S. Dissanayake as the Secretary of the said Task Force.

I hereby instruct all Government Officers and others to provide all possible assistance and provide all information that may be provided. And, I do hereby direct the said Task Force to report to me, all cases of delay or default on the part of any Public Officer or Officer of any Ministry, Government Department, State Corporation or other similar institution in the discharge of duties and responsibilities assigned to such public officer or such institution. The proclamation has been signed by P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary to the President.

The setting up of this Task Force to build a Secure Country, Disciplined, Virtuous and Lawful Society has drawn greater public attention than similar bodies named before. President Rajapaksa has already appointed a Task Force for education, food supply and economic recovery. Together with the latest, another Task Force has also been appointed for archaeological heritage management in the Eastern Province.

The Governments critics claim this is a further step towards greater militarisation and argue that the move, coupled together with appointment of retired military officers, was further proof. Sri Lankan groups operating from abroad have already launched a campaign. People for Equality in Sri Lanka (PEARL), a lesser known organisation from Washington DC, was quick to respond with a statement. PEARL strongly condemns this weeks establishment of two presidential task forces in Sri Lanka, which sets the country on a firm course to autocratic governance.

The new presidential task forces are a serious escalation in the presidents move to militarise the activities of the state in the name of national security and as a response to the pandemic. Both new task forces appear to be exclusively Sinhala and include suspected war criminals, indicating Sri Lankas strengthening of its ethnocracy with the backing of a president  and .will exacerbate the existing militarisation.. of the Tamil-dominated North-East, breeding further tension and instability in the region, said PEARLs Executive Director Tasha Manoranjan.

This statement, like many other events in the past, raises a profoundly serious question. The Governments focus on fighting the Covid-19 epidemic, which has been creditable, has deprived to it the opportunity of any rapid reaction to a number of developments both in Sri Lanka and abroad. There is no Quick Reaction Teams for them. On May 19, whilst the Government marked the Victory Day, pro Tiger guerrilla groups had their own commemoration events. Former UN Human Rights High Commissioner, Navaneethan Pillai, now representing the Tamil Sangam in South Africa, took part in a video event wearing a saree that bore the colours of the Tiger guerrilla flag. She claimed 146,000 Tamils were killed. The meeting was conducted through links established via Zoom  the cloud-based video conferencing tool now in vogue around the world.

A former State Department Assistant Secretary and now Congressman, Tom Malinowski, told the same event that the US-backed resolution on Sri Lanka was discussed when he arrived in Colombo in August 2015. That is just after the parliamentary elections. There was no government reaction either to Pillais or Malinowaskis remarks. Not even when the Government has learnt that the first step to call for a war crimes probe against the troops, together with Sri Lankas sponsorship, began with the then newly elected government. The nuances were lost. Not even those fighting the UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka took serious note. If they did, they would have reacted.

Also, to mark the end of the separatist war, pro-guerrilla groups in Australia had a similar event in Sydney. A senator who spoke at the commemoration event declared that 146,000 Tamils were killed  the same remarks made by former UN Human Rights High Commissioner Pillai. That too went without a government response. It was clear that there was an organised group orchestrating these speeches with similar drafts being circulated to these speakers to read out. There was no government response to this.

Just a week ago, the International Crisis Group, a recognised organisation, released its latest report on Sri Lanka. It began by saying that The Sri Lankan government has declared its intention to rule without parliamentary oversight for the first time in the countrys modern history, potentially sparking a serious constitutional crisis.. As the statement was circulating in Colombo, interesting enough, the Supreme Court was deliberating on fundamental rights petitions over the dissolution of Parliament and the upcoming parliamentary elections. There was no government response articulating its position.

The main reason for any apprehension is the generalised terms used to define the objectives of the Task Force and the absence of any specific aims in the Gazette notification. The objective set out  to build a Secure country, Disciplined, Virtuous and Lawful Society  is perhaps one which any elected government would aim to achieve even if it is not publicly declared. Thus, what role the Task Force itself would play is not defined since the aims and objectives spelt out could even be those meant for a Government. It would have helped the government immensely if a politician or a senior official set out the objectives so the public could have understood the rationale behind the exercise. This way, it could have drawn greater public support too. This is particularly in the light of far reaching ramifications.

Another question that begs answer is the role of the National Security Council (NSC) vis a vis the newly appointed Task Force. In essence, the bulk of those in the Task Force are those who are members of the NSC, barring a handful of exceptions. Thus, it is not clear how their roles would be defined. Since there is also an external element centring on the Task Force, the absence of IT, communication experts and even seasoned diplomats is also showing.

Of course, one aspect is clear. That is the prevention of the drugs menace. The first step in this direction was taken by President Rajapaksa during a meeting with top officials in the Prisons Department. He was frank enough to tell them that the department was corruption ridden and there was such a lot of malpractice. The Presidents Media Division said, Criminal operations by underworld kingpins and drug mafia from prisons must end forthwith  President President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has emphasised that crimes operated by underworld kingpins and drug mafia from prisons must be put to an end without delay.

Specific information relating to criminal activities and drug peddling operated from prisons has been received. The general public is appalled by this situation, the President said, This has to be rectified. The use of mobile phones within prison premises should be completely eradicated President added.

If Prisons or Police reach a state of collapse, it will adversely affect maintaining law and order in the country. President said he always welcomes the right conduct on the part of officials despite their political loyalties. President Rajapaksa emphasised that the existing shortcomings of the Department of Prisons will be removed, and the system will be entirely overhauled. This restructuring process will be implemented through a committee comprising Secretary Defence, the Army Commander, and the Inspector General of Police. The President also advised the relevant officials to conduct all actions including the training of officers and providing incentives under a supervisory team. This is why, one of the four objectives, has been spelt out as a term of reference. It says, To investigate and prevent any illegal and anti-social activities in and around Prisons. In this regard, it is relevant to note that there is no official of the Prisons Department in the Task Force.

A government source elaborated on the fourth term of reference  taking necessary measures for legal action against persons responsible for the illegal and anti-social activities conducted in Sri Lanka while locating in other countries. We have identified a number of persons in different countries who have been working as a group. The role of some of them, in three different countries, is now underway, the source said adding that a dossier is in the making. The source declined to provide details except to say, we have strong evidence of their attempts to destabilise the Government through malicious propaganda.

Preparation for parliamentary polls

The appointment of two new Task Forces comes as the Election Commission (EC) went to high gear to prepare for parliamentary elections. It came after the five-judge Supreme Court bench chaired by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya rejected eight fundamental rights petitions unanimously. These petitions challenged the dissolution of Parliament and the conduct of parliamentary elections on June 20. This paved the way for the EC to now determine when the elections should be held. The Commission is due to meet tomorrow to decide on a date. It is most likely to be held on August 8 or 15.

The Election Commission has already issued two gazette notifications. One is a guideline to the media to provide accurate, balanced and impartial information in broadcasting or televising or publishing its news bulletins relating to political affairs. A Permanent Representative Committee will monitor and ensure the guidelines are properly adhered to. Most of the provisions in the five-page guidelines relate to the electronic media.

The Commission also published an eight-page Code of Conduct for Contesting Political Parties/Independents Groups and Candidates of the elections. The Commission has noted that the secretaries of political parties, party representatives and representatives of observer organisations have agreed with this Code. The EC has said that the Code is applicable to those who hold leading positions such as leaders and secretaries, candidates, activists and supporters of all political parties contesting elections, representatives of the Provincial Councils and Local Authorities, all activists of the political parties, supporters of the candidates, independent group leaders and their candidates. The guidelines call on them to refrain from using state property, to stop propaganda activities 48 hours before the day of poll while it bans the conduct of musical shows.

All opposition political parties have gracefully accepted the ruling of the Supreme Court. They are awaiting an announcement by the EC on the election date so campaigns could be launched. We are not the ones who went to courts seeking to delay elections, declared Kabir Hashim, former Chairman of the United National Party (UNP). He is contesting on the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) ticket. He said that the SJB would keep to the guidelines set by the health authorities when it launches its campaign.

Like Hashim, 98 others have also been told by the UNP Working Committee to explain why they are contesting under another political party. They were given a weeks time to respond but the issue has now taken a different turn. UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam told the Sunday Times the letters have already been sent. He is correct. However, those letters have not reached the former parliamentarians. The reason  since the outbreak of Covid 19, letters have piled up at the Postal Department. The employees are demanding overtime payments to clear the backlog although they enjoyed the special holidays on account of Covid-19.

Former Minister and Kandy District parliamentarian, Lakshman Kiriella told the Sunday Times, None of us has received the so-called letters from the UNP. I am waiting for it so I may give them a particularly good response. He endorsed Kabir Hashims view that the creation of the SJB won the approval of the UNP Working Committee. However, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has contended that the Working Committee did not give approval for them to contest under another party. Permission was only granted to negotiate with other coalition partners and then return to the Working Committee with a draft for approval.

From those backing the SJB, it was only Malik Samarawickrema, a former minister who was invited for the last UNP Working Committee meeting. However, he did not attend the event and was in Kandy that day.

In the light of the Supreme Court rejection of fundamental rights petitions, the current UNP move to sack 99 of its former parliamentarians will not be a major issue. The SJB nominations have already been handed in. Thus, it will not change the status quo. It now remains to be seen whether the UNP will follow through its threat and sack the 99 former party members. This will show whether claims by UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, that a sizeable number will cross over to their side is true. SJB General Secretary, Ranjith Madduma Bandara said yesterday that the UNPs threats had only gone to strengthen the position of the SJB alliance and added that people did not believe in the UNP. Countering the arguments, Ravi Karunanayake said, The UNP has no fear. We are going ahead with arrangements. We will have meetings with small crowds because of the Corvid-19. Navin Dissanayake, the UNP National Organiser, said that his party would use both the social media and the national media for its polls campaign. He also said that meetings would be kept to a minimum attendance.

Tomorrows announcement of a new date for parliamentary elections will now tick off the polls campaigns of different political parties. If the advent of Covid-19 in Sri Lanka gave a boost to the social media, it will enhance with the polls campaign. One can only hope that the Election Commission will be third time lucky when it chooses a date tomorrow.

Government leaders hope that the polls will be held either on July 25 or August 1. Other sources said that the Election Commission could also consider August 18 or 15. That is a choice before the EC.
The US government did not inform the German authorities of its decision to reduce the number of US troops deployed there, which can be regarded as a provocation, Der Spiegel reported referring to its sources.

According to it, the US government reportedly did not inform about the decision of the partner in NATO - Germany, as is usually the case and this can be seen as a provocation.

The Pentagon is expected to withdraw up to 15 thousand of its troops from Germany by the fall of this year, TASS noted.

Reuters on Friday, citing a high-ranking US official, reported that President Donald Trump had ordered the Pentagon to reduce the size of the US contingent in Germany.

According to this official, 9.5 thousand soldiers and officers will be withdrawn from Germany by September.

About 34.5 thousand US troops are deployed in Germany now. Part of the troops withdrawn from Germany is planned to be transferred to Poland.
ELIZABETHTOWN  Several days before Faith Cain helped organize a Black Lives Matter protest, a passerby downtown hurled a racial slur at her biracial three-year-old daughter.

Her daughter, not comprehending the hate behind the word, repeated it.

How do you explain racism to a three-year-old? Oh, geez, Cain recalled Saturday. I told her, some people will see the color of your skin. They will use it to judge you'."

But days like Saturday give Cain hope.

More than 200 protesters turned up to the protest, taking a knee and raising their hands in unison as passing motorists honked in solidarity. Aside from a couple people in Make America Great Again and two men with rifles perched on a rooftop, ostensibly there to protect local business, the event didnt draw the kinds of counter-protest or violence seen elsewhere across the country.

I hope today sets an example, Cain said. We are here and we are not all bad.

Live: Protesters in downtown Elizabethtown gather to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and protest the death of George Floyd Posted by PennLive.com on Saturday, June 6, 2020

Borough police wore body cameras Saturday as Chief Ed Cunningham spoke to the crowd, expressing his disgust for the actions of Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis officer who was videotaped holding his knee to George Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes.

Derek Chauvin committed a crime, the chief said later, in an interview. He committed a crime against George Floyd and it was a crime against humanity.

The police department worked closely with the organizers to ensure the event remained peaceful and Cunningham stayed for the duration, walking through the crowds of protesters in face masks and holding signs.

I wanted people to know from the outset that were here for the community and were not the enemy, he said.

Cunningham arranged to borrow the body cameras from Northern Lancaster Regional Police Department for a 24-hour period beginning at noon on Saturday. He hopes that the borough will be able to buy its own cameras soon, although he conceded that the cost  for both the cameras and for data retention  is prohibitive.

The cameras show the departments commitment to transparency, the chief said, but they are also a valuable law enforcement tool.

It allows me to immediately review the actions of my officers, he said. Its not just a chief standing up saying, my guy didnt do it.

Live: Protesters gather in Elizabethtown to join in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Posted by PennLive.com on Saturday, June 6, 2020

Cunninghams decision drew praise from the organizers, who emphasized the need to keep the protest peaceful and vowed to leave the town square cleaner than they found it.

E-town has no issues of police brutality from my experience, Cain said, but, for everyones safety, body cameras are a really good idea.

The borough hasnt seen any recent high-profile cases of police brutality but the organizers said they hoped the demonstration would promote broader racial justice and tolerance.

Just because its not in our faces doesnt mean we dont want to do something about, said Kimberly Balmer, another organizer. Even in a small town like E-town, we understand what theyre going through and we dont want to see anyone go through that.

Ken Gethers, who now lives in New York City but had lived in the area for seven years, led the crowd in a nearly nine minutes of silence at the peak of the protest. A diverse group of compatriots, some of them friends and some of them strangers, joined him in an embrace as the moment came to an end.

Thats a long damn time, he shouted, breathlessly. And think about it. Were just standing here.

Later, Gethers said that moment was a powerful one. He felt connected to the people around him in a way hes seldom felt before.

Saturday was the first time hes attended a protest.

I never felt it would matter, he said. But it matters to the masses. The masses believe it now.

This was far from the first protest for 73-year-old Joan Huston, of Elizabethtown. She started joining in protests in the 1960s, supporting civil rights and decrying the Vietnam War. On Saturday, she carried a sign that read: God says let justice roll down... Lord, help us work out the irrigation system.

Jesus teachings are fully compatible with racial justice, she said. Indeed, he would be protesting.

I think He is with us now, Huston said.

Wallace McKelvey may be reached at wmckelvey@pennlive.com. Follow him on Twitter @wjmckelvey. Find PennLive on Facebook.

Read the The hunt for Ray Gricar.

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Ex-Joint Chiefs Chairman 'Troubled' by Trump's 'Dangerous' Plan to Use Troops to Quell Protests

Sputnik News

19:03 GMT 05.06.2020(updated 19:16 GMT 05.06.2020)

Cities across America are being rocked by massive protests in the wake of the Minnesota police killing of an unarmed black man accused of passing a counterfeit $20 bill. The majority of the protests have been peaceful, but some have degenerated into violence, looting and arson, prompting governors in at least 25 states to deploy the National Guard.

Former Obama-era Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey has expressed concern with President Trump's threat to use active duty military personnel to quash protests, telling NPR that he finds the idea "very troubling."

"The idea that the military would be called in to dominate and to suppress what, for the most part, were peaceful protests admittedly, where some had opportunistically turned them violent and that the military would somehow come in and calm that situation was very dangerous to me," the retired general said.

According to Dempsey, the US military should be used only "in external wars," and not in domestic policing. Maintaining "a relationship of trust" between Americans and the military is critical, the retired officer suggested, warning that "were we to lose the trust and confidence of the American people, it would make sustaining [an] all volunteer force more than difficult."

The general clarified that while local law enforcement, including police, as well as the National Guard, were from the states where they were deployed, federal military forces generally are "not from among the people of a particular city," and subsequently probably don't "have a calming influence."

"And so, you have to be very careful about the introduction of that force," Dempsey stressed.

Commenting on President Trump's back and forth war of words with former secretary of defense James Mattis, who recently accused Trump of being the "first president in [his] lifetime" seemingly deliberately trying to divide Americans, Dempsey urged elected officials and senior military leaders to "be very careful about how we talk about each other" right now, because America is living in "unprecedented times."

Dempsey's comments echoed those of some other former senior military officials, as well as lawmakers and political leaders on Capitol Hill. On Friday, former Clinton-era Defence Secretary William Perry warned that the "powerful" US military "was never intended to be used against American citizens, and it was never intended to be used for partisans political purposes."

Trump shot back at Mattis on Thursday, saying he was "glad" to have fired the "world's most overrated" general in 2019.

In addition to former military leaders and Democratic lawmakers, Trump's comments and actions regarding the use of the military have been criticized by some members of his own party, with Nebraska Republican Senator Ben Sasse accusing the president of "clearing out a peaceful protest" in Washington on Monday using police "for a photo op" in front of St. John's Episcopal Church "that treats the word of God as a political prop."

On Thursday, White House spokesman Hogan Gidley accused Mattis of being out of touch with what's going on in American cities, and indicated that when it comes to using the military to quell riots, "all options are on the table" for Trump, in accordance with his powers under the Insurrection Act of 1807.

Beginning in Minneapolis on May 26, one day after George Floyd's death at the hands of police, anti-racism and anti-police brutality protests have spread across the United States. In some cases, the protests turned into riots, with buildings, vehicles and other property set on fire and rioters clashing with law enforcement and residents. As of Friday, at least 17 people have been killed, hundreds injured, and roughly 11,000 arrested.

 Sputnik

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 00:30:18|Editor: huaxia

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People are seen in front of buildings in the City of London, London, Britain, on Feb. 1, 2020. (Photo by Stephen Chung/Xinhua)

"Progress remains limited but our talks have been positive in tone. Negotiations will continue and we remain committed to a successful outcome," said Britain's chief Brexit negotiator David Frost after the end of the fourth round of post-Brexit talks.

LONDON, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Britain's chief Brexit negotiator David Frost said Friday that Britain remains "committed to a successful outcome" in talks with Brussels after little progress was made in the fourth round of crucial talks.



"Progress remains limited but our talks have been positive in tone. Negotiations will continue and we remain committed to a successful outcome," said Frost in London after the talks.

"We are close to reaching the limits of what we can achieve through the format of remote formal Rounds. If we are to make progress, it is clear that we must intensify and accelerate our work," he said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers a speech to the virtual Global Vaccine Summit at 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, on June 4, 2020. (Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua)

"We need to conclude this negotiation in good time to enable people and businesses to have certainty about the trading terms that will follow the end of the transition period at the end of this year, and, if necessary, to allow ratification of any agreements reached," he added.

"Any such deal must of course accommodate the reality of the UK's well-established position on the so-called 'level playing field', on fisheries, and the other difficult issues," he added.

The latest talks, like previous rounds of negotiations over the past few months, were conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The focus will now switch to a crucial meeting reportedly to take place later this month between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, proposes a major recovery plan during a plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, May 27, 2020. (European Union/Handout via Xinhua)

Johnson has continually insisted he will not extend the transition period beyond Dec. 31, with Britain and the European Union (EU) facing the prospect of trade being conducted under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules if there is no agreement.

For his part, Michel Barnier, EU's head of Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom, said Friday in Brussels that there had been no significant progress in the latest talks started Tuesday, noting that the EU has always been open to the possibility of an extension to the transition period.

"Our doors remain open," he said.

Britain ended its membership of the bloc on Jan. 31 and has until the end of the year to agree a permanent trade deal with the EU. 
The single-engine Cessna 172 crashed on a hillside near Redlands' wastewater treatment facility under unknown circumstances on Friday afternoon, authorities said. (Los Angeles Times )

A plane with three people onboard crashed on a hillside near the Redlands wastewater treatment facility on Friday afternoon, authorities said.

The single-engine Cessna 172 crashed under unknown circumstances off Highway 38 and Mill Creek Road, said Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. No additional details were immediately available.

A Redlands police spokesperson said all three aboard were believed dead.

A police officer will stand watch overnight until a San Bernardino Sheriff's Department's helicopter and city firefighters arrive in the morning to reach the plane, said Carl Baker, a Redlands city spokesman

The FAA and the National Transportation and Safety Board are investigating the incident.
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More than once, I have joked with my medical student leader that I look forward to the day when she will be my boss. I have mentored hundreds of health professions students over the past ten years. Teaching young thought leaders to address complex issues is rewarding and rejuvenating; it only seemed natural to incorporate these learners during the coronavirus pandemic.

COVID has disrupted the education of health professions students; indeed, the American Association of Medical Colleges recommended suspension of clinical rotations for students. Medical and health professional schools quickly modified existing curricula to adapt to the virtual environment for clinical students; additional volunteer opportunities such as student-run free clinics, have largely been placed on hold or modified extensively as well.

However, as our future caretakers and leaders, I would argue that it has been critical to have our learners engaged in patient care  as early adaptors and decision-makers  and we need to support  and expand  these pilot efforts, particularly in the most challenging patient areas.

Indeed adaptation is crucial these days; I have gone from practicing primary care in a working-class community of refugees and immigrants to seeing suspected COVID patients in a respiratory illness clinic while simultaneously figuring out telemedicine visits literally overnight. I practice in Chelsea, the epicenter of the pandemic in Massachusetts, with infection rates of 6,403 per 100,000.

At my clinic, we opened a respiratory illness clinic (RIC) in order to assess patients with respiratory symptoms safely in the outpatient setting, protecting healthcare staff while minimizing potential disease spread to other patients. In the past several months, the volume of patients seen in the RIC had initially increased exponentially, with hundreds coming in over the course of a day for evaluation. Patients receive follow up calls several follow up calls as both disease progression, and social concerns are identified throughout the course of illness. Given the recognition of disease severity and rapidity of diagnosis and illness in our community, it was clear providers would need assistance with surveilling the ever-growing follow-up queue. Students wanted to help providers with patient care follow up. Within hours of being asked to assist us with follow up phone calls in Chelsea, over 150 students came together to join our team as integral members.

How did we do it? Students organized themselves into twelve hours shifts, seven days a week of a senior student overseeing a group of four junior students; the rotating groups report to a dedicated faculty member each day. Scripted telephone outreach is performed and then documented; a manual authored by the students is updated daily. Patients with escalating concerns are brought in for further evaluation and also referred for social service needs.

Did we set up a rigorous, formally evaluated, years-in-the-making, tried and true telemedicine curriculum? No. Did we innovate on the fly in the poorest and most devastated community in the state, freeing up time for our providers to attend to other clinical needs? Yes.

Since overseeing this effort, I have learned that perfection truly is the enemy of progress; in a pandemic where the rules change every day, where job descriptions are laughable, we must make room for new roles and yet remember the key players in our education system who are sometimes the best innovators. Our students set up a system that has allowed 500 calls a week to our community; they have learned how to stretch their clinical acumen in a supported virtual environment. We dont have time to build all the systems to perfection  rather, it is time to bring our learners right along with us on the journey.

Thank you for having your student call me, one of my patients told me in Spanish this week during a follow-up telemedicine visit. She recounts that her cough is better and that her eye pain has finally improved, two weeks into her COVID course. I enjoyed speaking with her.

Marya Cohen is an internal medicine physician and a public voice fellow, the OpEd Project.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Weve had the lockdown. Now what will the recovery look like? If the last week is any guide it's going to involve a lot of construction.

On Tuesday Scott Morrison stood in front of vast earth works to announce extra funding for a rail link to the new western Sydney airport.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison visits a building site on Thursday. He announced a new scheme aiming to boost construction. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

"This is how Australia makes its way back out of the COVID-19 crisis," he said as giant bulldozers and trucks worked in the background.

Two days later the Prime Minister unveiled a scheme to give $25,000 grants to those building a new home or undertaking substantial renovations.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has begun evacuating Ghanaians who are stranded outside the country back home.



For some time now, a number of Ghanaians have been stranded in various countries, awaiting evacuation, which became difficult as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant closure of borders.



The issue of evacuating our stranded compatriots has been in the public domain for quite some time now, with no decision being taken to evacuate them, even though some of them were prepared to foot their evacuation bills, as well as their boarding and lodging on arrival in Ghana.



It is, therefore, a welcome gesture that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has begun the exercise to evacuate them because, in our view, it will bring a lot of relief to our stranded compatriots, as well as their relations.



There are reports that Ghanaians who are stranded outside the country have complained about running out of money and being thrown out of their apartments or hotels, while many who still have funds to cover their upkeep have been ejected by landlords because they are suspected to be infected by the coronavirus.



Images on some traditional and social media show some of our compatriots with their belongings on the streets, while there are many reports of maltreatment.



We are happy to note that when these stranded Ghanaians are eventually brought into the country, they will undergo the 14-day mandatory quarantine.



The Daily Graphic would like to urge them to strictly adhere to all the safety and health protocols and physical distancing regulations that are designed to make Ghana safe and secure.



We are also concerned about the Ghanaian students who went to France to study and are stranded there but are not in a position to pay for their return home. The paper believes that similar cases exist elsewhere, needing equal attention.



The Daily Graphic has learnt that the number of people expected home is rising because more people are registering with the country's 63 missions abroad, including those in the United States, the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Germany and Ukraine.



Fortunately, in his 10th in the series of public broadcasts, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo hinted about a special dispensation to be given for the evacuation of stranded Ghanaians back home.



It would be recalled that some 230 of compatriots arrived in the country from Kuwait recently and are currently going through quarantine.



According to a Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr Charles Owiredu, others would also be evacuated in cohorts because to bring all of them at a go would be overwhelming, adding that the plan was not to bring all Ghanaians living abroad back home but those who needed to come home.



Indeed, the introduction of this phased opening up of the country means that each and every one of us must continue to respect the enhanced hygiene and physical distancing protocols that have become part and parcel of our daily routine over the last three months.



It is only by so doing that we can guarantee for ourselves a safe and secure country, free from the scary COVID-19 pandemic.



Already, Ghana is going through a partial easing of restrictions, but this does not mean that all is well and we can take things for granted.



This is the time for all of us to remain vigilant, stay alert, be responsible and be one anothers keeper.



We support the advice that if you do not have anything serious to do in town, stay at home.



The COVID-19 definitely is teaching us new ways of doing things, including regularly washing hands under running water with soap, use of hand sanitisers, physical distancing and avoiding shaking of hands.



These new normal practices will be with us for a very long time and the earlier we get used to them, the better it will augur for the nation.

Source: Daily Graphic









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The ruling Friday evening followed a dramatic week in which Hickenlooper refused to testify at a Thursday hearing and the commission found him in contempt for refusing to comply with a subpoena. At the Friday hearing, his attorney acknowledged that the proceedings, and Hickenloopers initial refusal to appear before the committee, will become a part of the Senate race.
The global direct carrier billing market was valued at US$ 29. 8 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach US$ 70. 0 billion by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11. 5% during the forecast period.

New York, June 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Direct Carrier Billing Market Forecast to 2027 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Type ; Platform ; End User" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05908644/?utm_source=GNW

The direct carrier billing market has risen at an exceptional rate over the years in the developed, as well as in developing, countries worldwide. The widespread adoption of smartphones is a key factor driving in the market growth. In addition, the telcos are also showcasing tremendous interest in the development of direct carrier billing system over the years, which has also reflected positive growth in the direct carrier billing market. Prior to the introduction of smartphones, the concept of direct carrier billing was restricted to the purchase of wallpapers and ringtones. Since the evolution of smartphones, the users are able to purchase various digital content, including apps, games, features, and tokens, in a user-friendly manner. Thus, continuous advancements in FinTech and the growing adoption of smartphones are catalyzing the direct carrier billing market growth.



The direct carrier billing market has been segmented on the basis of type, platform, end user and geography.Based on type, the direct carrier billing market is segmented into limited DCB, pure DCB, MSISDN Forwarding, and PIN or MO base window.



On the basis of platform, the market has been segmented into iOS, Android, and other platforms.Based on ends user, the direct carrier billing market is segmented into apps and games, online media, and other end users.



In terms of geography, the direct carrier billing market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and South America.



The well-established direct carrier billing market players include Bango PLC, Boku, Inc., Centili, Comviva Technologies Limited, DIMOCO, Fortumo, Infomedia Services Limited, NTH Mobile, TELECOMING S.A., and txtNation Limited.



Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Direct Carrier Billing Market

The COVID-19 outbreak began in Wuhan (China) in December 2019, and since then, it has spread at a fast pace around the globe. As per the latest WHO figures, there are ~4.89 million confirmed COVID-19 cases globally with ~323,000 total deaths. The global factory shutdowns, travel bans, and border lockdowns, to combat and contain the transmission, have impacted every industry and economy worldwide. Technology events and industry meet cancellations, factory and office shutdowns, and reduced business activities are among the major effects faced by the sector. The global travel bans imposed by countries in Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and others are holding back the companies from business collaborations and partnerships opportunities. However, the COVID-19 crisis also had a positive impact on the growth of companies operating in the fields such as e-commerce, video-conferencing, and mobile payments. The demand for digital services especially video and audio streaming has grown at a high rate in past few months. Similarly, online app and game purchases have also increased due to most people working from home and staying indoors. All these factors are anticipated to impact the growth of the global direct carrier billing market, especially in 2020 and 2021, depending on the duration of the outbreak.



The global direct carrier billing market size has been derived using both primary and secondary sources.To begin the research process, exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the market.



The process also serves the purpose of obtaining overview and forecast for the direct carrier billing market with respects to all the segments.It also provides the overview and forecast for the market based on all the segmentation provided with respect to five major regionsNorth America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and South America.



Also, multiple primary interviews have been conducted with industry participants and commentators to validate the data, as well as to gain more analytical insights into the topic. The participants who typically take part in such a process include industry expert such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, and national sales managers along with external consultants such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders specializing in the direct carrier billing market.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05908644/?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.



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VANCOUVER, May 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - BetterLife Pharma Inc. ("BetterLife" or the "Company") (CSE: BETR /OTCQB: PVOTF / FRA: NPAT) today announced that it has appointed Dr. Eleanor Fish to the Company's Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Fish is an accomplished scientist with focus on interferon activity against variety of viruses including Covid-19, SARA, Ebola and Zika.

During the 2003 outbreak of SARS in Toronto, Dr. Fish initiated studies to investigate the therapeutic potential of interferon in SARS patients. Encouraging results have directed her group's efforts toward examining interferon activity against a number of emerging infectious diseases.

Dr. Fish is a Professor, Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Associate Chair, International Initiatives & Collaborations, University of Toronto and Emerita Scientist, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network. She received a B.Sc. from the University of Manchester, U.K., an M.Phil. from King's College, University of London, U.K. and a Ph.D. from the Institute of Medical Sciences at the University of Toronto, Canada. Dr. Fish is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiologists and a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences. Dr. Fish has received many international awards acknowledging her scientific achievements and has published more than 170 peer reviewed scientific papers in international journals.

She is the principle author of the most recent paper published on Friday May 15, 2020 in Frontiers of Immunology titled "Interferon-2b Treatment for COVID-19".

In the study, the authors examined the course of disease in a cohort of 77 individuals with con-firmed COVID-19 admitted to Union Hospital, Tongii Medical College, Wuhan, China, between January 16 and February 20, 2020. To the knowledge of the authors the findings presented in the study were the first to suggest therapeutic efficacy of IFN-a2b in Covid-19 disease.

The authors concluded that a Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) is warranted in moderate cases of Covid-19 disease (not severely ill patients) and "treatment with IFN-a2b may also benefit public health measures aimed at slowing the tide of this pandemic, in that duration of viral shedding appears shortened."

Ahmad Doroudian, Chief Executive Officer of BetterLife, commented "We are excited to have Dr. Eleanor Fish on our Scientific Advisory Board. She brings valuable, up to date and the most relevant scientific and clinical experience in the study of interferon activity against Covid-19. Her group's most recent exploratory study of 77 patients conducted in Wuhan, China clearly indicated the potential effectiveness of Interferon-2b in treatment of patients with early signs of Covid-19."

Dr. Fish commented "Based on the results of our preliminary study in Wuhan, China, and emerging data from around the globe, I would argue that the 2 leading candidates for the treatment of mild moderate COVID-19 are IFN-alpha2b and remdesivir. I have joined the scientific advisory board of BLife Therapeutics to advise them on the proposed upcoming randomized clinical trials planned to start in July."

BetterLife also announced today that its Board of Directors has initiated a process to evaluate a range of strategic alternatives available to the Company (the "Strategic Review").

Subject to completion of its announced transaction with Altum Pharmaceuticals Inc. ("Altum"), the Company intends to focus its business on the treatment of Covid-19 and is looking at opportunities to maximize the value of its other existing business.

The Company has not established a definitive timeline to complete the Strategic Review and no decisions related to any strategic alternative have been reached at this time. There is no assurance that any strategic transaction or transactions will result from the Strategic Review. The Company does not intend to comment further with respect to the Strategic Review unless and until it determines that additional disclosure is appropriate in the circumstances and in accordance with the requirements of applicable securities laws.

About BLife Therapeutics Inc.

BLife Therapeutics is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BetterLife Pharma Inc. focused on the prevention of severe COVID-19 disease.

BetterLife has an agreement with Altum pursuant to which BLife Therapeutics will acquire worldwide rights (other than in Greater China, Japan and ASEAN countries) to commercialize and sell Altum's AP-003, a potential COVID-19 treatment. The completion of the transaction is subject to certain conditions precedent. See the Company's press release dated May 7, 2020 for further information.

About BetterLife Pharma Inc.

BetterLife Pharma Inc. is a science-based innovative medical wellness company aspiring to offer high-quality preventive and self-care products to its customers. For further information please visit abetterlifepharma.com

Cautionary Note

The Company is not making any express or implied claims that Altum's AP-003 or any other product has the ability to eliminate, cure or contain the Covid-19 (or SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time. Further, the safety and efficacy of Altum's AP-003 are under investigation and market authorization has not yet been obtained.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Except for historical information, the matters set forth above may be forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, such as the failure to complete the transaction with Altum or to meet obligations under the agreement with Altum, the failure of Altum to complete clinical trials or to have success in such trials, the failure of Altum to secure and/or enforce patent protection for AP-003, the failure of Altum to secure exclusive rights from third parties, the failure of the Company to secure financing needed to carry out the plans set out herein, the failure to meet the conditions imposed by the CSE or other securities regulators, the level of business and consumer spending, the amount of sales of BetterLife's products, statements with respect to internal expectations, the competitive environment within the industry, the ability of BetterLife to commence and expand its operations, the level of costs incurred in connection with BetterLife's operational efforts, economic conditions in the industry, pandemics, and the financial strength of BetterLife's future customers and suppliers. Reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, as they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the anticipated future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forward in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: our ability to obtain, on satisfactory terms or at all, the capital required for research, product development, operations and marketing; general economic, business and market conditions; our ability to successfully and timely complete clinical studies; product development delays and other uncertainties related to new product development; our ability to attract and retain business partners and key personnel;  the risk of our inability to profitably commercialize our proposed products; the risk that our proposed clinical trials will not be launched in a timely manner (or at all) or if launched yield positive results or that we will not obtain regulatory market approvals for our products; the extent of any future losses; the risk of our inability to establish or manage manufacturing, development or marketing collaborations; the risk of delay of, or failure to obtain, necessary regulatory approvals and, ultimately, product launches; dependence on third parties for successful commercialization of our products; inability to obtain product and raw materials in sufficient quantity or at standards acceptable to health regulatory authorities to commence and complete clinical trials or to meet commercial demand; the risk of the termination or conversion of our license with Altum or our inability to enforce our rights under our license with Altum; our ability to obtain patent protection and protect our intellectual property rights; commercialization limitations imposed by intellectual property rights owned or controlled by third parties; uncertainty related to intellectual property liability rights and liability claims asserted against us; the impact of competitive products and pricing; and future levels of government funding; additional risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control.

Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise

SOURCE BetterLife Pharma Inc.

Related Links

http://abetterlifepharma.com


The number of couples seeking separation advice has spiked as lockdown is wound back, with almost half of surveyed Australians experiencing negative change to their relationship during isolation.

Relationships Australia reported 42 per cent of respondents to a May survey said isolation had negatively impacted their partner relationship, and a national mediation service said numbers of people thinking about separating were up more than 300 per cent.

More than half of people in one survey said their living arrangement had been "challenged".

"We have seen across the country that the increased time spent at home and the need to juggle home-schooling and working from home, combined with the uncertainties we all face, has had an impact on families and led to increased pressure on relationships," said Nick Tebbey, national executive officer of Relationships Australia.

There had been a "high increase" in traffic to the not-for-profit's website from couples seeking counselling and mediation, support and relationship self-help information.
Several states are fine-tuning their plans to open places of worship on Monday in line with the central governments guidelines while others are willing to wait and watch before taking a final call amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

The states response on the issue has been layered. States such as Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh have followed the central directive and decided to open religious sites on June 8 after two-and-a-half months, laying down stringent guidelines.

Others such as Delhi, Maharashtra and Odisha have preferred to wait, though the authorities in the national capital say they will hold a review meeting before Monday. Uttar Pradesh has said it will follow the central guidelines, albeit with area-specific restrictions.

Government officials and the managements of religious places HT spoke to across the country on Saturday sounded cautiously optimistic, while detailing the safety measures being planned and giving a glimpse of how experiences at places of worship will change in the aftermath of the pandemic.

The Amarnath Yatra, an annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Lord Shiva in South Kashmir that generally takes place in July-August, might take the shorter Baltal route this year, according to officials aware of the development.

As reported by HT, the pilgrimage to the shrine at an altitude of 3,880 metre is likely to begin on July 21 and continue till August 3 with the one-and-a-half month ritual cut short to a fortnight. According to the original schedule, it was to begin on June 23 and end on August 3.

Authorities in Ganderbal  of which Baltal is a part  have already deployed men and machinery for clearing the tracks by removing snow and debris, while the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB)  which manages the temple  will start sending teams beginning on Monday to clear the 16-km Baltal track.

Pilgrims will be screened for Covid-19 before they are allowed to undertake the yatra, an official said on the condition of anonymity. In a first, the official said, the shrine board is trying to telecast live aartis.

However, Bipul Pathak, the Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governors principal secretary and the chief executive officer (CEO) of the shrine board, said a final decision is awaited. When its decided, media will come to know, he said.

In Uttarakhand, another Himalayan state, the government is preparing for the Char Dham Yatra after June 8, but a section of priests and traders is apprehensive of the move.

Ravinath Raman, CEO of Chardham Devasthanam Management Board (a government body managing 51 shrines in the state), said preparations to maintain social distancing and limiting the number of pilgrims have started.

The four Himalayan pilgrimage sites Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri  are collectively called Char Dham. Traditionally, the pilgrimage begins from the west from Yamunotri, then proceeds to Gangotri and finally reaches Kedarnath and Badrinath in the east. Last year, a record 2.9 million pilgrims visited Char Dham.

The portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines opened on April 26. While the Kedarnath shrine opened on April 29, Badrinath opened on May 15. No devotees were allowed.

We have started preparing from our end as to how many pilgrims will be allowed for darshan at the shrines..., Raman said, adding that pilgrims who want to visit the shrines will have to register themselves online first and may be given a time slot.

But Deepak Semwal, the secretary of the Gangotri Dham Committee, said priests and traders bodies int Gangotri and Yamunotri are not in favour of the pilgrimage at this moment.

No preparations have been done...be it opening of hotels or shops; nothing is open here...we request the state government to postpone the Yatra till the Covid-19 situation normalises, Semwal said.

Vinod Prasad Shukla, the president of a Kedarnath priests body, pointed out in a letter to the state government that the shrines are in hilly and remote regions of the state where health infrastructure is not strong.

If (Covid-19) cases increase in the remote areas because of pilgrims, coming to these shrines then it will be difficult to control the outbreak..., the letter said.

Madan Kaushik, a cabinet minister and a government spokesperson, said authorities are analysing the Centres standard operating procedures (SOPs) for opening of religious places. When we will be assured that we are in a position to follow the SOP, we will gradually open religious places, he said.

In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, chief minister Yogi Adityanath has said not more than five people will be allowed inside a religious site at one point of time.

We have issued specific instructions to all temples (management) not to allow crowding inside the temple. Devotees will be allowed to enter temple premises only in batches, Neelkanth Tewari, state culture and religious affairs minister, said on Thursday.

But late Saturday night, Varanasi district magistrate Kaushalraj Sharma said religious places, hotels and malls in the temple town will not open on Monday.

Sharma said officials managing religious places, hotels and malls, which have completed the arrangements according to the states guidelines, should fill up a checklist and submit it to the police station in their area which will ensure all steps mentioned in the list are being are being implemented.

In Goa, the government said though it has allowed religious places to open, groups and congregations are not allowed. No functions can be held in religious places. We have said if temples, churches and mosques open, then groups of people coming and performing prayers or aarti is not allowed; it should be limited to routine pooja for individuals or individuals taking darshan, chief minister Pramod Sawant said.

This effectively means mass services at churches with large gatherings will not commence immediately. We will not begin the celebration of mass with the people unless the Goa government gives us guidance and the SOPs, and until it is safe to do so. Safety is the key word, Father Joaquim Loiola Pereira, Secretary to the Archbishop of Goa, said.

In Rajasthan, a representative of the Ajmer Sharif Dargah said the shrine of revered Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti will not open to public from Monday. In West Bengal too, Muslim religious leaders favoured a wait-and-watch approach. Though the eastern state announced it will allow religious places to resume from June 1, authorities at Nakhoda Masjid  Kolkatas biggest mosque where as many as 10,000 people can offer prayers  said they were not allowing religious gatherings.

We did not have gatherings even on Fridays although relaxation was allowed by the state from June 1. We will observe what happens in the rest of the country on June 8, and follow the advisory of the government and the health department, Maulana Md Safi, the imam of Nakhoda Masjid, said on Saturday.

Authorities at Hyderabads Mecca Masjid have taken steps to resume operations from Monday, but said they are awaiting a final word from the government. We have made arrangements for following Covid-19 guidelines such as asking the devotees to use sanitizers, bring their own prayer mats, have ablutions at home, but we have no information from the government as to how many people we can allow into the mosque for prayers, Mecca Masjid superintendent Abdul Khadeer Siddiqui said.

Two prominent mosques in Kerala  Palayam Juma Masjid in Thiruvananthapuram and Palayam Muhiyuddin Mosque in Kozhikkode  too have decided to wait for now. Our prime concern is safety of people, said Palayam Masjid imam VP Suhaib.

At places that are set to open, stringent restrictions have been put in place. The Guruvayur temple in Keralas Thrissur district has prohibited the entry of people above 65 and children below 10.

My grandson promised to take me (to the temple) in his car on the opening day (June 9), but thats not going to happen...If God is willing, I can see Lord Krishna again, said 74-year-old Viswanathan Nair, a retired central government employee.

The Golden Temple in Amritsar is expecting a rush of devotees. Since the lockdown started, only around 2,500 devotees on an average, most of them locals, have been visiting the shrine daily. Now that the government has allowed the religious places (to open) from June 8, we are expecting a huge increase in the footfalsl, said Mukhitar Singh, manager of the shrine.

We are increasing the deployment of our employees from June 8, especially to maintain social distancing among the devotees, he said.

(With inputs from Ravi Krishan Khajuria in Jammu, Suparna Roy in Dehradun, Pawan Dixit in Lucknow, Sudhir Kumar in Varanasi, Gerard de Souza in Panaji, Urvashi Dev Rawal in Jaipur, Srinivasa Rao Apparasu in Hyderabad, Ramesh Babu in Thiruvananthapuram and Anil Sharma in Amritsar)
KGF: Chapter 2 starring Yash in the lead role, is unarguably one of the highly-anticipated movies of the year. The period action thriller, helmed by Prashanth Neel is slated to hit the theatres on October 23. As fans eagerly await to feast their eyes on the second instalment of the 2018 flick, we have a new update that will surely surprise you.

As per reports, the makers of the pan-India film have decided to cut out one of the sequences from the film. Well, it is said that a high-octane action sequence, featuring Yash and Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, has been chopped off considering the time limit to shoot amid the COVID-19 lockdown. Recent Grapevine suggests that Prashanth Neel feels there is no need for two action episodes and decided to skip the least important one. The director will soon resume the shoot of the action sequence, along with the remaining portions.

The second part of the hit franchise, KGF: Chapter 1 has reportedly sold its satellite rights for a record amount. If rumours are to be believed, the movie's rights have been sold to a channel, whose name is undisclosed, for as much as Rs 120 crore. However, an official announcement is yet to be made about the same. Bankrolled by Vijay Kiragandur under his banner, Homable Films, the movie recently released its poster which received high appreciation from the netizens.

KFG Chapter 2 will feature Srinidhi Shetty, Raveena Tandon, Balakrishna, Anant Nag, Malavika Avinash, Saran Shakthi, Achyuth Kumar, and Vasishta N Simha in pivotal roles. The movie will have a release in 5 different languages- Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam.

KGF: Chapter 2 Satellite Rights Sold For A Mammoth Amount Of Rs 120 Crore

#Prabhas22: Prashanth Neel To Team Up With Prabhas For A Thriller?
US warship crosses Taiwan Straits attempting to shift its domestic pressure: analyst

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun Source:Global Times Published: 2020/6/5 15:23:40

A US warship made a transit through the Taiwan Straits on Thursday, the seventh of such an event in 2020. The move is not only preparing the US military for a potential conflict in the region and an attempt to provoke the Chinese mainland, but also an attempt to shift domestic pressure from widespread protests, COVID-19 and a poor economy, for which the Chinese mainland should maintain its strategic focus and not dance to the US' tune, analysts said on Friday.

The USS Russell transited the Taiwan Straits on Thursday "in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific" region, the US 7th Fleet said on Friday on its Facebook account.

This is the seventh time a US warship has sailed through the Taiwan Straits this year, Taiwan media reported.

The USS Russell is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer with a displacement of around 8,000 tons. With a length of about 154 meters, it is equipped with anti-air, anti-ship and land-attack missiles and torpedoes. This class of destroyer is one of the main battle surface vessels of the US Navy and has frequently passed the Taiwan Straits.

US warships' transits through the Taiwan Straits provides an opportunity for the US Navy to gather related military intelligence including hydrologic information, allowing the US to become familiarized with the sea area and gain initiatives in a potential military conflict, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Friday.

Such an operation is also sending the wrong signal to Taiwan secessionists and letting them think the US military is backing them up, which is also a provocation to the Chinese mainland, Song said.

The latest US destroyer transit came at a time when the US is facing huge domestic pressures including widespread protests that were triggered by the death of African American George Floyd, the world's most COVID-19 infections and deaths and a depressed economy.

US President Donald Trump is attempting to shift these domestic pressures by instigating a provocation with China, which is likely to become an election issue, Song said, adding that China should maintain its strategic focus and not dance to the US' tune.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has the firm will and full capability of resolving the Taiwan question if it comes to that, and this cannot be changed by some US warships' transit through the Taiwan Straits because the PLA had an overwhelming advantage in the region, analysts said.

Frequent and intensive amphibious landing and naval drills are continuously being held by the PLA, including amphibious tanks storming the beaches, civilian ships transporting tanks and armored vehicles across the sea and training missions by the aircraft carrier Shandong and other advanced warships, recent reports show.

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In Rolling Stones weekly series At Work, we go behind the curtain with decision-makers across the fast-changing music business  exploring a range of responsibilities, burgeoning ideas, advice for industry newcomers, and more. Read earlier interviews here.

More from Rolling Stone

The moment Rhea Pasricha was legally allowed to drive  which, in the state of Michigan, was age 14 for a learners permit  she was traveling from her suburban home to Detroit to help post flyers for bands playing in underground clubs. By high school, Pasricha was certain she wanted to work in the music industry. An education at NYUs music business program led to a love of artist development, which she pursued at in her first job at Atlantic Records.

Pasricha  whos also lived in New York, Singapore, and India  is now head of A&R for L.A.-based music publishing company Prescription Songs, where shes responsible for signing and advising songwriters and music producers. The company recently celebrated Dua Lipas Dont Start Now (written by Prescription writer Emily Warren) hitting Number One on pop radio for six consecutive weeks. Other successes include Doja Cats Say So and Arizona Zervas double-platinum breakout hit Roxanne (written by Lauren Larue). Producers and songwriters on Prescriptions roster are literally like our extended family, Pasricha tells Rolling Stone.

How did you get your start in the music business? And did you always know that publishing was the sector you wanted to be involved in?

I had done various internships throughout college. Some were in proper recording studios, and for a second, I wanted to be an engineer. I found that aspect really interesting, because I loved being so close to the creative process. Later, an internship turned into a part-time job doing music supervision for a small ad agency. Along the way, I kind of realized what A&R was  especially A&R at a major label. I realized thats what I loved doing. I love going to shows, I love discovering new talent, connecting with young artists, and helping them grow.

Story continues

Once I found out what A&R was, I had tunnel vision, and I ended up getting an internship at Atlantic Records my junior year of college. That turned into a full-time assistant position during my senior year of college, which was one of the hardest years of my life. I was working full-time and going to school full-time, which I do not recommend. I went from being an almost 4.0 student to barely graduating, but thankfully I did. I became an assistant in the New York office of Atlantic Records for about a year and a half  and then an opportunity came to move out to the Los Angeles office.

Id always been interested in L.A., because I knew that was where a lot of the studios, writers, and producers were. It was amazing because I got to meet a lot of the OG Prescription writers through that job, as they would write for various Atlantic projects.I joined the Prescription team early on. At the time [seven years ago], I was the first A&R to join the squad, and its been so crazy to see it grow since then.

Are there a lot of other women in the engineering space?

There are more and more coming up now, which makes me so happy to see. Im seeing more and more women learning how to engineer, learning how to produce, and learning how to cut their own vocals. Its so exciting. Its such an empowering thing to be able to do, and women are really good at it. I just cant wait for the day when it doesnt have to be female engineer. Itll just be like, Yea, shes an engineer, and shes dope. And weve actually really been trying to push that at Prescription, because we are a very female-heavy company. Theres my counterpart Katie, who runs our Nashville office, and our head of film and TV sync is a female.

We partnered with She Is the Music at the end of last year and did a really awesome all-female writing camp. For three whole days with three rooms going, it was all females  female writers, female producers, female engineers, female vocal producers, female artists. Bebe Rexha and Kim Petras came by. To just walk into those rooms  I know it sounds cheesy, but I think it was one of the best weeks of my career thus far.

Has anything been released from those camps?

It was more of a creative brainstorming kind of thing, but its funny that you ask that because we just confirmed that one of the songs will be released, fingers crossed, and by a male artist. Thats really cool.

Is that uncommon  an all-female team creating a song for a man?

Yes. Its becoming more common. Weve known it all along that women are more than capable of doing everything and more than a man can. I think its awesome when male artists dont even see it as a factor  like, Did a female produce it, or did a man produce it? Its just, Is it a good song? And if its a good song, lets put it out.

Did you have any songwriting camps lined up that had to be postponed or changed?

We were trying to do another in-person writing camp. In lieu of that, we really want to do something thats kind of like a master class where, on Zoom, we can teach male and female writers how to record their own vocals and get their own home setups, and stuff like that. Weve been very much on it with our writers, and our engineers have been working overtime to really get all of our writers set up.

For better or for worse, we dont have the massive back catalog that a lot of these majors have, so were not looking after like The Beatles catalog and Led Zeppelins catalog. I think that gives us the capability to talk to [our roster] every day. Weve been to their baby showers, weve been to their weddings. They call us when theyre going through breakups. Theyre literally like our extended family.

So what does your overall job entail?

The A&R team looks after a roster of writers, producers, and artists. Since we are a boutique company, we have a smaller, more intimate roster that were able to really be hands-on with. We have just around 100 writers, producers, and artists, and we have seven A&R people in the Los Angeles office, which I look after.

For better or for worse, we dont have the massive back catalog that a lot of these majors have, so were not looking after like The Beatles catalog and Led Zeppelins catalog. I think that gives us the capability to talk to [our roster] every day. Weve been to their baby showers, weve been to their weddings. They call us when theyre going through breakups. Theyre literally like our extended family.

From the minute I wake up, Im chatting with our writers. Im asking about their sessions the day before. Were helping chase songs. Were telling them about updates on pitches and cuts. And a lot of our day is spent brainstorming, strategizing, and just making sure that our writers are getting into the best rooms as possible and that the songs are finding the best homes.

Thats a big chunk of the work with our existing roster, but then obviously, another big part of it is constantly keeping our ears to the ground, listening to new music, and really trying to find new and exciting folks that bring something different to the table to add to our team.

Whats the first thing you do every day?

I tend to do most of my demo listening and brainstorming between the hours of 10 p.m and 2 a.m. So, I tend to go to sleep later and wake up later, at like 7:00am, 7:30-ish. My fiance wakes up at 6:30 every morning, so at least I feel like Im sleeping in. I wake up pretty leisurely, and Im definitely pretty grumpy in the mornings. I wish I wasnt one of these people, but the first thing I do is look at my phone to check my text messages and emails. I just dive right into it. Im trying to be better about that, even just by taking 10-15 minutes to walk my dog Noodles around the neighborhood and just breathe. Im definitely the type who will all of a sudden look up and go, How is it 4 p.m. already? I cant not drink coffee. I do a lot of work with London, so most of my UK calls are normally earlier in the morning.

Have there been exciting recent developments at Prescription?

Honestly, this time in quarantine has been one of the most productive and successful times for us. And I feel so weird saying that because I know its so devastating for so many people. Im not trying to diminish anything thats going on in the world and all of the people that are hurting, but I do feel really lucky that weve been able to still keep the ship afloat. If anything, I feel like were busier than ever, because its just been all hands on deck.

It was so bizarre, but at the start of quarantine, Dua Lipas Dont Start Now went Number One. It was pretty exciting because one of my baby writers, Emily Warren  who was one of my first signings when I started at Prescription  had written it. It ended up being Number One at Top 40 radio for almost six weeks. It was crazy to have that happen when it felt like the world was falling apart.

And about a year and a half ago, one of our A&Rs, Hannah Montgomery, signed this amazing writer named Lauren Larue out of Nashville. Lauren had written Arizona Zervas Roxanne, which was a massive success at the beginning of this year. It was such a cool moment too because it shows the bridge between the two cities. Katie had moved from L.A. to Nashville to open up our Nashville office about three years ago, and around the same time, Hannah had moved from Nashville to L.A. and started in our L.A. office. I feel like we have such a strong connection between those two different markets.

Lauren was such an instrumental signing. Shes had cuts with Sam Hunt and Kelsea Ballerini, and was an amazing staple as a Nashville writer. So, to then have the success of a [hip-hop] song like Roxanne was incredible. Thats exactly what were trying to do: Not put anyone in a box.

Whats your favorite success story to come out of a session?

When I signed Emily Warren super early on, she was still in college, and I had nothing to my name either. Shes always been a writer whos not afraid to push the envelope, take the risk, and say things that other people may not say. She wrote Dua Lias New Rules with Caroline Ailin and Ian Kirkpatrick, who produced. They were all going through relationship stuff. And I hate saying this part of the story, but it was funny. Emily and I were talking and I gave her some bad relationship advice, which was, You know, the only way to get over someone is to get under someone else, or something like that. I remember her being like, Ooh, thats good. Can I write that down? She carries a little journal with her wherever she goes.

That line kind of became a part of the chorus, which was really cool. I cant take any credit for it. Its all their genius  Im just happy to give bad relationship advice and spark inspiration where I can. It became a female empowerment anthem.

What makes Prescription stand out as a company?

I love that we dont sign people off of research. We dont chart chase and sign someone because they have a percentage of a hit song. We sign because we truly believe in them. There have been so many examples of us signing people early on  before theyve had any real cuts or success  just because we love their writing, we love their production, we believe in them as artists. And Ill be honest with you, sometimes its a longer road to success.

Sometimes it takes a few years to really start gaining that momentum, but we really pride ourselves on being in the trenches with our writers. Its always great when you can have a cut with a big artist, but I think its even more rewarding to have a song that helps break an artist and helps define what their sound is going to be.

Thats reflected by our staff too. We always joke that we have a no asshole policy. Jillian Rutstein is the head of our digital side of things, and shes also a director on our sync team. She started as our receptionist  and was just such a superstar even then  and has worked her way up into building whole social media campaigns, and has really carved out a lane and a voice for us.

See where your favorite artists and songs rank on the Rolling Stone Charts.



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WASHINGTON  Coronavirus is shaping up to be a watershed for the American intelligence community.

In the two decades after the attacks of September 11, 2001, the CIA and other spy agencies made terrorism their top priority, with the goal of preventing another 9/11. For the most part, they succeeded.

Now a pandemic has killed more Americans in four months than died in all the wars in the last half-century  35 9/11's and counting  while inflicting trillions of dollars in economic damage.

It's a disaster that is already changing how the intelligence community views health threats  and how it defines national security.

"COVID-19 is a wake-up call," said Denis Kaufman, a former senior official at the National Center for Medical Intelligence (NCMI) at the Defense Intelligence Agency.

During his Senate confirmation hearing last month, John Ratcliffe, President Donald Trump's new director of national intelligence, pledged that the "immediate focus" of American spy agencies would be "directed to the geopolitical and economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as its origins."

Sue Gordon, the former deputy DNI and a contributor to CNBC, told NBC News, "The intelligence community has never been better than it is right now. The question is, is it good enough for the moment in which we now find ourselves? I think this moment exposed national security issues to which the intelligence community should consider applying itself."

In a small example of a brewing transformation, the spy world's cutting-edge research agency  known as the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, or IARPA  last week issued a call for research proposals designed to better predict and react to global pandemics.

Officials are seeking private proposals for developing new tools and technologies "that provide rapid capabilities against the current COVID-19 pandemic," the agency said in a statement, as well "as enhanced warning and response capacity for future similar events."

Story continues

"Technology solutions for COVID-19 will require creative, multidisciplinary methods, paradigm-changing thinking, and transformative approaches," IARPA's deputy director for research, Dr. Catherine Cotell, said in the statement. "Our goal is to advance ground-breaking technologies that will help the intelligence community and the country prepare for and recover from pandemic events."

Former deputy national intelligence director Sue Gordon (Office of the Director of National Intelligence / via AP)

The solicitation seeks new ideas for technologies in the realm of disease detection and sensing; supply chain management and integrity; location monitoring and mapping with privacy protection and modeling, simulation and predictive analytics.

One example: The agency is interested in technology that could diagnose COVID-19 through a quick breath test that could be deployed at airports and tools for tracking the virus through monitoring genetic material in wastewater.

The IARPA document also envisions "tools for widespread surveillance and risk estimation of animal-borne pathogens (before they ever come into contact with humans). Risk estimation might include potential to cross species barriers, transmission mechanisms, reproduction numbers, incubation times, duration of infectivity, virulence, mechanisms of human immune evasion and modification, pathogenetic mechanisms, and/or lethality."

The agency is also looking for new approaches to analyze "the future impacts of pandemic disease on political, economic, societal, and technological development at local, regional, national and global scales."

It is also interested in "Modeling to forecast the effects of social distancing and quarantine policies on the rate of infectious disease propagation."

Related: The National Center for Medical Intelligence, an obscure patch of the U.S. spy world, is in the midst of one of the most important missions in its history.

In answers to written questions, Cotell said her agency's coronavirus research "could lead to the development of more reliable predictive analytic tools, giving the United States longer lead time to prepare for future events," and "could accelerate the use of sensors, detection methods and tracing approaches, along with other tools, to track similar outbreaks and support recovery efforts."

It's fair to wonder why the intelligence agencies weren't working hard on those things already, given that they have listed global pandemics as a significant security threat for years.

"We assess that the United States and the world will remain vulnerable to the next flu pandemic or large-scale outbreak of a contagious disease that could lead to massive rates of death and disability, severely affect the world economy, strain international resources, and increase calls on the United States for support," said the 2019 worldwide threats statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

But the reality is that medical intelligence has been something of a backwater in the vast, $80 billion American spying apparatus.

To the extent that germs were seen as a security threat, it was largely related to potential bioweapons, not naturally occurring diseases.

"In the past, medical issues took a back seat to weapon development and concerns about bioweapon research and development," said Kaufman, the former senior official at the NCMI.

Kaufman said medical intelligence experts submitted ideas for projects to help get early warning on disease outbreaks, "ranging from far-out stuff like monitoring body temperatures from satellite based platforms to more achievable stuff like studying behavior in and around hospitals [using satellites]."

There was also a proposal to monitor over-the-counter drug sales, he said.

"Most projects we floated never made the priority cut, or weren't sustainable," he added.

The NCMI operated what Kaufman called a "shoestring effort to analyze open source data, including news media, social media and scientific literature," that he said was fairly successful.

"It actually gave us a week or so early warning on a fever of unknown origin with unusual mortality in northwest Africa in early 2014, which was later identified as Ebola," he said.

Whether any such intelligence warning was collected from Wuhan, China in late 2019 remains an open question.

Related: Experts say animal-to-human transmission is far more likely, but some circumstantial evidence suggests it's possible it was accidentally released by a lab.

Kaufman said he believes IARPAS' efforts could pay off.

"What takes a lot of analysts' time is distinguishing signal from noise," in analyzing possible disease threats, he said. "If they come up with new detection and alert methods that shorten the time between identifying a perturbation and directing appropriate collection resources toward clarifying the situation, it will be a big gain. In something like Coronavirus, a few days, even hours, can make a huge difference."

Gordon, who was pushed out of her job by Trump this year as part of a purge of intelligence leaders, agrees.

The pandemic is one example of a new class of threats  including human migration, climate change and cyber disinformation  that may require more money and focus from an intelligence community whose main focus remains traditional threats such as Great Power competition, political and military threats, and terrorism, she said.

"Given that we know the massive effect on national security that this pandemic has caused  even if its a different definition of national security  and given that there likely will be other threats of this category, isnt it time to look at different approaches to collection and analysis?" Gordon told NBC News.

It's possible that if the details about the origin, spread, and potency of the virus were known earlier, different life-saving decisions could have been made, she said.

"I don't see this as an intelligence failure," she said, but rather a question of how finite resources are prioritized."

In the weeks after coronavirus emerged from China in late November 2019, the CIA and other agencies warned about its potential effects, including in articles in the president's daily intelligence briefing book. But Trump has said he was first briefed orally on Jan. 23, and that his briefer did not describe a looming pandemic that could kill tens of thousands of Americans. No evidence has emerged to contradict him.

And if there was intelligence in December or January that predicted the impact, it wasn't conveyed to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who said on January 26 that coronavirus was not something Americans had to worry about.

It may be that nobody in the U.S. government saw the disaster clearly until it was upon them. That cannot happen again, current and former officials say.

"If it is a threat to national security, don't you need intelligence about it?" she said. "When the nature of the national security threat changes, intelligence must change."
Prom started with a click. The virtual celebration that Ridley High School planned was a roughly 80-minute broadcast that students could watch at home. When Preston Tyrell, a teacher in Ridleys business department, pressed play from his basement command center, he transmitted the event to the school districts cable channels, and therefore, to the homes of hundreds in their more than seven-square-mile stretch of Delaware County.

Senior class president Mario Costa watched from his backyard in Ridley Park. It was the last Friday in May, and his father had set up a projector and big screen for a watch party. Costa was entertaining 12 guests from school, dressed in their prom looks, sitting in plastic Adirondack chairs. The high school is hoping it will have a traditional prom later in the summer, but in the meantime, this was the big dance.

Its such a different experience, Costa reflected later. He and his friends didnt know on their last day at Ridley that they wouldnt be back, he said. Its still nice to have something that we did."

Like many traditions, proms have been canceled, postponed, and reimagined during the coronavirus pandemic. Prom photo shoots have served as intimate family celebrations, virtual parties have been hosted on social media or videoconferencing apps, and prom-themed clips have been posted to Tik Tok. Sometimes there were scaled-down gatherings with or without social distancing, other times students tried to recreate the prom experience at home. Even with public health restrictions, the culture of prom drove content.

Almost anyone can have their phone out to capture every moment. The desire to get the shot, and with it, the memory, goes beyond prom, explained Montana Miller, a youth culture professor at Bowling Green State University.

It's become so pervasive in our culture, that if you don't have the documentation, it almost feels like it didn't happen, Miller said.

A lot of prom culture is about seeking approval, Miller noted. The hashtag #tiktokprom, she observed, has unprecedented levels of engagement, with 2.5 billion views.

They no longer have that community audience that gathered to watch them arrive. The sort of celebrity red carpet aspects of it, she said. Still, teens using Tik Tok and YouTube, she said, are almost therapeutically replacing that real world audience  They now have an audience of infinite numbers of people all around the world, but especially of other teenagers who can like and comment.

Four local seniors headed to Howard University recorded their prom Tik Toks on Memorial Day in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Their mothers had coordinated their pop-up prom photo shoot. As they posed for dozens of family members, with and without their dates, the iconic steps where they stood made for a stunning scene. Their prom attracted press, and also a crowd of adoring onlookers.

Many quarantine prom organizers opted for smaller shoots, including Shauntae Doughty, co-owner of Events by Center Stage Iconic Performing Arts Academy in Germantown. Doughty offers prom and graduation specials, at times donating them. With all the cancellations, she explained, she felt the kids needed something. She enlisted a hairstylist and makeup artist and gifted a full glam package and photo shoot to Lyric Sutton, a senior at Samuel Fels High School. In late May, Lyric posed for Doughtys camera at first in front of the custom-made red-and-white backdrop, then moved to different locations inside and outside of the studio.

Sutton had been looking forward to prom because she never had a big Sweet 16, she said, so I feel like this is that all in one, like spotlight on me.

Back in Delco, Ridleys virtual prom included speeches from class officers, well wishes from faculty, a performance from a guitarist, and a short DJ set with a photo montage of classmates.

Kayla Boamah, a Ridley senior, was watching on a school iPad in her room in Folsom. She didnt dress up. She didnt have a watch party.

It was kind of lonely for me since Im the only person in my house that is watching it. Like my moms doing her own thing, she said. I still enjoyed it, nonetheless.

The Inquirer asked readers to tell us about their proms during the pandemic. Here are some of their experiences and what it meant to them.

The next stage of life

Who: Noelle Smith, a senior at William Penn Charter High School; Madison Tyler, a senior at Julia R. Masterman High School; Sydney Kemp, of Hatboro-Horsham High School; and Sierra Gee, a senior at North Penn High School

What: Pop-up prom photo shoot at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, May 25, with more than 40 people

Why it mattered, in Smiths words: It matters a lot to me because its this time where you get to dress up and be your best self on the inside and out. Hopefully, youre always your best self on the inside, but really to get that exterior  do your makeup, get that dress on. Its something I personally look forward to, because its not only a tradition, but its somewhere where you get to see your friends. You get to see your family  Youre older, youre mature and its really that next stage of life that people look forward to.

They made smores

Who: Ireland Giaquinto and Hanyu Crystal Zheng, seniors at Padua Academy in Wilmington. Zheng was an exchange student who has since returned to her native China. They shared a date, Ryan Butler, of Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School, at Giaquintos home in Norwood, Delaware County.

What: Home prom with drive-by celebration, April 18, with nine people on the premises, more on Facetime and cars passing by the house.

Why it mattered, in Giaquintos words: I actually wasnt that upset to be missing my prom this year  Hanyu [Crystal] already had a dress. She told my aunt and grandmom about the dress, and they suggested we do our own prom. So my aunt and I spent the week creating our low-budget backyard prom.

I made a cute background with a white sheet and lights for pictures and bought some decorations to spiff up our backyard. We then followed our countys COVID-19 guidelines by only inviting nine people to get all dressed up for a beautiful night of fun!! We danced, took pictures, made smores, and had a great time!! I think I even enjoyed our backyard prom a bit more because of how intimate it was with all my close family members and friends.

An Under the Sea theme

Who: Ellie Anderson, junior at Upper Dublin High School

What: Home party prom party in Upper Dublin, March 21, six people in person, 253 through Facebook Live.

Why it mattered, in Andersons words: I am so grateful that my family put on a homegrown prom for me. They spent two weeks in our basement, creating an Under the Sea theme, complete with a mermaid grotto and seaweed forest. We had a photo booth, music, and refreshments which were set up on top of our foosball table (a.k.a. the seabed). I had found the perfect dress and accessories and I was happy for a chance to wear them. The fact that they did all that for me made prom more meaningful than it otherwise would have been. It was a fun night, full of laughs, sea creatures, family bonding, and dancing. It was a night Ill never forget.

It lifted our moods

Who: Ridley High School

What: Virtual prom via prerecorded broadcast, program led by high school assistant principal Jamie Pena, May 29, about 1,000 people viewed on YouTube. Cable, radio and other platforms audience unknown.

Why it mattered, in Class President Mario Costas words: We got to see each other. We got to get dressed up. It lifted our moods  We havent gotten to say goodbye to [our teachers.] Just seeing them and hearing their encouragement  that was the peak of it.

A toilet paper cake

Who: Leah Gibson, of Barrington, N.J., a junior at Haddon Heights High School, and Sheldon Senek,, a junior at a West Orange High School of West Orange, N.J.

What: Mini-prom for two, at a park and at both houses, May 12, six people in Barrington and five in West Orange

Why it mattered, in Gibsons words: Prom quarantine was a lot better than I had anticipated. We both dressed up and took pictures, then had a nice dinner down at my boyfriends house afterward, followed by watching a movie. We got some pretty good pictures, and even had a toilet paper looking cake with Prom 2020 written on it. Ive been to prom before and honestly this was just as special and fun to me. Even though i couldnt celebrate with my friends, Im grateful we both have such great parents that were willing to plan a nice night for us, and its definitely something Ill always remember. Although it wasnt what I had planned, I wouldnt of had it any other way.

Ill never forget it

Who: Alivia Sciarra, of Bustleton, a senior at Swenson Arts & Tech High School

What: Home prom party with additional guests through Zoom, May 8.

Why it mattered, in Sciarras words: My family threw me a really fun prom! We did all of the things we would have done at a regular prom. All of our friends and family who came to my prom on Zoom made me feel so special. Im really lucky to have my family who loves me enough to do all of this and friends who took time to party with us. It was the most fun Ive had during quarantine. Quarantine Prom was different but I will never forget it.

Sharing the joy

Who: HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy

What: Virtual party through Zoom, May 15, 79 Zoom participants, though some families shared screens

Why it mattered, in HMS president Tom Quinns words: To see the smiling faces of our students and staff was the highlight for me of what has been a long couple of months. I was so happy to see kids get to be kids and families and staff members share the joy of being together. It was also a lot of fun!

I could have had nothing

Who: Lyric Sutton, of Northeast Philadelphia, senior at Samuel Fels High School

What: Prom photo shoot with Events by Center Stage Iconic Performing Arts Academy, May 28, six people in person.

Why it mattered, in Suttons words: I feel like Im getting my prom experience in a studio. Its really nice  I feel like I had a part of [the prom moment.] The send-off part, like leaving the house part. But friends-wise, party-wise  nah, not really. Its still nice.

I really am thankful for it because I could have had nothing. At least I got something of it.
US Carries Out First Airstrikes Against Taliban Since End of Afghan Ceasefire - Official

Sputnik News

12:11 GMT 05.06.2020(updated 12:42 GMT 05.06.2020)

A ceasefire, which was part of the peace deal negotiated between the Afghan government and the Taliban with the mediation of the United States earlier this year, expired on 26 May.

The US has carried out its first airstrikes against the Taliban* since the end of the Afghan ceasefire, a US military official said on Friday.

The airstrikes took place on Thursday and Friday in separate Afghan provinces, according to spokesman Sonny Leggett.

A three-day ceasefire was declared by the Taliban on 23 May on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim holiday which marks the end of the fasting period. After the ceasefire expired on 26 May, the fighting resumed.

The ceasefire, along with the beginning of internal Afghan talks and the exchange of prisoners between Kabul and Talibs, was part of a peace deal reached with the mediation of Washington earlier this year, aimed at ending the almost 20-year-old military conflict between Kabul and the Taliban.

*Taliban is a terrorist group banned in Russia.

 Sputnik

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India will insist that China demolish recent construction and withdraw soldiers from a disputed border area as the two neighbors begin talks to end a stalemate that began in April, officials with knowledge of the matter said.

The South Asian nation, at a meeting of senior defense officials on Saturday, will offer to remove construction done at the border in May and revert to level of military deployment as of April as long as China reciprocates, the officials said asking not to be identified citing rules on speaking to the media. The meeting is taking place at the Chushul-Moldo Military Garrison along the disputed border in Ladakh, they said.

The armies are currently on high-alert at two locations along the Line of Actual Control -- the 3,488 kilometer (2,167 mile) unmarked boundary between India and China. Additional troops have been rushed to the border by both sides, the officials said. They are facing each other at the Galwan River, which was one of the early triggers of the 1962 India-China war, and at the disputed Pangong Tso -- a glacial lake at 14,000 feet in the Tibetan plateau, portions of which are claimed by both.

India wont stop building roads and bridges inside its territory, the officials said. An Indian Army spokesman was not immediately available for a comment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modis administration doesnt want to get drawn in an increasingly hostile campaign started by U.S. aimed at isolating China globally over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. A group of senior lawmakers from eight democracies including the U.S. have launched a new cross-parliamentary alliance to help counter what they say is the threat Chinas growing influence poses to global trade, security and human rights.

Still, the border dispute between India and China is likely to simmer.

The meeting will be a first step to understand what China wants. Simultaneous incidents indicate China is acting as per a plan that has Beijings clearance," said Jayadeva Ranade, member of the National Security Council Advisory Board and head of the Centre for China Analysis & Strategy. India should not hurry to reach a compromise."

The reasons for the current tensions remains unclear, but Indias decision in 2019 to bring the Kashmir under direct federal control had drawn an angry response from China, similar to that of neighboring Pakistan, which has close ties with Beijing.

China has said it was unacceptable that India continued to undermine its territorial sovereignty." In addition, India has accelerated building border infrastructure, which it says isnt aimed at any particular country, but rather the development of remote areas.

The nation has nearly completed 74 strategic roads along borders, with plans afoot to finish 20 more by next year. A bridge in the Galwan sector in Ladakh has also been objected to by China, a government official who didnt want to be identified, said.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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Topics
Veteran TV anchor Leslie Mouton on Thursday delivered shocking news on her Facebook page to KSAT 12 viewers.

"Big changes! After almost 21 years I am starting a new chapter of my life," Mouton wrote in the post.



"I am so grateful for the wonderful years I have had at KSAT, and blessed to work with the best in the business. Thank you all for supporting me throughout the years, I love you!"

MORE SAN ANTONIO TV NEWS: San Antonio anchor featured on rapper Future's song

Soon after her message was posted, fans and viewers quickly commented, wishing her well and asking about her abrupt departure.



"Leslie where did you go...did I miss your announcement that your leaving KSAT. I wish you the best. I will miss your morning laughter and humor and great personality every morning," one viewer wrote.



MySA reached out to KSAT for more details on Mouton's departure.

"Im afraid all we have is Leslies Facebook post. She resigned yesterday (Thursday)," KSAT 12 Creative Services Director David Cuccio told mySA in an email.

Mouton ,who regularly posts a "good morning" video for her Facebook fans with co-anchor Mark Austin, hadn't posted one since Tuesday.

The veteran morning anchor's photo and bio has also been removed from the station's web page.



Candice.Garcia@express-news.net | Twitter @_candicegarcia
A JBS SA's poultry factory employee is pictured after the company was hit by an outbreak of COVID-19, in Passo Fundo, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, on April 24, 2020. (Diego Vara/Reuters, File Photo)

Court Orders JBS Pork Plant in Brazil Shut for 14 Days Amid CCP Virus Fears

SAO PAULOA Brazilian judge has suspended activities at a pork plant owned by meatpacker JBS SA in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul for 14 days, according to a copy of the decision seen Friday night.

As part of the decision, employees in high-risk groups are to be removed immediately and doctors will be given access to medical records at the plant. The judge also requested that JBS test the workers using protocols established by the Health Ministry.

JBS did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside business hours.

According to the suit from prosecutors calling plant to be shut down, which was seen by Reuters on Wednesday, 21 of for the the plants 1,700 employees had contracted the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus, and two were hospitalized. In the state of Rio Grande do Sul alone, there were some 3,201 cases among all meat plant workers, prosecutors said.

By Ana Mano

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 00:03:56|Editor: huaxia

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Chris Tang Ping-keung, commissioner of police of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, attends a round table meeting in Hong Kong, south China, June 6, 2020. The growing problem of young people committing crimes in Hong Kong stemmed from the social unrest beginning last year and the young people arrested in the unrest are victims used by others, Chris Tang Ping-keung said Saturday. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

HONG KONG, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The growing problem of young people committing crimes in Hong Kong stemmed from the social unrest beginning last year and the young people arrested in the unrest are victims used by others, a senior Hong Kong police official said Saturday.

Speaking at a round table organized by the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, Chris Tang Ping-keung, commissioner of police of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said young people committing crimes has become a trend in Hong Kong, which is worrying.

In 2019, a total of 4,268 young people were arrested, an increase of more than 50 percent from 2018. Of the 8,057 people arrested from last June to April 2020, more than 40 percent were reported being students, according to Tang.

He noted that these young people were instilled with hatred for the police and used to commit illegal acts by some politicians whose attempt was to undermine Hong Kong's rule of law and the police's ability to enforce law.

Tang said that Hong Kong is facing a breakdown of rule of law, with violence lurking in people's daily life, which would ultimately threaten national security and Hong Kong's prosperity and stability.

Tang criticized some people for beautifying violence which distorted many young people's values.

The ideas of so-called "achieving justice by violating the law" and "mutual destruction" run counter to the spirit of the rule of law, Tang said.

"If you want to be a real hero, you should take responsibility for Hong Kong, stand up for justice and say 'no' to violence," he added. Enditem
The Black Lives Matter movement isnt giving up on street protests, but its starting to press its demands within political and policy circles as well.Well-known activist DeRay Mckesson made a bid for mayor of Baltimore last month, and Black Lives Matter played a key role in other elections -- namely, helping to unseat prosecutors in Chicago and Cleveland who were seen as insufficiently rigorous in their pursuit of justice following police shootings.But even as the movement works to hold elected officials accountable, some African-American politicians are working to highlight the need to change law enforcement and criminal justice policies. A group called the 20/20 Club, consisting of 20 Republican and 20 Democratic officials, will host forums on these topics at the two national party conventions this summer, while pressing Congress to act on legislation.Street protesters helped signal a new era of civil rights, says Ashley Bell, Republican co-chair of the 20/20 Club. He says Black Lives Matter helped to mobilize people and branded a movement. But translating anger over police shootings and the economic ramifications of mass incarceration into new governmental policies still requires people who can work an inside game, people who take a relentless, incremental approach, says Bell, a former county commissioner in Georgia.We saw lots of marches, we saw lots of protests, he says, but where was that aspect that talked about policy and strategy? We think that part of the discussion needs to be brought to bear.Every protest movement with any real resonance has come to this crossroads. Theres always tension between those who want to topple the status quo and political insiders who say affecting real change requires working within a system protesters find tainted. Street-based protest and militancy raises some issues, says Rosemary Feurer, a historian of protest movements at Northern Illinois University. Then there are groups that come forward that say, Well address these issues, but well be brokers. Were going to direct this anger toward a more detailed purpose.One certain difference between the approach taken by the 20/20 Club and the Black Lives Matter movement is that the elected officials group includes top police officials and organizations as part of its advocacy work. That might not sit well with activists, but if police are part of the problem, they need to be part of the solution, says Bell.The 20/20 Clubs goal is to make policing and criminal justice a top-tier issue in the presidential campaign and to ensure meaningful legislation is enacted by the time of the presidential election in 2020. Already, members of the club have pushed issues such as decriminalization of marijuana in their states. Were trying to add policy to quiet the concerns that are being reflected in the Black Lives Matter movement, says Democratic state Rep. Ted James of Louisiana, a club member.When James says hes trying to quiet the movements concerns, that doesnt mean hes trying to dismiss them. Quite the contrary. The eruptions of distrust and unrest within the black community have led African-American officials to try to find common ground on these pressing issues, on a bipartisan basis, wherever possible. Last fall, in South Carolina, the group hosted the only forum on criminal justice issues that drew presidential candidates from both parties.High-profile events, whether theyre televised speeches or marches, can draw attention to an issue. The grunt work that leads to policy change looks a lot different from protests, but it doesnt have to be done in opposition to the activists. We play a different role, Bell says. We like to say that were a different instrument within the same orchestra.
A Pennsylvania man who was arrested Monday during a protest in Lancaster said he had self-quarantined for three weeks before he attended that rally.

Jonathan Smucker, co-founder of Lancaster Stands Up, sent out a release Friday night insisting that Julio Torres, 22, no longer had the coronavirus when he attended that rally, as had been reported.

The release said that Torres had attempted to clarify to Magisterial District Court Judge Scott Albert that his COVID-19 diagnosis was from weeks before and that he had self-quarantined for three weeks before going out in public. He had initially disclosed his diagnosis from weeks before when being booked at the prison, and he was placed in a cell with two cellmates, the release said.

Torres said he was being advised during his quarantine by medical professionals through regular phone calls and that he eventually was cleared. It noted that he was released on bail Wednesday evening and went for another COVID test that evening. The results were negative, he said.

Lancaster County President Judge David Ashworth told Lancaster Online that Torres has placed other people at risk."

Smucker said that Lancaster Stands Up is coordinating legal support and a bail fund for demonstrators who have been arrested at this weeks protests and said it wanted to accurately reflect the details of Torres condition at the time of his involvement in the protest.

Whatever the intentions of Judge Albert, Judge Ashworth, or any other parties involved in telling this bogus story, it amounts to public slander  of this young man, and also of the movement of people who are committed to standing up for justice and against racism, Smucker said. This was extraordinarily careless at best.
Police became more prominent after an hour passed and the size of the group expanded. Protesters took to DeWitt Street as they marched while officers shut down portions of downtown to accommodate the demonstration. The protest lasted more than six hours. Winiecki said law enforcement even protected demonstrators as they laid down in protest on the street for 9 minutes, marking the time George Floyd was on the ground as an officer knelt on the back of his neck.

One of the protesters, Portage resident Tazia Mills, said she was there because of her children; her oldest is 8, she said.

I have black sons and I wouldnt want them to get gunned down just because theyre black, Mills said. Its become a new normal for them to just profile you on your skin color instead of the severity of the crime and more black people are coming up dead because of it. Id rather not my kids be one of those.

Winiecki said the news of George Floyds death in police custody after a Minneapolis police officers knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes prompted her to do more than use social media to raise awareness of societal inequities.
The grainy video was played multiple times before a jury in a Middlesex County courtroom last year.

In the glow of a police cars red and blue strobe lights, a white Carteret cop punched a black teenager over and over again.

A brief car chase in 2017 led to the confrontation, caught on the police cars dashcam. It resulted in officer Joseph Reiman facing charges of aggravated assault and official misconduct.

But after a weeks-long trial in May 2019 in which experts testified that the level of force used by the officer was appropriate, a jury found him not guilty. The case unsettled the community, and earlier this week, a protest took place at the house of Carteret Mayor Daniel Reinman, the brother of the accused officer.

The case is emblematic of why  even with video evidence  its difficult for juries to convict police officers in cases involving excessive use-of-force charges. Experts say the bar is set higher for the police, and theres a general perception of trust in law enforcement. And once jurors learn that using force is part of the job, the line of whats excessive becomes difficult to define.

However, experts interviewed by NJ Advance Media agree that what normally plays out in a courtroom will not be the case if the four Minneapolis cops charged in connection with the death of George Floyd head to trial.

I would be surprised if they didnt get some sort of conviction in this case, said Jessica S. Henry, an associate professor at Montclair State Universitys Department of Justice Studies. They capture the entire thing. You can hear bystanders say, Please get up. You can hear people say, What are you doing? And (the officers) dont stop. The audio adds that compelling piece to it as well.

Like other states, New Jersey cops are granted the extraordinary authority to use force when necessary to accomplish lawful ends, according to the state attorney generals use of force policy. Officers should exhaust all other reasonable means before resorting to the use of force, the policy states.

The average person in the street witnessing a police officer use force isnt necessarily aware that cops are trained to use these tactics, explained Maria Haberfeld, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. When a jury learns that force by police in certain cases is permissible, what looks excessive is actually proper technique.

The jurors come to realize this is how they were trained, Haberfeld said.

Even putting a cop on trial is atypical. According to data reported by the Washington Post, among 10,000 police-caused deaths nationwide from 2005 to 2014, 153 officers were charged. Of those 153 cases, 55% resulted in convictions, mostly through guilty pleas.

Its rare that officers get prosecuted for on-duty deaths, Philip Matthew Stinson, the Bowling Green University professor who maintained those statistics, told the Post. Especially ones that are not shootings.

Bob Bianchi, the former Morris County prosecutor, said the public gives police officers a level of credibility a normal citizen might not get.

They are allowed to use force, whereas usually citizens are not allowed to use force against people, he said. Since the police are allowed to use force, it becomes a little bit complicated factually.

Bianchi believes that as time goes on and more videos of egregious force are surfacing, it may change the hearts and minds of people.

You are seeing more charges being brought and more convictions being brought on officers around the country, he said.

John Molinelli, who served as Bergen County prosecutor from 2002 to 2016, said he was not overly successful in trials involving cops as defendants. He said most people sympathize with law enforcement  a hurdle prosecutors have to overcome.

You have a general perception amongst most people that these are people that protect me, these are people that are faced with violent confrontations every day and that is the general mindset, he said.

These cases, Molinelli said, are the rare occasion where damning evidence against the victim is allowed to be presented to the jury.

You are generally not permitted to use it, he said. It becomes a central theme of the case. That defense attorney will try to put the jury in the shoes of the police officer when confronted with that type of conduct  what was in the eyes of the officer perceiving it.

In most criminal cases, video evidence would be key for the prosecution. But in cases of alleged excessive force by police, videos provide only a snippet of an encounter between a civilian and a cop, experts say. They say it doesnt take into consideration the environment surrounding the encounter or the information the officer received from dispatch  for instance, if the suspect is believed to be armed.

Henry, the Montclair State professor, says the Floyd case is different.

Dashcam video only captures from a particular angle because its in a car, she explained. This is a civilian witness standing on the sideline and you capture all of it. You see hes restrained. You hear people in the crowd say, Get off of him. It adds a really compelling element that you may not get from a dashboard camera. The immediacy in this video is, I think, what sets it apart.

Bianchi agrees.

The video is compelling, he said. And the commentary thats occurring is compelling. What happened beforehand is irrelevant to whats happening at that point in time. Not only is he not resisting arrest, the cop has his hands in his pocket.

"It puts the person in an incredibly vulnerable position for a significant amount of time, and the citizens see it for what it is. That video is going to be damning.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 10:00:58|Editor: huaxia

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PYONGYANG, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will withdraw from the inter-Korean liaison office because South Korea has not acted enough to stop groups from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the DPRK's territory, a DPRK official said late Friday night.

The decision was announced by a spokesperson of the United Front Department of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party (CCWP) which oversees relations with South Korea, the Korean Central News Agency reported.

"First Vice Department Director (of CCWP) Kim Yo Jong Friday gave instructions to the field in charge of the affairs with South Korea to start examination for the technical implementation of the content mentioned in the statement," the spokesperson said.

On Thursday, Kim Yo Jong, who is the younger sister of DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un, warned Seoul that the North would close the liaison office or even withdraw from the inter-Korean military agreement signed in 2018 if the South didn't take swift measures against the hostile action of sending the anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the DPRK.

"It was May 31 when the anti-DPRK leaflets were openly flown but the nonstop disposal of dirty rubbish from the South side has exhausted us so much as to come to a clearer conclusion that enemies are enemies after all," the spokesperson said.

Therefore, "as the first thing, we will definitely withdraw the idling north-south joint liaison office housed in the Kaesong Industrial Zone," the spokesperson said, adding more punitive measures will be followed.

"Our people are feeling towering rage and disgust towards the act of scattering anti-DPRK leaflets by the 'defectors from the north' and the South Korean authorities' connivance at it," the statement said.

"We do not hide that we have had long in mind decisive measures to fundamentally remove all provocations from the south and to completely shut down and remove all the contact leverage with the south side," the spokesperson stressed.

After Kim Yo Jong made the hardline statement, South Korea promised on Thursday to take legislative measures to ban flying-in of propaganda leaflets into the North. Enditem
Bengaluru, June 6 : People arriving in Karnataka must register themselves on the Seva Sindhu portal and this requirement should be announced in the originating railway station, said a top official on Saturday.

"It is compulsory for all passengers travelling to Karnataka to register on the Seva Sindhu portal. Otherwise they will not be allowed for home quarantine," said Chief Secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar.

He requested the Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav to give instructions to origin railway stations to make this announcement to all the travellers taking a train to the southern state.

Bhaskar asked Yadav to make the people aware of this requirement right at the time of booking the tickets.

"Thousands of passengers are coming to Karnataka from New Delhi, Bihar, Maharashtra and other states by trains everyday. But most of the passengers do not register under the Seva Sindhu portal," he said.

Bhaskar said that many passengers may also not know the requirement as well.

"If passengers are not registered under Seva Sindhu, the state government will not be able to track them. Therefore, it is necessary to create awareness among passengers regarding registration under Seva Sindhu poral," he added.
A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) official who accused Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo state, of secretly approving rural grazing reser...





according to PUNCH. A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) official who accused Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo state, of secretly approving rural grazing reserves for herdsmen, has been charged with terrorism,according to PUNCH.





Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, director general of the new media centre of the opposition party, made the allegation in a Facebook post.





Subsequently, the Imo state government arraigned him in court. The charge sheet marked 0W/217c/2020, stated that Nwaogwugwu, 29, accused the governor of constructing a rural grazing area for herdsmen in the state.





Nwaogwugwu allegedly accused the governor of having plans to rename Imo State University (IMSU), after Abba Kyari, former chief of staff to the president who died from COVID-19 complications.

The governor has since denied the allegation.





It was also alleged that Nwaogwugwu had accused Uzodinma of planning to divert N5.2 billion meant for pensioners in the state.





He was said to have posted all these accusations against the governor on Facebook between March and May 2020.





Nwaogwugwu was arrested and taken into custody by the Department of State Services on May 28, 2020.





On Friday, the defendant was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on terrorism, cyberbullying, defamation, and attempting to incite citizens against the governor.





Part of the charges read: That you, Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, on April 20, 2020, in Owerri, within the jurisdiction of this court, knowingly and intentionally posted on your Facebook wall through a computer network that governor Hope Uzodinma is to rename Imo state university to Abba Kyari university for helping him out in the supreme Court, which you know to be false for the purpose of causing annoyance, insult, injury, hatred, ill will and needless anxiety to the governor and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (1)(a)(b) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition etc) Act 2015.





That you, Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, on March 23, 2020, in Owerri, within the jurisdiction of this court, knowingly published on your Facebook page that governor Hope Uzodinma has inaugurated an undercover RUGA commissioner and has made available a large expanse of land for the takeoff of the RUGA project in Ngor Okpala which act is deliberately done with malice and which is seriously intended to intimidate Imo population and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(2)(b)(II) of Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011.




Citigroup Inc said on Friday it would "proactively" close some branches and reduce hours at others in light of protests around the country in response to the death of George Floyd that have at times turned violent. Some of Citi's branches were damaged during recent demonstrations, head of U.S. consumer banking Anand Selva said in an email to customers.

"We are actively working on repairs and assessing the situation carefully to re-open these branches," he said. "Where necessary, we're putting in place heightened security protocols, including proactively closing or reducing hours in some of our branches." As of Friday morning, about 40 of Citigroup's 700 branches were temporarily closed due to planned protest activity or previous damage, spokesman Drew Benson said. Most of the closures are in the Los Angeles and Chicago markets.

Protests against police brutality and racial inequality have swept the United States over the last week, causing local governments to impose curfews in attempt to keep them from becoming violent. The unrest and threat of looting have caused many businesses to stay shut just as many were considering re-opening amid easing COVID-19 related restrictions around country.

In March, Citigroup said it would temporarily shutter up to 15% of its U.S. branch network to help stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. The demonstrations have also prompted executives and companies to issue statements condemning racism. "These are extraordinarily difficult times," Selva said. "My sincere hope is that we will all work together toward a better future."

Also read: Google search trends signal pent up demand for cars, mobiles, ACs
Leader of Singapores opposition party, Pritam Singh has called for a thorough review of the governments response to the COVID-19 pandemic on June 6. While addressing the parliament, Singh cited a perception that the handling of coronavirus crisis certainly did not include the adjectives of the Singaporean government. The Workers Party Chief also noted the right of the citizens to expect a thorough review and accounting of the ruling Peoples Action Party.

According to reports, on the second day of the debate on the supplementary Fortitude Budget, Singh voiced oppositions thoughts on the handling of the global health crisis in the country, for the first time. In his address, there were multiple references including piecemeal announcements and backtracking on positions that were unexplained such number of persons allowed and the social distancing measures. Singh also mentioned the businesses in the country, who according to him, were not directed by the government of how COVID-19 directives would be perceived, interpreted and understood.

Read - Strawberry Moon In Singapore 2020: Details Of The Lunar Eclipse In Singapore Time

Even though the Workers Party chief did not criticise the Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loongs leadership of the unprecedented coronavirus outbreak, but said that as a constructive opposition it is their responsibility to deliver the feelings of the citizens in the parliament. According to reports, at least three members from the opposition party spoke in the parliament on June 6 and their addresses mainly consisted of lack of clarity on COVID-19 restrictions and initiatives.

Read - 13 Indians Among 517 New Coronavirus Cases Reported In Singapore

Mandatory contact-tracing app now made optional

The Opposition targeting lack of clarity of the ruling party came just a day after the mobile application to track the spread of COVID-19 in Singapore was made optional after making it mandatory. According to reports, Singapores Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said in the parliament on June 5 that the app called TraceTogether does not work well with both Android or iOS devices. The politician who is in charge of the Smart Nation initiative cited the suspension of Bluetooth activity in the devices because of the app running in the background.

Therefore, the mandatory use of TraceTogether is now ruled out while the Singapore government is in touch with Apple Inc to find a satisfactory solution to the issues. TraceTogether was launched on March 20 and according to reports, at least 1.5 million residents out of nearly 5.7 million people in the country have already installed the application.

Read - Coronavirus Cases In Singapore Cross 36,000-mark Amid Gradual Reopening

Read - Singapore Rules Out Mandatory Installation Of Contact-tracing App As Govt Finds Glitches
Moments before law enforcement officers violently cleared protesters in Lafayette Park so President Donald Trump could walk from the White House to St. Johns Church and have his picture taken holding a Bible, a journalist who had recently spent months on the streets of Hong Kong confidently donned a gas mask while nearby colleagues looked on confusedly as they became engulfed in the ensuing melee.

Chemical irritants and flash-bang grenades are not the only similarities between the clashes taking place in Washington DC and those that have consumed Hong Kong for the past year. As in the United States, Christians in Hong Kong struggle to define their role in a society marred by institutionalized injustice and sharp division.

An open letter drafted by a group of evangelical pastors, theologians, and parachurch leaders and signed by more than 3,500 [as of June 15] Christians in Hong Kong echoed sentiments shared by many believers in the US and elsewhere in the world: commitment to the fullness of the gospel; refusal to submit to an authoritarian regime; dedication to walk with the people of their community; and the churchs need to repent of apathy and inaction.

Whether in Washington or Hong Kong, the current conflicts center around abuse of official power. In Hong Kongs case, Chinas central government has effectively thrown out the one country, two systems formula under which the former British colony was to be governed for 50 years after 1997. Smashing through the wall of separation that was meant to protect the city from the vagaries of Chinas socialist legal system, Chinas leaders are now unilaterally imposing draconian national security measures that would render illegal any opposition in word or action to the regime in Beijing.

While Hong Kong churches and the many Christian organizations that play a vital role in the citys social infrastructure continue to enjoy freedom as before, many have curtailed their outreach activities in mainland China. (Believers account for about 12 percent of the population in Hong Kong, compared with about 7 percent on the mainland.

Under the new security legislation, the appearance of connections to foreign anti-China individuals or groups, or to local political activists, could have possible legal consequences. So could speaking out on sensitive issues, including the treatment of Christians in the mainland.

Declaring Gods sovereignty in the face of this political overreach, the Hong Kong pastors stated in their letter:

The King of Heaven does not rule by controlling the world. Rather, He rules by showing His love and humble servitude. Thus, as the King of Heaven, His political blueprint is to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lords favor. (Luke 4:18-19)

Their letter confessed that churches have been too focused on their internal affairs and neglected social justiceincluding speaking up for oppressed minorities in the cityand have been silent in the face of mounting authoritarianism:

When facing the authoritys strong governance and the persecution and suppression towards the dissidents, churches often chose to protect themselves. They engaged in self-censorship and remained silent towards the evil deeds of the authority, with their only wish being the smooth and uninterrupted operation of church ministries.

Proclaiming Christ as the highest authority, the pastors offered sincere repentance and vowed not to submit to the leadership of any government entity or political party whose demands run counter to biblical teaching.

Article continues below

Pent-up Frustration

Similar to those protesting the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, Hong Kongs protesters are voicing the pent-up frustration of years of seeing personal liberties eroded as the Chinese government has systematically tightened its stranglehold on the citys media, schools, civic organizations, and the business community, including a vibrant expat population that is key to Hong Kongs status as an international financial center.

Everybody understands that Hong Kong is very useful to China for the exchange of currency and many other things, said Cardinal Joseph Zen, bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, in an interview last month. And now, they are ready to destroy everything, and we can do nothing because Hong Kong is a small thing[China] can crush it as they like.

Many local politicians across the US have encouraged their citizens to seek change at the polls, not merely in the streets. In Hong Kong, however, the goalposts for universal suffrage promised under the one country, two systems framework continue to move further downfield with every new decision emanating from Beijing.

Hong Kongs protestors have grown weary of tone-deaf local officials charged with looking out for the citys interests who have increasingly defined those interests in terms of Beijings demands. This includes championing restrictive election reform measures designed to strengthen central government control, as well as white elephant infrastructure projects that enrich mainland companies and local business elites.

On the streets of Hong Kong, living under the watchful eye of what had been considered Asias Finest brings not reassurance but fear, compounded by the eventuality of Chinas own national security agents being introduced into Hong Kong as part of the new national security provisions. In the eyes of those assigned to protect them, the people of Hong Kong have become the enemy, some being labeled as terrorists by officials.

Now that the gloves are off and Beijing has chosen to bypass Hong Kongs partially elected legislature entirely, the local government has become largely irrelevant. Like many of those seen on American streets this week, Hong Kongs protesters feel they have reached the end of their rope; there is no legitimate forum in which to air their grievances.

We have nothing good to hope for, said Cardinal Zen. Hong Kong is simply completely under [Chinas] control. We depend on China even for our food and water. But we put ourselves in the hands of God.

Institutional Sins

The conflicts raging on the streets of Hong Kong and the US did not appear overnight, but are the result of deep-rooted institutional sins.

Hong Kongs lopsided prosperity and its tenuous political situation are, paradoxically, the twin offspring of colonization, beginning with Britains military conquest in the opium wars of the mid-19th century. While in the 1980s, hopes of Chinas eventual democratization inspired the optimistic rhetoric of the one country, two systems formula, Hong Kong has since gone from being seen as a laboratory for what China could become to an example of what Chinas paranoid leaders fear most.

As these leaders become increasingly anti-foreign, Hong Kong becomes a casualty in the unraveling of Chinas relationships with the West. How the Trump administration chooses to follow through on its recent determination that Hong Kong is no longer sufficiently autonomous to warrant special treatment will significantly impact the citys future.

Article continues below

Like a tear gas canister lobbed abruptly into an unsuspecting crowd, the mainland governments recent moves have left those who sought lasting change for Hong Kong gasping for air.

For many Hong Kong Christians, it is neither a time to retreat nor to take political matters into their own hands, but rather to double down on their commitment to the people of Hong Kong.

As Mimi Lau, a journalist with Hong Kongs English daily South China Morning Post, urged in a Twitter thread:

#HKers : now is not the time to desert your home. Rise up to your roles, become a KOL [key opinion leader] in your own fields and stand by your core values and believes. Most importantly, have #Faith. #HongKong is worth fighting for.



What else can I do as a #HK journalist? What can I do as a disciple of Christ? What can I do as a friend, as a collegue [sic], as a member of my community, as a daughter and as a sister? What would I give to #StandWithHongKong ?

The pastors in their open letter pledged that no matter how tough it gets, we shall hold onto our duty as the church to walk together with all Hongkongers, and to uphold Hong Kong ceaselessly with prayers and pastoral care, as a living testimony of Emmanuel  God is here with those who are suffering.

Affirming their belief that God will lead Hong Kong people through the dark days ahead, they offered a reminder that seems equally appropriate for Christians in the politically fractured United States:

The church is neither a political party or a political organization, therefore, political agendas or demands should not become the main focus of the church. However, when facing injustice and evilness in the society, the church should act as the social conscience and fulfil [sic] its prophetic role to denounce injustice, to proclaim the will of God, and to bear witness to truth.

Brent Fulton is founder and catalyst of ChinaSource.





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FM Zarif to Trump: Iran, JCPOA parties never left table

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran , June 5, IRNA -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message reacted to Trump's offer of talks with Iran, saying Iran and other JCPOA parties never left table.

"We achieved humanitarian swap *despite* your subordinates' efforts, @realDonaldTrump," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account on Friday.

"And we had a deal when you entered office. Iran & other JCPOA participants never left the table, he added.

"Your advisorsmost fired by nowmade a dumb bet."

"Up to you to decide *when* you want to fix it," Zarif noted.

"Pleased that Dr. Majid Taheri and Mr. White will soon be joining their families," Zarif earlier wrote on his Twitter account.

"Prof. Sirous Asgari was happily reunited with his family on Weds. This can happen for all prisoners," he added.

US President Donald Trump wrote on his Twitter account: "So great to have Michael home. Just arrived. Very exciting. Thank you to Iran. Don't wait until after U.S. Election to make the Big deal. I'm going to win. You'll make a better deal now!"

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi announced that Michael White, who was imprisoned on security charges in Iran, was released on Thursday and will join his family soon.

Abbas Mousavi said that White compensated the plaintiffs and was released with Islamic kindness and left Iran on Thursday.

Mousavi said that after coronavirus spread, according to the order of the head of the Judiciary Branch Ayatollah Ebrahim Raeesi, White was given furlough, but as long as he had no one in Iran, he was handed over to the US interests section in Iran, i.e. the Embassy of Switzerland.

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[CLICK HERE FOR MORE RECENT NEWS ON CRISTOBAL]

Tropical Storm Cristobal got a little stronger as it tracked steadily northward on Saturday toward the U.S. Gulf Coast, where landfall in Louisiana is anticipated on Sunday.

Outer rain bands were beginning to move across parts of the Gulf Coast on Saturday night, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Cristobals center of circulation may come onshore in Louisiana, but some of the worst weather will be far east of the center and could affect parts of Mississippi and Alabama as well.

Cristobal is likely to remain a broad and asymmetric storm when it makes landfall. Therefore, users are urged to not focus on the exact forecast path as the associated winds, storm surge, and rainfall will extend well to the east of the center, the hurricane center said Saturday.

Tropical storm force winds may reach the coast starting late tonight.

Cristobal could also bring flooding rain and surge, coastal flooding and tornadoes to some of those same areas on Sunday.

As of 7 p.m. CDT Saturday, Tropical Storm Cristobal was located about 235 miles south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River and was moving north at 12 mph.

Cristobals top winds were 50 mph. The hurricane center said slow strengthening is expected until Cristobal reaches the Gulf Coast on Sunday. However, its not expected to become a hurricane.

Tropical-storm-force winds could reach the Gulf Coast late tonight into Sunday morning, according to the hurricane center. Those winds extended about 240 miles from the center, mainly on the east side.

Tropical storm and storm surge warnings remained in place across parts of the northern Gulf Coast on Saturday.

Two changes on Saturday: The storm surge watch for the Florida Big Bend has been replaced with coastal flood advisories. A tropical storm warning has been issued from Intracoastal City to Morgan City in Louisiana.

Here are the watches and warnings as of Saturday afternoon:

* A storm surge warning is in effect from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs Miss., and Lake Borgne.

* A storm surge watch is in effect from east of Morgan City, La., to the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Tropical Storm #Cristobal is forecast to produce storm surge flooding of 3-5 ft above ground level from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, where a Storm Surge Warning is in effect. More info: https://t.co/DCmltTPN98? pic.twitter.com/Y7bG4EGaX9  National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) June 6, 2020

* A tropical storm warning is in effect from Intracoastal City, La., to the Okaloosa/Walton County line in Florida as well as Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.

Cristobal is expected to continue on a path northward over the next few days. On that track Cristobal will approach the Louisiana coast on Sunday and make landfall by Sunday night.

Cristobal could bring 3-5 feet of surge from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, Miss., and Lake Borgne.

Areas along the Alabama coast and Mobile Bay could also see 1-3 feet of surge from Cristobal, the hurricane center said.

Cristobal will also bring a lot of rain. Four to eight inches will be possible, especially in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and extreme southwestern Alabama.

Isolated areas could get up to a foot of rain.

Forecasters will also be on the lookout for tornadoes. A few will be possible in southern Louisiana, Mississippi, southwest Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle on Sunday.
Mumbai, June 6 : Scriptwriter Juhi Chaturvedi of "Gulabo Sitabo" has been accused of plagiarism, ahead of the films much-hyped premiere on OTT. A police complaint has been filed and a legal notice has also been sent to the makers, who have, however, dismissed the charges as "baseless allegations" made to "create unnecessary controversy".

The plagiarism accusation has been levelled by Akira Agarwal, son of late writer Rajeev Agarwal. It has been claimed that Rajeev Agarwal had submitted a story titled "16 Mohandas Lane" in a contest 'Cinestaan India's Storyteller Script Contest' where Chaturvedi was a jury member.

According to the legal notice, Agarwal had submitted his story in the month March 2018 and his entry had subsequently been shortlisted. On June 28, 2018, the final script of the story was also submitted for the contest and all jury members had full access to the same.

The legal notice was sent by advocate Rizwan Siddiquee on behalf of Akira Agarwal to the makers of "Gulabo Sitabo", with the demand to see the film's complete script. Akira Agarwal has also filed a complaint at Mumbai's Juhu Police Station in this regard. Alleging that the story of "Gulabo Sitabo", its background and theme resemble "16 Mohandas Lane".

In the complaint, it has been stated that Akira Agarwal has also approached the Screenwriters Association (SWA) for mediation.

"The association asked Chaturvedi to submit her script. However, she failed to submit her script and denied that she ever had access to the script. The Screenwriters Association yet sought to support Chaturvedi by claiming that there is no infringement. Akira then approached Siddiquee for help and guidance," it read, pointing out that Chaturvedi had been requested to submit her script and story for verification, which she didn't do.

Now, a police complaint for cheating, criminal breach of trust and copyright infringement has been filed, and the police have been requested to seize the infringed copy of the work from the office of the producers.

Meanwhile, the film's production house Rising Sun Films has issued an official statement, calling out the inaccurate copyright claims.

"To begin with, Juhi's concept for the film was registered in 2018, much before the contest. Furthermore, Juhi never received a copy of the supposedly copied script. This has been independently confirmed by the scriptwriting contest organisers as well. Lastly, our film's story is different from that sent out in the notice. It is surprising how grave allegations are being made solely on the basis of a two-minute, 41 second trailer," read the statement from the producers.

"On May 29th, SWA ruled in favour of Juhi. Clearly the allegers are upset as the SWA decision didn't go in their favour. Releasing the notice to the press, harassing us on social media, seems to be a deliberate attempt to malign Juhi and damage the film. We have full faith in our film. At this time, when we have taken the bold decision to release the film on OTT, these baseless allegations only create unnecessary controversy. We request the press to stand by us and condemn the behavior of these allegers and their lawyer for resorting to such tactics only for press, limelight and ulterior motives," added the statement.

Shoojit Sircar's comedy "Gulabo Sitabo" casts Amitabh Bachchan as Mirza, landlord of an old dilapidated 'haveli' in the heart of Lucknow, named Fatima Mahal, while Ayushmann Khurrana plays is his shrewd tenant, Baankey.

The film is produced by Ronnie Lahiri and Sheel Kumar, and is set to premiere worldwide on June 12 on Amazon Prime Video.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
A New Yorker holds a banner 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 Minneapolis, United States on June 2, 2020 in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States.

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. announced a policy change regarding people arrested at Black Lives Matter protests on charges of unlawful assembly and disorderly conduct.

"Under the new policy, the DA's Office declines to prosecute these arrests in the interest of justice," the DA's office said in a statement. "The Office will also continue to evaluate and decline to prosecute other protest-related charges where appropriate."

Thousands of arrests have been made in relation to the protests in less than two weeks as officers outfitted in riot gear clash with demonstrators.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Manhattan District Attorney's office announced it is declining to prosecute people who were arrested at the Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the death of George Floyd.

Manhattan DA Cy Vance Jr. released a statement Friday, saying the DA's Office is revising its 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."

Previously, it was the DA's policy to "offer individuals charged with these low-level offenses an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal, meaning their cases would be dismissed within six months," according to the statement.

"Under the new policy, the DA's Office declines to prosecute these arrests in the interest of justice," the statement continued. "The Office will also continue to evaluate and decline to prosecute other protest-related charges where appropriate."

The protests entered their 12th day on Friday following Floyd's killing. Floyd, a black man, died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. His death sparked worldwide protests demanding justice for him and other black people, like Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, who died in officer- or former law enforcement-involved incidents.

Story continues

Thousands of arrests have been made in relation to the protests in less than two weeks as officers outfitted in riot gear clash with demonstrators. Donation sites have been set up to collect bail for arrest protesters.

New York City has an 8 p.m. curfew in place that ends on June 8.

Read the original article on Insider
Television actor Divyanka Tripathi left her fans disappointed on Friday with a tweet. She has clarified that Naagin 5 is not on cards for her.

Divyanka shared a fans tweet on her Twitter account, which said that Divyanka would be a part of the hit supernatural shows fifth season and that actor Kratika Sengar and Bigg Boss 13 runner-up Asim Riaz would be the co-star on the show. Retweeting it, Divyanka wrote in clear words, Nope...False news. She followed it up with a laughter emoji.

The previous few seasons of the Colors show have been big hits and launched the Bollywood career of Mouni Roy. The last two seasons starred Karishma Tanna, Surbhi Jyoti, Anita Hassanandani, Rashami Desai and Nia Sharma.

Also read: Begusarai actor Rajesh Kareer asks people to stop giving him more money, says Ive received more than Im worthy of

Recently the shows creative producer Mukta Dhond dismissed reports of Nia being written out of the show, but admitted that the series will undergo a transformation soon. Mukta told TellyChakkar, Well, we are not shutting the fourth season. We have something big planned for our avid viewers of Naagin. When the show returns, it will come back with a bang where you will see Nia Sharma like never before in the show.

Dismissing rumours that the removal of Rashami and Nia was due to budget constraints, Mukta said, I want to clarify that Nia and Rashami going out of the show has got nothing to do with budgets. Both the girls are like family and we will surely work with them in near future. She said that the news would have eventually been shared, however we are disclosing the suspense now as the show took a long break due to the lockdown.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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As he announced a wave of new reopenings on Wednesday, Gov. Greg Abbott celebrated an apparent milestone in the states coronavirus pandemic, noting the number of people hospitalized with the virus had fallen to a weeks-long low.

Today Texas had the fewest #COVID19 hospitalizations in the past 6 weeks, he said in a tweet that has since been shared more than 5,000 times and liked by 26,000 user accounts.

The reference ignored the fact that statewide hospitalizations have been rising over the past week, and on Friday reached the second-highest total since the pandemic began.

It was also wrong.

The state reported 1,487 people hospitalized for COVID-19 on Wednesday, the lowest since April. But that figure did not include about 300 patients in the Houston area, who were omitted because of a software glitch, according to the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council, which collects the totals and sends them to the state.

With those patients included, the number on Wednesday was likely around 1,800, just shy of the states peak in early May.

COVID-19 Tracker: Interactive maps track coronavirus cases in San Antonio, Texas counties and the U.S.

Hospitalization data are one of the key measures that Abbott has said hes watching as he allows more of the state to reopen. Virtually all businesses in the state can now operate at 50 percent of their maximum occupancy, and late next week restaurants will be able to move to 75 percent.

Lori Upton, the advisory councils vice president of disaster preparedness and response, said the state informed it on Wednesday that a nationwide software upgrade had caused the error, lowering the preliminary count. A correction will take time because the data has to be recounted manually, Upton said.

She said technical issues are not common.

The governors spokesman did not respond to questions about whether the governor knew about the inaccuracy. Abbott, a Republican, has repeatedly advised against using single-day data points, explaining that weekly averages better capture trends over time.

On Friday, the seven-day average was 1,729, the highest number since the state began publishing data on hospitalizations. It has been increasing since May 27.

While there are still plenty of open beds statewide, public health officials are watching the uptick closely, particularly after Memorial Day weekend and the ongoing protests over police brutality, which have drawn large crowds. Hospitalizations typically occur between one and two weeks after an infection is detected.

"It's something we should definitely keep an eye on," said Diana Cervantes, director of the epidemiology program at the University of North Texas.

Further reading: Metro Health leaders to protesters: wear masks, dont bunch up

Cervantes said hospitalizations in Tarrant County, where she lives, have been mostly flat in recent weeks. They have been rising in some parts of the state. In Galveston, for instance, 76 percent of ICU beds were occupied on Thursday by patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, according to an analysis of data from the Department of State Health Services. That rate has been rising over the past week and was the highest it's been since mid-May.

The Texas Medical Center, which publishes daily statistics from hospitals in the Houston region, warned on Thursday that COVID-19 cases there are growing so fast that there may not be enough intensive care beds in two weeks. On Friday the center updated that estimate to five weeks and listed the possibility as a moderate concern.

Though hospitalizations are up, average daily hospital admissions have been flat or slightly down over the past week, according to state data compiled by the nonprofit Texas 2036. Lauren Ancel Myer, a professor of integrative biology at the University of Texas at Austin, said that would be a positive indicator.

Myers said daily admissions in Central Texas, though, where her research is focused, have been up slightly in recent days.

It would not be surprising at this point if we are beginning to see that the relaxation of social distancing measures, if that has actually increased the spread of the virus and has led to more patients needing hospital care, she said.

In a TV interview Thursday, Abbott said he was concerned that the protests may spread new infections, but refrained from saying he would be willing to slow or roll back the reopening were that to happen.

If it does turn out that more people are testing positive, we have the strategies in place to make sure we can go in and contain it and slow the spread so we can keep Texas opening up for business, he said.
The virtual Global Vaccine Summit hosted by the UK government has raised $8.8 billion to immunise 300 million children against diseases such as measles, polio and diphtheria by the end of 2025 and support the fight against COVID-19.



Hosted by the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, on Thursday, the pledges made by 32 governments and 12 foundations, corporations and organisations outstripped the US$7.4 billion that the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) had targeted.



Another US$567 million was raised at the launch of the Advance Market Commitment for COVID-19 Vaccines (Covax AMC), a new fund to provide access to coronavirus vaccines for low- and middle-income countries.

AstraZeneca became the first vaccine manufacturer to sign up to Covax AMC under which the pharmaceutical company will guarantee 300 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine it is developing in collaboration with the University of Oxford once it has been approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO).



Representatives of 52 countries, including 35 heads of state, joined leaders from global health organisations, the private sector, vaccine manufacturers and civil society organisations to support GAVIS work.



The UK remains the Alliances largest donor, pledging the equivalent of 330 million per year over the next five years.



Mr Johnson said: Together we rise to fulfil the greatest shared endeavour of our lifetime  the triumph of humanity over disease, now and for the generations that follow.



Eight countries made their first ever pledge to Gavi, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Uganda.



The President of Burkina Faso, Roch Marc Christian Kabore noted: COVID-19 is a brutal reminder of why we must prioritise health.



But if we fail to maintain the achievements we have made in vaccination, we risk the resurgence of deadly diseases like measles, yellow fever and polio.



By working together to ensure the survival and prosperity of the people of Burkina Faso, of Africa and of the world, we will together write the most magnificent pages in our common history, he added.



GAVI, the WHO and the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) have warned that 80 million children under the age of one are at risk of disease due to disruptions to vital immunisation programmes because of COVID-19.



The new funding will also be used to help lower-income countries to strengthen their health systems and vaccine distribution in the midst of coronavirus.



Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, GAVI Board Chair, praised the many health workers and administrators who work tirelessly every day to ensure children in vulnerable countries continue to receive lifesaving vaccines.



We have made incredible progress over the past two decades improving vaccine coverage and reducing child mortality across Africa and Asia.



This funding will give countries new hope that, despite the devastating impact of COVID-19, this progress can be sustained and built on.



The Alliance will now get to work making this happen, she said.



In welcoming the pledges, the Director-General of the WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: Thanks to vaccines, hundreds of millions of deaths have been prevented. Polio has been pushed to the brink of eradication, and just in the past few years new vaccines have become available for Ebola and malaria.



But vaccines only realise their true power when they are deployed to protect the poorest and most vulnerable.



The COVID-19 pandemic is unravelling many of the gains we have made, with vaccination campaigns for polio, cholera, measles, diphtheria, and meningitis, he added.



There were pledges, too, from African businesses.



Airtel Nigeria, a mobile telecommunications company, will provide US$5.9 million to digitise a paper-based vaccine reporting system and provide digital tools to primary health care workers across Nigeria for the accurate collection of essential data.



United Bank of Africa Foundation will raise US$1.5 million in funding for immunisation and health system strengthening programmes across Africa, starting with Nigeria.



GAVI is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate half the worlds children against some of the globes deadliest diseases.



Since its inception in 2000, it has helped to immunise over 760 million children and prevented more than 13 million deaths, helping to halve child mortality in 73 developing countries.

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.

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Dundalk native Pat Carroll, who has been living in Cork for the past 45 years, is curating an arts project which will remember this time when the COVID-19 pandemic changed the world.

Pat, who runs the Art in Many Forms Facebook page, has gathered together a group of artists, photographers, writers and musicians, including some from his native county, for the project entitled The Silence.

With a background in design, Pat has a life long interest in the arts and knows many working in the arts around the country.

'I spent a number of years in Cobh, and was involved in the Sirrus Arts Centre,' he says. 'I have worked with a lot of great people down the years.'

He got the idea for the project from the work of Cork photographer Robert O Connor, who when the lockdown was announced on March 21, went out and photographed the empty streets of a deserted Cork City.

Pat says that Rob's collection of images 'frightened the life out of me..I remember looking at the first of them and asking 'Where is everyone? Where have they gone?'

'2020 was to be a very big year in Cobh and suddenly all the hard work was dismantled in a number of days,' he says. 'Covid-19 had taken us hostage and it was not nice -The Silence project was born, writers, artists, photographers, poets and people were asked would they consider submitting some writing to accompany the photographs.'

Pat put a shout out to his many contacts in the arts world, including some in his native Co Louth.

As a member of the Dundalk Northend and Friends Facebook page, Pat was familiar with the work of local photographer Jean Gibson, who is particularly well known for her beautiful photographs of the Navvy Bank.

'My sister loves Jean's work and put me in touch with her and Jean said she would love to be part of the project.'

Dundalk artist Mary Wallace (nee McConnon), who moved to Wexford almost 37 years ago, was one of the first contributors to the project. 'It was her work that was the inspiration for The Silence design with the ancient ogham alphabet 'Etain Dances with the Sun' says Pat.

He also reached out to Blackrock born writer Jean Reinhart, who now lives in Cavan and has written a number of books. Drogheda artist and activist Jennie Hinds has also come on board.

Among the writers who are contributing to the project is Catherine Drea, who spent the first seven years of her life in Dundalk, when her father was posted here with the ESB. Catherine, an artist, photographer, and award winning blogger, has written about the death of her step-mother from COVID-19.

'A lot of the writing is very emotional, but there are also funny pieces,' says Pat. 'They will make you laugh and cry.'

Other contributers to the project include Claire Stack, Aine Farrell,Anne Martin Walsh, Suzanne D'Arcy Gaughran,Stanley Notte, Mailo Power,Rachel Dubber, Amy Guilfoyle, Cobh Animation Team, Therese Ryder, Deidre O'Shaughnessy, Bernie Carney, Orlaith Hamersley. Theresa McCormack, Linda Ibbotson, Caroline Cunnigham, Ruairi de Barra, Michelle Dunne, Catherine Brennan, Martha Cashman, Bernadette Dolan, Karen Power, Stephen Hayes, Martina Furlong, Amy O'Connor, Maria O'Sullivan, Brigid Mullooly, Nilla Palmer, Trish Carlos, and of course, photographer Rob O'Connor.

The project will be going live on the internet on the weekend of June 27, although Pat hopes to bring The Silence to real life venues next year.

'We could have actors reading the contributions with a backdrop of the images, as well as especially composed music.'

For more information check out Pat's blog www.artinmanyforms.wordpress.com or his Art in Many Forms Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Liu Xiaoming stunned a meeting of British business figures by saying China was advanced in terms of research on a vaccine

The Chinese ambassador to London has been censored by his own embassy after claiming his country had produced a vaccine which was ready for use.

Liu Xiaoming stunned a meeting of British business figures by saying China was advanced in terms of research on a vaccine.

He added: We are at the fourth phase of the process. We want to make this available to the world.

Representatives from international drugs companies who were participating in the webinar were astonished by the comments.

Phase four of a vaccine trial means it is ready to be rolled out to the wider population.

Beijing is sensitive to suggestions that it might be further ahead than Western countries in the search for a vaccine because it deliberately delayed telling the world the full extent of the viruss spread in Wuhan at the end of 2019.

But when this newspaper approached the Chinese embassy about the ambassadors remarks  in English, and clearly audible on a recording heard by The Mail on Sunday  the diplomats sent us a link to their own transcript, which had altered his words to second phase.

Phase two of a vaccine trial is when it is still being tested on humans.

Beijing is sensitive to suggestions that it might be further ahead than Western countries in the search for a vaccine because it deliberately delayed telling the world the full extent of the viruss spread in Wuhan at the end of 2019. An experimental vaccine is pictured above

In other remarks in the meeting at the end of last month, the ambassador said: We want the vaccine to be available and accessible to poorer and less developed countries. We always believed that Covid-19 has brought the world together. We believe in a shared future for mankind.

Boris Johnson opened a UK-hosted vaccine summit last week, during which he appealed for 6 billion in contributions to immunise 300 million children within five years.

The Prime Minister told the virtual summit: To defeat the coronavirus, we must focus our collective ingenuity on the search for a vaccine and ensure that countries, pharmaceutical companies and international partners  like the World Health Organisation  co-operate on a scale beyond anything we have seen before.

US President Donald Trump told the summit that Covid-19 was mean and nasty and vowed: We are all going to take care of it together.

But when this newspaper approached the Chinese embassy about the ambassadors remarks  in English, and clearly audible on a recording heard by The Mail on Sunday  the diplomats sent us a link to their own transcript, which had altered his words to second phase

British work on a vaccine is being led by scientists at Oxford University, who are also developing antibody tests to pave the way for so-called immunity passports for those who have already been infected.

The teams at the universitys Jenner Institute and the Oxford Vaccine Group joined China and the US in starting human trials on April 23, with hundreds of Britons being given the experimental jab.

Sir John Bell, Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford, who is leading the work, hopes the first indications about whether it is effective will emerge by the end of this month.

The news comes as the MoS has obtained more evidence of slack safety standards by bat researchers in Wuhan.

Pictures from a month-long expedition by graduate students at the citys university last summer into habitat survey, predator net catching, field behaviour experiment, and sample collection show the researchers picking up bats with their bare hands and shunning protective equipment.

Many experts believe this is the most likely explanation for the jump in the virus from bat to human  the animals infected blood or faeces being transmitted to a virus researcher through cuts in their skin or via inhalation.

A Chinese embassy spokesman said: We are in the second phase. China has conducted clinical experiments on five potential vaccines.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Black lives matter. Period.

This is more than a statement; its a commitment. Its a promise, once stated, that means you must act different, live different, and be different than the world we inherited.

We live in a society that marginalizes, ignores, and harms black relations, literally choking the life from a brother, uncle, and father such as George Floyd, whose recent death in U.S. police custody has sparked mass protests around the globe.

To change, all of us must make space. We must move aside and stand beside our black relatives. We must listen, believe, think, and then, finally, act.

This column is about making space. I asked my friend and colleague from the University of Manitoba, Delia Douglas, the anti-racism practice lead in the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, to speak, while I step aside and stand beside her.

UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA SUPPLIED Delia Douglas, anti-racism practice lead in the office of equity, diversity and inclusion at the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences and the Ongomiizwin Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing.

Delia is a black sister, auntie, and mother in our community, who works in anti-racist education. She is a voice we all need to hear.

This is her space now:

Every member of my family has been stopped by the police, whether in Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Montreal. I have also "resembled a suspect" and been questioned by officers in Canada, the United States, and Cuba.

Anti-blackness is linked to the creation of Canada.

The history of a black presence here, of course, is diverse and complex, extending coast to coast, dating to the 1600s.

It doesnt just begin with the oft-celebrated story "the north" was the final destination of the Underground Railroad and the place where the enslaved escaped to "freedom."

Enslavement built economies in New France and British North America for centuries.

Money from slavery was used to construct the Hudson Bay Company and the expansion of the fur trade in Manitoba.

There are desecrated and disrespected slave cemeteries in Ontario and Quebec. There is a long history of segregation and racism in Canadas history with the 1960s destruction of Africville in Halifax, Canadas oldest black settlement.

Black status and identity in Canada have been  and is  connected to the authorization and use of antiblack racial violence.

Today, workplace discrimination, race-based killings, cross burnings, and fire bombings happen throughout Canada. Black youth are overrepresented in the child-welfare system, and black people are overrepresented in Canadian prisons.

Black status and identity in Canada have been  and is  connected to the authorization and use of anti-black racial violence.

I grew up in Winnipeg, leaving after high school, only to return recently following the death of my father. In my travels, Ive seen how dispossession, genocide, enslavement, and ongoing settler colonialism define all of our lives.

Ive also seen how mistreatment of black and Indigenous communities intersect. Hogans Alley is located on the unceded traditional territories of the Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish Coast Salish peoples, while Africville is located on unceded Mi'kmaq territory.

I write these words from Treaty 1 territory and the homeland of the Metis Nation.

We all inherit the legacies of violence, but for black folk, our sense of belonging remains a contested and ongoing site of struggle, as does recognition of our humanness.

What are often called black "rage," "rebellion," and "resistance" are our responses to anti-black racism.

This is the reality of being black in Canada today.

While Indigenous and black encounters with one another and the Canadian state reside in difficult and incomplete conversations, our communities are connected through enslavement, colonialism, white supremacy, oppression, and genocide. The one truth we do share is we have been, and continue to be, systematically targeted for death.

Our communities are under-serviced, under-protected and over-policed. Systemic racism renders us disposable.

SUPPLIED PHOTO Machuar Madut was fatally shot by a Winnipeg police officer in February, 2019.

The deaths of George Floyd (an ex-Minneapolis police officer faces a second-degree murder charge, three others are charged with aiding and abetting murder) and Regis Korchinski-Paquet in Toronto  and, recently in Winnipeg, the police-shooting deaths of Machuar Madut, Eishia Hudson, Stewart Kevin Andrews, and Jason Collins  are all moments of possibility and opportunities to enact change.

This comes in naming silence as violence  as complicity. Naming governments and institutions as perpetrators of genocide. And, perhaps most of all, calling everyone out as part of the solution.

Can I get a witness?

We live together. We must stand up together.

Our actions now, here, will signal our presence, our values, and our humanness.

White supremacy, heteropatriarchy settler colonialism, and anti-blackness are not American problems. These arent Canadian problems either.

These are global problems.

Our futures, our struggles, and our liberation are linked; we are stronger together than apart.

Life and death are at stake. The time is now to hear us, see us, and walk together. There is no place to stand outside of racism.

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.

Stand up. Show up. Listen up.

Beyond Fridays gathering in Winnipeg, entitled "Justice 4 Black Lives," we have an opportunity to make connections across our differences and bridge our struggles for freedom across race, gender, class, disability, sexuality, and nationality.

As Archbishop Desmond Tutu stated: "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor."

Whose side are you on?

niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca
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A sheriff pleaded to not 'let the life of George Floyd be in vain' as thousands of mourners flooded to a memorial service in North Carolina to celebrate the life of the black father who died after a white cop killed him leading to nearly two weeks of mass protests across the country.

Floyd's casket was seen being escorted out of the church to be taken to his final resting place in Houston, Texas, where he will be laid to rest beside his mother, Larcenia Floyd. Floyd had called out for his 'mama' while white cop Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes before he died.

As family members and loved ones grieved inside the Cape Fear Conference B Headquarters in Raeford, Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin declared there was 'enough of talking' and called for reform as protests over police brutality flare.

'Enough of talking. Don't let the life of George Floyd be in vain. It has become a sacrifice,' said Peterkin.

Peterkin then turned a introspective light onto himself and his fellow officers during his speech by saying 'we are part of the problem.'

'We as law enforcement officers don't have the authority to bully, push people around and kill them because we have on a badge and a gun,' urged Peterkin, who has worked in law enforcement for more than 30 years.

'It's got to change. We keep talking, we keep talking, we keep talking until it happens again,' he added.

It was anticipated nearly 30,000 to 40,000 people traveled to the small town of Raeford on Saturday to pay their respects to Floyd.

Floyd's casket was seen being escorted out of the church to be taken to his final resting place in Houston, Texas, where he will be laid to rest beside his mother, Larcenia Floyd

Local official estimated between 30,000 and 40,000 people would arrive at Cape Fear Conference B Headquarters for a public viewing ahead of a private memorial service

Pictured: People pay their respects during the George Floyd Memorial at R.L Douglas Cape Fear Conference B on Saturday during a public viewing of his casket

Pictured: An artist paint the face of George Floyd as people attend the Memorial Service held for him with public viewing at the birthplace of George Floyd in Raeford, North Carolina

Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin (pictured) gave an impassioned speech during George Floyd's memorial service in North Carolina, where he admitted law enforcement was 'part of the problem'

Floyd (pictured) was a native of North Carolina, originally from Fayetteville

Peterkin intentionally spoke beyond his two minute limit to get his message across as attendees cheered in agreement, according to WCNC.

'We can't afford to have 1 or 2% doing the mess that we're doing right now,' said Peterkin.

'We walk around with all this power, and there needs to be some house cleaning, I didn't say spring cleaning, spring cleaning means you're dusting and spraying. You need to take out the trash.'

Peterkin then asked mourners to look towards the younger generation's demand for political and social change.

'America, you better get this, what they're saying is there is going to be no peace until there is justice,' said Peterkin.

The father was a native of North Carolina, originally from Fayetteville.

The memorial included a public viewing that was scheduled from 11am to 1pm EST, was followed a private memorial that ran from 3pm to 5pm EST.

Mourners could be seen wearing masks and various shirts with George Floyd's face on it, with messages including 'I Can't Breathe' on them.

The service consisted of both a celebration of Floyd's life while also condemning the police brutality that led to his death and so many other black lives lost.

The casket carrying the body of George Floyd is seen inside his memorial services at R.L Douglas Cape Fear Conference B

Local authorities anticipate somewhere between 30,000 to 40,000 people came to the Cape Fear Conference B Headquarters in Raeford, North Carolina, for George Floyd's memorial service

Mural banners hangs with flowers inside the conference center

Floyd's body arrived to the center as long lines formed outside the center as people came to pay their respects

Pictured: People watch as the remains of George Floyd arrive for a viewing and memorial service at Cape Fear Conference B Church in Raeford, North Carolina, on Saturday

A motorcycle group arrives to pay its respects to George Floyd on Saturday as thousands flock to Raeford, North Carolina

The crowd cheered as the motorcycle riders rode by at the service in Raeford

Mourners could be seen wearing masks and various shirts with George Floyd's face on it, with messages like 'I Can't Breathe' on them

The remains of George Floyd arrive for a viewing and memorial service. Floyd was born in Fayetteville

Flowers arrive for the viewing and memorial of George Floyd

The line of people waiting to view the coffin included families with young children and teenagers.

One young woman wore a green and gold graduation cap and gown as she walked beside her parents. Most people wore surgical masks or cloth face coverings.

When a hearse bearing Mr Floyd's coffin arrived, chants of 'Black Power', 'George Floyd' and 'No justice, no peace', echoed from beneath the covered entrance.

'It could have been me. It could have been my brother, my father, any of my friends who are black,' said a man in the crowd, Erik Carlos of Fayetteville. 'It was a heavy hit, especially knowing that George Floyd was born near my hometown. It made me feel very vulnerable at first.'

The casket carrying the body of George Floyd is brought into the center ahead of the memorial service

People pay their respects during a memorial service for George Floyd

When a hearse bearing Mr Floyd's coffin arrived, chants of 'Black Power', 'George Floyd' and 'No justice, no peace', echoed from beneath the covered entrance

Governor Roy Cooper ordered all North Carolina flags located at state facilities to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Saturday.

Following the Saturday service, Floyd's body will head off to Houston where there will be a public viewing. Floyd was raised in Houston and spent a lot of his time in the Texas city.

Floyd died on May 25 after white police officer Derek Chauvin, who has been charged with murder, put his knee on Floyd's neck for several minutes as he lay handcuffed on the pavement, gasping that he couldn't breathe.

Three other Minneapolis police officers - Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao - were charged on Wednesday with aiding and abetting murder in Floyd's death.

Mourners arrive for George Floyd's viewing and memorial service at Cape Fear Conference B Church

A crowd convenes outside the center as they wait to get in for the memorial service

Floyd's death has empowered an international movement that has seen widespread demonstrations and civil strife in cities right across the United States and the world to condemn racism and police abuses.

Hollywood celebrities, musicians and politicians were among those to attend Floyd's memorial service in Minneapolis on Thursday.

Civil rights leader Rev Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy, declaring it was time for black people to demand: 'Get your knee off our necks!'

Pallbearers guide Floyd's body into the center for the viewing
DUBLIN, June 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Travel and Tourism: Travel Agencies, Tour Operators and Related Services in South Africa 2020" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report focuses on travel agencies, tour operators and related services in the travel and tourism industry. It includes information on the size and state of the sector and international and domestic tourism statistics. There are profiles of 53 companies including well known players such as Tourvest, Travelstart, and Rennies Travel. Other profiles include Flight Centre, which will close 40% of its network due to the effect on its business of coronavirus and And Beyond, which is streaming game drives during the coronavirus crisis.



Coronavirus: The coronavirus outbreak has resulted in the suspension of travel and tourism into and around South Africa. Most tourist accommodation has shut down for the lockdown, as have travel agencies. The lockdown will have a significant impact on the travel and tourism sector, and the recovery will be slow due to an expected reluctance to travel and because tourism has one of the highest risks of transmitting the virus. The Department of Tourism has made R200m available to assist SMEs.

Travel and Tourism: Travel Agencies, Tour Operators and Related services: The travel and tourism sector is a labour-intensive industry that has been identified by government as a key driver for South Africa's economic and social development. Government wants to double international tourist arrivals by 2030. The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in global and domestic restrictions on travel, and the travel and tourism sector is expected to be severely affected.



Disruption: The sector has been disrupted in recent years by sites and apps that have replaced the services of travel agents, and taken market share away from traditional players. However, for bulk tour and cruise bookings, brick and mortar travel agencies still maintain a large share as clients can save money by booking through an agent. Online tools and video conferencing, which have become increasingly prevalent in the lockdown, have reduced the amount of travel and business meetings as they save money and time. Many check-in and customer service processes are now automated.



Key Topics Covered



1. INTRODUCTION



2. DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUSTRY

2.1. Industry Value Chain

2.2. Geographic Position



3. SIZE OF THE INDUSTRY



4. STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

4.1. Local

4.1.1. Corporate and Government Actions

4.1.2. Regulations and Government Policies

4.1.3. Enterprise Development and Social Economic Development

4.2. Continental

4.3. International



5. INFLUENCING FACTORS

5.1. Coronavirus

5.2. Government Initiatives

5.3. Economic Environment

5.4. Rising Operating Costs

5.5. Environmental Concerns

5.6. Sharing Economy

5.7. Cyclicality

5.8. Crime and Security

5.9. Technology, Research & Development (R&D) and Innovation

5.10. Labour



6. COMPETITION

6.1. Barriers to Entry



7. SWOT ANALYSIS



8. OUTLOOK



9. INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS



10. REFERENCES

10.1. Publications

10.2. Websites



Companies Profiled



Comair Retail Travel Services (Pty) Ltd

Travel Vision (Pty) Ltd

Trafalgar Tours (Pty) Ltd

Rennies Travel (Pty) Ltd

Tourvest Holdings (Pty) Ltd

ERM Tours (Pty) Ltd

Akilanga (Pty) Ltd

African Eagle Cape Town Day Tours (Pty) Ltd

Abercrombie and Kent Safaris (Pty) Ltd

Egoli Tours (Pty) Ltd

Austria Connection CC

Songhai Travel (Pty) Ltd

Serendipity Tours (Pty) Ltd

Flightsite (Pty) Ltd

Travelstart Online Travel Operations (Pty) Ltd

African Eagle of Southern African Territories (Pty) Ltd

Cullinan Holdings Ltd

Flame of Africa CC

Beachcomber Marketing (Pty) Ltd

Quadrel Travel Management (Pty) Ltd

Connex Travel (Pty) Ltd

Flight Centre Travel Group (Pty) Ltd

Harvey World Travel Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd

Sure Travel (Pty) Ltd

Coega Development Corporation (Pty) Ltd

And Beyond South Africa (Pty) Ltd

African Impact Safari Operator CC

Club Travel SA (Pty) Ltd

Overseas Visitors Club (Pty) Ltd

STA Travel (Pty) Ltd

ITT Inspirations Travel and Tours (Pty) Ltd

Jetstar Travel (Pty) Ltd

Seeza Tourism SME Network NPC

Soul Traveller Tourism SA (Pty) Ltd

Travelingcheapskates (Pty) Ltd

Lebo's Backpackers CC

Siviwe Tours (Pty) Ltd

Wilderness Holdings Ltd

IGO Travel (Pty) Ltd

Booking South Africa (Pty) Ltd

(Pty) Ltd Afristay (Pty) Ltd

Bushbreaks and More (Pty) Ltd

Reed Park Trading (Pty) Ltd

Computravel CC

XL Travel (Pty) Ltd

Rakoma Travel (Pty) Ltd

Seolo Africa (Pty) Ltd

Legacy Hotels and Resorts (Pty) Ltd

More Family Collection (Pty) Ltd

Newmark Hotels (Pty) Ltd

Isibindi Africa Game Lodges (Pty) Ltd

Zulu Nyala Game Ranch (Pty) Ltd

Sanctuary Retreats Ltd

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/d231ae

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



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Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

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Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - Governments in areas with widespread COVID-19 transmission should encourage the use of non-medical masks on public transport, in shops and in other locations where physical distancing is difficult, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends, in updated guidance published on Friday
Ashen-faced, manacled and locked inside a steel cage, British fraud investigator Peter Humphrey confesses to his 'crimes'.

From a forbidding Shanghai jail, dressed in an orange prison tunic and, he says, drugged with sedatives, he grovels to the dozen television cameras trained on him.

'We obtained personal information by illegal means,' he mumbles, his voice wavering. 'I regret what I did and I apologise to the Chinese government.'

The humiliating 2013 footage was broadcast across Chinese media as well as  astonishingly  in Britain.

The apparent confession was a victory for the Communist regime in Beijing in its drive to stamp out corruption.

British fraud investigator Peter Humphrey (pictured) confessed to his 'crimes' in 2013 footage from a Shanghai jail, dressed in an orange prison tunic and, he says, drugged with sedatives

A Westerner accused of stealing private information and then confessing to his crimes in front of the TV cameras was a major coup for Xi Jinping's nascent presidency and his ruthless purge of the country.

For such a significant news event, it was left to China's star TV presenter James Chau to solemnly introduce the shocking footage to viewers. A Cambridge-educated British journalist, his clipped English accent gave the propaganda broadcast an air of legitimacy.

Mr Chau is a star in China and counts Meghan Markle among his close friends. They have been pictured arm-in-arm at high-profile charity events such as the One Young World Summit in 2016, where the pair were billed as 'counsellors' offering advice to young people.

Meghan has lavished praise on him in lengthy social media posts, describing him as a 'savvy and charming gent'.

And Mr Chau was lionised internationally too, appointed a so-called 'goodwill ambassador' for the World Health Organisation.

Introducing the 'confession' footage, Mr Chau trumpeted: 'The illegal acquisition and then the use of data is one of the fastest growing crimes in this country. But police in Shanghai have knocked a chink into that. They announced the owners of a foreign private investigation firm have been arrested on charges of illegally selling personal data belonging to Chinese nationals.'

But according to Mr Humphrey, the entire broadcast was a lie.

The investigator, who was arrested with his wife and business partner Yu Yingzeng while probing alleged corruption at pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, insists that the footage masked the truth of his ordeal.

Mr Humphrey claims that he and his wife are innocent and the so-called 'confession' was a sham  confected from doctored footage captured after he had been plied with sedatives.

Speaking from his home in Surrey, 64-year-old Mr Humphrey told The Mail on Sunday: 'It was a travesty of my human rights. I was stripped of my dignity, drugged, caged and had my words twisted to create the impression I confessed. But I never did and I never will.

Cambridge-educated British journalist and China's star TV presenter James Chau (pictured with Meghan Markle) was left to solemnly introduce the shocking footage to viewers

'The grief and humiliation I suffered was overwhelming. During that forced confession and the two years I endured in prison, they set out to crush my spirit. I'm left with scars that are still healing.'

Five years after his release from prison and his return to the UK, Mr Humphrey, who is still seeking redress in the American courts, continues to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder for which he receives treatment.

It was only once he returned to the UK that Mr Humphrey also received treatment for a prostate tumour. He says he was denied medical help for it in jail because he refused to sign a confession.

While Mr Humphrey was in prison, Mr Chau was enjoying the rewards of his high-profile career on state-owned China Central Television and basking in the adulation heaped upon him by Meghan Markle.

In a gushing post on her blog The Tig, the future Duchess of Sussex wrote in 2015: 'Sometimes you meet a person and just click. You fall into an easy banter, find them equal parts inspiring and entertaining, and you feel absolutely tickled to have made a new friend. (Something that gets harder as you get older  if you were born after 1985, trust me on this). Such was the case when I met James Chau at One Young World last fall in Dublin.

'Little did I know that this savvy and charming gent is a broadcaster and writer who has interviewed world figures [of] the likes of Winnie Mandela and Robert Mugabe; that he's an award winning journalist and news anchor who captured an audience of 85 million (yes, 85 million) for over a decade at the helm of China Central Television.

'Many moons ago, my friend Misan told me that James and I would connect some day, and the moment we did it all made sense. James is a UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador, a graduate of Cambridge, and a lover of culture and arts. You know how I often rattle on about 'being the change you wish to see in the world'. Well, he's the guy that's doing just that. Authentically, and passionately.'

Five years after his release from prison and his return to the UK, Mr Humphrey, who is seeking redress in the American courts, continues to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, for which he receives treatment

Last week, however, the WHO announced it would now 'review' Mr Chau's role at the organisation. And a spokesperson for the UN's Aids organisation said Mr Chau's term as ambassador had ended in 2016.

However, the organisation only removed his profile from their website last month, after the WHO announced it was investigating him.

While the extent of Mr Chau's knowledge of how Mr Humphrey's alleged forced confession was obtained is not known, he became  even if unwittingly  the public face of it.

From the moment of his arrest at his 22nd floor Shanghai apartment in July 2013, six weeks before his 'confession', Mr Humphrey insisted on his innocence. Officers from the feared Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Public Security raided and ransacked the property, searching for incriminating evidence.

Mr Humphrey was in the shower when the police arrived and as he emerged, his bedroom door was ripped off its hinges, sending him flying across the room and causing injuries that still afflict him today.

He was separated from his wife, unaware it would be the last time they would see each other for 700 days, and dragged away.

Weeks of being locked up in Shanghai Detention Centre  a bleak jail where Mr Humphrey shared a 12ft by 15ft cell with 12 other inmates and was subjected, he says, to daily interrogations  took their toll on his injuries.

On the day of his 'confession', he was given a pill which prison doctors said would ease the pain and soothe his repeated panic attacks but which made him drowsy and pliable instead.

Mr Humphrey had been told this was his chance to 'meet the media' and tell his true story to the world. He refused television cameras but said that he would talk to newspaper journalists.

'I wasn't comfortable with doing anything but when you've been under duress and you're offered some kind of lifeline, you take it. I was told that if I did it, they would look at my case more favourably.'

The World Health Organisation announced it would 'review' Mr Chau's role at the organisation and he has also been removed from the UN's Aids organisation website, after the WHO announced it was investigating him

That Monday morning, as he was led out of his cell dressed in a new orange vest and flanked by two warders, he was ambushed by a scrum of photographers and cameramen.

Mr Humphrey was led into an interrogation room where his chief inquisitors throughout his first few months of hell, Ding Zhidong from the Third Brigade of the Shanghai Criminal Investigation Department, and a man called Mr Bao, waited to question him.

The room was set up like a tribunal with a podium and a bench along which sat a number of prison officers.

The guards, who were usually dressed in plain clothes, wore uniform for the occasion and to impress the television cameras, Mr Humphrey believes.

In the centre of the room was a steel-barred cage containing a so-called 'tiger chair' with a steel bar that sat across Mr Humphrey's lap. He recalls one camera with a China Central Television logo.

Mr Humphrey had not yet been convicted of any crimes  that would come months later with his trial  but was already made to feel like a criminal.

'I was completely surrounded by officers, dazed, manacled and with cameras pointing at me through the bars. I was fighting for my life like a caged animal. It was horrifying.'

ANONYMOUS LONDON HUB FOR BEIJING'S PROPAGANDA Tucked away in a West London business park, this non-descript grey building is at the nerve centre of Chinese state medias expansion into Europe. Occupying 30,000sq ft of office space in Chiswick, China Global Televisions European hub beams state-approved broadcasts into living rooms across Britain. The channel  the international arm of China Central Television  last year launched an ambitious recruitment drive in London, with plans to hire up to 300 journalists, presenters and producers. But the station has faced controversy in the UK, where it is subject to a number of ongoing investigations by regulator Ofcom, including one into its broadcast of Mr Humphreys alleged forced confession. Last month, the channel was censured for failing to remain impartial on five occasions last year when it covered the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests. Advertisement

Even now, Mr Humphrey remains tormented by memories of the cage and endures disturbing flashbacks of being trapped.

Inspector Ding's questions were framed to extract a confession but Mr Humphrey refused.

'I was trying to walk a narrow tightrope of pleasing the officers without incriminating myself. The closest I came was using conditionals such, 'If I had broken the law, then I would be sorry' but I never, ever confessed.'

The resulting footage was broadcast to televisions across China on Chinese Central Television as well as in Britain on the channel's international arm CGTN.

For Mr Humphrey, convinced it had been edited to show he had confessed, the footage was 'unrecognisable'.

'I had not been allowed to see a lawyer beforehand. It was an obvious propaganda exercise, timed just days after the charges against me had been set out and as international attention was growing,' he said.

'After the confession, they led me away from the cage, telling me I had done well, but I just felt crushed, helpless. Believe it or not, even Chinese law promises a fair trial but I felt I had been denied all justice. I was furious.'

Mr Humphrey's disgust for the regime is hard to reconcile with the proud Sinophile he was when he arrived in the country as a bright-eyed postgraduate student at Durham University, in 1979.

As China emerged from the shadow of the so-called Cultural Revolution  Mao Tse-Tung's oppressive programme of anti-capitalist policies that led to millions of deaths  Mr Humphrey was drawn to the newly invigorated country.

'I realised it was an important country and that exciting things were about to happen,' he says.

He took a job teaching English at what was then the Peking Languages Institute, where he met his wife who was one of his students.

'It wasn't long before I fell in love with the country, its people and its culture. I would always tell my students, 'use your body and your brain to help your country'.'

He spent almost two decades as a journalist for Reuters, covering the 1997 handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China, before leaving the following year. He then worked for Kroll, the American corporate investigations firm, before moving to the blue-chip accountancy firm PwC, in charge of its investigations department in Beijing.

Mr Humphrey's language skills and intimate knowledge of the country became invaluable to foreign companies seeking to do business in China.

In 2003, he and Yingzeng decided to strike out on their own, setting up a company called ChinaWhys, specialising in fraud prevention and risk management.

By then, My Humphrey had become a stalwart of the expat and Chinese community, a philanthropist who became president of the Rotary Club and founded the China branch of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

The couple's son Harvey, who grew up bilingual, attended the Beijing branch of Dulwich College, before studying engineering at Bristol University.

Looking back, Mr Humphrey sees 2008 and the Beijing Olympics as China's zenith. 'I remember sitting in the Bird's Nest stadium with tears in my eyes. The country had come so far and had begun to open itself to the world. There was greater liberalisation and emerging professions such as law and accountancy. It was a brilliant time to be in the country.

'But things took a downward spiral from that point. Civil liberties were curtailed, defence lawyers were thrown in jail and accountants were controlled by the government.'

Mr Humphrey (pictured), who was arrested with his wife and business partner Yu Yingzeng while probing alleged corruption at pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, insists that the footage masked the truth of his ordeal and was a sham

It is telling that Mr Humphrey's arrest coincided with the election of president Xi Jinping, a leader he describes as a 'dictator' who he holds responsible for the government's 'bungled' handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Although there is much he is unable to discuss about his involvement with GSK due to an ongoing legal case, he and his wife were hired by the drug giant to look into a former employee in China who, they were told, was making false allegations about the firm.

The person, it emerged, was a whistleblower who had revealed GSK's practice of bribes in China. And when Chinese authorities cracked down on GSK, they also swept up the husband-and-wife team.

The couple are still pursuing GSK in the courts in Philadelphia for allegedly misleading them on what the job was about and exposing them to legal risks in China they could not have foreseen.

But the company said last night: 'GSK continues to believe that this lawsuit is without merit and does not belong in the US court system.'

Last year, after Mr Humphrey filed a complaint, the UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom launched an investigation into CGTN over its broadcast of his alleged forced confession. A decision is expected shortly.

A condemnation would be a small victory on the path to exoneration. His and Yingzeng's ten-year ban from entering China remains in place until 2025 but Mr Humphrey hopes that a new regime might bring that forward, as well prompt an admission that they were wrongly imprisoned.

Now Mr Humphrey reflects on how his family gave him the strength to endure the tough years he spent in jail in China. With a sense of nostalgia, he still uses an old Nokia mobile phone that his son bought to speak to him in prison.

Five years on, he still remembers the moment he was reunited with his wife in a dingy hotel after being released.

With tears in his eyes, he recalls: 'The police officer asked me if I wanted to see my wife again. He gestured out into the hall and I walked out to find her standing there.

'I remember the hotel music started playing Come Together by the Beatles and we embraced. It was a moment at times I wasn't sure would ever happen again.'
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A 2019 bill in Eric Garners name is gaining traction in Congress as people across the nation are calling for widespread justice reform.

The Eric Garner Excessive Use of Force Prevention Act of 2019 would amend the civil rights law by prohibiting chokeholds by law enforcement.

Eric Garner, 43, was arrested for selling loose cigarettes in Tompkinsville. His final words, I cant breathe, have become a mantra of the Black Lives Matter movement. Garner uttered those words repeatedly while placed in a chokehold by NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo.

A Staten Island grand jury declined to indict Pantaleo on criminal charges in 2014, prompting the Department of Justice to launch a civil rights investigation into the incident. After five years, two presidential administrations and four attorneys general, Attorney General William Barr decided not to pursue federal charges against Pantaleo on the eve of the fifth anniversary of his death.

Nearly 70 democratic members of congress signed on as co-sponsors of the bill on June 4, making a total of 97 representatives on board.

Staten Island Rep. Max Rose was not listed as a co-sponsor.

When asked about his position on the bill, a spokesman told the Advance/SILive.com: Theres no doubt the American people are looking to Congress to act so that a murder like George Floyds never happens again.

Congressman Rose is speaking with colleagues and listening to those in the community on how to do this quickly, but also responsibly  and encourages all Staten islanders and South Brooklynites to reach out to express their thoughts, the spokesman said.

Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Sen. Elizabeth Warren promised the Garner family, as well as the families of Stephon Clark and Andrew Kearse, they will make sure the three pieces of legislation are passed in their names, according to Newsweek.

Clark was fatally shot in 2018 after two officers approached him in his grandmothers driveway in California. The two officers chased him into the backyard and fired 20 rounds at Clark stating he pointed a gun at them.

Kearse died of a heart attack in a police cruiser in Schenectady, New York after being arrested for trying to flee after being pulled over for erratic driving. He lead with officers stating he too couldnt breathe and was ignored for 10 minutes.
During normal times, more than 14 million tourists from the United States travel to Canada each year. The number of Canadians that make trips south of the border, including same-day and weekend shopping excursions, is about three times that.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

During normal times, more than 14 million tourists from the United States travel to Canada each year. The number of Canadians that make trips south of the border, including same-day and weekend shopping excursions, is about three times that.

Its something to think about as Canada and the U.S. decide whether to lift travel restrictions between the two countries, which were extended last month to help contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Officials on both sides of the border agreed to maintain the ban on all non-essential travel until June 21. They will have to decide soon whether to extend it further.

Considering the high number of cases of COVID-19 in the U.S.  including in many states that border Canada  lifting the ban at this point would be a catastrophic error. The daily count of new cases in Canada continues to fall. With the exception of Montreal and Toronto, the pandemic is largely under control in Canada. The number of new cases per day is below 800, down from 1,050 a week ago. The test positivity rate  the percentage of those tested who are infected  continues to decline across the country.

CP If the border were to reopen this summer, it would take just a small portion of those not following self-isolation rules to trigger an outbreak. It could change Manitobas situation virtually overnight. All the sacrifices made, including job losses and business closures, would be for naught. (Elaine Thompson / Canadian Press files)

That could change in a heartbeat if Canada agrees to open its borders to its southern neighbours. When it comes to containing the spread of the novel coronavirus, the two countries are worlds apart.

While New York City saw no deaths from the disease on Wednesday for the first time in months, New York state still reported an average of 676 new cases a day over the past week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S.

Michigan had an average of 376 new cases a day over the past seven days. Minnesota, which borders Manitoba and Ontario, had 544 (close to twice as many cases a day as Manitobas total since the beginning of the pandemic).

North Dakota, a favourite destination for many Manitobans, hasnt been as hard hit. But it still reported 267 new cases over the past week. Manitoba, with a larger population, had six new cases during the same period.

Washington State is still getting well over 300 cases a day. Californias daily count is nearly 10 times that amount.

The number of new cases isnt the only way to assess the current state of the pandemic. The more a region tests, the more cases its going to find. But the test positivity rate is also higher in the U.S. than in Canada. It has been falling overall south of the border, but in some parts of the country  including the northwestern region  the test positivity rate has climbed slightly over the past week, according to the CDC.

For a province such as Manitoba (with a test positivity rate of close to zero over the past few weeks, no COVID-19 patients in hospital and no new deaths for over a month), opening the border to a country with substantially higher infection rates would be suicidal.

Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The few new cases Manitoba has had in recent weeks are almost all linked to travel. The better it can limit the number of people coming into the province, especially from the U.S., the faster the economy can recover.

The few new cases Manitoba has had in recent weeks are almost all linked to travel. The better it can limit the number of people coming into the province, especially from the U.S., the faster the economy can recover.

We cant stop all international travel. Canada still trades with the U.S. and other countries. It must continue to do so. Trucking and other modes of transporting goods, as well as the movement of labour (temporary foreign workers, for example) will cross international borders. But non-essential travellers dont have to, at least not for now.

If the border were to reopen this summer, it would take just a small portion of those not following self-isolation rules to trigger an outbreak (as a doctor in New Brunswick recently did). It could change Manitobas situation virtually overnight. All the sacrifices made, including job losses and business closures, would be for naught.

The Canada-U.S. border cant stay closed forever. Eventually non-essential travel must resume. But specified benchmarks should be achieved before doing so, including meeting targets for new reported cases and test positivity rates. Thats something both countries should agree on. The U.S. doesnt want people travelling from Montreal or Toronto to New York any more than Manitobans want folks coming in from Minnesota right now. Keeping the borders closed to non-essential travel is mutually beneficial. That shouldnt change until the spread of this virus is brought under control.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca
Thousands of Allied troops were already pressing forward on the ground by the time British Special Forces flew south over the darkened fields of France on June 21, 1944.

But for the SAS, this journey, two weeks after D-Day, would be one of the most dangerous missions of the Second World War  a parachute drop into the heart of occupied France, where the Germans were digging in. And where to be caught was a death sentence.

Before leaping into the blackness outside, the battle-hardened men of A Squadron were checking their essential kit: weapons, ammunition, rations, sleeping bags and their favourite clergyman.

The troops knew they were likely to be operating behind enemy lines for months, so it was all the more important to have some religious and spiritual support as they risked their lives day after day for King and country.

The man who had volunteered to go with them was Army Chaplain Fraser McLuskey, who eventually became affectionately known as the 'Parachuting Padre'.

McLuskey had undergone intensive parachute and other training so that his presence would aid, not hinder, the soldiers.

Like them, he was in no doubt of the consequences if he was discovered by the Nazis behind their lines: he would probably be executed, not simply taken as a prisoner of war.

Now, 75 years after McLuskey was decorated for his bravery, even though he refused to carry a gun, I feel privileged to champion his gallantry.

Army Chaplain Fraser McLuskey, pictured, volunteered to go behind German lines with the SAS and became affectionately known as the 'Parachuting Padre'

James Fraser McLuskey  always known as Fraser  was born in Edinburgh on September 19, 1914, just over a month after the beginning of the First World War.

His only sibling, Margaret, was seven years his senior. The McLuskey family soon moved to Aberdeen, where young Fraser's father ran a laundry business.

As a boy, he sometimes accompanied the driver of the horse-drawn carriage on his laundry rounds. McLuskey attended Aberdeen Grammar School until 1931, showing talent at both rugby and ballroom dancing.

Then he returned to Edinburgh with his family, starting a degree in arts and divinity at the city's university soon afterwards.

Even as a teenager, he was convinced his future lay as a Church of Scotland minister.

In 1938, with the benefit of a travel scholarship, McLuskey spent three months in Germany, where he became interested in the Confessional Church, which opposed Hitler's efforts to take over the Protestant churches.

McLuskey had a strong personal objection to the racist doctrines of the Nazi party and, while in Germany, he met and became engaged to Irene Calaminus, the daughter of a German pastor.

On his return to the UK, he began a job as Scottish Secretary of the Student Christian Movement.

On August 24, 1939, with war looming, he married Irene in Edinburgh.

The groom was 24, his bride 26. Like her new husband, Irene hated all that Hitler stood for, and the war meant she was separated from her family indefinitely.

McLuskey, gentle and devout, was appointed as chaplain to the University of Glasgow, and in the spring of 1943 he was given leave of absence to attend the Army Chaplains' Training Centre in Tidworth, Wiltshire.

One day he opened a letter saying there was a need for chaplains to volunteer for parachute training.

Feeling young and fit enough for the challenge, he volunteered and was accepted, learning to drop from first an air balloon and then a plane.

Once he had gained his wings, McLuskey was asked to report to an organisation he had never heard of  the Special Air Service, or SAS, then just two years old.

The unit was being prepared for a role in the imminent invasion of France.

McLuskey was appointed as chaplain to the 1st SAS Regiment, whose commanding officer was the legendary Lieutenant Colonel Blair 'Paddy' Mayne, already decorated with the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and Bar for his courage in North Africa and Sicily (two further DSOs followed for gallantry later in the war).

The plan was for four operational squadrons  each of about 100 men  to be dropped behind enemy lines after the D-Day landings that took place on June 6, 1944.

Sadly for McLuskey and his wife, shortly before his departure their baby daughter Joan died from cerebral meningitis.

On June 21, the main body of A Squadron was to be flown to Nievre, a hilly, wooden area in central France.

McLuskey volunteered to go with them. He was also given permission to take his 'Church'  a hamper containing an oak cross and an altar cloth dyed maroon and bearing the regimental emblem of a winged dagger.

It also contained hymn books, New Testaments and copies of the Day Book Of Prayer. After a three-and-a-half-hour flight, the 16 men dropped from the plane, a converted Stirling bomber, one by one.

The plan was for four operational squadrons  each of about 100 men  to be dropped behind enemy lines after the D-Day landings that took place on June 6, 1944

Not everything went to plan, as McLuskey later recalled: 'I landed, well beyond the dropping zone, in a dense forest, and found myself suspended from my parachute harness from a tree.'

Reaching for his jack-knife, he cut himself free, landing head-first on the ground, but eventually linked up with the rest of his party.

As arranged, they were soon met by maquisards, members of the French Resistance who set them up in a camp in the woods.

Days later they had their first Sunday service together, using a makeshift communion table equipped with the cross and cloth from his hamper.

Leading the service for a 30-strong group, McLuskey gave thanks for their preservation  thus far  and he commended the operation, their loved ones and themselves to 'God's care and keeping'.

McLuskey later recalled: 'Our aim was the liberation of our fellow men from a hideous tyranny and the preservation of those freedoms upon which any life worth the name must depend.

We were under no illusions of the risk we ran to ourselves.' During subsequent firefights with the enemy, McLuskey waited with the medical officer at the Aid Post as the fighting unfolded.

At times he helped out, including when Sergeant-Major Reg Seekings was hit in the head. McLuskey said: 'I cannot forget the first and last surgical operation at which I assisted, however inexpertly.

'The bullet lodged deeply at the base of his skull and could not be removed, but Reg, as one would expect, took it in his powerful stride and in no time at all resumed normal operations.'

As the weeks passed the weather deteriorated, meaning the RAF could not make the planned drops of supplies.

With the local Maquis routed by the Germans, and with few farms in the area, the SAS and their padre were short of food.

'For the first time in my life I began to learn what it felt like to be hungry,' McLuskey said.

But, after three weeks, new supplies were successfully dropped. McLuskey toured the area in a Renault looking after the needs of what he called his 'parishioners'  SAS soldiers trying to sabotage German operations as the Allied army pressed further into France.

'I wasn't there as a fighting man but had my own job to do. I was the better able to do it because as far as possible I was sharing the life my 'flock' had to lead.

'I was the better able to do it because, unarmed, I represented the peace which the men knew well is God's will for a warring world,' said McLuskey.

He had no trouble reconciling his role and his faith because he felt all military operations were working towards a peace from which 'all, not least the citizens of Nazi Germany, might benefit. It seemed no other way was open to secure it'.

For much of the time, McLuskey had a personal bodyguard, Harry Wilson, who affectionately became known as 'Padre's Private Army'.

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The padre later said: 'In a setting which could not have been more abnormal, I found opportunities to exercise my calling as great as I had ever known.'

While A Squadron took few casualties, B Squadron was less fortunate: at one point, 41 members were surrounded by a huge Gestapo and SS force.

One was killed, three wounded and seven escaped. The remaining 30 were captured and executed. D Squadron also lost many men.

McLuskey was concerned for his wife back home who, of course, was still separated from her German family and was grieving the loss of their only child.

However, he managed to stay calm in the face of danger: 'I can only say that fears, when they visited my own heart, were never disabling.

'But there was the thrill of our Robin Hood existence, the previous friendship of my companions, the excitements of the enterprise, and the daily surprises, whether pleasant or unpleasant.'

At one point, British and American supply aircraft crashed nearby. McLuskey and the SAS were able to bury the Americans before the Germans found them, but the British plane crashed further away and the enemy reached the scene first.

McLuskey was also full of admiration for the Maquis and ordinary civilians. Sometimes the locals were shot en masse rather than give up the positions of the SAS men who were fighting to free them from German occupation.

He said: 'In addition, at great risk to themselves, they went out of their way to help us. 'Little wonder that like so many others I shall always feel that France is a second home.'

McLuskey spent nearly three months behind enemy lines in France before enjoying some richly deserved leave.

Lord Ashcroft (pictured) says he feels 'privileged' to tell the chaplain's story

Although he was 'grateful for every hour at home with Irene', he was also impatient to get back to 'the Regiment', as the SAS is known within the Army.

However, he was not dropped behind enemy lines a second time. Instead he was posted, still in his role as chaplain, to the 2nd Army as it made its way through Belgium, Holland and, eventually, Germany.

This time he found his work less rewarding. 'The sense of a closeknit fellowship was inevitably lost and my work as chaplain grew correspondingly difficult,' McLuskey said later.

Yet, as he entered Germany, the full horror of the war was brought home to him, with whole towns obliterated by the Allied bombing campaign.

'The plight of such inhabitants as remained was pathetic beyond words,' he said.

After the German surrender on May 7  prompting VE celebrations the next day  McLuskey travelled to the Rhineland, where he hoped to find out news of his wife's family.

He discovered that one of the last Allied bombing attacks had struck Irene's parents' home, killing both of them along with their daughter-in-law and her three young children.

Irene's three brothers, who had served in the German armed forces, had all survived the war  one wounded, one as a PoW and the other unscathed.

Irene, who was pregnant again, was heartbroken by the deaths. For a time McLuskey served in Norway, and he was there when his son, Kenneth, was born in Edinburgh.

While back in Britain, McLuskey visited families of SAS men killed in action. He said: 'I covered many hundreds of miles to meet wives and parents and give them some idea of the circumstances in which their husbands and sons had died.

Where meetings were impossible, I wrote as fully as I could, but letters are a poor substitute for face to face.'

For his bravery, McLuskey was awarded the MC on March 29, 1945. The recommendation for his citation ended: 'His bravery, steadiness and cheerfulness in all situations, and complete disregard for personal safety, served as an inspiration to the whole squadron.'

After returning to the UK, he became parish minister, first in Broughty Ferry, a suburb of Dundee, then in Bearsden, a suburb of Glasgow.

For both roles he lived with his wife and their two sons, the second of whom was called Andrew.

Irene, sadly, died from breast cancer when Kenneth was 14 and Andrew was 12.

In 1960, McLuskey, together with his sons and their golden labrador, Sam, headed south for a new challenge as minister of St Columba's in Chelsea, then the meeting place for one of the two Church of Scotland congregations in London.

In 1966 he married again, this time to Ruth Briant, a widow who had previously been divorced  a source of controversy at the time.

After retiring in 1986, he returned to France to visit locations where he had been deployed with the SAS more than 40 years earlier.

He died in Edinburgh on July 24, 2005, aged 90.

McLuskey had ended his little known autobiography, The Cloud And The Fire, published in 1993, with the words: 'When I see my Saviour face to face I shall certainly say: Thank you for so graciously and patiently allowing me to do for so long what is, for me, the most fascinating job in the world.'

The Very Rev Dr Fraser McLuskey MC was one of a kind, and we should remember that, even in war, bravery and kindness can go hand in hand.

Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC is a businessman, philanthropist, author and pollster. For information about his work, including his six books on bravery, visit www.lordashcroft.com. Follow him on Twitter and/or Facebook: @LordAshcroft.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has signed off on a plan to permanently withdraw up to one-third of about 34,500 U.S. troops currently based in Germany, bringing the total down to no more than 25,000, according to U.S. officials.

Implementation of the plan is being turned over to the Defense Department, a senior administration official said. Defense officials said they had no immediate comment on the subject, and referred questions to the White House National Security Council, which did not respond to queries.

Trump pledged during his last presidential campaign to end U.S. involvement in what he has called America's "forever wars," primarily in the Middle East and Afghanistan. He has repeatedly threatened to end or reduce the peacetime defensive deployments of troops in Asia and Europe, charging that those countries were not paying enough for what he has described as U.S. protection.

Until now, however, he has made only small reductions - along with a number of increases - in U.S. forces deployed in war zones, while threats to scale back the tens of thousands of U.S. forces in countries such as South Korea, Japan and Germany have not been acted upon.

The reduction plan, pushed by U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, has been closely held within the White House. Grenell has also served for the past several months as acting director of national intelligence, following Trump's firing of his predecessor, acting director Joseph Maguire, over concerns about Maguire's staff's loyalty. Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, was confirmed for the post last month. Attempts to contact Grenell were not successful.

As of late Friday, Germany had not been officially informed of the withdrawal order, which the Wall Street Journal, which first reported it Friday, said had been formally signed by Trump national security adviser Robert O'Brien after the president approved it.

It was unclear whether members of Congress had been told of the withdrawal. But as word of the plan became public, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called Trump's order "petty and preposterous."

"It's another favor to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and another leadership failure by this Administration that further strains relations with our allies," Reed said in a statement issued by his office on Friday.

U.S. troops in Germany, numbering 235,000 during the Cold War with the Soviet Union, have been gradually reduced over the years. German officials have argued that their primary function was not to defend that country, but to defend U.S. interests by being close to Russia, serving as a transfer station and training facility for American deployments worldwide and the site of massive U.S. military hospital facilities. Germany is the headquarters for U.S. forces throughout Europe, and also hosts the U.S. Africa Command.

Factoring in rotations and overlaps, the number of troops in Germany at any given moment can total more than 50,000. It was not clear whether the 25,000 cap was absolute, or would still allow for such temporary spikes.

U.S. officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the still-unannounced plan, said that it had been under consideration for several months. But confirmation that Trump has signed off on it came as he has been increasingly at odds with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Merkel declined to attend the Group of Seven summit that Trump had announced for later this month in Washington, citing health concerns. Other leaders had also expressed worries about traveling during the pandemic, particularly given the high numbers of U.S. infections and deaths.

But Merkel's public refusal tipped the balance, and Trump was forced to postpone the gathering of world leaders, at the same time he declared that America was ready to "reopen" and to recapture the economic boom that he has hoped would lead to his reelection.

The fact that Germany was given no "heads up" that Trump had signed off on the withdrawal "speaks for itself," said one senior European official, and is unlikely to improve the generally low state of "the trans-Atlantic environment."

Trump has frequently criticized Germany's foot-dragging in reaching the 2 percent NATO target for member defense spending. He has also pledged to deploy more troops to Poland, whose right-wing populist government he has praised.

Jeff Rathke, a former career Foreign Service officer and a Germany scholar at Johns Hopkins University, was critical of the move. "For those who think this will punish Merkel and Germany, they have it wrong," he said. "It is important to remember that the U.S. force presence in Germany is not about defending Germany, but about having a platform from which the U.S. can engage and bolster NATO allies, deter Russia, and project power into the Middle East and North Africa when necessary."

"Until we know more about the types of forces that will be withdrawn, and how the U.S. plans to compensate for a smaller platform," Rathke said, "it is hard to tell what the strategic intent might be behind this, and how it leads to greater security for the U.S. and NATO, rather than less."

- - -

The Washington Post's Josh Dawsey and John Hudson contributed to this report.
Pawan Jhabakh and Salai Varun By

To say that COVID-19 has plunged commerce and business into an unprecedented crisis would be stating the obvious.

The basic functioning of trade through contracts has been disrupted wherein parties are not in a position to honor their contractual obligations and consequently are anticipating significant financial consequences is the form of penalties, damages and invocation of bank guarantees.

The unanticipated disruption of contracts and its non-performance due to COVID-19 has elevated, more than ever, the grave importance of the concept of "Force Majeure". The text of "Force Majeure" clauses and the conduct of the parties prior to such invocation would be essential to determine whether the invocation was lawful/justified or was it a mere defence by a party to escape contractual obligations and its performance.

In this context, the Delhi High Court (DHC) in the case of Halliburton v Vedanta Limited had an occasion to deal with this ever-important principle of law.

Facts of the Halliburton Case:

Without going into the intricacies of the mammoth contract, the simple facts revolving the present dispute was that the underlying agreement between Vedanta Limited ("Vedanta") and Halliburton Offshore Services Inc ("Halliburton") stated that Halliburton will carry out 'Drilling & Completion' and 'Surface Facility' operations for a Petroleum Project in Rajasthan.

More pertinently, it was also agreed between the parties that time was of essence in the said contract. In other words, it was expressly agreed that the parties are to perform their contractual obligations within the timeframe agreed under the contract.

After granting prior extensions, Vedanta had insisted that the work in all three fields be completed by 31st January 2020. However, by mutual agreement between parties the deadline was further extended to 31st March 2020.

Expert Speak | Can tenants skip paying rent citing COVID-19 pandemic?

The Litigation:

The dispute between parties arose when on 18th March 2020, just before the scheduled deadline for completion; Halliburton invoked the "Force Majeure" clause seeking further time for the completion of the Project.

Vedanta replied on 31st March 2020 proposing termination of the contract and consequential invocation of bank guarantees.

As a result, Halliburton approached the Delhi High Court on 13th April 2020, (also the date when Vedanta terminated the contract) and obtained an ad-interim injunction order restraining the invocation and encashment of bank guarantees.

Questions framed by the Delhi High Court:

Post the completion of the pleadings by the parties, when the matter was taken up for disposal, the Delhi High Court had framed two questions:

Whether COVID-19 can provide succour to a party in breach of contractual obligations?

And, whether the invocation of the Bank Guarantees is liable to be injuncted on the ground of occurrence of a force majeure event i.e. COVID-19, if the breach occurred prior to the said outbreak?

In simple terms, the questions before the Court was whether, COVID-19 can be a defence for a party in breach of its contractual obligations and whether a party can seek relief of injunction on account of Force Majeure if the breach occurred prior to the "Force Majeure" event.

The "Force Majeure" defence by Halliburton:

Interestingly, the contract governing the dispute between Halliburton and Vedanta contained a "Force Majeure" clause wide enough to include a pandemic, which should be incorporated in all commercial contracts, as a matter of practice.

In light of the same, it was urged on behalf of Halliburton that "Force Majeure" squarely applies in view of the outbreak of COVID-19. The plea of "Force Majeure" was substantiated further by contending that the equipments, which are to be installed require personnel to travel from various foreign countries and this was not possible due to the "lockdown".

On the contrary, it was argued by Vedanta that the breach of contractual obligations was much prior to the outbreak of COVID and one cannot conveniently take shelter under the Force Majeure" clause for a breach of contractual deadlines.

The nexus between Impossibility of Performance and the "Force Majeure" event:

It is indeed a matter of fact that a "Force Majeure" clause is drafted under a commercial contract with an intention of protecting the parties from an expected supervening event. This is firmly established upon the principle, les non cogitadimpossibilia, which means that "the law will not compel a man to do what he cannot possibly perform".

However, it goes without saying, that the inability or the impossibility of performance must have a direct nexus with the unexpected supervening event which rendered performance "impossible" and not merely unviable. The relevant intervening event and the damage it could cause have to be evaluated.

Inconvenience and difficulty in performance would not suffice to invoke "Force Majeure". Amongst other imperative criteria to invoke "Force Majure", it is paramount that the party seeking to rely on the clause may also need to demonstrate that the performance of the said party was prevented by the "Force Majeure" condition.

Findings of the Court to the questions raised:

The Delhi High Court held that a party invoking COVID-19 as a "Force Majeure" event would have to be determined on a case-to-case basis. Though, COVID-19 is a "Force Majeure" event justifying exemption of breach and non-performance, every such breach and non-performance cannot be protected or excused by invocation of COVID-19 as a "Force Majeure" event.

The conduct of parties prior to the outbreak ought to be examined on a case-to-case basis to ascertain whether a party on genuine grounds could not perform the contract. It also has to be seen whether COVID-19 or any other "Force Majeure" event cited by a party was the "real reason" and "real justification" of non-performance.

The Delhi High Court applied the principles laid down in the "Energy Watchdog1" case and held that the exercise of relief by Courts in cases of "Force Majeure" has to considered narrowly and not broadly, wherein parties must perform their contractual obligations and that non-performance can be excused or absolved only in exceptional circumstances.

The Court also held that the past conduct of non-performance of parties cannot be condoned due to COVID-19. As Halliburton was in breach since September 2019, the company could not be excused for nonperformance where deadlines were breached much before COVID-19.

Law on Invocation of Bank Guarantee also considered:

While analyzing the defence of "Force Majeure" in the facts of this case, the Court also considered the general law applicable to invocation of Bank Guarantees which was laid down in the case of Standard Chartered v Heavy Engineering Corporation Ltd &Ors2.

It is trite law that the Courts should not normally grant an order of injunction to restrain the realization or encashment of a bank guarantee or a letter of credit.

On the other hand, the bank giving such guarantee is bound to honor it as per its terms irrespective of any dispute existing between the party and the beneficiary. The principle is that the Courts shall interfere only if there should be 'serious dispute' and a prima facie case of fraud and special equities in the form of preventing irretrievable injustice.

Conclusion:

It is now judicially pronounced that COVID-19 is "Force Majeure" event, but COVID-19 cannot be a straight-jacket defence available to parties unless its invocation is justified and parties can directly attribute reasons of breach or non-performance for reasons purely and only on account of COVID-19.

Parties cannot seek to hide and deviate themselves from performance obligations, when COVID-19 cannot help justify breach or non-performance.

In the above case, Halliburton failed to satisfy that the breach and non-performance was directly and solely attributable to COVID-19. The Court noted that Halliburton had committed breach much before the pandemic and was guilty of non-performance. Hence, the conduct or performance of commercial contracts between parties prior to invocation is another principle of introspection elucidated by the Delhi High Court.

This verdict of the Delhi High Court is a classic example to show that COVID-19 or any other supervening force cannot be conveniently used as a shield of "Force Majeure". It is indispensable that the party invoking "Force Majeure" in any commercial contract must demonstrate that the non-performance or breach is directly attributable to the event of COVID -19.

Pawan Jhabakh and Salai Varun are advocates practising in the Madras High Court. The views expressed are personal.
NPP National Youth Organizer, Henry Nana Boakye, has spelled doom for the opposition National Democratic Congress, stating the party will pay dearly for objecting to the compilation of a new voters' register.



He believed the NDC will regret their actions during the December polls this year.



According to Nana Boakye, the hierarchy of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is afraid of a low turnout of their members during the EC registration exercise and eventually the general elections because of their poor leadeship.



He stated the NDC ordered their members and supporters to abstain from the National Identification Authority's (NIA) exercise for identity cards called the Ghana card and is therefore reaping what they sowed.



He further diagnosed the NDC's problem saying it has a leadership crisis.



''They have not shown leadership at all. They are going to regret it. They're going to pay for it and when the day of reckoning comes and when we are done with the elections, and they have been declared losers; they will go back and write a report. They will go round again and go to their branch members and their branch members will remind them that they didn't allow them to write their names when the NIA began the process of writing names, and that is why we suffered when the mass registration exercise was due and that is how we have lost woefully again. This is poor leadership'', he said on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo''.





Listen to his submissions below:





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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CHESTER  Members of the community launched a peace initiative Friday based on a leading NGO that takes a public health approach to violence, equating it with disease and responses to it with preventative measures.

Our primary, sole responsibility is to address gun violence to stop the murders and to mediate conflicts so that shootings can be lessened, Dr. Ron Williams, program director of the Chester Peace Initiative, said.

Williams is also pastor of the Macedonia Seventh Day Adventist Church and vice president of the Ministerial Fellowship of Chester and Vicinity, who in collaboration with other community partners like the police department, city officials and health officials have invested in this process to eradicate gun violence from the city.

He explained the effort began approximately 18 months ago as members of the Ministerial Fellowship were going to various neighborhoods to pray and were challenged by residents about what more they could do.

That led to Marla Davis of Philadelphia CeaseFire, that citys manifestation of CURE Violence, an initiative begun in Chicago, Ill. over 20 years ago that has spread throughout the world.

The approach is entirely different than any other approach thats out there thats out there on the market, Williams said. CURE Violence looks at this issue of violence, not from a criminal standpoint  it says, No, lets not look at a criminalistic approach, lets take a medical approach, a public health approach and look at this as a disease.

As such, it utilizes the principles of disease remediation towards minimizing violence by addressing the factors that create violence.

Thats why we are so excited about bringing this model to the city of Chester because it has a proven track record that it will work, he said.

Williams compared it to the coronavirus pandemic.

If you want to understand the power and the motivation behind CURE Violence, look at what the CDC is trying to do and how this present epidemic of COVID-19 is affecting us, he said, adding that people are trying to institute protective measures including wearing masks, testing and social distancing to mitigate it. Were taking the exact same approach, ironically, and were applying the methodology to violence  because violence behaves just like a contagious disease  When violence begins to take root, it spreads and spreads and spreads and begins to coagulate and act just like a disease.

He noted that there are some people who need to be in jail because no other method will work. He added, however, Theres a lot more other people who jail does not necessarily have to be the key that unlocks their behavior to be changed so that theyre less violent. If we take a public health approach with those individuals, we can see great success.

Part of its success, Williams said, are its staff, including violence intervention specialists Jonathan Raheem King and Jean-Pierre Brice, who was instrumental in creating the name by forecasting the vision the shareholders want to see for the city.

Both King and Brice have built authentic connections throughout the community and are respected and trusted for that.

I joined this initiative because I knew it was necessary for our city, King said. Our job is to cure violence. Its a disease, its a pandemic. Its not normal for brown kids to be murdered in their community every day.

Having completed the 40-hour training, coupled with his 20 years of experience, King said he does believe the model will work in Chester.

It really works, he said. All we have to do is follow the model. We have an evidence based international model that is being implemented in this city. Its not one thing in particular. Its the whole community supporting it so we can be successful with people who are sick with violence.

The model looks at clusters in the city where violent episodes are occurring. Then, it implements the model to interrupt the transmission through preventing retaliations and conflict mediation while simultaenously reducing those at highest risk and changing community norms.

Williams said it is a method with a proven track record with the potential for effectiveness in Chester.

Violence can be navigated, it can be addressed, he said. And there is a resolution to violence, it requires an entire context of community advocates and those who are against violence.

Those interested in participating in the Chester Peace Initiative or who would like more information about it, can contact Dr. Williams at tun62901@temple.edu.
Hundreds of schools in north west England have been 'strongly advised' not reopen on Monday morning after it was revealed the R rate has risen in the area.

Health officials at Blackburn and Darwen Council, which runs 85 schools in Lancashire, emailed local schools on Friday evening advising them not to reopen.

The same advice was given by public health officials in Tameside, Greater Manchester, to delay reopening for pupils other than vulnerable children and those of key workers, to June 22.

Hundreds of primary schools in the north west of England have been 'strongly advised' not to reopen on Monday after a rise in the R rate

It comes after new data showed the virus' reproductive rate, known as the R value, is higher than the crucial threshold of 1 in the north west region and Health Secretary Matt Hancock admitted there is a 'challenge' there.

The R value refers to the average number of people that will contract coronavirus from an infected person.

If it is 1 or higher, the virus will spread exponentially through the population, while a value less than 1 indicates the virus is in decline.

Officials from Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Blackburn (QEGS) tweeted that they would not re-open until June 22 after latest guidance from the council to all schools across the borough.

QEGS headteacher Claire Gammon wrote a statement on the school website to parents and carers.

It said: 'Following updated guidance from Blackburn with Darwen Council this evening we are delaying the phased reopening of school until June 22.

'We appreciate this is late notice however we are having to work with an ever-evolving situation and flexibility is required by our whole QEGS community.'

Other schools in the borough, which has a population of 150,000, have also said teachers were 'devastated' after working 'tirelessly' to prepare for Monday.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock acknowledged that there was a 'challenge' in the area following the new statistics

Headteachers in Tameside were also told on Friday to delay the wider reopening of schools beyond key workers' children and vulnerable pupils 'until there is further assurance,' the council's director of public health, Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy, said in a letter to schools.

The north west has the highest rate of Covid-19 infections in England according to Public Health England (PHE), and data released on Friday afternoon suggested the R value is higher than 1 in the region.

Data from PHE released on Friday gave an R value of 1.01 for the North West and 1.0 for the South West, with all other regions below 1.

The Government has suggested a strategy of 'local lockdown' measures to fight any flare-up of the virus in particular areas.

However Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, has questioned whether such measures are workable, calling them a 'recipe for chaos'.

Both he and Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram have questioned whether lockdown relaxation was being lifted too soon, having been driven from London, with the regions and the North in particular not being listened to.

Council bosses in Liverpool and Gateshead led a northern backlash against the government announcement last month advising schools to reopen for Years 1 and 6 from June 1.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, speaking at the Downing Street briefing on Friday, said experts on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) believe the UK's overall R number is below 1, but added that local lockdowns would be used when outbreaks are spotted.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, questioned whether local lockdown measures were workable

Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram joined Burnham in asking whether lockdown relaxation was being lifted too soon

He said the PHE data needed to be looked at 'in the round' with other data.

Mr Hancock added: 'The discussion of the higher R in the North West and the South West that's estimated compared to the rest of the country is an important part of moving towards a more localised approach rather than a national approach to the lockdown.'

In her letter to headteachers, Dr de Gruchy said that after initially supporting the gradual reopening of school in Tameside, the advice had now changed.

'Because of this change in R, and despite the excellent work undertaken, I am therefore strongly advising all schools and childcare settings to delay wider opening until at least June 22 for us to be more assured that the rate of infection is reducing and R is firmly below 1,' she said.

Colin Cox, director of public health in Cumbria, also warned on Friday that people should not be 'complacent' and lockdown restrictions could be tightened if the R number increases.
She recently waded into the row over the death of Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury's Russian bought puppy Mr Chai, as she slammed 'third party dog breeders'.

But Olivia Buckland, 26, put the ongoing debate to one side on Saturday morning, as as she shared sizzling snaps of herself posing in pink lingerie.

The Love Island beauty, who is married to Alex Bowen, wowed as she proudly displayed her tanned and toned physique in the lacy Boux Avenue two-piece.

Hot pink: Olivia Buckland shared sizzling snaps of herself posing in pink lingerie on Saturday

Wearing her golden tresses in a bun with tendrils framing her face, the reality star highlighted her good looks with a rich palette of makeup that included a blend of warm pink shades.

Adding an extra touch of pizzazz to her look, Olivia accessorised with a watch, a collection of dazzling rings, and a sparkling cross pendant.

Captioning the promotional post, she shared the ubiquitous motivational quote: 'Your body is your most priceless possession, take care of it.'

Stunning: The Love Island beauty, who is married to Alex Bowen, wowed as she proudly displayed her tanned and toned physique in the lacy Boux Avenue two-piece

Her post came two days after she waded into the row over the death of Molly-Mae and Tommy's puppy, days after the pooch was welcomed into their home.

Olivia shared a lengthy statement to her Instagram on Thursday, urging her followers not to support 'third-party breeders' or buy dogs from other countries.

Stipulating that her discussion was 'in no way towards my lovely Molly' as she was 'devastated' for the reality star, Olivia explained that she was speaking out 'to make sure this doesn't happen again and to raise awareness.'

She said: 'Third party breeders don't have a clue where they're getting their dogs from, I don't care what b****** they sprangle you they are getting a puppy from another country, they are not seeing the mum, they're not seeing the dad, even sending a young puppy by plane from places like Russia is ridiculous.

Slammed: Her post comes two days after she slammed 'third party dog breeders' after the death of Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury's pet Mr Chai

Tragic: The devastated Love Island stars announced on Wednesday their dog, who was flown in from Russia , had tragically passed away, due to a seizure and host of neurological issues

Don't do it: The reality star shared a lengthy statement to her Instagram on Thursday, urging her followers not to support 'third-party breeders' or buy dogs from other countries

'You do not need a dog from that far away, you do not need to put money in these people's pockets.

'Third party breeders are what's bringing puppy farming back into the UK even though Lucy's Law was passed in the UK.'

The devastated Love Island stars announced on Wednesday their dog, who was flown in from Russia, had tragically passed away, due to a seizure and host of neurological issues, just six days after welcoming him to the family.

Olivia went on to explain what Lucy's Law was for her followers, stating that it helps make sure puppy farming does not take place in the UK as all dog breeders are required to have a licence to sell pets under six months old.

Hitting out: Olivia said 'I don't care what b****** they sprangle you they are getting a puppy from another country... sending a young puppy by plane from places like Russia is ridiculous5'

Know the law: Olivia claimed third party breeders were 'bringing puppy farming back into the UK even though Lucy's Law' which makes it illegal to breed pets and sell them

'It is completely illegal to breed puppies in the UK and third-party breeders who get puppies from outside the UK allow that to happen,' she explained.

Adding that third-party breeders 'hardly know what they're doing', Olivia slammed them for flying dogs in from abroad at a really young age, showing fake pictures and telling potential buyers 'b******t' to get them to purchase the puppy.

Olivia told her fans firmly: 'If you haven't physically seen the mother or don't know them very well do not get involved with them.

'Anyone that is getting your puppy from somewhere else, doesn't have them in their home or whatever, do not buy that dog, do not get involved, walk away, turn away.

Not a dig: Olivia stipulated that her discussion was 'in no way towards my lovely Molly' but 'to make sure this doesn't happen again and to raise awareness'

Advice: Olivia told her fans firmly: 'If you haven't physically seen the mother or don't know them very well do not get involved with them'

'Do not because it is literally so risky you have no idea at the health of that puppy the health of the mum and dad, the living conditions, where they are, what the living conditions look like, it is so dangerous to do that.

'Honestly from the bottom of my heart I beg you please do not support any third party breeder, and do not support any puppy coming from any other country unless you have got to visit physically and seen the conditions the puppy is in.'

Olivia added once more that she wasn't speaking out to slam Molly-Mae and Tommy, as she realise how devastated they were about their puppies passing and 'didn't know' what they were getting themselves into.

'You can't blame anyone you just need to educate yourself and moving forward ensure you aren't investing in people like that so I just had to say something,' Olivia went on.

Lengthy statement: As well as her video message, Olivia wrote about the risks of buying from third party breeders, and told fans how they could avoid supporting them

Placing the blame: Olivia concluded by asking her fans not to blame Molly-Mae and Tommy for what had happened to Mr Chai, and said they should 'stop the nasty messages'

On Wednesday, Molly-Mae, who was gifted the pooch by Tommy for her 21st birthday, addressed the backlash from importing Mr Chai from Russia, stating: 'Whilst we completely understand everyone's opinions about being shipped over from Russia, what you need to understand is that is not what made him die.

'He was going to die regardless. The autopsy results showed his skull wasn't fully developed and part of his brain was exposed. He didn't have a single white blood cell in his body'.

'If we had the time again we would have got a dog from the UK or got a rescue dog from the UK.'

Shock: Molly-Mae's new puppy, gifted to her from boyfriend Tommy, was not from a registered breeder, The Kennel Club confirmed

Tommy bought the dog through Cheshire-based business Tiffany Chihuahuas & Pomeranians, which is licensed by Cheshire Council but not a Kennel Club assured breeder.

Breeder Elena Katerova has denied breaking the rules telling the publication, clients see the mother with their puppy via videos.

She said: 'I'm truly devastated to learn about the death of Mr Chai. He was a beautiful young dog with a loving, playful temperament. I'd watched him grow up, having regular video calls with his birth family.

'My heart goes out to Molly-Mae and Tommy. Mr Chai was a healthy dog, I only work with trusted people and have a small network of reputable breeders who care for their dogs to the very highest standards and and see animals as part of their family.'

So sad: On Wednesday, Molly-Mae, who was gifted the pooch by Tommy for her 21st birthday, addressed the backlash from importing Mr Chai from Russia

Back in 2018, the breeder came under fire when This Morning viewers saw the teacups dogs she was holding were shaking.

During the segment, Elena was involved in a debate whether owning 'teacup dogs' was a form of cruelty.

The miniature breeds, which can cost a potential owner 8,000, are prone to health problems as a result of their breeding.

While Elena insisted that they were healthy, vet Scott said that it was dangerous

MailOnline has contacted breeder Elena and Molly-Mae for comment.

Upset: Meanwhile, the dog breeder they brought the pup shared her devastation over the pup's death and insisted that he had been 'healthy'

In a video posted on Wednesday, the couple tearfully discussed their puppy Mr Chai's death.

Molly-Mae told her viewers: 'Neither of us wanted to film a video or talking about this but after everything we've seen today and reading everyone's opinions, I think it's really important that we actually do sit down and talk about it and explain how we are feeling and what we now know after receiving the autopsy results.'

After describing how Mr Chai was energetic in his first few days with them 'as a puppy should be', they soon noticed he started showing symptoms, with Tommy explaining: 'His poo was runny, he was vomiting, he wasn't running.'

Heartbroken: On Tuesday, the reality star announced Mr Chai had died, six days after welcoming the pup into her home after receiving him for her 21st birthday present

The pair took him to the vet and Molly recalled that while waiting outside, she could 'tell something was wrong', adding Mr Chai was 'wriggling' and said dogs 'almost know when they are about to die'.

Molly-Mae said 30 minutes later, the vet rang and informed them Mr Chai had had a seizure and died.

'We were both utterly shocked', she explained. 'Tommy literally just threw up everywhere'.

A representative of Molly-Mae and Tommy confirmed Mr Chai had died of 'a seizure and neurological issues.'

Tough times: Mr Chai's death has prompted several stars to speak up about the importance of researching when buying a dog. The couple set up an Instagram account for Mr Chai last week

A statement read: 'Chai died of a seizure and neurological issues. This probably relating to the puppies skull not being fully formed (see note on anterior fontanelle below).

'Chai passed away with a number of health issues outlined below and the puppy clearly was not at full health and potentially had been carrying an infection and fighting it for some time before reaching Molly and Tommy.'

It then listed a number of ailments the dog suffered from, including: 'no white blood cells present in blood, anterior fontanelle not completely ossified, body condition 3/5, liver congested, spleen enlarged congested, adrenal glands enlarged, kidneys congested, colon congested, lungs congested and Heart right ventricle dilated.'

Mr Chai's death has prompted several stars to speak up about the importance of researching when buying a dog.

Ashley James, 33, wrote: 'Please please do your research before getting a pet. Do not import dogs from other countries unless they are rescues from charities. Please look into #lucyslaw and if you do go to a breeder then always make sure you see a fit and healthy mum!'

While Katie Piper said on Instagram: 'PLEASE PLEASE if you are getting a puppy during lockdown or in general please think! Puppy farms are exploiting the demand.

'Puppy farms in the UK are now illegal because of a new law (Lucys Law) and @pupaidofficial campaign. BUT puppies are coming in from Europe. Being torn from their mothers on horrendous puppy farms at only a few weeks old and driven here in vans, to be then dressed up and sold for huge prices.

'They often die because of their treatment and trauma. When buying a puppy use a British registered breeder & ALWAYS ALWAYS meet the mum.'
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 20:54:45|Editor: huaxia

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MADRID, June 6 (Xinhua) -- People who do not wear a face mask in closed public areas will face fines of up to 100 euros (113 U.S. dollars), according to the Spanish government's draft plans appearing in several Spanish newspapers on Saturday.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed during the week that his cabinet would approve the measures to be put into effect in Spain when the State of Alarm and the special lockdown measures it contains expires on June 21.

Among the "new normality" measures are fines for those who don't wear face masks in closed public areas and outdoors where it is impossible to maintain a safe distance of two meters.

In workplaces, employers will be obliged to provide adequate hygiene and cleanliness and ensure that workers are able to maintain social distancing and have access to soap, water, and hand gels. Employers will be required to take measures to avoid overcrowding.

Similar measures are to be put into place for schools and educational centers. Commercial centers will have to pay "special attention" to food markets and common areas, and limit the number of people allowed into a center at any one time.

Travel between Spain's 17 Autonomous Communities will be allowed once all of them have passed the four stages in Spain's plan to relax restrictions. However, passenger numbers will still be limited on long and medium distance trains and also on busses carrying out inter-city routes.

Meanwhile, airlines will be obliged to keep passenger lists for a month after a flight, for the sake of tracking those who have contact with an infected passenger.
One of the biggest frustrations for laid-off Oregonians during the coronavirus outbreak has been getting in touch with the state employment department.

The situation has improved significantly over the past two weeks, though getting in touch continues to be a chore. While most calls still get a busy signal, those that get through arent spending nearly as long on hold  less than an hour, on average. And the majority of those on hold do reach a claims processor, eventually.

Were not done, certainly, were not where we want to be, said David Gerstenfeld, interim director of the Oregon Employment Department. But he said recent upgrades have alleviated the situation for laid-off workers, and he pledged that more improvements are on the way.

It should be much easier for them to get through and it should be much easier over time, said Gerstenfeld, who became interim director last weekend after Gov. Kate Brown fired his predecessor.

More than 470,000 Oregonians have filed jobless claims since the middle of March, when the state shut down in hopes of containing the nascent coronavirus outbreak. The state has struggled to process their claims and tens of thousands of jobless Oregonians are still waiting for payments  some have been waiting for months.

Phones are the primary way the department connects with claimants to resolve questions about their claims or correct mistakes in benefits applications or, frequently, mistaken denials by the states own antiquated claims processing system.

Beginning in March, though, it was nearly impossible to reach the Oregon Employment Department. Phones were hopelessly overloaded by the huge volume of calls from confused and anxious applicants.

Most callers got only busy signals; those that got through faced an average wait time of nearly four hours, and many callers spent much longer on hold. Most of those waiting on hold never got their calls answered at all  they were simply disconnected, either by technical malfunctions in the phone system or when the claims processors went home at the end of the day.

Worse still, regular claims processors were not trained to resolve problems with claims from more than 50,000 self-employed and contract workers, whom Congress made eligible for benefits during the pandemic.

Those few callers in that category who got through found out the claims processors couldnt help them  and that the employment department had no alternative phone line for self-employed applicants.

Over the last 10 days, the department put a new focus on resolving old claims  dispatching the most experienced claims processors to proactively call applicants and work through whatever issues were holding up their benefits.

The employment department substantially upgraded the capacity of its phone system and began triaging calls, routing simple questions to newly hired personnel (the number of claims processors has risen from around 100 before the pandemic to 700 now.)

Its letting us at least talk to many, many more people and answer the sometimes relatively simple questions that they have, Gerstenfeld said.

The department also added a phone number specifically to resolve claims by self-employed workers (its 503-370-5400.) That number is already overloaded, but it has helped route some calls away from the main phone lines.

It surely also helps that the number of regular, unprocessed claims has declined from more than 100,000 in the middle of May to around 20,000, now. That means fewer calls from people desperate for their benefits. (The department doesnt know how many unprocessed claims it has from self-employed workers who are newly eligible for benefits.)

So the average hold time to the departments main phone has plunged from 216 minutes on May 14 to 36 minutes on this past Wednesday, and 54 minutes on Thursday.

At the worst of the crisis, two-thirds of those waiting on hold never had their calls answered. Now, 75% of those on hold eventually reach a claims processor.

Beginning next week, the employment department expects to enlist the Oregon Army National Guard to call workers with long-delayed claims to give them basic guidance on how to proceed.

Members of the Guard dont have expertise in the departments complex claims system, and have little time to get up to speed, but Gerstenfeld said they can provide some basic answers. That could help ease the anxiety and confusion for jobless Oregonians who, until now, frequently havent been able to learn the status of their claims or even whether the state had received it.

Meanwhile, the department said its talking with Google about automating more of the new claims process that covers the contractors and self-employed workers. That could also ease the burden on the phones.

These major changes got underway late in May, well over two months into the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. The chaotic phone system prevented workers from fixing even small problems with their claims, which resulted in delays in benefits for tens of thousands of workers through the heart of the pandemic.

In hindsight, Gerstenfeld said its clear the department should have been doing more to communicate broadly with laid-off Oregonians and explain what its process for working through claims  and the challenges that prevented it from moving faster.

However, Gerstenfeld insisted that alternative ways of managing its phone systems would not have been effective because the department simply didnt have enough people trained on its complex claims system, a process that typically takes six to eight weeks.

It just takes time to get the capacity to be able to answer the calls in any meaningful way, Gerstenfeld said.

-- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway |

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
A protester places a rose in front of a picture of Wanchalearm Satsaksit, 37, a Thai political activist who apparently was abducted by unknown gunmen in front of his Phnom Penh apartment, during a rally in Bangkok, June 5, 2020.

A Thai political activist was snatched from the streets of Cambodias capital in broad daylight, human rights groups alleged on Friday, as they urged authorities to investigate the case amid a spate of abductions of Thai exiles in Southeast Asian countries.

In Bangkok, a spokesman for Thai national police said the agency was not involved in the disappearance in Phnom Penh of Wanchalearm Satsaksit, 37, while Cambodian police on Friday dismissed the report of his abduction as fake news.

The activist who had fled to Cambodia from Thailand, where he was wanted by authorities, apparently was abducted by gunmen on Thursday afternoon as he talked to his sister on a phone, she told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. She added that he said that he couldnt breathe as their call ended abruptly.

The Cambodian authorities must urgently investigate Wanchalearms alleged abduction in order to establish his whereabouts. The Thai authorities must also confirm whether Wanchalearm was arrested at their request, Amnesty International said in a statement issued Friday.

This would not be the first time that Thai citizens have vanished after expressing their political opinions. Wanchalearm is outspoken on social media  his sudden disappearance in a violent incident is deeply alarming, the London-based watchdog group said.

Krisana Pattanacharoen, deputy spokesman for Thailands national police bureau, said the Thai government was unaware of who was behind the activists alleged kidnapping.

As far as I know, he was wanted for breeching Computer Crimes Act since 2018: [We] dont know who abducted him, Krisana told BenarNews by phone.

In regard to fugitives abroad, the national police bureau cooperates with respective countries to find them. We treat each fugitive equally. It depends on how other countries handle them, Krisana said.

A friend of Wanchalearm who lives in Phnom Penh learned that surveillance footage showed him being abducted from in front of his condominium and being driven away in a black SUV, according to Prachatai, a Thai news portal. Prachatai said a security guard tried to help Wanchalearm, but his kidnappers were armed.

A Cambodian police spokesman denied any knowledge of Wanchalearm being kidnapped and said that since no abduction had taken place, no investigation would be done, according to the Associated Press.

Since this morning I have received about 50 calls asking me about this news but replying to them all the same ... I said this is fake news, untrue news, Gen. Chhay Kim Khouen said.

We dont know about it, so what should we investigate, he told Agence France-Presse separately.

Although Cambodian police said there was no abduction, Ministry of Justice spokesman Chin Malin said authorities in his country were investigating information they had received.

I believe that authorities are investigating on the case. Human rights organizations should not hurry and jump to conclusions over this incident without information and no foundation, he told RFA's Khmer Service.

Under surveillance

Since a 2014 military coup that toppled the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra, at least 104 people have fled Thailand over fears of prosecution, according to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, a local NGO.

At least 98 people were charged with violating the strict royal defamation law known as Lese-Majeste, and 119 others were charged with sedition, according to iLaw, an online legal advocate group. Authorities also have filed charges under the Computer Crimes Act.

New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Wanchalearm was charged under the act for allegedly operating a Facebook page in Cambodia critical of the Thai government.

The abduction of a prominent Thai political activist on the streets of Phnom Penh demands an immediate response from Cambodian authorities, Brad Adams, the groups Asia director, said in a statement Friday. The Cambodian government should urgently act to locate Wanchalearm and ensure his safety.

HRW accused Cambodia and Thailand of collaborating to harass, arbitrarily arrest and forcibly return exiled dissidents in violation of international law. It said Wanchalearm previously told HRW officials that he occasionally had been put under surveillance by Thai officials in Cambodia.

'Line cut off'



The activists sister, Sitanan Satsaksit, said she regularly talked to him. Their last call occurred around 5 p.m. Thursday.

While I was talking with my younger brother, Ta (his nickname) screamed: Argh! Cant breathe, and then we had the line cut off, she told BenarNews.

Sitanan said she was concerned that Wanchalearm had become less careful during his time in Phnom Penh, and that may have led to his abduction.

I talked to him every day on general life matters and business. I told him to stop talking politics and just focus on business. It seemed he followed my advice, but he became less cautious, she said.

Wanchalearm has been identified by HRW as a prominent pro-democracy activist affiliated with the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), known as the Red Shirts. He founded the Facebook page Ku Tong Dai 100 Lan Jak Thaksin Nae (I must get 100 million baht from Thaksin for sure).

The Facebook pages posting on June 3 used derogatory language to criticize Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha, the former army chief who led the 2014 coup that overthrew Yinglucks government.

Thaksin refers to Thaksin Shinawatra, the billionaire former Thai prime minister who leads the Red Shirts and who like his sister, Yingluck, was driven from office by a military coup.

Anti-monarchists

The Thai Lawyers for Human Rights reported that anti-monarchists aligned with Thaksin and his family had fled Thailand over the years, with some ending up in Laos and Vietnam as well, adding that with this latest disappearance, at least nine had gone missing or been found dead.

HRW identified three people who went missing in Laos and were found dead in the Mekong River  Itthipol Sukpaen, who was last seen in June 2016, Wuthipong Kachathamakul, who was last seen in July 2017, and Surachai Danwattananusorn who was last seen in 2018.

In early 2018, the dismembered bodies of Surachais associates  Chatcharn Buppawan, 56, and Kraidej Luelert, 46  were found in the river which separates Thailand and Laos, according to Thai police.

HRW said Thai police had reported that the bodies hands and feet were bound and their faces smashed beyond recognition. They also both had been disemboweled and stuffed with concrete.

Surachais fate is not known, his wife said.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
30 years on, remembering the life sacrifice of 634 policemen By Tassie Seneviratne View(s): View(s):

Seeds of political terrorism had been sown in Sri Lanka since 1975.

In January 1989 Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa rose to Executive Presidency pledging to solve the ethnic problem through Consultation, Compromise and Consensus. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who claimed to be the sole representatives of the Tamil People, accepted the Presidents call, and peace talks began between the President and the LTTE.

LTTE cadres, however, committed acts of provocation against the Police and security forces. These provocations, though humiliating, had to be tolerated by the security forces  and the provocations grew in intensity to wrongful restraint, wrongful confinement, abduction and hurt. No confrontation at any cost, remained the Presidents command. The LTTE thereby got away with the provocations with impunity and gained preponderance over the security forces who of course had no doubt about the LTTE intentions.

On June 11, 1990 while peace talks were still in progress in Colombo, police stations in the East were surrounded by armed LTTE cadres who ordered the policemen under threat of death, to surrender their arms and vacate the police stations by 1500 hrs. Ivan Boteju, ASP Kalmunai contacted his superiors, apprised them of the situation and ordered his men to take up position to defend the police stations. The LTTE, meanwhile, hoodwinked the President stating that it is a misunderstanding and will be sorted out. The President trusted the LTTE. No confrontation, remained his orders.

Passing the deadline of 1500 hrs the LTTE began attacking the Kalmunai Police Station and the policemen returned fire in defence. Volleys of fire and defiant words were exchanged for three and a half hours. At this stage the LTTE, giving an assurance to the President that all policemen of Kalmunai, Akkaraipattu and Pothuvil would be taken to Amparai and released, wanted the policemen to surrender. The president ordered the Police to comply with this proposition. Ivan Boteju and his men, however, were not willing to surrender, and protested insisting that they would be tortured if not killed and opting to face the LTTE attack, requested Air and Military support. No confrontation remained the orders of the President, personally conveyed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) who was flown to the East with specific orders from the President. Ordering the police to cease fire would have been understandable if the ceasefire was mutual. But to have given specific orders to comply with the terrorists orders to lay down arms and to let the terrorists transport the policemen to Amparai, was the height of stupidity, just to prove to LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran how much the President trusted him.

Ivan Boteju walked from Kalmunai Police Station with his men, sobbing and obeying. By way of deception, the LTTE blindfolded and took 324 policemen to the Tirukkovil jungle instead of Amparai, got them to lie down facing the ground and massacred them in a most cowardly manner, spraying bullets into them.

In this connection, SP Ampara, M F Noordeen, has placed on record inter alia, thus:  At 1530 hrs contacted S/Dig Crimes and Ops and briefed about the prevailing situation in Kalmunai and sought instructions whether to evacuate Kalmunai also. I was told that instructions will follow. At 1555 hrs the LTTE started attacking Kalmunai Police station with mortars. All efforts to obtain air support and artillery support failed up to 1720 hrs. At this time IG Police spoke to me from Batticaloa and ordered to stop firing, and officers of Kalmunai to surrender to the LTTE like at Kaluwanchikudi. By 1800hrs Police surrendered without assistance from anybody and thereafter lost communications. 

More than 300 policemen were similarly abducted from Batticaloa and Vavunya Districts after they surrendered on orders and were similarly massacred. The Government demonstrated its TRUST in the Tigers. This, however, was at the expense of the lives of the policemen, and that is the charge.

The law in this connection needs to be elaborated: The Right of Private Defence is an undeniable Right conferred on all persons by the law of the land. This Right as enshrined in sections 89 and 90 and further elaborated in section 93 of the Penal Code, reads:

89  Nothing is an offence which is done in the exercise of the right of private defence. 90  Every person has a right, subject to the restrictions contained in section 92, to defend  Firstly  His own body, the body of any other person, against any offence affecting the human body;

Secondly  The property, whether movable or immovable, of himself or of any other person, against any act which is an offence under the definition of theft, robbery, mischief, or criminal trespass, or which is an attempt to commit 

93  The right of private defence of the body extends, under the restrictions mentioned in the last preceding section, to the voluntary causing of death or any other harm to the assailant, if the offence which occasions the exercise of the right be of any of the descriptions hereinafter enumerated, namely; Firstly  Such an assault as may reasonably cause apprehension that death will otherwise be the consequence of such assault. Secondly  Grievous hurt . Fifthly, Kidnapping or Abduction . Sixthly, Wrongful confinement .

Who then were the Executive President and the IG Police, to deny this Right of Private Defence?

The IGP clearly blundered when he complied with the Presidents unlawful order. SP Ampara, too, blundered when he in turn complied with the unlawful order of the IGP and did nothing to defend his men, knowing well that the policemen of Kalmunai would be tortured if not killed, if they surrendered. He not only had the right but was duty bound to exercise the right of private defence to defend his subordinates.

There is a precedent I wish to cite in this connection: Action taken by British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the Falklands War of April 1982, to send troops to regain the Falklands, and her justification of the action, is a precedent to follow: We shall exercise our right to resort to force in self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter until the occupying forces leave the islands. She argued against waiting for UN response in the Falklands issue at hand, saying: But the fact remained that if one could achieve an objective without UN authority there was no point in running the risk attached to seeking it.

In January 2011, representations were made to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) about the unlawful order and the cold-blooded slaughter of the policemen. The LLRC made a strong recommendation that this episode be fully investigated. But neither the UNP nor the SLFP-led governments showed any interest in such an investigation, preferring to flirt with the murderers for political expediency.

I reproduce below a poem I composed in September 1991 on The Saddest Day in the History of the Sri Lanka Police Force, when 634 brave Policemen were offered as a live sacrifice.

Charge of the Life Brigade

Bunkers to the right of them,

Bunkers to the left of them,

Bunkers in front of them,

Volleyd and thunderd;

Stormed at with shot and shell,

Boldly they held and well,

Until the day was late,

Until the orders came,

N surrendered three hundred

Surrender, an orders made!

Was there a man dismayd?

Not though the Policemen knew

Someone has blunderd.

Theirs not to make reply,

Theirs not to reason why,

Theirs but to do and die,

Alas! To the valley of Death

Groped the three hundred.

When can their glory fade?

Oh the surrender they made!

All the world wondered.

Honour the offer they made!

Honour the lives they laid!

Noble three hundred.

(Apologies to Alfred Lord Tennyson)

(The writer is a retired Senior Superintendent of Police)
Representative image

A British clinical trial has found that hydroxychloroquine has "no benefit" for COVID-19 patients. Anti-malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, has been touted as a possible treatment for the novel coronavirus infection by high profile figures, including US President Donald Trump.

According to AFP's report, the University of Oxford's Recovery trial has said that it would now stop recruiting patients for the hydroxychloroquine trail "with immediate effect".

"HCQ treatment does not reduce the risk of dying from COVID-19 among hospitalised patients and that clearly has significant importance for the way patients are treated, not only in the UK, but all around the world," said Martin Landray, an Oxford professor of medicine and epidemiology who co-leads the study.

For the purpose of the research, the University of Oxford recruited a total of 11,000 patients from 175 hospitals in the UK.

They found "no significant difference" in mortality rate after 28 days and no evidence that intake of HCQ shortens the amount of time spent in a hospital.

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

Reacting to the results, Peter Openshaw, a professor at Imperial College London, said, "Findings are really important as it provides unequivocal evidence that hydroxychloroquine is of no value in the treatment of coronavirus patients."

Openshaw further said that the recovery trial should be credited with continuing the research until they could reach a definitive conclusion on hydroxychloroquine.

"Everyone regrets that it doesn't work, but knowing that allows us to focus on finding drugs that actually help recovery from COVID-19," he added.

Other drugs continuing to be tested among coronavirus patients include the combination of HIV antivirals Lopinavir and Ritonavir; steroid Dexamethasone; antibiotic Azithromycin; and the anti-inflammatory drug Tocilizumab. Researchers are also testing convalescent plasma from the blood of people who have recovered from COVID-19, which contains antibodies to fight the virus.
Is it not obvious that "No Justice, No Peace" is backwards? It is essentially a threat. We are closer to the truth when we say, "No Peace, No Justice." Justice for George Floyd will never become the special blessing democracy brings to society as long as revolution is being stoked by special interests who have no problem putting justice before peace.

The destruction of small businesses through the riots that are still ongoing is unjust in the extreme as well as an absence of peace that removes hope. Business creation at its heart is the feeling of hopefulness and the willingness to use energy to produce a product or a service. Why should someone expend time and money when faced with the expectation that his efforts can be destroyed in an instant?

As of the writing of this essay, fourteen additional people have been killed consequent to the street riots. None of these nameless, faceless people was less important than George Floyd, yet all of them were not allowed the privilege of public mourning connected to Mr. Floyd, because their deaths became necessary to fuel, to fertilize, the revolution. Death resulting from revolutionary efforts is no crime to revolutionaries. Rather, the death of strangers is the price that revolutionaries are willing to pay to advance their cause. Power and control will come at the point of the gun  any gun. In other words, the State is so important that the death of individuals can be considered collateral damage. Some wife or husband, some mother or father, a few children will be saddened momentarily by the necessary deaths. But they will get over it...or not. Whatever!

When the continued existence of the State becomes more important than justice for the individual, the continuation of life becomes unbearably arbitrary. In China, the doctors who brought the coronavirus to light are dead, incarcerated, or shamed. Russian patriots who complained of the spread of this same virus have been defenestrated. Their families, too, will suffer momentarily for the sake of the State's need for secrecy. Unfortunately, the same process is afoot in America. The prosecution of the innocent General Michael Flynn is just such an example of the need for individuals to be sacrificed for the greater good. How exactly is this different from child sacrifice to gods of stone and wood to merit a good harvest for the next season?

We fail miserably at understanding simple reality, that the State is an abstract construct without an independent existence from the people who run it. If there were no people to staff it, there would be no State. Let no one be fooled by the idea that the State is more than the sum of its parts. Those parts are just individuals with special interests in seeing the State succeed. The State is, in effect, their small business or corporation, and they will do all they can to see to it that the it does not falter, that it is not brought down by people who see it as just another special interest group  President Trump's ultimate crime. The evil that arises from the imposition of State-worship results from conspiratorial actions. Such conspiracies are not designed to benefit the State, only the individuals with vested interests in it. Poor government policy results from the need to satisfy special interests not visible to the populace.

It is important to emphasize once again that the State does not exist except in the individuals who support and profit from it. The idea that acts can be committed in support of the State must be vetted carefully, since it is far too abstract an idea to reflect the real and complex interactions that go on in the State's offices and conference rooms. Rather, the chain of command must be followed closely to understand how any policy has been implemented. We can see this process of conspiring individuals clearly as the plan to undermine President Trump unravels. Individuals! Always individuals acting to bring the changes they seek. The State! What State? The State disappears when dissected into its parts.

Those people who insist that the State is primary and individuals are secondary are a most disingenuous lot. Both justice and injustice arise from powerful individuals who run the business of the State. Indeed, justice, fairness, equity, successful policy  as well as their opposites  arise only from individuals. On the other hand, when a politician begins speaking about the needs of the State, without a clear statement of their necessity, back away slowly, because you are about to become a victim. You may not be defenestrated in America, but you will undoubtedly become poorer in one or more ways.

Image credit: Pixabay public domain.
Protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota continue across Alabama this weekend.

Today, protests were held in Birmingham, Hoover, Montgomery and Mobile.

On Sunday, protests are scheduled in Auburn and Gadsden.

A peaceful protest in Hoover, Alabama ended and then protesters stayed on hand as more than 15 voluntarily stepped forward for arrest and the remainder of the crowd taunted, then conversed with officers. (Ian Hoppe | IHoppe@al.com)

HOOVER

Around 300 people attended a rally held in front of the Hoover Municipal Center. Organizer Celida Soto said the group, Alabama Rally Against Injustice, will continue to hold events calling attention to oppression of communities of color, including police brutality and inequitable access to health care, among others.

After the rally, Soto told AL.com she expects Alabamas legislators to make changes. I expect them to raise their voices and their pens to make the necessary changes, to stop pacifying their friends with policies they know are wrong.

I expect our police systems to be redesigned so that, again, theres a more democratic process in place and more oversight into the things that they do. They cannot be criminals.

Asked when the rallies might end, Soto said, This ends when our people and communities of color feel that they are living and surviving and breathing among equitable structures that protect them and that support them.

Helen Zhou said she came to the rally to support ending racism, racial profiling and police brutality. As a human, we should all be caring about humanity and our lives at stake, she said. These are actual peoples lives at stake.

Young people have a big role to play, she said. It is our responsibility as our generation to really talk about this issue and just end it.

I think that racism has just become so integrated into our society that we just dont even realize it anymore, Savirah Haque said.

The rally ended before 4 p.m., and a group of about 100 attendees then formed a separate protest along Municipal Drive. Shortly thereafter, Hoover police began making arrests and some demonstrators appeared to be stepping forward voluntarily for arrest. Hoover had a total of 23 arrests for disorderly conduct.

Demonstrators shouted epithets at officers, who stood in a line in front of the group. Some chanted virus spreaders at the unmasked police officers. Around 50 police officers and 30 tactical officers faced protesters.

AL.coms Trish Crain was reporting via Twitter as was @IanHoppe.

About 6:45 p.m., the demonstration ended ahead of Hoovers 7 p.m. curfew.

Host Alabama Rally Against Injustice questioned the Hoover arrests in a statement issued Saturday evening.

We have hosted events in every Over the Mountain City in the past week, and hosted three simultaneous events today in Hoover, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa. Following the conclusion of todays rally in Hoover, Alabama, Alabama Rally Against Injustice was made aware that multiple peaceful protestors were arrested by the Hoover Police Department. All peaceful protests hosted by Alabama Rally Against Injustice, including todays rallies in Montgomery and Tuscaloosa, have resulted in no arrests.

"While the arrests happened after Alabama Rally Against Injustices event had concluded, we hope the City of Hoover will review their protocols and procedures as it pertains to peaceful protests and that in the future they will be willing to have conversations with the public instead of locking up citizens that are attempting to exercise their First Amendment Rights.

Heres video of part of the protest.

Protest in Hoover, Alabama. Warning: This video may contain profanity. Posted by al.com on Saturday, June 6, 2020

MOBILE

About 75 people took part in a march in downtown Mobile Saturday afternoon, working their way from a statue of The Rev. Abram J. Ryan, a Catholic priest known as the poet priest of the Confederacy, to Mardi Gras Park, near the site of a recently removed statue honoring Confederate Adm. Raphael Semmes. The crowd was mostly young and white.

A speaker standing in front of a statue of the Rev. Abram J. Ryan during a protest event on June 6, 2020. Ryan was a Catholic priest known for his poetry celebrating the valor of the Confederacy.

Demonstrators in Mobile observe eight minutes of silence for George Floyd during a protest event on June 6, 2020.

Organizers of the event said they were not affiliated with any particular group or cause. While the removal of Confederate monuments was one goal, protestors also observed eight minutes of silence for George Floyd and chanted slogans decrying police violence.

At Mardi Gras Park, an organizer said demonstrators had a list of demands for civic leaders: That the nearby Wallace Tunnel be renamed; that Confederate monuments be permanently removed and replaced with monuments honoring notable black Mobilians; that funds be taken from the police department and invested in black communities; that community review boards be established for police officers and police training be improved; that American history courses be updated to remove whitewashing. The speaker, who wore a mask, declined to identify herself afterward.

BIRMINGHAM

A diverse crowd of a few hundred gathered in the shadow of Birminghams Legion Field for a Saturday rally that culminated in a powerful act of sacrifice. With sporadic clouds providing little cover, the peaceful crowd jogged in place. Read more: Powerful messages at Birmingham Floyd rally: It happens here. We dont feel little anymore

MONTGOMERY

In Montgomery today, a crowd made up about equally of blacks and whites filled the grounds outside the Alabama Department of Archives and History, across the street from the Alabama Capitol.

They held signs and cheered speakers, including those calling for voter registration and political activism.

Police blocked off the streets nearest the building. Several Montgomery police officers stood in the crowd and held a sign showing their support for protesters. The protest remained peaceful, as have other protests in Montgomery this week.

Police Chief Ernest Finley said he is emphasizing tolerance, patience, and engagement with the community on their ideas for improvements.

Were going to be out there, Finley said. Be supportive. Be visible. But we want them to vent. We want them to cry. We want them to chant. And just kind of let them know at the end of day we support them, a peaceful protest.

Montgomery police officers hold signs showing support for protesters at a Justice for George Floyd event today at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)

Call for voter registration at George Floyd event in Montgomery. pic.twitter.com/fENzqT173Z  Mike Cason (@MikeCasonAL) June 6, 2020

Related: Were outside agitators at Birmingham protest? Police say no definitive answer yet

We want change: Voices from the front lines of Alabamas protests

This story was corrected to say that Legion Field protest starts at noon.
Rhian Fitzgerald, Eadaoin Quinn, and Kaitlin OBrien at the launch of the Mile Post which came second in the Press Pass student journalism awards.

There was cause for much celebration in Enniscorthy Vocational College last week when it came runner-up in a national journalism competition.

The school came second in the School Newspaper category of NewsBrands Ireland's, Press Pass Student Journalism awards.

JCSP school librarian Eadaoin Quinn said that, for the last four years, the school has produced an in-house school newspaper called 'The Mile Post', which has proved very popular.

'It is now on issue 11 and the most recent copy was produced under lockdown this April,' she said.

Describing it as the student voice of the school, she said a dedicated newspaper team and the TY class work together on the publication, which is a comprehensive reflection of school life in addition to 'strong opinions', reviews of books, games and films in addition to a 'Dear Mylie' agony aunt column.

'There is a huge amount of learning for everyone in producing and in just reading a good newspaper,' said Ms Quinn.

'Students are learning about research, evaluating sources, finding bias in the media and the importance of journalism and newspapers in our community,' she added.

She also highlighted how having a school newspaper strengthens the sense of community in Enniscorthy Vocational College: 'There's a great buzz when the copies are distributed and everyone is reading together at break time.'

Ms Quinn said this most recent success will be shared by many in the school including Ms O'Brien and her TY English class who joined forces with the newspaper team this year.

'Special mention should be given to three students who have been actively involved in every single issue since the beginning: Rhian Fitzgerald, Lily Byrne and Daniel Power,' she said.

The school principal, Dr Iain Wickham, extended congratulations to everyone involved and said there will be celebrations about the success in the school when it reopens.

In addition to the Enniscorthy school's success the students in the Presentation Secondary School in Wexford town also had cause for celebration, as they finished third in the same category for their school newsletter.
It also found each person requires 118 sq ft in larger shops and 129 sq ft outdoors

Stores must give each shopper 107 sq ft (10 sq m) of 'dynamic space', says study

Plans to reopen shops are in 'chaos' with experts warning a second wave is likely because customers need 108 square foot of space to safely social-distance.

High street stores must give each consumer at least 108 sq ft (10 sq m) of 'dynamic space' to move around, according to a new study.

The research also found each person requires 118 sq ft (11 sq m) in larger retailers and 129 sq ft (12 sq m) for outdoor areas.

It comes as SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) advisers warn reopening shops on June 15 could risk a second wave and subsequent lockdown.

Plans to reopen shops are in 'chaos' with experts warning a second wave is likely because customers need 108 square foot of space to safely social-distance

In the paper by Manchester Metropolitan and Cardiff universities, it says: 'This is a complex issue that will also require the careful management of people once they are in a space, coupled with self-discipline and compliance from the public.

'As well as the size of the floorspace, the layout and positioning of goods, entrance and exit points, and point of sale arrangements will have a large impact on what the final capacity may be for an individual retail environment.'

The study notes that its estimations 'do not account for the specific characteristics' of some spaces.

Currently, government guidance advises employers define the 'number of customers than reasonably follow 2m social distancing'.

It adds: 'Shopping centres should take responsibility for regulating the number of customers in the centre and the queuing process in communal areas on behalf of their retail tenants.'

Chris Turner, the chief executive of British BIDs (Business Improvement Districts) told The Guardian: 'Retailers are finding creative ways to deal with this two-metre malarkey  but they can't afford to have them all queuing outside at the same time as it stands because if everybody does that it'll be chaos.'

Matt Hancock pictured at last night's coronavirus news briefing, during which he raised the prospect of North West and South West England going back into full lockdown

Meanwhile, Matt Hancock last night raised the prospect of North West and South West England going back into full lockdown to combat local surges in coronavirus infection.

Both regions have seen their crucial R rate rise above 1, the benchmark for avoiding another crisis.

Separate estimates produced by experts at Public Health England and Cambridge University today suggested this figure, the average number of people each Covid-19 patient infects, is above the danger level.

Asked about the situation at the daily Downing Street press conference. Mr Hancock said the Government was 'seeking to take a more local approach' to tackling outbreaks.

Signage reminding shoppers of social distancing rules in a River Island store in Liverpool, as shops make preparations to reopen following the introduction of lockdown easing measures

The Victoria's Secret store on New Bond Street, London, as the UK arm of lingerie brand, which runs 25 stores across the UK, has slipped into administration

Colin Cox, Cumbria's director of public health, told The Sun: 'This really underlines the importance of people maintaining social distancing and continuing to follow Government guidance as lockdown restrictions begin to ease.

'We will be monitoring the R number very carefully and a tightening of lockdown restrictions could be possible if the R number increases.'

Many high street shops have been fighting to stay afloat with Victoria's Secret UK recently crashing into administration, putting more than 800 jobs in jeopardy.

Sales have nosedived during the lockdown after the lingerie retailer's 25 British stores were forced to shutter.

The firm has already furloughed 785 of its workers, who have been further tossed into the lurch as administrators from Deloitte are called in.

While many have managed to stay afloat by clinging onto government support, several businesses have been forced to call in administrators.

Debenhams, Cath Kidston and Laura Ashley are among the big high street names who have fallen victim to the virus.
The Texas-Mexico border is long, dangerous and, at night, very, very dark.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine Operations agents fly over looking for people crossing illegally into the United States and smugglers working with them.

READ MORE: Number of immigrants caught at border surged last year

The airborne agents often coordinate with officers on the ground to locate and catch people crossing, as well as anyone who may be in distress.

While patrolling, the agents use night-vision goggles and are frequently armed.

The issue of illegal immigration has been a hot topic for GOP nominee Donald Trump, who has promised to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and to make Mexico pay for it.

READ MORE: Can't block this: Feds sue Texas man to clear route to border fence

Polls have also showed that by harping on the issue, Trump has killed his chances with Hispanic voters in states such as Texas and Arizona.

The agency took John Moore of Getty Images along for the ride as it patrolled the border near McAllen, Texas.

Click through to see images of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine Operations at work.
During a monthly meeting at the National Police Headquarters, Gen. Savoeun requested all police officers to pay attention to maintaining security, public safety, and especially prevent hostile groups who attempt to overthrow the government, according to National Police spokesman Lieutenant General Chhay Kim Khoeun.

He called on social media platform users to post information to serve social interests rather than to destroy society, Kim Khoeun said.

Kim Khoeun also stressed that Cambodian police will take legal action against those who insult the King, post untrue information or incite people not to repay their bank debts.

Last week, Interior Minister Sar Kheng slammed former opposition party leader Sam Rainsy for instigating people to start a civil disobedience campaign to obtain debt relief and to stop servicing loans.
Current social distancing guidelines have brought stress and anxiety, especially for family caregivers who are forced to isolate from older or at-risk loved ones.

According to the Caregiver Action Network, more than 90 million Americans provide care to a loved one who has chronic conditions, disabilities, disease, or is experiencing the frailties of old age. These people are among the most vulnerable to COVID-19.

Many family caregivers feel alone in their caregiving journey. With the lockdown, that feeling has reached a whole new level. Prior to the pandemic, surveys showed 48 million people aged 45 and older report being chronically lonely. This age group is the Sandwich Generation, a caregiver cohort who juggle caring for children while also caring for older loved onesall while working.

Although social isolation and loneliness are increasing for both seniors and family caregivers, they are different. Social isolation is the state of being isolated and not able to interact with others on a regular basis due to illness, disability, or lack of access to social activities. Loneliness is the state of feeling isolated where there is a void in the quality of social relationships. In other words, loneliness is about how we feel, regardless of who is around us. Being socially isolated makes loneliness worse.

How Loneliness Impacts Health

Researcher Julianne Holt-Lundstad, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University, studied what she calls the global loneliness epidemic and the impact of chronic loneliness on health. She found loneliness can cause a negative health equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. It can actually be a bigger health risk than obesity and air pollution. In fact, it is such a concern in the United Kingdom that the nation named its first Minister of Loneliness in 2018 to address the growing public health crisis.

Caregivers are struggling with the inability to have face-to-face contact during the pandemic. Psychologist and author, Susan Pinker, warns this isolation has harmful effects on our health. Pinkers work points to social contact being linked with the release of neurotransmitters that trigger our brain to feel trust and comfort. Pinker advises that current social distancing rules prohibiting things such as handshakes and hugs are also limiting the release of hormones such as oxytocin, which makes us feel bonded to others, or dopamine, which can elevate our mood and reduce pain. In her TED Talk, Pinker explained how social contacts create a vaccine, not just for loneliness but as a biological force field between disease and decline.

Its important we be mindful to consider at what point social distancing and lack of human contact becomes a greater public health risk than COVID-19.

How Monday Might Be the Prescription Caregivers Need

Finding ways to overcome loneliness as a caregiver is sometimes easier said than done. But using a scientifically based method that helps promote healthier behaviors can help. The Caregiver Monday campaign is part of The Monday Campaigns nonprofit public health initiative, dedicated to using Mondays to focus on caregiver self-care practices and promotion.

A 2019 survey conducted by Data Decisions Group for The Monday Campaigns found 64 percent of respondents said if they start with a positive frame of mind on Monday, they are more likely to stay positive for the rest of the week.

Using Monday as a weekly reminder to stay connected can help create a rhythm and routine that makes it easier to plan and sustain that effort. It can also create a sense of happy anticipation that enhances positive emotions that combat loneliness. Try any of these four ideas on Mondays to stay socially connected and defeat loneliness:

Online support groups: Talking with other caregivers who understand your challenges creates an important sense of inclusion.

Friends and family: Making time to connect with friends or geographically distant family is essential. Using video chatsand ensuring you look into the camera instead of the computer or tablet screenhelps simulate the face-to-face contact that will improve emotional and physical health.

Local community: Make Monday the day you get out of the house and have social interaction. As communities begin to relax shelter-in-place rules and allow for more activity, grabbing a morning coffee and saying hello to your favorite barista can help overcome feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Get a respite break: Some employers offer respite care benefits and there are many organizations that provide respite help at low or no cost through the nonprofit ARCH National Respite Network. Having this caregiving break gives you critical time to focus on self-care and connect with home care aides that can make you feel less alone.

Sherri Snelling is a corporate gerontologist and ambassador for the Caregiver Monday campaign. She specializes in caregiver wellness, psychosocial behavior modification and brain health/Alzheimers. She is founder of the Caregiving Club, a consulting and content creation company working with employers to encourage caregiver self-care in the workplace.
United States (US) President Donald Trump recently signed a new presidential proclamation that imposed a 60-day ban on issuing Green Cards to certain immigrants. Indias information technology (IT) industry and hundreds of thousands of H-1B visa holders in the US  a significant majority of whom are Indian nationals  heaved a huge sigh of relief: The proclamation did not eliminate the 65,000 H-1B visas for fiscal year 2021.

However, H-1B workers, who number more than half a million, are not out of the woods yet. It is unlikely that they will be, till the economy picks up steam, or, at the very least, until all the ballots are counted after the presidential election on November 3.

Some sort of restrictions could be imposed even within weeks. In the proclamation, Trump directed the secretaries of labour and homeland security to review various visa programmes and recommend appropriate measures, and ensure the prioritisation, hiring, and employment of United States workers.

Even if no additional measures are implemented, the H-1B community is living in fear of job loss and the thought of having to leave the country. If the economy doesnt turn the corner, anywhere from 20% to 25% of H-1B employees could lose their jobs, according to one estimate.

Even if the gradual reopening of the economy results in some sort of recovery, there is no question the post-coronavirus pandemic terrain will be challenging for the Indian IT sector in the US. With the health care infrastructure overwhelmed by the pandemic and the economy in the middle of a recession, the upcoming presidential election, which is less than six months away, will be fought largely on these two issues. And jobs, 30 million of them having vanished, will be at the front and centre of the campaign for both sides.

H-1B was a big target for Trump in 2016, who repeatedly criticised it during the presidential campaign. He once vowed to end forever the use of the H-1B as a cheap labour programme, and make it an absolute requirement to hire American

workers first for every visa and immigration programme without any exception.

But once in power, Trump largely avoided talking about the H-1B programme. The one major action he took was an executive order signed just three months after swearing-in as the 45th president of the US. That was the Buy American and Hire American order, which directed federal agencies to propose new rules and issue new guidance to protect the interests of US workers.

During the first three years of Trumps presidency, the US economy created more than 6.5 million jobs, which weakened the argument that H-1B workers are depriving US citizens of jobs. But now, with more than 33 million jobs vanishing in less than three months, the voices of H-1B critics are resonating more than ever.

With his management of the coronavirus pandemic diminishing his re-election prospects significantly, one shouldnt be surprised if Trump returns to his 2016 self during the campaign.

There is a big difference between then and now, however. In 2016, it was all rhetoric from an insurgent campaigner; now, being the president, he has the tools to implement what he preached four years ago.

In the meantime, H-1B workers and the Indian IT industry should pray for the best but expect and be prepared for the worst.

Frank F Islam is an entrepreneur, civic leader, and thought leader based in Washington DC.

The views expressed are personal
A local TD has said the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has 'failed utterly' to protect the community of Portrane, with homes remaining under threat and property having 'fallen into the sea' due to coastal erosion.

Labour Deputy Duncan Smith, speaking in the Dail last week, said that the NPWS had 'failed to listen to local people, public representatives or independent experts' in relation to coastal protection measures for the Burrow in Portrane.

These protection measures, he said, were to protect the dunes at the Burrow, 'and the very habitat the NPWS wanted to preserve.'

Deputy Smith said: 'We lost many years in our fight against coastal protection at the Burrow in Portrane because of the NPWS's intransigence, rigidity and inability to communicate effectively, not only with public representatives and local people but also with the local authority.

'Those dunes are now gone. Property has fallen into the sea, homes continue to be threatened and local businesses are on the verge of also falling into the sea.

'Important local amenities such as public toilets are only centimetres away from being destroyed.'

Deputy Smith said that although protection measures were currently being put in place at the Burrow, the delay in intervention would mean 'those years will never be got back.'

Thanks to the 'proactive nature' of Minister of State, Kevin Boxer Moran, measures had now been put in place at the Burrow, but progress was 'too slow' and continued to be 'too slow.'

Acknowledging the NPWS did a 'great job' in protecting biodiversity, Deputy Smith that it was 'not always right', and that in this instance had 'failed utterly' to protect the community in Portrane.

Deputy Smith concluded: 'The community is vulnerable, and more properties will go. It is important the Minister is cognisant of that and that a clear message goes to the NPWS that sometimes it is important to listen to the community, representatives and independent experts.'
Authorities investigating the new suspect in the Madeleine McCann case are examining any links to the disappearance of two other children, according to reports.

The 43-year-old convicted German child sex offender, currently in prison in his home country, has been named in reports as Christian Brueckner.

German prosecutors believe Madeleine is dead after she vanished from an apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3 2007, while on holiday with her family, and are investigating the suspect over her murder.

German news websites have now reported that authorities have contacted the family of Rene Hasee, who went missing in 1996.

According to reports the then six-year-old, from Elsdorf, Germany, went missing from a beach while on holiday with his family in the Portuguese Algarve.

It comes as an investigation has been opened into whether the suspect was involved in the disappearance of Inga Gehricke.

She was five years old when she vanished from a forest in the Saxony-Anhalt region on May 2 2015.

Prosecutors in the northern German town of Stendal confirmed to the PA news agency they are probing possible connections between the cases of Madeleine and Inga.

But they said the man, who has been partially identified as Christian B by local media due to the countrys strict rules on the naming of criminals, is not currently a suspect.

He reportedly had a property in the town of Neuwegersleben, around 60 miles south-west of Stendal when she went missing.

Inga Gehricke disappeared from a forest in Saxony-Anhalt near the German town of Stendal in May 2015 (Police Directorate Saxony-Anhalt North/PA)

Meanwhile, the Sun newspaper reported that a witness had identified the suspect as a man she saw acting suspiciously outside the McCanns apartment.

According to the Sun, the British woman  referred to as a credible witness  said thats the man I saw when shown a picture of the suspect.

The woman reported the sighting within hours of Madeleines disappearance, the newspaper added.

It comes after claims, originally reported by Sky News, that the suspect confessed to his part in Madeleines disappearance to a friend as they watched a TV news report on the case in a German bar on the 10th anniversary of her disappearance.

Story continues

Scotland Yard said his name was already known to its investigation, but he did not become a suspect until after information was received as a direct consequence of a 2017 appeal.

The forces Operation Grange still considers the case a missing person inquiry because there is no definitive evidence whether Madeleine is alive or dead.

A house in Portugal linked to the suspect (Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany)

The suspect is reportedly serving a seven-year prison sentence in the German port city of Kiel for the rape of a 72-year-old American woman in Portugal in 2005 after he was convicted of rape at Braunschweig District Court in December last year.

Der Spiegel reported his criminal record contains a total of 17 entries, including a conviction for the sexual abuse of a child in 1994 when he was aged 17, and a 2016 conviction for abusing another child and possession of child pornography.

The details emerged after British, German and Portuguese authorities revealed a new suspect had been identified in Madeleines disappearance as a fresh appeal was launched on Wednesday night.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell, who is leading the Metropolitan Police probe, said he was pleased with information coming in after receiving more than 270 calls and emails by 4pm on Thursday.

Madeleines doctor parents Kate and Gerry McCann from Rothley, Leicestershire, welcomed the latest appeal in a statement saying: We will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive.

A VW T3 Westfalia campervan that has been linked to the suspect (Met Police)

Their spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, said on Friday: They certainly will be encouraged to know the appeal is yielding results already and hopefully within that there will be crucial bits of information the police can act upon.

He added: They are trying to maintain as normal a life as possible under the circumstances, continuing their medical work where necessary and bringing the twins up as best they can, while shielding them from all the attention.

They wait to hear any developments from police.

The suspect is known to have been living in the Algarve between 1995 and 2007, where he funded his lifestyle by committing crimes, including breaking into hotel complexes and holiday apartments.

His Portuguese mobile phone was in Praia da Luz when it received a half-hour phone call around an hour before Madeleine, three, was last seen.

Detectives said he was believed to have been living in a distinctive early 1980s VW T3 Westfalia campervan at the time and re-registered a 1993 Jaguar XJR6 in someone elses name the day after her disappearance.

Christian Hoppe, from Germanys Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), has said that German police have not ruled out a sexual motive for the alleged crime against Madeleine.

He said that the suspect may have broken into an apartment in the Ocean Club complex, where Madeleine was on holiday with her parents and her twin siblings Sean and Amelie, before spontaneously kidnapping her.

The revelations raise questions over whether mistakes in the Portuguese probe may have allowed the suspect to slip through the net.

Portuguese police would not answer questions about whether Brueckner was ever spoken to as part of their initial investigation.
(CNN)  Fifty-seven police officers in Buffalo, New York, have resigned from the force's emergency response team following the suspension of two officers who allegedly pushed a 75-year-old protester to the ground, a source close to the situation said Friday.

An investigation is underway in a protest incident Gov. Andrew Cuomo called "wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful." The man was seriously injured.

Video of the demonstration Thursday shows a row of officers walking toward the man and two pushing him. His head bleeds onto the sidewalk as officers walk past him, some looking down at him.

The demonstrators in Niagara Square were, like those across the country, calling for racial justice after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.

The 57 officers resigned from the emergency unit but not from the force. The Buffalo mayor's office told CNN that the 57 members that resigned from the unit make up the entire active emergency response team.

A few members of the unit are out currently and are not included in the 57 that resigned, according to the mayor's office.

"Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders," Buffalo Police Benevolent Association president John Evans told WGRZ on Friday. WKBW also reported news of the resignations.

The man's identity, Martin Gugino, was confirmed by Cuomo's office. Gugino is hospitalized in serious but stable condition, authorities said.

An attorney representing Gugino released a statement saying Gugino is "alert and oriented" and described him as a longtime peaceful protester and human rights advocate.

"Mr. Gugino requests privacy for himself and his family as he recovers," said Kelly V. Zarone. "He appreciates all of the well wishes he has received and requests that any further protests continue to be peaceful."

Megan Toufexis, Gugino's niece, told CNN that her uncle attended the protest Thursday to discuss First Amendment rights with police.

Protests in the city continued into the evening Friday.

Buffalo mayor says officers should receive due process

Mayor Byron Brown said he wants the two suspended officers to get due process. "I am not calling for them to be fired."

Speaking of the injured man, the mayor said, "He was asked to leave numerous times last night."

Police felt that it was important to clear the area before fights broke out among the protesters, the mayor said. He stressed that the instructions from the police managers to officers was to be careful, protect residents and use common sense.

In response to questions about the emergency response team, Brown said that the city has a contingency plan. "Buffalo will be safe this weekend," he said. "We have a contingency plan, we always have a contingency plan."

CNN has reached out to police and the association for further comment. New York State Police say they are sending additional officers to the city following the resignations.

The demonstrators in Niagara Square were, like those across the country, calling for racial justice after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.

Based on the initial video, police issued a statement that said Gugino tripped and fell, police spokesman Mike DeGeorge told CNN.

After more videos became available, police amended that statement, and Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood suspended the officers without pay and opened an investigation, he said.

"The department moved swiftly" and "corrected" the information, DeGeorge said.

Brown called the incident "disheartening" and said his thoughts were with Gugino.

Prosecutors are investigating, the Erie County District Attorney's Office tweeted.

Gugino had a head injury and could not give a statement to investigators Thursday night, the tweet said.

Cuomo said the officers should be fired and prosecutors should move "fairly but quickly."

"When I saw the video, I got sick to my stomach," Cuomo said. "I would encourage the district attorney not to do what happened in Minneapolis, which the delay itself caused issues," said the governor, adding, "People don't want vaguery. They are upset and want answers."

Earlier on Twitter, he said, "This incident is wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful. ... Police Officers must enforce  NOT ABUSE  the law."

Cuomo said he spoke with Gugino.

"Thankfully he is alive," Cuomo said Friday at his daily news conference in Albany. "You see that video, and it disturbs your basic sense of decency and humanity."

Cuomo also called out attacks on police officers, saying, "You have incidents of police getting hit with bricks in the head. Who are we?"

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated Megan Toufexis' relationship to Martin Gugino.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Buffalo officers quit special team after 2 officers suspended for allegedly shoving 75-year-old to ground"
US President Donald Trump has ordered the military to remove 9,500 troops from Germany, a senior US official said on Friday, a move likely to raise concerns in Europe about the US commitment to the continent.

The move would reduce US troops numbers in Germany to 25,000, from the 34,500 currently there.

The official, who did not want to be identified, said the move was the result of months of work by Americas top military officer, General Mark Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and had nothing to do with tensions between Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who thwarted Trumps plan to host a G7 meeting this month.

A second senior administration official said the 9,500 troops would be sent elsewhere, some to Poland, some to other allied countries, while some would return home.

This official said there was less need for the large contingent in Germany due to overall increased defense spending by the US-led NATO military alliance.

The second official said the change was ordered in a memorandum signed recently by Trumps national security adviser, Robert OBrien. The official said the United States started working on the plan in September and had just now got the pieces in place.

Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on Senate Armed Services Committee, said the move was petty and preposterous.

Andrew Weiss of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said the move was a huge gift for Russia.

With one fell swoop, Trump is showing once again that our alliances are nothing more than a political plaything, Weiss said on Twitter.

The White House said it had no announcements but Trump continually reassesses the best posture for the United States military forces.

In the statement, White House National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot said the United States remained committed to working with Germany on defense and other issues.

The move, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, is the latest twist in relations between Berlin and Washington, which have often been strained during Trumps presidency. Trump has pressed Germany to raise defense spending and accused Berlin of being a captive of Russia due to its energy reliance.

About 17,000 US civilian employees support US troops in Germany. It is believed the United States also has nuclear warheads there.
Harrisburg police on Friday arrested a man accused of aggravated assault after he allegedly threw a brick at an officer and used a skateboard to break two windows of a police vehicle during a melee that broke out during a protest and march downtown Saturday.

Police also accused Dexter Thompson, 26, of threatening to kill the officer, according to court records. Police arrested Thompson at his home Friday morning, and he recorded it on Facebook Live before being taken into custody.

Police charged him with aggravated assault, terroristic threats and institutional vandalism. He spent Friday afternoon in jail and later was released on $5,000 unsecured bond by Magisterial District Judge Hanif Johnson.

Thompson represents the first person arrested by Harrisburg police for alleged criminal acts that occurred after a relatively peaceful protest and rally the afternoon of May 30.

Capitol police also arrested a man for allegedly throwing a brick at police during the same protest but his name and charges had not been released by Capitol Police.

Harrisburg police are still looking for a woman blamed by city officials for sparking the violence at the rally. Police said she used a flagpole she was carrying to crack a police vehicle windshield. She was carrying a flag that Mayor Eric Papenfuse on Friday confirmed was an antifa flag.

Antifa, which is short for anti-fascist, represents far-left-leaning militant groups that resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations and other events.

Witnesses told PennLive the melee started when a protestor either tripped or was pushed back from a police vehicle by an officer, as they were marching next to the vehicle on Front Street near Forster Street.

Thats the moment where things went bad, according to Chris Carvell, of Snyder County, and Tom Moran, of Schuylkill County.

It had been peaceful for the most part, Carvell said. As we were walking, a guy apparently got too close to a cop, and the cop put his arm up and the guy fell backwards.

The crowd thought the officer pushed the protester down and immediately became agitated, and people started throwing things, Carvell said.

The woman slammed her flagpole on the police vehicle windshield, Carvell said, and he heard something crash through the vehicles back windows but he couldnt see what broke the glass.

Harrisburg police called Capitol Police to help get them out of the situation since protesters were surrounding two police vehicles.

When Capitol Police arrived dressed in riot gear, they approached protesters while beating their batons into their hands, apparently as a show of force, Carvell said.

People started to scatter somewhat and one man trying to back up from Capitol Police appeared to fall to the ground, Carvell said.

Carvells friend Tom Moran was one of two people who went to help the man up. Thats when streams of pepper spray started to hit Moran and a woman who was helping the downed protester.

I saw the guy on the ground so I went to help him and I started hearing spray to my right, Moran said. I couldnt tell who was spraying it.

The first round of spray hit him along the entire right side of his body, he said, and the second round of spray him him on the left side of his head.

Harrisburg, PA

these people were trying to help this man so he wouldn't get more hurt than he already was and get pepper spray#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/iuFR4jJnld  Gonzalo (@gonzaloaflores) May 30, 2020

Video of the encounter posted on Twitter trigged much debate about who fired those first bursts of pepper spray, because it appeared that at least one spray may have come from a person acting like a protester.

Papenfuse on Friday announced that police believe they have evidence that someone other than police fired pepper spray during the melee. The mayor said he watched some of the officers body camera footage that showed at least some of the pepper spray was not deployed by police," but one or possibly two protesters.

A few moments later, its clear from video that a Capitol Police officer deployed pepper spray.

During the unrest, a Harrsiburg police officer fired a less-lethal rifle at protesters that fires projectiles similar to paint balls. Court records said the officer fired the rounds to protect himself and the other units from the people that were throwing objects.

District Attorney Fran Chardo said the device also is used for marking suspects clothing in a crowd situation.

The officer fired 20 times at Thompson, according to a Facebook Live video Thompson posted after the incident. One round hit him in the leg causing a large bruise, which he displayed.

Thompsons comments on his Facebook page were among the evidence used to support criminal charges against him.

Court records said he spoke on Facebook Live about his encounter with an officer named Christian Ribec. According to court records:

Thompson spelled Ribecs name and said, Its alright. We got your name. Were gonna find you and were gonna have some fun.

He also allegedly said; If it takes for me to go on for a shooting spree for this jawn to clear up, if it takes for me getting killed, I dont care bro.

Later in the video he talks about breaking the side of the police vehicle window and getting caught throwing (expletive) I wasnt supposed to. The officer fired the less-lethal rounds at Thompson and Thompson said he told Ribec he wanted to kill him.

I still want to, Thompson said on his Facebook Live. Sorry I say this jawn, but I want his (expletive) neck bro. I want his neck.

The next day, during another Facebook Live, court records said Thompson again said, All I want to do is find this man. If you know me, you know I can find out whatever the (expeletive) I want in 20 minutes. I dont even care if I have to walk to this mans house. I will walk to this mans house and blank his (expletive) bro.

Police are still investigating other possible crimes that may have occurred at the rally, said Police Sgt. Kyle Gautsch. He said police are reviewing photos, and videos from nearby buildings and social media posts and using facial-recognition software to identify the woman and others who allegedly hit officers, damaged police vehicles or possibly sprayed pepper spray on protesters or police.

Some of the challenges for investigators, said, include the size of the crowd and the fact that many people at the protest were wearing masks.

Adding to the difficulty: the officers at the scene who were surrounded by protesters at one point at Front and Forster streets were trying to pay attention to the people immediately around them while objects were being hurled at them.

A Capitol Police spokesman did not immediately respond to a request about their officers actions including using pepper spray against protesters.

Editors Note: This article was updated to reflect that Thompson was released from jail on bond.

READ: Harrisburg fires police recruit after racist and inappropriate social media posts: mayor

READ: Dauphin County prison guard suspended for online comments about Harrisburg protests
Ahead of talks between military commanders of India and China to resolve the standoff along the Line of Actual Control , Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece on Saturday warned India "not to be fooled" by the United States, which was only concerned in serving its own strategic interest to maintain pressure on China, and did not care about "other countries geopolitical interests".

The Global Times tabloid in a scathing piece said that China will not give up "any inch of territory".

It also warned that if India misjudges and "nibbles away at China's territory," then China will take strong countermeasures.

"We believe India knows very well that China will not be at a disadvantage in any China-India military operations along the border area," the editorial published on Friday in the Chinese government mouthpiece said.

"India should not be fooled by the US," it said, adding that the US supports India every time China and India have conflicts to encourage New Delhi's confrontation against Beijing and to hype new border disputes.

"China does not want to fall foul of India. Good-neighbourly relations have been China's basic national policy over the past decades, and China firmly adheres to a peaceful resolution of border disputes. We have no reason to make India our enemy."

"The US and its allies have established various contact mechanisms with India, making India falsely believe that it is well-supported. But for major powers like China and India, external factors will not substantially affect their relations," it added.

The Commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps of the Indian Army Commander Lieutenant Gen Harinder Singh will meet his Chinese equivalent Maj Gen Liu Lin, who is the commander of South Xinjiang Military Region of Chinese People's Liberation Army today to address the ongoing tussle in Eastern Ladakh between the two countries over the heavy military build-up by the People's Liberation Army along the LAC there.

The two sides have held close to a dozen rounds of talks since the first week of May when the China sent over 5,000 troops to the LAC.

On Friday, officials of India and China interacted through video-conferencing with the two sides agreeing that they should handle "their differences through peaceful discussion" while respecting each other's sensitivities and concerns and not allowing them to become disputes in accordance with the guidance provided by the leadership.

In the last few days, there has not been any major movement of the People's Liberation Army troops at the multiple sites where it has stationed itself along the LAC opposite Indian forces.

India and China have been locked in a dispute over the heavy military build-up by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) where they have brought in more than 5,000 troops along with the Eastern Ladakh sector.

The Chinese Army's intent to carry out deeper incursions was checked by the Indian security forces by quick deployment. The Chinese have also brought in heavy vehicles with artillery guns and infantry combat vehicles in their rear positions close to the Indian territory.
Mayor Ted Wheeler on Friday night directed Portland police not to use sonic warning tones to control crowds after officers activated it at the tail end of an all-night protest and signaled hes in favor of a 30-day ban on tear gas like Seattle.

The developments came as the mayor faced renewed pressure to address police tactics during protests against police brutality and racial injustice that have brought thousands to downtown.

He tweeted out the ban on the warning sounds without fanfare then a short time later, facing pointed questions from a protest crowd in the citys downtown, switched gears on tear gas after saying at an earlier news conference that he wasnt ready to outlaw tear gas at demonstrations without more discussion.

The flurry of announcements followed a confrontation at 1:30 a.m. Friday when police blasted a piercing sound from a supervisors SUV in a rare activation of the loud warning tone from the bureaus Long Range Acoustic Device, known as LRAD. The powerful portable speaker was developed for the U.S. military but has been increasingly used by law enforcement agencies to break up crowds.

Officers used the warning sound to try to deter a disruptive group without harming peaceful demonstrators, Deputy Police Chief Chris Davis said.

It marked only the second time police here have blared the warning tone and drew criticism after days of condemnation over the use of tear gas on demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd, who was pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer with a knee to his neck.

Police supervisors offered a quick demonstration of the sound system and warning signal for reporters about 4:30 p.m. Friday outside East Precinct.

About two hours later, Wheeler sent a message on Twitter: Effective immediately, I have directed @Portlandpolice to use LRAD only to share information and not as a sonic warning tone function.

The powerful portable alarm has drawn criticism as another example of excessive force. It can cause long-term hearing loss, detractors say, and is the subject of a pending excessive force lawsuit in federal court in New York.

Police here first used the high-pitched, pulsing sound from its LRAD Model 458XL system during the 2016 mass demonstrations after Donald Trumps election, Davis said.

The bureau bought three of the devices several years ago, mainly to serve as loudspeakers to broadcast commands during large demonstrations. The purchase followed criticism of its car-based PA systems as unclear or not loud enough for many in the crowd to hear.

Police triggered the warning sound early Friday after declaring a civil disturbance and only due to an immediate safety issue, according to Davis and Lt. Franz Schoening.

One of the police SUVs with the audio device on its roof became a target of the groups aggression, Davis said. Lasers were pointed at the driver and people lobbed rocks and bottles at the SUV near Southwest Third Avenue and Salmon Street, he said.

The officers activated the sound boom a couple of different times as they were essentially under attack with objects being thrown at them, he said.

One lasted two seconds; the other five seconds, according to police.

Police dont use the loud noise often because they have had mixed results getting people to disperse, Davis said. A video of its use in Portland in November 2016 showed people putting fingers to their ears and then cheering when the noise ended. Not many appeared to leave.

Police turned to the device Friday because the aggressors were close to officers, and using tear gas was not an option because it would have gassed our sound truck, Davis said.

Police didnt use tear gas Thursday night into Friday morning as calls grew locally and nationwide from activists and experts that the gas does more harm than good and could increase the spread of the coronavirus.

We havent encountered the conditions that had caused us to use it quite as much, Davis said. We dont want to use it. What we want is for the violence to stop so we could all take a breath.

At a noon press conference, Wheeler, who serves as police commissioner, said hed favor banning tear gas only if the Police Bureau has another effective alternative.

Lets be honest, Wheeler said. Its ugly. It looks ugly. Nobody who knows this community wants to see that.

Seattles mayor, undergoing much the same pushback, on Friday announced a 30-day moratorium on police use of CS gas, a form of tear gas, until the department adopts more stringent policies and training for the use of the chemical agent.

Wheeler said Portland should ban the use of tear gas with an important provision. I would support the discontinuation of tear gas provided that there are viable alternatives for dispersal that do not involve higher uses of force.

But he added, Im not willing to say today I would ban it.

Then as he spoke to small crowd in the citys downtown Friday night through a bullhorn, Wheeler told them of his ban on the police sonic warning tone. "What about the tear gas? What about the tear gas?'' the crowd pressed.

In response, the mayor took the microphone back and said he learned of Seattles 30-day moratorium Friday afternoon and said Portland should do the same.'' Wheeler said he and his advisers planned to pursue a similar 30-day tear gas ban Saturday.

Also Friday, the group Dont Shoot Portland filed suit against the city in federal court and sought a temporary restraining order to bar Portland police from using tear gas and smoke as crowd control tactics during protests.

***

The acoustic systems are another police tactic mired in controversy.

A trial is set in New York City for September on a federal lawsuit filed by six people who participated in, observed or were documenting protests as photojournalists Dec. 4 and 5, 2014.

They sued the New York Police Department, alleging that the use of the sound device caused hearing loss and violated their 14th Amendment right against excessive force. Demonstrators were protesting a New York police officers chokehold of Eric Garner.

The New York Police Department moved to dismiss the suit, arguing partly that the officers were entitled to whats called qualified immunity from civil liability because the alleged violation wasnt clearly established law.

Both a federal district judge and a federal appeals court panel rejected those arguments, keeping the case alive.

The lower court found that the devices can cause injuries similar to other police tools capable of being used with excessive force.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals then held that purposefully using a LRAD in a manner capable of causing serious injury to move nonviolent protesters to the sidewalks violates the Fourteenth Amendment under clearly established law.

Yet the appeals court cautioned that it had only the vantage point of the plaintiffs, and that once officers presented their full evidence about what they saw and knew, the officers may yet be entitled to qualified immunity from civil liability for using the devices.

***

The red button in the top right corner is the sonic warning tone that Mayor Ted Wheeler has now prohibited Portland police from using. The LRAD more typically is used as a communication tool to broadcast police directions or orders to large masses of people in demonstrations.

According to the suit, LRADs were developed for the U.S. military in the wake of the deadly terrorist attack on the USS Cole in 2000.

If mounted aboard a Navy ship, the devices loudspeaker could be used to warn off boats that came too close. If those warnings are ignored, the device could be used to send out sound at a dangerously high level  to cause pain/hearing damage to try to repel the attack, the suit said.

This technique, known as area denial, has been used in both military and crowd-control settings. The speakers can produce a louder sound than a traditional device, such as a megaphone, and can project over much greater distances.

LRADs can produce volumes of up to 146 decibels, according to the suit.

The threshold for human discomfort begins between 120 and 140 decibels and the National Institute of Health cautions that hearing loss can result from short exposure to sounds at or above 110 to 120 decibels, New York attorney Gideon O. Oliver wrote in a legal brief filed in federal court on behalf of the plaintiffs.

***

The sound is designed to be controlled by police, who can alter the frequency, level, quality and length of the alarm.

Schoening, commander of Portlands Rapid Response Team, said the bureaus LRAD Model 450 XL ranges from a maximum of 147 decibels to a lower range of 20 to 30 decibels.

The majority amount of time we use it behind the police line, so its not typically set at the highest volume because officers are in front of the noise, he said.

As for its effectiveness early Friday, Schoening said, I think it worked marginally. It certainly did not send everybody home.

Nicky Horowitz, a Portland resident and technical engineer who was among the protesters marching in the city the last several nights, said he wasnt present when the LRAD was used early Friday.

But he has significant concerns about it.

When that sound hits somebody its at absolutely maximum value, he said, and could cause lasting hearing damage, migraines or headaches or cause someone to lose their balance.

A March 2016 report by Physicians for Human Rights and International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations said using earplugs or firmly blocking the ears with your hands can decrease the sound by 20 to 30 decibels, but that may not be enough to avoid significant injury.

LRAD Corp.s marketing document for law enforcement agencies says when the devices deterrent tone is used at close range, protesters sense audible discomfort, cover their ears and move away.

Just the act of covering ears with hands reduces the sound pressure level by approximately 25dB and could prevent protestors from throwing projectiles, its brochure says.

The first documented use of an LRAD by police, according to the New York lawsuit, was in Pittsburgh in connection with the G-20 summit of 2009. New York police also used it during the Occupy Wall Street movement in 2011 and Missouri police in Ferguson in 2014 during protests over the police shooting of teenager Michael Brown.

A suit against the city of Pittsburgh from a woman who said she suffered hearing loss during the G-20 demonstrations from the devices settled for $75,000.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

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Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.

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Geneva, June 6 : The World Health Organization (WHO) said that as the COVID-19 cases were growing at an alarming rate in South Asia, there were risks of an explosion of the virus in the densely-populated region.

"Particularly in South Asia, not just in India, but in Bangladesh and in Pakistan and other countries in South Asia with large dense populations, the disease has not exploded, but there is always the risk of that happening," Michael Ryan, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, said during a press conference here on Friday.

"And as the disease generates and gets a foothold in communities, it can accelerate at anytime," he added.

"The number of cases in India has been going up by an average of a third per week, so probably the doubling time of the epidemic in India is about three weeks at this stage.

"So the direction of travel of the epidemic is not exponential, but it is still growing," he said.

Ryan said the measures taken in India "certainly had an impact in dampening transmission, and as India, as in other large countries open up and as people begin to move again, there's always a risk of the disease bouncing back up".

"I think the important thing is to really keep track of the the growth rate, the doubling time of the virus and make sure that that doesn't get worse," said WHO's chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan.

As India is a "heterogeneous and huge country with very densely populated cities", Swaminathan said it's important to wear face coverings.

As of Saturday, India has reported over 2.3 lakh COVID-19 cases, surpassing Italy. It is now in the sixth position with the highest number of infections in the world.

According to the Health Ministry, there were a total of 6,642 deaths.

After India, Pakistan is the worst affected in South Asia with 89,249 COVID-19 cases, and 1,935 fatalities.

Bangladesh follows in the third position with 60,391 infections and 811 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

With 18,969 cases and 309 deaths, Afghanistan is currently in the fourth position.

Nepal has reported 2,912 cases and 11 deaths, followed by Maldives 1,883 cases with seven deaths; and Sri Lanka with 1,801 cases and 11 deaths.

Bhutan has registered 48 cases with no fatalities.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Contract Decision Raises Doubts About Israel-China Tech Ties

By Natalie Liu June 05, 2020

The Trump administration appears to have scored a victory in its campaign to dissuade key allies from expanding their high-tech trade relations with China.

An Israeli contract to build what will be the world's largest water desalination plant had been widely expected to go to Hong Kong-based Hutchison Water. But following a high-profile visit to Israel by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the contract was awarded last week to an Israel company instead.

Filing documents describe the contract as encompassing the design, construction and operation of a seawater desalination facility located in Sorek, south of Tel Aviv. The facility's construction is described as part of Israel's long-term strategy to sustain the country through any long-term drought caused by climate change.

The project was green-lighted in 2018 by the Israeli cabinet, and Hutchison emerged as a leading bidder in spite of security concerns. In April 2019, the newspaper Haaretz pointed out the plant's proximity to a nuclear research center, an air force base and a weapons testing ground. The paper said a 50-meter-high smokestack called for by the proposal "could be used as an observation point over all of the sensitive sites."

Nevertheless, Hutchison was considered a strong contender for the contract. It was already a 49% partner in an existing desalination plant at Sorek  part of an Israeli-Chinese economic relationship that has been growing since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Beijing in 2013.

Netanyahu was back in Beijing for talks with President Xi Jinping in March 2017, when the sides announced an innovative comprehensive partnership between their countries. That followed high-level meetings in 2015 and 2016 aimed at boosting collaboration in high-tech and innovation.

"Israel has, for at least a decade now, actively courted Chinese investment as part of its global branding as an innovation hub and startup nation," Ilan Berman, senior vice president at the American Foreign Policy Council, told VOA. "Chinese investments run the gamut, from construction to dairy production/manufacturing."

Berman continued, "A significant amount is concentrated in the Israeli high-tech sector, where Chinese firms have been very active buying up software startups and investing in technology that could legitimately be considered dual use"  meaning it has both military and civilian applications.

Some U.S. officials estimate that Beijing now "directly controls or has influence over as much as one-quarter of Israel's multibillion-dollar tech industry, including defense contractors working on sensitive projects jointly being developed with the United States," Berman warned in a recently published policy paper.

Patrick Cronin, a senior fellow and chair for Asia-Pacific Security at the Hudson Institute, said China's rise has led Israel and other U.S. allies to differentiate between their economic and security interests.

"In general, as China became their largest trading partner, America remained their chief security partner," said Cronin.

The United States has been slow to object to the burgeoning Israeli-Chinese relationship, according to Douglas Feith, a U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy in the George W. Bush administration.

Feith, now a senior fellow at Hudson Institute, argued in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece that the laissez-faire U.S. approach to Israeli-Chinese relations could be seen as an extension of America's own "engagement" policy toward China dating from former President Richard Nixon's historic visit to China in 1972.

Meanwhile, American companies have shown less interest than their Chinese counterparts in investing in Israel, a difference that was highlighted when a Shanghai-based company won a contract in 2015, as the only bidder at the time, to rebuild the strategic port of Haifa, sparking controversy.

A former U.S. ambassador to Israel, Daniel Shapiro, says he was approached by the Israeli transportation minister at that time and told that no U.S. companies appeared to be interested in bidding on the Haifa contract. But "no one in the U.S. government called me and said, 'Hey, we have a problem,' " Shapiro told The Times of Israel.

But as the Trump administration steps up its trade and rhetorical wars with China, especially since the coronavirus outbreak, the issue appears to be getting more attention in Washington.

On May 13, even while much of the United States remained on lockdown because of the pandemic, Pompeo made a day trip to Israel, on the eve of the formation of a new unity government led by Netanyahu and Deputy Prime Minister Benny Gantz.

The agenda for Pompeo's talks with the two men included the obvious issues  Iran and a proposed declaration of sovereignty over parts of the West Bank. But in an interview with Israeli public television, Pompeo also raised U.S. concerns about Chinese investments in Israel.

"We want the Chinese people to be successful," Pompeo said, but "we do not want the Chinese Communist Party to have access to Israeli infrastructure, Israeli communication systems." Saying this would make it harder for the U.S. and Israel to collaborate on important projects, Pompeo added: "We want to make sure that our friendly partners all around the world understand that risk."

"The Trump administration is very pro-Israel, but these investments have caused growing concern in the White House," Berman told VOA. "If they continue to grow, they will invariably impact sensitive collaborative defense-industrial projects that are part of the U.S.-Israeli strategic relationship."

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 01:38:28|Editor: huaxia

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BUDAPEST, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Hungary and Germany will lift travel restrictions for each other's citizens from 8 a.m. on Sunday, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said on his Facebook page on Saturday.

"Germany is our biggest trading partner. Many Hungarians work in Germany. Their employment and contact with their families have encountered very serious difficulties in the recent period," Szijjarto said in a video message.

Germany's management of the pandemic has proven to be effective, the minister said, adding that this provides an opportunity to lift restrictions on passenger traffic between the two countries.

German nationals will be allowed entry into Hungary, and Hungarians who return home from Germany are exempt from the quarantine obligations, according to the minister.

In another development, travel restrictions between Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia had been completely lifted starting from Friday. Enditem
Bennett Raglin/Getty Images; Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images; Timothy Norris/Getty Images; The Chosunilbo JNS/Imazins via Getty Images; Courtesy Shamir

Every Friday, EW's music team runs down the five best songs of the week. In today's edition, Meek Mill details the other side of America, YG releases a perfectly timed protest anthem, Terrace Martin and a few friends make a sharp song about police brutality, Shamir drops a one-off dedicated to the Center for Black Equity and Black Lives Matter, and TWICE merge tropical house and dubstep.

"Otherside of America"  Meek Mill

If there is one black American artist capable of sharing intimate details on what the specter of the police state feels like, it's Meek Mill. The Philadelphia rapper has been in and out of jail for over a decade for what was proven to be a suspicious arrest in the first place. Throughout that time, he's developed into one of the genre's preeminent storytellers. Bars like "I'm totin' Smith &'s and HKs and I just was a grade-A kid," do a lot to illustrate how systemic racism has affected his life. The added touch of bookended clips from Trump's "What do you have to lose?" speech from the 2016 campaign, along with Meek's CNN appearance, cement how unavoidable his fate felt. Marcus Jones

"FTP"  YG

YG doesn't mince words. In 2016, the Compton rapper released the first true anti-Trump anthem, "FDT," which remains the most potent protest song of the last four years. Now, he's followed it up with the timely "FTP." It feels like the only new song that matters while our streets and social media feeds are flushed with abhorrent police violence. The hook is right in the title, and YG delivers it with the same cool-headed snarl that made "FDT" both powerful and accessible. YG isn't calling for non-violence, though, as he raps boldly about unleashing the pent-up rage that's built up over years of systemic murders. "F the police, that's how I feel/Buy a Glock, break down the block/That's how I feel (That's how I feel)/Murder after murder after all these years/Buy a strap, bust back after all these tears." Eli Enis

Story continues

"Something That's Worth My Praises"  Shamir

It's been years since Shamir ditched the snappy electropop that made him a household indie name for lo-fi garage and punk rock (he's become pretty prolific at it too, having dropped four-full lengths in three years, including his latest, the grungy Cataclysm). On this new one-off single  which is available for only 24 hours, with proceeds from sales going to Black Lives Matter Philly, the Center for Black Equity, and the Philadelphia Bail Fund  he yearns for something, or someone, he can get behind, while recognizing the hidden meanings of what's in front of him: "Reminder to myself that nothings ever what it seems/And not all healthy things are green," he sings over rubbery guitars. "And all that glitters once came from dark coal/And pressure from the dirt will bring/Something that's worth my praises." You can listen to it over on Shamir's Bandcamp. Alex Suskind

"Pig Feet"  Terrace Martin feat. Denzel Curry, Daylyt, Kamasi Washington, and G Perico

As the clip for Terrace Martin's newest single states: "The video to this song is happening right outside your window." Indeed it is. "Pig Feet" begins with two gunshots. Then: helicopters swarming, followed by the radio distortion from an emergency dispatcher and the haunting wails of a young woman pleading, "They shot him; he didn't have a gun." Over a chaotic Kamasi Washington saxophone solo, rapper Denzel Curry lays down his worldview as plainly (and as painfully) as he can: "Shut down schools to open drugs and gun stores/I see the floor, gotta flourish/When I'm readin' my horoscope, the vision is horrid," he says. In the second verse, Daylyt matches him: "Hold on to life, we don't go for the house of reps/They done trapped us in the alphabet/Our alphas can't get out the net." "Pig Feet" thrives on urgency. Yes, it's timely, but then it always has been. A.S.

"More & More"  TWICE

K-pop stans nobly joined the resistance this week by barraging police surveillance apps and white supremacist hashtags with a tidal wave of fancams. So what better time than now to be introduced to one of the genre's biggest acts, the nine-member girl group TWICE? The group utilizes the unique elements of K-pop and other genres for maximum effect. Come for the tropical house beat, be surprised by the multiple dubstep dance breaks, and leave ready to cut your own fancam of vocalist Nayeon going into a flawless vocal riff at the end of the bridge. M.J.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 13:33:54|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Four soldiers have been killed and 17 others wounded in a clash with about 40 suspected Abu Sayyaf rebels in a remote village in the Philippines' Sulu province, a military spokesman said on Saturday.

Major Arvin Encinas of the Western Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said the 40-minute fighting broke out around 8:20 a.m. local time on Friday in a village near mountainous Patikul town, a known stronghold of the extremist group.

Encinas said two Abu Sayyaf bandits were also killed in the fighting.

The troops are maneuvering for an assault when they engaged with about 40 Abu Sayyaf terrorists, he added.

Abu Sayyaf is considered the smallest but one of the most violent extremist groups in the southern Philippines. The group, which has an estimated 400 fighters, is active in the impoverished island provinces of Sulu and Basilan.

The group is responsible for the series of kidnappings, deadly bombings, ambushes of security personnel, public beheadings, assassinations, and extortion in the Mindanao region.

The group, which has been terrorizing the Philippines' southern region since the 1990s, preys on foreign tourists, businessmen and fishermen not only from the Philippines but also from Indonesia and Malaysia, hiding them in Philippine jungles or remote islands. Enditem
Iranian Leader Hassan Rouhani, on June 5, said that a wedding in Iran had contributed to a new surge in COVID-19 cases in the country. However, he added that country had no other choice than reopening. The Islamic republic started easing out restrictions in late April as coronavirus cases dropped, however, the middle eastern country saw a sharp rise in recent weeks. Earlier this week, Iran reported 3,574 cases, marking the highest since the outbreak first began in February.

"At one location, we witnessed a peak in this epidemic, the source of which was a wedding that caused problems for the people, health workers and losses to the economy ad the countrys health system, Rouhani said on state television without specifying the venue or date of the wedding.

Health officials in Iran have reportedly warned of a second wave of the outbreak, but many claims a reason for the surge in new cases could be wider testing. One official reportedly asserted that about 70% of the new cases in Tehran were among those who had travelled outside the capital in the region. According to the latest tally by John Hopkins University, Iran has reported 1,69,425 cases till now

Read: US Says Door Remains Open For A Wider Negotiation With Iran About Its Nuclear Program

Read: UN Nuclear Watchdog Expresses Serious Concern At Iran's Failure To Allow Access To Sites

Meanwhile, Iran which is already reeling under heavy international sanctions has no choice but to reopen. Last month, Iran reopened major Shiite shrines across the country. After being closed nearly two months ago due to the deadly coronavirus pandemic, the Imam Reza shrine located in northeast Iran and Fatima shrine and Jamkaran mosque which is located in the holy city of Qom was also reopened. As per reports, the religious sites are allowed to open an hour after dawn and remain open until an hour before dusk.

Health officials' warning

However, the country's health minister Saeed Namaki, on June 1, reportedly said that the country could face a second, stringer wave of deadly coronavirus infections. With an increase in testing and the number of infections surging, Namaki reportedly said that at any moment the outbreak may come back stronger than before. He added that if citizens fail to respect the health protocols then the country must prepare for the worst situation.

Read: Afghans Denounce Iranian Police As Refugees' Death In Car Blaze Triggers Anger

Read: Iran Risks Second COVID-19 Wave If People Ignore Restrictions, Warns Health Minister

(Image Credits: AP)
MTVs The Challenge is getting more viewers than ever with Total Madness. Fans love the competitions, the drama, and, of course, the veteran players who come back on the show season after season. But the shows had some serious controversies over the years  and plenty of issues with sexism.

Even on Total Madness, weve seen some of the men throw sexist remarks to the women. And The Challenge has a dark past with a rape allegation that many believe wasnt handled appropriately. Heres what an ex-Challenge star had to say about the issues shes experienced first-hand.

Theres a lot of negative talk against women on The Challenge

RELATED: The Challenge: Fans Are Blasting Zach Nichols For His Horrible Behavior After He Shared Hes Now a Catholic

A lot of problematic behaviors have already been exposed on The Challenge: Total Madness. We saw Nelson Thomas call Kailah Casillas the foulest woman in the house after she had a fling with Stephen Bear. And Jenna Compono was verbally assaulted by her partner, Zach Nichols, once again.

This isnt the first time Nichols was caught acting extremely inappropriately toward women on the show, either. Back in 2015 during Battle of the Exes 2, Nichols and Jordan Wiseley were caught having a conversation about the women in the house, according to MTV.

Women were created from the men. He took a ribGod took a rib out of Adam to create Eve. So they are made to be , Nichols starts.

To that, Wiseley replies, Inferior.

Then, Nichols adds, Are we supposed to honor them? Yes. These arent our wives. These are f*cking swamp donkeys.

As for the swamp donkeys comment, Nichols tried to defend himself later by saying, I just think I threw two fun words together. Ive heard it but havent looked it up on Urban Dictionary or anything.

There was a sexual assault case against 2 Challenge castmembers

(L-R) Shane Raines, Derrick Henry, Ashley Mitchell, Cara Maria Sorbello, Derrick Kosinski, and Tony Raines attend The Challenge XXX: Ultimate Fan Experience | Lars Niki/Getty Images for MTV

The Challenge has an unfortunate and dark past when it comes to sexual assault. Back in 2009 when MTV was filming Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins in Thailand, Tonya Cooley filed a lawsuit claiming Kenny Santucci and Evan Starkman sexually assaulted her while she was intoxicated in her bed.

Noting that Plaintiff was passed out to the point that she could not be awoken even with aggressive physical contact or cold water, Santucci and Starkman took another male participants toothbrush and rubbed the toothbrush around Plaintiffs genitals, the lawsuit details, according to The Daily Beast.

Ultimately, neither Santucci or Starkman appeared on another season of the show after this. But there were no repercussions for their actions, either. The publication notes the lawsuit was settled out of court in 2012. None of the details were made public.

An ex-star from the show said women are often seen as baggage

Ex-Challenge star Susie Meister has spoken against the show for a variety of reasons ranging from inappropriate conduct to certain players cheating. And she, too, noted that the sexism on the show is horrifying.

Think about it: The goal of the people there is to win money and, theres no doubt about it, when you have a co-ed team, the women are going to be less helpful in completing the physical challenges than the men, Meister told Buzzfeed. So women are often seen as baggage and [that] bleeds over into our dormitory-style living where we are seen as disposable or nuisances, so that often creates a feeling of gender war.

She then added that it gets difficult to maintain any sense of dignity or self-respect when youre on the show because of the free-flowing alcohol and number of male competitors who try to take your tops off in the pool or whatever.

Were hoping The Challenge will do more to hold contestants accountable going forward, as they could certainly do better even on Total Madness.

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- Vice Ganda has recently commented on Karla Estrada's post on her social media account

- It can be recalled that the celebrity mom celebrated her first anniversary with her non-showbiz partner, Jam Ignacio

- Her online post, however, prompted Vice to call her "malandi"

- The comedian's reaction did not go unnoticed by the "Magandang Buhay" host as she replied to the comment afterwards

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Vice Ganda has recently reacted to Karla Estrada and Jam Ignacio's first-anniversary celebration on social media.

It can be recalled that the Magandang Buhay host shared a series of photos from their intimate celebration on her social media account.

KAMI learned that Karla's online post prompted the Kapamilya comedian to react and leave a comment afterwards.

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In her online post, Karla referred to Jam as her 'love' and shared that she is "looking forward to 800 more years" with her non-showbiz partner.

This prompted Vice to leave a funny comment on Karla's post afterwards.

According to the It's Showtime host, "Magkakasunog pa dahil sa mga kaharutan mong yan eh! Patayin mo na yung mga kandila! Ang landi landi mo!"

The celebrity mom eventually replied to Vice's comment and called him "inggitera."

It can be worth noting that Vice and Karla have been friends for more than a decade already.

Source: Instagram @karlaestrada1121

Source: Instagram

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As reported earlier by KAMI, Vice Ganda has been posting about positivity and how to balance one's stress on his social media account. However, this did not sit well with some netizens who started calling the comedian out for spreading 'toxic positivity'. This prompted Vice to address the backlash he has received from the online community afterwards.

Vice Ganda is a popular actor, comedian, television host, and recording artist in the Philippines. He starred in many blockbuster movies including Praybeyt Benjamin.

POPULAR: Read more news about Vice Ganda

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Source: KAMI.com.gh
DECATUR  Police say a Decatur man was arrested after being identified as the person who broke into First-Mid Bank and Trust on Sunday night.

The 34-year-old man is also accused of causing damage at Save-a-Lot, 2280 E. William St., the same night.

According to the affidavit, police responded to an alarm at the bank, 1501 E. William St., around 7:50 p.m. Sunday. They found glass broken out of the front door and rocks on the ground. Nothing had been taken.

Shortly before 10:30 p.m. Sunday, police arrested the 34-year-old man after responding to a domestic violence incident in the 2500 block of East Olive Street. While under arrest in that incident, the suspect asked if there were any calls about broken windows at Save-A-Lot or First-Mid Bank and Trust. He then told police he had damaged both businesses and had "wanted money for beer, so he kicked in the glass at the bank, but got scared and did not enter."

On Tuesday afternoon, police interviewed the suspect at the Macon County Jail. He said he drank too much at 22nd Street Discount Liquor on Sunday night and then went to the bank, where he broke the glass door.

On Wednesday, police obtained surveillance footage of the bank. It showed the suspect entering the bank and sitting in an office for about 13 seconds before leaving. The affidavit said the person on the surveillance footage matched the suspect's appearance and also appeared to be the same person involved in the Save-A-Lot incident.

A sworn police affidavit said the man faces two preliminary charges of burglary and one count of domestic battery. He remained in jail Friday evening with bail set at $79,400, meaning $7,940 is required to bond out.

2020 mug shots from the Herald & Review

Contact Garrett Karsten at (217) 421-6949. Follow him on Twitter: @GarrettKarsten

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Money for all, or a universal basic income, may sound like a radical idea.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Money for all, or a universal basic income, may sound like a radical idea.

But the pandemic  and the immediate need for economic support for millions of Canadians  has put it suddenly in the mainstream.

Thats especially the case given the federal governments Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), providing economic aid to anyone struggling to make more than $1,000 a month, has been so widely used by those who need.

Now helping bolster the case for universal basic income (UBI) is a soon-to-be-released book by a leading economics columnist for the United Kingdoms Financial Times.

Martin Sandbu is a London-based writer for the daily newspaper, as well as a senior research fellow at the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, and a postdoctoral research fellow at Columbia University.

And he recently Zoomed (videoconferenced) with the Free Press to discuss his upcoming book: The Economics of Belonging: A Radical Plan to Win Back the Left Behind and Achieve Prosperity For All.

The timing for its release could not be more prescient in the midst of whats transpired in recent months with the COVID-19 pandemic, spawning unprecedented economic, social and political upheaval in every part of the world.

But the current crisis is only "reinforcing the pressures and challenges that were already there, and that the economy isnt working for everyone, and hasnt been for a good four decades," he argues.

Supplied London-based economics columnist Martin Sandbu penned a timely new book, The Economics of Belonging: A Radical Plan to Win Back the Left Behind and Achieve Prosperity For All.

This has led to the rise of populism, anti-liberal democratic movements, and the demonization of globalization. But Sandbu notes  as many have also observed  that rising economic inequality is in large part caused by advances in technology, as opposed to simply just globalization.

Technology has dramatically increased productivity, but by definition better productivity involves fewer workers able to do more work because of innovation. This trend will only continue with machines replacing many jobs done by people.

Those with knowledge-based jobs and higher education have fared better and will likely continue to do so in the future.

"They tend to thrive, whereas those who in the past would resort to well-paid manual jobs that didnt require a lot of education  prototypically the male factory worker  have had fewer and fewer opportunities," he says.

"Some of that has come out in the culture wars we now see."

While a basic income for everyone is not a fix-all, Sandbu focused on the idea in a couple of chapters, highlighting UBI as a key tool to stabilize economically the growing number of individuals working part-time and gig jobs  who are generally unable to gain financial security.

The idea is not new in Canada.

Ontario had run a pilot a few years ago. And during the 1970s, Manitoba had its own Mincome experiment in which participants received a basic income. Critics have often called these programs disincentives to work. Why earn money, after all, when youre already receiving money for nothing?

But Sandbu says existing programs to help low-income individuals already include disincentives to earning money because those supports are often quickly pared back when individuals earn additional income. Thats not to say UBI wouldnt be clawed back at higher income levels. Yet he says providing a floor for the growing number of precariously employed individuals could have far more benefits than costs to governments and society.

"Whats unique about universal basic income is that the unconditional element of it allows people a degree of empowerment in the workplace and generally in their lives."

For one, he adds, people would have more choice in their line of work, having the ability to say no to jobs with terrible conditions.

"Thats important psychologically and morally," he says. "Its good for people to have that outside option."

But its also good for the broader economy.

For one, it would increase worker mobility to move from one job to a better one, and even take the time to get training for emerging occupations in a shifting economic climate.

"A lot of people living hand to mouth are trapped in their situation, and people are quite good at improving their situation if they have the chance," he says. "Thats good for overall productivity growth because its good if people can move to where they are used in the best possible way."

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Additionally, it would help mitigate other negative effects of precarious employment and often intractable poverty.

As Sandbu put it, bad jobs "cause stress; they cause disease."

Of course, the question is how would governments  already running deficits  manage the cost? He argues it would not be as costly as one would think because UBI would eliminate the need for most other anti-poverty programs. As well, individuals of all economic walks of life would pay income tax, in place of the basic exemption amounts common among many industrial countries, including Canada. He also suggests a net wealth tax, similar to what U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren proposed when she was running for the Democratic presidential nomination. (She suggested a two per cent annual tax on net wealth more than $50 million, by the way.)

Whats more, the potential better social outcomes from UBI could lead to reduced health care and other costs, leading to additional savings for government.

While its easy to write off UBI as too radical or too costly, Sandbu argues that the status quo is pushing the current system to the brink.

"And if the politics of the (2008-09) global financial crisis have been ugly, just wait for the post-COVID politics if we dont start to change things in a more fundamental way."
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators converged Friday at the Independent Monument here to protest against the mismanagement of the country
DANBURY  Lorena Santana has used social media to highlight police brutality and racism for four to five years.

Santana, who is Afro-Latina and a Danbury native, said she thinks about how shell likely have black children one day and wants to do something to better their future.

Her activism began around the time she started growing out her hair naturally.

As I started to learn about my roots, my African roots, everything else just came, she said.

But Saturday afternoon was the first time she took to the streets to demand change and accountability for police officers, in the wake of George Floyds death and other black people who have been killed by cops.

Holding signs that read Black Lives Matter and Stop killing us, roughly a thousand people marched peacefully from Rogers Park to the Danbury police station and back. Various officials, including the mayor and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., attended.

This was the second protest this week and one of many being held across the state and country after Floyd 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.

The organizers pushed for the #8CantWait campaign, which calls for eight policies that could be adopted to reduce police brutality.

They said theyve talked to a Danbury sergeant, who told them those policies are already part of the training sessions officers undergo. But the organizers said they wanted an independent review board that would examine wrongdoings.

If theyre not following (the policies), then they have to be held accountable, organizer Amber Then said.

Chief Patrick Ridenhour, who is black, said he wants to meet with the organizers to discuss what steps the department could take to improve and educate the community on policing.

We do our best to train people, to treat everyone fair and equitably, he said to the protesters before they made the about 1.5 mile march to the police station. We know that does not always happen across this country.

He said he has cried over Floyds senseless death.

But we know that it didnt start with George Floyd, Ridenhour said. We know there have been others that have been questionable and we just have to work together.

Danbury resident Pierre Moudourou, who is black, said he has experienced the racial profiling like other black men across the country. He recalled eight to nine cops once responding while he and several friends played basketball.

Sometimes I feel like they (the police) see us as a little bit of a threat, he said, adding he marched because he wants to be part of the change. It has been a lot to endure when we see these killings online and nothing is being done about it.

As she marched, Santana held a sign that read: Everyone wants to be black until it is time to be black. She made the sign the night before and included a picture of a crowd protesting in front of Trump Tower with black man raising his arm in the forefront.

A lot of the things we enjoy today, things like pop culture, fashion trends, music, it was all started by black people, Santana said. Its great and everyone wants to sing the song and do the dance ... and no one wants to speak on the issues.

She has her masters degree in social work and serves as a therapist for teens. She talks about race and identity with them.

I tell my kids its important to be transparent and honest in everything you do. That includes my own identity, Santana said.

At the station, the group knelt for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time the officer pressed his knee on Floyds neck, while 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.

Speakers expressed their grief over Floyds death and violence against black people and urged protesters to continue to push for change.

One man recited a poem about his exhaustion with racism and hypocrisy from white people. Before heading back to Rogers Park, the crowd sang Lean on Me.

Its a powerful statement for the community to come out the way they did to support this issue, Santana said.
06.06.2020 LISTEN

Today, in any election (be it assembly elections or general elections), it is not just your right but also your duty to vote. But, to vote you need a valid voter ID card. In a democracy, you need to exercise your franchise as that is the only way you can participate in the national decision making. The voter ID card is issued to all Ghanaian citizens who have reached the age of adult franchise which is 18 years of age.

We've heard many opinions about the Electoral commission's decision to make only Ghana Card, passport admissible for new voters registration. The EC's director of elections, Dr Serebour, is on record to have said, there are some non-Ghanaians holding Ghanaian passport. Foreigners have been arrested holding Ghanaian passports that is one danger. Proof of citizenship and age are important requirements when registering voters.

Apart from voter registration, another factor is who can be sworn in as President of Ghana. According to Chapter 8, Article 62 of the 1992 constitution of Ghana, a person shall not be qualified for election as the President of Ghana unless :

(a) he/she is a citizen of Ghana by birth

(b) he/she has attained the age of forty years.

Constitutionally, the qualifications of persons aspiring to enter into Parliament is also explicitly enshrined in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. In Article 94 (a), it states: "He/She is a citizen of Ghana, has attained the age of twenty-one (21) years and is a registered voter.

These show the importance of the framers of the 1992 constitution attached to the issue of age and citizenship status. During the 2008 Presidential election in the United States, some people asserted that Barack Obama was not a natural-born U S citizen, as mandated by the constitution of the country and said, thus was ineligible to be President of the United States. This prompted several states legislatures to consider legislation aimed at requiring future presidential candidates to show proof of presidential eligibility before being granted ballot access in their states. Passport was not the document Barack Obama used to clear himself.

In Ghana, Jerry Rawlings faced same challenge when he decided to lead the NDC in the 1992 election. His citizenship status was challenged. I will respectively entreat the noble supreme court Judges and the Electoral Commission to read the full judgement to know why and how the court ruled in favour of Chairman Rawlings and declared him eligible to contest.

When it comes to the issue of age, the birth certificate is the most reliable document. People fabricate their age when preparing other documents including passports, National Health Insurance Card, National ID card etc. This is usually done with the intention to garner privileges or status that would not otherwise be available to that person (I.e minor misrepresenting their age in order to garner the privileges given to adult). It may be done through the use of oral or written statements or through the altering, doctoring or forging of vital records. On some occasions, age is increased so as to make cut offs for minimum legal or employment age in showbusiness or professional sports.

How can we cure this mischief?

Is the passport the most reliable document we could use to cure the mischief? or, the National ID card. It is the right of every child to get an identity, his name and right to acquire nationality. Every child's birth must be recorded in the civil register by the government through the birth and death department. It provides the first legal recognition of the child and is generally required for the child to obtain a birth certificate and as result any other legal document and rights. The issuance of a birth certificate is consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child that states that every child should be registered immediately after birth. And in all societies, a birth certificate is a basic legal document that gives identity to a child, and automatically bestows a number of rights such as right to health care, nationality, schooling, passport, property ownership, voting, formal employment etc.

The systematic neglect of civil registration and vital statistics over the years should not disenfranchise eligible voters. Where did monies from donor community for the preparation of reliable vital statistics go? These are the vital issues the supreme court Judges must consider when dealing with the issue about citizens right to vote. The system's failure to do what is right should not suffocate innocent citizens.

How many Ghanaians have Ghanaian passport? How many eligible Ghanaian voters have the National ID card? And how clean, authentic and reliable are these documents when it comes to personal information captured in them. If we play political chess game with this crucial issue or fail to look beyond the present, there will come a day a foreigner holding authentic Ghanaian documents will become the President of the country or, enter our Parliament.

A voter ID card is issued to a Ghanaian citizen by the Electoral Commission of Ghana which acts as a proof of his/ her citizenship and allow them to cast their vote during elections. We have used it for many transactions and official documentation including our bank records etc. Is its invalidation going to affect the existing records?.

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THE NIA REGISTRATION: The religious bodies response to the easing of restrictions by the President shows that Ghanaians have come to terms with the reality when it comes to the havoc the covid-19 pandemic is causing. Some Churches and Moslems decision not to converge in their large numbers for service should send a signal to government, the NIA and the Electoral commission. Most Ghanaians will not go to the registration centers for fear of getting infected. That genuine fear of contracting the disease if they join queues at the registration centers should not deny them the right to vote when there are other options available to help them. Lack of interest in the process is likely to be prevalent across the country and the number of disenfranchised voters will be potentially high. How do we determine what percentage of those who might have gone to register if the covid-19 was not around?

CONCLUSION: The onus to ensure that safe environment is created for registration of voters and arouse the public's interest in the exercise is entirely on the government. Obstacles Ghanaians face in getting passports and the NIA card will automatically result in low number of registered Ghanaians for the coming election. If we pay attention to the importance of civil documents such as birth certificates, the enthusiasm to get this important document will increase.

Author: Andrews Krow
One of the state's main arguments against the lower court's ruling was that the order restricted the agency's ability to adapt to the constantly shifting situation of a virus that health officials are still trying to understand. Inmates countered, and the district judge agreed, that court intervention was needed to protect them from the prison's apparent "deliberate indifference" to inmates' risk.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton applauded the appeals court ruling Friday, saying in a statement that the district court's order reflected "outdated guidance" from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He has previously criticized Ellison's ruling, saying it decided "felons deserve personal protective equipment over frontline warriors."

The TDCJ has already gone above and beyond in its efforts to protect inmates from COVID-19, and prison officials need flexibility, not immovable requirements based on yesterdays knowledge, he said Friday.

The inmates' attorneys said they were encouraged that the appeals court allowed the case to move on to trial, sending the case back to Ellison, who has set a jury trial for July 13.
An adorable picture captured a real-life Disney moment after a nature photographer snapped an image of a baboon holding a baby monkey up like Simba in The Lion King.

Photographer Dafna Ben Nun spotted the baboon with the baby on her trip to Zimbabwe seemingly re-creating one of the most iconic moments from the hit 1994 Disney film in front of her very eyes. In the movie, the baboon Rafikiwho serves as the royal shaman of the lion pride in the filmholds the newborn Simba up in the air atop Pride Rock, displaying the future king for all of the animals down below.

The famous scene from The Lion King Circle of Life where the baboon Rafiki holds the newborn Simba. (Caters News)

Dafna was on a trip to the Southern African country in 2018 to learn about the local wildlife when she encountered this almost once-in-a-lifetime moment.

I couldnt believe it when I saw an adult baboon holding a baby, looking exactly like Simba in The Lion King. It was just a split second, but it was fascinating to watch, Dafna told Caters News. They were all in the same group so no harm was done to any of the animals.

Dafnas surprising encounter, of course, was a bit different than the iconic film; the baboon she spotted was holding up a baby baboon rather than a lion, and they were met with far less fanfare than in the cinematic version of events!

But nonetheless, the moment was wondrous enough that Dafna made sure to pull out her camera and capture the shotand just in the nick of time, too.

The moment only lasted briefly before the baboon and the baby rejoined the rest of their pack and moved on, reported People Magazine.

Baboons are common in the southern regions of Africa where Dafna saw this incredible The Lion King re-creation before her eyes. And they do tend to carry their young, which are strong enough to grip onto their mothers even as infants while being carried around the savanna.

But to see such an iconic moment in cinema re-created in such a wholesome and heartwarming way is particularly special.
The Compton Cowboys ride down S Tamarind Ave, along with a couple thousand protesters, during the Compton, CA, Peace Ride, culminating at City Hall, on Sunday, June 7, 2020. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

Thousands of people gathered at more than a dozen peaceful demonstrations around Los Angeles on Saturday to protest the death of George Floyd and other black Americans at the hands of police.

By late Saturday afternoon, several thousand people who participated in a demonstration in Hollywood marched to Beverly Hills. There were few police in sight, though some heavily-armed National Guardsmen were seen posted along the route.

At one point the crowd stopped at the intersection of La Cienega and Santa Monica Boulevard and knelt down for about five minutes. Some sang songs and chanted together. Peaceful! Protest! they said in unison.

After a few minutes, the mostly festive crowd broke into applause before continuing their march down Santa Monica Boulevard toward Beverly Hills. Police and sheriffs helicopters circled overhead.

At San Vicente Boulevard, dozens of sheriffs deputies in riot gear stood behind a road block.

Shame on you! a protester shouted.

Is this necessary? another asked.

The deputies stood unmoved.

Kelvin Rivas, a 22-year-old political science major from Cal State Northridge, joined the march in progress on his fifth consecutive day of protesting. He said hes coming back on Sunday.

Im going to be out here until its over, he said.

Many in the crowd urged all demonstrators to remain peaceful, while some marchers carried bags to pick up any trash left behind. There were no disturbances reported.

In downtown Los Angeles, there was a growing crowd in front of City Hall and a smaller group in front of the Los Angeles Police Department by Saturday afternoon.

Across the way at Grand Park, a small memorial to Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others was marked on the ground by a cross and bouquets of flowers. Taylor was shot by police in her Louisville, Ky., apartment. Arbery was chased down and shot by two white men in Georgia.

Andrea Gonzalez brought her mother, husband and three children to City Hall on Saturday afternoon. It was the first ever demonstration for her children, ages 4, 6 and 7.

Story continues

We brought them out here because its important to show them why we respect all human lives and that even though we are brown, we support black lives, she said.

Gonzalezs mom, Micaela Ruiz, said she remembers the 1992 L.A. riots vividly and has experienced discrimination as a Latina firsthand. She said she fought for her own children, who had been discriminated against while growing up, recalling a teacher who would not allow her daughter enter the classroom until all the white students were seated first.

She hopes that the expression of outrage will lead to change. Its one reason she felt compelled to protest in solidarity Saturday.

Silence is acceptance, she said.

The family traveled to Los Angeles from San Dimas.

Gonzalez believes that one reason the current protests seem different from past demonstrations is the rhetoric that has come from President Trump, which she believes has further fueled racial tensions.

I get so angry and disgusted by his words  this is what his words have created, she said.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered about 2 p.m. around the Federal Building on Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood. One woman wearing a black beret and a Black Girls Rock T-shirt, stood in the street blocking traffic, while another laid down in the middle of a nearby intersection, face down.

Then dozens of protesters joined in, lying on their stomachs on the street. They stayed for minutes before getting up and chanting Say their name and Breonna Taylor.

Five minutes later they erupted into cheers, still in the intersection. A man with a bullhorn praised participants for keeping the action peaceful. As protesters slowly fanned back to the sidewalk they chanted Say his name and George Floyd.

A group of about 50 nurses and healthcare workers from Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, USC Keck Medical Center, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and Kaiser Permanente joined the protest in front of City Hall after months of working round-the-clock to help patients affected by the coronavirus.

We left the front lines to come here. We felt a lot of anger and as patients advocates, we felt we needed to speak up about the injustice, Kannitha Lor, 25, said.

Black communities have been hit especially hard by the virus  a major reason they joined in the demonstration, they said.

Racism is a public health crisis, said Delilah Garcia, 24, noting the disproportionate number of black patients she sees in comparison to other races. Enough is enough.

Wearing face masks, in accordance with coronavirus restrictions, and scrubs and holding signs that read Nurses for Black Lives Matter and If someone says they cant breathe, you help them, they offered hand sanitizer to other protesters and were prepared to offer medical assistance if needed.

In Carson, dozens of peaceful protesters, led by City Councilman Jawane Hilton, marched to City Hall to chants of Police the police and Get your knee off my neck. One woman shouted, Mama, I cant breathe, a reference to Floyds final words.

Our demand is simple: that they stop killing us, Hilton said. At one point the crowd took a knee and held a moment of silence for Floyd.

Debra Williams, 55, of Los Angeles, said the Carson event was the first protest she had ever attended. You get angry about situations that happen, and you keep seeing it, and you keep seeing it, and you keep seeing it, and then its like: OK, now I've got to do something, she said.

Williams, who works for law enforcement, drove about 20 minutes from L.A. to attend the event with a coworker.

She said shed had enough of systemic racism and social injustice.

Theyve had their knee on our neck for over 400 years and were over the oppression, Williams said. Without us, America would not be built.

Its time for a change, said William Collins, a 36-year-old black man from Carson who was marching with his sister. Her sign read: You cant put a curfew on peace.

Collins said he was was at only the second protest hed ever attended in his life because he wanted a better future for his daughter and nephew. This one is hitting real close to home, he said.

At Carson City Hall. protesters heard from pastors, members of the community and elected officials, including Rep. Nanette Barragan (D-San Pedro).

"We need action now," Barragan told the crowd. "And we need to stop killing black Americans and we need to hold ... our police accountable when it is done."

She led the assembled group in reciting the names of Floyd, Taylor and Eric Garner, who died after police put him in a chokehold in New York in 2014.

"Lets keep it going and lets not stop until we see action, because were tired of just words," Barragan said.

In Hollywood, a diverse group gathered at Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. Hundreds of people of all colors filled the intersection, some hanging out of their car windows or popping their heads through their sunroofs as they chanted George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arberys names.

Tina Pruitt, 57, brought her grandsons to the protest because they were eager to attend. Myels, 11, prompted the drive to Hollywood after seeing protests across the country on TV all week. On the way, Pruitt said she told her grandsons that they were going to the demonstration so the next generation of black Americans could have a better relationship with the police.

I dont want them to have to have the talk with their kids like black mothers have to today, Pruitt said. With all the protests Ive seen in the past, this is different. This is making a change.

Pruitt noted that shes seen more diversity in these protests than demonstrations in years past.

Standing next to her on the street, Myels said he wanted to know how it felt to protest.

I think its made a change for me, he said. I want cops to stop killing black people for no reason. I felt mad and sad that a lot of black people lost their lives.

His brother TJ, 15, said he was gad to see the protest was nonviolent. He said he would continue to protest in the future.

I want to make it easier for people to feel safe, he said, holding a sign that said, Black lives matter.

I dont want them to have to worry when they go outside, Pruitt chimed in. I need for me to feel safe. I was scared when my son went to school on the bus that he wouldnt come home.

About 12:30 p.m., the crowd began to march down Sunset Boulevard, heading west. They held signs over their head that read Black lives matter, No justice no peace no racist police, and Trump/Pence fuera ya!

A white Tesla was parked in the middle of the street giving out water and food.

At the intersection of Highland and Sunset, the marchers stopped to kneel. As they did they chanted, Trump, Pence, out now!

Jose Lagunas has been protesting for two decades, so he knows what gets attention at marches. Which is why, along with his wife, he brought another special guest to the gathering at Hollywood and Vine: Trump's head on a stick. He bought the rubber facsimile of Trump a couple of years ago.

"If there's one thing I've learned, it's that stuff like this gets good attention and spreads the message," said the 34-year-old Lincoln Heights resident, who said he has been to four protests over the last week.

Lagunas, who was born in Mexico City but remained "undocumented from age 3 tp 20, said he's noticed the demonstrations becoming increasingly peaceful since at the Fairfax Avenue and 3rd Street protest last weekend.

"I think we have to keep going until as many demands as possible are met," he said, noting he was now speaking out about defunding the police and putting government dollars toward communities of color. "Yes, I think Trump should be out. But even if Biden is elected, we need to hold his feet to the fire. He's not our savior. We're our savior."

Hundreds of students, faculty and residents from the surrounding neighborhood gathered for a peaceful demonstration on the USC campus. Several speakers addressed the crowd about Floyd's death and the issue of police brutality.

In Westwood, Eridania and Curtis McLaughlin were at the protest with their 2-year-old twin sons, who each held sunflowers that someone at the protest had given them.

Whether theyre going to be able to remember this or not I wanted to be part of what will hopefully be long term change for police oversight, Curtis said.I want cops to be able to be prosecuted just like anyone else, Eridania, wearing a Game of Thrones-inspired Mother of Twins shirt, said I look at my kids and I do it for them ...so they can have a fair chance in this world we live in.

Xavier, one of the twins, hopped down from the perch on his dads waist to show his sunflower to Andrea Berrera, 27, who was holding a Black Lives Matter poster.

She traveled to Westwood from Boyle Heights to diversify her protestsshes been mostly attending the ones in Downtown.

Hopefully we get to a place where kids live in a world that is accepting of everyone and I think this movement is to create a better future for them, Andrea said.

In Huntington Beach, about 500 people were gathered at Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street at 2 p.m. Saturday, said Officer Angela Bennett, a spokeswoman for the Huntington Beach Police Department.

Two groups of protesters had faced off and officers were standing between them, Bennett said. One group appeared to be affiliated with black lives matter, Bennett said.

She could not describe the affiliation of the other group, but video from the scene showed multiple people waving American flags and wearing Trump apparel.Four people had been arrested by Saturday afternoon, though information on the charges was not immediately available.

In San Pedro, more than 200 demonstrators took part in a Unity March. The peaceful and diverse crowd wore masks, carried white roses and held up signs that read Hate suffocates and Justice cant wait.

They chanted Black lives matter and I cant breath as they marched from the Los Angeles Police Departments Harbor Station to the San Pedro Municipal Building.

The crowd gathered on the lawn of the building where elected officials and community organizers spoke about the importance of unity and standing up against injustice and racism but also cooperation so that changes can happen.

The event was organized by the NACCPs San Pedro and Wilmington chapter with conjunction of the Los Angeles Police Departments Harbor Division.Addressing the crowd while standing on a large rock was Cheyenne Bryant, the NAACPs chapter president.

We cannot continued to lock horns with the folks we are asking for justice from, she said. At some point, we have to lock hands and have to sit at the table and have a conversation.

Also speaking to the crowd was Joseph JoJo Santiago, one of the organizers of the event.

This is for the people who look like me and do not feel they are treated freely as others, he told everyone. Were here to take a stand and say enough is enough, black lives matter and thats it. Can it be any more clearer.

Attending the event was L.A. City Councilman Joe Buscaino, whose district includes San Pedro and other elected officials and community organizers.

Standing several feet away as speakers took turn to address the crowd was Lawanda Hawkins, who runs Justice for Murdered Children, a non-profit. Hawkins came to the event with her 10-year-old great nephew, Bryson. Together they held a banner with the photos of people who had been murdered in L.A. County.

She said she wanted to come support the peaceful demonstration and speak out against social injustice but also to call for the end of all killings whether by people or police.

Theres just no justification for killing people, she said.

Hawkins son was killed in the mid-90s not far from the location of the demonstration. She said his case remains unsolved. She said was disturbed by the video recording of George Floyd begging for a breath and calling out for his mother.

I kept thinking, is that what my son said when he died? she said.

Hawkins and her great nephew both wore masks on and stood feet away from the crowd to keep their social distance. She said her great nephew was concern about the infectious diseases.

He told me, I dont want to catch the corona auntie, she said, recalling the conversation. I told him, dont worry auntie is going to protect you.

She said the demonstration was well organized and above all peaceful. She saw that some officers were kneeling and others held white roses.

Protests were also scheduled Saturday in Torrance, West Los Angeles, Westmont, Santa Ana and other locales around Southern California.




U.S. State Department Inspector General Steve Linick

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Former State Department Inspector General Steve Linick confirmed in an interview with members of Congress that his office was investigating matters involving the conduct of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

According to the transcript of the interview, shared by BuzzFeed News' Jason Leopold, Linick and his office were looking to allegations that Pompeo and his wife were misusing government resources for personal errands.

Linick's office was also investigating Pompeo's "emergency" declaration to push billions in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and other countries, citing the transcript.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The State Department watchdog who was fired last month by President Donald Trump confirmed his office was looking into matters involving Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's conduct, BuzzFeed News' Jason Leopold reported Wednesday.

Former State Department IG Steve Linick was suddenly ousted by the president in mid-May, despite the requirement to give Congress 30-day notice before removing an inspector general. Trump claimed he "didn't know anything" about Linick's firing.

Linick told members of Congress in an interview that at the time of his firing, there was an ongoing investigation into allegations of misuse of government resources by Pompeo and his wife.

NBC News reported that Linick's office was looking into whether Pompeo tasked a staffer with his personal errands, like walking his dog and picking up his dry cleaning.

Linick said his office requested documents in relation to the investigation from Pompeo's office, and that Linick personally spoke to Under Secretary of State for Management Brian Bulatao and Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun about the investigation. Pompeo previously denied knowledge of the investigation in an interview with The Washington Post.

Linick's office was also reviewing Pompeo's "emergency" declaration to push billions in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and other countries, according to the transcript of the interview.

Story continues

In the interview with members of Congress, Linick said he was "shocked" by his ouster, and that it came without any warning from Trump or Pompeo. He added that any public justifications offered by Pompeo and other officials for his firing were "either misplaced or unfounded."

"I have not heard any valid reason that would justify my removal," Linick said.

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Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, in his latest Mann Ki Baat, acknowledged the suffering of underprivileged labourers and workers, saying, their agony, their pain, their ordeal, cannot be expressed in words. What does the future hold for those migrant workers who have managed to get back to their villages?

For now, the only prospects of work these migrants who have gone back have are agricultural labour or work under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). With all the skills they bring back with them, this is the time to upgrade the MGNREGS work and widen its scope so that lasting assets are created. Some of those assets will also create jobs.

Will the workers stay in their villages or will they return to the cities once the coronavirus pandemic is no longer an ever-present threat? Historically, urbanisation does seem to be the universal trend as economies develop. China has gone in one generation from a primarily rural to an urban nation. In 1980, one in five Chinese citizens lived in the countryside. Now more than half live in urban areas. There is, however, an important difference between China and India. China adopted a policy of building urban housing specifically for rural migrants. In India, migrants have drifted into cities where they have had to fend for themselves. The result has been that these slums are now, inevitably, proving to be coronavirus hotspots. In Mumbai, more than 40% of the population lives in slums. In fact, Slumdog Millionaire made the sprawling Dharavi slum so famous it became a tourist attraction. Its not surprising, therefore, that Mumbai has such high figures for infection.

Now the PM has promised to build affordable property for migrant workers to rent. However, the problems of land and land values, finding suitable locations near work sites, clearing slums, and managing properties will prove to be obstacles.

In spite of the pull of urbanisation, many migrants have said that they are so scarred by their experience in the aftermath of the pandemic that they will never go back to the cities. This may not be a bad thing. It will rebalance the population so that villages are no longer emptied of young men. And because there would no longer be an endless supply of labour in the cities, those who employ migrants will, at last, be forced to value their workers.

Young people staying at home could provide the opportunity to revive rural economies too. Of all the sectors that have the potential to provide rural employment, agriculture and craft are the two most obvious examples. Many of the migrants who have returned are, in fact, craftspeople.

Crafts provide the second-largest source of livelihood in India and are a source of employment even in the most remote parts of the country. Fifty per cent of artisans are women. Crafts create little or no carbon footprint. They preserve an important element of Indias traditional culture. Unfortunately, however, they have been ignored by economists. No reliable database of craft activities has been created. Mahatma Gandhi recognised this neglect of artisans as a problem and said that if recognition and encouragement were not forthcoming, we would be guilty of strangling them with our own hands. Giving the prestigious CD Deshmukh lecture at Delhis India International Centre, Ashoke Chatterjee, former executive director of the National Institute of Design and adviser to the Crafts Council of India, said, This lack of awareness has meant that the development of crafts has not been given any priority.

Once again, artisans have been largely ignored in the measures announced to cope with the crisis created by the pandemic in the address by the finance minister. Giving crafts their rightful place in the economy will provide livelihoods that will provide villagers with the opportunity to stay at home.

The views expressed are personal

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AFWERX to host JADC2 demo event for government users, tech scouts

AFWERX Public Affairs / Published June 05, 2020

LAS VEGAS (AFNS) -- AFWERX is scheduled to host a digital Joint All-Domain Command and Control prototyping demonstration event during the weeks of June 15 and 22.

The event, stemming from the aforenamed "Multi-Domain Operations Challenge," will bring together 24 of the 30 invited companies with Air Force and government tech scouts, end users, contracting officers and leadership.

"Following this extensive market-research process, we're excited to be presenting this opportunity for defense stakeholders to discover top-tier, fully vetted solution providers that may meet their mission needs," said Mark Rowland, AFWERX Las Vegas lead. "Ensuring the interoperability of every element of the (Defense Department's) operations is crucial, and we're excited to be playing a part in making that happen."

To tackle Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen W. Wilson's MDO priority, AFWERX initially hosted a problem-definition workshop on the topic in April 2019, which attracted more than 130 participants from across the DoD, allied forces, the private sector and academia.

The workshop led to an AFWERX Challenge, which advertised a defined problem statement globally and resulted in a record 317 solutions submitted.

Following a review by 80 DoD subject matter experts, 102 were selected to attend the MDO Showcase at AFWERX Fusion 2019 in Las Vegas, where the top 30 teams were announced to proceed to the next phase: the demonstration event.

The event will be broken up over two weeks on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Pacific Standard Time with three-hour sessions per team and one hour for each presentation.

Technology categories for the selected solutions include:

Access to disparate data sources, application programming interfaces and integration

Prepare, analyze and validate information

Data visualization/presentation, decision support and artificial intelligence/machine learning/software enabled automation

Real time communication, multi-level security, data caching and storage

Complete MDO Solution

Government personnel can register until June 15 and schedules will be distributed to registered attendees via email: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jadc2-virtual-demonstration-event-tickets-105303545740

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The All-China Women's Federation donates 50,000 facial masks to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to China on May 20. [For Women of China]

The All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) donated 50,000 facial masks to women and children in Iran, to express Chinese women and the ACWF's sincere care and support for Iranian women and children to fight against novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The donation ceremony was held in the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to China on May 20.

Mohammad Keshavarz Zadeh, the Iranian Ambassador to China expressed gratitude to the ACWF for the donation of masks to women and children in Iran. He praised that China's effective measures in the fight against the COVID-19 has set an example to the world.

He believed that China's experience in the anti-virus fight will enlighten other countries, and he hoped Iranian and Chinese women enhance cooperation and jointly promote the continuous development of the strategic partnership between the two countries after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A screenshot of a letter of appreciation from the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to China on May 20 [For Women of China]

The pandemic in Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) had been escalating since the beginning of March and the two countries have faced heavy pressure in epidemic prevention and control work. The ACWF donated 20,000 medical surgical masks to the Japan National Federation of Regional Women's Organizations and the Woman's Division of the Soka Gakkai in Japan and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family of the ROK, to support women in the two countries to fight against COVID-19. The masks have arrived in the two countries.

Some of the masks donated to Japan and the ROK by the ACWF [For Women of China]

Lee Jung-ok, Minister of Gender Equality and Family of the ROK, sent a letter to express gratitude to the ACWF for the donation of masks during the hard times of fighting against the worldwide pandemic.

Lee noted that the donation shows China's support for the ROK's anti-epidemic fight, and also represents the two countries' care and concern for disadvantaged groups affected by the pandemic.

Lee said that the ACWF's donation and warm message of global solidarity for women is significant as this year marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.

She hoped that the ministry and the ACWF will continue to work together for the shared goals of gender equality and women's empowerment in the future.

A screenshot of a letter from Lee Jung-ok, Minister of Gender Equality and Family of the ROK [For Women of China]

Iwata Shigeko, President of the Japan National Federation of Regional Women's Organizations, said that looking back on the long-term exchanges with the ACWF, the sincere friendship encouraged them and they felt grateful for the help.

A screenshot of a letter of appreciation from Iwata Shigeko, President of the Japan National Federation of Regional Women's Organizations on April 7 [For Women of China]

The Woman's Division of Soka Gakkai sent a letter saying that it is believed that China's experience in the anti-epidemic fight will inspire the whole world. The letter expressed gratitude to the ACWF for its sincere help, and hoped Chinese and Japanese people will pull through these difficult times.

A screenshot of a letter of appreciation from the Woman's Division of Soka Gakkai on May 19 [For Women of China]

(Women of China)
Before there was an app for that, there were widespread technological fixes in society  some minor, many major  that made life easier.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Before there was an app for that, there were widespread technological fixes in society  some minor, many major  that made life easier.

Modern society and its technologies have become mutually dependent, but it is time to temper the torrid love affair, Sean F. Johnston, a professor of science, technology and society at the University of Glasgow, says in Techno-Fixers.

Handout Hydro Quebecs LG-2 generating station, a key cog in the James Bay hydroelectric project.

Technological fixes have a long history of meeting societys immediate needs, and their early proponents touted them as a scientific way to deal with social and political problems.

Yet those same fixes have left a host of environmental and social problems, from urban sprawl to plastic waste to climate change to nuclear waste  problems that went unrecognized, or hidden, until widespread damage was done.

Johnston, author of several books, including this well-researched investigation of the generally unseen side of tech fixes, pinpoints 1966 as the year the term "technological fix" was coined by well-connected American engineer Dr. Alvin Weinberg.

Weinberg argued that technology soon would solve all the problems of modern society as "rational designers" supplanted social scientists and perhaps policy-makers, lawmakers and educators as the best problem-solvers for societys ills.

That claim seems hubristic, of course, but the idea of the quick fix caught on and "this pared down sectarian faith has proven notoriously difficult to tame," Johnston writes. Society becomes attached (addicted, if you will) to quick fixes to real and perceived immediate problems. But the architects of those fixes usually havent foreseen problems that may arise from the fix, problems of a greater severity than the original.

Not all fixes turn sour. A long history of positive technological solutions helped humans prosper: stone, copper and bronze tools were exchanged for iron with efficiency and labour-saving effects; invention of agriculture went hand-in-hand with rising populations; and aqueducts and pumps allowed towns to expand, giving them greater political power and social stability.

That trust in technological advances is a cultural perception that has stayed with society and has profound implications, Johnston writes.

He adds: "Examining a century of technological change and debate, Techno-Fixers argues that present-day problems cannot be reduced to mere engineering solutions over the long term: human goals and forms of innovation are diverse and constantly changing."

For example, wartime innovations such as radar, faster airplanes and code-breaking computers helped the Allies win the war quicker, as did the development of nuclear bombs dropped on Japan. Those bombs, it is argued, ended the war much earlier and prevented casualties.

The nuclear technology also led to the Cold War, with East and West producing vast amounts of radioactive material that still poses health dangers.

Nuclear energy was also an offshoot of the wartime bomb research, touted as a cleaner, easier way to generate energy than coal, but with the same radioactive waste problems.

Those problems came later, werent planned for and still persist.

Wayne Parry / Thte Associated Press files Plastic is popular because of its light weight; its now causing serious environmental issues.

In postwar United States, the automobile became king, and as the numbers increased engineers proposed and built freeways for speedier movement while developers built suburbs for car-owning families who now didnt have to live near public transit.

The result: suburban sprawl, urban decay, and increasing levels of pollution contributing to climate change.

As those effects were recognized, the internal-combustion engine was entrenched in society, having replaced alternate transportation modes such as railroads and electric trams that might have lessened the problem.

Meanwhile, as farmers and ranchers struggled with drought years and uncertain livelihoods, engineers built huge dams to provide consistent irrigations, and sometimes to generate hydroelectricity. The dams displaced many landholders, including other ranchers and Indigenous communities.

As those dams age, they pose a threat of bursting and flooding huge tracts of developed land, as seen recently in Michigan. Johnston cites Canadas James Bay Hydroelectric Project as an example of these problems.

Damian Dovarganes / The Associated Press files The development of the automobile was a key advance in human innovation; it has also resulted in urban sprawl, as well as playing a significant role in climate change.

Those and other postwar technological moves, such as plastics becoming popular in manufacturing because of light weight and ease of use, have left long-lasting, major social and environmental problems with no solutions in sight.

Johnston surveys genetic engineering and concerns about genetically modified foods among the many other examples of failures in his comprehensive look at the problems associated with the unbridled use of the tech fix.

A more modern and more common example of the short-sightedness of tech fixes is computer software. It may not have the catastrophic consequences of a nuclear plant failure, but designers put out software to solve the immediate problem, but had bugs that caused other problems. That meant a bug fix had to be installed, but it too often needed a bug fix as well.

Technological fixes are so ingrained in society that it will take a seismic shift in consumer, political and social attitudes to affect a change, Johnston argues.

We all have something to think about the next time our smartphone asks us to update to a "new version" that, among other things, includes "bug fixes."

Chris Smith is a Winnipeg writer.
Haryanas national capital region (NCR) districts continued with the trend of throwing up big number of coronavirus cases. The three NCR districts of Gurugram, Faridabad and Sonepat made up for more than 72% of the 355 positive cases reported on Saturday, which pushed the states Covid count to 3,952.

With 129 fresh infections and a tally of 1,345 active cases, Gurugram accounted for 50% of the total active cases in the state. 89 cases were detected in Sonepat and 39 in Faridabad.

Among other districts, Rohtak reported 23 cases, followed by Palwal (19), Karnal and Yamunanagar (10 each), Kaithal (9), Fatehabad (8), Panipat (5), Hisar and Ambala (4 each), Jind (3), Kurukshetra (2) and Sirsa (1).

The number of critically ill Covid-19 patients requiring ventilator and oxygen support, however, increased to 25 on Saturday.

Though the medical bulletin mentioned limited cases, many district administrations logged different figures.

Ten new cases of coronavirus were reported in Karnal on Saturday, taking the number of total infected people to 91 and active cases to 48.

Among the patients, seven belonged to Karnal city and three were from Singh Sahab gurdwara in Nissing village. Deputy commissioner said the new patients were in contact with the infected persons.

In Kaithal, nine new cases were detected. Kaithal chief medical officer Rakesh Sehl said while three patients, including two women, belonged to Panth Nagar colony of Kaithal city, four patients were from Jakholi Adda locality, one from Gamri village and another from Arjun Nagar.

Four members of family besides three more people tested positive in Panipat.

Kurukshetra chief medical officer Sukhbir Singh said a 52-year-old man had tested positive for the virus at PGIMER, Chandigarh, where he had gone to avail treatment.

Yamunanagar saw the biggest single-day spike with nine new cases. Yamunanagar civil surgeon said, Eight members of an infected persons family and an international traveller, who had come from Nigeria on May 2, have been found infected.

A Qatar-returnee is among four people found positive in Ambala.

Shopping malls, religious places not to open in Ggm, Faridabad

Haryana government on Saturday decided to allow reopening of places of worship and shopping malls for public in the state from June 8 except in Gurugram and Faridabad districts.

A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting chaired by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday.

Hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services will be reopened with generic preventive measures across the state. The timing of opening for will remain between 9am to 8pm.
National Quilt Museum Reopens June 8

Jun. 06, 2020

By Jun. 06, 2020

PADUCAH - National Quilt Museum CEO, Frank Bennett thanks the public for planning trips to The National Quilt Museum. "During this challenging time, the health of our staff and visitors is of the upmost importance. The museum is following guidelines informed by both the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Kentucky Healthy at Work initiative," says Bennett.



Maintaining a healthy environment requires the cooperation of everyone that enters the facility, and the National Quilt Museum requires that all employee and visitors wear masks during their visit. Also, they request that everyone maintain a social distance of six feet or more.



The museum's staff thanks the public for helping guarantee that the museum is a safe and healthy place for everyone to visit and enjoy the art of quilting.



Hours and Admissions

Monday - Saturday

The National Quilt Museum is open year round from 10am-5pm Monday through Saturday.



Sundays

The National Quilt Museum is open on Sundays during the dates March 1st through November 30th only from 10am-5pm. The museum is closed December 1st through February 28th).



Admissions

General Adult Admission: $12

Seniors (62 and older): $11

Students: $5

Under 12: Free with Adult
If Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo were deeply damaging, this situation is downright devastating for American diplomacy, said Brett Bruen, a former career diplomat and director of global engagement on President Barack Obamas National Security Council.

Career ambassadors and officials overseas have had to grapple with a lot of hard questions, he added. How the heck do I explain the excesses in some security forces response to peaceful protesters? Worse yet, can I even stomach a defense of the despicable comments by my commander in chief?

The United States inadvertently leads by example in a new way: providing homegrown images of antigovernment protests that inspire dissenting citizens overseas. Unrest in America appears to have galvanized antigovernment or pro-equality protests in countries like Iraq, New Zealand and Russia.

Some American embassies have decided to publicly embrace the contradictions.

We will not try to hide our painful struggle, and instead believe that honest public debate will help us emerge better and stronger, the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, said in a statement.

The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, announced, Law enforcement officials must be held accountable in every country.

Alex L. Wang, a law professor at the University of California at Los Angeles who advocates rule of law in China, said the crises in the United States meant American officials had less credibility to single out abusive behavior elsewhere. It looks hypocritical when they criticize acts of violence against Hong Kong protesters, even as they call for violence against peaceful protesters at home, he said.

The right answer, he added, is not for the U.S. to stand down as to rights violations abroad, but to uphold rights at home as well.
It is an epic and powerful family saga set against the mass slaughter in the trenches of the Somme. Now a new screen adaptation of Sebastian Faulkss acclaimed 1993 novel Birdsong aims to recreate that ambitious scope  with actors recording their performances in their homes on iPhones.

And the biggest challenge of the lockdown production? Shooting a pivotal, passionate sex scene when the two participants are several miles apart.

We are currently trying to find a way you can do that, director Alastair Whatley admitted, given that the scene is very important to the story and you cant really ignore it.

Now a new screen adaptation (pictured) of Sebastian Faulkss acclaimed 1993 novel Birdsong aims to recreate that ambitious scope  with actors recording their performances in their homes on iPhones

It is an epic and powerful family saga set against the mass slaughter in the trenches of the Somme. Pictured: Birdsong stage production by the Original Theatre Company

Its one of those areas where we are going to get playful with the cameras and use film making techniques, he suggested.

Stage actors Tom Kay and Madeleine Knight, who reprise the central roles of Stephen Wraysford and Isabelle Azaire which they played on tour in 2018, live at opposite sides of London, while other cast members are in Hastings, Brighton, St Albans and the Wirral. They communicate by video conference and film their parts in front of a green screen so backgrounds can be added by computer later.

First World War trench scenes are being recreated by the cast writhing around on their kitchen floors, said Mr Whatley.

The cast of 14 have been given historical prop weapons, period costumes... and a crash course in hair and make-up.

And for a crucial dramatic scene in which Stephen must make the treacherous journey across no mans land, the action will switch to narration  with Faulks reading his own words.

The author praised the ingenuity of the new 90-minute production, saying: I dont begin to understand all the tech but its a bit like making a feature film with all the actors in different places. It will probably have the odd glitch but I wanted to support the project because Alastair had shown so much enterprise.

Stage actors Tom Kay (picured left) and Madeleine Knight (pictured right), who reprise the central roles of Stephen Wraysford and Isabelle Azaire which they played on tour in 2018, live at opposite sides of London, while other cast members are in Hastings, Brighton, St Albans and the Wirral

The new production, from the Suffolk-based Original Theatre Company, follows a hit 2012 BBC adaptation starring Eddie Redmayne which was made on an altogether bigger scale, with cast and crew flown out to Hungary to recreate the horrors of the Western Front.

The new version will be screened online for three days from July 1, the anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme, in which more than 19,000 British troops died on the first day alone. Faulks describes the date as perhaps the most calamitous day in British history, adding: Its important to understand the story of July 1, 1916, of the war as a whole and the Spanish flu that followed it, taking more lives than the fighting. It puts todays troubles in perspective.

Tickets for the film can be booked at birdsongonline.co.uk from 10, including a donation to the Royal British Legion.
A lady identified as Aminat Popoola has accused a House of Representatives aspirant, Ettu Mohammed, of rape.

On June 2, 2020, Aminat took to her Twitter handle to accuse Mohammed, who contested to represent Mushin II constituency in the House of Representatives in 2019.

Aminat stated that she met Mr. Mohammed in 2006 at Number 19 Feyintola Giwa street in the Pako Aguda area of Lagos state.

She said at the time when the rape happened, she was 16/17 and he was 26.



However, on sighting the comments made by Aminat, Mr. Mohammed went on his Twitter handle the next day, June 3, to deny the accusations.

He acknowledged that he had an affair with Aminat but said the accusation of rape was triggered due to the way their relationship ended.

However, when Aminat saw his rebuttal, she went on to share in detail what allegedly transpired between them.

She recounted how Mr Mohammed raped her.

Read her post which she shared on her Facebook page below

I take a deep breath as I type this

My name is Aminat Popoola and this is my story. I am aware that a lot of you have come across my rape allegations against Muhammed Ettu and you have been waiting to get the full story so here goes.

I met Muhammed in 2006 at 19 Feyintola Giwa street, Pako Aguda, Surulere Lagos while visiting a friend, I am sorry but John Glory maybe you will see this, it was the year we reconnected after graduating from high school. She was operating a small mobile phone business. He approached me and talked to me and then asked for my number. I didnt have a phone at this time, so I collected his number. I never had the intention of calling but I took it anyway.

Fast forward to a year later, I went to visit this friend of mine again and that was how myself and Muhammed re-connected. By this time, my Dad had bought my first phone so we exchanged numbers. He seemed kind so I became at ease and this was how our friendship started. Yes you read right, friendship. I never saw us being more than that. He used to come to visit me in Ajegunle where I have lived my whole life, crack jokes and he would even go with me to the hair salon sometimes. Mohammed helped me to do my online jamb registration that year, he would buy me stuff, even give me money. So to me, this was a big brother little sister dynamic. I never saw him more than that.

Muhammed was persistent.

He would come to visit me in Ajegunle and I would visit him in Aguda where he told me he lived and never did he make any sexual advances towards me, so I got really comfortable around him.

I will go straight to why I am writing this.

One evening during our phone conversation, he urged me as usual to consider his proposal and for reasons I dont know, I blurted out that he was too old for me. A ten year age gap was a lot for me at that time. I didnt realize that I had hurt his feelings and I guess that he started plotting the rape from that moment.

One day, I went to visit him as usual, I had gone to this address (where he told me he lived) so It wasnt weird that I went. Oh Amina, how naive.

I will like to state clearly that before the rape incident, we never had sexual intercourse, he is not my ex. We never were in a relationship contrary to the narrative he is pushing to make me out as a wounded ex. The only time he ever penetrated me was when he raped me and this is in fact true and we both know this.

I got there that afternoon, The building as I remember is a bungalow, it has a roof attached to the front of the building which created a shed. A wide passage, face me I face you. Muhammeds apartment (as he told me) is a room self contain. Mattress on the floor, a small refrigerator. A pressing iron laid on the floor, plates, and utensils laid beside the fridge. Typical bachelor pad if we are to go by Nigerian traditional standards.

And this was how it happened,

As I came in we exchanged pleasantries as usual, I sat by the mattress. He jammed the door, and I said why are locking the door when there is no light. He didnt respond. He started to undress and I said why are you undressing, whats wrong with you?

Muhammed said,  shebi I am old abi? I will show you today . I even laughed and said ahn ahn what are you saying ? Is this a joke or what? Please I dont like this kind of joke o or I will leave.  I then stood up to try to leave by this time he had only boxer shorts on. Not only did he stop me from leaving, he started to land me heavy blows. I struggled and the more I struggled, the more blows he landed on me.

I screamed. I shouted. I struggled. At a point, i managed to grab the pressing Iron on the rug, and hit it on his head. He became so angry that he dealt me more blows. I was so helpless and powerless but I didnt stop fighting, I was going to kill him if i could just so he would not penetrate me. My eyes went to the corner where the fridge was, I saw the kitchen utensils and that was when I saw a kitchen knife. I was struggling beneath him to get there, he followed my eyes and saw I was reaching for the knife, he became more furious and started to hit me. For a moment, I thought I would die.

By the time it was over, he got on his phone and started calling his friends to come and beg me. I strongly believe that they were his accomplices. He started to apologize and that it was a mistake.

I vividly remember that I arrived 19 Feyintola Giwa around mid-afternoon and by the time this whole ordeal was over it was maybe around 5/6 pm. Do the maths.

I couldnt understand even at the time why he would dehumanize me like that and I was enveloped with shame. Understand that my shirt had been torn, my eyes red.

I was so ashamed that I decided I would bury this shame and act like it never happened. At the time, I didnt tell anyone, my parents, my friends, not a soul.

As the years went by, I started to tell my friends one by one, at different times but never did I foresee that this day would come.

I walked around the house in pain all week, acting like nothing happened. I would lay in my bed in pain, crying. And whenever I heard Grandma or any of my aunties call Aminaaaa, I would act like my chest wasnt painful, or that my shoulders werent in giving in to the aftermath of his fists, or that I didnt feel dirty between my legs.

Muhammed in his typical I-am-such-a-saint fashion continued to beg me and to solicit that I be his girlfriend which I refused. On many occasions. I became convicted that my stance on not wanting to date him was not a mistake neither was it his right to violate me. I wasnt ready to confront the latter. I just needed my mind to erase it like it never existed.

As you all already know, several years have gone by, he has tried to make contact with me severally but I just couldnt bring myself to forgive him more or less give him audience. So I decided I would forget him completely maybe the hurt would go away.

I know some of you are thinking, so why now? Why are you speaking out now?

Last year, I messaged him on Facebook and I have shared the screenshots on my twitter accusing him of raping me, urging him to do the right thing. He refused to admit via chat and instead requested for my number which my fiance urged me to give him. He called, in his words ahn ahn otipe now, ode gbagbe e. Oya mabinu now.

So i urged him to confess to his wife, his mother and all the women in his life, to admit what he did to me, to show remorse but what he tried to do was to manipulate me on the phone. I tried very hard to get him to say it but he kept deflecting and it became apparent that it was no mistake. Maybe i hurt his feelings, I didnt deserve what he did to me.

I am speaking out because I grew up, I uprooted everything I had buried. I needed closure and knowing fully well that I wouldnt get justice, I am doing this anyway. He did rape me. I am without doubt sure that he violently raped me.

I saw his post, I laughed. Because those who are in my Life know for a fact the person he described isnt me.

I am not afraid, in the absence of evidence, I am sure you have doubts and thats okay. Like every human, he has the right to debunk my allegations as he sees fit but what he doesnt have the right to do is to compose a set of lies with the aim of deflecting and pushing the narrative the Nigerian audience likes best. The one that makes me out to be a scorned ex which I am not. The one that thinks in this day and age that Women still aspire to marriage or become empty in the absence of one. The one that is trying albeit weakly to make me out to be hopeless and out for blood.

I then decided that I will not be silenced and in all of this The Black Diamonds Support Foundation has been my support system. They have allowed me to share my story, They have created a safe place to speak my truth without fear and I will always be grateful.

One day, I know that one day, my country will get it right.

I would like to thank my darling partner Clovis, for pushing me. For saying to me  baby, you have to let out all the pain. You have to let it go. . To all the people I met in France who made understand beyond reasonable doubt that my truth will set me free, I am grateful.

I know that someday my baby girl will see this and she will understand our daily talk about consent and speaking to me about anything no matter how shameful it may seem. It will sense to you Olami and you will be proud of me.

To all rape victims out there who havent found their voices, you will find it. Dont be afraid. Remember theres three sides to every story, my side, your side and THE TRUTH. The truth always prevail.

But this is my story. My name is Amina and Muhammed Ettu did rape me. I know it. He knows it and my story will never change as I am ready for what comes after.

Thanks for reading she wrote.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
MEDINA, Ohio -- Medina resident Lindsey Bowling was driven to lead a protest in the form of a march Friday evening (June 5) in light of all the news and protests spurred on after the death of George Floyd.

The march from the square north on North Court Street to the city limits and back again was one of several protests and vigils planned this weekend in Medina to honor Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Floyd, who was black, died after a white police officer in Minneapolis pressed a knee to his neck for nearly 9 minutes during his arrest on May 25.

It brings a lot of sadness. I want all the sadness to end, said Bowling. I dont want to fear for anyones children, dad, uncle dying out here. I dont want things like this happening in my community, and I dont want the people in my community to feel that way, like they have to fear for their life when they leave their house.

Lindsey Bowling hands out signs to some of the protesters before they began their march through Medina. (Alyssa Alfano, special to cleveland.com)

Bowling felt as though something needed to be done and that she had the ability to make a stand. And thus, a protest was born.

Honestly, its a little stressful because of the fact that you have people writing you telling you that you shouldnt be doing it, said Bowling.

You have people supporting you, which is a great aspect of it, but then you also have the realization of people telling you, Hey, what if you do go out and you take the same risk that a black person takes every day and you do get shot or maced or tased and you dont get to go back home to your child?

She said that is a harsh reality that needs to be discussed.

Medina Police Chief Ed Kinney and protest organizer Lindsey Bowling discuss safety before the Black Lives Matter march in Medina Friday evening. (Alyssa Alfano, special to cleveland.com)

Bowling said that one day out of her life may not change much, but that it will contribute to change nonetheless.

For me, it was necessary, said Bowling. Its time for us to keep them safe.

A small group of protesters gathered near the gazebo on the square around 6 p.m. to start their march.

We came out to support her, said Ted Hall, who was there with his wife, Amy. They both know Bowling and support the cause.

To do our part and to let our voice be heard, Amy Hall said about the importance of participating in events such as this.

Protesters carried signs with various messages, including all lives dont matter until black lives matter, and those listing names of victims of police brutality.

Black lives matter. We all need to come together, said Tracy Tober, who came to join the march. Im looking forward to seeing some changes, a lot of changes.

The group marched from the Medina square up North Court Street to Hillview Way and back, holding their signs and chanting mantras like no justice, no peace.

Bowling said she expected a peaceful protest and had a way to contact the Medina police chief in case things went south. But there were no problems.

She shared that if something had happened to her doing the event, she wouldnt have minded, because it was a worthwhile cause.

We need to put an end to all this. Its gotten too much. Its been too much for too long and it needs to end," she said.

"Nobodys life is more important than anyone elses, she said. No matter who you are, we are brothers and sisters in Christ.

Read more from the Medina Sun.
As Tropical Storm Cristobal churns through the Gulf of Mexico en route to likely landfall Sunday in Louisiana or Texas, it carries on its winds a message for residents of the United States' hurricane-prone coastlines that runs counter to everything they have been taught during the pandemic: If a dangerous storm is coming, leave home and seek refuge, with strangers if necessary.

But the hurricane season has just begun, and already there have been three named storms, including the one swirling above the warm Gulf waters right now that dumped a deluge of rain and caused deadly flooding in the Mexican state of Chiapas. The storms create a potential double threat this year, as those who would normally evacuate from a hurricane's path now must weigh fleeing their safe environments and bunking in shelters with people who are potential carriers of the coronavirus.

Experts say it is a powder keg of risk and fear that could ultimately cost lives.

"A real concern is that people may not evacuate," said W. Craig Fugate, former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "We need to be clear about this: If you live in an evacuation zone and people say you need to evacuate, you move to higher ground."

On Friday, officials in Grand Isle, La., issued a mandatory evacuation order beginning early Saturday. Police Chief Laine Landry said that a few people had already left to stay with family and friends and that he expected more to go Saturday. But he said that about 75 percent of the island's 1,300 local residents likely would choose to ride out the storm confined to their houses, the majority of which stand 18 to 20 feet above ground.

"For our culture here, in a low level Cat One, they know they are going to be without electricity and medical and police services," Landry said. "But they would rather be at home."

The island is isolated and has had few coronavirus cases, but the geography of the coastline makes it difficult to predict the exact impact of any storm.

"I'm not going to bed for three days over this," said Joe Valiente, director of emergency management in Jefferson Parish.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is anticipating an unusually active hurricane season, pointing to a developing La Nina event in the tropical Pacific and above-average sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and tropical Atlantic. And on Thursday, Colorado State University updated its forecast, anticipating 19 named storms, including Arthur, Bertha and now Cristobal, with nine hurricanes, four of them potential blockbusters of Category 3 or higher.

Cristobal, which formed on June 2, is the earliest third-named storm to form in the Atlantic since records began in 1851.

"We can already say it's a record-setting hurricane season," Fugate said.

The possibility of repeat hurricane threats in the United States has led local and state officials to emphasize the need for residents to heed warnings when they come - emphasizing that in many cases, a direct hit from a hurricane would be far worse than the risk of contracting coronavirus.

"It's extremely important this year that people stay tuned into local officials," said Mike Steele, communications director for the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in Louisiana, where recommendations often vary from parish to parish.

FEMA officials could not be reached for comment.

Some people who live in newer homes equipped to withstand high winds might be able to shelter in place. And evacuating early to seek refuge with family and friends, as emergency managers have long recommended, now has the benefit of minimizing contact with strangers.

Marley Monacello recalls the horrors of evacuating as Hurricane Irma barreled toward her home in southwest Florida almost three years ago. She and her wife drove two cars with four dogs, two parakeets and a few family treasures to her parents' house in Tallahassee.

The trauma led them to replace their double-wide trailer with what Monacello calls "a total concrete block house." It is equipped with a small generator, gas cans and other emergency provisions to allow them to shelter in place in anything but the most powerful storms.

Monacello, who works among migrant farmworkers at the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, worries about putting her parents at risk from the coronavirus by relocating to stay with them. She also is concerned about the long-term public health impact of a big storm on marginalized people like the farmworkers, who have been hit hard by the virus.

"It's a nightmare to think about a huge hurricane coming and people in town needing to go into shelters," she said. "It's the worst-case scenario in terms of exacerbating the pandemic."

Many areas are arranging for "non-congregate" shelters such as hotels, college campuses and campgrounds, which have been sitting empty because of the virus.

Those who go to traditional shelters likely will face temperature checks before boarding public transportation, then additional screening at the destination, so that infected evacuees and their families can be accommodated separately. Meals might be boxed rather than served in buffets. And everyone will be expected to wear masks and to practice social distancing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued evacuation guidance, suggesting shelters should be small, with fewer than 50 residents. But if a massive storm threatens densely populated regions, those goals could be difficult to achieve.

"We have got what we have got," said Sherry-Lea Bloodworth Botop, public information officer in Baldwin County, Ala. "There's not going to be room for everyone,"

Louisiana is increasing the space allocated to each evacuee from 30 square feet to 45 square feet to enable some distancing, according to Valiente, who is advising residents to bolster emergency packs with personal protective equipment for Cristobal and future storms.

"Bring masks. Bring some gloves. Bring hand sanitizer," Valiente said.

Even if Cristobal does not prompt evacuations, it is a harbinger of what's to come. The waters it has been traversing range from about 0.9 to 2.7 degrees above average for this time of year, and scientists say this adds to not just this storm's potential rainfall and intensity, but also to the power of subsequent storms this season.

FEMA, which is playing a lead role in the Trump administration's coronavirus response, is having to rewrite aspects of its storm response playbook to take the pandemic into account. At a May 29 Oval Office briefing, FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor assured President Donald Trump the agency is ready for whatever the hurricane season has in store.

"Are we ready?" Trump asked. Gaynor replied: "Yes, sir. FEMA is always ready, sir."

The agency is seeking to make many of its functions virtual, such as processing storm damage claims, and to rely on personnel that have already been deployed to disaster zones rather than sending new waves of people who could fall victim to the virus.

The agency's 2020 hurricane season handbook, aimed at state and local emergency managers, says the agency will prioritize securing communications lines. But hurricanes knock out power and communications networks, which means that processing claims and performing other functions could prove challenging to impossible. In a report published this week looking at how disaster response staffing and budgets will be affected by the virus, Fugate argued for a change in disaster-response communications, from two-way radios to smartphones with low-cost mesh networking devices.

Even the webinars the agency has been holding to brief managers have been beset by glitches. When one was canceled Thursday because of technical problems, managers started typing, in public view, messages about their frustrations, such as this one: "THIS IS A GIANT WASTE OF MY TIME."

Even when virtual planning goes well, the process presents challenges for people who will have to act in quick coordination during a crisis, according to Zachary Hood, director of the Emergency Management Agency in Baldwin County, Ala.

"In emergency management, it's all about relationships," Hood said. "If you are meeting virtually, you may miss something."

It's not the first time officials have had to handle illness among people displaced by disasters. After the November 2018 fires that obliterated Paradise, Calif., an outbreak of vomiting and diarrhea swept through shelters, where sanitizing was increased and areas had to be cordoned off for people afflicted with the highly contagious norovirus.

But the coronavirus presents another level of danger, including for volunteers, who are often retirees and could incur additional risk in the immediate aftermath of a disaster.

Fugate has suggested taking advantage of the furloughed workforce to replace them, as well as drawing on the hard-hit hospitality industry in U.S. coastal regions, using FEMA funding to enlist restaurants to cook meals for evacuees, for example. And in Louisiana, emergency responders are trying to make sure they have extra personal protective equipment to hand out to volunteer groups like the Cajun Navy, Steele said.

Malary White, director of external affairs at the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, said storms that hit the region in April - during the coronavirus outbreak - alerted them to the challenges that lie ahead.

"Our biggest obstacle is going to be sheltering," White said, hoping many people will go to a friend's or family member's house instead of public shelters. And a lesson she hopes can be repeated is to employ local companies in the recovery effort.

The coronavirus complicated everything from sanitizing shelters to maintaining supply chains when Tropical Storm Harold hit four Pacific Island nations in April, according to Kayly Ober, of Refugees International. While some problems might be more manageable on the U.S. mainland, other problems could crop up.

"The political factors," Ober said. "Like who is wearing a mask, who is social distancing."

The coronavirus also will test NOAA, since it will have to maintain staffing at the National Hurricane Center in Miami as well as keep its fleet of hurricane research aircraft flying. The aging fleet of planes, named after "Muppet" characters, pipe data directly into the computer models forecasters use to improve forecast accuracy.

Flight crew members have been practicing social distancing and working remotely when on the ground, according to spokesman Chris Vaccaro. He said aircraft "will fly with the minimum number of crew members necessary to conduct missions."

Cristobal could bring high winds and heavy rains to the Panhandle in Florida, historically the hardest-hit state, where residents already are mulling what to do when the next big storm heads their way.

Karen Dwyer, who has seen storms of all shapes and sizes in the 60 years she has lived in Naples, Fla., is looking at the 2020 hurricane season with fresh and uncertain eyes. She heard on public radio that the local shelters would take about 35 percent of their normal capacity, and she worries about staying with elderly friends inland.

"Where do you go now, with covid-19?" the retired teacher asked. "I'm sort of in a quandary about where."
Elderly farmer Dinesh Patidar and his wife Alka are ruing the fact that entire United States was enraged after the 'killing' of an innocent black man by some police officers.

On June 6, the couple, natives of Piplyamandi in Mandsaur, paid tributes to their son Abhishek Patidar who was among five killed in police firing during the farmers protest in Mandsaur in 2017.

"The public stood up to the administration in the US while my son and four others never got the justice," said Dinesh Patidar. Both Patidar and his wife have been keenly following the happenings in US after the killing of a black man.

The US has been witnessing massive protests over the death of African-American George Floyd's in police custody last week. Floyd died after a cop pinned him down to the ground with his knee on his neck for some nine minutes. All the while, Floyd kept saying 'I can't breathe'. His plea to let him go has become the protest slogan in the US.

"My second son got a government job and we got cash compensation but is this what we call justice and compensation for losing my son," Alka asked finding it difficult to control her tears. "If I had lost my son due to a natural calamity or an illness...but how can I control my sorrow as I lost him to bullets," she added.

Look at what is happening in the US but here my sons death has been forgotten by all, she alleged.

Seeking MSP for their produce and a one-time farm loan waiver among other demands, farmers in western Madhya Pradesh had started protesting on June 1 , 2017. On June 6, the protests turned violent in Piplyamandi area of Mandsaur.

According to eyewitnesses, protesting farmers started torching vehicles and indulged in stone pelting in Parshvanath area under Pipaliya Mandi police station limits of the district on the fateful day.

As police opened fire, Kanhaiyalal Patidar, Bablu Patidar, Chain Singh Patidar, Abhishek Patidar and Satynarayan were killed. Another farmer Ghanshyam had later succumbed to the injuries sustained in police lathicharge.

Sandip, Abhisheks elder son is now posted as a peon with Bhanpura tehsil. With an ageing Dinesh and Sandip in a government job, the family has now handed its ten bigha land on lease.

Low or negative returns were also among the reasons why they decided to discontinue their farming, affirmed Dinesh Patidar. The couple claimed that several leaders came and left but the farmers conditions have not changed even a bit as they are still making losses in agriculture. We dont think the sacrifices made by our son and others made any difference, the couple said with dejection.

The family affirmed that politicians used to visit Mandsaur in herds after 2017 but their visits too have dried up of late.

Amrit Patidar, a native of Balapura village in Mandsaur and one of those who led the agitation from front affirms that nothing has changed in three years.

We held a small event to pay tribute to the departed souls in Piplyamandi but we have no idea how much longer we have to struggle to get our demands fulfilled, said Patidar asking when people like Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi can flee with huge sums, cant the government waive off farm loans in entirety once.

Six people died in 2017 but we got nothing as still MSP is not available for crops, he said.

Amid lockdown, vegetables were destroyed in farms and milk which fetches Rs 35-40 sold at Rs 20-22 a litre in Mandsaur, he claimed.

Though he affirmed that during the Kamal Nath government, cases slapped on farmers over agitation were withdrawn and farm loans upto Rs 50,000 were waived off.

Mahendra Patidar, president of Patidar community which was at the forefront during the 2017 farmers agitation, claimed that not even an FIR has been lodged in connection with the police firing on five farmers. "Ghanshyam Dhakad died due to custodial excesses and no probe was ordered as three governments changed hands in last three years," he said.

He went on to claim that administrative officers who were behind the police firing were not punished and some were even promoted.

Bharatiya Kisan Sangh leader and RSS functionary Mohan Pandey from Mhow (Indore) asked why the farmers conditions failed to change in three years even after massive protests. He said that the BJP government has the intent to benefit farmers but lacks the implementation strategy or the required experts in place.

On an average, the Centre doles out Rs 32,000 subsidy per hectare on heads including seeds, fertilisers, drip irrigation, cold storage and others and this should be immediately stopped as almost 85 per cent of this grant never reaches the farmers, Pandey claimed adding farmers should be offered training.

If government staffers are entitled for all kinds of allowances and perks including telephone allowance, travel allowance, medical allowance, housing allowance and others, why cant farmers get the same, dont they require all these facilities, asked Pandey.

The senior farmers leader backed one-time loan waiver and added that experts are required to make agriculture a profitable venture. Present day farmers arent like their older generation. They are aware like any other citizens and send their kids to English medium schools, claimed Pandey adding if the governments dont mend their ways on farming soon, the farmers will make them bow down before them in future.
Baramulla: A 25-year-old civilian was shot dead by unknown terrorists on Saturday (June 6, 2020) in Bomai village of Sopore in north Kashmirs Baramulla district.

IGP Kashmir said, Terrorists fired upon Danish Manzoor, s/o Manzoor Ahmad Najar, r/o Eidepora Bomai aged about 25 years. The family brought him to the hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

A police official informed that Danish was shot near Edipora Bomai in Zainageer, while he was on his way to home.

Danish was reportedly a driver by profession.

Meanwhile, police and army have cordoned off the area to nab the attackers.

Search operations in the area were on at the time of filing the report.
Decades of experience in drug development and finance to support company advancing novel treatments for rare dermatologic diseases

Woodcliff Lake, NJ, June 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Timber Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Timber" or the Company) (NYSE American: TMBR), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of treatments for orphan dermatologic diseases, today announced the appointment of Gianluca Pirozzi, M.D., Ph.D. and Edward J. Sitar to its Board of Directors.

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Pirozzi and Mr. Sitar to the Board as we continue to advance innovative clinical research evaluating novel treatments for rare dermatologic diseases with limited options, said John Koconis, Chief Executive Officer of Timber. Their experience supporting the success of public and private companies will be invaluable to us as we expand our clinical development programs in the years ahead.

Dr. Pirozzi is currently Senior Vice President, Head of Development, Hematology, Nephrology and Translational Services at Alexion Pharmaceuticals. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Imbria Pharmaceuticals and is a scientific advisor for the Smith Magenis Syndrome Research Foundation. Dr. Pirozzi brings nearly two decades of experience in drug development, previously serving various roles at Sanofi including Head of Development, Rare Diseases. He holds an M.D. from Universita Campus Bio-Medico di Roma and a Ph.D. in immunology from Sapienza Universita di Roma and completed a post-doc in immunology at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, France.

I am excited to have the opportunity to help people living with some of the most serious conditions in medical dermatology, said Dr. Pirozzi. Timber is well positioned to advance innovative clinical research in areas of high unmet need, and I look forward to joining the Board and supporting the team.

Mr. Sitar has more than two decades of experience managing finances for companies in healthcare IT and services, medical devices and pharmaceuticals. He is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Innovate Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. and previously served various roles at CareDox, Inc., Ammon Analytical Laboratory, Cancer Genetics, Inc., Healthagen, ActiveHealth Management, Cadent Holdings, Inc., MIM Corporation (now BioScrip, Inc.), Vital Signs, Inc., Zenith, and Coopers & Lybrand. Mr. Sitar holds a B.S. in accounting from the University of Scranton and is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in New Jersey.

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"I am really excited to work with the team at Timber as we build a dermatology company that assists patients whose needs are currently unmet, said Mr. Sitar. The Timber team has unparalleled experience and I look forward to guiding them as we build a financially strong and successful company.

About Timber Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Timber Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of treatments for orphan dermatologic diseases. The company's investigational therapies have proven mechanisms-of-action backed by decades of clinical experience and well-established CMC (chemistry, manufacturing, and control) and safety profiles. Timber is initially focused on developing non-systemic treatments for rare dermatologic diseases including congenital ichthyosis (CI), facial angiofibromas in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), and localized scleroderma. For more information, visit www.timberpharma.com .

For more information, contact:

Timber Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

John Koconis

Chief Executive Officer

jkoconis@timberpharma.com

Investor Relations:

Stephanie Prince

PCG Advisory

(646) 762-4518

sprince@pcgadvisory.com
This is a fight that a lot of people have been working towards for a long time, and its on us now to continue that fight, she said.

Bear Heels was a 29-year-old Native American man who had schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

He was on his way from an aunts house in South Dakota to his mothers house in Oklahoma City when he was told to get off the bus in Omaha because of his behavior. When he didnt arrive as expected, his mother called Omaha police the next day to report him missing.

From the bus station, he made his way to the Buckys near 60th and Center Streets. Police were called after Bear Heels refused to leave. The responding officers included Scotty Payne, Ryan McClarty, Jennifer Strudl and Makyla Mead.

Police detained Bear Heels and put him in a cruiser. They consulted with his mother, Renita Chalepah, who asked them to take him to a crisis center. She and the officers decided they would drop him back off at the bus station instead.
Vacheron Constantin unveils its latest talent to join the One of not many communication campaign. Yiqinq Yin, a youthful prodigy in the world of Haute Couture, is joining the roster of talents who have chosen to collaborate with the Maison. She will epitomise the Egerie collection, dedicated to women and launched by the Manufacture in February 2020.

Both inspired and inspiring, this talented young woman has made her recent entrance in the very close circle of Haute Couture creators. Born in China, Yiqing Yin has travelled the world and nourished her intuitive and innovative vision with many different influences. In total harmony with the spirit of the Egerie collection, her universe mixes poetry, pure elegance in a passionate quest for absolute beauty.

Definitely One Of Not Many.
As commercial properties in Fremont face a 37% increase in commercial property improvement valuations for 2020, manufacturing plants will see increases, especially those with renovations.

We invested tens of millions of dollars in this facility in the last six, seven, eight years, and now were paying for it on the tax side of things, Jayhawk Boxes General Manager Steve Rector said. I know we all have to pay our fair share, but it was kind of gross.

Jayhawk Boxes, a division of Lawrence Paper Company, recently finished a 28% expansion of its facility in south Fremont.

Rector said although Jayhawk Boxes was initially facing just the 37% increase, that number had gone up to 93% earlier this year.

When they came through in March to evaluate the property, they noticed that we had some additional concrete work that wasnt captured in the 2019 valuation, and then along with the 2020 addition, he said.

Luckily, Rector said he was able to file a protest against the higher percentage.

We negotiated down to a different number, somewhere in between the 37% and 93%, he said. But its going to cost us. I figured out its going to increase our tax liability by about $32,000.

Jessica Kolterman, the director of corporate and external affairs at Lincoln Premium Poultry, said its the goal of any business to be on equal footing as its competitors.

I think the one thing I can say is that we appreciate the work Dodge County has done to make this a better situation for commercial property owners in the county, she said. At this point, its out of Dodge Countys hands and we just appreciate the work theyve done and the work theyll continue to do.

Kolterman said LPP has not held any discussions on if it will protest the increased valuation.

With just the 37% increase, Rector said its the biggest hes seen since he joined the company in 2011. He also said the company isnt alone, as hes talked with other manufacturers who are also facing the increase.

The people that Ive talked to, and its a very limited pool size, were just trying to get the grasp of things here, still trying to figure it out, Rector said.

Rector said although Hall County has an average tax rate of 1.75% at a population of about 61,607 in 2018 and Buffalo County has an average of 1.56% at about 49,615, Dodge County is at 1.65%, with a population of just 36,791.

Nebraskas already the eighth-highest property taxed state in the nation, so I dont know if were trying to get to number one or not, he said.

If the following years bring more increases of this size, Rector said hes not sure what will happen with the facility.

It certainly makes it harder to invest in the community and draw people here to want to work at our facility, he said. Were a Kansas-based company, and Im sure my owner, if it came down to a coin flip to invest money in a Fremont location versus one of his other plants in Kansas for the same type of equipment, Im guessing he might be swayed to move to his Kansas facility.

Rector said although he wished he had been more aware of meetings with the Dodge County Board of Supervisors that covered the increase, he also wanted to know what the criteria was set to consider that the county was undervalued.

Its not just the manufacturers around in our area either, its a lot of residents, he said. Im hearing a lot of employees talking about how their valuations and how much theyve gone up. So do we need to build more infrastructure, more schools? Whats it being allotted to?

The increase will most likely make it harder for Jayhawk Boxes moving forward, whether its new equipment or employing more people, Rector said.

It just puts a strain on everything, he said. And is the timing great? No, with everything thats been going on with COVID and all that stuff. Theres really never a good time to have a 37%-plus increase.

Noah Johnson contributed to the reporting of this story.

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School districts in New York can restart in-person special education classes for the summer term, according to a new executive order signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday.

The order allows districts to opt-in to in-person teaching specifically for special education students, according to governor spokesman Rich Azzopardi. Some districts had requested the option, he wrote in response to questions.

The order covers both public and private schools.

The news comes as New York is slowing starting to reopen businesses and other activities that were shuttered in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

In-person teaching in Onondaga County ended March 16. Classes continue through online and other remote efforts.

Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. today from Albany.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

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New Cuomo order allows outdoor, low-risk recreational activities and businesses

From hair salons to gyms, experts rank 36 activities by coronavirus risk level

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

Got a story idea or news tip youd like to share? Please contact me through email, Twitter, Facebook or at 315-470-2274.
Within hours of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal cautioning hospitals in the city against refusing admission to any coronavirus related case and warning of action against incidents of non-compliance, the Delhi government issued an order to the same effect on Saturday evening.

The health bulletin issued on Saturday by the city-state administration ordered all dedicated Covid hospitals under its authority to not deny admission to any person showing moderate or severe symptoms of coronavirus on the pretext of absence of a test report.

Delhi has 8,637 dedicated Covid-19 beds out of which 4,225 are occupied as of Saturday.

Earlier today, Kejriwal had said hospitals will not be allowed to deny treatment to patients suspected of carrying coronavirus.

We will pass an order that no hospital can deny a person treatment if they are suspected corona patient. They will have to consider that person as a suspect case and start treatment as there is no medicine for corona, Kejriwal had said.

Also Read: In Arvind Kejriwals defence of new Covid-19 testing norms, a warning about system collapse

The order follows a routine review meeting held by Delhi health minister with officers of the health department and medical directors of dedicated Delhi government run Covid-19 hospitals.

The Delhi government also issued an order regarding follow up of all the laboratory-confirmed positive cases of Covid-19.

The government said that the follow-ups by the health apparatus should be accompanied with continuous care till such time a patient gets cured or there is a final outcome to the case.

For Coronavirus Live Updates

During the press conference earlier today, Kejriwal also sought to dispel concerns over the capitals testing capacity, which was impacted after his governments decision to withdraw permission to test samples for Covid-19 from several hospitals and labs who were allegedly found to be flouting testing rules set by ICMR.

According to the health bulletin, Delhi recorded 1,320 coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the states tally to 27,654 cases including 16,229 active Covid cases.
Barack Obama has a favorite saying on the campaign trail: Dont boo  vote.

And young protesters, galvanized by police brutality and a rash of political disappointments, seem to be sketching out a present-day response:

Sure, maybe. But first, some well-directed fury.

Im tired. Im literally tired. Im tired of having to do this, said Aalayah Eastmond, 19, who survived the 2018 massacre at her high school in Parkland, Fla., became a gun control advocate, saw many legislative efforts stall  and is now organizing protests in Washington over police violence against fellow black Americans.

Ms. Eastmond could be forgiven, she suggested, for doubting that the electoral system would meet the moment on its own: We do our job, she said, and then we dont see the people we vote in doing their job.

As nationwide demonstrations continue to simmer, interviews with millennial and Generation Z protesters and activists across racial lines reflect a steady suspicion about the value and effectiveness of voting alone. Their disillusionment threatens to perpetuate a consistent generational gap in election turnout, hinting at a key challenge facing Joseph R. Biden Jr. The former vice president, who announced Friday evening that he had earned a majority of delegates in the Democratic primary contest, has struggled to generate youth enthusiasm despite the demographics broad disapproval of President Trump.
A policeman in New Mexico has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after the death of a man held in a neck restraint during arrest.

Antonio Valenzuela, 40, died on February 29 after he was stopped by Las Cruces police.

Valenzuela had a warrant for parole violation and took off running, according to police.

Two officers used a taser twice without affecting Valenzuela.

Antonio Valenzuela died on February 29 after being placed in a neck restraint during arrest

He was captured and Christopher Smelser from Las Cruces police department held him in a neck restraint.

Valenzuela, a father of four, became unresponsive and died at the scene.

Paramedics were called but were not able to save him.

'It wasn't supposed to happen this way,' said his daughter, Alexis, 18.

She told the Las Cruces Sun News: 'My dad wasn't violent. He didn't carry any weapons, nothing, for them to kill them the way they did.'

Police said that Valenzuela was resisting arrest.

'Valenzuela was continually struggling to get away, once on the ground, during this struggle, Officer Smelser applied a vascular neck restraint technique to gain control,' the Las Cruces police said in a statement posted on Facebook.

'It is police policy that after any use of force, fire and ambulance are called upon to provide medical care, if necessary.

'Mr Valenzuela was observed as non-responsive, EMS technicians attempted life-saving measures which were not successful.'

Las Cruces police department announced on Thursday that Smelser had been fired

Smelser, who joined the force in 2016, was immediately placed on administrative leave, and the Las Cruces force was banned from using neck restraints.

On Thursday the autopsy was returned, showing that he died from asphyxial injuries caused by the chokehold.

'Words are insufficient to bring comfort to Antonio Valenzuela's family, but I extend my sincere condolences for their loss,' said Las Cruces police Chief Patrick Gallagher.

'It is a tragic day for everyone involved when there is an in-custody death or a death as a result of a police apprehension.

'Once we learned of the findings in the Medical Investigator's report, we felt in necessary to immediate initiate termination proceedings.'

Valenzuela, a father of four, worked as a painter and a mechanic in New Mexico

The autopsy found Valenzuela had petechial, or pinpoint, hemorrhaging in his eyes and eyelids, which is indicative of asphyxiation and may occur when the neck or chest is compressed.

His neck had a deep muscle hemorrhage. His Adam's apple was crushed and his ribs were fractured. There was swelling in his brain, according to the report.

The OMI report states methamphetamine also played a role in his death.

The report states the presence of meth can cause a rapid heart rate, high blood pressure and an increased demand of oxygen. The meth likely placed increased stress on his cardiovascular system, according to the report.

Valenzuela, a father-of-four, lived with his grandparents and worked a painter and mechanic.

He had a history of felony drug possession charges and minor traffic violations.

Sylvia Montoya, Valenzuela's aunt, told the Sun-News she doesn't want another family to go through what her family has gone through.

'I don't want another person to get hurt,' she said.

'I don't want to see another family go through our pain and I don't want to hear of another death at the hands of an officer. It's not right.'

Montoya said the family has had a difficult time processing Valenzuela's death.

'All we want is justice,' she said.

The scene in Las Cruces where Valenzuela was killed on February 29

Chief of Las Cruces police, Patrick Gallagher, has expressed his condolences to the family

New Mexico police attend the scene in Las Cruces on February 29, which lost Valenzuela's life

The charges against Smelser come as police forces across the country are reviewing their tactics and policies in light of the killing of George Floyd.

Floyd, 46, died in Minneapolis on May 25 after a policeman, Derek Chauvin, kept his knee on his neck for almost nine minutes. Chauvin has been charged with murder.

Minneapolis police announced on Friday they were ending the use of what is known as the 'knee to neck maneuver' - a tactic that many forces already ban.

Also on Friday, a judge in Denver ordered that police in the city could no longer freely use tear gas and rubber bullets to restrain protesters.

And on Saturday morning two policemen in Buffalo, New York, were charged with assault after pushing a 75-year-old man during protests, who fell to the ground bleeding and remains in hospital.

Robert McCabe and Aaron Torgalski both pled not guilty to the charges.

Smelser is yet to enter a plea.
I felt compelled to do this because Ive worked in this theater for years and Ive been taught about equality by this theater, and Ive been taught about a safe space, said the scenic designer William Boles, who said he was one of the organizers. To see a theater that I respect being silent during this time is very upsetting. There is nothing on their signage. Just empty plywood. And after the events of this past week, artistic organizations who are not saying anything deserve to be called out.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6)  Malacanang asserted that human rights are firmly upheld in the country, rejecting a report released by the United Nations that said the government was "heavy handed on countering national security threats and illegal drugs."

In a statement released Saturday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said, "We maintain that the rule of law is upheld in the Philippines and any offenses committed by law-enforcement or otherwise will be dealt with in accordance with due process."

"Our courts stand ready to receive and rule on any complaints and their autonomy is respected by the Duterte Administration," Roque added.

The report from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said human rights concerns in the Philippines "have become more acute in recent years," citing what it described as widespread killings of alleged drug suspects.

Deaths of several human rights defenders have also been documented by the UN office over the past few years, including in the first quarter of 2020, when the country started to battle the COVID-19 crisis.<<TO LINK: >>

READ: Philippines' 'heavy-handed' approach on drug war, security threats led to human rights violations  UN report

Reacting to the report, Malacanang said while the government ensures the exercise of rights as determined by the Constitution, it was also its responsibility to "enforce the acknowledged and clear limits of these rights."

The Malacanang statement cited the current challenges brought about the COVID-19 crisis, adding people must not be made vulnerable to misinformation nor be taken advantage of by criminals.

The government also said it remains committed to the fight against illegal drugs, which is says "remains buoyed not just by its gains with respect to drug users rehabilitated and drug peddlers stopped, but by the publics continued support for the President, who won his office on the issue of illegal drugs."

"The OHCHRs conclusions regarding the supposed crackdown on critical advocates is belied by its own findings that the 'Philippines has a long-standing, robust tradition of human rights advocacy and civil society activism, with 60,000 registered non-governmental organizations,'" it said.

In its report, the OHCHR gave recommendations on how the country could improve its human rights situation, among them ceasing "Project Tokhang."

However, Malacanang said it could not commit itself to the suggestions, saying these were built on "faulty conclusions."

"We firmly reject these conclusions. That being said, the Government will continue to respect its international legal obligations, including human rights," said the Palace.
(Newser)  Tens of thousands of protesters streamed into the nations capital and other major cities Saturday in another huge mobilization against police brutality while George Floyd was remembered in his North Carolina hometown by mourners who waited hours for a glimpse of his golden coffin, the AP reports. Military vehicles and officers in fatigues closed off much of downtown Washington to traffic ahead of the planned march, which authorities estimated would attract up to 200,000 people. Large protests also took place across the US and overseas, including in London, Paris, Berlin, and Sydney, collectively producing perhaps the largest one-day mobilization since Floyd's death 12 days ago at the hands of police in Minneapolis. Among the scenes:

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Raeford, NC : A long line of people waited to see Floyd's coffin outside a church near his birthplace of Fayetteville. A hearse bearing Floyds coffin arrived, inspiring chants of "Black Power," "George Floyd," and "No justice, no peace." At a private memorial service later in the day, mourners sang along with a choir.

: A long line of people waited to see Floyd's coffin outside a church near his birthplace of Fayetteville. A hearse bearing Floyds coffin arrived, inspiring chants of "Black Power," "George Floyd," and "No justice, no peace." At a private memorial service later in the day, mourners sang along with a choir. New York City : Several thousand assembled near Central Park in a gathering called "The March for Stolen Dreams and Looted Lives," the New York Times reports. Constance Malcolm, whose son was killed by an NYPD officer, said she's "tired of crying" and urged people to do one thing: "Vote."

: Several thousand assembled near Central Park in a gathering called "The March for Stolen Dreams and Looted Lives," the New York Times reports. Constance Malcolm, whose son was killed by an NYPD officer, said she's "tired of crying" and urged people to do one thing: "Vote." Philadelphia and Chicago : Marchers chanted, carried signs, and occasionally knelt silently. Both protests unfolded peacefully.

: Marchers chanted, carried signs, and occasionally knelt silently. Both protests unfolded peacefully. London : Thousands of demonstrators endured cold rain to gather in Parliament Square, a traditional venue for protests. They knelt in silence and chanted Floyds name before applauding his memory and then starting a march. Some clashes between protesters and police broke out near the offices of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

: Thousands of demonstrators endured cold rain to gather in Parliament Square, a traditional venue for protests. They knelt in silence and chanted Floyds name before applauding his memory and then starting a march. Some clashes between protesters and police broke out near the offices of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Paris: Hundreds of people gathered at the Place de la Concorde in defiance of a police ban on large protests. Members of the multiracial crowd chanted the name of Adama Traore, a black man whose death while in police custody a few years ago has been likened by critics of French police to Floyds death in Minnesota.

(Read more George Floyd stories.)
EDWARDSVILLE  Students from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville College Student Personnel Administration (CSPA) graduate program are fortunate to be able to complete their competitive national internships remotely.

CSPA student Telayah Richards is remotely interning at Georgia State University through Aug. 10, working with new student orientation. Fellow student Kayla Ward, a first-generation college student, is gaining experience through a remote internship at California State University Fullerton (CSUF). Also completing a remote internship is CSPAs Shelby Ireland, who is contributing to the SIUEs Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Office in New Student Transitions.

I am glad students will have the opportunity to continue with their national internships in an alternative format amidst these unprecedented times, said Candace Hall, EdD, CSPA instructor and assistant program director. Some institutions have offered to create ways for our students to engage with their programs and students despite the pandemic. Our local partners, SIUE being chief among them, have been phenomenal in offering alternative internship options for those students whose national placements have been canceled.

Throughout both my undergraduate and graduate careers, internships have been essential in my process of finding purpose and gaining knowledge, said Ward, of Liberty. In conjunction with my CSPA courses, I can apply what I learn in the classroom to real-life situations. The connections you build and experience gained are irreplaceable.

Ward is eager to contribute to CSUFs Titan Orientation Programs, which have switched gears to focus on online student engagement.

The team will be building a community for both incoming and current students through many different means, such as webinars, panel discussions and social media campaigns, she explained. Im grateful that CSUF is committed to integrating its interns into all aspects of that goal.

Richards, of Springfield, appreciates the opportunity to grow and develop through her remote internship. She pursued the CSPA program, because she knew she was destined to work in higher education.

I loved everything about my college experience, and it dawned on me that my career should be in higher education, Richards said. I would like to serve as a dean of students at a four-year institution.

The challenges faced in higher education have been plentiful amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The CSPA students are developing professionals driven to assist students during a pivotal time in their lives. Their impact will be enhanced as they guide new and current students through this unprecedented beginning of their college careers.

I have found a passion for helping students find their home at their university, said Ireland, of Spaulding. I want to be that support for new students and help guide them to success. Internships can help solidify goals and what you want out of your career. I am honored to be able to continue what I love to do, which is learning how to impact students lives.

Ireland is assisting in planning and implementation of the SIUE Experience, the Universitys extended orientation for new students. She is also interviewing and hiring Cougar Guides.

It has been a smooth transition working online for my internship, Ireland said. My supervisor has done a tremendous job helping support me through the transition and ensuring I receive the resources I need to be successful. We are working through Microsoft Teams and Zoom to collaborate and plan. Ultimately, my responsibilities have remained almost the same, as I am fortunate to continue them remotely.






Shared and connected, the toaster-shaped concepts paraded in front of CES attendees each year look like rolling germ incubators in a year marred by a global pandemic. Digitally hitching a ride with four or five perfect strangers suddenly seems like a good way to get sick, and one of Kia's top executives argued that, in the coming years, automakers will need to rethink the way they design car interiors to address the public's lingering fears.

"We're going to have talks with psychologists and anthropologists to really understand how the public's psyche is going to be in the future. There are things we've already been talking about: Can we have anti-viral coatings in our interiors? Can you use temperature or ultraviolet light to sanitize surfaces? These are things we will have to talk about rather soon," affirmed Karim Habib, Kia's design chief, during an interview with British magazine Car.

He brought up the possibility of developing new, germ-repellent materials Kia could use to manufacture door handles, gear selectors, steering wheels, and other common touch points. And, he called into question the various car-sharing programs some companies have poured millions of dollars into in recent years.

"What does this mean for cars? I think we'll have to wait and see. Right now, we are trying to expand our understanding of what this might mean, not only for the types of vehicles we drive, but also how to design vehicles for shared mobility, or not, as the case may be," he explained.

Sister company Hyundai is trying to answer the same questions. It's experimenting with ways to beam ultraviolet rays from the dome light to kill viruses in car interiors. COVID-19 comes to mind, but this technology can -- in theory -- zap other infectious agents. The issue, as we reported, is that UV light harms human skin, so it would only have to be blasted into the cabin when no one is in the car. There's no word on when Hyundai will put this technology in a car, or whether it will reach production, but it's already used globally in the medical sector.

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Ford is taking a different approach to killing germs. It released software that bakes viruses by heating the cabin to about 133 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. This feature is only available on the Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility as of writing, though the company plans to add it to other models sooner or later.

"So, yes: COVID-19 will very much influence the way we design our cars in the future," Habib concluded.

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Leigh-Anne Pinnock shared an emotional video about racism on Friday night.

The Little Mix star, 28, took to Instagram to share the heartbreaking message as she candidly spoke about her own experiences and anxiety battle.

Leigh-Anne, whose bandmates are Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall, tearfully admitted that she feels 'invisible' at times in the group.

Scroll down for video

Emotional: Leigh-Anne Pinnock shared an emotional video about racism on Friday night

The star also shared that she always feels like the 'least favoured' and has to work 'ten times harder' in Little Mix.

Leigh-Anne said during the five minute video: 'My reality is feeling anxious before fan events and signings because I always feel like I'm the least favoured.

'My reality is constantly feeling like I have to work ten times harder and longer to make my case in the group, because my talent alone isn't enough. My reality is all the times I felt invisible within my group.

'Part of me is fully aware that my experience would have been ever harder to deal with had I been dark-skinned. Our reality is no matter how far you think you've come, racism exists.

Tearful: The Little Mix star, 28, took to Instagram to share the heartbreaking message as she candidly spoke about her own experiences and anxiety battle

'Invisible': Leigh-Anne, far right, whose bandmates are Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall (L-R), tearfully admitted that she feels 'invisible' at times in the group

'So let's all continue to speak up on racism and keep this movement going. Thank you.'

Leigh-Anne also recalled how a director she worked with during filming for their hit track Wings, nine years ago, told her 'you are the black girl, you have to work ten times harder'.

She added: 'There comes a point in every black human's life ... you realise racism does not exclude you. Nine years ago, after joining Little Mix, I had the biggest awakening of my life.

'When we were filming Wings, we worked with Frank Gatson. He said to me, "You are the black girl, you have to work ten times harder." Never in my life had someone told me I would need to work harder because of my race.

'Ten times harder': The star also shared that she always feels like the 'least favoured' and has to work 'ten times harder' in Little Mix

Upsetting: Leigh-Anne, pictured far left with Little Mix in 2019, said during the five minute video: 'My reality is feeling anxious before fan events and signings because I always feel like I'm the least favoured.'

'My reality was feeling lonely while touring predominantly white countries. I sang to fans who don't see me or hear me or cheer me on.'

Leigh-Anne captioned the video with: 'Like many of you, I have been feeling really heavy with everything that we are seeing online and hearing on the news. In the past I have mentioned some personal experiences that were triggered due to my race.

'More than ever I felt like it was time that I was completely open and honest with you all because finally, the world is awake and people want to listen, help and understand.

'I'm not doing this video for sympathy or for you to watch and then go about normal life. I'm doing it because enough is enough and hopefully from sharing this we can all do more to understand the racism that takes place.

She added: 'My reality is constantly feeling like I have to work ten times harder and longer to make my case in the group, because my talent alone isn't enough.'

Speaking out: Leigh-Anne captioned the video with: 'Like many of you, I have been feeling really heavy with everything that we are seeing online and hearing on the news.'

'In doing this we are able to approach the bigger issue and break down systemic racism. All we want is equality and justice for our black community.'

Leigh-Anne's Little Mix bandmates Jesy, 28, and Jade, 27, shared their support as they commented on the video.

Jesy posted three heart emojis while Jade put: 'My sister [heart emoji] proud of you .'

Hundreds and thousands of people have been protesting this week after footage emerged of a handcuffed George Floyd choking to death while being restrained by white police officer Derek Chauvin in Minnesota on Monday May 25.

Demonstrations have been seen in Denver, Louisville, Washington DC and New York after shocking footage emerged of police officer Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes.

Support: Leigh-Anne's Little Mix bandmates Jesy, 28, and Jade, 27, shared their support as they commented on the video

There have also been protests in the UK, Ireland and Australia.

Floyd, 46, could be heard pleading for the officer to get off him saying 'I can't breathe!' He was taken to hospital where he died.

Chauvin has now been charged with 2nd-degree murder which is more severe than the 3rd-degree murder, which he was initially charged with.

He faces three charges; 2nd-degree murder, 3rd-degree murder and 2nd-degree manslaughter. The most severe charges carry a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment.

Thomas Lane, J.A. Kueng and Tou Thao, the three other officers also present, were charged on Wednesday with aiding and abetting the murder of Floyd. They have also been charged with second degree aiding and abetting manslaughter.
ALTON  The journey toward completing a doctor of dental medicine degree is long and rigorous, yet incredibly rewarding.

For some, like the Dudovitz and Habibi sisters, its an academic milestone worth sharing!

During its 2020 virtual commencement ceremony on Saturday, the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SDM) conferred degrees upon 56 students, including sisters Tara and Maya Habibi of Springfield and twins Roxanne and Shawna Dudovitz of Deerfield.

When my sister and I were little we would help each other pull out our baby teeth, recalled Shawna Dudovitz.

Our mother works for a dentist, so growing up we were always around dentistry, she said. We both had a passion to help people and knew this would be a great way for us to give back, together.

Dental school is hard, and to have a built-in support system really helped make the process easier, added Roxanne Dudovitz. There is no one I would have rather done this with than my sister.

Having proven their abilities to successfully support and encourage each other through a challenging academic program, the sibling pairs have long-term plans of practicing dentistry together. The Habibis even hope to make it a trio someday by opening multiple practices with their older sister, Natalia, a 2016 SIU SDM alumna.

I was grateful to have a piece of home with me during dental school, noted Maya Habibi. As far as academics and personality types go, Tara and I could not be more different. She was always pushing me to be better, and I hope, I had a calming effect on her. We have a small family, so I cherish having such a close relationship with my sister.

Going through all four years of school together made the hard times a lot more bearable, said Tara Habibi. We definitely became a support system for each other.

All of the aspiring dentists were involved students at the SIU SDM, noting how their extra-curricular commitments amplified their overall experience.

Both my sister and I participated in the Association of American Women Dentists (AAWD), Shawna Dudovitz said. Through this group, we were able to help create community in the School through philanthropy. It was a great opportunity to give back. Additionally, through our clinical training, we saw the incredible impact dentists can make. We made many connections with patients. It was a wonderful experience and reminded us why we wanted to pursue this profession.

The highlights of my time at the SIU SDM include involvement in campus organizations like the Xi Psi Phi Dental Fraternity, AAWD and SDM Student Council, added Tara Habibi.

I served as a representative of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), assisted and started the first SIU SDM Impressions Day in 2019, participated in the Xi Psi Phi Dental Fraternity, served on the SIU SDM curriculum committee for two years, volunteered at the 2018 Mission of Mercy event in Springfield, and went on the Jamaica Dental Mission Trip in 2019, Maya noted.

Upon graduation, Roxanne Dudovitz will work in OFallon and Shawna Dudovitz in Shiloh. Tara Habibi plans to practice general dentistry and then apply for an endodontic residency. Maya Habibi will be practicing general dentistry in Festus, Missouri.

The SIU SDM virtual commencement was broadcast online at siue.edu/dental/virtual-commencement.

The SIU School of Dental Medicine students manage approximately 35,000 patient visits each year at its patient clinics in Alton and East St. Louis. In addition, students offer oral health treatment, screenings and education to more than 10,000 people annually through a wide variety of off-campus community outreach events. These opportunities provide students the training they need to graduate and become highly skilled dentists. The School of Dental Medicine is a vital oral health care provider for residents of southern and central Illinois, and the St. Louis metropolitan region.
Washington, June 6 (IANS) US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook said that a diplomatic door was still open for a wider negotiation with Tehran

US President Donald Trump "has had the door open to diplomacy for many years", Hook said on Friday, a day after Iran freed US Navy veteran Michael White after nearly two years.

"We would like to see the (Iranian) regime meet our diplomacy with diplomacy," he was quoted as saying by the Xinhua news agency.

Hook said that US-Iranian contacts have so far been limited to mutual release of prisoners, and not concerned issues like Iran's nuclear program.

However, he reiterated that the US will stick to its policy of harsh economic sanctions on Iran, designed to force the Middle East country back to the so-called negotiating table over the Iranian nuclear program.

The release of White came a day after Sirous Asgari, an Iranian scientist detained by the US government, had returned to Iran.

US and Iranian officials however, have insisted that it was not a prisoner exchange and two cases were not linked.

Relations between the United States and Iran have become increasingly hostile since the Trump administration's unilateral exit from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018.

Washington has been mounting pressure on Tehran through a series of sanctions.

Iran has maintained a tough stance and scaled back its nuclear commitments in response.

--IANS

ksk/
U.S. President Donald Trump touts U.S. jobs report during news conference at the White House in Washington

By Valerie Volcovici

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump announced on Friday he will open up a 5,000 square mile conservation area in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New England to commercial fishing.

The move allows commercial fishing to resume in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, a sanctuary created in 2016 during the Obama administration. It also cancels a planned phase out of red crab and lobster fisheries in the area.

Trump signed a proclamation on opening the area during a visit to Maine in his latest move to appeal to working class and blue collar workers in an election year by touting regulatory rollbacks that he says can restore jobs and economic activity.

"Were cutting regulations from highways and roadways to fish," Trump said at a roundtable event in Bangor.

Trump, who won in Maine's rural 2nd Congressional district in the 2016 election, also announced he would create a task force to identify international markets for U.S. seafood.

Environmental groups and some recreational fishermen warned that allowing commercial fishing in these areas undermines the protections established by the monument designations, putting marine wildlife, including endangered whales and sea turtles, sharks and fragile corals in danger of harm and entanglement in fishing nets.

"These are fragile and vulnerable resources, and I am concerned for their future health," said Rip Cunningham, former chair of the New England Fishery Management Council.

The commercial seafood industry and regional fishery management councils have pressed the Trump administration to restore commercial fishing in federal waters closed off under monument protections, citing the regulatory burden that they say forces fishermen to travel further with increased operational expenses and safety risks.

Kristan Porter, president of the Maine Lobsterman's Association who attended the roundtable, said the monument's restrictions on commercial fishing were done without the industry's input. "Fishermen needed to have input into this and we didn't," he said.

In 2017, then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke had recommended that Trump allow commercial fishing in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts monument. His recommendations came during a sweeping review of national monuments across the country that had been created by previous presidents under the Antiquities Act.

So far Trump has only proceeded to reduce the size of Utah's Bears Ears and Grand Staircase monuments, while leaving the other monuments intact. The Bears Ears and Grand Staircase decisions are now being challenged in court.

(Reporting by Valerie Volcovici, additional reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Alistair Bell)
Anti-Dumping Duty Imposed On Malaysian Calculators For 5 Years Business oi-Olga Robert

To protect domestic players from cheap imports, India has imposed anti-dumping duty on calculators from Malaysia for five years. After conducting a probe, the commerce ministry's investigation arm Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) had recommended anti-dumping duty on electronic calculators from Malaysia.

"The anti-dumping duty imposed (USD 0.92 per piece) shall be effective for a period of five years (unless revoked, amended or superseded earlier)," the department of revenue has said in a notification.

According to its findings of the probe, the DGTR had concluded that the product has been exported to India from Malaysia below its associated normal value, which is amounting to dumping and the domestic industry has suffered material injury due to the dumping. While DGTR recommends the duty, the finance ministry will take the final call to impose the same.

Ajanta LLP had filed the application for imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports from Malaysia.

Malaysia is a key trading partner of India in the Southeast Asian region. The bilateral trade between the countries increased to USD 17.25 billion in 2018-19 from USD 14.71 billion in 2017-18.

According to international trade norms, a country is allowed to impose tariffs on such dumped products to provide a level-playing field to domestic manufacturers.

The duty is imposed only after a thorough investigation by a quasi-judicial body, such as DGTR, in India.

The imposition of anti-dumping duty is permissible under the World Trade Organization (WTO) regime. India and Malaysia are members of this Geneva-based multi-lateral body.

For investment related articles, business news and mutual fund advise Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, June 6, 2020, 14:30 [IST]
By Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa's ruling party says it is launching a 'Black Friday' campaign in response to the 'heinous murder' of George Floyd and 'institutionalized racism' in the U.S., at home, in China and 'wherever it rears its ugly head.'

A statement by the African National Congress says President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday evening will address the launch of the campaign that calls on people to wear black on Fridays in solidarity.

The campaign is also meant to highlight 'deaths by citizens at the hands of security forces' in South Africa, which remains one of the world's most unequal countries a quarter-century after the end of the racist system of apartheid.

'The demon of racism remains a blight on the soul of our nation,' the ANC statement says.
Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - Several youths from about 30 associations and non-governmental organizations in Tunisia gathered on Saturday in front of the municipal theatre on Bourguiba avenue in Tunis to denounce racism suffered for decades by African Americans, whose latest act was the death of George Floyd, killed by a white police officer during his arrest
Pamper Perks is Indias first premium salon discovery and e-marketing platform (based in Mumbai), with an aim to help salons engage and connect with their consumers through an organized digital medium, creating value for the distressed beauty services industry.

Puja Goyal, Founder & CEO, Pamper Perks, says, Were helping salons stay agile, alert and aware. Pan India, the fragmented industry is losing approximately rupees 40 crores per day due to the lockdown and the losses are only mounting. Salons are burning cash, making zero revenue while having to spend additionally on hygiene and sanitation measures, increasing their operational costs. Through Pamper Perks, salon businesses can traverse uncharted waters by educating the consumers about their best practices and upgrades currently underway to welcome them back safely. Salons need to earn back the trust of consumers by allaying their fears and clarifying social distancing woes through staggered appointments to sanitization concerns. The road to recovery isnt easy with the massive complexity of the pandemic, but were actively helping salon businesses outmaneuver some uncertainty by regularly disseminating information on their behalf.

Samir Srivastav, CEO, Jean-Claude Biguine India, says, As the Beauty & Salon industry is making the seismic shift of adjusting to the New Normal, we see most businesses leaning towards contactless performances and digitization. We too at JCB, have taken the best in industry measures to ensure absolute safety & hygiene for our clients. This includes digitizing our systems & procedures. Kudos to Pamper Perks who have taken the initiative to make it easier for everyone to experience the world of beauty seamlessly and act as a one-stop marketing platform for salons.

Kinjal Doshi, Director, The Blowdry Bar (Marine Drive), says, Pamper Perks is an amazing initiative to bring a fragmented industry together and help salons reach out to clients. Their social media helps salons stay updated with each other especially in trying times like this. It assures clients that the industry is in this together and each of the salons are safe to visit.

Sneha J Jhaveri, Owner & Creative Head, Vous Salon (a prominent South Mumbai salon), says, Collaboration over competition, that should be the motto of our industry now. Pamper Perks is taking this very seriously, and doing an amazing job of tying in the whole industry together in this desperate time. I would genuinely like to congratulate and thank the founder for not once thinking about their company, but only thinking about the industry and how they can help.
THE legal team representing the seven activists and one bystander (called the "Cebu 8") arrested in a rally in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City on Friday, June 5, 2020, is considering filing appropriate counter charges against arresting policemen.

The priority of the legal team, however, is to first seek the immediate release of the detainees for them to be safe from acquiring Covid-19.

Cebu 8's legal team said it is still waiting for the resolution of the investigating prosecutor as to the charges filed by the police and the issuance of information, which will contain the recommended bail amounts.

King Anthony Perez, media liaison for the legal team of Cebu 8, said the eight detained individuals already underwent an electronic inquest proceeding Saturday morning, June 6.

"It is expected that we can post bail for the eight detained persons on Monday, June 8," he said in a statement.

Tension rose outside the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu campus in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City after police arrested activists, including student leaders, protesting the passage of the Anti-Terror Bill on Friday, June 5.

Police arrested the following for mass gathering: Jaime Paglinawan of Bayan Central Visayas; Joahanna Veloso, 22, associate vice president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP); Bern Canedo, 21, vice president of UP Cebus student council; Dyan Gumabao of Kabataan Party List; Nar Porlas of Anak Bayan UP Cebu; Janry Ubal, 29, of Food Not Bombs Cebu; Ai Ingking, 26, of the UP Alumnos; and Clement Ventic Corominos, 19. Police said the eight violated the general community quarantine (GCQ) guidelines.

The legal counsel also expressed gratitude to those who showed support to the detainees, especially in setting up a bail fund.

Perez said among the violations pointed out by the Cebu City police in its spot report include violation of Sec. 13 of Batasang Pambansa 880, which prohibits the holding of public assembly without having to secure first a written permit; violation of section 9 (e) of RA 11332; and Simple Disobedience under paragraph 2 of Article 151 Revised Penal Code.

He said the group temporarily stayed at the detention facility of Police Station 3 on Friday night before they were brought to the Cebu City Police Office Saturday morning for the inquest proceedings. They were then brought back to Police Station 3 afterward. (WBS)
On 30 January, India reported its first coronavirus case from Kerala. The virus was not yet a global menace, but even by that day, 20 countries already had a combined 7,823 cases. However, it would not be until over a month later that top political leaders in India even acknowledged the coronavirus on social media.

The Twitter response pattern of much of the Indian political establishment has mirrored the administrative response: late on the uptake, active since. Further, they have focused more on issues about health and administration than about the economy, the plight of migrants and the debilitating effect of the pandemic on livelihoods.

View Full Image Graphic: Mint





These are some findings from an analysis of 23,115 tweets posted by 20 Indian leaders selected from across the political spectrum between 30 January and 30 May. About one-third of these tweets related to the virus, but they stretched out differently.

For this analysis, we divided the four-month period into three phases. Phase I was between 30 January and 24 March, the pre-lockdown period. Phase II spanned 25 March to 3 May, covering Lockdown 1 and 2, when little was allowed. Phase III was from 4 May to 30 May, covering Lockdown 3 and 4, when progressive relaxations were given.

In Phase I, the selected politicians mentioned the coronavirus in 18% of their tweets. This rose to 45% in the hard Phase II lockdown. However, as the economy reopened gradually, the figure fell to 38%. One exception was the group of chief ministers, who were grappling with the health crisis, and half of whose tweets still relate to the virus.

Even in Phase I, there were two distinct divisions. The first was in February, when the virus was barely acknowledged. Just 1% of the coronavirus-related tweets in Phase I came in February. This included the 12 February tweet by Rahul Gandhi, in which he said the government is not taking this threat seriously".

The trigger was 3 March, when the global infection count had risen to 90,943 cases across 41 countries. That day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted his first-ever coronavirus-related tweet. It was about a review meeting and coordination with states. Of the 20 politicians we picked, 14 wrote their first coronavirus-related tweet in March, including all five chief ministers.

Once into Lockdown 1, all things coronavirus started dominating the Twitter feeds. However, much of their focus was on health and lockdown-related administrative matters. While millions struggled to navigate the many challenges of the shutdown, the economy, migrants and livelihoods did not get similar mention. Be it the ruling party parliamentarians or those from the Opposition, migrants got about one-third the mention that health issues did.

Gandhi touched upon the economy, migrants and livelihoods in about 71% of his coronavirus-related tweetssignificantly higher than central government functionaries or chief ministers. During this period, Modi logged nearly five times as many coronavirus-related tweets than Gandhi, but many of these revolved around administrative decisions, health, and messages of motivation. A similar pattern was seen for other central and state government functionaries.

Modi and his messaging remains important to the popularity of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Twitter. Other than Subramanian Swamy, they all actively retweeted the PMs messages and got much better response than their own tweets. The top coronavirus-related tweets of BJP leaders drew between 64% and 97% fewer retweets than the top tweets of Modi that they re-shared. However, the leader whose coronavirus tweets gained the most traction was Gandhi. He averaged 10,386 retweets against 7,693 for Modi.

Most of the tweets of these 20 leaders, which gained maximum traction, were from March, around both sides of the first lockdown. Leading the way with over 70,000 shares was Modis 24 March tweet, assuring the availability of essential services during the lockdown.

During these four months, much of the social messaging was centred around the health and administrative aspects, and fewer political barbs flew. As the country unlocks, expect normalcy to return.

www.howindialives.com is a database and search engine for public data

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Why this Seven Springs clip grabbed the attention of 1 million people

The tweet has been seen by more than 1 million people so far. Many commenters asked if the clip was planned or fake.
The short film was made by Egyptian director and cinematographer Mohamed El-Masry

Well known Jordanian band El Morabba3 (El Morabaa - which translates to The Square) released a short video documenting their visit to Egypt's Alexandria earlier this year.

The video comes shortly prior to their online concert scheduled on Friday 19 June, part of the ongoing WE Online Music Festival.

Created by Egyptian director and cinematographer Mohamed El-Masry, the video was uploaded on YouTube on Saturday garnering a significant number of viewers just two hours after its release.

The short video provides shots from the band's rehearsals and concert which was held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina on 24 February 2020, in one of the most succesful and last events staged by the Bibliotheca before the general shutdown was put in place on 9 March.

The same event, featured also a Jordanian rapper El Far3i, one of former members of El Morabba3.

On their official Twiter account, the band broke the news of the film release saying "Its finally here! Were so excited to share with you this short film made by our good friend, the Egyptian director and cinematographer Mohamed El-masry. During our last Egypt tour in early 2020."

They have also hailed the Egyptian cinematographer El-Masry for his creative work in the film.

"Mohamed did an excellent job recording our experience both on and off stage through his lens. Were thrilled that he managed to capture the tours hypnotic and energetic spirit on film.

An enormous thanks to Mohamed and we hope you enjoy!" wrote the band on its official Twitter account.

Mohamed did an excellent job recording our experience both on and off stage through his lens. Were thrilled that he managed to capture the tours hypnotic and energetic

spirit on film. An enormous thanks to Mohamed and we hope you enjoy! #elmorabba3 #  El Morabba3 (@ElMorabba3) June 6, 2020



Originally from Amman, El Morabba3 is an Arabic rock band with a large fan-base spanning across Arab region.

The band used to perform in Egypt frequently however prior to February 2020, their last concert was held in 2017 at Music Park Festival, alongside Lebanese band Mashrou Leila, and Egypt's Sharmoofers in an event that was attended by 30 thousand audience members.

El Morabba3 also participated in Egypt's Oshtoora Festival (2016) and visited Biblitoheca Alexandrina in 2015.

Their announcement of February concert spread like widefire supported by the band's teasers released on social media.

Founded in 2009 Muhammad Abdullah (the band's frontman and bassist), El Morabba3 has released two albums: El Morabba3 (The Square, 2012) and Taraf Al Khait (2016).

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

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Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for "China-France contributions" to winning the global battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

China and France need to continuously support the international community joining hands against the pandemic, Xi said in a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Xi stressed that China and France have maintained high-level strategic coordination since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak. Noting that the spread of the coronavirus has not been effectively contained globally, Xi said that solidarity and cooperation are the right way forward.

The two countries, he added, should promote joint research, support international cooperation in vaccine and drug research and development, step up efforts to implement the consensus reached at the 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA), and enhance support for the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Chinese president said the two countries should also carry out more trilateral cooperation against the COVID-19 pandemic among China, France and Africa and support countries in such underdeveloped regions as Africa in fighting the epidemic.

China and France should uphold multilateralism and promote world peace and stability, he added.

Xi said he stands ready to maintain close communication with Macron, work to chart the course, and push for sound and stable development of bilateral relations.

He said the two countries should look to the post-pandemic future, draw a blueprint for exchanges at all levels in the next stage and carry out dialogue and exchanges in a prudent, orderly and flexible manner.

China and France, Xi added, should strengthen coordination and alignment of their macro-economic policy for post-pandemic recovery, tap the potential of cooperation in traditional areas and expand cooperation in emerging sectors.

Noting that the Chinese market is open to France, Xi said he hopes that the French side will make full use of the "fast track" arrangement to facilitate business trips to China so as to help French enterprises in China resume business, and meanwhile create a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies.

Xi pointed out that China and the European Union (EU) are comprehensive strategic partners sharing broad common interests.

He said China is pleased with the progress achieved in EU integration and stands ready to strengthen strategic cooperation with the EU, advance major political agendas between the two sides, support multilateralism, and jointly tackle such global challenges as public health, climate change and biodiversity, so as to work for sound and steady development of China-EU relations.

For his part, Macron said that France and China have carried out good cooperation and demonstrated solidarity in the fight against the pandemic, adding that the French side hopes to continuously strengthen cooperation with the Chinese side by upholding this spirit.

Noting that the French side appreciates the announcement made by Xi that China's COVID-19 vaccine, once available, will be made a global public good, Macron said that France stands ready to work with China to implement the consensus reached at the WHA, support the WHO in playing its important role, enhance cooperation with the WHO, and increase support to African countries in fighting the pandemic.

Expressing his wish to visit China again at an early date, Macron said he hopes that related departments of the two countries could maintain dialogue and communication, deepen mutual understanding, and promote key cooperation projects, adding that the most urgent task is to speed up resumption of work and production.

Macron also said that France is willing to work with China to safeguard multilateralism and strengthen cooperation in such fields as climate change and biodiversity, so as to inject more positive factors into world peace and stability.

France attaches great importance to a series of major exchanges between the EU and China in the next phase, Macron said, adding that the French side stands ready to play an active role in this regard.
A week later, and many minorities are wondering what the heck voting for the Democrats has done for them.

This is from Chicago:

For neighbors, the Jewel-Osco on 75th is the grocery store. But no longer.

"It's kind of a sad thing to think about," said resident William Wright. "I take my grandma here every Sunday."

On Sunday night, it was ravaged by looters, as you can see by the aftermath captured in video from the next day, leaving neighbors frustrated.

"It's not what you do. It's how do you do it," Wright said. "What did we accomplish, aside from take our property value down and embarrass ourselves?"

Wright, his grandmother and so many around here are trying to figure out which stores on the South Side are even left right now.

Chicago now has food deserts in places that weren't food deserts before.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > NCoV19 and Selling India Inc. Model of Self-Reliance with Local (...)

by D M Diwakar

Context

The 2019 Novel Corona Virus (2019-nCoV) pandemic detected from Wuhan (China) has created unprecedented crises before the world economy and society. Since a vaccine to combat this virus was yet to be developed by the world medical science communities, the World Health Organization (WHO) circulated region specific general health emergency guidelines (WHO, 2020) after outbreak of 2019-nCoV pandemic in China in December 2019. Testing, Tracing, Tracking, Sanitizing, Isolating to quarantine, physical distancing, etc., remained so far the measures and solutions for safety. Millions of people were identified infected and hundreds of thousands were suffered tragic deaths. The world economy, which was being brought back on track after Global Meltdown effect, witnessed unprecedented major setback after lockdown in many countries since January 2020. International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated unprecedented loss in working hours, output of goods and services, income and apprehending millions of working population to be pushed into poverty syndrome due to lockdown (ILO, April 29,2020).

Many countries, with a few exceptions, observed lockdown and announced economic packages to save their people from infection of the 2019-nCoV. A few countries such as, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, North and South Korea, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand, etc., could manage in a better way than many other countries, such as, France, Italy, England, USA, etc., and save the lives of their people and economy. Since, the world is globalized and markets are integrated specially after the Washington Consensus led new economic policy (NEP) regime and emergence of liberalization, privatization, and globalization with multilateral trade through the World Trade Organization (WTO), the world economy across the globe has suffered heavily, not only because production was stopped in many countries, but also because the import and export of essential commodities and raw materials, machinery and other inputs were restricted.

India is not an exception so far infection of 2019-nCoV and lockdown impacts are concerned. India too initiated many measures to tackle the crises of 2019-nCoV and many packages were announced to address the challenges including Atmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self-Reliance Campaign). This article is an attempt to understand these measures of self-reliant model with localizing Indian economy. In this exercise data available from official reports and websites of government of India and international agencies have been used. This exercise is divided into three parts. Part one deals with announced measures of economic packages and provisions, Part two discusses its implications and part three is an attempt to thread in discussion to draw inferences and conclusions.

Spread of 2019-nCoV

The 2019-nCoV travelled through air passenger and infected India too. Initial precautions were put in place but the preparation was not sufficient, as testing, tracing, tracking, isolating to quarantine, sanitizing, physical distancing, etc., were not possible at mass scale and personal protection equipment (PPE), mask, gloves, etc., were not available, as per requirement. Customary checking of international flights were not enough. International flights were neither cancelled nor passengers were quarantined initially. Moreover, huge influx of international passengers to India, because of panic, made the situation more vulnerable. Despite lockdown the cases and deaths have been increasing. As a result, the 2019-nCoV spread across the regions. Despite successive four lockdowns to control 2019-nCoV, number of infected cases and death were increasing with the increasing capacity of testing. About 1.53 lakh infected cases are identified until 28 May, 67691 were either cured or discharged, and 4531 died so far (GoI, 2020). However, recovery rate had also been increasing. It was argued that the cases could have been more than what India actually had after lockdown. Counter arguments were otherwise. Had international flights been cancelled after world advisory of WHO, lockdown was not required for Indian economy.

Janta Curfew and Lockdown

The Prime Minister of India announced Janta Curfew as measure on March 19, to be imposed by the Government of India on 22nd March with clapping, plate beating in the evening in appreciation of health service providers and administration for their services. On 24th March he announced complete lockdown since 25th March, 2020 with a slogan jan hai to jahan hai (first save life then anything) as an effective strategy followed by second and third phase of lockdown. The Prime Minister appealed for lighting lamp at nine o clock at night on April 5. This date and time had historical importance for Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), as the decision to launch BJP was taken four decades ago on April 5, in 1980. The second and third lockdowns were a little better prepared in terms of relief, masks, gloves, personal protection equipment (PPE), ventilators, etc., as these lockdowns were done after consultations with states, but preparations and measures remained grossly insufficient. Moreover, scientific bases for these measures were still missing.

Atmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan

Before fourth phase of lockdown the Prime Minister of India addressed to nation on 12th May, 2020, after consultation with the states. This speech was full of rhetoric and focused on rebuilding Indian economy to achieve self-reliance with difference, named Atmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self Reliant India Campaign) as second phase of liberal reforms. According to him, it was not self-centered, but with wellbeing of the world with a slogan jan bhi aur jahan bhi (life as well as world). Unfolding this campaign of self-reliance the Prime Minister articulated his vision of economic reforms of 21st century, which reckoned a framework of economic centric vs human centric world and followed Indias cultural tradition of vasudhaiv kutumbkam (global family) and jai jagat (global wellbeing) with spirit of living with mother earth. In this vision the self-reliance would bring happiness, peace to make people empowered. In this framework, local produce would compete globally and people would be vocal for local. This goal of self-reliant India would be achieved through dutifulness, climax of diligence and capital of skills. He emphasized that this spirit was not only need of hour but also our responsibility for better lives.

This reform was based on economy with quantum jump instead of incremental economy, modern infrastructure, technology driven system, vibrant demography, and demand and supply chain of Indian economy. In this model, there was space for every one, poor, labourers, and self-employed, etc., in organized and unorganized sectors focused on local manufacturing and marketing supply chain. In order to achieve this objective of self-reliance he announced an economic package of Rs.20 lakh crores, the details of which was later followed by the Finance Minister. This economic package also included previous announcements of the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Following announcement of the Atmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (ABA) of the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister announced the details of economic reforms and stimulus packages in five tranches of her press conferences since 13.05.2020 to 17.05.2020 (GoI, 2020a). First media briefing was related to business and micro small and medium enterprises (MSME) with Rs. 5, 94, 550 crore. Part-2 was focused on poor, including migrant workers, street vendors, small and marginal farmers, mudra shishu loan, affordable housing, support to tribal, etc., with Rs. 310, 000 crore, Part-3 was related to agriculture reforms, capacity building of infrastructure, livestock, herbal cultivation and beekeeping, with Rs. 150,000 crore. Part-4 was dealing with new horizons of growth through privatization and incentives for participation of private investment in public sectors, such as, mining, defence, space, atomic energy, etc., and Part-5 consisted of government reforms and enablers for ease of doing business. Combined package for Part -4 and 5 was Rs.48100 crore. Packages for all five tranches altogether were of Rs.11,02,650 crore.

Besides these five packages, earlier measures announced as a relief to 2019-nCoV were of Rs. 1,92,800 crore for Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY). Out of initial package of Rs.1,70,000 crore Rs.70,000 crore were on existing schemes, Rs.40,000 crore on ration, Rs.1500 crore to women at the rate of Rs.500 each, and Rs.60,000 crore to senior citizen at the rate of Rs.1000 to each for three months, Rs.15000 crore for health emergency, and Rs.7800 crore tax concession. The RBI liquidity measures were already taken for commercial banks to the tune of Rs.8,01,603 crore before the announcement of the Prime Minister. These two measures were of Rs. 9,94,403 crore. Altogether Rs.20,97,053 crore were announced in so-called mega economic package to the tune of 10 per cent of GDP. Instead of relief package this 2020 initiative was the major loan package and the second phase of major economic reforms (disinvestment and privatization) taken up without homework by the Government of India led by National Democratic Alliances (NDA) in continuation of the economic reforms by the Central Government led by United Progressive Alliance in 1991. When a media correspondent asked a question to the Finance Minister about the inflow of these funds, the Finance Minister was clueless and advised correspondent to focus on the outflow of funds only.

This revealed non-seriousness and unplanned announcement without any homework. It further implied that these detailing of package had no teeth as such, because before lockdown the Government of India already announced about 40 per cent less revenue collections from Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the last session of parliament and after lockdown there was no significant collection since April. This had serious implication on financial health of India Inc. Therefore, there was every possibility that grant elements in economic package would be at minimum scale and bank credit and loans would prevail, which was meaningless in absence of effective demand and incentives to investors.

MSME Package

This MSME package included (i) Collateral free automatic loan fund up to Rs. 3 lakh crore for four years with a moratorium of one year from repayment of principal loan amount. (ii) Subordinate debt to Stressed MSME was provided with assistance of Rs 20,000 crore through credit guarantee trust (CGT). (iii) Equity Infusion in viable MSME, which needed handholding support had provision of funds of fund with Rs.50,000 crore. The EPF support to business and workers for six months was Rs.9250 crore. The MSMEs were redefined, which included criteria of annual turn over besides investment limits, which were revised upward. For micro enterprises investment limit was raised from Rs.25 lakh to one crore for manufacturing and services and turn over up to Rs.5 crore, small enterprises from Rs.1 crore to 5 crore and turn over up to Rs.50 crore and medium enterprises was from Rs. 10 crore to Rs.20 crore and turnover to Rs.100 crore. No global tender for government procurement up tox Rs.200 crore was required, e-market linkage, relief in compliances in tax returns, full guarantee with Rs.30000 crore and partial guarantee fund Rs.45000 crore to Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFC), Housing Finance Companies (HFC) and Micro Financial Institutions (MFI), Rs.90000 crore emergency liquidity fund to distribution company of electricity (DISCOM), Rs.50,000 crore liquidity through TDS/TCS reduction, extension of the date of commitment for contractors, real estate, tax compliance dates, etc., were extended for additional six moths. Thus, package announced for MSME was Rs.5,94,250 crore for total units (i.e., 6,33,88,000) of MSME, i.e., Rs.93,748 per MSME unit. In scaled up micro enterprises with rupees one crore investments limit, assistance would be 0.93 per cent even if small and medium investment limits were ignored. Even if earlier limits of investments for micro enterprises (i.e., Rs.25 lakh for manufacturing) were taken, it was merely 3.75 per cent of investment. With this provision of credit investment support government wanted to bring destroyed MSME back on track!

Out of total number of MSMEs, 51.25 per cent was in rural area and 48.75 percent in urban area. About 11 crore direct and 9 crore indirect and altogether 20 crore people were working. About 99.94 per cent were micro enterprises units, which employed 18 crore people. About 33000 units or 0.52 per cent were small enterprises and 5000, i.e., 01 per cent were medium enterprises. Needless to mention that the MSMEs contributed 32 per cent share to GDP, generated 24 per cent employment, exported 45 per cent, 33 per cent share in manufacturing and 25 per cent in service sector. Moreover, all these measures were supply side mechanism, which were bound to fail in absence of effective demand, which was falling after demonetization and GST and almost crashed after unplanned lockdown causing unprecedented loss of employment and rise of unemployment.

Migrant Workers

Provision for three months employee provident funds and matching contribution of 10 per cent for migrant workers was announced and the same was extended for next three months. The State Disaster and Rescue Force (SDRF) was given to the tune of Rs.11000 crore for providing three meals a day and shelter to migrant workers, urban homeless and poor. Provision of free food grains to every migrant for next two months also was made. Non-card holders were also to get 5kg rice/wheat and one kg gram pulse. Rs 3500 crores were allocated for 8 crores migrant workers. Altogether Rs.14500 crore were allocated for 8 crore migrants, i.e., Rs1812.5 per worker for two months or Rs.30 per day with their dependents! The Finance Minister however announced rationalization of wage differentials also through National Floor Wage (NFW), which would be fixed to remove discrepancy in wage rates after announcements of 12 hours work per day work to be taken from labour.

In view of precarious conditions of migrants on roads, railway tracks and other possible ways to reach home, as recorded and displayed in electronic media, it suggested that these measures for providing food were so scanty and faulty that it could not win their confidence. This also suggested that the measures taken to feed the workers were not enough. Moreover, question was not of food grains only, they needed vegetables, milk, etc., and other necessary supplement for preparation of their food, for example, edible oils, spices, sugar, tea, and many other things from the markets. They also had to pay rents, electricity and water charges of their residence, fees of school children, etc. Hence, they needed money in their pockets immediately. In absence of these measures, simply 5 kg grains and one kg pulse was not enough to keep migrant stay back at the work place, as this alone was not going to restore confidence in migrants to stay back.

An idea of portable Ration Card for one nation one ration was proposed for future implementation for 67 crores beneficiary about 83 per cent were already covered in Public Distribution System (PDS) and remaining would be covered by March 2021. It was expected that the state government would do the needful for migrant workers. For future rental accommodation in affordable rental housing complex under PM Awas Yojana would be made available through Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode and nominal rents would be collected. This might be useful later but instant relief was required to toiling masses. Honourable Supreme Court took serious note of precarious condition of reverse migrants and issued notice to state and central government after 62 days of crises!

In order to provide employment to reverse migrants under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS), provision of Rs.61500 crore in budget for 2020-21 was made for the financial year 2020-21, which was less than last years revised budgetary provision of Rs.71001.81 crore. In media briefing by the Finance Minister, Rs.10000 crores were spent and about 14.62 crore persons days employment were generated. About 2.33 crore workers in 1.87 lakh village panchayats were enrolled for job. Additional Rs.40000 crore were allocated to MNREGS, adding both provisions to total Rs.101,500 crore. The wage rate in MNREGS was enhanced from Rs.182 to Rs 202 per day. This was still quite lower than minimum wage. Even in Bihar minimum wage for unskilled labour was Rs.287 per day, Punjab Rs.338 and Kerala Rs.380.

If revised wage rate (Rs.202/per day) would be taken into account, approximately 502.48 crores person days would be generated altogether. Total workforce of the country is about 47 crore, out of which 80 per cent works in unorganized/informal sector. Therefore, about 38 crore workforce was in informal sector. Discount of self employed and better placed workers taken together might be about 8 crore or 21 per cent of informal sector workforce, although this also on the higher side. Thus, about 30 crores worker would need employment through MNREGS. If total amount made available for at Rs.202 per day, 502.48 crore person days employment would be generated for about 30 crores workers, i.e., per worker 16.75 person days work would be available, if implemented properly. Thus, on the one hand, the fund was still not sufficient in view of the size of workers including reverse migration, and on the hand, implementation and reaching money to workers would be a serious challenge because of weak delivery system.

Compensatory Afforestation Management & Planning Authority (CAMPA) would create job for tribal worker with a fund of Rs. 6000 crore. About 50 lakh street vendors would be given initial working capital to the tune of Rs. 10000 and total special credit in this account would be Rs.500 crore. This digitized scheme would be launched in a month. MUDRA Shishu loan up to Rs. 50000 or less would be given and total amount Rs 1500 crore would be allocated for the purpose. Credit linked housing subsidies for 2.5 lakh middle-income family, having income between 6-18 lakh annually with a sum of Rs. 70,000 crores was launched in 2017. This would further be extended to 3.3 lakh family for additional one year.

Agriculture

Government of India reported many support during lockdown. The farm produce was procured at minimum support price (MSP) worth Rs.74300 crores during lock down. But there was no mention of comparable procurement last year in normal situation so that lockdown additional support could be understood, nor the Minister announced any bonus to farmers for their loss due to lockdown. Rs. 18,300 crores were transferred to farmers accounts under PM Kisan Samman Yojana for which Rs. 75000 crore budgetary provisions were made for 6000 annually. Rs.6400 crore were paid to settle claims under PM Fasal Bima Yojana against the budgetary provision of Rs. 15,695 crore. About 11 crore litres milk were purchased at the rate of 560 lakh litres per day against 360 lakh litres. Interest subvention at the rate of 2 per cent was waved out in general and additional 2 per cent for those who had paid the loan timely.

About three crores marginal and small farmers were given loan of Rs 4.22 lakh crore with three months moratorium up to May 2020. About 25 lakh new Kisan Credit Card (KCC) would be issued by March 2021. Additional KCC for 2.5 crore farmers would be issued with 2 lakh crore in which livestock farmers and fishers would get benefits of institutional credit at concessional rate. About 63 lakh loan amounting Rs. 86,600 crores were given. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) would give loan to the tune of Rs. 29,500 crore through regional commercial bank (RCB) and regional rural banks (RRB) and primary agriculture credit cooperative society (PACCS). Rs 4200 crore were given for Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF). State government entity was given 67000 crore to purchase agriculture produce. Besides Rs.90000 crore, NABARD gave Rs. 30000 crore additional emergency working capital support through 33 State Cooperative Bank, 351 District Cooperative Banks, and 43 Regional Rural Bank (RRB) for post harvest rabi season related work or preparatory assistance for kharif season.

Further steps to strengthen infrastructure Registration of fisheries was extended for next three months. Rs. 1,00,000 crores funds would be made available for farmers producer organization (FPO) PACCS, agriculture entrepreneur, start up, etc., to strengthen farm gate infrastructure. Through cluster based approach (such as, Makhana of Bihar, Mango of UP, Kesar of Jammu and Kashmir, chilly from Andhra Pradesh, bamboo product from North East, etc.) 2 lakh micro food processing enterprises units would be supported for their capacity building with Rs. 10, 000 crore to make them globally competitive.

Logistic capacity to bridge the critical gaps of fisheries value chains besides entitlements for empowering people for their livelihood with Rs. 20000 crore (Rs.11000 crore for fisheries and Rs.9000 crore for its infrastructure) were provided. Rs.13343 crore were made available for 100 per cent vaccination of 53 crores livestock for foot mouth disease (FMD), for which 1.5 crore animals were already vaccinated. Animal husbandry infrastructure development fund was established with Rs. 15000 crore to support private investment in dairy processing value addition and cattle feed infrastructure. Rs 500 crore was allocated for bee keeping initiatives to 2 lakh bee keepers. For the promotion of herbal cultivation in 100000 hectare Rs 4000 crore were allocated. Operation green earlier covered tomato, onion and potato (TOP) for 50 per cent subsidy for transport and storage. This was extended to all green vegetables and fruits. This was started on pilot basis in Gujarat for six months.

Many of these provisions might be desirable with a few exceptions for long run development of agriculture but no way these measures would help farmers who lost their perishable produce, such as, vegetables, fruits, milk, eggs, fish, etc., because they could not send their produce to markets due to lockdown. They needed compensation for their losses.

There was announcement of certain reforms in agriculture governance and administration, such as proposed amendment in Essential Commodity Act 1955 for interstate trade and movement, deregulating sales to private agencies away from Agriculture Produce Marketing Centre (APMC) to sale their produce in the market of their choice. It is argued that with this deregulation farmers would be able to improve their income and better off their living condition. Needless to mention that Bihar dismantled this APMC in 2006 but now they do not get even floor price (MSP) despite procurement through PACCS to get MSP for their produce, which they hardly got without discount. Agriculture produce price quality assurance (APPQA) would be introduced. We needed to appreciate that about 85 per cent marginal and smallholdings were hardly left with any marketable surpluses. They were net buyers. They used to sell their produce generally at farm harvest price as distress sell. For them MSP was essential to protect threshold floor price. Therefore, dismantling administered prices on agricultural produce might be detrimental to majority of distressed sellers and net buyers marginal and small farmers. However, this might be beneficial to hoarders and not surplus farmers because even surplus farmers usually did not have storage capacity so that they could wait for higher market price.

In order to contain 2019-CoV the Central Government made a provision of Rs. 15000 crore, out of which Rs. 4113 crore have already been released to states, Rs.3750 crore for essential items, Rs 550 crore for testing lab and kits and Rs. 50 crore to cover insurance so far. Health infrastructure needed to be revamped and public expenditure on this account would be increased suitably. About 12000 self-help groups (SHGs) produced 3 crores masks and 1.2 crores sanitizers. These SHGs were provided revolving funds. About 7200 new SHGs were formed with a fund limit of Rs. 20 lakh.

Aggressive Privatization

Reforms have acquired negative connotation and synonymous of changing laws in favour of private sectors and selling of public sector to private sector. In continuation of such reforms many new provisions were introduced for encouraging commercial coal mining blocks to change from fixed price to revenue-based auction with upfront payment with no other eligibility condition. Provision of incentives to coal gasification and infrastructure development to the tune of Rs. 50000 crore were made. Privatization of 500 mining blocks through open auction and joint auction of complementary mines, etc., were introduced to enhance competitiveness of mining business. Defence production was further liberalized and FDI limit in ordinance factory was enhanced from 49 per cent to 74 per cent. Moreover, the Ordinance Factory Board was corporatized in the name of improving its autonomy, accountability and efficiency under Make in India programmes. Needless to mention that increasing share of FDI will have higher representation in the Board and thereby autonomy of the Board ensured dominance of the FDI in decision-making process.

In order to boost private participants in space activities space was opened for private players to use assets in space research centre. Access to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capacities were allowed. Liberal geo-political data policy for providing remote sensing data technology entrepreneurship has been introduced. Atomic energy and power research reactor would be established in PPP mode and establishing facilities in PPP mode.

Towards reduction in operation and maintenance cost, civil aviation space, which was only 60 per cent of the total air space, provision for expansion was planned to strategic space area. Space management was redefined and now even strategic sector space was opened for private sectors. Six airports would further be privatized and world-class airports would be developed in PPP mode. Power sector was further liberalized and privatized in the name of serving so-called interest of consumer rights, promotion of industry and sustainability.

Strategic public sector units (PSUs) were liberalized and privatized. Private sectors were given opportunities to participate in strategic sectors. However, at least one PSU out of four was allowed to be present in any strategic sector. Remaining units were opened up for private players. Interestingly the cost would be born by public exchequer. Viability gap funding (VGF) to the tune of Rs.81000 crore for funding was enhanced from 20 per cent to 30 per cent of each project by centre and state.

In view of 2019-CoV pandemic normal financial operations rules and clauses were modified and non-payment was not considered default for next one year. This initiative of decriminalization was therefore provide relief for the defaulters and hence no criminal procedures would be initiated against defaulters for next one year.

Central Tax Devolution to states as per budgetary provision for the financial year was Rs. 46,038 crore, out of which Rs.12,390 crore were already released to states. Like Centre, states were also facing revenue crises because of lockdown. Hence, over draft borrowing limit was extended from 3 per cent of GSDP to 5 per cent of GSDP for the financial year 2020-21. However, this extended overdraft of 2 per cent was tied with expediting reforms process in favour of privatization. Needless to say that states were utilized only 14 per cent of over draft limit of even 3 per cent of GSDP and remaining 86 per cent were still remained unutilized. Therefore, if crises were not created through unplanned sudden lockdown, state could have managed with given limits of overdraft and reforms process would have been hampered.

Expected Outcome

In a normal situation this package might have regenerated MSME for positive outcome in terms of employment and output at a given level of demand in the economy to some extent. Even after demonetization on November 8, 2016 when the economy was shattered and retails, informal sectors and MSMEs were almost collapsed, vegetables, fruits, milks, eggs, and other perishable produces of farmers were destroyed, this economic assistance could have regenerated economy at that time to bring the economy back on track to some extent. Unfortunately, it was not grossly ignored to promote big business retails. Needless to recall that in the last financial year 2019-20, Indian economy was already decelerating quarter to quarter which was evident through Central Statistical Organization (CSO) estimates and quarterly press release. In such a situation complete lockdown made the economy more vulnerable than ever before. Continuous lockdown since March 25, 2020 threw serious challenges to bring back the economy on track. On an average per day loss of gross national income as per 2019-20 advance pro rata estimates at 2011-12 prices is Rs. 50000 crores even after discounting of likely 10 per cent of production of goods and services.

This is tough time in the history of Indian economy and society. It is known fact that majority of Indian workforce is engaged in unorganized sectors. The working conditions of majority of them are vulnerable and least secured, as many of them were working on daily/weekly/monthly basis without any social security cover. Complete lockdown created a vacuum and huge loss to employment and income. Informal sector contributes about 45 per cent of the economy. If they are out of job, 45 per cent income of the economy is closed. After demonetization, economy was decelerating and reached to its lowest ebb. Unemployment was 45 years high and rural demands were four decades low in 2019. The lockdown on account of 2019-nCoV continuously since 25th Mach 2020 has further aggravated decelerating Indian economy to its unprecedented lowest ebb, possibly aggravating negative. Overall unemployment rate has staggered up from 6 per cent to 24 per cent.

This pandemic and unplanned lockdown thereof made it clear that the profits from private business ripped by employers refused to support workers in their hard times, who contributed tirelessly enabling employers to accumulate wealth and income from the business. Hence, in absence of staying power they are left with no option but to return home, despite the fact that the government had failed to provide any transport and shown its barbarian and cruel insensitivity at this juncture. Later after public pressure even if government provided transport, which were highly insufficient and could not stop reverse migrants to wait for their turns to return home. This has been historic long march on foot, irrespective of their capacity and strength, be it children, young, old, women with newly born baby, pregnant women. They have been on foot by road, railway track, etc., hardly found even water to sustain what to talk of food. Some of them with their rickshaw, thela, auto rickshaw, pickup van, truck, etc.. Some of them have lost their lives in accidents on roads and railway tracks and compartments, but this also could not stop them to return to their origin.

If it would have been planned properly to send return migrant to their origin before lockdown, this could have taken hardly ten days with 15000 trains that ere running per day and spread of 2019-nCoV could have been restricted to enter in the rural areas. Although, the government has been slowly coming back to restoring transport facilities, now many of reverse migrants are infected and corona career to rural areas. Needless to re-emphasize that even one death is a matter of serious concern, but comparing death rate due to other disease, 2019-nCoV is very insignificant. Effective sanitization could have stopped its outbreak. However, the pandemic effects are going to stay with new normal lifestyle as suggested by many health experts. Therefore, period of lockdown should have been treated as period of preparation to fight against 2019-nCoV and we need to learn to live with 2019-nCoV.

Huge influx of reverse migration to origin on the other hand to rural economy needed reorientation of the economy for the workers at origin plus migrants, as reverse migrants may not go back to destination soon and easily. Moreover, this has changed the chemistry of workforce in rural areas, as reverse migrants are skilled and semi-skilled workers better exposed to the urban facilities returned to village. In such a situation, this gives an opportunity to backward regions, where the reverse migrants can contribute with their skills, provided support system in terms of policies and financial backup are put in place. Decentralized and skill based industrial clusters for production of goods and services should be planned to regenerate backward economy by engaging return migrants, who were making their destination of migration vibrant with their hard labour and skills.

The question arises whether we can find an insight and answer of this situation in the Hind Swaraj, Village Swaraj and Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi. Whether we can update rural reconstruction agenda in present context of 2019-nCoV for Indian economy. Gandhi-Nehru discourse on about reconstruction of India was a blue print of their visions (Nehru, 1988: 506-11). However, Gandhi was summarily rejected and Nehru prevailed with pro capitalist liberal agenda with socialist overtone and coexistence of public and private sector, where public sector was based on no profit and no loss to facilitate private sectors growth.

Development began with urban centric heavy industry focused five years planning, mixed economy, community development with trickledown hypothesis for the welfare of the people, which did not bear expected fruits. Later it switched over to target approach of poverty eradication with self and wage employment, followed by minimum needs, basic needs approach from welfare to development. After four decades of independence India opted for liberalization privatization and globalization and public sector gradually started withdrawing. However, empowerment, right based, inclusive, participatory, etc., were also adopted as buzz words for development rhetoric along with market led solutions for everything. Self-reliance and swadeshi were traded off with markets and foreign direct investment (FDI). Except lip services to poor (Diwakar, 2006) for equality and justice many more things need to change significantly.

Basic difference between Gandhi and Nehru was in approach to development. Gandhi was convinced that people have to live in villages as cities and palaces cannot accommodate them and therefore creating better living condition and production by masses with a few exception of big industries, is the answer for sustainable development. Unlike Gandhi, Nehru was in favour of developing big cities and industries for mass production, which gradually turned into production centric and labour saving devices based industries. Mass casualization and informality made people more vulnerable than ever before. Thus, question of technology is very important in Gandhian discourse of development. Gandhi was not a dogmatic but ever evolving person.

After 2019-nCoVid MSMEs will be struggling for want of labour. Workforces in informal and private sectors have moved to villages, who may not move to cities soon. Hence, this process again reminds me about the warning that Gandhi sounded us against necessary evils of industrialism. Now, the time has come when the country should think of revisiting Gandhi with renewed rigor and contexts for rebuilding India.

Needless to mention, that the world medical science communities were doing their best to find out scientific solution for this pandemic but still clueless and trial and error with previous research experiences and insights were only the guiding force. When rich countries were badly infected despite being better equipped in terms of hard and soft health infrastructure, it was a serious challenge before the government of developing countries like India to face this pandemic and save their people. This shows limitation of modern Euro-centric development paradigm, against which, Gandhiji warned with note of caution that future of industrialism was dark for West and even darker for India (Gandhi, 1931). The world and India needed serious thoughts to revisit the dominant development paradigm, which failed terribly to address crises created by industrialism.

Thus, above analysis one hand suggests that the Aatmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan Package sounds merely lip services to local rhetoric and failed to address 2019-nCoV and crises arisen from lockdown for reverse migrants, MSMEs, farmers, workers and poor and Indian economy at large. On the other hand government has pursued privatization and selling public sectors aggressively fishing in the troubled water, when the citizens of the country are lockdown. Government needs to learn from the scientific experiences of the world. It is clear that that dominant development paradigm has been compounding complex problems of lives and failed to address accumulated crises before the humanity.

An alternative development discourse is an imperative need of the hour for more humane and nature friendly sustainable development. Historically middle class has been the torchbearer and voice for humane values in the world. In India so-called middle class has proved as comprador and lackies of finance capital by their deep silence despite losing their jobs, income, assets, etc., during demonetization, GST and lockdown. They are yet to become class in themselves and remained mute spectators and blind followers of the present regime. They clap, beat plate, light lamp even if they were taken away from jobs, basic amenities and rights. Therefore, class for themselves is far away for them. Now the democracy is in danger as government ignores the interest of the majority. Hope lies in reverse migrants and workforce in informal and formal sectors to organize themselves to fight against injustices to retrieve their constitutional rights to life as workers and citizen of India. Progressive forces may play a role of catalyst to reconfigure the pathways for expediting democratic struggle. No other options seem left now.

References

Diwakar, D. M., (2006): Contradictory Proposals with Lip-service for Aam Aadmi, Mainstream, Vol. XLIV No 15, April1, pp.14-19.

Gandhi, M.K., (1931): Young India, November 12, 1931.

Government of India (2020): COVID-19 INDIA as on 28 May 2020, 08:00 IST, HYPERLINK https://www.mohfw.gov.in accessed on 28.05.2020 at 13.20 IST.

Government of India (2020a): Aatmnibhar Bharat Part-1 to Part-5, Media Briefing from May 13 -17, 2020.

ILO (2020): ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work. Third edition Updated estimates and analysis, April 29.

Modi, NDD, (2020): HYPERLINK https://youtu.be/P4QjOhu9eIQ https://youtu.be/P4QjOhu9eIQ PM Adess to Nation on 12.05.2019.

Nehru, Jawaharlal (Ed.): A Bunch of Old Letters, Oxford University Press, Delhi, 1988, pp. 506-11.

WHO (2020): 2019 Novel Corona Virus (2019 nCoV) Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan for the South East Asia Region.

Professor & Head, Division of Economics & Agriculture Economics, and former Director, A. N. Sinha Institute of Social Studies, Patna 800001, Bihar. Email id: dmdiwakar [at] yahoo.co.in.

*Janta Curfew was a call given by Jaiprakash Narain as peoples non cooperation and peoples movement in 1974 against the Congress government at centre led by Indira Gandhi.
OPEC, Russia and allies were set on Saturday to extend record oil production cuts until the end of July after crude prices doubled in the past two months on the back of their efforts to withdraw almost 10% of global supplies from the market. According to a draft declaration seen by Reuters as a video conference opened, the group known as OPEC+ was also set to demand countries such as Nigeria and Iraq which exceeded quotas in May and June compensate with extra cuts in July to September. OPEC+ had initially agreed in April that it would cut supply by 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) ...
New York, June 6 : As the US slowly begins reopening its economy in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been buoyed by a surprise fall in unemployment numbers contrary to expert's expectations in what President Donald Trump called a "big step in our comeback".

The Labour Department unemployment numbers for May issued on Friday showed that the US had added 2.5 million jobs after having lost 20.7 million in April.

The percentage of those unemployed slid to 13.3 in May from the historic high of 14.8 in April as the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the nation.

Trump, who has been pushing for a speedier reopening of the economy, said it was zooming back like a "rocketship".

In reality, the gains have only been modest, but magnified by the sharp difference from the 20 per cent range of unemployment projections that had been made before the report.

But it was nevertheless a positive development for the US which is being rocked by a nation-wide protest against police brutality while in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, who on Friday became the Democratic Party candidate to run against Trump, pointed out that only a fraction of the jobs had come back indicating the optimism was premature.

"A President who takes no responsibility for costing millions and millions of Americans their jobs deserves no credit when a fraction of them return," he said.

The Associated Press, which is the unofficial score-keeper in electoral matters, reported on Friday night that Biden had amassed 1,993 delegates in the intra-party elections, two more than the number needed to get the party's nomination to challenge Trump in November.

Trump has been criticised for his enthusiasm to restart the economy with dire warnings of a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the scattered opening of businesses with Republican-controlled states taking the lead, the number of deaths reported daily has hovered around 1,000 and new cases around 20,000 for the last two weeks, although the number of coronavirus cases in the US is nearing 2 million and stood at 1.87 million with 109,143 deaths as on Friday night.

Even in New York state, the epicentre of the pandemic, Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has been a critic of Trump's calls for reopening the economy, has announced plans to relax restrictions in New York City next week.

However, the recent nationwide protests against police brutality could setback the plans to re-open if the COVID-19 cases spike because many demonstrators have not been following the guidelines for social distancing and facial coverings.

While speaking at the White House about the unemployment data, Trump referred to the protests and the upsurge of national sentiments against police brutality and in support of greater equality for African Americans and other minorities.

"What's happened to our country and what you now see is the greatest thing that could happen for race relations, for the African-American community, for the Asian-Americans, for the Hispanic American community, for women, for everything. Because our country is so strong, and that's what my plan is.

"Equal justice under the law must mean every American receives equal treatment in every encounter with law enforcement regardless of race, colour, gender or creed," he said.

The protests were sparked by the extra-judicial killing of an African American man, Floyd George, by a white police officer in Minneapolis.

Trump said: "We all saw what happened last week. We can't let that happen. Hopefully, George is looking down right now and saying this is a great thing that's happening for our country.

"This is a great day for him, it's a great day for everybody. This is a great day for everybody. This is a great, great day in terms of equality." However, many media and the Democrats claimed it was a statement by Trump on unemployment, which was still higher for African-Americans and criticised him.

Biden said Trump's statement was "despicable".

Senator Kamala Harris tweeted: "Keep George Floyd's name out of your mouth until you can say Black Lives Matter." (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
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Passengers wearing PPE walk through the arrivals hall after landing at at Terminal Two of London Heathrow Airport - AFP

Airlines and airports are bracing for chaos on Monday after they were issued with strict new quarantine rules on Friday afternoon, leaving them with a race to implement them.

Passengers arriving in the UK must fill out an online form 48 hours before they travel. Operational guidance issued to airlines on how the 14-day quarantine will be administered, seen by The Telegraph, reveals those flying and airlines face hefty fines for failing to comply with the rules.

A 23-page document was shared with bosses shortly before 4pm on Friday, with orders that the rules need to be in place by Monday morning.

The timing of the Government edict is likely to further anger airlines.

British Airways' parent company is considering legal action in an attempt to overturn quarantine on international arrivals to the UK. Willie Walsh, chief executive of IAG, said he was consulting lawyers about a legal challenge to protect airlines from an "irrational and disproportionate" measure that would wreck the aviation industry.

Ryanair said it would support "any legal action launched by IAG against this ineffective quarantine." EasyJet is understood to have backed the legal challenge. The Luton-based airline declined to comment.

Simon Dolan, the businessman, also threatened to seek a judicial review.

Quarantine will require all international arrivals, including returning Britons, to self-isolate for 14 days. It will be reviewed after three weeks, during which time the aviation industry is pressing for "air bridges" to be introduced. The operational rules say "carriers should remind passengers that they could be subject to criminal sanctions upon arrival" if they fail to fill out the necessary forms.

The guidance also includes a script for on-board announcements and posters to be put up in airports.

The Home Office said last night that the online form had been published on the website on Thursday. Aviation bosses said it was not shared with them until Friday afternoon.

Story continues

BA is planning up to 12,000 redundancies, while Virgin Atlantic has announced more than 3,000 job cuts, Ryanair at least 3,000 and easyJet plans to axe up to 4,500 posts. Mr Walsh said the introduction of quarantine would "torpedo" the opportunity for BA to get flights back in July. He said: "We think [quarantine] is irrational, we think it's disproportionate, and we are giving consideration to a legal challenge.

"It's important to point out there was no consultation with the industry prior to enacting this legislation."

Setting out the airline's "unsustainable" financial position in a letter to MPs, he said it was burning through about 20 million of cash a day.

His intervention came after a furious row with the Government on Thursday after it boycotted an industry summit with Priti Patel to discuss her quarantine plans. BA failed to turn up.

Tim Alderslade, from Airlines UK, said: "The Government needs to ask whether it wants any connectivity this summer. If it does then it must work to get travel corridors established as soon as possible ... we need clarity within days rather than weeks."

No 10 said it would not comment on the proposed legal action. A Government spokesman said: "We have been clear that public health measures at the border would be in place from June 8 ... the form to provide contact details has been live since Thursday, giving those travelling more than enough time.

"There has been full consultation with the aviation industry on the requirement to provide public health information to passengers."
Ministers are jeopardising the entire summer holiday season by dragging their heels over 'air bridges', aviation bosses warned last night.

Air bridges are agreements between two countries to allow people to travel without the need to quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

Holiday destinations such as Turkey, Spain, Greece and Portugal are said to be in talks with the UK.

But a senior aviation insider involved in talks with Home Secretary Priti Patel and Aviation Minister Kelly Tolhurst last Thursday accused the Government of failing to move quickly enough.

The insider said airline bosses were left 'frustrated' that Ministers gave no details about their plans and that Ms Patel showed a 'lack of clarity'.

A drone photo shows an aerial view of Ilica beach as people enjoy their time in Cesme during the first weekend without coronavirus restrictions since 10th April

The Government's quarantine rules will be reviewed on June 29.

But the source said airlines need an answer on whether Britons will be able to fly to countries with low Covid-19 infection rates 'in the next few days'.

The source said: 'If the Government wants connectivity this summer, we can't wait until the review. That's far too late.

'If we get to that point and we still have no detail, there is a risk the whole summer season will be under threat, and airlines will have to make even deeper cuts.'

This weekend, Airlines UK, which represents the industry, wrote to Ms Patel asking her to accelerate plans for air bridges.

They want her to confirm what criteria countries must meet to be included and when the Home Office will give a starting date.

Airlines have slashed routes and thousands of jobs. Derek Provan, chief executive of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, said the blanket quarantine ban would 'stifle' economic recovery.

'It will further damage our aviation, tourism and hospitality sectors, which support hundreds of thousands of jobs,' he added.
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Ho Chi Minh Citys authorities on Friday officially broke ground on a project to rebuild an old park in front of the Municipal Theater previously cleared for metro construction.

The municipal Department of Planning and Architecture will be collaborating with the citys Department of Construction on the project, which aims to rebuild Lam Son Park, located opposite the Municipal Theater, also informally known as the Saigon Opera House.

Top city officials took part in the launch ceremony including municipal Party chief Nguyen Thien Nhan and chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong.

A video shows Ho Chi Minh Citys top officials cut the ribbon on a project to rebuild a park in front of the Municipal Theater in District 1, June 5, 2020. Video: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre

The park building project is essential to creating more green spaces, connecting communal areas and helping the citys downtown become an inviting destination, said Construction Department director Le Hoa Binh.

We envision that the new park will have open spaces that can be used for many various functions, meet the local residents and visitors demand for promenade, as well as hold cultural events. This will be a connection point between the cultural, political, and commercial spaces of the city, Binh added.

The municipal Department of Planning and Architecture announced they had picked a special design for the 1,300-square-meter park.

A perspective drawing of the new Lam Son Park supplied by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Architecture.

The area in front of the Municipal Theater and a part of an alley leading to nearby Nguyen Hue Walking Street will be populated primarily by trees, according to the selected design.

Green spaces will be divided into three layers with a view to keeping as many existing trees as possible while other varieties of trees will be added to make for a vibrant and inviting atmosphere.

Lam Son Park was previously cleared for the construction of an underground terminal of Ho Chi Minh Citys first metro line, with the area in front of the Municipal Theater fenced off for six years.

As the construction is almost complete and the fences were removed in April, the area of the old park has been handed back to the municipal Department of Transportation.

A temporary park is established in front of the Municipal Theater in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City after fences were removed from the area in April 2020 following a six-year construction of an underground terminal of the citys first metro line. Photo taken on June 5, 2020. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

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Jaime King was spotted for the first time on Friday since being arrested for protesting outside LA Mayor Eric Garcetti's home in Hancock Park on June 2.

The 41-year-old actress kept her blonde hair concealed beneath a bright red beanie as she enjoyed a gloomy afternoon walk around her neighborhood.

King had originally informed the public of her arrest via Twitter on Tuesday evening, where she stressed the 'peaceful' nature of the day's demonstration.

Spotted: Jaime King was spotted for the first time on Friday since being arrested for protesting outside LA Mayor Eric Garcetti's home in Hancock Park on June 2

For her solo stroll, Jaime rocked a noticeably makeup-free face and kept a water bottle in hand.

She wore a charcoal grey sweatshirt that coordinated with her sweatpants.

The Cheaper By The Dozen star rounded out her ensemble by donning a pair of light grey trainers with neon orange detailing.

Though she has not been seen at any protests since Tuesday's shocking arrest, Jaime has been using her Instagram platform to support Black Lives Matter and to provide resources to protesters.

Lady in red: The 41-year-old actress kept her blonde hair concealed beneath a bright red beanie as she enjoyed a gloomy afternoon walk around her neighborhood

Hydrated: For her solo stroll, Jaime rocked a noticeably makeup-free face and kept a water bottle in hand

On Thursday, King shared a post from friend and attorney Sara Azari offering 'free representation' to demonstrators who, like Jaime, had been arrested on the front lines.

On June 2, King was one of nearly 2,000 demonstrators that showed up to demand justice for African-American citizens who had lost their lives at the hands of law enforcement.

Jaime donned an 'I am a voter' tee and had her arm wrapped around a fellow protester's shoulders as they paraded up and down the Mayor's affluent street.

'Currently arrested for a peaceful protest. Writing in handcuffs in back of bus. EVERYONE WAS PEACEFUL. - Jaime and the rest of my sisters on this bus. 77th precinct,' wrote King hours later in a now deleted tweet.

Detained: King had originally informed the public of her arrest via Twitter on Tuesday evening, where she stressed the 'peaceful' nature of the day's demonstration outside the Mayor's residence

Demanding justice: On June 2, King was one of nearly 2,000 demonstrators that showed up to demand justice for African-American citizens who had lost their lives at the hands of law enforcement; King and protester pictured on June 2

The highly, organized protest - presented by the LA chapter of Black Lives Matter -aimed to pressure Garcetti into significantly lowering the LAPD's exorbitant budget.

According to reports, 'over 100 demonstrators' sat before a line of LAPD officers, in order to create a safe space for speakers and activists to voice their ideas and concerns.

The death of 46-year-old George Floyd in Minneapolis has sparked days of demonstrations across the nation over police brutality against African-Americans.

On May 25, Floyd - an unarmed, African-American male - experienced a horrific death at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Action: Jaime donned an 'I am a voter' tee and had her arm wrapped around a fellow protester's shoulders as they paraded up and down the Mayor's affluent street

Online activism: Though she has not been seen at any protests since Tuesday's shocking arrest, Jaime has been using her Instagram platform to support Black Lives Matter and to provide resources to protesters; Jaime pictured on Instagram Friday

In the horrifying video footage of Floyd's death, he is seen saying that he can not breathe as officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck.

Eventually he went silent and limp, and he was later declared dead.

Protests swelled after federal authorities said on May 28 that they were making the case a top priority but announced no arrests at that time.

The Minneapolis policeman accused of killing Floyd, Chauvin, was originally charged with third-degree murder on May 29, but had that charged upped to second-degree on Wednesday.

Three more officers, Thomas Lane, 37, J. Alexander Kueng, 26, and Tou Thao, 34, were arrested and charged with 'aiding and abetting murder,' according to the New York Times.

Free representation: On Thursday, King shared a post from friend and attorney Sara Azari offering 'free representation' to demonstrators who, like Jaime, had been arrested on the front lines

Catalyst: The death of 46-year-old George Floyd in Minneapolis has sparked days of demonstrations across the nation over police brutality against African-Americans

Earlier that day, Jaime used her prominent Instagram platform to 'amplify' the voice of fellow activist and actress, Krystina Arielle Tigner.

'[Krystina] uses her own platform to bring awareness to the struggles that she and other Black people face on a daily basis. Black voices matter, black stories matter, and black lives matter. How we use our voices and our platforms is important,' began King in her post's caption.

'It isnt enough to just say black lives matter and go back to our carefully curated social media squares. We have to use our influence to uplift and raise the voices of those that can change the world.'

King drew attention to her own privilege by noting the privilege that exists in being 'able to walk out the door without fear that you wont walk back in because the color of your skin was seen as a threat.'

Peaceful: Protesters pictured at the Hancock Park protest on June 2

Ally: Earlier in the day, Jaime used her prominent Instagram platform to 'amplify' the voice of fellow activist and actress, Krystina Arielle Tigner

'Its a privilege to have the platform that I have and to be able to be heard. I will never know firsthand the experiences of Existing while black. I will never send my sons out the door with the fear that theyll become a hashtag movement because their skin color was seen as a threat. But what I can do is listen.'

Jaime vowed to actively 'search [her] own biases' and to listen to her 'friends when they say they are hurting and instead of saying Im so sorry. I can say I see you, I hear you, and fight to make room for them in a world that makes that hard.'

She encouraged her 1.4million followers to use their voices to 'uplift black artists and creators' and to 'fight for representation' for all.

'Dont just say black lives matter. Prove it by supporting artists like Tina. Prove by supporting black artists and businesses. Prove it by making sure when you look at your table not every face looks like yours,' concluded the Cheaper By The Dozen star.

Along with her lengthy, passion-filled caption, King included a photo of herself and Tigner beaming for the camera.
California officials have approved new guidelines to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus on film and TV sets.

Film and TV cameras can start rolling in California as soon as 12 June, state officials said on Friday as they approved new guidelines to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus on sets.

(Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak)

Producers will need approval from local health officials to restart filming, according to a statement from the California Department of Health.

Filming around the world was halted in mid-March to help curb the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

A task force of Hollywood studios and labor unions earlier this week proposed extensive coronavirus testing, daily symptom checks and other safeguards to allow actors and crew members to return to work.

The guidelines were developed by representatives from Walt Disney Co, Netflix Inc, AT&T Incs Warner Bros and Comcast Corps NBCUniversal, plus unions including SAG-AFTRA, IATSE and the Directors Guild of America.

To return to work, productions must follow the task force guidelines and also receive clearance from county health officials, the state health department said.

County authorities should consider local coronavirus infection rates, preparedness for a surge in cases, testing capability and other data before granting approval, the department added.

(With inputs from Reuters)
Police will fine Melbourne Black Lives Matter rally organisers $1652 each for breaching the directions of the Chief Health Officer, after thousands turned out to call for an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody.

Victoria Police had earlier warned members of activist group Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance they could face fines if they went ahead with the rally and on Saturday evening followed through on their warning.

"We remain concerned that such a large gathering has occurred without regard for the need to maintain social distance and will now consider what action should be taken in relation to the organisation and conduct of this unlawful gathering," Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said.

Wurundjeri woman Mandy Nicholson, who spoke at the rally, said it was ridiculous to fine people for fighting injustice and she would contest a fine if she received one.
Trailblazer AnnaRose Rubright is making headlines for fulfilling a personal ambition. The 24-year-old has become the first student with Down syndrome to graduate with a bachelors degree from Rowan University.

AnnaRose, from Medford in New Jersey, studied hard to maintain her excellent grades. She first earned her associates degree from New Jerseys Rowan Community College in 2017 before transferring to Rowan Universitys main campus for a four-year program.

There, she graduated with the class of 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in radio, television, and film and a minor in journalism, achieving a 3.426-grade point average.

AnnaRose graduated from Shawnee High School in 2014 wanting to make her dream a reality: to go to college, like her friends and peers, and get a bachelors degree.

She thinks for herself and does her own thing, AnnaRoses mother, Lin, told CBS Philadelphia. When she decides to do something, she goes all the way.

Lin recalled her daughter battling moments of immense frustration during her studies but claims that AnnaRoses strong resolve saw her through. Im a rule follower and I stick to that rule, AnnaRose said.

Owing to Rowan Universitys temporary closure and social distancing restrictions, AnnaRose received her degree via a Zoom conference call on May 8, 2020. The young woman nonetheless described the experience as emotional.

New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney, who was the special commencement speaker for Rowan Universitys virtual graduation ceremony, also praised AnnaRose for proving the naysayers wrong, reported Forbes.

Just dont look at the person and say theyre disabled and they cant do anything, said Sweeney, whose own daughter also has Down syndrome. Look at AnnaRose, and look at what they can do.

John Woodruff, the director of disability resources at Rowan University, said that the 2,400 students with disabilities who studied at Rowan in the academic year 2019 to 2020 were held to the same standard as every other student.

The standards are not lower, Woodruff told Forbes. They have the same expectations to complete and pass the course.

Rowans students with disabilities are nonetheless encouraged to make use of campus support services, such as tutoring and study skills workshops.

This is rare, her achievement is amazing, Woodruff said of AnnaRoses success. I think its a testament to her perseverance not to give up.

Recalling her daughters school term, Lin said that she often saw AnnaRose working hard.

During the school term, there is not a lot of time for free activity, Lin told Forbes. She is sitting at that kitchen table, working and plugging away, because what takes you or me 20 minutes to read could take AnnaRose anywhere from an hour to three hours, depending on the context and the vocabulary.

There were times when I watched her frustration, I watched her struggle and I said to her, You have an associates degree, you can be done if you want, Lin said. But she just wouldnt quit.

Alongside her studies, AnnaRose became an advocate for better inclusivity for herself and other people with disabilities, even addressing a panel at the United Nations. As the oldest of six sisters, the conscientious student felt compelled to be a positive role model.

Young adults with disabilities are increasingly focusing on post-secondary education, reports the National Center for Special Education Research. However, only 34 percent of those who enroll in college successfully complete a four-year program. Pioneer AnnaRose is paving the way for others to follow in her footsteps.

AnnaRose now has a new ambition. According to CBS Philadelphia, she would like to become an entrepreneur. As of May 2020, the tenacious young lady is in the process of establishing her own production company with her family.

I just think that sometimes her dedication inspires the rest of us, said mom Lin.
President Donald Trump on Friday declared it was a great day for George Floyd as he discussed a strong jobs report for the country and efforts to bring about racial equality. Joe Biden, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, said Trumps comments about Floyd were despicable.

Trumps comments about Floyd came as he shifted from discussing a drop in the unemployment rate to say everyone deserved equal treatment in every encounter with law enforcement, regardless of race, color, gender or creed. We all saw what happened last week. We cant let that happen, Trump said.

Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying this is a great thing thats happening for our country. He added: This is a great day for him. Its a great day for everybody. This is a great day for everybody. This is a great, great day in terms of equality.

Floyd, who was black, died after a white police officer pressed his knee on Floyds neck for several minutes, ignoring Floyds cries that he couldnt breathe and bystander shouts. Floyds death set off protests around the world, including outside the White House.

Trump spoke shortly after the government said the unemployment rate had dropped to 13.3%, better than expected but still on par with Great Depression-era levels of joblessness. He offered the data as evidence that the nation had overcome the worst of the coronavirus pandemic and had begun an economic comeback.

Biden panned Trumps comments during an economic speech in Delaware.

Were speaking of a man who was brutally killed by an act of needless violence and by a larger tide of injustice that has metastasized on this presidents watch, Biden said.

George Floyds last words, I cant breathe. I cant breathe, have echoed all across this nation and quite frankly around the world, Biden added. For the president to try to put any other words in the mouth of George Floyd, I frankly think, is despicable.

Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said some news outlets had purposely misreported the presidents comments to insinuate that Floyd would be pleased about the positive jobs numbers. He said Trump was referencing the national conversation that followed Floyds death and Americans coming together on the belief that everyone should be treated equally under the law.

The sentences that preceded and followed the presidents sentiments about Mr. Floyd made the context crystal clear, Murtaugh said. Media claims that the president said that Mr. Floyd would be praising the economic news are wrong, purposefully misrepresented, and maliciously crafted.
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Like so many others, I have been both anguished and furious as I watched the video of a white policeman with his knee on the neck of a black man. As I told my wife, George Floyd could have been our African-American son-in-law.

But I did not think I had anything special to say. So many people like the African-American mayors of St. Paul and Atlanta and Senator Cory Booker, among many others, were saying so well what needed to be said.

But this past Sunday as I participated in my churchs Sunday School (via zoom of course), I reflected on the painful statistics that were presented. African-American men are 2.1 times more likely than white men to be shot by the police. One national poll asked people if they thought that today in most cities, the police treat blacks as fairly as whites. 47% of white respondents said yes. Only 6% of blacks said they were treated as fairly as whites by the police. Another national poll asked if the local police treat minorities more harshly than whites. Only 19% of white people said yes. 54% of blacks said yes they are treated more harshly.

Month after month, year after year, there have been new stories of white people (the police and others) killing African-Americans. We all know that African-Americans continue to experience a wide range of disadvantages. Inner city, urban (largely minority) schools spend less money per capita and have education inferior to much better funded white suburban schools. One in every three African-American men go to prison but only one in 17 white men do. In the current COVID-19 epidemic, African-Americans have been dying at twice the rate of white folk. The average white family has 13 times as much wealth as the average black family  a gap that was wider in 2015 than in 1983! Year after year, the black unemployment rate has been double that of the white unemployment rate.

We know  we have known for years!  these and many other indicators of continuing structural racism. We all know that racism is Americas original sin  a racism that has crushed African-Americans for 400 years.

But what especially grieves me as a white evangelical is the failure of white evangelicals to deal with white racism. Indeed, its much worse than that! White evangelicals have too often participated in, and even led, that racism.

It was white evangelical Christians in the South (helped by northerners) that passed the laws and organized the violence that effectively squelched the progress made by African-Americans in the first two decades after Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. It was white evangelicals who led or tolerated thousands of lynchings for about 100 years. After the Supreme Courts 1954 decision ending separate but equal school segregation, it was white evangelicals who organized segregated private Christian Academies so their white children would not have to go to school with black children.

When some courageous Jews and Mainline Protestants joined Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,s great civil rights movement against racism, white evangelicals were at best overwhelmingly silent. When Frank Gaebelein, then coeditor of Christianity Today, moved from reporting on, to joining, Dr. King in one of his great civil rights marches, Gaebelein promptly experienced opposition and hostility from other white evangelical leaders. Jerry Falwell denounced Dr. King, condemning him for getting into politics instead of sticking to his proper role of evangelism. The seminary where I taught for 41 years was founded in 1925 as an evangelical alternative to theological liberalism. But the seminary refused to allow black male students to sleep overnight on campus and closed their swimming pool instead of integrating it. When the news of Dr. Kings assassination came to the white, evangelical Los Angeles Baptist College where Dolphus Weary (one of John Perkins young black proteges) was studying, Weary discovered to his horror that the white students were celebrating! In 1989, George Gallup published a survey showing that white Southern Baptists were the most likely of all Christians to object to having black neighbors.

Its true that many white evangelical institutions have made some progress in recent decades. There have been significant statements repenting of racism  including one by the Southern Baptists.

But in 2016, a man ran for president making clear conscious appeals to white racists. He claimed  totally falsely  that President Obama had not been born in the US and was therefore not legitimately president. He did not reject support of his candidacy by white nationalists and even David Duke, the former head of the Klu Klux Klan. Paul Ryan, Republican speaker of the US House of Representatives, publicly declared that one of Trumps statements was a textbook case of racism. But in spite of these clear, blatant, racist appeals, 81% of white evangelicals voted for him. And longtime Republican leader, Peter Wehner shows in his book The Death of Politics, that a major factor in the 2016 vote of white male Christians for Trump was their anxiety about losing their cultural dominance in the society.

And now in the midst of this most recent tragedy of the murder of George Floyd by a white policeman, President Trump fails to try to unite the country as previous presidents  both Republican and Democrat  have done. Instead of speaking in ways to bring Americans together, he continues to stoke racism. Instead of helping us better understand the long history of racist discrimination that fuels the angry response to Floyds death, he makes partisan tweets. He denounced the very weak radical left Democratic mayor of Minneapolis. Trump said he would send in the National Guard and added in the tweet: When the looting starts, the shooting starts. That was an echo of the threat by the Miami police chief in 1967 who said he would have his police use shotguns and turn his dogs on people.

Of course looting, destroying property and throwing bricks at the police are wrong. But our leaders need to understand the source and depth of the anguish African-Americans feel with decade after decade of continuing racism. Our leaders need to praise those police who take off their helmets and dialogue with demonstrators rather than throw fire on a dangerous, tragic, explosive situation.

The man who fails to focus on uniting the nation is the president white evangelicals have elected and continue to defend. There may or may not be some valid reasons for voting for Trump (that is the subject for another time).

But unless white evangelicals rise up in large numbers to condemn Donald Trumps racist, divisive response; unless the many prominent white evangelical leaders who vigorously support Trumps presidency loudly and publicly condemn his failure to lead the nation away from racism; unless white evangelicals call for a sustained, vigorous campaign to finally end structural racism; unless that happens, white evangelicalism loses whatever credibility it still retains.

This is white evangelicalisms hour of decision. We must condemn Trumps racist actions. We must repent of our long history of racism. We must throw ourselves into a decade-long peaceful struggle to end continuing structural racism in our schools, prisons indeed all areas of society.

If Billy Graham were still with us, he would call us to respond courageously in this hour of decision.

Correction: June 7, 2020:



An earlier version of this op-ed incorrectly stated that African American men are 21 times more likely to be shot by the police as white men. It should have stated African American men are 2.1 times more likely to be shot by the police as white men.
A man holding an 'All Lives Matter' placard had his sign ripped from his hands before he was handcuffed and escorted away by police during a peaceful protest in Sydney.

The man can be seen holding a sign with 'Black, White' crossed out and 'All Lives Matter' written below at the steps of Town Hall on Saturday, just before 2.30pm.

Another protester ripped the sign from the man's hands and others began to force him off the steps before police intervened and detained him.

The man can be seen holding a sign with 'black, white' crossed out and 'All Lives Matter' written below at the steps of Town Hall on Saturday, just before 2.30pm

Another protester ripped the sign from the man's hands and others began to force him off the steps before police intervened and detained him

The detained man was taken into the nearby Queen Victoria Building.

Two other people were also detained by police and one police officer was allegedly spat on by a protester at the rally.

NSW Police have been contacted for comment.

Just after the 'All Lives Matter' protester was detained, the Court of Appeal declared the Sydney 'Stop All Black Deaths in Custody' rally to be an authorised public assembly.

The late decision came 12 minutes before the rally's scheduled start at 3pm outside Town Hall, and means protesters cannot be arrested for blocking roads along the planned route from Town Hall to Belmore Park.

Just after the 'All Lives Matter' protester was detained, the Court of Appeal declared the Sydney 'Stop All Black Deaths in Custody' rally to be an authorised public assembly

The late decision came 12 minutes before the rally's scheduled start at 3pm outside Town Hall, and means protesters cannot be arrested for blocking roads along the planned route from Town Hall to Belmore Park

With masks over their mouths, thousands of people have gathered in the CBD to show support for the global Black Lives Matter movement and protest against Aboriginal deaths in custody.

Bearing signs saying 'police the police' and 'same sh*t different soil' the crowd stood slightly apart from one another outside Sydney Town Hall as they rallied amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Town Hall railway station has been closed and there is a large police presence in the city monitoring the rally.

Several protesters climbed on top of a glass entrance to Town Hall Station before police asked them to get down.

The crowd clapped and yelled 'I can't breathe' - the latter among the last words of US man George Floyd, before being lead in chants of 'whose lives matter?', 'black lives matter'.

With masks over their mouths, thousands of people have gathered in the CBD to show support for the global Black Lives Matter movement and protest against Aboriginal deaths in custody

Bearing signs saying 'police the police' and 'same sh*t different soil' the crowd stood slightly apart from one another outside Sydney Town Hall as they rallied amid the coronavirus pandemic

The appeal was heard from 2pm after organiser Raul Bassi asked the Court of Appeal to overturn the decision of Supreme Court Justice Desmond Fagan made on Friday night.

Justice Fagan found the document Mr Bassi filed with police last week was 'entirely different' to an amended notice filed on Thursday increasing numbers from 50 to 5000.

He refused to approve the public assembly, citing the current coronavirus restrictions on mass gatherings.

'Our respectful submission is that the court will now correct that error and the declaration will be made that it was an authorised public assembly,' barrister Stephen Lawrence said.

The crowd clapped and yelled 'I can't breathe' - the latter among the last words of US man George Floyd, before being lead in chants of 'whose lives matter?', 'black lives matter'
President Buhari has assured assured Nigerians of renewed efforts to flush out bandits and other violent criminals from our states. The President gave the reassurance in a meeting with the governor of Katsina State, His Excellency Governor Aminu Bello Masari at the State House Abuja. He used the opportunity to again commiserate with the governor and the people of Katsina State for the loses incured from the attack of the bandits.

In a statement released via his twitter handle, Mallam Garba Shehu, the Official Spokesperson to the President said that the President has warned the bandits to lay down their arms or face a disgraceful and violent ends.

Below is Mallam Garba's Statement:

"President Muhammadu Buhari has assured people and government of Katsina State of renewed efforts, and review of operations, to improve the security of lives and property in the state, and other parts of the country.

The President, in a meeting with Governor Aminu Bello Masari, at the State House on Thursday night, said bandits, who have committed crimes against innocent citizens in the state, and across the country, will not be spared.

President Buhari warned bandits to surrender their weapons, or face disgraceful and violent ends.

The President said more decisive military operations against bandits in Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, Katsina and Kaduna States will be under taken.

President Buhari commiserated with Gov Masari over the loss of lives from attacks by bandits, which include District Head of Yantumaki, Alhaji Atiku Maidabino, and APC Chairman in Batsari Local Government Council, Alhaji Abdulhamid Sani Duburawa".
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Linkedin Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 6, 2020 14:28 594 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdc909e1 1 National KPK,Corruption-Eradication-Comission,corruption,bribery-case,Nurhadi,Supreme-Court,obstruction-of-justice,antigraft-body,civil-society-organizations Free

Antigraft activists have demanded that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecute any persons found to have helped hide former Supreme Court secretary Nurhadi, who had been on the run from the graft busters for many months before being apprehended earlier this week.

KPK investigators arrested Nurhadi and his son-in-law Rezky Herbiyono in South Jakarta on Tuesday  roughly six months after both were named suspects for allegedly accepting bribes in the form of nine checks and Rp 46 billion (US$3.2 million) in cash pertaining to three cases handled by the country's highest court between 2011 and 2016.

Many suspect that Nurhadi had been hiding in South Jakarta the entire time, raising suspicions that other parties were involved in protecting him from law enforcement.

Haris Azhar, the executive director of legal and human rights group the Lokataru Foundation, said the KPK should look into the possibility others had played a role in hiding Nurhadi from the graft busters. Should anyone be found to have done so, the antigraft body could charge them with obstruction of justice, as stipulated in Article 21 of the 2001 Corruption Law.

"Investigators should reveal whose houses were used [to hide Nurhadi], as well as any persons who assisted, protected or provided him with his daily needs during his time on the run," Haris said in a discussion on Friday.

Former KPK commissioner Bambang Widjojanto echoed Haris' statement, saying Nurhadi was able to move undetected for more than 100 days although he was just "an ordinary civil servant".

"The question is whether he has any extraordinary ability to evade arrest, or was someone in charge of protecting him?" said Bambang.

Read also: Former Supreme Court secretary accused of accepting Rp 46b in bribes

Some have accused the KPK of hampering its own investigation into the case, saying the antigraft agency lacked the will and courage needed to expose other parties involved in the case.

Bambang claimed the KPK had ignored information provided by members of the public regarding Nurhadis whereabouts, including from Haris in February.

He also claimed the antigraft body had pursued a judicial strategy by putting the suspects on the most wanted list, meaning the KPK would not need to disclose information pertaining to the case if information was not provided by the public.

When asked whether the investigators would open an investigation into possible obstruction of justice, KPK chairman Firli Bahuri said the graft busters would focus on Nurhadis bribery case first.

Critics have lambasted the decision, saying it contrasted with the antigraft bodys decision to open investigations into alleged obstruction of justice pertaining to former House of Representatives speaker Setya Novanto in the prominent e-ID corruption case.

If the public finds out the KPK lacks the courage to investigate the figures that protected the suspects, the KPK will lose credibility as a law enforcement institution, said Bambang.

Read also: 100 days of blunders: Watchdog slams new KPK chairman's performance

Responding to the criticism, KPK acting spokesperson Ali Fikri said the antigraft bodys investigation had followed the relevant regulations and was not influenced by another partys requests.

Our work in based on the facts and witness testimonies gathered during the investigation rather than on our assumptions or feelings, said Ali, encouraging others not to form opinions based on baseless assumptions.

Activists have also urged the KPK to open an investigation into alleged money laundering by Nurhadi in relation to the bribery case, as the suspect and his wife, Tin Zuraida, have been recorded as having made an unusually high number of financial transactions and as being unusually wealthy.

According to Nurhadis wealth report in 2012, he owned Rp 33.4 billion in assets, ranging from land to luxury cars.

It should be strongly suspected that such money didnt come from his legitimate income, said Lalola Easter of Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), adding that the KPK should prosecute other parties involved in the alleged money laundering.
These experiences took place on three difference continents, over a span of 25 years, while I was reporting as an overseas correspondent. But the episodes  in Chile, the Philippines and Pakistan  had something in common: a conviction among the protesters that the tide of history was turning and that change must come. The crowds were hopeful as well as fearful, and they included diverse sectors of society, converging to say no to injustice.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 15:53:01|Editor: huaxia

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LOS ANGELES, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Facebook said on Friday that it has not seen any foreign interference using its platform to meddle in the demonstrations across the country related to the death of George Floyd.

"We have been actively looking and we haven't yet seen foreign interference or domestic coordinated inauthentic behavior targeting these protests," Nathaniel Gleicher, head of cybersecurity policy at Facebook, told reporters.

"We want to caution people against jumping to conclusions without clear evidence of foreign interference," Gleicher noted.

On Thursday, U.S. Attorney General William Barr said that the federal government has seen foreign actors interfering in the ongoing protests over Floyd's death.

Floyd, an unarmed black man aged 46, died in police custody on May 25 in the U.S. city of Minneapolis, and his death at the hands of police officers enraged the public and led to protests that spread to multiple U.S. cities and towns.

Also on Friday, the social media giant said it has removed pages and accounts linked to two white supremacy groups, Proud Boys and American Guard, which planned to encourage people to attend Floyd protests. Enditem
U.S. President Donald Trump touts U.S. jobs report during news conference at the White House in Washington

BANGOR, Maine (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to impose tariffs on European Union cars if the bloc does not drop its tariff on American lobsters, naming White House trade adviser Peter Navarro the "lobster king" in charge of talks.

Trump, speaking at an event with commercial fishermen, also asked Navarro to identify Chinese products to hit with tariffs unless Beijing dropped its duties on American lobsters.

"If the European Union doesn't drop that tariff immediately, we're going to put a tariff on their cars, which will be equivalent," Trump said.

"Peter Navarro is going to be the lobster king now," he added after putting the adviser in charge of talks, promising the fishermen the tariffs on American lobsters would be dropped quickly by the EU.

No comment was immediately available from the U.S. Trade Representative's office or the EU's delegation in Washington. The Chinese embassy had no immediate response.

Trump's top trade negotiator, Robert Lighthizer, had proposed a mini-deal with the EU last year that would have reduced barriers for U.S. lobsters, but it never gained traction.

Talks between the two sides have struggled in recent months despite repeated visits by the EU's new trade commissioner, Phil Hogan. Sources close to both sides, speaking on condition of anonymity, say they do not expect to make much headway this year.

Trump has previously made threats to place duties on European automobile imports, with the intent of receiving better terms in the U.S.-Europe trade relationship. He has delayed imposing the tariffs a number of times.

(Reporting by Steve Holland, Andrea Shalal and Eric Beech; Writing by Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 00:20:25|Editor: huaxia

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by Saud Abu Ramadan, Emad Drimly

RAMALLAH, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian abolition of the agreements and understandings reached with Israel may cause a widespread economic hardship in Palestine, according to Palestinian political analysts.

On May 19, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced the abolition of all agreements and understandings reached with both Israel and the United States, including economic and security cooperation.

Abbas's decision was made in response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's declaration that his government will annex the Jordan Valley and impose the Israeli sovereignty on several settlements in the West Bank on July.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) also announced that it refused to receive the tax revenue dues that Israel collects from the Palestinian trade on behalf of the PA under Oslo interim peace accords signed between the two sides in 1993.

The tax revenue dues worth around 150 million U.S. dollars, which represents 60 percent of the Palestinian government's total revenues.

Tareq al-Hajj, a Palestinian economist from the West Bank told Xinhua that the money, which the PA receives from Israel every month, represents a vital resource for the PA to keep surviving.

"So refusing to receive the money will influence the ability of the government to pay the monthly salaries to its employees. The Palestinian economic situation is very hard and is influenced by the world's economy and the financial pressure mainly the lack of fund amid coronavirus crisis," he said.

"One of the significant consequences of the Palestinian decision not to receive the money of the tax revenue dues is that the Palestinian market would lose 200 million dollars a month and there will be a severe decline in the purchasing power," he said.

Samir Abdulla, director of "MAS" Center for Economic Researches told Xinhua that the economic and political pressure exerted by Israel on Palestine and the Palestinian decision to abolish peace accords with Israel pose challenge to PA.

"The growing economic crisis of the PA threatens a serious decline in the rates of economic growth and would undermine all what has been achieved in terms of building the Palestinian institutions and fighting the increasing poverty rates among the Palestinians," he said. Enditem
History of amateur radio in Wallonia The Regional Archives of Wallonia (Southern Belgium) has published a free 118 page book - Wallonia and amateur radio through the archives and writings of Pierre Stoffel ON4PS



The Belgian national amateur radio society, UBA, describes the book as richly illustrated with rare and authentic documents, containing 10 articles dealing with the history of Belgian radio amateurs in general and of the Walloon in particular.



Among the many QSL cards in the book is one from UK radio amateur Louis Varney G5RV. He sent the card to Rene Goka ON4RV for a contact on 7159 KCS (kHz) on July 5, 1929. The contact was made after Louis had moved from Sunbury-on-Thames to Chelmford in Essex. He has crossed out his old address on the card and written in the new one. A few years later in 1936 Louis would help found the Chelmsford RSGB Group which later became the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society.



To download the PDF click on the Telecharger Gratuitement button at

https://ediwall.wallonie.be/archives-la-wallonie-et-le-radioamateurisme-au-travers-des-archives-et-des-ecrits-de-pierre-stoffel-on4ps-064258



UBA in Google English

https://tinyurl.com/BelgiumUBA
On Scene

Four people  including a 5-year-old girl  were killed in a string of separate car crashes over the course of six hours Friday night in Harris County, officials said.

The first crash happened around 5 p.m. on FM 1960, near Kuykendahl Road. A car there ran off the road and crashed into a steel pole, according to the Harris County Sheriffs Office. The driver, an adult man, died at the scene.
Canada is the top energy trade partner of the United States and was the largest source of American energy imports last year, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Friday.

According to the latest annual Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the value of U.S. energy imports from Canada stood at US$85 billion in 2019. Energy imports accounted for more than a quarter of all U.S. imports from Canada, at 27 percent, according to Census Bureau data.

While Canada is the biggest energy supplier to the United States, it is also the second-biggest destination for U.S. energy exports, behind Mexico.

In the U.S.-Canada energy trade, crude oil and petroleum products accounted for 91 percent of the value of U.S. energy imports from Canada and 89 percent of the value of U.S. energy exports to Canada.

American crude oil imports from Canada accounted for 56 percent of all U.S. crude oil imports last year. Crude imports from Canada averaged 3.8 million barrels per day (bpd), up from 3.7 million bpd average imports in 2018. Canada mostly exports heavy crude oil from Alberta to Americas refineries, mostly in the Midwest.

On the other hand, Canada was the top destination for U.S. crude oil exports, which tend to be sweet light grades exported to eastern Canada. Last year, the U.S. exported on average 459,000 bpd of crude oil to Canada, according to Census Bureau data.

Due to the chronic shortage of pipeline takeaway capacity out of Canada in recent years, U.S. imports of crude by rail from Canada tripled between 2016 and 2019from an average of 91,000 bpd to an average of 300,000 bpd last year, the EIA said. More than half of last years crude by rail imports, 171,000 bpd, went to the U.S. Gulf Coast.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
At least 50 million people could face a severe food crisis in West Africa if the current coronavirus pandemic worsens, an official of the UN food body, FAO, has said.

Coumba Sow, FAO Resilience Coordinator for West Africa, said in an interview published on the website of the Food and Agriculture Organization that the COVID-19 pandemic will have serious consequences for millions of people already grappling with hunger and conflict in West Africa, except there is a quick response.

As most of West Africa is already affected by other complex crises, our first priority is to safeguard and maintain our current emergency response, especially activities supporting the upcoming agricultural campaign, which will help mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on food security, Sow said.

She said those measures will be particularly challenging given the operational difficulties due to the movement restrictions introduced by most countries.

The region, which includes Nigeria, has seen a rise in the number of coronavirus cases and deaths. The region has for years been a hotspot for humanitarian crises caused by conflicts and natural disasters.

Humanitarian agencies have worried that the Covid-19 pandemic will create more problems for the region.

Ms Sow said already in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, some 4 million people are facing extreme hunger and this could rise to 5.5 million people by August.

The 2020 Global Report on Food Crises said some 5.1 million Nigerians are estimated to be in immediate need of food assistance between March and May 2020. They include 1.4 million people in Borno State, 1 million in Yobe and 500,000 in Adamawa.

The report says the number of food insecure people increased by 1.1 million people from October to December, 2019.

With the Covid-19 pandemic, the situation if not attended to may worsen in Nigeria to the tune of 7.1 million between June to August, the report said.

To compare with other West African countries, the report says Niger and Burkina Faso are estimated to have 1.6 million and 1.6 million people in need of food, lower than the 5.1 million people estimated for Nigeria.

Sow said across West Africa, as of April, over 11 million people needed immediate food assistance  mostly due to conflict.

And this number will continue rising, potentially reaching 17 million during the lean season (June- August) if we dont respond fast, she said.

Many people are not only hungry. They are also uprooted and have lost what they had. The ones I spoke to have the same story  of villages attacked; of family members killed or displaced; of homes or fields destroyed; of animals abandoned or killed.

She urged member countries to adapt their Covid-19 response plans to the consequences of the covid-19 pandemic.

She further stressed the importance of anticipating Covid-19s impacts on agriculture, food security as these are important actions to adopt at national and regional levels.

What is crucial is to anticipate COVID-19s impacts on agriculture, food security and the lives of vulnerable women and children. Ensuring that food systems and food supply chains are maintained as one of the most important actions to take at national and regional levels, she added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6)  As the world eases into a new normal amid the COVID-19 crisis, some businesses that rely on visitors are still struggling to sustain themselves  this includes animal conservation sites, a wildlife filmmaker shared.

Dan O' Neill, who is also a biologist based in the UK, became interested in the Philippine Eagle after meeting Jayson Ibanez, another expert in the field, from the Philippines. O' Neill has since made a film and started raising funds for the Philippine Eagle Foundation in Davao.

"[Many] places like Philippine Eagle Center rely almost a huge amount on footfall to fund the operations of the facility," he told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Weekend. "I'm trying to raise money to help those guys out."

O' Neill said the city's Philippine Eagle Center currently houses 81 animals and 31 Philippine Eagles who "are critically endangered and need a lot of help."

With the celebration of Philippine Eagle Week from June 4 to 10, he urged the public to visit the foundation's website or his gofundme campaign to offer money to help the facility.

In his social media, he also shares information on Philippine Eagle, which only has 400 pairs left in the wild.

In the past, O' Neill created projects featuring threatened species including the Bengal tigers of India, jaguars and eagles of the Amazon and the Cat Ba Langur in Vietnam.

Recently, he produced "Queen of Birds," featuring the female Philippine Eagle which was rescued from the ocean in Sarangani Province.

"It was an absolute incredible experience coming over and learning about these fantastic birds and seeing just how amazing they are," he shared. "I'm hoping to inspire people about their conservation."
As Japan is considering ways to safely ease travel restrictions over the new coronavirus, travelers to and from the country will be required to undergo testing for COVID-19 and submit a trip itinerary, government sources said Friday.

Japan is already in talks with Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand to mutually reopen borders, with businesspeople and professionals such as medical staff expected to be fast-tracked.

Under the plan, travelers leaving Japan will first have to get a negative result in a polymerase chain reaction or PCR test, which they will then submit to the embassy of the country they plan to visit.

During the first two weeks of their trip, travelers will also be required to stay at a hotel and there will be restrictions on their movements except for commuting to work and a ban on using public transport.

The two weeks will likely be counted from when a negative virus test result is confirmed, the sources said, though alternatively it may be from the date of arrival.

Japan currently has an entry ban in place for 111 countries and regions and is urging its citizens to avoid all nonessential trips abroad. Both inbound and outbound traffic fell more than 99 percent in April from a year earlier, dealing a heavy blow to the world's third-largest economy.

Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand are prime candidates to ease travel restrictions because they all have the coronavirus under control and have deep economic ties with Japan.
The FBI and the DoJ have very reluctantly revealed more and more information about how the Obama administration conspired to subvert democratic elections. Recent bombshell documents prove that President Barack Obama was directly involved in the conspiracy against Donald Trump. Acting Attorney General Sally Yates was surprised to learn directly from Obama in the Oval Office about the anti-Trump efforts. Obama knew more about the conspiracy than Yates did.

This week, the Uniform Services League filed a Friend of the Court brief in support of Lt. General Michael Flynn opposing his further prosecution. Philadelphia criminal defense attorney Todd Mosser authored the brief. I filed it as local counsel admitted in that Court. Todd Mossers excellent brief presents the law and also points out how the newly disclosed information means that Flynn is actually innocent, not just that bad behavior by the FBI taints prosecution. Mosser explains how Flynn cannot be prosecuted for perjury or contempt.

But we discovered a lot more information than could fit reasonably in the brief. So here are some outtakes that have broader implications and concerns about our politics.

The brief explains quickly how the public narrative is proven false by the recent revelations. Why did Judge Emmet Sullivan call Flynn a traitor? Because Robert Muellers Office of Special Counsel lawyers spun the false tale that Russia did a special favor for Flynn, suggesting that there was collusion. The favor? Obama imposed sanctions on Russia for supposedly meddling in the 2016 elections. (Of course, I was in Russia in 1996 when Bill Clinton was meddling in the Russian presidential elections, but never mind.)

Unexpectedly Russia did not retaliate for the sanctions. Muellers attorneys lied in court and nationwide through the media that Russia did Flynn a favor, implying that there was some quid pro quo and that Flynn had promised Russia that the sanctions would be reduced or canceled once Trump took office. But the slow-rolled reveal of documents prove that to have been another Mueller lie.

The actual transcripts of the phone calls declassified on May 29, 2020, show that Flynn never asked for anything from the Russian ambassador, but only suggested that Russia consider the future ability of the countries to work together on common threats in the Middle East. When Sergey Kislyak called back -- contrary to the Mueller lies -- he did not say that Russia had granted Flynn a favor or request. Kislyak said that Russia had considered the ideas the two had discussed that the countries would need to be able to keep working on common interests such as terrorism in the Middle East.

Flynn never talked about the sanctions, but only Russias expected retaliation. Flynn accepted in these conversations that the Obama sanctions would happen and that Russia would retaliate. Flynn only mentioned that the countries face common threats and an out-of-control spiral of retaliations could hinder future cooperation. Nothing in this remotely implies that the sanctions would not stay in place.

On January 24, 2017, FBI agents pretending to just be colleagues who wanted to be updated on developments with Russia, including saying they did not understand why Russia did not retaliate, had a casual meeting with Flynn. Flynn said that he only vaguely remembered the conversations.

However, two day later the coup plotters, including Sally Yates, sought to fabricate a reason to sideline Flynn under the Logan Act, 18 U.S.C.  953. The White House Counsel Don McGahn, Yates and relevant leaders of the FBI passionately argued that the Logan Act criminalizes any difference in policy between outgoing and incoming administrations. See Exhibit 4 to the Governments Motion to Dismiss the Criminal Information Against the Defendant Michael T. Flynn, Interview by the Office of Special Counsel of Sally Yates, August 15, 2017, pages 8-9. In Yates interview with Muellers team, she portrays threatening the White House with very serious allegations that Flynn violated the Logan Act.

Even though Flynn did not, in fact, suggest any lessening of the Obama sanctions, the FBI and Yates lied to the White House and said he did. And they claimed that a difference in policy between the lame-duck administration prior to Inauguration Day on January 20 and the new incoming administration would be a crime.

Yates and FBI leaders actually got Flynn fired by threatening a bogus interpretation (See Exhibit 4) of this widely-ignored statute.

But, significantly, Flynn was acting in December 2016 and January 2017 officially for the U.S. government as a member of the president-elects transition team and not independently on his own. See, generally, The Presidential Transition Act of 1963, P.L.88-277 (March 7, 1964).

Prior to Flynns conversations, the Electoral College had met on December 19, 2016, making Donald J. Trump officially the incoming President. His presidency was vested and certain to take place in 31 days.

According to Robert Muellers Statement of the Offense (Docket No. 4):

1. The Defendant, MICHAEL T. FLYNN[] served as ... a senior member of President-Elect Trump's Transition team ("Presidential Transition Team"), and as the National Security Advisor to President Trump...." 3.  c On or about December 29, 2016, [Flynn] called a senior official of the Presidential Transition Team (PTT official), who was with other senior members of the Presidential Transition Team at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, to discuss what, if anything, to communicate to the Russian Ambassador about the U.S. sanctions. On that call, Flynn and the PTT official discussed the U.S. Sanctions, including the potential impact of those sanctions on the incoming administrations foreign policy goals. The PTT official and FLYNN also discussed that the members of the Presidential Transition Team at Mar-a-Lago did not want Russia to escalate the situation.

The government concedes that Flynn was acting at all relevant times under the authority of and at the direction of the President-Elect, not as a private citizen.

This was never a valid basis for investigating Flynn. Muellers team stated that It seemed logical to her that there may be some communications between an incoming administration and their foreign partners, so the Logan Act seemed like a stretch to her, in its interview of Mary McCord, August 10, 2017, in Exhibit 3 to Governments Motion to Dismiss the Criminal Information Against the Defendant Michael T. Flynn, page 3 (Docket No. 198-4))

But the Logan Act focuses on authority, not consistency. An incoming administration is not expected to continue the same policies. Predicating an FBI investigation into the next National Security Advisor would require an interpretation of the Logan Act that has never been tested in court: Flynn lacked authority to speak to foreign officials on behalf of the duly elected incoming President. Even if one stands on when a new president is actually sworn in, an FBI investigation would be pursuing an untested concept.
The situation at hand is being overlooked by the looting and the violence and whats really important is the police brutality, she said. " ... I feel as though (Floyds) death was the feather that broke the camels back. We needed this push not just as black people but as a community to do something about everything thats going on. Something needed to be done about the injustice, the police brutality. So many lives have been lost and weve gone silent. I feel like right now, its silence no more.
Foreign direct investment (FDI), which will help the economy recover after Covid-19, is also a driving force for the recovery of the real estate market.

FDI flow



Vietnam is expected to be a good choice for foreign investors thanks to the improved business environment.





Despite Covid-19, Vietnam still attracted $12.33 billion worth of FDI in the first four months of the year, equal to 84.5 percent of the same period last year. $5.15 billion worth of capital was disbursed during that time, equal to 90.4 percent.



Foreign investors invested in 18 business fields, of which real estate, with $665 million, ranked fourth among the business fields that attracted the highest foreign capital.

Though FDI to Vietnam decreased in the first four months of the year, economists believe that Vietnam will receive a new investment wave after the epidemic.

Though FDI to Vietnam decreased in the first four months of the year, economists believe that Vietnam will receive a new investment wave after the epidemic.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said it is now a golden opportunity for Vietnam to make the world know the country has special advantage in strategic trust, as a safe destination which is ready to receive capital flows.



Together with success in fighting against Covid-19, the governments support to help the business community overcome difficulties will be advantages for Vietnam to attract FDI in the time to come.



At a meeting between the Prime Minister and enterprises, the representatives of European, Japanese, South Korean and American businesses in Vietnam all confirmed their interest in Vietnam as a good destination for investors. The Vietnam Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises (VAFIE) has a proposal with four important points that it believes will help Vietnam catch the foreign investment flow.



One of the important points is that economic zones and industrial zones must prepare land and infrastructure conditions, and provide sufficient information about land rent, bill and electricity and labor supply to investors who are planning to relocate factories to Vietnam.



Southern industrial production center



The eastern part of the southern region, comprising six cities and provinces, including HCM City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ba Ria  Vung Tau, Tay Ninh and Binh Phuoc, is described as good land for birds to perch. There are great advantages in the localities to attract FDI into IZs.



Dong Nai, Binh Phuoc and Binh Duong, with developed industries, infrastructure and the large land fund to receive investors, are believed to be the choices for investors in post-Covid-19 period.



Many real estate firms in the three provinces are rushing to implement their projects in anticipation of the investment wave expected in the time to come.

Linh Ha

Experts: industrial real estate faring well in 2020 Foreign investors are planning to expand their operations in Vietnam this year, creating an opportunity for industrial property development despite the COVID-19 pandemic, according to experts.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: Observing that the recent killings of African-Americans in the US have exposed the horrifying reality of anti-blackness in the country, an Indian-American advocacy group has said that many people of Indian- and South Asian-origin have been, at best, silent and at worst, complicit for too long and this must change.

The Indian-American Impact Fund cited the killings of unarmed African-American George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis on May 25 and 26-year-old African-American woman Breonna Taylor by Louisville Metro Police Department officers on March 13, and said: "Let us be clear: our community is not guiltless".

"For far too long, far too many Indian-Americans and South Asian-Americans have been, at best, silent and at worst, complicit," it said in a statement on Friday.

The US-based advocacy group, which helps Indian-Americans join politics and run for elected offices, has observed that the recent killings of Floyd, Taylor and others have exposed the horrifying reality of anti-blackness in America.

"Many of us are here because of the tireless work of black and civil rights activists to open up immigration to America, and many more of us have benefited from the 'myth of the model minority'."

"And yet, we have begged off hard conversations about race and racism with our friends and family," it said.

"That can and must change," the group said.

"And while we have important work to do, there are reasons to be hopeful," it said.

Consider Gandhi Mahal, a Minneapolis Indian restaurant owned by Bangladeshi immigrants that offered space to medics and protestors in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder, it said.

"The New York Times tells us that Ruhel Islam, the owner of the restaurant, prepared daal (lentil), basmati rice and naan (Indian bread) -- comfort food we all know so well -- for protestors.

And when his restaurant was burned during the protests, Ruhel said "let my building burn. Justice needs to be served'"

And consider Rahul Dubey, a Washington DC businessman, who opened his home in the dead of the night to over 70 peaceful protestors seeking refuge from police deploying tear gas and flash bangs, it said.

"Our community knows well the spirit of hospitality and generosity.

In Rahul's words, 'right now I'm going to take joy that 70 people came into my life that are fierce, and that are dedicated' I hope they get back out there and stay in touch," the group said.

Asserting that 'Black Lives Matter', the group said that the community must support and work alongside black communities in the struggle to dismantle systems that perpetuate discrimination, disenfranchisement and racial violence - the kind of hate violence they too have experienced.

"We commit to using our platform to spread awareness and educate on issues of racial justice, and continue supporting candidates who share this vision," the group added.
The steering wheel of a rescue boat envisioned by Lake Conroe officials was beginning to slip away from Lt. Tim Cades hands.

Then Cade found an alternative for a vessel that could better patrol the lake.

A company in Louisiana could design a boat for the Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constables marine division and help save taxpayer money.

We came out with our dream boat, Cade said.

That boat, a 27-foot Metal Shark Defiant, hit the waters of the lake on Saturday. Its introduction to the units existing fleet of six improves patrolling on the increasingly popular lake.

Practical funding

All the safety boats Cade had been looking at were anchored down by a hefty price tag. Then he reached out to Jeanerette, La.-based Metal Shark Boats. The team there, Cade said, worked to build an affordable boat, customized to meet the standards he was looking for.

All for $228,000, a drop from the safety boats Cade had been looking at a year and a half ago. Those started at a hulking $350,000.

Funding by the Montgomery County Commissioners Court for the new vessel made sense, explained Pct. 1 Commissioner Mike Meador.

Obviously as the years go by, that lake becomes more and more a destination place, Meador said. Its necessary to do what we have to do, for (the lake patrol) to do what they have to do.

Paid for by last years budget, this new watercraft will help ease the use of two patrol boats nearly a quarter a century in use.

We got the most modern equipment we could purchase, said Pct. 1 Constable Philip Cash about some of the new watercrafts distinctive features.

All-around readiness

The other patrol boats in use, which are Boston Whaler Justice series, are three feet shorter in length than the new vessel. That is the smallest difference, however.

Working year-round, including wintertime when there is rain and the cold winds pick up on the lake, patrol deputies are exposed to all the elements on the older boats open-air deck and T top.

For years and years and years, weve had to answer calls, no matter what the elements, said Cade who has been on Lake Conroe patrol for 12 years.

But this new one has a cabin to shield from harsh conditions made worse when racing to the scene of an on-lake emergency. The shade the cabin will bring from summers stinging sun rays is especially welcomed, Cade added.

This new watercraft keeps our first responders safe, makes their jobs easier while performing rescues in all of these elements, in turn keeping the people of Lake Conroe safe, Cade said.

The boats occupancy limitations are also higher. In case a lake visitors boat capsizes, Cade said he would be comfortable placing as many as 19 people on it. The older vessels are capped at 15.

Additionally, the Metal Shark boats design has openings more broadly facilitating divers during recovery operations.

Cool details

The marine divisions new boat also outpaces the others, Cade assured. But he preferred not divulging its rate of speed.

Cade, however, does not hesitate expressing how delighted he is with this new vessel.

Ive kissed it, Ive hugged it, he said.

With all the new details this boat has, Cade is especially excited about one amenity previously unavailable on other watercraft used on patrol.

I can tell you this from years and years and years of cooking on Lake Conroe, she has air conditioning, he said of the new boat.

jose.gonzalez@chron.com

twitter.com/jrgzztx
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 21:35:01|Editor: huaxia

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CHAMBISHI, Zambia, June 6 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese enterprise, Chambishi Copper Smelter (CSS), has donated materials for fighting COVID-19 to an animal sanctuary, Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage, in Chingola mining district on the Copperbelt province.

The Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage is a home of chimpanzees, following the outbreak of COVID-19 management has temporarily closed the site for tourism.

This has resulted into failure by the institution to generate money to procure disinfectants aimed at fighting the pandemic.

The CCS through the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) donated hand-washing liquid soap and disinfectants to help management at the orphanage to protect its workers against the pandemic.

The CCS deputy CEO Xu Laixiang who handed over the donation said the company had been committed to supplementing Zambian government's efforts towards the fight against the pandemic.

"We are aware of the challenges the orphanage has been facing in providing a conducive environment amid the pandemic," he said.

And Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage general manager Innocent Mulenga said due to the closure of the tourist site, it was difficult to generate money to buy materials such as sanitizers.

Mulenga thanked the CCS for coming on board to procure the assorted sanitizers and soaps, adding that the gesture would go a long way in protecting both management and the animals from the pandemic.

Meanwhile, ZEMA Northern Region Manager Frederick Muyano said the donation will go a long way in helping the orphanage alleviate some of the challenges it is facing. Enditem
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

R.F. writes: Last July, a friend persuaded me to try online investing. I first looked at Bitcoin, but then I was contacted by Investous and agreed to risk 1,000. Every day, Investous would call me to talk about investments, saying they would make me 50,000 by Christmas.

Then one afternoon the caller said I was about to make a loss and should transfer another 1,000 to my account. He instructed me how to do this online while he stayed on the phone. He kept saying my money had not arrived and I should press a certain key again and again, which I did. When I checked my bank account, I found 34,500 had gone.

Shady: Cyprus has long been a centre for rip-off firms which then passport their services

Investous is a name used by F1 Markets Limited. This is a Cypriot company, based in Limassol, and licensed by one of the weakest watchdogs in Europe, the Cyprus Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC).

Every rip-off operator in Europe knows that if you want to set up a shady business, Cyprus is the place to go. Having a licence there gives you the right under Brussels rules to 'passport' your business into other European countries, which is why F1 Markets appears on the public register of our own Financial Conduct Authority even though it has no offices or staff in Britain.

Investous handles very high-risk deals such as contracts for difference. These are only suitable for experienced investors and those well off enough to afford serious losses. You, on the other hand, have told me that you know nothing about investments and were looking for a bit of fun with a modest amount.

I contacted F1 Markets at the beginning of March and asked the company to comment. I pointed out that its website says it is an execution-only broker, offering no advice, guidance or recommendations, yet you made it clear that you followed investment instructions from its salesman.

F1 Markets offered no comments or explanations, but it immediately contacted you, referring to your complaints as 'inquiries'. This appears to have been aimed at sidestepping Cyprus regulations which say firms must report complaints to the SEC.

So, I contacted the SEC in Nicosia as well as our own FCA.

The SEC asked to be kept informed and on April 28, I reported to it that you had been offered 20,000 by F1 Markets if you signed a secrecy agreement promising never to give evidence against it voluntarily.

Sensibly, you accepted the 20,000, and honourably, you ignored the secrecy agreement. I told all this to the Cyprus SEC, which refused to comment, except to message that it would 'take into account' what I said.

I expected little from the FCA. For years, it has told me it is powerless to stop 'passported' firms ripping off British investors, since the Brussels fiction is that all regulators are equal, so a licence in one country should be accepted everywhere else. This time was no exception.

On March 19, the FCA told me that if a passported firm causes concern, it raises those concerns with the firm's home state regulator, and what happens after that is up to the home state. But in a bombshell development last Monday, this turned out to be utterly false.

The FCA suddenly ordered four Cypriot firms to stop offering high-risk contracts for difference to British investors. What seems to have attracted the FCA's attention was not so much that they were cheating investors on a grand scale, but that according to the FCA: 'It appears that these firms used unauthorised celebrity endorsements on social media as part of their marketing.'

Germans hold the key to your invalid travel cover R.P. writes: We bought a one-year worldwide travel insurance policy from the Post Office in January, and now of course we cannot use it. We have tried hard to reach the Post Office to discuss this, but to no avail. You and your wife are both senior citizens, and you spent almost 500 on the Post Offices Annual Multi-trip travel policy. You managed one trip to Madeira before lockdown, but now the Post Offices own website says: Policies may be invalidated by travelling to areas that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against. Currently the FCO advises against all international travel. In a nutshell, you have a travel policy that is made invalid if you travel. The Financial Conduct Authority has asked all insurers to review their products where customers can now make little or no use of the cover provided. But a decision on your own cover is not really up to the Post Office. It markets the policies, but the purse strings are held by German underwriters. The Post Office has told me it is in talks with the Germans and is hoping to have an answer this month. Fingers crossed.

One of the four Cypriot firms was F1 Marketing, and the SEC then banned the firm from providing any further investment services to British clients. The FCA then backtracked at a rate of knots on its March 19 'shrug of the shoulders' that passed all responsibility to Nicosia.

A few days ago it tried to say this was simply its 'default position', and that it has always had the power to kick out undesirable foreign firms. It is just that it has never, ever used it until now.

This will be startling news to all the victims of earlier passporting scandals such as Banc de Binary. Its victims lost hundreds of millions of pounds while the FCA did nothing. It even allowed Banc de Binary to appear on its public register of investment firms. Why? Because Banc de Binary and lots of other Israeli-run scams had been licensed by  you've guessed it  the Cyprus SEC.

Perhaps it is only now that Britain is leaving the EU that the FCA has found the guts to use the power it always denied it had. But this raises yet again the question of whether the FCA has lost its way in recent years and abandoned ordinary consumers to the wolves. If the answer is yes, then it is good that the tide has perhaps turned, but who will now stand up from the FCA, apologise, and make amends?

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk.

Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
Banksy has shown his support for the Black Lives Matter movement, saying 'people of colour are being failed by the system'.

His comment comes one the second week of protests sparked by the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd in the US.

The graffiti artist, who rose to fame for his provocative street art, shared a painting of a vigil candle burning an American flag along with his message.

He wrote: 'At first I thought I should just shut up and listen to black people about this issue.

Banksy has shown his support for the Black Lives Matter movement, saying 'people of colour are being failed by the system'. He shared a painting of a vigil candle burning an American flag along with his message

His comment comes one the second week of protests sparked by the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd in the US

'But why would I do that? It's not their problem, it's mine.'

He continued: 'People of colour are being failed by the system. The white system.

'Like a broken pipe flooding the apartment of the people living downstairs. The faulty system is making their life a misery, but it's not their job to fix it. They can't - no-one will let them in the apartment upstairs.

'This is a white problem. And if white people don't fix it, someone will have to come upstairs and kick the door in.'

Thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters piled into Parliament Square in London despite ministers' desperate pleas for them to stay indoors amid the coronavirus threat

Vast crowds of people packed into Parliament Square, London, today as part of demonstrations following the death of George Floyd last week

The identity of Banksy has long been a closely-guarded secret, but that has not stopped him from becoming one of the most prolific artists of the 21st century, gaining attention for his politically-charged works.

Floyd was killed when a white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds despite Floyd's desperate pleas that he 'can't breathe'.

He passed out and later died in Minneapolis on May 25.

His death is seen as a symbol of systemic police brutality against African-Americans sparking outrage and largely-peaceful protests across the US.

Demonstrations have since developed into world-wide anti-racism protests.

An estimated 4,000 people are expected to attend a demonstration in Bristol, Banksy's hometown, which will include a march through the city to Castle Park on Sunday.
NORWALK  The state is asking for the publics input on a proposal to use a portion of Manresa Island as a construction staging area for the ongoing Walk Bridge replacement.

The state Department of Transportation will hold an online public information meeting at 6:30 p.m. June 16, to discuss the potential use of a portion of Manresa Island as part of the Walk Bridge Replacement Project.

This meeting is being held to afford an opportunity for public participation and open discussion of views and comments the community may have regarding the proposed use of Manresa Island as a construction staging area for the upcoming Walk Bridge Replacement Project, DOT officials said in a press release.

Residents interested in participating in the online meeting can register on the Walk Bridge projects official website, where the meeting video will be held.

The states presentation will also be recorded and posted on the website and the Walk Bridge Facebook page on June 18.

Manresa Island, located at the southern tip of Norwalk near the Harbor View neighborhood, is the site of a former power plant that has been closed since 2013.

In 2017, the city and the Manresa Association split the costs on a study to determine the potential future uses of the 92-acre site. The study, completed in 2019, narrowed future uses to four options: a boatyard, solar farm, educational campus or residential subdivision with up to 75 houses.

But after 50 years of use as a coal-burning and then oil-burning power plant, cleanup costs at the site could range from $8 million to $30 million or more, the study also found.

The densely wooded northern portion of the property contains coal ash fill and other contaminants. The 46-acre south parcel contains the decommissioned power plant, oil tank farm, wastewater treatment plant, harbor and dock, as well as an active electrical substation.

It is uncertain how DOT could affect the plans to remediate and repurpose the island.

Officials for the Walk Bridge project did not respond to requests for comment.
Delhi Police on Saturday filed chargesheet against seven people in connection with the murder of a 27-year-old law student during the riots in the national capital.

Deceased Rahul Solanki was shot dead by the assailants near Shiv Vihar on February 24.

"During investigation, it was established that the deceased Rahul Solanki had gone to a shop in the locality but on the way, he was shot dead," the police said.

With the help of the CCTV footage, eyewitness accounts and analysis of Call Detail Records, seven accused persons were arrested in connection with the case.

They have been chargesheeted for joining unlawful assembly, rioting, promoting enmity between groups, outraging religious feelings, murder, theft, mischief and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act.

"The arrested accused persons include one Salman, who fired towards the Hindu community people standing near Shiv Vihar Tiraha," said the police.

All the accused persons are in judicial custody. A semi-automatic country made .32 pistol used by Salman was recovered. Efforts are on to identify more accused persons.

The police said, "Large scale arson of houses and shops of Hindu community was done during the riots".

The murder took place near Anil Sweets, where one Dilbar Singh Negi was also murdered on the same day. Many more cases were registered regarding riots in the close vicinity.
Yesterday marked the 41st anniversary of the June 4th revolution. And as he has done every year since that rainy morning in Accra, the Chairman of the AFRC, Ft. Lt. Rawlings reminded us of its significance.

Perhaps, for historical purposes, we should yoke the June 4th and 31st December revolutions. While some insist on separating the two, for practical purposes, they are the same-- like kenkey and corn. As my elders ask, "Aburo nko na dokono nko?"

Most revolutions have easily identifiable, transformative effects. Thus the American, Chinese, French, Haitian and Russian revolutions all had lasting impacts.

As to the Rawlings revolutions, most of the revolutionaries who have not been eaten up by it or died dispute its benefits. Amongst these are Osahene Boakye Gyan, Cpl. Adabuga, Chris Atim and Alorga Akata-Pore.

According to Boakye Gyan, 31st December was a betrayal of June 4th.

A few days ago, Akata Pore wondered whether the anniversary was to mourn the soldiers who died carrying out the revolution or its victims. That is an important distinction.

According to Chairman Rawlings, the revolutions had "core values of probity, accountability, integrity and social justice"

Too often, as a nation , we default to populist, feel good rhetoric and resort to "Fama Nyame" instead of looking the truth in the face. If we do not honestly evaluate the fruits of the Rawlings revolutions, some day in the distant future, another group of young, naive, well-meaning but misguided idealists will launch another futile revolution.

As Rawlings himself stated yesterday, "Instead of learning useful lessons from our not-too-distant past, here in Ghana ,some have made it their business to corrupt others to distort and wipe out our history ". Indeed, Chairman! Unfortunately, many place Chairman Rawlings amongst those distortionists.

We know of the dead soldiers and judges and the collapsed businesses and the curfews.

There are more costs but let us evaluate the revolutions using their own standards.

Did these revolutions increase probity and accountability in Ghana?

Not one bit. And here is why.

In the course of Rawlings' 18-year rule, we had GHACEM and MABEY and JOHNSON which were scandals in which Courts in Sweden and the United Kingdom found that foreign companies had paid bribes to government officials, including the Rawlings family. In the Mabey and Johnson case, The Guardian reported that a court found that while Rawlings was President, there was a "wide-ranging series of bribes" to Ghanaian government officials totalling 470 thousand pounds.

In addition, during the same period, under the guise of privatization, significant state corporations were auctioned off at "donkomi" prices to friends and families of the revolutionaries, including Mrs. Rawlings. In other words, the revolutionaries became compradore bourgeoisie capitalists. And there is the Abacha bribe!

As for accountability, it died early. The final nail in the coffin went in when under cover of darkness, the champions of accountability dodged accountability by inserting into the 1992 constitution, the infamous indemnity clauses. Any man with honour would have stopped preaching about accountability and any serious country would have stopped listening to him. But he keeps preaching and we keep listening, like an abusive man and his victim.

As for justice, no nation whose justice system has been touched by revolution would treat cassava and akonfem thieves harsher than the white-collar criminals who loot her coffers in broad daylight. The nation that couldn't get justice for the generals, and the judges and has not even mourned its dead in Kume Preko is having a funeral for George Floyd! We are truly outsiders who weep louder than the bereaved.

The toll on our national journey of the Rawlings misadventures is incalculable but there is more.

A year before Rawlings burst on the scene, Deng Xiaoping took the helm in China. By the time he left the scene 14 years later, his policies-- or modernizations, were on their way to lifting 600 million Chinese out of poverty! While we were singing revolutionary slogans and collapsing the businesses of entrepreneurs, they were doing real transformation.

Aside from learning the right lessons, we can do a few things to right the wrongs of these misguided revolutions.

First, let us apologize for the needless deaths of the generals and the judges and compensate their families.

Second, let us return to the affected families the homes and businesses and other properties that were seized illegally.

Third, let us teach our children the ugly truths about these revolutions.

And finally, let us call out and deal with those who are busy creating the conditions for the next revolution.

As George Bernard Shaw said, "No one can contemplate the condition of the masses without desiring revolution. And yet, revolutions have never lightened the burdens of tyranny-- they have only shifted it on to other shoulders".

Long live Ghana.

Arthur Kobina Kennedy ( 5th June, 2020)
Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

Maharashtra banks on Remdesivir drug to fight Covid-19, will buy 10K vials

Less than a week after India approved the use of Remdesivir drug to fight Covid-19, the Maharashtra government on Saturday said it will be procuring 10,000 vials of the drug to combat the pandemic in the state.

Read more.

Now, pregnant cows jaw blown off by explosive-laden wheat-flour ball in Himachals Jhandutta

In a repeat of Kerala-like animal cruelty, a pregnant cows jaw was severely injured after being fed wheat dough stuffed with firecrackers in Jhandutta area of Bilaspur district here.The police on Saturday arrested a person for causing grievous injury to the domestic animal.

Read more.

With rising Covid-19 cases, Goas churches, mosques will not reopen on June 8

Churches and mosques will not reopen in Goa despite permission from the Central government to do so with leaders of the respective communities saying that the situation is still not conducive for reopening places of worship. In a statement to the media, the Association of All Goa Muslim Jamaats has said that until June 30, they have requested all mosques not to open their doors to followers in view of the spike in cases of Covid-19 in the state.

Read more.

In Arvind Kejriwals defence of new Covid-19 testing norms, a warning about system collapse

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday asked people in the national capital not to head to Covid-19 centres and hospitals to get themselves tested for the disease if they dont have symptoms of the disease. The chief ministers appeal comes days after the city government changed its testing strategy to severely restrict access to Covid-19 tests.

Read more.

Delhis Ganga Ram Hospital booked for violating Covid testing protocol

An FIR has been filed against Delhis Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for alleged violation of regulations governing management of Covid-19 virus outbreak in the capital, says PTI. The complaint against the hospital was made by the Delhi government, the news agency claimed.

Read more.

Dwayne Johnson calls for justice amid protests in US over George Floyds death

Hollywood star Dwayne Johnson took to social media, demanding justice for Floyd. Posting a video on Instagram, Dwayne showed support to the Black Lives Matter movement. Dwayne wondered where their leader is when the country is down on its knees. Although Johnson didnt refer to Donald Trump by name, his indication was quite clear. 46-year-old Floyd died last week in Minneapolis after a cop held him down with a knee on his neck. The white police officer Derek Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder.

Watch here.

Cant make Dravid act like Yuvraj or make Yuvraj be Dravid, Ganguly on adaptability and leadership

Sourav Ganguly, president of the BCCI, believes adaptability is one of the key elements behind the success of a good leader and that one shouldnt be discouraged with mistakes as they pave way for a bright future. Ganguly, one of Indias most successful captains, who led the team to 11 Test wins overseas, was a guest lecturer on Unacademy, and conducted a Live Class on Saturday, where he shared his experiences and lessons behind staying motivated.

Read more.

Google+ replacement Currents launching on July 6 for G Suite users

Google shut down Google Plus last year due to low usage but the company still made a replacement for it. Called Currents this social networking platform will roll out to G Suite customers on July 6.

Read more.

All lives matter? Heres why Sara Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Tamannah Bhatias Instagram posts are tone deaf

While Bollywood celebrities jumped on the Black Lives Matter movement, only to be called out by Abhay Deol, some others went a step further and contested All Lives Matter. Heres why people need to stop saying All Lives Matter explained.

Read more.

Dads hilarious review about daughters pretend-restaurant is viral for the best reason

Waiting 45 minutes for an order at a restaurant would frustrate anyone and earn the establishment a terrible rating. When the restaurant is run by a toddler whos all kinds of adorable, the wait is totally worth it. Thats probably why this restaurant review is going viral.

Read more.
AN LAPD officer watches for people tossing debris from tall buildings as dozens of protesters are arrested for curfew violations on Broadway. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The Los Angeles Police Department faces growing criticism over its handling of protests as new videos and images emerged Friday of violent, aggressive behavior by officers.

Mayor Eric Garcetti found himself walking a fine line, criticizing episodes of excessive force that have been captured on video while also defending positive contributions that individual officers and law enforcement investigations have made, such as breaking up human trafficking rings. He said some of the police tactics seen in the last week have no place in the City of Angels.

A coalition of criminal justice activists and homeless advocates filed a lawsuit against the city over how police have handled protests following the death of George Floyd, accusing officers of shooting a homeless man in the eye with rubber bullets and holding people for upward of 12 hours for simple curfew violations.

The suit  filed late Friday by the Los Angeles chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, Black Lives Matter and Los Angeles Community Action Network  accused the LAPD of violating protesters right to assemble and using excessive force.

The complaint also provided new information about an image of a homeless man bleeding from the eye in downtown Los Angeles that had gone viral and been shared by many critical of the department over the past week.

The LAPD has not completed a breakdown of arrests during the protests. Department spokesman Josh Rubenstein estimated that about 2,700 people were arrested between May 29 and Tuesday during the height of the protests; booking records suggest the majority of those arrests were for failure to obey a dispersal order or curfew violations.

The department has not provided updated arrest figures since Tuesday. The lawsuit estimated 3% of the 2,700 arrests were for looting or other crimes. Booking records reviewed by The Times earlier this week showed about 150 people had been arrested for looting during that time, approximately 5% of the overall arrest total.

Story continues

Over the past week, while [Black Lives Matter Los Angeles] and its members were engaged in lawful First Amendment activity, the LAPD used force to terminate the protests, including the indiscriminate use of so-called less lethal weapons that caused injury to its members and instilled fear in them that, if they chose to assemble in public spaces to express their opposition to police violence across the nation against black men and women, they would be the subject of such violence and arrest, the suit said.

The suit also accused the LAPD of arresting a number of homeless people for curfew violations even though they had no place they could go to avoid violating.

The suit contained a gruesome picture of a homeless man in a wheelchair known as Cincinnati bleeding from the eye, allegedly after police shot him in the face with rubber bullets. The LAPD has said it uses less-than-lethal foam projectiles, not rubber bullets.

He pleaded with police not to use force on him before being shot in the face, the suit claims.

Rubenstein confirmed the incident involving the homeless man is the subject of an Internal Affairs investigation, as are several other widely circulated clips of alleged police misconduct that have surfaced in recent days. He urged anyone who believes they were the victim of police misconduct to contact Internal Affairs or the Office of the Inspector General, but declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Earlier this week, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said the department needed to show more force in response to attacks on police officers and reports of looting in various parts of the city. At least 27 officers have been injured in the last week while responding to protests or looting, including one officer who was hospitalized with a fractured skull.

But in recent days, the LAPD has been criticized for its response to the demonstrations. Two City Council members and the president of the civilian Police Commission, former federal prosecutor Eileen Decker, have called for a review.

On Friday, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) also called on the Police Commission to investigate the departments response last week to protests and looting in the Fairfax District.

While the area saw significant looting and police cars being set on fire, footage has also emerged showing officers striking unarmed protesters with batons. A reporter for L.A. Taco said he was attacked with a baton without provocation, despite declaring himself a member of the press.

Folks who loot or commit arson or assault police officers are committing crimes and that cannot be condoned or tolerated. At the same time, you cant attribute what some folks did on one day, and then deal with peaceful protesters on a different day and hit them with batons, Lieu said Friday. They are a different set of people, so its not a justification to say just because some people did some looting, therefore were going to treat all protesters the same.

Asked about the use of batons or foam rounds to break up demonstrations, Moore said officers could be justified in using such force if an unlawful assembly is declared because of violence, attacks on officers or destruction of property. But he said the key was the proportionality of force used and acknowledged at least one incident from last weekend required his involvement to stop officers from being violent.

Officers were taking rocks, bottles, other projectiles [and] sustaining injuries from members within a very large crowd. And that crowd, it was the determination of on-scene commanders that it was an unlawful assembly, and that that crowd needed to disperse, he said. And what I witnessed was officers resorting to force, including baton strikes to achieve that, and I went personally to the scene and took actions to stop that.

Still, consequences from the departments actions last weekend continued to surface. Brooke Fortson, 29, who said she was peacefully protesting when an LAPD cruiser slammed into her in Pershing Square on Sunday, has filed notice that she plans to sue the city.

Television footage showed an LAPD vehicle driving toward a crowd of protesters near 5th and Hill streets Sunday afternoon. After briefly stopping as protesters tried to get around the car, the car speeds forward, striking at least one person.

Fortson told The Times she suffered bruises across her body after the car struck her in the side. The LAPD has said protesters were attacking the vehicle, which was responding to a report of a robbery, but television footage does not appear to show that. Fortson also denied that claim.

My experience of what happened was, after I was hit, I jumped away and I remember hands pulling me toward the curb and asking me if I was OK. I remember hearing someone yell this is a peaceful protest, everybody kneel, and everybody on the steps kneeled down, she said. Largely, the vast majority of people stayed and remained peaceful and deescalated the situation that the cop caused.

Meanwhile, dozens of protests continued across Southern California.

A Friday afternoon demonstration at Santa Monica City Hall turned into a raucous Q&A between peaceful protesters and the city police chief, interim city manager and mayor.

Mayor Kevin McKeown and interim City Manager Lane Dilg attempted to address protesters and were met with questions about the use of tear gas last Sunday in Santa Monica and calls to cut the citys police budget.

We will look at the actions of Sunday; we will determine what we can do to keep our community safe and facilitate peaceful protest, Dilg said.

You called in the National Guard! one protester shouted.

Police Chief Cynthia Renaud said the list of names of people who died at the hands of police doesnt seem to end, but they stop in Santa Monica.

I believe in the peace; I believe in the community I serve, she said.

Then she, the mayor and others took a knee in solidarity with the protesters. Some in the crowd decried the moment as a photo op. One protester said if Renaud couldnt admit that violence was used against nonviolent protesters then she should resign.

Times staff writers Alex Wigglesworth, Tony Barboza, Joseph Serna and Leila Miller contributed to this report.
More schools have shelved plans to reopen on Monday it has emerged after new data suggested coronavirus could still be spreading in the North West of England.

Health officials at Blackburn and Darwen Council, which runs 85 schools in Lancashire, emailed local schools on Friday evening advising them not to reopen on Monday morning.

The same advice has been given by public health officials in Tameside, Greater Manchester, to delay reopening for pupils other than vulnerable children and those of key workers, to June 22.

It comes after new data showed the virus reproductive rate, known as the R value, is higher than the crucial threshold of 1 in the North West region.

The R value refers to the average number of people that will contract coronavirus from an infected person.

If it is 1 or higher, the virus will spread exponentially through the population, while a value less than 1 indicates the virus is in decline.

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Officials from Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Blackburn (QEGS) tweeted that they would not re-open until June 22 after latest guidance from the council to all schools across the borough.

QEGS headteacher Claire Gammon wrote a statement on the school website to parents and carers.

It said: Following updated guidance from Blackburn with Darwen Council this evening, we are delaying the phased reopening of school until June 22 2020.

We appreciate this is late notice, however we are having to work with an ever-evolving situation and flexibility is required by our whole QEGS community.

Other schools in the borough, which has a population of 150,000, has also said teachers were devastated after working tirelessly to prepare for Monday.

As part of the NHS Test and Trace service, thousands of contact tracers have been enlisted to communicate with people who test positive for #COVID19.



Read our #PublicHealthMatters blog to find out what a typical day for a contact tracer is like.https://t.co/ZWbnJljWlL  UK Health Security Agency (@UKHSA) June 5, 2020

Headteachers in Tameside were also told on Friday to delay the wider reopening of schools beyond key workers children and vulnerable pupils until there is further assurance, the councils director of public health, Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy, said in a letter to schools.

Teachers union NASUWT has written to several local authorities in the North West urging them to reconsider plans to press ahead with the wider reopening of schools.

General secretary Patrick Roach said: Employers have statutory responsibilities to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees at work and to minimise the risks to which employees are exposed.

Given the reports that the R rate has now risen above 1 in the North West, meaning that the virus may be growing again, the NASUWT believes these local authorities must fulfil their duty of care to staff and pupils by rethinking plans for the wider reopening of schools in their region.

Some local authorities and employers in the region have already suggested that schools in their borough postpone the wider reopening of schools in response to the increase in the R rate. The NASUWT believes their neighbours should now do likewise.

The North West has the highest rate of Covid-19 infections in England according to Public Health England (PHE), and data released on Friday afternoon suggested the R value is higher than 1 in the region.

Data from PHE released on Friday gave an R value of 1.01 for the North West and 1.0 for the South West, with all other regions below 1.

The Government has suggested a strategy of local lockdown measures to fight any flare-up of the virus in particular areas.

In response to the news regarding the R rate across the North West, the Mayors Office, health colleagues and GMP ask everyone to abide by social distancing this weekend. Whether going to the park, meeting friends or taking part in protest, please keep your two-metre distance. pic.twitter.com/7IRaGcng4b  Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 5, 2020

However Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, has questioned whether such measures are workable, calling them a recipe for chaos.

Both he and Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram have questioned whether lockdown relaxation was being lifted too soon, having been driven from London, with the regions and the North in particular not being listened to.

Council bosses in Liverpool and Gateshead led a northern backlash against the Government announcement last month advising schools to reopen for Years 1 and 6 from June 1.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, speaking at the Downing Street briefing on Friday, said experts on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) believe the UKs overall R number is below 1, but added that local lockdowns would be used when outbreaks are spotted.

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He said the PHE data needed to be looked at in the round with other data.

Mr Hancock added: The discussion of the higher R in the North West and the South West thats estimated compared to the rest of the country is an important part of moving towards a more localised approach rather than a national approach to the lockdown.

In her letter to headteachers, Dr de Gruchy said that after initially supporting the gradual reopening of school in Tameside, the advice had now changed.

Because of this change in R, and despite the excellent work undertaken, I am therefore strongly advising all schools and childcare settings to delay wider opening until at least June 22 for us to be more assured that the rate of infection is reducing and R is firmly below 1, she said.

Colin Cox, director of public health in Cumbria, also warned on Friday that people should not be complacent and lockdown restrictions could be tightened if the R number increases.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes a knee during in a Black Lives Matter protest on Parliament Hill June 5, 2020 in Ottawa, Canada

DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kneeled three times during an anti-racism protest in Canada on Friday, in solidarity with those protesting police violence.

Trudeau, wearing a mask, turned up at the protest, part of worldwide response sparked by the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in US police custody.

The global protests condemn US police brutality while also highlighting racism in each country, and Trudeau is under pressure to address racial and police violence in Canada.

Trudeau attended the protest the day after an indigenous woman was shot dead by police. He said police discrimination "needs to end" but did not directly answer questions about policy changes.

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kneeled during an anti-racism protest in Canada as the protests sparked by the death of George Floyd in the US. But there are growing calls for him to do more to address racism in Canada.

Trudeau kneeled three times alongside anti-racism protesters near Canada's parliament in Ottawa on Friday, as part of protests that have taken place in cities across the country over the previous week.

One of those times was during a nine-minute silence to represent the almost nine minutes that a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on Floyd's neck for before he died. Floyd pleaded that he could not breathe before his death.

Trudeau did not speak at the protests, and wore a black mask as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

While Trudeau appears to have been the first world leader to kneel during such protests, other world leaders have come out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and say they condemn racism.

The protests spread across the US after Floyd's death, with major demonstrations taking place in every state. They have been replicated in countries around the world.

People in Canada are calling on Trudeau both to address the situation in the US and to do more to address inequality in Canada.

Story continues

Protesters rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, at the Canadian Tribute to Human Rights monument in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada June 5, 2020.

REUTERS/Blair Gable

A group of people at the protest chanted "Stand up to Trump" at him, Bloomberg reported.

The protest also came after police killed Chantel Moore, an indigenous woman, during a wellness check-in eastern Canada on Thursday.

A separate video also appeared to show police intentionally driving into an indigenous man.

Trudeau said on Friday, after these incidents but before the protest, that "far too many Canadians feel fear and anxiety at the sight of a law enforcement officer."

"Over the past weeks we've seen a large number of Canadians suddenly awaken to the fact that discrimination is a lived reality for far too many of our fellow citizens," he said, Reuters reported.

He said that police discrimination against indigenous people and people of color "needs to end."

But The Guardian reported that Trudeau did not directly answer reporters' questions about specific government policy changes or whether he felt Canadian police were racist.

Trudeau said the issue will be discussed with his ministers, Reuters reported.

Protestors take a knee during a Black Lives Matter protest on Parliament Hill June 5, 2020 in Ottawa, Canada.

DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images

Some protesters said Trudeau's kneeling felt like a stunt without more firm action.

Andray Domise, a Toronto-based writer, told The Guardian: "I'm not interested in bullshit publicity stunts, especially now."

"How the hell can you kneel against police brutality? When everything in your record indicates you have no problem with it. It boggles the mind to watch him turn to the camera  almost like he was confirming that he was being filmed  and kneeling."

Trudeau had been asked on Tuesday to respond to Trump's use of tear gas to clear peaceful protesters from a Washington DC park so he could take photos in front of a church.

Trudeau paused for more than 20 seconds before he responded: "We all watch in horror and consternation what's going on in the United States."

"It is a time to pull people together, but it is a time to listen. It is a time to learn what injustices continue despite progress over years and decades."

Trudeau has also previously been under fire for videos of him wearing blackface and brownface during the 1990s and 2000s. The prime minister said his actions were "unacceptable" and a "terrible mistake."

Read the original article on Insider
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6)  Six people were killed including four soldiers while 17 were wounded in a military clash with a terror group in Patikul, Sulu, an Armed Forces official reported on Saturday.

Major Arvin Encinas, spokesman for AFP Western Mindanao Command, said the other two casualties were members of the Abu Sayyaf Group.

He said soldiers from the 6th Special Force Battalion were conducting a combat operation in Sitio Lagaron, Barangay Ka-Angue on Friday when they met about 40 armed men.

A firefight followed and lasted 40 minutes, the spokesman added.

This is a breaking story.
A man has been reportedly arrested in Sri Lanka for allegedly forging the signature of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and misusing Presidential letterheads. According to a local Sir Lankan media outlet, the suspect produced a letter to the Chairman of Bank of Cylon on a Presidential letterhead with Rajapaksas forged signature.

As per reports, in the letter, the man requested the bank to reinstate him with his salary, allowances and a promotion. The bank authorities, upon finding that the Presidents signature had been forged, summoned the person to headquarters after which he was arrested by the police. The officials also seized the laptop and other accessories used by the suspect to prepare the forged documents. The Criminal Investigation Department reportedly also said that the suspect has been remanded until June 8 after being produced in court.

READ: Sri Lankan Cafe Owner Feeds And Shelters Stranded Tourists

READ: Sri Lankan Players Resume Training, Say Sweat Not As Effective As Saliva

Sri Lankas economy hit by COVID-19

The case comes after the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis dented Sri Lankas economy. According to a media report, the pandemic has caused a steep fall in the earnings from tourism, remittances and outflow of foreign investment. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka reportedly said that country is facing the worst financial crisis in its history due to the economic and travel curbs imposed after the outbreak.

The central bank said that the Sri Lankan rupee had also depreciated significantly with the outbreak of coronavirus "during the latter part of March up to mid-April, reaching a peak of rupees 199.75 per US dollar on April 9. Moreover, with the outbreak, the government had introduced imports control measures by almost banning all non-essential imports, a move widely seen to bring in rupee's stability by preserving foreign reserves. As per reports, Sri Lanka's economy has in general been impacted since last year when the country was jolted by the Easter Sunday attacks.

(Inputs: PTI; Image: Pixabay) (Representative image)

READ: Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Won't Annul Parliament Dissolution

READ: Sri Lanka's Economy Hit By Coronavirus; Decline In Earnings From Tourism, Remittances: Central Bank
Dundalk Stadium isn't going to let the small matter of a pandemic stand in the way of this year's Ladies Day and so they have announced an innovative solution - a virtual Ladies Day on July 12.

Dundalk Stadium and The Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk have joined forces to bring you #12JulyLadiesDayIn, where all of those planned outfits can still be donned so you can enter for a chance to be crowned 'The Best Dressed Lady' 2020 .

Most importantly 100% of all proceeds are going to Ireland Thanks You, a charity for front line workers during these difficult and unprecedented times.

All entrants have to do is take a photograph of themselves in their Ladies Day outfit and upload it onto a social media platform; Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and tag us and our sponsor with the hashtag; #12JulyLadiesDayIn and also share a screenshot of their 4 donation to #IrelandThanksYou.

Photographs are then judged by a panel including Suzanne Ryan Millinery and Sheila McCall-Rafferty aka Glam Meets Girl, with our top 10 going to the public vote on our Instagram page and the entry with the most likes will win the fabulous prize worth 2,000; consisting of a VIP weekend experience in The Crowne Plaza and a champagne dinner at Dundalk Stadium for 4 plus a few extra goodies to enhance the experience even more!

There will also be a best hat category where Suzanne Ryan Millinery will choose her favourite head piece from all entrants and they will receive two bespoke hats from her range and a Race Day Package for 4 including finger food.

Cormac McCann, Sales and Marketing Manager Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts  Dundalk said, We are proud to be part of Dundalk Stadium's iconic Ladies Day, Ladies Day is one of the highlights of the calendar for the people of Dundalk and the North East and there is always a fantastic atmosphere.

"While were disappointed that we cant be there in person this year were determined to do all we can to lift peoples spirits and put a smile on peoples faces. We look forward to bringing together everyone in this new virtual format until we are able to return to a new normal."

Safety has always been a top priority, Cormac added.

"The safety of our staff, customers, and attendees has always been our top priority and thats even more essential during the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to this years event and cant wait to see you there! 

Photographs need to be uploaded between the 1st and 8th July with the Top 10 being chosen and uploaded onto our Instagram page on the 9th July. Public votes from the 9th-12th July with the winner announced at approx. 5pm on 12th July.

For full information, rules and terms & conditions please check their social media or website.

Racing can be viewed on Racing TV; Dundalk will now host the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes over 10.7 furlongs on Sunday July 12, the first day that the newly resurfaced track will be in operation, as the final leg of the European Road to the Kentucky Derby.
A worshipper wears gloves to prevent the spread of Covid-19 as mosques reopened across Saudi Arabia (Amr Nabil/AP)

A Yemeni sanitation worker, wearing protective gear, sprays disinfectant in a neighbourhood in the northern Hajjah province during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by ESSA AHMED/AFP via Getty Images)

A private security guard stands beside a banner with at entrance gate of the English and Foreign Languages University (EFL) in Secunderabad. (Photo by NOAH SEELAM/AFP via Getty Images)

An employee at reception desk protected by plexiglass mesasures the temperature of hotel staff at the lobby of the Athens Palace hotel, on the first day of the opening of hotels in Greece (Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)

Members of the Irish Defence forces at a Covid-19 testing facility at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire

A person wearing a facemask on the Ha'penny bridge during the Covid 19 pandemic in Dublin's City Centre. Photo:Gareth Chaney/Collins

Members of the Irish Defence Forces at a Covid-19 testing facility at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA)

Hug: A man is reunited with his daughter at Rome airport as she comes back with his wife from Colombia after Italy reopened its borders this week. Photo: Reuters

A nurse assists a Covid-19 patient at the Doctors Without Borders Drouillard Hospital in Cite Soleil, Haiti. (Photo by Pierre Michel Jean / AFP) (Photo by PIERRE MICHEL JEAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Two women wearing face masks make their way to the shops on an almost deserted Henry Street in Dublins city centre (Brian Lawless/PA)

Follow the latest coronavirus news in Ireland and across the world on the Independent.ie live blog.

21:30 06/06/2020

Thousands face childcare 'gap' as they return to work before the creches are due to reopen

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Anne-Marie Walsh

Thousands of workers face being left without childcare after the Government fast-tracked the reopening of the economy.

Retail staff will return to work in bigger numbers from June 15 as shopping centres open their doors and the exit from the Covid-19 crisis is accelerated.

But the first creches and childminders will not be back in business until June 29.

Tourism and hospitality staff and workers at bars that serve food will return to work on that date - but 'essential' workers will get first call on places.

Restrictions on the over-70s mean minding grandchildren is no longer a feasible childcare option under public health guidelines.

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20:30 06/06/2020

Katherine Donnelly: 'We must learn key lessons from return to schools in other countries'

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It's the cycling capital of Europe, so it's easy for the authorities to suggest to parents of children returning to school in the Netherlands in the time of Covid-19 that more of them should take their bike or walk.

That won't work as easily in many parts of Ireland, but the challenge is the same: how to avoid crowding on public transport as students and workers compete for space on reduced-capacity buses and trains in the autumn.

We don't know yet what the rules around social distancing will be in September, but the planning around reopening schools is factoring in the need to keep a minimum separation.

That impacts on everything from capacity on school buses and other public transport, to reducing the number of pupils in classrooms, to how many can sit in the canteen at any one time.

Education Minister Joe McHugh is confident the two-metre rule will change. A relaxation to one metre would make the logistics easier, but would still involve part-time attendance by pupils and small class 'bubbles', perhaps separated from other groups for the day.

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19:30 06/06/2020

Global coronavirus cases top 7 million as outbreak grows in Brazil, India - Reuters tally

Lisa Shumaker

Global cases of the novel coronavirus topped 7 million on Saturday, as case numbers surge in Brazil and India, according to a Reuters tally.

About 30 per cent of those cases, or 2 million infections, are in the United States. Latin America has the second-largest outbreak with over 15pc of cases.

Globally, deaths from the novel coronavirus are approaching 400,000.

The United States accounts for about one-quarter of all fatalities but deaths in South America are rapidly rising.

The number of deaths linked to COVID-19 in just five months is now equal to the number of people who die annually from malaria, one of the world's most deadly infectious diseases.

The first COVID-19 death was reported on Jan. 10 in Wuhan, China but it was early April before the death toll passed 100,000, according to the Reuters tally of official reports from governments. It took 23 days to go from 300,000 to 400,000 deaths.

The United States has the highest death toll in the world at almost 110,000. Fatalities in Brazil are rising rapidly and the country may overtake the United Kingdom to have the second-largest number of deaths in the world.

The total number of deaths is believed to be higher than the officially reported 400,000 as many countries lack supplies to test all victims and some countries do not count deaths outside of a hospital.

18:45 06/06/2020

Archdiocese says it 'does not approve' of plans for drive-in Mass at car park

Sarah MacDonald

The Archdiocese of Dublin has said it is investigating plans for a large-scale drive-in Mass at the car park at Leopardstown Racecourse in Dublin on the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi on June 14.

A spokesperson for Archbishop Diarmuid Martin told the Irish Independent the matter was being investigated and the event was not authorised by the Diocese or parish but appeared to have been organised by a private company.

"The Diocese does not approve of drive-in liturgies, which do not satisfy the true community dimension of people coming together to worship and have no roots in Catholic tradition," Dr Martin's spokesperson warned.

"There are still limits on the number of people who can attend outside gatherings which is a matter of public health concern."

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18:00 06/06/2020

I took a Covid-19 antibody test - here's what it could mean for my travels

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Pol O Conghaile

I was nervous. My trip to the Tropical Medical Bureau (TMB) was the most exotic one I'd taken in 10 weeks.

I had my supermarket and exercise routines down, but visiting a clinic for an 80 antibody test? With Covid-19 screening measures likely to dominate future travel, however, I felt it was worth stepping out of my comfort zone.

Arriving at the clinic, I was asked to use hand sanitiser and don a free face mask. In a consultation, Dr Graham Fry outlined the procedure.

While PCR swab tests tell if you currently have the disease, antibody tests check blood for specific Covid-19 antibodies that may be present if you had it in the past.

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17:10 06/06/2020

Nine more people have died of coronavirus in Ireland and 24 new cases confirmed

Wayne O'Connor

Another nine people have died because of Covid-19, according to figures released this evening.

The Department of Health said it has also been notified of another 24 confirmed cases of the virus.

It means there have now been 1,678 Covid related deaths, and 25,183 cases of the virus in Ireland since the crisis began.

A spokeswoman for the department said the HSE is working to identify any contacts the new patients may have had to prevent further spread.

The figures include cases up to midnight last night.

16:35 06/06/2020

'I am looking forward to having a hot cup of tea' - Hero gran returns home after six-week virus fight

Expand Close Mary OReilly (72) from Beaumont with her daughters Deirdre,Fiona and Orla after she came home to a heroes welcome from family and neighbours after surviving Covid and having spent 19 weeks in hospital from January, Pic:Mark Condren / Facebook

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Whatsapp Mary OReilly (72) from Beaumont with her daughters Deirdre,Fiona and Orla after she came home to a heroes welcome from family and neighbours after surviving Covid and having spent 19 weeks in hospital from January, Pic:Mark Condren

Aoife Walsh

A grandmother who tested positive for Covid-19 was given a hero's welcome home after making a miraculous recovery from the virus.

Mary O'Reilly (72), from Artane, Dublin, completed a staggering 19-week stay in hospital yesterday, six of those spent battling coronavirus.

Around 70 neighbours gathered outside Ms O'Reilly's house to celebrate her return home with tea and Prosecco.

Among the socially-distanced crowd were her children, grandchildren and gardai from Santry.

An upbeat Ms O'Reilly told the Herald she was delighted to finally be home with her family after weeks of being apart from them.

"I'm feeling great. I have just come home and they were having a party for me. I'm delighted," she said.

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16:00 06/06/2020

Philip Ryan: Behind the scenes - how Varadkar went against medical advice in the interest of trying to save the summer

Expand Close An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar TD, leaves the press centre after speaking to the media at Government Buildings, Dublin, on the next phase of the Roadmap for reopening society and business following a Cabinet meeting. Photo: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland/PA Wire / Facebook

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Whatsapp An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar TD, leaves the press centre after speaking to the media at Government Buildings, Dublin, on the next phase of the Roadmap for reopening society and business following a Cabinet meeting. Photo: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland/PA Wire

Michael Ring was late getting to the Cabinet meeting in Dublin Castle on Thursday evening. He had been caught up with work but it suited him to make a bit of an entrance.

For weeks he had been growing more and more frustrated with the impact of the Covid-19 restrictions on his constituents. He was constantly getting it in the neck from voters who were becoming increasingly angry with the State-imposed lockdown.

When he got a chance to speak he insisted it was time to reopen the entire country.

Forget about the 20km limit on non-essential travel and let people move around the country like they did before the virus took over out lives.

He pointed to other Cabinet members from rural communities including Sean Kyne, Joe McHugh and Regina Doherty and noted issues they had raised with the restrictions. Ring said the 5km travel ban was ridiculous for rural counties and 20km wasn't much better.

He said most people living outside of the Dublin commuter belt don't have access to major retail outlets within 20km of their home.

The Mayo minister said people from Castlebar couldn't even drive as far as the beach in his native Westport if the travel ban was not eased further.

In a nod to Ring's victory, the Taoiseach used the same example when he explained his decision to allow people travel as far as they like within their own counties from Monday.

Yesterday morning after they agreed to lift the travel ban by county, ministers joked that Ring's persistence on the issue had finally won over the Taoiseach.

However, members of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) were scratching their heads when they saw the decisions.

Not only had they not recommended lifting travel restriction by county, they hadn't even discussed the idea at any of their meetings this week or any other time.

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15:30 06/06/2020

Referee decisions could be impacted by empty stadiums, says sports psychologist

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The absence of fans at Premier League matches will not only impact players performances but potentially the decisions made by referees, according to a sports psychologist.

With play halted due to the coronavirus pandemic in mid-March, Project Restart is in the final stages as the English top-flight prepares to return on June 17.

But action will resume in front of empty stands due to the risk of Covid-19, bringing the unusual pressure of millions of extra television viewers but empty stands in grounds which would usually be packed.

Marc Jones, professor of psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University, believes home advantage will be impacted by audience-free sporting events, pointing not only to player performances but the way referees officiate.





15:00 06/06/2020

Lessons must be learned to prevent second wave of coronavirus, says expert

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An inquiry identifying failures around the UK Governments handling of the Covid-19 pandemic must be delivered within months to prepare for a second wave of the disease, Scotlands former chief scientific adviser has said.

Professor Dame Anne Glover said it would be inexcusable for ministers to repeat mistakes that have already been made should there be a second spike of coronavirus cases this winter.

Her comments come as 27 medical and scientific experts signed a letter to The Guardian warning many more Britons may die if the UK Government is without solutions to some of the structural problems that have made implementing an effective response so difficult.

Prof Glover, who is now president of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, told the PA news agency: Given that second wave is likely to come at a time that is likely to coincide with seasonal influenza, and that would give us serious problems, we really need to understand what the failings have been in our apparent inability to be able to deal with this pandemic appropriately.

She said the UK could be faced with very many more needless deaths during the winter without a rapid and transparent inquiry, looking at areas such as personal protective equipment (PPE) procurement and track and trace systems.





14:30 06/06/2020

Staycation nation: will home holidays save Irish tourism?

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Kim Bielenberg

Holidaymakers of Ireland, your country needs you. That could be the rallying call of hoteliers, publicans and restaurateurs this week as they ponder the future of an industry in the depths of crisis.

As they gazed out at blue skies and wide expanses of mostly empty beaches on the June bank holiday Monday, they could only rue the season that might have been.

Michael Yates runs the Diamond Coast Hotel in Enniscrone, Co Sligo and only recently completed a 2m refurbishment.

On a summer bank holiday in a normal year, the hotels, the camping and caravan parks of the Sligo resort would be full, and restaurants and bars would be packed. Swimmers, surfers and paddleboarders would throng the beach.

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14:00 06/06/2020

Bolsonaro threatens WHO exit as Covid-19 kills 'a Brazilian per minute'

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President Jair Bolsonaro threatened on Friday to pull Brazil out of the World Health Organization after the U.N. agency warned Latin American governments about the risk of lifting lockdowns before slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus throughout the region.

A new Brazilian record for daily COVID-19 fatalities pushed the county's death toll past that of Italy late on Thursday, but Bolsonaro continues to argue for quickly lifting state isolation orders, arguing that the economic costs outweigh public health risks.

Latin America's most populous nations, Brazil and Mexico, are seeing the highest rates of new infections, though the pandemic is also gathering pace in countries such as Peru, Colombia, Chile and Bolivia.

Overall, more than 1.1 million Latin Americans have been infected. While most leaders have taken the pandemic more seriously than Bolsonaro, some politicians that backed strict lockdowns in March and April are pushing to open economies back up as hunger and poverty grow.

In an editorial running the length of newspaper Folha de S.Paulo's front page, the Brazilian daily highlighted that just 100 days had passed since Bolsonaro described the virus now "killing a Brazilian per minute" as "a little flu."





13:30 06/06/2020

Italy hopes EU nations will open borders to Italians from June 15

Italy hopes other EU countries will reopen their borders to Italian citizens on June 15, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Saturday, as coronavirus travel restrictions across Europe are gradually eased.

Italy - which has the world's fourth-highest Covid-19 death toll after the United States, Britain and Brazil - opened its doors to other EU citizens on June 3, but most European countries are still largely off-limits for Italian nationals.

"June 15 is an important date for many of our citizens," Di Maio told a news conference during a visit to neighbouring Slovenia.

Slovenian Foreign Minister Anze Logar told the same news conference: "Health conditions in Italy are improving fast ... I'm looking optimistically towards June 15."

Italy has so far reported about 234,500 coronavirus cases and 33,770 deaths.





13:00 06/06/2020

Dutch mink cull starts as coronavirus spreads to 10th farm

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Dutch mink farms have begun a government-ordered cull amid concern that animals infected with coronavirus could transmit the illness to humans.

Infected mink have been found on 10 Dutch farms where the ferret-like animals are bred for their fur, according to the country's Food & Wares Authority.

"All mink breeding farms where there is an infection will be cleared, and farms where there are no infections won't be," said spokeswoman Frederique Hermie.

The government ordered the cull of 10,000 mink on Wednesday after determining that affected farms could act as a long-term reservoir of disease.

Dutch mink were first infected with coronavirus by their handlers in April. In May, the government identified two cases in which humans had been infected by sick animals -- the only animal-to-human transmissions known since the global outbreak began in China.





12:30 06/06/2020

Fugitive virus remains a risk as we head for super-charged phase-two exit from lockdown

Eilish O'Regan

How much of a grip does the dangerous and elusive Covid-19 virus still have on us as we head towards a super-charged phase-two exit from lockdown next week?

Are we ready and what do we need to know about the risks ahead?

The reality is that while Covid-19 is weakened, it remains a fugitive virus among us. For many weeks the focus has been on infection hotspots like nursing homes and more recently meat plants - but the advantage in trying to contain these outbreaks is that public health doctors are able to pinpoint the location of infections.

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12:00 06/06/2020

Penneys stores to reopen next week

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Bairbre Power

It's the news that lots of shoppers have been waiting to hear - Penneys stores will reopen next week.

Primark bosses met last night and the company today confirmed that their stores with street access will open next Friday.

The 16 Penneys stores with street access opening next Friday June 12 are: Dublin's Mary Street and O'Connell Street, Dun Laoghaire, Wexford, Sligo, Kilkenny, Limerick, Drogheda, Newbridge, Waterford, Tralee, Cork, Clonmel, Swords, Ballina and Killarney.

The remaining 20 stores opening on Monday June 15 are: Dundrum, Blanchardstown, Liffey Valley, Nutgrove, Santry, Artane, Navan, Mullingar, Portlaoise, Ennis, Dooradoyle, Letterkenny, Galway S.C, Galway Eyre Square, Longford, Castlebar, Athlone, Dundalk Marshes, Wilton and Carlow temporary store.





11:30 06/06/2020

Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus as number of deaths near 400,000

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Some countries have seen Covid-19 cases rising as lockdowns ease, and populations must protect themselves from the coronavirus while authorities continue testing, the World Health Organization said on Friday.

More than 6.77 million people have been reported infected with the new coronavirus globally and 395,053 have died, a Reuters tally showed as of this morning.

British scientists halted a major drug trial after finding that the anti-malarial hydroxychloroquine, touted by US President Donald Trump as a potential "game changer" in the pandemic, was "useless" at treating Covid-19 patients.

The World Health Organization (WHO) updated its guidance to recommend that governments ask everyone to wear fabric face masks in public areas where there is a risk of Covid-19 transmission to help reduce the spread of the pandemic disease.

India reported a record 9,887 new coronavirus cases in one day on Saturday and overtook Italy as the world's sixth-biggest outbreak, two days before the relaxing of a lockdown with the reopening of malls, restaurants and places of worship.

The US economy unexpectedly added jobs in May, surprising economists and analysts who had forecast millions more losing their livelihoods, and raising hopes of a faster economic recovery than expected.

President Jair Bolsonaro threatened to pull Brazil out of the World Health Organization after the UN agency warned Latin American governments about the risk of lifting lockdowns before slowing the coronavirus spread throughout the region





11:00 06/06/2020

Thousands face childcare 'gap' as they return to work before the creches are due to reopen

Anne-Marie Walsh

Thousands of workers face being left without childcare after the Government fast-tracked the reopening of the economy.

Retail staff will return to work in bigger numbers from June 15 as shopping centres open their doors and the exit from the Covid-19 crisis is accelerated.

But the first creches and childminders will not be back in business until June 29.

General secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Patricia King said some workers will face major difficulties because of a gap between the date they return to work and availability of childcare.





10:30 06/06/2020

Iranian wedding party fuelled new Covid-19 surge, President Rouhani says

A wedding party contributed to a new surge in coronavirus infections in Iran, President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday but insisted the country had no option but to keep its economy open despite warnings of a second wave of the epidemic.

Iran, which has been gradually relaxing its lockdown since mid-April, has reported a sharp rise of new daily infections in recent days. Thursday's toll of 3,574 new cases was the highest since February, when the outbreak was first reported.

"At one location, we witnessed a peak in this epidemic, the source of which was a wedding that caused problems for the people, health workers and losses to the economy and the country's health system," Rouhani said on state TV. He did not say when or where the wedding took place.

New cases dipped to 2,886 on Friday, bringing Iran's total cases to more than 167,000, with over 8,000 deaths.

Health officials have been warning of a second wave of the outbreak, but say a reason for the surge in new cases could be wider testing. One official said about 70pc of the new cases in Tehran were among those who had traveled outside the capital in recent days.





10:00 06/06/2020

'We can't wait to open,' say retailers as they prepare to welcome customers again

Expand Close Back in business: Kate Masterson of the Kitchen Whisk shop on Wicklow Street gets ready for the reopening on Monday. Photo: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland / Facebook

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Whatsapp Back in business: Kate Masterson of the Kitchen Whisk shop on Wicklow Street gets ready for the reopening on Monday. Photo: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland

Bairbre Power

The big focus is on bricks and mortar stores from next Monday.

The biggest shift in opening dates is undoubtedly for the shopping centres whose fortunes changed massively, moving by almost two months, from phase five on August 10, and fast-forwarded to June 15.

In a statement to the Irish Independent, Dundrum Town Centre, the largest shopping centre in the country, said it "welcomed the update from the Government and is working towards the revised timelines".

Full story here:

Read More





09:30 06/06/2020

The full plan to speed up exit from lockdown

Ireland is being fast-tracked out of months of Covid-19 lockdown after the Taoiseach announced a major acceleration of the easing of social distancing restrictions.

Leo Varadkar decided to overrule public health advice to speed-up his roadmap for reopening the country.

The significant move means from Monday people will be able to travel anywhere in their county.

The decision was taken despite advice from chief medical officer Tony Holohan insisting people should only be allowed to travel 20km from their homes.

Meanwhile, every single retail outlet across the country has been given the green light to open their doors to customers next week as long as they adhere to social distancing rules. Shopping centres can also reopen even though Mr Holohan said they should remain closed.

The Irish Independent has also seen a new Government report suggesting the two-week self-isolation period for passengers arriving in Ireland should be lifted for certain people.

Read More





09:00 06/06/2020

George Floyd protests planned across UK despite public urged to avoid mass gatherings

Expand Close Protesters in Londons Trafalgar Square during a Black Lives Matter rally (Victoria Jones/PA) / Facebook

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Anti-racism protests are planned across the UK this weekend in the wake of the death of George Floyd  but ministers have urged people to avoid mass gatherings.

African American Mr Floyd died after a white police officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck in Minneapolis on May 25, sparking days of protests in the US.

Demonstrators are expected to converge on Parliament Square in London on Saturday and the US Embassy in the capital the next day, while other events are planned across the country.

An estimated 4,000 people are expected to attend a demonstration in Bristol, which will include a march through the city to Castle Park on Sunday, Avon and Somerset police said.

But ministers have urged people not to gather in large numbers and police have warned that mass demonstrations could be unlawful.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that he was appalled by the death of Mr Floyd, but stressed that the UK was still facing a health crisis and coronavirus remained a real threat.





08:30 06/06/2020

Bat-like sensor could help social distancing as lockdown lifts

A new bat-like sensor, which could help social distancing as lockdown measures are eased, has been developed by a Scottish start-up company.

Alex Bowens creation uses echolocation instead of light to receive images  much like a bat uses sound to identify its surroundings  without identifiable data and allows artificial intelligence (AI) to understand the physical world.

Despite first focusing on domestic applications, it is hoped the sensor could help make social distancing in office buildings and other areas easier while still ensuring privacy.

They used MEMS microphones  already widely used in mobile phones and smart home assistants  for the sensor which could now provide a base to create more advanced AI products.





08:00 06/06/2020

Prince William reveals he has secretly been a helpline counsellor for people in crisis

Expand Close Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, talk with staff during a visit to the London Ambulance Service 111 control room / Facebook

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The Duke of Cambridge has revealed he has been secretly counselling people contacting a crisis helpline developed by his Royal Foundation.

Williams work with Shout 85258  a round-the-clock text messaging helpline  was announced to mark Volunteers Week.

Last month, the duke and duchess marked the services first anniversary by speaking to some of its volunteers via video call, and William said: Im going to share a little secret with you guys, but Im actually on the platform volunteering.

Kate has also been helping others and has taken part in check in and chat calls with those self-isolating or vulnerable as part of the Royal Voluntary Services NHS Volunteer Responders scheme.

A royal source said the Cambridges would be carrying out official events via video calls for the foreseeable future but they were hoping to resume visits in person at some point.
Shimla, June 6 : Himachal Pradesh's fruit economy of Rs 4,000-crore largely banks on 'sturdy' labourers from Nepal who make their efforts in farms fruitful.

This time a majority of labourers are giving the orchards a miss owing to the coronavirus pandemic as the harvesting of apples is going to gain momentum by mid of July.

Apple growers told IANS that their business, which alone constitutes 89 per cent of the total fruit economy, is not as fruitful this time as the Nepalese labourers, the backbone of Himachal's apple industry for more than six decades, have not returned to the state after their winter vacation owing to the pandemic scare.

They stare at huge losses owing to transport and market related problems at the peak season for harvesting their crop.

This time there is double whammy for the growers, said Naresh Sharma, an apple grower from Dhano village at Theog tehsil in Shimla district.

"The apple crop is quite less than its normal yield this season largely due to unfavourable weather. The shortage of labourers has added to our woes," he told IANS.

Prominent apple grower Sharma said normally the labourers returned to their hometowns in November and start returning to Himachal Pradesh in March-April.

"This time they have not been able to return so far. The acute scarcity of labourer is posing a serious challenge to apple harvesting," a worried Sharma said.

Apart from fruit plucking, its transportation and marketing is also a challenge in the hill state where the apple harvesting lasts till the end of October.

Added labour contractor Satish Begta, "Besides the threat of getting infected by the virus, the fear of getting quarantined is discouraging a majority of the labourers to return to the state from Nepal." He said the state government should make provisions for their board and lodging in quarantine centres.

Another contractor said fuelled by rumours that they might die of hunger as they will not be able to earn during quarantine, the labourers are not keen to return to work till the pandemic normalises.

"The government has to build a large number of relief camps for the migrant workers with arrangements to provide food and necessary facilities. A portal must be created for the labourers to get themselves registered with the government ensuring all possible help," he added.

Himachal Pradesh is one of India's major apple producing regions, with more than 90 per cent of the produce going to the domestic market.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the government is in touch with labour contractors to ensure return of the labourers.

"Many of them had returned to Nepal, but still some of them are here. Even labourers from Uttar Pradesh are coming here. We will ensure the labour is available during the apple season," he told the media in Shimla on Friday.

But anxious apple growers say the government has to ensure the return of labourers mainly from Nepal by mid of June so that they timely fulfill the medical protocols like mandatory quarantine timeframe.

As per the state Horticulture Department's estimates, this season the apple production in the state is 25-30 per cent less than last year's record harvest of about four crore boxes.

Besides Shimla district, which alone accounts for 80 per cent of the total apple production, most of the apple cultivation is concentrated in the districts of Kullu, Mandi, Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur and Chamba.

Agro commodities trading house Adani Agrifresh has targeted to procure 23,000 tonnes of apples this season.

Besides Adani, other prominent private trading houses like CONCOR, Reliance Fresh, Mother Dairy, Big Basket and Dev Bhoomi are also procuring apples.

Trade insiders told IANS the apple market scenario this season indicates that imports from China and Washington have gone down and the demand for produce of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, which is of a superior quality, will capture the market in Delhi and Kolkata.

Growers fear the non-arrival of 'ladanis', the fruit wholesale buyers who come from other states like West Bengal, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, can also upset their applecart.

"The harvest cannot be delayed at any cost. If harvest is forced to be delayed, it will result in huge losses," Sandeep Tegta, an apple grower of Kotgarh in Shimla, said.

"The lockdown has resulted in piling up of stock and there are close to 200 workers at our three facilities -- Rohru, Rampur and Sainj in Shimla district," said an official with Adani Agri Fresh Ltd, which is engaged with over 20,000 apple farmers in the state.

He said several workers, a majority from Nepal, have returned to their hometowns and the company has arranged for workers to stay back comfortably.

According to Economic Survey 2019-20, a total of 6.64 lakh tonnes of apples were marketed in the state till December 2019 against 3.68 lakh tonne in 2018-19.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
Shelby Township police chief Robert Shelide has apologized and been placed on paid leave

A suburban Detroit police chief has been put on paid leave pending the outcome of an investigation into social media posts in which he called for 'body bags' for 'vicious subhumans' protesting the death of George Floyd.

Shelby Township trustees placed Robert J. Shelide on indefinite paid administrative leave.

The township's attorney, Robert Huth, explained that suspension with pay is normal during a pending investigation because all township workers are afforded the same right to due process 'and enjoy a presumption of innocence'.

The posts were made on a now deleted Twitter account under the username @sheepdawg711.

Screenshots posted on Facebook show that one tweet read: 'Trump threatening to deploy the military. I have a better idea: unleash real cops and let them take care of these barbarians. I promise it will be over in 24 hours. Cops are crippled by politicians and the media.'

In another post he retweeted a video showing NYPD roughing up someone.

Another read: 'Wild savages. I wish to God I would have been there. Body bags for these vicious subhumans.'

Officials are investigating inflammatory tweets above that Shelide posted online

Shelide, who has been Shelby Township's police chief since 2015, released a statement Thursday in which he apologized.

'While an apology is insufficient and an insult to the gravity of my comments, I humbly and respectfully ask for the courtesy of forgiveness to those I have offended, to my department and more importantly to those I am sworn to serve.

'My record speaks to the commitment and professionalism that I have exhibited for more than 30 years without incident, both of which were compromised by my emotion. During my administrative leave issued by the department, I will fully cooperate with the investigation, and seek the support and counsel necessary to ensure that my behavior and comments going forward more accurately reflect my character and person.'

Shelide, who has been Shelby Township's police chief since 2015, released a statement Thursday in which he apologized

Township Trustee John Vermeulen told the Detroit News that he agreed with Shelide being placed on paid leave but has 'high confidence' in the chief.

'He's been a police officer since 18, he's worked in Detroit, he had a meteoric rise in Southfield and helped modernize our department,' Vermeulen said.

'I know he is very well-respected by the community and by his fellow officers.'

Vermeulen said Shelide is 'innocent until proven guilty'.

'I've never seen anything like this in the chief's behavior,' the trustee said.

'This is completely out of character. He's very professional and bonds with victims. This is very surprising.'

Shelide could not be reached for comment.

His secretary referred The Detroit News to Brad Bates, the township's director of communications, who did not reply to several voicemails.

Demonstrators march in Detroit on Thursday, June 4, during a protest over the death of George Floyd, who died May 25 after being restrained by police in Minneapolis

Detroit resident Torance Willams takes part in a peace march across the MacArthur Bridge to rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd

Protesters march on the MacArthur Bridge across the Detroit River during a rally on Friday

An statement on the township police website Thursday read: 'We have been made aware of some recent posts being attributed to our Chief. The Township is looking into it now. Please have patience with us while we find out what is happening. Thank you.'

In western Michigan, the Lowell police chief Steven Bukala was forced to resign after posting on social media that his police department was in support of four armed men who said they wanted to protect the small town from destructive protests

Meanwhile, in western Michigan, the Lowell police chief was forced to resign after posting on social media that his police department was in support of four armed men who said they wanted to protect the small town from destructive protests.

'We at the Lowell Police Department support the legally armed citizen and the Second Amendment,' the chief wrote on the department's Facebook page.

Chief Steven Bukala was told to resign by 5pm Thursday or that he would be fired at 5.01pm.

Bukala had worked for the Lowell Police Department since 1995 and was chief for seven years.

'We must take this opportunity to listen and learn so we can work together to defeat racism and build a more just and equitable society,' the department said in a public apology.

'We at the Lowell Police Department support the legally armed citizen and the Second Amendment,' the chief wrote on the department's Facebook page
Marriott International has been ordered by the Trump administration to cease hotel operations in Havana, Cuba.

The hotel began managing the Four Points Sheraton in the communist-run countrys capital four years ago, but the current US administration has told them that they need to cease business there by 31 August, according to Reuters.

President Donald Trump wants to pressure Cuba into democratic reform and to stop its support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, according to the outlet.

Reuters report that the move to cease operations of the only American run hotel in the country could hurt US-based tourism in Cuba.

A Marriott spokesperson told the outlet: We have recently received notice that the government-issued license will not be renewed, forcing Marriott to cease operations in Cuba.

The spokesperson added to NBC News that they will not be permitted to open other hotels in Cuba that have been in preparation.

The hotel became the first US run in the country since the 1959 revolution, when it was granted a licence during the detente that former president Barack Obama pursued.

Since taking power in 2017, President Trump has rolled back the easing of the relationship between the two countries, but did renew the hotels licence in 2018.

Marriott had planned to manage a second hotel in Havana, at the historic Hotel Inglaterra, but was unable to open it before todays announcement.

Phillip Peters, who has advised Marriott during its business dealings in the country with his consultancy FocusCuba, told Reuters that stopping US businesses from working in Cuba will damage its prosperity.

Marguerite Jimenez, at the Washington Office for Latin America, told the Miami Herald that this decision could effect other US owned businesses in the country.

She added: Whether claiming to support the Cuban people or Cuban private sector or not wanting to interfere in existing business operations, the president has said one thing on Cuba and consistently done another.
We are possibly witnessing the most destructive scientific fraud in the history of man via the COVID-19 pandemic while shutting down the U.S. economy. Hysteria is destroying people's lives. This level of "groupthink has drove [sic] unnecessary global shutdowns." When the majority of U.S. deaths those of and countries like Italy occur in nursing homes from the coronavirus, it's time to bring medical facts from physicians into this discussion.

One epidemiologist, Knut Wittkowski, has gone so far as to say: "We could open up again and forget the whole thing" (COVID-19). Stanford University School of Medicine professor Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, would likely agree with Dr. Wittkowski.

The deathblow for ending U.S. and global lockdowns comes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC):

The CDC has attempted to offer a real estimate of the overall death rate for COVID-19, and under its most likely scenario, the number is 0.26%. Officials estimate a 0.4% fatality rate among those who are symptomatic and project a 35% rate of asymptomatic cases among those infected, which drops the overall infection fatality rate (IFR) to just 0.26%  almost exactly where Stanford researchers pegged it a month ago.

Seems Florida is the model for how to deal with this global contagion and reopen economies. There are large issues that need to be dealt with immediately, such as the U.S. and China on the brink of a new Cold War that triangulates India and Japan as the realist balancers in Asia. An Asia-based NATO could be in the offing with Japan, India, and the U.S. countering China.

What's been fascinating during this shutdown is how COVID-19 models predicting millions of deaths (Governor Gavin Newsom of California said "25 million Californians" could contract coronavirus and possibly die) are similar to climate models  both computer-generated model types have been consistently wrong.

Climate models also consistently overstate global warming by man (anthropogenic). But why? Easier to scare the world over warming or viral death than deal with 1.4 billion Chinese who are an existential threat to the current global order led by the U.S. in place since World War II.

Consider global warming/climate change (GWCC): the Earth's climate is "rising at a microscopically slow pace." NASA's global temperature readings go back to only 1880. Since that time frame, the Earth's temperature went up 1.14 degrees Celsius. That averages out to an increase of 0.008 Celsius per year  minuscule when prior geological periods were hotter, or cooler, and carbon dioxide was much higher.

Then climate models are clearly being shown to "project too much warming," and climate modelers "have a vested self-interest in convincing people that climate modeling is accurate and worthy of continued funding." If taxpayer monies dried up, would climate-modelers even care about GWCC? The same could be said of U.S. governors, the World Health Organization, and interests wanting this shutdown to continue.

Renewables are finally being brought out into the global debate. Are they worth more than natural gas or nuclear energy? Far-left filmmaker Michael Moore's new documentary Planet of the Humans has "unmasked the power and money behind the renewables scam."

Moore's is a powerful film that has infuriated the global environmental movement and revealed the devastating ecological impact emanating from wind turbines and solar panels. This clearly reveals the hypocrisy coming from men such as California coal-investing-billionaire turned environmentalist Tom Steyer, who cares about renewables only to enrich his interests and investors.

The similarities to coronavirus shutdowns are eerily similar: state-sponsored shutdowns for political gain. Similarly, renewables need taxpayer subsidies to control electricity for the masses, albeit with "state-sponsored theft"  theft of livelihoods and theft of reliable and affordable electricity and energy when so far there have been no coronavirus spikes in places that have reopened in the U.S.

In that case, reopen the world and U.S. economies with cheap and plentiful coal, or use emission-lowering, natural gasfired power plants for electricity. But watch out for the "green de-development movement" that wants to prolong the coronavirus shutdown to push renewables, global warming facades, and socialism for greater government control. This movement parrots the untruthful media by saying air is cleaner now that economic activity has diminished via COVID-19 when that accusation is false  no, the air isn't cleaner. Only natural gas usage has lowered emissions.

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden wants to ban hydraulic fracturing (fracking), which would cost billions in lost tax revenues, economic activity and jobs and increase the risk of global instability, since nothing in recent memory has changed U.S. foreign policy more than moving away from Middle East dictators for hydrocarbons. Literally, U.S. fracking has changed the world.

Renewables are similar to coronavirus shutdowns for all the wrong reasons. Both are killing the world. Wind turbines kill eagles, but energy companies produce life-saving products that fight the coronavirus and are an essential part of the post-COVID-19 recovery. Renewables destroy electrical supplies, add zero value to electrical grids, and bring the highest electrical prices in the world whenever widely deployed.

Why would the world and particularly the U.S. (the arbitrator of global peace) ever use renewables (solar panels and wind turbines) for energy to electricity when they do not ever work as advertised? With the coronavirus still looming, a global depression a real possibility, and China on the hegemonic march in Asia and globally, this isn't the time to rely on unreliable coronavirus or climate change models for national security and health policies.

Moore's documentary has exposed "'swindlers' peddling misinformation and the environmental benefits of green energy." Green energy hinders economic growth and recovery from COVID-19. With a looming great power competition taking place between China and the U.S. that should be based on principled realism, let's do away with outdated efficacy models for renewables, man-made global warming, and COVID-19 estimates that have grossly overstated the death rates. Global peace, a return to normal, and prosperity are waiting for prudent, factual results.
The White House candidate for Democrats in 2020 elections, Joe Biden lashed out on US President Donald Trump for celebrating an increase in jobs and said that there is still much work to be done for the US economy. While Trump hailed as largest monthly job increase in the history of America, Biden noted that so many citizens are still hurting and are suffering the blow of coronavirus outbreak. Further elaborating on the latest job report Delaware State University, the former US Vice President criticised the POTUS for not doing enough for the economy of the country and then lauding the better than expected report.

"There is so much more work to be done. So many Americans are still hurting, former US Vice President.

Read - Joe Biden Officially Clinches Democratic Presidential Nomination

According to Biden, since Trump has not taken responsibility for millions of US citizens being unemployed amid the global health crisis, he does not deserve the credit when a part of the jobs comes back to force. The US Labor Department has said that the unemployment rate dropped to 13.3 per cent from 14.7 per cent in the month of April, indicating that the economy might be bouncing back after being severely impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, Nonfarm payrolls spiked, as per the new report, after a record crash of nearly 20.7 million in April.

"The president who takes no responsibility for costing millions and millions of Americans their jobs deserves no credit when a fraction of them return," Biden said.

Tune in as I speak about the latest jobs report and the state of the economy: https://t.co/pfELb1jmqa  Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 5, 2020

Read - US: Biden Formally Clinches Democratic Presidential Nomination

Failure of a President

The former US VP even said that the depth of the job crisis that prevailed in the US was not Gods deed, instead it showcased the failure of Donald Trumps leadership. Biden has mounted several attacks on the US President and recently he called him dangerously unfit to lead America and to support his claim, the Democratic nominee cited the words of top military leaders in the country who also criticised Trump. According to Biden, when it comes to the economic crisis, Donald Trump either doesnt know whats going on, or he just doesnt care.

Lets be clear about something: The depth of this job crisis is not attributable to an act of God  but to the failure of a President.  Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 5, 2020

Read - Biden Slams Trump For Pulling George Floyd Into His White House Address On Unemployment

Read - Biden Slams Trump For Celebrating Job Reports Early, Says 'much More Work To Be Done'
Demonstrators kneel as they hold flowers during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, June 5. U.S. health authorities worry that mass protests taking place across the country may lead to a new surge in COVID-19 infections in the coming weeks. Reuters



The COVID-19 pandemic killed 922 people in the United States in the past 24 hours, according to figures released Friday by Johns Hopkins University.



The latest deaths bring the total in the United States to 109,042, and there have been more than 1.89 million cases, according to a real-time tally maintained by the Baltimore-based university at 8:30 pm Saturday (local time)



Some 491,000 people have recovered from the disease.



The United States has suffered by far the largest number of both COVID-19 deaths and infections.






North Korea on Friday threatened to permanently shut a liaison office with South Korea as it continued to condemn its rival for failing to prevent activists from sending anti-North Korean leaflets across the border.

The statement by North Koreas ruling Workers Party came a day after the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un said the country would end a military agreement reached with South Korea in 2018 to reduce tensions if Seoul fails to stop the activists.

Kim Yo Jong also said North Korea could permanently shut the liaison office and a joint factory park in the border town of Kaesong, which have been symbols of reconciliation between the two countries.

Desperate to keep alive a faltering diplomacy with North Korea, South Korea in response said it would push new laws to ban activists from flying leaflets by balloon to the North, which triggered a debate over freedom of speech.

But an unidentified spokesperson of the Workers Partys inter-Korean affairs department said Seouls promise lacked sincerity and the scrapping of the liaison office will be the first in a series of North Korean steps that would cause extreme fatigue for the South.

The statement also confirmed an elevated status for Kim Yo Jong, who was described as her brothers top official for inter-Korean affairs.

Under her instructions, North Korea has decided as a first step to abolish the North-South liaison office that is occupying space in the Kaesong industrial complex while doing nothing, the statement said.

We will not hide that we for a long time have considered decisive measures to completely shut down all spaces of contact with the South and fundamentally eliminate the sources of provocations from the South, said the spokesperson of the partys United Front Department.

The latest events have strengthened our conclusion that an enemy is just an enemy...it is our determination to go as far as we can in a vicious cycle of confrontation. South Koreas government had no immediate reaction to the statement.

Sending balloons across the border has been a common activist tactic for years, but North Korea considers it an attack on its government. Defectors and other activists in recent weeks have used balloons to fly leaflets criticizing Kim Jong Un over his nuclear ambitions and dismal human rights record.

While Seoul has sometimes sent police officers to block such activities during sensitive times, it had previously resisted North Koreas calls to fully ban them, saying the activists were exercising their freedom.

The liaison office in Kaesong was one of the main agreements reached in three summits between Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in 2018. It has been closed since late January after the Koreas agreed to temporarily shut it until the coronavirus is controlled.

Kaesong is also the location of a now-shuttered factory complex that was jointly run by the two Koreas. It combined South Korean capital and technology with cheap North Korean labour. Seouls previous conservative government shut it down in 2016 following a North Korean nuclear test, removing a crucial cash source for North Koreas struggling economy.

During their summits in 2018, Kim and Moon issued vaguely worded statements pledging denuclearization and peace. They also agreed to the military pact aimed at reducing conventional threats and vowed to resume operations at the Kaesong factory park and South Korean tours to a resort at North Koreas Diamond Mountain when possible, expressing optimism that US-led sanctions on the North would end.

But North Korea has suspended virtually all cooperation with South Korea in recent months amid a stalemate in larger nuclear negotiations with the Trump administration, which have faltered over disagreements on sanctions relief in exchange for disarmament steps.

North Korea has sped up its missile tests while also pressuring Seoul to break away from Washington and restart joint economic projects held back by the sanctions over its nuclear programme.
The Odisha government on Friday removed a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer in charge of procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE), masks and testing kits for fighting the coronavirus pandemic from the purchase committee amid allegations of irregularities.

The removal of Hemant Sharma, the principal secretary of the industries department, came as opposition Congress raised a stinker over the procurement strategy of the government asking how masks and testing kits were bought at different rates from different suppliers, raising questions about transparency.

Sharma was given the charge procurement for Covid-19 in April as chief minister Naveen Patnaik asked his officials to be prepared for the worst.

Sharma was among the key officials who led the emergency procurement team dealing with the purchase of PPEs, viral transport media, testing kits and other medical essentials required in the management of the disease.

However, as opposition parties alleged irregularities in the purchase of these equipment, the government issued a notification saying Sharma has been rescinded from the duty.

The government issued another notification later in the day relieving nine other IAS officers from Covid-19 duties, saying they have been spared to attend to their original administrative responsibilities.

Congress leader Sudarshan Das said the Odisha State Medical Corporation had given a purchase order for triple-layer face masks to a Faridabad-based company on April 15 at Rs 9.90 per piece.

However, the corporation placed another order on April 17 for the same quality of mask with a Tamil Nadu-based firm at Rs 16 per piece. While five lakh masks were ordered at Rs 9.90, around 30 lakh masks were ordered at Rs 16.

Similarly, one lakh PPE kits at Rs 900 per unit were ordered from a company on April 17 with the incentive of 50% of the value if the kits were delivered within seven days of placing the order.

Apart from this, the corporation had issued a purchase order for procuring 2 lakh testing kits from a Kolkata-based firm on April 21 at Rs 1,321 per kit. On May 7, an order was placed with Regional Medical Research Centre for procuring 45,000 kits at Rs 1125 per kit.

On May 11, another purchase order was issued for 4920 kits at Rs 980 per kit was placed with a Bhubaneswar-based company. Das also alleged that while the cost of real-time PCR machine is Rs 4 to 5 lakh in the market, the same machine was procured by the Odisha government at Rs 12. 94 lakh.

Neither Sharma nor officials of corporation replied to the allegations of the Congress leader.

Sharma had said during a Covid-19 press briefing in April that the chief minister had allowed his officers to travel with blank cheques.

We all pray that the disease does not spread more in Odisha but in case it does, the CM has directed us to prepare for that scenario. The officers travelled with two cheques, one with the required amount written on it and another one a blank cheque, so that they can procure the gears for sure, he had said.
France has hailed the killing of the head of Al-Qaeda's North Africa wing in an operation against the group behind a string of deadly attacks across the troubled Sahel region.

Abdelmalek Droukdel was killed by French troops on Thursday in northern Mali near the Algerian border, where the group has bases it uses to carry out bombings and abductions of Westerners, Defence Minister Florence Parly said.

Many close associates of the Algerian -- who commanded several groups under the banner of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) -- were also "neutralised", she said on Friday, describing the operation as a "major success".

Parly also announced the capture last month of a senior figure from a regional offshoot of the so-called Islamic State group, in a double strike against the rival jihadist groups.

AQIM emerged from a group started in the late 1990s by radical Algerian Islamists, who in 2007 pledged allegiance to Osama Bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network.

The group has said it has carried out numerous attacks on troops and civilians across the Sahel, including a 2016 attack on an upmarket hotel and restaurant in Burkina Faso that killed 30 people, mainly Westerners.

The SITE intelligence group reported that while AQIM had yet to acknowledge its leader's death, other al-Qaeda jihadists had posted messages mourning his death and paying tribute to him.

The death of Droukdel -- once regarded as Algeria's enemy number one -- could leave AQIM in disarray, French military sources said.

- Haven for jihadists -

France has deployed more than 5,000 troops to combat jihadist groups in the region -- a largely lawless expanse stretching over Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger, where drugs and arms flow through porous borders.

Thursday's operation came after French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a meeting in January of regional leaders to intensify the military campaign, in the face of a surge in attacks that killed 4,000 people in 2019 alone.

Droukdel was killed near the northwest Mali town of Tessalitm /  AFP

Northern Mali is the site of frequent clashes between rival armed groups, as well as a haven for jihadist activity.

In 2012, key cities fell under the control of jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda, who exploited an ethnic Tuareg-led rebel uprising. That led a French-led military intervention.

According to the UN, Droukdel was an explosives expert who made devices that killed hundreds of civilians in attacks on public places.

He was sentenced to death in Algeria in 2013 for his involvement in the bombings of a government building and offices of the UN's refugee committee in Algiers that killed 26 people and wounded 177.

The US said it provided intelligence to help track down Droukdel, who was killed in Talhandak, northwest of the town of Tessalit.

"US Africa Command was able to assist with intelligence and... support to fix the target," spokesman Colonel Chris Karns told CNN.

- 'Charismatic, ruthless' -

France also claimed on Friday to have captured a leader of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) group, which carries out frequent attacks over Niger's western borders.

Parly tweeted that its forces had captured Mohamed el Mrabat, who she said was a senior figure in the ISGS. She described ISGS as "the other great terrorist threat in the region" and said operations against them were continuing.

Mali is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that erupted in 2012 and has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives since.

Despite the presence of thousands of French and UN troops, the conflict has engulfed the centre of the country and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

The Sahel is a huge, largely lawless expanse stretching over Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger, where drugs and arms flow through porous borders /  AFP/File

A source told AFP that some 500 jihadist fighters had been killed or captured by French troops in the region in recent months, among them several leading figures including commanders and recruiters.

Droukdel's death is a symbolic coup for the French, a military source said.

He had remained a threat in the region, capable of financing jihadist movements, even though his leadership had been contested, the source added.

Droukdel has been described as charismatic but ruthless, ready to eliminate members of AQIM who rejected his instructions or ideological positions, according to the analysis group Counter Extremism Project.

Born in 1971 in a poor neighbourhood of Algiers, Droukdel -- also known as Abou Moussaab Abdelouadoud -- took part in founding the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) in Algeria.

Abdelaziz Bouteflika, elected Algerian president in 1999, managed to persuade most of the armed groups in the country to lay down their weapons.

The GSPC, however, refused and Droukdel decided to approach Al-Qaeda.
A childhood tragedy had driven celebrity fashion designer Camilla Franks into creating the beautiful life shed always craved. Then her world was turned upside down yet again

Camilla with her daughter Luna. Creative & Styling: Sheree Commerford. Hair & Make-up: Noni Smith

You might not have heard of 44-year-old Australian fashion designer Camilla Franks, but youll recognise her work. Her signature kaftans and boho maxi dresses  a flamboyant riot of print and colour  are a favourite with celebrities including Beyonce, Oprah, Jennifer Lopez, Kate Hudson and supermodel Miranda Kerr. Dubbed the Kaftan Queen, over the past 16 years Camilla has grown her eponymous label from a single store on Sydneys Bondi Beach into an international, multimillion-pound empire. With 22 stores to her name (in the UK youll find her boho-luxe designs in the swankiest department stores: Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges) and a 2 million home in Sydney, it might seem like a charmed life, but for all her success Camilla has been hit with some devastating curveballs.

Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez (right) in Camillas designs

The first came when she was 17 and had just finished school. We lived in a beautiful beachside neighbourhood called Watsons Bay in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, she says. Growing up, it was like having our own mermaids playground. My younger brother Ben and I would spend all day exploring. One afternoon, 14-year-old Ben was playing on Watsons Bays clifftops when he fell. His sudden death left Camilla stunned and she shut down emotionally. I dont think I processed my grief at all. I buried my feelings and it wasnt until later that I realised how unhealthy that was.

Instead of facing her grief, she threw herself into work. I felt like I had to live my life for two people, she says. Trying various careers, first in events planning, then advertising, she moved on to acting. Mainly really bad theatre, she recalls. Id torture my friends with awful three-hour Shakespeare performances with no interval. I realised I wasnt going to be receiving an Academy Award any time soon. But people did love the costumes that she created from vintage saris and kimonos. It was the catalyst for the launch of Camilla, the fashion label, in 2003.

Within a year, her first collection was picked up by Australian department store David Jones (the Aussie equivalent of Harrods). That early success ignited her ambition. I had a dream for global domination: I was fearless and persistent. The grafting paid off, as the label went from strength to strength. But inside, she was falling apart. I was running the business like a crazy woman. Work was my Band-Aid  it was a way not to feel anything. I had absolutely no balance in life. Of course, it was a recipe for a breakdown.

By 36, she was burnt out. I had a complete spiritual, emotional and mental breakdown, she says. All those painful emotions about my brothers death, which I had compartmentalised for almost 20 years, finally hit me. I took a few weeks out of the business to really feel my trauma, so that I could start my healing process.

A combination of counselling, yoga, meditation and journaling (all my hippie s**t, as she calls it) slowly helped Camilla get back on track. You have to acknowledge your feelings and honour them, no matter how scary or dark they are. You need to shine a light on them. Grief never leaves you, but I learned how I could live with it.

Over the next eight years, with a healthier mindset, Camilla thrived personally and professionally. Business boomed, her own celebrity grew as magazines such as Vogue and Harpers Bazaar featured her work, and she got engaged to her long-term partner

JP Jones, a Welsh musician and artist, on New Years Eve in 2016. The following year she was pregnant, aged 41. My life was looking pretty beautiful. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. I loved the feeling of being pregnant and growing another being inside me. I felt like Wonder Woman. In January 2018, her daughter Luna was born. Holding her in my arms for the first time was an out-of-body experience. Theres a connection thats unfathomable. Its an emotion so deep and primal.

In typical Camilla style, when Luna was just eight weeks old, I tucked her in my arms and off we went travelling around Australia for a month. We went into the rainforest, to the Great Barrier Reef, explored the outback. All with a newborn! For a nomadic spirit like Camilla it was the most natural thing in the world. Honestly, it was an incredible trip, touring my motherland. Far from feeling overwhelmed, having Luna by her side made her feel more grounded than ever; like Id shifted into a new gear. For the first time in my life I felt like Id nailed it.

Then Camilla noticed a lump in her left breast. She went to her doctor but, assuming it was mastitis (a common condition where breast tissue becomes inflamed in breastfeeding mothers), she wasnt particularly worried.

The afternoon that the doctors called me in to discuss the test results, I knew something was wrong. My heart was pounding out of my chest. When I heard the words, Youve got stage three breast cancer, my whole world came crashing down.

I felt a terror to my core; to my bones. I was helpless. So powerless and scared. All I could think of was Luna. She was three months old and I didnt know if I was going to live or die. I realised how much I wanted, needed, to live. It frightened me that it might not be an option.

Camilla was given two weeks to decide on which course of treatment to take. Suddenly I had to become CEO of my own body. I felt like I was on a deadline to save my own life.

The treatment plan she chose was hard core: six months of chemotherapy (my oncologist called it the bazooka of chemo) followed by a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction, a nine-hour surgical procedure.

What should have been a blissful time bonding with baby Luna and adjusting to life as new parents with JP  became a gruelling physical and mental battle. Of all the painful, tearful days that followed Camillas diagnosis, one of the most heartbreaking was when she was told she had to stop breastfeeding Luna.

I was not ready to stop. I had a primal yearning to breastfeed. It seemed so unfair and cruel. I couldnt bear to see other mothers breastfeeding. There were awful times when I would be too sick to play with Luna, or I was on the chemo ward and I couldnt be with her; I didnt want her to see me like that.

Camilla turned to yoga and meditation to help her cope. I knew I was in for the fight of my life, so I had to focus on keeping my body and mind strong. Yoga and meditation became my non-negotiables, no matter how sick I became.

New parenthood can test any relationship, let alone with a life-threatening illness looming over you, but Camilla says the enormity of their situation only strengthened her bond with JP. You realise how much unnecessary noise you put in your lives. All that mattered that first year was fighting to keep me alive and making sure we were the best parents we could be at the same time.

Camillas friends, her amazing tribe of warrior women and men, rallied too. They were the ones who cried with me, held me when I just needed holding. The ones who came to my doctors appointments, spoke for me when I was too terrified to speak, asked questions I couldnt. They held me together through my worst moments, she says. It was the darkest, most uncertain time in my life and strangely there was so much beauty in it; it was filled with love and kindness. It gave me so much to fight for.

During chemo, Camillas trademark waist-length chestnut hair  always worn in loose, boho waves  started falling out in clumps. It was quite traumatic. My hair had defined me for so long. I thought, Im going to be bald, its going to be horrific. But when I shaved my head and looked in the mirror, I was stripped back to my most raw, my most vulnerable, my most authentic. And I found that beautiful.

Harder to accept was losing her breasts. The night before her double mastectomy, Camilla took a shower. I remember just holding them and saying goodbye and tears running down my face. They were not perfect, but they were mine, and knowing that I would never touch them ever again its like youre losing a limb.

After the surgery there were weeks in hospital where she wasnt able to move, and then months when she couldnt pick up Luna and hold her while her body recovered and her scars began to heal. But absolutely nothing, not even cancer, was going to take away my bond with Luna, she says. And ultimately, she saved my life. I wouldnt have noticed this lump had I not been breastfeeding her.

Camilla with partner JP Jones last year

Incredibly, throughout her treatment Camilla continued to work. For me, its my happy place. It was my escape from cancer. In 2018 she designed two collections, produced a huge catwalk show that closed Australian Fashion Week and launched a charity project, Butterfly Effect, helping girls in Eastern India to stay in school and say no to childhood marriage. It ended up being one of the companys biggest years ever, she says proudly.

Now Luna is two years old. I love seeing her unique character develop, says Camilla. Shes so cheeky and funny and curious. Camillas hair is starting to grow back and she has just unveiled her latest collection, Mirror Mirror. It will be sold exclusively online during the coronavirus pandemic, a new challenge but one she feels emotionally equipped for.

Everything Ive been through has made me live totally in the present. Im grateful for every moment. If you start fast-forwarding, thats when the fear comes. With coronavirus, lots of people are asking, Where are we going to be in three months, six months? I think that makes it more traumatic. You never know whats around the corner but if you can stay present it takes away some of that pressure.

Camillas cancer journey is still ongoing. I closed one chapter of the story when I had the mastectomy, she says. But as her breast cancer is a result of the BRCA1 gene mutation, she has an increased chance of developing ovarian cancer in the future, so its recommended she has her ovaries removed. It has brought up a lot of sadness and anger. I resent the fact that cancer has potentially taken away the opportunity of having another baby. I know that removing my ovaries is a power move I need to make to protect the beautiful life that I have with Luna and JP. But Im just not there yet, she says. Im hoping for a miracle. If these past two years have taught me anything its that you never know whats going to happen: life is one beautiful, crazy, terrifying rollercoaster.

For more details on Camillas collections, go to uk.camilla.com
Big Horn County health officials announced a new order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 after the county's first death was reported Friday.

Health officials ordered additional requirements as a result of the increase in COVID-19 cases in Big Horn County, including a death caused by the virus that was announced Friday.

The man who died early Friday morning was in his 60s, according to a press release from the county. He had not been hospitalized and died at home, according to the county's public information officer Rhonda Johnson.

In the U.S. more than 100,000 have died from the disease.

The new measures are implemented in addition to the directives issued by Gov. Steve Bullock. The local order is more restrictive and is approved by the Big Horn County health officer, with the approval of the county public health board, according to another press release issued later Friday.
When Spencer Fung first unveiled his US$150 million, three-year plan in 2017 to remake the 111-year-old trading company founded by his great-grandfather into a trailblazer in the digital era of online shopping and smart retailing, he was in charge of a HK$30 billion (US$3.9 billion) giant that had made its fortune as the broker between the two largest economies on earth.

Since then, a trade war has sullied ties between the United States and China, tearing asunder the intricate global network of suppliers and customers that had taken decades to stitch together.

In March, the unthinkable happened: the world economy was devastated by a pandemic, and the share price of Li & Fung plunged, reducing its value to a mere HK$4 billion. That threw a wrench into Fung's ambitious restructuring works. Within days of plumbing those depths, Fung announced that his family " along with a partner in Singapore " would take Li & Fung private.

"In light of global economic uncertainties, the company's transformation will involve execution risk, and the associated benefits will require a longer time to materialise. The offerers believe that the transformation of the company will be more effectively implemented away from the public equity markets." Fung, the firm's CEO and its fourth-generation leader, said in a statement on March 20 in announcing the take-private plan. Fung declined to be interviewed for this story.

Spencer Fung, Group Chief Executive Officer of Li & Fung, briefs the media on the company's three-year plan in Lai Chi Kok on 17 June 2019. Photo: Nora Tam alt=Spencer Fung, Group Chief Executive Officer of Li & Fung, briefs the media on the company's three-year plan in Lai Chi Kok on 17 June 2019. Photo: Nora Tam

Li & Fung's shares were removed from the Hong Kong stock exchange on May 27, bringing down the curtains after 28 years on Asia's third-largest capital market, and in the city the Fungs called their home since 1937.

Story continues

The company is part of a wave of privatisation deals that has swept across Hong Kong's stock market since the start of this year, as depressed valuations amid poor investor sentiment provided golden opportunities for controlling shareholders to buy out their companies' assets at rock bottom prices.

Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng index rose by more than 6 per cent this week, recovering from the plunge a week ago when China's legislature surprised the market with its plan for a national security law for the city.

Still, Asia's third-largest equity bourse is also trading at the third-lowest valuation across the region's 14 markets, weighed down by a recession mired in the coronavirus pandemic and almost a year of anti-government protests, creating the perfect conditions for more take-private proposals.

"The longer the weak market sentiment drags on, the higher the chances of success for privatisation deals," said Kenny Tang Sing-hing, CEO of China Hong Kong Capital Asset. "Privatisation offer prices, while substantially higher than the prevailing stock prices, are usually much lower than the underlying value of the companies' assets due to pessimism in their industries."

There are five take-private transactions valued at US$8.76 billion under way in Hong Kong, initiated by controlling shareholders, since the start of February, according to Refinitiv's data and stock exchange filings.

Deals jumped to a 12-month high of US$6.2 billion in February, tracking the Hang Seng's descent from its high in mid-January just before Hubei's provincial capital of Wuhan " the first global epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic " went into lockdown on the eve of the Lunar New Year.

Peter Woo Kwong-ching, Hong Kong's eighth-wealthiest man, with a US$12 billion fortune according to Forbes, unveiled an HK$48.1 billion (US$6.2 billoin) cash-and-stock offer in late February to privatise Wheelock and Co., the city's fourth-largest developer by market value. Woo, who turns 74 in September, could not be reached for comment.

Under the plan, the holder of every Wheelock share would receive HK$12 (US$1.60) in cash, plus one share each of Wharf Holding and Wharf Real Estate Investment (Reic), the two property units that own the Harbour City mall, and Times Square " located near the world's most expensive retail strip " in their portfolio.

Corporate structure before and after privatisation. alt=Corporate structure before and after privatisation.

At the time of the proposal, the take-private package offered a 47.8 per cent premium to Wheelock's prevailing stock price. Since the proposal, the stock prices of Wharf and Wharf Reic have both tumbled, raising concerns that the proposal may not be attractive enough for investors.

The plan would need the nod by at least three in four of Wheelock's minority shareholders, who together control a combined 30 per cent of the company's shares, during a general meeting scheduled for June 16. The opponents of the take-private offer must not exceed 10 per cent of the total shareholders, according to the rules for the proceedings.

It is "highly uncertain" whether the Woo family's privatisation plan can succeed, said Kenny Wen, wealth management strategist at Everbright Sun Hung Kai. "The offer has lost some of its appeal to common investors."

The uncertainty underscores an investor sentiment in Hong Kong " especially towards the real estate sector " that has rapidly deteriorated in the span of just three months.

Peter Woo Kwong-ching in his office in Tsim Sha Tsui on 6 August 2014. Photo: May Tse alt=Peter Woo Kwong-ching in his office in Tsim Sha Tsui on 6 August 2014. Photo: May Tse

Investors are worried landlords of office towers and shopping malls will suffer even lower rents going forward, as social instability and economic recession weighs on companies and consumers.

This is after the local retail and tourism industries were already brought to their knees by the coronavirus outbreak and an unprecedented anti-government movement that lasted for seven months since last June.

This translates into a gloomy outlook for Wharf Reic and Wharf, owners of commercial projects in Hong Kong and mainland China, according to Patrick Wong, a property analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.

Meanwhile, parent company Wheelock is set to hold up better because it now develops primarily mass-market residential projects in the city, which is a bright spot in the market due to strong local demand, Wong said.

In addition, Wheelock also owns the third-largest residential land bank among peers in Hong Kong. "If investors view it from a long-term perspective, they will lose their exposure to Hong Kong's residential property if the plan is approved," said Wong. "That could be a concern."

A view of Times Square in Causeway Bay, located near one of the world's most expensive retail strips, Russell Street. Photo: SCMP alt=A view of Times Square in Causeway Bay, located near one of the world's most expensive retail strips, Russell Street. Photo: SCMP

Furthermore, the shareholding of Wheelock is highly fragmented " none of the minority shareholders holds more than a 5 per cent stake. This could make it hard for the Woo family to negotiate with big institutional investors before the voting to gain support, Everbright Sun Hung Kai's Wen said.

To be sure, investors still have plenty of reason to vote for the buyout, given the stock was trading at a high discount to its net asset value. In addition, they could also directly own a stake in the two subsidiaries and bypass the parent company's stock, said Jeff Yau, property analyst at DBS, who said the proposal is likely to succeed.

And if Wheelock succeeds in privatising through this special model, more developers could follow suit, Bloomberg Intelligence's Wong said.

Potential buyout targets include developer Henderson Land Development, which like Wheelock has a complicated subsidiary structure, and Kerry Properties, which is trading at an extremely low price-to-book ratio at about 0.3 times, he said.

Kerry Properties' Mantin Heights residential development in Ho Man Tin on 13 April 2018. Photo: Sandy Li alt=Kerry Properties' Mantin Heights residential development in Ho Man Tin on 13 April 2018. Photo: Sandy Li

But as with Wheelock, take-private offers can be highly controversial and a tough decision for minority shareholders.

If they support the offers, most will have to accept a certain level of investment loss and give up on the potential future upsides from business restructuring, industry conditions improvement and individual assets disposals.

If they reject the offers, they may risk getting stuck with a downward spiral of value erosion and increasing difficulty to sell their shares.

In Li & Fung's case, the buy-out offer of HK$1.25 was 150 per cent higher than the last traded price before the offer's announcement, but was unattractive considering the underlying assets' potential value. It was also 94 per cent lower than the peak.

SCMP Graphics alt=SCMP Graphics

While the company's supply chain services operations saw its operating profit halved to US$91 million last year from 2016, with revenue falling by a quarter, profit of its logistics business grew 54 per cent, revenue rose 29 per cent and staff count jumped 46 per cent.

The logistics business, in which Singapore sovereign fund manager agreed to buy a 21.7 per cent stake last June for US$300 million, was valued at US$1.38 billion. If its value has fallen by the same 17 per cent as the Hang Seng Index since that time, it would have a current value of US$1.1 billion.

The take-private offer price valued the entire Li & Fung at US$1.37 billion, which meant its supply chain and its wholesale businesses " which together contributed 41 per cent of its total core operating profit " were valued at only US$270 million.

Viewed from another angle, the offer price also valued the company's entire assets at not a lot higher than its cash pile at the end of last year of US$932 million, which was boosted last August by Temasek's cash injection into the logistics unit.

A view of the Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: May Tse alt=A view of the Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: May Tse

"Management said the privatisation will allow investors to have a chance to cash out. But in fact, it is cutting off the opportunities for small shareholders to enjoy the future growth of its logistics and other businesses," Danny Chan Chung-cheung, a shareholder of Li & Fung for 19 years, told the South China Morning Post, declining to disclose the size of his holdings.

"Our hearts are broken as we all felt betrayed by management who did not appreciate our trust and loyalty."

A consortium between controlling shareholder the Fung family " led by group chairman William Fung Kwok-lun and honorary chairman Victor Fung Kwok-king " and Singapore-based international logistics facilities investor GLP successfully bought minority shareholders out. Some 97.1 per cent of the shares on which votes were cast were in favour of the deal.

Following the delisting of Li & Fung's shares, a local newspaper reported that the company had notified several hundred merchandising in Hong Kong that they would be laid off.

"Covid-19 has dramatically impacted the global retail industry and this has affected Li & Fung's business volume," Li & Fung said in a statement. "As a result, we are unfortunately having to make adjustments to our staff levels. We cannot disclose further details as this information is confidential."

Additional reporting by Enoch Yiu

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.
Mumbai:

Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, facing the allegation of radicalising youths, on Saturday asked the government what exactly has he done to get the tag of Dr Terror and sought logical answers to charges levelled against him.

In a four-page open letter released here, Naik posed five questions to the government as to what he has done to earn the tags of terror preacher, Dr Terror.

Why now? I have been preaching for 25 years not just in India but across the world. What exactly did I do now to earn the tags of terror preacher, Dr Terror? Of 150 countries where I am respected, I am called a terrorist influencer in my own country. What an irony!, the 50-year-old televangelist asked.

Despite exhaustive investigations, not a single conclusive evidence of wrong doing was reported by any governmental agency. But now investigators are being asked to repeat and continue the probe. Why? he sought to know.

On the governments action against his NGO, he asked why would the government renew IRFs FCRA registration and then cancel it? And that it seemed illogical.

Is there design to leaking confidential information of the government, solicitor general and the MHA? Is there a design to leaking selective government documents to the media? the letter said.

Naik, a medical doctor-turned Salafist preacher, said the entire row in the last few months have come as a shock to him and termed it as murder of democracy and strangulation of fundamental rights.

This is not just an attack on me, it is an attack against Indian Muslims. And it is an attack against peace, democracy and justice, Naik wrote in the letter.

On allegations of forced conversion, Naik, who has been away from the country for over two months, said, While chasing IRF for allegations of forced conversions, why are the agencies ignoring the most basic proof? Where is the converted person and where is his or her statement? Isnt this person the most basic proof of forced conversion?

The founder of Peace TV, run by his Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), Naik has come under the scanner of security agencies after a Bangladeshi newspaper had reported that one of the attackers of the July 1 terror strike in Dhaka was inspired by his speeches.

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The coronavirus pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to airline stocks. Top airliners have shed more than half of their peak value as flights remains grounded due to lockdowns put in place to curb the spread of the virus. Recently, airlines started showing signs of having risen from the lowest possible level and are attracting travelers as several states have begun easing the lockdown orders.

On Jun 4, American Airlines Group Inc. AAL reported plans to boost flights by 74% in July, pointing that the coronavirus-led standstill in travel is over. Following the news, shares of American Airlines rose 41.3%, helping the S&P 500 Airlines Industry Index jump 12.8% on the same day.

The gains in American Airlines also pushed peers like United Airlines Holdings, Inc. UAL, Delta Air Lines, Inc. DAL and Southwest Airlines Co. LUV to close 16.2%, 13.7% and 5.1% higher, respectively.

Airlines Rally as Travel Resumes

With the economy reopening, there has been a significant increase in demand for air travel, leading airliners to add back some flights to their network. Several airlines companies also provided flights to help shippers transport their goods during the lockdown.

Major airlines are also witnessing an increase in flights to tourist spots like Florida, the Gulf Coast, Montana, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming as lockdowns eased.

United Airlines in mid-May said in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it expects to increase passenger capacity in July to 25% of its 2019 level, compared to 10% available capacity in May and June.

On Jun 4, American Airlines reported on average 110,330 passengers per day in the last week of May, which is more than thrice the average for Aprils 32,154. Additionally, the company claims that its load factor or the average share of seats filled per plane climbed to 55% last month from 15% in April.

American Airlines senior vice president of network strategy, Vasu Raj, said that the company expects to operate about 4,000 flights during the busiest days of July compared to 2,300 in June. In fact, flights in July are expected to be 55% of the 2019 level, which is nearly double from 25% in June and 20% in May. The company also plans to reopen some of its airport lounges with limited capacity.

Story continues

On the international front, American Airlines has restarted flights to London, Amsterdam, Paris and Frankfurt and some Caribbean and South American routes on Jun 4. The airline expects international passenger capacity to increase in July and reach nearly 20% of its year-ago level. American Airlines carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank(Strong Buy) stocks here.

As the coronavirus-led lockdowns are being gradually lifted and businesses are reopening, the airlines industry is expected to see a significant jump in bookings. In fact, domestic tourism can play a significant role in the improvement as uncertainties regarding coronavirus resurgence in several parts of the world are deterring international tour plans.

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Hong Kong: 310k apply for job aid scheme

The Employment Support Scheme (ESS) received more than 140,000 applications from employers and 170,000 from self-employed people from the first day of the application period on May 25 until 6pm today.

The Government said the vetting process of all the applications received is expeditiously underway with a view to disbursing wage subsidies to successful applicants starting from mid-June.

Upon completion of the processing of applications, the ESS Secretariat will inform successful applicants of the results via SMS and email. Applicants can login to the ESS portal to check the amount of subsidy granted and the committed head count for the months of June to August.

Eligible employers and the self-employed wishing to apply for the wage subsidies under the scheme should submit applications before 11.59pm on June 14. Applications should be submitted through the ESS online portal.

The Government noted that quite a number of individual applicants who have applied for the one-off lump-sum subsidy of $7,500 are not eligible.

It reminded applicants that to be eligible for the one-off subsidy, they must have enrolled in a Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) Scheme as self-employed people and the relevant MPF account should have been set up on or before March 3 and that account has not been terminated as of March 31.

Applicants who have set up MPF accounts as employees, including employees who have ceased employment, are not eligible to apply for the one-off subsidy for the self-employed.

Email [email protected] or call the ESS hotline 1836 122 for enquiries.

Applicants who need assistance in completing the online applications may call the hotline to make appointments with the three ESS Help Desks in North Point, Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan.

The hotline and the three help desks run at designated hours until June 14.

This story has been published on: 2020-06-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
In a letter received by Radio Farda, Raheleh Ahmadi, an imprisoned civil rights activist and the mother of activist and political prisoner Saba Kord-Afshari, has protested to the decision of the judiciary to uphold a 15-year sentence for her daughter.

Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals had acquitted Saba Kord-Afshari of the charges but according to her lawyer, Hossein Taj, judiciary officials have informed her that she must serve the sentence. Ms. Ahmadi and her twenty-year-old daughter Saba are both in prison for campaigning against compulsory hijab.

In a tweet on May 30, Hossein Taj, Saba's attorney, announced that the 20-year-olds sentence would be enforced.

Saba was arrested on August 2, 2018, alongside fifty others, during a series of anti-corruption and anti-mismanagement protests in the Shi'ite clergy-dominated Iran.

She was released on February 14, 2019 when the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei pardoned several prisoners on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

However, security forces stormed Saba's residence and rearrested her on June 2, 2019. They ransacked her house and several items of her personal belongings including her cell phone and laptop were confiscated.

"When will this injustice end? When will lawlessness stop? I will be the voice of my daughter [Saba] for as long as I breathe," Ms. Ahmadi who is serving  four-year sentence at Evin Prison has written in her letter.

She has also said that her daughter's attorney is chasing the case with the judiciary and that said that she demands that judicial authorities revise the law that has led to contradictory verdicts against her daughter.

"I declare that if the authorities ignore my lawful request, I will use all my lawful rights as a mother to initiate a civil protest action," she wrote.
With a court hearing scheduled Thursday and flights unavailable, attorneys representing Ahmaud Arbery's family say they "started losing hope" they'd be able to attendthat is until Jay-Z offered to help.

According to Instagram posts shared by Blerim Elmazi and S. Lee Merritt, the rapper lent his private plane to the legal team so they could make it to a preliminary hearing in Georgia.

"Court hearing in Brunswick, Georgia this morning," Elmazi captioned a photo standing in front of the jet. "No flights to take us there last night. @leemerrittesq and I spent hours trying to find flights or cars. At 1 am we started losing hope till we got a call from Jay-Z's people at Roc Nation who chartered a flight for us to attend this hearing with the family of Ahmaud Arbery. Thankful for their support."

Arbery, a 25-year-old black man, was fatally shot in February. Video of the incident circulated online, prompting widespread outrage.

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During today's probable cause hearing, NBC News reports that a judge ruled that all three defendants charged in connection to Arbery's death would stand trial.

Ahmaud Arbery

On May 7, Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis McMichael, 34, were arrested and charged with felony murder and aggravated assault.

The man who allegedly recorded the fatal shooting of Arbery, 50-year-old William "Roddie" Bryan, was taken into custody two weeks later and charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.

While Arbery's family maintains he was out for a jog when the shooting took place, the McMichael's, who are white, have said they thought he was a burglary suspect.

Earlier this week, Jay-Z and Roc Nation took out multiple, full-page ads in newspapers nationwide as a tribute to George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25.

Story continues

Quoting a 1965 speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the ad reads in part, "Only way we can really achieve freedom is to somehow hunker the fear of death. But if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live. Deep down in our nonviolent creed is the convictionthat there are some things so dear, so things so precious, so things so eternally true, that they are worth dying for."

Jay-Z's rep had no comment when contacted by E! News regarding the private plane gesture.
Chandigarh, June 6 : A day after he announced a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to probe the trade in illicit liquor, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday said an Excise Reforms Group had been set up to break the nexus between producers, wholesalers and retailers of illicit liquor.

The five-member group has been asked to submit its recommendations on breaking the nexus within 60 days, which would then pave the way for the elimination of illicit liquor trade in Punjab and maximisation of the state's excise revenue, according to an official spokesperson.

The group comprises Housing and Urban Development Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria and Public Works Minister Vijay Inder Singla, in addition to retired IAS officer D.S. Kalha, Adviser Financial Resources V.K. Garg and School Education Secretary Krishan Kumar.

Working in tandem with the SIT, which has been tasked with investigation into all aspects of illicit liquor trade in the state, including complicity of Excise Department officials, the group will identify the gaps leading to revenue losses for the state due to such complicity.

The Chief Minister has mandated the group to come up with its suggestions on long-term legal and administrative reforms, after due diligence and consultations with the stakeholders.

In this process, the reforms group may consider the suggestions and reports received earlier from the state Finance Minister on his visit to West Bengal and also from the previous Local Government Minister.
A New Jersey landlord is challenging Gov. Phil Murphys executive order allowing tenants to use their security deposits to pay their rent during the coronavirus crisis.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court, Matthew Johnson claims the governors order violates his constitutional rights and the contract he signed with his tenant for a $600 security deposit at his rental property in Cherry Hill, according to a statement released by New Civil Liberties Alliance, a nonpartisan legal group that filed the suit Tuesday.

The lawsuit could be the first in a long line of landlord-tenant issues that arise from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Some legal experts have criticized the first-term governor for his overarching executive orders that could go beyond his constitutional powers, including intervening with rent payments.

This is a straightforward case of administrative overreach," said Jared McClain, a staff counsel with the alliance that filed the suit. "New Jersey law gives the governor specific emergency powers that have to do with things like vaccines, hospitals, and the state militia. Residential lease contracts have nothing to do with the powers Governor Murphy invoked here,

When pressed by reporters during his daily briefings in March and April, Murphy admitted he faced hurdles when offering relief to renters.

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Renters are just a more complicated set of individuals to regulate because theyre private contracts between people but were doing everything we can to find relief for the people of New Jersey who rent, his chief counsel Matt Platkin noted at the April 1 briefing.

A tenant who lives in the Barclay Towers complex and is not named in the lawsuit informed Johnson on March 31 that he had been laid off from his job and planned to file for unemployment benefits. The single Cherry HIll condo is the only property Johnson rents out.

Now, with Murphys April 28 executive order that allows security deposits to be a form of rent payment, the tenant is increasingly likely to take advantage of the 2018 lease, the lawsuit said.

And without a security deposit, the suit continues, Johnson could be forced to pay out of his own pocket for any damage caused by the tenant or to bring a costly and timely small-claims action against the tenant.

As a landlord and a board officer for two condo associations, I know the financial difficulties that a tenant can cause by damaging a rental property, in which case the only saving grace is the security deposit, Johnson said in a statement to NJ Advance Media. Im concerned about the position it will put myself and other landlords in if we allow a governor to modify a private contract with the stroke of a pen.

The lawsuit also asserts that the executive order goes beyond Murphys authority, claiming that the governor cant waive the requirements of leases because of financial hardship, even if that hardship results from the public health emergency. And landlords should be compensated by the state should their tenant does not pay back their security deposit, which they are not currently required to do.

Johnsons 14th Amendment rights to have equal protection under the law were violated as well, the suit continues, as Murphy singled out residential landlords which resulted in a loss of his civil liberties.

Johnson no longer has the security deposit for which he rightfully contracted. He is now in a worse position than he was before, due solely to an executive order the governor had no legal power to make, the lawsuit states.

The state Attorney Generals Office did not respond to request for comment.

Murphy has offered other forms of rental relief to tenants as well. On May 29, a $100 million emergency rental assistance fund was created for struggling tenants who became unemployed during the pandemic.

Hes also enacted a moratorium on lockouts due to evictions and foreclosures, and suspended rent increases for 36,000 low- and moderate-income homes, and some cities, including Hoboken and Newark, have independently imposed rent freezes.

Since the pandemic began in mid-March, about 1.2 million New Jersey residents have filed for unemployment, as nonessential business were forced to close, causing the states unemployment rate to surge to 15.3%. Many say theyve been waiting for weeks to get paid and have struggled with the states busy phone and online systems.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz.

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Philippine soldiers secure an area where they encountered Abu Sayyaf bandits in Patikul, Sulu province, on the day a long-held Dutch hostage was shot as he tried to escape the militants during a firefight, May 31, 2019.

Four members of an elite Army Special Forces unit were killed and seventeen were wounded in intense fighting on the southern Philippine island of Sulu that also left two Abu Sayyaf militants dead, the military said Saturday.

Members of the 6th Special Forces Battalion were conducing combat operations when they clashed with about 40 members of the Abu Sayyaf in a remote village in Patikul town on Friday, officials said.

The firefight lasted for nearly an hour until the enemy escaped, military southern command spokesman Maj. Arvin John Encinas said. Result  we had four KIA and WIA, 17, he said referring to killed in action and wounded in action.

The terror group which the government forces encountered belonged to the faction of Abu Sayyaf leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, the acknowledged local leader of the Islamic State.

Sawadjaans group has been tagged as behind a series of bombings on Jolo last year, including an attack by two Indonesian suicide bombers on the islands Catholic church that left 23 dead in January 2019.

Encinas said that two of the Abu Sayyaf fighters were also killed, while an undetermined number were likely wounded, based on blood stains along the route used by the enemy side to escape.

Encinas said the fighting took place in terrain that was familiar to the enemy side, giving them an advantage.

Maybe it just happened during that time the Abu Sayyaf group were on the vantage position. Terrain matters, regardless of what special unit, Encinas said, stressing that pursuit operations were continuing as of Saturday afternoon.

The slain soldiers had been retrieved, and the wounded brought to a military hospital. Some of the wounded were later airlifted to Zamboanga city for further treatment.

The military has been suffering major casualties against Abu Sayyaf fighters recently. In April, 11 soldiers were killed and 14 others were wounded in the militarys biggest loss in recent years against the Abu Sayyaf.

The fresh casualties occurred the same week Congress finally passed what the military says is a stronger anti-terrorism bill. It will however need the signature of President Rodrigo Duterte before it becomes law. He earlier certified its passage as urgent.

The law is being opposed by rights groups who allege that Duterte could use it clamp down on critics who have questioned his war on drugs.

On Friday, Dutertes national security chief, Hermogenes Esperon, stressed it was meant to crush the Abu Sayyaf and other terror groups in the south.

Mindanao has been a victim of terrorism in various iterations, Esperon said. Be it through suicide bombings or through the proliferation of Dawlah Islamiya and other extremist groups, he said, using the local term for the IS.

He said the fact that foreign militants had managed to infiltrate the south is proof that our present laws have failed to address the problems of modern terrorism.
Drew Pavlou (left), 20, at a protest holding a banner saying "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times." (Courtesy of Drew Pavlou)

University Student Drew Pavlou Remains Enrolled Amid Appeal

A student activist who led protests against the Chinese Communist Party will remain enrolled in the University of Queensland as he challenges his two-year suspension amid claims of a political vendetta against him.

Drew Pavlou claims the university has levelled trumped-up misconduct allegations against him after he criticised the institutions ties to Beijing.

The 21-year-old learned last week that he had been banned from studying at the university for two years.

Pavlou claims the university is trying to silence him, but the institution says the case has nothing to do with free speech issues.

UQ Chancellor Peter Varghese had expressed concern about aspects of the findings against Pavlou and the severity of his penalty.

An out-of-session meeting of UQs governing Senate was held to discuss the matter on June 5.

In a statement released hours later, Varghese said Pavlou had lodged an appeal on Tuesday against the disciplinary boards decision.

The appeal will be heard by the disciplinary appeals committee made up of Senate members and staff and student representatives.

The committee has the power to confirm, vary or set aside the decision of the disciplinary board.

Pavlou remains an enrolled student and no action will be taken on his suspension while the appeal is being heard, Varghese said.

The Senate on Friday reaffirmed its view that no student should be penalised for the lawful expression of personal political views, he said.

Freedom of speech is a foundational value of the university.

Pavlou is a student-elected member of the Senate but if his suspension stands, his term will expire before hes allowed to resume classes in two years time.

After signalling they would back away from their political vendetta against me, UQ has once again capitulated to Beijing and kept my expulsion case alive, Pavlou said in a statement posted to Twitter on Friday.

UQ is seeking to bully me and harm my mental health by refusing to give me any clarity, constantly keeping me in limbo under immense stress.

An attempt to make me suffer to show students this is what happens when you criticize the administration. Disgrace!

He has also called on Varghese to cut off Vice-Chancellor Peter Hoj, who sits on the Senate but was not due to attend Fridays meeting.

Tracey Ferrier, Heather McNab
The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has outlined a number of COVID-19 safety measures as it prepares for resumption of academic work for its final year students.



President Akufo-Addo on Sunday, May 31, in his address to the nation on updates to Ghanas enhanced response to the coronavirus pandemic, eased the ban on public gathering to among others, allow for the partial resumption of academic activities.



The university has thus, expressed it preparedness, indicating that the measures put in place were to avoid the spread of the virus among students, staff and the university community.



A statement issued and signed by the Registrar, Mr John Kofi Nyan and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said all halls, library and academic areas would be fumigated before re-opening on Monday, June 15.



As part of the measure, all final year students would be accommodated in the halls of residence with a maximum of two students in a room.



However, students who had special cases justifying their stay in self-rented hostels would be considered on the merit of their cases.



According to the statement, a special room, at least one in each hall would be designated for quarantine and management by the universitys COVID-19 Rapid Response Task-force.



To strictly observe social distancing protocol, only large lecture theatres would be used for revision, examination and tutorials.



In addition, students, staff and the entire university community are required to comply with the No face mask no entry policy adding that, each students would be provided with two masks.



Veronica buckets, soaps and hand sanitizers would be provided at entry points to facilities such as the halls, library, lecture theatres and all academic areas.



There would be no movement in other halls and students would have their temperatures taken before entering into the halls and other facilities.



Also, there would be no church services and other large gathering, the statement added.



To ensure compliance, the statement said, management would engage the student leadership on how to practicalise the measures outlined.

Source: GNA









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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shakes hands with a participant who gave him a Black Lives Matter T-shirt as he takes part in an anti-racism protest on Parliament Hill during the coronavirus pandemic in Ottawa, Ontario. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)
The last few weeks have witnessed tech and social media giants come under the microscope like never before over the kind of content they allow on their platforms, and the logic and consistency that they apply while implementing their policies. The matter is multifaceted and geopolitical, and seems to put forth a new question for almost every new example cited.

However, one aspect of this that sticks out like a sore thumb is these mostly US-based giants' squeamishness about China. As the world finally unshackles itself from commercial compulsions to speak up (belatedly) against China's atrocious policies, tech companies that have arguably suffered the most at the hands of China's protectionism appear not only hesitant but also evidently pro-China.

From 'Knock-offs' to cutting-edge

Over the last few decades, as India's giant neighbour has grown inexorably to become the second-largest economy in the world and a ruthlessly aggressive and expansionist one at that, it has routinely flouted numerous rules of doing business and profited immeasurably. Copyright law, for instance, appears to be non-existent in China. Cheap knock-offs of physical branded products have been flooded into global marketplaces for years, and over time, this modus operandi of business has allowed China to scale up its manufacturing to such an extent that it is a world leader both in terms of quantity and quality. For sure, the 'knock-offs' aren't cheap anymore.

Internet giants' hypocrisy

Nowhere is this same model more apparent than in the Internet space. Search and social media giants like Google, Facebook and Twitter aren't available in China. To understand the scope of what this means, just consider - you land in Beijing, connect your phone to Wi-Fi, open Chrome, and find that nothing works. Typing something in the search bar will result in no response, to such an extent that it feels like you're not connected to the Internet. Only if you enter the full URL directly, instead of 'searching' for it on your Android OS phones, will you get anywhere. Google Maps 'works' in the way that it allows a rudimentary map of Beijing to be downloaded, but try the GPS and you'll find that it doesn't know top from bottom.

Google, Facebook and Twitter and the sub-products that they run to such great effect worldwide have local analogues in China. Baidu, Tencent, Weibo, WeChat, TikTok are multi-billion dollar products and companies on their own right, and the hypocrisy here is that they are freely allowed to list their apps and services on what the rest of the world considers the Internet. TikTok, for instance, is the most widely used app of its kind in India. Locally developed competitors haven't ever stood a chance.

In just the last few weeks, TikTok has come under the spotlight for allowing objectionable, fake and downright dangerous content on its platform. India's National Commission For Women has asked for it to be banned. Given the rising anti-China sentiment, and to encourage India to become not only self-reliant but also a globally acceptable democratic alternative to China, engineer and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk appealed to people to stop using Chinese products and apps. Amid this, an app floated by an Indian company to delete Chinese-made apps from Android phones went viral, but was then taken down from the Google Play Store. In its explanation, Google touted 'healthy competitive environment' - like China, right?

I am of the strong openion that this @TikTok_IN should be banned totally and will be writting to GOI. It not only has these objectionable videos but also pushing youngsters towards unproductive life where they are living only for few followers and even dying when no. Decline. https://t.co/MyeuRbjZAy  Rekha Sharma (@sharmarekha) May 19, 2020

Twitter, meanwhile, is in its own world of pain. While criticism of Facebook in this regard is currently mostly just perfunctory - almost like 'and what about Facebook?' - Twitter has fallen afoul of the President Donald Trump in the US, and continues to make inexplicable and controversial decisions in India, such as the brief blocking of Amul's handle for putting up a customary news-oriented Topical creative.

Human biases versus 'Machine learning'

In Twitter's case, and presumably in the others as well, what this has led to is a sort of 'lifting of the corporate veil' - that it is individual choices and leanings and not 'machine learning algorithms' or committees of unbiased independent experts/vetters/moderators who make these decisions. After Trump's tweet about mail-in vote rigging was flagged, his team pointed out that Twitter's head of security had been publicly anti-Trump in the past, while the White House asked why a war-mongering tweet filled with religious untruths by Iran's supreme leader was allowed?

This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, @Twitter has determined that it will allow terrorists, dictators, and foreign propagandists to abuse its platform. pic.twitter.com/5Qi0m66Vnh  The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 29, 2020

In India, Twitter has been accused of having a leftist bias (by those on the right) on a range of things not limited to moderation and even 'blue tick' handles. Republic TV has had to question Twitter in the past for allowing viciously edited fake news to be proliferated over ultrasensitive matters. The company's CEO Jack Dorsey landed himself in a soup after unwittingly taking up the cause of 'Smash Brahminical Patriarchy'.

But the question still stands - why protect protectionist China so much? The Dragon has been in the room a long while, and it's about time that technology companies start smarting from the fire it has been breathing at them just as much as all the other furniture.
Next year, state lawmakers will redraw the congressional district maps based on the 2020 census, a process mandated by the Constitution. In anticipation of this new redistricting cycle, Slate is revamping our gerrymander puzzle game from 2013 as part of our Who Counts? initiative. Well be releasing new puzzles over the upcoming weeks, highlighting the worst and weirdest gerrymanders in the country. Find out how quickly you can put these states back together and learn everything thats at stake in the next round of redistricting.

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After the 2010 election, Republicans gained a trifecta in Michigan, seizing control of the governorship and Legislature. They also won a conservative majority on the state Supreme Court, meaning all the pieces were in place for a brutal GOP gerrymander. Republican legislators promptly got to work carving up the state to create as many red districts as possible. They packed most of Michigans large minority population, which leans Democratic, into a handful of deep blue districts, then distributed other Democratic voters through safe GOP districts. The resulting map, above, gave Republicans at least seven of the states 14 congressional seats, even when Democrats won a decisive majority of the statewide vote.

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In 2017, voting rights advocates sued to invalidate Michigans gerrymander, alleging extreme partisan bias in violation of the Constitution. During the ensuing litigation, the plaintiffs obtained secret documents from GOP mapmakers, who boasted that they were targeting Dem garbagethat is, liberal neighborhoodsas well as black residents in Detroit. These mapmakers relied heavily on racial and partisan data to entrench an unbeatable Republican advantage in the congressional delegation.

A federal court invalidated the map in 2019 as an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. The Supreme Court later reversed that decision after ruling that the federal judiciary could not police political redistricting. In the 2018 midterm elections, however, Michigan voters passed a constitutional amendment establishing an independent redistricting commission. Republicans legal attacks on the commission have proved unsuccessful, and it is set to redraw the states congressional maps after the 2020 census.
SACRAMENTO  When Californias more than 6 million K-12 students return in a few months, they will face a starkly different learning environment.

Students should have their temperatures taken every morning, with no-touch thermometers. Teachers should wear face masks or shields. Desks should be spaced 6 feet apart, separated by partitions or staggered to avoid face-to-face contact.

Those changes are included in the states long-awaited strongly recommended guidelines for reopening schools that the California Department of Public Health released Friday.

The guidelines closely mirror a draft of the guidelines reported by The Chronicle last week, and were expected to be released last week. But the guidelines were delayed as Gov. Gavin Newsom said health officials went back and forth over the rules.

School districts and teachers unions have said the checklist will be logistically challenging and costly and could be impossible to complete given Newsoms proposed budget cuts.

The guideline recommend that meals be served in classrooms, and classes be confined to separate areas of the schoolyard for recess. Students and staff who show symptoms of COVID-19 will be required to wear masks and wait in an isolated room until they can leave school.

Public health officials wrote that the guidelines are based on the best available public health data at this time, international best practices currently employed, and the practical realities of managing school operations.

If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, schools can make temporary closures. That could include the closure of specific classrooms or offices and a 14-day quarantine period for those exposed.

The guidelines suggest that teachers expose students to fresh air as much as possible by opening windows and, weather permitting, holding part-day classes outside.

Even before Newsoms administration released the guidelines, teachers and school officials warned they wont be ready to reopen with the level of precautions recommended. Newsom has proposed cutting school funding by about $7 billion to help erase a $54.3 billion deficit.

Members of the California Education Coalition, which includes groups representing labor unions, administrators, school boards and parents, have said schools may have to continue distance learning.

Deep budget cuts to public education will stand in the way of preparing our schools for the safe return of students and educators and further prolong the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, said E. Toby Boyd, president of California Teachers Association.

Schools should also have a plan to continue education, and other services like nutritional support, during those closure periods.

To help schools reopen during the coronavirus pandemic, California will provide face shields for every teacher and no-touch thermometers for every school.

Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle

The Department of Public Health plans to distribute stockpiles of those supplies, according to a news release, to district, charter and private schools, as well as childcare facilities. Among the initial shipments planned:

 No-touch thermometers for every school and childcare facility; more than 47,000 total

 Face shields for every teacher and childcare provider; about 2.4 million total

 Over 14 million cloth face coverings for staff and students

 Over 16 million disposable masks

 123,000 N95 respirators for school-based health professionals, including those who interact with students showing symptoms

 143,000 gallons of hand sanitizer

Meanwhile, Alameda County announced that, effective Monday, daycare centers and other childcare providers can resume services to all children, not just the children of essential workers.

Childcare providers are expected to keep kids grouped in social bubbles of no more than 12 individuals, including adults and children, according to the countys health order. These groups should not mix.

Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner
An engineer looks at monkey kidney cells as he makes a test on an experimental vaccine for the COVID-19 - NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP

China may deploy coronavirus vaccines as early as September to at-risk groups even if clinical trials have yet to be completed.

Health officials are drafting guidelines for administering vaccines under testing to priority groups, such as medical personnel, the latest sign Beijing is ramping up competition against the US to produce a global cure.

China has five vaccines in phase II human trials  more than any other country. Vaccines can take years to develop, though authorities are keen to pull ahead in the race to find a solution for a disease devastating the world, infecting 6.6 million people and killing nearly 400,000.

Success could help Beijing deflect global anger over its cover-up of the pandemic and buoy its coronavirus-ravaged economy. It would also be a blow to Donald Trump's "warp-speed" plans for a vaccine.

China would have quite a cherry[if it] manages to come out with a vaccine that becomes generally accepted around the world, said William Lee, chief economist of the Milken Institute, a think tank tracking vaccine development. That would be a coup.

China has already sunk 4 billion yuan (450 million) into research and development of Covid-19 vaccines and therapies, and expects to spend more than double that in total, premier Li Keqiang said this week at a global vaccine summit.

The pandemic has accelerated government plans to support growth and boost national security by investing in key sectors, including robotics and biomedicine. China is also building dozens of high-grade biosafety labs to study the most infectious pathogens.

We need to hold technological confidence in certain fields, said Chen Wei, an army general and virologist overseeing Chinas most promising vaccine. We need to depend on our own strength, instead of others, to protect the population of more than one billion people.

Ms Weis project, a collaboration between a military medical institute and private biotech firm CanSino, uses a live virus to carry genetic material into human cells to elicit a stronger immune response than typical vaccines. Scientists have studied this technology for decades, including for HIV, but treatment has yet to be approved for humans.

Story continues

Authorities fast-tracking trials in China may soon have to look further afield for participants, with only a handful of cases emerging daily as the epidemic subsides.

China is running out of people they can potentially test the vaccine on, said Nicholas Thomas, a health security expert and professor at the city University of Hong Kong.

But winning is not a numbers game alone, as a lack of quality of control in the production of vaccines has tainted Chinas image, said Mr Lee.

China has suffered from years of scandals  counterfeits run rampant and expired vaccines have been tampered with and repackaged. Poor refrigeration in storage and transport have also ruined vaccines. Those who can afford it opt for imported over domestic vaccines.

More recently, China has exported faulty coronavirus tests and respirators, which means countries may be reluctant to take up Beijing on its pledge to make vaccines globally available if it does become the first to develop one.

Viruses also mutate to survive, leading to a risk in developing vaccines, which ultimately may not be as effective or even used, said Mr Thomas.

The longer the outbreak goes on, the more chance there is for mutation, but whether or not it mutates to be more dangerous to us as humans, or less dangerous, is a roll of the genetic dice.

Whats equally important is discovering effective therapies to mitigate outbreaks until enough doses are produced.

Theres no way to immediately vaccinate everyone, said Judith Li, a partner at Lilly Asia Ventures, a spinoff from US drugmaker Eli Lilly that has invested in Chinas CanSino. People are still going to be infected, so there absolutely needs to be both therapeutics and vaccines.

Experts say, however, that breakthroughs are happening rapidly.

What a lot of people forget is that this virus has only been with us for roughly seven months, said Mr Thomas.

At the global level, theres been this geopolitical chest-thumping and vaccine nationalism, he said. But at the technical level, theres been an incredible amount of collaboration and sharing of data.

Additional reporting by Yiyin Zhong
Coronavirus patients with high blood pressure could be twice as likely to die than those without, research suggests.

The risk is even greater among patients who are not taking medication to control hypertension, scientists reported in the European Heart Journal.

Their findings were based on data from nearly 2,900 hospital patients in Wuhan, China, the original epicentre of the pandemic.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 23:53:38|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday confirmed 126 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections to 2,600.

Kenyatta who also extended the nationwide curfew period by another 30 days said four people succumbed to the deadly disease, bringing the total number of fatalities to 83.

He said 63 people were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 706.

"We must speak truthfully to each other. The rate of infection in Kenya would have been very high had we not taken the measures we took," Kenyatta told a televised news conference in Nairobi.

He also relaxed the curfew hours which will now be between 9.00 p.m. to 4.00 a.m. from Sunday.

Citing the advice of the National Security Council, the Kenyatta also extended the cessation of movement into and out of the Nairobi Metropolitan Area, Mombasa and Mandera counties by another 30 days.

He also lifted movements in and out of Kilifi and Kwale counties in the coastal region with effect from Sunday due to the successful containment of the disease in the areas.

The president said the opinion was divided by his team of experts on whether or not to open the economy.

"The irreducible minimum for lifting restrictions has three thresholds. One, to open up, the infections must be contained and the number of infections and deaths must be headed downwards. This is currently not the case in our country," he said.

He said the COVID-19 situation in Kenya does not meet a list of three thresholds for relaxation as advised by health professionals and public practitioners and thus found it impractical to relax the restrictions currently in force.

The Kenyan leader lifted the cessation of movement into and out of Eastleigh, a residential estate in Nairobi and Old Town in Mombasa from Sunday.

"We must accept that we are not dealing with a right or wrong opinion. We are caught in between two rights. Those who want to open the economy are right and those opposed to opening the economy are also right," the president said.

He said the country's healthcare system must be prepared sufficiently to take on a surge in infections.

"It must not be overwhelmed at any one point during this pandemic. Access to testing, isolation and quarantine must be a bare minimum in our health facilities. This is not the case currently," said the president.

Kenyatta announced that he planned to convene a meeting next week to review the effectiveness of the containment measures.

He said that the meeting that will be attended by all 47 governors will review the preparedness of all county governments to deliver isolation facilities with at least 300 bed capacities and to develop time-bound protocols for progressive re-opening of the economy within 14 days.

"The capacity for surveillance and contact tracing must also be fully in place across the country," he said.

Kenyatta said the ban on all forms of gatherings - including but not limited to political gatherings, social gatherings and bars - has been extended for a further 30 days.

"Due to the evolving nature of the disease globally, international travel restrictions are hereby extended," he said.

Kenyatta on Saturday directed the Ministry of Education to facilitate the progressive re-opening of schools from Sept. 1.

He directed the Ministry of Transport to engage all key stakeholders in the aviation industry within seven days and develop protocols to guide the resumption of local air travel.

Kenyatta directed the ministries of interior and health to constitute an inter-faith council and consult within seven days to work out modalities and protocols of re-opening of the places of worship. Enditem
Nairobi, June 5, 2020  In response to a Burundi court's decision today to reject the appeal of four Iwacu media group journalists who are serving 2.5-year prison terms, as reported by their employer, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement:

Burundian authorities should never have arrested the four detained Iwacu journalists; rejecting their appeal only shows that authorities are willing to double-down on the country's hostility toward the free press, said CPJ sub-Saharan Africa Representative Muthoki Mumo. It is deeply disappointing that, despite the transparently retaliatory nature of their case, the court rejected their appeal and the journalists remain behind bars amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when imprisonment poses an unacceptable health risk.

Iwacu broadcast reporter Christine Kamikazi, politics desk head Agnes Ndirubusa, English service reporter Egide Harerimana, and photojournalist Terence Mpozenzi were arrested in October 2019, and in January were convicted of attempting to undermine state security, according to CPJ research. In its statement today, Iwacu said that it would continue demanding justice for the journalists and would take the case to Burundi's supreme court.

Four Iwacu journalists are seen at the High Court in Bubanza, western Burundi, on December 30, 2019. A court today rejected the imprisoned journalists' appeal. (AFP/Tchandrou Nitanga)
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The district on Friday reported eight new Covid-19 cases, all of them foreign returnees. Apart from them, a Pathanamthitta native and a Thiruvananthapuram native who tested positive on Friday are being treated in the district. They too had arrived from abroad.Of the total 10 persons, five  a 46-year-old from Nedumbassery, a 31-year-old from Thiruvananthapuram, a 47-year-old from Pathanamthitta, a 42-year-old from Eloor and a 42-year old from Aluva  arrived from Kuwait on May 26.

The remaining five comprise a 38-year-old Ezhikkara native, who arrived in an Abu Dhabi-Kozhikode flight on May 26, a 53-year-old Muvattupuzha native, a 50-year-old Perumbavoor native and a 59-year-old Mulanthuruthy native who arrived from Abu Dhabi on May 27, and a 63-year-old Nedumbassery native who arrived from Dubai on May 27.

As per the Health Department, four persons recovered and were discharged from Government Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery, on Friday. They are a 56-year-old Keezhmadu native who arrived from Abu Dhabi on May 17, a 38-year-old Ezhikkara native who came from Abu Dhabi, a 47-year-old Thrissur native and a 27-year old Maharashtra native who works in a private shipping company.

All the cases reported in the district are foreign returnees. Besides, a Pathanamthitta native and a Thiruvananthapuram native who tested positive on Friday are also being treated here. Four persons have been discharged after the results of their samples came negative
Poor weather condition on Saturday hampered work to control gas flowing uncontrollably from a well blowout of the Oil India Limited's (OIL) at Baghjan in Assam's Tinsukia district, officials said.

Gas is flowing uncontrollably from the well blowout since May 27, they said.

"Poor weather condition is hampering the work progress for removal of equipment from well plinth and development of approach road for removing equipment from the site", according to a statement issued by the company.

Associated condensates coming out with the gas are water sprayed and collected in a pond near the well site itself and utmost care has been taken to arrest condensate spillage to surrounding areas.

A Bund has been created around the well site to prevent the contaminated water runoff to surrounding and nearby water body.

Arrangement for collection of required quantity of water from the river source was in progress but the job has been hampered due to certain difficulties.

Considering the current wind direction in the water reservoir and pump area, civil work for alternate water reservoir and placement of pumps is in progress, the statement added.

OIL has engaged local fishermen with boats to identify oil spill, if any, in Maguri Matapung Beel so that immediate remedial action may be taken up as required.

Meanwhile, a Guwahati based firm has been lined up for bio-remediation of oil spill in the area The company also claimed that there is no report of any serious health issues due to the blowout.

A section of the local media had claimed that four persons have died in Natun Gaon (a nearby village) possibly due to pollution from the blowout.

"No human life has been lost due to release of natural gas, crude oil spillage or condensate in OILs operations in all these years", the company said.

There is 24/7 para medical staff at the relief camps and doctors are constantly addressing the health issues of the local people staying in the relief camps or visiting the mobile health camps in the relief camps.

OIL has requested Tinsukia Deputy Commissioner to investigate the matter so that the real cause of the deaths could be ascertained, the statement added.

On May 27, a major blowout took place at a producing gas well of OIL at Baghjan, next to Dibru Saikhowa National Park, forcing the administration to evacuate thousands of people living nearby due to spouting of natural gas and condensate droplets.

Meanwhile, the arrival of the three experts from the Singapore-based Alert Disaster Control has been delayed due to formalities related to COVID-19 pandemic.
4:45 p.m. | Hundreds of marchers are now returning to the SAPD headquarters in the 8th day of protests against the murder of George Floyd.



4:40 p.m. | Today's march winds through several city blocks as hundreds join in protest of the murder of George Floyd.

4:25 p.m. | Around 300 people were gathered outside the San Antonio police department headquarters by 3:30 pm Saturday, the second weekend protests continued in the city following the murder of George Floyd.

I wanted to create a safe and open space for us to come and remember the why of what were doing, Kristen Calahan, the organizer of the protest on Saturday afternoon, said.

To be seen as a human and have your life being valued as such is all that were asking, she said.

Many of the protesters came following the parade in Alamo Heights earlier in the day, including, including Matthew Diana, 17 and Sky Erbin, 16.

The two students at Alamo Heights High School said they had long noticed racial inequality, but the video of Floyds murder spurred them to participate in the recent protests.

Im here to be the voice for those who no longer have a voice, Erbin said. Me being out here is just something in my soul that I feel like I have to do.

A group of friends organized following the widespread outrage over Floyds death to begin registering voters at the ongoing protests.

Dana Wrann, a teacher, said her group dubbed the radical registrars has signed up between 150 to 200 new voters over the last week.

Were just a group of friends that in general find that voting in really important, Wrann. Its important for us to vote for people in power that will stop this systemic oppression.

Pharaoh Clark, a local activist attending the protest, said hes set to meet on Monday with Mayor Ron Nirenberg to discuss police reform in the city.

Reforms he plans to propose include things such as ending no-knock warrants and creating a public online database of police complaints.

Thats what we want to talk about: how to make the system fair and equal for everybody, Clark said. (Nirenberg) has been very receptive and seems like he really wants to shoulder the burden.

4:20 p.m. | After leading a chant of I cant breathe for a group of about 300 people at a protest Saturday in front of the City of San Antonio Public Safety Headquarters, 6-year-old Thalia Wilson timidly handed back the megaphone.

Next up was 3-year-old Fern Skidmore. Ferns mother, JoJo, a 23-year-old single mother, said she chose to attend Saturdays protest after thinking about the death of Breonna Taylor.

My daughter is going to go to college someday, and she could be the next Breonna Taylor if change doesnt happen, JoJo said. So we are here for Breonna Taylor.

As a white parent of a black child, JoJo said helping Fern understand racial issues has been a challenging process, but one she wanted to start early.

Theyve been hard conversations, JoJo said. It hurts that I even have to do this, but all in all, its necessary.

Leah Wilson, Thalias mother, said the family has been attending protests through the week, also bringing her 8-year-old son, Justus, and 2-year-old daughter, Annora.

Leah, 37, said she didnt begin to understand her white privilege until she was in her 20s. She hopes her children can grow up with a different perspective, and she believes theyre old enough to begin that process.

Its really important to me that they learn a lot earlier than I did, Leah said. I want them to grow up being anti-racist. I dont want them to have to unlearn the inherent biases that we have.

Anthony Sanchez, a 25-year-old United States History teacher at East Central High School, said calling on children to lead chants serves as a reminder of the importance of molding the next generation.

The opportunity also helps young people understand that they have a voice, Sanchez said.

Its beautiful, because thats the next generation that is going to be here, Sanchez said. Were setting the example to them that, Hey, look at what were doing now. Were not going out there being violent. Were not going out there looting. Were being peaceful and seeing this peace actually create some change.

Sanchez also asked some of the older members of the diverse group of protestors to step forward and speak.

I was a teenager when Dr. King was marching. I sat that one out, said Al Hassler, 68. Im not going to sit it out anymore.

3:55 p.m. | The tiniest of San Antonio residents have joined the protest outside SAPD.

3:15 p.m. | As demonstrators gather for their eighth day of protests, Mayor Ron Nirenberg has announced the city will be lifting its temporary curfew in the downtown business district this afternoon.

2:55 p.m. | A group of friends calling themselves the radical registrars, organized in the wake of George Floyds murder, are registering people to vote at the ongoing protests. Dana Wrann, a teacher in San Antonio, said her group had registered hundreds of new voters in the last week.
Over the past three months, the U.S. has experienced an unprecedented economic catastrophe brought on by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. With the U.S. becoming the epicenter of the outbreak, most states chose to shut down nonessential businesses to curb virus transmission. In doing so, we witnessed more than 41 million Americans get displaced from their jobs, as evidenced by initial unemployment benefit claims.

This never-before-seen level of disruption is what prompted Congress to pass and President Trump to sign the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law on March 27.

The CARES Act was a record-breaker, in terms of relief legislation

At $2.2 trillion, the CARES Act is the single costliest piece of relief legislation ever passed by lawmakers. It was tasked with providing $100 billion to hospitals to help fight COVID-19, allocated $500 billion to aid distressed industries, funneled almost $350 billion into small-business loans, and gave $260 billion to expand the unemployment benefits program.

However, there's little question that the CARES Act will be best remembered for the $300 billion in direct aid set aside for working Americans and seniors. Through May 18, the Internal Revenue Service had sent out more than 140 million payments (most through direct deposit) totaling $239 billion.

In an ideal scenario, CARES Act recipients could receive up to $1,200 per individual or $2,400 for couples filing jointly. An additional $500 can be added to what a parent or household receives for each qualifying dependent aged 16 and under. To net this maximum payout, single, married, and head-of-household filers needed a respective adjusted gross income (AGI) of under $75,000, $150,000, and $112,500 in their most recent federal tax filing. Thus, a married couple with an AGI of under $150,000 and three young children could receive $3,900 under the CARES Act.

Given the uncertainties tied to the coronavirus pandemic, throwing a massive amount of money at the problem seemed like a prudent move at the time. Now, more than two months removed from the CARES Act's passage, the question is, what happens next?

Three reasons a second round of stimulus is more likely than you might realize

If lawmakers were to look toward polling and surveys for that answer, they'd see that a majority of Americans are banking on a second round of stimulus checks. A late April survey from OnePoll of approximately 2,000 people found that 82% want monthly stimulus payments. Meanwhile, a Fortune/SurveyMonkey poll from late May showed that 54% of adults support another round of stimulus payouts.

Though the prospect of additional stimulus has mostly been quashed at the congressional level in recent weeks, I believe the likelihood of a second stimulus measure putting money into the hands of Americans is a lot greater than most folks realize.

The first reason Americans are likely to get a second stimulus check is because the first one simply didn't do enough. According to an April 22 Money/Morning Consult survey, a whopping 74% of the 2,200 respondents noted that they had already spent their stimulus money, or intended to spend their stimulus payout in four weeks or less. That's a problem, considering that the U.S. economy has been struggling mightily for 2.5 months, and the U.S. unemployment rate is soaring.

Secondly, don't overlook the fact that it's an election year. Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats want to be the party that refused to go to bat for the American public during the worst economic downturn since perhaps the Great Depression. Although both parties are approaching the idea of a second round of stimulus from opposite ends of the spectrum, both are well-aware that their actions could have bearing on the November elections.

Third and finally, things could actually get worse from an economic perspective before they get better. For instance, the expansion of the unemployment benefits program is putting an extra $600/week into the pockets of approved beneficiaries. However, this will end on July 31, 2020. Even though states are reopening in phases, it's not going to be business as usual for quite some time. That means we could be talking about extended periods of high unemployment; rising rental, mortgage, and loan delinquencies; and a host of other economic issues. A second round of stimulus might be needed to keep the financial sector from face-planting in a couple of months.

What might a second stimulus entail?

The big question is what might Americans and seniors -- yes, seniors receiving Social Security should expect to receive a second stimulus payout, if one is passed -- expect if another round of stimulus does head their way.

We've already received a glimpse of what Democrats would prefer to see happen. In mid-May, the Democrat-led House of Representatives passed the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, which came with a whopping cost of $3 trillion. It would provide $1 trillion to states, $200 billion in hazard pay to essential workers, extended unemployment benefit protections (i.e., the extra $600 per week) through January 2021, and, of course, put money into the pockets of workers and seniors.

Although the HEROES Act utilizes the same AGI eligibility criteria as the CARES Act, the payouts can be notably higher for those with dependents. Individuals and couples could receive up to $1,200 and $2,400, respectively, but qualifying dependents can add up to $1,200 each (limit three dependents). This means a married couple with three children could receive up to $6,000.

Additionally, unlike the CARES Act, all dependents, not just children under the age of 17, would qualify their parent or household for an extra $1,200.

Meanwhile, Republicans have been tinkering with the idea of some form of payroll tax cut. As a reminder, working Americans pay a 15.3% payroll tax on earned income, with 12.4% funding the Social Security program and 2.9% funding Medicare. Note that if you're employed by a company or someone else, your employer covers half of this 15.3% tax liability. By reducing the payroll tax, working Americans would be able to keep more of their income without the federal government having to pass trillions of dollars in added stimulus.

While both approaches have their positives and negatives, the key point is that lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are looking for ways to put more money into Americans' pockets. In my view, that makes a second stimulus check likelier than you might think.
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's most populous state has lodged a legal application to stop a Black Lives Matter protest occurring in Sydney, state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Friday.

Thousands of people have pledged to attend a protest organised in Sydney on Saturday in the wake of death of black American George Floyd in U.S. police custody.

The protest had secured permission as it originally planned to have fewer than 500 people present. But Berejiklian said when it became clear that thousands planned to attend, the legal application was made to the state's Supreme Court.

(Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
New Delhi, June 6 : As increasing number of Covid positive cases has surfaced at Ministry of Defence office at South Block on the Raisina Hill, the Indian Army headquarters, stationed over there, has decided to function with bare minimum staff of around 33 per cent, sources said on Saturday.

It was also decided that no visitor would be allowed as of now. "Staggering of office hours, lunch hours/coffee breaks to be done, as far as feasible," source said.

Earlier this week, India's top Defence officer, who had been at the forefront in battling the spread of Covid-19 pandemic in India, was tested Coronavirus positive. This also led to sealing of a portion of South Block for necessary sanitisation. Also around 30 people came in close contact with the defence officer over the last couple of days and they have been sent to home quarantine.

Seeing this, top Indian Army officer has directed that the old protocols of lockdown would be followed strictly and without delay.

Indian Army directed to reduce attendance in offices, excluding personnel engaged in essential and emergency services directly involved in taking measures to control the spread of COVID-19.

The force had reduced 33 per cent staff at headquarters and new guidelines for their personnel pertaining to social distancing has been issued.

"It shall be ensured that personnel are available on telephone and electronic means at all times for exigencies of work," the guideline stated.

In order to avoid crowding at entry and exit points, personnel attending office to adhere to staggered timings -- 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and 9.45 a.m. to 6.15 p.m.

On June 1, the central government announced that the lockdown will be lifted across the country in three different phases. It allowed offices to function but with riders.

Further, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare issued a standard operating procedure on preventive measures to contain the spread of virus in offices on June 4 and Department of Personnel and Training has directed all the government offices to strictly adhere to it. The health ministry issued 26-point detailed guidelines and offices have been asked to properly follow it.

(Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
City council cannot remove Coun. Stephen Wright from office, says a top municipal lawyer, even though Wright is under investigation by the province of New Brunswick for visiting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of its measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, New Brunswick prohibits non-essential travel.

Yet Wright travelled to the province in May to see firsthand how restaurants are faring in the reopening there  and although he apologized, the province of New Brunswick is investigating his visit.

At least two citizens are calling on council to expulse Wright, but one lawyer says it wont happen.

No, council cant remove him from office  theres just no authority to do that, said John Mascarin, a partner and municipal law expert with the Toronto firm Aird & Berlis LLP.

Mascarin said that there are instances where a city councillor can be removed from office: he can be removed if incarcerated, for instance, or if he misses three consecutive months of council meetings.

Peace officers with the Department of Public Safety in New Brunswick are investigating Wrights trip, public safety spokesperson Shaun Berry wrote to The Examiner by email Friday.

Violations of the provinces emergency orders may result in a fine of $240  although that can increase to a maximum of $10,200 plus surcharges and fees where an offence is brought to court.

RCMP Cpl. Jullie Rogers-Marsh told The Examiner that the force is not involved in the case.

But Wright told The Examiner in an interview May 30 that he was questioned by an RCMP officer who allowed him into Edmundston from Riviere-du-Loup, Que.

He was unavailable for further comment on Friday.

Meanwhile there are some other possible consequences for Wright, Mascarin said: if the citys integrity commissioner, acting on a complaint, investigates and finds the councillor broke the council code of conduct, then council can reprimand the councillor or temporarily suspend his pay.

Peterboroughs code of conduct for councillors says that members must seek to serve the public interest by upholding both the letter and spirit of the laws of Parliament and the Ontario Legislature, as well as the laws and policies adopted by the council.

City communications manager Brendan Wedley wrote to The Examiner on Friday that complaints are filed directly to the integrity commissioner  Toronto lawyer Guy Giorno  and not to the city.

Under the Municipal Act the integrity commissioner has a duty of confidentiality when dealing with these complaints, Wedley wrote, although the integrity commissioner may write a publicly available report to council following an investigation.

The integrity commissioner complaint form is posted at peterborough.ca/en/city-hall/resources/Documents/Council/Integrity-Commissioner-Inquiry-Form.pdf

NOTE: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of John Mascarin.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 12:01:08|Editor: huaxia

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LOS ANGELES, June 5 (Xinhua) -- A small, single-engine airplane Friday afternoon crashed into a hillside in Mentone, 106 kilometers east of Los Angeles downtown, claiming three lives.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesman Ian Gregor was quoted by the KTLA news channel as saying that the single-engine Cessna 172 plane crashed "under known circumstances," and the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board have launched an investigation.

The incident occurred at about 3:30 p.m. local time, police told KTLA, adding that all three people who were believed to have been on board were killed.

Video clips posted online showed a largely intact plane lying on scrubby ground just below a ridgeline with body and wings broken.

There was no immediate word on the plane's departure point or intended landing site. Enditem
Ghost Train Brewing Co. has signed on to craft a limited edition stout as part of Black is Beautiful a brewing collaboration project spearheaded by Weathered Souls Brewing Co. in San Antonio, Texas.

Black is Beautiful is the brainchild of Marcus Baskerville, co-founder, head brewer, and co-owner of Weathered Souls. The collaboration is partly his response to the death of George Floyd, a black unarmed man who was killed by Minnesota police last month. As Baskerville watched protests swell across the nation, including in San Antonio, he wanted to create a project to show that the craft beer industry has become more inclusive over the years and that it understands that black lives matter.

As a black business owner, I wanted to use our platform to get the word out about equality and the lack of respect that people of color feel, Baskerville told San Antonio Magazine.

Black is Beautiful is also Baskervilles way of holding the craft brewing industry accountable. While the scene is changing as black craft brewery owners and craft beer enthusiasts demand space in the industry, the industry is known for being notoriously white. In the interview, Baskerville explained that breweries have long profited from using elements of black culture-- i.e. street art as inspiration for labels and hip hop phrases in the names of their beers--without respectfully or authentically engaging black consumers.

Black lives do matter and its at a point where the nation, were growing tired of the current situation. For the industry to show unity on this front, especially since its an industry that has (been guilty) of a lot of cultural appropriation, it really shows that theyre supportive, Baskerville told the magazine.

Stout is the chosen style of beer for the Black is Beautiful collaboration. Weathered Soul provided the base recipe, which features a grain bill of caramel, dark chocolate, black malt, and flaked oats, developed to highlight the different hues and shades of black. Participating breweries can put their own spin on the recipe. Interested breweries can apply using the sites official Google form, and as of June 5, the site says 249 breweries in 35 states and six countries are participating in the collaboration. Weathered Soul is asking that participants donate 100 percent of the proceeds from the beer to local foundations that support police brutality reform and legal defenses for those who have been wronged as well as commit to the long-term work of equality.

We decided to join the Black is Beautiful Initiative because at Ghost Train we dont believe any human life should be worthless based off their skin color, the brewery told AL.com in an email. As part of a predominately white industry, we wanted to do our part to both promote diversity, and give people of color a voice within our industry, specifically while also donating to local organizations to give people of color a voice within our community.

Once they finish ordering the ingredients, the team at Ghost Train will begin brewing the stout next week and hope to have the final product ready for the public in a few weeks. So far, they plan to stick to Weathered Souls base recipe. The stout will only be available in the taproom, but Ghost Train is also looking into getting the beer canned.

The brewery says it chose to donate part of the proceeds from the stout to the Equal Justice Initiative because they challenge poverty and racial injustice, criminal justice system reformation, and create hope for marginalized communities. It plans to donate the remainder of the proceeds to various local protester bail funds, and other relevant organizations in need.

In May, Trim Tab Brewing participated in All Together a nationwide brewing initiative by New York brewery Other Half to donate the proceeds from an IPA to help struggling service industry workers. As part of the collaboration, the brewery released a hazy IPA with flaked oats and mosaic, Simcoe and Citra hops.

RELATED:
While Afghanistans COVID-19 tally crossed the 19,500 mark, the country is reportedly running out of hospital beds. According to reports, officials revealed that there was possibly a disaster coming in the nation. Afghanistan recently reported 761 new coronavirus cases in the span of 24 hours. The death toll in the country stands at 320.

Possibilities of an 'imminent disaster'

As per reports, Health Minister Ahmad Jawad Osmani revealed that hospitals in Afghanistan were nearing capacity and that they will soon run out of beds and space if the number of new coronavirus cases keeps increasing. The Afghan capital of Kabul is currently the countrys coronavirus epicentre and has many more coronavirus cases than was expected. "There is a disaster coming," said the Kabul governor.

The governor of Kabul, Mohammad Yakub Haidary, during a press conference said that he fears there may be a possibility that Kabul alone could have a million coronavirus cases. He further said that there are reports of people burying dead bodies at night making it hard to get an official count of the deaths caused by the coronavirus. The governor even claimed that the city "fills 10-15 ambulances of dead people every day".

According to reports, Afghanistan issued orders for a nationwide lockdown just like many other countries but the government's orders were largely ignored. Daily wage earners chose to take their chances and risk the streets rather than losing a day of work. The Afghan Health Minister ensured that coronavirus restrictions would be strictly enforced for the next three months and people will be made to wear masks and maintain social distancing.

Read: Afghanistan: Roadside Bombing In The Country Leaves 9 Killed

Read: UN Report Claims 6,500 Pakistanis Among Foreign Terrorists In Afghanistan

According to a statement by International Rescue Committee (IRC), majority of the countrys COVID-19 suspected are not being tested, the organization believes that out of all the suspected cases, only about 20 per cent have been tested. The IRC also revealed that Afghanistan also has the highest rates of positive cases out of those that have been tested., around 40 per cent of the people that are tested turn out to have COVID-19.

(Representative Image)

Read: Afghanistan 'looking Forward' To Historic Occasion As Australia Confirm One-off Test

Read: Afghanistan Government Releases Another 900 Taliban Inmates
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 03:17:54|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Saturday denounced an attack that killed 16 people, including five girls under the age of 15, in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this attack on innocent children," said the UNICEF representative in the DRC, Edouard Beigbeder.

According to UN-verified reports, the attack took place on June 3 in Moussa, a village in the Djugu area, north of Ituri province's capital Bunia.

The victims were all formerly displaced persons who had returned to the village. After the gunfire and knife attack, dozens have fled to seek shelter in neighboring villages, UNICEF said.

Since the beginning of the year, ongoing violence in Ituri province has taken the lives of more than 300 people.

More than 200,000 individuals, mostly children, have fled intensifying violence in Djugu, Mahagi and Irumu areas in Ituri province, seeking shelter in host communities and extremely overcrowded displacement sites in and around Bunia.

Moreover, UNICEF received some 100 allegations of serious child rights violations, such as rape, killing and maiming, in addition to attacks on schools and health centers, during April and May alone.

Last month, the UN specialized agency warned of the quickly deteriorating security situation there and urged the DRC government and international community to act urgently to avert a crisis that would forcibly uproot and endanger even more children.

"We call on all parties to respect the rights of women and children," said the UNICEF representative. Enditem
Protestor kneel at the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum as they listen to speakers on Friday, June 5, 2020. Read more

Thousands are expected to turn out at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Saturday in what will likely be the citys largest demonstration yet against police brutality and racial injustice after the death of George Floyd.

Despite Fridays rain, which postponed a planned demonstration at John F. Kennedy Plaza and brought hundreds rather than thousands into the streets, protesters traversed the city for a seventh day. Groups marched in Mount Airy, along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, through South Philadelphia, and to Independence Mall.

The people benefiting from white supremacy are terrified, Jordan Holbert, 28, told a crowd of about 250 on the steps of the Art Museum. We have to come out here day in and day out, and we have to continue to protest.

Major protests are planned for the weekend across the United States, including one in Washington expected to be the biggest march in the nations capital since Floyds death. In dozens of cities, protests over his death in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck have lasted for days.

Saturday marks the second weekend of mass protests in Philadelphia. The demonstration at the Art Museum, which begins at noon, is expected to draw a significantly larger crowd than the 3,000 who gathered there last Saturday, said Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw.

Major street closures will be in place Saturday, the city said, including I-676 in both directions starting at 11 a.m. and the Parkway at 5 a.m.

I am hoping, with the peaceful activity and peaceful protest that weve been seeing, we really have the ability to allow those peaceful demonstrators to march, and we are there solely to facilitate, Outlaw said. But I am far more confident in the resources we have this week than we did last week.

 READ MORE: Philly Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw to cops: Dont block your badge numbers

Since Tuesday, the city has been largely peaceful, as major marches have occurred each day. But the city erupted with anger and grief after organized nonviolent protests last Saturday, with clashes between police and protesters that intensified over the citys first three days of protests and resulted in hundreds of arrests.

Outlaw has launched several Internal Affairs investigations into use of force by police officers during protests this week, she said Friday, some in response to videos on social media. That included one high-ranking officer who was removed from the street, officials said Friday, after a video circulated of him beating a Temple University student with a baton on Monday.

Some of the images are disturbing and depict behavior that does not appear to be in accord with our policy, she said.

On Friday, a group of protesters undeterred by rain moved from City Hall to the Art Museum and back, cheering even when a brief downpour drenched them. As they marched, residents in high-rise buildings banged pots and pans out open windows. Other groups roamed from the museum to Broad Street and the Italian Market.

 READ MORE: Harrietts Bookshop owner hands out free books about black leaders during Philly marches

Early Friday afternoon, thousands of doctors and nurses from hospitals around the region filed onto Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania, where they knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds  the amount of time the police officer knelt on Floyds neck.

At City Hall, about 200 Muslims gathered for a prayer service to honor Floyd. Hundreds marched peacefully through Mount Airy. And demonstrators assembled at Police Headquarters to kick off the fourth annual Stop Killing Us march, during which founder Jamal Johnson will make a three-week walk to Washington.

Mayor Jim Kenney vowed that his administration will deconstruct this broken system and confront systemic racism in Philadelphia, repeating his Thursday pledges that he would take action, including forming a steering committee on the issue.

To our black communities here at home and around the country, we hear you, we are listening to you, and we feel the pain you share with us, said Kenney. We recognize the long history of institutional racism that has brought us to this moment. It is the reason peaceful protesters take to the street, and we stand with them 100%.

Wearing an orange tie in honor of Gun Violence Awareness Day, Kenney said he will also continue working against gun violence in the city. Nearly 170 people have died from violence in Philadelphia so far this year, he said.

Police reported four protest-related arrests in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of people arrested since Saturday to 759. Protesters were almost entirely peaceful" Thursday, Outlaw said at a Friday briefing, and the number of reported burglaries has decreased each day this week.

She said the National Guard would remain in the city as long as we need them.

She also said police were looking for three men who they believe broke into a Northeast Philadelphia business Thursday morning and stole oxygen and acetylene tanks that could be extremely dangerous. The Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police lodge offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to their arrest.

If intended to be used in the way that we think, that completely goes counter against the peaceful demonstrations that are planned for tomorrow, Outlaw said.

 READ MORE: Philadelphia police inspector Joseph Bologna, accused of beating a Temple student during protest, expected to face aggravated assault charges

City Council members on Friday unveiled a plan to spend $25 million to address racial inequalities in housing, food security, policing, and other issues. Though he did not provide specifics on spending, Council President Darrell L. Clarke said the legislation will help create a new normal once the pandemic and civic unrest subside and address underlying inequalities that have been highlighted by the crises.

People are hurting. What youre seeing in the streets reflects an unemployment rate for African Americans that has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, Clarke said at a news conference outside City Hall. You wonder why people are acting in a very desperate manner? Because these are desperate times for them. And guess what. This is not new for them.

Many protesters and signs on Friday honored Breonna Taylor, the black woman who was shot and killed by police officers in Louisville, Ky., in March. No charges have been filed against any officers. Friday would have been her 27th birthday.

Protesters walked in the suburbs, too. In Montgomery County, one school district said it would take action over comments posted to Facebook by a teacher that the superintendent deemed racist and deplorable." In Delaware County, outrage spread over a police officer who on Facebook appeared to threaten business owners who have spoken out against cops, and then apologized.

As protesters marched from the Art Museum, they came face to face with Philadelphia police and National Guardsmen, who stood stoically in several lines behind metal barricades on the south side of City Hall.

This is not America! I know you guys know this, one protester told them before the group moved south on Broad.

When the group of about 150 got to the Italian Market, there was condemnation of the mural of former Mayor Frank L. Rizzo, which the property owner said would be removed about 1 a.m. Sunday.

And at Independence Hall, protester Jomo Atkins, 48, urged the group to persevere.

It will not happen overnight. One man will not make it happen. One race will not make it happen, said Atkins. Do not waste this moment.

Staff writers Rob Tornoe, Sean Collins Walsh, and Erin McCarthy contributed to this article.
Indonesia has recorded its largest single-day rise in new coronavirus infections, with 993 new cases reported on Saturday and 31 new deaths.

This is the third time the country has recorded more than 900 cases in a single day. The overall number of infections has now reached 30,514 people, the death toll has now reached 1801 and 9907 people have recovered from the disease.

Indonesian Muslims pray spaced apart as they practice social distancing in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia. Credit:AP

The new record high in cases comes as the country begins easing lockdown restrictions and restart some sectors of the economy.

Mosques, churches and other houses of worship began to re-open on Friday in the capital of Jakarta and limited services have resumed on the city's MRT underground train line. Other social restrictions are also being eased under plans for a "new normal" regime that will allow businesses to re-open as long as health rules are followed.
Rio De Janeiro, June 6 : Former Brazil international striker Vagner Love has been released by Corinthians amid speculation that he will return to former club CSKA Moscow.

The 35-year-old reached an amicable agreement with Corinthians after accepting a transfer offer, the Brazilian Serie A club said on Friday, without providing details, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Because of this, the club will no longer have to bear the costs of the remainder of the contract, which had been due to expire at the end of (2020)," read a Corinthians statement.

Love, who has been capped 25 times for Brazil's national team, scored 14 goals in 72 appearances following his January 2019 move from Besiktas. He also represented Corinthians in 2015, when he netted 16 times in 50 matches.

The Globo Esporte news service said Love was in "advanced" talks with CKSA, with whom he has played 256 games and scored 124 goals over two spells.

"Thank you for everything I have experienced," Love said on Instagram. "I leave the club with a sensation of having achieved my mission and will take wonderful memories with me," he added.
The core committee of the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit, which met in Bengaluru on Saturday, has decided to recommend the names of Prabhakar Kore, Ramesh Katti and Prakash Shetty for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, according to people aware of the developments.

Two of the three names are likely to be finalised by the central leadership of the party for the June 19 elections, they said. Of the four RS vacant seats in Karnataka, the BJP is expecting to win two and the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) are likely to battle it out for the remaining seats.

Prabhakar Kore oversees about 250 educational institutions in Karnataka and Maharashtra under the Karnataka Lingayat Education (KLE) society and is a current Rajya Sabha member whose term will end on June 25. Ramesh Katti, who is eight-term MLA Umesh Kattis brother, is a prominent BJP leader from northern Karnataka. Prakash Shetty is a hospitality and real estate entrepreneur who runs a chain of hotels.

For a member to be elected to the RS from Karnataka, they would require 44 votes. The high command will decide the names from the list recommended or decide to have its own names. Since Tuesday is the last day for nominations, we expect the names to be announced on Sunday. We have not decided what we would do with the additional votes, a senior BJP leader said on condition of anonymity.

The Congress has already announced veteran party leader Mallikarjuna Kharge as its candidate, while the JDS, which has 34 MLAs and would require 10 additional votes to get its candidate elected, says party supremo Deve Gowda is yet to take a call on contesting. The elections are scheduled for June 19 and the last day of nominations is June 9.
Hugh Mitchell, a lifelong Democrat, was among roughly 16,000 Enfield voters to show up at the polls on Nov. 6, 2018.

At least thats what the solid checkmark next to his name in the voting records indicated.

Mitchell had not voted in a general election since he cast an absentee ballot in 2012. Thats because he died in December of that year at the age of 86, after a decadelong battle with Alzheimers, according to his obituary.

Republican Chairman J.R. Romano took to Twitter upon the discovery of Mitchells vote. He slowly leaked the information in an attempt to trap Democratic elected officials into saying voter fraud doesnt happen in Connecticut.

He finally tweeted, the day has come. Because of how weak CT voter infrastructure is, according to state records Mr. Hugh Mitchell of Enfield passed away in 2012 but voted in person in 2018.

Romano thought hed found it. The Mitchell case could be the great example of an illegal, fake ballot, an actual fraudulent vote cast in an election. Actual fraudulent votes are elusive, despite constant claims from President Donald Trump and his supporters that they are rampant  and despite a vigilant search by some Republicans to help make Trumps case.

As the state and the country prepare for the first election that could be conducted largely by mail as a result of the COVID-19 global health pandemic, proof of a fraudulent vote could call into question the integrity of the system  and, some Republicans hope, slow the tsunami of absentee balloting.

In Connecticut, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill will mail absentee ballot applications to all voters on the active voter list ahead of the August primary  with authorization from an executive order in May by Gov. Ned Lamont. Under regular law, citizens may vote absentee only for cause, such as illness or absence from the town or state.

Romano says the state isnt ready for broad mail-in balloting, citing lengthy inactive voter lists and a low number of purges from the rolls.

As it happened, Mr. Hugh Mitchell did not vote in person in 2018, and, in fact, no one else showed up pretending to be him. His name was on the active voter list  an error  and someone had checked it off as though he voted, a second error.

Fraud or not, Republicans who discovered the discrepancy say Mitchell shouldnt have remained on the active voter list. They are using his alleged vote, six years after his death, as an example that indicates voter fraud can easily happen in Connecticut, though they admit its not a pure example.

In all likelihood, this was a clerical error, Romano said. I dont think someone walked in and voted for him or as him, but the fact that he remained on the rolls since 2012 is the real problem. All were doing is exposing the weaknesses in the system.

Undermining democracy

Scott Bates, deputy Secretary of the State and former senior policy adviser to the U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee, slammed Romanos claims that voter fraud happens in Connecticut as baseless allegations.

At the very moment in time when its most important for all of us to work together, its discouraging that Mr. Romano fails to understand how wild charges can undermine faith in democracy, Bates said. Baseless allegations impugn the integrity of local elections officials from both parties who work tirelessly with little pay because they believe in the democratic system.

Bates called Romanos attack a classic case of ready, fire, aim, and said its not OK in this day in age when Americas adversaries are actively trying to spread false information to undermine the integrity of the elections systems.

Romanos charge: Rampant errors, if not outright fraud, represent the threat to democracy and the rush to absentee ballots invites trouble. Errors can and do happen, and in close elections like many of the state House and Senate races in 2018 or in several 2019 municipal races, a few votes can make a difference in the outcome.

Need security

Romano has called on the state to clean up the voter rolls, as well as end the legal practice of ballot harvesting and invest in elections security and technology upgrades to prevent what he suggests is rampant voter fraud.

Right now, if someone steals another persons vote they dont even know, Romano said.

Hes renewing those calls as the state prepares for widespread mail-in voting. Lamonts emergency powers are set to expire in September so it is unclear if the November election will be impacted in the same way as the August primary.

Romanos charges and calls for reform echo those of Trump, who has alleged with no evidence that millions of illegal votes were cast in the 2016 election. Trump has also railed against ballot harvesting, a legal practice in most states that allows voters to fill out an absentee ballot and entrust it to another person who drops off the ballot.

Get rid of ballot harvesting, it is rampant with fraud. The USA must have voter I.D., the only way to get an honest count! Trump Tweeted in all caps on April 20.

Romano has said hes not opposed to mail-in balloting, but he doesnt believe Connecticut is prepared to implement the system, citing the 2019 Democratic primary in Bridgeport, when a Hearst Connecticut Media investigation found numerous examples of irregularities in absentee ballots there.

Im all for access, but we should have security surrounding that access, Romano said.

Meticulous detail

Elections and election law are about meticulous attention to detail, in which discrepancies can have huge consequences.

There is no way to know who would have won the 2018 state House race in Stratford between incumbent Democrat Phil Young and Republican challenger Jim Feehan, for example, if election officials had not given the wrong ballot to 75 voters. And other than a new election, which House Democrats refused to sanction, there was no way to fix the problem.

Gabe Rosenberg, a spokesman for Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, said theres a number of ways a deceased person could end up on the active voter list and all of them are attributable to human error. In Mitchells case, its unclear how he ended up on the list, but its likely he was checked off as having voted by accident.

The error has been corrected and Romano said he has no plans to file a formal complaint as a result. Criticisms of mail-in voter fraud havent been lodged at Republican-strongholds like Idaho, for example, which held a 100 percent vote-by-mail primary on May 19. Unofficial results showed record participation in the primary and there do not appear to be any reports of voter fraud there.

Bates pointed out that in Connecticut, the elections are administered by the municipalities, which each have one Democratic and one Republican registrar of voters. Bates said that is the strength of Connecticuts elections system, and is an effective way to prevent fraud.

They all work together every year and sometimes even more than that to keep the rolls current, Bates said. Id stack up Connecticuts system with any in the country in terms of the accuracy of our lists and the integrity of our local elections officials.

The voter rolls

Romano and other Republicans such as Dominic Rapini, who last ran for U.S. Senate in 2018 but lost in a Republican primary, express particular concern about the status of the states voter rolls and who is on the active or inactive list. Rapini has started an organization called Fight Voter Fraud, dedicated to investigating possible cases of voter fraud.

Rapini has alleged, based on his own analysis, on multiple occasions, usually via Twitter, that the state is not adequately purging its voter rolls.

Connecticuts voter rolls are stored centrally, but maintained locally by the states 169 towns and cities. The town clerks receive death notices and are responsible for passing that information along to the registrars.

But if the clerk never receives the notice, or theres a spelling error, or the registrar makes a mistake, or the death notice is lost in transmission, or any other number of possible scenarios, the person could remain on the voter rolls  like Hugh Mitchell.

There are several checks even after an error is made that could catch a rogue name. As a result, the rate of error appears to be relatively low.

Merrill has said the system could be improved through reforms that include expanding the states automatic voter registration, which would cut down on human errors by creating a system where, anytime a person interacts online with a government agency, they can register to vote. That would largely eliminate paper registrations which must be entered manually into the computer system, a prime opportunity for error.

This is also why so many towns are interested in electronic poll books, Rosenberg said. The technology isnt quite there yet, but it is one of the things we talk about. Errors can happen, but ultimately the system is guided by voter participation. We dont want someone to be denied right to vote because of clerical error.

Romano is concerned the state is investing money in broad absentee balloting before it invests in appropriate security upgrades. And that, he believes, will result in excessive voter fraud in the upcoming election.

Theyre not talking about any added security measures that other states have as though theres no weaknesses in the system, Romano said. They need to end the practice of ballot harvesting before we can even think about doing this.

kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt
Gulfport, Miss.-based Half Shell Oyster House opened its first location in Birmingham this week. Located at 616 29th Street S. in the Lakeview district, the restaurant famous for its charbroiled oysters opened its doors to the public on June 3, marking its 12th location.

Besides its namesake oysters, Half Shell Oyster House specializes in an array of seafood dishes, from New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp to seafood pot pie.

The first Half Shell opened in Gulfport in the summer of 2009.

The restaurants are designed to give diners the experience of being in the French Quarter.

While the menu is the same at every location, Kevin Fish, who is now vice president of Real Estate for Gulf Coast Restaurant Group (the company that oversees the Half Shell Oyster House brand), told Al.com in 2016 that every location retains a distinct personality.

We dont ever plan on doing a cookie-cutter thing. When you walk in, you know youre in Half Shell when you see black wrought-iron railings, a copper bar and murals.

A plate of Oysters from Half Shell Oyster House

The Lakeview location is still hiring. Those interested can apply online.

According to the restaurant website, a Trussville location of Half Shell Oyster House is also slated to open this year.

Related:

Details:

Half Shell Oyster House| 616 29th Street S. Birmingham, AL| (205) 882-8080| Hours: Friday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. ; Sunday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
"Black lives matter," said Mark Zuckerberg today.

"We're building a voter hub to double down on our previous get-out-the-vote efforts," wrote the Facebook founder and CEO in a lengthy blog post on Friday after a week of protests throughout the U.S.

"In 2016, we ran one of the largest get out the vote efforts in history. I expect us to do even better in 2020."

Huge if true.

Skeptical, based on all we know.

From the Facebook blog post:

Mark Zuckerberg

I just shared the following note with our employees, and I want to share it with all of you as well.



As we continue to process this difficult moment, I want to acknowledge the real pain expressed by members of our community. I also want to acknowledge that the decision I made last week has left many of you angry, disappointed and hurt. So I am especially grateful that, despite your heartfelt disagreement, you remain focused on taking positive steps to move forward. That can't be easy, so I just want to say I hear you and I'm grateful.

I believe our platforms can play a positive role in helping to heal the divisions in our society, and I'm committed to making sure our work pulls in this direction. To all of you who have already worked tirelessly on ideas to improve, I thank you. You're making a difference, and together we'll make a difference. And while we will continue to stand for giving everyone a voice and erring on the side of free expression in these difficult decisions  even when it's speech we strongly and viscerally disagree with  I'm committed to making sure we also fight for voter engagement and racial justice too.

Many of you have asked what concrete steps we can start working on to improve our products and policies. I want to share more about the seven areas I discussed at Q&A that we're focusing on initially. Based on feedback from employees, civil rights experts and subject matter experts internally, we're exploring the following areas, which fit into three categories: ideas related to specific policies, ideas related to decision-making, and proactive initiatives to advance racial justice and voter engagement. I want to be clear that while we are looking at all of these areas, we may not come up with changes we want to make in all of them.

Ideas related to specific policies:

1. We're going to review our policies allowing discussion and threats of state use of force to see if there are any amendments we should adopt. There are two specific situations under this policy that we're going to review. The first is around instances of excessive use of police or state force. Given the sensitive history in the US, this deserves special consideration. The second case is around when a country has ongoing civil unrest or violent conflicts. We already have precedents for imposing greater restrictions during emergencies and when countries are in ongoing states of conflict, so there may be additional policies or integrity measures to consider around discussion or threats of state use of force when a country is in this state.

2. We're going to review our policies around voter suppression to make sure we're taking into account the realities of voting in the midst of a pandemic. I have confidence in the election integrity efforts we've implemented since 2016. We've played a role in protecting many elections and now have some of the most advanced systems in the world. But there's a good chance that there will be unprecedented fear and confusion around going to the polls in November, and some will likely try to capitalize on that confusion. For example, as politicians debate what the vote-by-mail policies should be in different states, what should be the line between a legitimate debate about the voting policies and attempts to confuse or suppress individuals about how, when or where to vote? If a newspaper publishes articles claiming that going to polls will be dangerous given Covid, how should we determine whether that is health information or voter suppression?

3. We're going to review potential options for handling violating or partially-violating content aside from the binary leave-it-up or take-it-down decisions. I know many of you think we should have labeled the President's posts in some way last week. Our current policy is that if content is actually inciting violence, then the right mitigation is to take that content down  not let people continue seeing it behind a flag. There is no exception to this policy for politicians or newsworthiness. I think this policy is principled and reasonable, but I also respect a lot of the people who think there may be better alternatives, so I want to make sure we hear all those ideas. I started meeting with the team yesterday and we're continuing the discussion soon. In general, I worry that this approach has a risk of leading us to editorialize on content we don't like even if it doesn't violate our policies, so I think we need to proceed very carefully.

Ideas related to decision-making:

4. We're going to work on establishing a clearer and more transparent decision-making process. This is clearly not the last difficult decision we're going to have to make, and I agree with the feedback from many of you that we should have a more transparent process about how we weigh the different values and equities at stake, including safety and privacy. I think we can provide more transparency into what goes into the policy briefings and recommendations that get sent to me. These analyses are done thoroughly by Monika Bickert's team and take into account many voices. Since I accept the team's recommendations the vast majority of the time, this process is where I think we should focus most on transparency. For the most sensitive escalations where I discuss with the team further rather than just accepting their recommendation over email, we can try to outline how we incorporate all perspectives into those follow-up discussions as well, even though that tends to vary depending on the equities at stake in each decision.

5. More broadly, we're going to review whether we need to change anything structurally to make sure the right groups and voices are at the table  not only when decisions affecting a certain group are being made, but when other decisions that may set precedents are being made as well. I'm committed to elevating the representation of diversity, inclusion and human rights in our processes and management team discussions, and I will follow up soon with specific thoughts on how we can structurally improve this.

Proactive initiatives to advance racial justice and voter engagement:

6. We've started a workstream for building products to advance racial justice. Many of you have shared ideas in the past few days on product improvements we can look at, and I've been impressed by how quickly we've moved here. I've asked Fidji to be responsible for this work, and Ime will be shifting some volunteers from our New Products Experimentation team to focus on this as well. They'll have more to share on the first set of projects we're planning to take on soon.

7. We're building a voter hub to double down on our previous get-out-the-vote efforts. At the end of the day, voting is the best way to hold our leaders accountable and address many of these long term questions about justice. Our efforts will draw on lessons we learned from our successful Covid Information Center in order to make our voting and civic engagement efforts as central as our efforts around Covid recovery. We'll focus on making sure everyone has access to accurate and authoritative information about voting, as well as building tools to encourage people to register to vote and help them encourage their friends and communities to vote as well. In 2016, we ran one of the largest get out the vote efforts in history. I expect us to do even better in 2020.

To members of our Black community: I stand with you. Your lives matter. Black lives matter.

We have so far to go to overcome racial injustice in America and around the world, and we all have a responsibility and opportunity to change that. I believe our platforms will play a positive role in this, but we have work to do to make sure our role is as positive as possible. These ideas are a starting point and I'm sure we'll find more to do as we continue on this journey. I encourage you all to also check out Maxine's post about how you can give direct feedback on product, integrity and content policy ideas as well. Thanks for all your input so far, and I'm looking forward to making progress together over the coming weeks and months.
U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II said an investigation by multiple local, state and federal agencies showed Diaz has been a member of the Latin Dragons since 2007, when he was a teenager.

A lengthy, 35-year sentence is appropriate and should send a strong message that gang activity and associated criminal acts will not be tolerated," Kirsch said. "Gang members should know that together with our law enforcement partners, my office will continue to investigate and prosecute criminal gang activity."

In a plea agreement filed this week, Diaz's co-defendant, Ralph Mendez Jr., admitted to a role in the homicides of Jose "Toro" Gomez and Mike Whitford in summer 2017 in Chicago.

Mendez also admitted he and other gang members were involved in four separate shootings between 2014 and 2017 that wounded four people.

A shooting Oct. 25, 2014, in Whiting left a rival gang member permanently paralyzed.

Mendez shot a suspected rival gang member in the back Nov. 11, 2014, before going to another neighborhood where a co-defendant shot someone else, records allege.

Mendez also admitted to shooting two people April 8, 2017, in Chicago and another person May 22, 2017.
Many students of Panjab Universitys University School of Open Learning (USOL) have expressed concerns after they were told to submit their assignments by post within June 10 through an e-mail sent on Friday.

In the e-mail, students were told to send their assignments by post as the department is unable to process them through e-mail due to excessive load. The students expressed concern as they were first told they can also submit their assignments through e-mail by June 5.

A postgraduate student of political science said, I have already submitted my assignments by email. This is total mismanagement. Now, we have to go and get our assignments printed and visit the post office as well. Many students are even rewriting their assignments.

According to a notice circulated by USOL earlier, department wise email i-ds were provided for submission of assignments and personal visits were not allowed. Now, a sudden change of policy has created panic among students.

Another USOL student said, For students living in containment zones, it is not possible to visit the post office. Many students live outside Chandigarh as well. We should have been given more time.

USOL chairperson Madhurima Verma said, We had told students earlier that they can submit their assignments through emails or send them by post. However, we cant open the mails due to excessive load. Regarding the June 10 deadline, there is no need to panic and we will accept the assignments after that too.
Swiss power and automation technologies company, ABB Ltd. (NYSE: ABB ) last week announced it has landed a lucrative contract from UKs National Grid plc (NYSE: NGG ) for a 400 kV subsidiary station that is expected to generate electricity to the utility system through a new power station in the North-west of England. The $24 million combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) facility, which is also known as the Carrington Power project, is situated on the location of a coal-fired power station in the vicinity of Manchester city.Under the contract, ABB is supposed to provide five bays of GIS (gas insulated switchgear) and related technologies for the plant that comprises of twin generator modules, each with a capacity of 430 MW. The switchgear will be placed inside a building that will be as high as 1.7 meters so as to ensure continuity of power generation should a flood break out.According to the companys statement, nearly one million households are set to benefit from the plant upon its completion by 2013.This marks a second high-profile contract involving ABBs popular GIS systems in as many days. Last week Thursday the company also said during the second quarter it entered an agreement worth $170 million with Bahrains Electricity and Water Authority (EWA), in which it will install and commission 11 GIS substations, as well as expanding four others that are already in existence.In this project that is anticipated to reach completion not later than 2011, ABB will also provide high-voltage switchgear, medium voltage switchgear, cables, plus substation automation that is in keeping with the IEC 61850 international standard for communication and data handling, guaranteeing compliance of various electronic substation equipment.During the first three months to March 31, ABB reported that its orders dropped by 16 percent to $9.15 billion, resulting in lower revenues of $7.21 billion from $7.96 billion in the first quarter of 2009. Net profit for the period also declined to $652 million against $1 billion in the year earlier quarter.In the last trading session, ABB stock closed at $15.56.
"These 20 nominees for Best Historic Small Town have big histories and small populations  fewer than 35,000 people as of the last census  making them fun and affordable ways to dive into our nation's past," 10Best said in its announcement.

"Were delighted  and not at all surprised  that Valparaiso has been named a finalist for best historic small town by USA Today," he said. "Certainly, were proud of the heritage for our Vale of Paradise. Were good stewards of our historical buildings, like the Memorial Opera House and our newly updated City Hall, which was built as our citys post office 100 years ago. As we preserve our history, Valparaiso is also a progressive city with a successful business climate, quality schools and award-winning parks. We invite people to visit  for a concert in our downtown park, to dine at one of our destination restaurants, to shop our businesses or even start one of their own."
President Donald Trump has expressed outrage on Twitter after former FBI attorney Lisa Page started a new job on MSNBC on Friday as a National Security & Legal Analyst.

Prior to the 2016 presidential election, Page had exchanged anti-Trump texts with the ex-FBI head of counterintelligence during an extramarital affair.

The texts were seized upon by Trump as evidence of alleged political bias.

Former FBI attorney Lisa Page, right, has started a new job as a legal analyst at MSNBC

The president made it known that he was far from impressed with MSNBC's new appointment

'I started something new today!' Ms. Page tweeted.

The president didn't hold back on Friday. 'You must be kidding??? This is a total disgrace!' he wrote in tweet.

Page was an FBI lawyer and worked on both the Clinton email investigation and for Special Counsel Robert Mueller on the Trump-Russia probe.

She had an affair with Peter Strzok, an FBI agent who was removed from the Mueller probe over the existence of their pro-Clinton text messages.

She made her debut as an MSNBC analyst during Deadline: White House and appeared alongside former Mueller probe prosecutor Andrew Weissmann, who also looks to have been rehired by the network.

Page tweeted about the start of her new job on Twitter earlier on Friday

Page gave legal analysis about the ongoing feud between President Trump and Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser over the presence of outside troops.

'What's more important to recognize here is how fragile the rule of law is, how much it depends on norms and the exercise of restraint,' Page said.

The president's direct hit at Page came after she finally made public comments after she was involved in a scandal that outed her extramarital relationship with a fellow agent and their text messages showed favoritism toward Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.

Page was an FBI lawyer and worked on both the Clinton email investigation and for Special Counsel Robert Mueller on the Trump-Russia probe

Page and Peter Strzok, who were dubbed by Trump as the 'FBI love birds,' exchanged anti-Trump texts ahead of the presidential election.

Last year, Page told how 'the president has targeted her in more than 40 tweets and dozens of interviews, press conferences, and statements from the White House, fueling unwanted media attention that has radically altered her day-to-day life.'

'It's like being punched in the gut,' Page said

'My heart drops to my stomach when I realize he has tweeted about me again. The president of the United States is calling me names to the entire world. He's demeaning me and my career. It's sickening.

'To try to further destroy my life. It never goes away or stops, even when he's not publicly attacking me,' she said at the time.

The national security and technology lawyer has accused Trump of posting a series of 'demeaning' tweets about her affair with Strzok.

Trump has been vocal in his criticism of the 'FBI love birds'  and before the pandemic put an end to his campaign rallies he would regularly make Page a point of mockery.

Page initially made her public emergence after two years of silence on the matter in an interview with The Daily Beast released last December claiming she was coming forward because the president continues to bring up her name.

Page ended up resigning from the FBI on May 4, 2018.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal assured there was no shortage of hospital beds in the capital for Covid-19 patients even as he lashed out at private hospitals for indulging in black marketing of beds and charging patients lakhs of rupees.

The assurance comes amid criticism and complaints by many on social media that they have been unable to get their relatives tested at Delhi hospitals or get them admitted. Kejriwal said that his government has taken note of the matter and decided to deploy medical professionals at each private hospital to keep a tab on available beds.

Kejriwal said the Delhi government will depute medical professionals at all hospitals who will update the availability of beds for coronavirus patients on an official app and ensure the admission of such patients.

Kejriwal in a virtual media briefing said his government will issue an order that no hospitals will refuse admission to suspected COVID-19 patients and that it will be their responsibility to test and treat such persons. He also dismissed claims that COVID-19 tests have been stopped in Delhi, and asserted that the number of tests conducted in the city is the highest in the country.

Most private hospitals in Delhi are good but some of them are demanding money for beds, which is nothing but "black-marketing", Kejriwal said.

"We will take strong action against such hospitals and they cannot refuse patients. Some time will be needed to break the mafia who are indulging in it. These few hospitals have political approach but they should not be under the illusion that their political masters can save them," he said.

The government is talking to the owners of private hospitals to determine their problems in reserving 20% of their beds for COVID-19 patients, he said, adding that private hospitals are a critical part of Delhi's health infrastructure and the Delhi government acknowledges their role.

"There are some private hospitals which are resorting to such means. First they say they don't have bed and when patients insist, they demand huge amount. Isn't this black-marketing of beds?" he asked.

Kejriwal said the Delhi government launched an app on Tuesday for providing information on the availability of government and private hospital beds for COVID-19 patients.

"Most private hospitals are good, but there are 2-3 private hospitals (that) do black-marketing. We thought that if information on availability of beds and ventilators is made transparent, people will get to know everything about this," he said.

Kejriwal said some hospitals are lying about the information on availability of beds. False refusal cannot be tolerated and admitting coronavirus patients is non-negotiable, he said.

"Two-three hospitals feel they cannot be affected...they think they can get things through their political bosses and continue doing their black-marketing, then I want to warn them that they will not be spared," Kejriwal said.

He said testing of coronavirus has not been stopped and currently 36 government and private labs were doing the tests, adding action was taken against six labs for irregularities.

"There are flu clinics of Delhi government hospitals and some private ones, there are COVID centres where you can go for test. Even today 5300 samples were tested," he said.

He, however, said the testing capacity is limited and it will be overwhelmed if everyone went for the test, adding that asymptomatic persons should not go for it. The Delhi government's priority for now is to save lives, he added.
Hamid Algar turns 80 years old this year. For 45 years (19652010) he used his position as professor of Persian and Islamic studies at the University of California, Berkeley, to celebrate the genius of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, denounce American foreign policy, and spread lies and conspiracy theories about Israel.

For most of those years, Algar squandered his rhetorical talents as head cheerleader for the Iranian Revolution, promoting it as the greatest event of contemporary Islamic history and sanitizing the image of its monstrous leader, Khomeini. A British-born convert to Shia Islam, Algar met with Khomeini on numerous occasions, both before the Revolution, in Paris, and after it, in Tehran.

Algar has translated and authored numerous books and more than 100 articles in the Encyclopedia Iranica. But while his skills as a linguist in multiple languages are widely respected, his political advocacy disguised as scholarship is underappreciated and insufficiently known.

His one widely publicized brush with controversy came in 1998 when he spat on a group of Armenian Student Association members on campus and told them that genocide never occurred. An investigation concluded with a slap on the wrist (the university did not condone his conduct but would not stifle his free speech etc.) but also motivated the Associated Students of UC Berkeley to pass a resolution, A Bill against Hate Speech and in Support of Reprimand for Prof. Hamid Algar, in 1999.

Far more important to Algars legacy is the attention he brought to Irans most virulent anti-American, anti-Western thinkers, especially his beloved Imam Khomeini. In 1981, with Islam and Revolution, Writings and Declarations of Imam Khomeini, he brought to the world its first extensive collection of Khomeinis writing translated into English. In addition to selecting, translating, and commenting on the writings, Algar in the brief introduction praised Khomeini for his unique set of characteristics: spirituality and erudition, asceticism and self-discipline, sobriety and determination, political genius and leadership, compassion for the poor and deprived, and a relentless hatred of oppression and imperialism. On the back cover, Algar put a photograph of himself kneeling next to a seated Khomeini. It was dated December 23, 1979 (day 50 of the 444-day ordeal for 52 Americans working in the U.S. embassy during Algars wonderful revolution).

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Algar also wrote panegyrics to Ali Shariati, the Marxist-Islamist theoretician of martyrdom, in a number of lectures and books. He lauded Shariati for preparing a large number of the younger educated class in Iran to accept and follow with devotion and courage the leadership given by Imam Khomeini. Algar once boasted that he did not accept the invitation to brief an American ambassador to Iran on Shariatis thought and work.

Jalal Ali Ahmad, the novelist whose 1962 treatise Gharbzadagi (variously translated as Westoxication or Occidentosis) became one of the foundational documents of the anti-shah movement, was another darling of Hamid Algars. In the introduction that Algar wrote to R. Campbells translation of Gharbzadagi, he credits Ahmad as the man who discovered the disease of gharbzadagi, occidentosis, . . . an important and fundamental truth concerning his society  its disastrous subordination to the West in all areas.

The phenomenon of Western intellectuals running propaganda for fascist, Communist, or totalitarian regimes is unfortunately all too common. Martin Heidegger and Noam Chomsky come to mind. But while Algar shares Heideggers aversion to modernism and Chomskys hatred of the United States, he most closely resembles the French postmodernist critic Michel Foucault, another Westerner who enthusiastically promoted the Iranian Revolution and glorified Khomeini as the old saint in exile in Paris.

Foucault, like Heidegger, equated the modern, material, mechanical world with oppression, and his answer was a spiritual politics. Ignorant of Islam, he found it a convenient tool to beat against modernism. Algars answer was Islamism, and he knew that Khomeinis Islam was not a revolutionary vehicle to be cast aside. It was precisely in the Imams vision of Islam as a seamless whole, with the inner and the outer, the spiritual and the political, closely interwoven, that his genius lay, Algar wrote in 2001.

The problem for a Shia Muslim is the doctrine of the hidden imam (who disappeared in a.d. 941): Until he returns to the physical plane, no form of earthly government is just. When asked in 1979 how a Shia should navigate the choice of either leaving the political field altogether and waiting for the reappearance of the Imam on the physical plane or . . . devising a system that is the least imperfect, Algar pointed to what Imam Khomeini describes in his book as the vilayat [governance] of the scholar.

In 1999, Algar complained that no serious, comprehensive biography of Khomeini has been written, but by then he had been writing about Khomeinis life for years. In 1988, he contributed a chapter titled Imam Khomeini, 19021962: The Pre-Revolutionary Years to a book about Islam and politics, and in 1999 he wrote the more extensive Imam Khomeini: A Short Biography, for Al-Islam.org. But before any of these attempts, Algar was already working as Khomeinis propaganda accomplice and biographical mythologizer.

In the summer of 1979 he delivered a series of four lectures to the Muslim Institute in London, at the invitation of the Institutes director, Kalim Siddiqui, who recorded and transcribed the four lectures and published them as what would become one of Algars most influential books. Versions appeared in numerous languages throughout the Muslim world: Iran, Indonesia, Turkey, Bengal. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps even published a version in Persian. Algar finally decided to publish the lectures in English under the title Roots of the Islamic Revolution in Iran (2001), adding footnotes and more paeans to the revolution (the greatest event of contemporary Islamic history) and Khomeini (the greatest mujahid of the present day). Algar lays it on heavy: Anyone who has come into the presence of Imam Khomeini has realized that this man is a kind of embodiment of the human ideal, . . . exercising a combination of moral intellectual, political, and spiritual reality.

One of the major concerns of every shah-despising leftist who enthusiastically greeted the revolution was the question of how women would fare in the new Iran. Algar never seems to have shared this unease, nor has he ever expressed much interest in equality. He dismisses outright the shahs reforms known as the White Revolution (the only white thing about it was that it was conceived in the White House) and argues that Iranian women found their emancipation not through any measures decreed by the [Pahlavi] regime but on the contrary in struggling against the regime, in suffering abuse, torture, imprisonment, and martyrdom at the hands of the regime.

Algar has always downplayed militant Islams misogynistic qualities. When an audience member questioned him about Kate Millets mission to Iran to speak at the International Womens Day demonstrations in Tehran on March 8, 1979, Algar was abrupt: I have had no communication with Kate Millet. I do not know what she thought her mission in Iran was. Then he went on to declare that the chador was merely a recommendation . . . directed at women in government service; the protesters parading through the streets led by Kate Millet calling for womens emancipation were dressed in the latest fashions and had dyed their hair, which in the context is of significance. It shows a certain kind of self-hatred. How did this guy teach for 45 years at Berkeley without being called out by the feminists on campus?

In his zeal to promote the revolution and defame its detractors, Algar has shown himself willing to believe and spread conspiracy theories. For example, when a group called Forqan began assassinating revolutionaries in 1979, Algar blamed the U.S. The historian Ervand Abrahamian calls Forqan a small religious group convinced that reactionary clerics, wealthy bazaaris and liberal politicians, not to mention Marxist atheists, [who] were plotting to betray the Islamic Revolution. Algar says that it has been credibly asserted in Iran that this Furqan group is transparently a creation of the CIA and of the United States.

During the final years of the shahs reign, the Islamist opposition to movie theaters led to dozens of arson attacks. On August 19, 1978, the doors of the Rex Cinema in Abadan were chained shut and the theater set ablaze, killing some 420 by asphyxiation. Algar insists that the shahs forces were the arsonists.

Algars best conspiracy work has to do with the Black Friday Massacre of September 8, 1978, widely regarded as a turning point in the revolution. Accounts differ as to the number killed. A University of Chicago exhibition in 2011 listed the number dead as dozens. PBS puts it at hundreds. Khomeini, from exile in Najaf, claimed that 4,000 were killed, and he blamed Israel. No serious scholar believes Khomeini, except of course Hamid Algar, who not only accepted but embellished the story: On that occasion it was said that Israeli troops had participated in the work of massacre, he claims. According to certain eyewitnesses of the event, Algar loosely assures his audience, some Iranian troops refused to shoot Iranians, so fresh troops dressed in Iranian uniforms, who spoke a language other than Persian and had an unkempt look, long beards and a semihippy appearance were brought in to do the shooting. Covering his tracks, he writes, Whether that precise accusation be true, the fact that it was circulated and widely believed is an indication of the perception of the Iranian people of the deep involvement of Israel in the repressive apparatus and policies of the Shah.

Hamid Algar, like all his heroes  Khomeini, Shariati, Ahmad  believes that Shia Islam is the ultimate source of justice against tyrannical rule. Like them, he portrays the enemies of justice as monarchs and dynasties, beginning with Yazid (who killed Hussein Ali in a.d. 680) and continuing in a nonstop line of tyrants (Safavid, Qajar, Pahlavi, British, American) bent on dominating and subjugating the Iranian people. But as well-versed in Persian poetry as he is, Algar seems unfamiliar with the work of William Blake, a fellow Brit who died 113 years before Algars birth.

In Blakes political mythology, a character named Orc who is the spirit of rebellion, righteous indignation, and energy rises up periodically to fight unjust tyrants. Once Orc has defeated the oppressive despot, he rules briefly but gradually becomes a despot himself, spawning the next Orc figure who will eventually rise to defeat him, and so on. All of history, Blake implies, is a perpetual reiteration of this pattern, the Orc cycle.

Hamid Algar has never contemplated that whatever righteousness his heroes may have embodied in their opposition to the shah, they inspired a tyrannical, despotic dynasty that is every bit as bad as the one they deposed  worses actually.

Nothing we could have done to you in our wildest dreams is half as bad as what youve done to yourselves, Dick Morefield, the U.S. embassy consul in Tehran held hostage for 444 days, once said to his captors. Your children and grandchildren are going to curse your name.

They should also curse the name Hamid Algar.

More from National Review
Hundreds of marchers, galvanized by the recent police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, gathered at the Lafayette Strong Pavilion near River Ranch Saturday to declare a new day in Lafayette and call on their neighbors to speak up against racism.

Its a new day in Lafayette, Louisiana, Lafayette NAACP President Marja Broussard declared before the amassed group, most of whom were masked and wiping away sweat under the June sun. Broussard called on people to participate at the local, state and national levels to bring change and asked them to commit to voting and holding their elected officials accountable.

I understand this movement will take some time, but I promise to be in it for the long haul, Broussard called as the crowd echoed her. Today, I am finished with sitting on the sidelines. Today is a new day.

Broussards organization has been on the front lines of the cause in Lafayette, co-organizing the citys first march and protest May 31 over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. Protesters around the country have demonstrated almost continuously since Floyds death May 25.

The community organizer said its important that people continue to turn out in person, while also committing to personal action behind the scenes. Momentum is key to bringing more people to the cause, she said.

+14 George Floyd rally in Lafayette: Thousands peacefully march down University Ave. to police station Leaders at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette expected a few hundred people to show up for a rally Sunday in response to last week's dea

+22 Photos: Peaceful march held on Camellia Boulevard A peaceful march protesting white silence, racial injustice, and police brutality was held Saturday morning along Camellia Boulevard in Lafaye

Eden Sutley, a 31-year-old Lafayette native who now lives in Brooklyn, wasnt seeing that same momentum among the community in River Ranch and south Lafayette. Sutley, who is white, said its easy for people to stay within their bubble, but its important these difficult conversations about racism are happening everywhere, including in predominantly white, affluent areas like River Ranch.

Sutley organized Saturdays march to educate white people about the insidiousness of racism and the importance of acting as vocal allies. She called on her white peers not to rely on people of color to educate them about racism and to be proactive in seeking resources and ways to help.

The 31-year-old said friends and family tried to temper her expectations for the march and warned her that not everyone may react positively to her organizing.

I think a lot of people were trying to warn me, This isnt Brooklyn, this isnt other areas of the country. You dont know what the reaction is going to be, so you need to be careful. I just said, Its not about my comfort right now, its about the fact that people of color are uncomfortable every single day of their lives, Sutley said.

The day was peaceful, except for verbal confrontations with two white men who stood across from the protest with an Infowars flag. Protesters shouted curse words at the men and several black men who engaged the counter-protesters in debate stood in front of them as marchers passed to keep the peace and encourage people to walk on.

White silence and the call for white neighbors to be allies was one of the days main themes, as marchers paraded down Camellia Boulevard and across the Vermilion River to Woods Crossing and back. The marchers comprised people of all races and ages, from families pushing toddlers in strollers to black and white elders supporting themselves with canes.

A sea of signs waved in the air during the march, from a boy holding a sign scribbled with the faces of a black child and a white child with an equality sign, to a woman holding a red heart with the words, To be Southern and racist today is to be no better than your ancestors.

The past and present of local violence against black people was also brought to the forefront of the event, with Francesco Crocco with Move the Mindset reading the names of people who were lynched in Lafayette Parish during the Jim Crow era; his recitation was met with grim silence and shocked gasps.

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Pastor John Wayne Milton of Imani Temple #49 called attention to the case of Tevin Lewis, a black man who was shot by a Lafayette police officer who claimed he was armed while fleeing officers. The pastor said Lewis was not under arrest or the man police were seeking during a warrant hunt. Milton represented Lewis, who filed a federal lawsuit against the city-parish over the 2015 incident, according to Advocate archives.

Its going to take all communities in Lafayette and all people to facilitate real change, Milton said. The religious leader and lawyer called on his peers to educate themselves on police reform and push for change among local law enforcement agencies, specifically referencing a report from President Barack Obamas task force on 21st Century Policing.

When you look at the issue of sin, its not just about what youve done, but what you havent done, Milton said.

Lindsey Foreman, 27, used the rally as an opportunity to begin a discussion with her 4-year-old daughter Rala about race. Foreman said while watching videos from a protest in Lafayette last week, Rala pointed at the screen and asked why people were parading.

It kind of broke my heart a little bit because it made me realize she has no idea, the mother said. I explained it wasnt a parade, but a protest. She asked why they were angry, and I told her they were angry because there were people that were being treated unfairly and that needs to change.

Foreman, who is white and Latina, said her family lives in a predominantly black neighborhood in Breaux Bridge and is involved with diverse groups. Her daughter plays with children of all races and doesnt care about their differences, but colorblindness isnt always helpful.

Foreman said its important her daughter knows her black neighbors live different lives because of their skin color and that her family can do their part to advocate for those neighbors and their equality.

I want her to see theres power in your voice and power in showing up and in helping people, even if theyre not like you, Foreman said.

Brianne Prejean, 47, snapped a photo of the Foremans to send her father, 75-year-old Benedict Prejean, who could not attend the march for health reasons. The elder Prejean served in the Army during the Vietnam War and has experienced systemic racism both at home and overseas, she said.

I want him to see the progress thats being made as a people. And Im referring not only to black people, but to all people, Prejean said.

The 47-year-old, who is black, said this moment feels different and shes seeing a unity across racial groups she hasnt seen in the past. Shes hopeful that as more people participate in marches, have conversations with their families and engage in local advocacy work, that others who have been silent will find the courage to use their voices for positive change.

Prejean said she has many white and non-black friends who have been silent on the issue of racism in the wake of George Floyds death and its led her to question relationships. Its hurtful, she said.

We want to be heard. We want to be understood. We dont want to be told what to think, how to think, how we should feel. Thats not what we need, thats not what we want. We just want people to listen with an open mind. I dont expect everyone to have the same beliefs that I do, but I expect them to respect my beliefs as I will respect theirs, Prejean said.
One man was killed and another critically wounded in a suspected homicide-attempted suicide Friday at an Oklahoma shooting range, police said.

Local news outlets quote police as saying both men arrived together at the 2A Shooting Center in the afternoon and were shooting from separate lanes when one turned and shot the other multiple times in the back before shooting himself.

The victim died at a Tulsa hospital, while the suspect was listed in critical condition. The men have not been identified.

The 2A Shooting Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma was the site of an attempted murder-suicide on Friday afternoon, authorities said

Tulsa police Sgt. Brian Liang said 'they appeared to be just shooting' and an investigation will try to determine motive

No motive has been determined, but investigators were reviewing surveillance video to find any clues.

'They appeared to be just shooting,' Tulsa Police Sergeant Brian Liang told KTUL in Tulsa. 'There could have been an argument, there's no audio to the video. As of right now, we know one turned the gun on the other and then shot himself shortly afterwards.'

There were at least five other people on the range at the time of the shooting.

'It affects everybody even if you're not directly involved in it,' said Jason Perryman, manager of 2A Shooting Center.

Friday's attempted murder-suicide was the second fatal shooting at the range (stock image)

'It's a dark day for us, but there's unfortunately other people who have lost loved ones today. Our hearts go out to them and we hope that the Lord will put his hand on them and help them through this," he said.

'If somebody's got their mind set to do something, it's virtually impossible to stop it,' Perryman said.

This was the second fatal shooting at the range. A man shot himself fatally with a rented pistol in 2018.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 6

By Tamilla Mammadova - Trend:

Georgian Medifari company has recently started operating and today produces about 100,000 high quality facemasks a day, and 3 million high quality, first-class medical facemasks per month, which it plans to export in the nearest future,Trend reports via the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.

The company has invested over 2 million lari ($677,966) in the enterprise.

The products of Medifari are already actively sold throughout Georgia. The company is currently in active negotiations on the export issues with Israel, Russia, Belgium, Austria, Italy and the United States.

The company currently employs more than 30 people.

Georgia has managed to transform itself from an importing country into an exporting country in only three months, when the whole world was experiencing a shortage of facemasks, Natia Turnava, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, said during a visit to Medifari enterprise.

As Turnava said, today Georgia produces over 10 million high-quality facemasks per month.

"The success of this program, of course, was preconditioned by the Social Facemask Program launched by us, which was implemented by the state from the very first day of the epidemic and involved dozens of different garment factories, which currently employ hundreds of people, Natia Turnava highlighted.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila6197935
She has been keeping her one-year-old entertained inside her home amid the COVID-19 lockdowns in California.

But Brigitte Nielsen enjoyed a self-isolation break on Friday when she took her daughter, Friday, one, and her pup to the park in Studio City, Los Angeles.

The 56-year-old Red Sonja actress was dressed casually and was seen carrying the youngster following their play.

Happy days: Brigitte Nielsen was spotted in high spirits on Friday when she stepped out for a day at the park with her daughter, Frida, one

Brigitte sported a grey colored zip-up jacket on top of a blush pink top.

She teamed the look with black colored activewear tights and a pair of sneakers for the park outing.

She accessorized with a matching pink colored cap and a pair of shades while carrying a backpack and a game for her dog.

Fit and casual: She teamed the look with black colored activewear tights and a pair of sneakers for the park outing

Bike day! The Talks show host has been seen out and about with her youngest child and only daughter over the past few weeks while in lockdown for coronavirus

Little Frida wore an adorable Adidas grey tracksuit and had her brunette hair styled up into two pigtails.

The Talks show host has been seen out and about with her youngest child and only daughter over the past few weeks while in lockdown for coronavirus.

Not seen with them at the park on Friday was Brigitte's husband, Mattia Dessi, 41.

Baby makes three! Frida's dad is Mattia Dessi. The pair married back in 2006

Brigitte welcomed Frida in 2018 with fifth husband, Mattia. They married back in 2006.

She was previously married to Sylvester Stallone but they were only wed for 19 months between 1985 and 1987.

Frida is the star's fifth child and only daughter.

She is also mom to Julian Winding, 36, Killian Marcus Nielsen, 30, Aaron Nielsen, 27, and Raoul Ayrton Meyer Jr, 24.
Pubs, clubs and hotels are calling for the $70 billion JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme to be extended until at least the end of the year, warning the sector faces a long road to recovery even as coronavirus restrictions are eased.

Entertainment venues were among the first businesses hit by social-distancing measures in mid-March, with pubs and clubs shut completely from March 23. The Australian Hotels Association and Tourism Accommodation Australia estimate about 240,000 of the 250,000 workers employed by their members have been stood down.

The AHA and Tourism Accommodation Australia want JobKeeper extended until at least December 31 to keep workers out of Centrelink queues and provide financial relief to businesses when they re-open. Credit:Louise Kennerley

In a joint submission to the federal government's review of the JobKeeper scheme, they call for an extension of the September 27 cut-off date until "at least" December 31 to keep workers out of Centrelink queues and give financial relief to businesses as they re-open.

"It is unlikely hotel businesses will be back to their usual trade by the end of September, thus placing immense pressure on hotels to retain staff. A three-month extension of JobKeeper would assist [in] retaining as many jobs as possible," the AHA and TAA submission said.
By John Irish and Tangi Salaun PARIS (Reuters) - France said on Friday its military forces had killed al Qaeda's North Africa chief Abdelmalek Droukdel, a key Islamist fighter that its forces had been hunting for more than seven years, during an operation in Mali. 'On June 3, French army forces, with the support of their local partners, killed the emir of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Abdelmalek Droukdel, and several of his closest collaborators, during an operation in northern Mali,' French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly wrote on Twitter. The announcement of the death of Droukdel comes almost six months after former colonial power France and regional states combined their military forces under one command structure to focus on fighting Islamic State-linked militants in the border regions of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

By John Irish and Tangi Salaun

PARIS (Reuters) - France said on Friday its military forces had killed al Qaeda's North Africa chief Abdelmalek Droukdel, a key Islamist fighter that its forces had been hunting for more than seven years, during an operation in Mali.

"On June 3, French army forces, with the support of their local partners, killed the emir of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Abdelmalek Droukdel, and several of his closest collaborators, during an operation in northern Mali," French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly wrote on Twitter.

The announcement of the death of Droukdel comes almost six months after former colonial power France and regional states combined their military forces under one command structure to focus on fighting Islamic State-linked militants in the border regions of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

Droukdel was among North Africa's most experienced militants. He took part in an Islamist militant takeover of northern Mali before a French military intervention in 2013 drove them back and scattered fighters across the Sahel region.

Droukdel was believed to be hiding in the mountains of northern Algeria. Al Qaeda North Africa was the dominant jihadist force in the region, staging several high-profile deadly attacks until 2013, when it fractured as many militants flocked to the more extremist Islamic State as it seized territory in Iraq, Syria and Libya.

It remained active in North Africa's largely desert and often scarcely governed Sahel region. In Mali, it focussed its activities to the north in Libya and Tunisia. As Islamic State waned, it has sought to lure new talent from among IS veterans.

Parly said that French forces, which number about 5,100 in the region, had also on May 19 captured Mohamed el Mrabat, a fighter she identified as a veteran militant in the region and member of Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.

"Our forces, in cooperation with their local partners... will continue to track these (people) down without respite," Parly said.

Critics in the region have increasingly scorned Paris for failing to restore stability. Anti-French sentiment has grown as militants have strengthened their foothold, making large swathes of territory ungovernable and stoking ethnic violence.

Parly said earlier this week that about 100 special forces from other European countries would be deployed to the region to support French and regional troops.

(Reporting by John Irish and Tangi Salaun; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Rosalba O'Brien)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Ben Affleck's relationship with Ana de Armas has been getting serious since the two started isolating together.

And he two-time Academy Award winner's new love interest appears to be a huge hit with his three children.

He stepped out for a family outing Friday with de Armas and his oldest daughter Violet as they made a grocery run at Whole Foods in their Brentwood, California neighborhood.

Family outing: Ben Affleck stepped out for a family outing Friday with de girlfriend Ana de Armas and his oldest daughter Violet as they made a grocery run at Whole Foods in their Brentwood, California neighborhood

The 47-year-old rocked a cool dad look in a black button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up below his elbows.

He paired the shirt with some slim grey pants and a pair of distressed brown leather boots.

Ben finished the look with a pair of silver aviator sunglasses and a disposable face mask for safety against COVID-19.

De Armas, 32, cut a '90s chic look in an oversized denim jacket with the sleeves rolled up, over a white t-shirt.

Cool dad: The 47-year-old rocked a cool dad look in a black button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up below his elbows

Big boy boots: He paired the shirt with some slim grey pants and a pair of distressed brown leather boots

Staying safe: Ben finished the look with a pair of silver aviator sunglasses and a disposable face mask for safety against COVID-19

The shirt was tucked into matching high-waisted slim jeans, which were ripped at the knee.

She finished the ensemble with a floral head scarf, silver hoop earrings, a matching necklace and white sneakers, also wearing a face mask.

Violet donned a grey sweatshirt that read 'favorite daughter' over a white blouse with skinny blue jeans ripped at the knee, white sneakers and a face mask.

Ben shares daughters Violet, 14, Seraphina, 11, and son Samuel, eight, with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, 48, to whom he was married from 2005 to 2018.

'90s chic: De Armas, 32, cut a '90s chic look in an oversized denim jacket with the sleeves rolled up, over a white t-shirt

Blue jean baby: The shirt was tucked into matching high-waisted slim jeans, which were ripped at the knee

Favorite daughter: She finished the ensemble with a floral head scarf, silver hoop earrings, a matching necklace and white sneakers, also wearing a face mask. Violet donned a grey sweatshirt that read 'favorite daughter' over a white blouse with skinny blue jeans ripped at the knee, white sneakers and a face mask

A source told E! News last week: 'Ana loves kids and couldn't wait to meet them and spend time with them. She knows how much they mean to Ben and so she was anxious to be a part of that.

'She is very sweet and kind to the kids. They immediately warmed up to her and like her a lot. They are all comfortable together and she's very nurturing. Everything has worked out very well.'

Affleck and the Bond girl were first romantically linked in March, after they filmed their upcoming movie Deep Water in the fall.

They were spotted vacationing together in Costa Rica and her home country of Cuba, before returning to Los Angeles to quarantine together.

Onscreen romance: Affleck and the Bond girl were first romantically linked in March, after they filmed their upcoming movie Deep Water in the fall
A high-ranking Philadelphia police official will be charged with assault after video surfaced of him beating a Temple University student with a baton during a protest Monday along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, District Attorney Larry Krasner said Friday.

Krasner, who days earlier had declined to prosecute the student, said Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna Jr. will face counts of felony aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and possession of an instrument of crime  his police baton.

Bologna, a 31-year veteran of the force, was removed from street duty and had his gun taken away Thursday evening, according to police sources.

The move came just hours after Police Commissioner Daniele Outlaw had pledged a more thorough and methodical Internal Affairs investigation with results that might not be known for some time.

Krasner, in contrast, decided to move more swiftly.

We are trying to be fair, he said in a statement. Accountability has to be equal, and this moment demands a swift and evenhanded response to violent and criminal acts.

Later, Outlaw said she had not been made privy to the entirety of the information that led to Mr. Krasners decision" and that the Police Departments investigation would continue.

John McNesby, head of the citys police union, came to Bolognas defense, calling him one of the citys most decorated and respected police leaders who had to make a split-second call in a chaotic situation.

He condemned Krasner as rushing to judgment and questioned the number of protesters arrested for allegedly assaulting officers who have been released from jail as prosecutors declined to pursue cases against them.

Why are officers not afforded those same basic rights?" McNesby asked in a statement.

Bologna did not respond to a request for comment before he was charged on Friday. He told WHYY, Right now, Im handling operations from the office," but declined to elaborate.

The Inquirer reported Thursday afternoon that charges against Evan Gorski, 21, a Temple engineering student, were dropped after Krasner reviewed evidence that included video of Gorskis Monday encounter with Bologna during demonstrations over the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

Gorskis attorney, R. Emmett Madden, said he had been told by court personnel that Gorski was being held on allegations that he assaulted a police officer by pushing him off a bike, causing the officer to break a hand. In the video, Gorski  with a ponytail and wearing an Eagles jersey  is seen briefly attempting to separate an officer and a protester, but immediately retreats when Bologna raises his baton.

The video shows Bologna then striking Gorski sharply on or near his head and tackling him, while another officer presses Gorskis face to the pavement by placing his knee on the back of his head and neck. Madden said Gorski required medical treatment.

Other video clips have since emerged on social media showing Bologna involved in similarly aggressive behavior toward people protesting oppressive policing.

One video shows him on Sunday lunging at a TV reporter and striking a security guard. In another from Tuesday, Bologna throws his bike and tackles a woman who had apparently tapped its tire while protesting at 10th and Market Streets, immediately causing tensions to flare between police and protesters.

The man I saw that night, even before his run-in with that young woman, was obviously pushed to his limit," said Dominic Carullo, 36, a grad student who was at the march. "Hypervigilant, reactive, angry, and dangerous.

Philadelphia Police Chief Daniele Outlaw (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer, File)AP

At a news conference Friday, Outlaw acknowledged that Bologna is one of several officers under investigation after videos on social media depict them using force during this weeks protests in a manner that does not appear to be in accord with our policy.

She called the videos of Bologna particularly troubling because they appeared to show him striking someone above the neck  a use of force that could be potentially lethal.

I am deeply concerned about this, she said. I assure you that each of these investigations will be conducted in a thorough and objective manner without undue delay.

Contacted later, a police spokesperson declined to say how many officers had been pulled from their assignments pending investigations.

By William Bender, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS). Staff writers Aubrey Whelan and Dylan Purcell contributed to this article.

Related:

Why did Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf join a protest with thousands of people, breaking the rules in a yellow-phase county?

Flames in Philadelphia as hundreds protest death of George Floyd and police brutality

National Guard deployed as Philadelphia protest turn violent

Much of central Philadelphia, Ben Franklin Bridge to be closed off after violence during George Floyd protest
The past fortnight has been filled with sad stories of young girls and women being assaulted and raped across Nigeria. These include Vera Omozuwa in Edo State and Barakat Bello in Oyo State, both of whom died from the assault.

The latest victim is a 12-year-old girl in Ajah, Lagos. She was raped by four masked men in her home on Thursday, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

Family sources and the police confirmed the ugly incident to our correspondent on Saturday morning.

According to a family member who did not want his name published because of stigmatisation, the pupil was not only raped but also brutalised.

She has gone for medication and necessary treatment has been done. We have also informed the police about the matter, our source disclosed.

She was at home having her online class when the sad occurrence took place. It is a bad experience for her.

This newspaper gathered that the 12-year-old victim had bruises and tear in her virgina which led to massive bleeding.

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted the Lagos police spokesperson, Bala Elkana, he confirmed the attack.

It was a sad incident. She was in the house with her father. When it was time for her to start her online class as COVID-19 mandated, the father discovered that there was no fuel in the generator. So, he said let him quickly go get fuel

Immediately he left, the rapists jumped into the fence to carry out the attack, they covered their face during this period so, she could not identity them.

As a matter of fact, the state commissioner of police has asked the gender unit of the force to investigate the matter. Like weve achieved before now, we will apprehend them and make sure they face the rot of law, the police boss said.

The latest case happened barely 48 hours after 18-year-old Barakat Bello was gang-raped and murdered by unknown assailants in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Ms Bello was a student of Department of Science Laboratory Technology (SLT), Federal College of Animal Health and Production in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

It also occurs days after a female undergraduate of the University of Benin, Vera Omozuwa, died in a hospital after she was allegedly raped and assaulted in a church premises in Benin, the Edo State capital.

Activists have been calling on Nigeria authorities to deal more effectively with rapists through the strict enforcement of existing laws and promulgation of tougher sanctions.

On Friday, a coalition of civil society organisations and human rights activists held peaceful protests in the Federal Capital Territory and Lagos demanding a state of emergency to be declared on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria.

The protest which took place at the police headquarters in both cities followed a perceived rise in the number of rape cases in Nigeria including the recent deaths of two rape victims.
If there is one constitutional arrangement that has been at test through the coronavirus pandemic, it is federalism.

Interestingly, the Constitution itself does not use the word federal  but calls India a Union of States. This was perhaps an acknowledgment of the fact that unlike other federal democracies, the Centre was way more powerful than the states. Many scholars termed India a quasi-federal set-up. The fact that in practice, for over two  but closer to four  decades, there was a significant overlap in the party controlling the reins of power in both New Delhi and in a majority of state capitals lent the Centre even greater power. It was the Congress high command that determined the political leadership of states. This phase was thus marked by a strong Delhi and weak states.

This began changing with the rise of regional parties and the arrival of the coalition era. These regional parties more forcefully articulated the aspirations of the states; the fact that they were needed to form governments at the Centre also meant that their concerns had to be accommodated. The use of Article 356 to dismiss state governments and impose Presidents rule diminished; the Centre had to take into account views of the states on a range of policy issues; states began directly wooing foreign capital; and once their political and economic strength grew, a new federal contract emerged. This phase was marked by strong state capitals and a relatively weak Delhi.

This changed in 2014 and Narendra Modis first term in office. He was an exception. No other Indian prime minister (PM) had served for as long as chief minister (CM) before coming to the Centre. Modi also made cooperative federalism a central pillar of his agenda. But in practice, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued its winning spree, in state after state, the Centre became more powerful. It was, in some ways, a throwback to the Indira Gandhi era. A strong Centre led by a strong PM; a party which had a strong centralised leadership ruling a large number of states and picking chief ministers of these states; and states  particularly those governed by the BJP  largely following the Centres directives. This was, then, a phase of a strong Delhi again, with relatively weaker states.

A fourth phase, however, began around two years ago. In 2017, the BJP lost key states such as Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh (though it is now back in power in MP). In 2019, it lost Maharashtra and Jharkhand. In 2020, it failed to win Delhi. Regional parties continued to dominate states such as West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. The BJP may have had amenable partners governing some of these states  but the political balance between the Centre and the states was not the same as it existed post-2014. The states, run by Opposition parties, were more assertive again. This phase was marked by a strong Centre - but also a range of strong, politically vocal, states.

It was in this backdrop that the Covid-19 crisis hit India.

To begin with, it appeared that political differences had been buried. Modi gave the call for, first, a peoples curfew and then a three-week national lockdown. All parties, irrespective of their stance towards the Centre, backed the move. State governments run by Opposition parties too enforced the lockdown  some, in fact, even encouraged the PM to take such a step. States also backed the second phase of the lockdown  from April 15 till May 3.

States were also willing to follow the Centres lead in understanding the treatment protocol to be followed to deal with the pandemic, and sought to implement the test-trace-isolate-treat model with varying degrees of success. The states looked up to the Centre for greater financial support. The fact that the PM himself had a series of interactions with the chief ministers prior to lockdowns helped in giving a sense of a more consultative, consensual approach. There were differences of course (the most obvious being the one between the Centre and West Bengal), but the big picture was one of a degree of coordination.

But this period of harmony is clearly over. Politics is returning to normal. And the Centre and Opposition-ruled states are more open in articulating their differences on a range of issues.

On the lockdown, most states had begun feeling, by the third phase of the lockdown, that it had extended its utility and it was causing great economic strain. They were also unhappy that the Centre kept the authority to demarcate zones  this was changed only during Lockdown 4.0 after May 17. With Unlock 1.0, states feel there is an economic breather, but also that they have been saddled with facing the brunt of the health crisis on their own.

On health protocols, the Centre has pulled up some of the more severely affected states for inadequate testing, gaps in the contact tracing process, and not having prepared the health infrastructure enough. States, especially those governed by non-BJP parties, in turn, see this as the Centre deflecting blame for its own shortcomings.

On finances, states feel aggrieved at the delay in the payment of compensation due to them under the Goods and Services Tax regime; they also expected the Centre to provide a greater financial cushion in these times. The Centre, for its part, feels that it has, in fact, relaxed borrowing limits for states  and making it conditional on a set of reforms will eventually help governance in the states.

But at the core of it, this is now about political credit and blame. From the PM down to each CM, all political leaders in the country know that their fate is now inextricably tied to how they are seen as having dealt with the pandemic. There is, therefore, a jostling to take credit, with both the BJP and its rivals launching a propaganda offensive to outline measures they have taken. There is also a temptation to pass on the blame to the Centre if you are from an Opposition-ruled state or to blame the state government if you are from the BJP and your rivals are in power in that state capital.

The return to political competitiveness is not necessarily negative. It is through contestation that democracy evolves and decisions get better. But partisan politics has adverse effects too, particularly when the nation needs to battle the crisis as one. What is, however, clear is that this competition, in the wake of the pandemic, will inaugurate a new phase of Indian federalism. The new balance of power between the Centre and states is not yet clear, but can be the most important political fallout of the crisis.

letters@hindustantimes.com

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Emergency services at scene of the accident on Stewartstown Road

A female pedestrian is in critical condition in hospital after being struck by a car in Belfast's Stewartstown Road.

The woman was struck by a black Nissan Leaf close to the Suffolk Day Centre at around 6.15pm on Friday.

Police immediately put diversions in place as Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) personnel and firefighters assessed the incident, where locals feared a woman was trapped under a car.

The driver of the car, a 49-year-old man, has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm.

He has since been released on bail to return at a future date.

The Ambulance Service said it received an emergency call just after 6pm following reports of a collision involving a car and a pedestrian.

"NIAS dispatched two emergency crews to the scene and the HEMS crew was also tasked to the incident, responding by car," it said.

"Following initial treatment at the scene, the patient was taken by ambulance to the RVH."

Police have asked anyone who witnessed the incident or who has dash-cam footage to contact police on 101 quoting reference 1545 05/06/20.
Some of American soldiers will be transferred to Poland, some to other countries, and the rest will go home

President of the United States speaks on COVID-19 vaccine AP photo

US President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw part of the US military contingent from Germany in the near future. Trump sent his order to reduce troops in Germany to the Pentagon on Friday, June 5, according to Deutsche Welle.

"Until September, 9.5 thousand American soldiers will be withdrawn," the document says.

An American official told Reuters that this decision was not related with the tensions between Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but because there was no need for a large number of US military in Germany, given the increase in defense spending in NATO member countries.

Part of the military contingent will be transferred to Poland, some soldiers to other countries, and the rest will go home.

At the moment, 34.5 thousand American soldiers and another 17 thousand civilian personnel are serving at military bases in Germany.

As we reported before, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has approved the yearly national program Ukraine-NATO, designed for this year.

"The yearly national program defines the strategic goal of reforms, aims and priority tasks in the frameworks of implementation of politics of Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, as well as state authorities, responsible for fulfilling these tasks", reads the document.
British Airways is heading for a vicious showdown with unions after relations appeared to spiral out of control over the airline's plan for drastic job cuts.

In a flurry of incendiary briefings last night, the two parties seemed further apart than ever over proposals to lay off up to 12,000 of its 43,000 staff  more than one in four.

A series of bitter accusations over the breakdown are understood to have taken place behind the scenes, with both sides now locked in a Mexican standoff.

Row: In a flurry of incendiary briefings, BA bosses and unions seemed further apart than ever over proposals to lay off up to 12,000 of its 43,000 staff

BA bosses accused the Unite and GMB unions of having 'refused to represent their members' as the company takes emergency action to safeguard its future.

In a letter to MPs, seen by The Mail on Sunday, Willie Walsh, boss of BA's parent company IAG, attacked the 'deeply regrettable' decision by the unions to reject formal redundancy consultations  a process which includes union officials helping staff in discussions with management.

But Len McCluskey, the boss of Unite, which represents 26,000 BA staff, hit back, saying his 'door was open' to discussions about how to reshape BA for the future if the airline 'withdrew its threat of mass dismissals'.

The row has left the company and unions running out of time to find a resolution before the first dismissals are due on June 15.

The increasingly heated war of words is likely to spark fears of strike action among airline staff.

Last night Unite insisted it 'is not balloting for industrial action and would reaffirm that our call to BA is to remove the threat of dismissals on June 15, extend the present furlough arrangements and get around the negotiating table with Unite officials'.

But if tensions worsen and strikes force BA to ground planes again after travel bans are lifted this summer, it would deliver a hammer blow to the airline's recovery hopes.

BA boss Willie Walsh revealed that BA has been burning through 20m a day to stay afloat during lockdown

In his letter to MPs, Walsh revealed that BA has been burning through 20million a day to stay afloat during lockdown and has already racked up an extra 800million in debt in the worst crisis in its history.

Unions fear BA is trying to overhaul employment terms under the cover of sweeping redundancy plans. Of the three unions for BA's pilots and cabin crew, only Balpa, which represents its 4,300 pilots, is engaging in redundancy discussions.

GMB and Unite claim the airline is seeking effectively to 'fire and rehire' all staff on vastly reduced terms and conditions.

Unite branded BA's actions 'immoral' because it used the Government's job retention scheme to furlough around 23,000 staff before announcing the cuts in April.

Walsh said BA's plans are lawful and proportionate and that the furlough rules specifically allow companies to lay off staff.

Unite has criticised BA for triggering a formal redundancy consultation  by issuing a so-called Section 188 document  instead of continuing with voluntary discussions with unions.

However, Unite sued Monarch Airlines' engineering arm last year for failing to issue the Section 188 document in a timely fashion when it went bust.

Unite insisted the Monarch case 'bears no comparison to the current situation' because Monarch fell into administration 'without any consultation with the union whatsoever'.

BA maintains its job cut proposals are vital to help it survive as a 'smaller company' in a future in which it believes air travel will shrink dramatically.

Management are understood to be dismayed at the backlash the firm felt in Parliament last week, having sent letters to all MPs in May explaining BA's dire financial predicament.

Walsh warned that plans to operate 40 per cent of BA's scheduled flights from July had been 'torpedoed' by the Government's introduction of a 14-day quarantine 

Walsh sent a second letter to MPs after the Commons criticisms, which he described as 'vastly exaggerated'.

In the letter on Thursday, he said: 'We find ourselves in the deepest crisis ever faced. We will do everything in our power to ensure that British Airways can survive and sustain the maximum number of jobs consistent with the new reality of a changed airline industry in a severely weakened global economy.'

Dismissing allegations BA is 'firing and rehiring' its entire workforce, he said: 'These are vastly exaggerated and also mischaracterised as decisions that have already been made, rather than proposals over which consultation must take place.'

He warned that plans to operate 40 per cent of BA's scheduled flights from July had been 'torpedoed' by the Government's introduction of a 14-day quarantine  beginning tomorrow  for those arriving in the UK.

Walsh is so furious he is considering launching a legal challenge against the 'irrational' move.

Unite assistant general secretary Howard Beckett said: 'BA have taken this action when our members are furloughed and we are prevented from having meaningful consultation or access to our members. This is morally wrong and unlawful.'
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Id like to focus on a group that isnt discussed much: the divorced health care parent. With physician marriages ending at a rate of 24 percent and over 1 million physicians and 18 million health care workers in the U.S., this topic will undoubtedly resonate with many despite a paucity of literature. Co-parenting is hard enoughadding a pandemic can put even previously stable co-parenting in extremis. Heres my COVID-19 co-parenting story.

It was mid-March, and I was talking with my ex-wife about our daughters visitation schedule. I mentioned that hours earlier, I helped intubate a potential COVID-19 patient. As an anesthesiologist in a bustling metropolitan hospital, we were newly tasked by the administration to cover every intubation.

There was a moment of silence.

You shouldnt see the girls anymore.

That was the moment I felt the pandemic truly invade my life. I dont mind intubating COVID patients, or the painful face indentations from wearing an N95 all day, or even the extra overnight calls. After all, this is the profession I chose. But at that moment, faced with the possibility of not seeing my girls indefinitely? Now it was personal.

I agreed that isolating the girls at the mothers house would be a temporary solution. We agreed to discuss the girls schedule in the coming week as we learned more about COVID. One week passed. Two weeks. Another. Six weeks passed.

Nearly two months passed before I would see my children again. I knew my girls would be safe, but I felt powerless. Even though Im a physician committed to helping others, Im also a father with a strong bond with my children. I was upset because any solution I proposed was met with strong opposition and lack of collaboration.

My hospitals PPE supply was excellent, and I was careful at work. I kept a mask on all day. I avoided groups. I wore a glove to open doors. During intubations, I used a PAPR. In addition, we started getting more COVID tests, so we knew every patients status. I felt safe.

I tried bargaining with my ex-wife. I proposed seeing the girls every other weekend, meeting them outside 6 feet away, and testing myself. She only agreed to FaceTime. The word selfish was used to describe my efforts to see the girls. That made me feel guilty for wanting to see them. I felt my role as a father marginalized, and my say as a co-parent nonexistent. I missed my daughters first bike ride. I missed my youngest daughters fourth birthday. It was gutting to miss out on their lives, from the mundane to the milestones.

To make matters worse, I didnt have much objective data in which to bargain. My department had no hospital-acquired COVID infections, and my hospital had an incidence of 1.9 percent. However, national data varied wildly. Medscape reported 22 anesthesia provider deaths globally, none in the U.S. The CDC reported 60,000 health care infections and 300 deaths. How do I interpret all this data?

I felt isolatedwas I the only doctor involuntarily separated from my children? I was determined to find others like me. I scoured Facebook groups, messaging anybody that mentioned sending their family away. I discovered almost everyone actually saw their kids on the weekends.

Meanwhile, paranoia set in. Is my throat getting sore? Is this COVID? What if I end up in the ICU? Is this just my allergies? Undoubtedly, my fears were a reflection of recent experiences at the hospital. Just before intubating, Id watch patients consoling family via FaceTime. Id recite in a calm but nervous voice that everything would be OK, and we would take good care of them, knowing the only promise we could fulfill was good care.

With little hope of progress, I reached out to the one person I was trying to avoid: my attorney. I avoided contact for two reasons. First, seeking legal counsel was tantamount to escalating this case to court in front of a judge. If I win, there would be bitterness that would spill into our co-parenting, which wouldnt be good for the girls. Second, attorneys are expensive. With salary cuts nationwide, now would be a bad time to be embroiled in a costly legal battle.

What I discovered from my attorney was that the pre-pandemic custody orders still applied during the pandemic. The rules did not change even though the world around it had. My ex-wife did not have the right to decide how to exercise my time.

Around this time, I heard about Miami emergency physician Theresa Green, who temporarily lost custody of her four-year-old daughter after her ex-husband motioned that her job put their daughter in danger. After a public outcry, the decision was overturned. I felt relief, knowing that I wasnt crazy.

I made one final attempt before engaging attorneys, which included a promise of communication if I encountered a COVID patient, consulting an infectious disease physician, a negative COVID test, and a weeklong vacation. We had a breakthroughshed think about it. A sense of relief overwhelmed me. Would I finally be able to be with my girls? Were my eyes watering from allergies?

After an amazing week with my daughters, my house was again empty. Strewn about books and stuffed animal foxes hidden under my pillow were reminders of how lucky I was to have healthy, active daughters. I returned to the hospital, helping those who needed it most, still uncertain when Id have the girls again.

To be clear, I think my ex-wife is an exceptional mother. She shouldnt be vilified in any way, and her stance will resonate with many parents. We were faced with an unprecedented situation. Balancing fear and reason was paralyzing at times. Should I have pushed harder or did I play too nice? I can only hope moving forward that co-parenting is less conflicted and more collaborative. By sharing my experience, I hope others going through similar hardships are reassured that they are not alone.

The author is an anonymous physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
UAE-based Capital Shield Insurance Brokers, a leading multinational insurance brokerage business, was among the five organisations, that have been inducted into Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The IFSB is an international standard-setting organisation that promotes and enhances the soundness and stability of the Islamic financial services industry by issuing global prudential standards and guiding principles for the industry, broadly defined to include banking, capital markets and insurance sectors.

The announcement was made at the IFSB Annual Meetings 2020: 36th Meeting of the Council and 18th General Assembly held remotely on June 4 in Kuala Lumpur.

In light of the current global situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the IFSB adopted a virtual format. This was the first ever IFSB Annual Meetings and General Assembly conducted fully online.

The members also include two supervisory authorities as full and associate members and three market players as observer members.

The newly admitted members are:

*Full Member - The Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (Kazakhstan)

*Associate Member - The Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigeria

*Observer Member- Capital Shield Insurance Brokers, UAE; PT Bank Syariah Mandiri, Indonesia and Fitch Ratings Singapore

The 36th Meeting of the Council and 18th General Assembly was hosted by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), chaired by H.E Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus, Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia and Chairperson of the IFSB for 2020.

It was attended by Central Bank Governors, Executive Presidents, Chairmen, Managing Directors, Vice Presidents and Deputy Governors of regulatory and supervisory authorities, senior representatives from among the Council and Full members of the IFSB, representing 19 countries and the Islamic Development Bank.-TradeArabia News Service
City dealmaker Amanda Staveley was promised six times that she was entitled to the same fees as the Qataris who helped rescue Barclays in 2008, court papers claim.

The ex-girlfriend of Prince Andrew secured 30million for her role in the emergency cash call in 2008. But she later learnt that Qatari investors pocketed 346million.

Staveley says she was entitled to the same fees and is suing Barclays for 1.6billion. The case starts tomorrow and will shine a light on the deal that spared Barclays a taxpayer-funded bailout.

Amanda Staveley secured 30million for her role in the emergency cash call in 2008

Documents from Staveley's firm PCP claim she was reassured she would get a fair deal by lawyers, bankers and Barclays' Roger Jenkins, the multi-millionaire financier nicknamed 'Big Dog'. She is due in court on Thursday.

Documents reveal how she hashed out a deal with her investor, Sheikh Mansour, at a reception in the Abu Dhabi Royal Palace on November 7, 2008.

Mansour went on to invest 3.5billion, but Staveley was later pushed out of the deal as Barclays' share price fell.

Barclays said her claim was 'misconceived and without merit'.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: India on Friday said a recent report by the UN Security Council mentioning about Pakistan-based terror groups sending thousands of terrorists to Afghanistan is a reiteration of what Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan publicly admitted.

The UN report said that around 6,500 Pakistani nationals were among foreign terrorists operating in Afghanistan and that Pakistan-based terror groups Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba are engaged in trafficking fighters into that country.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the international community is well acquainted with the reality that Pakistan is the "nerve centre of terrorism".

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan would do well to recall that their Prime Minister admitted last year that Pakistan still hosts 30,000 to 40,000 terrorists," he said.

"Pakistan's leadership is also on record acknowledging that in the past terrorists had used the country's soil to carry out terror attacks on other countries," the MEA spokesperson added.

In a dramatic admission, Khan, during a visit to the US in July last year, said that about 30,000-40,000 "armed people", who have been trained and fought in some part of Afghanistan or Kashmir, were in Pakistan.

Srivastava also said that Pakistan's attempts to create a "divide" in the traditional and friendly relations between the people of India and Afghanistan will not succeed.

"The people of Afghanistan and the international community are well aware of who the spoiler' is, and who is sheltering, training, arming and financing terrorists and sponsoring violence against innocent Afghans and members of the international community," he said.

After the report by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team was submitted to the UN Security Council, India said the findings vindicated its long-standing position that Pakistan remained the epicentre of international terrorism.

Pakistan on Thursday accused India of attempting to mislead the international community on the matter.

"The UN Security Council's Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team Report has only reiterated what the prime minister of Pakistan has already confessed," the MEA spokesperson said.

"Instead of casting aspersions on the Report, Pakistan should introspect and put an end to any kind of support for terrorism emanating from territories under its control," he said.

Srivastava said Pakistan houses one of the largest numbers of UN-designated terrorists and terrorist entities.

"Its fallacious attempts to point fingers at others cannot deflect attention from the facts on the ground."
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman, Jay Y. Lee, speaks during a news conference at a company's office building in Seoul, South Korea, May 6, 2020. (Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters)

South Korea Seeks Arrest of Samsung Heir Lee in Succession Probe

SEOUL, South KoreaSouth Korean prosecutors have requested an arrest warrant for Samsung Group heir Jay Y. Lee, they said on June 4, in the investigation of a 2015 merger and alleged accounting fraud in a suspected bid to aid his succession plans.

The move spells fresh trouble for Lee, who, if arrested, stands to return to jail just a little over two years after being released from detention in February 2018.

Lee already faces trial on a charge of bribery aimed at winning support to succeed ailing group patriarch Lee Kun-hee, and which involved former President Park Geun-hye. He spent a year in detention until the bribery case was suspended in 2018.

Prosecutors said they sought Lees arrest on suspicions of stock price manipulation and audit rule violations, among other offenses. The Seoul Central District Court will review the prosecutions request on June 8, it said in a statement.

In a statement, Lees lawyers expressed deep regret at the prosecutions decision, adding that he had fully cooperated with the investigation while Samsung was going through management crises.

Prosecutors have been investigating suspected accounting fraud at drug company Samsung Biologics after the Korean financial watchdog complained the firms value had been inflated by 4.5 trillion won ($3.7 billion) in 2015.

The prosecutors contend the violation helped boost the value of its major owner, Cheil Industries, which counted Lee as its top shareholder and merged with Samsung C&T, a de facto holding firm, Yonhap news agency said.

Attorneys for Lee requested an outside review to weigh the validity of the indictment and prosecutors are following the necessary procedures, they said in a statement.

Last month, the prosecutors questioned Lee, 51, over the latest investigation. He also apologized for the controversies around his succession planning and vowed to guarantee labor rights at Samsung.

In a statement, Samsung said seven of its affiliates, including Samsung Electronics, had set up a labor-management relations group, aiming to improve policy.

Lees year in detention followed separate charges that he bribed Park to win government support for the 2015 merger that helped tighten his control of South Koreas top conglomerate.

By Heekyong Yang, Hyunjoo Jin and Joyce Lee
The emotional aftermath of the tragic killing of George Floyd leaves America in search of a unifying leader.

It also reminds me that people can lead in different ways, including through genuine acts of kindness. Steve Allender proved that nine years ago.

We were an angry, bewildered and broken-hearted community in August of 2011, after three white Rapid City police officers  Ryan McCandless, Nick Armstrong and Tim Doyle  were shot by 22-year-old Daniel Tiger, a Native American, during what seemed to be a routine police stop for an open container and suspicious behavior.

Nobody had his knee on Daniel Tigers neck. You could argue, of course, that any Native American in South Dakota has felt the figurative weight of oppression. But according to an official review of the incident that included testimony from Tigers Native companions at the time, there was no police mistreatment of the group at all.

Yet, Tiger  a troubled young man with alcohol-abuse problems and past run-ins with the law  pulled a .357-caliber handgun and opened fire, beginning a shootout that would kill three, shatter families and leave Rapid City awash in a flood of emotions.

I had just arrived for my night shift in the Rapid City Journal newsroom that Aug. 2 afternoon when the police scanner crackled an officers down call. I didnt know it then, but McCandless was already dead and Armstrong was fatally wounded. Doyle had been shot in the face and chest but would survive.

And Tiger, whom Id seen a few times attending mass with his grandmother at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church in North Rapid, would also die of his wounds.

In a city already struggling with conflicts between Native Americans and police, the shooting had explosive potential. And as I covered the story in the subsequent days, I wondered who would emerge as a leader.

It turned out it to be Allender, now the mayor but then the chief of police. It was his job first to comfort and support the families of the officers who lost their lives under his command, and to be there for Doyle and his family.

Allender was a leader in the memorial services, the main spokesman for the police department and a guide to officers still working their beats on how to proceed without allowing their anger and grief and fears to affect their work.

That was expected of a police chief. But Allender also did the unexpected. He reached out to Tigers family with sympathy and support.

He didnt announce it. I stumbled upon it during an interview, with an Oh-by-the-way question: Have you reached out to Tigers family?

I was surprised to learn that he had.

It wasnt something I wanted to publicize or anything then. I wanted to keep it between me and the family, Allender said this week, when I called to reminisce. But when you asked if I had reached out, I felt like I had to be honest and acknowledge that I had.

So, a heavily burdened police chief took time from focusing on the grieving loved ones of his officers to comfort another grieving family, one that also struggled with guilt.

In that fog of all that was going on, I kept thinking about his family, Allender said. It was apparent to me that this kid was being demonized, that so many people in the community were so mad at him. I just thought it was important to let the parents know that we werent holding them responsible, and that we were sorry for their loss.

So he went to their home, where he was welcomed. And with that simple gesture, he used kindness to tamp down the charged emotions of a city, rather than inflaming them with tough-talking rhetoric.

It was leadership, with a heart. And, boy, could we use more of that.

Kevin Woster writes a blog and offers radio commentary for South Dakota Public Broadcasting. He can be reached by emailing kevinwoster@rushmore.com.
Six of the seven victims who were found shot dead in a burning Alabama home overnight have been identified by authorities after a gunman murdered seven people and a dog in a 'cold-blooded, targeted killing'.

Two black men, two white men, three white women and the dog were found inside the home in Valhermoso Springs near Huntsville late on Thursday.

Authorities first identified Jeramy Wade Roberts, 31, of Athens, and William Zane Hodgin, 18, of Somerville, as victims.

They later named Tammy England Muzzey, 45, of Valhermoso Springs, Emily Brooke Payne, 21, of Valhermoso Springs, Roger Lee Jones Jr., 19, of Decatur and a 17-year-old female victim identified as Dakota Green by a relative.

One male is still unidentified.

The Morgan County Sheriff's Office on Friday identified Jeramy Wade Roberts (left) and William Zane Hodgin (right) as two of the seven victims shot dead in Valhermoso Springs, Alabama

Authorities identified Tammy England Muzzey (pictured) as one of three female victims to be found inside the burning Alabama home on Friday

Authorities say they received a 911 call at 11.30pm about gunshots and discovered a fire inside the home when they arrived.

Morgan County Sheriff's deputies were able to put the fire out before firefighters arrived.

The bodies were discovered after the blaze was distinguished. It is not yet clear how big the fire was.

Emily Brooke Payne (left) and Roger Lee Jones Jr (right) were also identified as two of the seven victims killed during a shooting

Dakota Green (pictured) was identified by a relative and friends as the 17-year-old female victim in the Alabama shooting on Friday

Four men, three women and the dog were found by officers inside the home in Valhermoso Springs near Huntsville late on Thursday

Police have released the identities of six of the seven victims. Officers continued working at the 'horrific scene' this morning

'It is a horrific scene and to be able to process it will take some time,' Morgan County Sheriff's Office public information officer Mike Swafford said.

'We don't have a motive at this time. We don't have a determined suspect at this time. Investigators are following leads to piece together exactly what happened and who was involved.

'We can say we don't believe there is an active threat to anybody in the area.'

Sheriff's deputies are familiar with the residence, having answered several calls there in the past few years for problems including drugs, robbery, trespassing and disturbances, he said.

'Our theory right now is whoever did this, came in here for a reason, did it and left,' he said.

Authorities are looking into the possibility of the killings being drug-related, Swafford said.

Video courtesy of WAAF

Investigators believed the gunman went to the home with the intention of shooting everyone inside, according to AL.com

Some of the victims had multiple gunshot wounds. Authorities are still working to identify them, but some are believed to have lived in the home.

The bodies of seven people and a dog were found shot dead in a burning Alabama home overnight in what police are calling a 'cold-blooded, targeted killing'

He added that some of the victims had multiple gunshot wounds.

'Incredibly heinous, talking cold blooded,' Swafford said.

'In my 37 years as a paramedic, deputy coroner and coroner, this is the most major crime scene in Morgan County,' Coroner Jeff Chunn said.

'It is a horrific scene and to be able to process it will take some time,' Morgan County Sheriff's Office public information officer Mike Swafford said

Swafford told WAAY that authorities had responded to incidents at the home previously and had been called there as recently as last week.

'This doesn't happen in Morgan County. We had a triple homicide two weeks ago and I think that's the first anyone can remember in 20 plus years so to have seven is substantial.'

Family and friends of some of the seven victims shared heartfelt tributes on Facebook.

Jennifer May Allison, a relative of Dakota Green, wrote on Facebook: 'Dakota Green, my heart in soul is gone June 5,2020 rip my green bean u will be missed so bad it hurts so bad I love u Kota.'

Allison has created a fundraiser following Green's death to cover funeral costs, with a goal of $2,000.

'Rip beautiful I love you so much,' a friend of Green's wrote in a post. A video of Green and the friend spending time together from earlier this year was attached. 'Im gonna miss you so much.'

Friends of Dakota Green (pictured) shared touching messages about the teenager while a relative created a fundraiser to cover the unexpected funeral costs

Tammy England Muzzey (pictured) was a mother-of-four, according to a friends of Muzzey's

Bobbie Jo Pincheon, a friend of Tammy England Muzzey, also created a fundraiser to help raise money for funeral costs, taking care of Muzzey's four children and replacing items that were lost in the fire.

'My home girl was gun down an murdered,' wrote Pincheon. 'She leaves behind 4 beautiful children who need all the love support an help they can get through these hard times ....'

A GoFundMe was created for Emily Brooke Payne and revealed that she had turned 21-years-old just two days before her dearth.

'She just made it two days past 21 years old. Due to the circumstances, and with her young age, our family was never expecting for something like this to happen,' the caption read.

'We are all heart broken, and in complete shock. No one ever imagines something like this happening, especially to such large magnitude, in such a tiny town.'

Loves ones of Emily Brooke Payne revealed on GoFundMe that she died just two days after her 21st birthday

A relative of Roger Lee Jones Jr. (pictured) revealed he died on Facebook and shared a tribute on Friday afternoon

Meadow Hodgin: 'Words cant describe the pain I feel, you picked me up when no one else could, and you were my partner in crime ever since we were little'

The sister of William Zane Hodgin, Meadow Hodgin, shared a heartbreaking message Friday afternoon.

'Words cant describe the pain I feel, you picked me up when no one else could, and you were my partner in crime ever since we were little. Im going to miss you so much big bro, fly high,' she wrote.

Another relative of Hodgin's wrote 'Rest in power, brother. Until we meet again.'

A relative of Roger Lee Jones Jr. shared a series of pictures and recalled spending time with him before his death.

Jones' brother revealed that the family is plannign a candlelight vigil for him in the upcoming days.

'Man these was some good days rip lil bruh love you man,' they wrote.

The case is under investigation by the Morgan County Sheriff's Office.
The turbine inventor Henrik Stiesdal is small in the shadows of gigantic curves of steel, watching workers weld towers that will be rooted to the seabed. This factory in the Danish countryside has churned out thousands of masts for wind turbines whose blades can stretch more than 500 feet. Its an important contribution to a global wind revolution thats supplying electricity to millions of homes worldwide.

Soon the factory will set about a new task, manufacturing components for a different kind of turbine, designed by Stiesdal, that bobs on the open sea. These structures promise to put the strong, consistent gusts that blow over deep waters within reach for the first time. The turbines now found around Denmark, England and the other coastlines of the North Sea are made for shallow water and require large underwater structures to fasten them in place.

Normal places dont have shallow water near population centersthey have deep water, says Stiesdal, a legendary turbine inventor and former executive at some of Europes biggest wind companies. This situation renders many coastal places unsuitable for wind power. We could power California many times over with their offshore resource, he says, but it all has to be floating.

If the next generation of wind farms can float, and if costs can be kept low, it could usher in an era of almost unlimited, emission-free energy. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that floating wind turbines could help provide enough electricity to satisfy the worlds electricity needs 11 times over, based on expected power demand in 2040.

At 63, Stiesdal has taken every step in the modern evolution of wind power. As a young man he designed the first turbine and later took part in the introduction of the first offshore wind farm, creating whats now one of the fastest-growing forms of renewable energy. Hes seen global wind capacity grow from virtually nothing in 1978 to more than 600 gigawatts today, according to BloombergNEF data.

As 2019 ended, about three-quarters of global offshore capacity lay in Europe, mostly clustered around the U.K. and Germany. This regional dominance owes partly to the North Seas relative shallowness. Although similar waters off China, Vietnam, and the eastern U.S. seaboard could someday add more wind farms using established technology, theres greater potential farther offshore.

Many more places, including California, Japan, and South Korea, have heavy power needs, big ambitions to lower emissions, and deep seas. Not to mention that people tend to complainloudlyabout turbines within eyesight of the shore. The open sea isnt in anyones backyard.

Now Stiesdal is among those bringing about the floating-energy future. With offshore wind power increasingly competitive with the price of fossil fuels, expansion into deeper waters could help rid electric grids of carbon emissions for good. I had some bad moments thinking about the climate, he says. The politicians will not solve it. We need to solve it ourselves.

In the next two decades, the IEA expects the offshore industry to attract $840 billion  almost as much investment as natural gas.

The cork is coming off the bottle, Stiesdal says. With the cost reductions were seeing, were outcompeting with all kinds of fuels. You cant build gas-fired plants and coal plants and nuclear plants that can match wind.

A successful floating platform would push open new wind markets and potentially generate billions of dollars of turbine contracts. The earliest glimpses of this future, ironically, come from pilot projects started by fossil fuel companies, which have long expertise in extracting resources from the seabed using platforms.

The main engineering challenge is keeping the machine in the right position; a slight rotation can move the blades out of the wind. The designs rely on cables and anchors to keep the platforms in the right spot. Buoyant turbines fitted with anchors can be put out at sea in water as deep as 3,000 feet.

On the economic side, the key bottleneck is the floating foundation, says Jason Cheng, managing partner at private equity firm Kerogen Capital. We think thats where a great amount of the value will be captured. Kerogen mostly invests in fossil fuels, but its taken a stake in Ideol, a French platform developer. Cheng says he liked that floating wind draws on proven technologies. Because its already been developed in oil and gas, we know what those solutions could look like.

Even with a mere handful of floating pilot projects out on the sea, energy analysts predict exponential growth to follow fast after the technology is established. If floating wind reaches 3.5 gigawatts by 2030, as BNEF forecasts, that pace would track the one followed by traditional offshore wind. Much will depend on governments; offshore wind took off only with the help of subsidies, and its unclear whether and in what form help will continue.

Later this year, or possibly early in 2021, depending on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, a truck will haul Stiesdals floating device to the Danish coast. A boat will tow it to Norway. If all goes well, the man who helped start the wind industry could jump to the front of the race for the next clean-energy breakthrough. The stakes, measured in increments of global temperatures, are rising fast.

The trajectory today is not even two degreesits much higher, Stiesdal says. The mantra Ive had myself was we need to change the question from, How can we afford it? to How can we afford not to?
Type 075 LHD of Chinese Navy Technical review and analysis by the Navy Recognition editorial team. The Type 075 Landing Helicopter Dock LHD (NATO reporting name Yushen-class landing helicopter assault) is a class of Chinese amphibious assault ship under construction by the HudongZhonghua Shipbuilding Company. Currently, China has already built two Type 075 ships.

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China's first domestically developed and constructed Type-075 amphibious assault ship was launched in Shanghai, September 2019. (Picture source China MoD)

An amphibious assault ship is a type of amphibious warfare ship employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory by an amphibious assault. The design evolved from aircraft carriers converted for use as helicopter carriers or VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft.

The Type 075 will give Chinese navy ability to deploy helicopters, landing craft and troops to attack enemy naval vessels, ground forces or submarines. The vessels will also be capable of conducting command and control operations.

The development design of the Type 75 landing ship helicopter started in 2011. On September 25, 2019, China launched the first of a new type of amphibious assault ship called the Type 075 that has an estimated displacement of 30,000 to 40,000 tons, compared to 41,000 to 45,000 tons for U.S. Navy LHA/LHD-type amphibious assault ship. A second unit of Type 075 was launched in April 2020. China's military plans to deploy four Type 075 assault ships by 2025.

According to naval military experts, the Chinese Type 075 LHD (Landing Helicopter Dock) is currently estimated to have a full displacement of about 31,000 tons, with the capacity to carry up to 30 helicopters. It is capable of sailing at 30 knots and can carry up to 1,208 sailors.



Launching of second Type 075 of Chinese Navy (Picture source Twitter account Loognaval)

The Type-075 LHD (Landing Helicopter Dock) is around 895 feet (273m) long and 141 feet (43m) across. It will be able to carry a large air wing to transport the troops, including attack helicopters. And a flooded dock in the stern will be able to carry large hovercraft very similar to the U.S. Navys LCAC.

Type 075 could be powered by a 9,000 kW 16PC2-6B diesel engine. It could be armed with four close-in weapon systems including two HHQ-10 surface-to-air defense missile systems and two H/PJ-11/Type 730 seven-barreled 30 mm Gatling gun.

The HHQ-10 is a rocked based system developed for the protection of ships against inbound anti-ship missiles. It uses launchers with a capacity of 8 to 24 missiles. Each missile uses imaging infrared guidance and has a proximity fuse. Missiles with dual-mode seeker feature additional passive radar homing. The solid-propellant rocket motor allows for a maximum speed of over Mach 2. Against non-maneuvering subsonic targets, the maximum range is 9 km. The maximum altitude is estimated up to 6 km. The practical maximum range against anti-ship missiles is 5 km.

The H/PJ-11 is a seven-barreled 30 mm Gatling gun mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by radar, and electro-optical tracking systems. The maximum rate of fire is 5800 rd/m, and the effective range is up to 3 km.
The four Tacoma, Washington police officers who were involved in the March 3 death of Manuel Ellis, a 33-year-old black man, were placed on administrative leave on Wednesday, three months after the killing. In March, the officers--Christopher Burbank, Matthew Collins, Masyih Ford and Timothy Rankine--were placed on leave after the incident, but had since returned to duty.

Manuel Ellis

The move to place the four cops on administrative leave comes amid the wave of popular protests against police violence throughout the United States and internationally, sparked by the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The investigator for the Pierce County medical examiners office, Rich OBrian, found that Ellis had died of respiratory arrest due to hypoxia and physical restraint by the police officers, ruling the death a homicide. Heart disease and the presence of methamphetamine were also listed as contributors to the death.

Ellis, a father of two, can be heard on dispatcher radio calling out while in handcuffs and police custody, I cant breathe. This is the same plea made by Floyd as a police officer held his knee on Floyd's neck for more than 8 minutes.

At a press conference in Tacoma, Marcia Carter, Manuel Elliss mother, said, Manny was taken from me, he was murdered. She had spoken with Ellis half an hour before his death. The Ellis family is calling for the firing of the four officers involved in Manuels death. Hundreds turned out for a vigil in Tacoma on the night of Wednesday, June 3.

Tacoma Police Department spokesperson Ed Troyer claimed that Ellis was found by police at 11:30 p.m. banging on car windows. He then approached the police car and asked for help, saying there were warrants out for his arrest. The police allege that when one officer got out of his car, Ellis grabbed him by the vest and threw him to the ground. A second officer got out and managed to get handcuffs on Ellis and pin him to the ground.

Troyer claimed that no knee or chokehold was used, nor a taser or baton. After Ellis said he couldnt breathe, he was rolled onto his side and a medical unit was called in. He died 40 minutes after being restrained.

Contradicting the claims of the Tacoma police department, footage of the arrest posted to the Tacoma Action Collective Twitter account on Friday shows Manuel being beaten to the ground while one officer grabs a taser gun. The woman who recorded the footage can be heard yelling, Stop hitting him. The video ends with Manuel being restrained on the ground by the police officers.

The woman who recorded the incident, Sara McDowell, has come forward to dispute the claims by the Tacoma police, saying that the police initiated the confrontation. She states that Manuel was speaking to them through the car window when one police officer threw the car door open, knocking him to the ground.

In an attempt to quell the outrage that has been sparked by the video of the encounter and the resulting protests against police brutality and murder, the Democratic mayor of Tacoma, Victoria Woodards, released a video message saying she was enraged by what was exposed in the video and that the officers who committed this crime should be fired and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

As with most Democratic Party officials, she invoked identity politics to put the blame on the population as a whole. The mayor said that as an African American woman, I didnt need a video to believe, adding, It does take a video for so many people to believe the truth about systemic racism and its violent impact on black lives. In order to obscure the class lines, she said, I dont get to take this skin color off every day. I dont get to come out a different person. And while I am mayor, I am still black.

Tacoma police union representatives have called the mayors video theatrics and claimed the investigation will show the officers did no wrong.

In a fascistic tirade against the outrage caused by police killings, the police union declared, This is not a time to sacrifice dedicated public servants at the altar of public sentiment, especially when that sentiment is almost wholly fueled by the uninformed anger of a theatrical politician.
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Four detainees of the central prison of Bamako were shot dead Friday as they attempted after breaking through the doors of their cells, the Malian government said here in a statement sent to PANA
The movement to defund the police gained unprecedented support last year after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd, for which he is now on trial. Now, another police officer in Minneapolis is the subject of an investigation for shooting and killing Daunte Wright, also an unarmed Black man, after pulling him over for driving with an expired license. The officer, Kim Potter, claims she mistook her gun for a taser, and the incident is being labeled an accidental discharge.

Its clearly long past time to do something after all of these incidents  and that something is defund the police, which many cities have already been working on for years. Many defunding efforts ask for cities and states to restructure their budgets and reinvest in healthcare, employment, education, and housing. Its also important to remember that defunding is different from reforming, which advocates say has largely been ineffective.

The demand of defunding law enforcement becomes a central demand in how we actually get real accountability and justice, because it means we are reducing the ability of law enforcement to have resources that harm our communities, Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors told WBUR last year. Its not possible for the entity of law enforcement to be a compassionate, caring governmental agency in Black communities. Thats not the training, thats not the institution. We have spent the last seven years asking for training, asking for body cameras. The body cameras have done nothing more than show us whats happened over and over again. The training has done nothing but show us that law enforcement and the culture of law enforcement is incapable of changing.

If you are interested in joining the movement to defund the police, below are action steps and resources.

The number-one thing you can do is research how much of your citys budget goes toward police, and lobby your lawmakers to reallocate that spending toward healthcare, education, and housing. There are local efforts underway in several major cities. If youre able to, attend your local city council meetings to be part of the conversation on the budget. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights has created a toolkit with resources and information for how to get involved.

Story continues

Reclaim the Block is a Minneapolis organization that organizes the community and city council members to move dollars away from the police and toward community-led safety initiatives. You can sign its petition to defund the police, donate to the organization, download educational resources, and more.

The Black Visions Collective, also in Minnesota, is an organization built on Black liberation that lobbies to divest from the police department. You can donate to support its work and follow it on social media.

You can learn more about the history of police violence in Minneapolis and donate through MPD150, an effort toward a police-free Minneapolis.

Communities United for Police Reform in New York City works to end discriminatory policing and trains communities to know their rights.

No New Jails NYC attempts to keep the city from constructing new jails, diverting funds toward housing, mental health, ending homelessness, and other initiatives.

Learn more about the differences between defunding and reforming through Critical Resistance, a national grassroots organization working to abolish policing, imprisonment, and surveillance.

Donate to the Black Lives Matter Survival Fund.

This story was originally published on June 5, 2020, and has since been updated.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

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Former Vice-President Joe Biden on Friday secured enough delegates to clinch the Democratic presidential nomination at the party convention in Milwaukee slated for August this year.

Late results from the June 2 primaries took the former Vice-President to 1995 delegates, taking him across the threshold of 1,991 needed to clinch the Democratic nomination (Republicans have a different count and threshold).

Folks, tonight we secured the 1,991 delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination, Biden wrote on twitter late Friday. Im going to spend every day fighting to earn your vote so that, together, we can win the battle for the soul of this nation.

This is a difficult time in Americas history. And Donald Trumps angry, divisive politics is no answer, he went on to say in a statement. The country is crying out for leadership. Leadership that can unite us. Leadership that can bring us together. We need an economy that works for everyone  now. We need jobs that bring dignity  now. We need equal justice  and equal opportunities  for every American now. We need a president who cares about helping us heal  now.

Biden has been the presumptive Democratic nominee for weeks now, after Senator Bernie Sander, the last of his rival, quit the race and endorsed him. He had secure enough delegates, however, to clinch it at the convention formally to take on President Donald Trump in November.

Biden had fallen marginally short of the delegate threshold on the night of June 2 primaries in seven states and Washington DC. That deficit was met by late results that came in on Friday.

Biden hit the campaign trail earlier this week after weeks of virtual town halls and meetings conducted from home in Delaware, forced by social distancing guidelines related to the Covid-19 epidemic. In a speech from Philadelphia, in a key swing state, he launched a scathing attack on Trumps handling of the ongoing civil unrest against racial inequities.

The former vice-president has been ahead of the Trump in head-to-head polls. They are currently running 49.3 to 42.2 in the RealClearPolitics average of all polls.

The vice president had entered the Democratic race as frontrunner, with a claim on the legacy of President Barack Obama, who remains phenomenally popular among Democrats. He survived questions about his age and lack of enthusiasm and long enough to drag his floundering campaign to the South Carolina primaries.

He grabbed the state with a resounding victory, with the support of African American Democrats, that put him on course to the nomination. As moderate Democrats rallied to his side, he went on to win 10 of the 14 states that held primaries on March 4, Super Tuesday, taking a lead that grew unassailable over the next days and weeks.
This summer presents a great opportunity for New Zealanders to get out into nature with bookings on Great Walks for 2020/21 set to open next week, says Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage.

Bookings for the Great Walks will open between June 9 and 11, excluding Milford and Routeburn tracks which are still undergoing storm repairs. Bookings for these tracks are projected to open in July/August 2020.

For people who havent done a Great Walk previously, the 2020/21 season presents a fantastic opportunity to get out and experience nature in some of New Zealands most spectacular landscapes with iconic wildlife and rich history, says Eugenie Sage.

With a high standard of tracks and facilities, they are accessible options for people wishing to connect with Aotearoas heritage and experience some of the best multi-day walks in the world.

New Zealand is highly regarded as a walking destination. As the Great Walks gain global recognition, it has become harder to secure a booking on to the most popular tracks at peak times.

Over the last two summer Great Walks seasons - October to the end of April - the Department of Conservation  DOC - trialled differential pricing, a higher price for international visitors, on four of the most popular Great Walks - Milford, Routeburn, Kepler and Abel Tasman Coast tracks.

DOC sought through this trial to obtain valuable information on the effectiveness of pricing as a tool to manage visitor pressure. It also informed DOCs work to set and maintain a fair pricing system.

The trial has demonstrated the merits of differential pricing to improve access for New Zealand residents, more fairly distribute the running costs and ensure the fees reflect the true value of these world-class walks, says Sage.

But due to the impact of COVID-19 on our tourism industry and international travel, differential pricing wont be in place this year. However, its now a tried and tested tool DOC can draw upon when setting accommodation prices for future years.

DOC is advising those overseas not to book onto a Great Walk while New Zealand border restrictions remain in place.

DOC will retain a fee for international children on the Great Walks set at half the adult rate. This is to discourage overseas organisations from making speculative bulk bookings of Great Walks accommodation, which hold space that may not be used.

For anyone wanting to get out over winter, the Rakiura, Abel Tasman, Heaphy, Paparoa, Lake Waikaremoana and Abel Tasman Coast tracks offer a range of year-round walking and biking opportunities, but you must be well prepared, says Sage.

Let someone know before you go, check the weather and track conditions and make sure you take the necessary food, water, clothing and equipment.

Details of when bookings open for each Great Walk can be found on DOCs website: www.doc.govt.nz/greatwalks

The evaluation of the trial 2019/20 concluded that two of the three trial objectives were achieved:

1. Access for New Zealand residents - more New Zealanders -18 per cent - experienced the Great Walks in 2019/20 than at the same time in 2017/18.

2. Increased international contribution to costs - the proportion of revenue from international visitors contributing towards costs increased from 30 per cent to 38 per cent in 2019/20 than at the same time for 2017/18.

The third objective that the fee equated to the value of the experience, has not been achieved. There were two main indications it was not achieved:

1. The proportion of international visitors on the trialled walks who stated those walks were value for money decreased from 73 per cent in 2018 to at least 63 per cent under the trial

2. Most of the international visitors considered the differential pricing fees were too high.

Therefore, the analysis of the results from the trial over the summer Great Walks seasons for 2018/19 and 2019/20 has found that it can be used (both on the Great Walks and other DOC facilities) to achieve all three of the above objectives with some changes to how the prices are set: The differential rate will be reduced

The feedback from international visitors in the both years of the trail was that they considered the 2x differential too great and that it was not value for money. The Department did further research and analysis into potential rates. This work involved both quantitative analysis and willingness pay surveys.

The quantitative analysis for refining the differential was based on a full cost and a relative contributions approach. The difference between New Zealanders and international visitors contributions over and above the hut fee, such as through taxation determined the differential. The results indicated that a more equitable differential was in the order of 1.5x. This differential was supported by the results of the willingness to pay survey.

A new international youth rate

International visitors indicated that it was unfair that children should pay the full international adult rate. The Department agreed with this feedback and an international youth rate of half the international adult rate is to be applied to the Great Walks.

For further information on the differential pricing trial and its evaluation results visit www.doc.govt.nz/great-walks-differential-pricing

DOC bookings

All other bookable DOC facilities (beside those on the 10 Great Walks) will open on June 25 for

2020/21 bookings. These facilities have now moved to DOCs new booking system requiring users to create user accounts prior to making bookings. People can create their user accounts June 23 2020.

The new booking system enables people to manage their bookings and allow them to receive timely health and safety information.

For public health and safety, huts will be operating at a reduced capacity at Alert Level 2 and people are advised to carry and use cleaning and hygiene products while using DOC facilities.
Even though there's a chance that many of us may not get away to sunnier shores this summer, there's nothing stopping us bringing some sunshine to our faces naturally and with little effort.

But how do we best cheat that just-back-from holidays glow? Bronzers are our best bet to add some life and luminosity to tired, winter faces.

Some women are put off by bronzers - they're wary of looking caked and orangey - but I'd gently advise those worried about this to really reconsider. Bronzers now come in so many different shapes and sizes, formulations and finishes, that there's one to suit every skin tone - even the most pale and porcelain of Irish visages.

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The trick is to look for a sheer tone that can be built up if necessary and to blend in the product thoroughly (a large, fluffy brush is the best option to use). Apply to cheeks, temples, eyelids, across the bridge of the nose and along the jaw line (a great trick to reduce the look of double chins!) and across the collar bones. So what's stopping you? It's time to get glowing....

Beach beauty

Expand Close Misslyn Beach Please Bronzing Powder in Vitamin Sea / Facebook

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If you fancy saving on your beauty budget without skimping on your sun-kissed vibe this summer, try this bronzer from Misslyn that can double up as a contour powder. This comes in a soft matte texture, is suitable for sensitive skin and is quite deeply pigmented so will suit warmer, deeper skin tones best.

Misslyn Beach Please Bronzing Powder in Vitamin Sea, 7.55, from pharmacies nationwide.

Complete package

Expand Close Sculpted by Aimee Connolly The Full Face Edit Golden Highlights, / Facebook

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Wow! This is a total gem of a summer palette. With matte bronzer, powder blush, highlighter, eyeshadows and lip tint - it's all in a generously sized compact with a (very handy) giant mirror. This is basically a one-stop shop for a gorgeous summer glow. Just pop in your handbag and you're all set for bronzed beauty this summer!

Sculpted by Aimee Connolly The Full Face Edit Golden Highlights, 35, from sculptedbyaimee.com.

Lit from within

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This is a 3-in-1 blush, bronzer and highlighter that gives tired faces a quick-fire shot of luminosity. Developed with plastic surgeons and suitable for all skin types and tones, this powder is jam-packed with anti-ageing ingredients and is also talc-free, uses ultra-light pigments (so no dreaded caking), and Drops of Light serum, for a lit-from-within finish. Mature skin will love it.

IT Cosmetics Confidence in Your Glow 3-in-1 Blusher Bronzer and Highlighter, 34, from Boots nationwide, arnotts.ie and brownthomas.com.

Day to night

Expand Close Bobbi Browne Bronzing Duo / Facebook

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Whatsapp Bobbi Browne Bronzing Duo





If you sometimes like your bronzer to be matte (ie better during the day) but fancy amping up your makeup at night with a bit of shimmer, don't buy two different bronzers, just look for a good quality duo. This brand new one from Bobbi Brown comes with a matte and a shimmer option on either side. Again, this option is super wearable on the eyes. Comes in a light (best for paler skin types) and medium colour tones.

Bobbi Browne Bronzing Duo, 32.50, from arnotts.ie, brownthomas.com, lookfantastic.com and bobbibrown.co.uk.

Light touch





If you're on the look-out for a bronzer that's as light as air with an excellent colour pay-off, check out Charlotte Tilbury's brand new bronzer. This is a matte (ie zero sparkles), super finely milled (ie it will never looked caked) natural-looking, grown-up bronzer in a super generous quantity that also looks divine as an eyeshadow. It comes in four shades - fair, medium, tan and deep.

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer, 50, from arnotts.ie, brownthomas.com and charlottetilbury.com.

Colour pop

If you're not really into bronzers, but fancy a pop of colour to the face, please do try this brilliant summer option from Clarins. This is a cheek and eye tint that goes on like a cream but settles like a powder. Comes in three summer themed tones (mandarin, pink and coral) and is super easy to apply. Just dab onto cheeks and eyes, blend in with your fingers or brush, and you're done! Chuck the tube into your handbag and you're ready to go.

Clarins Twist to Glow Healthy Glow Powder, 29, from pharmacies nationwide.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 11:04:42|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, June 5 (Xinhua) -- A small plane crashed in the southern state of Georgia, the United States on Friday, killing five people on board, including two children, according to local media reports.

No one survived the crash in the afternoon about 100 miles (161 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta, Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills told local media.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the Piper PA31-T was flying from Williston, Florida, to Newcastle, Indiana.

A witness told local media he saw the plane circling the area and catching fire. Parts of the plane flew off and landed in the nearby field.

Emergency crews put out the flames in a wooded area. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the accident. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 08:10:45|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistan army said late Friday that it has shot down an Indian spying quadcopter along the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Kashmir region.

The quadcopter had intruded 500 meters on Pakistan's side of the LoC, the army's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations said, adding that this is the eighth Indian quadcopter shot down by Pakistan army troops this year.

Earlier, Pakistan army said on May 27 and May 29 respectively that it had shot down an Indian spying quadcopter along the LoC after it committed airspace violation.

Pakistan and India had declared ceasefire along the LoC, the de facto border between both countries in the disputed Kashmir region in 2003. However, both sides routinely exchange fire and accuse each other of ceasefire violations.

Tension has been heightened after India lifted the special status for the Indian-controlled Kashmir in August 2019. Pakistan downgraded its diplomatic relations, suspended trade relations and train service with India in response. Enditem
Briefing with Special Representative for Iran and Senior Advisor to the Secretary Brian Hook On the Release of Michael White

Special Briefing

Brian H. Hook, Special Representative for Iran and Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary of State

Via Teleconference

June 5, 2020



MR BROWN: Hey, thanks. Hello again, everyone. I think we're three for three on briefings today. But given the fantastic news yesterday on the release of Michael White from Iranian custody, we wanted to prioritize having our very own Special Representative for Iran and Senior Advisor to the Secretary Brian Hook available to talk to you.

Brian, who just returned to Washington only a few hours ago, has a unique perspective on this extraordinary mission. By now I'm sure you've all seen the photo of Brian with Michael White at the Zurich airport with Michael clutching the U.S. flag, and no doubt you've also seen the statements and tweets from the Secretary, and from the President himself who congratulated Michael on his release and reiterated the administration's commitment to bringing home all Americans wrongfully held overseas.

So I know you all want to hear from Brian, so I'll turn it over to him. After his brief opening remarks, we'll have time for your questions. Remember that the contents of this on-the-record briefing are embargoed until the end of the call.

Brian, please take it away.

MR HOOK: Thanks very much. Good to be with everybody after a very successful day yesterday. It was a special day, and I want to update you on how it all unfolded, then I'm happy to take a few questions after some opening remarks.

President Trump and Secretary Pompeo continue to focus significant time and attention on securing the release of all Americans wrongfully detained abroad. It is a top priority for them both. As the President said yesterday, we have now brought home more than 40 American hostages and detainees since he took office, and we in the administration are all tremendously proud of this number. It's going to continue to grow, but we recognize there's more work to do.

As the U.S. special representative for Iran, I have always made securing the release of Americans in Iran a top priority, those who are wrongfully detained. On December 7th, we had our first breakthrough and negotiated the release of Xiyue Wang. He had been held in Evin Prison in Tehran on false charges of espionage for over three years. And I had a very good correspondence with him yesterday. He was very pleased to see the release of Michael White.

Yesterday, American diplomacy paid off again. We negotiated the release of a second American, U.S. Navy veteran Michael White. Michael was wrongfully jailed in Iran for 683 days, nearly two years.

You may recall that in early March we were able to negotiate Michael's medical furlough on humanitarian grounds, and that was conditioned upon him staying in Iran, but we kept up the diplomacy and were able to secure his full release yesterday. It was an honor for me to meet him in Zurich and to fly him back home to America where he will soon be reunited with his family.

Shortly after Michael landed in Switzerland and we had concluded the final details among the U.S., Iran, and Switzerland, I called the president and shared with him the good news, and gave the phone to Michael White, and they had a very good conversation.

But we are now making sure that Michael gets all the help he needs, and on behalf of Secretary Pompeo and myself, we wish him all the best and I will be staying in touch with Michael.

I want to thank the Government of Switzerland, especially three people in particular. One is Markus Leitner. He is the Swiss ambassador to Tehran. He and I have been in daily contact for the last few months, and then predating that, last year working on the other release. Markus does a superb job and he serves in the Swiss Government with great distinction.

I also want to thank Swiss ambassador to the United States Jacques Pitteloud, and also Maya Tissafi who works in Iran for the Swiss embassy. And she is the one that flew with Michael from Tehran on the Swiss Government plane to Zurich.

I want to thank Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, for all of his excellent work. National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien also played a key role in making the release possible, and I want to recognize Attorney General Barr and his team for their assistance.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I want to speak to the families of those Americans who are still wrongfully detained in Iran. The United States will not stop working until your loved ones are back with you. While we are pleased that Iran was constructive in the last two negotiations, there's still more work to do.

The United States calls for the release of U.S. citizens Baquer Namazi, Siamak Namazi, and Morad Tahbaz, who have been wrongfully detained in Iran for too long. And we also demand a full accounting of the fate of Robert Levinson.

Later today, on World Environment Day, I will be releasing a video about the renowned conservationist Morad Tahbaz. He needs to be freed. And I'm glad to take a few questions.

OPERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, if you 

MR BROWN: Great, so  go ahead.

OPERATOR: If you would like to ask a question, press 1 0 on your telephone keypad. Once again, for questions press 1 0 at this time.

MR BROWN: Thank you. All right. First up, we have Jennifer Hansler.

QUESTION: Hi there, thanks for doing this. I was wondering if you could give us a little bit of detail as to why Majid Taheri was chosen as part of this deal as opposed to Sirous Asgari. And then also, how much did Bill Richardson play a role in these negotiations? Joanne White thanked him in her statement yesterday. Thanks, Brian.

MR HOOK: The first question, could you just give it to me one more time?

QUESTION: Why the decision to free Majid Taheri as part of this deal? Why not Sirous Asgari in exchange for White? Just any details on that particular angle of it.

MR HOOK: Yeah, as DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, he  I would refer you to his tweets dated May 11th, June 1st, and yesterday on June 4th, where he outlines the history of our efforts going back to November to try to deport Asgari. And I would just have you take a look at what Ken said on May 11th.

Then yesterday he said he was not a participant in a prisoner deal for Michael White. We've been trying to deport him  I think Ken said since December. But the Iranians have stalled until this last week. A swap can't exactly work when we want Asgari less than the Iranians do, and so he was never part of it. Us trying to depart  deport Asgari predates my diplomacy in terms of it getting going on Michael White by many months, and so there was never a connection there.

You had also asked why Taheri. It was  that was just something that came out of the negotiation, somebody that Iran had identified, and that's kind of how often these things start. We always want to get all Americans released. That's always our goal. And so in this case we were able to reach an agreement on Michael White, and at the same time we were able to substantially advance our law enforcement objectives. Taheri served a jail  he was in jail for 16 months, and so we were able to advance important law enforcement objectives.

I don't have any comment on Bill Richardson. That's something that you would have to ask Michael's mother.

MR BROWN: Okay, thank you. Next, let's go to the line of Christina Ruffini.

QUESTION: Hey Brian, welcome back. I just wanted to know when you got 

MR HOOK: Thank you.

QUESTION: When you got on the plane  because sometimes these things are more certain than others  when you got on the plane, how sure or unsure were you that this was actually going to happen, it was going to go through? And then do you expect a release of other Americans due to COVID concerns, or do you think you've made progress on a strictly diplomatic basis and you are expecting more releases, or are you not expecting more releases and you're going to have to take each one as it comes? Thanks.

MR HOOK: Well, let's see. Diplomacy with Iran is never a linear process, and I am never confident about the conclusion of any diplomacy until it's concluded. And so I was very hopeful when I left  I guess it was two days ago to Zurich  to finalize the details among the three countries that have been working on this, and that's just the nature of these things. But we work in good faith with the Iranian regime through the Swiss, and that's through Marcus Leitner, and just through very patient, very methodical diplomacy we were able to get a diplomatic win yesterday for Michael White and his family, and I'm very pleased about that.

Morad Tahbaz has a lot of health issues, and we would like to see him granted a medical furlough, and the same goes for Siamak Namazi. So we're going to continue to make that request, and we kind of take these things one step at a time. We have an immediate concern about COVID because it has been an enormous problem in Iran, and we worry about the health of the Americans who are wrongfully detained. And so  but the diplomacy continues, and I will continue to work as I have. After I was able to get Xiyue Wang out, I said to the regime that this shows that in spite of a lot of differences we have that we're able to reach agreement on some matters of shared interest, and we  I'm going to continue that work. I would also point out that this is now the second successful diplomatic negotiation we've had securing the release of two Americans with no sanctions relief, no change in policy, no pallets of cash.

MR BROWN: Thanks. To our next question, we go to Said Arikat.

QUESTION: Hi, thank you, Cale. Brian, I mean, I just want to go after the point that you just said, that you told the regime that despite all you can negotiate on critical issues and so on. Does this give you sort of comfort or some confidence that you can pursue diplomatic efforts with Iran independent of other countries on many other issues regarding probably security matters and other matters, perhaps another nuclear deal? Thank you.

MR HOOK: Well, we do think that every successfully concluded diplomatic engagement does build confidence. It builds confidence in the consular sphere, but it can also build confidence that we're able to negotiate agreements and that advance the interests of both countries. There is no question that if we could reach an agreement, a comprehensive agreement on what we have outlined as what a new deal with Iran would look like, it would advance the interests of the Iranian people. They're very tired of seeing their national wealth squandered in places like other countries in the Middle East and also in places like Venezuela.

So we think that there are a number of good reasons for the Iranian regime to come to the negotiating table. I would refer you to the President's statements last night that he made on Twitter. He would like to get to a new deal to replace the failed Iran nuclear deal, and that's a question for the regime. The President has had the door open for diplomacy for many years, and in this same timeframe he has met with Kim Jong-un three times. So we would like to see the regime meet our diplomacy with diplomacy, but that's a question for the Iranian regime, I think, at the end of the day, as to how they want to proceed.

Secretary Pompeo  I remember almost two years ago when he laid out the new strategy for Iran after leaving the Iran deal, and he said two years ago that the regime faces a choice. It can either come to the table or it can manage economic collapse, and the regime continues to choose badly for their own people. And there are a lot of  Secretary Pompeo in that speech outlined all of the benefits for the Iranian people if we can accomplish a new deal, and that includes ending sanctions, exchanging diplomatic ties, and a range of other benefits, but we've first got to get to a deal.

QUESTION: Okay. Thank you.

MR BROWN: Okay. Next let's go to John Hudson.

QUESTION: Thank you very much. Brian, you mentioned U.S. demand for a full accounting of what happened to Robert Levinson. Obviously, in March, Levinson's family issued a statement saying U.S. officials concluded that Levinson died in Iranian custody. I just wanted to know: Is it still true that U.S. officials have concluded Levinson died in Iranian custody?

MR HOOK: John, nothing has changed in our assessment since March. I am in touch on a regular basis with the Levinson family. In every one of these diplomatic exchanges with the Iranian regime, I present all of the Americans that are wrongfully detained. That's going to continue. But we're not the ones holding the Americans; the regime are  the regime is. And so we try to be very opportunistic. When there is an opportunity that is presented that is able to advance our interests, then we follow that line of diplomacy for as far as we can take it.

Secretary Pompeo mentioned Bob Levinson in his statement that was released yesterday, and we would very much like the regime to provide a full accounting of the fate of Bob Levinson. It is something that his family deserves, and they have been  it's been tough, obviously, for the Levinson family since March, and that  when that statement was issued and it was  we've done  we spent a lot of time with the family, and they have been grieving. And it would be just in the sake of sort of a humanitarian gesture they should provide a full accounting.

MR BROWN: Next, Nick Schifrin.

QUESTION: Thanks for doing this. If I can go back to Majid Taheri, his lawyer says that the understanding in this deal is that he would go to Iran and then return to the U.S. I wanted to see if that's your understanding of this swap. Then to go back to the larger question just to explicitly ask: At any point during this negotiation or any point up until now, has there been any larger discussion that has come about between the U.S. and Iran doing more diplomacy than just this prisoner swap, or that has not happened yet? Thanks.

MR HOOK: Nick, on the first question, Mr. Taheri is an American citizen, and there was a judgment that was issued yesterday by the federal court in Georgia, and he is in a position to make his decisions pursuant to the sentence that he wishes as an American citizen. And so his travel is something that is up to him. I don't know what his plans are. That is something perhaps you could ask him.

On the second part, I think one of the obvious dimensions of doing consular dialogue with the regime is the opportunity to discuss other issues. The regime has not taken us up on this opportunity now. It's unfortunate, and we don't think it's in Iran's best interest to decline opportunities for deeper  in deeper dialogue and engagement so that we can work towards a new and better deal that will certainly benefit the people of the United States and the people of Iran, and so the door remains open. But we have not had  to specifically answer your question, we have not gone beyond a consular dialogue.

MR BROWN: Thanks. We have a lot of people in the queue today, so if we could keep it down to a question per person, I'm sure everyone's colleagues would appreciate it. Next up, David Sanger.

QUESTION: Thanks very much, and good to talk to you again, Brian.

MR HOOK: You too, David.

QUESTION: Yep, can you hear me?

MR HOOK: I hear you just fine, yeah.

QUESTION: Okay. You mentioned the President's tweet on  last night after the release, where he talked about the big deal that could come, but it had an interesting twist to it that I was hoping you might explain to us. He said, "You'll [get] a better deal" if you do it before the election, and I'm trying to figure out what he means by that. Does he mean that  he said he was going to win  so does he mean that it would be politically helpful to him to do it before the election, that he would be more in a mood to make greater concessions before the election? I mean, if you're measuring this by national interest, what difference does it make whether they negotiate before the election or after the election?

MR HOOK: I'm not going to go beyond what the President said in his statement last night. That's something which is a question that's probably best directed to the White House. I do know that if you look at the President's statements over  for the last two years, he's been very clear that he would like to resolve our differences with the Iranian regime diplomatically. And we have pursued a policy of three elements: maximum economic pressure, diplomatic isolation, and the credible threat of military force to defend our interests. And that is a winning formula when it comes to dealing with this specific regime, and it's something that we're going to continue. We know that without it we are never going to get to the negotiating table, because this regime exploits good will, and we have seen historically that timidity and weakness invites more Iranian aggression. And the regime has historically threatened greater levels of terrorism if the world does not accept their normal level of terrorism, and we refuse to play by that rule book. When you play under house rules, the house always wins, and so we're going to continue with our policy, our foreign policy, because it's been effective.

You've heard President Rouhani say that our sanctions have cost the regime $200 billion, and when you're talking about the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, that matters. And some of it is the means we  our policy has been the means by which we have denied Iran the money, but that same policy is going to advance our  the President's goal of bringing them to the negotiating table. And we think that this is a good time, but we've been saying that for the last couple of years. If you go back and read Secretary Pompeo's speech in May and what the President has said at various times, we've been very consistent in wanting to get into talks with the regime.

MR BROWN: I see we're at 30 minutes. Brian 

MR HOOK: We can take a couple more. That's fine, we can take a couple more.

MR BROWN: Okay. All right, we'll take a couple more. Let's go to the line of Kim Dozier.

QUESTION: Thank you. Sorry about the mute issue.

MR HOOK: It's all right.

QUESTION: Brian, thanks for doing this. Could you update us on what you've seen in terms of Iranian proxy action in Iraq and Syria or the wider region? And along those lines, it sounds like you're describing a Cold War Soviet spy swap more than anything that was confidence building and would lead to a lessening of that proxy activity.

MR HOOK: Hmm. Well, I'm not sure how what transpired yesterday sort of is reminiscent of Cold War spy swaps. We don't look at it that way. This was an agreement that advanced the interests of both countries in a significant way. And so we're pleased with the outcome, very pleased that Michael White is going to be reunited with his family.

In terms of the proxy activity, after the killing of Qasem Soleimani, we saw a change in tempo with their proxies around the region. One of the great benefits of our economic pressure campaign is Iran's proxies are financially weaker because their banker is under enormous economic pressure, and the regime doesn't have the money that it used to to spend on its proxies. That's a good thing. And one of the downsides of the Iran nuclear deal is it allowed the regime to get rich and its proxies to get rich, and we have reversed both of those trends. And so that's, I think, one of the most effective things that you can do, is to starve this particular regime of money.

And the other thing that we've done  and the President has done a brilliant job of this  is restoring deterrents, and we have been working to reverse Iran's power projection. I remember in 2014 there was a number of the Iranian Majles who bragged that Iran is in control of four capitals. And I look at the Middle East today, just in the last few months, and you see massive protests  in October, in Lebanon against Hizballah, massive protests in Iraq against Iranian influence, and massive country-wide protests in Iran by the Iranian people against the regime. And so Iran's model of sectarian violence and corruption and lack of transparency is being vetoed in a lot of key countries where historically the regime enjoyed some success. And from the very beginning when we took a fresh look at where we are with Iran, we've been able to build a very strong hand. We play it very effectively.

MR BROWN: Okay. For our last question then  and I apologize, I know there are lot of people in the queue  but for our last question we'll go to Francesco Fontemaggi.

QUESTION: Hi, thanks. Hi, Cale. Hi, Brian. I wanted to ask you if in your discussions you had to get Michael White back, you've had any sense that it could be possible to get more in the coming month, and  or if you fear that obtaining the release of a jailed citizen could prove more tricky.

MR HOOK: Hmm. Well, in some ways that's a question for the regime. I think the regime denials  denies dual citizenship. Xiyue Wang and Michael White were both full  they were American citizens, they weren't dual citizens. And so we have been able to win the freedom for both of them. The ones that are still there, the three that I mentioned earlier, are dual citizens. We  the way we look at it, they're all Americans, and they have the right to expect all of our best efforts to get their  to win their freedom as well. And so I think the regime probably looks at dual citizens differently than we do, but it's the same level of effort that's applied to all of them, and also obviously that includes Bob Levinson. So we don't discriminate. I think the regime may reach different conclusions on that, but we don't.

Cale or Ruben, are you on?

MR BROWN: Sorry. Brian, thanks so much for taking the time out, fighting jet lag in order to address our reporters. And to everyone else who dialed in, thanks for doing so. Sorry we couldn't get to everyone but have a great weekend. This is the end of the call, so the embargo on the contents is lifted.

MR HOOK: Thank you.

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Despite the ongoing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, people in cities around the U.S. have been turning out night after night to protest police violence and racism in the wake of the alleged murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

I was pretty hesitant to go out and protest, says Allison Lane, 34, a Washington, D.C-based bartender and podcaster who had been quarantining at home since mid-March before joining the protests on Sunday night. We spent all this time trying not to get COVIDnow we probably have it.

Im not trying to be defeatist. Were trying to be as responsible as possible, adds Lane, who is planning to get tested for COVID-19. But you need to stand up for yourself and do whats right.

Theres no risk-free way to protest with a contagious respiratory virus circulating, and there are other health risks too. Videos have shown police officers using tear gas, pepper spray, and physical violence against nonviolent demonstrators.

But while protesting carries risks, these protests are vital to the national public health and to the threatened health specifically of Black People in the United States, a group of infectious disease and public health experts wrote in an open letter signed by more than 1,000 people this week. The letter includes suggestions for ways that protestors, governmental officials, and law enforcement officers can reduce overall harm and the chance of coronavirus spread.

We wanted to meet people where they were in this time of national tragedy, says Peter Chin-Hong, M.D., a professor of medicine and an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, who helped organize the letter.

Heres what to know about your risk of coronavirus exposure during a protest, as well as expert tips on how to prepare for possible violence and what to do if youre hurt.

Story continues

Will Protests Spread COVID-19?

Anytime people are together in a crowd, theres a chance that disease could circulate among them.

Gathering in large groups could increase the risk of coronavirus transmission, but that risk needs to be considered in the context of the very real health impacts of systemic racism and police brutality, which require action, says Julia Marcus, Ph.D., an infectious disease epidemiologist and assistant professor in the department of population medicine at Harvard Medical School.

As long as protestors are able to stay outside, wear masks, and maintain social distancing, that should help minimize the risk of transmission, according to Marcus. But in some cases, distancing may be difficult. And certain actions by police can increase the risk of spreading the virus, she says. These include corralling protestors into smaller areas where they cant social distance, pulling off protestors masks to pepper spray them, using respiratory irritants like tear gas, and detaining people in crowded buses and jails. (At least 10,000 people have been arrested so far, according to a tally by the Associated Press.)

Those who are choosing to join the demonstrations are certainly likely to experience tear gas and pepper spray, says Michele Heisler, M.D., the medical director at Physicians for Human Rights and a professor of internal medicine and public health at the University of Michigan. People who encounter these tactics should try to exit the area as quickly as possible, says Tamara D. Herold, Ph.D., an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the director of the Crowd Management Research Council.

The use of these irritants could actually raise the risk of COVID-19, according to Chin-Hong, which is one of the reasons the public health experts open letter opposes any use of tear gas, smoke, or respiratory irritants.

Getting hit with tear gas makes people likely to cough, yell, and scream, he says, which can increase the chance they spread the respiratory droplets that carry the coronavirus. Tear gas or pepper spray might also make people more likely to touch their face, rubbing a burning nose or mouth, and protesters may tear their mask off if its coated in a chemical irritant. (Lane says that Monday night in Washington she and other protesters had our masks on until we were tear gassed.)

Chin-Hong says that while we still need more data, its also possible that the damage these irritants cause to the nose, mouth, and respiratory system could decrease your natural defenses and increase your susceptibility to the coronavirus. Damage from these chemicals can also cause breathing problems, like asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which could in turn lead to a more severe case of COVID-19.

While it's impossible to eliminate these risks entirely, there are things you can do stay safer during a protest. We're trying to take as many precautions as possible and still be visible and vigilant protesting, says Lane.

Safety Tips for Protesters

Stay home if youre sick. If youre coughing, feverish, or have recently been exposed to someone with COVID-19, do not join the protests. Organizers as well as public health experts have shared that advice repeatedly, emphasizing that going out when you're sick puts others at risk. Marcus and other experts have also suggested that people consider quarantining for 14 days after a protest if possible.

Keep a distance. Even when youre in a crowd, try to keep yourself physically distanced from other groups of protestors as much as you can, says Marcus. Going out to protest with a group of people that you stick close toperhaps the same people that are in your household bubblecan help too, says Chin-Hong. If you stay with one group, youll at least be able to limit interactions with people outside that group. And if one person tests positive for the coronavirus later, everyone in that group can be informed about potential exposure.

Wear a mask. Wearing a mask will help protect those around you from COVID-19, which is especially important since you can have the virus but no symptoms. If worn snugly around the face, Heisler says, a mask may also help protect you from breathing in tear gas. You may need to take your mask off quickly once you get away, to avoid breathing in what its absorbed. So if you can, bring spare masks in case you or someone else in your group needs to replace one after being exposed, says Chin-Hong. Police should wear masks too.

Minimize shouts and chants. Shouting, singing, and chanting can spread viral particles much farther than six feet. The New York City Department of Health has recommended using signs and noisemakers instead.

Bring a backpack. According to Heisler, you'll want a small bag to carry essential items like spare masks, along with plenty of water and hand sanitizer. We were hand sanitizing constantly, says Lane. And be sure you're hydrating, especially if you're protesting in the heat.

Wear goggles. There are several reasons to make sure your eyes are well-protected. If a rubber bullet hits you in the eye, there is a high likelihood that you will never be able to see anything out of the eye again, even light, says Julie Schallhorn, M.D., an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the UCSF School of Medicine.

The best protection against rubber bullets is wearing construction-grade plastic polycarbonate shatter-proof goggles, she says. While not not much else will adequately protect your eyes against a high-speed projectile, Schallhorn says swim goggles or what are called onion goggles (made for cutting onions) can help protect your eyes against tear gas and pepper spray as long as they form a tight seal against your face.

COVID-19 can be spread through mucus membranes like the eye, so goggles can also reduce your risk of catching the virus, especially when combined with a mask.

Do not wear contacts. Both pepper spray and tear gas activate the pain-sensing nerves in your eyes (and other mucus membranes, like your mouth).

Just being exposed to it is not going to cause long term damage to the eyes, says Schallhorn. But it hurts like the dickens. It really, really hurts.

If youre wearing contact lenses, these noxious substances can get absorbed into the lens and prolong the pain youre experiencing. You should definitely not wear [contacts] to protests, she says.

Avoid makeup or lotion. Whether they are water based or oil based, makeups and lotions can trap tear gas powder against your skin and make it more painful, according Heisler. You are better off using scarves and other clothing to protect your skin.

Be careful about flushing out your eyes. Advice on the internet includes a range of ideas about what to use to flush out your eyes in the event that youre exposed to pepper spray or tear gas, including suggestions like baking soda and baby shampoo. But in general, putting foreign substances in your eye can hurt more than help. Washing your eyes out with baby shampoo, for example, can break down the natural coat on the surface of the eye and can leave your eye more irritated, says Schallhorn.

What should you do instead? When you feel your eyes tearing, that means they are already working to rinse out the painful substance, says Schallhorn. Artificial tears, or a gentle rinse with saline solution (thats made for the eyes) orin a pinchbottled water may also help. Milk wont do much for tear gas, but may help if youve been pepper-sprayed, says Schallhorn, since it can help unbind capsaicin (the active ingredient in pepper spray) from pain receptors.

If a tear gas canister explodes at close range or if you think chemical or foreign matter is trapped in your eyes, get to an ER as soon as you can, says Schallhorn.

Move away quickly from rubber bullets. If you are in a situation where you see tension building and the police are holding weapons that appear to fire rubber bullets, get really far away, says Heisler. These weapons are extremely erratic and indiscriminate, she says, and can be deadly. There have been cases of bystanders not involved in the demonstrations being hit in the face with rubber bullets, she says.

As the medical director for Physicians for Human Rights, Heisler says she has led investigations into violence against demonstrators in other countries, into cases where people have been hit in the face with tear gas canisters or lost an eye after being hit with a rubber bullet.

Its horrifying to see examples of those in the U.S., she says. We have the right to peaceful freedom of assembly  we want to urge our legislators and our police departments that there are better ways than these potentially lethal weapons.





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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.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 21:07:46|Editor: huaxia

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URUMQI, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The imports and exports of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from January to April totaled 35.61 billion yuan (about 5.03 billion U.S. dollars), down 15.4 percent year-on-year.

Urumqi Customs said on Saturday that the figure was affected by the novel coronavirus epidemic. Although the region's exports declined by 32.9 percent to 21.23 billion yuan during the period, its imports increased to 14.38 billion yuan, a surge of 37.5 percent year-on-year.

Exported products from Xinjiang mainly included electrical products, clothing, shoes and agricultural products, while imported goods consisted of natural gas, metal ore and copper products.

Private enterprises played an important role in the region's foreign trade in the first four months, as the foreign trade of such companies accounted for 68 percent of Xinjiang's total foreign trade value. Enditem
Producer Ekta Kapoor is being subjected to rape and death threats on social media for certain questionable scenes that were earlier blurred and now, deleted from her web-series. Looking at the hurling of abuses at her which out rightly outrage her modesty as a woman, women from all across came in massive wave of support of her.

While some questioned the disturbing nature of sending rape threats to a woman, the others called out the police, women cell to take account of the situation as well as come in support by tagging their handles. Some also gave a fact check and asked the need for blowing the issue up when the scenes have already been deleted. Ekta Kapoor is being bullied on social media and that has outraged everyone. The social media went abuzz with a massive counter conversation on Ekta.

A user wrote, They are asking @ektarkapoors nudes to be circulated. They are not doing it because they are patriots. They are doing it to show an independent woman her place. Tomorrow they will do it with any other woman if they get away with it. @Mumbaipolice @NCWIndia

They are asking @ektarkapoors nudes to be circulated. They are not doing it because they are patriots. They are doing it to show an independent woman her place. Tomorrow they will do it with any other woman if they get away with it. @Mumbaipolice @NCWIndia pic.twitter.com/AgLSmbzA9B  Noorjah  (@NoorJha786_92) June 6, 2020

Another user wrote, @CPMumbaiPolice please look into this producers like @ektarkapoor are being theatrened by such petty criminals strict action needs to be taken

@CPMumbaiPolice please look into this producers like @ektarkapoor are being theatrened by such petty criminals strict action needs to be taken https://t.co/xFzF56RzBA  bharatii K Dubey (@bharatidubey) June 5, 2020

ALSO READ: Triple X-2: Hindustani Bhau Sends Legal Notice To Ekta; Says, 'Apologise Or Pay Rs 100 Cr To GOI'

ALSO READ: Hindustani Bhau Reveals He's Getting Calls From 'BIG' People After He Filed Case Against Ekta Kapoor
First-Responder Profiles: Fire Lt. Timothy Conroy



Lt. Timothy Conroy, right, with Engine 5 crew members Matthew Mazzeo and Stephen Papa. PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The COVID-19 pandemic has perhaps brought the role of first-responders more to the forefront lately, but these men and women have regularly been serving their communities in numerous emergency situations.

This is the first in a series profiling some of our local first-responders in partnership with Lee Bank to highlight the work they do every day  not just during a pandemic.

People like Fire Lt. Timothy Conroy, who has been a member of the Pittsfield Fire Department for 27 years. Conroy talked about his reasons for becoming a firefighter, how he sees his role in the community, and its challenges and rewards.

Question: What influenced you to become a firefighter?

Answer: I guess the biggest thing that influenced me to become a firefighter was I wanted to help others, to be part of a team that relied on me as I rely on them. To have a job that wasn't just a 9 to 5 do the same thing every day, to have that excitement of the unknown. To have a job that you love to go to every shift. Like the saying goes, 'if you have a job you love is it really a job?'

Q: What is the best part of your job? What is the most challenging?

A: The most rewarding part of the job is being able to help someone or multiple people who are probably having the worst day of their lives and hopefully making it better. Being part of a brother- and sisterhood that is like no other, its your second family, and getting to operate really big trucks and tools is pretty cool also.

The most challenging part of being a firefighter for me is anything that involves children. I think that anything that happens to children affects all firefighters especially if they have children themselves. No one wants to see little ones in pain, emotionally or physically.

Q: What has changed the most about your job since the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic? Have calls increased or decreased since COVID-19?

A: What's changed the most since COVID-19? It's really hard to say just one thing because so much has changed. I'd say the change in PPE (personnel protective equipment) we have to wear to calls has changed the most. It used to be medical gloves and sometimes eye protection to medical calls. Now it's medical gloves, eye protection, and N95 masks to medical calls where COVID-19 is not suspected.

The calls where it is suspected, we don all of the previous mentioned but also put on a Tyvek suit and an N100 respirator. When bringing our equipment into a possible COVID-19 residence, we have to make sure we disinfect everything thoroughly before it's placed back on the fire engine. I don't think I've used this much disinfectant and hand sanitizer in my whole life that I've used in the last couple months.

All the stations installed washers and dryers so we can wash our uniforms after our shift and change into clean clothes, so we are not bringing any contamination home with us. That's another big change about the job  I never really worried about contaminating my family or bringing something home with me that could harm my family like I do now.

Q: What would you want the general public to know about firefighters in general?

A: The thing I want the general public to know about firefighters in general is that we do not just fight fires. We respond to the smallest water problem (water in basement) calls to the most horrific, life-threatening emergencies and everything in between, such as electrical wires down, cats in trees, LifeFlight standbys, medical calls, structure fires, automobile accidents, high-angle rescues, water emergencies in both summer and winter.

A large percentage of our calls are medical calls, and most firefighters are emergency medical technicians. Some firefighters specialize in areas such as arson investigation, technical rescue, and hazardous materials.

Q: Who or what has influenced you the most since becoming a firefighter?

A: Several firefighters have influenced me in my career, but the two who stand out are retired Deputy Chief Mike Polidoro and [the late] Deputy Chief Bruce Kilmer. Even though each officer had different personalities, they both had the same calm demeanor in emergency situations and great leadership qualities that I try to emulate.

Q: First responders have been heroic in doing their jobs during this pandemic. Have you seen firsthand a change in the way people treat firefighters and other first-responders?

A: People generally like and appreciate firefighters; however, during this pandemic individuals and businesses have given us PPE such as masks, disinfectants, and different types of sanitizer, and they have donated meals for us. We also experience general appreciation when out in the public with people thanking us for being first-responders.

iBerkshires' First-Responder Profiles are sponsored by Lee Bank.
NEW YORK - When Crescencio Flores died of coronavirus in New York, his parents back in Mexico asked for one thing: that their son be sent home for burial.

The 56-year-old construction worker had been in the United States for 20 years, regularly sending money to his parents but never going home. Since he died in April, Flores brother has been working with American and Mexican authorities to have the body transported to the town of Huehuepiaxtla in the state of Puebla.

So far, his efforts have been in vain. His brothers embalmed remains are still in a U.S. funeral home.

I am trying to do this because my parents, 85 and 87 years old, live there, Francisco Flores said. They are rooted in their customs. They want a Christian burial for the remains of their son.

The familys situation is common. More than a thousand Mexican immigrants have died of the virus in the U.S., according to the Mexican government, and many of their families are struggling to bring dead loved ones home.

Returning a body to another country is never easy, but the coronavirus has added extra bureaucracy and costs, all at a time when many Mexicans have lost jobs in construction, retail and restaurants.

For grieving loved ones on both sides of the border, the challenges are many: overwhelmed funeral homes, delays in paperwork because government offices are not working at full capacity and limited flights.

The process has become so difficult that the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles is encouraging cremation instead of repatriation and burial, said Felipe Carrera, a consular official.

In a situation like this, we are encouraging our community to have an open mind, Carrera said, explaining that cremation allows a loved one to return to Mexico in a week or 10 days. He declined to say how long it takes to return bodies. Family members who have opted for cremation say sending ashes home takes several weeks to months.

Cremation is a hard sell for many Mexicans, who are by far the largest immigrant group in America and deeply rooted in Catholicism. They are fiercely proud of their homeland despite problems that pushed them to emigrate, and they carry with them a constant hope to return one day, at the very least upon death.

And because many of them  particularly those who are in the U.S. illegally  have not been home in decades, returning in death is that much more important to their families.

For Mexican Catholics, having the body of a deceased relative is essential to giving them a good death, said Dr. Kristin Norget, an anthopology professor at McGill University in Montreal.

Wakes are really important events in which the person is there, the casket is open, people go and bid that person farewell. They touch them. They kiss them, Norget said. Its that tactile relationship with the body, representing the person.

For over a month, the family of Javier Morales, 48, and brother Martin Morales, 39, who both died in New Jersey during the first week of April, tried to send the bodies to Santa Catarina Yosonotu, a village in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. The brothers had both left the village as teenagers, and family wanted to bury them there.

But after complying with U.S. and Mexican regulations, relatives said they hit roadblocks with health officials in Oaxaca. They eventually gave up and had the brothers created. Now they are working to have the ashes sent back, a process they estimate will take several weeks.

Between the lengthy stay in a funeral home and cremation, the family spent more than $12,000.

Its really sad, said Rogelio Martin, a cousin who was close to the brothers. We wanted to send them home, but it wasnt possible.

Felix Pinzons family went through a similar process. Pinzon wanted to send the body of his half-brother, 45-year-old Basilio Juarez, a construction worker, back to Cuautla, a city in the state of Morelos. The consulate warned him that the effort would be fraught, he said.

Juarezs wife and two children back in Mexico wanted to see the body, Pinzon said. They asked me to bring it back. At first, my niece did not understand that it was not possible. She did not want to accept it.

Even though he chose cremation, Pinzon wont be able to send the ashes back any time soon. The cremation cost $2,100, which he had to put on a credit card because as a construction worker he has been out of a job for more than two months.

When Marta Ramos, 63, died in New York, daughter Juanita Ramos, who lives in Bakersfield, California, hoped to fulfil her moms last wish, to be buried in Mexico. Since returning her moms body would be difficult, Ramos looked into cremation, figuring she could at least send the remains home quickly and have them buried there.

But the funeral home told her that a backlog of bodies meant that her mom would not be cremated for a month. Feeling that was too long to wait, and worried that her moms body could be lost, Ramos decided to have her mother buried at a cemetery in New York. Her aunt, Agustina Ramos, 55, died just ahead of her mother and had already been buried there.

For the Flores family, the long wait for Crescencios body has been painful, said Gerardo Flores, his oldest brother, who is in Mexico. But relatives feel strongly about bringing him home.

We believe that in the moment my brother is buried, even as painful as it will be, in this sad moment, it will be the last chapter. We will turn the page. My parents will know where their son is, he said.

___

Torrens reported from New York, Salomon from Miami and Prengaman from Phoenix.
A Nigerian sailor, Annabel Kemmy, has emerged as the best graduating student at the University of Rwanda.

She also presented the best research paper and emerged as third-best at the Senior Command and Staff Course 08.

Kemmy made this known via her Instagram handle, adding that she graduated with distinction.

While expressing her joy, the sailor said she was proud to be a good representative of Nigeria.



She said, So, today marked the end of another chapter in my life. This was by far one of the most exciting for me as I got to acquire two very important qualifications.

My joy was, however, in the fact that I got the opportunity to make my beloved country, Nigeria proud. Best student with a Distinction in the Master of Arts in Security Studies (University of Rwanda). Best College Research Paper and third-best in merit of Senior Command and Staff Course 08 (Rwanda Defence Force Command and Staff College).

Nigeria my beloved country, I feel honored to have represented you this past year in Rwanda. As I flip this book to another hopefully exciting chapter, I look forward to more opportunities to serve. I dedicate my awards to the Nigerian Navy.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
Democratic senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker gave emotional responses in the Senate, to Rand Paul blocking a bill that would make lynching a federal crime.

Republican senator Rand Paul is solely holding up the Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act that Congress passed in February.

The legislation has failed to pass in the Senate, due to Mr Paul, who said on Wednesday that he wants to make sure senators are able to make the language the best that we can get it.

The legislation comes as protests are taking place all over the US, in response to the death of George Floyd, who died after being detained by Minneapolis police.

Protests, which are in opposition to police brutality, have put added scrutiny on systemic racism and injustice in the US and many are hopeful that now is the best time to get the bill passed.

Speaking during a debate in the Senate, that took place the same time as Mr Floyds memorial, Ms Harris and Mr Booker produced emotional speeches in favour of the bill.

The two senators are joined by only one other African American in the Senate, Republican Tim Scott, and Ms Harris said that blocking the bill is an insult to all three of them.

That we would not be taking the issue of lynching seriously is an insult, an insult to Senator Booker, an insult to Senator Tim Scott and myself, and all of the senators past and present who have understood this is part of the great stain of Americas history, she said.

Harris added, visibly emotional: To suggest that anything short of pulverising someone so much that the casket would otherwise be closed except for the heroism and courage of Emmett Tills mother; to suggest that lynching would only be a lynching if someones heart was pulled out, reduced and displayed to someone else is ridiculous.

Mr Pauls amendment, that he proposed during the debate, would give police qualified immunity, which would protect them from being sued.

Ms Harris said that the Republicans amendment would place a greater burden on victims of lynching than is currently required under federal hate crime laws.

Mr Booker, the senator from New Jersey, referenced Mr Floyds memorial at the start of his speech.

Im so raw today, he said. Of all days we are doing this. Of all days we are doing this right now.

The senator said that he has tried to convince Mr Paul to support the bill and does not need to be educated about lynching by him.

I do not need my colleague, the senator from Kentucky, to tell me about one more lynching in this country.

I have stood in the museum in Montgomery, Alabama, and watched African American families weeping at the stories of pregnant women lynched in this country and their babies ripped out of them while this body did nothing, he said.

Mr Booker blocked the bill on Thursday, and said that that now is the time to pass the legislation, that only Mr Paul disagrees with.

He added: I object to this amendment. I object, I object. I object on substance, I object on the law, and for my heart and spirit and every fibre of my being, I object for my ancestors.
Appoints Jennifer J. Rhodes as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and Corporate Secretary



- - -

Strengthens the Board of Directors with the addition of industry leaders Dr. Allen R. Nissenson, Dr. Gilbert S. Omenn, and Karen J. Wilson

SAN FRANCISCO, June 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Angion Biomedica Corp. (Angion), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel small molecule therapeutics to address acute organ injuries and fibrotic diseases, today announced the appointment of Ms. Jennifer J. Rhodes as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and Corporate Secretary. Additionally, Allen R. Nissenson, M.D., Gilbert S. Omenn, M.D., Ph.D., and Karen J. Wilson have joined the Companys Board of Directors.

Dr. Jay Venkatesan, Angions President and Chief Executive Officer, said, We are excited to welcome Ms. Rhodes as our general counsel. She brings a wealth of in-house biopharmaceutical legal experience to help guide Angion into its next phase of growth.

We are honored to have Ms. Wilson and Drs. Nissenson and Omenn join our Board of Directors, continued Dr. Venkatesan. They each recognize the opportunity offered by ANG-3777, our lead product candidate for acute organ injuries, for which we have an ongoing Phase 3 registration trial. The extensive experience these directors bring to the Board makes them key stewards for our shareholders, and advisors to the management team, as we look to advance the strategic development of our pipeline.

Prior to joining Angion, Ms. Rhodes served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc. She also held the roles of Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Business Officer during her time there. Prior to this, Ms. Rhodes held roles as General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Chief Compliance Officer at Medivation, Inc. Earlier in her career, Ms. Rhodes was an Assistant General Counsel at Pfizer, Inc., where she supported the U.S. Primary Care Business and its Primary Care Medicines Development Group and served as a global product lead for Pfizers primary care medicines. Before joining Pfizer, she was an associate in the regulatory law and international trade practice areas at Weil, Gotshal, & Manges LLP. Ms. Rhodes earned her J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law and her B.A. in economics from Newcomb College of Tulane University.

Dr. Nissenson is currently an Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at University California Los Angeles, where he previously served as Director of the Dialysis Program and Associate Dean. Dr. Nissenson also holds the position of Emeritus Chief Medical Officer of DaVita Kidney Care. He is the immediate past Chair of Kidney Care Partners and immediate past Co-Chair of the Kidney Care Quality Alliance. He is a former president of the Renal Physicians Association and current member of the Government Affairs Committee. Dr. Nissenson also previously served as President of the Southern California End-Stage Renal Disease Network, as well as Chair of the Medical Review Board. Dr. Nissenson earned his M.D. from Northwestern University Medical School.

Dr. Omenn is currently the Harold T. Shapiro Distinguished University Professor of Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics, Internal Medicine, Human Genetics, and Public Health at the University of Michigan. Earlier, he was the Dean of the School of Public Health and Community Medicine and Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington. Dr. Omenn also served as Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs of the University of Michigan and as Chief Executive Officer of the University of Michigan Health System. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is a past president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Omenn has served as director for several biotechnology companies, including Amgen, Inc., Esperion Therapeutics, and Galectin Therapeutics, Inc. He earned his B.A. summa cum laude from Princeton University, his M.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School, and his Ph.D. in genetics from the University of Washington.

Karen J. Wilson is currently the Senior Vice President of Finance at Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc, a biopharmaceutical company, which she joined in 2011. From 2009 to January 2011, she served as Principal Accounting Officer and Vice President of Finance at PDL BioPharma, Inc., a life sciences company. She previously served as a principal at the consulting firm of Wilson Crisler LLC, Chief Financial Officer of ViroLogic, Inc., a biosciences company, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Operations for Novare Surgical Systems, Inc., a medical device manufacturer, and as a consultant and auditor for Deloitte & Touche LLP, a professional services firm. Ms. Wilson is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of California and received a B.S. in Business from the University of California, Berkeley.

Angion also announced the departure of Michael Yamin from its Board of Directors. He will remain involved with the company in a consulting role. Mr. Yamin has been a meaningful contributor to Angions past success, said Dr. Venkatesan. We thank him for his service as a Director and look forward to working with him on a continuing basis.

About Angion Biomedica Corp.

Angion Biomedica Corp. is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel small molecule therapeutics to address acute organ injuries and fibrotic diseases. Angions lead product candidate, ANG-3777, is a small molecule designed to mimic the biological activity of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) to activate the HGF/c-Met pathway, which has a central role in tissue repair and organ recovery. Enrollment is ongoing in a placebo-controlled Phase 3 registration trial examining the efficacy of ANG-3777 in reducing the severity of transplant-associated acute kidney injury, also known as delayed graft function, in patients at risk for kidney dysfunction. ANG-3777 is also in a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of acute kidney injury associated with cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass. Angion is also developing ANG-3070, an orally-bioavailable small molecule, as a potential treatment for a variety of chronic fibrotic diseases sharing similar underlying disease-driving pathways identified and targeted using a precision-medicine approach. For further information, please visit www.angion.com.

Investor Contact

Daniel Ferry

LifeSci Advisors

daniel@lifesciadvisors.com

617-430-7576
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Effects of Cristobal felt along Quintana Roo coast

Cancun, Riviera Maya, Q.R.  No deaths have been reported, however, extensive flooding and fallen trees are the two most common afflictions left behind with the passing of Tropical Depression Cristobal Friday.

Although the storm passed along the west in Yucatan, wind and rain were felt as far east as Cozumel in Quintana Roo. Civil Protection personnel from every municipality were out with city staff clearing drains and assessing damage for a majority of the day as the storm slowly made its way toward the Gulf.

Isla Mujeres personnel clear streets of fallen trees after passing of Crisobal

By late afternoon, the effects of Cristobal had begun to die, allowing municipalities a chance to review roadways and heavily treed areas. Areas such as Isla Mujeres experienced only minor damage in the way of fallen trees, since, as Mayor Carrillo Soberanis explained, they prepared early.

The mayor verified that they did not experience any major floods that affected citizens thanks to the preventive work carried out through the Directorate of Civil Protection and Fire Department. He noted although there was no considerable waterlogging in the municipality, there was damage to urban infrastructure such as street lamps and some trees.

Strong winds from passing Cristobal pulled down Cancun billboards

While a portion of the Cancun-Merida highway was temporarily shut due to flooding, the city of Cancun recorded several downed billboards and numerous trees along with street flooding in older areas. In Cancun, the Quintana Roo Police implemented a special operation to provide assistance to citizens in the face of the heavy rains caused by the tropical depression. More than 30 street lights were also outed, causing traffic issues.

Sign falls along Cancun-Tulum highway

Playa del Carmen trees fall

Roads in Playa del Carmen underwater from Cristobal

Crews in Tulum clear roads of fallen debris

According to Emmanuel Hedding Medina, operational director of the Secretariat for Risk Prevention, Civil Protection and Fire, in Playa del Carmen, elements were also out after the storm clearing streets of fallen trees. They reported several toppled electricity poles and advertising billboards, but no human injuries.

It is important that people stay in their homes, that they are not circulating in the city because there have been vehicles that have been getting stuck. City staff is working to remove everything like fallen trees, structures and cables, he said. Several ares of the city also flooded.

Ferry company Ultramar was also forced to suspend its services between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen due to the extreme winds. The company published a notice Friday stating due to the weather conditions, Capitania de Puerto has suspended navigation, so all crossings on the Playa del Carmen  Cozumel route are CANCELED until further notice.  We appreciate your understanding.

Strong winds swept through Puerto Morelos

CFE workers perform maintenance during the passing of Cristobal

According to CFE, more than 354,000 homes in the states of Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Veracruz and Yucatan were affected by the strong winds and heavy rains as power failures were felt throughout rain-soaked states.

Watermelon and squash fields were left submerged in Jose Maria Morelos after the passing of Cristobal

More than 350 hectares of varying agricultural areas have been affected by the heavy rains and water runoff from Cristobal, causing damage to products such as Chihua squash and watermelon, reported the municipal director of Agricultural Development, Rudy Cab Ku.

Shortly after the passing of Cristobal, a thunderstorm hit the region Friday night bringing more rain and strong winds. Coastal municipalities will be out cleaning streets and other weather-related debris from a week of heavy rains.
T0hiruvananthapuram, June 6 : On the eve of easing of lockdown norms, starting from Monday, when the places of worship are to be thrown open to public, the decision to not allow those aged above 65 years, has left the former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India disappointed over the decision.

Speaking to the media on Saturday, Cardinal Moran Mar Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, head of the capital city headquartered Syro Malankara Catholic Church, wished that the decision would allow all to come to the Church, when everything else is now opened.

"Today the situation is, following the easing of lockdown norms, shops, malls, restaurants, liquor vends all have opened, but there is a restriction on places of worship, especially with the cap on above 65 years age, which is not fair," said the 60-year-old Cardinal.

"We are ready to make special arrangements for such people when they come to the Church by even earmarking a special time for them," added the Cardinal who had cast his vote for electing the present Pope Francis.

He also pointed out that following the restrictions imposed during Covid times, all adhered to the directives including the Church.

" We served the 'holy communion' in the hands and not in the mouth," added the Cardinal when elevated to the post eight years back was one of the youngest.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Masjid Jamae (Chulia) in Chinatown district in Singapore. (PHOTO: Ore Huiying/Getty Images)

SINGAPORE  Mosques in Singapore will continue their gradual reopening on Monday (8 June), when they will extend their operating hours for individual worship for the five daily prayers.

In a media release on Friday, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) said that 46 mosques will be opened from 5.30am to 7am as well as from 1pm to 9pm.

The rest of the mosques which are extending their hours will do so based on the demand from congregants. Some mosques with no demand will not offer dawn prayers, and will only open from 1pm to 9pm. Some mosques will close earlier as they are situated within small or non-residential areas with no demand for evening prayers.

Below are the full details of timings and prayer sessions at the 71 mosques in Singapore:

SOURCE: MUIS

SOURCE: MUIS

SOURCE: MUIS

SOURCE: MUIS

No congregational prayers yet

During this new phase of reopening  which MUIS calls Phase 1B of the COVID-19 post-circuit breaker period  mosques will still not organise congregational prayers, which includes Friday prayers.

The current limit on the number of individuals  five marked private prayer zones for up to five individuals, or up to five households with a maximum of five individuals per household  will continue in all mosques.

Precautionary measures that were put in place in Phase 1A will continue. This includes regular disinfection of common spaces, physical checks, temperature taking and ensuring all congregants who visit to register their details using the SafeEntry system.

Currently, mosques are opened from 1pm to 6pm for individual private worship, with the community urged to give priority to workers in essential services that are constantly on the move - taxi drivers, private hire drivers and delivery service personnel.

This Phase 1A has been well-received by the community, who have complied with the safe management measures in place, bringing their own prayer items, wearing masks and following the guidance of mosque officers on-site, said MUIS in the media release.

Story continues

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Related story:

COVID-19: 5 private prayer zones in each mosque upon reopening on 2 June
More than 100 large trees have been left behind at a vacant lot in Hanoi for nearly four years after they were moved from Kim Ma Street for the construction of an urban railway line.

Four years ago, the Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board (MRB) and the municipal Department of Construction contracted Beepro JSC to move the giant trees away from their original location on the urban street of Kim Ma and replant them elsewhere in accordance with the law.

The tree removal was to clear the ground for the construction of Hanois metro line No. 3, which runs 12.5 kilometers between Nhon Station in Bac Tu Liem District and Hanoi Station in Dong Da District.

Beepro made an agreement with Nguyen Van Hung, 54, to rent 3,000 square meters of his land in Da Ton Commune, Gia Lam District to grow the trees in question with a lease term of two years from November 2, 2016 to November 2, 2018.

Beepro would pay Hung VND150 million (US$6,400) a year for the land lease, according to their agreement.

Unreachable company

Hung told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper Beepro only made the initial payment of VND150 million for the first year and has since been unreachable, while the trees have been not looked after.

According to information in the rental agreement between Beepro and Hung, the company is located at No. 177/20A Phung Khoang Street in Trung Van Ward, Nam Tu Liem District.

However, information researched by Tuoi Tre shows that the enterprise, founded on June 1, 2010, is headquartered at 99 Pham Hung Street in Me Tri Ward, Nam Tu Liem District.

Tuoi Tres reporters went to both these addresses on Thursday but neither location housed the Beepro office.

Your reporters also called the companys hotline number but only reached a man who said he was no longer an employee of Beepro.

A man hugs a large tree abandoned at a vacant lot alongside over 100 other trees in Gia Lam District, Hanoi in this undated photo. Photo: Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre

Resolution remains vague

Results of an inspection by MRB and the municipal construction department earlier this month showed that around 80 percent of the relocated trees had been growing well, while the others were either dying or barely surviving.

Regarding Beepros disappearance, MRB affirmed that it and relevant municipal agencies had followed all the required steps in assessing the companys capacity for the task before contracting it to move the trees.

Beepro had been selected in 2016 for its experience in the fields of construction, design and relocation of urban green spaces, MRB said.

In the contract signed between MRB and Beepro, there was no provision mentioning that Beepro would rent a third partys land to grow the trees, an MRB representative added.

On the other hand, MRB said that the implementation of its contract with Beepro has faced two major hurdles.

The first issue is that the relocated trees are not a species allowed to be grown in urban space according to new regulations, so it has been problematic finding a suitable location to replant them permanently.

A dead tree is seen at a vacant lot where over 100 trees are abandoned after relocation in Gia Lam District, Hanoi, Vietnam in this undated photo. Photo: Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre

The other problem is the lack of standard protocol. Because the tree-moving task is the first of its kind to be executed in the capital city, there is no clear established procedure for the process.

According to Tuoi Tres research, the contract between MRB and Beepro stipulates that the contracted company must take care of the trees for 12 months at most from the date of replanting them in a temporary location.

After the first year, it would be the responsibility of the Peoples Committee of Hanoi to move the trees to a permanent location.

According to Prof. Nguyen Lan Hung, general secretary of the Vietnam Biological Association, the trees under consideration should not be replanted in an urban area as they are easy to fall and pose safety risks in stormy weather.

In my opinion, they should not be kept. Its no use for us to continue taking care of them, Hung said.

It is reasonable to get rid of the trees as the longer we keep them, the more costs we will have to cover, he added.

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Delhi Police registered 750 different first information reports (FIRs) related to the northeast Delhi riots in February and arrested around 1,400 people, including around 620 Hindus and 683 Muslims, the department said on Saturday.

The department is releasing data on the religious identity of the arrested suspects because of false reports on social media suggesting that the police probe in the riots was biased and that one community was being targeted, Delhi police spokesperson MS Randhawa said.

Police also said that until Saturday morning, the department has filed charge sheets in 79 riot cases, in which 510 people were charged with offences.

The 510 persons charged include 205 Hindus and an equal number of Muslims. The cases are being probed by the local police, crime branch, and the special cell. We are releasing the data in this format because of the misinformation on social media, said Randhawa.

At least 53 people died and 400 were injured when clashes between opponents and supporters of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act acquired a communal colour and turned into rioting between Hindus and Muslims in the northeastern parts of the city in late February

The police, in submission to the courts, have said that the riots were planned and executed by some activists of the anti-CAA group who held road blockades across the city. The riots in northeast Delhi were triggered by a clash between pro-CAA and anti-CAA groups near the Jafrabad metro station.

The polices special cell, which is probing a suspected larger conspiracy behind the riots, has arrested student leaders, members of the Jamia Coordination Committee and activists and accused them of hatching a conspiracy to start the riots.

We have sufficient evidence to show how these leaders fanned the passion of the citizens by blocking roads. We have messages that they shared, in which they are discussing that riots could break out but continued to hold protests. We are probing the conspiracy and will file a detailed charge sheet later, said an investigating officer who requested anonymity.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, during a hearing on a bail plea by former Jawaharlal Nehru University student Sharjeel Imam, arrested for delivering inflammatory speeches during the anti-CAA protests, the police told the Delhi high court that speeches caused  communal strife and promoted enmity between various religious groups. The plea is scheduled to come up for hearing on June 10.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 23:34:51|Editor: huaxia

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BEIRUT, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of protesters demonstrated on Saturday in Beirut's downtown area calling for the overhaul of the political system in Lebanon, MTV local TV channel reported.

Protesters threw stones at security forces and destroyed shops' windows near the Parliament.

Meanwhile, security forces who were deployed in the area closed streets in the downtown while riot police fired tears gas at the demonstrators.

Some protesters demanded the disarmament of Hezbollah and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559, which sparked anger among supporters of the two Shiite parties prompting them to run toward a crowd of protesters.

The Lebanese have been suffering from dire economic circumstances in the past few months due to successive failing policies adopted by previous governments which led to an accumulated public debt of over 89 billion U.S. dollars. Enditem
Prime Minister Narendra Modis agriculture reforms have run foul with the opposition, which has accused him of giving a short shrift to consultations with state governments before announcing measures to relax barriers in trade in farm produce.

Congress and the CPI(M) have raised strong objections to The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance 2020 that allow farmers to sell their produce outside the prescribed limits of the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee markets and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance 2020 that seeks to promote contract farming.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh slammed the Modi government, accusing it of taking decisions unilaterally without consultations with the state governments.

Singh termed the Ordinances as an ill-conceived move that could have an adverse impact on the APMC system that has been functioning well for the past six decades.

The Centre has no powers to make any legislation to deal with the dynamics of agricultural production, marketing and processing, the chief minister said.

Beside the two Ordinances on agriculture trade, President Ram Nath Kovind also promulgated the Essential Commodities Amendment Ordinance that seeks to remove cereals, pulses, oilseeds, onion, potato and edible oil from the law that allows governments to impose stock limits on commodities to rein in rising prices.

It is obnoxious that the Agriculture Minister chose to describe these ordinances as the real freedom of the farmers, the CPI(M) said in a statement.

It said the amendments pave the way to create artificial shortages due to speculation by middlemen and traders adversely affecting the countrys food security.

Further, these amendments, by removing all restrictions and providing barrier free inter-state and intra-state sale of agricultural produce pave the way for contract farming by promoting trade and commerce outside the premises or markets covered under the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (mandis), the CPI(M) said.

The Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh has termed the Ordinances as anti-farmer and announced a nation-wide movement against the new laws.
Australian MP Mike Freelander Supports Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Joint Justice Initiative

Dr. Mike Freelander. The Federal Member for Macarthur, Dr. Mike Freelander has signed an Affirmation of Support for the Joint Justice Initiative of the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities, who are calling for Australian recognition of the Genocides suffered by their ancestors.

The February 2020 launch of the Joint Justice Initiative at Australia's Parliament House featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA) and Australian Hellenic Council (AHC), which declares Australia's recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides as a priority on behalf of their communities.

Freelander, a Jewish-Australian, was a paediatrician before being elected to Federal Parliament in 2016. He has since served on the Australian House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport and on the standing committee for Social Policy and Legal Affairs.

"We thank Dr. Mike Freelander for supporting national Australian recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides," said Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) Executive Director, Haig Kayserian.

"The Joint Justice Initiative strives to lead Australia onto the side of truth and justice on this issue of primary importance to the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities, and we believe Dr. Freelander's support brings us a step closer to achieving our goal."

The Joint Justice Initiative has so far announced the support of Freelander, Senator Eric Abetz, Senator Larissa Waters, Senator Pat Dodson, Jason Falinski MP, Josh Burns MP, John Alexander MP, Senator Andrew Bragg and Bob Katter MP, with a promise of more announcements to come.

On 25th February 2020, over 100 Federal Australian parliamentarians, diplomats, departmental officials, political staffers, academics, media and community leaders were treated to cultural performances, food, wine and brandy, as well as the historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which affirmed that the signatory public affairs representatives of the three communities were jointly committed to seeing Australia recognize the Turkish-committed Genocide against the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian citizens of the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
This interview presents a conversation with Xeric Award-winning Canadian cartoonist Kevin Mutch about The Rough Pearl (Fantagraphics, 2020), his new graphic novel which addresses issues surrounding the intersection of class and race privilege in the "precariat" creative communities in and around New York City.

Jeffery Klaehn: Thanks for the interview, Kevin!! Please tell me about The Rough Pearl.

Kevin Mutch: The Rough Pearl is an autobiographical fantasy  a mixture of truth and fiction in roughly equal parts  about a would-be artist named Adam in New York City in the 1990s. He has a crappy adjunct teaching job, a wife who makes a lot more money than him, and an ill-advised crush on a student. And he seems to be losing his mind  he keeps seeing zombies and aliens and ghosts!

Adam is someone who grew up being told that the world was full of possibilities, but he's come to see that it isn't that way anymore (if it ever was). He had all these romantic ideas about being an artist, living in New York, being with beautiful women, and now he realizes all of those dreams have become impossible  until suddenly they all become possible again, all at once.

Unfortunately, he's been having a harder and harder time determining what's "real" and what isn't  either he's going crazy or he's bleeding into parallel universes, the book is sort of ambiguous about that, heh  so he has a very difficult time navigating all of this.

The Rough Pearl is also a sequel  to a graphic novel I did about ten years ago called Fantastic Life which was about the same character back when he was a young art student in Canada. That one got excerpted in the edition of The Best American Comics that Alison Bechdel edited, so I always tell everyone that it passed the "Bechdel Test"!

JK: For those who may be new to your work, Fantastic Life won a Xeric Award in 2010. Are there any plans to make Fantastic Life available digitally, Kevin?

Kevin Mutch: I'm chipping away at an updated version of that story because I can draw better now than I could then, and it drives me crazy to look at it (weirdly enough, I never want to revise the writing part, just the pictures). Anyway, once I finally finish maybe I'll try putting it out there.

JK: I hope you will. How long did the work take you to produce The Rough Pearl, and what about it are you happiest with?

Kevin Mutch: The Rough Pearl took me seven years from start to finish, which I guess has all sorts of connotations with itchiness and bad luck! It really could've been done faster, but I was also working on an adventure story for young people at the same time  it's called The Moon Prince and a lot of it is online  so it took a while.

I guess I'm happiest that the style I drew in it seems to have worked out okay  I wanted it to have a sort of lived-in New York-y quality and I think it does. I kept thinking of Tom Waits as I was working on it  that "Ninth and Hennepin" vibe (even though that's in Minneapolis, heh). But mostly I'm just happy to have it finished. I could have done a hundred paintings in the time it took to draw The Rough Pearl!

JK: Your website offers a really wonderful portal into your art and creative process. Please tell me about the Captain Adam story that's available there. It's quite awesome how one can navigate automatically to the source material(s), just by clicking on each image. That's really very cool 

Kevin Mutch: Captain Adam was a "narrative collage" I made in 1991 and it was the first comic I'd made since art school beat them out of me. I was making a lot of "appropriation" art at the time (I still do) which is all about how context changes meaning, and I decided to see what would happen if I made an entire comic book that way (other artists like Chester Brown have tried this too).

So I bought a whole bunch of beat-up old comics at used bookstores, cut them all up with scissors and fished around in the pile with my eyes closed to select a panel, and then more and more panels to see if I could imagine a narrative connection between them all.

When I had 28 pages of collaged panels I redrew and re-lettered them all to smooth over enough of the seams so that readers could (hopefully) follow it. What surprised me then (although it wouldn't now since so many of my comics do the same thing) was that the collage story I came up with had all sorts of parallels with my own life.

And by the way, since I'm a happily married man who sometimes teaches at art schools, let me just hasten to add that all the boozing, drug-taking and extra-marital student-dating in the The Rough Pearl are completely fictional! It's the zombies I'm not so sure about.

Art: The cover and interior pages from The Rough Pearl are courtesy of Kevin Mutch.

Author Biographical Summary

Jeffery Klaehn resides in Canada and holds a PhD in Communication from the University of Amsterdam and a PhD in Sociology from the University of Strathclyde. His interests include media, pop culture, power, comics, and digital games.
Southern Pines, NC (28387)

Today

Cloudy with snow developing late. Areas of freezing rain possible. High around 30F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulations less than one inch..

Tonight

Snow this evening will transition to snow showers late. Low around 20F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches.
Two workers working on a construction site at Ashongman Estate in the Ga East municipality were killed instantly and another seriously injured when a wall collapsed on them.

The workers were among five persons constructing a drainage system as part of a road construction project on behalf of the Ga East Municipal Assembly and got trapped in a dug trench when a fence wall close to where they were working and which was earmarked for demolition collapsed on them.



Residents of the area joined the two remaining workers to rescue the three men who were buried beneath a pile of cement blocks and concrete.



It was found after the rescue that one of the three victims of the disaster, identified as Richard Ankrah, had died. All three had injuries all over their bodies.



The two other victims  Richard Darko, 37, and Tommy Dogbenu, 36  were taken to the Ashongman Community Hospital, where Darko was said to have died shortly after arrival.



Dogbenu, on the other hand, was given first aid and referred to the 37 Military Hospital.



On its visit to the scene of the accident, the Daily Graphic found that the trenches the construction workers had dug were very close to the walling of some of the buildings in the area, such that some had their foundations for the walls showing.



According to an eyewitness, Kojo Okoree, the incident happened about 7:30 a.m. when the workers were placing concrete slabs in the trenches.



He said the residents had, on many occasions, complained to the assembly member for the area about the inherent danger in digging very close to homes.



Scene at the grounds



When the Daily Graphic got to Little Dome in the Ashongman Estates, where the accident took place, about 9:30 a.m., a team of policemen, the Assembly Member for the area, Mr Cornelius Addo, and officials from the Ga East Municipal Assembly and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) were assisting to demolish structures that were in the way of the construction project.



Residents of the area, who were visibly angry, pointed fingers at the officials and accused them of being negligent.



Police at the scene



The team of policemen at the scene included the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr Frederick Adu Amin, and the Kwabenya District Commander, Superintendent Damontin Kombat.



The Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mrs Effia Tenge, who was also with the team, told the Daily Graphic that the police received a distress call about the incident about at 8 a.m. yesterday.



She said the remains of the deceased workers had been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary for autopsy, while investigations into the incident were ongoing.

Source: Daily Graphic









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Featured Video
DERBY  During his 31 years as a police officer, Richard Dziekan said he has been to fatal accidents and murder scenes but never watched a person die as he did George Floyd.

To actually see a murder on TV happening in front of you  I was dumbfounded, Dziekan, the citys mayor, told some 50 people who braved the intermittent rain and gathered on the green Friday night for a unity rally.

I wasnt trained like that, said Dziekan, his voice cracking with emotion. Those three officers who stood by and watched are just as guilty as the one who kept his knee on Georges throat.

Dziekan was one of several local politicians who, along with Police Chief Gerald Narowski, called and vowed to be leaders of change.

What you saw was a failure of leadership, the chief said of Floyds death. That was a murder. We dont ever want to see that again.

Narowski urged anyone with concerns about his department or officers to come in and talk.

Itll be your own personal coffee with a cop, he said.

The rally was the latest call for unity, solidarity and racial equality in the Valley. At 3 p.m. Saturday there will be another beginning at both Sheltons and Derbys City Halls that will proceed to the bridge that connects both cities. On Sunday there will be an 11 a.m. rally at Ansonias Nolan Field and a noon event at Oxfords Quarry Walk.

Pastor Dennis Marroquin of New Beginnings Church, who organized the Friday night rally, said he lived in California during the Rodney King riots.

I ran. I went to Arizona. I wanted nothing to do with that madness, he said. But Im not running this time. We need to come together as a community.

Despite the weather, the community in Derby did join together Friday evening. Many, like Missy Lundeen, brought homemade signs. Hers read: Say His Name  George Floyd.

This is the first rally Ive gone too and Im angry at whats going on, the Ansonia resident said. I cried. No human being should scream, I cant breath, and be totally ignored. Why would the police do that? Why does it seem police target people of color?

After the gathering dispersed, Dziekan admitted he became emotional.

I became a police officer to make a difference, he said. All I ever wanted was to keep people safe.

Now he said he hopes only good comes from this.

I love this city, said the mayor, a lifelong resident and U.S. Air Force veteran. We cant hate each other. We cant live like this.
People are encouraged to continue to go online for transactions such as purchasing license plates or renewing vehicle registrations. Some license and ID renewals can also be done online, including if the cardholders are already Real ID compliant in the District and Maryland or if the renewal is for a non-Real ID credential in Virginia. Motor vehicle centers should be used for services that are not available electronically such as obtaining a Real ID credential and driving exams, officials said.
Adams Oshiomhole, while he was the governor of Edo State, in 2016, portrayed Osagie Ize-Iyamu, as someone who could not be trusted with public funds.

Mr Ize-Iyamu was the governorship candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the states election that year, and Mr Oshiomhole was campaigning for his successor, Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Today, Mr Oshiomhole is the APC national chairman, and there is a reversal of roles as Edo prepares for the governorship election in September. Mr Oshiomhole wants to remove Mr Obaseki and bring in Mr Ize-Iyamu as the next governor.

A protracted political fight between Mr Oshiomhole and Mr Obaseki has crippled the Edo State House of Assembly (14 lawmakers elected on the APC platform are yet to be inaugurated since June 2019) and factionalised the APC in the state.

Mr Ize-Iyamu, before he defected to PDP, was not just a chieftain of the APC, he directed the campaign for the election of Mr Oshiomhole as Edo governor.

Mr Ize-Iyamus return to APC has been a major threat to Mr Obasekis second term ambition.

Seven APC governorship aspirants in the state were said to have stepped down for Mr Ize-Iyamu recently.

Why I didnt appoint Ize-Iyamu into government  Oshiomhole

It is true we found ourselves in the region of politics working together, but I never gave him government job, Mr Oshiomhole said of Mr Ize-Iyamu in an undated video of a 2016 APC campaign rally in Benin, Edo State.

The video is an excerpt from Channels TVs live coverage of the rally.

Continuing, Mr Oshiomhole said, I kept him (Ize-Iyamu) busy, let him be holding midnight meeting which he is used to. Ask him, since he was the DG (of my campaign organisation), why did I not appoint him into government?

Osagie-Ize-iyamu (Photo Credit:The Gaurdian Nigeria)

We kept him away, nothing near government circle, no access to public fund.

Mr Oshiomhole, in the 10-minute video, said Mr Ize-Iyamu was a GM of one wuru-wuru company and accused him of ruining the administration of Lucky Igbinedion in Edo State.

Mr Oshiomhole said the likes of Mr Ize-Iyamu would never be allowed to return to the government of Edo State.

Obaseki has brain, creativity to work for Edo people  Oshiomhole

In the video, Mr Oshiomhole praised Mr Obaseki as one who has used his brain and creativity to work for the good of the state and the people.

The Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki

In the concluding part of the video, Mr Oshiomhole, who was standing on the podium with others, including Mr Obaseki, brought up a song in praise of Mr Obaseki.

Obaseki, you are what God says you are.

You are a winner and not a loser.

You are what God says you are.

Ize-Iyamus reaction

PREMIUM TIMES contacted the spokesperson of Mr Ize-Iyamus Campaign Organisation, John Mayaki, Saturday evening, and asked him for their response to Mr Oshiomholes remarks in the video.

Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande were very critical of President Buhari before 2015. They both had a re-think as all humans do, and today, both are one of President Buhari greatest admirers, Mr Mayaki said.

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Former Nigerian presidents, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo.

Same with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who in 2011 held former President Goodluck Jonathans hand, campaigning with him everywhere. Have you forgotten what happened later in 2015? Just as former President Obasanjo wrote about his Vice, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar  the former latter supported the later during his presidential bid.

What about Femi Adesina, who in 2005 heavily criticised Prof. Ibrahim Gambari for defending the killing of Ken Saro-Wiwa by the Gen Sani Abacha government? Are they not working together today?

Even God at a time, change(d) his mind! Who are we not to change our minds in the face of superior and obvious facts? Comrade Oshiomhole has moved on; hes now in the same political party with Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

The detractors must accept the new reality and face the fact that their biggest problem today is not Oshiomhole nor Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. Their problem is their inability to fulfill any of their campaign promises, Mr Mayaki said, apparently insinuating that the video was being circulated by Mr Obasekis camp.

Mr Mayaki sent a video to PREMIUM TIMES, showing Mr Oshiomhole, while he was still governor, praising Mr Ize-Iyamu as a friend, a brother, a colleague, and a political warrior.
06.06.2020 LISTEN

The Odumase Circuit Court in the Eastern Region has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of one Ebenezer Teye, for impersonation and alleged involvement in the forgery of land documents.

Ebenezer Teye who was arrested on April 13, 2020, after forging the signature of a licensed surveyor was granted a GHC 20, 000 bail with two sureties.

He was expected in court today, Friday, June 5, 2020, but failed to appear.

The Magistrate, Frank Y Gbede asked the police to bring him on July 19, 2020.

Meanwhile, Samuel Anim Ayeko a licensed surveyor and a member of the Licensed Surveyors Association of Ghana in an interview with the media said the group is worried about the activities of the goro boys.

The association is very worried about goro boys who are posing as quantity surveyors. They are taking signatures of qualified and licensed surveyors. I want to caution all those engaging in such activities to desist from it or be dealt with if arrested.

---citinewsroom
WASHINGTON  Thousands of people gathered outside Washington, D.C., monuments and the White House on Saturday protesting the killing of George Floyd, years of unanswered calls for police reform and President Donald Trump's use of military personnel in response to largely peaceful demonstrations.

Im tired of the racism. Just tired, said Rochelle Grate, a 58-year-old information technology specialist from Fort Washington, Maryland, who described the Saturday protest as beautiful, peaceful and diverse.

This is different," she said about the protests seen around the country over much of the past two weeks since Floyd, a black man, was killed in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25. "It snapped people not of color to say Man, this is real and Ive been blind to it.

After more than a week of protests in Washington, city officials said they expected Saturday to be the largest demonstration yet with potential for tens of thousands of people taking to the streets.

We anticipate the largest demonstrations with regards to numbers that weve seen in the city to date, said D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham at a press conference on Thursday. And we anticipate that the protesters will continue to be as peaceful as they have been over the past couple of days.

Newsham said no arrests have been made during protests since Tuesday.

Earlier in the week police officers had lined the perimeter to Lafayette Square, moving closer to the fenced-off crowd as protests grew more rowdy.

There was no police line in Lafayette Square on Saturday and no cops were seen in the blocks surrounding the White House as people danced, painted signs, and marched around downtown.

Protests in the District at times turned more violent last weekend as police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators outside the White House last weekend after some protesters threw water bottles and bricks across a barricade at law enforcement officers. Some protesters set fire to cars and broke the windows of office buildings in the blocks surrounding the White House.

Story continues

The tension between protesters and law enforcement in Washington peaked on Monday when police and federal officers forcibly removed peaceful protesters from the street across from the White House so President Donald Trump could take a picture in front of St. John's Episcopal Church, a congregation known as the Church of the Presidents, which was damaged by fire during demonstrations on Sunday.

Image: Lincoln Memorial (Lauren Egan)

Later on Monday, military helicopters were seen flying low over protesters. The D.C. National Guard has opened an investigation into the use of the helicopters.

Ive only felt fear once and that was on Tuesday when I went out to vote, said Tom Roucche, 61, a D.C. resident who said he had to pass through hundreds of law enforcement officers to get to his polling location for the District's primary earlier this week. I felt we were living ... somewhere not the U.S.

But Ive never felt fear in the crowds," said Roucche. "This has been great to see.

Pamela Reynolds, a 37-year-old teacher from Washington who protested last weekend, said she could see the difference between Saturday and earlier protests.

Image: Medical workers protest (Lauren Egan / NBC News)

"It was scary, heavy. It wasnt this, said Reynolds. When asked what changed the atmosphere, Reynolds said it was the arrests of the Minnesota police officers charged in Floyd's death. This feels powerful, like it may make a difference."

People paid tribute to other victims of police killings outside the White House fence Saturday, tying their names to the fence and placing handmade signs along the walkway. Birthday balloons were left in honor of Breonna Taylor, the former EMT worker killed by police inside her Louisville, Kentucky, home who would have turned 27 on Friday.

We now have allies, said Che Washington, 30, a school counselor in D.C., pointing to how diverse the crowd was on Saturday. Now it feels like everyone is fighting, theyre at least trying. Its and affirmation to what weve been feeling.

Trump's actions on Monday motivated even more people to join in peaceful protests outside the White House, with thousands of demonstrators showing up throughout the week to call out aggressive policing tactics, racism and the militant approach the Trump administration has taken in response.

Image: (Lauren Egan / NBC News)

On Thursday the White House erected new fencing around its perimeter, adding to the 8-foot fence that was put up around the entrance to Lafayette Square earlier in the week. The parks immediately surrounding the White House, normally accessible to the public, are expected to remain blocked off until next week.

D.C. Mayor Mayor Muriel Bowser said it was a "sad commentary" that "the house and its inhabitants have to be walled off."

"We should want the White House to be opened up for people to be able to access it from all sides," she added.

Image: Protests in Washington after the death of George Floyd (Lucas Jackson / Reuters)

Many D.C. residents have also expressed anger over Trump's use of federal forces in the city, complaining that the presence of Humvees, Army helicopters and armed soldiers every few blocks has turned the city into a military zone.

Since D.C. is a territory and not a state, the District does not have the authority to override Trumps use of the military and other federal forces.

On Friday, Bowser, who has been critical of Trumps actions, renamed a street in front of the White House Black Lives Matter Plaza and had Black Lives Matter painted along the road in big yellow letters.

Bowser also took to Twitter on Friday night to ask governors to remove their National Guard from D.C., writing that they were brought without my knowledge and not at my request.

Unlike more recent large D.C. protests, such as the recent Womens March or March for Our Lives, Saturdays events were not organized by a single group and did not include a formal speaking program with a stage and a microphone.

Instead, protesters moved fluidly through the city, marching from the White House to the Lincoln Memorial to the U.S. Capitol, and back again.

D.C. began blocking off streets downtown as early as 6 a.m. on Saturday in preparation for the events. Protests were expected to continue through Sunday morning.

Although Bowser had put in place a curfew earlier in the week in response to outbreaks of violence, there was no curfew in effect on Saturday.

Still, some protesters expressed skepticism that the energy felt in the city and around the country this week would carry over to any real change.

We were the descendants of African slaves. So unless you have some sort of reparations, it will never be good enough, said, Al, a man in his 70s who asked not to give his last name. I was here for the riots in the '60s. I was here for Martin Luther King and the March on Washington. Nothing's changed.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 23:37:23|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Amid further containment of COVID-19, China is powering ahead in bringing business and life back on track. The following are the latest facts and figures:

-- Beijing and its neighboring Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province will lower their emergency responses to the novel coronavirus epidemic from the second level to the third level starting Saturday.

-- The number of China-Europe freight trains hit a new high of 1,033 in May, up 43 percent year on year.

A record 93,000 twenty-foot equivalent units of cargo were transported by the trains, up 48 percent from a year earlier. The number of departing trains rose 47 percent year on year to 556 last month, while the number of returning trains climbed 39 percent to 477.

-- China has published measures to boost the development of the pilot free-trade zone (FTZ) in Hubei Province amid efforts to revive the coronavirus-hit economy and maintain regular epidemic containment policies.

Efforts will be made to further facilitate foreign investment, help address challenges for foreign-funded enterprises in the FTZ and encourage multinationals to set up their global or regional headquarters in Hubei, according to a document released by the Ministry of Commerce.

-- Japanese convenience store chain 7-Eleven said Wednesday its first store in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, registered over 500,000 yuan (about 70,600 U.S. dollars) of sales on opening day, breaking its global sales record.

-- Thirty-four of China's central state-owned enterprises signed contracts for 72 projects worth 327.73 billion yuan with central China's Hubei Province Wednesday to help it recover from the COVID-19 outbreak.

-- The Potala Palace in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region reopened to the public on Wednesday after being closed for more than four months due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

-- Beijing's first road catering exclusively to cyclists has seen increased traffic as commuters opt for bikes over subways and buses amid the novel coronavirus epidemic.

The 6.5-km bikeway connecting the densely populated community of Huilongguan and the high-tech hub of Shangdi in northern Beijing saw 2,000 bike trips on average during the morning rush hour in mid- and late May, some 500 trips more than the levels in October 2019, the Beijing Municipal Committee of Transport said Wednesday in a statement.

-- More students in the Shanghai Municipality returned to school as public kindergartens and the first to third grades of primary schools reopened on Tuesday.

-- Wuhan University announced late on Monday that graduating students currently in China's mainland and postgraduates with scientific research tasks currently in China's mainland may return to the university starting from June 8 as the COVID-19 epidemic subsides. Enditem
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined the Black Lives Matter (BLM) rally on Friday, June 5, in a show of strength to victims and families participating in the protests across the country's border.

Trudeau's act of solidarity comes after the tragic death of George Floyd, who was assaulted by a former Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin who pinned Floyd to the ground and placed a knee on his neck for close to 9 minutes while he interrogated him, resulting in the tragic death of the victim under the cop's brutality.

Read: George Floyd Death: Wife of former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin files for divorce

Canadian PM joins Black Lives Matter rally outside Parliament Hill

Trudeau joined the protest and took a knee during the BLM protests in Ottawa on Parliament Hill on Friday, along with demonstrators. The Canadian PM who was seen wearing a black cloth mask was asked to kneel by other protestors as a sign of support. Although Trudeau declined to comment or give an interview after the incident, earlier in the day, he had stated to a global news daily that the country was watching the events unfolding in the US. He held nothing back as he discussed his US Counterpart's use of teargas against protestors to clear the way for a photo opportunity as 'horror and consternation'.

Trudeau reportedly clapped and nodded along with some of the other speakers asserted that there was no middle ground when it came to racism. The crowd around him cheered him on and shouted at him to stand up to US President Donald Trump in the face of this barbaric act. Notably, although many celebrities across the world have been outspoken about their support for the movement, global leaders have maintained caution despite widespread protests.

Read: Minneapolis protests: People come out in support of George Floyd's death in police custody

Image credit: @CFosee Twitter

What is the George Floyd incident?

Floyd, 46, on Monday, May 25 was detained for questioning regarding a possible crime in progress. The incident which was caught on video showed a police officer identified as Derek Chauvin pinning Floyd down to the ground when things escalated and holding his knee to Floyd's neck for more than 8 minutes as he continued to interrogate him.

The video which sparked outrage in the US, also shows Floyd pleading in his last moment with the officer to let him go, as he could not breathe. The accused police officer has now been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.

My statement on the death of George Floyd: pic.twitter.com/Hg1k9JHT6R  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 29, 2020

In the aftermath of the incident, citywide protests broke out in Minneapolis on May 26 evening, where George Floyd died. Protestors chanted and carried banners that read, I cant breathe and Jail killer KKKops. The protesters eventually marched about 5 kms to a city police precinct, with some protestors reportedly damaging windows, squad cars and spraying graffiti on the building.

Tensions and violence continue to escalate in the area with relentless protests demanding justice for Georgy Floyd and his family. Meanwhile, John Harrington, Commissioner of Minnesota Department of Public Safety (MDPS), announced that Chauvin has been taken into custody by the criminal bureau and a trial for the case will begin soon.

Read: 'Game of Thrones' star Richard Madden & Froy Gutierrez join 'Black Lives Matter' protests

What is the Black Lives Matter movement?

Black Lives Matter is an international human rights movement that campaigns against systematic violence, discrimination faced by the African-American community in the US. Thought it was founded in North America sometime in 2013, it has grown into a dynamic organisation with branches all over the world, with a singular motive of fighting racism and oppression towards black people everywhere.

Read: Video of dog holding black lives matter placard at US protest takes internet by storm
To black square or not to black square?

It's been a perplexing time for public figures on social media as the #BlackoutTuesday campaign cranked up last week.

Trish Goddard says she was subjected to some of the worst racism in Australia. Credit:Troy Snook

Politics and popularity are never comfortable bedfellows, but it was pretty clear that given the global outrage over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police on the streets of Minneapolis, posting a black square on one's Instagram feed was the least one could do.

Or was it?
New Delhi:

A clutch of scheduled caste and minority outfits on Saturday announced the boycott of Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan over his controversial remarks on B R Ambedkar while demanding an unconditional apology from him.

The decision, taken by four organisations including the the South Asian Minorities Lawyers Association, was announced at a press conference here, where their representatives unequivocally condemned Khans remarks.

The Constitution of India, which acts as a safeguard for the rights of the oppressed, downtrodden and women, owes its origin to Ambedkar. Azam Khan is a politician who can go to any extent to remain in headlines, Mehmood Pracha of South Asian Minorities Lawyers Association said.

The other organisations, party to the decision to boycott Khan are Samata Sainik Dal, Anjuman-e-Hyderi and Bhagwan Valmiki Foundation.

Khan, without naming Ambedkar, had recently said that the statue (of Ambedkar) pointing its finger into the distance seems to say that not only does it own the plot of land on which it stands, but also the one towards which it points its finger.

Pracha said the statement reflects Khans mentality as it is he who thinks about capturing plots and lands all the time. Khan has crossed all lines of decency through such derogatory remarks, he said.

So we have come together to punish and shame him. We will not let him enter the boundaries of Delhi. If he does, we will blacken his face. But we will not break any law and let it happen peacefully, he said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Its already several weeks into the new year, the holiday cookies are just about gone, the gifts that werent quite what you wanted have been exchanged, and, for many, the Christmas tree is in the street, waiting to be picked...
File Photo

New Delhi: Five employees of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation agency tested positive for corona, after which the headquarters were sealed. These employees include officers of the rank of Special Director.

CoronavirusIt was sealed off for 48 hours after the agency's staff found corona positive, officials said. Two out of five employees are contract employees.

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Officials said that some persons on the other floors of Lok Nayak Bhawan in Khan Market were found to be corona positive, after which the employees of the investigating agency were also examined.

CoronavirusAll employees have been admitted for treatment. In addition, people who came in contact with them have been asked to remain in quarantine.

Officials said that as per the procedure, the agency's headquarters has been sealed off for 48 hours and work will resume from Monday. He said that Corona positive employees were not coming to the office after testing.
Yves here. It is disappointing but far from surprising that this piece on billionaire giving has all the objectivity of an authorized biography. First, theres no consideration of self interest beyond image burnishing and ego gratification. But one of the worlds most famous donors seeks explicit commercial quid pro quos from some of his potential recipients (I have this from an impeccable source but have been sworn to secrecy on the details). The article does at the end fess up that some donors admit to wanting to remake the world along their preferred lines, but curiously does not consider that other may believe that being so open about their ambitions could undermine their efforts.

One must note that billionaires are keen to keep their wealth-sharing to voluntary efforts, as opposed to, say, supporting extremely high estate taxes beyond a threshold.

By Hans Peter Schmitz, Associate Professor, University of San Diego. Originally published at The Conversation

As the COVID-19 pandemics economic toll increases, many billionaires and their foundations are making very public efforts to pitch in.

This push to give money to support everything from food banksto vaccine research comes a decade after the Giving Pledge, a voluntary effort to give away at least half of an immense fortune during the signatorys lifetime, first launched.

When signatories join the Giving Pledge, they can voluntarily submit a letter explaining their commitment to philanthropy thats posted on the internet. Together with my colleagues and fellow philanthropy scholars Elena McCollim and George E. Mitchell, I analyzed these letters to better understand how billionaires make sense of their generosity.

10 Years Old

Following the Great Recession, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates teamed up with investor Warren Buffett and a few of their wealthy friends to hatch this plan to increase giving among billionaires.

By March 2020, 120 couples, 78 single men and 11 single women had signed on. The members of the Giving Pledge represent about 10% of the more than 2,000 known billionaires in the world. To be eligible to join, an individual or a couple must have a combined net worth of US$1 billion, including assets they already donated.

Five of the 10 richest men in the United States have joined the Giving Pledge. Besides Gates and Buffett, that includes Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and the entrepreneur and politician Michael Bloomberg. Taken together, the current combined wealth of those five fortunesadds up to about $385 billion. The total wealth of everyone who signed the pledge in its first decade was at least an estimated $1.14 trillion as of the end of 2019, according to Forbes Magazine.

Insight into How the Wealthy Explain Their Giving

The letters are typically fairly short and addressed to Buffett or Gates. Many describe why the donors engage in philanthropy and identify a few favorite causes. We found that 187 of the 209 signatories have submitted them.

You cannot assume that the letters contain the true motives for making this pledge, but these missives do open a window into why these billionaires believe they should give away so much of their wealth. None referred to a desire to become more famous, for example, or openly acknowledged any sense of guilt. Yet those feelings might contribute to the personal motivation these rich people have to join the Giving Pledge.

In reviewing the letters, we found 10 distinct explanations for giving. The top five appeared in at least 20% of the letters, while the remaining five were in 10% or fewer.

A desire to be seen as grateful and altruistic dominated many of these accounts, with more than a third describing a drive to make a difference.

Helping disadvantaged groups live decent lives in the process of creating wealth has been my personal credo, wrote Dong Fangjun, a Chinese investor who now funds efforts to clean up Chinas polluted countryside.

The second most common reason was a desire to give back.

I have so much gratitude for being a woman in America, wrote Sara Blakely, the founder of the Spanx undergarment company and a supporter of several womens causes. I never lose sight that I was born in the right country, at the right time.

The letters also highlighted the joy of giving.

I get tremendous pleasure from helping others, wrote Bill Ackman, an investor and hedge fund manager who funds a wide range of arts, social justice and other kinds of nonprofits. Its what makes my life worth living.

The life lessons taught by parents were another common reason these major donors say they became interested in giving.

From as far back as I can remember, my parents taught me the importance of giving back, whether we had a little or a lot, wrote Jim Pattison, a Canadian businessman who supports a wide range of nonprofits, including hospitals.

Noblesse Oblige and Other Less Common Motives

Many of the letters conveyed a sense of noblesse oblige, a French term for the idea that being wealthy creates a duty to give.

I strongly believe that those of us, who are privileged to have wealth, should contribute significantly to try and create a better world for the millions who are far less privileged, wrote Azim Premji, a tech industry leader who has become Indias biggest philanthropist.

Among the five least common explanations our team identified were references to principles of justice, concerns about the downside of immense inheritances, having no other use for vast wealth, religious beliefs and a sense that luck played a big role in becoming rich.

Some of the younger donors described themselves as being only stewards of their wealth. In this view, principles of justice and equality demand that the wealthy share generously.

For example, Jeff Lawson, a co-founder of LinkedIn, and his wife Erica Lawson included a quote by Bryan Stevenson, the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative: The opposite of poverty is not wealth; the opposite of poverty is justice.

About a tenth of the letters cited concerns over the possible harm a large inheritance could do to their own kids and grandchildren.

We all know second- and third-generation wealth where the recipients were actually born on third base but think and act like they hit a triple, wrote John W. Jay Jordan II, an American investor with three children and two stepchildren and one of the biggest donors ever to the University of Notre Dame, his alma mater.

Some pledgers said they see nothing better to do with their excessive wealth. The late real estate investors Herb and Marion Sandler, whose fortune launched the investigative news outlet Pro Publica, put it this way: How many residences, automobiles, airplanes and other luxury items can one acquire and use?

Religion and spirituality play a surprisingly minor role, with some exceptions.

We were both raised in the Church, and a key theme of the Bible is the importance, the necessity, of giving, explained Paul Tudor Jones, a hedge fund manager, and his wife Sonia Jones. The couple has made education and inequality high priorities in their giving.

Finally, a few of these big donors attributed their eagerness to give away much of their money to being aware of their good fortune. To be repeatedly in the right place at the right time, that is the mother of all luck, wrote Mo Ibrahim, the Sudanese telecommunications entrepreneur who invests in improving African leadership and governance.

Out To Change the World

But what sets these donors truly apart from the rest of us is what we philanthropy scholars call hyperagency  the desire to singlehandedly change the world in accordance with their ideas and dreams.

For example, Patrick Soon-Shiong, the surgeon and entrepreneur who owns the Los Angeles Times, the San Diego Union-Tribune and the Los Angeles Lakers, and his wife Michele B. Chan, made an ambitious statement in their letter: Our passion, our mission is to transform health and health care, in America and beyond.

In other words, Giving Pledge letters harbor contradictions with their messages about both ambition and humility. Many of the wealthy people who embraced this campaign have seen themselves as uniquely capable of changing the world. At the same time, they would like others to see them as modest, grateful and selfless.
Nagpur: The superintendent of a hostel in Katol in Nagpur district was arrested for allegedly raping a 14-year-old physically-challenged girl on Friday (June 5).

The police also arrested the victim's mother and a nurse for allegedly forcing the teen to undergo an abortion at home, Inspector Mahadev Achrekar of Katol police station told PTI.

All the three accused have been charged under the Indian Penal Code, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The girl, a class 6 student, was living in the hostel for the past five years. She was repeatedly raped by superintendent Rajendra Kalbande (44) from March this year. When she got pregnant, a nurse identified as Sindhu Dehankar and the victim's mother forced her to undergo an abortion at her home.

Acting on a tip-off about the abortion, police managed to zero in on the three accused.
New Delhi, June 6 : While it hoped to earn more revenue through liquor sale, the Delhi government has collected only about Rs 235 crore, excluding the new 'special corona fee', between May 4 and 30.

The liquor sale was allowed in the city from May 4 -- with the starting of lockdown 3. It was closed since the lockdown was imposed on March 25.

On the first day of sale, when the special cess was not imposed, liquor worth over Rs five crore was sold, as per the Excise Department data.

However, just a day after allowing the sale of liquor in the city, the Delhi government from May 5 imposed a 'Special corona fee' on the alcohol sale which was 70 per cent of the MRP.

Excluding the cess, on the second day, the sale was about Rs 4.4 crore, while on May 6 it was Rs 4.9 crore.

On May 8 and 9, the sale was for more than Rs 15 and 18 crore -- highest per day sale in a day during the month, also excluding the cess.

Till May 30, the government sold liquor worth over Rs 234.54 crore and the 'Special corona fee' can be counted as about Rs 160 crore additional income.

There were two dry days -- May 7 and 25, during the period.

In the Budget 2020-21, out of the government's total expectation in the tax revenue, 14 per cent or Rs 6,300 crore was from the State Excise.

The new financial year started on April 1 and till May 3, no sale was done due to the lockdown due to coronavirus.

Four government corporations -- Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation; Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation; Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited; and Delhi Consumer's Cooperative Wholesale Store -- control the sale of liquor with about 475 shops.

While the shops under the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation have sold liquor worth Rs 86.5 crore; the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation sold it worth Rs 47.6 crore between May 4 and 30.

The shops under Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited and the Delhi Consumer's Cooperative Wholesale Storesold liquor worth Rs 45.2 crore each during the same period.

The Private shops have sold liquor worth Rs 9.9 crore between May 23 and 30.

Owing to revenue losses due to the coronavirus lockdown, the Delhi government on May 31 said it has demanded Rs 5,000 crore from the Central government.

Delhi Finance Minister Manish Sisodia said the minimum monthly expenditure of the government is Rs 3,500 crore, including salaries and other official expenses.

"In the last two months, the tax collection was Rs 500 crore for each month. Rs 1,735 crore was collected from other sources. However, for two months, we need Rs 7,000 crore," Sisodia said.

On May 3, reporting a revenue loss of about Rs 3,200 crore in April compared to the previous year, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the lockdown is making it difficult for the government to pay salaries to its employees.
Thane: The Mumbai Police arrested a 35-year-old waiter for the double-murder of two staffers whose bodies were found in the water tank at a restaurant at Mira Road in Maharashtra's Thane district on Thursday (June 4) night.

The accused, identified as Kallu Yadav, hailing from Pune was arrested on June 5 for the crime he had allegedly committed on May 30. He was absconding ever since the murder came to light and hence became the prime suspect of police. During the probe, the police also found out that Yadav had found another job at a restaurant in Pune's Parvati area after committing the crime. A team of police was rushed to Pune from where they nabbed the accused.

According to police, the murder was a fallout of a dispute between the accused and the victims over food.

The bodies of the victims, Harish Shetty (42), the manager of Shabari restaurant, and Naresh Pandit (53), a cleaner, were recovered from the water tank of Sabari restaurant-cum-bar at Mira Road in the wee hours of June 5.

According to police, the youth murdered the duo with an exe while they were asleep in the restaurant. He then dragged their bodies and dumped them into a water tank at the restaurant.

"During his interrogation, Yadav admitted that he had murdered the duo. He said the manager used to get delicious food for himself, but offer bland meal to him. He said he was annoyed over it and decided to eliminate Shetty and Pandit," PTI quoted an official saying.

The official added that in the preliminary investigation, it was revealed that Yadav was also involved in a case murder at Kolkata in 2013 and had been behind bars in that connection in the past.
Chandigarh, June 6 : The Haryana government on Saturday decided to allow the reopening of religious places, places of worship for the public and shopping malls in a regulated and restricted manner across the state with effect from June 8, except in Gurugram and Faridabad districts in view of large number of positive case.

Apart from this, hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services will be reopened with generic preventive measures across the state.

The timing of opening will be between 9 am and 8 pm so as to ensure the compliance of the night curfew.

A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

The Chief Minister directed to regulate and restrict these activities by following the guidelines and instructions as issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs in view the prevailing conditions due to COVID-19.

The Chief Minister directed that the generic preventive measures, including simple public health measures, social distancing, wearing of face covers or masks would be observed by all workers and visitors at these places at all times.

It was decided that no 'aarti', congregation or masses and collective gathering for prayers will be allowed.

Only individual prayers will be allowed and no physical offerings like prasad or distribution or sprinkling of holy water, etc., will be allowed inside the religious place.
Thank you for joining our rolling coverage today, as tens of thousands of Australians took the streets, defying coronavirus restrictions, to show solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement and call for an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody.

Nothing was going to stop Sydneysiders rallying for Aboriginal rights but an appeal court's last-minute approval certainly helped.

At least 15,000 people, many wearing masks, were already gathered in front of Sydney Town Hall on Saturday when the Court of Appeal declared the 'Stop All Black Deaths in Custody' rally an authorised public assembly.

Thousands of people descended on Sydney's CBD for a Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday. Credit:James Brickwood

The decision, overturning a Supreme Court ruling on Friday night, gave protesters immunity from arrest for blocking roads along the planned route from Town Hall to Belmore Park.

Tense scenes unfolded at Sydney's Central Station after the main march ended, with police using pepper spray to disperse up to 100 remaining protesters.

In Melbourne, event organisers were happy with the numbers and the peaceful nature of the protest, but they still each face a $1652 fine from Victoria Police for organising a gathering in breach public health orders.

Protesters in Melbourne's CBD. Credit:Chris Hopkins

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said he was pleased with the crowd's peaceful behaviour but he was worried that people had gathered in such large numbers in breach of the State of Emergency rules and in defiance of warnings to stay away.

"While the Black Lives Matter protest was held in breach of the Chief Health Officer directions, police were generally pleased with the behaviour of those who came into the city to protest today," he said.

"We remain concerned that such a large gathering has occurred without regard for the need to maintain social distance and will now consider what action should be taken in relation to the organisation and conduct of this unlawful gathering."

In Brisbane, police estimated 10,000 people joined a peaceful protest, wearing masks and holding 'Black Lives Matter' placards. Many wrapped themselves in Indigenous flags, calling for an end to police mistreatment of indigenous Australians.

with Noel Towell, AAP
Britains high-street restaurant chains Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge and Las Iguanas could see around 30% of their outlets cut, two sources told Reuters, as their owner pushes ahead with talks to sell the businesses stricken by the COVID-19 crisis.

Casual Dining Group, owner of those chains and several others, is in negotiations with potential buyers for its entire estate, the sources said.

The closure of outlets and some of the smaller chains in its portfolio are on the table as part of this, they added.

Some of the smaller chains in CDGs portfolio - such as Belgian-inspired Belgo and Huxley Bar & Kitchen - could be at risk altogether, said one of the sources, with buyers looking to buy a leaner and more profitable business.

The company is also negotiating lower rents from landlords.

CDG declined to comment. Its private equity owners KKR and Pemberton Capital Advisors were not immediately available for comment.

Last month the company hired Alix Partners and Kirkland & Ellis to explore options, including administration for all or part of the group.

Slim margins and overcapacity mean many restaurant chains in Britain will downsize or disappear from the high street altogether after nearly three months of closures due to the novel coronavirus lockdown.

With the industry preparing to reopen from July, social distancing is expected to hit it hard given its dependence on heavy footfall and quick turnaround of customers.

Social distancing is not going away any time soon and the issues that had previously weighed on the food industry, such as business rates, and food and drinks increase in costs, are being exacerbated by the crisis, said Ciara Cullen, food and drinks lawyer at RPC.

For an overview of popular high-street restaurants seeking restructuring, click here

An industry study by CGA AlixPartners Market Recovery Monitor shows that at the end of March this year, the pre-lockdown number of licensed premises in Britain stood at 115,108, a 2.4% reduction on March 2019.

That rate of decline is set to accelerate rapidly in the coming months.

Although 96% of business leaders in the pub, bar and restaurant industry are expecting a phased re-start, only a third believe they will eventually re-open all their sites for trading, according to the report.

Italian high street chain Carluccios was recently sold to Boparan Restaurants, owner of the Giraffe chain, which will only retain 30 out of its 70 sites.

Pizza Express is also facing headwinds, with its 465 million pound debt maturing in August 2022 trading at a cash price of 15 pence on the pound. Anything below 60 is considered distressed territory.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. )

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The Market Street Bridge will keep its name but a smaller span on Erford Road that crosses over Routes 11/15 in East Pennsboro Township will soon bear the name the Senator Hal Mowery Memorial Bridge."

Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law on Friday the bridge-naming bill that designates this recently replaced bridge after Mowery, who served in the House and Senate for 26 years representing West Shore communities including the area where the bridge is located. It also sits near the road where Mowerys insurance office used to be located.

This effort to pay tribute to the late senator, who died in 2014, by naming a bridge in his honor was not the first try to attach Mowerys name to span. An earlier unsuccessful attempt sought to name the West Shore section of the Market Street Bridge in Mowerys honor.

Sen. Mike Regan, R-Cumberland County, in 2017 proposed that measure. At the time, he said he thought it was appropriate to name that section of the bridge that crosses over the Susquehanna River connecting the East and West shores after Mowery whose insurance business employed people from throughout the midstate and his community and legislative contributions benefitted people on both shores and beyond.

But officials in Harrisburg argued vigorously against that idea. They said they didnt think it was appropriate to name the bridge after a Cumberland County legislator when most of the bridge sits in Dauphin County. Further, they said Mowerys connection to Dauphin County was tenuous at best.

After that effort failed, Rep. Greg Rothman, R-Cumberland County, selected the Erford Road bridge as an alternative that he said will serve as a lasting tribute to his legacy of public service and entrepreneurship.

Regan supported that alternative location to honor a man who once held the elected offices that both he and Rothman now hold.

Senator Mowery was a loving family man, a respected businessperson, and a dedicated and accomplished public servant. He was the epitome of a statesman, Regan said. He was ahead of his time and championed many legislative issues with his efforts to increase funding and raising awareness for mental health services and making healthcare more accessible for all Pennsylvanians among them.

The law takes effect in 60 days.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
>>> Vietnam goes through 50 days without local transmission of COVID-19

The patients were released this morning from the Hanoi-based National Hospital for Tropical Diseases Base 2. Known as Patients 293, 302 and 320, all three young men are Vietnamese expatriates who returned home from Russia on May 18 and were placed under quarantine upon entry.

After their treatment at the hospital, all the patients have provided multiple consecutive negative test results for SARS-CoV-2 and now have no sign of fever or cough and will be followed up for the next 14 days during their home isolation.

The latest discharges bring the rate of recoveries in Vietnam to 93%. There are still 23 patients being treated at health facilities nationwide and most of them are in stable health. Among them, there are several that have tested negative for the coronavirus at least once.

As of this morning, Vietnam had no COVID-19 cases to report, marking 50 days in a row without any new infections in the community. Among the 328 infection cases, there are 188 imported ones; they have been immediately quarantined upon entry, posing no risk to the community.

The nation has suffered no deaths due to COVID-19 so far, while the health of Patient 91, the countrys most critically ill COVID-19 patient, has improved significantly. Undergoing intensive care at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City after being announced as free from the deadly virus, the British pilot has awakened from a comma and his recovery has reached about 60%.

The patient stopped relying on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on the morning of June 3. He is stable now but is still in a serious condition that will cost him more time for recovery.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's handling of the coronavirus crisis has allowed him to shed his reputation as a weak-willed puppet of other parties and even bolstered his country's image abroad, some experts say.

Italy -- once the epicentre of the outbreak in Europe, which has killed around 34,000 people in the country since February -- is slowly emerging from the world's longest coronavirus shutdown, which has ravaged its economy.

At the same time, the once discounted prime minister is now seeing his approval ratings soar.

"Conte's management of the crisis has been broadly appreciated," said Alessandro Giacone, political history lecturer at the University of Bologna.

A recent Ixe poll found that 59 percent of Italians trust Conte, who uses Facebook and direct appeals on national television to take his message to the masses.

"Conte isn't seen as being a traditional politician but rather as a free agent who provides information in an independent way," said Gianfranco Pasquino, political science lecturer at Bologna's Johns Hopkins University.

Italy is slowly emerging from the world's longest coronavirus shutdown, which has ravaged its economy /  AFP/File

In a political culture known for bluster and rhetoric, Conte has been perceived as a clear head who has not tried to spare Italians from the difficult realities of the past few months, but who has spoken clearly and directly of challenges ahead.

At the same time he has shown political courage in taking potentially unpopular decisions, such as Italy's long lockdown which helped stem the spread of the virus, yet drastically hurt its economy.

That decision will hang over Conte's head as the country now tries to regain its economic footing after the crisis.

"He dealt very well with some aspects of the crisis, less well with others," said Vincenzo Galasso of Milan's Bocconi University.

- Setting the tone -

When Conte was named prime minister in June 2018 by the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S), to which he is close ideologically, he was a complete unknown.

A law lecturer with no political experience, the press portrayed him as a puppet whose strings were pulled by his two deputy prime ministers, M5S's Luigi Di Maio and in particular Matteo Salvini, head of the far-right League.

But that all changed when Conte formed a new coalition government in September, between the M5S and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD).

Conte "strengthened his position, he has much more room for manoeuvre, without deputy prime ministers impeding him", said Giacone.

Along with France and Germany, Conte was a driving force behind the 750-billion-euro European recovery plan agreed last month /  Palazzo Chigi press office/AFP/File

"During the (coronavirus) crisis, government measures became centralised, with the prime minister emerging at the fore of the political (and media) stage," he said.

While stereotypes of Italy as a spendthrift nation hampered by structural weaknesses remain, "at the end of the day, the results have been more or less similar to those in most big European countries, and so Italy's own image has improved," said Giacone.

After China, where the outbreak first emerged last December, Italy has "almost in spite of itself set the tone: the experiment of lockdown and its easing started in Italy. The country was a kind of laboratory," he said.

Along with France and Germany, Conte was also a driving force behind the 750-billion-euro European recovery plan which was agreed last month.

- Salvini down -

Conte has also benefited from a slight weakening in support for far-right leader Salvini, who made a strategic blunder when he brought down his own coalition government last year.

The Ixe poll found only 30 percent of Italians have confidence in Salvini.

His League party, which a year ago had 35 percent of voter intentions, now has only 25 percent, though it remains Italy's most-popular single party.

Matteo Salvini, the leader of the far-right League party, is seeing a weakening of support among Italians /  AFP/File

There could be a reckoning for Conte, however, as a fuller picture emerges of Italy's economy -- the third largest in the EU.

The country faces its worst recession since World War II, with 45 percent of Italians out of work at the end of March and a third seeing their salaries slashed.

"Italy stopped," Galasso said.

"The employment market was hit hard and in a very unequal way because it mostly affected unskilled workers, those who could not work from home," he said.

"It's not yet entirely visible, but this is a potential time bomb."
Tim Malcolm and Jeniffer Tarazona never seemed to quite get their relationship off the ground on TLCs 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days.

25-year-old Jeniffer, a model and single mom from Colombia, was frustrated with 39-year-old Tims passivity in their relationship. They famously never consummated their relationship when Tim flew out from Charlotte, NC, to visit Jeniffer in her home country.

Jeniffer and Tim seemed ill-matched at every turn. Still, although they didnt get engaged on their trip as theyd planned they might, they decided to keep dating long-distance. But on a recent episode of 90 Day Fiance: Self-Quarantined, Tim opened up about why his relationship with his Colombian ex finally ended.

Jeniffer Tarazona | Jeniffer Tarazona via Instagram

RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: A Business Owner Claims Tim Malcolm Harassed Him For Free Work

Tim and Jenniffer had plans to meet up again after his trip to Colombia

On 90 Day Fiance: Self-Quarantined, Tim looked back at his tumultuous relationship with Jenifferwho often insulted his masculinity when he finally went to meet her. Tims ex-girlfriend often accused him of being moody and not as adventurous as hed presented himself to be online.

I met Jeniffer online in 2018, the 90 Day Fiance star, who was quarantined in his hometown of Charlotte, said. We were talking online, and we were possibly gonna get engaged. I thought it was really serious.

But Tim revealed that hed never laid eyes on her in person again after his first trip to Colombia. I visited her in the fall of 2019, and that was the last time I ever saw her, he admitted.

Still, the 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days star called up his ex to see how she was doing amid the COVID-19 crisis. I havent actually talked to Jeniffer in a couple of months, but I know things arent great with the coronavirus situation in Colombia, he explained. So I think that calling and checking on her is the right thing to do. (She declined his call.)

Although Jeniffer and Tim were obviously no longer an item in 2020, the 90 Day Fiance star said their first trip together wasnt the end of their relationship altogether. In fact, after the 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days Tell-All, Tim said, Jeniffer and I were planning about her getting a visa.

An argument over money exploded between the tumultuous pair

While Jeniffer was planning to visit Timand possibly even move to the U.S.after he went to Colombia to see her, money issues got in the way.

It was very expensive, Tim said of the visa application process. So I told her, I said, you know, Jeniffer, give me some time. I just purchased this very expensive piece of equipment. Tim runs a custom gold-plating and engraving firearms business, and explained that he works seven days a week, often for 15-18 hours at a time.

But the 90 Day Fiance star said that his purchase didnt exactly please his girlfriend, who was offended that he would spend money on his business instead of on her upcoming trip to the U.S. Tim and Jeniffer began to clash about the financial issue. Of course, to her, that was like, Oh, you care more about your business, Tim said.

The couple finally called the whole thing off

Finally, Tim and Jeniffers fighting got to be too much, he claimed. By the end, neither of them wanted to continue the relationship.

That started a series of arguments, the 90 Day Fiance star said. And finally, I got to the point that I was just like, I dont even want you to come anymore. She didnt want to come anymore. And we stopped talking. We were done.

While Tim said he missed talking to Jeniffer, he knew their breakup was ultimately for the best. I miss Jeniffer, but the drama that came with the relationship, I dont miss, he confessed.

Tim now appears on 90 Day Fiance: Pillow Talk with his longtime ex and close friend, Veronica Rodriguez, with whom he platonically co-parents his former stepdaughter, 13-year-old Chloe. The stepdad also said he was newly dating (coincidentally) another Colombian woman living in Charlotte, although he didnt know how serious that relationship might get.
The logo of Chevron is seen at the company's office in Caracas

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A Chevron Corp <CVX.N> crude oil cargo has become embroiled in U.S. sanctions on shipping companies for violating restrictions on doing business with Venezuela, the company confirmed on Friday.

Adamant Maritime Ltd, owner of very large crude-oil carrier (VLCC) Seahero was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Treasury on Tuesday for carrying a Venezuelan cargo in February. The vessel is heading to Asia after recently stopping in Trinidad and Tobago, according to vessel tracking data.

The tanker is on short-term charter and "performing a voyage that is not related to Venezuela," Chevron spokesman Ray Fohr said. "We are working with the appropriate government agencies to ensure compliance with U.S. laws and regulations," he said.

Chevron is the last U.S. oil producer operating in Venezuela.

It put the vessel on a six-month charter a week ago, prior to the sanctions, according to Refinitiv Eikon data.

The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Adamant Maritime and three other shipping firms for transporting Venezuelan oil, the latest escalation in Washington's effort to oust President Nicolas Maduro by cutting off the OPEC nation's crude exports.

Washington is considering imposing sanctions on dozens of additional foreign oil tankers for trading with Venezuela, a U.S. official confirmed on Friday.

Vessels that could be targeted included 25 supertankers, which can each carry a maximum of 2 million barrels of oil, and 17 smaller vessels, sources said.

The Treasury Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Seahero's manager was listed as Greek company Thenamaris, according to shipping data and Thenamaris' website. The Athens-based company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Jennifer Hiller in Houston, Devika Krishna Kumar in New York and Jonathan Saul in London; Editing by Marguerita Choy, Richard Chang and David Gregorio)
Are you a career politician because youve done something for a long time or youre a career politician because of how you come to the office and do the job? he asked during a recent interview with The Washington Post. I dont ever want to be a career politician. I want to always be somebody who is perfectly willing to work with people across the aisle, but also willing to engage in a fight worth fighting. I would say theres plenty of both of those to be done right now.
Physicians at Christ Hospital in Jersey City treating a Covid-19 patient during the pandemic. Source: Christ Hospital/Carepoint Health

If you want to get a close-up view of how the coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll on America's health-care system, just look at Christ Hospital in Jersey City, New Jersey, one of the nation's earliest hot spots. For the past three months this 375-bed facility has had to cope with a flood of Covid-19 patients, mounting deaths and a stalwart workforce stretched to the limit. "This was the harshest and most difficult time of my career," says a nurse who works at Christ Hospital who wished to remain anonymous. "Many days we were severely understaffed, and had to work long hours to keep up with the surge. So many patients were dying, and we were the only ones their to hold their hands in the end. All of us are still traumatized." "We've never seen so much death," said Dr. Tucker Woods, chief medical officer. The numbers might have been higher if he and Christ's other leaders hadn't taken swift action to transform the hospital into a MASH-type operation. By mid-March, Christ Hospital had trained a core team of physicians and nurses to treat patients in designated units, established procedures for reusing dwindling supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) and erected an outdoor triage center. But nurses and other frontline staff say these measures were not nearly enough. It has led local No. 5186 of the Health Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE) union in New Jersey to file an OSHA complaint citing workplace safety hazards against the hospital in early June. The complaint alleges that the hospital gave the staff counterfeit, nonapproved masks and respirators, did not properly train staff on how to don and remove PPE to avoid Covid-19 contamination and did not keep a log that recorded employees who contracted the illness or a record of their follow-up medical treatment. These are claims chief hospital executive Marie Duffy says are untrue and that the hospital plans to dispute. Christ Hospital is not alone. The health-care facility is one of 16 under OSHA investigation in New Jersey, according to the HPAE. At the same time, an existential threat was looming  a contentious acquisition deal that could lead to the hospital's closing altogether. That's ironic, considering how much the community needed the hospital during the worst pandemic in a century. But the health-care sector has been among sectors hardest hit during this recession, with more than 1.4 million workers suddenly without jobs. Thousands of hospitals are at risk of closing in the months ahead, especially those in rural areas and small towns, according to Chartis Center for Rural Health. Even with money from a $175 billion bailout, many hospitals such as Christ Hospital are facing critical cash shortages because they have had to cancel the elective procedures they rely on to make money.

The emotional siege

Despite the challenges, rather than eliminating jobs, Christ Hospital's leaders reconfigured its workforce of about 1,100 employees and redeployed hospital resources. They reassigned medical staff to direct therapy trials to work in a crisis-management "war room" and to assist in diagnostic labs. They established a "proning team" of nurses who turn ventilated patients to improve oxygenation. They recruited personnel to operate a makeshift morgue. All the while, Christ's leaders also are addressing the emotional toll the crisis has taken on everyone. They don scrubs and tour the ICUs to comfort overwhelmed frontline providers and boost morale. They launched a "warm line" for traumatized staff to call. If an employee tests positive for the coronavirus and needs to take time off, management ensures they're appropriately paid.

Woods claims these changes have circumvented any moves to downsize. "Christ Hospital has not laid off or furloughed any employees," said Woods. Although a portion of its workers took voluntary leaves of absence or chose to resign rather than risk exposure to the virus, there have been no shortages of doctors and nurses, added Duffy. "All clinical staff were reassigned and repurposed," she said. "But many nurses at the hospital are upset they haven't received hazard pay for risking their lives during this crisis," says Nicole Nankowski, an ICU nurse and president of HPAE Union local No. 5186 in Jersey City. It's an issue the union has raised with hospital management. According to Duffy, a lack of funds has made it hard to do. Instead, the hospital gave workers $50 Shop Rite gift cards for food.

A crash course on crisis management

Christ Hospital is one of three for-profit New Jersey hospitals owned by Jersey City-based CarePoint Health. Christ serves a diverse, largely minority population in a city of roughly 265,500. It is designated a safety-net hospital, meaning it provides health care for individuals regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay  an already vulnerable demographic that has been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. But nothing could have prepared the hospital staff for the sudden influx of sick and dying patients. As of June 1, Christ Hospital had admitted a total of 808 patients who were either diagnosed with Covid-19 or under investigation for it, 173 of whom succumbed to the disease. That day, the hospital had 31 such patients, representing 41.7% of the inpatient population. "At our peak in early April, we had 142 Covid patients," Woods said, or 84% of all inpatients. "We're still drinking water from a fire hose, but it's much better than previously."

The ICU department at Christ Hospital in Jersey City has been devoted mostly to Covid-19 patients during the pandemic. Christ Hospital/CarePoint Health

During the height of the crisis, physicians' caseloads were doubled and nurse-to-patient ratios went up significantly. PPE was a huge stressor, said Sara Vieira, assistant vice president of patient-care services, who oversees the nursing staff. "We were used to having so much PPE around, we never thought we'd run out," she said. "But in January we saw a fracture in our supply chain." Unsure when new deliveries might arrive, "I gave nurses a bag with an N95 mask in it and told them to use that for the day," Vieira said. Nurses also were instructed to wash eye shields with bleach until they couldn't be used anymore. When the need for additional ventilators in the ICUs became critical, Duffy contacted the state's department of health. "By end of day, they dropped off five ventilators," she said. As the number of deaths rose, the hospital brought in refrigerated trailers to serve as temporary morgues. Now the hospital is preparing for a new spike in cases due to the large protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the gradual reopening of the local economy. And that should continue in the fall as the flu season gets under way. To prepare, Christ Hospital has begun rapid, on-site coronavirus test analyses, established new screening and testing guidelines for staff and patients, instituted universal mask-wearing, is replenishing PPE supplies and will be installing thermal cameras at entrances to detect employees and patients with fever.

Navigating through a firestorm

Although mandatory social distancing guidelines have led to a massive drop in Covid-19 patients in the Northeast, many believe a new wave could appear in the fall. The administration says they will be better prepared this time around. "It's important to take a lead role and to prioritize work assignments," Woods said. You must be a good listener, too. "Sometimes doctors come into my office and cry, so listening to them is really necessary." Duffy too has had to console many grief-stricken staffers while doing rounds on the floors and in the ICU during the crisis. Clearly communicating a plan is vital, Vieira said, recalling Friday calls with nursing supervisors about leadership's plans for the upcoming week. "There may be some pushback, so I have to talk through the risks versus the benefits. I've often said, This is the best bad decision." "In a crisis like this, you see characteristics come out from those who are strong and those who aren't so much," said Dr. Caitlin Jones, medical director of the emergency department. You find out who you can count on, or not. "My phrase is, 'Tough times don't last; tough people do,'" she said. "Buck up and get the work done." In fact, some members of the Christ workforce quit or resigned for fear of having to care for Covid patients. "I cannot imagine ever hiring those folks again," Vieira said. "They left us in our time of most need. As a leader you have to go on with people who can pull you through." "The true test of leadership is how you function in a time of crisis," Duffy said. "Outcomes are determined by leaders' actions, and our employees look to us and how we respond." Duffy manages Christ's day-to-day operations  from staffing to tracking patients to monitoring expenses  a routine upended during the past few tumultuous months. In January, anticipating a Covid-19 surge, the hospital implemented its established disaster plan, implemented for past events such as the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and Superstorm Sandy in 2012, and set up a command center, dubbed the war room. There, she and her fellow leaders coordinate daily plans and review reports from employees whom they've put in charge of critical issues, such as PPE inventory and patient discharges.

Sometimes doctors come into my office and cry, so listening to them is really necessary. Dr. Tucker Woods chief medical officer, Christ Hospital

"Times like this require consistent, accurate and constant communications with employees," Duffy said. To that end, she participates in 2 p.m. conference calls several days a week, during which various leaders update each other and field questions from doctors and nurses. "Knowledge is power, and when they have the information, it makes them a lot more confident." Woods, formerly the ED director for the CarePoint network, began developing pandemic protocols in 2014, when West Africa's Ebola epidemic threatened the U.S. "We referred to those procedures, which definitely helped us prepare for the coronavirus," he recalled. The key, Woods said, was putting together the core team to exclusively treat coronavirus patients. "Normally we have 40 to 50 physicians caring for admitted patients, but didn't want to train that many for Covid-19." So he reassigned a multidisciplinary group comprising six hospitalists (in-house doctors who see inpatients), 12 physicians and seven physician assistants from the emergency department and nine physicians from the intensive care unit (ICU), as well as about 40 critical-care nurses. As the number of Covid patients escalated, Woods enlisted several private physicians from the community. In early March, Dr. Antonios Tsompanidis, Christ's chief academic officer, suggested conscripting a group of 38 interns, residents and fellows to further ease the core team's burdens. "They agreed to put their traditional medical education at a standstill," Tsompanidis said. "They're now working seven days on, seven days off, treating Covid patients either in the inpatient units or the ICU." Woods had to assign other physicians to a range of vital jobs, confident they'd rise to the occasion. For instance, a family medicine doctor was put in charge of implementing Christ's use of convalescent plasma therapy, an experimental procedure that treats severe Covid patients with blood donated from ones who have recovered, on the premise that their antibodies will turn back the disease. "She's been the perfect person to run the program," he said. He asked the director of respiratory therapy to help manage makeshift morgues retrofitted inside three refrigerated trailers Woods requisitioned as deaths mounted. Bodies have to be respectfully handled and lifted onto shelves 10 deep in each trailer. "It is physically and emotionally grueling and a huge logistical challenge," Woods said.

Christ Hospital workers put the deceased from Covid-19 into a trailer used as a temporary morgue. Christ Hospital/Carepoint Health

Throughout the pandemic, daily media reports from hospitals across the country have shined a light on the tireless efforts of frontline nurses. At Christ Hospital, Vieira marshals an army of about 500 nurses working in different medical services, but whose assignments to Covid-19 duty increased along with the number of infected patients. "In the beginning, the emergency department and ICU nurses trained in critical care were the sole focus," she said. "Then we added the telemetry unit, and then another unit, until almost the entire building was dedicated to Covid-19 care." Nurses from other services, such as surgery, endoscopy and same-day care, were idled when the hospital canceled scheduled elective procedures in March. "But it wasn't possible to make them critical-care nurses overnight," Vieira explained, "so we assigned them as runners to assist in Covid-19 units." They do everything from procuring medications from the pharmacy to answering phone calls from worried family members who can't visit their loved ones. As coronavirus cases continued to grow, Christ Hospital tapped into the nationwide network of traveling nurses, recruiting about 20 critical-care specialists from as far away as Texas and Alaska. They were onboarded in hours instead of weeks and put right to work in Covid-19 units. "It's been one of the ways we've survived," Vieira said. Although most of the medical and surgical units in Christ Hospital eventually were devoted to coronavirus patients, the emergency room was inundated early on. "This is a place with controlled chaos on a regular basis, but now there's just more chaos," Jones said of her domain, at one point 95% filled with Covid-19 patients, three quarters of them on ventilators. The emergency department's physicians, physician assistants and nurses had to transition from treating heart attacks, broken bones and other emergencies to Covid cases. An unusual challenge, though, as more and more people started showing up, was differentiating individuals who actually were infected and symptomatic from the "worried well" who feared they were. Fortunately, Woods and Duffy anticipated the rush and opened the outdoor tent, which essentially became a screening area for the emergency room. Getting it up and running took some doing, however, including coordination with city hall. "Christ Hospital's leaders were very proactive putting in place policies to protect the public," says Jersey City mayor Stephen Fulop. "They were the first hospital in Hudson County to set up a screening tent." Fulop stepped up, too, fast-tracking permits from the fire department to use outdoor electricity and propane heat, and extolling the tent during an onsite press conference when it opened.

What lies ahead

As the Covid crisis stretches into its third month, with death, fatigue and fear affecting Christ's workforce, another role for the hospital's leaders is balancing empathy and compassion with strength and resolve. "For me it's knowing when they are at their most distressed," Vieira said of the nurses. To see that firsthand, she dons scrubs and rounds with them, seeing their patients and the risks they're facing. She cries with them when another death is too much to take. "Just supporting them," Vieira said. Duffy, who has an extensive nursing background, rounds with the nurses as well. "I'm proud to be out there touring with RNs in the hot zones," she said. "It makes me more relatable to them, knowing I understand their situation." If they want to vent frustrations, she listens. "Sometimes their situation is so emotional, I tear up, and that's okay," Duffy said, admitting that stalwart leaders have emotions, too. "Showing them doesn't make you look weak." Even so, circumstances can dictate when to emote. Woods confessed to a few sobbing episodes while driving home at night.
Britons diagnosed with coronavirus are handing over fewer than two close contacts to the Government's track and tracers, raising doubts about whether the system is fit for purpose.

A leaked document revealed that just 10,000 close contacts were provided by 8,000 people who were diagnosed with coronavirus in England last week.

Experts said today the results were 'somewhat surprising' and 'somewhat disappointing', and suggest people are still hesitant about handing over phone numbers of friends and family.

Another theory is that people are having very few close interactions with other people because of social distancing rules.

Meanwhile, the 10-an-hour contact tracing staff have complained they are still sitting around idle without any work to do, passing the time by watching Netflix or playing with their dog.

Experts believe a fully functioning test and trace programme will be critical if the UK is to avoid a spike in infections as life gets back to normal.

Countries like Germany and South Korea were two of only a handful of nations to flatten the curve of their outbreaks thanks to stringent test and trace systems.

The NHS Test and Trace programme launched last week but ministers are under pressure after failing to reveal how many people have so far been contacted

Test and trace requires people with symptoms to self-isolate and get tested. If they test positive their close contacts are then tracked down and also told to self-isolate.

The system is designed to break the chain of transmission as quickly as possible in order to squash potential outbreaks and stop them from escalating.

Ministers are facing growing criticism over their refusal to publish data showing how many people have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace so far.

Number 10 would only say the numbers will be released 'shortly' once the data has been verified.

The leaked document, seen by the BBC, gives a glimpse into how the crucial scheme is performing in its first week.

But the figures only account for Covid-19 cases in the community and do not include people who were hospitalised with the virus.

Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist at the University of East Anglia, said: 'I think at the moment this is still very new and the people working the system are only really just getting their heads around how it works. There will still be a lot of wrinkles in the system.

'But I think that the number of contacts being only a little over a one per case is somewhat surprising I think and somewhat disappointing.'

It has launched without the new NHSX app, which uses Bluetooth technology to alert people when theyve been close to a COVID-19 patient

What is the NHS Test and Trace system? Anyone who develops Covid-associated symptoms is being told to self-isolate and get tested under the test and trace scheme. Close contacts of those who are found to be positive for the disease are then told to quarantine for 14 days - even if they test negative and are not sick. Boris Johnson's government has hired an enormous army of 50,000 people who will attempt to make this huge undertaking possible. Around 25,000 are contact tracers who will contact people who return positive coronavirus tests to grill them on their movements and their known associates. The idea is to build a picture of who they have come into contact with and so who might be at risk of a) becoming ill and b) passing it on to more people. Another 25,000 people in the scheme are testers, who will go out into the community and test these known associates. Either way, these known associates will be under orders to immediately quarantine, even if the tests they return are negative. Baroness Dido Harding, executive chairwoman of NHS Test and Trace, said the scheme was central to easing the lockdown further. She said: 'NHS Test and Trace is designed to enable the vast majority of us to be able to get on with our lives in a much more normal way. 'We will be trading national lockdown for individual isolation if we have symptoms. 'Instead of 60 million people being in national lockdown, a much smaller number of us will be told we need to stay at home, either for seven days if we are ill or 14 days if we have been in close contact.' The UK's coronavirus tracing programme will be split into two parts. Part One: People will be ordered to self-isolate for seven days if they develop symptoms. Anyone in the same household will have to do the same. Those people should then order a coronavirus test online or by calling 119. This will be available for residents in Wales from Saturday. If a test is positive, that victim must complete seven days in isolation. If the test comes back negative, no one needs to self-isolate. However, people with a positive test for Covid-19 will then be contacted via text message or email or by phone and told to answer questions. They will be asked to share phone numbers and email addresses for close contacts. For those under 18, they will receive a call from the team and a parent or guardian must give permission for the call to continue. Part Two: People who have been listed as a person with whom a coronavirus victim has had close contact will receive a text message or an email. They will then be asked to self-isolate for up to 14 days based on when they last came into contact with that person. Other household members do not need to self-isolate unless symptoms are present. If they develop Covid-associated symptoms, all other household members should self-isolate and they should then order a test. If the test is positive, self-isolation must continue for seven days. If the test is negative, that person should still complete 14 days in case the virus is not showing. Advertisement

'There was a an unofficial pilot study in Sheffield, and they were reporting the fact they're finding that often people were unwilling to tell people about their contacts.

'So maybe there was an element of that but maybe it's still gearing up and getting the system operating properly.'

Professor Hunter said the contact tracing was complicated and there might be some communication problems across different parts of Government.

One theory for the low contact turnover rate is that people are only having contact with one other person.

But Professor Hunter said he doubted the theory, adding: 'It's certainly one interpretation. But how many of us live in households where there is just only one other person? Quite a few, but there will be a lot more families in larger households.'

NHS Test and Trace has suffered numerous set backs since it went live with many staff complaining that they have not got any work to do.

A woman in her 30s, who does not want to be identified, said she has yet to pick up the phone to contact anyone, despite being given a minimum three-month contract working a full 37.5 hour week.

She told The i: 'I phoned the support team on May 22 to see what was going on and was told 'you just have to wait'.

'I have literally just been waiting since then. And I'm not the only one saying this. There's 182 people on my 'smart team communicator' chat.

'No one I know of has been assigned any calls. Even with the 'Go Live' badge I received last week - which you get once the moderators have completed their checks - I still haven't been given any work to do. It's a bit worrying to be honest.'

Another said he had spent four shifts playing with his puppy and claimed that more than 80 per cent of staff were idle last week.

The man said: 'It's really frustrating. They're throwing thousands or even millions of pounds away, all of the time I'm sat here doing basically nothing.

'I sit next to my laptop, reading newspapers and looking after my new puppy. We were told we need to be ready at a moment's notice, but we're sat here watching.'

A Department of Health spokesperson said: 'The new NHS Test and Trace service is up and running and is helping save lives. Anyone in this country can now book a test and the majority who book a test get the results back within a day.

'We have over 25,000 contact tracers in place, who have all been trained and are fully supported in their work by public health experts.'

It comes after it emerged ministers ignored its own scientists' advice when developing the contact tracing programme.

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) told the Government that anyone who suffers Covid-19-like symptoms should be isolated along with their close contacts.

But the UK and devolved Governments ignored that advice and are only tracing the contacts of people who have been diagnosed with the virus, The i reports.

The decision was made because ministers were concerned the public would become burned out if they were repeatedly asked to self-isolate despite never having the disease.

The crucial test and trace system has been launched without the NHSX mobile app, which alerts people when they have come close to an infected person.

But Transport Secretary last week appeared to confirm the app wont work perfectly when it is eventually launched nationwide to help halt the spread.

He responded to claims the app - considered the 'cherry on the cake' of Number 10s flagship Test and Trace scheme  would be 'imperfect' and 'clunky' for several months.

Mr Shapps said: 'Anyone who downloads an app on their phone knows it is forever being updated and bugs squashed and all the rest of it. Apps are never complete in that sense.'

Business Minister Nadhim Zahawi last night revealed the app won't go live until the end of the month  despite officials first promising it would be ready to roll-out across Britain in mid-May following a trial on the Isle of Wight.
Samantha Ware

Glee actress Samantha re-ignited rumors of Lea Michele's alleged bad behavior on-set, when she responded to Michele's post regarding the death of George Floyd earlier this week. Ware, 33, said: 'Remember when you made my first television gig a living hell?!?!... 'Cause I'll never forget... I believe you told everyone that if you had the opportunity you would 's*** in my wig!' amongst other traumatic microaggressions that made me question a career in Hollywood.'

Kicking off: Samantha Ware made claims about Lea Michele earlier this week.

Alex Newell

Alex - who starred as Unique Adams on the series for four seasons - promptly aired his feelings on Twitter. 'We ain't got not a damn thing to lie about 6 years later!' he replied to one fan who suggested they were making false accusations about Michele's behavior.

Dabier Snell

Actor Dabier Snell, who appeared in one episode of Glee, claimed he wasn't allowed to sit with Michele on set, saying: 'GIRL YOU WOULDNT LET ME SIT AT THE TABLE WITH THE OTHER CAST MEMBERS CAUSE 'I DIDNT BELONG THERE' F--K YOU LEA.'

Bad memories: Lea on Glee with Chris Colfer and Heather Morris

Heather Morris

Morris, 33, who played cheerleader Brittany S. Pierce on the Ryan Murphy show, claims Michele was 'very' unpleasant to work with, saying: ''Was she unpleasant to work with? Very much so; for Lea to treat others with the disrespect that she did for as long as she did, I believe she SHOULD be called out.'

Melissa Benoist

Supergirl star Melissa Benoist, who appeared on Glee with Lea Michele, liked a series of posts describing star's bullying and abusive behavior toward castmates. Benoist appeared on Glee's fourth season playing a character named Marley Rose. She sang a duet with Michele on the series. She also pressed the heart button on tweets from Glee's Alex Newell and Amber Riley that essentially endorsed the spirit of Ware's sentiments

Amber Riley

Riley, who played Mercedes Jones in the through all six seasons, shared two GIFs of herself following the allegations, one raising her hand, while the other sipping tea. The response caused a stir among fans who saw it as a subtle way of the actress chiming in. Later, she made clear she wasn't focused on the controversy amid the turbulent times of social unrest in the wake of George Floyd's killing, and would only speak on the topic once while appearing on Instagram Live. She said, 'I don't give a s*** about this Lea Michele thing - I really don't give a f*** ... people are out here dying and being murdered by police. I don't give a s*** about this Lea Michele thing - I wish her well, I hope she has an amazing pregnancy, I hope that she has grown.'

RHONY's Aviva Drescher

Even Real Housewives of New York star Aviva Drescher had a story to tell, commenting: 'You were once very unkind to me so I am not surprised by your behavior. You shouldn't judge others before looking in the mirror.' Michele made disparaging remarks about Drescher during an episode of Andy Cohen's Watch What Happens Live.

Awkward: Lea slated Aviva on a 2014 appearance on Watch What Happens Live!

Abigail Breslin

Scream Queens actress Breslin, 24, was another former co-star who was caught 'liking' a smattering of tweets about the controversy. Including one that read: not everyone agreeing that something felt off about Lea Michele where have yall been ive BEEN saying this FOR YEARS??? i thought i was alone.'

Yvette Nicole Brown

Actress Yvette Nicole Brown also gave her support to Ware. 'I felt every one of those capital letters,' the Community actress tweeted 'EVERY person on a set matters. EVERY person on a set deserves respect. And it is the RESPONSIBILITY of every series regular to make EVERY person who visits their home feel welcome. This dismissive attitude is whats wrong in Hollywood AND the world.'

Marcel Spears

The Mayor actor reacted to an array of replies to Ware's initial tweet, including one directly asking Yvette Nicole Brown: 'I assume u feel the same since u worked with her?'

Under fire: Lea Michele in

Gerard Canonico

Broadway actor Gerard Canonico, 30, was an understudy in the original Broadway cast of Spring Awakening starring Michele and her BFF Jonathan Groff. 'You were nothing but a nightmare to me and fellow understudy cast members. You made us feel like we didnt belong there,' Canonico wrote in a comment on her Instagram apology, which he had re-posted after claiming it had initially been deleted.

Elizabeth Aldrich

Actress Elizabeth Aldrich - who was Michele's understudy in Ragtime - claimed on Twitter: 'She was absolutely awful to me and ensemble. She demeaned the crew and threatened to have people fired if she was in anyway displeased. I used to cry every night from the mean and manipulative things she would do. She was 12. She was terrifying.'

Iqbal Theba

Glee co-star Iqbal Theba said he was not mistreated by the star and took to Twitter to write: 'Lot of people r assuming that @LeaMichele mistreated me. Let me state it clearly that I was never mistreated by her. And if some of the cast were treated badly then she has apologized for it which is wonderful. But being called a racist is too heavy & unfair a burden 4 most of us, specially in these troubled times.'

Plastic Martyr

Trans model Plastic recalled an incident with Lea in the women's bathroom at the 2010 Emmy Awards. She told The Sun: 'She goes, ''Excuse me?'' and she looks at her friends, looks at me again, and says, ''Excuse you, you're in the woman's bathroom''. I went from feeling like I was on cloud nine to feeling like a circus freak.'

Dean Geyer

Dean Geyer - who played Brody Weston, the boyfriend of Michele's character Rachel Berry, for 14 episodes - had nothing but nice things to say about her. 'Lea is still one of my favourite co-stars that I have had the pleasure of working with. She is extremely hard working and super fun to be around,' he said.

Jordan Pruitt

The Voice star Jordan Pruitt chimed in on Friday, tweeting: 'Everyone in Hollywood KNOWS that Lea Michele is a horrible human being . she is a B**** to everyone. We all know it  yawn. Moving on '
The Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia will on Monday 8th June 2020 launch a new single digital payment platform which is expected to enhance government digitization agenda.



Minister for Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah who disclosed this in Accra on Friday said the introduction of the single digital platform dubbed Ghana.GOV is an addition to the Akufo-Addo administrations digitization of the economy.



Ghana.GOV will provide a single point of access to all services of ministries, departments and agencies of government. Mr. Nkrumah said in highlighting the benefits of this new single payment platform, Dr. Bawumia will also use the ceremony to highlight the three main benefits of the payment platform.



These include growth in government revenue collections, deepening expenditure savings and helping our fight against corruption by reducing human interface in the administration of public services he said.



The government has already rolled out similar digitization platforms which includes National Digital Property Addressing System which provides Ghanaians with a unique permanent digital address linked to postcodes, the introduction of paperless port operations, the integrated e-immigration system, e-procurement, e-parliament, e-justice, e-cabinet and smart workplaces among other initiatives, which are all at various stages of implementation and the development of an interoperability system to integrate government databases.



The Minister said all these represent significant milestones by the Akufo-Addo administration in Ghanas journey to digitization



He added that it is the expectation of government that the introduction of the Ghana.GOV digital payment platform will be utilized by all stakeholders for maximum benefit.







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.

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COLUMBIA  An employee of Richland County Emergency Services has been arrested in the wake of last weekend's street violence with the Sheriff's Department saying he appears to be a member of the "Boogaloo boys," an alt-right group that wanted to foment violence during demonstrations.

Kevin Ackley, 22, of Lexington was fired from his post as a medic with Emergency Services after he was arrested Friday, according to a statement from the sheriff's department.

Ackley is charged with inciting a riot and and aggravated breach of peace. According to the department, Ackley threw a water bottle at law enforcement officers during protests against police brutality.

Its disgusting that a man who is supposed to be protecting the lives of citizens and law enforcement officers alike would participate in a riot that injured people, Sheriff Leon Lott said.

Ackley is alleged by the Sheriff's Department to be a supporter of the "Boogaloo boys," a right-wing or anarchist group that wanted to infiltrate peaceful protests and spur violence, according to media reports. Their stated goal is to trigger a second U.S. civil war, according to media reports.

The group wore Hawaiian shirts as part of their regalia. The Sheriff's Department said it seized a floral shirt and other items with logos associated with the Boogaloo boys from Ackley's possession.

Joshua Barnard, 24, of Columbia, who was arrested Thursday, also is suspected of being a supporter of the group. He has been charged with multiple charges including breaking into a motor vehicle, looting, larceny, and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

Earlier Friday, the Sheriff's Department announced the arrest of Joseph Watson, 20, of Columbia. He is facing charges of inciting a riot and aggravated breach of peace. Watson is suspected of being the individual seen in a social media video helping destroy a public fence in the Vista.

Both Ackley and Watson were being held Friday afternoon at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.

Local law enforcement has made seven arrests since last weekend's violence near the Columbia Police Department headquarters, some prompted by reviews of pictures and videos from social media. More arrests are likely as evidence is reviewed, according to Lott.
A n asteroid bigger than a skyscraper is due to zoom over Earth this weekend - but will miss our planet by a considerable distance.

The huge space rock is due to pass above us by in the early hours tomorrow in an orbit around the sun.

Its estimated diameter is up to 740 metres (2,428ft), which considerably taller than the Empire State Building and bigger than about 90 per cent of asteroids.

According to Nasas calculations the asteroid will travel at around 11 kilometres per second, or more than 24,000mph.

Astronomers have been tracking the asteroid for the past 18 years and it is one of about 2,000 "near-Earth" objects being monitored around our solar system, which also include comets.

The space rock, named 163348, is taller than the Empire State Building

The rock - officially named 163348 (2002 NN4) - will miss Earth by about 4.6 million miles. But astronomers and scientists still class that as something of a near-miss and have labelled it as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid.

The asteroid will make the approach in the early hours of Saturday, according to Nasas "close approach" tracker, before flying off on its own orbit around the solar system for nine years until is passes close to earth again.

Ian ONeill, of Nasas Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said: "In short, 2002 NN4 is a very well-known asteroid with a known orbit that will pass Earth at a safe distance.

In comparison, a close approach between the earth and Mars is about 44 million miles, while the moon is around 240,000 miles away.
The Donald Trump administrations shambolic response to the pandemic stands in contrast with China that has recovered faster, and has been able to tame the virus and kickstart its economy.

The arc of history is bending towards the rise of China. As 27 states and at least 200 cities including New York and Washington DC go under curfew in the United States, impacting more than 60 million residents, the collapse of the liberal democratic order in its bastion is happening right before our eyes.

On Thursday, an unprecedented 75,000 paramilitary forces  called the National Guard  were deployed across 31 states in the US. In contrast, there are roughly 9,000 US troops currently stationed in Afghanistan and 5,000 in Iraq, as per ABC News.

While more than 10,000 have been arrested so far for protesting against racism and police brutality, the world has also seen widespread scenes of rioting, looting, violence, destruction of public and private properties on American streets. Allegations abound of police excesses against protesters and media.

Meanwhile, more than 1.8 million people have been affected by the coronavirus in the US, with 1,000 new deaths reported on Friday taking the overall death count to 1,08,000. There is widespread apprehension that nationwide protests will push up those numbers exponentially.

The pandemic or the death of George Floyd may not have caused the bending of the arc away from the American Century but these epochal events would certainly hasten the global ascendancy of autocracy.

This is because the rise of liberal democracy as the worlds most preferred political system was based not only on economic logic, but also on a moral foundation that now lies shaken.

As democracy thrived in the world after World War II championed by the influence, wealth and power of the United States, liberal hegemony rode on the wings of economic success, geopolitical appeal as well as in the notion that it is not necessary to trade political freedom for economic welfare.

The core appeal of liberal democracy, therefore, lay in its ability to foster astounding economic progress while preserving the values of freedom, political equality and civic rights.

As Yascha Mounk from Harvard University and Roberto Stefan Foa from University of Melbourne wrote in Foreign Affairs, If citizens in India, Italy, or Venezuela seemed loyal to their political system, it must have been because they had developed a deep commitment to both individual rights and collective self-determination. And if Poles and Filipinos began to make the transition from dictatorship to democracy, it must have been because they, too, shared in the universal human desire for liberal democracy.

It is hard to argue in favour liberal democracys moral superiority when a US Senator recommends unleashing the 101st Airborne Division on protesting American citizens to tackle the anarchy, rioting and looting and President Donald Trump publicly endorses the idea on the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

Was Trump aware of the irony? Difficult to tell. The Tiananmen Square massacre occurred on 4 June, 1989, when the Chinese authoritarian regime sent troops, tanks and butchered unarmed civilians who had gathered peacefully in Beijing (and also elsewhere) to demand democratic reforms.

The mowing down of civilians  leaked documents reveal more than 10,000 were killed  has remained a permanent blot on Chinas history and a marker of the atrocities committed by the ruling Chinese Communist Party.

Together with the crumbling of the USSR, it seemed as if the US and its political system has secured a decisive economic, cultural and ideological victory over the authoritarian system.

United States was thought to be global rule-shaper and the indispensable nation. As the then US secretary of state Madeleine Albright said in 1998, We are America; we are the indispensable nation. We stand tall and we see further than other countries into the future

History moves in mysterious ways. Images of cops using tear gas and flash bangs to clear the crowd assembled near the White House so that Trump may walk over to a nearby church and pose with the Bible tear down Americas moral authority.

When the US president threatens to dominate the streets and deploy US military to defend the life and property of the residents; when the credibility of Black Lives Matter movement is threatened by widespread images of looting, destruction and vandalism; when far-Left group Antifa unleashes violence  the message that goes across is not just of the worlds most powerful nation descending into chaos, but equally of a nation that has no legitimacy to preach the values of liberty and equality to the world.

It reveals the dark underbelly of a nation that has chosen to gloss over rather than honestly confront its racist past.

Nike store on Michigan Ave smashed and completely looted pic.twitter.com/IRZc4FuDBO

 Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) May 31, 2020

This grandma lays waste to Black Lives Matter that ransacked her store as she watched #BLM pic.twitter.com/WOb5TpKCzi

 NF Singh  (@SinghManSpeak) June 3, 2020

On Friday night, a Fox News reporter and his crew were attacked outside the White House by BLM & antifa extremists. They hit them and destroyed their camera equipment. #BlackLivesMatter#Antifapic.twitter.com/3zzpoK4qjX

 Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) May 31, 2020

Structurally, militarily, financially, the US is still immensely powerful but current events are gnawing away its right to set standards for others. Unlike other nation-states that share its values of liberalism and democracy, what set the US apart was its evangelical eagerness to cast the world in its shadow.

Its leadership of the free world is now in question as it comes under relentless attack from the presumptive superpower and its well-organised propaganda machinery.

One Senator, Two Systems pic.twitter.com/oCif5JXGMq  Hu Xijin  (@HuXijin_GT) June 5, 2020

China has two motives. As the superpower-in-waiting, it wants to win the ideological battle and present itself as the custodian of a better culture. Two, it wants to strip the US of its discursive power. The second has become increasingly easier. The Trump administration has already come under criticism for its role and failure to lead a coordinated global response against the pandemic.

Images of protests and race riots in the US have sparked not only global outrage, but has also triggered copycat protests in many parts of the western world against racism in their own societies. As London, Berlin, Paris or Vancouver see huge demonstrations, it has become easy for China to call the liberal democratic system a failure, and American attacks on China for its decision to impose national security laws on Hong Kong instances of hypocrisy. China can now fend off criticism for subverting autonomy in Hong Kong and oppressing pro-democracy protesters by drawing an equivalence with whats happening in the US. It is a false equivalence, but the US is losing the argument.

From @PDChina Beneath Human Rights #USAProtest#StandWithMinneapolis#dcblackoutpic.twitter.com/KyiG6BAk7M

 Qingqing_Chen (@qingqingparis) June 1, 2020

The 'beautiful sight' difined by US politicians has eventually extended from Hong Kong to the US. Now they can witness it by their home windows. I want to ask Speaker Pelosi and Secretary Pompeo: Should Beijing support protests in the US, like you glorified rioters in Hong Kong? pic.twitter.com/tvg0kyK8j0

 Hu Xijin  (@HuXijin_GT) May 30, 2020

"I can't breathe." pic.twitter.com/UXHgXMT0lk

 Hua Chunying  (@SpokespersonCHN) May 30, 2020

The New York Times quoted a French journalist as saying Beijing could not have hoped for a better gift The country that designates China as the culprit of all evils is making headlines around the world with the urban riots.

Chinese trolling betrays a sense of schadenfreude. To a certain extent this pushback is to be expected from a nation that has been at the receiving end of US animosity in diverse fields such as trade, technology, security, financial system and ideology.

The US not only identifies China as its strategic competitor, anti-China sentiment might be the primary agenda in upcoming US presidential polls. Understandably, China takes pleasure in US discomfort with an additional bonus of taking away its discursive power. After all, when American citizens are up in arms against their own government, tales of racial discrimination practiced by China become easier to deflect.

Beyond this trolling, Beijing has a deeper aim. It wants to also delegitimise Americas role as the global superpower by also questioning the efficiency of its system. Winning this ideological battle against the champion of liberal democracy is its primary aim.

China has an opportune moment to build a narrative.

The pandemic has exposed the chinks in Beijings armour, but it has exposed the western worlds inefficiencies even more. The Trump administrations shambolic response to the pandemic stands in contrast with China which has recovered faster and been able to tame the virus and kickstart its economy.

China knows well enough that with presidential elections around the corner, the US will be even more distracted than ever with domestic politics and it may give Beijing further chance to show how the liberal democratic system fosters division as opposed to its authoritarian model that seeks to bind the party, state and society as one.

As Farah N Jan and Justin Melnick argue in The National Interest, China is rapidly gaining structural power to rival the US through a combination of critical strategic partners and Sinocentric initiatives such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and global infrastructural projects like the Belt and Road Initiative.

Finally, the very economic logic behind the liberal democratic order  where nations wanted to copy American model and replicate its economic success  has been put to doubt by a version of market economy and globalisation that has fostered inequality as businesses pursues economic efficiency at the cost of everything else.

Having benefitted by gaming the system, China now has turned the logic on its head.

The great western argument that economic openness will lead to political openness in China has been breathtakingly inverted by Beijing to show that democracy is not a prerequisite for economic prosperity, and authoritarianism may not only address income inequalities but also achieve a more harmonious society.

The contrast with a polarised, unequal American society is laid bare for all to see. Right at this moment, the US seems to be the biggest advertisers of the Chinese system.
I dont know which way we go from here, said Siri Hibbler, head of the Garfield Park Chamber of Commerce. This is the shopping district of the West Side of Chicago. There is no other area that you can go into that has shopping and retail like Madison and Pulaski, all the way down to Kostner. So we really need some support over here.
The global death toll from the coronavirus neared 400,000 on Sunday with fatalities accelerating in Latin America, as oil-producing countries agreed to extend output cuts to offset a collapse in prices caused by the pandemic. Brazil now has the world's third-highest death toll from the virus, but President Jair Bolsonaro has threatened to leave the World Health Organization (WHO) over "ideological bias", following the example of the United States. He is among those arguing that the economic damage lockdowns are causing is worse than the virus itself -- and the oil industry has been hit particularly hard. OPEC agreed on Saturday to extend an April deal to cut production through July, aiming to foster a recovery in oil prices after they were pummelled by slumps in demand caused by virus restrictions. Governments are also increasingly focused on repairing the economic damage, and even hard-hit European countries are now opening their borders and allowing people to return to work. But gloomy data from Asia's two largest economies highlighted the long road to recovery. China reported a plunge in foreign trade on the back of subdued consumer demand and weakness in key overseas markets. Analysts say a deeper downturn in exports is looming for the world's manufacturing powerhouse, where the virus first emerged late last year. Factories in India are also struggling to restart because of labour shortages, as the country slowly emerges from a strict nationwide lockdown that sent millions of migrant labourers back to their far-flung home villages. - US 'largely through' - The worst health crisis in more than a century has infected nearly 6.9 million globally and forced tens of millions out of work just in the United States, the world's hardest-hit nation. But President Donald Trump said his country was bouncing back. "We had the greatest economy in the history of the world. And that strength let us get through this horrible pandemic, largely through, I think we're doing really well," he told reporters. As the country reels from a second weekend of massive protests against racism and police brutality, Trump -- facing re-election in November -- reiterated his calls to further ease stay-at-home measures. It followed surprisingly upbeat employment numbers that showed the country gained 2.5 million jobs in May. - EU to reopen borders - In Europe, badly-hit countries slowly continued on a path toward a post-pandemic normal, also seeking to revive key tourist sectors in time for the summer. The European Union said it could re-open borders to travellers from outside the region in early July, after some countries within the bloc re-opened to European visitors. In France, the Palace of Versailles re-opened without the US and Chinese tourists that usually make up a third of its visitors. The country also marked the anniversary of the 1944 D-Day landings with a fraction of the big crowds seen in previous years, owing to strict social distancing restrictions. Elsewhere, the golf's Asian Tour became the latest international body to announce plans for a restart, after the pandemic threw the world sports calendar into disarray. Play is expected to resume in September, although organisers said lingering flight restrictions may force competitors to travel without support staff. Signs that life was beginning a return to normal in Europe and Asia were tempered by the bleak numbers streaming in from Latin America. Brazil's death toll passed 35,000 as Bolsonaro echoed criticism of the WHO by Trump, who has said the US will defund the organisation because it is too close to China. "The United States left the WHO, and we're studying that, in the future. Either the WHO works without ideological bias, or we leave, too," the far-right leader told journalists. Tolls are also rising sharply in Mexico, Peru and Ecuador, while in Chile, deaths have risen by more than 50 percent in the past week. burs-jhb/jxb/har/gle/fox
IndustryMasters, a leading global provider of online business simulations, recently announced an update to their user interface and a relaunch of their brand including a new logo and website. The updated user interface has already been implemented with several key accounts and has been met with great enthusiasm. Its really a more intuitive design that gently guides participants into the learning experience, commented Thomas Lehnert, Co-Founder and Lead Developer for the companys online business simulations.

IndustryMasters has long been known for its highly interactive, web-based business simulations that immerse participants as leaders of a simulated company. Learners wrestle with strategic and tactical decisions while tackling numerous relevant organization and industry challenges.

Updates to the user interface aid in navigation of the simulation which is especially helpful as more participants seek to experience learning and development from remote locations rather than gather in-person. The global pandemic has changed the way many organizations deliver training and leadership development experiences. Now, more than ever, its critical that our simulations be intuitive, engaging and easy to deploy, commented CEO Bryan Rimmer.

Even before Covid-19 changed how we work and learn, IndustryMasters was meeting the call from organizations to reduce travel budgets by perfecting a virtual, instructor-led offering and self-paced options. The company has been successfully delivering business simulations to remote-based learners for several years now.

Just as pilots and surgeons learn new skills from a simulated experience that they then transfer to their real world, IndustryMasters posits that business leaders need a forum in which to test-play decisions and not actually impact their companys bottom line. A business simulation provides just such an environment.

IndustryMasters logo has always included a globe to reflect the firms truly global footprint (offices exist in multiple locations in North America and Europe) and the refreshed design is no different. Its a more modern reflection of the offering weve always had  support and delivery staff based all over the world, wherever our clients are learning, noted Rimmer. The redesigned website features the message IndustryMasters has long stood behind: business simulations enhance decision-making quality.

The award-winning firm boasts a client list of large, global entities, significant professional services firms and smaller organizations looking to increase the financial acumen, business understanding and specialized areas (including D&I, Supply Chain Management, Lean Management Principles and more) of its business leaders.
A composite image showing the anti-police-brutality and racism protests in Nashville on June 4, and some of the teenaged organizers speaking at the event.

YouTube/Tennessean/AP Photo/Mark Humphrey/Insider

SIx teenagers organized the mass protest in Nashville, Tennessee, attended by up to 20,000 people, in a matter of days.

The young people, aged 14-16 years-old, utilized the power of social media to mobilize the city to protest at police brutality in the aftermath of the killing of Geroge Floyd.

"We were born in the digital age, we can do anything," one of the organizers said.

Black Lives Matter hailed the group as "amazing young girls."

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Nashville's anti-police-brutality mass protest was organized by six teenage girls aged as young as 14 who met on Twitter, brought together by their anger over the death of George Floyd.

The peaceful protest, which the young organizers claim 20,000 people attended, wound through the city in Tennessee for five hours on Thursday.

The organizers, aged 14 and 16, are Jade Fuller, Nya Collins, Zee Thomas, Kennedy Green, Emma Rose Smith, and Mikayla Smith, local news outlet the Tennessean reported.

Collins told Nashville news station WTVF: "We all met on Twitter."

"And that's how easy it is to do something like this."

Green told Nashville's News Channel 5 "We were born in the digital age, we can do anything."

HuffPost reported that they began to talk through FaceTime, and formed a group with an Instagram account called teens.4.equality. The first post from the account, which now has more than 11,000 followers, advertised the protest.

The Nashville branch of Black Lives Matter backed the group, writing on Friday, the day after the protest, that the teenagers were behind the protest.

"We thank all the folks who are praising us for today's protests. However, we just supported the amazing young girls who planned it," it tweeted.

Story continues

Fuller told local news outlet WSMV that 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, was "what really opened people's eyes to what's been going on in our country."

Protests have taken place across the country since.

Nashville Scene reported that Thomas said in a speech at the Nashville protest that"As teens, we are tired of waking up and seeing another innocent person being slain in broad daylight.

"As teens, we are desensitized to death because we see videos of black people being killed in broad daylight circulating on social media platforms. As teens, we feel like we cannot make a difference in this world, but we must."

And she told Nashville's News Channel 5: "To all the moms and dads with kids in high school in America, it shows that us as kids are still fighting for the same thing you fought for, if you did, when you were kids."

"This shows that nothing has changed, we are still fighting for equal rights, there's no reason why we should still have to fight."

Nashville Mayor John Cooper shared a photo of the six organizers on Twitter and thanked them for their work.

"Thank you for your commitment to justice and for elevating our city's collective conscience. I am listening, Nashville, and I am determined to work towards real, lasting change."

Mayor John Cooper (@JohnCooper4Nash) June 5, 2020

Read the original article on Insider
The economy wont successfully grow if money is only poured into the pockets of a few people, while the majority of people face difficulties and have to live in a polluted environment, experts say.

Vietnam is believed to be one of the best destinations for investors, especially ones considering relocating their production bases out of China. And Vietnam is eager to receive the investment wave.





However, it has been advised to receive investments in a selective way.



Emanuel Pastreich, president of the Asia Institute in Washington, said before receiving the new investment wave, Vietnam needs to find out if the investments can bring long-term benefits.



If foreign investments fit Vietnams development strategies, consider the projects. If not, say no, he said.



Nguyen Dinh Cung, a respected economist, also said Vietnam needs to change its viewpoints about attracting FDI.

Vietnam is believed to be one of the best destinations for investors, especially ones considering relocating their production bases out of China. And Vietnam is eager to receive the investment wave.

In the last few decades, many FIEs have been exploiting resources in Vietnam, exploiting a cheap labor force and investment incentives offered by the government of Vietnam, and they even have hampered Vietnamese enterprises, Cung said, showing the other side of the FDI medal.



Vietnam needs to set up specific goals. It needs to understand how to attract capital and what they need from foreign investors, Cung said. Its now the time to attract high-quality capital."



The economist went on to say that Vietnam needs to prepare well in terms of labor force, energy, development programming, infrastructure, administration procedures and land resources in order to be able to attract high-quality investments.



Vietnam must not sit and wait for high-quality investments to come. If it does, it wont get the best, he said.



High-quality FDI includes large-scale investment projects which can bring high value. Meanwhile, small projects cannot bring what Vietnam wants - technology transfer. They bring high risks and cause pollution. Many FIEs in Vietnam have been found owing salaries to workers, insurance premiums and taxes to the State.



According to Pastreich, in the near future, Vietnam can avail itself of the opportunity to attract FDI and develop the economy in the near future. However, the economy wont successfully grow if the money only goes to the pockets of a few people.



Observers say Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, had big economic potential, but may make a mistake if pursuing an outdated development plan which cannot bring long term benefits. This is the region suffering the most from floods caused by the sea water level rise and climate change.



Attracting FDI but not depending on foreign investors is very important for Vietnams economy.



Independent thinking and the building of an independent and autonomous economy are very important for the Vietnamese people, he said.

Kim Chi

Vietnam vows to 'catch' new FDI flow Gaining great achievements in the fight against Covid-19 with membership in many FTAs, Vietnam can attract FDI but it is not the only country competing for projects.
The World Health Organization (WHO) head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday will recommence the trial of hydroxychloroquine, a possible cure for COVID-19. The testing underwent suspension because health concerns surfaced.

A short time after the postponement of the experimental drug COVID-19 drug hydroxychloroquine's clinical trial, WHO said and has recommended the trial to resume as established and has assessed the safety data.

The director-general Tedros remarked on Wednesday that their organization's committee for overseeing the global trial had now assessed all mortality information regarding hydroxychloroquine, Jagran reported.

The reasoning behind the United Nations body to temporarily suspend the massive study of the anti-malarial drug as coronavirus treatment was due to an alarming rise in fatality rates and irregular heartbeats among patients.

WHO reportedly resumed the study on the drug on June 3.

People were temporarily ceased for enrollment in the trial. This is part of a massive study entitled Solidarity that is exploring numerous varying potential novel coronavirus therapies, taking account of hydroxychloroquine's unfavorable impact on the heart. This followed a Lancet study being published on May 22 with over 96,000 participants and detected that the drug was not able to execute guaranteed survival among coronavirus patients.

Other observational studies, which are much like the Lancet study, had not discovered any apparent impact of the drug. The Lancet study gave rise to further concerns because it resulted in the drug being connected to higher mortality, according to Stat.

Grave interrogation about the study was posed by scientists globally and The Guardian. There were discrepancies in information underscored and questions posed about the way the study acquired information from 96,000 patients in numerous hospitals. Large-scale hospitals repudiated being associated with the database run by a company named Surgisphere.

Also Read: Coronavirus Weaker? Doctor Claims COVID-19 is Becoming Less Lethal

According to Ghebreyesus, their experts recommended the resume of all trials with hydroxychloroquine included and whose highest-profile backer is American President Donald Trump.

"The executive group will communicate with the principal investigators in the trial about resuming the hydroxychloroquine arm of the trial," he announced in an online media briefing alluding to WHO's goal to establish clinical tests of possible coronavirus treatments on around 3,500 patients in 35 nations.

He also said that he was "especially worried" of the pandemic in South and Central America, where the virus has become rapidly prevalent.

Noted by Ghebreyesus, the deliberation was regarded as a precautionary measure amid the review of the safety data.

"Last week, the executive group of the Solidarity Trial decided to implement a temporary pause of the hydroxychloroquine arm of the trial, because of concerns raised about the safety of the drug," he said of their earlier undertaking.

WHO officials were concerned about the current scenario in Latin America and Haiti, one of the poorest nations across the globe, with cases of the virus increasing.

Three million people cases of infections have been registered in the Americas.

A known risk factor of the drug is that patients are wont to possibly developing heart rhythm abnormalities than people who have taken the medication.

Hydroxychloroquine is currently permitted in the United States and other nations as a malaria treatment alongside specific autoimmune disorders including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Related Article: COVID-19 Does Not Spread Easily From Contaminated Surfaces or Animals

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As the global death of Covid-19 nears 400,000, U.S. health officials are keeping a close eye on caseloads and hospitalization rates as states continue to relax their lockdown measures and reopen different types of businesses. U.S. cases have been climbing since Memorial Day, but New York City this week reached an optimistic milestone: on Friday, the city, the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak, reported zero coronavirus deaths for the day. That hasn't happened since March. NYC is slated to move into its first phase of reopening on Monday. Still, the virus continues to spread quickly in parts of Latin America and Eastern Europe, according to the World Health Organization. Brazil's caseload and death rate are particularly stark, even as Reuters reports that President Jair Bolsonaro threatened to pull his country out of the WHO. CNBC's live coverage in this blog has ended  but for up-to-the-minute coverage on the coronavirus, find the latest updates here. Global cases: More than 6.78 million

Global deaths: At least 396,100

U.S. cases: More than 1.9 million

U.S. deaths: At least 109,200 The data above was compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Saudi coronavirus cases top 100,000

A picture taken on March 26, 2020, shows a car driving on a road next to the King Abdullah Financial City in the Saudi capital Riyadh, after the Kingdom began implementing an 11-hour nationwide curfew, on the day of an emergency G20 videoconference, to discuss a response to the COVID-19 crisis. (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images) FAYEZ NURELDINE | AFP via Getty Images

1:36 p.m. BST  Coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia passed 100,000 on Sunday, as the kingdom's health ministry announced 3,045 new cases on the day, bringing its confirmed total to 101,914. The kingdom of nearly 34 million has seen daily cases climb, with Sunday's count exceeding 3,000 daily cases for the first time. Saudi Arabia enacted a strict 24-hour curfew during the Muslim holiday of Eid that marked the end of the holy month of Ramadan in the last days of May, and on Friday announced it was reimposing lockdown orders on the seaside city of Jeddah, the country's second-most populous after Riyadh.  Natasha Turak

Florida Senator Rick Scott accuses China of 'sabotage' in vaccine race

9:53 a.m. BST  Florida Senator Rick Scott (R, FL) accused China of sabotaging vaccine development in the race for a cure for the coronavirus during an televised interview with the BBC on Sunday. "We have got to get this vaccine done. Unfortunately we have evidence that communist China is trying to sabotage us or slow it down ... China does not want us ... to do it first, they have decided to be an adversary to Americans and I think to democracy around the world." Scott did not elaborate on the evidence behind his claim, but credited the U.S. intelligence community for the information. "This vaccine is really important to all of us getting our economy going again. What I really believe is whether England does it first or we do it first, we are going to share. Communist China, they are not going to share," he said.  Natasha Turak

Some lawmakers want to send American families up to $10,000 per month

5:57 p.m. ET  Several lawmakers on Capitol Hill have come up with a generous proposal: sending individuals $2,000 per month to help them weather the coronavirus pandemic. The bill  put forward by Sens. Kamala Harris, D-Calif.; Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Ed Markey, D-Mass.  would include as much as $4,000 per couple, plus $2,000 for up to three children. In total, families could receive up to $10,000 per month.

The money would be sent for as long as the pandemic lasts. The idea is a spin on the concept of universal basic income, or the idea of indefinitely providing people with a guaranteed monthly amount of income.



It's an idea that Andrew Yang supported during his presidential campaign. This week, he said it's even more necessary now in light of the coronavirus pandemic.



"Our problems have accelerated, where we've experienced 10 years' worth of displacement in 10 weeks," Yang said. "But we have a real chance here to alleviate poverty." But naysayers say the plan is too expensive or does not target the families who need the money most. This comes as Washington lawmakers are poised to come up with another legislative package to help American families stave off the negative financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic.  Lorie Konish

Sights and sounds of NYC protests

1:10 p.m. ET  Massive protests have rolled across New York City since George Floyd died at the hands of police on May 25. From shouts and angry chants to tearful hugs, New York City is steeped in the social unrest. Although police and protesters have clashed violently at times and looters ransacked stores for several nights in a row, many people are marching peacefully, pleading for an end to police brutality against black Americans. CNBC's Spencer Kimball offers a timeline of photos and videos taken over three days in the city.  Elisabeth Butler Cordova

Black Lives Matter protestors march up 7th Avenue in New York City, June 2, 2020. Spencer Kimball | CNBC

Djokovic calls US Open coronavirus safety protocols 'extreme'

12:45 p.m. ET  Novak Djokovic is not a fan of proposed coronavirus safety protocols for the 2020 US Open, should the Grand Slam tournament continue in New York City, as planned, starting Aug. 31, according to a BBC report citing Serbia's Prva TV. "We would not have access to Manhattan, we would have to sleep in hotels at the airport, to be tested twice or three times per week," Djokovic said, according to the BBC. He decried the idea of bringing just one person into the tennis club, saying he would normally bring at least his coach, a fitness trainer and a physiotherapist as part of his support team. Djokovic, the world's top-ranked men's tennis player, called the protocols "extreme" and "impossible," BBC reports.  Tom Huddleston Jr.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia in action against Milos Raonic of Canada during day fourteen of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden Julian Finney | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images

Houses of worship in parts of NY now allowed to expand gatherings

12 p.m. ET  New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday that churches, mosques and temples are allowed to re-open at 25% capacity for regions in Phase 2 reopening. Regions currently in Phase 2 include the Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, Central New York, Southern Tier and North Country and Western New York. The state previously allowed religious gatherings of 10 people or fewer to combat the spread of the coronavirus.  Emma Newburger

Lawsuit accuses Amazon of 'sloppy contact tracing'

11:15 a.m. ET  A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday by three Amazon warehouse workers accuses the company of engaging in "sloppy contact tracing" and failing to follow proper guidelines laid out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health agencies for tracking and preventing the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus among workers. For instance, after an Amazon employee tests positive for Covid-19, the company reviews video footage to determine which other employees may have become exposed to the virus, but Amazon does not interview the infected individual to get a more complete picture, per CDC guidelines, the lawsuit alleges. Last week, Amazon notified employees of multiple new cases at Amazon's Staten Island facility, known as JFK8 and where the plaintiffs are all employed, according to the lawsuit. In a statement, Amazon told CNBC the company has always followed the guidance of federal and local health authorities. Read Annie Palmer's full report for CNBC here. Tom Huddleston Jr.

Amazon drivers begin their delivery routes as workers at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York prepare to walk off their jobs demanding stepped-up protection and pay after several workers at the facility were diagnosed with COVID-19. Paul Hennessy | Barcroft Media | Getty Images

Surprising jobs report has economists talking again about a V-shaped recovery

10:45 a.m. ET  Chatter about a V-shaped recovery has reignited following a surprise report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday showing a decrease in unemployment, contrary to expectations.Jan Hatzius, chief economist at Goldman Sachs, said in a note that the report marks the "beginning of the labor market recovery," while Tom Porcelli, chief U.S. economist at RBC Capital Markets, called May's job gains "only the beginning."

Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards

Still, experts say there's a long road ahead. The 2.5 million jobs gained in May represent only a small portion of the jobs lost in March and April, and varying levels of social distancing restrictions remain in place around the country. Scott Clemons, chief investment strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman, said the recent rally in stocks was the market anticipating a recovery in activity. "That seems to be coming more quickly than what anybody anticipated," he said.  Tucker Higgins

Post-pandemic, you might find a robot doing your job

10:22 a.m. ET  During downturns, companies usually invest in automation to save on labor costs. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, we'll see even more of that, according to futurist and author Ravin Jesuthasan, who's written four books on the future of work and is a member of the World Economic Forum's Steering Committee on Work and Employment. CNBC's Annie Nova has the full report.  Kenneth Kiesnoski

Ravin Jesuthasan Source: Ravin Jesuthasan

Please wait in your car until we call you

10 a.m. ET  Business owners are getting creative with their reopening strategies, trying to balance the need to protect staff and customers amid a pandemic and the desperate desire to get back to work. From treadmills surrounded by translucent plexiglass barriers to parking lot waiting rooms, here's what you can expect to see as America gets back to work. CNBC's Cory Stieg has the full report.  Elisabeth Butler Cordova

How and when professional sports can come back

9:50 a.m. ET  So many sports fans are ready for some semblance of pro sports to return. CNBC's Brian Clark and Jordan Smith explain how it might look when it happens in the video below. Elisabeth Butler Cordova
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 20:25:27|Editor: huaxia

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SYDNEY, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Australian-led researchers on Saturday said they have developed a new ultrathin porous membrane that completely separates potentially harmful ions such as lead and mercury from water, pointing to crucial clean drinking supplies for people globally through purification and desalination processes.

The researchers, led by Monash University and Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization, developed the molecular sieve membrane using 2D nanosheets and "demonstrated their near perfection as building materials for membranes in ion separation from water", according to a university statement.

The nanosheets "can help remove harmful carcinogens from the atmosphere by creating highly porous membranes to facilitate the separation processes of gases and organic solvents, such as paint."

"In this world-first study, we were able to ... create a membrane that is permeable to water while achieving maximum porosity with nearly 100 percent rejection of ions. This study shows promise for the future application of this membrane to other filtration processes, such as gas separation," research study leader Xiwang Zhang said. The latest findings were published in academic journal Science Advances.

One in three people globally still did not have access to safe drinking water and about 2.2 billion people around the world did not have safely managed drinking water services as of June 2019, according to a report by UNICEF and the World Health Organization.

The membrane innovation "could enhance the desalination process and transform the dirtiest water into something potable for millions of people across the world," according to Monash university.

"The membrane performed steadily for more than 750 hours using limited energy. It could also be manufactured on a global scale, pending further testing." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 18:20:19|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- A total of 6,822 students from central and western China's rural regions will be enrolled this year in free five-year bachelor programs in medicine, according to the Ministry of Education.

The annual enrollment plan falls under a central-government funded program for cultivating health professionals for township-based health institutions in China's central and western regions.

The students can be enrolled in majors including clinical medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Mongolian medicine, traditional Tibetan medicine and traditional Dai ethnic medicine, said a circular issued by the ministry.

Applicants for the program must be from China's rural areas and sit the national college entrance exam, according to the circular. Enditem
State and federal prosecutors are sounding a warning about identity theft scams tied to unemployment claims.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry said last month the agency has received reports of scams and attempts at identity theft. On Friday, the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office and U.S. Attorneys Office in Philadelphia urged residents to be wary of such scams.

In what appears to be an increasingly popular version of the fraud, authorities say scammers use stolen identities of people to file claims for unemployment benefits. Then, scammers direct the money to be sent to their own bank accounts.

Subsequently, victims of identity theft find out their personal information was stolen when they receive an unemployment compensation check, or a direct deposit of unemployment aid, for which they never applied.

Last month, state Rep. Sheryl Delozier, a Cumberland County Republican, received $7,000 in unemployment checks she never sought. She reported it to authorities.

The state attorney generals office said Friday hundreds of victims have called with complaints. But the office doesnt have a total on how many people have become victims of the scheme.

We will not let anyone ripoff the public and the millions who are out of work," Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a statement.

Our offices are using every resource at the state and federal level to figure out who these criminals are and put a stop to this theft, Shapiro said. "If you get a check you didnt apply for or a deposit you are questioning, please contact our offices. We need the publics help to address these crimes.

U.S. Attorney William McSwain said his office will aggressively prosecute scammers who try and steal personal information. (David Maialetti/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, File)AP

U.S. Attorney William McSwain of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said the fraud is especially galling because it is targeting victims at a time when they are most vulnerable.

It is especially intolerable that criminals are trying to take advantage of an unprecedented public health emergency," McSwain said in a statement. "My office will not tolerate it, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that such fraud scams are stopped and punished.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said it couldnt provide an estimate on the number of people affected, since the investigation is ongoing.

Last week, Spotlight PA reported that more than 50,000 people may have been affected.

When Delozier received the unemployment checks she never requested, she said it was particularly frustrating because many people have been waiting for long periods to get the assistance they desperately need after losing jobs.

More than 2.3 million Pennsylvania residents have filed unemployment claims since March 15, according to the state labor department.

Delozier said her office has received calls from people getting unemployment checks they never requested.

The labor department has taken steps to make sure those who are named in applications for assistance actually get the funds. But thats also why some only learn about scams when they get a check they never requested.

The Pennsylvania Unemployment Assistance program is administered by the state labor department. Its part of the federal governments stimulus program to help those who have lost jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic.

For its part, the labor department said none of its systems have been compromised. Scammers stole personal information from sources outside the labor department, the agency said.

The state and federal prosecutors offer the following advice.

Dont cash the check

If you receive a paper check for unemployment benefits in the mail but did not file for assistance, do not cash the check.

Direct deposit warning

Did you receive a direct deposit for unemployment benefits even though you didnt apply? Again, dont use the funds. The labor department website offers instructions for returning the money.

Report identity theft

Victims should report suspected identity theft to the labor department. A form is available on the departments website. Identity theft and fraud can also be reported to the labor departments fraud hotline: 800-692-7469. The information will be shared with law enforcement.

More from PennLive

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Hi Future Tensers,

This past week, we witnessed wrenching debates over speechinvolving protesters on the street, our Twitterer-in-chief, and aspiring New York Times op-ed writers. Some of the best tools we have to inspire and contextualize social movements are books and film, and in the next week, we will host conversations with some of the most interesting leaders in the book industry and Hollywood. We hope youll join us:

Thursday, June 11, 4 p.m. Eastern: Book Smart: The Future of Publishing

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Tuesday, June 16, 4 p.m. Eastern: Our Entertaining Future

For something completely different, check out Mays Future Tense Fiction story, Scar Tissue, by Tobias S. Buckell. After a man is injured in a forklift accident, he takes on a lucrative offer to raise a robot. After a jarring first impression (imagine a toddler in the body of a massive robot), the relationship makes the protagonist rethink much of his life. In the response essay, John Frank Weaver, author of Robots Are People Too warns about the manipulative capabilities of all-too-human robots: A company that records all your interactions raising a childthe stress, the exhaustion, the jubilation, the lovehas a treasure trove of information about what makes you tick as a person, even when the child is a robot.

Best of Future Tense

Jane C. Hu How Much Should Protesters Worry About Contact Tracing?

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Renee DiResta Social Media Fact-Checking Is Not Censorship

Monica Rivero How Cubas Offline Quarantine Is Going

Mike Godwin The Trump-Twitter War Shows That Section 230 Can Work Beautifully

Stephen Harrison Future Historians Will Need Access to Coronavirus Misinformation

Wish Wed Published This

COVID-19 Can Last for Several Months, by Ed Yong, the Atlantic.

Three Questions for a Smart Person

Viktorya Vilk is the program director of digital safety and free expression at PEN America. I spoke with her about protecting yourself online. Our phone conversation has been condensed and lightly edited.

Margaret: Do you have any personal cybersecurity tips for people attending protests?

Viktorya: Your biggest decision is whether or not you bring your phone, and what you do to your phone before you go. Police can confiscate the phone, and they can use surveillance that tracks the signals coming from it. If you can bring a burner phone for communication, thats ideal. If youre going to bring your phone, turn off your Face ID and Touch ID (and Android equivalents) and use a passcode. Also, make sure your phone is encrypted and that you use encrypted messaging apps. Finally, turn off location services. Theres a great cheat sheet from Vices Motherboard that can walk you through it.

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It seems like everyone is talking about using Signal. Would it be useful for our readers?

Im a firm believer that everyone should have Signal on their phone. Signal is a messaging app that is pretty similar to what is built into your phone, but what distinguishes it is that is extensively encrypted. It creates a garble of the conversation youre having with people so an external actor cant see it. Its safe to assume that organizers and activists could be surveilled, and its ideal for them to do their work on Signal.

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What cyber self-care do you recommend for people who are facing online harassment for speaking up?

I recently outlined eight steps of what to do if youre in the middle of a harassment episode. You need to name what is happening to you and document it as much as possible. I recommend that you dox yourself, but not literally. Doxxing is when people publish your private information without your consent or knowledge. If you can figure out what personal information you have online, you can get it taken down and clean up your footprint online. From the standpoint of self-care, you need to understand that this is not your fault and you should not go it alone.

Future Tense Recommends

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My escape for the last nine weeks has been watching all four seasons of The Expanse. The Expanse has re-invigorated my optimism about the future. First area of praise, they get the science right. But more than that, while the future in the 2300s definitely has its problems, it looks like the future I would like to see. Earth has suffered, but it has come through climate change. The asteroid belt is being mined, settlements are on Mars, the planet is being terraformed, and humans are strung out across the solar system, even on Titan, my favorite moon of Saturn. In the future of The Expanse, diversity is the norm, not the exception. Science fiction is so often dystopian, but The Expanse to me is what space exploration is aboutmoving humans out into the solar system to learn, to work, to be. Science fiction and space exploration represent something essentially optimistic and hopeful about the future: they allow us to ponder what could be, providing a path for us to turn things that seem to be impossible, possible.Ellen Stofan, John and Adrienne Mars director of the National Air and Space Museum

Margaret from Future Tense

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has expressed his support for Black Lives Matter, as protests over the death of George Floyd continue across the country.

Bezos, the world's richest man, shared a customer email as well as his response on Instagram on Friday, explaining why Amazon's website had added a banner reading 'Black Lives Matter.'

The irate customer wrote: 'I am for everyone voicing their opinions and standing up for what you believe in, but for your company to blast this on your website is very offensive to me... ALL LIVES MATTER!'

Bezos responded: 'I have to disagree with you. 'Black lives matter' doesn't mean other lives don't matter.'

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has expressed his support for Black Lives Matter, as protests over the death of George Floyd continue across the country

Amazon's website had added a banner reading 'Black Lives Matter'

Bezos, the world's richest man, shared a customer email (left) as well as his response (right) on Instagram on Friday

'Black lives matter speaks to racism and the disproportionate risk that Black people face in our law enforcement and justice system,' Bezos continued.

'I have a 20-year-old son, and I simply don't worry that he might be choked to death while being detained one day. It's not something I worry about. Black parents can't say the same.'

Bezos has three sons and one adopted daughter with his ex-wife MacKenzie, and 20-year-old Preston is the oldest.

Bezos added that he didn't intend to minimize worries anyone else has in their life.

'But I want you to know I support this movement that we see happening around us, and my stance won't change,' he concluded.

Bezos has three sons and one adopted daughter with his ex-wife MacKenzie, and 20-year-old Preston (with him above) is the oldest

Graffiti on a Whole Foods Market in Manhattan reads 'guillotine for Bezos' on June 2 after looting riots a night earlier as part of the response by protesters to George Floyd's death

People break thru the door at Whole Foods at Fairfax and 3rd in Los Angeles on May 30

Police arrest looters Whole Foods Market in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles last weekend

While many Black Lives Matters protests across the US have been peaceful, cities have also seen outbreaks of rioting and looting.

In many cities, Amazon subsidiary Whole Foods has been targeted with vandalism.

In Manhattan, graffiti on one boarded-up Whole Foods read 'guillotine for Bezos' this week.

In Los Angeles, a band of looters smashed through the doors of a Whole Foods last weekend.
Beauty Assistant: Alice Robertson

Everyones favourite green is helping our complexions get their five-a-day too

From mushrooms in the Dr Weil range for Origins to spirulina in Face Gyms Training Stick, were used to seeing superfoods in skincare. But the latest one gaining traction is that trusty cruciferous vegetable, broccoli. I first became aware of it in supplement form when Victoria Health told me about Broc On (1, 75 for 30, victoriahealth.com), a new vitamin-shot range it is stocking from Australia. It focuses on broccoli sprouts (as well as daikon and kale) to achieve a daily dose of sulforaphane  which, research has shown, bolsters the bodys natural defences against oxidative stress, inflammation and DNA damage. It tastes much as you might imagine (like broccoli water) but Im currently knocking it back on a daily basis. After all, aside from health benefits, vitamins are increasingly becoming a key part of skincare routines.

Dermalogica has also deployed broccoli extract in its new Active Clay Cleanser (2, 35, dermalogica.co.uk), the first time the brand had used a broccoli extract in its formulas, says Dermalogica training executive Janine Da Costa, and she believes its becoming a hot topic. It has the benefit of purifying pores; if you have an oilier complexion the look of your pores is often a challenge as they can block up quickly, but this is great for giving a smooth and refined texture to the skin.

Broccoli was always part of Votarys Super Seed range, but is a hero ingredient in its Super Seed Serum (3, 75, votary.co.uk). Co-founder Arabella Preston explains that broccoli seed oil is high in skin-soothing fatty acids such as omega 6 and 9. These nutrients deliver intense hydration without clogging pores, and also calm irritated, stressed skin. Put simply, broccoli seed oil is a very lightweight yet soothing oil that is ideal for sensitive skin or anyone with a compromised skin barrier. It is quickly and easily absorbed, and works to lock in moisture to keep skin hydrated and resilient. Votary, she adds, cold-press the seeds to ensure the maximum nutrients are retained.

Meanwhile, at Liberty you can find the Swedish natural brand L:A Bruket and its very lightweight Broccoli Seed Serum (4, 52, libertylondon.com). Broccoli seed is such a great ingredient for the skin and resonates particularly well with city-dwelling customers. A concern we often see is skin sensitivity, redness and inflammation  which can be caused by environmental factors such as pollution  so products that address this and include superfood ingredients are of particular interest, says Libertys beauty buyer Emily Bell.

Alternatively, you can go the sheet-mask route with South Korean brand Huangjisoo and its Broccoli Plumping Mask (5, 3.99 each or 17.99 for a pack of five, nicheandcult.com). The cotton-fibre masks come saturated in serum and take ten minutes to do their work.

A bite-size bargain

Elf Cosmetics Bite-Size Eyeshadows (3, elfcosmetics.co.uk )

Whether youre a regular eyeshadow wearer or have come round to it more recently as youve navigated a raft of Zoom meetings, allow me to introduce you to Elf Cosmetics Bite-Size Eyeshadows (3, elfcosmetics.co.uk). These small quartet palettes are brilliant. Fantastic pigment, a mix of matt and shimmery finishes, and only 3. No, thats not a typo. My favourites are Cream and Sugar and Berry Bad, but theres something for everyone from blues to greens and purple.

TLC for your hands

Lovely Hand Balm (17.50, andreagarland.co.uk )

Andrea Garland always produces such pretty things. You may already be acquainted with her natural lip balms housed in vintage and vintage-inspired little pots. Now shes produced her own natural Lovely Hand Balm (17.50, andreagarland.co.uk), which she has decanted into charming screw-top tins available in a range of colours. Its a lovely, rich formula with macadamia and shea butters and also contains clementine and cedarwood essential oils  both of which are considered to be antibacterial. Its good for all-round hand moisturisation, but I also regularly rub it in to any dry skin patches  it really helps with those, too. And, of course, as with all Andrea Garland products, the tins are refillable.
Thousands turned out in Philadelphia for the protests against police brutality and racial injustice Saturday.

Though no official estimate on the crowd size has been made, NBC10 Philadelphias aerial footage showed a mass of people that extended from the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway through Logan Circle past the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul:

Thousands of people in Philadelphia continue to protest racism and police brutality following the death of George Floyd. Crowds in Center City stretched from the steps of the Art Museum and past the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. https://t.co/LlmPCHjz7Q pic.twitter.com/6YJT2DvCW7  NBC10 Philadelphia (@NBCPhiladelphia) June 6, 2020

Thats a distance of about one mile.

The demonstration at the Art Museum began around noon and was wrapping up around 3:30 p.m., according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

While the Art Museum demonstration was the largest in the city, protestors also gathered at City Hall, in South Philly and outside the Municipal Services Building, where the controversial statue of Frank Rizzo was removed earlier in the week.

Were not as worried about Covid-19 as we are about Covid-1619. This has been happening for 400 years pic.twitter.com/0aJZuzmkzQ  Joe Hernandez (@byJoeHernandez) June 6, 2020

The gap between the protestors and the Police/National Guard is slowing getting smaller as protestors inch forward. @FOX29philly So far this protest has been peaceful. pic.twitter.com/uK9ybwI2Dz  Alex George (@alexgeorgetv) June 6, 2020

Demonstrators are protesting in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was fired and later arrested and charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter. Three other officers at the scene were eventually fired and are facing criminal charges.

Video of Floyds death went viral and spurred protests against police brutality and racial injustice across the country. Saturday marked the eighth straight day of demonstrations in Philadelphia, and the city is under a curfew for the eighth straight day, as well. On Saturday afternoon, the city announced the curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Philadelphia closed a significant portion of the city to traffic, with road closures extending from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill River between South and Callowhill Streets. The city also closed the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and I-676, which was the site where police used tear gas on demonstrators Monday.

Earlier Saturday, four Philadelphia city council members asked for a ban on tear gas and rubber bullets at protests.

There were no reports of violence during Saturday afternoons marches.

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Daniel Gallen covers the Philadelphia Eagles for PennLive. He can be reached at dgallen@pennlive.com. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Follow PennLives Philadelphia Eagles coverage on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
(Newser)  President Trump is ordering the Pentagon to pull thousands of troops from Germanya move that drew criticism and some speculation that it's just a tit-for-tat with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Guardian reports. The order will remove almost 9,500 troops and reduce the US troop presence there to 25,000. A top US military officer said the move was months in the making and unrelated to Merkel thwarting Trump's attempt to host a G7 meeting this month. But tell that to members of Merkel's ruling conservative bloc: "The Pentagon has not yet publicly commented and has instead redirected press inquiries to the White Housethis indicates that the decision is purely politically motivated and not made by experts," one of them tells Deutsche Welle.

story continues below

Others say the move will damage Trump's relationship with Germany, Europe's most powerful nation, and boost anti-American sentiment there. "Russia has done nothing to lower its threat to our allies," a retired US Army general tells the Wall Street Journal, which broke the story. "Germany is the most important ally we have in Europe. This looks like punishment somehow." But a senior US official says the order reflects Trump's frustration with Germany in other wayslike its level of military spending (not yet the NATO goal of 2%) and decision to finish a gas pipeline with Russia under the Baltic Sea. Some of the US troops will apparently go to Poland or other American allies, while the rest will come home. (Read more Pentagon stories.)
With the Punjab government targeting the Centre over an ordinance which allows barrier-free trade in the farm sector, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday said the ordinance would not violate the spirit of federal structure in any way.

Tomar also slammed opposition parties for creating illusions over the minimum support price (MSP) for foodgrain and said the assured price to farmers would continue.

I want to clarify that this ordinance does not violate the spirit of the federal structure. Agriculture is a state subject but the Union government was empowered by the constitution to bring any reform related to agricultural produce. Its a historical moment for the farmers as change in rules will end the inspector raj, said Tomar, while addressing reporters here through videoconference.

The Union ministers statement came a day after Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh dubbed the ordinance as violative of the federal structure. Captain had also warned that it could pave the way for disbanding the MSP regime as well as the foodgrain procurement regime, triggering unrest among the states farmers.

The Centre on Friday notified two key ordinances to kick in agriculture reforms and help farmers trade freely and fetch better prices.

The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance-2020 allows barrier-free trade in agriculture produce outside the notified APMC (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees) mandis. It proposes to bar state governments from imposing taxes on sale and purchase of farm produce undertaken outside the mandis and give farmers the freedom to sell their produce at remunerative prices.

The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance-2020 empowers farmers to engage with processors, aggregators, wholesalers, large retailers and exporters through advanced agreements on pre-agreed prices.

Tomar said the states APMC Act will stay and the states continue to collect taxes within their mandis. He said the Centre had neither intention nor tried to force any law on any state. He was reacting to Amarinder Singhs remarks that the law was forced on Punjab.

Defends Harsimrats statement

When questioned over Akali Dals statement on these reforms, especially by Bathinda MP and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Tomar said, The Akali Dal represents farmers and the party has all right to express all sort of feelings of the peasantry,.

The ordinances, he said, were brought after through discussions in the cabinet.

Moreover, Harisimrat has not said anything against ordinances at all. She had only reacted to questions over apprehensions on stopping the MSP system and rightly said that MSP should not be stopped. She has only cleared Centres position as MSP will continue, said Tomar
Late on Saturday,several residents complained of suspected gas leak from Mumbais Ghatkopar, Powai, Vikhroli, Chembur areas. The Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) was trying to detect the source by investigating the same, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

Preliminary information by BMCs disaster management cell reveals the incident was reported at 9:53 pm. The gas leakage was reported at US Vitamin company in Govandi (East).

Source of the gas is unconfirmed, our investigation is ongoing, said Prabhat Rahangdale of Mumbai Fire Brigade.

In a tweet BMC stated, We have received a couple of complaints of suspected gas leak, from residents in Chembur, Ghatkopar, Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli & Powai. The fire brigade is checking and we will update facts soon.

Please dont panic or create panic, appeals BMC. It adds, 13 fire appliances to monitor situation situation have been activated as a precaution. Any one having problems due to the foul smell please put a wet towel or cloth on ur face covering nose, BMC said in a tweet.

Situation is under control. All necessary resources have been mobilised. Origin of the smell is being investigated. 17 fire appliances are on field equipped with public announcement system and ready for response if required, it added.

Situation is under control. All necessary resources have been mobilised. Origin of the smell is being investigated.

17 fire appliances are on field equipped with public announcement system and ready for response if required. #BMCUpdates https://t.co/ceQmF9Zqyu   Mumbai,  BMC (@mybmc) June 6, 2020

Earlier, a similar gas leak complaints were filed by citizens in September 2019, however, the source of gas leak was detected.

The BMCs disaster management department had got around 37 complaints from over 15 locations, followed by over 50 complaints by MFB and few complaints by the Mumbai Police.
NEW YORK - Huascar Benoit was inspired to participate in the protests over George Floyd's death because, as a first-generation American and man of color, he wanted to fight - peacefully - for a better future.

He was in Brooklyn after midnight on May 31, among the crowds vocalizing pain and frustration over racial injustice. Amid the chaos, which has consumed many cities since Floyd's death on May 25 while in Minneapolis police custody, Benoit was hit in the face with a police baton, he has alleged, sustaining a blow so hard it fractured bones in his face that may require surgery to repair. He claims three officers pushed and beat him, and that a fourth sprayed him with mace.

Benoit, 21, identifies as black Hispanic, and came to the United States from the Dominican Republic when he was four years old. He is among hundreds of protesters to bring formal complaints against the NYPD over its use of force during the demonstrations, which took a violent, destructive turn over the course of several nights with widespread vandalism and looting.

The city's Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), an independent agency which reviews allegations of bad behavior by members of the New York Police Department, has received 633 grievances in the last week, officials said. By comparison, 533 complaints were filed for the entire month of April, the most recent data publicly available.

Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) and Police Commissioner Dermot Shea have promised to investigate all allegations of improper police action reported during the protests. Late Friday, Shea issued a statement calling attention to two unrelated incidents and announced that those involved would be either suspended or transferred while disciplinary action was considered.

"There are other matters that we are actively investigating," the statement says, "and we will be transparent as the process continues."

Law enforcement advocates have been quick to point out that, during the protests, there have been numerous incidents of violence against police. Dozens of police vehicles have been vandalized or set on fire. An NYPD sergeant in the Bronx was hit by a car, and a lieutenant was hit in the head with a brick. Bottles of water and other projectiles have been hurled at police officers, too, leading to aggressive arrests.

Benoit was not arrested or given a summons, so it is unclear why police force may have been used against him. He maintains he was standing on the sidewalk filming other police interactions when he was targeted. Video posted to his Instagram page captures officers in riot gear charging toward him before Benoit dropped his phone. Police can be heard yelling, "Get back!" A male voice later says: "Don't touch me."

Sgt. Jessica McRorie, an NYPD spokeswoman, said Friday that officials were aware of the video and that the incident was under internal review. She declined to comment further.

Benoit, a college student who recently took a break from school, was with hundreds of activists at Dekalb and Flatbush Avenues in Brooklyn at the time of the encounter. He said he turned on the phone's flashlight so police knew they were being recorded. Minutes prior, he said, he was pushed by a different officer.

"I'm on the sidewalk. I was never on the street. I couldn't have been on the street - the police officers with riot shields were blocking us," Benoit said.

Other video posted to social media shows him slumped on the sidewalk, bloodied and disoriented. At one point, he spits out blood.

He felt "like half of my face was missing," he said. " . . . All I felt was blood dripping down," he said, noting that his glasses were broken during the altercation and that he believes his injuries may have been more severe had he not been wearing them.

An ambulance brought Benoit to a nearby hospital, leaving behind his phone and backpack. He was later moved to the emergency room at Mount Sinai, closer to his East Harlem home, where he was seen by a specialist and remained until late Sunday afternoon.

Benoit is represented by an attorney, Paul Prestia, who filed the CCRB complaint on his behalf as well as a notice of claim against the city, which is the first step required to pursue a lawsuit. Prestia hopes the CCRB complaint can help identify the officers involved.

"The flagrant, unprovoked attacks by New York City police officers on peaceful protesters like Mr. Benoit cannot be tolerated," he said, adding that he finds it "ironic that people in our city who are peacefully protesting police brutality are being brutalized by police."

Lilly Gottlieb, another protester, took Benoit's phone and backpack, and helped to track him down at the hospital. She said they were among the "front line" of protesters - and that the people in that group were not fighting with police. Gottlieb, Benoit and others "all had their hands up, no one was provoking them," she said.

"Again," Gottlieb said, "it all started with the police."


BASEL (dpa-AFX) - The week that just passed by saw the White House selecting vaccine candidates to Operation Warp Speed; new entrants in the COVID-19 drug development space; AstraZeneca's multi deals to produce and supply its vaccine and INOVIO's trials and tribulations, among others.



Read on...



1. Lilly Begins Phase I Antibody Drug Trial For COVID-19



Eli Lilly and Co. (LLY), which has been collaborating with privately-held Canadian biotech AbCellera to develop LY-CoV555, an antibody treatment for the novel coronavirus, on Monday, began its phase I trial in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.



The phase I trial, which assesses the safety and tolerability of LY-CoV555, represents the world's first study of a potential COVID-19 antibody treatment in humans. The results from the study are anticipated by the end of June.



If the phase I results show the antibody can be safely administered, Lilly will initiate a phase II proof of concept study to assess efficacy in vulnerable populations.



Lilly is also collaborating with China's Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co. Ltd. to develop an antibody treatment for COVID-19. A clinical trial of the investigational antibody is expected to be initiated this month, according to reports.



LLY closed Friday's trading at $149.21, down 1.00%.



2. White House Selects Famous Five To 'Operation Warp Speed'



The White House, on Wednesday, selected 5 COVID-19 vaccine candidates to 'Operation Warp Speed', the national program aiming to get a vaccine ready against the novel coronavirus by January 2021.



The selected candidates are:



Moderna Inc.'s (MRNA) vaccine candidate mRNA-1273, which is under a phase II study, with phase III study expected to be initiated in July.



AstraZeneca PLC's (AZN) COVID-19 vaccine candidate AZD1222, being developed in partnership with Oxford University's Jenner Institute, which is under a phase II/III trial at multiple sites in the UK.



Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ) COVID-19 vaccine candidate Ad26 SARS-CoV-2, which is expected to enter human clinical trial this September.



Pfizer Inc. (PFE)/BioNTech (BNTX) BNT162 vaccine program, which is under a phase I/II trial in Germany.



Merck (MRK) SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate, which is currently in preclinical development, with clinical studies expected to start later this year.



3. AstraZeneca Inks Multi Deals To Produce And Supply COVID-19 Vaccine



AstraZeneca PLC (AZN), which is developing COVID-19 vaccine candidate AZD1222, has inked landmark agreements with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, and the Serum Institute of India (SII) as a part of its efforts to bring the vaccine to low-and-middle-income countries and beyond.



AZD1222 is being developed in partnership with Oxford University's Jenner Institute, and the vaccine is currently under a phase II/III trial at multiple sites in the UK.



AstraZeneca has reached a $750 million deal with CEPI and Gavi to support the manufacturing, procurement, and distribution of 300 million doses of the potential vaccine, with delivery starting by the end of the year.



The licensing agreement with Serum Institute of India is to ensure the supply of one billion doses for low-and-middle-income countries, with a commitment to provide 400 million before the end of 2020.



AstraZeneca has so far secured manufacturing capacity for two billion doses of the vaccine.



On Tuesday, the Brazilian Ministry of Health gave the clearance to conduct clinical trials with the AZD1222 vaccine in Brazil. About 2,000 volunteers will be tested in the country with the investigational COVID-19 vaccine.



AZN closed Friday's trading at $53.85, down 0.04%.



4. INOVIO Begins Trial In South Korea, So Does Its Tribulation



INOVIO (INO), on Thursday, announced that it is starting a phase I/II clinical trial of its COVID-19 vaccine INO-4800 in South Korea.



The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and Seoul National University Hospital are collaborating with the Company to start this trial, which is the first clinical study of the COVID-19 vaccine in Korea. The 2-stage trial of INO-4800 will assess the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of the candidate vaccine in 40 healthy adults aged 19-50 years, and will further expand to enroll an additional 120 people aged 19-64 years.



A phase I clinical trial evaluating the safety profile and immunogenicity of INO-4800, which was initiated in April of this year in the U.S. is underway, with data expected this month. The Company plans to begin phase II/III trials in mid-summer.



In other news, INOVIO on Friday sued VGXI Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of GeneOne Life Science, its contract manufacturer for the supply of the INO-4800 vaccine, as the supplier has informed INOVIO that apparently it won't be able to meet the Company's need for 1 million doses of the vaccine by this year-end.



VGXI has also refused to divulge the manufacturing and material-handling process that would allow another manufacturer to use its methods. So INOVIO has alleged that 'VGXI is holding the vaccine and world health hostage'.



INO closed Friday's trading at $11.93, up 0.42%.



5. Russia Approves First Drug To Treat COVID-19



Avifavir, developed by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) in partnership with ChemRar Group, has been included in Russia's list of nationally recommended drugs for the treatment of COVID-19.



The drug will be available to Russian hospitals from June 11, 2020.



Commenting on the development, Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said, 'Avifavir is also the first drug against coronavirus registered in Russia, having demonstrated efficacy in clinical trials'.



6. Resverlogix To Foray Into COVID Space



Canadian biotech Resverlogix Corp. (RVX.TO) is planning to test its lead compound Apabetalone in the treatment of COVID-19.



Apabetalone is a first-in-class, small molecule that is a selective BET (bromodomain and extra-terminal) inhibitor. This selective inhibition of Apabetalone is said to have potentially important benefits for patients with high-risk cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease, neurodegenerative disease, Fabry disease, peripheral artery disease, and other orphan diseases, according to the Company.



The first step of investigating whether Apabetalone treatment of human cells susceptible to 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection will impact the replication cycle of the virus has been initiated by the Company.



7. No RECOVERY For Hydroxychloroquine



A clinical trial, dubbed RECOVERY, testing various potential drugs for COVID-19, including Hydroxychloroquine, in the U.K has found that there is no beneficial effect of Hydroxychloroquine in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.



According to a statement, released Thursday, by Professor Peter Horby and Professor Martin Landray, chief investigators of the RECOVERY Trial, there was no significant difference in the primary endpoint of 28-day mortality in the patients treated with Hydroxychloroquine and those given usual care alone.



Against this backdrop, the enrollment of participants to the Hydroxychloroquine arm of the RECOVERY trial is stopped with immediate effect.



8. King's College Repurposing Novartis Drug For COVID-19



King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust have launched a trial that will evaluate the potential of Novartis Pharma's Ruxolitinib in reducing complications in deteriorating COVID-19 patients, the need for intensive care and death rate.



Ruxolitinib, sold under the brand name Jakafi in the U.S., and as Jakavi elsewhere in the world, is used to treat adults with myelofibrosis or polycythemia vera, and for the treatment of graft versus host disease in adults and children at least 12 years old.



The first phase of the trial will enroll 19 patients. Upon successful completion, the study will advance to the second phase, which will involve 59 patients, according to King's College London.



9. AbbVie & Team To Develop Antibody Therapeutic For COVID-19



AbbVie Inc. (ABBV), on Friday, announced that it is teaming up with Harbour BioMed, Utrecht University and Erasmus Medical Center to develop a novel antibody therapeutic to prevent and treat COVID-19.



The foursome will focus on advancing the fully human, neutralizing antibody 47D11 discovered by Utrecht University, Erasmus Medical Center, and Harbour BioMed that targets the conserved domain of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2.



AbbVie will support the preclinical activities, while simultaneously undertaking preparations for later stage preclinical and clinical development work. The Company will receive an option to exclusively license the antibody from the three parties for therapeutic clinical development and commercialization worldwide. Financial terms were not disclosed.



The collaboration comes after Abbvie's marketed HIV-drug combo Kaletra (Aluvia) failed to demonstrate any improvement in the clinical outcome of patients hospitalized with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in a clinical trial in April of this year.



ABBV closed Friday's trading at $93.85, up 0.87%.



10. Sun Pharma To Test Plant-based Drug For COVID-19



India's Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., on Friday, launched a phase II clinical trial of AQCH, a plant-derived drug for the treatment of COVID-19.



In 'in vitro' studies, AQCH, which is being developed for dengue, has had a strong antiviral effect and therefore is being tested as a possible treatment option for COVID-19, according to the Company.



The clinical trial of AQCH for COVID-19 will be conducted across 12 centers in India, with 210 patients being treated for a duration of 10 days. The results of the clinical trial are expected to be released by October 2020.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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The 50 wealthiest people in America have publicly donated about $1 billion for coronavirus relief  that's a big number, but it adds up to a very small fraction of their combined net worth: less than 0.1%, according to a new survey from the Washington Post.

The survey also found that nearly a third of these billionaires haven't announced any donations, though some who haven't contributed personally point to donations given through their corporations.

"Even many of the billionaires who have announced donations to Covid-19 relief efforts have given amounts that are relatively paltry when compared to the median net worth of an American household, which registers at $97,300," write Roxanne Roberts and Will Hobson of the Post.

Roberts and Hobson used this number to calculate what these billionaires' donations would equate to for the median American. For example, Jeff Bezos, the richest man in the world with a net worth of $143 billion, has donated $125 million. That's equivalent to about $85 for the median American donor, according to the Post's calculations.

Leading the way in terms of amount of personal donations are Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates and Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey.

Gates, who's been one of the most outspoken public figures from the beginning of the pandemic, has donated roughly $300 million through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. That translates into about $283 for the median American.

Dorsey isn't among the 50th wealthiest Americans (he ranks No. 147), but he has pledged $1 billion in equity from Square. That's a large chunk of his net worth, about 28%, and equates to more than $27,000 for the median American. You can see exactly where his money is going on this spreadsheet he created.

Hedge fund manager Ray Dalio has been the most generous among America's 50th wealthiest individuals in terms of donations relative to net worth. He's given more than $100 million of his $18 billion fortune, or about $589 for the median American.

But when it comes to billionaire donations for coronavirus relief, Gates, Dorsey and Dalio are "the exception, not the rule," the Post reports, pointing out that donations from some billionaires, including business magnate Donald Newhouse and Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke, are equivalent to less than $10 for the median American.

Critics of the nation's wealthiest individuals are quick to point out that they're the ones getting richer during the pandemic: American billionaires saw their fortunes climb $434 billion between mid-March and mid-May, according to a new report from Americans for Tax Fairness and the Institute for Policy Studies' Program for Inequality.

The five richest Americans  Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffett and Larry Ellison  saw their combined fortunes soar by $76 billion.

Don't miss: 5 books Bill Gates recommends reading right now

Check out: The best credit cards of 2020 could earn you over $1,000 in 5 years
A Treasury Minister has launched an outspoken attack on the BBC for 'fanning the flames of racial division' after its coverage of a Commons speech in which she defended the Government's record on ethnic minority issues.

Kemi Badenoch, who was born in London to Nigerian parents, attacked the corporation for reporting Thursday's speech  in which she said Ministers were examining why members of ethnic minorities were at higher risk of Covid-19  under the headline: 'Minister rejects systemic racism claims.'

A furious Ms Badenoch, writing in today's Mail on Sunday, says: 'I did no such thing; in fact, the phrase 'systemic racism' was not used once in the debate.

'This article was shared on social media thousands of times and believed because it was from a trusted source.'

Treasury minister Kemi Badenoch (pictured) has launched an outspoken attack on the BBC for 'fanning the flames of racial division'

She added that 'sloppy, agenda driven journalism of this sort fans the flames of racial division'.

Ms Badenoch, who also serves as an Equalities Minister, described a subsequent BBC article, by community affairs correspondent Rianna Croxford, as 'even more damaging' because it questioned whether the Government's review into coronavirus risk factors had actually been led by black doctor Professor Kevin Fenton, as claimed by Public Health England.

She said: 'In a rush to discredit the Government, the BBC downplayed the contributions made by an eminent, black physician, seeking to undermine the Government's ability to reach out to these communities that desperately need help.'

Ms Badenoch also accuses Labour and SNP MPs of repeating racially charged claims in the chamber such as 'being black is a death sentence'  at a time when the streets around the Commons were thronged with 'Black Lives Matter' protesters demonstrating in the wake of the death of George Floyd in America.

It is the latest flash point between the BBC and a senior member of the Government.

Last month, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden warned the corporation that it risked losing the public's confidence after a series of controversies about political bias, writing to outgoing BBC director-general Tony Hall to urge him to 'uphold the highest standards in relation to integrity and impartiality'.

Community Affairs correspondent Rianna Croxford (pictured) has been criticised by Kemi Badenoch MP

It came in the wake of a Panorama programme critical of the Government's handling of Covid-19.

It was revealed after the broadcast that the medical professionals interviewed on the programme were Left-wing activists.

Relations between the Government and the BBC have been strained since the election, when No10 accused the corporation of persistent bias.

The tensions deepened after the corporation received tens of thousands of complaints when presenter Emily Maitlis used an introduction to Newsnight to accuse Downing Street adviser Dominic Cummings of 'breaking lockdown rules'.

A BBC spokesman said: 'There was a heated debate in the House of Commons which we covered carefully and responsibly, but one of the words was incorrect in our online piece so we corrected it once we became aware of the error.'

The spokesman added: We stand by our story about Professor Fentons role in the government review into coronavirus risk factors.

Public Health England confirmed to BBC News that Professor Fenton contributed to the report but did not lead it, as the government initially said.

Kemi Badenoch has criticised what she believes was a misrepresentation of her speech by the BBC

My fears over sloppy, agenda-driven journalism that is destroying trust

By Kemi Badenoch

The disproportionate impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on black and minority ethnic people has been one of the most troubling aspects of the pandemic  and the Government was right to seek the expert guidance of Professor Kevin Fenton, an eminent black physician at Public Health England, to examine the issue.

So when, as Equalities Minister, I stood up in the Commons to discuss his review and its conclusions, I expected tough questions.

This, after all, has been a week of heightened emotion about racial divisions. Unfortunately, clumsy attempts at scrutiny by some MPs and commentators unintentionally risk inflaming racial tensions.

Updating Parliament on the review, Labour MPs repeated racially charged claims such as: 'Being black is a death sentence.'

One SNP MP conflated all black people with recent immigrants. This language does nothing to calm tensions at a time when politicians need to set an example.

Far more irresponsible though, was the BBC's coverage of the debate  with the headline: 'Minister rejects systemic racism claims'. I did no such thing.

In fact, the phrase 'systemic racism' was not used once in the debate. The BBC report was shared on social media thousands of times and believed because it was from a trusted source. This is incredibly harmful.

By implying that a black Minister has, out of hand, rejected racism as a factor, the hard work done by many ethnic minorities in Government, the NHS and Public Health England is discredited, trust is lost and race relations become worse.

Yes, there are gaps in PHE's review. By its nature, it highlights what we don't know and must investigate further.

We will build on this work, engaging with individuals and organisations within communities, to protect lives in this pandemic.

But sloppy, agenda-driven journalism of this sort fans the flames of racial division. The BBC has since edited its headline and made marginal alterations to the story, but the damage has been done.

A second BBC article was even more damaging, claiming that Prof Fenton played only a minor role in the review.

Prof Fenton led the work on the review looking into the impact of Covid-19 on ethnic minorities and the report provided a quantitative analysis of this alongside other factors such as age and gender.

I will be building on his valuable work and engagement with BAME communities in the next phase.

In a rush to discredit the Government, the BBC downplayed the contributions made by an eminent, black physician, seeking to undermine the Government's ability to reach out to these communities that desperately need help.

Sadly, some are willing to casually dismiss the contribution of people who don't conform to their expectation of how ethnic minorities should think and behave.

This, in itself, is racist. The policing of black people in public life is intended to scare them away from working with a Conservative Government.

How can you claim the Tories are racist when so many BAME people are happy to work with them at the highest levels of Government?

When discussing such sensitive topics, commentary must be accurate and responsible.

We need to be more circumspect; we need real journalism, not campaigning.

We must address prejudice but this is impossible if our national broadcaster, politicians and commentators play a social media game to achieve outrage rather than enlightenment.

We must combat the real inequities in society, but we do everyone a disservice if we give in to culture warriors whose relevance depends on inflaming tensions.

By hijacking the Government's work to improve the lives of BAME people, those spoiling for a fight are sacrificing the hope of so many young people for little more than clicks, likes and retweets.
Delhi police on Friday said they have registered an FIR against senior journalist Vinod Dua for allegedly 'making statements conducing to public mischief' on the complaint of BJP spokesperson Naveen Kumar

New Delhi: The Delhi police has registered an FIR against senior journalist Vinod Dua for allegedly "making statements conducing to public mischief" on the complaint of BJP spokesperson Naveen Kumar.

In his complaint to the Crime Branch, Kumar accused Dua of "spreading fake news" through "The Vinod Dua Show" on YouTube.

Dua said, "I have not yet been contacted by the police. I cannot react to it at this point."

Dua was also accused by Kumar of "misreporting" on the Delhi communal violence and stating that the "central government had done nothing to stop the violence".

Kumar has alleged that Dua had called the prime minister "toothless".

"The journalist Mr Vinod Dua has blatantly lied or has misinformed his viewers about the series of events. There are also a series of old instances where bizarre and unfounded allegations have been made against the government, police and political leaders. The reporting's full of false content misleading context...(sic)" Kumar said in his complaint.

A case has been registered under IPC sections 290 (punishment for public nuisance in cases not otherwise provided for) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes), police said.
Anglin then described how, along with the layoffs, he might also have to close down the site's "race war" section -- which isn't exactly a loss for humanity (except for your uncle that's banned from Thanksgiving).

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It hasn't helped that, in the last several years, Anglin's site has burned through money via more business screw-ups than an entire decade of coked-out Hollywood execs. For example, right after the murder of Heather Heyer by a white supremacist, at 2017's Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, VA., Anglin published a screed celebrating Heyer's death, which got TDS kicked off the internet for a spell.

Anglin was able to get his site back online and, because asshole gotta asshole, he began a campaign of harassment against several individuals. Which, in 2019, culminated with Anglin being forced to cough up over $18 million in damages. It's a figure which comprises successful lawsuits from: Dean Obeidallah, a Muslim-American radio host who was awarded $4.1 million in damages after Anglin accused him of being the mastermind behind a terrorist attack which killed 23 people in England; Taylor Dumpson, who after being elected the first black female student government president at American University in Washington, D.C., became the center of a "troll storm" engineered by Anglin; and Tanya Gersh, who took Anglin for over 14 MILLION DOLLARS after TDS and Anglin embarked on a crusade against Gersh which by way of publishing over 30 articles about her, sent a shitton of death threats, harassment, and other types of "atrocious conduct" her way.

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Admittedly, collecting this money is going to be a problem because the last time anyone checked, Anglin had fled the country, citing not just his legal troubles, but the number of death threats that regularly came his way. Someone should probably check South America. That's where his ilk went last time.
Mumbai, June 6 : Covid-19 has hit multi commodity derivatives exchange MCX, as one of its employees in the business continuity team has succumbed to the dreaded virus.

The company is yet to reply to a detailed questionnaire shared with it.

According to sources, till now one employee has succumbed to the deadly disease, while few more have been found Covid-19 positive.

The tragedy struck employees who were in line of duty and manned the MCX office staying back in the building premises.

"Nearly 30-odd employees were stationed at the office. They used to stay back on their respective floors," sources said, adding: "Recently one of them succumbed to Covid-19, while nine others including the security guard had been tested positive." Sources further claimed that these employees were being offered up to 3 times' monthly salary.

The company has said to have made provisions for the stay of the employees in the exchange building.

As per sources, the company has some 300 employees in Mumbai, some of whom have been quoted in this story.

-IANS team-biz/sn/arm

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Britain: Hong Kong people who hold a BNO are welcomed in the UK

Honest News Straight to Your Home. Try the Epoch Times yourself, and get a free gift.

Following U.S. President Donald Trumps announcement on Friday, May 29, to remove Hong Kongs special status treatment as a result of the CCPs push for the National Security Law on Hong Kong, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Rennie Raab said that the British government will not turn a blind eye to what happens to the people in Hong Kong.

Raab said in an interview: We will give those people who hold BNO [British National (Overseas)] passports the right to come to the UK. We will lift that six months restriction, allowing them to come to the UK to live, to apply, study and work for an extendible 12 months period and that will provide a path to citizenship.

Demosisto, a pro-democracy political group in Hong Kong, responded on May 30 to the United States intention to eliminate the special status from Hong Kong.

Nathan Law, the chairman of the Demosisto, said: The first way is for us to force Beijing, through local resistance, international pressure, and parliamentary resistance, to cancel the timeline of implementing the National Security Law. In addition, we still have to demand Beijing respond to the five major demands and to implement democracy in Hong Kong.

Joshua Wong, the secretary-general of the pro-democracy party Demosisto, said: It is very clear now that Beijing needs to face up to the international backlash and Xi Jinping needs to be held most responsible for the sanctions and the removal of the so-called special treatment currently imposed.

On May 29, the European Union also indicated its concern about the situation of Hong Kong.

The EUs Minister of Foreign Affairs and high representative, Joseph Borrell, said: We express our great concern at the steps taken by China on the 28th of May. We believe that this risk seriously undermines the One country, two systems principle.

Moreover, the British newspaper Sunday Express reported that the continuous fallout over the CCP virus and the way the Chinese Communist Party treats Hong Kong and threatens Taiwan has increased anger within the British government.
A grass fire that broke out in San Francisco's Potrero Hill on Friday afternoon has been contained at 2.5 acres, fire officials said.

Fire officials first reported the blaze via Twitter just before 1 p.m. near Connecticut and Wisconsin streets.
By Caitlin Johnstone

une 05, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Barack Obama has given his perfunctory speech about the Black Lives Matter protests taking place in America today, and it was every bit as full of pretty words and empty of actual substance as youd expect from a president who spent eight years stagnating the progressive movement with empty hope narrative while advancing the same murderous oppressive agendas as his predecessors.

The former president talked about changes that need to be made as though he wasnt the most powerful politician in America for two full terms, praised the nations police officers saying the vast majority of them protect and serve the people, and encouraged them to continue making empty gestures of solidarity with the protesters to calm them down.

I want to acknowledge the folks in law enforcement that share the goals of re-imagining policing, Obama said. Because there are folks out there who took their oath to serve your communities to your countries [who] have a tough job, and I know youre just as outraged about the tragedies in the recent weeks as are many of the protesters. So were grateful for the vast majority of you who protect and serve. Ive been heartened to see those in law enforcement who recognize, Let me march along with these protestors. Let me stand side by side and recognize that I want to be part of the solution, and have shown restraint and volunteered and engaged and listened because youre a vital part of the conversation, and change is going to require everyones participation.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

George W Bush also weighed in on the protests, with the compassionate conservative who murdered a million Iraqis sending liberals throughout the Twitterverse into fits of ecstasy with his emotional plea for empathy, and shared commitment, and bold action, and a peace rooted in justice.

You do not, under any circumstances, gotta hand it to George W. Bush  Gabriella Paiella (@GMPaiella) June 2, 2020

Establishment narrative managers on both sides of Americas imaginary partisan divide have been saturating the mass media with gushing praise for the two former presidents and their wonderful words of healing and unity, and indeed, the words are quite nice. They will change exactly nothing, but they sound nice.

And that is exactly what a US presidents real job is. Not to end police brutality and systemic racism, not to make changes which benefit the American people, and certainly not to make the world a less violent and murderous place, but to say pretty words which lull the public into a pleasant propaganda-induced coma while the sociopathic oligarchs who really run things rob them blind.

This is not accomplished by tweeting obnoxious things about shooting thugs and getting censored by Twitter. It is not accomplished by threatening to implement martial law against the will of the states. It is not accomplished by using the military to brutalize protesters so you can pose in front of a burnt church with an upside-down Bible. It is not accomplished by calling the brother of George Floyd and being curt, uninterested and dismissive. It is not accomplished by first mismanaging a pandemic, then mismanaging a response to an incendiary police murder, then having nothing soothing or sympathetic to say that makes people feel like youre listening and you care. It is not accomplished by creating an environment which allows photos to circulate of the nations capital burning.

And that, right there, is the one and only reason why certain elements of the establishment do not like President Trump.

President Obama: "I want to acknowledge the folks in law enforcement that share the goals of reimagining policing." pic.twitter.com/al3Jt5l6N3  The Hill (@thehill) June 4, 2020

Whenever I point out the many, many evil establishment agendas that have been advanced by the current US president, I always get Trump supporters asking me Well if hes serving the establishment, how come establishment media and politicians attack him so hysterically, huh?

This is why. At first glance it might seem strange to see Democrats and their aligned media shrieking about Trump with such an unprecedented degree of vitriol, but they arent doing this because Trump resists the establishment in any meaningful way on domestic or foreign policy; he provides no significant resistance to toxic establishment agendas at all. The reason theres been such shrill, hysterical rhetoric about this president from establishment narrative managers is because unlike his predecessors, Trump puts an ugly face on the empire.

People who have dedicated their lives to advancing the interests of the oligarchic empire see Trump as an incompetent manager whose oafish, ham-fisted approach to his role risks drawing attention to the evil things the empire does. The US police force, for example, hasnt gotten any more brutal or racist since Trump has been in office, he just hasnt been able to manage events and narratives competently to keep the peasants from waking up and revolting.

Establishment narrative managers understand how to skilfully manipulate public perception without being obvious about it, and they understand how easily an incompetent steward of empire can snap people out of their propaganda trance. They therefore dislike Trump for the same reason a new mother dislikes a noisy neighbor: theyll wake the baby. They dont dislike Trump because he does good things, and they certainly dont dislike Trump because he does bad things. They dislike Trump because he does bad things in a way that startles the people out of their sleep.

Thats the real reason the political/media class has been behaving so weird the last four years. It isnt because Trumps not a loyal empire lackey (he is), it isnt because hes a Russian secret agent (hes not), and it isnt because hes a uniquely depraved president (hes not). Its because he allows people to see the perverse mechanics of a globe-sprawling murderous empire for the sick, evil thing that it actually is. That and nothing more.

Caitlin's articles are entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, liking her on Facebook, following her antics on Twitter, checking out her podcast, throwing some money into her hat on Patreon or Paypal, or buying her book Woke: A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers. https://caitlinjohnstone.com

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I am scared to death of coming back to work, she said. I dont think I should have to make the choice between having a livelihood and having a life.

[How do you feel about going back to work? Share your story.]

Ms. James knows that a spate of joblessness, especially during an economic downturn, can have a lifelong impact. She spent 13 years working for a government contractor, rising up the ranks, before losing her job in 2010. Ms. James was unemployed for six months before she took a job at a grocery store to get by. She eventually got back into her field, but has not found the kind of steady work she enjoyed before the last recession.

The pattern is familiar  blacks tend to be out of a job longer than whites.

What we saw with the Great Recession was that it took much longer for black and Latino workers and black and Latino households to recover from that recession, said Valerie Wilson, an economist at the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute who was a co-author of a recent report on the impact of the virus on black workers. And in fact some would argue that we didnt see a recovery for those communities until the last three years.

Owning a business or being self-employed has not insulated African-Americans from the pandemics economic fallout, because they are often concentrated in personal service activities, running barbershops and beauty shops that have had to close so as not to become sources of infection.

The next wave of the crisis could hit one of the underpinnings of the black middle class: state and local government jobs. Even as other sectors recorded some gains last month, an additional 571,000 state and local government employees, many of them teachers, lost their jobs.

In April, there were nearly a million job losses, and economists say many more are expected as the collapse in tax revenue ripples through statehouses and city halls.

African-Americans  particularly women  are disproportionately employed in those positions, said Christian E. Weller, an economist at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, who wrote a report on the systemic obstacles facing black job seekers for the Center for American Progress.
The BMC said that it has alerted the Mumbai fire department after receiving complaints of a suspected gas leak from residents in Chembur, Ghatkopar, Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli and Powai

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said that it has alerted the fire department after receiving complaints of a suspected gas leak from residents in Chembur, Ghatkopar, Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli and Powai.

In a series of tweets, the BMC said that 13 fire appliances have been activated to monitor the situation as a precaution and that the fire brigade is investigating the complaints.

"We have received a couple of complaints of suspected gas leak, from residents in Chembur, Ghatkopar, Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli & Powai. The fire brigade is checking and we will update facts soon," the BMC tweeted via its handle

@mybmc.

All concerned agencies have been mobilised to check the source of the foul smell being complained of by several residents in the areas of Chembur, Ghatkopar, Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli & Powai. #MyBMCUpdates   Mumbai,  BMC (@mybmc) June 6, 2020

The municipal corporation also appealed to citizens to not panic and advised those having problems due to the foul smell to "put a wet towel or cloth on their face covering nose".

Please dont panic or creat panic. 13 fire appliances to monitor situation situation have been activated as a precaution. Any one having problems due to the foul smell please put a wet towel or cloth on ur face covering nose #BMCUpdates   Mumbai,  BMC (@mybmc) June 6, 2020

According to India Today, "Officials with the fire department said that when personnel were dispatched to the areas, they could also smell gas in varying measure."

The reason for the supposed gas leak, however, is yet to be identified, the report added.

"Preliminary information by BMCs disaster management cell reveals the incident was reported at 9:53 pm. The gas leakage was reported at US Vitamin company in Govandi (East)," Hindustan Times reported.

Shiv Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray tweeted that "the BMC disaster control room is locating the source and the Mumbai Fire Brigade is operating as per SOPs".

Weve got tweeted to about foul smell in Chembur and Chandivali. The @mybmc disaster control room is locating the source and the Mumbai Fire Brigade is operating as per SoPs. Shall update as soon as source is located.  Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) June 6, 2020

More details are awaited.

In September 2109, similar complaints of gas leakage were reported from several parts of Mumbai, with citizens taking to social media to complain about a lingering odour in their localities.

Complaints were received from Mankhurd, Chembur, Ghatkopar, Powai, Bhandup and Kandivali.

Later, reports had said that a leakage had emanated from the Rashtriya Chemical Fertiliser's Chembur plant and was contained.
At 32, Georgie Kats had it all - a successful career, a handsome husband and the news she'd always wanted: she was pregnant with their first child.

The glamorous advertising director had 'always cruised through life', hitting milestones like travelling the world, falling in love, getting married and having a baby at the perfect moment, one straight after the other.

Eight months into her pregnancy, her mother spotted a small, flesh coloured lump on the side of her left foot while they sat together at home in Melbourne one evening in August 2019.

She didn't know it then, but that seemingly innocuous lump was the first warning sign that a rare form of cancer was growing in her leg, and doctors would amputate just nine months later.

Melbourne advertising director Georgie Kats with husband Chris and newborn daughter Antonia in September 2019

Georgie with Antonia in May 2020, three weeks after losing the lower part of her left leg

Her gynaecologist dismissed it as a harmless cyst and advised her to 'leave it alone' until she delivered her baby. Georgie agreed and basked in a 'blissful' three months with partner Chris, 35, after their daughter Antonia arrived in September.

By December, the lump had swelled to the size of a large marble so Georgie sought a second opinion from her GP who reiterated it was nothing to worry about.

Reassured but frustrated by the protruding growth that was now stopping her from sliding into her favourite heels, she made an appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon to have it removed.

'Who would of thought my vanity one day would save my life,' Georgie told Daily Mail Australia.

But when the surgeon began draining fluid from the 'cyst', the look on his face told Georgie that something more sinister was wrong.

Georgie and Chris on holiday in Capri, Italy in August 2018, two years before her mother would notice the cancerous lump on her foot

Still, feeling fitter, healthier and stronger than ever, cancer simply wasn't on her radar, least of all an aggressive tumour, six centimetres long.

Doctors immediately ordered a biopsy and Georgie was given the devastating news that an exceptionally rare soft tissue sarcoma called myxoid liposarcoma was growing inside her foot.

She recalls pain and fear flooding her body as her mind raced from one overwhelming question to the next, like what would happen to her husband and beloved baby girl if she died.

'You never really think it will happen to you, especially not at my age,' she said, adding when two medical professionals tell you it's a cyst, 'you believe it's just a cyst'.

'I would call my sisters and tell them my brain hurts, my lymph nodes hurt, I think the cancer has spread. Even though I new I was being ridiculous, I was petrified. I just didn't want to die.'

The new mum with her baby girl while undergoing treatment for a rare form of sarcoma

Georgie is one of just 92 Australian women aged 25 to 39 who are diagnosed with a specified type of soft tissue sarcoma every year, figures from the Australian Government's cancer research website show.

Liposarcoma is a type of cancer that begins in fat cells, usually in the muscles of the arms, legs or abdomen. It typically affects people aged 40 to 60 but has been known to occur at any age.

It accounts for just one percent of adult cancers worldwide.

Symptoms are vague and easily confused with everyday complaints like indigestion, stress and generalised fatigue, which often leads to considerable delays in diagnosis. They also vary depending on where the cancer grows.

Liposarcoma that forms in the arm or leg like Georgie's did can cause a painless lump of tissue to grow beneath the skin, swelling, pain or weakness in the affected limb.

Georgie experienced no pain or discomfort in the lump or any other part of her foot, and said if her mother hadn't noticed it she probably never would.

Georgie feeds Antonia three weeks after her amputation surgery

Brave Georgie after her surgery on Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Symptoms of liposarcoma Liposarcoma signs and symptoms vary depending on the part of the body where the cancer grows. Liposarcoma that forms in the arms and legs can cause a growing lump of tissue under your skin, pain, swelling and weakness of the affected limb. Liposarcoma that forms in the abdomen can cause abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, feeling full sooner when eating, constipation or blood in the stool. Source: Sarcoma Australia Advertisement

The cause remains largely unclear, but doctors know that liposarcoma begins when a fat cell develops mutations in its genetic code.

The mutations  or 'errors'  cause the cell to multiply abnormally, the result of which is a malignant tumour.

Several types of liposarcoma exist, some that grow slowly and stay in one area of the body, and others that spread rapidly which significantly reduces the chance of long-term survival.

In good news for Georgie, tests revealed the cancer had not yet spread and doctors immediately scheduled 28 daily sessions of radiation to destroy the disease.

Georgie after the amputation, which reduced the risk of cancer reoccuring to 30 percent

The treatment was successful, but to give the young mother the best chance of survival, doctors advised an amputation of the leg below the knee, a difficult pill she bravely swallowed on Wednesday, May 6.

'I just cried the whole way into the operating room. Even when they were putting me to sleep I remember tears were streaming down my cheeks. The sadness was overwhelming,' she said.

Amputation removed all traces of sarcoma and Georgie has been told she now has a 70 percent chance of survival, which means there is still a 30 percent chance of cancer coming back.

'If I'm being completely honest, the amputation was a harder pill for me to swallow than when I was first diagnosed with cancer. I mourned the loss of my limb like a death,' she said.

'But I also understand there are many cancer patients out there who don't get an opportunity like this to survive, so I am thankful that I get to continue living in a different but in a more intense, grateful and happy way.

'I may look physically different, but that's all that has changed. Cancer may have taken half my leg, but Ill never let it take my spark.'

She says being alive with Antonia and Chris is 'the best feeling in the world'.

Georgie with Chris and Antonia on the morning of the day her leg was amputated

Georgie has shared her story in the hopes of encouraging young adults to take control of their health and keep track of changes in their bodies, no matter how insignificant they might seem.

She is also eager to raise awareness about rare cancers like soft tissue sarcoma, which are under researched due to a lack of mainstream funding.

'Every cancer deserves to have a voice. Cancer is cancer and we all deserve an equal opportunity to fight and survive,' she said.

To learn more about rare cancers in Australia, visit RareCancers.org.

You can follow Georgie Kats' journey on Instagram here.


Northeast Syrias Kurdish-led forces said they have arrested 17 Islamic State suspects in a sweeping counterterror operation launched Thursday in the countrys east.

The operation, dubbed Deterring Terrorism, is one of the largest the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have undertaken since capturing the final holdout of the Islamic State (IS) near the Iraq border in March 2019, according to the SDF.

The sweep comes in response to increased attacks by suspected IS sleeper cells in the majority-Arab Deir ez-Zor province  a problem that the US military has said undermines locals faith in the Kurdish-led administration.

SDF media official Marvan Qamishlo told Al-Monitor by phone that the manhunt spans from southern Hasakah province into Deir ez-Zor, and is expected to conclude next week in Syrias eastern border area with Iraq, but may be extended. Qamishlo, who was present during the operation, told Al-Monitor that SDF forces had arrested 17 suspected IS affiliates as of this evening.

SDF spokesperson Kino Gabriel said today that the operation was intended to end the threat of sleeper cells and restore security and stability in the area. SDF media official Adnan Afrin told the North Press Agency that the search includes some 6,000 fighters, and was launched following a decision last month in response to complaints from civilians in Deir ez-Zor about increased IS activity in the province.

Suspected IS affiliates in Syrias east have carried out a series of attempted assassinations on individuals affiliated with the Kurdish-led administration in recent months. The US military reported in May that a lack of security in Deir ez-Zor poses a legitimacy challenge to northeast Syrias Kurdish-led administration.

The SDFs media office said the campaign will target IS "hideouts and hotbeds which were a source of concern to the people. American soldiers were seen participating in the operation, which the SDF said is being coordinated with the Iraqi army across the border.
The Air Force plans to test an autonomous fighter drone controlled by artificial intelligence against a human pilot in war games, it has been revealed.

Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan, head of the Pentagon's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, said on Thursday that the Air Force Research Laboratory hope to conduct the test in July 2021.

Shanahan, speaking at a virtual event organized by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, did not reveal any specific details of the planned AI fighter jet's design or capabilities.

It's unclear what the autonomous fighter jet would look like, but it could be a modified version of an existing plane.

However, the Air Force hopes that a fighter drone piloted by AI would be able to react faster to opponents, as well as conduct harder, faster maneuvers that would be impossible with a human on board, as they would overwhelm the body.

Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan, head of the Pentagon's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, said on Thursday that the Air Force Research Laboratory hope to conduct the test in July 2021

A mock dogfight is just the first step in testing such systems, however, and Shanahan isn't convinced that AI could beat a human pilot yet.

'[Team leader Steve Rogers] is probably going to have a hard time getting to that flight next year  when the machine beats the human,' Shanahan said. 'If he does it, great.'

However the project heads are optimistic about the future of autonomous flying, having watched autonomous cars develop significantly in recent years.

'Our human pilots, the really good ones, have a couple thousand hours of experience,' Rogers told Inside Defense in 2018.

'What happens if I can augment their ability with a system that can have literally millions of hours of training time?' he continued. 'How can I make myself a tactical autopilot so in an air-to-air fight, this system could help make decisions on a timeline that humans can't even begin to think about?'

It's unclear what the autonomous fighter jet would look like, but it could be a modified version of an existing plane. An F-35B Lightning II is seen above in a file photo

An autonomous fighter prototype would be just the latest artificial intelligence protect to emerge from the Pentagon.

Last year, the Air Force revealed footage of a new 'wingman' fighter drone that would accompany manned jets.

The XQ-58A Valkyrie was developed in just over 2.5 years, from contract award to first flight  a milestone that took place March 2019 at the Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona.

While the Air Force is often guarded about the progress of its emerging craft, it did release a video clip online of the drone's first flight in the Arizona skies.

The XQ-58 Valkyrie is a long-range, high subsonic unmanned air vehicle (UAV) developed by the Air Force Research Lab in partnership with Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems. During its inaugural flight, it was in the air for 76 minutes

The XQ-58 Valkyrie is a long-range, high subsonic unmanned air vehicle (UAV) developed by the Air Force Research Lab in partnership with Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems.

The combat drone will be put through a total of five planned test flights in its two phases of development.

This will help to evaluate and perfect system functionality, aerodynamic performance, and launch and recovery systems, the Air Force says.

XQ-58 was developed under the Air Force Research Labs Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) portfolio, which is working to create military craft at cheaper prices.

The objectives of the LCAAT initiative include designing and building UAS faster by developing better design tools, and maturing and leveraging commercial manufacturing processes to reduce build time and cost, the Air Force said in a statement.
Lucknow, June 6 : Police on Saturday arrested Anamika Shukla, a teacher who allegedly worked in 25 schools for months and withdrew over Rs one crore in salaries for more than a year till February last.

Kotwali SHO Ripudaman Singh said that police was questioning the accused.

Anamika had sent her resignation letter to the Kasganj Basic Education Officer through a friend who was detained at the office. Later, the officer sent some staff who caught hold of the teacher on a road and handed her to Soro police station.

A native of Mainpuri, Anamika was working as a full-time science teacher at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya in Faridpur in Kasganj and simultaneously at many schools in Ambedkar Nagar, Baghpat, Aligarh, Saharanpur and Prayagraj districts etc.

The matter came to light when a database of teachers was being created on Manav Sampada portal that required details like teachers' personal records, date of joining, and promotion.

Once the records were uploaded, Anamika Shukla's personal details were allegedly found listed at 25 schools.

Basic Education Officer Anjali Aggarwal, who had stopped withdrawal of salary by Anamika on Friday and issued her a notice, said that an inquiry had been initiated against the teacher on charge of using someone else's record.

Additional Director (Basic Education) in Aligarh is probing the charges against the accused teacher.

On Friday, Director General of School Education, Vijay Kiran Anand, had confirmed that a probe was under way to ascertain the facts in the case.
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People browsing overseas homes online while 'dual-screening' has resulted in a 174 per cent surge in searches for homes listed in Ibiza last month compared to the previous year, Rightmove data shows.

With Netflix TV series White Lines - set on the party island - being one of the most watched programmes last month, many appear to have hunted for homes there on a phone or tablet while watching the box.

The show, centered around the mysterious death of a Mancunian who heads to the hedonistic island in the mid-1990s, features a number of stunning modern sun-soaked homes with pools, sea views and outdoor living.

Searches for homes in Ibiza on Rightmove are up 174% compared to last May, due to the new Netflix show White Lines (pictured), set on the Spanish island

Spain, France and Portugal topped the list of the most popular places to hunt to buy a home overseas.

Rightmove claims the searches on its website for overseas properties were up 33 per cent in May compared with a year earlier.

But with people still in lockdown and likely to miss out on their holiday in the sun this summer, it may be that this figure is a more of an indication of people virtual window shopping rather than one that they're going to buy overseas.

It comes as plans to travel are being dented further as the Government announced new quarantine plans - due to come into force on Monday - for people arriving to the UK to isolate for 14 days.

Map showing the most searched areas overseas on property website Rightmove, including France, Spain and Portugal

This four-bed villa in Ibiza is for sale via estate agents CW Luxury Villas Ibiza for 1.3million, the equivalent of 1,166,709

Rightmove also said the 33 per cent increase was a continuation of a trend seen in April, when overseas searches increased by 50 per cent compared to a month earlier and 18 per cent on a year previously.

It said the biggest uplifts were seen in Spain, France and Portugal, following an initial dip when these countries went into their respective lockdowns.

Searches in Spain were up 34 per cent year-on-year during May, 33 per cent in France and 26 per cent in Portugal, according to Rightmove.

The website explained that the surge is a mixture of people looking seriously to buy a holiday home, those contemplating a relocation, and some who are dreaming of a trip abroad after their holiday was cancelled.

Interest in homes in France has increased, with this five-bed house in the Dordogne for sale via estate agents Leggett for 508,800, the equivalent of 457,523

Rightmove's property expert Miles Shipside said: 'Lockdown has allowed many people time to re-appraise their lives, which has prompted lots of home-hunters to get serious about buying elsewhere in Europe.

'In particular, countries such as Spain, France, and Portugal have cultures that are familiar to us, and their warmer climates and reasonably priced rural stock will appeal to those who have been recently denied foreign travel.

'Social distancing would be far more straightforward if you're lucky enough to be able to afford your own overseas pad.

'If other holiday-makers feel the same, then they may wish to rent your property, helping it bring in an income when you are not there.

'It's still early days as we're not out of lockdown yet and most airlines are still shut, but this is an indication that this has been a life-changing period for many who are re-appraising both how and where they want to live.'

Estate agents both at home and abroad also reported an increase in demand for international properties.

Dennis Chan, global head of international sales at Chestertons, said: 'A surge in demand has indeed been observed across our portfolio of international properties, especially coastal homes.

'Clients who had been considering a second home prior to the pandemic have now intensified their enquiries with our offices in Southern Europe.'

This four-bed villa in Spain is for sale via Olive Properties for 445,000, equivalent to 399,149

Kieran Byrne, of HomeEspana in Spain, said: 'After a significant dip in activity and enquiries in March and early April, when lockdown measures were first introduced in Spain and the UK, we've witnessed a gradual resurgence of interest towards the end of April, and this gathered pace throughout May.

'Of course, we've spoken to clients who are putting their plans on hold, waiting to see what life will be like post-coronavirus, which is totally understandable. But we've also spoken to new customers who had never previously thought about buying a property in Spain.

'Being confined has made them reconsider their lives in cities and towns, as has the thought of returning to being crammed onto buses and trains  and they've concluded it would be preferable to be somewhere with more of an outdoor lifestyle, better weather, access to swimming pools and beaches.'

This four-bed house in Mallorca is for sale via estate agents JS Properties for 1.35million, the equivalent of 1,200,885

He added: 'Then we have a separate set of customers, who were already searching for a second home on the Costa Blanca before the coronavirus outbreak, but who were previously taking their time and happy to continue their search over a couple of years.

'This crisis has accelerated their desire to own in Spain sooner rather than later, and they now want to finalise a purchase as soon as possible.

'Of course, we still don't know how any of this translates into genuine interest or transactions, as we're still not fully out of lockdown here in Spain, international flights haven't resumed and we're still in a period of uncertainty - but it does seem like there is a lot of new interest in people relocating or having a second home here.'

This five-bed house in Portugal's Lisbon is for sale via estate agents IAD Portugal for 1million, the equivalent of 896,445

Chris White, owner of Ideal Homes in Portugal, added: 'We've seen leads increase on a daily basis throughout the UK lockdown. In fact, in the last ten days alone we've sold four properties.

'We're getting lots of interest in private villas and apartments with big terraces. I think people were nervous before about buying abroad, but now they are far more determined.

'Buyers are saying to us, as soon as they can fly again they want to come out, meet the lawyers and get things done. There are bargains to be had and we're definitely seeing high levels of demand.

'Even with the rental side of the business, we're fully booked for August and quite a lot of next year, which doesn't normally happen. People now want to buy a property, enjoy it for ten weeks of the year, and then rent it out for another 30 weeks and still make more money than if their cash was sat in the bank.'

This three-bed villa in the Algarve, Portugal, is for sale via Waratah Properties, for 720,000, equivalent to 645,614
An irate Texas man who threatened peaceful protesters with a chainsaw and used the n-word was detained by authorities on Friday.

The disturbing incident happened during demonstrations over the death of George Floyd, an African-American man who died in police custody, in the border town of McAllen.

Cell phone footage showed an unidentified man pulling a chainsaw from the back of a blue pickup truck and walking into a crowd of protesters.

An unidentified man (center) was caught on camera brandishing a chainsaw at peaceful protesters advocating for Black Lives Matter on Saturday

The crowd quickly disperses as one person screams to call 911.

The man yells at the protesters to 'go home' and 'move' while repeatedly revving the chainsaw.

As the protesters point out that they were simply marching in protest, the man lets loose the n-word and urges them to no be fooled.

'Dont let those f****** n****** out there fool you,' he shouts. '"Don't let those f******trash antifa bulls*** people fool you.'

Antifa, a vague left-wing movement, short for anti-fascist, was the source of President Trump's blame over violent clashes that erupted during protests.

He announced that he would designate the group as a terrorist organization, but there's no legal authority to make such a move for a domestic group.

'Don't let these pendejos right here,' the man continued, using a Spanish slur meaning idiot.

The man (pictured) told protesters to not 'let those f****** n****** out there fool you' and called out Antifa

'Don't let these f****** a******* lie to you! Don't let them lie to you!

Lorena Houghton, a McAllen resident who witnessed the incident, recalled the moment as 'very scary.'

'We were just walking, because we were walking over here by ourselves, it was a group of like six or seven, and we were just trying to cross the street and someone stopped in the middle of the crosswalk and started yelling at the girl in front,' she told The Monitor.

She said the man ripped a poster out of a woman's hands before seizing his chainsaw.

Lorena Houghton: ''I think that the exact point they were trying to make is that they didnt think that Black Lives Matter was necessary here, but I think he disproved his own point by violently attacking people that were walking on the street'

'Its very scary,' she said. 'I think that the exact point they were trying to make is that they didnt think that Black Lives Matter was necessary here, but I think he disproved his own point by violently attacking people that were walking on the street.'

McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez revealed that the chainsaw-wielding man has been detained.

'Thus far its been the only incident weve had at todays event,' said Rodriguez.

'Weve identified that person, weve detained that person and are continuing our investigation into the particular incident.'

An assault investigation was launched into the incident. The department is currently determining what charges will be filed against the man.
World Mental Health Day is observed on October 10. While awareness of mental health is gradually improving, there are certain misconceptions and myths related to the subject. A website called HealthPartners debunks some of most common myths. (Representative image)

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has asked insurers to be transparent about offering health covers to those with HIV/AIDS, mental health issues and for persons with disabilities.

This because even four years after the regulator asked insurers to cover all kinds of risks under health policies, the reality is quite different.

Insurers routinely reject covers for differently-abled citing higher risks. For mental health issues and HIV/AIDS, there are hardly any covers available to individual customers.

In a notification on June 2, IRDAI has asked insurers to provide detailed information on their websites stating their underwriting philosophy on covering people with disabilities, HIV/AIDS or mental illnesses. This has to be done by October 1.

However, mere disclosure will not solve issues caused by absence of products.

Mumbai-based software professional Nikhil Deshpande had sought a cover from his health insurance for his anxiety therapy sessions and related medication which costs almost Rs 7,000 per month. He was also hospitalised twice last year. However, the insurer informed him that no cover was available.

The same goes for the differently-abled as well. Pratigya Tiwari from Kolkata who lost her eyesight due to polio at the age of seven in 1998, still does not have a health cover. Reason? All insurers said that she is prone to higher risks and will cause adverse selection.

I work in an administrative position in a power facility and also travel to work on a daily basis. Especially with the coronavirus pandemic, I am at a loss because if I am hospitalised I do not have any insurance. Why cant the regulator make it mandatory? asks Tiwari.

The magic word here is mandatory. So far, IRDAI has only advised companies to offer covers for all types of risks, defined in insurance parlance as standard and sub-standard lives.

Here, standard lives are regular able-bodied individuals with no ailments whereas substandard are defined as all others. Lack of data to price products is often cited as a reason to reject covers.

While IRDAI had advised insurers to cover all kinds of health requirements, be it HIV/AIDS, cancer or mental health, the truth is that less than 10 percent of the industry is offering covers.

Whatever few covers are available, they are not adequate in sum assured sizes. Further, the annual premiums are above Rs 20,000 which is not affordable for the masses, said disability rights' activist Naveen Das.

Das also questioned that when insurers were offering covers for diabetes, blood pressure and even advanced stages of cancer, why not offer covers for all disabilities. When individuals with some sort of physical disabilities function normally without any major concerns, he explained that it is baffling why insurers dont want to offer covers.

Insurance companies are of the view that certain sections of the society are high-risk depending on their physical and mental well-being. Companies feel that offering an individual cover to such people would lead to a high ratio of claims because a proportion of the high-risk category would require medical intervention at regular intervals.

Insurance works as a pooling concept where premium is put into a common pool and the claims are paid out of it. Underwriting officials said that insuring individuals who are prone to claim regularly would mean that healthy individuals would compensate for premium loss by having to pay a higher annual cost for covers.

A better solution would be to have standardised products of health insurance of say Rs 5-7 lakh size with a premium range of Rs 10,000-12,000 for those with special needs. Those seeking a higher cover size could buy a top-up plan by paying a market-linked premium.

This will ensure that no individual in India is denied a health insurance cover. With the absence of a standard social security scheme (except for the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana for those below poverty line), there should be more standard medical covers across the spectrum covering those with all types of physical and mental health.
Remember when your home was the place you went to relax after a long day at work? Now, that idea seems as quaint as June Cleaver's habit of donning pearls and high heels to vacuum before Ward returned from the office. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has forced millions of people to hunker down, homes have become the place where we work, exercise, educate our children, enjoy (virtual) happy hour and catch a movie. And that trend is likely to linger long after the pandemic is under control, according to a forecast by Euromonitor International, a global market research firm.

Euromonitor International released its forecast of the most significant trends for 2020 at the beginning of the year but felt compelled to update it after COVID-19 upended the way we live and work. Some of the trends in the firm's original forecast have accelerated, particularly the development of what Euromonitor calls the "multifunctional home." While many young professionals were already moving away from traditional workplace culture, the pandemic forced millions of others to turn their homes into remote offices. The shift is expected to linger long after it's safe to leave the house, says Alison Angus, head of lifestyles at Euromonitor.

Managers that resisted telework have discovered that employees are not, in fact, watching Law and Order reruns when they should be working, and many employees have discovered that they don't miss going into an office every day. A Gallup survey conducted in April found that three out of five workers who have been working from home during the pandemic would like to continue working remotely even after public health restrictions are lifted.

The shift to teleworking for large numbers of workers has far-reaching implications for everything from coffee shops to retail sales. For a remote workforce, every day is casual Friday, which could lead to more demand for comfortable clothes and a decline in sales of suits and dresses. If employers decide they don't need as much office space, office rents could decline, depressing earnings of commercial real estate firms. Even after they reopen, restaurants that rely on traffic from office workers could also see a decline in business, Angus says.

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Friendly robots. In a moment captured on a widely shared video earlier this year, a man in Cyprus enlisted a drone to walk his dog. While most of us are expected to continue walking our pets ourselves for the foreseeable future, consumers are increasingly turning to robots, drones and other remote technologies to provide "contactless delivery" of products and services, Euromonitor says. "The pandemic could propel robots into the mainstream, moving them from novelty to essential," Angus says. Consumers have also increased their use of smart speakers, voice control and other technologies that reduce the need to touch potentially contaminated surfaces.

Privacy concerns put aside. While the pandemic expedited some trends, it stalled others, including concerns about privacy. Before the pandemic, consumers were increasingly skeptical of the way their personal data was used and demanded more transparency from technology companies. Now, they're much more willing to give up personal information if they believe it will protect them and their families from the coronavirus. A survey by the Pew Research Center found that 52% of Americans believe it would be acceptable for the government to use individuals' cell-phone data to track the spread of COVID-19. Still, tech companies shouldn't become complacent. Euromonitor predicts that once the pandemic crisis has passed, consumers will continue to demand more information about how their data is packaged and sold. And the Pew study shows there are limits on the amount of privacy Americans are willing to relinquish. Nearly two-thirds said it would not be acceptable for the government to use cell-phone data to determine whether they were complying with social distancing guidelines.

Buying local. Finally, the pandemic has compelled consumers to reexamine their shopping habits, Euromonitor found. Consumers want to know the origin of products, and they're more comfortable buying things that haven't traveled far.

Social values are playing a role in shopping choices, too. "We're looking out for each other," Angus says. "And because we have this more caring or collective attitude, we want our local businesses to survive."

EDITOR'S PICKS



Copyright 2020 The Kiplinger Washington Editors
There is an article floating about on the internet titled "ALL Republicans and conservatives should refuse to speak to anyone at the NY Times."

This article was written in response to the management of the paper apologizing for publishing an opinion piece by a conservative member of Congress and in response to several of their so-called journalists kvetching to the publisher about this non-liberal, non-Democrat op-ed. The publisher, who has forever promoted the virtues of a diversity of opinions in his newspaper, also promised henceforth to limit the number of opinions (not written in house) appearing in the paper.

This is how it goes in the world of liberalism: they promote an idea, and when they catch flack, rather than defending, they scurry away with their tails between their legs. They dare not allow their readers or viewers (in the case of CNN, MSNBC, or the liberal broadcast networks) to see commonsense opinions. They cannot chance their audience to come upon news that they believe it should not see. Censorship is the correct term for what they do. Ask yourself how many and how often opposing voices are allowed on the above referenced TV channels. They number almost none. These folks are content in controlling what you are allowed to know  you know, like happens in communist and socialist countries.

The New York Times is the bible of that same leftist media that wanted riots and to see America burn. They set about angering blacks and raising the temperature to the point that these rioters could no longer contain themselves. The media brought looting, burning, and killing to every Democrat-controlled city. They got exactly what they set about to accomplish: they destroyed more black neighborhoods...again. Just like last time, every time. And the media are not content yet.

Now, once again, inner-city neighborhoods have been devastated; they resemble war zones, just as the media wanted. Stores needed by citizens to buy groceries, medicine, clothes, and other necessities have been looted and destroyed, and many will never venture to transact business in these hellholes again. These rioters, incapable of thinking of the consequences, took their cues from the American media, on cable channels and in liberal newspapers, none of which cautioned these rioting criminals about the severe, long-term consequences for their lives in the aftermath.

As the news media filled impressionable heads with the go-ahead to pillage and burn their own nests and those of fellow Americans, they also immediately turned their attention to pushing the blame for the killing of a black man by a white policeman (and indeed everything wrong in black America) onto the president of the United States!

It is no longer out of line, nor a conspiracy theory, to understand that this was done to damage the president in the eyes of all Americans, but especially black voters, many of whom have begun to think for themselves in terms of which party may best look out for their interests. Many likely remember Candidate Donald Trump admonishing them when it came to voting for him: "What the hell do you have to lose?" This is that very same media establishment that has spent all of the past three-plus years lying about the president in every aspect possible, from refusing to report positive occurrences to making up and promoting outright lies about him. Ninety-five percent of the words they have uttered about the president have been negative. Not one journalist has admitted being ashamed of their biased and vicious "news reporting."

So it is absolutely no stretch to understand that this same media establishment, comprising of about 95% Democrats, all of whom have shown by their words and deeds to be part of the Democrat resistance (as they proudly call themselves) would start and blame the conflagration and killing on actions and words of their arch political enemy, President Donald Trump. For the last three and a half years, they have tried, without success, to blame him for everything they could conjure up in their fetid minds.

Remember, we are five months from the next presidential election. After the stunts the Democrats and their media arm have unleashed on this nation since 2016, there should be nothing that will surprise anyone that these vicious media types would do now, including, rioting, burning, and killing, to see to it that the president they admit to hating is not re-elected.

Image: Adam Jones via Flickr (cropped).
In a circular dated May 20, Sebi had directed the listed companies to evaluate the impact of Covid-19 on their capital and financial resources, profitability, liquidity position, assets, and ability to service debt.

Instead, companies have spoken about the number of plants, warehouses and distribution centres that have resumed operations; work-from-home and safety measures undertaken for employees; and the labour shortage they are facing.

Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters.

Corporate India is going slow on Covid-related disclosures mandated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) last month.

At least 25 companies across sectors have come out with disclosures in separate filings to the stock exchanges, but they have given a general business update, without specifying the financial impact of the coronavirus crisis on their operations.

In a circular dated May 20, Sebi had directed the listed companies to evaluate the impact of Covid-19 on their capital and financial resources, profitability, liquidity position, assets, and ability to service debt.

Instead, companies have spoken about the number of plants, warehouses and distribution centres that have resumed operations; work-from-home and safety measures undertaken for employees; and the labour shortage they are facing.

They say it is difficult for them to assess the impact of the pandemic on their business. The few which have bucked the trend include names such as Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), Dabur India, BPCL, and Ultratech Cement.

Corporate lawyers, however, point out the May 20 circular is worded as an advisory.

Across the circular, the listed entities are encouraged to assess the impact of Covid-19 to the extent possible and consider disclosing the material information, Anchal Dir, Anshu Choudhary, and Aakriti Thakur of law firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas said in a note.

Bajaj Finance has opted to give a detailed insight of the financial impact of the pandemic on its business in its recently released March-quarter investor presentation rather than making a separate disclosure to the stock exchanges. The above-mentioned four companies, however, have come up with separate disclosures on the same. Some experts argue that the Sebi circular has come after many firms declared their March-quarter results.

Dabur, for example, said it expected its revenue from operations and net profit to take a hit to the tune of Rs 400-450 crore and Rs 60-80 crore, respectively, in the quarter ending June 2020 as coronavirus cases continued to rise in the country, impacting demand.

BPCL said April 2020 demand was down by around 55 per cent versus the previous year, while demand for petroleum products increased by around 67 per cent in May 2020 versus the previous month. Ultratech Cement, on the other hand, said in a disclosure on Friday that it was restricting its capital expenditure to Rs 1,000 crore due to Covid-19.

M&M said in an exchange filing on Wednesday that it estimated a quantum loss of around 23,400 vehicles and 14,700 tractors in March, and a volume loss of 87,000 vehicles and around 30,000 tractors in the April-June period.

Proxy advisory firms say there should be a detailed framework by which companies should abide when making Covid-related disclosures rather than dispersing it across financial results, investor calls and presentations, and even fundraising documents.

A couple of things need to be kept in mind here, says Amit Tandon, founder and managing director, Institutional Investor Advisory Services (IiAS).

First, whatever is material needs to be shared with investors. Second, where companies feel that the failure to disclose a particular risk will make the financial statements misleading, then it must be disclosed to investors, he said.

Reliance Industries (RIL), for instance, said in the prospectus of its recently closed rights issue that its refining, petrochemical, and oil and gas businesses had received a "demand-side shock" due to Covid-19, adding that the lockdown was expected to have an "adverse effect" in the short- to medium-term on several businesses.

Bajaj Finance said growth of assets under management (AUM) was down by 400 basis points in the March quarter. Its new loan book growth had been hit by 18 percentage points and new customer acquisitions were also lower by 18 per cent in the period. One basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point.

Bharti Airtel said in its March quarter investor call that coronavirus had impacted nearly all parts of its business in the short-term because very few people were walking into its stores.

Chartered accountants that Business Standard spoke to said there was a risk attached with making disclosures related to ongoing issues such as coronavirus.

"It is an evolving situation," said Jayant Thakur, a Mumbai-based chartered accountant. "Investors can hold a company accountable if a disclosure is made prematurely. This could impact its stock price. Which is why there is a level of caution with these Covid disclosures," he added.

But some analysts point to the contrary, saying that detailed Covid disclosures will not only help investors in understanding its impact on business better, but also raise corporate governance standards.

In auto, for instance, Mitul Shah, vice president, research, Reliance Securities, says monthly sales dispatch numbers are simply not enough during unprecedented events such as coronavirus.

"Precise details on the impact on revenue, bookings, and retail would have helped in interpreting and analysing numbers in a better way," he said. In information technology, companies such as Tata Consultancy, Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Tech Mahindra have all said that projects are either getting cancelled or being deferred by clients due to the pandemic. Most firms expect their operating margins to be under pressure in the April-June period, with some expecting a fall in revenue.

With inputs from Ram Prasad Sahu and Debasis Mohapatra
Imagine being mayor of one of our biggest, poorest cities during a global pandemic, when unemployment is through the roof, and having to set aside $11 million of your budget to cover princely payouts  for unused sick, vacation, or comp days  to any cops and firefighters who may retire in the coming year.

The city hasnt provided a list of everyone eligible. But about $6 million would cover 46 officers, the Record reported off a recent budget hearing. Thats $130,000 per officer.

Obscene, in a city with a history of laying off cops because of budget deficits. And this insanity happens all over the state. Sick days are for when youre sick. Not a lavish parting bonus from a bleeding municipality.

Uh yeah, Mayor Andre Sayegh of Paterson said, when asked if hes frustrated. We dont have the ratable base.

Hes long wanted to hire more police officers and fix street cameras that arent working  their eyes in crime hot spots. And theres plenty more hed do, if he could, like bolstering a free financial counseling program for people who lost jobs or tanked their credit scores. But he cant, because of the boat checks.

Thats what former Gov. Chris Christie, who pushed through reforms to limit these retirement payments, called them, because of their size. Lawmakers couldnt agree to ban them entirely. Theyve tried to fix this, over and over, and one side or the other always had a problem with it, at different times.

Most recently, it was the State Commission of Investigation, which investigates waste, fraud and abuse of tax dollars, that fumed about it. It is simply absurd, its report said, that more than 20 years after the commission first sounded the alarm about excessive compensation and questionable perks for public employees, these practices remain the norm in many areas. That was February.

Then coronavirus hit. The huge, growing public costs of this crisis only highlight the stakes. Look, budget deficits are a problem, and the collection of taxes is more uncertain now than its been in a long, long time, says Sen. Declan OScanlon, another voice for reform.

Fixing this is a heavy lift for locals, better done by the state. In the meantime, we know who will bear the most pain: People in cities that can least afford 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.
Its a truth universally acknowledged that there is no force quite as powerful as Internet fandoms, something K-pop fans have confirmed in their unexpected battle against white supremacy and in support of Black Lives Matter.

While the community has used its power for good in the past, the legion of fans has banded together - taking down Twitter hashtags including #WhiteLivesMatter and #BlueLivesMatter with dreamy music videos of their favourite Korean music idols.

The fandoms support began in the wake of the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was killed in police custody.

BTS / Getty Images for dcp

The officers involved have since been charged, including an updated second-degree murder charge for police officer Derek Chauvin.

Social media users and high profile celebrities including Get Out director Jordan Peele have since praised K-pop fans for their work, with Peele simply tweeting out a heart emoji and #kpopstans.

In a show of support for the Black Lives Matter movement, prominent accounts in the K-pop community urged fans to refrain from tweeting out the names of their favourite celebrities to make space for the anti-racist movement on Twitter trends.

A prominent Blackpink fan account tweeted, To all BLINKs and BP fanbases! Please stop using the tagline so we can all show our respects for George Floyd. Instead let's put our energy into fighting for justice, signing petitions, and spreading awareness. I hope everyone understands, please and thank you. #BlackLivesMatter

Fans also coordinated efforts to spam an app designed by the Dallas Police Department, a space for Dallas residents to submit videos to tip off the police department about criminal activity.

After fears were raised that the videos submitted may be used to charge protestors, K-pop fans urged one another to download the app and send all your fancams!! to overload it.

A fan tweeted, SEND THEM ALL!!! MAKE THEIR JOBS AS HARD AS POSSIBLE!!! GET THEM FRUSTRATED!!! MAKE THEM TAKE DOWN THE APP!!!

Following an onslaught of submitted fancams, the Dallas Police Department later tweeted that it was experiencing technical difficulties and wrote that the app would be down temporarily.

A similar app for the Grand Rapids police department also came under attack.

A screengrab showed that the Grand Rapids departments submission portal was down.

More recently, K-pop fans teamed up to drown #BlueLivesMatter, #WhiteLivesMatter and #MAGA hashtags with fancams - in part helping the hashtags trend worldwide.

Fans also targeted the hashtag #WhiteOutWednesday, which was set up by critics of the Black Lives Matter movement in response to Black Out Tuesday.

Speaking to Esquire, one fan identified only as Beth said, I would like to be clear that we are doing this to support the Black Lives Matter movement, and we stand in solidarity with them.

After White Lives Matter supporters transitioned into a new hashtag called #WhiteLifeMatter to escape the fandom, K-pop fans were swift to catch on and continued to drown out the new hashtag with videos.

However, the stars K-pop fans idolise have drawn controversy themselves, with various pop groups called out for not speaking out on the Black Lives Matter movement (some have since released statements).

High profile K-pop stars and groups have in the past been criticised of culturally appropriating from the black community, with EXO star Kais use of dreadlocks and BTS star J-Hopes video 'Chicken Noodle Soup' coming under fire.

Other stars have also been criticised for openly racist posts, including Big Bangs Taeyang who in 2016 wished his fans a happy monkey new year and posted a picture of his face combined with Kanye Wests and G-Dragon being accused of blackface in the wake of Trayvon Martins death.

Taeyang later apologised and G-Dragons rep claimed that the blackface picture was a HUGE misunderstanding and was in no way meant to be a political or racial statement.

Amber Liu, who has also recently shown support for the Black Lives Matter community, has also been criticised after comments she made about the arrest of a black man named Steve Foster in 2019 resurfaced.

(Liu said that Foster, who was arrested by police for eating a sandwich on a train platform, deserved it and later apologised that she was not more aware of how the systemic racism in the United States has continued - saying she had jumped to a conclusion.)

Following worldwide protests in support of Black Lives Matter, groups such as BTS, Monsta X and Ateez have tweeted today in support of the movement and other stars have donated to causes such as the George Floyd Memorial Fund.

Prominent K-pop stars including CL had previously urged fans to sign a Color of Change petition, others like Eric Nam have also raised awareness for the movement and J Park has also posted a picture of Floyd accompanied with a statement.

Acknowledging that he had been inspired by black culture, he said, To think how helpless [George Floyd] felt and how inhumane he was treated... to think what if that was my dad, or uncle or homie makes me sick to my stomach."

"Countless INNOCENT UNARMED ppl losing their lives and nobody taking responsibility or being held accountable. Ppl who are supposed to protect and keep the public safe dont even have the common sense or compassion to know if they are killing somebody innocent?
The great majority of Americans are uneasy with injustice but unwilling to pay a significant price to eradicate it.

Martin Luther King Jr., Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?

We are in a moment that may be evolving into a movement, an inflection point in our nations history that may be historic.

In the time of an unprecedented pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 100,000 Americans in four months, an unprecedented wave of marches over the death of one man is spreading across the nation.

We have been delivered here by the death of George Floyd, pinned under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer now charged with murder. But why George Floyd? Why now?

For generations, African Americans have protested unfair and brutal treatment by law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Long is the list of names of unarmed black men, women and children killed by police and vigilantes.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

Floyd isnt the first black man whose unjust death while in the custody of police was captured on video, so why has he captured the sustained outrage of millions of people around the world?

One reason may be that his death didnt happen in the flash of a gunshot, but over nine deliberate minutes after hed begged for his life.

The philosopher Hannah Arendt coined the phrase the banality of evil in writing about Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, whom she didnt find monstrous but ordinary and terrifyingly normal.

Even after Floyd was no longer responsive and another officer said he couldnt find a pulse, Officer Derek Chauvin, cool, casual and seemingly unconcerned, continued kneeling on him.

For African Americans, racism isnt always the monstrous face of a Klansman or Bull Connor sicking dogs on black marchers in Birmingham, Ala. Its more often the cool, casual and unconcerned demeanor of a Derek Chauvin unable to acknowledge the damage being done by his knee to the neck.

In his last book, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Martin Luther King Jr. wrote: Whites, it must frankly be said, are not putting in a similar mass effort to reeducate themselves out of their racial ignorance. It is an aspect of their sense of superiority that the white people of America believe they have so little to learn.

Slavery is the original sin of the United States, but redemption begins only with acknowledging the racism that justified the peculiar institution and infected all American institutions to this day. For millions of Americans, racism isnt a fictional crutch excusing failures, but a real chokehold on opportunities.

For whatever reasons, the death of George Floyd has moved many white Americans into acknowledging the burden and despair of racism carried by African Americans, and, importantly, understanding that using ones experiences as the reference point by which to judge the experiences of others isnt a pathway to understanding.

This George Floyd moment is different. Never has the death of one person stirred the conscience of this nation and mobilized so many into daily, nonviolent, multiracial and multigenerational protests.

Jerry Lara, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

But if this inflection point is to rise and not dip, if we are to have community and not chaos, the protests must be transformed into policies correcting the inequities of institutional racism.

This could range from bail reform to address the inequities of cash bail, to closing our ongoing digital divide, to requiring warnings before police officers shoot and reporting any time officers brandish their weapons. The policies are almost endless because our longstanding inequalities are so entrenched and pervasive.

If theres truth to the saying that the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice, in this moment, the arc is in our hands to bend in the direction we choose.
Washington (AFP) - Joe Biden said Friday he had secured the delegates needed to clinch the Democratic nomination and face Donald Trump in November's US presidential election.

"Folks, tonight we secured the 1,991 delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination," the former vice president said on Twitter.

"I'm going to spend every day fighting to earn your vote so that, together, we can win the battle for the soul of this nation."

Biden passed the 1,991 threshold to secure his party's nomination as counting continued from Tuesday's round of Democratic primaries.

He had been the presumptive Democratic challenger since Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders dropped out of the race in April and endorsed his onetime rival's run at the White House.

Biden reached the threshold with the country wracked by protests over the death of African-American George Floyd at the hands of police.

Floyd's death has reignited long-felt anger over police killings of African-Americans and unleashed a nationwide wave of civil unrest unlike any seen in the US since Martin Luther King Jr's 1968 assassination.

"This is a difficult time in America's history. And Donald Trump's angry, divisive politics is no answer," Biden wrote in a post on Medium.

"The country is crying out for leadership. Leadership that can unite us. Leadership that can bring us together."

- 'Equal justice' -

Biden's response to the protests has been in marked contrast to Trump, who threatened to deploy the military against American citizens.

In his first major public speech since going into isolation in mid-March because of the virus outbreak, Biden called Floyd's death a "wake-up call for our nation" and accused Trump of turning the US into a "battlefield riven by old resentments and fresh fears."

The 77-year-old Biden, who served as deputy for eight years to America's first black president, Barack Obama, has pledged to tackle "systemic racism" if elected to the White House.

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"We need equal justice - and equal opportunities - for every American now. We need a president who cares about helping us heal - now," he wrote.

Biden's run for the Democratic nomination had looked destined for disaster following early losses to the fiery Sanders in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.

But he came roaring back in South Carolina's primary in late February on the strength of overwhelming backing from African-American voters, a crucial base of Democratic support.

Biden will now be expected to name his running mate, after promising to pick a woman.

Senator Kamala Harris, a 55-year-old former attorney general of California, is considered one of the front-runners to be Biden's vice presidential pick.

Harris, who is of Jamaican and Indian ancestry, was considered a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination but dropped out in December after failing to break out of the crowded field.

In an average of opinion polls, RealClearPolitics gives Biden a 7.1 point lead over Trump in the election.
In this image from video provided by WBFO, a Buffalo police officer appears to shove a man who walked up to police Thursday, June 4, 2020, in Buffalo, N.Y.

Hundreds of law enforcement officers gathered outside two Buffalo courthouses on Saturday in support of two police officers expected to be arraigned on criminal charges for shoving an elderly protestor to the ground at a march against racism.

Cheers erupted from police and firefighters supporting the officers as the crowd opened a black umbrella and held a black sheet to obscure WGRZ television news cameras from getting footage of the two officers once they emerged from a holding area behind Frank A. Sedita City Court.

The crowd then marched to the county courthouse, where WGRZ reported the two officers were being held to be "virtually arraigned" in city court. Umbrellas were again opened up in front of television cameras, which captured images of hundreds of firefighters and police officers, some wearing shirts reading "We back the Blue."

Two members of the Buffalo Police Department's Emergency Response Team were suspended without pay on Thursday and are being investigated after a local radio station released video of the incident involving the protester, Martin Gugino.

He reportedly remains in a hospital intensive care unit (ICU).

"I cannot confirm any details until an arraignment takes place," said Kait Munro, a spokeswoman for the Erie County District Attorney John Flynn.
On June 5, when the US recorded more than 1.1 lakh deaths from COVID-19, maintaining lead and accounting for 28% of all such deaths in the world, Nobel laureate Paul Krugman revealed something about the US's health system few outsiders know.

In an article in the New York Times, he wrote, "Non-American friends sometimes ask me why the world's richest major nation doesn't have universal health care. The answer is race: We almost got universal coverage in 1947, but segregationists blocked it out of fear that it would lead to integrated hospitals (which Medicare did do in the 1960s.) Most of the states that have refused to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act, even though the federal government would bear the great bulk of the cost, are former slave states."

And then, he adds, "The Italian-American economist Alberto Alesina suddenly died on March 23; among his best work was a joint paper that examined the reasons America doesn't have a European-style welfare state. The answer, documented at length, was racial division: in America, too many of us think of the beneficiaries of support as Those People, not like us."

Also Read: Coronavirus Lockdown XX: 276 million unemployed, economy in doldrums; time to recaliberate India's response

That discrimination can cause havoc even in one of the wealthiest countries needs no further elaboration. It is there for all, including India, to see and learn from.

The European model versus the US one

The work Krugman refers to was published in 2001 by Harvard University, 'Why Doesn't the US Have a European-Style Welfare State'. The concluding paragraph of it puts the findings very succinctly and is reproduced below.

It had found many more outcomes which are relevant. It said "post-tax income inequality is lower in countries with large governments and in particular, with large social spending", adding that "it is pretty clear that income inequality is lower in Nordic countries, intermediate in central and southern Europe, higher in the UK and even higher in the US".

The situation remains unchanged since then.

A 2019 OECD study shows that the average social spending of its members (37 countries, including the US and European countries) was above 20% of GDP in 2018. Many European countries like France (more than 30%), Belgium, Finland, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, Germany, Norway and even the UK (just above 20%) spent more than the average, while the US spent less.

India's social sector spending is awfully low in comparison. India has been spending (Centre and states combined) less than 8%. The health sector spending has remained at 2.8-3.2% since FY12.

The size of government is measured as general government expenditure relative to the size of economy of a country (GDP).

The OECD database shows the average size of government in 2018 in 28 member countries (for which data is available), was 43%. Many European governments were spending more than 50% of their respective GDPs (like France, Finland, Belgium, and Denmark). The US was, again, in the bottom pile with 38%.

Also Read: Coronavirus Lockdown XIX: Where is excess liquidity generated by RBI going?

The US is considered a 'small government'. India is even smaller in comparison.

In 2018, India's general government expenditure (Centre and states combined) was just 18.2% of its GDP. Since FY12, the number has been confined to a narrow band of 17.2-18.4%.

The impact of low social sector spending and small government is evident in India now. The plight of the migrants, fleeing in millions back to their villages for weeks, some of them walking hundreds of miles with kids and elderly, is one.

The second is gross inadequacies of its healthcare system exposed by the virus and the third is its inability to provide a big fiscal stimulus (fiscal spending announced in its relief packages amount to just 1% of its GDP) which is needed to kick-start the locked down economy.

One caveat is in order. Economists attribute the low government spending in India (small government) to its relatively lower tax revenue. India's tax-to-GDP ratio is less than 20% (Centre and states combined).

In FY19, it was 18.5%. For the OECD countries (which comes closest to India's FY19), the average was 34.3% in 2018 (of 34 countries for which data is available). Here too, the US lagged behind with 24.3%.

Also Read: Coronavirus Lockdown XVIII: Why India urgently needs SOPs for decision-making

Small government is not beautiful

A few days earlier, when the US was about to record 100,000 deaths, another Nobel laureate, Joseph Stiglitz had spoken about the US's broken healthcare and other shortcomings in handling the crisis.

In an interview (on May 26), he said, "I think Americans have become aware as a result of the pandemic that there are some aspects of our economy and our society that aren't functioning well, that we don't have a functioning healthcare system, that the pandemic has gone after people in poor health and we have so many more of those people in the US than you'd expect in a rich country."

He pinned the ills on 40 years of economic thinking that denigrated the role of government (advocating small government) while allowing unrestrained market forces to prevail. This is not restricted to the US alone but has spread to other countries too.

He suggested a course correction, reminding that while it is the duty of governments to handle the crisis; the market isn't geared for it.

It is fairly known that a strong push for small government came in 1980s when multilateral US-based agencies like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) played a key role (read Coronavirus Lockdown XVII: The economics behind India's Rs 21 lakh crore package).

In this economics, there is little room for the European-style welfare state which spends more on social security (redistributes more) and has big governments. But the IMF has begun to see merit in it.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world, it published a paper in December 2018, 'Shifting Tides: Dramatic social changes mean the welfare state is more necessary than ever'. It found the welfare state as a means to absorb the risks that market failure can produce.

In all, it cited three reasons for this shift in thinking, as reproduced below.

Talking about healthcare risks, it says the US is "unique among advanced economies" to rely on private actuarial insurance to address its health risks while "it is almost universally accepted among advanced economies that intractable market failures make private actuarial insurance a bad fit for medical risks..."

Also read: Coronavirus Lockdown XVI: Why India should be wary of excessive push for liquidity or credit

Health economist Dr. Indranil Mukhopadhyay of OP Jindal University explains what private actuarial insurance is and why it is prone to market failures.

About the insurance model, he says, "The private voluntary insurance that we buy for us and our families works on calculation of risks, a method called actuarial science. To put it simply, it estimates the financial risks of say, hospitalisation, for the population. The actuarial premium to be paid is the average cost of care adjusted for diverse risks of falling ill. In practice, however, management and administrative costs and profits are added ('overload'), increasing the premium."

About the associated market failures, he states, "There are well-known market failures of such voluntary health insurance. First, in order to make profit, such schemes work on exclusion and claim rejection. They tend to include healthy and young people and exclude the needy ('cream-skimming'). They reject a lot of claims and expect patients to bear a part of the cost; people are thus denied care or end up paying huge bills.

Also Read: Coronavirus Lockdown XV: Not just stimulus 2.0, getting fiscal mathematics right is critical too

"This is very common in the US and in India. The main purpose of risk pooling, financial protection, and free care thus gets defeated. Moreover, it creates monopolies in the hospital market; big hospital chains eat up the small ones, and cost of care increases further."

A US-based doctor explains the consequences for the US in simpler words: Health costs are very high even for the young and many, like the unemployed and poor don't have health insurance cover and are deprived of healthcare.

Newspapers have been highlighting the plight of US citizens fighting the pandemic. One particular article in The Guardian sums it all up well in the headline, "Profit over people, cost over care: America's broken healthcare exposed by virus".

India needs to be on guard against following the same path.

Also Read: Coronavirus Lockdown XIV: India needs to own and indulge its workers; they are more vulnerable than ever

Also Read: Coronavirus Lockdown XIII: Five steps to rebuild a post-COVID economy

Also Read: Coronavirus Lockdown XII: Why the wealthy should be taxed more

Also Read: Coronavirus Lockdown XI: Why India's health policy needs a course correction

Also Read: Coronavirus Lockdown X: Why it can't be business as usual for India
At an emergency town hall meeting Facebook held this week, days after Donald Trump posted: When the looting starts, the shooting starts on his account, 5,500 Facebook employees had a demand for Mark Zuckerberg.

Before the meeting, the employees voted in a poll on which questions to ask the chief executive at the meeting, according to internal documents. The question that got the most votes: Can we please change our policies around political free speech? Fact checking and removal of hate speech shouldnt be exempt for politicians.

Mr Zuckerberg also met privately with black executives to discuss their pain and objections to Mr Trumps post, which referred to responding to protesters over George Floyds death while in Minneapolis police custody. And employees questioned whether Facebook was in an abusive relationship with the president, according to a trove of documents that included more than 200 posts from an internal message board that showed unrest among employees.

Although some Facebook employees have taken to public forums such as Twitter to express their displeasure, the internal poll and the documents show just how widely and quickly their dissent and discontent has spread about Mr Zuckerbergs decision to double down on allowing unfettered speech by politicians on the platform. He even appeared on Fox News Channel last week to defend his viewpoint.

Facebook faces a boiling crisis that is dragging the company into yet another major controversy, this one dealing with the explosive matters of police brutality, race and free speech. And Mr Zuckerbergs early public words about the issue  in which he said the post didnt break the companys rules against inciting violence  have sparked widespread anger internally, with three high-ranking employees quitting in protest and others complaining about the post on rival site Twitter. Dozens of former employees signed a letter critiquing the decision, saying it was a betrayal of Facebooks early ideals.

But inside the company, criticism has been even more widespread and personal, according to the documents, which show how many employees believe Mr Trump is purposefully testing them. Facebook, like other tech giants, has struggled to recruit African Americans, especially in its top ranks. That has led some employees to say that company leaders dont understand how deep the issues are. Only 4 per cent of employees are black, a number that falls to 3 per cent among senior leadership, according to Facebooks latest diversity report. Only one black person, diversity chief Maxine Williams, was involved in making the decision to leave Mr Trumps post up.

Employees in recent days have wrestled deeply with issues of race and free speech  suspecting that Mr Trump and other Republican leaders are purposefully testing social media companies in the lead-up to the November election.

Whats the point of establishing a principle if were going to move the goalposts every time Trump escalates his behaviour? software engineer Timothy Aveni asked on an internal message board over the weekend. He quit this week.

My toddler basically does the same thing to test boundaries, another person said.

Silicon Valley companies, and particularly Facebook, tend to demand loyalty from employees, who typically sign nondisclosure agreements that forbid them from speaking out publicly about the company. They ply them with big salaries, perks and some measure of voice: holding town hall meetings and allowing them to vent internally on message boards. Facebooks left-leaning workforce of about 45,000 full-time employees has been a target of Mr Trump.

At Facebook, workers are recruited with the idealistic mission to connect the world and build products that can affect 2.9 billion users across its family of apps, including WhatsApp and Instagram.

But the 2016 presidential campaign changed the way the world  and workers  viewed Facebook, after Russians meddled in it by amplifying divisive messages to millions of Americans on the platform, showing how easily it could be exploited to hurt democracy.

Two years later, a privacy scandal involving Cambridge Analytica erupted, in which political operatives who had worked for the Trump campaign were found to have breached the personal data of tens of millions of Americans.

Those two incidences and others have engendered a slow-burning crisis of confidence in the companys leadership and direction, according to employees there and the posts, creating a flashpoint with last weeks events.

We have teams around the company giving serious attention to the ideas were hearing, especially those from our Black community, spokeswoman Liz Bourgeois said in a statement. This is a time not just to listen but to act.

Facebooks decisions have left some employees questioning whether the company has kowtowed to the right, said two executives who have been part of the discussions. Mr Zuckerberg made a personal call last year not to take down a video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., that was altered to make her appear drunk, and chose not to fact-check political advertising or statements by politicians, said a person familiar with the decision-making who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

Zuckerberg said he had thought long and hard about the post but that when it came to the moment when he could take it down, he couldnt get there (Getty)

Company executives sometimes made political considerations, particularly about whether a decision would provoke conservative backlash, when deciding how to handle abusive content, according to the executives involved in the decisions.

Elizabeth Linder, a former executive in Facebooks policy and government division and one of the people who signed the letter, said that policies regarding what speech would or wouldnt be allowed were baked into the platform from the beginning.

What bothers me to the core about the way Facebook is talking about this issue is that there is no such thing as freedom of speech on the platform, she said. Facebook as a company has already decided what speech is allowed or not allowed through its content policies. And to say that the more power you have you can say whatever you want because its newsworthy is hugely problematic.

Last week, Twitter marked erroneous tweets by the president on mail-in ballots with fact-checking labels for the first time. That prompted Mr Trump to retaliate, signing an executive order that threatens to undermine a decades-old law that shields the tech industry from being held legally responsible for harmful content on their platforms.

He also posted and tweeted about sending in the military to control looting and thugs at the protests over the death of George Floyd, who was black, using the phrase: When the looting starts, the shooting starts. That was perceived as a racially divisive comment because it had a history of being used by segregationist politician George Wallace and by a police chief who had been aggressive with protesters.

Twitter marked the post as breaking its policies against inciting violence, but Facebook, which has a similar policy against provoking violence, decided not to follow suit. A week ago, on 29 May, Mr Zuckerberg said in a public Facebook post that he would not take action, because the company wants to enable free expression and public debate about political activity  and because he did not think the post broke the companys policies.

Facebook employees took another tack.

They tried to report Mr Trumps post, TASK T6770430, as problematic to trigger a review by content moderators, contractors who remove offensive content. Some dove into the companys systems to try to understand the rationale for keeping it up, while others counted the hours and said they assumed it was just a matter of time before a post that so clearly broke the companys policies would be removed.

Im trying to reassure myself that we will do something here. We HAVE to, surely? Are there any lines that remain to be crossed? someone asked.

While we understand that people commonly express disdain or disagreement by threatening or calling for violence in non-serious ways, we remove language that incites or facilitates serious violence, according to Facebooks policy on inciting violence.

They also unleashed complaints on Workplace, the internal messaging board.

It might be a coincidence, but the timing of this feels like a test balloon ... of what we should expect through November 2020 and beyond, said one person.

Employees directly involved in implementing these standards also weighed in. This is exactly the kind of content that can incite violence and is exactly what we should be taking action on, said one employee who worked on Facebooks Societal Violence team for 15 months.

At the same time, a group of black executives met privately with Zuckerberg and chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg on 30 May to protest the decision, according to the documents. The group collectively agreed to provide more input about content policy decisions, such as how Facebook evaluates racial dog whistles, and to meet more frequently with Mr Zuckerberg and Ms Sandberg.

Some on the message board pointed out the racially divisive history of the language in the post.

On Tuesday, Mr Zuckerberg decided he would hold an emergency town hall meeting, pushing up the weekly companywide Q&A that is usually held on Thursdays.

During the gathering, Mr Zuckerberg said the language in Mr Trumps post had no history of being read as a dog whistle for vigilante supporters to take justice into their own hands, according to a transcript obtained by Vox and workers who attended. The comment was a reference to aggressive, even excessive, policing, he said, but he took Mr Trumps post to be a warning or threat of using the military against looting. He thought it was important for people to see and discuss.

Mr Zuckerberg said that he had thought long and hard about the issue, but that when it came to the moment when he could take it down, he couldnt get there. He said he knew employees would be very upset.

He also said he was exploring a labelling option, similar to Twitters middle ground between removal and merely leaving a post up. He said he was open to re-examining Facebooks policies on violence committed by state actors, such as police.

The comment struck some employees as inconsistent because Facebook had already taken down accounts by state actors previously and of military leaders in Myanmar, according to the executives. Facebook took down the accounts after criticism that the company had allowed military leaders on the platform to threaten the Rohingya ethic group, helping to fuel a genocide.

Recommended Facebook responds after own employees criticise Zuckerberg

And employees were also surprised because Mr Zuckerberg had said in past congressional testimony that politicians were not exempt from the companys prohibitions on inciting violence, transcripts of which workers shared on Workplace.

Im really bothered by the Q+A today, one black employee wrote. We hear where the leaders of this country and our Execs stand and know that the Policy Matters more than Black Lives.

In addition to diversity head Williams, the team that made the decision included Mr Zuckerberg; Ms Sandberg; Joel Kaplan, the vice president for US public policy; and Nick Clegg, the vice president of global affairs and communications; as well as the head of human resources and the general counsel.

Another executive who posted a message said he originally supported the decision to leave up Mr Trumps post, but changed his mind after contemplating the lack of diversity within Facebooks leadership.

After the call was made on Friday to keep Mr Trumps post, I convinced myself that it was the only logical decision. [But] slowly, over the weekend and Monday, doubt has crept in, the executive wrote. I did not feel threatened by it but would the black community feel threatened? Can I understand why and where they come from? Can the people who were involved in making the decision? I dont think so.

The Washington Post
I believe (the community) will come back from it, the whole thing is how fast will we come back from it, he said. "We have to learn how to treat each other, first of all.  Its a waste of time to burn down a community.
Andy Serkis was told not to take on the role of Gollum (Image by New Line Cinema)

Andy Serkis almost turned down the role of Gollum in Lord Of The Rings, after one of his co-stars in Oliver Twist told him it wouldnt be worth his time.

Serkis made this admission to Josh Gad as part of his recent Reunited Apart series, which saw the English actor reunite with his former Lord of The Rings cast members.

Read More: Peter Jackson reveals origins of iconic Sean Bean Mordor meme from 'Lord of the Rings'

It was an interesting one. Because when I first heard from my agent this was happening, it was just like, Andy, look, theyre doing this amazing kind of film of Lord of the Rings down in New Zealand. Theyd like to see you for a voice for a digital character. I was like, A what?

Serkis was clearly intrigued by the part of Gollum and working with the motion capture technology. So much so that he decided to run it by one of his co-stars at the time.

World Premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi  Arrivals  Los Angeles, California, U.S., 09/12/2017  Actor Andy Serkis. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok

I remember I was in Prague working on an adaptation of Oliver Twist actually and I said to this other actor I was working with, I think I may be going down to New Zealand to do this digital character. He said, Well, is your face going to be on screen? I said, No, its not. He said, Mate, I wouldnt touch it with a barge pole.

Read More: How to watch Andy Serkis reading 'The Hobbit' online

Obviously Serkis is rather glad that he didnt listen to this actor. The part of Gollum turned him into one of the most lauded actors of his generation, as well as and the go to actor for performance capture roles, too.

Serkis would also go on to play the role of Gollum in all three Lord Of The Rings films, while he would even reprise it for The Hobbit: And Unexpected Journey, too.
A little history



Tuesday June 6, 1944, 12:16 a.m. Its at this very precise hour that Major John Howards men jump from the bodies of the six British gliders that have just landed. Objective: the taking of the Benouville bridge "EUSTON 1 code" better known by the name of "Pegasus Bridge" and the Ranville bridge "EUSTON 2 code". The mission, "Take over the two bridges by a helping hand operation, the success of which would depend on the effect of surprise, speed of execution and determination" ...



In about fifteen minutes everything is finished and the code "Ham and Jam, Ham and Jam, Ham and Jam" is sent. The losses are light, two soldiers killed and fourteen others wounded. The operation is a success. They will last until 12:02 am, seeing the arrival of Lord LOVAT's No. 4 commandos arriving with his bagpipe Bill Millin in mind.

Commandos Benouville  RALF TECH

That same day, at 7h32 mn, in front of the beach of Sword Beach, in the Queen Red Sector, the two LCI barges n  527 and 523 carrying the 177 French commando seafarers commanded by Corvette Captain Philippe KIEFFER have the honor to first touch the soil of France. Integrated into Lord LOVAT's 1st Special Service Brigade, they are grouped together in Commando N  4, commanded by Colonel DAWSON. This one, just before the assault, perched on one of the barges filled with British commandos, went up to the level of the French boats and cried out to them. "Go first, French gentlemen" ... !!

Academie  Veteran  Black  RALF TECH

These commandos have various objectives this morning, to put out of combat several pieces of artillery constituting the defense of the sector and to take the Casino of Riva Bella. It was during street fighting in Ouistreham that Lieutenant Augustin Hubert was killed at the head of his K Gun Troop section. It will give its name to the famous Commando d'Action Sous-Marine Hubert. It is around 4:00 p.m., fighting the enemy as they advance in the lands that they will join the elements of the D Compagny of the 2nd Battalion Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry commanded by Major John Howard who took possession of the Benouville and Ranville bridges in the first minutes of this day on June 6.

Academie  Veteran  Black  RALF TECH

Like every year, Ralf Tech, which has equipped the operators of the Hubert Submarine Action Commando for many years, as well as British SBS operators, could not ignore the anniversary of the Normandy landings. We are therefore, today, June 6, 2020, very proud to announce the launch of the ACADEMIE Automatic "Veteran" Black model. With this model, our house commemorates the landing in June 1944 in the most beautiful way and honors all those who made the sacrifice of their lives to restore freedom in Europe. Its black case pays special tribute to the men of Major John Howard who were the first to leave their gliders on June 6 at 12:16 a.m.

Academie  Veteran  Black  RALF TECH

With the "Veteran" Black ACADEMY we wanted to mix history and stories... An automatic and vintage base of reasonable size... Assumed visual codes referring to the Second World War... A Marine National bracelet in authentic parachute strap ... The French and British special forces ... Night and day.
Police and those rallying for Aboriginal rights and police accountability are set to clash outside Sydney Town Hall after a court declined to authorise the rally late Friday night.

The Stop All Black Deaths in Custody rally is expected to have thousands of people gather at 3pm on Saturday but the states Police Minister David Elliott said authorities will have a large presence at the demonstration and issued a strong warning to protesters this morning.

The NSW police force will have appropriate numbers in the Sydney metropolitan area today to ensure that anybody that wants to ignore The Supreme Court ruling is reminded that it will be an illegal gathering and that they are not allowed to be on the street as part of that process, Mr Elliott said.

Without wanting to disclose police operational procedures, we are well prepared.

Protesters marching during a Black Lives Matter protest, following the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Sydney on June 2. Source: AAP

Nobody wants to see freedom of speech exercise more than me and I think that while the cause being advocated is more than honourable, I think the protest will put lives in danger," Mr Elliot told reporters Saturday.

A Facebook page for the event, which was officially organised by the Indigenous Social Justice Association and other groups until it was ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court, has seen 12,000 people click attend and a further 18,000 people say they are interested in turning up.

Police initiated the court action on Friday afternoon to stop the protest, but it became apparent during the four-hour Supreme Court hearing that the rally had never been deemed an authorised public assembly.

Justice Desmond Fagan then refused to approve it, citing the current coronavirus restrictions on mass gatherings.

NSW Minister for Police David Elliot has been disparaging of those wanting to protest. Source: AAP

Organisers now say their involvement has ceased but urged anyone still wishing to attend "as an individual" to obey social distancing and wear face masks to ensure safety.

Many protesters have publicly pledged to attend regardless, with the rally's original organisers also promising to hand out face masks and hand sanitiser nearby "unrelated to any gathering".

Story continues

Being an unauthorised public assembly, police will be able to fine or arrest them for blocking roads or public transport services and for breaching COVID-19 public health orders.

Mr Elliott would not comment when asked if police were prepared to arrest more than 5,000 people if necessary.

BREAKING: An urgent appeal is being lodged right now in the NSW Court of Appeal from the BLM court decision last night. The organisers have received strong advice from lawyers across the legal community that the decision has significant flaws that amount to jurisdictional error.  David Shoebridge (@ShoebridgeMLC) June 6, 2020

Greens MP David Shoebridge announced Saturday morning that an urgent last minute appeal had been lodged in the NSW Court of Appeal to authorise the rally.

The organisers have received strong advice from lawyers across the legal community that the decision has significant flaws that amount to jurisdictional error, the MP tweeted.

Leetona Dungay, whose son David died in Long Bay jail in 2015 after shouting "I can't breathe" while being restrained, said she'd march regardless of court approval.

"I'm marching for my son and nothing is stopping me," she said before the court's decision on Friday.

"If we don't march tomorrow that means they'll keep killing people."

with AAP

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In January, after a lengthy national search, the American Library Association announced the appointment of Tracie D. Hall as its new executive director, the first female African-American executive director in the associations long history. Just days later, at the 2020 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia, it was revealed that the association is facing a serious financial shortfall. And just weeks after that revelation, the nation went into lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing ALA to recommend for the first time in its history that the nations libraries close, as well as the cancellation of the ALA Annual Conference for the first time since 1945. With a virtual ALA conference now set for June 2426, PW caught up with Hall in mid-May to talk about guiding the associations necessary, if complex transformation.

First, congratulations. Your hiring is an important milestone in ALA history: the first African-American woman to serve as executive director. How meaningful is it for you to break that barrier?

Yes, thank you. You know, its interesting to think that any barrier like this needs to be broken in 2020, right? I wish there wasnt as much fanfare about my being the first African-American woman in this role, but its not lost on me that part of the work I have to do is to make sure there are fewer firsts like this.

Youve certainly been presented with some hurdles since taking the joban association financial shortfall, and now a global pandemic. In a recent editorial you described these circumstances as a perfect storm. Are you confident that ALA will weather this storm?

Of course ALA will weather the storm. Think about all of the other things ALA has had to weatherwars, the Great Depression, social change. It has had to evolve with and come out on the right side of the civil rights movement, and that work is obviously very much still in progress. But the association has proven to be durable. So, I dont think it is a question of will ALA surviveof course it will. It has a necessarily symbiotic relationship to the library profession. But will ALA have to change? It will have to change mightily. I am coming to the association at a time when librarians, information science, and all of our adjacencies, information services, information access, informatics, are really in need of what I call the great leap forward.

Im certainly not asking you to point fingers, but can you talk a little about how ALA got into its current financial crisis?

Thats a really important question, and I think the answer is not a nuanced one. ALA is a 501(c)3 association, but it has relied almost solely on earnings to operate, sometimes as much as 90%. Very, very few 501(c)3 organizationsand Ive worked in a lot of them, and Ive been a funder as wellvery few if any are that reliant on earned revenue. I think what has happened is that, because ALAs traditional three-legged revenue stool of conference services, membership, and publishing supported the association for so long, there was this abiding belief that it would continue to do so. But those revenue lines have faltered almost everywhere, not just for ALA. Its now past time for a rethinking or a review. It is time for a complete shift.

What do you think it will take for ALA to emerge from this budget crisis?

Externally, we have to diversify our revenue lines, thats number one. As for our traditional revenue lines, we will need to expand our relationships. That means engaging stakeholders who are maybe not directly in the field of librarianship. I think what ALA has not done well in the past is to assert its brand outside the profession. Im of course interested in reaching more librarians and people who work in librariesthat definitely has to happen. But Im also interested in linking in people in adjacent fields who are concerned about education, about democratic engagement, about the quality of life in our communities, people who work with data, and technology, in community and public health informatics, and letting them know theres a place for them in ALA.

Internally, we are really looking closely at alignment, seeing where there are opportunities to synergize and create more impact. For example, continuing education. During the early days of the Covid-19 crisis, ALAs various divisions and units held virtual sessions that served more than 6,800 people across public, school, and academic libraries over three or four days. Now, its not uncommon for online events to reach upwards of 12,000 people weekly. ALA is the leading provider of continuing education in the field, yet we havent ever fully claimed that position or created an intentional strategy to guide or grow it. So thats an area of ALA business that needs to be better leveraged.

 I want to make sure librarians and library staff that are sometimes marginalized along with the communities they come from are brought into the circle. I want my legacy to be that I expanded the fields promise and capacity in every way. 

All of that makes great sense. But I also know from my experience on ALAs executive board that continuing education is an area of ALA that is complicated in the sense that, well, big ALA, as it has been referred to, has sometimes been seen as a competitor to the divisions and offices in terms of programming. How do you change that?

Well, to start, I think the fact that the terminology you used existsbig ALAthat is concerning to me. There is only one ALA. I want to make sure that our members and stakeholders experience our full and united set of opportunities and offerings. If we allow ourselves to be thought of as just our parts, rather than our sum, we squander our full capacity. ALA is structured into specialized units, offices and divisions for one reason onlyto improve and evolve librarianship and, ultimately, to make sure that the benefits of those improvements and evolutions reach the end userand that end user is the public. Any real or perceived internal competition stands in the way of that goal. So, Im glad you used that terminology, big ALA, because it is one that I totally disavow, have never used, and will never use. I am getting closer perhaps to understanding where it comes from. But it must be completely and radically erased.

ALA is a large membership association with a lot of viewpoints and constituencies. How do you balance the natural tension between the associations urgent need for more operational efficiency with its robust member involvement and governance?

I think ALAs strength is that we have really passionate members. As for the changes ALA faces in terms of its operational effectiveness, we will have to be transparent and fully communicate the information that is leading us to make the changes were seeking. And we will have to bring our membership and our member leaders along. We want to use the passion of our members to fuel efficiency. I actually see those things as connected. Our chief asset is the people who comprise ALA, and we hope to drive even more passion to support the sustainability of the association, and more importantly, the sustainability of the profession.

Considering the competitive climate for federal dollars, the need for universal broadband, and the digital content, copyright, and e-book issues under consideration in Congress, whats in store for the ALA Office of Public Policy and Advocacy in Washington, D.C., formerly known as the Washington Office?

Oh, I think a full court press on all those issues. We know that advocacy and policy issues are at the heart of our systemic support for the advancement of library services. Were going to focus on advocacy now more than ever, because I think were entering what Im calling the third great wave of librarianship. The first great wave was adult literacy and then family literacy and early literacy. I think the second great wave was digital literacy and making sure that we werent losing people to the digital dividework that, frankly, is far from complete, as the pandemic has shown us. And I think the third great wave is already here, and that is data literacy and mass data enfranchisement. So the ALA Office of Public Policy and Advocacy will be pushing even harder and helping to grow our advocacy muscle across the association.

With this years Annual Conference replaced with a virtual event because of Covid-19, how is ALA thinking about maintaining and perhaps evolving its relationship with publishers and vendors?

ALA and libraries have a symbiotic relationship with publishers. When it became clear that we needed to cancel ALA Annual, we reached out to publishers and other vendors to think through what the future might look like. We know that our members rely on having publishers and other exhibitors come to ALA so they can hear about new titles and try out new models and ideas for collection development and other services. Going forward, we will make sure that our publisher and vendor partners are with us, and that those connections are preserved. What ALA is looking at for the future is always thinking hybridnot only face-to-face conferences, but online as well. And at the heart of that will be working with publishers and exhibitors to make sure that they dont miss a beat in connecting with our members.

I was fortunate to be ALA president when the Libraries Transform campaign was launched in 2015. Given the uncertain transformation now facing libraries in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, is Libraries Transform still the right tagline for ALA and libraries?

Absolutely. If we didnt have it, we would have to create it for 2020. We know that taglines and campaigns have a shelf life. But I think the Libraries Transform campaign is more vital than ever in the wake of the pandemic. So many people are working jobs with precarious futures right now. Some of those jobs will be lost or will change dramatically. As a nation, we need to upskill the workforce to a place where more workers are equipped to adapt, whether that means working remotely or changing fields. And its going to require all kinds of librariesschool, public, academicto ensure sure our future workforce is ready.

I know youve just started, and under some very challenging circumstances. But if you could look forward, what would you want your legacy to be? What would success be to you?

I would want my legacy to be that I led the association boldly into the future. For me, that means a wider recognition of the library as key to our national infrastructure. I also hope to break wide open the notion of what people think about when they think about who a librarian is or what they look like. Over the years, so many people have been surprised when they find out Im a librarian. Even this past January, when I was going in and out of the convention center in Philadelphia during ALA Midwinter, some of the security staff would look at me and say, Oh, no maam, this is for librarians.

So, during my tenure it is important to give librarianship my face. And by that I mean the face of people from my communityblack, brown, working-class, activist. I want to make sure librarians and library staff that are sometimes marginalized along with the communities they come from are brought into the circle. I want my legacy to be that I expanded the fields promise and capacity in every way.

PW columnist Sari Feldman is the former executive director of the Cuyahoga County Public Library in Cleveland, Ohio, and a former president of both the Public Library Association (20092010) and the American Library Association (20152016).
(CNN)  Asia's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, has just landed another $1.2 billion for his global tech ambitions  this time from Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund.

His tech company, Jio Platforms, announced Friday that it is getting roughly 91 billion rupees ($1.2 billion) from Mubadala Investment Company in exchange for a 1.85% equity stake in the business.

That brings the billionaire's recent fundraising tally to 877 billion rupees ($11.6 billion) so far, marking the company's sixth big investment in less than two months.

"I am delighted that Mubadala, one of the most astute and transformational global growth investors, has decided to partner [with] us in our journey to propel India's digital growth," Ambani said in a statement Friday.

Jio is part of Ambani's sprawling conglomerate, Reliance Industries. It includes Reliance Jio, India's biggest mobile network with more than 388 million subscribers. Jio also has an ecosystem of apps, offering those millions of mobile users everything from online grocery shopping, to digital payments, to video streaming.

Facebook kicked off the splurge of investments in April when it invested $5.7 billion into Jio Platforms for a roughly 10% stake. Since then, Jio has secured funding from a clutch of A-list American investors, including Silver Lake, Vista, General Atlantic and KKR.

Mubadala, meanwhile, has a portfolio worth $229 billion, with bets in tech, energy, mining, aerospace, real estate and health care.

"We have seen how Jio has already transformed communications and connectivity in India," Khaldoon Al Mubarak, managing director and CEO of Mubadala, said in a statement.

Mubadala's investment values the company at roughly $65 billion, similar to the company's previous deals, according to Jio.

Analysts say that Ambani's ultimate goal is to build the next global technology company, one that will hold rank alongside the likes of Google, Tencent, Amazon and Alibaba.

The billions raised in the last few weeks will be used to fuel that ambition, as well as pay down ballooning debt at Jio's parent company. The oil and energy industry, which forms a big part of Reliance's business, has been badly dented by the coronavirus pandemic. Global oil demand has cratered because of sharp declines in transport, industrial and commercial activity.

Ambani said at a shareholders meeting last year that he wants Reliance Industries to become a "zero net debt company" by March 2021. As of March 2020, Reliance had about $44 billion of debt on its books.

In April, Reliance Industries said it is ahead of schedule and will achieve its zero debt target by the end of the year.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Mukesh Ambani lands $1.2 billion for Jio from Mubadala as his war chest grows"
During Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer drew back the curtain on the extent of his partys collusion with Prime Minister Boris Johnsons Conservative government.

Starmers intervention was heavily promoted by the media as proof of Labour taking a more critical attitude to Johnsons criminal handling of the pandemic. Starmers patience has finally run out, wrote the Guardian. The Labour leader took the gloves of in his battle against Boris Johnson, according to the Daily Mail, and took a tougher approach, according to the Financial Times.

Not really. PMQs was an exposure of Labours intimate collaboration with the Tory government in seeking to manage an escalating political crisis for British capitalism. Starmers criticisms were centred not on the murderous nature of the governments back-to-school and return-to-work agenda, but were a warning from an ally that too many more political blunders could finally destroy the political authority necessary to push it through.

Starmer stated, This is a critical week in our response to COVID-19. Whereas lockdown and stay at home were relatively easy messages, easing restrictions involves very difficult judgment calls. This is the week, of all weeks, where public trust and confidence in the government needed to be at its highest.

Noting that polls show a collapse in confidence in the Tories, he asked, How worried is the prime minister about this loss of trust?

The Labour leader concluded another mildly phrased question on the non-functional test-and-trace system with the same humble appeal, Can the prime minister see how damaging this is to public trust and confidence in his government?

Starmers carefully calibrated criticisms, still shrouded in assurances of goodwill, were made necessary by the fact that Labours pursuit of a constructive relationship with the governmentdeclared by the Labour leader at the outbreak of the pandemichas created a dangerous political vacuum that risks events undermining Labour just as thoroughly as the Tory party.

Starmers constant declarations of support for Johnson have become untenable in light of growing popular hostility to the governments actions. This has been brought to a head by the scandal over Johnsons adviser Dominic Cummings and the failure of its latest test and tracing initiative, which have led to a dramatic collapse in the Tories poll numbers.

As Starmer himself complained, I have supported the government openly and I have taken criticism for itbut, boy, he has made it difficult to support this government over the last two weeks.

Sir Keir has therefore decided to strike a mildly critical pose in a belated effort to maintain some shred of political credibility, aptly summed up by the BBCs political correspondent Iain Watson as Labour leader Starmers political distancing.

But even as he made this minor course correction, Starmer revealed just how intimately he has been working with the government and affirmed that, polite criticisms notwithstanding, this relationship will continue.

Responding to Johnsons request for more signs of cooperation from Labour, Starmer struck an outraged pose: The prime minister asks for a sign of co-operationa fair challenge. I wrote to him, as he knows, in confidence two weeks ago, to ask if I could help build a consensus for getting children back into our schools. I did it confidentially and privately, because I did not want to make a lot of it.

Starmer was clearly outraged that Johnson publicly questioned Labours political loyalties and responded by revealing the extent of the collusion taking place behind the scenes. He continued in aggrieved tones to explain that he had tried his best to neutralise the overwhelming opposition of workers to the return-to-work drive and especially the reopening of schools.

I have supported the government in the gradual easing of restrictions, he said. That is why I wrote to the prime minister two weeks ago, because I could see the problem with schools and I thought it needed leadership and consensus. I privately offered to do what I could to build that consensus. That is the offer that was not taken up.

Starmers letter, now published, was sent to Johnson and Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, with Shadow Education Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey copied in. Long-Bailey was the so-called Corbyn continuity candidate of the left during the recent Labour leadership election.

The letter begins by declaring of a recent statement by Williamson on the reopening of schools, It was an important statement and I fully endorse it.

The rest of the message stresses that Labour fully support[s] the wider opening of schools as soon as is feasibly possible, but adds, I am sure that as Prime Minister you will share my concern that without a stronger consensus of professionals and parents behind the wider opening of schools, some parents will choose not to comply and the issue will become even more socially divisive.

To smother any such social divisions, Starmer offered a meeting between himself, Long-Bailey, Williamson and Johnson to explore how that consensus can be achieved in the shortest possible timeframe.

At the end of his letter, he defines his aim of establishing a national consensus through a coming together of business, employers [and] trade unions, i.e., all those who have already been collaborating with the government.

He reiterates the mission statement of the Labour Party under his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn, as well as himself: [W]e will continue to play our part in acting in the national interest at a very challenging time for the country.

Johnson responded by echoing Starmers outraged tone at any suggestion he was not committed to collaboration with Labourin the national interest, of course. He replied, I am surprised that [the Labour leader] should take that tone, since I took the trouble to ring him up, and we had a long conversation in which I briefed him about all the steps that we were taking. He did not offer any dissent at that stagehe thoroughly endorsed our approach, and I believe that he should continue to endorse it today.

The phone call in question was held on May 28 with all the leaders of the opposition, with Johnson outlining his plans for sending infants back to school. Labour dutifully allowed these plans to proceed, despite a huge groundswell of opposition amongst parents and teachers.

The PMQs exchange was testimony both to the weakness of the Tory government and to the complicity of the Labour Partywith Johnson repeatedly pleading with the opposition to back, support and endorse him.

By citing their confidential letters and closed-door discussions, Johnson and Starmer lifted the lid on their filthy conspiracy against the working class. Whatever pantomime conflict is staged in Parliament, a Labour official stressed after PMQs, We maintain our commitment to work together and there has been some success. We asked for a 24-hour target on testing and the PM accepted that today, for example. The same was true when we demanded an exit strategy from the lockdown.

Every capitalist party the world over is working together on behalf of the corporations to impose a reckless return to the new normal on a hostile population. This must be opposed through the building of a new, socialist partyirreconcilably opposed to the betrayals of Labour and their co-conspirators in the trade unions.
In a devastated state, Sajid Khan thanks the doctor and the staff of Surana Sethia hospital for leaving no stone unturned in taking care of his brother, Wajid Khan, who is no more in this world. Wajid breathed his last on June 1 at 12:30 am. His sudden demise jolted the entire film industry and many B-town celebrities including, Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra, Parineeti Chopra and Varun Dhawan, offered their condolences to the family.

Wajid Khan     Sajid Khan   Emotional post,    | FilmiBeat

Now, in an official family statement, Sajid Khan revealed the real reason behind Wajid's death and wrote, "Our dearest Wajid passed away at the age of 47 due to a cardiac arrest on 1st of June at 00:30 am in Surana Sethia hospital. He had a successful kidney transplant last year and he was undergoing treatment for a throat infection."

He further wrote, "We would like to express our gratitude to Dr Prince Surana who is family and has taken care of Wajid just like a brother would, Dr Prashant Kewle, Dr Kirti Sabnis, Dr Nikhil Jain, Dr Rupesh Naik, Dr Dipen Deole, Dr Aseem Thamba and the entire hospital staff who had been treating Wajid and taking care of him beyond the call of duty and had left no stone unturned for his treatment. We thank each of you for your selfless gestures from the bottom of our hearts."

When Wajid Khan Complained To Salman Khan About Being Irritated With His Brother Sajid Khan!

When the news of Wajid's sudden demise broke out, many reports claimed that Wajid lost his life owing to the Novel Coronavirus. However, Sajid's official statement tells a different story.

Nonetheless, may God give strength to Wajid's family to cope with the loss.
How long does it take to install a mobile phone tower? If you're a resident of RSL ANZAC Village on Sydney's northern beaches, the answer is: three years, and counting.

In a long-running saga that has frustrated the RSL, its elderly residents and their federal MP, the tower has at various times been delayed by concerns about 5G, its visual impact, the colour of the paint and now the size of the headframe.

"This needs to be resolved once and for all": David Allcroft, head of the RSL ANZAC Village residents' committee.

David Allcroft, chair of the village residents' committee, said the lack of adequate mobile phone coverage was "a serious health issue" at the facility.

"Many of our residents have to go outside their front door to receive a signal and when they do get one it is often a weak signal," he said. "When a person needs medical help, this can be a big issue."
Talks with China would be positive, but reverting to political hierarchy inevitable

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 06: India is optimistic about the talks with China today amidst the standoff along the Line of Actual Control. However, there is also realisation that this may not be the final round of talks to defuse tensions along the border.

There is positivity, a source tells OneIndia, but he also added that both countries would also have to rely on their political hierarchy before a final solution is found. We are very hopeful that these talks today would be positive and would ease tensions to a greater extent. However, those involved in the talks would have to revert to the political hierarchy before a final solution is found, the source cited above also said.

Kejriwal warns hospitals for turning away patients, 'won't tolerate' this | Oneindia News

Indo-China talks: Both sides would bear in mind sensitivities,aspirations and concerns

Both sides have agreed to resolve differences through peaceful dialogue respecting each others' sensitivities, concerns and aspirations. Both sides would set up a framework for their militaries to work out a way to de-escalate tensions along the Line of Actual Control.

During a video conference, senior diplomats of both sides re-affirmed the consensus that was reached by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Chinese President, Xi Jinping during the two informal summits in April 2018 and October 2019. Both Modi and Jinping had agreed that differences should not turn into disputes.

During the meeting, Lt. General Harrinder Singh, who is leading the Indian delegation would insist on the restoration of status-quo. He would also demand the demolition of the bunker and the moat the Chinese PLA built to block the access to the Indian Army personnel.

The press release that was released following the meeting of Naveen Srivastava, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs and his counterpart, Wu Jianghao, Director General (Asian Affairs) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Chinese Government said, " the state of bilateral relations including the current developments were discussed. The consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries that a peaceful, stable and balanced relation between India and China would be a positive factor stability in the current global situation."

Handshake, breakfast, formal meet: What to expect from the Indo-China talks today

It was also agreed that both should handle their differences through peaceful discussion, in accordance with the guidance provided by the Prime Minister and the Chinese President, bearing in mind the importance of respecting each other's sensitivities, concerns and aspirations.
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee agreed Friday to set in motion a referendum that would restore felon voting rights  a second-chance issue that is a priority for Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Senators voted 10-4 to approve House Joint Resolution 14 calling for a state constitutional amendment that would make it possible for Iowa felons to have their voting rights restored.

Currently, the decision whether to restore voting rights to Iowa felons after they complete their sentences is made by the governor after receiving a recommendation from the parole board.

HJR 14  which must pass the next General Assembly in the exact same form to come before Iowa voters in 2022  passed out of committee one day after Reynolds signed Senate File 2338.

The law forbids released felons who owe victim restitution from voting, even if Iowans approve the proposed constitutional amendment that automatically restores felon voting rights.

During an emotional speech, Sen. Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, urged her colleagues to vote no and consider victims who are deprived of their rights by. She called the resolution a slap in the face to the victim.

And Sen. Zach Whiting, R-Spirit Lake, lamented that a Senate-passed bill seeking a constitutional amendment for victims died this session in the House.

In supporting the measure, Sen. Tony Bisignano, D-Des Moines, said Iowa is the only state left that doesnt restore voting rights. Without mainstreaming felons back into society, he said, were just creating more outliers.

The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration.

SENATE CONFIRMATIONS: Iowa senators, on their 40th day work day of the 2020 session, confirmed 73 of Gov. Kim Reynolds appointments to state posts, boards and commissions by a 49-0 vote.

The Senate agreed to Reynolds choice of Scott Marler to direct the state Department of Transportation and approved Chanese Yanney of Sioux City and Kathleen Fehrman of Des Moines to serve on the DOT Commission.

Marler, a 22-year veteran of the DOT, had served as director of the agencys operations division before Reynolds elevated him to department director last February.

Also Friday, the Iowa Senate confirmed Brooke Axiotis of Des Moines, John Robbins of Iowa Falls and Georgia Van Gundy to serve as members of the state Board of Education.

Senators also confirmed James Halverson for another term on the City Development Board.

Members of the Senate State Government Committee forwarded the names of three nominees  Mary Junge of Cedar Rapids to the Iowa Lottery Authority Board; and Lance Horbach of Tama and Daryl Olsen of Audubon to the state Racing and Gaming Commission  to be placed on the Senate debate calendar for confirmation consideration.

HEMP, HEMP, HOORAY: The Iowa Senate voted 48-1 to send Gov. Kim Reynolds legislation that would allow Iowa farmers to grow industrial hemp.

The product could be used to manufacture, sale or transport consumable CBD (cannabidiol) products believed to have health and other benefits.

House File 2581 allows consumable products with no more than 3 percent THC  tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the psychoactive component of marijuana  but creates a criminal penalty and fine if the products are inhaled or smoked. The crime is a serious misdemeanor with a fine ranging from $500 to $2,500.

Along with farmers, backers said the bill would clear up a gray area in state law concerning the sale of CBD by retail establishments. The federal government cleared the way for hemp production to resume in Iowa when the 2018 farm bill removed it from the controlled substance act.

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Tensions have been building along India's disputed border with China. The Line of Actual Control (LAC) separating the two countries is not a hard frontier, and India and China have never agreed on where their shared border should lie. A number of skirmishes between opposing troops have taken place over the last month. Now reports of an increase in troop numbers on both sides are fueling fears of a bigger confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbors. Indian and Chinese military commanders are holding talks today to try to defuse the situation. So how did India and China come to blows in the first place?
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

A key militia in the Central African Republic has said it is suspending its participation in a peace agreement signed by the government and rebel groups last year that has led to relative calm in the war-torn country

Bangui, Central African Republic, June 6 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Jun, 2020 ) :A key militia in the Central African Republic has said it is suspending its participation in a peace agreement signed by the government and rebel groups last year that has led to relative calm in the war-torn country.

"The 3R movement has decided to suspend all its participation in the bodies involved in implementing" the peace pact, the group's leader Sidiki Abass said in a statement released late Friday.

He called on the militia's members to "respond with all their strength" should government forces attack its bases.

But he insisted that 3R "reaffirms its irreversible commitment to the process" of implementing the peace agreement "if the threats and provocation cease".

On Wednesday, the UN's peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, known by the acronym MINUSCA, had warned Sidiki Abass "against his expansionist tendencies in other parts of the region, in clear violation of the political accord for peace and reconciliation in the Central African Republic.

" In May 2019, four months after the peace pact was signed, 46 civilians were killed by 3R members in Paoua, in the northwest of the country.

Four months later, Sidiki Abass, also known as Sidi Bi Soulemane, announced his resignation as military adviser to the car government, a post he had held as part of the peace deal.

One of the world's poorest and most unstable nations, CAR has suffered several violent crises since 2003 when former president Francois Bozize seized power in a coup.

The country spiralled into bloodshed after Bozize was overthrown in 2013.

Fighting has since forced nearly a quarter of the country's 4.5 million people to flee their homes, and rival militia groups control most of the country.

A presidential election is expected to be held in December 2020.
06.06.2020 LISTEN

The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi said the Tema Motorway Interchange firmly confirms the notion that former John Dramani Mahama is the infrastructure champion whose brainchild led to the construction of the project.

The NDC scribe has asked President Akufo-Addo to give credit to Mahama over what he described as massive investments in the road sector.

His comments come on the back of the commissioning of the Tema Motorway Interchange project by Akufo-Addo today, Friday, June 5.

President Akufo-Addo must learn to give credit where credit is due. Enough of the plagiarisation of Mahama projects. The Tema Motorway Interchange remains the brainchild of the Visionary John Dramani Mahama, he argued in the tweet.

While commissioning the project, President Akufo-Addo said former President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress' (NDC) claims of delivering unprecedented infrastructure never existed in reality but only in their Green Book.

We made a pledge to the Ghanaian people to expand and improve the road network while closing the missing links in the network. We had to make this pledge because we know that the so-called unprecedented infrastructure development of the Mahama administration was fantasy; existing in the Green Book and not on the ground, President Akufo-Addo intimated.
PHILADELPHIA, June 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaskela Law LLC announces that it is investigating ProPetro Holding Corp. ("ProPetro" or the "Company") (NYSE: PUMP) on behalf of the Company's stockholders.

On August 8, 2019, ProPetro disclosed that it was delaying the filing of its quarterly report with the SEC "due to an ongoing review by the audit committee of the Company's board of directors" of certain financial matters. Following this news, shares of the Company's stock declined $4.59 per share, or over 26% in value, to close at $12.75 per share on August 9, 2019, on heavy trading volume.

Subsequently, on February 24, 2020, ProPetro disclosed that its Audit Committee's "internal review has identified a number of internal and disclosure control deficiencies," and that "Company's management has to date concluded that there were multiple material weaknesses that resulted in the Company's internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures not being effective as of a prior date."

The investigation seeks to determine whether ProPetro's officers and directors breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the above concerning the Company's financial reporting.

Current ProPetro stockholders who purchased or acquired shares of the Company's common stock prior to January 1, 2019 are encouraged to contact Kaskela Law LLC (D. Seamus Kaskela, Esq.) at (484) 258  1585, or via email at [email protected] or online at http://kaskelalaw.com/case/propetro/ for additional information about this investigation and their legal rights and options.

Kaskela Law LLC represents investors in securities fraud, corporate governance, and merger & acquisition litigation. For additional information about Kaskela Law LLC please visit www.kaskelalaw.com. This notice may constitute attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions.

CONTACT:

D. Seamus Kaskela, Esq.

KASKELA LAW LLC

18 Campus Blvd., Suite 100

Newtown Square, PA 19073

(484) 258  1585

(888) 715  1740

www.kaskelalaw.com

[email protected]

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Dawn Driscoll, cattle farmer and acting president of the Iowa County Farm Bureau, won the Republican primary for the State Senate District 38 seat on Tuesday, June 2. Driscoll, who is from Williamsburg, Iowa, said that she is rooting her campaign in her conservative farm values and pushing for greater support of agriculture and rural communities.

Driscoll received 46 percent of the vote on Tuesday, edging out fellow Republicans Garrett Dozark and Bruce Adams, who earned 35 and 19 percent, respectively. She is now running against Democratic candidate and Grinnell College Information Technology Services employee Ivy Schuster, who won the Democratic primary with 83 percent of the vote. (Schuster could not be reached for comment for this piece.)

I was absolutely honored and thankful, said Driscoll of her reaction to the election results. I had all the emotions, honestly. We had worked so hard that I was ecstatic.

Driscoll announced her candidacy last August. Senator Tim Kapucian, who currently represents District 38 in the State Senate, encouraged Driscoll to run for the seat after getting to know her as a lobbyist for the Iowa Farm Bureau. Kapucian is currently serving his third and final term as State Senator.

[Kapucian] pulled me aside and said, Im going to probably resign, and on my drive home I thought, How could I miss an opportunity like this? said Driscoll. So, its been in the back of my mind for the last couple of years and Im so glad, Im so thankful for it.

Driscoll, who also works as a recruiter for Hummer AgriBusiness Search, wants to prioritize issues in mental healthcare, education and law enforcement. She said her background in agriculture has given her a work ethic and an ability to connect to rural communities, skills she said have prepared her to be a successful legislator in the Iowa State Senate.

Originally, Driscoll planned to campaign through consistent participation in city council meetings throughout Iowa, Benton and Poweshiek counties. Then the COVID-19 pandemic came along.

We took to the phones! said Driscoll. We spent hours on the phone, every day, and when I say hours, I mean probably ten hours a day.

She and her campaign team, which consists of family members and friends from the community, have called thousands of voters since in-person campaign events were suspended in March. Though Driscoll remains hopeful some on-the-ground campaigning can continue, she emphasized that its unlikely she will be able to make her case in person to any large groups of voters before the general election.

Im so thankful that the governor has done what shes done the whole time, said Driscoll, regarding Governor Kim Reynolds approach to handling the coronavirus.

Reynolds was one of only eight governors in the U.S. to not implement a stay-at-home order to prevent the spread of the virus, though she did restrict certain businesses and behavior.

As far as going out, its not a big deal if you dont feel comfortable because everyone has different feelings. I think that Iowans are very respectful of those opinions, said Driscoll. People are very cautious, I think, this year, and I think that thats a good thing.
Six months after horror bushfires tore through East Gippsland, victims are still living in sheds, caravans and even tents on fire-ravaged properties.

Locals desperate to rebuild are fed up and have accused construction giant Grocon, tasked with leading the bushfire clean-up across Victoria, of lengthy delays in clearing away the burned rubble and wreckage that was once their homes.

A burnt-out house in Sarsfield, East Gippsland. Credit:AAP

The construction company was awarded a $75 million state government contract in January to clear away debris from almost 700 fire-affected properties in affected towns.

"The clean-up by Grocon is a massive, massive job and unfortunately, there are a few people who have slipped through the net and there have been major gaps in the recovery," Bairnsdale Rotary Club president Pearl Findlay-James said.
Instagram / @themovementink

Movement Ink, a small family-owned printing company in Oakland, said that U.S. postal inspectors seized thousands of face masks they produced that were intended for protesters. The cloth masks, emblazoned with the words "Stop killing black people" and the logo for the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL), were being shipped to Washington D.C., St. Louis, New York City and Minneapolis.

In an Instagram post, Movement Ink said that they "are angry, concerned and feel threatened by the situation. Our family and a few community members have sacrificed sleep to support the Movement for Black Lives and we are committed to do so moving forward.
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is not in favour of incentivising inefficient businesses, new CII President Uday Kotak told BusinessToday.In right after taking charge. Kotak was responding to the growing demand from the government to provide industry-specific sops to bail out badly affected industries.

"For inefficient businesses, and businesses that have a structural change because of a change in the world, the consumer will decide about the future of that business and not the government. So if a consumer decides that he or she wants to buy online and doesn't want to go to a mall, that is a choice that the government should not intervene in," he added.

CII expects more stimulus to help domestic businesses grow stronger in the medium term. The apex industry body believes the government measure will be selective, targeting the most deserving sections of the industry and not a bailout for all. The COVID-19 hit 2020-21 may show a negative GDP growth, says Uday Kotak.

Also read: Is billionaire Uday Kotak on a hunt for M&As in a post-COVID world?

"I am a firm believer that there is more (stimulus) coming. But you must be clear that if you lose all your bullets, you will have nothing left for the medium term. There has to be a trade off between here and now, and what should be used here and now v/s what should be for the medium term," Kotak says in connection with the prudence the government should show while announcing a bailout package for the industry.

Kotak says that whatever the size of the next stimulus, the government will have to spend smartly. "You should be able to demonstrate that this spend will lead to medium term growth. We need to give a convincing story that the additional spend we are going to do this year, which may be a loss year, or a negative GDP year, is the year when we are making investments for the sustainability of our growth in the future," he said.

Also read: Meet multi-millionaire Kotakites: 5 executives worth Rs 100 crore each in Kotak Bank

The CII president agrees with the government's decision to restrict its direct stimulus measures to the most vulnerable sections of the society. Saying that there is no negotiability in mitigating the immediate pain, he wanted the government to spend more in priority areas even if that results in an additional fiscal deficit of 1 to 1.5 per cent. "We have to be very clear where to use the money. There will be interest groups. What we have to be careful about is very clear prioritisation for the bottom of the pyramid, for the poor people, for people who run the risks of having no jobs and no income," he said.

The CII has taken note of the fact that despite having spent Rs 10 lakh crore (both central and state spend, and estimated dip in revenues) the government may need to spend more in areas like healthcare and education. "India is woefully underinvested in healthcare and education. We (healthcare spend) are at 1.3 per cent of GDP. Germany has saved itself (from COVID-19) because of its investments in healthcare. We must right now give all the stimulus to invest in healthcare," he said.

Also read: Kotak CEO Uday Kotak takes over as CII president

Also read: Uday Kotak ends long standoff with RBI; sells 2.8% stake in Kotak Mahindra Bank
Ireland is being fast-tracked out of months of Covid-19 lockdown after the Taoiseach announced a major acceleration of the easing of social distancing restrictions.

Leo Varadkar decided to overrule public health advice to speed-up his roadmap for reopening the country.

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The significant move means from Monday people will be able to travel anywhere in their county.

The decision was taken despite advice from chief medical officer Tony Holohan insisting people should only be allowed to travel 20km from their homes.

Meanwhile, every single retail outlet across the country has been given the green light to open their doors to customers next week as long as they adhere to social distancing rules. Shopping centres can also reopen even though Mr Holohan said they should remain closed.

The Irish Independent has also seen a new Government report suggesting the two-week self-isolation period for passengers arriving in Ireland should be lifted for certain people.

The Department of Business report said if the quarantine rules were extended or strengthened it could discourage people from coming here for business which in turn could damage the prospect of receiving future foreign direct investment.

It also warned Ireland should not introduce stricter conditions on air travel when the rest of the EU is opening its borders.

The report called for the reopening of all retail outlets next week and said hotels and other accommodations should be opened as soon as possible too.

Meanwhile speaking last night on Virgin Media One in an interview with Pat Kenny, Mr Varadkar said that the Government may modify the advice on two-metre social distancing. He said that while two metres is the public health advice, it may not be practical in every scenario.

Mr Varadkar gave the tourism industry a major boost yesterday when he announced travel restrictions for the entire country would be abolished at the end of the month and people would be free to book staycations.

He also said pubs would be able to reopen on June 29 as long as they followed the same guidelines set for restaurants which were already earmarked to begin serving again.

"That will mean table service, socially distant, but not people sitting at a bar or hanging around, standing, as you might like to do in a pub," he said.

"It will effectively be pubs and bars that can operate as if they were restaurants, but they won't need to have a restaurant licence."

The Taoiseach said the "summer is not lost" and urged people to "explore our country as if for the first time and rediscover the beauty that is all around us".

Mr Varadkar said people had "earned the right to be hopeful about the future again" as he announced the five-stage roadmap would be cut back to four phases and would end in July.

In a move aimed at easing the burden of lockdown on children, the Government decided to allow summer camps as long as they are limited to 15 children.

However, children's playgrounds in Dublin city will remain shut on Monday pending "further clarification".

In a statement, the council said it noted the announcement that 'supervised' playgrounds would be allowed to open. However, it said: "Dublin City Council does not operate supervised playgrounds," and it will not be reopening them until it receives clarification.

Fingal County Council also told the Irish Independent that it was awaiting further clarification on the matter.

Older people are also permitted to have small groups of visitors in their homes from next week provided they adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Shops are being asked to provide dedicated hours for people over 70 and the medically vulnerable, with strict social distancing in place.

Shoppers should ideally wear face coverings. Those who are cocooning can have a small number of visitors to their home who should be "extra-vigilant".

The 10-person limit at funerals will be raised to 25. Religious services are expected to resume on June 29, subject to safety restrictions.

Behind-closed-doors horse and greyhound racing can commence. Elite athletes may also return to their training facilities. Public libraries may open so long as the numbers allowed in are limited.

Questioned on whether the Government went too far in allowing stores in shopping centres to reopen, despite the advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team to adopt a slow approach, Dr Holohan last night said there was no conflict. He said the logic was that there was no rationale in leaving a small number of shops unable to open. There had been good compliance so far by shops in areas like social distancing.

Referring to plans to allow visits to nursing homes, Dr Holohan said that new guidance had been issued.

The guidance, with effect from June 15, states that each resident has a maximum of two named visitors, only one of whom can be present at a time for less than 30 minutes. Visits cannot be unplanned and visitors must wear a surgical mask.

He appealed to people planning to protest today in Dublin in a Black Lives Matter event in memory of George Floyd not to do so, saying this kind of gathering was not recommended because of the difficulty in physical distancing.

Meanwhile, Labour Party leader Alan Kelly said the Government had followed his call by reducing the roadmap to four phases and was critical of its failure to outline a plan for the health service.

"Adapting our public health service to our 'new normal' must take precedence now in the coming days as the Government finalises the details around opening up of society," he said.

He said he was "extremely disappointed" the Government decided to cut the pandemic payment for part-time workers.

His comments came after the Government announced it will cut the weekly 350 payment for part-time workers from June 29. Anyone who was earning up to 199.99 per week before the outbreak will receive 203 per week.

However, the 350 payment for those who were earning more than 200 per week will not be reduced until at least August 10. The wage subsidy scheme will also remain unchanged until the same date.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said: "I will expect to see a continued decline in reliance on the scheme throughout the summer as the economy continues to reopen and people are able to return to work.

This economic recovery will be monitored and will inform a decision later in the summer on the need for further extension or tapering beyond August."

Everything you need to know about where you can go and what you can do:

International Travel

All non-essential overseas travel to and from Ireland should be avoided. Passengers arriving from overseas are expected to self-isolate for 14 days.

Social visits

Up to six people may visit another household but everyone must keep at least 2 metres apart from people they don't live with.

Cocooners

Shops are being asked to provide dedicated hours for people over the age of 70 and those who are medically vulnerable with strict social distancing in place. Shoppers should ideally wear face coverings. Those who are cocooning can have a small number of visitors to their home who should be extra-vigilant.

Group exercise / training

Organised outdoor exercise, sporting, cultural or social activities of up to 15 people (including coaches) may take place.

Work

Remote working is to continue for all workers or businesses that can currently do so. Where this is not possible, employers must put measures in place to allow for social distancing such as extended opening hours and staggered breaks.

Shops

All shops can reopen from Monday unless they are in a shopping centre. They must operate staggered hours, opening no earlier than 10:30am and allocating dedicated time at the start for elderly, vulnerable and at-risk groups. Shopping centres can open from June 15 provided measures are taken to ensure people do not congregate at benches, fountains or food courts.

Funerals and religious services

The limit on 10 people attending funerals will be raised to 25. Religious services are expected to resume on June 29, subject to safety restrictions.

Sport

Behind-closed-door horse and greyhound racing can commence. Elite athletes may return to their training facilities.

Children

Outdoor summer camps may operate for post-primary children. Playgrounds and commercially-serviced outdoor amenities may reopen.

Restaurants and pubs

It will be possible to open restaurants from June 29. Bars that also serve food will be allowed operate so long as they can provide table service.

Tourism

Hotels, hostels, caravan parks, galleries and museums can reopen on June 29, making it possible for people to holiday in Ireland this summer.

Libraries

Public libraries may open so long as the numbers allowed in are limited.
GD Psych Services LLC

By Amy Byres / Observer staff writer

Stacey Goldstein-Dwyer, owner of GD Psych Services LLC, is an advocate for good mental health practices through the quarantine.

Goldstein-Dwyer began her business in Rio Rancho in 2016 after retiring from service as a captain in the U.S. Army, she said.

Navigating her business through COVID-19 has been a challenge, Goldstein-Dwyer said.

We see many children, teenagers and families in addition to our adult clientele, and because of COVID-19, we had many cancellations, she said. Despite adapting to the need and providing HIPAA-compliant and secure video and phone options, it is almost impossible to have an effective therapy visit with a child or teenager via telehealth.

This resulted in a reduction of business, Goldstein-Dwyer said. In addition, many patients who were not comfortable using telehealth or visiting face-to-face canceled their appointments.

Despite these challenges, the company is expanding and moving to a bigger space at 2200 Grande Blvd., she said. GD Psych Services expanded its work to include medication management via telehealth or in person.

We consider ourselves survivors of this pandemic and will continue to grow our ability to serve those in need who live in the city of Rio Rancho and the state of New Mexico, she said.

GD Psych Services is a one-stop shop for mental-health services, Goldstein-Dwyer said. For more information, call 218-6383 or visit its website at gdpsychservices.com.

Brew Lab 101 Beer & Cider Co.

By Amy Byres / Observer staff writer

Since the COVID-19 closures have taken effect, revenues have been down for Brew Lab 101 Beer & Cider Co., said owner Scott Salvas.

He has missed having folks in his establishment at 3301 Southern Blvd.

However, we adapted quickly, and our staff has been great and very flexible, so we will come out of this OK, Salvas said.

Small businesses need the communitys support now more than ever, he said

A lot of folks are hurting out there, Salvas said.

Like its patrons, the brewery has to adjust to a new normal with COVID-safe practices.

We will be the same great place folks have come to love, but weve added some innovations like canning to increase our options for beer to go, he said. We are also working on options to increase our service area, like putting in a backyard-type experience. This will allow us to serve many while still keeping everyone distanced.

Salvas said customer safety is the brewerys No. 1 priority.

Brew Lab 101 is still in takeout mode, as Salvas says, so its hours of operations vary. For the most updated information on hours, Google Brew Lab 101 or check its website, brewlab101.com. Order takeout by calling 962-1587.

Harris Jewelers

By Amy Byres / Observer staff writer

Harris Jewelers has operated in Rio Rancho since 1945.

Co-owners Mark Guerin and Karen Fitzpatrick purchased the business in 1998.

Through the pandemic, the company did not furlough or lay off any of its staff. It obtained a loan from the Payment Protection Program, Guerin said.

He said challenges Harris Jewelers faced included preparing to open under proper guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state and U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Nobody seemed to know for a long time what guidelines businesses were to open under, he said.

In addition, shifting to online sales proved challenging with the companys model being a personal experience with clients.

Harris Jewelers does a lot of custom work and jewelry repair, which cannot be done online. The governors order, as we understood, we could not be in our store until May 1 or later, he said. Apparently by the governors actions, we were wrong. The vagueness of what is allowed and what is not has been a challenge.

The store has grown into a 5,000-square-foot space, where it is easy to maintain social distancing. It is easier to control sanitation than in big-box stores, he said.

Remember, shopping local feeds local families, supports local police and fire; shopping local supports the community, he said.

Harris Jewelers is open at 909 36th Place, Ste. A.

Harris Jewelers would like to thank the Observer for this opportunity, Guerin. Like your local jeweler, the Observer is your local paper, focusing on Rio Rancho and the surrounding communities.

For more information about Harris Jewelers, visit harrisjewelersnm.com or call 892-3841.

Diaz Landscaping Management

By Amy Byres / Observer staff writer

Diaz Landscaping Management will expand its company despite challenges the pandemic has presented.

Owners James and Elaine Diaz founded Diaz Landscaping in 2009.

Diaz Landscaping is looking forward to future growth, future expansion and bringing more jobs to Rio Rancho, Elaine Diaz said.

The company has been fortunate and did not need to take out loans, but it has been challenging to hire employees, she said.

They are looking to hire office personnel and landscaping and irrigation specialists.

Diaz Landscapings top priority is the safety of employees and customers through these challenging times, Elaine Diaz said.

Employees maintain social distancing, wear masks and clean vehicles and equipment daily, she said.

Diaz has a message for the Rio Rancho community.

I would just like to thank essential works and all those on the front line: the nurses the doctors, the grocery workers, the delivery workers, everyone that is contributing, she said. We are all in this together.

For more information, visit Diaz Landscaping at 661 Quantum Road or call 433-1449.

Rio Rancho Observer

By Argen Duncan / Observer editor

The Rio Rancho Observer has existed since 1973, but working through this pandemic presented entirely new challenges.

Because Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared media outlets essential, we never stopped reporting. Were proud to tell the stories of the local effects of the pandemic, the community pulling together and other news.

Weve always covered good news, and we made it even more of a priority after the pandemic hit, hoping to lift our neighbors spirits.

To help flatten the curve, we worked from home when we could. We conducted interviews by phone and watched governmental meetings online, but when we couldnt do remote coverage, we showed up in person. We closed the office except by appointment for nearly two months.

With other businesses having less revenue, we did, too, because fewer of them could buy advertisements. That meant smaller papers.

Another challenge has been finding disinfectant spray and wipes, although weve been scraping by.

Now, were increasing time in the office.

With only three of us and work spaces already separated, were able to easily maintain healthy distancing. We wear face coverings and aim to keep our distance when we help walk-in customers or go out in the community, although we dont demand that other we meet wear masks or stay 6 feet from each other. Were reporters, not enforcers.

Going forward, well keep following state and company health guidelines among our staff, and well keep telling your stories. The news keeps going, and so do we.

Note: Check out the Observer next week for information and perspectives from local nonprofits on handling the pandemic.
White supremacist groups will be outlawed in Newark if a proposed ordinance is adopted by the city council in the coming weeks, officials said.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka announced Friday that he would ask the Newark City Council to approve an ordinance that would denounce hate crimes and racism, police brutality and declare white supremacy groups as terrorists in the city.

We are long overdue on a measure such as this, Baraka said in a release. For this country to heal, we must begin to legally challenge the insidious and dehumanizing tenets of white supremacy, once and for all. We must stand up forcefully against racism and have the courage to take on the legal challenges an ordinance such as this will attract.

The city would create what Baraka called an office of violence prevention if the ordinance is adopted and it would be coordinated by an appointee of his choice, the mayor said.

The ordinance would do the following:

Manage policy initiatives and programs that advance the citys anti-violence initiatives.

Use data to inform citys investments in violence prevention.

Develop community-based anti-violence initiatives within all city departments.

Establish a see something, say something, do something policy to demand that all city employees immediately intervene and report blatant civil rights violations by other employees, including police and fire. All acts of racism by city employees will result in automatic termination and any employees who fail to take action if they witness these acts will also be terminated.

Establish a database or registry of hate groups now existing within the United States and add to that list as new groups are identified.

The ordinance will also declare these hate groups, including groups characterized as White Supremacists, Nazi groups, the KKK, as terrorists, ban them from Newark and make any actions by them illegal.

This ordinance is no publicity stunt, Baraka said. These groups are a serious threat right here in New Jersey.

The ordinance will also close the First Precinct of the Newark Police Division. The building will eventually be transitioned into a museum detailing the history of the Newark Police Department.

The mayor said that closing the precinct, which was originally the Fourth Precinct and the site where the 1967 Newark Rebellion began, would put it on a new historic trajectory.

There is a negative history in that building, Mayor Baraka said. We are going to set it on a course of positivity.

On July, 12, 1967, when two white officers arrested and beat black cab driver John Smith near the precinct and dragged him inside in front of a crowd of black residents in nearby public housing development.

The event sparked four nights of violent riots to city streets that left 26 people dead, 700 injured and $10 million in property damage.

It was in stark contrast of the peaceful protest held in the city late last month to rally against police brutality in the wake of George Floyds death at the hands on police in Minnesota.

It was unclear exactly when the ordinance will be introduced but Newark Corporation Counsel Kenyatta Stewart said the city will welcome challenges to the ordinance.

You cant enjoy free speech when you cant breathe, and our first human right is to be able to live, Stewart said in a statement.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
Alameda police have released body camera footage of a confrontation with a black man who was toppled and handcuffed by officers after they approached him for dancing in the street.

City officials are starting an independent investigation of the 7:45 a.m. May 23 incident that began after a woman called to report an African American person in the middle of the street ... dancing and turning all around  obviously somethings very wrong, and Im just afraid. Police posted a recording of the call online.

The body-cam footage shows police coming upon the man, identified in police reports as 44-year-old Mali Watkins, doing what one officer described as jazzercise to a Mary J. Blige song. He was standing in the roadway close to the curb on the 2000 block of Central Avenue.

In what started as a calm exchange with officers, Watkins explained that he did not want to dance on the sidewalk, for fear he would hit other people when practicing moves. The officers detained Watkins, with two grabbing his arms and pinning him to the back of a car after he refused to answer questions. He said he wanted to go to his car and demanded they stop touching him, according to the video. He also can be heard speaking to a woman off camera encouraging her to record whats happening. He told officers he lived nearby.

Within minutes, three officers pushed Watkins to the ground and handcuffed him, as bystanders yelled in the background, the video shows. He didnt do anything, one woman yelled. Watkins was arrested on charges of resisting the police. An Alameda spokeswoman said the city has begun a process to drop those charges.

City Manager Eric Levitt said he became concerned about how the situation was handled after Alameda residents posted videos on social media Tuesday. He said an independent investigation is starting.

When the video was brought to my attention Tuesday, we were already dealing with the issue, Levitt said in an interview Saturday. The video brought up new facts that I wasnt aware of.

Levitt declined to go into detail and said he didnt know whether the officers involved were placed on leave.

Alameda Vice Mayor John Knox White sharply condemned the arrest on Saturday. I am outraged and I am sad and I am committed to ensuring that there is a full, independent investigation and that there is accountability for those involved, including those who created a system that allowed this to happen, he wrote in a statement.

The videos and recording also alarmed LaDoris Cordell, a retired Superior Court judge and independent police auditor for San Jose.

This is a black mans worst nightmare, Cordell said. Right here. Here it is.

She noted how quickly the situation unraveled from the beginning, when several police officers surrounded a man who appeared to merely be exercising in the parking lane outside his house. A minute after approaching Watkins, they detain him  a form of custody that police use when they suspect someone of committing a crime.

But whats the crime? Cordell asked. The crime is that hes a black man wearing all black in the street.

Similar scenes take place throughout the nation each day, she said, pointing to the reckoning thats occurring right now, as protesters face off with police.

Were saying, Do you get it now?

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.

Charles Sid Heal, a retired commander from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department who specializes in use of force, said officers face a quandary when they respond to calls about odd behavior. Police are obligated to handle the situation to its conclusion, Heal said, meaning they cannot walk away until they are satisfied a person is safe and will not harm other people.

The Alameda Police Departments use of force policy allows officers to use reasonable force to make an arrest, prevent a suspect from escaping or overcome resistance. Officers are advised to consider a suspects comportment, mental capacity, and use of drugs or alcohol, as well as the immediacy or severity of a threat to police, among other factors, when determining whether force is reasonable.

A Police Department spokesman was not immediately available for comment. Levitt said in a written statement that he had consulted with the head of the police officers association, who shared city leaders interest in addressing concerns brought forward by the community.

Heal worries, however, that viral videos of police encounters, such as the one in Alameda, will ultimately have a chilling effect on law enforcement.

To Cordell, they illustrate the need for a different kind of policing  in which officers patrol by walking through neighbors and getting to know people, rather than driving up and acting on knee-jerk impulses.

The correct way to handle that call would be for one officer to approach Watkins and say, Im sorry to bother you, but we got this call, she said. If officers did community policing, she said, Theyd already know he (Watkins) lived on Central Avenue. Theyd wave to him and be on their way.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
Buffalo, New York: All 57 members of a police tactical unit in Buffalo, New York, have resigned from the volunteer team to protest the suspension of two colleagues who were filmed shoving a 75-year-old man to the ground.

Video from public radio station WBFO of Thursday night's encounter, which happened near the conclusion of protests over the death of George Floyd in Minnesota, quickly sparked public outrage and a protest by city police who felt the officers were being mistreated.

It shows a man identified as Martin Gugino approaching a line of helmeted officers holding batons as they clear demonstrators from Niagara Square around the time of an 8pm curfew. Two officers push Gugino backward, and he hits his head on the pavement. Blood spills as officers walk past.

A separate report on local affiliate WKBW said the 57 officers resigned because the police union would not extend legal support for their work on the volunteer team. I dont understand why the union said its a thing of solidarity," one of the officers told WKBW. "I think it sends the wrong message that were backing our own and thats not the case, he said.
Bay Area residents were serenaded by the Golden Gate Bridge as wind gusts passed through the region Friday  a new phenomenon that has a relatively simple explanation.

A number of individuals shared videos of the eerie humming sound coming from the bridge, with many reporting they could hear the noise from miles away. After enough people inquired about the noise, the Golden Gate Bridge Sargent reported the sound is caused by wind hitting new sidewalk railing slats.
SAN FRANCISCO, June 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hagens Berman urges investors in GSX Techedu Inc. (NYSE: GSX) to submit their losses now . The June 16, 2020 lead plaintiff deadline in a securities fraud class action that has been filed against the company and senior executives is fast approaching.



Class Period: June 6, 2019 - Apr. 13, 2020

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: June 16, 2020

Sign Up: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/GSX

Contact An Attorney Now: GSX@hbsslaw.com

844-916-0895

GSX Techedu (GSX) Securities Class Action:

The Complaint alleges Defendants misreported GSXs financials, student enrollment figures, and teacher qualifications.

Investors began to learn the truth on Feb. 25, 2020, when Grizzly Research published a scathing report, accusing GSX of drastically overstating its profitability in its US public filings, especially for 2018. Grizzly claimed that GSX had generated fake student enrollments to boost student count, and fabricated teachers profiles.

On Apr. 14, 2020, Citron Research similarly charged GSX with fabricating revenues by 70% and overstating net profits by 75%.

Then, on May 7, 2020, Citron published another report, citing definitive evidence of GSX committing securities fraud. Citron avers that GSX understated customer acquisition costs by moving expenses off its books to shell companies.

On May 18, 2020, Muddy Waters joined in, concluding GSX is a near-total fraud, given that 70-80% of its users are fake.

On May 28, 2020, Muddy Waters cited additional evidence of GSX fabricating its user numbers, including an account from a former GSX manager.

Most recently, on June 2, 2020, Grizzly Research followed up with another scathing report. Grizzly claims: (a) GSXs publicly claimed student enrollment count and revenue are inflated by approximately 900%; (b) GSX appears to be conducting illegal marketing activities on a massive scale; and, (c) [w]e believe the companys core marketing strategy is built around identity theft.

Were focused on investors losses and proving GSX deceived investors, said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.

If you purchased shares of GSX and suffered significant losses, click here to discuss your legal rights with Hagens Berman .

Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding GSX should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email GSX@hbsslaw.com .

About Hagens Berman

Hagens Berman is a national law firm with nine offices in eight cities around the country and eighty attorneys. The firm represents investors, whistleblowers, workers and consumers in complex litigation. More about the firm and its successes is located at hbsslaw.com . For the latest news visit our newsroom or follow us on Twitter at @classactionlaw .
 Close Protestors in London show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement

Thousands of people gathered in UK cities to stand against racism and demand change after the death of George Floyd in US police custody.

Demonstrators filled Londons Parliament Square holding placards reading black lives matter, white silence is violence and the UK is not innocent, while thousands also turned out across Cardiff, Bristol, Manchester, Sheffield, Leicester, Bath and Birmingham.

Government ministers urged people not to gather in large groups to protest, with police warning that protests could be unlawful under coronavirus lockdown rules. The demonstrations were largely peaceful apart from a clash between protesters and police near Downing Street on Saturday evening which saw a police officer knocked from a horse and graffiti daubed on the Cenotaph in Whitehall.

Please allow a moment for the liveblog to load:
The peoples republic of Austin is reeling. As protests against police brutality have swept the nation in the wake of George Floyds killing in Minneapolis, the laid-back liberal oasis in Central Texas has witnessed some of the most acute violence in the country  a development that shocked many residents, as well as the citys liberal leadership. At a six-hour-long emergency city council meeting to review police protocols Thursday night, hundreds of Austinites berated city leaders and called for the police chiefs ouster. An editorial in the Austin American-Statesman said the police response compounded the outrage and pain that brought protesters to the streets to begin with. Reached by phone, Austin Mayor Steve Adler (D) said videos of the violence made him incredibly uncomfortable.
The talks come after multiple local military level meetings failed to defuse the tension.

Top Chinese and Indian generals have held high-level talks in a Himalayan outpost in a bid to end the latest border standoff between the worlds two most populous nations that has seen thousands of troops sent to both sides of the disputed border.

According to Indias foreign ministry, the meeting took place in a cordial and positive atmosphere.

Both sides agreed to peacefully resolve the situation in the border areas in accordance with various bilateral agreements and keeping in view the agreement between the leaders that peace and tranquility in the India-China border regions is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations, the statement from the external affairs ministry on Sunday said.

There was no immediate reaction from Beijing.

The talks were held in the border outpost of Maldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC)  the de facto border between the two countries, India-based NDTV channel reported.

They took place after multiple local military level meetings failed to defuse the tension, which arose after troops from both sides were involved in scuffles in early May followed by Chinese intrusion in several border areas that New Delhi claims as its own.

Most of 3,488km-long (2,167 miles) border between the two countries is disputed and non-demarcated.

Retired Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda described the high-level talks as unprecedented.

I have not seen Corps Commander level officers carrying out military talks, Lt Gen DS Hooda was quoted as saying by theprint.in website.

As the talks take place, here are the key points that have led to the dispute and the pitfalls as the two nations, who fought a 1962 border war and have clashed many times since, over the solution:

Fist-fights and handshakes at the frontier

The face-off in eastern Ladakh region, which was carved out of Indian-administered Kashmir last August, started on May 5 and May 6 when soldiers of both sides were involved in a skirmish.

On May 9, several Indian and Chinese troops were injured in fights with fists, stones and wooden batons in Sikkim state  about 1,200km east the Ladakh region.

Indian officials say that within days, Chinese troops had encroached on the Indian side of their demarcation line in the Ladakh region further to the west.

India has moved extra troops to positions opposite.

INTERACTIVE: India-China border dispute [Al Jazeera]

A line out of control

Experts say that new roads on the Indian side of the line may have rankled China.

But the dividing line between India and China is more like a scar  that includes a ceasefire LAC  than a border.

The countries cannot even agree on how long it is. India gives a figure of 3,488 kilometres (2,167 miles). China does not give a number, but state media says the border should be just 2,000km (1,250 miles) when Chinas claims in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and other regions are taken into account.

Each side uses different frontier proposals made by Britain to China in the 19th century to back their claims.

Increasingly tense border talks and a series of skirmishes led to the 1962 war, mainly fought above 4,000 metres (14,000 feet), in which China took territory from India in Arunachal Pradesh.

Regular clashes have followed and the rival sides staged a 73-day showdown in the Doklam plateau in 2017.

India-China powerplay

High altitude face-offs have become more frequent in recent years. There have been four since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012.

The US administration has said this is a new sign of Chinas growing military assertiveness.

India has also taken a tougher line on security since nationalist prime minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014.

India does not want to hurt any countrys pride, neither can it tolerate if a country wants to hurt ours, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh last week.

Tamanna Salikuddin, a South Asia expert at the US Institute of Peace think-tank, linked the tensions to Indias fierce rivalry with Pakistan, an ally of China.

From the Indian perspective, Chinas aggression is seen as supportive of Pakistans efforts to contest the borders with India in this highly inflammable region, Salikuddin said.

However, according to Ashley Tellis, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Beijings concerns appear to have grown since the August 2019 Indian decision to make Ladakh a federally-administered territory.

Indias Hindu nationalist government stripped the Muslim-majority Himalayan regions limited autonomy on August 5, 2019, heightening tensions with its nuclear-armed neighbours China and Pakistan.

Carnegies Tellis believes the latest Chinese advancement in the Ladakh region leave India only with painful choices.

Beijing has moved into disputed territories that did not host a continual Chinese presence as recently as January 2020, Tellis wrote.

Chinas first-mover advantage has now locked India into the awkward position of trying to negotiate a Chinese withdrawal from these new occupations, which is an unlikely prospect especially in areas like Pangong Tso, where China is aggressively completing a motorable road, and in the Galwan Valley, where it is reportedly building bunkers and barracks.

The senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace noted that even if China were to withdraw as a result of negotiations with India, the new infrastructure it has created would likely survive as a ready asset to be utilised in some future contingency.





No shots since 1975

While India and China are better armed and more stubborn, no shots have been fired across the disputed border since 1975. Diplomats say this is part of an unofficial de-escalation pact.

And while they blame each other for the latest flare-up and both countries are looking for diversions from the global pandemic crisis, both insist negotiating avenues such as the Chusho-Moldo talks can act as a safety valve for their frustrations.

Salikuddin said there is a risk of escalation because of the high number of troops and heavy weaponry in the zone but the two sides have a robust conflict management arrangement.

And ultimately there is growing recognition that India and China cannot live without each other.

Indias Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told WION TV this week that once the pandemic is over if there are two engines of growth for the global economies  it is only two countries and they are India and China.
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"This isn't new to us," 18-year-old Asia Bryant told me earlier this week.

Stories and data show that schools are not safe havens from the kind of racial injustices being highlighted by recent protests.

Students have been out there on the front lines, but their voices have not often been heard in the media coverage of this week's demonstrations.

We wanted to listen to young people and to hear - in their own words - about their experiences.

So I reached out to students involved in fighting for justice in the classroom, about the lessons they're learning from what's happening outside of the school setting.

Their responses are transcribed excerpts from interviews I conducted this week. They have been edited for length and clarity. We're not using the minors' last names to protect their privacy.

Brooklyn, 16, has been involved with organizing since her freshman year of high school. (Courtesy of Brooklyn)

Brooklyn, 16, is a youth leader with Community Coalition's South Central Youth Empowered thru Action. She first got involved after attending a meeting as a freshman. Next year, she will be a senior at Crenshaw High School. Here's what she told me:

My school environment in ninth grade was very negative. It didn't really feel like a school. It just did not feel like a second home. It felt like a prison.

I get along with everybody - or at least try to include everybody in everything, including adults, children, everybody my age, anybody. I tried to have a relationship with cops, but they don't talk. They're very intimidating and it makes me very unsafe having them inside the school because you never know what they're doing. They're just there, walking up and down the halls.

We started talking about the budget for schools and the LA budget and where the money is going, and as youth, how we could get our voices out there. We did a lot of talking and talking to people in charge and everything, but it seemed like a lot of other problems were overpowering that problem.

You can listen to Brooklyn share her experiences by clicking play below:

I went to a board meeting when we went to go talk about the budget and giving it to lower income schools rather than higher income schools. We did do a little small march around before going in, but nothing like what was happening Saturday.

I chose to go to the rally in Beverly Hills because I wanted to protest with my people. It was a very peaceful protest. They had people giving speeches, getting people to sign petitions.

It was amazing. It was young toddlers, older children, older people. Everybody was there, from every age group.

Being a black female in America right now and being able to go to rally on Saturday meant a lot to me.

Things started to change when we got to a certain point in our march, Fairfax and some other street. That's when the cops showed up.

I was fine at first, but once I saw them get out their cars with their gear on, with their bullet guns and other weapons, I was very scared, because none of us had a weapon. Not a single one of us. We all had a sign. That's it.

After a while of us standing there, my organizer decided it was time for me to go. It wasn't safe anymore.

We're talking about a peaceful youth protest. It's gonna be a little difficult. We're trying to get all the parents on board because, you know, these are youth. Our group was talking about trying to get people to sign these petitions and to rally with us about the budget for LA, trying to get more money to the schools.

It just makes me feel so sad that our generation - my generation, the younger generation - have to step in and use our voices to talk about the problem.

I can't even say I want us to sit down and have the conversation because it feels too late to have a conversation. There's no time to talk anymore. It's time for actions. It's time for them to make changes.

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Asia Bryant, 18, joined the youth-led organization Students Deserve at the beginning of her senior year. This year, she is graduating from Hamilton High School. Here's what she said to me:

The reason why I became involved in Students Deserve was through a teacher. I had no prior knowledge of what it meant to become an advocate for students, let alone an advocate for myself.

The most recent issue that we were addressing at the [Students Deserve] General Assembly that I went to, was the banning of pepper spray [in schools].

We came up with strategies. We said, "What was the problem? Why is it that the people who were pepper sprayed were predominantly black students? What was something that could have been done to correct that? What should we do? What are our next steps to build this campaign, so that it brings attention to our superintendent?"

It all starts within our school system.

Another topic that was discussed was the school-to-prison pipeline, where some schools would lead some African American students, minorities, straight into the prison system and the justice system unfairly. All because school systems failed them and failed to provide them with the necessary resources.

I am so happy and so proud that this conversation is coming about, where they're starting to see a pattern of how this came to be, and what students deserve.

This isn't new to us. Everything that's happening -- everything that's being talked about -- has already been ongoing. It's just been swept under the rug and just avoided because people didn't want to have this type of conversation, because it made them feel uncomfortable. Well, then it's like, "how do you think we feel?"

I have been to protests, but not necessarily a protest like this one -- where we were protesting the end of gun violence, the protest for the end of random searches.

At first I was a little bit unsure, because of corona, and I know police presence is going to be there and I don't know how they're going to react.

So it was last minute. I woke up right at 12. And I said, "Hey, Mom, is it okay if I can go to this protest?"

And she said no.

She probably was nervous because she'd been watching the news, hearing about what's going on, and she didn't know how it was going to play out. If I was there and she couldn't get to me.

I told her a bunch of my friends are already there. I'm not going just on my own.

It was beautiful. It was peaceful up to the point where police showed up. And that's when things took a shift in the atmosphere.

There was a moment where I said, "hey, it's time for me to go."

I went home.

[My mom] asked me, "how was the protest? You're back really early." I said, "Mom, it was intense."

I learned you don't stop fighting. You just can't stop fighting because I feel like the moment that you choose to stop fighting is the moment where you've chosen the side of the oppressor. So I feel like I can take that message back and just spread it across to everyone.

We are taking risk. We are just out there, making sure that our voices are heard because we've been silenced for so long. And so that's why I'm proud to be involved in this type of work, because it's teaching me so much as an advocate, as an organizer, because I know how to construct these conversations, how to organize solutions.

Even though I'm graduating, I hope I see an increase in resources and increase in mental health. Because as of right now, black and brown students are suffering in school systems, we're not obtaining the necessary resources that we need... we're not the highest and top priority. We're being criminalized within our own schools, within our own school system.

Amee, 17, has organized with the grassroots organization Students Deserve for three years. (Courtesy of Amee)

Amee, 17, attends Dorsey High School and has been organizing with Students Deserve for the past four years. Here's what Amee said to me:

Students Deserve is a grassroots coalition of parents, students and teachers that fight for justice, and what that means for us is just making schools a safer place for black, brown and Muslim students when it comes to challenging, oppressive systems like the school to prison pipeline and overpolicing in our schools.

First, I was taking part in our 'End Random Searches' initiative, which was a campaign that lasted three years to try and get rid of the random wanding and backpack searches.

This policy would disproportionately affect black and brown and Muslim students in low income communities.

When I first joined Students Deserve I was very shy and not super outspoken.

I feel like there's an image that all politicians put out there that "we work for you" that "we are public servants for you," and that "we will listen to the people's ideas" and "I will do my best to represent you, represent our community in this official board," but I would say that it takes pressure from students to have a room and space at the table for them to actually bring it. And I would say that that's really exemplified by the fact that [the random search policy] took three years to end.

In school, I feel like all we learn is about the American Revolution in history. All we learned is the American Revolution, slavery and a short story about the civil rights movement. And that's really it. We don't learn a lot about the labor movement, about the gay rights movement, or the women's suffrage movement or the little tiny movements and the rebellions that happen in between all that.

What I've learned through teachers who are willing to teach the real history of America and the people who have fought for our rights here, and the peer education that I get from Students Deserve: it's the rebellions that make change. It's people standing up and being loud and deciding to not be silent, and also to not be still, that is what makes change.

And I feel like I really learned that firsthand, over the three years of organizing about the end random searches campaign, before the student strike happened in January of 2019. And that really showed me that protesting and that disrupting is really what makes change.

I really sympathize with these protesters who are willing to risk their lives and just spread a message. And the message is to defund the police, which aligns with our partner organization, Black Lives Matter LA. Their demands are to defund the police and to prosecute killer cops and I really feel and love everybody that is putting their lives on the line for black lives.

And this also connects to what Students Deserve is asking for in schools: more psychiatric social workers and peer mediation or a peer counseling class and other resources that are centered around mental health and student well-being other than policing.

What Students Deserve uses is the divest-invest model that we have modeled after BLM, where we divest from criminalization and police, and invest in health, in psychiatric social workers, and counselors, and more teachers and more nurses and all the stuff that actually makes a community and actually makes students feel safe, instead of cops. We believe in care, not cops. And I feel like officials are hearing this everywhere.

It matters that this is happening to youth because students are in school for very much of their young adult life. For eight hours of the day, five days a week. And for police to be around us - in our schools, in our classrooms waiting on us in the morning when we come into school, for such a violent symbol to be in young developing people's faces every day - it is not right. It feels like youth are attending prep schools for prison.

What kind of message are we sending our young people and the educators who work at schools?

Valentin, 17, attends Esteban Torres High School and organizes with InnerCity Struggle. Here's what Valentin told me:

I was organizing before, but it was usually through artistic platforms such as poetry, theatre, and then I was told by a student that if I was really passionate about social activism, I should probably link up with InnerCity Struggle.

And I did that, and now here we are.

There's a lot of work we do. Some examples that come to mind are our civic engagement. We have done a lot of work getting people to pre-register to vote. That's something we've done a lot of. We also gathered as many petitions as possible to expand the voter age range to 16. We work hard spreading the word of the census, the Schools and Communities First Act.

We've educated our communities on housing rights, too. I come from a family that - we've gone through poverty, we've had to move a lot. We've had to find and readjust to a lot of new spaces. And that's definitely something I'm very passionate about. And I just feel like I'm really giving back to my community because that's something that hits so close to where I'm from and where I come from.

The reason why I think it's important to take youth voices into account is every major decision that's being made today is gonna affect tomorrow

The decisions that are being made now will affect the people today. But the ones who have to pick up the consequences and deal with them most directly are the youth we're the ones who have to recuperate from any mistakes that are made today

It's so hard going through something like this during a time like this, because there's so many youth who are so passionate, who have such strong beliefs, and such eloquent and well-spoken words that they'd like to share, but they simply don't have the platform to do so. Especially during the pandemic. There are a lot of parents who are scared of that and won't let their children participate.

I personally haven't been able to participate in any of the in-person protests that have been going on, which is unfortunate because I feel the need to and I definitely, it's something that I want to, but I haven't participated in respects to my family's wishes. They're very afraid of what's going on, and I completely understand why they're scared, whether it be COVID-19, or the extreme use of police force. And if I were to go out to protest, I'd leave my mother afraid and awake all night. And that's something that I don't want to do.

What I have been doing is taking time to respond and have conversations with folks.

I identify as Hispanic. Amongst my community, I've seen a lot of people complaining of the label, Black Lives Matter and try to bring up "well, Hispanic lives matter too."

So I've responded to one of these posts. I let them know what I was advocating for when I use the term Black Lives Matter.

I made sure to call this individual and see how they were doing and I wanted to make sure that nothing I said offended them or hurt them, and they seemed to understand. They expressed to me that they were just frustrated and they want to change. And I said, "I understand that. But if you want change, we all need to fight together with this." The person then took down the post that they were making, and now I see that they're standing in solidarity with the movement, which is something I'm very proud of.

Situations like this give me hope. Because they show me that mentalities can change

It could just take one person to show the slightest bit of empathy or sympathy. It could just take one conversation, or one phone call, or one gesture. And I feel like that's gone unnoticed during these fights. Sometimes we're so busy trying to look at this bigger picture that we forget to ask our neighbor how they're doing. We forget to ask our friends. We're so busy fighting this huge fight that we forget that issue sometimes, even in our own homes. And it's something that it's caused me to reflect.

I personally will be trying to push forward, whether or not Black Lives Matter is trending on Twitter. We need to remember what we're fighting for, whether or not it's getting news coverage, whether or not it's a popular movement, whether or not the news is deciding to broadcast it.

These fights don't go away.

***

This story was produced with additional reporting by Josie Huang.

We want to listen to more young people. You can get in touch with us by emailing reporter Carla Javier, or filling out the form below.
Thane : , June 6 (IANS) The Thane police on Saturday solved a sensational double murder case of a hotelier and his assistant in Mira Road town nabbing the accused holed up in Pune within 12 hours, a top official said here.

The accused, Kallu Yadav turned out to be a serial offender, who had been jailed earlier for two more murders in Kolkata. Yadav has said that the victims tortured and starved him during the lockdown which led him to take the step.

On Friday, two bodies were recovered from a water tank of a wellknown local eatery, Shabari Bar & Restaurant.

A Mira Road police team that recovered the bodies got the identification that it was hotel manager Harish Shetty and his assistant Naresh Pandit, while a third person Kallu Yadav was missing.

Since all other staffers had fled to their native villages after lockdown, the three were staying in the hotel premises, said Superintendent of Police (Thane Rural) Dr. Shivaji Rathod.

Since Yadav's whereabouts were unknown, police tracked his mobile phone to learn that he was hiding in Pune and dispatched a team to pick him up.

Hailing from Kanchanpur-Pipri, Dohrighat, Mahu district of Uttar Pradesh, Yadav, 35, was nabbed from Sajan Bar near Nilayam Bridge in Pune, he added.

He was arrested and brought to Thane, but during interrogation he made another shocking revelation that he was jailed for killing two security guards in Kolkata a few years ago.

"Besides the previous two murders in Kolkata and now the double-murder in Mira Road, the accused had cases of assault and other charges lodged by Pune Police also," Rathod said.

During questioning, Yadav claimed that the victims -- Shetty and Pandit used to torture, assault and starve him during lockdown while they used to feast and drink in the hotel premises.

Nursing a grudge, he attacked and killed them on May 31, dumped their bodies in the hotel water tank, grabbed their mobiles and fled to Pune, said Rathod.

The entire fast-paced investigation was directed by Rathod in which police officials Sanjaykumar Patil, Shantaram Walvi, Vyankat Andhale, Sandeep Kadam, and their respective teams managed to solve the crime within 12 hours.
In his book Intellectuals and Society, Thomas Sowell takes America's "public intellectuals" on a well deserved trip to the woodshed. He makes many interesting claims, including this one: "The unarticulated cultural distillations of mass experience over the generations are often summarily dismissed as mere prejudices [by public intellectuals]."

"The unarticulated cultural distillations of mass experience over the generations." What is Sowell referring to? Why, common sense, of course.

In fact, every book and every article Sowell has written is replete with common sense. Sowell is a true master of common sense. I have written two books with "common sense" in the titles, Common Sense Nation and Reclaiming Common Sense, and Sowell is one of the most important influences on the way of thinking found in those books. My grandparents got me going on the common sense good foot, C.S. Lewis revealed to me the depths of it, Thomas Sowell taught me the range of it, and the Scottish philosopher Thomas Reid articulated common sense in a way that brought clarity over its range and its depth.

I quote Samuel Taylor Coleridge on the epigraph page of Reclaiming: "Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom." My grandparents had that. Sowell has, and C.S. Lewis and Thomas Reid had, in addition to their common sense in an uncommon degree, an uncommon ability to articulate common sense. They made it possible for you and me to realize we rely on the wisdom gained over the generations in nearly everything we do  though we almost never notice that we are relying on it when we do!

Sowell was the rarest of the rare  a public intellectual not at war with common sense. Public intellectuals generally make a name for themselves by defying common sense. Here is Sowell again:

George Orwell said that some ideas are so foolish only an intellectual could believe them, for no ordinary man could be so foolish. The record of twentieth century intellectuals was especially appalling in this regard[.] ... Lenin, Stalin, Mao, and Hitler all had their admirers, defenders, and apologists among the intelligentsia in Western democratic nations[.]

We have seen plenty of that in recent years. Public intellectuals rallied around two of the most astonishingly foolish policies that can be imagined, one toward Iran and one toward Communist China. We were told endlessly that enriching these enemy states would make them more like us and therefore less of a threat to us. Obama's decision to underwrite the mullahs of Iran financially, and the Bush/Clinton/Bush/Obama policy of transferring America's industrial base to China was supported by a consensus of foreign policy "experts."

We have been here before. Between WWI and WWII, public intellectuals kept up a steady drumbeat of opposition to national defense efforts. Here is Sowell again:

Intellectuals played a major role in creating the atmosphere of both military weakness and political irresolution within democratic nations, which made a war against those nations look winnable to the leaders of the Axis dictatorships. In addition to thus helping bring on the most devastating war in human history, intellectuals so impeded the buildup and modernizing of military forces in democratic nations in the years leading up to that war  demonizing military equipment suppliers as 'merchants of death,' being a classic example  that this insured that American and British armed forces would often be outgunned in battle[.]

How did those public intellectuals manage to create this dangerous state of affairs? They did not have to present analytic or empirical arguments to overcome common sense. They did it by means of what Sowell calls "verbal virtuosity." Phrases like "merchants of death" did the trick in the 1920s and 1930s. Promising that lavishing wealth on the mullahs and on the communist leadership in Beijing would bring these dictatorships into "the community of nations" to the benefit of all worked in recent years and is still heard today.

What you and I know by common sense is most of what we know and most of what we need to know to be a sovereign people, a people capable of ruling ourselves. We know by common sense that weakness invites aggression. Knowing that would have enabled us to see through the verbal virtuosity of the public intellectuals in the period leading up to WWII. Similarly, when has building up your enemies' strength on purpose ever been a good idea? That is even crazier than inviting aggression with weakness.

My witty friend Bob Godwin gleefully mocks the folly of public intellectuals  he refers to them as "the tenured": "their whole mystique is based upon the essentially gnostic idea that they possess some special knowledge inaccessible to the restavus." If the tenured are going to dazzle and astonish us with their policy recommendations, they must go against common sense. That, it turns out, is the royal road to becoming a prominent public intellectual at the center of the controversies of the day, whether the topic is disarmament before WWII or global warming, the Trump/Russia brouhaha, the Wuhan flu, or abolishing the police these days.

By their steady drumbeat of bad ideas, public intellectuals define what we as a nation must do and what we cannot do, again and again to our detriment. Consequently, you and I need to put the pronouncements of public intellectuals to the test of common sense, always.

Robert Curry serves on the Board of Directors of the Claremont Institute. He is the author of Reclaiming Common Sense: Finding Truth in a Post-Truth World, and Common Sense Nation: Unlocking the Forgotten Power of the American Idea. Both are published by Encounter Books.

Image: Hoover Institution via YouTube.
New Delhi, Jun 6 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday warned of stern action against hospitals involved in the black marketing of beds, and said medical professionals will be deployed in each private hospital to ensure patients are aware of beds available in hospitals and they are admitted without any hassles.

Addressing a digital press conference, Mr Kejriwal expressed disappointment over private hospitals denying admission to Corona patients.

"A few days back, a person came to me and informed me that he was denied a bed by a private hospital, and after many requests, they charged him Rs two lakh for admission. On a live TV programme aired a few days back, an anchor called up a hospital saying that he needs a bed for a Corona positive patient in his family. First, he was denied the availability of the bed, and later he was told to submit Rs eight lakh for the admission. I am not saying that all private hospitals are indulged in these kinds of practices, the CM said.

Private hospitals play an important role in the development of the health infrastructure of Delhi, and the people of Delhi salute this contribution of private hospitals. But certain private hospitals are indulged in malpractices such as black-marketing of beds, even in these distressing times, he said.

We launched an app on Tuesday because we realized that this black-marketing of beds is a result of inadequate information amongst the public on the availability of beds in various hospitals. We wanted to make all the information transparent in front of the public, about the occupancy and vacancy of beds in the hospitals, no hospital will be able to fool them, said Mr Kejriwal.

"But, after the launch of the app on Tuesday, we received a major backlash for our intent to give out the information. Now the people know that if a hospital is denying a bed in case of an emergency, they must be lying because they can access the app and know how many beds are still vacant in that particular hospital. Also, we are not updating the app ourselves. The hospitals are updating their beds status on the backend of the app, and still lying about their availability to the people. It will take some time to burst the whole mafia behind this," he said.

Mr Kejriwal said that some hospitals have become powerful because they have contacts in all political parties. They are also denying admissions to Corona positive patients.

"I want to warn these hospitals and tell them that your hospitals were established for the service of the people and not to earn money. Where most of the hospitals are serving the people during this pandemic, I want to warn these few hospitals who are indulging in these malpractices on the instructions of their contacts in other parties, that they will not be spared," said the CM.

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Locally owned Bernies Burger Bus announced last week that it would indefinitely close its four Houston-area locations. Self-taught chef and entrepreneur Justin Turner started the mini-chain as a food truck in 2010 and built it into one of the citys most popular craft-burger outlets.

Certainly, restaurant closings are expected because of the challenging economic times brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, but for those of us who have followed Turners success over the years, the announcement came as a surprise.

Turners reasons for closing included the collapse in demand caused by dining-room closures, as well as the spike in beef prices because of coronavirus-related shutdowns of meat-processing plants across the country.

Like barbecue joints, burger shops depend on a consistent, economical supply of beef to survive and thrive. Local barbecue outlets have responded to the increasing cost of beef by raising prices on brisket, usually noted with a sign at the cash register to the effect of, Due to an unexpected increase in the cost of beef, we have temporarily increased our prices.

By most accounts, barbecue consumers have taken the increase in stride, either shifting to a different protein such as turkey or pork, or ponying up the extra money for their brisket fix.

Love the smell of wood smoke in the morning? Join J.C. Reid, Alison Cook and Greg Morago as they discuss barbecue culture with special guests by subscribing to the Chronicle's BBQ State of Mind podcast on Apple's Podcasts, or visit houstonchronicle.com/ bbqpodcast. See More Collapse

But the situation appears to be different for burger joints.

Around the same time of Turners announcement, Houstons other local burger mogul, Ricky Craig of Hubcap Grill, tweeted: The struggle is real as we paid $6 a lb for ground chuck beef. 2 months ago $1.60 lb but we will NOT raise our prices to our guests! #HubcapLoyalty.

Whats going on here? Specifically, why can barbecue joints raise prices but burger joints cant?

The answer requires a brief  and mostly painless  lesson in microeconomics.

One of the fundamental rules in business is that raising or lowering prices will affect how many consumers are willing to buy (demand) a product. The economic term is elasticity. If you raise a products price, and many people stop buying it, the demand is said to be elastic. If you raise prices and people keep buying it, the demand is said to be inelastic.

An example of elastic demand is airline tickets. Consumers buy these tickets weeks before their trip when they are cheaper, rather than at the last minute, when they are more expensive. An example of relatively inelastic demand is gasoline. We have to buy gas no matter the price because we have to get to work, etc.

My theory is that burger demand is elastic, whereas barbecue demand is inelastic. Why? Well need to explore a second economic term, known as perceived value. This is the price a consumer expects to pay for a product. The perceived value for a burger is low, mainly because fast-food chains such as McDonalds sell very inexpensive burgers. This makes it hard for independent burger joints like Hubcap Grill to raise prices.

Amazingly, the perceived value of barbecue has increased tremendously over the past 10 years, mostly paralleling the rise of the craft-barbecue movement. The international popularity of Texas barbecue, fueled by social media and legitimized by pitmasters being recognized for culinary awards usually reserved for fine-dining chefs, has greatly influenced the perception that barbecue is worth paying extra for. The demand for barbecue has become inelastic. Texans demand their brisket, and they are willing to pay top dollar for it.

But for how long? I suspect the key for barbecue joints is to ensure those price increases are only temporary. Though the demand for barbecue has been proven to be inelastic in the short term, Im not sure it can stay that way in the long term, especially if economic conditions for consumers continue to deteriorate.

As for Hubcap Grill, prices for ground beef are slowly starting to fall, so Craig hopes to be out of the woods soon. I recently chatted with him and related my theory of how price elasticity and perceived value affect the burger business.

I completely agree with you 100 percent on your theory, he said.

jcreid@jcreidtx.com

twitter.com/jcreidtx
The expression of divergent opinions by civil societies and political parties concerning the Electoral Commissions decision to compile the new voters' register is good for the nations democracy, National Communication Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Buaben Asamoa, has said.



He told the Ghana News Agency that the advancement of arguments both in favour and against a decision needs to be made in order for achieve progress.



The beauty of democracy is that everyone is allowed to be heard. Such opinions must be respected. After the expression of views a decision will have to be made and once that is done all must support the decision to make it succeed, he said.



Now the argument about the cost of compiling the new register and timing has been overtaken by events. The cost of reviving the old register could be very high because it involves importing equipment because the current sets we are told are obsolete. This means the EC has to order and wait.



Mr Buaben Asamoa who is also the Member of Parliament of Adentan Constituency said the timing would not permit for the EC to import equipment and undertake refurbishment before the registration.



At this point in time, the new equipment has arrived and considering the situation we need to make use of what we have and do it quickly in the interest of the nation, he said.



Mr Asamoa said the NPP was in agreement with the Commission because the party was of the firm belief that the register was bloated.



Mr Asamoa urged the public to support the EC to discharge its mandate to ensure a transparent, free and fair elections.



Touching on the importance of participating in electoral processes, he said politics was important and good politics facilitate development in all spheres of human endeavour and that was the kind of politics the NPP offered to the people of Ghana.



He appealed to the public to participate in the upcoming registration exercise with care to enable them to vote massively for the NPP to preserve their way of life.



Mr Asamoa advised the public to protect themselves by adhering to the precautionary measures instituted to ensure that they stay safe.

Source: GNA









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Kathy Jenkins, 60, lives in Midland, with no kids, just cats. Shes originally from Westland. She graduated from Westland John Glenn and attended Michigan Tech, Suomi College (now Finlandia University), and Central Michigan University, earning a bachelor of science degree in earth science and a masters in secondary administration. She retired two years ago from the Beaverton Rural Schools after working as a teacher there for 29 years. Kathy also taught in Merrill for one year. Shes one of many volunteers in her churchs flooding relief efforts.

1. How long have you lived in Midland?

Since 1986, minus six years living in Sanford. Prior to living in Midland, we lived in Coleman. We wanted to have access to all of the facilities and events in Midland  Midland had it all.

2. What is your profession?

Ive been a career teacher. In Beaverton, I taught primarily science to seventh and eighth graders. At Midland Christian, I teach science and some other classes, a whole bunch of everything. We can speak about God and Jesus openly, thats nice.

3. What are some of your interests and hobbies?

My main interest is I love my local church, Calvary Baptist. Their heart for Christ, their heart for the community, and their heart for families, its been so well expressed during the dam failures. I cant tell you about all the different aspects Calvary has been involved in. Theyve welcomed assistance from other groups, for example, Samaritan's Purse. Theyve been involved in everything: tear outs, clean up, food, and even offered to do laundry. Clean-up and debris removal is the very first step in a long process, from damage to restoration. All in the name of Christ, Calvarys prepared to see this through.

4. What are your favorite things to do in Midland?

I love to read. Im a voracious reader. You can do that when youre sick and when youre healthy. I love the outdoors, the Chippewa Nature Center, and the Center for the Arts. Midland can meet just about any interest, any hobbies.

5. What do you enjoy about living in the Midland community?

Midland just has a wealth of opportunities, a person just has to take the time to look for it.

6. What is a message youd like to give the community?

Christ calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. I really see the people in Midland and Sanford living that out. My message is dont be afraid to reach out to your neighbor. Were here to walk alongside with you for the long haul.
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Luminex Resources Corp. (LR.V) (the Company or Luminex) is pleased to report that, in connection with its previously announced private placement financing, the Company and a syndicate of agents, led by Haywood Securities Inc., and including PI Financial Corp., Cormark Securities Inc., and Raymond James Ltd. (collectively, the Agents) have agreed to increase the size of the offering (the Brokered Offering). The Brokered Offering will now consist of up to 11,536,000 common shares (Shares) at a price of C$0.70 per Share (the Offering Price), for aggregate gross proceeds of up to C$8,075,200. The Company has additionally decided to increase the amount of its concurrent non-brokered private placement to up to C$4,925,000 worth of Shares (the Non-Brokered Offering, and together with the Brokered Offering, the Offering"), on the same terms as the Brokered Offering with certain insiders and strategic investors.

The Company plans to use the net proceeds from the Offering for the exploration and advancement of the Companys projects in Ecuador and for general corporate purposes. The Offering is scheduled to close on or about June 24, 2020 the (Closing Date), and is subject to certain conditions customary for transactions of this nature, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company has agreed to pay the Agents a cash commission of up to 6% of the gross proceeds raised under the Brokered Offering.

The common shares issued in the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day following the Closing Date.

The securities to be offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

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The Company expects certain related parties as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101") to participate in the Offering. Any such resulting related party transaction will be exempt from the formal valuation requirement and shareholder approval requirement of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of any Shares issued to such persons will not exceed 25% of the Companys market capitalization.

About Luminex Resources

Luminex Resources Corp. (LR.V) is a Vancouver, Canada based precious and base metals exploration and development company focused on gold and copper projects in Ecuador. Luminexs inferred and indicated mineral resources are located at the Condor Gold-Copper project in Zamora-Chinchipe Province, southeast Ecuador. Luminex also holds a large and highly prospective land package in Ecuador, including the Tarqui and Pegasus projects, which are being co-developed with BHP Group plc and Anglo American respectively.

Further details are available on the Companys website at https://luminexresources.com/.

To receive future news releases please sign up at https://www.luminexresources.com/contact/contact-us/.

LUMINEX RESOURCES CORP. For further information contact: Signed: Marshall Koval Scott Hicks info@luminexresources.com Marshall Koval, CEO and Director T: +1 604 646 1899

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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements and information herein, including all statements that are not historical facts, contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements or information include but are not limited to statements or information with respect to: the size of the Offering, the expected participation of insiders in the Offering, the anticipated Closing Date and the receipt of regulatory approvals for the Offering. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements or information can be identified by the use of words such as will or variations of that word and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results will, could or are intended to be taken, occur or be achieved.



With respect to forward-looking statements and information contained herein, the Company has made numerous assumptions including among other things, assumptions about general business and economic conditions, the prices of gold and copper, and anticipated costs and expenditures. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive.



Although management of the Company believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that a forward-looking statement or information herein will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Companys actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. These factors include, but are not limited to: risks associated with the business of the Company; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; the supply and demand for labour and other project inputs; changes in commodity prices; changes in interest and currency exchange rates; risks relating to inaccurate geological and engineering assumptions (including with respect to the tonnage, grade and recoverability of reserves and resources); risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters); risks relating to adverse weather conditions; political risk and social unrest; changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in the Companys continuous disclosure documents filed with Canadian securities administrators. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
OPEC members, led by Saudi Arabia, and other key oil producers agreed Saturday to extend historic output cuts through July, as oil prices tentatively recover and coronavirus lockdowns ease. The 13-member cartel and its allies, notably Russia, decided to extend by a month deep May and June cuts agreed in April to boost prices, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said in a statement. But Mexico, which had already made clear ahead of the talks that it "could not adjust... production further", announced that it would not be complying. Oil prices have plummeted as a result of falling demand as countries around the world impose strict lockdowns to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. "All participating countries... agreed the option of extending the first phase of the production adjustments pertaining in May and June by one further month," the OPEC statement said. Under the terms of the April agreement, OPEC and the so-called OPEC+ pledged to cut output by 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) from May 1 until the end of June. The cuts were then to be gradually eased from July, to 7.7 million bpd until December. Algerian Oil Minister Mohamed Arkab, who currently holds OPEC's rotating presidency, told AFP that the agreed cut for July was 9.6 mbpd, just slightly below the 9.7 mbpd for May and June. Oil ministers from key producers will meet monthly to assess the agreement, he added. - 'Important agreement' - US Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette welcomed the extension of cuts. "I applaud OPEC-plus for reaching an important agreement today which comes at a pivotal time as oil demand continues to recover and economies reopen around the world," he said in a tweet. Analysts had expected the May-June cuts to be extended by at least another month, if not longer. Although more countries around the world are gradually moving out of lockdown, crude consumption has not returned to pre-confinement levels, which were already comparatively low. "Today's deal is a positive development and, unless a second COVID-19 wave hits the world, it will be the backbone of a quick recovery for the energy industry," Bjornar Tonhaugen of Rystad Energy said, referring to a feared fresh wave of new coronavirus infections. "The 9.7 million bpd production cuts were already working, extending them an extra month will tighten (the) market more quickly," Ann-Louise Hittle of Wood Mackenzie said. - Respecting quotas - A bone of contention ahead of the meeting had been the willingness of each country to abide by the agreed production quotas. According to data intelligence company Kpler, OPEC+ reduced output by around 8.6 mbpd in May, less than planned, with Iraq and Nigeria seen as the most resistant. OPEC said all meeting participants agreed Saturday that countries that failed to comply fully so far were willing to make up for it in July, August and September. Nevertheless, it was precisely that earlier failure that led Mexico on Saturday to refuse to extend its cuts. "There are other countries that extended the cuts to July. We told them no, that we are maintaining the agreement signed in April. There is no problem," Mexico's Energy Minister Rocio Nahle told reporters during a visit to a petrochemical plant in Veracruz state. She said Mexico "fully respected" the original agreement, under which it agreed to cut production by 100,000 barrels a day in May and June, but other countries "did not respect it," without specifying which ones. Despite the difficulties, the output cuts have helped support oil prices, which rose to around $40 per barrel at the start of June for both the US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), and Europe's Brent North Sea contracts. Both had slumped to historic lows in April, with Brent falling as low as $15 and WTI briefly entering negative territory. The April deal was signed after days of wrangling between major players, whose revenues have been ravaged by the collapsing oil market this year. The next meeting of OPEC and its allies has been scheduled for December 1 in Vienna, where the organisation is based. burs-jza/spm/gle
Over 400 Montgomery High School seniors walked across the school districts stadium on Friday morning to receive the long-awaited diploma in hand, unrattled by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The class of 2020 has experienced a senior year like no other class before them, Montgomery High School Principal Brandi Hendrix said. When we left a couple of days early for spring break, Im sure a many of you were excited, thinking about the extra days on the lake or sleeping late, or doing nothing at all.

That excitement soon turned to disappointment and sadness as everyone realized that we would not be returning to school for the remainder of the year, she added.

Hendrix acknowledge that as hard as the news of the pandemic and school closure hit staff, parents, and underclassman that not even they could imagine the emotions the graduates must have experienced.

I can only think of one pandemic positive worth mentioning. For the rest of your lives you will be able to say that your picture was on a billboard, said with a laugh shared by the crowd.

Perseverance and tenacity

But what the billboard may not show, is the perseverance and tenacity that she said the senior class of 2020 showed throughout the year.

Despite the short academic year and incomplete seasons, she highlighted that the seniors remain steadfast in their journey and excelled on many levels, including as one of the few high schools in Texas to earn an A rating in accountability and earning over $4.9 million in scholarships.

The class had 49 athletes who she said earned academic all-state designation and many who competed at the state level. Even though many certification tests were also canceled this year, Hendrix added 17 students still persevered to earn their industry certifications.

The class has 12 men and women entering the military, two of which were not able to participate in the graduation ceremony as they had already left for boot camp, she said to the applause of the attendees who recognized the young students decision to serve their country and all of the students for phenomenal achievements.

Memories and adventures

As each of the 410 graduates prepared to step forward to the moment that would end a journey that began in kindergarten, she said, her words offered encouragement to reflect on the friends, the memories, challenges faced, and teachers who touched their hearts during their time at Montgomery High School.

As you leave today, remember that the best is yet to come, Hendrix said. We do not know what tomorrow holds during this unprecedented time, but I am certain that your resiliency will help you succeed in life beyond MHS. You are the Great Class of 2020 and you did not give up. Congratulations and best wishes in your next adventure.

The seniors stood as they sang the school song together one last time played by a recording of band students playing their instruments in independently streamed videos displayed on one screen.

Shortly after, the salutatorian, Rebecca Riley began her speech with a thank you to Spark Notes and the students who let her borrow pencils over the years. But her upbeat tone also carried a somber note.

Right now, things are looking a little grim for the class of 2020, Riley said. If I would have known as a kid that when adults said I would inherit the world, they really meant a global pandemic, I would have asked for a gift receipt.

Riley described the graduates futures as being defined by uncertainty right now, by reminded the students that no matter what happened in the days ahead that dominating Kahoot!, a game-like digital tool created for the classroom, would not be their crowning accomplishment and flunking class would not be their worst failure.

She shared lessons related to failure with encouragement to live out dreams, quickly.

If there is one thing this pandemic has taught us, besides that you can never have enough toilet paper, it is that we never know how much time weve got left, Riley said.

She reminded them not to forget the network of friends, family, teachers and administrators who guided them through the past four years. Its a sense of community that she said got the students through the past few months, including through relatable internet memes, Zoom meetings with classmates and teachers, or neighbors singing together through windows.

We are going to need those small connections to build each other up over the coming months because I dont think any graduating class of Montgomery High School has ever faced the uncertainty that we do now, Riley, who plans to study applied mathematics at the University of Texas in Austin or the University of Pennsylvania, said. Most of us dont even know if our colleges will open in the fall, if our jobs or internships will be there when quarantine is over.

But she encouraged the class of 2020 to welcome that uncertainty.

Valedictorian Seth Reissig, who is the third generation in his family to earn the top status at MHS, appeared on the screen and shared about finding happiness in quarantine by having a positive outlook, lowering his expectations, appreciating what he has, practicing healthier habits, spending more time with family, disconnecting from his phone, and enjoying nature more.

In the past couple of months I have seen more sun, breathed more fresh air, run more miles, and spent more time working on myself rather than any other time in my life, he said. Let this time in quarantine be a lesson to each us about we how should live every day of our lives.

Turning point

He emphasized happiness is achievable and that no matter what the seniors long-term goals were that it is the way they live life in the short term, their habits, their relationships, and impact on the world  not cars, houses or job titles  that will determined their fulfillment of sustainable happiness.

Standing at the point between high school and the rest of their lives, he believes the moment is a turning point for the class of 2020 in what can be a fresh start for the best life possible.

Ive always felt special as the member of the class of 2020 because of the unique year that we were graduating in, he said. As unfortunate as it seems that the coronavirus pandemic happened right at the end of our senior year, I think it is just one more thing that sets us apart. We can use this time to learn how to truly live life and as the class of 2020 we can serve as the example of how humanity is supposed to live.

Cheers rang out as the graduates turned their tassels, completed their speeches, and received their diploma. After snapping a photo, the graduates were directed to proceeded directly to the exit of the stadium  the first step toward their future.

mellsworth@hcnonline.com
Dada Ima wins Silver Remi Award for debut film Debut feature film by Oncologist Dr. Naomal Perera View(s): View(s):

Dada Ima (End of the hunt), the debut film by Dr. Naomal Perera recently won the Silver Remi Award for debut direction at the 53rd World Fest Houston International Film and Video Festival in the USA. Last year film won the Best maiden film at the Calcutta International Cult Film Festival. The film also has represented Sri Lanka at several international film festivals.

Dada Ima follows story of Dadayama (The Hunt), the epoch making film by the late Vasantha Obeysekera. In Dadayama, an innocent village damsel Rathmalie was murdered by her fiance, Priyankara, who runs over her in his car and this multi awarded film was screened in 1985. This film was based on a true story which took placed many years back in which the accused was found guilty and sentenced to death by Supreme Court in Sri Lanka.

Dada Ima starts from here. After Rathmalies demise, the custody of their one-year old son (Ravinath) falls under her sister, Rohini. Rohini without disclosing the truth about his parents to Ravinath, lives with him in Europe after leaving the motherland in 1986. Her reluctance to return to Sri Lanka is governed by her fears and disgust of a haunting past of her sisters catastrophic death.

Priyankara, meanwhile, has absconded the legal repercussions by concealing the murder of Rathmalie for 30 years, and was residing in the UK under a false identity. After completing his education there, he now has come back to Sri Lanka as Keerthi Gajanayaka, a well-known lawyer.

In the background of these past events, three decades of silence is shattered as Ravinath, who is now a renowned pianist is invited to perform at a concert in Sri Lanka. During his stay, he has a fateful encounter with Keerthi Gajanayake, without realising Keerthi is his father. And this follows a number of dramatic twists and turns.

Interestingly Dada Ima stars Swarna Mallawarachchi who played the main role of Dadayama for which she won the Best Actress awards at a number of film festivals. After 35 years, Swarna plays the role of Rathmalies sister, Rohini.

When Rohini recognised that Priyankara is non-other than disguised Keerthi, she decides to join her son, with the aims of discovering the truth about her sisters murder, and to hide the malevolent past from Ravinath.

Other main roles are played by Jackson Anthony, Mahendra Perera, Akila Dhanudhdhara and Marion Wettasinghe. Cinematographed by Ruwan Costa, music director of the film is Nadeeka Guruge.

For Ensquared Private limited, the film is co-produced by Dr. Nishani Fernando, the daughter of Aleric Lionel Fernando, veteran filmmaker, who produced films like Anupama (1978), Adara Rathne (1980) and Kristhu Charithaya (1990). He also directed Randamwel (1987) and Dalulana Gini (1995).

Filmmaker Dr. Naomal Perera is an Oncological Surgeon hailing from a family in the industry of cinema. Dr. Perera started his film career with a short film in 2014 and it was telecast on TV.
Trusion Daniels was laid off in March from his $15-an-hour job as a KFC cook at LAX. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

After weeks of catastrophic job loss across the country, Mays labor report held out a glimmer of hope: The nations overall unemployment rate ticked down to 13.3%, from 14.2% in April.

But for black Americans it was more bad news: A staggering 16.8% of the African American labor force was out of work, up a notch from 16.7% in April.

In California and nationwide, the coronavirus shutdown is widening the racial divide between haves and have-nots. And the pandemic-driven economic meltdown has helped to inflame the black community's deep sense of injustice as uprisings over police brutality spread across the country this week.

Minneapolis is some 1,500 miles from Los Angeles, but protests across California over the killing of yet another unarmed black man erupted with equal ferocity. Beneath the fury over George Floyds death lie longstanding economic inequities that have plagued the 2.6 million African Americans who account for 6.5% of California's population.

Nearly half the black community has had either no job or a poverty, dead-end job that doesn't pay basic needs of housing and food, said Lola Smallwood Cuevas, the founder of the Black Worker Center in South Los Angeles.

The financial instability has been tearing at the social fabric of black communities," she said. "It is fueling a lot of what we are seeing in this recent uprising. Many black residents have to stitch together two or three jobs to survive.

Three years ago, Cuevas helped research a UCLA Labor Center study on conditions in Los Angeles black neighborhoods. African American workers with a high school degree or less were twice as likely to be unemployed as whites with the same education, the report found.

It highlighted the decline of stable, well-paid blue-collar jobs in Los Angeles black neighborhoods as industries moved to the suburbs, to Southern states with lower wages and fewer unions or to other nations. Between 1980 and 2014, the percentage of L.A. Countys black workers in manufacturing jobs shrank from 19% to 5%.

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As a result of widening inequality, rising housing costs, and a glaring lack of economic opportunities, Los Angeles is in the throes of a black jobs crisis, the researchers wrote. The remaining jobs declined in quality, and as black employment cratered, these communities  especially their men  were increasingly criminalized and ensnared in Californias historic expansion of incarceration.

In 2017, the California Poverty Measure, which accounts for cost of living, found 17.6% of black Californians living in poverty, compared with 12.5% of white residents, 16.4% of Asians and Pacific Islanders and 23.6% of Latinos.

Tina Jones, a full-time medical claims examiner, also works nights and weekends at a South Los Angeles supermarket cleaning carts and bagging groceries for $14.45 an hour. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

And now the coronavirus is disproportionately affecting Californias African Americans.

Since COVID-19 began claiming lives, black Americans have died at twice the rate of white ones. In Los Angeles County, African Americans have suffered 26 deaths per 100,000 residents, compared with 22 for Latinos, 16 for Asian Americans and 13 for whites.

At no time in recent history have deep racial disparities in well-being appeared as obvious as they do today, the Public Policy Institute of California wrote in a post this week. Underlying health conditions, less access to medical care and insurance, and more exposure to the virus due to employment and housing conditions contributed to the higher toll of the pandemic on African Americans, researchers found.

State-level job data by race wont be compiled for months, but an analysis of Californians unemployment benefit claims by the state Employment Development Department and the nonprofit California Policy Lab shows the viruss unequal impact.

From mid-March to mid-May, more than a quarter of Californias black workers, along with more than a quarter of its Asian workers, filed jobless insurance claims. For whites and Latinos, the proportion was also dire but somewhat less so: 21%.

On March 23, Trusion Daniels was laid off from his $15-an-hour job as a cook for a KFC outlet at Los Angeles International Airport. It couldnt have happened at a worse time. Before the pandemic, the 29-year-old had lined up a job in Las Vegas, where he planned to attend culinary school.

The coronavirus outbreak "threw a wrench in our whole plan," he said.

He used his last paycheck to help his mother rent a U-Haul and pay for storage when her landlord sold the Hawthorne building where he lived with her and 13 other family members.

After a short hotel stay, the family moved to South Los Angeles, but Daniels didn't want to crowd up space, he said, so he couch surfs at a friends. Unemployment benefits are cushioning the blow, although how long they will last has yet to be determined as Congress debates future relief.

Daniels is no stranger to violence. He recalls watching a video of a friends nephew who was shot by police as he lay on his stomach. A lot of people are angry and scared, he said. I'm six-two. I'm a dark-skinned man. When I walk down the street, I'm on guard.

When he told his family he planned to attend the protests with his younger brother, his mother was blowing my phone up, Daniels said. My grandma was blowing my phone up. They was, like, Come back home.'

Nationwide, median income for white households was $65,902 in 2018, compared with $41,511 for black households. In California, the gap was similar: $77,904 versus $53,565.

But unemployment and low wages are not the only measures of racial inequity. From 17th century slavery to 20th century redlining and housing discrimination, black residents have long been thwarted in accumulating wealth, so they have less to fall back on when a disaster such as the pandemic hits.

State-level data on assets by race are limited, but nationwide the cumulative effect of inequality and discrimination can be traced back to this nations inception, according to a February study by the Brookings Institution, which detailed how inherited wealth has buoyed white families over generations.

At $171,000, the net worth of a typical white family in 2016 was nearly 10 times that of a black family, at $17,150, the study reported. And during the Great Recession, median net worth declined more for black families (44.3%) than for white families (26.1%).

The ratio of white family wealth to black family wealth is higher today than at the start of the century, Brookings researchers wrote.

With COVID-19 killing African Americans at a higher rate than other races, attention is increasingly focused on the kinds of jobs they hold.

A UC Berkeley Labor Center study last month analyzed the racial makeup of jobs that California officials designated as essential, including those in hospitals, home care, nursing homes, grocery stores, warehouses, meat processing plants, trucking and public transit agencies.

Overall, Latinx workers have the highest rate of employment in these jobs (55%), followed by black workers (48%), the report says. As a result, both groups likely face greater risk of exposure to the coronavirus in the workplace than other race/ethnic groups.

Among white workers, just 35% held jobs in industries labeled as essential, along with 37% of Asian workers.

Tina Jones, 43, a full-time medical claims examiner, works a second job on nights and weekends at a South Los Angeles supermarket cleaning carts and bagging groceries for $14.45 an hour.

Her store fails to enforce certain safety measures such as requiring six feet of social distancing, she said, and at least one of her co-workers has tested positive for COVID-19. We're just coming to work trying to do what we have to do to take care of our families, she said. But we're scared.

The need to work during the pandemic makes her feel as if Im a robot and not a human, Jones added. And the recent curfew worsened her anxiety. Youre told if you dont come to work and work your full shift, you wont get paid, she said.

Joness monthly rent is $2,240. She helps care for an elderly aunt and she has a 19-year-old son in college, at Langston University in Oklahoma, who works part time. When her $1,200 one-time federal stimulus check arrived, she spent $1,186 of it on her water and power bill.

With two jobs, Jones has been unable to attend the protests, but Im there in spirit, she said. Im the mother of a black child, so it definitely hits home for me.

In contrast to their 6.5% proportion of the California population, African Americans account for 12% of personal care aides, 9% of laborers and movers and 8% of food preparation workers, according to the UCLA study  jobs where social distancing is difficult.

Doug Moore, one of Californias most prominent black labor leaders, heads the United Domestic Workers, representing 118,000 workers who care for homebound low-income elderly and disabled clients. Our members are disproportionately women of color, he said.

They are on the front line of this pandemic just like theyve been on the front lines of structural racism," Moore said. "They have to mask up and wash their hands frequently. They run errands for their clients and it potentially exposes them to someone carrying the virus.

The union has scrambled to obtain masks, gloves and sanitizer, but they have often been in short supply, he said.

To Moore, this weeks protests are not just about police brutality. Weve had a lot of George Floyds over decades and decades, he said. Everyone tells us to forget about slavery, about Jim Crow. But we have to have the courage to stand up and say enough is enough.
LONDON: Lawmakers from 8 powerful nations have formed an alliance to counter China, calling it a big threat to the global trade, security and human rights.

The new Inter-Parliamentary Alliance has been formed by senior lawmakers from eight democracies - US, Germany, UK, Japan, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Norway as well as members of the European Parliament - to counter-balance Chinas growing global ambitions.

These senior lawmakers from eight democracies believe that Chinas growing influence poses a threat to global trade, security, and human rights.

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China was launched on Friday  at a time when the United States is trying to take allies onboard to cobble up a cohesive alliance to take on Beijings growing economic and diplomatic influence.

It may be noted that the ties between the US and China have strained in the recent past after the outbreak of coronavirus in Chinas Wuhan, regarding the Americans claim that the COVID-19 virus was developed in a Chinese lab to attack Americans.

The US has also been a frontrunner in condemning Beijings move to impose national security legislation in Hong Kong that threatens the citys autonomy.

The newly launched group said it aims to construct appropriate and coordinated responses, and to help craft a proactive and strategic approach on issues related to the Peoples Republic of China.

The group is co-chaired by US Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democrat Bob Menendez, former Japanese defence minister Gen Nakatani, European Parliament foreign affairs committee member Miriam Lexmann, and prominent UK Conservative lawmaker Iain Duncan Smith.

China, under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party, represents a global challenge, Rubio, a frequent critic of Beijing and supporter of US legislation targeting China for its actions in Hong Kong, said in a video message on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Beijing has repeatedly stressed that the situation in Hong Kong is an internal matter, saying Chinas broader economic and diplomatic expansion poses no threat to the world.

Chinas economic rise is putting the global, rules-based order under pressure and countries that have tried to stand up to Beijing have mostly done so alone -- and often at great cost, said the group.

Several of these nations have faced intense economic or political consequences for crossing Chinas strategic ambitions.

The Donald Trump Administrations assertive efforts to rewrite the US bilateral trade relationship with China have prompted a protracted trade war that has had global consequences, with US journalists ejected from China as well.

Canada saw two of its citizens - Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor - detained without trial as a result of the arrest of a Chinese Huawei Technologies Co. executive.

Norway saw trade relations with China derailed for six years-- and salmon exports fell - after a Chinese dissident was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Australias efforts to hold China accountable for the COVID-19 pandemic, which first broke out in the mainland city of Wuhan, led to new tariffs on Australian barley and bans on some meat.




OIL Search says it will pursue legal action regarding orders issued this week that resulted in the suspension of its stocks being traded on the PNG National Stock Exchange (PNGX).PNGX said it had suspended trading of Oil Search securities on Tuesday.Chairman David Lawrence said the suspension was done in accordance with directions that PNGX received on the same day in a notice dated June 1 from Securities Commission of PNG directing PNGX to suspend the trading.The directions to suspend trading were given by the acting chairman of the Securities Commission of PNG, Alex Tongayu, Lawrence said.Tongayu, in the notice, said Oil Search had not complied with mandatory requirements to section 116 and 117 of the Capital Market Act 2015 in submitting its fundraising proposal to the commission for consideration and approval.Tongayu further noted that Oil Search decided to proceed with the market release and even opened the offer to the public without being approved under Section 118 of the Capital Market Act 2015.However, Oil Search in a market release, said the petroleum company had sought and obtained valid approvals for its recent capital raise, completed on May 28, 2020, from the executive chairman of the Securities Commission of Papua New Guinea, Christopher Hnanguie.Oil Search has at all times acted properly and complied with all its legal obligations, the company said.Oil Search disputes the validity of the orders issued by the acting chairman and will vigorously defend its position by challenging the lawfulness of the orders in the National Court of Papua New Guinea.Oil Search remains confident that the approvals that it received are valid.Over the past 90 trading days, the average daily trading volume on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) was 22.3 million shares while the average daily volume traded on the PNGX was 148 shares.The company noted that trading of Oil Search shares on ASX would continue as normal.Next :
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Saturday announced that the state government would bear the higher education expenses of a salon owner's daughter in Madurai who was lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his COVID-19 relief work.

The salon owner, Mohan of Madurai district, spent his savings earmarked for the education of his daughter Nethra to buy and distribute groceries and vegetables for the poor during the lockdown period, Palaniswami said and appreciated his gesture.

"The Tamil Nadu government will bear the higher education expenditure of Nethra," the Chief Minister said, adding, it was to honour Mohan's help for the destitute with dedication, sans selfishness during the pandemic.

He greeted the 13-year girl who reportedly convinced her father to spend his savings for the needy.

On May 31, in his "Mann Ki Baat" broadcast, Prime Minister Modi had said "..There are innumerable people who are willing to give their all in the service of others. One such gentleman is KC Mohan of Tamil Nadu.

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."
Isolating at home through the coronavirus outbreak, radio presenter Rebecca McKinney is taking lockdown as a blessing. Because even before the extraordinary impact of the pandemic began to take its toll on the rest of us, her life had already been turned on its head.

Diagnosed with life-threatening sepsis back in February, the 33-year-old was rushed to hospital where medics battled to save her, even ruling out coronavirus as a cause of her worrying symptoms.

"I had just come back from a weekend away in Manchester," recalls Rebecca, who presents Cool FM's breakfast show alongside Pete Snodden and Paolo Ross.

"I'd not been feeling well for a while, although I kept putting it down to being a bit stressed out or under the weather.

"So, when I went to England to see my friend, I hoped it would be a bit of a pick-me-up, and we'd planned a really busy schedule for the weekend. But when I got there I just felt really run down and not up for doing that much. It wasn't like me at all."

And as she got ready to board her flight from Manchester to travel back to Belfast that Sunday evening, she felt petrified of getting on the plane.

"That had never happened to me before," she says. "I've always flown a lot, and I honestly wasn't sure I'd be able to get myself on the flight. I thought I could be having a panic attack because I was really struggling to take a deep breath.

"I'd had this feeling for a while, like someone was standing on my chest, but at this point it got really bad. I called a friend in Belfast to take my mind off it and calmed down, and I managed to get myself on the plane. I was desperate to get home."

However, Rebecca's symptoms carried on and the following day her younger brother James (29), a professional rugby player, convinced her to go to her GP.

"I have asthma, and I put it down to that and maybe feeling a bit anxious as well," she recalls. "But James had been staying with me, and when he saw me on the Monday he said I had to see the doctor."



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With James at her side, Rebecca saw her GP that day.

"I told the doctor I might have just been overdoing things, and the GP said perhaps I should just take it a bit more slowly for a while," she remembers. "But luckily, while I was there, they took a blood test."

Returning home, Rebecca went straight to bed.

"I couldn't get up for two days," she says. "I couldn't form a sentence. I wanted to do the show but I must have sounded absolutely horrendous because I couldn't catch a breath.

"I told work I couldn't come in for a couple of days so I could sleep off whatever was happening."

However, by Wednesday, the gravity of Rebecca's situation started to become clear when her tests results came back.

"It's such a relief now that they did those," she says. "And that my brother talked me into going to the doctor, because when I got a phone call on the Wednesday I was told the infection markers were nearly up to 300, when they should be five.

"The doctor said I needed to get in an ambulance straight away and get to the hospital."

But the law graduate was adamant she'd make her own way there.

"I guess now looking back it was just typical me, not wanting to make a fuss," she says. "I told them, 'No, don't worry, you don't need to send an ambulance, I'll just head to the Ulster myself', so I got my brother to take me.



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"We went straight to A&E and I think by that point my temperature was so high I was pretty much delirious."

And with a combination of respiratory problems and a high temperature, as worrying news about coronavirus was getting closer to Northern Ireland, Rebecca says medics were taking no chances.

"I think they were worried I might have coronavirus," she recalls. "It hadn't occurred to me, but I guess with me having travelled just a few days earlier, even just to Manchester, as well as the chesty thing and the temperature, they were checking every base.

"At that point I knew there were no cases in Northern Ireland yet and I thought, wouldn't it just be horrendous if I had it? I'd have felt so bad.

"With that as even a possibility, it meant they couldn't take me to normal A&E and they wheeled me down a corridor into a side room where I was isolated.

"A lot of it feels like a blur to me, but I remember I was wearing gym gear at the time and they were wringing out my clothes because my temperature had spiked so much I was completely soaked.

"At the time, I don't think I realised just how scary it was, but my family really lived through it all. The doctors completely saved my life."

Thankfully, Rebecca's test for coronavirus came back negative - but the broadcaster was soon diagnosed with sepsis, a serious infection that causes the immune system to damage the body's own tissues and organs.

"It was really frightening, and at the beginning I didn't really understand what sepsis was," says Rebecca. "It was just such a shock for something like that to happen, but the doctors believe that I'd had a lung infection, which then led to the sepsis.



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"When you're young and fit, even if you do feel a bit under the weather you don't imagine it will be something so potentially serious, and because of all the commitments I had with work and friends and family, I'd sort of talked it all down to myself.

"But I hadn't felt right for weeks. My temperature was up and down, my chest felt like someone was standing on it, and I put this nervous feeling down to anxiety. It was very physical, and that's obviously because something was very wrong physically.

"I think a lot of people have lived like that for a long time, so caught up with being busy that we didn't have time to stop. If my brother hadn't pushed me to go to the doctor, I might have kept going the way I was. I'm so glad he did."

After a week in hospital, Rebecca was advised it would do her good to take another six weeks at home to recuperate before starting back at work. But with commitments lined up, the ambitious broadcaster and stylist was back on the airwaves just a week later.

"I stayed with my parents for a little while when I got out of hospital, and I don't think they were thrilled at how quickly I was back at work, but they know I know my own mind," she says.

However, with coronavirus edging ever closer to the UK, she was back in the studio just a matter of days when bosses at Cool FM offered to set her up with all the equipment she needed to be able to work from home.

"I wanted so badly to get back to normality," says Rebecca, who made the leap into radio after working as a stylist at Belfast's Victoria Square. "What happened was a really huge experience for me, and my initial instinct was to snap back to where I'd been before.

"But with me having been so sick so recently and big worries obviously on the way with coronavirus, Cool FM were brilliant and wanted me to be in the safest place I could, which was at home. I felt a bit like the naughty schoolgirl coming back in only to be sent away again, but I knew they were doing it for the best reasons.

"It meant I basically started lockdown a few weeks before everyone else. At the start it was hard, and I felt I was missing out, but I wised up and realised home was the best place. I'm grateful to have it, and I've realised lockdown, for me, has been a blessing."

Because, says Rebecca, taking time at home has given her the space to come to terms with what happened earlier in the year, and to get herself into the right head space to move forward.



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"When you're in the broadcasting world, everything can feel quite fleeting," she says. "You take every opportunity that comes your way.

"I feel so grateful for every chance and I've had a fabulous platform to do the work I love. Honestly, work keeps me sane, and having a busy diary is how I've always loved to live my life.

"But I'm up at 4.30am every day for the breakfast show and for me the days can sometimes feel very long, especially because I do a lot of events as well.

"I could be working six or seven days a week because you feel like you should make hay while the sun shines, and say yes to everything. The lockdown has meant I've lost out on so much work with all the events that are cancelled and the fashion stuff that has gone.

"But it's given me a lot of time to think, too, and I've figured out that when things work their way back to some sort of normal, I don't necessarily have to go at the speed I was.

"I think when I'm looking at the diary moving forward, I'll consciously scale it back and pick and choose the things I'm really passionate about."

As well as keeping in daily contact with friends and her close-knit family - parents John and Valerie, who are both teachers, as well as brother James, who moved to Sydney, Australia for work shortly after Rebecca got out of hospital - the fashion-mad presenter is focusing on building up her strength, physically and emotionally, after everything she's been through this year.

"Like a lot of people through all of this, I've had up and down days," says Rebecca, who grew up in the grounds of Campbell College in east Belfast where her father works.

"Some have been really tough, but I have to count my blessings. I know I'm lucky because I still get to work and earn a living.

"And not only that but I'm working on the breakfast show every day with Pete and Paolo who, honestly, are like my brothers.

Theyre a very big part of my life because weve been through so many ups and down together and were incredibly close. When something happens to one of us, it happens to all three of us, and when I was in hospital, they were there to see me and theyve popped over to say hi through the window at the house.



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Theyve been so brilliant helping me have the confidence to get back on air, and getting to have laughs with them has given me a sense of routine and normality Ive really needed.

The boost that came last month when Cool FM overtook BBC Radio Ulster for the first time in its 30-year history was a huge one too, says Rebecca.

Building up her strength hasnt been easy. However, slowly but surely Rebecca, who lost almost 2st in weight due to her illness, is getting there.

Ive been really lucky in that Ive been able to take my walks in the grounds of Campbell during lockdown, she says. Starting off I struggled even getting around the rugby pitches, but now Im able to go on big walks and my dad and I are able to meet up and walk two metres apart.

Its brilliant to see my parents outside again, and not just through the window when they were dropping food off for me, like feeding time at the zoo.

Ive been doing a lot of Pilates at home too, which has been so brilliant for building my strength back up, as well as for my head.

Before all this happened I always just did exercise because I felt like I had to, whereas finally Ive got it. Im finally getting what people have always said about how helpful it can be for your headspace and now Ill notice a shift in my mood if I dont do something physical.

Its been a real breakthrough. With Pilates Im doing a lot of mat-based work, and within the space of this lockdown period Ive started to notice this extra strength and a change in my body shape. But most importantly, really, is how Im feeling too.

As well as focusing on decent sleep and eating well, and along with her regular exercise, Rebecca is limiting her activity on social media.



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Well obviously I work on the radio, so I hear a lot of news, she says. But Im trying to unglue myself from everything that surrounds it as much as I can.

At the start I was watching the daily briefings religiously, but I had to step back a bit. It was a conscious decision to do that on the one side, but also to take myself away from places like Twitter where youre just hit constantly with all these opinions and negativity. Its just not good for the head.

For work, Ive been lucky enough to do quite a bit of stuff through Instagram, which is such a brilliant platform. But like a lot of other people, I feel like it can shrink you down at the same time it builds you up. Taking a step back from it can be really helpful when you want to take a bit of a breather.

And after everything that shes experienced already in 2020, putting her health and wellbeing first has got to be a priority.

I felt so lost after all of this happened, says Rebecca. It was such a lot to come to terms with because it was so sudden and unexpected. My initial instinct was to jump feet first back into my life, but the way things have worked out Im sure has been for the best.

Im self-isolating at home, something Id never have consciously opted to do, but its just amazing what you can do and get used to.

Pete and Paolo are in the studio, Im here at home and were doing the show as always. Im getting a bit more of a lie-in than I did. Initially it was strange, but its been a couple of months now so its almost as if were getting used to it.

Im so grateful that I can still work, I can still broadcast and shield at home and continue to earn a living.

I know not everyone can have that luxury, so Im really grateful.

Three months in the house is not something Id have chosen to do, but I know now its been a good thing for me.

Lockdown has forced me to stay at home. Its forced me to rest up and reflect rather than throw myself straight back into my schedule, which is absolutely what I would have done otherwise.

Id never have allowed myself this time to recover, and slowly but surely Im feeling stronger again. Im starting to feel well, which is amazing.

The Cool FM Breakfast Show is on every weekday morning from 6am
British scientists halted a major drug trial on Friday after it found that the anti-malarial hydroxychloroquine, touted by US President Donald Trump as a potential game changer in the pandemic, was useless at treating COVID-19 patients.

This is not a treatment for Covid-19. It doesnt work, Martin Landray, an Oxford University professor who is co-leading the RECOVERY trial, told reporters.

This result should change medical practice worldwide. We can now stop using a drug that is useless.

Vocal support from Trump raised expectations for the decades-old drug that experts said could have been a cheap and widely available tool, if proven to work, in fighting the pandemic, which has infected more than 6.4 million people and killed nearly 400,000 worldwide

Controversy surrounding the drug grew after a study published in medical journal The Lancet last month raised safety concerns and led several Covid-19 studies of it to be halted. The Lancet study was then retracted on Thursday after its authors said they were unsure about its data.

Landray, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Oxford University, noted the huge speculation about the drug as a treatment for Covid-19 but said there had been until now an absence of reliable information from large randomised trials.

He said the preliminary results from RECOVERY, which was a randomised trial, were now quite clear: hydroxychloroquine does not reduce the risk of death among hospitalised patients with Covid-19.

If youre admitted to hospital, dont take hydroxychloroquine, he said.

The RECOVERY trial of hydroxychloroquine had randomly assigned 1,542 Covid-19 patients to hydroxychloroquine and compared them with 3,132 Covid-19 patients randomly assigned to standard care without the drug.

Results showed no significant difference in death rates after 28 days, in length of stay in hospital or in other outcomes, the researchers said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday it would resume tests of hydroxychloroquine as part of its Solidarity trials, after those running the study briefly stopped giving it to new patients in light of the Lancet paper.

Peter Horby, an Oxford University professor who is co-leading the RECOVERY trial with Landray, said his team had informed the WHO of their decision to halt the UK study.

There was a call this morning with the WHO to give them a heads-up on the results... They... said they would be convening their committee to look again at their decision regarding the Solidarity trial.
Rebel Wilson has revealed that she'd love to become Australia's next Bachelorette.

The Australian actress, 40, told News.com.au on Saturday that she wants to 'represent more real-looking women' on the Channel 10 dating show.

However, she joked that she's unsure if Channel 10 could afford her $20million fee.

'I've turned into such a romantic': Rebel Wilson (pictured) has revealed she'd love to become Australia's next Bachelorette to 'represent real-looking women' on the Channel 10 show

'I've turned into such a romantic. I'm not ashamed to admit that I watch and love shows like The Bachelor and Bachelorette,' said Rebel in the interview.

When asked if she'd consider signing up herself, she laughed: 'My price is $20million so I don't think [Channel 10] can afford it I'm not going to expose myself publicly in that way for a low price.

'But I think it'd be interesting to represent a more real-looking woman as the Bachelorette. I think that'd be a really positive message and I think people would find it more interesting.'

'I think that'd be a really positive message and I think people would find it more interesting': The star opened up about her love of the dating program to News.com.au on Saturday

'I'm not going to expose myself publicly in that way for a low price': However, she joked that she's unsure if Channel 10 could afford her $20million fee

Rebel's interest in The Bachelorette comes after she vowed to change her life for the better this year, focussing on her health, happiness and losing weight.

In January, the actress wrote to Instagram: 'Okay so for me 2020 is going to be called "The Year of Health"'. So I put on the athleisure and went out for a walk, deliberately hydrating on the couch right now. And [I'm] trying to avoid the sugar and junk food, which is going to be hard after the holidays I've just had but I'm going to do it!'

'Who's with me in making some positive changes this year?'

'Making some positive changes': Rebel's interest in The Bachelorette comes after she vowed to change her life for the better this year, focussing on her health, happiness and losing weight

Earlier this year, it was reported that ballroom dancer Sharna Burgess had 'signed a contract with Channel 10' to become this year's Bachelorette.

However, after filming was delayed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic in March, it appears this is no longer going to happen.

Sharna was recently spotted kissing a man in Bondi, seemingly having now found love herself without the help of Channel 10's famous dating show.
https://www.aish.com/tp/i/sacks/Loneliness-and-Faith.html

I have long been intrigued by one passage in this weeks parsha. After a lengthy stay in the Sinai desert, the people are about to begin the second part of their journey. They are no longer travelling from but travelling to. They are no longer escaping from Egypt; they are journeying toward the Promised Land.

The Torah inserts a long preface to this story: it takes the first ten chapters of Bamidbar. The people are counted. They are gathered, tribe by tribe, around the Tabernacle, in the order in which they are going to march. Preparations are made to purify the camp. Silver trumpets are made to assemble the people and to give them the signal to move on. Then finally the journey begins.

What follows is a momentous anti-climax. First there is an unspecified complaint (Num. 11:1-3). Then we read: The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no costalso the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna! (Num. 11:4-6).

The people seem to have forgotten that in Egypt they had been slaves, oppressed, their male children killed, and that they had cried out to be freed by God. The memory Jewish tradition has preserved of the food they ate in Egypt was the bread of affliction and the taste of bitterness, not meat and fish. As for their remark that they ate the food at no cost, it did cost them something: their liberty.

There was something monstrous about this behaviour of the people and it induced in Moses what today we would call a breakdown:

He asked the Lord, Why have you brought this trouble on Your servant? What have I done to displease You that You put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth?  I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how You are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill meif I have found favour in Your eyesand do not let me face my own ruin. (Num. 11:11-15)

This was the lowest point in Moses career. The Torah does not tell us directly what was happening to him, but we can infer it from Gods reply. He tells him to appoint seventy elders who would share the burden of leadership. Hence we must deduce that Moses was suffering from lack of companionship. He had become the lonely man of faith.

He was not the only person in Tanach who felt so alone that he prayed to die. So did Elijah when Jezebel issued a warrant for his arrest and death after his confrontation with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 19:4). So did Jeremiah when the people repeatedly failed to heed his warnings (Jer. 20:14-18). So did Jonah when God forgave the people of Nineveh, seemingly making nonsense of his warning that in forty days the city would be destroyed (Jon. 4:1-3). The Prophets felt alone and unheard. They carried a heavy burden of solitude. They felt they could not go on.

Few books explore this territory more profoundly than Psalms. Time and again we hear King Davids despair, as he in Shakespeares words, all alone beweep my outcast state:

I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping

and drench my couch with tears. (Ps. 6:6) How long, Lord? Will You forget me forever?

How long will You hide Your face from me? (Ps. 13:1-2) My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?

Why are You so far from saving me so far from my cries of anguish? (Ps. 22:2) Out of the depths I cry to You, Lord  (Ps. 130:1)

And there are many more psalms in a similar vein.

Something similar can be traced in modern times. Rav Kook, when he arrived in Israel, wrote, There is no one, young or old, with whom I can share my thoughts, who is able to comprehend my viewpoint, and this wearies me greatly.1

Even more candid was the late Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik. Near the beginning of his famous essay The Lonely Man of Faith, he writes, starkly: I am lonely. He continues, I am lonely because at times I feel rejected and thrust away by everybody, not excluding my most intimate friends, and the words of the psalmist, My father and my mother have forsaken me, ring quite often in my ears like the plaintive cooing of the turtledove.2 This is extraordinary language.

At times of loneliness, I have found great solace in these passages. They told me I was not alone in feeling alone. Other people had been here before me.

Moses, Elijah, Jeremiah, Jonah and King David were among the greatest spiritual leaders who ever lived. Such, though, is the psychological realism of Tanach that we are given a glimpse into their souls. They were outstanding individuals, but they were still human, not superhuman. Judaism consistently avoided one of the greatest temptations of religion: to blur the boundary between heaven and earth, turning heroes into gods or demigods. The most remarkable figures of Judaisms early history did not find their tasks easy. They never lost faith, but sometimes it was strained almost to breaking point. It is the uncompromising honesty of Tanach that makes it so compelling.

The psychological crises they experienced were understandable. They were undertaking almost impossible tasks. Moses was trying to turn a generation forged in slavery into a free and responsible people. Elijah was one of the first Prophets to criticise kings. Jeremiah had to tell the people what they did not want to hear. Jonah had to face the fact that Divine forgiveness extends even to Israels enemies and can overturn prophecies of doom. David had to wrestle with political, military and spiritual challenges as well as an unruly personal life.

By telling us of their strife of the spirit, Tanach is conveying something of immense consequence. In their isolation, loneliness, and deep despair, these figures cried out to God from the depths, and God answered them. He did not make their lives easier. But He did help them feel they were not alone.

Their very loneliness brought them into an unparalleled closeness to God. In our parsha, in the next chapter, God Himself defended Moses honour against the slights of Miriam and Aaron. After wishing to die, Elijah encountered God on Mount Horeb in a still, small voice. Jeremiah found the strength to continue to prophesy, and Jonah was given a lesson in compassion by God Himself. Separated from their contemporaries, they were united with God. They discovered the deep spirituality of solitude.

I write these words while most of the world is in a state of almost complete lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic. People are unable to gather. Children cannot go to school. Weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs and funerals are deprived of the crowds that would normally attend them. Synagogues are closed. Mourners are unable to say Kaddish. These are unprecedented times.

Many are feeling lonely, anxious, isolated, deprived of company. To help, Natan Sharansky put out a video describing how he endured his years of loneliness in the Soviet Gulag as a prisoner of the KGB. From dozens of reports from those who endured it, including the late John McCain, solitary confinement is the most terrifying punishment of all. In the Torah, the first time the words not good appear are in the sentence It is not good for man to be alone (Gen. 2:18).

But there are uses of adversity, and consolation in loneliness. When we feel alone, we are not alone, because the great heroes of the human spirit felt this way at times  Moses, David, Elijah and Jonah. So did modern masters like Rav Kook and Rabbi Soloveitchik. It was precisely their loneliness that allowed them to develop a deeper relationship with God. Plumbing the depths, they reached the heights. They met God in the silence of the soul and felt themselves embraced.

This is not to minimise the shock of the coronavirus pandemic and its consequences. Yet we can gain courage from the many individuals, from biblical times through to more modern ones, who felt their isolation deeply but who reached out to God and found God reaching out to them.

I believe that isolation contains, within it, spiritual possibilities. We can use it to deepen our spirituality. We can read the book of Psalms, re-engaging with some of the greatest religious poetry the world has ever known. We can pray more deeply from the heart. And we can find solace in the stories of Moses and others who had moments of despair but who came through them, their faith strengthened by their intense encounter with the Divine. It is when we feel most alone that we discover that we are not alone, for You are with me.

Shabbat Shalom

NOTES

Igrot ha-Raayah 1, 128. Joseph Dov Soloveitchik, The Lonely Man of Faith, Doubleday, 1992, 3.

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After getting permission from the Telangana government to resume shooting and pre-production works of films in a phased manner, the bigwigs of Tollywood are gearing up to meet Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy to discuss the revival in the state. The meeting, scheduled on June 9, will have film fraternity including Chiranjeevi, Trivikram Srinivas, Koratala Siva, producers Allu Aravind, C Kalyan, and Dil Raju among others.

Well now, as per the latest report, Nandamuri Balakrishna, has declined the Megastar's invitation to attend the meeting with the Andhra Pradesh CM. It is said that the actor has cited his birthday celebration as a reason for declining Chiru's offer. It is to be noted that Nandamuri Balakrishna will be celebrating his 60th birthday on June 10.

There are also rumours that the actor has rejected the offer as Chiranjeevi's brother Naga Babu recently lashed out at him on social media, demanding an apology from Balakrishna for insulting the Telangana government and the representatives of the industry. For the unversed, Ballaya recently criticised the government and Tollywood for not inviting him for the meeting held at Pragathi Bhavan.

A video of the same circulated on social media, wherein Balakrishna was seen lashing out at a media person, who asked his views about the meeting. That apparently irked the actor, as he was heard using abusive and unparliamentary language in public, bringing out his real estate statement.

Coming back to the meeting to be held next week, the Telugu film industry hoping to get permission from the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister to shoot and resume production works. During the earlier meeting with Telangana CM, K Chandrashekhar Rao, he directed the officials to work on the framework on how to resume and carry out film shoots. He also emphasised on the need for self-regulation during the shoots in complete adherence to the lockdown norms and taking preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19.

Tollywood Gets Back To Normal Amid Lockdown, Resumes Production

Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Suresh Babu And Others Urge Govt To Allow Film Shootings
STAMFORD  Stamford Public School leaders held a Zoom call with city parents Friday evening  to help them help their kids make sense of events dating back to Memorial Day, when a white Minneapolis police officer was filmed kneeling on the neck of a helpless black man.

The man, George Floyd, died after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes, while three other officers stood by.

The Stamford conversation was the first of many to come, said Public Schools Superintendent Tamu Lucero. She said the call was scheduled to ensure parents are equipped to discuss difficult topics like Floyds death and the slayings of other African Americans by police  and the broader subject of race in general.

Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media

At least today, we can hopefully help give you some guidelines as to helping your students process  what theyre seeing over the next couple of weeks, said Rebecca Wilson, coordinator of college and career readiness and counseling services for Stamford Public Schools, who also told parents theres no hard and fast rule for discussing the complex circumstances.

Research shows children have awareness of racial differences starting as young as six months old, Wilson said. Therefore, its imperative that parents educate their children about racism and prejudice and control the narrative that their kids are hearing from a young age, community leaders said.

Id be listening when your kid is talking to their own friends about what they look like and who they are, Wilson said. Really take the time to listen, to find out what your child is talking about, when it comes to what we know race to be.

Experts said parents should be calm, clear, direct and factual in their approach and should not be afraid to share their own emotions during the discussions. As youth are sharing their views, parents should validate the childs feelings, while also encouraging them to speak up if they identify instances of racism and prejudice.

One parent asked if it would be appropriate to show their child the video of Floyds death.

Yenny Toone, director of early education at Greenwich-based Family Centers, said the video is graphic and traumatic for even some adults to watch. She said parents can talk about where they stand in an age-appropriate conversation rather than exposing the child to traumatic violence.

For the children that have seen it, they have difficulty sleeping or dealing with the images, she said. Id steer away from it and steer more toward conversation.

Another African-American parent said she feels anxious when her children visit the predominantly white neighborhoods of their friends. The mother said shes concerned about how police and members of white communities might view her black children.

Wilson said one step parents could take would be establishing a code word that their child could use by phone call or text message if they were to find themselves in a precarious situation. It would signal the parent to retrieve the child and bring them to safety, Wilson said.

Police Chief Tim Shaw, who took on his role two months ago, said hes been meeting with members of the community. He plans to meet with school leaders soon to discuss ways to assist the school and the community to let people know that we wont tolerate whats going on in the country as far as police violence.

Weve heard it loud and clear that we have to do better, he added.

Although the coronavirus has caused the closure of schools, Stamford Public Schools leaders said they encourage parents to still reach out to them for help.

Elementary school parents have access to school social workers and middle and high school parents can request assistance from school counselors. Outside mental health professionals can also become a trusted resource for struggling parents, Wilson said.

Its important to ask for help. Thats why help is there, she said.

A recording of the conversation will be posted in English and Spanish on the Stamford Schools website at www.stamfordpublicschools.org.

tatiana.flowers@thehour.com @TATIANADFLOWERS
The mayor of Temecula, Calif., resigned Thursday amid furor prompted by a widely shared email he sent to a constituent stating, I dont believe theres ever been a good person of color killed by a police officer.

In an apology issued Wednesday, the mayor, James Stewart, said that the word good had been introduced in error by his voice-to-text translator, which he said he uses because he is dyslexic.

Unfortunately I did not take the time to proofread what was recorded, he wrote in a typo-filled post on his unofficial Facebook page, Temecula Stew, where he often communicated with residents of the predominantly white, conservative-leaning city of about 115,000 midway between San Diego and Los Angeles.

Mr. Stewarts email came in response to a question that a constituent emailed him on Monday night, asking what the mayor and his team are doing to end police violence in our community and the systemic racism in policing that is killing black people?
The National Guard helicopter crew that flew low over protesters in the nation's capital this week has been grounded, the Army secretary told reporters Friday.

The Army initiated an administrative investigation, called a 15-6, after a UH-72 Lakota was seen making low maneuvers in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said. The crew was grounded immediately after the investigation began, he added.

Read next: 'Only African American in the Room:' Next Air Force Chief of Staff Speaks Out on Racism in Ranks

"It's an administrative automatic when you initiate a 15-6," McCarthy said. "It's procedure."

The defense secretary and head of the National Guard in D.C. both ordered an investigation into the matter. McCarthy said he expects it to wrap up soon.

"I'm going to get an interim update later today," he said.

The incident is one of several apparent shows of force that have come under scrutiny this week amid national protests after George Floyd, a black man, died in police custody in Minneapolis. McCarthy said he has not had any direct reports of Army or Air National Guardsmen activated in Washington being violent against peaceful protesters.

Videos showed Lakota and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters kicking up debris as officials tried to force demonstrators who'd broken the city's 7 p.m. curfew off the streets. The Black Hawks were reportedly operated by the FBI.

McCarthy declined to say who ordered the helicopter crews to fly low over the protesters in Washington, citing concerns that he's in the chain of command and the investigation remains ongoing.

"We're going to try to get it closed  as quickly as possible," he said.

Maj. Gen. William Walker, the head of the D.C. National Guard, said when announcing the investigation that he wants to ensure all involved complied with safety regulations and procedures.

"I hold all members of the District of Columbia National Guard to the highest of standards," he said in a statement. "We live and work in the District, and we are dedicated to the service of our nation."

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Related: Army, DC Guard Investigating After Military Helicopters Buzz Protesters in DC
The negative impact the novel coronavirus may have on the digital economy is being alleviated through the proactiveness of President Muhammadu Buharis administration, the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi, has said.

Mr Abdullahi who spoke when he played host to the Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Jamilu Sarharm, and the management team of the Academy said the administration has come up with initiatives that are repositioning ICT to play a critical role in the diversification of the nations economy.

He said Nigeria is lucky to have started putting out measures aimed at promoting digital economy prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

He recalled that the redesignation of the Ministry of Communications to Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the unveiling of Digital Economy Strategies and Planning and the Digital Nigeria project, which focuses on digital capacity building and digital literacy, will go a long way in reshaping Nigerias economy in the post-pandemic era.

These initiatives have helped because they are emerging globally and in Nigeria, what we have learnt from the pandemic or the crisis just made them profound and we are all embracing digital technologies.

Mr Abdullahi said, a lot of things are going to change. We are not going to go back to normal life. In terms of businesses, some will close down and new opportunities will come. So we dont want to be left behind. We want to be part of the people shaping the new normal we are currently facing.

He admonished people to explore the opportunities the crisis has provided to accelerate the trend that will shape the digital economy. Mr Abdullahi reiterated the need for people to acquire requisite skills needed for digital economy.

When we talk about digital economy, we are talking about knowledge economy which human capital is a key enabler because knowledge is what influences the digital economy.

Citing example of how 25 people became the richest people in the world and made $255 billion within two months of the global lockdown, the DG affirmed the power of knowledge.

He said NITDA gives good attention to capacity building and collaborates with universities to produce the right skills needed for the digital world.

He added the MIT REAP project of the ministry identified five key stakeholders which the university is part of. He said the idea is for the corporate world to work with the university system to produce the right skills needed for digital economy.

NDA

Earlier, Mr Sarharm, a major general, said the NDA management had resolved to approach NITDA for assistance in terms of e-learning and capacity building.

He said the management thought there is need to pay a courtesy visit to NITDA and seek collaboration in various areas notably in the area of ICT intervention for the Academy.

The NDA has over 2000 cadets and things are changing and affecting modes of learning especially during the lockdown adding that the whole world is now driven by ICT, we want to engage in online training for our cadets.

He said we cant wait any longer than to come around here basically to seek collaboration and more importantly seek for assistance and expertise.

The DG assured that special consideration would be given to the requests.

He said I have looked at your prayers even though you are not specific of what you really want from NITDA but you talked about e-learning, capacity building and ICT infrastructure. We do all these as interventions and we will see what we can do now and those we can plan for next year.
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The government has proposed to lease out business assets of state-owned tractor making company HMT after shutting down the business four years ago.

Manufacturing, assembly and testing facilities of HMT (formerly Hindustan Machine Tools) tractor and engines located at Pinjore, Haryana spread over an area of 43 acre will be leased out for a period of 30 years, a request for proposal (RFP) document floated by the Department of Heavy Industries said.

Shut since 2016, the same year when the iconic watches division of HMT went out of business, manufacturing capacity of the factory on a single shift basis is 8,500 tractors per annum.

Tender is invited in form of two bid format comprising Technical Bid and Financial Bid from interested bidders having minimum net worth of Rs 20 crore as on March 31, 2020. The bidder(s) must preferably be engaged in business of manufacturing or assembling or testing of products or equipment pertaining to capital goods or auto sector, the RFP document added.

The lessee shall be entitled to carry out structural changes and construct additional structures after gaining approval from the relevant statutory authorities and the prior written approval from the lessor, the RFP document stated.

HMTs tractor business commenced operations in 1971 in technical collaboration with Zetor, Czechoslovakia Republic. Initially, HMT started the operation with the manufacture of 25 HP tractor.

Over the years, it developed tractors ranging from 25 HP to 75 HP in two cylinder, three cylinder and four cylinder engine variants successfully meeting the emission TREMIIIA norms. The company achieved market leadership in tractors by enlarging its range to cover most of the applications. HMT has produced and marketed over 400,000 tractors since inception in India and abroad.

From being a market leader at one time HMTs tractor share dwindled to 0.25 percent in the year the division was shut down. Mismanagement, bureaucratic hurdles and rising competition post liberalisation in 1991 in the form of Mahindra & Mahindra, TAFE and Sonalika Tractors hurt HMT the most.

In 2016, the government decided to shut down the plant but not before the Union Cabinet sanctioned Rs 719 crore for payment of outstanding salaries and other dues of the company.

HMTs lease proposal comes at a time when the tractor industry is seeing a revival in demand despite the challenges enforced by the coronavirus pandemic. After a poor FY20 when tractor sales contracted by 10 percent demand has remained steady in past few months.

In January and February domestic tractor volumes recorded a growth before the market was hit the nation-wide lockdown in March and April. In May demand revival was seen again when market leader M&M recorded 2 percent growth in volumes.
Im tired. This country will never be an ally of the black man or woman. We can do nothing to change it.

This sentiment is reinforced not just in times of mass unrest. It is also fortified in the everyday political minutiae that black Americans grapple with: Black people wait in lines for hours to cast ballots while their neighbors in white neighborhoods wait minutes. Black Americans are subjected to patronizing messaging from political figures on both sides of the aisle, admonishing them to tell Cousin Pookie to put down the video games and vote or to pull up their pants if they want fair treatment in the legal system. They are told in so many words that their vote preferences are uninformed.

These constant slights are unrelenting and exhausting. They sap the motivation to do the everyday work of politics  to register others to vote, to canvass for a candidate and to endure the long lines at polling places come November.

This is important to understand as we remain fixated on the exasperation on vivid display at this moment. Once the figurative and literal fires are stamped out and black communities face the compounding effects of mass arrests, escalated tensions with the police and the continuing disproportionate toll of Covid-19, how many will feel a profound sense of fatigue when asked to do the work to oust President Trump this fall?

It is the challenge and opportunity for the Democratic Party to show that it understands and shares this anger. Since it is dependent on black votes to retake the White House, it must consider what it says and how it acts to ensure that the kindling flames of this moment are not snuffed out once Election Day arrives. To do so requires drawing a sharp contrast from the usual staid talking points for a black community bound to feel an acute sense of resignation and exhaustion from having to repeat the same calls for justice.

Joe Biden and Democratic candidates would do well to view Black Lives Matter not as a slogan but as a platform. Democratic leaders can engage directly with the architects of that platform and incorporate some of its language and policy into the official party platform.

The party can commit to creating a national database of violent police incidents, as has long been called for by advocates and journalists. The party can identify efforts to combat the myriad ways black enfranchisement is challenged, from voting ID requirements to lack of polling-place capacity to microtargeting campaigns intended to depress the black vote. It can affirm black peoples anguish not just over police violence against black men like George Floyd but also black women like Breonna Taylor, black trans people like Tony McDade, black homeless people like Charly Keunang and black people dealing with mental impairment like Charleena Lyles.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Brussels, Belgium  Sat, June 6, 2020 17:02 594 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdc99792 2 News European-Union,EU,Europe,travel,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

The EU is not expected to open its borders to travelers from the rest of the world before July, officials said Friday after a meeting of the bloc's interior ministers.

The 27-member EU closed its frontiers to non-essential travel from Asia, the Americas and elsewhere in the world as part of efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The ban currently expires on June 15, but Ylva Johansson, the EU's home affairs commissioner, said there was a "strong preference" among the ministers to extend it.

Read also: Germany to lift travel warning for Europe from June 15

Restrictions are also still in place between some EU member states, but they are slowly being lifted and the commission hopes this process will be completed soon.

"That means that internal border controls are lifted by the end of June... we should consider the gradual lifting restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU early July," Johansson told reporters.

While interior ministers have agreed to coordinate their moves, decisions about lifting border restrictions fall to national governments, rather than Brussels.
Calls to fire Charles Negy, a psychology professor at the University of Central Florida, recently resonated on social media among students at the school. The calls were prompted by his mentioning "black privilege" in tweets amid the nationwide demonstrations over George Floyd's death.

The professor has made his opinions known in the past. As author of "White Shaming: Bullying Based on Prejudice, Virtue-Signaling, and Ignorance," Negy's work asserts that white Americans and the white culture are often "under siege of a series of disobediences that range from colonialism to slavery, Jim Crow laws to racism, and from micro-aggressions to white privilege".

The professor has been very active on social media recently particularly on Twitter, since Floyd's death under the custody of Minneapolis police on May 25 and the demonstrations across the nation and elsewhere in the world.

A spokesman at the university confirmed that the profile on Twitter belongs to Negy. It appeared to be a reaction to the article Taki's Magazine posted on its page stating that the so-called "white elites" presently fantasize that they can use the "People of Color" flock out of young looters, as stated in the piece, "to overthrow President Trump" which, the article writer, Steve Sailer said, is "somewhat like in Ukraine in 2014 and in Geogia in 2003."

Negy, reacting to the article, said this in his Twitter post:

This article is spot on (will infuriate folks). Black privilege is real: Besides affirm. action, special scholarships and other set asides, being shielded from legitimate criticism is a privilege. But as a group, they're missing out on much needed feedback. https://t.co/V2hcIt4Nh0 June 3, 2020

Asking a "Sincere Question"

Negy, in a separate tweet, also asked what he considered is a ''sincere question'' -- 'if African-Americans as a group had similar behavioral profiles to the Asian Americans', who are averagely performing the best scholastically, with the highest income and the lowest crimes committed, among others, would "systematic racism" be proclaimed as existent?

The psychology instructor, moreover, re-tweeted posts about the killing of Tessa Majors in New York City in December, and another post about a white woman who had reported to the police that a black man in Central Park had asked her to put a leash on her dog.

The professor continued to cite alleged instances of blacks treating the whites unjustly. In another instance, he claimed that this "is the most perverse and bizarre nation in the world where black teens needlessly stab a white college student to death, and no one cares."

And, he continued tweeting, when a black man is killed by a white person, the world, "comes to an end."

Negy's tweets and re-tweets had prompted a change.org petition that calls for the professor to be fired from the university which is based in Orlando where, the school said, almost half of the student population belongs to the minorities.

A "Pro-Black"?

In an email, the professor told NBC News that he is "pro-Black, pro-Hispanic, pro-Asian" and at the same time, pro-White.

He explained that in his mind, everyone is equal, adding that his belief and support for "the humanity of all ethnic groups" doesn't mean he should promote what he perceives as misguided and even "draconian" schemes by some political groups like the Black Lives Matter or BLM.

While the timing of his controversial opinions was probably poor, he said, his views did not refer to Floyd's brutal and sadistic murder. Instead, the professor wrote, he is addressing other issues he thinks needed to be discussed "if we're ever going to make progress on race relations."

Incidentally, late last month, the school had run a news article titled, "Now is Our Time to be Actively Anti-Racist." University President Alexander N. Cartwright also made a declaration on June 2 saying, "Our future is inclusion."

On Thursday morning, the school posted a statement on Twitter saying that being actively anti-racist means calling out and confronting comments that are racist. The statement also mentioned that the school is aware of recent personal Twitter posts by Negy which it considers to be totally counter to the values of the school.

The university said it is currently reviewing the matter more thoroughly while it remains mindful of the First Amendment.

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Lawrence Hamm, running a long-shot primary campaign against U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, suddenly is commanding the kind of attention challengers to well-known incumbents rarely get.

The long-time community activist led the May 30 peaceful protest in Newark that attracted thousands of marchers in support of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck for more than eight minutes.

Hamms advocacy group, Peoples Organization for Progress, has another demonstration planned for Monday in Newark.

Its absolutely a boost that he is, at this moment, getting more publicity that he otherwise would as a candidate, said Ben Dworkin, director of Rowan Universitys Institute for Public Policy and Citizenship. Certainly, more people will start hearing about Mr. Hamm than they did three weeks ago.

Hamm said neither he nor others touted his Senate candidacy during the protest.

We didnt want it to make it look like were using the death of Floyd to advance something else, Hamm, 66, told NJ Advance Media. We were there because of the tragedy and to demand an end to police brutality so these things wont continue to happen.

Still, the protests can only raise Hamms visibility a month out before the July 7 primary, and help him counter Bookers huge fundraising edge. Though he did not start raising money for his re-election until ending his presidential campaign in January, Booker banked $1.9 million through March. Hamm had only $26,961 to spend.

A long-shot candidate, said Rutgers University political science professor Ross Baker, is looking for things that are going to pop up unexpectedly that will give him a boost. This is a good example of that.

Booker, 50, said he wasnt concerned about whether Hamms protest activities would strengthen his candidacy.

This is beyond politics right now, Booker told NJ Advance Media. This is not a moment to be focused on politics. It is a moment to be focused on progress. Im proud to be in that fight.

Booker and the other African-American Democratic senator, Kamala Harris of California, are taking the lead in the Senate on pushing legislation to track incidents of police brutality, change federal law to make it easier to hold police officers accountable for misconduct, and ban racial and religious profiling.

And he and other Democratic senators, including Robert Menendez, held a moment of silence for Floyd on Thursday. They remained for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyds neck.

All of us should feel a sense of solidarity with the protesters who are further forcing the conversation on the urgent need for police accountability, Booker said. Im very proud to be one of the leaders in the United States Senate that is leading the charge on the federal efforts for real substantive legislation.

8 minutes & 46 seconds of silence

For George Floyd

For Ahmaud Arbery

For Breonna Taylor

For countless others who lost their lives to racialized violence.

For those peacefully protesting for justice.



Grateful for my @SenateDems colleagues who joined together today in solidarity. pic.twitter.com/4R5frtBp0T  Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBooker) June 4, 2020

Booker is not one to lead a protest, unlike someone like the Rev. Al Sharpton, who also has run for president and U.S. Senate, Baker said.

He wants to be and is a serious politician who enjoys the reputation of making important changes in policy, Baker said. That may not be compatible with leading demonstrations. Hes not Al Sharpton and he shouldnt be Al Sharpton.

For Hamm, ending police brutality has overshadowed any campaign platform.

It has to stop," he said. "The only way its going to stop is far-reaching reform in policing.

We want them to do their job. Their job is, if necessary, arrest somebody, put them in the squad car and take them downtown to be booked. Their job is not to be the judge, the jury and the executioner.

Hamm originally entered the race because he was chairing Bernie Sanders New Jersey campaign, and said the Vermont senator needed strong allies in the Senate.

I said we needed someone else in the Senate to carry on that fight," Hamm said.

Like Sanders, Hamm made Medicare for All the centerpiece of his campaign, especially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

If there is anything that the coronavirus has made clear, its the inequities and inadequacies of our current system of health care, Hamm said.

Booker signed on as a co-sponsor to Sanders Medicare for All legislation, which at its core would replace private insurance companies with a government-run, single-payer plan.

But the senator did not raise his hand at the June 26, 2019, Democratic presidential debate when candidates were asked if they favored abolishing private insurance.

Booker said at the time that it was single-payer was a goal to aim for but he first needed a quick solution to the problems of affordable health insurance and expanding coverage.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com.
When Iman Abuzeid was raising her last round of financing, she stepped into a Silicon Valley venture firm in business casual attire and was immediately mistaken for a Postmates delivery driver.

Abuzeid, who trained as a physician before enrolling in a business degree in health care management, was getting ready to pitch her start-up, Incredible Health, when the investor asked her about his delivery. She didn't take a check from that venture firm, which she declined to name. But she was successful in pulling in $17 million to build software that makes it easier for hospital clients to hire medical personnel.

She's now one of a small number of venture-backed female black founders in the growing health-tech sector. She thinks that's a business mistake on the part of venture investors.

Abuzeid says the lack of diversity is more than a moral and human rights issue. It also makes good business sense to build teams that more closely represent the customers they aim to serve. Near 40 percent of Americans now belong to a racial or ethnic minority.

Abuzeid's company, Incredible Health, works with nurses. Approximately 20 percent of them come from minority backgrounds, and that number is only expected to increase. In health care, women represent 65 percent of the workforce and make 80 percent of the buying decisions -- but only represent 13 percent of the CEOs.

On the venture side, the numbers are even more stark. Black women typically net less than 1 percent of the billions in venture funding doled out to start-ups every year. By way of example, SoftBank's $100 billion Vision Fund has invested in more than 80 companies -- only two of which have a black founder or co-founder.

"Let's talk about how diversity drives financial performance," said Abuzeid at the start of our call. "Studies show that start-ups with diverse teams have higher revenue; they make decisions faster and better; and are more innovative."
Robbie Lawlor was shot dead in Belfast on April 4

Gangland criminal Robbie Lawlor was murdered at an appointment he had set up in a supermarket car park, a court has heard.

Detectives claimed the Dubliner met a suspect to exchange cash and arranged a follow-up call at a house in north Belfast.

Lawlor (36) was shot dead the next day when he went to the city's Ardyone area.

Details emerged as a man currently on police bail over the killing on April 4 failed in a bid to have his curfew removed.

The suspect (36) has not been charged with any offences connected to the murder.

However, a detective inspector told Belfast Magistrates Court he is believed to have met Lawlor at a Tesco car park in Crumlin, Co Antrim, 24 hours before the killing.

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Bullets

Cash was exchanged and arrangements made for the murder victim to call at a house on Etna Drive the following day.

"Robert Lawlor did attend that appointment, and when he arrived he was met by a gunman who exited the address and shot him dead in broad daylight," the detective said.

He was hit several times and died at the scene.

Stray bullets also struck a car parked outside the property, narrowly missing one of Lawlor's associates.

Police said it was "sheer good luck" that others in the street were not injured or killed.

A Volkswagen Scirocco, thought to have been used as a getaway car, was found burnt out in a nearby street minutes later.

Originally from Dublin, Lawlor was widely reported to have been heavily involved in the feud between rival Drogheda-based factions.

He had been linked to the abduction and murder in January of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods, whose body was dismembered.

"This murder is directly linked to a feud between several organised crime gangs originating out of the Republic of Ireland," the detective said.

"It's a comprehensive and complex investigation, with numerous links to organised crime gangs operating internationally, as well as in mainland UK and throughout Ireland."

The suspect seeking to have his curfew lifted was arrested three days after Lawlor was shot dead.

District Judge George Conner heard officers detained him during a search operation at his mother's home.

He was subsequently released on police bail to live at an undisclosed location while the murder investigation continues

Punitive

Defence barrister Bobbie Leigh Herdman claimed the curfew was "disproportionate, unnecessary and punitive".

The killing and the alleged meeting between her client and Lawlor a day earlier both happened during daytime, she stressed.

However, the detective responded: "The police case is that a significant amount of planning and preparation for the murder was carried out during the hours of darkness.

"That's why we would ask that the curfew is kept in place."

Ruling that the bail term must remain in place, Judge Conner said it was not an unreasonable condition.
Kenefick Ranch Vineyard. Photo, Fran Miller

Visit Napa Valley is pleased to announce that the Napa County Public Health Officer has officially approved that Napa Valley hotels, wineries, tasting rooms, and bars are allowed to reopen to welcome guests, while adhering to state guidelines and proper health and safety protocols. Napa Valley restaurants began to reopen for indoor and/or outdoor dining on May 20, 2020, along with retails shops.

We are elated to welcome back visitors to Napa Valley who will experience the world-class hospitality they have always enjoyed, with the added assurance that all businesses, including hotels, wineries, as well as restaurants and retail businesses are committed to practice the highest safety standards, above and beyond the mandated requirements, in order to protect the health and welfare of guests, employees and our community, said Linsey Gallagher, president and CEO for Visit Napa Valley. Visit Napa Valley and the entire Napa Valley travel and tourism industry is extremely grateful for the exceptional leadership, guidance, and support of California State Senator Bill Dodd and Napa County Board of Supervisors Diane Dillon and Alfredo Pedroza to prioritize the reopening of Napa County businesses to help restore Napa Valleys economy.

Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Napa Valley. Photo, Fran Miller

Brannan Cottage Inn, Calistoga. Photo, Fran Miller

According to Visit Napa Valleys biannual visitor profile study, the regions natural scenic beauty is second only to wine as to what appeals most to visitors. Napa Valleys 35-mile stretch offers endless opportunities to adventure outside and experience the beauty of the landscape and the year-round temperate climate.

From lavish five-star luxury resorts, private bungalows and cottages, to intimate B&B's, the Napa Valley offers a wide variety of world-class and affordable lodging for retreating away from home with friends and family, or on your own for a solo getaway, surrounded by vast outdoor space allowing for natural social distancing.

Many Napa Valley wineries and restaurants provide spacious outdoor patio and courtyard seating to allow appropriate distance among parties, and most wineries also offer private rooms for more intimate tastings. All tastings will be by appointment only to ensure time between tastings for a comprehensive cleaning of all high-touch surfaces.

Round Pond Estate Winery. Photo, Fran Miller

Visitors will find Napa Valley Spirit pennants and window graphics displayed at newly opened businesses to celebrate relaxed shelter-in-place restrictions. Visit Napa Valley and the Napa Valley Vintners have also collaborated to welcome back visitors, as well as the Napa Valley local community, with fun messaging, including You are the people weve been waiting for, come rediscover the Napa Valley Spirit and 6 ft apart has never felt closer together.

Cliff Lede Vineyards Visitor Patio. Photo, Fran Miller

For hotel reservations and a complete list of all open businesses, reference visit Napa Valleys website www.visitnapavalley.com, which also features suggested itineraries to enjoy and explore each Napa Valley town, including American Canyon, the City of Napa, Yountville, St. Helena, and Calistoga.

Social distancing, indoor mask use, limited occupancies, and other health protocols are required by the Napa County Public Health Officer. It is important to make and/or confirm reservations directly, as individual businesses will open on their own schedule.
BERLIN - Tens of thousands of people gathered Saturday in cities far from the United States to express anger over the death of George Floyd, a sign that the Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality is resonating with wider calls to address racism from Australia to Europe.

In Berlin, where police said 15,000 people rallied on the German capitals Alexander Square, protesters chanted Floyds name and held up placards with slogans such as Stop police brutality and I cant breath.

Floyd, a black man, died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck even after he pleaded for air while handcuffed and stopped moving.

The killing and these violent physical things that have happened is only just the top of it, said Lloyd Lawson, 54, who took part in the Berlin protest. Thats why youve got to start right from the bottom, just like an iceberg.

Some 20,000 people rallied in Munich, while thousands more took part in protests in Frankfurt and Cologne.

In Paris, several thousand demonstrators ignored a protest ban  issued due to the coronavirus pandemic  and assembled within sight of the U.S. Embassy, kept back by imposing barriers and riot police.

Among the crowd in the French capital was Marie Djedje, 14, a Parisian born on July 14, the French national day.

I was born French, on the day when we celebrate our country. But on a daily basis, I dont feel that this country accepts me, she said, holding up a sign that read Being black is not a crime.

The teenager said that emerging from Frances virus lockdown and seeing officers on patrol again drove home how scared she is of the police and how she has steeled herself for a life of overcoming obstacles.

I know that because of my skin colour Im starting out with a handicap, for example, if I want to get a flat or go to a top school, she said. I know Im going to have to fight twice as hard as the others. But Im prepared.

In central London, tens of thousands staged a rally outside Parliament Square, invoking Floyds memory as well as people who died during police encounters or indifference in Britain. Some protesters ignored thickening rain clouds and later headed toward the U.K. Home Office, which oversees law enforcement and immigration, and to the U.S. Embassy.

Many dropped to one knee and raised their fists in the air outside the gleaming embassy building south of the River Thames. There were chants of Silence is violence and Color is not a crime.

The majority of those marching wore masks and other face coverings, and appeared to make an effort to adhere to social distancing guidelines by walking in small groups.

An estimated 15,000 people gathered in the heart of Manchester, England, while 2,000 people joined in a demonstration in the Welsh capital of Cardiff.

Andrew Francis, 37, a black man from London, said theres a lot of frustration due to racial discrimination, and we want change for our children and our childrens childrens to be able to have equality within the U.K, the U.S., all around the world. Francis, who wore a face covering, said he wasnt worried about the coronavirus and said the fight for racial equality was more important to him.

Floyds death has sparked significant protests across the United States, but it has also struck a chord with minorities protesting discrimination elsewhere, including demonstrators in Sydney and Brisbane who highlighted indigenous Australians who died in custody.

Indigenous Australians make up 2% of the the countrys adult population, but 27% of the prison population. They are also the most disadvantaged ethnic minority in Australia and have higher-than-average rates of infant mortality and poor health, as well as shorter life expectancies and lower levels of education and employment than other Australians.

In South Koreas capital, Seoul, protesters gathered for a second straight day to denounce Floyds death. Wearing masks and black shirts, dozens of demonstrators marched through a commercial district amid a police escort, carrying signs such as George Floyd Rest in Peace and Koreans for Black Lives Matter.

In Senegal, people staged a protest in front of the African Renaissance Monument in the capital of Dakar, holding placards with slogans such as Enough is enough.

Chris Trabot, who works for Paris City Hall, said George Floyds death last week triggered his decision to demonstrate Saturday for the first time in his life.

Born in the French territory of Martinique, Trabot said he first experienced racism as a child when he moved with his family to mainland France and got in frequent fights with white kids who mocked his skin colour. Recently, his 9-year-old daughter has told him of being a target of racism, too, with schoolmates mocking her hair.

Adele Letamba, a 39-year-old consultant protesting in Paris, put it bluntly: The death of George Floyd was the spark that spread across the world.

In Tel Aviv, thousands of protesters joined a Jewish-Arab rally against the Israeli governments plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. The protesters wore masks, but social distancing measures were not strictly maintained as some demonstrators formed small groups. Police initially sought to block the rally, but later allowed it to take place.

Protesters in Israel also demonstrated against what they see as excessive violence by Israeli police against Palestinians. One protester held a poster showing George Floyd and Eyad Halak, a Palestinian with autism who was killed last week by Israeli police officers after apparently being mistaken as an attacker.

While the demonstrations were largely peaceful, there was a brief scuffle in Sydney when police removed an apparent counter-protester carrying a sign reading, White Lives, Black Lives, All Lives Matter.

In London, police and protesters clashed at the end of a rally near the offices of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Objects were thrown at police wearing protective gear and video shared on social media appeared to show a horse bolting amid the clashes, unseating a police officer as he hit traffic lights.

A video from Berlin, also shared on social media, showed several police with dogs arresting a black man scuffling with an officer. Anja Dierschke, a spokeswoman for Berlin police, said the incident happened some time after the protest ended and officers had ordered a group of people, some of whom were throwing bottles at passers-by, to disperse.

___

Associated Press journalists Rick Rycroft in Sydney, Dennis Passa and John Pye in Brisbane, Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, John Leicester in Paris, Pan Pylas in London, Shlomo Mor in Tel Aviv and Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo contributed to this report.
OPEC and its Russia-led allies will meet on June 6 to approve record oil production cuts and urge countries like Iraq and Nigeria to enhance their compliance with the existing curbs. According to reports, the producers collectively known as OPEC+ had previously agreed to reduce the oil supply by a record 9.7 million barrels per day in May and June to boost the prices that had drastically plunged due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. These cuts are now getting narrower to 7.7 million barrels every day from July to December.

Read - Achieving A Mammoth Task, Indian Railways Installs Bio Toilets In More Than 68,000 Coaches

International media agency cited OPEC+ sources who said that Saudi Arabia and Russia have jointly decided in favour of extending the cuts throughout the next month while Riyadh would support these cuts throughout August. The global benchmark of Brent crude had crashed below $20 per barrel in April but it spiked to nearly six per cent on June 5 to start trade at $42 which was a three-month high.

Read - Putin Chastises Russian Tycoon Over Massive Arctic Oil Spill

The OPEC has said on June 5 that the video conferences among the members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting countries will start on June 6 at 1200 GMT and they will be followed by a gathering of the OPEC+ group at 1400 GMT. According to reports, the OPEC+ sources have said that the cuts would be extended as it is necessary to comply with the oil-producing countries that produced more than their quota in May and June. Therefore, they must compensate by cutting more in the upcoming months.

Read - Pradhan Discusses Crude Oil Price Trends With OPEC Secretary General Amid COVID Crisis

Oil markets suffer 'historic shock'

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) had previously said that it suffered a historic shock due to the impact of the global health crisis. Not only did the OPEC noted the repercussions were unprecedented but also said they are abrupt and also extreme.

The oil market is currently undergoing historic shock that is abrupt, extreme and at global scale, said the group of producer nations.

Read - Sweden: Tension Between Police And Protesters Boil Over

(Image Source: AP)
Powerful protests demanding justice for George Floyd, the 46-year-old man killed by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Memorial Day, and a halt to police violence have continued in Detroit and across Michigan over the past week, even in the face of escalating attacks by law enforcement.

In a show of solidarity within the working class for the protesters this week, two hundred health care workers at Ascension Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan gathered outside at 12:30 p.m. to hold signs and take a knee in protest of police violence.

More than 200 employees of Ascension Providence Hospital in the Detroit suburb of Southfield, MIchigan took a knee at lunchtime on Thursday, June 4 in an expression of solidarity

For nine minutes, the crowd of doctors, nurses and others, most of them in their scrubs, kneeled in silence in front of the hospital, beside Nine Mile Road, a main thoroughfare in Southfield. Several people held their fists in the air.

Several vehicles driving past honked their horns in support of the demonstration. Nearly everyone in attendance wore masks against the COVID-19 pandemic. At the end of the nine minutes, representing the amount of time a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on Floyds neck, the crowd counted down the last several seconds aloud, then applauded before returning to their jobs.

While many of the demonstrations throughout Michigan have occurred without incident, several were met with repression at the hands of the police or national guard. Curfews were implemented in several cities. Hundreds have been arrested. Dozens of those arrested in Detroit were held in the loading dock of Little Caesars Arena for processing Tuesday night.

As elsewhere in the country, the protests have been multiracial and multiethnic, with the largest demonstrations in Detroit, Lansing, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, where thousands have participated. Dozens more rallies have taken place in the suburbs and rural working-class small towns. Hundreds gathered in Muskegon, Bay City, Portage, Saginaw, Lapeer, and other municipalities and townships.

In Detroit, protests have taken place for six successive nights. Democratic Mayor Mike Duggan implemented an 8:00 p.m. curfew on Sunday, after violent assaults by police on protesters. Although there have been minimal reports of looting, as of June 3, over 381 people had been arrested. Several videos of unprovoked police attacks on protesters have gone viral.

Cassidy, a young woman from the Downriver suburbs of Detroit, recorded a video of police roughing up a man who was walking away from the protests. After throwing the man to the ground and spraying him with mace, a group of officers shoved other nearby protesters and hit them with their shields.

We didnt yell at them, there was no antagonizing, Cassidy told the World Socialist Web Site. A lot of people are saying that the protesters are violent and thats why the police are being violent backthat people were throwing bottles and stuff, but nothing like that happened. They charged us for no reason at all. We hadnt even made it to the actual protest yet.

Protesters were not the only ones in the crosshairs of the police. Several journalists reported being harassed, pepper sprayed or handcuffed. Darcie Moran, a Detroit Free Press reporter, was placed on the ground and her hands zip tied behind her back, even though she was in a police authorized media zone and identified herself as a reporter.

Police started shoving us and said they didnt care we were media, she wrote on Twitter. One reporter went down hard. He is fine.

MLive photographer Nicole Hestler and three other journalists were shot by dozens of pepper balls while walking to their car. We were just trying to leave the scene, Hester said. We werent charging at them.

Last Saturday night, Free Press reporter JC Reindl was chased down and pepper sprayed in the face while he was holding up his press badge. Later several Free Press reporters at the corner of Michigan and Griswold were targeted with rubber bullets, although none were hit.

Detroit activist Tristan Taylor was arrested in Detroit on Tuesday evening and spent the night in jail on felony rioting charges after violating the 8:00 p.m. curfew. Taylor was finally released after a further demonstration on Wednesday afternoon demanding that he be let out of jail.

Fifty National Guard members from the Port Huron armory were deployed in Grand Rapids Monday night at the request of Democratic Mayor Rosalynn Bliss. Peaceful protesters were met with rubber bullets and tear gas after just after the 7 p.m. curfew.

Of the presence of military Humvees and soldiers in riot gear, 21-year-old Rayna Johnson told MLive, Its really terrifying, and I think we should all be scared of it  were marching for human rights, and for it to be met with military presence speaks a lot to the fundamental problems within our system.

On Thursday evening, more than 100 gathered in front of the historic courthouse in Howell, Michigan. Protesters said they were determined to demonstrate even though the Livingston County sheriff asked them to refrain from going out.

Protester Harley Wheeler told News 10 that she wants people to know Howell is a safe place for protest, Howell does have a bad history and I think we can change that. I think our first step to changing that was when we stopped a KKK meeting from happening on these same court steps. Our town came together 23,000 strong to stop that from happening and this is our way of continuing that same stance that happened back then, Wheeler said.

The news media and the Democratic Party in Detroit, along with corporate media nationally, is presenting the death of Floyd and fight against police brutality as exclusively the product of systemic anti-black racism, deliberately concealing the class basis for the violence of law enforcement against the working class.

While racism plays a role in police violence against workers and the pooras shown by the disproportionate number of black deaths at the hands of policethe total number of whites killed by the police each year across the country is actually double the number of African Americans.

The foundation of police violence and murder across the US, regardless of race or ethnicity, is economic and social inequality. As the protests in Detroit and other cities have demonstrated, a powerful, racially integrated movement has developed against police violence. This struggle can only be taken forward on the basis of a strategy to unify the entire working class against the source of inequality, the capitalist system, and to fight for socialism.
BERLIN  The police in Germany say they have broken up a sophisticated child pornography ring that peddled unfathomable images over the internet, arresting 11 people on suspicion of severely abusing at least three boys, filming the acts and selling them for profit.

Close relatives of the boys, ages 5, 10 and 12  including one set of parents and an uncle  were among those arrested, the police said Saturday. Investigators identified the suspects from videos recovered from professionally encrypted hard drives that they seized and are still working to unlock, the authorities said.

Despite a decade-long government campaign to combat the sexual abuse of children, more than 20,000 cases of child abuse or pornography are reported each year in Germany, official statistics show.

The arrests announced Saturday are the latest in a string of high-profile abuse cases.

This week, Germanys federal police announced they were investigating a 43-year-old German on suspicion of murdering Madeleine McCann, who disappeared from a resort in Portugal in 2007 when she was just shy of her 4th birthday. German police say the suspect in the case, identified only as Christian B., may also be responsible for the disappearance of a 5-year-old German girl in 2015.
In the current edition of Rewind Robert Smith has assembled a variety of short stories and old photos for the monthly feature Years Ago. This time it is centered around the decade of the 1950's. It was a decade like none before it as new tracks sprang up across the U.S. and harness racing as a sport was increasing in popularity. The racing season was growing longer each year, purses were rising and in general things were all headed in the right direction. Among the top horsemen of the day were many Canadians who started their careers at home but moved to the U.S.



In 1958, Brandywine Raceway, one of many new state-of-the-art racetracks, opened in the U.S. as the sport of harness racing flourished. It was located at Wilmington, Delaware. In 1958, Brandywine Raceway, one of many new state-of-the-art racetracks, opened in the U.S. as the sport of harness racing flourished. It was located at Wilmington, Delaware.

1953 - Thorncliffe Park In Its Fourth Year

As part of the renaissance of harness racing in Ontario, Thorncliffe Park in Toronto staged daytime harness racing for four consecutive years 1950 to 1953. The track had been in existence for decades but sat idle for many years until a group of folks took on the initiative to refurbish it and stage summer harness racing. In 1953 the fourth and final year of racing was held with moderate success (despite the wording in the item shown below) but the decision was made to close the facility forever which did happen. The following year summer racing switched to Old Woodbine.

The following item appeared in the Harness Horse magazine in late August 1953. (Probably before the decision to close was announced)

Toronto, August 13  Thorncliffe's 34-day trotting meeting conducted by the Ontario Jockey Club and supervised by General Manager J. W. Brown, widely known horseman of New Liskeard, Ont., closed today and proved to be the most successful meeting in the history of this track. Since the inception of harness racing over Toronto's metropolitan Thorncliffe course in 1950, a steady increase in the popularity of the trotters in this Canadian city has been noted. Each season has brought an increase in attendance and in mutuel handle. Despite the fact that Thorncliffe's programs were raced in the afternoon, crowds up to 7,500 turned out on Saturdays and holidays with the mutuel handle hitting around $130,000 on these occasions.

Please check the old photographs below to see if you can identify the well-known horseman pictured who competed during that closing season.

1955 - Old Home Week A Huge Success

August 1955 - Another highly successful Old Home Week concluded with Saturday night's race program at the Charlottetown Driving Park drawing an estimated crowd of 8,000. The week-long races were held each afternoon with a post time of 2:30 and again in the evening with first post at 8:45 p.m. It is interesting to note that when post times were advertised they included the term "Fast Time" which is an alternate way of saying Daylight Saving Time.

The undisputed star of the week's proceedings was the six-year-old pacing gelding Bay State Pat, a fan favourite throughout the region. The son of Volstadt out of Elizabeth Worthy was owned by Andrew Perry of Summerside and driven in all of his starts by James "Roach" McGregor, an Island hero. Fans in attendance were hopeful of seeing a new track record set and most felt that if anyone could accomplish it Bay State Pat was the likely hero.

On Saturday evening driver MacGregor made a couple of valiant efforts to crack the long-standing mile record set by Bud Wenger 19 years earlier but fell 1.7 seconds short as the best clocking he could get was 2:07 1/5 in the middle heat. The track management had an offer of $300 for anyone bettering the record but it went unclaimed and the current record of 2:05 1/2 remained unbeaten. In each heat driver MacGregor was slow to leave and trailed the field for much of the mile but came home with a rush to claim the victory, much to the delight of the huge crowd.

At the conclusion of racing it was announced that the leading point getter among drivers for the week-long races was Don MacNeill, who compiled 73 points, just three better than Roach MacGregor. The winning mile of 2:07.1 by Bay State Pat was the fastest of the week for pacers while April Bud hung out the fastest mile by a trotter stopping the clock in 2:12 even.

1956 - Clark Herbert Wins Canadian Pacing Derby At New Hamburg



Clark Herbert crosses the finish line a winner in the 20th annual Canadian Pacing Derby held at New Hamburg, Ont. The owners were Evans and Fraser and the driver Levi "Jiggs" McFadden from Dresden (London Free Press photo) Clark Herbert crosses the finish line a winner in the 20th annual Canadian Pacing Derby held at New Hamburg, Ont. The owners were Evans and Fraser and the driver Levi "Jiggs" McFadden from Dresden (London Free Press photo)

Aug 6, 1956 - The rain that fell on the proceedings at New Hamburg, Ont.'s Fountain Park failed to dampen the spirits of some 7,000 fans that filed in with rain gear in hand. No speed or attendance records were broken but the fans were treated to one of the best shows in recent memory. With all of the day's racing held on a very heavy track the times for all heats were the slowest on record. The Canadian Pacing Derby which featured the best classed horses on the card could do no better than a mile in 2:16 3/5. The dubious distinction of recording the slowest winning time of 2:23 3/5 went to the trotting filly Bonnie Song, owned and driven by Allan Walker of Owen Sound. This pair took both heats of the F.S. Scott Memorial Trot, the secondary feature of the day. They didn't go too fast but faster than the rest of the field.

This now-famous race, which was in its 21st year, had been the scene of a lot of history and great races dating back to 1936 when the inaugural was held right here. On this day's program no less than three entrants had names chosen with links to the beloved Derby. The three were Miss Derby Town, Katzie's Chief and Coronation Derby. The Derby Trial, always a popular event, was won by Flash Grattan -- a horse that had to travel a bit of distance from his home base. Owned by Stan Crossett of Port Hope and driven by Jack Gordon, the five-year old won both heats and the lion's share of the $600 purse.

The 1956 Derby, which drew a field of seven entrants, was won by Clark Herbert owned by Brantford auto dealer Vern Evans and his partner and the horse's trainer Bill Fraser of Ridgetown, Ont. The driver of the roan speedster was Levi "Jiggs" McFadden of Dresden, Ont.. This trio were repeat Derby winners as they took top honours in this event the previous year but with another entrant Richard Hal D. After winning the opener, a bad start almost robbed Clark Herbert of any chance in the second as they locked wheels with Joe Dale. But a skillful drive by the crafty McFadden landed the pair in the winner's circle following a thrilling stretch drive.

This was a major day of racing for the times as purses totalling $6,900 were awarded to the successful finishers. There was no finer day of racing in Ontario than those held for all those years at New Hamburg.

1956 - If Only Horses Could Talk

When Woodstock, New Brunswick held their fifth and final race meeting of 1956 what might be called a "seasoned" pair of horses shared victories in the day's featured "A" Pace for a purse of $200. In the opening heat, a gelding with the catchy name Beanery Boy was the winner for owner Lance Cairns of Campbellton, N.B. and driver Matie F. Grimes. In the second heat, Colonel Dan -- a horse with a real Maritime-connected name -- won the closer for driver Robert A. Troy and owner R.J. Ryan of Houlton, Maine in a swift 2:11.2.

If these two old fellows could have had a chat that day they probably would have quite a few interesting tales to swap. Beanery Boy was 17 years old at the time while Colonel Dan was a tad younger at just 15. Colonel Dan made 36 starts that year while this was Beanery Boy's lone track appearance. Four other much younger horses followed them home that day. Can anyone imagine having two horses in a race whose combined ages totalled 32 years?

1959 - T.E.M. Wins Madawaska Mile At Connaught Park

The evening of Saturday, June 27th was a memorable one for Pembroke sportsmen "Mac" Cassleman and partner Jim Bryson. Although their horse T.E.M. (named after Thos. E. McCool, a local sportsman, hotelier and lumberman) was a distinct longshot in the Connaught season's feature event, they were still hopeful. A number of slightly higher-profile horses had garnered more pre-race publicity and play in the mutuels, but their entry was still to be reckoned with. With eliminations held the previous week this race was just a one-heat affair.

This race was a big-time event and went for a purse of $4,000 while many events on this Saturday evening were going for as little as $200. As the race played out the five-year-old gelding soon proved that he belonged despite going postward at odds of better than 10-1. With a heads-up drive by Frank Baise, T.E.M. took the victory pacing the mile in 2:11.1, which was well off the time recorded in a couple of other events that evening. The margin of victory over second-place finisher Harmony Hy (Cecil Stone) was a comfortable two lengths.

A recap of the race carried in the Ottawa Citizen newspaper painted a pretty picture not only for the winning owners but also for many in the crowd. It read in part "The gathering in the winner's circle resembled Old Home Week in the lumber Town as many Pembroke horse-players in the huge crowd joined the party to celebrate driver Baise's victory with the gelding. Outside the winner's circle were many more jubilant fans clutching winning mutuel ducats on T.E.M., each worth no less than $22.50."

Quote For The Week - "Worry is like a rocking chair; it puts in time but doesn't get you anywhere."

Who Is It?

Can you correctly identify this popular horseman who was a competitor at Thorncliffe during its final season in 1953? Both photos are the same horse and driver. (Photos by Michael Burns)

Who Else Is It?

Can you identify this well-known gentleman long associated with Canadian horse racing circles? He was no stranger to hoisting trophies.

Where Is It?

Can you recognize the location of this fairly recent picture? Clue = a training track and more than a few pretty high-class horses have learned their lessons on this oval.
There has been a lot of discussion that the Cafe Calamari property could be sold to a developer. Talks are ongoing, but nothing is finalized and nothing has yet been presented to the village.
As more cities look to speed up Gov. J.B. Pritzkers five-phase reopening plan, a university researcher said data he reviewed suggests the stay-at-home orders kept case numbers down but, compared to other states, there have been more deaths per capita.

Back in May, about a week after the governor announced his five-phase reopening plan for four regions of the state, the Illinois Municipal League said it was looking to have the governors plan even more regionalized.

It seems appropriate to maintain the 11 regions set forth on the EMS map, Illinois Municipal League Executive Director Brad Cole wrote in a May 11 letter to the governor.

Cole also said the timeline of 28 days in the governors plan needed to be reduced to 14 days for a region to advance to the next phase.

All four regions of the state entered Phase 3 of the governors plan on May 28.

Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder is the latest municipal leader from a growing number around the state who wants to speed things up. He said Tuesday he has requested a review to move to Phase 4 by mid-June.

Thats metrics-driven and Im not sure how that assessment will transpire, Langfelder said.

The Illinois Department of Public Health didnt immediately respond to questions about what cities like Springfield can do to speed up the phases.

The next phase of the governors plan could start near the end of this month. Pritzker has said the shutdown has worked.

University of Illinois Springfield professor Gary Reinbold with the College of Public Affairs and Administration did an independent review of COVID-19 data based on what he said was the clear difference between Cook County and the rest of the state.

Its quite night and day in the way that people live here and there and so it seemed possible to me that the fact that were doing so many things on a statewide basis may not be the best approach, Reinbold said.

He said the data hes reviewed comparing downstate Illinois to other states with similar demographics suggested there have been fewer positive cases per capita.

Which is about what I would have expected, Reinbold said. But then you look at the number of deaths that are being reported per capita  we actually have more, significantly more than those other states, 40 to 70 percent more.

Pritzker has defended his statewide stay-at-home order and his reopening plan.

I couldnt make a convincing argument based on this that it didnt work, Reinbold said. But I think the burden should be on the people putting restrictions in place that it does work and I dont see a good argument for that in this data.

State Rep. Chris Miller, R-Oakland, said its time to open things up.

The overreaction to this virus has been catastrophic to many, many, many businesses in downstate Illinois, he said.

Miller filed House Bill 5796, legislation he said would protect small businesses from being singled out for prolonged closure by any governor.

For months, big-box retailers have been deemed essential and allowed to remain open while small businesses in our communities that sell the same items were forced to close their doors, Miller said. Sadly, some will never reopen. We cant allow this unfair treatment to ever happen again.
WASHINGTON  Top Pentagon officials ordered National Guard helicopters to use what they called persistent presence to disperse protests in the capital this week, according to military officials. The loosely worded order prompted a series of low-altitude maneuvers that human rights organizations quickly criticized as a show of force usually reserved for combat zones.

Ryan D. McCarthy, the Army secretary and one of the officials who authorized part of the planning for the helicopters mission Monday night, said on Friday that the Army had opened an investigation into the episode.

Two Army National Guard helicopters flew low over the protesters, with the downward blast from their rotor blades sending protesters scurrying for cover and ripping signs from the sides of buildings. The pilots of one of the helicopters have been grounded pending the outcome of the inquiry.

The high-profile episode, after days of protests in Washington  some of which turned violent  was a turning point in the militarys response to unrest in the city. After days of operating on the periphery of the crowds, National Guard forces suddenly became a focus of the controversy over the militarys role in urban law enforcement.
Brasilia: President Jair Bolsonaro threatened on Friday to pull Brazil out of the World Health Organisation after the UN agency warned governments about the risk of lifting lockdowns before slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

A new Brazilian record for daily COVID-19 fatalities pushed Brazil's death toll past that of Italy late on Thursday, but Bolsonaro continues to argue for quickly lifting state isolation orders, arguing that the economic costs outweigh public health risks.

A health worker stands on a boat carrying COVID-19 patient Jose da Conceicao as he waits for an ambulance to transfer him to a hospital after arriving in the port of Manacapuru, Amazonas state, Brazil. Credit:AP

In an editorial running the length of newspaper Folha de S.Paulo's front page, the Brazilian daily highlighted that just 100 days had passed since Bolsonaro described the virus now "killing a Brazilian per minute" as "a little flu."

"While you were reading this, another Brazilian died from the coronavirus," the newspaper said.
Given the 50 per cent or thereabouts increase in borrowing that has been announced, it is a reasonable estimate to say that at this time, an increase of 1.7-1.8 per cent on the 3.5 per cent budgeted fiscal deficit target is being anticipated, Chief Economic Adviser Krishnamurthy Subramanian said on Friday.

IMAGE: Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian. Photograph: Anushree Mascarenhas/Reuters.

Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian told Business Standard on Friday that as things stand, the centres fiscal deficit for 2020-21 could be 1.7-1.8 percentage points higher than the 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product targeted in the budget. He also said that the April-June quarter will witness a substantial contraction in GDP.

Such an increase would take the fiscal deficit for the year to 5.2-5.3 per cent of GDP, provided that the underlying assumption of 10 per cent nominal GDP growth stays constant.

Given the 50 per cent or thereabouts increase in borrowing that has been announced, it is a reasonable estimate to say that at this time, an increase of 1.7-1.8 per cent on the 3.5 per cent budgeted fiscal deficit target is being anticipated, Subramanian said in an interaction with this paper.

He added that like most other projections, this was also subject to frequent revisions given the uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, the nationwide lockdown and their impact on the economy and the centres finances.

The Centre has decided to borrow Rs 4.2 trillion more than budgeted for FY21, taking its total gross borrowing to Rs 12 trillion. The states have also been given an additional borrowing room of Rs 4.3 trillion by being allowed to borrow upto 5 per cent of their GSDP from the earlier 3 per cent.

Borrowing is used to fund the gap between between expenditure and revenues. With centre and states desperately short of revenues and their expenditure commitments increasing due to the pandemic, experts including former CEA Arvind Subramanian expect the general governments (centre plus states) fiscal deficit to go into double digits as a percentage of GDP, compared to the 6 per cent which the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management framework mandates.

For FY2019-20, the fiscal deficit came in at 4.6 per cent of GDP, compared with the revised estimate of 3.8 per cent and the budget estimates of 3.3 per cent. It had breached the 0.5 per cent escape clause which the FRBM Act allows.

When asked what his current forecasts for economic growth in April-June quarter and 2020-21 were, current CEA Subramanian said: In first quarter there will definitely be a contraction. There is no doubt about it. There will be quite a perceptible contraction.

My worry is that often times the nuance with which I give numbers, that gets lost, and it is only the baseline that is clung on to. So I am very reluctant to give specific numbers and I would rather emphasise the uncertainty that surrounds the pandemic, he said.

In the early weeks of the lockdown, we had estimated GDP growth for the year to be between 1.5-2 per cent. I think now there are downside risks to that. How deep the risks are depend upon whether or not we see a recovery in the latter half of the year, Subramanian said.

For FY21, a number of analysts, economists, ratings agencies and banks have forecast a GDP contraction, with some, like State Bank of Indias Soumya Kanti Ghosh forecasting that the economy could contract by as much as 6.8 per cent.

The Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das said late last month that the economy is expected to contract in FY21, but he did not give any numbers.

The national income data released last Friday showed that real GDP grew at 3.1 per cent for January-March quarter  a low not seen in more than 17 years  and an 11-year low of 4.2 per cent in 2019-20.

Speaking on those numbers, Subramanian said that while the lockdown was only seven-days in March, high frequency data indicated that the fear of the coronavirus had started impacting economic activity from February itself.
This year has brought immense challenges to America. First, we are fighting a global pandemic that has changed how we operate as a global community. Secondly, we are in the midst of a genuine uprising to protest a history of racial injustice that was brought to a head by the senseless killing of a fellow Texan, George Floyd. As people across America and indeed the world rise in protest to this injustice on the backdrop of COVID-19, we enter a potentially volatile hurricane season. As Tropical Depression Cristobal heads to the U.S. Gulf Coast, we face a unique challenge to help our communities should another hurricane or devastating flood hit our shores. One unfortunate and unnecessary demand that has emerged is a call on Congress to put an end to the 1033 Program, a federal initiative that allows unneeded and wholly demilitarized equipment to be repurposed for use by local law enforcement and first responders in crises. Cancelling the 1033 Program would actually do more harm than good  especially here in Texas.

Regrettably, critics of the 1033 Program allow appearances to replace facts. In a recent Houston Chronicle column published on June 2, Tom Nolan of Emmanuel College stated that militarization has fostered a policing culture that sets up protesters as the enemy. Last weekend, United States Sens. Rand Paul and Brian Schatz renewed their calls for legislation to end the 1033 Program. Big government in Washington has created an incentivized system in which local law enforcement is provided mass amounts of equipment to build up forces that resemble small armies, Senator Paul stated when their bill was first introduced in 2015. Last weekend, Sen. Schatz took to Twitter to declare he will be introducing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to discontinue the program that transfers military weaponry to local police departments, to which Sen. Paul adviser Doug Stafford replied he was happy to help.

For 1033 opponents, it all boils down to a single question: Why do local police and first responders need any military equipment anyway? Well, the short answer is: to save lives.

The greater Houston area that I represent in Congress is only now emerging from the historic devastation created by Hurricane Harvey nearly three years ago. When the storm hit, unprecedented catastrophic flooding prevented the use of traditional rescue vehicles. First responders were put on their heels and left unable to do their jobs as people sat stranded on their rooftops amid rising waters. For a time, the civilian rescue squad known as the Cajun Navy became de facto first responders as their skiffs and airboats crisscrossed neighborhoods submerged in up to 40 feet of water.

As much as I value the brave volunteers of the Cajun Navy and the many lives they saved, relying on them to literally bail us out when the next hurricane hits is not ideal.

Military trucks known as high-water vehicles are made for flood rescue. Their large tires, solid frames and elevated chassis are perfectly suited for use by local first responders when hurricanes hit, waters rise and families need help.

This is why I last year I introduced the Lifting Up Our First Responders Act, a bill that would restructure the 1033 Program to prioritize the distribution of repurposed military vehicles to areas more likely to be hit by excessive floods. Far from militarizing our police force, the legislation allows vehicles not needed by our armed forces to stop sucking up taxpayer dollars in order to be maintained. Instead, we allow these vehicles to be sent to local communities where they would be used to save lives. The Lifting Up Our First Responders Act has bipartisan support and the backing of local fire departments in my district. They know all-too-well that you can never be too prepared when it comes to hurricanes and flooding.

Hurricane season officially began this week, and already it looks as though a whopper of a storm is headed to Houston this weekend. This is not a drill, Fort Bend County EMS warned of the forecast that predicts landfall on Monday  the same day the public viewing is scheduled in Houston in conjunction with George Floyds funeral. His family and fellow mourners deserve to be able to grieve knowing that whatever Mother Natures plans, theyll be safe. Thanks to the 1033 Program and HWVs currently being used by area first responders, they will be.

Olson represents the 22nd District of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 20:34:15|Editor: huaxia

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JAKARTA, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Four military personnel were killed and five others wounded as an army helicopter went down in Indonesia's Central Java province on Saturday, the army said.

The accident occurred when the M-17 helicopter was undertaking a flight training in Kendal district's Wonorejo village, Army Spokesman Brigadier General Nefra Firdaus told Xinhua in a text message.

The aircraft caught fire when it was falling into the ground, and all the victims have been rushed to a nearby hospital, he said.

The chopper was flying in an unstable condition and bringing smokes out just before touching the ground, and exploded, the army reported, citing an eyewitness.

Three personnel jumped into a pond just before the chopper touched the ground, it said.

A preflight check was made before the flight training, suggesting that the fitness of the aircraft was good, the spokesman said.

An investigation will be carried out to identify the cause of the accident, he said. Enditem
State and federal governments across Australia launched a hysterical campaign against protests being held today in solidarity with the mass demonstrations opposing police violence in the US, cynically claiming they pose an unacceptable risk to public health.

Tens of thousands of workers and young people indicated they would demonstrate, despite Prime Minister Scott Morrison, along with state premiers, demanding that they stay away. Senior government officials slandered protesters as insane.

Protesters at a demonstration in Perth on Monday night [Credit: Twitter @ElastonHabbo]

The New South Wales (NSW) state Liberal government successfully moved in the Supreme Court yesterday for the Sydney rally to be banned, creating the conditions for mass arrests. The effective illegalisation of the rally was only overturned by an appeal court today at the last minute. The Victorian state Labor governments police threatened to fine participants and organisers of the Melbourne demonstration.

These are outright attacks on the right to protest, a basic democratic right, that are aimed at establishing a precedent for the suppression of mounting social and political opposition.

This underscores the necessity for workers, students and young people to oppose the bans and police threats. Any participants who are arrested or victimised must be defended by the entire working class.

The official rationale for the attempt to block the ralliesthat they threaten transmission of COVID-19is a lie. For the past month, the same governments seeking to ban demonstrations have proclaimed the necessity of reopening the economy.

They have recklessly overturned lockdown measures at breakneck speed, forcing workers back into workplaces and herding thousands of teachers and students into schools in the face of substantial opposition. Governments have admitted that this back-to-work drive will result in increased infections, but are intent on a full resumption of corporate profit-making.

Now, amid major global protests against police violence and fears in ruling circles of widespread discontent, these governments have rediscovered the dangers posed by the pandemic.

The Australian ruling elite is well aware that the underlying causes of the explosive protests in the US are mass hostility to social inequality, authoritarianism and the dominance over society of a tiny corporate and financial elite. This growing divide is present in Australia, no less than internationally, and governments are responding with police-state measures, like their counterparts globally.

The attack on the protests has been coordinated at the highest levels of the political establishment and the state.

Yesterday morning, Morrison held a discussion with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews about preventing the rallies in the countrys two most populous states.

Morrison previously expressed nervousness about the US protests, declaring on Tuesday they should not be imported.

His assertion that the situation in Australia is different to the US was immediately refuted by a brutal police assault against a 16-year-old Aboriginal boy in Sydney later that day. A protest in Sydney called at short notice was attended by over 1,000 people, following a large demonstration in Perth, Western Australia.

Morrison and the state premiers clearly fear that this weekends protests would attract mass support and could become the catalyst for a broader political movement. Echoing the prime minister, Andrews said it would be irresponsible to participate in the Melbourne protest and declared: Victoria Police will not hesitate to maintain order. Senior police officers said they would issue thousands of dollars in fines if more than 20 people took part, the number to which outside gatherings are currently restricted in that state.

Berejiklian then announced that NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller, acting under her governments direction, would seek an urgent Supreme Court injunction to ban the Sydney protest. While she cited concerns over public health, Police Minister David Elliot blurted out the real reason, describing the protest as not my kind of cause.

Significantly, Fullers application said the protest should be outlawed because it risked inciting violence and other forms of unlawfulness. It referenced the mass demonstrations in the US and warned of the current public mood.

The court, wary of too nakedly suppressing democratic rights, rejected these grounds. Instead it banned the protest on the public health pretext. The court cited the latest NSW health order, which supposedly limits outdoor gatherings to ten people. In reality, this is not enforced anywhere.

In addition, the NSW government has permitted Returned and Services League clubs to have up to 500 patrons on their premises at any time. Yesterday it announced that corporate boxes would be reopened at Rugby League grounds, with up to 50 spectators in each room.

The protest organisers, moreover, appeared to have taken substantial precautions, purchasing thousands of masks and hand sanitiser and appointing 50 marshals to monitor social distancing.

The Supreme Court invoked NSW laws stipulating that police be notified of a protest seven days before it is to take place. Organisers had fulfilled this anti-democratic requirement. In discussion with the police, they subsequently changed the notice last week, moving the rally to Sydney Town Hall. Police filled out the form, clearly implying consent.

Despite this, the court ruled that sufficient notice had not been provided. Police stated that they could arrest anyone in a group of more than ten people. Police commissioner Fuller said that if 500 people attended the protest, this would trigger police action, including move-on-orders, fines and arrests.

Only at the last-minute, after thousands of people had already gathered, did the Court of Appeal overturn the Supreme Court ruling.

The anti-democratic moves further demonstrate that the build up of police powers is directed against social and political opposition from the working class. It exposes the false character of claims, including by the protest organisers, that police repression is solely a racial issue involving the targeting of African-Americans in the US and Aboriginal people in Australia.

In fact, the police serve a class role, defending the capitalist system and unprecedented social inequality, and cracking down on dissent. Workers and youth of all backgrounds have been subjected to police violence and murder.

This demonstrates that the fight against police violence, including appalling and disproportionate deaths of Aboriginal people in police custody, is inseparable from a struggle against capitalism. The entire working class must be united in the fight for a workers government that would implement socialist policies. These would include abolishing the police and the military, placing the banks and corporations under public ownership and democratic workers control, and establishing a society based on social equality.
The prospect of the easing Covid-19 restrictions more quickly by regions has been raised by a leading expert.

Infectious disease specialist Professor Samuel McConkey was speaking on Morning Ireland on RTE Radio One on Monday and referenced a similar system in Italy where different rules have been implemented in different areas.

He cited places like Sligo, which hasn't seen any new cases of Covid-19 for two weeks, saying: "Going from somewhere like Donegal to Leitrim to Sligo to Mayo at this point is probably relatively safe, because they all have very similar profiles and very good control of this virus.

"But, going from Dublin to Rosses Point at this point it is not such a good idea as it may be potentially reintroducing the virus back into Sligo, and then it could spread and grow there. So that idea of looking at our country as different regions is one way we could gradually get out of this."

County Sligo has gone fifteen days without a recorded case of the coronaviruswith a total to date of just 129 cases.

McConkey also addressed concerns about large gatherings at beaches and other beauty spots, saying: "I'm much more worried about house parties. Being outdoors in the open air, even if you have 500 people at a beach, is relatively safe. The sun kills the virus and the wind blows it away. So the outdoors I feel less concerned about."

A government decision on if and how Ireland will enter phase 2 of the roadmap to recovery is expected on coming Friday. Phase 2 is due to begin on Monday, June 8 which will see the travel restriction increase from 2k to 20k.

Meanwhile, Sligo native Dr Michael Ryan, Executive Director of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Health Emergencies Programme told a WHO media briefing that the virus could become more prevalent again if complacency sets in.

Speaking in Geneva, Dr Ryan praised the efforts of countries all around the world, but stressed the need for continued effort, and not complacency, when it comes to suppressing the virus.

"Right now, we're not in a second wave, we're right in the middle of a first wave," Dr Ryan said. "And, if we look at the data, as was spoken about, from south America, Africa, Asia, and many other countries, we're still very much in a phase where the disease is actually on the way up. We congratulate countries like Spain, who've managed to contain and suppress the disease transmission. But, as we have seen in the studies, the actual number of people who have been infected in this country remains relatively low so when we speak about a second wave, classically, what we often mean is that there will be a first wave, the disease by itself effectively goes to a very low level and then occurs a number of months later.

"Where we're concerned about, and that may be a reality for many countries in a number of months time, but we need to be also cognisant of the fact that the disease can jump up at any time."

Dr Ryan says that continued effort is required to combat a potential second peak during this 'first' wave, and to ensure there is no second wave of the virus.

He continued: "We cannot make assumptions that just because the disease is on the way down now that it is going to keep going down and we are going to get a couple of months to get ready for a second wave."
On Saturday, Delhi recorded 1,320 new cases of Covid-19, taking the tally to 27,654, according to the Delhi health bulletin released by the Delhi government.

From over 7,000 tests being done towards the end of May when Delhi started reporting 1,000 cases a day, the number of tests has dipped to 5,100 over the last couple of days. The Delhi government on June 3 banned six laboratories from conducting Covd-19 tests in the city after theyw ere found flouting norms.

The number of cases has remained above 1,000 with the positivity rate going up to 25% over the past two days. This is after the government changed the testing criteria to exclude asymptomatic contacts who had no comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.

On Saturday, Delhi also saw 53 deaths due to Covid-19 taking the death toll to 761, according to the bulletin. The total number of deaths has now taken the case fatality rate to almost 2.7%.

Currently, there are 16,229 people living with the infection.

Of them, 4,225 are those with severe symptoms such as elevated respiratory rate and low oxygen saturation. They have been admitted to Covid-19 hospitals, according to the daily health bulletin.

This means that 26% of all those with the infection are having to be hospitalised.

And, 1% of those with the infection are requiring to be admitted to the intensive care unit, the data shows. There are 11,267 Covid-19 positive people in home isolation in the city. This is almost 67% of all those currently living with the infection.
One of Ireland's most notorious predators is due to be extradited back here next week after spending nearly a year fighting his return.

Philip Murphy (39), from Clondalkin, was arrested in London last July on a European Arrest Warrant on charges of false imprisonment and sexual assault.

He has been in custody since then, and fought his extradition all the way through the English court system until the High Court ordered on May 19 that he be sent back to Dublin.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the UK courts granted an extension to his removal, but he must be returned to Ireland by next Wednesday at the latest.

Grabbed

His extradition was first ordered, by Westminster Magistrates Court, last November, but he appealed against that decision to the High Court while remaining in a London prison.

Expand Close Philip Murphy in 2016 after his release from Arbour Hill Prison / Facebook

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"He clearly really does not want to come home," a source said last night.

The Herald can reveal that one of the offences Murphy is wanted for relates to an incident in the Jervis Lane area of the city centre on the night of February 25, 2016.

Murphy had been released only the day before from Arbour Hill Prison, where he was sentenced to 10 years for falsely imprisoning a Polish woman in Clondalkin on June 7, 2008.

In the Jervis Lane incident, it is alleged he grabbed a woman from behind and put his arms around her before running off.

The DPP directed charges in this case in March 2018, almost exactly two years after he was arrested and questioned about it.

However, Murphy had left Ireland by then, and it was 16 months before he was tracked down py police in London.

He fled to the UK in Septem- ber 2016, days after he was subjected to a vicious beating by a vigilante mob of up to eight men after he left a shop in the Parkgate Street area of the city.

Murphy had been staying in various locations in the capital and Co Wicklow after his release from Arbour Hill.

In relation to the 2008 attack on the Polish woman, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told Murphy was nominated as a suspect on the basis of his modus operandi.

Judge Frank O'Donnell said that during the trial it had been put to Murphy, who denied the charges, that he had been "scouring the countryside looking for a victim", but noted that he could only deal with the evidence before him.

Knife

He imposed a 10-year sentence for the false imprisonment offence and three years for producing a knife, to run concurrently.

The woman was waiting at a bus stop to go to work when Murphy pulled up in a car and threatened her with a knife before she managed to make her escape.

She pleaded with him and believed she was going to be raped or killed.

Murphy was the chief suspect in a similar incident in 2008.

He was questioned about the attempted abduction of another woman, and previously sliced a taxi driver's neck with a bottle and left him with life-threatening injuries.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6)  A total of 35,411 overseas Filipinos have come home to the Philippines since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Saturday.

"Of this number, 61.68 percent (21,845 overseas Filipinos) are sea-based and 34.2 percent (13,566 overseas Filipinos) are land-based, with the most recent repatriates arriving from Japan and France yesterday," the DFA said in a social media post.

DFA Assistant Secretary Ed Menez said the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) expects a total of 48,042 overseas Filipinos to arrive this June.

"Composed of 33,815 sea-based overseas Filipino workers and 14,227 land-based overseas Filipinos, to be repatriated in the coming weeks," Menez said in a message.

The DFA said strict quarantine and testing procedures are being implemented for all arriving overseas Filipinos.

"Medical authorities will need to make an initial assessment before a person can be tested. If a determination is made to require a test, you will be tested for COVID-19 and your samples will be analyzed in the certified testing laboratories near you," the DFA said Friday.

COVID-19 response chief implementer Carlito Galvez, Jr. said Monday the government is looking to accept up to 1,500 returning overseas Filipino workers a day, now that more quarantine facilities have been cleared with previous batches assisted back to their hometowns.

The government previously limited the number of passengers aboard repatriation flights to manage the volume of people in quarantine facilities.

The Department of Foreign Affairs assured that repatriation efforts continue, and requested overseas Filipinos who need government assistance to signify their interest to the nearest Embassies or Consulates General in their area.

The DFA reported Saturday eight more Filipinos abroad have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total to 5,369.

The DFA added that 13 more overseas Filipinos have recovered from the disease, bringing the total to 2,225, while two others have died, raising the death toll to 363.

Globally, more than 6.6 million people have caught COVID-19, while nearly 400,000 have died.
New Delhi: In the third phase of Operation 'Samudra Setu', Indian Navy warship INS Jalashv left for India on Friday with Indians stranded in Maldives. On 7 June, the ship with 700 Indians will arrive at Tuticorin Port in Tamil Nadu. INS Jalashv reached the capital Male on Thursday morning to bring Indian citizens from Maldives.

On Friday, the process of boarding the Indians was started when they arrived at the Port of Male. Check-in and screening of passengers arriving by Navy from India were completed at Velna Airport. They were then transported to the port by Navy buses. Some people also reached the port by their means. Volunteers of the India Mission in Maldives welcomed the passengers arriving in the airport area and completed the formalities before boarding the INS Jalashwa.

The passengers 'goods were sanitized before being loaded onto the ship and a seal was also put in their hands to identify the passengers' health. Arrangements were made to load their luggage separately before boarding the ship. Women and children preferred to board the ship.

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Inlaks, the leading African systems integrator and financial technology solutions provider, has hosted a webinar with some of its partners in the financial sector on strategies to implement in keeping businesses afloat during and post COVID-19.



The webinar saw experts from various sectors of the economy contribute to Sustainable Strategies for Staying Afloat Post COVID-19.



They include Olufunmilayo Okubena, Country Manager of Inlaks; Yacoba Amuah, the Territorial Head of Infrastructure Business Unit of Inlaks Ghana, Thairu Ndungu, Deputy Managing Director, Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG),Micheal Appiah, Chief Operating Officer (COO), ARB Apex Bank; Samuel Tamakloe, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), CalBank, Evans Amartey, General Manager, Operations and Technology, National Investment Bank (NIB).



In his opening remarks, Femi Adeoti, Managing Director of Inlaks, noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had changed all aspects of human lives and businesses significantly. Organisations must look to new ways to continue doing business.



The way we work, live, play and learn are changing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe that after this pandemic is over, the way we do business transactions would be changing, he said.



Femi Muraino, Executive Director, Inlaks, in his opening remarks, explained that the webinar was designed to bring together key finance and technology experts to address the fundamental issue of what happens after COVID-19.



With the adverse effect of the virus, we must find ways to ensure that the impact of the virus on our businesses is minimal. We also need to address the impact on cashflow of businesses and organisations. Companies must present detailed plans to keep the business afloat. There is also the need to imagine the new normal and discontinue the impact of the virus. What do we need to do differently in terms of that? The webinar provided ideas of how to move forward and strategise to keep businesses going, he said.



Mr. Thairu Ndunga Deputy Managing Director CBG touching on how to do business in the new normal stated that although business in finance have not been greatly affected by the pandemic like it has the services sector, it has thought the banking sector a lesson of what they need to do to stay afloat post coronavirus.



He noted that CBG has thought of rethinking capital and operational expenditure. Key among which is to accelerate digital banking investment, optimise work environment by utilising online meeting rather than face to face, work from home for those roles that can and workflow automation to eliminate documents.



Taking his turn, Mr Michael Appiah, COO ARB Apex Bank, noted that in times like these we need to intensify market research because the customer is key. So, he advised investment in market research to identify evolving customer needs and for companies to move at unprecedented speed to serve customers with quality service that meet those needs at affordable pricing.



He also suggested on prioritising the NOW, that is, to focus on supporting people i.e frontline staff to be able to provide the needed support to customers to maintain customer satisfaction through customer service centres and e-channels.



In Mr Appiahs view effective way to retain customers in a downturn is pricing innovation  making your offering more affordable to the customer and improving your own cash flow, while urging companies to adopt innovative ways to sell or market products by accelerating digital sales and services.



For his part, Mr Samuel Tamakloe, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), CalBank advocated scaling up digital agenda.



He said COVID-19 has brought about a fear factor which has introduced work from home, paperless solution, digital agenda, virtual projects and virtual meetings. Still, despite these, there is the need to focus on looking at reliable and trusted new products.



He noted that new products such as newer ways of transfers, newer ways of customer onboarding and newer ways of deposit mobilisations must be adopted.



Mr Tamakloe was, however, quick to add that companies must look at how to keep customers excited or else theres a human factor that will fight to resist the new changes post COVID.



The General Manager, Operations and Technology, National Investment Bank (NIB) Evans Amartey, advised companies to adopt digital channels post-COVID. With regard to that, he said companies should focus on customer experience, how the needs of customers have changed and determine how to meet those needs.



He added that seeking help from third parties with regards to technical skills saves time and money and urged businesses to invest in technology and involve the team  that is  frontline staff that deals directly with customers in whatever plans they intend to take to make them feel a sense of belonging which then translate into better customer service for clients.



Olufunmilayo Okubena, Country Manager of Inlaks, noted that businesses must face tough truths, manage expenditure, do better, not more, think out of the box, reduce perks and benefits. To him, leaders must lead with resilience, empathise and unify, create a community and constantly think of future scenarios.



Resilience is the difference between giving up and getting up. Resilience is a choice, a personal act of defiance that changes the narrative and assumes control of your inner dialogue. In a crisis, leaders typically manage the business from a spreadsheet and manage the culture by walking around. But this crisis is different. Walking around must now be virtual.



In anticipation of a recovery, give yourself & your team as many options as possible. Surround yourself with big, bold thinkers. Seek where you can pivot and develop a plan. Dont do this alone. Be intentional in surrounding yourself with the right people. In our connections, we gain perspective. Choosing counsel & support from calm and grounded people will serve as a healthy buffer during hard times, he said.



Yacoba Amuah, the Territorial Head of Infrastructure Business Unit of Inlaks Ghana Limited, also underscored the need for empathetic leaders post COVID-19. According to her, the move is the surest way to ensure not only business growth but also to help the world deal with the scary layoff numbers that awaits.



Post COVID-19, leaders need to be empathetic, in taking our decisions, we cannot take decision looking at numbers alone or looking at just one aspect of the business. Decisions would have to be made with the heart. Leaders would need to be transparent; there should be a lot of thinking on the feet and being innovative because if you just stick to your process amid a situation and you are not innovative, you will lose out on a great opportunity.



She advised businesses to take good care of their employees post COVID-19 as there will be opportunities that will attract the very few qualified persons. She stressed the fact that employers should be more deliberate with employee engagement and get closer to know the challenges of various employees and find a way to fix them.



Again, she admonished employers to trust employees to work from home and reduce the burden of officing every employee; but she was quick to add that, there should be the measure to hold employees accountable and track their efficiency.

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.

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British anti-racism protesters briefly clashed with mounted police on Saturday as thousands gathered in central London to voice their anger at police brutality after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

After a largely peaceful day, small numbers of protesters near Prime Minister Boris Johnsons residence threw bottles at police and mounted officers charged at demonstrators to push them back. More than a thousand people also marched past the U.S. Embassy in London, blocking traffic.

Image: (Frank Augstein / AP)

Thousands of people took the streets, holding signs saying Black Lives Matter and ignoring government advice to avoid large gatherings due to the risk from coronavirus.

Similar demonstrations were held in other cities across the world, from Paris to Sydney, and even Tokyo.

In Paris, police officially banned protests on Saturday, citing fears of the respiratory illness. It was to no avail as people turned out in force in the center of the French capital.

Security forces sealed off the city's U.S. Embassy and surrounding streets, where organizers had hoped to gather.

Image: Black Lives Matter protest Paris (Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP - Getty Images)

In a grey and rainy central London, thousands defied a plea from Britain's Home Secretary Priti Patel to stay at home and gathered in Parliament Square, a traditional venue for protests outside the country's legislature.

Many demonstrators "took the knee" in silence and then chanted Floyd's name before applauding his memory.

Coronavirus rules in England limit gatherings to groups of six, provided people observe the social distancing guidelines to remain around 6 feet apart, but many demonstrators ignored this advice, although a majority did appear to be wearing face masks.

#BlackLivesMatter protesters in London take 8 minutes of silence in honour of George Floyd #BLMLondon pic.twitter.com/FZKmCmMWBK  Linda Givetash (@Givetash) June 6, 2020

Thousands of mostly young people, many also dressed in black, joined a black lives matter protest in Berlin's Alexander Square.

Story continues

Some held up placards with slogans such as "Be the change," "I can't breathe," and "Germany is not innocent."

Many knelt silently for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with second degree murder in Floyd's death, kept his knee on Floyd's neck for that amount of time, according to the criminal complaint filed against him by the state of Minnesota.

Three more former police officers from the city, Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng, have been charged with aiding and abetting murder, according to separate criminal complaints filed against them.

Berlin silently kneels for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in memory of George Floyd #GeorgeFloydProtests pic.twitter.com/m9NEVZHHJ6  Carl Nasman (@CarlNasman) June 6, 2020

Solidarity protests also took place across Australia, as thousands of demonstrators in Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide honored the memory of George Floyd and protested the deaths of indigenous Australians.

Those at the Sydney rally  where many shared hand sanitizer and wore masks  got a late reprieve when an appeal against a court ruling declared the rally legal to go ahead. The New South Wales Court of Appeal gave the green light just 12 minutes before the protest was scheduled to start, meaning those taking part could not be arrested.

In Brisbane, organizers said about 30,000 people gathered, while a Maori group also did a traditional haka, or war dance. Indigenous Australians make up 2 percent of the country's adult population, but 27 percent of the prison population. They also have lower levels of employment and shorter life expectancies.

Elsewhere, protesters gathered in South Koreas capital Seoul for the second day.

Wearing black shirts and protective face masks, dozens of demonstrators marched through the commercial district in downtown Seoul, carrying signs reading: "Koreans for Black Lives Matter."

Image: Black Lives Matter protest Germany (Maja Hitij / Getty Images)

In Tokyo, dozens of people gathered in a peaceful protest, while nearby in Bangkok, activists held a virtual vigil online observing 8 minutes 46 seconds of silence.

However, in Hong Kong, organizers of a black lives matter demonstration planned for Sunday said they were forced to cancel the event. They say over fears of breaching coronavirus social distancing rules and concerns other groups might hijack the event to "push their own agenda."

"This is an enormous shame that people have lost sight of the reason why we were doing this event in the first place," wrote one of the event organizers, Max Percy, on a now deleted Facebook page.

"We are saddened by the state of Hong Kong," he added.

Despite the cancellation, Percy told NBC News he suspects many people will still show up, due to the large interest in the event to honor George Floyd.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
UCHealth has tested more than 12,400 people for coronavirus antibodies in the week since the health system started offering screening to anyon
"Shark Tank" investor Daymond John told CNBC on Friday that "the first step" for CEOs who want to address racial inequality in the U.S. is listening to their own employees.

"Internally, have those tough questions being asked. Find out how your colleague or your staff feels that are of color and have the other individuals who may not be of color ask also," John said on "Closing Bell." "They'll start to get more insight. It has to start within the company."

John, who is CEO of clothing brand FUBU and The Shark Group, said he has done the same with his employees.

"I'm a man of color and many of them are not. I knew there were questions," he said. "A lot of people that are not minorities just don't understand, but they feel like they want to do and they don't know where to start."

John's remarks Friday come as protests continue across the U.S. against racism and police brutality in the wake of the death of George Floyd, who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Corporate leaders have also responded to Floyd's death, issuing statements that expressed a desire to confront racial disparities in the country.

John said he believes for business leaders to change their own companies, they must understand the presence of systemic racism. For example, John said asking on a job application whether someone has a felony conviction will have a disproportionate impact on black Americans, who make up about 13% of the U.S. population but represent 38% of the current inmates at federal prisons, according to government data.

"Systemic racism is to arrest as many people of color as you can, then you immediately make it hard for people who are employers to hire them because they look at it as if the guy or girl was Scarface," John said, referencing Al Pacino's character, a notorious crime lord, in the 1983 movie.

"True entrepreneurs, what they do is, they find a problem in the market. They identify the problem, they listen, they do their homework and then they figure it out," he said. "And this is what you have to do. It starts with the systemic racism. Before you can get to help your company, you need to understand some things to make these adjustments."

Adjusting the applicant pool for a job to include people who may have been involved in the criminal justice system or perhaps come from outside of a few elite colleges are two possible ways to start diversifying a workforce, John said. And ultimately, he said, that is good for business.

"You're going to get more value, you're going to get more creativity from two different or four different parties looking at things in a different way. But you have to put the change within your hiring practice," he said. "You can't force it ... But you've got to at least say, 'I'm going to give them a shot and give them a try and I'm going to look at things such as felonies, records, education.'"

Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable rights to Shark Tank," on which Daymond John is a co-host.
By Associated Press

BEIJING: China is advising its citizens not to visit Australia, citing racial discrimination and violence against Asians, in what appears to be Beijing's latest attempt to punish the country for advocating an investigation into the coronavirus pandemic.

A notice issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism late Friday said there has "been an increase in words and deeds of racial discrimination and acts of violence against Chinese and Asians in Australia, due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic."

"The ministry advises Chinese tourists to raise their safety awareness and avoid travelling to Australia," the notice said.

As part of its perceived retaliation, China has already effectively ended imports of Australian barley by putting tariffs of more than 80% on the crop, accusing Australia of breaching World Trade Organization rules by subsidizing barley production and selling the crop in China at below production costs.

That came a week after China banned beef imports from Australia's four largest abattoirs over labeling issues.

Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham on Tuesday said the country did not want a trade war, but said China "has made errors of both fact and law" in applying WTO rules, adding that there was no evidence that Australia was engaged in dumping of products.

Australian has been among countries pushing for an international investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic and responses to it.

Beijing has denied its measures against Australian beef and barley were related to those calls.

The World Health Organization has bowed to calls from most of its member states to launch an independent probe into how it managed the international response to the virus, which was first found in China late last year.

The evaluation would stop short of looking into contentious issues such as the origins of the virus.

Chinese Ambassador Cheng Jingye's has told Australian media that the country might face a Chinese boycott of its tourism and exports of wine, beef and other goods if the government pressed for a coronavirus inquiry.

China is the No.1 market for Australian beef, accounting for about 30% of exports.

It's also the biggest foreign buyer of Australian barley.

Beijing has regularly used access to its huge market to punish governments from Norway to Canada in political disputes.

Chinese officials routinely refuse to confirm a trade disruption is related to a political clash but make it clear Beijing wants concessions.
The investigation is almost finished and there is no ambiguity, we know what happened, deputy foreign minister for international and legal affairs Mohsen Baharvand told state media on Saturday.

Analysing the planes black boxes, which Iran is yet to hand over, is the only remaining step in the investigation, Baharvand said, adding: We do not believe the black boxes contain any important information that will be useful to our investigation.

Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) shot down the Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 on January 8, killing all 176 onboard. Iran admitted to downing the plane after days of denying responsibility and insisting the plane crashed due to a technical failure.

Iran has to make sure the black boxes will not be exploited before handing them over to a third party, Baharvand said.

Iran may give the black boxes to companies capable of reading them under a contract, he said.

The semi-official ISNA news agency reported last week that Iran will likely send the planes black boxes to France.
(Natural News) Friday, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) called for a criminal investigation into Twitter over allegations that the tech giant was violating sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran.

(Article by Trent Baker republished from Breitbart.com)

Cruzs pronouncement comes as President Donald Trump is in a fight with Twitter. During an interview later in the day with Fox Business Networks Varney & Company, Cruz accused Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey of silencing genuine political speech by Americans while facilitating terroristic threats by Iran.

Over a month ago, I sent a letter to Twitter, along with several other senators asking them to explain why they continue to provide a platform for the Ayatollah Khomeini, Cruz outlined. The United States Congress has passed a law making it a criminal offense to facilitate the oppression of the Iranian regime, the leading state sponsor of terrorism in the world. Twitter sent back a letter that essentially said their company policy was to allow as much discussion as possible, and they apparently believe they are exempt from the criminal laws of this country. And so today, I asked the Department of Justice to open an investigation. Those sanction laws are designed to stop U.S. companies from facilitating Iranian terror. And Stu, the irony of this is that at the same time Twitter, that Jack Dorsey is publishing worldwide the anti-semitic threats of violence from the Ayatollah Khomeini, Jack Dorsey is also trying to censor the President of the United States. Hes trying to silence genuine political speech by Americans while facilitating terroristic threats by Iran.

Cruz also commented on Twitter censoring Trumps tweets, urging Big Tech to get the hell out of the censorship business in America.

Twitter has no business deciding which politicians they like and which ones they dont, he added. They should be a neutral public forum and let free speech and let the American people decide.

Read more at: Breitbart.com
Chandoo Mondeti has denied reports that Anupama Parameswaran is no longer a part of Karthikeya 2 in which Nikhil is the lead actor.

Anupama is the lead actress and she is very much there in our film, confirmed the director.

He added that he is planning to shoot the film in Cambodia, as originally planned.

Once international flights resume to Cambodia, my cinematographer and I are planning to go there to fix the shooting sites, he said.

The director explained that the story needs to be shot in Cambodia, Gujarat, Visakhapatnam and then Hyderabad.

We have already locked the shooting sites in Gujarat and now we are planning to do Cambodia. We will work with a limited crew whenever we get the permission for the shootings, said the director. If the Cambodian government requires it, he is even prepared to go into quarantine for a week.

We will go for all tests the government needs, he added.
It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Uber Technologies (UBER). Shares have added about 20.3% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Uber due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.

Uber Incurs Loss in Q1

Uber incurred a loss of 64 cents per share (excluding $1.06 from non-recurring items) in the first quarter of 2020, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 79 cents. The amount of loss also narrowed significantly year over year. Moreover, total revenues of $3,543 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,381.5 million. The top line also rose 14.3% year over year owing to a significant rise in Uber Eats revenues.



Following an organizational change in the third quarter of 2019, Uber started reporting through five segments, namely, Rides, Eats, Freight, Other Bets, and Advanced Technologies Group (ATG) and Other Technology Programs.



In the first quarter, majority (69.7%) of the companys revenues came from Rides, which inched up 2% to $2,470 million. Uber Eats revenues jumped 53% to $819 million and Freight revenues soared 57% to $199 million. Revenues from Other bets came in at $30 million, up 66%. Meanwhile, ATG and Other Technology Programs generated revenues of $25 million in the reported quarter.



Total revenues grew 13% to $2,142 million in the United States and Canada. Revenues rose 13% to $552 million in Europe, the Middle East and Africa as well. Total revenues surged 32% to $352 million in the Asia-Pacific region and increased 10% to $497 million in Latin America. Monthly active platform consumers also grew 11% to $103 million.



Gross bookings from Rides declined 5% to $10.87 billion. This first-ever decline in rides gross bookings was due to stay-at-home orders across the United States and lockdowns in several other nations. Meanwhile, gross bookings from Eats augmented 52% to $4.68 billion. Gross bookings from Freight also climbed 55% to $198 million. Total gross bookings rose 8% to $15.78 billion.



Additionally, cost of revenues (excluding depreciation and amortization) at Uber escalated on higher driver incentives. Total expenses increased 16.3% year over year to $4,806 million despite a 14.9% decline in sales and marketing expenses.



Uber exited the first quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $8.16 billion compared with $10.87 billion at the end of 2019. Long-term debt, net of current portion, at the end of the quarter was $5.7 billion compared with $5.71 billion at 2019-end.



Some Noteworthy Developments



The company recently terminated unprofitable Uber Eats services in the Czech Republic, Egypt, Honduras, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay and Ukraine. Additionally, in the United Arab Emirates, the company will hand over Uber Eats operations to its subsidiary, Careem. The eight ceased operations and the transferred market accounted for 1% of Eats gross bookings and 4% of Eats adjusted EBITDA losses in the first quarter.



Further, the company announced a workforce reduction plan that would affect approximately 3,700 full-time employees in the customer support and recruiting teams. The company attributed this decision to low trip volumes and the present hiring freeze.



Additionally, Uber entered into a deal with Lime, an electric scooter and bike rental company, to transfer its JUMP e-bike and e-scooter business to the latter. In this regard, Uber is leading a $170-million investment round in Lime.

Story continues

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

It turns out, fresh estimates flatlined during the past month. The consensus estimate has shifted -5.63% due to these changes.

VGM Scores

Currently, Uber has a nice Growth Score of B, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with a D. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of F on the value side, putting it in the bottom 20% quintile for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of D. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Uber has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.



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Secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council Shamkhani said the release of a US-based Iranian scientist and US Navy veteran in Iran was not the result of talks between Tehran and Washington, Tasnim reported.

According to his tweet, US President Donald Trump is trying to use the release of American national Michael White from Iranian custody as a political gimmick as he seeks to draw public attention away from his numerous failures.

The prisoner swap has not been the result of negotiations and no talks will be held in the future (between the US and Iran), said Shamkhani.

Earlier, US Special Envoy for Iran Brian Hook said during a phone briefing that the US expected Tehran to respond to proposals for a new deal on the Iranian nuclear program.

According to him, the new deal on the nuclear program will be in the interests of the Iranian people.

Trump said Thursday that the release of American Michael White from a jail in Iran showed that deals with Tehran are possible.
The hidden treasures of a sacred rock With no pilgrims flocking to Mihintale this Poson Poya, Yomal Senerath-Yapa takes us beyond the well-trodden path View(s): View(s):

The pilgrims progress in Mihintale follows a time-worn path; you walk up the grand stairway of smooth steps- 1840 of them- feeding the macaques and the giant squirrels- indolent, fussy connoisseurs of mango; you walk around the crowded Ambastala stupa; dutifully climb the rock where King Tissa met Sage Mahinda; stand with a shiver before the eerie Naga pond with its five hooded cobra. Throw in perhaps a visit to the Maha Stupa  and the Poson ritual is considered done.

The real Mihintale, meanwhile, remains hidden and unknown. To encounter it is to follow the rugged path of the ascetic monk, as he searches out the wild windswept lonely crags and isolated looming forest caves. For, while Mihintale was a rich and grand monastery for the better part of history, it is in the isolated spots that its true spirit remains- touched by monks in search of Nirvana.

Here in innumerable caves they dwelt  away from the hustle and bustle of the royal city, even in that dark period after the 12th Century when the monastery with all its sophistication  fell mysteriously and suddenly into decay.

If you happen to be at the sacred mountain on a quiet day, visit these little known sanctuaries a stroll away from the beaten track. For the searcher, the poet, the archaeologist and the historian, the old mountain still offers a rare portal of escape.

Mihindu Seya

Cetiya Pabbata was the old name for Mihintale- the mountain of stupas. It was peppered with them- and many of them still stand unnoticed. Amongst the oldest is Mihindu Seya. An endearingly small, uneven mound, it was identified by Dr. Senarat Paranavitana as the monument built over the remains of Arahat Mahinda, who died at the age of 80.

Prof. J. B. Disanayaka, who in fact was part of digs at Anuradhapura as a youth- says in his book Mihintale that the stupa was built by King Uttiya, successor of King Devanampiya Tissa.

When the archaeologists entered the relic chamber, a surprise awaited: despite signs of treasure hunters being there already, the royal offerings nestled intact in a polished black casket of earthenware: with two exquisite stupa-shaped reliquaries of thin gold foil- and within them fragments of bone and ashes. These date back roughly to the time of Mahindas death- late 3rd Century BC.

There were also Buddha statues of gilt bronze and gold foil- these from the much later Polonnaruwa era.

Eth Vehera

Clinging to the highest windswept peak in the area is a hardy tortoise-shell shaped stupa. Prof. Disanayaka says that Eth Vehera- meaning Elephant stupa- was part of a separate monastery- not to do with Mihintale itself- though the Mahavamsa remains silent about a monastery with that name.

The long climb of 600 steps is rewarded with a stunning panorama, especially at dusk- and on clear days the chequered spread below goes as far as Anuradhapura with the misty silhouettes of Ruwanweliseya and other monuments.

Rajagiri Kanda

This jungle-clad mountain harbours a series of caves. It lies within 400 metres from the Kaludiya Pokuna car park. Here, in the heyday of Mihintale, lived the most virtuous and wise of monks- among them Dharma-Gupta whose paean is immortalized in the Fifth Century travelogue of the Chinese monk Fa Hsien. There is deep serenity here amidst the bleached remnants of a monastery.

Giribandha Cetiya

Another small turtle-backed stupa, the Giribandha has the distinction of having retained a relic chamber whose murals stun with their pristine glory. It shows remnants of 28 figures- prodigious for frescoes from the Anuradhapura period- which are tantalizingly rare with sketchy samples.

Says Paranavitana of the frescoes: They depict divine beings among clouds which have cut off the lower parts of their bodies. The figures have been sketched in outline only, red and black being the pigments used, but are of highest artistic quality, indicating that the artist possessed skill in draughtsmanship, a subtle sense of form and an understanding of the principles of balanced composition.

Mihintale Museum

The archaeological museum is located between the grand staircase and the Mihintale junction. It houses a reconstruction of the relic chamber of Giribandha Cetiya- and bronze figurines of Hindu deities, ancient tools, ceramics and ola leaf manuscripts.

Thimbiri Pokuna

Linger a bit in the dark shade by this, the second largest pond in Mihintale. Herds of deer skitter around for drinks while birds are aplenty most of the time.

Wasammale

The legend of Pandukhabaya has no equal in the island- a demi-supernatural king who seems to have rallied close around his sceptre the native Yaksas and the new Aryan conquerors. Just two kilometres north of Mihintale town, in the jungle, is a rock called Wasammale, resplendent with luminescent Kandyan murals and two ponds- which never dry out. One of them, with a long underwater tunnel, is said to be where young Pandukhabaya hid when his royal uncles murdered every boy his age in the village. Dwaramandala, the cowherd village that adopted him- reminiscent of Krisna legends- is said to be nearby.

Remember with gratitude this great day: Ven. Dhammaratana Thera Mihintale is the cradle of Sinhala Buddhist civilization, for this is where Arahat Mahinda, son of great Indian emperor Asoka, arrived in the 3rd Century BC with the message of Buddhism. The mountain then became a monastery- a very well organized, sophisticated one by around the Eighth Century. The site today stands as testimony to former monastic grandeur and great spiritual heights. Talking of this Poson Poya, the full moon of June, Chief Incumbent of Mihintale Raja Maha Vihara, Ven Dr. Walawahengunuwewa Dhammaratana Thera reflected that while this year which marks the 2328th anniversary of the advent of Sage Mahinda, we cannot celebrate as before, we can display the Buddhist flag at home and temple- and remember, with gratitude- the Thera Mahinda. We as a people have always valued gratitude- and we are all indebted for the gift Arahat Mahinda brought us. When he died at 80, the then monarch, King Uttiya, called that day Sri Mihindu Pura Atavaka- so the first quarter moon of October still bears his name. What he instilled in us still remains in our blood and bones. Coincidentally, this year, the poya fell on World Environment Day. Buddhism is a religion deeply connected to nature. But more importantly, Mahinda, like the Buddha, was a great nature lover and Mihintale is thought to be the first wildlife sanctuary in the world. Mihintale would have the aloka pooja- and sil programme- but there would be no gatherings of people this year, the Ven. Dhammaratana added.
San Francisco firefighters on Friday are responding a grass fire in the city's Potrero Hill neighborhood and some residents are being asked to evacuate their homes.

Fire officials first reported the fire via Twitter just before 1 p.m. near Connecticut and Wisconsin streets.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It was an eventful week of protests which turned chaotic throughout the city and country, and while demonstrations on Staten Island stayed peaceful, the fear of violence loomed over crime news on the borough.

Here is a look at the most important headlines in criminal justice over the past seven days:

TOP COP SQUASHES SOCIAL MEDIA RUMORS OF BREWING VIOLENCE

Assistant Chief Kenneth Corey, the NYPD borough commander, bows his head as a speaker talks during a rally Thursday. (Staten Island Advance/Rebeka Humbrecht)

In an open letter to the people of Staten Island, the NYPD borough commander sought to ease fears stemming from social media rumors regarding the potential for violent protests here.

In the past few days we have seen a lot of rumors circulating on social media, reporting on riots that are planned for various neighborhoods and that certain homes will be targeted for violence, Assistant Chief Kenneth Corey wrote in the letter, posted on the NYPD Staten Island Twitter account. At this time, all of those rumors are COMPLETELY FALSE. We have no indication that any such things are planned.

Click here for the story.

ALLEGED MOB-BOSS KILLER DEEMED UNFIT

Anthony Comello, 24, appears in court in Staten Island on Wednesday, April 24, 2019. (Staten Island Advance/Shira Stoll)

Alleged mob-boss killer Anthony Comello has been deemed mentally unfit for trial.

Prosecutors and the defense confirmed the recent findings during a remote conference on Wednesday in state Supreme Court, St. George.

In general, a determination of mental incompetence means the defendant cant aid in his defense and doesnt understand the charges against him.

Click here for more details.

2 SOUGHT FOR QUESTIONING IN CARJACKING

WANTED FOR ROBBERY



THE 121 DETECTIVE SQUAD IS ATTEMPTING TO IDENTIFY AND LOCATE THE INDIVIDUALS BELOW WHO ON 6/4/20 ARE WANTED FOR A ROBBERY AT 700 SOUTH AVE.



Any info contact 718-697-8712. You can remain anonymous by #800577TIPS pic.twitter.com/d81jIrLtzz  NYPD 121st Precinct (@NYPD121Pct) June 5, 2020

Police are seeking help from the public via social media to identify two persons sought for questioning in connection with a robbery where a livery cab drivers car was stolen in Mariners Harbor.

The robbery occurred at about 12:38 a.m. Thursday in front of 700 South Ave. near the Staten Island Expressway, according to information previously supplied by police.

Click here for more details.

TENN. MAN ACCUSED IN GAS STATION BURGLARY

A 57-year-old man has been arrested for a burglary at a gas station in Meiers Corners, according to police.

Robert Patti, of North Irish Street in Greeneville, Tenn., was apprehended on May 23 and faces charges that include burglary, according to an NYPD spokeswoman.

The suspect allegedly broke through a secured window to gain entry to the business. Once inside, he allegedly removed a cash register and fled on foot. The stolen property had an estimated value of $600, according to a previous statement from police.

Click here for the full story.

ALLEGED HOME-INVASION KILLER TO STAY BEHIND BARS

Phillip Moreno is shown in this Facebook photo.

The Eltingville ex-convict accused of slaying a couple three weeks ago in a Mariners Harbor home invasion will remain held without bail.

Judge David Frey ordered that Phillip Moreno be kept behind bars at a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Criminal Court. The proceeding was conducted remotely.

Moreno is accused of gunning down Alafia Rodriguez, 46, and his girlfriend Ana DeSousa, 33, inside the couples home at 376 Grandview Ave., said a criminal complaint.

Click here for more details.

COPS: CHASE LEADS TO ARREST OF MAN WITH GUN, DRUGS IN BACKYARD

A 39-year-old man toting fentanyl used a gun and a bat to threaten another man in Silver Lake and then led police on a chase ending in the suspects arrest in Livingston, police allege.

Charles Williams, of Park Hill Avenue in Clifton, is accused in the incident that began last Wednesday at about 3:10 p.m. on Victory Boulevard near Eddy Street in Silver Lake, according to a spokeswoman for the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

Click here for the story.

2 MEN CHARGED WITH SHOOTING OF BOY, 14

NYPD officers responded to a shooting at the West Brighton Houses on Friday, May 22, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Paul Liotta)

Two men face attempted murder charges in the shooting of a 14-year-old boy at the West Brighton Houses in May.

Christopher Thompson and Quansah Nimley, both age 35 and living on the 500 block of Delafield Avenue, are accused in the incident on May 22 at about 5:50 p.m. inside 780 Henderson Ave., according to police and the criminal complaint.

The teen suffered a gunshot wound in his shoulder that required admission in stable condition to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton.

Click here for the full story.
ANN ARBOR, MI -- Hundreds of bike bells chimed as activists and community members spoke before cyclists embarked on a six mile silent bike ride around Ann Arbor on Friday evening.

The bike ride, organized by Survivors Speak and the Bicycle Alliance of Washtenaw, was held in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and victims of police brutality.

The bike ride June 5 followed hundreds of protests that have been held nationwide in response to police brutality.

Activist ShaTeina Grady El, who was punched in the head three times before being arrested by a Washtenaw County Sheriffs deputy, joined more than 700 cyclists for the demonstration.

Ann Arbor is justice for all and equality for all, said Troviouss Starr, one of two attorneys on Grady Els case.

The silence throughout the bike ride was intended to memorialize victims of police brutality, including George Floyd, who was killed while being detained by police in Minnesota nearly two weeks ago. The event raised more than $4,000 for Survivors Speak and the NAACP.

READ MORE:

White people: do something, Ann Arbor protest organizer says during march through neighborhoods

Ann Arbor protesters decry violent police incidents in Ypsilanti Township, Minnesota

Video of Washtenaw County deputy punching woman sparks outrage in Ypsilanti Township
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- At the corner of Vermont Avenue and H Street, District of Columbia National Guard soldiers silently stood behind riot shields, blocking protesters' access to Lafayette Square.

The tightly packed crowd was still angry about police driving demonstrators out of the square near the White House on Monday, using flash bang grenades and pepper projectiles.

Read Next: Lightning Strike Injures 2 National Guard Members in DC

"It is our duty to fight for our freedom!" demonstrators chanted. "We have nothing to lose but our chains!"

The D.C. Guard members wore body armor and helmets, with riot face shields, but carried no weapons. They had U.S. Army rank patches, but no name tapes.

Some 1,600 members of the D.C. National Guard and thousands of Guard members from other states spent long nights in the District this week, some of them posted near their own neighborhoods as protests over the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis flooded the streets. Early in the week, protesters broke the windows of businesses and tagged historic monuments with graffiti in angry demonstrations.

But as days passed, the protests assumed a more peaceful rhythm. On Wednesday, video even circulated of demonstrators swaying together and holding up cellphones as they listened to a fellow protester sing "Lean on Me."

Demonstrators pass National Guard soldiers at a roadblock in Washington, D.C. on June 3, 2020. (Matthew Cox, Military.com)

Military.com spent Wednesday night in the city, speaking with troops about the uncommon mission -- one a senior defense official earlier that day described as the least desired of all in the Guard portfolio.

"We can help enforce the laws, and we do that. We enforce the laws of cities and states underneath the accountable, elected civilian officials where we live, because we work for them," the official told reporters at the Pentagon. "That's how and why we do it, but it's not a good, fun mission. Nobody likes breaking up a fight."

If fighting was minimal Wednesday, the tension was nonetheless palpable between demonstrators and the uniformed troops who stood in rows not far from the White House.

A young black woman held a megaphone inches from Guard members' faces.

"You have no badge numbers; you have no names," she demanded. "Who am I supposed to report if something happens to me? If something happens to me, who am I supposed to report?"

Many protesters simply stood in the 90-degree heat, holding signs painted with "Black Lives Matter" and "Enough is Enough."

But others pushed right up to the unarmed Guard members, taunting them as if to provoke armed police standing behind them.

"Why are you in riot gear?!" one protester shouted. "There is no riot here!"

In other parts of the city, the tone was more tranquil.

A 38-year-old tech sergeant from the D.C. Air Guard, described the scene at the Lincoln Memorial the night before, where demonstrations were largely calm.

A few Guard members and police stood on the steps as people walked by with signs, while others rested on the steps, he said.

"It was nonviolent; it was peaceful," said the aircraft maintainer from the 113th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, who agreed to be interviewed as long as his name was not used. "They got their point across without doing anything to hurt anybody, in a tasteful manner."

Before joining the Guard a little over two years ago, he served on active duty in the Air Force from 2001 to 2016, deploying to Iraq in 2005 and to Afghanistan in 2015.

He said he has never experienced anything like the demonstrations touched off by the death of Floyd, an unarmed black man who died recently in the custody of Minneapolis police. He also expressed his sympathy with the protesters' cause, and the challenge of having to don the uniform and stand opposite them.

"It's a little conflicting, because I kind of agree with why they are protesting. But at the same time, I have a job to do and I have been called to protect the D.C. area," he said.

He said he feels a connection to the protesters "because I am African American, I am black, and these things happen to us all the time."

"People may think that they are not happening, but they do," he said.

He said there doesn't seem to be an acceptable way to protest police brutality and racial injustice, whether it's athletes taking a knee at sporting events or protesters demonstrating near the White House.

"You take a knee, you do other things and that's bad -- you're are disgracing, you are doing bad stuff. And then you try to protest, and that's bad," he said."Everything is bad, so I mean -- at what point is enough is enough?"

So far, approximately 41,500 Guard troops have been activated in 32 states and D.C. to support the civil unrest response, Guard officials said Friday.

At the request of President Donald Trump, about 4,000 Guard members from Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah have deployed to the District to support the D.C. Guard's 1,200 members activated in the city.

Earlier in the week, about 1,600 active-duty soldiers from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Fort Drum, New York, deployed to the region to be available if needed. But the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, has returned to Bragg, and soldiers from the 91st Military Police Battalion have been given a verbal order to return to Drum, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters Friday.

"Really, the decision to bring the active-duty forces on Monday was largely due to the fact that we did not have enough people here," he said. "Sunday was an incredibly challenging night for us. The Lincoln monument was defaced, we had five soldiers hit in the head with a brick ... and inside Lafayette Square, we definitely lost control to the point where they were right up on the north [White House] fence."

McCarthy said he was pleased that there had been four peaceful days in a row as of June 5. He was confident, he said, that the Guard has the forces it needs to support police in the city.

"We are in a very good posture because we have been able to generate enough personnel from the National Guard standpoint to support the operations at present," he said.

While some are military police, many other Guard members assisting police and law enforcement have job specialties ranging from munitions systems specialists to supply sergeants.

A female sergeant from Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, talked to Military.com during a break from roadblock duty near the White House.

Since arriving Saturday, the 31-year-old supply specialist with the D.C. Guard had done everything from delivering food and water to Guard members to establishing vehicle roadblocks at key locations in the city.

During her nine years with the Guard, which began in Tennessee, she deployed to Afghanistan twice, in 2015 and 2018.

Most of the interactions she has had with demonstrators in D.C. have been nonhostile, she said.

"I have had a little of everything ... from people appreciating that we are here, just standing around making sure that everyone is OK, to people that are not very happy that we are here, basically yelling at us and telling us we don't belong here -- that this is their city, not ours," she said.

It's a difficult mission, she said, because protesters and people in general are "confused on what our purpose is here.

"I think people don't understand," she said. "We had a guy today accusing us of having weapons and coming out here gun-toting, and I'm like, 'Sir we are not armed.'"

Crowds protest in Washington, D.C. as soldiers from the D.C. National Guard block demonstrators from Lafayette Square near the White House, June 3, 2020. (Matthew Cox, Military.com)

Many Guard members deployed in cities around the country carry personal weapons, but the D.C. guard made the decision for troops to remain unarmed to avoid being perceived as a hostile force, D.C. Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Brooks said in a statement to Military.com.

"We do not want to be confused with an offense force in our community," Brooks said. "Whether it's a service member holding a shield or a civilian protesting, we are neighbors, friends and family members, and we only want to protect the safety of our citizens as they peacefully exercise their right to protest."

The supply sergeant said she has seen many acts of kindness in D.C. since Saturday.

"We had a family over here today -- it was a little boy and his mom and a couple of friends -- and they stood there for four hours handing out bottles of water to us, police officers, whoever they came in contact with," she said.

At one point, a white man, who appeared to be in his early 40s, jeered at her and three other soldiers while crossing the street about 20 feet away.

"Hey how's it going?" he shouts. "You like this?! You like hurting people?! Huh?! F---ers!"

Guard members ignored the comments, and the man continued walking.

"I haven't had anything that has been too close for comfort," the supply sergeant said. "Most of it has been, they just get close enough where they can yell at you and make sure that they are making a scene."

D.C. is known for being a vibrant city, filled with museums and historic sites that attract tourists from around the world.

But the recent violence during protests, on top of the novel coronavirus pandemic, has transformed the streets around the Capitol and the White House into an eerily quiet space that echoes with the angry chants of demonstrators in the evening hours.

Each morning, crews work to cover more glass storefronts with plywood to protect them if demonstrations turn violent. Fresh graffiti such as "Black Lives Matter" and "We are Unarmed" adorns road barriers and some historic buildings.

During one protest Wednesday evening, a black man screamed so loudly at his fellow protesters that his voice became hoarse.

"This ain't about George Floyd!" he screamed. "This is for all our ancestors. ... Don't let this movement die!"

Close to 10 p.m. Wednesday evening, a 25-year-old first lieutenant with the D.C. Guard told Military.com that he couldn't believe how much the city had changed since he visited it with his parents after graduating high school in Michigan.

"They took me out here and took a picture in front of the White House," he said. "I mean, standing in front of it now with lines of protesters and barricades up and everything, it's just such a different perspective for me."

Before becoming the education services officer for the D.C. Guard's 260th Regimental Training Institute, he taught middle school in D.C. for two years through Teach for America, a nonprofit organization designed to confront education inequity in America.

Since Saturday, he has commanded soldiers standing in shield walls, bearing the brunt of protesters' anger.

"It's a lot; there is a lot of emotion out there," he said, the strain of the past few days audible in his voice. "A lot of people out there -- you can feel the frustration. It's quite a sight to take in."

Protesters have often vented their anger at him and his soldiers, who are there to keep the situation safe for everyone, he said.

"I think the most challenging aspect of this detail is understanding the scope of the frustration and making sure that we are keeping everyone safe and that they understand that we are there for their safety," he said. "There is definitely a lot of emotion on our side, as well; it's not an easy undertaking for us."

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.

Related: Top Pentagon Leaders Summoned to Testify on Military's Response to Protests
By AFP

SYDNEY: An Australian court on Friday banned a Black Lives Matter protest planned in Sydney, backing government claims it could risk spreading the coronavirus.

Up to 10,000 people were expected to march in Sydney on Saturday to express solidarity with US protestors and demand an end to frequent Aboriginal deaths in custody in Australia.

On the eve of the protest, the police -- backed by prominent local conservative politicians -- launched legal action to ban the rally on health grounds.

Justice Desmond Fagan agreed, ruling that the march should be prohibited because health concerns outweighed any deferment of the right to protest.

"Everybody has given up a lot in order to defeat this disease," Fagan said, "it's not a time to throw out our caution."

Australia has detected a sustained drop in the number of COVID-19 cases, but social distancing rules remain in force and mass gatherings are not permitted.

Civil rights protests shaking the United States have resonated with many in Australia -- a country that also wrestles with the legacy of a racist past.

Several protests have already taken place across Australia and the planned march in Sydney is one among several due to take place on Saturday.

ALSO READ | Trump's response to Floyd protests has language associated with racial segregationists: UN experts

Organisers hoped to highlight the high levels of imprisonment for First Nations Australians and the large number of indigenous deaths in custody -- more than 400 in the last three decades.

The legal action was a U-turn for the police -- who initially appeared to have granted the Sydney event the green light -- and follows heavy criticism of the protest in the country's strongly conservative media.

Organisers indicated they were determined to go ahead, using a groundswell of public opinion to press for long-stalled reforms.

"Tomorrow, we are going to march if they like it or not, because this is our land and nothing is going to stop any of us," said Latona Dungay, whose son David died in prison in 2015.

Green party parliamentarian David Shoebridge attacked the move as heavyhanded, calling for police to take a more nuanced approach.

"This is not what's needed. This needs cooperation and understanding, not force," Shoebridge said.

Protesters in Melbourne were similarly warned they could face fines for attending a rally in the city, with authorities urging people to stay home.

Earlier on Friday, hundreds of protesters gathered in the nation's capital Canberra even as Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged people to stay home.

"Let's find a better way and another way to express these sentiments rather than putting your own health at risk," Morrison said.

He admitted there was more to be done to address indigenous inequality but continued to reject parallels with the United States.

"Australia is not other places, so let's deal with this as Australians and not appropriate what's happening in other countries to our country at this time."
Leaving Iran deal a 'dumb bet'; up to you when to fix it: Zarif to Trump

Iran Press TV

Friday, 05 June 2020 2:55 PM

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says it is up to US President Donald Trump to decide when to redress his mistake of leaving the 2015 nuclear deal signed between the Islamic Republic and major world powers.

In a post on his official Twitter account on Friday, Zarif directly addressed Trump, with a screenshot of his Tweet on the release of Michael White, a US citizen who had been sentenced to prison in Iran since 2018 for "security crimes" and in a lawsuit brought by "private plaintiffs."

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said in a statement on Thursday night that White was released after satisfying the plaintiffs in respect to the cause of action while being granted "Islamic mercy for his other crimes."

Mousavi also confirmed media reports that the United States has released Dr. Majid Taheri, an Iranian physician, after spending over a year in jail on false charges.

In his tweet, Trump said it is "very exciting" that Michael arrived home, adding, "Thank you to Iran. Don't wait until after US election to make the big deal. I'm going to win. You'll make a better deal now!"

The Iranian foreign minister responded to the US president's remarks and said Tehran and Washington have "achieved humanitarian swap despite your subordinates' efforts."

"And we had a deal when you entered office (in January 2017)," Zarif said referring to the nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, including the United States.

"Iran & other JCPOA participants never left the table. Your advisorsmost fired by nowmade a dumb bet," the top Iranian diplomat pointed out.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have been extremely tense since President Trump decided in 2018 to unilaterally withdraw his country from the international nuclear agreement and reinstated the sanctions that the agreement had lifted, in defiance of the fact that the accord has been endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231.

Under Washington's pressure, the three European signatories to the JCPOA -- France, Britain and Germany -- have so far failed to fulfill their contractual obligation to protect Tehran's business interests against the sanctions.

In response, Iran began last May to gradually reduce its commitments as part of its legal rights under the JCPOA to both retaliate for Washington's departure and prompt the European trio to respect their obligations towards Tehran.

The country has so far taken five steps away from the deal under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), but says its countermeasures are reversible if the other parties begin to fulfill their side of the agreement.

Iran confirms Zarif's talks with ex-US envoy to UN over White's release

The spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry also confirmed on Friday that Zarif had a meeting with Bill Richardson, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, over the American prisoner's release.

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Mousavi said Zarif and Richardson had discussed White's release "months ago."

"We have always responded positively to and welcomed humanitarian efforts that will lead to the release of Iranian hostages in the United States and elsewhere," Mousavi said.

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The Migration Commission must listen to the workers voices and their concerns.

The Prime Minister announced in a Mann ki Baat broadcast recently that he was considering setting up a Migration Commission for the employment of migrant labourers. It would work towards mapping the skills of these labourers. He also spoke of providing self-employment and setting up small-scale industries in villages. The Uttar Pradesh government too had announced a migration commission to provide jobs and social security to the workers returning to that state.

These are laudable aims and would help in reducing distress migration to a great extent since opportunities would open up at the local level. What is imperative, however, is that the authorities must listen to their voices in framing guidelines meant to protect them from exploitation. The concept of the Migration Commission must be debated, discussed and nuanced widely to ensure that the migrant workers concerns, issues and experiences are reflected predominantly. This would mean that their voices are institutionalised and the government is, thus, held accountable in fulfilment of the aims and objectives of the commission.
June 5, 2020

News

By David Vergun , DOD News

Defense.gov

Experts Predict Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Warfare

Artificial intelligence will increasingly  and dramatically  improve systems across the Defense Department, the director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center said.

Army Lt. Gen. John N.T. "Jack" Shanahan spoke remotely from the Pentagon yesterday with Dave Deptula, dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.

"It is my conviction and deep passion that AI will transform the character of warfare in the Department of Defense in the course of the next 20 years," Shanahan said. "There is no part of the department that will not be impacted by this, from the back office to the battlefield, from under sea to cyberspace and outer space, and all points in between."

Artificial intelligence, often called AI, has been happening in commercial industry, but that effort only started in earnest in the department about 10 years ago, he noted, but "we've been stuck in first gear in terms of fielding."

DOD has long struggled with how to take the world's best research and development and field it at speed and at scale, he added.

Since the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center began operations about two years ago, all of the foundational elements have been put into place, Shanahan said, noting that the center now has 185 employees with a $1.3 billion annual budget.

Shanahan elaborated on what artificial intelligence foundational elements mean  including AI strategy, policy, ethics, coalition partnerships, rules of engagement, user testing and evaluation.

All those elements were brought into the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, where integrated product teams for projects do all of that work simultaneously, as opposed to sequentially, he said. "In the department, those tend to happen in very different places, and sometimes they don't happen at all."

The center's initiatives are focused on lower-consequence, lower-risk missions such as preventive maintenance, humanitarian assistance, defensive cyber and business process transformation, he said.

But perhaps the most important current focus is on joint warfighting operations, he said.

Over the next one to two years, the goal will be delivery of these AI-enabled systems to the warfighter, he said. "We have to show we're making a difference," he added.

Shanahan said moving the department from being an industrial age, hardware-driven force to being an information-age, software-driven, more risk-tolerant one won't be easy. Nor will it be easy to choose where to take those risks and how to take those risks, he said.

"We're dealing with 60 years of legacy systems, legacy workflows, legacy talent management. You can't just bolt those cutting-edge technologies onto ... legacy equipment and expect to transform the Department of Defense," he said, adding that, culturally, AI has to be in the fabric of the department and what DOD does every single day.

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The state on Saturday reported 2,739 new Covid-19 cases and 120 more deaths, taking the tally and toll to 82,968 and 2,969 respectively, as the government moved towards easing curbs in a graded manner, which includes BEST resuming bus operations, albeit with restrictions, in the city from Monday  around three months after it was shut owing to the pandemic. The state expects the coronavirus curve to start flattening within the next 10 days.

Meanwhile, state health minister Rajesh Tope announced that the government will procure 10,000 vials of Remdesivir injections for critical patients.

Mumbai, the worst-affected Indian city, saw 1,274 more cases, taking its count to 47,354, while the toll rose to 1,577 with 58 more deaths. The states recovery rate improved to 45.06% as 37,390 infected people have been discharged so far. A total of 2,234 patients recovered in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate slightly increased to 3.57% as the past five days have seen an average of more than 100 deaths reported per day. The state health department has, however, clarified that only 30 deaths happened in the past two days, while the remaining 90 casualties are from the May 3 to June 3.

The state government has started rolling out its Mission Begin Again from Wednesday by extending more relaxations in a phase-wise manner. After allowing travelling within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and opening of shops on odd-even basis early this week, private offices will start operating at 10% of their total staff strength from Monday. The state government expects an initial surge in cases in the wake of these relaxations, but it is also hopeful about a downward trend in the next ten days.

Dr Sanjay Oak, who heads a task-force of 11 doctors constituted by the government for the clinical management of critically ill patients, said a flattening of the curve is expected by June 17. I look at Wuhan where the flattening of the curve was witnessed on the 72nd or 76th day of the lockdown, and by that parameter, we expect it in the next ten days. We also expect herd immunity to develop among people in the next few days. There will be a rise in cases over the next ten days in Mumbai owing to the resumption of activities. There is no doubt that there would be a surge, but there is no need to worry as the infrastructure is ready to cope with the surge, he said.

State health officials say that Mumbai is expected to take ten days more than Wuhan due to the high density of population and hence they expect the downward trend by June 15.

According to the officials from the state government, authorities have been directed to tighten curbs in containment zones and at the same time improve health infrastructure at the local level. There will be a rise in Covid-19 cases over the next few days after the beginning of relaxations in the lockdown. Like the surge witnessed in districts such as Osamanabad, Beed, Parbhani, there will be a rise in cases in the red zones over the next week. The authorities have been asked to brace for complete tracing in 24 hours after a patient is reported. Most of the cases reported in the rural parts and semi-urban areas are patients who are travelling from big cities such as Mumbai and Pune. The authorities have been directed to monitor the influx minutely to contain the spread from these travellers, an official, who did not want to be quoted, said.

Dr Oak said that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been requested to begin medical camps in densely populated areas from Sunday to trace vulnerable people at the early stage. He said this would help them in keeping the number of Covid-19 cases in check.

Tope announced on Saturday that the state government will procure 10,000 vials of Remdesivir injection. The injection proved effective against SARS infection and is expected to be beneficial for coronavirus too as suggested by the World Health Organisation (WHO). We have decided to purchase 10,000 vials of the injection from the Corporate Social Responsibility fund of corporate houses, he said.

GoM to procure 10k vials of Remdesivir. Based on evidence from Laboratory, animal and clinical studies, It has generated promising results in MERS-CoV and SARS, which are also caused by coronavirus, Tope tweeted.

The injection, which is expensive, is being used by some Covid-19 patients who can afford it. Tope said that the state government will finalise standard operation procedure for the use of injections for general patients.

Of the 120 deaths reported on Saturday, 90 were from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including 58 in Mumbai, 10 in Thane and six each in Ulhasnagar and Navi Mumbai. Ten were in Pune and five each in Satara, Nashik and Mira-Bhayander. 53 of the people who died were above 60 years of age and 69 of them had comorbidities .

The state now has 85 testing laboratories functional, including 38 private labs. 14,178 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, with a positivity rate of 19.31%. State has 3,603 containment zones, which have greater curbs of lockdown in place, while 18,422 surveillance teams ensure tracing of contacts. Currently, 5,46,566 people are under home quarantine.

Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar warned private hospitals with strict action against negligence in treating infected patients. He has directed authorities to take strict action against the hospital administration for unethical practices and appoint senior officials for the coordination.

Tope also hinted that the fall in coronavirus tests is expected after the committee of the state medical officers appointed for the fixation of the rate submits its report. He said that since the kits required for the tests are now available in the domestic market, the charges of the test need to be looked into again.

The state health department issued a notification on Saturday, allowing home quarantine for Covid-19 patients with no or very mild symptoms. The norm ,which was applicable in Mumbai, has now been allowed across the state. Patients with adequate facilities for home isolation will be allowed to home quarantine for 17 days from the sample taken for the test. Dedicated caretaker for such a patient has been made mandatory. The notification has also issued guidelines for such home isolation.

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Protests in Connecticut were peaceful Friday as residents continued to rally against police brutality and racism.

There have been protests across the state since last week following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis after an officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes on May 25.

Communities in Connecticut and across the globe have reacted to footage of Floyds arrest, showing Floyd not resisting, with Officer Derek Chauvins knee on Floyds neck. Since the protests started, Chauvin was arrested and initially charged with third-degree murder.

By Friday, Chauvins charges were upgraded to second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

The three other officers involved in the arrest  Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Keung, who helped restrain Floyd, and Tou Thao, who stood nearby  have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

In Connecticut, from some of the states biggest cities to some of the smallest towns, residents have taken to the streets to protest, march and rally against police brutality. Police agencies across the state have showed their support of protesters by taking a knee with them, holding up signs against police brutality, talking with those gathered and more.

While cities around America have experienced acts of violence, property damage and theft in the wake of Mr. Floyds death, I am encouraged, and we all should be encouraged, by the widespread peacefulness of demonstrations and thoughtful acts of civil disobedience that we have experienced here in Connecticut, said a statement from U.S. Attorney for Connecticut John Durham on Friday. I am heartened by images of police officers and state troopers across Connecticut engaging with those who are peacefully protesting, escorting them along demonstration routes and ensuring that the protesters are not only heard, but listened to, and understood.

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.

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.

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.

In Trumbull, the towns former First Selectman Timothy Herbst sent a memo to First Selectman Vicki Tesoro to demand she halt the towns George Floyd protest vigil planned for Saturday unless Trumbull High School allows an in-person graduation ceremony. The ceremony, like many others, could not be held in person because of concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Trumbull vigil is planned to go on as scheduled, with face coverings and social distancing; an in-person graduation will not take place.

Staff writers Donald Eng, Luther Turmelle, Ken Borsuk, DJ Simmons and Tara ONeill contributed reporting to this story.
UP assembly polls will be about '80 per cent vs 20 per cent'; BJP will win: Yogi Adityanath

UP: Elections not won on exit polls basis, results will be surprising: Kamal Nath

UP govt teacher earns Rs 1 crore from 25 schools, arrested

India

pti-PTI

Etah/Kasganj, June 06: The Uttar Pradesh school teacher, reportedly working simultaneously in 25 schools and earning over Rs 1 crore as salary in 13 months, was arrested in Kasganj on Saturday, police said.

Anamika Shukla was arrested when she had gone to the office of Basic Shiksha Adhikari Anjali Agarwal to tender her resignation fearing arrest after her fraud was reported in the media. The BSA called the police and got Shukla arrested.

"A notice was sent to Anamika Shukla after we found that the documents are listed for multiple postings. She came to our office to submit resignation. She was handed over to the police," Agarwal said.

India Covid-19 infections crossed Italy's tally making it the 6th worst-hit nation | Oneindia News

Police said Shukla told them she got the job on paying a bribe of Rs 1 lakh. After the matter was reported, the state government ordered Additional Director, Basic Education, to probe the matter.

Unlock 1.0: UP govt issues SOP for opening of malls, hotels; No 'prasad in temples

"Nothing has been confirmed so far. Name of a lady teacher has come to the fore... She is absconding now," Director General, School Education, Vijay Karan Anand had said.

According to the reports, Shukla worked in over 25 schools and drew a total salary of over Rs 1 crore in 13 months.

There are allegations that she worked as a science teacher in Kastruba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya in Ambedkar Nagar, Baghpat, Aligarh, Saharanpur, Prayagraj and other places. KGBV teachers are appointed on contract and get Rs 30,000 pay.
The nation's top military officer, General Mark Milley, got into a 'shouting match' with President Donald Trump earlier this week after the president spoke of his wish to end the country's riots and protests by sending in active military forces into American cities.

A senior military official alleges the pair argued loudly before Trump finally backed down.

Responding to Trump's request to have troops on the ground in major U.S. cities where riots and protests were taking place, Gen. Milley is said to have stayed firm, responding: 'I'm not doing that. That's for law enforcement.'

The protests in Washington were among those nationwide following the death of Floyd, a black man who died when a white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes.

The President and the militarys most senior official General Mark Milley, pictured right, are said to have gotten into a fight in the Oval Office over Trump's demand for troops

Trump said he wanted to control protests by sending active military onto streets but Milley stood firm and said that the task was one for law enforcement, not soldiers

The official who is said to have overheard the argument told the New Yorker, ''We have a bully in the White House, and a bully needs a bully.'

Milley is said to have stood up to his boss in the Oval Office on the subject of ordering troops out onto the street and suggested that the states should handle their own affairs alongside local law enforcement and the National Guard.

But it seems Trump had a last laugh of sorts. Shortly afterwards, authorities ended up clearing protesters gathered outside the White House using tear gas so that Trump could hold a photo opportunity at a nearby church.

Milley and Defense Secretary Mark Esper were sharply criticized for accompanying Trump on the walkabout but both have since attempted to suggest that they were unaware what the president had been planning and had been caught off-guard.

Soon after the fight, Trump managed to get Gen. Milley, along with Defense Secretary Mark Esper to participate in a photo shoot across from White House

Milley and Defense Secretary Mark Esper were sharply criticized for accompanying Trump on the walkabout but both have since attempted to suggest that they were unaware what the president had been planning

Moments before the shoot, peaceful protesters were moved from LaFayette park after being shot at with pepper bullets, smoke canisters and tear gas

In the photoshoot, it looked as though both were on board with Trump's promise to dispatch soldiers.

But amid howls that he was making the US military Trump's political tool, Esper reversed his position.

Aides said he had clumsily used the military jargon 'battlespace' out of habit, and suggested that Trump had effectively tricked Esper and Milley into joining the church photo-op.

Esper, who was widely criticized for using the phrase, later said that he regretted it.

Esper said firmly Wednesday that he opposed using active duty soldiers to deal with protesters.

President Trump secured photos of himself with Gen. Milley in uniform on the streets of D.C.

Protesters peacefully protest penned in by police fencing minutes before riot police moved to clear them out of Lafayette Park and the area around it with tear gas, pepper spray and flash bang grenades for President Donald Trump to be able to walk through for a photo opportunity

'The option to use active duty forces should only be used as a matter of last resort and only in the most urgent and dire of situations,' he told reporters in the Pentagon.

'We are not in one of those situations now.'

Milley has also tried to contain damage in the aftermath of Monday's walkabout especially after it was revealed how federal authorities ended up using smoke canisters and pepper balls to clear peaceful protesters from a park so the president and his entourage could walk to the church and Trump could pose with a Bible.

Esper told reporters Wednesday he was not aware of the operation to clear the park and did not know he was heading into a photo op.

Both Milley, right of Trump and Esper, far right, claim they did not realize where they were being taken and claim they thought they were going to inspect National Guard Troops

Milley and Esper have both released statements distancing themselves from the president's show of force and Monday's walkabout

A White House videographer films and White House chief photographer Shealah Craighead shoots pictures of U.S. President Donald Trump as a Secret Service officer stands guard during a photo opportunity in front of St John's Church amidst ongoing protests over racial inequality

Esper told NBC, 'I thought I was going to do two things: to see some damage and to talk to the troops.'

He also distanced himself from Trump's threat to step up the military's role in quelling protests, arguing against invoking the Insurrection Act, which would allow Trump to use active-duty troops in a law enforcement role.

'I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act,' Esper said, referring to the 1807 law Trump has wanted to use to activate armed military personnel for policing riot-hit cities.

Similarly, Milley is said to have believed that he was accompanying Trump to review National Guard troops and law enforcement stationed outsider the White House not knowing that the area had been cleared by security forces using tear gas, according to the New York Times.

Police officers wearing riot gear ended up pushing back demonstrators shooting tear gas next to St. John's Episcopal Church outside of the White House

Police officers clashed with protesters near the White House on Monday as demonstrations against George Floyd's death continue

True enough photos from later in the photoshoot see Trump's press secretary, defense secretary, national security adviser and attorney general present with Milley out of sight

President Donald Trump stands outside St. John's Church across Lafayette Park with Defense Secretary Mark Esper, from left, Attorney General William Barr, White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany

One Defense Department official noted that once Milley realized what was happening, he quickly attempted to distance himself from the photoshoot.

True enough the photos see Trump's press secretary, defense secretary, national security adviser and attorney general present with Milley later appearing out of sight.

Milley released a message this week to military leaders stating that the Constitution 'is founded on the essential principle that all men and women are born free and equal and should be treated with respect and dignity' and that it 'also gives Americans the right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly.'

Trump's walkabout was defended on Thursday by US Attorney General Bill Barr.

'The president is the head of the executive branch and the chief executive of the nation, and should be able to walk outside the White House and walk across the street to that church,' Barr said.

President Donald Trump got the picture he wanted of himself holding a Bible outside St. John's Episcopal Church, known as the church of presidents, that was damaged by fire during demonstrations in nearby LaFayette Square Sunday evening

He told reporters the decision to clear the park and expand the fence perimeter around the White House had been made before Trump's decision to go to the church, where he posed with a bible in his hand.

There was 'no correlation' between the two events, he said - though Trump would not have been able to walk to the church safely without the park being cleared.

'I think it was appropriate for us to go over with him,' Barr added. 'I don't necessarily view that as a political act.'

The vast majority of protesters have been peaceful, but Barr pointed to 'extremist agitators who are hijacking the protests to pursue their own separate and violent agenda.'
The Ambassador of Australia meeting with Minister Nguyen Chi Dung

Yesterday (June 5), Minister for Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung met with Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Robyn Mudie at the headquarters of the ministry. The ambassador conveyed Australias congratulations for Vietnams outstanding success against COVID19, and committed to supporting Vietnams long-term response and recovery efforts.

As Australias Ambassador to Vietnam, I have been impressed and inspired by the swift and decisive actions taken by the Government of Vietnam to tackle the threat of COVID-19. With just a few hundred confirmed cases and no recorded deaths, Vietnams management of the pandemic has been exemplary, deservedly capturing the worlds attention, said Mudie at the meeting.

Under a strategic partnership, Australia and Vietnam are working together to contain the impact of the pandemic on lives and livelihoods. The two countries recently reiterated their commitment to boosting two-way trade and investment, and to support one another in responding to the long-term effects of the pandemic.

Australia has committed AUD10.5 million ($7.3 million) toward supporting Vietnams COVID-19 response and recovery, in a step that further strengthens economic and development co-operation between the two countries.

Australia has refocused much of our development programme in Vietnam to respond to COVID-19. We are supporting Vietnam by ensuring access to the best available economic analysis as the country shifts its focus toward stimulus and recovery. We are also supporting Vietnams efforts to protect the most vulnerable, especially women and girls who carry much of the burden as a result of the pandemic, Ambassador Mudie said.

In addition, the flagship programmes through which Australia and Vietnam co-operate on workforce development, economic reform, infrastructure, gender equality, agriculture, tourism, and innovation are supporting Vietnams economic recovery priorities.

Across the Indo-Pacific region, Australia has undertaken an unprecedented pivot of its development partnerships to further support health security, economic recovery and stability in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Australian governments new Partnerships for Recovery policy was launched by Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Minister for Women, Senator Marise Payne on May 29, 2020.
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WHEN Ive had occasion to tell American friends that my fathers father, Con Cregan, was in the I.R.A., they typically say in response: Wow  was he a terrorist? Or they ask, Have you read Say Nothing?  referring to Patrick Radden Keefes recent book on the Troubles. No, not that IRA, I try to explain; he was in the old I.R.A.

But Americans dont know what the old I.R.A means. So I try again: He was in the Irish war of independence. You know  the struggle to end British rule in Ireland, that began a few years after the Easter Rising? Yeats wrote a poem about that.

Con Cregan was born into a farming family in the parish of Monagea, Newcastle West, and by the age of sixteen had joined the Irish Volunteers. On Easter, 1916, his company marched to the gathering point at Glenquin Castle to await arms from the Aud, (a gun running ship) which never arrived. They waited for hours until news came that the rising had been called off. From then until he left the country in the spring of 1924, he was intimately involved in the violence and danger of a life committed to the republican movement.

When I was a child, we lived near our grandparents in Philadelphiatwo blocks from my mothers parents, a bit further from my fathers. We saw them often. Because they had all been raised in the west of Ireland, the way they spoke and behaved made them stand out from most of the people around us. We bragged to our friends on the block that we were all Irish. Life felt ordinary, uneventful, and the fact that our family had not yet melted into Americas melting pot was something we children felt was special. And because our grandfather had fought for Ireland there was a particular excitement about him. The storytold to us by our father, or by our grandmother Lizzie (though never by Con himself)was short on details, but stirred the childish imagination nonetheless.

We were told that he had to go on the run, and that the Black and Tans came often to his familys house looking for him. Because his father refused to give any information as to Cons whereabouts, they beat my great-grandfather so badly that he never entirely recovered from his injuries. These scenes played out in our minds against the soundtrack of Irish rebel songs that the Clancy brothers and Tommy Makem had made popular during the 1960s and 70s, when they performed in New York city clubs alongside Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, and others. Songs like The Foggy Dew, The Patriot Game, The Minstrel Boy, or The Rising of the Moon, were among those in frequent rotation on the family record player.

He died on Memorial Day in 1976, the year of the American Bicentennial, a naturalized citizen with three American sons and eleven American grandchildren. I wanted him not to have grown old, and hard of hearing, and gradually blinded by macular degeneration. He was a proud man who had seemed wounded by the onset of these disabilities. It was perhaps fortunate that a stroke took him quickly. At the time I knew nothing of death. No one I loved had ever died, until he did.

Since the commemoration of the Rising I attended here in New York City, Ive been trying to learn more about the young man I never knew, and to understand why he and his brother Ned joined the fight at a time when the majority of Irish people were not yet behind the nationalist cause. I searched through a box containing papers and photographs he left behind. There, in a small, pale green box is his Tan War medal, along with a careful narrative, in my grandmothers handwriting, listing in chronological order his activities during the war of independence. This, I knew, was a necessary part of his application for a pension for his service, which he eventually received. Among the many actions listed is an attack on the R.I.C. barracks at Killmallock, which took place on the night of May 27-28, one hundred years ago.

Online, I found an obituary of Cons father Michael, which told me something I had never known: that my great-grandfather had been a member of the I.R.B. and an early member of Sinn Fein. His connection to the I.R.B. would have put him in political as well as neighbourly contact with major figures whose families lived nearby  Con Colbert, who was executed in 1916, and Con Collins, who was arrested on Easter morning 1916 for his role in planning the Rising, and who later became West Limericks first Sinn Fein MP. I tracked down the witness statements of other West Limerick men in the Bureau of Military History collection and learned that the Cregan homestead was where East and West Limerick Volunteers gathered to discuss whether they should attempt an attack on the Newcastle West or the Kilmallock R.I.C barracks.

They chose Kilmallock because the Fenians had attempted to capture it in 1867, and this time Limerick men would be joined by men from Cork, Tipperary, and Clare brigades. That night, as gunfire was exchanged, Volunteers set fire to the building by smashing holes in the roof and tossing in paraffin-filled bottles. The barrack was eventually engulfed in flames, but the police had withdrawn to an outbuilding and refused to surrender. Nonetheless, the Volunteers felt victorious because they had destroyed the building, as the Fenian attack had failed to do. Constables Thomas Kane and Joseph Morton died, as did the young Volunteer Liam Scully, shot through the throat when he stepped into the street a moment too soon. The West Limerick men buried him in a ceremony held the following night in Templeglantine churchyard. His memorial card is among the papers Con left behind. I imagine that the Covid-19 crisis will have postponed any formal commemoration that the town of Kilmallock may have been planning. From what I have read of recent ceremonieslike that at Soloheadbegthe effort to include descendants of constables who were killed makes good sense, however much it would have incensed nationalists of more contentious days. When I look at descriptions of the night at Kilmallock, I think of Con at twenty, adept at handling rifles and pistols, paraffin and Mills bombs, trenching roads, running through fields, hiding in hedges, and carrying wounded and dead comrades. He spent his formative years in what the Irish national anthem calls the bearna baoil  the gap of danger. Much of it looks in retrospect like trauma, a word not used in those days. I think of the lasting damage on both sides. No wonder he never talked about it. It became increasingly clear from my research that my grandfathers willingness to dedicate his youth and risk his life for the republican cause was powerfully determined by family loyalties and where he grew up. Whats harder for me to uncover is how it felt for him to abandon that countryside he had traversed so often while fighting in those years, leaving behind friends, family, a whole way of life. As the eldest son, he would have inherited the farm. But he seems to have wanted a more secure and independent life than the farm would have allowed for himself and wife-to-be, who had grown up nearby. As fate would have it, that independent life would be lived in another country.

My mother recently told me that when Con and Lizzie returned to visit Ireland for only the second time in the nearly half-century since they had left, someonepossibly an old anti-Treaty comradeasked him to smuggle money there for the I.R.A. On checking their passport visas, I realized that this would have been in 1972, the deadliest year of the Troubles. She also told me that Con had angrily refused this request, and never spoke to the man again. He was out of the patriot game. It had been over for him, I believe, ever since he took a ship bound for Nova Scotia and made his way to join Lizzie in New Yorkleaving behind all that passion and violence and danger to build a life as a peaceful man, a father and grandfather who made a careful living driving buses for the Philadelphia transit system. I know there was some bitterness for him in losing the dream of a united Ireland, and in memories of the damage he had witnessed and engaged in to bring that into being.

I wish that I had asked him more about his experiences when he was still alive, and I regret that I didnt try harder to draw him out. Maybe, despite his habitual reserve, hed have felt some relief in talking about the life that he led then, and the Ireland that he lost in leavinga world that his American descendants, across the wide chasm of cultural difference, will never be able to fully comprehend.

Mary Cregan teaches literature and writing at Barnard College in New York City. She is the author of The Scar: A Personal History of Depression and Recovery (Lilliput Press).
Seventeen years after US troops invaded their country and eight months since protests engulfed their cities, Iraqis are sending solidarity, warnings and advice to demonstrators across America. Whether in Baghdad's Tahrir Square or on Twitter, Iraqis are closely watching the unprecedented street protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in Minneapolis as a police officer knelt on his neck. "I think what the Americans are doing is brave and they should be angry, but rioting is not the solution," said Yassin Alaa, a scrawny 20-year-old camped out in Tahrir. Only a few dozen Iraqis remain in tents in the capital's main protest square, which just months ago saw security forces fire tear gas and live bullets at demonstrators, who shot back with rocks or occasionally Molotov cocktails. Violence left more than 550 people dead, but virtually no one has been held accountable -- mirroring a lack of accountability over deaths at the hands of security forces in the US, Iraqis say. Now, they want to share their lessons learned. "Don't set anything on fire. Stay away from that, because the police will treat you with force right from the beginning and might react unpredictably," Alaa told AFP. And most importantly, he insisted, stick together. "If blacks and whites were united and they threw racism away, the system can never stop them," he said. - Common 'injustice' - Across their country, Iraqis spotted parallels between the roots of America's protests and their own society. "In the US it's a race war, while here it's a war of politics and religion," said Haider Kareem, 31, who protested often in Tahrir and whose family lives in the US. "But the one thing we have in common is the injustice we both suffer from," he told AFP. Iraq has its own history of racism, particularly against a minority of Afro-Iraqis in the south who trace their roots back to East Africa. In 2013, leading Afro-Iraqi figure Jalal Thiyab was gunned down in the oil-rich city of Basra -- but discrimination against the community is otherwise mostly non-violent. "Our racism is different than America's racism," said Ali Essam, a 34-year-old Afro-Iraqi who directed a wildly popular play about Iraq's protests last year. "Here, we joke about dark skin but in America, being dark makes people think you're a threat," he told AFP. Solidarity is spreading online, too, with Iraqis tweaking their own protest chants and slogans to fit the US. In one video, an elderly Iraqi is seen reciting a "hosa" or rhythmic chant, used to rally people into the streets last year and now adapted to an American context. "This is a vow, this a vow! Texas won't be quiet now," he bellowed, before advising Americans to keep their rallies independent of foreign interference -- mimicking a US government warning to Iraqis last year. Others shared the hashtag "America Revolts." Another Arabic hashtag going viral in Iraq translates as "We want to breathe, too", referring to Floyd's last words. - 'Reminiscent of Baghdad' - Not all the comparisons have been uplifting, however. The governor of Minnesota, the state in which Minneapolis is located, said the US street violence "was reminiscent of Mogadishu or Baghdad". And the troops briefly deployed by US President Donald Trump to quell unrest in Washington were from the 82nd Airborne -- which had just returned from duty in Iraq. "Trump is using the American army against the American people," said Democrat presidential candidate and former vice president Joe Biden. Iraqis have fought back online, tweeting "Stop associating Baghdad with turmoil," in response to comparisons with their homeland. Others have used biting sarcasm. In response to videos of crowds breaking into shops across US cities, Iraqis have dug up an infamous quote by ex-defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld. "Lawlessness and looting is a natural consequence of the transition from dictatorship to a free country," he said in response to a journalist's question on widespread looting and chaos in Baghdad following the 2003 US-led invasion. A demonstrator raises a sign during a protest against the death of George Floyd who died on May 25 in Minneapolis whilst in police custody, along a street in Oakland, California on June 3 Iraqi medical students wave the national flag as they take part in an anti-government protest in the southern city of Basra in November 2019 A looted and destroyed shop in New York on June 1 after a night of protest over the death of African-American man George Floyd in Minneapolis
EDWARDSVILLE  A march and peaceful rally organized by the SIUE chapter of the National Association of Colored Womens Club saw approximately 150 people Friday in Edwardsville.

The group, led by SIUEs Victoria Wright, marched from the police department to the stairs of Madison Countys administration building and courthouse.

This has my made my heart so warm to know that there are so many people here that care about black peoples lives, care about us and want to advocate for us. It means so much to see the city of Edwardsville come together because the change starts in our community. To know that our community wants to change brings me so much happiness, Wright said.

The march and peaceful rally were in response to the cause and death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old man who died while in the custody of police in Minneapolis. Friday was also the birthday of Breona Taylor, a 26-year-old Louisville woman who was fatally shot in her home by the metro police department on March 13.

The rally started at 4 p.m. on the sidewalk outside the Edwardsville Police Department. After a prayer, a 10-minute march ensued that ended at the steps on the Madison County administration building and courthouse.

We have to start with our police, and we also have to start where justice is served and the courthouse. We need to stand everywhere there needs to be change. There are more areas than just the police department and the courthouse, Wright said.

Similar to last weekends rally in downtown Edwardsville, protestors held signs and passionately spoke about change.

We just want our voices to be heard. We need people to hear our words, Wright said.

Emory, an SIUE student, learned of the rally early Friday. He called off work and made sure he was part of the event.

It was an emotional afternoon for the young man.

This is really important to be out here, Emory said. I just want everybody to see that were out here trying to make a better world. Our grandparents went through this. Our parents went through this. We have already been through this. We keep going through this.

We want to change this for the youth. I dont want my kids to have to go through this or my grandkids to grow up in this. I want everybody to be one. I dont want to be sad. We dont want that.

Throughout the rally, may drivers slowed down to honk or wave in support of the protest at both the police department and downtown.

Wright said it was a great atmosphere and turnout.

It just makes me so happy to know that were supported like this in the city that we are in, Wright said.

Multiple protests are scheduled for Saturday including Edwardsville, Collinsville and Granite City.
Patna, June 6 : Amid the global pandemic in Bihar, 'Corona Devi' has emerged as a goddess for village women who believe it would rid them of the corona infection.

In many districts of Bihar, including Nalanda, Gopalganj, Saran, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, village women have been thronging water-bodies in the vicinity and worshipping the 'Corona Devi' for the last few days. The video of the rituals has gone viral on social media, too. The women, though, are seen maintaining social distancing.

The women at Phulvariya Ghat in Gopalangaj, dug seven pits and put jaggery syrup into them along with cloves, cardamom, flowers and seven 'ladoos' and worshipped the 'Corona Devi' to get rid of the epidemic.

For the last three days at Sarveshwarnath Temple in Brahmapura, Muzaffarpur, women have been performing the ritual. A woman said she "realised" after watching a video that if corona had to be chased away, a ritual with offerings of 'ladoos', flowers and sesame seeds would do the trick.

Another woman said she associates the worship with a dream she had.

In many blocks of Buxar district, women worship the 'Corona Devi'. A group of women took a dip in the Ganga and offered prayers at the river bank. Seven pits were made and after lighting incense, jaggery and sesame along with 'ladoos' and flowers were buried into the ground.

In many areas, the worship is also done by offering 'poha' to the 'Corona Devi'.

However, rationalists such as Pandit Vinay Pathak of Muzaffarpur call the ritual a superstition and emphasize medical treatment to curb the infection. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University's Sociology Professor B.N. Singh says, "Whenever there is any trouble upon us, we all take refuge in God. On many occasions, faith takes the form of superstition. We are in the same situation. People have reposed faith in superstition to escape the corona epidemic." Gopalganj Civil Surgeon Dr Tribhuvan Narayan Singh, too, calls it a complete superstition. "Corona is an epidemic and its medical treatment is necessary," he said.
The fire would have been enough to make this a memorable week for St. Johns Episcopal Church. On Sunday evening, the church basement was briefly engulfed in flames during ongoing proteststhe first time a fire had been set on the more-than-200-year-old churchs property, according to the Rev. Rob Fisher, the churchs rector. Then, things got worse. On Monday afternoon, police used chemical agents to disperse peaceful protesters in the park in front of the church so the president could stroll over to pose for photographs holding a Bible. This church has had so many experiences that have been remarkable and inspiring and historic, Fisher told me on Thursday. But nothing like what weve experienced this week.

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Faith leaders and politicians reacted swiftly to the presidents use of St. Johns as a backdrop for the bizarre photo-op on Monday. The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, Mariann Budde, lambasted the unannounced visit on Good Morning America and the Today show. I am outraged, she told the Washington Post. I  was not given even a courtesy call, that they would be clearing [the area] with tear gas so they could use one of our churches as a prop. But there was a tinge of irony to some of the backlash, given this particular churchs long history as a backdrop for the public performance of presidential piety. St. Johns calls itself the church of the presidents, and its relationship with the family across Lafayette Squareand its reverence for the office of the presidencyhas been part of its self-conception since the start.

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The church sits directly across from the White House and was the second building constructed on Lafayette Square. Before the church even opened in 1816, its leaders offered President James Madison the chance to select a permanent presidents pew in the church. Madison told the committee to choose for him, and they chose one in the most expensive section of the church. (At the time, it was common practice for churches to sell pew space.) The presidents pew still existsits No. 54and the church has been attended at least once by every man who has served as president. The churchs role as a quasi-official site of presidential worship expanded in the 1930s, when Franklin Roosevelt arranged for a private prayer service to be held at the church on the morning of his first inauguration, a tradition that continues.

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This church has a long history as a backdrop for the public performance of presidential piety.

Over the years, the church has often served as a site for public prayer with a political valence. Abraham Lincoln sought quiet there during the Civil War. Lyndon B. Johnson visited the church the day after President John F. Kennedys assassination. George H.W. Bush gathered with Cabinet members for a communion service to pray for the success of Operation Desert Storm, the day that U.S.led forces invaded Kuwait and Iraq. After the release of the Mueller report last year, Robert Mueller was photographed leaving the church looking forward, not back, as Robin Givhan wrote in a Washington Post column analyzing the brief appearance.

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Associated so closely with a seat of power, St. Johns has historically served as a home for the citys elite. The Rev. Luis Leon, rector of the church from 1994 to 2018, recalled walking down 16th Street and overhearing a young man point out the church to his girlfriend. Thats St. Johns, where the president attends, but you and I cant belong to it, Leon recalled the man saying. Only the high-powered people can belong there. (Leon says he interjected to correct him and invite him to church.) Today, St. Johns takes the broadly progressive stances of its denomination and maintains ministries to feed the homeless and provide aid to refugees. But that conversation reinforced for Leon that the public perception was of it being a society church.

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More than social class, however, St. Johns has long symbolized a kind of old-Washington civility that represents either dignity or toadying, depending on your view. St. Johns prides itself on being a place where Republicans and Democrats can worship together, where Mueller can attend church on the same Sunday as a man he charged with witness tampering. I see people I know are doing battle during the week, and they come together and love each other on Sunday, Fisher said. I love to see a person I know is on one side giving Communion to a person on the other side.

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"Our relationship with the president is a balancing act that has always taken work on both sides of the park.  The Rev. Rob Fisher, rector of St. John's

Is it possible to speak truth to power if power is your core membership? Its an inevitable dilemma for congregations like St. Johns, or Trinity Wall Street, another historic Episcopal church in a location synonymous with the establishment. But the fact that there is a well-established protocol for presidential churchgoingfor better or for worseserves to highlight what was so unusual about the presidents visit on Monday.

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For one, it was the first time in history that a president has visited the church without prayer playing any role in the visit. No clergy were present, and no one even opened the Bible that Trump handled so awkwardly for the cameras. That stood out to Kevin Eckstrom, chief communications officer at the Washington National Cathedral, another Episcopal church in the capital with a long relationship to the presidency. Presidents go to the cathedral all the time, he said. But theyre usually going to pray, to speak, or to offer a message of some sort. None of that was what we saw this week [at St. Johns]. What we saw was propaganda. Eckstrom said that if the president had requested a visit to, say, read from Psalm 23, a well-known poem of comfort, the National Cathedral would likely have accommodated it.

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Fisher said that St. Johns, too, would have been open to some kind of visit from the president this week under the right conditions. After all, the church has demonstrated an openness to symbolic appearances by presidents of both parties for more than 200 years. It has always been a balancing act, Fisher said. I worry about that getting me in trouble because I dont want to imply [that the relationship] is over. I dont think that. But its a balancing act that has always taken work on both sides of the park. Fisher said he has received no communication from the White House this week, either before or after the presidents unannounced visit.

Instead, law enforcement gassed peaceful protestersincluding clergy members handing out water and suppliesso that the president could conduct a totally nonreligious performance of solidarity with Christians that managed to alienate the leaders of a church who see it as a part of their mission to get along with the president. It was a remarkable, and wholly unnecessary, act of aggression. Trump bulldozed the door to St. Johns when the key was sitting right in front of him.
A Chinese government mouthpiece has said Beijing will not give up an inch of territory but wants good-neighbourly relations with New Delhi even as it warned India must not be fooled by Washington.

The comments were published in an editorial of the Global Times ahead of Saturdays crucial talks between Indian and Chinese army commanders on the stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

China does not want to fall foul of India. Good-neighbourly relations have been Chinas basic national policy over the past decades, and China firmly adheres to a peaceful resolution of border disputes. We have no reason to make India our enemy, the editorial said on Friday.

But China will not give up any inch of territory. Once India makes a strategic misjudgment and nibbles away at Chinas territory, China will never condone it. China is bound to make strong countermeasures. We believe India knows very well that China will not be at a disadvantage in any China-India military operations along the border area, it said.

Also Watch | G7, China & Covid: Key details of PM Modis phone call with Donald Trump

The daily said India will enjoy a peaceful international environment with China-India cooperation.

But if the two countries face a showdown on the border issue, the entire Himalayan region and the Indian subcontinent will face instability. No external force can change this. Maintaining peace along border areas and friendly cooperation is in line with the two countries interests, it added.

India should not be fooled by the US, the editorial also said, as the US is only trying to serve its own strategic interest.

Washington is keen on placing a wedge between countries and drawing countries to its own side. But this serves the US strategic pressure on China, instead of other countries geopolitical interests, it said.

Washington looks forward to the China-India dispute in order to gain from it. The US supports India every time China and India have conflicts to encourage New Delhis confrontation against Beijing and to hype new border disputes.

India, the editorial said, should return the favour instead of being fooled by Washington.

Chinas strategic situation is not that terrible. Since we do not fear US suppression, how can we allow some force to use US support to make trouble for China? it asked.

Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in a bitter face-off in several areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) following violent clashes between hundreds of Indian and Chinese troops in the Sikkim and Ladakh sectors last month. Army officers of the two sides have held several meetings along the disputed border but have been unable to break the impasse.

Lieutenant Gen Harinder Singh, 14 Corps Commander, will represent the Indian delegation while Major General Liu Lin, who is the commander of South Xinjiang Military Region, and 10 other officers of the Peoples Liberation Army, will represent China.

The two sides on Friday agreed on not allowing their differences to escalate into disputes while respecting each others concerns ahead of crucial talks between Indian and Chinese army commanders.

Naveen Srivastava, joint secretary (East Asia) of the external affairs ministry, held talks with Wu Jianghao, director general in Chinas foreign ministry, through video conference and reviewed bilateral relations, including current developments, according to a readout from the Indian side.

It was the first formal diplomatic meeting between the two sides since tensions flared along the LAC.

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Kyiv-based prosecutor's office for the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (ARC), together with human rights defenders, is preparing another report to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which will reflect the facts of the persecution of journalists on the territory of the temporarily occupied peninsula.

"Freedom of speech is absent in Crimea, and the activities of independent media have been stopped, which actually led to an 'information vacuum' on the peninsula," the press service of the prosecutor's office for the Crimean Autonomous Republic quoted its prosecutor Ihor Ponochovny as saying.

"The lack of independent media, tight control over information, censorship, manipulation and propaganda are the real situation with freedom of speech in the occupied peninsula. The active phase of the occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol was accompanied by pressure on the media that objectively covered the events on the peninsula. Only in 2014, more than 20 people from among journalists, bloggers, employees of Ukrainian and foreign media suffered serious violations of their rights," said the prosecutor for Crimea.
Individual lawmakers in both parties have introduced their own proposals in recent days that the House and Senate could still consider going forward, but the bill by Ms. Bass and the others has the imprimatur of Democratic leadership in the House and Senate, as well as the influential black caucus. Democrats believe they will be able to swiftly pass it in the House, but prospects are less clear in the Senate, where the Republican majority is likely to pursue a narrower set of changes.

Because most police departments are under state and local control, there are limits to the kinds of changes Congress can mandate from Washington. Calls from activists to break up or drastically restructure police departments, for instance, are more likely to be answered at the state and local level.

Still, the changes Democrats are proposing would be significant.

If adopted, the bill would rewrite key elements of the federal criminal code related to police misconduct to make it easier to prosecute law enforcement officers and for individuals who are victims of such practices to recover damages.

The federal police misconduct statute currently makes it a crime for an officer to willfully violate an individualss constitutional rights, meaning prosecutors must prove an officer acted with the intention of depriving the person of their rights. Democrats plan to propose lowering that standard of criminal intent to knowingly or with reckless disregard. The change is likely to face opposition from police unions and their allies.

The legislation would also alter the legal doctrine known as qualified immunity that shields police officers from being held legally liable for damages sought by citizens whose constitutional rights were violated.

In addition, Democrats are proposing to change the federal standard for the use of force by officers from reasonableness to only when it is necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury. The bill would require that federal officers use de-escalation tactics and use deadly force only as a last resort. Grants to state and local agencies would require them to do the same.

In federal drug cases, lawmakers intend to propose banning no knock warrants, which allow police to enter a residence without warning or identifying themselves, and incentivize states to do the same. Ms. Taylor was shot and killed in her home during such a raid.
Now that were in June, the year is almost halfway done, but it seems more like a decade has passed since January. President Donald Trumps impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate feels like a lifetime ago. Four months later, an event that any other year would have had a lasting presence in the news cycle during a presidential election year barely feels like an afterthought. Yes, there are still elections later in June and in November too. Remember the crazy poster that Gov. Andrew Cuomo commissioned that gave local politicos a good laugh? That was in January. The past week alone was at least a year long. Heres what happened.

Protests rock New York under curfew

Protests in New York City and across the state continued throughout the week following the police-involved death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. They are part of demonstrations happening in towns and cities in all 50 states. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced early in the week an 11 p.m. curfew for the city after other parts of the state had instituted their own curfews as well. Within a day, de Blasio moved that curfew up to 8 p.m. At the beginning of the week, the city saw extensive property damage and looting, although it largely subsided after the curfew was put in place. However, violent confrontations between police and demonstrators continued. Countless videos showed officers using force, including pepper spray and batons, against what appeared to be peaceful protesters. State Sen. Zellnor Myrie and Assemblywoman Diana Richardson were among those who police pepper-sprayed. Hundreds were arrested, many of whom were held for over 24 hours in crowded jail cells as they awaited booking. Photos and videos show police went after journalists displaying press passes  who were exempt from the curfew  other essential workers, and even medics and legal observers. In one protest in the Bronx, police cracked down on protesters at exactly 8 p.m. in what one reporter on the scene called a trap. NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said that the protest was advertised as violent and that the police responded accordingly. Shea also pleaded for the safety of officers, several of whom he said had suffered injuries. Those included an officer who was stabbed in the neck and two others who were shot in their hands during an attack in the Bronx, although it did not appear the attack was directly related to protesters. Shea said that he has not heard about any protester getting seriously injured, but that there would probably be a couple of officers suspended for misconduct.

Praise for police from the top

Throughout the week, both de Blasio and Cuomo largely praised the police response to the protests. De Blasio repeatedly said police for the most part demonstrated great restraint. The mayor was resoundly booed when he stepped up to speak at a memorial service for George Floyd in Brooklyn. When asked about a viral video showing police accelerating into a crowd of protesters, de Blasio said the incident and other potential incidents of misconduct would be investigated, but defended the police action nonetheless. Although Cuomo said at one point that officers had failed to do their jobs, the comment came after a night of looting. A day later, Cuomo walked back that criticism and said officers were largely acting appropriately. However, he announced that state Attorney General Letitia James would look into the police response to the protests. Reporters at one point asked both leaders about widely circulated videos of what appeared to be police brutality toward protesters, and they both said they hadnt seen them. Cuomo even called the very question offensive and that it used incendiary rhetoric. De Blasio on another day said that he had attended protests but had seen no use of force at peaceful protests. Many of the videos documenting instances of police use of force were brought to the attention of James, whose Twitter account often confirmed that her office was aware of them.

The legislative response

A number of lawmakers at both the New York City and state levels are committing to passing police reform measures, and de Blasio and Cuomo to varying degrees have supported recent pushes to implement reforms. One of the biggest pieces of legislation at the state level is a bill to repeal Section 50-a of the Civil Rights Law. It currently prevents police disciplinary records from being released to the public, and critics have long said it stands in the way of police transparency and accountability. Cuomo has said he would sign a bill reforming that law, but did not say he would support legislation fully repealing it. Another bill would ban the use of chokeholds across the state. The move is already prohibited by the New York City Police Department. New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said the council would vote on a bill to criminalize the use of a chokehold by police officers. He said it has enough support to override a mayoral veto. De Blasio has said he would support the bill if it includes a life-and-death situation exception, which a new version of the bill does not include. Additionally, a growing number of city lawmakers are calling for a significant cut to the NYPDs budget, particularly in light of the massive budgetary shortfall facing the city. Some have even said they would not vote for a budget that did not slash police funding.

Buffalo police caught in a lie

Buffalo police were caught on camera shoving a 75-year-old man to the ground after he approached several officers. His head made a loud sound as it hit the concrete, and he was visibly bleeding as a parade of officers walked past him without providing aid. In an initial statement, the Buffalo Police Department said the man tripped and fell, but the video showed an officer pushing him. Soon after, the department suspended two officers involved in the incident and the county district attorney launched an investigation. Cuomo responded in statement, calling it wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful.
Two police officers in New York state were suspended after a video showed them shoving a 75-year-old protester.

All 57 members of a police tactical unit in Buffalo have resigned from their team to protest against the suspension of two colleagues who were filmed shoving a 75-year-old man to the ground, officials of the northern New York city said on Friday.

Two members of the Buffalo Police Departments Emergency Response Team were suspended on Thursday and are being investigated after a local radio station released video of the incident involving the protester, Martin Gugino.

The video, which has been viewed more than 70 million times, shows the white-haired Gugino approaching a line of officers in riot gear. One officer pushes him with a baton and a second one with his hand. He falls, a crack is heard and blood trickles from his head, as officers walk by his still body.

Local media quoted Buffalo Police Benevolent Association President John Evans as saying the officers were doing their job, and that their colleagues on the response team had resigned from the special unit to protest against their treatment.

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The 57 remain police officers, Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood said in a statement. Evans could not be reached for comment.

Earlier on Friday, Kait Munro, a spokeswoman for the local countys district attorney, said the two officers were under investigation for potential criminal liability in connection with Thursday evenings incident outside city hall.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown told a news conference on Friday that contingency plans were in place to address any policing issues due to the resignations and he said state troopers were embedded with Buffalo police to shore up their operations.

I can say that Buffalo will be safe this weekend, he said.

Brown said Gugino had been asked to leave numerous times from the area because of the citys curfew.

Prior to the incident there were conflicts between protesters, Brown said.

There was a danger of fights breaking out between protesters, and the police felt it was very important to clear that scene for the safety of protesters.





Even so, the video footage has raised further questions about police behaviour, after the death of African American man George Floyd in Minneapolis set off nationwide street protests.

The video shows the majority of the officers marching past Gugino, though the officer who pushed him with a baton starts to lean over him before he is motioned away by another officer. Someone is heard calling for a medic.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Friday he had spoken with Gugino and was thankful he survived. Cuomo said the police chief should fire the officers involved.

You see that video and it disturbs your basic sense of decency and humanity, Cuomo told a daily briefing. Why, why, why was that necessary? Where was the threat?

Gugino, who is white, could not be reached. According to a community organiser who has known him for a decade, he is a longtime activist who has advocated for affordable housing, climate justice and police accountability, and regularly protested outside the Erie County Holding Center, a Buffalo jail that has come under scrutiny for a string of inmate deaths.

Ive been doing this work for around 10 years, and I cant remember a protest Martin wasnt at, said John Washington, an organiser at Peoples Action in Buffalo. Whatever the issues of justice were, he stepped up and was always there.

Washington said Gugino had gone to the demonstration to protest against brutality by police but clearly posed no danger to the officers. He said he had only been able to confirm Gugino was in stable condition.
A few days after George Floyd died under the knee of a police officer in Minneapolis, chef Toriano Gordon, who is one of a small number of black restaurant owners in Oakland, turned to Instagram to share his thoughts.

Gordon found a photo of Floyd online with the words My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Please, please. I cant breathe, which were reported to be among Floyds last on May 25, the day he died. Gordon posted the photo on May 31 and prepared himself for backlash on social media. It never came.

I thought I was going to take a hit (financially) but it didnt happen. In fact, I got more business after that even though I was closing two hours early at that time, said Gordon, who owns Vegan Mob. It showed me people know whats happening in the country is too big to get mad at a post like that.

Black Bay Area restaurant owners have long struggled with whether to be politically vocal, fearing that being outspoken about black issues could drive away white dollars. But since Floyds death last month, a tide has turned in the industry. Black chefs are speaking out on the news and in social media, about police killings and assaults of black people. And their honesty doesnt appear to be hurting their bottom lines.

Many black chefs say the dining public is beginning to understand that speaking out in support of valuing black life is more of a human rights issue than a political stance.

This country was built on the idea and fabric of racism. This is a pain deeply etched in the soul of our nation and in the hearts of the people of color that live here. To say racism doesnt exist or to put the blame on those who have been oppressed for hundreds of years is simply pure ignorance and an unwillingness to face the truth of this country, said Michele Wilson, who is in the process of opening Gussies House of Chicken and Waffles in Uptown Oakland.

Even as protests continue in honor of Floyd in the Bay Area, and most are attended by people of varying ethnic backgrounds, San Francisco chef Simileoluwa Adebajo said shes reminded each morning why its important for chefs to speak out about racism, especially in the Bay Area.

Noah Berger / Special to The Chronicle

I find myself looking over my shoulder during my morning run, because I am tall, lanky and androgynous looking when I run, she said. I worry consistently about my black friends and brothers who are profiled and could end up dead simply because of their hair and allegedly threatening demeanor. ... Its not enough to say that we are not racist or do not support racism. In order to dismantle a racist system, we must aggressively be anti-racist.

Like Gordon, countless black-owned food businesses are taking their messages to social media. Matt Horn of Horn Barbecue, who is known for hosting pop-up restaurant events with lines stretching entire city blocks, posted a black square on Instagram on June 2 as part of the social media movement known as Blackout Tuesday. We have the people behind us and the people are our strength. We are one with the people. #stopkillingus, the caption read.

Fernay McPherson of Minnie Bells Soul Movement in Emeryville, a soul food business, has posted on Instagram multiple times about participating in protests and the Black Lives Matter movement. Black-owned Oakland coffee company Red Bay Coffee recently posted an image of a black person kneeling in protest in front of armed police officers, and it included the caption: Change MUST come. Time is up. #blacklivesmatter. Meanwhile, Red House in San Francisco, a black-owned Jamaican restaurant, also posted a black square as part of Blackout Tuesday. The accompanying caption simply said, We matter.

The posts are inundated with supportive comments.

Stories told of hanging bodies swinging from the trees, visuals of crosses burning in the yards of black families, and the batons of hate filled police officers are forever etched in my mind, Horn said. We have all seen the old black and white images of Jim Crow violence. The country clearly has not evolved. George Floyds lynching in Minneapolis is an awful reminder that to be black in America is to live under terror.

But alongside advocating against police brutality, local black chefs are also speaking out about protests in the East Bay that have been accompanied by vandalism of local businesses. Emeryvilles Public Market was broken into earlier this month, which forced the temporary closure of Minnie Bells.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Most changes in this country have come as a result of protests. I understand how anger and frustration will lead to shouting and yelling. But we must not begin to take our anger out on those businesses that keep our communities alive, Wilson said. We need our businesses to be here when this is over. We need more businesses to want to do business in our cities. We must redirect our anger to the proper channels.

This new landscape of acceptance for black activism in the food world is a byproduct of the countrys growing chorus to end racism and police brutality against black people. Triggered by Floyds death, there have since been Black Lives Matter marches in all 50 states, more than 75 U.S. cities, and places like London, Copenhagen, Toronto and Berlin where citizens have protested in solidarity.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle 2019

In the food world, corporations are venturing into the world of activism to varying degrees. The CEOs of General Mills, Land O Lakes and Post Consumer Brands, among others, released a joint statement on May 28 saying Floyds death reflects deeply ingrained, long-standing injustice within our society. Ben & Jerrys, an ice cream maker long known as a proponent for social activism, recently called for consumers to dismantle white supremacy.

On a smaller scale, Black Lives Matter signs are increasing in number in the windows of restaurants throughout region, and black Bay Area restaurant owners say theyre noticing. But more needs to be done, they say.

Our people may be terrorized, but we have dignity. We seek justice. We seek rights, Horn said. Im building my business to help create a better world for my children.

Justin Phillips is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @JustMrPhillips
While the Instagram account CTAgainstBrutality has been circulating information about a West Haven protest set for Saturday to support the Black Lives Matter cause, the identity of its organizers remain unclear.

A post by the account said it is run by a group of students from across Connecticut, but they declined to identify themselves for our safety, according to a post on the account, which first became active a week ago.

The group has no official affiliation with Black Lives Matter or People Against Police Brutality, a spokesperson confirmed. The spokesperson, who declined to give a name, called a reporter in response to an email sent to the address provided on the Instagram account.

About a dozen Connecticut high school students recently created the organization, Connecticut Against Brutality, to raise awareness about local protests against police misconduct, according to the caller who identified herself as a member.

Black Lives Matter New Haven did not know the West Haven protest organizers.

We are not apart of that/ nor know the people behind that demonstration set for West Haven, the organizations account wrote on Facebook in response to a question from a reporter. Any credible organization will have their name attached to it.

An individual spokesperson for BLM New Haven could not be reached for comment.

Connecticut Against Brutality has been in contact with the city and Police Department, the groups anonymous spokesperson said, adding that parents will help supervise and individuals who are not part of their group will help lead the protest.

We dont feel comfortable sharing our identities, given the fact that we are minors, she said.

While the organizers had been in touch with the city, West Haven Mayor Nancy Rossi did not know whether they were students, she said. Police spokesman Sgt. Charles Young declined to comment on the groups identity.

Organizers called the mayors office about getting a permit for the protest, according to Rossi, who said her staff referred them to the Police Department. Police did not respond to an inquiry about the permit.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the department emphasized it is working to ensure demonstrators safety.

In light of the upcoming protest, the West Haven Police Departments main role is to ensure the safety of the protesters and the general public during this event, the post said. We stand in solidarity with the community and support the protesters right to a peaceful assembly.

The statement also condemned the killing of George Floyd.

Last week an extremely troubling and disturbing video was released that depicted the actions of several Minneapolis police officers that resulted in the death of George Floyd, the post said. Those officers actions, individually and collectively, were reprehensible and demonstrated a level of illegality, inhumanity and depravity that is unacceptable on any level.

Connecticut Against Brutality scheduled the protest for 1 p.m. Saturday at the West Haven Green, according to its Instagram account.

Demonstrators will eventally walk to the Police Department, a post on the account says, estimating that the walk will begin around 2:30 p.m.

meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com
It's common to see horses competing in North American harness racing from overseas. One country that many wouldn't consider a strong exporter of Standardbreds is Great Britain, and perhaps one speedy 'son of a gun' will change that.

One of the best horses in the U.K. over the past few seasons has been Evenwood Sonofagun. Named the Horse of the Year in 2017 and 2018 by the British Harness Racing Club, eight-year-old Evenwood Sonofagun made his North American pari-mutuel debut at Woodbine Mohawk Park on November 23, 2019. He finished a solid fifth -- beaten by just over a length -- in a conditioned race for his UK-based connections of trainer Alexis and driver William 'Rocker' Laidler. A week later and with a touch more acclimation under him, he paced to victory in a wire-to-wire performance and tripped the timer in 1:51.2.

The rise up the ranks at Mohawk has been steady and strong for Evenwood Sonofagun. Three months after that initial win and now in the stable of Colin Johnson, the son of The Firepan - Im The Last has picked up six more wins and most recently conquered Preferred foes on February 29.

The owner of Evenwood Sonofagun, Raymond Hushcka of Penrith Cumbria, Great Britain is thoroughly enjoying the Canadian ride with Gunner.

My brother Frank and I have always been partners when it comes to horses and business, Huscka told Trot Insider. We work well together and have a great love of harness racing. As a matter of fact we have been involved in harness racing for 50 years and in the past five or six years, we have been the leading owners in the U.K. with our horses under the care of the Laidler Stable.

While Evenwood Sonofagun is the only horse Hushcka currently has racing in Canada, the longtime owner still has prospects to follow back home with the potential idea of maybe someday having more horses compete in North America.

Right now we have nine horses in training in the UK along with having Gunner in Canada. We also have two broodmares, but breeding isnt really our thing -- its much easier to buy something that catches your eye at the sales. We sent Gunner to Canada as a trial run, I think Rocker and Alexis are planning to return to Canada in October with a couple of our other horses from the U.K.

Evenwood Sonofagun is rightfully held on a pedestal by his connection; the bay gelding has won every major handicap in the U.K. and easily crushed race records that hadnt been touched in years. He also set a new world record for pacing under saddle in 2017 in 1:58.

Alexis and Rocker always talk about how intelligent he is, he knows you mean business when you ask him to leave but he is also so well-mannered that you can easily race him from off the pace. He loves to race first up as that is the typical style in England, and the driving style is different as there are no favours given out on the track -- so he is used to being parked first up and still has the will to win. Everything we have ever asked of Gunner he has always given his all, win or lose. He raced great on the hard track and hes raced great on the turf track, no matter the distance, no matter the weather, he has always found a way to win. He is just a horse that loves his job.

That love for his job and that accomplished resume earned Evenwood Sonofagun a flight to Canada.

We think a lot of him and although he is now eight years old, he still has lots of race left in him. He accomplished everything in the U.K., so why not try to live out the dream of having a horse that might be good enough to compete in Canada? said Hushcka. We always knew he would try his best but we never expected him to do so well and when he won the Preferred on February 29 was just amazing -- what a ride has taken us on.

While Evenwood Sonofagun now races from the Colin Johnson stable, Hushcka praises Alexis and Rocker Laidler for the amount of time the duo spent ensuring Gunner was happy, healthy and fit to race in Canada.

The Laidlers both adore Gunner and were very keen to keep him on a schedule that he was used to. But, at the same time they had to make sure his program still worked for him while racing in another country. They absolutely loved the experience and while they hoped to have more races with him, he unfortunately lost a lot of weight and conditioning during his transit from the UK to Canada. So, it took them a lot longer than they originally planned to get him back where they were happy and comfortable to race him. Because he is eight years old, Alexis and Rocker want to make sure that he isnt over-raced.

Evenwood Sonofagun is one of the seven pacers entered tonight (June 6) in the $36,000 Preferred Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park. He has drawn post six and will be driven by Bob McClure for trainer Johnson, who Hushcka praised for the job he's done with the familys prized possession.

Colin is good friends with Alexis and Rocker. They both love how he and Debbie take care of their horses, so that made it easy for us to leave him with Colin. We wanted him to go somewhere where we would still know everything that is going on with him and know that he is receiving five-star treatment -- and he is, they give him everything he needs and have made our experience of racing in Canada very enjoyable.

With Gunners health and happiness always coming first to Hushcka, the pacer will never have to worry about not being taken care of as that flight he earned to Canada most definitely wasnt a one-way ticket.

We are over the moon with how everything has gone with him in Canada and we plan on continuing to race him until he becomes uncompetitive -- and when that day comes he will fly home and be a riding horse for Alexis and enjoy the rest of his days.
Press Release

June 5, 2020 Even without Bayanihan law, Drilon says Duterte can realign funds for COVID-19 response Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon said that the President can exercise his power to realign the executive's budget to augment funds for the government's COVID-19 activities and continue to provide relief to the poor, displaced local workers and returning overseas Filipino workers, who lost their jobs abroad due to the pandemic. Drilon issued the statement Friday following the expiration of Bayanihan to Heal as One Act and the non-passage of the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act. "The Constitution, our laws and the ruling of the Supreme Court on the Disbursement Acceleration Program, Araullo v. Aquino (G.R. No. 209287, July 1, 2014), have provided enough leeway for the President to realign the budget, augment funding and act on a crisis and emergency of this magnitude like COVID-19 pandemic," Drilon stressed. The minority leader pointed to specific provisions of the Constitution and various laws to declare savings and realign funds in order for the government to respond to COVID-19. "The President is authorized to suspend the expenditure of appropriations, declare savings and realign the same under the Article 6, Section 25 of the Constitution, Section 38 and 39 of the Revised Administrative Code, and Section 66 of the 2020 General Appropriations Act. He can exercise all these powers in order to respond to COVID-19 pandemic," Drilon said. Drilon stressed that the above are sufficient legal bases for the President to realign savings within the executive branch to other items of existing appropriations or items in the 2020 General Appropriations Act to fund COVID-19 response activities. "In view of the considerable effects of COVID-19 pandemic to the country and our fellow Filipinos, the President can exercise this power judiciously and in accordance with the Supreme Court decision on the use of savings to augment funds," he added. The Bayanihan to Heal as One Act or Republic Act 11469 expired upon the end of the first regular session of Congress. The Senate tried to pass a new version of the law but failed after Malacanang decided not to certify the measure as urgent, which would have allowed the Senate to dispense with the thee readings requirement on separate days and approve the measure on third reading before it adjourned sine die last Thursday. Drilon said that it is "unfortunate" that the Congress was unable to pass the new Bayanihan law. He urged the government to continuously provide for the welfare and wellbeing of Filipinos heavily affected by the pandemic. "The non-passage of the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act should not prevent the President from continuing to implement programs, projects and activities in Bayanihan to Heal as One Act that have corresponding appropriations in the General Appropriations Act," Drilon stressed. Drilon said the 2020 General Appropriations Act, specifically Section 66 of the General Provisions, also authorized the President, as well as the Senate President, the Speaker House of Representatives and the Chief Justice among others "to declare and use savings in their respective appropriations to augment actual deficiencies incurred for the current year in any item of their respective appropriations." Drilon said the President can just augment funding for the cash-for-work program and the TUPAD or Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers to provide livelihood assistane to millions of displaced workers including OFWs and hire barangays health workers, parent leaders, civil society organizations and 4Ps leaders as contact tracers. Under various Department of Social Welfare and Development programs, the government can augment funding for its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program, among others, to provide food and non-food items as well as livelihood assistance grants to the poor. Under the Department of Health, Drilon said the President may realign savings to augment funding for operational budgets of government hospitals, primarily those identified for treatment of COVID-19 and increase funding for prevention and control of other infectious diseases. Drilon also said that the President can further augment the funding for the following programs: operational budget of the Philippine General Hospital, National Disaster Risk Reduction Fund and Calamity Fund, Livelihood Seeding Program and Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay of DTI and Quick Response Fund of DOH, DOLE, DSWD, DTI, DOTR. "While the President is no longer mandated to provide emergency subsidy to around 18 million low income households in the amount of P5,000 to P8,000, as provided under Section 3(c) of RA No 11469, the President should and can still continue to provide the necessary relief," he said.
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The NSW government will consider land tax changes that encourage the fledgling build-to-rent sector, as tenants move into the first commercial development in Sydney this month.

Planning Minister Rob Stokes said he was "determined to increase the availability and viability of the build-to-rent market in NSW". He will set up a taskforce in the coming weeks with a brief to identify roadblocks in the state planning system and "advocate for changes to state and federal tax law".

"Build-to-rent" refers to a business model for residential construction where the developer intends to be the property manager of the building rather than sell individual dwellings to investors and owner-occupiers.

Yummii and John Nguyen are considering moving into a build-to-rent development at Sydney Olympic Park with Avery, 4, and Brooklyn, 5 months. Credit:Rhett Wyman

Dr Stokes said it provided greater security for tenants, gave developers an incentive to ensure construction quality and the single ownership provided planners with more flexibility to change the zoning in future decades.
N azanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe faces a further delay to find out if she will be permanently freed from jail in Iran and allowed to return to Britain.

The British-Iranian mother, who has been detained in the country since 2016, had hoped for a decision on her clemency bid on Saturday but was told to wait another week.

She was released on furlough from prison on March 17 due to the coronavirus crisis and has been living at her parents home in Tehran, wearing a tag.

Her family was hopeful that she might be permanently released in an amnesty for 3,000 prisoners at the end of Ramadan which was announced by the countrys supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, pictured in May 2020, has been imprisoned in Iran's notorious Evin prison since 2016 / PA

But two weeks after Eid, her husband Richard Ratcliffe told the PA news agency the authorities are really playing with us at this stage.

I worried beforehand that Nazanins furlough would just become a new phase of her being a bargaining chip, a way of using us to signal to the UK that there are two paths ahead, a way to keep us hovering permanently between hope and despair, he said.

This is no way to keep testing someone after four years of trauma. There is no halfway house in a hostage situation. We remain exposed  and will be until she is home.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at Tehrans Imam Khomeini airport while travelling with her young daughter, Gabriella, to meet her parents in April 2016.

She was sentenced to five years in prison over allegations of plotting to overthrow the Tehran government.

Richard Ratcliffe said his wife's fate hangs in the balance / AFP/Getty Images

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been afforded diplomatic protection by the UK Government, which states that she is innocent and that her treatment by Iran failed to meet obligations under international law.

If she is released, she will be allowed to return to Britain to see her daughter.

But if she is forced to stay indefinitely in Tehran, her family may point to American prisoner Michael White, who was released this week in a prisoner swap after nearly a year of negotiations despite the cool relations between Iran and the US.
China said Thursday foreign airlines blocked from operating in the country over virus fears would be allowed to resume limited flights, apparently de-escalating a row with Washington following US plans to ban Chinese carriers. Beijing's announcement comes as tensions between the world's two superpowers are sent soaring by a series of issues including Donald Trump's accusations over China's handling of the pandemic, Hong Kong and Huawei. The latest spat was rooted in the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) deciding to impose a limit on foreign airlines based on their activity as of March 12. Because US carriers had suspended all flights by that date their cap was set at zero, while Chinese carriers' flights to the US continued. On Wednesday the US said it would block Chinese passenger flights from June 16, raising concerns of another front being opened up in the economic titans' standoff. But the CAAC on Thursday said all foreign airlines not listed in the March 12 schedule would now be able to operate one international route into China each week. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian expressed regret over the US decision, adding that the CAAC is making "solemn representations" over the matter. Asked if the latest CAAC notice means the US will be able to file applications for flight resumption, Zhao said the Chinese aviation authority and US Department of Transportation have maintained close communication over flight arrangements between the two countries. "Originally, both sides had made some progress," he said at a regular briefing, adding that China hopes the US will not "create obstacles" for both parties' work to solve the problem. - Spats on many fronts - Relations between Washington and Beijing have become increasingly strained in recent months after Trump accused China of causing the virus intentionally, while a plan to impose a strict security law on Hong Kong has increased tensions substantially. The US has also imposed restrictions on Chinese telecom giant Huawei and ordered a probe into the actions of Chinese companies listed on American financial markets. For its part, Beijing has mocked the US stance on Hong Kong in light of civil rights protests across the US following the police killing in Minneapolis of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man. At the same time, China has gradually relaxed strict air travel caps on some foreign firms as the coronavirus outbreak in the country appears to be under control. China has set up fast-track entry procedures for business travellers from several other countries, including Singapore and South Korea. Hundreds of Germans have also been able to return. Beijing said last week it would almost triple the number of permitted flights to and from China in June following an outcry from Chinese stranded abroad. Passengers must be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival in the country. The CAAC said Thursday that routes whose passengers all test negative for three consecutive weeks will be allowed to operate an additional flight each week. Routes with five or more passengers testing positive will be suspended for at least one week, CAAC said. China has lifted its de facto ban on US airlines into the country, a day after Washington ordered the suspension of all Chinese travel into and out of the US
(Natural News) A top World Health Organization (WHO) official declared Latin America to be the new epicenter of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic Wednesday.

In a sense, South America has become a new epicenter for the disease, said Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHOs emergencies program, at a news briefing at the organizations Geneva headquarters.

The announcement came as the total number of cases in the region topped 1.1 million. Brazil and Peru have some of the highest caseloads in the world, let alone the region. Meanwhile, countries such as Bolivia, Chile and Mexico are not far behind.

On Thursday, Brazil reported that a record 1,473 people had died from COVID-19, bringing its total to over 34,000. With this, the country passed Italy for the third-highest number of deaths worldwide, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The curve is steepening  the sky is the limit, said Julio Croda, an infectious disease specialist and former Brazilian Ministry of Health official, on the pandemics spread in his home nation. The current data show no signs of stabilization.

While Peru doesnt have nearly as many deaths as Brazil, its caseload is still rising as it nears 200,000. Chile and Mexico, on the other hand, have more than 100,000 infections each.

Urbanization and poverty contribute to the viruss spread

What makes it easy for the coronavirus to spread in the region is its high rate of urbanization and equally high levels of poverty. According to UN-Habitat, 83 percent of the regions population lives in cities. Most of these people live packed into slums and multi-generational homes that are hotbeds for infection.

In Brazil, more than 15 percent of the urban population lives in poverty; in Mexico, that number goes as high as 30 percent.

Even if people want to follow the recommendations, its often difficult, or perhaps impossible, to do that, said Ana Diez Roux, dean of the Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health in Philadelphia. Theres no safety net and its very hard to stop working.

According to the Inter-American Development Bank, more than half of the regions workforce  about 140 million people  are informal workers; they move from job-to-job doing whatever they can to earn money. Few in this massive, off-the-books labor force have bank accounts, and most have little to no savings. As such, not working can mean not eating.

Even in the formal economy, things arent much better. Businesses that are receiving massive amounts of stimulus elsewhere, from small businesses to airlines, have been largely left to fend for themselves.

The only exception to this is Peru, which fired off billions in stimulus back in April.

Political instability and government mistrust is hampering coronavirus response

Complicating efforts to contain the spread of the virus is the peoples general mistrust of their governments. A working paper published last month by the National Bureau of Economic Research showed that Brazil and Mexico had the third- and fourth-highest number of respondents, respectively, among 58 countries surveyed where people said that they didnt trust their governments to keep them safe.

In Brazil, the economic powerhouse of the region, the government should have had the ability to put up a coordinated response. However, standing in the way of this is the farcical political drama surrounding President Jair Bolsonaro, who famously referred to the pandemic as a little flu.

Bolsonaro has already fired two health ministers after clashing with them over the need for social distancing as well as the use of the controversial drug chloroquine. In addition, he has been involved in public arguments with state governors over whether the economy or public health should take priority.

On Friday, Bolsonaro threatened to leave the WHO after the latter warned governments about the risk ending restrictions before the spread of the pandemic had been sufficiently slowed.

Most leaders in the region have taken the pandemic much more seriously than Bolsonaro. However, some politicians who backed strict lockdowns in March and April are now pushing to reopen their countries economies.

Sources include:

USNews.com

Coronavirus.JHU.edu

Bloomberg.com

AlJazeera.com
Four people have filed lawsuits against two hotels in Point Pleasant Beach after the tenants claimed they were unlawfully locked out of their rooms last Friday, according to the complaints.

First reported by The Asbury Park Press, the plaintiffs claim they were illegally locked out of their rooms and are protected under Gov. Phil Murphys eviction moratorium under Executive Order 106 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joseph Maggelet, 43, and Laura Mazzeo, 57, filed separate suits against the Pelican Point Motel, its ownership Pelican Point Properties, LLC, manager Theresa B. Elkins, and an employee, referred to only as Denise.

Amanda Faucher, 41, and James Mitchell, 59, filed separate suits against Amethyst Beach Motel, owner John Fernicola, and manager Amanda Wood.

All four plaintiffs are represented by South Jersey Legal Services in Toms River, and all four lawsuits allege the plaintiffs are homeless as a result. They are seeking financial compensation.

Maggelets suit said he had been living at the Pelican Point Motel since February 2020 and alleges he was current with his rent until April, but began to fall behind and currently owes $400. He received a letter in mid-May that said the motel was closing June 1, and he needed to vacate, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit says while Maggelet was at work, the defendants padlocked the door to his room, removed his personal belongings, and placed them in a shed. Police officers who were called to the motel did not provide any assistance and told him he had to leave, the suit said.

Defendants have also unlawfully locked out other residents living at the Pelican Point Motel in order to clear out their rooms for higher paying summer rentals, the lawsuit alleged.

Mazzeo was living at the Pelican Point Motel since January 2020, her lawsuit said, and the defendants initially said she could continue staying there, but the defendants later demanded her to sign a paper stating she would leave in June 2020, which she refused to do because she had no other place to go.

Mazzeo was told to vacate her room by Friday, May 29, and on that day, she stepped outside to smoke a cigarette, which is when defendant manager Denise ran over and shoved Ms. Mazzeo out of the way and put a lock on the door to her room, according to the lawsuit.

Faucher had been living at the Amethyst Beach Motel since December 2019, and while she was grocery shopping on Friday, May 29, 2020, she was illegally locked out of her room, according to her lawsuit.

When she returned home, with nowhere else to go, she regained entry to her unit through a window, her lawsuit alleged. As part of their unlawful eviction tactics, Defendants then began boarding up all the windows to her unit while she was still insideand then had her arrested by the police after falsely claiming that she had intentionally kicked in the bathroom window, when in fact she was trying to prevent Defendants from boarding up the window while still inside.

Faucher was released by the police and found her unit to be locked and boarded up, the lawsuit said.

Mitchell had been living at the Amethyst Beach Motel since December 2019 and said he was current with his rent until April 2020, when he fell behind due to his reduced work hours.

He was given notice in April to vacate because he was behind with his rent, the lawsuit says, and he was asked to vacate his room by Friday, May 29. The lawsuit also alleged he was removed to make room for higher paying summer guests.

The first court hearing is scheduled for Friday, June 5.

Kenneth M. Goldman, the director of litigation and advocacy at South Jersey Legal Services, could not be reached for an immediate response.

Fernicola, the owner of Amethyst Beach Motel, did not respond to an immediate request for comment, but he told the Asbury Park Press he will fight the allegations. He also said the tenants are not paying or are behind on their rent, and have vandalized his property, according to the APP.

Elkins, the manager at Pelican Point Motel, could not be immediately reached for comment.

Fernicola and Wood were previously each charged with four counts of committing an unlawful act while under Gov. Murphys order during a state of emergency, when Wood demanded tenants pay their rent or be forced to leave, according to an April 11 press release from the Point Pleasant Beach Police Department.

Investigation showed a pattern by management and the owner of the motel, in which power and cable were shut off repeatedly in rooms where the occupants were late on their rent, the release said.

Fernicola and Wood are scheduled to appear virtually in Point Pleasant Beach Municipal Court on June 19.

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One of Ireland's most notorious predators is due to be extradited back to Ireland next week after spending almost a year fighting his return here.

Philip Murphy (39), from Clondalkin, Dublin, was arrested last July in London on foot of a European Arrest Warrant on charges of false imprisonment and sexual assault. He has been in custody ever since and fought his extradition all the way through the English court system until the High Court in London ordered his extradition on May 19.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the UK courts granted an extension to his removal from the country, but he must be returned to Ireland by next Wednesday at the latest.

His extradition was first ordered by Westminister Magistrates Court on November 26, but he appealed this decision all the way to the High Court while remaining locked up in a London prison.

"He clearly really does not want to come home," a source said last night.

One of the offences Murphy is wanted for is being investigated by Store Street gardai and relates to an incident which happened in the Jervis Lane area of Dublin city centre on the night of February 25, 2016.

Murphy had only been released a day earlier from Arbour Hill Prison, where he served a 10-year sentence for falsely imprisoning a Polish woman in Clondalkin on June 7, 2008.

In the Jervis Lane incident, it is alleged he grabbed a woman from behind and put his arms around her before fleeing the area on foot. Nothing was stolen from the terrified woman.

The DPP directed charges in this case in March 2018, almost exactly two years after he was arrested.
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Broadcasters: MUST COURTESY UFC Digital: MUST COURTESY UFC~**

VIDEO SHOWS: FELICIA SPENCER AND AMANDA NUNES WEIGHING IN FOR THEIR UFC 250 FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT AS WELL AS THEIR FACEOFF WITH UFC PRESIDENT DANA WHITE IN BETWEEN FIGHTERS

SHOWS: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, UNITED STATES. (JUNE 5, 2020)(UFC-MUST COURTESY UFC)

1. FELICIA SPENCER WEIGHS IN AT 144.5 POUNDS (65.5 KGS)

2. AMANDA NUNES WEIGHS IN AT 145 POUNDS (65.7 KGS)

3. NUNES AND SPENCER FACEOFF WITH UFC PRESIDENT DANA WHITE IN CENTER

STORY: Brazil's Amanda Nunes, the UFC women's featherweight and bantamweight title holder, and Canada's Felicia Spencer both made weight Friday (June 5) for their featherweight title fight at the main event of UFC 250 this weekend.

Both fighters weighed in with masks on, Nunes at 145 pounds (65.7 kilograms) and Spencer at 144.5 (65.5 kgs).

Nunes (19-4) has a chance to become the first multi-weight class title holder to successfully defend both belts.

Spencer (8-1) is Canada's first title challenger since George St. Pierre in 2017.

Nunes has been bantamweight champion since July 2016, making her the longest-reigning current titleholder in the UFC. She pulled off a stunning upset when she knocked out the formidable Cris Cyborg in under a minute to win the title in 2018.

(Production:Peter Bullock)
Trump Admin Argues Philadelphia Showed Unconstitutional Hostility Toward Catholic Foster Agency

The Trump administration argued in a recent brief that Philadelphia had shown unconstitutional hostility toward a faith-based organization when it excluded it from a foster care program because of its religious-based objection to same-sex marriage.

The Justice Department (DOJ) filed the brief (pdf) in the case Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, which the Supreme Court agreed to review earlier this year. The case centers around a Catholic foster care agencys challenge against the citys decision to block the agency from taking on new foster care cases unless they endorse same-sex couples as part of the foster parent certification process.

The city said they stopped referring children to the agency and is not renewing its contract with it because the agency, which has served the city for over 100 years, had allegedly contravened the citys Fair Practices Ordinance. The policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of a variety of factors, including race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

The case was brought by Catholic Social Services (CSS) and two of its certified foster parentsSharonell Fulton and Toni Simms-Buschwho argue that the citys policy is discriminatory and violates the agencys free exercise rights under the First Amendment. It is also asking the court to revisit the precedent in Employment Division v. Smith, a case that found an individuals religious beliefs cannot excuse him or her from complying with a valid law.

The DOJ argued in support of CSS and the foster parents, saying that Philadelphias actions had impermissibly discriminated against religious exercise and shown unconstitutional hostility toward Catholic Social Services religious beliefs.

Philadelphia had argued that its actions were permissible because they were enforcing neutral and generally applicable anti-discrimination policies. The DOJ disagreed, arguing that the city had retained the ability to create individualized exemptions and granted de facto exemptions, which then triggers strict scrutiny that the City cannot satisfy. Strict scrutiny requires courts to strike down laws unless the government can show that there is a compelling state interest and that the law was narrowly tailored to achieve the purpose.

Separately, the application of the Citys policies in this case was tinged with hostility toward religious exercise, not the neutrality that the Free Exercise Clause requires,' the department argued.

CSS said in its petition (pdf) to the top court that as a Catholic agency, CSS cannot provide written endorsements for same-sex couples which contradict its religious teachings on marriage.

It added that the city was acting against them even though the agencys beliefs about marriage havent prevented anyone from fostering. CSS also said that, since its opening in 1917 until the start of the case in 2018, they have not been approached by a single same-sex couple about being foster parents, and therefore, no same-sex couple has been prevented from fostering or adopting a child by CSS.

The Trump administrations brief comes on the same week 76 members of Congress, dozens of states, and a number of diverse religious groups filed friend-of-the-court briefs to urge the top court to allow CSS to continue operating in Philadelphia.

Its easy to support a foster agency that has been uniting vulnerable children with loving families for over 100 years, so its no wonder CSS has received such broad and diverse support at the Supreme Court, Lori Windham, senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, said in a statement.

Faith-based agencies are some of the best at combating the foster care crisis across the nation, yet across the country, they face threats from those who disagree with their religious beliefs. I am hopeful that the Court will recognize that faith-based agencies are rightfully part of the solution and shouldnt be subject to the political appetites of their adversaries.
The Supervisory Board of the State Export Import Bank (Ukreximbank, Kyiv) welcomes open communication by the Bank's clients and is ready to attend to any matters brought to the attention of the Supervisory Board through the Bank's official communication channels.

"It is important to note that the control over the efficiency of Bank's Management Board is the exclusive competence of the Supervisory Board of the Bank, not the shareholder or any other political body," the Supervisory Board's statement handed over to the agency on Friday reads.

As reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a meeting with business circles in Khmelnytsky on June 3 called on the head of the board of Ukreximbank Yevhen Metsger to solve the problem of restructuring business loans in the bank after the Khmelnytsky carpet manufacturer "Karat" complained that it had not been possible to postpone that bank repayment of the principal of the loan for a month.

"Yevhen, listen to me! This is not the matter of one company. If there are many entrepreneurs in Khmelnytsky region (these are different companies) are telling about this, then this is happening all over the country (...) Well, solve this issue, do not readdress it to me," said the head of state during a telephone conversation with Metsger, which took place during a meeting with the business circles of Khmelnytsky region on Wednesday. Advisor to the head of the President's Office of Ukraine on Banking, member of the Supervisory Board of Ukreximbank Viktoria Strakhova explained on the same day that the bank makes many restructuring operations, but when it is in the interests of both the client and the bank. Exim is ready, together with the entire banking community and the regulator, to work on systemic solutions. And in compliance with the law, the president will be provided with detailed information on the client and the circumstances why he was refused. As the saying goes, 'there are many interesting things," she wrote on Facebook.

In its statement on Friday, the Supervisory Board emphasized that it was determined to support its customers on the way out of the crisis and urged them to start official and transparent communication with the relevant management bodies of the bank as soon as possible.

"The Supervisory Board reminds that it is of the direct competence of the new Management Board of Ukreximbank to solve current business affairs in a way that defends both the Bank's and the client's interests. The Supervisory Board provides continuing support to the Management Board in them doing so," the document reads.

The Supervisory and the Management Boards of the Bank are guided by the G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance, Corporate governance principles for banks of Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, the Law of Ukraine "On Banks and Banking" and the NBU recommendations on corporate governance, which provide for the clear division of powers between the Bank's governing bodies.

Ukreximbank was established in 1992, and the state is the sole owner. According to the National Bank of Ukraine, as of January 1, 2020, Ukreximbank ranked third among 75 banks operating in the country in terms of total assets (UAH 202.92 billion).

The Supervisory Board of Ukreximbank consists of seven people (out of nine): Viktoria Strakhova (state representative from the President of Ukraine), Yuriy Butsa (state representative), Dominique Menu, Laszlo Urban, Serhiy Konovets, Dimitri Chichlo and Olyana Gordiyenko (all are independent directors).
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In his latest video titled We can not stay silent about George Floyd, Indian-American standup comedian Hasan Minhaj has called out desi racism against immigrants in the US.

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He pointed the bitterness with which immigrant business owners in the US are responding to protests after George Floyds murder by a policeman. Particularly the South Asians, he complained, have been keeping a far distance from the Black Lives Matter movement exposing their hypocrisy while they outrage over such protests abroad (referring to Asians support for Palestinian Intifada, Hong Kong Protest, CAA/NRC protests in India and so on).

Why are we shocked that people are asking for revolutionary change when we (immigrants) support revolutionary change overseas? he asked, noting that the very reason that made immigrants moving to America possible was a successful Civil Rights Movement leading to the formation of The Immigration Act of 1964.

We love black people on screens, but if they enter our homes or marry our children, wed call the police, he said. Continuing, he highlighted that South Asians are unable to empathize with such protests and that racism is in fact deeply rooted into the South Asian culture. Further, he bashed people and celebrities who look down upon dark-skinned people and endorsed skin-whitening products, hence promoting that its bad to be black in desi culture.

Through the 12 minutes long video, Hasan Minhaj has urged everyone to assist the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement into whatever capacity they can  by donating to anti-racism organizations, showing professionalism by treating or helping them just like they would help anyone else. He demanded more accountability for such systemic biases, calling out people in political power to contribute their bit in fighting institutionalized racism in America.

The video can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=701&v=i_FE78X-qdY&feature=emb_logo
The Federal High Court in Abuja has held that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) possesses the power to deregister political parties.

In a judgment on Friday, Justice Taiwo Taiwo said INEC is empowered under the constitution to de-register political parties that failed to meet provisions of Section 225(a) of the constitution.

The judgment was delivered following a suit filed by Hope Democratic Party (HDP) which queried the recent decision by INEC to deregister it and some other political parties.

This is a second judgement in relation to INECs power to deregister parties. Justice Taiwo had, in May, also ruled in favour of INEC after the National Unity Party (NUP) asked the court to declare that INEC had no power under section 225A of the constitution to de-register the plaintiff as a political party or any other political party.

De-registering

On February 6, 2020, INEC took the nation by surprise by deregistering 74 out of the 91 registered parties that participated in the 2019 general elections. Only 18 parties are currently left on INECs register.

The commission said its decision followed a comparative review and court-ordered re-run elections arising from litigations on political parties in the last elections.

It said the political parties performed poorly and failed to win at least one political seat in the last general elections. INEC also said the parties breached the requirement for registration of political parties under section 225 of the Nigerian constitution.

In defence, some of the affected parties kicked against INECs action, insisting that it acted illegally.

Separate suits were thus filed in court by the aggrieved parties.

Ruling

On Friday, Justice Taiwo dismissed the HDPs suit, saying the party provided no evidence that it met the criteria for it not to be de-registered.

The judge said HDP fell short of the requirements under Section 225(a) of the constitution, and that the party also failed to convince the court that INECs decision to de-register it, as a political party, was unlawful.

He said since it is a legal principle that he who asserts must prove, the plaintiff was under the obligation to prove that INEC acted unconstitutionally by de-registering it as a political party.

He noted that the plaintiff did not only fail to prove its case, the case of the plaintiff is weak and as such, it cannot be granted the reliefs sought.

The plaintiff has the onus to prove its case, but has failed to show to the court that it met the requirements of Section 225(a) of the Constitution.

The plaintiff ought to give particulars of malice when it alleged that it was de-registered out of malice. The court is not a father Christmas to grant reliefs that have not been sought.
It is wrong and dangerous for China to benefit from US capital markets without complying with critical protections that investors rightfully deserve, President Donald Trump said on Thursday as he issued a memorandum to protect American investors from Chinese companies.

For decades, Chinese companies have availed themselves of the benefits of US financial markets, and capital raised in the US has helped fuel China's rapid economic growth, Trump said.

The memorandum was issued to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other members of the top national security leadership.

While China reaps advantages from US markets, the Chinese government has consistently prevented Chinese companies and companies with significant operations in China from abiding by the investor protections that apply to all companies listing on US stock exchanges, Trump alleged.

"It is both wrong and dangerous for China to benefit from our capital markets without complying with critical protections that investors in those markets rightfully expect and deserve," he said.

"China's actions to thwart our transparency laws raise significant risks for investors. The time has come to take firm action in an orderly fashion to put an end to the practice that has tacitly permitted companies with significant Chinese operations to flout protections United States law requires for investors in United States markets," Trump said.

The president said for example, the Chinese government refuses to allow audit firms registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) to provide audit working papers to the board.

Recently, the Chinese government enacted a statute that expressly prevents audit firms from providing this information without prior consent of Chinese financial regulators, he said.

Preventing the PCAOB from complying with its statutory mandate means that investors cannot have confidence in the financial reports of audited companies and this creates significant risks to investors in the securities listed on US stock exchanges, Trump said.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the PCAOB have pressed China for years to allow companies to provide greater transparency in financial information, to no avail, he rued.

Concerns about China's efforts to thwart transparency requirements suggest significant risks even for investors in Chinese companies listed on US stock exchanges, the president said.

Such companies may not provide appropriate and safe investments for investors, including pension funds, which owe fiduciary duties to their beneficiaries, Trump said.

"For these reasons, we must take firm, orderly action to end the Chinese practice of flouting American transparency requirements without negatively affecting American investors and financial markets.

"We must ensure that laws providing protections for investors in American financial markets are fully enforced for companies listed on United States stock exchanges, he said.

In his memorandum, Trump asked the treasury secretary to convene the President's Working Group on Financial Markets.

The group will discuss the risks to investors and financial markets posed by the Chinese government's alleged failure to uphold its international commitments to transparency and accountability and its refusal to permit companies to comply with US law, according to the memorandum.

The group has been asked to submit its memorandum in the next 60 days.
The BJP has rejected Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) national president Chirag Paswans proposal of backing the saffron party even if it opts for a change of face in Bihar assembly polls and reiterated that the elections will be contested only under the leadership of chief minister Nitish Kumar only.

The BJPs Bihar in-charge Bhupendra Yadav and another party functionary B L Santosh sent out that message at a virtual meeting of the partys state leaders and workers late Friday evening.

Former national president and Union home minister Amit Shah had already made an announcement in this regard that Nitish Kumar will be the face of the NDA in Bihar. The BJP stands by it. Nitishji will be our face and forthcoming elections will be contested on the policies and achievements of both Centre and the state, said Yadav, passing the message to both party cadres and alliance partners that there should be no confusion on this count.

ALSO WATCH | Rajasthan govt took Rs 1 cr to send stranded students from Kota: Sushil Modi

Shah had declared in late 2019 that Nitish Kumar will lead the alliance in the next assembly elections.

The party cadres, grass root workers were all instructed to keep this fact in mind and work for the alliance in tandem.

The BJP leaders announcement comes at the backdrop of an interview given by the LJP president to a news agency in which he mooted the idea of backing the BJP, if it opts for a change of face in the Bihar assembly polls scheduled later this year.

Paswan had recently expressed his dissatisfaction with the Bihar chief ministers handling of the migrant crisis. He minced no words in saying that the crisis could have been handled better and there was perceptible anger among migrant workers from Bihar who are stuck in far-off places.

If they (BJP) want to go ahead with Nitish Kumar ji, we are with them, if they want to have a change of mind... whatever decision the BJP takes, we will support, Paswan said in the interview.

The Bihar BJP in-charge, Yadav, made it clear to all party cadres that they should not bother about who will be contesting how many seats. Whatever seats one gets, NDA will fight unitedly. Prepare for all 243 seats, he said and asked the party workers to treat June 7 virtual rally of Amit Shah as a bugle for election.

With the election likely to be technology-based, he advised the party workers to create a WhatsApp group for each assembly segment and add 75% of the voters in that particular segment who do not toe any party line. In each assembly segment, there will be two virtual rallies will be organised, Yadav added.

Amit Shah is scheduled to address a virtually rally in Bihar on June 7. Yadav said that from June 11 onwards, a team of two comprising a party cadre and another party office-bearer will start distributing to each voter a folder containing Prime Minister Narendra Modis letter to people and the centres achievement in every constituency. Party sources said that several such teams will be involved in each assembly segment.
A man who spent 28 years behind bars was released from prison Friday after a Pennsylvania judge vacated his 1996 conviction in the murder of a 4-year-old girl.

"I was glad to get out," Walter Ogrod, 55, said.

He was freed with the help of the same Philadelphia District Attorney's Office that prosecuted him back in 1988. This time, the office's Conviction Integrity Unit, created in 2014, worked to disprove the case.

Image: Walter Ogrod (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections via AP)

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner welcomed the judge's order, saying in a statement Friday, "On behalf of this office, I apologize to Walter Ogrod and his family. I hope he will soon be officially declared innocent of this horrendous crime."

Judge Shelley Robins New ordered a new trial, and prosecutors have filed a motion to quell a retrial. If that motion is granted, Ogrod's case will be closed. For now he's out on bail.

Prosecutors now believe that Ogrod was coerced into a false confession after 4-year-old Barbara Jean Horn was found dead in a cardboard television box near his north Philadelphia home.

Witnesses said they saw a man near the box, but he didn't look like Ogrod. Jurors in his first trial voted 11-1 to acquit, but a second trial included the testimony of jailhouse informants, and Ogrod was convicted.

His lawyers said earlier this year that DNA found at the crime scene did not match his.

In an interview with NBC News' Lester Holt in May, Ogrod said he believed he contracted COVID-19 and recovered while serving time in Pennsylvania's State Correctional Institution Phoenix. But he was not tested.

"Its remarkable that this occurred today, during a time when our country is experiencing so much unrest and so many questions about our criminal justice system and whether or not it is so demonstrably broke that you cant get just results," Assistant District Attorney Patricia Cummings said Friday.

Prosecutors vowed to put whoever killed Horn behind bars.

"To know that an innocent man has been in prison and the person that did this has been out, it's just horrible," said the girl's mother, Sharon Fahy.
Beijing:

After launching the worlds first hack-free satellite, China has tested its first quantum radar which could detect objects, including stealth aircraft, within the range of 100 kilometres.

The first Chinese quantum radar was developed by the Intelligent Perception Technology Laboratory of the 14th Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), Russian media quoted Chinese media reports.

The radar was tested in mid-August, Russia Today quoted Chinese state-run Xinhua news agency as saying.

The system was able to detect a target at a range of 100 kms in a real-world environment, the report said.

The device employs single photon detection technology.

Quantum radar is a device that uses quantum entanglement photons to provide better detection capabilities than conventional radar systems.

The method would be useful for tracking targets with a low radar cross section, such as modern aircraft using stealth technology or targets employing active countermeasures to jam or baffle enemy radar, it said.

The technology may also find use in biomedicine, since quantum radar requires lower energy and can be used to non-invasively probe for objects with low reflectivity, such as cancer cells.

Earlier, China launched the worlds first quantum communications satellite, which uses quantum entanglement for cryptography.

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Executive Director of Civil and Human Rights Join the Mayor of the City Los Angeles to Discuss the Social Reform Within L.A.

Los Angeles received updates on the social improvement that are looking to take place in wake of the intolerance for unjust treatment within underserved communities; showcased through protest across the nation. The Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti was accompanied by the Executive Director of the newly established Civil and Human Rights Department to discuss the steps ahead, to see a better spread of opportunity and increased well being amid Black Americans of Los Angeles.

This week we seen a lot of pain, we seen a lot of protests, we ushered in a lot of peace. And maybe we seen the beginning of some progress. I know how raw and fragile this moment is for most of us, I know how much we look for the enemy amongst usGarcetti stated.

The mayor acknowledged the pain of black Americans, the torch of racism that has been passed down for generations, and the scars it left throughout history. The collective community have felt each scorching moment of grief and pain, for centuries. The most recent wound being the murder of George Floyd, welted and grew to infect the entire nation as intolerable anguish. The city looks to elected officials to not only bandage the wound but change the environment where the black community continues getting burned.

Some updates include less National Guard personnel stationed in the city; they will begin to return home in the coming days. Garcetti spoke about what can be done collectively, all of the city will be held responsible. The mayor is looking to bridge the respect of law enforcement and the accountability that every part of local government needs to take in present inequalities within underserved communities. Garcetti called for the youth to be part of the change within the departments, to join with the mission of unity.

Another opportunity will be the revision within the city budget, the mayor reiterated the plan for 250-million dollars in cuts to redirect into the healing within the black community. Garcetti called out the state and federal government, in which they can also provide funds to expand the community safety partnership. He continues to support proposals by the legislative Black Caucus, such as to restore voting rights to those serving parole, improve emergency response services to historically neglected communities, and to seek reparations for the impact of slavery.

Garcetti brought awareness to the civil and human rights department, introducing the first Executive Director Capri Maddox. This department will magnify the social issues that live among the city and reflect on the solutions. It will supply a voice of reason and equality to any new legislation passed. Maddox confirmed that the Department of Civil and Human Rights are looking to level out the playing field and uproot injustice. There will be collaborations with community leadership programs that have their hand on the pulse of each issue in black and brown communities. Maddox stated, We cannot stand by and allow hate and discrimination to literally or figuratively kill our communities.

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Yesterday Eric Garcetti heard firsthand from the black leadership at the Justice Matters conference at First A.M.E Church. Garcetti referred to the church as Holy and a center of monumental events for Los Angeles. The mayor spoke on what we need to do, in this moment. First, there is a need to measure and recognize the inequality. Secondly, the discrepancies as well as the progress must be vocalized. Finally there is a need to actively listen, the mayor announced to the panelist of Justice Matters, together with city council there is a commitment to shift funding that will address structural black racism.
With $16.5 million in NIH funding, MUSC opens two new digestive disease research centers

This spring marked a seismic shift for digestive and liver disease research at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) with the award of more than $16.5 million in National Institutes of Health funding to open two new tightly integrated centers.

MUSC became the only institution in the country to house both a Digestive Disease Research Core Center (DDRCC), which supports the research of established scholars, and a Center for Biomedical Research Excellence in Digestive and Liver Disease (CDLD), which mentors early-career investigators to become independent scholars.

MUSC is now one of only 17 DDRCCs in the nation. Department of Medicine investigator Don C. Rockey, M.D., a gastroenterologist, serves as the MUSC DDRCC's director. Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology chair Stephen A. Duncan, D.Phil., a basic scientist specializing in liver disease research, serves as associate director.

"The institutions that are home to a DDRCC represent the true leaders in academic gastroenterology and hepatology," said Rockey. "These are great programs, and for us to be in that company is fabulous. Speaking for myself and Steve, we're very proud of this achievement."

To be chosen as a DDRCC by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, an institution must have a strong core of investigators who are recognized as leaders in an area of digestive disease research. DDRCCs are also led by nationally and internationally prominent investigators. The funds from the NIDDK help to support efforts to build the center into a national resource on the topic.

The MUSC DDRCC will provide stable funding to support some 30 basic science and clinician-scientist investigators working in the field of digestive and liver disease. They all work in areas related to the theme of the DDRCC, which covers the area of inflammation, fibrosis and organ dysfunction throughout the gastrointestinal tract. The center will also help to attract luminaries and promising mid-career investigators in gastrointestinal disease to MUSC.

"We're excited to be able to recruit people right now who would never consider us without these kinds of resources," said Rockey.

But, according to Rockey, great programs not only recruit successful researchers, they help create them. Only by developing a pipeline to produce the next generation of researchers can a program achieve sustained excellence.

And it is the goal of the CDLD is to create such a pipeline.

"The CDLD really aims to take very new, inexperienced investigators and give them the tools, the research resources, as well as the environment that will allow them to transition to be superstar independent researchers who focus on digestive disease," said Duncan, who in addition to his role with the DDRCC also serves as director of the CDLD. Rockey serves as associate director.

Made possible by a grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, the CDLD provides junior investigators with a robust grant and offers them the mentorship and other resources they need to obtain independent grant funding. Once they do, they will transition to the DDRCC, opening a slot for another junior investigator.

Currently, the center has three junior investigators: Antonis Kourtidis, Ph.D., and Eric G. Meissner, M.D., Ph.D., both assistant professors in the College of Medicine, and Chad M. Novince, Ph.D., D.D.S., an assistant professor in the College of Dental Medicine. A fourth is currently being recruited and will assume the spot of Je-Hyun Yoon, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the College of Medicine, who was to be the fourth fellow. Yoon recently obtained independent grant funding and will therefore move directly into the DDRCC.

The centers, which are highly complementary, grew from a strong collaboration between Rockey, a physician-researcher, and Duncan, a basic scientist.

"It's very easy for basic scientists to get really focused on minutiae," said Duncan. "But through our collaboration - Don and I work very, very well together, unusually well together - we've been able to begin to pull together an environment that allows the basic scientists to really become more facile with the problems that our physician-scientists are seeing related to the clinics and vice versa."

The DDRCC also offers clinician-scientists much-needed protected time to pursue their research projects.

Fostering multidisciplinary collaborations like that between Rockey and Duncan is a principal goal of both centers. To achieve this, both the DDRCC and CDLD provide grant funding to investigators through their Pilot Project programs directed by Caroline Westwater, Ph.D.

"Both the DDRCC and CDLD aim at encouraging collaborations among investigators and helping those collaborations be successful," said Rockey.

"The collaboration between the two centers has generated a really rich environment at MUSC for us to study digestive disease research," said Duncan.

Both centers offer their researchers, as well as other investigators across campus, access to the research tools that are necessary to conduct cutting-edge digestive and liver disease research. The two centers share research cores in cell models, directed by Duncan, and advanced imaging, directed by John J. Lemasters, M.D., Ph.D. In addition, the DDRCC has a proteomics core directed by Richard R. Drake, Ph.D., and a clinical component, intended to provide study design and statistical support, directed by Paul Nietert, Ph.D. The CDLD also includes an animal models core, directed by Suzanne Craig, D.V.M., and statistical support through Viswanathan Ramakrishnan, Ph.D.

The centers also support a common seminar series and an annual retreat focused on digestive and liver disease research that attracts digestive and liver disease researchers from around the state.

Together, these centers will help to make MUSC a powerhouse in digestive and liver disease research for years to come. The resulting research could provide new insight into treating gastrointestinal disease and be an asset for the state and nation.

"Digestive disease is a huge problem in South Carolina, as it is nationally. And it is certainly understudied," said Duncan. "And so I think the research that will result from these grants will contribute to a growing understanding of digestive disease and, we hope, ultimately treatments."

They also mark MUSC's entree into the national arena as a major player in gastroenterology and gastrointestinal research.

"Simply put, the goal here is to be great. We want to be the best gastroenterology program in the U.S."

###

About the Medical University of South Carolina

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the oldest medical school in the South as well as the state's only integrated academic health sciences center with a unique charge to serve the state through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and 800 residents in six colleges: Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. The state's leader in obtaining biomedical research funds, in fiscal year 2019, MUSC set a new high, bringing in more than $284 million. For information on academic programs, visit http://musc. edu .

As the clinical health system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest quality patient care available while training generations of competent, compassionate health care providers to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Comprising some 1,600 beds, more than 100 outreach sites, the MUSC College of Medicine, the physicians' practice plan and nearly 275 telehealth locations, MUSC Health owns and operates eight hospitals situated in Charleston, Chester, Florence, Lancaster and Marion counties. In 2019, for the fifth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit http://muschealth. org .

MUSC and its affiliates have collective annual budgets of $3.2 billion. The more than 17,000 MUSC team members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers and scientists who deliver groundbreaking education, research, technology and patient care.

This story has been published on: 2020-06-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
(L) Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser at a news conference in 2018. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) (R) President Donald Trump at a news conference at the White House in Washington on June 5, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Trump Threatens to Deploy More Federal Forces to Washington, Opposing Mayor

President Donald Trump has threatened to deploy more federal forces to Washington, opposing Mayor Muriel Bowser after she requested the White House remove troops and law enforcement officers from the city.

The incompetent Mayor of Washington, D.C., [whose] budget is totally out of control and is constantly coming back to us for handouts, is now fighting with the National Guard, who saved her from great embarrassment over the last number of nights, Trump announced on Twitter on Friday.

If she doesnt treat these men and women well, then well bring in a different group of men and women! he wrote.

It is unclear what Trump is referring to when he wrote of different groups of men and women. Various federal forces were ordered into the city to quell violent activities in the past week.

over the last number of nights. If she doesnt treat these men and women well, then well bring in a different group of men and women!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020

The threat comes after Bowser on Thursday asked Trump to withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence from the city.

The Democratic mayor told reporters during a press conference on Thursday she is fine with the National Guard helping to keep order. But she is examining all legal options to reverse the Trump administrations deployment of forces from elsewhere.

We want troops from out of state, out of Washington, D.C., Bowser said.

Bowser wrote in a letter to Trump that the curfew for the city had expired 6 a.m. on Thursday, and with that, she ended the state of emergency in Washington related to the demonstrations. To justify her request to remove federal troops and law enforcement, Bowser asserted that the protesters in the city have been peaceful and that the Metropolitan Police Department did not make a single arrest on Wednesday night.

I continue to be concerned that unidentified federal personnel patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C. pose both safety and national security risks, Bowser also alleged, adding that the deployment of federal law enforcement personnel and equipment are inflaming demonstrators and adding to the grievances of those who, by and large, are peacefully protesting for change and for reforms to the racist and broken systems that are killing black Americans.

She also wrote that the multiplicity of forces, which include additional, unidentified units  operating outside of established chains of command can breed dangerous confusion. One such example, Bowser wrote, is when helicopters are being used in a war-like tactic to frighten and disperse peaceful protesters.

Adding to the confusion and my concern are the units that lack identifying insignia, she expressed. She asserted that unnecessary risks befall both protesters and officers when the officers can not be clearly identified.

In fact, we found many years ago that conflict between police and citizens is reduced when law enforcement affiliation is apparent; thus, identifying insignia is mandatory in Washington, D.C. Bowser wrote.

A National Guard helicopter was seen over crowds on the evening of June 1. According to The Associated Press, the helicopter, normally designated for use in medical evacuations, hovered low enough to create a deafening noise and spray a number of people on the ground with rotor wash. The commanding general of the Washington National Guard, Maj. Gen. William Walker, said in a statement on Wednesday (pdf) that he has directed an investigation into the use of the helicopter.

The district doesnt have a governor, and as such, Walker reports directly to Army Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy.

Troops Leaving Region

McCarthy and other officials said on Friday that nearly 500 active-duty troops have been ordered to leave the region. The troops include about 350 soldiers from the 91st Military Police Battalion from Fort Drum, New York, about 30 members of the 16th Military Police Brigade from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and about 100 military police from Fort Riley, Kansas.

Another more than 700 active-duty troops from the 82nd Airborne Divisions immediate response battalion departed from the region on Thursday evening and were back at their home base at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, overnight.

The active-duty troops were earlier sent to the region to help if needed to stamp out unlawful activities in Washington, amid protests following the death of George Floyd on May 25. The protests in the city had occasionally turned violent, but while the troops were available, they were not used in response to the protests and never went into Washington, AP reported.

A number of other active-duty soldiers remain on alert in the region, prepared to respond if needed. This includes the Armys 3rd Infantry Regiment, also known as the Old Guard, which remains on alert just outside the city.

The Old Guard still remains in support. It is our intention to try and turn that off as soon as possible. Weve had four peaceful days in a row, projecting a fifth, said McCarthy, adding that there have been enough National Guard personnel brought in to provide any needed support for the protests in Washington.

President Donald Trump holds a Bible as he visits outside St. Johns Church across Lafayette Park from the White House, in Washington, on June 1, 2020. (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo)

On June 1, around 7 p.m., Trump walked across Lafayette Square from the White House to St. Johns Church and held up a bible. He was accompanied by senior aides, along with Secret Service agents and reporters. The church had been partially damaged due to arson over the weekend.

Trump announced earlier that day that he was sending military personnel and other federal assets to quell violent riots in Washington.

If a city or a state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them, he announced at the time, strongly recommending that governors deploy the National Guard in their states.

U.S. Park Police on the day had evacuated protesters at the park around 6:30 p.m., ahead of a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew imposed by Bowser. Police officers used smoke canisters and pepper balls to aid them in dispersing the crowd after protesters became combative and started throwing objects at the officers, according to a USPP statement on June 2.

Police on horseback begin to approach demonstrators who had gathered to protest the death of George Floyd, near the White House in Washington on June 1, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Weve long advocated for administrative and legislative reforms to de-militarize American police forces and improve the accountability of overly aggressive officers. Its been a slow and often-frustrating process given the power of police unions to derail reforms  and the publics understandable tendency to give officers the benefit of the doubt.

Public opinion seemed to change in a flash. The video of Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin pressing his knee against George Floyds neck for several minutes until he died shocked the nations conscience. Even some police unions condemned the killing. A few officers kneeled in support of protesters. Politicians who reflexively back the badge condemned this act of violence.

That looked like progress and, finally, an opportunity for policymakers to address some ongoing policing problems. These include a secretive disciplinary process that protects bad cops, laws that provide officers with qualified immunity, and union protections that make it difficult to fire a misbehaving officer. Chauvin reportedly had 18 previous complaints filed against him.

But after several days of nationwide riots, all those potential gains evaporated in a cloud of burning buildings and scenes of looted stores. The scale of the protests, spanning from San Francisco to Boston and unfolding on a single night, rivaled the historic demonstrations of the civil rights and Vietnam War eras, Fox News reported.

Most Americans defend peaceful protests. But radical groups and those more interested in looting than justice co-opted the protests and unleashed terror on American cities. Burning down businesses (including minority-owned stores), destroying historic buildings and carting off consumer goods from vandalized retailers hardly advances the cause of justice. Other people  including a security officer guarding a federal building in Oakland  died during the protests.

By Monday, many Americans who had previously sympathized with peaceful protesters were cheering SWAT teams that were firing rubber bullets at the crowds and even arresting news crews that were reporting on the madness. Instead of hearing thoughtful discussions about the need for police reform, the narrative has shifted toward a frustrated public demanding that police and the National Guard clamp down on street violence.

Unfortunately, President Donald Trump has thus far failed to calm the nation. His tweet, when the looting starts, the shooting starts, echoes the incendiary words of a 1960s-era police chief. Thats a missed opportunity because the president had initially struck some of the right notes. He was in tremendous pain, obviously, and couldnt breathe. It was very obvious to anybody that watched it, Trump said, after speaking with Floyds family.

The riots have brought out some peoples worst instincts, although there have been encouraging stories. One widely circulated video shows a group of African-American protesters forming a human chain to protect a Louisville, Kentucky, officer from a mob after he was separated from his unit. But most of the stories from the weekend are appalling  and will do nothing but undermine the chance to address the legitimate concerns that sparked the initial protests.

The riots at the 1968 Democratic convention, by the way, didnt lead to an end of the Vietnam War or advancements in civil rights  but to the election of law-and-order Republican President Richard Nixon. Instead of advancing the goals of police reform, the riots shift the focus away from what should be a unified push for reform and toward polarized perceptions of destructive riots. Thats a tragedy for the nation.
The Vallejo police officer who shot and killed Sean Monterrosa on June 2 has been identified as officer Jarrett Tonn, according to the Mercury News.

Tonn fatally shot Monterrosa while responding to a call of a looting at a Walgreens early Tuesday. Vallejo police initially said Monterrosa had a firearm in the waistband of his pants, but the item turned out to be a hammer. Police said Monterrosa was on his knees with his arms above his waist when an officer shot five times from behind a police windshield, hitting him once.

They executed him. There was no reason for them to kill my brother like that, Monterrosas sister, Ashley Monterrosa, told ABC7 News.

According to Vallejo police documents, Tonn has fired his weapon while on duty three previous times since 2015.

The Vallejo Police Officers' Association released a statement regarding the death of Monterrosa on Friday evening.

The statement, obtained by SFGATE, says that "seconds before" the confrontation with Monterrosa, officers heard over the radio that "it appeared the looters were armed." It goes on to say that while Monterrosa began to attempt to flee, he stopped and "chose to engage" the officers.

"Mr. Monterrosa abruptly pivoted back around toward the officers, crouched into a tactical shooting position, and grabbed an object in his waistband that appeared to be the butt of a handgun," it reads. "At no time did Mr. Monterrosa make any movements consistent with surrendering."

The statement conflicts in part with the report Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams gave to reporters earlier this week. On Wednesday, Williams said in a press conference that rather than fleeing, Monterrosa "suddenly stopped, taking a kneeling position, and placing his hands above his waist, revealing what appeared to be a handgun."

The identity of the officer involved in Monterrosa's death comes on the same day that California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced his office will review the Vallejo Police Department and recommend reforms to use-of-force policies and measures involving bias and community policing.

This review and reform agreement we announce today with the city of Vallejo represents a critical step the Vallejo Police Department must take to build trust with people who have lost faith in them, Becerra said.

He said the review was tied to recent high-profile officer-involved shootings, not a specific incident.

Weve been working with leaders in Vallejo for quite some time to reach this agreement, Becerra said.

Police Chief Shawny Williams said he has implemented a number of reforms since taking over the department, including a stronger body-worn camera policy, improved de-escalation policy, and a program to regularly analyze use-of-force data.

But the biggest steps are ahead of us, he said. I welcome all voices to the table. We are stronger together.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Matthew Tom is a Homepage Editor at SFGATE. Email: mtom@sfgate.com.
The tight security apparatus that President Akufo-Addo has set up at the countrys ports continue to prove very robust, as the hawkish eyes of the Tema Port security nip a vessel carrying people infected with coronavirus before it would dock.



The Formula 1 vessel was intercepted after intelligence confirmed that it had sick people on board.



The vessel was bayed and after tests were conducted, four people were confirmed to be carrying the coronavirus.



Crew and passengers have since been quarantined.



Mr Daniel Kwame Annang, a businessman, who witnessed the operation by the Tema Port Security told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the COVID-19 team has since been praising the sense of duty on display.



President Akufo-Addos security set up at the Tema Port here is indeed robust. When you have the Anti-COVID-19 committee work so swiftly, you cannot help but to feel proud and safe as a Ghanaian, he said.



The Tema Port COVID-19 team comprises of personnel from the Navy, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, especially Port Health and other agencies.



According to Mr Annang, the operation to stop the Formula 1 was led by the Head of the Eastern Naval Command, Commodore Sam Walker, the port security manager, Col. William Kwabiah as well as the head of port health.



They and their men acted on intelligence that the vessel was approaching and may not have had any proper health vetting for its crew and other people on board. They intercepted the vessel and allowed the Covid-19 team to perform the necessary tests. Lo and behold, four people tested positive for coronavirus, Mr Annang narrated.



He praised the proactive style of the security team, which had ruthlessly stopped many people trying to stow into the country even before President Akufo-Addo would direct for the countrys borders to be opened up.



Last month, the same hawkish security personnel at the Tema Port arrested a group of Ghanaians who had stolen into the country after sojourning in Nigeria for months.



Before that, a group of Sierra Leoneans who also attempted to sneak into the country through the Tema Port were also arrested, processed and repatriated.



I think that kudos is in order for Mr Michael Luguje, the Director-General of GPHA and Mrs Sandra Opoku, the Director of Tema Port, for their unique fighting spirit against coronavirus in the port, I would also want to commend them for being strict, putting the Port of Tema on such high alert, which shows that they are beginning to behave like hawks, Mr Annang said.

Source: GNA









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As public disorder has swept across the US in protest against police brutality, many on the right have blamed "Antifa" for the disorder. Donald Trump pronounced on Twitter that he would be implementing an executive order proscribing Antifa as a terrorist organisation.

A number of people have pointed out that there is no legal mechanism for Trump to do this (there is a Foreign Terrorist Organisation list, but no such list exists for groups inside the US). In fact, Antifa is not an organisation; it is a moniker used to describe militant anti-fascism. Yet Trump had previously called Antifa a terrorist organisation in 2019 and there has been pressure by Republicans for law enforcement to treat Antifa as such.

Figures on the hard right across the English speaking world have taken up Trumps portrayal of Antifa as terrorism, with Conservative Party of Canada candidate Derek Sloan announcing on Twitter that he would also designate Antifa as terrorists if made prime minister. In the UK, the Brexit Partys Nigel Farage said this week that he had first labelled Antifa "domestic terrorists" in 2017.

This rhetoric builds on right-wing attempts to characterise a range of social and protest movements as extremist, and possible akin to terrorism. Last year the home secretary, Priti Patel, defended an inital decision by counter-terrorism police to include Extinction Rebellion, the climate activist movement, in a report on extremist ideologies. Outside the UK, Australias home affairs minister Peter Dutton conflated Islamist terrorism with left-wing politics and decried "leftwing lunatics" as a possible security threat in February this year.

Left-wing terrorism has been labelled a potential threat in North America and Europe since the 1970s, when the Weather Underground, Red Army Faction and Red Brigades were active. But that same threat does not exist today, even though some commentators and politicians have tried to raise the spectre of an "alt left" or "ctrl left" as a counterpart to the alt right.

The characterisation of opposition to fascism as terrorism is not new. It was a regular feature of fascist rhetoric in the 1930s. Oswald Mosleys British Union of Fascists routinely referred to anti-fascist actions against them as "red terrorism" while portraying themselves as the defenders of free speech. A 1936 edition of the BUFs Blackshirt newspaper declared that "organised red violence has been swept away" by Mosleys men. Another edition from the same year proclaimed: "In two years, the Blackshirt spirit has triumphed. In two short years Red Terrorism and its Jew and Soviet inspired gangs have lost their dominion of the streets of East London Fascism won the freedom of the streets."

This passage not only attributes the violence to red terrorism and hooliganism, but also highlights the history of blaming foreign forces for domestic disturbances and the anti-Semitic conspiracy theory of Jewish manipulation of protestors (both of which have been seen inonline depictions of the US riots today).

While anti-communism was rife in Britain at the time, there was a worry about the reach of these fascist tropes. Politicians such as the Liberal MP Robert Bernays raised in Parliament concern about Mosley using this term to describe anti-fascist activism, with his party colleague Isaac Foot observing in 1934 that the Nazi press in Berlin had also taken up Mosleys characterisation of anti-fascism as a form of "red terrorism".

The right-wing talking point that the left are a threat to free speech and that action needs to be taken to protect free speech was also found within fascist discourse during the inter-war period. The education secretary's special advisor, Iain Mansfield, recently wrote of the "tyrannical silencing of free speech" while Spectator journalist Toby Young pleads that free speech "is currently in greater peril than at any time since the Second World War". Back in 1933, Blackshirt argued "we have reached a point in this country in which free speech is a thing of the past", claiming terrorists would close down events they didn't agree with.

In 2019, Nigel Farage told an event hosted by the Young Americas Foundation: "I mean frankly the real fascism these days, the real intolerance isnt Matteo Salvini or Donald Trump, its those on the left who wish to shout down the other side and indeed on campuses like this, across America and across the whole of the UK, attempt to no platform speakers whove got ideas they dont like. Thats the real modern fascism, the attempt to close down free speech."

This is what Aurelien Mondon and Aaron Winter have described as the mainstreaming of far-right ideas. Fascist tropes that have a history back to the inter-war years have been revitalised and repurposed ever since, but the line between liberalism and illiberalism has become increasingly blurred.

As the hard right seems to be making headway in an era of global crisis, the push by the right to portray opposition to it as either terrorism or a "threat to our freedoms" is an increasingly common refrain, no longer a view relegated to the extremes. That's why recognising the origins of these contemporary right-wing talking points is an important part of combating the rise of the hard right as it tries to take advantage of the current situation.

Evan Smith is a research fellow at Flinders University in South Australia. His latest book is 'No Platform: A History of Anti-Fascism, Universities and the Limits of Free Speech' (Routledge, 2020)
Canadians cant help watching the racism now roiling America and wonder where we fit in  for better or for worse.

Premier Doug Ford got himself in trouble this week after boasting about Canadian superiority while minimizing our homegrown problems. More noteworthy is that he changed his tune the very next day, acknowledging that systemic racism still discriminates against Blacks and other non-whites, notably Indigenous peoples.

In the search for answers about how we compare, we may be asking the wrong questions. Which is why this column isnt about racist culture but political culture (I dont pretend to have the answers for the former).

Never mind that America has a legacy of slavery that Canada doesnt share, for we have our own well-documented history of discrimination. The bigger difference isnt in the racism but in the responses.

America faces double jeopardy because it must not only confront racism, but also do so in the context of a polarized and confrontational culture: African-Americans versus the police  followed by protestors facing deployments of the National Guard, prison guards (bearing arms but not identification) and soldiers in full battle dress (led by their top soldier wearing a camouflage combat uniform).

Beyond the street violence, police brutality has escalated to political warfare in America  led not just by President Donald Trump and his Republican allies but evangelical enablers and apologists everywhere. Political culture is magnifying racist culture.

For its part, Canada is not without original sin (nor subsequent sin), and we dare not seek absolution by pointing fingers at a country with supposedly worse problems. But we are undeniably different, even if not in the ways we imagine.

I spent 11 years covering conflict overseas as a foreign correspondent  including civil wars pitting Sinhalese Buddhists against Tamil Hindus, and Northern Sudanese Arab Muslims against Southern Sudanese Christian Blacks. Along the way I chronicled strains of racism, xenophobia, homophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Buddhist chauvinism and Hindutva (hegemony of Hindus over Muslims and Christians).

I'm not arguing that Canadians are less racist than anyone else. As individuals, we are perfectly capable of descending into racism or intolerance indistinguishable from what we see elsewhere.

By accident of history and geography, we have developed a culture of accommodation and compromise. But we also benefit from a political inheritance that sets us apart.

Sociologists often make reference to Canadians deference to authority. To me, its our preference for collectivity that counts.

Beyond the cliche of medicare, consider our tradition of equalization that creates a level provincial playing field, fiscally  a quintessentially Canadian impulse. More than that, most of our prime ministers in recent decades have promoted tolerance, however imperfectly, most of the time.

True, Pierre Trudeau teamed up with Jean Chretien decades ago to propose de facto Indigenous assimilation, but they backed off. Trudeau brought troops and tanks into the streets to quash Quebec terrorism, but the country ultimately responded to separatism peacefully and civilly (without civil wars). Ottawa deployed the army at Oka decades ago, but avoided doing so this year for an Indigenous blockade of pipelines and railways, later withdrawing the Mounties to reduce tensions.

Canadas political culture more often than not tends to de-escalate conflicts, even if it sometimes takes forever to deconstruct the discrimination that causes it. That doesnt mean our major party leaders always did the right thing: Stephen Harper delivered a formal apology to our Indigenous peoples, but in his last campaign he used the dog whistle of a barbaric practices snitch line.

Homophobic and misogynistic vulgarisms were directed at Kathleen Wynne, Fords predecessor as premier. In power, Ford has flirted with figures of intolerance, then distanced himself (although he still makes excuses for Charles McVetys venom).

That Ford so quickly walked back his blunder this week speaks not to his political correctness or adeptness but a political culture that wont tolerate intolerance at the leadership level for long. That Trudeau so rapidly talked back his youthful blackface performances that resurfaced last year shows how little room there was in the public sphere for such antics or attitudes.

The Canadian tradition of avoiding confrontation doesn't inoculate us from racial discrimination, nor diminish systemic racism. Indeed, theres even a risk that forever preaching tolerance and introspection could lead to eternal complacency, and so we also need bracing reminders to reform our ways.

But that is Canadas political culture, for better or for worse. We, like our neighbours, have work to do, but unlike them we do not yet see the piercing partisan divide, shameless political wedges and reckless incitement that preclude reconciliation.
Uzbek President Visits Eastern Region Wracked By Ethnic Unrest

By RFE/RL's Uzbek Service June 05, 2020

TASHKENT -- Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev is touring the eastern region of Ferghana days after simmering ethnic unrest boiled over again near the region's Sokh exclave within neighboring Kyrgyzstan.

The Uzbek presidential office said on June 5 that Mirziyoev left Tashkent, the capital, for Ferghana "to get acquainted with the ongoing social and economic reforms and the residents' everyday life."

The office did not say if Mirziyoev plans to visit the troubled Sokh exclave within Kyrgyzstan's southern region of Batken.

Clashes between Kyrgyz villagers and residents of the exclave erupted on May 31 over a dispute about the ownership of a spring located in the area.

On June 1, while getting acquainted with the aftermath of the clashes, Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov told Sokh residents that Mirzioyev would visit the Ferghana region as well.

The Sokh district administration said then that 187 local residents were injured in the clashes, 15 of whom had been transferred by helicopter to the Ferghana Regional Central Hospital, while others were being treated in the Sokh District Hospital.

Kyrgyzstan has said 25 of its citizens were injured in the clashes.

Many border areas in Central Asia have been restive since the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991.

The situation is particularly complicated near the numerous exclaves in the volatile Ferghana Valley, where the borders of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan meet.

Sokh, one such exclave, is an ethnic Tajik-populated Uzbek territory within Kyrgyzstan's Batken region, where clashes have been common for years.

Tensions have been also been very high in recent weeks in the area close to a Tajik exclave called Vorukh in Kyrgyzstan's Batken region and nearby disputed segments of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border in recent weeks as well.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/uzbek-president- visits-eastern-region-wracked-by- ethnic-unrest/30654505.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.

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Mr. Trump won election in 2016, of course, in spite of a parade of Republicans and retired military officers who refused to support him. Far more current G.O.P. elected officials are publicly backing Mr. Trump than did four years ago. Among his unwavering supporters are Republican leaders like Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, and past foes like Senators Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham. And polls today indicate that rank-and-file Republicans are squarely behind the president, although that is in part because some Republicans who cant abide Mr. Trump now align with independents.

Yet it would be a sharp rebuke for former Trump administration officials and well-known Republicans to buck their own standard-bearer. Individually, they may not sway many votes  particularly at a time of deep polarization. But their collective opposition, or even resounding silence, could offer something of a permission structure for Trump-skeptical Republicans to put party loyalty aside.

John Kelly, Mr. Trumps former chief of staff and a retired Marine general, would not say whom he would vote for, though he did allow that he wished we had some additional choices.

Dan Coats, the former Republican senator who was Mr. Trumps director of national intelligence, has been concerned about the negative effect on the intelligence community by the turmoil of turnover at D.N.I., said Kevin Kellems, a longtime adviser to Mr. Coats, adding that the former spy chief is encouraged by the confirmation of a new D.N.I. and career intelligence deputy.

As for whom Mr. Coats will vote for, ultimately he remains a loyal Republican but he believes the American people will decide on Nov. 3, said Mr. Kellems.



Joseph Maguire, a retired three-star admiral who served as Mr. Trumps acting intelligence chief, invoked the comments of Mr. Mattis and two former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who also criticized the president this week.



Jim Mattis, Mike Mullen and Marty Dempsey are all good friends, and I respect them tremendously, Admiral Maguire said in an interview. I am in alignment with their views.

Asked who Mr. Boehner and Mr. Ryan will vote for in November, representatives to both former House speakers declined to say.
Members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 52 attended a service marking the 76th anniversary of D-Day on Saturday morning at the Peterborough Citizens War Memorial in Confederation Square across from City Hall.

The Allied seaborne invasion of Normandy in France in Operation Overlord on June 6, 1944 was a turning point in the war against Nazi Germany in the Second World War, with Canadians playing a key role in taking Juno Beach, one of the five beaches attacked.

*****

One man lays a wreath at Normandy on this unusual D-Day

Raf Casert And Alex Turnbull

The Associated Press

BENOUVILLE, France  The essence of war remembrance is to make sure the fallen are never forgotten. All it takes is a wreath, a tiny wooden cross, a little token on a faraway grave to show that people still care about their fallen hero, parent or grandparent.

This year, though, the pandemic stepped in, barring all travel for families to visit the Second World War graves in Frances Normandy, where Saturday marks the 76th anniversary of the epic D-Day battle, when allied troops successfully stormed the beaches and turned the war against the Nazis.

So anguished families turned to the next best thing  an Englishman living on D-day territory, a pensioner with a big heart and a small hole in his agenda.

For years, Steven Oldrid, 66, had helping out with D-Day events around the beaches where British soldiers had landed  and often left their lives behind  be it organizing parking, getting pipers to show or getting sponsors for veterans dinners.

Laying wreaths though, seemed something special, reserved for families and close friends only.

But in pandemic times, pandemic rules apply. Oldrid was first contacted in March.

I was actually choked up when I got the first request, Oldrid said. Im always on the other side. Always in the background, he said.

They asked  Steven, can you lay our wreath? Well, they sent me five, and then another one said, Can you lay one for my granddad? Can you lay one for my dad?

Before he knew, it in this extraordinary year, he had become the extraordinary wreathlayer  proof that kindness cannot be counted in pounds, euros or dollars, but in time and effort to organize a day around the wishes of others.

As June 6 approached, the boxes of wreaths and grave markers piled up in his garage. And to soothe the nerves of families, he has also been filming live for Facebook several ceremonies and wreathlayings.

Among those struggling with not being able to go to Normandy this year was Jane Barkway-Harney of the British veteran Glider Pilot Regiment Society, whose father participated in the D-day landings.

It makes me feel physically sick because you feel as though youre letting everybody down, she said. I feel so strongly that it is our right and our duty to go.

Still, whatever Oldrid is asked I know hell say yes because he actually doesnt know the word no. It is not in his vocabulary, said Barkway-Harney.

Through it all, he keeps a smile.

Its not ever, never will be a burden, he said Its a pleasure and an honour.

What does he get in return? On the internet it is Thank you, Steve. A big hearts and thumbs up, he said.

And from his previous work helping out families and friends of veterans, he knows something else is coming too.

They do actually bring me some English products like tea bags and salad cream, baked beans and crisps for the kids.
Dotted throughout the crowd of around 200 protesters of George Floyds death on the steps of the Capitol Thursday evening, many of the faces were those of Madisons youth.

An organizer yelled over the crowd for protesters to cheer if they were in their teens, 20s, 30s, 40s or 50s. Overwhelmingly, the cheers of those in their teens and 20s boomed the loudest.

Although daytime protests of police violence have been led by local organizations Freedom, Inc. and Urban Triage, the organizing force behind the demonstrations at the Capitol have been more organic. Those in attendance say many of the organizers are Madisons teens.

These kids are the organizers, said Ebony Anderson-Carter, 29. This aint about me. Its about them.

Kristian Rynes, 19, said he hopes that after the protests no one will have to be scared of the police anymore.

Its a revolution, Rynes said. Its the future.

The protest started at the Capitol with tables set up with food and another table for registering voters. As the group grew from around 200 to 500, protesters heard from speakers and marched down East Washington Avenue.
The Government was embroiled in a fresh row with medics last night after it was accused of failing to warn hospital bosses they would soon have to ensure all staff wore masks, before announcing the move live on TV.

Matt Hancock used the daily coronavirus briefing on Friday to reveal that from June 15 all staff will have to wear surgical masks on hospital premises, while outpatients and visitors must wear face coverings.

But NHS bosses and medics accused the Health Secretary of unveiling a rushed decision without consulting them.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock is pictured above donating Covid-19 antibodies in London. Despite criticising the lack of consultation, the British Medical Association is backing compulsory face coverings in hospitals  and wants the order extended to all healthcare settings, including GP surgeries

Chris Hopson, chief executive of the umbrella group NHS Providers, said: It is the latest in a long line of announcements that have had a major impact on the way the NHS operates, in which those organisations feel they have been left in the dark.

They are then expected to make significant or complex operational changes either immediately or with very little notice.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of the British Medical Association, said: It is extremely concerning to hear there has been no consultation with hospital trusts on how this will work in practice.

If we are to have confidence in the Governments ability to deliver on this, they must be forthcoming on the details of how this will work.

The row came as:

The UK death toll rose by 204  the lowest Saturday rise since lockdown began  taking the total to 40,353;

Airline bosses said air bridges with holiday destinations such as Spain, Portugal, Greece and Turkey must swiftly be agreed, or else the whole holiday season would be jeopardised;

Ministers were urged to order councils to re-open toilets and childrens playgrounds;

Parents in Cheshire have been told by council officials that their children will not be going back to school tomorrow because the rate of infection is too high.

The Department of Health and Social Care said NHS England had known Mr Hancock was going to make the announcement, adding that hospitals still had more than a week to prepare. A junior doctor is pictured above wearing a mask at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital in Blackburn

In an interview on BBC Radio 4s Today programme, Mr Hopson said that NHS staff cant do that job properly if they are on the end of rushed-out Friday afternoon announcements, they actually know very little about.

Hospital bosses viewed Mr Hancocks latest pledge as part of a systematic pattern where there isnt enough strategy or planning, he said.

It feels like last-minute decisions are being made on the hoof that seem overly influenced by politics and the need to fill space at the Downing Street press conferences.

He said requiring up to 1.2 million NHS staff to wear masks raised a host of questions.

Does that apply to every single site and building in the NHS where there is no patient-facing activity? he said. What back-up, buffer stock will you need?

The Government was embroiled in a fresh row with medics last night after it was accused of failing to warn hospital bosses they would soon have to ensure all staff wore masks, before announcing the move live on TV

Are you issuing the supply to every member of staff each day, each week, each fortnight?

However, experts say there is good reason to ensure hospital staff wear masks, as studies suggest they are  unknowingly  a major spreader of the virus.

More than half of cases are thought to be passed on by asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic carriers.

Retired GP Dr Bing Jones, who has conducted a contact tracing trial in Sheffield, found half the initial coronavirus cases they followed up were among NHS and social care workers.

He said: Workers in health and social care are quite clearly the spreaders of this virus.

They are the main vectors, completely unwittingly. These are wonderful people, doing the best job and dying for us, but they are also spreading the virus.

Despite criticising the lack of consultation, the British Medical Association is backing compulsory face coverings in hospitals  and wants the order extended to all healthcare settings, including GP surgeries.

The Department of Health and Social Care said NHS England had known Mr Hancock was going to make the announcement, adding that hospitals still had more than a week to prepare.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said she had a "very good" conversation with the Queen, where they discussed the need to "focus on reconciliation".

First Minister Arlene Foster and the Sinn Fein vice-president spoke to the monarch in separate phone calls on Wednesday.

Tweeting afterwards Mrs Foster said: "Just had an audience by telephone with HM the Queen.

"Entirely up to date with what is happening in this part of her kingdom and in particular how we are dealing with Covid 19."

Expand Close The Queen spoke in separate phone calls with Michelle O'Neill and Arlene Foster / Facebook

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Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph during a visit to a farm in Strabane, Mrs O'Neill said she talked to the Queen, who was at Windsor Castle, about a number of things. "We talked about the Covid crisis and how it is impacting across our two islands," she said.

"We talked about the fact that we have big challenges ahead of us in terms of the economy to try and build on the back of Covid-19 and on the back of Brexit.

"We also talked about the fact that next year will see the centenary of the partition of this island and we talked about the need to have a focus on reconciliation and let's not fight the battles of the past.

"We had a very good conversation and I wished her well."

Expand Close Michelle O'Neill Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E / Facebook

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The Deputy First Minister faced online criticism of her telephone audience with the Queen from some republicans on social media.

While Sinn Fein's MPs do not take their seats at Westminster, senior figures have met members of the royal family several times.

Mrs O'Neill's predecessor as Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness met the Queen in 2012.

They exchanged a handshake and a few brief words during a royal visit to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The meeting took place at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast, where the monarch was attending a charity event.

And in 2014 Mr McGuinness was a guest at a banquet in Windsor Castle held as part of a State visit to the United Kingdom by Irish President Michael D Higgins.

At the banquet Mr McGuinness, a former IRA commander and prisoner, joined in a toast to the Queen proposed by Mr Higgins.

The following year Gerry Adams shook hands with Prince Charles at an event in Galway.
Will there be another crisis? Will stocks collapse? Should I sell my stocks or buy? All of these questions are going through all of our minds as we watch all the green on the screen. Stocks certainly dont seem concerned. It is a bull market again, and investors are rushing to join the party.

The short answer is that, yes there will be another stock decline at some point in the future. It seems that every year or two there is an opportunity to add to your positions. If you made use of the recent downturn to buy quality dividend stocks when they were on sale, your plan should probably be to sit and wait unless you have something rather compelling to buy.

Everything is moving up

The problem is that everything is now moving up. There simply arent as many deals as there were a couple of months ago. Pipelines, banks, and even real estate have started to move after a bit of a sluggish start.

At the moment, Im pretty content to sit and wait for the most part. While I recently picked away at some real estate stocks, I have mostly been focused on just sitting and enjoying the ride back up.

In fact, if you have built up a decent holding over the past few months in dividend stocks, that is exactly what you should be doing right now.

Renewable utility stocks

Renewable energy stocks are great ways to collect those dividends. There are a few that could provide you with a decent yield and are still trading at reasonable prices. TransAlta Renewables Inc. (TSX:RNW) is one that might catch your eye.

It has a high yield that might help you build up cash flow as you wait for the next downturn to hit stock prices. But is it worth adding today?

Business prospects

TransAlta Renewables owns renewable assets such as wind, solar, and hydro as well as a natural gas business. Natural gas is considered to be clean enough to bridge the gap to renewable energy, so it fits well within the umbrella of a relatively environmentally friendly energy source.

The company owns facilities in Canada and the United States, which diversifies its earnings to a degree. It has 44 facilities across those regions. Its wind, solar, and natural gas facilities are 100% contracted with an average contract life of 7-11 years.

Story continues

The solid contracts generate secure cash flows and visibility for dividends, reinvestment, and debt repayment.

Dividends

TranAlta Renewables has a yield of over 6% at the moment, which makes it pretty compelling as an income stock. The good news is that this yield is steady. Another good point is the fact that the dividend is most likely secure since the company has locked-in, long-term contracts supporting it.

The dividend has been held steady at $0.07833 a month for a few years now and should continue into the future.

Unfortunately for TransAlta Renewables, the dividend is not the only consideration. There are a number of companies I prefer to this one that I would rather purchase at the moment.

The bottom line

I am a big fan of utility companies for dividends and income. Renewables in particular have the potential for growth going forward. However, I would most likely not choose TransAlta Renewables at the moment.

The reason comes down to the fact that there are simply so many choices of utility companies and you cant own them all. I simply prefer others to TransAlta Renewables right now.



I want to generate income while I wait for the next downturn. TransAlta Renewables has a nice absolute yield, but I wouldnt choose it over other options in the sector.

For this reason, I will look elsewhere for income-generating utilities to build your cash pile while waiting for the next downturn.

The post You Cant Own Everything: Should You Buy This Income Stock? appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

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Fool contributor Kris Knutson has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020
But the party also has moved to adopt remote voting rules for delegates, and Perez last week told Sirius XM host Joe Madison, Its not an either-or, you either have a full convention or you have a virtual convention. There are gradations in between, and were working very closely to make sure that it happens.
Americas top military leaders are contemplating the unthinkable: refusing to obey orders from the commander in chief. Statements by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and other top Pentagon officials, along with those of Espers predecessor, retired Gen. James Mattis, are clear signs of growing disgruntlement at Trumps unquestionable abuse of his command authority.

For Esper to publicly distance himself from the president  over Trumps threat to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act and deploy active-duty troops against U.S. citizens  is extraordinary. The dangerous escalation proposed by Trump represented such a threat to the nation that the secretary felt it necessary to admonish Trump about his constitutional limitations.

Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reminded top military commanders that the Constitution gives Americans the right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly and that all military service members swear an oath to defend the Constitution.

In other words, if it comes down to obeying the president or abiding by their oath, that oath must prevail.

The unspoken fear is that if military leaders dont draw a line now and make clear that they will not abide by unlawful orders, they could face a much bigger crisis in months to come, such as if Trump loses the November election. A president who would deploy troops to overrun peaceful protesters to stage a photo-op is perfectly capable of using troops to block the smooth succession of power. Or he could use troops the way he uses the Bible  as self-promotion props.

Top commanders simply wont stand for this nonsense anymore. But the chain of command requires silent obeisance by serving members. So the Pentagon command has deferred to their retired four-star colleagues to do the talking for them.

Mattis, Trumps former defense secretary, issued a statement recalling his oath to defend the Constitution: Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens  much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected commander-in-chief, with military leadership standing alongside. He labeled it an abuse of executive authority, adding, We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution.

Retired Adm. Mike Mullen, the former Joint Chiefs chairman, wrote in The Atlantic that he could no longer remain silent. U.S. military forces will obey lawful orders, he wrote. But I am less confident in the orders they will be given by this commander in chief. Several other prominent retired commanders chimed in separately.

Public opinion polls consistently rate the U.S. military as Americas most trusted institution. If the military decides the time has come to stand down in defiance of an unlawful order, Americans must stand up in the commanders defense.
AUSTIN  More than a dozen Republican legislators are bucking Gov. Greg Abbott by calling for termination of a controversial $295 million coronavirus-related contract that was hastily awarded to a company whose CEO falsely claimed he had a Ph.D.

At least two top Democrats  including the partys leader in the Texas House of Representatives  are also criticizing the deal with MTX Group Inc., saying the state needs to demonstrate the company is up to the vital job of tracking down people who have been exposed to COVID-19, or else it should pull the plug.

The bipartisan criticism comes as the agency that oversees the contract, the Texas Department of State Health Services, acknowledges that MTX mistakenly uploaded job training documents to its contact tracers that they were never supposed to get, a move some lawmakers say potentially raises privacy concerns.

Another potential privacy issue: MTX workers are using their own computers and personal email addresses, fueling worries  unwarranted worries, the state says  that private medical information about the people they investigate could be inadvertently divulged.

State Rep. Steve Toth, R-Conroe, like many conservative Republicans, already had privacy concerns about COVID-19 contact tracing before MTX got the job. But he said when he learned that MTX CEO Das Nobel had falsely claimed on his online LinkedIn bio that he had a doctorate from Colorado Technical University, he moved into the end-this-now camp even as Abbott staunchly defends the emergency contract.

Up until that point, I was like, OK, Im not good with this, but lets just chill and find out more, Toth said. That pushed me over the edge.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

After the Houston Chronicle published a story about Nobels doctorate claim, the MTX CEO changed his online biography to say he was in the doctorate program at Colorado Technical University but delivered no dissertation.

Toth, who sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, is a member of the conservative Texas Freedom Caucus in the state House, all 11 of whom are calling for termination of the contract. So are state Rep. James White, R-Hillister, and state Sen. Bob Hall, R-Rockwall. Elsewhere, state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, said he has been against this contract since learning about its existence, according to the Lufkin Daily News.

MTX said in a written statement that it welcomes scrutiny and is working with lawmakers who have expressed concerns to make sure they have answers to their questions.

We are proud to report that in these early stages, we are integrating seamlessly with our state partners and we are ahead of schedule in delivering on this contract, the statement said.

DSHS did not answer a question about its authority to end the contract, which has a clause that says the state can terminate it in whole or in part, at any time that the state sees fit.

OVERREACH? Texas anti-vaxxers say COVID-19 contact tracing is government surveillance

Abbott spokesman John Wittman, who has portrayed the governor as confident in the companys ability to perform, did not respond to questions from the Chronicle about the intraparty criticism, the CEOs falsely claimed doctorate or where the governor stands on the contract now.

In a written statement, DSHS spokesman Chris Van Deusen said Nobel never claimed to the agency that he had a Ph.D. He also said MTX is meeting the requirements of the contract.

We needed to move quickly

Van Deusen said MTX has set up a call center and integrated the telephone system into Texas Health Trace, a statewide management system for tracking COVID-19 cases and coordinating contact tracing efforts. Van Deusen also said this week that MTX has brought on more than 600 additional contact tracers.

Building up a force of contact tracers is a key part of the states strategy for limiting the spread of the novel coronavirus as Texas continues to reopen its battered economy. The state is a little more than 1,000 people short of its goal of 4,000 tracers as of this week, state officials say.

Most of them work for state or local health departments. MTX contact tracers and managers represent a fraction of the total number in Texas, but the way they were brought on board has stirred bipartisan blowback.

Lawmakers were caught off guard after the Texas Health and Human Services Commission quietly awarded the $295 million deal to little-known MTX, which has provided no publicly offered proof its ever handled such an important and lucrative assignment.

Because of the COVID-19 disaster, we needed to move quickly to get the pieces in place to begin contact tracing so that our disaster response wouldnt be delayed, Van Deusen said.

Unlike most major state contracting deals, this one was never publicly posted. Instead DSHS, working with HHSC contracting personnel, decided which companies to solicit by email, officials said. The companies had 48 hours to respond, and the state awarded the contract to MTX only five days after the proposals were received.

Republican politicians are already facing pressure from conservative base voters who tend to equate widespread COVID-19 monitoring with overreaching government surveillance.

The unusual procurement process and MTX missteps have only added jet fuel to the political fire.

Questions from my constituents regarding the MTX contract continue on an almost daily basis, said state Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, whose district includes MTXs Frisco headquarters. I have an obligation to my constituents and my own conscience to pursue answers to these questions, and thats what I am doing.

Even GOP Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has mostly presented a united front alongside Abbott, has unloaded on the way the contract was awarded by the agency overseen by a gubernatorial appointee, according to long excerpts of a tele-town hall event posted on Twitter by a Texas Tribune reporter.

If it turns out not to be what they told us it is, Im going to be the first person to stand up and say, We need to stop right now, Patrick said. It all happened within seven days and I cant say strongly enough: I was not happy how it was handled, and we shouldve been in the loop.

Documents obtained by the Chronicle from a person hired thanks to the MTX contract are fueling even more concern.

One fumble after another

The documents show the workers were given job aids  instructions on how to perform their duties  with one of them telling contact tracing managers to create spreadsheets or Word documents with relevant information, including dates of birth, addresses and job duties of infected people and those with whom they came into contact.

The instructions describe how to securely send email with the attached case information, but those who clicked on online guidance for that got an error message or just no working links at all.

The newly hired person provided with the instructions expressed fears that following them would lead to a violation of health privacy laws because MTX workers are using their own computers and personal email addresses.

As it turns out, though, none of those instructions was supposed to be shared with the MTX contact tracers and managers, according to Van Deusen of DSHS. He said the documents were created for state employees who were doing contact tracing before the agency awarded the contract to MTX.

We shared them with (MTX) as samples of job aids we had previously developed. It appears they were mistakenly uploaded to an internal MTX site and have since been removed since theyre no longer applicable, Van Deusen said.

Another set of instructions warned those working under the MTX contract who were having system login problems to refrain from sending emails directly to the contractor running the Texas Health Trace system or to anyone else from Texas state agencies.

Van Deusen said the admonition related to the login issue and not the ability, broadly speaking, to communicate with the government.

Theres no prohibition on contacting health officials, Van Deusen said.

MTX said it has a successful track record on public sector projects around the country and has made the protection of privacy in Texas a top priority.

Our policy is unequivocal that no sensitive information be stored on personal devices and we have put in place protocols to ensure this does not happen, the company said.

But lawmakers in both parties say the confusion over the instructions and missteps over the CEOs credentials are more evidence that the contractor has gotten off to a bad start.

Im especially concerned because its so critical that we have this in place, and its just been one fumble after another, said state Rep. Donna Howard of Austin, a Democrat and longtime member of the House Appropriations Committee.

If DSHS cant quickly demonstrate MTX is up to the job, I cant see any other option but to perhaps terminate it, Howard added. This is just so ridiculous.

Likewise, Rep. Chris Turner of Grand Prairie, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, called contact tracing critical to containing the virus and said it needs to be done right.

Unfortunately everything weve seen so far with this huge contract is the state is getting it wrong, Turner said. HHSC must thoroughly and completely address all of the concerns that have been raised very quickly to the Legislature and to the public, and if it cant do that it needs to seek out other qualified bidders who can handle this job in a more professional manner.

Todd Ackerman and Jeremy Blackman contributed to this report.

jay.root@chron.com

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State Sen. Daylin Leach, a high-profile Pennsylvania progressive who lost the support of key Democratic leaders after allegations that he inappropriately touched female former staffers mushroomed into one of the first #MeToo moments in state politics, has been defeated by primary challenger Amanda Cappelletti.

The Associated Press projected Saturday that Cappelletti, vice chair of the East Norriton Board of Supervisors and a former head of public policy for Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania, had prevailed in the suburban Philadelphia district. It was unclear how many mail ballots remained to be counted. A surge in voting by mail for Tuesdays primary has left numerous races without a winner declared as counties tally all the votes. Returns from precincts that had reported suggested Cappelletti won by a wide margin.

We worked really hard to get here, Cappelletti said in an interview. I have a great team supporting me.

She said that talking health-care and environmental issues resonated the most with voters, but that many also liked the idea that she would bring a fresh perspective to Harrisburg. And Cappelletti said shes proud to be joining a recent wave of women who have been elected to office from the Philadelphia suburbs in recent years, including members of Congress and the state legislature.

Its incredibly important that we talk about the need to see yourself reflected on TV and elsewhere in leadership roles, she said. And its incredibly important that we continue to move that needle forward.

Leach didnt immediately comment Saturday.

 READ MORE: Candidates across Pa. have no idea if they won or lost their primary elections

Cappelletti was endorsed by party officials including Gov. Tom Wolf, Lt. Gov John Fetterman, a dozen state lawmakers and members of Congress, and even U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. She will face Republican Ellen Fisher in the general election for the 17th District, which spans parts of Montgomery and Delaware Counties and is considered a safe Democratic seat.

Leach, who has held the office since 2009 and was previously a state representative, began to lose support among some Democrats in 2017, after female ex-staffers accused him of inappropriate touching and making highly sexualized jokes.

The backlash intensified after he lashed out at a woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her almost three decades ago when she was 17.

Leach has denied the claims, and filed a defamation lawsuit against the woman and two activists. He also sued The Inquirer and one of its reporters over coverage of the allegations. The newspaper has stood by its reporting.

 READ MORE: Our 2017 story: Ex-staffers say Leach crossed line with sex talk, inappropriate touching

An outside investigation commissioned by Senate Democrats last year found that Leach had engaged in joking that was at times unquestionably sexual in nature. It also determined his conduct fell short of violating federal discrimination law. It said none of the witnesses the lawyers interviewed offered any specific instances of any particular woman who claimed that Sen. Leach touched them in a sexually inappropriate way.

Rather, the allegations were all of a more general nature, without specifics, that the senator had a way about him that could be viewed as sexually suggestive only if that person did not know Sen. Leach, said the report by the law firm Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC.

The investigators wrote they could not form a conclusion about the sexual-assault allegation.

Cappelletti made Leachs behavior central to her campaign, highlighting the allegations and calls for his resignation in advertising. We deserve better," read one Cappelletti campaign ad. Its time for Daylin Leach to go.

Through it all, Leach retained the support of some influential Democrats, and at the outset of the campaign his detractors acknowledged hed be tough to beat  especially as more than a half-dozen people lined up to challenge him for the nomination.

Some Democrats worried the crowded field would split the anti-Leach vote and set him on a path to reelection. Eventually, though, every challenger but Cappelletti dropped out of the race.

 READ MORE: From January: Leach was a #MeToo moment for Pa. Democrats. But beating him wont be easy.

The primary came as county officials faced an unprecedented task of holding an election during the coronavirus pandemic and amid sweeping protests and looting over the death of George Floyd, who died when Minneapolis police knelt on his neck. It was also the first election in Pennsylvania in which any voter could request a mail ballot. Facing a crush of requests, counties struggled to deliver mail ballots to all the voters who requested them  and in some cases sent the wrong ones.

Wolf allayed some local officials concerns by extending the deadline for mail ballots to be returned in some counties.

Leach ran as a proven progressive, promoting his work to legalize medical marijuana and other causes.

He bemoaned the tone of the campaign, saying in a Facebook video that while he had pitched voters on his record and goals as a lawmaker, unfortunately my opposition has taken a completely different tact. They dont talk about issues at all.

All she does," he said, and youve seen it, is send really horrible, ugly, mean, negative attacks  which are completely false, or fabricated out of whole cloth, or spun in a way thats completely inaccurate.
Microblogging site Twitter on June 4 briefly restricted Amul's official account citing "unusual activity" from it.

The caution alert displayed on its account was, however, removed later and the dairy company was able to use its account.

Amul Managing Director RS Sodhi was surprised at the action taken by Twitter, without any intimation to the company. He said as per a report by The Times of India that the company has sought a response as to why it was not taken into confidence before the temporary restriction was put in place. Sodhi said the company's Twitter account was blocked on the night of June 4, and restored on June 5 morning.

"Our account was blocked on June 4. Following some protocols, it was reactivated. We've asked Twitter why account was blocked, but haven't received formal reply yet," Sodhi told news agency ANI.

Following this incident, several users of the social media platform expressed an objection to the same. Many began linking this brief restriction to Amul's recent support for made-in-India products and the call to support a boycott of Chinese products.



#Twitter blocked Amul for few mins for doing this and the Chinese do not even allow twitter in the mainland. How Shameful are Commies of California. pic.twitter.com/WjwZzenWvi

 Quarantined Naga (@ADenzing) June 6, 2020

"The Amul Butter Girl has and will comment on the mood of the nation. She doesnt fear or favour anyone. If the nation feels about something, she will speak about it, whether it is political, national or global," Sodhi told BusinessLine



Shocked to hear that@twitter has blocked#Amul its ours choice what to buy and wat to boycott.. pic.twitter.com/O8f17lymE8

 Roushan Prakash (@Roushan_Yadav) June 6, 2020



Twitter blocked the account of #Amul for posting this picture. Do we have any creative freedom in real? And what did china do to get the backing of all these social media giants anyway? #BoycottChineseProducts pic.twitter.com/16CzLppdpp  Ayush PB (@AyushPB1) June 6, 2020

The home-grown dairy brand had, in its latest topical, depicted its much-popular Amul girl saving India from a dragon.

The image had a logo of the Chinese video-sharing app TikTok in the background, along with the words 'Made in India' in bold.

This ad by Amul came soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for a self-reliant India (Atmanirbhar Bharat).

A Twitter spokesperson on June 6 said the account was restricted after being caught in the microblogging platform's security processes, news agency PTI has reported. However, PTI said Twitter did not link the account suspension to Amul's recent advertisement.

"Safety and security of the accounts is a key priority for us and to ensure an account has not been compromised sometimes we require the account owner to complete a simple reCAPTCHA process. These challenges are simple for authentic account owners to solve, but difficult (or costly) for spammy or malicious account owners to complete," a Twitter spokesperson told PTI in an emailed statement.

Once the account clears this security step, the account regains full access, the statement added.

- With inputs from PTI
Hyderabad: Professors of Hyderabad's Osmania Medical College (OMC) have been ordered into quarantine after several post-graduate students and interns there tested positive for the coronavirus in the past week.

Thirty-five interns and junior doctors of OMC have so far tested positive for the virus, requiring their contacts to be quarantined. This includes several of the teaching staff, some of whom are above 60 years of age and have co-morbid conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

However, further testing has been stopped at the medical college. Only those who report coronavirus symptoms will be tested.

With dozens of junior doctors and professors testing positive or referred to quarantine, teaching hospitals in Hyderabad will have to function with only 50 per cent of their staff. The shortage of doctors will be felt more acutely as people have been crowding out-patient departments of hospitals. There are 1,000 patients coming daily into the teaching hospitals from across the city and from the districts.

Osmania General Hospital, Niloufer Hospital, ENT Hospital, maternity hosptials at Sultan Bazaar and Petlaburj are now operating with only 50 per cent capacity in the out-patient departments. These hospitals have been told that only emergency surgeries will be carried out, no elective procedures will be started yet.

The decision not to test widely even in the face of the spread of the coronavirus to medical college campuses is being criticised. A senior doctor, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said more testing not less was essential.

Doctors are Osmania Medical College, one of the two premier public sector general hospitals in Hyderabad, are critical of the lack of attention being given to the infection spread at the hospital.

The complete concentration of the government is only on Gandhi Hospital (the designated COVID-19 hospital in Hyderabad). It is believed that only Gandhi Hospital gets COVID-19 patients. But that is not the case. Asymptomatic carriers are all around, the doctor said.

Asymptomatic carriers can only be identified if there is proper screening carried out and regular testing in hospitals, a senior doctor said.

Around 400 interns, 100 day scholars and more than 300 boarders come to or live on the OMC campus. First- and second-year students have been sent home. Junior doctors are demanding mass screening and regular testing to identify COVID-19 cases.

A junior doctor said, "If they test, 50 per cent of us will be positive with mild symptoms. But they are not doing so as they do not want to create panic. Will it help in controlling the spread of the virus? No."

Dr Shashikala Reddy, principal of Osmania Medical College, is satisfied with the current scenario: "All those who had symptoms have been tested. Those who came in contact with infected persons were identified and tested. Students have also volunteered for testing as they suspected infection and that too has been done. Most of our students are negative. We are now following the 50 per cent duty schedule where it will be work for one week and off for another week."
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Recently, a New York Times article drew attention to a corona thats not a virus and that makes life possible instead of threatening it. The corona, or outermost part of the suns atmosphere, puzzles astronomers because it is, as compared with similar stars, so calm.

We take the sun for granted, unless it disappears for a few cloudy days or burns us at the beach or, less often, disrupts satellite communications. Once every century or so, it might burp enough energy to fry technology and maybe even ignite the Northern Lights over the Caribbean, as happened in 1859. Aside from instances such as these, its easy to forget that the local star that warms our faces and wakens our flowers, this blazing ball of fusion-powered plasma, is actually capable, at least in theory, of scorching our planet and all of us to a lifeless cinder.

However, a new paper published in the journal Science suggests thats exactly the sort of thing we should expect from the sun, if it behaved like other stars of its kind. But it doesnt. The good news is, as the Times put it, the star around which we orbit is downright boring compared with its solar siblings.

Astronomers at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Germany, after compiling data from NASAs retired Kepler space telescope, which spent years monitoring 150,000 distant stars, concluded that our suns relative calm is among the reasons we are here at all.

After identifying 369 comparable stars in our galaxy, these scientists learned something astounding: The magnetic activity that creates the sunspots, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections on other stars is, on average, five times more intense than on our sun. On many stars that were studied, disruptions were even twelve times more intense. That level of chaos makes life in their orbits virtually impossible.

So why would our sun behave so differently than all the others? One unsettling theory, especially given the what else could possibly go wrong start to 2020, is that our sun is currently asleep, but might, at some point, wake up and blast us with deadly levels of radiation. Another idea is that our sun is aging, and because it is now over-the-hill, has fewer bursts of energy to give off.

That sounds reasonable to those of us reaching middle age.

Currently, according to researchers, one theory is not to be favored over another, but what is clear, as the Times observes, is that our suns relative tranquility has unquestionably benefited our species. As the studys lead author put it, It may be no coincidence that we live around a very inactive star.

Of course, coincidence is the only reason that anyone already committed to naturalism can feasibly offer. If, however, the blinders of that particular worldview are removed, theres a third possible explanation: Our host star is uniquely friendly to life because it was finely-tuned by God to support life.

In the marvelous book, The Privileged Planet, Jay Richards and Guillermo Gonzalez list the many features that make our Earth, sun, and our corner of the universe uniquely suited for life.

Not only do we have the right kind of star, we are just the right distance from that star. We are at the right location in the galaxy. We are in a solar system with gas giants that shield us from wandering asteroids and comets. We have a moon just the right size to stabilize our axis and create tides and seasons. We are on a planet with land, liquid water, oxygen, plate tectonics, and a molten iron core to generate a magnetosphere.

Tally up all these factors, as Richards and Gonzalez do, and its a dizzying improbability that we would be here at all: something like 1 out of 1 followed by 15 zeroes.

And yet, here we are, bathed in the warmth of a star scientists increasingly recognize as rare and hospitable. Our brightest minds could hardly imagine, much less attempt to design, a better solar system. All of which is why we ought to thank the brightest of all minds, the One who also made our own minds bright enough to discover all of these remarkable things about our privileged planet, our privileged place in the universe, and our blessedly boring sun.

Originally posted at breakpoint.org
By AzerNews

By Akbar Mammadov

President Ilham Aliyev has said Azerbaijan is narrowing the scale of corruption and the shadow economy with systemic institutional measures.

Aliyev made the remarks at the opening of the Asan Hayat centre in Aghdjabadi district on June 4.

Our modern approach is reflected in the example of this service. We see and prove that it is possible not only to fight corruption and bribery but also to succeed. We use all means. Of course, I think that the main role here is played by systemic measures. Because we already see in the example of ASAN Service that it is possible here," the president said.

Aliyev stressed that administrative and punitive measures are being taken to fight corruption.

The Azerbaijani public is being informed about this issue. I can say that our fight against corruption and bribery is highly appreciated in thousands of letters addressed to me. Citizens appreciate and like it, and we see that more and more signals are coming from places, he noted.

Furthermore, Aliyev has emphasized the importance of public control over corruption.

Every signal of official arbitrariness will be investigated. Of course, these signals must be fair. Here, any smear campaign should not be allowed and should not be taken spontaneously. Each signal will be seriously investigated, Aliyev added.

The president has said that therefore, first of all, justice and public control must be ensured. I am confident that we have won the fight against corruption and bribery, he noted.

Furthermore, Aliyev underlined that Azerbaijan increased the number of "ASAN service" centres to 19 in a short period of time, and this process continues. Currently, eight centres are planned to be built, he said.

Since the launch of the ASAN service, there have been about 38 million applications. The fact that the activity of ASAN service best reflects the activity of citizens is that the approval rate is 99.4 per cent. Almost 100 per cent of our citizens are satisfied with the ASAN service centres, the president noted.

In this regard, Aliyev said that ASAN service is an intellectual product of Azerbaijan.

I have said once, I want to say again, that we are already exporting this intellectual product. Agreements have been signed with several countries on the establishment of our "ASAN service" centres in those countries, he said.

In addition, President Aliyev highlighted the fact that the activity of "ASAN service" has given a great impetus to the development of innovations in Azerbaijan.

ASAN service is the national brand of Azerbaijan. It is no coincidence that the UN praised the activities of the ASAN service centres and presented a special award, said Aliyev.

In the meantime, the president noted that Azerbaijan is currently seriously engaged in the self-employment program, adding that this year, at least 10,000 people will be involved in the program.

He also commented on the World Health Organizations praise of Azerbaijans work to combat COVID-19.

This shows that our measures are purposeful, effective and courageous, the president said.
In the United States, nuclear energy just cant catch a break. Despite the fact that generating carbon-free energy has never been more important, the nuclear energy industry has been waning for years in the U.S. and now struggles to turn any profit, even while nuclear energy industries are going gangbusters in other countries, most notably Russia and China. Currently, the United States is the largest nuclear energy producer on Earth and is responsible for the production of a whopping one-third of all nuclear energy in the world. But that wont last for long. Nuclear energy is on the rise globally as it falters in the U.S., and China is set to soar to first place in nuclear production before 2030. GlobalData Plc predicts that China will pass France as the worlds No. 2 nuclear generator in 2022 and claim the top spot from the U.S. four years after that, Bloomberg Green reported earlier this week.

Now, as many industry experts and energy sector pundits are lobbying for the centralization of renewable energy investment in post-COVID economic recovery plans, nuclear energy--a highly efficient form of energy production with zero greenhouse gas emissions--the faltering U.S. nuclear sector is trying to figure out how to get in on the next phase of the green energy revolution. But it wont be easy.

Record output from wind and solar is more frequently creating an oversupply that can push prices below where reactors are no longer profitable, or even to rates where utilities have to hand out power for free, wrote Bloomberg Green in a separate article. And not even the nuclear sector outside the U.S. has been spared. The rout has been exacerbated by the global pandemic gutting demand. Generators from France to Sweden, Germany and China have been forced to turn stations off or curb output.

As energy demand has plummeted around the world thanks to the spread of the novel coronavirus and its subsequent economic downturn, the nuclear energy sector has gotten hit even harder than many other sectors. During the lockdown, renewables have taken a bigger slice of the market because many nations had decided to give new green technologies priority into the grid says Bloomberg Green. This is particularly true in Europe, where many previously successful nuclear plants are now losing out to renewables due to new policy measures.

Related: What's Holding Natural Gas Prices Back?

In the United States, however, the picture looks very different. While the U.S. government has not taken any similar measures to prioritize renewable energy flow to the grid during the pandemic, the domestic nuclear industry was already in dire straits, in large part thanks to the explosion of cheap natural gas with the countrys recent shale revolution. With prices in a rut, eight stations have gone dark since 2013. At least four more are scheduled to close permanently by 2025, including after one unit north of New York City shut at the end of April. Whats more, many of the U.S. nuclear plants that are still hanging on are doing so in large part thanks to hefty government subsidies (and then saddling taxpayers with the huge cost of storing spent nuclear fuel as well.)

The nuclear sector will have to work hard to avoid being left behind. We need to work on being more flexible in nuclear, Magnus Hall, the chief executive officer of Swedish utility Vattenfall AB, was quoted by Bloomberg Green. Its a new way of learning how to run the plants and this is the mode we are in.

While nuclear has taken quite a beating from the compounded impact of COVID-19 and the recent renewables push, its still a powerful power sector worldwide, and its global energy share remains larger than that of renewables. And while nuclear is taking a back seat in the U.S. and Europe, its surging in China, meaning it probably wont lose its global status in the energy mix in the immediate future.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprcie.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Like so many others in the public eye, Johnny Depp is coming to the fore with his thoughts and feelings on an event which has captured the the world's attention: the murder of unarmed black man George Floyd at the hands of police officers.

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor, 56, posted a message to his Instagram on Thursday that was coupled with a video of rapper Killer Mike delivering an emotional speech at the Mayor's office in Atlanta, Georgia on Monday, as protests and riots were escalating in that city.

In his caption, Depp spoke about the agonizing details of Floyd's killing in Minneapolis, Minnesota last month, and he also addressed the larger issues of police brutality and systemic racism.

Johnny Depp is sharing his thoughts and feelings on an event which has captured the the world's attention: the murder of unarmed black man George Floyd; seen here in February

'As the majority of American people, our global community and our extended family of humans helplessly watched a man die on television,' the What's Eating Gilbert Grape star wrote in the post.

Johnny went on to detail how 'a handcuffed man, pleading for his life lay prone with the full weight of a man sworn to defend the peace on his neck.

'The victim of this heinous act of cowardice, George Floyd, told the officers that he could not breathe. As he called for his dead mother, how could our collective hearts not break as his face was ground and mashed firmly into the pavement by those sworn to protect him, and all of us?

Agonizing details: Depp posted a message to his Instagram on Thursday that was coupled with a video of rapper Killer Mike delivering an emotional speech in Atlanta on Monday

'Justice, I desperately hope, will address the horror of Officer Chauvins nonchalance and indifference to his participation in the agony, suffering and ultimately the murder of our fellow traveler George Floyd in a grotesque illustration of the abuse of power!' the Oscar nominee continued.

'There is no way to make sense of what is senseless. There is no way to restore a life that has been taken. Just as there is no way to un-break a heart that is broken. What we can do is make a vow to ourselves that racism and the ignorance inherent in such judgmental ugliness that it gives birth to, is NO LONGER AN OPTION!!! THERE MUST BE A CHANGE!!! DEMAND IT!'

The last part of Depp's passionate missive was about his 'dear friend and brother' Killer Mike of Run The Jewels, who he called 'a brilliant musician, artist, [and] activist for social justice'.

'There is no way to make sense of what is senseless. There is no way to restore a life that has been taken,' Depp wrote; seen here in September 2019

'A true statesman': The last part of Depp's passionate missive was about his 'dear friend and brother' Killer Mike of Run The Jewels, who he called 'a brilliant musician, artist, [and] activist for social justice'

'He is also, one of the kindest, most caring and loving human beings that Ive ever had the pleasure and honor to know!!! I beg everyone to listen to the remarks of this true statesman. True statesmen have never been so needed, and theyve never been in such short supply,' Johnny concluded.

Indeed, the statement made by the 45-year-old rapper, born Michael Santiago Render, had the authenticity, presence and bravado of a true community leader, as he pleaded with his fellow Atlanta citizens to 'plot, plan, strategize and mobilize' as a way to constructively use their collective rage in this moment to progress forward and implement lasting change.

Like in much of the rest of the country this week, Atlanta has seen protests and rioting since the May 25th killing of Floyd at the hands of now-ex police officer Chauvin, who was captured on camera kneeling on the man's neck for nearly nine minutes.

'He is also, one of the kindest, most caring and loving human beings that Ive ever had the pleasure and honor to know!' Depp said of Killer Mike; seen here in 2019 in Venice, Italy
VANCOUVERStay golden, peeps!

Grace Frank stops sobbing for a moment as she recalls what she remembers as her granddaughter Chantel Moores catchphrase.

It was fitting, Frank said, because Moore, herself, had a heart of gold.

The 26-year-old woman from Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation was killed early Thursday morning when police arrived at her home in response to a request to check on her well-being. Edmundston police say their officer encountered a woman with a knife making threats. She was shot and died at the scene despite attempts to resuscitate her.

Moore had recently moved to Edmundston, N.B., from Vancouver Island, to be with her mom  Franks daughter  and her own five-year-old daughter.

The news of Moores shooting death came when protests have erupted around the world in response to the death of George Floyd under the knee of a police officer, an event that brought decades of questions about racism and police violence to the fore, not just in America, but in Canada.

The reality that Moore, a young Indigenous woman, had died at the hands of officers hit Frank, particularly hard. She questioned why officers called to check on Moores wellbeing would ever be led to fire a gun.

More questions were raised about the police response on Friday, when the Edmundston Police apologized for a CTV interview with Insp. Steve Robinson, in which the officer appeared to chuckle in response to a question about how many times Moore had been shot.

The police called it a poor reaction on camera in a statement.

In the statement, Robinson said he understands the frustration from the interview, adding he feels sympathy for Moores family.

Gord Johns, the member of parliament for the riding in which Moore lived, said such incidents strain relations between police and Indigenous people.

How can they trust police when this is the kind of attitude being displayed? said Johns, who is also a longtime friend of the family, and is helping them push for justice in the case.

The family is reeling.

Never in my life did I ever expect to go through something like this, Frank said in a phone interview. I just watched that video on George Floyd and I really cried when I saw that. And to have this happen to my granddaughter  its so shocking.

Were all talking. Were all supporting each other and we want justice, Frank said. I really think that this police officer needs to be charged; he cant get away with this.

Moore was a person who made friends everywhere she went with her very, very, very cheerful attitude, and insistence on helping others. Frank remembered how Chan, as she was sometimes called, would drop what she was holding and run to hug a friend or family member she hadnt seen in a while.

Frank remembers Moore, at the age of five, coming into her great-grandmothers kitchen and announcing that they would need another carrot peeler, because she wanted to help with the task.

She never lost that character trait.

We had potlatches and with our family hosting a potlatch (an Indigenous gift-giving feast), of course shes going to help, Frank said. With other tribes she would get up and go and start helping without being asked.

Moore also had difficult times in her life. Frank said she was adopted out to another family in her childhood years, and returned to live with Frank at the age of 14.

The hardship informed her career aspirations.

Chantel used to talk to me about getting involved with counselling and stuff like that, Frank said.

When Moore moved to New Brunswick, she was working on making some changes in her life, Frank said, including going to college and seeing more of her daughter, who was being raised by Moores mom.

She started buying textbooks to prepare for college.

Moores death has devastated the community, Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council president, Judith Sayers, said.

Sayers said the community resembles a large family and the grief, frustration and anger is being made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic preventing people from seeking comfort with each other as they isolate.

Its harder because youre having small groups of people, because, normally, everybody would go sit over in one house and talk and be together, Sayers said. Its not quite that way; people are in different houses. This grieving process is hard.

She said the history of police killing Indigenous people in Canada should be a paramount topic in Canada, especially with the attention similar issues are getting in the U.S. over the last week with protests against racism towards Black people.

But, Sayers said, people dont seem to be able to see the connections here in Canada with Indigenous people.

Theres got to be changes, but they dont want to change, she said.

They want to keep their racist attitudes.

Now a dozen members of Moores family from Vancouver Island are preparing to go to New Brunswick to lay Moore to rest.

The group is just a tiny drop in the bucket, in Moores extensive network of family and friends, Frank said.

She made friends everywhere she went, Frank said. Yeah, a lot of people are gathering and doing ceremonies for her in different tribes all over Canada.

Read more about:
India took the first step towards legalising drones by officially publishing draft rules for drone operations in the Official Gazette on Friday. The rules, termed The Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2020, are open for public consultation for 30 days.

IMAGE: The drone used by Francesco Pizzeria in Mumbai to deliver a pizza. Photograph: Courtesy, Francesco Pizzeria.

In 2014, Francescos Pizzeria in Mumbai tried to deliver pizzas through drones. The first flight lasted 20 minutes, but within hours police arrived at the restaurant to question staff because they had no permission to fly the drone.

Six years later, India took the first step towards legalising drones by officially publishing draft rules for drone operations in the Official Gazette on Friday. The rules, termed The Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2020, are open for public consultation for 30 days.

According to the draft, unveiled by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which will be the regulating authority for such vehicles, drones have been classified into five groups: Nano -- upto 250 grammes, micro (from 250 gm to 2 kg), small (2 kg to 25 kg), medium (25 kg to 150 kg), and large (greater than 150 kg).

The draft rules specify who will be allowed to manufacture, import, and operate drones and the airspace where these can be operated.

Drone imports and drone corridors may be established in permitted areas. If warranted by the nature and requirement of the drone operations, the draft rules say.

However, industry experts say it needs to be implemented soon.

Government officials say the Prime Ministers Office and the NITI Aayog have called for increased focus on the industry, and the civil aviation ministry now has a special cell to look into it.

What we now have is a draft legal framework for the industry. But, it is in the interest of all stakeholders to communicate with each other to implement these in a fast and efficient manner, says Smit Shah, director partnerships, Drone Federation of India.

The federation was formed in 2017 and now counts India Inc biggies like Adanis, Tatas among its members along with over 2,000 start-ups.

Executives of these companies say the biggest hurdle is the No Permission No Take Off (NPNT) protocol. Vipul Sinha, chief executive officer at Aarav Unmanned Systems, one of the few companies that manufactures and operates drones for state governments and security agencies, says 90 per cent of operators were deemed ineligible because of the policy. The policy says every type of drone should be approved by DGCA.

With negligible manufacturing capability within the country, 90 per cent of Indias drones have been manufactured by DJI Drones, which is based in Shenzhen, China.

To comply with NPNT, DJI has to tweak the hardware. However, it has refused to do so because the Indian market hasnt shown numbers convincing enough for it to customise drones. Through a one-time registration window earlier this year, the government registered 19,553 drones.

I would say the industry is going through a transition. Every transition brings in a set of challenges for a particular period. What has only changed is that now there is a clear-cut idea how you can operate, where you can operate and where you cannot operate. It also provides a very organised way of doing business, Singh says.

A government official who is part of the Drone Cell in the government said the registration window allowed it to formalise the process. He says the committee overseeing Indias response to Covid-19 has been impressed by how drones helped combat the virus and locust swarms.

Multiple options are being explored to streamline the process and make commercial usage of drones viable. On the hand, we are formalising the industry and trying to formulate rules for commercial usage, the official says, pointing out approval given to firms like Zomato and Swiggy to test drones that are beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). BVLOS flights are flown beyond the visual range.

Nowhere in the world is delivery by drones allowed. India has taken the first step to enable that. We will collect data from these operations and frame policies based on that, the official said.
On Thursday evening, members of the Twitter-verse were treated to the most unlikely of online feuds.

It all began when Star Trek alum Marina Sirtis, 65, called out Lin-Manuel Miranda, 40, for serving 'pointless platitudes' to his following in an attempt to appear involved in the Black Lives Matter movement.

Though Sirtis did eventually apologize for attacking Miranda, a major curveball was thrown her way when Matilda star Mara Wilson, 32, accused her of making insensitive racial remarks in the past.

Never saw it coming: On Thursday evening, members of the Twitter-verse were treated to the most unlikely of online feuds between Marina Sirtis and Lin-Manuel Miranda

On blast: It all began when Star Trek alum Marina Sirtis called out Lin-Manuel Miranda for serving 'pointless platitudes' to his following in an attempt to appear involved in the Black Lives Matter movement

'Could you for once in your life, say something that actually matters at this time of crisis,' wrote Sirtis in her initial reply to Miranda's now deleted tweet.

The Hamilton creator's deleted tweet read: 'Gmorning. Keep going. Listen to the aches. Learn from your mistakes. Get right with your guts. Keep going.'

Soon after Marina's public call out, fans of Lin-Manuel Miranda began to flood her feed with evidence of his genuine dedication and compassion towards the current protests and other cultural issues.

One super fan noted that Miranda's current 'pinned tweet' features 'bail funds' for BLM protesters and that the Broadway alum has actively 'retweeted a lot of links to helpful resources, exposing them to a huge and eager audience.'

Curve ball: Though Sirtis did eventually apologize for attacking Miranda, a major curveball was thrown her way when Matilda star Mara Wilson accused her of making insensitive racial remarks in the past; Wilson pictured in 2019

'It may not be everyone's best choice of activism, but to say he's doing nothing is disingenuous, at least to me,' they continued.

Marina thanked the fan for the information and admitted that she 'did not know' any of that information before putting Miranda on blast.

After battling it out with Hamilton fans for a few hours, the actress returned to Twitter to send out a proper apology to Miranda.

'Rereading some of my tweets today. Maybe I got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning. Apologies to anyone Ive offended,' wrote Sirtis, though she failed to tag Lin-Manuel in the tweet.

The receipts: Soon after Marina's public call out, fans of Lin-Manuel Miranda began to flood her feed with evidence of his genuine dedication and compassion towards the current protests and other cultural issues

Apology: After battling it out with Hamilton fans for a few hours, the actress returned to Twitter to send out a proper apology to Miranda for calling him out without backing her claims with facts

She then retweeted a post made by a follower regarding the hypocrisy of Americans complaining about 'looting' during protests, when European colonizers technically 'looted' Native Americans upon 'discovering' America.

'I'll tell you what White people, if you are against looting, then how about you start by returning all of the land that you looted from Black people and Native Americans,' wrote the follower, to which Sirtis replied: 'THIS!'

But, in the curveball of the century, Wilson decided to give Sirtis a taste of her own medicine by accusing her of being disingenuous towards the movement.

Attempting solidarity: She then retweeted a post made by a follower regarding the hypocrisy of Americans complaining about 'looting' during protests, when European colonizers technically 'looted' Native Americans upon 'discovering' America

'Hi Marina! Remember when we did a Con together and you said that America had no history, and when I said Native Americans did, you said the Native Americans never built anything? Because I do,' wrote Wilson in the tweet seen by her over 5000,000 followers.

In the replies to her shocking tweet, Wilson clarified to a follower that this conversation between her and Marina happened 'maybe two years ago.'

She followed up her call-out by writing: 'Love to see somebody who said the most openly racist s**t Ive heard in the past few years in front of me get praised for their actions on here now.'

Firing shots: But, in the curveball of the century, Wilson decided to give Sirtis a taste of her own medicine by accusing her of being disingenuous towards the movement

Follow up: She followed up her call-out by writing, 'Love to see somebody who said the most openly racist s**t Ive heard in the past few years in front of me get praised for their actions on here now'

One confused follower thought she was directing her indirect message at Lin-Manuel Miranda, but Mara quickly clarified and defend his character.

'No. Ive met him. He seems like a completely genuine guy to me. Also, Im an annoying theater nerd, so Im a bit tired of people who dislike him just for being annoying theater nerd,' wrote the actress.

Miranda did not reply to either Sirtis or Wilson throughout the entirety of Thursday's Twitter battle.
A big casino in Asia operated by Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) is drawing scrutiny from a powerful regulator. According to an article published on Thursday by Bloomberg, citing a copy of a subpoena it had access to, the subsidiary that owns the company's Marina Bay Sands is being investigated for lapses in its anti-money laundering controls.

In January, Marina Bay Sands Pte's former head of compliance was issued a subpoena by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). It sought information on possible facilitation of money laundering, and breaching of internal financial controls through junkets and the provision of credit. Citing "people familiar with the matter," Bloomberg said that an investigation is likely in the early stages, at this point only probing for information.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Las Vegas refused to comment on Bloomberg's findings. Representatives from the casino told the news agency that it has investigated all allegations of malfeasance presented to it, and that it has not received any DOJ requests.

The American regulator is not the only government entity eyeing Marina Bay Sands' operations. Singapore's Casino Regulatory Authority has been investigating its money transfer policies, Bloomberg wrote. Neither the casino nor Las Vegas Sands as its corporate parent has commented on this probe.

As with other casino companies, Las Vegas Sands has been straining under the weight of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus outbreak, which has decimated its business. Along with its peers, it began reopening its properties recently, accepting reservations for its Venetian casino resort in Las Vegas starting on June 1.

On Friday, Las Vegas Sands shares lagged behind both the major stock indexes and many fellow consumer goods titles. They rose by 1.2% on the day.
 Flash

The number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases across the African continent surpassed 171,206, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Friday.

The Africa CDC in its latest update said that the number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases rose from 163,599 on Thursday to 171,206 as of Friday evening.

The death toll from the pandemic also rose from 4,611 on Thursday to 4,766 as of late Friday, according to the Africa CDC.

The continental disease control and prevention agency, which noted that the virus has so far spread into 54 African countries, also said that some 75,083 people who have been infected with COVID-19 have recovered across the continent so far.

The most affected African countries by the virus in terms of cases include South Africa with 40,792 confirmed cases, Egypt with 29,767 confirmed cases, Nigeria with 11,516 confirmed cases, Algeria with 9,831 confirmed cases, Ghana with 8,885 confirmed cases, as well as Morocco with 8,030 confirmed cases.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6)  The city of Manila has decided to lift its liquor ban on Monday, one week after the National Capital Region was placed under a more relaxed general community quarantine.

Manila Mayor Francisco Isko Moreno Domagoso issued the executive order lifting the alcohol ban on Saturday night, stressing that selling to minors and drinking in public places are still prohibited.

The city government said the liquor ban imposed on March 28 can now be lifted since the President, upon advice from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), had already downgraded the quarantine status of cities in the National Capital Region.

Such downgrading of the community quarantine category of the HUCs [Highly-Urbanized Cities] in the NCR would necessarily result in the relaxation of some stringent measures and limitations earlier imposed, the EO read.

Manila, along with other cities in the country, imposed a temporary liquor ban starting in mid-March to support the governments programs in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Other local government units have already lifted their restrictions last week, as the country shifted to more relaxed quarantine protocols.
COVID-19 ripped through the economy like a torpedo, the Prime Minister said. He was right. After the first hit in March, when borders closed and new rules kept us (and our wallets) at home, it was impossible to triage the casualties. The government could only press wads of cash onto the gushing wounds of every suffering business. But you cant do that forever.

JobKeeper has proved a life-saving program. It is helping 1 million businesses pay workers  3.5 million of them  at a public cost of $70 billion. But the government must move from a one-size-fits-all model to help for those who need it. And it must shift to long-term support for industry and markets, rather than paying money directly to businesses. This will set up the economy to grow and be self-sufficient in the new world this pandemic has created.

Scott Morrison said COVID-19 tore through the economy like a torpedo. Credit:AAP

Businesses may need first aid for some time. The Reserve Bank says JobKeeper is essential to the economy (which is forecast to contract 8 per cent this quarter) and that the scheme must continue beyond its slated end date of September. This is also when deferral arrangements for mortgage and business loans come to an end. Withdrawing JobKeeper as businesses and employees have to start repaying loans again risks too great a financial shock for many.

But the scheme must be finessed to ensure support goes to those who need it. Paying each worker $1500 a fortnight, regardless of their usual income, has resulted in 1.7 million workers getting a pay rise. Payments should be scaled to cover lost income only.

And the earlier-than-expected lifting of social restrictions has allowed some businesses to prosper again. Turnover should be reviewed regularly and assistance withdrawn when it is not required. The government should also focus support in the long-term on badly hit industries that have not yet had a chance to recover from the shutdown, such as events and international tourism  sectors that will likely become self-sufficient when the pandemic is over.
First measurement of electron energy distributions, could enable sustainable energy technologies

To answer a question crucial to technologies such as energy conversion, a team of researchers at the University of Michigan, Purdue University and the University of Liverpool in the U.K. have figured out a way to measure how many "hot charge carriers"--for example, electrons with extra energy--are present in a metal nanostructure.

"For example, if you wanted to employ light to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, you can use hot charge carriers because electrons that are more energetic can more readily participate in the reaction and drive the reaction faster. That's one possible use for hot carriers in energy conversion or storage applications," said Edgar Meyhofer, a professor of mechanical engineering at U-M, who co-led the research.

Vladimir Shalaev, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, led the contribution from Purdue. The findings also confirm that thinner metals are more efficient at using light for generating hot charge carriers. Light can drive the motion of electrons on the surfaces of materials such as gold and silver, creating waves known as surface plasmons. These waves, in turn, can generate hot charge carriers.

The researchers compared the usual distribution of charge carrier energies to air at room temperature: The molecules in air do not all have the same energy--their average energy is reflected by the temperature. The energies of negatively-charged electrons and positively-charged holes ordinarily follow similar distributions within a material. But in materials that support surface plasmons, light can be used to give extra energy to some charge carriers as though the material were much hotter--more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

The team created the hot charge carriers by shining laser light onto a gold film just 13 nanometers thick, or hundred or so gold atoms thick, with tiny ridges spaced so that they would resonate with the laser light and generate the surface plasmon waves. Then they measured the energies of the charge carriers by drawing them through gatekeeper molecules into a gold electrode--the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope.

The key to the experiment is those gatekeeper molecules, which were synthesized by the Liverpool team as well as a private company. The molecules allow only charge carriers with certain energies to pass. By repeating the experiments with different molecules, the researchers figured out the energy distribution of the charge carriers.

"Electrons can be thought of as cars running at different speeds on a highway. The molecule acts like an operator--it only allows cars travelling at a certain speed to pass through," said Kun Wang, a postdoctoral fellow in Meyhofer's group.

The researchers also compare it to a prism that separates the spectrum of electron energies rather than the colors in light.

Wang spent more than 18 months working with Harsha Reddy, a Ph.D. student in electrical and computer engineering at Purdue, on how to make this idea work.

"This idea of molecular filters was something no one else in the field has realized in the past," said Reddy, who works in Shalaev's lab.

Once they had developed a successful method, Wang and Reddy repeated the experiments with a second gold structure, this one about 6 nanometers thick. This structure generated hot charge carriers more efficiently than the 13 nanometer version.

"This multidisciplinary basic research effort sheds light on a unique way to measure the energy of charge carriers. These results are expected to play a crucial role in developing future applications in energy conversion and photocatalysis and photodetectors, for instance, that are of great interest to the Department of Defense," said Chakrapani Varanasi, program manager of the team's Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative funded by the Army Research Office.

With the method now demonstrated, the team believes that others can use it to explore and optimize nanostructures. This is important in applications such as converting sunlight to chemical energy because the number of hot charge carriers affects how well a catalyst can direct light energy toward a chemical reaction.

###

The study is published in the journal Science. Additional funding came from the Department of Energy and the Office of Naval Research. Seed funding from the U-M Department of Mechanical Engineering supported complementary calculations.

Study abstract: Determining plasmonic hot-carrier energy distributions via single-molecule transport measurements

Edgar Meyhofer Pramod Sangi-Reddy Vladimir Shalaev

This story has been published on: 2020-06-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Te Pukes Dinky Potiki was just 35 years old and breastfeeding her youngest child when she discovered a lump in her breast which turned out to be cancerous.

A radical mastectomy saved her life, but regular breast screening is still essential to ensure the cancer doesnt return.

The BreastScreen Midland mobile breast screening unit is returning to Te Puke for two weeks from June 15 to July 3 and Dinky is encouraging as many eligible women as possible to take advantage of it.

My breast cancer diagnosis was a shock. I was breastfeeding my daughter and found a wee lump so I went straight to my GP. That was in October 1994 and by February of the following year I had a radical mastectomy. It was picked up by luck really but the process moved really quickly, she says.

With two young children at home and her eldest daughter at boarding school, Dinky had a lot to cope with, but had a very supportive partner and the support of Nga Kakano Foundation which provided transport to the Waikato Regional Cancer Centre, and the Cancer Society who put her up at The Lions Lodge while she was undergoing radiotherapy.

It was scary, but Im quite a practical person and I knew my chances were good because I was active in sport and in good health.

Dinky, 60, has continued to have breast screening every year since then, so is well used to the boob-squashing process.

Its not comfortable, she says, but you get used to it and it has to be done.

For women reluctant to undergo breast screening Dinky has a blunt message.

I always say what will happen to your children and mokopuna if you die? Its 30 seconds of discomfort for peace of mind. Thats nothing. And the gowns they give you to wear these days are very pretty  no more drab greens and blues.

Dinky, who works as a community allied health assistant at Tauranga Hospital and has supported other women to attend breast screening, encourages women to take a friend or family member with them for support if needed.

The Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisations Support to Screening team provides support to women to attend breast and cervical screening and in 2018-2019 nearly 80 per cent of eligible Maori women in the region were screened for breast cancer.

The mobile breast screening unit will be at the Te Puke Library carpark in Jellicoe Street from June 15 to July 3 and the PHO is appealing particularly to those women who are overdue or who have never been screened before to make an appointment.

The unit visits Te Puke each year as part of BreastScreen Aotearoa, New Zealands free national programme, under which women aged between 45 and 69 years are eligible for a free mammogram every two years. To make an appointment, contact your GP or phone 0800 270 200.

WBOP PHO is also running cervical screening clinics in Te Puke while the mobile breast screening unit is in town. These will be held on June 22, 29 and 30 at the Te Puke Community Health Centre from 9am-4pm.

To make an appointment phone Health and Wellness Services on 07 571 2100
Uncertainty over future of BS-IV vehicles after India adopts BS-VI on April 1, 2020 is one of the reasons why demand for them have stagnated. Besides, cost of cars is estimated to have risen 15 percent in past nine months due to mandatory additions like airbag, reverse sensors, ABS and crash conformity standards (Image GNCAP)

Earlier in the week the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said it is open to take suggestion to amend the Motor Vehicle Amendment Act 2019.

It has invited suggestions for vehicle recall and driving licence among other - two high impact subjects for manufacturers and general public, respectively.

More on this later in the copy, here is a look at all the major news developments in the auto space this week.

Small cars making a comeback?

Is COVID-19 helping small cars, otherwise overshadowed by the likes of SUVs, make a comeback?

It may seem so if auto sales data of May is taken as an indicator show that social distancing norms may have fueled demand for small cars as first-time car buyers came to the market.

Shelby to enter India

American race car brand Shelby is keen on not just beginning sales operations in India, but its Europe-based distributor is in talks with a few companies to build the iconic and expensive cars in the country.

Coronavirus and the ensuing economic slowdown has delayed Shelbys entry into India which was otherwise planned for 2019.

Bharat Forge to make ventilators

Pune-based forging giant Bharat Forge has signed a time-bound non-exclusive licence agreement with NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to manufacture and supply ventilators.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) developed a ventilator specifically for coronavirus patients at the JPL in Southern California.

Bajaj beats Hero in May in sales

COVID-19 has brought about the biggest upset in the leaderboard of two-wheeler vehicle segment in India. Bajaj Auto has gone past Hero MotoCorp to become Indias largest two-wheeler maker in May.

Pune-based Bajaj Auto clocked total sales of 112,798 units in the domestic and export markets in May. In comparison Hero MotoCorp sold 112,682 units during the same month in both the markets.

Honda sues Hero Electric

Japans largest two-wheeler manufacturer Honda Motor Company has dragged Indias biggest electric two-wheeler maker Hero Electric to court over alleged design infringement.

Honda has sought an interim order from the Delhi High Court restraining Hero Electric from manufacturing, selling, exporting, or advertising a scooter model developed by Hero called Dash.

Ashok Leyland to shift to new platform

Ashok Leyland, the flagship company of the Hinduja Group, has launched its range of modular trucks, AVTR built on a Rs 500 crore platform with BS-VI technology. The platform is a first of its kind in the Indian commercial vehicle industry.

This new platform, which will replace all Ashok Leyland products for the Indian market, will be available in five engine options having a power range of 200-360 hp. It will be available in the 18.5 to 55 tonne load capacity which is the medium and heavy category.

JLR secures $704.5 million term loan

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), owned by India's Tata Motors, has entered into agreements with lenders in China for a secured term loan facility of 5 billion yuan ($704.50 million), marking its first debt financing in China, it said.

Arthur Yu, JLR's vice president and China chief financial officer, said the Chinese banks that would provide it with the three-year revolving loan include Bank of China, ICBC, China Construction Bank, Bank of Communications and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank.

Road ministry invites public suggestions for licence, vehicle recall

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has re-invited suggestions and comments from all stakeholders including general public on the proposed amendment in the Motor Vehicle Rules.

The rules pertain to registration of new vehicles, driving licences, and recall of old vehicles. These notifications were earlier issued on March 18 this year.

The Centre however felt that the stakeholders need adequate opportunity to examine the notification again and provide comments and suggestions which in earlier case got affected due to conditions of lockdown.

Learners licence and dealer point registration of vehicles and vehicle recall policy were some of the highlights of Motor Vehicle Amendment Act 2019. The government is now inviting suggestions, including from general public on the same.

Last year the government decided to do away with the requirement of minimum educational qualification for obtaining driving licence. This is despite the fact that road signage and other transport related information are mentioned in regional language and in English throughout the road network in India. Drivers of transport and commercial vehicles drive the vehicle irrespective of state borders.

Perhaps the biggest change in the Motor Vehicle Act was the insertion of vehicle recall law. India never had an official vehicle recall policy. This saw individual vehicle owners challenge vehicle makers in the courts of law instead of making the government become a party to it.

The government can force a vehicle maker to do a recall of a particular model is a certain percentage of owners, testing agency or any other source asks deem it fit. For defective vehicle the government even proposed a fine ranging from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore on the manufacturer.

The measures taken by the government in the MVAA will safeguard interest of the buyer much better especially in the absence of a definitive national vehicle recall policy. Moreover manufacturers will be more vigilant in avoiding malpractices right down to the dealer and sub-dealer level.

The government has now invited suggestions over procedure of recall, procedure to detail investigating officer, investigation in time bound manner (0-6 months) and role of testing agencies. In addition obligations of manufacturers, importers and retrofitters and accreditation of testing agencies also needs fine tuning.
WASHINGTON - Massive demonstrations against racism and police brutality filled some of the nations most famous cityscapes Saturday, with tens of thousands of people marching peacefully in scenes that were more often festive than tense.

Wearing masks and urging fundamental change, protesters gathered in dozens of places from coast to coast while mourners in North Carolina waited for hours to glimpse the golden coffin carrying the body of native son George Floyd, the black man whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police has galvanized the expanding movement.

Collectively, it was perhaps the largest one-day mobilization since Floyd died 12 days ago and came as many cities began lifting curfews that authorities imposed following initial spasms of arson, assaults and smash-and-grab raids on businesses. Authorities have softened restrictions as the number of arrests plummeted.

Demonstrations also reached four other continents, ending in clashes in two European cities. In the U.S., Seattle police used flash bang devices and pepper spray to disperse protesters hurling rocks, bottles and explosives, just a day after city leaders temporarily banned one kind of tear gas.

The largest U.S. demonstration appeared to be in Washington, where protesters flooded streets closed to traffic. On a hot, humid day, they gathered at the Capitol, on the National Mall and in neighbourhoods. Some turned intersections into dance floors. Tents offered snacks and water.

Pamela Reynolds said she came seeking greater police accountability.

The laws are protecting them, said the 37-year-old African American teacher. The changes she wants include a federal ban on police chokeholds and a requirement that officers wear body cameras.

At the White House, which was fortified with new fencing and extra security measures, chants and cheers could be heard in waves. President Donald Trump, who has urged authorities to crack down on unrest, downplayed the demonstration, tweeting: Much smaller crowd in D.C. than anticipated.

Elsewhere, the backdrops included some of the nations most famous landmarks. Peaceful marchers filed across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, where officers pulled back on enforcing a curfew that has led to confrontations. They walked the boulevards of Hollywood and a Nashville, Tennessee, street famous for country music-themed bars and restaurants.

They also gathered in places as far flung as a St. Louis suburb and cities in the Deep South.

Many wore masks  a reminder of the danger that the protests could exacerbate the spread of the coronavirus.

Roderick Sweeney, who is black, said he was overwhelmed to see the large turnout of white protesters waving signs that said Black Lives Matter in San Francisco.

Weve had discussions in our family and among friends that nothing is going to change until our white brothers and sisters voice their opinion, said Sweeney, 49. The large turnout of white protesters is sending a powerful message.

In Philadelphia and Chicago, marchers chanted, carried signs and occasionally knelt in silence. At a massive showing near the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its famous Rocky steps, protesters chanted No justice, no peace! before heading for City Hall.

Seattle police said on Twitter that several officers were injured by improvised explosives thrown by a crowd. Officers responded with pepper spray. Earlier, a large crowd of medical workers, many in lab coats and scrubs, marched to City Hall, holding signs reading, Police violence and racism are a public health emergency and Nurses kneel with you, not on you  a reference to how a white officer pressed his knee on Floyds neck for several minutes.

Atop a parking garage in downtown Atlanta, a group of black college band alumni serenaded protesters with a tuba-heavy mix of tunes. Standing within earshot, business owner Leah Aforkor Quaye said it was her first time hitting the streets.

This makes people so uncomfortable, but the only way things are happening is if we make people uncomfortable, said Quaye, who is black.

In Raeford, North Carolina, a town near Floyds birthplace, people lined up outside a Free Will Baptist church, waiting to enter in small groups. At a private memorial service, mourners sang along with a choir. At the front of the chapel was a large photo of Floyd and a portrait of him adorned with an angels wings and halo.

It could have been me. It could have been my brother, my father, any of my friends who are black, said Erik Carlos of nearby Fayetteville. It made me feel very vulnerable at first.

Floyds body will go to Houston, where he lived before Minneapolis, for another memorial in the coming days.

Protesters and their supporters in public office say theyre determined to turn the outpouring into change, notably overhauling policing policies. Many marchers urged officials to defund the police, which some painted in enormous yellow letters on the street leading to the White House near a Black Lives Matter mural that the mayor had added a day earlier.

Theresa Bland, 68, a retired teacher and real estate agent protesting at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, envisioned a broader agenda.

Im looking at affordable housing, political justice, prison reform, she said.

Some change already has come.

Minneapolis officials have agreed to ban chokeholds and neck restraints and require that officers stop colleagues who are using improper force. California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the states police-training program to stop teaching officers a neck hold that blocks blood flowing to the brain.

The police chief in Bellevue, a wealthy city near Seattle, largely banned officers from using neck restraints, while police in Reno, Nevada, updated their use-of-force policy.

Congressional Democrats are preparing a sweeping package of police reforms, which is expected to include changes to immunity provisions and creating a database of use-of-force incidents. Revamped training requirements are planned, too, among them a ban on chokeholds.

The prospects of reforms clearing a divided Congress are unclear.

While police in some places have knelt in solidarity with protesters, their treatment of some marchers also has generated more tension.

Two officers in Buffalo, New York, were charged Saturday with second-degree assault after a video earlier this week showed them shoving a 75-year-old protester, who smashed his head on the pavement. Both pleaded not guilty.

Most protests in Europe were peaceful. In London, however, clashes with police erupted after thousands gathered amid a cold rain. In the French city of Marseille, authorities fired tear gas and pepper spray as protesters hurled bottles and rocks.

Back in North Carolina, the Rev. Christopher Stackhouse recounted the circumstances of Floyds death for the congregation.

It took 8 minutes and 46 seconds for him to die, Stackhouse said at the memorial service. But it took 401 years to put the system in place so nothing would happen.

___

Pritchard reported from Los Angeles and Foreman from Raeford, North Carolina. Associated Press staff from around the world contributed to this report, including Jeff Chiu in San Francisco; Jill Colvin in Washington; Jeff Amy in Atlanta; Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio; John Leicester in Paris; and David Crary and Brian Mahoney in New York.
Malaysia's prime minister on Saturday appointed the finance chief at Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) to take over as chief executive at the state energy company, at a time when lower oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic have hit the firm's profits. The government of premier Muhyiddin Yassin has made a series of management changes at state-owned companies and government agencies since coming to power in March following the unexpected resignation of his predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad. Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz, currently chief financial officer will take over ...
On Friday, President Trump acknowledged the release of American prisoner that was held captive by Iran with the notion that Tehran should accept the nuclear agreement with the United States.

Setting new agreements

Trump also hinted that the relationship between the two countries would become advantageous if they proceeded with negotiations before the coming presidential elections, which suggests the American president is looking to use the deal as support to help him return to office.

According to The New York Times, the Iranian government was quick to reject the offer, suggesting that it has doubts that Trump will remain president. Iranian officials are currently setting up to endure American-led sanctions until after they see the results of the November elections.

Inside the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), however, hints suggest that there are reports that Tehran has bolstered its supplies of low-enriched uranium by nearly 50% in the last three months. The city now has more than eight times as much nuclear power as was limited by the nuclear accord that President Trump scrapped two years ago.

During a previous televised address that President Trump held earlier this year, he said that as long as he remained the president of the United States, he would not allow Iran to wield any nuclear weapon.

The previous deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), had several countries agree to lift restrictions on Iran and allow the nation to wield nuclear supplies. The freedom, however, came with restrictions as Iran had to accept to be checked by the IAEA and to limit its caps on enriched uranium and centrifuges, as reported by ABC News.

Also Read: China-US Relations: Trump Administration Will Not Allow Chinese Airlines Flights Into the US

President Trump also took time to criticize the previous agreement calling it a "failed" deal where he noted that it caused Iran to increase its hostilities as the deal, which was signed in 2013, he added, gave them $150 billion and $1.8 billion in cash.

Baseless claims

These allegations, however, are false, as the deal was signed in 2015, two years after the time the US president claimed it was. Also, Iran was not given $150 billion, but rather, had several millions of its assets unfrozen which the US Treasury approximated to about $56 billion. The Central Bank of Iran added that it ended up amounting to around $35 billion after paying off its debts.

The report that the IAEA released was only distributed to a handful of nations. Still, its contents have been leaked to suggest that Iran has been slowly and steadily amassing its nuclear supply.

With the possibility of Iran amassing a considerable amount of fuel, the production of a weapon would still take several months or years to complete. Before the agreement. The nation had far more abundant supplies of the materials. As part of the deal, Iran transferred 97% of its fuel to the Russian government.

Officials in Iran consider their build-up of supplies as a reverse form of pressure on President Trump, as a counterattack on his sanctions.

"Our foreign policy has been very pragmatic in the past twenty years," said Gheis Ghoreishi, an Iranian foreign policy expert. He added that as of the moment, Iran is being patient and observing the situation in the US and will monitor the coming elections and see if Trump gets re-elected.

Related Article: Donald Trump Shares Letter Expressing Dismay to 'Terrorists' Protesters

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A head constable of the Border Security Force (BSF) allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service weapon in Kanker district on Saturday.

According to the police, the incident took place in Pakhanjore area of Kanker district in the morning.

Inspector General (IG) Police, Bastar, Suderaj P told Hindustan Times that the deceased, Suresh Kumar, was returning after an anti-Naxal operation from the nearby jungle.

The team of BSFs 157th battalion was returning after a search operation when Kumar shot himself with his AK-47 rifle between Ghoda, just a few metres before reaching the camp, the IG said.

The primary investigation suggested that the soldier had some family problem. We are talking to his family members, said the IG.

On Wednesday, the Chhattisgarh government to contain the incidents of suicides launched Spandan Campaign and instructions were issued to the superintendent of police and all commandants of armed forces of the state.

Director General of Police (DGP), Chhattisgarh, DM Awasthi has issued an order in this regard and instructed that the order should be adhered to strictly.

The government will do counselling and provide other help to soldiers posted in difficult areas of the state.

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An Accra High Court on Friday varied the bail conditions of six of the accused standing trial in a treason charge, from GHC10 million with two sureties each, to six million cedis with three sureties each to be justified.



This follows an application made by the accused for the court to vary the previous conditions as they could not meet it.



They are Dr Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, Chief Executive Officer of the Citadel Hospital; Donyo Kafui, alias Ezor, blacksmith; Bright Alan Debrah, Freight; Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli; Corporal Seidu Abubakar and Lance Corporal (L/C), Sylvester Akankpewu.



The six, together with two others were earlier granted GHC10 million bail each with two sureties each.



The other two were not part of the application for variation.



The eight are to report to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) twice a week as well as deposit their passports with the Courts Registry.



When the case was called on Friday only ACP Dr Benjamin Agordzo, Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli and Warrant Officer Class One Esther Saan were present, the rest were still in the prison custody as measures by the authorities to curb COVID-19 spread.



The Court presided over by Justice Samuel K. Asiedu, an Appeals Court Judge sitting in as an additional High Court Judge.



They are to make their next appearance on July 3.



Already, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Agordzo has been granted a self-recognisance bail of GH500,000.00 by an Accra High Court presided over by Justice Charles Ekow Baiden, whilst Warrant Officer Class Two Esther Saan has also been granted bail by another High Court.



They have been charged together with Warrant Officer II Esther Saan, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Agordzo and L/C Ali Solomon with offences including conspiracy to commit treason, treason, conspiracy to possess explosives, arms and ammunitions and possession of explosives, arms and ammunitions without lawful authority.



Mr Victor Kwadjoga Adawudu, counsel for Dr Mac-Palm, Kafui, Debrah, Akpa, Abubakar, and Akankpewu in appealing for the variation said his clients were having difficulty with documentation to meet the bail conditions.



Miss Hilda Craig, a Senior State Attorney in opposing the variation of bail said they had not made any effort to contact investigators in executing the bail.



The Judge charged the AG to ensure the accused were brought to Court for a speedy trial.



The Kaneshie District Court on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, committed the 10 accused charged with treason to the High Court to face trial.



Mrs Eleanor Kakra Barnes-Botchway, the presiding judge, committing them said the Court after listening to the Prosecution, their counsel, as well as examining the facts, among other documents was overwhelmed with the evidence and said there was the need for them to answer the charges at the High Court.



She then remanded them into prison custody except Mr Agordzo who was on bail, but Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, a senior military officer and Warrant Officer Class One Esther Saan, alias Mama Gee, are also on bail but had not been able to meet the bail conditions.



The facts are that Mac-Palm, Kafui, Debra, ACP Agordzo is a police officer and the rest officers of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).



They were all members of the Take Action Ghana-a Non-Governmental Organisation, incorporated by Mac-Palm in 2018 and that the group planned to demonstrate against the government as well as overtake it, so Mac-Palm contacted Kafui, a resident of Alavanyo to manufacture arms for that purpose and he produced them.



They also held meetings to facilitate the process and drew a map covering the Flagstaff House, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, 37 Military Hospital, Burma Camp to facilitate their movements.



Colonel Gameli was said to have promised to give his support before, during and after the planned event and when Kafui brought the 22 explosives, six pistols, three grenades and five ammunitions, Mac-Palm accommodated him, adding that all took place from June 2018 to September 2019.



The Prosecution said Mac-Palm was said to have also provided a quantity of substance which when inhaled, would make one sleep for an hour, thus upon a tip-off, Mac-Palm was arrested on September 19 and the rest subsequently.

Source: GNA









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Of course theres no single we in all of this. None of us is living through this time in exactly the same way. How old you are, where you live, the color of your skin, the money you make or dont, your political persuasion. Many things affect how this moment feels to each of us.
Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - Tunisian President Kais Saied Friday said his country was not considering serving as a military base for any party, an official statement issued here said
Letters from Lockdown (RTE1), in which four people wrote to cocooned loved ones, was frequently touching but also frustrating for anyone who wanted to know more, or indeed anything, about the recipients or the senders.

We weren't even told their names and I had to go elsewhere to discover who they were. "Taking care of you has become my identity, my raison d'etre," said the young woman in the opening segment. She was addressing her father, who was now in a nursing home with dementia, and we saw shots of him in his isolation from the outside world.

I thought I recognised him, but it was only when I went online that I learned he was the artist and video producer Charlie Whisker, that his daughter was fellow artist Domino, and that some of her childhood had been spent with him in California, which explained her remark: "What I'd give to be back in LA with you."

By similar online means, I discovered that the young woman writing to her absent friend Dee was called Ornagh Lee, but I remained puzzled throughout why such basic identifying facts weren't provided by captions or a voiceover. Perhaps the makers were trying to suggest that these poignant stories could be about any of us, but it was still frustrating.

Normal People (RTE1/BBC1) came to an end as movingly as it had begun. In between, there had been moments about which I carped last week, but the final half-hour was perfectly pitched. Indeed, for all my incidental quibbles, this was an outstanding drama, beautifully played by its two leads.

By contrast, the first episode of Philharmonia (Channel 4) was bonkers from the outset, with fiery orchestral conductor Helene returning to Paris from a glittering career in New York and found by airport customs officers to have a revolver in her travelling case. So what do they do? They let her and the gun through, of course. Oh, those French.

Meanwhile, her new colleagues in the Parisian orchestra to which she has been appointed are not best pleased at her imminent arrival. "If a woman could conduct hundreds of musicians," one of them growls, "we'd know it." And another mutters: "She says she wants to generalise music," though that was just an inept subtitle that should have read "popularise".

At her first rehearsal, the players break into a rendition of the theme from Mission Impossible just to let her know what they think of her. But she takes that in her imperiously free-spirited stride, as she also does at her first official concert when she discovers on the podium that one of the players has glued her score together and she has to conduct Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony from memory. Needless to say, the evening is a triumph.

What else? Oh yes, glue-fixing culprit Agathe, who plays the French horn, is also having it away with Helene's composer husband, while Helene herself may be suffering from an inherited rogue gene that drove her mother violently insane and that may have caused Helene, at the end of the opening episode, to murder her mother in her hospital bed.

As I say, it's all quite daft in a very French way, but it's good fun and if you want to wallow in its melodrama, you can catch all six episodes on All 4.

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Life being short, I didn't linger long with Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich (Netflix), a four-part four-hour documentary about the loathsome sexual predator who killed himself in prison before he could be properly punished for his crimes.

In the opening instalment I heard yet again about his famous pals - including Harvey Weinstein, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump and Prince Andrew - and I sat through the harrowing accounts of two survivor sisters, but I couldn't bear any more and I wondered what purpose was being served when already this monster had chosen death over justice.

I also caved in also after the first episode of Space Force (Netflix), in which general Mark Naird (Steve Carell) is appointed head of a US galactic team, aided by civilian adviser Dr Adrian Mallory (John Malkovich).

I think this is supposed to be a satirical take on one of Trump's wilder fantasies, but I couldn't locate the satire, or indeed the comedy. It just wasn't funny, as if the makers had wanted to come up with an exuberantly inventive Armando Iannucci farce but had forgotten to hire Iannucci.

Ella Fitzgerald was my first great musical love and in my teenage years I acquired all of the songbook albums (Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, Gershwin, Berlin, Arlen etc) that she recorded in the 1950s for Norman Granz on his Verve label.

This was Ella at the height of her wonderful and warm powers and it received due attention in the 90-minute profile Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things (BBC2), with Granz getting the acclaim he deserved both for his musical instincts and for his courageous stance on civil rights.

There were good contributions from adopted son Ray Brown Jr, Johnny Mathis, Tony Bennett, Kenny Barron and Andre Previn and from such latter-day admirers as Laura Mvula and Jamie Cullum, and a poignant account of her ailing last years. Then, of course, there was all that amazing music, too marvellous for words.

Ella also featured in the same night's Jazz Divas Gold (BBC2), a selection from the BBC archives that also included performances from Cleo Laine, June Christy, Blossom Dearie, Peggy Lee, Nina Simone, Cassandra Wilson, Diana Krall, Amy Winehouse and Melody Gardot. Sheer bliss in these troubled times.
Kendall Jenner is the latest celebrity to get crticized for remaining silent against police brutality.

As people worldwide are busy holding protests after George Floyd's death, some netizens recalled the controversial Pepsi "Jump In" commercial in 2017. Because of the commercial, people are trying to cancel Kendall for keeping silent about what's happening around her.

According to critics, the 24-year-old "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" star is just sitting inside her California home instead of fighting injustices in America.

One Twitter user even joked, "KENDALL JENNER GRAB A PEPSI AND GET YOUR ASS TO FAIRFAX AND MELROSE YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN STOP THIS."

"Kendall Jenner must've run out of Pepsis," wrote Astead Herndon, the national politics reporter of The New York Times.

Kendall is yet to respond to the social media backlash she has been receiving. However, her social media accounts show that she is somehow getting herself involved in the ongoing battle against racial injustice and police brutality.

On Instagram, she shared a photoset to support the "Black Lives Matter" movement alongside the caption: "to everyone reading this and to myself: keep researching, reading and education yourself on how we can become better allies. I've been doing a lot of thinking these past few days, and my heart has been so heavy. I'm angry and hurt just like so many."

She also acknowledged George Floyd and all the other victims of racial injustice.

What Happened In The Pepsi Ad?

To recall, Kendall and Pepsi were accused of cultural appropriation for their protest-inspired commercial, which was immediately removed from TV.

In the said ad, Kendall appeared in the middle of a group of activists holding banners that show the peace sign after she threw off her wig and smudged her lipstick.

In its climactic scene, the supermodel refused to protest, and instead, she handed a can of Pepsi to the police officer as a peace offering -- setting off raucous approval from people who cheered behind her.

"Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace, and understanding. Clearly, we missed the mark and apologize," the company said in a statement that year. "We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are pulling the content and halting any further rollout."

Meanwhile, Kendall reacted to the criticisms she received in one real-time episode of KUWTK. In the live clip, she tearfully apologized and said that she regretted participating in the project.

"I just felt so f--king stupid. The fact that I would offend other people or hurt other people was definitely not the intent," she said. Pepsi also apologized to the media personality for putting her in the position.

Elle Hearns, the executive director of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute and formerly an organizer for Black Lives Matter, also slammed the ad and claimed that no one found it amusing to see Pepsi at a protest.

"That's just not the reality of our lives. That's not what it looks like to take bold action," Hearns went on.

Since then, Kendall has remained silent and has tried to be far away from the movement as much as possible.

READ MORE: Carrie Underwood ANGRY With God After Several Pregnancy Heartbreaks
The Immigrant Council of Ireland has stated that the government needs to start acting on reports into direct provision.

An expert group has recommended extending the right to work for asylum seekers, advocating for a move away from emergency accommodation, and a reduction in the time taken to process applications.
THE World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its guidelines on mass gatherings in the context of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic and there is nothing in the document about arresting violators.

This is because the guidelines present the risk factors but leave it to the government of the country to come up with the rules. The WHO recognizes there can be substantial political, cultural and economic implications to limiting mass gatherings.

The WHO first released its guidelines on mass gatherings last March when countries went on lockdown. The updated guidelines were issued two months later or on May 29, 2020, to incorporate what the WHO said it learned about the pandemic.

The updated guidelines defined mass gathering as events that could amplify the transmission of the virus and potentially disrupt the host countrys response capacity.

The document recognizes that mass gatherings can have substantial political, cultural, social, and economic implications, so it left it to the government to assess the importance and necessity of an event and, if allowed to take place, consider that the public health risks be adequately addressed and mitigated.

These rules are timely in the Philippine context as the holding of masses in churches is expected to resume today, Sunday. Also, there were the arrests made of protesting drivers in Caloocan City and anti-terrorism bill protesters at the University of the Philippines Cebu campus in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City, for violating ordinances on physical distancing and mass gatherings. But those arrested said they wore face masks and kept their distance from each other.

Eight business groups, members of the academe and other sectors have voiced opposition to provisions of the new anti-terrorism bill at the House of Representatives. They said House Bill 6875, which is a counterpart to Senate Bill 1083, is highly divisive, may violate human rights enshrined in the Constitution, and is ill-timed as the nation needs to unite against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Story continues

As to easing restrictions in places of worship, the WHO left it to the government (in some areas, the local government unit) to decide how many would be allowed inside churches during mass.

The updated WHO guidelines on mass gatherings didnt say anything new except to provide assessment tools, present the list of risk factors and stress the need for collaboration. It leaves to governments the decision on what mass gatherings to allow and the limits to be imposed.

This gray area is what will make implementation problematic when there are clashes in interpretation and there is police action involved. Local officials have the authority to limit or disallow mass gatherings and can claim they are allowed to do so based on the WHO guidelines.

The WHO needs to review its guidelines again as mass gatherings and protest actions are now happening in several countries.
Nurses protest against the lack of personal protection equipment amid the covid-19 pandemic in front of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 21, 2020.

NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images

Almost 600 US healthcare workers died of COVID-19 during the pandemic, according to a new database published by the Guardian and Kaiser Health News.

According to the project, called "Lost on the Frontline," people of color make up the majority of COVID-19 deaths among healthcare workers.

The project is a comprehensive count of COVID-19 deaths in the industry, tracking factors including race and ethnicity, locations, age, and whether the workers had access to personal protective equipment.

The full, updated database is set to be fully released in the summer to offer insight into the workings  and failures  of the US healthcare system during the coronavirus pandemic.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Almost 600 healthcare workers in the US have died of COVID-19, with a majority being people of color according to a project launched by the Guardian and Kaiser Health News.

The number accounts for doctors, nurses, and paramedics, but also includes other essential healthcare staff such as hospital janitors, administrators, and nursing home workers.

The project called "Lost on the Frontline" aims to "count, verify, and memorialize" every US healthcare worker who died during the pandemic.

It consists of an extensive, interactive, and updated database that will track factors including race and ethnicity, age, profession, location, and whether the workers had access to personal protective equipment (PPE)or not.

Of the numbers they have recorded so far, the Guardian and KHN found that people of color made up the majority of the healthcare workers who died from COVID-19. Most of them are either African American or Asian/Pacific Islanders.

The database is the most comprehensive count of US health care workers' deaths outside of The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has only counted 368 coronavirus deaths in the industry so far but has admitted that the tally is an undercount.

Story continues

Information about healthcare workers has been collected from a range of sources, including media reports, family and friends, unions, and colleagues of the deceased. The full database will be released this summer, offering insight into the workings  and failings  of the US healthcare system during the coronavirus outbreak.

The White House saw several demonstrations during the pandemic by healthcare workers pushing for adequate (PPE). Nurses in New York have also filed three lawsuits that allege "grossly inadequate and negligent protections."

"Don't call me a hero," one New York City nurse told Business Insider. "Instead, show your support by believing us when we say we need much more PPE."

Read the original article on Business Insider
That release could not be found.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 6

By Tamilla Mammadova - Trend:

The Minister of economy and sustainable development of Georgia Natia Turnava discussed the restoration of cooperation in the field of tourism with the Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy of the Federal Republic of Germany Thomas Baris, Trend reports via the ministry.

As reported, Turnava held an online meeting with Thomas Baris.

The online meeting was also attended by Deputy Economy Ministers Akaki Sagirashvili and Genadi Arveladze, head of the National Tourism Administration Mariam Kvrivishvili and Georgian Ambassador to Germany Levan Izoria.

In addition to other priority areas of bilateral economic cooperation, the parties discussed the restoration of bilateral air traffic and cooperation in the field of tourism.

Germany has traditionally supported Georgia in many important areas, including economic development. We hope that German tourists will be among the first international travelers to visit Georgia after opening the borders. We informed the German side about the situation in Georgia and said that we were ready to receive the first international guests from July 1, said Turnava.

Georgia has completely closed regular flights in all directions since March 21. Thanks to Georgias success in combating the COVID-19 epidemic, the government decided to open domestic tourism on June 15, and open borders for foreign tourists on July 1.

According to preliminary data, Israel will become the first country from which Georgia will receive tourists. In addition to the Baltic countries, Georgia is negotiating the resumption of tourism with the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria and neighboring countries. To date, more than 20 airlines have already expressed a desire to resume flights to Georgia.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356
New Delhi:

Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta on Friday alleged that AAP MLA Sharad Chauhan threatened to "cut him to pieces" during the House proceedings. As Gupta spoke on the controversy surrounding sacked Minister Sandeep Kumar's sleaze CD, Chauhan intervened and was heard shouting at him. A furious Gupta immediately staged a walkout alleging he was threatened by Chauhan.



"I will complain to the police immediately," he said while storming out. Later, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said Gupta was deliberately evading the discussion and urged Speaker Ram Niwas Goel to initiate contempt of House proceedings against him if he takes up an internal issue of the Assembly with the police. "If he goes out and calls 100 over an issue related to Assembly proceedings then it amounts to contempt of the House.



He should have taken up the matter with the Speaker," Sisodia said. The Speaker also read out a statement where he said that he "wants the police" not to take any action pertaining to anything that happened inside the House. "I am submitting the issue of contempt proceedings as raised by the Deputy CM to the House Committee," Goel said. Gupta said he had every right to do so as his "life was under threat".



"The Speaker did not take any action against Chauhan while Deputy CM Sisodia indirectly supported him forcing me to call the police," he said. In a letter to Goel, Gupta demanded an FIR against Chauhan so that the police could take necessary action to "safeguard" his life. "As you and all the ministers and MLAs present in the House are a witness that during the discussion around 7.40 PM, I was threatened by Chauhan that he will kill me by cutting into pieces. Therefore, it is apprehended that there is serious threat to my life," Gupta said in his letter.

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By Trend

Turkeys export to the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) from January through April 2020 exceeded $14.08 billion, which is a decrease by 12.3 percent compared to the same period of 2019, the Turkish Ministry of Trade told Trend.

During the reporting period, the export to the OIC member states made up 27.3 percent of Turkeys total export volume in 2020, the ministry said.

Turkeys export to the OIC member states dropped by 36.9 percent in April 2020 compared to April 2019 and reached $2.7 billion. The export to the OIC countries made up 29.8 percent of Turkeys total export volume in April 2020.

According to the ministry, Turkeys import from the OIC member states decreased by 5.9 percent from January through April 2020 and exceeded $8.4 billion compared to the same period of 2019.

The import from the OIC member-states amounted to 12.2 percent of Turkeys total import volume from January through April 2020.

In April 2020, Turkeys import from OIC member states decreased by 39.7 percent compared to April 2019, exceeding $1.4 billion.

Some 10.6 percent of Turkeys total import volume in April 2020 accounted for the import from the OIC member states.

Turkey's foreign trade turnover amounted to over $22.5 billion in April 2020.

In the reporting month, Turkey's export dropped by 41.4 percent compared to April 2019, having stood at $8.9 billion.

Meanwhile, import of Turkey in April 2020 went down by 25 percent compared to April 2019 and amounted to $13.5 billion.

According to the ministry, in the first four months of the year, Turkeys trade turnover exceeded $120.8 billion.

"From January through April 2020, Turkeys export decreased by 13.7 percent compared to the same period of 2019, reaching $51.6 billion," the ministry said.

Turkeys import grew by 1 percent compared to the same period of 2019, having amounted to $69.2 billion.

Turkeys foreign trade turnover made up $374.2 billion in 2019.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Kate Ferdinand shared an impassioned social media post on Saturday after attending the Black Lives Matter protest in London with husband Rio and his three children.

The former TOWIE star, 29, took to Instagram to share a series of images of herself and her family supporting the movement during the peaceful protests in the capital's Parliament Square.

Kate told how attending the event was a 'moving and overwhelming' experience for them and also detailed how important it was for the children to attend.

Support: Kate Ferdinand shared an impassioned social media post on Saturday after attending the Black Lives Matter protests in London with husband Rio and his three children

In the snaps, Kate and Rio donned matching monochrome face masks, black caps and dark sunglasses as they joined thousands of marchers in protesting police brutality against the black community.

Wrapped up in casual black jackets, the married couple braved the rain as they and Rio's children, who held up homemade signs, showed their support for the movement.

As practice for the pair, the faces of Lorenz, 13, Tate, 11, and Tia, nine, were covered, with Kate opting to use a black heart.

Black Lives Matter: The former TOWIE star, 29, took to Instagram to share a series of images of herself and her family supporting the protest in the capital's Parliament Square

Alongside the snaps, the star shared a passionate post in which she detailed why it was vital for her step-children to know what is happening in the world, adding that it was an experience they'll remember for 'the rest of our lives.'

She penned: 'Such a moving & overwhelming experience for us today. honestly, we were cautious about going & taking the children, but we are so glad we made the decision to go, its something we will all remember for the rest of our lives.

'It felt so good to be part of the movement. Our kids are the future, for us its so important for them to understand what is happening in the world and be part of the change, we need to continue to educate ourselves and the younger generation.

'Taking one knee with thousands of protesters & having a minutes silence is a moment that will stay with me for a very long time. We stand united #blacklivesmatter.'

Making a stand: Kate told how attending the event was a 'moving and overwhelming' experience for them and also detailed how important it was for the children to attend

Stand united: In the snaps, Kate and Rio donned matching monochrome face masks as they joined thousands of marchers in protesting police brutality against the black community

Important: Alongside the snaps, the star shared a passionate post in which she detailed why it was vital for her step-children to know what is happening in the world

Meanwhile, Rio shared the same images and also shared that attending the protest with his family was 'emotional' for him, adding the importance of educating young people on the issues facing black people today.

He wrote: 'Taking my family to Parliament Square today to be a part of the protest was very emotional. The importance of supporting such a cause can not be underestimated. Educating the next generation is an absolute must.

'For our children to have been a part of such an important protest is something that Im sure will have a lasting effect on them. #blm #blacklivesmatter #protest.'

Education: ''It felt so good to be part of the movement. Our kids are the future, for us its so important for them to understand what is happening in the world and be part of the change'

The recent surge in interest of the Black Lives Matter movement was kickstarted by the senseless killing of George Floyd, who died after a white policeman, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes.

His death has sparked demonstrations across the USA and the UK, over police brutality towards black people, with stars around the world using their platforms to call for justice and an end to racism.

Chauvin has now been charged with second-degree murder. Floyd was initially arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit 20-dollar bill.

Celebrities including Madonna, Anthony Joshua, Suki Waterhouse, Alexa Chung and Boris Becker attended the latest London protests.

Meanwhile, former TOWIE star previously shared her support for the cause on her social media.

Emotional: Meanwhile, Rio shared the same image and also shared that attending the protest with his family was 'emotional' for him, adding the importance of educating young people on the issues facing black people today

Last week she posted an image of three black female protesters holding a sign reading: 'If you are neutral in situations of injustice you have chosen the side of the oppressor.'

Sharing her thoughts alongside, the reality star wrote: 'We must stand up for what is right.

'Every day I'm waking up more and more shocked with the police brutality I'm seeing in America, this morning is the worst I have ever seen...

'Children being sprayed in the face screaming and crying, people protesting peacefully being shot in the face with rubber bullets, this is crazy, my heart hurts.'

Elsewhere within the lengthy caption, Kate added: 'The brutality and complete disregard for a persons human rights based on the colour of their skin is sickening.

'I feel so strongly about this, it seems to be taking over my thoughts constantly but honestly I have been silent for a long time, just watching and talking with friends and relatives about what's going on but not using my platform to talk about it in the way I should.

'I realised my friends and family know how I feel but this is not enough. I struggled with what to say or how to say it but now I feel I need to stand up for what is right.

'The thought of my beautiful family being treated like this just because of the colour of their skin sickens me. I am here, and I stand with YOU. Silence is betrayal. #blacklivesmatter.'
Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) - The Mauritanian government will repatriate hundreds of citizens stranded abroad because of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) for more than three months, official sources told PANA here Friday
Struggling French car maker Renault has announced 15,000 job cuts worldwide as part of a two billion euro (1.8 billion) cost-cutting plan over three years.

Renault said nearly 4,600 jobs will be cut in France in addition to more than 10,000 in the rest of the world.

The groups global production capacity will be revised from four million vehicles in 2019 to 3.3 million by 2024, the company said.

In a statement, the car maker added: The difficulties encountered by the group, the major crisis facing the automotive industry and the urgency of the ecological transition are all imperatives that are driving the company to accelerate its transformation.

The Flins plant of Renault in Aubergenville, west of Paris (AP)

Jean-Dominique Senard, chairman of the board of directors of Renault, said: The planned changes are fundamental to ensure the sustainability of the company and its development over the long term.

The group, which employs 180,000 workers worldwide, announced the suspension of planned capacity increase projects in Morocco and Romania.

The group is also considering adaptation of its production capacities in Russia and announced the halt of Renault-branded oil-powered car activities in China.

Renault came into the coronavirus crisis in particularly bad shape. Its alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi is a major global car player, but it has struggled since the 2018 arrest of its longtime star CEO Carlos Ghosn.

Renault reported its first losses in years in 2019.

The French government is its single biggest shareholder with a 15% stake, and has been in talks on a five billion euro (4.5 billion) loan guarantee.

Finance minister Bruno Le Maire said earlier this week that the groups survival is at stake.
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Linkedin Simone Galimberti (The Jakarta Post) Kathmandu  Sat, June 6, 2020 10:13 594 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdc880ba 3 Opinion ASEAN,solidarity,multilateral,Southeast-Asia,COVID-19,pandemic Free

Many insights have been shared about how member nations of the ASEAN community can forge a common front against the COVID-19 pandemic. Hardly surprising, so far, the united response from the community has not been what many were hoping for.

The ASEAN example is not an exception, and the ongoing public health and economic crises experienced by the region because of the disease, without forgetting a geopolitical dimension recently compounded by a more and more assertive China in the South China Sea, are showing how inadequate the response mechanisms of the Southeast Asia bloc are.

It is not that there have not been any attempts to bring together a collective response from ASEAN as a string of virtual summits of the leaders of each member state, sectoral ministries and technical experts have been occurring day after day lately.

The problem is that no matter the efforts to create a common front among the member nations, the pandemic is exposing the structural weaknesses of the Southeast Asian community not only in dealing with a unique, once-in-a-century situation like the one created by COVID-19 but also in other more ordinary, dayto-day issues.

No matter how much Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlights the fact that none of the member nations of the bloc are self-sufficient and invokes a spirit of further cooperation and the need to resist the temptation to turn inward and away from one another, the pillars of the regional cooperation projects are flawed.

Only a long-term determination compounded by a genuine visionary leadership can reset the terms and conditions through which ASEAN can truly thrive as a community of nations.

In dealing with the pandemic, as underscored by Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo, in the immediate term, the member nations should do their best to maximize the use of the existing mechanisms rather than wasting time in setting up new ones.

The problem is that most such mechanisms are simply not up to the challenges being faced. For example, the ASEAN Center for Humanitarian Assistance in Disaster Management (AHA Center) was tapped as a potential key player for storage of essential equipment required during the ongoing crisis.

While leveraging an existing mechanism is certainly useful, we should take into account the institutional capacity to deliver.

The AHA Center is certainly proving a useful institution in the disaster-management response within the region but it is a relatively new organization and it takes time to build the capacities and expertise, provided that enough resources are invested in it.

Only very recently the center helped with the reconstruction of 75 houses that were destroyed during the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that rocked Palu in Central Sulawesi, killing around 4,300 people in September 2018. If it took almost two years to build 75 houses, it would be unfair to seriously expect that the AHA Center can be tasked with a stronger mandate within the COVID-19 emergency.

Moreover, the center remains an intergovernmental body, meaning that the member nations are calling the shots rather than the ASEAN Secretariat. This is just a symptom of a wider approach where decision-making in the various institutions and mechanisms lies exclusively in the respective capitals.

At the same time the thematic ministerial meetings are too rare and do not go far enough in their decision-making, something not unexpected considering that the heads of governments meet only once a year.

These are only the most perceptible dysfunctions marring the community.

Other examples more related to the unfolding crisis is the fact that Cambodia, as chair of the ASEAN Health Ministers and ASEAN Senior Officials for Health Development, is supposedly taking the lead in coordinating the health emergency rather than Vietnam, the current chair of the bloc or the fact that Singapore is current coordinator of the ASEAN-European Union Dialogue Partnership, a partnership format that could be extremely useful in the current situation.

Why not entrust the annual chair of the community or the Secretariat with the coordination of all these foreign partnership dialogues?

It is here where the real problem with ASEAN lies; the fact that regional cooperation mostly functions at the inter-governmental level with only the member nations supposedly taking charge in a very fragmented, silolike approach.

The EU, the most advanced example of regional cooperation, has been able to be effective over the past decades only because its member states have devolved considerable power to truly common institutions, the European Commission and to a lesser extent the European Parliament.

It is not that such institutions have total, unchecked powers but rather they have to bargain and negotiate with the European

Council composed of leaders of each member state that have the final word.

The inability of the EU to promptly deal with this crisis and all the criticisms stemming from it is prompting new, until recently unthinkable, forms of further integration.

The big opportunity offered by the COVID-19 crisis is for ASEAN to rethink its strategic working approach, setting the foundations for stronger internal mechanisms that rely less on the individual members and more on a much more vigorous Secretariat in Jakarta equipped with more human resources but also with real decision-making and financing power.

For example, the ASEAN Development Fund, through which the COVID-19 response fund is based, should be turned into a much more ambitious financial mechanism to support the process of integration.

The pandemic can help ASEAN leaders realize that it is not time for tepid, tiny steps in the process of integration but rather an opportunity has arrived for some sort of quantum leap rethinking the way regional cooperation should work.

The leaders must ponder on what they are ready to give up in order to advance the project of regional integration, not just for the sake of dealing with a pandemic but to tackle future challenges too.

***

Cofounder of ENGAGE, a nonprofit organization promoting social inclusion in Nepal

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
As protests continue across the nation in support of Black Lives Matter, another is planned for our region this weekend in Elizabethtown.

Ed Cunningham, Elizabethtowns chief of police, confirmed that plans had been made for a protest downtown from 3-6 p.m.

A post on the Elizabethtown Chamber of Commerces Facebook page cited Cunningham, who has been in contact with event organizers, estimating roughly 50-100 participants. The post also said that anyone traveling through downtown Elizabethtown should expect some delays, but that the protest was planned to be a peaceful event organizing by local Elizabethtown residents who love this community.

While no official permits for the protest had been submitted to the police, Cunningham said, the participants are granted the right to gather and demonstrate according to the First Amendment of the Constitution.

We can restrict where they stand for public safety reasons, Cunningham said. But as long as they follow the rules, we cant stop them.

Protests have sprung up across the nation following the release of a video where a Minneapolis man named George Floyd is restrained by police on the street for nearly nine minutes. One officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt Floyds neck during the video, and Floyd was rendered unconscious and died shortly after. Chauvin and three other officers at the scene were fired; Chauvin was later charged with second-degree murder, and the three other officers have been charged with aiding and abetting murder.
- Mudavadi and Wetang'ula urged members of the public to adhere to the restrictive coronavirus measures

- The Opposition leaders agreed with Uhuru's position that it was not yet time to relax any of the measures

- The government confirmed 126 people had tested positive for the virus bringing national tally to 2,600 cases

President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced a further extension of national curfew by 30 days following spike coronavirus cases in Kenya.

The Head of state also prolonged ban on inter county movement in Mandera, Nairobi and Mombasa for the same period of days on grounds the health system could be outrun.

READ ALSO: Kenyans unleash new memes after Uhuru extends curfew by 30 days: "It's ended in tears"

Musalia Mudavadi welcomed Uhuru's directive extending national curfew for 30 more days. Photo: Musalia Mudavadi.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Uhuru directs schools to start reopening in September, Education Ministry to announce new calendar

Uhuru was frank and honest to the point that he publicly admitted universal health coverage was still a mirage in Kenya, saying most hospitals were not well-equipped.

Despite certain quarters having expressed disappointment on the government failure to reopen the economy and ease restrictions, ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi welcomed the move.

READ ALSO: Wachira Mathenge: Ex-president Mwai Kibaki's escort collapses, dies at home

Mudavadi, Wetang'ula commend Uhuru for extending countrywide curfew

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Wetang'ula awekewa stop: Aambiwa haiwezekani kuwatimua wanachama wakaidi FORD-K

The Opposition leader agreed with Uhuru's position that it was not yet time to relax any of the coronavirus containment measures.

"Under the circumstances President Uhuru has made the right decision. He deserves our support. Navigating through life threatening times is not about populism but about hard and difficult decisions to save lives. Adherence to professional guidelines is crucial in beating the pandemic," he reacted.

Musalia's sentiments were echoed by his Ford Kenya counterpart and Bungoma senator Moses Wetang'ula who noted the gradual approach to opening up was well thought out.

The two noted it was upon every member of the public to take part in COVID-19 fight and help slow down the deadly infection.

"We need to harness every effort to continue the war against coronavirus. President Uhuru is right in taking a gradualist approach in easing the restrictions that have helped check the infections and spread. We must play our roles to keep our country/people safe," said Wetang'ula.

The curfew to run from 9pm to 4 am and not 7pm to 5 am as was in the first case.

The president, however, ended the cessation of movement in and out of Kwale and Kilifi, Eastleigh and Mombasa Old Town.

The curfew to run from 9pm to 4 am and not 7pm to 5 am as was in the first case.

"In view of the successful containment of the disease in the Counties of Kilifi and Kwale, the cessation of movement into and out of the two Counties that is currently in force, shall lapse at 4:00 am on June 7, 2020, he said.

The government confirmed 126 people had tested positive for the virus.

The national tally increased to 2,600 cases with a cumulative number of discharges at 706.

On the same note, four people succumbed to the disease raising the death toll to 83.

The positive cases were distributed in the counties of Mombasa (56), Busia (54) Nairobi (eight), Migori (three), while Machakos, Kisumu, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu and Kajiado had one each.

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Why I beat my own mother- Lucy Nyawira | Tuko Talks | Tuko TV.

Source: TUKO.co.ke
The Last Days of American Crime

Director - Olivier Megaton

Cast - Edgar Ramirez, Michael Pitt, Anna Brewster, Sharlto Copley

Netflixs The Last Days of American Crime wastes its excellent premise faster than it would take you to say its name. Set in a near future when America has become a fascist police state, the film spans a week before the introduction of a sweeping new law that would prohibit citizens from committing any sort of criminal activity.

The government is preparing to launch a radio signal that can essentially jam the brains of criminals if theyre contemplating breaking the law. It is never exactly spelled out what qualifies as a crime in this dystopian future. For instance, would a Netflix executive on the verge of green lighting a movie like this suddenly seize up?

Watch The Last Days of American Crime trailer here

The impending initiation of this signal sends the nation spiralling into anarchy. In the opening scenes, we see shops being looted, robberies being conducted at gunpoint, and other miscellaneous mischief unfolding in the background. Think of it like The Purge, but extended to a week. Think of it like Minority Report, if it had been directed not by Steven Spielberg, but by the guy who has made two Taken movies.

Faced with the possibility of living under the thumb of the government, Americans attempt to make a dash for the relative lawlessness of Canada. At one point in the film, a TV news anchor narrates the story of a movie star whose private plan to Canada is shot out of the sky by the cops, who are in the meantime being fitted with brain chips that would make them immune to the signal, and therefore free to go about their business.

In the middle of all this, a career criminal by the name of Graham Bricke (Edgar Ramirez), also looking to make a break up north, decides to pull off the last great heist in American history. So he teams up with the scion of a rich crime family and his deranged girlfriend to pull off One Last Job.

Michael Pitt as Kevin Cash in a still from The Last Days Of American Crime. (Marcos Cruz/Netflix)

Based on the comic book by Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini, The Last Days of American Crime is directed by Olivier Megaton, a filmmaker whose work youve perhaps chuckled at in the past. To jog your memory, he is the man who decided that a simple scene in Taken 3 where Liam Neeson jumps over a fence should be stitched together from 15 shots. The seven-second sequence has attained cult status on the internet, and is inevitably brought up in every discussion about the worst action movie trends of the last decade.

And it is this same chaotic visual style that Megaton  this is his pseudonym, by the way; like a criminal having assumed an alias  revisits in The Last Days of American Crime. To give you some pertinent context, directors such as Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino often shoot with just one camera, having composed the perfect frames, and carefully devised the shot structure in their heads. Id be willing to wager a months (slashed) salary that Megaton shoots action with at least half-a-dozen cameras rolling simultaneously, with the hope that hell simply stitch the scene together later, in post. He never can.

For a film that pretends to offer a captivating critique of American amorality, not a frame of it appears to have been shot in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. The tax credits were too tempting, it seems. Only one member of its central cast  an in on the joke Michael Pitt  is American. The rest of the films supporting roles are strangely filled by South African actors, who perhaps came as part of the package when Megaton decided to shoot the film there.

Also read: Choked movie review: Anurag Kashyap demonizes demonetisation in new Netflix film

Even Ramirez, who a decade ago won the Cesar Award for Most Promising Actor, and Sharlto Copley, who strangely disappears from the action for about the length of an entire feature film, are utterly wasted.

At nearly two-and-a-half hours long, The Last Days of American Crime is a painful ordeal  gory, relentlessly mean-spirited, and ridiculously dumb. Its tone-deaf treatment of relevant themes such as police brutality and authoritarianism is lost in a flurry of needless violence and Megatons absolute lack of nuance. His storytelling is, as it turns out, as shamelessly blunt as his name.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Two New Orleans City Council members are proposing to strip the name of the president of the Confederacy from Jefferson Davis Parkway and rename it for Norman Francis, the long-time leader of the historically black Xavier University.

The effort is being led by Councilmembers Helena Moreno and Jason Williams, following a petition started by Xavier officials and alumni, and could lead to larger push to rename streets that currently honor Confederate leaders or others with notorious histories when it comes to racial issues.

The petition comes against a backdrop of civil unrest and large-scale demonstrations in New Orleans and other cities in the wake of the death of George Floyd, who was killed on Memorial Day by a police officer in Minnesota. Demonstrators have used the marches as an opportunity to air long-held grievances over police brutality and systematic racism.

+2 Norman Francis, education giant: 1 of 300 The Times-Picayune is marking the tricentennial of New Orleans with its ongoing 300 for 300 project, running through 2018 and highlighting 300

The roiling emotions of recent events are what prompted Mark Raymond Jr., the president of the A.P. Tureaud Legacy Committee and a board member of the Regional Transit Authority, to start a petition seeking to rename the street after Francis. Since it was created on June 3, it has garnered nearly 9,500 signatures.

"I wanted to channel my rage about the current political atmosphere the racial tension in the country over the death of George Floyd into something more positive than just a protest, I wanted it to be real action," Raymond said. "Thats when I started thinking about these streets. We still drive down landmarks memorializing figures in history who fought for the enslavement of African-Americans."

Francis, who retired in 2015 as the longest-sitting university president in the country, has been an iconic figure in both civil rights and education in New Orleans. The first African-American to graduate from Loyola Universitys School of Law, he also sheltered Freedom Riders on Xaviers campus, significantly expanded and improved the school, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2006.

Dr. Francis understood more than most that education is the pathway to social justice, current Xavier President Reynold Verret said in a statement. His unwavering commitment and courage in the face of adversity spanned 50 plus years at Xavier and taught us all many lessons on how we must serve and lead our community. It is an honor for me to submit this request on behalf of all Xavierites and New Orleanians to whom he remains an example.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell, a Xavier alumnus, expressed enthusiasm for the idea when asked about it at a press conference Friday morning, shortly before The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate published an op-ed she co-wrote with four former mayors of the city supporting the move.

+2 Former Xavier president Norman Francis to receive prestigious Laetare Medal from Notre Dame The retired president of the only historically black and Catholic university in the U.S. will receive what Notre Dame University calls the mos

This is not solely to remove the reference to Jefferson Davis, although that notion stands on its own and requires no explanation, they wrote. This particular roadway runs through Norman Francis legacy to New Orleans and America, Xavier University, which has graduated more African American students earning undergraduate degrees in the biology and the life sciences, chemistry, physics and pharmacy than any other college or university.

Joining Cantrell in writing the op-ed was Mitch Landrieu, Marc Morial, Sidney Barthelemy and Moon Landrieu.

In announcing the move at a Thursday City Council meeting, Moreno urged the council to move quickly.

I believe he is most deserving of having a street named in his honor and its the least we can do, Moreno said. Dr. Francis deserves to see this in his lifetime.

Rename Jeff Davis Parkway for Dr. Norman Francis, New Orleans mayors say in powerful editorial Our nation is in the midst of an existential crisis the likes of which we have not seen in our collective lifetimes. The COVID-19 pandemic, th

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The effort to rename streets in the city comes three years after New Orleans grabbed the national spotlight when Mitch Landrieu removed statues commemorating Davis, Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and P.G.T. Beauregard and a monument to the Reconstruction-era white supremacist militia known as the White League.

Though those monuments were removed, the city never filled their empty pedestals or renamed the streets that honored those men.

Blakeview: Norman C. Francis This week marks the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of Dr. Norman C. Francis as president of Xavier University. Francis, the first layman

Jefferson Davis Parkway, which was previously called Hagan Avenue, was renamed after the former Confederate leader in 1910 at the same time his statue was erected at the street's intersection with Canal Street. The statue and the street naming came as part of a movement that has since become known as the Lost Cause, which sought to romanticize and whitewash the legacy of the Confederacy in the aftermath of Reconstruction.

Other City Council members, however, called for a more expansive process that would include additional streets and more public input on who should be honored.

Councilman Jay H. Banks, whose district includes portions of Jefferson Davis, said despite his deep respect for Francis he wanted renamings to come as part of a structured process. Banks said he had already been in discussions to rename at least a portion of the roadway for Peter Dangerfield, the former director of the non-profit Total Community Action.

Banks listed off a number of others who he said were deserving of the honor, including Leah Chase and Dorothy Mae Taylor.

The list of significant contributors who ought to be memorialized in our city is long. I do think we should get away from the vestiges of a culture long gone that was about oppression and segregation and slavery and discounting the value of human lives of people who look like me, Banks said. I am fully in support of the renaming, but I think we need to have a process going down that road because it just does not need to be just one.

Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer agreed that more roads should be considered, specifically Gov. Nicholls Street, which runs through the French Quarter and Gentilly, and Slidell Street in Algiers.

Francis Nicholls, a former Confederate brigadier general, was installed as governor as part of a national compromise over the disputed presidential election of 1876, which resulted in the end of Reconstruction. As governor, he refused to intervene in mob violence that resulted in the lynchings of 11 Italian immigrants in the New Orleans prison in 1891.

John Slidell was a U.S. senator who was an ardent supporter of slavery who served as one of the Confederacy's representatives to France.

I think when we take one street in isolation, we forget about all the other streets that carry this legacy, Palmer said.

Then, of course, there's Robert E. Lee Boulevard. Raymond has already started a second petition seeking to rename the street for Leah Chase.

Williams said he would support moving quickly on that process.

I know theres going to be a lot of fast work to get this done and we have a lot of healing to do about the things we have allowed to be memorialized in this town, he said.
Egypt president calls on UN to invite Libyas rival administrations for talks after GNAs military advances.

Libyan renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar has backed a ceasefire in Libya to take effect from Monday, Egypts president announced after talks in Cairo.

The development follows a series of military victories of Libyas UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) against Haftars forces.

This initiative calls for respecting all international efforts and initiatives by declaring a ceasefire from 6pm [16:00 GMT] Monday, June 8, 2020, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi told a news conference on Saturday.

He was speaking alongside Haftar and his ally, eastern parliament speaker Aguila Saleh.

El-Sisi urged international support for the initiative and called on the United Nations to invite Libyas rival administrations for talks.

The initiative, called the Cairo declaration, urged the withdrawal of foreign mercenaries from all Libyan territory, he said.

El-Sisi added that the declaration also called for dismantling militias and handing over their weaponry so that Libyan National Army [led by Haftar] would be able to carry out its military and security responsibilities and duties.

The Egyptian president also said the initiative paves the way for forming an elected presidential council in Libya.

He added that it prevents extremist militias from gaining control over the countrys resources.

Later on Saturday, Russia announced its support for the ceasefire announced in Egypt

We read the content of the Egyptian Presidents offer, of course, we support all kinds of offers to stop the conflicts in Libya as soon as possible, said Mikhail Bogdanov, the special representative of Russia to the Middle East and African countries, according to the Ria News Agency.

Forces loyal to Libyas UN-recognised government in the strategic Bani Walid city [Anadolu]

Sirte offensive

Meanwhile, forces loyal to Libyas UN-recognised government said they launched an offensive on Saturday to seize the strategic city of Sirte.

The air force has carried out five strikes in the outskirts of Sirte, slain dictator Moamer Kadhafis hometown and the last major settlement before the traditional boundary between Libyas west and east, GNA spokesman Mohamad Gnounou said.

Orders have been given to our forces to begin their advance and to systematically attack all rebel positions, he added.

Sirte was taken by Haftars forces virtually without a fight in January after one of Libyas myriad local fighters switched sides.

Libya plunged into chaos in 2011 when an uprising toppled and later killed longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi.

It is split between two rival administrations in the east and the west, each backed by opposing fighters struggling for power.

Haftar has since last year sought to regain control over the west, fighting the GNA in an abortive attempt to seize the capital Tripoli.

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His LNA forces have in recent weeks lost crucial ground to GNA forces, which are backed by Turkey.

The GNA recaptured the strategic town of Bani Walid in the countrys northwest from the LNA earlier on Saturday.

The latest development comes a day after the GNA seized the city of Tarhuna, Haftars last stronghold in northwestern Libya, which was used as the main launchpad against Tripoli.

Fridays defeat inflicts serious blows to Haftars 14-month offensive to capture Tripoli.

Haftar is supported by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates as well as Russia.
Actor Salman Khan, late on Friday, posted a video showing him and some of his housemates cleaning his farmhouse on the occasion of World Environment Day. He also requested his fans to take cleanliness seriously.

He wrote: #SwachhBharat #WorldEnvironmentDay Music Credits: Mark Mothersbaugh. Former Bigg Boss contestant Arshi Khan, Bhojpuri and Bollywood actor Ravi Dubey, actor and blogger Neha Malik were full of praise for the actor and dropped red heart, clapping hands and namaste emojis.

Watch | Salman Khan sweeping his porch at Panvel farmhouse on World Environment Day

His fans too were obviously delighted; one said: Khudka farmhouse Clean kiya .. thanks for helping India bhaijaan.. Another said, He does everything with such love and care.

Salman Khan and Iulia Vantur clean his farmhouse.

In the video, Salman, dressed casually in a pair of long denim shorts and a matching t-shirt can be seen sweeping a pile of leaves, fallen in the aftermath of the recent cyclone Nisarga. At one point in the video, his rumoured girlfriend Iulia Vantur also makes an appearance - dressed in a black and white printed dress, and is seen sweeping. Also seen in the video are members of his staff and possibly other family members and friends.

Earlier, Iulia had shared a number of pictures, showing how Salmans Panvel farmhouse had been affected by the cyclone. Sharing pictures and videos, she had written: ...but then life goes on...the sun comes back to heal us. Iulia had also shared a video of Salman (off camera) surveilling the situation. The pictures showed fallen trees, while the video showed how the cyclone had lashed the property.

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In an unprecedented move, the Iranian Judiciary has explained for the first time how it has spent the interest earned on the bonds deposited into its accounts by those implicated in criminal and political cases.

However, analysts, political figures and social media users in Iran are still sceptical about these accounts and their transactions.

Mizan News, the official news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Judiciary reported on Friday June 5 that the interest on the bonds for the year 1398 which ended on 20 March has been 4.3 trillion rials ($102 million) out of which some 4 trillion rials have already been spent, ostensibly on social and economic development.

During the past years, political figures close to former President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, as well as a former reformist lawmaker, Mahmoud Sadeqi Sadeghi), had charged that the Judiciary had 60 accounts, all in the name of former Judiciary Chief Sadeqi Amoli Larijani with tens of billions of rials of bond money in them.

These are mainly bonds and bail deposited by those indicted for crimes in order to stay out of jail before their trial. Former lawmaker Faezeh Hashemi recently noted that there are a lot of people who have some kind of dossier at the Judiciary.

According to Mizan, the new Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raeesi has reduced the number of those accounts to only five, increased the number of authorized signatories for these accounts to 3 individuals and has vowed to make transactions carried out by these accounts transparent.

Meanwhile, according to the agency, "in a bid to make the Judiciary transparent, accountable and disciplined, Raeesi had said that reports on the transaction would be submitted to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the people".

The Judiciary has explained "the origin of the funds in these accounts" as well as "the way the earned interest is spent," adding that all the bonds are deposited into the Treasury and the Judiciary cannot withdraw any sums from the accounts. It is only the interest on these accounts that can be paid back to the Judiciary via the government-owned Bank Melli.

The Judiciary explained that interest on these accounts has been spent mainly in provinces of the country to cover development as well as administrative, training, automation and travel costs and provision of buildings and infrastructure as per financial statements published on Mizan News.

Upon the publication of the report on Mizan News, former Reformist lawmaker Mahmoud Sadeqi wrote in a series of tweet: "This was a step forward. The next step is to have the accounts audited by the State Auditing Office based on Article 55 of the Constitution and to publish the reports of the audits every year."

Dozens of comments under this tweet were critical of Sadeqi. Some called for an investigation on the amount of losses incurred by the nation as a result of having individuals such as Sadeqi in the parliament as their representatives.

Others demanded transparency on the performance of former lawmakers during the previous round of the Iranian Parliament (Majles) which ended in late May.

In another tweet, Radio Farda Iran Analyst Reza Haqiqatnezhad reminded that "The interest on the Judiciary's account is haram [prohibited according to religious rules]." He called the report "outrageous" as if a thief is reporting to those he robbed how he spent what he had stolen.

The tweet was "liked" by nearly a thousand readers within an hour and was retweeted nearly 50 times within the same time. However, among many who supported the argument, some comments were critical of Haqiqatnezhad, including one that said that what the Judiciary did was lawful, but whether it was haram [prohibited] or halal [permitted by religious rules] is a matter that required a religious decree.
Im a privileged Black guy living in one of the most blessed nations on Earth, in a middle-class, predominantly Jewish, Toronto neighbourhood, under COVID lockdown with my lawyer son, student daughter and teacher wife.

Insulated, yes  but always visible. And I cant breathe.

The older I get the deeper it hurts to breathe  to free myself from this daily grinding down of Black bodies and African souls.

Its expected, recurring and debilitating: its an excruciatingly familiar nightmare of a sunken place from which, despite protest and riots, and medical school and Princeton valedictorians, and We Shall Overcome choruses, the Black bodies are unable to get out.

A half a century in this land where my parents brought me up on a domestic maids wage and an hospital orderlys salary, and I still cant breathe.

Couldnt breathe when my son Darnell called to debrief the singular most harrowing lynching of his lifetime; and broke down under the weight of The Knee  the daylight Main Street modern lynching of George Floyd, a cop kneeling on the mans neck for nearly 9 minutes, even as citizens voice their horror and three other cops watch the murder, unmoved.

A lot of people are marching, talking, venting, apologizing, listening, asking questions, trying to comprehend a story arcing back to 1619 in the West, with a 2020 Minneapolis climax. The moment feels different, but didnt the slaying of Martin Luther King Jr.? Didnt Rodney King, Eric Garner?

It feels like a different time and a different season. But Im jaded, exhausted, prone to bouts of despair. Ive lived through too many promising moments, forgotten, broken. So I ask my sons how they see their place in the world, circa COVID 2020.

There is progress, dad. These protests are different than Ferguson or the civil rights movement. Thats Sheldon, the elder of the boys. Look at the protest crowds, the mix, people taking a knee like Colin Kaepernick and cops taking a knee as a peace sign and turning in their officers. This is different. Black Lives Matter was viewed as a terrorist organization and now protesters are taking a knee holding a #BLM sign. Its the perfect storm  and you have Donald Trump throwing gasoline on the fire.

Darnell is less sure. Time will tell. Its a perfect storm and it creates opportunity for people to make some changes, but what I do see is that some of the outrage is convenient outrage that will disappear soon.

We are in the minority. Until the majority care about the injustice, there is little hope for sweeping changes. Until they actually look at the video and become educated because it tugs at their heartstrings or tugs at their wallets for fear of their businesses being burned down, nothing will change.

Both think it will take a deep, broad, massive, concerted effort  activists, protesters, organizers, allies, voters, disrupters who burn and create havoc  to keep peoples attention on the injustice of anti-Black racism.

Ending carding in Toronto was so easy, once white people got embarrassed by it, hopped up to city hall, confronted the mayor and demanded an end. Why did the police board, Mayor John Tory present, ignore the cries of Black citizens who literally shed tears begging for its end? Because they did not value the messengers, until the messengers looked like them.

For me personally, it is not enough for my non-Black friends to simply not be racist. If youre my friend you need to be ANTI-Racism. To get rid of weeds you have to root it out completely. You dont treat weeds by cutting the grass, said Darnell.

The key action will be global focus and government legislation  on the level of the climate change movement, for example  that pours money and police reforms and tax credits and political energy and research and education into an unrelenting push to slay this dragon.

This whole thing needs to lead to reparations  the dreaded R word, Sheldon posits. Thats a mountain to scale another day.

This horror sets us up to tackle this historic wrong. Its a perfect storm of events, but its still a house of cards. If any one of these things dont happen, we are stalled where we are. But this must unite us. My job is to build on the fight of the people who came before  a fight that may last 50 lifetimes. My role is to carry the baton and to leave the place better than the one left me.

Hope is invigorating.
Abdelmalek Droukdel, a prominent Al-Qaeda leader, was killed this week in a French special forces raid in northern Mali, France's minister for the armed forces, Florence Parly, said

I congratulate and thank all those who have enabled and carried out these daring operations, which have dealt a severe blow to these terrorist groups, Parly tweeted.

"Our forces, in co-operation with their partners in the Sahel, will continue to hunt them relentlessly," she said.

Droukdel was killed on Wednesday with several of his close collaborators in northern Mali, the defense official added.

Veteran jihadist

As head of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Droukdel was in charge of the organisation's affiliates across north Africa.

Aged in his 40s, he also "commanded Al-Qaeda's Sahel affiliate, Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), one of the main terrorist groups" in the semi-arid region, below the Sahara desert, Parly added.

Droukdel is thought to be responsible for hundreds of civilian deaths, including a 2016 assault on a hotel in the Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou.

Born on 20 April, 1970, he first began waging terror campaigns in his home country of Algeria before expanding AQIM's activities to northern Mali, which has been wracked by instability for the past decade.

A notorious commander, he also ran by the name of Abou Moussab Abd Al-Wadoud, in reference to Iraq's former Al-Qaeda leader, Abou Moussab al-Zarkaoui, and is credited with taking AQIM from an offshoot of the Algerian civil war into one of the most feared terror groups in the north-Africa Sahel region.

Death in doubt

However, the extremist group has yet to confirm his death and many analysts remain prudent.

"Jihadist groups, especially those linked to Al-Qaeda and therefore AQIM, are not used to hiding their dead," says Mauritanian journalist Lemine ould Salem.

"If this death is real, it will be confirmed in the coming days. Until it has been confirmed by the different parties, we must remain cautious," he told RFI.

Last year, another extremist leader in Mali, Amadou Koufa, appeared in a verified video mocking reports that French forces had killed him.

Rivalry

News of Droukdel's death comes at a time of increasing tensions between Al-Qaeda and its more recent rival, the Islamic State armed group.

Armed clashes have broken out between the rival organisations in recent weeks, according to sources.

At a security summit in January this year, President Emmanuel Macron said that the Islamic State had replaced Al-Qaeda as its number one enemy in the Sahel.

On Friday, French colonel Frederic Barbry reiterated that sentiment.

"We have obtained a victory over AQIM but the main enemy is the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara," he said.

IBK under fire

The announcement on Friday came as thousands of Malians took to the streets of the capital Bamako to call for President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to resign.

Urged by opposition parties, demonstrators waved banners bearing slogans such as "IBK, get out", using the acronym by which the president is popularly known.

They accuse the state of mishandling the islamist insurgency, which killed 4,000 last year.

Some have also take issue with IBK's close relationship with France, which has more than 5,000 troops serving as part of its Operation Barkhane. But locals say its presence may be causing more harm than good.

Legislative elections in April have done little to appease public anger.

Seventy-five-year-old Keita has been in office since 2013.
The new prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann is unlikely to be released from prison despite being eligible for parole, as it emerged he is refusing to cooperate with investigators.

Christian Brueckner, 43, is currently serving a 15-month sentence in his home country of Germany for drug offences and is reportedly eligible for parole on Sunday.

But the serial sex offender is also facing a separate sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old American woman on a waterfront villa less than a mile from where Madeleine went missing in Portugal in 2007.

Although he was convicted in December 2019, he appealed against his seven-year sentence and so it cannot be imposed until his appeal avenues are exhausted.

But this does mean that he can be held on remand while any appeal takes place.

Brueckner himself is also reportedly refusing to cooperate with the police investigation. A source close to the German police told the Sun: 'So far he is saying absolutely nothing to officers, he is keeping schtum.'

Paedophile Christian Brueckner (left), who is suspected of abducting Madeleine McCann (right), had only been released from a Portuguese prison just months before her disappearance from a family villa in 2007

The paedophile, who is being held in prison in the north German city of Kiel, has not been formally charged over Madeleine's disappearance so prosecutors cannot hold him on that basis.

Prisoners are able to apply for parole in Germany when they have served at least two thirds of their sentence.

However, it is not automatically granted and any decision to do so would be entirely that of the parole board.

Even if Brueckner were to be granted parole on Sunday, he would be unlikely to leave prison because he would still be on remand for the rape offence.

A map of the area of Praia de Luz in Portugal showing the suspect's house and the McCanns' holiday apartment which was nearby

The maximum time which a prisoner can be held on remand before trial in Germany is normally six months, but this can be extended in complex cases.

It would therefore be for the German appeal court to decide if he should remain in custody in the event of being granted parole for the drugs offence.

Brueckner's appeal for the rape conviction is based on an extradition techicality.

He was extradited from Italy to Germany for the rape and his lawyers have argued that he cannot be tried without Italy's consent, which German prosecutors did not formally obtain.

Because he was held under a European arrest warrant, the German appeal court has asked the European Court of Justice make a ruling.

Brueckner is the key suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine from Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007.

He moved from Germany to the Portuguese coastal town in 1995 after serving part of a two-year sentence for molesting a six-year-old girl in Wurzburg.

Following his naming by German police, he has further been linked to the disappearances of six-year-old boy Rene Hasse in the Algarve, 1996, and five-year-old girl Igna Gehnricke in Germany, 2015.

Brueckner, pictured in a German bar in 2011, is also alleged to have confided in a friend that he 'knew all about' what had happened to Madeleine

Now languishing in a German prison in Kiel on a drug-related sentence, at the time of Madeleine's vanishing he was living in the area about a 10-minute drive away.

The news of his potential parole comes as it emerged that Brueckner is refusing to cooperate with German police over Madeleine's disappearance.

German prosecutors believe Madeleine is dead and are investigating paedophile Brueckner, 43, on suspicion of her murder.

Prosecutors claim to know how the youngster died but have not revealed further details and British officers are still treating it as a missing persons case.

A source reportedly close to the German Police investigation told the Sun Online: 'If he is responsible for taking Madeleine and suddenly crumbles and confesses it could end reasonably rapidly.

Police say Brueckner may have been living in this campervan at the time Madeleine vanished

'But so far he is saying absolutely nothing to officers, he is keeping schtum, so Kate and Gerry could be left in limbo for many weeks and months which is agonising for them.'

Lawyer Jan-Christian Hochmann confirmed he was representing the suspect on Saturday.

He told Reuters: 'It is correct that I and my colleague David Volke are representing him, but we are not making any comment at the moment.'

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry of Rothley, Leicestershire, 'continue to hope she is alive until they can be shown incontrovertible evidence which proves that she is dead,' family spokesman Clarence Mitchell told MailOnline on Saturday.

On Saturday, British police said they have received nearly 400 tip-offs since Brueckner was named as the prime suspect in Madeleine disappearance on Wednesday.

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry of Rothley, Leicestershire, 'continue to hope she is alive until they can be shown incontrovertible evidence which proves that she is dead,' family spokesman Clarence Mitchell told MailOnline on Saturday

Information continues to pour into Scotland Yard's team of detectives working on the investigation into the disappearance, named Operation Grange.

A force spokesperson said on Saturday: 'We have now received just short of 400 pieces of information. We are pleased with the amount of calls and emails coming in and we are assessing them and prioritising them.'

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry of Rothley, Leicestershire, 'continue to hope she is alive until they can be shown incontrovertible evidence which proves that she is dead,' family spokesman Clarence Mitchell told MailOnline.

Horror of woman who raised Maddie McCann suspect: How Christian Brueckner's adoptive parents were forced to send him to a home for delinquent teenagers when they could no longer cope with his wayward behaviour

By Nick Fagge, in Wurzburg, Germany, for MailOnline

Madeleine McCann murder suspect Christian Brueckner was thrown out of his adopted home because of his disruptive and criminal behaviour, MailOnline can reveal as his parents are exclusively pictured for the first time.

Brigitte and Fritz Brueckner had taken baby Christian into their family as an act of charity for the tiny foundling who had been given up by his mother.

But the kind-hearted parents sent him to live in a reform home for delinquent teenagers after Herr Brueckner was seriously injured in a car crash and could no longer discipline the boy.

Widowed Frau Brueckner today told MailOnline she knew nothing about her estranged son's alleged crimes.

Standing inside the doorway of her modest home in Bergtheim, near Wuerzburg, she told MailOnline: 'I don't know anything about it. I don't want to know anything about it.'

She distanced herself from the 43-year-old prisoner as neighbours revealed the family's difficulty in controlling Christian.

They told of how Frau Brueckner could not cope with Christian's disruptive and increasingly criminal behaviour and simultaneously look after her disabled husband who suffered brain damage and was confined to a wheel chair following the smash in 1992.

As the re-energised investigation into Madeleine's disappearance 13 years ago gathered pace:

Scotland Yard revealed it has received 400 tip-offs after convicted sex fiend Brueckner was named as the key suspect;

German prosecutors linked Brueckner to the 1994 disappearance of six-year-old boy Rene from the Algarve and the 2015 vanishing of five-year-old girl Ingra Gehricke;

Brueckner became eligible for parole this weekend but is unlikely to be released from custody for his 15-month sentences for drug offences;

It was claimed Brueckner was not cooperating with German officers in the McCann investigation;

Lawyer Jan-Christian Hochmann confirmed he was representing Brueckner but said he had no comment on the case;

It was revealed Brueckner was flagged as a key Madeleine McCann kidnap and murder suspect seven years ago.

Brigitte and Fritz Brueckner (left) had taken baby Christian (right, as an adult) into their family as an act of charity for the tiny foundling who had been given up by his mother

The former home of Christian Brueckner: Today neighbours of the couple in the village of Bergthei, where he grew up told of their shock that Brueckner has been linked to the murder of four-year-old Madeleine in 2007

The primary school in the village of Bertheim, southern Bavaria, where Christian Brueckner grew up (pictured today)

Brigitte (left) and Fritz Brueckner (right) had taken baby Christian into their family as an act of charity for the tiny foundling who had been given up by his mother

Today neighbours of the couple in the village of Bergthei, where he grew up also told of their shock that Brueckner has been linked to the murder of three-year-old Madeleine in 2007.

One neighbour told MailOnline: 'The Brueckners were a lovely couple, very kind. But what happened with their boy Christian is a catastrophe.

'They took him in as a baby and brought him up as their own. He was often in trouble and he got worse and worse as he grew into a teenager. Christian must have been 13 or 14 when Herr Bruecker, Fritz, had the car accident.

'As the man of the house it was Fritz who disciplined the boy. Christian needed a firm hand. But after the accident he could not do that any more.

'Brigitte, the mother did her best, but she could not cope with the boy and look after her husband. Christian had been in trouble and that is when he was sent to a reform school for delinquent teenagers in Wuerzburg.'

She added: 'Sadly Fritz, the husband is dead now. But his wife Brigitte did everything she could for him. She was awarded a medal.'

Another neighbour added: 'Brigitte is a lovely woman. I knew Christian but I have not seen him for years.

'If what I read is true it will destroy his mother. Brigitte and Fritz did everything they could for him when he was a boy.'

Christian Brueckner (pictured left) left Portugal after then three-year-old Madeline (pictured right) disappeared in 2007

Bergtheim is a small municipality in southern Bavaria, Germany, where Brueckner grew up before being sent to a reform school

The village of Bergtheim in Germany where Brueckner grew up. He later moved to Praia da Luz, where Madeleine McCann vanished in 2007

Christian Brueckner was flagged as a key Madeleine McCann kidnap and murder suspect SEVEN YEARS ago Christian Brueckner was flagged as a key Madeleine McCann kidnap and murder suspect seven years ago by police but the report was ignored by German authorities. According to German magazine Spiegel, police in Braunschweig sent a report about him being a prime suspect to the Federal Criminal Office (BKA) in 2013, two years before Inga Gehricke, 'Germany's Maddie McCann', disappeared. It was ignored. Braunschweig police were monitoring the 43-year-old around the clock at the time.The report was triggered after an appeal from British police on a German unsolved crime show, on which the news about Brueckner was also broadcast this week. Spiegel went on: 'One person did submit a tip about Brueckner but the resulting report from police in Braunschweig to the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation was apparently not acted upon, much to the consternation of the local investigators.' Brueckner was born to a woman named Fischer but given over to youth authorities at an early age. Between 1992 - when he was 16 - and 1994 he lived in a facility for young people with learning difficulties. A neighbour told German newspaper BILD: 'There were only bad young people there.' During this time he committed his first burglary and received a suspended jail sentence. He finished his high school education and embarked on an apprenticeship as a car mechanic. Advertisement

A close family friend revealed the discovery of Brueckner's alleged involvement in the murder of Madeleine will destroy his mother.

Monica Veirheilig told MailOnline: 'This will destroy Brigitte. For your child to kill another child is the worst thing imaginable for a mother.

'She is a kind woman and she has already had to deal with tragedy. She had to cope with looking after her husband after he suffered brain damage in the car crash and later his death.

'But finding out her son may be a killer is a second tragedy for her.'

She added: 'I don't want to judge Frau Brueckner. I hope Madeleine parents will finally find out the truth about what happened to her. The not-knowing must be the worst.'

Another neighbour has told how Christian Brueckner and his brothers had bad reputation in their home town while growing up.

A mum-of-three who knew Christian growing up said he was well known in the area for getting in trouble.

The mum of three told MailOnline: 'I knew Christian growing up - I was two years younger than him so I wasn't that close to him but I knew him well because of his reputation.

'He was well known in our area for getting in to trouble. Everyone knew that he was handful and was not easy for his parents...I was a child at the time so I can't remember the details but I remember other adults talking about the fact that Christian was not easy for his parents.

'His parents are lovely people. They are very kind, they obviously must be because they adopted three boys.

'I was fully aware of the Madeleine McCann case, everyone does. I was horrified when I heard that the suspect is from a family that lives over the road from me.

'You never thing something like this is going to come to your doorstep. It makes me feel so bad that he might be involved. I just hope for the poor parents of Madeleine that the case is resolved soon.'

Brueckner, now 43, is the key suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine from Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007.

He moved from Germany to the Portuguese coastal town in 1995 after serving part of a two-year sentence for molesting a six-year-old girl in Wurzburg.

Following his naming by German police, he has further been linked to the disappearances of six-year-old boy Rene Hasse in the Algarve, 1996, and five-year-old girl Igna Gehnricke in Germany, 2015.

Now languishing in a German prison in Kiel on a drug-related sentence, at the time of Madeleine's vanishing he was living in the area about a 10-minute drive away.

In 2005, two years prior to the infant's disappearance, he raped a 72-year-old American woman on a waterfront villa less than a mile from the Ocean Club hotel where Madeleine went missing.

Prosecutors in Germany are now desperately trying to build a case against Brueckner, who is eligible for parole this weekend but unlikely to be granted a release from custody.

Information continues to pour into Scotland Yard's Maddie squad Operation Grange. A force spokesperson said today: 'We have now received just short of 400 pieces of information. We are pleased with the amount of calls and emails coming in and we are assessing them and prioritising them.'

Maddie's parents Kate and Gerry of Rothley, Leicestershire, 'continue to hope she is alive until they can be shown incontrovertible evidence which proves that she is dead,' family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said.

He told MailOnline: 'Kate and Gerry continue to be encouraged by the level of response and nearly 400 fresh pieces of information so far is exactly what the Met wanted from their appeal.'

Lawyer Jan-Christian Hochmann confirmed he was representing Brueckner but declined to comment on the case.

'It is correct that I and my colleage David Volke are representing him, but we are not making any comment at the moment,' Hochmann told Reuters by phone.

Brueckner himself is reportedly refusing to cooperate with the police investigation. A source close to the German police told the Sun: 'So far he is saying absolutely nothing to officers, he is keeping schtum.'
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 11:13:39|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Britain and the European Union (EU) closed their fourth round of trade talks on Friday with little progress made, their chief negotiators said.

"Progress remains limited but our talks have been positive in tone. Negotiations will continue and we remain committed to a successful outcome," Britain's chief Brexit negotiator David Frost said in London after the talks via video links.

"We are close to reaching the limits of what we can achieve through the format of remote formal rounds. If we are to make progress, it is clear that we must intensify and accelerate our work," he said.

"We need to conclude this negotiation in good time to enable people and businesses to have certainty about the trading terms that will follow the end of the transition period at the end of this year, and, if necessary, to allow ratification of any agreements reached," he added.

"Any such deal must of course accommodate the reality of the UK's well-established position on the so-called 'level playing field', on fisheries, and the other difficult issues," he added.

Also on Friday, Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator on Britain's exit from the EU, said in Brussels that there have been no significant areas of progress after the end of the fourth round of talks with Britain on their post-Brexit relations.

The EU has always been open to the possibility of an extension to the transition period, he said.

The latest round of intensive negotiations between Britain and the EU started on Tuesday via video links due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After this final scheduled round of talks now between the two sides, the focus will switch to a crucial meeting reportedly to take place later this month between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Johnson has insisted he will not extend the transition period beyond Dec. 31, with Britain and the EU facing the prospect of conducting trade under World Trade Organization rules if there is no agreement.

Britain quitted the EU on Jan. 31. The two sides started their negotiations for a new partnership in Brussels on March 2, which ended on March 5 with big divergences.

Britain has insisted that it wants a Canada-style relationship based on a comprehensive free trade agreement, supplemented by separate international agreements.

The kingdom has maintained that it will be a fully independent and sovereign country from Jan. 1, 2021, with no alignment with EU law and no jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. Enditem
The new government of Kosovo announced on June 6 that it is lifting all trade barriers imposed on Serbia in a bid to reopen EU-brokered talks on normalizing ties with Belgrade.

Trade sanctions have been in place in some form since November 2018, when then-Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj imposed them in retaliation for Serbia's "de-recognition" campaign against Kosovo.

Speaking at a press conference in Pristina, Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti stressed that the decision was temporary and could be reversed if Serbia refuses to end the campaign to reduce the number of countries that recognize Kosovo as a state.

"We expect Serbia to end the de-recognition campaign against Kosovo," he told a news conference, adding that Kosovo also expected its partners, the European Union and the United States, to put pressure on Belgrade.

Serbia has long said it would not negotiate with Kosovo, a breakaway province it still claims as its own, as long as the sanctions were in place.

The U.S. Embassy in Kosovo said it hoped the lifting of trade barriers would soon lead to renewed dialogue with Serbia.

"Full recognition is in the best interests of Kosovo and the region to secure stability and economic prosperity," it said.

Lawmakers in Kosovo on June 3 approved a new government led by Hoti by a razor-thin majority, ending months of political turmoil.

Hoti, a 44-year-old economics professor and former finance minister, secured 61 votes in the 120-seat parliament. A total of 24 lawmakers voted against, with one abstention.

With reporting by dpa
A police officer is under investigation over a sick post on Facebook which mocked the parents of Madeleine McCann.

The joke appeared on the Facebook page of PC Paula Manos, an officer for Avon and Somerset Police in Thornbury, Gloucestershire, near Bristol.

It read: 'I need a holiday so much I'd be willing to go away with the McCanns at this point.'

The officer's Professional Standards Department is now investigating the post.

PC Paula Manos, an officer for Avon and Somerset Police in Thornbury, Gloucestershire, near Bristol, is under investigation over a sick post on Facebook which mocked the parents of Madeleine McCann

The post read: 'I need a holiday so much I'd be willing to go away with the McCanns at this point'

According to The Mirror, the post appeared on March 23, the day the coronavirus lockdown was announced and Britons were ordered not to leave their homes except for essential reasons and for exercise.

Madeleine disappeared from her holiday apartment in Praia De Luz, Portugal, in 2007 after parents Kate and Gerry left her and her twin siblings sleeping while they had dinner with friends at a nearby restaurant.

Some users responded to the post with a laughing or shocked emoji, while others just 'liked' the post.

One of the PC Manos's friends replied: 'That would be a Renault Megane, yes?'.

The comment was in apparent reference to the Renault Scenic car Kate and Gerry McCann rented after their daughter disappeared.

Madeleine disappeared from her holiday apartment in Praia De Luz, Portugal, in 2007 after parents Kate and Gerry left her and her twin siblings sleeping while they had dinner with friends at a nearby restaurant

PC Manos then reportedly responded with a GIF of comedy character Mr Bean dropping a glass, as well as one of a cat with a shocked expression.

Speaking of the post, a source told The Mirror: 'It's not the sort of thing one would expect the police to be doing.

'I think that it is wrong and a bit disturbing.'

The source added: 'She worked at the police force in inner Bristol before she moved to Thornbury two or three years ago.

An Avon and Somerset Police spokesman said: 'We have a clear policy on what's expected of all our officers and staff in relation to responsible professional and personal use of social media.

The news of the post comes after German prosecutors announced a major breakthrough in the search for Madeleine, saying they are investigating 43-year-old paedophile Christian Brueckner (right)

'This policy is guided by the shared values which are expressed in the Code of Ethics and the standards which reflect public expectation on how those in policing should behave.

'Our Professional Standards Department have been made aware of the post and will be looking into them further.

'While we're not able to comment further at this stage, we would like to make clear that we do not condone in any way the sentiments expressed in the posts.'

The news of the post comes after German prosecutors announced a major breakthrough in the search for Madeleine, saying they are investigating 43-year-old paedophile Christian Brueckner.

He was living in Praia Da Luz at the time of Madeleine's disappearance.

He is currently serving time in prison in Germany for drugs offences and was previously convicted in Germany of sexually abusing two girls.

The sex offender also raped a 72-year-old American woman in Praia da Luz just 18 months before Madeleine disappeared.
Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law Friday a state House bill that removes Rockingham County from the list of counties required to perform motor-vehicle emissions inspections.

The Senate approved House Bill 85 by a 39-5 vote on May 21.

The bill was introduced in February 2019 and passed the chamber in March 2019. The bill resurfaced in the Senate on May 14.

The bill also removes Lee and Onslow counties from emissions inspections.

Because the original bill listed only Onslow, the House had to approve changes made to the bill by the Senate, which it did Wednesday.

There are now only 18 counties required to conduct the inspections, including Alamance, Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford and Randolph in the Triad and Northwest North Carolina.

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A convicted murderer who broke out of a prison in the central province of Quang Ngai for the second time on Wednesday may have left the Hai Van Pass that links the north-central province of Thua Thien-Hue with the central city of Da Nang, said an official on Saturday after forces had pulled an all-nighter searching the area for the man.

Trieu Quan Su, 29, who was found guilty of murder, robbery, desertion, and jailbreak, escaped from the T10 detention facility in Binh Son District, Quang Ngai Province at around 3:00 pm on Wednesday this week.

Colonel Tran Muu, deputy director of the Da Nang police department, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Saturday that the possibility of him having fled the Hai Van Pass has prompted his agency to withdraw part of police officers from the area.

However, local forces at the 5th Military Region of the Peoples Army of Vietnam are still patrolling the pass.

Colonel Tran Muu (in a white shirt), deputy director of the Da Nang police department, speaks to his colleagues who are trying to recapture escaped prisoner Trieu Quan Su on the Hai Van Pass in central Vietnam, June 5, 2020. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre

Being of ethnic descent and trained in the military means the escaped prisoner is good at traversing rough terrains such as forests, the official said.

Su was thought to have scaled a local mountain easily on his first night of escape, thanks to it being a brightly moonlit evening.

The municipal police department asked police officers in Lien Chieu District to set up checkpoints along roads on the Hai Van Pass.

Police and military forces in Da Nang, together with police dogs, were called in on Friday to hunt for the dangerous criminal on the pass.

Functional forces in Da Nang, Vietnam go up a mountain to search for Trieu Quan Su, who broke out of a detention facility in Quang Ngai Province on June 3, 2020. Photo: Doan Cuong / Tuoi Tre

On Thursday afternoon, traffic police officers in Da Nang grew suspicious about a male scooter driver who was on the way to the Hai Van Pass.

When they signaled him to pull over, the man sped up, prompting traffic cops to chase after him. He then left abandoned the vehicle and fled towards the mountain.

The man was later identified as Trieu Quan Su. His suspected whereabouts was over in a two-kilometer from the foot of the Hai Van Pass.

Colonel Tran Muu arrived at the scene on Friday afternoon.

The senior police official predicted the criminal would be more likely to search for food and drink, so he asked forces to keep an eye out on local farms and along streams.

The Da Nang police department teamed up with their colleagues in the neighboring province of Thu Thien  Hue and the regional military to block off places where the criminal may be in hiding.

A scooter is left behind at the foot of the Hai Van Pass in central Vietnam by a young man suspected to be Trieu Quan Su, who escaped from a detention facility in Quang Ngai Province for the second time on June 3, 2020, in a photo supplied by the police on June 4, 2020.

Asked whether Su could have jumped onto trains running on the Hai Van Pass to escape detection, Nguyen Thanh Khanh, director of Vietnam Railways branch in Hue, the capital city of Thua Thien  Hue Province, told Tuoi Tre that the average speed of trains traversing the hai Van Pass is around 30 kilometers per hour.

Khanh said there is very little likelihood of an ordinary individual capable of jumping onto running trains.

However, since the convict is a former commando and was in a tight corner, the director does not rule out the possibility.

It is possible that Su jumped on a train despite the danger, he said.

On-duty officers walk on a railway in search of Trieu Quan Su, who broke out of a detention facility in Quang Ngai Province on June 3, 2020. Photo: Doan Cuong / Tuoi Tre

Local train drivers and operators of railway stations have been notified of the escaped prisoner. In case of any unusual incident, they would report it right away to the police.

A source told Tuoi Tre that around 7:00 pm on Wednesday, a 36-year-old female staff who was on duty at a railway guard in Binh Son District of Quang Ngai Province was robbed of her mobile phone by a young man.

At around 11:00 pm on the same day, a local resident reported someone had stolen their motorbike. The two incidents may have been caused by the escaped prisoner.

First prison break

Su and another cellmate escaped from the T10 detention facility in Quang Ngai Province for the first time on November 8, 2015.

They were arrested in mid-December in the same year while hiding in the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi. A police officer was injured after being stabbed by Su while in pursuit.

Trieu Quan Su, who escaped from a detention facility in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam for the second time on June 3, 2020, is seen in this file photo supplied by the police.

As reported by Tuoi Tre, Su served as a soldier at the 5th Military Region based in the northern province of Thai Nguyen.

During his time in the army, the man stole multiple belongings from his fellows and sold them for personal gain.

Having been caught red-handed stealing nine cell phones on one occasion, Su deserted the military, but his family members successfully talked him into returning to his unit.

However, the man deserted his unit for four additional times.

On August 22, 2012, Su murdered the 49-year-old owner of a cafe in Long Bien District, Hanoi before stealing her jewelry, two mobile phones, and some cash.

He was captured three days later and convicted of murder, robbery, and desertion by a military court in March 2013.

On-duty officers who are looking for escaped prisoner Trieu Quan Su are seen having a rushed meal on the Hai Van Pass, June 5, 2020. Photo: Ngo Quang / Tuoi Tre

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Each year, teacher Beth Hansen plucks seventh graders from her classroom in Upper Freehold and shuttles them to the woods of Sussex County for three days.

Instead of sitting at desks with textbooks open, they learn how the pioneers lived, splitting wood for a stove and baking cornbread. Her Stone Bridge Middle School students collect and test water samples and strap on harnesses to tackle a tall rock wall.

But the beloved tradition may soon come to an end, as Montclair State University announced it will close the New Jersey School of Conservation on July 1 and return the property to the states Department of Environmental Protection. The department does not yet have a public plan for the 71-year-old school that spans 240 acres.

Across the board, I see my students be inspired and intrigued, curious and inquisitive over all sorts of things, said Hansen, noting the trip got canceled this year due to the coronavirus outbreak. They live on screens. Theyre raised with iPhones and computers. The idea of getting them out into the field, this is a very beautiful thing to see.

Hansens middle schoolers are just a few of the 5,000 students who descend on the school each year for hands-on courses in environmental science. They come from 15 of the states 21 counties, from Bordentown, Jersey City, Ho-Ho-Kus and more, to do field and lab work with environmental scientists. They canoe and hike, shoot arrows and work together in team-building exercises.

The coronavirus is largely to blame for the schools closure, as Montclair State said it cut the program and its 18 full-time employees in an effort to mend its bleeding budget following the outbreak.

In an era when both the science of conservation, and the education of future generations about conservation is critically important, it is a matter of genuine and considerable regret to the University that we can no longer maintain the School, Montclair State University President Susan Cole said in a statement last month.

As the state faces its own massive budget shortfall and seeks to cut programs, finding funding for the property and its research and education programs could fall to the bottom of its priority list. That comes as the governors office seeks to make climate change a center of its administration, with First Lady Tammy Murphy announcing Wednesday that the state Board of Education has adopted her initiative and will become the first to incorporate climate education across its K-12 curriculum standards.

The School of Conservation conducts research on endangered species and the effects of climate change on certain animals, associate director Randy Fitzgerald said. It costs around $2 million to operate annually, and makes about $600,000 from the educational programs, he added.

Without the school, some wonder if New Jersey could lose a new generation of conservationists and environmentalists, all while the threat of climate change looms.

But advocates have no intention of letting it close quietly.

The Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation have begun writing letters to the Department of Environmental Protection, said Kerry Kirk Pflugh, president of the organization and the daughter of one of the schools former directors. They remember a letter-writing campaign helped save the school in 1981, when it first transferred into Montclair States control.

They have reached out to state lawmakers, and even drafted a plan for managing the school to present to the department.

We feel that the School of Conservation, it cant and should not be closed, said Kirk Pflugh. It belongs to the citizens of New Jersey.

They havent had much luck so far.

Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the environmental protection department, did not answer questions about how the department plans to use the school, or whether summer camps would take place there this year (Gov. Phil Murphy has said camps can open with restrictions to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus).

NJDEP is aware of the recent decision to close the School of Conservation and looks forward to assisting Montclair in engaging partners across government, academia and external stakeholders in evaluating potential options for the facility, Hajna said in a statement.

The school, founded in 1949, focused first on preparing the states future science teachers. It later began bringing students to the grounds, but continues to hold professional development programs for educators.

In 1980, the state Legislature passed a resolution giving Montclair State the ability to operate it, saying the land will be used in perpetuity as a school for environmental field study. The school and state funded the program together for 30 years, then Montclair State became the sole source of funding in 2011, according to the university.

It really is a low budget item for the benefit, said Fitzgerald, the associate director. Weve serviced hundreds of thousands over the 70-plus years, and educated them about the importance of conserving natural resources. With the environment going down the tubes, its so important to have this kind of environment."

Its a magical place, Hansen said, one that she cant recreate in a classroom. That feeling comes not just from Stokes State Forest, but from the decades of expertise and passion the schools educators offer.

Even through all the budget cuts weve faced, our school has known that its been such an important piece of what kids get to experience, Hansen said. Its just such a huge loss."

Its such a beloved place, its called Tanya Sulikowski back three times in as many decades.

Sulikowski first came as a sixth-grade student in 1986.

I felt like I had been to the wilderness, she said. The School of Conservation is located in this part of New Jersey thats just so pristine. I had never been to a place like that before, and I felt like I was visiting another world.

Sulikowski grew up to become a science teacher, and brought students back as a student teacher. Then, in 2014, she completed her graduate degree thesis research at the school. In 2018, she took a job as one of the educators, and felt like she finally found the place she would finish her career after taking on various environmental science roles.

But now, she faces a layoff come July 1.

Sulikowski credits the school with inspiring her career. But she said the days in the wilderness shape more than just the kids who go on to become scientists. Its a chance for personal growth, and to learn more about their own communities by connecting with nature.

We see kids who have no idea what theyre getting themselves into, she said. Theyre terrified, and then they dont want to leave when its time to go home.

All of the current stress in our world, social justice is directly connected to environmental justice. Its so important for kids to understand what a clean and healthy world looks like.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Amanda Hoover may be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-05 23:27:22|Editor: huaxia

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Residents in Hong Kong sing the Chinese national anthem loud, to celebrate the passage of the National Anthem Bill.
Popcorn and Inspiration: Films that uplift the soul

Can a queen be a woman, too? Queen Elizabeth I endures this dilemma in the Warner Bros. 1939 costume drama The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex. This Technicolor movie brought 16th-century England to life with opulent costumes and lavish sets, earning five Academy Award nominations.

Our question, however, is whether movies made over 80 years ago entertain modern audiences. Through streaming services, home media, and Turner Classic Movies, classic films are now widely available. Most people need only see the right old movie to appreciate Hollywoods Golden Age. A good place to find your good-film fit is within a favorite genre. Fans of costume dramas should look no further than this tale of ambition and ill-fated love.

A Queen Must Do Her Duty

At 63, the aging Queen Elizabeth I (Bette Davis) has long been Englands sole ruler, but she deeply loves Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex (Errol Flynn). When he returns from military victory with public adoration, the queen tells adviser Sir Francis Bacon (Donald Crisp) that she must put royal duties above her feelings for Essex. Upon Essexs arrival in court, she denounces his profitless military victory, which burdened Englands overtaxed people. Offended when she promotes two comrades above him, he angrily leaves London.

While Essex is away, Elizabeth pines for him. She is tormented by their mutual pride, her age, and suspicion that he prefers the beautiful Lady Penelope (Olivia de Havilland). She can banish all mirrors from her sight but cannot forget their age discrepancy. She longs to bring Robert back without humbling herself. When she learns of her troops defeat in Ireland, she summons Essex for military advice.

The lovely Olivia de Havilland plays Lady Penelope, the rival for the Earl of Essexs affections. (Warner Bros.)

When Essex returns to London, Penelope seeks his affection, but he loves Elizabeth. As soon as Elizabeth and Robert are alone, they renew their romance, but their wooing is interspersed with as much fighting. Elizabeth persuades Essex to take a military post in London, safe from arrows as well as from malicious plotting by enemies at court who want them parted. However, Essex soon accepts those enemies challenge to attack Ireland. Before he leaves, they swear their love, Elizabeth giving him a ring which guarantees forgiveness.

The Facts and Fashion of History

Many characters in this film, including Queen Elizabeth I, Robert Devereux, and Sir Francis Bacon, are real historical figures. The story was based on Maxwell Andersons Broadway play Elizabeth the Queen, which included fictionalized romantic elements from the 1695 novel The Secret History of the Most Renowned Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex, by a Person of Quality. Robert Devereux was a favorite courtier of Queen Elizabeth, although there is no proof that they were lovers before his cruel execution for treason.

Queen Elizabeth I has been frequently depicted on stage and screen. Her long, powerful reign made her legendary, and her status as the Virgin Queen has piqued curiosity for generations. Although she never married, historians speculate whether some of her favorites, such as Robert Dudley, who was Essexs stepfather, were lovers. This films story focuses on the centuries-old legend about a ring of forgiveness and intercepted messages.

Although many events in this story are fictional, the lavish depiction of the Elizabethan court truly brings Shakespearean England to life. Historical architectural features like large fireplaces and opulent chairs, and authentic details like quills and swords, create an authentic setting in which Queen Elizabeth and her court come to life. The costumes feature period details, and many of the actors resemble the actual people they are playing.

Many thought Bette Davis, at 31, too young to play the queen. However, she physically transformed into the aging monarch by shaving her hairline two inches back to imply baldness under her red wigs and replacing her own eyebrows with tiny drawn-on ones. Her heavily powdered face replicated the ghostly makeup Elizabeth wore. She further conveyed age by walking stiffly and making her voice harsh. The heavy gowns were stifling under the hot lights, but this great actress wore them with the ease of Good Queen Bess herself.

Bette Davis, 31 years old at the time, changed her appearance for the role. (Warner Bros.)

Love and Animosity

This film was the second and last romantic pairing of Bette Davis and Errol Flynn. Surprisingly, Olivia de Havilland, Flynns famous screen sweetheart in seven movies, plays a supporting role in this film, while his love interest is Bette Davis. Although Miss Davis was only one year older than her co-star, her character is over 30 years older. Romances in which the woman is significantly older were rare in classic films, in which the men were usually older. However, this storys May-September romance is very endearing.

Few couples depicted in film have as tumultuous a relationship as Elizabeth and Essex. They love each other deeply, but each is headstrong and proud. The strength and stubbornness that each cherishes in the other causes frequent arguments about politics and foreign policies. They truly have a love-hate relationship, with fondness turning to loathing in a moment. This animosity was not difficult for the actors to achieve, since Bette Davis was disappointed at the casting of Errol Flynn as Essex instead of Laurence Olivier. Thus, their relationship was tense during filming.

Errol Flynn as Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex, a historical figure who is cast in a fictionalized romance. (Warner Bros.)

Although Roberts rebelliousness infuriates Elizabeth, she loves him because he alone treats her like a woman, not a queendefying her, fearlessly contradicting her, turning his back on her, and even playfully shoving her. Essex loves Queen Elizabeth for her strong character and determination, seeing past her age. They share a mutual love for England, but that national loyalty divides them, since they have different beliefs about political policies. Ultimately, the very things that unite them separate them, making this a compelling, moving, yet tragic love story.

Duty Before Desire

The moral of this story is that leaders must put duty before their personal desires. That duty is especially hard for royalty, who inherit rather than choose positions. Queen Elizabeth and Robert Devereux are parted forever for Englands sake. Essex knows that he would destroy Elizabeth by sharing her throne, since he would try to impose his own governmental ideas. Elizabeth knows that England needs her as its ruler, so she must forego her personal desire to marry Essex.

Can this film be enjoyed by modern viewers? Its historical setting was centuries old in 1939, so it doesnt contain cultural references that can date a film or that 21st-century audiences might not understand. The vibrant Technicolor footage is more familiar to modern viewers than the black-and-white cinematography of many vintage films. (Dont be confused by the original black-and-white trailer; the film itself is indeed thrillingly filmed in Technicolor.)

In addition, the film stars iconic performers like Bette Davis and Errol Flynn, whom many may recognize at least by name. Even if unfamiliar with them, anyone who enjoys dramatic acting will appreciate their dynamic performances in this movie.

Made 81 years ago, this film is just as entertaining and inspiring today as in 1939. The moving story of ill-fated romance between dynamic historical figures jumps out of history books into a dramatic, albeit fictionalized, story of love, ambition, and personal sacrifices that good rulers must make for their countries.

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

Director: Michael Curtiz

Starring: Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Donald Crisp, and Alan Hale

Rated: Not Rated

Running Time: 1 hour, 46 minutes

Released: Nov. 11, 1939 (USA)

Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Tiffany Brannan is an 18-year-old opera singer, Hollywood historian, travel writer, film blogger, vintage fashion expert, and ballet writer. In 2016, she and her sister founded the Pure Entertainment Preservation Society, an organization dedicated to reforming the arts by reinstating the Motion Picture Production Code.
Meghan Markle is suspected to have fled the United Kingdom bringing millions worth of jewels owned by the late Princess Diana of Wales.

The "National Enquirer" entitled the article, "Meghan Ran Off With $10M In Diana's Jewels!"

Boing Boing observed that in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, remarkable unemployment, protests all over the United States due to the death of a black man, there is a small chance of finding solace in supermarket magazines and that they are apparently grappling to find celebrity news.

The website depicted the British royal family as a soap opera cast enacting a remarkable tabloid script. Also, the proposal ring Prince Harry used reportedly consisted of Princess Diana's jewels, as reported by The Sun.

During their first public appearance upon their engagement declaration in a photo op outside Kensington Palace, the "Suits" actress beamingly showed off her glinting 3-stone ring.

Designed by Prince Harry himself, the stunning, yellow gold ring contained a central Botswana stone, where he and Markle spent a holiday, and 2 diamonds from Princess Diana's collection.

According to Daily Mail, back in 2018, eagle-eyed royal watchers detected a small element on Markle's outfit on the first official day of her royal tour -- her butterfly earrings.

In 1986, it was first donned by the late Princess Diana on her Canadian royal tour. It was denoted that Markle was paying a genuine commemoration of her mother-in-law.

In a dubious smear campaign against the Duchess of Sussex, the "National Enquirer" alleged that Markle sashayed with $10 million dollars worth of Princess Diana Spencer's jewelry. She reportedly refuses to return the jewels.

Also Read: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Quarrel Regularly? Neighbors Allegedly Forced to Call Cops Over Massive Fight

An anonymous "senior palace source" remarked that Prince William is angry at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for renouncing their membership as senior members of the royal family and hightailing it to Hollywood to be world-renowned superstars.

The tabloid's cover article proclaimed a "Bling Battle Royal," with the headline on the cover, "Meghan's $10m Feud Over Diana's Jewels!"

While the duke and duchess are loaded with considerable bills upon relocating to their new Los Angeles residence, the tabloid reported that Markle will probably sell the jewelry for quick cash and that she declined Prince William's demand to return their family legacy.

It was debunked that Princes William and Harry allocated their mother's jewelry years ago. Whatever Prince Harry possesses from Princess Diana's jewels, including her butterfly earrings, gold bracelets, and other trinkets that Markle has worn, he has the freedom to give them to his wife.

Prince William has also used the family jewels from his mother's personal collection.

The Duke of Cambridge in 2010 used her sapphire ring in her proposal to Kate Middleton.

Markle has also been seen donning Princess Diana's gold bracelet containing blue stones upon crossing the water to the Opera House.

In May 1986, the late Princess Diana appeared wearing the said jewels on a trip to Canada.

Related Article: Meghan Markle Believes Conspiracy Was Plotted Against Her to Ruin Her Reputation Before Megxit

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Rising tensions with China threaten the recovery of local tourism and education industries after the federal government accused Chinese authorities of falsely telling citizens Australia has seen a rise in racist attacks.

China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Saturday morning advised the public not to travel to Australia due to "an alarming increase" in racial discrimination and violence towards Chinese people in relation to the coronavirus pandemic that started in Wuhan.

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack encouraged international tourists to come and visit when the borders are re-opened, saying the Chinese government's warnings tourists may face racist attacks in Australia were based on "false information".

"There hasn't been a wave of outbreaks of violence against Chinese people. I don't know why this has been stated," he said. "All I can say is the statement is not true."
UPDATED MONDAY, JUNE 8

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with second-degree assault after allegedly assaulting another person near a protest on the evening of Saturday, May 30.

Portland police said video footage of the teen allegedly kicked someone in the head on Saturday night surfaced, but they identified and arrested him on Thursday afternoon. He has been lodged in the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Center. The victim had allegedly already been punched in the head by someone else and knocked to the ground.

The victim, who briefly lost consciousness at the scene, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. As of Friday morning, Portland police said they did not have an update on the victims condition.

On Monday, June 8, police said they had arrested another person in connection with the assault. An 18-year-old man, Emilio Antonio Deleon was arrested on Sunday, June 7 and charged with second-degree assault.

Police did not release any more information about the identity of the 14-year-old suspect, the victim, or whether either one was involved in the protests Saturday night.

More than 100 people have been arrested at protests since last Friday, and many have been accused of felony crimes. According to court documents and police statements, more than half of those arrested were accused of the misdemeanor charge of interfering with a police officer. Other common charges from the demonstration-related arrests are curfew violations, felony riot ands felony burglary. This is the first charge police have publicized so far that includes a charge or any type of violence against someone thats not a police officer.

Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR

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THE MDC-T leadership, under interim president Dr Thokozani Khupe, took possession of Harvest House in Harare on Thursday night, evicting MDC-Alliance which has been using the building.







Police were called in to stop MDC-A members and supporters from attempting to reoccupy the building or cause any damage. MDC-T says it is now carrying out an audit to expose any theft or abuse of party properties.





The expected takeover of Harvest House by Dr Khupes camp, which includes the party secretary-general Mr Douglas Mwonzora and national chairperson Mr Morgen Komichi, on Thursday night is yet another blow for MDC-A leader Mr Nelson Chamisa who was this week formally expelled from the MDC-T and forced to let MPs attend Parliament to avoid a revolt from legislators who were facing the axe from the reinstated opposition leader.





The MDC-A and MDC-T have been in a legal dispute for some time, starting with Dr Khupes objection before the 2018 election that Mr Chamisa had become the MDC-T leader and hence the leader of the MDC-Alliance, which grouped a number of opposition parties.





Since then, Mr Chamisa has argued that the MDC-A is a political party that has succeeded the parties that went into the alliance, while Dr Khupe has argued that the MDC-T still exists.





In March, the Supreme Court ruled that under MDC-T rules, Mr Chamisa took the party leadership illegally in 2018 and pronounced Dr Khupe as the interim president pending an extraordinary congress.







After taking control of the MDC-T, Dr Khupes camp went on to recall four MPs who won their seats on the MDC-A ticket, but who were originally nominated by the MDC-T.





The High Court at the end of last month found that the MDC-A was not a legal entity, instead being just an electoral pact by a group of political parties which retained their previous existence.





So with the legal position now clarified, the MDC-T flexed its muscle on Thursday night by taking over Harvest House.





MDC-T chairman Senator Komichi said yesterday: Yes, I can confirm that we have finally occupied our headquarters, Richard Morgan Tsvangirai House (Harvest House). We are currently carrying out an audit of party assets such as vehicles, furniture, books of accounts and party offices in all the provinces and appropriate action will be taken at the appropriate time. The legitimate leadership of the MDC party has finally occupied their head office, said Senator Komichi.





He said the occupation of Harvest House was a fulfilment of the Supreme Court ruling that stated that everything that was presided over by Mr Chamisa, since he illegally took over the reins of the party in 2018, was null and void.





He added that since Mr Chamisa had claimed to be the leader of the MDC Alliance he cannot lay claim to Harvest House whose ownership is enshrined in the partys constitution to be the MDC-T.





Amid threats of violence from loyalists of the MDC-A, who allegedly threatened to burn down Harvest House and also to physically deal with senior members of the MDC, Mr Komichi said they then engaged the police for their security and also to protect party properties.





Chamisa and his team mobilised hooligans to burn the building as a way of stopping us from occupying the party offices. They had mobilised people to make noise in town so we informed the police, said Mr Komichi.





Yesterday police foiled an attempt by MDC-A leaders to reoccupy Harvest House. Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of the MDC-A leaders for violating the national lockdown.





There was an influx of people in Harare central business district this afternoon (yesterday) in violation of Statutory Instruments related to Covid-19 with regards to health, security and safety of the public.





In the same vein, Tendai Biti, Vongai Tome, Gladys Hlatshwayo, Louis Chimhini, Lynette Karenyi Kore and Lovemore Chonoputsa who were part of a group who had illegally gathered in the Harare central business district, were arrested for violating Covid-19 lockdown regulations, said Assistant Commissioner Nyathi.





MDC-A secretary general Chalton Hwende confirmed yesterday that they had been removed from Harvest House.





Yes I can confirm that MDC-T led by Dr Khupe is now in charge of Richard Morgan Tsvangirai House but they were assisted by the police, he said.

Political analysts yesterday said the loss of Harvest House is another blow for Mr Chamisa who now finds himself with no control over a large block of MPs, those originally nominated by the MDC-T when the alliance was being formed, and also the MDC-T headquarters.







The laws that apply to the ordinary folk are the same laws which affect even political entities hence this paradigm shift by some within the opposition serves the nation well.





One would recall that the opposition together with the ruling party collectively appended signatures to the new law hence adherence to it as interpreted by the Judiciary serves to ensure that the rule of law is observed, said political analyst Mr Collin Mharadzano.





Another political analyst, Mr Obert Gutu, who is a former spokesperson of the MDC, said the takeover of Harvest House by Dr Khupe was a sign of worse things to come for Mr Chamisa.





That building symbolises the very DNA of the MDC and of course, taking over occupation of that iconic building sends out a huge political statement to all and sundry.





Grandstanding is not and has never been an effective political strategy. They can make all the noise that they want on social media but the cold, hard fact is that the train has already left the station.





It is what it is. If they dont want to comply with the Supreme Court judgment, then they will have no other option but to form a new political party with a new name and new symbols. Its only a matter of time before they are lawfully stopped from using the name MDC should they continue to defy the Supreme Court judgment. Time will tell.





It will take time for people to believe Chamisa. How can an advocate of law fail to read the line and comply with the Supreme Court judgment, said Mr Gutu.





Meanwhile, political analysts yesterday criticised the US Embassy in Harare for posting on Twitter a picture of police officers maintaining law and order around Harvest House in January this year, and claimed that security forces had been used in the takeover of the building by the Dr Khupe-led MDC-T.





Political analyst, Mr Takaedza Nyawanza said it was astonishing how the US continued to expose itself as handlers of the MDC-A.





What is Americas interest in Zimbabwe? During lockdown, people were dying all over the world but America never issued a statement. Right now, America is burning, protests are taking place in all the States and US troops are on the streets and Zimbabwe has never questioned or interfered in their internal affairs.





Whats so special about Zimbabwe? What is the motive of lying on Twitter using an old picture? Government issued lockdown rules and anyone found breaking those rules is supposed to be arrested despite his or her political affiliation, said Mr Nyawanza.




Thousands of people, standing shoulder to shoulder, screaming as loud as they can, is a scene that would have been unimaginable a few weeks ago during the height of the coronavirus outbreak in New York City. But now it's a reality, and there's nowhere Cordell Watts would rather be.

Watts was among a group of a few hundred that gathered in Washington Square Park earlier this week, a group that swelled as protesters marched through New York voicing their anger over the death of George Floyd under the knee of a police officer in Minneapolis. The protest was one of many in the city, and dozens going on across the U.S. and Canada this week.

"I feel like if I'm not here doing my part, I can't talk about liberation. I can't talk about Black Lives Matter if I'm not out here," Watts, an aspiring hip hop artist, said through a mask.

The majority of the crowd at the protest wore masks. They're still mandatory in New York state. New York City alone has had more than 202,000 coronavirus cases, almost 53,000 people were sent to the hospital and close to 22,000 people are confirmed or believed to have died because of the virus.

But the fact the city has yet to fully emerge from the pandemic's grip is secondary to the pursuit of justice for those in the streets.

"I feel like it is very telling that we're out here during a pandemic to fight for a change," Watts said.

Armed with masks

Eleana Sonera, who stood nearby, came to the march armed with a mask, hand sanitizer and gloves. The decision to potentially put herself in harm's way wasn't easy.

"For me personally, it's scary. I live with my grandmother and I'm sanitizing up to my elbows because I don't want her to be exposed to something that I might bring home," she said.

AFP via Getty Images

Sonera said the willingness of people to come out given the stark reality they've just lived through shows the protesters' determination to fight for police reform.

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"I do think it's showing just how fed up people are," she said. "People are willing to come out in the middle of a pandemic and risk their own life for the lives of the people around them."

Racism as a public health crisis

Public health officials fear the close proximity of protesters will lead to new clusters of cases across the country. The U.S. Surgeon General issued a warning about a potential spike in cases, while Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, suggested virtual protest is safest.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is among the public officials encouraging protesters to get tested for COVID-19. A number of jurisdictions from Seattle to Illinois are offering protesters free tests.

New York City has recommendations for protesting safely, such as wearing a face covering, sticking to small groups and making sure to physically distance from others.

The city's Health Department also suggests using signs and noisemakers instead of yelling, though that hasn't seemed to have had much uptake on the streets. Raucous chants of "I can't breathe" and "Black Lives Matter" echo through the city night after night.

But many health experts say many protesters shouldn't have to make a choice between voicing their concerns about policing and worrying about the coronavirus, when racial inequality in healthcare can be just as deadly.

"A person of African American descent in the U.S is more likely to die from the effects of structural racism than they are to die from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Mark Shrime, Director of the Center for Global Surgery Evaluations at Harvard Medical School.

Getty Images

Shrime said racism is itself a significant public health issue, a point echoed in statements supporting the protests from the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics

African Americans have a shorter life expectancy than others, and are also subject to gaps in health insurance coverage and uneven access to services.

"Both of these pandemics: the pandemic of coronavirus and the epidemic of structural racism in the U.S , both must be addressed and they both happen to be flaring up at the same time," Shrime said via video conference.

The pandemic's uneven impact

Those inequalities were exposed and deepened during the pandemic especially in New York City, where African Americans and Hispanics have accounted for a disproportionate number of cases and deaths from COVID-19.

Anger that poorer, minority communities  home to more low-wage essential workers who were unable to quarantine  were affected by the virus more than white, affluent neighbourhoods by the virus, added to the fuel to the fire of protests in New York City.

Getty Images

"I think the wrong response is to ignore one or the other," Shrime said. "The right response is to make sure both are paid attention to and to make sure both are paid attention to as safely as possible."

He hopes that he's wrong but he says it's almost inevitable that there will be a spike in cases in a few weeks, once symptoms start to show.

Some experts have also expressed concern that police officers aren't always wearing masks, often hold large numbers of arrested protesters in close proximity, and use tear gas as a deterrent  a bad questionable tactic in light of the fact COVID-19 is a respiratory illness.

An acceptable risk

For protesters on the streets, it's a risk they're willing to take. In some places, protest caravans of people protesting from their cars are being used to demonstrate and isolate at the same time.

But those types of protests though aren't practical in a city the size of New York, so Edith Chase, who had stayed inside because of the pandemic, eventually decided to take to the streets.

"You know what, if I wear my mask and I follow the rules, that's all I can do," she said.

While Chase is trying to maintain physical distancing as much as possible, she feels protesters understand that they're all in it together, fighting both the pandemic and the epidemic of inequality in policing.

"The goal is change, and I think you have to make a decision that you're not going to stop marching until you see change."

Eleana Sonera says she's seen the pandemic bring out the best in people.

"I do notice it's bringing people together a little more," she said. "You know how many times I've been offered hand sanitizer, extra masks, water, wipes for our hands? I think it's showing the determination that some of us have."
Mike Pence meets with black faith leaders, says church is the right place to address George Floyds death

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Vice President Mike Pence joined Bishop Harry Jackson for a listening session with community and faith leaders on Friday, where he said the church is the right place to address the nation's response to the death of George Floyd and the protests over racism that followed.

"I couldn't help but feel that as our nation reels from the tragic death of George Floyd, that a place to start a conversation is a place of worship," Pence said at the listening session held at Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland, where Jackson is a senior pastor.

"It's the wellspring of our nation's strength," Pence continued, speaking to a select group of black and minority leaders representing churches, businesses, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations. "It's been the wellspring of our national unity and our steady march toward a more perfect union."

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on May 25 while he was handcuffed and on the ground restrained by three officers in Minneapolis. A cellphone video taken at the scene showed former police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for several minutes as other officers held on to his back and feet. Floyd had refused to get into the squad car, "stiffened up, fell to the ground, and told the officers he was claustrophobic," according to details in a criminal complaint against Chauvin.

Officer Thomas Lane had asked Chauvin whether they should roll Floyd on his side after he said he was struggling to breathe. The final time Lane asked that question, concerned Floyd was experiencing "excited delirium" from intoxicants, Floyd was already unresponsive and had stopped moving.

Floyd, who had moved to Minnesota to start a new life following a felony conviction for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon in Texas, was arrested on Memorial Day for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill at Cup Foods convenience store to purchase cigarettes. The clerk had called 911 to report the crime and said Floyd was intoxicated.

Nationwide, people came together in agreement that officer Chauvin had used excessive force and that his actions led to Floyd's death.

"His death was almost prophetic and symbolic of a time and season that change had to come," Jackson said at the event with Pence. "Black and whites came together to address the civil rights movement, and we found momentum. I think we will similarly find momentum during this time."

Jackson added, "It's not just George Floyd's death alone. His death is representative of the nearly 400-year history of challenges we've had.  This administration didn't create this problem, but it has the opportunity to help us heal."

At the session, joined also by Executive Director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council Scott Turner, Pence said, "It will not be enough for us just to heal our economy. We have to heal that which divides by breaking down the barriers to opportunity for African Americans and any American that's been left behind, so I'm anxious to gain your insights."

Protests that erupted in Minneapolis and St. Paul two days after Floyd's death later spread to several other cities, including Memphis, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, New York City, and Washington, D.C., among many others. While some demonstrators remained peaceful, others resorted to violence, including looting businesses and burning cars and buildings.

"It's clear that those images shocked the conscience of a nation," Pence said. "We have no tolerance for violence against an individual in this country or tolerance for police brutality, and no tolerance for rioting in the streets or looting and destruction of property or the claiming the innocent lives, including the lives of law enforcement."

The vice president expressed support for the right to peacefully protest, and explained that forces were mobilized to make space for peaceful demonstrations. "My prayer is that we, as a nation, have ears to hear, to listen to one another and open hearts," he added.

Jackson said the United States is a diverse nation and every American needs to feel loved and accepted. He said it requires all three sectors of our country  government, business, and church  to unite together in doing so. "Minorities need to hear that they are valued and that the lives of people really matter," he said.

A select group also offered personal reflections of their own experiences as minority leaders, fathers, educators, business owners, and citizens as well as insight into a way forward, according to a statement by Hope Christian Church.

The recommendations that came out of the event included ensuring that black youth feel heard and acknowledged; leaders of faith use their platforms to address race; funding and resources for historically black colleges and universities to increase; tackling criminal justice reform; and providing more practical, hands-on training, evaluation, and accountability for police officers.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > India: release poet P Varavara Rao on medical grounds - Statement by PEN (...)

DOCUMENT

PEN International

1 June 2020

PEN International is deeply concerned for the welfare of Indian poet P. Varavara Rao who has been in detention since November 2018. Aged 81 and in poor health, a bail hearing for Rao is due 2 June 2020. Given his fragile state of health and questions surrounding the validity of the charges under which he is held, PEN is calling for him to be released on medical grounds.

A Marxist poet and activist, Rao is considered an important figure in Telugu literature, and has since the late 1960s published numerous poetry collections. He is a founder of the Virasam  the Revolutionary Writers Association. From 1966 to 1992 he ran Srujana (Creation), a monthly journal focusing on modern Telugu literature.

Rao served several stints in prison through the 1970s to the late 1980s for his writing and activism. His latest arrest took place in November 2018, and he has been detained ever since. Rao is accused of his purported connection with an alleged plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, commentators believe that he is being held for his views and that he is being penalized for his continued radical left activities and advocacy for the underprivileged communities in India, including indigenous tribal groups. Several appeals that he be freed on bail in the past year have been rejected.

For a country that claims to venerate its poets and writers, reveres its elders, and says it is compassionate towards those vulnerable to illness, Indias stubborn refusal to consider appeals of Varavara Rao, the 81-year-old poet currently in custody, is profoundly wrong. The way to address questions raised by writers who challenge the state is of dialogue and counter-arguments, not detention. Varavara Rao is not well and ailing; his family, his readers, and writers around the world are concerned about his health. We join the appeal for his release on medical grounds.

Salil Tripathi, Chair, PEN International Writers in Prison Committee

For more information, please contact Sara Whyatt, Asia Programme Coordinator, at PEN International, Koops Mill Mews, Unit A, 162-164 Abbey St, London, SE1 2AN, Tel.+ 44 (0) 20 7405 0338, email: sara.whyatt at pen-international.org
Data Reporting Assistant, Bangkok, Thailand

Organization: United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)

Country: Thailand

City: Bangkok, Thailand

Office: UNOPS APO Bangkok

Closing date: Wednesday, 1 July 2020

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

The UNOPS Bangkok Shared Service Centre (BSSC) is a Shared Services Centre (SSC) unit established for the purpose of providing internal, global, cost-effective transactional services which enhance the operational capacity of UNOPS and standardize systems and procedures. The BSSC, among other functions, carries out high-quality transactional services within the area of personnel contract administration and payroll.

For young professionals, a job within UNOPS BSSC offers the opportunity to enter the United Nations system via crucial back office service delivery in an engaging and development-focused work environment as part of a dynamic and effective UN entity. BSSC jobs offer a platform of learning and exposure to UNOPS operations and the greater UN system.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Data Reporting Specialist, who reports to the BSSC Payroll Manager, the Data Reporting Assistant will be required to support the BSSC users by providing them the data they requested. The incumbent is expected to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

The Data Reporting Assistant will work closely with the personnel contract administration, payroll, and finance and accounting colleagues in BSSC for business requirements, as well as ICT colleagues in UNOPS HQ for report development and deployment.

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Data Extraction and Reporting

2. User Support

3. Support to knowledge building and knowledge sharing

1. Data Extraction and Reporting

Support creation of simple queries to extract data according to business needs and on an ad-hoc basis.

Assist in the development of new reports in oneUNOPS ERP and Google BigQuery.

Assist in modifying existing reports in terms of corrections and/or to meet users expectations.

Provide report documentation and deployment details.

Supports supervisor in coordination with System Support, QA and ICT Reporting Team during the deployment process to assure quality of released reports.

2. User Support

Provide highly specialized support related to reporting to users.

Understand business needs and support users from an ICT perspective.

Assist in the identification causes of issues and find solutions to fix and/or enhance the reports.

Support coordination with System Support or related units to correct data, if necessary.

Assist in creation of tools to help users to reduce manual work, if possible.

3. Provides support to knowledge building and knowledge sharing, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Participation in the training events for data reporting and related subjects.

Tags computer science development projects financial management human resources information systems knowledge sharing payroll peacebuilding procurement security management young professionals

Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education: Completion of secondary school or equivalent required. A Bachelor Degree in computer science, software engineering, information systems, mathematics, statistics or related field may substitute for some of the required years of work experience.

Experience:

4 years of relevant human resources or payroll or finance and accounting experience is required with a high school degree.

Basic knowledge in SQL programming is required.

Proficiency in Google Sheet and/or Microsoft Excel is preferable.

Experience in UNIT4 Agresso ERP system is an asset.

Experience in Google Script would be an advantage.

Language Requirements: Full working knowledge of English is required. Knowledge of another official UNOPS language is an asset.

Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement

Contract level: LICA-4

Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:

https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time

Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.

Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.

Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types

For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post

The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.

Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.
Its been one week since astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley made history by successfully riding SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket up to the International Space Station. This calls for a celebration! And what orbital party would be complete without the most American of freeze-dried fare, astronaut ice cream? But while the cold and crunchy confection is most often associated with our most technologically advanced industry, the techniques development dates back to ancient times.

In his latest book, Ingredients: The Strange Chemistry of What We Put in Us, author and chemist George Zaidan breaks down the techniques and technologies we use to process the foods and products we put in and on ourselves and how, in turn, those things impact our health and well-being. In the ecerpt below, Zaidan explains how the Aymara people, an indigenous nation spread throughout Bolivia, Peru and Chile, pioneered the process of freeze drying foods for indefinite storage  as well as to leech out pesky poisons.

Cover

From INGREDIENTS by George Zaidan, published by Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright  2020 by George Zaidan

Eating clay (or other minerals) to detoxify potentially dangerous food is arguably the very first thing we did as a species that could be considered processing: we took something from nature andbefore eating or using itwe changed it in some way. At its heart, processing is simply changing nature to suit our needs. Now, if youre thinking, Eating clay with potatoes isnt processing potatoes; its just eating two things at the same time, I understand. Dipping potatoes into a clay slurry might fall just outside the broadest possible definition of processing; its basically like dipping fries in ketchup, if the fries were toxic and the ketchup was the antidote. So lets take another example, also involving the Aymara and poisonous potatoes.

As a kid, I would make annual summer pilgrimages to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The highlight of these trips was always buying space ice cream, a small rectangular lump of freeze-dried ice cream: regular old Earth ice cream that had been simultaneously frozen and dried, leaving the flavor and (most of) the texture, but removing all the water. Freeze-drying something is a pain in the ass. With modern technology, the process goes something like this:

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freeze drying

1. Get a strong vacuum pump, some alcohol and dry ice, and some leakproof piping and flasks. 2. Freeze the thing you want to freeze-dry, then put it in a flask. 3. Connect the flask to some pipe, then connect the other end to a second flask. 4. Dunk the second flask into an alcohol/dry-ice bath. 5. Connect the second flask to a vacuum pump. 6. Turn on the pump, and let run for at least twelve hours. 7. A few hours in, heat the flask gently with one of those red lightbulbs that keeps you warm after a shower. 8. Wait a few more hours, and finally . . . 9. Enjoy your NASA ice cream.

Heres how this works: the vacuum pump lowers the pressure to almost zero, which causes the frozen water in the ice cream to start to evaporatewithout melting. Heat from the light helps this process along. As the water vapor enters the second flask, it freezes. Eventually you end up with freezing cold, bone-dry food.

Essentially what youre doing is using low pressure, extreme cold, and gentle heat to remove solid water (ice) out of a frozen food without melting the food first. Freeze-drying food seems like a modern technology. But the Aymara figured out how to freeze-dry potatoes without pumps or pipes or a freezer. Heres how they do it:

1. Get some wild toxic potatoes. 2. Freeze the potatoes by leaving them outside overnight at high altitude. 3. Trample the frozen-solid potatoes like a French winemaker tramples grapes. 4. Put the trampled potatoes in a loose wicker basket, put the basket in a stream or creek, and leave for a few weeks. 5. Put the potatoes on your front doorstep and let them freeze overnight and dry out in the daytime, squeezing occasionally, then leave for another few weeks. 6. Y voila! Freeze-dried potatoes.

This method is astonishingly similar to modern-day techniques. Instead of a vacuum pump, the Aymara use their environment: at high altitudes, the pressure is low. Instead of warming lightbulbs, the Aymara use the sun. The Aymara method is even a bit more sophisticated than modern methods: trampling the potatoes and then leaving them in running water leaches out about 97 percent of the toxins in the wild potatoes.* And not only is the final product edible without gastrointestinal distress, its much more storable. Fresh potatoes might last for a year; leached and freeze-dried potatoes can last for twenty (some people say in-definitely). If you were a member of a society like the Aymara, having a ready supply of edible stored carbs that would last you through a two- or three-year famine might just be the key to your survival.

The historical record is not clear as to whether or not this is the worlds first processed food, but it is clear that this is processing: taking something from nature and changing it to suit our purposesin this case making it nontoxic.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Faith based services can begin to operate at 25% capacity and have been expedited to Phase 2 of the states reopening strategy, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday.

The decision to accelerate faith-based services is in part due to how well the states metrics have been, the governor said.

We leave it to our faith-based partners to come up with a smart strategy for social distancing, Cuomo said. You really cant do social distancing at 100% [capacity] so 25% needs to happen.

New York City can begin Phase 1 of the states reopening plan on Monday, June 8, with certain non-essential industries  like construction, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, limited retail service, manufacturing and wholesale trade -- to open under low-contact conditions.

Each business will have to adhere to physical distancing, protective equipment, hygiene and cleaning, communication and screening guidelines set by the state. Within each industry, social distancing of six feet must be enforced and face coverings must be provided at no-cost to employees.

Curbside pickup will be allowed and employees must wear a mask and gloves are preferred, Cuomo said. In-store pickup will be permitted where curbside is not practical, however, stores can only allow pre-arranged orders so there is now browsing.

For the construction and manufacturing industries, masks, to be provided by the employer, must be worn when within six feet of another worker and no congregating for meeting.

The MTA will also be restoring full service on Monday.

There were 35 statewide deaths in New York state due to the coronavirus, 26 in hospitals and nine in nursing homes.

When it gets down that low, it really is a question of what that hospital certifies as a cause of death, he said, adding that some people with underlying conditions who also have COVID-19 may be listed as a coronavirus death and not the other condition.

Cuomo also announced he will sign an executive order allowing commercial buildings to conduct temperature checks of anyone entering the building.

FOLLOW KRISTIN F. DALTON ON TWITTER.
Russia's Prosecutor-General's Office on June 5 ordered a review of all hazardous objects built on permafrost in response to a fuel tank leak that has created an ecological disaster in the Arctic linked to climate change.

President Vladimir Putin ordered a state of emergency earlier this week after a holding tank at a thermal power plant in the industrial city of Norilsk spilled at least 20,000 tons of diesel fuel into the soil, two rivers, and a downstream lake.

The power plant is owned by a subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel, the world's leading nickel and palladium producer, which said the leak on May 29 was caused when pillars supporting a storage tank sank due to the thawing of permafrost soil.

The Prosecutor-General's Office said its preliminary findings showed sagging ground helped trigger the disaster and ordered other structures built on permafrost to be examined.

"To prevent a similar situation on especially hazardous structures on territories prone to melting of permafrost," the prosecutor-general has "ordered a comprehensive review of such objects," it said.

Sixty-five percent of Russia is covered by permafrost. Norilsk, an isolated Arctic city of 180,000 people built around Norilsk Nickel, is constructed on permafrost and its infrastructure is threatened by climate change.

The ecological disaster comes as temperatures in Siberia were up to 10 degrees Celsius above average in May and were also higher than normal earlier in the year, the Copernicus Climate Change Service said on June 5.

The European Union's climate service said spring in Siberia was marked by highly anomalous temperatures, in particular over the lower reaches of the Ob and Yenisei rivers. The Yenisei river is located just west of Norilsk.

In an online meeting on June 5, Putin criticized Norilsk Nickel President Vladimir Potanin for not replacing the fuel tank earlier.

"If you had changed it on time, there would not have been this ecological damage and the company would not have had to foot these [cleanup] costs. Study this as closely as possible inside the company," Putin told Potanin during the televised meeting.

Potanin, who is Russia's richest man with a net worth of nearly $20 billion, according to Forbes, said Norilsk Nickel will pay for the costs of the cleanup, estimated at 10 billion rubles ($145 million).

Norilsk Nickel hushed up and downplayed the scale of the disaster for at least two days after the accident. The fuel seeped into the ground and then entered the Daldykan and Ambarnaya rivers, which feed into Lake Pyasino.

Russian authorities have arrested the head of one of the units of the thermal power plant for negligence and violating environmental regulations.

Greenpeace Russia has described the disaster as the "first accident of such a scale in the Arctic."

Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Ecology Yelena Panova has said it could take at least 10 years for the local environment to recover.

With reporting by AFP, Reuters, and RFE/RL's Russian Service
Every guru out there, including me, is telling entrepreneurs, marketers and small business owners that they need to pivot in the face of the COVID-19 economic tailspin. We are living in a world where up is down, families are sheltering in place, and restaurants, schools and parks remain empty while birthday parties and baby showers have become drive-bys.

How the heck is your business supposed to survive this?

Whether you are a solopreneur consultant or a large corporate brand, the same advice applies: Your company must pivot to survive and, more importantly, thrive.

Here are five ways you can pivot your business to thrive in uncertain times.

1. Adopt a growth mindset.

Now is a great time to create stronger connections with your customers and find opportunities to grow. Show up, stay positive and continue to think about growth. Perhaps now is the time to shore up your marketing plans, audit operations, update your website, streamline back-end processes or develop a new offering. You likely have a list of tasks that will improve your business but are at the bottom of your to-do list because they dont generate immediate revenue. What can you focus on and control to ensure that you are prepared and ready when activity picks back up?

Its OK to sell right now. Companies and people still have problems and need solutions. Dont let guilt dictate your choices as to how you show up for your customers. You have value to offer, so dont feel bad about offering it. Instead, shift your thinking and consider how what you offer can help others  you should always market and sell with this help first mentality. There is nothing wrong with keeping your business viable so you can continue to serve and help.

2. Show up.

Now is not the time to hide away until all this blows over. The brands that show up right now are winning and will come out on the other side stronger than ever, with better brand goodwill and customer loyalty. Brands that have been reaching out to customers and the community such as Zoom Communications, Nike and Salesforce are already experiencing this halo effect.

Reach out to all your clients and customers and make your availability known. Find out how they are doing. Ask what they need. Keep your brand top-of-mind, but demonstrate that you are there for your community.

Related: 4 Ideas for Actually Pivoting Your Business Right Now

Continue to blog and send emails, but pivot your content to address where your customers are right now, what they need and how you relate to it. This might involve revising scheduled content or creating content thats needed right now.

Recent research shows that younger buyers want to see brands helping their employees, customers and community. They are deciding against purchasing from companies they dont see making a difference.

Continue your outbound efforts with a measured tone  dont be tone-deaf. Acknowledge what is going on and offer soft support. Give your customers space to make decisions for themselves. No one feels in control right now, so offer options customers can act on in their own time.

Remind people how what you do adds value. Dont message to sow fear, uncertainty or doubt. Focus on social media posts, content marketing and emails to build stronger connections with your customers.

By staying connected, youll better understand whats going on and what your people need.

3. Meet your customers where they are.

Empathy is a powerful competitive advantage, especially in times like these. Strengthen your empathy muscle and adopt an empathetic mindset to see your customers in a different light. What is going on for them? How are they feeling? What could they use help with, and how can your offerings, skills and talents meet their needs?

Do this quick exercise: Write down 10-20 things your ideal customers or clients are thinking, feeling or needing right now. Consider context. See the world from their point of view. Now think about how you can address those needs, desires and emotional states with your content and offerings.

Related: 5 Steps to Help Your Business Emerge Stronger From the Health Crisis

As for active selling: Yes, you can still offer value. While now is not the time to be aggressive or pushy  if there ever is a time for that  people are still buying. Many people are using this time to reset and address aspects of their lives or businesses that theyve put off: home improvement projects, hobbies, CRM clean-up, content creation, self-care, reading, exercising and cooking. How can you speak to this prioritization right now?

Some enterprise B2B companies are adopting empathy to determine sales approaches to reach their customers. Upland Software, a SaaS work management company, determined its customers needed to proactively communicate with their employees and customers and quickly rolled out mobile solutions to help their customers stay connected. Software AG, a hybrid cloud software technology in the integration and IoT space, adapted its sales model to be more prescriptive, as many of its customers are asking channel partners for actionable advice.

Talk to your customers to understand whats going on for them right now and what they need.

4. Help your brand adapt  but dont change it.

Your brand is your essence. Its who you are, who you serve, what value you offer and your voice. Your brand should be clear and consistent. But you should still adapt your brands offerings, content and messaging for the current moment.

You will continue to stand for what you stand for and serve the customers you always have. So use your existing brand voice to communicate logistical information with care and concern. Reconnect to your purpose and let that guide your communication efforts.

Related: 3 Big Ways Companies Are Pivoting

If your brand voice is usually comforting and reassuring, keep it up  but also offer practical tips and tactics to help people right now. If your brand voice is usually dynamic and edgy, continue to parlay that into positivity and action but temper it with care, compassion and concern. Its OK to be vulnerable.

Your existing mission will guide your next steps in helping your customers and community. Zooms mission is to bring teams together. In fitting with their mission, theyve offered K-12 schools free accounts to facilitate online learning. Squeeze In, a family-owned chain of cafes with locations in Northern California and Nevada, rallied customers to sponsor meals donated to first responders and essential workers.

5. Spin up new offers.

Get creative and be agile. Now is not the time to jump through a million hoops or deal with internal red-tape bureaucracy. There may be long-term culture issues that needs to be addressed  just not today.

Time is of the essence. How can you parlay existing offerings into something new, if only for this time of crisis?

Related: 3 Ways to Sell Your Services Virtually Right Now With No Upfront Costs

Some companies shifted early on and are now reaping the rewards. Table Wine, a small wine shop in Pacifica, Calif., launched its ecommerce site and began offering free delivery for orders of six or more bottles of wine. Canlis, a fine-dining restaurant and Seattle institution, could have seen their business tank during the shut-down. Instead, they started offering family meals with free delivery, cocktail and wine kits and fun virtual activities such as bingo nights and live-streamed performances. They even offer curated boxes with ingredients from local farmers and regional agriculture purveyors. Max Traylor spun up a pay-what-you-can consultancy package for businesses seeking sales and marketing assistance.

Ask yourself: What assets are at your disposal to address one of the customer needs youve identified? Can you easily package a delivery option, workshop, digital product or membership group to address current customer needs? What can you deliver virtually? What offerings can you amp up promotion of right now?

Remember: Done is better than perfect.

Whatever you do, act.

Regardless of which course of action you take right now, its important to take it. Show up. Be visible. Reach out to your community. And genuinely offer value. Your customers and future customers are watching closely to see what you do next.

Related:

5 Ways Your Brand Can Pivot to Thrive in Uncertain Times

4 Businesses That Have Pulled Off Feel-Good Pivots on the Fly

The Work-From-Home Era Is the Perfect Time to Start Your Cloud-Computing Career



Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Paris, France (PANA) - The COVID-19 health crisis should be seen as a clarion call to fundamentally rethink our relationship with natural ecosystems and shrinking biodiversity, the UN cultural agency chief said on Friday, World Environment Day
Katie Price is reportedly in early talks to take part in Strictly Come Dancing after openly saying she'd love to take part.

Sources have claimed the reality star, 42, is in the 'early days' of discussing a stint on the show later this year, despite admitting she has 'two left feet.'

Katie has said she'd love to take to the Strictly dancefloor as far back as 2015, after her ex-husband Peter Andre competed on the show that same year.

Getting her sequins on? Katie Price is reportedly in early talks to take part in Strictly Come Dancing after openly saying she'd love to take part

A source told The Sun: 'It's really early days but she's in talks with bosses. She always jokes she's got two left feet but she would love to do it.'

Katie's representative also told the publication that the star is 'open to negotiation,' adding: 'Katie is absolutely open to Strictly talks, showing off her fancy footwork with a sassy Pricey Tango.'

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Katie Price and Strictly Come Dancing for comment.

Back in 2015 Katie said she'd be open to competing on Strictly Come Dancing, following her triumphant appearance on Celebrity Big Brother.

Dancer in the making? Sources have claimed the reality star is in the 'early days' of discussing a stint on the show (set pictured) later this year, despite admitting she has 'two left feet'

During an interview on This Morning, the former glamour model said: 'Do you know what? I'd love to do the show - but they've never asked! So I'll stir the pot up and say, 'If it's true, give us a call!''

Katie - who has previously appeared on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! - was first linked to Strictly in the weeks following her victorious stint on CBB

A source said at the time: 'Kate's back to her reality TV best so she is bound to capitalise on her newly-found form.'

Exciting: Back in 2015 Katie said she'd be open to competing on Strictly Come Dancing, following her triumphant appearance on Celebrity Big Brother

Former flame: Her ex-husband Peter Andre famously competing on the show in 2015 with pro Janette Manrara

Katie saw her odds slashed on being chosen for the ballroom dance show immediately after she left the reality show house.

The source added: 'She made a big deal of being herself in the CBB house and came across as a very normal mum. So I expect 'Strictly' will be a favourite, as it would allow her to continue in that vain.

It comes after Katie enjoyed a socially-distanced reunion with her terminally-ill mother Amy, who has idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, as they saw each other for the first time in ten weeks.

She brought her eldest child Harvey, 18, along while her beloved parent was joined by her husband Paul at their home.

Heartbreaking: IIt comes after Katie enjoyed a socially-distanced reunion with her terminally-ill mother Amy, who has idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (pictured in an earlier reunion)

Despite being separated by a fence, the group made the best of the 'bittersweet' meeting by engaging in a lively conversation after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson lightened the laws on the nation's coronavirus lockdown.

Amy, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2017, grinned from ear-to-ear as she relished in the rare company of her loved ones.

Of the reunion a source close to Katie told MailOnline: 'Being such a close knit family it has been odd not being able to be physically greet one another.

'Katie is as many others in their situation still very cautious - it is the new normal and how life is going to be for some time to come... Katie will be the first over to her mum's when cuddle gate is over!'
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 13:19:41|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia may lose about 3 billion U.S. dollars in tourism revenue in 2020 as foreign tourists to the kingdom dropped sharply due to the impact of the COVID-19, Tourism Minister Thong Khon told Xinhua on Saturday.

Tourism is one of the four sectors supporting Cambodia's economy as the Southeast Asian country attracted 6.6 million international tourists last year, earning a total revenue of 4.9 billion U.S. dollars.

But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the kingdom received only 1.16 million foreign visitors during the first four months of this year, down 52 percent over the same period last year, Khon said.

"For 2020, due to the COVID-19 crisis, the number of foreign tourists (to Cambodia) can drop by 70 percent and domestic tourists may fall by 50 percent, with the estimated loss of about 3 billion U.S. dollars in revenue," he said.

According to the minister, to date, some 2,956 tourism-related establishments such as hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, massage parlors, karaoke clubs, nightclubs and tour and travel companies had been either suspended or closed, directly affecting 45,405 workers.

At an event of tourism safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic which was held in Phnom Penh on Friday, a series of tourism safety measures for hotels and guesthouses, restaurants, tourist transportation companies, tourism resorts and tourism community were launched.

Under the measures, tourism-related businesses are advised to screen customers' body temperatures, to prepare alcohol or antibacterial gel for handwashing, to spray alcohol on the soles of customers' shoes, and to keep a distance from each other of at least 1.5 meters.

The measures also encouraged both tourism service providers and guests to wear face masks and costumers to use E-payment services for their transactions.

Cambodia has reported a total of 125 confirmed COVID-19 cases to date, mostly imported, and no death has been recorded, the Ministry of Health said.

Currently, only two out of all the patients in the country remain hospitalized. Enditem
AFP/Getty

Calls have grown in recent days for New York City officials to end a curfew amid protests against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, as reports show police arresting essential workers alongside demonstrators.

The 8pm curfew has caused confusion and further disruption in the city, despite Mayor Bill de Blasio designating on-demand food delivery workers essential  as some workers and industries have been labelled throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

In one incident captured on camera Thursday night, New York City police officers appeared to detain a food delivery worker shortly after 8pm.

The worker was filmed pleading with the cops as he was handcuffed near Central Park West and 109th Street, saying: Are you serious? Im working! Im working!

Several officers pulled the delivery man away as protestors shouted: Let him go!

A Facebook user by the name of Mo Gelber posted the footage online, noting how the mayor previously designated delivery workers essential and excluded from the curfew.

When another user commented on the post asking why he was not detained by the officers as well, Mr Gelber responded: I honestly never thought I would have to utter this phrase in my life. But I have white privilege.

NYPD officers arrest an essential workerhis Caviar bag is sitting by his bike, 27 min after curfew at 108 and Central Park West in Manhattan



city and state officials assured essential workers they are exempt



at least three white shirts (commanding officers) are present pic.twitter.com/92aI7UdODU  peter hess (@PeterNHess) June 5, 2020

DoorDash, the parent company for the food delivery app whose worker was seen being detained, said in a statement to The Verge it was alarmed by reports of the arrest and prepared to provide [the delivery worker] with our support.

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The mayor also tweeted about the arrest, writing: This is NOT acceptable and must stop.

He added: Same goes for journalists covering protests and out doing their jobs. They are essential workers, too. We WILL protect their rights. The public depends on the information they provide. Will get NYPD to fix this immediately.

Other reports have revealed officers arrested journalists covering the ten days of protests across the city, and even beat and kicked a hospital worker who was leaving his job in Brooklyn.

Rayne Valentine, 32, told the Daily Beast he had been working at Kings County Hospital Centre since March, when the medical facilities required additional workers to cope with flood of new Covid-19 patients.

After leaving work at about 11:45pm, Mr Valentine had his headphones on and was walking back to his residence when he noticed a swarm of officers sprinting after a kid in this yellow and black hoodie, he told the news outlet.

I stayed out of the way, Mr Valentine continued. I was up against one of the closed shops just recording. I didnt say anything to antagonize them. I was walking backwards as they shouted back up. And then this cop pushed me, and there were other cops hitting me on my legs and stuff too, but my head is the only thing that got seriously injured.

He added: I dont know if its because they noticed my hospital ID or if its because they saw the blood, but they stopped, threw my phone at me, and I walked back to the hospital  I was there for about seven hours after I got seven staples in my head and two CT scans.

Protests were meanwhile expected to continue through the weekend, as demonstrators held peaceful vigils and nightly marches honouring Mr Floyd, the 46-year-old unarmed black man who died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for over eight minutes, according to charging documents.

That officer has since been charged with second-degree murder, while three additional officers seen in now-viral cellphone footage of the killing were also charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
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Rs 6000 crore disbursed as govt`s credit score line scheme for MSMEs



Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rs 3 lakh crore revival support for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises or MSMEs through Guaranteed Emergency Credit Line (GECL) has gained quick traction among targeted beneficiaries. While the rules for the scheme were notified barely 10 days ago, sources say over 1.5 lakh have already availed of the facility. Asenior finance ministry official said that till Friday for 1.5 lakh successful MSMEs and businesses, the total loan sanctioned stands at approximately Rs 13,500 crore while over Rs 6000 crore has already been disbursed.



So enthused is the government by the response that there is an assessment that the majority of businesses including MSMEs interested in using the opportunity may avail the scheme by the end of June itself. The Guaranteed Emergency Credit Line (GECL) scheme aims to benefit 45 lakh MSMEs and businesses. The scheme is scheduled to stay in operation till October 31 or till an amount of Rs 3 lakh crore is sanctioned under the GECL, whichever is earlier.



The government had announced the scheme as part of the newly-coined slogan Atmanirbhar Bharat Yojna on February 29, 2020. It mandates banks to provide loans up to Rs 3 lakh crore to MSMEs and businesses with Rs 100 crore turnover and Rs 25 crore loan outstanding. The key element of the scheme is the government standing as a guarantor for the MSMEs and business borrowers.



Under the scheme, up to 20 per cent of outstanding is being provided as a new term loan. Compared to 14 per cent cap on interest by NBFCs, the rate has been capped at 9.25 per cent for banks and financial institutions. Public sector banks, on the other hand, have agreed to provide a loan at 7.5 per cent. Read More...


states most dependent federal government

Though it may not always be apparent to the average citizen, the federal government is responsible for many of the everyday conveniences that help the country operate. Even some state programs are ultimately paid for by federal government money through intergovernmental aid. SmartAsset wanted to see which states are ultimately most reliant on the federal government for their operations, so we crunched the numbers to find out.

To do this, we compared all 50 states across a number of metrics, including federal share of government revenue, ratio of federal funding to income taxes paid, percentage of workers employed by the federal government and ratio of median earnings for federal workers to median earnings for private workers. For details on our data sources and how we put all the information together to create our final rankings, check out the Data and Methodology section below.

Key Findings

Southern financial comfort. Seven of the top 10 states in our study are situated in the South: West Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Federal workers earn more. In every state, the median earnings for a federal worker are at least 1.25 times more than the median income for a private, for-profit worker.

1. New Mexico

New Mexico ranks as the state most dependent on the federal government. Money from the federal government makes up 42.74% of the states government revenue, and federal funding is 1.63 times the amount collected in income tax. Those figures rank fourth- and third-highest, respectively, in our study. New Mexico also places third for the ratio of median earnings for federal workers to median earnings for private, for-profit workers, at 2.09.

2. West Virginia

West Virginia finishes in the top 10 for three categories. It comes in fourth-highest for its ratio of federal funding to income taxes paid (1.50), eighth-highest for its percentage of workers employed by the federal government (3.69%) and sixth-highest for the ratio of median earnings for federal workers to median earnings for private, for-profit workers in the state (1.97).

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3. Alabama

Alabamas highest ranking is for the ratio of federal government workers earnings to private workers, where it comes in fourth with a ratio of 2.09. Alabama also places 10th-highest for its ratio of federal funding to income tax, at 0.88, and 11th-highest for its percentage of workers employed by the federal government, at 3.10%

4. Mississippi

Mississippi places third in the study for its high share of state government revenue made up of federal funds, at 43.22%. It also places second for the ratio of federal funding to income taxes paid, 1.86. Mississippi ranks 12th-highest for its percentage of workers employed by the federal government, at 3.02%.

5. Montana

Montana places second in the category measuring the percentage of government revenue made up of federal money, 44.50%. It also finishes in the top ten for two other metrics  ninth for ratio of federal government funding to income taxes paid (0.93) and seventh for the percentage of workers employed by the federal government, at 3.91%.

6. Louisiana

The Bayou State ranks first overall in terms of federal money as a percentage of government revenue, at 46.70%. Louisiana also comes in seventh for the ratio of federal funding to income taxes paid, at 1.15. It finishes within the top 20 for the earnings ratio metric, at 1.69, which compares median earnings for a federal government worker in the state to median earnings for a private, for-profit worker in the state.

7. Alaska

Alaska ranks in the top six for three categories: sixth for ratio of federal funding to income taxes paid (1.19), fifth for federal share of state government revenue (42.41%) and third for the percentage of workers employed by the federal government (7.06%). The state ranks low in the study, at 42nd, for the income ratio between federal and other workers (1.51).

8. Kentucky

Kentucky has the fifth-highest ratio of federal funding to income taxes paid on this list, at 1.20. The federal government makes up 40.86% of the states government revenue, which is the eighth-highest rate for this metric in the study.

9. South Carolina

South Carolina does not finish in the top 10 for any single metric, but it does rank in the top 20 for three: the 11th-highest ratio of earnings for federal workers to private workers, at 1.78; the 16th-highest ratio for federal funding to income taxes paid, at 0.71 and the 18th-highest rate for federal share of state government revenue, at 35.19%.

10. Tennessee

Tennessee, the final state in the top 10, places ninth for two metrics: the percentage of government revenue made up of federal funds (39.12%) and the median income ratio between federal workers and private workers (1.87). It also places in the top 25 for its percentage of workers employed by the federal government, at 2.28%.

Data and Methodology

To find the states that rely the most on the federal government, SmartAsset compared all 50 states across the following metrics:

Federal share of state government revenue. This is the percentage of the state governments revenue that comes from intergovernmental aid. Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureaus 2018 Annual Survey of State Government Finances.

Ratio of federal funding to income taxes paid. This is intergovernmental aid received by states divided by the net amount of income taxes paid by the state. Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureaus 2018 1-year American Community Survey and the IRS. Tax data is for 2017.

Percentage of workers employed by the federal government. This is the percentage of the states overall workforce that is employed by the federal government. Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureaus 2018 1-year American Community Survey.

Ratio of federal wage to private sector wage. This is median earnings for a federal government worker in each state divided by median earnings for a private, for-profit worker in each state. Data comes from the U.S. Bureaus 2018 1-year American Community Survey.

First, we ranked each state in each metric. Then we found each states average ranking, assigning each metric a full weight. We used this average ranking to create our final score. The state with the highest average ranking received a score of 100. The state with the lowest average ranking received a score of 0.

Tips for Managing Your Money

Consider expert advice. No matter where you live, a financial advisor might be a good idea. Finding the right financial advisor who fits your needs doesnt have to be hard. SmartAssets free tool matches you with financial advisors in your area in five minutes. If youre ready to be matched with local advisors that will help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Wondering how much you pay in income taxes? Consider using SmartAssets free tool.

Reassess your budget if possible. A budget can help make sure you have all the money you need for whatever comes your way. Use our comprehensive budget calculator to review and revise yours as needed.

Questions about our study? Contact press@smartasset.com

Photo credit: iStock.com/MarianVejcik

The post States Most Dependent on the Federal Government  2020 Edition appeared first on SmartAsset Blog.
Boris Johnson is being urged to reopen playgrounds or risk a catastrophic impact on childrens health.

Campaigners have written an open letter to the Prime Minister asking him to set out when public play areas will be reopened.

Beaches and parks are now open to the public, but playgrounds have been closed since the lockdown began, with anyone caught using them risking a fine.

The pressure comes as children begin mixing again in schools.

Campaigners have written an open letter to the Prime Minister asking him to set out when public play areas will be reopened. Pictured: Grass and weeds beginning to grow in the sand in a closed playground in Manchester

Mark Hardy, chairman of the Association of Play Industries, said: Childrens outdoor play is essential for their normal development.

Children have been in lockdown for months, many with limited or no outside space. It is astonishing that the Government has made no mention of reopening public playgrounds.

Other European nations have reopened playgrounds in recent weeks and the Republic of Ireland will do so tomorrow.

Mr Hardy said: Mr Johnson has declared a much more interventionist approach to obesity in the fight against coronavirus, and yet they have remained silent on playgrounds, which have an essential role in tackling the obesity crisis.

Campaigners say play areas have suffered years of chronic under-funding.

The Mail on Sundays Save Our Parks campaign revealed that one playground a week has closed since 2014 and local authorities plan to cut 25 million from playground budgets next year.

Mr Hardy called on the Government to invest 100 million in the nations play areas to offset years of underfunding.

The pressure comes as children begin mixing again in schools. Pictured: Playground equipment taped off at Brambles Primary Academy in Huddersfield

He said: We are giving the Government notice now of the catastrophic impact on childrens health unless there is targeted support for our small but vital industry.

The lockdown has created a renewed appreciation of shared public spaces and their role in public health. With evidence that obesity exacerbates Covid-19 symptoms, the need to address the already burgeoning inactivity epidemic becomes even more urgent.

Downing Street said: There is an increased risk of transmission of the virus in outdoor swimming pools, gyms and playgrounds, so they remain closed for now. We know how important play is and we keep all measures under regular review.
UP assembly polls will be about '80 per cent vs 20 per cent'; BJP will win: Yogi Adityanath

UP: Elections not won on exit polls basis, results will be surprising: Kamal Nath

Cop crushes vegetables with jeep in UP market; Suspended

India

oi-Briti Roy Barman

Lucknow, June 06: A Police Sub Inspector (SI), Sumit Anand has been on Thursday suspended and departmental action has been initiated against him after he crushed vegetables of sellers with his jeep at a bi-weekly market in Ghoorpur area of Prayagraj.

Anand has been suspended after a video showing a police jeep crushing vegetables laid on the ground in a rural market went viral on social media.

The SI was transferred out of the Prayagraj district and departmental action has also been initiated against him, according to the report.

Kejriwal warns hospitals for turning away patients, 'won't tolerate' this | Oneindia News

COVID-19: Delhi govt sets up panel to strengthen overall preparedness of hospitals

The incident took place in Ghoorpur area at a bi-weekly market after the vegetable sellers reportedly did not leave the spot despite being directed by the police to do so.

Prayagraj SSP Satyarth Anirudh Pankaj on Friday said that police officers have assessed the loss and the sellers are reimbursed.

Pankaj said, "The market was scheduled to be held on Wednesdays and Fridays. When it was held on Thursday, he asked sellers to leave. But when he felt they aren't listening and hooting instead, he did this. Our officer assessed the loss of the sellers, they are being reimbursed."

According to reports, the orders of suspension of the SI and make him compensate for the losses came from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself.

Uttar Pradesh Government has allowed weekly markets in rural areas and bans it in urban areas in its latest coronavirus lockdown guidelines.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 6, 2020, 11:16 [IST]
Egypts president on Saturday announced an initiative to end the civil war in neighboring Libya, a move accepted by the commander of the eastern Libyan forces that had suffered heavy defeats in recent weeks. President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi declared the initiative at a ceremony in Cairo attended by military commander Khalifa Hifter and Aguila Saleh, speaker of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives.

El-Sissi said the initiative, which included a cease-fire starting Monday, was meant to pave the way for elections in oil-rich Libya. He called for the withdrawal of all foreign fighters in Libya.

There was no immediate comment from the U.N.-supported government in the capital, Tripoli.

Hifters east-based Libyan Arab Armed Forces had launched an offensive last year to capture Tripoli. But he recently lost several strategic spots in western Libya after Turkey increased its support to an array of militias loosely allied with the Tripoli-based government.

Hifters forces are supported by France, Russia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and other key Arab countries. Along with Turkey, the government in Tripoli is backed by Italy and Qatar.

Libya has been in turmoil since 2011 when a civil war toppled long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed. The country has split between rival administrations in the east and the west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments.

(Image credit: AP)
A carjacking suspect from Vermont who was shot by a Massachusetts State Police trooper Friday morning has been released from the hospital and will be held pending arraignment.

The man, identified as Daniel Williams, 33, of South Burlington, Vermont, was taken by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. State police spokesman David Procopio said Williams was undergoing emergency treatment Friday afternoon.

Williams was transported to State Police-Shelburne Falls for booking, Procopio said.

He will then be transferred to the county jail to be held pending arraignment, he said.

The encounter took place on Route 2, when Williams allegedly steered his truck at the trooper with the intention of hitting him, state police said.

A short time before the shooting, Vermont State Police notified Massachusetts that a Ford F-150 truck was involved in a reported carjacking in that state. The truck had eluded Vermont police and headed across the state line into Massachusetts.

According to Procopio, the truck matching that description was spotted heading east on Route 2 heading east toward Shelburne. A trooper in the area of the Shelburne-Buckland town line began placing spiked tire deflation devices in the road to disable the truck, Procopio said.

As the trooper was doing this, he spotted the truck approaching, and saw it steer toward him, Procopio said. The trooper drew his weapon and fired, hitting the driver.

Williams was able to drive from the scene, but the tires on the truck were damaged. It eventually became disabled on Route 2 in Greenfield, and Williams was taken into custody.
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The Portuguese coastal town where Madeleine McCann vanished has once again been forced to relive the shuddering events which scarred the community 13 years ago.

Praia da Luz has been tossed into a fresh media frenzy following the naming of German paedophile Christian Brueckner as the key suspect in the 2007 disappearance of the British three-year-old.

The developments have dredged up painful emotions for residents, who are hoping the police investigation is conclusive and allows them to 'move on'.

But after a decade of new leads and false hope, which has frequently pinned the holiday hotspot under the spotlight, locals say memories of the fateful night and frantic search will never fade.

'Everyone hopes this is the end, that they got the right guy and we can get closure,' one resident told the Guardian.

Mayor Hugo Pereira acknowledged the region has never shaken off association with the events of May 3, 2007, when Madeleine disappeared from the ground floor Ocean Club hotel room while her parents Kate and Gerry were a dinner.

The Portuguese coastal town where Madeleine McCann vanished has once again been forced to relive the shuddering events which scarred the community 13 years ago (a man walks next to the apartment where three-year-old Madeleine McCann disappeared in 2007 yesterday)

Praia da Luz has been tossed into a fresh media frenzy following the naming of German paedophile Christian Brueckner (left) as the key suspect in the 2007 disappearance of the British three-year-old (right)

After a decade of new leads and false hope, which has frequently pinned the holiday hotspot under the spotlight, locals say memories of the fateful night and frantic search will never fade (apartment pictured five days after the disappearance)

He said the subsequent hunt for Madeleine throughout the night and over the following days and weeks has forever remained etched in his brain.

The community leader said: 'I remember the first news and the beginning of the searches and efforts to try to find Maddie. That stays with you.'

Pereira swatted away suggestions made in a 2018 Netflix documentary that Praia da Luz was a prowling ground for a child trafficking ring and insisted Madeleine's disappearance was isolated.

Brueckner, 43, moved from Germany to Praia da Luz in 1995 after serving part of a two-year sentence for molesting a six-year-old girl in Wurzburg.

He is now the lead suspect in Madeleine's case and has further been linked to the disappearances of six-year-old boy Rene Hasse in the Algarve, 1996, and five-year-old girl Igna Gehnricke in Germany, 2015.

Now languishing in a German prison in Kiel, at the time of Madeleine's vanishing he was living in the area about a 10-minute drive away.

The current owner of the house, who has revealed they bought the property in 2011 and nobody had lived there for two years.

A man walks with a pig at the Praia da Luz beach, Portugal, June 5, 2020. The developments have dredged up painful emotions for residents, who are hoping the police investigation is conclusive and allows them to 'move on'

A view of the block of apartments from where British girl Madeleine McCann disappeared in 2007, in Praia da Luz

While old emotional wounds are being uncovered for residents, British forensic teams may even be sent to Portugal to comb for evidence.

Fresh searches will focus on the site of a hillside property overlooking Praia da Luz where Brueckner lived with his German girlfriend, according to sources.

'Special teams of cadaver dogs trained to locate bodies were brought in from the UK and may well be drafted in again,' a source told the Sun.

Locals' hopes the investigation will draw a line under the 13-year saga has been echoed by Kate and Gerry McCanns Portguese lawyer.

Rogerio Alves, who has traditionally assisted the McCanns as their criminal lawyer, said this week's revelation police have a new suspect means the 13-year-old mystery could be closer to being solved.

Mr Alves told respected Portuguese daily Jornal de Noticias: 'A new lead publicised by the police, which is therefore not an anonymous lead or a frivolous one, is obviously going to give the family hope.

'The family want this investigation to continue because the case is still active and hasn't been resolved. Madeleine's parents want to know the truth.

'They hope this lead can lead to the discovery of the truth, so we will be able to know what happened, what crime was committed and who committed it and what happened to Madeleine and whether's she alive.'

Gerry and Kate McCann said in a statement released after police revealed they had a new suspect, identified as German sex offender Christian Breuckner, that they will never give up hope of finding their daughter alive.

In a statement accompanying the revelation that a suspect had been identified in her disappearance, the McCanns said: 'All we have ever wanted is to find her, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice.

'We will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive, but whatever the outcome may be, we need to know as we need to find peace.'

Madeleine McCann prime suspect's parents revealed: Christian Brueckner's adoptive mother and father who sent him to a home for delinquent teenagers when they could no longer cope with his criminal behaviour

By Nick Fagge in Wuerzburg, Germany, for MailOnline

Brigitte and Fritz Brueckner, Madeleine McCann murder suspect Christian Brueckner's parents

Madeleine McCann murder suspect Christian Brueckner was thrown out of his adopted home because of his disruptive and criminal behaviour, MailOnline can reveal as his parents are exclusively pictured for the first time.

Brigitte and Fritz Brueckner had taken baby Christian into their family as an act of charity for the tiny foundling who had been given up by his mother.

But the kind-hearted parents sent him to live in a reform home for delinquent teenagers after Herr Brueckner was seriously injured in a car crash and could no longer discipline the boy.

Widowed Frau Brueckner today told MailOnline she knew nothing about her estranged son's alleged crimes.

Standing inside the doorway of her modest home in Bergtheim, near Wuerzburg, she told MailOnline: 'I don't know anything about it. I don't want to know anything about it.'

She distanced herself from the 43-year-old prisoner as neighbours revealed the family's difficulty in controlling Christian.

They told of how Frau Brueckner could not cope with Christian's disruptive and increasingly criminal behaviour and simultaneously look after her disabled husband who suffered brain damage and was confined to a wheel chair following the smash in 1992.

Today neighbours of the couple in the village of Bergthei, where he grew up also told of their shock that Brueckner has been linked to the murder of four-year-old Madeleine in 2007.

One neighbour told MailOnline: 'The Brueckners were a lovely couple, very kind. But what happened with their boy Christian is a catastrophe.

'They took him in as a baby and brought him up as their own. He was often in trouble and he got worse and worse as he grew into a teenager. Christian must have been 13 or 14 when Herr Bruecker, Fritz, had the car accident.

'As the man of the house it was Fritz who disciplined the boy. Christian needed a firm hand. But after the accident he could not do that any more.

'Brigitte, the mother did her best, but she could not cope with the boy and look after her husband. Christian had been in trouble and that is when he was sent to a reform school for delinquent teenagers in Wuerzburg.'

She added: 'Sadly Fritz, the husband is dead now. But his wife Brigitte did everything she could for him. She was awarded a medal.'

The former home of Christian Brueckner: Today neighbours of the couple in the village of Bergthei, where he grew up told of their shock that Brueckner has been linked to the murder of four-year-old Madeleine in 2007

Another neighbour added: 'Brigitte is a lovely woman. I knew Christian but I have not seen him for years.

'If what I read is true it will destroy his mother. Brigitte and Fritz did everything they could for him when he was a boy.'

Brueckner, now 43, is the key suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine from Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007.

He moved from Germany to the Portuguese coastal town in 1995 after serving part of a two-year sentence for molesting a six-year-old girl in Wurzburg.

Following his naming by German police, he has further been linked to the disappearances of six-year-old boy Rene Hasse in the Algarve, 1996, and five-year-old girl Igna Gehnricke in Germany, 2015.

Now languishing in a German prison in Kiel, at the time of Madeleine's vanishing he was living in the area about a 10-minute drive away.

In 2005, two years prior to the infant's disappearance, he raped a 72-year-old American woman on a waterfront villa less than a mile from the Ocean Club hotel where Madeleine went missing.

Prosecutors in Germany are now desperately trying to build a case against Brueckner, who is eligible for parole this weekend.
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Linkedin (Reuters) Los Angeles, United States  Sat, June 6, 2020 20:09 594 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdc9bb61 2 Entertainment Selma,Academy-awards,Oscars,protest,police-brutality,united-states,film,David-Oyelowo Free

The civil rights movie Selma was made free for rental on Friday, a day after actor David Oyelowo said Oscar voters had deliberately snubbed the film in 2015.

Oyelowo, who played Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the movie, said members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences objected when Selma cast members protested the death of a black American.

I remember at the premiere of Selma us wearing I Cant Breathe T-shirts in protest," said Oyelowo, referring to the death in New York of Eric Garner after being held in a police chokehold. Garner died in July 2014; Selma premiered in December 2014.

"Members of the Academy called in to the studio and our producers saying, How dare they do that? Why are they stirring S-H-*-T? and We are not going to vote for that film because we do not think it is their place to be doing that,'" he added.

Oyelowo and director Ava DuVernay were overlooked in Oscar nominations in 2015, helping to spur the #OscarsSoWhite campaign demanding greater diversity in Hollywood. Selma got just two nods and a win for best original song.

The actor, who is British, was speaking in a virtual round table hosted by Screen Daily on Thursday about racism in the United States that was prompted by the death in May of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, while pinned by a white police officer in Minneapolis.

Read also: 'It's all about love': Oakland artists pay tribute to George Floyd with murals

"Its part of why that film didnt get everything that people think it shouldve got and it birthed #OscarsSoWhite, added Oyelowo. They used their privilege to deny a film on the basis of what they valued in the world.

DuVernay re-tweeted the Screen Daily account, adding the comment "True story."

The Academy replied on Twitter, "Ava & David, we hear you. Unacceptable. Were committed to progress."

Movie studio Paramount Pictures declined to comment on Oyelowo's remarks. On Friday it announced that Selma would be free for rental for the remainder of June, saying that had been planned earlier this week.

"We hope this small gesture will encourage people throughout the country to examine our nation's history and reflect on the ways that racial injustice has infected our society," Paramount said in a statement.
Chinese people genuinely hope that the U.S. can contain the raging COVID-19 outbreak as early as possible, and at the same time solemnly warn certain U.S. politicians that shifting the blame onto China, stirring up trouble for and confronting China will never change the facts, but will expose their own despicable motives instead.

On a dark, windy night, a gang of vicious terrorists launched a sudden assault on a village. The household that was attacked first was quickly filled with gunfire and became engulfed in flames.

As the family fought for their lives, another family in the village not only stood by and let the situation get worse, but made sarcastic remarks about their misfortune, saying that this family must have irritated the terrorists, and are now incurring their revenge.

To their surprise, the family that was brutally assaulted fought back desperately against their attackers and did not flinch in the face of life-threatening danger.

After battling with the family for a long time, the terrorists became frustrated and realized that they had unwisely started a war by attacking a tough family that wouldnt yield. The mob then decided to shift its focus elsewhere.

To their surprise, the family that had mocked the victims became the new target of the terrorist attack and were caught unprepared.

A complete lack of precautions or prompt response to the attack left the second family completely overwhelmed as the attackers drove straight into their house, wantonly slaughtering its family members and causing massive casualties and tremendous damage to their home.

As shocking as it sounds, at the critical moment when the terrorists were still killing more of its family members, the second family didnt reflect on its own failure in anticipating the situation and coping with the catastrophe, but started to complain that the first family hadnt captured and killed the terrorists, and even demanded that the first family compensate it for its losses

Does this story sound just like what happened after the COVID-19 outbreak?

Today, the U.S. is still facing a severe epidemic situation. Both its number of confirmed cases and death toll from the disease are the highest in the world. No matter what the politicians say, facts are facts.

In an effort to shift the blame onto China to take the attention of the U.S. people away from their own incompetence, certain U.S. politicians first falsely accused China of covering up information about the outbreak, and then cooked up the rumor that the novel coronavirus was leaked from a Chinese lab.

These groundless allegations against China have all been disproven time and again and repeatedly refuted by scientists and medical experts from various countries.

Recently, U.S. politicians have adopted new wording to scapegoat China for the spread of the COVID-19 around the globe, saying, The world is now suffering as a result of the malfeasance of the Chinese government.

What kind of logic is that? Just like in the story above, the ridiculous attempt from certain U.S. politicians to pass the buck onto China for its own faults is unreasonable and highly illogical.

Every country wants to wipe out a major infectious disease as soon as it emerges, but no country can guarantee the result, let alone a new, unknown virus like the novel coronavirus. This is only normal and logical.

Mankind knew nothing about key aspects of the virus, such as its transmission and pathogenic mechanisms, when it first broke out, which made it extremely difficult to prevent and control.

China was the first to report the disease, but there has been no final conclusion on when and where the human-to-human transmission of the virus started.

Confronted with an infectious disease that spread the fastest, caused the greatest number of infections and became the hardest to contain since the founding of the Peoples Republic of China, China made containment of the epidemic its top priority.

Chinese President Xi Jinping personally took charge and planned the response to the outbreak, and the country made nationwide efforts to stop the virus from spreading to other parts of the world.

Putting peoples health and safety above all else while making the worst-hit Hubei province and its capital Wuhan the countrys main battlefield against the epidemic, China put in place clear measures to prevent the coronavirus from spreading within the region or beyond.

The country has taken a series of decisive measures to prevent and control the spread of the disease and treat patients, initially curbed the rapid spread of the disease in just over one month, brought its daily number of new confirmed cases to under ten in about two months, and made significant achievements in the fight against the virus in Hubei province and its capital Wuhan while bringing the epidemic under control across the country in around three months.

For a country with 1.4 billion people, bringing the outbreak under control in such a short time was no easy feat.

Just like many foreign media and international figures commented, China has made unquestionable achievements in fighting COVID-19.

Chinas efforts to fight the epidemic helped stem the further spread of the disease and effectively cut off the virus transmission chain, contributing significantly to the global fight against the epidemic.

In fact, since the outbreak began, U.S. politicians have praised China for its epidemic prevention and control measures on many occasions, with comments such as: I think China is very, you know, professionally run in the sense that they have everything under control, China has been working very hard to contain the coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency, and Great discipline is taking place in China, as President Xi strongly leads what will be a very successful operation.

On Jan. 23, China closed all outbound channels at airports and railway stations in Wuhan. Until April 8, no commercial flights departed or arrived, and no trains left the city.

On Jan. 31, the U.S. government was the first among all foreign countries to announce the suspension of direct flights between China and the U.S. operated by three major U.S. airlines. On Feb. 2, the country closed its borders to all Chinese citizens and foreigners who had been to China in the last 14 days.

It appears that the U.S. believes it could rest easy as long as China was there to prevent and control the spread of the virus and it cut air links with China. This has proven to be wishful thinking.

As facts have shown, the U.S. squandered the nearly two-month time window won by China.

The U.S. delay in implementing social distancing measures caused tens of thousands of people to lose their lives to the epidemic, according to a research team from Columbia University.

Had the U.S. begun imposing such measures one week earlier in March, 36,000 fewer people would have died in the pandemic, and about 83 percent of the countrys deaths would have been avoided, the research team estimated.

Some Americans dont understand why the disease first broke out in China but then spread all over the world rather than various parts of China.

Its actually quite easy to explain the reasons to those who dont understand, as the whole thing is not that complicated. Unfortunately, some people already know the answer and just ask this question to mislead the public.

Chinas nationwide efforts to fight the epidemic actually refer to travel restrictions across the country, efforts to put a megacity and an entire province with more than 60 million people under lockdown, tremendous mobilization and deployment of personnel and materials to help Hubei with its epidemic fight, free treatment for all COVID-19 patients, regardless of the cost, diligent implementation of joint prevention and control mechanisms in every community and village, and the concerted efforts of 1.4 billion people who willingly wore face masks, washed their hands frequently, and avoided large gatherings of people.

Inconceivable as it may sound for some Americans, this is what actually happened in China, and also the reasons why the disease didnt see large scale spreading to other provinces of the country and why it was impossible to spread beyond its borders.

Statistics from several major Canadian provinces have shown that the novel coronavirus that spread in Canada was brought to the country by U.S. visitors, according to foreign media.

Australia explained clearly in March that 80 percent of its COVID-19 cases had been either imported from overseas or were close contacts of these people, with most cases being brought in from the U.S.

A latest research report released by Tel Aviv University (TAU) suggested that about 70 percent of Israeli COVID-19 cases had been infected with a novel coronavirus strain that originated in the U.S.

The French research institute Institut Pasteur found that the virus strain circulating locally in France is of unknown origin.

None of the imported COVID-19 cases in Russia was from China.

Singapores COVID-19 cases imported from China made up less than one tenth of those from other countries.

According to the Japanese National Institute of Infectious Diseases, the novel coronavirus strain confirmed to be in Japan since early March was not from China.

After researching strains of novel coronavirus found in different patients, research institutes in the U.S. have reached the same conclusion - that these strains are highly similar to those of the novel coronavirus found in European visitors.

Its indisputable that by making all-out efforts to fight COVID-19, China has not only ensured the health and safety of its people, but also contributed to global public health security.

The COVID-19 outbreak has presented a major challenge to the sense of responsibility and courage of countries, and also a major test of morality and conscience.

By adhering to the principle of putting peoples lives above everything, China has submitted an answer sheet that people around the world have marvelled at.
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A witness claimed to have spotted Madeleine McCann getting into a German-owned VW van with a man just weeks after her disappearance, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

A police file unearthed by this paper details how the witness saw Madeleine emerging from a restaurant in the Spanish seaside town of Alcossebre before climbing into the van with an unidentified man.

The sighting, one of dozens in the early weeks of the investigation, has taken on new significance since German paedophile Christian Brueckner was identified last week as a key suspect in the case.

British detectives believe the 43-year-old was living out of a battered VW T3 Westerfalia campervan in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz at the time of Madeleines disappearance.

According to the witness, Madeleine was seen at 11am on May 28, 2007  three weeks after she vanished  coming out of popular local restaurant Tunnels in Alcossebre, some 600 miles from Praia da Luz.

At the time, Leicestershire Police Detective Constable John Hughes issued an international Interpol alert with a risk to life missing person warning demanding that Spanish and German police investigate.

He urged Spanish police to check the location for CCTV and witnesses and asked for the German vehicle keeper details. It is unclear what checks were made.

The police report, issued as part of Operation Task, says: A caller has reported a possible sighting of Madeleine McCann, 11am, 28th May 2007.

Location given as a restaurant called Tunnels, in an old castle at an area called Cap Y Corp, Alcossebre, Spain. She was seen to leave with a man in a Volkswagen van.

A witness claimed to see Madeline McCann (pictured) with an 'unidentified man' in a German-owned VW similar to the one owned by Christian Brueckner, right, van just weeks after her disappearance

Detectives believe Christian Brueckner, the latest main suspect in the McCann case, was living out of a German campervan in 2007

We request the Spanish police check the location for any CCTV or witnesses. We request German vehicle details. Can the vehicle be circulated for a stop and check to be carried out if seen.

It emerged last week that Brueckner was living just two miles from the holiday apartment where Madeleine vanished in May 2007. Former neighbours said he often slept in his van, which had a distinctive white upper body and yellow skirting.

German police said there were indications that he could have used either the van or a Jaguar model XJR 6 with a German number plate to commit the crime and appealed for help tracking where they were parked.

Detectives say that the day after Madeleines disappearance, Brueckner re-registered the Jaguar in the name of Alexander Bischof, who lives in Augsburg, Germany, despite the vehicle never having left Portugal.

It also emerged that Brueckner sold the VW van for 5,000 in 2015 to a German compatriot running an unofficial scrapyard in the Silves area of the Algarve. Portuguese police officers seized the vehicle in 2019.

The owner of the yard said: The police said they needed the van as part of the investigation. It was all very sudden  there had been nothing on the TV or in the papers about the case at that time.

Im not sure Id ever get it back, but if it turns out Christian had something to do with Madeleines disappearance, then I dont want it back. It wouldnt be right.

Scotland Yard said Brueckners Volkswagen van had a Portuguese registration plate. It is not known whether he changed the registration plate at any time.

As part of the appeal for information, the Met Police said in a statement that the suspect had access to this van from at least April 2007 until sometime after May 2007.

It added: We believe he was living in this van for days, possibly weeks, and may have been using it on 3 May 2007.

We are appealing for anyone who may have seen it in or around Praia da Luz on 3 May, the night Madeleine went missing, the days before, or weeks following the disappearance.

Last night, The Mail on Sunday asked Scotland Yard whether the vans registration was the same as the one identified in the 2007 sighting, but the force said it was not revealing those details.

Suspect's secret lair that could lead police to Maddie: Christian Brueckner regularly visited run-down house in Portuguese countryside in the months after she disappeared

Paedophile Christian Brueckner regularly visited a rundown house hidden away in the Portuguese countryside in the months after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The property  pictured exclusively and never before linked to Brueckner  could now become a focal point in the investigation into whether the German kidnapped and murdered Madeleine.

An investigation by this newspaper has established that Brueckner often stayed at the villa in the village of Foral in 2007 and 2008. He reportedly parked his distinctive Volkswagen Westfalia campervan, which was subsequently seized by German police, in the car park of a nearby restaurant.

Christian Brueckner, the German paedophile who is the chief suspect in the Madeleine McCann disappearance, stayed in this house in Foral, Portucal between 2007 and 2008

German police placed Christian Brueckner on round-the-clock surveillance German police considered Christian Brueckner so dangerous that they put him under round- the-clock surveillance. The convicted paedophile was released from jail in 2018 as a result of a bureaucratic bungle against the wishes of German police and prosecutors. In panic, officers were sent to follow him, but he gave them the slip. Brueckner had been arrested in Portugal in 2017 and extradited to Germany to serve 15 months in prison for child sexual abuse and possession of child pornography. He was eligible for release in August 2018, but the German authorities were desperate for him to remain behind bars for drug trafficking. Under extradition law, Portugal had to give its consent and it is claimed the Portuguese authorities did not do so in time  meaning Brueckner was released. Detectives first tried to covertly track his movements but he soon realised that he was under surveillance. The officers then began openly following him. We stood in front of his house at night, walked beside him when he was out, and talked to him, said an investigator. Brueckner went to the Netherlands, where the Dutch police who took over surveillance lost him. From there he fled to Italy, where he was arrested a month later and extradited back to Germany where he was convicted of the 2005 rape of a pensioner. Advertisement

The villa is about 40 miles from the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz, the holiday resort where three-year-old Madeleine disappeared in May 2007.

The villa, which is understood to have never been searched by police, was rented between 2002 and 2009 by a German woman called Nicole who is said to have used it for a rehabilitation programme for troubled teenagers.

A German couple who have lived in the village for more than 20 years said they immediately recognised Brueckner when he was named last week as the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine and his image appeared in the media.

I said, Thats Christian before I even read what his name was, said the husband, who asked not to be named.

The first time I met him he was hosting a party at the restaurant.

He had two dogs, one medium-sized, one small. The name of the small one I even remember, it was called Frau Muller and was always rummaging around the bins.

The female tenant was German and had a young daughter. She also had a young teenage girl living with her who was not her daughter. The woman would fly kids over from Germany and was supposedly running a rehabilitation programme for troubled youths.

Brueckners visits to the property could form a key part of police attempts to piece together his movements after Madeleine vanished. He is thought to have left Portugal shortly after and returned to Germany, reportedly telling friends that he had stolen a lot of cash during a burglary on the Algarve.

He first moved to the German of city of Dresden for a few weeks and then to Augsburg in Bavaria, staying in the attic of a home owned by landlord Alexander Bischoff, 64, for two or three weeks at a time. But according to Mr Bischoff, Brueckner was often away, including on trips back to Portugal.

In 2015 he sold the VW T3 Westfalia to the German owner of a scrapyard in the town of Silves, 14 miles from Foral. Meanwhile, Brueckners German police file lists one of his abodes as Portugal. Messines. The village of Sao Bartolomeu de Messines is just six miles from Foral.

Lia Silva, the owner of the property in Foral, said an intimidating German man would visit the villa and visit Nicole. At one point it is claimed he helped track down one of the German teenagers who had run away.

Suddenly a German guy turned up, and the rumours were that he was a private detective of some nature, said Ms Silva. Some people were afraid of him when he used to go to the restaurant.

Eventually, the guy found the runaway girl  and it turns out she was pregnant. It was a major problem. It was then that Nicole was no longer allowed to receive kids from Germany, so she lost all her income.

When Ms Silva was shown a photograph of Brueckner, she said: Yeah that looks like him, it could be him.

She added that Nicole abandoned the villa in 2009, allegedly owing 10,000 euros in rent.

I found syringes and used needles and a spoon and bricks of hashish in a shoebox, Ms Silva added. I was devastated to find that in my house.

Name of new Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner was passed to police SEVEN years ago by an acquaintance who remembered him from Praia da Luiz

The new Madeleine McCann suspect was identified as her possible abductor seven years ago  after Scotland Yard e-fits of a man seen around the time she vanished were shown on a German television appeal.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that paedophile Christian Brueckners name was passed to police by an acquaintance who saw the programme and remembered him from the Portuguese resort where Madeleine was snatched from.

But even though Kate and Gerry McCann were flanked by a British detective during the October 2013 appeal, which was watched by millions, it is unclear whether the crucial tip-off ever reached the Metropolitan Police.

The programme featured two computer generated images of a suspect  a clean shaven, possible German speaker, aged 20 to 40  whom Scotland Yard detectives described as of vital importance to the investigation.

Paedophile Christian Brueckner, the new Madeleine McCann suspect, was identified as her possible abductor seven years ago after Scotland Yard e-fits of a man seen around the time she vanished were shown on a German television appeal. Kate and Gerry McCann were flanked by a British detective during the October 2013 appeal (above)

Of vital importance: The e-fits produced for the German Euro News TV appeal for Madeleine McCann on October 17, 2013

They hoped the images would lead to a breakthrough and Gerry told the programme: Its great the police are working so hard but we need the support of the public.

At the time, Brueckner, now 43, already had a history of sex crimes.

Sources in Germany have told this newspaper that the acquaintance detailed his suspicions in an online police form which was sent to the countrys Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), that collated the 500 witness reports and tip-offs resulting from the programme.

But it is claimed detectives failed to act on the information even after being told by officers in Brueckners home town of Braunschweig that he was a sex offender.

Seven years on, Brueckner is now the prime suspect and is also being linked to three other child abductions.

BKA investigators made further inquiries about Brueckner in 2013 and contacted Braunschweig police for a second time, only to be reminded that they had already passed on what they knew of the suspects criminal history.

Christian Brueckner, pictured with a friend in 2011, was adopted as a baby after being given up by his birth mother and began abusing children as a teenager

Scotland Yard last night declined to answer questions about the claims, saying only that Brueckner became a suspect in 2017 when an appeal provided the details of this man.

But a source in Germany familiar with the case said: The guy that came forward after the 2013 TV appeal provided really valuable information.

He said the e-fits reminded him of a strange guy he knew who he hung out with or worked with in Portugal some years earlier and named Brueckner, currently behind bars in northern Germany on drugs offences.

The BKA is responsible for liaising with foreign police forces and, it must be said, I cannot understand why they wouldnt pass the information on, especially since the programme featured the McCanns and the Met officer so prominently.

Jim Dickie, a former Met detective chief inspector who led kidnap investigations, told The Mail on Sunday: I have dealt with the German authorities on several occasions in the past and they are very strict about the sharing of information.

'It may be that they held on to it and didnt follow it up properly or that they simply werent expected to pass it on to the Met.

Intelligence like this can lead to evidence and be vitally important. Did the Met just forget to chase up with the German police and ask what they had? Thats possible too.

The two images featured on the show differ but each shows a man with an intense stare and a hint of a smile. The programme also showed a reconstruction of the events leading up to Madeleines abduction on Thursday, May 3, 2007.

The e-fits were the first to be issued in relation to the Home Office-funded inquiry into the case.

By the time Madeleine was snatched, Brueckner had long been on the radars of police in his own country and Portugal, having been convicted of sex offences and theft.

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry of Rothley, Leicestershire, 'continue to hope she is alive until they can be shown incontrovertible evidence which proves that she is dead,' family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said on Saturday

The German suspect had lived in a warehouse outside Praia da Luz for several years but moved into a campervan just before Madeleine vanished

But the Portuguese police investigation into her disappearance, described as chaotic by a senior officer, disintegrated into farce.

The familys apartment was not sealed off for almost 24 hours, leading to contamination by up to 50 people and cleaners washing bed sheets, while ash from officers cigarettes was found in samples.

Within five days, police are said to have shown a nanny who looked after Madeleine in Praia a picture of Brueckner, naming him as a possible suspect, but that notion was soon discarded and Brueckner returned to Germany in the summer of 2007 and continued his life of crime, in drug trafficking.

By 2012, he had settled in Braunschweig where he ran a kiosk bar in an apartment block but his life spiralled out of control.

One report stated that he constantly collected criminal charges. For theft, bodily injury, drunkenness in traffic, forged papers.

The number of procedures is difficult to calculate. He is also said to have abused his young Albanian girlfriend who was often seen with bruises and marks on her neck.

At this time Scotland Yard was completing its review into the disappearance of Madeleine, sparked by pressure from the then Prime Minister David Cameron.

The 2011 Met Police review, which lasted two years, followed a 2009 Home Office-commissioned report which criticised the Portuguese investigation over a number of failures, including the naming of Gerry and Kate McCann as suspects and a lack of analysis of mobile phone data.

As part of Scotland Yards review, they are understood to have received from Portuguese police a list of 600 names who were persons of interest.

Brueckners was among them but the Met Polices review, led by Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, settled on a list of 38 other potential suspects.

In 2013, Scotland Yard officially launched Operation Grange and officers took part in a TV appeal alongside the McCanns for information which was broadcast across Europe, including Germany.

That led to Brueckners acquaintance coming forward with his name. Last night German police were unavailable for comment.

A Met Police spokesman said: Following a request from the then Home Secretary, in 2011 the MPS started its review of the previous investigations into Madeleines disappearance.

'In 2013, the Met made a decision that the review would progress to a full investigation.

(Former) Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, for the ten- year anniversary in 2017, put out a statement and as a direct result of that appeal we received information which provided details of this man.

'Our subsequent enquiries led to us to decide that he was a suspect for our investigation.

We will not go into the details of what those enquiries are or what the evidence is against him, and thats to ensure that we are doing the best we can to protect the integrity of our investigation.

'We can confirm that the name of this man that we were provided with, we were aware of within the investigation, but he was not a suspect.

Last night, Braunschweig state prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters told German newspaper BILD: At the moment the criminal suspicion is based on clues. We havent interrogated the suspect yet regarding this case.

Horror of woman who raised Maddie McCann suspect: How Christian Brueckner's adoptive parents were forced to send him to a home for delinquent teenagers when they could no longer cope with his wayward behaviour

Brigitte Brueckner spoke to MailOnline from the doorway of her modest home in Bergtheim, near Wuerzburg

She said she knew nothing of estranged son's life in Portugal, adding: 'I don't want to know anything about it'

Neighbours revealed Christian Brueckner was thrown out of adopted home because of disruptive behaviour

It comes as Brueckner is being linked to two other child disappearances in 1996 and 2015, respectively

Scotland Yard has revealed it has received 400 tip-offs after convicted sex fiend Brueckner was named

Madeleine McCann murder suspect Christian Brueckner was thrown out of his adopted home because of his disruptive and criminal behaviour, MailOnline can reveal as his parents are exclusively pictured for the first time.

Brigitte and Fritz Brueckner had taken baby Christian into their family as an act of charity for the tiny foundling who had been given up by his mother.

But the kind-hearted parents sent him to live in a reform home for delinquent teenagers after Herr Brueckner was seriously injured in a car crash and could no longer discipline the boy.

Widowed Frau Brueckner today told MailOnline she knew nothing about her estranged son's alleged crimes.

Standing inside the doorway of her modest home in Bergtheim, near Wuerzburg, she told MailOnline: 'I don't know anything about it. I don't want to know anything about it.'

She distanced herself from the 43-year-old prisoner as neighbours revealed the family's difficulty in controlling Christian.

They told of how Frau Brueckner could not cope with Christian's disruptive and increasingly criminal behaviour and simultaneously look after her disabled husband who suffered brain damage and was confined to a wheel chair following the smash in 1992.

As the re-energised investigation into Madeleine's disappearance 13 years ago gathered pace:

Scotland Yard revealed it has received 400 tip-offs after convicted sex fiend Brueckner was named as the key suspect;

German prosecutors linked Brueckner to the 1994 disappearance of six-year-old boy Rene from the Algarve and the 2015 vanishing of five-year-old girl Ingra Gehricke;

Brueckner became eligible for parole this weekend but is unlikely to be released from custody for his 15-month sentences for drug offences;

It was claimed Brueckner was not cooperating with German officers in the McCann investigation;

Lawyer Jan-Christian Hochmann confirmed he was representing Brueckner but said he had no comment on the case;

It was revealed Brueckner was flagged as a key Madeleine McCann kidnap and murder suspect seven years ago.

Brigitte and Fritz Brueckner (left) had taken baby Christian (right, as an adult) into their family as an act of charity for the tiny foundling who had been given up by his mother

The former home of Christian Brueckner: Today neighbours of the couple in the village of Bergthei, where he grew up told of their shock that Brueckner has been linked to the murder of four-year-old Madeleine in 2007

The primary school in the village of Bertheim, southern Bavaria, where Christian Brueckner grew up (pictured today)

Brigitte (left) and Fritz Brueckner (right) had taken baby Christian into their family as an act of charity for the tiny foundling who had been given up by his mother

Today neighbours of the couple in the village of Bergthei, where he grew up also told of their shock that Brueckner has been linked to the murder of three-year-old Madeleine in 2007.

One neighbour told MailOnline: 'The Brueckners were a lovely couple, very kind. But what happened with their boy Christian is a catastrophe.

'They took him in as a baby and brought him up as their own. He was often in trouble and he got worse and worse as he grew into a teenager. Christian must have been 13 or 14 when Herr Bruecker, Fritz, had the car accident.

'As the man of the house it was Fritz who disciplined the boy. Christian needed a firm hand. But after the accident he could not do that any more.

'Brigitte, the mother did her best, but she could not cope with the boy and look after her husband. Christian had been in trouble and that is when he was sent to a reform school for delinquent teenagers in Wuerzburg.'

She added: 'Sadly Fritz, the husband is dead now. But his wife Brigitte did everything she could for him. She was awarded a medal.'

Another neighbour added: 'Brigitte is a lovely woman. I knew Christian but I have not seen him for years.

'If what I read is true it will destroy his mother. Brigitte and Fritz did everything they could for him when he was a boy.'

Bergtheim is a small municipality in southern Bavaria, Germany, where Brueckner grew up before being sent to a reform school

The village of Bergtheim in Germany where Brueckner grew up. He later moved to Praia da Luz, where Madeleine McCann vanished in 2007

A close family friend revealed the discovery of Brueckner's alleged involvement in the murder of Madeleine will destroy his mother.

Monica Veirheilig told MailOnline: 'This will destroy Brigitte. For your child to kill another child is the worst thing imaginable for a mother.

'She is a kind woman and she has already had to deal with tragedy. She had to cope with looking after her husband after he suffered brain damage in the car crash and later his death.

'But finding out her son may be a killer is a second tragedy for her.'

She added: 'I don't want to judge Frau Brueckner. I hope Madeleine parents will finally find out the truth about what happened to her. The not-knowing must be the worst.'

Another neighbour has told how Christian Brueckner and his brothers had bad reputation in their home town while growing up.

A mum-of-three who knew Christian growing up said he was well known in the area for getting in trouble.

The mum of three told MailOnline: 'I knew Christian growing up - I was two years younger than him so I wasn't that close to him but I knew him well because of his reputation.

'He was well known in our area for getting in to trouble. Everyone knew that he was handful and was not easy for his parents...I was a child at the time so I can't remember the details but I remember other adults talking about the fact that Christian was not easy for his parents.

'His parents are lovely people. They are very kind, they obviously must be because they adopted three boys.

'I was fully aware of the Madeleine McCann case, everyone does. I was horrified when I heard that the suspect is from a family that lives over the road from me.

'You never thing something like this is going to come to your doorstep. It makes me feel so bad that he might be involved. I just hope for the poor parents of Madeleine that the case is resolved soon.'

Brueckner, now 43, is the key suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine from Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007.

He moved from Germany to the Portuguese coastal town in 1995 after serving part of a two-year sentence for molesting a six-year-old girl in Wurzburg.

Following his naming by German police, he has further been linked to the disappearances of six-year-old boy Rene Hasse in the Algarve, 1996, and five-year-old girl Igna Gehnricke in Germany, 2015.

Now languishing in a German prison in Kiel on a drug-related sentence, at the time of Madeleine's vanishing he was living in the area about a 10-minute drive away.

In 2005, two years prior to the infant's disappearance, he raped a 72-year-old American woman on a waterfront villa less than a mile from the Ocean Club hotel where Madeleine went missing.

Prosecutors in Germany are now desperately trying to build a case against Brueckner, who is eligible for parole this weekend but unlikely to be granted a release from custody.

Information continues to pour into Scotland Yard's Maddie squad Operation Grange. A force spokesperson said today: 'We have now received just short of 400 pieces of information. We are pleased with the amount of calls and emails coming in and we are assessing them and prioritising them.'

Maddie's parents Kate and Gerry of Rothley, Leicestershire, 'continue to hope she is alive until they can be shown incontrovertible evidence which proves that she is dead,' family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said.

He told MailOnline: 'Kate and Gerry continue to be encouraged by the level of response and nearly 400 fresh pieces of information so far is exactly what the Met wanted from their appeal.'

Lawyer Jan-Christian Hochmann confirmed he was representing Brueckner but declined to comment on the case.

'It is correct that I and my colleage David Volke are representing him, but we are not making any comment at the moment,' Hochmann told Reuters by phone.

Brueckner himself is reportedly refusing to cooperate with the police investigation. A source close to the German police told the Sun: 'So far he is saying absolutely nothing to officers, he is keeping schtum.'

Christian Brueckner is linked to FOURTH unsolved case: Police probe if Madeleine McCann suspect was involved in death of girl, 16, whose body was found on beach in Belgium in 1996

Belgian prosecutors are investigating whether Brueckner was involved in 1996 vanishing of Carola Titze, 16

Carola vanished on the morning of July 5 while holidaying with her parents at a Flemish resort in De Haan

German teenager was missing for six days before her body was found violently mutilated on the sand dunes

Brueckner has also been linked to vanishing of Rene Hasse, six, in 1996 and Inga Gehricke, five in 2015

Carola Titze (left) vanished on the morning of July 5, 1996 while holidaying with her parents at a Flemish resort in De Haan, West Flanders

Madeleine McCann's suspected murderer Christian Brueckner could be linked to a fourth unsolved child disappearance, prosecutors claimed today.

Belgian authorities are investigating whether the 43-year-old German sex offender was involved in the mysterious killing of 16-year-old Carola Titze in 1996.

Carola vanished on the morning of July 5 while holidaying with her parents at a Flemish resort in De Haan, West Flanders.

The German teenager was missing for six days before her body was found violently mutilated on the sand dunes.

In the days before her disappearance, she was allegedly seen at a disco with a German man, who policed tried to track down but failed.

Prosecutors in Bruges confirmed to local media they are now probing the possible connection between Titze's death and Brueckner, following his naming as prime suspect in the McCann case.

Since Brueckner became detectives' main lead in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine from Portugal's Praia de Lug in 2007, he has been linked to two other vanishings.

The family of German six-year-old Rene Hasse, who went missing in the Algarve in 1996, revealed police are re-investigating the case for the first time in 20 years.

And prosecutors have also re-opened the suspected abduction case of five-year-old Inga Gehricke - dubbed Germany's Madeleine - from Diakoniewerk Wilhelmshof in Saxony-Anhalt in 2015.

Madeleine McCann, the three-year-old British girl who vanished from her hotel room in Praia de Lug in May 2007. Christian Brueckner (left) is the prime suspect in her case

Since Brueckner became detectives' main lead in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine from Portugal's Praia de Lug in 2007, he has been linked to two other vanishings (Rene Hasse, five, left and Inga Gehricke, six, right)

Carola vanished on the morning of July 5 while holidaying with her parents at a Flemish resort in De Haan, West Flanders. The German teenager was missing for six days before her body was found violently mutilated on the sand dunes

In the days before Titze's disappearance, she was allegedly seen at a disco with a German man, who policed tried to track down with this identikit photo but failed

The case into Carola's disappearance in 1996 went cold in 2016. At the time, police released an identikit drawing of the German man she was seen with at the disco, but he was never identified.

Mayor Wilfried Vandaele of De Haan said: 'A shockwave went through our community when the body of Carola Titze was found in woodland in the dunes in 1996,' according to Belgian news site VRT.

'Of course, we too want the perpetrator to be found at long last. Let's hope the German investigation can provide greater clarity.'

Only a few weeks before Carola's disappearance, six-year-old Rene vanished from Amoreiras beach in the Algarve.

The infant from Elsdorf, Germany, was on holiday with his family in Aljezur - just 25 miles from Praia da Luz, where Bruenecker was living.

Rene was last seen running towards the sea on a crowded beach before his mother lost sight of him - only his clothes were later found by the water.

The boy's grandparents have previously insisted their grandson would never have wandered into the sea by himself and said 'his footprints stopped in the middle of the sand', and yesterday his father Andreas said there 'could be a connection' with Bruenecker.

Andreas told his local newspaper that an investigator from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) phoned him yesterday, for the first time in 20 years and said they were re-investigating the case.

It comes after prosecutors re-opened the investigation into whether Brueckner abducted five-year-old Inga Gehricke after she was grabbed from Diakoniewerk Wilhelmshof in Saxony-Anhalt during a family outing five years ago.

Her disappearance on May 2, 2015 - almost eight years to the day after Madeleine vanished in Portugal on May 3, 2007 - was only 48 miles away from where Brueckner lived on the five-acre site of a box factory in the isolated of village of Neuwegersleben, south-east of Hanover.

One day before Inga went missing, Brueckner's vehicle was in a minor crash at a service station close to where she wandered away.

Police are set to return to this abandoned box factory in Neuwegersleben, Germany, where Christian Brueckner lived in a caravan and hid child porn among animal bones. Police raided it in 2016 looking for missing Inga Gehricke

More than 100 police officers descended on the site in February 201 (pictured), digging holes looking for missing Inga

Christian Brueckner's troubled Bavarian youth Brueckner was 17 when he molested a six-year-old girl in a public playground in his home town of Wuerzburg, Bavaria. He only stopped groping the terrified schoolgirl when she began to scream and cry and he then ran away, a youth court was told. Later, the then-teenage Brueckner 'dropped his trousers' at a nine-year-old before fleeing the scene, according to German newspaper Bild. Brueckner, who had quit secondary school to train as a car mechanic, was arrested later for the vile acts in 1994. At his trial at Wuerzburg District Court, he was asked by the juvenile judge what he thought about his actions and he replied: 'I didn't think anything,' according to the newspaper. Advertisement

More than 100 officers descended on the old box factory in February 2016, digging holes looking for Inga's body.

The little girl wasn't found but Brueckner's USB stash of child sex abuse images was found on a USB stick hidden under 'animal bones' with police now set to return, according to German tabloid Bild.

Brueckner was prosecuted over the child porn but he was never charged with Inga's disappearance when the probe was dropped after four weeks.

He refused to comment about the disappearance recently when questioned in prison by German police. A Met Police detective from the Operation Grange team is also thought to have been present at the time.

But today prosecutors confirmed they have reopened a preliminary investigation into whether he was involved in the unsolved Inga case.

Stendal Public Prosecutor's Office spokesman Birte Iliev said: 'It is now being examined whether there is any new evidence in connection with the murder suspect in Braunschweig.'

Petra Kullmei said: 'Just a day before Inga disappeared near Stendal, Christian B. was seen nearby on the A2. The file was closed again only four weeks after starting work. I think that's not very ambitious.'

The re-energised investigations came as MailOnline reveal Bruenecker carried out a brutal rape at a beach front villa less than a mile from where the three-year-old disappeared in 2007.

Brueckner broke into the secluded home two years before Maddie went missing from her family's apartment in the resort of Praia da Luz.

A 72-year-old American woman was tortured and raped by Brueckner who filmed the savage attack. He was jailed last year for seven years by a German court after DNA evidence linked him to the assault.

The villa, called Casa Jacaranda, is just a ten-minute walk from the Ocean Village apartments where Maddie was sleeping in a ground floor apartment when she was snatched 13 years ago.

It has also been revealed that paedophile Brueckner, 43, vowed on a web chat to 'grab himself a little something and abuse it for days'.

He fantasised in an online chatroom in September 2013 about kidnapping and sexual abusing a child, according to German magazine Der Spiegel.

He allegedly added it would be safer 'if the evidence is exterminated afterwards'. The German word he used, vernichten, is the same word the Nazis used for the final solution.

Last night Portuguese police last night hit back at claims that Madeleine McCann suspect Brueckner slipped through their net.

Policia Judiciaria insisted the German's name was one of those passed to British police in case files in 2012  and said Scotland Yard had never asked them to take a closer look at him.

Deputy director Carlos Farinha said: 'If the suspicions about this man were so obvious, he would have been the subject of requests made by the British, which were always authorised by Portugal, but those requests about him were never made.'

In an interview with Portuguese news agency Lusa, he added: 'If the PJ is being accused of giving Brueckner a lack of priority, the same could be said of the Metropolitan Police. In theory everything could have been different but in 2007 and in 2012 we didn't known what we knew in 2017.'

He said this week's fresh appeal was an initiative of the German police who were convinced it could lead to additional information coming in.

But appearing to hint that the evidence the three police forces have may not be enough to bring charges and a successful prosecution, he said: 'Suspicions about the German national have grown but unfortunately they are not enough to make him an arguido and formally accuse him.'

It also came as documents revealed by Spiegel allegedly show Brueckner fantasised in disgusting online chats about the kidnapping and sexual abuse of a child in September 2013.

How the unsolved case of missing Inga Gehricke, five, involved a search team of 500 people after she wandered off to collect wood Inga Gehricke, five, had been having a barbecue with her family on May 2, 2015 The disappearance of five-year-old Inga Gehricke during a trip to a forest area in Saxony-Anhalt prompted a huge search involving 500 people. She had been having a barbecue with her family at an apartment complex in Diakoniewerk Wilhelmshof on May 2, 2015 when she disappeared. The girl is believed to have wandered off to collect wood to light a campfire at about 6.30pm but never returned. Police dogs also failed to pick up the scent of Inga who had been wearing a butterfly T-shirt, blue jeans and her hair in two plaits. One of the main suspects was former security guard Silvio Schulz, but he denied involvement police were never able to prove any link. In July 2016, Schulz was handed a life sentence for murdering two children, one of them a four-year-old Bosnian boy snatched from a migrant registration centre the year before. Police also allegedly investigated Christian Brueckner and found a device at his home with child pornography, but could not prove any link to Inga's case. In June 2017, officers formally dropped the probe into Inga's disappearance. Inga had been on the trip with her parents Victoria and Jens-Uwe Gehricke, as well as her three siblings Maxim, 15, Julius, 13, and eight-year-old Freya. Speaking in April 2017, Mrs Gehricke told Stern magazine that her 'feeling tells me that she is still alive', while her husband said: 'I still have the hope that she will be found. But the hope that she will come back alive goes to zero for me.' Advertisement

Inga's disappearance on May 2, 2015 was almost eight years to the day after Madeleine vanished in Portugal on May 3, 2007

He is said to have told one acquaintance he wanted to 'capture something small and use it for days', and that it would be safer if 'the evidence is destroyed afterwards'.

Brueckner was given up by his mother at birth and began abusing children as a teenager when he molested a six-year-old in a public playground, it was revealed today.

Christian Brueckner was 17 in 1994 when he attacked the little girl in his home town of Wurzburg, Bavaria - and he only stopped groping her when she started screaming and crying.

But he is also said to have 'dropped his trousers' at a nine-year-old boy before fleeing the scene, according to German tabloid Bild.

He was born Christian Fischer in Bavaria in 1976, but was given up by his birth mother and placed in a children's home in Wuerzburg and was adopted by the Brueckner family as a baby, taking their name.

He descended into a life of crime as a young teenager, and was convicted of his first burglary in his home town of Wurzburg in 1992, when he was 15.

Within two years, the warped teenager had progressed to sexually abusing a child, with the playground attack earning him a two-year youth sentence, of which he served only a part.

As a young man, Brueckner had dreamed of emigrating with his girlfriend of the time, and when he turned 18 - with a fresh driver's license, and a series of court hearings still pending - he took off to Portugal with his German girlfriend, and the Algarve town of Lagos, said Germany's Bild newspaper, which quoted him as having said: 'We didn't know anything about Portugal. We went to Lagos because we liked the name so much. We had a tent with us and camped in the wild.'

He eventually settled in Praia da Luz, the picturesque resort where the McCanns chose to take their three children on holiday.

For 12 years he lived there, telling family he was working as a caterer and odd-job man, when in fact he was dealing cannabis, trafficking drugs and burgling holiday homes and hotel rooms.

He was briefly locked up for diesel theft, and is also said to have traded passports and stolen goods.

He lived in Praia da Luz in a somewhat dilapidated and remote house accessed by a dirt road. 'In terms of furnishings, it was a typical bachelor's apartment,' said one acquaintance.

After a decade on the Algarve, perverted 6-foot Brueckner burgled a 72-year-old American widow - and subjected her to a hideous sexual assault.

He broke into her villa near Praia da Luz brandishing a 30cm 'sabre', according to evidence at a court that eventually convicted him.

He beat her, tied her up, gagged and blindfolded her, before carrying out a degrading rape which he videotaped, the court in Braunschweig, Germany, heard. On the video, he finished by ripping off his own mask, a witness told the court.

His victim told investigators: 'I felt that he enjoyed torturing me.' At the time, Brueckner lived in a rented whitewashed villa on a remote hillside along a footpath that runs from above the beach where Madeleine and her family played during their week's holiday.

Neighbours described him as an 'angry' car dealer, who sped along country roads, and saying that when he vanished he left a collection of wigs, fancy dress and exotic clothing.

Brueckner left Portugal after Madeline disappeared on May 3, 2007. The previous month, he had moved out of the villa and into a VW Westfalia campervan which police have now linked to Madeleine's disappearance.

He also kept his prized 1993 Jaguar XJR6 with its German number plate. Yet the day after she vanished, he re-registered the classic British car to another person, although he was still driving it, Scotland Yard has said.

A map of the area of Praia de Luz in Portugal showing the suspect's house and the McCanns' holiday apartment which was nearby

Augsburg resident Alexander Bischof has told how he befriended Maddie McCann suspect Brueckner after being introduced by a mutual friend in around 2007 or 2008.

'This is still unimaginable,' says Bischof who says he met him 12 or 13 years ago. 'He said he needed help and was looking for an apartment in Augsburg.

He was driving a Jaguar, which he bought from the mutual acquaintance. 'Because I'm also a Jaguar lover, we had a topic of conversation right away,' says Bischof.

At one point he offered Brueckner the opportunity to stay with him and his wife if he wanted to.

He said Brueckner was 'often underway - sometimes he traveled to Portugal, sometimes to Sylt, to Munich. In between, he spent nights sleeping in my attic.'

Otherwise, he stayed in his VW bus. Most of the time he went to Portugal, where he is said to have had a girlfriend. Once he took them into Augsuburg to meet his girlfriend where they spoke to each other in English.

'At some point I reached the conclusion that he was involved with drugs,' he added, and was in prison in Portugal for two or three months, during which time he handed over the Jagguar car to him.

'When he came out, he was back here quickly, I didn't know more at the time,' he says. Later, he gave the car over to an acquaintance in Munich. 'He always made surprisingly quick decisions,' he added.

After some time Bishop distanced himself from Brueckner. 'He uses my living quarters and he's involved with drugs - I couldn't handle that,' he said.

'I thought I couldn't do that,' Bishop said. 'After a few years the law stood at my door. The police wanted to search the living quarters where he had stayed.'

At that time he learned that he had 'some things in his past.' He did not know what. Only that it would be a 'capital crime'. During a re-interrogation, the officials mentioned the name 'Maddie'.

When Bishop first heard about the murder allegations he was shocked.

He said; 'We never talked about young children, our conversations were about cars, football and Portugal, men's stuff.'

Back in Germany, rather than keeping his head down, Brueckner continued stealing and drug dealing. By October 2011, the district court in Niebull, Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, had sentenced him to 'imprisonment of narcotics in large quantities' for one year and nine months. The sentence was initially suspended.

By 2014, Brueckner was living in Braunschweig, near Hanover, where he boasted to friends he had opened a local shop. He claimed he worked from seven in the morning until midnight but the business, along with his relationship, failed and he began to hit the bottle and live on benefits.

German TV station RTL.DE interviewed a friend of Bruekner's who met him in Braunschweig, and is believed to have lived above his shop.

Norbert M, whose name was changed by the TV station, said: 'You couldn't tell what made him tick.'

Norbert claimed his former friend was in debt to many people and was running a kiosk in the town.

The witness claimed Bruekner had an underage Kosovan girlfriend, though he had never seen the suspect with young children. He is alleged to have beaten her.

He said: 'I heard that he left the kiosk and then went to Portugal or Spain with a girl. He then left dogs in his kiosk for weeks.

'I can imagine that he is behind the disappearance of Maddie.'

His twisted obsession with child pornography caught up with him and, in 2016, he was sentenced by a district court there to one year and three months' imprisonment for 'sexually abusing a child in the act of procuring himself and possessing child pornography.'

After his bar-room claims to a friend about Madeleine, on the tenth anniversary in May 2017, Brueckner appears to have returned to the Algarve, but within a month he was arrested there under a European Arrest Warrant and extradited back to Germany.

Brueckner is currently behind bars in Germany serving 21 months for dealing drugs. While he was in prison last December he was also found guilty of raping a 72-year-old American tourist in Praia da Luz just 18 months before Madeleine disappeared.

The seven-year jail term for this conviction will not start until his appeal has been heard.

His legal battle with the German authorities over the rape case means he could walk free within days having served two-thirds of his drugs sentence in Kiel prison, Schleswig-Holstein, according to the German newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau.

The paedophile was arrested while living on the streets of Milan in late 2018 on a European Arrest Warrant over the Algarve rape of the 72-year-old American. He was brought back to Germany and charged in August 2019.

A month earlier he was convicted of drug dealing in the German resort of Sylt and handed the 21-month term he is currently serving.

In December 2019 a court in Braunschweig, where he had lived before fleeing to Italy, convicted him of the rape because DNA from his hair was found in the woman's holiday home - making it a 244billion to one chance it was not him, the judge was told.But he is appealing the rape verdict on the grounds his extradition from Italy was illegal with Germany's Federal High Court due to rule on the case, and if they find against him he will then start his seven-year sentence. German legal experts said last night that his appeal means he is on the verge of getting parole and could get his freedom as early as Sunday
"Hotel Transylvania 2" features many of the actors who Sandler often uses in his movies. Most of the time they look like all they care about is cashing a paycheck. But in "Hotel Transylvania 2," they come across as fresh because of the sharp animation and smart writing. The running gag of the Invisible Man claiming to have an Invisible Woman girlfriend works both as a solid joke and because David Spade brings just the right loser tone to the role.
The Senate is due to be composed of 300 members, one-third of whom are elected by the individual system, one-third by the list system, and the last third by presidential appointment

Egypt's parliamentary majority 'Support Egypt' coalition will submit on Sunday a bill on the formation of the Senate, Egypts new second legislative chamber, as well as amendments to the articles of the House of Representatives law, a statement by the coalition said on Saturday.

MP Abdel-Hady El-Qasaby, leader of the majority bloc, said that the Senate draft law and the amendments to the parliament law are "in line with stipulated constitutional requirements and consistent with legal standards."

Egypt's constitutional amendments, passed in a public referendum in April 2019, state that the Senate will be formed to bring the country back to the two-house system.

According to the bill from the pro-government Support Egypt parliamentary bloc, the Senate is due to be composed of 300 members, one-third of whom are elected by the individual system, one-third by the list system, and the last third by presidential appointment.

Article 250 of Egypt's constitution states the number of Senate seats must be no less than 180, but does not set a maximum. The senates term lasts for five years.

The coalition leaders, the statement says, confirmed that the amendments to the parliament law maintain the current number of members, so that 50 percent of them will be elected according to the list system and the other 50 percent will be elected through the individual system.

Last year's constitutional amendments stipulated that the members of the House of Representatives "should not be less than 450 members." The current number is 596 members.

The statement added that the draft amendments of the parliament law also stipulate that the constitutional conditions are in place regarding the number of seats allocated for certain categories, the foremost of which is the 25 percent for female candidates.

Last year's constitutional amendments necessitate that at least 25 percent of seats be reserved for women representatives.

The current parliament legislative season (2019-20) is its final season and new elections are due to be held at the end of 2020. The elections of the Senate are also planned to be held this year.

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The two police officers suspended after video emerged of them shoving a 75-year-old man to the ground were charged on Saturday.

In a virtual arraignment at Buffalos city courthouse before Judge Craig Hannah, officers Robert McCabe and Aaron Torgalski were charged with second-degree assault.

They entered not guilty pleas and are scheduled to return on 20 July for a felony hearing. They were released on their own recognisance without bail.

Both officers were suspended from duty without pay after the incident on Thursday in Niagara Square, Buffalo during a protest over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed in police custody in Minneapolis last month.

The police emergency response team had been told to clear protesters from the area outside the city hall once a curfew came into effect.

Protester Martin Gugino, 75, struck his head on the sidewalk when he fell after being pushed. Video showed blood pooling around his head. He is currently recovering in hospital.

All 57 members of the team resigned in protest at the officers suspension, but remain part of the overall police force.

Text messages seen by a local TV station asked fellow officers to show their support outside the courthouse on Saturday.

Hundreds of law enforcement and firefighters gathered outside the building and shielded the two officers from news crews with an umbrella and a sheet as they entered from a holding area.

After the officers had been charged, the crowd cheered loudly as they exited the courthouse before dispersing.

Erie County district attorney John Flynn, speaking after the arraignment, said that on both sides, police and protesters, the overwhelming majority are peaceful across the nation but that you will always have individuals who will cross the line.

Mr Flynn denied he was choosing sides by prosecuting the two officers. The case will be handed to a grand jury to consider whether there was intent to cause physical injury.

The Mayor of Buffalo, Mr. Brown said that he would not fire the two officers until an investigation had played out, despite calls from the community and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Protests on Friday in Buffalo were peaceful. More are expected today.

UPDATE (16.06.20): A previous version of this article reported that the mayor of Buffalo had described the 75-year old protester as an agitator. We would like to clarify that, in fact, the mayor was referring to another protestor, who was reportedly tackled to the ground by police during the demonstrations. The error has been removed from the piece.
The body of Keith Ennis (left) was dismembered by Philip County (right) and two others

A notorious Dublin criminal who was convicted of dismembering a man's body with a chainsaw and dumping it in a lake is in Castlerea Prison this weekend after a judge revoked his bail.

Philip County (33), who has links to the Kinahan cartel, had been due to be sentenced in October after he pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and MDMA with a total street value of 7,298 during an armed raid at his home in Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, in October 2017.

Firearms

Last month, he was released on bail and told by Judge Keenan Johnson that he was facing a three-year sentence, with two suspended depending on a probation report.

Previously described in court as an "enforcer" for a criminal gang, County, who is originally from Lucan, has 56 previous convictions, including a number for drugs and firearms.

At last month's court hearing, Judge Johnson said he could not overlook County's previous convictions and "it will warrant some element of a custodial sentence" before adjourning sentencing in the case until October 6 and granting the criminal bail until that date.

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However, the judge was not made aware at that court hearing that County had, in fact, a conviction at the Amsterdam Court of Appeal from May 2017.

On that date, County was convicted of being a co-perpetrator in the concealment, removal and disposal of the corpse of Keith Ennis in Amsterdam and had been sentenced to 21 months in prison.

After learning of his conviction in the Netherlands, the DPP ordered County be brought back before Judge Johnson on Thursday, who revoked his bail on the basis of the serious previous conviction in the Netherlands.

In May 2017, County and two other men were sentenced to two years in prison for hiding Ennis's body in 2009, but County had already served that time while on remand in a Dutch prison.

During the Ennis murder trial in the Netherlands earlier that year, convicted drug dealer County did not show up for the case because his family were under threat and received a bullet in the post, according to his lawyer.

However, this was rubbished by Dutch prosecutors, who described him as "an enforcer" for an Irish organised crime gang.

Wounds

Dutch judges said in their verdict that the outcome of the investigation into Ennis's violent death was "highly unsatisfactory, especially for Ennis's next of kin, who do not know who murdered him".

Ennis (29) was stabbed to death in February 2009 in an apartment in Rotterdam. He suffered multiple stab wounds to his head and face and several fatal knife slashes to his back, penetrating vital organs.

Afterwards, his body was cut up with a chainsaw. The head was severed and hidden in a suitcase which was dumped in a canal. The remains were found on February 24, 2009, in a lake in Amsterdam.
Witness in car says George Floyd did not resist arrest; complaint alleges struggle

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George Floyd tried to show that he wasnt resisting arrest before he stopped breathing in the custody of Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day with the knee of officer Derek Chauvin still resting on his neck, according to a friend and witness who was with Floyd when officers detained him.

He was, from the beginning, trying in his humblest form to show he was not resisting in no form or way, Floyds friend, Maurice Lester Hall, 42, told The New York Times on Wednesday night.

Floyds friend, who was arrested Monday in Houston on three outstanding felony warrants, was interviewed by Minnesota state investigators after he initially gave a false name to officers at the scene of Floyd's arrest on May 25, the newspaper reported.

I could hear him pleading, Please, officer, whats all this for? Hall said.

The interview with Hall comes in the wake of the arrest of all four fired officers involved in the tragedy Wednesday.

Chauvin, 44, who was previously charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter for Floyds death, had his charge upgraded to second-degree murder on Wednesday by the office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

Meanwhile, the three other former officers  26-year-old J. Alexander Kueng, 37-year-old Thomas Lane and 34-year-old Tou Thao  were all charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

Charging documents state that while the initial encounter between Floyd and the officers started without much hassle, things took a dark turn when Floyd asked not to be put inside the back of a squad car because he was claustrophobic. They struggled to put him there anyway.

According to the prosecution document, someone called 911 and reported that a man bought merchandise from Cup Foods at 3759 Chicago Ave. in Minneapolis with a counterfeit $20 bill.

At 8:08 p.m., officers Lane and Kueng arrived with their body cameras activated and running.

The officers learned from store personnel that the man who passed the counterfeit currency was parked in a car around the corner from the store on 38th Street.

Footage from the body cameras shows that the officers approached the car. Lane approached on the drivers side and Kueng on the passengers side. Three people were in the car. Floyd was in the drivers seat. A known adult male, now identified as Hall, was in the passenger seat. An adult female was sitting in the backseat.

Officer Lane pulled his gun and pointed it at Floyds open window as he began speaking with him and directed him to show his hands.

When Floyd put his hands on the steering wheel, Lane put his gun back in its holster.

Lane eventually ordered Floyd out of the car as Kueng spoke with the passenger in the front seat. He then put his hands on Floyd, pulling him out of the car and handcuffing him.

Once handcuffed, Floyd walked with Lane to the sidewalk and sat on the ground as directed by Lane. When Floyd sat down, he said thank you man and was calm, the charging document stated.

After about two minutes of conversation, Lane asked Floyd for his name and identification. Lane then asked Floyd if he was on anything, noting there was foam on the edges of his mouth.

Lane then told Floyd he was being arrested for passing counterfeit currency.

At 8:14 p.m., Kueng and Lane stood Floyd up and attempted to walk him to their squad car.

As they tried to put him in the car, however, Floyd stiffened up and fell to the ground. According to the document, Floyd explained that he was not resisting arrest but didnt want to travel in the back seat because he was claustrophobic.

It was at this point that Chauvin and Thao arrived in a separate squad car.

The officers made several attempts to get Floyd in the backseat of the squad car by pushing him from the drivers side. Floyd repeatedly told the officers that he could not breathe and refused to willingly sit in the backseat as the officers struggled to get him there.

Chauvin then went to the passenger side of the squad car and tried to get Floyd in the car from that side while Lane and Kueng assisted.

At about 8:19 p.m., Chauvin pulled Floyd out of the passenger side of the squad car and Floyd went to the ground face down while still handcuffed. Kueng held Floyds back while Lane held his legs and Chauvin placed his knee in the area of Floyds head and neck, according to the document.

After telling the officers multiple times that he couldnt breathe and saying that he was about to die, one of the officers said, You are talking fine.

Lane then asked, Should we roll him on his side? Chauvin said, No, staying put where we got him.

Lane said, Im worried about excited delirium or whatever.

Chauvin replied, Thats why we have him on his stomach.

At about 8:24 p.m., Floyd stopped moving. About a minute later, he appeared to stop breathing or speaking.

Lane said, [I] want to roll him on his side.

Kueng checked Floyds right wrist for a pulse and said, I couldnt find one.

Chauvin removed his knee from Floyds neck at approximately 8:27 p.m.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy on May 26 that found no physical evidence supporting death due to mechanical asphyxia.

It was noted that Floyd died from cardiopulmonary arrest while being restrained by law enforcement officers.

The autopsy showed that Floyd had arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease. Toxicology testing revealed fentanyl and evidence of recent methamphetamine use.

The medical examiner said the effects of the officers restraint of Floyd combined with his health and the presence of drugs in his body contributed to his death.

Floyds death was ruled a homicide caused by [c]ardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.

An independent autopsy performed by Dr. Michael Baden and Dr. Allecia Wilson "found the manner of Mr. Floyds death was homicide caused by asphyxia due to neck and back compression that led to a lack of blood flow to the brain.

Sustained pressure on the right side of Mr. Floyds carotid artery impeded blood flow to the brain, and weight on his back impeded his ability to breathe, according to a statement released Monday by the office of attorney Ben Crump, co-counsels and Floyds family.

The defendant [Chauvin] and Officers Lange [sic] and Kueng subdued Mr. Floyd prone to the ground in this manner for nearly 9 minutes. During this time, Mr. Floyd repeatedly stated he could not breathe and his physical condition continued to deteriorate such that force was no longer necessary to control him, the criminal complaint against Chauvin reads.

The defendant had his knee on Mr. Floyds neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in total. Two minutes and 53 seconds of this was after Mr. Floyd was non-responsive. Police are trained that this type of restraint with a subject in a prone position is inherently dangerous. Officer Chauvins restraint of Mr. Floyd in this manner for a prolonged period was a substantial causal factor in Mr. Floyd losing consciousness, constituting substantial bodily harm and Mr. Floyds death as well.
Those who were inclined, who had the distance  and, yes, the privilege  to be inclined to give officers and departments the benefit of the doubt can no longer soothe themselves with the illusion that these are random, unrepresentative incidents. Technology in the form of omnipresent video cameras has conclusively ended that debate. Those who are white can no longer rest comfortably in the fiction that this is a problem confined to the other. The affected communities will no longer tolerate the murderous knee on the neck, nor should they; the ensuing outrage consumes us all. As it should. As it must.
Two years ago a trio of social service providers teamed up on a project to co-locate their facilities to improve efficiency in dealing with homelessness in Corvallis.

The Corvallis mens cold weather homeless shelter, the Stone Soup meal service and the Corvallis Daytime Drop-in Center announced plans May 7, 2018 to place all three of their operations in a building on Southwest Second Street.

The plan fell through amid political wrangling and controversy over the downtown site, but the idea has continued to percolate. Now, a new partnership has emerged with the goal of combining social service operations to make serving the homeless more efficient  and effective.

Unity Shelter has been formed as an umbrella organization that will provide oversight to the mens shelter, the Room at the Inn womens shelter and Safe Place/Safe Camp, which includes the camp on West Hills Road and the microshelters at two Corvallis-area churches.

Unity Shelter is being built on a foundation of partnerships, said Jill McAllister, senior minister at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis and the president of Unity Shelters board.

Each of the programs forming Unity Shelter has a history of partnership and collaboration. Each has a history of community support, and each has committed and talented advisory groups of their own. While each is a bit different in their program operations they have a shared commitment to ensuring their services are trauma-informed, and provide a safe environment for their guests, volunteers, staff and the community.

McAlisters organization has served as the fiscal agent for the mens shelter for the past two seasons.

Three experienced program managers will be responsible for Unity Shelters three branches.

Corvallis mens shelter: Shawn Collins, former program manager of the Housing Opportunities Action Council, also has helped run the shelter at 211 Southeast Chapman Place.

Room at the Inn: Sara Power leads this group, bringing experience as executive director of the shelter at the First United Methodist Church as well as participation on the Corvallis Housing First board.

Safe Place/Safe Camp: Cassandra Robertson, who has led a Corvallis Sustainability Coalition committee working on tiny houses, opportunity villages and other housing issues, will manage this group.

McAlister noted four key goals for the Unity Shelter:

1. More people sheltered, housed and cared for and not discriminated against.

2. More effective work to accomplish No. 1, due to more cooperation and collaboration.

3. Wider reach in helping the community understand that this is a responsibility for the entire community, not just faith groups and nonprofits.

4. Creating public/private partnerships for sustained support of this work.

The idea of building a new organization with the potential to strengthen the shelter system in our community seemed like an obvious thing to be a part of for me, said Collins, a former HP Inc. researcher who took over project management of the HOAC while reporting to the executive director of the United Way in a position funded by the city of Corvallis and Benton County.

The work these three programs do every day leverages a network of community partners that has been building for years. It's been inspiring to see this concept evolve from early discussions of interest, through the formation of the board and bylaws, and now the work to define how the integration will move ahead, and how we'll work together. It's a great group of people to work with  I feel lucky to be a part of it.

Board member Mike Moore, a retired builder who serves as communications director for the Corvallis Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, noted that Unity Shelter is not reinventing the wheel, its working to build a better one.

The programs are not new and the funding is not new, said Moore, who built the nonprofits website. Its how can we meet the needs better by working more closely together?

What were going to see is a more cohesive effort to serve our friends and neighbors who are experiencing homelessness. All of us need educating on how to communicate about homelessness. Im still learning about it.

The mens shelter, which normally runs November through March, extended its operations this spring by morphing into a hygiene center offering food, washing stations, laundry service and showers as well as un-posted camping on city property to the north of the shelter.

The womens shelter also was able to extend its services into the spring as the community focused extra effort on assisting vulnerable populations amid the coronavirus. And the stay of the micro shelters at area churches appears on the verge of being extended, given support of the Corvallis City Council at a Thursday work session.

Operating year-round is definitely on the minds of the Unity Shelter group. But for now the focus is on just getting started.

What I want to emphasize, McAlister said, is how incredibly blessed I feel to be working with people who are also dedicated to this, from all walks of life, from different belief traditions and socio-economic locations, in partnerships and collaborations which are truly uplifting, inspiring and life-giving for me.

Working together is the greatest gift of all.

Contact reporter James Day at jim.day@gazettetimes.com or 541-812-6116. Follow at Twitter.com/jameshday or gazettetimes.com/blogs/jim-day.

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"I believe that he should finish the Sheremet case ... For society, he is a stakeholder in this situation, he must bring it to the end," president said.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Press service of Ukrainian President

President Zelensky claims that Minister of the Interior Arsen Avakov should complete the murder of Pavlo Sheremet. And also he noted that there is still no better minister yet. President said this to the press during informal communication at the Zalissya residence on the occasion of Journalists Day, Ukrayinska Pravda reports.



"I believe that he should finish the Sheremet case ... For society, he is a stakeholder in this situation, he must bring it to the end," Zelensky said.



At the same time, president believes that there is still no better Minister of internal affairs than Avakov.



"There is still no better minister. I believe that he is really a powerful minister. I understand why the strike happens. I frankly answered this question that if a person took on some really sensational matter, he must prove it and not leave it in half, "Zelensky said.

Earlier Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has registered a resolution on dismissal of Arsen Avakov from the post of Interior Minister. The relevant resolution  3606 is posted on the parliaments website.

The decision was submitted for consideration. The initiators of the draft resolution are 55 MPs of Holos and Servant of the People factions.

Several Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Kharkiv and Lviv were hosting protest rallies, as people demand the resignation of Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.

In Kyiv, protesters brought an old police van to the square in front of the Parliament building. They lit flares and burned it down - as a symbol of the law enforcement system of Ukraine in the 1990s.

An act of self-immolation was also conducted during the protests in Kyiv. Yurii Liashenko, an entrepreneur from Nova Kakhovka, spoke out against Arsen Avakov because his family had previously been robbed by bandits and police.
The Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, a onetime Presbyterian minister who was an inflammatory and influential crusader against gay rights, winning support on Capitol Hill against what he denounced as "the homosexual agenda," died May 29 in Orange County, California. He was 85.

The death was announced on social media by a son-in-law, James Lafferty. No cause of death was cited.

Rev. Sheldon, who had an endless appetite for confrontation and TV-ready sound bites, founded the Traditional Values Coalition in 1980 and wielded considerable influence over conservative voters and lawmakers for years. From his base in Anaheim, California, he brought an aggressive - not to say abrasive - style of advocacy to what he considered the defense of traditional morality and religion.

A protege of Virginia televangelist Pat Robertson, Rev. Sheldon jumped easily from the pulpit to politics as a self-proclaimed "lobbyist for the Lord." He was once ranked among the 10 most influential figures in the evangelical political movement.

He spoke out on a range of issues, railing against abortion rights, the teaching of evolution and artworks that he deemed hostile to religion, but he reserved his most fiery rhetoric for his "open warfare" toward gay rights and same-sex marriage.

"I'm not a gay basher," he said in a 1989 interview with the Los Angeles Times. "I'm not homophobic. I feel sorry for a guy who can't lay with a woman."

Rev. Sheldon always used the term "homosexual," never "gay," and maintained that homosexuality was a learned behavior, a lifestyle choice. Inevitably, he linked homosexuality to unfounded claims of pedophilia and said it was part of a secular society's "attack on marriage."

"We must protect our children and youth from this homosexual recruiting," he said in a 1994 letter, rallying other pastors to his cause. "You don't want to tolerate sin. You don't want to tolerate perversion."

At the height of his influence, in the 1980s and 1990s, Rev. Sheldon could mobilize hundreds of supporters to appear at legislative hearings and thousands more to write letters to lawmakers. He was a member of the Republican State Central Committee in California and lobbied for municipal ordinances and state legislation to repeal laws outlawing discrimination against gay people in the workplace. He touted what he called "reparative therapy" as a way to change the sexual orientation of gay people - a discredited practice that is illegal in some states.

"This is a man who does a tremendous job of spreading hatred and fear to further his own career," Leonard Graff of the San Francisco-based National Gay Rights Advocates told the Los Angeles Times in 1989. "He's very dangerous."

With the rise of Republicans in Congress in the 1990s, Rev. Sheldon became a powerful figure in conservative circles. With Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., installed as speaker of the House in 1995, Rev. Sheldon once delivered a prayer in the House chamber as a guest chaplain - drawing ire from Democrats who said the prayer violated rules against registered lobbyists appearing on the House floor.

"I'm not saying that you've got to have the state adopting theological statements - absolutely not," Rev. Sheldon told the New York Times in 1994, treading a line between politics and religion. "But what the Bible teaches in morals and in behavior is relevant to public policy. And there are millions of people who are holding to that firm belief."

As gay people and gay rights became more widely accepted, ultimately resulting in a 2015 Supreme Court decision approving same-sex marriage, Rev. Sheldon kept up his attacks, preaching to a shrinking congregation.

By 2008, his Traditional Values Coalition was called an anti-LGBTQ hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors extremist organizations. Rev. Sheldon and some of his followers considered it a badge of honor. In 2018, as the coalition shut down its website and became increasingly irrelevant, the designation was removed.

"We know that in America the people are with us," Rev. Sheldon maintained in 2006. "They're just confused."

Louis Philip Sheldon was born June 11, 1934, in Washington. His father was raised as a Protestant, his mother as an Orthodox Jew. At 16, Louis heard a sermon and adopted a fervent evangelical Christian faith.

He graduated from Michigan State University in 1957 and received a master of divinity degree from the Princeton Theological Seminary in 1960. He became an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America, a conservative offshoot of the larger and more mainstream Presbyterian Church (USA).

During the 1960s, Rev. Sheldon was associated with Robertson, an influential force in evangelicalism, and worked on political campaigns in Delaware and North Dakota, where he was a church pastor. In 1969, he moved to California's Orange County, then a conservative stronghold. One of his political patrons was Rep. William Dannemeyer, R-Calif., a longtime anti-gay zealot.

Rev. Sheldon was a church pastor in Anaheim until 1980, when he devoted himself full time to the Traditional Values Coalition. In 2012, he left the Presbyterian ministry to become a priest of the Anglican Church in North America, a conservative sect that broke from the mainstream Episcopal Church.

Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Beverly Sheldon of Newport Beach, California; four children; and several grandchildren.

A longtime opponent of gambling, Rev. Sheldon was revealed in newspaper reports in the late 1990s and early 2000s to have accepted tens of thousands of dollars in donations from gambling interests, including from convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

"Politics makes strange bedfellows," Rev. Sheldon said at the time. "The devil had that money long enough. It was about time we got our hands on it."

In 2011, Rev. Sheldon's daughter, Andrea Sheldon Lafferty - whose husband was a spokesman for former House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas - became president of the Traditional Values Coalition. Disputes between Rev. Sheldon and his daughter spilled over into lawsuits about management of the organization and its funds, at least one of which is still ongoing.

"I'm not the kind of person who can go into a room and sit quietly," Rev. Sheldon told the Los Angeles Times in 1989. "I don't care what other people say. I'm no paper tiger."
Car prices in Vietnam are predicted to continue falling with many discount programmes due to large inventory and slow sales.

It is estimated that up to 50,000 cars are left in the firms' inventories. Many of them are cars made in 2019 and 2018. Some firms have to search for more warehouses to store the cars. The oversupply situation has occurred since late 2019 and got worse during the Covid-19 outbreak.



According to the Department of Industry, most firms have resumed operation after social distancing but at low capacity due to high inventories. Data from the General Statistics Office showed that a large number of the cars in inventory were assembled domestically. This has been the most difficult time yet for the local automobile industry. Moreover, domestically-assembled cars still have to compete with completely built-up imported cars from Thailand and Indonesia.



The government has reduced the registration fee for new domestically-assembled cars by 50% for 2020 and extended the deadline for excise tax payments and other fees incurred since March. Decree 57 has been issued to help domestically-assembled cars have lower prices. The decree will waive import duty for parts needed in car assembling that Vietnam can't make yet.



Meanwhile, various discount and promotional campaigns have been launched to attract customers. VinFast announced that they will pay all registration fees for customers who buy Lux A2.0 and Lux SA2.0 this year. Cars dated back do 2019 and 2018 have even higher discounts. Many firms have worked with banks to provide preferential loans for customers. For some small cars, customers don't have to pay interest for the first two years.



It is predicted that the industry will pick up in the last two quarters despite modest growth. If Covid-19 pandemic continues to develop complicatedly, the industry will be affected until 2021. Discount programmes will be rolled out constantly until Tet Holiday to help sell cars.



Finding customers and balancing monthly basic expenses are still the most difficult tasks. Many firms have to cut staff and operations in order to maintain businesses. Distributors and retail agents are also affected.



The automobile industry contributes 3% of the GDP each year with over USD7bn in 2019. Dtinews
Mimi Mefo archives

Mimi Mefo Takambou has taken to Facebook to query President Paul Biya about the legacy he intends to leave behind following the death in military custody of journalist Samuel Wazizi.

On Friday, President Biya took to Facebook to announce that he had granted successive audiences to French Ambassador Christophe Guilhou and outgoing South Korean Ambassador Bok-Ryeol Rhyou.

In a comment on the above post, Mimi Mefo reminded the 87-year-old leader that the last vestiges of the rigour and morality he promised Cameroonians have all faded away with the death of journalist Wazizi in military custody.

Hear Mimi Mefo: A journalist who was arrested by soldiers loyal to you has died in custody. Is that the country you want to leave behind Mr President? Because, you will definitely not be in power forever. Where is the justice and rigour you promised your people? Can you do something about this? We want Justice For Wazizi.

A statement issued by military spokesperson Commander Cyrille Serge Atonfack Guemo on Friday, June 5, alleges that Wazizi died of severe sepsis on August 17, 2019. The statement denied that Wazizi had been tortured or abused, and said that the journalists family had been in contact with him in custody.

The journalists family members however say they were not able to contact Wazizi since shortly after his arrest on August 2, 2019, and were not made aware of his death until a news report on June 3. Police arrested Wazizi on August 2, 2019, and transferred him to military custody on August 7, after which he was held incommunicado, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ. His lawyers, family, and colleagues say they were left in the dark about Wazizis whereabouts until news of his death broke.

The Cameroonian governments cruel treatment of journalist Samuel Wazizi is truly shocking. It is unbelievable that authorities covered up his death in custody for 10 months despite repeated inquiries from press freedom advocates and his family, colleagues, friends, and lawyers, said Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa program coordinator.

French Ambassador Christophe Guilhou told newsmen in Yaounde yesterday that President Biya had promised to open an investigation to shed light on the circumstances surrounding Wazizis death.

Cameroon-Info.Net recalls that Ms. Mefo, head of English news at the privately-owned Equinoxe Television and Radio at the time, was arrested on November 7, 2018, on charges of "publishing and propagating information that infringes on the territorial integrity of the Republic of Cameroon".

She had been freed on 10 November and charges dropped two days later. An army spokesman said the president had decided to stop the prosecution - by a military tribunal - as "a gesture of magnanimity".

Local and international media campaign groups had called for her release. Before her arrest, Ms. Mefo had complained of receiving several threats over her reporting of unrest in English-speaking regions. She left Cameroon early last year and is based in Germany where she currently works with Deutsche Welle.
A Delhi government panel has suggested that the health infrastructure of the city should be used only for treating residents of the national capital in view of the COVID-19 crisis, sources said on Saturday.

The panel, headed by Indraprastha University vice-chancellor Dr Mahesh Verma, has submitted its report to the government in which it has said that if Delhi health infrastructure is open for non-residents, all beds will be occupied within three days.

The other members of panel are Dr Sunil Kumar, medical director of GTB Hospital; Dr Arun Gupta, president of Delhi Medical Council; Dr RK Gupta, former president of Delhi Medical Association; and Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, the group medical director of Max Hospital.

Their suggestions came on a day when Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged there are some private hospitals who are indulging in black marketing of beds in response to reports that there is a shortage of beds for coronavirus patients in the city.

Warning of strict action, Kejriwal said Delhi government teams are monitoring the "black marketing of beds" and said strict action will be taken in the next few days if hospitals do not start admitting patients, even as he said that some specialised hospitals have come forward with genuine concerns.

An official said that the government will soon take a decision on the report of the panel, constituted earlier this week. The Delhi government had asked the panel to guide it on healthcare infrastructure augmentation and overall preparedness of hospitals to battle COVID-19 in the national capital.

The panel was also asked to guide the government on any other area where strengthening of infrastructure is required to better manage the pandemic in Delhi.

On Friday, Delhi recorded 1,330 fresh coronavirus cases taking the COVID-19 tally in the city beyond the 26,000-mark as the death toll jumped to 708. The highest spike in fresh cases -- 1513 -- was recorded on June 3.

Earlier this week, the government had directed that asymptomatic COVID-19 patients and those having mild symptoms be discharged from hospitals within 24 hours of admission, and district surveillance officers should be reported.

The government had warned hospitals that non-compliance will be viewed seriously and invite legal action "without further notice".

On June 1, Kejriwal had announced sealing of Delhi's borders for a week in the wake of rising numbers of coronavirus cases in the national capital.

The Delhi government had received over 7.5 lakh suggestions from people on whether the borders should be reopened and health services of hospitals be restricted to the treatment of only Delhiites, according to an official statement on Friday evening.

Sources in the government had said on Friday that the borders can be reopened, but services of the Delhi government-run health facilities may be reserved only for the people of the national capital.

However, health services in the Centre-run hospitals may be available for people belonging to other states.

(With inputs from PTI)
Seven Great Hands from the Super High Roller Bowl Online Heads Up

June 05, 2020

The first online edition of the Super High Roller Bowl wrapped up June 2 on partypoker, and history was made, or at least extended, as Justin Bonomo triumphed yet again for his third SHRB victory.

However, the journey to victory proved as much of a story as the victory itself, for those who tuned in to the final table coverage on partypoker's Twitch channel.

That's because Bonomo had to get through Michael Addamo heads up, and they sparred across two epic hours of play. Huge bluffs, insane hero calls and even a bet of six-times pot on the river. This match had it all, and PokerNews relived the entire thing to bring you the most exciting hands the two played, showcasing the amazing skill of each participant.

Give partypoker a try today!

1. Addamo Hero Calls an Overbet With Bottom Pair

After starting with a nice lead, Addamo was down to just 2.8 million at 80,000/160,000/20,000. He limped in with and Bonomo checked his option with .

The flop brought two checks, leading to a board of . Bonomo bet 160,000 and Addamo called. The river was the and Addamo had 2.6 million left. With the pot at 680,000, Bonomo bet about half of his opponent's stack, 1,380,000.

The bet of double the pot was met with a snap-call by Addamo who decided his bottom pair and blockers were good enough to call and was rewarded with the pot.

2. Addamo Gets River Raise Paid With Second Pair

The next level, at 100,000/200,000/25,000, Addamo opened for a min-raise on the button with and Bonomo defended with .

On the flop, Bonomo check-called 212,000. Both players checked the , bringing a river. Bonomo went with a block sizing of 382,000 into 1,275,000. Addamo raised to 1.4 million and Bonomo called, giving Addamo a pot of 4 million that evened out the stacks.

3. Bonomo Gets Heroic With Ace-High

Bonomo still had a slight lead at the same level when he opened button for 400,000 with and Addamo called with .

Both players checked the flop, leading to a board of . Addamo bet 283,000 into 850,000 and Bonomo called. The board paired with the and Addamo barreled again with 471,000.

Holding just ace-high on the wet board, Bonomo called the small sizing and was rewarded with a pot of more than 2.3 million.

Bonomo wound up victorious on partypoker.

4. Addamo Bluffs All In on River, Gets Through

In a limped pot at the same level, the flop came and Addamo checked. Bonomo bet 200,000 with and Addamo called with . Both players checked the , bringing a river.

Addamo checked and Bonomo bet pretty large with 600,000 into 850,000. Addamo shoved all in for 5,430,000. The sizable jam convinced Bonomo to lay down his hand in a hurry and Addamo was once again within striking distance.

5. Bonomo Rips in Six Times the Pot

In a hand that was so wild that the commentators assumed the graphics had erred, the two players got to the turn for the minimum with the board reading .

Bonomo broke the ice by betting 250,000 into 450,000 holding for a total airball in position. Addamo had a weak hand also but paired on the turn with , so he called, improving to trips on the river.

With 950,000 in the pot and Addamo having 5.6 million behind, Bonomo crammed it all in after Addamo checked. The Australian decided to let his trips go.

6. Bonomo Gets Thin Value Revenge

With blinds having moved to 125,000/250,000/30,000, Bonomo min-raised on the button with . Addamo called with .

Each player checked the flop and turn, leading to a board of . Addamo bet big with 705,000 and Bonomo fired in a sizable raise to 2,340,000. Addamo called with his inferior kicker, falling into the same trap he had gotten Bonomo with awhile earlier.

7. Addamo Calls Massive River Bet With Queen-High

Despite the setback, Addamo worked his way back to where stacks were nearly dead even a bit later at the same level.

Bonomo attempted to limp in with but Addamo popped it to 1 million with .

Neither connected with the flop but both continued as Addamo bet small with 400,000 and Bonomo called, bringing a . Both players checked, and the river was a . Addamo checked and Bonomo made a pot-sized bet of 2,860,000.

Although that was almost half of his remaining stack, Addamo clicked call and won the pot to take the lead in the match, although he wouldn't be able to hold as Bonomo would topple him about half an hour later.

Addamo pulled off numerous sick plays in the lengthy match.
They share four children, Theodora, seven, Charlton, five, Coco, 20 months and four-month-old baby Beau.

And Ayda Field has revealed her and Robbie Williams, 46, have not discussed his wild past with their children, but when the time is right she will be honest.

The former X Factor judge, 41, said her oldest daughter is 'so clued up' when it comes to asking questions about his life before they started a family.

Open for discussion: Ayda Field has revealed her and Robbie Williams, 46, have not discussed his wild past with their children, but when the time is right she will be honest

Talking to The Sun, Ayda shared: 'Teddy on a few occasions has seen Robbie in an old video and says, "Mum, did he date anyone before you?" I have to say, "Yes, Teddy he did". She's so clued up.'

She continued: 'She has no idea how promiscuous their daddy was before me. But we are going to have to discuss Daddy's past, Daddy's drugs, Daddy's dating.

'I'm obviously going to be the angel in comparison, that's fine by me.'

Robbie has previously been open and honest about his wild past and problems with addiction.

'Clued up': The actress, 41, said her oldest daughter is 'so clued up' when it comes to asking questions about his life before they started a family (pictured with Theodora and Charlton)

He previously admitted he was just '24 hours away from death' at the height of his addiction, which saw him taking a dangerous cocktail of drugs.

He said in 2009: 'I would do 20 Vicodin in a night. I might have been 24 hours away from dying. Then I'd take Adderall, which was like speed for people with ADHD. I'd be doing colossal, heart-stopping amounts of that.

'It was the American addiction. Prescription pills. It wasn't the best period of my life. You see Anna Nicole Smith goes off - pills. Michael Jackson goes off - pills. And Heath Ledger. I can relate to all of that.'

Ayda said: 'She has no idea how promiscuous their daddy was before me. But we are going to have to discuss Daddy's past, Daddy's drugs, Daddy's dating' (pictured in 1995)

Robbie was admitted to a clinic in Arizona in 2007, on his 33rd birthday.

In 2015, the father-of-four spoke candidly about his struggles with drugs and mental illness at a press conference. Robbie said: 'In 2006, I went on a world tour and I ended up doing rehab and I decided that I was going to retire.

'I didn't tell anybody because I knew that it was b******s and I was second guessing myself that I really hadn't retired, so I spent three years retired and it's taken me a long time to come back.'

Now, the star resides in LA with his family where he is currently isolating amid the coronavirus lockdown.

On Friday, he enlisted the help of his wife with shaving his head as hairdressers continue to remain closed during the global pandemic.

New do': On Friday, he enlisted the help of his wife with shaving his head as hairdressers continue to remain closed during the global pandemic

The Angels hitmaker was chopping off his salt-and-pepper locks with an electric razor in his bathroom when the actress came and filmed his progress.

Concerned for his safety Ayda asked if he was using a guard on the razor, but Robbie confirmed he wasn't as he said 'extreme things happening in the area.'

Ayda claimed his shaved head looked like a mullet and looked 'prety f****d up' as he still hadn't chopped off his locks at the back, prompting him to ask for assistance.

Doting on her husband the TV personality happily took the razor to help him, and carefully shaved his head while making sure she wasn't hurting him.
Colombo, June 6 : A person has been arrested in Sri Lanka for allegedly forging the signature of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and misusing Presidential letterheads, it was reported.

The suspect has produced a letter to the Chairman of Bank of Ceylon on a Presidential letterhead with Rajapaksa forged signature, requesting to reinstate him with his salary, allowances, and a promotion, reports the Daily Financial Times on Friday.

Bank of Ceylon authorities, upon finding that the President's signature had been forged, summoned him to headquarters, and later he was arrested by the police.

Police officers seized the laptop and other accessories used to prepare the forged documents.

The suspect has been remanded until June 8 after being produced in court, the Criminal Investigation Department said.
Tammy Hembrow has pledged her support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

The 26-year-old Australian influencer shared a photo to Instagram of herself at a protest in Brisbane on Saturday, alongside the caption 'BLACK LIVES MATTER'.

Tammy previously alerted fans to the event details - a demonstration in solidarity with the U.S. protests while also calling for justice for Aboriginal deaths in custody.

Taking a stand: Tammy Hembrow (in grey), 26, showed her support for the Black Lives Matter movement as she attended a protest in Brisbane on Saturday

In the photo shared on Saturday, the fitness mogul dressed casually and held up a cardboard sign with the text 'BLACK LIVES MATTER'.

Just a day prior, Tammy slammed 'ignorant people' in another Instagram post.

The mother-of-two shared a behind-the-scenes picture from a photo shoot on Thursday where she was seen rolling her eyes.

Vocal: On Friday, Tammy slammed 'ignorant people' in an Instagram post, after pledging her support for the Black Lives Matter movement

'When you realise just how many ignorant people there really are out there,' she wrote in the post's caption.

On Monday night, Tammy addressed the #BlackLivesMatter protests which have erupted in the U.S. in response to the death of George Floyd.

The entrepreneur shared a post with her 11 million Instagram followers declaring her solidarity with anti-police brutality demonstrators.

Speaking out: On Monday night, the fitness mogul addressed the #BlackLivesMatter protests which have erupted in the U.S. in response to the death of George Floyd

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.

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.'

Statement: Tammy shared this post with her 11 million Instagram followers, declaring her solidarity with anti-police brutality demonstrators in America and around the world

One of her followers replied, 'But I thought you were a person of colour.' In response to this, Tammy clarified her ethnic background.

'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.

Debate: 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

Background: Tammy's father, Mark Hembrow, is a white Australian. Her mother, Nathalie Stanley (pictured), is of mixed heritage from Trinidad and Tobago

'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.

Tammy's father, Mark Hembrow, is a white Australian. Her mother, Nathalie Stanley, is of mixed heritage from Trinidad and Tobago.

Tammy 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.'
He denied suffering from a stroke after he was seen slurring his speech during the live American Idol finale last month.

And while Ryan Seacrest put it down to 'adjusting to the new normal and finding work-home balance,' sources are claiming he's looking to make some serious lifestyle changes.

The 45-year-old, who has been doing his New York based Live With Kelly & Ryan from his Los Angeles home, amid lockdown, is reportedly looking to permanently return to California.

Home: Ryan Seacrest reportedly wants to move back to Los Angeles permanently, as he feels is health is better in California. He has been on the West Coast ever since lockdowns took place

'He has nothing against New York, but he feels that he was healthier in L.A.,' a source told Closer Weekly.

'Ryan admitted hes been exhausted since his health scare in mid-May.'

While the TV and radio star hasn't set anything in stone, the publication reported that his current stay in Los Angeles during the COVID-19 pandemic has 'got him thinking.'

Concerning: Ryan Seacrest denied suffering a stroke after he appeared to struggle during the American Idol broadcast last month

At home: Ryan Seacrest is currently spending time with girlfriend Shayna Taylor in Los Angeles, amid lockdown

'Ryan knows the show needs the hosts in the same room  but right now, hes dreading the thought of not living in California,' they added.

And if the On Air With Ryan Seacrest host did decide to move, it would 'create some major changes' for the ABC talk show.

His move would mean he would leave his co-host, Kelly Ripa, which she is already reportedly 'nervous' about as she 'loves working with him.'

Ryan has been isolating back in Los Angeles with his girlfriend, Shayna Taylor.

As for Kelly, she's been reported to be quarantining in a Caribbean Island with her family, after choosing to stay there following their arrival for a vacation back in March.

Team: His move would mean he would leave his co-host, Kelly Ripa, which she is already reportedly 'nervous' about as she 'loves working with him.'

The pair began working together in May 2017 - following a year long co-host search following Michael Strahan's shock departure that left Kelly shocked and furious as she was not in the know.

And while Ryan toys with the idea of relocating back to Los Angeles, the show has only been renewed for the 2019-2020 season at this point.

This comes after fans were left concerned for Ryan during the American Idol finale.

Ryan was seemingly struggling to read off his script and his right eye looked smaller than his left - leading many to believe he had suffered a stroke.

He also did not appear on Live With Kelly And Ryan the following morning.

However, a rep told People at the time: 'Ryan did not have any kind of stroke last night,'

A rep for Ryan told People the following day: 'Ryan did not have any kind of stroke last night,'

Is he ok? The veteran TV host appeared out of sorts towards the end of the broadcast

'Like many people right now, Ryan is adjusting to the new normal and finding work-home balance, with the added stress of having to put on live shows from home.'

They continued: 'Between Live with Kelly and Ryan, American Idol, On Air with Ryan Seacrest, and the Disney Family Singalong specials, he has been juggling three to four on-air jobs over the last few weeks and hes in need of rest,

'So today he took a well-deserved day off.' the rep added.

Ryan's co-host Kelly Ripa shared on Monday that Ryan decided to take the morning off after 'working late on American Idol'.

The usually flawless TV veteran appeared so out of sorts that dozens of viewers shared their concerns on social media, questioning whether Ryan was ill or if he'd suffered a stroke

Something's wrong: Viewers expressed concerns after Ryan seemed to struggle through his script

Kelly's husband, Mark Consuelos, filled in as a guest co-host for the show.

The usually flawless TV veteran appeared so out of sorts that dozens of viewers shared their concerns on social media, questioning whether Ryan was ill or if he'd suffered a stroke.

'Im a speech-language pathologist and just watched Ryan Seacrest at the end of the American Idol show. His right eye and corner of the right side of his mouth both appeared to droop on air. He seemed disoriented momentarily and his speech sounded slurred,' one person observed.

'Ryan Seacrest are you ok?? You look like something's wrong' wrote one fan while another shared 'I think something is wrong with Ryan Seacrest, BIG TIME. Did anyone else notice his eye and the delay in speech?'
Thats the message he has been sharing with his friends and family since he was 16, when he began getting civically engaged and organizing. Now he is a member of various grassroots, youth-led organizations across the Southwest Side with agendas that include preaching black and brown unity to dismantle racism.
University of Toronto team awarded CIHR grant to study impact of cannabis use on Indigenous oral health

A multidisciplinary team from the University of Toronto, with experts from the Faculty of Dentistry and the Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health have been awarded a five year, $1.5 million grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to study the impact of cannabis use on the oral health of Indigenous populations.

The researchers will work in partnership with Indigenous communities and public health authorities, including Norway House Cree Nation (Kinosao Sipi Cree Nation) in northern Manitoba; the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA), with the First Nations of Moose Factory, Fort Albany, Attawapiskat, Weenusk (Peawanuck), and Kashechewan, and the town of Moosonee in northern Ontario; and Alberta Health Services (AHS) in Calgary, Alberta.

Over the course of the study, participants will be monitored for changes in their oral health and oral microbiome, including inflammation of the oral mucosa and periodontal tissues and the development of pre-cancerous lesions and cancers of the mouth, head and neck, and changes in oral and facial sensory function.

DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN OF DISEASE

The CIHR study aims to provide first evidence of the oral health risks associated with cannabis use in Canada's Indigenous populations, which already experience a disproportionate burden of oral disease. Legalized just two years ago, studies have shown that there are oral health risks associated with cannabis in users, including an increase in periodontal diseases. Indigenous leaders and public health experts have expressed concerns regarding the escalated risks in these vulnerable communities.

"Indigenous people are resilient. Cannabis is one issue that has been discussed in many First Nations communities and how it affects the community," says Angela Mashford-Pringle, assistant professor and associate director of the Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health (WBIIH) at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and co-principal investigator of the grant. "There is a need to understand the dental and health effects of cannabis for First Nations communities."

"Knowing how big an impact the use of cannabis has on oral health indicators among the Indigenous population will be critical towards the development of new policies and guidelines in prevention and treatment of oral diseases," says Siew-Ging Gong, associate professor at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Dentistry and a co-principal investigator of the grant.

INDIGENOUS LEARNING CIRCLE MODEL

The study also hopes to raise awareness in these communities of the impact of cannabis on oral health, and to do so in culturally appropriate, Indigenous-focused ways. The team will use what's known as the Learning Circle model, in which Elders and other community members share their knowledge.

"The Learning Circle utilizes the First Nations Principles of OCAP, which stands for First Nations' Ownership, Control, Access and Possession of data and data collection processes in their communities," says Herenia Lawrence, associate professor at the Faculty of Dentistry and principal investigator of the grant.

With an emphasis on oral transmission of knowledge rooted within Indigenous communities and their values, the researchers hope to create respectful health research relationships that can have long-lasting impact on Indigenous communities' health.

Adds Lawrence, "The Circles will allow us to evaluate the research outcomes through the lens of the community."

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO INVESTIGATORS

Herenia Lawrence, associate professor, Faculty of Dentistry (project lead)

Iacopo Cioffi, assistant professor, Faculty of Dentistry

Siew-Ging Gong, associate professor, Faculty of Dentistry

Jose Lanca, assistant professor, Faculty of Dentistry

Celine Levesque, associate professor and Canada Research Chair in Oral Microbial Genetics, Faculty of Dentistry

Marco Magalhaes, assistant professor, Faculty of Dentistry

Angela Mashford-Pringle, associate professor, associate director of the Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health (WBIIH), Dalla Lana School of Public Health

###

This story has been published on: 2020-06-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
WASHINGTON  The Senate landscape has improved so much for Democrats that top party operatives are calling and texting one another to say they wish the election were held today.

Election Day is still five months away, but recent polls, fundraising deficits and other problems for Republican incumbents have diminished their prospects and opened up several possible avenues for Democrats to take control of the chamber.

I would rather be the Democrats than Republicans right now, said Jessica Taylor, the Senate editor of the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election forecaster. Democrats have expanded the map and put Republicans on defense even in some very red states.

The stakes are enormous for the legislative agenda of the next president  a re-elected Donald Trump or apparent Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who leads in national polls and most swing states  as well as the future of the courts. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the leader of the liberal wing, turns 88 next year, and the next Senate might get to confirm her successor.

Trump's struggles in historically Republican states, like Arizona and Georgia, are creating collateral damage for his party's Senate candidates. Public skepticism of Trump's handling of the pandemic, and a Biden's expanding lead since the nationwide backlash to George Floyd's death, has put many GOP Senate candidates in a difficult position. They're forced to navigate a polarizing president whose ardent supporters they cannot afford to alienate and whose skeptics they'll likely need to attract to win.

Democrats currently have 47 seats  four short of an outright majority and three shy of a controlling number should Biden win as his vice president could cast any tie-breaking votes. Theyre more likely than not to lose one seat in Alabama, held by Sen. Doug Jones, but have lots of pickup opportunities. GOP-held seats in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and North Carolina are rated toss up by the Cook Political Report.

Story continues

Republicans are defending another five seats  in Iowa, Kansas, Montana and two in Georgia  that are in play but lean GOP, while Democrats are defending a seat in Michigan, where theyre favored. Of the 11 most competitive seats, Republicans are defending nine and Democrats two.

Image: Doug Jones (Bill Clark / CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images file)

Polls look grim for Republicans

A few months ago, Democrats felt uncertain about winning the majority as Sens. Cory Gardner of Colorado and Susan Collins of Maine are the only Republican targets in states Trump lost in 2016.

Lately theyre feeling so good that Biden said at a fundraiser last week that he believes Democrats will pick up six Senate seats, without elaborating, according to a pool report.

For the moment, all of the things that need to happen for Democrats to take control of the Senate are happening, said Guy Cecil, chairman of the Democratic super PAC Priorities USA, which plans to spend more than $200 million to win the White House and Senate. Im optimistic that we can win back the Senate.

Image: John Hickenlooper (Charlie Neibergall / AP)

Image: Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., listens to testimony during a hearing on Capitol Hill on April 10, 2019. (Susan Walsh / AP file)

Some GOP operatives fear that races like Colorado and Arizona  once thought to be close  are slipping away while Maine and North Carolina are becoming too close for comfort.

The nonpartisan newsletter Inside Elections rates Gardner's seat as "tilt Democratic."

Collins, meanwhile, did not join Trump during his visit to Maine on Friday, although she denied that the president was hurting her chances of re-election. But she said Democrats' attacks on her have had an impact as she has been out-raised and out-spent: "Its the barrage of unfounded falsehoods that have taken a toll," she said.

Arizona's Republican Sen. Martha McSally has consistently trailed former astronaut Mark Kelly, husband of former Rep. Gabby Giffords, since last August, including by 13 points in a new Fox News survey.

And in North Carolina, Thom Tillis, the GOP incumbent, and his Democratic opponent, former state Sen. Cal Cunningham, were statistically tied in two recent polls.

A Montana State University poll in April found that state's Democratic governor, Steve Bullock, leading Republican Sen. Steve Daines by 7 points after Bullock's late entry breathed life into a red-state race that Democrats had all but written off.

And in Georgia, appointed Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, sworn in this year, drew criticism for stock trades made on her behalf after early coronavirus briefings, for which shes been cleared by the Justice Department. Loeffler, who said she was unaware of the transactions at the time, faces a contentious "jungle primary" that includes Republican Rep. Doug Collins.

Image: Sen. Martha McSally, R-AZ, listens to testimony at a hearing at the Capitol on May 6, 2020. (Shawn Thew / Getty Images file)

Image: Mark Kelly speaks with guests at a summit in Atlanta in 2014. (Branden Camp / AP file)

Coronavirus upends the dynamics

Republicans say the political environment will change as coronavirus lockdowns continue to ease after claiming more than 100,000 lives and Americans start to return to work.

Where we stand today is not an accurate picture of where we will be, said GOP consultant Brad Todd, who counts Tillis and Gardner as clients. We've been in such an abnormal position for the past 60 days that projecting it forward is careless, if not hubris.

Todd said Republicans will be helped by elevating the question of which party voters trust to rebuild the economy.

"I don't see anybody thinking that by October the economy has bounced back completely, he said.

National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman Jesse Hunt said most Democratic candidates have not yet faced the scrutiny that GOP incumbents have.

Democratic challengers have lived a charmed life up to this point, Hunt said. As the ad wars begin to heat up and the press begins to scrutinize these Democrats, their records and scandals will be laid bare for voters to see and evaluate whether or not they are capable of handling the immense challenges facing the Senate.

Image: Sara Gideon in Augusta, Maine, in 2016. (Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald via Getty Images file)

Image: Sen. Suasn Collins, R-ME, adjusts her mask before a committee hearing in Washington on May 12, 2020. (Toni L. Sandys / AFP - Getty Images file)

But Lauren Passalacqua, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said Republicans will pay a price for their efforts to repeal or overturn Affordable Care Act protections, as health care remains a top issue for voters.

"Democrats are focused on the issues that matter to voters, including affordable health care coverage, and are reporting record-breaking grassroots support, which is how weve expanded the map and continue to move these races in our direction," she said.

Republicans, meanwhile, are hyping the Michigan race after GOP businessman and Iraq war veteran John James out-raised Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. Polls roundly show Peters leading.

Overall, the Cook Political Report's Taylor said, Democratic challengers are by far out-raising the Republicans early on.
India as a landlocked country in the north, shares its borders with seven other countries with each country posing as a different type of political and geographical problem to the country. The current news of the Indo-Sino border issues ensued a large flair among the Indian Population with Indians seeking to #boycottchina, apps were specifically created in this context and many others. The Indian war with China and Pakistan has been one of long imminence and long-standing. However, the outrage against China stems from the notification of the Nepal Government regarding the Himalayan border and its geographical position in India or Nepal.

Background

The India-China border problem dates back to the 1962 war. The lack of a clearly demarcated boundary between the two countries continues despite countless rounds of talks. The controversy began at the helm of the government of India announcing the inauguration of an 80km ling road that is set to pass the LipuLekh, which is a disputed land at the three-way junction of India, Nepal and China on May 8th. The unilaterally built motorway links India's Uttarakhand State to Tibet's Kailash Man Sarovar via the LipuLekh Pass, a territory historically claimed by Nepal and considered one of the shortest and most practicable trade routes between India and China.

The small Himalayan nation challenged India's inauguration of the road, viewing the move as another example of bullying by its much larger neighbour. It is believed that with this roadway, India has moved its frontier China, and has gained a direct access into the Purang Highway in Tibet, which changes the status quo in the region with India not needing direct access of China. China is therefore now to believe that using Nepal, India has gained a dominant position in the region with a geographical advantage.

The Nepal Issue

The Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli in response issued a new map that showed that the disputed areas are included in the Nepal map in accordance to the 1816 Surgali treaty with the British Raj.The treaty recognized the Kali River as Nepals western boundary with India and the land lying east of the river is Nepalese territory. People living in Kalapani, LipuLekh and Limpiyadhura had cast votes during Nepal's 1959 general election and been paying taxes before the conflict erupted. India then fought a war with China in 1962, and these areas have remained in control of Indian troops since.

The Prime Minister has stated that the areas belong in Nepal and vowed to reclaim the same through political and diplomatic efforts. Though many believe that this has been done at the behest of the Chinese government in an attempt to reclaim the status quo, the same relationship has not been verified. This allegation has been in light of the increased economic activities in the Nepal-Sino frontier. But the Indian side remains clear that these changes to the map are not found on any historic basis as per the Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Mr. Anurag Srivastava.

Chinas Intervention

On May 9th, one day after the issuance of the map there was a clash of the soldiers on the Indo-Sino Border near Pangong Tso in the eastern area of Ladakh. Further, in the Galwan valley of Ladakh, the Indian Patrol was stopped by Chinese soldiers. With this, it has been alleged that China wants to paint India as the aggressor of the Act. The Chinese forces are moving into the border areas into Indian Territory along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

It is believed that Nepal, keeping aside the long standing war with China has started to launch a diplomatic attack on India as a painted oppressor and therefore, the issuance of the map and the movement of the Chinese soldiers aggression into the Indian territory in the same time as the inauguration of the roadway has not been considered a mere coincident. It was stated as a well-planned attack on the geography of India, so that China can assert dominance over the sub-continent much like the ruling sentiment of China being bold and tough, Economic Times wrote.

The Politics

Since the Chinese government is in the middle of its annual 2 Sessions of the CPCC (Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Process) and NPC (National Peoples Congress), China is on the path to portray itself as strong and outthere. The same was proven with the Hong Kong protest and bill that is being passed. Therefore, the Chinese Government are on the attacking end of things with tackling each thing down with the resources at hand, which India lacks as it fights Corona virus.

After emerging as the victor from both the 2013 and the 2017 face-off with China, India is clearly not in the look out for a conflict, noting that the government has remained the same stated Pratyush Rao, AD for South Asia at Control Risks consultancy as the economic risk this has in a down playing economy cannot be anticipated. Therefore, in conclusion both the Nepal and Indian counterparts are ready for a diplomatic solution while the Chinese involvement is prominent and still posses a threat that needs to be resolved by the authorities in a timely manner so as to not affect the country in tense times like these. Many people therefore believe that the Indian Government must look at this situation as a combined one and not isolated events and deal with them accordingly.

Other Geographical rifts

Conflicts between states on the basis of territory and geographical resources are not limited to India, though India does possess numerous threats from all the neighbouring countries in this regard. Partition has been an inherent part of the development of societies, with wars, treaties and other political reforms. Therefore, in understanding the Indo-Sino-Nepal Territory issue, here are few of the other prominent ones across the world 

India and Pakistan over Jammu and Kashmir  This has been one of the biggest conflicts that the countries have on an international basis. This conflict dates from the partition in 1947 to the Kargil war of 1999 as well as the Surgical Strike in 2016. Jammu & Kashmir remains the area with the highest tension with communal riots, army interference which also affects the life in the area. With constant interference in the telecommunications, media, freedom of the land has always been at risk. Many attempts at solving this by various institutions remains unsuccessful, making it a dangerous conflict-stricken territory based on geographical relationships shared by the Countries.

Israel and Palestine over the Gaza Strip and West Bank Both the territories in conflict were a part of the British mandated Palestine after World War I. However, after World War II, there was a strong voice from the Arabs in Palestine for a separate region. In 1947, the new state of Israel was founded with more land than anticipated due to their win in the first Arab  Israeli war. However, even in 1967 other Arab Countries refused to recognise Israel as a State leading to another war where Israel occupied more of Palestine.

However, the Israel occupied lands of Gaza Strip and West Bank were home to many Palestinians due to which Israel started to build settlements in these areas for the Jews. As peace treaties have tried to divide the land, since both the countries still claim these lands, the turmoil still pertains.

North Korea and South Korea over the Peninsula  Until 1945, at the end of World War II, the country was unified. The allies divided the Korean Peninsula into different occupation zones. The Soviet Polices were popular in the North while the middle-classpopulation favouring the US was in the South. Due to this, the UN had to interfere. With this interference, separate governments were established in the North(communist) and the South (anti-communist). In 1950, the Korean War broke further dividing the two countries and led to the signing of an armistice. A 2-mile-wide demilitarized zone was created similar to the LOC between India and Pakistan, with no peace treaty that was signed.

These are only few of the most important conflicts in the world regarding geography as they are numerous ones ranging upto 150. These wars/conflicts only show that if there is no negotiation and formation of a diplomatic relationships, relationships will remain strained between countries affecting politics, economy and the overall welfare of the people of conflicting areas. The current situation in the Indo-Sino border as well as Nepal, as per officials is being solved diplomatically and that is the only way out as territorial conflicts can last ages otherwise which in turn effect the overall well-being of the people and the army.



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HOLLAND, MI -- A 34-year-old Holland woman was injured after being thrown from a boat during an early morning accident on Lake Macatawa, police said.

Aero Med helicopter was called to transport the woman to Spectrum Health Butterworth hospital because of a serious leg wound caused by the boats propeller.

Ottawa County sheriffs deputies said a 37-year-old Holland resident was driving a 12-foot hard bottom inflatable boat about 2 a.m. Saturday, June 6 on Lake Macatawa in Park Township.

The driver lost control of the motor, causing the boat to make a hard turn. Some passengers were thrown out of the boat, including the 34-year-old woman.

The woman and other passengers were able to climb back into the boat and make it to shore.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Voter turnout in this weeks primary election blew past historical averages in New Mexico, reaching 40% and still climbing, according to unofficial results.

The raw number of ballots cast  more than 401,000  is a record for a primary.

Turnout measured as a percentage of eligible voters was also incredibly high  40%, or six points higher than in 2016 and 15 points higher than in 2012.

I think its historic, in context, University of New Mexico political science professor Lonna Atkeson said in an interview Friday.

The surge in turnout came amid a public health crisis that erupted in March and, in recent days, civil unrest and protests against police brutality.

Brian Sanderoff, president of Research & Polling Inc. in Albuquerque, said an influx of absentee ballots played a role in the increased voter turnout.

Earlier this year, the state Supreme Court ordered election officials throughout New Mexico to mail absentee applications to every eligible voter before the election  a directive that came after a legal clash over how to conduct an election during the pandemic.

The applications, Sanderoff said, served as a reminder to people that they could vote without leaving the house. Campaigns also seized on the opportunity to bank votes from their supporters, he said, by following up with people to remind them to return their ballots.

I think one of the lessons learned here is that when you give voters an easier way of voting, they will take advantage of it, Sanderoff said. I dont think its any accident that we had very high turnout and an extremely high proportion of voters doing it by absentee ballot.

As of Friday afternoon, election officials had tabulated 401,252 ballots  a record for a primary election in New Mexico, Sanderoff said. The number will climb as some counties wrap up their unofficial count.

The turnout percentage  a little over 40%  is the most this century.

But it isnt a record, Sanderoff said. A higher proportion of eligible voters turned out in some primary elections in the past, though there were fewer people on the voting rolls back then.

In 1992, for example, turnout hit 43%, Sanderoff said.

But this years voter participation, he said, was all the more impressive given that the Democratic and Republican parties already have presumptive presidential nominees.

The contested presidential primary four years ago, especially on the Democratic side, attracted sizeable turnout.

Even so, Atkeson said, this years turnout was even higher  among both Democrats and Republicans.

The total number of Democratic votes climbed at least 5% in this years primary compared with 2016, she said, and Republican votes shot up 44%.

Donald Trumps candidacy may be a factor, Atkeson said. The Never Trump movement among some Republican leaders  following an intense competition for the 2016 presidential nomination  may have dampened voter enthusiasm four years ago, she said.

Nonetheless, Atkeson said, Republicans now seem to be rallying around his candidacy.

Aside from the presidential race, Democrats and Republicans had plenty of contested races to turn out for, depending on where they lived.

The race for the Democratic nomination in the 3rd Congressional District  a seat to be vacated by Democrat Ben Ray Lujan, whos now running for Senate  attracted interest from voters in northern New Mexico. Attorney Teresa Leger Fernandez won the nomination.

The clash for the Republican nomination in the 2nd Congressional District  where the GOP is eager to reclaim the seat from Democratic incumbent Xochitl Torres Small  was a lure for GOP voters in southern New Mexico. Former state Rep. Yvette Herrell won the nomination.

Republicans statewide also had a contested primary to choose a nominee for the U.S. Senate  a race won by Mark Ronchetti, a former television meteorologist.

Contested primaries for key legislative seats also attracted voter interest. Five Democratic incumbents and two Republicans lost to challengers this week.

It isnt clear, of course, whether the turnout trend will continue in the Nov. 3 general election.

The primary election introduced many new voters to absentee ballots  a habit that might take hold for the fall, officials said. But whatever the reason, voters eagerly participated in the primary.

Its definitely historic and out of the park in terms of anything weve seen before, said Alex Curtas, a spokesman for the Secretary of States Office.
The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled on Friday to give two black men on death row the chance to downgrade their sentences by proving that racism played an outsized role during court deliberations.

The big picture: The ruling comes amid nationwide protests against how police  and the criminal justice system as a whole  treat black people in the U.S., in the wake of George Floyd's killing in Minneapolis.

Details: The ruling could apply to many defendants who previously filed claims to have their sentences downgraded to life in prison without parole under the Racial Justice Act, for which the court found the 2013 repeal of to be unconstitutional.

The court ruled in favor of Rayford Lewis Burke and Andrew Darrin Ramseur on Friday. An all-white jury sentenced Ramseur to death in 2010 for two counts of first-degree murder. Burke was convicted in 1993 with one count of first-degree murder and sentenced to death.

What they're saying: Todays ruling is an important step forward in North Carolinas ability to create a more fair and equal justice system, Henderson Hill, senior staff attorney on the ACLUs Capital Punishment Project said in a statement.

The evidence our clients presented of racial bias was clear and powerful. Today, the court has affirmed that we cannot and will not put it back in the box. When RJA passed in 2009, North Carolina took the first step and examined a shameful truth about our criminal legal system. Today, the court has confirmed we will take the next step, bear witness to that racism, and do something to rectify the tremendous harm it has caused," Hill said.

Go deeper: America's dwindling executions
The webinar Solutions to Sustainable Employment & Business  Sharing from International Experiences

The forum welcomed executives from the MoLISA, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), along with two ManpowerGroup country managers in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East, to share international experiences with the Vietnamese business community.

With the current unprecedented challenges on people and economies around the world due to COVID-19, the global workforce ecosystem has been heavily affected. Vietnam is no different. According to the MoLISA, over 47,000 people have applied for unemployment insurance in February 2020, an increase of 59.2 per cent compared to January 2020 and over 70 per cent from the same timeframe last year.

Le Van Thanh, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs said, In Vietnam, COVID-19 has impacted the bottom lines of almost all organisations and workers in various sectors, from hospitality, manufacturing to agriculture, travel, and export-import. When the economy is reopened in what will be the new normal state, one of the top priorities of the Vietnamese government is to create employment for people who have lost their jobs, ensuring that the local workforce can re-join the labour market; promoting the role of enterprises from all economic sectors and actively participating in economic development, production, and value chains brought by the newly-signed free trade agreements.

We welcome international partners to share best practices and lessons on measures to help impacted workers and employers in Vietnam improve their resilience, he added.

It was noted that unparalleled collaboration and co-ordination by diverse stakeholder groups, ranging from employers and governments to labour unions and institutes, is needed to prepare for the new normal in the workplace.

In this new reality, a disciplined return to work will be key to economic recovery. Great efforts have been made to re-deploy/reallocate labour across a range of industries such as aviation, ground services, and ride-hailing, among others in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand ,and elsewhere, said Sam Haggag, country manager of ManpowerGroup Malaysia, director and executive sponsor, TAPFIN  Asia Pacific & Middle East.

An optimal talent strategy in the new normal is at the forefront of any organisations success. Simon Matthews, country manager of ManpowerGroup Vietnam, Thailand, and the Middle East highlighted that, With 84 per cent of organisations to be upskilling their workforce by 2020, companies need a newer approach to accelerate upskilling and to develop the talent they need to remain competitive. Employers also need innovative engagement and hiring strategies to differentiate. He also shared how the HR services industry with large global networks covering all relevant stakeholders have proven its agility to keep up with changing circumstances and in helping clients and talent to prepare for the future.

In addition to the issue, the webinar also helped to reiterate the fact that to limit the economic downturn and its impact on peoples ability to earn a living, the labour market and all its stakeholders must quickly adjust to the new normal, where physical distancing and other strict measures will be integral to all workplace processes for a considerable time to come.

Also at the event, representatives from Bosch Vietnam and IKEA Vietnam shared their solutions to ensure sustainable employment and business model in the new normal state.

ManpowerGroup, the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organisations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing ,and managing the talent that enables them to win. ManpowerGroup develops innovative solutions for hundreds of thousands of organisations every year, providing them with skilled talent while finding meaningful, sustainable employment for millions of people across a wide range of industries and skills.

Its expert family of brands  Manpower, Experis, and Talent Solutions  creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across 80 countries and territories and has done so for 70 years.

In 2019, ManpowerGroup was named one of the Worlds Most Ethical Companies for the 10th year and one of Fortunes Most Admired Companies for the 17th year, confirming its position as the most trusted and admired brand in the industry.
Online voting - the mere mention of this term in context with elections almost unfailingly leads to fears of hacking. And the fact remains, as any good security expert will tell you, everything that connects to the internet is hackable.

What differs is the degree of difficulty. The idea of good security is to make unauthorised access and manipulation more and more difficult. As we have seen time and again, controversy and conspiracies theories are abound even when elections are held through paper ballots or through EVMs.

Despite the significant hurdles before online voting can be introduced, the ongoing Covid-19 crisis has brought the idea into the mainstream with Additional Solicitor General Satya Pal Jain as well as Bihar deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi suggesting it be considered this year.

Since the pandemic has paused election activity across India, and social distancing and other related realities become a part of our everyday lives, this may be as a good time as any to move to online voting.

In the United State which has its presidential elections coming up in November 2020, similar questions are being asked.

Supporters of the move say India has a long track record of being early to adopt democratic innovations from universal suffrage to Electronic Voting Machine (EMs), and should also lead in this.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor agrees, though reiterating that this was his personal opinion and not the party stand.

Personally, I believe it needs to be explored and it needs to be demonstrated that the technology is hack-proof. Registering a mobile number for each Voter ID and giving that person an encrypted code to cast their vote ought to be doable," Tharoor told News18.

Building Blocks in Place

Remote voting in the form of postal ballots is already a part of the existing electoral system but is open to only some eligible citizens - such as those in the armed force, police, senior citizens etc.

The Election Commission of India has already initiated Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS). This is a one-way electronic transmission of the postal ballots to service voters. The Service Voter then casts their vote and sends it to the respective returning officer via post.

ECI says the "complete process is secured by way of multiple checks and transmission protocol to ensure safe transmission. Upon receipt of the postal ballot at the counting centre, the returning officer validates the receipt by a QR code with that of the transmitted system."

This means that one part of the system is in place and functional. We should now look at ways to expand the idea to build a process which may or may not be similar to ETPBS to more citizens and make the electronic transmission two-way for better efficiency.

The poll panel is also working on blockchain solutions to enable remote voting. At a recent event, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said that ECI was working with the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, to develop a blockchain system that would allow voters to exercise their votes when they are physically away from their constituency.

However, that system isn't yet truly remote voting as it would require the voter to come to a designated venue during a pre-decided period.

Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena explains the concept as a "two-way electronic voting system, in a controlled environment, on white-listed IP device on dedicated internet line, enabled with biometric deice and a web camera".

He said an "anytime-anywhere-any device" voting would still require more time and technological development.

Caution vs Innovation

When asked what are the hurdles delaying the shift, since online systems already transmit our purchases, our health and financial records, our money, Tharoor said the biggest reason was mistrust.

"The mistrust will always be whether the government of the day will be able to interfere or manipulate the votes in some way," said Tharoor, while suggesting that "we could probably experiment in one by-election or in a small state and see how it goes."

SY Quraishi, the former Chief Election Commissioner of India, however, sounded a note of caution. Looking at the persistent controversies about even simple, standalone, time-tested EVMs, I do not see the possibility of digital voting happening in the foreseeable future."

On the other hand, there are some positives that are clear to see. For instance, the turnout of service voters in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections was abysmally low. After the introduction of the ETPBS system, the 2019 Lok Sabha elections witnessed a turnout of 62 per cent among service voters.

Now imagine if we were to enable all citizens with the option of voting through a device in their hands and from a place of their choice. Voter participation would likely increase manifold.

Mitigating Risks

But online voting must overcome several significant hurdles before it can be rolled out widely. These hurdles include voter ID fraud, a learning curve for users to understand the user interface, and attempts by hackers to take down the back-end networks and tamper with mobile apps and data.

In elections, citizens have the right to a secret ballot, and therefore, our polling booths are designed to prevent anyone else from knowing for whom the voter cast his ballot.

The same rule would also have to apply for mobile voting. Technology will need to ensure that this secrecy is maintained both at the time of polling and also when votes are counted. While it needs to be ascertained if a voter voted or not, the same vote cannot be traced back to an individual voter. Indelible ink? Yes, that can also be digitised.

Also, unlike the current closed systems used for Indian elections, the source code should be put out in the public domain for experts to take a deep look into it and this would also enable quick identification and fixing of any potential security issues and bugs.

Such mobile voting could also help in encouraging direct participation of citizens in many of the democratic decision-making processes - which currently is unthinkable in a country the size of India. This will only go on to further strengthen India's democracy.

Election expenditure would also go down over time. The conduct of 2019 Lok Sabha elections cost the government Rs 6500 crore - an expense of Rs 72 per voter. Mobile voting can cut this down multi-fold.

From panchayat and municipal elections right up to the Lok Sabha (and numerous bypolls in between), in India, there is some election happening somewhere every other week. The current lockdown and the Emergency have been the only exceptions.

In every crisis, there is an opportunity. The current COVID-19 crisis has taught us many valuable lessons, including the relation that many jobs can be very efficiently performed from within the confine of one's home. Democracy similarly doesn't necessarily need to play out on the streets with people crowding in rallies and queuing up to vote.
Higher education entrepreneurship event goes virtual for 2020

LOWELL, Mass. - More than 1,000 people are expected to participate in a virtual conference next week on advancing entrepreneurship in higher education, from supporting current and future entrepreneurs to how entrepreneurial thinking can benefit the field.

The ninth annual Deshpande Symposium on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Higher Education will present a wide range of sessions and two keynote addresses. The symposium is presented this year by UMass Lowell, the Deshpande Foundation and the Burton D. Morgan Foundation.

"Higher education has an important role to play in the promotion of new and future entrepreneurs to support economic growth locally and globally. UMass Lowell is proud of the ways we have integrated entrepreneurship into our curriculum, research and business operations and the Deshpande Symposium provides an unparalleled opportunity for participants to explore best practices and new ideas," said UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney, who launched the symposium with Gururaj "Desh" Deshpande, successful entrepreneur and co-founder of the Deshpande Foundation.

The event will be held virtually for the first time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Programs including presentations and panel discussions will be held Thursday, June 11 and Friday, June 12 starting at 11 a.m. on both days.

"We are excited to see the global interest in this year's first virtual Deshpande Symposium. Viewers from around the world have a unique opportunity to benefit from the panelists' shared experiences of building innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystems at their colleges and universities," said Deshpande, whose foundation supports entrepreneurship efforts in Massachusetts and across the globe.

Because no travel is required, the number of people participating is expected to be about double what it typically is, according to lead organizer Tom O'Donnell, UMass Lowell's senior director of innovation initiatives. Thanks to the support of event sponsors, the symposium is presented at no cost to participants, he said. Anyone interested in participating can still register at http://www. eventbrite. com/ e/ 2020-deshpande-virtual-symposium-tickets-102354310498 .

As in past years, the symposium is organized into tracks by theme. For 2020, these are Entrepreneurial Universities: Culture and Ecosystems, Entrepreneurship in the Curriculum and University Research Commercialization. In total, the tracks consist of 24 panels of presentations and discussions. Participants can decide to virtually attend all or some of the sessions based on their interests.

Deshpande Foundation Executive Director Raj Melville and Moloney will welcome participants on Thursday to kick off the symposium at 11 a.m., followed by the first keynote speaker, Dan Isenberg. Isenberg is an author and pioneer in the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems, networks of organizations embedded in a region, including universities, financial institutions, corporations, nonprofits and government agencies. Isenberg has established programs to scale up these ecosystems around the world, as well as speaking at events including the World Economic Forum and serving as a faculty member in business at institutions including Columbia University, Harvard University and Babson College.

On Friday at 11:30 a.m., the keynote event will feature Lauren Washington, co-founder and chief operating officer of the membership organization and conference Black Women Talk Tech, in a virtual fireside chat with Judith Cone, vice chancellor for innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Washington is also the cofounder of Fundr, a platform that automates seed investing for startups and angel investors, and KeepUp, a social listening platform.

The full schedule of speakers, panelists and events can be found at https:/ / deshpandesymposium. org/ agenda/ .

One change from past Deshpande Symposiums is that annual awards for excellence in various aspects of entrepreneurship education will not be presented this year. Instead, O'Donnell said, they will be given out at next year's event, which is scheduled to be held in Cleveland, Ohio, home of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation, one of the presenting partners in the symposium.

"For the past eight years, the Deshpande Symposium has been a highlight of the year for the Ohio-based Burton D. Morgan Foundation. The symposium serves as a unique gathering of colleagues passionate about inspiring students as they explore their entrepreneurial potential. As a symposium sponsor, we are thrilled that the 2020 event has attracted hundreds of new attendees to join virtually for keynotes and panels aimed at powerful sharing and learning. For the 2021 symposium, Northeast Ohio looks forward to welcoming participants for an extraordinary in-person opportunity to visit the region's entrepreneurship ecosystem, celebrate at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and connect with like-minded colleagues from North America and beyond," said Deborah Hoover, president and CEO of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation.

UMass Lowell will continue to serve as a major organizer of the symposium as it celebrates its 10th year in 2021, according to O'Donnell.

###

In addition to UMass Lowell, the Deshpande Foundation and the Burton D. Morgan Foundation, the 2020 organizing committee includes representatives of Houston Community College, Middlesex Community College, Queen's University, Texas A&M University, University of Akron, University of North Carolina and VentureWell.

In addition to the three presenting organizations, sponsors include Ashland University, Omnova Solutions, Purdue University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and VentureWell.

UMass Lowell is a national research university located on a high-energy campus in the heart of a global community. The university offers its more than 18,000 students bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in business, education, engineering, fine arts, health, humanities, sciences and social sciences. UMass Lowell delivers high-quality educational programs, vigorous hands-on learning and personal attention from leading faculty and staff, all of which prepare graduates to be leaders in their communities and around the globe. http://www. uml. edu

This story has been published on: 2020-06-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Cities and states are beginning to offer free coronavirus testing as mass protests across the U.S. continue in the wake of George Floyd's death, The Washington Post reports.

Why it matters: Public health experts and officials are cautiously watching hospitalizations and caseloads to gauge whether a spike will follow the demonstrations, per the Post.

Coronavirus cases in the U.S. remain high, with almost 1.9 million confirmed cases and just over 109,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The state of play:

City officials in San Francisco launched free, pop-up mobile testing for those who are concerned they've been exposed, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Illinois announced COVID-19 testing will be free for anyone without insurance, a doctor's note or a car.

Seattle started offering free testing on Friday.

Louisville is providing free tests to protesters on Saturday and Sunday, per Spectrum News 1.

Go deeper: Protests against police brutality threaten coronavirus response
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 02:07:12|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's Cairo International Airport is expected to receive on Friday 23 special international flights carrying Egyptians stranded abroad amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The flights, with a total of 3,346 Egyptians, would arrive from Britain, Russia, Germany, Kenya, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon and others, according to state-run Ahram Online news website.

The airport will also receive four domestic flights from the Red Sea resort city of Marsa Alam after the conclusion of the quarantine period of around 400 Egyptian returnees from abroad, Ahram Online quoted sources at the Cairo International Airport as saying.

Egypt suspended the international flights on March 19 to curb the spread of COVID-19. Since then, several thousands of Egyptians returned home from across the world, including the United States, Britain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkey, Uganda, Rwanda, Chad and Niger.

Egypt announced its first confirmed COVID-19 case on Feb. 14 and the first death from the highly infectious virus on March 8, both foreigners.

Until Thursday night, Egypt's total coronavirus confirmed cases had reached 29,767, including 1,126 deaths and 7,756 recoveries.

Since March 25, the Egyptian government has been imposing a nighttime curfew, which varied between nine and 13 hours, to curb the spread of the virus.

The current nine-hour curfew will continue until mid-June, when the government will consider easing relevant restrictions amid a coexistence plan to maintain anti-coronavirus precautionary measures while resuming economic activities.

The Egyptian government has started gradual reopening of services and offices, and allowed reopening of about 100 hotels for local tourists with 50-percent capacity after they were given official hygiene safety certificates. Enditem
Medical writing is a form of communication of clinical as well as scientific information and data to a broad range of audiences; the said content is communicated in different formats. Medical writers combine their expertise in science and their research skills with an understanding of how to present information and pitch it right for the intended audience.

New York, June 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Medical Writing Market Forecast to 2027 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Type; Application; End User; and Geography" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05908653/?utm_source=GNW





It is an integral part in the development drugs and is employed in contract research organizations (CROs), pharmaceutical companies, and communications agencies.Medical writing is employed by pharmaceutical companies to get their products registered with international regulatory authorities.



It involves preparing various medical documents for regulatory submissions, including protocols and final reports for clinical trials, and clinical expert reports.It may also include the preparation of manuscripts for publication in medical journals.



The scientific information in these documents needs to be presented to suit the level of understanding of the target audience, including patients, general public, physicians, or regulators.



Based on type, the global medical writing market is segmented into clinical writing, regulatory writing, scientific writing, and others.The clinical writing segment led the market with the largest share in 2018.



Clinical writing imparts essential, accurate, and specific information about patient conditions, diagnostics procedures, treatments, and prognoses.It differs from other kinds of medical writing as it is concerns with patient care.



It also has legal implications and can be used as evidence in malpractice or negligence lawsuits.It is written briefly in a cryptic form, while in the cases of charting, it rarely comprises proper or complete sentence structures.



The primary purpose of clinical writing is to facilitate communication between the members of the healthcare team, including unit clerks, laboratory technicians, therapists, care aides, nurses, and doctors.



The global medical writing market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), South America, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA).North America held the largest share of the global medical writing market in 2018, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific.



The US, Canada, and Mexico are the prime contributors to the North America medical writing market.Medical writing in the US, especially the ones that are for FDA approval, requires a deep understanding of the requirements laid down by regulatory authorities.



The documents for FDA submission need to be accurate and concise.The Canadian Minister of Small Business and Exports Promotion recently announced the investment in Everest Clinical Research through the Women Entrepreneurship Fund (WEF).



North America is the major stakeholder in the CRO market, followed by Europe, owing to factors such as the rapid growth of the pharmaceutical market, availability of advanced technologies, and high-quality standards of the pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals industries.



The recent COVID-19 pandemic started in Wuhan (China) in December 2019 and has spread around the globe at a rapid pace.China, Italy, Iran, Spain, the Republic of Korea, France, Germany, and the US are among the most-affected nations.



According to WHO, there are ~4,425,485 affirmed cases and 302,059 death cases worldwide.COVID-19 has affected economies and undertakings due to lockdowns, travel bans, and business shutdowns.



The global consumer goods industry is one of the major businesses enduring genuine agitating impacts; for example, creation composes breaks, breaks in storing up because of lockdown and office shutdowns because of this emit.



Cactus Communications, Certara, Covance, Freyr Solutions, Inclin Inc., Parexel International Corporation., Quanticate, Siro Clinpharm Private Limited, Synchrogenix, and Triology Writing and Consultancy GMBH are among the major players in the global medical writing market.



The global medical writing market size has been derived in accordance with to both primary and secondary sources.To begin the research process, exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the market.



Also, multiple primary interviews have been conducted with industry participants and commentators to validate the data, as well as to gain more analytical insights into the topic. The participants who typically take part in such a process include industry expert such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, and national sales managers along with external consultants such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders specializing in the medical writing market.

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By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 05, 2020 | 11:26 AM | GRAVES COUNTY

A man considered armed and dangerous by the Graves County Sheriff's Office was arrested in Tennessee after a fire near Dukedom Friday morning.

Sheriff Jon Hayden said deputies arrived to find a mobile home engulfed in flames off Highway 129. A 911 caller reported that someone set the home on fire. Firefighters from both the Cuba and Sedalia fire departments dealt with the fire.

Deputies obtained arrest warrants for the suspect, 43-year-old John Michael Giles, on charges of 2nd degree arson and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. Hayden said Giles was out of jail on bond on an attempted murder charge from an incident that happened last August in Graves County.

Giles reportedly fled the scene, but he was arrested around 11:30 am by the Union City, TN Police Department.
June 05, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Everything was unfolding as it usually does. The academics who gathered in Lisbon this summer for the International Society of Political Psychologists annual meeting had been politely listening for four days, nodding along as their peers took to the podium and delivered papers on everything from the explosion in conspiracy theories to the rise of authoritarianism.

Then, the mood changed. As one of the lions of the profession, 68-year-old Shawn Rosenberg, began delivering his paper, people in the crowd of about a hundred started shifting in their seats. They loudly whispered objections to their friends. Three women seated next to me near the back row grew so loud and heated I had difficulty hearing for a moment what Rosenberg was saying.

What caused the stir? Rosenberg, a professor at UC Irvine, was challenging a core assumption about America and the West. His theory? Democracy is devouring itselfhis phrase  and it wont last.

As much as President Donald Trumps liberal critics might want to lay Americas ills at his door, Rosenberg says the president is not the cause of democracys falleven if Trumps successful anti-immigrant populist campaign may have been a symptom of democracys decline.

Were to blame, said Rosenberg. As in we the people.

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Democracy is hard work. And as societys elitesexperts and public figures who help those around them navigate the heavy responsibilities that come with self-rulehave increasingly been sidelined, citizens have proved ill equipped cognitively and emotionally to run a well-functioning democracy. As a consequence, the center has collapsed and millions of frustrated and angst-filled voters have turned in desperation to right-wing populists.

His prediction? In well-established democracies like the United States, democratic governance will continue its inexorable decline and will eventually fail.



***

The last half of the 20th century was the golden age of democracy. In 1945, according to one survey, there were just 12 democracies in the entire world. By the end of the century there were 87. But then came the great reversal: In the second decade of the 21st century, the shift to democracy rather suddenly and ominously stoppedand reversed.

Right-wing populist politicians have taken power or threatened to in Poland, Hungary, France, Britain, Italy, Brazil and the United States. As Rosenberg notes, by some metrics, the right wing populist share of the popular vote in Europe overall has more than tripled from 4% in 1998 to approximately 13% in 2018. In Germany, the right-wing populist vote increased even after the end of the Great Recession and after an influx of immigrants entering the country subsided.

A brief three decades after some had heralded the end of history its possible that its democracy thats nearing the end. And its not just populist rabble-rousers who are saying this. So is one of the establishments pioneer social scientists, whos daring to actually predict the end of democracy as we know it.

Rosenberg, who earned degrees at Yale, Oxford and Harvard, may be the social scientist for our time if events play out as he suggests they will. His theory is that over the next few decades, the number of large Western-style democracies around the globe will continue to shrink, and those that remain will become shells of themselves. Taking democracys place, Rosenberg says, will be right-wing populist governments that offer voters simple answers to complicated questions.

And therein lies the core of his argument: Democracy is hard work and requires a lot from those who participate in it. It requires people to respect those with different views from theirs and people who dont look like them. It asks citizens to be able to sift through large amounts of information and process the good from the bad, the true from the false. It requires thoughtfulness, discipline and logic.

Unfortunately, evolution did not favor the exercise of these qualities in the context of a modern mass democracy. Citing reams of psychological research, findings that by now have become more or less familiar, Rosenberg makes his case that human beings dont think straight. Biases of various kinds skew our brains at the most fundamental level. For example, racism is easily triggered unconsciously in whites by a picture of a black man wearing a hoodie. We discount evidence when it doesnt square up with our goals while we embrace information that confirms our biases. Sometimes hearing were wrong makes us double down. And so on and so forth.

Our brains, says Rosenberg, are proving fatal to modern democracy. Humans just arent built for it.

People have been saying for two millennia that democracy is unworkable, going back to Plato. The Founding Fathers were sufficiently worried that they left only one half of one branch of the federal government in the hands of the people. And yet for two centuries democracy in America more or less proceeded apace without blowing itself up.

So why is Rosenberg, who made his name back in the 1980s with a study that disturbingly showed that many voters select candidates on the basis of their looks, predicting the end of democracy now?

He has concluded that the reason for right-wing populists recent success is that elites are losing control of the institutions that have traditionally saved people from their most undemocratic impulses. When people are left to make political decisions on their own they drift toward the simple solutions right-wing populists worldwide offer: a deadly mix of xenophobia, racism and authoritarianism.

The elites, as Rosenberg defines them, are the people holding power at the top of the economic, political and intellectual pyramid who have the motivation to support democratic culture and institutions and the power to do so effectively. In their roles as senators, journalists, professors, judges and government administrators, to name a few, the elites have traditionally held sway over public discourse and U.S. institutionsand have in that role helped the populace understand the importance democratic values. But today that is changing. Thanks to social media and new technologies, anyone with access to the Internet can publish a blog and garner attention for their causeeven if its rooted in conspiracy and is based on a false claim, like the lie that Hillary Clinton was running a child sex ring from the basement of a Washington D.C. pizza parlor, which ended in a shooting.

While the elites formerly might have successfully squashed conspiracy theories and called out populists for their inconsistencies, today fewer and fewer citizens take the elites seriously. Now that people get their news from social media rather than from established newspapers or the old three TV news networks (ABC, CBS and NBC), fake news proliferates. Its surmised that 10 million people saw on Facebook the false claim that Pope Francis came out in favor of Trumps election in 2016. Living in a news bubble of their own making many undoubtedly believed it. (This was the most-shared news story on Facebook in the three months leading up to the 2016 election, researchers report.)

The irony is that more democracyushered in by social media and the Internet, where information flows more freely than ever beforeis what has unmoored our politics, and is leading us towards authoritarianism. Rosenberg argues that the elites have traditionally prevented society from becoming a totally unfettered democracy; their oligarchic democratic authority or democratic control has until now kept the authoritarian impulses of the populace in check.

Compared with the harsh demands made by democracy, which requires a tolerance for compromise and diversity, right-wing populism is like cotton candy. Whereas democracy requires us to accept the fact that we have to share our country with people who think and look differently than we do, right-wing populism offers a quick sugar high. Forget political correctness. You can feel exactly the way you really want about people who belong to other tribes.

Right-wing populists dont have to make much sense. They can simultaneously blame immigrants for taking jobs away from Americans while claiming that these same people are lazy layabouts sponging off welfare. All the populist followers care is that they now have an enemy to blame for their feelings of ennui.

And unlike democracy, which makes many demands, the populists make just one. They insist that people be loyal. Loyalty entails surrendering to the populist nationalist vision. But this is less a burden than an advantage. Its easier to pledge allegiance to an authoritarian leader than to do the hard work of thinking for yourself demanded by democracy.

In sum, the majority of Americans are generally unable to understand or value democratic culture, institutions, practices or citizenship in the manner required, Rosenberg has concluded. To the degree to which they are required to do so, they will interpret what is demanded of them in distorting and inadequate ways. As a result they will interact and communicate in ways that undermine the functioning of democratic institutions and the meaning of democratic practices and values.

I should clarify that the loud whispers in the crowd in Lisbon werent a response to Rosenbergs pessimism. This was after all a meeting of political psychologistsa group who focus on flaws in voters thinking and the violation of democratic norms. At the conference Ariel Malka reported evidence that conservatives are increasingly open to authoritarianism. Brian Shaffer related statistics showing that since Trumps election teachers have noted a rise in bullying. Andreas Zick observed that racist crimes shot up dramatically in Germany after a million immigrants were allowed in.

What stirred the crowd was that Rosenberg has gone beyond pessimism into outright defeatism. What riled the crowd was that hes seemingly embraced a kind of reverence for elitism no longer fashionable in the academy. When challenged on this front, he quickly insisted he didnt mean to exempt himself from the claim that people suffer from cognitive and emotional limitations. He conceded that the psychological research shows everybodys irrational, professors included! But it was unclear that he convinced the members of the audience he really meant it. And they apparently found this discomforting.

There were less discomforting moments in Lisbon. The convention gave an award to George Marcus, one of the founders of the discipline, who has dedicated his career to the optimistic theory that human beings by nature readjust their ideas to match the world as it is and not as theyd like it to bejust as democracy requires.

But this isnt a moment for optimism, is it? What is happening around the world shows that the far-right is on the march. And when it comes to the U.S., the problem might be larger than one man. Liberals have been praying for the end of the Trump presidency, but if Rosenberg is right, democracy will remain under threat no matter who is in power.

Rick Shenkman, founder of George Washington Universitys History News Network, is the author of Political Animals: How Our Stone-Age Brain Gets in the Way of Smart Politics (Basic Books). " Source "

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Google has announced that it has appointed Prabhakar Raghavan as the head of Search and Assistant.

Raghavan will be taking over the position from Ben Gomes who is shifting to a new role in the organisation and will report to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai.

Google/ Reuters

Reported first by Search Engine Land, Raghavan has been working at Google since 2012 and was initially appointed as the head for Googles advertising and commerce business in 2018. This included supervision of search display and video advertising analytics, shopping, payments etc.



Prabhakar Raghavan at Google

Before becoming the head for Googles advertising and commerce business, he served as the Vice President of Google Apps as well as Google Cloud services, overseeing the development and user experience. Before Google, hes worked on multiple roles at tech conglomerates like IBM as well as the search engine giant Yahoo.

At Google, Raghavan has been responsible for growing both Gmail and Drive past 1 billion monthly active users and bringing in numerous machine intelligence features in G Suite, including Smart Reply, Smart Compose, Drive Quick Access.

BCCL

Prabhakar Raghavan education background

Prabhakar holds a Ph.D. from U.C. Berkeley in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He has also completed his Bachelor of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras.

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai made the announcement to company employees stating, "For Prabhakar, this new role brings his experience with search full circle. He's spent more than two decades obsessing over algorithms and ranking, and his association with Google Search predates Google."

He added, "A member of the National Academy of Engineering, Prabhakar is one of the most respected engineering minds in our field. His experience working across so many of our product areas gives him the perfect lens to spot the seams between them."

The advertising business that was under Prabhakar Raghavans wing will now be taken over b by Jerry Dischler, who will continue reporting to Raghavan. Dischler currently leads the product and engineering team for Google ads business.
In a move likely to intensify competition, major e-commerce platforms Tiki and Sendo have informed authorities that they plan to merge.

An official from the Ministry of Industry and Trade's e-commerce and digital economy agency (iDEA) told VnExpress that the agency has received a report on the merger plan.

"The merger would allow the two platforms to gain more market share and compete better against bigger players. We still need to see what their business plans are after the merger, but this could make the e-commerce race more vibrant," the source said, declining to be named.

Leaders of both companies, however, refused to confirm the information.

"We do not usually comment on rumors and speculations," said Tran Ngoc Thai Son, founder and CEO of Tiki.

Sendo CEO Tran Hai Linh declined to comment.

DealStreetAsia last month reported the two companies are said to have agreed to merge their businesses, citing sources. The news site had also reported earlier in February that the two companies were negotiating the merger.

Among major competitors that the two home-grown platforms will face are Singapore-based Shopee and Lazada. In the first quarter this year, Shopee ranked top in terms of monthly web traffic, followed by Tiki, Lazada and Sendo, according to data from research company iPrice Group.

Tikis major stakeholders are Chinas e-commerce giant JD.com and Vietnams gaming firm VNG, while tech giant FPT is Sendos biggest stakeholder.

Vietnams Internet economy was estimated at $12 billion last year. With an annual growth rate of 38 percent since 2015, its value was expected to surge to $43 billion by 2025, according to the "e-Conomy Southeast Asia report 2019" by Google, Singapore-based investment firm Temasek and U.S.-based global management consultancy Bain.
The City of Overland Park is proposing a 6.2% property tax hike next year, according to their proposed 2021 budget. The increase is all attributable to valuation increases, as city officials don't plan to change the mill levy. If City Council members approve, Overland Park will have increased property taxes by 336% since 1997.
On June 6, 1944, The Patriot had a message for Adolf Hitler the leader of the Nazi party in Germany.

The headline to the left of the masthead said, "GOOD EVENING, Herr Hitler: The Yanks are coming!

On that day during World War II, soldiers swarmed the beaches of Normandy, France, to begin the liberation of German-occupied western Europe.

On D-Day, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed on 50 miles of beaches in Normandy, France, to fight Nazi Germany.

Carrying full equipment, American assault troops move onto a beachhead code-named Omaha Beach, on the northern coast of France on June 6, 1944, during the Allied invasion of the Normandy coast. (AP Photo)ASSOCIATED PRESS

From history.com: "The invasion was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history and required extensive planning. Prior to D-Day, the Allies conducted a large-scale deception campaign designed to mislead the Germans about the intended invasion target. By late August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and by the following spring the Allies had defeated the Germans. The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe."

The death toll was tremendous - more than 9,000 soldiers were killed or wounded, "but their sacrifice allowed more than 100,000 soldiers to begin the slow, hard slog across Europe, to defeat Adolf Hitler's crack troops," according to www.army.mil/d-day/.

The United Press reported, "American, British and Canadian invasion forces landed in Northwestern France today, established beachheads in Normandy, and by evening had 'gotten over the first five or six hurdles' in the greatest amphibious assault of all time."

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's order of the day:

"Soldiers, sailors and airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force. You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave allies and brothers-in-arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumph of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory.

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory.

Good luck. And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."

READ MORE

Landing craft coming in to a beach in France on June 7, 1944, set American fighting men down on the continent for the invasion of Fortress Europe, as their comrades already landed form on the shore. (AP Photo)ASSOCIATED PRESS

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While Pakistan has been attempting to radicalize the youth across the Kashmir Valley, according to sources, the country is reportedly using mosques as launchpads near the international border.

As per highly placed sources in the intelligence agencies, Pakistan has constructed Mosques on the International Border which is being used by Pakistan rangers to house terrorists so as to help them infiltrate into the Indian Side.

"Mosques are usually built in a residential area where locals can go to pray, however, construction of this mosque on this border is done by Pakistan to help infiltration into the Indian soil," an officer told Republic World. Sources say that in the pas also Pakistan has used this mosque as terror launchpad however because of the alertness of the Border Security Forces, the infiltration attempt was foiled.

READ | India Hits Back At Pakistan Over Terror Charges; Recalls Imran Khan's Stunning Admission

'Pakistan has reactivated terror launchpads'

Security agencies say that there are reliable intelligence inputs that a large number of terrorists are waiting for an opportunity to infiltrate into the Indian Soil. "We have reliable inputs that Pakistan has reactivated the terror launchpads to send in trained terrorists into the Indian side."

Security agencies are keeping an eye on the residential houses and religious places on the other side of Line of Control and International border as they are being used as terror launchpads. Recently the Indian Army foiled a major infiltration bid in the Nowshera sector by killing three heavily armed terrorists and seriously injuring one. The Army had said that a group of 6-7 heavily armed terrorists were seen trying to infiltrate into the Indian side. However, they started firing towards security forces, the fire was retaliated in which three heavily armed terrorists were killed.

READ | UN Report Claims 6,500 Pakistanis Among Foreign Terrorists In Afghanistan

"Large quantities of Arms and Ammunitions including food items with made in Pakistan marking were also recovered from the dead terrorists," the Army statement had said.

Security agencies say that after a large number of terrorists were gunned down across Kashmir Valley, their leadership across the border is frustrated and wants to push in the terrorists in the garb of regular ceasefire violations. However, because of the robust anti-infiltration grid in place on the Line of Control, all such attempts are being foiled.

"This is because of the frustration of the Pakistan Army that recently they used US-Made TOW missile to target civilian population along the Line of Control", a source said.

READ | 'Pakistan Remains An Epicentre Of Global Terrorism': India On Explosive UN Report

READ | Soldier Killed As Pakistan Shells Forward Areas In J-K's Rajouri
Stacey Solomon was left mortified on Friday's Celebrity Gogglebox after beau Joe Swash joked about their sex life during a racy scene.

The Loose Women star, 30, and presenter, 38, were watching Oscar-winning film The Favourite which stars Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz.

During a racy scene in the movie, Queen Anne, played by Olivia, whispers to Sarah Churchill, played by Rachel, who is sitting on her lap: 'F**k me!'

Cheeky! Stacey Solomon was left mortified on Friday's Celebrity Gogglebox after beau Joe Swash joked about their sex life during a racy scene

After it aired, a giggling Joe joked: 'You know what this remind me of? When we first met!'

To which Stacey rolled her eyes and shook her head, she protested: 'That never happened! You're an idiot. That's not how it went.'

Yet Joe refused to let the cheeky confession slide as he added: 'That's exactly what you said to me!'

With a red-faced and laughing Stacey replying: 'No it isn't, shut up!'

Hysterical: The Loose Women star, 30, and presenter, 38, were watching Oscar-winning film The Favourite which stars Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz

Saucy! During a racy scene in the movie, Queen Anne, played by Olivia, whispers to Sarah Churchill, played by Rachel, who is sitting on her lap: 'F**k me!' (both pictured in film still)

Stacey and Joe joined a slew of celebrities on Friday's Gogglebox, also appearing on the show were the likes of Eamonn Holmes and wife Ruth Langsford, Denise van Outen and fiance Eddie Boxshall, and Zoe Ball with son Woody, 19.

Eamonn was left confused by the racy scene as he didn't hear what Olivia's character said, he asked: 'Sorry?'

To which wife Ruth whispered in his ear: 'F**k me!' leaving the Irish presenter gobsmacked.

Later on Friday night, Eamonn fired criticism at Celebrity Gogglebox bosses for their 'idiotic and cruel' choice to air a clip of him laughing and joking instead of discussing his father's death.

Oo-er! After it aired, a giggling Joe joked: 'You know what this remind me of? When we first met!'

Excuse me! To which Stacey rolled her eyes and shook her head, she protested: 'That never happened! You're an idiot. That's not how it went.'

Hilarious: Yet Joe refused to let the cheeky confession slide as he added: 'That's exactly what you said to me!' With a red-faced and laughing Stacey replying: 'No it isn't, shut up!'

The broadcaster, 60, hit out in a string of tweets claiming bosses chose to feature him comically reacting to a harrowing moment in BBC's Ambulance, instead of candidly discussing the moment his father died of a heart attack.

Eamonn tweeted that he was 'hurt beyond belief' by bosses choice to leave out the scene of him discussing his father's death, which he described as a 'horrible experience.'

TV veteran Eamonn appeared on the show alongside wife Ruth, 60, who he presents on This Morning with.

She said WHAT? Fellow star Eamonn Holmes was left confused by the racy scene as he didn't hear what Olivia's character said, he asked: 'Sorry?'

Goodness! To which wife Ruth Langsford whispered in his ear: 'F**k me!' leaving the Irish presenter gobsmacked

Following the episode, he took to Twitter and shared: 'In reply to a number of complaints .... I am hurt beyond belief that @C4Gogglebox chose not to use me talking about my Father dying from a heart attack at the side of a road...

'[They] replace it with a funny story following a young lad giving his Father CPR. Idiotic and cruel edit.'

He then shared: 'So following a tragedy that has forever haunted my family, I am in no mood for criticising holier than thou mouthpieces on here who haven't gone through what we did.

Angry: Later on Friday night, Eamonn fired criticism at Celebrity Gogglebox bosses for their 'idiotic and cruel' choice to air a clip of him laughing and joking instead of discussing his father's death

He said: 'I am hurt beyond belief that @C4Gogglebox chose not to use me talking about my Father dying from a Heart Attack at the side of a road and replace it with a funny story'

'I had nothing but praise and emotion for the Ambulance control room TV programme. An atrocious edit.'

Finally the star wrote: 'How my Father died was a particularly horrible experience for my Mother, my younger brother and his friend who were all in the car.

'The resuscitation in The BBC Ambulance programme was as close as could be to my Dad's passing. Yet I am the one edited to make it look like a laugh.'

MailOnline has reached out to Channel 4 for comment.
Police arrest protesters walking on FDR Drive, stopping traffic, as they demonstrate over the death of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer at a rally in New York on May 30, 2020. (Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty Images)

NYPD Can Keep Protesters Detained for More Than 24 Hours: Judge

New York Supreme Court Justice James Burke said on June 4 that the New York Police Department can hold detained protesters for more than 24 hours.

Burke refused a writ filed by the New Yorks Legal Aid Society to release over 100 protesters arrested during the protests that followed the killing of George Floyd and under detention for more than 24 hours, according to the New York Law Journal.

New York courts earlier held that people should generally be arraigned within 24 hours. Burke said his decision comes because the city is facing a double crisis.

There is a crisis within a crisis, said Burke in a hearing conducted on Skype. By crisis within a crisis he meant that the pandemic and the protests are happening at the same time and the police and the prosecutors require more time to process the arrests.

Therefore, I find it is necessary because we are in a crisis caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic which prevents live arraignments, which in turn requires virtual arraignment which causes delay, said Burke, according to the radio, 1010 Wins.

Police make dozens of arrests as demonstrations continue in Manhattan over the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis Police officer in New York City on June 3, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

A New York State Court of Appeals decision in 1991 said that detainees cannot be held without arraignment for more than 24 hours unless an acceptable explanation is provided for the delay. Burke quoted this appeals decision in Roundtree V. New York and said the NYPD has provided acceptable reasons for keeping the protesters detained.

New Yorks Legal Aid Society filed a notice of appeal on behalf of New Yorkers against the NYPDs detention of protesters for more than 24 hours which it said is against the citys 24-hour arrest-to-arraignment requirement.

The NYPD is not above the law, and detaining New Yorkers for more than 24 hours after an arrest and denying them speedy access to a judge violates our fundamental standards of justice, said Tina Luong, Attorney-in-Charge of the Criminal Defense Practice at The Legal Aid Society, according to the Daily News.

Critics have said that keeping protesters detained longer could turn into a public health crisis.

The police are unnecessarily arresting these individuals and putting them in jail. They are creating the crisis this court is talking about, Amber Khan, director of the Health Justice Program at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest told the Daily News. He added that Burkes decision would have dire consequences.

The individuals who are detained may or may not contract COVID-19, and then they reenter the community, to their own families, to where they live, to whomever theyre around, and potentially spread it. We wont even know that consequence for weeks down the road, said Khan.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- After pressure from parents around the state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order Friday evening that will allow necessary in-person special education to resume this summer.

School districts will be expected to follow all state and federal guidance. In the Tweet announcing the order, he did not express what those guidelines would be.

NEW: I just issued an Executive Order allowing necessary in-person special education instruction this summer. Any school district providing these services must follow all state and federal guidance. pic.twitter.com/zexmqSat6U  Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 5, 2020

In the Tweet, the governor implied that it would be up to each district to decide if it wanted to participate in programming.

Staten Islanders have been pushing for special education programs to resume for a few months.

In April, Borough President James Oddo sent a letter to Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza asking the Department of Education to set up programs for disabled students.

I was talking to a lot of parents and what theyre seeing is, all of the sudden, school just stopped dead in its tracks, said Deputy Director of Education Timoney of the borough presidents office. These are kids who go to school 12 months out of the year and this is their routine. Theyve known it since they were babies and its just, they dont understand. You cant tell them, This is whats going on, we have a pandemic This population has not been considered in terms of what can we do for them . . . theyre not doing well in remote learning or tele-therapy.

Other educational programs are not expected to open until Phase 4 of New York states reopening plan.

Previously, Cuomo gave permission for summer camps to open at the end of June.

While other parts of the state have already entered Phase 2, New York City is expected to enter Phase 1 on Monday. Phase 4 is anticipated to begin sometime in July.

** CLICK HERE FOR FULL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE IN NEW YORK **
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The abrupt move of the United States to sue China for COVID-19 is in violation of international law on sovereign immunity, Pakistan's former law minister Ahmer Bilal Soofi told Xinhua in an interview.

It is quite strange that neither the U.S. government nor the plaintiffs that filed the several class action suits have written to the World Health Organization (WHO) or any other expert body to first check the sequence of facts and make a scientific and forensic study on the movement of the virus in various jurisdictions including the United States, said Soofi, who is also the founding president of the Research Society of International Law in Pakistan.

"The case filed by attorney general of Missouri shockingly refers to very generalized allegations and is footnoted heavily with media reports only," he said. "The case comes nowhere close to making factually based attribution that is a prerequisite under international law of state responsibility."

Talking about the status of suing China in international law, the expert said a state should not be sued in the jurisdiction of another state as per the settled principles of international law that have been collectively honored, which has been the political and diplomatic understanding amongst states and a cornerstone of mutual respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Soofi added that the same is reflected in Article 5 of the United Nations (UN) Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and Their Property, which explicitly notes that 'a State enjoys immunity, in respect of itself and its property, from the jurisdiction of the courts of another State.'

"This provision is widely believed to have the status of customary law even if the convention has not been ratified," he said.

In this regard, Soofi said, even the enactment of a U.S. domestic law allowing very restrictive filing of suits against foreign states has been viewed as legislative deviation from the norm of respecting sovereign immunity under international law.

Terming the U.S. allegations against China for not timely sharing information about COVID-19 as politically motivated, Soofi said that there are no facts authoritatively put together to support these allegations so far.

"Even to formulate the allegation, the facts and sequence of events need to be established by a neutral and respected forum and not by a state which is documenting its bias in favor of these allegations so openly and visibly that its ability to undertake an impartial review of facts to support allegations against China is no longer trustworthy," he said.

"Right now, if the United States chooses to even levy an allegation pursuant to internal political compulsions, it will neither have any legal basis nor will they be of any legal value under international law," Soofi said.

Supporting the idea of a joint international effort to defeat the disease, the former minister said that under the UN Charter, the countries, especially the United States, have an obligation to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of the pandemic as it is a threat to international peace and security.

"Under Article 1 of the Charter, the United States is obliged to cooperate with China to solve this threat of international pandemic, which is a problem of a humanitarian character," he said.

"Apart from it, the United States, being party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, has an obligation to implement Article 12 of the Covenant to cooperate with countries, including China, for the control of epidemic and other diseases," he said.

"It is evident that by not extending cooperation with China to find a common solution to the pandemic, the U.S. government is failing in its responsibility under Article 1 of the UN Charter," the expert noted.

"The fight against COVID-19 requires a transnational effort and not transnational mistrust," he said.
He did it! This Michigan teacher just won the Jeopardy Teachers Tournament taking home the $100,000 grand prize. Ben Henri is a 7th - 12th grade vocal music teacher from St. Clair Shores in Metro Detroit.

Henri won first place with $23,678 in his quarterfinals match last week sending him into this weeks semifinals match. He won that with a total of $30,001 to send him into the two-night finals, where the total scores from last night and tonight determined the champion.

JEOPARDY ROUND

Things got off to a rocky start in the Jeopardy Round for Henri. He, along with contestant Will Satterwhite, a band teacher from Virginia, couldnt keep up with Maggie Kwait, a Middle School Humanities Teacher from New York City. She took a big lead headed into Double Jeopardy with $10,400 to Henris $5,400 and Satterwhites $1,800.

DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Henri shined in this round where the money totals are double. He eventually passed Satterwhite and even answered a Daily Double towards the end of the round. The scores going into Final Jeopardy were Henri in first with $21,500, Kwait in second with $13,200 and Satterwhite in third with $11,200.

FINAL JEOPARDY

The category: 18th Century Novels. The clue: The title character of this 1726 novel reaches 4 different lands as a result of a shipwreck, a storm at sea, pirates and a mutiny. What is Gullivers Travels?

Satterwhite answered wrong and wagered everything. His final total was $6,000 from last night. Kwait answered correctly and ended up with an accumulated total of $29,000. Henri also answered correctly. His final total was $34,001. The victory earned him the $100,000 grand prize. Kwait took home $50,000 for second and Satterwhite won $25,000 for third.

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Virus Outbreak Alabama In this May 27, 2020, photo, health care workers talk outside a Lowndes County coronavirus testing site in Hayneville, Ala. Experts say Lowndes County and nearby poor, mostly black counties in rural Alabama are now facing a perfect storm as infections tick up: a lack of access to medical care combined with poverty and the attendant health problems that can worsen the outcomes for those who become sick. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)

HAYNEVILLE, Ala. (AP)  Sparsely populated Lowndes County, deep in Alabama's old plantation country, has the sad distinction of having both the states highest rate of COVID-19 cases and its worst unemployment rate.

Initially spared as the disease ravaged cities, the county and other rural areas in the state are now facing a perfect storm: a lack of access to medical care combined with poverty and the attendant health problems, including hypertension, heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease and diabetes, that can worsen the outcomes for those who become sick with the coronavirus, said Dr. Ellen Eaton.

I think a lot of people fell into this idea that we were immune because were not in tight spaces like in New York and New Jersey, and were in wide-open areas, said Eaton, who specializes in infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

But no longer. Lowndes and nearby poor, mostly black counties in rural Alabama are facing an increase in confirmed infections. Their outbreaks are also affecting urban areas, since many of the sick need to be transferred to city hospitals.

Less than 30 miles (50 kilometers) from the white-domed Capitol in Montgomery, Lowndes lies along the highway where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. led voting rights marchers from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. Today, it has a population of 9,700, and 220 have now tested positive for the virus.

The surge in Lowndes and neighboring counties may be inextricably linked to their demographics  and thus their history as home to plantations where slaves grew the cotton that fueled the Confederacy. About 75% of Lowndes' population is African American, and nearly 30% live in poverty. Its jobless rate has surged to 26% as area manufacturing plants closed during the pandemic.

The problem can also be seen elsewhere in the rural Deep South, where a tally by John Hopkins University shows a heavy concentration of cases.

Black people have suffered disproportionately in the pandemic. An Associated Press analysis in April of available state and local data shows that nearly one-third of those who have died are African American, with black people representing about 14% of the population in the areas covered in the analysis.

Story continues

As can be seen in Lowndes, some health conditions that exist at higher rates in the black community make African Americans more susceptible to the virus, and they also are more likely to be uninsured.

Alabama's figures reflect that national picture. About 27% of the states 4.9 million residents are black, but African Americans represent 44% of the 590 who have died.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and lead to death.

County administrator Jacquelyn Thomas used her fingers this week to count off five elderly Lowndes residents whove died of the disease recently. She fears what will happen as the state loosens restrictions even further, and the weather gets warmer.

I worry about Lowndes County, said Thomas. I worry about whats going to happen everywhere."

Nearly a third of the state's total cases came in the last two weeks as Gov. Kay Ivey loosened regulations meant to stop the spread of the coronavirus in order to revive the economy. The days since have included high school graduation ceremonies that drew thousands; packed beaches; reopened bars and churches; and plenty of bare faces unprotected by masks.

Dr. Scott Harris, the state health officer, said the state saw its highest number of new cases since the pandemic began in recent days.

We know a little bit of that has to do with increased testing, but I dont think that explains all of it, said Harris.

With caseloads increasing in areas including Lowndes County, which doesn't have a hospital, patients are seeking health care in cities like Montgomery, which Harris said appears to be having widespread community transmission of coronavirus on its own.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed announced last week announced that intensive care units in the city's hospitals were filled or nearly filled. While Harris said hospitals have the ability to increase ICU capacity if needed, city officials said it should be considered a warning sign of the virus's spread and urged people to be vigilant. Reed said he raised the alarm at the request of local health officials.

It has not subsided. It hasnt plateaued," Reed said. Its not over. We haven't won the battle with COVID-19 yet, Reed said.

The Alabama National Guard has been sent into state nursing homes, which have been hit hard by COVID-19, to help with cleaning and training. Through an ongoing military partnership, a 15-member medical team from Romania arrived Thursday to help the state with COVID-19 support and share lessons learned from Europe, military officials announced.

While many in the area Lowndes aren't taking recommended steps to ward off disease, others are. Wearing a protective face mask at a convenience store gas pump, Marvin Johnson jumped in his car as soon as a masked stranger approached.

I don't want to get sick, he said through a cracked window.

Shenae Harris also wore a mask, but she is worried that a lot of other county residents aren't covering their faces and aren't making any attempt to stay 6 feet (about 2 meters) away from others, as recommended.

People are still having parties and get togethers, she said.

Dr. Karen Landers, the district medical officer for the state, said health officials arent aware of any single place, like a nursing home, that is driving an increase in cases in the county.

But Thomas, the county administrator, sees other worrying signs in the poor communities around her.

Like other places with high numbers of lower income residents, multiple generations of families often live in small homes in the county, she said. Young people who tend to take fewer precautions against the virus go home despite the risk of infecting parents and grandparents whose lives are more fragile, Thomas said.

Once it does, it's too late," she said. "It's too late.

___

Chandler reported from Montgomery, Alabama.

___

Follow AP pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.
Cyprus opens back up for international tourism on Tuesday, with airports welcoming visitors after an almost three-month shutdown, and a bold plan to cover health care costs for visitors. But with arrivals expected to be down by 70 percent this year due to the chaos brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, it's a leap of faith for the small Mediterranean holiday island. "Nobody here is expecting to make any money this year", Deputy Tourism Minister Savvas Perdios told AFP. "We are setting the stage for the beginning of our recovery in 2021." The divided island's tourism sector normally accounts for around 15 percent of GDP but has dried up in past months amid global measures to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus. Cyprus saw a record 3.97 million arrivals in 2019, with more than half its market made up of British and Russian visitors. But even if the island's airports in Larnaca and Paphos will open up to arrivals on Tuesday with the first flight due to arrive from Athens around midday (0900GMT), neither Britain or Russia are among the 19 countries allowed to land there. The list of permitted countries, which also include Bulgaria, Germany and Malta, have been chosen based on epidemiological data and split into two categories. Initially all travellers will need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test undertaken within 72 hours of travel, but from June 20, only those arriving from six countries in the second category, such as Poland and Romania, will need to do so. The government says the lists will be revised weekly and more countries can be added. Cyprus will also cover accommodation, dining and medical care for any tourists who fall ill with the COVID-19 illness during their stay, as well as accommodation and meals for their families and close contacts. "What we offer and what we sell is not the sun and the sea, it's hospitality, and this is an extension of our hospitality," Perdios said. The government has designated a 100-bed COVID-19 hospital for tourists that Perdios said would be located in the Larnaca region, while 112 ICU units have been allocated for visitors. Perdios said several four-star hotels would provide 500 quarantine rooms for close contacts of those who fall ill. - 'Right thing to do' - A raft of other health measures, including disinfection protocols and temperature checks at border controls, aim to protect travellers and locals alike. "We've gone to big lengths to think ahead of things that could go wrong and try to devise plan Bs and Cs", Perdios said. The Republic of Cyprus, in the south of the island, has registered 960 novel coronavirus cases and 17 deaths. Perdios expressed hope that British tourists could be welcomed "sometime after mid-July", with Russia "slightly later, maybe by a couple of weeks". A recently announced deal with Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air to open a base in Cyprus from July was also an important step towards expanding and diversifying the island's tourist markets, he said. While no date has been set to allow international tourists to visit the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, only recognised by Ankara, the health care commitment would still apply to those visiting the north during their stay once the crossings are reopened. "I am very confident that not only will we be able to continue providing our citizens with protection, but also caring for everybody who comes to the island on holiday", he said. "If we are coming out with a scheme like this, it's because we can afford it, but most importantly, because we feel that it's the right thing to do."
Odisha government estimates a revenue loss of Rs 10,000 -15,000 crore in the current financial year as the state faces a severe disruption in industrial activities due to coronavirus lockdown and a cyclone that hit its shores recently.

However, Hemant Sharma, Principal Secretary, Industry, says that the state government has been very proactive in dealing with the situation and those efforts have ensured that many large, medium and small industries in the state are operational now, even if at a fraction of the pre-COVID levels.

Talking to Business Today recently, Sharma said: "And as we speak today, barring the liquor bottling plants, most of our industries are operational now. Of course, their operations are not at the pre-COVID levels, but we have ensured that all issues related to labour, raw material and product movement are dealt with on a priority basis."

He says that the level of operations could vary from industry to industry, ranging from as low as 10 per cent (stainless steel) to as high as 70 per cent (cement plants). He says unless demands pick up in the external market, it is unlikely that these industries would be back to their pre-COVID levels in 4-6 weeks.

According to him, 40 per cent of MSMEs have also started operations in the state. "There also the level of production is not pre-COVID yet. The operation levels are very low and we are helping them avail the benefits announced by the central government recently by encouraging them to apply for additional working capital and term loans," he said.

The state government has started campaigns to help MSMEs avail benefits announced by the Centre. It is organising camps, where bankers and MSMEs are brought together and the latter are persuaded to apply for the central government schemes.

Though, the principal secretary believes that the loss to MSMEs in the state has been massive. "Our MSMEs are intermediate SMEs - they produce sponge iron, pig iron or induction furnace or induction arc furnace - so they are depended on larger product market in Western, Southern and North India. Unless demands pick up in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Punjab, it would be difficult for our SMEs to come back to pre-COVID levels," he says.

On whether many MSMEs in the state would face permanent closure, Sharma said that on the basis of feedback from SME associations, it seems some industries, which are directly dependent on the Western and Northern final product markets, will find it very difficult to come back to business.

However, MSMEs in the food processing sector - rice mills, biscuit-making plants, oil bottling or oil packaging plants - are back to normal earlier than others because these sectors are dependent on local or regional markets.

On the state government's efforts to help the industries in the state, Sharma says besides hand-holding in the initial days, the government has ensured that any pending payments to the industries from state departments is cleared immediately.

"We took up a drive to pay all the pending dues of the industries (mostly MSMEs) of the past one year. We did a quick survey and found that about Rs 450 crore was outstanding as on March 1, 2020. In April and May, we started a drive to clear all these dues and within this period the outstanding has come down from Rs 450 crore to Rs 85 crore. This Rs 85 crore is also due to some or other disputes, which we are trying to clear," says Hemant Sharma.

The state government has also ensured that all bank guarantees and earnest money deposits were released in April.

In terms of hand-holding, the state government coordinated with other states so worker and product movements continue to happen, and the industries continue to get their logistics support.

The state government is also providing support to district to district movement of workers. "In the Paradeep cluster, many workers had to travel from Cuttak or Khordha. This was enabled by providing point-to-point transport. Even now in many places, in spite of these being containment zones, this arrangement is working efficiently, Sharma says.

Odisha, like other states in the country, is also trying to position itself as an attractive destination for investment from companies shifting their manufacturing facilities or supply chain facilities due to disruptions created by COVID-19 across the world.

It is, however, pitching for investments in six focus areas -- metal, food processing, seafood exports, apparel, textile and garment, chemicals and petrochemicals - where the state thinks it stands a good chance.

"We are focusing on these sectors, where our proposition is for good infrastructure, good policy, and a very active facilitation support from the state government," says Hemant Sharma, who believes political stability and hence policy certainty in the state are unique propositions that Odisha offers to investors.
Theres not a thing Nicki Minaj cant do. She can rap, sing, act, and now shes taking over the airwaves on her Apple Beats 1 show Queen Radio. The show was a big hit upon its August 2018 debut and has earned her recognition as a dynamic radio personality. But how much does she actually take home from the program?

Unfortunately, Nicki Minajs Queen Radio salary is not yet known, but weve dug around and found some information that might offer a little insight.

Nicki Minaj on the red carpet at an award show in August 2017 | Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

A history of Queen Radio

Queen Radio was supposed to be nothing more than a promotional effort for Nicki Minajs fourth studio album, Queen (2018). But it became so popular that it grew into a semi-regular program.

The show features the MEGATRON rapper playing her favorite tunes, engaging in playful banter with her fans (who she affectionately calls the Barbz), and delving into all sorts of topics  from relationships to pop culture. She also shares personal updates with her followers, including her upcoming projects, dramas, and relationship with childhood friend Kenneth Petty.

RELATED: Do Nicki Minaj and Her Husband Have a Prenup?

In under a year, Queen Radio became the most-listened-to show on Apple Music.

I started doing #QueenRadio to have a lil fun w/my fans. I now have the most-listened to show on Apple Music, Nicki Minaj tweeted on July 24, 2019.

She continued: Dont put limits on yourself. Please. I love you guys so much for the love & support. Im from South Side Jamaica Queens, NYC. like what?

I started doing #QueenRadio to have a lil fun w/my fans. I now have the most listened to show on Apple Music. I dont think ppl understand. Dont put limits on yourself. Please. I love you guys so much for the love & support. Im from South Side Jamaica Queens, NYC. like what?  Mrs. Petty (@NICKIMINAJ) July 24, 2019

What is Nicki Minajs Queen Radio salary?

Although her salary is not yet known, it seems likely that she receives a hefty paycheck.

Industry insiders told the BBC around the Beats 1 launch in 2015 that Apple was willing to pay large amounts to attract star guest presenters. The company later hired BBC Radio 1 host Zane Lowe, who reportedly made over $160,000 a year at his old station, per The Sun (via The Guardian). While his current salary is unknown, Apples alleged will to make large payouts might be an indication that he received a similar  over even bigger  salary.

If so, it seems possible that someone with even more star power like Nicki Minaj would receive six-figures, too, especially considering thats what she allegedly charges for a rap verse alone. But at the same time, she isnt a regular host so the circumstances could be different. Well update here when more information becomes available.

RELATED: Fans Think Nicki Minaj Shaded Beyonce On the Say So Remix

How to listen to Queen Radio

Queen Radio is exclusively on Apple Music. Given theres no regular schedule for the show, we cant say when the next one will come out, but Nicki Minaj usually provides updates on her Instagram and Twitter accounts.

While you wait for new episodes, the old ones can be found on the platform now. The most recent show, which premiered in February, saw Nicki Minaj talking about her upcoming album and era. There is no title or official release date just yet, but The Pinkprint rapper said on Twitter that it will feature a new alter ego called Queen Sleeze.

Stay tuned to Showbiz Cheat Sheet for future updates.

Read more: Megan Thee Stallion Shows Off Gift From Beyonce In Honor of the Savage Remix Going No. 1
06.06.2020 LISTEN

Tension is building up as Chiefs, Leaders of Youth groups, Pastors, Civil Society groups and Professionals from the Five (5) Regions of Northern Ghana have begun challenging the Electoral Commission (EC) to put a stop to the new voters register as the people of the area will stand disenfranchised.

These groups from 4th to 5th June 2020 have petitioned their House of Chiefs, Clergy and other stakeholders to help stop the compilation of the new voters register as it stands to disenfranchise many from their regions and may plunge the area into chaos.

The various groups and coalitions stated with evidence the number of persons to be disenfranchised if the new register is not stopped.

See the statistics below follows

Upper East Region:

Total Voter Population  708,584.

Persons with NIA Cards  663, 508.

Total To Be Disenfranchised  663,508 plus (93.64%).

Upper West Region:

Total Voter Population  472,391.

Persons with NIA Cards  447,964.

Total To Be Disenfranchised  447,964 plus (94.83%).

Savannah Region:

Total Voter Population  342,685.

Persons with NIA Cards  224,613.

Total To Be Disenfranchised  224,613 plus ( 65.55%).

North East Region:

Total Voter Population  379,351.

Persons with NIA Cards  255,570.

Total To Be Disenfranchised  255,570 plus(67.37%)

Northern Region:

Total Voter Population  981,947.

Persons with NIA Cards  653,833.

Total To Be Disenfranchised  653,833 plus (66.59%).

Below is a petition presented to the house of chiefs:

SAVANNAH FIRST REGIONAL COALITION AGAINST NEW VOTERS REGISTER.

PETITION TO THE GONJALAND TRADITIONAL COUNCIL REQUESTING A HALT IN THE NEW VOTERS REGISTER AS MANY WILL BE DISENFRANCHISED IN THE SAVANNAH REGION.

The President,

Through: The Secretary

Gonjaland Traditional Council,

Jakpa Palace.

We write as an amalgamation of political parties, civil society groups in the Savannah region with identity "SAVANNAH FIRST" requesting your high office, the mighty Gonjaland traditional council to halt the new voters registration process in the Savannah region as many will stand disenfranchised.

Your royal highness, our call comes on the back of a letter issued by the National house of chiefs dated 31st May, 2020 signed by Togbe Afede XIV and Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII cautioning the electoral commission on its failure to hold broader consultation on the matter of the new voter's register and further directing that under no circumstance should any qualified voter be left out of the process.

HRM, we wish to bring to your notice, the number of indigenes that will be left out of the registration process due to the basic documents required to enable them register. ie. The passport and the Ghana card.

HRM, from the data of the National Identification Authority, out of our regional voter population of about 342,000 only 118,000 were registered with the Ghana card. This means that more than 224,000 were unable to register due to some poor measures suspected to be deliberate on the side of the NIA. The NIA admitted to errors in the five (5) Northern regions and in a letter dated 5th October, 2019, they apologized for their own misconduct.

Your royal highness, if the new Voter's registration is to commence today, a population of about 65% from the Savannah region will automatically be disenfranchised as we have less than 30% of our population with either Passports or the Ghana Card as required.

HRM, we also wish to bring to your notice, the current coronavirus pandemic that has befallen our nation. As a region, we were already battling with crisis such as CSM, Snake bites among others until we recorded our first case of COVID-19 in the region. The crowding at the various limited polling stations by the less than 30% with Ghana cards and passports will fast spread the disease in our region and this will deter others from joining the queues to register and in the end disenfranchising them as a result of the risk factors.

HRM, Other national and international Civil society groups such as CODEO, CDD, IMANI-GH, ASEPA, Persons with disability and other distinguished personalities such as Dr. Ibn Chambas, former President John Agyekum Kuffuor among others have cautioned the government not to go on with the new voters register with its current basic requirements as many will be disenfranchised and that has the tendency of plunging the country into Chaos.

All these have proven not successful as the government together the Jean-Mensah led electoral commission have decided to turn a death ear to all clarion calls.

We pray your high office, as superior leaders of our land, to safeguard the voting rights of your descendants by calling the electoral commission to order as many from the Savannah region will be denied their basic right to vote in the upcoming 2020 election if the new voters register is to be implemented.

We find the current register which was compiled, used and revised since 1992, used in the 2016 election that gave the ruling party a massive victory, used in the recent referendum for the creation of new regions, used in the assembly member elections among others still fit for purpose.

Counting on your usual cooperation.

Thank You.

Signed:

Alhaji Seidu Imoro  NDC Chairman

Mr. Andrew Dokurugu - League of Christian professionals

Mahama J. Wanye- PNC Chairman

Mohammed Amin Abdul Wahab  APC

Adam A. Mahama - Eagle Party

Suadic Musah - Alliance for Northern Pride.

Issued by Communication Bureau:

Malik Basintale
The "new normal" of combined work-home could mean ongoing prisons for women and children living with abusers says the Domestic Violence Advocacy Service (DVAS).

DVAS said that it was preparing for what it anticipates could be a further surge in calls and needs by women and children who have been contained with their abusers in Sligo and Leitrim for the past ten weeks and who may now finally find the space and freedom to reach out for help as the country begins to open up.

Carmel McNamee manager at Domestic Violence Advocacy Service (DVAS) said it was reconfiguring to ensure that it can provide the best levels of safe, professional support for women and children.

DVAS is a member of Safe Ireland, the national hub for 38 domestic violence services throughout the country. Together, the network is putting in place a united recovery plan to respond to what will be a "new normal" she said.

Over the lockdown period DVAS has been offer support, information and advocacy to women in all manner of situations. DVAS has been supporting women in accessing emergency accommodation and seeking safety through court orders.

DVAS are very impressed with An Garda Siochana's Operation Faoiseamh, in which Gardai in Sligo and Leitrim are focusing on domestic violence and sending out a powerful message that perpetrators cannot get away with abusive controlling behaviour.

"We know that women with children may have been tolerating abuse and coercive control through the weeks of strict containment for the sake of the children. With more space and freedom, she said, these women can hopefully get an opportunity to reach out for the safety and protection they need.

"Our services have been open and have been operating throughout this crisis," Carmel said. "As we begin to open up here in Sligo and Leitrim we are available, now more than ever. We believe that many women have been living with intolerable abuse over the past two months. It is important that they know that we are here and that we can support them to be safe in their own homes, or help re-home them if this is what is needed."

Carmel said that DVAS along with services throughout the country had become more united in their resolve that the sector "cannot go back" to the way things were operating.

She said that Covid-19 had exposed the fragility of the sector and the deep fault lines that have existed for decades in the state's response to domestic violence. DVAS has been advocating for women fleeing from domestic violence during Covid-19 to be able to receive rent supplement, for example, which has so far been denied by Government. She also said that Covid 19 could mean that the "home-work divide' will be reconfigured in the long-term, raising serious issues for the risk and invisibility of domestic violence.

"What we now regard as 'the private' may be radically changed with technology likely to reconfigure our lives utterly," Carmel said. "We have to seriously consider if the future will make an absolute prison of these combined spaces for many women and children? We have to be prepared to respond to this new normal. The fractured and piece-meal State response to domestic violence that we had for decades simply won't do this."

Safe Ireland (www.safeireland.ie) has established an Emergency Covid-19 Fund to support the emergency needs of women and children throughout the crisis. This funding is distributed directly through frontline services like DVAS. So far, the fund has enabled DVAS to provide practical but essential items like food, heating oil, utility bills, car insurance, transport costs and appliances needed for new accommodation. The fund remains open for donations and will continue to be used, now more than ever, as the country opens up, Carmel said.

Support, information and advocacy is available for women experiencing domestic violence and in coercive controlling relationships. Ring 071-9141515 from Monday-Friday 10am-5pm, email support@dvas.ie or visit www.domesticviolence.ie
The man who filmed the death of Ahmaud Arbery in Glynn County, told investigators that he heard the suspect Travis McMichael use racial slurs before shooting the victim.

Racist attack

William Bryan testified on June 4 at a preliminary hearing. The hearing lasted for 7 hours with the judge ruling all three defendants, Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael and the man who filmed the incident William Bryan, would stand trial on all charges.

The details of Arbery's death emerged during the nationwide protests over the killings of African Americans in the United States.

Richard Dial, a GBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge testified on the court and said that Bryan heard Travis McMichael call Arbery the N-word after he shot him three times and left him on the street to bleed to death. The video shot by Bryan captured the Confederate flag sticker plastered on the toolbox of McMichael's truck.

On the cross-examination, Dial said that Bryan mentioned the slur in his GBI interview on May 13, but Bryan did not make the allegation during his May 11 interview.

But the agent stated that there were a lot of times that McMichael used racial slurs on his social media accounts and his messaging services. He also once message someone that he loves his job because there were no "n***er" anywhere.

Also Read: Man Who Filmed Ahmaud Arbery's Murder is Receiving Death Threats, Claims He is Innocent



Dial also stated that before the shooting of the victim, McMichael went on Instagram and wrote that it would be better of someone had blown off the head of the N-word. He did not say which McMichael he was referring to, and he was not asked further for the context of his statement.

The pursuit

According to the timeline prepared by Dial, Arbery was hit with a truck as he tried to escape the McMichaels. Travis and Gregory McMichael attempted to trap Arbery, he then turned and ran past Bryan who was in his truck recording the incident.

Bryan struck Arbery with the side of his truck. Bryan said that the reason why he struck Arbery is that he thought he was about to enter his truck. The investigators later found palm prints on the rear door of the truck. They also found cotton fibers near the truck's bed and a dent below the fibers, which suggests that he tried to hide from the McMichaels.

Kevin Gough, Bryan's attorney, said that Bryan was working on his porch and that he did not have any idea of what Travis and Gregory McMichaels were doing. However, Dial said that Bryan joined the chase when Travis and Gregory McMichaels shouted that Arbery was trying to escape.

The shooting

The McMichaels were arrested on May 7. Gregory McMichael said they chased Arbery because they thought he was breaking-in the houses in the neighborhood.

The father and son armed themselves and tried to head off the victim with Bryan's help. Bryan recorded the encounter with his phone.

The video shows how Travis McMichael shot Arbery after they struggle over the gun. Gregory McMichael draws a handgun but he did not shoot it. Blood was also seen on the back of Arbery's T-shirt under his left rib cage. He then stumbles and falls in the middle of the street and the McMichaels drove off. According to Atty. Merritt, The Justice Department has launched a hate crime investigation over the case.

Related Article: Man Who Took Graphic Footage of Ahmaud Arbery Killing Under Investigation

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
In 1833 Beersheba Porter Cain discovered a chalybeate (mineral spring waters containing iron salts) spring in the mountainous region of Grundy County outside of Altamont, Tennessee.

The little village that was above Collins River Valley would become incorporated in 1839 and would function as a summer hotel and included log cabins to escape the summer heat below and to avoid various diseases.

The purchase of the property in 1854 by Louisiana slave trader Colonel John Armfield led to a period of development that included a luxurious hotel that would accommodate 400 guests. Armfield brought upwards of 100 slaves to upgrade the property and build the buildings.

The resort added ice houses, billiard rooms, and bowling alleys.

Armfield also planted many shade and fruit trees during this period and imported musicians from New Orleans to perform at the dances held on the premises. French chefs were also imported from Louisiana to provide fine cuisine for the guests.

Armfield also tried to induce two Bishops in the Episcopal Church to consider the area as a possible location for the University of the South to educate Episcopal youth.

During the Civil War the property was sold to Northern investors. From the wooden observatory at the front of the hotel skirmishes between Confederate and Union troops in the valley below could be observed.

Two homes were built for Bishop James Otey and Leonidas Polk of Louisiana who would be instrumental in the selection of the site for the university. Unfortunately, the Sewanee Mining Company offered 10,000 free acres of land outside of Monteagle which was accepted in 1857 and the location was confirmed at a meeting of the Sewanee Board of Trustees in Beersheba.

During the Civil War the residents were constantly harassed by federal forces and bushwhackers (homeless ex-soldiers) who plundered, pillaged, and robbed whenever they could. Surprisingly, all of the property remained intact in spite of raids by the federals and outlaws.

On September 20, 1871, Armfield died and the resort went through many up and down periods. The isolation of the location and substandard roads was always a problem but the resort still remained an attractive destination because of its beauty.

Various routes have been built to make the area more accessible. Roads to Chattanooga, Gruetli, and McMinnville were connected during the post-Civil War period. The Dixie Highway (U.S. 41) constructed during the 1920s from Chicago to Florida was one of the first steps to provide accessibility to the area.

In 1926 Tennessee Highway 56 was built up the mountain to Beersheba. Unfortunately, the blasting put an end to the mineral springs which originally created the resort. The Great Depression and the loss of the springs negatively affected the property and it was bought and sold several times.

Although better roads to the resort were now available, the post-Depression recovery in 1939-1941 did not revive Beersheba Springs. However, several additional famous visitors have stayed at the resort over the years. Prior to his presidency, Franklin Pierce, the fourteenth president of the United States, stayed at Beersheba Springs. In 1840 Tennessee Governor and future president James Polk held a political rally at the location.

In 1934 an individual who identified himself as Boshee Bouch was a short time resident. In reality he was Public Enemy No. 1, John Dillinger. He got along with the residents who helped him dig a well on his property, which contained a simple cabin. Others sold him vegetables while he was at Beersheba Springs prior to Dillinger being shot and killed by the FBI in July of 1934 in Chicago.

After years of neglect the property and facilities were bought for $3,000 by the Tennessee Conference of the Methodist Church to be used as retreat grounds in November 1941.

The Methodists have maintained ownership since that time and have continuously upgraded and improved the premises. Over the years, all of the modern convenience of electricity, water, telephone, and even wireless access have been added as well as complete modernization of the buildings and cabins.

In 1955 Beersheba Springs was incorporated as a town with 4.9 square miles of territory and a city manager-council form of government.

Since 1967 the community has hosted the Beersheba Springs Arts and Craft Festival each year on the fourth weekend in August and it usually has over 200 vendors and is attended by thousands of visitors.

In 1980 the historic district of the town was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The history of this quaint and beautiful place has been preserved by the combining of three articles by Herschel Gower, Carl Elkins, and Ann Hale Trout covering the earliest days of its existence through 2010.

Googling Beersheba Springs on your computer will provide the reader with a wealth of data and inspire them to take a scenic trip to this historical part of Grundy County.

* * *

Jerry Summers

(If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact Mr. Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com
By Trend

Asian Development Bank (ADB) is expecting to soon sign an agreement on reconstruction of Aktobe-Kandyagash road in Kazakhstan, ADB representative told Trend.

On May 20, 2020 Kazakhstan has approved an investment project on reconstruction of the Makat - Aktobe road section proposed for financing at the expense of private loans under state warranty for 2020.

The ADB official in turn said that the loan for this project (reconstruction of Aktobe-Kandyagash road) will be provided to Kazakhstans state-owned enterprise Kazavtozhol (countrys national road operator company), who will be Borrower and Executing Agency for this project.

"The project is considered as a public sector loan (not private) as Government of Kazakhstan will provide a sovereign guarantee," the official emphasized.

The official also highlighted that the projects implementation is not underway as of yet.

"Currently loan agreement is negotiated with the borrower and expected to be signed soon. Advance procurement is underway to select contractors for civil work and Engineer for construction supervision," the ADB official said.

The official also reminded that ADB has two ongoing transport projects worth $560 million. They include modernizing transport infrastructure along the Aktobe-Makat and Zhetybai-Zhanaozen roads in West Kazakhstan.

Talking environmental and economic effect that these projects are expected to bring the official said that once completed, Aktobe-Makat and Zhetybai-Zhanaozen road projects are expected to boost regional connectivity, promote inclusive economic growth, and increase the countrys trade links with markets in East Asia, Europe, and the Caspian Sea.

"The projects will contribute to the efficient, reliable and safe movement of people and goods in the western region of Kazakhstan, with road safety features conforming to international standards to be introduced," the official said.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Victoria Santos knows how lucky she is.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the 18-year-old Easton Area High School senior doesnt have to worry about whether her family can afford to buy groceries.

She was talking over the grim realities of the pandemic with two classmates when they collectively decided to take action.

Some families arent just worried about getting sick, she said. Theyre worried about, Can I pay the rent today or can I pay for groceries?

She and fellow seniors Emily Giang and Dylan Moser teamed up with the nonprofit organization Family Connection and with Whitsons Culinary Group, which provides school lunches for the Easton Area School District.

They learned that the Easton Area School District provides grab-and-go meals for more than 900 students a day. Family Connection supplements those efforts with tote bags, food and other basic needs. The three teens decided to supplement those efforts further by calling for $50 grocery gift cards to be added to each meal.

Their gofundme.com page raised $3,000 in four days.

When we sent the link to our teachers we got maybe $2,000, maybe more, from teachers in the district eager to help the kids. Its awesome to see how the community has come together, Santos said.

The group has raised $5,050 so far and has a goal of reaching $7,000.

Those interested in helping can donate at their Groceries for Easton Families gofundme. Gift cards for Giant, Walmart and Aldi are appreciated.

The fundraisers

Victoria Santos, 18, of Palmer Township, is the high school class president. She will attend the University of Arizona and study either business or political science

Emily Giang, 18, of Palmer Township, will study architecture at the Pratt Institute.

Dylan Moser, 18, of in Forks Township, will study business or criminal justice at the University of South Carolina.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to Lehighvalleylive.com.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Monster Beverage (MNST). Shares have added about 16.3% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Monster Beverage 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 catalysts.

Monster Beverage Q1 Earnings Beat on Strong Top Line



Monster Beverage reported impressive earnings and sales numbers in first-quarter 2020, driven by meager impacts from the coronavirus pandemic. Notably, its top and bottom lines not only outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate but also improved on a year-over-year basis. The company notes that the COVID-19 outbreak had minimal impact on its first-quarter results, as its flavor manufacturing facilities, co-packers, warehouses and shipment facilities remained operational, maintaining continued supplies.



However, it stated that its April sales witnessed significant impacts from the pandemic, while bottler/distributor sales to retailers in the United States experienced lesser impacts. Moreover, the company notes that there has been a change in consumer channel preference since the middle of March, with a rise in in-home consumption and a fall in immediate consumption. So far in the second quarter, its sales have been adversely impacted by lower traffic in convenience stores and gas stations along with a decline in food service on-premise channel. Meanwhile, the e-commerce, club store, mass merchandiser, and grocery and related businesses have witnessed stable trends.



Q1 Highlights



Monster Beverages earnings of 52 cents per share rose 8.2% year over year and outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 48 cents.



Net sales of $1,062.1 million improved 12.3% year over year and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $997 million. Moreover, gross sales (net of discounts and returns) rose 13.4% to $1,236.1 million. Improvement in gross and net sales was mainly attributed to gains from the Monster Energy brand energy drinks internationally as well as Reign Total Body Fuel high-performance energy drinks. The gains were partly negated by unfavorable currency fluctuations, which hurt net and gross sales by $10.4 million and $11.2 million, respectively.



Segmental Performance



Monster Energy Drinks: The segments net sales rose 14% year over year to $992.5 million. Robust gains from the sale of Monster Energy and Reign Total Body Fuel brands were partly offset by a negative impact of $10 million from adverse currency rates.



Strategic Brands: Apart from its affordable energy drink brands, the segment includes a range of energy drink brands acquired from Coca-Cola. The segments net sales declined 8.2% to $64.5 million in the first quarter. Currency headwinds marred the segments results by $0.4 million.



Other: Net sales at the segment, which includes some products of American Fruits & Flavors sold to independent third parties (AFF Third-Party Products), fell 3.8% year over year to $5.1 million.



Costs & Margins



The companys first-quarter 2020 gross margin contracted 60 basis points (bps) to 60%. Operating expenses rose 3.9% year over year to $272.2 million, while as a percentage of sales it declined 210 bps to 25.6%. Selling expenses, as a percentage of net sales, decreased 70 bps to 10.3%. Meanwhile, distribution costs, as a percentage of net sales, declined 10 bps to 3.7%. General and administrative expenses, as a percentage of net sales, leveraged 120 bps to 11.7%.



Operating income of $365 million grew 17.2% year over year. Moreover, the operating margin expanded 150 bps to 34.4% in the reported quarter.



Other Financials



Monster Beverage ended the first quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $701.8 million, and total stockholders' equity of $3,870.9 million.



In the reported quarter, the company bought back 10.5 million shares for $579.3 million (excluding broker commissions), with an average price of $55.22 per share. As of May 7, 2020, it had $441.5 million remaining under the previously authorized share repurchase plan.



Strategies on Track



Monster Beverage remains committed to product launches and innovation to boost growth. In first-quarter 2020, the company launched several products in the United States, including a line of Reign Inferno Thermogenic Fuel, two new energy drinks in the Monster Ultra line, a line of Java Monster 300, and a line of Monster Hydro Super Sport as well as NOS Turbo. Further, it launched various Monster Energy brand energy drinks and Reign Total Body Fuel high-performance energy drinks in international markets. Moreover, its affordable energy brand  Predator  was launched in additional international markets, including Mexico, in the first quarter. The company plans to launch the brand to more markets in 2020.



Other notable product launches included the Monster Energy Dragon Tea in Brazil in the first quarter and in China in April 2020. It also added the Burn Dark Energy to its portfolio in Russia, a new Nalu energy tea line in Belgium, and the national launch of Mother Epic Swell in Australia, after a limited launch last year.

Story continues

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

It turns out, estimates review have trended upward during the past month. The consensus estimate has shifted -8.23% due to these changes.

VGM Scores

Currently, Monster Beverage has a strong 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 trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. Notably, Monster Beverage 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



Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
The central government-run Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital has curbed the timings of their screening centre to limit the number of Covid-19 test samples collected. The screening centre, which used to be open throughout the day, will now function only between 9am and 5pm Sunday onwards, according to an order issued by the hospital.

The hospital has seen a sharp increase in the number of patients coming in for Covid-19 testing over the last two days when the Delhi government barred seven laboratories in the city from testing samples. The government said they were not following proper Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines for testing.

The hospital can test 300 to 350 samples a day. However, it was routinely stretching its capacity to test about 400 samples a day.

We have been working over capacity for some time now; we had to ask our staff to work overtime. But, over the past two days we have started receiving around 500 samples a day and it has become unmanageable. Hence, we have curtailed the timings, Dr Minakshi Bharadwaj, medical superintendent of the hospital, said.

The Aam Aadmi Party had earlier alleged that they found a 45% error on retesting 30 samples tested at RML hospital. The hospital said that the subsequent samples had been collected after 7 to 14 days, during which time the patients might have cleared the virus from their system.

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As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) begins preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, deputy chief minister and senior party leader Sushil Modi has dismissed speculation that BJP and the Janata Dal (United), or JDU, will not seek re-election as allies.

Describing the alliance as a reliable partnership, Modi said the synergy between the Centre and the state government had created a successful model of governance in the state.

Schemes at the Centre and at the state level have ensured that Bihar has seen development that eluded it for years. Villages have been electrified, water is being provided under har ghar jal (water in every household), power is being provided for agricultural purposes at low cost, he said in a phone interview.

Signs of discord between the allies surfaced on the issue of brining back migrant Bihar workers stranded outside the state during the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. As BJP leaders pushed for letting the workers travel back home, chief minister Nitish Kumar insisted on he Centre first framing guidelines for the return of migrant workers.

There have also been murmurs within the party that the state governments response to the migrant worker and it inability to offer jobs will have an adverse impact on the electoral fortunes of the allies and that the BJP should consider fighting the Bihar elections on its own.

Modi said no dichotomy existed between the allies on the issue.

Our CM said there have to be proper guidelines for bringing back migrants. And once the Centre came up with those; 20 lakh workers were brought back on trains, their fare was reimbursed; we set up quarantine centres, transferred money to their accounts, we gave free ration up to 10 kg. So where is the question of workers not having been looked after, he said.

On Sunday former BJP president and Union home minister Amit Shah will address a virtual rally in the state, an indication that party has resumed political activity ahead of the elections to the 243-member assembly.

The JDU and B JP two parties will continue the alliance because it offers them a better a chance of coping with anti- incumbency, said DM Diwakar, former director of the Patna-based A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies.

There have been failures on many fronts, development, law and order and governance. The corona pandemic has exposed the collapsed state of health infrastructure so it makes sense for the two parties to go together and cover up for these failures by offering doles and more work under MNREGA {Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act}, he said.

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Mary OReilly celebrates with her daughter Fiona after she was greeted by around 70 neighbours and Santry gardai on her return from hospital

A grandmother who tested positive for Covid-19 was given a hero's welcome home after making a miraculous recovery from the virus.

Mary O'Reilly (72), from Artane, Dublin, completed a staggering 19-week stay in hospital yesterday, six of those spent battling coronavirus.

Around 70 neighbours gathered outside Ms O'Reilly's house to celebrate her return home with tea and Prosecco.

Among the socially-distanced crowd were her children, grandchildren and gardai from Santry.

An upbeat Ms O'Reilly told the Herald she was delighted to finally be home with her family after weeks of being apart from them.

"I'm feeling great. I have just come home and they were having a party for me. I'm delighted," she said.

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"I'm happy to see everyone, but I'm so happy to see my grandkids and children.

"I have loads to catch up on with everyone because I haven't seen them since January. I've really missed everyone."

She added she was just "so happy" to be back in her own house.

"The first thing I was really looking forward to when I got in the door was having a hot cup of tea," she said.

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"I don't drink, so I left the Prosecco for everyone else."

Ms O'Reilly was admitted to Beaumont Hospital on January 29 after she became critically ill with bacterial pneumonia.

Positive

After weeks of fighting the illness, she was transferred to Clontarf Orthopaedic Hospital for rehabilitation care.

Just as she was showing signs of recovery, Ms O'Reilly tested positive for Covid-19 during the first week of April.

Her daughter Deirdre told the Herald: "Within days, she went downhill.

"She went back into the ICU in Beaumont Hospital, and she was put on a CPAP mask.

"She was in Beaumont for six weeks fighting the coronavirus, and then she got a couple of tests and, thankfully, they were confirmed negative."

The mother-of-four and grandmother-of-six then returned to Clontarf Hospital.

"She went back to Clontarf Hospital because she felt weak after lying in the bed for so long," said Deirdre.

"When we were told on Wednesday that she could come home, we were over the moon."

Deirdre said as her mother is a dialysis patient, the family was worried "her body wouldn't pull through" the illness.

"She's 14 years waiting on a liver transplant. Because of her underlying conditions, we were worried her body wouldn't pull through," she said.

"We are so excited to have her back. It was so amazing to have her home and get her back into her house.

"To think back in April we didn't know if this day would ever come. That's the wow factor for us."

Her family was ecstatic to see Ms O'Reilly after weeks of staying in touch through video chatting.

"We couldn't visit her because of the restrictions, so the fact that she was there on her own and all, that was something we found really hard," Deirdre said.

"The nurses in Beaumont were amazing. They arranged group FaceTime with us all. That was great.

"She was absolutely loving the social-distancing party we had for her yesterday. She was even a bit teary-eyed.

"She was just delighted to see everyone again."

Deirdre added the O'Reilly family would like to thank medical staff in Beaumont and Clontarf hospitals who helped her recover, and Santry Community Garda Station.
GREENWICH  I stand for a community that is tired of being stood upon, the Rev. Thomas Nins of the First Baptist Church told a crowd gathered on a hot Saturday afternoon at Town Hall to protest the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis.

What do I stand against? I stand against racism in every form. I stand against injustice in every form, said Nins, who is also the police chaplain and the father of two beautiful black sons, with his first grandchild on the way.

I have been protesting ever since I was a young man. I have been out there fighting the battle  and Ive got to tell you, those of us who have been out here are sick and tired of fighting the same dad-gone battle year after year after year. Were just tired of it.

Nins, who told the crowd that he takes personally the death of George Floyd, led the crowd in several chants of No Justice, No Peace.

He said he was not there as a show of sympathy but to call for action, including voting and speaking out against bigotry. Nins offered a sharp rebuke against President Donald Trump and Republicans, even those who are friends of his, who support the president.

The rally for justice, organized by Indivisible Greenwich, brought at least 600 people together, with some holding signs saying, Wake Up White People, Dont Apologize, Mobilize and White Silence Is Violence.

We are here to mourn, Indivisible Greenwich co-founder Joanna Swomley said. We are heartbroken and sick by yet another cruel torturous murder at the hands of those who took an oath to serve and protect. We are desperately sad, and were here because there is a movement going on today that has a chance for real change. And it requires our presence and our help in order to sustain it.

The crowd filled the front lawn at Town Hall and overflowed onto the other side of Field Point Road, with many attempting to practice social distancing in the coronavirus era. The crowd was the largest ever for an Indivisible Greenwich event, co-founder Nerlyn Pierson said.

Floyds death has sparked protests around the world and calls for tough measures to stop police brutality and racial profiling. He died lying in the street as an officer kneeled on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

The Greenwich rally included 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence in Floyds memory. Swomley urged everyone to kneel, if possible, with First Selectman Fred Camillo among those joining in the kneeling and time of prayer and contemplation.

Central Middle School student Hugo Levine, 13, spoke passionately about what he has witnessed in the country since Floyds death on Memorial Day. He asked, what happened to Floyds rights and what has happened to the rights of some protesters across the country who have been arrested.

I would like adults to be honest that someone like myself is treated differently than someone with darker skin, said Levine, who is white. That is the root of systemic racism that has dominated our country for 400 years. That is white privilege. I could go into a store and steal something and it would be less likely that I was robbing than a person with a darker shade of skin.

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, a town resident, said he was saddened, disgusted and broken by Floyds death and loudly called for action at the rally.

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 does not end with police officers who have murdered unarmed black men because it is about systemic racism in the country.

Social programs like the New Deal and the Great Society largely lifted up poor white people while excluding people of color, he said.

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 OK.

Indivisible offered several action items to legislators for reforms in police procedures. And they asked Camillo to agree to the commitment to action pledge, which calls for a review of the police departments use of force policies and a report on planned reforms.

After the rally, Camillo met briefly with Swomley and said he will review the pledge.

The four officers in Floyds death have been fired and face criminal charges. Derek Chauvin, who was seen in a video kneeling on Floyds neck, had his charges upgraded this week to include second-degree murder along with third-degree murder and manslaughter. The other three officers, Thomas Lane, Alexander Keung and Tou Thao, have been charged with aiding and abetting murder.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
A paedophile who abused two six-year-old boys she was babysitting has been released from prison after claiming a sex change made her less likely to re-offend.

Jeffrey Terrence Anderson, 34, who now identifies as a woman after taking taxpayer-funded sex-change hormones in prison, was jailed in 2008 for horrific crimes against children.

This includes having sex with a 12-year-old when she was just 19, as well as abusing two young boys she was babysitting.

She was released from prison on Tuesday on a court-imposed supervision order - despite the Brisbane Supreme Court admitting it wasn't 'ideal' she rejoin society.

Anderson claims to identify as a woman and started taking sex-change hormones while behind bars.

Jeffrey Terrence Anderson, 34, was jailed in 2008 for horrific crimes against children which also included having sex with a 12-year-old when she was just 19 (file image)

Since her incarceration, Anderson - who was referred to as Ms Rose in court - was found to have pictures of children inside her cell.

Guards also stumbled across a shocking three-page story written by Anderson detailing fantasies of having sex with a three-year-old, The Sunshine Coast Daily reported.

Psychologist Luke Hatzipetrou said Anderson's belief she wouldn't re-offend was 'not supported'.

'Anderson's belief that the risk of re-offending would be mitigated by becoming a woman is not supported and somewhat naive,' he said.

'The fact that child images have been found in his possession as recently as November 2017 indicates that there is an ongoing preoccupation with children.'

The court said over the past two years Anderson had become 'more emotionally stable and secure'.

The 34-year-old will remain on the supervision order for ten years and is prohibited from having contact with children.

But a complete control plan is not in place, the Courier Mail reported, despite warnings Anderson is a risk to children.
Visitors get a souvenir snapshot at Universal Studios theme park on the first day of reopening from the coronavirus pandemic, on June 5, 2020, in Orlando, Florida

Tourists donned masks Friday and visited the attractions at Universal Orlando, the first of the major theme parks in Florida to open since the COVID-19 pandemic shut them down almost three months ago.

Universal Orlando resort and the other theme parks in this central Florida city closed on March 15 to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

New back-to-fun rules at the park include temperature controls at the entrance, mandatory use of face masks, markers on the ground to help enforce social distancing and posters thanking the public for their help "during this unprecedented time."

Universal Orlando is only reopening at 35 percent capacity and has launched a system of virtual lines in which space can be reserved, to avoid queues and crowds.

Terrence Wilson, 19, was happy with the result. "There's not a lot of people. I can get on all the rides without having to wait 40 minutes or an hour" he told the Orlando Sentinel.

On Monday, the Legoland Florida park opened in the city of Winter Haven, while SeaWorld in Orlando is scheduled to open on June 10.

The largest of Orlando's parks, Walt Disney World, will open on July 11.

That day the park's Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom sections will begin operating, while EPCOT and Hollywood Studios will follow suit on July 15.

Orlando is home to most of the state's theme parks and every year welcomes millions of tourists from all over the world.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: Oil exploration major, Oil India Limited (OIL), has requested the District Magistrate of Assams Tinsukia to probe the reported deaths of four people due to possible pollution from blowout  or uncontrolled emission of natural gas  at an oil well.

There is some news in the local media that four persons have died in Natun Gaon (a nearby village) due to possible pollution from the blowout. No human life has been lost due to the release of natural gas, crude oil spillage, or condensate in OILs operations in all these years, the OIL said in a statement.

The statement said paramedical staffs were at the relief camps 24X7 with the doctors constantly addressing the health issues of inmates.

As on date, there is no report of any such very serious health issues due to the blowout. OIL has requested the DM of Tinsukia to investigate the matter so that the real cause of the deaths could be ascertained, the statement said.

The DM, Bhaskar Pegu, said he was getting the matter probed.

Its true there has been pollution (due to the blowout). But who will establish that the deaths were caused by this? It has to be based on medical grounds. Doctors have to say this. If the cremation has already taken place, how can we find it out? It is now not scientifically possible. We can only surmise. We are getting it probed, Pegu said.

He said the deaths of four to five people were reported by the media.

The blowout had occurred on May 27 at the OILs Baghjan BGR oil well No 5. As there has been no letup in the emission of natural gas from the well, around 2,500 people from 650 families were evacuated from the affected area and sheltered at three relief camps.
The Daily Beast

Reuters/Arnd WiegmannTheatrical rock superstar Meat Loaf, whose Bat Out of Hell is one of the bestselling albums of all time, has died at the age of 74. Reports say the singer and actor had recently fallen sick with COVID-19.In an emotional statement posted to Facebook early Friday, the performers family said he was with his wife when he died and had said his final goodbyes to his two daughters in the past 24 hours. The star sold 100 million albums in his five-decade career and starred in movie
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 13:52:08|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia reported two new cases of COVID-19 over the last 24 hours, taking its total to 193, the country's National Center for Communicable Disease (NCCD) said Saturday.

"A total of 255 tests for COVID-19 were conducted across the country on Friday and two of them were positive," the NCCD's head Dulmaa Nyamkhuu told a daily press conference.

The latest cases are Mongolian students who returned home from Russia via Altanbulag border point on May 28, Nyamkhuu said.

All the confirmed cases in Mongolia, including four foreigners, were imported, mostly from Russia. No local transmissions or deaths have been reported in the country so far.

One more patient has recovered from the disease, raising the total number to 71, said the official.

On March 10, a French national tested positive for the novel coronavirus, becoming the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Mongolia. Enditem
Toronto and Hamilton police unions are calling the Hamilton public school board irresponsible for characterizing the death of a woman who fell from a 24th-floor apartment balcony while officers were there as an act of anti-Black racism.

An open letter on the boards website links the May 27 Toronto death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet to the May 25 alleged police murder of George Floyd in Minnesota that has rocked the United States since a video showed an officer kneeling on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes.

We are outraged by the acts of anti-Black racism and violence that led to the recent deaths of members of the Black community in the United States and Canada, says the June 1 letter from board chair Alex Johnstone and education director Manny Figueiredo.

The deaths of George Floyd and Regis Korchinski-Paquet remind us again of the ongoing, systemic injustice, inequality and violence that target Black communities.

Mike McCormack, president of Torontos police association, said hes shocked the school board would sensationalize Korchinski-Paquets death as a racist act while its still being probed by the provinces Special Investigations Unit.

He said its impossible to control comments on social media, but board officials are respected in the community and ought to know better.

What is somebody in a position like this putting out information on an ongoing SIU investigation with absolutely no facts? Its completely irresponsible, McCormack said.

We see whats happening in the States, we see whats happening down there, and now theyre exploiting that situation by contributing to social disorder, to the potential for the same kind of violence to happen here. Based on what? No information. Its totally offensive.

Johnstone said the letter does not at all accuse the Toronto officers of anti-Black racism, insisting it focuses on racism as a systemic, historic problem, including within the board, where Black students are less successful and have lower graduation rates.

She said whether McCormack likes it or not, students are protesting Korchinski-Paquets death, and its important to listen and make changes to address inequities.

We have not made a judgment about the outcome of the Toronto investigation, but we are acknowledging the anti-Black racism that impacts the entire Black communitys lives, Johnstone said.

There was a whole team of people working to put that statement together, and with that I know a lot of thought went into validating the local community, she said.

Its also validating what were reading about, what our students are reading about, what theyre watching in the media, what theyre talking about around their dinner tables.

Clint Twolan, president of the Hamilton Police Association, called the letter irresponsible and ill-informed, and said its disappointing Johnstone as a public official doesnt appreciate that it directly attributes the same motivations to both deaths.

Her comment that students are protesting the death of Korchinski-Paquet might very well be the result of them receiving misinformation, such as the letter she issued, he said.

While the letter has legitimacy and addresses real problems, using the death of Korchinski-Paquet is careless.

Johnstone said the board has taken several steps to address racism internally, including hiring a human rights and equity officer, initiating staff and student censuses, and conducting an audit of hiring practices.

She said its also reviewing the use of Hamilton police school liaison officers, with a report scheduled to go to trustees on June 22.

We have students who do not feel safe when there are police that are in our schools and we also have students who do not feel safe when theyre gone, she said.

Twolan said the board letter makes him question the neutrality of the review and suggests a predetermined position on policing.

Text of board anti-racism letter

An Open Letter from HWDSB Chair Alex Johnstone and Director Manny Figueiredo:

We are outraged by the acts of anti-Black racism and violence that led to the recent deaths of members of the Black community in the United States and Canada. The deaths of George Floyd and Regis Korchinski-Paquet remind us again of the ongoing, systemic injustice, inequality and violence that target Black communities. We recognize that anti-Black racism impacts the daily lives of our students, staff and families in ways that are unjust and prevalent.

The events that we see in the media are not random and isolated. They are the poisonous inheritance of anti-Black racism in history, which has been known and felt by the Black community for far too long. We believe that, as education leaders, making a statement is necessary but inadequate. Although we have done some important equity work in HWDSB, we recognize that we have a lot more work to do to fight racism in our education system. We cannot be bystanders to racism; we must work against it. Anti-Black racism is a threat that erodes the dignity of all people. It requires a commitment to act. As a result, staff have committed by the end of this month to provide an update on our Equity Action Plan as it relates to anti-Black racism and the key next steps we must take for the sake of our students.

At Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, we know that anti-Black racism exists in our community and in our schools. Black students and communities have shared their experiences in our schools. Their voices reinforce the need for greater action and concrete efforts to support their lived experiences. We will support our educators and staff to make places of learning safe for Black students, staff and families. We will share further resources and supports for students and educators in the days ahead.

It is our ethical and moral responsibility to work against anti-Black racism. Statements of belief and commitment are not enough, when the well-being of our students and community demands action. We know we need to centre the voices of Black students, staff and families to make progress. We will continue to be accountable to them as we make the necessary changes.
Author and academic Badri Narayan, a social historian and cultural anthropologist and director at the Allahabad-based GB Pant Social Science Institute conducted a study on caste relations during the coronavirus pandemic. Through telephonic interviews with 215 migrants, his team tried to explore how caste functions differently in different time and space in the Indian society.

Narayan's survey showed that the pandemic displaced caste from our social discourse and pushed it to the secondary level (at least for some time) and brought the "biological body" at the centre of primary concern. Untouchability was out at the horizontal level functioning body to body, and made secondary vertical untouchability between castes.

Narayan spoke to News18.com on the "flexibility of the Indian caste system" that surfaced during the pandemic.

Can you tell us about the research undertaken on caste relations dynamics during the pandemic? What was the idea behind it?

This research is aimed at understanding how caste functions in Indian society during the time of disaster and emergency like pandemics. Do such pandemics break, dilute and weaken the rigidity of caste in our society? This research is centered on migrant labourers who returned to various destinations like Mumbai, Delhi, Surat, etc. and tried to document changes in the inner content of caste in their everyday life in five different experiential location and time, which is the workplace and destination of migrant labourers, their life in lockdown and after job loss, during their painful journey home, their life during quarantine and their experience of caste when they resettled in their village basti after completing their quarantine.

It is interesting to note these three months provide five different kinds of life conditions and set of experiences to the migrants. Its behaviour is not like a mathematical formula. It is not fixed or homogeneous but very complex and complicated and does not work merely as a defined structure but also as a "bhav", which may be called "jatibhav". That is why it is not always rigid as we analyse in our discourses. It does not work always in the same way but our "experiential capital" makes it sometimes diluted, flexible and benign.

This research also tried to see how social norms of normal time change its form and content, both in emergency such as pandemics. These changes may not sustain for long but "experiential capital", which we gathered during our life experiences, affects its functioning invisibly and slowly for a longer time. The exploring memories of their experiences were very crucial during our research this time.

How strong is the methodology of conducting this research over the phone covering 250 people? What were the hurdles due to the lockdown? What working group was selected for the survey?

We have interviewed 215 migrants comprising Dalit, OBC and upper castes who returned from places like Mumbai, Delhi, Surat and Pune to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. We selected six quarantine centres each in UP and Bihar to document everyday life experience of migrants there.

Most respondents have completed their quarantine period either at a quarantine centre or in home quarantine and then reached their villages and towns. Our research associates interviewed them, mostly over phone, and some of them face to face to know how caste identities remained with them in destination and during the pandemic.

The research staff and our students helped us with the interviews. We developed a network of local informants from local journalists, local leaders and social activists to map and procure primary information, contact numbers and location details upon which our researchers developed interview strategies.

For us, this is a "methodology of emergency" as during the lockdown we could not go to the field for "long term participatory interviews. We know our problems. We were not able to engage our respondents for longer discussions over telephone, which is needed in such research. We were not able to read their faces because many things they were not able to express in a cohesive manner, their responses were fragmented and fractured. But we need to weave them. Some time they became silent, some time they cried, some time they just whispered. We need to read all these human emotions needed to understand experiential realities gathered in their memories as capital. This experiential capital is also scattered in their memory box.

As researchers, first of all, we had to open their memory box and then search for those "jama punji of vipat kal", which is a very difficult task for us. It was more difficult because we were compelled to do it telephonically. We know the shortcomings of telephonic interviews but this pandemic provided us with unique and rare moments to understand the functioning of social norms, such as caste in the time of health emergency.

You must have heard about the Brahmins declining food cooked by Dalits in quarantine. How do you see such incidents where even in crisis caste matters or there is nothing to be surprised about?

Indian society is not a homogeneous one and we are located at various levels of social consciousness. So various types of social behaviours appear in a time and space. The Indian society is a society of heteroglossia -- we need to accept it. We came to know about many incidences during our research where upper castes took food and water from the hands of fellow Dalits and OBC migrant travellers during their journey. One vulnerable poor upper caste respondent told us that: "us wakt jat nahi yaad aata tha, we wanted only to save our life and reach home". He said that only village and family was in their minds in those days, nothing else.

One Dalit respondent asked, in response to one of the questions, that "vipat ke mare ki kya jat bhaiyya" (what is the meaning of caste for sufferer of such disaster?)". When they entered a quarantine centre, caste consciousness which was diluted and benign during travel routes may have reappeared in some of them but we have documented various incidences where various castes ate and stayed together forgetting untouchability.

We observed that a new form of social distance and untouchability emerged during quarantine. A Brahmin youth from Mumbai returned to his village in Bundelkhand. For his society, he was more than untouchable at least for 14 days and was viewed with hatred. People called him corona. His wife was stopped by his own caste people to take water from the 'chapakal'. We find many cases of such experiences which may remain in the consciousness of the sufferer migrants of various castes and may weaken caste identities at least for some time.

In this period, we understood that a section of our society may slowly be moving towards caste-public to bio-public. Coronavirus displaced caste from our social discourse and pushed it to the secondary level (at least for some time) and brought "biological body" at the centre of primary concern. Untouchability was out at the horizontal level functioning body to body, and made vertical untouchability between castes, secondary.

We have also documented many cases where migrants from upper castes were opposed by Dalits and supported by people of the upper castes from which migrants belong for the fear of pandemic.

Has the pandemic given a new understanding about caste in India? Can you elaborate on the findings?

Yes, caste in Indian society is not merely a system and a fixed structure. It will not remain always in one form, it appears in various other forms. It can be flexible, benign in various moments of social life. This pandemic suggested that the social norm of 'vipat kalmay' not be analysed and viewed with the paradigm which we used to understand caste in normal time. It also showed us that experiential capital and emotional location also dilute the rigidity of our social system. The caste identity mutates and changes its form with changing context and time.
The British Brexit trade team have accused Brussels chief negotiator Michel Barnier of behaving like a referee when actually he is a player on the pitch after another week of testy talks.

The barb came after the Frenchman accused the UKs lead negotiator David Frost of backsliding on commitments made in last years Political Declaration on what Britains future trade relationship with the EU would look like.

After four days of discussion, both sides agreed there had been no significant areas of progress and Mr Frost warned talks must intensify and accelerate to avoid collapse.

Britain did, however, signal for the first time that levies on goods such as milk and lamb had been floated in a notable climbdown on demands for zero-tariff, frictionless trade with the bloc.

The British Brexit trade team have accused Brussels chief negotiator Michel Barnier (pictured) of behaving like a referee when actually he is a player on the pitch after another week of testy talks

And talks also made progress on protecting famous British regional products such as Scottish whisky and smoked salmon and stilton from EU imitations.

Yet at his Brussels press conference on Friday, a visibly irritated Mr Barnier accused the UK of trying to water down the non-legally binding commitments signed by Boris Johnson last autumn.

We cannot and will not accept this backtracking on the Political Declaration, he said.

Mr Barnier (right) accused the UKs lead negotiator David Frost (left) of backsliding on commitments made in last years Political Declaration on what Britains future trade relationship with the EU would look like. Pictured: Mr Frost is welcomed prior to the first bilateral meeting to begin formal negotiations of the future relationship between the EU and UK on March 2

London hit back angrily, accusing Brussels of over-interpreting the document that serves a blueprint for trade talks rather than a rigid script.

British officials say the Political Declaration is meant to set the parameters for the negotiations. It doesnt require everything in it to be agreed in treaty form, said one.

And last night a source close to the negotiations told The Mail on Sunday: The EU are unfairly characterising the Political Declaration. Establishing a framework is not the same as meaning everything must go in a legally binding treaty.

Michel Barnier seems to think he is the referee when actually he is a player on the pitch.

And they pointed to the text of the Declaration that says it serves as the parameters of an ambitious, broad and deep partnership.

The source added: We are fully committed to that vision, but it is clear that while it set out the breadth of our future relationship, it did not envisage that everything in it must be legally enshrined.

There was also irritation in London that Mr Barnier used his press conference to again urge an extension to the talks, potentially delaying a trade deal by up to two years.

A source close to the negotiations told The Mail on Sunday: The EU are unfairly characterising the Political Declaration'. Pictured: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (centre) gestures as he walks with EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier (tight) as they prepare to address a press conference at a European Union Summit at European Union Headquarters in Brussels in October 2019

A senior Government source said: Brexit is about economic independence. An extension to the transition period would simply bind us into future EU legislation, without us having any say in designing it, but still having to foot the bill.

Next Friday, both sides will meet virtually for the second Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee meeting.

London is braced for this meeting to be used to attempt to extend the trade talks, but hopes are fading in Brussels that the British Government will fold on the notion.
Manitoba hit the 300 mark for COVID-19 when two new cases were reported Friday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba hit the 300 mark for COVID-19 when two new cases were reported Friday.

"We're not done with this virus," said Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer.

The new cases involve a truck driver who travelled outside the province and a close household contact of the driver, Roussin said.

Public health is looking into the two cases to determine what contacts they may have had who need to be traced, he said.

Truck drivers are exempt from the order that requires Manitobans to self-isolate for 14 days when they return to the province from travelling. Drivers are offered voluntary COVID-19 testing even if they have no symptoms.

Two other cases involving truckers in the last week have been reported. Roussin said he didn't have details on where the drivers, who travelled outside the province, might have caught the virus.

"We know travel outside Manitoba, especially into the U.S., carries an increased risk," he said.

In Manitoba as of Friday, there were nine active cases of the virus. The province has a very low test-positive percentage rate: less than 0.22 per cent, Roussin said.

"That's quite low compared to Canada's average," said Roussin.

The cumulative test-positive percentage nationally is about five per cent.

Manitoba has the capacity to perform up to 1,000 COVID-19 tests daily, but only 671 tests were performed on Thursday.

The province will no longer conduct tests on Sundays in Brandon, Portage la Prairie, Steinbach, Winkler and at Thunderbird House in downtown Winnipeg because of low patient volumes, Shared Health nursing chief Lanette Siragusa said Friday.

While the province has the capacity to test more people, there's no point in testing people who have no symptoms just for the sake of testing, Roussin said.

Manitoba's top doctor said there's no value in testing people who've attended large gatherings where some may not be social distancing, such as Friday's Black Lives Matter rally.

"That wouldn't be my recommendation," said Roussin.

Tests performed on people with no symptoms are not reliable, he said. A person could test negative and develop symptoms the following day and later test positive. He maintained that hand-washing, keeping your distance and staying home when you're ill are the best ways to avoid spread of the virus.

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There is no need for anyone without symptoms to self-isolate after Friday's rally, Siragusa said.

She dismissed social media posts that claimed Health Links has advised protesters to self-isolate for two weeks after the event. "That is not the messaging that's being given," she said.

Numbers posted by the federal government on Thursday indicate the virus appears to be on the decline nationally.

Daily case counts over the past seven days are 24.5 per cent lower than the seven days before that, and there is a decreasing trend in the number of new deaths: 22.7 per cent lower than the seven days prior.

Manitoba last reported a COVID-19 death one month ago. On May 5, the virus claimed the life of a man in his 70s in the Southern Health region.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
This Monday, we call for a solemn assembly and day of mourning in Houston.

Most of us didnt know George Floyd personally, but we know he died, with a police officers knee on his neck. We watched Mr. Floyd take his last breath while calling out to his deceased mother as if for protection. Mr. Floyds inhumane death was shocking for some of us, but not surprising for people of color.

Floyd died amid a callous indifference to justice and as a result of institutionalized violence and discrimination. His death happened in a way that touches the very essence of the value of life and we will not let his passing be in vain. The responses we are witnessing in Houston, across the country, and throughout the world, will not be ignored. Houstons huge peaceful march and rally this week organized by African American leaders and activists, will not be ignored. We the people of Houston came together from all backgrounds to shout aloud the impacts of systemic wrongdoing and mistreatment and to say no more.

We the people of Houston know how to celebrate together. We are learning how to grow and change together. Now it is time to mourn together. We dont have to know Floyd personally, to value his life. As Floyds family and friends gather for his memorial visitation and funeral, let us mourn with them, because his life mattered and he is a part of us.

Let us gather across Houston, and name, acknowledge and share the loss of George Floyd.

Mourning together during quarantine can take many different forms. It may mean calling friends and family, talking, or praying. We can join others online or via a televised observance. Many of us will kneel together for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the time that Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyds neck. Houstonians with physical limitations for kneeling may choose to stand or sit silently. Some of us will journey to the Fountain of Praise church, where Floyds family are hosting a visitation, and others will look to Mayor Sylvester Turner or another community leader for guidance.

At home, connected online, or physically with others, let us name, acknowledge and share the horrific losses of African American women, men and children in the United States. George Floyd. Sandra Bland. Botham Jean. Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery  daughters and sons of America, joining too many other black women and men and children over the last 400 years.

And then let us, the people of Houston, turn our mourning into action. We must move forward in an honest critique of the issues that have built systems that threaten and stigmatize black lives, from housing to health care, from education to law enforcement.

In the past, the law enforcement point of view often dictated the narrative and went unchallenged. In Floyds case, citizens with cell phone cameras provided a window into what really happened, shocking many Americans into new actions. This is why we so often demand police body cameras to provide a check and balance on official power.

When people we entrust with the responsibility to protect and serve use their official authority, their weapons and their bodies to act in violence, we all hurt. Some of us may not feel the pain immediately, but eventually we will be affected as a nation. Our country is stronger united and our people are better off when we all share the same freedoms of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

For days now, many of us have been in the streets, demanding change. Demanding an America where Floyd still enjoys his life, his liberty, and happiness with his family. We should not forget the people who for decades have been taking to the streets and demanding change, only to have their pleas fall on deaf ears, or for promised change to be abandoned.

Let us, the people of Houston, make sure this change happens.

Let us, the people of Houston, act in unity to demand the changes and accountability we need in our cities, our police departments, our government, and our laws, to dismantle institutional violence and systemic racism.

Most of all, let us the people of Houston, do this work in our own lives, our habits of thinking, our assumptions, our behaviors, our words and our actions. Let us truly become the change we seek in our world.

Authored by Black, White and Latina women from Houston Women March On, which gathers and mobilizes women and their allies to take action for themselves and their communities.
3-kg bomb at Delhi flower market: Police yet to zero in on any suspect

Delhi health infra should be used for its residents only: Panel formed by AAP govt

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, June 06: A five-member panel constituted by the Delhi government has suggested that the health infrastructure of the city should be used only for treating residents of the national capital, in view of the raging COVID-19 crisis, sources said on Saturday.

The suggestion comes in the backdrop of Delhi recording over 1,000 coronavirus cases daily for the past few days and the AAP government fending itself against allegations of lack of hospital beds and other facilities.

The panel, headed by Indraprastha University vice-chancellor Dr Mahesh Verma, has submitted its report to the government in which it has said that if Delhi health infrastructure is open for non-residents, all beds will be occupied within just three days, according to the sources.

Delhi: FIR against private hospital 'violating' COVID-19 norms

A Delhi government official said that a Cabinet meeting will be held on Sunday when a final decision on the report is expected to be taken. Sources also said the government may accept the suggestion of the panel, which was constituted last week.

India Covid-19 infections crossed Italy's tally making it the 6th worst-hit nation | Oneindia News

The other members of panel are: Dr Sunil Kumar, the medical director of GTB Hospital; Dr Arun Gupta, president of Delhi Medical Council; Dr R K Gupta, former president of Delhi Medical Association; and Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, the group medical director of Max Hospital.

The Delhi government had asked the panel to guide it on healthcare infrastructure augmentation and overall preparedness of hospitals to battle COVID-19 in the national capital.

The panel was also asked to guide the government on any other area where strengthening of infrastructure is required to better manage the pandemic in Delhi.

On Friday, Delhi recorded 1,330 fresh coronavirus cases taking the COVID-19 tally in the city beyond the 26,000-mark, as the death toll due to the disease jumped to 708. The highest spike in fresh cases -- 1513 -- was recorded on June 3.

Earlier this week, the government had directed that asymptomatic COVID-19 patients and those having mild symptoms be discharged from hospitals within 24 hours of admission, and district surveillance officers be reported.

The government had warned hospitals that non-compliance will be viewed seriously and may invite legal action "without further notice". On June 1, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced sealing of Delhi's borders for a week in the wake of rising number of coronavirus cases in the national capital.

The Delhi government had received over 7.5 lakh suggestions from people on whether the borders should be reopened and health services of hospitals be restricted to the treatment of only Delhiites, according to an official statement Friday evening.

Sources in the government had said on Friday that the borders can be reopened, but services of the Delhi government-run health facilities may be reserved only for the people of the national capital.

However, health services in the Centre-run hospitals may be available for people belonging to other states.
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Hondo may lie just 40 miles west of San Antonio but in some ways is a world away.

Its motto, This is Gods Country, could refer to homespun values and a small Texas towns deep faith.

But it has always struck me as a warning  not just against speeding through it, as signs in and out of town warn  but against outsiders, particularly city folks and liberals, especially if theyre people of color.

Hondo, population 9,430 and 60 percent Mexican American, was once led by Anglo politicians, almost exclusively, but times and leaders have changed hands.

The town has a long history of Mexican American activism against segregation, injustices and corruption, but Hondo has never been a haven for progressive ideas by any means.

In the 1970s, there were school walkouts to protest unequal opportunities and abuses against Spanish-speaking children. The region has known several cases of police brutality. In the mid-2000s, Hondo voters recalled three Mexican American council members in a racially charged election monitored by federal authorities.

This week, perhaps a little by surprise, townspeople saw that members of the Black Lives Matter movement live among them.

I wasnt there to see it, but according to multiple accounts, about 50 people participated, most of them young, in high school or college. Some were home after universities shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.

They gathered on Tuesday in front of the Medina County Courthouse to do Gods work, standing in solidarity with protesters nationally, demanding justice for George Floyd, an African American man in Minneapolis who called out for his dead mother as an officers knee was pressed to his neck for almost nine minutes.

Hondos protest or sit-in, as it was called on flyers, was a minor one as these events go. But it might have taken far more courage to participate in it than one in a larger city.

The young Hondoians wrote their beliefs on poster boards  Black Lives Matter, Black Brown Solidarity, If you dont see a problem, you are the problem.

Courtesy photo / Courtesy photo

Tuesdays protest was by all accounts peaceful, but the group received threats on social media before the protest. None of the critics even bothered to hide their identities.

They described Hondo residents as likely to carry, referring to guns, and being pretty handy with a rope. Another warned protesters the worst thing you can do is come into a small country town that firmly believes in God and guns and start problems.

In Hondo? yet another person asked, Choot em.

Perhaps thats why law-enforcement agencies, including the Hondo Police Department and the Medina County Sheriffs Office, were out in force, several protesters said.

Calls to both agencies got little to no response other than verifying that the event was peaceful. A small group of townspeople hauled lawn chairs and watched the proceedings from across the courthouse.

Several protesters said a motorcyclist yelled obscenities and made a hand gesture to them, and a truck drove around the area waving a Trump flag.

Ameyali Sanchez, a recent University of Texas graduate who finished out the semester at home in Hondo, said the police presence felt somewhat more like intimidation rather than protection.

Mateo Hernandez, who hasnt lived in Hondo for seven years but came home from Chicago to shelter with his family during the pandemic, was thrilled a protest was organized. He said it may not have had the energy of those he has attended before, but it made its point, nonetheless.

For him, racism has been reduced to a black-white issue, and its more complicated, he said. Mexican Americans, themselves victims of discrimination, can hold racist attitudes toward African Americans. It remains an untouched subject. Were working against that, too, he said.

Adam Diles, a student at Wade College in Dallas who was home, too, organized the event. It was his first. He admitted being nervous, found the police helpful and was glad several longtime Hondo activists came out and gave him a few protest pointers.

Diles, who is white, left feeling hopeful. As residents of Hondo, they took a stand in a highly conservative place.

Hondo can be behind on some things, Diles said. People forget this (racism) is happening here, too.

Its not really talked about. Its ignored and accepted as normal. Theres so much catching up to be done. Im not bashing Hondo, he added. Im just being honest.

Hes headed back to Dallas, but some of the same protesters will gather at 3 p.m. again today at Highway 90 and Avenue M in Hondo.

eayala@express-news.netA
Prominent civil rights activist the Reverend Al Sharpton told mourners on Thursday George Floyds fatal encounter with police and the nationwide protests his death ignited marked a reckoning for America over race and justice, demanding: Get your knee off our necks.

Memorial tributes to Floyd in Minneapolis, where he was killed on 25 May, and in New York Citys borough of Brooklyn, a major flashpoint for demonstrations stirred by his death, came as protesters returned to the streets of several US cities for a 10th straight day, including Atlanta, Washington DC, Denver, Detroit and Los Angeles.

The gatherings, while boisterous at times, were for the most part orderly, in contrast to several previous nights punctuated by sporadic arson, looting and clashes between protesters and police.

The change in mood reflected a determination voiced by many protesters and organisers in recent days to transform outrage over Floyds death into a renewed civil rights movement, seeking reforms to Americas criminal justice system.

This is a very seismic moment, and someday Im going to have a kid, and he or she or they are going to ask me what I did during the uprising of 2020, during the American spring, said Nana Mensah, a writer in her 30s from Brooklyn.

She held a sign that read: Youre lucky we just want equality and not revenge.

In the nations capital, hundreds if not thousands assembled for a rally at the Lincoln Memorial, many sitting on the ground listening to speakers and chanting, Say his name  George Floyd, before an evening thunderstorm dispersed the crowd.

Another group of protesters congregated near the White House, where construction workers erected concrete barriers and fences around the presidential residence.

Two Buffalo, New York, police officers were suspended after a video showed them shoving a 75-year-old man to the ground as he approached police lines. The man was taken to hospital where he was in a stable but serious condition.

Delivering the eulogy at a memorial service inside a university chapel in Minneapolis, Reverend Sharpton said Floyds fate  dying at the hands of police, pinned to the ground under the knee of a white officer  symbolised a universal experience of police brutality for African Americans.

George Floyd should not be among the deceased. He did not die of common health conditions. He died of a common American criminal justice malfunction, Reverend Sharpton said. Its time for us to stand up in Georges name and say, Get your knee off our necks.

Reverend Sharpton led mourners in eight minutes and 46 seconds of silence, the amount of time Floyd lay on a Minneapolis street with a knee pressed into his neck.

In addition to hundreds who gathered inside the North Central University chapel, a crowd of hundreds listened to the service over loudspeakers outside.

Reverend Al Sharpton performs a eulogy during a memorial service for George Floyd at North Central University on Thursday (Getty)

One was Zsa-Vona Williams who knew Floyd from his days working at the homeless shelter where she once lived, recalling him as a caring, friendly soul.

He gave to and fed a lot of people. He was a gentle, peaceful person, Ms Williams said.

The prayer service, which drew comic actors Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish as well as US senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, coincided with a separate outdoor memorial tribute to Floyd in Brooklyn.

The day of remembrance capped more than a week of largely peaceful protests, accompanied by civil unrest that prompted dozens of cities to impose overnight curfews and the mobilisation of the National Guard in several states.

The size of the disturbances seemed to ebb after prosecutors in Minneapolis on Wednesday elevated murder charges against one police officer jailed last week in Floyds 25 May death and arrested three others accused of aiding and abetting the first.

On Thursday, the three newly arrested officers made their first appearance in court and were ordered to remain held on $750,000 (593,827) bond each.

Their principal co-defendant, Derek Chauvin, is slated to appear for his bond hearing on Monday. Chauvin is the officer seen in video footage kneeling on Floyds neck as Floyd gasped for air and groaned: I cant breathe, before passing out.

Recommended Floyd family announce march on Washington to be held 28 August

The four former officers, all dismissed from the Minneapolis police department the day after Floyd died, each faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charges.

Floyd, a Houston native who had worked security at nightclubs, was unarmed when taken into custody outside a corner market where an employee had reported that a man matching his description tried to pay for cigarettes with a counterfeit bill.

His brother, Terrence Floyd, joined an outdoor memorial on Thursday in Brooklyn where many in the crowd knelt in a symbol of protest and chanted: No justice, no peace.

He urged the crowd to continue to seek justice but to avoid violence, saying: My brother wasnt about that.

New York mayor Bill de Blasio took the stage to pledge that Floyds death would lead to substantive changes in police practices in the nations largest city.

A string of memorial services for Floyd were expected to stretch across six days and three states. A funeral was planned for Tuesday.

Reuters
Fort Bend County officials reported increased active COVID-19 cases for nearly every city in its jurisdiction as the countywide total surpassed 2,000 to reach a total of 2,117 cases Friday, June 5. Missouri City continues to emerge as a COVID-19 hot spot in the greater Houston area with 300 cases, roughly 14.17 percent of Fort Bend Countys confirmed cases in addition to 24 more reported within the Harris County portion of the city, according to the Harris County Public Health Department statistics. The City of Richmond reported a 28 percent increase in active COVID-19 cases over the last seven days with 11 new cases to a total of 39 cases.

Related: Fort Bend County COVID-19: Richmond counts increase 30 percent

Statistics indicate the number of cases reported among Sugar Land residents also continues to trend upward with a current total of 196 cases followed by Rosenberg with 143 and Stafford with 79 active cases. A total of 1,128 cases, more than half the countys overall total, are reported among residents who live in the extra territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) areas outside city boundaries. Fort Bend County is home to a large a number of densely-populated master planned communities such as Sienna Plantation near Missouri City where over 8,200 houses have been built in the countys ETJ area. According race and ethnicity data reported by county health officials, African Americans make up 32 percent of the COVID-19 cases followed by Hispanics with 29 percent, whites with 18 percent and Asians with 28 percent. At Tuesdays Fort Bend County Commissioners Court meeting, Dr. Jacqueline Minter, director of the Fort Bend County Health and Human Services Department presented an update.

Were transitioning now into looking at mobile testing sites. They will be targeted to areas where there are populations that cant travel to our sites but continue to be in need. That allows us to have a lot more flexibility, Minter said and told commissioner that state officials had offered help with a testing site.

That will help us to conserve some of our resources locally so we can use those for other things, Minter said.

County health department officials continue to focus on contact tracing, Minter told commissioners.

Related: Fort Bend launches COVID-19 grants for residents in need, including undocumented immigrants

Fort Bend County Health and Human Services provide COVID-19-related statistics which are updated daily and posted to the countys website. Weve compiled information from June 5 reports for the following Fort Bend County cities reporting at least one confirmed case:

Missouri City: 300

Sugar Land: 196

Rosenberg: 143

Stafford: 79

Houston: 47

Richmond: 39

Meadows Place: 24

Fulshear: 14

Pearland: 14

Katy: 8

Weston Lakes: 8

Arcola: 3

Fairchilds: 3

Needville: 3

Thompson: 3

Kendleton: 2

Orchard: 2

Pleak: 2

Beasley: 1

Note: the totals listed for Missouri City, Houston, Katy and Pearland include only the areas located within Fort Bend County and do not reflect each municipalitys overall total.

knix@hcnonline.com
A series of white concrete columns, broken to depict lives cut short, is among artworks shortlisted for a monument to the victims of gay hate crimes that will be built at Marks Park in Tamarama.

The Bondi Memorial project is designed to honour the gay and transgender victims and survivors of crimes that resulted in the killing of at least 88 gay men and transgender women in NSW in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

The Bondi Memorial to the victims of gay hate crimes will be placed at Marks Park in Tamarama. Credit:Waverley Council

Marks Park on the cliffs between Bondi Beach and Tamarama Beach was a gay beat and the scene of several murders and gay bashings, some of which remain unsolved.

It is both sobering and distressing to think that some of these violent crimes took place right on our doorstep and in the not-so-distant past, Waverley mayor Paula Masselos said.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday continued with his offensive against the Nitish Kumar government over a on migrants, later withdrawn by the police headquarters, prompting the JD(U) to shed its reticence and cross swords with the opposition leader.

In front of the RJD's state headquarters here, Yadav placed a huge banner with an enlarged screenshot of the circular, issued on May 29 but withdrawn on June 4, whereby districts had been alerted about "apprehensions of law and order problems" in view of the large-scale influx of migrants during the lockdown, besides "slim possibility" of migrants' economic rehabilitation in the home state despite the government's "tireless efforts".

Alongside the enlarged screenshot, on the same poster was the catchline: "Nitish Kumar owes an answer". Beneath it were queries "why did he (Kumar) see the labourers as goons? Why did the shramveers (heroes making a living out of labour) appear to him as criminals? Why did he call them lootera (those involved in looting)? Why did he go back on his promise of providing them employment?"

The 30-year-old younger son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, named by the party as its Chief Ministerial candidate for the assembly polls later this year, also shared video footage of his act at the Birchand Patel Marg state headquarters on his official Twitter handle.

"Respected Nitish Kumar, who is serving under the BJP, has got a letter issued by the Home department wherein many derogatory and unsavoury remarks have been made against our migrant brethren. They have been called thieves, looters, goons and criminals," Yadav alleged in one of his tweets.

                                                 -    pic.twitter.com/ozsaaFPbnx  Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) June 6, 2020

In another tweet, he said the banner has been put up to "expose the hateful approach towards the poor, of the incompetent Bihar government" and urged his "nyaypriya" (believers in justice) supporters to do the same in every street and locality, across all districts, blocks and panchayats.

The ruling JD(U), which has been embarrassed by the episode notwithstanding withdrawal of the letter followed by a clarification by the state police chief Gupteshwar Pandey that the communication was "based on inputs received by PHQ from many sources" which had "nothing to do with the government", lashed out at the RJD leader.

The state's minister for Information and Public Relations. Department, Neeraj Kumar, who has been one of the most voluble spokespersons of the party headed by Nitish Kumar, mocked the RJD leader for his use of the term "Shram veer" and called the former Deputy CM a "bhrashtachar veer" (corrupt).

"He is a bhrashtachar veer and the mahamandaleshwar (pontiff) of his brand of politics resides in Hotwar jail", quipped the JD(U) leader, alluding to Lalu Prasad who had been lodged at the Ranchi prison upon his conviction in fodder scam cases before being shifted to a hospital because of multiple ailments.

Neeraj Kumar also mocked Tejashwi Yadav for organizing a program of beating utensils on Sunday, ahead of Amit Shah's proposed virtual rally which would mark the commencement of a digital poll campaign by the BJP which shares power in the state with the JD(U).

"Does Tejashwi Yadav hope to galvanize the people by becoming a nakalchi (copycat)," asked the Bihar minister, referring to a similar countrywide ceremony a few months ago in which people took part at the instance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a mark of respect to medical professionals and the resolve to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

"He has not studied beyond eighth or ninth grade. His propensity for copying others suggests he wrote all his exams by taking recourse to nakal (unfair means)", the minister said.

"Thaali peetne ke bajaay apne bure kaamon ke liye chhaati peetiye, janta aapke upar hanste hue taali peetegi" (beat your chest in repentance for your wrong deeds, instead of beating utensils. The public will gleefully clap its hands at your predicament)," said Kumar, in his distinct style.

More than two million migrants are said to have returned to Bihar from across the country during the lockdown. Heart-rending tales of the ordeals they have undergone have hogged international limelight.

While many migrants are being lured back to their places of work by their employers, those who would stay back are being seen as a vote bank by the opposition as well as the ruling coalition.
New Delhi, June 6 : The majority parents dont want schools to reopen till there are no cases for 21 days in their district and its vicinity.

A 76 per cent of parents feel it is unfeasible or very difficult for their child's school to operate with social distancing. Only 11 per cent parents in support of schools restarting per the original school or state calendar, as per a survey by Local Circles.

The COVID-19 curve in India is touching higher peaks every day and there are no signs of its flattening. All private and government schools in India have been shut since March 25 and some state governments are now considering reopening of schools from July.

After several discussions between parents on LocalCircles, it conducted a survey to get the collective opinion of parents on the issue of reopening of schools, and what would be the right time to do so. The survey received over 18,000 responses from 224 districts of the country.

Citizens were asked with COVID-19 situation, when should the schools be restarted in different parts of India.

A 37 per cent said schools should be opened only after new cases in the district and its 20km radius are zero for 21 days, while 16 per cent said schools should be opened only after new cases in the states are zero for 21 days.

A 20 per cent said schools should be opened only after the country has no new cases for 3 weeks and 13 per cent said this decision should be taken only after a vaccine is out. 11 per cent said schools should be restarted as per the state calendars.

When parents were asked if they feel that their child's school can operate with social distancing norms in place, 38 per cent said 'not at all', while another 38 per cent said it would be 'very difficult'. 10 per cent said it should be somewhat difficult. Only 2 per cent said they feel it can be done very easily while 10 per cent said schools 'should be able to' operate with social distancing.

This means that 76 per cent parents feel it is unfeasible or very difficult for their child's school to operate with social distancing and only about 12 per cent feel it could be done.

Parents also pointed that many schools have been using WhatsApp, Facebook, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams,etc.effectively for conducting classes over the last 90 days, and that the Government must not rush to reopen schools as safety must be paramount.

Children, especially the younger ones, have a tendency of getting in close proximity of each other and implementing any social distancing protocols will be a big challenge for teachers and school administration.

Parents through LocalCircles have suggested that looking at the pattern from various other countries, the reopening of schools in India will need to be extremely carefully planned to minimise risk to the children, as well as to ensure that children do not end up spreading COVID-19 to senior citizens or members of the family with co-morbidities.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Hundreds of thousands of commuters are expected to return to mass transit on Monday with New York City entering phase one of reopening as coronavirus (COVID-19) cases throughout the city and state continue to fall.

Many returning to public transportation will be understandably apprehensive, as the citys buses and subways often pack dozens, if not hundreds, of commuters into tightly confined spaces with little room to effectively social distance.

Heres a look at what Staten Island commuters need to know as they return to work on Monday.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

MTA RESTORING FULL SERVICE

Whats being touted as full, regular service on all MTA buses and subways is set to return by Monday, June 8, the anticipated start date for phase one of New York Citys reopening.

This includes Staten Islands local and express buses.

The restoration of service will be welcomed news for express bus riders, many of whom have had to alter their commutes in recent months with the MTA limiting service to just four lines running on off-peak schedules.

However, the MTA has confirmed that the Staten Island Railway will not yet return to its full schedule and will continue to align with the Staten Island Ferry, which is currently running hourly for most of the day, with increased frequencies during the morning and evening rush hour.

Since the early days of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the MTA has been operating an Essential Service Plan, offering reduced service frequencies, but maintaining transit options for the citys essential workers.

OVERNIGHT SUBWAY CLOSURES REMAIN

Despite full service restoration during the day, the subway system will remain closed from 1 to 5 a.m. for sanitization.

Since early May, the MTA has been shutting down the citys entire subway system during those hours in order to disinfect the system and connect homeless individuals sleeping in the subways with the appropriate resources and social services.

REAR-DOOR BOARDING

Rear-door boarding, which was implemented on all local and Select Bus Service (SBS) MTA buses in late March to reduce contact between drivers and passengers, will remain in effect for the time being.

PAYING FARES

The MTA has maintained that fare payment is required wherever the fare box is accessible.

Due to the continuation of rear-door boarding on local buses and the inaccessibility of fare boxes, local bus riders will not be required to pay fares.

However, fares will still be collected on express buses, on SBS buses, at all subways stations and at all paid stops along the Staten Island Railway.

SOCIAL-DISTANCING MARKERS

The MTA has said that it will apply floor markings and decals wherever possible to promote social distancing within stations, with platform controllers on hand to monitor any overcrowding.

FACE COVERINGS, HAND SANITIZER

The MTA and the city will work collaboratively to distribute hand sanitizer and two million face coverings to commuters during the reopening.

The MTA has requested the city provide 3,000 volunteers to support this customer facing effort. New York City Transit currently plans to fully staff the system with these additional personnel from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m. during the first week of Phase 1, and during the morning and afternoon rush hours in the weeks following, said MTA CEO and chairman Pat Foye.

ADDITIONAL COPS

The MTA has also asked the city to provide additional police enforcement to ensure safe travel amid the citys ongoing protests, some of which have turned violent. The protests are in response to the alleged murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

Given the anguish and chaos the city has experienced over the last week, the MTA is requesting the city deploy additional NYPD immediately to the subway to ensure the safety and security of the system. We want to make sure our system is safer than ever for riders. To do this, we will need full cooperation and resources from the NYPD, Foye said.

STATEN ISLAND FERRY

The Staten Island Ferry is currently operating on an hourly schedule for most of the day, with increased service frequencies during the morning and evening rush hours.

On May 21, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the return of half-hourly service on the Staten Island Ferry during morning and afternoon rush hour following calls from Oddo to provide additional service as ridership began to creep back up in recent weeks.

Trips now run every half hour from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., then from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Staten Island Railway, which has historically shifted its service to align with Staten Island Ferry departures, has also reinstated half-hourly rush hour service.

Lower-level boarding remains closed to all except cyclists and people with disabilities.

TIPS TO STAY SAFE

For those making their return to mass transit, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided various tips to help you stay safe.

Riders are advised to avoid touching frequently-touched surfaces such as kiosks, digital interfaces, ticket machines, turnstiles, handrails, restroom surfaces, elevator buttons and benches as much as possible.

Should you have to touch one of these surfaces, you are advised to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or use hand sanitizer.

Riders should use contactless payment, like the MTAs OMNY system, whenever possible.

Commuters should attempt to maintain safe social distance whenever possible by avoiding crowded platforms, skipping seats and using rear door entry on buses.

Workers with flexible hours should consider traveling during off-peak times to avoid large crowds.
Ret. Marine general James Mattis, who served as Trump's defense secretary, resigned over a year ago but has apparently been nursing a grudge since then. Last week, he took to the pages of the left-wing Atlantic magazine to air that grievance.

Mattis revealed a small mind. His facts were wrong and his arguments foolish and simplistic. The Democrat media, of course, celebrated the article despite its fundamental flaws. Retired Marine captain John M. Dowd, however, decided that he wasn't going to sit there and take that nonsense, so he struck back. What he wrote is red meat for conservatives and Trump-supporters.

To understand what Mattis wrote for the Atlantic, you have to know that while he does love the Marines, he's a leftist at heart. He supports the global warming agenda, is hostile to Israel, shied away from fights with the mullahs, wanted so-called transgenders in the military, wouldn't leave Afghanistan, and ultimately quit because he wanted to keep U.S. troops in Syria (reminder: the disaster leftists predicted for Trump's pullout never materialized).

If you need more evidence that Mattis is a leftist politician, he hung out with limousine leftists:

Jeff Bezos threw a party at his newly renovated Washington DC home last night.



Yes, Lauren Sanchez was there.



Also in attendance:



Ivanka Trump



Jared Kushner



Kellyanne Conway



Bill Gates



Mitt Romney



Jim Mattis https://t.co/2MrqWiiKi4  Yashar Ali  (@yashar) January 26, 2020

It came as no surprise to those who understand the real Mattis, rather than the propaganda version, that he was smarting at his inability to drive Trump into the arms of the Deep State and is worried that Trump will be re-elected. That's why he decided to use the Atlantic to denounce Trump as a threat to the Constitution. So he authored an insanely stupid manifesto.

The manifesto opens with Mattis calling looted stores, burning cities, and dead police officers "a small number of lawbreakers." He ignores the fact that Trump has done nothing to stop the protesters from having their say and has, in fact, completely respected federalism by leaving the states to handle matters, warning only that if chaos threatens, he has the legal authority to step in and will do so.

Mattis's little lecture about using the military carefully is redundant. Trump knows and has already acted consistently with this knowledge.

Mattis blathers on about Trump fostering disunity, ignoring that leftists have played "resistance" theater since Trump's election. Mattis seemingly missed the inauguration day marches, the spying, the Russia hoax, the Kavanaugh slander, the Ukraine hoax, Pelosi ripping up Trump's State of the Union speech, etc. The attacks have never stopped, but Trump has still managed to focus on the American people's welfare.

As if to prove that he now hangs out only with leftists, Mattis concludes with Trump's walk across the park to a historic church that "peaceful protesters" had tried to burn to the ground. To Mattis, this was an abuse of presidential power. Sigh. If the lunkheaded former general expanded his friendship circle, he'd know that the park service had no contact with Trump and was fighting back against protesters pelting officers with dangerous projectiles.

Mattis may also be part of yet another, broader resistance attempt. There's a rumor afoot that Anderson Cooper is planning to attack Trump through a town hall with leftist military men who hate him:





CNN person w/ direct knowledge: @andersoncooper has been planning a town hall for months w/ Gary Cohn, Jim Mattis, John Kelly & McMaster to air in September. They will make stuff up & say that Trump is unfit for office. Mattis & Kelly signed on. Cohn & HR on the fence.  Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) June 5, 2020

Cooper doesn't understand that conservatives will not be impressed. They really hate leftist officers, for they understand that these men are political panderers, the lowest of the low.

Still, military men have each other's backs, so until a couple of days ago, there was no pushback from people who ought to recognize Mattis for the Benedict Arnold he is. Finally, though, retired Marine captain John M. Dowd, a former Marine Corps judge advocate and a Trump attorney, had enough. He wrote a letter aimed directly at Mattis's honor.

Dowd's letter is savage. You can tell that it was written in a white-hot passion. He talks about Obama's forcing divisions on the country, about the revolting attacks Democrats have launched at Trump every day, and about Trump's prison reform being better for the black community than anything Obama did. Then he goes in for the kill, directly castigating Mattis for being too much of a political coward to take out Qassem Soleimani, even as the Iranian general was killing American troops all over the Middle East. It's a mean letter, and Mattis deserves every word of it.

I thought this letter from respected retired Marine and Super Star lawyer, John Dowd, would be of interest to the American People. Read it! pic.twitter.com/I5tjysckZh  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020
TICKERS: RSLV; RSNVF

Source: Streetwise Reports (6/5/20)

The new company, Reyna Silver, holds projects in prolific mining districts that have been spun out from MAG Silver.



Reyna Silver Corp. (RSLV:TSX.V) will complete a reverse takeover (RTO) with Century Metals Inc. and begin trading on Monday, June 8, on the TSX Venture Exchange, under the symbol RSLV.

The explorer holds several properties, most notably the flagship Guigui as well as Batopilas, both of which were spun out from MAG Silver, and both are located in major silver districts in northern Mexico. The firm's large land package encompasses more than 30,000 hectares.

"Reyna has the potential for being the leading silver junior in Mexico." - Bob Moriarty, 321gold



Dr. Peter Megaw, the co-founder of MAG Silver and a well-known silver exploration geologist, serves as Reyna's chief exploration advisor. He brings 40 years of experience in Mexican geology to the company, and Guigui was the subject of his doctoral thesis.

Guigui, Reyna Silver's primary focus, is located in the Santa Eulalia Mining District, just 15 km east of the city of Chihuahua, a major mining center and home of an international airport. Eulalia Mining District is Mexico's largest known Carbonate Replacement Deposit (CRD) and has seen production totaling 460 million ounces of silver, 2.99 million tonnes of lead and 2.29 million tonnes of zinc.

About 9,500 meters of drilling have been carried out on the property between 2003 and 2015. A nine-hole drilling program conducted by MAG Silver in 2005 revealed an 8.3 meter intercept of 131 g/t silver and a narrow intercept of 523 g/t silver equivalent (109 g/t of silver and 5.6% lead and 4.3% zinc) over 0.40 meters. The company has stated that "these holes significantly prove that the mineralization in the San Antonio Mine area continues to the Guigui property and indicates a much wider hydrothermal system." Grupo Mexico's producing San Antonio Mine is located just a few hundred meters away.

The company's management believes that the source of the district's mineralization could be located on the Guigui property and plans to trace the continuity of the mineralization from the existing mining camps. Over the last six months, Reyna has been conducting detailed mapping, geophysical re-interpretation and sampling to define drill targets. The company plans to drill up to 10,000 meters at Guigui.

Reyna Silver's second property is Batopilas, which comprises most of the Batopilas Mining District, one of the few places where pure silver is primarily mined. Historical production in the district from 1632 until 1910 totaled around 300 million ounces of silver at more than 1,500 g/t.

The Batopilas project totals around 1,170 hectares and includes some 30 known mineralized veins. Drilling conducted by MAG Silver in 2005 resulted in assays as high as 2 meters of 2,500 g/t silver and 0.30 cm of 19,000 g/t silver. The company states that it plans to "apply modern geoscience and exploration technology with numerous untested geologic and geophysical targets."

In addition to Guigui and Batopilas, Reyna Silver holds two projects in neighboring Sonora: El Durazno in the old Mulatos Mining District and Matilde in Sonora's gold-silver-copper belt. The 25,000-hectare El Durazno is bordered by claims of numerous miners including Agnico Eagle, Evrim, First Majestic, Alamos Gold, Penoles and Kootenay. Two mineralized zones have already been identified at Matilde.

Reyna Silver's only property outside of Mexico is the Trudeau Gold Project, located near the city of Rouyn-Noranda in Quebec, in the Noranda Camp.

The company is helmed by an experienced team. In addition to geologist Peter Megaw in the role of chief technical advisor, Doug Kirwin serves as senior technical advisor. Kirwin was executive vice president at Ivanhoe Mines and led the discovery of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold deposit in Mongolia. Jorge Ramiro Monroy, founder and managing director of Emerging Markets, a mining focused investment company, serves as CEO, and Peter Jones, former CEO of HudBay Minerals, will sit on the board post RTO.

Reyna Silver raised approximately CA$6.5 million through private placements, issuing nearly 33 million units at CA$0.20. Each unit consists of one share and one half-share purchase warrant exercisable at $0.45 for 24 months. Reyna Silver has approximately 73 million shares and around 18 million warrants outstanding. Board and management hold 21.5%, MAG Silver 19.9% and 20% is held by institutional shareholders, including Sprott Asset Management, Commodity Discovery Fund, Century Global, Terra Capital, Plethora Private Equity and the BIA Gold Fund.

Bob Moriarty of 321gold wrote on June 5, "Reyna has one of the strongest technical teams in mining much less in Mexico with Dr. Megaw and Doug Kirwin. . .The company has 73 million shares outstanding and $6.5 million CAD in the bank. It is exceptionally tightly held with over 60% of the shares held by Mag Silver, management, Sprott and other institutions. With the four-month hold on the recent PP, there are less than 10% of the shares free trading and not in the hands of insiders. . .Reyna has the potential for being the leading silver junior in Mexico. It will be a silver-bug's delight."

Videos of Peter Megaw discussing the deposits are available here.

[NLINSERT]

Disclosure:

1) Patrice Fusillo compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None.

2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: MAG Silver. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. As of the date of this article, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports has a consulting relationship with Reyna Silver. Please click here for more information. Within the last six months, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports has disseminated information about the private placement of the following companies mentioned in this article: Reyna Silver.

3) Comments and opinions expressed are those of the specific experts and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.

5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Reyna Silver, a company mentioned in this article.

Additional disclosure:

Bob Moriarty, 321gold: Reyna Silver is an advertiser and I have participated in the latest private placement. Naturally I am biased but I've seen their main project and I love them. Do your own due diligence.
Fifty-seven police officers in Buffalo, New York, have resigned from the forces emergency response team following the suspension of two officers who allegedly pushed a 75-year-old protester to the ground, a source close to the situation said on Friday.

An investigation is underway in a protest incident Gov. Andrew Cuomo called wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful. The man was seriously injured.

Video of the demonstration Thursday shows a row of officers walking toward the man and two pushing him. His head bleeds onto the sidewalk as officers walk past him, some looking down at him.

The demonstrators in Niagara Square were, like those across the country, calling for racial justice after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.



The 57 officers resigned from the emergency unit but not from the force. The Buffalo mayors office told CNN that the 57 members that resigned from the unit make up the entire active emergency response team.

A few members of the unit are out currently and are not included in the 57 that resigned, according to the mayors office.

Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders, Buffalo Police Benevolent Association president John Evans told WGRZ on Friday. WKBW also reported news of the resignations.

The mans identity, Martin Gugino, was confirmed by Cuomos office. Gugino is hospitalized in serious but stable condition, authorities said.

An attorney representing Gugino released a statement saying Gugino is alert and oriented and described him as a longtime peaceful protester and human rights advocate.

Mr. Gugino requests privacy for himself and his family as he recovers, said Kelly V. Zarone. He appreciates all of the well wishes he has received and requests that any further protests continue to be peaceful.

Megan Toufexis, Guginos niece, told CNN that her uncle attended the protest Thursday to discuss First Amendment rights with police.

Protests in the city continued into the evening Friday.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
Nigeria has tracked down and grounded the luxury private jet purchased by its former oil minister, Dan Etete, with some of the alleged proceeds of the notorious $1.3 billion Malabu OPL245 oil deal.

Asset recovery lawyers acting for the Nigerian government swooped last week after the Bombardier 6000 jet, tail number M-MYNA, touched down at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport in Canada on Friday evening (29 May).

It had just flown from Dubai via Shannon Airport in the west of Ireland.

It is not known whether any passengers were on board.

A Quebec judge is understood to have granted a seizure order for the aircraft in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The seizure was confirmed to Premium Times London partner Finance Uncovered by Nigerias lawyer, Babatunde Olabode Bode Johnson.

Mr Johnson said that the order was served on the jets owner, a company called Tibit Ltd, which has until Tuesday next week (9 June) to file court papers opposing the seizure.

Olabode Johnson of Johnson & Johnson is involved in Nigerias asset recovery cases.

Tibit Ltd is an anonymously owned company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands (BVI).

Giuseppina Russa is also named on the Montreal court order. BVI company records suggest Tibits sole director is Giuseppina Russa of J. Russa Consultants, a company based in Montreal.

Ms Russa, who appears to have previously been an executive assistant of sales for Bombardier, is not thought to be Tibits beneficial owner.

Contacted for comment, she said she was not the director of Tibit, and had asked to be removed as a director a number of years ago.

She said she had been hired as a contractor to decorate the planes interior, but that she had had nothing to do with Tibits affairs since 2013.

She said: I vehemently deny and contest any wrongful conduct on my part.

Former Minister Etete is alleged to have paid a total of $57m for the jet in 2011. It has a range of up to 6,000 nautical miles and a luxurious interior for 17 passengers.

The jet was part of an epic spending spree Mr Etete is said to have embarked on after allegedly receiving over $800million from the OPL 245 deal.

As Nigerian oil minister in the last weeks of the corrupt Abacha military regime in 1998, Mr Etete had effectively awarded the prospecting rights to the huge OPL 245 block to a company he secretly controlled, Malabu Oil and Gas.

After Abachas sudden death, Mr Etete retained the rights as a private citizen until he offloaded them to oil giants Shell and Eni in 2011, who paid a combined $1.3 billion to the Nigerian government.

Investigators allege over $800million then trickled down to Etete via several bank accounts, and that one of the first payments he made, $54m, was the main installment on this jet.

M-MYNA later took to the skies, resplendent in Nigerias national colours.

The entire Malabu OPL245 deal is now subject to a corruption trial in Italy, where Mr Etete is an accused, together with alleged middlemen, Eni and Shell, and several of their executives.

All parties in the Milan trial have denied the charges against them.

The Nigerian authorities have also charged Etete and several others linked to Malabu with money laundering in connection with the onward flow of funds from the OPL245 deal.

He has denied any wrongdoing and has dismissed the allegations as political propaganda.

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Now aged 75, he is thought to divide his time between Dubai and France.

Having failed to secure his return to stand trial, Nigeria issued an arrest warrant for him earlier this year. Authorities are understood to be seeking his extradition.

It is not known whether Mr Etete still owns, or uses, the private jet. If he has sold it, it will be much harder for Nigeria to recover it.

The plane has a current market value of approximately $20m, according to dealers. It is registered with the Isle of Mans aircraft registry.

M-MYNAS LAST FLIGHT

According to lawyer Bode Johnson, who was appointed by the Nigerian government in 2016 to recover assets from the Malabu OPL245 deal, the jet had been grounded in Dubai for the past four years, where it had been closely monitored.

On May 27, Nigeria obtained a proprietary injunction against Tibit in the BVI, Mr Johnson said. A proprietary injunction allows a party to claim legal ownership over an asset.

Mr Johnson said: Our investigators in Dubai then noticed that the jet, having been grounded in Dubai for so long, suddenly did some test flights and even went up to a cruising altitude for a short while. It seemed like they were testing whether they could fly somewhere. The jet then took off from Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai, mid-morning on Friday.

We did not know the destination at that point.

They tracked its movements as it headed first to Shannon Airport, near Limerick in Ireland, and then it took to the skies again after a short stopover, bound for Montreal.

Bombardier, the jets manufacturer, is headquartered in Montreal.

Mr Johnson added: We now suspected that it was being flown to Canada for a major service, pending a possible sale.

We had just a few hours to get a legal team in place on the ground there in Canada to file the injunction. It was 3am in Nigeria when I made a statement to the judge via video link.

Mr Johnson, the principal partner of Lagos law firm Johnson & Johnson Solicitors, was appointed by the Nigerian government in 2016 to recover assets from the Malabu OPL245 deal, as part of the Buhari governments policy to outsource the recovery work to third parties in return for a success fee.

Premium Times and Finance Uncovered revealed last month that Johnson had done a deal with an American litigation funder, Drumcliffe Partners, to help fund the recovery of OPL245 assets.

Together, they are in line to receive five (5) percent of any funds successfully recovered and returned to Nigeria.

A consortium of anti-corruption groups which has spent years investigating Malabu OPL245 said it welcomed the latest developments.

A spokesman for the group, comprising Corner House and Global Witness in the UK, HEDA Resource Centre in Nigeria and Re:Common in Italy, said: Questions now need to be answered as to why the UAE authorities failed to sequester the jet when it was in Dubai, despite official requests from Nigeria that it be seized.

He added: Following recent disclosures in The Premium Times, the Nigerian public also needs reassurance that the funding arrangements entered into by the Nigerian governments asset recovery agents are sufficient to cover the costs of the seizure proceedings and do not undermine the FRNs interests.
National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is failing to give credit to former President John Mahama for the new Tema Motorway interchange.



Sammy Gyamfi said in a tweet, [Nana Akufo-Addo] must learn to give credit where credit is due. Enough of the plagiarisation of Mahama projects.









President Akufo Addo @NAkufoAddo must learn to give credit where credit is due. Enough of the plagiarisation of Mahama projects. The Tema Motorway Interchange remains the brainchild of the Visionary JDM @JDMahama pic.twitter.com/TPBa6B0gA1

 Sammy Gyamfi (@SammyGyamfi2017) June 5, 2020

The tweet by the NDC Communications Officer comes on the back of a comment by the President that the claim by the Mahama administration that it undertook unprecedented infrastructural development, including roads, was just fantasy.During the commissioning of the $57 million Tema Motorway Interchange project by Akufo-Addo on Friday, June 5, 2020, the President remarked that the so-called unprecedented infrastructure development of the Mahama administration was fantasy; existing in the Green Book and not on the ground.But in a sharp reaction on Twitter, Mr Gyamfi insisted: The Tema Motorway Interchange remains the brainchild of the Visionary JDM.A photo that accompanied Sammy Gyamfis tweet suggested that the government of Ghana negotiated the road project in 2015 with the Japanese government.John Mahamas four-year administration ended in 2016.









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 is an opinion column.

This is going to take a while. It always does. Maybe a long, long while.

Longer than it takes to march through our streets. Longer than it takes to chant until your lungs burn.

Longer than 8 minutes, 46 seconds.

Change.

Its not a light bulb or a power button. Not something we can reboot. It doesnt just . happen.

It takes time. It takes work. It takes strategy. It takes endurance.

Maybe several pairs of shoes.

Hundreds gathered in Homewood, AL to rally against public brutality and the murder of George Floyd (June 2, 2020)

This march has just begun. Barely begun. Its not even yet two weeks since George Floyds brutal murder by a Minneapolis police officer sparked a kindling that smoldered for decades. Since it lit the combustible stack of frustration, anger, and fatigue over the incessant killing of black men and women by the very women and men sworn to protect and serve them. Over, too, a criminal justice system that never seemed just to us.

Floyd is resting now. We cant. Not even close.

If you havent seen the impassioned video from motivational speaker and pastor Eric Thomas called 381 Days (A Message to Our Nation), it is a must. Especially if you are marching. If you are protesting. If you are eager and ready to create real change.

The title refers to the number of days blacks in Montgomery boycotted city buses because they were tired of sitting in the back, tired of being told to give up their seat if the front half of the bus was full, tired after Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks were jailed for refusing to budge.

Thats how long they walked rather than riding a system that perceived them as less than people who paid the very same fare. Thats how long they marched.

The commitment to the solution is the answer to the problem, Thomas charges.

Three-hundred and eighty-one days they committed to the solution. Until it finally came, on December 20, 1955, when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling ordering Montgomery to boot segregation off the bus. One day later381 days since an African American had stepped on a city busit did.

Change.

How long will you march?

Hundreds gathered in Homewood, AL to rally against public brutality and the murder of George Floyd (June 2, 2020)

Our greatest challenge nowlet alone in the days, weeks, months, the 381 days (and likely way more), aheadmay simply be this: What is the solution? What will change look like and when will we know we have it?

It wont likely culminate in a photo-op for the history books, like President Lyndon Johnsons 1964 signings of the Civil and Voting Rights Acts.

Because were fighting so many demons in the darka global pandemic that has revealed long-known disparities in our janky healthcare system that are literally killing us now; brutal, too often-deadly police tactics void of accountability; the aforementioned not-so-blind criminal justice system; as well as under-resourced schools, food deserts, a staggering wealth gap...

Wouldnt it be great, though, if some president (totally intentional) could sign a bill that, say, stopped police from killing us?

Wont happen, I know. But well keep marching.

Marching towards solutions still not yet fully defined but that must be defined. And pursued.

Even if in increments. Such as the Minneapolis City Councils passing of an ordinance Friday banning the use of chokeholds by police. (It still must be approved by a judge.) Its not a solution, but if it forces even the worst officer to let me breathe, its a long stride towards a solution.

Even if in increments: Such as the steady removal of Confederate memorials on public property throughout our state.

Even if in increments: Such as conversations now taking place in predominantly white suburbs among those sincerely committed to change.

How long, I only ask, will you march? Bring an extra pair of shoes.

A voice for whats right and wrong in Birmingham, Alabama (and beyond), Roys column appears in The Birmingham News and AL.com, as well as in the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register. Reach him at rjohnson@al.com and follow him at twitter.com/roysj
Face masks are here to stay. Not only are they obligatory in Spain at the moment, while the state of alarm emergency measures are still in place, but they will also continue to be in the future, in the so-called new normality, until the government declares the coronavirus crisis to be completely over.

A draft decree for the new normality, which the executive is currently debating with Spains regions and is due to be approved on Tuesday by the Cabinet, includes obligatory use of masks in closed public spaces where a safe distance of 1.5-2 meters cannot be observed, and also fines of up to 100 for people who are not wearing them. The decree also leaves open the possibility of regulating their use in the open air.

According to the text, masks will have to be used on all forms of transport, including in public vehicles with up to nine passengers, such as taxis or private hire vehicles. In the case of ferries and other passenger vessels, masks will not be obligatory in cabins. The decree also specifies that people with any kind of respiratory disease or breathing difficulty will not have to wear the protective equipment.

Airlines and other transport companies will have to hold the details of all passengers for a month including where they sat so that they can be identified

The draft decree sets out the general lines for the use of masks but now these powers will pass to the regional governments, who will have to set out the details. Spain is currently in an asymmetrical deescalation process, and the final stages will see control handed over from Madrid to the regions governments.

The text of the decree specifies other measures such as obligatory distances in the workplace, as well as the requirements for airlines and other transport companies to hold the details of all passengers for a month including where they sat so that they can be identified in the case of a positive coronavirus case being confirmed.

The decree will also require the regions to offer guarantees of hospital bed capacity and the ability to carry out PCR tests to detect coronavirus cases. The health system will have to guarantee capacity to respond if there are rises in infections and the resulting rise in case numbers, it reads. To do so, it must have in place, or have access to, or have the capacity to, install between 1.5 and two intensive care beds for every 10,000 inhabitants, and between 37 and 40 beds for the seriously ill for every 10,000 inhabitants, in a maximum time frame of five days.

Companies will have to adapt the layout of work spaces, the organization of shifts and working conditions

There are also general rules for the workplace in the decree. Companies will have to adapt the layout of work spaces, the organization of shifts and working conditions so that a minimum safe interpersonal distance of between 1.5 and two meters between employees can be guaranteed. When this is not possible, staff should be provided with protective equipment that is appropriate for the level of risk.

For schools and other places of learning, an issue that is subject to intense debate between the government and the regions, the decree sets out very generic rules. And for commercial premises, the text takes a similar line: The adoption of organizational measures must be taken to avoid crowds and guarantee that customers and employees maintain a safe distance of between 1.5 and two meters. When it is not possible to maintain this safe distance, adequate hygiene measures must be observed in order to prevent the risks of infection.

English version by Simon Hunter.
The percentage of commercial mortgages marked at 30 days delinquent surged in May as the impact of the novel coronavirus on as businesses from retail to hospitality missed rental payments, and their landlords then missed loan payments.

In May, 7.15 percent of commercial mortgages that had been bundled into securities were at least 30 days delinquent, up 481 basis points from the month before, according to securities data company Trepp. That's the biggest month-over-month increase Trepp has recorded since it began tracking the metric during the Great Recession in 2009. Another 7.6 percent of commercial mortgages that back securities missed May payments, but were less than 30 days delinquent. Even more are in forbearance.

Everybody who invests in commercial real estate has felt the pinch in one way or another, said Manus Clancy, senior managing director at Trepp. Texas has a double whammy of COVID and the oil and gas issue, where the price of oil dropped so sharply that firms in Houston are pulling back in terms of their space needs and the number of employees.

Commercial real estate investors are confronting issues similar to those faced by investors in residential real estate in the years leading up to the housing bust of more than a decade ago. As with homes, most commercial properties are purchased with mortgages, which are then bundled into securities and sold to investors, whose returns depend on property owners making their monthly payments.

With businesses struggling after government-ordered shutdowns and other social distancing measures, cash-strapped commercial tenants are missing lease payments and their landlords missing mortgage payments, undermining the value of the mortgage-backed securities. If the debt goes bad, it could blow a hole in the balance sheets of investors, dry up the capital needed to revive the commercial real estate market and hurt the returns of institutions, such as pension funds, on which millions of Americans depend.

The most heavily hit sector, according to Trepp data, was lodging. Nearly 20 percent of hotel loans packaged into securities were at least 30 days delinquent as of May, and Clancy said he expected that number to rise in June. Hotels have been especially hard hit as conferences have been canceled, nonessential business shuttered and the need for social distancing has severely reduced leisure travel.

The Moran, a four-star hotel in the Energy Corridor, for example, announced May 22 that 47 of the employees it had temporarily laid off because of the pandemic should expect their layoffs to exceed six months "due to the likely continuation of the unanticipated, dramatic and continuing downturn in the economy due (to) the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the hospitality industry."

Lodging was followed by retail, which had a 10 percent delinquency rate, multifamily with 3.3 percent and office with 2.4 percent. In February, before the pandemic became strongly felt in the United States, the overall delinquency rate for commercial mortgage-backed securities was 2.04 percent.

Investors who own commercial mortgage-backed securities have seen the value of their holdings fall. Banks that had agreed, pre-COVID, to make commercial loans that would be packaged into securities and sold to investors are facing significant losses.

For example, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Credit Suise Group AG and Macquarie Group Ltd. agreed to lend more than $7 billion to Eldorado Resorts, a casino business, before the need to social distance, according to a Bloomberg report. The sudden change in the companys financial stability made it difficult to find investors who were willing to take the debt off of the banks hands, meaning they may have to offer the debt at a discount or even come up with the cash themselves.

Fortunately, Clancy said, not many loans that size are stuck in limbo between being agreed upon and being packaged and sold off to investors. Its meaningful to the banks, he said. But its not systemic-risk kind of losses.

rebecca.schuetz

@chron.com

twitter.com/raschuetz


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Nairobi, Kenya (PANA)  Kenya has set in motion a plan to gradually ease the economic lockdown, lifting of movement restrictions and the reopening of churches, mosques and schools
Now, after a high-stakes and public feud with Democratic officials in a state he won four years ago, Mr. Trump and the Republican National Committee are moving to largely shift convention proceedings, including the presidents acceptance speech on the final night, out of Charlotte. After a call with the R.N.C., state chairmen officially told delegates that they should hold off on purchasing airline tickets to Charlotte for the late-August event.

How the convention unraveled two years after Charlotte was selected is the story of an uneasy partnership between Republican officials and mostly Democratic leaders in North Carolina; a president who coveted a coronation and delivered an unyielding imperative to the states governor; and the extraordinary disruption from a global pandemic that transformed public life in the country. Once it became clear that health concerns over the coronavirus threatened the possibility of a full-throated celebration for the president, the fragile alliance buckled under the weight of partisan acrimony.

Charlottes willingness to host Mr. Trumps convention was tentative from the beginning as leaders in the Democratic-leaning city grappled with whether they wanted an association with the president and what many in his party now stand for. After much public debate, the City Council approved hosting the convention by a one-vote margin, citing the economic benefits it would bring.

There are a lot of liberal, establishment people here who just dont like the Republican Party, said Ada Fisher, a national committeewoman for the state G.O.P. in North Carolina. People didnt want it to happen just because Republicans were involved. But Charlotte cant stand to lose $200 million in revenue right now.

As the discussions between aides to Mr. Cooper, who is running for re-election this year, and Republicans have eroded, party officials are looking at a host of alternative sites. Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida has been making an aggressive pitch, talking specifically about the city of Orlando, though Jacksonville is currently a likelier location, according to a senior Republican official. While several other states are still being considered, Florida is the partys top choice.
A checkpoint blocks traffic on 16th Street Northwest as people gather near the White House, in Washington, on June 6, 2020. (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo)

Washington Braces as George Floyd Protests Begin

Protests have begun in Washington, District of Columbia, on Saturday as authorities brace for what is expected to be one of the biggest demonstrations the city has ever seen, fueled by the police custody death of George Floyd.

Floyd died in Minneapolis on Memorial Day, after a police officer restrained him with a knee to the neck for nearly nine minutes as he gasped for air and said, I cant breathe.

Military vehicles and officers in fatigues closed off much of downtown Washington to traffic ahead of what authorities expect to be a massive demonstration.

We have a lot of public, open-source information to suggest that the event on this upcoming Saturday may be one of the largest that weve had in the city, Washington Police Chief Peter Newsham told reporters on Thursday, according to WTOP.

The blocks inside the perimeter surrounding the White House were calm on Saturday morning, with joggers and cyclists taking advantage of the open streets before the daytime temperature rises.

Some people were preparing supplies for protesters, including water bottles and granola bars. Images shared on social media showed people arriving on the scene, displaying messages like I cant breathe and Racism is a pandemic on signs and t-shirts.

Another photo showed someone holding a placard saying: To those who keep asking what we want: to be seen, to be heard, to be respected, to matter!!!

Over the past several days, nationwide protests have become more peaceful following days of riots, looting, arson, and vandalism across various cities, including the U.S. capital.

We expect that Saturdays demonstration will, like I said, be more of the same peaceful demonstrators coming to exercise their First Amendment right in Washington, D.C., Newsham told reporters on Thursday.

The White House has been fortified with new fencing and extra security precautions amid a week of mostly peaceful protests that at times grew violent and destructive.

President Donald Trump was reported to be at the White House, with no public events on the schedule.

Earlier, Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser called on Trump to remove various troops and law enforcement officers out of the city.

I continue to be concerned that unidentified federal personnel patrolling the streets of Washington, DC pose both safety and national security risks, Bowser said in a letter Friday.

She claimed that a heavy law enforcement presence is inflaming demonstrators and adding to the grievances of people who are protesting against racist and broken systems that are killing Black Americans.

President Donald Trump walks in Lafayette Park in Washington on June 1, 2020. (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo)

Bowser also ordered painters to write Black Lives Matter in large yellow letters on 16th Street, located near the White House, and later shared a video of a new sign being installed on a street lamp, writing that the section of 16th street in front of the White House is now officially Black Lives Matter Plaza.'

Trump on Saturday reacted to a tweet by social media personality Lily Marston, who shared a video of a crowd cheering Trumps motorcade in Guilford, Maine, where there was no heavy police presence. Marston captioned the video with the comment: Cant help but notice a lack of riot gear or military control to ensure the protection and safety of this very large crowd.

Trump responded by saying: Riot gear or military control is not necessary because ANTIFA & other Wacko groups of Anarchists arent present to cause trouble.

Bowser, who has repeatedly called on demonstrators to protest peacefully, wrote in a tweet Saturday: As we make our voices heard, please continue to look out for one another. Its crowded and many children are now also peacefully demonstrating.

Lets continue to show the world our #DCvalues, she added.

The Minneapolis Police Department officer filmed kneeling on Floyds neck, Derek Chauvin, has since been fired, arrested, and charged with murder in the second degree.

Three other policemen involved in the incident have been charged with aiding and abetting murder.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ministers have been hit with an unprecedented joint legal action by UK airlines infuriated by plans to impose a two-week quarantine period on travellers entering Britain.

British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair have joined forces to argue that the measure is illegal on the grounds that it is discriminatory, irrational and disproportionate.

The carriers say that the move, which is due to be implemented tomorrow, was drawn up without consultation and will destroy their attempts to rebuild their businesses.

A 'pre-action' letter, seen by The Mail on Sunday, highlights that while 'weekly commuters' such as French bankers travelling on the Eurostar will be exempt from the rule, British families going on their summer holidays will not.

Grounded airplanes at Gatwick airport as the airlines join together to stop the quarantine rules

Lawyers working for IAG, the parent company for BA, say that the Statutory Instrument laid down by the Government last Thursday to introduce the rules is so 'irrational and disproportionate' as to be rendered unlawful.

The letter points out that the 14-day quarantine period is more stringent than the guidelines applied to people who have tested positive for Covid-19, that the rules will not apply if you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland and that the controls will even relate to countries which have lower rates of infection than Britain.

The airlines have told Government lawyers: 'The Government has failed to identify a valid justification for the blanket nature of the regulations.

'The effect is to establish a wholly unjustified and disproportionate restriction on individuals travelling to England and will inevitably mean that there is very little increase in the numbers of persons leaving and entering the country.'

Their letter adds: 'The estimated proportion of the population infected with coronavirus is far higher than in other European countries

'The disparity is so great that it reinforces the fact that it is illogical and irrational for the Government to be imposing self-isolation on persons entering the UK from Union countries.'

They add that the regulations 'cannot possibly be justified, since individuals arriving in the UK in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales or living in those regions will not be bound by them'.

The move comes after Willie Walsh, the chief executive of IAG, wrote to MPs to explain the damage the policy would cause to his business and snubbed a meeting with Home Secretary Priti Patel, the architect of the plan.

Mr Walsh said that the new rules  which some critics have called 'crazy'  had 'torpedoed our opportunity to get flying in July'.

BA had hoped to operate about 40 per cent of its scheduled flights next month but is now reworking its plans. It is burning through 20million a day and has racked up an additional 800million in short-term debt.

Deserted runways as the coronavirus pandemic brings the UK tourism industry to a holt

The airline has also become embroiled in a dispute with unions over its plans to lay off up to 12,000 of its 43,000 staff.

Bosses see this as vital as BA prepares to shrink to cope with lower demand for flights even after the pandemic subsides.

In his letter to MPs, Mr Walsh said: 'We find ourselves in the deepest crisis ever faced. A crisis not of our making but one which we must address.

'We will do everything in our power to ensure that British Airways can survive and sustain the maximum number of jobs consistent with the new reality of a changed airline industry in a severely weakened global economy.'

On Friday at 4pm, airline and airport bosses were sent a 23-page document setting out the new measures.

The document, seen by the MoS, shows passengers will be asked to fill in a 'Pre-Travel Passenger Locator' form up to 48 hours before travelling.

Anyone who refuses will be denied entry to the UK.

Ministers are jeopardising the summer holiday season by dragging their heels over 'air bridges', aviation bosses say

Ministers are jeopardising the entire summer holiday season by dragging their heels over 'air bridges', aviation bosses warned last night.

Air bridges are agreements between two countries to allow people to travel without the need to quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

Holiday destinations such as Turkey, Spain, Greece and Portugal are said to be in talks with the UK.

But a senior aviation insider involved in talks with Home Secretary Priti Patel and Aviation Minister Kelly Tolhurst last Thursday accused the Government of failing to move quickly enough.

The insider said airline bosses were left 'frustrated' that Ministers gave no details about their plans and that Ms Patel showed a 'lack of clarity'.

The Government's quarantine rules will be reviewed on June 29.

But the source said airlines need an answer on whether Britons will be able to fly to countries with low Covid-19 infection rates 'in the next few days'.

The source said: 'If the Government wants connectivity this summer, we can't wait until the review. That's far too late.

'If we get to that point and we still have no detail, there is a risk the whole summer season will be under threat, and airlines will have to make even deeper cuts.'

This weekend, Airlines UK, which represents the industry, wrote to Ms Patel asking her to accelerate plans for air bridges.

They want her to confirm what criteria countries must meet to be included and when the Home Office will give a starting date.

Airlines have slashed routes and thousands of jobs. Derek Provan, chief executive of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, said the blanket quarantine ban would 'stifle' economic recovery.

'It will further damage our aviation, tourism and hospitality sectors, which support hundreds of thousands of jobs,' he added.
Stars from Alicia Keys to Bill Gates have made San Diego their home. Whats drawing them to the area? Here to answer Showbiz Cheat Sheets burning question is Andy Nelson, owner of Willis Allen Real Estate. Heres a peek inside our conversation.

Showbiz Cheat Sheet: In your opinion, why are so many celebrities moving to San Diego?

Alicia Keys | Rich Fury/Getty Images

Andy Nelson: I believe many celebrities are coming to realize that San Diego offers so much in the way of lifestyle, landscape, variety, and home architecturemany things that are also enjoyed in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

However, San Diego comes without the air of industrial Hollywood, and while nationally recognized as one of Americas most beautiful cities, isnt the first place people think of when they think of celebrity residences. Because its quieter in that sense, I think many are seeing San Diego as a place where they can enjoy the epitome of what Southern California has to offer, all while in a quieter and much more private environment.

CS: What distinguishes San Diego homes from homes in other areas in the United States?

Bill Gates | Mike Cohen/Getty Images for The New York Times

AN: Homes in San Diego County are as diverse as the landscape upon which it is comprised. San Diego has beautiful coastal/beachfront homes that, oftentimes, were designed exclusively at the behest of their original owners. In Northern San Diego County, where the landscape can be more bucolic, we find beautiful estates on plenty of acreage nestled within the hills and foliage of their surrounding plots. The architectural variety of homes in the county is so diverse. Weve sold properties that have ranged from contemporary estates, to chateau-inspired homes, to a home in La Jolla that is reminiscent of the Taj Mahal!

CS: What are some celebrity home purchases in San Diego that caught your attention?

AN: Most recently, weve seen Bill Gates and Alicia Keys purchase homes in La Jolla and Del Mar, respectively. Aaron Rogers and Drew Brees also own homes in Del Mar. Deepak Chopra and actor Pauly Shore have both taken up residences in La Jolla.

CS: What do you think will be the next hot real estate spot for celebrities?

AN: Without question the three spots in San Diego County that are already becoming hotspots for celebrities: La Jolla, Del Mar, and Rancho Santa Fe. All of these communities offer quiet and private living while boasting sweeping ocean and/or landscape views. In addition to recent purchases, weve seen celebrities taking up residence within these communities over the last few years, to include the McCain family, Phil Mickelson, Jason Mraz, Steve Perry and Zandra Rhodes. La Jollas most famous celebrity resident, until his death in 1991, was none other Theodor Geisel, better known to the world as Dr. Seuss.

CS: What advice would you give to regular folks who are thinking of moving to San Diego? What should they keep in mind while they house shop?

AN: San Diego truly has something for everyone. If youre looking for a beach-town type of lifestyle, weve got it. If youre looking for equestrian estates, ocean views, sweeping hilltops, or urban/metropolitan type living, weve got that too. I would advise that folks looking to move to San Diego establish what their priorities are for the community that will surround their new home, and then go look for a home in that community.

Rancho Santa Fe is renowned for its equestrian estates, whereas Del Mar and La Jolla are known for its quiet proximity to the ocean. The city of San Diego itself has world-renowned restaurants and cultural centers, with many neighborhoods within the city offering their own unique varieties in the form of cuisine, culture, and recreational activities.

My number one piece of advice would be to find a real estate agent you trust and who is truly consultative. An agent who listens to what, exactly, youre looking for will be able to give you the best guidance on buying a new home in beautiful San Diego County.

Read more: HGTV Hawaii Life: Kahea Zietz Talks to Us about Changes in Vacation Home Rentals

Follow Sheiresa @SheiresaNgo
We are conditioned to pay attention when we hear police sirens, a signal of danger in the vicinity.

We must not ignore the wailing we now hear just because George Floyd died 1,200 miles away, or with the reasoning that Connecticuts protests have been poised in comparison with pockets of the nation that burn.

The sirens have been blaring in the distance, and nearby, for a long time. The fuse may have finally ignited a national explosion because of outrage that a white officer held his knee to the neck of Floyd, a black man, for nearly nine minutes.

In January, it took less than two seconds for Mubarak Soulemane to be shot seven times in West Haven by a state trooper while Soulemane sat in his car.

That incident remains under investigation, but could have inspired a valuable discourse over police response, race relations and oversight of law enforcement.

Its reasonable that officials hedge from opining on an active investigation. But its neglect to ignore the sirens call.

State Sen. Gary Winfield, of West Haven and New Haven, never stopped listening. A native of the Bronx, N.Y., he helped shepherd legislation last year  before Soulemane died in one of his cities  to make probes into use of force more transparent and launch a task force to enhance accountability.

In the wake of Floyds death, Winfield is trying to elevate the conversation during this summers legislative special session. A revival is necessary because the task force has met only once.

Im looking at what we can do during the special session. My intent is to make sure the state is looking at it, said Winfield, who co-chairs the Judiciary Committee.

Gov. Ned Lamonts response to Winfields proposal during a Tuesday briefing was strikingly tone deaf.

Its just too vague. I dont know what police reform legislation means, said Lamont, who challenged whether the issue should be part of the special session.

It means a deeper look into whether steps could have prevented any of the deadly shootings by police in Connecticut. It means creating independent bodies to determine whether excessive force has been used.

The task forces second meeting on Monday, June 8, will surely take on a different tone as a result of the recent protests and riots. It should be recognized as a window of opportunity.

David McGuire, executive director of the Connecticut American Civil Liberties Union, said initiatives have stalled in the past because of pressure from police chiefs and unions resisting change. Just consider how many municipal departments and unions spent years refining conditions for wearing body cameras .

In recent days, some police leaders across the state and nation sound like agents of change. It is a marked contrast from peers who acted like lobbyists and drew accusations of intimidation by some lawmakers.

We know there are many good cops out there. The best among them could help lead this call for reform. They, and Lamont, need to respond to this siren.
The June bank holiday weekend just passed, in an ordinary set of circumstances, would have been a bumper few days for the seaside areas around Sligo.

With temperatures in the high 20s, it was a challenging weekend for many businesses who would have experienced a major surge with tourists flocking to seaside areas to bask in the glorious sunshine.

While the restrictions that are in place curtailed the extent to which beaches were crowded, there were some reports of visitors and tourists breaking the 5k restriction to travel to Sligo.

It was a scorching week-end with temperatures peaking at 27 degrees on Sunday and Monday making it the hottest time of the year so far.

While the beaches at Rosses Point, Strandhill, Mullaghmore and Enniscrone were busy, the numbers were well down on what normally would be expected with temperatures so high.

There's no planned change in the 5k travel limit for another week so sun worshippers and those looking for a dip in the sea who didn't live close to the coast had to remain at home.

In Enniscrone, usually a hugely popular location in good weather, it was a quieter weekend than it might otherwise have been, though there did appear to be some visitors from outside of the 5k limit.

The restrictions do not apply to those living in Northern Ireland and its citizens can come and go as they wish to the south.

In soaring temperatures on Saturday and Sunday, the beach in the west Sligo village was relatively quiet.

The peak of the tourist season usually arrives later in the summer, and it remains to be seen whether or not an easing of the restrictions will allow more visitors later in the summer.

There have been reports in recent days that there could be an acceleration of the easing of restrictions in response to a growing belief that a return to some sort of normality should happen somewhat quicker than is set out in the government's Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business.

Meanwhile, clarity has been brought to the operation of ice cream vans and whether or not owners were allowed to trade again.

Ice cream vans are allowed to operate if they can adhere to the guidelines as specified by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

Cllr Marie Casserly says that she received clarification on the matter after consultation with the relevant authorities. It is understood that ice cream vans are considered to fall under the category of an outdoor food market stall, and therefore are able to trade as long as social distancing and other safety measures are implemented.
Jared Esquibel Harless, 38, was assigned to the 470th Military Intelligence Brigade at Joint Base San Antonio

An Army intelligence soldier who was found dead alongside his family in an apparent murder-suicide in Texas has been pictured for the first time since their bodies were found.

Jared Esquibel Harless, 38, his 36-year-old wife, four children and two cats were found dead in an SUV in their garage on Thursday, after police found a 'cryptic note' and strong chemical odor at their home.

Police have so far only released the ages of the wife and children - two boys aged four and 11-months and two girls three and one.

Esquibel Harless was a US Army soldier assigned to the 470th Military Intelligence Brigade at Joint Base San Antonio and had moved to the neighborhood in January.

Neighbors told Fox San Antonio the family were new to the area but they never saw anything 'out of the ordinary'.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said the smell of carbon dioxide was so strong when officers arrived that it 'kind of blew everybody back out the door.'

Pictured: The scene in San Antonio Texas after officers found a family of six, plus two pets, dead in a suspected murder-suicide

Pictured: The scene in San Antonio, Texas after officers found a family of six, plus two pets, dead in a suspected murder-suicide

He said police had gone to the house for a welfare check requested by the husband's employer, who had been unable to reach him.

'They were OK yesterday because he checked in with his work,' McManus said. 'So it happened sometime overnight.'

McManus said on the front door of the home was a 'cryptic note' with military jargon.

A member of the military translated it to: 'Bodies or people inside, do not enter. The animals are in the freezer.'

The chief said the note also hinted at booby traps.

'Based on the note that we received, we were very cautious about going in, and we were trying to find out what was in there before we made entry,' the chief said.

When they entered, the cops were overcome by a heavy, noxious odor which turned out to be carbon monoxide.

Police said they found no explosives after they entered, McManus said.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus (pictured) said the smell of carbon dioxide was so strong when officers arrived that it 'kind of blew everybody back out the door'

Two cats were also found dead in the front seat of the SUV.

'It's the whole picture. The adults, the children, the pets,' McManus said. 'Saying it's not pretty - there's no words to describe that.'

McManus said there was evidence that 'it was not an accident' and he did not suggest that anyone outside the family was involved.

McManus said the family moved into the house in January.

Joint Base San Antonio issued a statement on Friday confirming the incident.

'Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the deceased. Additional information will be released pending next of kin notification. The case is currently under investigation by the San Antonio Police Department and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command.'
S Lalitha By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: Beginning Monday, members of the public will be allowed to visit the Bangalore Development Authority head office at Kumara Park West. In light of a constable attached to the BDA Task Force testing positive last week, the public were barred from entry as a safety measure.

However, the cop's second sample test on Friday turned out to be negative and he has been discharged from hospital. Three other cops at the BDA have been home quarantined.

The Task Force was created within the BDA to which state police are posted. It presently has 20 personnel and is headed by a Superintendent. It is among the most visited government offices as members of the public go there for building plans, purchase of flats and sites and document copies.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, Shivakumar Gunare, Superintendent of the force said, "The constable was posted for bandobust duty at Padarayanapura for 10 days. After completing duty there, he reported for duty at our head office on May 28. He worked that day only inside one of our offices inside the campus where three other cops work. He received a call about one of the cops at Padarayanapura testing positive and was asked to go for testing."

He immediately went for a test and the results the next day were positive. "It must have been a false result as the second sample results on Friday were negative," he added.

As a precautionary measure, public were not allowed inside the BDA since Tuesday (June 2). "I have asked him to stay at home for a week as a precautionary measure."

Public Relations Officer, BDA, Girish L P said, "The office has been completely sanitised and public will be allowed in from June 8."

Prakasha, who visited the office along with a friend who had to register his site, told TNIE, "We were told no one can come inside due to the lockdown and to get back on Monday."
BOISE - Idaho Governor Brad Little announced Friday his plan to offer back-to-work cash bonuses of up to $1,500 cash to Idahoans who return to work.

More than 60% of Americans who are out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic earn more with the enhanced unemployment benefits than their normal wages. The enhanced benefits are set to expire next month, making it even more important to get Idahoans back to work.

A strong economic rebound cannot occur without workers returning to a job, and the new Return to Work cash bonuses incentivize our workforce to get back to work safely. Like other states, Idaho went from record employment to record unemployment levels in a matter of weeks. Our hearts go out to those who lost jobs or income due to the global pandemic, Governor Little said.

The executive committee of the Idaho Workforce Development Council will discuss the plan next week. Under Governor Littles plan, up to $100 million in federal relief funds will be made available to Idaho workers who are eligible for unemployment benefits during the coronavirus pandemic.

Governor Littles plan includes one-time cash bonuses of $1,500 for full-time work and $750 for part-time work and will be provided to the worker after return to the workplace.

The funds will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for qualified applicants.

Governor Little will work with the Idaho Workforce Development Council and his Coronavirus Financial Advisory Committee to finalize the plan and eligibility requirements. More information on eligibility and how to apply for a Return to Work cash bonus are expected to be available by June 15 at Rebound.Idaho.Gov.

Idaho was one of the last states with a confirmed coronavirus case and one of the first with a concrete plan in place to open the economy responsibly and safely in stages. Ninety percent of businesses were able to open their doors on May 1, and today nearly all businesses are able to open.
Brueckner is currently serving seven-year jail sentence for rape of a 72-year-old widow near Praia da Luz

She recognised him after Met Police issued an photo appeal for information

He 'gave young girls weed and then have sex with him if they couldn't pay cash'

Christian Brueckner said to have had sex with under age girls in return for drugs

Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner had sex with under age girls by paying them with drugs, a Portuguese witness has claimed

Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner had sex with under age girls by paying them with drugs, a Portuguese witness has claimed.

The woman said that the German paedophile would sell drugs at rave parties held by teenagers  and if the young women could not pay he would have sex with them as payment.

She told a Portuguese TV station that the women were 'minors' and under the legal age of consent.

Although she did not know the man's name at the time she said she recognised his photo from the subsequent publicity after Met Police officers issued an appeal for information.

Brueckner, now 43, who is serving a seven year jail term for the rape of a 72 year old American woman in Praia da Luz, is the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann 13 years ago.

The witness, who appeared on the TV station TVi24 with her face obscured, said she knew Brueckner was the man selling drugs as she also recognised the VW camper van that police seized last year and are using as part of their appeal for new information.

'He gave the girls weed and other things they wanted and in exchange they gave him sex because they didn't have money to pay for the drugs,' she told the TV station.

An unnamed woman told a Portuguese TV station that the women Brueckner is claimed to have sold drugs to were 'minors' and under the legal age of consent

She said she recognised the VW camper van that police seized last year and are using as part of their appeal for new information

'That was the way they did things.'

She said she remembers Brueckner from the parties held on a farm in Barao de Sao Joa, near to the town of Lagos where he occasionally worked at a bar.

Brueckner would have been 30 years old when he attended the parties around the time McCann went missing from her family's holiday apartment in the coastal resort of Praia da Luz.

The witness said the German spoke 'good English' but had a reserved manner and was often accompanied by another man.

Brueckner, now 43, who is serving a seven year jail term for the rape of a 72 year old American woman in Praia da Luz, is the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann 13 years ago

'He gave the girls weed and other things they wanted, and in exchange they gave him sex because they didn't have money to pay for the drugs.

'That was the way they did things.'

Revealing he always spoke English and hung around with a lookalike pal who she also thought was British, she added in the interview with Portuguese TV station TVI: 'I thought the other man was a brother or a friend.

'Both were tall and both were blond-haired.

'One had blue eyes and the other had green eyes. I thought both of them were English until I found out now one of them was German.

'I always assumed they were English because I always heard them speaking in English.

'I immediately knew the new Madeleine McCann suspect was him when I saw the camper van on TV. It was the one he used. The last time I saw him was in 2007 shortly before Madeleine vanished.'

Police have said Brueckner was known to sell drugs to supplement his income from working in bars around Lagos.

Madeleine McCann detectives have received nearly 400 tip-offs since Christian Brueckner was named prime suspect, Scotland Yard reveals

Police have received nearly 400 tip-offs after convicted sexual predator Christian Brueckner was named as the prime suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

Information continues to pour into Scotland Yard's team of detectives working on the investigation into the disappearance, named Operation Grange.

A force spokesperson said on Saturday: 'We have now received just short of 400 pieces of information. We are pleased with the amount of calls and emails coming in and we are assessing them and prioritising them.'

German prosecutors believe Madeleine is dead and are investigating paedophile Brueckner, 43, on suspicion of her murder.

Prosecutors claim to know how the youngster died but have not revealed further details and British officers are still treating it as a missing persons case.

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry of Rothley, Leicestershire, 'continue to hope she is alive until they can be shown incontrovertible evidence which proves that she is dead,' family spokesman Clarence Mitchell told MailOnline on Saturday

The news of the massive number of tip-offs comes as it emerged that Brueckner was flagged as a key suspect seven years ago by police but the report was apparently ignored by German authorities.

Paedophile Christian Brueckner (left), who is suspected of abducting Madeleine McCann (right), had only been released from a Portuguese prison just months before her disappearance from a family villa in 2007

A force spokesperson said on Saturday: 'We have now received just short of 400 pieces of information. We are pleased with the amount of calls and emails coming in and we are assessing them and prioritising them'

Mr Mitchell MailOnline on Saturday: 'Kate and Gerry continue to be encouraged by the level of response and nearly 400 fresh pieces of information so far is exactly what the Met wanted from their appeal.'

Phone records show German national Brueckner was in Praia da Luz, Portugal, when three-year-old Maddie was snatched from a holiday apartment in May 2007.

Police were led to Brueckner by a friend of his after he confessed during a drinking session three years ago that he 'knew all about' what had happened to Maddie.

He is currently serving seven years in Kiel jail in northern Germany for raping a 72-year-old American woman in Portugal.

The career criminal is refusing to co-operate with police, causing 'prolonged agony' for her parents.

The news of the massive number of tip-offs comes as it emerged that Brueckner was flagged as a key suspect seven years ago by police but the report was ignored by German authorities. Pictured: Spokesman for the German proseuctor's office Hans Christian Wolters, addresses the media on Thursday

Police sensationally revealed on Wednesday night that they had a significant new suspect in the 13-year hunt for Maddie's abductor.

Within 24 hours and following an appeal on German TV they had received 270 pieces of information, now steadily increasing.

DCI Mark Cranwell, who is heading Op Grange, said: 'We continue to urge anyone with information to come forward and speak with us.'

It comes after German magazine Spiegel reported that police in Braunschweig sent a report to Germany's Federal Criminal Office (BKA) about Brueckner being a prime suspect in 2013, two years before Inga Gehricke, 'Germany's Maddie McCann', disappeared. It was apparently ignored.

Braunschweig police were monitoring the 43-year-old around the clock at the time.

The report was triggered after an appeal from British police on a German unsolved crime show, on which the news about Brueckner was also broadcast this week.

Spiegel went on: 'One person did submit a tip about Brueckner but the resulting report from police in Braunschweig to the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation was apparently not acted upon, much to the consternation of the local investigators.'

Brueckner, pictured in a German bar in 2011, is also alleged to have confided in a friend that he 'knew all about' what had happened to Madeleine

Brueckner was born to a woman named Fischer but given over to youth authorities at an early age. Between 1992 - when he was 16 - and 1994 he lived in a facility for young people with learning difficulties.

A neighbour told German newspaper BILD: 'There were only bad young people there.'

During this time he committed his first burglary and received a suspended jail sentence. He finished his high school education and embarked on an apprenticeship as a car mechanic.

But in September 1993 he sexually abused a girl aged six in a playground.

In May 1994, three days before he was due to answer in court for the offence, he attempted to assault a nine-year-old girl.

He was given a two-year suspended jail term. A woman who lived near his residential home told Bild: 'I moved away because I feared he would attack my child.'

He broke the terms of his suspended sentence in 1995 to flee to Portugal with his then girlfriend.

The two kept themselves afloat with casual jobs and moved into a house in Praia da Luz. The relationship soon broke down and Brueckner then had a string of casual affairs.

He worked as a waiter and handyman but began to break into tourist hotels and guest houses to rob them of valuables.

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry of Rothley, Leicestershire, 'continue to hope she is alive until they can be shown incontrovertible evidence which proves that she is dead,' family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said on Saturday

He told MailOnline: 'Kate and Gerry continue to be encouraged by the level of response and nearly 400 fresh pieces of information so far is exactly what the Met wanted from their appeal'

When he and a friend tried to steal diesel fuel from a marina, he was caught and had to serve 258 days in jail.

In 2005 he raped and robbed an American widow, 72, in her house on the Algarve.

At his trial for the offence in Germany last year it emerged he had taken videos of other sex attacks. A pair of swimming goggles with the lenses painted grey were worn by one victims so she would not be able to identify him.

On 16 June 2013 Brueckner committed another 'sexual abuse of children'. In September of that year, according to Spiegel, he wrote in an online chatroom to an acquaintance that he wanted to 'capture something small and use it for days.'

When his acquaintance pointed out that this was dangerous, Brueckner replied: 'Oh, if the evidence is subsequently destroyed...'

The German suspect had lived in a warehouse outside Praia da Luz for several years but moved into a campervan just before Madeleine vanished

In 2007 he moved back to Germany, living in Dresden, Augsburg and in a caravan in Hanover. Until 2008 he trades drugs on the North Sea island of Sylt.

From December 2012 to 2014 he ran a kiosk in Braunschweig, where German media say he also hosted drug parties.

But the business failed and he began living rough and drinking heavily.

Bild said: 'He constantly collected criminal charges. For theft, bodily injury, drunkenness in traffic, forged papers. The number of procedures is difficult to calculate. A life out of control!'

In early September 2019, police began investigating a missing person case. A girl, little Inga Gehricke, a delicate 5-year-old with blond hair, disappeared in May 2015 in the countryside of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.

It was a difficult case, but the police discovered a possible connection to the case of another missing girl - also a blonde, the most famous 3-year-old in Europe.

Madeleine McCann disappeared in May 2007 in Portugal. Like Inga, she has never been found.

In the case of Inga, it is thought that Brueckner played a role. His face could also match a police facial composite image in the Madeleine case.

At the time of her disappearance, he was living in the area around Praia da Luz, the resort where the McCanns were spending their holidays.

It was the place where he had raped the American woman two years earlier.

In 1994, he was convicted for the first time for sexually abusing a child. He was convicted a second time in 2016. He also collected child pornography.

Spiegel wrote: 'The person who is believed to have destroyed the lives of the McCanns The person who is believed to have destroyed their lives is named Christian Brueckner, a man with a troubled life behind him.

'He grew up in a home, graduated from a lower secondary school and quit his vocational training. He moved from job to job and place to place, and the only constants in his a muddle of a life have been crimes, trials and convictions.

'Nothing seemed stable in his life  he changed girlfriends, jobs and the crimes he committed on a whim. In 2011, he was handed down a suspended sentence of one year and nine months, a result of having started a drug operation in 2007 to supply marijuana to the German island resort of Sylt.

'As he strayed through life without any fixed abode, social stability or moral inhibitions, the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance picked up again in 2011. This time in England.

Inga Gehricke, pictured, dubbed as 'Germany's Maddy McCann', who vanished from a forest in Saxony-Anhalt near the German town of Stendal on May 2, 2015

German detectives investigating Christian B, 43, have also contacted the family of Rene Hasee, above, to say they were looking into his 1996 abduction again

'In May 2011, then Prime Minister David Cameron ordered that everything be reviewed again  every page in the file. Madeleine's parents had requested as much in a letter to him.'

The district court of Braunschweig wanted to send Brueckner to prison in early 2016 in a case involving the sexual abuse of a child, but he once again flew to Portugal only to be extradited back to Germany in 2017.

In December 2019, the Braunschweig regional court sentenced him in the case of the rape in 2005 in her home in Portugal.

The judgement in that case has not been finalized yet. A single hair proved the key piece of evidence and he is now being held in a prison in Kiel, Germany. He could soon be facing additional charges.

In December 2017, Germany's BKA received two tips from Scotland Yard in the Madeleine case. One of them directed suspicion to Brueckner.

An informant, likely a former colleague from Portugal, claimed to have recognized him from the police sketches.

Investigators with the BKA's Department SO25 set up a special commission that began its work with the utmost secrecy. The proceedings in the Madeleine case were conducted by the public prosecutor's office in Braunschweig because Brueckner had his last official residence there.

They are investigating him on suspicions of murder, with a spokesman for the public prosecutor's offices saying the assumption is that the girl is dead.

So far, investigators have built the case against him on the basis of circumstantial evidence.

He knew his way around Praia da Luz and apparently specialised in break-ins. He has also abused children in the past. The authorities also believe they know which mobile phone he used on May 3, 2007, 'with a probability bordering on certainty.'

The girl disappeared between 9:10 p.m. and 10 p.m. Calls were made during that period of time on the mobile phone in Praia da Luz. He cancelled his car registration the day after Madeleine's disappearance.

Spiegel added: 'What's lacking is concrete evidence. The BKA has distributed photos of a VW Transporter van that he might have been driving on the day of the crime.

It has also released the number of the mobile phone the suspect used that night to call a stranger from Praia da Luz. They have requested help from possible witnesses to fill in the gap between what is known about Him and what is believed to be true about him.

'Profilers at the BKA describe him in their report as a psychopath who is capable of anything. A man who nevertheless  or precisely because of this  had a charismatic aura and impressed the people around him. Most felt exploited, taken for a ride and cheated afterward.

They paint a picture of a manipulative narcissist who could appear charming, but was only trying to get money he would never pay back or sexual gratification.

'He was very engaging, dominant and sociable, he seemed like a hopeless dreamer who always had big plans,'says one companion. 'I knew he was up to no good. Drugs and such. But I had no idea that he had sexually abused children.'

'The man says it was no secret that the police were always after him. One former girlfriend had regularly called the police because Brueckner had allegedly beaten her.

The suspect is said to have lived at this property, situated between resort of Praia da Luz and Lagos, named Escola Vehla - meaning 'old school' - during his time in Portugal

German Federal Police have released a photo of a Volkswagen camper van, used by a suspect who may be connected to the disappearance of Madeleine 13 years ago

Police have also released a picture of a Jaguar which was used by Brueckner in Praia da Luz, Portugal, by a suspect who may be involved in the disappearance of Madeleine

'It was conspicuous that he had boasted about a sudden financial windfall after he returned from Portugal in 2007. Friends remember him telling them that he had found cash in a pile of clothes, large sums of money, after breaking into a home in the Algarve.

'In addition to a mobile home, he also used the money to buy a derelict factory property in the state of Saxony-Anhalt.

'Apart from money, he was likely interested mostly in sex. Officials found numerous references to his preferences on hard drives  and violence often played a role. The investigators also discovered child porn. Witnesses testifying in the regional court in Braunschweig during his trial there claimed they had seen sex videos with animals and also ones in which he raped women.

'In a chat with an acquaintance in September 2013 he wrote that he wanted to 'capture something small and use it for a few days.' The other replied that this would be dangerous.

And B. countered: 'Oh, if the evidence is destroyed afterwards.' Notes about the chat are in the investigation files of the Stendal police in Saxony-Anhalt, which prosecutors, BKA investigators, lawyers and future police officers studying at the police academy evaluated.

'The random way in which he apparently chose victims for his sex drive and the brutality he apparently subjected them to also occupied investigators in the case of the 5-year-old Inga from Saxony-Anhalt.

'She had visited a facility of the Diakonisches Werk, a Protestant charity organization, in Stendal with her parents and disappeared in May 2015. At the time the suspect was living around 90 kilometers away in an old house in Neuwegersleben.

'In addition to child porn, investigators also found children's clothes for girls in a trailer on the property, although he had no family.

The authorities believe that Christian Brueckner knew an employee of the Diakonie facility near which Inga disappeared. The uncertainty could end for her parents in much the same way as for the parents of Madeleine. There is no comfort, no hope. But there is the prospect of truth, of certainty. That, though, is far more than they have had until now.'
A man accused of planning the murder of mobster Angelo Musitano and another hit that killed an innocent bystander is asking the COVID-delayed justice system to let his preliminary hearing continue. If not, he wants his murder charges stayed.

The application was filed Wednesday by Jabril Abdalla, who faces two counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted murder. He was arrested Sept. 18, 2018, and argues his right to a speedy trial has been compromised due to a series of unusual and complicated legal issues  culminating with the worldwide pandemic that has shut down most court operations.

While Abdallas case languishes in the Ontario Court of Justice (OCJ), he has made a rare application to the higher Superior Court of Justice (SCJ) asking it to intervene and order the OCJ to continue his long-paused preliminary hearing or stay the charges altogether.

A judicial stay of proceedings is considered the most extreme remedy a judge can deliver. The Supreme Court of Canada says: Charges that are stayed may never be prosecuted; an alleged victim will never get his or her day in court; society will never have the matter resolved by a trier of fact. For these reasons, a stay is reserved for only those cases of abuse where a very high threshold is met.

Abdalla believes his case, with its ongoing delays, meets that threshold.

His right to challenge the case against him has been suspended indefinitely without his consent, says the application. The parties have agreed to conduct the continuation of the preliminary inquiry remotely and the Ontario Court of Justice has refused to permit the continuation.

This application may open the floodgates for other accused persons in legal limbo to also seek quicker proceedings or stays.

However, the day after the application was filed, the province announced it will begin reopening the courts on July 6. That doesnt mean the Abdalla case will restart that day, but it will allow it to be scheduled.

Criminal defence lawyers have been frustrated that the COVID court system has permitted accused persons to plead guilty but has forced those wishing to plead not guilty to wait.

Abdalla is accused of being a party to the planning of the March 2017 murder of Mila Barberi, 28, and the May 2017 killing of Musitano, 39. It is alleged an accomplice pulled the trigger.

Barberi was shot in Vaughan while inside a vehicle with her boyfriend, Saverio Serrano. Homicide detectives say they believe he was the intended target.

Barberi, a veterinary technician, is remembered for her love of family, nature and animals.

Musitanos wife and small children were home when he was killed. He said he found God in the years before his death and had renounced his past sins  including conspiring to murder mobster Carmen Barillaro  despite being a member of one of Hamiltons most notorious crime families.

Musitanos murder set off a chain of other hits on Hamilton-area residents with organized crime connections. That includes a failed attempt to kill Musitanos brother, Pat, who survived point-blank gunshot wounds.

Abdalla last made headlines in early May when he was granted bail. Conditions of his release are protected by a publication ban.

There have been many twists and turns in Abdallas case.

The first time he applied for bail he was denied. That decision was upheld at the Ontario Court of Appeal, but overturned during a bail review once the pandemic began.

Meanwhile, Abdallas preliminary hearing was underway when Ontarios State of Emergency was declared and courts were shut down. Like most matters, the case was mothballed.

Court documents show dates as far away as October have been suggested to finish the preliminary hearing.

Wanting to move things along, Abdallas lawyer Leora Shemesh has told the SCJ her client would like to continue his proceedings via Zoom  a process that is working for other Hamilton court matters. The Crown and Justice Anthony Leitch have also said they are willing to do that.

Hamilton police Peter Thom, left, and Jason Cattle at 14 Chesapeake Dr. where Angelo Musitano who was gunned down in May 2017. Hamilton Spectator file photo

According to the application, the preliminary hearing is near completion with eight Crown witnesses remaining.

To complicate things further, the Attorney General has asked for leave to review Abdallas bail and send him back to jail.

Which might get him back to the courtroom faster.

***Editors Note: Jabril Abdalla has now abandoned his mandamus application to the Superior Court of Justice because the preliminary inquiry has been scheduled to continue in July 2020.***

***June 23: This story has been updated from an earlier version.***
Jammu:

Expressing concern over the death of a stone pelter in South Kashmirs Shopian district, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said she is upset after coming to know about the incident.



I dont know what to say, I am slightly upset because as I was leaving for this place, my secretary told me that in Shopian yet again a boy, who was pelting stones, has died, so I am slightly upset today, she said during a function here.



Sayar Ahmad Sheikh was killed today after being hit by a tear smoke shell in the head at Tukroo of Shopian district when security personnel were trying to disperse a group of stone-pelting protesters.



The Chief Minister thanked the health department for doing a remarkable job in testing times in Kashmir and applauded their efforts and services.



I would like to thank and congratulate the health department for being up to the mark in such testing times. The health staff has been working round-the-clock in the Valley and some of them have not visited their home for several weeks, she said.



She said the most noble profession was that of the doctors and her parents also wanted her to become a doctor.

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Mr. Walker, too, said the severity of this moment seemed to be shocking some companies into action. Corporate America can no longer get away with token responses to systemic problems, said Mr. Walker, who has been protesting in New York. It is going to take a systemic response to sufficiently address this crisis that has been decades in the making.

Its complete B.S. Its performative

As brands rushed to align themselves with protesters over the past week, their words often rang hollow, undermined by their own actions.

Amazon called for an end to the inequitable treatment of black people. Yet the company has faced sustained criticism for poor working conditions and low pay. In March, it fired Christian Smalls, a black employee at a Staten Island warehouse who was demanding safer conditions while working in a pandemic, and the companys general counsel disparaged him as not smart or articulate. Amazon has said Mr. Smalls violated its social distancing policy, and that the executive did not know he was black.

The commissioner of the National Football League, Roger Goodell, issued a statement saying the protests express the pain, anger and frustration that so many of us feel. But his organization has banned players  most of whom are black  from kneeling to protest police brutality, and the quarterback most identified with the gesture, Colin Kaepernick, has been effectively blacklisted. (On Friday night, Mr. Goodell appeared to reverse himself, saying, We, the National Football League admit we were wrong and adding, I personally protest with you.)

LOreal shared a post that read Speaking out is worth it. But three years ago, the makeup company dropped its first transgender model, Munroe Bergdorf, when she spoke out about racism after the white nationalist violence in Charlottesville, Va.

Most of these corporate statements were put together by the marketing team that was trying not to offend white customers and white employees, said Dorothy A. Brown, a law professor who studies economic injustice at Emory University in Atlanta. Its complete B.S. Its performative.
DUBLIN, June 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medtronic plc (MDT), the global leader in medical technology, today announced it has received CE (Conformite Europeenne) Mark for a one-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) indication for high bleeding risk (HBR) patients implanted with the Resolute Onyx Drug-Eluting Stent (DES). For HBR patients, whose bleeding risk may be increased by taking longer DAPT regimens (a combination of aspirin and anti-clotting medication), this new, first-of-its-kind indication allows physicians to recommend a shorter, one-month regimen of DAPT, following a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with Resolute Onyx. The approval is the first of its kind globally. Resolute Onyx DES is available for use in the United States, as well as in Europe and other countries that recognize the CE Mark. Resolute Onyx DES is not currently indicated for HBR patients with one-month DAPT in the United States. Data have been submitted to the FDA with the intent of obtaining a one-month DAPT US Indication for Resolute Onyx DES.

HBR patients  including older patients, those with history of bleeding, or those on oral blood-thinning drugs  are a complex patient population that makes up nearly 40 percent of all PCI patients1. HBR patients on longer DAPT regimens are three times more likely to have bleeding events than the general population undergoing PCI2. Due to its biocompatible polymer and the ability to promote fast vessel healing, the Resolute Onyx DES has demonstrated through pre-clinical and clinical studies that it is well-suited for patients who may benefit from a shorter DAPT duration.3,4

The use of DAPT for DES is a challenge for HBR patients who may not be able to safely tolerate the same therapy duration as recommended for the broader patient population, said Azeem Latib, M.D., section head of interventional cardiology & medical director of structural heart interventions at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. Through the Onyx ONE Global Clinical Program, we have observed that Resolute Onyx DES with one-month of DAPT in these complex patients is safe and effective. This indication will further substantiate the option for shorter DAPT regimens, if individual patient needs demand it.

Story continues

The indication is based on results from the Onyx ONE Global Study, the first prospective, randomized, one-month DAPT trial comparing Resolute Onyx to a competitive DES (BioFreedom DCS) in nearly 2,000 HBR patients. In the study, Resolute Onyx met its primary composite endpoint of cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI) or stent thrombosis (ST) at one-year showing non-inferiority versus BioFreedom DCS. Results from the global study were shared during a Late-Breaking Clinical Trial session at the 31st Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) Conference in September 2019 and were also published in the New England Journal of Medicine3.

"The growing body of clinical evidence supports the use of Resolute Onyx to meet the needs of complex patient populations, said Dave Moeller, vice president and general manager of the Coronary and Renal Denervation business, which is part of the Cardiac and Vascular Group at Medtronic. Resolute Onyx has shown exceptional outcomes in complex patient populations and anatomies, including those at a high risk of bleeding, which has helped pave the way for this first-of-its-kind approval.

The Onyx ONE Global Study, together with the Onyx ONE Clear Study, a study that evaluated Resolute Onyx DES in HBR patients with one-month DAPT in the United States and Japan, make up the robust Medtronic Onyx ONE Month DAPT Program that has enrolled approximately 2,700 patients at up to 130 sites worldwide. To date, more than 22,000 patients have been studied in Medtronic sponsored and funded clinical trials that have addressed DAPT duration.

In collaboration with leading clinicians, researchers, and scientists worldwide, Medtronic offers the broadest range of innovative medical technology for the interventional and surgical treatment of cardiovascular disease and cardiac arrhythmias. The company strives to offer products and services that deliver clinical and economic value to healthcare consumers and providers around the world.

About Medtronic

Medtronic plc ( www.medtronic.com ), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is among the worlds largest medical technology, services and solutions companies  alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic employs more than 90,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals and patients in more than 150 countries. The company is focused on collaborating with stakeholders around the world to take healthcare Further, Together.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

BioFreedom is a trademark or registered trademark of Biosensors International Group, Ltd.

-end-







1 Windecker S. Stent Selection for 1-3 Month DAPT: Current Evidence Ongoing Studies. Presented at TCT 2018; San Diego, CA.

2 Costa F, et al. Lancet. 2017;389:1025-1034.

3 Roleder T, Kedhi E, Berta B, et al. Short-term stent coverage of second-generation zotarolimus-eluting durable polymer stents: Onyx one-month optical coherence tomography study. Adv Interv Cardiol. 2019;15(2):143-150.

4 Windecker S, Latib A, Kedhi E, et al. Polymer-based or Polymer-free Stents in Patients at High Bleeding Risk. N Engl J Med. 2020; 382:1208-1218.doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1910021.









Allison Kyriagis

Public Relations

+1-612-750-6061

Ryan Weispfenning

Investor Relations

+1-763-505-4626
Charles Owusu, an Aide to the Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, has called on Christian religious leaders to teach their members to pay tax to the country.



According to Charles Owusu, the Pastors are good at preaching about giving and tithe offering but fail to address the issue of tax evasion by the congregants whose are to be living epistles of the life of Jesus Christ.



He made the comment on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' on Friday, June 5, 2020.



''A lot of times, our Pastors teach us how to give towards the welfare of the church but we're not taught how to pay tax for nation building. We've been told how to pay tithe but we don't teach how to pay tax but it's part of God's Word, he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi.



Charles Owusu also commended the various churches which have remained closed despite President Akufo-Addo's ease of restrictions on public gatherings.



The President announced on Sunday, May 31, 2020 that churches and mosques can open for religious services but ordered the membership should not exceed 100.



To Charles Owusu, the congregants need to exercise caution against the COVID-19 pandemic and so was happy some churches will continue their virtual services instead of opening the church building.



He hoped all churches would take a cue from those which are still closed.



The body is the church. It's our body that Christ says is his church. He didn't say the church building. It is the people who are the church who enter the building to make it a church because the church is inside of us. So, you don't have to necessarily be in the church building to recieve the Word of God before you know it is theft to take something that doesn't belong to you, he advised Christians.



Listen to full submissions below:





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video




Haiti - FLASH : Important tips for a return to the United States





The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince continues to work diligently to assist U.S. citizens in Haiti who wish to return to the United States during this Covid-19 pandemic period.



Please understand that flights to the United States are approved by the Government of Haiti on a case-by-case basis, have limited available seating in order to preserve social distancing, and often sell out in a short amount of time. Please understand that authorization for these flights is often granted with less than 48 hours notice. Please take this information into account when making travel plans, especially if you are not in Port-au-Prince.



When a commercial airline is granted authorization to operate a flight from Haiti to the United States, the U.S. Embassy will alert the U.S. citizen community as quickly as possible through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).



According to the JetBlue Airways website (www.jetblue.com), the June 11th, 18th, 25th and 29th flights from Port-au-Prince to Fort Lauderdale and JFK are sold out.



The U.S. Embassy is not aware of any authorized flights from Haiti to the United States after June 29th, or if flights will be authorized in the future. U.S. citizens who do not return to the United States while commercial or commercially available flights are available may be forced to remain outside of the United States for an indefinite period.



To facilitate these efforts, we have created a new email address open to the public to address your concerns. For all questions related to returning to the United States, please send an email to: PortauPrinceUSCitizen@state.gov



Your email message should include the following information :



Your full name as spelled in your passport.



Information we can use to contact you now  a current phone number and email address.



Your date of birth (MM/DD/YYYY)



Your passport number, and its date of issuance and expiration. If it is not a U.S. passport, please note the country that issued it.



The full name, date of birth and passport number of all U.S. citizens traveling with you. Pleasealso note any non-U.S. citizen immediate family members who wish to accompany you.



Please note your current location (city and country) and any special needs you may have, such as medical issues.



For U.S. citizens who wish to travel to Port-au-Prince from Cap Haitien: Sunrise Airways is currently operating flights between Cap Haitien and Port-au-Prince. Complete information on schedules, pricing and how to book are available at https://sunriseairways.net. They can also be contacted by phone at +509 2811 2222.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 22:38:18|Editor: huaxia

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LUSAKA, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji held a virtual meeting on Friday with the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region Xia Huang, the foreign ministry said on Saturday.

Malanji told the special envoy that Zambia was committed to the implementation of the Peace and Security Cooperation Framework Agreement for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region.

Zambia, which was currently hosting over 20,000 DRC refugees, is eager to promote lasting peace, security and political stability in the region, according to a release from the foreign ministry.

According to him, the persisting political, security and humanitarian challenges in the Great Lakes Region had affected the implementation of the peace agreement.

He informed the special envoy that the COVID-19 pandemic would affect the implementation of the peace agreement framework because it had led governments in the region to shift their priorities.

On his part, the UN special envoy assured the Zambian minister of his continued availability to work closely with countries in the region on the peace and security agenda and on key issues linked to regional integration, sustainable and economic development.

Xia said the UN Peace Building Commission was expected to convene a meeting next week where he would seize the opportunity to mobilize international support for the Great Lakes Region.

The Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework Agreement for the DRC and the region was signed in 2013 and it seeks to address the underlying causes of humanitarian crises, political instability and underdevelopment in the Great Lakes Region. Enditem
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The spell of pandemic spills over to writing Will the Covid2019 pandemic have a direct bearing on the way TV and film script writers churn out their scripts? Now that the Maharashtra government has allowed conditional resumption of film, television, OTT shoots, how are the writers faring? Indiantelevision.com spoke to a few scriptwriters from the film and television industry to get answers to these questions. Read More...

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Deputy head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) Vo Huy Cuong affirmed that the watchdog agency is unbiased when licensing air routes to Con Dao Island.

Vasco is the only airline that provides flights to Con Dao Island and the airfare is very high, said Tran Du Lich, a respected economist at the workshop discussing the rise of the aviation sector after Covid-19 and the economic recovery in Binh Dinh some days ago.





The economist thinks that it is necessary to change the mindset and coordination in the aviation industry to create favorable conditions for the industry to develop.



He stressed that the changes could be the breakthrough that brings the first rains that will help the aviation sector spring up again.



In reply, Cuong affirmed that there is no bias towards any air carrier in licensing the flights to Con Dao.

The principle being pursued by CAAV is creating most favorable conditions for airlines to develop air routes, unless the infrastructure conditions are limited.

The principle being pursued by CAAV is creating most favorable conditions for airlines to develop air routes, unless the infrastructure conditions are limited.



At present, there are up to 21 flights a day between HCM City and Can Tho with connection with Con Dao, which can show the rapid recovery of the aviation sector within a short time, just four weeks since the day the sector resumes its operation.



Cuong said CAAV is considering whether to use Airbus 319 for the air route to Con Dao and with small investments. Bamboo Airways now has one aircraft of this kind, which can serve flights from Hanoi to Con Dao and then to HCM City, and vice versa.



Repeatedly affirming that CAAV doesnt give favors to any air carrier, Cuong attributed the existence of only one air carrier on the air route to Con Dao to the airlines strategies on fleet expansion.



Vietjet Air, for example, focuses on using A320 and A321 aircraft that serve low-cost exploitation activities.



He explained that air carriers tend to use the aircraft of the same family so as to cut down on costs for pilot training and spare parts, which allows competitive airfares.



Meanwhile, Con Dao Island now can receive ATR-72, or Fokker 70. Previously, Bombardier of Air Mekong could also fly to Con Dao.



As such, Vietjet still cannot fly to Con Dao, while Vietnam Airlines is considering using A319 for flights there. However, it is still not clear if the aircraft can land at Con Dao Airport.



If Bamboo Airways wants to develop an air route to Con Dao, it will have to be equipped with a new type of aircraft, which means that it will have to pay additional operation and pilot training costs.

Mai Lan

When to restart international flights still undecided Vietnams national aviation authority is still undecided over the exact date for the reopening of international commercial air routes,
Former vice president Atiku Abubakar has lauded the president Muhammadu Buhari led administration over the stoppage of subsidy and price-fixing for petrol.

Speaking via a statement on his official Twitter, he further called on the federal government to remove other impediments and roll out incentives to spur investments in the oil sector.

He said, Federal government finally withdraws from the fuel subsidy and price-fixing bazaar that had been rife with corruption and stalling investments.

Read Also: Atiku Calls Uwaila Omozuwa Family; Calls For Review Of Rape Laws

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This is something patriots have been calling for and for which I was demonised.

The stoppage of subsidy and price-fixing is a right move, although it should have come earlier when the economy was stronger.

Federal and state governments should proceed to remove other impediments and roll out incentives to spur investments in the sector, especially the numerous refineries that had been licensed but are yet to be built.

Then ensure the quality of fuel meets set standards.

FG and state governments should proceed to remove other impediments and roll out incentives to spur investments in the sector, especially the numerous refineries that had been licensed but are yet to be built. Then ensure the quality of fuel meets set standards. -AA  Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) June 5, 2020
Shah Rukh Khan seems to have returned R Madhavans favour, who made a guest appearance as a NASA scientist in his 2018 film, Zero. Shah Rukh is reported to have shot for a small but pivotal role of a journalist in Madhavans upcoming film Rocketry: The Nambi Effect.

According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, the actor shot for pivotal parts in two films last year. The news daily has quoted a source as saying, Ayan and Maddy are extremely fond of SRK and believed no one but he fits the bill. Neither are run-of-the mill cameos, but are integral to the plot and carry the narrative forward.

In Rocketry, he plays a journalist who interviews scientist Nambi Narayanan, and takes us through the protagonists journey in flashback, the source added.

He was earlier reported to have shot for a cameo to be incorporated with visual effects in Ayan Mukerjis fantasy drama, Brahmastra. The film features Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt as the lead couple besides Amitabh Bachchan and Mouni Roy in prominent roles.

The report also claims that Brahmastra opens with Shah Rukhs guest appearance as a scientist, who introduces the audience to the fantasy world.

Madhavans Rocketry: The Nambi Effect is a biopic, based on the life of Nambi Narayanan, a former scientist and aerospace engineer of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) who was accused of espionage. Madhavan not just plays the title role but has also written, produced and directed it. Actor Simran plays the female lead opposite Madhavan in the film.

Also read: Irrfan Khans son Babil reveals actor had strange understanding of rain: Oh my god, what the rain did to him

Shah Rukhs last film Zero, also starring Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif, was heavily panned by critics. He hasnt announced his next project since then and is believed to be on a sabbatical. He was, however, reported to have signed the Rakesh Sharma biopic titled Saare Jahaan Se Achha but it was later reported that he quit the project.

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Golden Spike National Historical Park in Utah is home to two replica steam locomotives and re-enactments of the driving of the last spike. NPS Photo

News Release Date: May 8, 2020



Contact: NewsMedia@nps.gov

WASHINGTON  The National Park Service (NPS), Union Pacific Railroad and the National Park Foundation (NPF) today announced the release of the Junior Ranger Railroad Explorer activity booklet that can be obtained for free from NPS.gov. Issued just ahead of National Train Day and the Golden Spike anniversary on May 9 and May 10, respectively, the new educational booklet traces the journey of the first transcontinental railroad and brings the rich history of railroads to life in a fun and engaging way.



The Junior Ranger Railroad Explorer is one of many Junior Ranger programs available online. Each program is an intergenerational learning experience that focuses on a site or theme tied to public lands.



Get ready to ride the rails from coast to coast and learn how the transcontinental railroad impacted the country, said National Park Service Deputy Director David Vela, exercising the authority of the Director. The programs creative activities provide insight to the technology, challenges, people, and transformation associated with the iron horse.



Railroad Explorer is a great way to track the history of trains, and you can do the fun activities at home with friends and family, said National Park Foundation President and CEO Will Shafroth. Thanks to the support of Union Pacific, this new Junior Ranger program engages kids of all ages with the multi-faceted and multi-cultural story of the meeting of the rails.



NPF also supports the Junior Ranger Lets Go Fishing! activity booklet. Both of these Junior Ranger programs are part of NPFs broader mission to connect people to and protect national parks.



Children of all ages are naturally intrigued by trains, but the Railroad Explorer book helps them understand how the railroad connected the nation 150 years ago, changing the way Americans live, eat and travel, said Union Pacific Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations and Chief Administrative Officer Scott Moore. While gaining an appreciation for rail history and our national parks, Railroad Junior Rangers will also learn to always keep safety in mind  never walk on or near the tracks, and only cross at designated locations.



Among the people who contributed to the development of the transcontinental railroad were Chinese immigrants. As we honor Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month throughout May, this new booklet serves as another educational resource that pays tribute to the generations of Asian Americans who impacted our countrys history.



Junior Ranger activity booklets encourage young explorers to discover the breadth and depth of the National Park System, learn about the outdoors and our collective history, understand the importance of preserving national parks and share their experiences with friends and family.



For more information about the Junior Ranger Railroad Explorer program and to download a copy of the booklet, visit this link.

www.nps.gov



ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.



ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION

The National Park Foundation is the official charity of Americas national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help protect more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts and connect all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.



ABOUT UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD

Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation. One of America's most recognized companies, Union Pacific Railroad connects 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail, providing a critical link in the global supply chain. The railroad's diversified business mix is classified into its Bulk, Industrial and Premium business groups. Union Pacific serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers, operates from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, connects with Canada's rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways. Union Pacific provides value to its roughly 10,000 customers by delivering products in a safe, reliable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible manner.
THE President of the University of Limerick, Dr Des Fitzgerald has come under fire from some quarters for citing the impact of Covid-19 on his ability to serve the university, as the reason for stepping down from his post, just three years into his 10-year term.

In a letter to the chancellor of UL, Mary Harney, on Tuesday of last week Dr Fitzgerald said: Unfortunately this virus will directly impact my ability to serve the university and limit my ability to fully engage once we get our community back onto the campus.

Dr Fitzgerald, who is a medical doctor, was appointed as president of UL in late 2016 and commenced his term of office in early 2017. Prior to his appointment, Dr Fitzgerald had held leadership positions in a number of leading academic institutions and was vice president for research and vice president for health affairs at UCD.

His somewhat abrupt departure has resulted in criticism from some quarters particularly in relation to what is being seen as an inability to bring about major reform in the university which has been blighted in recent years by headline stories of irregular expenses claims and complaints of bullying by some members of staff.

In a letter to the Leader this week, Jeremy Callaghan from Caherconlish, who has for a long time been shining a light on the controversies at the third level institute said: The management issues he inherited are far from over despite reports that have been dealt with andrecommendations implemented. Justice and fairness still lie ahead for whistleblowers and others, while those who caused their misery and then sought to conceal the issues remain in comfortable employment on the campus. Reportedly and anecdotally, staff morale is very low.

Alan English who was editor of the Limerick Leader in 2015 when the university decided to sue the paper over a front-page report about the suspension of whistleblowers who refused to accept termination payments conditional on a confidentiality clause, said Dr Fitzgerald inherited major issues which were reported on the Limerick Leader front page dozens of times.

He started promisingly, but in my judgement he failed to adequately deal with those issues, tweeted Mr English who is now the editor of the Sunday Independent.

Speaking last week when he announced his decision Dr Fitzgerald said that he had been privileged to lead UL: I believe that during my term as president, my colleagues and I have made important progress on key issues including successfully taking the first steps in establishing a campus in the city, developing our healthcare programmes, growing our research output and increasing the universitys engagement in education globally. We also agreed an ambitious strategic plan for the university which in the context of Covid-19 will require some further review, but which remains an important vision of what UL can become in the years ahead.
Canadas highest court will be asked to weigh in on a ruling that reopened the door for people accused of violent crimes to argue they were so intoxicated they had lost control of what they were doing.

The decision angered some women, and in a statement on Saturday a spokesperson for Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey said the prosecution wanted the top court to hear a challenge to it.

I can confirm that the Crown will be seeking leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, said Jenessa Crognali. It would be inappropriate to comment further as the matters are before the court.

Crognali said the notice of leave to appeal had yet to be filed.

In overturning the convictions of two men, one from Peterborough, in separate cases, the Court of Appeal on Wednesday struck down a decades-old section of the Criminal Code as unconstitutional.

The men, Thomas Chan and David Sullivan, had either killed or injured close relatives. Both were high on drugs  Chan had eaten magic mushrooms, while Sullivan, a Whitby man, had tried to kill himself with an overdose of a prescription stop-smoking medication.

Chan had been convicted in December 2018 of manslaughter and aggravated assault for the vicious stabbing death of his father, Dr. Andrew Chan, and the near deadly attack on Dr. Chans life-partner Lynn Witteveen.

In March 2019, Chan was sentenced to five years in prison.

The stabbings happened Dec. 28, 2015 at his fathers house after Chan had consumed magic mushrooms before experiencing hallucinations and stabbing the couple because he thought they were the devil.

Evidence in both cases was that both Chan and Sullivan became psychotic and went on a violent rampage. Their defence, however, ran afoul of the ban on arguing self-induced extreme intoxication had resulted in their automatism.

The federal government had enacted the law in 1995 amid a backlash over a court ruling that recognized drunkenness could be raised to defend against a sexual assault charge.

(The law) enables the conviction of individuals for acts they do not will, the Appeal Court said in striking down Section 33.1.

While such cases are rare and successfully raising an intoxication defence would be difficult, critics argued it had undermined a measure aimed at protecting women from sexual violence.

We are dismayed that womens rights to equality and dignity are not given more adequate treatment, the Womens Legal Education and Action Fund said of the ruling. It also risks sending a dangerous message that men can avoid accountability for their acts of violence against women and children through intoxication.

Both federal and Ontario New Democrats had urged an appeal.

However, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association said concerns the court had reopened floodgates for men accused of violence to argue intoxication were unwarranted.

For one thing, an accused would still have the difficult task of proving they were in a state of automatism to raise the extreme intoxication defence successfully. Simply claiming to have been drunk wouldnt cut it.

Cara Zwibel, a director with the liberties association, said the ruling had not undermined the rights of victims.

This is a rarely used provision, Zwibel said. Its not this widespread, systemic concern.

Neither the association nor the legal fund, both intervenors in the case, had any immediate comment on the proposed appeal on Saturday.

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath called the decision to try to appeal a huge relief and thanked those who had raised concerns.

 with Examiner files
A Delaware County man was charged Friday with ethnic intimidation after District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said he shouted racial slurs and threats at participants in a peaceful rally in Aston Township last Sunday.

Brian Setnick, 60, of Aston, was captured on video passing by the rally at the intersection of Pennell and Concord Roads, shouting racial slurs and saying you better watch out, police said.

Aston police also spoke with seven witnesses who reported feeling personally threatened by Setnicks words and actions, according to a news release.

We hope that this prosecution makes clear that this community has no room for such hateful and threatening behavior, Aston Police Chief Dan Ruggieri said in a statement. I hope that the victims of this crime know that we take these allegations very seriously, and that we will work every day to ensure their safety.

Police said five participants in the rally gave statements Tuesday to police about the incident and provided them with a video of Setnick driving by the protest at about 7 p.m. on Sunday in a red Jeep Wrangler. Police said they also reviewed dashboard camera footage of the incident from police vehicles that were monitoring the demonstration. Two more witnesses provided statements and video footage on Wednesday, police said.

At a time when our communities cry out for tolerance and healing, this defendant chose to use vile and hateful language to threaten peaceful protesters, Stollsteimer said in a statement. Because of the great work of the Aston Police Department and the continued bravery of those that raised their voice for equality and refused to be silenced, he will be brought to justice.

Setnick is charged with one felony count of ethnic intimidation, as well as misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, and harassment.

He was arraigned Friday, according to court records, and released on $75,000 unsecured bail. Attempts to reach Setnick for comment Saturday were unsuccessful.
Those in search of a walking holiday, or seeking a pilgrimage abroad, should look no further than The Way of St Francis  Italys answer to Spains famous but often crowded spiritual path, Camino de Santiago.

The full length of this 340-mile trek, called Via Francigena di San Francesco in Italian, stretches from Florence to Rome via Assisi. It links the major sites in the saints life, but pilgrims have to walk only the last 62 miles from Rieti.

Youll need a good companion  someone with patience, cheerfulness, a sense of humour and the knack of knowing when to chat and when to keep silent. All qualities possessed by my friend Mo.

Journeys end at St Peters Square and the largest church in the world  St Peters Basilica

Crucially, we walk at the same pace. Going with someone much faster or slower would be dispiriting or annoying. And having separate rooms each night was money well spent.

We walked for hours every day, seeing barely a soul, feeling like explorers, pioneers even. Sometimes the only sign we werent alone in the world was the odd footprint in the dust.

During the whole week we met only a handful of people  Austrians and Dutch  although when we did meet again at random points along the way, we greeted each other like long-lost friends.

You cross a variety of terrains: steep hills, wooded valleys, nature reserves, rolling farmland with vineyards and olive groves.

There are reminders of ancient Rome, such as the Via Salaria (the Salt Road) and the Sabine Hills (whose women were notoriously abducted by Roman soldiers). And you can spot the leftovers from medieval conflicts, such as defensive walls and watch towers.

When our guidebook rates a section as hard, its not kidding. Even days rated moderate or easy are long, and all but one of them involve some serious hills. Over our six days we climbed a total of 9,445ft, twice the height of Ben Nevis.

And while you dont have to be young or super-fit to take on The Way of St Francis, you should have some experience of regular five- or six-mile-plus walks, preferably involving hills. Stamina is equally important, as sometimes you just need to keep putting one foot in front of another and not weep with sweaty exhaustion.

Youll quickly learn why a lot of the place names youre heading to begin with the word monte  Italian for mountain.

You cross a variety of terrains - steep hills, wooded valleys, nature reserves, rolling farmland with vineyards and olive groves

But the rigours are worth it. The views are spectacular, the sleepy old parts of hilltop villages feel timeless, the wild flowers are wonderful. Everything feels lush and fertile.

And at the end of a long hike, the agriturismi  farm-stays  and B&Bs are warm and welcoming. One owner, when we were running late, actually came out to look for us. The big plates of pasta we were given never felt so well deserved. My favourite came with black truffles, butter and sage.

Essential kit includes good, worn-in walking boots, proper socks (bamboo ones never seem to smell), plenty of water and a hat, as although much of The Way of St Francis is mercifully in shade, meaning you can walk all day, there are some long sections where you are exposed to the sun.

And while Im not normally a snacker, over the week I wolfed down nuts, crisps, cereal bars, fresh and dried fruit and boiled sweets by the handful. Often these nibbles had to do for lunch, as shops or cafes were few and far between. In some parts, they were non-existent.

A signpost that keeps pilgrims on the path

The luxury of having our luggage transferred between accommodation each day meant that while walking we had to carry only what we needed. We tried not to feel too sheepish when we met others who were laden with heavy rucksacks.

Most hosts speak some English, but its worth learning a few words of Italian: the usual courtesies, plus ways of asking  and understanding  directions. The Way is generally well signposted but it disappeared on parts of the penultimate day, making the guidebooks instructions, previously just an adjunct to the way-markers, essential reading. You could, of course, use GPS.

The last day is urban rather than rural, but The Way makes maximum use of leafy cycle tracks and riverside walks, taking you along the Tiber itself to the Ponte SantAngelo and the road to the largest church in the world  St Peters Basilica.

Theres an almost childish pleasure in getting your pilgrims passport, or credenziale, stamped along The Way, and a great sense of achievement when you show it at the Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi in St Peters Square to receive your testimonium certificate, written, appropriately, in Latin with the date in Roman numerals.

Of course you dont need to be religious to do a pilgrimage. We are Christians, so there were spiritual resonances for us, but even non-believers tend to think Saint Francis was a groovy saint. With his respect for nature and love of all living things, hes often seen as the first environmentalist.

But people walk for all kinds of reasons: as a physical and mental challenge, for contemplation, for camaraderie, to reduce stress, to experience a different culture and as a way of reaching places you would never normally visit.

Whatever the reason, it is spine-tingling to enter the Eternal City, following in the footsteps of all those who have walked before you for more than 1,000 years from all corners of Europe. But they then had to walk all the way home again  another hardship that, thankfully, we didnt have to endure.
Andy Newman

Two major cruise lines have set new dates for trips sailing out of Galveston after ceasing operations due to the novel coronavirus.

The pandemic forced Carnival Cruises to cancel trips through the end of July, but the cruise line has announced new dates for trips sailing out of Galveston beginning this August.
The Arklow and District Chamber of Commerce has continued its work to support local businesses during the Covid-19 outbreak.

The Chamber represents local businesses and has an understanding of the specific challenges companies face. It continues to be a go-to resource and collaborative partner for the business community and aims to provide support and assistance.

The Chamber has been monitoring the Covid-19 situation, talking with members, partners and liaising with Chambers Ireland to ensure it is best placed to continue to support local business and keep everyone informed on all the latest developments through these challenging times.

With the Covid-19 restrictions slightly easing, the Chamber is encouraging people to shop local to support the business community in any way possible.

Chamber president Garrett Dempsey also confirmed that the Arklow Chamber has been working in conjunction with local firm 8020 Consulting.ie to offer free limited support to local businesses and to deal with all queries related to Covid-19 challenges.

In addition, the president revealed that Echelon Data Centres recently completed the purchase of the site in Avoca River Business Park for its future data centre. Site investigation work is to commence at the Arklow location shortly.
Ollie Millington/RedfernsRapper Eve admits that, amid nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice, she and her husband, who's white, have been having "difficult" conversations.



During a recent episode of The Talk, Eve revealed that shes been having "some of the most difficult and uncomfortable conversations" she's ever had with her husband Maximillion Cooper.

"But, at the same time, it's a beautiful thing," she added.



"I don't know his life through his eyes," Eve shared with her co-hosts. "He doesn't know my life through my eyes. All he can do is try to understand and try to ask the questions, and he wants to understand, and that's what the nation  thats what the world  has to do."

Eve continued, "Yeah, it's going to be uncomfortable, but we have to be okay with being uncomfortable so that we can get to a solution."

She shared she finds calmness in seeing the unity and diversity of people gathering during peaceful protests.

"Beautiful, peaceful protests with their fists in the air and their hands in the air and all different colors and genders all together on one knee," she shared. "Thats what actually keeps me from getting too emotional."

By Rachel George

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
The World Health Organisation warns the Latin American governments about the risk of lifting lockdowns before slowing the spread of the deadly coronavirus throughout the region. After the warning from the UN agency, Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro threatened to pull the country out of the WHO. While the daily COVID-19 fatalities pushed Brazils death count past that of Italy, Bolsonaro still continued to argue for quickly lifting state isolation orders and said that the economic costs outweigh public health risks.

When asked about efforts to loosen social distancing orders in Brazil despite rising daily death rates and new cases, a WHO spokeswoman, Margaret Harris, said that a key criterion for lifting lockdowns was slowing transmission. While speaking to an international media outlet, Harris said that the epidemic, the outbreak in Latin America is deeply, deeply concerning. She said that among the six key criteria for easing quarantines, one of them is ideally having a transmission declining.

READ: New Daily Record For Virus Deaths In Brazil

In response to Harris statement, the Brazilian President said that the country will consider leaving the WHO unless it ceases to be a partisan political organisation. While Bolsonaro threatened to pull the country out of the WHO, President Donald Trump, an ideological ally of the Brazilian President, also said that the US would end its relationship with the UN agency. Trump also accused the WHO of becoming a puppet of China, where the coronavirus first emerged.

Meanwhile, even with soaring numbers of the infections, Bolsonaro has downplayed the pandemic. His dismissal of the coronavirus risks to public health and efforts to lift state quarantines have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum in Brazil. Some opposition leaders have reportedly also accused the Brazilian President of using the crisis to undermine the democratic institutions.

READ: Brazil's Fred Completes Charity Ride To Join New Club In Rio

Mexican Prez downplays pandemic

On the other hand, Mexico, which has been reporting a record number of daily deaths, has also become a new focus of the deadly pandemic. However, Mexican President Anders Manuel Lopez Obrador also urged his countrymen not to over-react and reportedly noted that the deaths per capita for its nearly 130 million people were still far lower than in many other countries. According to Johns Hopkins University tally, Mexicos death from the virus ranks it seventh among countries worldwide.

With the growing number of confirmed cases, last month WHO also said that South America has become as epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Johns Hopkins University tally, Brazil currently has more than 614,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and the deadly virus has even claimed nearly 34,021 lives in the country. Mexico, on the other hand, has over 110,000 confirmed cases with almost 13,170 deaths.

(Image: AP)

READ: Brazil Protests Against Own Police Racial Violence

READ: Coronavirus Cases Surge In Brazil, Mexico As Regional Leaders Plan To Reopen Economy
On his last day at North Central Bronx Hospital in New York City, Kristopher Jackson walked out the door and wondered what hed accomplished.

The San Francisco nurse practitioner had taken a two-week unpaid leave from UCSF to go to New York at the peak of its surge because he loves critical care, and it felt silly not to do what he loves in a place that desperately needed it.

But hed arrived in a city buried beneath the novel coronavirus, in a hospital making contingency plans for its contingency plans, in a ward where health care workers without the requisite experience were outmatched against a relentless disease. After two weeks, most of his patients were still brutally ill and some had died. Few had recovered.

I left feeling sort of beat down. I walked out of the hospital at the end of the 14th day, and I was like, All right. I guess thats it.

Now, Jackson and other local health workers who volunteered during the surge are watching California reopen with hope and trepidation. Theyre seeing San Franciscans wade back into public life at protests and picnics, and recent case spikes in parts of the Bay Area. And theyre reflecting on their time in New York: what they saw, what they learned and what we should do differently in the next wave  or the next pandemic.

This is all one big planning game, Jackson says. Since everyones figuring out how to do this as we go, its hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But I think we all need to start looking in that direction.

Courtesy Brooke Carpenter

One of the first things to vanish during the surge in New York City was the doors.

When Jackson walked into North Central Bronx Hospital on April 6, every spare inch had been conscripted into treating COVID-19. Intensive care unit rooms were long since full, and Jackson was assigned to an improvised ICU, a large, windowless space normally used for post-operative care that now housed about 15 COVID patients on beds and stretchers. Everyone intubated, everyone in their full PPE, just sealed into this one big room.

Across the city, ICU wards hit their capacity then quickly exceeded it, as severely sick patients arrived and stayed for weeks at a time. During April, New York City Health & Hospitals added 762 ICU beds to its 11 public hospitals. At North Central Bronx, capacity grew by 31 beds.

Private hospitals also expanded their critical care footprints. At NewYork-Presbyterians Queens medical center, UCSF nurse practitioner Kristina Kordesch had so many ventilated patients in one open-air unit it was hard to fit all the machines keeping them alive. At Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, where Sutter Health nurse practitioner Brooke Carpenter volunteered for two weeks, the entire place was COVID. Basically, patients on ventilators in every unit on every floor.

In anticipation of a surge here, San Francisco identified an additional 312 ICU beds that could bolster hospital capacity, creating space for 591 ICU patients at any given time. But medical workers warn that any system can be overwhelmed if infections escalate as quickly as they did in New York City.

If California Pacific Medical Center Van Ness had the same influx as Montefiore, Carpenter says, I think wed be in the same boat.

In some hospitals, the ICU even sounded different. Normally, an ICU is relatively quiet, with patients resting behind closed doors. Kordesch spent much of her day standing in the middle of the unit, triaging medication, monitor and ventilation alarms. Now and then, Journeys Dont Stop Believin would blast over the hospital intercom, marking a COVID discharge, or someone would call a rapid response for a patient in distress.

Those perk your ears up, she says, because you wonder if thats a patient coming to you.

Courtesy Brooke Carpenter

As new critical care wards sprang up, New York hospitals also had to staff them. Temp agencies hired contractors from across the country; medical organizations begged for volunteers. Jackson responded to a call from the Society of Critical Care Medicine. Carpenter connected to Montefiore through a friend. Kordesch joined a UCSF team mobilized to work at two New York-Presbyterian campuses with a casual understanding that if San Francisco surged later, they would reciprocate. New York City Health & Hospitals deployed thousands of additional workers to beat back the coronavirus spike.

But even while experienced staffers around the country sat in quiet hospitals or had their hours cut, the providers pouring in to help werent always those best suited to the job: furloughed primary care doctors, outpatient nurses or those fresh from school, people with scant critical care experience or who hadnt worked the ICU in a long time.

Some landed at North Central Bronx, the public hospital in a neighborhood with the second most cases in the city. Its ZIP code alone has recorded 3,334 infections and 292 deaths since the start of the pandemic. All of San Francisco has had 2,698 cases and 43 deaths.

Inside the hospital, a fraction of the staff was sick, and the sheer volume of the outbreak had overwhelmed employee reserves. Jackson found himself alongside a crew of fellow outsiders, many of whom had limited critical care experience and all of whom were learning workflows and hospital protocols as they went. At times it felt more like a medical mission trip than a two-week stint in the largest public health system in the United States. The situation speaks to a need to plan for how this may happen again, he says, so at no point are you relying on outpatient providers to manage critically ill patients in makeshift ICUs.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

On Carpenters unit in New York, the staff included an epileptologist, a gastroenterologist, ear, nose and throat surgeons and a psychiatry resident, all deployed as ICU interns. A hospitalist was in charge as the attending physician, but most days Carpenter was the provider with the most critical care experience, an out-of-state visitor helping lead the ICU.

The nurses there were turned into ICU nurses overnight, she says. Some of them just had tears in their eyes. I was terrified to take care of ventilated patients when I first started as an ICU nurse, and I was trained to do it. How can you blame them?

Kordesch hopes a legacy of the pandemic will include better communication and resource sharing across cities and state lines, that more medical systems will follow UCSF and come to each others aid in times of crisis. It doesnt make sense for one hospital to be overwhelmed, she says, while another sits empty. Jackson envisions a formalized system for coordinating between institutions, moving a skilled workforce around and expediting credentials so it can get into hospitals and get to work.

I wish this was all ICU people, Carpenter thought as she flew across the country on a nearly empty flight in April. Thats what was needed. We should have just hauled a bunch of us out there.

The lack of experienced ICU workers in New York had an inevitable impact on patient care. Jackson says patients who refused intubation may have fared better because there werent enough people to manage ventilators. He wonders how many patients died because hospitals werent prepared to treat them.

When some epidemiologist tallies up these numbers, when all of this is said and done, were never going to really know the number of preventable COVID deaths that happened in New York that were the result of a lack of critical care providers or just basic critical care knowledge.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

Even as the curve of infection falls and flattens, for frontline health care workers, the psychological fallout may only be beginning. Theyve spent the past few months working beyond capacity, watching co-workers and family members fall ill and coping with death and sadness on a daily basis. Now, experts warn, they may be at greater risk of burnout and PTSD.

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.

Carpenter spent her first two days in New York on a consult team, triaging people in the ER for higher levels of care and responding to code blue calls for patients in cardiac arrest. On a normal day at CPMC, she might field one code blue. In a single shift at Montefiore, she responded to 10 or 12.

Generally, if theyre coding, theyre not going to make it, she says. I think maybe one that day made it.

Carpenter has been in critical care for more than a decade. Dealing with death is part of the job. But this was a volume of death shed never seen before. It didnt matter what we did, she says. These patients were just so sick.

We came into the profession accepting that you will have wins and you will have losses, Jackson says. But when you have zero wins and thousands of losses, thats going to take a toll on a workforce.

He remembers calling an older man who brought his wife to be admitted and then heard nothing for four days. The husband didnt know if she was alive or dead, or whom he should to call to find out. The UCSF nurse practitioner was tasked with telling him that she wouldnt survive and that with no visitors allowed, his wife of 25 years was going to die alone.

Youre sitting there in your PPE behind your glasses trying not to cry, Jackson says. Everything you hold near and dear about end-of-life human compassion kind of just gets stripped away.

Courtesy Kristina Kordesch

He worries about the mental health of colleagues whove been in the thick of the coronavirus for months on end, how theyll cope when the last COVID patient is wheeled out of North Central Bronx. We have to rally around medical workers, he says, to care for the people whove been caring for us.

Kordesch expects burnout among clinicians whove seen their communities ravaged by the coronavirus and had the hardest day of their professional lives again and again. One of the residents she worked with was donating plasma between shifts, trying to share antibodies from his own infection.

I cant say enough about their resilience, but the people in New York, theyre so fatigued, she says.  I think at the end of this there will be a huge emotional toll.

And the pandemic isnt over yet.

Now, as the Bay Area inches toward reopening and people flood the streets in protest, medical workers are eyeing the coming weeks warily. Already case counts are climbing in parts of California, and Alameda County recorded a recent spike.

Jackson gets depressed seeing resistance to mask orders and lingering restrictions, people questioning the validity of moving slowly when theyve spent the past three months safe at home. He thinks back to the 30- and 40-year-olds he saw dying, and my head explodes. I feel physically sick.

Without the collective trauma of New York, Kordesch fears that the Bay Area will sprint back into public life too quickly. Like everyone else, shes eager to resume normal rhythms, but sometimes she wants to shout at the people outside her windows in San Francisco, to tell them what she has seen and make them understand: There isnt a vaccine. There isnt a cure. Theres not a for-sure, slam-dunk way to treat these patients. None of that has really changed.

She worries about a second wave coinciding with flu season. She worries about the additional burden on the medical system of chronically ill people recovering from COVID complications. The rest of this year will be hard, she says. Next year, too.

Jackson has been thinking about the lessons of New York, reflecting on his time on the front lines of the pandemic. He hopes that by sharing his experience, well be able to fix the issues he witnessed and better support hospitals, providers and their patients. So that whatever comes next, were ready.

Sarah Feldberg is The San Francisco Chronicles assistant features editor. Email: sarah.feldberg@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sarahfeldberg
 Founder to leave Reddit, saying resignation can be 'act of leadership'

 Reddit promises to update content moderation policies to "explicitly address hate" within weeks

Earlier today, we told you that Reddit's Alexis Ohanian was resigning from the Reddit board, asked the company to fill his seat with a Black candidate, and said he'd donate further proceeds from Reddit to anti-racism causes beginning with a $1M pledge to Colin Kaepernick's "Know Your Rights Camp."

Now, Reddit has responded.

Reddit community demanding change in hate speech policy. Exciting times.https://t.co/2dt5JB4avE  Alexis Ohanian Sr.  (@alexisohanian) June 5, 2020

Reports Hannah Murphy at the Financial Times:

In a lengthy statement later on Friday, Steve Huffman, Reddit's chief executive, said that the company would "honour" the request by Mr Ohanian that his successor be a black candidate. He added the company would update its content moderation policies to "explicitly address hate", adding that the timeline would be "weeks, not months" if moderators of individual forums engage in the process. "[Our] current policy lists only what you cannot do, articulates none of the values behind the rules, and does not explicitly take a stance on hate or racism," he said. "We will update our content policy to include a vision for Reddit and its communities to aspire to, a statement on hate, the context for the rules, and a principle that Reddit isn't to be used as a weapon."

Read more:

Reddit pledges to appoint black director after Ohanian quits

[ft.com]

I am obligated to call you out: You should have shut down the_donald instead of amplifying it and its hate, racism, and violence. So much of what is happening now lies at your feet. You don't get to say BLM when reddit nurtures and monetizes white supremacy and hate all day long https://t.co/VN5XCiYp5g  Ellen K. Pao (@ekp) June 2, 2020

It disrespects everyone who have been harassed, doxed, gaslighted, brigaded, and otherwise mistreated if we pretend there was no harm. Enough people are praising the move; someone needs to acknowledge the people who have been discounted and ignored  Ellen K. Pao (@ekp) June 5, 2020

Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian says he's resigning from the company's board of directors and wants a black candidate to take his seat on what has been an all-white, four-person board. "I'm doing this for myself, for my family, and for my country." https://t.co/o7No2l3I5d  WIRED (@WIRED) June 5, 2020

Read Steve's update to this week's open letter, shared today with the Reddit community. https://t.co/lcLHMSrfQX  Reddit (@reddit) June 5, 2020

[via techmeme]
Tammy Hembrow's sister Amy welcomed her daughter Aurora in April.

And on Saturday, Amy looked every inch the doting mother as she cradled her adorable newborn.

The 30-year-old shared some sweet images of herself holding her little girl on Instagram and affectionately captioned the photos: 'My little love.'

'My little love': Tammy Hembrow's sister Amy looked every inch the doting mother on Saturday as she cradled her newborn daughter Aurora, sharing some sweet images on Instagram

Amy looked stylish in a red jumper and white linen trousers, teaming the look with nude heels.

The entrepreneur and influencer also posted a photo of the tiny tot smiling in her arms.

She dressed Aurora in a beige outfit, including a jumper, shorts and pink socks.

Adorable! The entrepreneur also posted a photo of the tiny tot smiling in her arms

Amy and her fiance, Rory Carmody, welcomed little Aurora on April 14.

The blonde beauty chose to have a water birth, and in a photo of the delivery was seen clutching the hand of her younger half-sister Starlette Thynne, 19, as she appeared to wince in pain.

'Not only the most difficult thing I've ever been through but also the most rewarding,' Amy wrote in the caption of her Instagram post.

'Welcome to the world Aurora. Excited to share my birth story but for now I'm just taking in being a mum,' she added.

'The most difficult thing I've ever been through, but also the most rewarding': Amy chose to have a water birth, and winced in pain while holding her younger half-sister Starlette's hand while being comforted by fiance Rory Carmody in the birthing suite

In December, Amy first announced she was expecting a child on her and her sister's podcast Hanging With The Hembrows.

'It's my turn!' she giggled as she broke the news.

She explained that she and her partner had been trying for a baby, but she did not expect to become pregnant so soon.

In June last year, Amy and Rory got engaged while on holiday in Japan.
BERLIN - Two conservative German lawmakers have criticized the reported U.S. decision to withdraw more than a quarter of American troops stationed in Germany.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Germany by 9,500. Currently there are 34,500 American service members permanently assigned in Germany as part of a long-standing arrangement with Americas NATO ally.

In an interview published Saturday by Germanys Funke Media Group, lawmaker Norbert Roettgen said such a troop withdrawal would be very regrettable.

Roettgen, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkels centre-right Union bloc who chairs the German parliaments foreign policy committee, was quoted as saying that he couldnt see any factual reason for the withdrawal and that U.S. soldiers were welcome in Germany.

Johann Wadephul, the deputy chairman of the Unions parliamentary caucus, said the U.S. decision to withdraw troops without consulting with its NATO allies shows once again that the Trump administration is neglecting basic leadership tasks.

German news agency dpa quoted Wadephul as saying that Russia and China would benefit from discord within the Western alliance.
Bitcoin watchers have told investors who expect its price to boom on the back of its recent halving to be patient and not expect instant returns - despite the cryptocurrency rising more than 14 per cent in a month.

There was a surge in demand for it ahead of the event in early May, which has cut the reward for digitally mining bitcoin in half, making it harder to obtain in future, making it scarcer and potentially making existing coins more valuable.

Since 11 May, the price has steadily increased from just under 7,000, and hit a new post-halving high of 8,010 at the start of June.

It has slid a little since then but that rise still represents a healthy return of 14.7 per cent since the halving, compared to a 4.2 per cent rise in the US S&P 500 index over the same period.

Golden ticket? Bitcoin went up 14% between its May halving and the start of June but some think it could take a while before the price really takes off

Danny Scott, the chief executive of Isle of Man-based cryptocurrency exchange Coin Corner, who previously made the eye-catching prediction to This is Money that bitcoin could reach $1million within five years, said the halving was 'not usually an instant impact event'.

He said: 'It takes time for the supply and demand curve to take shape.

'Looking back, we've typically seen bitcoin take between three to nine months after a halving event to reach the previous all-time high, which means, if history repeats itself, we can expect to see $20,000  or 15,839 - anytime between August 2020 and February 2021.'

Investors who took a punt on bitcoin when it collapsed in price along with other assets in the big coronavirus-fuelled market crash in late February and March have already cashed in.

It hit a low of 3,900 a coin on 16 March and has since rebounded strongly. Scott added: 'The second quarter has previously proved to be a strong quarter during bitcoin's life, with only one of the last six years, 2018, resulting in a negative movement.

'We are currently up around 53 per cent for the second three months 2020, and this is looking to be potentially one of the strongest of the last six years.'

While always unstable, Bitcoin has seen a steady increase in its price since 11 May

While last month saw bitcoin's third halving since its inception, it is the first time it has taken place since the cryptocurrency has become a household name, with the two previous times occurring in 2012 and 2016.

These halvings take place every time 210,000 blocks are mined, and this year will cut the reward for mining blocks from 12.5 to 6.25.

Bitcoin is mined as specialised computers add transaction records to bitcoin's public ledger of past transactions.

Bitcoin can be mined in 10 minutes, but the process is energy-intensive, supposedly matching the energy usage of the population of Switzerland.

Bitcoin hit all-time highs in 2016 and 2012 when it previously underwent halvings, but those were both before it became well-known

While the price hit all-time highs in both 2012 and 2016 according to Coin Corner, both these were dwarfed by the subsequent boom in bitcoin which took place in the run-up to Christmas in 2017.

In June 2016, the price sat at 610 a coin, by the following December it hit 14,000.

And although the increased name recognition of and demand for bitcoin likely complicates a like-for-like comparison, Scott is still confident we are set for another bull run on the back of this latest halving.

He said: '22 days after previous halving events, we saw an increase of 0.7 per cent in 2012 and 8.5 per cent in 2016, which shows that we are currently outpacing history at a significant rate.'
Take the time at the beginning of any dating or relationship situation to choose wisely. If you're going to be with someone forever, why rush the initial stages? (Andrey Popov/Dreamstime/TNS) Read more

How many friends do you hang out with in real life? Do you have diabetes or other underlying conditions I should know about? Whens the last time you went on a date?

Any one of those questions would typically make for a rough first date. And yet, currently, youd be smart to ask them all before you even get to that point.

Pandemic dating is a whole new world, and as social restrictions begin to loosen, youre probably wondering what love out of lockdown will look like.

Philadelphia and the surrounding areas are now in the yellow, safer at home phase. In this phase, were allowed to meet up with people outside of our household. Gatherings must not exceed 25 people. Everyone is supposed to remain at least six feet apart.

 SEARCH OUR FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered

Beyond that, social rules are vague. Dating is allowed, but should you do it? And how?

Theres no right answer

Theres no right answer. From my perspective, at this point in the pandemic, Id advise against in-person dating, but ultimately, its a personal decision, says Dr. Patricia Henwood, associate professor of emergency medicine at Thomas Jefferson Universitys Sidney Kimmel Medical College, and leader of the Emergency Medicine COVID-19 Task Force at Jefferson Health. A lot of this comes down to the risk versus benefit for the individual.

There are still hundreds of new coronavirus cases popping up across the state daily. And this isnt just an older person problem. Over a third of positive cases in Pennsylvania are among those ages 25 to 49. During the yellow phase, the city of Philadelphia advises that we still leave home only "to engage in essential activities.

But being socially isolated is hard, especially as a single person. Many of us, partnered or not, are feeling lonely. And studies show loneliness can have mental and physical health ramifications.

Henwood acknowledges that dating during a pandemic is complicated, but asks, Is there an alternative? Can you interact through Zoom? If you move forward with an in-person meeting, you should meet outside, at a distance, [while] wearing a mask."

 ASK US: Do you have a question about the coronavirus and how it affects your health, work and life? Ask our reporters

Taking it slow, ground rules

Before considering a real-life hang, theres some work to be done. Instantly meeting up with a Tinder match you think is cute is not a good idea.

Keep it 50s style, says Krys Johnson, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at Temple University. If taking it slow isnt your jam, wait to get back to dating because all parts of the process right now should be slowed down.

With pandemic dating, we return to the art of getting to know someone before going further. This may look a little different than the 1950s. Expect plenty of virtual conversations, some that may make you feel both brazen and strange.

There are some initial topics you simply cant bypass: Is this person going to work every day or hanging at home with their cat, how many people (and who) are they physically seeing, and are they immunocompromised or considered high-risk? These conversation starters arent sexy. But you know what is? Weighing both your risk and theirs.

 READ MORE: What our social lives will look like in the yellow phase

There are more general issues to uncover, too. Does this person seem trustworthy? Are they on the same page about how seriously theyre treating the pandemic? Is the conversation even enjoyable enough to risk meeting up? Answers to those questions will come with time. Again, take it slow. Itll hopefully pay off in the long run.

If you each become confident about moving forward, its time to lay out some ground rules  together. Decide on issues like wearing masks, socially distancing, and skipping the greeting hug, all before meeting up.

Itll help you avoid that awkwardness of figuring it out on the spot, says Henwood. And if you cant have those conversations up-front, its probably not a relationship you want to pursue anyway.

Minimizing risk

As with all public gatherings, you are strongly encouraged to wear masks and stay six feet apart.

You should definitely wear a mask every time you leave the house, but dont think thats going to protect you. Theres not enough research on cloth-based masks, so staying six feet apart is equally important, says Michael LeVasseur, visiting assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Drexel University. Maybe everything is fine, but also maybe everything is not fine, and you dont really know this person or what theyve been doing.

Even if your date has the best of intentions, many people who get the coronavirus are asymptomatic. So until youre ready to let this person into your inner circle, and youve built up some trust together, its best to err on the side of caution. If your date isnt down with wearing a mask, consider that a red flag.

Plan to meet outdoors. Experts say hanging outside is safer than inside, so ideas like a picnic in the park (as long as you arent sharing cups/cutlery) or a walk on a spacious trail are ideal. (Take note: Many Philly sidewalks arent six feet wide.)

And until youre really sure about this person, keep your hands by your sides. No hand-holding, no hugs, or, in the words of Arrested Development, simply NO TOUCHING.

Kissing and sex

The coronavirus is a respiratory virus, which means its spread through respiratory droplets, i.e., sneezes, coughs, and saliva.

Any kind of close contact is high risk, and being intimate would be even higher risk  youre exchanging bodily fluids with that person definitively, says Henwood.

To state the obvious, swapping spit with someone is risky. Again, this person could be infected and not know it. They couldve been hanging out with someone who was infected, but didnt know it. And there are countless other scenarios to factor in here.

The same goes for sex. Researchers are still trying to figure out if the virus itself is transmitted sexually. But whether or not the act of intercourse transmits the virus, being in close proximity with someone whos infected ups your chance of getting it. If you want to try having sex without kissing AND while staying six feet apart, that challenge is yours.

Of course, every situation is personal. Maybe youve been on multiple dates, youre digging this person, and you see them becoming a part of your life.

As with any activity right now where youre venturing outside of your home, its really up to you to decide how much risk you want to take, says Johnson.

Moving beyond socially distanced interactions should be a joint decision. Its important for both parties to communicate openly and honestly. Again, this part might not feel super comfortable, but thats OK. Neither are chats about condom usage, but theyre important, so we do it.

Three dates in, no one really wants to ask, Do you want to be socially monogamous together? But things have to change, says LeVasseur. Dating right now is going to bring a new kind of commitment.

You should talk about what your relationship will look like if you meet up in person. This is about your health, and theirs, and also anyone else you might interact with. If you meet someone whos seeing multiple people, you then bring that entire network into your life, which you then pass onto any family member or friend you see.

If at any point you feel pressured to do things before youre ready, whether thats breaking social distancing or meeting up in the first place, there are other fish in the sea. Theres a pandemic happening. Youve got enough to worry about.

You want to be very careful about who youre hanging out with and in what settings, says Johnson. You have free rein to be picky right now.
06.06.2020 LISTEN

Talking about some challenges and disadvantages of being in the movie industry, Ama Oduma-Odoom expressed her unhappiness about people tagging her as a smoker.

In an interview with Seancity TV, the versatile actress stated that the ghetto character she has been playing in most movies and series has made people tag her as a weed smoker.

"People have tagged me as a weed smoker. The reason is that they have not understood the movie industry well. The fact that one plays a particular role does not mean that is the person's life in real-life situation. Sometimes, our families hear about some of these stories and they become unhappy thinking it may be true. But the fact is, we're educating people".

Ama Oduma-Odoom was the scriptwriter for Abuburo Kosua, a Ghanaian series showing on Adom TV and produced by Mercy Asiedu and her husband.

She has however parted company with the Abuburo Kosua crew.
President Trump has retweeted a video of black conservative activist Candace Owens denigrating George Floyd and describing him as a symbol of a 'broken culture in black America today'.

Owens made the controversial remarks during an interview with radio host Glenn Beck Friday, during which she also stated: 'The fact that he has been held up as a martyr sickens me'.

Floyd died in Minneapolis on Memorial Day after white police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while arresting him for a suspected passing of a fake $20 bill.

His death sparked passionate protests across the country, with demonstrators calling for police reform and an end to systemic racism.

President Trump has retweeted a video of black conservative activist Candace Owens denigrating George Floyd and describing him as a symbol of a 'broken culture in black America today'. Pictured: President Trump on a tour of a medical swab manufacturing facility yesterday

I don't care WHAT George Floyd did. The officer should have never treated him like that and killed him! But we still must ask: Is he a HERO? BLEXIT founder @RealCandaceO gave her thoughts: "The fact that he has been held up as a martyr sickens me." pic.twitter.com/0Tm47x5Cc8  Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) June 4, 2020

President Trump has retweeted the video of the controversial remarks Owens made in an interview

Trump was quick to retweet Candice's interview with Glenn Beck. Owens and Trump have met on multiple occasions

Controversial pundit Owens initially held liberal views and was critical of President Trump, before changing her political beliefs 'overnight'. Pictured: President Trump on a tour of a medical swab manufacturing facility yesterday

Floyd has been hailed as a 'mentor to a generation of young men' and 'a de-facto community leader' - but Owens insists people aren't being honest about Floyd's entire backstory.

During her interview with Beck - which he posted to Twitter before it was shared by President Trump - Owens stated: 'George Floyd was not a good person. I don't care who wants to spin that, I don't care how CNN wants to make you think that he had just turned his life around'.

Owens went on to reference the fact that Floyd had served five stints in jail - including one for aggravated assault stemming from a robbery in which he entered a pregnant woman's home, pointed a gun at her stomach and searched the premises for drugs and money.

Owens told Beck: ''George Floyd was not a good person. I don't care who wants to spin that, I don't care how CNN wants to make you think that he had just turned his life around'. A protester carries an illustration of George Floyd at a rally on Friday

'Was he really going to turn things around? It's just not true' Owens said of Floyd, who was a 46-year-old father-of-five.

In the interview, Owens repeatedly referred to the pregnant woman who was assaulted by Floyd.

'This woman now has to watch him be help up as a hero. I can't even think about the trauma!'

Trump simply retweeted the clip without adding his own comments.

Beck's own caption beneath his video interview with Owens read: 'I don't care WHAT George Floyd did. The officer should have never treated him like that and killed him! But we still must ask: Is he a HERO?'

Earlier this week, Owens made similar statements in a video she shared to Facebook Live.

'We [black Americans] are unique in that we are the only people that fight and scream and demand support and justice for the people in our community who are up to no good,' she stated.

George Floyd in an undated photograph

She said that no Jewish person, or Hispanic person, or white person would embrace someone who had done 'five stints in prison.'

'George Floyd was not an amazing person,' she told viewers.

'George Floyd, at the time of his arrest, was high on fentanyl and methamphetamine,' she stated.

She said her criticism was in no way defending what the lead officer Derek Chauvin did, by kneeing Floyd in the neck, until he was unresponsive.

On Thursday, The White House came under fire for inviting Owens to a roundtable on race relations in the wake of her remarks.

Vice President Mike Pence hosted the discussion on Thursday.

Pence tweeted out that he had met with some black Americans - including Owens- and explained that the group had discussed 'how we can move our Nation forward in the wake of the tragic death of George Floyd and the protests and rioting that have ensued.'

Following her attendance at Thursday's White House roundtable, she sent out a tweet to her 2.2 million followers which stated: 'Black lives only matter to white liberals, every 4 years, ahead of an election. I'm so sorry to those of you that thought otherwise.'

Vice President Mike Pence (right) included black conservative activist Candace Owens (far left) in a discussion Thursday about the 'tragic death of George Floyd and the protests and rioting that have ensued'

Owens, the communications director for Turning Point USA, a pro-Trump youth group led by Charlie Kirk, has become a household name on the right for her controversial takes.

She hosts a popular podcast and boasts 2.2 million Twitter followers.

Back in April, she told her followers she was considering running for office.

She did not specify where and when she will run.

Owens is pictured above with Donald Trump and her husband George Farmer

Owens was born in Stamford, Connecticut and is a current resident of New York.

She once interned at Vogue and dropped out of the University of Rhode Island, where she was studying journalism.

The controversial pundit initially held liberal views and was critical of President Trump, before changing her political beliefs 'overnight'.

'I became a conservative overnight ... I realized that liberals were actually the racists. Liberals were actually the trolls,' she stated in 2018.

Owens is married to Oxford graduate George Farmer, the son of Lord Farmer, a Baron and former treasurer of the British Conservative Party.

Owens is married to Oxford graduate George Former, the son of Lord Farmer, a Baron and former treasurer of the British Conservative Party. They wed last year

Owens is frequently in the headlines for giving her controversial opinions on the culture wars.

Last year, she hit out at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, after the former Suits star broke down on a trip to South Africa claiming she had found royal life difficult.

'Using African children as a backdrop to complain about your over-privileged life is offensive,' Owens said of the American-born Duchess.

She also took aim at Prince Harry, saying: 'Invoking your own mother's tragic death to demand the press stop calling out your hypocritical wife is downright disgusting.
On May 29 an accident at a power plant near the northern Siberian city of Norilsk led to a massive spill that released 23,000 tons of diesel into the environment, most of which has drifted into the Ambarnaya River. It is one the greatest environmental catastrophes to ever occur in the Arctic, and is being compared to the Exxon Valdez spill of 1989, when about 39,000 tons of fuel flooded into the waters off the coast of Alaska.

Aerial view of the oil spill into the Ambarnaya River

The company which owns the plant, Norilsk Nickel, stated that the accident likely occurred because thawing permafrost caused an oil tank to collapse. According to Norilsk, the tank rested on 30-year-old pillars. An area of 350 sq kilometers (135 sq miles) has been contaminated. The Ambarnaya is now crimson red.

Special booms could contain the spill. However, Alexei Knizhnikov from the World Wildlife Fund Russia warned, this doesnt mean that toxic elements have not gotten into the water of the lake [Pyasino]. Unfortunately, the most poisonous elements of diesel fuel are aromatic compounds like benzol, toluene, ethyl benzene, xylene, which will massively mix with water. It is impossible to collect them using oil booms.

Environmental groups have noted that cleaning up the spill is difficult because of its scale and the geography of the river, which is located in a remote and swampy area. According to Oleg Mitvoi, the former deputy head of Russias environmental agency Rosprirodnadzor, there has never been such an accident in the Arctic zone. The clean-up, he said, could take between five and ten years, and cost up to $1.5 billion.

The criminally slow response by both the company Norilsk Nickel and regional authorities has dramatically amplified the scale of the disaster.

Even though the catastrophe occurred on May 29, regional authorities did not take any action until two days later on May 31, when images of the spill had spread on social media. Authorities claimed that they were not aware of the incident until oil oozed onto a highway, causing a car to catch fire.

Sergey Verkhovets from Greenpeace Russia said that in the case of such a catastrophe two days is a very long time. He also stated that the company had been reckless in its exploitation of natural resources under conditions where thawing permafrosta result of global warminghas dramatically transformed the ecological landscape.

Verkhovets warned that the impact of the oil spill would be felt for many years to come, further polluting the already damaged water systems in the region. The indigenous population, which depends on these rivers for its livelihood, will be particularly impacted.

We are talking about dead fish, polluted plumage of birds and poisoned animals, he said. Authorities have assured the population that the oil has not polluted the ground water, but whether this is true or not is far from certain. About 175,000 people live in the nearby city of Norilsk.

On June 3, Russian president Vladimir Putin, in a highly-staged televised address, chided the company and declared a federal state of emergency. A federal investigation was initiated and state television made a point of showing the foreman at the power plant being led off to jail in handcuffs. He is being made the main scapegoat of the disaster, and is being charged for violating environmental protection rules. He may face up to five years in prison.

In reality, however, it is the government and Norilsk Nickel that bear primary responsibility.

Norilsk Nickel is one of the largest producers of nickel, platinum and copper in the world, and one of the most influential and valuable in Russia. The multi-billion state-owned company has been at the center of intense struggles between Russian oligarchs since the destruction of the Soviet Union and restoration of capitalism. It is now headed by Vladimir Potanin, who is worth over $25 billion, and is close to President Vladimir Putin. In a statement on Friday, Potanin claimed the company would pay for the clean-up of the disaster.

Environmental protection regulations in Russia are notoriously poor, and systematic violations by companies are routinely overlooked by state authorities. Four years ago, an accident at another plant of Norilsk Nickel in the region resulted in an oil spill that turned another river red and transformed an area twice the size of Rhode Island into a dead zone. The company was fined less than $1,000, which made clear signal that it had nothing to fear in case of future disasters.

The catastrophe on the Ambarnaya underlies the dangers bound up with the new scramble for the Arctic by the major powers and corporations. Rapidly warming temperatures have made the exploitation of raw material resources in the region much more dangerous from an environmental standpoint, but also more alluring for major corporations.

At the same time, the Arctic, which is of major economic and geostrategic significance to Russia, has become a central arena of the US imperialist drive to encircle Russia. This further heightens the danger of military and environmental catastrophes.

As part of the standoff with the US, Russia launched a floating nuclear power plant in the Arctic Sea late last summer. The ship has been called a nuclear Titanic and floating Chernobyl by environmental groups that warn of the potentially catastrophic consequences of any accident on board. Just a few months before the launching of the floating nuclear power plant, a fire on a Russian nuclear submarine in the Barents Sea killed 14 high-ranking Russian navy officers. An aide to the commander of Russias navy later ominously warned that, With their lives, they saved the lives of their colleagues, saved the vessel and prevented a planetary catastrophe.
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BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua)  Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that China will continue to offer firm support for Costa Rica's fight against COVID-19 as the coronavirus disease outbreak remains serious in Latin America.

In a phone conversation with Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado, Xi said China will provide as much assistance as its capacity allows for the Latin American country in line with the latter's needs.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, Costa Rica has offered to provide medical supplies to China, Xi pointed out, adding that China will bear this friendship in mind.

China regards Costa Rica as an important partner in carrying out anti-epidemic cooperation in Latin America, and has donated supplies of epidemic prevention to Costa Rica and held video conferences to share experience in fighting the epidemic, Xi said.

China will continue to firmly safeguard international fairness and justice as well as the legitimate rights of small and medium-sized developing countries and stands ready to work with Costa Rica to strengthen international anti-epidemic cooperation, defend the efforts of developing countries to combat the epidemic, and maintain global public health security, Xi said.

Xi stressed that Costa Rica is a trustworthy strategic partner of China, and bilateral relations have developed smoothly since the two countries established diplomatic ties, with fruitful cooperation results achieved in various areas.

The pandemic has brought some negative impacts on economic and trade cooperation as well as personnel exchanges between the two countries, Xi said, adding that China's policy of promoting long-term friendly cooperation between the two sides will stay the same, and its position of supporting Costa Rica's economic development and improving people's livelihood will not change.

The two sides need to continuously support each other's core interests and major concerns, jointly plan post-epidemic cooperation between the two sides, and push forward practical cooperation under the framework of the joint construction of the Belt and Road, Xi said.

Xi said he believes that bilateral relations will surely see new and greater development after the joint fight against the coronavirus disease.

For his part, Alvarado said since Costa Rica and China established diplomatic ties 13 years ago, the two sides have enjoyed increasingly profound friendship and their mutually beneficial cooperation has been expanding continuously.

Costa Rica firmly adheres to the one-China principle and stands ready to work with China to strengthen cooperation in the fields of public health, infrastructure and culture among others, act as a bridge and gateway for China to engage with Central America and promote the relationship between Costa Rica and China to a new stage, he said.

China is a great country, said Alvarado, adding that Costa Rica admires Xi's experience in governing the country and also his announcement that China's COVID-19 vaccine would be made a global public good.

Appreciating China's firm support for Costa Rica in its fight against the pandemic, Alvarado said that Costa Rica stands ready to work with China to support multilateralism, jointly deal with global challenges including climate change, and promote world peace and development.

(Source: Xinhua)
Passengers boarding the flight VN50 from the U.K. to Ho Chi Minh City on June 3, 2020. Photo by People's Army newspaper.

A male student returning from the U.K. has been confirmed Covid-19 positive, taking Vietnams infection tally to 329.

The 22-year-old resident of Hanois Thanh Xuan District was one of 337 passengers on Vietnam Airlines flight VN50 that landed Thursday at HCMCs Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

The flight was organized under the governments repatriation program.

He was quarantined upon arrival at a military school campus in the citys Cu Chi District. He tested positive for the novel coronavirus Thursday and is undergoing treatment at the Cu Chi Field Hospital.

The U.K. is now the fifth most affected nation by Covid-19, having reported more than 283,300 infections, including 40,281 deaths.

Vietnams Covid-19 active cases stand at 22 with the latest infection, 307 patients having recovered. The latest recoveries confirmed Friday were five men whod returned from Russia on May 13.

Saturday morning marked day 51 that Vietnam has gone without community transmission of the novel coronavirus.

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected 213 countries and territories, with more than 397,400 deaths reported.
BALTIMORE - It seemed easy to write off Joe Biden.

The former vice-president came across as easily blindsided at debates. The crowds at his presidential campaign speeches were far from stadium size. Other Democratic candidates such as Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg each had moments of radiating a kinetic energy, while Biden appeared to be conserving his resources.

But Biden had name recognition.

He is able to connect on an emotional level with people who have experienced personal loss, as he has. And as Barack Obamas wingman for eight years, Biden was a reminder to many Democrats of what a president should be.

The opening contests in the 2020 nominating race in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada were humbling losses for Biden. Then came a commanding victory in South Carolina with help from African American voters. Rivals departed the race, and within days his coalition expanded to make him a lock for the nomination that was officially secured Friday night.

This is how Biden won.

Its an account drawn directly from more than 40,000 people from AP VoteCast surveys in 17 states that voted between Feb. 3 and March 17. The result is a rich portrait of a diverse Democratic electorate eager to oust President Donald Trump. The issues confronting the nation intensified since Biden took an overwhelming lead in the primary as the United States now faces a pandemic, a recession and civil unrest due to racial inequality.

MODERATE VOTERS

A majority of Democratic voters wanted to put a moderate with practical policy proposals in office over a liberal with bold ideas. This should not be a surprise, given that 58% say they are moderate or conservative. At the same time, the surveys show a slim majority (53%) of voters say they prefer a dramatic overhaul of Washington, compared with 45% who want a return to a pre-Trump era.

Voters who wanted to restore the political system went for Biden over any other candidate, whether they wanted a liberal or a centrist. Sanders, a Vermont senator who is a self-described democratic socialist, had an advantage over Biden among those who wanted fundamental change and a liberal candidate. But even among those who support a sweeping transformation and centrist policies, 38% backed Biden.

___

OLDER VOTERS

A solid 61% of primary voters were older than 45 -- a group that firmly supported Biden. His advantages among this group offset his weakness with younger voters. The demographic composition of Democratic voters was a barrier for Sanders. Voters under 30 were a key component of Sanders coalition but made up just 15% of the electorate. The pattern is similar among self-described liberals and people who saw themselves as falling behind in the economy.

___

IOWA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE WERE FALSE INDICATORS

The opening contests failed to set the tone for the rest of the country. Biden finished fourth in the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 3 and fifth in the New Hampshire primary about a week later. While those states got the bulk of attention from candidates, the results failed to sway voters elsewhere. Iowa and New Hampshire were whiter and much more supportive of sweeping change than the states that followed on the election calendar.

More important, the moderate vote was fractured in those places.

Before South Carolina, no candidate had earned more than one-third of this group. In New Hampshire, for example, about 6 in 10 voters identified as moderate or conservative. Roughly 3 in 10 went for Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana. About one-quarter backed Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Only about 1 in 10 supported Biden. By contrast, Sanders enjoyed a relatively clear advantage among liberals, with Massachusetts Sen. Warren well behind vying for those votes.

___

SALVATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA

South Carolinas Feb. 29 primary gave Biden a much needed comeback. It was the first heavily African American state to have a say, and 64% of African American voters supported Biden. The states voters were more enthused about restoring the Obama era compared with voters in Iowa and New Hampshire. About 7 in 10 considered themselves to be moderate or conservative. More than half were nonwhite, unlike the roughly 9 in 10 white voters in Iowa and New Hampshire.

The delegate count was high enough in South Carolina that it shook up the field. Within 72 hours, Buttigieg, Klobuchar and billionaire Tom Steyer decided to set aside their presidential ambitions, clearing the way for Biden to build out his coalition.

___

LATE DECIDERS

Biden cemented his status a few days later during the Super Tuesday primaries on March 3. He won 10 states, including Texas, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Virginia. One key: voters making their choice in the few days before the elections, in what turned out to be a reflection of the momentum coming out of South Carolina. Across eight of the states with presidential primaries that day, 37% of voters said they made up their minds in the last few days. About half of them went to Biden.

Biden expanded his coalition among liberals, college graduates and even younger voters. Electability was at the forefront of many voters minds. In Minnesota, a potential November battleground, 60% of voters said it would be harder for a nominee with strong liberal views to win in the general election.

___

ALL BEFORE CORONAVIRUS AND GEORGE FLOYDS DEATH

Throughout the primaries, Democratic voters said health care was the most important problem facing the nation. Climate change trailed in second place. The economy ranked a distant third. This made sense in the moment as the U.S. was coasting through the longest expansion in its history and the unemployment rate was at a half-century low of 3.5%.

But less than two weeks after the Super Tuesday primaries, everything changed.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused the unemployment rate to rocket to 13.3%, something not seen since the Great Depression. A survey in May from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found nearly 70% of the workers who lost their jobs expected to be rehired, compared with close to 80% just a month before, as the grim realities of restaurant closures and shuttered businesses become clearer.

Then there was another turn in May after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which has sparked protests across the country for racial equality. Civil rights now has joined the economy as a dominant national issue.

During the primary, race relations fell behind health care, the economy and climate change as the most important issues for South Carolina Democrats, according to VoteCast. But voters trusted Biden most on racial matters, with a plurality, 39%, saying he would be the best Democrat to address that issue.

After months of campaigning from his basement, Biden emerged this past week to give a speech in Philadelphia.

We cant leave this moment thinking we can once again turn away and do nothing, he said. The moment has come for our nation to deal with systemic racism. To deal with the growing economic inequality in our nation.

___

Associated Press visual journalist Kati Perry in Washington contributed to this report.

___

AP VoteCast is a survey of the American electorate conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for The Associated Press and Fox News. The surveys results in the 2020 Democratic primaries are based on interviews with 42,169 voters in 17 states. Find more details about AP VoteCasts methodology at https://www.ap.org/votecast.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-04 22:30:50|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

MINSK -- Belarus reported 865 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Thursday, taking its total to 45,981.

Of all the country's confirmed cases, 21,162 people have recovered so far, while 253 people with chronic diseases have died, according to the country's health ministry.

- - - -

LONDON -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson opened the Global Vaccine Summit virtually on Thursday, urging countries and organizations to pledge funding for vaccinations to save millions of lives in the poorest countries and protect the world from future outbreaks of infectious diseases.

The summit hosted by Britain aims to mobilize at least 7.4 billion U.S. dollars for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in additional resources to protect the next generation with vaccines, reduce disease inequality and create a healthier, safer and more prosperous world.

- - - -

ISTANBUL -- Turkey is planning to resume international flights to 40 countries in the upcoming period in June, local media reported on Thursday.

The NTV broadcaster said the first flights would be on June 10 from Istanbul to a couple of countries, including Greece, Bulgaria, Bahrain, and Qatar.

Several others, including some European and Far Eastern countries, would be included in the flight list later this month, NTV added, citing the Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Ministry.

- - - -

BEIJING -- China's service exports grew by 3.5 percent year on year to 161.29 billion yuan (about 22.72 billion U.S. dollars) in April, ending a falling streak since the outbreak of COVID-19.

The growth in service exports was achieved as the country's policies and measures to promote resumption of work and production and to stabilize foreign trade paid off, said Gao Feng, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, at a press conference Thursday.

- - - -

SAN FRANCISCO -- Governor of the U.S. state of Oregon Kate Brown on Wednesday announced details of Phase 2 of the state's social and economic reopening plan amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Today, 35 counties, home to roughly 80 percent of the state population, are in Phase 1 of our Safe and Strong Oregon Reopening Plan," she said during a news conference.

- - - -

TEHRAN -- Iran on Thursday reported 3,574 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 164,270, official IRNA news agency reported.

Kianush Jahanpur, head of Public Relations and Information Center of the health ministry, said during his daily update that 59 people died overnight, taking the total fatalities of the virus to 8,071.

- - - -

MOSCOW -- Russia has confirmed 8,831 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, with its total reaching 441,108, its coronavirus response center said in a statement Thursday.

The death toll increased by 169 to 5,384, while 204,623 people have recovered, including 8,666 over the last 24 hours, according to the statement.

- - - -

ADDIS ABABA -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases across the African continent surpassed 162,673, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Thursday.

The Africa CDC in its latest update revealed that the number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases rose from 158,318 on Wednesday to 162,673 as of Thursday morning. Enditem
Liverpool may reportedly hijack Chelsea's deal for RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner before the transfer is made official.

Liverpool could reportedly still sign Timo Werner from RB Leipzig, despite Chelsea supposedly reaching an agreement for the striker.

The Reds had been considered the strong favourites to land Germany international Werner, only for their Premier League rivals to pounce earlier this week.

Chelsea are rumoured to have triggered the 24-year-old's 60m (53.8m) release clause and agreed personal terms with the player.

However, the transfer is not yet official and it has been suggested by transfer expert Ian McGarry that Liverpool may hijack the deal.

Speaking to the Transfer Window podcast, McGarry said: "It will be interesting to see how Jurgen Klopp responds to this setback, if indeed that is the case.

"Obviously Werner's yet to actually sign for Chelsea despite the clause being met.

"It is expected in some quarters that Liverpool may well make another bid having failed with an initial one around 16 days ago of 30m plus 15m in add-ons, which clearly is well below the rescission clause in Werner's contract.

"But certainly is potentially open to being upped and therefore giving Chelsea some competition."

Werner has been directly involved in 32 Bundesliga goals this season - second only to Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho.




The Guardian reports Ukrainian officials conducting an audit of the so-called Burisma Group/Biden scandal have found absolutely no negative evidence to implicate Joe Biden in a crime. President Donald Trumps sleaze bag personal lawyer Rudolph Giuliani fabricated or blatantly lied about any evidence found against Biden or Bidens son. The GOP Senate will continue to pursue this fruitless path in committee through the summer in an attempt to find anything the smear Biden.

President Donald Trump attempted to extort Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into announcing an investigation of former Vice President Joe Bidens family. A scandal that resulted in his impeachment appears to have lead to exoneration according to a newly released report by the Ukrainian government

An audit of thousands of old case files by Ukrainian prosecutors found no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Hunter Biden, the former prosecutor general, who had launched the audit, told Reuters Ruslan Ryaboshapka was in the spotlight last year as the man who would decide whether to launch an investigation into former vice president Joe Biden and his son Hunter, in what became a key issue in the impeachment of President Donald Trump.

The audit was intended to probe whether cases Ryaboshapka had inherited from his predecessors had been handled properly, given the reputation of the prosecution service as being riddled with corruption and influence-peddling.

The audit was part of a broader reform of the prosecution service but became politically charged given some of the cases related to Burismas founder.

Ryaboshapka was fired in March after lawmakers accused him of not moving quickly enough in prosecuting casesRyaboshapka said he was axed because he had started bringing real reform to the prosecution service for the first time in a way that threatened the interests of corrupt politicians.

So once again, we have learned and confirmed that Donald J. Trump and his sleaze bag personal lawyer Rudolph Giuliani are pathological liars.



In todays Washington Post, an opinion piece written by George T. Conway III, the husband of one of Trumps key advisors Kelly Anne Conway, goes directly towards the mental instability and dishonesty of this president titled: Trumps soulless nature has done the nation incalculable harm

But its more than just narcissism that drives this failing, flailing president. However difficult they can be, even extreme narcissists can have consciences. They dont necessarily cast aside behavioral standards or laws, or lie ceaselessly with reckless abandon. Trumps behavior is conscienceless, showing utter disregard for the safety of others, consistent irresponsibility, callousness, cynicism and disrespect of other human beings.

Contempt for truth and honesty, and norms, rules and laws. A complete inability to feel remorse or guilt. As a New Yorker profile of Trump put it nearly a quarter-century ago, Trump lives an existence unmolested by the rumbling of a soul. Thats Donald Trumps problem yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Its our problem, too, for now: We remain governed by a soulless man with a broken mind. The damage will continue, and it wont stop until voters end it. Come November; it will be up to the eligible human population of this country to look to their souls, their consciences, their humanity  and to cast their votes for one of their own.

Senate committee approves subpoena in Ukraine probe








Video of two Buffalo, New York police officers pushing an elderly man to the ground quickly went viral late Thursday night, drawing widespread criticism. The mayor of Buffalo, Byron W. Brown, tweeted a statement saying I was deeply disturbed by the video, as was Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood. He directed an immediate investigation into the matter, and the two officers have been suspended without pay.

The victim, who is 75-years-old, survived but is in serious, but stable condition at the hospital, according to Brown.

While the two officers are under investigation, all 57 officers and fellow members of the departments Emergency Response Team quit the unit in solidarity, though they remain on the force, according to The Buffalo News

Our position is these officers were simply following orders from Deputy Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia to clear the square, said Buffalo Police Benevolent Association President John Evans. It doesnt specify clear the square of men, 50 and under or 15 to 40. They were simply doing their job. I dont know how much contact was made. He did slip in my estimation. He fell backwards.

A statement on the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association website was more pointed, reading these guys did nothing but do what they were ordered to do. This is disgusting!!!

The mayor responded with a statement, saying The City of Buffalo is aware of developments related to the work assignments of certain members of the Buffalo police force. At this time, we can confirm that contingency plans are in place to maintain police services and ensure public safety within our community. The Buffalo police continue to actively work with the New York State Police and other cooperating agencies.

New Yorks Attorney General Letitia James also released a statement in support of the investigation.

State Police have promised to provide more Troopers as Buffalo responds to continued protests there and around the world after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police last week. The four officers involved all face felony charges and the officer who knelt on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes, Derek Chauvin, faces a second-degree murder charge.

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A five-month long investigation found more than 13,500 smartphones using the same IMEI number. The Meerut Police said the phones belonged to Chinese smartphone maker Vivo.

Networks rely on IMEI numbers of smartphones to prevent stolen devices from accessing the network, and to identify devices that are valid and authentic. However, Uttar Pradesh police in Meerut has discovered more than 13,500 smartphones in India are running on the same IMEI numbers, making them tougher to track. Tampering with IMEI number is an offence punishable by law, with offenders getting jailed for up to 3 years, or punishable with a fine, or both.

According to LiveMint, which spoke to Meerut police, the smartphones belonged to Chinese handset maker Vivo. The police have registered a case against the company. Vivo is among the top five smartphone makers in the country.

Reported first by PTI, the police had been doing a five-month long investigation into the issue. The matter was first discovered when a police personnel gave his phone to the staff at cyber crime cell, after the phone was not working properly after being repaired.

Upon investigating, the cyber cell found more than 13,500 other mobile phones were using the same IMEI number, leading to a serious security concern.

Prima facie, it appears to be negligence on part of the mobile phone company, and criminals can use it to their advantage, Meerut SP (city) Akhilesh N Singh said.

The Mint report highlights that a case under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against Vivo.
P riti Patel has urged people not to join protests planned across the UK in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

African American Mr Floyd, 46, died after a white police officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck in Minneapolis on May 25, sparking days of protests in the US.

Demonstrators are expected to converge on Parliament Square in London on Saturday and the US Embassy in the capital the next day, while other events are planned across the country.

Speaking on Sky News, the Home Secretary addressed those intending to protest this weekend, saying: "Please don't. We must put public health first."

REUTERS

She added: "I completely understand peoples desire to express views and have that right to protest but we are in a health pandemic.

"I think its important for everybody to remember that right now were trying to protect and save lives."

It comes as hundreds of people started gathering in Parliament Square in London for a peaceful protest at 1pm.

The protests coincide with new statistics showing Covid-19 transmission levels are rising in certain part of England, with the R value in London having increased from 0.4 to 0.95 in a matter of weeks.

Yesterday, it emerged that 40,261 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 5pm on Thursday, up by 357 from 39,904 the previous day.

On Wednesday June 3, Star Wars actor John Boyega was among those to speak at the rally before protesters, many wearing masks and holding placards, marched on Westminster.

Activists chanted black lives matter and we will not be silent at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park, in a peaceful protest before tensions escalated outside Downing Street.

Diseases expert Professor John Edmunds, who attends meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) advised protestors to be "very careful", wear face masks and observe social distancing rules.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today programme this morning he said: I can understand why people would want to protest but on the other hand I think people need to be careful  very careful.

If you think about it, overall the infection rate in the community is about 1 in 600, 1 in 700 maybe, so in large groups of individuals you would expect there to be some individuals in a large group who would be infectious.

He said people can transmit coronavirus before displaying symptoms, and added: Mask wearing would reduce the risk to some extent from individuals who may be infectious.

On wearing masks in hospitals, Prof Edmunds said he did not think mask wearing was particularly effective but that it might help a bit.

We really need to get on top of these hospital outbreaks and epidemics, he said.
06.06.2020 LISTEN

In December 2019 the world was awakened by a rising dragon: norm would recalibrate. At the end of January 2020, the World Health Organisation declared Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, a global pandemic. Now in the middle of the second quarter of a much-touted commencement of a new decade countries across the world, big small and in-between, have an unusual problem to deal with. Leadership, local and global, is writing an exam.

How are our leaders faring?

In the U.K Boris Johnsons out-of-hospital back-in-control instructions on Britains path to recovery was seen as largely confusing, with a clarity worse than the mockery of Matt Lucas satire. In the U.S Donald T s, perhaps as usual, seems off to a tangent even his allies are centrifuging to bring back into orbit. And like us in Ghana the American opposition, without conceding attempts to score political points in the face of an impending presidential election, is doing much it can to tag a poor covid-19 management approach to the avowed second-term trump dreamer.

Here at home, the multi-spiked graph of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has provided the nuance ever craved by incumbent administrations in fluid situations such as posed by the novel disease: while the GHS insists on an attained peaked, relevant professionals of varying diversity have presented formidable challenges. What the layman observes is that the case counts are increasing by the governments own figures. Now we are at beyond the five-thousand mark and a chunk of the new cases are from horizontal contact tracing and randomised testing. Meanwhile we are still to hear any further progress with the much touted Random Diagnostic Test (RDT) kit purported to have been invented by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

Elsewhere in Africa, the opacity is significant: Nigeria says the deaths in Kano were mysterious and Tanzanias civil society in not confident of the figures churned out by the increasingly rare government updates. The U.S Embassy in Dar es Salam has warned of an exponential spread but Magufuli is still defensive.

Sweden never shut down, killed many of its aged without taking a hoot to learn from Italys experience and are now counting their mistakes while hoping for a herd immunity this month. Germany re-starts the Bundesliga, as Europe hands over the undesired lead to South America: Brazil is an emerging global epicentre as tests falters and Jair Bolsonaro loses popularity, even though Russia has crossed 242k recorded cases. Philippines and Indonesia are worst hit in their region. Everywhere in the world, Leadership is taking a test. Will women leaders produce better results? Are younger leaders better?

Is COVID-19 a deathblow to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

Before this time, the United Nations had declared 2020-2030 as a decade of action for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In September 2019, at a high-level political forum on the SDGs the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres rallied the world to move into high speed on three levels: global action to secure greater leadership, more resources and smarter solutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals; local action embedding the needed transitions in the policies, budgets, institutions and regulatory frameworks of governments cities and local authorities and people action, including by youth, civil society, the media, the private sector, unions, academia and other stakeholders to generate an unstoppable movement pushing for the required transformation. Unstoppable movement.

Two of the Goals, Reducing Inequality and Climate Action, underpin many of the others. They glue together the five pillars of the global agenda: people, planet, peace, prosperity and partnership. Inequality is eroding much of the gains in economic growth in a manner that undermines efforts made towards achieving, for example Goal 1 on poverty. That is to say, while economic growth may be increasing there is no corresponding translation into reduction in poverty because the top few are having a disproportionately greater share of the economic gains. Inequality is widening and poverty is increasing even though growth is improving. This is both on the global scale and the national outlook.

The latest results from the Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS, round7) conducted and published by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) indicate that although there is general growth poverty prevails because of inequality between the rich and the poor. Both Gini and Palmer measurements confirm this. The report warns that the failure to achieve substantial reduction in the poverty headcount since 2012/13 suggests that without a change in policy direction, the first Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of eradicating extreme poverty by 2030 may not be attained. The 2019 SDGs global report showed that in many countries, an increasing share of income goes to the top 1 per cent, while the bottom 40 per cent still received less than 25 percent of overall income. We should commit to equitable equality.

Rush for Economic Growth without equitable opportunities is a worthless Rat Race

What Covid-19 is teaching us is that the interconnectedness of the global community is too deep to leave any people behind. A weakness in one area can easily be transported to weaken a whole new, different and bigger area. Whether from a wet market, a laboratory of a military base, what goes around comes around. The chase for power to control is a terrible demon. No human being should seek to control another; thats inhuman. Who gets all the wealth or who gets most of it first can plunge all of us into an abyss that sets public health against economic survival creating the dilemma we in Ghana have answered with a buzz phrase all die be die. Big economies are grinding to a halt, the reason for which both careful and reckless reopening measures are on the table of Cabinet meetings.

The Chinese economy shrunk by 6.8 per cent Q1-2020, the worst since 1992; France sunk 8 per cent, UK contracted by 2 per cent, seen like this the last time in 2008 during the financial crisis. It is expected to worsen in the second quarter when that of the U.S. is predicted by some to contract by 20-30 per cent. The economy of every country has slowed down. The speed with which we were making the poor poorer and the rich richer has slowed; and yet we are in a hurry to go back to it. Why?

Need we continue in this ominous direction? When one robs a poor man and turns to be a philanthropist, his help is a blot. When one who is lazy blames his poverty on the shrewd and affluent, then poverty is pushing him to folly; not perceiving that shrewdity can also make him affluent. But if it is unhealthy antecedence that has robbed Peter to pay Paul, Paul shows true humanity if he equates generously to Peter without seeking to maintain the servitude. While Peter shows free appreciation to his magnanimity not with the least sense of entitlement.

The shrinking of the global economy is significantly underpinned by cuts in the energy sector. The good news about that is the impact on global warming and climate change. A recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) indicates lower energy emissions due to grounded airlines and other forms of transport among others, will decrease harmful greenhouse emissions which cause global warming by close to 8 per cent this year.

It is our best annual performance ever. This is what we need to maintain for a decade if we are to achieve a 1.5 degrees Celsius limit and avoid the worst impacts of global warming. But here we are rushing back to our old ways. We need a new normal, in this too. IEA is advising countries to direct their economic stimulus packages on enhancing clean energy. Are the guilty-but-proud countries listening?

Now we have a real chance to eschew Mediocrity

Looking within our country Ghana, the informality of our economy and poor law enforcement are fundamental strongholds perpetuating the economic mediocrity that has bedevilled us since the days of our promising political independence. The Corona era offers us a window of opportunity to dig out the roots of these core poisons. Over 80 per cent of our economy is informal.

This informal economy is mere organised chaos. But we are blinded by its so-called organisation we seem to cannot see well the deep harm the chaos has caused us. It has literally killed our self-esteem, is killing our dignity as a hardworking people and it is depriving the global economy a chance to improve macro Human Development Index (HDI). In many ways, an informal economy is merely an economy running without compliance to regulation. We dont seem ready to do the hard structural work required to achieve real and sustained stability of essential macroeconomic indices.

We have concocted a dilemma bassed on a so-called chicken-and-egg mind-set that robs us of the practical political will to restructure an inherited colonial economic design fabricated to perpetuate a master-servant economic paradigm. We have allowed our political freedom to run off to a psychopathic tangent that interprets law and its enforcement as curtailment of civil rights and freedoms. Freedom without law enforcement is immoral because it eventually leads to bondage. This is what is underpinning our present and perpetuated economic bondage and mediocrity.

What do we do?

Corona has taught us that we can give frequent essential information on national status and updates of efforts to address issues that are of imminent threat to our survival. So let us construct a new normal of providing regular and attractive public education on all our laws and encourage the citizenry to be sensitive to these laws. When we said the government cannot do your PPE responsibilities for you and if you dont do them because it threatens the survival of all of us we will definitely sanction you, all of us are pulling ourselves together to comply; and government is actually apprehending recalcitrant defaulters. This is what law enforcement should always be. We can do it. We only have to do a mental shift that makes poor sanitation, road indiscipline and lateness to work as corrosive as corona. Mobilise media to push this agenda for, as they say, God and Country! This is what efficient leadership must do. Rise to the occasion and raise the bar to a new normal.

Motivate public accountability

At the beginning of the corona roar, resource mobilisation quickly came to the fore and the bar of accountability was immediately referenced: All those in the line of expenditure of corona cash should keep a gaze on the day of accountability, it will surely come. There is mention of a hundred million US dollars, a covid-fund, an IMF facility, a spectrum of subsidies to rescue business, a food distribution endeavour and all. Are we widely awake on judicious application of these funds? If we are not, then we are the diggers and looters of our own grave. But if we are, as we should, that means we can do same for other accountability requirements on the public purse. We should, with alacrity worthy of a serious people, facilitate the implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act in a manner that manifests the transparency asserted by governments when in power. It is the duty of present government to drive this, as it would a tiny virus of huge public health concern.

The corona case has taught us that we can build 94 standard hospitals in one year. If we were waiting for corona to teach us that, with all the smart leaders of global repute we have, it has happened. If we insist smart governments know how to raise resources in the face of opposing cynicism, then hoping that future generations are not bequeathed with paralysing debts that would demand another HIPC, we should mobilise citizens and local business people to translate this into an infrastructural renewal in a non-partisan manner to drive economic productivity and social services to improve living standards in our dear country. We can do this.

We are also learning that media, traditional and new, can anchor the facilitation of academic education so that we can expand the accessibility and efficiency of learning while finding ways of not losing the rigour and discipline the traditional physical school system provides. All this can be part of the new normal we would like to create post covid-19.

The future of Work

In his recent May day 2020 speech, the President charged the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR) to present a direction for the future of work. I was in an ILO centenary ceremony with young people, in November last year where the MELR Minister spoke insightfully on the future of work in the digital age. The future of work demands innovative approaches because a one-size-fits- all response will not work. For example, we need innovation in the process of formalising our economy. Advice from so-called developed economies may be useful to an extent but we must take into serious consideration the kind of societies their way of formalisation has brought upon them. We should be wary of approaches that would atomise our society, kill our rich human culture and reinforce subservience to all that is foreign and western. Strong legislation is a must. It is necessary for example that anybody doing any business, including family businesses, must be registered, licensed and regulated, whether in the rural savannah or urban coastal; anywhere! Yet legislation and its enforcement is not sufficient. Because we need to maintain the precious advantages of communal sense, which many rich countries are poor in. We have to develop a formality hinged on trust, fellow-feeling and an I-do-right-forour-common-good-not-my-private-profit attitude. Many in the informal economy are doing mere hand-to-mouth, livelihood stuff. This must move faster into economic empowerment. Much is happening in that direction now, but acceleration and non-partisanship is required, as always.

Covid has reminded us that when push comes to shove, agriculture and food security will be the anchor for survival. But our local poultry farmers and vegetable growers still do not have the confidence of financial service providers. The banks are still turning them down. Why has this been a methuselah problem? We also need to be resolute on GMOs and take the destiny of seed production and crop research into our own hands. We must out-smart competitive thinkers whose goodwill and good faith need vetting. We need slippery wits.

Work from home

Work-from-home is the new kid on the block. its always been there. Now it is the consideration of a critical mass. Where this will lead to, no one is yet sure. But a bodiless workplace that maintains efficient productivity is something we can boldly explore and exploit in a new normal. One thing is clear, families would have more time together while we hope a decline rather than a surge in domestic violence. Families who have always loved homeschooling for their children but never had the courage, time, and attention have an opportune season to test their wishes.

As the World Health Organisation (WHO) is warning Corona may never leave us but possibly get embedded as HIV has become, we can also use it to ensure that the new healthy approaches to life and longevity it has occasioned will become our new normal. Blessings.
Governor Roy Cooper Signs Executive Order on Addressing the Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Communities of Color

COVID-19 Updates: Staying Informed & Prepared

NCDHHS Launches New Online Tools for COVID-19

Get All of the Latest Information in Spanish

Tweet of the Week

I want to thank our dedicated men and women operating our 2-1-1 resource assistance phone line. Theyve marked 50,000 calls processed since the start of this pandemic, helping people get connected with community & social service resources. We are really grateful for your efforts.  Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) June 4, 2020

Governor Cooper signed Executive Order No. 143 to help address the disproportionate impact that COVID-19 is having on communities of color. The Order creates the Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental, and Health Equity Task Force. Named after Andrea Harris, a champion for social, economic, and racial equity, the task force is directed to address systematic disparities in North Carolina.said Governor Cooper.The task force, composed of healthcare, economic opportunity, environmental justice, state agency and community leaders, will work to address and eliminate inequities in distribution of pandemic relief funds and provide small, historically underutilized businesses with equitable access to compete for State contracts.Additionally, the Order directs various state agencies to ensure access to COVID-19 testing and related health care, increase awareness about the virus and relief services, and more. The Order also directs state agencies to include environmental justice considerations in current and future state policies, programs, and procedures.For more information on the task force and specific directives, read the press release and the Executive Order 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 The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) launched new online tools to help people identify if they should be tested and where that testing is available. Check My Symptoms is designed to help determine if you should be tested and Find My Testing Place will help locate a testing siteNCDHHS also launched a new platform to integrate contact tracing efforts across the state under the COVID-19 Community Team. Over 900 local health departments staff and other Community Team members are using this new system to coordinate contact tracing efforts across the state.If you receive a text from 45394 or email from NC-ARIAS-NoReply@dhhs.nc.gov , followed by a phone call from your local health health department or NC OUTREACH (844-628-7223), contact tracers are trying to reach you.For more information please see the Testing FAQs and Contact Tracing FAQs 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.
Baghdad:

Two bomb blasts outside a shopping mall in central Baghdad claimed by the Islamic State group killed at least 13 people, security and medical officials said today. The bombings were the latest in a series of deadly attacks at Baghdad shopping centres this year that have been claimed by IS, including one that killed more than 300 people in early July. The jihadist group issued an online statement on the attack, saying it targeted Shiites and was carried out by two Iraqi suicide bombers, one of whom wore an explosive belt and another who drove an explosives-rigged vehicle.

IS and other Sunni extremists consider Shiite Muslims to be heretics, and frequently target them in bombings. The statement said the bomber who drove the explosives-rigged vehicle was from Fallujah, a city west of Baghdad that was retaken from IS in late June.

The blasts, which hit just before midnight last night, shattered windows at the multi-storey Nakheel Mall on Palestine Street in the city centre, and damaged a fence surrounding it.

As people worked to clean up the rubble outside today, a private security company guarding the mall sought to prevent images being taken, seizing the cameras of two photographers and a video journalist.

The cameras were eventually returned, but video footage shot by an AFP photographer was deleted by the firm. Nakheel Mall opened last year and shops were likely to have remained open late ahead of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha which begins on Monday. The mall also houses one of the citys most popular cinemas. IS claims most major attacks in Baghdad, including some carried out at shopping centres earlier in the year.

On Tuesday, a car bomb near a hospital killed at least seven people in Baghdads Karrada district - an area still reeling from a July 3 suicide bombing that set nearby shopping centres ablaze and left more than 300 people dead.

IS claimed the Karrada blasts, as well as an attack involving gunmen and a car bomb that killed at least 12 people near another Baghdad mall in January. IS has suffered a string of military defeats over the past year and the caliphate it proclaimed in June 2014 is rapidly shrinking.

As the jihadist organisation loses territory across Iraq, officials have warned that it may step up revenge attacks against civilians in Baghdad and other cities.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.


Click here to See Video >>

You can now watch our TV Series 'The Autoblog Show' online, this time featuring the ever-popular camper van.

First, Senior Producer Christopher McGraw travels to Seattle, Washington, where he meets up with Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and takes a trip to Deception Pass in Jeremys personal recreation vehicle, a 1975 high-roof VW van.

Then, Christopher travels to the land of ice and fire, Iceland, to drive around the island country in a Renault Trafic camper van. Things take a turn for the worse when the van breaks down and he and Producer Alex Malburg are forced to sleep on the side of the road.

Finally we head to the shores of California where surf mogul Martin Squires talks about the role that his VW van played in his surf life and his desire to have the VW California hit the North American shores.

Check out episode five of "The Autoblog Show" above. It originally aired on Verizon Fios TV, the Yahoo! Finance Channel on the Roku TV app and SamsungTV+.
Lili Reinhart has divulged that she is bisexual to her fans on Instagram stories.

Famous for playing Betty Cooper in "Riverdale," she said that although she has never declared her sexuality public before, she is a proud bisexual woman.

The 23-year-old took to the social media platform to voice out her support for the movement of Black Lives Matter.

She disclosed that she is part of the LGBTQ+ community upon posting an image of a poster West Hollywood LGBTQ+ for Black Lives Matter.

It was not long ago that former sweethearts and "Riverdale" actors Cole Sprouse and Reinhart ended their romantic relationship.

Also, she shared numerous visuals from the protest against the brutal murder of African-American citizen George Floyd, News 18 reported.

The star persuaded her Instagram followers to participate in the protest.

The "Hustlers" actress has been prioritizing using her social network to help promote black activists and influencers' voices via live chats. She has also shared details on how to show support for black-owned businesses, according to Today.

In April, Sprouse denied allegations that he had an affair with model Kaia Gerber while dating Reinhart.

"The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" actor posted on Instagram Stories that he can endure slanders and false stories from netizens directed to himself, "but attacking my friends, baseless accusations, leaking my address and sending them death threats are all qualities of insanity and fanaticism."

Sprouse and Reinhart split for the 2nd time due to the COVID-19's pandemic's quarantine orders made it a struggle for the former couple to stay connected.

Also Read: George Floyd's Brother Calls to End Violence, Peaceful Protests Instead

The Cleveland native, who was raised in Bay Village, had her share of the limelight in 2019 thanks to a supporting role to Jennifer Lopez in "Hustlers."

On Monday, she told her 3.1 million Twitter followers that she is shameful of the racism prevailing in the US.

George Floyd died at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin forced his knee against Floyd's neck for over eight minutes.

Reinhart took to Twitter on the incident, she wrote that she grew to have an image of policemen as friendly and helpful when she was taught about 'leaders' in elementary school. She added that the said leaders disappointed her.

"Lili and Cole were in a good place when 'Riverdale' was shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak, but they isolated separately and distance has never been a good thing for their relationship," a source described.

On "Riverdale," Betty Copper is closely involved in the town's rotten mysteries that she investigates. Her American sweetheart reputation contradicts her inner darkness.

Reinhart had been utilizing her social media handles to denounce racism.

Black Lives Matter protests have been ignited all over 50 states of the US following the death of Floyd.

On Sunday, her former partner Sprouse was taken into custody at a Black Lives Matter protest in LA.

Related Article: Cole Sprouse Arrested During Peaceful Black Lives Matter Protest

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
New Delhi:

Another horrific rape incident came from Delhi where a woman was gang raped by an auto driver and his friend on Friday morning.



The incident happened at Pusa road near Laxmi Nagar.



The woman boarded their auto for New Delhi railway station at around 4AM in the morning; she was supposed to catch her train for Lucknow.



After the woman lodged her complaint against the auto driver and his friend, the cops nabbed them and their vehicle in the evening.



Medical tests have confirmed rape on the woman. Her family has also been informed.



Cops are currently interrogating the culprits to know the motive behind their act.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 6

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

Uzbekistan has signed an export contract for the supply of Uzbek cherries with Chinese Beijing Xinyu Yatong International Trade Co.Ltd company, Trend reports citing Dunyo News Agency.

As a result of negotiations with the Beijing Xinyu Yatong International Trade Co.Ltd, an agreement on delivery of Uzbek wild cherries to China was reached. The sides signed a contract on supplying 5,000 tons of cherries.

In line with the requirements of foreign buyers, the cherries are packed in a special modern breathing package with MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) technology to increase the life cycle of export products.

The first batch of cherries of Samarkand Garden Plast company (Samarkand region, Bulungur district), was delivered to Shanghai city on June 5 by charter flight of Uzbekistan Airways.

Chinese company also plans to increase supply in the southern and south-eastern provinces (Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan and Chongqing City), where Uzbek cherries are in high demand, the report says.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
The Black Lives Matters rally at Field Park in Williamstown on Friday afternoon drew hundreds of people on the ground and in cars. At the end of Friday's protest, demonstrators lie in the road and chant, 'I can't breathe.' PreviousNext

Black Lives Matter Protest in Williamstown Draws Hundreds



A young student participates in the Black Lives Matter rally Friday.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  Margot Besnard attended her first Black Lives Matter march in 2016.

Four years later, the issue is as pronounced as ever, and instead of being a marcher, she was an organizer.

Besnard and Erin Ostheimer, along with the grassroots organization Greylock Together, put out the call, and hundreds of area residents flocked to the Field Park rotary on Friday afternoon to express their anger at the death of George Floyd and their hunger for racial justice in America.

For some, it was their first such rally. For others, like Besnard, Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis Police was a sign that their movement is as relevant today as it was four years earlier.

"I think it was absolutely a sign that we need way bigger change," she said. "We need a way bigger awakening in our country. I don't think anybody, unfortunately, was surprised to learn that police brutality against black people still exists.

"[Floyd's death] makes me feel like we need so much more progress. And we need to work harder in our efforts to achieve change."

Ostheimer, who attended the January 2017 Women's March on Washington with Besnard, said her first reaction to the video of Floyd's death was one of discouragement.

"My gut reaction was: Not another one," Ostheimer said. "I can't believe we're doing this again. It's not surprising, but it's heartbreaking every time.

"But something to me that's been encouraging is Margot and I have been involved in these issues for years, but so many of my white friends have gotten involved and are speaking up and are learning. It's frustrating to me that this is the first time that these issues are making a big impact, seemingly, on a white group.

"But I think it's better that it's happening now than not happening at all."

A mostly white crowd in overwhelmingly white Williamstown was on hand for the first major public event to draw any kind of crowd in town in the COVID-19 era.

The vast majority of the demonstrators wore facial coverings and tried to keep their distance as much as possible from participants who were not related. But as Gov. Charlie Baker noted in his press conference on Friday afternoon, protests, when they do violate the state's guidelines on social distancing, at least are happening outdoors.

Unlike some demonstrations, though, Williamstown's was not a march but more of an occupation of the town's most well-known and well-used intersection  that of Routes 7 and 2 near town hall and the town library. Toward the end of the event, demonstrators did march in a circle around the rotary.

The protesters ranged in age from preschool-aged children through residents who may well have been their great-grandparents. Though the Williams College student population has been gone since mid-March, the crowd showed a healthy representation of high school and college-aged youth, many home prematurely from their respective colleges and universities.

Many held the familiar printed black and gold "Black Lives Matter" signs, but most of the signs were homemade, with slogans ranging from "Defund the Police" to "White Silence Equals White Consent." More than a few listed the names of other black victims of racial violence, including Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbrey.

There were no speakers, but the demonstrators did hear it from many of the drivers who wended through the rotary starting at about 4:30, when the first sign-holders began to stake out their positions. And positions on Field Park itself filled up, protesters started to ring the sidewalks around the outside of the traffic rotary and up North Street (Route 7) toward town hall.

Ostheimer and Besnard, who graduated from Mount Greylock Regional School in 2012 and 2013, respectively, each have graduated from college and are in town this summer for extended stays due to the pandemic. Besnard is heading to graduate school in the fall; Ostheimer, who earned a master's degree in social work, plans to move to Albany, N.Y., to pursue her career in family therapy or child welfare.

Both said their political consciousness was raised, in one way or another, during ventures to the southern United States.

"I've always been political and into social justice issues," Ostheimer said. "But I would say the turning point for me in terms of Black Lives Matter and our country's history of oppression of people of color was when I went on a trip to the South with my college.

"We traveled for a month to different places in the south, learning about the history of slavery and the civil rights movement. ... It's hard to do that and not feel passionate about this."

Besnard taught third and fourth grade in Mississippi before moving back to the Northeast.

"Part of the reason I wanted to be a teacher in Mississippi in the first place was because I wanted to learn about life in a completely different part of our country," she said. "I wanted to be around people who have different ideas than I do.

"And I learned from my students and from the staff at my school, the majority of whom were black, that we all have a role to play in a movement for ending systemic racism."
The UAE Ambassador to France Ali Abdullah Al-Ahmed has been appointed as the UAEs Permanent Delegate to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).

Ali today (June 5) presented his credentials to Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of the UN body.

Al Ahmed and Azoulay discussed bilateral relations in the light of the joint projects carried out between the two sides. The UAE is ranked sixth on the list of the largest donor countries of the UNESCO.

Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, UAEs Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and Chair of the National Commission for Education, Culture and Science said Al Ahmed's appointment would contribute to enhancing ties with the Unesco and member states, as well as bolster the UAE's cultural presence amongst the international organisations.

"The UAE's appointment to the Unesco's Executive Board last November has reflected an acknowledgement for the country's efforts and initiatives in the fields of culture, science and education," stated Al Kaabi.

Between 2008 and 2012, Al Ahmed was Etisalat UAE's Chief Corporate Communications Officer. He played a key role in the development of the companys strategy to enter the telecom sector in African and Asian markets. He also worked from 2002 to 2008 as Director of Abu Dhabi TV.

"It also mirrored the UAEs significant role through supporting and financing programmes provided for many cultural, heritage and creative projects," she added.

In addition to working as UAEs Ambassador to France and Germany, Al Ahmed had also worked as the Director of European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, where he was responsible for bilateral relations between the UAE and European countries through coordination between the country's embassies in Europe and the Ministry.

Before joining diplomatic work, Al Ahmed had held various leading posts in the media and telecommunication sectors in the UAE.

Al Ahmed holds a bachelors degree in Business Administration from the Eastern Washington University in the US, and a masters degree in Strategic and Security Studies from the National Defense College in the UAE.-TradeArabia News Service
The oil leaked from a fuel tank in Siberia. An angry Putin asks: Are we going to learn about emergency situations from social media?" The spill drifted about 12 kilometres contaminating a 350 sq km area. For experts, it might take five to ten years to clean up at a cost of US.5 billion.

Moscow (AsiaNews)  Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a state of emergency yesterday after 20,000 metric tonnes of highly toxic diesel oil leaked into a river in the Arctic Circle on 29 May from a fuel tank at a power plant in the Siberian city of Norilsk.

It took two days before local authorities noticed the spill, which infuriated Putin. In a televised press conference, Russias strongman slammed the top brass of the company that owns the plant, Norilsk Nickel, the world's leading nickel and palladium producer.

Why did government agencies only find out about this, two days after the fact?" he asked the subsidiary's chief, Sergei Lipin. "Are we going to learn about emergency situations from social media?"

The president ordered an investigation into the spill. A manager at the power plant has already been detained in connection with the accident. Meanwhile, the government has sent additional personnel to assist with the clean-up operations.

The leaked oil drifted some 12 kilometres from the accident site contaminating a 350 sq km area. According to press reports, this is the second worst accident of its kind in the country, the first in the Arctic, one of the regions of the world most affected by global warming.

According to Geophysical Research Letters, the average temperature above the Arctic Circle is already two degrees higher than that of the pre-industrial era. At this rate, the Arctic Ocean will be ice-free  and open to shipping  by 2050.

For environmental groups, this incident is comparable to the Exxon Valdez disaster, when an oil tanker sank off the coast of Alaska in 1989, spilling 37,000 metric tonnes of oil into the sea.

Quoted by the BBC, Oleg Mitvol, former deputy head of Russia's environmental watchdog Rosprirodnadzor, said that the clean-up could cost 100 billion rubles (US.5 billion) and take between five and 10 years.
Joe Biden formally clinched the Democratic presidential nomination Friday, setting him up for a bruising challenge to President Donald Trump that will play out against the unprecedented backdrop of a pandemic, economic collapse and civil unrest.

It was an honor to compete alongside one of the most talented groups of candidates the Democratic party has ever fielded," Biden said in a statement Friday night, and I am proud to say that we are going into this general election a united party."

The former vice president has effectively been his party's leader since his last challenger in the Democratic primary, Bernie Sanders, ended his campaign in April. But Biden pulled together the 1,991 delegates needed to become the nominee after seven states and the District of Columbia held presidential primaries Tuesday.

Biden reached the threshold three days after the primaries because several states, overwhelmed by huge increases in mail ballots, took days to tabulate results. A team of analysts at The Associated Press then parsed the votes into individual congressional districts. Democrats award most delegates to the partys national convention based on results in individual congressional districts.

Biden now has 1,995 delegates, with contests still to come in eight states and three U.S. territories.

The moment was met with little of the traditional fanfare as the nation confronts overlapping crises. While Biden has started to venture out more this week, the coronavirus pandemic has largely confined him to his Wilmington, Delaware, home for much of the past three months.

The country faces the worst rate of unemployment since the Great Depression. And civil unrest that harkens back to the 1960s has erupted in dozens of cities following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died when a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air.

It's a confluence of events that no U.S. leader has faced in modern times, made all the more complicated by a president who has at times antagonized the protesters and is eager to take the fight to Biden.

This is a difficult time in Americas history, Biden said Friday night. And Donald Trumps angry, divisive politics is no answer. The country is crying out for leadership. Leadership that can unite us. Leadership that can bring us together.

Biden spent 36 years in the Senate before becoming Barack Obama's vice president. This is 77-year-old Biden's third bid for the presidency and his success in capturing the Democratic nomination was driven by strong support from black voters.

He finished an embarrassing fourth place in the overwhelmingly white Iowa caucuses that kicked off the nomination process in February. Biden fared little better in the New Hampshire primary, where his standing was so low that he left the state before polls closed on election night to instead rally black voters in South Carolina.

His rebound began in the more diverse caucuses in Nevada but solidified in South Carolina, where Biden stomped Sanders, his nearest rival, by nearly 29 points. He followed that with a dominant showing three days later during the Super Tuesday contests, taking 10 of the 14 states.

Biden's strong showing in states such as North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Texas reinforced his status as the preferred Democratic candidate of African American voters  but the relationship has not been without its strained moments. After a tense exchange with an influential black radio host, Biden took sharp criticism for suggesting that African American voters still deciding between him and Trump ain't black.

That comment, and protests that have spread nationwide, have increased pressure on Biden to pick an African American running mate. He has already committed to picking a woman as a vice presidential candidate.

Black voters are unlikely to back Trump over Biden by a wide margin. A recent Fox News poll shows just 14% of African Americans who are registered to vote have a favorable opinion of the president compared with 75% who favorably view Biden.

But Biden must ensure that black voters are motivated to show up to the polls in November, especially in critical swing states that narrowly went for Trump in 2016.

At one point, the Democratic primary included dozens of candidates of different races, genders and generations and an openly gay man. The contest was dominated by debate over unapologetically progressive ideas, including fully government-funded health care under Medicare for All and a sweeping proposal to combat climate change known as the Green New Deal.

Biden prevailed by mostly offering more moderate approaches that he argued would make him more electable against Trump.

He refused to budge on his rejection of universal health care and some of the Green New Deal's most ambitious provisions to combat climate change.

Since clinching the nomination, however, Biden has worked to build his appeal among progressives, forming joint task forces with Sanders' campaign to find common ground on key issues like health care, the economy and the environment. Biden has also embraced a plan to forgive millions of Americans' student debt, meaning that he clinches the nomination as easily the most liberal standard bearer the Democratic Party has ever had.

Biden's embrace of his party's left flank could help him consolidate a Democratic base that remained deeply divided after the 2016 primary and ultimately hurt Hillary Clinton in her defeat to Trump. But it could also undermine Biden's attempts to rebuild the Obama coalition, which is often loosely defined as minorities and young people, as well as educated Americans and some working-class voters.

The former vice president has sought, since announcing his candidacy, to cast the election as a battle for the soul of the nation," and promised to restore order and dignity to the White House while rehabilitating the U.S. image on the world stage. Such an approach, though, necessarily focuses on being more of an alternative to Trump than offering radically new political ideas. And that further underscores Biden's difficult task of trying to unite his party's base while appealing to voters from far beyond it.

I am going to spend every day between now and November 3rd fighting to earn the votes of Americans all across this great country, Biden promised Friday, so that, together, we can win the battle for the soul of this nation, and make sure that as we rebuild our economy, everyone comes along.
Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA)  The Mauritius Government has authorised the Mauritius Turf Club (MTC), a horse racing organiser, to conduct race meetings behind closed doors under strict protocols as from 20 June for the sake of the Horse Racing industry
Under pressure in Libya--where its gone head-to-head with General Haftar in an ongoing battle to decide who gets to ultimately control the countrys oil revenues--and floundering in Syria, Turkey is once again upping the ante in the Mediterranean, this time preparing to issue new oil and gas exploration licenses in direct confrontation with the European Union.

Its not just about Cyprus, anymore. Turkeys state-run oil and gas company has been given licenses from the Turkish government to explore for oil and gas in 24 locations in the East Mediterranean. Seven of those locations are just off the coast of key Greek islands.

Its a direct provocation that has Greece infuriated, and experts worried that this could lead to direct clashes once Turkey starts exploration drilling.

Last weekend, Turkey released a draft plan for Turkish Petroleums exploration license.

Source: Resmigazete.gov.tr

On Monday, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said in a statement that the country stands ready to deal with this provocation should Turkey decide to implement this decision.

The draft plan explicitly violates Greek sovereignty, and it is designed to take advantage of a new maritime boundary agreement Erdogan wrangled last year with the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya. This was the trade-off for Libyas aid in fighting back General Haftar in his push to take the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

The maritime boundary is meant to perform a pincer movement against Cyprus, which is drilling offshore in its EEZ where Turkey has also provocatively deployed drillships. In the Greek Cypriot EEZ alone, there are an estimated 120 billion cubic meters of natural gas, for which drilling began in 2011. The first license here was granted in 2008 to American Noble Energy (the same company behind the massive Israeli discoveries).



Erdogans desperation is born out of the fact that Turkey is being squeezed out of a role in the oil and gas riches of the Mediterranean, which is arguably the worlds next biggest, untapped oil and gas hotspot.



This brewing confrontation took root most noticeably in 2010/2011 when Israel made a massive discovery of gas offshore in the Levantine Basin, with the Leviathan and Tamar fields, both of which are now pumping and exporting and threatening to shift the balance of power from Turkey all the way to Egypt and everywhere in between. Related: Lithium-Ion Battery Demand To Increase By More Than 1000% This Decade His latest move to issue more exploration licenses, even encroaching on Greek maritime territory, comes after Israel, Greece and Cyprus signed an agreement to build an underwater pipeline to carry Israeli gas to Europe, cutting out Turkey altogether.



This $7-billion underwater pipeline would run for some 2,200 kilometers to Italy, running by the coast of Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete and through the Egyptian maritime zone and the Libyan maritime zone.

This latter is where Turkey has inserted itself.

Prior to this maritime deal, Turkey, Libya, and Greek Cyprus had agreements with Lebanon and Egypt in terms of oil and gas exploration. But the new demarcation scoops up 39,000 square kilometers of EEZ held by Greece.

Source: Middleasteye.net



Turkey will find itself (as usual) rather alone in this fight with the exception of Russia which finds its own designs aligning with Turkey because this Israeli gas would undermine Russian gas in Europe. But Turkey is a fickle (at best) ally.



Erdogan will want to use this leverage to force the pipeline coalition to include a Trans Anatolian tie-in for passing through the newly demarcated maritime zone between Libya and Turkey. His new licensing of exploration for Turkish Petroleum in Greeces maritime zone is intended to send a specific message: Cut me in or I will make trouble, both offshore Greece and offshore Cyprus.



Erdogan, and his desire to restore Turkeys Ottoman Empire prowess, is making a play for leverage in order to be a part of this new energy equation. Related: What's Holding Natural Gas Prices Back?



It wont be easy, but Erdogan is counting on a lack of effective response from the European Union, as well as from the UAE and Egypt--all of which issued a joint statement last month condemning the maritime territorial grab. Erdogans response was to call the country signatories an alliance of evil.



Tensions are expected to gain further momentum later this month, when the leaders of the pipeline coalition countries are due to meet in Israel, with Greece and Cyprus attending separately.



But in the meantime, much like Iran succeeds in provoking the United States without much of a response, Erdogan will continue to push EU buttons and get a slap on the wrist in return. EU Foreign Affairs Minister Josep Borrell has said that the bloc has sent a strong message to Turkey, but other than being in close contact with colleagues in Cyprus and Greece, and kindly calling on Turkey to stop drilling in areas where there is an EEZ or territorial waters of Cyprus and Greece, the claws arent out and the teeth arent bared and Athens and Nicosia are likely wondering if theyre going to have to get physical on their own.



By. Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The team at Tara Winthrop Private Clinic in Swords say they are 'deeply saddened' by a number of COVID-19 related deaths that have happened at the facility but say that figures quoted in the national media are 'inaccurate'.

In a statement on the issue sent to the Fingal Independent, management at the nursing home explained: 'Tara Winthrop, along with all the private nursing homes, are required to provide figures to the Health Prevention Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

The nursing home says the accurate figures are that 18 residents have died from the virus at the facility with a further five 'suspected COVID-19 deaths'.

The home issued a statement saying: 'The team at Tara Winthrop Private Clinic are deeply saddened by the loss of these lovely residents.'

The statement continues: 'We are grieving for those who lost their lives. All the residents, who make Tara Winthrop their home, are our friends.

'We have got to know and love them over the years. We are devastated at their passing and we will remember them with fondness.

'We also grieve for the loss of our colleague and friend who died from Covid 19.'

The nursing home statement continues: 'Tara Winthrop Private Clinic has always and continues to deliver its service to the highest standards in accordance with the regulations.

'The implementation of strict health and safety regulations is matched with love and care for residents, many of whom have lived with us for many years.

'We are working tirelessly to protect the residents and the staff and we will continue to work with the experts to rid this Clinic and indeed this country of this virus.

'Our focus is on making sure our residents to recover and return to a caring home life here. We look forward to the day when their family and friends can and visit them.

'All the team at Tara Winthrop Private Clinic appreciate the advice and assistance provided by the HSE and the National Public Health Emergency Team and other relevant authorities.'
A North Alabama man faces charges after police said he threw a chemical agent container back at police during protests in Huntsville this week.

Patrick Joseph McCool, 52, is charged with disorderly conduct in connection to the Wednesday incident, according to Huntsville Police Public Information Officer Lt. Michael Johnson. McCool is accused of picking up a chemical agent container and throwing it back at police who had deployed it to disperse the crowd.

At the time, the chemical agent was activated and being used to assist in dispersing an unlawful assembly that had already displayed evidence of civil disobedience as well as dangers to public safety, Johnson said. This civil disobedience prior to the deployment included threats at police, throwing of objects, refusal to vacate a roadway for traffic flow, refusal to disperse under a lawful order, as well as other intelligence gathered throughout the course of this unlawful assembly.

HPD will always support the citizens right to peacefully protests but it will hold those accountable that violate any other citizens constitutional rights, he added.

Huntsville officials have defended the use of tear gas and smoke against protesters who were gathered in response to the police-involved slaying of Minnesota man George Floyd.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle blamed outside agitators for the unrest.

Police were clear in their instructions and worked with the remaining protesters for more than an hour before using non-lethal irritants, Battle said in the statement. The protesters had every opportunity to peacefully leave and they chose otherwise. The leadership of this second group is not our community.

HPD said it is conducting multiple investigation into criminal activity that occurred that night. The North Alabama Multi-Agency Crime Center and Criminal Investigations Center are reviewing evidence and other material related to the investigations, HPD said.
Atlas Cycles has closed operations at its last manufacturing unit in Sahibabad, near Delhi, citing lack of funds to run operations of the factory. However, company's CEO NP Singh Rana said that the closure is only temporary, news agency PTI reported. The operations are expected to be resumed once the firm raises nearly Rs 50 crore by selling surplus land, he added. The company had shut the operations on June 3, observed as World Bicycle Day. Employees of the manufacturing unit claimed that the factory was closed without any prior notice.

On Wednesday, a notice was posted on the factory gates that read: "... the company had been passing through a financial crisis for several years and had exhausted all its funds to keep the factory afloat. But now, there are no funds left. We are facing difficulty in arranging funds for our day-to-day operations. We are also unable to buy raw materials. In these conditions, the management is not in a position to operate the factory."

Atlas laid off 431 remaining employees, though Rana insists they continue to be on the payroll of the company and will be paid "lay-off wages" upon marking attendance daily. While he did not elaborate on the payment to employees, "lay-off wages" typically equate to 50 per cent of basic salary and dearness allowance.

The plant, the biggest in the country, started in 1989. It was the last operational plant of the Atlas Cycles with a monthly production of over two lakh bicycles.

Meanwhile, on June 2, the company had informed the stock exchanges that the Sahibabad unit of the company is not in a position to continue manufacturing operations due to financial constraints.

Also read: Income tax return filing: ITR form 1 and 4 for AY2020-21 released; check details

Also read: SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar jokes on pay cut: 'Road pe rehna padega'
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6)  Families of health workers who succumbed to COVID-19 finally got the 1 million death benefit as the Department of Health works on meeting the June 9 deadline for compensating medical frontliners.

The Health Department said they delivered the money to the families of 30 healthcare workers as of Saturday.

"We are waiting for the submission of [documents] from the heirs of the remaining two. The checks are ready already. Once submitted, the checks will be immediately delivered," the agency said in a statement, noting that they are eyeing to also give the cash benefit within the day.

Aside from the 32 health workers who died from the coronavirus disease, those with "severe" COVID-19 infection are entitled to a 100,000 sickness benefit under the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act.

The Health Department said 10 out of 40 health workers have received the cash assistance, adding that they are waiting for the submission of documents from the other claimants. Earlier, the DOH said 79 healthcare workers who fell severely ill will receive 100,000.

"Angry and frustrated" over the delay in the compensation of health workers infected with COVID-19, President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday gave health authorities until June 9 to release the money. The ultimatum was in response to the revelation made in a Senate hearing this week that no infected healthcare worker had received the cash benefits mandated under the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, which was passed in March.

Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire explained that they had to look for funding, but recently decided to use the agency's 100 million Medical Assistance Fund.

Duterte also threatened to sack officials responsible for the delay, while sparing Health Secretary Francisco Duque III from the blame.

The World Health Organization in April sounded the alarm over the high infection rate among healthcare workers in the Philippines, which the government said has improved following the purchase of more personal protective equipment for frontliners.
A 9-year-old Lexington boy is believed to be the first known Nebraska case of a coronavirus-related complication that affects children.

Gabriel Faudoa was diagnosed with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children on May 21, according to a GoFundMe page set up on behalf of his parents, Gonzalo and Alejandra Faudoa.

The potentially deadly syndrome was identified by doctors in April as a mysterious condition causing inflammation in several organs of children who either had contracted COVID-19 or were in proximity to someone who had it.

Symptoms include inflammation of the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain and digestive system, as well as blood clots, chest pain and cardiac arrest.

"I believe it might be the first in Nebraska," said Jeremy Eschliman, health director of the district that covers six counties in central Nebraska, including Dawson County, where Lexington in located. "There's really a lot of unknowns and it's a newly developed area."

Eschliman said the public health district first heard about Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C, more than a month ago and had alerted local health care providers to the condition.

Faudoa began to develop a fever, severe stomach pains and nausea on May 15, his mother told KNEB radio station, about a month after the coronavirus had reached their household.

The boy was later flown to Children's Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha, where he was diagnosed with the COVID-19-related syndrome.

Faudoa underwent various treatments, including open-heart surgery and being put on a ventilator, but has begun to recover, the GoFundMe page in his name reported June 2.

The illness and treatments left the boy weak and in need of intense rehab before he can return home.

"On a very positive note, he has tested negative with covid!" the page states.

More than 80% of the lab-confirmed coronavirus cases in the Two Rivers Public Health District originate in Dawson County, Eschliman said.

The health department's dashboard records 835 cases in the county, where many, including immigrants from Central America, Southeast Asia and Africa, are employed at meatpacking plants.

Eschliman said the district would continue its investigation into the case.

"So many things we're encountering are new, so we're building the bridge as we walk on it to some extent," he said.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS
A group of scientists, academicians, conservationists and concerned citizens from across the country, in an open appeal, have urged Union Minister of Forests and Environment Prakash Javadekar to reconsider the approvals granted to three projects that affect the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife and the Mollem National Park in Goa.

Goa is set to lose around 55,000 trees and 185 hectares of pristine Western Ghats forest cover for three projects - a highway, railway line double-tracking and a new power line. The Railway double tracking will itself take around 98 hectares or around half of the total land.

In the letter to the Union Minister, the signatories - around 150 in number - warned that the projects, if allowed to go ahead, are likely to lead to multiple downstream effects of fragmentation of these fragile ecosystems. The road and the railway track will create stark barriers that may lead to a rise in wild animal mortality. Movement of arboreal mammals, reptiles, fish and amphibians is likely to be hindered by these barriers.

Also read: Centre launches programme to increase forest cover in urban areas

The protected area is also home to more than 721 plant species, 235 bird species, 219 butterfly species, 80 odonate species, 70 mammal species, 75 ant species, 45 reptile species, 44 fish species, 43 fungi species, 27 amphibian species, 24 orchid species, and 18 species of lichens, the letter reads.

Two dragonfly species which are endemic to the Western Ghats were described to science from here. In fact, the type locality of Idionyx gomantakensis is adjacent to the railway track which is proposed to be expanded. It has been recorded from few locations elsewhere in the Western Ghats and this is the only location in Goa where it has been known from, so far, close to the proposed railway tracks, the letter adds.

Also read: Will leave no stone unturned to nab culprits - Javadekar on killing of pregnant elephant

If these projects are cleared, they will have severe repercussions on wildlife and for the livelihoods and ecological security of the people of Goa. Video-conferencing these decisions about forests that are important to us does not allow site-specific scrutiny to substantiate the facts, examine documents, or register the voices and opinions of stakeholders, in a fully democratic manner, the letter stated.

Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park are home to popular nature tourism spots such as Dudhsagar Falls, Tambdi Surla Falls, Devils Canyon and the 12th-century Tambdi Surla Temple, each with popular treks leading up to them.

The group of signatories which includes scientists, naturalists, conservationists, artists, students and allied professionals have expressed their serious concerns regarding the virtual clearances granted to two projects passing through Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife sanctuary and Mollem National Park during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The projects which are a long time in the planning were approved during the 57th meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife on April 20 held via videoconferencing due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

These forests that have existed for thousands of years are irreplaceable. Direct loss of biodiversity and the far-reaching impacts of habitat fragmentation will reduce ecosystem stability and decrease forest resilience that is also required to deal with the effects of climate change, the letter reads.

The three projects, some of which have been pending for clearance for more than two years owing to the want for clearance, will be fast-tracked now.

The proposal for doubling of the existing railway line that runs between Castlerock in Karnataka and Margao in South Goa whilst running through the Western Ghats and past the scenic Dudhsagar waterfalls was earlier kept in abeyance and asked to be modified to suitably allow for properly designed underpasses and overpasses for wild animal crossing wherever required along the track.

Since then, the South Western Railways, which operates the line has submitted an undertaking and has made provisions for eight underpasses for the crossing of wild animals in consultation with the forest department.

The present proposal entails laying additional track to run parallel to the existing railway line including 12 tunnels with a 16 kilometre stretch through the wildlife sanctuary.

Back in 2013, the Goa State Wildlife Board had rejected a proposal to construct a separate railway line through a different alignment, one which had an easier gradient but would involve a fresh disturbance in an entirely virgin area of forest.
Prince William can be seen leading Prince George and Princess Charlotte through the rain as they volunteer in their local community in a previously unseen photograph released today.

In the snap, which was shared on the couple's official Kensington Royal Instagram account today, the trio can be seen walking through a downpour as they delivering food parcels as part of a volunteering effort in Norfolk.

The image was snapped by amateur photographer the Duchess of Cambridge, 38 in April, while the family helped out a local initiative started by the monarch's staff to deliver food to the vulnerable.

Sharing the image today, they wrote: 'As we approach the end of #VolunteersWeek The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are pleased to share a new photo taken by The Duchess as they played their own part in the national volunteering effort.

Prince William, 38, could be seen leading his children Prince George, six, and Princess Charlotte, five, through the rain in the previously unseen photo released by Kensington Palace today

'In April, The Duke and Duchess and their family visited the Sandringham Estate where they packed up and delivered food parcels to isolated pensioners in the local area.

'Today Her Majesty The Queen has sent a message to volunteers around the world  visit @TheRoyalFamily to read the message in full.'

The photograph was taken between home schooling sessions at Anmer Hall, the family's Norfolk home on the Queen's Sandringham estate.

In the candid image of the family, Princess Charlotte, smartly dressed in a black and white checked dress from Zara with grey tights and black Mary Jane shoes, can be seen carrying bags of homemade pasta as the trio approach a pensioner's home.

The family took part in the volunteering effort to deliver food to vulnerable people in Norfolk in April (pictured, Princess Charlotte helping)

Prince George appears to be enjoying the relaxed stroll, with his hands tucked into his pockets as he walked under his father's umbrella.

Meanwhile Prince William could be seen looking proudly down at his two children as they walk toward the home close to the Sandringham Estate.

In April, the entire family helped out with a local initiative started by the monarch's staff, who have been preparing and delivering meals for pensioners and the vulnerable in the area during the lockdown.

Prince William and Kate Middleton, 38, have been staying at their Norfolk home of Anmer Hall with their children throughout the coronavirus lockdown (pictured)

The family initially released a series of portraits of Princess Charlotte from the day in order to mark her fifth birthday

This time the Cambridges, all keen cooks, rustled up some home-made pasta which they separated into 12 large bags and tied up with raffia to add to the food parcels. Sources said all the children  even little Louis, two  were involved.

The following day, the family then helped to load bags of fresh produce into a van from the Sandringham Visitors' Centre ready for delivery.

Sources say William, Kate, Charlotte and George spent two and a half hours driving around the area delivering food to those in need.

Photographs of the endeavour were released in May to mark Princess Charlotte's birthday.

To mark Princess Charlotte's fifth birthday in May, Kensington Palace released new pictures of Charlotte as she helped her parents deliver home-made pasta (left and right) to vulnerable Norfolk residents isolated by coronavirus earlier this week

In one image, the princess can even be seen in one picture proudly knocking on an elderly resident's door with her goodies, standing on a mat which reads 'Welcome Home, Wipe Your Feet'.

One surprised local said: 'They got drenched as it was pouring with the rain but I think they just wanted to do their bit.'

The family's effort was not the only volunteering iniaitvive that the royals have taken part in during the pandemic.

In a video released yesterday, the Duke revealed he has been secretly counselling people contacting crisis helpline Shout 85258 - a round-the-clock text messaging helpline developed by his Royal Foundation.

It's not the only time the Cambridges have volunteered during lockdown, with Prince William revealing yesterday he has been secretly counselling people on the Shout crisis helpline

Prince William and Kate spoke to volunteers in different parts of the country to thank them for the support that they provide to their communities, during a Zoom call to marked Volunteers' Week from their Amner Hall home on Wednesday.

The duke and duchess marked the service's first anniversary by speaking to some of its volunteers via video call, and William said: 'I'm going to share a little secret with you guys, but I'm actually on the platform volunteering.'

Kate has also been helping others and has taken part in 'check in and chat' calls with those self-isolating or vulnerable as part of the Royal Voluntary Service's NHS Volunteer Responders scheme.

The Cambridges and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex helped to launch the crisis line in May last year, investing 3 million in the service through their Royal Foundation.
Kochi: As part of the easing of lockdown restrictions, the Kerala government has allowed reopening of shopping malls, restaurants and places of worship from June 9.

However, there will be tight restrictions. Aged people (65 and above) and children (below 10 years) and pregnant women will not be allowed to enter places of worship, and only 100 persons will be allowed in at a time, regardless of the size of the place of worship.

Only 15 devotees will be allowed in 100 square metre area within the shrine. The age restriction is applicable to priests as well.

Some of the other restrictions stipulated by the government at places of worship include, a ban on distribution of prasadam (food and other offerings) to devotees, not giving sandalwood paste and ashes from a common plate, not using water from common water tank for cleaning hands and face, no physical contact with devotees, avoiding touching of idols and holy books, use of face masks and hand sanitizer, keeping visitors register at the entry point and strictly banning persons with symptoms from entering the shrines.

There are curbs on singing religious songs while a recorded version of it can be used.

The Sabarimala pilgrimage too will be resumed with stringent curbs. A virtual queue system will be introduced and only 50 devotees will be allowed for darshan at one time. While briefing on the restrictions, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that thermal scanner will be installed at Sannidhanam, Nilakkal and Pampa.

Pinarayi Vijayan had earlier held a videoconference with religious leaders to finalise the plan for reopening of shrines.

Though shopping malls outside containment zones will be opened on June 9, play areas and cinema screens will not be allowed to function. Restaurants also have to comply with guidelines issued by the government such as limiting the number of customers, encouraging prior booking and online cash transaction.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 21:24:01|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi announced on Saturday an initiative for a political settlement in the neighboring war-torn Libya following his talks in Cairo with Libyan eastern-based military leader Khalifa Haftar.

Cairo Declaration, the Egyptian initiative announced by Sisi, seeks ceasefire between warring Libyan parties starting from June 8, a UN-supervised election of a Libyan presidential council and drafting a constitutional declaration to regulate elections for the later stage, Sisi said in a joint press conference following his meeting with Haftar and the Tobruk-based Libyan parliament speaker Aguila Saleh.

The Cairo initiative requires pulling out foreign mercenaries from Libya, dismantling militias and handing over their arms, so that the Libyan National Army (LNA), in cooperation with the security apparatuses, can take over their security and military responsibilities in the country, according to the Egyptian president.

Libya has been locked in a civil war since the ouster and killing of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The situation escalated in 2014, splitting power between two rival governments: the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) based in the capital Tripoli and another in the northeastern city of Tobruk allied with Haftar's LNA.

The initiative also seeks "unifying and regulating Libyan institutions to be able to perform their duties and guarantee fair and transparent distribution of Libyan resources to all citizens, hindering the monopoly of any extremist groups or militias over the country's resources," Sisi said.

"The initiative calls for respecting all relevant UN efforts and initiatives," he added, stressing that deteriorating security in Libya affects the security of neighboring states regionally and internationally.

For his part, Haftar expressed appreciation for Egypt's efforts to resolve the Libyan crisis and obliterate terrorism and extremism in Libya.

He also expressed rejection of Turkey's interference in the Libyan conflict, saying it would "enhance the state of internal polarization."

Egypt, along with the United Arab Emirates and Russia, supports Haftar and regards him as a bulwark against terrorism in the chaos-stricken country.

It also rejects the interference of Turkey, which backs the GNA led by Haftar's rival Fayez al-Serraj, in the Libyan domestic conflict. Enditem
WHO urges mask use in confined public areas, where coronavirus still spreads

5 June 2020 - Governments in areas with widespread COVID-19 transmission should encourage the use of non-medical masks on public transport, in shops and in other locations where physical distancing is difficult, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends, in updated guidance published on Friday.

Additionally, people over 60, or who have underlying health conditions, should wear medical masks in these settings, while all workers in clinical areas of health facilities should also use them  not just those who deal with COVID-19 patients.

However, WHO chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned against putting too much faith in masks, stressing that they are only part of a comprehensive strategy to defeat the disease.

"I cannot say this clearly enough: masks alone will not protect you from COVID-19", he told journalists.

"Masks are not a replacement for physical distancing, hand hygiene and other public health measures."

Three layers of protection

WHO issued the updated guidance following a review of available evidence and extensive consultation with international experts and civil society groups.

It contains new information on the composition of fabric masks and other face coverings, based on research commissioned by the UN agency.

Masks can be purchased or homemade, and should contain three layers: ideally a cotton lining, a polyester outer layer, and a middle "filter" made of polypropylene, or some other non-woven material.

"With those three layers, and in that combination, that fabric can actually provide a mechanistic barrier that if someone were infected with COVID-19, it could prevent those droplets going through and infecting someone else", said Dr. Maria van Kerkhove, a WHO epidemiologist.

Sick? Stay home!

WHO continues to recommend that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should stay home and seek medical help.

People caring for them should wear a medical mask when they are both in the same room.

"If it is absolutely necessary for a sick person or a contact to leave the house, they should wear a medical mask," said Tedros.

Meanwhile, confirmed COVID-19 patients should still be isolated and cared for in a health setting, while all their contacts should be quarantined.

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New Delhi, June 6 : As one of the worst affected industries in the COVID-19 pandemic, the travel industry stands to undergo several updates in both behaviour and process, in order to keep up with the new world order. Technology will play a key role in the imminent evolution of the travel industry, to make visa applications safer and more efficient for travelers and travel companies alike.

The Coronavirus pandemic has altered life as we know it - from the way we do grocery runs to the way the world will travel. It has also added a filter of 'caution' to every 'outdoor' activity we took for granted. Travel though, is still high on people's aspirational list. And the world will travel again - in the mid-term, it might just not look the same.

Global Web Index recently quoted that a whopping 87 percent of consumers in the Asia/Pacific region expect to make changes to the way they travel. However, the mere reopening of borders is not enough for people to start travelling again. Travellers will first want to regain faith that the ecosystem is safe - right from travel planning to visa applications, the airport-airplane journey and the country of visit. This change in social behaviour will not just stem from government and health regulators, but more from people's lingering fear of catching the infection, even once the situation is brought under control. So, while we will see higher standards of sanitation, provisions for social distancing, and instant medical support in physical environments, the digital space will see demand for services that could be completed "from the safety of one's home".

But how does that work for the first travel pit stop - your visa? Visa applications have traditionally been an in-person process, requiring customers to submit applications and/or biometrics in person for many destinations. In a post-COVID scenario, new processes, aided by technology, will be preferred over traditional methods of application at least in some elements of this crucial aspect of the travel planning process. Tools that allow travellers to complete their visa application processes keeping physical distancing in mind, in a place they feel safe, will be preferred as would-be travellers begin to define their new normal.

Tech-driven game-changes in visa services An important aspect of visa applications is the documentation often required to be submitted with the visa application. Today even before travel limps back to normal, for some travellers, the idea of having one's original documents going through multiple hands could spark unease. Technology that can enable travellers to scan and upload their documents through their smartphones, tablets, printer-scanner or other camera-equipped computing devices will be a game-changer for the sector.

Another trend is in greater use of automated or AI-powered systems that allow governments to remotely assess digital versions of various government-issued documents (just like the VFS Global-developed Location Independent Document ProcessingTM - or LIDPRoTM - solution used by some governments). Yet another is technology that allows authorities to authenticate such documents before receiving the physical copies, to help keep the process secure, safe and efficient for both the individual and the authorities.

At-home biometric enrolment Along with these, biometrics form a crucial and often mandatory part of the visa application process. Secure and authenticated biometrics are not something people can submit easily through an online channel, while also conforming of the standards laid down by the respective Governments. In order to meet the needs of tomorrow's travellers, the most logical upgrade to make is taking biometrics systems to the customer's doorstep. This is not only convenient, but also limits exposure to multiple people - all while ensuring a secure biometric enrollment for visa applications. This service, called 'Visa At Your Doorstep' or 'On Demand Mobile Visa', has already been employed by many countries assessing visa applications from India, and has witnessed significant uptake by travellers for safety and convenience reasons.

Another solution to look forward to is e-Visas. A solution that simplifies and streamlines the visa lifecycle by moving the entire application and issuance process online. It does not require the traveller to be present at the embassy or application centre, interview with visa officials or enrolment of biometrics to apply for a visa. This solution has seen great success in countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Suriname, among others. We anticipate eVisa adoption may be at a much larger scale now - when people are wary of being in crowded public spaces and prefer having as limited physical touch points as possible.

While a majority of governments and travel companies today are well into their digitalisation journey, this pandemic is an impetus for all those who are not. Marrying innovative technology to travel is going to be at the forefront of international travel recovery - which assures traveller safety and data security, in equal measure. Turning visa applications into an at-home affair also means a spike in the quantum of personal data that will now interact on the cloud. This is unarguably the time for businesses to beef up their digital protection and security protocols, as they wait to greet this default upsurge in 'digital travellers' on the other side of this crisis.

Vinay Malhotra is Regional Group COO - South Asia, Middle East & North Africa, Americas at VFS Global (IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, on Thursday, pledged $1.6 billion to GAVI, the global vaccine alliance, to immunise 300 million children in the worlds poorest countries by 2025.

The foundation said in a statement released on Friday that the pledge, which is a five years commitment, was made at the Global Vaccine Summit, hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The summit was aimed at raising funds for Gavis efforts to immunise children amid the coronavirus crisis.

The Gates Foundation is also committing $100 million to Gavis new effort to purchase COVID-19 vaccines for lower income countries through a new COVID-19 Vaccine Advance Market Commitment.

The foundation said this includes $50 million of new funding, as well as the foundations $50 million pledge that was made at the Coronavirus Global Response International Pledging Event in May.

Todays pledge also includes $75 million to the Gavi Matching Fund that was announced in January 2020, it stated.

At the end of the meeting, $8.8 billion was raised from world leaders and companies.

The foundation said funding secured for Gavis next strategic period will help the alliance reach an additional 300 million children in the worlds most vulnerable communities and save up to eight million lives, bringing the total number of children immunised with Gavi support to more than one billion since its inception in 2000.

In addition to supporting the continuation of routine immunization services during the current COVID-19 crisis, Gavi will play a vital role in efforts to end the pandemic, leveraging its two decades of experience in vaccine delivery to deploy potential COVID-19 vaccines to low income countries when they become available, it stated.

Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said not many people outside the global health sector have heard about Gavi, but over the past twenty years, it has transformed the way the world invests in and protects the health of its children.

Mrs Gates said if the current pandemic has reminded us of anything, its the importance of vaccinating against deadly diseases. The pledges that leaders are making today will help Gavi save even more lives.

GAVI has been working closely with developing country governments, vaccine suppliers, donors, and other partners around the world and have been achieving results.

Yet, despite this unprecedented progress, one in ten children still did not receive basic vaccines in 2018.

Also, COVID-19 has disrupted health systems, supply chains, and the ability of health workers to safely reach communities, millions more are at risk of missing out on protection against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said to beat the COVID-19 pandemic, the world needs more than breakthrough science.

It needs breakthrough generosity. And thats what were seeing today as leaders across the public and private sectors are stepping up to support Gavi  especially Prime Minister Johnson,

Mr Gates said when COVID-19 vaccines are ready, the funding and global coordination will ensure that people all over the world will be able to access them.

The foundation has supported Gavi since its founding more than two decades ago. In that time, Gavi has immunised more than three-quarters of a billion children, saved 13 million lives, and cut child mortality in half in supported countries.

Also, Chair of the Gavi Board, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said as with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic disrupting vaccine programmes across the globe and causing huge economic damage, the pledge will play a vital role in supporting countries efforts to prevent the resurgence of other deadly, vaccine-preventable diseases.
[June 05, 2020] PROPETRO INVESTIGATION CONTINUED by Former Louisiana Attorney General: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Continues to Investigate the Officers and Directors of ProPetro Holding Corp. - PUMP

Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF continues its investigation into ProPetro Holding Corp. (NYSE: PUMP). On August 8, 2019, the Company disclosed a delay to its second quarter earnings report due to an ongoing review by its audit committee involving improper expense reimbursements of approximately $370,000 to executives, undisclosed related-party transactions, and a potential material weakness in its internal control over disclosure. Then, on October 18, 2019, news agencies reported that the company was the target of an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC (News - Alert)") relating to its financial disclosures. Finally, on November 13, 2019, the Company confirmed the SEC investigation and also revealed previously-undisclosed related-party transactions totaling $3.6 million as well as "at least two material weaknesses that resulted in the Company's internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures not being effective as of a prior date." The Company has been sued in a securities class action lawsuit for failing to disclose material informaton, violating federal securities laws. Recently, the plaintiffs in that case filed a Second Amended Complaint, and the case remains ongoing.



KSF's investigation is focusing on whether ProPetro's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to ProPetro's shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws. If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of ProPetro shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-pump/ to learn more.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200605005487/en/

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 01:10:03|Editor: huaxia

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A medical staff member wearing protective suit is seen at a hospital in Skopje, North Macedonia, June 6, 2020. On Saturday, North Macedonia's Health Ministry reported 125 new coronavirus cases, increasing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,917, with 1,640 recoveries and 151 fatalities. (Photo by Tomislav Georgiev/Xinhua)

SKOPJE, June 6 (Xinhua) -- North Macedonia's Health Minister Venko Filipce on Saturday urged media outlets to end unconfirmed reports on COVID-19 situation in the country.

Via a Facebook message, Filipce said that many media outlets had published reports containing unofficial and inaccurate information related to the number of the new coronavirus cases in the country.

"For 100 days, we have been informing the public in a precise and transparent manner, revealing all details about new COVID-19 cases in order to provide the media with accurate information," Filipce wrote.

He called on the media to stop preparing reports with speculation and unverified information on the number of infections in the country, adding that these reports led the public to lose trust in institutions.

North Macedonia has seen an increase in the number of new coronavirus cases recently as a result of failure to comply with the measures on gatherings, Filipce said in a press conference on Friday.

On Saturday, the health ministry reported 125 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, increasing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,917, with 1,640 recoveries and 151 fatalities.
Democrats admonished Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley on Friday after the pair refused to appear publicly before the House Armed Services Committee next week on the use of the military to respond to protests throughout the country.

Armed Services Chair Adam Smith (D-Wash.) this week requested the pair testify after President Donald Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy active-duty troops. Smith and the 30 other Armed Services Democrats ripped the refusal of the Pentagon brass to testify or brief the panel.

"Secretary Esper and Chairman Milley must testify on-the-record before the committee. The House Armed Services Committee made the request and it has been denied. That is simply unacceptable," every Armed Services Democrat said in a statement. "It is the constitutional duty of the House Armed Services Committee to perform rigorous oversight, just as it is the constitutional duty of the Administration to be accountable to the American people.

"Apparently, the Trump Administration believes they have no obligation to explain their actions to Congress or respect our constitutional system of checks and balances," the lawmakers said.

A briefing set for Friday with Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy was also canceled. The Democrats demanded information on the Pentagons response to the protests by Monday and called for Esper and Milley to testify shortly thereafter.

"As we head into a weekend with protests planned across the country, this briefing to Members of Congress was vitally important to discuss the Departments plan to ensure the safety of Americans exercising their right to protest and service members working to keep the peace," the lawmakers said.

A Pentagon spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet Meeting in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, May 19, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Democratic lawmakers, along with former military and civilian defense officials, have criticized Esper and Milley for their actions  including accompanying Trump to a photo op near the White House after police used chemicals to clear Lafayette Square of protesters.

Story continues

The panel also plans to receive testimony from former defense officials on the use of the military domestically.

The panel's top Republican, Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, does not endorse Smith's effort to get Pentagon brass on the record.

Thornberry said this week that a hearing on the Insurrection Act would be appropriate if Trump invokes the law, but argued that the military's role in the protests should be weighed alongside the handful of other unanticipated missions, including responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

"As Ranking Member Thornberry has said, our military is currently undertaking a number of missions that are not part of their normal duties, Armed Services Republican spokesperson Claude Chafin said in a statement. These include COVID-19 response, managing Defense Production Act contracts, and National Guard support to civil authorities, and it is important that the Committee hear from the Department to understand how those missions are affecting DODs resources and priorities.

"The timing of that exchange and the witnesses or briefers must, as always, be coordinated with the Department, Chafin said.


Two brothers in their 40s were this week charged in North Cork with 48 counts of raping and sexually assaulting their younger brother at their family home when he was aged between nine and 13 years.

The two men, who can't be named to protect the identity of the complainant, were each charged at Mallow District Court with 24 counts of rape and 24 counts of sexual assault of their brother on separate occasions in the 1990s.

One accused (44) is charged with 24 counts of raping and 24 counts of sexually assaulting his younger brother on dates unknown between January 1, 1993 and December 31, 1995 at the family home in Co Cork.

The second accused (41) is charged with 24 counts of raping and 24 counts of sexually assaulting his younger brother on dates unknown between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 1997, again at the family home in Co Cork.

The older accused was aged 17 to 19 at the time of his alleged offences while the younger accused was also aged 17-19 at the time of his alleged offences with all the alleged offences occurring when the complainant was aged 9 to13.

Although some of the charges for both accused relate to dates unknown in 1995, the state is not alleging in the charges that the two accused committed the offences together at any time but that they committed them separately.

On Wednesday at Mallow District Court, Sgt Donal Cashman of the Cork City Divisional Protective Services Unit, gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to both men who were charged separately and individually.

He told how he met the 41 year old man at Bowling Green in Mallow by appointment at 7.15am earlier that day (Wednesday) and charged him with 24 rape and 24 sexual assault offences and the accused made no reply to the charges after caution.

And Sgt Cashman told how he met the 44 year old man at Bowling Green in Mallow by appointment at 8.15am that day (Wed) and charged him with 24 rape and 24 sexual assault offences, and he made no reply to the charges after caution.

Insp Tony Sullivan of Fermoy Garda Station said the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that the charges against both accused should be dealt with on indictment before a judge and jury at the Central Criminal Court.

He applied for a month's adjournment for service of the books of evidence against both accused and he said that gardai had no objection to both men being remanded on bail once they abided by certain conditions.

Judge Patricia Harney granted the application and she separately remanded both men on their own bonds of 100 to appear at Mallow District Court on July 14th for service of the books of evidence against them.

Solicitor Cathal Lombard, deputising for Frank Buttimer, said that his client, the 44 year old man, was willing to abide by the bail terms sought by the gardai, including that he reside at his home address in Co Cork.

And solicitor Thomas Coughlan, for the 41 year old man, said that his client was also similarly willing to abide by the bail terms sought by the gardai, including that he live at his home address, elsewhere in Co Cork.

Judge Harney also made it a condition of both men's bail that they provide gardai with their mobile phone numbers and that they keep their mobile phones charged and in credit so they can be contacted at any time by gardai.

Gardai also sought an undertaking from the accused that they would not have any contact with the complainant, directly or indirectly via third parties, and both solicitors said their clients were willing to give such an undertaking.

Judge Harney pointed out this condition included contact via social media and any contact via Snapchat, Facebook, What's App or any other social media platform would be considered a breach of bail as she remanded both accused.
A man holds up his fist while hundreds of demonstrators march to protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, on June 2, 2020 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee | Getty Images

Following widespread protests last weekend, demonstrators continued to take to the streets in response to the police killing of George Floyd. Demanding an end to police brutality against black Americans, protesters gathered in cities across the country to stand against systemic racism. Here's a breakdown of what happened this week:

MONDAY JUNE 1

Exactly one week after Floyd's death, protests took place in major cities like San Francisco, Seattle and Dallas. However, one of the most notable demonstrations took place in Washington, D.C. amid remarks from President Donald Trump. After Trump threatened to deploy U.S. troops to end protests across the country under the Insurrection Act, he left the White House and crossed a public square to stand in front of St. John's Church while holding a bible for several minutes. In order to clear a path for Trump, law enforcement officials forcibly removed demonstrators using pepper spray and rubber bullets. Other cities experienced violence on Monday as four St. Louis police officers were struck by gunfire and the New York City Police Department arrested almost 700 people.

A protester screams in front of a row of police officers during a demonstration against the death of George Floyd at a park near the White House on June 1, 2020 in Washington, DC. Olivier Douliery | AFP via Getty Images

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. 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. Stephen Maturen | Getty Images

Denver Police officer Nate Magee chants with protesters marching during the fifth consecutive day of demonstrations in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd on June 1, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. Michael Ciaglo | Getty Images

A suspected looter carrying boxes of shoes run past National Guard soldiers in Hollywood, California, June 1, 2020, after a demonstration over the death of George Floyd. Robyn Beck | AFP | Getty Images

Demonstrators hold up placards protest outside of the White House, over the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C. on June 1, 2020. Jose Luis Magana | AFP | Getty Images

A demonstrator is doused with water and milk after being hit with pepper spray from law enforcement during a protest on June 1, 2020 in downtown Washington, DC. Drew Angerer | Getty Images

U.S. President Donald Trump poses with a bible outside St. John's Episcopal Church after a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, June 1, 2020. Shawn Thew | Bloomberg | Getty Images

US President Donald Trump walks back to the White House escorted by the Secret Service after appearing outside of St John's Episcopal church across Lafayette Park in Washington, DC on June 1, 2020. Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images

TUESDAY JUNE 2

Protests continued on Tuesday even after citywide curfews began in places like Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. New York City even extended its 8 p.m. curfew for the rest of the week and the NYPD blocked more than 1,000 protesters attempting to cross a bridge from Brooklyn into Manhattan. The Pentagon also deployed 1,600 U.S. troops to the D.C. area, while Trump placed a wreath at a shrine in honor of Saint Pope John Paul II alongside first lady Melania Trump. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, gave a fiery speech criticizing Trump's response to the protests. "When peaceful protesters are dispersed by the order of the president from the doorstep of the people's house, the White House  using tear gas and flash grenades  in order to stage a photo op at a noble church, we can be forgiven for believing that the president is more interested in power than in principle," Biden said.

A demonstrator hugs a member of the National Guard during a march in response to George Floyd's death on June 2, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Brent Stirton | Getty Images

A protester waves a D.C. flag with Black Lives Matter spray painted on it next to a D.C. National Guard Humvee as protesters march through the streets during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody, on June 2, 2020, in Washington, D.C. Samuel Corum | Getty Images

A protester speaks in front of the California National Guard during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis Police custody, in Los Angeles, California, June 2, 2020. Kyle Grillot | AFP | Getty Images

Members of the D.C. National Guard stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial monitoring demonstrators during a peaceful protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, on June 2, 2020 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee | Getty Images

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump pose during a visit to the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, U.S., June 2, 2020. Tom Brenner | Reuters

A priest holds protest signs reading "Jesus Is Lord Not Trump" and "The Way of Jesue is Non-violent" as demonstrators protest while President Donald Trump visits the nearby Saint John Paul II National Shrine, while protests continue against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Washington, U.S., June 2, 2020. Kevin Lemarque | Reuters

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks during an event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. June 2, 2020. Joshua Robert | Reuters

A man walks past a boarded up shop, after the unrest from the past few nights, in downtown Washington, DC on June 2, 2020. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images

WEDNESDAY JUNE 3

Demonstrations were notably quieter on Wednesday and included Quincy Mason Floyd visiting the site in Minneapolis where his father was killed. The three former Minneapolis police officers present when Floyd was restrained will be criminally charged in connection with his death, court records showed Wednesday. Ex-police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes during the arrest, had his charges increased from third-degree murder to second-degree murder.

Demonstrators march down Pennsylvania Avenue near the Trump International Hotel during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, on June 3, 2020 in Washington, DC. Tasos Katopodis | Getty Images

George Floyd's son, Quincy Mason Floyd (C R) and family Attorney Ben Crump (C L) and other family members visit on June 3, 2020, the site where George Floyd died in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kerem Yucel | AFP | Getty Images

A protesters leans on a wall near the White House to protest the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis on June 3, 2020 in Washington, DC. Olivier Doulliery | AFP | Getty Images

Protesters cross Morrison Bridge while rallying against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Portland, Oregon, U.S. June 3, 2020. Picture taken with a drone. Terray Sylvester | Reuters

Police arrest a man suspected of looting outside a Gucci store on West Broadway, New York on June 3, 2020. Dan Mangan | CNBC

Two religious men walk by National Guard Soldiers stationed in the city during a "Black Lives Matter" rally and march, in response to the death of George Floyd and other victims of Police Racism across the US, in Boston, Massachusetts on June 3, 2020. Joseph Prezioso | AFP | Getty Images

Demonstrators stand in front of D.C. National Guard and other law law enforcement officers during a peaceful protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, on June 3, 2020 in Washington, DC. Alex Wong | Getty Images

Former Minneapolis police officers (L to R) Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, Alexander Kueng

THURSDAY JUNE 4

A memorial service for Floyd took place Thursday in Minneapolis and featured fond remembrances from friends and family. Floyd's funeral will take place in his hometown of Houston on Tuesday. "He was teaching us how to be a man because he was in this world before us," Rodney Floyd, George Floyd's youngest brother, said at the service. "I want you guys to know that he would stand up against any injustice anywhere." Streamed live to the public, the service included a eulogy delivered by civil rights leader Al Sharpton, who announced that a march against police violence will take place in Washington, D.C. in August, on the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. Protests also continued across the country and CDC Director Robert Redfield warned lawmakers that these demonstrations could be "a seeding event" for more Covid-19 outbreaks. There have also been more than 10,000 arrests at these protests, according to a report from the Associated Press.

At sunrise, a soldier keeps watch at the Lincoln Memorial after a night of protests over the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd in Washington, U.S., June 4, 2020. Kevin Lemarque | Reuters

From left, Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., kneel during a moment of silence with Senate Democrats to protest the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and other victims of racial injustice in the Capitols Emancipation Hall on Thursday, June 4, 2020. The 8 minutes and 46 action represented the amount of time Floyd was pinned to the ground by Minneapolis police officers. Tom Williams | CQ Roll Call | Getty Images

While making their way to their posts for the day, members of an airborne military unit tasked with crowd control move up 15th Street outside the U.S. Treasury Building June 4, 2020 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee | Getty Images

The remains of George Floyd are taken to a memorial service in his honor on June 4, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kerem Yucel | AFP | Getty Images

The remains of George Floyd await a memorial service in his honor on June 4, 2020, at North Central University's Frank J. Lindquist Sanctuary in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kerem Yucel | AFP | Getty Images

Human rights advocate Martin Luther King III and family show their respect to the remains of George Floyd awaiting a memorial service in his honor on June 4, 2020, at North Central University's Frank J. Lindquist Sanctuary in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kerem Yucel | AFP | Getty Images

Philonise Floyd speaks during a memorial service for his brother George Floyd following his death in Minneapolis police custody, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., June 4, 2020. Lucas Jackson | Reuters

Reverend Al Sharpton speaks during a memorial service for George Floyd following his death in Minneapolis police custody, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., June 4, 2020. Lucas Jackson | Reuters

Terrence Floyd, brother of George Floyd (C front) raises his fist after speaking at a memorial service for his brother at Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn, New York on June 4,2020. Timothy A. Clary | AFP | Getty Images

Demonstrators cross the Brooklyn Bridge on June 4, 2020. Justin Heiman | Getty Images

People gather at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial during a peaceful protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, on June 4, 2020 in Washington, DC. Drew Angerer | Getty Images

George Floyd's casket is wheeled to a hearse after a memorial service at North Central University on June 4, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen | Getty Images

FRIDAY JUNE 5

The words "Black Lives Matter" were painted on 16th Street in Washington, D.C. with permission from the city on Friday. Mayor Muriel Bowser also asked Trump to remove "all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence" from the city. State leaders also took action on Friday. In Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. Amy Klobuchar toured buildings damaged during protests in Minneapolis. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that he would end state police training in the use of carotid restraints, a tactic similar to what was used on Floyd. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo praised the suspension of two police officers who pushed a 75-year-old man to the ground during a protest in Buffalo. It was also reported that voter registrations have surged following the protests in response to Floyd's death.

Demonstrators protest across the street from a Confederate memorabilia store, Friday, June 5, 2020, in Kennesaw, Ga. Mike Stewart | AP

People walk down 16th street after volunteers, with permission from the city, painted "Black Lives Matter" on the street near the White House on June 05, 2020 in Washington, DC. Tasos Katopodis | Getty Images

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Minnesota State Senator Jeff Hayden, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) tour buildings damaged near East Lake Street during the protests and riots that followed the death of George Floyd on June 5, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen | Getty Images

Nurses Chelsea Smith and Elizabeth Stocksdale embrace following 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence during a vigil at Brigham and Womens Hospital, where many coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients have been treated, against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Boston, Massachusetts,June 5, 2020. Brian Snyder | Reuters

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz greets State Senator Jeff Hayden outside the Midtown Global Market on June 5, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen | Getty Images

A book store is boarded following protests against the killing of George Floyd, on June 5, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kerem Yucel | AFP | Getty Images

Demonstrators hold a Black Lives Matter sit-in to protest the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, outside the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., June 5, 2020. Joshua Roberts | Reuters
The move extinguishes what had been a symbol of the US-Cuban detente pursued by former US President Barack Obama.

The administration of United States President Donald Trump has ordered Marriott International to wind down hotel operations in Communist-run Cuba, a company spokeswoman told Reuters news agency, extinguishing what had been a symbol of the US-Cuban detente.

Starwood Hotels, now owned by Marriott, four years ago became the first US hotel company to sign a deal with Cuba since the 1959 revolution in the mark of the normalisation of relations pursued by former President Barack Obama.

But the Trump administration has unravelled that detente, saying it wants to pressure Cuba into democratic reform and to stop supporting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The move could help Trump bolster support in the large Cuban-American community in Florida, a state considered vital to his re-election chances in November.

We have recently received notice that the government-issued licence will not be renewed, forcing Marriott to cease operations in Cuba, a company spokeswoman told Reuters.

The spokeswoman said the US Department of the Treasury had ordered the company to wind down its operation of the Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Havana by August 31. It would also not be allowed to open other hotels it had been preparing to run.

The US Treasury and State departments did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

In 2017, Trump promised he would not disrupt existing contracts US businesses had with Cuba, wrote William LeoGrande, a Cuba expert at American University in Washington, on Twitter. Promise made, promise broken.

The news comes two days after the US Department of State expanded its list of Cuban entities from which Americans are banned from doing business to include the financial corporation that handles US remittances to Cuba.

US sanctions have further crippled an economy already struggling with a decline in aid from leftist ally Venezuela and the end of hard-currency-generating Cuban medical missions in Brazil and elsewhere.

Philip Peters, who runs the business consultancy FocusCuba and had advised Marriott, said no good had come from a lifetime of US sanctions that separated the US and Cuban peoples, harmed Cubas economy, and limited US influence in Cuba.

Marriott  will hopefully return to do business in Cuba, along with others, to encourage American travel and to help Cuba prosper and integrate into the global economy, he said.
The US Marine Corps has officially ordered the removal of the Confederate battle flag from public display on its bases and offices, citing the flag's use by racist groups as a "threat to our core values".

In a statement on 5 June, the service branch said: "The Confederate battle flag has all too often been co-opted by violent extremist and racist groups whose divisive beliefs have no place in our Corps."

"Our history as a nation, and events like the violence in Charlottesville in 2017, highlight the divisiveness the use of the Confederate battle flag," waved by branches of the secessionist Confederate States Army during the US Civil War.

In an April memo outlining his intent to ban public display of the flag, Marine Corps commandant Gen David Berger said he has "focused solely on building a uniquely capable war-fighting team whose members come from all walks of life and must learn to operate side-by-side" and argued that the symbol "has shown it has the power to inflame feelings of division" and must be removed.

"I am mindful that many people believe that flag to be a symbol of heritage or regional pride," he said. "But I am also mindful of the feelings of pain and rejection of those who inherited the cultural memory and present effects of the scourge of slavery in our country."

Its removal follows a revived movement to take down symbols of the Civil War in public spaces across the US, from flag displays outside statehouses to the removal of Jim Crow-era monuments to the Lost Cause and leaders from the slavery-supporting Confederacy.

Following the Memorial Day killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, protesters have struck at statues and buildings across the US erected in the wake of the Confederacy's defeat, prompting several states to consider their removal after they were tagged with "Black Lives Matter" graffiti.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced plans to begin removing monuments from the state's capital, and Randall Woodfin, mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, says he has received death threats after removing a Confederate Soldiers and Sailors monument.

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 2017, New Orleans was among the first cities to begin removing Jim Crow- and Confederate-era monuments, including statues of General Robert E Lee and Confederate president Jefferson Davis as well as an obelisk commemorating a white supremacist uprising that took place a decade after the Civil War. Demonstrators supporting their removal clashed with white supremacist groups for several weeks as crews worked overnight to take the statues off their pedestals. Officials there are now considering renaming street names that honour Confederate leaders.

The Marine Corps order doesn't apply to places where the flag is "not the main focus" of the display, including art and educational use.

It bans the flag from bumper stickers, mugs, clothing, posters and similar displays, as well as on all naval vessels, aircraft, government vehicles, offices and common areas, including recruitment centres.

The order from Marine Corps staff director Lt Gen John J Broadmeadow exempts state flags that incorporate the flag (such as Mississippi's), license plates, Confederate grave sites, and other locations where "commanders are expected to apply their best judgment informed by the spirit and intent" of the order.
At a time when face to face communication has not been possible as a result of the global Covid-19 pandemic, the face of travel technology has evolved with consumers turning to messaging to interact with all forms of travel brands from airlines to hotels and resorts, industry experts revealed during the debut Travel Forward at ATM Virtual event.

During the month of March alone, messaging increased by more than 50 per cent in many of the countries hardest hit by the global health crisis, according to the latest data from Facebook, with over 20 billion messages currently exchanged with businesses every month on Messenger.

During Travel Forward session Conversational Commerce for Travel Brands, Facebooks Head of Destinations & Events, Sara Gentile, and Head of Aviation & Hospitality MENA, Ameen Malhas, provided insights into what travel technology will have to offer beyond 2020, including the potential c-commerce will have in helping travel and hospitality brands to connect and transact with consumers.

Travellers value personalisation from brands and this trend is only likely to heighten in a post-Covid-19 world, with around 54 per cent of travellers who opt to book with online travel agents (OTAs) seeking on-location recognition from brands. Adding to this, the top three engagement travellers seek from aviation and hospitality brands are live updates, discounts and helpful tips, said Gentile.

By combining chat with automated and AI-driven systems, brands can target information and offers precisely to individual travellers. This increases relevance, which is exactly what people want, with an overwhelming majority more likely to buy from brands that remember who they are and that provide relevant recommendations.

Personalisation isnt the only factor driving the popularity of messaging in todays society, convenience, immediacy and scalability also make it well suited for engaging with travellers. However, the execution must be right to succeed.

Ultimately, messaging must be responsive and sophisticated to meet consumers needs  especially during these challenging times when travellers want interactions to be fast and efficient, said Ameen Malhas.

A messaging system which is executed correctly - with a clear strategic role, anticipates what consumers want to talk about with the help of innovative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and is built around a strong ecosystem - can be a powerful and convenient tool for engaging consumers and driving purchase intent.

As governments begin to lift lockdown restrictions across the Middle East, businesses are cautiously re-opening workplaces with strict social distancing measures in place and asking employees to travel again.

During the final Travel Forward session of day two, Technology and the New Normal, Heidi Myers, Head of Marketing, EMEA, Uber for Business, discussed how technology can be a force for good and support businesses in the challenge of the new normal that we are beginning to embrace.

According to a recent survey conducted by Uber, around 44 per cent of businesses said employee safety is their primary concern, with 60 per cent of employers saying they will only allow essential workers to commute and 33 per cent of organisations surveyed considering implementing daily commute programmes.

With getting to work in the post Covid-19 landscape a primary concern for a large number of employees and a stressful commute sited as one of the leading causes of employee dissatisfaction and turnover, Uber is implementing a number of stringent hygiene and safety procedures in an attempt to support businesses during this challenging period.

Myers said: At Uber, the safety of both our employees and our customers is of prime importance and as a result, in line with government and public health authority guidance in the regions in which we operate, we have implemented a number of strict health & safety procedures."

Before drivers can begin using the Uber app, they are fully screened and provided with access to resources and education which focus on how to wear a mask properly, how to wash their hands in line with guidance and how to disinfect their vehicle."

In addition, both drivers and riders are required to wear masks or face coverings in most countries, with drivers required to verify through our Selfie-Verification technology that they are wearing a mask which fully covers their nose and mouth.

With Global Exhibitions Day 2020, taking place today (June 3), WTM London will be using the event to tell the world it will be open for business as usual at the ExCel in London this November.

Due to the devastation caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, GED2020s message is a simple one: Exhibition are key to rebuilding economies.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: As we look ahead to restarting and rebuilding the global travel and tourism industry, exhibitions such as ATM and WTM London will be a crucial platform for kick-starting global economies.

The debut ATM Virtual has been a huge success and has further underscored ATMs mission to support and guide the regions vast travel and tourism industry during and beyond Covid-19.

Also part of the debut Travel Forward on day two was the How Cross-Sector Collaboration is Key to Igniting Economic Growth in the Tourism Industry in the Mena Region and Beyond session moderated by Intelak Manager, Mia Jafari. The panel discussed how cross-sector collaboration between the government, corporates and start-ups will create the fertile ground for economic growth in the travel sector post COVID-19.

Other sessions taking place today include an interview with Wizz Air CEO, Joszef Varadi; the International Travel Investment Conference summit and the responsible tourism session, The Implications of COVID-19 for Responsible Hospitality, followed by the Influencers session titled Make Your Connection: Influencers as a Key Part of the Marketing Mix  COVID-19 The Road to Recovery. Videos of all sessions will be available on demand  to view them, please log on to the ATM Virtual portal.

Concluding the event this afternoon is a webinar titled What are you doing to energise your operational performance?, which will discuss the power of data analytics in helping to maximise performance.

ATM Virtual concludes today, June 3, however a series of independently moderated, roundtables 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. - TradeArabia News Service
A daughter of a salon owner in Madhurai, M Nethra has been appointed as a 'Goodwill Ambassador to the Poor' for United Nations Association for Development And Peace (UNADAP). Nethra's father had saved Rs 5 lakh for her education, however, without giving a thought about her educational needs or her future, she convinced her father to spend the entire savings on serving the people who were affected due to the COVID-19 consequential lockdown.

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In response to her big-hearted gesture, UNADAP has said it will give Nethra an opportunity to speak at the United Nations (UN) conferences in New York and in Geneva addressing Civil Society forums and conferences.

Speaking on the same, Tamil Nadu Minister Sellur Raju has praised the girl for her gesture, stating that he will urge Chief Minister E Palaniswami to confer the Jayalalithaa Award to her.

"A couple of days ago, the Prime Minister of India praised the girl. This is the pride for Madurai. I am glad to have had the opportunity to meet the leaders of the UN and to attend the event to promote the economy of the poor people. I would like to recommend to the Chief Minister that the woman should be given the Jayalalithaa Award in the coming days," the minister said while speaking to ANI.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also praised the girl and her father C Mohan for their big-hearted decision at a time when the lives of lakhs of poor were reeling in uncertainty.

"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," PM Modi had said on Sunday.
A second man has been charged with attempting to murder a garda who suffered slash wounds to his head on a Dublin street.

Gavin Quinn (26) has appeared in court charged in connection with an assault on the officer, who was cut from his hairline to the crown of his head after going to the aid of an injured man.

Judge John Hughes remanded the accused in custody for the preparation of a book of evidence.

Mr Quinn, of Tyrone Place, Inchicore, is charged with attempting to murder Garda Alan Murphy at St Vincent's Street West, Inchicore, last March 30.

He is also accused of garda obstruction.

Detective Sergeant Brian Hoey told Dublin District Court that Mr Quinn made no reply to either charge after caution.

He was handed copies of the charge sheets.

Knife

Det Sgt Hoey said the DPP had directed trial on indictment at the Central Criminal Court.

Defence solicitor Matt- hew de Courcy consented to the accused being remanded in custody, to appear at Cloverhill District Court by video link on June 10, for the preparation of a book of evidence.

Mr Quinn is the second man to be charged with obstruction and attempting to murder Gda Murphy.

His brother, Lee Quinn, of Keeper Road, Drimnagh, has already been charged with the same offences as well as possession of a knife and assaulting the garda.

At an earlier bail hearing in Lee Quinn's case, the court was told gardai were called to a reported stabbing at Tyrone Place at around 2.30am on March 30.

On arrival, Gda Murphy found a man with stab wounds to the left side of his torso and spoke to him.

It was alleged the garda was subsequently assaulted with a knife and sustained a cut to his head.

Lee Quinn is due to appear in court next month.
Thousands of Malians staged a protest in Bamako on Friday to demand the resignation of President Ibrahim Keita over what they described as his mishandling of many crises plaguing the country.

Mr Keita, re-elected in 2018 for a second five-year term, is struggling with a years-long security crisis in northern Mali, an outbreak of the new coronavirus and political tensions arising from a disputed legislative election in March.

Various political groups and human rights activists helped organise Fridays demonstration, which had the backing of influential Muslim cleric Mahmoud Dicko.

Im here today to tell President IBK (the widely used initials of Keitas names) that he is incompetent and that he cannot govern this country He should resign, Moussa Traore, an unemployed man in his 30s, told Reuters.

Some protesters brandished placards that read IBK must go and No to bad governance.

Police declined to give an estimate of the number of protesters, but the U.S. Embassy in Mali said on its Twitter account that approximately 20,000 people had gathered at Bamakos Independence Monument at the start of the rally.

The crisis in the north has worsened and spread to the centre of the country.

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There is no security, no jobs, said Ben Adama Diarra, 33, a spokesman for one of the rally organisers.

Everyday we record deaths (from the violence and COVID-19). Mali is becoming a large cemetery, he added.

The Sahel nation, which has a population of around 19 million, has so far reported 1,485 cases of COVID-19, the lung disease caused by the new coronavirus, and 87 deaths.

Mali, which produces gold and cotton, has struggled to find stability since 2012 when jihadist fighters hijacked an insurrection by Tuareg separatists, seizing the entire desert north of the country.

French troops helped to recapture the north but violence persists, in spite of the presence of thousands of United Nations troops, with groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State stoking inter-communal tensions.

(Reuters/NAN)
Global smart device brand, OPPO partnered with renowned actor Eddie Redmayne, rock climber Alex Honnold and technology reviewer Marques Brownlee to inspire people to continue pushing their boundaries and strive for better. Conveying the spirit to explore more possibilities, OPPOs latest Finder campaign salutes these explorers who have pushed themselves to achieve new heights in their respective fields.

With the aim to inspire and empower people with explorer stories to find their own X factor, as the explorers did, OPPOs Finder Campaign is a unique campaign that urges people take a step further to explore the ultimate with their capabilities.

From the beginning, exploration has been embedded in OPPOs DNA and the Find series signifies the spirit of exploration. Committed to offering a true premium smartphone experience to its consumers, OPPO will launch its much-awaited premium flagship series  Find X2 series in India on 17th May 2020. OPPOs Find X2 has enabled the Explorers to constantly create new possibilities for themselves and strive to achieve more.

Earlier this year, OPPO also announced the British actor, Eddie Redmayne, as its global brand ambassador. Eddies deep devotion to the performing art and courage to explore more echoes with OPPOs relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of innovation. In his video talking about the Find X2, Eddie says, Every time we play someone else, we find out something new about ourselves. Every time we use the Find X2, we find more.

For Alex Honnold, the famous American Rock climber, the use of OPPO Find X2, is based on an infatuation with self-improvement. The Find X2 is there for Alex as a climbing companion, for all his endeavours in reaching new heights.

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
In this file photo taken on May 27, 2020 policemen and onlookers stand near a dead pregnant wild elephant retrieved after it strayed into a village and ate an explosive-filled fruit, on the banks of the Velliyar River in Palakkad district of Kerala state. AFP Photo

The tragic event of a pregnant wild elephant in Palakkad district in Kerala falling prey to continuing man-animal conflicts in the country, especially in villages abutting forest areas, is now being used by vested interests as a pivot to launch a hate campaign against the state in general, and Malappuram district in particular. Nobody has a case that the perpetrators of this heinous crime be allowed to go scot free; the police booked three people and arrested one barely 48 hours after the event being brought to its notice.

But while the police was on it, hatemongers wasted no time pouncing on Malappuram district after a news channel wrongly located the gruesome incident in it. Right-wing apparatchiks, led by former Union minister Maneka Gandhi, unleashed a barrage of wrong statistics, nasty innuendoes and plain nonsense. As per the BJP leader, 600 elephants are being killed in Kerala every year but Rajya Sabha records say 510 elephants died of unnatural reasons in India between 2014 and 2019 and only 42 belonged to Kerala.

Ms Gandhi said someone fed a pineapple with a bomb inside it to the animal while a post-mortem report found no traces of the fruit. She named senior officials of the forest department and the minister in charge and called them useless, offering no reason whatsoever. And the Twitteratti launched a relentless campaign painting the district as the land of the cruel.

There was no dearth of suggestive statements about the demography of Malappuram, the only Muslim-majority district in the state. Many celebrities, who had failed to hear the cries of the guest workers who died walking home in the hot sun, boarded the bandwagon.

It is a fact that gods own country has not been jumbo-friendly. The state has the largest number of domesticated elephants, the term being an oxymoron because taming this wild animal is impossible except through cruel and painful methods. Elephants by nature cannot stand heat and noise but are paraded during religious festivals in hot summer.

Last year, Thrissur erupted in anger when the district magistrate denied permission to bring in a one-eyed elephant, which has a history of killing six people, for a festival. That he was forced to relent, though with conditions, betrays the true nature of the so-called elephant lovers.

Man-animal conflict is a phenomenon seen the world over as humans expand their area of work to meet their quest for necessities, comforts and luxuries. But there has to be a balance between that and the urgent need for environmental protection. It is for humanity to find out ways to eliminate such incidents.
Elizabeth Sterrett appeared at Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday, a prosecuting lawyer outlined how the charges arose from an incident involving a 14-month-old girl last September.

A Belfast woman has been accused of hitting an infant with a glass and spitting on her.

Elizabeth Sterrett is also accused of spitting at a police officer who was called to the scene at an apartment block.

At a contested bail application on Friday, a prosecuting lawyer said the charges against Sterrett arose from an incident involving a 14-month-old girl last September.

The 23-year-old, who appeared at Craigavon Magistrates Court via video-link from custody but who has an address at Black Mountain Walk in Belfast, faces a total of four charges.

They include assaulting the little girl and possessing a weapon, namely a glass, with intent to cause actual bodily harm.

She also faces two counts of assaulting police.

The lawyer said a woman was helping a distressed female at an apartment block when Sterrett started to verbally abuse her from a balcony two floors above.

She spat at the reporting party but it hit her 14-month-old daughter, claimed the lawyer.

He said it was the prosecution case that Sterrett then threw a glass from the balcony that struck the child, causing a bruise to her foot.

When police attended, Sterrett allegedly struggled with the officers, kicking one in the chest and spitting on another one.

Arrested and interviewed, she denied the offences, claiming she didnt think she was even in the apartment above the victim at the time.

Defence counsel Robert McTernaghan revealed that upon release, Sterrett was proposing to live with a friend in Greenisland. The PPS lawyer told the court, however, that address was not considered suitable by the police as the woman who lives there has a lengthy record for drug offences and is herself only on temporary release from prison.

Adjourning the bail application to Wednesday, District Judge Nigel Broderick said he wanted more information about the woman Sterrett proposed to live with, such as what licence conditions she is under and whether she has come to adverse police attention since her release.
The Hamilton County Health Department reported on Saturday 42 new cases of COVID-19 for a cumulative total of 1,423. There have been no new reported deaths from the virus, for a total of 19 in the county.

The state reported 9 new deaths from the virus, bringing the total to 417.



There were 551 new cases. That brings the total to 26,071.



Thirty more were hospitalized in Tennessee for a total of 1,923.



Davidson County has had 73 deaths form the virus and 5,742 cases.



Memphis is at 129 deaths.

It has 5,812 cases.Knox has had five deaths and has 461 cases.Bledsoe County is at 614 cases after an earlier outbreak at the correctional facility at Pikeville. There has been one death.Bradley County is up to 184 cases with two deaths.Rhea County jumped from 13 cases to 188 related to an outbreak among migrant workers at a farm. It is now at 218 and no deaths.Marion County is at 45 cases. It has recorded one death. Sequatchie County is at 20 cases and no deaths. Grundy County is at 32 cases with one death. Meigs County is at 27 cases. Franklin County has 54 cases with one death.McMinn County is at 150 cases and 14 deaths. All of those deaths are at the Life Care Center of Athens.Monroe County is at 75 cases and it has now had four coronavirus deaths. Polk County is at 21 cases.Sumner County (Gallatin) is up to 967 cases and remains at 46 deaths.There are 606 cases in Williamson County and it has 11 coronavirus deaths.

Officials said, "While the majority of people are compliant with the Health Departments isolation and quarantine instructions, there are an increasing number of people who are not staying home and not being cooperative. This behavior puts the general public at even more risk of exposure. People are asked to stay home and away from others to prevent the spread of the virus."

Our contact tracers work hard every day to serve the public and prevent the spread of disease, said Health Department Administrator Becky Barnes. Please work with them when they call you. Please stay home when they ask. Contact tracing is one of the only tools we have to help prevent the spread of the disease. Your compliance will help save lives.

She said the Health Department stresses how important it is for people to take every opportunity available to protect themselves and their families. Just because a business is open, doesnt mean it is the best choice for your family to visit.

Health Department COVID-19 testing sites have been busy this week. Between Monday, June 1st and Friday, June 5th the Health Department conducted a combined 1,744 COVID-19 tests at the school testing sites891 tests were conducted at Brainerd High School and 853 tests were conducted at Orchard Knob Elementary. This is in addition to all of the other testing efforts going on in the county.

Testing will continue this weekend at Brainerd High School. The testing is free, no symptoms necessary, no referral needed, walk-up and drive-up available.

Brainerd High School

1020 N Moore Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37411

Hours: 7-11 a.m.

Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7

The school testing locations will move back to Hardy Elementary and East Lake Academy next week.

Hardy Elementary

2100 Glass St, Chattanooga, TN 37406

Monday-Sunday, June 8  June 14

Hours: 7-11 a.m.

East Lake Academy

2700 E 34th St, Chattanooga, TN 37407

Monday through Friday, June 8  June 12

Hours: 7-11 a.m.

The Health Department partnered with the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga to launch free COVID-19 testing at various church locations. Testing will begin this weekend at Mt. Canaan Baptist Church. The church testing sites will operate every weekend at different church locations through June.

Mt. Canaan Baptist Church

4801 Hwy. 58 Chattanooga, TN 37416

Saturday, June 6 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Sunday, June 7 from noon-3 p.m.

The Health Department partnered with the Kroger Health to facilitate a free drive-thru COVID-19 testing opportunity. Appointments are required to receive a test and can be scheduled via Kroger Healths online portal at www.krogerhealth.com/ covidtesting .

Northgate Mall - Parking Lot

271 Northgate Mall Drive, Chattanooga, TN

Wednesday, June 10 through Friday, June 12

Hours: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

The Health Department will be working with the National Guard to offer a drive-thru testing event June 12 and 13 in the Ooltewah area. Locations and times will be announced soon.

Visit the Health Departments website to view a list of testing events and sites. Anyone with COVID-19 questions may call the Health Departments hotline at (423) 209-8383.
Entitled Gretas Story: The Schoolgirl Who Went on Strike to Save the Planet, the book documents Greta's journey to fight for the environment, while giving readers an overview of Sweden, one of the leading countries in environmental protection and sustainable development.

The book was written by Valentina Camerini and illustrated by Veronica Carratello. The Vietnamese version was translated by Ha Minh Tu.

In August 2018, temperatures in Sweden reached record highs, fires raged across the country, and fifteen-year-old Greta decided to stop waiting for political leaders to take action. Instead of going to school on Friday, she made a sign and went on strike in front of Stockholms parliament building.

Gretas solo protest grew into the global Fridays for Future - or School Strike 4 Climate -movement, which millions of people have now joined. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Speaking at the ceremony, Pham Van Tan, Deputy Director of the Department of Climate Change under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment recalled that he was touched by Gretas speech at the UN's Climate Action Summit in September 2019.

He stressed that the Swedish schoolgirl has inspired millions of people around the world, particularly youngsters, to ask for governments, organisations and individuals to work harder for the environment.

The book documents Greta Thunberg's journey to fight for the environment (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)
LONDON - The British government faced criticism Saturday for another sudden change in its advice on face coverings that has left those running hospitals in England scrambling to work out how they will be able to meet the new requirements.

On Friday, as the World Health Organization broadened its recommendations for the use of masks, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said all hospital staff in England will have to wear surgical face masks from June 15 while visitors and outpatients will need to don some sort of face covering.

His announcement came a day after the government said face coverings, which can be made from any fabric, would be mandatory on public transport in England, from the same date to coincide with the planned reopening of nonessential shops such as department stores and electronic retailers.

The government, which notably did not recommend their use at the height of the pandemic, now says face coverings can provide some limited protection to others and help people avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.

The change in advice echoed developments elsewhere in Europe, where the guidance through the pandemic has often been confused and contradictory.

On Friday, the WHO said it is now advising that in areas where the virus is spreading, people should wear fabric masks when social distancing is not possible, such as on public transport and in shops.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS organizations including hospitals, said the British government appeared to be making last-minute decisions on the hoof that seem overly influenced by political considerations.

I think its the latest in a long line of announcements that have had a major impact on the way the NHS operates, in which those frontline organisations feel they have been left completely in the dark and they are then expected to make significant and complex operational changes either immediately or with very little notice, he told the BBC.

His criticism was echoed by the British Medical Association, which warned there was little detail on how the policy would be implemented, where the masks would come from or how outpatients and visitors would be given them.

While acknowledging that face coverings will play an important role in the next stage of the pandemic, the BMAs consultants committee chair Dr. Rob Harwood pointed to the consistent lack of personal protective equipment through the pandemic, which has seen more than 40,000 people die in the U.K. across all settings, including hospitals and care homes  the second-highest figure in the world.

It is absolutely crucial that the government ensures there are enough supplies of face masks for staff, and adequate provision of face coverings for outpatients and the public by June 15, he said.

The Department of Health and Social Care said NHS England, which oversees budget and planning issues, had been informed and that hospitals have all of next week to implement the changes.

Britain hasnt been the only country in Europe grappling with the merits of face coverings, unlike many countries in Asia where people are used to wearing masks.

In Germany, the federal government changed its message in April after the countrys 16 states made wearing basic fabric masks  also known in German as mouth-nose-covers or everyday masks  compulsory on public transport, in stores and public buildings such as libraries and local government offices. They have now become ubiquitous, as has the debate over how to deal with refuseniks.

And in Italy, where the pandemic in Europe took root, the public health messaging over masks has been mixed between regional and national authorities and seemingly more conditioned on the fact that during the peak of the outbreak, they were exceedingly hard to find.

Masks are now compulsory on public transport and in closed public spaces, such as stores and public transport. At restaurants customers are supposed to put them on, for example, if they get up from the table to use the restroom. And even though they are not required by law nationwide, most Italians are wearing them outdoors.

___

Frank Jordans in Berlin and Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.

-
Local Officials in Myanmar's Rakhine State Resign, Fearing Arrest by Military

2020-06-05 -- Dozens of village and ward administrators in a township in western Myanmar's war-scarred Rakhine state submitted their resignations on Friday out of fear of arbitrary arrest by the Myanmar military, following the recent detentions of three of their colleagues on terrorism charges.

Government soldiers have stepped up their seizures and arrests of village officials and other civilians in the state amid the 17-month armed conflict against the Arakan Army (AA), charging them under Myanmar's Counter-Terrorism Law for allegedly having ties to the outlawed rebel ethnic force.

Fifty-one village and ward administrators in Myebon township, one of several areas in northern Rakhine hit by heavy fighting, filed resignation letters at the township administration office, some of the officials told RFA. The township has 14 wards and 59 village tracts.

"We don't live in the conflict area," said one official in a section of the township, who requested anonymity out of concern for his safety. "We don't have connections to AA troops. We never interact with terrorist organizations, and we don't want them here."

"But if the authorities keep arresting us on grounds of suspicion [about having links to the AA], we will not able to perform our administrative functions," he added. "That's why we are resigning."

On Wednesday, military and police forces arrested Aung Than, a ward administrator from Myebon town, and villager Tin Tun believing them to have ties to the AA, officials said.

Four days earlier, security forces in Myebon township arrested Maung Zaw, administrator of A-ngu This village and Kyaw Myint, administrator of Ywa Thit Kay village, and charged them under two sections of the Counter-Terrorism Law for allegedly having connections to Arakan forces.

Family members of the two officials, who were remanded by Myebon Township Court on Wednesday, say the accusations against them are false.

Myebon township lawmaker Pe Than said he believes that authorities will prosecute the pair.

"Yesterday, the ward administrator from the Thae Tan area was asked to sign as witness to the discovery of two cell phones and documents as evidence from the two men," he said. "I think the authorities are working on charging them."

RFA could not reach Myebon township administrator Zarni Kyaw for comment.

Htay Maung, deputy director of Rakhine state's administrative department, said he did not know about the arrests, while Aung Than Zaw, commander of Myebon Township Police Station, said he could not respond to media inquiries over the phone.

Rule of law weakened

Pe Than said Friday's mass resignation of administrators would weaken the rule of law and order in the region.

"So far, three administrators have been arrested, and it has intimidated other village administrators," he said. "Some are fleeing from their homes. If several administrators quit, no one will perform the administrative functions, and it will weaken the rule of law."

"We need these administrators to secure peace and stability," he added. "Their resignations, caused by fear, are not good for the region or for the government."

Local residents said that Myanmar soldiers who have been posted to the police station in Myebon town since May have begun interrogations of administrators and others in the area, though the military was never previously in the region.

Myanmar military spokesman Brigadier Gen Zaw Min Tun told RFA on Wednesday that he interrogations of Htay Maung and Aung Than Zaw revealed that they have links to the AA, though a spokesman from the Arakan force denied it.

Scores of administrators resigned from their positions in Rakhine's Kyauktaw, Rathedaung, Mrauk-U, and Minbya townships in 2019, following the arrests of administrative officials amid the armed conflict.

Reported by RFA's Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.

Copyright  1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content June not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN  The Ann Arbor Farmers Market continues to re-open in stages, with the next steps coming in the next week.

The market has been open in limited capacity since May 9 due to the coronavirus pandemic and has slowly been re-introducing features. Soon, credit card tokens will be re-introduced and the market will return to its regular hours, said market manager Stephanie Stauffer. However, limitations will still be in place going forward.

Starting Saturday, June 6, credit card tokens will be accepted again. Stauffer said shoppers can usually walk up to the market office and use their cards to purchase token to spend at the store. But this service was suspended temporarily to minimize contact with staff from the public.

Then on Wednesday, June 10, the market will be back in its regular schedule, being open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Lately, the market was open only until noon, Stauffer said.

The market opened May 9 for curbside pickup only, then allowing on-site sales May 20, she said. The market has been allowing only essential items to be sold, such as produce, plants (including flowers), baked goods and hygiene products.

However, Stauffer said the market will slowly begin to bring back artisan vendors on Saturday, June 13. But to follow social distancing, the market will be limiting the number of vendors. Vendors who sold with the market for the longest will be brought back first and the market will move forward from there, Stauffer said.

Certain paths through the market will be one-way and all vendors and staff are required to wear masks, Stauffer said.

While the market has accepted Electronic Benefits Transfer cards in exchange for tokens to spend at the market in the past, it will now be accepting the new Pandemic EBT cards as well. These were introduced by state governments to help families with school-age children.

Stauffer is not sure when the market will be open in normal capacity or the status of their events like food truck rallies or cooking demonstrations.

Were not sure yet what the future holds, Stauffer said. Were trying to do our best and make sure all of our vendors economic livelihoods intact, as well as their health.
CAIRO - Egypts president Saturday announced a unilateral initiative to end the civil war in neighbouring Libya, a plan that was accepted by Khalifa Hifter, commander of the eastern forces that have suffered heavy losses in recent weeks.

President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi told a news conference in Cairo that his initiative includes a cease-fire starting Monday and is meant to pave the way for elections in oil-rich Libya. He warned against continuing to look for a military solution to the countrys crisis.

There can be no stability in Libya unless peaceful means to the crisis are found that include the unity and integrity of the national institutions, el-Sissi said. The initiative could be a new start in Libya.

There was no immediate comment from the U.N.-supported government based in Tripoli, Hifters rival. But a spokesman for the military forces allied with it said they would continue fighting to capture the city of Sirte, east of Tripoli, which Hifters forces took in January.

Mohamed Gnono said Tripoli-allied forces Saturday took control of the town of al-Washka east of the important port city of Misrata. We did not start this war, but it is we who will determine when and where it will end, he said.

The conference in Cairo was attended by Hifter and Aguila Saleh, speaker of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives. Several foreign diplomats, including U.S., Russian, French and Italian envoys attended. Hifter and Saleh are allies.

There were no representatives of the Tripoli-based administration, or of its main backers, Turkey and Qatar, at the conference.

Egypts initiative comes on the heels of Hifters major losses in western Libya and failure to carry on with a major offensive to seize control of Tripoli that Hifter launched in April last year.

The future of the conflict in Libya appears to be open to one of two scenarios: de-escalation or a full-blown proxy war with major regional and international powers involved in outright conflict.

It was yet to be seen whether the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord will continue to press eastward to seize control of the vital oil installations, terminals and fields that tribes allied with Hifter shut down earlier this year. The shut-down paralyzed the countrys major source of income.

El-Sissis plan also comes amid the backdrop of U.S. warnings against Russias fanning the flames of the conflict, saying that it could deploy its own forces in Tunisia to deter the Russians from destabilizing North Africa.

It also remained to be seen what will happen if the GNA turns down Egypts olive branch. Heavier involvement by Turkey in Libya could propel Egypt to act defensively by getting more involved militarily in Libya.

El-Sissi, who has backed Hifter in the war, said the initiative included the formation of a presidential council in which Libyas three regions would be represented. That council would rule the country during a 1 1/2-year transition period followed by elections.

The plan also includes the unification of all Libyan financial and oil institutions, and the disbanding of militias, so that the so-called Libyan National Army and other security agencies can carry out their responsibilities, el-Sissi said, without elaborating.

The Egyptian leader called for the withdrawal of all foreign fighters in Libya. Thousands of mercenaries, mostly form the war-torn Syria, have been fighting on both sides of the war.

Hifter said Saturday that Turkish intervention would increase regional and international polarization over Libya and prolong the conflict. He urged his host, el-Sissi, to work to force Turkey to withdraw its forces and the mercenaries it has sent.

Turkey is sponsoring terrorism in front of the world and is transferring terrorists from one place to another within the Middle East and North Africa, Hifter said. This will further complicate the solution of the Libyan crisis.

The United Arab Emirates, another main backer of Hifter, welcomed the initiative, saying the political solution was the only acceptable option to reach the desired stability and prosperity in Libya, according to state-run WAM news agency.

The U.S., Saudi Arabia and Jordan also welcomed the Egyptian plan. We call on all sides to participate in good faith to halt the fighting and return to the UN-led political negotiations, the U.S. Embassy in Libya tweeted.

Claudia Gazzini, a senior analyst with the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, said the Egypt initiative will be hard to sell.

Overall, a show of goodwill but difficult to see it  in its current form  gain much support in the GNA ranks, or in Ankara, she said.

Gazzini said the initiative left all the controversial issues that have impeded settlement in the past unresolved: No accountability. Only Hifters LAAF is referred to as Libyas security provider.

The chaos in the oil-rich country has worsened in recent months as foreign backers increasingly intervene, despite pledges to the contrary at a high-profile peace summit in Berlin earlier this year. Hifters offensive on Tripoli has deeply polarized the already divided country and aborted U.N. efforts to hold a peace conference more than a year ago.

The military tide has been reversed in recent weeks. His forces lost almost all the territory they had gained since the beginning of the Tripoli offensive after Turkey increased its support to an array of militias loosely allied with the Tripoli-based government.

Libya has been in turmoil since 2011 when a civil war toppled long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed.
Outraged protesters from Sydney to London continue rallies against racism and police brutality.

Taking a knee, banging drums and ignoring social distancing measures, outraged protesters from Sydney to London kicked off global rallies against racism and police brutality on Saturday.

The death at police hands of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man in the US state of Minnesota, has brought tens of thousands out onto the streets during a pandemic that is ebbing in Asia and Europe but still spreading in other parts of the world.

It is time to burn down institutional racism, one speaker shouted through a megaphone outside the Parliament building in London.

Silence is violence, the throng shouted back in the rain.

Officials around the world have been trying to balance understanding at peoples pent-up anger with warnings about the dangers of a disease that has officially claimed nearly 400,000 lives globally.

Yet tens of thousands of Australians defied Prime Minister Scott Morrisons call to find a better way, and thousands more in the United Kingdom ignored the health ministers warning that the coronavirus remains a real threat.

We want justice. We want to breathe, hundreds chanted in Tunis, as demonstrations convulsing US cities spilled out across the world.

Are you sure of your silence, asked a poster of a man laying a pink rose at a memorial set up outside the presidents office in Pretoria, South Africa.

Protesters hold placards as they demonstrate outside the US embassy in Pretoria, South Africa [Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters]

In Paris, riot police held back a crowd of several thousand who gathered outside the US embassy compound for an unsanctioned protest.

I find it scandalous that all these injustices go unpunished, Dior, a 21-year-old Senegalese-Ivorian student, said amidst crowds holding up placards reading Being black is not a crime and Our police are assassins.

How many more? asked a poster held up in a crowd of thousands in Frankfurt.

In North Carolina, a long line of cars snaked its way down a highway as mourners arrived for a viewing and memorial service at a church not far from Floyds hometown.

And tens of thousands were again expected in Washington, DC where Mayor Muriel Bowse renamed the area outside the White House Black Lives Matter Plaza.
SEOUL, South Korea, June 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- How should universities evolve and innovate as the world enters a new phase with the fourth industrial revolution, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic? World's Universities with Real Impact (WURI) invites educators, researchers, data scientists, and professionals of diverse fields to engage in answering this complex question at a virtual conference to be held on June 11, 3 pm Central European Summer Time (CEST) and 10 pm Korea Standard Time (KST).

World Universities with Real Impact (WURI) for 2020

WURI is a new university ranking system which was announced to be developed last year at the 2nd Hanseatic League of Universities (HLU) Conference held at Incheon National University, South Korea, to overcome the limitations of existing methods of evaluating and ranking universities. According to WURI, the existing university rankings heavily weigh on research performance, measured by the number of research papers, and traditional methods of knowledge-transfer. Therefore, they do not properly assess agile and innovative programs of universities in the current era of change.

The need for a new approach to evaluate the institutions of higher education has long been voiced by the society. Particularly with the advent of the 4th industrial revolution that shifted our perspectives on human talent and management, educators and institutions have been gearing efforts to change school programs and curricula to meet the demands of the corporate world and society. Minerva Schools is a good example. Currently, without having any classrooms in seven different countries they operate in, Minerva Schools has dorms for the students to dwell in while focusing on education for business ventures and industry competitiveness.

The existing rankings provide important insight into the research efforts of universities; however, they inadequately represent the overall social impact by the universities as effective educational institutions. To meet this need, WURI was developed as an alternative system for extant university rankings, which examines the innovative programs of universities. WURI ranking has three core evaluation categories and a new one which is added each year. For 2020 ranking, the four categories WURI highlights are as follows:

Industrial applications, rather than the traditional ways of counting research papers and lecture-type teaching. Value-creating startups and entrepreneurship, rather than a traditional focus on the number of jobs filled. Social responsibility, ethics, and integrity, rather than a focus on knowledge and skills just for material success. Student mobility and openness for exchange and collaboration between schools and across national borders, rather than an independent yet closed system.

Based on expert surveys from the university presidents, chancellors, and representatives, the WURI evaluation system adopted the Text Informational Analysis (TIA) for the qualitative aspects of analysis. In addition, the data collected by WURI to generate the rankings will be shared on Kaggle, the global platform for data sharing and prediction model development, in order to open the data on university performance to the public and facilitate participation of data scientists around the world in refining the system.

This is an exciting development that promotes universities to innovate the way they foster human capital for the changing world and utilize their resources most efficiently and meaningfully.

The inaugural virtual conference on June 11 will introduce the new ranking system and provide an outlook on the challenges and opportunities for higher education institutions. This will be a valuable chance to learn about the innovative practices of universities that preceding rankings did not reflect and to participate in discussion with experts and professionals around the world on universities' role in the future.

The event is organized by four global institutions:

Hanseatic League of Universities (HLU)

Institute for Policy and Strategy on National Competitiveness (IPSNC)

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

Taylor Institute (TI) of Franklin University in Switzerland (FUS)

To register, please click this link: http://bitly.kr/59TWCBeJMr

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A New Ranking for Innovative Universities

World Universities with Real Impact (WURI) for 2020

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http://www.wuri.world/index.php/wuri

SOURCE IPSNC
A New Jersey State Police trooper was charged Friday with stalking a woman he had pulled over on the New Jersey Turnpike after stopping her a second time and then followed her home in his patrol car while on duty, authorities said.

Michael Patterson, 28, of Bayonne was charged with crime of deprivation of civil rights, stalking and tampering with public records, the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office announced Friday.

An investigation revealed that Patterson stopped the woman on the Turnpike on Jan. 28 around 9:30 a.m. for an unspecified reason and then let her go with a warning, the office said.

However, he then conducted a second, unwarranted stop a few minutes later after she exited the highway at Exit 11 in order to make unwanted advances" on her, officials said.

Patterson disabled the Digital In-Vehicle Recorder in his car to prevent his actions from being recorded during the second stop, the office said.

He then followed her home in his patrol car, authorities said.

The investigation is being handled by attorney generals office of public integrity and accountability which filed the criminal charges Friday and was prosecuting the case.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
The spread of COVID-19 has affected the Yemini citizens with the infection of half the population and deaths of more than 40,000 Yeminis.

"There's a lot of anxiety and frustration dominating my neighborhood and social network. Many of the people around me are fearful, and there is talk about the tragic way a person with this virus can die, and the suffering of the victim and his family," shared a secret believer, Shoki.

Many Yemenis have very limited resources and are unable to afford medical care and if they so seek medical care, they seek it during the latest stages of an illness, making treatment and recovery even more burdensome.

Some Yeminis do not seek testing or treatment and are not reporting suspected cases at all in fear of the stigma of COVID-19 in Yemen.

"We've seen videos of health authorities in the northern areas dealing with the suspected cases that are reported to them, and they are arresting the people as if they are criminals," said Ali, a Christian.

The COVID-19 stigma in Yemen is that once contaminated with the virus, the government tries to get rid of the contaminated people, discouraging true treatment and only executing the removal of the virus.

"The quarantine conditions were terrible; there weren't enough bathrooms and not enough space for the number of people, Shoki added.

However, Shoki believes this hardship is bringing believers in Yemen closer to Jesus.

"I've noticed how believers are a blessing, as they talk about how to deal with this pandemic in a spirit of hope, encouragement and prayer."

Believers are trying their best to keep protective measures by staying home and keeping a social distance.

A believing woman in Yemen shared, "We pray for each other that the Lord Jesus will deliver us from this pandemic. It has brought us closer to Him and brought us closer to each other as His children in Yemen. We're trying to spend more time with our children, teaching them and praying together and praying for the salvation of our people."

Another believer named Hasan shared how he used his time during the pandemic in a statement, "A lot of people complain about emptiness and boredom because of the need to stay at home more, but I've found it to be a valuable opportunity to pray, draw closer to God, and feel the affection of His hand outstretched to His children."

Despite the hardships that Yemenis are facing, they are embracing this time as an opportunity to draw closer to and to focus on God. We pray for believers all around the world that they be humbled and inspired by the prayers of the Yemenis at this time. We also pray for the Yemenis to gain strength to fight through this pandemic by putting all their faith in God.
India insisted on 'complete disengagement' in all its talks with China on eastern Ladakh row: Govt

Handshake, breakfast, formal meet: What to expect from the Indo-China talks today

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 06: Both India and China have agreed that the differences between the two sides should be handled in accordance with the guidance provided by their leadership.

The informal meeting begins at 9 am and this would be followed by a breakfast event for the officials. Following this, the formal delegation-level talks would begin.

An immediate breakthrough may not be possible following the crucial Indo-China Lt. General talks.

Military standoff in Ladakh: India, China agree to handle 'differences' through talks

LAC talks: Military commanders of India-China meet to defuse border tension | Oneindia News

Sources tell OneIndia that the talks to be held tomorrow is a positive development. It will set the ground work, but to say that the issue will be totally resolved post June 6 is not correct. We are being realistic about it and we are positive about the outcome of the talks tomorrow, the source also added.

Lt General Harinder Singh would lead the Indian delegation for the talks to be held on June 6. Lt. General Singh would make the opening statement at the talks that would be held at the Chinese Border Personnel Meeting hut in Chushul Moldo.

The primary objective would be to restore status quo ante in the disputed areas, both at Pangong Tso and in the Hot Spring sector. A source familiar with the developments tells OneIndia that both sides should go back to their deployment prior to the arising of this situation.

The talks would be progressive in nature and the idea would be to build mutual trust and also reduce tensions between the two sides. A proposal for the withdrawal of artillery guns and talks from the rear areas by both sides would also be put forth.

Amidst standoff, China appoints new PLA Army commander for overseeing India border

Lt. General Singh will be accompanied by the chief of the 3rd Infantry Division, a brigade commander, the commanding officers of a local battalion and a translator. Although it remains unclear as of now, the source cited above said that the talks could also figure the north bank of Pangong Tso and the area to its north till the Galwan Valley, where tensions have been high.

China on Wednesday emphasised that there was no need for the intervention of a "third party" to resolve its current standoff with India as the two neighbours have full-fledged border-related mechanisms and communication channels to sort out their differences through dialogue.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here that China's position on the border issue with India was "consistent and clear" and both the countries have "earnestly" implemented the important consensus reached between their leaders.

Lt. Gen talks with China, a positive step forward, but expect no immediate resolution

Zhao was replying to a question about the phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump during which the two leaders also discussed the border standoff between India and China.

"Now the situation there (at India-China border) is overall stable and controllable. China and India have full-fledged border-related mechanisms and communication channel. We have the capability to resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiation," Zhao said.
Shared desks and free-flowing pantries may run counter to social distancing, but WeWork says enterprise clients are increasingly opting for the flexibility of its office spaces, as companies reimagine the workplace amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking to Yahoo Finance, chief product and experience officer Hamid Hashemi said the company is seeing greater demand net-net, even as independent workers and smaller businesses move out, to cut costs.

Enterprise is about 46% of our business now. We expect that number to grow to 70% to 75% of our revenue over the next 12 months, just because of the demand thats there, Hashemi said.

Commercial real estate firms are scrambling to redesign office spaces to address health concerns, as companies begin to ease employees back into the workplace. While those like Cushman and Wakefield have developed prototypes with layouts that encourage social distancing, WeWork has positioned itself as an alternative, for companies looking for more flexibility and a smaller footprint.

WeWork offices are shown, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020 in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Repositioning employees

The company recently unveiled software that helps human resources departments map out the closest WeWork locations for employees, enabling teams to work together without commuting into larger offices. The service is currently being beta tested in London, and will be rolled out in the U.S. this year, Hashemi said.

If you have 4,000 people, they dont all have to be in one or two locations, he said. This software will tell you automatically about how you can reposition. You can put in the parameters ... You can think of the city as a campus.

With the timeline for a COVID-19 vaccine still in doubt, Hashemi said enterprise clients are increasingly treating workspace changes as a variable cost. Limiting employee commutes on public transit is also a key concern, to prevent infections from spreading. WeWorks short-term leases and its large footprint, 828 locations in 38 countries, allows companies to adapt to their needs, he said.

Story continues

Demand for flexible space even greater

The largest private renter of New York office space, WeWork is looking to bounce back under new leadership, after a tumultuous year. The company nearly collapsed after investors pushed back against its high valuation and questionable balance sheet, in a failed IPO attempt. That led to founder Adam Neuman being forced out.

Earlier this week, investors filed a class action lawsuit alleging the company, under Neuman, downplayed its losses as strategic investment spending that would lay the foundation for profitability.

The interview with Hashemi was conducted prior to the filing.

The company remains in a precarious position, both as a tenant and a landlord in the midst of the economic downturn. In a recent interview with CNBC, CEO Sandeep Mathrani said the company paid rent at more than 80% of its locations in April and May, while it collected over 70% of its rents from tenants. Hashemi said the firm was handling requests for rent deferrals on a case by case basis, adding that there is only so much we can do.

Social distancing measures along with cleaning and disinfectant services have only added to the costs, though the company said it has not passed that onto members yet.

Even with all of the headwinds, Hashemi said WeWork is moving ahead with expansion plans, as scheduled. The company plans to open 80 to 90 new office spaces before the end of the year, with additional buildings in the pipeline for next year.



We truly believe and firmly believe that the demand for flexible space is going to be much greater, Hashemi said. People have recognized that you dont have to have a corporate headquarter with 5 thousand people or 4 thousand people. You certainly can work remotely.

Akiko Fujita is an anchor and reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @AkikoFujita
Libyas Government of National Accord (GNA) has recaptured the strategic town of Bani Walid in the countrys northwest from the forces of renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar.

The latest development comes a day after the UN-recognised government seized the city of Tarhuna, Haftars last stronghold in northwestern Libya, which was used as the main launchpad against the capital, Tripoli. Fridays defeat inflicts serious blows to Haftars 14-month offensive to capture Tripoli.

Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Abdelwahed said Bani Walid was handed over to the GNA peacefully.

Life to a great extent is normal in Bani Walid, he said, speaking from Tripoli. The government forces entered the town without any fighting because of the cooperation of the elders council, the mayor and the civilians with the government forces.

Haftars forces, he added, left the town before the GNA forces approached the northern borders of the town.

The GNA is now setting its sights on Sirte, the hometown of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi, and has announced a new offensive to recapture the city by deploying reinforcements around the Abu Grein area, Abdelwahed said.

The military move on the city of Sirte came after peaceful talks to hand over the city failed, he said. We are also getting reports that the government air force in Abu Grein targeted UAE military-supplied vehicles for Haftars forces.

In March, the Libyan government launched Operation Peace Storm to counter attacks on the capital and recently regained strategic locations, including the al-Watiya airbase, in the countrys west.

Turkeys military support, particularly its drone force, to the GNA seems to have turned the tide against Haftar forces in recent months.

But analysts say the GNAs military gains do not mark the end of Libyas war but a return to the status quo before the launch of the Tripoli offensive last year.

Egypts Libya initiatiave

Haftars self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) still controls large swaths of territory in the east, where there is a parallel administration, and large parts of the south, where the main oil fields are located.

Egypt, along with the United Arab Emirates and Russia have provided support for Haftar, but that backing has been outweighed in recent months by Turkish military backing for the GNA.

Hundreds of people have been killed and another 200,000 driven from their homes since Haftar launched his assault last April, pledging to cleanse the capital of the terrorist militias he said.

On Saturday, Egypts President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced a new initiative for Libya alongside Haftar and Aguila Saleh, the leader of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives, which proposes an elected leadership council and a ceasefire starting on June 8.

Sisi said the initiative included a call for negotiations in Geneva and the exit of all foreign fighters from Libya.

Speaking from Cairo, Haftar said the LNA will expel the mercenaries from Libya in order to achieve the hopes and aspirations of the Libyan people to have a new day of prosperity.

The Libyan army is trying to restore the country, Haftar said. We need to expel Turkey from Libya. The Turkish intervention in Libya will seek to increase the polarisation in our country within the framework of supporting the non-constitutional government of accord with more weapons and mercenaries.

This will also increase polarization in the region around Libya, he added. This will prolong the conflict and will not lead to ways to sort out the problems and will postpone the hopes of building a new Libyan country.

For his part, Saleh said the task of the LNA is to fight the terrorist groups and to get rid of the militias.

We have taken a step backwards in order to stop fighting and we accepted the truce but until now the other party has not committed itself to the truce, he said, referring to the GNA.

I urge the Libyans to forget about the past, and for the political powers and others to take a step backwards in order to deal together as Libyans, he continued. I wish all the Libyans will cooperate with each other in order to get rid of this crisis with the support of Egypt and its president.
A man has been accused of tricking his daughters into undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM) after telling them the doctor was visiting for coronavirus vaccinations.

Authorities in Egypt have said they will prosecute the father of the three girls - all minors - who have claimed they were misled into having the procedure.

The children were expecting to be vaccinated against Covid-19, but were instead injected with a drug that knocked them out and then operated on, the public prosecutors office said.

The mother  who is divorced from their father  notified authorities after the girls told her what had happened.

Egypt criminalised FGM in 2016, after the practice was banned eight years before.

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The public prosecutors office said it has ordered the referral of the doctor  charged with performing the procedure  and father  charged with assisting him in the alleged crime  to an urgent criminal trial.

Doctors who carry out FGM can now be jailed for up to seven years in Egypt. Anyone who asked for it to be performed could face up to three years in prison.

However, no one has been successfully prosecuted under the 2016 law and womens rights groups in Egypt have said the ban has not been well enforced.

A 2016 survey by the UN Childrens Fund showed 87 per cent of Egyptian women and girls aged 15-49 had undergone FGM, which is widely practised by both Christians and Muslims in the country.

Womens rights campaigners said the mothers decision to report the crime showed awareness of the damage FGM does was increasing and welcomed what they said was decisive action by the authorities.

It is encouraging that authorities have started to take action against female genital mutilation and that girls and mothers have become more aware of the dangers of the procedure, said Entessar el-Saeed, head of the Cairo Centre for Development and Law.

The head of Egypts National Council for Women, Maya Morsi, also welcomed the swift prosecution, tweeting that there should be no tolerance for the practice.

The ritual  which typically involves the partial or total removal of the external genitalia  is recognised as a human rights violation.

It can cause long-lasting mental and physical health problems including chronic infections, menstrual problems, infertility, pregnancy and childbirth complications.

At least 200 million girls have undergone FGM across more than 30 countries, according to Unicef, who added there are no exact worldwide figures.

Additional reporting by Thomson Reuters Foundation
A vigorous argument has erupted over the proper way to restore order in the face of riots, arson, and looting following the death of George Floyd. Should local police be supplemented by the National Guard, or by the Army, or would that make things worse?

Tom Cotton led the charge for the Send In the Troops position in a much-debated op-ed for the New York Times. Cotton is right that federal law gives the president the authority to use military force against domestic disorder. That authority is explicitly laid out in the Constitution, has been invoked and incorporated in federal legislation dating all the way back to George Washingtons presidency, and is currently governed by the Insurrection Act passed in 1807 and signed into law by Thomas Jefferson. Abraham Lincoln used the army to restore order in New Yorks draft riots in 1863, dispatching combat veterans directly from the battlefield in Gettysburg. In modern times, the Insurrection Act has been invoked by Dwight Eisenhower and Lyndon Johnson against resistance to racial integration, and by George H. W. Bush to restore order in the Los Angeles riots in 1992, whose origins were similar to todays crisis.

There is nothing un-American or fascist about such a longstanding backstop against chaos. Our constitution itself was written in response to a rebellion in Massachusetts that had to be suppressed solely by state authorities because the federal government was too weak to help. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were not fascists for using military force when it was necessary to end rebellions and riots.

Reaching for the Army, however, should be a last resort. Prudence counsels against Cottons proposal, for now. Where police are unable to handle riots, states can call up the National Guard. Minneapolis, the center of the storm, has done this, with some success. Bill de Blasio has refused to do so, and New York City has paid the price. Only where the Guard proves inadequate to the task should the regular military be called in.

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We therefore share some of the concerns aired by James Mattis, especially his view that only in the most extraordinary circumstances should the Army be called in over the objections of state and local officials. But Mattis is wrong to paint all military assistance to law enforcement as a mission to violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens that necessarily erodes the moral ground that ensures a trusted bond between men and women in uniform and the society they are sworn to protect. In fact, plenty of Americans support it. A Morning Consult poll found earlier this week that 58 percent of registered voters supported cities calling in the military to supplement city police forces, including 48 percent of Democrats and 37 percent of black voters. 71 percent supported their calling in the National Guard. A more recent poll found that support for a military presence has declined since then, but that most Americans still support calling in the Guard. Voters, even those who support the peaceful protests, want an end to riot and disorder.

We respect General Mattiss military service and judgment and his desire to keep the military out of politics, but we think Dwight Eisenhower understood better that the Armys mission cannot be completely detached from the domestic tranquility of the nation it serves. It may have been divisive for Eisenhower to send the 101st Airborne into Little Rock over the governors objections, but it was necessary.

As for the political fallout of Mattiss broadsides against Donald Trump, the president now complains that the former secretary of defense is disloyal and incompetent and should never have been hired (and falsely says he fired him, when Mattis quit). Trump has said much the same about his own former secretary of state, attorney general, and White House chiefs of staff, among others. Even the best presidents take criticism from some disgruntled former advisers, but Trump has nobody to blame but himself for his own appointments, for his profligacy in hiring, firing, and insulting them, and for the justified reasons they have for criticizing him.

Finally, the Times is wrong about, well, adulthood. The publication of Cottons op-ed led the papers woke young staff to hit the fainting couches, shrieking that the mere appearance in their pages was a threat to their physical safety. Never mind that Cottons opinion is shared by broad swathes of the public and backed by two centuries of American law; the Times management was forced into an auto-da-fe of self-flagellation and confession of sin for publishing it. The campus culture of youthful tantrums, and adults too cowed to stand up to it, has now thoroughly infected major institutions such as the Times. How far it has fallen from 1863, when the Times itself defended its building from a lynch mob with three Gatling guns borrowed from the Union Army.

Just as ominously, the Times reported: Three Times journalists, who declined to be identified by name, said they had informed their editors that sources told them they would no longer provide them with information because of the Op-Ed. A newspaper run by its angriest staffers is bad enough; a newspaper that lets powerful sources dictate its opinions may as well fold up shop.

These are times that call for cooler heads. They are in short supply all around.

More from National Review
By PTI

SRINAGAR: Around 800 Kashmiris stranded in Dubai due to the COVID-19 outbreak have arranged two chartered flights for their return to the Valley and urged the Indian government to expedite the clearance for their landing in Srinagar.

They say they have been appealing to the Centre to evacuate them to the Valley as they were facing severe problems surviving there without jobs.

They say they are under distress with some of them facing medical emergencies, visa issues and others running out of money and other means.

Sajad Ahmad, one of the stranded Kashmiris, said that so far only one flight under the government's Vande Bharat Mission has been operated from Dubai.

The first flight under the mission was in May and another is scheduled for June 11 in which about 150 of them are being brought back, he said.

"My visa has been cancelled by the company because of coronavirus. It has been three months without any salary. Now I do not have any money left," he said.

Another Kashmiri, who did not wish to be identified, said most of them have no sources of income and they depend on some well-to-do Kashmiri families there who are providing them food.

"There are many medical emergencies including pregnant women. Many people have lost jobs, some have visit visas and we have no sources of survival left now," he said, appealing for help.

They said they have now arranged two chartered flights from Dubai to Srinagar and want the government to expedite the procedure for approving their landings at the airport here.

"We have somehow managed, by pooling money, to arrange and then secure an approval for non-stop chartered flights to be operated by Fly Dubai on June 9 and 10. The dates are pending approval by the authorities in Dubai and Srinagar airports. All other formalities have been completed," Aamir Rafiq, who is among those stranded in Dubai, claimed.

Officials at the Srinagar airport also said the airport authorities have been approached regarding the chartered flights.

However, a decision on them has to be taken by the ministries of external affairs, defence, civil aviation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Authority of India in consultation with the civil administration here, they said.

"This is not something directly under the authority of Srinagar airport. For any international flight, the approval of the MEA is a must. Then, since this airport is a defence airfield, the approval of MoD (Ministry of Defence) is also required," an official at the airport said.

He said the permission of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA is also required for such a flight to land at any airport in the country.

"After securing the permission from these four, it goes to an apex team which includes AAI and Air Force for slot availability. Then, the civil administration is required to approve the flight landing because it is COVID time and it has to be checked whether they can handle the flight on a given day and time or not," he said.

The official said the Srinagar airport has no problem in permitting the flights to land once the required approvals are secured.
Twenty-six people were killed and a village burned in the volatile Mopti region in central Mali on Friday, according to officials.

The attack targeted a Fulani village Binedama, said Aly Barry, an official from Tabital Pulaaku, a Fulani association. Two other local officials confirmed the attack and the death toll to the AFP news agency, adding that the village was torched and its chief killed.

A local government official in Koro, a subdivision of the Mopti region, told AFP that the attack on Binedama occurred on Friday afternoon.

Two women and a nine-year-old girl were among those killed, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Moulaye Guindo, the mayor of the commune of Bankass, which neighbours the commune to which Binedama belongs, said between 20 and 30 people were killed by men in military attire, according to the Reuters news agency.

The attack comes at a time of mounting insecurity in Mali, rising popular discontent with the government, and increasing reports of abuses committed by the countrys armed forces.

As is common with many attacks in conflict-riven and remote Sahel region, it was not immediately clear who the perpetrators were. No group has yet claimed responsibility.

Mali, a nation of some 19 million people, has been in the grips of a rebellion since 2012, when hardliner fighters commandeered an initially separatist rebellion by ethnic Tuaregs in the north.

The conflict  which has killed thousands of soldiers and civilians to date  has since spread to central Mali, as well as to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

The ethnic mosaic of central Mali has become a flashpoint. Fighters regularly attack military targets in the region, where fighting has inflamed ethnic tensions.
Bentley is cutting a quarter of its workforce  taking job losses in the car industry to 5,000 in just weeks.

The Crewe-based luxury car maker is shedding 1,000 of its 4,200 strong workforce having been forced to shut down production during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The announcement follows 3,000 job losses at Aston Martin, McLaren and car dealership Lookers in recent days.

Job cuts: Crewe-based luxury car maker Bentley is shedding 1,000 of its 4,200 strong workforce having been forced to shut down production during the Covid-19 lockdown

And Unions estimate at least 1,000 further jobs have been cut across the motor industry as the coronavirus crisis bites.

Bentley said its recovery programme launched in 2018 has been 'derailed by the impact of the pandemic'.

Bentley  a car beloved of wealthy drivers such as the Beckhams,  has already stopped hiring, released contractors, frozen pay and put two-thirds of its workforce on furlough.

It said a 'clear conclusion was that an urgent reduction in the workforce was unfortunately required'.

Union Unite said it was 'another heavy blow' for the automotive industry following a series of job losses caused by the Covid-19 crisis.
District of Columbia

Nomination sewn up by Biden, results show

WASHINGTON  Joe Biden has formally clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, setting him up for a bruising challenge to President Trump that will play out against the unprecedented backdrop of a pandemic, economic collapse and civil unrest.

The former vice president has effectively been his partys leader since his last challenger in the Democratic primary, Bernie Sanders, ended his campaign in April. But Biden pulled together the 1,991 delegates needed to become the nominee Friday after seven states and the District of Columbia held presidential primaries Tuesday.

As the states that voted Tuesday updated their results, a team of analysts at The Associated Press parsed the votes into the correct congressional districts so the delegates could be allocated between Biden and Bernie Sanders.

The process led the AP to allocate 21 delegates to Biden late Friday. Biden now has a total of 2,004 delegates. It takes 1,991 delegates to win the nomination on the first ballot at the Democratic National Convention.

New York
San Antonio police dispelled rumors of an active shooter downtown on Friday afternoon.

"Please be advised that there is a Twitter post stating theres an active shooter at Travis Park, this is not the case, there is not an active shooter at Travis Park," a San Antonio Police Department spokesperson said.

Shortly after 4 p.m. Friday, several Twitter posts claimed that someone was shooting at the downtown park.

Protests against police brutality are taking place downtown and will continue into the evening.
We're breaking down what you need to know about the pandemic. Send us your questions via email at COVID@cbc.ca and we'll answer as many as we can. We'll publish a selection of answers every weekday on our website, and we're also putting some of your questions to the experts on the air during The National and on CBC News Network. So far we've received more than 44,000 emails from all corners of the country.

Is it safe to stay in Canadian hotels or motels?

The weather is getting warmer across the country, and pandemic-fatigued Canadians are itching to get out of the house.

But many of you, like Angela Y., have emailed us to ask if it's OK to book a hotel room.

The answer depends on the precautions you take before, during and after your stay.

In Canada, many hotels are tightening their cleaning protocols in the hopes of welcoming travellers  especially after the industry was hammered by the pandemic.

The Hotel Association of Canada and the American Hotel and Lodging Association released joint health and safety protocols to help the industry adapt to new pandemic standards.

"These enhanced protocols might include [more frequent disinfecting] of common touch surfaces like door handles, light switches, remote controls, faucets," said Susie Grynol, president and CEO of the Hotel Association of Canada.

"And in a room where we have surfaces that are difficult to clean, like throw pillows, bedspreads, the pen and pad of paper, the magazines  some of these items might be removed altogether."

If you are booking a stay, what are some things you can do to protect yourself?

Firstly, don't be afraid to ask the hotel what they're doing to keep everything clean.

Before you book a room, you should ask the hotel what their cleaning rituals are and how they're managing physical distancing, said Melissa Brouwers, a health services researcher and director of the University of Ottawa's School of Epidemiology and Public Health.

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Another question to ask, according to Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto, is if they're leaving rooms empty for a period of time after each guest has stayed there.

"If you can determine that the premises have been empty for three days, it's safe," Furness said. "If you cannot make this determination, then use disinfecting wipes on all common touch surfaces: door knobs, light switches, taps, handles, remote controls, and so forth."

Bring your own disinfectant wipes  just to be safe.

David Becker/Getty Images

"You want to think about high-touch surfaces," said Earl Brown, an emeritus professor of virology at University of Ottawa. "Everybody comes in and flicks the switch. They push the plunger on the toilet. They use the night table. They should be swabbed down, but if they're not ... you can swab them down yourself."

Beyond cleanliness, Furness said it's important to keep in mind that in a hotel, you may end up sharing tight spaces with other guests.

"If there are shared hallways, then face masks and physical distancing are important," he said. "Elevators are probably the biggest area of risk."

Furness recommends waiting for an empty elevator or choosing a hotel that manages elevator traffic responsibly. He also suggests using the stairs when possible and requesting a room on a lower floor so you can minimize elevator and stairwell travel.

"If you're somewhere with a shared entry door for multiple units ... you should always use hand sanitizer right after you enter," he said.

As for the hotel's air quality, Brown said you shouldn't need to worry.

"In a circulating system in a hotel it's gone through ductwork. It's been diluted, so it's very unlikely you're going to have a problem with recirculating air."

Do you have a question about life during the pandemic? Email us at COVID@cbc.ca

Can I travel to another province? Will I have to isolate?

Canada is slowly reopening, and that has readers like Sandra W. wondering if you're allowed to make trips to other provinces.

The answer is it depends on where you live and where you're going.

While some government-imposed measures are being eased, many checkpoints and travel restrictions across the country remain in place.

Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan aren't banning travellers from other provinces or mandating that they self-isolate for 14 days. However, they all advise against non-essential travel at this time.

Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press

Manitoba and Nova Scotia haven't shut their borders either. But anyone visiting  or returning from a trip to another province  must self-isolate for 14 days.

Quebec, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have restricted non-essential travel to certain remote northern regions in their province to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and the territories are currently banning visitors from other provinces. But Prince Edward Island is making an exception for some out-of-towners: Canadians with seasonal properties on P.E.I. can request entry by submitting an application.

New Brunswick will allow travellers, such as P.E.I. cottage owners, to drive through its province to reach their destination  after they're screened at checkpoints.

Residents in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and P.E.I. can visit other parts of Canada, but must self-isolate for 14 days upon their return.

Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon are banning non-essential travel to their regions, and returning travellers must self-isolate for 14 days. Nunavut residents must complete their self-isolation at a designated site outside the territory before returning.

Yukon plans to allow people to travel between the territory and neighbouring B.C. with no restrictions starting in July.

And what about travelling inside your own province?

While the rules are generally non-binding, the advice from most officials across the country is the same  just because regions have reopened does not mean you should be travelling, especially if you don't have a good reason to.

The message is to use your judgment, consider the hotspots, and consult local authorities before heading out. When will international travel be OK?

After a long spring in isolation, many Canadians, including Wendi L., are dreaming about summer vacation plans. But if you're thinking about travelling outside Canada, COVID-19 restrictions could complicate your trip.

Technically, Canadians can still travel abroad, despite the Canadian government's advisory warning against all non-essential international travel. (And people are still arriving here too.) But Canadians looking to leave may struggle to find flights and their travel insurance likely won't cover their medical bills if they fall ill with COVID-19.

Some travel destinations plan to start welcoming back tourists in June. But travellers may face stiff entry requirements, like getting a test to prove you're virus-free before flying. And don't forget, when you get home, international travellers will also have to self-isolate for 14 days.

If you're thinking about going state-side, think again. The Canada-U.S. border remains closed to tourists crossing by land until June 21. And that date could be extended if the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. remains a concern.

You can read more about travelling outside Canada here.

Thursday we answered questions about cell phones and singing.

Keep your questions coming by emailing us at COVID@cbc.ca.
This piece was originally published on Just Security, an online forum for analysis of U.S. national security law and policy.

There is a free speech problem online, but President Donald Trump is not the victim. His May 28 executive order was clearly intended to dominate social media companies. It was a tantrum in legalese, in response to Twitters mild fact-checking of his lie about nonexistent voter fraudone of the few categories of lies that digital platforms say they take seriously. While incoherent and spiteful, the order has already done constitutional damage by retaliating against a private company for its views. This way lies the evisceration of speech rights and skittish platforms prostrated to power.

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When President Richard Nixon wanted to stop CBS News and the Washington Post from covering Watergate, he tried to use the Federal Communications Commission to strong-arm the media companies by threatening their broadcast licenses. (The Posts then-parent company also operated TV stations.) The rule of law and respect for the First Amendment put an end to that gambit. Trumps retaliation against Twitter, again invoking the FCC, is an even more blatant power grab that capitalizes on confusion about the roles of digital platforms and the government when it comes to free speech. While Twitter is a private editor and can label, remove, or screen speech at willsomething the Trump administration itself has relied on when blocking followersthe White House is constrained.

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No one wants a digital platform to be an arbiter of truththe taunt Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg used to chide Twitter over its election fraud fact-checking and presumably to excuse his own companys decision to allow false political advertising and ignore many significant offline harms. But the fact is, digital platforms make content choices all the time. Facebook itself decides what is true when it removes false pandemic information and commits itself to certain platform values. A platform that was truly passive would almost certainly have a lot more porn and extremism of the sort that have made 4chan and 8chan notorious. In addition to their terms of service and values, the major digital platforms all prioritize content according to proprietary algorithms that decide what people get to see.

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Neither the president nor anyone else has a constitutional right to speak on or to be amplified by these platforms. At the same time, people must be able to speak and to access credible information, especially during a pandemic, protests, and elections. But platform algorithms that prioritize engagement are not too interested in whats true or who gets to be heard. Disinformation and harassment flourish, while credible information struggles to penetrate. Public officials have been largely exempt from even the milquetoast rules calling out mendacity and incitement on the platforms. Individuals and entities with the most power are the least accountable to platform rules.

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Trumps executive order would exacerbate online power dynamics by unconstitutionally leveraging the power of the government to decide who deserves privileged treatment. It would enlist federal agencies to decide which platforms and which content is immune from liability.

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The victims of platform power are average citizens who are pushed toward division and conspiracy, and who are denied real news as Googles and Facebooks ad practices drain local journalism of its lifeblood and algorithmically depress its salience. Citizens have no idea in many cases who is pushing messages at them or how personalized propaganda is tailored to them. While digital platforms say they want to promote meaningful conversation or community, they have never owned up to their role as our new media gatekeepers. And they fail to provide transparency about their surveillance and targeting of users, their algorithmic recommendations, and their choices about fact-checking, promoting, demoting, or removing disinformation.

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Twitter, at long last, is taking steps to protect election information and depress threats of violence. The company finally placed a screen over a Trump tweet glorifying a possible violent response to riots. This ensures the message can still be seen by those who want to view it but adds a warning label as useful friction and restricts retweeting and viral distribution. The platform is also being transparent about its decision-making process via the label explanation and public comments.

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Trumps new executive order would pressure platforms to look the other way on disinformation emanating from the powerful. It urges the FCC to reinterpret Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to deny platforms immunity from liability if the agency deems they are not worthy or that specific corrections or down rankings of content are inappropriate. It also enlists the Federal Trade Commission to determine whether the platforms are acting inconsistently with their terms of service and to consider complaints of bias.

The exercise of broad government discretion to punish platforms for moderation is just the kind of tyrannical power over speech that the First Amendment forbids and that Congress legislated against. If this werent enough, the executive order also instructs the attorney general to convene like-minded state attorneys general to investigate platforms. The order would create an America where the government evaluates and punishes editorial judgments about hate speech, harassment, and disinformation, pushing platforms to become either unmoderated free-for-alls or gated communities for the powerful.

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Digital information platforms should ignore the executive order, and not cede their private responsibility to reduce harm. Twitter should double down on what appears to be a risk-based approach to content moderation and fact-checkingfocusing on actions that pose the biggest threats because, for example, they call for violence and achieve viral spread. And since widely distributed disinformation and incitement pose more risk than content that reaches few people, the companies should change their practices to contain rather than boost conspiracy theories and outrage. Superspreaders of disinformation deserve more platform scrutiny.

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If this moment proves anything, it is that what is said and heard should not depend so heavily on a decision by Jack Dorsey or Mark Zuckerberg. We desperately need more diversity and distributed power among digital platforms. As long as we have oligopolies as media gatekeepers, they should be responsible for taking steps to reduce risks.

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As an example, perhaps the family of the former staff person to MSNBC Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough should have the right to sue Twitter for promoting Trumps tweet claiming falsely that the former staffer was murdered. The right could apply at the point at which that tweet becomes sufficiently viral to raise a presumption of harm. A risk-based approach to platform liability would align algorithmic reach with responsibilitymessages with more reach get more scrutinyand would also more easily scale, since the focus is narrowed.

Policymakers serious about protecting free expression online should empower users by updating existing law and regulations. They could start with consumer protection laws to combat fraudulent ads and manipulation. They could apply civil rights rules to prevent harassment in the digital public square and adopt new privacy rules to end the surveillance and exploitation of digital platform users based on personal data.

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Policymakers could reduce the flow of personalized propaganda, funded by dark money and delivered through micro-targeted ads, by restricting ad targeting, creating standardized cross-platform searchable ad databases to provide visibility into who is sponsoring ads, and establishing know-your-customer procedures to bring dark-money funding into the light.

Just as critical as reducing the viral flow of lies and incitement is the task of increasing the availability of credible local information. During the recent demonstrations, it has been difficult in some cases to find out about curfews and closures, in part because the United States has lost 2,100 local newspapers since 2004 and half its newsroom jobs since 2008. The lights have gone out completely in news deserts across the country.

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We need a fund for local journalisma public good that the market clearly is not sustaining possibly financed by digital platform ad revenue. Eligibility could be limited to outlets that follow journalistic codes of practice (for example, transparency, fact-checking, and corrections), possibly relying on organizations such as the Trust Project coalition of news media that aims to help consumers assess the quality and credibility of journalism or NewsGuard, which rates websites for accuracy and transparency. Funds could be used more broadly for a civic information infrastructure that ensures public access, especially to information about and from government is not dependent on digital platform choices.

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The bottom line is that the online free speech problem is not an issue of political bias, but instead a problem of powerpower that platforms have over users by virtue of their surveillance practices and oligopoly status. Trump is not the victim of this system, but one of its principal beneficiaries. The victims are those without amplification networks, those who are targeted for harassment and disinformation, and the general public that deserves a place for civil discourse. The victims are truth and democracy.

The policy fix is not to give government or platforms more power to make opaque, arbitrary, content-based decisions. What we need are different business models and policies that support users in protecting themselves, including requiring that platforms provide transparency, take responsibility for viral spread of harmful content, support personal freedom of mind, and encourage news in the public interest.

This article is part of the Free Speech Project , a collaboration between Future Tense and the Tech, Law, & Security Program at American University Washington College of Law that examines the ways technology is influencing how we think about speech.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Britons will not be tuning into a Covid-19 Downing Street press conference today after ministers scrapped the weekend updates due to falling viewing figures.

Around three million people a day have tuned in to the coronavirus update which features a member of cabinet flanked by two experts since the first one on March 16.

During the first daily update, which was watched by 3.44 million people, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the death toll across the UK was 36, although it was revealed that Britain was moving from the containing Covid-19 to the delaying its spread stage and testing would no longer be carried out in the community and would concentrate in hospitals.

Boris Johnson's press conferences announcing the lockdown and outlining the easing of restrictions both attracted in the region of 25 million viewers, while other Covid-19 press conferences have attracted between two and five million people

On March 23, almost 26 million people watched Boris Johnson announce a three-week lockdown due to the growing Covid-19 crisis

The daily briefings took place after the government faced accusations of a lack of transparency in dealing with the crisis.

However, the two biggest audiences were for the PM addressing the nation directly.

On March 23, around 26 million people tuned in to hear the PM announce the most draconian restrictions on the British people in peace time.

On May 10, more than 25 million witnessed the PM provide some relief after two months of lockdown that the country could slowly return to normal.

It was during this address he unveiled the 'Stay Alert, Protect the NHS, Save Lives' slogan.

On June 3, some 3.76 million people watched the PM express how 'very proud' he was of his Government's handling of the Covid-19 crisis - despite the 50,000 death toll.

He took the opportunity to warn the country that 'tragically there will be many, many job losses. That is just inevitable'.

Since the first press conference on March 16, there have only been two days without a briefing.

From next week, the PM will lead at least one briefing a week with support from medical and scientific experts.

In a statement, a Number 10 source explained the policy change: 'From this week, the press conferences will be on weekdays only, so no longer on Saturdays and Sundays.

Before the lockdown, journalists packed into the briefings, while the lecterns featuring those speaking were also much closer together

'The PM will take a press conference every week alongside the scientific and medical experts.

'Others will be led by secretaries of state, alongside scientific and medical experts where relevant.'

When challenged about the change, the official responded: 'It is just a fact that the numbers who are viewing at weekends do tend to be significantly lower.'

Since the first Covid-19 briefing on March 16 - which attracted 3.44 million viewers, there have been 11 weekends with press conferences.

On March 22, 5.72 million people watched as rumours spread about the impending lockdown which was not announced until the following night.

A week later, 7.5 million tuned in over the two days. On April 4/5, this had fallen back to six million.

The following week, fewer people again tuned in and by mid April, the Saturday and Sunday conferences struggled to reach six million between them.

On April 24, as news of the Dominic Cummings breaching Covid guidelines broke, only 3.34 million tuned into the daily briefing.

On the Bank Holiday Monday, some five million watched.

Last Sunday, 2.21 million people tuned in according to the figures collated by TV Overnights.
The first time Ricky Carson remembers being called out for being black was in the fifth grade.

Growing up in Corvallis, I didn't necessarily experience racism, he said. I experienced this other thing called ignorance.

A white girl in his Hoover Elementary School class told him hed make more friends if he bleached his skin. She didnt know what she said was racist. Neither did Carson, until years later. But that day, he ran to the bathroom and cried because her words hurt all the same.

Carson, a 2017 College Hill graduate now studying mass media at the University of West London, attended the Rotary Club of Greater Corvallis Zoom meeting on Friday to share his story as a miseducated black man from the mid-valley.

I grew up in Corvallis never really understanding why I had this feeling that I didn't belong, Carson said.

Although Oregon  especially the more liberal western side and cities like Portland  has a national reputation for being a more progressive state, Carson said Oregonians still have much to learn and a lot to be reminded of when it comes to the racial history of the U.S. He especially pointed out schooling flaws regarding white supremacy and slavery.

It was kind of just, The United States had slavery. It was bad. We don't have that anymore. Things are good again, he said. And that's basically all I got  Slavery was a real thing. And it's still affecting us to this very day. I did not get that.

He was adopted as an infant by a white lesbian couple and has a light brown complexion  which, he said, has given him the ability to live a more privileged life than some black people.

Carson has protested in Portland in recent days with people of all age groups, races and socioeconomic backgrounds and said hes kept these things in mind.

I have a very white name, Carson said. I do have a certain benefit from colorism. And so I feel like the reason why, perhaps, I haven't had as bad experiences with the police  is because of a number of things.

Although he said hes not against police officers generally, Carson said he recognizes that there is a negative cultural perception of police in the black community. He pointed to police responding peacefully to the many white people who, armed with weapons, protested national health guidelines and stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus outbreak. When Black Lives Matter protests surged, however, the response was much different.

This country is literally built off of white supremacy and capitalism, he said. They stole land from Native Americans. They imported labor  slaves  from another continent to then build (on) and cultivate the land. And they created these class systems that were inhumane (and) almost entirely impossible to get out of.

After slavery was outlawed, Carson noted, freedmen had no wealth and the task of navigating slaverys residual racist systems  including police forces whose main jobs were to protect the property (which historically included slaves) of white citizens.

Thats why, he said, its important for non-persons of color to continue reflecting on their privileges and biases.

Rotary Club President Tiffany Bailey made it clear to the nearly 130 Zoom attendees that it is not the job of black people to teach others about their oppression; it should be widely researched.

Carson, she said, was not invited to preach to the choir, and he was not invited also to provoke shame.

This is not a one time forum, Bailey said. We know each other and care about each other and hold a space where we are allowed to disagree with each other. I just want  to reflect that and that we can grow old together in navigating these spaces.

Ways that Carson suggested people can start educating themselves and supporting movements like Black Lives Matter include reading up on the history of African slavery and donating to historic organizations like the NAACP.

He also urged school districts to hire more diverse teachers and offer more training to those who are non-black. Carson suggested more police officers receive similar training and build connections with the communities they monitor.

The only person of color that was my teacher (were) a couple of people from the Latinx community, he said. There was no one throughout my entire education  close to looking like me  no one close to understanding that, Hey, this kid is growing up in a society thats going to want to knock him down.

Carsons reflections brought club member Dave Henderer, a white man with an adopted black son, to tears.

The thought of him suffering just tears me up and makes me angry, Henderer said of his son. I think people are waking up. Theres hope. People love you (and) you are wanted.

The next time a non-black person finds themselves racially profiling someone else, judging someone for their financial situation, or even rapping the N-word in songs, Carson said, they should consider that the community would be better off if these discriminatory actions are addressed.

If you treat people like human beings, then you can build a bigger and stronger community, he said. And, in turn, our community will then prosper.

Reporter Nia Tariq can be reached at nia.tariq@lee.net.

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The infelicitous brawl between Meera Chopra and Jr NTR fans has become the talk of the town since a few days. Hyderabad police have recently filed a case against a few Young Tiger fans for abusing the actress on social media. With the incessant abuse including rape, acid attack, and death threats getting out of hand, Meera decided to take the matter to the notice of the Ministers of the state.

The Bangaram actress took to her Twitter handle and tagging Minister KT Rama Rao, she shared the screenshots of the online abuse and wrote, "@KTRTRS @RaoKavitha ive been abused of gangrape, acid attack, abused, cyberbullied and slutshammed by your state. @hydcitypolice has filed an fir and i hope for the safety of women this will investigated thoroughly."

Thanks sir, it really means a lot. This is very important for women safety. These people should not be left free to do crimes on women!  https://t.co/HzQcRHPEAd  meera chopra (@MeerraChopra) June 5, 2020

Also, Priyanka Chopra's cousin, Meera has recently complained about the issue, with screenshots to the National Commission For Women and Hyderabad Police. Well, the Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Industry & Commerce, Information Technology, KTR responded to her tweet and assured stern action against the offenders. His tweet read, "Ma'm, I have requested @TelanganaDGP and @CPHydCity to take stern action as per law based on your complaint."Later, Meera Chopra thanked the minister and said that the offenders should not be left free to do crimes against women. She wrote, "Thanks sir, it really means a lot. This is very important for women safety. These people should not be left free to do crimes on women!"(sic)Well, the actress faced the wrath of such unruly Jr NTR fanatics during her recent interaction with fans on Twitter. Her interaction went horribly wrong as she responded to a Jr NTR fan's question, wherein he asked her to talk about Tarak, and she said that she doesn't know the actor and is not his fan. Soon after the actress started receiving backlash from the Jr NTR fans, who started posting vulgar comments and threatened Meera and her family. Though the actress called out the actor on Twitter, NTR has been silent on the abusive behaviour of his fans on social media. It is rumoured that the actor will soon break his silence over the issue, considering the chances of his next venture RRR with SS Rajamouli being affected negatively due to the current situation.

Pawan Kalyan's Co-Star Calls Mahesh Babu Her Favourite Actor!

Meera Chopra Vs Jr NTR Fans: Here Are The Sections Slapped Against The Offenders!
Cameroonian Anglophone Pidgin journalist Samuel Wazizi died on 17 August 2019, and he was not tortured, according to a statement from the Cameroonian Ministry of Defense and read out over Cameroonian radio on Friday. This, just one day after local media reported that the journalist had been tortured and died in military custody.

The death certificate issued by this [Cameroon Military] hospital clearly stated that Samuel Ebuwe Ajiekiadied on August 17, 2019, as a result of a severe sepsis, according to the statement.

The statement added that Ebuwe, who went by the name of Wazizi, the charismatic host of Hala ya matter on CNTV in Buea, had not been tortured, negating the statements made by the Cameroonian press associations on Thursday. The statement also indicated that the military had informed the family.

New evidence of torture

RFI spoke with Emmanuel Nkea, one of Wazizi's lawyers, on Friday after the military statement was released. He says that they had received new evidence on Friday from a close friend of the deceased journalist that he had been tortured.

This person has confirmed to us thatsome people had called her phone and said to her that they wanted her to send some money to Wazizi, intimating to her that Wazizi had been so badly beaten, to a point that his waist was broken, says Nkea.

The lawyer says that they are protecting her identity for now, but when Wazizi had originally been arrested in 2019, he had given him a list of close contacts that included this person.

The people calling the contact said he needed medical assistance, so she sent 20,000 CFA [30 euros] to a particular number with the name of the person. We have all these details, says Nkea.

We strongly feel that this isn't a case that can be looked at lightly. In fact, if the government knew that this man was dead and that we were in court, they should have told us that he is dead. We should be informed, he added.

Wazizi's family not informed of his death

It is worth mentioning that the latter [Wazizi] had remained in close contact with his family from Buea to Yaounde, and that even from his sick bed at Yaounde Military Hospital  Military Region No. 1, he exchanged regularly with several of his relatives, according to the military statement.

RFI spoke to Wazizi's close friend and former work associate Tah Jervis on Friday, who said that when he called the family to tell them the news, they burst into tears.

They did not know that he was dead. No one had told them, says Jervis, a former journalist also from Wazizi's home town of Muea, a small town outside of Buea in the South West region.

Jervis says that the family did not know where he was after he was arrested, and had not been informed.

We are sorry to note that the family has since then not undertaken any steps for the funeral arrangements, according to the statement.

According to Cameroon Association of English-Speaking Journalists (CAMASEJ), a member of Wazizi's family is en route to Yaounde to ask to receive his body.

Wazizi dead while his lawyers in court

Lawyer Nkea says that he and his associate Edward Ewule was in court in August when the military said Wazizi had died. They had filed a number of Habeus Corpus documents, which call for the defendant to physically be brought to court at this time.

But the whole process was faulty from the start, from the time of Wazizi's arrest until his death, according to Nkea. He and Ewule had spoken to Wazizi when he was in police custody on 3 August, 2019 on charges of terrorism.

After Ewule suggested to police that they did not have the competence to investigate these charges, it was agreed that Wazizi would be taken to the judicial police, which is a more competent unit for investigations, says Nkea.

Instead, the police took him to the 21st Motorised Infantry Brigade, without any jurisdiction to investigate or prosecute criminal offenses, he says. When his lawyers asked to see their client and refused, they filed a Habeus Corpus document, which was rejected, then refiled.

He was never produced, not for once. When we filed the [new] Habeus Corpus application, the judge called on the 21st motorized battalion to produce him in court and they flouted the order; then the court tried to dismiss this on technical matter, says Nkea.

Nkea and Ewule are slated to go back to court on Tuesday to request Wazizi's body. He expects the court to order that his body be returned to the family for proper burial.

The way the military have acted, it shows that we cannot trust the evidence they are trying to produce at the moment, says Nkea.

We don't see them [the military] as people who are conscious of the rule of law, he adds.
Taking a knee, banging drums and ignoring social distancing measures, outraged protesters from Sydney to London on Saturday kicked off a weekend of global rallies against racism and police brutality. The death at police hands of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in the US state of Minnesota, brought tens of thousands out onto the streets during a pandemic that is ebbing in Asia and Europe but spreading in other parts of the world. "It is time to burn down institutional racism," one speaker shouted through a megaphone at a hooting crowd of thousands outside the parliament building in London. "Silence is violence," the throng shouted back in the rain, before mounted police moved in to disperse a small missile-pelting crowd trying to push its way closer to Downing Street. Thousands more marched in the northern English city of Manchester. Officials around the world have been trying to balance understanding at people's pent-up anger with warnings about the dangers of a disease that has officially claimed nearly 400,000 lives globally. Yet tens of thousands of Australians defied Prime Minister Scott Morrison's call to "find a better way", tens of thousands marched in France, and thousands more in Britain ignored the health minister's warning. And in Tunis, hundreds chanted: "We want justice! We want to breathe!" - United in grief - In Sydney, aborigines performed a traditional smoking ceremony at the start of a "Black Lives Matter" protest, which was allowed at the last minute after initially being banned on health grounds. Many held up signs and wore face masks marked with the words "I can't breathe" -- the words Floyd kept saying while handcuffed as a policeman knelt on his neck. One placard simply read "8:46" -- the amount of time the 46-year-old was pinned to the ground by the white officer before his death. Floyd's death came during the spread of a disease that has disproportionately affected black people and ethnic minorities in global centres such as London and New York. It also came in the throes of a historic economic downturn that has statistically affected the poor and marginalised the most vulnerable. This, and the outrage at US President Donald Trump's response, has refocused attention on the world's racial divides like few other events since the 1960s. - Angry and brave - In Paris, riot police held back a crowd of several thousand who gathered outside the US embassy for an unsanctioned protest. "I've had racist abuse all my life," said one demonstrator, 46-year-old Nadine. "That is our life. To be a black French woman in France, it's not easy." A protest in the French city of Metz ended with a few dozen people breaking into a courthouse and scuffling with security guards and one of the city's prosecutors. "Protesters held up placards reading "Being black is not a crime" and "Our police are assassins". According to interior ministry figures, 23,000 people demonstrated in cities across France, 5,500 of them in Paris. Smaller, youth-driven protests were staged outside US embassies in Warsaw and Sofia. In Germany, Bundesliga footballers warmed up in "Red card to racism #BlackLivesMatter" shirts and took a knee prior to kickoff. "How many more?" asked a poster held up in a crowd of thousands in Frankfurt, while hundreds rallied across town squares of Belgium and the Netherlands. In North Carolina, a long line of cars snaked its way down a highway as mourners arrived for a viewing and memorial service at a church not far from Floyd's hometown. In Washington, hundreds knelt and applauded in the street ahead of another mass rally, where Mayor Muriel Bowse has renamed the area outside the White House "Black Lives Matter Plaza". The protests have even resonated in war-scarred countries such as Iraq, where the "America Revolts" and the Arabic phrase for "We want to breathe, too" hashtags are spreading on social media. "I think what the Americans are doing is brave and they should be angry, but rioting is not the solution," said Yassin Alaa, a 20-year-old camped out in Baghdad's Tahrir Square, the site of months of anti-government protests. Thousands of people joined a protest outside parliament in London Tens of thousands of Australians turned out in Sydney, Melbourne and other cities Thousands demonstrated in the French capital Paris and in cities across France Protestors marched in front of US embassy in the Polish capital, Warsaw
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President Jair Bolsonaro threatened Friday to pull Brazil from the WHO over "ideological bias," as his counterpart Donald Trump said the US economy was recovering from the coronavirus pandemic and Europe sought to reopen its borders.

Adding fuel to the political fire raging around the pandemic, its origins and the best way to respond, Bolsonaro criticized the World Health Organization for suspending clinical trials of the drug hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 -- a decision it reversed this week -- and threatened to follow in Trump's footsteps by quitting.

"I'm telling you right now, the United States left the WHO, and we're studying that, in the future. Either the WHO works without ideological bias, or we leave, too," the far-right leader told journalists.

Sometimes called a "Tropical Trump," Bolsonaro has followed a similar script to the US president in his handling of the pandemic, downplaying its severity, attacking state authorities' stay-at-home measures and touting the purported effects of hydroxychloroquine and a related anti-malarial drug, chloroquine, against COVID-19.

A UK trial found that using hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 was not beneficial. By GEORGE FREY (AFP/File)

The WHO had suspended trials of hydroxychloroquine after major studies raised concerns about its safety and effectiveness against the new coronavirus -- irking Trump, a fan who even took the drug himself as a preventive measure.

On Thursday, most of the authors of the studies that appeared in The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine retracted their work, saying they could no longer vouch for their data because the firm that supplied it refused to be audited.

However, adding to the swirling scientific and political debate, a new study from Oxford University said Friday that hydroxychloroquine showed "no beneficial effect" in treating COVID-19.

In another potentially confusing reversal, the WHO changed its advice on face masks, saying that "in light of evolving evidence" they should be worn in places where the virus is widespread and physical distancing is difficult.

US 'largely through'

President Donald Trump said the US economy was "largely through" the pandemic. By Mandel NGAN (AFP)

The new coronavirus has now killed more than 394,000 people and infected 6.7 million since it emerged in China late last year, the world's worst health crisis in more than a century.

In the US -- the hardest-hit country, with 109,000 dead and nearly 1.9 million infections -- Trump said the economy was bouncing back after being pummeled by lockdown measures.

"We had the greatest economy in the history of the world. And that strength let us get through this horrible pandemic, largely through, I think we're doing really well," he told reporters.

Spread of coronavirus. By Simon MALFATTO (AFP)

Trump, who is facing a tough campaign for re-election in November, reiterated his calls to further ease stay-at-home measures, after surprisingly upbeat employment numbers showed the country gained 2.5 million jobs in May.

In a sign of the slow return to normal in the US, Universal Orlando became the first of the giant theme parks in sunny Florida to reopen -- albeit with temperature controls at the entrance and mandatory face masks.

EU to reopen borders

In Europe, badly-hit countries slowly continued on a path toward a post-pandemic normal, seeking to revive key tourist sectors in time for the summer season without triggering a second wave of infections.

Brazil now has the third highest death toll in the world after the US and Britain. By Tarso SARRAF (AFP)

The EU said it could reopen borders to travelers from outside the region in early July, after some countries within the bloc reopened to European visitors.

In France, a top expert meanwhile said dramatic drops in daily deaths and new cases since their March peaks meant the worst was over.

"We can reasonably say the virus is currently under control," said Jean-Francois Delfraissy, the head of the government's scientific advisory council.

Shifting epicenter

But bleak numbers streamed in from Latin America, the latest epicenter.

Brazil's death toll rose to more than 35,000, the third-highest in the world, after the United States and Britain.

Tolls are also rising sharply in Mexico, Peru and Ecuador.

And in Chile, deaths have risen by more than 50 percent in the past week, despite a three-week lockdown of the capital, Santiago.

burs-jhb/mtp
KOLKATA: At a time when people are caught between what to eat and what not to eat, a famous sweets shop in Kolkata has come up with an innovative sweet - Immunity Sandesh.

Sandesh is a traditional Bengali sweet besides the other famous varieties of 'mishti doi and rosogolla. Sandesh is a sweet delicacy made with Chena or cottage cheese with flavours and sweetener.

However, amidst the fast-spreading coronavirus infection, Immunity Sandesh is believed to help people in strengthening their immunity.

The sweets shop owner, Sudip Mullick told that this sweet has been made entirely without any artificial ingredients or sweetener. It is made with Himalayan honey making it healthy and low on calories.

The sweet contains close to 15 ingredients having medicinal properties - turmeric, honey, tulsi, cardamom, jasthi and others besides nuts and dry fruits.

The sweet is placed in the display racks in the morning and by afternoon its completely sold out. People from faraway places are coming to buy this innovative sweet which they havent seen or heard of.
Kin Man Hui, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

SAN ANTONIO (AP)  The GOP chairwoman of one of Texas' largest counties faced widespread pressure from her party to resign Thursday for floating a conspiracy theory on social media suggesting that George Floyd's death was staged.

Cynthia Brehm is head of the Bexar County Republican Party in San Antonio. She also drew attention and condemnation last month for suggesting the coronavirus pandemic was a hoax intended to hurt President Donald Trump.
In March, Amy Carrier asked one of the two women who provided home care for her mother to stop coming to work.

Her mother, 74, has Alzheimers disease and lives with her in Corvallis, Ore. To protect her from the coronavirus, it was clear that I needed to lock down my house, said Ms. Carrier, 45, a foundation executive. She allowed one helper, who lived with only an adult daughter, to continue helping her mother bathe, take walks and play puzzles and games.

But the other aide has a household of six, including four teenagers, and was visiting other clients homes. Theres too much chance of exposure, Ms. Carrier decided. When she explained that to her employee, she said, she totally understood, and she wanted to be home with her family, too. At least, because Ms. Carrier hires and pays caregivers legally, the worker is receiving unemployment benefits.

Home Care Partners, a nonprofit agency serving the Washington, D.C., area, said that about 20 percent of its clients, primarily low-income older adults, had suspended their service.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has signed Decision No. 749/QD-TTg approving the national digital transformation program until 2025, with a vision to 2030,

which targets to make Viet Nam among the worlds top 50 countries in terms of the E-Government Development Index (EGDI).

Viet Nam strives to make the worlds top 50 countries in e-government development by 2030

The program aims to concurrently develop a digital government, digital economy, and digital society and create digital technology businesses capable of rising to the global level.

Specifically, the Government has set a goal of having 80% of level-4 online public services (allowing users to make online fee payment) provided via different means, including smartphones, and 90% of dossiers at the ministerial and provincial levels and 80% of those at the district level handled online by 2025.

In addition, all national databases on population, land, business registration, finance, and insurance, will be completed, connected, and shared nationwide. Viet Nam is expected to enter the worlds top 50 countries in the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) and top 35 regarding the Global Innovation Index (GII).

By 2030, all level-4 online public services are set to be available via multiple devices, including smartphones. Meanwhile, all dossiers at the ministerial and provincial levels and 90% of those at the district level are targeted to be resolved online (excluding confidential documents).

Under the program, Viet Nam also plans to universalise broadband internet and 5G services, have 80% of its population using e-payment, and become one of the 30 leading countries in the Global Cybersecurity Index./. VGP

Vien Nhu
Bengaluru, June 6 : The ruling BJP in Karnataka has short listed three names for the June 19 biennial elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from the southern state, a party source said on Saturday.

"The party's state unit core committee has shortlisted outgoing member Prabkhar Kore, Ramesh Katti and Prakash Shetty to contest in the Rajya Sabha biennial elections for 2 or 3 seats," the source told IANS, on the condition of anonymity.

The party's state unit president Nalin Kumar Kateel will forward the names to the party's high command in New Delhi for selecting the candidates.

"In the event of the high command deciding to contest the third seat, Shetty is likely to be fielded, as Kore and Katti have been cleared for two seats the party is set to win in view of its strength (116 legislators) in the 225-member state assembly," the source pointed out.

With each candidate requiring 44 votes to win, the BJP will have 28 surplus votes and support of 2 Independents to contest the third seat, but will require 14 more votes to win it.

Names of outsiders like eminent banker K.V. Kamath and Infosys Foundation chairperson Sudha Murthy were not considered by the committee, in which Kateel, state Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and party's national General Secretary B.L. Santosh are the members.

"Even names of Tejaswani Ananth Kumar or party's general secretary P. Muralidhar Rao were also not considered," said the source.

With the term of the 4 members, including 2 from the Congress (B.K. Hariprasad and Rajeev Gowda) and one each from the BJP (Kore) and Janata Dal-Secular (Kupendra Reddy) ending on June 25, the Election Commission on June 1 notified the bypoll in the state on June 19, with the last date for nominations on June 9. Vote count is on June 19.

Kore has been in the Upper House for two terms so far.

Ramesh Katti, younger brother of 8-time BJP legislator Umesh Katti, was the party's Lok Sabha member from Chikkodi in the state's northwest region from 2009-14.

Katti's nomination to the Rajya Sabha was one of the demands of the party's rebels, led by Umesh and senior legislator Basanagouda Patil Yatnal.

In the 225-member assembly, the opposition Congress has 68 seats, Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) 34, Independents 2, Bhujan Samaj Party 1, Speaker 1 and vacant 2.

"In the past too, candidates of ruling parties and independents got elected to the Rajya Sabha due to cross voting or with the support of all legislators,a the source recalled, hinting the possibility of cross-voting again in the event of a contest for the 4th seat this time.

With the opposition Congress nominating its veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge to contest in the Rajya Sabha bypoll, the party has hinted at giving its 24 surplus votes to JD-S supreme H.D. Deve Gowda if the former prime minister decides to contest.

With only 34 members, a JD-S candidate will require 10 more votes to win the Rajya Sabha seat. The regional party is unlike to field its outgoing member Reddy for the second term.

"By deliberately fielding a third candidate, the BJP wants to queer the pitch and keep Gowda out of contest, fearing cross-voting and loss of face in the event of losing the battle of ballots," a political analyst told IANS here.

Gowda, 87, lost in the May 2019 general elections from Tumkur to the BJP, though his grandson Prajwal Gowda won from the JD-S bastion Hassan, defeating A. Manju of the BJP.

Of the 12 Rayja Sabha seats from the southern state, the BJP has three members - Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, industrialist Rajeev Chandrashekhar and noted educationist K.C. Ramamurthy, who defected from the Congress and got re-elected unopposed on December 5, 2019 as a BJP nominee, as his term is till June 2022.

The opposition Congress has 5 members in the Upper House from the state - Oscar Fernandes, Jairam Ramesh, Syed Naseer Hussain, L.Hanumanthaiah and G.C. Chandrashekar.

Kharge and Hariprasad lost in the May 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Gulabarga (reserved) and Bangalore South seats to the BJP's Umesh Yadav and Tejasvi Surya.
But those can be patchy, ad hoc and cumbersome. People who advocate broader, deeper, built-in forms of value capture - which includes a motley crew of economists, planners, bureaucrats and even some developers - argue we should be doing much more to make the beneficiaries pay. Federal Liberal MP John Alexander has been a strong value capture advocate. Credit:Janie Barrett Federal Liberal MP John Alexander has long been a value capture advocate. He believes it's the only way Australia can finance fast rail between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. He has chaired several parliamentary inquiries on the topic, and had an enthusiastic supporter in former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. But Alexander is dismayed to have yielded virtually no change. With governments trying to build their way out of the coronavirus crisis, but the coffers bone dry, he says it is "more critical than ever" to take value capture seriously. "I have for quite some time been very concerned that when we invest taxpayers money, we are not gaining a fair return for that investment," he says. "Shrewd speculators are getting enormous uplift on the back of such investments. It is absolutely essential that we find how best to capture the value that is created when we invest taxpayers' money in infrastructure."

There are many ways to capture value. In 1970, the NSW government introduced a "betterment" levy in Sydney, payable on the increase in land value when it was rezoned from rural to urban use. But the experiment was short-lived: landowners lobbied against it, the Labor opposition vowed to scrap it and the re-elected Coalition government under Robert Askin got rid of it in 1973. There have been other attempts over the years; the Sydney Harbour Bridge was partly funded by a betterment tax, and the ACT has a permanent one, levied at 75 per cent of the uplift in value. Betterment taxes are designed to capture one-off uplifts in value caused by new infrastructure. On the other hand, a broad-based land tax will capture value year after year, although at a lesser rate. There is disagreement within academic, planning and economic circles as to which is preferable.

Statutory body Infrastructure Australia generally prefers a broad-based land tax, which it strongly backed in a 2016 report calling on governments to identify value capture opportunities early in the planning process. "It's about making the funding split fairer between the direct beneficiaries of infrastructure investment and broader taxpayers, while also increasing available funding for infrastructure," wrote then IA boss Philip Davies. The Grattan Institute has backed both forms of value capture, but argued that a broad-based land tax was probably a simpler alternative to a betterment levy, which must be well-designed to be fair. Both organisations were clear that our current hodgepodge of transaction taxes, such as stamp duty and capital gains, was sub-optimal. NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has flagged his desire to replace stamp duty with a broad-based land tax as part of the coronavirus recovery. Asked about value capture, he said the government already used it in some cases, but he was open to new ideas and would await a forthcoming review by the NSW Productivity Commission. In the meantime, the government is trying to capture value where it can. The major Sydney Metro stations are funded partly by an "integrated" model with developers, whereby the government sells the air rights above the station to a developer who builds the precinct and later pays back a share of the increased land value. The construction of an underground metro station at Barangaroo. Credit:Wolter Peeters

A Sydney Metro spokesman said the government has already recouped more than $1 billion from selling the air rights above the Martin Place, Pitt Street, Waterloo and Victoria Cross stations, and that the model has attracted interest from around the world. The NSW government also implements one-off "special infrastructure contributions" for certain projects. For example, it aims to collect $771 million from developers to fund new and upgraded infrastructure at Wilton, south of Campbelltown, over the next 30 years. The government plans to create a township of 15,000 homes in the "Wilton Growth Area" by 2040. Anyone developing and delivering new residential lots in the Wilton Special Contribution Area - chiefly Walker Corporation and Lendlease, at this stage - would be liable for the proposed levy, charged at $59,274 per additional dwelling. But critics say these approaches to extracting value from developers are ad hoc and undercooked. John Alexander, currently chairing an inquiry into financing fast rail, has received a submission from journalist-turned-researcher Steve Skinner which points to numerous shortcomings. Skinner says the developer contributions proposed at Wilton are "a big step in the right direction" but still "a long way short of the cost of providing adequate road space out there", citing research by Martin Nichols, a former land use and planning manager with the Roads and Traffic Authority.
A LIMERICK woman managed to stop traffic in leafy Surrey in England after she took part in a unique lockdown fundraiser.

Mairead Quirke, who is originally from Croom, donned a vintage wedding dress she had bought in Brighton, and ran five kilometres near her home as part of her efforts to raise money for a charity which supports Irish pensioners in London.

Mairead, who works for investment bank Goldman Sachs, is based at home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Over the last week, she has ran five kilometres a day for five days in order to raise money for the Southwark Irish Pensioners Project.

On the final day, she decided to have a bit of fun, so she donned a vintage wedding dress, and set off at dawn.

A police van passed me and slowed down. I must have looked like a right lunatic. I was wearing a wedding dress, and had a sparkly head band on. My neighbour was  at a social distance  motivating me, shouting come on, Mairead laughed.

It was all worth the effort as the South Croydon woman raised 1,585 (1,774) for the pensioners project.

This challenge would not have been a big thing for a lot of people but for me it was. It's not a big deal. There are people doing massive things. That's just a small thing. It was lovely to get that amount of money for charity, she said.

Mairead had volunteered with the Southwark Irish Pensioners Project when she first came to London.

But starting her new job in 2012, she was not in contact with them as much as she wanted to be.

It was only with the onset of Covid-19, she found she had more time on her hands and reconnected.

It's a really nice project. Their funds were down. They weren't able to do their St Patrick's Day shindig, they won't be able to have a summer party wither. They reached out to pensioners, gave them puzzles and wool, she explained, I thought I might as well do something and earn a few quid. At the start of lockdown, I built up to when I felt I could do it.

She actually started the challenge on May 15, which is her grandfathers anniversary.

You can still donate to Maireads cause. Search MQs 5 Days of 5ks on www.gofundme.com for more information. Alternatively, telephone the Southwark Irish Pensioners Project on 0044-2072375841
Tipton Health Communications, a leading provider of nursing excellence, Magnet, Pathway to Excellence and PTAP consulting support, is pleased to welcome Kimberly Nagy, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, as a senior nursing excellence consultant.

As a consultant, Kimberly joins Tiptons team of accomplished and well-respected executive nurse consultants. She will work with Tiptons clients to address unique structural and strategic challenges, including:



Creating an environment where nursing teams can efficiently provide the best care possible

Building the most effective structure to support nursing excellence

Improving engagement and satisfaction

Building leadership competencies

Enculturating nurses into systems of excellence (Magnet and Pathway)

Educating nurses and team members

Developing Nursing Strategic Plans

Kimberly comes to Tipton with more than 35 years of healthcare experience with 25 as a senior executive. She is principal and founder of Kimberly Nagy Consulting LLC. Previously, Kimberly was executive vice president of patient services and chief nursing officer at Northwest Community Healthcare (NCH), a 500-plus-bed, Level II trauma, Level III NICU, acute care hospital in Arlington Heights, Illinois. At NCH, Kimberly worked to create highly effective structures that supported a culture of nursing excellence across the healthcare system and lead the organizations third Magnet re-designation. Before NCH, she served as vice president of operations and chief nursing executive at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, where she led the development of the strategic plan to achieve their initial Magnet designation.

Were very excited that Kimberly is joining our growing team of nursing consultants, said Dan Tipton, CEO of Tipton Health. Her extensive accomplishments make her uniquely qualified to help our clients further develop their nursing teams.

Kimberly has served as a member and chair-elect of the board of directors for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Chicago, and is an active member of the AONL, IONL, ANA, Sigma-Theta Tau, ACHE, and CHEF.

About Tipton Health Communications

Tipton Health Communications is a leading provider of nursing excellence, Magnet, Pathway to Excellence and Practice Transition Accreditation Program consulting support to the nations hospital and healthcare systems. In addition, Tipton Health supports clients nationwide with award-winning communications services, including employee communications, human resources communications, public relations, marketing communications, intranet and Internet design, graphic design, and strategic communications. For more information, please visit http://www.tiptonhealth.com.

Tipton Health Communications products and services are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the ANCC. ANCC Magnet Recognition, ANCC National Magnet Conference, Institute for Credentialing Innovation, Magnet, Magnet Recognition Program, The Magnet Prize and Pathway to Excellence Program are registered trademarks of the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Journey to Magnet Excellence and Pathway to Excellence in Long Term Care are trademarks of the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
The Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), has appealed to people residing in flood-prone areas in the state to relocate to safer places to avoid flooding.

Muhammad Suleiman, Executive Secretary of the agency, made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola on Saturday.

Mr Suleiman said that the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had predicted flooding in some areas of the state this year.

He noted that some areas had started experiencing the devastating effects of flooding.

According to him, the affected areas include Jili and Ukituki villages in Fufore Local Government Area and windstorm in Mayobalwa Local Government Area.

We have also experienced flooding in some parts of Jada and Ganye Local Government Areas and there was a flash flooding in Nasarawa-Damsa, Damsa Local Government Area, he said.

Mr Suleiman said property worth millions of Naira were lost as a result of the disaster.

He also called on the people to stop indiscriminate dumping of waste in waterways, as such contributed to flooding.

He said the government would provide relief materials to the victims, urging stakeholders to continue sensitising the public to the dangers of such disaster. (NAN)
Ahmed Jaha, the member representing Chibok, Damboa in the lower chambers of the National Assembly has issued an apology over his comment blaming indecent dressing among women for the rising cases of rape incident.

Speaking while fielding questions from newsmen on Saturday, he agreed to making a remark that has offended the sensibility of Nigerians and the human race as a whole, especially the women.

He said,

I have made a mistake that has offended the sensibilities of fellow Nigerians and indeed, fellow human beings, particularly women who are our mothers, wives, sisters and daughters.

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Read Also: Four Masked Men Gang-Rape 12-Year-Old Girl In Lagos

While I totally reaffirm my position that rapists should face death sentences, I regret the part that talks about the dressing of women.
Ricky Gervais is already writing series three of After Life during the coronavirus lockdown, his on-screen love interest has revealed.

Co-star Ashley Jensen appeared on The One Show on Friday to give an update on the progress of the popular Netflix show.

No doubt delighting fans with news of the eagerly-awaited next season, the Ugly Betty actress, 50, said: 'I know a third series is already on its way...

'And I think Ricky has tapped a few words into his computer or with his quill or whatever he uses.'

The series, which portrays Gervais as a suicidal local journalist struggling to cope with the loss of his wife Lisa to cancer, shot to number one soon after its release.

It will be the first time that Ricky, who also wrote The Office, Extras and Derek, has broken his own two-season tradition.

Already started: Co-star Ashley Jensen appeared on The One Show on Friday to give an update on the progress of the popular Netflix show

It comes after reports that Ricky is now in talks with Netflix to create an After Life Christmas special due to the phenomenal success of the show.

According to The Sun, actor, 58, - who created the comedy-drama series, which he also writes, directs, and stars in - has been asked to meet Netflix bosses this month to discuss the possibility of a festive special.

A TV source told the website that 'everything Ricky writes turns to gold'.

Impressive: It comes after reports that Ricky is now in talks with Netflix to create an After Life Christmas special due to the phenomenal success of the show

Success story: According to The Sun, The Office creator, 58, has been asked to meet Netflix bosses this month to discuss the possibility of a festive special

They said: 'The third series won't air until 2021 so there is a meeting in the diary to see if Ricky could create the Christmas special.

'It would just be a stand-alone episode, possibly one hour if Ricky thinks it would work.

'The only headache currently is the pandemic, but the fact that major shows like Coronation Street and EastEnders are filming again is giving them hope.'

A source said: 'The third series won't air until 2021 so there is a meeting in the diary to see if Ricky could create the Christmas special'

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Ricky Gervais and Netflix for comment.

The comedian previously confirmed that there will be a third series of After Life, with the star reportedly offered more than 5million for the deal.

But along with a third instalment of the popular show, he will also be expected to write a number of standalone comedy specials, according to reports.

In the making: The comedian previously confirmed that there will be a third series of After Life, with the star reportedly offered more than 5million for the deal

He delighted fans as he took to Twitter last month to make the announcement.

Speaking about the show, he wrote: 'Because so many of you watched #AfterLife2 so quickly and made it Number 1 again, the nice people at @Netflix have suggested that I get off my fat a*** and do another season. This is all your fault.'

Ricky also told The Hollywood Reporter: 'I was planning to retire soon and just wander around the house drunk until I die, but I've grown a bit tired of doing that during the lockdown, and also Netflix made me an offer I couldn't refuse.'
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 6

By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:

Turkmenistan and France have discussed trade and economic cooperation, Trend reports with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

The mentioned topic was discussed during a videoconference in the MFA of Turkmenistan on June 5, 2020.

The Turkmen side was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Vepa Hajiyev, while the French side was led by Director for Continental Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France Frederic Mondoloni.

The parties noted good cooperation between the two countries within the framework of international organizations, in particular the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU) and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). France highlighted the importance of regional and international initiatives of Turkmenistan, in particular to maintain peace, security and stability in the region.

The parties also stressed the importance of holding regular meetings of the Turkmen-French Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation.

The participants further discussed the development of bilateral relations in the cultural and humanitarian sphere, in particular, inter-university cooperation in the field of archaeology. In addition, prospects for cooperation in the space and water spheres, in the field of popularization of the French language in Turkmenistan, as well as issues of developing the legal framework were considered.

The parties also reviewed the measures taken to counter the COVID-19 spread.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva
NEWS FLASH

Montenegro Airlines will resume commercial flights on June 12 with services from Podgorica to Ljubljana. Flights will initially run three times per week, each Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. This will be followed by Frankfurt on June 14 with two weekly rotations. Services to Vienna will resume on June 15, Paris on June 16, Zurich the day after, as well as Copenhagen and Dusseldorf from June 20. Operations from Tivat will be reinstated from June 21, with flights to Munich and Hannover. Earlier today the carriers CEO noted the company was incurring significant losses due to its inability to resume its most profitable route to Belgrade. Services to the Serbian capital were initially to restart at the beginning of June. Montenegro Airlines suspended commercial operations on March 16 due to the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic.

June 12 - June 21 operations (correct as of June 5)

Departing Podgorica

Destination Resumption date Ljubljana June 12 Frankfurt June 14 Vienna June 15 Paris June 16 Zurich June 17 Copenhagen, Dusseldorf June 20

Departing Tivat
Bangkok

Factories and stores are reopening, economies are reawakening  but many jobs just aren't coming back.

That's the harsh truth facing workers laid off around the world, from restaurants in Thailand to car factories in France, whose livelihoods fell victim to a virus-driven recession that's accelerating decline in struggling industries and upheaval across the global workforce.

New U.S. figures released on Friday showed a surprise drop in joblessness as some of those who were temporarily laid off returned to work. But it's only a dent in the recent months' surge of unemployment, which remains near Depression-era levels. In a pattern repeated across the world, high unemployment means less money spent in surviving stores, restaurants and travel businesses, with repercussions across economies rich and poor.

"My boss feared that since we come from Kibera (an impoverished slum), we might infect them with COVID-19, and so he let us go," said Margaret Awino, a cleaning worker in a Nairobi charity. "I don't know how I can go on."

As the virus and now protests across the U.S. have shed new light on economic inequalities, some experts say it's time to rethink work, wages and health benefits altogether, especially as automation escalates and traditional trades vanish.

Thai chef

When Wannapa Kotabin got a job as an assistant chef in the kitchen of one of Bangkok's longest-established Italian restaurants, she thought her career was set.

But five years on, she's in line with more than 100 other jobless Thais outside an unemployment office.

The government ordered all restaurants closed in March to combat the coronavirus, and 38-year-old Wannapa has been spending her savings on food and shelter.

When restaurants were allowed to reopen in May, Wannapa's restaurant told staff its closure was permanent.

"I never thought this would happen," she said. "It's like my heart got broken twice."

Around the world, new virus safety rules mean restaurants and stores can't hold as many people as they used to, so they can't afford as much staff. Many can't afford to reopen at all.

Bangkok's restaurants are firing, not hiring, she said.

"I will have to go on and keep fighting," she declared. "If there is any job that I can do, I will do it."

Wannapa's unemployment benefit can only tide her over for so long. She said if she can't find work, she'll have to return to her family's rubber plantation to start life all over again.

Israeli programmer

When the coronavirus first broke out, Israeli software developer Itamar Lev was told to work from home. Then the online advertising company he worked for slashed his salary 20%. Finally, just as restrictions started to ease, he was fired.

Lev, 44, is among hundreds of thousands of Israelis out of a job as a result of the pandemic, more than 25 percent of the workforce.

"It was sudden. I wasn't ready for it," he said.

Tied to the American market, Lev's company's advertising revenue dried up and they had to make cutbacks. Lev said he was treated respectfully, and sees himself as simply a victim of the times.

He is already preparing for interviews and confident he will find a new position soon. In a country versed in disruptions from wars and security threats, he said Israelis have built up a certain resilience to upheaval.

Still, he said this time feels different. His wife, a self-employed dance instructor, has also seen her income temporarily evaporate, forcing the couple to dig into their savings.

"The 'comeback' is going to take longer," said Lev, father of a 5-year-old girl. "It's a difficult period. We're just going to have to take a deep breath and get through it."

Kenyan cleaner

Perhaps hardest-hit by virus job losses are low-paid service workers like 54-year-old Awino, who lost her job after 15 years as a cleaner at one of Mother Teresa's charities in Nairobi.

Awino shares a shack with her four daughters, including one who has epilepsy and requires costly medical care, and they share a communal toilet nearby. She hasn't seen her husband in nine years.

Without her regular $150 monthly salary, she now buys raw chicken and fries it on the streets for sale.

"Ever since I was fired because of COVID-19, I put all my efforts into my business," she said.

Some days she earns more than what she was making at her old job, but it's hard work, and unpredictable. City council and health inspectors are known to raid informal street vendors, who are often arrested and have their goods confiscated.

Awino has no choice but to take the risk, and she's not alone: Hundreds of thousands of Kenyans have also lost their jobs because of the pandemic.

Cloudy skies

On a global scale, the industry perhaps most vulnerable is aviation.

Germany's Lufthansa is losing a million euros an hour, and its CEO estimates that when the pandemic is over it will need 10,000 fewer workers than it does now. Emirates President Tim Clark signaled it could take the Dubai-based airline four years to return to its full network of routes.

The ripple effect on jobs in tourism and hospitality sectors is massive.

Countries like the United Arab Emirates are home to millions of foreigners who far outnumber the local population  many of whom have lost their jobs. Their families in countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal and the Philippines rely on their monthly remittances for survival.

Egyptian hotel chef Ramadan el-Sayed is among thousands sent home in March as the pandemic began to decimate Dubai's tourism industry. He returned to his wife and three kids in the city of Sohag, about 310 miles south of Cairo. He has not been paid since April.

"There's no work here at all," he said. "Even tourism here is operating at 25 percent so who's going to hire here?"

He sits idle, relying on his brother and father for support. He is hopeful the Marriott hotel where he worked will bring him back at the end of the summer when they plan to reopen.

"We are waiting, God willing," el-Sayed said.

Long road ahead

So why aren't all the jobs coming back, if economies are reopening?

Some companies that came into the recession in bad shape can no longer put off tough decisions. Meanwhile, even though reopened cities are filling anew with shoppers and commuters, many consumers remain wary about returning to old habits for fear of the virus.

"Some firms that were healthy before governments imposed shutdowns will go bankrupt, and it could take a long time for them to be replaced by new businesses," Capital Economics said in a research note. "Other firms will delay or cancel investment."

It estimates that a third of U.S. workers made jobless by the pandemic won't find work within six months. And some European workers on generous government-subsidized furlough programs could get laid off when they expire, as companies like French carmaker Renault and plane maker Airbus face up to a bleaker future.

Holger Schmieding, economist at Berenberg Economics, warned: "The COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing mega-recession may shape political debates and choices for a long time."
WASHINGTON - Protesters stirred by the death of George Floyd vowed Friday to turn an extraordinary outpouring of grief into a sustained movement as demonstrations shifted to a calmer, but no less determined focus on addressing racial injustice.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 4/6/2020 (595 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A protester who was arrested for breaking a curfew during a rally calling for justice over the death of George Floyd looks out from a police van on Thursday, June 4, 2020, in New York. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25.(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

WASHINGTON - Protesters stirred by the death of George Floyd vowed Friday to turn an extraordinary outpouring of grief into a sustained movement as demonstrations shifted to a calmer, but no less determined focus on addressing racial injustice.

In Minneapolis, where Floyd died in police custody, the city agreed to ban police chokeholds and require officers to intervene any time they see unauthorized force by another officer. The changes are part of a stipulation between the city and state officials who launched a civil rights investigation into Floyds death. The City Council was expected to approve the agreement, which will be enforceable in court.

The countrys most significant demonstrations in a half-century  rivaling those during the civil rights and Vietnam War eras  resumed for an 11th day nationwide with continued momentum as the mood largely shifted from explosive anger to more peaceful calls for change. Formal and impromptu memorials to Floyd stretched from Minneapolis to North Carolina, where family members will gather Saturday to mourn him, and beyond.

Josiah Roebuck, a university student who used social media to help gather 100 people to demonstrate Friday in an Atlanta suburb, is confident the momentum will last.

Once you start, youre going to see this every day, said Roebuck, who has attended multiple protests. I just want minorities to be represented properly.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey kneels by the casket of George Floyd before a memorial service at North Central University, Thursday, June 4, 2020, in Minneapolis. Floyd died on May 25 as a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck, ignoring his cries and bystander shouts until he eventually stopped moving. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Protests across the country had initially been marred by the setting of fires and smashing of windows, but Friday marked the third day of more subdued demonstrations.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who eulogized Floyd at a heartfelt tribute in Minneapolis on Thursday, said Friday that plans are in the works for a commemorative march on Washington on Aug. 28, the anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech. Sharpton said the event would be a way to maintain momentum as the legal cases of the four officers charged in Floyd's death move forward.

Floyds body was being taken to North Carolina, the state where he was born 46 years ago, for a public viewing and private service for family Saturday. Then in Texas, where Floyd lived most of his life, services culminating in a private burial will take place Monday and Tuesday.

CORRECTS FLOYD'S FIANCEE'S NAME TO COURTENEY ROSS, NOT DIAMOND - Courteney Ross, the fiancee of George Floyd reacts after a memorial service for Floyd at North Central University Thursday, June 4, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

In Washington, city workers and volunteers painted Black Lives Matter in enormous yellow letters on the street leading to the White House on Friday in a sign of local leaders embrace of the protest movement. The mural stretched across 16th Street for two blocks, ending just before the church where President Donald Trump staged a photo-op earlier this week after federal officers forcibly cleared a peaceful demonstration to make way for the president and his entourage.

The section of 16th Street in front of the White House is now officially Black Lives Matter Plaza, Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a tweet shortly after the mural was completed.

The project follows Bowsers verbal clashes with the Trump administration over the response to protests over Floyds killing. Still, the local chapter of Black Lives Matter took a swipe at Bowser on Twitter by saying the project distracts from their efforts to shift funds from local police to community investment.

Demonstrators protest Thursday, June 4, 2020, near the White House in Washington, over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was in police custody in Minneapolis. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

There were zero arrests during demonstrations in the city Thursday and Friday and Bowser cancelled the curfew that had been in place since Monday. She said she will decide Saturday morning if it will be reinstated.

Meanwhile, in a sign protesters voices were being heard, more symbols of slavery and the Confederacy came down. Mobile, Alabama, removed a statue of a Confederate naval officer after days of protests there, while Fredericksburg, Virginia, removed a 176-year-old slave auction block after several years of efforts by the NAACP.

Community activists were working to convert anger and grief into long-term action. Black Lives Matter Alliance Broward circulated a sign-up sheet at a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, protest that drew 1,500 names of people who want to stay involved. The group followed up with each person this week suggesting simple actions such as emailing or calling to demand local change.

Protesters take a knee on Flatbush Avenue in front of New York City police officers during a solidarity rally for George Floyd, Thursday, June 4, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

We are taking more of the strategy of: How do we actually invest peoples energy beyond protesting? said Tifanny Burks, a community organizer. We are thinking long term.

This weekend, they were building a church altar with the names of victims killed by local police and having their family members speak. On Monday, they plan a workshop to help people engage at the local level, including mobilizing in upcoming elections.

Every single day its growing from people who want to get more involved, who want to take more actions, so were going to be mobilizing those folks, Burks said.

Protesters lay in the middle of the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and Second Avenue in Memphis Thursday, June 4, 2020 for the protests over the death of George Floyd. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian via AP)

In Minneapolis, organizer Sam Martinez said regular meetings and a mailing list of about 5,000 has sustained the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, formed after the 2015 shooting death of Jamar Clark during a struggle with two white officers.

We meet every week, because we know thats what it takes, Martinez said.

Nakia Wallace, an organizer of protests in Detroit, said people were beginning to understand the movement's power.

Protesters march during a solidarity rally for George Floyd, Thursday, June 4, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

The world is watching, she said, adding: The main strategy is to get people to collectively come out and make demands until those demands are met.

For the past week in Richmond, Virginia, Austin Carroll, a 28-year-old musician, has spent six hours a day marching or protesting near a soaring statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, which the governor agreed this week to remove.

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Carroll, a member of Black Lives Matter, has strained his voice from yelling and his 6-year-old son, Levi, has blisters on his feet. But Carroll said they plan to continue to march every day until more changes come, including deescalation training for police.

APD officer Alexandra Parker holds her hand up with a fellow officer as they kneel together with protesters at the Austin Police Department HQ during a Black Lives Matter rally in Austin on Thursday, June 4, 2020. (Lola Gomez/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

I am tired. My voice and legs are gone, Carroll said. Were resting right now, but well be back out here marching tonight.

___

Amy reported from Atlanta and Williams from Detroit. AP journalists Kelli Kennedy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Jeff Baenen and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis; Denise Lavoie in Richmond, Virginia; Jonathan Drew in Durham, North Carolina, and reporters around the U.S. contributed.

___

The spelling of Mayor Muriel Bowsers last name has been corrected.
The joke in the title of Jonathan Safran Foer's award-ladened debut novel Everything is Illuminated was that everything was, in fact, fabricated.

The book's central character, Alex, a Ukrainian translator with a tenuous grasp of English, was made up, as was his bad-tempered grandfather, who drove a fictitious "Jonathan Safran Foer" on a trip to find a woman who had saved Jonathan's Jewish grandfather from the Nazis.

The history of the grandfather's shtetl, which took up at least a third of the novel, was also imagined. As, sadly, was the existence of the Ukrainian duo's flatulent dog, Sammy Davis Jr, Jr. The real Safran Foer had been to Ukraine, and he had hoped to discover the identity of a family who had hidden his grandfather from the Nazis. But his investigation had come to naught. When he finally arrived at the place where the shtetl, Trochenbrod, once stood, he found nothing - no sign whatsoever that the former Jewish town had ever existed. And so he filled the void with invention.

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Now, in a powerful new memoir written by Safran Foer's mother, Esther, we discover that the novelist's fiction did, in the end, help to produce fact. I Want You to Know We're Still Here is the real story of Esther's father, Louis, which she pieced together after a flood of phone calls, emails and letters from readers about Trochenbrod in the weeks and months after Everything is Illuminated was published in 2002 (the name of the town was one of the few things Jonathan didn't make up). It is also the story of Esther's mother and of the thousands of Jews from the area who were marched out of their homes, taken to open pits and shot by Einsatzgruppen - Germany's mobile killing squads.

In a clear, direct style very different to her son's tricksy prose, she describes how ghosts visited her "from the shtetls in Ukraine" long before Jonathan became a writer and how she always longed to know more than her mother, Ethel, was willing to tell her about her father, who died by suicide in 1954 when she was eight. Not only was there the mystery of the family who had hidden him during the war - the name of which her mother swore she didn't know; there was also the revelation, casually dropped into a conversation when Esther was in her early 40s, that he had had a wife and daughter before Ethel and that they had both been murdered by the Nazis.

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"Of the person closest to me killed in the Holocaust, my half-sibling, I had not one detail, not a name, not a picture, not one piece of a memory," she writes. "Here was a child, one of almost 1.5 million children who were murdered during the Holocaust, and there was no way to remember that this child had even lived. How do you remember someone who has left no trace?"

In 2007, after retiring, Esther had time to pursue the new leads thrown up by Everything is Illuminated. There had, she discovered, been a group of "Trochenbroders", in addition to her father, who had escaped the massacre of the town's Jews, fleeing into the forest. Some were still alive and had fond memories of her father Louis, or "Leibel" as they knew him.

It may be a mission founded in tragedy, but there is something exhilarating about the way Esther brings her father, and the other denizens of Trochenbrod, back from the dead in this second half of the book.

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And when she eventually visits Ukraine, it is not just to find the family who hid her father or to discover the name of her murdered sister. It is to tell all the victims, whose mass graves are marked by a series of memorial stones, that they have not been forgotten, that their descendants "are still here", that they lived on as Jews.

Esther does not shy away from the horrifying details of the "Holocaust by bullets" - the way, for example, that one mass grave moved for days because there were still victims alive, beneath the earth. But, her book, overridingly and wonderfully, turns out to be more a hymn to life than a requiem for the dead.

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A number of high-profile firms and startups have set up logistics networks in India in the last decade as they attempt to digitize neighborhood stores.

Bangalore-headquartered startup Udaan, for instance, works directly with brands and sellers to source inventory and sells and delivers it to stores through its business-to-business marketplace. Its a big opportunity. Most neighborhood stores that dot tens of thousands of cities and towns in India are still offline.

The startup has warehouses spread across the country, several in New Delhi and Gurgaon.

If you travel a few hundred miles west, things look very familiar. Pakistan has several similarities to India: its cities are just as dense and populated, for one. But the startup ecosystem in the nation, which is much smaller than India in size and population, is still in its nascent stage.

But slowly, global investors who arrived in India and other Asian markets in the last decade are beginning to look at Pakistan and bet on startups that are solving similar challenges.

Tajir, a Lahore-headquartered startup, today serves more than 15,000 neighborhood stores, locally known in the region as kirana, across Pakistan.

The two-year-old startup, the first startup from the nation to be backed by Y Combinator, said on Friday that it has closed a new financing round.

Pioneer Fund, Golden Gate Ventures, Fatima Gobi Ventures, Karavan, and VentureSouq led the round, with participation from a clutch of angel investors, Tajir co-founders Babar Khan and Ismail Khan told TechCrunch in an interview.

Tajir offers full transparency on the prices of various products, addressing a challenge that store owners confront offline each day, and sells and delivers inventories to the stores, said the Khan brothers, whose father ran an FMCG retail distribution business for three decades.

We help store owners save money on inventory and help them boost their sales, said Ismail.

Like in India, offline retail drives the vast majority of sales in Pakistan. The retail is even more unorganized here compared to neighboring nations, they said. Theres no Amazon or any major giant running an e-commerce business for consumers in Pakistan today.

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For Babar and Ismail, thats a big opportunity as they scale. According to official government data, there are about 2 million neighborhood stores in Pakistan.

Tajir is gaining ground in the country today mostly through word-of-mouth endorsement from existing partners, though the startup also maintains a sales team to educate more store owners about their platform.

It plans to use the capital to expand its offering and develop more services that stores need to grow their business, the brothers said. These offerings could include a wider catalog of inventory, and access to financial services, they said.

We want to offer an essential service to every single mom-and-pop store in Pakistan, said Babar.

Tajir today does not have any major competitor, which is good news as a lot is riding on its founders' shoulders who are among the early batch of entrepreneurs in the country. In many ways, their success will determine the perception of the Pakistani market to investors worldwide.
TV czarina and film producer, Ekta Kapoor is known to back content which is bold, and not run-of-the-mill, cue films such as The Dirty Picture (2011), and her latest web show XXX Uncensored. However, this time around, people are objecting to some of the content shown in the latter.

After Bigg Boss 13 contestant Vishal Pathak, popularly known as Hindustani Bhau lodged a police complaint, there has also been an FIR lodged against her in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

Despite the fact that the particular scene in question has been deleted from the show, Kapoor continues to be the target for trolls, who went to the extent of sending her rape and death threats on social media.

However, not just fans and followers of Ekta Kapoor shows and films, but also many celebs have come to her rescue, and are outright in calling this behaviour unacceptable.

Actor Iqbal Khan says he himself has been subjected to such threats in the past. I know how it affects an individual at times. Even when you make up your mind to stay away from such negative things. Social media is full of these keyboard soldiers, who dont have the guts to come out in the open and they prefer hurling abuses at people from their hideouts. They are simply a bunch of losers, he says.

Extending support towards Kapoor, he adds, Ekta is a very strong-headed woman. Shes somebody who has been there for a very long time. She has become what she is at a time when it was still a mans word. Im sure shes going come out of this. If theres some kind of an issue that needs to be sorted, it can be done without getting abusive. Thats how it should be.

Echoing similar thoughts, actor Sharad Malhotra says that Kapoor has been entertaining millions of viewers for decades and it's just not right to threaten anyones safety.

Trusting her creative sensibilities and vision, it would be very harsh to judge her on one incident that unfortunately has not gone down too well with the viewers. Yes, if theres an issue, it needs to be dealt and sorted out amicably and maturely. Threats of any kind are completely unacceptable, says the 37-year-old.

Naagin actor Jasmin Bhasin emphasises on the long journey that Kapoor has had in showbiz. She shares, Ektas TV shows and films have been winning hearts for so many years now. Just because of one incident, we should not judge someone. Also, threatening anyone for anything is just not the solution. Ekta has been a fantastic producer and content creator. Things should be sorted peacefully.

Actors Saumya Tandon and Shweta Basu Prasad, though they confess not having proper idea about the exact series of incidents, they agree that such threats are wrong in the first place and especially that nobody has the right to threaten a woman on a public platform.

Its a free world, if you do not like any content, you can wish to reject it. Were in a civilised society, this is no way to react to any kind of creative work anybody has done. If you dont like it, it is totally your right to reject it. These kind of threats are something completely appalling and unacceptable, Tandon opines.

While Prasad says, Its wrong, you are not the law, and cannot give threats to anybody. Even if its a woman or man. On a human level, of course one should not say anything which supercedes the law.
Anger among autoworkers over unsafe working conditions amid the coronavirus pandemic is increasingly merging with outrage over police violence and profound discontent over skyrocketing social inequality.

In the past week, US President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and illegally deploy the military against mostly young, working class protesters who are demonstrating in hundreds of cities across the US against the police killing of George Floyd over Memorial Day weekend.

Autoworkers leave the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Warren Truck Plant after the first work shift, May 18, 2020, in Warren, Michigan [Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya]

The conspiracy by Trump and his fascistic advisors to carry out a coup detat and establish a military dictatorship has been met with virtual silence and no serious opposition by the Democratic Party, which has attempted to promote complacency and downplay the dangers facing the working class.

The fight against police violence and racism must be fused with the struggle for safe working conditions and all the democratic and social rights of the working class. We urge autoworkers to attend our online forum this Sunday, June 7 at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, Revolution and Counter-Revolution in America, which will present a Marxist analysis of the historic events of the past week and outline the way forward for the working class.

The multi-ethnic, multi-racial protests against the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis have evoked widespread sympathy among workers. Autoworkers spoke to the World Socialist Web Site in recent days in support of the mass demonstrations and against the Trump administrations threats of a military coup.

A worker at Fiat Chryslers Belvidere Assembly Plant in northern Illinois said there was pervasive discontent among workers over police violence and social inequality. Everyones angry at the police. And at all these corporations who rob the people every day, either by taking away pensions, or their wages, or some other way.

Responding to Trumps moves to deploy the military to crush the protests, he continued, Hes definitely setting up the conditions for something really bad to happen. Its all going to come to a head.

He said there was broad sentiment at Belvidere Assembly, which restarted production this week, that it had not been safe to return to work. No one wanted to be there. Everyone said we shouldnt have been back yet.

Its really crazy, the first two weeks were back, theyre rotating shifts every two weeks. But they have about 300 people who are lower seniority working first shift the first two weeks and then second shift the next two. Theyre basically being punished. Theyll be coming into contact with more people, and be getting less sleep switching shifts, and have less ability to fight off the virus.

With everything being shut down, you realize how important the daily worker really is. Thats honestly why they need us back to work, theyre not making money. Were a lot more important than the CEO.

They always say they cant tell us whos infected because of HIPAA and privacy laws, but I think we should have that information. I think theyre worried that the older, more experienced workers will plan a wildcat.

A veteran worker from the Ford Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri spoke in support of the Socialist Equality Party statement, A call to the working class! Stop Trumps coup detat!

He said, President Trump sending troops against citizens of his own country is against the law and he needs to be stopped.

Truth be told, none of the Democrats or Republicans care if the workers have food to eat, health care, or education. All politicians have the best health care and pensions, fully funded with tax money, but these are the same people that tell workers they must live off of $8 per hour and afford food and childcare with that. Then you have these billionaires like CEO of Amazon Jeff Bezos who has more than five houses but people who work for him are homeless and he wont even give them enough to eat.

I think its going to take the younger generation to lead the fight against the ruling class. A lot of the demonstrators are young and intelligent, but they need organization. I talk to a lot of the younger temporary part-time workers in the plant, and they work very hard for no pay, and they say, we deserve better than this.

In the plant where were working while the coronavirus spreads, there is no way you can do your job with social distancing. We cant breathe in the masks. Last weekend it was almost 100 degrees with the humidity. I also heard that management is not telling us about known cases of workers with coronavirus infections who have been in the plant.

The working class has always been the backbone of the country. The workers need to realize that Trump wants a dictatorship, and that he is trying to divide them, and they need to reject that and come together as one. Workers need to organize. I advocate being heard, all of us saying, Were tired of thisno more, enough is enough.

Look at historylook at the last Czar of Russia, Nicholas, who was starving the people. The people of Russia, the Bolsheviks, had a revolution. They had had enough.

A worker at Fiat Chryslers Kokomo Transmission Plant in Indiana spoke out against the police brutality and military violence unleashed against protesters by Democratic and Republican governments across the country and rising social inequality.

Protesting does not call for the military to be deployed. [President Trump] is not following the Constitution. He is trying to be a dictator and he cant be allowed to be one.

Police brutality is a problem that has been ongoing for years. Its wrong that police have been getting away with brutality and killing people of every race. I saw a video in the news of a police officer breaking store windows with a hammer during the protests, she said, countering the media narrative that the protests had emboldened looters.

The rich and the politicians dont listen to the voices of the people; theyre a different class. All we do is make them richer while we work for chump change. Some people who lost their jobs during the pandemic now need to work two or three jobs just to make ends meet. Its been very humbling for a lot of workers.

I dont see the unions working for us, either, because theyre for management. Their idea is that company management can do whatever it needs to do to manage their business. The union did not define to us what we needed to do for unemployment benefits. They gave us incorrect information on what we needed to do to apply for supplementary unemployment benefits and they do not stand up for us. I cant believe we pay them dues for this!

Commenting that the real looting has been carried out by the capitalist class through the CARES Act bailouts, she continued, The state budgets did not get enough of the money in the appropriations and they needed it. Now they have no money for teachers, public workers, they could rescind social security and we could have nothing for retirement.

I believe in protesting and people standing up for something they believe in. If you have a big class of people in unity and solidarity with each other, it will be hard to break that bond. You need to get the word out that we need to get organized with a clearly defined goal. I think the protesters need to raise demands, or theyll be swept under the rug. They need to rise now and get every issue involved while everyones in an uproar. I think we can have the power because were actually working [in the plants], we know the ins and outs of it; the rich people and the politicians have never worked a day in their lives.
The approval by the Vietnamese National Assembly of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) is a historic achievement.

It represents an extraordinary step ahead in the relations between the European Union and Vietnam, and it embodies the most appropriate way to celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations.

Giorgio Aliberti Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Vietnam, photo VOV

These new foundations provide a good basis for expanded trade and investment opportunities. Vietnam is by far the biggest exporter of goods to the EU in the ASEAN  almost twice as much as the second strongest exporter, Singapore. Unfortunately, the trade is very unbalanced: Vietnam only buys a third of the products from the EU that Singapore buys, leading to big trade deficits. Regarding FDI, the EU is the largest investor in ASEAN countries, ahead of Japan and China. However, the EU is only the fifth-largest FDI partner of Vietnam. Is this an indication that there is room for FDI growth from EU companies to invest in Vietnam and what does this imply for trade?

When entering into force, the EVFTA will bring immediate positive effects for businesses in both Vietnam and Europe. From day one, the cut to tariffs will apply to 65 per cent of the EU exports to Vietnam and 71 per cent of EU imports from Vietnam, with a gradual phasing out over 10 years. The elimination of bilateral tariffs and export taxes, together with the reduction of non-tariff barriers affecting cross-border exchange of goods and services, are expected to boost bilateral trade considerably. The opening of the procurement markets adds important new trading opportunities for the EU.

Vietnam exports to the EU are forecast to grow by 15 billion ($16.5 billion), while EU exports to Vietnam are expected to grow only half as much. These figures fall short, however, in capturing many of the dynamic gains that will result both for the economies and the societies.

For such dynamic gains, FDI is going to be the critical catalyst. But the main question is: How do you get more EU trade to get more EU investment? The answer is to allow and facilitate more EU exports to Vietnam in the first place.

Streamlining regulations applicable to business sectors has a huge potential for triggering these dynamic gains. In many internal studies in the EU, it turned out that the right regulations, based on international standards and practices, will provide benefits to business, and attract international businesses that bring much higher benefits than the obvious gains from the tariff reductions. It is not about deregulating important government policies, but there are many ways to make regulations smarter. Better regulation inside Vietnam will also improve the competiveness of Vietnamese firms operating abroad and expanding to the EU. FDI often follows strong trade relations. In return, more FDI is likely to further increase the trade potential between partners. In its amazing progress to a middle-income country, Vietnam now realises that without further FDI its potential to become a regional hub and become part of global value chains may be limited. With the EVFTA and the EVIPA, todays disruptions can also serve as an opportunity for re-organising Vietnamese trade and investment relations. Vietnamese companies may want to consider whether they could diversify their supply chains, their production chains and their integration into value chains. If the country diversifies more, it becomes less vulnerable to future global economic crises.

If there is more trade from the EU to Vietnam, it is likely that the EVFTA will trigger a new wave of FDI from the EU into this country. Investments from the EU are of top quality. European FDI comes with high standards of corporate social responsibility for protecting and training workers and employees, as well as for respecting and protecting the environment. These spillover effects are essential for economies like Vietnam to avoid the middle-income trap. It allows Vietnam to promote economic growth, create better jobs at the same time while ensuring sustainable development.

Both agreements offer Vietnam a chance of becoming a regional production hub. Compared with regional peer economies, Vietnam has a first mover advantage of 7-10 golden years of privileged access to the EUs market.

If you take a closer look into the complementarities of our two economies, greater interdependence is really a win-win situation. These positive effects will of course only materialise if the promises and obligations of the agreements are swiftly put into practice. The benefits of the agreements will depend on the level of transparency and predictability of government behaviour in contact with business. Businesspeople and investors can be shy and have options to move elsewhere. Attracting and retaining more European FDI will require reforms and streamlining of rules and procedures. Digitalisation and access from outside of Vietnam to start and accomplish these procedures could help attract more small- and medium-sized global players. VIR

Giorgio Aliberti (Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Vietnam)

Upcoming EVFTA to fortify lenders European and Vietnamese banks alike could gain the upper hand down the road thanks to upcoming ratification of the historic trade deal between Vietnam and the EU.
Thousands of vulnerable pensioners are having to pay more for care homes because of the pandemic.

Those who cover their own fees are being landed with extra 'coronavirus bills', according to research by Age UK.

The charity said they or their families are being asked to stump up around 125 a week for personal protective equipment and the cost of covering staff absences.

The residents already have to pay 40 per cent more than the local councils who fund those who have free care.

Four in ten of England's 6,000 care homes have reported a coronavirus outbreak and 16,000 residents have died with the disease.

Doug Meridith (left) and his wife Pat, who has Alzheimer's disease, and is living in Chestnut House care home in Crumpsall, north Manchester and claim the fees were raised by 75-a-week because of the coronavirus crisis

Many homes have seen their finances pushed into the red by costs 20 per cent higher than usual; it is feared that as many as 20,000 sites could go out of business.

Caroline Abrahams of Age UK said: 'Older people living in care homes and their families have been through the mill these last few months as the virus has ripped through one in three of these settings, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

It is adding insult to injury that after going through so much, some residents who pay for their own care are now facing a big extra bill  on top of already expensive fees.

Where care homes face extra costs on account of the pandemic it's only fair that central government ensures they are met  otherwise there's a risk that some homes could fold, leaving their residents homeless.

This would be bad enough at the best of times, let alone now when the virus continues to pose a threat, making it safest for everyone to stay put.'

The Daily Mail is campaigning for a fairer social care system which does not discriminate against the 70 per cent of care home residents who have dementia.

Ministers have allocated 1.6billion to councils and set up a 600million infection fund to help the care sector meet pandemic costs.

But there have been complaints from some care homes that their council has failed to pass on the cash, leaving them to struggle to meet the additional costs.

Age UK said some care home residents are being asked to pay an excess charge of 15 per cent on top of already high fees.

This amounts to 128 in England on top of the usual average fees of 851 a week.

The 'coronavirus bills' are being levied due to the rapidly increasing costs of purchasing PPE and rising wage bills from covering statutory sick pay and absent staff.

The majority of residents in England now have to pay for their own care

The bills are also going toward the need to meet the planned increase in the living wage, which the Government introduced without giving care providers any extra money.

The majority of residents in England now have to pay for their own care.

Recent estimates suggest there are around 400,000 residents in care homes in England, of whom 167,000 are self-funders and an additional 45,000 are part self-funders.

Labour care spokesman Liz Kendall said: 'The Government must ensure care providers get the additional funding needed and stop providers passing on these huge additional costs to elderly and vulnerable people.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: 'We have now made 3.2billion available to local authorities to address pressures on local services, including in adult social care.

'We have also provided a further 600million to help reduce the infection rate in care homes.'

Bosses at one care home threatened to hike fees by 300 a month to pay for PPE. Chestnut House in Manchester claimed it had no choice but to bump up 79-year-old Pat Meridith's charges to pay for the specialist masks and aprons.

Her son Kevin said: 'My dad Doug pays the fees himself and is not by any means a rich man.

'They had not given us any warning, just told us it is going up from May 1 and that's that. It is ridiculous, it is not right.'

A spokesman told the Mail that they had since negotiated a lower bill.
A 12-year-old girl has become the latest victim of the current wave of rape incident in Nigeria.

According to a statement by the victims mum, she was gang-raped by four mask men at their Abijo, Ajah, Lagos state residence.

She was said to have been raped while playing alone in the compound around 2pm on Thursday.

The mother recounted thus:

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I went to the office and was called (on the phone) and told that my daughter was raped in our house. I learnt she was having her online class when suddenly, there was a power outage. My husband rushed out to get fuel at a filling station so that she could participate in the class seamlessly,

Read Also: #JusticeForBarakat: 100L Female Undergraduate Gang-Raped, Murdered In Ibadan

She told us that while she was in the compound, four masked men jumped into the house through the fence. They took her inside and took turns to have sex with her, leaving her with multiple injuries.

Immediately I received the call, I became so mad. I headed for the hospital where my daughter was rushed to. When I got there, I was told she suffered vaginal trauma. The underneath of her clitoris was bruised and she had a deep tear that made her bleed severely.

She could have passed out if not that her dad got back home early. She lost a lot of blood. The bleeding stopped after the tear was stitched; although, she is still experiencing very severe pain, the mother added.

She added, I dont think we are secure anymore because it seems like we are being monitored. They perpetuated their evil within the few minutes it took my husband to buy fuel.

They could not enter through the gate because of an ongoing construction at a building opposite ours. The site was crowded and that made them avoid entering through the front door. They scaled the fence. Some policemen followed us to the house and saw how the attackers scattered our things around.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Bala Elkana, said the command had been duly informed of the crime and investigations were ongoing.

He said, The police have been duly informed of the atrocity and have commenced investigation into the case. We are on the trail of the culprits. Its a bit complicated because those guys wore face masks, which makes us suspect the culprits are people close to them. They probably covered their faces to conceal their identities.
Shigeru Yokota, father of Megumi Yokota, who was abducted by North Korea in 1977, died Friday. He was 87.

Since the formation in 1997 of the Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea, he has been at the forefront of efforts to rescue the abductees. As a symbol of the abductees' families, he ardently appealed to public opinion and the Japanese government for a solution to the abduction issue for many years.

Megumi disappeared in Niigata in November 1977. At that time, she was 13 and in her first year of junior high school. Yokata then worked at the Bank of Japan's Niigata branch office.

For years, there were no clues as to what had happened to her. However, in January 1997, the testimonies of North Korean defectors pointed to the strong possibility that she had been abducted and taken to North Korea, prompting her father to form the association with seven other families in March of that year. He served as its representative until 2007.

At the first Japan-North Korea summit in September 2002, then North Korean leader Kim Jong Il admitted to the abductions and announced the deaths of eight people, including Megumi, but Shigeru told a press conference, "The death of my daughter is unacceptable."

To promote the rescue of the abductees, Shigeru has given more than 100 lectures a year with his wife, Sakie, now 84. He had visited all 47 prefectures in Japan and carried out signature-collecting campaigns on the streets.

In March 2014, a meeting with Megumi's daughter, Kim Eun-gyong, was arranged in Mongolia. Shigeru also met his 10-month-old great-granddaughter. After that, his decline in physical strength became noticeable, and he had been hospitalized since April 2018.

"Both my husband and I have worked hard to reunite with Megumi, who was abducted by North Korea. But my husband has not been able to see her and reached the end of his rope. I am in a state of being unable to organize my feelings now," Sakie said in a statement Friday.
TROY, N.Y.  An unidentified male believed to be in his late teens was killed in a shooting incident on Swift Street between 6th and 7th Avenue on Friday night, Troy Police said on Saturday.

The male was one of two victims in a pair of assault investigations being conducted by police.

Also on Friday, a 36-year-old Troy resident was the victim of a reported stabbing that took place near 5th Avenue and 109th Street on Friday night. Police said the victim was stabbed by another male, who then fled the scene in a Uhaul Box Truck.

The victim was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, but police said Saturday his condition has improved.

Police said no arrests have been made in either investigation and detectives are encouraging anyone with any information relating to either case to call Detectives at (518) 270-4427.
Al Sharpton announces new March on Washington at George Floyd's funeral, cites Ecclesiastes

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In his eulogy for George Floyd at a memorial service in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Thursday, civil rights activist Al Sharpton declared that now is the right time for the United States to reform its criminal justice system and promised to march on Washington come August to get it.

There is a time and season, the 65-year-old Baptist minister said, referencing Ecclesiastes 3:1. The Old Testament verse reads: To everything, there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

Recalling his history of activism over several decades and comparing it to protests that have been sparked globally by Floyds death, Sharpton said he felt hopeful because he believes the cry for justice today has been different.

When I looked this time and saw marches where, in some cases, young whites outnumbered the blacks marching, I know that its a different time and a different season, Sharpton said to a crowd of mask-wearing members of Floyds family, politicians, friends and well-wishers at The Lindquist Sanctuary of the Trask Word & Worship Center at North Central University.

When I looked and saw people in Germany marching for George Floyd, its a different time and a different season. When they went in front of the Parliament in London, England and said its a different time and a different season, Ive come to tell you, America, this is the time of dealing with accountability in the criminal justice system.

Ive come to tell you that [theyre] sitting in Washington talking about militarizing the country thinking that you can sell Wolf tickets to people whos had enough of abuse, he added.

I come to tell you that you can get on the TV but you on the wrong time. Time is out for not holding you accountable. Time is out for you making excuses. Time is out for you trying to stall. Time is out for empty words and empty promises. Time is out for you filibustering and trying to stall the arm of justice. This is the time. We wont stop. Were going to keep going until we change the whole system of justice.

Derek Chauvin, 44, a former Minneapolis police officer who was previously charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter for the death of Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, had his charge upgraded to second-degree murder on Wednesday.

Three other former officers  J. Alexander Kueng, 26; Thomas Lane, 37; and Tou Thao, 34  were charged with aiding and abetting Floyd's murder.

In an approximately 10-minute video, a handcuffed Floyd is shown lying face down begging for his life and crying for his mother while Chauvin kneels into his neck.

Chauvin kneels into Floyds neck until he begins to bleed from his nose and becomes unresponsive. Even after Floyd becomes motionless on the ground, Chauvin is shown pressing his knee into Floyds neck for several more minutes as bystanders begged him to have mercy.

Sharpton used the imagery of Chauvin kneeling into Floyds neck as he died to drive home the experience of Americas racial inequality.

George Floyds story has been the story of black folks. Because ever since 401 years ago, the reason we could never be who we wanted and dream to be is you kept your knee on our neck, he said.

We were smarter than the underfunded schools you put us in, but you had your knee on our neck. We could run corporations and not hustle in the street, but you had your knee on our neck. We had creative skills we could do whatever anybody else could do, but we couldnt get your knee off our neck. What happens to Floyd happens every day in this country in education, in health services and in every area of American life. Its time for us to stand up in Georges name and say get your knee off our necks.

Sharpton also announced that he is working with major civil rights organizations and faith leaders to protest in Washington, D.C. on August 28. The day marks the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.s March on Washington in 1963.

Over 200,000 demonstrators participated in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in the nations capital. The march pressured the Kennedy administration to initiate a federal civil rights bill in Congress that would become the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. The March on Washington is where King delivered his famous I Have a Dream speech.

Thats where your father stood in the shadows of the Lincoln Memorial and said I have a dream, Sharpton said, acknowledging the presence of Martin Luther King Jr. III in the audience.

We going back this August 28th to restore and recommit that dream, to stand up. Because just like at one era, we had to fight slavery. [In] another era, we had to fight Jim Crow. [In] another era, we dealt with voting rights. This is the era to deal with policing and criminal justice.

Sharpton declared that people of all races need to go back to Washington and stand up ... in the shadows of Lincoln and tell them this is the time to stop this.

Sharpton noted that leading the charge will be families like Floyds and Eric Garners who have been directly impacted by police brutality. Garner died in 2014 after being put in a chokehold by a New York City police officer.

Its going to be getting us ready to vote, not just for who is going to be in the White House, but the State House and the city councils that allow these policing measures to go unquestioned, Sharpton said. We are going to change the time."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6)  The Clark International Airport reopened its doors on Friday to accommodate overseas Filipino workers returning to the country, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority said.

Binuksan natin ang Clark airport para i-decentralize ang pagdating ng mga overseas Filipino workers. Mas magiging mabilis at mas komportable ang pag-uwi at pag-aalaga sa mga OFWs sa mga susunod na araw, BCDA President and CEO Vince Dizon said.

[Translation: We opened up the Clark airport to decentralize the arrival of overseas Filipino workers. Taking care of the OFWs and bringing them home in the coming days will become much faster and comfortable.]

The agency said the airport's first flight which arrived from Dubai carried 262 passengers, 257 of whom were OFWs. On Saturday, a flight from Vancouver, Canada with 347 Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship seafarers also landed in Clark.

Aside from a one-stop shop to assist passengers upon arrival, booths were also set up at the airport so that swab tests could be conducted on the returnees before they head to their respective hotels. The swab samples will then be processed at the JB Lingad Memorial Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga.

Ang objective natin ay hindi lalagpas ng limang araw ang kanilang [pag-stay sa hotels]. Kapag sila ay negatibo, makakauwi na sila, maximum of 5 days, said Dizon.

[Translation: Our objective is for their hotel stay not to exceed five days. If they are negative (for COVID-19), they can go home, a maximum of five days.]

The streamlined process is in line with the COVID-19 national task force's earlier pronouncement that returning OFWs must be sent home within the prescribed period and avoid prolonged quarantine periods due to testing delays.

The government had said that around 60,000 workers would be coming back to the country in the next two months, with 300,000 possibly returning by the end of the year.
In the wake of the brutal Memorial Day killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, promising momentum has been building in this country for police reform.

Over the past three days, the city of Minneapolis has banned chokeholds and Los Angeles officials have defied fiscal orthodoxy by announcing plans to cut up to $150 million in police funding and invest that money into communities of color.

Any serious reform effort, however, will demand a reevaluation of the role of police unions in the United States.

Now Playing: 'These events have basically put you on notice,' Julian Castro address the San Antonio city council in a recorded meeting with the Express-News editorial board. Video: San Antonio Express-News

It will require an examination of the way unions negotiate for clauses that hinder the process of punishing police officers who abuse their authority. It will require union leaders to decide that their ultimate obligation is to the public they serve, the public that pays their salaries, and not to bad cops who happen to pay union dues.

San Antonio needs to be at the forefront of that reevaluation.

Campaign Zero, a police-reform advocacy group, recently looked at collective-bargaining contracts in 81 of the 100 largest cities in this country. They found that 72 of those 81 cities had at least one contract provision impeding police accountability.

Five cities had problematic provisions in all six categories. San Antonio was one of those cities.

Along the same lines, a 2017 Washington Post investigation into police misconduct found that San Antonio had the dubious distinction of being the city with the highest rate (70 percent) of fired police officers reinstated due to collective-bargaining arbitration clauses.

This citys current police-union contract expires on October 1, 2021, and a new round of negotiations will start early next year. That means San Antonio can be an early test of this countrys collective commitment to reform the culture of law enforcement.

Mike Helle wont be a part of that negotiation process. The president of the San Antonio Police Officers Association announced Thursday that hell be stepping down after 12 years in office. His term will end in eight months.

Helle is an unabashed political conservative who tends to push back against the argument that police officers are more prone to use force against African-Americans than white people.

On ExpressNews.com: Podcast: The keys to police reform

He acknowledges that some officers who deserve to be fired get reinstated when they take their appeal to the arbitration process, but he pins the blame for that not on the union, but on what he calls the incompetence of the opposition.

I have no appetite to reduce any of our rights due to somebody elses incompetence on the other side, Helle said. Because youre incompetent and you failed to investigate properly or follow the processes properly and you keep losing because of your incompetence, and now you want me to dumb it down so you win? Nobody will agree to that.

The major area of contention in the citys collective-bargaining agreement is Article 28, Section 19, a set of provisions that keep finding their way into every new deal.

Section 19 imposes a 180-day statute of limitation for investigations into police misconduct. It prevents the police chief from taking into account any drug-or alcohol-related violations older than 10 years, acts of intentional violence older than five years and any other violation older than two years.

The contract also gives officers 48-hour notice before an interrogation and access to all information before being interrogated.

In light of those provisions, and San Antonios extremely high rate of officer reinstatement, its easy to conclude that the deck is stacked against officer accountability.

Not surprisingly, Helle disagrees. But he insists that hes not opposed to having a discussion with city negotiators about adjusting those disciplinary provisions.

If were dealing with common-sense issues based on facts and reality, not perceptions, I think we can entertain those things, Helle said.

Real police reform in this country will require a change in mindset, from both department and union leadership.

That means accepting that cops have a duty to intervene when one of their fellow officers gets out of line. That means recognizing that a union shouldnt be in the business of protecting officers who brutalize the people theyre meant to serve.

One of the most depressing recent displays of misplaced officer loyalty happened in Buffalo, N.Y., where all 57 members of the police departments Emergency Response Team resigned from that unit Friday in response to the suspension of two officers who knocked down a 75-year-old man who was demonstrating against Floyds killing.

The man ended up in the hospital, where he is in stable but serious condition.

This is a clear case of malignant union politics, so driven to protect its members that it cant acknowledge abuses of authority.

Its a mindset that SAPOAs next president will need to abandon.

Gilbert Garcia is a columnist covering the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Gilbert, become a subscriber. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
Anuja Susan Varghese By

Express News Service

KOCHI: With 111 more cases of Covid being reported on Friday, the Kerala governments decision to reopen shopping malls and places of worship from June 8 has become a cause for concern. Experts feel that lifting restrictions would expose a very large section of the population, particularly the elderly, to the virus at a critical juncture, undermining all the good work done by the state so far to control the pandemic.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) strongly came out against the decision warning that such a move would harm Covid containment efforts and sharply increase the risks. Earlier, independent Christian associations had also deplored the move, and had urged the government to reconsider the decision. We are forgetting the fact that we are dealing with a virus that can spread easily. Social distancing is the key to tackle the disease. Easing of lockdown restrictions and deciding to reopen places of worship when the number of cases is seeing a surge will have dire consequences, said Dr Abraham Varghese, state president of IMA.

Even while there is widespread awareness about the necessity of wearing facemasks, police have registered more than 45,000 cases since May 23 for violation of this rule. With just limited relaxations, we can see that people are violating social distancing norms and not wearing masks properly. This shows that we are not ready for any more relaxations. We are very close to community spread. If that happens, the strain on the healthcare sector will be more than one can imagine. We will be faced with the same tragic scenario that many states are now undergoing, with no hospitals left with facilities to even admit patients, said Dr Varghese.

The IMA on Friday wrote a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in this regard. We should be forewarned that opening shopping malls and religious institutions in the present situation is a guaranteed recipe for disaster, which will lead to the pandemic spiralling out of control. We must ensure that such a situation, where an uncontrollable number of patients are infected, is not allowed to arise, the letter said.

Though bishops of various churches have assured the government that they will ensure social distancing and regulate the number of faithful attending the Holy Mass, a faction of priests and Christian progressive groups have raised their voice against the proposal.

At this critical period, the decision to reopen churches for service is ill-timed and unwise. How much you try, the risk of exposure to the virus due to crowding cannot be discounted. We will be risking the entire community, said a priest who belongs to the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church. It is a very scary situation. It is a fact that we all miss going to churches on Sundays. However, the risk of infection at churches scares me. Why go through the mess? asked Lilly John, a faithful.
Over 20 people from among journalists, bloggers, employees of Ukrainian and foreign media suffered serious violations of their rights.

The Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea (ARC), together with the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, is preparing another report to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the persecution of journalists in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Read alsoUkraine calls on international community to condemn violations by Russia of Crimean Tatars' rights, freedoms

"The lack of independent media, tight control over information, censorship, manipulation and propaganda are the real situation with freedom of speech in the occupied peninsula," the press service of the prosecutor's office quoted ARC Prosecutor Ihor Ponochovny as saying on June 5.

According to Ponochovny, the active phase of the occupation was accompanied by pressure on the media, which objectively covered the events on the peninsula. Over 20 people from among journalists, bloggers, employees of Ukrainian and foreign media suffered serious violations of their rights.

"Such a negative trend on the peninsula is still ongoing. The activities of the media are constantly on the occupying [the so-called] 'law enforcement agencies'' radar screen," he added.

Ponochovny says the criminal proceedings initiated by the ARC's prosecutor's office contain numerous facts of persecution of journalists and their families, illegal searches, detentions, extremism charges, prosecution, and blocking of alternative sources of information on the peninsula.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine was initiating the creation of an international platform to end the Russian occupation of Crimea.
New Delhi, June 6 : The National Investigation Agency on Saturday arrested a terror funding conspirator from Mumbai in the 2019 Visakhapatnam espionage case involving Pakistan-based spies who had honey-trapped some junior level Navy personnel via social media for collecting sensitive information about location and movements of Indian naval ships and submarines.

Abdul Rehman Abdul Jabbar Sheikh, 53, was arrested from his residence based on inputs shared during questioning of the arrested accused in the case and technical analysis.

The agency recovered a number of digital devices and incriminating documents during search at Abdul Rehman's residence, an official said, adding further investigation is continuing.

Abdul Rehman is the 15th accused arrested in the case so far. His wife Shaista Quaiser, a Pakistan-born Indian woman, was among 14 others who were arrested earlier. The arrested also include 11 Navy personnel. On May 15, the NIA also arrested Mohammed Haroon Haji Abdul Rehman Lakdawala, 49, from Mumbai.

All of them along with others were involved in terror funding.

The NIA took over the case on December 29 last year. The case was originally registered on November 16, 2019 at CI Cell division of Andhra Pradesh Police under criminal conspiracy and waging or attempting to wage war against Indian government of Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Section 3 of Official Secrets Act.

The 2019 Visakhapatnam espionage case relates to an international racket involving individuals based in Pakistan and at different locations in India, including Visakhapatnam and Mumbai. It included agents in India recruited by Pakistan-based spies between 2011 and 2019.

They were collecting sensitive and classified information about locations or movements of Indian naval ships and submarines and other defence establishments. Investigation revealed that a few Navy personnel came in contact with Pakistani nationals through various social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp.

Through chats and messages, often comprising sexually-explicit content, exchanged with accounts of Inter-Services Intelligence agents posing as young women, the Indian recruits were lured into sharing classified information in lieu of monetary gains.

The money was deposited into the bank accounts of the Navy personnel through Indian associates having business interests in Pakistan.

The espionage racket was busted in an operation code-named 'Dolphin's Nose', jointly executed by naval intelligence, Central agencies and Andhra Pradesh State Intelligence wing.
RTHK: Tear gas barred in Denver amid police reform calls

A US District Court Judge ordered Denver police to stop using tear gas, plastic bullets and other "less-than-lethal" force while some cities announced reforms to rein in what they termed excessive use of force by police as protests stretched into the 11th day over the death of a unarmed black man.

The temporary injunction in Denver is in response to a lawsuit filed on Thursday in the District Court by protesters complaining about police tactics during demonstrations following the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis last month.

Tyrone Campbell, a Denver Police spokesman, said that the force would comply with the judge's order.

Prominent Democratic politicians have, meanwhile, embraced the cause of the protesters, adopting their slogans and announced police reforms as tensions remained high in major cities.

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has sparred with US President Donald Trump over his sometimes heavy-handed response to the rallies and marches in the nation's capital, had the slogan "Black Lives Matter" painted in massive yellow letters on a street leading to the White House.

In Minneapolis, where 46-year-old Floyd died on May 25 after a police officer pinned him to the ground with a knee to the neck for nearly nine minutes, Democratic city leaders voted to end the use of knee restraints and choke holds, although the ordinance must be approved by a judge.

Separate autopsies conducted by the Hennepin County Medical examiner and a team hired by Floyd's family each found that he died from asphyxiation.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said he would bar a state police training agency from teaching a restraint technique, sometimes called a "sleeper hold," that involves restricting the carotid artery in the neck.

And in New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo said his state should lead the way in passing "Say Their Name" reforms, including making police disciplinary records publicly available and banning chokeholds.

Black Lives Matter activists have also called for cities to defund police departments.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, a Democrat who in April proposed increasing law enforcement funding, this week reversed course and said he would seek some US$150 million in cuts to the Los Angeles Police Department.

After video footage from upstate New York raised further questions about the handling of demonstrators by law enforcement, two Buffalo police officers seen on Thursday shoving a 75-year-old protester to the ground were suspended and placed under investigation.

All 57 members of a police tactical unit quit the unit to protest their treatment, media said.

Protests over the death of Floyd have rocked cities including Atlanta, Denver, Detroit as well as many smaller communities.

The demonstrations have erupted as the public and businesses struggle to recover from sweeping lockdowns imposed to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. Disease experts have said the protests could spark new outbreaks. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2020-06-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has decided to cap the daily rates for COVID-19 treatment of patients at private hospitals across the state. This comes after complaints from the public of overcharging by private hospitals and the mounting pressure on government hospitals. Earlier this week, the state had permitted those covered under the CMs health insurance scheme (economically weaker sections) to avail free treatment in private hospitals.

As per the latest statement from the Tamil Nadu government, for asymptomatic and mild symptomatic patients, private hospitals under A1 and A2 category can charge no more than Rs.7500 per day, whereas the day rate has been capped at Rs.5000 for Grade A3 and A4 hospitals.

In the case of treatment in Intensive Care Units(ICUs) hospitals across grades A1-A4 cannot charge more than Rs.15000 per day. The government has issued strict guidelines that the hospitals must not charge above the stipulated amount.

The government has been emphasising that both government and private hospitals must unite in the fight against coronavirus to ensure that the health infrastructure can deal with the pandemic in a better manner.

As on Friday, Tamil Nadu has seen a total of 28694 cases, of which 12697 are active. The state has been reporting over a 1000 cases for the past six days. It needs to be noted that despite the high number of cases (second highest in the country) Tamil Nadu has seen a relatively low number of deaths, 232 fatalities as of Friday.

The recovery rate in the southern Indian state has also been quite high, with more than half - 15762 have been cured.

So far, the state government has been providing free-of-cost treatment to COVID-19 patients at government hospitals across the state and other specially setup COVID-19 care facilities.

Todays announcement also means that COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals is made more affordable than earlier. There were several reports in recent weeks about private hospitals fleecing COVID-19 patients (charging over Rs. 20,000 per day), and the State Health Minister had assured that the government would step in and cap the treatment costs.

Fixing the rates for treatment is also said to give a little impetus too private hospitals. Earlier, the scenario was such that private hospitals did not encourage many insured patients and were overcharging those who were admitted. But now that costs are capped, the patients also can breathe a sigh of relief, while the hospitals also can earn a little revenue, rather than having a good number of their beds empty.
By Express News Service

Indian and Chinese army corps commanders will meet at Maldo in Chushul sector of Ladakh for resolving the standoff at Finger 5 near Pangong Tso.

A day ahead of the talks, India and China agreed to handle their differences through peaceful dialogue while respecting each others sensitivities and concerns during a video-conference exchange between Naveen Srivastava, Joint Secretary (East Asia), MEA, and Wu Jianghao, director-general in Chinas foreign ministry.

During the talks, Wu and Srivastava exchanged views on bilateral relations, COVID-19 situation and anti-epidemic cooperation, celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of China-India diplomatic ties and multilateral cooperation, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said here in a press release.

ALSO READ | China has little respect for India's long-standing efforts to freeze status quo: US think tank

The press release said both the sides should implement the consensus reached between the leaderships of the two countries that the "two neighbours do not constitute a threat to each other and that each other is an opportunity for development and do not let differences turn into disputes," in a reference to decisions taken at the two informal summits between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Both sides should enhance strategic mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage differences and promote the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties so as to ensure that the giant ship of China-India relations is moving in the right direction, the release said.

Who will attend the meeting?

India will be led by 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh, Division Commander of the Area (Major General), Brigade Commander, a battallion commander, an interpreter and two more officers. The PLA is being represented by Major General Liu Lin, Commander, South Xinjiang Military region which is equivalent to a corps level formation.

What is the agenda?

The Indian side, as per sources, is demanding for status quo ante in Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso and Hot Spring sector, which means the Peoples Liberation Army has to revert to same positions which it held before. The Chinese are objecting to the road made ahead of Finger 3 and also opposed the construction of an arterial link of the Darbuk-Shyok and DBO road with Galwan Valley.

When does Border Personnel Meetings take place?

There are two types of Border Personnel Meetings (BPMs)  Scheduled and Flag Meetings. Flag Meetings are convened when something has to be conveyed or to resolve an urgent matter like the current situation. The Scheduled Meetings take place four times a year, both sides hosting two each  India on August 15 and January 26) and China on May 1 and October 1.

ALSO READ | Amidst standoff, China appoints new commander for troops overseeing India border

These meetings happen at Battalion Commander (Colonel) Level or the Brigade Commander (Brigadier) Level also referred as Delegation Level. In extreme cases, it goes to the Highest Level Military Commander (Major General).

Where do these BPMs happen?

After it began back in 1990, BPMs are held at five points along the LAC which is divided into three sectors  western, central and eastern sectors. Two BPM huts are in Ladakh at Daulat Beg Oldi and Spanggur Gap (Chusul) in Western Sector and three are in Nathu La, Bum La and Kibithoo.

What is the schedule and frequency of BPMs?

There are two types of BPMs  flag and ceremonial meetings. The Ceremonial BPMs are part of the Confidence Building Measures and happen four times a year, two meetings each on either side. With time, more steps have been taken to increase mutual trust. A volleyball match was played between the two sides for the first time on June 28, 2019 at Nathu La.

(With PTI Inputs)
There are few things that Pat McCann has not encountered over the course of more than 50 years in the hospitality sector, but the current crisis presents an altogether different challenge.

The Bunninadden native is the founder and CEO of Ireland's largest hotel operator, Dalata, with the group also making major strides in the UK market.

With 44 hotels in the portfolio, and 11 more under construction at present, Mr McCann has been one of the leading players in the hotel sector for some time, having first cut his teeth as a schoolboy working during his summer holidays at the Yeats Country Hotel in Rosses Point in the 1960s.

Now Dublin-based, Mr McCann is currently planning for a reopening of all of his hotels in July - some 15 remain in operation at the moment, but only for frontline staff.

The remarkable rise of the man who hails from Rinnarogue in south Sligo began during those summer days by the seaside where his love for the hotel business first began to develop.

"My first foray was in Rosses Point, in what was called the Yeats Country Hotel at that point in time, a 23-bedroom hotel" Mr McCann told The Sligo Champion.

"Obviously, it has grown substantially since then, owned by the McEniff family but at that point in time it was just being acquired by Ryan hotels and I worked there during summer holidays when I was in Colaiste Mhuire in Ballymote and I got the bug and that's how I started - as they say, the rest is history."

The opportunity to spend time in Rosses Point was a new departure for a youngster who was used to the rolling countryside of Bunninadden.

"It was a wonderful life" he says of his time in Rosses Point.

"You can imagine a young fellow, coming from the bogland of Rinnarogue, which was a lovely place, but Rosses Point was a metropolis as far as I was concerned. The experience of that and the wide variety of people you met and came into contact with, it was a great place to be."

A student at Bunninadden National School, before progressing through his secondary education at Colaiste Mhuire in Ballymote, Mr McCann embarked on his journey away from Sligo in 1969 when, on completion of his Leaving Cert, his work took him south to Kerry.

"In 1969, when I did my Leaving Cert, I got moved to Killarney, and then I went to London when Ryan's were opening a hotel in London in the early 1970s. I spent 20 years in total with Ryan's, and then I spent another 18 years with Jury's and then I started Dalata in 2007."

Operating the Maldron Hotel and Clayton Hotel brands, Dalata's reach is wide-ranging, and its portfolio extensive. 44 hotels - rising to 55 when constriction is complete on the 11 sites currently in operation - make up some 9000 rooms when fully operational. The Dalata Group employs just under 5000 people.

It is big business, but no business, big or small, has been able to escape the clutches of the coronavirus. 29 of the 44 hotels are closed at present; 15 are open, but only for frontline staff.

Changes will be coming down the tracks, and when hotels reopen, there will be a significant operational changes. Dalata continues to prepare for their return to business, and in many ways having some hotels open now allows an insight into what life may look like for the group when some semblance of normality returns.

Mr McCann says: "Out of the 44-odd hotels that we have, 29 are shut, 15 are in operation and those 15 are essentially looking after frontline staff, that's really what we're doing. They're technically operational but they're not open; you can't arrive in the hotels and book in as you would normally, that's not how it works.

"In many ways, it has been good in that way in that it will prepare us for what life will be like once we reopen the hotels. We've had a lot of learnings about social distancing, how we manage food and beverage, how we manage check-in and check-out, all of that kind of thing so yesterday we announced a whole range of protocols on how we'll start to entice people back into our hotels, hopefully at the beginning of July."

Mr McCann says the beginning of July, but the Roadmap published by the government has hotels slated for reopening on the 20th of that month.

However, he believes it is necessary to reopen earlier in order to avoid a surge in demand, and therefore crowding, before the end of August.

"One of the things I've asked government to look at is - we are scheduled to reopen on the 20th of July, and I'm saying it's a very short window then for people with families to get a break between that and the end of August, so what I'm saying is that they should consider bringing that back to the beginning of July to give people a little bit of time. Otherwise, what you'll find is you'll end up with a lot of crowding which really is not what you want."

The financial ramifications have been widely reported, and Mr McCann says it could be two years before business across the board returns to pre-Covid-19 levels.

"2020 is about businesses surviving. The idea about being profitable in this current year is highly unlikely. Then, as you get into 2021, it'll be a year of rebuilding, and then 2022 hopefully we'll be back to reasonable levels of normality at that point.

"You're down to the fact that you have zero revenue, that's the reality of life and that's the reality for the vast majority of hotels that had to shut down. There is simply no revenue so it will have severe impact on the financials of any business at this point in time."

Much of the financial woe being predicted in the hospitality sector is attributed to the additional measures and guidelines that will be in place once premises reopen. Dalata, however, could be better placed than other hotels in so far as social distancing is concerned.

Mr McCann explained: "There's a possibility of that [reduction in capacity] however at this point in time it's difficult to call it because what'll happen is that it's not necessarily the number of rooms that will be occupied, it's the number of people that'll be in your hotel, that'll be the challenge so you could have a family of four and then you might have one room with one single occupant so it'll depend on whether it's on the numbers of people staying in the hotel as opposed to the number of rooms sold. So every property will behave very differently.

"There's a lot of debate going on at the moment about one-metre or two-metres on the social distancing side, for Dalata, while it's an issue, it's not as big an issue, because we have generally large hotels with large ground floors so there's plenty of space to actually do what we need to do.

"But for a lot of other hotels where there are smaller buildings, smaller ground floors, it is going to prove almost impossible and that's going to be the challenge, and likewise for restaurants, they will really struggle with this.

"But for everything else, we're very confident that we can provide a very safe, relaxing, enjoyable location for people as they come out of this."

In addition to applying social distancing measures and other guidelines, all hotel staff will require training to ensure they are fully aware of how to go about their work conditions in the 'new normal'. Dalata's staff have already started that process.

"As we speak, all of our staff who will return will go through rigorous training around the new normality as we see it and we're lucky, we've been able to develop those training programmes in live situations where we have properties in operation.

"But obviously not training as one would expect normally, but it's been very helpful in helping us devise the various rigorous programmes that we'll need as we start to reopen."

It is likely the changes staff are preparing for will also apply to major social functions such as weddings and conferences. Many weddings have been postponed or cancelled due to the pandemic this year; beyond that, Mr McCann says 2021 offers some hope, despite very obvious challenges.

"In reality, where we are currently, it looks like a lot of those things simply can't go ahead at this point in time," he says.

"So you have a lot of things like conferences, meetings, weddings, dinner dances, all of those things will be very challenged as to how we can achieve what we need to achieve in a safe manner and yet make it attractive enough for people to utilise that facility.

"In the case of 2020, what we had to do by and large was move a lot of the weddings because people won't risk it, a lot of them will move into 2021 from 2020 so it won't be as big an issue as people think in 2020 but certainly as we get into 2021 it'll be very challenging and we have to be sure that we keep everything safe."

As for his links with Sligo, his parents have passed on but Mr McCann continues to travel to Sligo to visit his sister, who lives in Curry, and his brother based just outside Ballina.

Reflecting on his time in the business, it's clear that the love for his trade is as strong now as it was in Rosses Point all those years ago.

"I enjoyed it," he says, "and I suppose I'm over 50 years in the business now and I don't think there was ever a day I haven't enjoyed, so I'm very lucky in that sense."
Well-known writer Arundhati Roy on Saturday said the Narendra Modi government is ratcheting up a communal narrative to make people forget hardships caused by COVID-19 and the only Opposition leader openly attacking the dispensation is former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who does not enjoy "much support".

Her comments came during a digital discussion she had with Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and intellectual Tariq Ali on 'Coronavirus, War and Empire' organised by 'Stop the War Coalition'.

Responding to a question on return of normalcy, Roy said she does not think it will be restored with India facing an "economic devastation" and the government ratcheting up the communal narrative to divert people's attention.

"There was an exodus, people were forced to leave (for their homes in villages). Government did two things. They ratcheted up privatisation of national resources, privatising everything, privatising education by emphasising on online education. The underprivileged, the Dalits will be out of this. We do not have too many people who have access to internet. We have taken a double-hit," she said.

"The government will change the narrative, to make people forget the economic hardships, COVID-19, by ratcheting up Hindu nationalist, anti Muslim rhetoric by preaching vicious bile. They will sell this hatred. Modi can sell anything as he is adored particularly by the powerful middle class and media. He can even sell a comb to a bald person, who will end up combing his bald head. There is a kind of fear in business and media," she said.

To a question by Ali whether there is no Opposition at all in the country, she said there have been places in the country like Kerala where the crisis has been managed better.

"The only politician who is openly opposing Modi is Rahul Gandhi. He doesn't really have much support. But he is doing it. Everyone else, whether they are state parties, they are in complete disarray. One doesn't know why. All of them have some sort of cases. One by one they have been cornered into kind of keeping quiet or facing legal process. I don't know the reasons," she said.

She said all she knew was that whether it was a politician or bureaucrat or industrialist, everyone's brains are "frozen in a kind of fear".

"The moment they open their mouth, they are attacked viciously. Being trolled, threatened and all of that is one part. The attack is merciless. So there is so much fear," she said.

Roy was of the view that India had one of the "most punitive" lockdowns across the globe during which people were exposed to an economic devastation and spreading virus.

Prime Minister Modi gave 1.38 billion just four notice for the lockdown and people were just "one breath away from being refugee" and no other country in the world has seen such a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases during lockdown.

She accused the government of doing nothing for two months after the first case was reported on January 30 because "it had other things to do" like dealing with massive protests against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act that culminated in an anti-Muslim riots in North East Delhi.

This happened "at a time (US President Donald) Trump was visiting India. When the virus was spreading, the logical thing was to shut down the airports. Thousands of people from the United States arrived in India for Namaste Trump. Even after World Health Organisation declared Covid-19 a pandemic, nothing was done", she added.
Jordana Brewster and her husband Andrew Form "quietly separated" earlier this year after 13 years of marriage, a source tells PEOPLE.

The Fast and the Furious actress, 40, and the film producer, 48, decided to part ways in what was an "amicable" split, according to the source.

"They have the utmost respect for each other," the source tells PEOPLE. "They remain committed to lovingly co-parent their two children as a team."

Brewster and Form share sons Rowan, who turns 4 this month, and Julian, 6 years old.

Reps for Brewster and Form have not commented.

RELATED: All the Celebrity Couples Who've Called It Quits in 2020

The couple tied the knot in May 2007 in a private ceremony on Nevis Island, two years after meeting on the set of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, which Brewster starred in and Form produced.

We started dating in secret  you know, hanging out in my trailer  because it would have been unprofessional otherwise, Brewster told InStyle Weddings ahead of their wedding.

"But every day, Andrew wore these work boots to the set, and if I was lying down in the shot or there was equipment in the way, Id look for his shoes. It was comfortable just to know he was nearby," she said at the time.

BACKGRID

The two remained inseparable after filming wrapped in the fall of 2005  going together to a Bahamas resort for Christmas and then her moving into his Hollywood Hills home after that.

I was always the girl who said Id never move in with someone before I got married, and then I just did it, Brewster previously said. Im the biggest hypocrite ever! I had been dating him for only a little over a month, but I never went back to living in my apartment.

Form proposed on their one-year anniversary, giving her a 3.2-carat emerald-cut diamond and platinum ring.

RELATED: Jordana Brewster Says Explaining Surrogacy Makes Motherhood 'More Challenging' as Sons Get Older

Story continues

In March 2019, Brewster brought PEOPLE into her Los Angeles home, where she was living with her two children and husband.

When the Lethal Weapon star and Form first decided to move to their 8,000-square-foot home in Brentwoods Mandeville Canyon, she turned to her longtime interior design collaborator, and childhood pal Chiara de Rege for help. But her parents also played a big role in the homes decor, offering to let Brewster take whatever she wanted from their New York City apartment.

The mother of two went on to explain how important it was to her that the family home also be comfy enough so the kids are snuggled up with a book whenever they want to be.

And even though their home is filled with plenty of her own memories, Brewster said Form was just as thrilled with the abode as she was.

There are days Andrew walks in and says, I cant believe I live in this house!  she remarked. It means so much to have an appreciation for and a love of where you live.
Leo Varadkar revealed he had spoken to Stormont's leaders before announcing an acceleration of the Irish Republic's lockdown exit plan.

The Taoiseach said phase two of the roadmap would be triggered on Monday as scheduled.

But he said a series of other measures, originally envisaged for later phases of the plan, would also be given the green light from next week.

The five-phase roadmap has also now been condensed into a four-phase plan, meaning the Republic will move out of lockdown at a faster pace than previously planned.

Mr Varadkar said: "I've always said we would accelerate the reopening our country but only if it was safe to do so.

"Thanks to your actions we have now reached that point.

"And with your help, we'll keep moving forward.

"So we all need to stick to what we've been doing right."

Mr Varadkar said he had informed the leaders of the Northern Ireland Executive about the plans before making them public.

First Minister Arlene Foster had previously complained that the Executive had not been contacted before the Taoiseach announced a series of measures in March taking the country into lockdown.

Mr Varadkar's move to ease restrictions came in a TV address yesterday afternoon.

From Monday, all retail outlets will reopen with staggered hours and the distance restriction on exercise has been extended from 5km to 20k, or any distance within a person's own county boundaries.

People will be allowed to visit the homes of those cocooning, as long as social distancing is observed.

Groups of up to six people will be able to interact with each other indoors or outdoors, as long as they keep two metres apart.

Groups of up to 15 will be able to meet for outdoor sporting activities and elite athletes can resume training.

Up to 25 people will be allowed to attend funerals of loved ones and public libraries will commence re-opening.

The Irish Government has also announced a series of additional measures for children and older people, with plans for phased reintroduction of visiting at nursing homes and permission for playgroups and summer camps to operate.

Playgrounds will reopen. Shops will also provide dedicated hours for those who are over 70 or in an at risk group.

Phase three is scheduled for June 29, when hotels and other tourism accommodation can reopen. All travel restrictions will also lift on that date. Pubs will also be able to reopen, but only if they are functioning as restaurants and serving food.

Phase four, which will contain all remaining measures in the roadmap, is planned for July 20.

Mr Varadkar said that hairdressers, barbers and nail bars will remain shut until the final phase.

"Everyone would really like to see them open as soon as possible but as of now that remain in phase four and that is for very good reason," he added.

The Taoiseach said restrictions on large gatherings would continue into the autumn.

Meanwhile, Mr Varadkar said no date has been confirmed to resume non-essential air travel.

He added: "I would encourage people not to go booking flights just yet."

Yesterday the coronavirus death toll in the Irish Republic rose to 1,670 after a further seven deaths were announced.

Some 28 new confirmed cases were announced, bringing the total in the country since the outbreak began to 25,163.
Tear gas is fired at protesters who were marching on the Vine Street Expressway on Monday, the third day of protests in Philadelphia in reaction to the killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis. Read more

Four Philadelphia City Council members called Saturday for police to stop using tear gas and rubber bullets.

As policymakers who help craft and approve the police department budget, we ask that the city and the police department prohibit the use of tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray and other weaponry during today and future demonstrations, Councilmembers Kendra Brooks, Jamie Gauthier, Helen Gym, and Isaiah Thomas said in a joint statement.

The statement, issued shortly before a large protest began Saturday on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, said instances of police using those tactics in the last week have been appalling and unnecessary.

This brutality has brought shame to Philadelphia and thrust us into the national news cycle for the world to see, they said. It is unacceptable.

A spokesperson for Mayor Jim Kenney declined to comment Saturday afternoon.

The Police Department has faced criticism for using tear gas on protesters on I-676 on Monday. And Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna Jr., a high-ranking police official, is facing charges after video surfaced of him beating a Temple University student with a baton.

Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said Friday that police have launched several internal affairs investigations into use of force by officers during protests in the last week. She said some uses of force captured on video appear to be within the departments policies.
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Market Research Future published a research report on Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment Market Research Report - Global Forecast To 2023. Report gives a clear picture of current market scenario which includes past and estimated future market size. The report provides detail information and strategies of top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study about different markets segments and regions.

Market Research Futures (MRFR) report on the global Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Therapeutics Market is expected to grow at a moderate CAGR of 5.3% over the forecast period of 2017 to 2023 and culminate in a value above USD 1 Bn by the end of the assessment period. This type of cancer is comparatively rare and progresses at a rapid pace thus creating significant demand for effective treatment and diagnostic options.

Market Segmentation

The global acute myeloid leukemia treatment market is segmented on the basis of disease type, treatment, and region. By disease type, the market is segmented into promyelocytic, myeloblastic, myelomonocytic, monocytic, megakaryocytic and erythroleukemia.

By treatment, the market is segmented into chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The chemotherapy segment is further segmented into post remission and induction.

The regional segmentation of the AML treatment market divides the globe into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East and Africa.

get free sample copy @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/3223

Regional Analysis

Led by the US, North America accounts for the largest share of the global market. The presence of various market-leading players and increasing investments in R&D for drug development drives the market. The region has favorable reimbursement policies and high healthcare expenditure which bring it to the forefront of the global acute myeloid leukemia treatment market. Europe follows the North American market due to a large number of hospitals present in the region combined with high disposable incomes. North America and Europe follow similar growth patterns.

The Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the review period due to large unmet potential present in the region. Countries such as India and China are anticipated to drive demand for AML treatment. The rapid growth in the region's economy combined with a growing demand for advanced healthcare is expected to encourage considerable growth for the APAC.

Global Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment Market Information; by Disease Type (Myeloblastic, Promyeloctic, Myelomonocytic, Monocytic, Erythroleukemia, Megakaryocytic); by Treatment (Chemotherapy (Induction, Post Remission), Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation) - Forecast to 2023 @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/acute-myeloid-leukemia-treatment-market-3223

Key Players

The competitive analysis of the global AML market reveals key strategies used by various leading market players. Prominent players included in the report are Ambit Biosciences Corporation, Novartis AG, Sanofi, Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals Inc., Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer Inc.

Related Trending Reports

Global Perfusion Imaging Market Research Report Forecast To 2023

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About Market Research Future

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services
Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg during a congressional hearing in 2018. Photo: Andrew Harnik / Associated Press

Facebook (FB) CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company would review the process of handling controversial content after recent posts by President Trump, linked to US protests against the death of an unarmed black man killed in police custody, were met with backlash.

We're going to review potential options for handling violating or partially-violating content aside from the binary leave-it-up or take-it-down decisions. I know many of you think we should have labeled the president's posts in some way last week, he said in a lengthy Facebook post.

He also said the company was going to review its policies allowing discussion and threats of state use of force.

Facebook has been under pressure since leaving up a Trump post that read, in part: "When the looting starts, the shooting starts."

This pressure increased when rival Twitter (TWTR) demoted and placed a stronger warning on the same message and Snapchat said it would stop promoting Trump on its video messaging service.

READ MORE: How to possibly make easy money from Trump's battle with Twitter and Facebook

It wasnt just users who were critical, but employees as well. Facebook software engineer Timothy Aveni announced he was resigning because for years, President Trump has enjoyed an exception to Facebooks Community Standards; over and over he posts abhorrent, targeted messages that would get any other Facebook user suspended from the platform.

Meanwhile in his post, Zuckerberg also said the Menlo Park firm will look at its policies around voter suppression to make sure it is taking into account the realities of voting in the midst of a pandemic.

Earlier this week the tech giant said it will begin labelling state-run media pages in its effort to improve transparency across the platform.

At least 18 news outlets, including Russias RT and Chinas government-owned Peoples Daily, will be subject to the new measure in a bid to help people better understand whos behind the news they see on the social network, said Nathaniel Gleicher, head of cybersecurity policy.

READ MORE: Facebook and Amazon's new rivalry is heating up
French forces have killed Abdelmalek Droukdel, the leader of al-Qaedas North Africa affiliate, the Frances defense minister announced late Friday, in what would be a major victory for France after years of battling jihadists in the Sahel.

There was no immediate confirmation of his death from al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, known as AQIM, which has made millions of dollars abducting foreigners for ransom over the years and made large swaths of West Africa too dangerous for aid groups to access.

French Defense Minister Florence Parly tweeted that Droukdel and several of his allies were killed Wednesday in northern Mali by French forces and their partners. It was not immediately clear how his identity was confirmed by the French.

Droukdels reported death comes after French President Emmanuel Macron and the leaders of the G5 Sahel group -- Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad -- launched a new plan in January to fight jihadists in the area. France deployed 600 additional soldiers to its Barkhane force, raising the number of troops there to 5,100.

In a March video released by the extremist monitoring group SITE, Droukdel urged governments of the Sahel region to try to end the French military presence, calling the troops armies of occupation. It was not clear how long Droukdel had been in Mali, Algerias southern neighbor. For years he was thought to be holed up in the Kabyle region east of the capital of his native Algeria, and many people had questioned why he was never captured by Algerian security forces, which had honed their counter-terrorism skills over the decades.

He was widely seen as the symbolic leader of al Qaedas North African branch, whose operational center for attacks shifted to northern Mali over the past decade. That led to the French military invasion of the region in 2013 seeking to counter Islamist extremist designs on southern Mali and the capital, Bamako.

Droukdel made his reputation as a feared extremist leader in Algeria, which beginning in the early 1990s was convulsed by violence in what the nation now calls the black decade. Droukdels al Qaeda affiliate had claimed responsibility for numerous deadly suicide bombings in Algeria, including targeting a United Nations building in Algiers in 2007, shattered by a vehicle packed with explosives.

Droukdel, also known by the nom de guerre Abu Musab Abdul Wadud, transformed the Salafist Group for Call and Combat, known as the GSPC, into al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, spreading the movement across Africas Sahel region under the umbrella of the global terror network.

More recently he had been commanding all the al-Qaeda groups in North Africa and the Sahel, including the JNIM, which has claimed responsibility for devastating attacks on the Malian military and U.N. peacekeepers trying to stabilize the volatile country.

Parly identified him as a member of al-Qaedas management committee. Related anti-terrorist operations in the region also led to the arrest May 19 of a major figure in the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, Mohamed el Mrabat, she said.

She said the operations dealt a severe blow to terrorist groups in the region that have been operating for years despite the presence of thousands of French, U.N. and other African troops.

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Minister of Planning and Investment (MPI) Nguyen Chi Dung warned that many Vietnam businesses may fall into foreign hands because of the pandemic.

Dung said at the dialogue between Prime Minister and businesses on May 9 that Vietnams GDP growth rate of 3.82 percent in Q1 is an encouraging result in the context of a possible minus 3 percent growth rate this year for the global economy, as predicted by international institutions.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung





Vietnam could export $83 billion worth of products, an increase of 4.7 percent over the same period last year and obtain a trade surplus of $3 billion.



However, the pandemic has dealt a strong blow on Vietnams businesses. An MPI survey in late April found that 86 percent has been adversely affected by Covid-19.



The revenue of enterprises in Q1 dropped sharply to 74.1 percent of the same period last year, while the figure is believed to drop to 70 percent by the end of April.



More M&A deals may be made in the time to come and I am afraid that Vietnams potential businesses may be taken over by foreign investors at low prices, Dung said.



Covid-19 places difficulties for enterprises and makes them more vulnerable, thus paving the way for foreign investors to acquire them.

Covid-19 places difficulties for enterprises and makes them more vulnerable, thus paving the way for foreign investors to acquire them.

The statistics about foreign investment in the first four months of the year showed the unusual increase in number of M&A deals.

While the number of projects invested under the mode of FDI decreased by 10 percent compared with the same period last year, the number of deals of foreign investors buying into Vietnamese enterprises increased by 33 percent.



As of April 20, foreign investors has implemented 3,210 deals of capital contribution to Vietnamese enterprises, which was 3.3 times higher than the number of registered FDI deals.



These included 2,600 share purchase deals and 580 other deals.



Analysts noted that Japanese, Chinese and South Korean investors were the major buyers with the total number of deals increasing by 40 percent. Japanese bought $743 million worth of shares, followed by South Korea ($356 million), Singapore($333 million) and China ($230 million).



Foreign investors are mostly eyeing enterprises in the processing and manufacturing industry (822 deals, valued at $1 billion), wholesale and retail, and automobile and motorbike repair (1,000 deals, $500 million).



The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) has also expressed its concern about the possibility of Vietnams businesses being acquired by foreigners. It has asked the government to temporarily stop M&A activities in an effort to prevent foreign enterprises from swallowing up Vietnamese enterprises.

Mai Lan

Local businesses disturbed about many new policies The attempts to increase budget collection may neutralize the policies aiming to recover the economy after the epidemic.
Washington is still undecided on the conditions of the second round of stimulus checks such as the amount and timeline that it would be distributed. The White House and Congress, however, are already looking into round two of the economic relief package.

Likelihood of additional funds

According to Cnet, there are three major proposals that officials are looking at; each one coming from either House Democrats, Senate Republicans, and the White House. The schemes differ by how much financial aid they would provide to the people and how it would be distributed.

It is also possible that all three elements would be used in creating the next stimulus package as the White House and Congress work together to find common ground amid the discussions. The news comes as the details of the Heroes Act draws scepticism from Republican lawmakers of its potential to be approved.

The previous CARES Act provided millions of Americans with financial aid after the effects of the first part of the coronavirus pandemic. The Heroes Act, however, which the White House passed to the Senate was said to be dead on arrival (DOA), is still currently under development, reported AS News.

The proposal would include another set of $1,200 checks for citizens who would prove to be eligible. In the case of a joint return, the amount would become $2,400 and includes an additional $1,200 for every dependent with a maximum of $3,600. Immigrants, on the other hand, would receive the $1,200 check that was denied for them retroactively under the CARES Act.

With some people fearing that they might not be able to receive the financial support, the Heroes Act will be eligible for everyone, regardless of financial status and income rate. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has urged families of low-income households to file for a check as soon as they can.

Also Read: Second Stimulus Check Benefits and Worth: Is It $450 per Week or $1,200 a Month?

Reports suggest that eligibility would not change with the second set of the stimulus package as it was designed to help those who are currently struggling financially due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Republicans, however, are more concerned with assisting the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program and supporting unemployment benefits. The Heroes Act will add a further $200 billion that will be used for Hazard Pay which will be handed out to essential workers. Full-time students under 24 years old will also be given payments under the bill as dependents.

Changes between the first and second stimulus packages

The critical difference of the Heroes Act to the CARES Act is the modification of the requirements of a valid Social Security Number (SSN), which some dependent immigrants have no access to which led them to miss out on the financial aid that the CARES Act provided.

The original provision that employees who earn more than $75,000 not being eligible for the maximum amount, but rather, will have a reduced payment at certain thresholds still applies. As Forbes explained, an individual who earns at least $99,000 a year will not receive any payments.

The Heroes Act changes the perspective of the bill would change that provision to only change that person's payments to $0. Joint filers using one TIN will receive $1,200 from the CARES Act, as stated in the Heroes Act.

Related Article: Stimulus Check Round 2 News: White House to Reduce Amount to $250 Per Week

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By Moira Warburton (Reuters) - Discrimination by Canadian police against indigenous people and people of color 'needs to end,' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday, after police officers shot and killed an indigenous woman and video showed police appearing to purposely drive into an indigenous man. The comments came amid protests against police brutality, sparked by the death of an unarmed black man in Minnesota who was in police custody

By Moira Warburton

(Reuters) - Discrimination by Canadian police against indigenous people and people of color "needs to end," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday, after police officers shot and killed an indigenous woman and video showed police appearing to purposely drive into an indigenous man.

The comments came amid protests against police brutality, sparked by the death of an unarmed black man in Minnesota who was in police custody.

"Far too many Canadians feel fear and anxiety at the sight of a law enforcement officer," Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa. "Over the past weeks we've seen a large number of Canadians suddenly awaken to the fact that discrimination is a lived reality for far too many of our fellow citizens.

"It is something that needs to end, and it's something we're working on," he said.

Local police officers shot and killed Chantel Moore, 26, when they went to her home on Thursday to conduct a wellness check in the Atlantic province of New Brunswick.

In a separate incident, a video shared on social media showed a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer driving into an indigenous man, appearing to purposely use a car door to knock the man down before arresting him. The officer is now facing an independent criminal investigation.

Indigenous leaders expressed outrage and a lack of surprise at the incidents.

"Racism is here and has been for more than 200 years," Grand Council Chief Glen Hare of the Anishinabek Nation, a political organization representing 39 First Nations in Ontario, said in a statement.

Trudeau said the issue will by discussed by cabinet.

"I don't understand how someone dies during a wellness check," Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller said. "There needs to be a full accounting of what has gone on. This is a pattern that keeps repeating itself."

(Reporting by Moira Warburton in Toronto; Editing by Leslie Adler)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Mrs. Crane (front left), surrounded by family, liked charity work and was an altar guild at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Hershey. Read more

People Weve Lost Peggy Crane

90 years old

Lived in Lower Gwynedd

She was a wise homemaker with an acute business sense More Memorials

There was no outsmarting Peggy Crane. A life spent raising children, traveling the world, and helping others made her a wise and happy woman. She also had a playful side. Her daughter, Carolyn, tells a story:

When my daughter was around 3 years old, my mom picked her up at nursery school. Jenna refused to get into her car seat and put her belt on. So my mother said, Fine. I brought a book. 

At that point, the child was bewildered.

My mother sat in the front seat of the car and proceeded to read her book until my daughter decided to get into the car seat and get fastened in," Carolyn said with a laugh. "My mother was always good for stuff like that.

Mrs. Crane was 90 when she died from COVID-19 on Monday, April 20, at Springhouse Estates retirement community in Lower Gwynedd. The family had a virtual funeral on Zoom, and Jenna, now 23, recounted that story.

Mrs. Crane grew up in Hershey, Pa., and met James Crane at Hersheypark in the late 1940s. They married in 1948 and had three children.

She was always up for an adventure, her daughter said, citing visits to Italy and Australia. She liked to travel to see different people and different cultures. And they went through the Panama Canal one time. They said that was really cool, to go through all the locks and all of that.

Mrs. Crane graduated from the business program at Elizabethtown College in 1947 and had extensive experience in retail. She worked at her fathers small store, Posers, at Park City Mall in Lancaster, and her husbands company, James Crane Plumbing & Heating.

Her husband died in 2003, but Mrs. Crane hardly slowed down. Trips to Williamsburg, Va., to see Jenna at the College of William and Mary or to Conway, S.C., where grandson Derek Crane was a professor at Coastal Carolina University, followed.

Later in life she volunteered at Hershey Medical Center, taking books to patients and working in the gift shop. There were strawberry festivals, county fairs, and her grandchildrens games and cross-country meets.

She also did charity work and was an altar guild at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Hershey.

She was always up for going somewhere, Carolyn said. She had a good, long life.

In addition to her daughter and grandson, Mrs. Crane is survived by son James, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by daughter Sally Ann.

 Ed Barkowitz, ebarkowitz@inquirer.com
By Lisandra Paraguassu and Ricardo Brito BRASILIA (Reuters) - President Jair Bolsonaro threatened on Friday to pull Brazil out of the World Health Organization after the U.N.

By Lisandra Paraguassu and Ricardo Brito

BRASILIA (Reuters) - President Jair Bolsonaro threatened on Friday to pull Brazil out of the World Health Organization after the U.N. agency warned governments about the risk of lifting lockdowns before slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

A new Brazilian record for daily COVID-19 fatalities pushed Brazil's death toll past that of Italy late on Thursday, but Bolsonaro continues to argue for quickly lifting state isolation orders, arguing that their economic costs outweigh public health risks.

In an editorial running the length of newspaper Folha de S.Paulo's front page, the Brazilian daily highlighted that just 100 days had passed since Bolsonaro described the virus now "killing a Brazilian per minute" as "a little flu."

"While you were reading this, another Brazilian died from the coronavirus," the newspaper said.

Brazil's Health Ministry reported late on Thursday that confirmed cases in the country had climbed past 600,000 and 1,437 deaths had been registered within 24 hours.

With more than 34,000 lives lost, the pandemic has killed more people in Brazil than anywhere outside of the United States and United Kingdom.

Asked about efforts to loosen social distancing orders in Brazil despite rising daily death rates and diagnoses, World Health Organization (WHO) spokeswoman Margaret Harris said a key criteria for lifting lockdowns was slowing transmission.

"The epidemic, the outbreak, in Latin America is deeply, deeply concerning," she told a news conference in Geneva. She said among six key criteria for easing quarantines, "one of them is ideally having your transmission declining."

In comments to journalists later on Friday, Bolsonaro said Brazil will consider leaving the WHO unless it ceases to be a "partisan political organization."

U.S. President Trump, an ideological ally of Bolsonaro, said last month that the United States would end its own relationship with the WHO, accusing it of becoming a puppet of China, where the coronavirus first emerged.

Bolsonaro's dismissal of the coronavirus risks to public health and efforts to lift state quarantines have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum in Brazil, where some accuse him of using the crisis to undermine democratic institutions.

But many of those critics are divided about the safety and effectiveness of anti-government demonstrations in the middle of a pandemic, especially after one small protest was met with an overwhelming show of police force last weekend.

(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Ricardo Brito; Additional reporting by Gabriela Mello in Sao Paulo, Gram Slattery and Pedro Fonseca in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by Brad Haynes, Tom Brown and Rosalba O'Brien)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
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Sligo Musical Society's recent sell-out production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's 'THE KING and I' in the Hawkswell Theatre last February was truly memorable. The Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS) adjudicator attended on the final night and he was so impressed with the show that SMS has received 2 AIMS Nominations for 'THE KING and I'.

Margaret Curley who played Lady Thiang is nominated for 'Best Actress in a Supporting Role'. The adjudicator said: "Now, Margaret Curley, that is how it is done. The calm inner dignity, the love for her King, possibly the hurt that age and position have brought to her all poured out of this performance. I hope the young actors watched you and learned from it. And that beautiful singing tone, all the sound of experience and hurt and acceptance of her role in life. We were mesmerised by her delivery of 'Something Wonderful'. A beautifully judged performance."

'The Small House of Uncle Thomas' is nominated for 'Best Ensemble'. This was choreographed by Melody Urquhart. The adjudicator said: "Where Melody Urquhart really excelled herself was 'The Small House of Uncle Thomas' Ballet. Wow! The audience actually seemed to hold its breath for this spellbinding moment of theatre. Words really fail me, but...WOW! The attention to detail, the training that young team of dancers must have been given, the beauty of each move of Eliza (Sorcha Gilligan) and each one involved in this magical moment.

"The faces, Joyce Muldoon's intensity as Simon of LegreeWOW! Well done to every single person involved in the number. At the end, the audience were nearly too entranced to applaud. A great highlight of the show."

Director, David McEvoy, is thrilled with this recognition for Margaret, Melody and indeed the entire cast and crew.

"We worked very hard on this production and were particularly focused on attention to detail in every aspect.

"The adjudicators report was most complimentary across the board. The team work shone through and that was noted'. David also recalls his dear friend and SMS Committee Secretary, Ger McColgan who recently passed away.

"Ger was a dedicated and loyal supporter of SMS over the years. She would have been so proud". Niamh Crowley was the Musical Director. She is also thrilled the hard work has been recognised and is delighted with these well deserved nominations.

The winners are usually announced at the prestigious AIMS Awards Weekend in Killarney in June every year.

Sadly, this year's celebration has been postponed due to Covid19. It is expected to take place at a later date.
Progress being made but more awareness on mental health needed say young activists View(s):

Last month was observed as mental health awareness month. With the ongoing pandemic bringing mental health into the spotlight a number of online campaigns were conducted throughout the month to honour mental health awareness. However in Sri Lanka, more needs to be done according to young mental health activists.

Nathali Devinka, an active mental health advocate, agrees that there certainly has been progress in terms opening up and initiating conversations to encourage more people to talk openly about their struggles and seek professional help.

With more and more psychologists, therapists and mental health advocates opening up on social media has certainly instigated more discussions, Nathali says. But I still feel these conversations are mostly done in English reaching only a limited group of people.

Despite efforts, there are still people who are in denial that mental health issues exist, or they might be hiding it due to the stigma, she continued. We have definitely progressed and efforts need to be appreciated, but we have such a long way to go as a community.

Anthony who is invested in the subject of mental health, has a more positive outlook on things. Living in Colombo, he says that he has seen a steady increase awareness in terms of mental health.

Its not as openly discussed as Id like it to be, but its getting there. He says. Ive seen workshops and initiatives carried out at numerous places. Offices also now have counselors in case employees need help and even educational institutions have been improving, barring a few exceptions.

For Matheesha Gunarathne, who is not actively in the field, the situation is different. His opinion is that any progress that has been made is minor and not substantial. I see people trying to commit themselves to spreading awareness. But still theres less action actually happening from people who have been made aware of it, he concludes.

Meanwhile, for Thithira, studying in Kandy, mental health is still a topic that needs more awareness according to him. While he and his friends educate themselves through the internet, and his school promotes active discussions, he shares that this is not the norm. Outside the Western Province, the topic is still more taboo than anything else.

Its not easy to reach out to those away from the urbanized areas, Matheesha says, adding that he has also felt most of the efforts being focused on urbanized areas. But it should reach them too.

Urbanized districts have more access to resources such as the internet, social media and technology in general, which may mean that they would know when to seek help.

See full story on our print edition online at

www.sundaytimes.lk

(PJ)

For example, a person in a rural area might be having depression or suicidal tendencies, but they may think that that is just part of their life and live with it, whereas if they had access to a counsellor, they could share how they feel, and then understand what makes them feel that way and then learn how to healthily cope with it.

Nathali agreed with them for the most part, but also pointed out that its not always the case. I know there are so many amazing people out there who have done some remarkable work around Sri Lanka, she tells us adding that while there are such remarkable efforts being made, we also need to reach the Sinhala/ Tamil speaking community to make an impact.

 Whether its a forum, a discussion, books or social media campaigns we need to make sure its trilingual. We need to make sure we are reaching the entire Sri Lankan community and not just restrict it to Colombo, Nathali observed.

As for what the country can do to improve, everyone was in agreement: Acceptance.

Honestly as someone who is currently on medication for multiple mental health conditions, I have had my share of bitter experiences with psychiatrists, therapists and also with the community when I publish or post-forums, Nathali shared with us.

Whats wrong is how society portrays mental illnesses and then attempts to push it under the carpet by using phrases like Why are you depressed? you have nothing to be depressed about or just smile, dont think about being depressed, and you wont be depressed. If it were that easy, then psychiatry would be a dead medical profession, Anthony adds.

Generations have grown up with a less aware view culturally, and its slow to change, Matheesha agrees. We should try focusing our efforts on the younger generation who are more receptive to change.

Information about mental health is readily available on our devices which we are so hooked on to 24/7, Nathali emphasized. It just takes that little effort. But were under the impression that if it doesnt directly affect us, then its not our problem.

Another aspect that was heavily touched on was family. Many were of the view that family based awareness programmes would help a great deal, as well as the normalization of mental health discussions within the family.

Discussing about improvement in general, everyone agreed that the most improvement was felt by the younger, tech savvy generation.

The difference is evident on social media. People are more accepting and attentive on social media platforms encouraging more and more people to open up with their experiences, Nathali stated.

The current generation, yes. The previous generation (our parents and grandparents) not so much, and in some cases, none at all, said Anthony. Because were the generation that learned all this by being exposed to it via social media or through physical experiences, we are aware and more accepting of people undergoing mental illness.

There are small signs I guess, Matheesha notes the difference in the general community. Its certainly increasing when you come down the age spectrum. While the older generations remain somewhat ignorant or unable to grasp this, as it comes down all the way to the young adults I see more acceptance.

However, the younger generation is still very much young, and the community is, while globally connected, still limited in the economy.

Is the stigma still very strong out there? Nathali asks us. Sadly, I think it is.
Bohra chief and 200 followers coming here for retreat View(s):

The Government is to grant clearance for a special flight carrying the Head of the Dawoodi Bohra community and 200 followers who wish to spend time at a retreat in Bandarawela till the COVID-19 pandemic in India eases, authoritative sources said.

The aircraft is to arrive in the next few days from Mumbai, they added, and the leader His Holiness Dr. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin is also expected to be on board. Sri Lanka has become a favoured destination of the community in the recent past. Last year, the sects annual Ashara Mubaraka gathering was held here, drawing thousands of followers.

Meanwhile, there are no flights till at least June 11 for Sri Lankan workers who wish to return from West Asia. The repatriation of 275 Sri Lankans from Dubai  tentatively planned for this week  did not materialise. A Maldives flight was put on hold before being cancelled. The next confirmed SriLankan Airlines flights were to be on Friday from London and on June 11 from Manila, Philippines.

Local Police have been deployed at Sri Lankas missions in Seychelles, the Maldives and Kuwait to protect diplomats from workers who are incensed at not being able to return home.

Now, Lebanese authorities have also granted Sri Lankas ambassador round-the-clock protection with one armed policeman travelling in her vehicle. The embassy is guarded by both uniformed and plainclothed policemen.

Sri Lankan officials are concerned that another flight from West Asia will lead to a drastic spike in COVID-19 cases here, as was seen when workers returned from Kuwait. At present, 72 percent of the 466 who arrived from that country have tested positive for the virus.

With an election coming, the Government is worried that an increase in cases will be politically disastrous, an authoritative source said.

But people who have lost their jobs are on the streets. Some have turned to begging. And the longer they are kept over there, the more likely they are to get infected.

Sri Lankas missions abroad are distributing dry rations. Starting this week, ready-to-eat food packs are also being airlifted to the Maldives. About Rs 150mn has been allocated to the Ministry of Foreign Relations to provide dry rations and packs of food to those stranded abroad. The Sri Lankan Bureau of Foreign Employment is also spending a large amount for the same purpose.

In African countries also, there are about 300 Sri Lankans waiting to return. Most people here dont know there are many Sri Lankan factories in Africa, the source said.

Officials here said they were concerned about bringing back Sri Lankan workers who were affected by Covid-19 due to the impact it would have on hospital facilities available here. Quarantine centres are less of a problem, one said. He did not wish to be named.

Countries have been categorised as high, medium and low-risk, with the Government targeting returnees from the last category first. We have to plan this carefully because we will need to enhance hospital and testing capacity, he pointed out. There is also a question of health staff and the danger of fatigue. We also dont have enough virologists. And what will be the spillover effect to the community?

With the sheer numbers wishing to return, even if 600 were brought back each week, it would take one-and-a-half years to complete the transfers, he said. (There are 41,000 wanting to return).

Hospital, military and other service providers will have to be synchronised. From the point of landing, through immigration, the bus, to quarantine, testing and hospital admission, people are exposed, he said.
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While none of the major New York City publishers who took part in PWs survey about their efforts to return employees to their Manhattan headquarters had fixed plans, no companies said they expected to begin bringing staff back in a meaningful way before Sept. 1. For the most part, they see the week of Labor Day as a target, but acknowledged that date may not be realistic. Several said they see a limited reopening coming after Labor Day (which is September 7 this year).

PW sent a brief questionnaire to all of the Big Five trade houses plus Abrams, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books & Media, Kensington, Norton, Scholastic, and Workman. While all said there are too many uncertainties about the future course of the virus to make final plans, there was consensus around some issues. There was widespread agreement that the top consideration before publishers will fully reopen will be the condition of New York Citys mass transit and how comfortable workers will be using subways, buses, and trains. Several publishers said they plan to stagger work hours, something that has been recommended by New York City officials to ease overcrowding during usual rush hours.

A number of publishers said they are planning a phased approach to reopening their office, slowly building up the number of employees that newly configured offices can accommodate. Acknowledging that some employees may want to come by their offices before they are officially opened, several companies said they are working with building management to make arrangements so that can happen, though publishers did not seem to be encouraging the practice. One publisher said that anyone going to the office in the summer will be required to wear a mask and follow all other local guidelines.

Publishers that are further along in their planning than others all mentioned they will be revamping their offices to meet various social distancing guidelines issued by New York State and the CDC. To meet those guidelines, publishers are considering or are planning such measures as having limited staff on site each day, alternating office days, and having groups work four days in the office and then working at home for other days. One publisher said their goal is to develop a staggered schedule to make sure that no more than one-quarter to one-third of its staff is in the office on the same day. Once in the office, publishers plan to create seating arrangements that permit adequate social distancing.

All publishers who have drafted plans for reopening their office said they expect that employees will be required to wear masks, particularly in common areas and when entering the building. There was more of a split when it came to temperature checks. One company said they were considering asking employees to do checks at home.

Another area of focus for several publishers is conference and meeting rooms. Companies are planning to limit seating capacity in those rooms and are developing new protocols. Publishers are also creating new guidelines on how to handle visitors.

A new office practice that has gained widespread popularity during the pandemic has been the working-from-home model. While publishers, like many other New York City businesses, were forced into the WFH approach by stay-at-home orders, all companies who responded to a WFH question said implementing the practice has gone better than expected and has contributed to their go-slow approach to reopening their offices. One publisher said continuing to offer the WFH option to employees was key to its plan to lower office density. Another executive said his company will be adapting its WFH options across the organization, which could lead to a reassessment of its office space needs over the longer term.

The need to work remotely, however, did force most publishers to cancel their summer internship programs. A number of companies said they were planning on offering some online programs for summer interns, and one said it will keep internship opportunities open for these interns for future programs.

With publishers unable to get into their offices, all have been forced to turn to electronic delivery of galleys to reviewers, booksellers, librarians, and the media. For the most part, publishers said the use of digital galleys accelerated a move away from print galleys that has been going on for years. All were quick to add that while they will continue to make digital galleys the primary format, they will still make print editions available when necessary.
By Philip Giraldi

June 05, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - There is apparently no limit to what the United States and Israel can get away with without any consequences. The United States has been waging devastating economic warfare against Iran and Venezuela while also blaming China for a global health crisis that it is unwilling to help address due to its withdrawal from the World Health Organization. Israel meanwhile is planning on illegally annexing significant parts of the Palestinian West Bank in July, with a green light from the Trump Administration, and no one in Europe or elsewhere is even interested in initiating serious sanctions that might lead to the postponing of that decision. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has even stated flatly that the remaining Palestinians who would be annexed will not become Israeli citizens  they will instead be subjects of the Jewish state with no guaranteed rights or privileges.

The American Establishment is totally committed to the principle that the United States and Israel should have a free hand in dealing with other countries in their respective spheres of influence. That effectively means controlling the narrative so that the U.S. and the Jewish state always appear to be victims of other nations unprincipled behavior and also creating an environment where there can be no effective legal challenges to aggressive action.

Indeed, the one organization that was specifically set up to deal with issues like aggressive wars and ethnic cleansing, the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague, has been specifically targeted by both Washington and Jerusalem to deny it any jurisdiction in situations where either country is involved. Neither Israel nor the United States has recognized the ICC for the obvious reason that they are primary sources of egregious human rights and international law violations. Israel is particularly concerned over its numerous war crimes, to include its violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention which forbids the transfer, directly or indirectly, by the Occupying Power of parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies, or the deportation or transfer of all or parts of the population of the occupied territory within or outside this territory.

The ICC has, in fact, been targeted recently by both the Trump Administration and Congress. Two weeks ago, a bipartisan group of 69 United States senators submitted to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo a letter condemning the dangerous politicization of the court that unfairly targets Israel. The Senators urged Pompeo to continue his vigorous support of Israel as it faces the growing possibility of investigations and prosecutions by the International Criminal Court. The letter included the claim that actions currently underway could lead to the prosecution of Israeli nationals even though the ICC does not enjoy legitimate jurisdiction in this case.

The assertion that the ICC does not have jurisdiction is questionable at best as the Palestinian State has observer status and is a member of international bodies at the United Nations. It is also a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the ICC. The Senate letter itself was predictably written by Ester Kurz, the legislative director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which is the leading Israel advocacy group in the United States. A similar letter was also circulated in the House of Representatives, which added an American issue by criticizing the ICCs intention to investigate United States war crimes in Afghanistan. It received 262 signatures.

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Anticipating the threat to Israeli interests, the U.S. Congress has long made security and other assistance to the Palestinian Authority conditional, suspending all support if the Palestinians initiate an International Criminal Court (ICC) judicially authorized investigation, or actively support such an investigation, that subjects Israeli nationals to an investigation for alleged crimes against Palestinians. As Donald Trump has de facto cut off virtually all assistance, including the humanitarian aid given to refugees, the punishment for going to the ICC is essentially moot and the Palestinians have consequently moved ahead with their complaint in an attempt to upset the timetable for Israeli annexation.

The Senators letter surfaced at the same time as a warning was issued by Pompeo to the ICC that focused on Israel but was clearly intended to derail any attempts to look at American war crimes in Afghanistan. He claimed that the ICC is a political body, not a legitimate judicial institution, and accused chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda of maliciously investigating Israeli war crimes in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. His complaint paralleled the Senatorial letter, which is perhaps no coincidence, in claiming that the court has no jurisdiction and the Palestinians are not sovereign and therefore have no standing to go to the court in the first place.

And Pompeo concluded with a threat: A court that attempts to exercise its power outside its jurisdiction is a political tool that makes a mockery of the law and due process. If the ICC continues down its current course, we will exact consequences.

Israel has also claimed, as does the United States, that it is not subject to ICC trial because it has a functioning court system that is capable of punishing war criminals. Of course, the fact is that Israel does not do so and the U.S. only does so when embarrassed. The most recent American war criminal was convicted by military courts and then pardoned by President Donald Trump. He was even feted at the White House.

Bensouda announced in November 2017 that she would proceed with an investigation of alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan. The Trump Administration expressed its anger by criticizing her in tweets, canceling her visa to the United States, and threatening legal action against her, her staff and even ICC judges. The White House warned that if the ICC even dares to detain an American citizen the United States would use military force to release him or her. President Trump, Pompeo, and John Bolton all called the ICC political, corrupt, irresponsible, unaccountable, and lacking transparency, and therefore illegitimate. The critique sounded oddly enough like an accurate description of the Trump Administration itself.

Bensouda, who has been timid about confronting Israel in the past, is now reportedly proceeding with the Palestinian complaint. She has also been authorized to proceed with her investigation of American crimes in Afghanistan. If there is to be an actual trial, high-level politicians, officials, and military officers from both Israel and the U.S. could be summoned for questioning. If the summonses are ignored, which is probable, the prosecutor could then issue international arrest warrants, meaning that they could be arrested and extradited to the Court if they were to travel to any of the 123 countries that are parties to the Rome Statute.

So, one can expect both the United States and Israel to continue their defamation of the ICC, to include the threats of armed response coming from Washington. An attack on The Hague might be unimaginable in the real world, but the past three years have demonstrated that Donald Trump is capable of almost anything. Until then, one hopes that Bensouda will continue her work to expose the crimes that continue to be committed in both Palestine and Afghanistan. Embarrassing the United States and Israel in a very visible and highly respected public forum might be the only way to wake up the citizens of those two countries to the terrible things that have been and continue to be done in their names.
Police officers on the scene of a demonstration in Houston, Texas, on June 2, 2020. (Sergio Flores/Getty Images)

Houston Police Officer Comforts Frightened Little Girl at George Floyd Protest

As communities across the country seek peace amid the unrest that has, at times, marred peaceful George Floyd protests, a Texas police officer was seen comforting a frightened-looking 5-year-old girl who asked during a demonstration in Houston: Are you gonna shoot us?

Footage of the incident was posted by the little girls father, Simeon Bartee, on Twitter on Wednesday, along with a caption describing the extraordinary encounter.

During the protest in Houston yesterday one of the police officers noticed my daughter crying, Bartee wrote in the June 3 tweet. She asked him Are you gonna shoot us he got down on one knee wrapped his arm around her and responded.

The officer, who was dressed in protective riot gear, clarified he was there to help keep her safe.

Were here to protect you, the officer said. Were not here to hurt you at all. OK? You can protest, you can partyyou can do whatever you want. Just dont break nothing.

The 5-year-olds father told ABC News that the encounter made him feel hopeful about police-community relations, which he said had been strained by an incident of alleged police brutality involving Jerome Bartee, his brother, dating back to 2016.

We have dealt with a lot of pain from that and its kind of gone full circle for me now, the girls father told ABC. I just want to tell the officer thank you for giving me a different perspective on what police officers, the good police officers, are like.

Jerome Bartee, a former inmate, was left with extensive injuries after a group of Harris County jailers allegedly assaulted him so brutally that Assistant District Attorney Jules Johnson said he was beaten to the point he was unrecognizable.

It took over a year for the five corrections officers involved to be indicted and charged with crimes in Bartees beating.

Protests like the one at which the encounter between the little girl and the Houston officer took place, were sparked by the police custody death of George Floyd.

Floyd died in Minneapolis on Memorial Day, after a police officer restrained him with a knee to the neck for nearly nine minutes as he gasped for air and said, I cant breathe.

Floyds official cause of death, according to a full 20-page autopsy report made public on Wednesday by the Hennepin County Medical Examiners Office, was cardiopulmonary arrest while he was being restrained by police.

The autopsy also cited complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression. The manner of death was listed as homicide.

Floyds death, which resulted in criminal charges against four Minneapolis police officers, fueled widespread protests, some of which have become violent.

Yet over the past several days, the demonstrations have become more peaceful following days of riots, looting, and arson.
An Appeal Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Kaduna State Government to pay N10.5m as damages to the President of Chocolate City Group, Audu Maikori.

The court on Friday upheld the ruling of the Federal High Court that the state government violated the rights of Maikori when he was arrested in Lagos in 2017 by a team of policemen and was transferred to the Force Headquarters in Abuja for misinforming the public via his tweets on happenings in Southern Kaduna.

The court assessed damages at N10.5 million in favour of Maikori. The appeal court reduced the damages awarded by the high court from N40 million to N10.5 million.



In 2017, Maikori filed a N10 billion lawsuit against Governor Nasir El-Rufai and Kaduna state government, accusing the state of violating his human rights following his arrest. He was first arrested in Lagos on February 17, 2017, after the Kaduna State Government filed a petition accusing Maikori of posting inciting materials on the internet.

In the report which was published on his Twitter page, Maikori had allegedly posted that some Southern Kaduna students were killed by Fulani herdsmen, for which he later apologised, stressing that his driver had misinformed him.

He was subsequently transferred to Force Headquarters in Abuja for interrogation where he was eventually released on bail and cleared of any complicity by the Police Force headquarters.

Audu Maikori was then rearrested and taken to Kaduna where he was detained for four days before he was charged to court. He was later granted bail by the court on health ground.

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-- The heavy-handed crackdown on nationwide protests reveals in broad daylight Washington's double standard on human rights.

-- Camera footage in the last few days repeatedly showed police officers beating protesters, ramming cars into the crowd and even spraying a nine-year-old girl with mace.

-- "It's time for the U.S. to drop the mentor's tone and look in the mirror," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

At least 13 lives were lost as the United States entered the 10th day on Thursday of nationwide protests triggered by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in the custody of Minneapolis police.

Tragically while ironically, a number of those deaths during the widespread protests, in which demonstrators, young and old and of all races, cried for an end to police brutality and racial injustice, were caused by abusive use of force by the law enforcement trying to quell the demonstrations.

The heavy-handed crackdown reveals in broad daylight Washington's double standard on human rights: measures taken by so-called "foreign adversaries" to restore order in times of tumultuous unrest are in violation of basic human rights, whereas brutally treating domestic protests -- most of them peaceful -- and even causing deaths are not uncommon on U.S. soil.

Riot police officers arrest a small group of protesters at a memorial to George Floyd in Minneapolis, the United States, May 30, 2020. (Photo by Angus Alexander/Xinhua)

CIVILIAN CASUALTIES

According to a tally compiled by U.S. media, a total of 13 deaths have been reported since the protests erupted more than a week ago.

Many of the killed happened to be African Americans, compounding the agony of a racial group reeling from not only the death of Floyd, but also the deep-rooted injustice against ethnic minorities in the country for a long time.

Although details of the deaths are still under investigation -- thus not yet fully known -- some incidents were indeed related to the excessive use of force by police and troops.

Demonstrators protest over the death of George Floyd in New York, the United States, June 2, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

In one case, police and the National Guard troops in Louisville, Kentucky, fired at protesters early Monday after they heard gunshots, killing an African American man identified the following day as David McAtee, a 53-year-old local barbecue restaurant owner.

"He left a great legend behind," McAtee's mother, Odessa Riley, told the Louisville Courier-Journal. Referred to as "a good person" by his mother, McAtee was known for offering free meals to police officers dropping by his restaurant.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said Monday that officers at the scene turned off their body cameras, as a result of which Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad was fired.

From coast to coast, camera footage in the last few days repeatedly showed police officers beating protesters, ramming cars into the crowd as was the case in New York City on Saturday, and even spraying mace at a nine-year-old girl in Seattle, the state of Washington, on Sunday.

A police officer raises his gun during a protest against the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the United States, May 31, 2020. (Photo by Angus Alexander/Xinhua)

Even journalists reporting on scene are subject to police brutality, the very thing these protests are against.

Journalists across the nation -- more than two dozen, according to one count posted on Twitter -- faced arrest, detention, being pepper sprayed, tear-gassed or shot by rubber bullets while covering the recent demonstrations.

Among the severely injured is photojournalist Linda Tirado, who is now permanently blind in her left eye after being shot by a rubber bullet while covering the protest in Minneapolis on May 29. The rubber bullet, Tirado tweeted, "exploded my eyeball, which has now been patched back together but who knows if it'll need more surgery."

"My vision is gone no matter what," she said. "But it wasn't my photography eye so it's not career-ending ... So I'm gonna keep reporting from Minneapolis."

A demonstrator holds a placard during a protest over the death of George Floyd in front of the Trump Tower in Chicago, the United States, May 30, 2020. (Photo by Christopher Dilts/Xinhua)

EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE

The United States has an infamous track record of boasting and exporting its so-called "universal values" around the globe, oftentimes interfering in the internal affairs of sovereign nations.

The excessive use of force in response to domestic demonstrators -- whose right to protest is protected by the U.S. Constitution -- has not only backfired at home, but also made it much harder for the country's diplomats to do their job abroad.

"Our diplomats are accustomed to expressing concern about other countries' human rights violations. Today they're being asked by foreign governments to explain our own," U.S. news outlet the Politico quoted Molly Montgomery, a former U.S. foreign service officer whose postings included Afghanistan and Bosnia-Herzegovina, as saying.

"For many diplomats who joined the Foreign Service to promote American values like democracy, the rule of law, and human rights abroad, this is a moment of great sadness and deep soul-searching," Montgomery added.

A demonstrator is arrested during a protest against the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the United States, May 31, 2020. (Photo by Angus Alexander/Xinhua)

A spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Monday warned against overreaction by U.S. police in dealing with the protesters.

"Grievances must be heard, but they must be expressed in peaceful ways and authorities must show restraint in responding to demonstrators," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson.

In Australia, an ally of the United States, the government has asked its embassy in Washington to investigate an incident of violence against an Australian news crew by U.S. law enforcement.

Protesters rally in front of the White House during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C., the United States, June 4, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Video footage circulating on social media showed that Tim Myers, a cameraman of Australia's 7NEWS, was punched by what appeared to be an officer wearing riot gear on Monday near the White House. Amelia Brace, a correspondent of the same news organization who was doing live broadcasting with Myers at the moment, said her colleague already had been hit by a rubber bullet previously.

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne confirmed the formal request for a probe on Tuesday, saying she was consulting with Australian envoys in the United States "on how we would go about registering Australia's strong concerns with the responsible local authorities" in Washington.

"I think it's appropriate in an environment such as this, where an event of this nature has occurred, that we are able to seek advice to investigate the incident. That is, it's a very serious matter, and we take it in that way," Payne told Australia's ABC Radio National in an interview.

A woman raises her arms as riot police fire tear gas during a protest outside the 5th Police Precinct in Minneapolis, the United States, May 30, 2020. (Photo by Angus Alexander/Xinhua)

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova blamed U.S. law enforcement for using non-lethal weapons to disperse protesters as well as the massive arrest, pointing in particular to the injuries caused to journalists, including those from Russia.

"It's time for the U.S. to drop the mentor's tone and look in the mirror," Zakharova said, urging Washington to "start respecting peoples' rights and observing democratic standards at home."

Demonstrators protest against police brutality on Times Square in Manhattan of New York, the United States, May 31, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Hong-Eng Koh, a Singaporean with nearly 30 years of policing experience, shared an edited video on Twitter, in which scenes of U.S. police recently beating and arresting protesters are paired with a soundtrack featuring praise from Republican senator Josh Hawley on Nov. 19, 2019 for the violent rioters fomenting turmoil in Hong Kong at the time.

"Whoever edited this video, this is gold!" Koh wrote. "Some politicians love to praise the Hong Kong rioters while defending their own government's action against the protesters back home. You can't have it both ways."
Drogheda artist, Breda Marron has created a new public bronze sculpture, titled 'Heart Space'.

Commissioned by Louth County Council, the piece was this week installed in Dundalk's St. Nicholas Quarter, as part of a major rejuvenation of this historic part of town.

Speaking this week Breda explained 'When the concept was first conceived in 2018, no one could have predicted the times we now find ourselves in. Yet it seems serendipitous that the inspiration for the piece, came from the concept of two beings, showing true love, by holding space for each other, without touching.'

The sculpture is part of the EU funded, Town Rejuvenation Project for Dundalk Town Centre.

The sculpture is located in the pedestrian area between St Nicholas's Roman Catholic Church and St Nicholas's Church of Ireland, it links to the sense of place, a place where people from all communities, have gathered over the years to celebrate births, marriages and the passing of loved ones, a place where community gathered, celebrated and held space for each other, through life's up and downs.

Breda continues 'Heart Space' depicts two abstract swan figures, which from a distance seem to d ance as one, yet when you come closer you realise, they are separate individuals, simply in rhythm with each other.'

The essence of the sculpture also links back to the Celtic concept of an 'Anam Cara', the Irish phrase for a 'Soul Friend'. One who sees and accepts you for who you are and acts like a reflective mirror, reflecting the best of your inner light back to you.

'When I first began working on the inspiration for this sculpture, I focused on what I felt the space needed and for me that was a deeper sense of love. The morning after my initial site visit, I woke up with an image in my mind and I had to painted it straight away. At that early stage, the image consisted of two separate wings, with the space between forming a heart. The wings were a green bronze with a polished bronze forming the edge of the heart. As the ideas evolved, the swan imagery became stronger and new connections to the area were formed, but the essence of the original vision remained," said the artist.

St Nicholas's Quarter has a strong link to Scotland's National Poet, Robert Burns, as his sister Agnes is buried in St. Nicholas's Church of Ireland and her home is now part of the nature park at Stephenstown pond, close to Dundalk. This connection to the Scottish bard led to the artist exploring the heritage of the Celtic bards and druids of ancient Ireland.

In ancient Ireland, the bards were very highly esteemed in society, people looked to them for guidance and inspiration. The bards would wear a special ceremonial cloak, made of songbird and swan feathers. They believed this cloak connected them to the transformational power of the swan acted as a source of inspiration and creativity, as they tapped into their inner wisdom and strength, to rise to higher levels of consciousness and a deeper awareness.

'Heart Space' captures the essence of the cloak of wisdom wrapped around two pure beings of light and love. Each swan sculpture has a deep green bronze patina on the outer layer, emphasising that each swan being wrapped in a cloak of love and protection. An inner section of polished gold captures the sunlight and links to the heart of gold and positive energy shared between the two swans.

St Nicholas's Quarter has a vibrant community of local businesses, artists and craftspeople, which all contribute to the unique experience of connecting and supporting local community and reinforcing a sense of pride and belonging back into the heart of the town.
The International Yoga Day will be celebrated on digital media platforms and there would be no mass gatherings this year in view of coronavirus outbreak, the government said on Friday. This years theme is Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family and people will be able to join the celebrations virtually at 7 am on June 21. The Indian Missions abroad are trying to reach out to the people through digital media as well as through the network of institutions which support yoga, officials said. The Ministry of AYUSH had planned to hold a grand event at Leh which, however, was cancelled due to the pandemic. This year, the event will highlight the utility of yoga for individuals, to develop immunity to combat the global pandemic and strengthen the community in managing some of the significant aspects of this crisis, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, president, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) said.

In view of the highly infectious nature of the virus causing COVID-19, there shall be no mass gatherings and the International Yoga Day (IDY) will be a digital event. Hence, this year the ministry is encouraging people to practice yoga at their homes with participation from the entire family, he said. The ministry and ICCR, through the My Life - My Yoga video blogging competition which was launched by the prime minister on May 31, seek to raise awareness about yoga and inspire people to prepare for and become active participants in the observation of IDY 2020. The contest will run in two legs--- the first one consisting of an international video blogging contest wherein the winners will be picked within a country. This will be followed by global prize winners who will be selected from different countries. To enter into the contest, participants are required to upload a three-minute video of three yogic practices (kriya, asana, pranayama, bandha or mudra), including a short video message/description on how the said yogic practices influenced their lives.

They can do it in any language, Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha said. The video blogging competition will provide us a huge amount of testimonial which will help us in spreading the word about yoga and its overall benefits not just health-wise, but also towards the approach to human life, Sahasrabuddhe, who is also the Rajya Sabha MP and national vice-president of BJP, said. It will also bring to the fore the multiple facets of yoga. Yoga is not just a physical activity. It also has to do with physical and emotional health, and people will share the benefits they have experienced, he said. The videos may be uploaded on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the contest hashtag #MyLifeMyYogaINDIA and appropriate category hashtag.

Entries can be submitted by participants under three categories-- youth (male and female aged under 18), adults (male and female above 18 years) and yoga professionals (male and female), Kotecha said. This makes it a total of six categories in all. For India contestants, prizes worth Rs 1 lakh, Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 will be given for first, second and third positions within each of the categories. The Indian Missions abroad will give away prizes in each country. At the global level, cash prizes worth USD 2,500, USD 1,500 and USD 1,000 along with a trophy and certificate will be given to those ranking first, second and third, respectively. The Ministry of AYUSH is confident that this interest would convert into significant public health gains, as the positive impact of yoga in the management of many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic situation is by now well accepted, Kotecha said. The blogging contest which has started on various digital platforms such as MyGov.gov.in shall end on June 15, he said, adding the jury will collectively decide and announce the names of the winners.

Kotecha added that over 2 lakh people have downloaded Sanjivani mobile application which was launched on May 7 to generate data on acceptance and usage of AYUSH advocacies and measures among the population and its impact in prevention of COVID-19.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. )

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They won Oscars in the 90s for writing the script of a film all about healing and human compassion.

And on Friday, Ben Affleck reunited with his Good Will Hunting costar and co-writer Matt Damon for a significant cause  to honor one of the many black victims of police violence, Breonna Taylor.

Along for the meaningful excursion were two Ben's children with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, Samuel, seven, and Violet, 14.

Matt arrived with two of his kids - Isabella, 13, and Gia, 11, as well as wife Luciana Barroso and a relative.

On Friday: Ben Affleck reunited with his Good Will Hunting costar Matt Damon for a significant cause  to honor one of the many black victims of police violence, Breonna Taylor; seen with Ben's kids Samuel and Violet, and Matt's kids Isabella and Gia

Ben is also dad to Seraphina, 11 with ex Jennifer.

Matt and Luciana are also parents to Stella, nine, and 21-year-old Alexia Barroso, Luciana's daughter from her first marriage.

The group held bouquets of flowers that they were on their way to lay at a makeshift memorial for Taylor.

Friday marked what would have been the 27th birthday of Breonna, a black EMT worker from Louisville, Kentucky who was gunned down by police in her own home in March.

Affleck, 47, was seen in the same outfit he wore earlier in the day for his outing with girlfriend Ana de Armas  a black button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up below his elbows.

Dad patrol: Along for the meaningful excursion were Ben's children with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, Samuel, seven and Violet, 14

Paying respects: The group held bouquets of flowers that they were on their way to lay at a makeshift memorial for the fallen Taylor; Samuel seen holding dad Ben's hand and Gia holding dad Matt's hand. Isabella held a relative's hand

He paired the shirt with some slim grey pants and a pair of distressed brown leather boots.

Ben finished the look with a disposable face mask for safety against COVID-19.

Violet, who is the spitting image of her mother, still wore her 'favorite daughter' sweatshirt, and her siblings were dressed casually.

Tender moment: Affleck was seen in the same outfit he wore earlier in the day for his outing with girlfriend Ana de Armas, while daughter Violet still wore her 'favorite daughter' sweatshirt

Family time: Damon was also joined by his wife Luciana Barroso and what looked to be one or two of the couple's three daughters

They go way way back: Matt and Ben come from the same part of Massachusetts and won Oscars for writing the 1997 script for Good Will Hunting

Damon, 49, donned a black tee that showed off his substantial biceps, along with blue jeans and black shoes.

Affleck and Damon took their kids out for the sign of respect as Hollywood celebrities have been moved this week to take to the streets along with many others in protest of Taylor's killing, as well as countless other unarmed black people including George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.

Ben also took to both his Twitter and Instagram on Friday on the occasion of Breonna's birthday, with hyperlinks to actionable items his followers could click on to support causes connected to social justice and racial equality.

Movie star: Damon, 49, donned a black tee that showed off his substantial biceps, along with blue jeans and black shoes
Banksy has released a new artwork inspired by the killing of George Floyd.

After posting the new piece on his Instagram page on Saturday (6 June), the enigmatic street artist wrote: At first I thought I should just shut up and listen to black people about this issue. But why would I do that? Its not their problem. Its mine.

He continued: People of colour are being failed by the system. The white system.

Like a broken pipe flooding the apartment of the people living downstairs. This faulty system is making their life a misery, but its not their job to fix it. They cant  no-one will let them in the apartment upstairs.

He concluded the post by writing: This is a white problem. And if white people dont fix it, someone will have to come upstairs and kick the door in.

Banksys artwork inspired by the death of George Floyd (Instagram)

The new piece of art he posted shows a tribute to an anonymous black figure alongside a candle that has set the American flag on fire.

Protests have broken out across the US in the wake of the killing of the 46-year-old African American Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody.

White officer Derek Chauvin was videoed pushing his knee into his neck for over eight minutes.

In a video of the incident, Floyd can be heard pleading with him to stop, saying: I cant breathe.

Chauvin was fired, arrested and charged with second degree murder and manslaughter.

Washington demonstrators are gathering for what is expected to be the largest protest against police brutality in the city since the killing of Mr Floyd in Minneapolis.

Army secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters on Friday that local officials were projecting between 100,000 and 200,000 protesters on Saturday.

Following an incident on Friday (5 June), which saw a 75-year-old man pushed to the ground during a Black Lives Matter protest, two members of the Buffalo Police department were suspended.
Ryanair has announced that 40 per cent of its normal flight schedules will be restored from July 1, making 90 per cent of its route network active again.

It said it hopes to introduce a daily flight schedule of almost 1,000 flights, compared to the current 30. The Irish budget carrier said that all crew will wear face masks/coverings in-flight and that passengers will have to follow suit.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, however, said today that 'summer was cancelled'.

Ryanair has announced that 40 per cent of its normal flight schedules will be restored from July 1, making 90 per cent of its route network active again. The Irish budget carrier said that all crew will wear face masks/coverings in-flight and that passengers will have to follow suit

Skeleton schedule: The routes available with Ryanair up until May 28

A new 'Healthy Flying' notice on the Ryanair homepage tells passengers to check-in online, download boarding passes to their smartphones and 'wear a face mask/covering at all times, both in the airport and onboard your flight'.

It also encourages fliers to check their temperature before travelling.

'It may be checked again at the airport,' the site says. 'If you do not pass this, you will be asked to return home.'

The airline has added in a statement that fewer checked bags will be processed and that a 'limited inflight service will be offered of pre-packaged snacks and drinks, but no cash sales'.

It continued: 'All onboard transactions will be cashless. Queuing for toilets will be prohibited onboard although toilet access will be made available to individual passengers upon request. Ryanair encourages passengers to regularly hand wash and use hand sanitizers in airport terminals.

'As a temporary further public health measure, while EU states emerge from their respective Covid-19 lockdowns, Ryanair will require all passengers flying in July and August to fill in details (at the point of check-in) of how long their planned visit will be, and also their address while visiting another EU country.

'This contact information will be provided to EU governments to help them to monitor any isolation regulations they require of visitors on intra-EU flights.'

Since the Covid-19 flight restrictions in mid-March, Ryanair has been operating a daily skeleton schedule of 30 flights between Ireland, the UK and Europe

RYANAIR ROUTES FROM JULY 1 Ryanair routes available from July 1 will include... Dublin to Madrid Dublin to Malaga Dublin to Barcelona Dublin to Nice Dublin to Alicante Dublin to Pisa Dublin to Bari Dublin to Santander Dublin to Bordeaux Dublin to Bologna Dublin to Palermo Dublin to Palma de Mallorca Advertisement

It added: 'All Ryanair aircraft are fitted with HEPA air filters (similar to those used in critical hospital wards) and all aircraft interior surfaces are disinfected every night with chemicals, which are effective for over 24 hours. While temperature checks and face masks/coverings are the cornerstone of this healthy return to service, social distancing at airports and onboard aircraft will be encouraged where it is possible.'

Ryanair stressed that this plan to return some normality to its schedules would be subject to government restrictions on intra-EU flights being lifted.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned that people are unlikely to be able to go on foreign holidays this summer, despite Ryanair's announcement.

Asked whether 'summer was cancelled', Mr Hancock told ITV's This Morning: 'I think that's likely to be the case.'

He added: 'It is unlikely that big, lavish international holidays are going to be possible for this summer.

'I just think that's a reality of life.'

Since the Covid-19 flight restrictions in mid-March, Ryanair has been operating a daily skeleton schedule of 30 flights between Ireland, the UK and Europe.

From July, Ryanair will restart flying from most of its 80 bases across Europe. There will be fewer daily/weekly frequencies on trunk routes, as Ryanair 'works to restore some services on the widest number of routes, rather than operating high-frequency services on a small number'.

Ryanair's CEO, Eddie Wilson, said: 'It is important for our customers and our people that we return to some normal schedules from July 1 onwards. Governments around Europe have implemented a four-month lockdown to limit the spread of the Covid-19 virus. After four months, it is time to get Europe flying again so we can reunite friends and families, allow people to return to work, and restart Europe's tourism industry, which provides so many millions of jobs.

'Ryanair will work closely with public health authorities to ensure that these flights comply, where possible, with effective measures to limit the spread of Covid-19. As already shown in Asia, temperature checks and face masks/coverings are the most effective way to achieve this on short-haul (one hour) flights within Europe's single market.

'Now that Europe's states are allowing some gradual return to normal life, we expect this will evolve over the coming weeks and months. With more than six weeks to go to July 1, Ryanair believes this is the most practical date to resume normal flight schedules, so that we can allow friends and families to reunite, commuters to go back to work, and allow those tourism-based economies such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, France and others, to recover what is left of this year's tourism season.

'Seats on all these flights are now on sale at www.Ryanair.com, at prices which start from just 19.99 one way. We will continue to work closely with public health agencies to encourage our people and passengers to adopt practical and effective steps to limit the spread of Covid-19 virus, in the best interest of our passengers, our people and our communities.'

A 'Healthy Flying' notice on the Ryanair homepage tells passengers to check-in online, download boarding passes to their smartphones and 'wear a face mask/covering at all times, both in the airport and onboard your flight'

RYANAIR ACCUSED OF RUNNING FLIGHTS TO AVOID REFUNDS The Ryanair announcement came after the government confirmed that it would introduce a 14-day quarantine period for all UK arrivals, leading some to speculate that the airline is merely trying to avoid paying refunds. The argument goes that Ryanair is essentially running ghost flights no one can use - because of the quarantine rule - thereby preventing the refund rule from being triggered by a flight cancellation. It has been reported that Ryanair has a backlog of 25million claims. Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: 'With the government set to introduce quarantine rules for passengers entering the country, expanding flight schedules now is likely to leave many families, who booked summer holidays months ago, with expensive flights they can't take and no way to get their money back. 'Even if these flights are ultimately cancelled because the government does not lift its advice against foreign travel, customers face a fight for their money from an airline that has already been breaking the law by delaying refunds for customers. 'The aviation regulator and government must stand up for passengers rights and start taking action against any airlines that are flouting the law around refunds.' Advertisement

Ryanair's announcement comes a day after the head of the owner of British Airways said the company would need to review its plans to resume flights after the Prime Minister proposed quarantining people flying into the UK.

In an address to the nation on Sunday, Boris Johnson said it would 'soon be the time' to bring in a quarantine period for air passengers to stave off Covid-19 infections from abroad.

Willie Walsh, chief executive of BA's parent company, International Airlines Group, said there was 'nothing positive' in the address.

Giving evidence to the Commons Transport Select Committee on Monday about the demand for air travel, Mr Walsh said: 'The announcements yesterday of a 14-day period (for people) coming into the UK, it's definitely going to make it worse.

'There's nothing positive in anything that I heard the Prime Minister say yesterday.

'We had been planning to resume  on a pretty significant basis  our flying in July.

'I think we'd have to review that based on what the Prime Minister said yesterday.'

Mr Walsh told the committee that British Airways' capacity to operate will be 'pretty minimal' in the event of an imposed quarantine.

He added: 'Despite the fact that there had been some rumours about this quarantine period, I don't think anybody believed that the UK Government would actually implement it if they were serious about getting the economy moving again.'

The Prime Minister proposed the quarantine in the address on Sunday and said it would be effective due to a decrease in the number of infections in the UK.

Willie Walsh, chief executive of BA's parent company, International Airlines Group, said there was 'nothing positive' in Boris Johnson's Sunday address

Addressing the nation on Sunday night, Mr Johnson said: 'To prevent reinfection from abroad, I am serving notice that it will soon be the time, with transmission significantly lower, to impose quarantine on people coming into this country by air.'

Mr Walsh told the committee that the two-week quarantine for air passengers was a 'surprise' as similar quarantines are not in place for other forms of international travel.

He said: 'I don't understand that but maybe the Prime Minister will be able to clarify the science behind that. It seems strange to me.'

We had been planning to resume  on a pretty significant basis  our flying in July. I think we'd have to review that based on what the Prime Minister said Willie Walsh, chief executive of BA's parent company, International Airlines Group

Mr Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed that quarantine measures would not apply between France and the UK 'at this stage', according to a joint statement issued after the address.

The Prime Minister did not mention arrivals by sea, and did not make clear whether it would include passengers on internal UK flights or on flights from the Republic of Ireland.

However, the Times has previously reported that travellers from Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man will be exempt from the quarantine.

Airlines UK said it had been told by the Government that a quarantine arrangement will be in place by the end of the month or early June.

A Government official said quarantine is 'a few weeks away from happening yet', adding: 'What the scientific advice tells you is that when domestic transmission is high, imported cases represent a small amount of the overall total and make no significant difference to the epidemic.

'However, this can change when the domestic transmission rate of infection is low and people are arriving from countries with a higher rate of infection.'

The official said industry and business would be listened to but the 'purpose is to stop disease being imported into the UK'.
The French president is calling on Iran to release a dual-citizen academic imprisoned there.

Emmanuel Macron said that Iranian-French anthropologist Fariba Adelkhah should be released on the one-year anniversary of her imprisonment.

It is unacceptable that she is still in prison, Macron tweeted today. My message to Iranian authorities: Justice dictates that our compatriot be immediately released.

Adelkhah, a specialist in Shiite Islam, was arrested last year and sentenced to five years in prison on national security charges that France has called political. The prominent anthropologist disputes the allegations, according to Frances state-owned France 24 news outlet.

Adelkhah was born in Iran but has lived in France since the 1970s. Iran does not recognize dual nationality, which has limited Frances ability to secure her release. The issue is an ongoing source of tension between Paris and Tehran.

In January, an Iranian court dropped spy charges against Adelkhah. Such crimes carry a death sentence in Iran.

Macron made the comments today because it is the one-year anniversary of Adelkhahs imprisonment. His remarks also coincide with the return of American navy veteran Michael White from Iran. White was imprisoned on unknown charges last year and then released in March, but had to remain in Iran. White received permission to return home yesterday following a deal with the United States and arrived today by way of Switzerland.

Adelkhah is not the only Western citizen imprisoned in Iran. The Australian-British academic Kylie Moore Gilbert is currently serving a 10-year sentence for spying.
BRISTOL, Va.  America seethes in the aftermath of George Floyds death.

Floyd, an African-American man under arrest and subdued by police officer Derek Chauvin, died on May 25 in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. Three additional police officers looked on as Floyd verbalized that he was in danger of dying.

Protests followed. Streets filled from Minneapolis to New York City, Los Angeles to downtown Bristol.

Protests continue. Riots, too. Yet in the aftermath of Floyds death and amid nationwide tumult, one of many questions prevail: What would Jesus do?

The answer is love, love, love, said Rev. Steven L. Davis, founder of Bristol-based Brothers in Christ Community Response.

Established in 2003, Brothers in Christ Community Response maintain an expansive mission. In essence, they house ministries tailored to assist individuals in pursuit of societal reentry and various realms of rehabilitation.

Love covers a multitudes of sins, Davis said. Biblical love is unconditional. It says I love you in spite of your sins. Weve got to love, love, love. But when does the change, change, change come first?

Davis, along with a handful of local pastors including Rev. William J. Reid, marched in downtown Bristol last Sunday afternoon.

Theres another systemic pandemic going on, and thats sin, said Reid, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Bristol, Virginia. And its greater than COVID will ever be. Its the root of all racism, greed and contention. All of that comes under sin.

Sundays march began in Bristol, Tennessee, and proceeded along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The enormous Bristol sign, with its A Good Place to Live message, rose to their right. Ghosts of movie theaters, wherein black Americans of yore could only sit where told, loomed to their left.

We had a peaceful march on Sunday in Bristol, Davis said. We had a peaceful walk that was organized in six hours with people of all ethnicities.

Peaceful protests flourished from coast to coast. They encompassed marches, sit-ins, vocal and sign-wielding statements.

Yet neighborhood stores burned in Philadelphia. Police cars were torched in numerous cities including Los Angeles. Windows smashed, businesses looted. Nashvilles historic Ryman Auditorium, a former church and home of country musics Grand Ole Opry, felt the brunt of attack.

These are kids who know not of where to go, said Rev. William L. Ward, pastor of Hood Memorial AME Zion Church in Bristol, Tennessee. Jesus would say (to them), I died for you first. Nations came together from what happened to him.

Translated, George Floyd will not have died in vain if bonds among humanity solidify in harmony. Again, Ward referenced Christ in such a manner as to ask, what would Jesus do?

How do I eradicate evil if I dont expose it first? Ward said. George Floyds death is not in vain. Its not just a happenstance. Its not just a coincidence.

Perhaps its an opportunity. Such an exposure of sin and evil could provide an avenue for dialogue to seed then flourish such to obliterate systemic inadequacies and injustices.

Im preaching Sunday on sin, the systemic pandemic, Reid said. Sin will take you farther than you want to go, deeper than you want to be. You cant deal with racism without dealing with sin.

Maybe change begins with the individual. Could be that we are witnessing that on the boulevards and avenues of America in the moment.

If we dont get our hearts right, we wont get right with God, Davis said. It is that simple, but its complicated because of what weve put into our hearts for so long.

For instance, roots of slavery in America threaded well into the 20th Century to encompass the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Voting rights issues remain today.

But why? If one maintains faith in the Bible, then we all trace familial roots to Adam and Eve. Thus connected, arguments follow that despite shade of skin or origin of nationality, were all related as brothers and sisters. For scriptural believers, thats inarguable.

Were a dysfunctional family who descended from Adam and Eve, Davis said. The church used to be the leaders. During the civil rights movement, during Martin Luther King Jr.s lifetime, church was a vital component.

So, what happened?

Human life has no value, Davis said. The value of life is zero. Everybodys expendable.

Remedies enumerate. Politicians surmise, organizational leaders chime in, even prominent athletes postulate. Davis suggested biblical scripture as not simply a route but the map to concrete and everlasting reconciliation.

We love stuff and use people, as opposed to using stuff and loving people, Davis said. Communication is key. Love is key.

Hatred does not belong at the table of humanity, the reverends say. God does not like it; we should not allow it.

In the midst of all of this, Christ would show love, Reid said.

The Beatles harmonized that all you need is love. Al Green pleaded to lets stay together. God says to love.

Its not love for one, Davis said. Its love for all.

Tom Netherland is a freelance writer. He may be reached at features@bristolnews.com.
A bishop in Texas received a call of support from Pope Francis after he was pictured kneeling during Black Lives Matter protests that have swept across the country following the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

Catholic Bishop Mark Seitz, of the Diocese of El Paso, was joined by 12 other priests as they knelt in silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds - the amount of time Officer Derek Chauvin stayed on Floyd's neck.

The group had their eyes closed as they held signs that read 'Black Lives Matter.' They also had on masks and held white roses in their hands.

Catholic Bishop Mark Seitz, of the Diocese of El Paso, was joined by 12 other priests as they knelt in silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds

The group had their eyes closed as they held signs that read 'Black Lives Matter.' They also had on masks and held white roses in their hands

Two days after the clergy's demonstration, Seitz received a call after Mass that he was not expecting. Pope Francis was soon expressing - in Spanish - how grateful he was for Seitz's response

Others at the demonstration held signs that read 'I want to breathe.'

Two days after the clergy's demonstration, Seitz received a call after Mass that he was not expecting.

Pope Francis expressed - in Spanish - how grateful he was for Seitz's response, CNN reports.

'Through me, he's expressing his unity with everyone who is willing to step out and say this needs to change,' Seitz said.

Others at the demonstration held signs that read 'I want to breathe'

'This should never happen again. Wherever there is a lack of respect for human beings, where there's a judgment based on the color of their skin, this has to be rooted out.

'Whether it's in law enforcement, in business, in government, in any aspect of our society, this has to change. And now we know very clearly that the Holy Father is making this his prayer.'

Pope Francis has been extremely vocal about the death of George Floyd, calling it 'tragic.' While praying at the Vatican on Wednesday, Pope Francis offered prayer for Floyd and 'all those others who have lost their lives as a result of the sin of racism.'

Pope Francis has been extremely vocal about the death of George Floyd, calling it 'tragic.' While praying at the Vatican on Wednesday, Pope Francis offered prayer for Floyd and 'all those others who have lost their lives as a result of the sin of racism'

'We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form,' Pope Francis has said on Twitter

According to Vatican analyst John Allen, Pope Francis dedication to addressing Floyd's death is 'relatively rare.'

'We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form,' Pope Francis has said on Twitter.

'At the same time, we have to recognize that violence is self-destructive and self-defeating. Nothing is gained by violence and so much is lost. Let us pray for reconciliation and peace.'
Manitoba Hydro will begin temporarily laying off staff after the Crown corporation couldnt come to an agreement with unions representing employees, including 30 jobs in Westman.

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This article was published 6/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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Manitoba Hydro will begin temporarily laying off staff after the Crown corporation couldnt come to an agreement with unions representing employees, including 30 jobs in Westman.

A total of approximately 200 staff will be laid off for four months from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and UNIFOR, according to a statement from Manitoba Hydro. Originally, 700 staff were expected to be laid off.

Two UNIFOR staff members have temporarily lost their jobs in the region, according to UNIFOR western regional director Gavin McGarrigle, both in customer service positions. He said the union represents ten people in Westman at Manitoba Hydro.

He called the cuts "completed unnecessary" and politically motivated, rather than out of concern for the Crown corporation.

The organization is already understaffed, McGarrigle said, as it struggled to deal with the aftermath of the 2015 floods and fall 2019 snowstorm.

"In this particular situation you see  unlike many other governments  the Pallister government setting arbitrary targets for public service cuts in the pandemic. I thought we learned this lesson with (American president Franklin D.) Roosevelt almost 100 years ago that you cant cut your way out of a situation like this," McGarrigle said.

Hydro president and CEO Jay Grewal announced the layoffs in a press release Friday. She said the 200 affected staff was a significant reduction from the approximately 700 layoffs the utility was originally anticipating.

"As I have said previously, this was absolutely not our preferred course of action," she said.

"We will make all efforts to minimize the impact of these temporary layoffs on service to customers, while maintaining the safety of our system and employees in every aspect of our operations."

Last week, the corporation announced that close to 1,000 managers, executives and non-union staff would take three unpaid days off over the next eight months to meet the governments savings targets. The measure was expected to save $1.4 million.

The layoffs announced Friday are expected to save $4.1 million, Hydro said.

 dmay@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @DrewMay_
Iran's newly-elected Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf on Friday compared acceptance of President Donald Trump's "big deal" offer to "peace with infidels".

"Dont wait until after U.S. Election to make the Big deal. Im going to win. Youll make a better deal now!," President Donald Trump said in a tweet on June 5 after an American prisoner in Iran, U.S. Navy veteran Michael White, returned home.

Qalibaf quoted a verse from the Quran in his tweet in response to Trump's tweet that advises the faithful not to bid the infidels to [a degrading] compromise and peace because God is with the followers of the Prophet and they will win because they are stronger.

Qalibaf, a former commander of the Revolutionary Guard's (IRGC) Air Force, on May 31 said any negotiations with the United States would be "futile" as he delivered his first major speech to the conservative-dominated chamber.

"Our strategy in confronting the terrorist America is to finish the revenge for martyr [Qassem] Soleimani's blood," he told lawmakers in a televised address.

Mohsen Rezaei, the Secretary of the Expediency Council, has also in a tweet reacted to the offer of the U.S. President and said Trump and the United States are in a "quagmire" and even if they weren't, negotiating with the U.S. would be like poison.

Quagmire in the tweet by Major-General Mohsen Rezaei, the former Commander of IRGC (1980-97), probably refers to the recent protests in the United States. The quote "negotiation is poison" is from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's speech on May 14 who said "negotiation with the current U.S. administration is "doubly poisonous".
Iconic Bristol-based graffiti artist Banksy joined a large number of people in London and elsewhere in the UK to protest against the killing of George Floyd in the US, despite home secretary Priti Patel and Scotland Yard advising against it in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

Banksy, whose identity remains unknown but has gained world-wide acclaim for his work appearing on public buildings, commented on the Black Lives Matter movement in a social media post accompanied by artwork featuring a burning US flag.

He wrote: At first I thought I should just shut up and listen to black people about this issue. But why would I do that? Its not their problem, its mine. People of colour are being failed by the system. The white system.

Also read | A great day for George Floyd, says Trump as he hails strong jobs report for US

Like a broken pipe flooding the apartment of the people living downstairs. The faulty system is making their life a misery, but its not their job to fix it. They cant - no-one will let them in the apartment upstairs.

In Parliament Square in London and elsewhere, tens of thousands of people ignored official advice to avoid mass gatherings and came together to protest against the killing, carrying placards and taking the knee; not everyone wore face-masks.

Patel said: Of course, I completely understand peoples desire to express their views and to have that right to protest. But the fact of the matter is we are in a health pandemic across the United Kingdom and coronavirus is a deadly virus.

Id say to those that want to protest: please dont. The regulations are very clear in terms of gatherings and mass gatherings in particular. We must put public health first at this particular time, she added.

Cressida Dick, Scotland Yard commissioner, told police officers not to take the knee as an act of solidarity, and advised people to protest without gathering in large groups because of the pandemic.

She said: We encourage our officers to talk to people, to engage in a positive manner with people. We wont be kneeling during protests. However heartfelt something like that might be, I dont think it is likely to be safe.

We are fighting a deadly virus, it can get spread in gatherings, she added.

Also read | George Floyds death sparks new generation of activists in US
Legba Carrefour, 40, who is from Annandale, Va. and previously told The Washington Post he has been involved in multiple protests, was charged with destruction of property after allegedly hammering off hunks of the curb with the intent to create projectiles to hurl at police, according to an arrest report. A viral video posted online, which matches the police description of the incident, shows demonstrators swarming the man and handing him over to police. A man who answered Carrefours phone hung up when asked for comment.
Per major media sources, Lockheed Martin Corp. LMT recently secured a $1-billion deal for delivering five C-130J-30 Super Hercules transport aircraft to the military of New Zealand. Further, Lockheed Martins Aeronautics division will deliver a full mission flight simulator and other supporting infrastructure as New Zealands military seeks to replace its existing aircraft fleet.



The company will deliver the first of the new Super Hercules aircraft in 2024, with the full fleet operating from 2025.



The New C-130J Specifics



As the worlds premier tactical airlifter, the Super Hercules features tremendous lift capacity, long-range and austere landing field capabilities. Rolls-Royces RYCEY AE 2100D3 engines and six-bladed Dowty Aerospace R391 composite propellers from General Electric GE improve the aircrafts performance over legacy C-130 jet. The Super Hercules worldwide fleet has more than 2 million flight hours and is the airlifter of choice for 20 nations.



The new Super Hercules aircraft will be able to carry heavier payloads and will possess advanced capabilities, including wide bandwidth, to enable real-time data streaming. These new aircraft will also be featuring infrared cameras and high-speed satellite communications.



Our View



In recent times, military helicopters in the U.S. aerospace-defense market have gained prominence and significant traction due to advancements and integration of new tactical, logistical and other important features. Some of these developments are attributable to defense players like Lockheed Martin and Textron TXT, as both are pioneers in manufacturing tactical military rotorcraft.



Notably, the aforementioned contract secured by Lockheed Martin is indicative of solid revenue growth prospects for its Aeronautics business segment, which comprises the C-130 Hercules program. Notably, during first-quarter 2020, revenues in this unit increased 14.1% year over year. We may expect this unit to generate similar solid performance in the coming days, backed by contract wins like the latest one.



Per Research and Markets firm, the global military rotorcraft market is expected to see a CAGR of 4.28%, to $30.7 billion by 2028, from 2018. Such growth can be attributed to the need for replacing aging fleets and enhancing capabilities in the longer run. This, in turn, should boost further demand for Lockheed Martins Super Hercules aircraft and enable it to benefit from the expanding global rotorcraft market.



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As the worldwide tally of Covid-19 cases reaches 7 million, the member countries of G20 on Friday have pledged over $21 billion to fight Covid-19 pandemic.

Member countries of the Group of 20 on Friday pledged more than USD21 billion to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the group said on Saturday. The G20, with invited countries, has coordinated the global efforts to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, G20 members and invited countries have pledged over USD21 billion to support funding in global health, the forum said in a statement cited by Sputnik news agency.

The announcement comes after the G20 countries injected more than USD5 trillion into the global economy in late March to fight the virus and its economic impacts. We are injecting over USD5 trillion into the global economy, as part of targeted fiscal policy, economic measures, and guarantee schemes to counteract the social, economic and financial impacts of the pandemic, the G20 leaders said in the statement then.

Emergency measures aimed at protecting health will be targeted, proportionate, transparent, and temporary. We are strongly committed to presenting a united front against this common threat, they had added further.



Also Read: Australia extends support to Indias candidacy for permanent UNSC seat

Also Read: Two Pakistan High Commission employees caught for espionage, declared persona-non grata

At the time, the G20 leaders also asked the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to support countries in need using all instruments to the fullest extent. The latest data by US-based John Hopkins University shows that almost 7 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed across the world, and nearly 400,000 people have died as a result.

Also Read: US President Donald Trump postpones G7 summit, plans to invite India, Russia, Australia

For all the latest World News, download NewsX App
British Airways parent company is contemplating a legal challenge to the UKs first blanket quarantine scheme.

From 8 June, almost all arrivals at UK airports, ferry ports and international rail terminals will be required to self-isolate at home for two weeks. Quarantinees who fail to comply face fixed penalties of 1,000.

Just 62 hours before the measure comes into force, Willie Walsh, chief executive of IAG, said: We are giving consideration to a legal challenge to this legislation.

Speaking to Ian King on Sky News, he said: I wrote to MPs last night to say this initiative has in effect torpedoed our opportunity to get flying in July.

We think its irrational, we think its disproportionate.

The legislation applies initially for one year, though quarantine will be reviewed every three weeks.

Mr Walsh said IAG and British Airways would be reviewing a possible legal challenge with lawyers later on Friday.

I suspect there are other airlines who are doing so, he said.

The most likely grounds for mounting a challenge are thought to be the scientific evidence on which the policy is based, and the failure properly to consult with airlines.

When the home secretary announced the measures in the Commons, she repeatedly refused to say whether the governments Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage) had recommended imposing the quarantine  given the high level of transmission within the UK.

Priti Patel told MPs: We know they will present difficulties for the tourism industry, but thats why we have an unprecedented package of support, the most comprehensive in the world, for both employees and businesses.

But we will all suffer in the long run if we get this wrong. Thats why its crucial that we introduce these measures now.

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

Mr Walsh said: Its important to point out there was no consultation with the industry prior to enacting this legislation.

British Airways and IAG declined to take part in a government briefing on Thursday about the new arrangements.

BA is offering travellers booked to fly to the UK from Monday onwards the chance to switch to earlier flights without penalty.

The Independent has asked the Home Office for a response.
Yes, that was Rama Sharma for you, a pioneering PR woman and journalist, who paved the way for the likes of us of the next generation to join these professions which were once mens bastions.

It is with love and warmth that one remembers this wonderful person who passed away at 85 in her sleep at dawn on May 30 in Mohali. Her only daughter who had been taking care of her for the past many years as her health declined was by her side.

Rama was yet another example of a daughter of Partition joining the Indian workforce and excelling at her job. She was a familiar figure for me because like her I came from a huge clan that had migrated from West Punjab in 1947 and had daughters who went for higher education and then made careers for themselves. Born eight years after Partition and though considered a child of free India, my trail too followed the ones tread by people like her and my older sisters.

Survivors tales

Just recently my cousin Kamla, who excelled both as a scientist in the United States and a poetry and fiction writer, penned a poem to the girls of the 1960s in the city named after Goddess Chandi.

Recalling a season of suicides as mothers of Partition turned upon daughters not pretty enough to fetch a well-placed husband or born instead of the much-awaited male child, the poetess writes about the survivors: In vengeance, a large number of daughters of the city/Became doctors, engineers, magistrates, teachers and some journalists!

Born in 1935, Rama accompanied her lawyer father, mother and three brothers from Lahore to Moga. Witness to the devastation of Partition and the violence against and disowning of abducted Hindu girls by their own kin, Ramas parents made her aware of the importance of education and a career. You have to depend on yourself and no one else, they told her.

After doing her masters at DM College Moga, first in Hindi literature and then in English Rama got married to a banker. Even though her husband and his family were not very keen on her taking up a job, her mind was made up and she started with teaching before taking up the position of a public relations officer in larger Punjab, stationed at Shimla.

Those were times when PR was an all-male domain. Rama would recall with glee the time when she was sent to Kinnaur and the team welcoming her there enquired where the officer was. I told them I was the officer, laughed the woman whose forte was wit and repartee till the end.

Political reporter

When we joined journalism in the late 1970s, her Himachal Tourism PRs office opposite the Sector 17 Bus Stand was the meeting place where journalists of the likes of Shekhar Gupta and Vipin Pubby, among others, met regularly for coffee and conversation.

And then, even after retiring from her government job, Rama, not the one to sit at home, became the Himachal correspondent for Navbharat Times, thoroughly enjoying her stint at journalism.

An upright reporter and a woman of strong beliefs, Rama was never afraid of speaking out her mind. She literally reigned over Shimla and a trip to the Himachal capital was never complete without a cup of coffee with her at the club. Once I recall we got late and it was drizzling. She just made a phone call and lo! a couple of policemen appeared with umbrellas to escort us to the car!

Empowering girls

Education for girls remained Ramas prime concern and it was with tears that Sanju, her domestic help, remembered her. She personally took interest in educating me and it was a day of joy for both of us when I completed my BA! Fiercely independent, she lived on her own as long as she could till her journalist daughter Aruti Nayar brought her to the tricity to live in the same complex as her, but in another flat with a caretaker.

For Aruti it is a big loss as Rama had been her only anchor after her father had passed away when she was in school. However, what has been comforting for her is that she was with her mother till the end, taking care of her every need.
A health worker guides foreign experts and labourers to a quarantine facility (Photo: VNA)



The male patient, 22 years old, is a student back from the UK and a resident of Hanoi. He arrived at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City from the UK on June 4th on Flight VN50.



He was quarantined upon his arrival, and his sample taken the same day. One day later, the test turned out positive for SARS-CoV-2 which causes the disease.



Among the 329 cases, 189 are imported.



June 6 marks the 51st day in a row Vietnam has no infection cases in the community to report.



The committee further said 307 out of the 329 cases have been successfully treated and the rest are under treatment. Among those being treated, 10 have tested negative once and three twice or more./.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6)  The Department of Justice said Saturday it "will already start its own review" of the anti-terrorism bill which has drawn much criticism for constitutionality issues with some of its provisions.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Congress has not yet sent the bill for President Rodrigo Duterte's enactment.

"So our comments have not yet been requested by the Office of the President. Nonetheless, the DOJ will already start its own review of the bill," Guevarra said in a statement.

"The DOJ's task is not to interfere with governmental policy but to determine if the provisions of any enrolled bill are in accordance with the Constitution. I would like to believe that we have consistently and objectively discharged this duty," he added.

The proposed measure, certified by Duterte as urgent, will repeal Human Security Act of 2007 by giving more surveillance powers to government forces. Critics of the measure say it relaxes safeguards on human rights.

One of its contentious provisions is allowing the detention of suspected terrorists for up to 24 days even without a warrant of arrest. Once enacted, law enforcers can conduct surveillance on suspected terrorists for up to 90 days.

Under the current law, detention without warrant of arrest should only be up to three days, while surveillance is up to 30 days only.

House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate on Saturday called on Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano to not send the proposed new law to Malacanang yet. He's asking for time so more than 100 colleagues who voted for the bill could reconsider their decision and reject it instead.

"We see now that more and more House members are withdrawing or clarifying their votes like Rep. Ruffy Biazon, Rep. Joey Salceda, Rep. Julienne Jam Baronda (Iloilo City), Iloilo 2nd District Rep. Michael Gorriceta and Rep. Sol Aragones of Laguna. We hope that more still will withdraw and change their YES votes by writing the Secretary General and the Speaker to register their change of heart," Zarate said in a statement.

As of Thursday, 168 voted for the anti-terrorism bill, 36 voted against, while 29 abstained.

During the last session of Congress before it goes on a two-month break, Cayetano defended the proposed measure, saying it does not penalize activism.

"Bawal po na yung mga nagdidissent lang, o yung mag nagoobject lang o nagrarally o nagppahayag sa gobyerno, bawal po na sila ay turingang terorista," Cayetano said.

[Translation: Those who dissent or object or rally or air their grievances to the government should not be tagged as terrorists.]

The bill exempts advocacy, protest, dissent, stoppage of work, industrial or mass action and other similar execises of civil and political rights, as long as they are not intended to cause death or serious physical harm to a person.

READ: Biazon says anti-terrorism bill needs rewording: court, not Cabinet, must identify terrorists

Zarate said they are ready to challenge the constitutionality of the measure before the Supreme Court, arguing that it poses threats against progressive groups, who previously experienced "red-tagging" from state forces.

READ: Anti-terrorism bill may immediately be challenged on constitutionality in SC
Gov. Phil Murphy said Friday he is concerned the continuous series of large demonstrations across New Jersey and the nation to protest police brutality and racial injustice could cause coronavirus cases to spike.

But the Democratic governor said that doesnt mean people shouldnt protest  though he continued to call on demonstrators to be peaceful, wear face coverings, keep their distance from each other, and to get tested for COVID-19.

We respect completely your right to protest, particularly given the gravity of why folks are protesting, Murphy said during his daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton. But please do it responsibly.

Yes, Im concerned, he added. But thats not a reason not to protest. But it is a reason to be responsible.

Also, a reporter asked Murphy  an avowed progressive Democrat  if hes concerned about President Donald Trump "ability to do his job after the Republican president invoked Floyds name as he touted a dip in unemployment Friday morning.

Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying theres a great day for our country, Trump said. Its a great day for him. Its a great day for everybody.

Murphy, a frequent Trump critic who has been more diplomatic toward the president as he seeks federal help during the pandemic, said he didnt see Trumps remarks and that he doesnt have any insight as it relates to the president.

We are not whole as a nation, the governor added. The stain of racism remains with us. It is unfinished businesses in our country. People are angry, frustrated. Who could blame them? And George Floyd should be alive today to speak for himself.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

There have been dozens of police-brutality protests in New Jersey over the past week, with some having thousands of people gathered tightly. Many demonstrators have worn face coverings, though some have not.

Its unclear if this will trigger new COVID-19 outbreaks, and officials have said any indication the protests are causing a spike in cases wouldnt be visible for at least two weeks.

Murphy put New Jersey  home to the second-most COVID-19 deaths and cases in America  into near-lockdown mode in March, ordering residents to stay home, banning gatherings, and closing nonessential businesses to fight the virus spread.

The governor has routinely chided residents who break his orders as knuckleheads." Organizers of separate protests calling for Murphy to lift his restrictions as the economy sputters have been charged in recent weeks with violating the governors orders. Murphy has said he wished those protesters would demonstrate remotely via the internet.

Murphy has eased restrictions in recent weeks, though hes still limiting outdoor gatherings in New Jersey to 25 people during the pandemic, with an emphasis on people standing 6 feet from each other.

But Murphy on Monday drew a sharp distinction between police brutality demonstrations and the reopening protests.

I dont want to make light of this, and Ill probably get lit up by everyone who owns a nail salon in the state, the governor said. But its one thing to protest what day nail salons are opening, and its another to come out in peaceful protest, overwhelmingly, about somebody who was murdered right before our eyes."

Murphy is not alone. Numerous public-health experts in recent days have encouraged mass protests after Floyds death.

Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University, tweeted Tuesday that "the public health risks of not protesting to demand an end to systemic racism greatly exceed the harms of the virus.

We should always evaluate the risks and benefits of efforts to control the virus. In this moment the public health risks of not protesting to demand an end to systemic racism greatly exceed the harms of the virus. https://t.co/s9DagyjQ1J  Jennifer Nuzzo, DrPH (@JenniferNuzzo) June 2, 2020

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com.
Only staff and imams and a group of State TV staff would be present during next Friday's prayer at Cairo's Al-Hussein Mosque.

Next Fridays noon prayer will be held at the iconic Al-Hussein Mosque in Old Cairo, the religious endowments minister Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa said.

Strict precautionary measures will be adopted during the prayer that will witness the limited presence of the mosques imams, staff and state television crew.

The prayer will be aired on TV and broadcast on the radio, Gomaa said, adding that the sermon will be held under the theme reasons for lifting afflictions, he said.

Yesterday, Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque saw Friday's noon prayer held for the first time since March, but only in the presence of the mosque's imams and staff and without worshippers.

All congregational prayers have been suspended in Egypt since March as a preventive measure against the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week, the noon prayer was performed at Cairo's Al-Sayeda Nafisa Mosque as the country's endowments ministry decided to resume holding Friday prayers every week at one mosque in the presence of only 20 worshippers.

The cabinet is scheduled to discuss the gradual resumption of prayers at houses of worship nationwide this week.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the reopening of mosques and churches will be discussed after mid-June.

Egypt has started to ease some of the restrictions aiming to stem the spread of the pandemic as the country attempts to coexist with the highly contagious virus.

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A ghostly, ear-rattling thrum emanating over the Golden Gate Bridge and throughout San Franciscos Presidio neighborhood appears to be the result of high winds gusting through new slats on the bridge handrails.

Officials at San Franciscos 311 call center acknowledged the issue on Twitter after it snowballed Friday night, with multiple users posting recordings of the deafening noise.

Some of these audio recordings were taken in cars tooling across the bridge. In one posted Friday afternoon, a wall of sound seemed to envelope the vehicle, drowning out the engine and the low crackle of a car radio.

While many people flinched at the noise and began spewing complaints on social media, others said it was beautiful. Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz, a spokesman for the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, said the throbbing musical tones were a known and inevitable part of a wind retrofit project that the bridge had planned for years.

As part of that larger project, engineers replaced the thick, chunky slats on the western handrail with thinner slats, designed to help make the orange span more aerodynamic. Those slats allow more air to flow on the bridge, enabling the structure to withstand gusts of up to 100 mph, as opposed to 68 mph with the old rails.

Work on that element of the project began last year, and its now three-quarters of the way done.

The humming or singing is indeed part of the wind retrofit, Cosulich-Schwartz said, noting that officials had heard these tones before, when they built scale models of the bridge and conducted wind tunnel testing, creating typical weather conditions for the San Francisco Bay.

So, wall-to-wall humming may be a feature of the Golden Gate Bridge going forward. But only at very specific times, when strong winds blow from the west  as they did Friday afternoon.

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.

Several San Francisco residents who endured the noise for three hours on Friday were dismayed that it may come back.

It sounded like an emergency response siren that may have been faulting out, said Mark Krueger, an Inner Sunset resident who lives 3 or 4 miles from the bridge, but heard the wind singing anyway.

After finding he couldnt shut out the vibration with earbuds, Krueger began searching for noise-canceling headphones on Google. He checked Twitter and found that people in various neighborhoods  including the Mission and Presidio  were hearing the same sound.

Krueger said he hopes that bridge district officials will find a way to suppress it in the future. He and his neighbors arent eager for more aural assault  especially if winds pick up from the west some time in the middle of the night.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
GREENFIELD  A 38-year-old bus driver from Gill was arrested Thursday after he allegedly tried to run over three people, at least one African American, by driving his bus off Main Street in Greenfield and ramming it into a building.

Greenfield police said Steven Connell, a driver for the Franklin Regional Transit Authority, was ordered held without the right to bail after he was arraigned in Greenfield District Court Friday. He is charged with a civil rights violation, three counts of assault with intent to murder while armed and four counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, assault on ambulance personnel, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and a marked lanes violation.

According to police reports, the black man, who was traveling with two juveniles, exited Connells bus on Main Street near its intersection with Hope Street about 3:34 p.m. They began walking down the sidewalk when the bus lurched forward, veered off the road and across the sidewalk, crashing into a building and narrowly missing the three former passengers and another person on the sidewalk.

Witnesses told police Connell ran after the three, grabbing the male and attacking him until a firefighter pulled him off.

Under questioning, Connell said he saw one of the juveniles make a hand gesture that he thought meant the three had a firearm. He then tried to use the bus to hit them after they exited and then charged the male. Police said they found no firearms.

Connell was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, where he allegedly kicked a hospital employee, police said.
German neo-Nazis are conducting paramilitary training with a Russian ultranationalist group at a camp near St. Petersburg, German magazine Focus reported on June 5.

Citing German security sources, Focus said members of the far-right National Democratic Partys (NDP) youth wing and neo-Nazi The Third Path completed training at the camp run by the Russian Imperial Movement.

In April, the United States designated the Russian Imperial Movement along with three of its leaders as terrorists, marking the first time the classification has been applied to a white supremacist group.

Focus reported that German neo-Nazis have received training in using arms, explosives, and hand-to-hand combat at a camp named Partizan near St. Petersburg.

Several German graduates, as well as Swedes and Finns, later joined Russia-backed separatist militias in eastern Ukraine, Focus reported.

German authorities told Focus they are aware of the training but for legal reasons could not prevent right-wing extremists from traveling to Russia.

Focus reported that German security officials believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is aware of the camps and tolerates them.

The Russian Imperial Movement describes itself as a "Russian Orthodox national-patriotic and monarchist organization" that aims to restore an autocratic monarchy in Russia.

The group also seeks the declaration of Russia as a mono-ethnic state centered on what it classifies as the three branches of the Russian people -- Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians.

The movement has branches in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Nizhny Novgorod and its military wing, the Imperial Legion, provides paramilitary style training to neo-Nazis and white supremacists.

In April, Ambassador Nathan Sales, the U.S. State Department's counterterrorism coordinator, said the Russian Imperial Movement seeks to "to rally like-minded Europeans and Americans into a common front against their perceived enemies."

Based on reporting by Focus Magazine
I've always been a fan of social media.

It's funny, because I'm not an overly social person. But ever since social media was a thing, I've enjoyed using it to share parts of my life with others and to get a look in at what other people are up to.

It started with MySpace. That was the first real social network I was a part of. I remember taking time to organize my top friends. I had a blog on my MySpace page  one that I would likely be quite embarrassed to go back and read today if I hadn't deleted it years ago. I was a different person back then, interested in different things. I was young and stupid and thought I knew everything.

Maybe only some things change.

I remember when I first heard about Facebook. It was this exclusive site that only college kids could use. You had to have a college ID from one of the approved colleges to even sign up for it. I remember how exciting it was when Central Michigan University was added to the service, and I could finally sign up for it.

That being said, I was never really a fan of Facebook. I thought Myspace was better. I liked the ability to blog. I liked the customization that MySpace allowed, even though the majority of people who customized their pages probably shouldn't have. I liked that you could have a song automatically play when someone came to your MySpace page, as if I could annoyingly force my musical preferences on everyone who visited.

Facebook didn't offer what MySpace did, but more people signed up for Facebook than MySpace, and I found myself using it more and more.

I've always been a fan of Ashton Kutcher, and I remember when I heard he was using a new social network called Twitter. I signed up immediately. Kutcher was the first account I followed. I loved Twitter from the beginning. Back then, there were so few people on it that you could actually watch the full Twitter feed refresh as people posted new messages. You could literally read every message posted.

The first time I realized the value of Twitter was during that year's Daytona 500. I think it was 2008. As a NASCAR fan, I enjoyed the fact that I could "tweet" about things that happened in the race and people I had never met who were on the other side of the country could have a conversation with me. It was amazing to me. I still love Twitter. I still check it several times a day.

I remember signing up for Instagram, and Snapchat. There were others that either died off or never caught on: Daily Booth, Foursquare, Beme, Vine, and Google-Plus. I had accounts on all of them, and probably many more. Whenever I hear of a new social network, I always sign up. I have a TikTok account, though I've never posted anything.

Through social media I have been able to better connect with my family and friends. I still speak regularly to friends from high school, which never would be possible without social media. It's been a wonderful tool.

But lately I have really come to hate much of it. Especially Facebook, for whatever reason. I don't know why Facebook is the one that stands out to me the most, but it is. Maybe it's because it's the most active of the ones I use. Maybe I know more people on it. Maybe I'm friends with more people who do not share my interests. I don't know what it is.

When Facebook was all about sharing what you were eating for lunch and posting status updates that made it seem like your life was better than it actually was, I really enjoyed it. I want to see everybody's baby pictures and photos of their dogs.

But lately it seems Facebook has become a place to spread hate, to argue with people, to call people stupid, and to share false information with no basis in fact. As a journalist, all of the misinformation on Facebook hurts me, almost as much as the number of people who believe it. I spend my life trying to help get facts out there about what is going on, and the hours I put in daily are superseded by a meme made by some random person with no knowledge of the situation.

At one time, social media brought us together. It still brings me closer to people I wouldn't be close to with without it.

But it's also pushing us apart. It is helping to divide the country more than it already is. It has polluted the news landscape to the point where it's nearly impossible to figure out what is true and what isn't, and who is biased and who isn't.

Social media has become a cesspool. It makes me so angry, so unhappy to use it. But for some reason I am unable to stop.

I just want things to go back to the way they were. I want the left and the right to work together, and I want to go back to not knowing which friends are hateful or racist.

Social media has given us unprecedented access to the lives of our friends, a look into their thoughts and beliefs.

Maybe, just maybe, we were better off when we didn't have that.

Eric Young is the editor of the Huron Daily Tribune. He can be reached at eric.young@hearstnp.com.
Justice cant be delayed, Melton said.

The group is also requesting mayors, city councils, and police chiefs immediately establish local independent civilian review boards to review complaints of police violence.

Lets create an environment where police colleagues who want to report misconduct dont have to worry about retaliation. This is about creating laws that can create a more transparent process that supports those who are trying to do the right thing, while also engaging the public in the process, he said.

Melton said some caucus members were expected to join protesters outside City Hall in Gary on Friday in solidarity.

On Friday, Holcomb said he spoke with the caucus Friday morning in the Statehouse ahead of the group's press conference, and while they didn't get into much detail, he said he assured the caucus will make a "very important" contribution to any progress made.
Amid reports of its MLAs in Gujarat quitting ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls, the Congress on Friday accused the BJP of spreading the "virus" of allurements in Indian politics with its huge monetary power.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal alleged that the BJP's slogan of being self reliant was not meant for the country but for itself as it has become a rich party after demonetisation.

He said the BJP has been indulging in spreading the "virus of luring legislators" in various states across the country.

"This is a virus which is there in BJP's DNA. It is spreading this virus everywhere by luring MLAs all over. But people are understanding this now," he told reporters when asked about its MLAs switching sides ahead of the Rajya Sabha election.

"This is self-reliance of the BJP with the help of money power," Sibal said.

The former union minister said the BJP's talk of being self reliant is only meant for the party itself and it means that the one who has money can buy MLAs. "This has nothing to do with India's self reliance, they are only concerned about their own self reliance," the Congress leader said.

In a fresh jolt to the Congress ahead of the June 19 Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat, its MLA Brijesh Merja on Friday resigned from the Assembly membership, becoming the third legislator of the opposition party to quit this week.

Speaker Rajendra Trivedi has accepted the resignation of Merja, who was elected from the Morbi seat.

Asked why its legislators were lured over by the BJP, Sibal said such things happen in politics. "This is a weakness in politics, as some people come into politics with their personal benefits in mind. These people get attracted to such allurements," he noted.
Some aggrieved Ghanaians are seeking for information from the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, to determine whether or not to petition President, Nana Akufo-Addo, to remove her from office.

In a statement, the lawyer for these persons, Chris A. Ackummey of BCMS Consulting, cited 11 reasons for their demand for the removal of the EC Chair from office pending an official written response from her outfit within two weeks.

My clients intimate that they voted in previous elections conducted by the Electoral Commission and now fear being disenfranchised if you are allowed to continue with the current plan to compile a new voters register. A plan which the national House of Chiefs, Clergy, Clerics, Civil Society Organizations, Federation of Labour, political parties and well-meaning Ghanaians have cautioned you against. The allegations for which responses are sought, all of which if proven, will make you unfit to hold the office you currently occupy.

Among the allegations by the petitioners are gross incompetence, refusal of birth certificate and voters ID card for registration, illegal Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meetings, procurement breaches, defiance of COVID-19 restrictions and the endangering of millions of lives through a registration exercise.

They warned that any attempt to re-register voters during the COVID-19 pandemic will endanger their lives hence their threat to resort to legal means to have the Chairperson removed if they are not satisfied with the responses received from Jean Mensa.

My clients will submit their petition to the President if the EC fails to satisfactorily address the concerns stated, the statement from the group threatened.

Already, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has sued the Commission over its attempts to compile a new register.

The NDC argues in its suit that the EC lacks the power to go ahead with its plans because it can only compile a register of voters only once, and thereafter revise it periodically, as may be determined by law.

The opposition party in its case is also praying the court to declare as illegal the decision of the EC not to use the old voter ID cards for identification fin the compilation of the new register.

The NDC claimed that the decision which is without any justification is arbitrary, capricious, unreasonable and contrary to article 296 of the 1992 Constitution.

On the back of this, the Supreme Court has directed the EC to explain why the old voter ID card has been removed from the list of identification particulars for the yet to be compiled new voters' register. Read the full statement below:

 citinewsroom
Its my first Zoom interview and a few collywobbles are granted, I suppose. At 12.30 pm sharp, I join the meeting and begin to hurriedly fix my hair as the icon for Nimish Shah, the creative director of the clothing brand Bhaane, appears on my phone screen.

[When I was 15-16], fashion imagery  magazines and graphics  excited me, including a certain calendar. But I was clueless about what it meant to work in the industry. My parents are far from fashion.

Can you hear me? How do I still not know how this works? I hear, and even before I can offer my amateurish directions, the smiling face of the youngster, clad in a purple tee, pops up.

Amazing, how cool! chimes Nimish and after our eureka moment, I learn that hes quarantined at a friends house (just as I am at my sisters!).

Nimish believes being edgy comes from a very personal standpoint (Adhiraj Chakrabarti)

A London College of Fashion (LCF) alumnus, Nimish, 35, has made it to top publications like Vogue India, Grazia, Verve and Architectural Digest to name just a few. Having grown up in Mumbai, after completing junior college from Mithibai College he went to London to study product development and design for fashion industries. He worked at Chloe in Paris and then moved back to London and joined Burberry. Next, he worked for smaller brands in England before moving to Mumbai, where he ran a multi-brand store called Muse in 2009 and helped Sabyasachi Mukherjee set up his first store.

My dad is a Gandhian, so as long as there was academic training involved [in studying fashion], he was ok. Mum did hesitate for half a day

In 2018 Nimish joined Bhaane, and his unique design aesthetic as creative director for Anand Ahuja and Sonam Kapoors brand has been the talk of the industry since.

Muse was an amazing opportunity, better than my job in the UK, and it gave me a great exposure in the market, says Nimish. Tarini Jindal (who opened the fashion store Muse in Mumbai) really pushed me to set up my own brand. Assisting with Sabyas store was a time bound contract with the associate company. It was a great to observe Sabya.

Fashionable beginnings

Coming from a family of textile printers and traders, Nimishs interest in fashion began when he was around 15-16 years old. Fashion imagery  magazine and graphics  excited me, including a certain Air India calendar, he says. But I was clueless about what it meant to work in the fashion industry. My parents are far from fashion. I think even I am not fashion enough.

Working with Sonam and Anand is very refreshing because Sonam comes with a very clean perspective on fashion and Anand has a very good view on business and expansion

Still, from early on, he knew he wanted to study design, so there was clarity of career always. My dad is a Gandhian, so he did not blink an eye, as long as there was academic training involved. Mum did hesitate for half a day, but I think she was okay about it very quickly, he says.

Now Nimish is being touted as the next big name in design in India, something hes a bit sheepish about. Its a matter of good synergy; theres something in sync and eventually you come up with a base level good product, he says. Im very intuitive and I have my feet on the ground. I know what I want to do, how to take it forward and how it can drive change, prove a point or be a beautiful way to tell a story.

Hand-me-down

At just 35, Nimish has made it to top publications like Vogue India, Grazia, Verve and Architectural Digest

Having said that, he is even more sheepish when he describes his style of dressing as clumsy. I love second-hand clothes, I buy them and also borrow and swap clothes with friends, says Nimish. I love basics, but they must have character. I cant do loud designs, but I love clothes that have worn out. I wear them without repairing them and Im very thrifty.

When dressing himself, Nimish never looks at size labels when choosing clothes. I dont like to dress up, but I have a very strict, edited wardrobe, he reveals.

I love basics, but they must have character. I look for new styles, silhouettes and stories within a very basic pattern.

And when it comes to work, while Nimish sometimes overdresses for a 9 am meeting, he doesnt make an effort for an event. I do basic jeans, t-shirts and I dont plan my wardrobe; its really what comes off the top of the pile, he confesses. I have clothes in my office, car and lots in my house, and from the time I leave my house to the time I reach office I have changed and its always a carousel. I stick with my shoes, but my clothes are always on and off.

Aesthetically yours...

Nimish defines his design aesthetic as a combination of shabby and chic and developed his style, which is highly appreciated in design circles today, with a lot of work experience. At Bhaane, we are very conservative in our design and very premium too, and everything thats made is a complete process and not an incomplete statement, he says.

Working with and meeting creative people in Paris and London opened a whole gamut of self-design and styling for Nimesh. All my ex bosses made their own clothes; theyd change buttons on their jackets and the whole team in Paris too was so dynamic and individualistic in their style, he says.

Nimish describes his style of dressing as clumsy

India, he feels, has both edgy and quirky people, often influenced by travel, and the very conservative. Nimish believes being edgy comes from a very personal standpoint. Its a self groomed thing. You observe, manifest and then build your own. Theres no textbook to be edgy, he says.

10 YAYS AND NAYS OF FASHION Who would you like to dress?

Michelle Obama, shes so dynamic. Who you think needs a makeover? Mayawati. She needs a cooler haircut. Which was the last fashion disaster you saw? The shoulder pads trend. What blew you away? The number of hours required to make an outfit. Name one design you wish was yours. Salwar-kameez. Its so formal and Indian at the same time. One great airport look? A very big sweater with basic denims and tee. And a bad one? High heels! Your personal style icon? Indira Gandhi, who understood what dressing up meant. One must-have in every guys closet? Black denims. And every girls...? Well-fitted underwear. In one word, fashion for you is? Common sense.

So, not many designers have aesthetics aligned with Nimeshs design philosophy. There are lots of inspiring business models internationally, but these are not necessarily direct. Apple as a business is a great reference point and so is Nike, he explains. How you can break a market and cater to several tiers within a pyramid is something we are looking at. While clothes are our medium of expression we look at building a brand. So we are looking at graphic design studios for a design language and magazines too. For example, something like Border & Fall is a beautifully-curated website in India.

To pitch his premium brand, he cant look at runway brands either. We dont want to be as edgy as a runway designer, he says. We want to create a nice, purist product mix that has a little bit of quirk, finesse and modernity. So we need to create our own model.

The power of three

Nimishs association with Bhaane happened unexpectedly. His great friend and patron Sonam randomly asked to meet for lunch. I thought itd be a bunch of friends. But when I saw Anand and Soman, I understood it was a work thing. I still remember how we completed each others sentences and all three of us were on the same page, recalls Nimish, who took two months to plan things and move from Mumbai to Delhi after Sonam Kapoor and her husband, Anand Ahuja picked him up to be Creative Director for Bhaane.

In fact, Sonam and Rhea Kapoor have been patrons of Nimish right from his first collection. Rhea would always push me to make things for her projects. I remember her sitting in my booth patiently while I fussed over packing a dress. It cracked her up! We have a lot of friends in common and at one such dinner in 2012, I met Sonam, he says.

The trio is in sync in terms of the aesthetic they want to build for India. We are all in sync with the pace at which the brands needs to grow, how we want to grow  whether we want to be aggressive or passive, how we want to want to tell our story, says Nimish. Working with Sonam and Anand is very refreshing because Sonam comes with a very clean perspective on fashion and Anand has a very good view on business and expansion, and they both run such large businesses in their own capacity that they understand why a boutique business like Bhaane needs a slow speed and how this can be rewarding in the long term.

Join in the conversation using #CreativityContagion

Follow @lubnasalim1234 on Twitter

From HT Brunch, June 7, 2020

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz has signed an emergency order Friday implementing more stringent coronavirus-related restrictions on out-of-state travellers compared to state regulations.

Travellers from outside Alaska are now able to avoid a statewide mandatory 14-day quarantine if they test negative for COVID-19 but the city of Anchorage has imposed additional regulations that limit some visitors interactions with residents, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

Under the current state mandate, out-of-state travellers will need to show proof of their negative COVID-19 results upon arriving in Alaska. Once in the state, travellers are urged to limit interactions until 14 days have passed, until they test negative again in a second test taken seven to 14 days after arrival or until they leave the state, whichever comes first.

Travellers can also get tested when they arrive in the state and quarantine at their own expense while awaiting the results. They then must take a second test within seven to 14 days after arrival.

The new rules implemented by the municipality of Anchorage more clearly define what interactions are prohibited but it is unclear how the new policy might be enforced.

Under city regulations, out-of-state travellers arriving in Anchorage who took a COVID-19 test before arriving at the airport to board are not allowed to dine in at restaurants or access indoor facilities such as theatres, fitness centres or museums for 14 days and must wear face coverings if around people who are not members of their household. They are allowed to order takeout or curbside delivery and recreate outdoors.

Travellers who get tested at the airport upon arrival in Alaska will need to fully self-quarantine until results are available. Those who test negative will then have to follow the same city regulations.

City rules specify that if the results are negative, travellers must abide by the new policy for 14 days after arrival in Anchorage.

Anyone who tests positive will need to isolate at their own expense and wont be allowed to travel until theyre cleared by state public health officials.

For most people, the new 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 vast majority of people recover.

Anchorage city officials require anyone arriving in the city within 14 days of their arrival in the state to inform their hotel, rental lodging host, and/or roommates of their quarantine status or whether they are required to minimize in-person interactions, the order said. Businesses may refuse to serve people who are in quarantine or minimal-interaction status.
Delroy Lindo, a frequent Lee collaborator, heads the ensemble as the most anguished of the vets, coping uneasily with PTSD and joined mid-story by his estranged Black Studies professor son played by Jonathan Majors (The Last Black Man in San Francisco). The rest of the Bloods are portrayed by Clarke Peters, Isiah Whitlock Jr. and Norm Lewis. The initial screenplay by Danny Bilsonand Paul De Meo dealt with white veterans returning to Vietnam. It was then rewritten top to bottom by director Lee and screenwriter Kevin Willmott, collaborators on the controversial Chicago-filmed 2015 project Chi-Raq and the Oscar-winning hit BlacKkKlansman (2018).
(Natural News) Demonstrators who attended this weeks series of George Floyd riots are at risk for contracting COVID-19 infections, authorities have warned.

The ongoing demonstrations and riots, which began in Minnesotas MinneapolisSaint Paul metropolitan area before spreading throughout the United States and other countries around the world, have attracted thousands of attendees  a fact that is fast becoming a cause of worry for health professionals and government officials.

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, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said, urging protesters to maintain social distancing and wear masks.

Experts fear second wave of infections

According to medical professionals, the nature of the rallies and demonstrations  which often defy social distancing rules  make them a prime spot for infections from asymptomatic individuals.

Theres no doubt in my mind that these can become breeding grounds for this virus, Michael Mina, an epidemiologist at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, said in a meeting with the media, adding that he would not be surprised to see increases in COVID-19 infections within the coming weeks. (Related: Anti-lockdown protests might be spreading the coronavirus.)

A historical precedent to the dangers of large public gatherings happened during the height of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. The city of Philadelphia held an ill-advised Liberty Loans parade in September 1918 to support the countrys World War I bond drive. The gathering, which brought over 200,000 people  all of whom were crammed shoulder to shoulder  reignited a deadly flu epidemic, which then led to nearly 13,000 deaths in the city.

Despite the risk of infection, people like Kelli Ann Thomas, a community organizer, still opted to join the protests.

The police violence against black people  thats a pandemic, too. People are willing to risk their lives, to risk their health, to show solidarity with black people, Thomas said in an interview with the New York Times.

In response to the criticism faced by the demonstrators, several protest leaders have urged attendees to get themselves tested for the coronavirus.

Tay Anderson, a protest leader and school board member based in Denver, for instance, put out a call on social media for protesters to join him in getting tested for the coronavirus at the Pepsi Center, an arena that the city has converted into a site for free mass testing.

The protest leaders calls for testing echo appeals previously made by authorities, such as Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week, Bottoms said at a news conference, reminding protesters that there is still a pandemic in America thats killing black and brown people at higher numbers.

Aside from testing, authorities are also encouraging protesters to be more responsible and vigilant regarding their health at the protests they attend, in a bid to stave off the much-feared second wave of coronavirus infections.

According to Theodore Long, vice president of ambulatory care at Health + Hospitals, and the state of New Yorks Test and Trace Corps leader, those who attend the protests must wear masks, practice proper hand hygiene  and if possible  enforce social distancing.

Some health experts, however, say the second wave of COVID-19 infections is likely to happen  with or without the current spate of protests.

Any time people are together in the same area, theres always a risk that respiratory viruses or other respiratory pathogens, including COVID, could be transmitted from one person to the next, Rick Martinello, medical director of infection prevention for Yale New Haven Health, said, adding that the risk of transmission is already on the rise due to the re-opening of restaurants and other businesses across the country.

As of this writing, the U.S. has logged 1,831,821 confirmed COVID-19 infections and 106,181 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Sources include:

WashingtonTimes.com

TheGuardian.com

USAToday.com

PBS.org

NYTimes.com

CNBC.com

TheHour.com
(Reuters) - A massive 'Black Lives Matter' mural was painted in yellow letters on a street near the White House on Friday, ahead of expected large demonstrations on Saturday to protest racism and police brutality in the United States. The huge mural occupies two blocks on the capital's 16th Street

(Reuters) - A massive "Black Lives Matter" mural was painted in yellow letters on a street near the White House on Friday, ahead of expected large demonstrations on Saturday to protest racism and police brutality in the United States.

The huge mural occupies two blocks on the capital's 16th Street. The city of Washington D.C. cleared the street so muralists could complete the work.

Using rollers and buckets of yellow paint, with brushes to finesse the edges of the letters, dozens of men and women, of different races and ages - some wearing roller blades, some work boots - painted the street. Many were sweating under the warm Washington sun.

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Friday that the section of 16th street in front of the White House is now officially "Black Lives Matter Plaza."

The death of George Floyd, a black Minneapolis man who died on May 25 after a white police officer knelt on his neck, has convulsed the country. As well as massive demonstrations and violent clashes with police in the biggest cities, hundreds of spontaneous demonstrations have popped up in little towns and rural areas across the nation in recent days.

(Reporting by Kevin Fogarty and Temis Tormo; writing by Diane Craft; editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 10:51:21|Editor: huaxia

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A man with a face shield shops at the farmer's fair in San Rafael, Heredia, Costa Rica, on May 31 2020. (Xinhua/Esteban Dato)

BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that China will continue to offer firm support for Costa Rica's fight against COVID-19 as the coronavirus disease outbreak remains serious in Latin America.

In a phone conversation with Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado, Xi said China will provide as much assistance as its capacity allows for the Latin American country in line with the latter's needs.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, Costa Rica has offered to provide medical supplies to China, Xi pointed out, adding that China will bear this friendship in mind.

China regards Costa Rica as an important partner in carrying out anti-epidemic cooperation in Latin America, and has donated supplies of epidemic prevention to Costa Rica and held video conferences to share experience in fighting the epidemic, Xi said.

China will continue to firmly safeguard international fairness and justice as well as the legitimate rights of small and medium-sized developing countries and stands ready to work with Costa Rica to strengthen international anti-epidemic cooperation, defend the efforts of developing countries to combat the epidemic, and maintain global public health security, Xi said.

Photo taken on March 23, 2020 shows the venue of an online meeting on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control among representatives from China and Latin American and Caribbean countries in San Jose, Costa Rica. (Photo by Dato/Xinhua)

Xi stressed that Costa Rica is a trustworthy strategic partner of China, and bilateral relations have developed smoothly since the two countries established diplomatic ties, with fruitful cooperation results achieved in various areas.

The pandemic has brought some negative impacts on economic and trade cooperation as well as personnel exchanges between the two countries, Xi said, adding that China's policy of promoting long-term friendly cooperation between the two sides will stay the same, and its position of supporting Costa Rica's economic development and improving people's livelihood will not change.

The two sides need to continuously support each other's core interests and major concerns, jointly plan post-epidemic cooperation between the two sides, and push forward practical cooperation under the framework of the joint construction of the Belt and Road, Xi said.

Xi said he believes that bilateral relations will surely see new and greater development after the joint fight against the coronavirus disease.

Photo taken on March 18, 2020, shows people attending a video conference between Chinese and Costa Rican health experts on the treatment of the disease caused by the new coronavirus (COVID-19), in San Jose, Costa Rica. (Xinhua/Esteban Dato)

For his part, Alvarado said since Costa Rica and China established diplomatic ties 13 years ago, the two sides have enjoyed increasingly profound friendship and their mutually beneficial cooperation has been expanding continuously.

Costa Rica firmly adheres to the one-China principle and stands ready to work with China to strengthen cooperation in the fields of public health, infrastructure and culture among others, act as a bridge and gateway for China to engage with Central America and promote the relationship between Costa Rica and China to a new stage, he said.

China is a great country, said Alvarado, adding that Costa Rica admires Xi's experience in governing the country and also his announcement that China's COVID-19 vaccine would be made a global public good.

Appreciating China's firm support for Costa Rica in its fight against the pandemic, Alvarado said that Costa Rica stands ready to work with China to support multilateralism, jointly deal with global challenges including climate change, and promote world peace and development. 
TEHRAN, Iran, June 6

Trend:

Some 150 Iranian trucks have entered Turkey on the first day of re-opening of the common Iran-Turkey borders, said Iran Customs Administration spokesman Seyyed Ruhollah Latifi, Trend reports citing Mehr News Agency.

"These 150 trucks have entered Turkey through three common borders of Bazargan, Sarv and Razi, Latifi said.

The official added that 35 Turkish trucks also entered Iran on the same day.

"Some 54 cargos of goods were exported from Iran to Turkey through the Razi Customs checkpoint, and 26 cargos were imported to Iran from Turkey," he said.

Turkey has started to re-open its borders, following months of lockdown, aimed at containing the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Turkey closed its borders in March to prevent the spread of the virus, including borders with Iran.
Chinese national political advisors convened a bi-weekly seminar on Friday to discuss revising the administrative reconsideration law.

It is necessary to improve the system of administrative reconsideration for modernizing China's system and capacity for governance, said Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), who presided over the meeting.

Stressing working in detail to offer suggestions on revising related laws, Wang noted that the administrative reconsideration system should play a better role in resolving administrative disputes.

At the meeting, 12 political advisors and representatives from academia put forward their suggestions on the issue. Meanwhile, more than 70 political advisors voiced their opinions through a mobile platform of the CPPCC National Committee.

Noting that the administrative reconsideration law has been implemented for over 20 years, political advisors said the law has accomplished remarkable achievements in resolving administrative disputes, supervising law-based administration, and safeguarding people's legitimate rights and interests.

Political advisors suggested taking advantage of administrative reconsideration, administrative litigation, and public complaints to jointly safeguard equity and justice.

They also called for expanding the scope of administrative reconsideration, promoting online case handling, and exploring the establishment of professional officer teams for administrative reconsideration.

Supervision over the institutions and staff for administrative reconsideration should be strengthened, and professional aid should be offered to people with insufficient administrative reconsideration capability, said the political advisors.
Dr. Walid Phares

The American Mideast Coalition for Democracy strongly defended its senior advisor, Dr. Walid Phares, against an article in the New York Times by reporters, Adam Goldman and Michael S. Schmidt. AMCD Secretary, Rebecca Bynum, who had served as Dr. Phares assistant during the 2016 Presidential campaign, penned a detailed and well-considered defense which appeared in New English Review.

President Trump has been reforming the Washington corrupt system, but the work is only partially complete. The corruption in government is much more extensive and pernicious than anyone could have believed a few years ago.

AMCD unequivocally supports Dr. Walid Phares, who has shown incredible courage in exposing radical Islamists and Jihadists of all stripes. He was correct to oppose Obamas Iran deal and correct to oppose the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and worldwide.
A Delhi Police inspector, posted with the Special Cell, was found dead in his car in northwest Delhis Keshavpuram on Saturday morning.

Senior police officers said the man had no external injuries, and his family members have so far alleged no foul play. Police said the autopsy report is awaited.

Police said they received a call around 4.30 pm reporting that a man was lying unconscious in a car parked at Rampura Main Road in Keshavpuram.

Deputy commissioner of police (northwest) Vijayanta Arya said, on receiving the call, a police team reached the spot and found the man lying in the car, that bore a Haryana registration number. He was taken to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital in an ambulance where the doctors declared him dead, Arya said.

Arya said a preliminary probe revealed that the man was a Delhi Police inspector who was posted with the Special Cell. He was a resident of Shalimar Bagh, Arya said. All possible angles are being looked into, she said.
A FORMER childrens entertainer is considering reviving her career after taking it back up during the coronavirus lockdown.

Lili Tuttle, of Badgemore Lane, Henley, has been reading stories to children over Facebooks live video streaming service while dressed as Princess Elsa from Disneys Frozen film series.

The 33-year-old used to regularly perform as the character at parties and events and decided to dust off her old costume after being furloughed from her job at the M&Co shop in Bell Street, Henley.

She initially wanted to entertain a friends daughter who had been forced to cancel her birthday party but gradually attracted more interest and is now getting hundreds of views each time.

During her half-hour broadcasts, which take place at 2pm on Fridays, she reads a mixture of Disney-themed books and traditional fairy stories, including some from an old German book owned by her grandmother. Mrs Tuttle often stops to show children the pictures in her books and encourages them to perform actions to accompany the stories.

She said: It was only meant to be a one-off but it has made the children so happy. Im limited to the books already in my house so Im lucky to have a large collection.

People can watch them at any time but its nice if they can watch it live because they can make requests in the comments box and I can pass on little messages or say hello to children.

I get a lot of questions about being Elsa. One boy didnt believe me at first but luckily I know the films well and I was able to convince him that I was her.

I think Ill go back to it after lockdown because this has made me remember why I love it so much. You can make a childs day and its lovely to be helping families at a time when its hard to keep children entertained.

To watch the videos, visit https://bit.ly/2yZX1Ds
PHILADELPHIA, May 19, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a rally in Philadelphia May 18, 2019. Joe Biden on Saturday kicked off his running campaign for the 2020 presidential election in Philadelphia. (Xinhua/Liu Jie/ Image Source: IANS News

Washington, June 6 : Former US Vice President Joe Biden has crossed the threshold for the Democratic presidential nomination, locking up a contest for the White House with incumbent President Donald Trump.

Biden, now the sole remaining presidential candidate in the Democratic Party, has won 1,993 delegates to the national convention, surpassing the benchmark number of 1,991 needed for nomination, Xinhua news agency quoted an estimate by the Associated Press as showing on Friday.

The estimate came as Biden swept primaries in seven states and the District of Columbia Tuesday.

Although the votes were still being counted, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who suspended his presidential campaign in April but remained on the ballot to gain delegates, failed to reach the 15 per cent threshold to receive delegates in several contests, yielding more delegates to Biden.

"It was an honour to compete alongside one of the most talented groups of candidates the Democratic party has ever fielded -- and I am proud to say that we are going into this general election a united party," Biden said in a statement on Friday night.

"I am going to spend every day between now and November 3 fighting to earn the votes of Americans all across this great country so that, together, we can win the battle for the soul of this nation, and make sure that as we rebuild our economy, everyone comes along," he said.

This year's presidential election comes at a time when the US has been plagued by the coronavirus pandemic that has frozen the national economy, and, more recently, when nationwide protests against racial injustice have persisted for over a week following the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, under the custody of white police in Minneapolis.

"This is a difficult time in America's history. And Donald Trump's angry, divisive politics is no answer," Biden said, as Trump threatened deploying active-duty military forces to quell the unrest.

"The country is crying out for leadership. Leadership that can unite us. Leadership that can bring us together," the 77-year-old former Senator from Delaware said.

"We need an economy that works for everyone -- now. We need jobs that bring dignity -- now. We need equal justice -- and equal opportunities -- for every American now. We need a president who cares about helping us heal -- now." There are still primaries to be held in eight states and three US territories before the Democratic Party holds its national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in August, at which Biden will officially accept the nomination.

Biden has served in the US Senate for 36 years before becoming Vice President in 2009, serving two terms in former President Barack Obama's administration.

Bidding for presidency for the third time, he has vowed to choose a female running mate.

Among the potential choices are senators Kamala Harris of California, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts -- all of whom used to be his rivals in the Democratic race during this election circle.

Biden has been leading Trump in most of the national polls and in battleground states over recent months, according to data compiled by polling website RealClearPolitics.

The Election Day falls on November 3.
WASHINGTON - Attorney General William Barr sought to dissociate himself Friday from police's move earlier this week to push back a crowd of largely peaceful demonstrators using horses and gas, claiming that he did not give the "tactical" order for law enforcement on the scene to move in.

The Associated Press reported that Barr told the news organization that the move against the protesters - which has been widely condemned - was already in process when he was spotted at the scene near the White House early Monday evening conferring with law enforcement on the ground.

"I'm not involved in giving tactical commands like that," Barr told the Associated Press. "I was frustrated and I was also worried that as the crowd grew, it was going to be harder and harder to do. So my attitude was get it done, but I didn't say, 'Go do it.' "

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Barr personally ordered the crowd of protesters be pushed back as part of a plan hatched far earlier in the day. According to a Justice Department official, law enforcement authorities, including Barr, had decided to extend the security perimeter outside the White House after earlier demonstrations over the death of George Floyd at police hands in Minneapolis turned violent. When Barr came to the scene Monday afternoon, the official said, he was "surprised" to see that hadn't been done.

"He conferred with them to check on the status and basically said: 'This needs to be done. Get it done,' " the Justice Department official said. The official added that Barr "assumed that any resistance from the protesters of being moved would be met with typical crowd-control measures."

The following day, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany confirmed that account, noting that Barr "said that we needed to get going with moving that perimeter. He told the officers that out there." McEnany did not immediately respond to an email Friday night.

At his own news conference Thursday, Barr said he had decided to extend the perimeter early Monday morning, and later, around 2 p.m., met with law enforcement agencies to lay out a plan for doing so. He said that officials could not get units in place soon enough to execute the plan before demonstrators arrived, but he did not address what happened in the minutes before police made their move.

A video of the incident shows Barr conferring with officials on the ground, and about 24 minutes later, police making an aggressive move on the crowd. The Associated Press reported that Barr "said it was a Park Police tactical commander - an official he never spoke to - who gave the order for the law enforcement agencies to move in and clear the protesters."

"They told me they were about to make the announcement and I think they stretched the announcements over 20 minutes. During the time I was there, I would periodically hear announcements," Barr told the Associated Press. "They had the Park Police mounted unit ready, so it was just a matter of execution. So, I didn't just say to them, 'Go.' "

A Park Police spokesman did not immediately return an email message seeking comment.

At his Thursday news conference, Barr notably defended what happened soon after the demonstrators were cleared: President Donald Trump walked across the now-empty area to St. John's Episcopal Church, where he snapped a photo with Barr, Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper and others.

"I think it was entirely appropriate for him to do," Barr said.

The photo op, coupled with the move against protesters, has drawn intense criticism. Former defense secretary Jim Mattis, for example, wrote for the Atlantic: "When I joined the military, some 50 years ago, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens - much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected commander-in-chief, with military leadership standing alongside."
WASHINGTON - After eight days of protests in the District of Columbia over the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, officials are preparing for the week's biggest demonstration in Washington.

Tens of thousands of protesters are expected in the nation's capital Saturday in an all-out rebuke of aggressive police tactics, racism and the Trump administration's militant approach to the days of unrest that have gripped cities from the District to Los Angeles and hundreds between.

Starting at 6 a.m. Saturday, police will close much of downtown to vehicle traffic, creating a pedestrian-only demonstration zone.

A fortified perimeter around the White House, including a tall black fence that was erected late this week after days of volatile confrontations between police and demonstrators, will remain.

Unlike many other large-scale demonstrations that the District hosts, no one person or organization is leading Saturday's events.

Nearly a dozen different demonstrations run by as many organizations or individuals have been advertised for Saturday, starting at 6 a.m. and running into the night. Many protesters plan to stay out until the early hours of Sunday morning.

There are no leaders to speak to and no agenda to follow.

Stages and podiums that are hallmarks of rallies such as the March for Our Lives and the Women's March on Washington have given way to people with megaphones commanding the attention of nearby crowds.

For the past eight days, the protests have ebbed and flowed with the energy of the day. Demonstrators march from memorials to the White House and back again.

Even Black Lives Matter DC has repeatedly announced this week that it is not behind all the grass-roots activism that has taken hold and flooded the city with protesters. Online, people from around the Washington region and neighboring states announced their intention to join and encouraged others to do the same.

District Police Chief Peter Newsham said no arrests have been made during protests since Tuesday. He said he hoped that that streak would continue as he expected on Saturday to see the largest crowd since protests began in the city on May 29.

"We anticipate the largest demonstrations with regards to numbers that we've seen in the city to date," he said. "And we anticipate that the protesters will continue to be as peaceful as they have been over the past couple of days."

In response to large crowds, Metro announced Friday that it will reopen the first and last rail cars on trains starting Saturday to boost capacity for rail riders.

The transit agency had kept the end cars closed on eight-car trains as a way to protect train operators from interacting with passengers during the coronavirus pandemic. Though operators work in enclosed compartments, the added buffer was a safeguard the transit union representing most of Metro's workers had sought.

Opening the first and last cars is one of the few options Metro has to increase capacity, and officials said the move will be indefinite, not just for Saturday.

Though District police and the National Park Service are preparing for tens of thousands of demonstrators, no one can say exactly how many to expect. Typical mechanisms used to gauge crowd size have been suspended or scaled back because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Park Service has stopped issuing protest permits. Agencies that might typically discuss plans with community organizers have halted in-person meetings. Many administrative officials are working from home.

On Friday, District Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, renamed a street in front of the White House "Black Lives Matter Plaza" and had the phrase "Black lives matter" painted in giant yellow letters along 16th Street NW near the White House.

The move, an escalation in Bowser's feud with President Donald Trump over control of District streets, was meant to be a stark reminder to the president and legions of federal forces and military personnel called to the District amid the protests that the city's allegiance is to "peaceful demonstrators," said John Falcicchio, the mayor's chief of staff.

Some District residents and activists criticized the move as merely performative and demanded that the mayor follow up with substantive changes to the District police department.

On Saturday, protesters planned to target city officials and buildings alongside those of the federal government with demonstrations in front of the U.S. Senate office buildings, the District government's Wilson Building, at Judiciary Square and Freedom Plaza, and the White House.

Officials said they expect demonstrations to be fluid and roaming, with groups breaking off to join other demonstrations as the day progresses and marches taking protesters through the city.

On Friday, crowds that jammed roads and flooded the White House for more than a week had eased into a jubilant rhythm.

Marches crisscrossed the District from the White House to Freedom Plaza and back again. Protesters arrived with speaker systems to play music and amplify the words of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. outside Lafayette Square, where peaceful protesters days before had been gassed, pepper sprayed and aggressively corralled by federal police.

"We aren't going to let any Mace stop us," King's voice echoed through the air. "We are masters in our nonviolent movement in disarming police forces; they don't know what to do."

All around, demonstrators stood in silence, listening intently.

"It's phenomenal," said Jacqueline Stallworth, a 49-year-old teacher. "Everything he is saying is still relevant today."

When the smoke grenades and pepper pellets started to fly earlier in the week at Lafayette Square, Kandyce Baker, 31, sat in front of the White House and prayed.

She returned Friday to a starkly different scene: The riot police were gone, the smell of chemicals no longer tainted the summer air, and a large fence encircled the park. Instead of facing the White House, as she did last time, Baker turned her back.

"I came here today . . . to be here where the people are," she said.

Around her stood several hundred people as the sky darkened and a thunderstorm rolled in. Dancers hopped and grooved in the middle of the road as a crowd gathered to cheer - it was a street party as much as a protest.

"It's amazing how all that has made people want to be out here with us even more," said Aaron Covington, 26, a resident of Navy Yard who is organizing a rally Saturday at the Lincoln Memorial. "I've gotten messages from almost every state, people around the world, saying, 'I wish I could be there with you.' "

The anger and sorrow that spurred demonstrations in the District and across the country this week was far from gone.

At the Justice Department, dozens of protesters marched on Pennsylvania Avenue chanting "No justice, no peace" while carrying a letter demanding the release of any demonstrators arrested this week.

At the Henry J. Daly municipal building, where a group of District police officers stood guard, protesters called out the names of black men and women killed by police, including Breonna Taylor, the 26-year-old Louisville paramedic fatally shot in her apartment by police officers who were executing a drug warrant.

Some in the crowd then shared stories about their own encounters with police.

"I'm scared I won't live long enough to have children," said Terrence James, 26, before recounting how he and a group of friends were approached by police in 2017 at a Silver Spring 7-Eleven. Explaining that a robbery had just occurred, he said, the officers forced James and his black friends to lie facedown in the parking lot. They didn't ask his white friend - who looked on in disbelief - to do the same, he said.

At Lafayette Square, demonstrators from outside the region had already begun to arrive.

Cindy Puentes, 24, stood outside the wire fence clutching a sign that said: "My husband's black skin isn't a crime."

Puentes and her husband traveled hundreds of miles this week from their home in Kansas for Saturday's demonstrations - and any that might follow. She plans to stay for three weeks, coming out daily to march.

"This is about my family," she said. "I was tired of crying at home. . . . I'm tired of seeing so much hate everywhere."

With a leaderless movement come challenges - not knowing who to follow or where to go, not having a preprinted list of slogans to chant along with as you march.

As night fell Friday, a crowd of protesters drenched in another evening thunderstorm tried to sync up as they wound their way toward the U.S. Capitol.

"Say it together," a woman screamed. "We're trying to make history."

The group walked another block, but they still didn't have it quite right.

"Use your ears," a woman said, urging the few hundred gathered to try again.

"They say we can't do this, they say we can't organize," she said. "Let's show them we can do this."

- - -

The Washington Post's Fenit Nirappil, Julie Zauzmer, Michael E. Miller, Justin George, Emily Davies, Steve Thompson and Michelle Boorstein contributed to this report.
New Delhi (India), June 6 (ANI): India and China discussed the issue of heavy build-up of troops by the People's Liberation Army along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh during the talks between their military commanders held on Saturday, sources said.



"During the talks held in Moldo on the Chinese side of Line of Actual Control, the Indian side raised the issue of heavy build-up of troops by the Chinese Army in Eastern Ladakh," a source said here.

China has moved its troops along the LAC in the Eastern Ladakh areas including the Finger area, Pangong Tso Lake, and Galwan Nala area.

The meeting between military commanders was to discuss and resolve the stand-off in Eastern Ladakh.

The Indian delegation led by 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh returned to Leh after holding talks and a detailed report was received by the Army Headquarters at the meeting late evening.

The Army Headquarters' Directorate General of Military Operations has also briefed the Ministry of External Affairs and other concerned government officials about the discussions.

An official statement was expected on Saturday evening but now it is expected to come out by tomorrow, sources said.

The talks between Indian and Chinese military commanders began today at around 11.30 am in Moldo, almost two hours behind the earlier schedule.

Lt Gen Harinder Singh met his Chinese equivalent Maj Gen Liu Lin, who is the commander of South Xinjiang Military Region of Chinese People's Liberation Army, to address the ongoing tussle in Eastern Ladakh.

The two sides have held close to a dozen rounds of talks since the first week of May when the Chinese sent over 5,000 troops along the LAC.

On Friday, officials of India and China interacted through video-conferencing with the two sides agreeing that they should handle "their differences through peaceful discussion" while respecting each other's sensitivities and concerns and not allowing them to become disputes in accordance with the guidance provided by the leadership.

In the last few days, there has not been any major movement of the PLA troops at the multiple sites where it has stationed itself along the LAC opposite Indian forces.

The Chinese Army's intent to carry out deeper incursions was checked by the Indian security forces by quick deployment.

The Chinese have also brought in heavy vehicles with artillery guns and infantry combat vehicles in their rear positions close to the Indian territory. (ANI)
The U.S. Army has developed a new shell for its 40mm grenade launchers. The GLAUS (Grenade Launched Unmanned Aerial System) shell is longer and heavier than the standard 40mm high-explosive shell and comes in two versions. One version launches a UAV with pop-out plastic wings, propeller and control surfaces. This version contains a video camera and communications link to the handheld controller used by the soldier who fired it. The comm-link is good for 2,000 meters and the UAV can stay in the air for 90 minutes. Each infantry fire team (4-5 troops) has one man designated a grenadier, with an M320 40mm grenade launcher attached under his assault rifle barrel. With the GLAUS UAV in the air, the team or squad (a larger unit with two fire teams) leader can scout the surrounding area from altitudes as high as 600 meters (2,000 feet).

Most small infantry UAVs, like the current 2 kg (5 pound) Raven UAVs, operate closer to the ground, usually at 100 or 200 meters altitude. Ravens are assigned to larger units like platoons (three squads) or companies (3-4 platoons). GLAUS is small enough for a patrol or small Special Forces team to carry with them and use far from friendly troops.

The second version of GLAUS is a small helicopter, with probably shorter endurance (about 30 minutes), but it can hover and is much more useful in built-up areas where you have to look into windows or alleys. If the troops find the enemy using GLAUS they can either call in an air or artillery strike or, if the enemy is close enough, use their grenade launcher to fire 40mm high-explosive grenades. If the enemy is really close and comes into view, you can open fire using your rifles.

GLAUS is not in production yet, but the concept has been shown to work. GLAUS is also not the first guided system built for the 40mm grenade launcher. In 2015 the Pike 40mm grenade was introduced by U.S. defense contractor Raytheon. By 2019 Pike was in production and had its first customer. Here was no rush to buy Pike because of the cost. That may also hamper selling GLAUS to military organizations that have numerous essential needs and never enough money to get everything, or even most things.

The existing 40mm high explosive grenade cartridge is about 100mm (4 inches) long and weighs about 545 gr (19 ounces). The 40mm shell which leaves the launcher tube is about 43mm (1.9 inches) long, weighs about 250 gr (nine ounces) and can be fired out to about 400 meters. An experienced grenadier could only fire these grenades accurately at targets as far as 200 meters distant.

The Pike is a longer and heavier 40mm shell. Pike is 430mm (16.8 inches) long and weighs 770 gr (25.6 ounces). While the Pike warhead is about twice as powerful as the unguided 40mm grenade, most of the additional bulk and weight of the Pike is taken up by the laser detector in the nose, a microcomputer, four pop-out fins and electronic and mechanical components to operate the fins to guide the Pike to a target up to 2,000 meters away. The Pike homes in on laser light reflected from the target, which is painted by a laser designator that looks like a pistol. Normally Pike is operated by a two-man team. One man is the grenadier, firing the Pike from a common one round 40mm grenade launcher. The second man, the spotter, points the laser designator and holds it on the target until the Pike reaches it (after about 20 seconds). Actually, one person could operate the Pike because at max range Pike will be in flight for about 15 seconds before it can detect the laser light reflected off the target by the handheld laser designator. So one person could fire the Pike then pick up the laser designator, turn it on and designate the target.

Pike will land within five meters of the laser light reflected off the target. The warhead is more powerful than hand grenades so Pike will kill or injure anyone within ten meters (32 feet) of the aim point. Pike obtains its long range by using a small explosive charge to propel Pike about three meters into the air before a smokeless rocket motor takes over giving it the momentum needed to carry it at least 2,000 meters.

As of 2019, only one customer has been found for Pike. The Canadian Army bought some for its special operations troops. The major problem with Pike is the cost of each round. The standard 40mm grenade fired by infantry costs about $30 each. The Pike manufacturer (Raytheon) has not made public the cost of each round but, given the cost of other small laser-guided missiles (like the 70mm APKWS), each Pike probably costs at least $3,000 and probably two or three times that. It could be useful for special operations troops but for most infantry, there are plenty of other guided munitions available, many of them cheaper and more destructive than Pike.

Meanwhile, American troops already have a very lightweight UAV, but not as light and portable as GLAUS or Pike. The Switchblade is a small UAV fired from its shipping container. Switchblade was sent to Afghanistan in 2009 for secret field testing. This was very successful and the troops demanded more, and more, and more. Switchblade completed development in 2009 and was initially thought useful only for mainly special operations troops. In 2011, after a year of successful field testing, the army ordered over a hundred Switchblade UAVs for troop use and last year ordered more as regular infantry units got their hands on it and demanded more.

By 2012 the U.S. Army and Marine Corps had ordered hundreds of Switchblades because the combat zone testing proved so successful. Switchblade was developed for the army but the marines apparently noted the success that soldiers and SOCOM (Special Operations Command) had with this system and ordered them as well. Switchblade was very popular with troops in Afghanistan and with SOCOM in all sorts of places they wont discuss in detail. Switchblade is still used and thousands have been ordered and many of them used. There have been several upgrades

Switchblade is a one kilogram (2.2 pound) expendable (used only once) UAV that can be equipped with explosives. The Switchblade is launched from its shipping and storage tube, at which point wings flip out, a battery-powered propeller starts spinning and a vidcam begins broadcasting images to the controller. The Switchblade is operated using the same controller as the larger (two kg) Raven UAV. A complete Switchblade system (missile, container, and controller) weighs 5.5 kg (12.1 pounds).

Moving at up to a kilometer a minute, the Switchblade can stay in the air for 20-40 minutes, depending on whether or not it is armed with explosives. Switchblade can operate up to ten kilometers from the operator. The armed version can be flown to a target and detonated, having about the same explosive effect as a hand grenade. Thus, Switchblade enables ground troops to get at an enemy taking cover in a hard to see location.

Technically a guided missile, the use of Switchblade as a reconnaissance tool encouraged developers to refer to it as a UAV. But because of the warhead option, and its slow speed, Switchblade also functions like a rather small cruise missile. The troops were particularly enthusiastic about the armed version because it allowed them to easily take out snipers or a few bad guys in a compound full of civilians. It was these sorts of situations that apparently led to systems like the recently introduced Israeli Firefly.

Switchblade has been so successful that the army ordered a Switchblade 2.0. The new version is also called LMAMS (Lethal Miniature Aerial Munition System). It is heavier with up to 30 minutes endurance and a 9 kilometer range. The sensor must have night vision and be stabilized. It must also be able to lock onto a target and track it. In 2018

In 2019 an Israeli firm introduced the Firefly, a loitering munition UAV, which is portable enough for infantry to carry and continually reuse. There is also the option to replace one of the two batteries with an explosive warhead and turn Firefly into a guided weapon. Another major advantage of Firefly is that it operates like a helicopter, not a fixed-wing aircraft. Being able to hover is a major advantage for loitering munitions used by infantry. What Firefly seems to have done is address all (or most) of the user criticisms of earlier lightweight loitering munition systems.

Firefly was developed by Rafael, the same firm that developed and builds the Spike family of ATGMs (anti-tank guided missiles). Much of the tech in Firefly was based on what is already used in Spike systems. In particular, Firefly has a guidance system that can track and attack a moving target. This can be critical for infantry using such a weapon because these targets are elusive in the first place and, without a UAV, the infantry would not have spotted dangers like snipers or moving troops at all.

Firefly is a dual rotor miniature helicopter and those dual (on top of each other) rotors make it stable in winds that would make a similar-sized fixed-wing or quad-copter UAV unusable. The .4 kg (one pound) warhead replaces the second battery to halve the normal 30 minutes of flight time. The operator uses a small tablet device that is mostly a touch screen and a Firefly controller. Firefly can be controlled up to 500 meters in a built-up (or forested) area or up to 1,500 meters in line-of-sight (nothing between Firefly and operator) mode. Firefly returns to the operator if the control signal is lost. The operator can press an icon on the screen to get Firefly to return immediately, abort an attack or carry out a high speed (19 meters/62 feet a second) attack on a target. The target can be moving, as in a sniper changing firing positions out of sight of the operator. This is accomplished using the ability of the Firefly guidance system to remember the shape of a target and follow it. The Firefly warhead would be most often used against troublesome targets like snipers or hidden machine-guns. Even without the warhead Firefly would be able to locate such lethal adversaries and enable the infantry to avoid them. Firefly can also be launched and operated from a moving vehicle.

The big advantage Firefly has over GLAUS and Switchblade is reusability. Carry one Firefly and just use it as a UAV for a dozen or more times. Because of the relative simplicity of the Firefly compared to GLAUS, Pike or Switchblade, it is probably cheaper. Add in the reusability and Firefly is definitely cheaper.


Residents take nucleic acid tests at a testing post set up at a primary school in Dongxihu District in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, May 15, 2020. . (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

As the last three COVID-19 patients in Wuhan have recovered and been discharged from the hospital, Central China's Hubei Province, the most affected place during the epidemic in China, declared zero existing COVID-19 patients as of Thursday.

The three were discharged on Thursday after two nucleic acid tests for the novel coronavirus came back negative within 24 hours, their temperatures fell to normal levels and their symptoms disappeared, the Hubei provincial health authority said.

By Thursday, Hubei accomplished seven "zeros": zero new COVID-19 cases, zero new suspected cases, zero new deaths, zero silent carriers, zero imported cases, zero existing confirmed cases and zero existing suspected cases, the provincial health official said.

The Wuhan authority said all districts in the city are considered low risk for coronavirus infection. Dongxihu district, the last medium-risk district in the city, reported zero new cases for 14 consecutive days to June 1, and its risk level was adjusted to low on June 2.

In areas outside Wuhan in the province, zero new COVID-19 case has been reported for 92 consecutive days, a Hubei health official said Friday.

The province reported 68,135 cases, with 63,623 recovered and discharged, and 4,512 dead as of Thursday.

The news is encouraging and indicates the success of Wuhan's anti-epidemic battle, Peng Zhiyong, director of the intensive care unit of the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, told the Global Times on Friday.



A crowded street corner on Wednesday night in Wuhan, capital of Central Chinas Hubei Province. As the city has lifted the lockdown for nearly two months, life has slowly returned to normal. Photo: IC

China will release a white paper on the country's battle against the COVID-19 epidemic on Sunday, the Xinhua News Agency reported Friday. Experts believed the white paper would comprehensively show the world China's anti-epidemic process and convince the world of the country's achievements.

"Everything indicates that we are moving out of the worst time toward the best time. Cheer up Wuhan!" Meng Ying, a Wuhan resident reached by the Global Times wrote on her WeChat account when reposting the news of Hubei's seven "zeros" on Friday.

Hours after the announcements, Beijing authorities said they would ease restrictions on people from Hubei, including Wuhan, the most affected place during the epidemic in China, to enter the capital.

Beijing's relaxed measures include the lifting of the 14-day quarantine, and that they only need to provide one negative nucleic acid test result after arriving in Beijing. Previously, people from Hubei to Beijing had to be quarantined for 14 days and receive two nucleic acid tests, with both having to return with negative results, before being allowed to move freely in the capital.

The Beijing authorities said Friday that restrictions on Hubei, including Wuhan, people traveling by air, train and land to Beijing were lifted, except those from medium and high-COVID-19 infected areas.

Media reported that within half an hour of the Beijing authorities' announcement, the number of searches for flights from Wuhan to Beijing on domestic online travel app Qunar rose nine-fold, and those for train tickets increased more than eight times compared to the same period the previous day.

Peng highlighted Wuhan's recent thorough city-wide COVID-19 test covering 9,899,828 residents, results of which were released on Tuesday. Only 300 asymptomatic patients were found, with no confirmed COVID-19 cases.

"It is the good results that prove to the country and the world that Wuhan is safe, Hubei is safe," Peng said, noting that the city-wide tests were a milestone that dispelled people's doubts and enhanced their confidence in Wuhan's anti-epidemic battle.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said during an interview on Fox Radio that it was a "strange deal" that the novel coronavirus did not spread widely in China but largely contained to Wuhan, according to media reports.

"It is the strict measures we launched at the early stage of the epidemic - lock down the city and the province, require everyone to stay at home and door-to-door screening in communities - that ensure today's good results," Peng explained, noting that the results of the city-wide test should crush some Western media's smear that the Chinese government is hiding the real epidemic situation in Wuhan.
photobyphotoboy/iStockBY: AARON KATERSKY, MATT FOSTER AND CHRISTINA CARREGA, ABC NEWS

(BUFFALO, N.Y.) -- Two Buffalo, New York, police officers are now facing criminal charges in connection with the graphic caught-on-video shove of a 75-year-old man during a protest, prosecutors said.



Officers Aaron Torglaski and Robert McCabe were charged with second-degree assault during their video arraignments on Saturday and were released on their own recognizance. They both entered no guilty pleas and are expected back in court on July 20.



The Thursday protest at Niagara Square had less than 20 demonstrators and several members of Buffalo Police Department's Emergency Response Team, officials said.



One of the protesters, Martin Gugino was seen on video walking in the direction of the crowd of uniformed officers when Torglaski and McCabe allegedly shoved him.



Gugino fell flat onto his back and bumped the back of his head on the concrete, video shows. The sound of the man's head hitting the ground silenced the crowd, according to the video.



A trail of blood can be seen seeping from the head of the motionless man as several officers walked by him.



"Mr. Gugino has been a longtime peaceful protester, human rights advocate, and overall fan of the U.S. Constitution for many years. At this time, Mr. Gugino is in serious but stable condition. He is alert and oriented," said Kelly V. Zarcone, Gugino's attorney, in a statement.



Another officer, possibly a National Guard member, who went to aid the bleeding man was pushed by fellow officers, the video shows.

Governor Andrew Cuomo said at a press conference on Saturday that the video was horrendous, disgusting and said he believed it to be illegal. "A bad police officer is an enemy of every good police officer," Cuomo said.



The spokesperson for the city and police department, Mike DeGeorge, initially said in a statement that the man "tripped and fell."



"Once the department became aware of additional video from the scene, they immediately opened an investigation," DeGeorge told ABC News on Thursday.



Both officers were suspended and the Erie County District Attorney John Flynn launched an investigation.



The police union opposed the suspensions and in response 57 officers on the emergency team resigned from their positions, but will remain on the force.



The county executive for the area said at a press conference on Friday that Flynn had a "history of prosecuting officers who break the law, I trust him to do the same in this matter."



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6)  A large number of displaced overseas Filipino workers applying for cash assistance under the Labor department's program still haven't received any aid, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said on Saturday.

"Meron pang mga around 200,000 na aplikante na kailangan pang ma-cover kaya inaasahan natin dito sa second round of registration ay maco-cover din sila," said OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac in the regular Laging Handa virtual briefing.

[Translation: Around 20,000 applicants still have to be covered (by the assistance) so we're expecting they'll be covered in the second round of registration.]

The Department of Labor and Employment, through its Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (AKAP) program, provides qualified land- and sea-based overseas workers a one-time financial assistance of $200 or 10,000 each.

In the briefing, Cacdac also mentioned that some 25,000 Filipino cruise ship workers have returned to the country, with the industry heavily hit during the pandemic. Meanwhile, 18,000 land-based workers have come back home since the coronavirus crisis started, he added.

All in all, there are around 31,700 overseas Filipino workers to date that have finally been sent home, the official mentioned.

"Nag-ulat na po si Secretary (Silvestre) Bello sa taumbayan kay mahal na Pangulo na 25,002 ang napa-uwi from May 25 to May 31, so ganap po ang ating pagpapauwi nung panahon na yon. And since that time nung May 31, from June 1 naman po to June 5, mga 6,700 naman po ang nadagdag pang napauwi," Cacdac explained.

[Translation: Secretary (Silvestre) Bello has already reported to the public through the President that 25,002 (OFWs) have been sent home from May 25 to May 31, so we have been thorough in sending them home during that time. And since May 31, 6,700 more OFWs have also been sent home from June 1 to 5.]

The government previously said around 60,000 workers would be coming back to the country in the next two months, while 300,000 more might return over the remainder of 2020.

Returning overseas Filipino workers must only stay for a maximum of five days in Metro Manila or wherever place they landed before finally going home, reiterated National Task Force on COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. during the briefing.
Uttar Pradesh recorded a steep spike of 1,000 coronavirus cases in 48 hours, taking the states tally past 10,000 cases, according to state health department data. The tally of 10,103 as of Saturday includes 382 fresh cases recorded in the last 24 hours.

So far, 268 people have lost their lives to coronavirus, principal secretary, health and family welfare, Amit Mohan Prasad said.

Prasad said utmost vigil during the month of June was required citing the return of migrants and others after interstate movement of people was allowed. There was a need to remain alert to check the spread of the virus, he added.

The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19

Warning legal action against those jumping home quarantine, Prasad said violators will be put into administrative quarantine. Migrants constitute 28.26% of the total coronavirus cases in UP.

Till now, 2,856 migrant workers have tested positive out of the total 86,488 samples tested from among 13,19,004 migrants who are under surveillance, said Dr Vikasendu Agrawal, state surveillance officer in the health department.

He said a death audit was being done for the 268 people who succumbed after testing positive.

Among the fresh cases, Kanpur reported the maximum of 32 cases and Bhadohi 28. According to health department data, all the 75 districts of UP, including Agra (939), Lucknow (445), Ghaziabad (403), Noida (623), Kanpur (498), Prayagraj (122), Moradabad (253) and Varanasi (237) have reported Covid cases.

The state went past 1,000 cases (1,184) on April 20, 49 days after the first infection was reported from Agra on March 2. It crossed the 2,000-mark eight days later on April 28 with the tally standing at 2,053. 10 days later on May 8, it crossed 3,000-mark to register 3,214 cases, and 4,000-mark was crossed on May 15 with the total reaching 4,057 cases. The 5,000-mark came up on May 20 and the 6,000 mark on May 23.

The states tally reached 7,000 in another five days on May 28 and shot past 8,000 in three days on May 31. On June 4, the state crossed the 9,000 mark and went past the 10,000 mark on June 6.
Tata Sons Ltd has ruled out any immediate plans to sell assets to shore up its finances because of the coronavirus pandemic that has hammered Indian companies.

The holding company of Tata group, in a statement on Friday, said it is well-capitalised and prepared to take on the challenges posed by the countrywide lockdown since March 25, which has brought economic activity to a near- standstill.

Tata Sons is in a strong financial position with adequate cash flows to support group companies and new growth initiatives. Tata Sons is not looking to monetise its investments to raise capital, chairman N. Chandrasekaran, said in the statement after a board meeting of the company on Friday, which officials described as a routine meeting to assess the impact of the pandemic on group companies.

Group officials who declined to be named said pressing issues concerning the group were discussed but no decisions were taken pertaining to group firms, including Tata Motors Ltd that has been struggling. The automotive companys luxury unit Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is in talks with the UK government for an estimated 1 billion aid package to help it tide over the turmoil.

It said on Friday it has borrowed 560 million from five Chinese banks to ease the financial strain on the company.

Likewise, Tata Steel has struggled to maintain production levels, with capacity utilisation at its mills falling to less than half in the first month of the lockdown and is seeking a government bailout for its European operations. The group also co-owns full service carrier Vistara, which has seen operations grind to a halt and is expected to report a sharp drop in revenue and profitability.

Tanya Thomas, Amit Panday and Rhik Kundu contributed to this story.
eCh0raix Ransomware operators are back after months of apparent inactivity, now are targeting QNAP storage devices in a new campaign.

Threat actors behind the eCh0raix Ransomware have launched a new campaign aimed at infecting QNAP storage devices.

The eCh0raix ransomware was appeared in the threat landscape in June 2019 by experts at security firms Intezer and Anomali.

The ransomware targets poorly protected or vulnerable NAS servers manufactured by Taiwan-based QNAP Systems, attackers exploits known vulnerabilities or carry out brute-force attacks.

The ransomware, tracked by Intezer as QNAPCrypt and eCh0raix by Anomali, is written in the Go programming language and uses AES encryption to encrypt files. The malicious code appends .encrypt extension to filenames of encrypted files.

On June 1, BleepingComputers observed a surge in the number of users reporting eCh0raix infections in its forums.

The following graph shows the submissions to the ransomware identification site ID-Ransomware.

Source Bleeping Computer

Hackers are targeting QNAP devices attempting to exploit well-known vulnerabilities or by brute-forcing weak passwords.

QNAP released a security dvisory for the following NAS that could be exploited by attackers to inject malicious code or perform remote code execution. An attacker could trigger these issue to install the ransomware on vulnerable devices.

QNAP already addressed the vulnerabilities issues in the following QTS versions:

QTS 4.4.2.1270 build 20200410 and later

QTS 4.4.1.1261 build 20200330 and later

QTS 4.3.6.1263 build 20200330 and later

QTS 4.3.4.1282 build 20200408 and later

QTS 4.3.3.1252 build 20200409 and later

QTS 4.2.6 build 20200421 and later

Upon accessing QNAP NAS devices, the attackers deploy the ransomware, which start encrypting the files on the device.

Crooks demand $500 worth of bitcoin to decrypt the files, the instructions to pay the ransom are included in the note README_FOR_DECRYPT.txt that is dropped on the device.

Experts warn that unlike previous versions of the eCh0raix ransomware, this latest doesnt allow victims to recover files for free.

Users that have enabled QNAPs block-based snapshot feature in the past, can recover the files using the snapshots.

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs  eCh0raix, cybersecurity)

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Its our big day, so lets get married Its June; usually a hectic month for couples and wedding planners alike. Here Ruqyyaha Deane and Sashini Rodrigo look at the challenges of going ahead with that pre-planned ceremony in the new normal View(s): View(s):

June is wedding season but planning a wedding amidst the ongoing pandemic poses a significant challenge, for both professional planners and bridal couples attempting to do it themselves. The standard wedding checklists have had to be completely re-evaluated to prioritise health and social distancing, leaving a fair bit of trepidation in its wake.

This week, we speak to some of the wedding planners trying to make it work, and a couple (who wish to remain anonymous) taking the plunge in the new normal of weddings.

There is hardly a normalcy to return to  so it requires a lot of checking and finding out what the guidelines for events are, says Erandi Narangoda of Esquared Events & Moments. From revising guests lists to adhere to the current maximum of 40% capacity to ensuring proper hygiene conditions, the sheer uncertainty of hosting a gathering at a time like this has already intimidated many people into putting off or outright cancelling their events right upto September.

But as Sabrina Sathgunasigamini of Weddings by Sabrina says, People dont miss an opportunity to celebrate love, and I think we shouldnt. We should try and adjust and adapt as we go.

That is certainly the case for S and L, a couple who have decided not to let the new regulations deter their upcoming nuptials.

We really feel relieved by the change in the plans of the wedding, S and L say as they share with us why they decided to go ahead with their marriage despite the restrictions placed on weddings and large gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to limited auspicious timings in which the couple could register their marriage, the couple says they decided to have the ceremonial aspects of the registration and poruwa ceremony with limited guests and a separate reception later on in the week.

At the beginning of the pandemic, S was of the mindset that they would be postponing both the registration and the reception, given that 80% of his family was overseas and none of them would have been able to make it.

Then came the issue of finding new dates, factoring in the unpredictability of flights and having only two auspicious times given to the couple for marriage. As such, S and L decided to go ahead with their registration on the same day they had planned in June, as it was the most feasible option.

As for the question of celebrations after the crisis situation is relaxed in the country, the couple says it is highly unlikely as it would be yet another cost; they hope to have a small outing with their friends to share their marriage instead.

In early April itself we called off/ postponed the reception. In my mind we called off the reception, but we are still finding a proper word to explain it to my mother! laughs S, adding both of us would be very happy with a very simple registration.

Keeping in line with safety guidelines set by the Ministry of Health, a wedding hall can only accommodate 40% of its original seating capacity. Going with the couples chosen venue means there will only be 40 guests, comprising close family members and just a handful of friends.

If we went by the previous plan, organizing the reception would be similar to disaster management. From one end you want things to be right but from the other end we need to think about the costs and also we need to have a relaxed function, they share with us.

When asked about how their friends reacted to the change of plans S tells us, My friends who are married congratulate me as I wont be going through the same agony they went through, while my unmarried friends are unhappy because they wont be able to have a good drink!

Apart from not having all their loved ones for the ceremony, S quips he would definitely miss the celebration aspect of the wedding, especially the band and the dancing part of the reception.

As a planner, Melisha Yapa of End2End Events feels that it is simply a few more steps added to an already extensive list in pre-planning, and feels that they will eventually become just another part of the process.

I think we need to be even more flexible than before when working with clients and vendors as its more of a matter of adapting to the new normal, she adds.

The other priority in assisting couples postponing their weddings is working with all the vendors and service providers involved to book new dates, with the least amount or no penalty charges, as well as re-conceptualising their events to be in line with the guidelines issued by the Health Ministry.

This aspect was highlighted when talking to S and L about the challenges they had to overcome with calling off their reception. There were difficulties in cancelling and calling off some of the things already planned, especially the venue, because of the wedding culture here. Most of the elements needed for the wedding had to be booked about six months ahead. We didnt have to make any rushed decisions but we still made a few calls 4-5 months ahead.

Initially their reception was to take place at a chosen wedding hall while the registration was to be held at home. However with the current situation they decided to use the venue they had chosen for the registration as a non-refundable deposit had also been made. This way, the hassle of sanitizing the venue beforehand and after the ceremony would be handled by the venue management.

Melisha tells us that this new normal would involve a lot of compromise from the couple as well, such as needing to cut down on guests lists and wedding essentials like the selection of flowers (due to import restrictions on non-essentials). It also goes both ways, as it would involve a fair amount of effort on our part to ensure that we, as the planner, can still make sure to deliver a day as beautiful and as magical as it was originally intended.

I would suggest to people who are on the fence, whether to get married or not  get married now. Have a small function and trust me you can limit the guests to 40 people. You just need 4-5 friends, your closest cousins, two aunts, and you are done, prospective bridegroom S laughs.

For this young couple, they are looking forward to starting a new chapter in their life by saving the money that would have gone into an elaborate ceremony and contemplating a more peaceful future where the money could be used to perhaps fulfil their dreams of travel.

Scaled down celebrations the future What of the future? Wedding planners share that the only new inquiries they have received so far are for 2021 onwards, if at all. With any wedding checklist, Sabrina Sathgunasigamini recommends securing venue and vendors first, as many postponed events will be looking to reschedule as well. From there, health and safety protocols will have to be updated if and when these regulations change. Though the grim reality is that the COVID-19 pandemic is not going away any time soon, that does not mean that life and all its many celebrations have to halt completely. They can (and will) go on, just with extra precautions. Sacrificing a few aspects like cutting down the number of guests to ensure the safety of your loved ones is undoubtedly worth the effort, and an intimate ceremony will be just as full of life and love (if not more) than a grand wedding.
Black Lives Matter rallies, such as this one on Wednesday in Newport Beach, have inspired students at Granada Hills Charter High School to denounce racist remarks by classmates. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

As their virtual graduation approached and as their city erupted in widespread protests over the death of George Floyd, students at Granada Hills Charter High School took a stand in their own campus community against online, anti-black comments.

After reading racist online remarks that were written by fellow students in a private group chat, they called it out. They refused to stay silent. The profane comments, repeated use of the n-word and racial slurs were captured on screen grabs by an offended member of the private chat group and reposted by others on social media as an example of intolerable hate speech.

In the postings from the private chat, a student mocked Floyd, compared black people to monkeys, called them a stupid race and joked about starting a club in college to kill them.

"People were like: 'Wow, it was disgusting. I cant believe I go to a school with people like this,'" said Brookelynn Fenderson, 17, a graduating senior who is president of the school's Black Student Union and temporarily reposted the messages, expressing outrage. "Granada is a very diverse school. You see different races and ethnicities and you feel very accepted. To see this really threw me off."

She said it felt impossible to remain silent at a time when the nation is responding to the death of Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in police custody after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for nearly nine minutes.

"Its really important for people to see these things people are saying," Fenderson said. "Like this guy is in my senior class and these are the comments hes making."

Daron Vinson, who also is black, was among the first students to repost the hate speech  he said he was given the thread of posts by a student who was in the private chat group.

"When I read what they were saying, I felt I had the responsibility to shed some light on that," said Vinson, another graduating senior. "Because nobody should be talking like that so close to George Floyd's death  and the fact that they were making fun of it."

Story continues

"It hurts," Vinson said." I would expect more from these students."

The semester has been emotionally challenging at the west San Fernando Valley school, as students and staff  like those throughout the state and nation  have tried to continue academic instruction online with their campus shut down because of the coronavirus outbreak. Senior activities were canceled; Wednesday's graduation ceremony unfolded online with students separated from friends.

And then during the week of graduation, word began spreading about the posts from the private chat.

The threads with the offensive language include a few nervous responses that don't directly challenge the hate speech. There's also a thread with some pushback and the suggestion that the thread had been or would be shared with a black friend.

The original poster of the hate speech responded with another racial slur.

Brian Bauer, the executive director of Granada Hills Charter, said the school was notified of the online statements Monday and took immediate action.

"We cannot allow racist language to be ignored and the students who used racist language experienced heavy consequences," Bauer said in a statement, adding that he could not comment on the specifics or identify the students involved because of privacy issues.

"The national events this week have reinforced the importance of being anti-racist and we are proud of the students who took that lesson to heart and called out their peers for inappropriate language," Bauer said of the students who stood up to the hate language. "We have a responsibility to all of our students and staff to stand with the anti-racist students who are unwilling to be silent or complicit."

Isabella Gonzalez, a senior, said despite "an unfortunate growing culture of hatred within my generation ... the overwhelming majority of my peers agreed that the messages we read were vile and repulsive, and we knew something had to be done."

She described "a moment of true camaraderie to watch my classmates band together and take action," including notifying school administrators.

Such hateful online expressions "should always be called out," said Lecia Brooks, outreach director of the Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit legal advocacy organization, based in Montgomery, Ala., that specializes in civil rights and the monitoring of hate groups.

"Racism gets picked up and amplified by young people," Brooks said. "Any kind of racist language  whether it be anti-Semitism, homophobia, Islamophobia, xenophobia  should always be challenged.

The Times reviewed a screenshot of an apology from one of the chat-group students. This, too, was circulating among students even though the post has either been deleted or is not publicly accessible.

That apology, read in part: "I'm very sorry for what I said. I said those things because I was frustrated with Coronavirus and the George Floyd protest but I completely understand that does not excuse my actions... I have learned from my mistakes and I accept any consequences that come my way."

The Times was unable to reach the students who allegedly made the racial slurs.

Word about the posts has spread  and has been condemned  beyond students at Granada Hills.

"The hate speech used by the students from Granada was absolutely disgusting," said Sara Iches, a graduating senior at Learning Post High School in Valencia, who learned of the episode from friends at Granada Hills.

"It's really disappointing that they felt comfortable using such words so casually," said Darielle Martin, a student who graduated from Granada Hills last year and now attends UC Riverside. "It's apparent that this was not their first time using hate speech."

Martin also said the school needs to do more with racial literacy and diversity training.

A 16-year-old junior said she has noticed racial insensitivity among some students at the school.

"I have seen swastikas carved on my desks," said the student, whose parents requested that her name not be used. "I have seen many non-black students using the n-word casually, and I have heard quite a few people make racist remarks, especially about African Americans, at our school. It's very infuriating to see this sort of behavior because it really interferes with students' abilities to feel comfortable at school."

Vinson, who plans to attend the Otis College of Art and Design, said he found the racially charged statements to be at odds with the values taught by teachers and embraced by many students.

About 4% of students are black at Granada Hills, which is managed under its own board of directors independent of the Los Angeles Unified School District. The school is 40% Latino, 26% white and 18% Asian. The school also is distinctive for its size  about 4,700 students  and its domination of the national Academic Decathlon competition.

Students said the postings appeared on Discord, a social media platform that appeals especially to gamers but is available for general use.

Although originally in a private chat, "in the world of social media, there is no such thing as private," said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international Jewish human rights organization that was founded in Los Angeles. Inevitably, it will reach the public. While we have the right to utter almost any word, words have consequence."

Tyrone Howard, professor of education at UCLA's Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, wrote in Education Week Wednesday that educators should take several steps to combat anti-black racism: Name it as what it is; believe black students when they speak about racism, discrimination, exclusion or prejudice; and don't challenge, minimize or dilute "Black Lives Matter." Fourthly, he said, celebrate black excellence.
Italian astronomer-physicist Galileo Galilei had a torrid time in the 1630s - he was in poor health, faced a house arrest and a trial due to a controversial book and also had to undergo quarantine for almost a month because of the raging plague then, recounts a new book.

Galileo and the Science Deniers is a historical biography on the life of Galileo by astrophysicist Mario Livio which gives a glimpse into the life of a man who was intellectually radical and well ahead of his time.

Galileos journey as a scientist started in 1583, when he dropped out of medical school and began to study mathematics. By 1590, he already had the audacity to criticise Aristotles teachings on motion, according to which things moved because of a built-in impetus.

About 13 years later, following a series of ingenious experiments with inclined planes and pendulums, he formulated the very first laws of motion concerning free-fall, even though he would not publish those until 1638.

But Galileos several bold statements put him on a collision course with the Catholic Church and he was eventually pronounced vehemently suspected of heresy on June 22, 1633.

Overall, if we examine the record of Galileos life in terms of his personal contentment, it traces something like an inverted-U shape, with a pronounced peak somewhere shortly after his numerous astronomical discoveries, followed by a fairly steep fall, writes Livio.

In spite of his personal disagreements with some orthodox church dicta, as late as May 18, 1630, Galileo was still received in Rome as an honoured guest by Pope Urban VIII, and he left Rome under the impression that the Pope had approved the printing of his book Dialogue on the Two Chief World Systems, after only a few minor corrections and a change of title.

Overestimating the strength of his friendship with the Pope and underestimating the fragility of the delicate psychological and political position of the Pope at that turbulent post-Reformation era, Galileo continued to believe that reason would prevail, says Livio.

In the preface to the book Galileo purported to discuss the Earths motion merely as a mathematical caprice, the text itself had a very different flavour. In fact, Galileo taunted and derided those who still refused to accept the Copernican view in which the Earth revolved around the Sun, the book, published by Simon & Schuster, says.

For Galileo, however, the publication of the Dialogo (as the book is commonly referred to), marked the beginning of the end (of his life, not of his fame), says Livio.

He was examined by the inquisition in 1633, pronounced a suspected heretic, forced to recant his Copernican ideas, and eventually placed under house arrest. The Dialogo was put on the Vaticans Index of Prohibited Books, where it remained until 1835, he writes.

Left with no option despite his failing health, Galileo departed for Rome on January 20, 1633, but because of the raging plague, he had to be quarantined before crossing from Tuscany into the Papal States, a stop which turned out to be painfully long and unpleasant, he says.

Consequently, he arrived to Rome only on February 12th, fortunately to the comfort and warm hospitality in the home of Tuscan Ambassador Francesco Niccolini and his wife. After meeting with a few Church officials for advice in the first few days, in the following weeks, Galileo barely left the house, since Cardinal Francesco Barberini advised him against socialising, for fear that it could cause harm and prejudice, Livio writes.

And then he faced trial. Galileo died in 1642 at his villa in Arcetri near Florence, after having been blind and bed-ridden for a while.

Livio says Galileos story may be more relevant today than ever before.

At present, we face enormous crises - such as the minimisation of the dangers of climate change -because the science behind these threats is erroneously questioned or ignored. Galileo encountered this problem 400 years ago, he writes.

His discoveries, based on careful observations and ingenious experiments, contradicted conventional wisdom and the teachings of the church at the time. Consequently, in a blatant assault on freedom of thought, his books were forbidden by church authorities, he adds.

Livio says he has always been fascinated by Galileo. He was, after all, not only the founder of modern astronomy and astrophysics - the person who turned an ancient profession into a window onto the universes deepest secrets and awe-inspiring wonders - but also a symbol of the fight for intellectual freedom.

(This story has been published from a wire agency without modifications to the text)

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NEW DELHI: Almost one in five, undergoing a test for Covid-19 in last one week in Delhi and Maharashtra, has tested positive, suggesting that the two states are undergoing the infection explosion that New York, the city worst hit in the pandemic globally, saw in mid-March.

Data released by the National Institute of Epidemiology under the Indian Council of Medical Research shows that the average test positivity rate in Maharashtra in the last one week is above 20, meaning that more than 20 of 100 tested for the infection are now testing positive.

In these two states where reports of severely sick Covid-19 patients being denied ICU beds due to overwhelmed hospitals have become rampant, the test positivity rate has shot up dramatically and now stands nearly thrice the national average.

The massive rise in positive rates has led many experts to warn that unless enough tests are carried out, the quantum of cases will become unmanageable in the immediate future.

ALSO READ: 60 per cent of Indias COVID-19 deaths in Maharashtra & Gujarat

Oommen C Kurian, the lead of the health initiative with the Observer Research Foundation pointed out that increasing test positivity rates is an indicator of states not testing enough and the increasing spread of the virus.

Some states have to understand that tests are a multipurpose weapon against the virus. It helps prevent the spread in districts with low numbers and more importantly, it helps slow down the spread in districts with high numbers, through systematic isolation of positive cases and quarantining of contacts, he said.

Till a few days back, the situation did not seem so bad. The cumulative test positivity rate for Maharashtra with over 80,229 cases is above 14 while for Delhi, where the total confirmed cases are 26,334, this figure is a little above 10.

Overall for the country, the average 7-day moving test positivity rate is above 6 and this figure is mostly rising for most states including Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Haryana, West Bengal, and Odisha among others.

Those watching the situation closely are seeing these as alarm bells.

Test positivity rate close to or above 20 is extremely worrying and it's obvious that large scale community transmission of the disease is taking place in Delhi and Maharashtra, said Dr. Anupam Singh, an infectious disease expert in Ghaziabad adding that New York experienced the same scenario in mid-March with a rapid, almost uncontrollable, rise in cases.

ALSO READ: Over 1,000 patients admitted to hospitals in last three days in New Delhi: Health Minitser Jain

He stressed on the immediate need for widening the testing criteria in order to catch new infections early and allowing autonomy to doctors to decide whom to test.

We are seeing a large number of patients in Delhi-NCR who are asymptomatic or have atypical symptoms, he said. Containment and mitigation strategies cannot be effective until there is an aggressive focus is on testing, tracing, and treating.

Delhi on the other hand has been in news for the last few days for asking hospitals and laboratories categorically not to test asymptomatic people in a move that has raised concerns.

Don't rush to test: Kejriwal

The views of the experts run counter to the Delhi governments order recently to not test all patients. Even on Saturday, CM Arvind Kejriwal asked the public not to head to Covid-19 centres and hospitals for testing if they did not have symptoms.

High infection rate in Maharashtra a worry

The average test positivity rate in Maharashtra was above 20, in other words, more than 20 of the 100 tested for the virus.
Socialism or capitalism for health care? We know that leftists root for the former. They are fools to do so.

I've been practicing medicine for over 30 years under various economic systems. The V.A. I worked at is almost a liberty- free, hard-left system, with doctors and patients grinding through the day under piles of government laws regarding when, where, how much, and who will get medical care. The waste and inefficiencies are in plain sight there. Its socialist organization is why thousands of our precious veterans have died prematurely or suffered intolerable waits for the expensive and generally mediocre care of the V.A. system. Most of my work life has been in "private" practice. The "private" is really a misnomer, because 6070% of "private" medicine is now socialized as well.

Remember when Gomer Pyle, USMC, the funny TV character, used to say "surprise, surprise, surprise"? Well, some fine doctors I know, men of the left, suddenly realized that capitalism  its freedom to earn a profit, its liberty for the doctor and patient to make the health care decisions  seems to be the best type of medicine to practice. Indeed, surprise!

Most doctors are like all other professionals  knowledgeable in a narrow part of life. Many are varyingly and often profoundly ignorant in many key areas outside medicine (myself included). It is the unusual one with a lot of wisdom. It's why so many embrace such foolish ideologies like leftism  "Medicare for All" or "Health care is a Human Right." They may be wise about kidneys, but they are fools in their embrace of socialism.

Because of socialism now pervading medicine in the U.S., many of my doctor colleagues have seen their income plummeting, volume of patients skyrocketing, and ability to practice quality medicine severely degraded. So some have recently shifted to "concierge"-type practice, where the liberty of capitalism may regain some life. Here, patients pay about $2,000 a year to join the practice and supplement the payments from insurance or Medicare, which are so low that they cannot sustain a medical practice. This guarantees a reasonable profit for each patient. Such profit is, as always, the main driving force, the powerful incentive for excellence, high quality, and fine customer service.

My doctor colleagues reported to me (paraphrased): "Many patients are demanding good, quality, personal medical care again. They want what you get in the Apple Store, not the DMV. They will embrace me being able to make a decent profit. With our current government-controlled medicine scheme, we have to work incredibly hard to come home after taxes with maybe $60,000 a year. We have to have 2,0003,000 patients under our care to earn even this. We are buried under patients and government regulations and aware of hungry malpractice lawyers always waiting to pounce. This takes huge amounts of freedom and time away from us doing our basic work of caring for people. We cannot practice decent medicine under such circumstances. It's mind-numbing, assembly-line medicine. It's not worth it. But the infusion of capitalism with the $2,000 profit on the concierge side is basically life-saving for our work and patients. It allows us to stay in business and shift that patient roll down to a few hundred. Then we are able again to look these ill men and women in the eyes, take our time with them, respond to their calls and emails, comfort them, take time to think about the complexities of their care, and hence practice medicine as it should be practiced."

How will Americans on the left respond to this? What will Joe and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez say? They will say, like the good little Marxists they are, "This capitalism, profit and freedom garbage reeks of greed and inequality and leaves behind the little guy, the marginalized in America who can't come up with $2,000 extra per year to get such personalized care from a doctor."

I would respond to these people on the left: first, there is no greed that compares to greed of leftist politicians to demand by threat of violence trillions of our dollars to lord it over us. Second, we agree that every American deserves fine medical care. Where we soon depart in agreement is that I, and millions like me, believe that just because we deserve things in life, that does not mean we get them. Like with everything in life, a healthy, strong man needs to go out and work for what he wants or needs. He needs to earn the money and pay the doctor who provides him with goods and services at an amount both adults, the free buyer and the free provider, agree upon.

Just like with food, clothing, housing , cars, or jet travel, if we let liberty flourish with capitalism, almost all people will get generally what they want and need in this great country. All will not get it perfectly equally, but almost all will get it in one reasonable form or another. For those particular folks who, through no fault of their own, cannot afford it, whose families, friends, churches cannot help  then, as the very last resort, government must step in. This liberty-capitalism paradigm is what makes America so great. It is why billions of people want to crash through our borders to come and live here.

I'd also say to my leftist friends that currently, one of the primary reasons poor people cannot afford proper and excellent care is that for decades we have been practicing socialism lite in medicine. The iron fist of government pervades almost every nook and cranny of American health care. This, like socialism running any part of economic life, always destroys and degrades whatever it touches. It always creates mediocrity, scarcity, and high costs. It is the unalterable law of economics. That $20,000 family insurance policy we now have under socialism lite, under capitalism should really run maybe six or seven thousand dollars. That $100,000 heart surgery should in reality run $25,000. But socialism and its big-government control, its destruction of liberty, its destruction of competition and pricing mechanisms, and its false promise of "free stuff" for all destroys the ability to get excellent products and services at low cost.

In an American truly free-market system, the real market costs of medical care would prevail, and all citizens would have all the excellent, plentiful, dignified, focused, individual, and low-cost concierge-type health care they need and deserve. It's not rocket science. It's called American know-how, American liberty, and American capitalism.

So I say to my colleagues, indeed, "surprise, surprise, surprise." Capitalism works. Capitalism is liberty. Capitalism is just and moral because it is steeped in liberty. Capitalism is what creates an excellent American medical system. Honestly gained profit is a great thing. Socialism, like all things of the left is a plague upon us.
QUEENSBURY  Local residents who participated in recent protests speaking out against the death of George Floyd are eligible for a COVID-19 test, Warren County officials announced on Saturday.

Warren County Health Services and Hudson Headwaters Health Network are encouraging residents who participated in these recent local events to get tested for COVID-19.

People can contact their physician or urgent care center to schedule an appointment at the Glens Falls Hospital/Warren County Health Services testing site at Warren County Municipal Center. The testing site is open to residents of Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Hamilton and Essex counties.

Hudson Headwaters Health network is also offering testing at two sites in Warren County. People who would like to make an appointment at the West Mountain Health Services site in Queensbury should call 518-824-8610. Call 518-623-2844 to arrange an appointment at the Warrensburg Health Center.

Warren County Health Services Director Ginelle Jones said it can take up to 14 days from the date of viral exposure to develop COVID-19 symptoms.

Jones said people attending protests should wear masks and maintain social distancing.

Warren County announced the initiative on a day when there were no new COVID-19 cases to report. The total remains at 244 cases, with 117 involving residents in nursing homes, 12 in assisted living and 115 in the community.

One patient was in critical condition as of Saturday. The number of deaths remained unchanged at 33. Of the people who died, at the time they contracted coronavirus, 27 lived in a nursing home, four in assisted living and two lived at home.

For more information on Warren County's COVID-19 response, go to warrencountyny.gov/covidhub or warrencountyny.gov/covid.

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Foreign States or Criminals Trying to Steal UK's COVID Vaccine Secrets, Spy Chief Claims

Sputnik News

09:34 GMT 05.06.2020

The GCHQ director would not disclose who is believed to be behind the attacks, although he described China as the UK's "intelligence adversary" elsewhere in the interview.

Britain's intelligence agents detected multiple cyberattacks on the country's health infrastructure in spring, the head of the spy agency GCHQ has said, linking the attacks to attempts to steal government secrets about a COVID-19 vaccine.

GCHQ chief Jeremy Fleming said in a rare interview, released on Thursday and recorded on 18 May, that states and individuals are "going after things which are sensitive" to the UK.

"So, it's a high priority for us to protect the health sector, particularly the race to acquire a vaccine," he added.

Fleming noted that the balance of what government assets are critical has changed, and the importance of Britian's health security and biosecurity is much greater than it was a few months ago.

"The steps we take to protect our health system, to protect our vaccine development, to protect those involved in delivering vital services the importance of those tasks is changing. The reality is that others are interested in disturbing those and in stealing those secrets or in otherwise disrupting our efforts in those areas."

According to Fleming, hackers were often "looking for pretty basic vulnerabilities" and were using fishy links to "get people to click on the wrong thing, or will look for vulnerabilities where people aren't backing up properly, or where they've got basic passwords and so on."

Fleming did not specify which countries were thought to be behind the attacks, although he called China "an intelligence adversary" of Britain later on in the interview.

The Telegraph reports that it "understands", without citing any sources, that Russia, China, and Iran are thought to be the focus of government efforts to tackle coronavirus-related cyberattacks.

Russia previously denied similar accusations, saying their aim was to "discredit its image in the global media arena."

Britain's cyber intelligence chief, who has been in office since 2017, warned that hackers had seen the COVID-19 pandemic as an "opportunity" to use fear among the public to scare or lure people into sharing personal information.

"We've seen them using COVID-related tactics as lures to try and defraud people, to mount their forms of criminality and cause people harm," he added.

The National Cyber Security Centre, the GCHQ's information security arm, reported an increase in coronavirus-related email scams in April. The agency said it received more than 25,000 alerts about suspicious emails within the first week of launching an email-flagging service.

In early May, just two weeks before Fleming's interview was recorded, the UK and US issued a joint warning that cyber spies are targeting the health sector and are thought to be hunting for COVID-19 data and vaccine research. They said among the targets were national and global healthcare bodies, pharmaceutical companies, research organisations, and local governments. No data theft has been publicly reported so far.

A Sputnik

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The European Union will not fully open internal borders before the end of June, meaning restrictions on travel to and from other countries will only start easing in July, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said on Friday.

She told a news conference after a video call among EU and Schengen zone interior ministers that most governments would lift internal border controls by June 15, but that some were not ready to do so until the end of the month.

"So that means that (all) internal border controls are lifted by the end of June, I guess. We should consider the gradual lifting of restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU (in) early July," Johansson said.

The Schengen zone, which normally has no border controls between most EU states and some neighbours outside it, banned until June 15 non-essential visitors from elsewhere in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

But delays in opening some individual national frontiers meant most governments now believed a two-week extension was necessary, Johansson said.

The Schengen area comprises 22 EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. EU members Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania, which are not yet part of Schengen, have also applied the ban on entry from outside Schengen.

Belgian Interior Minister Pieter De Crem tweeted that a majority of Schengen countries had agreed to lift border controls by June 15, but Spain had not.

The governments did not determine on Friday which nationals from non-Schengen and non-EU countries would be allowed in first. But they were clear that external travellers would be able to travel once again throughout the Schengen area and not face internal border controls.

Covid-19 hotspot: At 25,317, Mumbai has more coronavirus cases than 158 countries

CBDT notifies Income Tax Return forms for FY 2020-21; check details here

Coronavirus Crisis: Ahmedabad records highest COVID-19 deaths per million population
Forces loyal to Libya's UN-recognised government said they launched an offensive Saturday to seize the strategic city of Sirte, as rival strongman Khalifa Haftar backed an Egypt-proposed ceasefire following a string of military setbacks. Government of National Accord forces have repulsed a 14-month offensive against the capital Tripoli by eastern-based Haftar and are now poised to drive on eastwards taking advantage of stepped up military support from Turkey. "The air force has carried out five strikes in the outskirts of Sirte," slain dictator Moamer Kadhafi's hometown and the last major settlement before the traditional boundary between Libya's west and east, GNA spokesman Mohamad Gnounou said. "Orders have been given to our forces to begin their advance and to systematically attack all rebel positions," he added. Sirte was taken by General Haftar's forces virtually without a fight in January after one of Libya's myriad local militias switched sides. Beyond Sirte lies the prize of Libya's main oil export ports, Haftar's most important strategic asset. Some 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli, the town was where Kadhafi put up his last stand against NATO-backed rebel forces in 2011. - Ceasefire talks - Haftar's forces have put a brave face on their precipitate fallback from the west, saying that it was a response to mounting international pressure for a lasting ceasefire. "Heeding appeals from the major powers and the United Nations for a ceasefire... we pulled back 60 kilometres (40 miles) from the Greater Tripoli city limits," the general's spokesman, Ahmad al-Mesmari, said. In Cairo on Saturday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, one of Haftar's key foreign supporters, said after talks with the general and other eastern leaders that they had signed up to a declaration calling for a ceasefire from 6 am (0400 GMT) Monday. But the GNA forces' spokesman appeared to pour cold water on the Egyptian proposals, which included a demand that militias disband and hand over their weaponry to Haftar's men. "We didn't start this war, but we will choose the time and place when it ends," Gnounou said. He issued a "final call" for Sirte's local leaders to abandon Haftar and spare the Mediterranean coastal city "the horrors of war". "Our forces continue to advance with force and resolve, chasing the fleeing (Haftar) militias," he said. But the proposal won support from France. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, in a phone call with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, "hailed the efforts led by Egypt... and today's result aimed at an immediate halt to hostilities", his ministry said. "Priority must go to the immediate halt... and rapid conclusion of a ceasefire," the minister stressed. Sisi urged international support for the initiative and called on the United Nations to invite Libya's rival administrations in the east and the west for talks. The initiative, which also won support from the Cairo-based Arab League, came after the UN Libya mission said Tuesday that the warring parties had agreed to resume ceasefire talks, following a three-month suspension. But on Friday, GNA forces celebrated the recapture of Tarhuna, southeast of the capital, Haftar's last western stronghold. Libya has endured years of violence since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed Kadhafi, with rival administrations and scores of militias battling for power. The United Nations has urged outside powers to respect a deal reached at a January conference in Berlin, ending foreign meddling and upholding a much-violated arms embargo. While the GNA is backed by Turkey and its ally Qatar, Haftar is supported by Russia and the United Arab Emirates as well as Egypt. In April, UN experts said hundreds of mercenaries from Russian paramilitary organisation the Wagner Group were fighting for him. But last month, as Haftar's losses mounted, the GNA said Wagner Group fighters had withdrawn from combat zones south of the capital. nd-rb-bam-mz/hc/dwo
Hugh Jackman and wife Deborra-Lee Furness were spotted loading up their car and heading to The Hamptons with their adopted children on Friday.

The couple cut casual figures as they packed up their belongings into a black SUV and left their New York apartment.

It comes after Australian actor Hugh, 51, lost followers on Twitter earlier this week for sharing a picture of a protester hugging a police officer during the Black Lives Matter protests.

Heading off: Hugh Jackman and wife Deborra-Lee Furness were spotted heading to The Hamptons on Friday with their children... after he was slammed for sharing a picture of a protester hugging a police officer during the Black Lives Matter protests

Hugh wore black trousers and a T-shirt with a white face mask.

Australian actress Deborra-Lee wore black three-quarter leggings with a shirt and also had a face mask on hand.

The pair were spotted running back and forth between their apartment and car as they loaded up their belongings alongside children Oscar, 20, and Ava, 14.

Casual: Australian actress Deborra-Lee wore black three-quarter leggings with a shirt and also had a face mask on hand. She also carried a dog bed ahead of their getaway

Family: The pair were spotted running back and forth between their apartment and car as they loaded up their belongings alongside children Oscar, 20, (pictured) and Ava, 14

Lockdown: The couple own a stunning holiday home in The Hamptons, but have been in lockdown at their lavish apartment in New York City amid the coronavirus pandemic

At one point, Hugh took their pet pooches for a walk before heading off in the car. Deborra-Lee was also seen carrying a dog bead.

The couple own a stunning holiday home in The Hamptons, but have been in lockdown at their lavish apartment in New York City amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Hugh was slammed by fans earlier this week for sharing a photo to Twitter of a protester hugging a police officer following the death in custody of George Floyd.

Missing the point? Hugh was slammed by fans earlier this week for sharing a photo to Twitter of a protester hugging a police officer following the death in custody of George Floyd

The Wolverine star captioned the picture, which had been taken during a Black Lives Matter protester, with one word: 'Solidarity'.

Twitter users immediately hit out at Hugh, claiming he should instead be sharing pictures highlighting police brutality during the riots.

'This is so disappointing. You're helping to spread propaganda. If you want to share something, there's plenty of images and videos of protests from around the world that don't include PR opportunities for police officers,' one person tweeted.

Speaking out: The Wolverine star captioned the picture, which had been taken during a Black Lives Matter protester, with one word: 'Solidarity'. Twitter users immediately hit out at Hugh, claiming he should instead be sharing pictures highlighting police brutality during the riots

'Jesus Christ, someone show me one celebrity that isn't a disappointment,' another commented.

A third wrote: 'I'm sorry but you can't post that if you aren't also sharing the videos of police brutality! The news is doing enough of sharing this bulls**t instead of what's actually going on. Peaceful protesters being attacked for no reason by the cops who are supposed to keep them safe.'

One disappointed follower tweeted: 'That's going to be an unfollow from me, man.'

However, others praised Hugh for sharing the photo and drawing attention to the good cops on duty at the protests.

'Solidarity the way it should be. I support you. Stay safe,' one supporter wrote, while another added: 'Finally a message from a celebrity I can respect.'

Protests and riots have erupted across the U.S. in the days since George Floyd, an unarmed black man, died in Minneapolis last Monday after a white cop pressed his knee against his neck for eight minutes.

Floyd had been accused of using a counterfeit $20 bill at a deli.

One of the officers involved, Derek Michael Chauvin, has been charged with second-degree murder after footage of him forcefully restraining Floyd went viral.

The other three officers on the scene, Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng, have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
Georgian Downs begins its 2020 racing season this evening with an eight-race card of exciting Standardbred action.

The first race is scheduled to go to post at 7:15. Live streaming of all the races and free programs are available at georgiandowns.com and wagering is available on the entire card at hpibet.com

Ontario Racing minimum protocols are in place for all racing participants. We request that all participants take the time to read the protocols below. Everyones co-operation is appreciated and will assist in making our return to racing in Ontario safe and healthy for all participants and team members at Georgian Downs.

Return to Racing 2020 - Ontario Racing

COVID-19 Georgian Downs Protocol Minimum Standards

The Ontario Racing tracks are committed to keeping Ontarios racing participants safe and healthy. In order to conduct live racing in the province without spectators and minimize any potential concerns with respect to the health and welfare of participants in the sport, the following minimum standards will apply to all persons who require access to the backstretch and/or paddock of any Ontario racetrack.

Access to the backstretch/paddock will be limited to essential personnel who are AGCO-licensed. No persons under the age of 16 will be permitted access to the backstretch/paddock, regardless of whether such persons hold an AGCO license. All participants must wear face masks at all times when in the backstretch/paddock. Persons requesting access are required to bring their own face masks and wear same at all times. No person without a face mask will be permitted entry. Any person found on track premises without wearing a face mask will be ejected from the track. All drivers, jockeys, and individuals performing warm up duties for horses in to race will be provided change facilities that include the opportunity for adequate social distancing. If tracks are unable to provide such adequate space, drivers, jockeys and warm up personnel will be required to change outside backstretch/paddock areas. Each person entering the track premises will be subject to a screening process prior to be granted entry. As part of the screening process, all participants must answer the following questions: Have you or someone you have come in contact with travelled or returned from any country outside of Canada? Are you experiencing, or have you experienced any of the following symptoms in the past seven days: a. Fever

b. Cough

c. Muscle Aches and Tiredness

d. Difficulty Breathing Have you been in contact with anyone who is or has experienced any of the following symptoms in the past seven days: a. Fever

b. Cough

c. Muscle Aches and Tiredness

d. Difficulty Breathing Have you or someone you have come in contact with travelled or returned from any United States Racetrack or Racing Association in the past 21 days? Are you aware that washing your hands multiple times per day and before eating and practicing proper social distancing guidelines are the most important ways to stop the spread of the Coronavirus? Please use our hand washing stations upon entering the cafeteria areas, dorms and at every opportunity through any of the washrooms located throughout the backstretch and maintain a safe distance from others at all times. Any person who answers yes to any of questions 1  3, or who is displaying visible signs of illness consistent with COVID-19 exposure, will be denied access to the track. Persons who answer no to all of questions 1  3 will be subject to a temperature check using a no-touch thermometer. Persons with a temperature of less than 100.5F will be permitted to enter; persons with a temperature of 100.5F or more will be denied access to the track. Each track will ensure that handwashing and/or sanitization stations and/or equipment are available to all persons attending the track. Each track will implement enhanced cleaning procedures. Each track will ensure that physical distancing guidelines are in place. Personnel will be required to maintain a physical distance between them of not less than two metres. Only one (1) person shall be permitted in the paddock per horse, and horses should be placed in every other stall in the paddock where possible/required. Horses/handlers should vacate the paddock within  hour of race completion. Access to the retention area will be controlled and horsepeople will be required to comply with CPMA requirements. Each track will ensure that these requirements are communicated to its personnel and participants.

(Georgian)
Joint Forces returned fire to each enemy shelling.

Russia's hybrid military forces on June 5 mounted 12 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, with two Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action.

Read alsoPutin planned to launch large-scale offensive, split Ukraine "along the Dnipro River" by 2020, general claims

"The Russian Federation's armed formations violated the ceasefire 12 times in the past day," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation Headquarters said on Facebook in an update as of 07:00 Kyiv time on June 6. "As a result, two servicemen of the Joint Forces were wounded in enemy shelling."

Russia-led forces opened fire from proscribed 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms.

Under attack came Ukrainian positions near the town of Avdiyivka, and the villages of Pavlopil, Opytne, Starohnativka, Shyrokyne, Novoluhanske, Pivdenne, Khutir Vilny, and Novo-Oleksandrivka.

Joint Forces returned fire to each enemy shelling.

According to intelligence data, one member of Russia-led forces was killed on June 5.

The enemy did not attack Ukrainian positions from 00:00 to 07:00 Kyiv time on June 6.

No Ukrainian army casualties have been reported since Saturday midnight.
Frontline booksellers are the first people customers see when they set foot in bookstores across America. They also do physically demanding work, from carrying heavy boxes to shelving thousands of books every year. Often they work for hourly wages and are among the most vulnerable workers in the publishing industry. During the first weeks of Covid-19 stay-at-home orders, thousands were laid off nationwide.

Over the past eight weeks, PW spoke with five frontline booksellers to hear about their experiences. They were granted anonymity in order to be able to speak freely. These are their words, edited and condensed for clarity.

A Mountain State bookseller

This bookseller spoke with PW in the days before a partial reopening in their state.

We all sat down together when we saw our sales going down without people in the store. And it got to a certain point where we didnt feel we could keep our employees safe. We shut our doors before the order to close came down. When the stay-at-home order got put into place, we went down to a two-person staff. We temporarily laid off almost everyone: we kept our marketing team [working by half shifts at home], but out of our 15 booksellers, only myself and one other gentleman kept our positions. Ive been working 11-hour days most days.

We applied for PPP, and we were able to hire everybody back for their normal hours. These are people that we know very well, and we work with them every day. We wanted to make sure that everyone was going to be able to be on temporary leave to be on unemployment. I think we did it the best way we possibly could have. We gave people as much heads up as we could.

Personally, I think it was way too early to openI think that curbside is fine, a table outside. We decided we werent going to reopen when the rest of the state didwe couldnt do it safely. We have employees with preexisting health conditions.

A New York City bookseller

A frontline bookseller in New York City is running his stores online sales from home.

We have been using Indie Commerce for a while. I process every order. If Im up at two in the morning, and I see an order, then I process it. I dont have to and its a lot of work, but you know, its replacing the store right now. Im also messaging every single person. When I process an order, I dont just click. I always ask if theres anything we can do as a bookstore for our community.

I think were just going to make it worse if we open up soon. Our store owner was one of the only people to say that we needed to close in late February, while a lot of other independent bookstores were saying, We need to stay open and using the word essential, which we thought was ridiculous. There are so many ways to get books to people that dont harm them. It took us a 10-minute meeting to say, we need to close. It makes no sense to have people in the store. We dont make decisions in a small bubble. It affects everybody.

A Southwest bookseller

A southwest frontline bookseller and floor manager reflected on the healthcare system under crisis.

We were supposed to reopen on March 28, and on the 26th the owners came to me with the decision that we were going to have to lay everyone off except me and the bookstore receivers. We would do online orders and curbside delivery. We all cried a lot and then had to make phone calls where we cried a lot more.

We wanted to give the booksellers the opportunity to apply for unemployment. The owners arent taking payroll from the store yet, so its not like they could give up their pay for the booksellers.

We made the decision for rehires based on who had already filed for unemployment or not, because we dont know how long we can sustain unemployment. We dont have health insurance. I honestly think that having a better health-care systemhaving a socialist health-care systemwould have been the best way to handle this crisis. I know of so many people who just dont go to the doctor because they cant afford it.

A chain frontline bookseller in the South

This bookseller found herself out of a job within just a few months of being hired.

At first I was going to be a seasonal bookseller, and they asked me in February to stay on. I had just gotten the job and it was my first real job. I dont think we should be opening up quite yet, because if no one stays home [the spread of the virus] is not going to slow.

We were cleaning down our stations, customer service and registers, and the bathrooms as well. We were wearing gloves and were doing curbside pickups. Then I was told that I was going to be taken off the schedule. They probably wanted to give the hours to people who had been there longer. After people were cut from schedules, we got notice. I filed for unemployment, and I believe I was accepted. I just got my first job, and Im signing up for unemployment in the span of five months.

But I have to give it to my management team. I have three store managers and one assistant manager. They have been especially good and answered questions explaining things to me especially because Im new. I said, if you want to bring me back I would want to come back. 

A New York State bookseller

A retiree, this bookseller has been working for nearly a decade as a frontline bookseller and was previously an educator.

In the middle of March, everybody knew something was going on. The information and level of concern was ramping up exponentially. I worked that week, and we talked about what to do. [New York Governor] Cuomo is good about letting everybody know. We had a staff meeting on the March 15 and a last day of work on the 21st. There are three part-time booksellers. One is a high school senior and her sister has bad asthmashe said, I cant work.

I contacted the owner and said, I dont have to work. Everybody likes to have extra money. The high school girl works, but the third needs the money. I can be furloughed, and [the third person] should get the hours.

My concern is, is the store going to stay? What is this going to do to the business itself? Selfishly for me, not for me as a job, but as a community member. Someday I wont work anymore, but Ill want that bookstore to be there.

The one sad thing about the way were selling books is that what I really thought was, Im going to be a bookseller. Im going to be the best bookseller there is. Thats what I want to be. Im going to be a great bookseller. If you love to read, you love to give people something to read. Right now, were fulfilling orders online. Thats sad. Thats not bookselling. I would not work for an online bookselling company. The people part, that interaction, is whats so exciting to me.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 6

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 24 times, Trend reports on June 6 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 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.
If we believe the liberal news media's framing of the narrative for the last week of violence, arson, looting, and personal injury, it was caused by the police who murdered an innocent and unarmed black man because of "systemic racism," and a valiant group of freedom fighters from Black Lives Matter rose up to protest peacefully, showing white America the error of our ways. That's the fantasy anyway.

The reality is that Black Lives Matter (BLM) intimidates, terrorizes, and uses violence to achieve its goals. In cities across this country last week, BLM signs and graffiti were front and center, accompanying both the chanted protests and the ensuing arson and looting. The anarchists shut down freeways, destroyed property, and looted stores. Rocks, bottles, and other projectiles were thrown at police who attempted to break up the mayhem, and "Black Lives Matter" was spray-painted by the mobs on buildings, sidewalks, signs, and even monuments. That's how they got their message out.

Although it's possible that some of the violent rabble-rousers weren't affiliated with BLM, the organization didn't specifically condemn the acts, nor the use of their name prominently displayed on burned-out buildings and demolished stores. At least it wasn't on their website or on any national news I saw. One would think that if an organization wanted to distance itself from violent acts, it would post something on the home page of its website, as well as in interviews with the news media. The closest they get to a plea for peace on their website is this: "We embody and practice justice, liberation, and peace in our engagements with one another." Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see a lot of peaceful engagement taking place with BLM activists. What I saw was a lot of angry black (and white) men running from the police as they broke windows and took clothes and electronics as souvenirs of their night on the town.

This violent, far-left group has been allowed to exist without questioning their acts is because it's a sop to black people from guilt-ridden liberals. The lying and corrupt news media will pounce on anyone who criticizes BLM because it's an easy way for them to link criticism of a black organization with racism. BLM is a domestic terrorist group and should be labeled as such by both the left and the right. That isn't hyperbole; that's a fact, because those people seek to dismantle our system of justice and institute their own, which is stated this way on their website: "We call for a national defunding of police. We demand investment in our communities and the resources to ensure Black people not only survive, but thrive." I have no idea what their demand for some vague "resources" may mean, but it's obvious that welfare, job training, housing assistance, free meals at schools, and free medical care aren't enough. Also on their site, they say that "we disrupt [yes, that's the word they use] the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families[.]" So, communism then?

Last Friday, May 29, our nation was rocked with protests and ensuing riots that were highly organized as they took place almost simultaneously in the cities of Seattle, New York, Boston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, Flagstaff, Salt Lake City, Des Moines, Reno, Detroit, Memphis, Dallas, Houston, Richmond (Va.), Fargo, Oklahoma City, Louisville, Cleveland, Tulsa, Washington, Nashville, Albany, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Atlanta, Denver, Minneapolis, and others with handmade "Black Lives Matter" signs prominent at each protest or riot I saw on TV. What this suggests is that they were coordinated and executed by BLM in order to shut down and cause chaos in some of America's busiest and most populated cities. Admittedly, they were able to do that. However, they've overplayed their hand. Whether intentional or not, TV viewers have linked the initial protests with the later violence, arson, and looting because they took place in conjunction with each other in all of the cities featured on the national newscasts.

BLM claim to want "justice," which is an outright lie. The last thing these people want is to let any of their pet causes make their way through the American judicial system. They want special treatment, but more than that, they want mob rule. They chant "no justice, no peace" (a hackneyed phrase they couldn't resist appropriating), yet they call for the police departments of America to be defunded and dismantled. How will that further the goal of seeking "justice"? Do they want the authorities to hand over anyone that BLM deems a threat and let the horde act as judge and executioner? Sadly, I think the answer is obvious.

Make no mistake. This is anarchy by domestic terrorists, and their goal is to tear down the system and possibly this country in order to achieve their stated goals. If we want to preserve our country in a way that respects law, order, and the best justice system that civilization has developed, we need to oppose Black Lives Matter. That begins with identifying them as domestic terrorists. Their actions have merited nothing less.

Image credit: Pixabay public domain.
Hamas calls for new strategy to counter challenges facing Palestinian cause

Iran Press TV

Friday, 05 June 2020 10:02 AM

The head of the political bureau of the Hamas resistance movement has called for a coherent national strategy in the face of dangers and challenges that threaten the Palestinian cause.

"The first component of such a strategy is consensus on a national plan outside the Oslo Accords [signed between the Israeli regime and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)], and to terminate all agreements in addition to relevant security and economic annexes," Ismail Haniyeh said at a virtual conference on the occasion of Naksa (Setback) Day, which is commemorated every year on June 5 and marks the displacement of Palestinian people after Israel prevailed in the 1967 Six Day War.

He added, "The second element seeks the launch of a comprehensive resistance campaign against the Zionist Occupation (Israel) through popular, media, political and economic means, and armed struggle in particular."

Haniyeh stressed that the third component is to restructure the PLO and incorporate all Palestinian factions in it, whilst the fourth one is aimed at the formation of a regional bloc that safeguards the Palestinian cause.

The high-ranking Hamas official went on to say that Palestinians and Jordanians share three challenges, the first of which is the upshot of Nakba Day (the Day of Catastrophe), which is commemorated on 15 May every year and marks the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homeland when the Israeli regime was created back in 1948, and Naksa Day.

Whilst the second challenge is strategic threats, the third common danger is US President Donald Trump's so-called Middle East plan, which strongly favors Israel and has been rejected by the Palestinians, in addition to the Tel Aviv regime's plans to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank, Haniyeh pointed out.

The Hamas leader finally called on Muslim states to work towards reduction of tensions in the Middle East region, and focus on the Palestinian cause and the issue of occupied Jerusalem al-Quds.

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Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, speaks during the daily briefing of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, at the White House in Washington April 17, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

CDC Head Worries Americans Arent Following Safety Guidelines

Testifying before a House Appropriations subcommittee on the federal governments CCP virus response, Dr. Robert Redfield, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said that the agency is concerned that its public health message isnt resonating with the public and that the number of CCP virus cases is only increasing.

Redfield said he sees a lot of people not wearing masks in Washington, where he works, compared to his hometown in Baltimore, where he says more people are complying with federal safety guidelines and wearing masks.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) then showed Redfield a picture of people gathered at Lake of the Ozarks over Memorial Day weekendnone of whom are wearing masks.

Look at these folks. This is unbelievable. And you have got this happen in the state of Missouri, she said, adding that White House guidelines say that the states should do contact tracing for COVID-19 but that Missouri doesnt have the capacity to do that.

DeLauro asked Redfield if the CDC is tracking people there and Redfield replied that the CDC only provides assistance to states if they request it.

Because of Congress support we are building capacity across this country to do contact tracing and get their capacity fully operationalized by the fall this year, he told DeLauro.

The longtime congresswoman showed the Redfield another picture of huge crowds gathered to watch SpaceXs first attempt to launch astronauts into space.

Would you put yourself in these types of situations, DeLauro asked Redfield, further grilling him about the risks involved in opening the country while the number of cases of infection continues to rise significantly every day.

Last month, the CDC released guidelines for reopening schools, mass transit, and businesses deemed non-essential that have been shut down nationwide because of the pandemic.

We will continue to message as well we can, said Redfield. Were going to encourage people that have the ability to require to wear masks when they are in their environment to continue to do that.

He also said that the protests taking place all over the country triggered by the death of George Floyd could lead to more outbreaks.

I do think there is a potential, unfortunately, for this to be a seeding event, he said.

And the way to minimize that is to have each individual to recognize it is an advantage of them to protect their loved ones, to [say] hey, I was out, I need to go get tested.
Her post showed an illustration of several hands of varied skin-colours along with a trunk of an elephant

The protests against the systemic institutionalised racism in the USA have seen several Hollywood stars pouring out to support the cause of putting an end to racial discrimination.

Not to stay behind, Bollywood too jumped in on the bandwagon, supporting the Black Lives Matter movement across social media. However, many of them were soon criticised for supporting civil issues in the US despite maintaining staunch silence on similar discriminations faced by Muslims, Dalits and migrant workers in their own motherland.

The latest to come under an attack, although even unfortunate, is actress Sara Ali Khan. In the wake of the unceremonious death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala, the Simmba actress took to Instagram to share her thoughts.

Her post showed an illustration of several hands of varied skin-colours along with a trunk of an elephant. On the illustration was the copy, All Lives Matter, although striking out the word Black in the original copy.

The post didnt go down well with a section of what appear to be overly politically conscious netizens who questioned the tone-deaf and privileged actress education from Columbia University.

Apparently, Sara Ali Khan studied History and Political Science in Columbia University, wrote one user on Twitter. While another wrote, Ofcourse she crossed out Black and then reduced it down to animal rights...that political science degree looking real good Sara Ali Khan.

As the trolling continued, Saras fans came out in support of the actress.

Even the television actor Karanvir Bohra defended the Love Aaj Kal actress, tweeting,

Can pple stop trolling #SaraAliKhan I C nothing wrong & seriously stop being so intolerant. In the artwork the ALL means EVERY life matters frm humans2 Animals2 birds2 plants. V r against the atrocities towards black & also against the atrocities towards animals (sic).

Sometimes, nothing seems to be right enough for some people.
Complex situation

As seen until March 2020, there were around 120 cases of complaints by seventeen countries and territories of default in trade practices in exports from Vietnam. Most of these cases concerned anti-dumping, improper trade practices and counterfeit in origin of products. Almost 80% of these legal suits were related to the steel industry. Up until now, there are eleven export markets filing for legal action against Vietnam steel, which include the US, the EU, and the Eurasian Economic Union. While some other strong markets such as Malaysia, Turkey and Taiwan are also in the process of considering taking appropriate legal action.

By the end of 2019, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) had announced the final conclusion of an investigation on evading anti-dumping and countervailing measures concerning cold rolled steel (CRS) and corrosion resistant steel (CORE) from Vietnam, which had input material from South Korea, Taiwan and China. According to statistics issued by the US department, in the first ten months of 2019, exports from CORE and CRS to the US were around USD 260 mn. DOC had complained that CRS products manufactured from hot rolled steel from South Korea, Taiwan and China did not meet the required standards of the US, so they were considered under illegal evasion of taxes.

The US Customs agency collects tax on steel products from Vietnam under specific terms in each product group, and while the US market currently accounts for 6.5% of Vietnam's total steel exports, there is fierce competition to overcome technical barriers and commercial trade regulations set by many countries. In recent years, the domestic steel industry, especially large manufacturing and export enterprises, have actively developed production and business plans in view of US anti-evasion measures. Specifically, many businesses have shifted to using input materials such as hot rolled steel, from various sources outside as well as domestic, and have built a strong self-certification management system.

In 2019, besides the legal case against the steel industry, many goods and raw materials for production from high-tax countries found their way into Vietnam, which were then exported to other countries with change of marking of origin so as to enjoy preferential tax rates. Currently, along with a strong growth of exports to the US and the EU, the Vietnamese market has increased imports of similar products from China, such as computers, electronic products and components; metal products; electric wires and cables; wood and wood products; glass and glass products. In particular, many commodity groups that had a sudden increase in export turnover from 20% to 50% are also being investigated by importing countries for tax evasion. These commodity groups are related to enterprises dealing in iron, steel, electric bicycles, solar batteries, and plywood.

According to the General Department of Customs, in 2019 the total value of import and export turnover from Vietnam reached around USD 517 bn, in which, total export value was at USD 263.85 bn, import was at USD 254 bn, and trade balance surplus was nearly USD 9.9 bn. However, these figures are being challenged as they seem related to fraud in origin of products and other trade malpractices.

Dependency on imported goods

In order to ensure effective international cooperation and strong growth in import and export activities, and to ensure a stronger growing economy and robust enterprises, we should take many measures to combat and completely do away with fraud in origin of raw products.

Firstly, it is necessary to improve our understanding and awareness of consumers and businesses, the serious repercussions in the practice of fraud, and the integrity value involved in passing on illegal goods to consumers. This must be the basis of holding ourselves accountable and responsible. It is also imperative that we raise awareness in businesses not to work with borrowed foreign names and brands, thereby making it difficult for import and export goods to maintain credibility with consumers.

For this reason, we must perfect the legal system of obtaining goods and review our policies for checking and verifying goods as they arrive, ensure close monitoring and adopt international practices in our fight against fraud for origin of goods, as well as curtail illegal transportation of such goods. In fact, the World Trade Organization (WTO) allows for application of trade regulations to deal with unfair competition in import of goods, such as dumping or with subsidized goods. We must therefore actively protect domestically manufactured goods, and cease dependency on imported raw goods.

Asso.Prof. Dinh Trong Thinh Economist, Academy of Finance
BAGHDAD, June 6 (Reuters) - OPEC and its allies led by Russia are "most likely" to agree on a one-month extension to an oil production cuts deal on Saturday, an OPEC delegate said.

The delegate, who spoke on condition that he not be identified, said: "It is most likely that the meeting today will result in an extension of the agreement for one month only. This is the general trend within OPEC+."

The oil producing states meet on Saturday to approve extending record oil production cuts and to push countries such as Iraq and Nigeria to comply better with existing curbs. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed Writing by John Davison)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 6

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

Azerbaijan has supported the extension of OPEC+ deal by the end of July, Trend reports citing the countrys energy ministry.

The videoconference of OPEC and non-OPEC countries ministers decided to extend the deal to cut daily oil output by 9.7 million barrels by another month, till July 31.

It was agreed that the countries, which have failed to fully implement their obligations from May through June, will compensate this in July, August and September.

OPEC members will reduce daily oil production by 6.084 million barrels, while non-OPEC countries will cut their output by 3.616 million barrels per day.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman will decrease daily oil production by additional 1.2 million barrels in June.

Azerbaijan should fulfill its obligation to cut oil production by 164,000 barrels in May-June by the end of July as well and keep crude production at 554,000 barrels per day.
An elections worker looks through a stack of ballots during a post-election audit after the November 2019 election in Philadelphia. Read more

Philadelphia election officials stopped counting mail ballots Thursday and may not start again for days, warning that the outcomes of a number of races in Tuesdays primary wont be known for several weeks and that the city may miss a legal deadline for certifying the results.

The delay is due to the large number of mail ballots voters requested in the last week before the deadline, Deputy City Commissioner Nick Custodio said. He said the commissioners, who run Philadelphia elections, stopped counting them so workers can check poll books to ensure nobody voted twice.

Almost half of the votes cast Tuesday in Pennsylvanias largest city will remain uncounted until next week.

The outcomes of some races will not be known for weeks, and the candidates and campaigns should be prepared for that, Custodio said Friday during a meeting of the city commissioners.

State law requires all votes be counted and certified to the state within 20 days of an election. That might not happen, Custodio said. He said at the meeting that the commissioners would look for ways to improve the process over the next several months so that we are able to timely certify the November general election.

 READ MORE: Pennsylvania held an election. We wont know the results for days. Heres what that means for November.

Charles M. Gibbs, a Philadelphia attorney whose specialties include election law, said its unclear what happens if the city cant certify its results by the deadline.

Its not something that happens very often, he said. This is incredibly abnormal, and I dont know if anyone knows or will know how to handle this.

The good news, Gibbs said, is that a judge would likely recognize these are extraordinary circumstances that require extending the deadline. And because the election was a primary, theres no risk that a delay in the results leaves an elected seat vacant.

They had over two months to plan for this election, and they completely failed to plan properly, said Pele IrgangLaden, the campaign manager for Rick Krajewski, a Democrat running for state representative in West Philadelphia.

 READ MORE: Candidates across Pa. have no idea if they won or lost their primary elections: It sucks

When elections staff stopped counting ballots Thursday, Krajewski had about 400 more votes than incumbent State Rep. James R. Roebuck  but only 5,869 votes had been counted, with thousands untouched.

Other campaigns were more diplomatic.

If it takes 30 days for the voters to have their voice be heard, then that is what is required, and we wait, said Vanessa McGrath, a candidate for state representative in a district that includes parts of Chinatown, Society Hill, and Kensington. This is an unprecedented level of mail-in votes for Philadelphia, and I think no matter what planning was done in advance, this never could have been predicted.

Similarly, Mark Nevins, a Democratic political consultant who worked with State Sen. Larry Farnese and state auditor general candidate Nina Ahmad, said, This is literally a once-in-a-lifetime confluence of events and all we can do is be patient and make sure the count is accurate. (The Associated Press projected this week that Farnese lost his race against Nikil Saval, while the auditor general race remained too close to call.)

IrgangLaden said he worries about November. Smaller counties, with far fewer votes to count, have essentially already finished. If that pattern repeats in November, he said, it could open the door for unfounded claims of a rigged election. He said he fears President Donald Trump could claim victory for several weeks, and then allege fraud if Philadelphias counted votes later take away his lead.

 READ MORE: How does a Republican lead on election night and still lose Pennsylvania? Its called the blue shift.

County elections officials have warned for months that election results will take longer than people are used to, because of state law was loosened to allow any voter to vote by mail. The coronavirus pandemic fueled a surge in requests for mail ballots many times larger than expected.

But the delay the commissioners announced Friday was a surprise.

At issue are the books voters sign when they check into their polling places, which were printed two weeks before election day and one week before the deadline for applying for a mail ballot.

Almost 92,000 voters mail ballot requests were processed after city poll books were printed. To prevent voters from casting two ballots, anyone who requests a mail ballot is marked in the poll books. Before election day, the commissioners print supplemental lists of those who request ballots after the books are printed.

In theory, poll workers should check both lists. In practice, that may not always happen.

So on Thursday, after the first 14,000 completed mail ballots were counted  those that arrived before poll books were printed  the commissioners stopped and instead had workers scan the poll books to generate a list of people who voted in person.

Theyll then compare that list to the remaining mail ballots. Any voter whose name appears twice will have their mail ballot set aside, to prevent double voting.

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, who oversees elections, said Friday that she supported the decision to check the mail ballots against the poll books.

We want to make sure that that reconciliation is efficient, effective, and secure, she said.

Officials believe well-publicized delays sending mail ballots to voters and strict deadlines for voters to send them back may have led some to mail back a ballot and then also try to vote in person  just in case their mail ballots hadnt arrived in time.

Staff writer Julia Terruso contributed to this article.
Wuhan hospitals clear all COVID-19 cases, China to release white paper to declare success

Global Times

By Leng Shumei Source:Global Times Published: 2020/6/5 20:18:40 Last Updated: 2020/6/5 21:55:05

As the last three COVID-19 patients in Wuhan have recovered and been discharged from the hospital, Central China's Hubei Province, the most affected place during the epidemic in China, declared zero existing COVID-19 patients as of Thursday.

The three were discharged on Thursday after two nucleic acid tests for the novel coronavirus came back negative within 24 hours, their temperatures fell to normal levels and their symptoms disappeared, the Hubei provincial health authority said.

By Thursday, Hubei accomplished seven "zeros": zero new COVID-19 cases, zero new suspected cases, zero new deaths, zero silent carriers, zero imported cases, zero existing confirmed cases and zero existing suspected cases, the provincial health official said.

The Wuhan authority said all districts in the city are considered low risk for coronavirus infection. Dongxihu district, the last medium-risk district in the city, reported zero new cases for 14 consecutive days to June 1, and its risk level was adjusted to low on June 2.

In areas outside Wuhan in the province, zero new COVID-19 case has been reported for 92 consecutive days, a Hubei health official said Friday.

The province reported 68,135 cases, with 63,623 recovered and discharged, and 4,512 dead as of Thursday.

The news is encouraging and indicates the success of Wuhan's anti-epidemic battle, Peng Zhiyong, director of the intensive care unit of the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, told the Global Times on Friday.

China will release a white paper on the country's battle against the COVID-19 epidemic on Sunday, the Xinhua News Agency reported Friday. Experts believed the white paper would comprehensively show the world China's anti-epidemic process and convince the world of the country's achievements.

"Everything indicates that we are moving out of the worst time toward the best time. Cheer up Wuhan!" Meng Ying, a Wuhan resident reached by the Global Times wrote on her WeChat account when reposting the news of Hubei's seven "zeros" on Friday.

Hours after the announcements, Beijing authorities said they would ease restrictions on people from Hubei, including Wuhan, the most affected place during the epidemic in China, to enter the capital.

Beijing's relaxed measures include the lifting of the 14-day quarantine, and that they only need to provide one negative nucleic acid test result after arriving in Beijing. Previously, people from Hubei to Beijing had to be quarantined for 14 days and receive two nucleic acid tests, with both having to return with negative results, before being allowed to move freely in the capital.

The Beijing authorities said Friday that restrictions on Hubei, including Wuhan, people traveling by air, train and land to Beijing were lifted, except those from medium and high-COVID-19 infected areas.

Media reported that within half an hour of the Beijing authorities' announcement, the number of searches for flights from Wuhan to Beijing on domestic online travel app Qunar rose nine-fold, and those for train tickets increased more than eight times compared to the same period the previous day.

Peng highlighted Wuhan's recent thorough city-wide COVID-19 test covering 9,899,828 residents, results of which were released on Tuesday. Only 300 asymptomatic patients were found, with no confirmed COVID-19 cases.

"It is the good results that prove to the country and the world that Wuhan is safe, Hubei is safe," Peng said, noting that the city-wide tests were a milestone that dispelled people's doubts and enhanced their confidence in Wuhan's anti-epidemic battle.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said during an interview on Fox Radio that it was a "strange deal" that the novel coronavirus did not spread widely in China but largely contained to Wuhan, according to media reports.

"It is the strict measures we launched at the early stage of the epidemic - lock down the city and the province, require everyone to stay at home and door-to-door screening in communities - that ensure today's good results," Peng explained, noting that the results of the city-wide test should crush some Western media's smear that the Chinese government is hiding the real epidemic situation in Wuhan.

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Tens of thousands of people are expected to take to the streets of Toronto today in the largest protest against police violence and racism in Canada to date. Todays rally comes after a week of protests from Halifax to Vancouver involving thousands of young people and workers of all races and backgrounds.

Major protests began last weekend, with demonstrations attracting thousands in Toronto on Saturday, and Montreal and Vancouver on Sunday. On Wednesday, at least 2,000 participated in a Justice for all victims of police violence rally in Calgary, Alberta, while around 5,000 protested in the southwestern Ontario city of Kitchener-Waterloo.

At the Calgary protest, which was the third in the city within a week, participants chanted I cant breathe, No justice, No peace and Black lives matter. Another protest Monday attracted over 1,000 people.

The immediate trigger for the demonstrations was the Minneapolis polices brutal murder of George Floyd, an African-American man, and the mass multi-racial, multi-ethnic working class protests that have erupted in its wake in hundreds of cities across the United States.

But protesters were also angered by systemic police brutality and harassment of Afro-Canadians, immigrants, and indigenous people, as well as the broader social crisis that has dramatically intensified as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the ruling elites criminally negligent response.

Jenny, a participant at the Kitchener-Waterloo protest, told the World Socialist Web Site, Ive been out of work for a few months now because I was a waitress and my restaurant closed. It doesnt look like its going to open again either. I like that everybody here is wearing masks. This COVID thing is horrible. All my friends are out of work too. Im totally pissed at all this racism and Im totally pissed at being unemployed. Im totally pissed about everything, if you want to know the truth.

Over 8 million Canadiansrepresenting some 40 percent of the workforcehave applied for the federal governments makeshift Canada Emergency Response Benefit. It pays a miserly $2,000 per month for workers who have lost their jobs or are unable to work due to the pandemic. Meanwhile, corporations are seizing on generous government support to restructure their operations and permanently layoff thousands of workers. The latest announcement in this regard came yesterday, when airplane manufacturer Bombardier unveiled plans to permanently slash 2,500 jobs.

Even as youth and workers were taking to the streets to show their solidarity with the US protests against state violence and denounce police abuse in Canada, there was a series of new incidents and exposures of police brutality from across the country.

British Columbias Independent Investigations Office recommended May 29 that the Crown charge five police officers for illegal use of force and obstruction of justice in the July 2017 death of 35-year-old Dale Culver in Prince George. The indigenous man was attacked by the officers with pepper spray as they attempted to arrest him. He subsequently developed breathing problems and died.

Video also emerged of officers aggressively beating a man in Kelowna, BC, last Saturday during an arrest. In New Brunswick, a police officer shot and killed a 26-year-old Native woman during a purported wellness check Thursday in Edmundston. In Nunavut, a police officer faces a criminal investigation after being videoed driving a truck into an Inuit man Monday evening, whom he said he wanted to apprehend because he was intoxicated.

In response to George Floyds murder, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other Canadian political leaders have made hypocritical statements about combatting racism. But they have refused to criticize US President Donald Trump for ordering a ruthless police-military assault on the protests against police brutality, overturning constitutional prohibitions on the deployment of the military against US civilians, and seeking to establish a presidential dictatorship. Trudeaus 21-second silence Tuesday when he was asked by a reporter to comment on Trumps actions, and subsequent evasive replies speaks volumes about the commitment of the Canadian political establishment to basic democratic rights.

The Canadian ruling elites cowardly and conniving response to the Trump-ordered police rampage and his assault on core democratic rights and the US Constitution is bound up with their predatory global imperialist interests, which depend on deepening their military-strategic partnership with the United States. It is also rooted in their fear that the US protests will haveand indeed already are havinga catalytic impact on the class struggle in Canada, where, as in the US, the past four decades have seen a dramatic deterioration in the social position of the working class.

The $650 billion bailout of the banks and big business, organized by the Trudeau Liberal government and Bank of Canada and supported by all the parties in parliament, will further exacerbate unprecedented levels of social inequality, and is paving the way for a massive new class war assault on jobs, worker rights, and public services (see: Canadian establishment shrugs off Trumps authoritarian power grab, voices horror over mass protests).

While Trudeau remained tongue-tied on Trumps incitement of police violence, which has led to the deaths of several protesters, the injuring of scores, and more than 10,000 arrests, he found his voice Thursday when it came to denouncing Chinese repression in Hong Kong. Referring to Beijings anti-democratic national security law, which strengthens the Chinese states control over Hong Kong, Trudeau declared, We have worked with some of our closest allies including the UK, Australia and others to condemn the actions taken by China in Hong Kong. We are extremely concerned with their stepping away from the one country, two systems agreement that was signed a few decades ago. We need to ensure that rights are defended around the world including in Hong Kong.

As Trudeaus response to Trumps criminal anti-democratic actions demonstrates, Ottawas championing of human rights in Hong Kong is a sham. Over the past decade, Canada has become fully integrated into Washingtons reckless drive to thwart Chinas rise, including its advanced preparations for war with nuclear-armed China.

Trudeaus silence on Trumps actions enjoys quasi-unanimous support within ruling class circles. Bob Rae, a onetime Ontario New Democratic Party premier and later interim leader of the federal Liberal Party, tweeted his support for Trudeau saying, The Prime Minister of Canada is not going to give a running commentary on US politics and President Trump.

In contrast with the frightened, anti-democratic response within Canada elite to the developing clash between the American working class and a fascist president bent on establishing a dictatorial regime, protesters who spoke to the WSWS expressed unequivocal support for the biggest protests in the US since the 1960s, and their opposition to police violence and the growing attack on democratic rights in both countries.

Jamal, a young retail worker attending the Kitchener protest, spoke about his personal experience with police harassment. Racism is not just in the States, he said. None of my friends trust the cops. This corner of the park here is where a lot of us like to hang out, especially on summer nights. We always get inspected by the cops for just sitting around talking. But its a big park and you never see them going into any other part where there are always a lot more people.

Jamal also explained that while racism plays a role, the targets of police violence are the poor and oppressed of all races. Its obvious they are profiling us because a lot of us are black, he commented. But you know, we have a lot of white friends too and they dont get treated any better where we hang out. Its even worse for the homeless guys who like to sleep in the area. I see them getting pushed around all the time.

Dave, a student who joined the protest, added, Watching that cop squeeze the life out of George Floyd was totally outrageous. I think people are starting to wake up. Enough is enough! He also addressed the connection between police violence and the broader assault on public services and worker rights. This town is surprising me. I was at that big teachers strike rally downtown last February. That was something to see too, he said, referring to a march organized by striking Ontario teachers in opposition to the savage austerity demands of the hard-right provincial government of Doug Ford.
Two drive-through sites for free COVID-19 testing in Oakland  one of them operated in partnership with the city  have been shut down since Monday. In both cases, officials cited the recent protests of police violence in Oakland as the reason for their closure.

One of the sites, in the parking lot of the Kaiser Convention Center at Lake Merritt, was run by Brown & Toland Physicians Group in partnership with the City of Oakland. It's been closed since Monday, with conflicting reports on whether it will reopen.

"[The site] is not permanently closed, but there was a disruption to their operation this week," said city spokesperson Karen Boyd, adding that it was "related to the demonstrations."

Oakland public information officer Sean Mahar also said the site will "resume operations in the coming days."

However, a source at Brown & Toland said that while the site closed early in response to the protests, it had already been scheduled to close today, and would not reopen.

The other closed testing site, run by pharmacy chain CVS at East Oaklands Eastmont Town Center, says it will return next week. CVS spokesperson Amy B. Thibault cited "unrest within the community" as the reason for the temporary closure.

Via email, Thibault said the testing site had to shut down because the staff must fill prescriptions from other, now-closed CVS stores that were affected by the protests. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, four CVS stores in Oakland are currently closed, along with 10 Walgreens stores.

All team members are needed to process prescriptions during this time," Thibault said. "COVID-19 testing will pick up next week."

Asked why pharmacy workers from the four closed locations couldn't assist with the effort, Thibault did not respond.

The CVS at Eastmont Town Center has boarded up all but one of its doors. A drive-through testing center in the parking lot closed earlier this week.

Civic leaders around the country  including Schaaf  have expressed concerns over COVID-19 spreading among protesters.

"This virus can spread so easily," Schaaf told ABC7 on Tuesday. "On Friday night, we had 8,000 protesters in a tight group. That is not safe."

But while San Francisco mayor London Breed has encouraged protesters to get tested on social media, Schaaf has remained silent.

However, she was vocal about the importance of the Brown & Toland site, which first opened to non-first responders on April 6. The site was designed to test up to 240 essential workers per day, including health care workers, grocery store and food bank employees and homeless outreach workers.

"We must take care of those who are taking care of us," Schaaf said at the time.

Angelica Angel, an Oakland resident who provides aid to the unhoused, was tested multiple times at the Brown & Toland site. She said she's frustrated by its closure.

They seemed like they had developed a very safe system to do the testing," she said, noting that indoor testing feels "a lot less efficient and a lot less safe.

Being able to get tested is really important to me, said Angel. "My grandmother has a heart condition, so if I dont know my infection status, I cant take care of her.

While it's unclear how many drive-through testing sites Oakland has, at least three remain open. One is a city partnership with Alphabet (the parent company of Google), operating out of Allen Temple Baptist Church on International Boulevard. It provides free testing, regardless of insurance status, every day but Sunday from 1 - 7 p.m. Pre-registration is required.

An Oakland resident who was tested at the site on Wednesday said it was "extremely backed up." Despite registering beforehand, she had to wait for two hours.

A second drive-through site in East Oakland, run through Osita Health Clinic (OHC), launched services at the intersection of Bancroft and Seminary avenues on Tuesday.

Co-owner and nurse practitioner Christiana Umeh says the clinic has not yet been crowded, and visits have gone quickly. Unlike the Allen Temple site, pre-registration is encouraged, not required. Visitors arriving on foot can also be tested.

Anyone is welcome to come in and get this test, said Umeh, noting that co-pays and fees are waived for those with and without insurance. Residents of neighboring cities are also welcome.

Osita Health Clinic's new drive-through testing center in East Oakland.

The third drive-through site, at the West Oakland Health Center (700 Adeline St.), just opened this week. Operated in partnership with Alameda County, it's open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Walk-up clients are also welcome.

Free, outdoor walk-up testing is also available at International Blvd.'s Roots Community Clinic, which is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Carbon Health, in Adams Point, offers free testing indoors with an appointment.
The first research scandal of the coronavirus pandemic has created unnecessary distraction around the politically divisive drug hydroxychloroquine, scientists say, as questions swirl around the tiny health care company at the center of the affair. On Thursday, most of the authors of major studies that appeared in The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) retracted their work and issued apologies, saying they could no longer vouch for their data after the firm that supplied it -- Chicago-based Surgisphere -- refused to be audited. At any other time the matter might have led to hang-wringing within academia, but it has taken on a new dimension as the world grapples with a virus that has claimed some 400,000 lives. Of particular interest was the paper in The Lancet that claimed to have analyzed the records of 96,032 patients admitted to 671 hospitals across six continents, finding that hydroxychloroquine showed no benefit and even increased the risk of death. Its withdrawal is seen as a boost to backers of the decades-old anti-malarial drug, who include US President Donald Trump and his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro. "It's very politicized -- there is a group, probably not particularly small, who have learned to mistrust science and scientists, and this just feeds into that narrative," Gabe Kelen, a professor of emergency medicine at Johns Hopkins University, told AFP. This is despite the fact that even without The Lancet paper, evidence has been building against hydroxychloroquine's use against COVID-19. On Friday, results from a fourth randomized controlled trial -- carefully designed human experiments considered the most robust form of clinical investigation -- showed it had no impact against the virus. - Mystery company - The Lancet, which first published in 1823, is one of the world's most trusted medical journals. As a result, the hydroxychloroquine paper had an outsized impact: the World Health Organization, Britain and France all suspended ongoing clinical trials. But things soon began unravelling after researchers noticed numerous red flags, from the huge number of patients involved to the unusual level of detail about the doses they had received. Both The Lancet and the equally prestigious NEJM, which had published a paper on whether blood thinners elevated the risk of COVID-19 that relied on the same company, issued expressions of concern -- before the authors themselves pulled both papers. Surgisphere, founded in 2007 by vascular surgeon Sapan Desai, had refused to share data with third-party reviewers, saying it would violate privacy agreements with hospitals. However, when science news site The Scientist began reaching out to hospitals throughout the US to ask whether they had participated, it found none. Surgisphere's internet profile has also raised numerous questions. Only a handful of employees could be found on LinkedIn, and most have now deactivated their accounts. According to the Guardian newspaper, its employees included an adult model and until last week the contact page on its website redirected to a WordPress template for a cryptocurrency website, leaving it unclear how hospitals could have reached out to them. Meanwhile Desai, who according to court records has three outstanding medical malpractice suits against him, has written extensively in the past on research misconduct. "The most serious cause of fraud in medical publishing is manufactured data that authors use to support high impact conclusions," he said in a 2013 paper. - Systemic issues - For Ivan Oransky, who founded Retraction Watch in 2010, the affair is far from surprising, serving instead to highlight systemic issues in science publishing and the way science is reported to the public. "No one took a hard look at the data," said Oransky. "But we've known about these issues for literally decades." Policymakers should get away from the idea of using the results of a single study to inform their decisions, he added, as was the case for the WHO -- and the media has a responsibility to place papers in context instead of hyping them up. The problem also stems from the fact that even leading journals rely too heavily on an honor system, but "you never know when a catastrophe is going to happen, if you're not willing to put into place some reasonable safeguards," added Oransky. As to the future, the current episode is unlikely to serve as a wake-up call, he said. If one journal increases its diligence, more blockbuster papers will start appearing in its competitors. A pharmacy tech holds a tablet of hydroxychloroquine
A former beauty queen turned Chinese lobbyist exaggerated her achievements while she worked for accountancy firm PwC, the company has claimed .

Jean Dong, 33, advised Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on his Belt and Road deal with China.

She was paid $36,850 of taxpayer cash to consult Mr Andrews before he signed the October 2019 deal without approval from the federal government.

The glamorous businesswoman, who has a background in connecting China with the rest of the world, boasted about her political influence in a YouTube video entitled 'Journey of Influence'.

Jean Dong, 33, the company founder and director of Australia-China Belt and Road Initiative was paid $36,850 of taxpayer cash to consult Mr Andrews before he signed the October 2019 deal without approval from the federal government

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews signed the the October 2019 deal without approval from the federal government

Ms Dong claimed that she 'convinced the PwC Australian leadership to consider Asia growth as a priority strategy and to achieve a clear advantage over its competitors'.

She further claimed that she 'successfully facilitated a mutual and long-term economic collaboration agreement through China-Australia free-trade agreement for both countries.'

The company has since come out and refuted Ms Dong's claims saying they had the initiatives in place before she had even come to work for PwC.

'Jean (Jin) Dong joined PwC in 2009 as a graduate where she worked until 2013. Ms Dong was a senior associate, one grade up from graduate level, when she left the firm in late 2013,' a PwC spokeswoman told The Australian.

'PwC is a global network and PwC Australia had an Asian strategy in place long before 2009 which has been led by a senior partner in the firm since its inception.'

The Belt and Road Initiative is a Chinese government strategy to build infrastructure and invest abroad, with deals signed all over the world.

Ms Dong was a key figure behind the controversial deal - and she has an interesting backstory.

She studied commerce at Adelaide University before joining consultancy giant PwC as an ambitious 21-year-old.

Chinese consultant Jean Dong (centre) who advised Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on his controversial Belt and Road deal with China rose to prominence after winning a beauty pageant

The Belt and Road Imitative has been criticised by Western governments as a stealthy expansion of Chinese influence. Pictured: Chinese President Xi Jinping

In 2011, aged 24, she won the Australian branch of the Miss Chinese Cosmos Pageant, a global beauty competition for women of Chinese heritage.

She returned the following year to present the crown to her successor at Melbourne's Crown Casino, reportedly watched by a host of influential Chinese business-people and political figures including Mike Yang and Gladys Liu.

Mr Yang was an adviser to then opposition leader Mr Andrews while Ms Liu, now a federal MP, was an adviser to Liberal Premier Ted Baillieu.

Ms Dong then set up several consulting companies and in 2014 claimed in an online profile that she was 'heavily involved in advising Victorian state government on Australian-Chinese engagement'.

In 2015, aged 28, she set up her Australia-China Belt and Road Initiative company, which later consulted the Andrews government.

Calls are growing for Victoria's labor premier Daniel Andrews (pictured in China's Tiananmen Square) to review his controversial Belt and Road agreement with Beijing

The glamorous businesswoman with a background in connecting China with the rest of the world boasted about her political influence in a YouTube video, titled: 'Journey of influence'

Ms Dong has also publicly praised leader Xi Jinping for his handling of COVID-19.

She was interviewed by the Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper, Guangming Daily, on March 27, and described Mr Xi s a 'global saviour' in his response to the coronavirus pandemic, The Australian reported.

She praised him for 'providing confidence and directions for the global fight over the epidemic and economic growth'.

Ms Dong said the Chinese president had taken the lead in the fight to get the pandemic under control.

According to Ms Dong, other nations are turning to China to imitate their handling of the virus.

'China is the first major country to constrain the epidemic and resume work smoothly, therefore the Australian friends around me paid special attention to President Xi's speech at the G20 leaders video conference,' she said.
The Maersk Line container ship Maersk Sentosa is helped by tugs as it navigates the River Mersey in Liverpool

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The coronavirus lockdown has accelerated a digitalisation drive in a global shipping and logistics sector that still routinely delivers many documents by bike messenger in some countries, according to industry leaders.

Ports operator DP World <DPW.DI> said on Thursday it would join shipping company Maersk <MAERSKb.CO> and other peers in a blockchain platform aimed at limiting the sector's costly paper trail.

"The situation around the coronavirus is a very good catalyst for making sure everyone in the supply chain can communicate with each other digitally," Mike Bhaskaran, DP World's chief operating officer for logistics and technology, told Reuters.

The Dubai-based company, one of the world's biggest port operators, plans to connect its entire business, including its 82 container terminals, using the blockchain technology.

The participation of key companies in the TradeLens platform, launched in 2018 by Maersk and IBM <IBM.N>, is seen as crucial for cutting costs in an industry that has seen little innovation since the container was invented in the 1950s.

"The current circumstances have shown that digitalisation of the logistic supply chain is picking up pace," Vincent Clerc, Maersk's chief commercial officer, said in an interview.

However, despite more than 200 ports, shipping lines, freight forwarders, port authorities and customs authorities having signed up, the platform has yet to reach a "critical mass" to make a significant impact, Clerc said.

In many African countries, Maersk relies on fleets of motorcycles known as 'boda bodas' to deliver documents between ports and shipping agents.

"The physical flow of documents with courier and local deliveries on bicycles, all of that will eventually go away," Clerc said.

It currently takes an average of 228 hours to get the necessary documents and stamps ready for shipping a container with citrus fruits out of South Africa.

(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by Pravin Char)
WATERLOO REGION  The Canadian government has created a ministerial exemption to permit the sale of provincially-inspected meat and poultry across provincial borders to help offset possible shortages caused by COVID-19.

Only meat from federally licensed plants is allowed to be sold to different provinces or countries, and food retailers will need to apply for an exemption from the rule under this new policy, but the hope is it will ease the impact on grocery store shelves if more federal meat plants are forced to close due to viral outbreaks.

One food expert doesnt believe the exemption will actually provide any short-term relief, however, given the sheer scale of production at federal plants.

This isnt a magic bullet that will protect us from the closure of a big plant, said Michael von Massow, an associate professor of food agriculture and resource economics at the University of Guelph and the Ontario Agricultural College Chair in Food System Leadership.

Three federal plants in Canada supply more than 80 per cent of the countrys beef, von Massow said, and smaller provincial producers would likely struggle to fill that void if one or more of those plants were to close for a prolonged period.

In the short term, Im not sure if its a meaningful safety net, he said.

Provincial processors tend to be smaller and serve regional or specialty markets, while federal facilities are typically larger and designed for higher volumes that meet international and interprovincial trade requirements.

Shoppers who buy meat from the large grocery chains are likely buying federally-inspected meat, von Massow said.

At least eight meat major processing plants in Canada have already been forced to close or reduce processing capacity in recent months after hundreds of workers contracted coronavirus.

That includes Breslau pork processor Conestoga Meats, which closed for a week in early May after seven people became ill. Its the second-largest pork processor in the province and handles about 37,000 pigs per week.

The outbreak at Conestoga Meats is considered over by regional health officials, but more than 10 per cent of the workforce (112 cases out of the nearly 1,000 people who work there) has tested positive for COVID-19.

A significant meat shortage could increase prices and lead to less variety on store shelves. McDonalds Canada, which normally uses Canadian beef in its products, said in April it would begin importing beef as the supply chain struggled to keep up with demand.

In an email to The Record, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said food retailers or wholesalers experiencing a meat shortage will be asked to reach out to their provincial or territorial authority to determine if the situation requires the exemption, and to obtain information about the application process.

The federal exemption was announced May 21 on the CFIA website.

To date, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has not received a request for ministerial exemptions for the interprovincial movement of provincially inspected meat products from any province or territory, the statement said.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs  the agency responsible for licensing Ontarios meat packers  confirmed in an email there have been no applications for the exemption, but it has received several requests for more information about the process.

There are nearly 120 provincially licensed meat processors in Ontario, including about a dozen in Waterloo Region.

Ontario Agriculture Minister Ernie Hardeman has been working with the sector to encourage collaboration while we work to support our inspection staff, stakeholders and operators to meet operational needs and protect public health, the statement said.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is investing in training to increase food inspection capacity and adding cleaning capacity to critical pressure points in the distribution system.

This could be the first step in eventually easing trade restrictions on provincially-inspected meat, von Massow said  a move some in the industry have spent years fighting for.

Breaking down these barriers could also be more beneficial to small producers in the long run since it might make more economic sense for a plant in Kenora to sell to grocery chains 200 km west in Winnipeg than to stores 1,800 km south in Toronto.

If we can move the animals across the borders, why not the meat that comes from them? he said.
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Genomic surveillance of antibiotic resistance in the Philippines established

Antibiotic resistance surveillance in the Philippines has moved into the genomic era, enabling better tracking of dangerous bacteria. Researchers at the Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance (CGPS housed at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and The Big Data Institute (BDI), University of Oxford), and the Philippine Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), set up local DNA sequencing and analysis of drug resistant bacteria in the Philippines. This genomic capacity has enhanced ongoing national infection control including tracking the spread of resistance to last-line antibiotics and identifying drug resistant infections in a hospital baby unit, helping control the outbreak.

Reported in Nature Communications this week, this study shows the power of local genomic sequencing within national surveillance networks in low- and middle-income countries, and could be extended to other locations to tackle the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health problem, with resistance to common antibiotics found in all regions of the world. This means it can be extremely difficult to treat some bacterial diseases such as MRSA, tuberculosis and gonorrhoea, and raises risks of any surgery.

Surveillance of AMR is critical to understand and try to halt its spread, and DNA sequencing can pinpoint resistance mechanisms and uncover transmission patterns. However, genomic surveillance is less common in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which are predicted to be the most affected by AMR.

The Philippines has a very well established Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program within the Philippine Department of Health, which uses laboratory-based methods to track antimicrobial resistance. In 2018 the researchers helped set up a DNA sequencing facility within this to build local capacity for genomic surveillance in the Philippines*. This has included establishing local capacity in genomics and data interpretation through shared training.

Samples were sequenced from more than 20 sites across the Philippines, focusing on bacteria that are resistant to the last-line antibiotics, and listed by the World Health Organisation as top priority pathogens for the development of new antibiotics**. The teams collectively analysed the data, creating phylogenetic trees that showed how the bacterial strains are related to each other, and uncovered several high-risk clones.

Combining the genetic findings with epidemiological data allowed the researchers to pinpoint strains in particular locations. In one hospital they identified a cluster of the same strain of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in a neonatal intensive care unit, and revealed that this was being spread within the hospital. This evidence enabled the hospital to bolster their infection control team, to control potential future outbreaks.

Dr Celia Carlos, joint lead of the project from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Philippines, said: "Here in the Philippines we have more than 30 years of experience developing laboratory methods to track AMR, with our Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program. Now, working with our partners in the UK, we have established local capacity and expertise for whole genome sequencing in the Philippines, adding genomic surveillance to these other methods. This is helping us to identify emerging resistant strains much faster, so we can understand what is happening, prevent transmission of AMR and save lives."

Dr Silvia Argimon, first author on the paper from the Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance said: "The programme not only helped set up the genomic infrastructure in the Philippines, but also enabled close collaboration between the teams in the UK and the Philippines. This included exchange visits between the researchers and training to transfer ownership of the sequencing, analysis and understanding to the team in the Philippines, and ensured that everyone understood the resourcefulness and challenges of the sentinel sites."

Genomic surveillance allows the team to describe drug-resistant bacteria in terms of their strains, which genes enable the resistance, and how those genes are transferred between bacteria. Through genomics the Philippines now have a greater lens on AMR at the local, the national and international scale, allowing data analysis at a previously difficult level. The data are shared with Philippine public health agencies and with the WHO to inform both local and global understanding of the spread of carbapenam resistance.

Professor David Aanensen, Director of the Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance and joint lead on the project, said: "Understanding national dynamics in antimicrobial resistance is important in every country in the world to prevent spread globally, and new technology and tools that enhance this capacity are required. The work by the Philippines team to establish genomics within a national surveillance network is an exemplar for adoption that could be extended to tackle the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance or other infections. "

###

Contact:

Dr Samantha Wynne, Media Officer

Wellcome Sanger Institute

Wellcome Genome Campus

Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK

Phone: +44 (0)1223 492368

Email: press.office@sanger.ac.uk

Notes to editors:

* Whole genome sequencing started at the Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Research Laboratory in 2018 with the Illumina MiSeq equipment available locally. A new dedicated bioinformatics server was installed there for sequence data storage and analysis. Data sharing via interactive web tools such as Microreact (http://www. microreact. org ) and Pathogenwatch (http://www. pathogen. watch ) helped the collective data interpretation.

** WHO List of bacteria for which new antibiotics are urgently needed. https:/ / www. who. int/ news-room/ detail/ 27-02-2017-who-publishes-list-of-bacteria-for-which-new-antibiotics-are-urgently-needed

Selected websites:

Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM)

Established in 1981, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) is the research arm of the Philippine Department of Health (DOH). It is home to 12 National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) for various infectious diseases that provide technical expertise in the laboratory diagnosis and characterization of infectious agents in the country for surveillance, outbreak investigations, and research. RITM also conducts clinical trials and provides clinical care to people suffering from emerging and re-emerging infectious and tropical diseases. http://ritm. gov. ph/

Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance

The Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance is an initiative based at The Big Data Institute at the University of Oxford and The Wellcome Genome Campus focussed on genomic epidemiology, laboratory and software engineering for global surveillance of microbial pathogens. The Centre seeks to provide genomic and epidemiological big data and tools to allow researchers, doctors and governments worldwide to track and analyse the spread of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance. http://www. pathogensurveillance. net/

The NIHR Global Health Research Unit of Genomic Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance The NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Genomic Surveillance of AMR is focussed on capacity building for genomic surveillance in Low and Middle Income Countries. Capacity in Laboratory, Bioinformatics and Financial management within The Phillipines, Nigeria, Colombia and India is driven by National Units linked to networks or participating hospitals and laboratories. Through large scale sequencing, training and delivery of open data through web resources, data are being generated to understand the population structure and monitoring of important species driving the spread of antimicrobial resistance. http://ghru. pathogensurveillance. net

The Big Data Institute

The Big Data Institute is located in the Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Informatics and Discovery at the University of Oxford. It is an interdisciplinary research centre that focuses on the analysis of large, complex data sets for research into the causes, consequences, prevention and treatment of disease. Research is conducted in areas such as genomics, population health, infectious disease surveillance and the development of new analytic methods. The Big Data Institute is supported by funding from the Medical Research Council, the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund, the National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, and philanthropic donations from the Li Ka Shing and Robertson Foundations. Further details are available at http://www. bdi. ox. ac. uk

The Wellcome Sanger Institute

The Wellcome Sanger Institute is a world leading genomics research centre. We undertake large-scale research that forms the foundations of knowledge in biology and medicine. We are open and collaborative; our data, results, tools and technologies are shared across the globe to advance science. Our ambition is vast - we take on projects that are not possible anywhere else. We use the power of genome sequencing to understand and harness the information in DNA. Funded by Wellcome, we have the freedom and support to push the boundaries of genomics. Our findings are used to improve health and to understand life on Earth. Find out more at http://www. sanger. ac. uk or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and on our Blog.

Wellcome

Wellcome exists to improve health by helping great ideas to thrive. We support researchers, we take on big health challenges, we campaign for better science, and we help everyone get involved with science and health research. We are a politically and financially independent foundation. http://www. wellcome. ac. uk

This story has been published on: 2020-06-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
In less than four weeks time, on June 29th, childcare services can re-open to provide services to the children of essential workers. Childcare providers are working hard behind the scenes to ensure that their premises are up to standard, but unfortunately there will be many that will not open for a number of reasons, including lack of space to allow social distancing, and uncertainty surrounding childcare scheme subsidies.

Claire Barden provides care for 145 children in Ballymote in two premises, Learn Early Montessori Academy & Creche & Claire Barden School Aged Childcare.

Claire says she, like many other childcare providers, is awaiting guidance from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs as to how she can open in a way that is safe for children and parents.

Prior to last week, providers say they had not been consulted as to what they feel are safe and child centred ways to re-open.

All childcare providers have now received contact from Katherine Zappone, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

A survey which was conducted by the Federation of Early Childhood providers showed that only nine out ten childcare providers intend on re-opening on the 29th of June.

Claire told The Sligo Champion: "I myself hope that I will reopen on the 29th of June to welcome my children back to Learn Early, however this is all subject to government investment and re-instating all schemes which they cut in April.

"Every child in Ireland is now entitled to a government subsidy irrespective of means, therefore currently no children in childcare services in Ireland have scheme subsidies in place for when we're to re-open on June 29th. The minister agrees social distancing will not work among small children and therefore, the suggested Play Pod method, where by a group of children stay within the same groups with the same educator, and rooms, seems like a workable option.

"Play pods, would allow for minimum spread of infection and contact tracing, if there was an infection outbreak, children are already catered for in age appropriate groups and playrooms, therefore the transition for children and staff will be child centred.

"Adult/child ratios will remain the same as will space requirements, as per the childcare regulations. This is a welcome announcement. PPE is not a requirement, with the exceptions of gloves and aprons, which we used for nappy changes and cleaning prior to covid-19.

"It has also been confirmed from Allianz that there will be no exclusion for Covid-19 on our current insurance policies. The biggest welcome from the issued guidelines is our child centred approach will remain and children will remain the heart of our policies and procedures. We await details of the maximum play pod sizes."

The re-instatement of childcare scheme subsidies remains up in the air, after all state funding was cut in April.

The uncertainty over these subsidises means that many chilldcare facilities may not re-open later in the month.

"Are all scheme subsidies going to be re-introduced?" Claire posed the question. "If not, parents cannot be expected to cover the brunt of the possible increased cost of childcare. Providers won't be in a position to make up the potential shortfall in the government schemes.

"It would be more cost effective to remain closed. Providers already faced huge insurance hikes of 300% early this year. This, I feel is the reason service providers surveyed indicated they would not re open on the 29th of June.

"What we need to look at first and foremost is the child, they are the heart of and centre to all this. I am lucky with my two services that I have ample amounts of space and I am happy I can provide a secure base for my children and families as I have successfully provided for 12 years' pre-coronavirus.

"Providers like myself, find ourselves in a position where we do not know what to communicate with parents in regards to re-opening and childcare fees until the DCYA confirm subsidies are reinstated.

"I have updated all our policies and procedures, staff handbook and I have undergone additional training and received qualifications in infection and disease control, measures which will be in place once we return to minimise spread of infection."

As a parent herself, Claire completely understands the concerns of other parents, particularly from a financial aspect with no guarantees right now regarding subsidies.

She is, however, looking forward to getting back to work and seeing everyone again, albeit in slightly different circumstances with the layout of buildings changed to provide for social distancing. There will also be a new external hand sanitiser station for parents.

She said: "With no information in regards to children subsidies, we cannot make concrete decisions in regards to childcare costs which ultimately will be a huge concern to parents. A recent survey also states that parents won't return children to services due to coronavirus. I myself as a one parent family, I am looking to return to work and the new normal, when it is safe to do so, June 29th for myself.

"My team of educators also look forward to returning. We miss the children dearly, we spent a large portion of our week with our children in creche and its lonesome now not been able to see them grow and share experiences with them. Although we interact now via Facebook creche page for story time and activities. It is not healthy for children to be isolated from their friends.

"My little boy has not interacted with children since March 12th. Although we enjoy spending time together, he needs company of his own age, and I personally look forward to Sean returning to school in September, as I have every confidence in the teaching staff to ensure all precautions are in place, and we cannot continue to live in isolation."

While she had her own concerns at first regarding her own health, Claire is also worried that the many children for whom creche may have been a safe space, across the country, might be struggling without it.

"I lived in fear for the first four weeks, as I am a severe asthmatic, however, this virus does not appear to be going anywhere soon. I believe we need to learn to live with the virus, people's mental health will suffer and that could potentially cause more damage than the coronavirus pandemic to Irish families.

"It makes you also question how many children under Tusla referral who had a safe space within childcare services are now subjected to domestic violence and neglect. School and creche, for these children was their happy space, where they were loved and cared for, and in some instances the only place they received a hot meal. We also need to consider children with additional needs, who thrive on routine, and need the stimulation provided pre covid by their educators."

Now, with the country preparing to take the next step to bring us somewhat closer to returning to normal, Claire feels that everyone has a responsibility to try to ensure the slow down of the spread of Covid-19. She is also encouraging people to get in touch with their local politicians regarding childcare and government provisions for the services.

"The onus is on us going forward to ensure if we or our children are sick or have symptoms of an illness, that children & adults remain at home and self-isolate, continue to have strict hand hygiene we can all play a part in getting society back to normal for July 20th when we all return to work.

"What I propose is parents start to contact their local politician and address the issue of childcare, as we need our childcare services re opened in a safe manner for all stakeholders involved.

"The cost of re-opening childcare service's in Ireland, should not fall on the shoulders of parents or the providers, the government need to step up and listen to our sector. Ireland spends 0.5% of GDP on Early Years compared to Norway at 1.2% GDP, yes the Irish government has invested heavily in early years over the past number of years, what is not seen is the early years educators earning below the living wage to provide these schemes."

Claire wishes to reassure parents that she will be re-opening her services for children of essential workers from June 29th.

Once the Department for Children and Youth Affairs confirms guidelines, she says she will email them on to parents to make sure that they are fully up to date with everything.

And although the future is very unclear for everyone at the minute, Claire remains defiant and is determined that she will come out of this stronger than ever.

"We are calling for a realistic plan to be in a position to re-open our services, in a safe and sustainable manner, where providers are consulted in regards to the future of our business. All business owners in every sector, face the same hurdles to reopen and the plan to long term sustainability.

"Only business owners know the true pain and heartache, caused the day we were forced to close our business.

"A piece of my heart broke on March 12th, when I had to drive away from my life's work, faced with uncertainty.

"I now have two empty premises in Ballymote, that yearns for the laughter of children. Although I don't know what lies ahead, one thing is for sure, I will face it head on with a smile, and when covid-19 is a distant memory we will be stronger for it."

Minister Zappone, last Friday announced a number of developments to assist childcare providers and parents plan for the reopening of services on June 29.

Minister Zappone welcomed expert guidance provided by the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) written specifically for the childcare sector.

The guidance, developed in consultation with her Department, focuses on a 'play pod' model. The 'play pod' model restricts interactions between closed groups of children and adults as an alternative to social distancing, which is not possible with young children.

The purpose of 'play-pods' is to limit the number of people a child has contact with, to facilitate tracing, and to support close, positive interactions between children and their adult caregivers, like in a key-worker system. This system will also reduce the amount of contact adults have with each other. Where possible, there should be two adults in a 'play-pod', to allow breaks without need for floating staff. The maximum size of a 'play-pod' will be confirmed in the coming days.

Services will now be asked to apply the guidance to their setting and determine what capacity they may offer. It is expected that a significant amount of capacity will be available in individual services that reopen in the summer, subject to, for example, their space, room layout and staffing availability. Whilst there are 4,500 Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare services in the country, fewer than 2,000 of these normally remain open in July and August.

The HPSC guidance developed by their Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control Division (AMRIC) on 'Infection Prevention and Control guidance for settings providing childcare during the COVID-19 Pandemic' was agreed by NPHET's Expert Advisory Group last week. As services reopen, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs will keep the operation of the guidance under close review and take appropriate updated action as required.

The Minister also announced which children would be eligible to resume full or part-time childcare services from 29 June. Whilst initially the Government Roadmap had indicated that services would resume only for the children of essential workers, this has now been widened. Subject to local capacity, services are encouraged to support:

- Children of health and social care workers, other frontline workers, childcare practitioners and parents who need access to childcare in order to return to work.

- Vulnerable children sponsored under the National Childcare Scheme(NCS) (for example, children who are homeless and Tusla referrals) and children funded through legacy childcare schemes who are experiencing poverty, disadvantage or child welfare issues.

- Children with disabilities who previously attended part or full-time early learning and care, including those preparing to start school in September.

- Children previously registered in childcare services on March 12, whose parents continue to need childcare for employment or training purposes and who were assured that they would retain their place through conditions attached to the Department's Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS). If capacity issues emerge, priority should be given to the children of essential or frontline workers.

Childminders will also be able to resume looking after children in the childminder's home from June 29, while complying with HPSC advice.

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has been engaging intensively with a number of organisations representing the childcare sector, through an Advisory Group. It is preparing a range of additional guidance and resources to assist the sector to prepare for reopening. These will start to issue in the coming days and continue over the 4 remaining weeks before opening.
Some cases are so bizarre and strange that they can leave the most experienced medical professionals absolutely befuddled.

That's exactly what happened at an Assam hospital when doctors had to deal with a patient who had shoved an entire mobile charger up his bladder!

Faceboo/Wallie Islam

When a case of stomach ache came to doctors in a hospital in Assam, this was probably not even the last thing they expected to find.

The 30-year-old man had come to them claiming that he had swallowed a whole mobile charger cable and it resulted in a stomach ache. What followed was utterly bizarre.

The doctors then decided to get a stool test and an endoscopy done, to determine the whereabouts of the wire.

The patient came to us with severe abdomen pain and told us that he consumed a headphone cable by mistake. We examined his stool and conducted an endoscopy as well but couldnt find the cable. When we operated him, there was nothing in his gastrointestinal tract, Dr Walliul Islam, a noted surgeon in Guwahati told HT.



We examined his stool and conducted an endoscopy but could not find the wire. When we operated him, there was nothing in the gastrointestinal tract, Dr Islam, told The Hindustan Times.

Surprises in Surgery! After 25 years of experience in Surgery, I continue to be surprised and shocked by instances... Posted by Wallie Islam on Wednesday, June 3, 2020

The doctor who treated the man, took to his Facebook account to share the not-so-usual medical experience, with pictures and a surgery video which shows the cable being successfully retrieved.



In the Facebook post, Dr Islam wrote, 'Surprises in Surgery! After 25 years of experience in Surgery, I continue to be surprised and shocked by instances like this where my intellectual and surgical skills are challenged'.

'A 30 year old man came to me with complaints of pain abdomen and history of accidental ingestion of headphones. I operated upon him to find nothing in his Gastrointestinal tract...but instead discovered a mobile phone charger cord in his Urinary Bladder (sic)'. Dr Islam wrote in shock and amazement.

Facebook/Wallie Islam

Dr Islam told News18 that the man had a habit of inserting cables among other things through his penis for sexual pleasure but things didn't go as planned and the cable ended up reaching his urinary bladder.



Its a type of masturbation called urethral sounding, which is the insertion of an object or liquid through the urethra, the doctor explained.

However, the urethral sounding is not a rare phenomenon. Instances of men indulging in it are known. But this person went to an extreme and hence the cable reached his urinary bladder, Islam added.

It was further revealed that the man came to them five days after the ordeal and kept stating that he had consumed it through the mouth. Dr Islam said the patient doesnt have any mental disorder and indulged in the act only for sexual pleasure.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP)  Dozens of Buffalo police officers stepped down from the departments crowd control unit Friday, objecting to the suspensions of two fellow officers in the shoving of a 75-year-old protester who fell and cracked his head.

Prosecutors were investigating the encounter captured by a TV crew Thursday night near the conclusion of protests over the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. The footage shows an elderly man identified as Martin Gugino approaching a line of helmeted officers holding batons as they clear demonstrators from Niagara Square around the time of an 8 p.m. curfew.

Two officers push Gugino backward, and he hits his head on the pavement. Blood spills as officers walk past. One officer leans down to check on the injured man before another officer urges the colleague to keep walking.

Why? Why was that necessary? Where was the threat? asked Gov. Andrew Cuomo at his daily briefing Friday. The governor said he spoke to Gugino, who had been hospitalized in serious condition. Its just fundamentally offensive and frightening. How did we get to this place?

The police commissioner suspended two police officers without pay Friday, Mayor Byron Brown said.

In response, all 57 members of the Buffalo Police Departments emergency response team quit the unit in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders, said John Evans, Police Benevolent Association president, according to WGRZ.

Two of the resigning police officers denied the action was intended to be a show of support for the two suspended officers.

We quit because our union said [they] arent legally backing us anymore. So why would we stand on a line for the City with no legal backing if something [were to] happen? Has nothing to do with us supporting, one officer, who was not identified, told WKBW.

The resigning officers did not leave their jobs altogether, only from their roles on the BPD Emergency Response Team.

Warning: Video contains potentially disturbing content.

Just about an hour ago, police officers shove man in Niagara Square to the ground (WARNING: Graphic). Video from: @MikeDesmondWBFO pic.twitter.com/JBKQLvzfET  WBFO (@WBFO) June 5, 2020

Gugino and the officers all appear to be white, but details of their backgrounds were not released.

Late Friday, the New York City Police Department announced the suspension of two other officers, including one seen on video shoving a much smaller, female protester who was hurled back and hit her head on the pavement.

The Buffalo confrontation raised concerns about more possible flare-ups in a city where, earlier this week, two officers enforcing a curfew were injured by an SUV that plowed into a large group of officers who had begun swinging batons and using police dogs to enforce the curfew.

Things looked to have calmed somewhat Friday evening, as a large group of about 300 protesters marched uptown peacefully but after the city's 8 p.m. curfew, accompanied by two police cars and a police helicopter.

Brown said contingency plans are in place ensure public safety." Additional state troopers will be in the city through the weekend to assist Buffalo police, according to a state police spokesman. And Brown said they are working with other agencies.

I want people out in our community to know that people peacefully protesting will be protected, Brown said at a news conference Friday.

Protests are expected to continue nationwide over the death of Floyd  a black man who died after a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck for several minutes.

Gugino was hospitalized and was alert and oriented, according to a Friday morning tweet by Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz.

Poloncarz at a briefing later in the day wished Gugino a speedy recovery and said the encounter "created a black mark, a stain on the city of Buffalo."

The district attorney's office continues to investigate the incident," officials said in a news release.

Gugino is a retiree who lives by himself in the area, say friends who describe him as a veteran peace activist driven by his faith and a desire for social justice. He is involved with the Western New York Peace Center and Latin American Solidarity Committee, said Vicki Ross, the centers executive director.

I can assure you, Martin is a peaceable person, Ross said. There is no way that he was doing anything to accost or hurt. He made a judgment to stay out after the curfew because he feels that our civil liberties are so in danger, which they most certainly are.

His Twitter timeline includes tweets and retweets supportive of progressive causes and critical of police.

Ross said Gugino has been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.

It doesnt surprise me that Martin was standing there looking at these young cops in the eye, Mark Colville of the Amistad Catholic Worker said of his longtime friend.

Buffalo police initially said in a statement that a person was injured when he tripped & fell, WIVB-TV reported, but Capt. Jeff Rinaldo later told the TV station an internal investigation was opened. Police later apologized and said they were working with incomplete details during what was a very fast-moving and fluid situation.

The office of state Attorney General Letitia James tweeted that officials there were aware of the video.
And entertaining at home or in a park can be safer than outdoor dining at restaurants, because you can control who touches all the food, plates and table settings at all times, and be responsible for your own distancing.

Miss happy hour with your colleagues? Prepare two cocktails at home, funnel them into the strongest cooling bottle you have and ask a friend to meet you with his or her own glass. Pour out your drink, have your pal place the other glass six feet away, fill it then retreat back to your spot. Lift a glass to your ingenuity.

Distance is everything.

If you plan on having a larger group, get out your tape measure and make sure your chairs are at least six feet apart. Do not place shared tables between them. If you have an outdoor space big enough for multiple tables, space them accordingly and have only those who have been sheltering together sit together at each one. Mark each groups space with clever floor decals or other objects. Position planters or other markings between the tables so that the separation is clear, said Jennifer Collins, chief executive of JDC Events, an event planning agency, in Silver Spring, Md.

There can still be special touches such as flowers and linen to adorn the tables, Ms. Collins added. Her other suggestions: There should be a bin where guests can dispose of trash so that the host doesnt need to touch it. Guests should wear masks at all times, except for when dining. The host should also have a few extra masks on hand in case someone arrives without one.

B.Y.O. Everything

On this, the experts all agreed: Bring your own food, silverware and plates (or bring paper and plastic utensils, preferably biodegradable ones to reduce waste) and drinks, including alcoholic beverages and glasses. This should also include bringing your own condiments, Ms. Collins said. It would also be great to have hand sanitizer on each table. You might feel badly as a host  your job is to prepare a lovely feast  but everyone will accept the new normal.
Keith Nielsen, the chairman-elect of the Harris County Republican Party, announced Saturday he will not take office in August after facing criticism and calls to step down for his recent Facebook post displaying a Martin Luther King Jr. quote next to a banana.

The post, which recalls the racist trope associating black people with monkeys, spurred top Republican officials including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz to call for Nielsen to decline the office. He was set to become chairman Aug. 3 after defeating incumbent Paul Simpson in March.

In a statement posted to Facebook, Nielsen again invoked the King quote  Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere  from his controversial post, saying it is as relevant today as when it was delivered.

Nielsens announcement means the partys executive committee will vote to decide the next chair. The committee is scheduled to meet June 29.

The news came amid growing momentum to push Nielsen out as chair-elect. Eleven Harris County GOP precinct chairs had signed and begun circulating a no confidence petition that called for Nielsen not to assume the position.

A spokesperson for Simpson, asked whether the chairman plans to seek the position again, said he was not ready to comment on his future plans.

Nielsen, who resigned from the Pasadena planning commission Friday, previously apologized for the post and said he had zero malicious intent. He said he had intended to speak out against the violence, burning and looting of small businesses that have unfolded during protests for George Floyd and say that its bananas to act this way.

Floyd, a black former Houston resident, died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

State Sen. Paul Bettencourt said he respected Nielsen for his decision, adding that the true measure of a person is what they do in the face of adversity.

jasper.scherer@chron.com
The partial shutdown at Tucsons federal court began to lift in recent weeks, but key functions remain canceled.

The pandemic led Chief U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to shut down jury trials in March, as well as the grand jury that hands up indictments and a fast-track prosecution program for illegal-border-crossing cases in Tucson.

The pandemic remains a national public health emergency, Snow wrote in a May 28 order, but the current guidance of public health officials allows for a modification in court operations to permit the resumption of limited in-court proceedings.

Snow ordered the partial lifting of the moratorium on hearings and jury trials starting June 1, although they must be conducted according to federal health guidelines.

Anyone who attends hearings or trials must wear a mask and observe social-distancing rules, Snow wrote.

A maximum of 10 people can sit in the public areas of the courtroom and they must sit in areas marked with an X.

No one with symptoms such as a fever or cough is allowed to enter the courthouse.

All court activities not related to cases remain canceled, including naturalization ceremonies and educational events, Snow ordered.

Customer service counters at the clerks office will remain closed to the public until June 12, Snow ordered.

In late March and early April, court filings plummeted as drug smuggling and illegal border crossings slowed. Federal agencies also delayed some prosecutions and Customs and Border Protection started quickly expelling migrants at the border instead of sending them to court.
GREEN Party deputy leader Catherine Martin has confirmed to party members that she will stand against Eamon Ryan in a leadership contest.

As talks to form a government enter what she described as "a critically important phase" this weekend, Ms Martin has written to members who put her name forward for the forthcoming Green Party leadership election to confirm she is accepting their nomination.

In an email, she admitted the timing of the election is "less than ideal" but noted the circumstances are beyond her control. Green Party rules stipulate a leadership election must happen within six months of an election. Nominations close on Sunday ahead of an expected election in the third week of July.

Ms Martin is understood to have been nominated by over 200 members - four times the number needed to secure a nomination. According to one party source, she has double the number of nominations that Mr Ryan has.

Expand Close Green Party leader Eamon Ryan and deputy Catherine Martin. Picture: RollingNews.ie / Facebook

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Ms Martin said she will refrain from campaigning until programme for government negotiations with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael conclude and any draft programme for government is voted on by members.

The three parties are attempting to broker a deal in the coming days before putting it to their respective memberships. Any deal must be backed by two-thirds of Green members for the party to enter government.

In her email, Ms Martin wrote: "Our party has always cherished its inherent democratic structures and whilst it goes without saying that the timing of this election is less than ideal, the circumstances are beyond our control.

"Hence, in light of these government negotiations (which are entering a critically important phase), I will not engage in any election canvassing and campaigning whatsoever, nor will I do any media in respect of the leadership contest until such time as the crucial Programme for Government negotiations have concluded uninterrupted and our members have considered and voted on any deal which may arise.

"Once this comes to a full conclusion, I look forward to sharing with you my vision for our Party. I relish engaging in a deep, vibrant and enthusiastic conversation with all Green Party members about the future of the Party and how we can best serve the people of Ireland and safeguard our planet."
Taiwan Voters Oust Beijing-Friendly Mayor in Historic Recall Election

TAIPEI, TaiwanA Beijing-friendly mayor in Taiwan who was the opposition candidate in this years presidential race has been voted out of office after an unprecedented recall election on June 6.

More than 939,000 people voted to remove Han Kuo-yu, the mayor of southern Taiwans city of Kaohsiung and a member of the Kuomintang (KMT) party, for being unfit for office. About 25,000 people voted against Hans recall. The voting turnout was about 42 percent.

Han is the first Taiwanese official ever to be removed this way.

He conceded defeat in a TV broadcast, blaming the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for mobilizing an attack campaign against him since May.

Its unfortunate that our team have been constantly discredited, facing distorted, slanderous, and unfounded criticism, Han said.

More than 40 percent of the eligible 2.29 million voters voted for Han to step downwell above the 570,000 votes required to remove him under local electoral law.

Han was put on the recall ballot after local civic groups, led by WeCare Kaohsiung, collected more than 370,000 signatures in a petition drive in the city that ended in early April. The collected signatures were then handed over to Taiwans Central Election Commission, who then approved and scheduled a date for the recall election.

The recall effort was driven in part because of local anger about how Han took a monthslong leave of absence to run for president, less than a year after he was elected mayor in November 2018. Locals were unhappy about how Han failed to fulfill his mayoral campaign promises to improve Kaohsiung and was instead more focused on his presidential campaign.

Han was nominated by the KMT in July 2019 to run for the January 2020 presidential election. He then suffered a landslide defeat to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP.

At a local rally late June 6, Aaron Yin, the founder of Wecare Kaohsiung, said: We want the local politicians to know it is the people who give you the power. If you do a poor job, if you betray the people, the people can take back the power given to you.

While running for mayor and the president, Han repeatedly called for the islands greater economic integration with China. The Chinese regimes state media have previously praised Han because of his efforts at advancing cross-strait relations.

Meanwhile, Tsai is known for taking a tougher stance against the Chinese regime, particularly her strong opposition to Beijings proposal to rule Taiwan under the one country, two systems model. The model is currently used in Hong Kong since the citys sovereignty was handed over from Britain to China in 1997.

Beijing has proposed the idea of using this model to govern Taiwan, as it views the self-ruled island as its territory, despite the fact that Taiwan has its own military, currency, and democratically-elected officials.

Implications

In Hans concession remarks, he didnt say whether he would challenge the recall results. Later, the head of the citys information bureau didnt answer when asked by local reporters about Hans next move.

The Central Election Commission will formally announce the final vote tally in the next seven days, according to local government-run Central News Agency (CNA). Then Taiwans central government will name a person to take up the mayoral position in Kaohsiung, and a by-election for a new mayor will be held within the next three months.

However, if Han were to challenge the recall results in court, a by-election would be delayed until after the court verdict.

Taiwans Executive Yuan, which is the executive branch of the Taiwanese government, said the recall showed the world how Taiwan is a mature democracy, in a statement after the election results.

The successful recall has implications for Hong Kong, said Tun Li-wen, a China expert at a local institute called Taiwan Think Tank, in an interview with the Taiwan branch of NTD, an affiliate of The Epoch Times.

The regime recently imposed a national security law for the city, which critics say marks the end to Hong Kongs autonomy that was supposed to be guaranteed by Beijing under the one country, two systems framework.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will be more determined to suppress Hong Kong after seeing the recall results because it fears what democracy would bring, Tun said.

More specifically, Tun pointed to Hong Kongs next Legislative Council (LegCo) elections scheduled for September. If pro-democracy candidates were to win more than half of the 70-seat LegCo, the CCP would likely use the national security law to intimidate and control LegCo, so lawmakers wouldnt initiate any bills that might upset Beijing.

Beijings rubber-stamp legislature adopted the national security law after a ceremonial vote on May 28. The law criminalizes activities in connection to subversion, secession, foreign interference, and terrorism. It will take effect in Hong Kong after Beijing drafts the details of the legislation.

The LegCo elections are considered another referendum on the pro-Beijing Hong Kong government headed by Carrie Lam, after pro-democracy candidates scored a landslide victory in the citys district council elections in November 2019.
Two candidates for the state House of Representatives in the June 2 primary election, both ardent opponents of the Mariner East Pipeline construction project, were the targets of television attack ads and a media blitz in the days and weeks just prior to the election, according to the candidates.

The ads, along with other media opportunities slamming the candidates  incumbent state Rep. Danielle Friel-Otten, D-155th, of Uwchlan and her close ally, small business owner Ginny Kerslake of West Whiteland  were paid for with so-called dark money, funds funneled through shadowy political action committees (PACs) that do not reveal their intentions or supporters in the ads themselves.

If we want a different kind of politics, at some point we need to not just ask for a different kind of politics; we need to vote for a different kind of politics, and we actually have to do a different kind of politics, Friel-Otten said in a press announcement issued about the ads on Monday, less than 24 hours before the polls opened. Some days, thats really hard, especially when the baseless attacks are personal, filled with falsehoods by faceless cowards. Voters deserve better, and our children certainly deserve a better example.

Special interests are afraid of us because were threatening to provide a real voice for residents of Chester County, said Kerslake, who is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the 167th Legislative District, a seat held by a fellow Democrat, Kristine Howard, since 2019. I can only hope that my opponent disavows these ads and allows the people of our community, to decide the outcome of this election, rather than dark money.

In unofficial returns from the Chester County Voters Services Office, Friel-Otten appeared to have secured the Democratic nomination for a second-term, topping her challenger, political newcomer Rose Danese, with 7,256 votes, or 74 percent, to 2,492 votes, or 25 percent. Kerslake appeared to have fallen short of beating Howard for the nomination, winning 4,289 votes, or 40 percent, to Howards 6,209 votes, or 59 percent.

The television ads, seen dozens of times over the weekend, do not refer to Friel-Ottens and Kerslakes opposition to the Mariner East pipeline, which runs through Uwchlan, West Whiteland and East Whiteland and which has been the subject of heated protests over the past year or more. Both candidates said, however, that it seemed clear to them that their stance was the fire behind the attacks.

The one targeting Friel-Otten was paid for by a PAC called Building for Americas Future, an organization that is not found in any Google search. Likewise, the ads that boost Howards campaign over Kerslake were paid for a PAC called Stronger Pennsylvania, also not found on the internet. (There is an organization called Building Americas Future associated with former Gov. Ed Rendell that is not behind the ads.)

The two PACs share an address in Pittsburgh tied to a law firm there, Kerslake said. The Strong Pennsylvania PAC spent $157,984 on the media campaign while Building for Americas Future spent $125,500, records shared by the two womens campaigns showed.

The ads against Friel-Otten complain that although she had not gotten any legislation passed during her 18 months in office, she had spent thousands of dollars on perks, including stereo speakers and a rug. Friel-Otten pointed out that among her legislative accomplishments involved land at Marsh Creek State Park that was turned over to local government for use as open space. She also said that she had stayed with the budget she had been given by the state House of Representatives for her office, and that those funds do not come out of her annual salary.

There is no doubt that these ads are backlash for my unwavering stance against petrochemical and fossil fuel expansion in Pennsylvania, she said in a statement.

By an overwhelming margin, voters showed that their votes cannot be bought by outrageous falsehoods and mean spirited rhetoric, she added. I cannot tell you how many people reached out or mentioned that they stood in line or made a special trip to make sure to vote because they had seen the ads and they made it their priority to make sure they showed up for me. The amount of pride and gratitude that brings to me is indescribable. We showed the power of community over the power of special interests.

The television spot aimed at Kerslake was different than that opposing Friel-Otten in that it asked viewers to consider voting for Howard. But Kerslake said the selling point for Howards campaign  her support for environmental causes and endorsement by the Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania  are what won her attention in a race for county commissioner last year.

The ad attacks Kerslake for dark money raised in support of her 2019 race, referring to the $60,000 spent by Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania and Food and Water Action as they campaigned on her behalf through an independent expenditure, according to her campaign. This ad then highlights Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania as a reason for supporting Howard.

The ad itself is a contradiction, as it is being funded by actual dark money, likely from the fossil fuel industry, and probably on its own costs more than the amount of support environmental groups spent in support of Kerslake in 2019, her campaign stated.

Kerslake said that she believed the ads played a role in the final results of the race in the 167th District.

With a 19-point lead by my opponent as of 9 pm Friday, it appears fossil fuel special interests may have been successful in their last-ditch effort to buy this election with $158,000 in negative TV and radio ads layered with mailers and robocalls, she said. My opponent never disavowed it, so she must have appreciated their help.

The vote count is neither over nor official, but if we do come up short of victory it took a pandemic keeping us from on knocking doors, endorsements and efforts from the party, the governor and other PACs, and a massive war chest of fossil fuel money to stop our campaign, she said in an e-mail Saturday.

Howard did not respond to telephone calls for comment last week. However, her campaign spokesman, political consultant Marty Marks, said her campaign had nothing to do with the ads.

Neither our candidate nor anyone affiliated with our campaign had any knowledge or coordination with any outside groups, Marks said in an e-mail. We also believe any efforts by outside groups had negligible effects on the outcome of our race given that the communications from the outside groups on television and in the mail came in the last five days before Election Day after nearly 85 percent of the vote had already been cast by mail.

Friel-Otten, who has been attacked in earlier television advertisements over her opposition to the pipeline, said she had no reason to think the dark money ads would disappear in the fall General Election. But she said she did not think it would make a difference in the eventual results.

I think their money would obviously be better spent elsewhere based on the election outcome, she said. My constituents are well informed and saw through it. I won more than 74 percent of the vote. We had one of the highest margin victories in the state among contested primaries.

It all just goes to show how much they have to gain by electing good little button-pushers who let them control the legislature, theyre willing to waste that much money. In a global pandemic, there are a lot of great places money like that could go to serve people in real need, she said.

To contact staff writer Michael P. Rellahan call 610-696-1544.
Yoga has no place in Christians' lives, Greek Orthodox Church says

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Patriarch and senior bishops of the Greek Orthodox Church have declared yoga to be "completely incompatible" with the Christian faith, saying it has more to do with the Hindu religion than physical exercise.

Yoga has no place "in the life of Christians," the church's synod, or governing body, ruled in response to Greek media outlets recommending yoga to deal with stress during coronavirus quarantine, the BBC reports.

"[Yoga] is a fundamental chapter in Hindu religion ... it is not a 'kind of physical exercise,'" the Holy Synod declared in a statement this week.

The church's declaration is based on the "experience of those who practiced yoga," Father Michael Konstantinidis told Greek media. "If yoga offered what man wanted, we would be happy," he said.

Yoga is practiced mostly as a physical exercise by roughly 300 million people around the world, according to the International Yoga Federation.

At an event last year, Metropolitan Nektarios of Argolis warned people about the "dangers" of doing yoga, saying, "We make a confession to God. This is the same thing that people do during yoga," The U.K. Times noted.

Yoga involves "Pranayama," or breathing exercises involve, in some forms of it, the chanting of "Om," a mystical Sanskrit sound that is considered sacred in Hinduism. However, some believe that the religious part of the original yoga can be adopted or customized by people of other faiths as per their own beliefs.

Some practice what they call "Christian yoga." However, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler Jr. has denounced the idea, explaining that the origins of the practice are incompatible with Christianity.

In a recent episode of his podcast "The Briefing," Mohler described the origins of yoga, which hail from Hindu and Buddhist practices and philosophy.

"It is deeply based in both Hinduism and Buddhism and the traditional meditative practices that are inseparable from yoga as physical movement involve those traditional Buddhist and Hindu teachings, and it shows up not only in the word 'Namaste,' it shows up even in the basic philosophy of what the body is doing," Mohler said.

"It also shows up in a distinct theological understanding of the body in motion and the body in pose. It also shows up in a deep conflict between Christianity and both Hinduism and Buddhism and yoga as a dimension of both when it comes to the purpose of the mind and how we are as Christians to exercise the mind," Mohler added.

His comments came in response to a proposed bill in the Alabama Legislature that would lift a ban on the practice of yoga in public schools, albeit without the overt religious content. Known as House Bill 235 and introduced in February by state Rep. Jeremy Gray of Opelika, the proposal was approved by the House education policy committee. The bill would allow local school boards to approve yoga classes under certain conditions, among them making the class an elective rather than a requirement.

In 2018, Pastor John Lindell of the James River Church in Ozark, Missouri, warned his 10,000-member congregation not to participate in yoga, saying that positions associated with exercise and meditation activity were designed to "open you up to demonic power."

Lindell gave a sermon, titled "Pursuing the Paranormal," before Halloween that year in which he spoke out against "demonic influences" such as paganism, witchery, sorcery, fortune-telling, astrology and elements of Eastern mysticism such as yoga. "I am doing this because it seems that our culture is becoming increasingly obsessed with all things paranormal," the Assemblies of God pastor said at the beginning of the sermon.

Lindell said that one of the most pressing signs of the "post-Christian" society was the mainstream acceptance of yoga by not only the culture but Christians and Christian organizations.
HSE chiefs are coming under mounting pressure to close Connolly Barracks as a Covid-19 drive thru test centre amid claims as few as five examinations are taking place at the facility on a daily basis.

It comes less than 24 hours after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced plans to fast-track Ireland's exit from Covid-19 lockdown.

Drumlish based County Councillor Paraic Brady, who sits on the HSE' Dublin Mid Leinster Health Forum made the claim this week barely seven weeks after the facility was turned into a designated test centre.

"Based on the figures (tests), I just don't see a need for it now," argued the Fine Gael representative.

A statement from the HSE issued to the Leader appeared to downplay any talk of the barracks being closed, insisting its position "remained the same" with testing being "rotated weekly between Westmeath and Longford."

Cllr Brady laughed off those assertions however and called on health officials to review their stance in the interests of public finances.

"It's (testing) rotated from week to week," replied a puzzled Cllr Brady.

"At the end of the day its taxpayers money which is paying for this," he said.

"With restrictions being lifted and unless there is a spike in cases, it makes sense to close it."
Ukraine world's second-largest exporter of organic produce to EU

23:20, 05.06.20 2032

In 2019, the EU imported 3.24 million tonnes of organic products, of which more than 10% was delivered from Ukraine.
We have numerous officers out there to do this, but when you have groups of ... people causing violence in our community, we have to do our best to protect lives and then property, he said. So thats what we attempted to do. We tried to get to everybody, but unfortunately we werent able to get to everybody.
By Aisha Jabbarova

Azerbaijan's daily coronavirus infections hit record 369 on June 6, with the total number of COVID-19 cases reaching 7,239 in the country.

Two of the patients - aged 79 and 54 - have died. The number of the recovered patients was 153 today.

As of today, Azerbaijan, the nation of ten million, has registered 7,239 cases of coronavirus infections, 4,024 of the patients have recovered and 84 have died.

Presently, 3,131 people are being treated in special treatment hospitals. The health condition of 72 patients out of those 3,131 is assessed as severe, 86 people are in moderately severe condition, and the rest feel normal.

The country has carried out 334,863 tests to reveal COVID-19 cases so far.

Azerbaijan imposed a weekend lockdown effective from June 6 till June 8 morning to curb the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown might be in force for up to two months if the conoravirus infections continue to grow, the prime minister announced on June 4.

___

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNews.az
Affordable housing aimed at alleviating homelessness is coming to the Danforth and Victoria Park avenues area.

The City of Toronto is expediting its Modular Housing Initiative for land it owns at 11 Macey Ave. in southwest Scarborough.

The plot belongs to the city and will be used as Phase I of the initiative that aims to provide stable, affordable and high-quality housing and support services to individuals experiencing homelessness by fall of 2020. The program is part of the citys HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan.

City-owned lands were evaluated using criteria that included local demand for affordable housing, development potential, local infrastructure, access to public transit, and access to health and other community services.

Two sites have been proposed: 150 Harrison St. (near Dovercourt and Dundas in the west end) and 11 Macey Ave. (north and east of Danforth and Victoria Park).

On Macey Avenue, there are 56 bachelor apartments planned. The city will select non-profit housing providers to manage the property.

Modular homes will be pre-fabricated, and installed on site. The buildings are to include self-contained bachelor units with a kitchen, and administrative and program space.

The city is hosting a community engagement process with online events planned for each of the proposed locations.

Members of the community are encouraged to participate and provide comments and suggestions. The city hopes to collect feedback from the public on building and site design elements, and ideas on how to support and welcome residents into the neighbourhood.

The full cost of Phase I is estimated at $20.9 million, with funding coming from the citys Development Charges Reserve Fund for Subsidized Housing, and the federal governments Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporations Housing Innovation Fund, which has committed $8.25 million in grants and loans.

Scarborough-Southwest Councillor Gary Crawford will host the public engagement meetings for the Macey Avenue property.

Providing permanent, affordable rental housing with support services on-site will help people to move out of the shelter system and off of the streets, Crawford said.

I am advocating for the best possible initiative here in Ward 20 (Scarborough Southwest) and I have asked staff to make sure this initiative will help Scarborough residents affected by homelessness stay close to their community and connected to community resources, he added.

Three public engagement meetings are planned for the coming weeks. Due to COVID-19 protocols, the sessions will be available online or via phone.

To join via phone, enter the access code accompanied with the session date. To join online, contact modularhousing@toronto.ca

The public engagement sessions take place Tuesday June 16 (phone access code: 133 530 4066), Tuesday June 23 (phone access code: 133 380 2766), and Wednesday July 8 (phone access code: 133 692 0767)  all from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
New Delhi: All eyes are set on the high-level military dialogue on Saturday between India and China to break the ice between the armies of the two countries who are involved in a month-long tense military stand-off in the Ladakh sector.

The meeting will take place at a Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) point in Moldo on the Chinese side and is scheduled at around 9:30 am in the morning depending upon the weather conditions, said sources.

The Leh-based 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh will represent India. However, Major General Liu Lin will represent China who is the commander of South Xinjiang Military Region of the Peoples Liberation Army. PLAs Corps is headed by Major General rank official, said sources.

The agenda is re-establishment of peace and tranquility at the Line of Actual Control which has been disturbed in the recent days, said sources.

India will demand a return to status quo in Pangong Tso, Hot Springs and Galwan Valley. On its part Chinese could ask India to stop development of infrastructure at the LAC which has increased the ability of the Indian army to deploy its troops in the mountainous region much faster. However, India is unlikely to agree to this demand as it believes that all construction is taking place in its own territory.

India is likely to focus on the Pangong Tso lake, where the two sides were involved in a brutal clash on the intervening night of May 5th and May 6th.

On the northern bank of Pangong lake, India claims that its area is from Finger area 1 to Finger 8 and Chinese claim their area to be from Finger 8 till Finger 2. Indias army base is around finger 3 and it patrols till finger 8. This time, sources said Chinese have placed a large number of troops between finger 4 to 8 to prevent patrolling by Indian troops. Chinese have also occupied some the peaks in the area.

In Galwan Valley, Chinese have brought their troops into undisputed Indian territory. PLA is unhappy with the 255 km Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie road which connects to the base of the Karakoram pass. According to sources till last year Border Road Organisation was able to blacktop the road till 210 km and the rest of it will be completed this year. Chinese presence at Galwan is a threat to DS-DBO road as they can cut off this crucial road. With this road, which is at a height of 17,000 feet, it will take Indian army to reach Daulat Beg Oldie from Leh in six hours against two days without it. India is also constructing feeder roads to the patrolling points from DS-DBO road for better connectivity.

There have been more than 10 rounds of talks held already between the two sides at different level from Commanding Officers, Brigade to Major General level to try to resolve the issue.
The Emami family

Canadian investment giant Brookfield Asset Management has sealed a deal to buy out Emami Power, the solar power business of Kolkata-based diversified conglomerate Emami Group.

When contacted, Emami Group confirmed the transaction.

"As part of our divestment plan of non-core business assets, we are happy that we could conclude the deal with Brookfield Asset Management to sell our solar power business  Emami Power, said Harsha V Agarwal, director, Emami Group.

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Emami Power is not linked directly to the listed flagship firm Emami Ltd and is a unit belonging to the promoter group.

The Emami group is looking to speedily pare its debt burden at the group level and become debt free. This transaction is a part of their ongoing non-core asset monetisation exercise, said a person familiar with the transaction.

Brookfield is very bullish on the solar power segment and is looking to build a platform or portfolio of solar and alternate power assets in India. The solar power assets they have acquired from Emami Group are operational and functional, said a second person with knowledge of the deal.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the deal valuation.

Both the persons spoke to Moneycontrol on the condition of anonymity.

Moneycontrol is awaiting an email response from Brookfield Asset Management and will update this article as soon as we hear from the firm.

Yes Securities was the financial advisor to the Emami Group for the transaction while law firm Khaitan & Co was the legal advisor, according to company officials. Moneycontrol is awaiting an email response from Khaitan & Co and could not immediately contact Yes Securities.

According to the Emami Power website, the company had already set up 11 MWp ( mega watt peak) solar power projects in Karnataka, 10 MWp solar power projects in Gujarat, a 3.3 MWp solar power project in Tamil Nadu and a 22.5 MWp solar power project in Uttarakhand.

Also Read: Exclusive l JM Financial looks to raise around $100 million via QIP, in talks with I-Sec & IDFC securities



EMAMI GROUP: THE DEBT SAGA

Debt issues engulfed Emami Group after the promoters pledged their shares in multiple entities, including Emami Ltd, to raise funds to invest into newer businesses like cement, paper and real estate. Currently, the promoter group owns about 52.7 percent stake in Emami Ltd, reduced from 62.74 percent as on March 31, 2019. Of the total promoter holding, 71.58 percent was pledged as on December 31, 2019.

In February 2019, the promoters offloaded 10 percent stake in Emami Ltd for 1,600 crore. In June, in a bid to reduce the debt burden again, the promoters sold an additional 10 percent stake in the company for Rs 1,230 crore. The debt then was Rs 3,300 crore, which was brought down to about Rs 2,200 crore.

More debt reduction deals were struck later. In February 2020, the Emami Group announced the sale of its cement business to Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd, a Nirma group company, for an enterprise value of Rs 5,500 crore. Moneycontrol was the first to report the Emami Groups plans to divest their cement assets on June 25, 2019.

Rating agency CRISIL has highlighted the impact of pledged promoter stake in a report on Emami Ltd dated March 31, 2020. CRISIL also notes the increase in pledge of promoter stake over 80 percent due to debt at group level. The increasing pledge of the stake has impacted financial flexibility of the company, the report said.

The report noted that the company management is in the process of liquidating certain business segments to reduce the promoter level debt in the near term to reduce the pledge to below 20 percent.  The timely reduction of the pledge will remain a key monitorable, it added.

Emami Group, promoted by RS Agarwal and RS Goenka, has diverse business interests, including FMCG, newsprint paper, writing instruments, edible oil and cultivation, biodiesel, hospitals, real estate, retail, cement, and contemporary art.

A CLOSER LOOK AT BROOKFIELD

Brookfield Asset Management has over $515 billion of assets under management across several sectors worldwide . Last year, it emerged as the largest private capital investor in India as it pumped in nearly $6.28 billion across private equity, infrastructure, and real estate sectors. Its $3.6 billion acquisition of the telecom infrastructure assets of Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd was the largest transaction ever by a private equity investor in India.

Brookfield also invested more than $1.87 billion in RILs gas pipeline assets, East West Pipeline Ltd.

According to its website, in India, Brookfield owns and operate a portfolio of infrastructure and real estate assets, including 22 million square feet of office properties. It also own seven toll roads totalling more than 600 km of roadway, solar and wind assets, a construction business and real estate management services.
LANSING (AP)  Michigan said Friday that it has halted 340,000 unemployment benefit accounts over concerns about fraudulent impostor claims, though many are legitimate claimants who deserve the money.

Peoples economic lifeline is now tied up due to this criminal scheme, said Jeff Donofrio, director of the state Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Our priority continues to be identifying and paying legitimate claims the benefits they need and deserve.

The state has seen a staggering 2.2 million new jobless claims since the coronavirus pandemic began in mid-March and businesses were closed to curb the spread of the virus. More than 1.7 million people have been paid.

Donofrio said people with flagged accounts were sent instructions to verify their identity. He said there is a significant amount of fraud in new claims.
Tata Kwawi Mbinglo Facebook

Tata Kwawi Mbinglo, one-time President of the University of Buea Students Union, UBSU, has called on President Paul Biya to kindly restore a society where we the youth can dream and live up to our expectations just like you had your chances.

On Friday, 33-year-old Mbinglo said President Biyas military has departed from its mission to protect the territorial integrity of the country to now carrying out acts that bring dishonour to the country, citing the February 14 killings in Ngarbuh and the death in military custody of journalist Samuel Wazizi.

The former UBSU President said the novel coronavirus has proven to be friendlier to Cameroonians than the military. Covid-19 is now more friendly to us than your military, Mbinglo told President Biya.

The youth leader posted his comments under a post on the Presidents Facebook page. President Biya had posted: Today, I granted successive audiences to French Ambassador Christophe Guilhou and outgoing South Korean Ambassador Bok-Ryeol Rhyou.

Tata Mbinglo went under this post to present his worries in the hope that it gets the attention of the 87-year-old leader who is Africas second longest-serving Head of State.

Mbinglo wrote: Mr. President, you are president today because you grew up in a society where your dreams could be realized. You had all the opportunities to live your dreams, but today, we the youth are not safe. We are illegally arrested, molested, tortured, and killed by your military. We no longer dream under your government because the only thing we hope for is the air to breathe and live even just a year longer.

Please Mr. President, kindly restore a society where we the youth can dream and live up to our expectations just like you had your chances. You have heard about the Ngarbuh massacre of your grandchildren. You have also heard of Samuel Wazizi [who died in military custody]. These are just a few that you have been fortunate to hear of. They also had dreams to become future leaders. One of them could have become the future president of Cameroon. A dream backed by hopes and aspirations enshrined in our constitution with the hope that we are all equal as citizens of this nation.

Unfortunately this has become the new normal for us.Covid-19 is now more friendly to us than your military. We hope you are not very much informed about these blatant killings but we cry to you as a grandfather to protect us as your predecessor instructed. We are no longer safe in a nation we have sacrificed so much for. Who else should we look up to Your Excellency?

Cameroon-Info.Net recalls that Tata Mbinglo served as President of the University of Buea Sociology and Anthropology Network (UBSAN) in 2007. In 2008, he was elected President of the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences Students Association (FSMSSA), as well as President of the Wimbum Students Union (WISU) Buea.

Tata Mbinglo rose to fame in 2009 after his election to the then coveted position of President of the University of Buea Students Union. He also served as Technical Adviser to the President of the Donga Mantung Divisional Youth Council.

He is described as someone who has committed himself to serve humanity and impact positively on lives as much as he can. My vision is to see a change in a real-world situation. I wish to do those things others have failed to do for the interest of the poor majority, Mbinglo is quoted as saying.
The textile market in Surat is facing labour shortage as it re-opened in the first phase of unlock and businessmen have urged the state government to relax quarantine norms for labourers who want to return to the state. They have sought a scheme enabling them to work in a safe environment. "The industry cannot function without labourers.

They do not have money. If they are sent to 14-day home quarantine upon returning, they will face issues of money, accommodation and food," Dinesh Katariya, a textile businessman in Good Luck Market said while speaking to ANI. As most of ...
From pop-up food pantries to clean-up crews, Minneapolis residents unite to support each other and honour George Floyd.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, US  A pop-up food pantry; a tagger who covers up profanity; an abandoned hotel that takes in homeless individuals and protesters. In between the news headlines that have thrust Minneapolis, Minnesota, into the United States national spotlight is a community that has come together to honour George Floyd by helping those in need.

Rows of tents flanked by piles of donated food, hygiene supplies, first-aid supplies and other goods line a field in Saint Paul, which neighbours Minneapolis, the city where Floyd was killed in late May.

The pop-up food pantry was started in the wake of the police killing of Floyd. The 46-year-old Black man died on May 25 after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd repeatedly pleaded, I cant breathe, before going motionless.

The killing set off protests in Minneapolis and across the country, calling for justice for Floyd and an end to police brutality. As anger exploded, some of the protests turned violent, with fires, looting and vandalism. Some local businesses were hit. Others were already under strain from coronavirus lockdowns that had been in place for months.

People are hurtin because of George[s] situation  And if George Floyd would have had justice from the beginning our stores would be up. If politicians, and lawmakers, and the legal world would take our lives seriously, this wouldnt happen, said Shay Webbie, a local comedian, who started the Saint Paul pop-up food pantry.

What started as one tent with two tables now covers an entire field with more than a half dozen tents and trailers. Similar initiatives can be seen across Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

Hundreds of volunteers help with the Saint Paul food pantry  known on Facebook as ShayCares  and anyone in need can pick up supplies, no questions asked.

Its like watching your baby grow up and graduate, said Webbie with tears in her eyes as she looked out over the field.

A woman distributes free food, essentials and water to the protesters at the makeshift memorial in honour of George Floyd in Minneapolis [Chandan Khanna/AFP]

Kim Peter, 52, who moved into the neighbourhood when she was five years old, came with her sister to get supplies for their elderly mother, who is on a fixed income.

She told Al Jazeera that seeing how the community has come together made her feel amazed, grateful, and humbled.

Theres so many words that can describe it, she said as her sister pushed a shopping cart filled with toilet paper, eggs, butter, bread and sausage.

As incredible as the support has been, Peter knows it is going to take a lot more to get the community back on its feet. A week from now, two weeks from now when the news is gone, we still have to live amongst this, said Peter about the damage from last week.

Supporting local businesses

Other residents are focused on cleaning up and rebuilding the areas hardest hit. Clean-up crews have shown up in south Minneapolis neighbourhoods nearly every day since the protests began to collect rubbish and sweep up glass.

The Lake Street Council, an organisation that normally focuses on marketing Lake Street and supporting businesses, set up a donation service for businesses damaged by the protests. The fund has raised more than $4.9m as of Friday.

According to Allison Sharkey, who has spent the last six years as executive director of The Lake Street Council, the outpouring has been astounding. More than 57,000 donors have contributed. Sharkey told Al Jazeera that they did not have a goal in mind when they started the fundraiser, but if we had, we maybe would have sought $50,000.

When distributing the funds, the council said it will ensure that the money goes to locally-owned businesses, especially those run by owners of colour.

The council is asking itself: How do we ensure that property stays in the hands of local entrepreneurs  of colour especially  rather than investors that are not from this community? said Sharkey.

Community member Maurice Hull cooks up free food for people as they gather at a memorial for George Floyd that has been created at the place where he died in Minneapolis, Minnesota [Leah Millis/Reuters]

Other residents have supported protesters by handing out water or offering their homes as places where protestors can charge their mobile phones or use the restroom.

A former hotel was converted into a shelter for the Minneapolis homeless population, whose members had nowhere to go when the curfew began and the police started clearing the streets.

It feels good to see our community out here, but its horrible the circumstances in which we have gathered here today, said Melissa Ferguson, a south Minneapolis native, on Sunday as she stood by the area where people were handing out food and supplies in south Minneapolis, at the intersection where Floyd was killed.

Footage from earlier today of people unloading food for the community from a U Haul truck outside of the Cup Foods where George Floyd was killed. The site has remained a peaceful place for gathering, demonstration, and the celebration of his life. pic.twitter.com/TulPKLoDq5  Lucien (@lucien_form) June 3, 2020

A local tagger, who goes by the name Simon, is using his artistic skills to help out. On Saturday, he used a can of spray paint to cover profanity painted on the side of a brewing company. He tagged Floyd while a fellow artist sprayed George onto another door.

He had started with a friends building and word spread to the brewerys owner. It turned out really good and I got a really good response from it, so I got invited out today to go walk around and try and do the same thing, said Simon, who lives down the street. He views his work as a way to bring a more positive outlook to the situation.

Webbie, who started the food pantry pop-up, hopes the work she and others have started will continue long after the protests have ended and stores have reopened.

It takes away some of the pain, but at the end of the night I still reflect on George Floyd, said Webbie.

Heres the thing, she added. A lot of us are always about good. It just takes a situation like this for it to be seen.
The Chief Legal Officer of Oando Plc, Ngozi Okonkwo, is dead.

Adewale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive Officer of Oando Plc, made this known on Twitter.

A statement by Oando Plc described Ms Okonkwo as an exemplary professional and an astute lawyer who personified values of teamwork, respect and integrity.

The company noted that Oando has lost a true leader  kind, passionate, driven, focused and diligent. She was an exemplary professional and an astute lawyer who commanded respect from all who knew her.

Until her death, Mrs Okonkwo was the Chief Legal Officer of Oando Plc. She joined the company as Head, Legal Services, in 2009.

Media reports said she battled cancer in the past, recovered from the ailment, but died recently.

Mrs Okonkwo worked as Junior Counsel with F.O Akinrele & Co., and also with KPMG Professional Services (previously known as Arthur Andersen) as Manager in the Tax, Regulatory and People Services unit and Head of indirect tax services.

She obtained LLB (Hons) from University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1997 and BL from the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, in 1999. She was a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, honorary fellow of the Association of Fellows and Legal scholars of the centre for International Legal Studies, Austria, Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, United Kingdom and Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Nigeria.
Election Update: Our Path Forward Thank you so much to everyone for your support. I am so honored to be your Democratic candidate for State Senate in the 15th District, and I'm looking forward to working together to make sure #TeamGeorge wins in November. Watch my full statement here: Posted by George Scott on Friday, June 5, 2020

UPDATE: This story has been updated with reaction from Alvin Q. Taylor.

Democratic nominee George Scott published a video Friday to his campaign page on Facebook claiming victory in the Pennsylvania primary election.

"Im proud to say we have won the primary, Scott said. I just got off the phone with Alvin Q. Taylor. I thanked him for a great campaign and accepted his congratulations on becoming the Democratic nominee for the state Senate in the 15th District.

The coronavirus forced Pennsylvania lawmakers to change the date of the primary from April 28 to June 2. Additionally, six counties, including Dauphin, were given a week to count mail-in ballots.

As of Friday, the county was reporting that 126 out of 126 precincts were counted and that Scott had garnered 70.81 percent of the votes. The 15th District spans parts of Dauphin and Perry counties.

Were in the midst of counting ballots and have mail-in and absentee ballots processed in 100 out of 159 precincts, said county spokeswoman Amy Richards. "The count will continue Monday.

Taylor, on his Facebook page, congratulated Scott on his win.

Scott, in his video, thanked the voters, current elected leaders, and various organizations that supported him.

Since announcing my campaign five months ago, our world has been thrown into disarray due to a pandemic that has claimed over 100,000 American lives, put millions of people into the hospital, and turned this economy upside down, leaving millions more unsure of their economic future, he said. "Despite all that, our campaign has persevered, taking care of people, while serving the public and preparing for the primary all at the same time.

Scott is from central Pennsylvania. He served in the U.S. Army and is a pastor.

He will compete against incumbent Republican Sen. John Disanto in the falls general election.

More

Eugene DePasquale looks forward to campaign against Rep. Scott Perry in Pa.s 10th Congressional race; primary foe Tom Brier still cant see past Monday

Franklin County townships among those statewide passing liquor referendums
Housing costs got you down? Though apartment hunting can be frustrating, there are deals to be had. So what does the low-end rent on a rental in Southside look like these days  and what might you get for the price?

According to Walk Score's assessment, the neighborhood requires a car for most errands, is somewhat bikeable and has some transit options. It also features median rents for a one bedroom that hover around $652, compared to ann $825 one-bedroom median for San Antonio as a whole.

A look at local listings in Southside via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide offers an overview of what budget-minded apartment seekers can expect to find in this San Antonio neighborhood.

Take a look at the cheapest listings available right now, below. (Note: Prices and availability are subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

8671 S.W. Loop 410

Listed at $719/month, this three-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment is located at 8671 S.W. Loop 410.

Amenities offered in the building include a swimming pool; the unit also includes a dishwasher, a deck and hardwood flooring. Good news for pet lovers: This rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. Be prepared for a $250 pet fee.

(See the complete listing here.)

200 Whitewood St.

This two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, situated at 200 Whitewood St., is listed for $865/month for its 881 square feet.

Expect to see a balcony, a dishwasher, central heating and air conditioning, hardwood flooring and a walk-in closet in the apartment. Amenities offered in the building include a swimming pool. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: This spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

(See the complete listing here.)

5350 W. Military Drive

Here's a two-bedroom, two-bathroom rental at 5350 W. Military Drive, which, at 1,042 square feet, is going for $922/month.

The building features secured entry. In the unit, the listing promises a mix of hardwood floors and carpeting, a walk-in closet and a dishwasher. Good news for pet lovers: This rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly.

(See the full listing here.)

5827 Branch Valley

Then there's this 1,536-square-foot rental with three bedrooms and one bathroom at 5827 Branch Valley, listed at $1,150/month.

The unit features hardwood flooring. Pet lovers are in luck: This rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. The building features on-site management, garage parking and outdoor space. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental.

(See the listing here.)

This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Additionally, if youre in the real estate business learn how to do local real estate advertising in your ZIP codes.

Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
Washington, June 5 (IANS) US Navy veteran Michael White, who had been detained in Iran for almost two years, has been released and was on his way back Washington, according to a statement issued by his family.

"For the past 683 days my son, Michael, has been held hostage in Iran by the IRGC (Islamic Revolution Guards Corps) and I have been living in a nightmare. I am blessed to announce that the nightmare is over, and my son is safely on his way home," White's mother said in the statement on Thursday.

US President Donald Trump later confirmed White's release, saying the Navy veteran had left Iranian airspace aboard a Swiss plane.

He also expressed his gratitude to the assistance of Switzerland, which represents US interest in Iran.

White's release was also confirmed on Thursday by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi the US Navy veteran White was freed by a decree of an Iranian judge for human rights considerations and has left the country.

The release of White came a day after Sirous Asgari, an Iranian scientist detained by the US government, had returned to Iran.

US and Iranian officials however, have insisted that it was not a prisoner exchange and two cases were not linked.

Iranian officials, however, had suggested last month that once the Asgari was back in Iran, they would "look favourably at permitting White to go home", according to a report by The New York Times.

White reportedly has been detained in Iran since July 2018, and country's Foreign Ministry confirmed the arrest in January 2019.

Relations between the United States and Iran have become increasingly hostile since the Trump administration's unilateral exit from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018.

Washington has been mounting pressure on Tehran through a series of sanctions.

Iran has maintained a tough stance and scaled back its nuclear commitments in response.

--IANS

ksk/
Uttarakhand high court (HC) on Friday issued notice to state tourism minister Satpal Maharaj and sought reply from the state government within three weeks on a public interest litigation (PIL), alleging Maharaj had violated quarantine norms and attended the state cabinet meeting on May 29, following which chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and two cabinet ministers, Madan Kaushik, and Harak Singh Rawat, had to self-quarantine themselves on June 1.

Maharaj had attended the cabinet meeting on May 29 and two days later he tested coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positive. Besides CM Rawat and some other ministers, a few senior bureaucrats from the state were also present in the meeting.

Earlier, Maharajs wife had tested Covid-19 positive on May 30. The following day, Maharaj, his two sons, daughters-in-law and along with 17 of his staff members tested Covid-19 positive.

On May 20, the Dehradun district administration had pasted a notice on Maharajs personal residence to adhere to quarantine norms after two of his guests had come from Delhi amid the easing of nationwide lockdown restrictions, which were imposed from March 25 to contain the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Maharaj had said that the portion of his house, where the quarantine norms were enforced, was separate from where he lived with his family, including his office and the guest room.

Advocate Gopal K. Verma, who appeared on behalf of the petitioner Umesh Kumar, cited in the plea that Maharaj had attended the cabinet meeting in violation of the quarantine notice issued by the Dehradun district magistrate (DM) at his personal residence.

The PIL accused the state government of adopting double standards by booking the general public for violating quarantine norms, while a cabinet minister such as Maharaj was allowed to blatantly violate the rules.

Why no action should be taken against Maharaj? advocate Verma asked.

Cabinet minister and state government spokesperson Madan Kaushik said the state government would evaluate the courts notice and make a submission within the stipulated three weeks.

Dehradun district authorities had said on June 1 CM Rawat and two other Cabinet ministers, Kaushik and Rawat, didnt need to go under self-quarantine.

The DM had cited that all three were low risk and could carry out their daily work, but they would have to follow the guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on May 18 on precautionary measures to be taken at a workplace to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Opposition Congress has also accused Maharaj of negligence and demanded that he should be booked under an attempt to murder case for posing a health risk to others.

Maharaj, who holds a responsible position as a state Cabinet minister, has shown gross negligence, despite the DMs notice, said Garima Dasauni, spokesperson of the Congresss Uttarakhand unit.

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By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijan has ranked 7th among the 50 member states of the Council of Europe, and 1st among the CIS countries, according to the recent report of Group of States against Corruption.

The report on the activities of the Council of Europe's anti-corruption monitoring body - the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) - in 2019 was presented in Strasbourg on June 3.

According to the report, Azerbaijan has implemented the recommendations by 61.9 per cent.

Thus, the report covers the prevention of corruption in the activities of parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors.

At the same time, Azerbaijan has successfully passed three evaluation rounds of the Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) and the OECD Anti-Corruption Network.

This fact reflects an indicator of the compliance of the measures taken in Azerbaijan with European standards.

It should be noted that on 27 February, Azerbaijans President signed the order on approval of the National Action Plan for The Promotion of Open Government for 2020-2022. The plan has been aimed at expanding the application of the principles of openness, transparency and accountability, increase financial transparency, increase the means of ensuring the right to information, support civil society institutions and strengthen public control, to ensure the sustainability of measures to promote open government.

Azerbaijan also joined the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in 2012 with a view to improve its activities aimed at increasing transparency and promoting Open Government. In the same year, President Aliyev signed the decree on National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP) for the years of 2012-2015.

Azerbaijan maintains its fight against corruption and bribery with the help of the Anti-Corruption Commission and Anti-Corruption General Directorate.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
From the Main Line to Berks County and nearly every small town in-between, the past week has been marked by a show of unity among residents and police in stark contrast to the scenes of violent clashes and looting scarring our senses from TV and social media.

The atmosphere in our towns offers some hope in the face of divisiveness racking the nation.

In Chester County on Thursday, 8,000 people in Coatesville and West Chester joined marches. In Delaware County, crowds stood on sidewalks of busy intersections at rush hour. In Kennett Square of Chester County and in Norristown, Pottstown and Lansdale of Montgomery, along Lancaster Avenue in Delaware County, and in Boyertown and Reading in Berks, citizens and police joined in sharing a message: Black Lives Matter.

Police knelt alongside protesters against the Memorial Day death of George Floyd in Minneapolis who was held to the ground by Police Officer Derek Chauvin while three other officers stood by. All four police officers have been fired and charged in the death, caught on a video that sparked outrage around the world.

Local gatherings were organized by individuals on impulse or inspired by posts on social media. Troy Rivera, 22, who led the Pottstown event with friend Nate Smith, said it was the first thing he had ever organized, not including snowball fights.

There were a lot of people on Facebook saying Pottstown could not have a peaceful protest, so we decided to prove them wrong, said Rivera. The march last weekend and demonstration at borough hall brought out a few hundred residents, church leaders and police, who were cheered by residents for participating.

A Tuesday evening Lansdale demonstration was inspired by a Facebook post from borough resident Josh Nielsen, who said he stood alone on Monday night in peaceful protest after seeing a friend in Boyertown do the same the night before. Lansdale Police Chief Mike Trail and a handful of officers kept a watchful eye on several hundred protesters lining Main Street, taking a knee several times as the group knelt, with fists raised, for the eight minutes and 48 seconds that Floyd lay dying on a sidewalk in Minnesota.

In Boyertown, the line of people stretched more than six blocks along East Philadelphia Avenue. The Berks County towns history and reputation of Ku Klux Klan activity did not go unrecognized. We have the opportunity to be a beacon of light, a refuge of hope, said Don Heller, who helped organize the event. Heller, 39, a former pastor, said when he moved to Boyertown with his family in 1990, he was astonished to see KKK clansmen, dressed in the traditional white robes and hoods, handing out pamphlets on a street corner in the center of town.

He said his intent in organizing last weeks rally was to help others see that progress has been made and that black lives matter in Boyertown.

To get change, we need more events that took place like today, said Chief William Holdsworth of the Kennett Square Borough Police Department. Protesters and police knelt alongside each other on State Street, at the intersection of Route 82, in prayer. Kennett Square is home to just over 6,600 borough residents, and 1,000 of them joined the demonstration.

In the city of Reading, organizers of a march through town last weekend stressed the crowd of about 500 were not walking through the streets in protest: they were walking in unity.

Whether labeled protests or demonstrations or unity marches, the events brought together citizens representing every race, culture and income level. The involvement of police showed an effort to build mutual trust with people of color and the poor and disenfranchised who live in our towns.

Pride in community and humility for misunderstandings and long-held prejudices were the message behind the Black Lives Matter banners and signs in view everywhere during this past week. This is where the conversations to combat racism begin.

We have a long way to go in this nation to prove unity. In the towns of our region, we are taking the first steps in that direction by joining peacefully and with a purposeful message to move forward together.
Popular Nigerian Igbo rapper, Zoro, has been accused for rape by a social media user identified as Crystal.

According to Crystal, the incident happened in 2015 and she has been living with the trauma ever since.

Crystal also pointed out that she had struggled with the rapper before he made his way with her body.

READ ALSO  Nollywood Actress, Mercy Johnson Excited To Meet Zoro (Video)

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Crystal also shared an update the Zoros management also contacted her over the issue as she also shared some screenshots on Instagram to back her claims.

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New Delhi, June 6 : As the national capital struggles to get back on its feet, the number of COVID-19 cases continues to spike. Defence Colony, a premier market and residential area, is one such place witnessing a rise in cases.

A team from the District Magistrate (DM) office visited the colony on Saturday to take stock of the situation in the area and held talks with the Residents Welfare Association (RWA) in order to decide the future course of action.

Defence Colony RWA President Major Ranjit, while dismissing speculation about the upscale colony being converted into a containment zone, said, "We have held talks with the district administration, no such action is being taken as of now. However, we are asking our residents to stay indoor and be safe and careful." When asked about the rise in the cases in the area, he said, "Don't say it's a rise in the cases in my area, see there is a rise in the cases in the national capital and the country. Our market is very popular in the national capital. The government has to see the corona situation." He said if the government had given powers to the Residents Welfare Associations to control the movement in the area, the situation would have been much better now.

"Until there was lockdown in the country, we had ensured movement of only essential services. The entrance and exit of our colony were monitored by the RWA members. But, now that the government has lifted the lockdown, we have no powers. Had it given us the powers, things would have been different and better." He said the colony is safe and is ready to abide by all government orders, including that of containment, though, the proper supply of essential goods will be maintained. "We had taken extraordinary steps in order to safeguard our residents from this virus. Our colony was the first one to start separate waste collection for those who were home-quarantined or tested positive," he said.

"We want the disease to go, but we also need cooperation. The government should empower us to check the movement", the RWA president said, adding that the movement regulation in the market will be seen by the government as it is one of the busiest markets in the national capital.

"They have allowed the construction work to begin, but have masks been provided to the labourers, have they been educated and informed about how to stay safe while working?" he asked. It is not one person's fight, it is of the whole country, he added.

Earlier in the day, an audio note surfaced where Major Ranjit was heard asking the residents to stay safe as there was a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in the area. In that note, he had also informed the residents about the top officials' visit.

At a time when various public spaces are vying to be opened up after more than three months of lockdown, the number of Covid-19 cases in Delhi has touched 26k mark which includes 10,315 people who have recovered and 708 others who have succumbed to the virus.
Australian Government Urged to Condemn Turkey's Desecration of Ancient Christian Sites

The Joint Justice Initiative, made up of the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities, has condemned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's fiesta outside the Hagia Sophia monument on the anniversary of the Fall of Constantinople on 29 May. The group has penned a statement calling on on the Australian Government to join in this condemnation.

"Turkey's autocratic leader, who has repeatedly threatened to violate Hagia Sophia's (Church of Holy Wisdom) status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and convert the church -- which is now a museum -- into a mosque, has defended Friday's 'celebrations' of the day that marked the fall of Constantinople. As part of these 'celebrations', an official from Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) recited the Quran's Conquest Surah (chapter) inside the Hagia Sophia," states the group.

The group states that the muslim prayer service in side the 6th-century iconic church built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian was inappropriate and the latest in ongoing attempts of Turkish authorities "to appropriate and desecrate Christian properties occupied over centuries, including those belonging to our Armenian, Assyrian and Greek ancestors. Most of the congregations of these ancient Christian sites were exterminated or forcibly deported during the genocide of the indigenous Christian population of the Ottoman Empire in the course of World War I and soon after."

President Erdogan's comments were viewed as "provocative" and raise concerns on the survival of the "fast-dwindling communities" of minority groups in Turkey. Furthermore, Mr Erdogan referred to "leftovers of the sword" in a recent speech in reference to the survivors of 1915 Genocides that killed 1.5 million Armenians, as well as over 1 million Assyrians and Greeks.

"The deteriorating landscape for religious and minority freedom, democracy and human rights in Turkey demands that nations who uphold such values, such as Australia, speak up and act," urges the group, which calls on the Australian Government to condemn Turkey's latest and egregious such transgression.
Florida resident Joseph Louis at a May 22 protest in Miami Beach asking the state to fix its unemployment system. Joe Raedle | Getty Images

One generous proposal on Capitol Hill could put as much as $10,000 per month into American families' hands to help them weather the coronavirus pandemic. In some ways, it's a nod to universal basic income, the concept of indefinitely providing people with a guaranteed amount of money per month. But the plan calls for providing the financial relief for only as long as the pandemic lasts. The bill, named the Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act, was introduced in May by Sens. Kamala Harris, D-Calif.; Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; and Ed Markey, D-Mass. It calls for sending $2,000 per month to individuals and $4,000 to couples, as well as $2,000 per child for up to three children. Those earning under $120,000 would be eligible for support, though the payments would be reduced for income over $100,000.

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Coronavirus pandemic is a 'defining moment' for Gen Z This week, Harris accepted a Change.org petition signed by 1.2 million individuals in support of the idea. The senator said she plans to circulate the petition in a "Dear Colleague" letter with other Capitol Hill lawmakers. The bill is just one proposal that has been floated to help cover Americans' expenses and get them back on their feet amid a widespread economic shutdown. But some critics say it would be too expensive. Harris addressed the high level of spending the proposal would require this week in a webcast hosted by The Appeal, a news website. "One of the things, first of all, that I find tiring is those who want to suggest, 'Oh, this is a lot of money,' when they're the same people who passed a tax bill benefiting the top 1% and the biggest corporations of America and are going to cause us to face a $1 trillion deficit as a result of it," Harris said.

The idea of giving Americans a steady monthly income is not a new one. The idea was included in Andrew Yang's presidential campaign, and is a strategy he continues to push. "Our problems have accelerated, where we've experienced 10 years' worth of displacement in 10 weeks," Yang said in an appearance during The Appeal's webcast. "But we have a real chance here to alleviate poverty." Many people were already struggling to pay their bills before the coronavirus pandemic hit, noted Elaine Maag, senior research associate at the Urban Institute. Research from the Federal Reserve has shown that many Americans would be thrown off by an unexpected $400 expense.

Some features of the new Senate plan could help address those problems, Maag said. The bill includes people who are both low- and middle-income, applies to everyone living in the U.S. and could give people more confidence that the government is there to support them. "The notion that we could have our economy collapse or put on pause and not cause great harm is just not imaginable," Maag said. "It makes sense to me that the government would step in with some program to try to provide for people's basic needs." But the Democratic lawmakers might have a difficult time passing it, as there is not "a lot of enthusiasm from their colleagues on the right," Maag said.

People lined up in cars to receive items through a food distribution drive hosted by local organizations in Cumru, Pennsylvania on May 30. MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images

One reason for that could be that the plan is perceived as too generous. "It's just an order of magnitude that for many households is not called for in the current situation," said Shai Akabas, director of economic policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Those making $120,000 or less account for 90% of workers, said Melissa S. Kearney, professor of economics at the University of Maryland. "That's not really targeted," she said. Meanwhile, recent Federal Reserve data have shown that 40% of people with less than $40,000 in income have lost jobs during the pandemic.

We need to be targeting the money. Melissa S. Kearney professor of economics at the University of Maryland
Coun. Stephen Wrights belated apology for his bizarre COVID-19 field trip to New Brunswick summed up his approach to politics, and maybe to life in general.

Not the part about taking his role as a Peterborough city councillor very seriously, or that he doesnt think being a councillor gives him any special privileges.

He may believe those admirable qualities represent the true Stephen Wright.

But he also knows himself well enough to describe the trip as an error in judgment that sprang from his overzealous approach to determining how New Brunswick restaurants are doing under the provinces rules for reopening.

Wright could have added that he played fast and loose with the truth when the story of his trip first became public.

He said he was in the province for three days, but later admitted it was 10.

He said he talked his way through an RCMP border check by promising to stay just three days and never leave his car.

It turns out he stayed in at least one home. And the RCMP say they had no involvement in his crossing of the Quebec-New Brunswick border despite a provincial emergency order prohibiting all non-essential entry into the province.

Wrights history includes a similar fast and loose approach to the law that led to a 2008 fraud charge fraud while he was working as a commissioned fundraiser for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

Wright was found not guilty. But the judge who ruled he had legitimately tried to set up his own taxpayer advocacy foundation and was not running a scam was highly critical of his methods.

Some of his actions were negligent but not criminal, the court said, and unacceptable, sloppy bookkeeping raised suspicion about his motivation.

Reading that decision, overzealous and error in judgment definitely come to mind.

Now Wright is back under investigation for allegedly violating New Brunswicks emergency COVID-19 order. An apology is not enough for New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs, who is particularly interested in the answers Wright gave when he was questioned at the border crossing.

Other violators have been charged. The standard fine is $250 but a court can bump that to a maximum of $10,400.

Wright seems to not have done any damage in New Brunswick but could have. A local doctor there who made a prohibited cross-border trip brought the virus back with him and has infected enough people to reverse the provinces stellar record of holding the pandemic in check.

Regardless of what happens with the New Brunswick investigation, there have been calls for Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien to administer some local punishment.

The mayor has few options and, based on the facts known to date, no reason for harsh measures.

A councillor is automatically removed from office if sent to prison but cant be ordered out by the mayor for any reason.

The penalty section of councils Code of Conduct does allow for a reprimand, docking of up to 90 days pay, and removal from committee positions.

The Code doesnt specifically deal with maverick potentially illegal road trips, but does require councillors to obey the law and conduct themselves in a manner ... that will bear close public scrutiny.

Wright has failed at least one of those Code of Conduct tests. Some low-level punishment is in order.
Bengaluru, June 6 : It has only been a month since migrant workers have been able to go back to their home states in buses and trains. Their return to work in Karnataka would take time as they have to first get over their fear of the coronavirus, an industry representative said on Saturday.

"Though many construction and industry sectors have resumed operations, they are working at 30-40 per cent of capacity for various reasons, including the need to maintain social distancing. They will ramp up production in phases when the guidelines are more relaxed and migrants return to work," Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDIA) Chairman Suresh Hari told IANS here.

Admitting that thousands of migrant workers were stranded across the southern state, with majority of them in and around Bengaluru for over 40-50 days since the lockdown was suddenly enforced on March 25 and extended for 2 months, Hari said the suspension of bus and train services and prevention of any other transport till May 3 prevented them from going back to their home states, taking a toll of their health and welfare.

"This is the first time in their life the migrants were caught off guard by the sudden lockdown, loss of work or job and absence of any transport to return to their native place, forcing them to stay in relief camps in hot summer or explore other modes of transport to get back home. When buses and trains were arranged to take them to their home states from May 3, they have been rushing back en masse," said Hari.

While construction activity dips in the summer due to scorching heat, the migrants shift jobs or go back home for a break and return to work by June.

There are two types of migrant workers who come from other states and those from within the state. Those from other states are more skilled and are involved in finish works in building projects like plumbing, wiring, carpentry and fittings while the locals are engaged in labour work at the construction level.

"Though we want the migrant workers to come back to work and have sounded as many through contractors who identify, mobilise and arrange their transport to work place, they will return when normalcy is restored and the fear of virus goes from their minds," said Hari.

The South Western Railway (SWR) zone ferried a whopping 3.02 lakh migrant workers from Karnataka to their native place in 17 states across the country in 209 Shramik (labourer) special trains till Friday since May 3.

"There are no requests yet from other states to operate special trains for the return of the migrant workers to Karnataka. We are still operating 6-10 Shramik trains daily to different states from Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi and Mangaluru as per the request of the respective state governments," SWR chief spokesperson E. Vijaya told IANS.

The state-run road transport corporation (KSRTC) also sent around 2 lakh workers for free to their native place across Karnataka and the neighbouring states from cities in the first week of May when intra-state and inter-state movement of vehicles were allowed during the third phase of the lockdown since May 4.

"We hope the railways will resume regular trains from July or operate special trains to enable the migrant workers return to work from their home states when the extended lockdown is lifted after June 30," a city-based leading builder told IANS.

Of the total migrant workers, about 20-25 per cent of them are engaged in the construction and infrastructure sectors, about 20 per cent in farming, horticulture and floriculture and the remaining are involved in manufacturing and services sectors.

"As farming and agri-based activities resumed after the first phase of 21-day lockdown, migrant workers engaged in the agriculture sector were back to work though their movement was affected due to lack of public or private transport. Migrant workers, skilled and employed in micro, small and medium industries were the worst affected as they did not have work or salary to sustain. They had no choice but return to their native place," state industry association member K.C. Monocarp said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
A few pets in Delhi will soon be reunited with their owners in Mumbai. A private jet is set to fly six pets that were stranded in Delhi when the lockdown was announced back to Mumbai. Deepika Singh, a 25-year-old cyber security researcher in Mumbai set the ball rolling for this plan, reports Mumbai Mirror.

Singh came up with the idea of an all-pet flight while making arrangements to fly back some of her relatives from Delhi who refused to travel with pets. Some people wanted to travel with their pets but when the others refused, I decided to arrange for another jet, Singh told ThePrint.

Singh eventually contacted Accretion Aviation and set the plan in motion for an all-pet private jet.

The cost per seat stands at Rs 1.6 lakh which is already a little steep and if we do not find six passengers it will be even costlier, Singh told Mumbai Mirror. Two more pet passengers are needed since four pets, including two Shih Tzus, a Golden Retriever and a Lady Pheasant bird are already set to fly on the jet.

The pets will reportedly be accompanied by handlers and necessary precautions and screenings will also take place. The journey is set to take place in mid-June.

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As the conduct of law enforcement has increasingly come under fire and sparked protests across the continent, the Winnipeg Police Service is set to present its latest annual report detailing how many times its officers used force on the public in 2019.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As the conduct of law enforcement has increasingly come under fire and sparked protests across the continent, the Winnipeg Police Service is set to present its latest annual report detailing how many times its officers used force on the public in 2019.

City police filed 857 use-of-force reports last year, according to the report Winnipeg Police Service Chief Danny Smyth is scheduled to table at Mondays meeting of the Winnipeg Police Board.

The term "use-of-force" describes a wide variety of actions, ranging from physically detaining a suspect, to swinging a baton, discharging pepper spray or firing a service pistol. Officers are mandated to file a report each time force is used.

"The service recognizes the responsibility the citizens of Winnipeg entrust to police members regarding use of force. While police members strive to resolve incidents without applying physical force, occasionally it is required," Smyth writes in the report.

"Formal training and the Services Use of Force procedures direct officers when they encounter situations where they must apply force to gain compliance or de-escalate situations in accordance with the law."

The WPS responded to 231,688 calls for service last year, which means 0.37 per cent of calls resulted in police using force, according to the report. That marks a slight uptick over the previous year when 0.34 per cent of calls resulted in force, but a marginal decrease over the five-year-average of 0.39 per cent.

The number of instances where police utilized "intermediate weapons," which include Tasers or batons, among other items, "show a slight increase" in 2019, according to the report.

The most drastic spike came in the number of times WPS officers fired Tasers and conducted electricity with them, which increased 73 per cent over the previous year  from 89 in 2018 to 154 in 2019.

"The types of resistance" local police are facing has not significantly changed, Smyth wrote, but there was a slight rise in the number of cases where suspects were armed with a firearm (37) or "edged weapon" (70).

The report makes no mention of the ethnicity of the people subjected to force by police. In a written statement to the Free Press, a WPS spokesman said that information  as well as details such as age or incident location  are not proactively released.

Human rights lawyer Corey Shefman said even without that internal WPS data, it's possible to deduce from other public statistics that most of the people subjected to force by police are Indigenous.

"We have other data that already gives us the answer," Shefman said. "We know 70 per cent of people in Manitoba correctional facilities are Indigenous.... We know 66 per cent, two-thirds of the people Winnipeg police have killed in the last 20 years have been Indigenous.

"We dont need their data to know its Indigenous people in Winnipeg, primarily in the North End and the West End, who are facing the violence of the Winnipeg Police Service."

While police use of force has long been the subject of criticism  both locally and across North America  in recent weeks protesters have mobilized and taken to the streets following high-profile deaths at the hands of police.

The slaying of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, 44, led to widespread outrage, rioting and looting and peaceful protests.

Video of the killing showed Chauvin place his knee on the back of Floyds neck for more than eight minutes as other officers looked on. Chauvin, who was subsequently fired by the department, has been charged with second-degree murder, and three other fired officers have been charged with aiding and abetting the killing.

"We know 70 per cent of people in Manitoba correctional facilities are Indigenous.... We know 66 per cent, twothirds of the people Winnipeg police have killed in the last 20 years have been Indigenous."  Corey Shefman, Human rights lawyer

In solidarity with protests around the continent, local black activists organized a rally at the Manitoba legislature grounds Friday evening.

Fatal encounters between WPS officers and civilians have also long been subject to criticism. In 2019, five people were shot by the WPS, according to Smyths report  two of whom died. More recently, three people  including 16-year-old Eishia Hudson  were shot to death by Winnipeg police in a 10-day span in April. All three were Indigenous.

Smyths report notes excessive-force allegations against officers are reviewed by the internal professional standards unit, while any case leading to serious injury or death is turned over to the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba  the provincial police watchdog.

Manitoba also has the Law Enforcement Review Agency, which can take complaints about police directly from the public.

"Of the three excessive-force allegations made in 2019, one was unfounded, one was abandoned by the complainant and one was not sustained by evidence," Smyth wrote in the report.

The three excessive-force allegations mentioned by Smyth refer only to cases handled internally by the professional standards unit. It's not clear how many allegations of that nature were made to LERA or referred to the IIU.

Shefman said most people in Manitoba believe that law enforcement oversight  be it by the professional standards unit, IIU or LERA  is toothless. He said many allegations of police brutality are never reported, because people have no faith the systems in place will provide oversight.

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As a result, Shefman believes it is "wildly unlikely" the use-of-force statistics presented in Smyths report are accurate because they are self-reported.

"It stretches the bounds of reasonable imagination. If you talk to Indigenous people, particularly those living in the North End and West End of Winnipeg, they will tell you those numbers certainly dont reflect their lived reality," he said.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @rk_thorpe

michael.pereira@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: __m_pereira
Putin chides Nornickel, orders law change after Arctic fuel spill An aerial view shows a camp of rescuers and containment booms installed at the site of a huge leak of diesel fuel into the river after an accident at a power plant outside Norilsk

By Anastasia Teterevleva and Polina Devitt

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin chided the billionaire boss of Norilsk Nickel on Friday over a huge Arctic fuel spill and ordered changes to the law to try to prevent such a disaster from happening again.

Greenpeace has compared the scale of last week's accident near the northern city of Norilsk, where 21,000 tonnes of diesel poured into rivers and subsoil, to the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989.

Putin has declared a state of emergency in the region and complained of what he said was a bungled state response, while Russia's Prosecutor General's office on Friday ordered a review of all hazardous objects built on permafrost after saying it looked like the ground beneath a fuel tank had subsided.

In an online meeting, Putin asked officials to amend Russian law to try avoid similar accidents in future and criticised Norilsk Nickel President Vladimir Potanin for not replacing the source of the pollution - the fuel tank - in a timely fashion.

"If you had changed it on time there would not have been this ecological damage and the company would not have had to foot these (clean-up) costs. Study this as closely as possible inside the company," Putin told Potanin during the televised meeting.

Potanin, the largest shareholder in Norilsk Nickel (Nornickel) with a 34.6% stake, said he couldn't estimate any potential fines from the authorities, but the firm would cover clear-up costs set to top 10 billion roubles.

Shares in Nornickel, the world's leading nickel and palladium producer, were up 3% in Moscow after the meeting, having previously been hit by fallout from the disaster.

Putin's spokesman earlier on Friday dismissed the idea of the government ousting Potanin after a Russian lawmaker said he should go following the spill.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters the priority was to clear up the May 29 spill and an investigation would decide if anyone was guilty.

The RBC media portal reported earlier on Friday that a Russian safety watchdog had warned a Nornickel subsidiary in 2017-2018 about violations at the Arctic fuel site.

(Additional reporting by Anastasia Lyrchikova, Vladimir Soldatkin and Darya Korsunskaya; Writing by Polina Devitt and Andrew Osborn; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Mark Potter)
Exclusive: Iran Admits Proposing Separate Settlement To Ukraine On Downed Plane

Radio Farda June 05, 2020

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic in Ukraine for the first time admitted that Iran has proposed a settlement to close the case of the country's Flight PS752 which Iran's Revolutionary Guard downed in January.

The statement says Iran is willing to resolve the issues related to the incident and "therefore, underlines that it is necessary [Ukraine] expedites its response to the proposal officially submitted to Kiev three months ago".

The Ukrainian passenger plane was hit by two missiles shortly after taking off from Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport on January 8. All 176 passengers and crew members onboard were killed in the crash. It took Iranian authorities three days to finally admit that the Revolutionary Guard was responsible for firing the missiles at the plane.

Eugene Enin, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine who is in charge of the case of the crash dossier, met with the Iranian Ambassador Manouchehr Moradi on Tuesday to discuss the matter. On Thursday he told Radio Farda that Iran's proposed MoU subjects the deciphering of the flight recorders to conditions but Ukraine has repeatedly announced that such no conditions are acceptable.

"We stress that examining the contents of the flight recorders is subject to the responsibilities that Iran has accepted in the framework of Montreal and Chicago conventions. They must submit the flight recorders to a country that can decode them if they are not able to do so themselves, Enin added.

According to Enin Ukraine demands a guarantee of implementation of international laws, explanation of the real cause of the incident -- whether human error or other reasons -- and punishment of those responsible for the incident.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry official in charge of the case also said Ukraine wants technical and criminal investigations to be conducted alongside the legal proceedings for which decoding the flight recorders is only one of the required steps.

Radio Farda disclosed the content of the proposal on April 14 on the basis of interviews with Ukrainian informed sources who had seen the proposal. The proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), contained a vague promise of compensation in return for Ukraine abandoning any further claims against Iran.

Radio Farda's sources said that the proposed MoU appeared to oblige Ukraine and the families of victims of flight 752 to waive their right to pursue the matter any further through courts and accept "human error" as the cause of the crash.

Commenting on the proposal, a Ukrainian aviation law expert told Radio Farda that Iran's aim was probably to separate Ukraine from the other countries with victims in the plane disaster.

The Ukrainian government has consistently rejected a separate deal with Iran and says its position has not changed. "We work for the result in close collaboration with colleagues from the International Disaster Relief Coordination Group. These are the ministers for foreign affairs of Canada, Sweden, Afghanistan and the United Kingdom, to establish justice, get compensation for families, and ensure a full, independent and transparent investigation under international law," Dmytro Kuleba told REF/RL's Ukrainian Service on April 17.

On April 16 the foreign ministers of Canada, Ukraine, Sweden, Afghanistan and the UK  members of the International Coordination and Response Group for the victims of Flight PS752  issued a joint statement in which they said the members of the coordination would assure the families and loved ones of the victims that the group of ministers advocate for full accountability, transparency, justice, compensation, and a full, independent and transparent investigation.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/exclusive-iran-admits- proposing-separate-settlement-to-ukraine- on-downed-plane/30654445.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.

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There are two calamities killing Americans: COVID-19 and racism. One is novel, and the other is perennial.

It is not coincidental that black Americans have died of COVID-19 at almost three times the rate of white people. Both biological and socioeconomic factors contribute to this alarming statistic. However, as emergency physicians and public health practitioners who care for patients from diverse social and cultural backgrounds, we are keenly aware that biological factors are, in fact, biosocial in nature. We refer to the non-medical factors influencing health as the social determinants of health (SDOH). Racism and systemic injustice are driving forces of SDOH like education, employment, and housing, and are significant barriers to health equity.

For centuries, black Americans have faced not only physical violence as exemplified by the gruesome murder of George Floyd but also an invisible form of violence known as structural violence. First described by Johan Galtung in the article Violence, Peace, and Peace Research (1969) structural violence occurs when social structures prevent human beings from meeting their basic needs; when structures of political, legal, economic, psychological, and cultural thought impede individuals and communities from achieving their full human potential, elaborating dreams beyond their circumstances, and finding the resources to fulfill them. Racism, a flagrant example of structural violence, has pervaded American society since the nations beginnings.

According to Galtung, structural violence is an avoidable impairment of fundamental human needs and a contributing factor for premature death and unnecessary disability. Structural violence is inextricably tied to social injustice and the social machinery of oppression.

Here we are, facing a violent implosion between a life-threatening pandemic and the horrifying killings of black Americans. What can be done? What must be done?

As a starting place, we must look inward. No matter how anti-racist we are, we have unconscious biases and prejudices that cement internalized adaptations to structural violence. We are products of the cultures we are raised in, and group identity is a powerful magnet. I am ashamed to say that I began to grasp the meaning of white privilege only a few years ago, thanks to my college-aged daughter. She explained our inherent privileges and how the benefit of the doubt is subconsciously accorded to white versus black people. For instance, while my patients of color often find it difficult to access decent health care, white people of means and education living in areas with first-rate hospitals and holding jobs with adequate insurance are far more likely to obtain good preventive and acute care. They are far more likely to find physicians who will explain things to them, and they may even be positioned by education and wealth to absorb and easily apply what they are advised. In subtle ways that they might not even know to be white privilege, they are more likely to access the best specialists, organ transplants, and investigational drugs when they are seriously ill. It must be mentioned that factors external to medical access play a key role in unequal health outcomes: those who lack access to healthy food, clean air, or exercise time are much more prone to poor health and chronic diseases.

To be effective allies, we must acknowledge that racism is systemic and embedded in all institutions. We must have the humility to admit that our knowledge about racism is limited and superficial. Once informed about the history of oppression through slavery, the Civil War, and Jim Crow, we can then challenge ourselves to unlearn our perceptions of reality. We have to be willing to get uncomfortable and hear things we dont necessarily want to hear.

Next, its time to act! Time to speak out against blatant injustices, time to reform our criminal justice system that discriminates against people of color, time to respectfully ask questions and listen, truly listen, to the lived experiences of people of color, time to promote education and work opportunities for black Americans, time to work toward health equity, time to march and peacefully protest hand in hand. Now is the time to speak to young kids about race and inclusivity. Its time to condemn bigotry and white supremacy and to donate to anti-white supremacy organizations such as the NAACP, your local Black Lives Matter Chapter, Color of Change, The Sentencing Project, and Dream Defenders. It is time to condemn police brutality and abuse, demand nationwide de-escalation training, transparency, and accountability by law enforcement and bring justice to those responsible for the inhumane murder of George Floyd. There is no peace without justice.

Time to read books such as How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison and The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin, watch films like Selma, Roots, 12 Years a Slave, The Hate U Give, and I am Not Your Negro or listen to the NYT 1619 Podcast by Nikole Hannah-Jones. When museums open again, visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. It will rock you to your core and open your eyes and heart.

Emergency physicians are not easily rattled, but when a patient says: I cant breathe, our heart rate goes up, and our pupils dilate. We know too well that the priorities when resuscitating a patient are ABC: airway, breathing, circulation. We cant save a patient from death if we cant secure their airway and facilitate breathing. A for Airway always comes first. George Floyd died in front of our eyes because his airway was forcibly obstructed for almost nine minutes. His final words, I cant breathe  the same last words as Eric Garner and others unheard  are haunting and make me weep.

Bryan Stevenson writes in his book, Just Mercy: We are all implicated when we allow other people to be mistreated. An absence of compassion can corrupt the decency of a community, a state, a nation. Fear and anger can make us vindictive and abusive, unjust and unfair, until we all suffer from the absence of mercy, and we condemn ourselves as much as we victimize others.

Together we must take action to lift oppression off the necks of our black brethren. We are all born equal, with inherent dignity as children of God, the giver of the breath of life.

Josyann Abisaab is an emergency physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions, said Trumps tendency to fire, or part ways with people, unceremoniously leads to them leveling potentially politically damaging criticism. There has been an effort in recent months to keep officials Trump has been angered with, including Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper, inside the tent. And Trump was determined, even as he parted ways with acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, not to have an acrimonious situation like he had with John Kelly.
In light of George Floyds murder and the various protests happening around the country, many people  especially celebrities  have taken to social media to speak out against racism, pledging to help unpick the systems that perpetrate inequality.

Although a handful of A-listers are being applauded for their performative activism, a few have been called out for making hypocritical #BlackLivesMatter statements, including Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas | Steve Granitz/WireImage

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are being criticized for #BlackLivesMatter statement

Lea Michele isnt the only celebrity whos being called a hypocrite for standing in the lines solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

On June 3, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas found themselves being criticized by Twitter users after tweeting out a very heartfelt and thoughtful statement about the killing of George Floyd.

Pri & I have heavy hearts  The reality of the inequalities in this country, and around the world, are glaring, Jonas wrote on his page. Systemic racism, bigotry and exclusion has gone on for far too long, and remaining silent not only reinforces it, but it allows it to continue.

Pri & I have heavy hearts  The reality of the inequalities in this country, and around the world, are glaring. Systemic racism, bigotry and exclusion has gone on for far too long, and remaining silent not only reinforces it, but it allows it to continue.  Nick Jonas (@nickjonas) June 3, 2020

He added, The time to take action is NOW. Its no longer enough to say Im not racist. We must all do the work to be ANTI racist and stand with the black community. In our first step towards our continued efforts to help fight this fight, Pri and I have donated to the @eji_org & @ACLU.

Though it was a powerful message, Twitter users werent buying it. Many felt as though the couples post was hypocritical, especially since Chopra has supported Islamophobic dictators and previously promoted skin lightening creams.

Was pris heart heavy before or after she promoted skin lightening creams? Was it heavy when she watched Muslims get lynched in her own country & said nothing? What about the time when you invited a fascist to your wedding? It seems like her heart is doing just fine, wrote YouTuber Amsi.

Some even went as far to say that the Isnt It Romantic star supports racism since shes allegedly flaunted her familys ties with corrupt Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.

We are having heavy hearts for you and Pri too for supporting a fascist leader who is supporting racism on the basis of religion. Hope one day you will understand that Muslims lives matters too, another user penned.

Priyanka Chopra was called out for making hypocritical patriotic statements

Though many had a problem with Chopra and Jonas statement, it turns out that this isnt the first time the actresss comments about social injustices have come across as hypocritical.

In February 2019, the Quantico star raised eyebrows when she expressed support for Indias armed forces on Twitter  the same day a suspected terrorist camp in Pakistan was air struck as retaliation for a suicide car bombing attack that had killed 40 Indian troops.

A few months later, Chopra was confronted at BeautyCon LA by a woman who called her hypocrite for touting peace, while encouraging nuclear war against Pakistan.

It was hard hearing you talk about humanity because, as your neighbor, a Pakistani, I know youre a bit of a hypocrite, the woman said.

Of course, Twitter users brought up this warmongering while criticizing the actress of hypocrisy following Jonas #BlackLivesMatter tweet.

I know it certainly wasnt heavy when she told that Pakistani girl to calm down when she was voicing genuine concerns about her warmongering, a user tweeted.

Neither Chopra or Jonas has yet to respond to these claims.
A British TV journalist is opening up about her husband's health after the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has left him in serious condition.

Kate Garraway, one of the anchors for ITV's Good Morning Britain, shared in an interview Friday that her husband Derek Draper no longer has COVID-19, but that the contagious respiratory virus has had a lasting impact on his health.

"He is now COVID-free. So he's testing negative for the COVID virus," she said on GMB. "So the fight with the virus has been won, and he's still here. But, it's wreaked extraordinary damage on his body. And we don't know if he can recover from that."

Garraway, 53, said that Draper has "fought the most extraordinary battle" after first being put in a medically induced coma in April.

"I hate that idea of fighting a battle because it is a battle, but the fact that he's still here and is holding on," Garraway explained. "I hate the idea that other people haven't fought hard enough or something. And I'm just so grateful that he's still here and I've got the option of praying and hoping when others have had that stripped away. But he is very, very sick."

RELATED: Nick Cordero's Wife Says He Started Stem Cell Treatment as She Shares Sweet Story of Special Date Night

Garraway gave Draper's illness a technology analogy: "It's a little bit like a computer virus I think, it's like the doctors manage one bit extraordinarily well and there seems to be a flicker of hope and then other things emerge and they're fighting that, and it's affected him from the top of his head to the tip of his toes."

Garraway added that her husband's doctor told her Draper's "incredibly rare" case is "the worst affected person" they had treated to survive. While Draper is no longer in an induced coma, his recovery has been a very slow one.

"Some of the damage he's got, the doctors have told me that he's only one in five people that they've seen it in," Garraway, who shares two children with Draper, said.

Story continues

The journalist explained that while she is full of hope for her husband's recovery, she is also full of "uncertainty," in part because the doctors are unable to predict the outcome.

Shutterstock Derek Draper, Kate Garraway

"The problem is, is I have huge hope and massive positivity and would never give up on that  because Derek's the core of my life and our lives  but at the same time I have absolute uncertainty," she told her fellow GMB anchors. "And it's not just me, by the way, it's his mum and dad and his sisters and everybody who loves him. All his friends. We're all going through that."

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"And the doctors don't know," she said. "They don't know because they've never seen this before."

"We think of COVID as being something where you either live, mercifully, or it takes you. I think at the beginning of this, that's what it was like," Garraway said, adding that she herself suffered from a mild case. "But now what we're seeing is that there are more and more people who are living, but with completely unforeseen consequences."

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.
A Dublin criminal who was convicted of dismembering a man's body with a chainsaw and dumping it in a lake is in Castlerea Prison this weekend after a judge revoked his bail.

Philip County (33), who has links to the Kinahan cartel, had been due to be sentenced in October after he pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and MDMA with a total street value of 7,298 during an armed raid at his home in Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, in October 2017.

Last month, he was released on bail and told by Judge Keenan Johnson that he was facing a three-year sentence, with two suspended depending on a probation report.

Previously described in court as an "enforcer" for a criminal gang, County, who is originally from Lucan, has 56 previous convictions, including a number for drugs and firearms.

At last month's court hearing, Judge Johnson said he could not overlook County's previous convictions and "it will warrant some element of a custodial sentence" before adjourning sentencing in the case until October 6 and granting the criminal bail until that date.

However, the judge was not made aware at that court hearing that County had, in fact, a conviction at the Amsterdam Court of Appeal from May 2017.

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On that date, County was convicted of being a co-perpetrator in the concealment, removal and disposal of the corpse of Keith Ennis in Amsterdam and had been sentenced to 21 months in prison.

After learning of his conviction in the Netherlands, the DPP ordered County be brought back before Judge Johnson on Thursday, who revoked his bail on the basis of the serious previous conviction in the Netherlands.

In May 2017, County and two other men were sentenced to two years in prison for hiding Ennis's body in 2009, but County had already served that time while on remand in a Dutch prison.

During the Ennis murder trial in the Netherlands earlier that year, convicted drug dealer County did not show up for the case because his family were under threat and received a bullet in the post, according to his lawyer.

However, this was rubbished by Dutch prosecutors, who described him as "an enforcer" for an Irish organised crime gang.

Dutch judges said in their verdict that the outcome of the investigation into Ennis's violent death was "highly unsatisfactory, especially for Ennis's next of kin, who do not know who murdered him".

Ennis (29) was stabbed to death in February 2009 in an apartment in Rotterdam. He suffered multiple stab wounds to his head and face and several fatal knife slashes to his back, penetrating vital organs.

Afterwards, his body was cut up with a chainsaw. The head was severed and hidden in a suitcase which was dumped in a canal. The remains were found on February 24, 2009, in a lake in Amsterdam.
The once bustling streets of Bali have transformed after tourists were banished amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Tourist attractions including beaches, clubs and shops have been temporarily closed in Bali since late March to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Since then footage has emerged of monkeys taking over hotels, jumping from balconies into pools.

The streets are now empty and locals are struggling to make ends meet after losing their jobs.

Police patrols roam the streets and punish people who are seen without their masks by making them dance.

A blocked road at a tourist area in Sanur, Bali, Indonesia, 27 May 2020

Foreign tourists look on at the beach from behind a barrier with a closure notice amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, in Kuta near Denpasar on Indonesia's resort island of Bali on May 29

The popular holiday destination boasted 6.3million visitors last year of which 1.23million were Australians.

Balis economy, 60 to 80 per cent of which is dependent on tourism, has been gutted.

Despite only recording a total of 510 positive coronavirus tests and a total of five deaths, it is unclear when Australians will resume travel to Bali.

Some businesses are working on retraining all staff to make sure they know the best cleaning techniques.

Many are expected to check visitors' temperature and will provide hand sanitser.

Monkeys have taken over abandoned hotels in Bali, enjoying the empty space and swimming pool

Tourist wearing face mask walk pass closed shops at a tourist area in Sanur, Bali, Indonesia, 27 May 2020

A coronavirus banner is seen at a street in tourist area in Sanur, Bali, Indonesia, 27 May 2020

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued advice to all Australians abroad on March 17 to return as the coronavirus pandemic worsened.

All arrivals are required to endure a mandatory 14-day quarantine in a hotel to ensure they are not infected with the killer COVID-19.

Despite the advice, some Australians decided to stay in Bali, including Australian FIFO worker Abi Crane who stayed with her Indonesian fiance Ozzie Saputra.

Mr Saputra lost his job with a tour company when restrictions were placed to slow the spread of the virus.

The pair then decided to help the less fortunate and organised food packages for families who were struggling to make ends meet.

Australian FIFO worker Abi Crane stayed with her Indonesian fiance Ozzie Saputra despite the government asking those abroad to return

Australian FIFO worker Abi Crane and her Indonesian fiance Ozzie Saputra organised food packages for families struggling to make ends meet

Locals are grateful for the food packages after they lost their jobs and struggled to make ends meet

'They're usually about thirty dollars each and they will support a family of four for about a week,' Ms Crane told A Current Affair.

'There's no government support here, we're very lucky in Australia to receive some funds off the government. The locals get absolutely nothing and it's very sad.'

She said Bali is 'very different' now compared to before the restrictions but doesn't regret her decision to stay.

'Businesses are closed, restaurants have closed, hotels have closed, the streets are quiet, people are working from home.'

She explained that tourists and locals are not allowed outside without a mask and police are strictly enforcing that rule.

Some people have been forced to dance if they were caught without a mask, while some were forced to do 50 push-ups.

A Balinese security employee stand on a deserted beach amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, in Kuta near Denpasar on Indonesia's resort island of Bali on May 29

The once bustling streets of Bali are now empty after tourists rushed home in amidst the coronavirus pandemic

Bali's Ngurah Rai Immigration Office and the island's tourism board said they are working on new protocols for when they reopen their borders to welcome tourists.

'We are still drafting the new health protocols for all economic sectors including tourism. We have not yet decided when it will start,' Bali Tourism Board chairman Gus Agung told The New Daily.

'Based on our current discussions with health experts, we are hoping to open in late July. We will do it step-by-step, starting with domestic tourism.'

The opening of businesses, clubs, restaurants and beaches will all done gradually depending on the risk of coronavirus.

'The opening of the activities will be done gradually, selectively, prioritising small locally owned businesses starting in areas with low COVID-19 cases,' said Ida Ayu Indah, marketing chief at the state Bali Tourism Office.
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Bangkok

Factories and stores are reopening, economies are reawakening  but many jobs just aren't coming back.

That's the harsh truth facing workers laid off around the world, from restaurants in Thailand to car factories in France, whose livelihoods fell victim to a virus-driven recession that's accelerating decline in struggling industries and upheaval across the global workforce.

New U.S. figures released on Friday showed a surprise drop in joblessness as some of those who were temporarily laid off returned to work. But it's only a dent in the recent months' surge of unemployment, which remains near Depression-era levels. In a pattern repeated across the world, high unemployment means less money spent in surviving stores, restaurants and travel businesses, with repercussions across economies rich and poor.

"My boss feared that since we come from Kibera (an impoverished slum), we might infect them with COVID-19, and so he let us go," said Margaret Awino, a cleaning worker in a Nairobi charity. "I don't know how I can go on."

As the virus and now protests across the U.S. have shed new light on economic inequalities, some experts say it's time to rethink work, wages and health benefits altogether, especially as automation escalates and traditional trades vanish.

Thai chef

When Wannapa Kotabin got a job as an assistant chef in the kitchen of one of Bangkok's longest-established Italian restaurants, she thought her career was set.

But five years on, she's in line with more than 100 other jobless Thais outside an unemployment office.

The government ordered all restaurants closed in March to combat the coronavirus, and 38-year-old Wannapa has been spending her savings on food and shelter.

When restaurants were allowed to reopen in May, Wannapa's restaurant told staff its closure was permanent.

"I never thought this would happen," she said. "It's like my heart got broken twice."

Around the world, new virus safety rules mean restaurants and stores can't hold as many people as they used to, so they can't afford as much staff. Many can't afford to reopen at all.

Bangkok's restaurants are firing, not hiring, she said.

"I will have to go on and keep fighting," she declared. "If there is any job that I can do, I will do it."

Wannapa's unemployment benefit can only tide her over for so long. She said if she can't find work, she'll have to return to her family's rubber plantation to start life all over again.

Israeli programmer

When the coronavirus first broke out, Israeli software developer Itamar Lev was told to work from home. Then the online advertising company he worked for slashed his salary 20%. Finally, just as restrictions started to ease, he was fired.

Lev, 44, is among hundreds of thousands of Israelis out of a job as a result of the pandemic, more than 25 percent of the workforce.

"It was sudden. I wasn't ready for it," he said.

Tied to the American market, Lev's company's advertising revenue dried up and they had to make cutbacks. Lev said he was treated respectfully, and sees himself as simply a victim of the times.

He is already preparing for interviews and confident he will find a new position soon. In a country versed in disruptions from wars and security threats, he said Israelis have built up a certain resilience to upheaval.

Still, he said this time feels different. His wife, a self-employed dance instructor, has also seen her income temporarily evaporate, forcing the couple to dig into their savings.

"The 'comeback' is going to take longer," said Lev, father of a 5-year-old girl. "It's a difficult period. We're just going to have to take a deep breath and get through it."

Kenyan cleaner

Perhaps hardest-hit by virus job losses are low-paid service workers like 54-year-old Awino, who lost her job after 15 years as a cleaner at one of Mother Teresa's charities in Nairobi.

Awino shares a shack with her four daughters, including one who has epilepsy and requires costly medical care, and they share a communal toilet nearby. She hasn't seen her husband in nine years.

Without her regular $150 monthly salary, she now buys raw chicken and fries it on the streets for sale.

"Ever since I was fired because of COVID-19, I put all my efforts into my business," she said.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Some days she earns more than what she was making at her old job, but it's hard work, and unpredictable. City council and health inspectors are known to raid informal street vendors, who are often arrested and have their goods confiscated.

Awino has no choice but to take the risk, and she's not alone: Hundreds of thousands of Kenyans have also lost their jobs because of the pandemic.

Cloudy skies

On a global scale, the industry perhaps most vulnerable is aviation.

Germany's Lufthansa is losing a million euros an hour, and its CEO estimates that when the pandemic is over it will need 10,000 fewer workers than it does now. Emirates President Tim Clark signaled it could take the Dubai-based airline four years to return to its full network of routes.

The ripple effect on jobs in tourism and hospitality sectors is massive.

Countries like the United Arab Emirates are home to millions of foreigners who far outnumber the local population  many of whom have lost their jobs. Their families in countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal and the Philippines rely on their monthly remittances for survival.

Egyptian hotel chef Ramadan el-Sayed is among thousands sent home in March as the pandemic began to decimate Dubai's tourism industry. He returned to his wife and three kids in the city of Sohag, about 310 miles south of Cairo. He has not been paid since April.

"There's no work here at all," he said. "Even tourism here is operating at 25 percent so who's going to hire here?"

He sits idle, relying on his brother and father for support. He is hopeful the Marriott hotel where he worked will bring him back at the end of the summer when they plan to reopen.

"We are waiting, God willing," el-Sayed said.

Long road ahead

So why aren't all the jobs coming back, if economies are reopening?

Some companies that came into the recession in bad shape can no longer put off tough decisions. Meanwhile, even though reopened cities are filling anew with shoppers and commuters, many consumers remain wary about returning to old habits for fear of the virus.

"Some firms that were healthy before governments imposed shutdowns will go bankrupt, and it could take a long time for them to be replaced by new businesses," Capital Economics said in a research note. "Other firms will delay or cancel investment."

It estimates that a third of U.S. workers made jobless by the pandemic won't find work within six months. And some European workers on generous government-subsidized furlough programs could get laid off when they expire, as companies like French carmaker Renault and plane maker Airbus face up to a bleaker future.

Holger Schmieding, economist at Berenberg Economics, warned: "The COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing mega-recession may shape political debates and choices for a long time."
The coronavirus pandemic has affected our families, our businesses, our communities, and our way of life. And it has made our data more vulnerable than ever.

Businesses that have closed their physical doors are looking for new ways to stay open. IT organizations must urgently enable remote workforces, shifting priorities and reinventing the landscape as they move through it. In an effort to preserve cash and keep the lights on, IT administrators are getting by with the data protection software and hardware theyve had in place for years, letting modernization slip down on the priority list. And that could be a big mistake  because cybercriminals are using this unprecedented situation as an opportunity to attack and hold data hostage.

Organizations must act quickly to protect one of their most valuable assets  their data. Almost overnight, a majority of workers have moved from offices to working anywhere. Hackers are well aware of weaker security controls on home IT systems, where every device or wireless connection is a potential entry point. Workers who continue to travel into the office, however, are not immune to cyber threats. Heightened anxiety is increasing the likelihood that users will click on COVID-19-themed lure emails from any device or location, significantly increasing the success of ransomware attacks.

A strategy for IT teams spread thin

The rise in cybercrimes like ransomware cannot be ignored. Data loss and system downtime have severe consequences that demand urgent response if an incident occurs. Many IT organizations already spread thin by the crisis will be hard pressed to get systems back up and running with outdated technology.

Although modernizing data protection is a critical factor for ensuring business continuity, the prospect can be overwhelming in the midst of all the other COVID-related changes. Here is a simple, straightforward strategy to prepare your team and protect your data in the new threat landscape:

Dont skip the basics. The 3-2-1-1 rule that data protection specialists have relied on still applies: Preserve three copies of your data on at least two different media types with one stored offline, and one stored offsite at another physical location or in the cloud. Plan for the future. Choose a solution that protects your business data immediately and enables you to modernize data protection at your own pace, with enough built-in flexibility to allow your business to navigate an uncertain future. Act quickly. Select a vendor you trust and a solution you can deploy quickly. There are simple, resilient, game-changing solutions available today  appliances, software-defined, and cloud-based  that can be implemented in just a few hours. Technology providers who go beyond traditional solutions and provide new approaches and answers can help you find the right data protection solution for your business. Look for solutions that meet every SLA adequately and cost-effectively, and put your most valuable asset to use for more than just an insurance policy, leveraging it for business insights, and accelerating development times.

Fortify data defense with proven solutions

Modern data protection solutions can be deployed rapidly. Technology advances have propelled these innovative solutions far beyond the basic 3-2-1-1 rule to mitigate data loss in the face of ransomware and other malicious attacks. To ensure your data is safeguarded and recoverable, choose a proven, economical solution that is easy to integrate into your workflows and effortless to manage. Most importantly, ensure that your data is not accessible to ransomware. Your data should be stored in a way that makes it invisible to unauthorized encryption, and your solution should let you restore data efficiently at any time.

While its likely the basics of protecting your organization wont change during this pandemic, the timeline for implementation will. There are actions you can take now, and technologies you can adopt very quickly, that incorporate the latest innovations to help you secure your data without compromise:

 Look to the cloud  but not just any cloud A modern data protection plan typically extends to the cloud for scalability. The cloud offers flexible capacity and supreme agility without requiring additional capital investment. Cloud services scale up or down to meet unpredictable demands, and because data is managed offsite, your IT staff is freed up from additional datacenter tasks.

When selecting a cloud service for protecting data, keep in mind that services and charges vary from vendor to vendor. Some cloud services are extremely efficient, allowing you to protect your data in an effortless and flexible way. A cloud solution with built-in security and that doesnt charge egress to recover your data helps preserve cash. You can spin up capacity in minutes and pay-as-you-protect data with a suite of enterprise cloud data services such as HPE Cloud Volumes, which offers plug-and-play data protection with a wide matrix of software options. While the data being protected is invisible to ransomware, your organization can securely and efficiently put your data to use for dev-test, analytics, and/or hybrid CI/CD pipelines by activating it across AWS, Azure, and GCP.

 Choose software-defined solutions and make backups invisible Software-defined solutions offer another way to protect enterprise data assets without adding physical hardware to the environment. A virtual machine (VM) backup solution is easy to deploy on your existing hardware, and it can provide enterprise-class data security and fast recovery for lower recovery point objectives. HPE StoreOnce VSA provides an impenetrable layer of protection by ensuring that backup data cannot be seen by ransomware.

 Add an Air Gap to make backup data inaccessible An air gap, also called an air wall, is a security measure that protects data from intrusion. The concept is simple: any device that isnt connected to a network cannot be attacked remotely. During a cyberattack, traditional tape storage provides a vital last line of defense because you can maintain copies of data fully offline behind an air gap. Tape storage continues to be in strong demand as a scalable and secure method to protect and retain infrequently accessed, yet essential data in the long term. The ultra-low cost per GB and rapid transportability of HPE StoreEver tape provides extra reassurance that you can rapidly recover data if an incident occurs. Download this whitepaper to learn how tape storage can be used effectively to combat ransomware.

If you create a strong line of defense now to secure business-critical data and ensure application availability, your organization will be able to deliver more than business continuity. New technology can improve efficiencies by reducing cost, risk, and complexity in backup environments. Protecting your data on-premises and in a distributed-cloud environment will set you up to deliver on future SLAs, enabling you to meet demanding SLAs (RPOs and RTOs) and keep your business moving ahead.

Learn more about HPE data protection here.

____________________________________

About Ashish Prakash

Ashish Prakash is the Vice President & GM of the Cloud Data Services team in the HPE Storage & Big Data group. In this role, Ashish is responsible for defining and developing simple and consistent customer cloud experiences that can deliver private, machine learning, data protection, and connectivity as-a-service.

Prior to his current role, Ashish led Product Management responsible for HPE Nimble Storage, HPE Cloud Volumes, and HPE Infosight.
Phetchaburi man nabbed in Phuket with meth

PHUKET: An anti-narcotics task force operating directly under the Phuket Provincial Office yesterday (5 June ) arrested a Phetchaburi man for possession of methamphetamine pills (ya bah).

crimedrugs

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Saturday 6 June 2020, 04:55PM

Jakka Tonsuk, 28, was arrested yesterday with five meth pills. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

The information about the arrest was revealed to The Phuket News today (June 6) by Siripong Leeprasit of the Phuket Provincial Narcotics Control Management Center, a provincial-level anti-narcotics task force.

As Mr Siripong explained, officials received a tip-off from an undercover agent and arrested Jakka Tee Tonsuk, 28, at about 2.40pm yesterday. The arrest was conducted at Soi Pasak 8 in tambon Cherng Thalay.

The man was walking along the street in a strange manner, Mr Siripong added.

Having searched Mr Jakka, officials found him in possession of five metamphetamine pills. The suspect was taken to Cherng Thalay Police Station to be questioned and charged with possession of a Category 1 drug.
In 1297, a Genovese robber baron led a gang disguised as Franciscan monks on a daring raid on the Rock of Monaco.

His name was Francisco Grimaldi, and his wily descendants would eventually gain control of the tiny city state and lead it slowly towards extreme wealth, and independence.

These days Monaco is famous as the playground of the super-wealthy: more than 30pc of its 38,000 inhabitants are millionaires, and fat-ass yachts jostle for space in Port Hercules.

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You can visit by train from nearby Nice, swapping the salty Nicoise back-streets for a glittering fantasy-land dominated by depressingly vulgar demonstrations of wealth. It's an odd little place, about half the size of the Phoenix Park but every inch a hugely valuable piece of real estate. This new three-part documentary series will allow one to vicariously travel to the vaunted principality and find out what life is like in one of the world's most exclusive enclaves.

We meet Prince Albert II, the latest in a long line of Grimaldis, and the exceedingly wealthy widow Monika Bacardi, who takes director Michael Waldman and his cameraman on a tour of the city in her chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce. We visit the famous yacht show, and the Monaco Grand Prix, where Waldman has a chat with team owner Eddie Jordan.

As visitors flock in for the Grand Prix weekend, Michael speaks to the harbour masters responsible for guiding yachts worth millions to their moorings, and to Sylvie, a housekeeper to the stars at the iconic Hotel de Paris, who must cater to the every whim of her VIP guests. It's also a busy time for the hotel's parking valets, who are left in charge of some very fancy cars.

Monaco has been extremely adept at protecting its reputation as one of the most glamorous places in the world, but constantly needs to attract more wealth. And here we witness Prince Albert's friend, the wonderfully titled Princess Camilla of Bourbon and the Two Sicilies, as she hosts the Monaco Influencers Awards, which will hopefully lure in some social-media millionaires.

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Video of the Day

Films of the week

Sully

Tonight, RTE1, 9.45pm

Clint Eastwood's drama is based on the true story of Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger, a pilot who managed to successfully land a damaged Airbus A320 on the Hudson River. With Tom Hanks, Laura Linney.

Before Midnight

Monday, TG4, 9.30pm

Jessie and Celine are now married with kids, but things come unstuck when they go to a Greek Island for a writing workshop. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy star in Richard Linklater's comic sequel.

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

Tuesday, Sky Premiere, 8pm

Hopes are high that the two kingdoms will be united by the impending marriage of Aurora and Prince Phillip, but Maleficent smells a rat. Angelina Jolie (below) stars in this lush fantasy sequel.

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The Square

Wednesday, Film4, 9pm

In this clever Scandinavian satire, the curator of an avant garde Stockholm art museum gets mixed up in a media debate about racism and freedom of speech after his mobile phone is stolen.

Amy

Thursday, Channel 4, 10pm

Friends and colleagues reflect on the life of Amy Winehouse, the north London girl whose extraordinary singing career was tragically cut short by her death at the age of just 27.

Da 5 Bloods

Friday, Netflix

Delroy Lindo, Chadwick Boseman and Melanie Thierry head the cast of Spike Lee's new drama about a group of veterans who return to Vietnam to search for the remains of their former leader.

Documentaries

Crime

Murder in the Outback

Sunday, Channel 4, 9.15pm

Cold case

In 2001, British tourist Peter Falconio disappeared in Australias Northern Territory, and a man was a convicted of his murder. But questions remain.

History

A House Through Time

Tuesday, BBC2, 9pm

War and Peace

No10 Guinea Street, once a great home built on the proceeds of slavery, became a tenement in the late 19th century, and would be marked by war.

Culture

Tim Robinson: Connemara

Wednesday, TG4, 9.30pm

A keen eye

The cartographer Tim Robinson, who died of Covid-19 in April, devoted much of his life to making detailed studies of the landscapes of Connemara.

TV picks

Drama

Sitting in Limbo

Monday, BBC1, 8.30pm

Windrush tales

In this drama based on a true story, a West Indian-born man whos been living in the UK for 50 years is arrested and threatened with deportation.

Documentary

Fearless: Samantha Barry

Monday, RTE1, 9.35pm

Ballincolligs finest

Documentary following US Glamour Editor Samantha Barry as she prepares for the magazines star-studded Woman of the Year award.

Comedy

Staged

Wednesday, BBC1, 11.15pm

Actors unemployed

David Tennant and Michael Sheen were about to star in a West End play when Covid happened. Instead, they have time on their hands.
SAO PAULO, June 5 (Reuters) - Brazil's automobile production rose in May from April, but remains 84.4% lower compared with the same month in 2019, the national automakers' association said on Friday.

Anfavea, as the automakers association is known, said the auto industry produced 43,100 units in May. Brazilian auto sales grew 11.6% from the month before to 62,200 units, while auto exports fell 73.3% compared to April to $173.8 mln, according to Anfavea. (Reporting by Alberto Alerigi Jr; Writing by Gabriela Mello Editing by Paul Simao)
Racine, The Washington Posts editorial board and several members of Congress backed Pintos bid for office. Before her campaign, Pinto had never voted in a D.C. election. She was also the only candidate in the race who declined to use the public campaign financing program, enabling her to inject more than $45,000 of her own money into the campaign.
The Cambridges have sought to play their role in the coronavirus pandemic relief effort. (Comic Relief/BBC Children in Need)

A new photo of Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince William volunteering in Sandringham has been released to mark the end of Volunteers Week.

The picture was taken in April, on the same day the birthday images of Charlotte were taken by her mother, the Duchess of Cambridge.

The photograph shows Charlotte, five, carrying a bag of food to a home on the estate in Norfolk, with George, six, next to her.

William, 37, holds an umbrella over both of them as they approach a home with one of the food parcels.

William holds an umbrella over George and Charlotte as they make a delivery. (The Duchess of Cambridge/PA Wire)

The family has been living in Anmer Hall, their Norfolk home, throughout the lockdown, and William and Kate, 38, have been homeschooling their children.

The images comes after William revealed he has been one of the volunteers on Shout, the text based crisis service which the Cambridges set up with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex a year ago.

Read more: William and Kate's social media switch up: Cambridges using their social media presence more like Meghan and Harry, says expert

The Queen has also sent her own message to mark the end of the week.

She said: As Volunteers Week draws to a close, it is inspiring to reflect on the many thousands of people, who through their acts of generosity and kindness, have achieved so much for the greater good.

I have been following with interest how men and women from around the world, including my own family, have been helping and recognising the vital role of the volunteer.

I send my best wishes to all those who give themselves so freely and selflessly in the service of others.

Alongside the message on Instagram, the Royal Family shared a selection of pictures, including two previously unseen images of Edward and Sophie, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, packing food bags.

Sophie entered the Duchess of Cambridges photography project earlier this week with an image from her volunteering efforts.

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The palace also shared a picture of a banner reading: You are not alone in this.

Posting the new photo on their Instagram page, the Duke and Duchess said they were pleased to share a new photo taken by The Duchess as they played their own part in the national volunteering effort.

In April, The Duke and Duchess and their family visited the Sandringham Estate where they packed up and delivered food parcels to isolated pensioners in the local area.

One of the images released for Charlotte's birthday. (The Duchess of Cambridge)

Read more: Eat like royalty: Duchess of Cornwall reveals recipe for snack loved by Queen and Prince William

The photo shows George wearing a blue checked shirt, under a jumper, with long trousers, and trainers. Charlotte is in a gingham dress with grey tights and black shoes.

When the photos of Charlotte were released, the family revealed they had made pasta to go in the parcels to be delivered across the estate.

The duchess has also been taking part in the check in and chat service, along with Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex.

On Friday, Prince Charles released a message thanking Samaritans, which he has been a patron of for 20 years.

He said: In the Samaritans mission of preventing suicide, your incredible network of over 20,000 volunteers is a shining example of all that is best about our voluntary sector - providing a listening service day and night, 365 days a year.
June 06 : Sunny Leone, who left for Los Angeles amid coronavirus pandemic in May with her husband Daniel Weber and their children Nisha, Noah and Asher, want to return to India as soon as international flights resume.

Sunny shares glimpses of her daily activities in Los Angeles to keep her fans up-to-date. A little while ago, the diva shared a couple of pictures on her Instagram handle, while she was taking her little daughter Nisha to her first riding lesson. In the first picture, we see Sunny posing for the camera in a simple blue checkered shirt tucked in a pair of denim. The diva completed her casual look with a pair of sunnies and boots.

In the second picture, we can see little Nisha on a white horse all set for the riding lesson. Proud mom Leone feels she already looks like a little mini pro.

Sunny has been enjoying her quarantine in the lap of nature and often shares pictures picking vegetables at a farm, feeding the giraffes or taking fresh air sitting amid the greens in a park. The Leone family wanted to be with Daniels mother during the pandemic.
City and community leaders including City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart, Councilmember Kendra Brooks, Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, Pastor Melanie DuBose, pastor of Evangel Chapel and co-chair of POWER, the Rev. Mark Tyler, Councilmember Derek Green, and District Attorney Larry Krasner take a knee on June 4, 2020, at the memorial of Octavius V. Catto, Philadelphia's only historic named statue of a person of color on public land. Read more

Now that the Frank Rizzo statue has come down, it is time to envision a long-awaited next chapter for our city.

From the statues dedication in 1999, the larger-than-life bronze figure loomed over the civic spaces around City Hall. Installed less than a decade after Rizzos death, the city enshrined the former mayor and police commissioner, whose approaches to law and order included tormenting black Philadelphians during the Civil Rights Movement, raiding gay bars and businesses in the pre-Stonewall era, and flouting constitutional rights, among a litany of degradations directed against residents of the city.

The Rizzo statues placement on the front steps of the Municipal Services Building compounded the wounds of his legacy with the ongoing discrimination, displacement, and hyper-surveillance of black and brown communities. Ultimately, the statue served as a monument to entrenched white supremacy.

The elevation of hometown heroes is never impartial. In this case, the Rizzo statue celebrated and protected violent forms of white domination and control in the heart of the city. Its takedown is part of ongoing movements to reckon with the symbols and systems of racism and follows years of organizing and testimony around the statue led by black activists, including the Philadelphia Coalition for REAL (Racial, Economic and Legal) Justice. Others followed suit to emphatically point out the harm done by the continued presence and financial resources leveraged to keep the statue in place.

The most recent protests in defense of black lives and against police brutality made it impossible for the city to delay its promised removal any further.

The takedown of Rizzo, like this weeks removal of Robert E. Lee and Confederate monuments across from Birmingham, Ala.s City Hall and on Richmond, Va.s Monument Avenue, among dozens of other locales, confirm that exclusion has been built into our public spaces.

Public art is part of Philadelphias DNA. At our best, it can be a guiding voice and a platform for democratic belonging. But with a collection of over 1,500 statues to historic figures, we continue to maintain profound inequities of monumental representation. There is only one full statue to a named historic person of color on public land  Octavius V. Catto, a 19th-century black freedom fighter and educator  in this city.

Right now we must work to not just fill the empty place once occupied by the Rizzo statue, but reenvision the power structures that landed it there in the first place.

At a time when we desperately need official outlets for public art, the citys public art office would cease to exist in the mayors proposed budget. This is cause for alarm, because the roots of Philadelphias art history, including the Rizzo statue, run deep into the municipal systems that produced the monument and kept it in place for decades.

Now, as our city strives to respond to protests against racial injustice, our approach to civic art must, too, must reflect a radical reenvisioning toward justice, repair, and regrowth.

Philadelphia has a responsibility to be bolder in our art and demands of freedom.

This means to support artists, especially black artists, who deserve time, space, and financial resources to imagine the monuments our city deserves. This can include reconsideration of Hank Willis Thomas All Power to All People, placed as a prototype monument adjacent to the Rizzo statue, as part of our Monument Lab exhibition in 2017 with Mural Arts Philadelphia. (Thomas monument is now in the collection of the nearby Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts  and could be considered for a return to MSB Plaza.)

Art is a vehicle for change. Rizzo is not an aberration, but the tip of the iceberg. We cannot treat its takedown as proof of a fix or resolution, but as a precondition of the necessary changes we have yet to make.

What comes next? If we treat the takedown not as a culmination, but a continuation, we just may start to move toward something transformative for our city.

Paul M. Farber is the artistic director of Monument Lab and senior research scholar at the Center for Public Art and Space at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design. He is the co-editor of Monument Lab: Creative Speculations for Philadelphia.
(Newser)  Ivanka Trump fired back Friday after Wichita State University canceled her planned speech at the WSU tech school's virtual graduation ceremony, the Hill reports. "Our nation's campuses should be bastions of free speech," she tweeted along with a video of the speech she planned to give. "Cancel culture and viewpoint discrimination are antithetical to academia. Listening to one another is important now more than ever!" Seems her speech was announced Thursday and canceled later that day after Jennifer Ray, associate professor of photo media, penned a letter urging the university to cancel her speech. The letter blazed through social media and had 487 signatures from alumni, students, and faculty before midnight, the Wichita Eagle reports.

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"Ivanka Trump, obviously, represents her father's administration as one of his closest advisors," she wrote in the letter. "To many Americans, that administration has come to signify the worst of our country, particularly in its recent actions toward those peacefully protesting against racist police brutality." In dismissing her, the university only said the Saturday commencement will focus "more centrally on students" and have a nursing graduate as speaker. Some Republicans are criticizing WSU, with the Guardian reporting that Rep. Ron Estes says he's "disappointed" and Sen. Tom Cotton saying "the woke mob struck." As for Trump's speech, it focused largely on how America is grappling with the coronavirus pandemic. (Read more Ivanka Trump stories.)
How might theater be different after COVID-19? Readers chime in. (Steven Banks/Los Angeles Times/Getty )

Regarding Theater After the Pandemic: Not Like it Was. Better by Charles McNulty [May 31]: There is much talk about when theaters can reopen as the coronavirus still lingers among us. Both live theater and movie theaters have to be concerned with audience members infecting one another. But there is one distinct difference between a movie theater and live theater as far as safety is concerned. In a movie theater performers cannot infect the audience, but performers can infect the audience in live theater. Loud talking and singing from the stage can quickly spread the virus.

Two possible solutions: Have the actors wear masks on stage. There is a long tradition in the theater for wearing masks. I am sure a clever makeup artist could paint the masks in such a way to indicate the character the actor is playing.

Another way is to have the dialogue recorded and the actors silently mouth their words.

William Bergfeldt



Hollywood

::

Surely theater to be made live again must be revitalized and made for the many, rather than for only those that are able to purchase a pricey ticket. A subsidized theater industry such as seen in England would be a giant step forward, as would a program of universal healthcare.

And while much of theater is artifice and illusion, the brilliant Patti LuPone makes an important point: Theaters must emphasize cleanliness. Theater dressing rooms and backstage entrances are, as LuPone emphasizes, nothing short of petri dishesdank, dirty and unacceptable in this grave age of contagion.

Ben Miles



Huntington Beach



The writer is the theater critic for the Beachcomber Newspaper in Long Beach.

A new perspective for Beckett

Theater critic Charles McNultys column [Beckett Wrote it Out for You, May 26] is one of the most brilliant pieces of journalism related to the arts Ive ever read.

Ive been a Beckett fan for decades and have seen every play by Beckett performed, most more than once. Yet, I felt today as if I were seeing the plays described for the first time.

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I cant thank McNulty enough for this revelatory piece and I thank The Times for continuing to share McNultys comments and perspective with its readers.

Marta Vago



Santa Monica

::

Do not ever let go of Charles McNulty. His article confirms his value and worth. Perseverance in the time of COVID-19 is just what Beckett was writing about.

Also, please ask Chris Erskine to come back.

Mary Collier



Fullerton

A versatile actress

Regarding Lorraine Ali's interview with Juliette Lewis Oh, That was a Juliette Lewis Role [May 27]: I so appreciate every Juliette Lewis role she gets. Like it or not, when she appears on screen youre almost guaranteed an uncontrollable and energetic rambling on and edgy performance that only she can bring to an appearance.

I rank her right there with Meryl Streep and Jessica Lange, who equally use their personas to bring special excitement to every performance.

Yes, more Juliette Lewis please.

Conrad Angel Corral



Cathedral City

Feminism may have lost the battle but won the war

Regarding Mary McNamaras wonderful Women Versus Women: Tough Watch for This Former Ms. Staffer [May 25]: McNamara, one of my favorite cultural journalists working today, did not disappoint me with this thorough and nuanced evaluation of "Mrs. America," a truly top-notch show, but with one caveat.

McNamara orients the entire article around the failure of feminism, as proven by the defeat of the ERA and her argument that the womens movement is shoved increasingly to the sidelines. These are both very strange characterizations in view of the massive impact feminism and the womens movement have had on U.S. society. Lowering, but not fully fixing, the wage gap; improving womens chances in the political arena; adding womens voices to key cultural forms and discourses. Fifty years ago one could not imagine The Squad or the heavy representation women have in academia, albeit often at lower paid adjunct levels.

Of course we have not solved gender inequality. But its seriously misleading to suggest that the womens movement had no positive impact or was/is a failure. I was there in D.C. in January 2017 with my daughter and my pussy hat. That was not failure.

That said, one of the most wonderful things about "Mrs. America," as McNamara points out, is that it refuses to gloss over the internal battles and exclusions  most notably of Black women and lesbians in the 1970s (as well, on the west coast, Latinx and other women of color). Fortunately many of the most important voices from a deep history of this country are now recognized as those of women of color, lesbians, queers, and trans womenfrom Sojourner Truth to Audre Lorde to Dolores Huerta to Laverne Cox to Janelle Monae and beyond.

The failure to pass the ERA is not a failure overall but was galvanizing for feminists coming of age in the 1980s and 1990s. It pissed me off, and made me the feminist I am.

Amelia Jones



Los Angeles

::

McNamara's Mrs. America [column] is simply one of most endearing and thoughtful stories about the "bravest" show in the history of TV.

Wonderful humanist insights abound in this nine-hour series in which the heroes lose.

Jim Gordon



San Diego

A real nightmare for radio DJs

There is one very frightening element of the movie The Vast of Night that the article by Mark Olsen ['Extraordinary' Level of Craft, May 31] and Justin Chang's review [1950s Sci-Fi Paranoia in Fine Form, May 28] failed to mention.

This was the heros nonchalance at leaving the control room while the record was playing without some alternate programming while he went out of the station. It is true, however, that this would only be frightening to a certain segment of the audience: those who have worked as disc jockeys at small radio stations like the one depicted in the film.

It was years ago that I worked in radio but to this day I still have nightmares that Im walking down the street and suddenly think: Oh my gosh, the record is about to end and Im not there!

Im sure many an old time DJ were quaking in their boots when they saw him heading outside while his show was still on.

Jonathan Mumm



Twin Peaks
On July 12, 1962, Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru landed at Delhis Palam airport; he was back from a family holiday in Kashmir. The National Herald described the scene thus: Pandit Nehru returned by a special plane from Kashmir after a weeks holiday. He was accompanied by Mrs Indira Gandhi, Mrs Vijayalakshmi Pandit and his two grandsons. The Prime Minister was looking better after the rest.

The presspersons literally jumped on the Prime Minister: Chinese troops had encircled an Indian picket in a remote unknown place of Ladakh, the spokesman of the external affairs ministry had just told them: There has been no change in the situation caused by encircled Indian post in the Galwan river valley in Ladakh by Chinese intruders. But the Prime Minister was cool: No conflict had occurred so far between the Indian and Chinese personnel at the Galwan outpost in Ladakh.

The tendency to minimise Chinese intrusions is nothing new; that day at the airport, Nehru explained some time or the other the Chinese will have to end their encirclement of the Indian outpost to avoid an armed clash.

A correspondent dared point out that according to the latest Indian protest note the situation was serious, and the PM agreed. Yes. They are pitched in a high key. Anyhow, so far as I know, nothing has happened, no conflict has occurred, he said, adding: Some time or the other the [Chinese] will have to [end the encirclement].

Nehru was cheerful, and even joked as the correspondents trooped around him, laughingly asking: Are you now encircling me?

Two days later, before leaving for Bengaluru, Nehru again told the press: While there was a risk of a clash between Indian and Chinese forces at Galwan post in Ladakh, I dont think there will be any major clash. He then added: They accuse us and we accuse them. Its very difficult to say what will happen There is a risk of a clash, but not a major one.

The MEA annual report explained Indias position: In July 1962 Chinese troops encircled an Indian post in the Galwan Valley, [the Indian government has] indicated their willingness to enter into discussions on the India-China boundary question as soon as the tensions have eased and a suitable climate for talks and discussions is created. The Chinese troops eventually withdrew from the area.

This background appears interesting as one looks at the present situation in Ladakh, where PLA troops are facing the Indian troops in a similar manner.

The summer 1962 incident sent a false message to the government, and particularly to arrogant defence minister V.K. Krishna Menon, who was on his way to Geneva to meet Marshal Chen Yi, Chinas foreign minister; but it made many Indian officials, including then Intelligence Bureau chief B.N. Mullick, believe the Chinese would never attack, or if they did it would be a minor clash.

We know what happened three months later, when a totally unprepared Indian Army had to face the onslaught of the Chinese PLA.

This history shouldnt be forgotten when one looks at the present events in Ladakh, though todays establishment, like yesterdays, says that nobody should worry and the issue will be sorted out through negotiations (today its called mechanisms). But the issue may not vanish that fast.

Ambassador R.S. Kalha, in his book India-China Boundary Issues, has recalled: Nehru seemed to be convinced that the Chinese would not make any major incursion into Indian-held territory. Perhaps Krishna Menon convinced him so. Nehru told Gen. Thapar (Army Chief) that he had reliable information that the Chinese would not offer resistance if there was a show of force to make them vacate the checkposts. The events in the Galwan Valley seemed to confirm Nehrus thesis, when Chinese troops advanced right up to the Indian post, surrounded it, but did not open fire and eventually withdrew.

The ambassador added: This was not the message the Chinese wished to convey. They intended it as a warning that they could eliminate any Indian post at any time, but Nehru misread it and reached the opposite conclusion that China would not fight.

Galwan remained quiet till October 20, the day the PLA launched a massive attack; as a result, 36 Indian soldiers were killed and another 32, mostly wounded, were taken prisoners in Tibet.

Maj. Gen. P.J.S. Sandhu, editor of the fascinating study 1962: A View from the Other Side of the Hill, recently remarked: Unlike in NEFA, the Chinese did not withdraw even an inch in Ladakh. They stayed put where they had reached: their 1960 Claim Line. In Ladakh, they had claimed about 33,500 sq km of Indian territory; by the end of the war, they had taken control of most of it, except about 450 sq km of area which remain till today as a few disputed pockets.

What makes the present situation extremely serious is that in Ladakh, while there are 12 disputed areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where Chinas and Indias perceptions differ, the area where the conflict is now taking place was not one of them. In Galwan, the LAC perceptions were similar till the beginning of May, when the PLA started planting tents in the area.

What seems obvious is that the PLAs objective is to block infrastructure construction on the Indian side, regardless of whether they have ever claimed the area before or not.

The question remains: Why has China always refused to inform India of its perceptions of the LAC?

In 2000, both sides agreed they would initiate a process for the clarification and determination of the LAC in all sectors; a first meeting took place in March 2000, where maps of the middle sector were exchanged.

On June 17, 2002, both sides met again and maps of the western sector were seen by both sides for about 20 minutes, but during the meeting itself the maps were withdrawn since it was felt that they represented maximalist positions for both sides.

In these circumstances, it is high time for India to not only insist on the immediate exchange of maps of the LAC, but also to select a few points of pressure which could be painful for Beijing  such as Tibet, Taiwan or Hong Kong -- and if necessary, to start applying pressure.
Three patients are discharged from the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi on May 18. (Photo courtesy of the hospital)

All are Vietnamese who returned home on a repatriation flight from the Russian capital Moscow on May 14.

Three were admitted to the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi on May 18 while the other two were treated at the Hai Duong Provincial General Hospital.

The patients tested negative for the coronavirus two or three times and are in a stable condition, with no fever or cough.

They will continue to be quarantined and monitored for the next 14 days.

Vietnam reported no new COVID-19 cases on the morning of June 5, making it 50 successive days no new infections have been found in the community, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Of the 328 cases, 188 were imported and quarantined upon arrival.

There are currently 8,143 people with close contact to a confirmed case or who entered a pandemic-hit area now in quarantine at hospitals, State-designated quarantine camps, or at home.
In this unique and challenging time Im thankful to be able to share with you where my mind and heart happen to be. There is a saying used often in society, When the going gets tough, the tough get going. I think we are supposed to take that to mean the world works because of tough people. Im not a fan of the statement for I think it falls short of better principles that need to be considered for our time. There are a few phrases I keep coming back to that are becoming more important and relevant to me these days:

Whether we face economic turmoil, a virus or wide-spread response and discussion on race; if we will once again thrive, it will not be solely on the basis of rugged individualism and being tough; rather, we will recover, thrive and be even better only as we love and support one another toward change and growth in life and policy for the betterment of all.

Our local economy will no doubt benefit from changes in global and national energy policy and practice. But our local economy will also depend on each one of us thinking twice about buying online, and instead consider a local business we can support before we ask for Amazon to come to the door. We must choose to Buy the Basin as the Permian Basin gets back on its feet for a better future. We can buy locally to serve one another locally. And, while we Buy the Basin, your city council will be working on every option available to keep more of your hard earned dollars in your pocket while at the same time your hard earned taxes are wisely and efficiently used for the growth and maintenance of necessary city services.

Our local health will depend on how we take care of those around us as well as taking care of ourselves. Throughout the COVID-19 virus challenge the right thing to do has not changed; whether personal hygiene, wearing a mask or keeping proper distance, it has all circled back to taking care of your neighbor. Until we get to a long-term solution for this invisible enemy, we will still only thrive as we do the right thing for ourselves and the right thing for others.

Our local community relations will only serve as a model for healing, growth and progress if we keep pressing forward together in peace and for one another. Stephen Covey Jr. has written, With people slow is fast and fast is slow. I am encouraged by the way we have begun seeking to understand one another and our varying perspectives on life and culture, but it is only a beginning. It is very easy to think we already know the answers to the problems, but all too often we formulate answers without truly understanding the problem and the perspectives. We must keep moving forward with one another forged in a bond of trust. We will heal and grow as we pursue peace, do what is right for one another, and yes, keep asking how we serve one another. Your city council and Midland Police Department are committed to becoming the best version of ourselves we can collectively become. It will take time, and yes, it will take love; but we will change, grow and succeed together.

Our local future will only truly be better if we never forget the lessons we are being forced to learn in this unique time in our shared history. We must never forget the reminder that work is vital but family and community is essential. We must never forget that while liberty and personal freedom is vital, sacrifice for the good of others is essential. We must never forget that individual and community struggle is real but that love never fails, always believes the best, forgives the most and is essential.

We will one day get back to the day-to-day discussion and habits of sports, concerts, picnics, property taxes, roads and infrastructure. Indeed, that day will come sooner than we might even realize. We will look back on this spring of 2020 and refer to it as pre-COVID and post-COVID. But the tragedy will be if we look back on this time and find out -- from the perspective of where we will be in five or 10 years --that we were not changed for the better by our trials and tests we shared together.

It has been a dream of mine that one day we will be as famous for what we do above the ground as we are for what we do below the ground. I still believe in this dream, but from a different perspective. Now, I firmly believe how we support each other economically, physically and most of all relationally. That might just be what makes us the biggest, brightest star of Texas and a beacon for the nation. At the heart of our country, the great state of Texas and our special city the hallmarks of liberty, freedom and self-governance are rooted in doing for others what we would want them to do to us, pursuing peace with one another at all costs, and always asking ourselves how we can serve one another day by day.
Salvation Army staff delivered doughnuts on Friday to front-line workers in Peterborough amid the COVID-19 virus to mark National Donut Day.

Salvation Army planned to make doughnut deliveries to paramedics, transit workers, nursing home staff, child care providers, firefighters and grocery story employees on Friday.

The Salvation Army honoured the Doughnut Lassies who boosted soldiers morale during the First World War by making doughnuts for essential workers.

More than 250 volunteers from The Salvation Army were sent to France during the First World War, where women served baked goods, helped with writing letters by providing writing supplies, and helped mend clothing for soldiers, according to a news release from the church.

The Sally Ann Doughnut Recipe

 5 cups of flour

 2 cups of sugar

 5 tsp. baking powder

  tsp. salt

 2 eggs

 1  cups of milk

 400 mL of vegetable oil

Directions:

 Mix the ingredients together to make the dough

 Thoroughly knead the dough

 Roll smooth

 Cut into rings that are less than  thick

 Drop the rings into the vegetable oil until the doughnuts are browned

 When browned, remove doughnuts and allow excess oil to drip off

 Dust with powdered sugar

Yields four dozen doughnuts. Let cool and enjoy.
Modern Foods

Iconic bread and bakery brand Modern Foods, the first public sector undertaking (PSU) to be privatised, is again set to change hands, the third occasion it will have a new owner.

Singapore-headquartered private equity firm Everstone Capital has decided to put Modern Foods, which it acquired in 2015 from HUL, on the block, people with knowledge of the matter told Moneycontrol.

Everstone Capital has mandated investment bank Investec for the sale process. The firm wants to show returns to its limited partners (investors) by exiting a few of its portfolio companies in India, one of the persons cited above told Moneycontrol.

A second person also confirmed Everstones intent to divest Modern Foods. The returns from the private equity firms food and beverages business platform have not been as per expectations, he said.

Both strategic players (domestic and overseas) and private equity suitors would be interested in a target like Modern Foods as the brand has strong recall value and they can also get access to the companys well established distribution channel and sell other products as well, said a third person.

A fourth person who keenly tracks the consumer segment said, Margins are not very high in such a business, but a suitor with a complementary product portfolio, who wants to fill gaps, may be keen to participate in this transaction.

All the four persons spoke to Moneycontrol on the condition of anonymity. Moneycontrol is awaiting an email response from Everstone and will update this article when it hears from the firm. When contacted, Investec declined to comment.

MODERN FOODS: THE JOURNEY SO FAR

Launched in 1965 as Modern Bakeries (India) Limited, the company was rechristened Modern Foods India Ltd (MFIL) in 1982. According to the DIPAM (Department of Investment and Public Asset Management) website, the company went through a minor restructuring in 1991-94 when its Ujjain plant was closed, the Silchar project was abandoned and the production of Rasika drink was curtailed.

The company was referred to the Disinvestment Commission in 1996. In February 1997, the commission recommended 100 percent sale of the company, treating it in the non-core sector.

Also Read | Exclusive l JM Financial looks to raise around $100 million via QIP, in talks with I-Sec & IDFC securities

In September 1997, the government approved 50 percent disinvestment to a strategic partner through competitive global bidding. In October 1998, ANZ Investment bank was named the global advisor for assisting in disinvestment.

In January 1999, the government decided to raise the disinvestment level to 74 percent. HUL emerged as the solo bidder and acquired 74 percent of Modern Foods in January 2000. Two years later, the FMCG giant purchased the remaining stake.

On September 9, 2015, HUL said it will sell Modern Foods to Everstone Capital for an undisclosed amount.

DOUGH YOU HAVE IT IN YOU?

Modern Foods competes with other bread brands such as Britannia, Harvest Gold, Natures Own and English Oven, among others. Over the years, the brand has diversified from its core bread business to other categories such as cookies, cakes, rusks, sweet fills, pizza bases, batter and mixes.

The companys consolidated sales as of March 2019 were Rs 390-Rs 400 crores, sources said.

At its peak, Modern Foods enjoyed more than 40 percent share of the bread market in India. Modern Foods products are available nationally in nearly 100,000 stores and are made in 40 factories. It is present in more than 15 states and has a strong presence in south India.

In September 2019, Modern Foods purchased a majority stake in Sonepat, Haryana-based Supreme Baker Pvt Ltd, which produces bread and cookies.

A CLOSER LOOK AT EVERSTONE

Everstone is focused on India and South East Asia and has assets in excess of $5 billion across private equity, real estate, green infrastructure and venture capital. It has invested in more than 30 portfolio companies in the region and its India portfolio includes fast-food chain Burger King (which has received the Sebi nod for an IPO), Indostar Capital Finance & nutraceutical ingredient player OmniActive Health Technologies.

It recently agreed to exit Hinduja group promoted Hinduja Leyland Finance. Moneycontrol was the first to report the PE funds plans to exit the NBFC arm on January 29, 2020.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Many have compared the protests from this week to the last time so many protesters took to the streets of Kansas City. The year was 1968, just days after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Some people who witnessed both uprisings say there are similarities, but some stark differences, [...]




President Moon Jae-in stressed his government's unswerving push for a peaceful Korean peninsula, Saturday, speaking in public hours after North Korea's threat to close an inter-Korean liaison office.







"Peace is the right of the people to enjoy naturally and establishing a Korean Peninsula of peace, where there's no war again, is the responsibility of the state given by the people," he said during a Memorial Day speech broadcast live.







He added, "In order to protect and establish peace, the government will make all-out efforts for a stronger national defense and more robust security."







The president noted the upcoming 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War that began June 25 when the communist North invaded the South.







South Korea's freedom and prosperity today would have been unthinkable without the dedicated services and sacrifices of patriots and veterans, he said.







"A country should repay all sacrifices and devotion," he emphasized. "The government will forever remember those who made the Republic of Korea what it is today and inscribe their feats in history."







He pledged continued war remain excavation projects, including those in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).







In the speech, Moon made neither a direct mention of chilly inter-Korean relations nor a new overture toward Pyongyang.







The North has been ratcheting up its criticism of the South especially over the spread of anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border by some defectors and other activists here.







In a statement issued Friday night by the United Front Department, which handles inter-Korea affairs, the North warned that it would "definitely withdraw" from the liaison office in the border city of Gaeseong as a first punitive step.







Meanwhile, the 65th Memorial Day ceremony was held at Daejeon National Cemetery located 160 kilometers south of Seoul, with around 300 people in attendance.







The usual venue is Seoul National Cemetery, but the government decided to hold it in Daejeon this year due to reports of a growing number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in and around the capital. (Yonhap)


In 2016, when Donald Trump was still a Republican presidential candidate, there were rumors that circulated online stating he was sued for raping a 13-year-old girl.

Rape allegations

The rape and abuse rumor against Trump and Epstein was published on May 2, 2016, and it was posted on the website Winning Democrats.

The victim, Katie Johnson, claimed that President Donald Trump and billionaire Jeffrey Epstein forced her to do sexual acts at their organized sex parties. The said sex partied were held at the homes of Epstein and Trump at Manhattan in 1994.

The lawsuit that Johnson filed is worth $100 million and it was one of the first major scandals that hit Trump during his campaign besides his racist remarks. Johnson stated in her lawsuit that Donald Trump took her virginity when she was only 13-years-old, and at that time, she was also held by Epstein as a sex slave.

Johnson said that both Trump and Epstein threatened her and that her family's lives will be at risk if she won't comply with their demands. When the rumor got to the Trump campaign, they called it absolute nonsense.

Also Read: Donald Trump Shares Letter Expressing Dismay to 'Terrorists' Protesters

The case was filed on April 26, 2016, and according to RadarOnline.com, the charges are sexual abuse under threat of harm and conspiracy to deprive civil rights. A copy of the lawsuit was shared through the Scribd web site and it outlines the allegations against Trump and Epstein.

Some of the allegations include forcing Johnson to stimulate Trump with the use of her hand upon his penis until he reached an orgasm and forcing Johnson to engage in a lesbian sex action with her fellow minor and sex slave, Maria Doe, who was only 12-years-old at that time. The children were lured by Trump and Epstein with the promise of money and modeling career.

According to the initial reported posted on RadarOnline, the lawsuit was dismissed because of technical filing errors, the address that was listed in court documents was a foreclosed home and has been vacant since the owner died. As for Trump's campaign, they called the lawsuit "categorically false" and "disgusting at the highest level" as it was "framed to solicit media attention."

What happened to the lawsuit?

On June 20, 2016, a blog named Gothamist, reported that the victim has filed the same complaint in a New York State federal court. The second filing in the state was allowed to proceed even though it reached the statute of limitations because according to the lawyer of the victim, she did not have the freedom to file the lawsuit earlier because she was being threatened by Trump.

It is no secret that Donald Trump knew Jeffrey Epstein, as there are videos of them attending a party together in New York and Trump acknowledged Epstein in his 2002 New York magazine interview.

As of now, all of the information about the lawsuit comes only from the complaint filed by Johnson and no one has located, identified, or interviewed the victim.

On November 2, 2016, she was scheduled to appear at a press conference but she did not show up, saying that she was receiving death threats. On November 4, 2016, Johnson dropped the lawsuit entirely.

Related Article: Hacker "Anonymous" Posted Names of Celebrities Linked to Child Trafficking, Reveals Claims About Trump

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
In 2002, a pogrom in Gujarat when the Prime Minister was heading the state government there claimed over 1,000 Muslim lives. The perpetrators were not punished. PTI Photo

Do Muslim lives matter in India? As the Black Lives Matter movement rages throughout the United States, the ordinary Indian citizen has often been conspicuously silent in the face of glaring injustice against their own  in the form of a systematic campaign of persecution, and murder, carried out against Indias largest minority.

The reason is not far to seek  any dissent from the government narrative  be it on the thorny issue of Article 370 pertaining to the autonomy of the Kashmir region or the evidently undemocratic Citizenship Amendment Act, a precursor to the brutal National Register of Citizens  is crushed with an iron hand.

In 2002, a pogrom in Gujarat when the Prime Minister was heading the state government there claimed over 1,000 Muslim lives. The perpetrators were not punished. The likes of Babu Bajrangi who were among only a handful of those convicted are out on bail.

In February this year, a sudden bloodbath immediately preceded by incendiary speeches of BJP leaders Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma and Kapil Mishra, all available on record, snuffed out 53 lives in northeast Delhi, mostly Muslim. No action was taken against them either  by the government or by the party machinery.

On Thursday, a Delhi court denied bail to 27-year-old Safoora Zargar, member of the Jamia coordination committee, who is also pregnant and was arrested by the Delhi Police special cell for creating a roadblock that allegedly facilitated the February-end clashes. Since there is no prima facie evidence against her of the terrorist activity that she has been accused of under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), she was eligible for bail even under this draconian law.

Ms Zargar has been booked under UAPA, Indias main anti-terror legislation, alongside Jamia Millia Islamias Meeran Haider, Shifa-ur-Rehman and Asif Iqbal Tanha, and JNUs Umar Khalid and Natasha Narwal.

These young men and women were surreptitiously apprehended and put behind bars under cover of the Covid lockdown. But their only crime could well be the exercise of their freedom of opinion and right to dissent, both of which are so essential for the healthy functioning of a democracy. This week, a bid by women and children to resume the anti-CAA sit-in at Shaheen Bagh  and start a parallel one outside Jamia  was foiled by Delhi Police.

Meanwhile, Muslim victims of the rampage have struggled to lodge FIRs. Those who could register it after much hardship saw charges being diluted and non-bailable sections of the law against Hindu names dropped. Often, their complaints were clubbed together with a multiplicity of others, and then they were falsely implicated. As happened in the case of Hasim Ali, a 60-year-old tailor from northeast Delhi. Mr Ali lodged a complaint after his home was burned to the ground. His complaint was attached with that of his Hindu neighbour. Later, it was Mr Ali who was arrested on the flimsiest of grounds. No action was taken against the persons he named in his complaint.

But have the courts rapped the police for its grotesquely biased investigation? On the contrary, additional sessions judge Dharmendra Pradhan recommended a second FIR against Ms Zargar to unravel a larger conspiracy that he seemed to discern from her case. He went on to accuse Ms Zargar of capriciously playing with embers and burning herself.

His supercilious remark reeked of complicity with the governments Islamophobic narrative. That has no space for the moderate or liberal Muslim who refuses to be a Hindutva apologist. Is the government then pushing radicalisation of the Muslim and armed rebellion as the only ways out of this humanitarian crisis?
New Delhi: India on Friday (June 5, 2020) called Pakistan a "nerve centre" of terrorism and issued a rebuttal to Pakistan's claim that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has misrepresented the United Nations Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team's report.

MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that Pakistan`s leadership has gone on record to acknowledge that terrorists have used their country`s soil to carry out terror attacks on other countries.

"Instead of casting aspersions on the (UN) report, Pakistan should introspect and put an end to any kind of support for terrorism emanating from territories under its control. UN and the international community is well acquainted with the reality that Pakistan is the nerve centre of terrorism," Srivastava said.

"Pakistan`s Ministry of Foreign Affairs would do well to recall that their Prime Minister admitted last year that Pakistan hosts 30,000-40,000 terrorists. Pakistan`s leadership is on record acknowledging that in past terrorists used the country`s soil to carry out terror attacks on other countries," he said.

In 2019, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan made the revelation while speaking at the US Institute of Peace in Washington. He had said that his country still has about 30,000 to 40,000 terrorists "who have been trained and fought in some part of Afghanistan or Kashmir".

Srivastava was responding to media queries on a press release by Pakistan`s Foreign Office released on June 4.

Here's the full text of MEA statement:

In response to media queries on a press release no. 238/2020 dated 4th June 2020 by Pakistan Foreign Office, the Official Spokesperson, Mr. Anurag Srivastava said:

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan would do well to recall that their Prime Minister admitted last year that Pakistan still hosts 30,000 to 40,000 terrorists. Pakistans leadership is also on record acknowledging that in the past terrorists had used the country's soil to carry out terror attacks on other countries.

The UN Security Councils Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team Report has only reiterated what the Prime Minister of Pakistan has already confessed. Instead of casting aspersions on the Report, Pakistan should introspect and put an end to any kind of support for terrorism emanating from territories under its control. The UN and the international community is well acquainted with the reality that Pakistan is the nerve center of terrorism. It houses one of the largest numbers of UN designated terrorists and terrorist entities. Its fallacious attempts to point fingers at others cannot deflect attention from the facts on the ground.

Moreover, Pakistans attempts to create a divide in the traditional and friendly relations between the people of India and Afghanistan will not succeed. The people of Afghanistan and the international community are well aware of who the spoiler is, and who is sheltering, training, arming and financing terrorists and sponsoring violence against innocent Afghans and members of the international community."

On Thursday, Pakistan`s Foreign Office issued a statement claiming that India had misrepresented the UN report to "slander" Pakistan.

The UN had issued a report last month stating there are some 6,500 Pakistani nationals among foreign terrorists operating in Afghanistan and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) play a key role in bringing foreign fighters into the war-torn country.
A cartoonists job is to make you forget life for a few seconds and laugh. Should the the new normal of pandemic life in 2020 invade a strips fictional world?

It will Sunday. At least 70 cartoonists plan to pay visual tribute to first responders and other essential workers in their print and online color art on June 7. 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).
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 13:44:22|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, June 6 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Friday asked for more international efforts to help the Sahel region fight terrorism and address the root causes of regional instability.

Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, asked for continued efforts to support the political settlement of regional issues.

China has always supported the idea of finding solutions to African issues in the African way, and sincerely hopes that the international community will continue to respect the political will of the people in the Sahel region, respect the sovereignty of the countries in the region, and support the important role played by regional organizations like the African Union, he told the Security Council.

Zhang asked for continued efforts to tackle the challenges posed by terrorism and organized crime in the Sahel.

The joint military force of five Sahel countries has played a very important role; China supports the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali in providing logistical support to the joint force within its mandate, and also supports the idea of modifying the mandate of the peacekeeping mission and of providing necessary financial support in this regard, he said.

UN agencies should also provide support for the Sahel countries and African countries at large in capacity building in their fight against terrorism, he said.

Zhang asked the international community to invest more efforts in addressing the root causes of regional instability, saying under-development is a major impediment and that China sincerely hopes the international community can invest more resources in this regard to help Sahel countries and African countries to eliminate poverty, improve health care, education and employment.

He also asked the international community to help the Sahel region and the whole African continent cope with COVID-19. Enditem
STAMFORD  The judge overseeing OxyContin maker Purdue Pharmas bankruptcy case approved Wednesday a claims-filing extension to July 30 for individuals who believe they were harmed by the companys opioids.

Purdue and a 24-state non-consenting group including Connecticut that have not agreed to settlement terms with the firm concurred that the original June 30 deadline needed to be pushed back to take into account the disruption of the coronavirus crisis. Purdue had argued for the 30-day extension, while the non-consenting states pushed for a Sept. 30 deadline.

The form and manner of notice of the extended general bar date as approved herein  in the form and manner as proposed by the debtors (Purdue) herein is fair and reasonable and will provide good, sufficient and due notice to all creditors of their rights and obligations in connection with claims they may assert, Judge Robert Drain said in the written order, after holding earlier Wednesday a phone hearing on the matter.

In a statement, Purdue said that the July 30 deadline balances our compassion for anyone who may have been impacted by COVID-19 shutdowns with the goal of providing the public benefits from a Purdue settlement as soon as possible.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said that this is less than we had requested, but an important extension giving all who have been harmed by Purdue additional time to file claims and seek justice.

After having allocated approximately $24 million for a national advertising campaign launched in February that has notified people about the claims filing, Purdue has estimated it would incur another $700,000 for the notices with a July 30 deadline.

As of May 21, approximately 6,800 personal-injury forms had been filed, while about 4,200 potential personal-injury claims had been filed with other forms, according to the Prime Clerk website that collects Purdues bankruptcy records. Connecticut accounted for 163 submissions.

In addition, more than 27,000 people represented by the Ad Hoc Group of Individual Victims are planning to file claims, according to Edward Neiger, a Manhattan-based attorney who represents the group.

Private citizens claims would be handled alongside the approximately 3,000 lawsuits filed against Purdue by local and state governments that allege the company fueled the opioid crisis with deceptive OxyContin marketing. Purdue denies those accusations.

The individual payouts would not change the total settlement value, which Purdue has pegged at more than $10 billion. The total amount paid out to individuals would be determined through the bankruptcy process.

About two-dozen states have accepted the companys proposed settlement, which was announced when the company filed for bankruptcy last September.

Any comprehensive settlement would also require the support of the non-consenting states.

Tong has expressed doubts about the feasibility of Purdues plan and said it does not go far enough to tackle the opioid crisis. He has not said publicly how much he thinks the company should pay.

pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; Twitter: @paulschott
Coal India arm Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL) has set an ambitious target of 100 million tonnes (MT) production by 2026-27 and plans to set up 20 more mines in the next four years, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Saturday.

Inaugurating three mines of WCL through video conferencing, the road transport, highways, and MSME minister also asked the company to employ more 'sons of the soil' in its projects.

"It (WCL) will have Rs 5,300 crore capital investment. I would request that it should look into inducting more local people even if norms are to be relaxed as there has been several disputed matters due to small issues," the minister said.

He also asked WCL to provide sand at a lower cost to the poor for the construction of houses. He said the company is already providing sand to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and other government entities at lower prices.

"There should be a transparent system for sand auction as often the absence of it results in a black-marketing and later legal battle. WCL is providing it to NHAI, PM Awas Yojana, and government entities on lesser prices and it should provide it to poor people also for the construction of houses," Gadkari said in his address.

He said proper planning in this regard could take WCL's income from sand to Rs 1,000 crore.

The minister said if the transparent sand auction is followed in the country, it would fetch up to Rs 20,000 crore royalty for the government.

He also asked WCL to ensure that only good quality coal is provided to consumers, charge as per the calorific value of coal, and bring in more reforms for quality control.

At the same time, he urged coal producers to aim for fewer imports and more exports.

"WCL has set a target to increase coal production... (to) 100 million tonnes (MT) by 2026-27," he said, adding that thermal power plants in Maharashtra will benefit from the increase in output.

WCL had achieved an output of 57.46 MT in FY20 against a target of 56 MT.

The three coal mines of WCL inaugurated on Saturday include two in Madhya Pradesh and one in Maharashtra.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the chief ministers of the two states, besides Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi.

The Adasa underground to opencast mine in Nagpur, Maharashtra, has a capacity of 1.5 MT, while Sharda and Dhankasa underground mines in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, have 0.4 MT and 1 MT capacity, respectively.

These mines will entail a total capital expenditure of Rs 849 crore with the provision of direct employment to 647 persons.
Thousands of people took to the streets in European and Asian cities on Saturday, demonstrating in support of U.S. protests against police brutality.

The rolling, global protests reflect rising anger over police treatment of ethnic minorities, sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis after a white officer detaining him knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes with fellow officers beside him.

After a largely peaceful protest in London, a few demonstrators near British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's residence threw bottles at police, and mounted officers charged push protesters back.

Earlier, more than a thousand protesters had marched past the U.S. Embassy, blocking traffic and holding placards.

Many thousands had also crowded into the square outside parliament, holding placards reading "Black Lives Matter", ignoring government advice to avoid large gatherings due to the risk from the coronavirus.

"I have come down in support of black people who have been ill-treated for many, many, many, many years. It is time for a change," said 39-year-old primary school teacher Aisha Pemberton.

Police in the German city of Hamburg used pepper spray on protesters and said they were ready to deploy water cannons. One officer was injured, they added.

Several hundred "hooded and aggressive people" had put officers under pressure in the city centre, police said, tweeting: "Attacks on police officers are unacceptable!"

In Paris the authorities banned demonstrations planned outside the U.S. Embassy and on the lawns near the Eiffel Tower.

However, several hundred protesters, some holding "Black Lives Matters" signs, gathered on Place de la Concorde, close to the Embassy. Police had installed a long barrier across the square to prevent access to the embassy, which is also close to the Elysee presidential palace.

In Berlin, demonstrators filled the central Alexanderplatz square, while there was also a protest in Warsaw.

Placards And Flags

In Brisbane, one of several Australian cities where rallies were held, police estimated 10,000 people joined a peaceful protest, wearing masks and holding "Black Lives Matter" placards. Many wrapped themselves in indigenous flags, calling for an end to police mistreatment of indigenous Australians.

Banners and slogans have focused not just on George Floyd but on a string of other controversies in different countries as well as mistreatment of minorities in general.

In Sydney, a last-minute court decision overruling a ban imposed because of the coronavirus allowed several thousand people to march, with a heavy police presence.

In Tokyo, marchers protested against what they said was police mistreatment of a Kurdish man who says he was stopped while driving and shoved to the ground. Organisers said they were also marching in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

"I want to show that there's racism in Japan now," said 17-year-old high school student Wakaba, who declined to give her family name.

In Seoul, dozens of South Korean activists and foreign residents gathered, some wearing black masks with "Can't breathe" in Korean, echoing George Floyd's final words as he lay on the ground.

In Bangkok, activists avoided coronavirus restrictions by going online, asking for video and photos of people wearing black, raising their fists and holding signs, and explaining why they supported the Black Lives Matter movement.

Protesters were expected to gather in Washington for a huge demonstration on Saturday as demonstrations across the United States entered a 12th day.

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Mr. Droukdal, 50, was born in Algeria and fought the Soviets in Afghanistan before returning to his home country in the 1990s to take part in its vicious civil war. A university mathematics graduate and an Islamist, Mr. Droukdal rose through the ranks of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, a local insurgent group that did little more than carry out gunfights with Algerian soldiers.

By the time he became the groups commander in 2004, it was all but washed up, nearly out of money and recruits, with its remaining fighters hunkered down in caves. Mr. Droukdal then sent a secret message to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Al Qaedas leader in Iraq.

What followed next has been described as the terrorist version of a corporate merger.

Mr. Droukdals men pledged allegiance to the Qaeda terrorist brand in 2006 and quickly became the networks most loyal partner in Africa, and one of its most lethal. Instead of skirmishes with Algerian troops, the group began carrying out a succession of suicide bombings, hitting targets that made clear their ambitions were no longer local. They included the headquarters of the United Nations in Algiers, which the group destroyed in 2007, killing dozens of people.

That same year, the group, now known as Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, expanded its area of operation beyond Algeria, a move that it signaled by gunning down a group of French picnickers in Mauritania.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Jun. 06, 2020 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 06, 2020 | 08:13 AM | PADUCAH

Locomotive company NRE plans to expand their operation in Paducah.



After re-opening its plant in 2019, citing a rebound in the rail industry and an increase in work orders, NRE has recently acquired the former Paducah & Louisville Railroad facility for their power assembly division, and KFVS reports they will be hiring at least 15 new highly-skilled machinists.



Bruce Wilcox, President of Greater Paducah Economic Development, said, "We are honored to facilitate NREs expansion and bringing these jobs to Paducah. Advanced industrial manufacturing is a target industry for GPED. These are the types of jobs we are pursuing.



NRE's Power Assembly Division is currently based out of Hagerstown, Maryland, where they manufacture high horsepower diesel engine components, including pistons, cylinder heads and liners, and connecting rods. Steven Beal, NRE President, said this operation will be moved to Paducah and should have a grand opening in October.



Beal said, "The building, once renovated, will be upfitted with robotics and state-of-the-art CNC machines, allowing the business to continue to grow sustainably for years to come.



McCracken County Judge Executive Craig Clymer said, It is exciting to see the old Illinois Central Railroad Building not only back on track, but building steam, and once again growing and enhancing our great community.



Paducah Mayor Brandi Harless said, Economic development is finally working as it should in Paducah/McCracken County. We are seeing jobs return to Paducah and new jobs being added. NRE has been an iconic shop in Paducah for decades. Their reopening several months ago was exciting and now their expansion and relocation of jobs to Paducah is icing on the cake. We look forward to their continued growth. stated Paducah City Mayor Brandi Harless.



GPED assisted NRE by helping them navigate local inspections and get an incentivized industrial power rate from Paducah Power System. They also helped NRE get an incentive package from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.
Joe Biden has formally won the Democratic Party nomination to challenge Donald Trump in Novembers presidential election.

The former vice president declared on Friday that he had won the 1,991 delegates needed to secure the nomination after primaries and caucuses in 42 states.

A surge of mail ballots carried Mr Biden over the threshold, as voters in primaries held on Tuesday in seven states and the District of Columbia chose to shun the polling booth in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

Im going to spend every day fighting to earn your vote so that, together, we can win the battle for the soul of this nation, the 77-year-old tweeted, as he announced the victory.

The achievement was a formality after Mr Biden became the presumptive nominee when his main rival, Bernie Sanders, quit the race in April.

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It was an honour to compete alongside one of the most talented groups of candidates the Democratic party has ever fielded  and I am proud to say that we are going into this general election a united party, Mr Biden wrote in an article.

At one point, the field had more than 20 candidates, with contenders dropping out as their chances faded. Mr Biden had a slow start and recorded his first win in South Carolina at the end of February.

After that, some other candidates viewed as centrist rivals to Mr Biden, including Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar, dropped out of the race and endorsed Mr Biden ahead of Super Tuesday votes on 3 March, when the highest number of delegates were up for grabs and Mr Biden won key contests.

It then became a two-horse race with the Vermont senator Mr Sanders, who was seen as a progressive candidate challenging incumbent Democrats.

While Mr Sanders  whose enthusiastic supporters viewed a far greater threat to Mr Trump  was a front-runner after early races, Mr Biden carried his Super Tuesday momentum into subsequent contests and increased his lead.

Mr Sanders quit the race upon seeing no path to the nomination as the coronavirus outbreak made campaigning and outreach difficult, calling his rival a very decent man who I will work with to move our progressive ideas forward.

Amid allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards several women, Mr Biden has promised to choose a woman as his running mate, with several black candidates likely in the running.

Mr Biden has been viewed by many critics as a representative of the Democratic status quo, which reigned over many of the tensions and inequalities galvanised by Mr Trump in the 2016 election.

Mr Trump has already sought to weaponise criticisms amassed during Mr Bidens long life in politics, granting him the epithet Sleepy Joe and seeking to embroil him in largely unfounded conspiracies involving his sons former employer in Ukraine, and Barack Obama.

But with the nation currently in turmoil after the death of George Floyd in police custody, Mr Biden has stepped up his attacks on the president, accused of hiding in a White House bunker as he demands military enforcement, and has shown far more willingness to engage with the anti-racism protesters filling the streets.

Declaring his formal victory, Mr Biden appeared to address the calls for urgent change echoing across the country, striking a tone almost reminiscent of his democratic socialist rival, Mr Sanders.

Today, Im once again asking every American who feels knocked down, counted out, and left behind, to join our campaign, Mr Biden said.

Because we arent just building the movement that will defeat Donald Trump, we are building the movement that will transform our nation.

I truly believe that when we stand together, finally, as One America, we will rise stronger than before. This is the United States of America. There is nothing we cant do, if we do it together.

While Mr Trump has not yet addressed the formal victory, he shared footage of Mr Biden giving a rambling half-apology to seven women accusing him of behaving inappropriately, dubbing it crazy!.

Additional reporting by agencies
The first research scandal of the coronavirus pandemic has created unnecessary distraction around the politically divisive drug hydroxychloroquine, scientists say, as questions swirl around the tiny health care company at the center of the affair.

Track live updates on coronavirus here

On Thursday, most of the authors of major studies that appeared in The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) retracted their work and issued apologies, saying they could no longer vouch for their data after the firm that supplied it -- Chicago-based Surgisphere -- refused to be audited.

Read: Controversial study on hydroxychloroquine withdrawn

At any other time the matter might have led to hang-wringing within academia, but it has taken on a new dimension as the world grapples with a virus that has claimed some 400,000 lives.

Of particular interest was the paper in The Lancet that claimed to have analyzed the records of 96,032 patients admitted to 671 hospitals across six continents, finding that hydroxychloroquine showed no benefit and even increased the risk of death.

Read: Lancet study finds no benefit for hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients

Its withdrawal is seen as a boost to backers of the decades-old anti-malarial drug, who include US President Donald Trump and his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro.

"It's very politicized -- there is a group, probably not particularly small, who have learned to mistrust science and scientists, and this just feeds into that narrative," Gabe Kelen, a professor of emergency medicine at Johns Hopkins University, told AFP.

This is despite the fact that even without The Lancet paper, evidence has been building against hydroxychloroquine's use against COVID-19.

On Friday, results from a fourth randomized controlled trial -- carefully designed human experiments considered the most robust form of clinical investigation -- showed it had no impact against the virus.

Also Read: More controversy on use of HCQ against coronavirus

The Lancet, which first published in 1823, is one of the world's most trusted medical journals.

As a result, the hydroxychloroquine paper had an outsized impact: the World Health Organization, Britain and France all suspended ongoing clinical trials.

But things soon began unravelling after researchers noticed numerous red flags, from the huge number of patients involved to the unusual level of detail about the doses they had received.

Both The Lancet and the equally prestigious NEJM, which had published a paper on whether blood thinners elevated the risk of COVID-19 that relied on the same company, issued expressions of concern -- before the authors themselves pulled both papers.

Surgisphere, founded in 2007 by vascular surgeon Sapan Desai, had refused to share data with third-party reviewers, saying it would violate privacy agreements with hospitals.

However, when science news site The Scientist began reaching out to hospitals throughout the US to ask whether they had participated, it found none.

Surgisphere's internet profile has also raised numerous questions. Only a handful of employees could be found on LinkedIn, and most have now deactivated their accounts.

COVID-19 Pandemic Tracker: 15 countries with the highest number of coronavirus cases, deaths

According to the Guardian newspaper, its employees included an adult model and until last week the contact page on its website redirected to a WordPress template for a cryptocurrency website, leaving it unclear how hospitals could have reached out to them.

Meanwhile Desai, who according to court records has three outstanding medical malpractice suits against him, has written extensively in the past on research misconduct.

"The most serious cause of fraud in medical publishing is manufactured data that authors use to support high impact conclusions," he said in a 2013 paper.

For Ivan Oransky, who founded Retraction Watch in 2010, the affair is far from surprising, serving instead to highlight systemic issues in science publishing and the way science is reported to the public.

Also Read: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases

"No one took a hard look at the data," said Oransky. "But we've known about these issues for literally decades."

Policymakers should get away from the idea of using the results of a single study to inform their decisions, he added, as was the case for the WHO -- and the media has a responsibility to place papers in context instead of hyping them up.

The problem also stems from the fact that even leading journals rely too heavily on an honor system, but "you never know when a catastrophe is going to happen, if you're not willing to put into place some reasonable safeguards," added Oransky.

As to the future, the current episode is unlikely to serve as a wake-up call, he said. If one journal increases its diligence, more blockbuster papers will start appearing in its competitors.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 23:46:52|Editor: huaxia

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CAPE TOWN, June 6 (Xinhua) -- South Africans "stand in solidarity with our African-American brothers and sisters" in fighting racial injustice, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Saturday.

"The killing of George Floyd has opened up deep wounds for us all," Ramaphosa said at the 95th birthday celebration of Andrew Mlangeni, a South African anti-apartheid hero.

Outrage over the death of unarmed African American George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis has been growing across the United States. Floyd, 46, died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes until he stopped breathing.

"In the United States, our black brothers and sisters have embarked on a massive fight to reclaim their dignity," Ramaphosa said.

The struggles waged by Mlangeni and the fighters of his generation were foremost in the service of the people of South Africa, but they were also for the cause of liberation of all who suffer under tyranny and oppression, said Ramaphosa.

"That is why we stand in solidarity with our African-American brothers and sisters, and express our wish that the American people can reconcile, as we did, and close once and for all the doors of racial injustice," he said.

Ramaphosa said the episode of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa has particular resonance at this time because across the Atlantic Ocean, thousands of kilometres away, the dreaded dompas has resurfaced.

The dignity black Americans seek is the dignity that Mlangeni has fought for his entire life, he said.

The president stressed the need to address the legacy of racism that has resulted in blacks living in impoverished areas far from places of work and opportunity.

"We must press ahead with policies of redress and affirmative action to bring more black men and women into the world of work," the president said. Enditem
Holding signs reading Black Lives Matter, If youre not livid, youre not listening and End police brutality, approximately 200 people took to Brandon streets on Friday evening to show their support for Black Lives Matter marches across Canada and in the United States.

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This article was published 6/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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Brandonites march along 18th Street on Friday afternoon as part of a walk for change in support of Black lives and Indigenous lives and to voice that enough is enough when it comes to systemic racism, violence and brutality. The peaceful march started and ended at the Brandon University Healthy Living Centre and marchers walked along 18th Street to Richmond Avenue and back. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Holding signs reading "Black Lives Matter," "If youre not livid, youre not listening" and "End police brutality," approximately 200 people took to Brandon streets on Friday evening to show their support for Black Lives Matter marches across Canada and in the United States.

The march, which started at the Healthy Living Centre at Brandon University and was organized by students, was in response the killing of Georg Floyd by police in Minneapolis last month. His death has sparked protests and marches across North America against police brutality.

Brandon University graduates Jasmine Scantlebury and Kelly Abad-Penaranda organized the march. Scantlebury, who said she is half black, said she has experienced racism in Canada.

"I know a lot of us think racism is more of a U.S. thing, but it really isnt," Scantlebury said.

"Especially for Indigenous people as well, we need to understand that people are marginalized as well here."

Brandonites march along 18th Street on Friday afternoon as part of a walk for change in support of Black lives and Indigenous lives and to voice that enough is enough when it comes to systemic racism, violence and brutality. The peaceful march started and ended at the Brandon University Healthy Living Centre and marchers walked along 18th Street to Richmond Avenue and back. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

While the idea started among a group of friends, Scantlebury said, the event picked up steam on social media. Organizers originally estimated approximately 50 people would come out, but said they were overwhelmed by the response they saw.

Participants were encouraged to wear masks and physically distance during the march down 18th Street to Richmond Avenue. Groups of five to 10 protesters left from Brandon University at a time as cars sounded their horns in support of marchers.

Brandon Police Service Chief Wayne Balcaen attended the march. He said he wanted to show his support for the cause and bring attention to the fact that not everyone is treated equally.

Brandonites march along 18th Street past Knox United Church on Friday afternoon as part of a walk for change in support of Black lives and Indigenous lives and to voice that enough is enough when it comes to systemic racism, violence and brutality. The peaceful march started and ended at the Brandon University Healthy Living Centre and marchers walked along 18th Street to Richmond Avenue and back. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Zaina Bird, one of the marchers, said she was moved to see the number of people who came out.

"We should be building a better society and all lives add to the beauty of diversity that the world has," she said. "Theres obviously always going to be people that dont love you for who you are based on certain things, but I hope we can change that."

Sunday Frangi said he was outraged to see the video of Floyds death and other black people after contact with the police.

Wayne Balcaen, Chief of Police for the Brandon Police Service, joins other marchers on Friday afternoon as part of a walk for change in support of Black lives and Indigenous lives and to voice that enough is enough when it comes to systemic racism, violence and brutality. The peaceful march started and ended at the Brandon University Healthy Living Centre and marchers walked along 18th Street to Richmond Avenue and back. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

"Racism is something that we have to fight as people and I think the death of George Floyd has brought people together and its brought a clear understanding that racism, discrimination are not accepted.  We have to speak out about it, in this community we have to talk about it."

David Lopez said more action is needed to address racism in Canada. He said its an issue that needs to be discussed, and with a greater understanding people will become more comfortable around each other.

Its important to raise awareness for issues marginalized communities face here at home, Abad-Penaranda said. Issues around racism arent unique to larger centres and happen in Brandon.

Brandonites march along 18th Street on Friday afternoon as part of a walk for change in support of Black lives and Indigenous lives and to voice that enough is enough when it comes to systemic racism, violence and brutality. The peaceful march started and ended at the Brandon University Healthy Living Centre and marchers walked along 18th Street to Richmond Avenue and back. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Earlier this week, students at Brandon University took to social media to denounce racist social media posts by one of their peers.

The posts, made by four students, stretch from October 2018 to Tuesday.

White members of this friend group make frequent jokes about their black friend being a slave or for sale. One video shows a black man in a cage pretending to act like an animal as he is referred to by the racial slur n----- by several unseen voices.

Jasmine Scantlebury waves to passing cars while marching along 18th Street on Friday afternoon as part of a walk for change in support of Black lives and Indigenous lives and to voice that enough is enough when it comes to systemic racism, violence and brutality. Scantlebury and Kelly Abad-Penaranda organized the peaceful march which started and ended at the Brandon University Healthy Living Centre. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Another post from Tuesday appeared to make light of "blackout Tuesday," a social media initiative in support of the protests against anti-black racism and police brutality happening in the United States, by insinuating it involves a sex act with black men.

Brandon University denounced the posts in a statement on Wednesday, calling them "heinous and hateful acts of racism." The university said it was investigating through its Diversity and Human Rights Office.

Scantlebury said seeing those posts cemented their desire to take local action. The universitys response was "appropriate," Abad-Penaranda said.

"(Scantlebury) and I are just a couple of normal, average BU students. We were able to make a difference. You dont have to be special or have everything worked out or know everything to pull off something like this. I just want everyone to know if we could do this and make a difference then absolutely you can too," Abad-Penaranda said.

She said the best way for people to make a difference themselves is just to be kind, give each other compliments or donate to charities supporting the movement.

A Black Lives Matter protest was also held at the Manitoba Legislature on Friday afternoon.

Other local marches are also planned. A march is planned to start at the Keystone Centre on June 11 at 5 p.m. and another peaceful protest is planned for Princess Park on June 13 at 5 p.m.

 dmay@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @DrewMay_
Editors note: The Journal-Courier has been working with a group of business and community leaders to shine a light on the importance of the sometimes behind-the-scenes work taking place to improve the present and build for the future of our hometown.



On May 29, there was a buzz in the air! At long last, the residents of Illinois could dine at their favorite restaurants. Although there were some restrictions in doing so, I personally know many people who took advantage of the opportunity to do so. I was one of them.

Among the businesses that have been hit hardest by the COVID-19 situation, restaurants are at the top of the list. I would like to say that it is important to pay attention to the guidelines and follow the requests by each facility as they are navigating their way through this crazy world that we are finding ourselves in right now. Please be respectful of those serving you, and the other patrons around you.

I would, however, like to call attention to another industry that has been greatly affected by COVID-19 pandemic, and have been taking the hit silently. This industry is the hotel and lodging industry. As an industry, lodging was deemed an essential business and because of this not much attention has been given to the trials that these businesses have been going through. In Jacksonville alone, there are six hotels that are doing everything they can just to stay afloat, and although they may not have been forced to close their doors in the last two months, they are seeing up to a 80% reduction in their customer base.

At the moment, traveling is still seen as an only-if-necessary action among the population, and forecasters are predicting that this attitude may linger for a while. Predictions are showing that numbers for hotels may not get back to normal until late 2021 or even some time in 2022. This means many jobs and maybe even businesses may not make it through the next year.

So what can we do to help? Well rest assured that we here at the Jacksonville Convention & Visitors Bureau are doing everything we can, such as keeping our eye out for grant and loan opportunities, assisting with personal protective equipment for works, and checking in with the hotels themselves to see what they might need in order to create a safe environment for travelers and their staff. But providing that safe environment isnt enough to bring the travelers into the hotels, so we have also been making and taking calls to businesses to see what they need to help them bring their business travels back to the town.

Research by Engagious has shown public insights as to what it will take to get Americans to travel again. Some still plan on taking some time before they pack their bags again, and many individuals will still plan some type of travel but need the reassurance that communities and businesses are doing everything they can to create safe barriers while being transparent in showing what they are doing to take those measures. Some of those measures include:

 Reinforce hand hygiene and doing so with the appropriate signage.

 Utilizing personal protective equipment.

 Installing physical barriers such as screens along with taping and signage.

 Posting signage and lines in common areas to continue to encourage social distancing.

 Limiting as much physical contact with travelers and staff as possible.

 Continued education to staff on how to protect each other.

 Many methods have also taken place to ensure that touchless solutions are in place for their check-in process, payment process and other creative measures are in place for extra amenities each property offers.

You may be wondering what youre going to do for travel this summer. After all, summer vacations are a national pastime, and this year may prove difficult to do so. I challenge you to consider a Stay-cation! Find a weekend that works for you and consider staying in a local hotel with a pool, or maybe a bed and breakfast. The kids will love it, and getting away from the stresses of life is often as easy as leaving home for a day or two and letting others do the cleaning, cooking, and serving for you. If you were to buy one thing that could make you richer, consider traveling the most valuable thing. Even if its in your own backyard exploring our communitys treasures, while experiencing alfresco dining with some of the best midwest hospitality lodging, we know you will enjoy making memories and feel refreshed after any one of our local stay-cation suggestions. Feel free to contact us for some half-day or full-day itineraries if youre looking for what you can do here in town!

Keep in mind the mantra that Ive been seeing around a lot lately, were in this together. Were all doing our best to get through these strange times, and often we need to lean on each other to help carry on. So go out and enjoy yourselves, even treat yourself if able, but stay safe, and stay respectful of each other. You are the local experts, the ones that keep our community whole and help the tourism section of our economy operate. The hospitality industry in our community is ready to serve you.

.

Brittany Henry is executive director of the Jacksonville Convention & Visitors Bureau.
W eve not been in short supply of fantastic drama this year, with Quiz, White Lines and Normal People proving to be essential viewing  but Michaela Coels latest offering I May Destroy You is likely to stand as the most powerful, thought-provoking and bitingly painful show of 2020.

Coel writes, produces and stars in her new 12-part series for BBC One, playing Arabella  an effortlessly cool, party-hard millennial writer who stands in stark contrast to the wide-eyed and innocent Tracey Gordon from Chewing Gum; the drama that made Coel, a household name (and a Bafta Breakthrough Talent).

Having become something of a social media celebrity thanks to the spontaneous publication of some of her writing, Arabella lands herself a book deal. Taking some time off the night before deadline, she decides to go and see her friends for some drinks  where she is spiked and raped by a stranger.

I May Destroy You is made all the more powerful as Arabellas experience is based on an event from Coel's life.

Speaking candidly at the 2018 Edinburgh International Television Festival, she revealed was sexually assaulted when writing the second series of Chewing Gum.

Michaela Coel leads in this powerful new drama / BBC/Various Artists Ltd and FALKNA/Laura Radford

Describing her new project, Coel, 32, explained: It is a long, laborious labour of love. I am particularly grateful to Piers Wenger from the BBC, who really did read my drafts with mindful attention, even in their very early, barely coherent, phases.

Arabella must understand that everything is connected, that she is connected even to the thing she despises the most: her trauma. Across the 12 episodes she learns that allowing herself to disassociate from what she struggles to accept can have unsavoury consequences.

While Coel leads from the front, I May Destroy You fearlessly delves into the lives of Arabellas two best friends, struggling actress Terry (Weruche Opia) and dancer Kwame (Paapa Essiedu). It quickly emerges that Arabella is not the only one dealing with the grief and lingering trauma that is tied to assault.

Triumph: Michaela Coel with her Bafta trophy (Dave Benett) / Dave Benett

The show does not shy away from confronting what it means to consent  and may leave the viewers themselves forced to answer difficult questions about their own personal experiences, including when your ability to say yes has been stolen from you.

Michaela has such a unique and authentic voice and a way of confronting the truth in a very direct manner, Essiedu, who plays Kwame, explains. So firstly I hope people watch it and feel seen; and then secondly, feel confident to be able to speak out about any experiences that theyve had that have been reflected in the series.

I hope it empowers them to talk and make steps towards confronting and ultimately resolving those events and issues.

Weruche Opia, who plays Terry, agrees. Michaela is a genius intelligent writer, she says. A lot of the themes and experiences that happen in the show are happening right now.

I want people to know that they are not alone. That life is constantly changing and all you can do is your best, for yourself and the people around you. Life may not work out how you intend it to, but you have to do your best and know youre not alone. Those are the two main takeaways for me.

Weruche Opia stars as Arabella's best friend, Terry / BBC/Various Artists Ltd and FALKNA/Natalie Seery

I May Destroy You is undoubtedly masterfully crafted by Coel, who was commissioned by the BBC to write all 12 episodes before bosses saw a treatment or a pilot. She then worked on all 12 episodes simultaneously, the whole process taking her around a year and a half.

its insane that we accomplished this at all, Coel says as she reflects on the writing process. I think somehow this worked. because everybody else was very good at their jobs.

17 underrated series on Netflix and Now TV 1 /22 17 underrated series on Netflix and Now TV Girlboss Girlboss Photo by Karen Ballard Veep Veep Anne With An 'E' Anne With An 'E' Dark Dark Abstract: The Art of Design Abstract: The Art of Design Good Girls Good Girls Bloodline Bloodline Jeff Daly/Netflix Save Me Save Me Next In Fashion Next In Fashion Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Sally4Ever Sally4Ever Tuca & Bertie Tuca & Bertie The World's Most Extraordinary Homes The World's Most Extraordinary Homes She's Gotta Have It She's Gotta Have It David Lee/Netflix Girls Incarcerated Girls Incarcerated Schitt's Creek Schitt's Creek Quicksand Quicksand Netflix

But theres another reason I May Destroy You has Coels flair, style and eye cast through every single shot.

A streaming service, that I came very close to producing this show with, wanted me to create the show - to write every single word of it, be the sole director and the lead actress, she explains.

This streaming service wanted me to do this whilst withholding 100 percent of the rights as their property. So I thought, let me plea for two percent, and when that was rejected I grew uncomfortable with the prospect of dedicating two and a half years of my life to a show exploring exploitation and loss of power whilst also losing all of my rights.

Michaela Coel teamed up with the former head of Channel 4 comedy for her latest project after they met working on Chewing Gum / Channel 4

Coel continues: I rejected their deal, registered my own production company and hoped one day I would meet another broadcaster or streaming service who would allow me to retain a portion of my rights. Then BBC and HBO became the happy homes for this project.

I was keen to partner with a co-production team I trusted, so I hunted down Phil Clarke from Various Artists Limited. He was the head of comedy at Channel 4 when I created Chewing Gum, and I very much liked the freedom he had given me as a creative back then. We teamed up together and its been a very rewarding partnership.

Indeed, while I May Destroy You is on the whole completely tonally different from Chewing Gum, the series still has splashes of Coels trademark sharp wit.

A drama about a subject so dark may be devoid of anything considered remotely funny, but Coel has no qualms about seeing humour in pitch black situations.

I didnt add humour, humour is always there; at every party, funeral and war, although often uninvited, shes always there, and I, for some reason, I always seem to find myself in a corner with her, even when in a police station giving a witness statement about being raped by a stranger, Coel says candidly. Ive come to accept shell be in everything I do.

And no matter how difficult or testing I May Destroy You may have been to work on, Coel is happy with the shows output.

Every moment, from thinking to writing to shooting to editing to rewriting - this has been the most satisfying experience of my entire life.

I May Destroy You launches Monday June 8 at 10.45pm on BBC One
Ghanas renowned preacher, Reverend Dr. Lawrence Tetteh has publicly condemned acts of racism and charged all persons to get on board in the fight against violence on blacks in America and other parts of the world.



Following the death of George Perry Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man who was killed by white police officers in Minneapolis in the United States, several protests have sprung out all to demand justice for his killing.



Speaking to GhanaWeb at the memorial ceremony held in honour of George Floyd by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Ghana Tourism Authority, Office of the Diaspora Affairs and the Diaspora African Forum at the Dubois Centre in Accra on Friday, June 5, 2020, the founder of Worldwide Miracle Outreach, Dr. Lawrence Tetteh declared the need for a massive united front in the fight against racism.



"In fighting racism, we need a massive united front. We must come together from all races, from all walks, levelsto fight racism. This is a fight against blacks, this is hate for black people and it is not scriptural, it is not biblical, he said.



Amid the Coronavirus pandemic, there have been several protests in America and around the world all in a bid to once and for all end, the injustices meted out to blacks. Demonstrators have registered their displeasure thorough peaceful walks, however, some protests have been characterized by violence.



The demonstrations around the nations of the world is a wake-up call. I will not recommend that we should also go and kill somebody to make a statement, the disapproval alone, tensions around the nations and even this programme we are holding here today is a big statement to people who dont respect our race to know that we are not sleeping anymore. Going to kill somebody in return for what theyve done is not the solution, Dr. Lawrence Tetteh advised.



Ghana in the year 2019 organised the Year of Return which sought to encourage African diasporans to come to Africa to settle and invest in the continent. The initiative attracted thousands of foreign visitors into the country and have earned the nation the title, "Home to all Africans".



The Head of Mission of the Diaspora Africa Forum, Ambassador Dr. Erieka Bennett who was present at the ceremony said that Ghana has taken the leadership role of honouring and doing this official memorial service for George Perry Floydregardless of where you come from if you are a black person you are an African and that is the message we want people to understand. Ghana is the most Pan-Africanist country on the continent, the continent looks to Ghana to lead this process.

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.

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The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced the end of June 2020 to commence the registration exercise for the compilation of a new voters' register.



The exercise was piloted on Tuesday, 2nd June to assess their machines and ensure a smooth registration exercise.



Meanwhile, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has dragged the EC to the Supreme Court praying the court to direct the EC to include "all existing voter identification cards duly issued by the 2nd Defendant (EC) as one of the documents serving as proof of identification for registration as a voter for the purposes of public elections".



The party further seeks a proper interpretation of Article 45(a) of the 1992 Constitution, on whether the EC has "the constitutional power to, and can, compile a register of voters only once, and thereafter revise it periodically, as may be determined by law" and also wants a declaration on whether the EC "can only revise the existing register of voters, and lacks the power to prepare a fresh register of voters, for the conduct of the December 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections".



Speaking on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'' on Friday, the Head of Monitoring Unit at the Forestry Commission, Charles Owusu, has commended the NDC for resorting to the law court to address their grievances.



He believed the Supreme Court will be the ultimate finality on the NDC/EC brouhaha.



''When the law speaks, other voices are opinions. There is nothing we can do...When the court delivers its verdict, let's all accept and allow the law to take its course'', he said.



Watch his submissions below:





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Midland County recorded one confirmed coronavirus case on Saturday, the first case in seven days, according to the afternoon state report. The county stands at 83 confirmed cases and nine deaths.

Bay County added seven cases and one death and Saginaw 14 cases, bringing their totals to 338 cases and 26 deaths and 1,095 cases and 110 deaths, respectively.

Gladwin County and Isabella County remained at 18 cases and one death and 78 cases and seven deaths, respectively.

The state added 224 new cases and 36 deaths. Overall, Michigan is at 58,749 cases and 5,652 deaths.

Results from Midlands mass testing May 30-31 at Dow Diamond are not expected until June 8 at the earliest, according to Fred Yanoski, Midland County Public Health director/health officer. Yanoski said his department had been in contact daily with the testing lab and was told to expect results Wednesday or Thursday of this week but on Friday was told of the delay until next week.

It is certainly not an optimal time frame, Yanoski said Friday of getting back test results quickly for the most accurate health picture of Midland County. We will still gain valuable information from that point in time, but will experience a delay in contact tracing efforts if we find any positives. We encourage the community to continue to social distance, wear masks in public, and wash hands frequently to protect their health.

The state on Saturday lists the total recovered at 42,041 cases, as of June 6, which represents COVID-19 confirmed individuals with an onset date on or prior to May 1, according to the state website, mich.gov. The numbers will be updated every Saturday.

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," Yanoski said. 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 send an e-mail to: 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.
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The Kwahu East District Assembly on Friday, June 5, 2020, presented various tools and equipment to people with disabilities (PWDs) in the district to enhance their economic wellbeing.

The Tools and Equipment presented include, Deep Freezers, Sewing Machines, Pop Corn Machines, Hair Dryers, Knitting Machines, Electronic Sewing Machine, Water Pumping Machines Cocoa Spraying Machines, Fufu Pounding Machines, and Wheel Chairs as part of efforts to support them to embark on small scale ventures.

Speaking at a short ceremony, Hon. Isaac Agyapong, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Kwahu East District Assembly said the objective of the government is to support PWDs to establish their own businesses for a sustained income generation.

This he said will ensure prudent use of the PWD component of the DACF while also preventing the PWDs from going to the streets to beg for arms.

Hon. Agyapong indicated that the Assembly had earlier presented cheques to 56 PWDs to support them with their education and medical expenses.

He also presented 300 pieces of nose mask to the PWD to help curb the spread of Covid-19.

According to him, this is evidence of an avowed response by the NPP Government to solve the problems and the needs of people with disabilities in Ghana and the NPP Government sees disabled people as very important people to the society.

The DCE said the NPP government led by President Akufo-Addo is poised to address concerns of disabilities in Ghana and urged the gathering to pray hard for President Akufo-Addo and the NPP government to enable them to keep the disabled in mind.

He, therefore, revealed to the gathering that the disbursement is in line with the guidelines of the District Assemblies Common Fund in which a percentage of the total amount transferred to the Assemblies is allocated to persons with disabilities.

He also entreated the beneficiaries to try to invest the money into productive ventures to help uplift their standards of living and welfare in society.

He again reminded them that there would be intensive and regular monitoring exercise to see how they were faring with the support received.

He took advantage of the atmosphere to commend the Member of Parliament (MP) Hon Bryan Acheampong for Abetifi Constituency for his kind gesture towards helping the Assembly.
M Nethra, a daughter of a salon owner in Madurai, has been appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador to the Poor for United Nations Association for Development And Peace (UNADAP).

The 13-year-old girl convinced her father to give Rs 5 lakh that he saved for her education to needy during the coronavirus lockdown.

Minister Sellur Raju lauded the girl for her gesture and said that he will urge Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to bestow the Jayalalithaa Award to her.

A couple of days ago, the Prime Minister of India praised the girl. This is the pride for Madurai. I am glad to have had the opportunity to meet the leaders of the UN and to attend the event to promote the economy of the poor people. I would like to recommend to the Chief Minister that the woman should be given the Jayalalithaa Award in the coming days, the minister said while speaking to ANI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat also praised C Mohan, father of Nethra for spending his entire savings to help people in distress during the Coronavirus lockdown.

Shri Mohan ji runs a salon in Madurai. Through sheer hard work, he had saved five lakh rupees for his daughters education. But he spent the entire amount in the service of the needy and the underprivileged in these difficult times, PM Modi had said on Sunday.

UNADAP said Nethra will be given the opportunity to speak at the United Nations (UN) conferences in New York and in Geneva addressing Civil Society forums and conferences.
OTTAWACanadas Indigenous services minister has delivered a searing rebuke of police conduct during two incidents this week, as a growing anti-racism movement sweeps the continent and shines a light on police treatment of Indigenous peoples in this country.

Speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill Friday morning, Marc Miller demanded answers over what he called disgraceful, dehumanizing conduct in Nunavut, where video broadcast by APTN this week showed a stumbling man get struck and knocked down by the door of a moving RCMP truck before he was arrested.

Miller also expressed disbelief over an incident in Edmunston, N.B., in which Chantel Moore, a 26-year-old Indigenous woman from British Columbia, was shot and killed when local police arrived at her apartment for a wellness check Thursday.

The RCMP and Edmunston police have said the actions of officers in both incidents will be investigated.

A car door is not a proper police tactic. Its a disgraceful, dehumanizing and violent act. I dont understand how someone dies during a wellness check. When I first saw the report I thought it was some morbid joke. And you look at it, and you say yes, there will be an independent investigation, but frankly  along with many Canadians, Indigenous peoples living in Canada, politicians  Im pissed. Im outraged, Miller said.

There needs to be a full accounting of what has gone on. This is a pattern that keeps repeating itself ... I cant speak for Indigenous peoples, but you can see it. Its palpable, its painful. Police serve Canadians and Indigenous peoples of Canada, not the opposite. And its something we need to reckon (with) as a society as we look south to the disgraceful acts that are occurring down there.

For more than a week, American cities have been convulsed by street demonstrations denouncing police brutality and anti-Black racism that were sparked by the death of George Floyd after video showed a Minneapolis police officer kneeling on his neck for more than eight minutes. Demonstrations have spread to Canada, with marches in cities including Toronto and Ottawa, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined protesters Friday afternoon.

Speaking earlier outside his residence at Rideau Cottage, Trudeau said he salutes the demonstrators and called videos and reports he has seen in recent days disturbing. He also vowed the federal government would take action to address systemic racism and improve policing, but did not specify what actions are being considered after being asked repeatedly by reporters.

Far too many Canadians feel fear and anxiety at the sight of law-enforcement officers, he said. This has long been their reality, but over the past weeks weve seen a large number of Canadians suddenly awaken to the fact that the discrimination that is a lived reality for far too many of our fellow citizens is something that needs to end. And that is what we are working on.

Trudeaus pledge echoes a similar promise he made one year ago, when the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls delivered its final report to the prime minister at a ceremony across the Ottawa River from Parliament Hill. At the time, Trudeau vowed his government would produce a national action plan to address the inquirys 231 calls to justice, which included a number of demands for law enforcement.

Among them were calls for Indigenous civilian oversight of police forces across Canada, new funding for Indigenous law enforcement and the recruitment of Indigenous officers, and calls for better training and reviews to ensure all actors within the justice system are free of anti-Indigenous bias and racism.

More than a year later, the government has said it is still not ready to release the promised action plan in response the inquiry. Miller said Friday that the plan still needs work and input from different levels of government and Indigenous groups.

If it is not ready, it would be imprudent and disrespectful to roll it out in a form that does not reflect the level of input, he said.

Lorraine Whitman, executive director of the Native Womens Association of Canada, said the events of recent days have underscored the need for government to move beyond words and act to eliminate racism that has existed  and spurred violence  for centuries. She pointed to the inquirys conclusion that Canada is responsible for ongoing colonial genocide against Indigenous peoples based on centuries of policies and inaction.

Im very disappointed in the government, Whitman said of the delayed action plan. This racism, this discrimination thats occurring, it has to stop ... Theres so much pain, and yes, theres a lot of frustration out there. But we need to act. Its time to stop talking and now its time to walk the walk.

With files the The Canadian Press

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 22:41:51|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The coronavirus spreading in New York is unlikely to have arrived directly from China, but from infected people traveling to the United States from Europe, the South China Morning Post has reported, citing a study published in Science magazine.

Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York said genetic analysis of samples taken from 84 COVID-19 patients in the city showed "limited evidence" of direct introductions from China, said the report.

Analysis of the gene samples suggests most had a European origin, said the report, also noting that a similar study conducted in April found that about two-thirds of infections in New York were probably imported from Europe.

In most cases, the source of the infection was "untracked transmission between the U.S. and Europe," the report cited the study, which was published in Science magazine last week.

"Notably, the majority of introductions appear to have been sourced from Europe and the USA," said the study.

New York City, which has seen over 205,000 cases according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University, is still under a "PAUSE" order, with all non-essential businesses closed. Enditem
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Bad weather has failed to stop thousands of people from taking to the streets in Washington, D.C. as George Floyd protests continue across the country for an 11th consecutive day.

On Friday afternoon, demonstrators donned raincoats and propped up umbrellas alongside their placards as rain poured over the nation's capital.

But despite the drenching, the protesters persisted in their calls for police reform and an end to systemic racism as they marched down Pennsylvania Avenue.

Several stopped outside new fortress-style fencing erected around the front of the White House to savage President Trump and his reaction to their peaceful protests.

WASHINGTON, DC: Bad weather failed to stop thousands of people from taking to the streets in Washington, D.C. on Friday for another day of protests over police brutality and systemic racism

WASHINGTON, DC: The protesters persisted in their calls for police reform and an end to systemic racism as they marched down Pennsylvania Avenue

WASHINGTON, DC: Demonstrators gather on 16th St. near Lafayette Park during a peaceful protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd

WASHINGTON, DC: Demonstrators donned raincoats and propped up umbrellas alongside their placards as rain poured over the nation's capital

WASHINGTON, DC: Drenched demonstrators stopped outside new fortress-style fencing erected around the front of the White House to savage President Trump and his reaction to their peaceful protests

WASHINGTON, DC: Demonstrators lay in the middle of the street as they call for police reform and an end to systemic racism

Meanwhile, there were powerful scenes in other cities across the country, with thousands turning out to take a knee in Hermosa Beach, California and demonstrators lying in front of the Orlando Police Department in Florida.

In Jackson, Mississippi outraged residents stood outside the state's Capitol Building to protest the Attorney General's recent decision to drop a manslaughter charge against a white officer who had been charged in the October 2015 shooting death of black man Ricky Ball.

'I am not afraid. You want me to be afraid,' organizer David Horton told the crowd.

'I'm here to declare to you right now, we will stand up, we will unite as a community.'

Several protesters tried to enter the Capitol building to deliver a letter to the Attorney General criticizing her decision to drop the charges but were turned away at the door by guards, according to The Clarion Ledger.

HERMOSA BEACH, CALIFORNIA: Protesters took a knee in Hermosa Beach during a Black Lives Matter rally in the coastal enclave

ORLANDO, FLORIDA: Protesters lie down in front of the Orlando Police Department on Friday as demonstrations continue in the city

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI: Outraged residents stood outside the state's Capitol Building to protest the Attorney General's recent decision to drop a manslaughter charge against a white officer who had been charged in the October 2015 shooting death of black man Ricky Ball

Makayla Hendrick, 9, holds a protest sign as she prays during a protest on behalf of her late father, Ricky Ball, who was killed by a police officer in 2015

Meanwhile, in New York City there was a heavy police presence as tens of thousands of demonstrators turned out for another day of protests.

Tensions between cops and activists have flared in recent days, but there appeared to be less drama as crowds marched through Manhattan on Friday.

Dozens of cops were seen walking alongside with protesters, while a cavalcade of police vans followed with their sirens flashing.

There were also rallies held in other parts of New York, with several surfers turning out on the beach at Montauk for a Black Lives Matter demonstration.

Several demonstrators also bought flowers to place on the sand to remember George Floyd, who was laid to rest at a memorial in Minneapolis on Thursday.

NEW YORK CITY: In the Big Apple, there was a heavy police presence as tens of thousands of demonstrators turned out for another day of protests

NEW YORK CITY: Dozens of cops were seen walking alongside with protesters, while a cavalcade of police vans followed with their sirens flashing

NEW YORK CITY: Tensions between cops and activists have flared in recent days, but there appeared to be less drama as crowds marched through Brooklyn on Friday

NEW YORK CITY: A demonstrator holds up a placard at a rally in Central Park

MONTAUK, THE HAMPTONS: several surfers turning out on the beach at Montauk for a Black Lives Matter demonstration
A cutback in mail service is causing hardship for those who live at Woodwards Community Housing in Vancouver, according to a resident.

Gordon French has lived in the building for around 11 years, but says he has never felt as cut off as he does now, with only sporadic mail delivery during COVID-19.

"I rely on the mail and I rely on the cheques that come in the mail," French said.

Mail service has been unreliable for months, says French, causing frustration and uncertainty about paying his bills.

"It's just one more thing on top of the things that we have to face day to day," French said.

In an email statement, Canada Post said it reduced mail deliveries at 131 West Hastings Street to two days a week because of COVID-19.

It said mail carriers weren't able to maintain physical distancing at the property.

The Crown corporation announced in late March that it would be reducing its hours, installing clear barriers at post office counters and introducing other measures to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Health officials have voiced concerns about COVID-19 in the Downtown Eastside, because the virus can spread easily where people live in communal settings.

The neighbourhood is home to some of Vancouver's most vulnerable residents.

Ben Nelms/CBC

French said he and other Downtown Eastside residents feel discriminated against.

"Because of who we are, they can get away with these sorts of things without anyone really caring," French said.

Other deliveries stalled

Woodwards Community Housing is not the only address seeing fewer deliveries.

The Portland Hotel Society, which manages the property, said several low-income buildings in the Downtown Eastside have had mail service reduced since the pandemic began.

'It does, in all honesty, seem unfair to me.' - Tanya Fader, Portland Hotel Society

Two to three times a week, staff members have had to pick up mail for residents at a nearby delivery depot, says the director of housing for the Portland Hotel Society.

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Tanya Fader said she understands why the residents feel targeted  especially considering the condo portion of the Woodwards building is still receiving regular mail.

"We haven't been given any real clear idea of why they're not delivering to some sites and are delivering to others. And it does, in all honesty, seem unfair to me," Fader said.

Canada Post didn't say why 131 West Hastings was of particular concern, but said it hopes to return delivery to normal as soon as possible.

CBC News asked how many buildings in Vancouver have had mail delivery service reduced during the pandemic but did not receive an answer.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- An eighth person is now charged in connection with the Grand Rapids riot on May 30 that followed a peaceful protest over national police brutality issues.

Chase Vladimir Spencer, 23, of Grand Rapids, is accused of causing damage to Urban Obsession Salon at 44 Fountain St. NW.

Related: Man put burning mannequin in police car during Grand Rapids riot, police say

According to a probable cause affidavit, the business owner told police that all the shops windows and the glass door were smashed. The inside also was destroyed, with people damaging and throwing items.

She told investigators that $225 was missing from a money drawer and estimated that about $20,000 in damage happened to the shop.

Police used submitted videos, as well as he shops surveillance video, to identify a person holding a broken stop sign post. The person used it to smash out a window.

The same person kicked out glass on several already broken windows to cause more damage.

Grand Rapids police had recent contact with Spencer and identified him through still images and video of the destruction.

They said the evidence shows that he does appear to be the person in the videos causing the damage.

Related

Young woman incited riot on her own Facebook Live video, police say

Grand Rapids police chief: Riot, George Floyds murder at hands of police traumatize many

5 suspects in Grand Rapids riot accused of damaging police cars, Sundance Grill
Ved Prakash Marwah, a former chief of Delhi police who went on to serve as governor of Jharkhand, Manipur and Mizoram, was cremated with full state honours on Saturday, a day after his passing at the age of 87.

Marwah often spent time in Goa along with his wife to escape the Delhi winters on account of a lung ailment. He was admitted to a hospital almost three weeks ago after he suffered a fall at his residence in Goa.

Marwah was admitted to the hospital almost three weeks back after he suffered a fall at his residence in Goa.

He served as the governor of Manipur(1999- 2003), Mizoram (2000-2001) and Jharkhand (2003-2004). Marwah was the police commissioner of Delhi in 1985-88 and served as the third director general of the elite National Security Guard from 1988 to 1990. He was also an adviser to the governors of Jammu and Kashmir and Bihar.

We are deeply saddened at the loss of a great leader of the police force. Sh. Ved Marwah IPS led the force from the front through difficult times and served as a Governor to three states. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, Goas inspector general of police Jaspal Singh said in a message, describing him as a cop with a heart.

Paid final tributes to Shri Ved Marwah...His services and contribution to the nation will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant, said.

Former chief election commissioner SY Quraishi expressed shock at Marwahs death.

I am shocked to know that Shri Ved Marwah former CP Delhi passed on. He was once my boss as JS Womens Development, the best I ever had. He was President @StStephensClg Alumni Assn. I was VP with him. Pray for peace for his soul. @CafeSSC, he tweeted.
The coronavirus crisis put at least 2.1 million Americans out of work last week, despite the gradual reopening of businesses around the country.

The latest jobs figures have stoked fears that the pandemic is causing deep and potentially long-lasting damage to the US economy.

Despite a few glimmers of hope, the latest economic news from around the globe was similarly grim, as some of the worlds most populous countries reported rising infections and deaths. The confirmed US death toll has surpassed 100,000, the highest in the world.

(PA Graphics)

The latest job loss figures from the US labour department brings the running total of Americans who have filed for unemployment benefits since the coronavirus shutdowns took hold in mid-March to 41 million.

There were some encouraging signs. The overall number of Americans currently drawing jobless benefits dropped for the first time since the crisis began, from 25 million to 21 million.

And first-time applications for unemployment benefits have fallen for eight straight weeks, as states gradually let shops, restaurants and other businesses reopen and the car industry starts up factories again.

However, economists have warned that the number of US workers filing for unemployment benefits is still extraordinarily high by historical standards, suggesting businesses are failing or permanently downsizing, not just laying off people until the crisis passes.

That is the kind of economic destruction you cannot quickly put back in the bottle, said Adam Ozimek, chief economist at Upwork.

The US unemployment rate was 14.7% in April, a level not seen since the Depression, and many economists expect it will be near 20% in May.

Airlines and aircraft manufacturers are struggling after air travel plummeted early in the outbreak. Boeing is cutting more than 12,000 US jobs through lay-offs and buy-outs, many expected to be in the Seattle area.

European budget airline easyJet said it will cut up to a third of its 15,000 employees. American Airlines plans to eliminate about 5,100 jobs.

Story continues

Amtrak has announced it will lay off about 20% of its 18,000 workers amid a collapse in train use.

A medical worker wearing protective suits wears another a protective suit during Covid-19 testing at a hospital in Seoul (AP)

A number of European countries have strong safety-net programmes which are underwriting the wages of millions of workers and keeping them on the payroll instead of adding them to the ranks of the unemployed. However, the economic damage is mounting there, too.

Nissan is rolling back production in Spain in a move the government said could lead to 3,000 direct job cuts and thousands more losses at the car makers suppliers.

And French unemployment claims jumped 22% in April, with 843,000 more people seeking work.

Elsewhere, India saw another record daily jump in coronavirus cases. Russia reported a steady increase in its caseload, even as Moscow and provinces across the vast country moved to ease restrictions in sync with the Kremlins political agenda.

South Korea has reported dozens of new cases, all in the densely populated Seoul metro area, as officials scramble to stem transmissions linked to a massive e-commerce warehouse and avoid losing some of the hard-won gains that made it a model for the rest of the world.

Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 5.8 million people and killed about 360,000, with the US having the most confirmed cases and deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Europe has recorded about 170,000 deaths.

The true dimensions of the disaster are widely believed to be significantly greater, with experts saying many victims died without ever being tested.
Demonstrators hold their fists in the air during at the Lincoln Memorial during a protest against police brutality and racism on June 6, 2020 in Washington, DC.

People across the U.S. and around the world gathered in major demonstrations on Sunday against racism and police violence, marking the 13th consecutive day of protests since the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota last month.

In Washington D.C., tens of thousands gathered at the Lincoln Memorial and near the White House Saturday in what was likely the city's largest demonstration yet.

Protesters in Bristol, England, toppled a statue of slave trader Edward Colston, whose company transported tens of thousands of slaves across the Atlantic Ocean between 1672 and 1689, and threw it into the city's harbor.

Thousands of demonstrators also took to the streets in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City and many other cities from coast to coast.

Thousands of protesters marched across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.

On Saturday night, a suspect was arrested after an SUV plowed through a crowd of kneeling protesters in Brooklyn, injuring four people.

Massive demonstrations have also broken out across the world from Europe to Australia, with tens of thousands of protesters calling for an end to racism and police brutality in their own countries.

In Hong Kong, people staged a demonstration on Sunday in front of the U.S. Consulate, holding up pictures of Floyd and "Black Lives Matter" signs. Massive crowds also took to the streets across France, Germany and Italy.

In London, some protesters near Prime Minister Boris Johnson's residence clashed with police officers.

More than 43,300 National Guard members were on duty on in 34 states and D.C to respond to protests, many of which have been peaceful. In some cases, peaceful protests have been followed with looting and violence at night. Trump said Sunday morning that he had ordered the National Guard to start withdrawing from the nation's capital.

A memorial service was held in Raeford, North Carolina Saturday for Floyd, a black man whom a white Minneapolis police officer pinned under his knee for more than eight minutes.

The incident was caught on video and the fired officer, Derek Chauvin, faces second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges. Three other officers were also fired and charged with aiding and abetting murder.

Former Vice President Joe Biden will go to Houston on Monday to personally pay respects to Floyd's family. A funeral is scheduled for Floyd on Tuesday in Houston.

In response to widespread anger and protesting, some U.S. cities have responded to police brutality by suspending officers who have been caught on camera being violent towards protesters, as well as banning police tactics like chokeholds and the use of tear gas and rubber bullets.

Two Buffalo Police officers who have received national criticism after a video was captured showing them shoving a 75-year-old man to the ground and leaving him bleeding in front of Buffalo City Hall on Thursday night. They were charged with assault in the second degree on Saturday.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Have the power bills for the last three months given you a bolt from the blue yet? If it has, you are not alone.

The meter readings of the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSSPDCL) have been drawing up power bills that are nothing short of exorbitant.

The TSSPDCL had earlier said that citizens could pay the bills generated in the corresponding months of the previous year owing to the Covid crisis.

However, it has now generated bills for the last three months in one go, without taking into account the change in slab levels. Many residents of the city are overwhelmed by the unreasonably high amounts they have been asked to pay. Id paid the electricity bill up to April 2020 based on the consumption last year. However, in May, I received a bill of Rs 6,390 for three months after adjustments in the amount paid, without taking into account the slab rate for each month, tweeted PSV Rao, a consumer.

Sarath, another consumer, said, Its not fair to collect electricity bill for three months in a single invoice. Many customers now have bills of a higher slab. However, officials say that the idea has been misconstrued by the public. Earlier, when the company said that consumers could pay bills generated during the corresponding period of 2019, they were also told that the amount would be adjusted later, said a TSSPDCL official.

We are now adjusting the amount. Citizens, meanwhile, are terming the move unfair as people who had already paid the money during the lockdown (as advised by the company) have also received bills with a newer slab rate for a period of nearly 80 to 90 days. Officials further said that the slab rate has changed due to the increase in consumption. Consumption was more during the lockdown period. Many people worked from their homes, and hence, their bills have also shot up, an official source said.

TPCC slams power bill hike

Hyerabad: The TPCC on Friday alleged that power bills in the State were skyrocketing as the authorities were taking three months meter reading in one go, pushing the consumers to a higher traffic bracket. TPCC spokesperson Indira Shoban asked the TSSPDCL why it was not dividing the meter reading into three parts

Change in slab levels

The slab rate for many consumers has increased from LT 1 (A)  up to 100-units a month  to LT 1 (B) (II), in which consumption is over 200 units. The charges are almost doubled
Y oure probably reading this on a smartphone, tablet or computer so that means you have access to a device, it's connected to the internet, and you have the skills to know how to turn it on and use it.

In the UK, just under 12 million people dont have access to what the UK government defines as essential digital skills, which includes being able to communicate online, handle information and content, make transactions, problem solve and be safe and legal on the internet. As well, just under two million households dont have access to the internet at home, either fixed or mobile.

One organisation working to change this is FutureDotNow. It was set up by six organisations - BT, the City of London, Nominet, Lloyds Banking Group, Good Things Foundation and Accenture - last October, in order to boost digital skills in the UK.

Those of us who have digital skills and are online, were able to enjoy privileges that others are not able to, explains FutureDotNows CEO Liz Willams. That digital divide, particularly during coronavirus, has been accentuated and people are able to see it a bit more clearly.

If the digital divide has been at crisis point, then Covid-19 has pushed the issues to the fore. Those with internet access and the skills have been able to hunker down at home, from working to socialising online, doing video calls with their GP, as well as ordering food and supplies. Yet this hasnt been an option for many people in the UK.

FutureDotNow works with the Online Centres Network, 5,000 hyperlocal charities who help people access the internet and gain digital skills. As the lockdown was starting to come in, Williams says she spoke to a community organiser who works at a community-run coffee shop in Stockport.

Her day started with an 80-year-old woman who was in tears because she didnt know if she was going to be able to pick up her husbands prescription later in the week because they were both over 80 and didnt have access to the internet. Then there was a mum who was looking to order nappies but didnt have access to the internet at home so used the facilities at the coffee shop.

What was increasingly obvious that the link between digital exclusion and poverty was starting to come forward. And that was exacerbated over the coming weeks as we were increasingly seeing the impact of digital exclusion of some of the most vulnerable in society.

One month since UK lockdown - In pictures 1 /14 One month since UK lockdown - In pictures The M5 motorway, looking south towards Devon PA A nearly-deserted Reuters Square in Canary Wharf PA A popular riverside walk alongside the Thames near London's Tower Bridge is almost empty PA The concourse of London's Waterloo station is almost devoid of travellers PA Empty streets and pavements surround Little Ben, a cast iron miniature clock tower, situated at the intersection of Vauxhall Bridge Road and Victoria Street PA Horse Guards Parade in London is empty as tourists stay away PA Liverpool waterfront is practically deserted PA Empty streets in Newcastle upon Tyne PA An empty shopping arcade at Windsor Station PA King's Parade, with King's College (left) and the Senate House (distance) in Cambridge PA A view of a near-deserted Waterlooville town centre in Hampshire PA

So whats being done about it? Williams team launched a new project called DevicesDotNow which aims to connect people with devices, data and the skills to get online so they can be connected at home. DevicesDotNow sources the devices, which are usually tablets as they are often the easiest to handle, and data packages for people and community organisers distribute the tech to those who need it and help them get online.

We have a clear six-stage process that will enable someone to get online and have the data they need to access critical sites - whether thats health information, the ability to shop, or just the ability to see a face, says Williams. And theres ongoing support from those community organisers. Its very much powering up the community that knows whats needed with the essential digital kit to help them go about the work.

It costs around 250 per person to get them online, which is why DevicesDotNow has launched a crowdfunding campaign and is encouraging people to donate what they can. The team is also looking at whether they can repurpose old donated devices, but he issue is whether the devices can run the most up to date software.

If you think about the contacting tracing app trailed on the Isle of Wight, that requires the most recent software, the latest updates. The thing with the redundant kit is interesting and were pursuing it.

Industry has also been helpful in trying to get people online. At the start of the pandemic, the telecoms worked together to make a number of critical websites free to access, such as the NHS website, so people wouldnt have to use their data up. In addition, O2 has been running a pilot in Southwark with the environmental charity Hubbub which invites people to donate old phones to pass on to the digitally excluded. As part of the pilot, 800 refurbished phones and Pay as you Go sim cards are being distributed across the borough.

O2 and Vodafone are encouraging people to donate their old smartphones to help get people online during the pandemic / Obi Onyeador / Unsplash

Tracey Herald, Head of Partnerships and Social impact at O2 ,said: Connectivity is a lifeline for so many at this time  and with so many smart devices sitting in drawers at home, this project provides the perfect opportunity to dust them off for a good cause.

Vodafone has also launched its own project, named the Great British Tech Appeal. The appeal calls for preloved smartphones and tablets which will be refurbished and distributed to families that need them via Barnados, the British Red Cross and the domestic abuse charity SafeLives. Vodafone is also throwing in three months free connectivity for every device.

The networks CEO Nick Jeffrey said: We know that many thousands of children and families cant access learning or essential support because they dont have the devices or connectivity they need. The Great British Tech Appeal relies on the generosity of the public and we call on them to get behind this appeal. Your old phone or tablet really could change a life.

So far, nearly 1,700 people have been supported by the DevicesDotNow project and Williams hopes to support 100,000 people by the end of the scheme. She says hearing the stories of those who have received tablets can be quite emotional.

One person, Kathalingham, who lives in Eastham, West London, used to use his local Online Centre, Skills Enterprise to access key services and support. Once lockdown hit, he had to shield and was concerned about getting food and prescriptions. Now, he has a tablet that means he can request prescriptions, food parcels and use Zoom to connect with Skills Enterprise. Then theres Mabel, an older lady in Stockport, who hadn't seen anyone in weeks before she received her device. Shes since been able to connect with family in Australia over video calls, who she hadnt seen face to face for years.

It genuinely is a digital window to the world for people, says Williams. Its also proved to me just how much need is out there and how much opportunity there is for us to really lean into this issue. People fully understand the value being online can give them and that will have huge impacts not just for us as individuals but for us as a nation.
New Delhi: Top Bhojpuri sensation Monalisa, who has now moved to television successfully is quite popular on social media. She recently posted a sizzling picture of hers sitting pretty in a thigh-high slit floral gown.

Monalisa strikes a pretty pose in the throwback picture. Check it out here:

The actress has had the opportunity of working with almost all the Bhojpuri big shots in her movie career. In 'Nazar', she played an evil force named Mohana. She has a solid social media presence with 3.2 million followers on Instagram alone.

Monalisa, this year was seen on 'Nazar 2' as Madhulika Chaudhary. She sure knows how to keep her social media fam happy and smiling.

Mona was seen as a popular contestant in the reality show 'Bigg Boss 10' and in fact, got married to her then-boyfriend Vikrant Singh inside the BB 10 house.
Maneka Gandhi

There is anger in the country over the tragic death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala. BJP MP Maneka Gandhi has also made several statements regarding this. A case has also been registered against her for a statement in Malappuram, Kerala.

An FIR has been registered against Maneka Gandhi under Section 153 of the IPC, which seeks to foment animosity between different groups on the basis of religion, caste, place of birth, residence, language, etc.

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Mallapuram is know for its intense criminal activity specially with regards to animals. No action has ever been taken against a single poacher or wildlife killer so they keep doing it.

I can only suggest that you call/email and ask for action pic.twitter.com/ii09qmb7xW  Maneka Sanjay Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) June 3, 2020

"Mallapuram is known for its intense criminal activity specially with regards to animals. No action has ever been taken against a single poacher or wildlife killer so they keep doing it," the Lok Sabha MP had claimed in her tweet.

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At the same time, more than seven complaints were lodged against Maneka Gandhi for her statements, but a case was registered on the basis of one complaint. Regarding elephant's death, Maneka Gandhi said it was a murder. Malappuram is notorious for such incidents. It is the most violent state in the country. People throw poison on the streets.

This kills 300 to 400 birds and dogs at the same time. In Kerala, one elephant is killed after every three days. The Kerala government has not yet taken any action in the Malpuram case which looks like they're scared. Many people have objected to Maneka Gandhi's statement.

Maneka GandhiLeader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala has also asked Maneka Gandhi to withdraw her statement. Ramesh Chennithala said that the death of elephant was tragic. Action should be taken against the culprits in this whole case. But Maneka Gandhi's statement about Malappuram district of Kerala is unacceptable.

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In fact, in Malappuram, a pregnant elephant reached a village near the forest in search of food, but there mischievous miscreants filled the pineapple with crackers and fed the elephant. As a result, elephants mouth and jaw were badly injured. Later, she and her unborn child died.
WASHINGTON  After federal law enforcement agents and military troops lined up for days against protesters outside the White House, Mayor Muriel E. Bowser of Washington responded emphatically on Friday: She had city workers paint Black Lives Matter in giant yellow letters down a street she has maintained command of that is at the center of the confrontations.

The strong poke to President Trump within sight of his home underscored a larger power struggle between the two leaders over which one  the Democratic head of the District of Columbia or the president headquartered there  should decide who controls the streets that Mr. Trump has promised to dominate during protests over the killing last month of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.

Ms. Bowser, a Washington native long steeped in city politics, again called on Mr. Trump on Friday to pull back all federal law enforcement officers and National Guard troops patrolling the city, including unidentified agents in riot gear, and said she would stop paying for the hotels for the Utah National Guard that she does not want in the city to begin with.

She renamed as Black Lives Matter Plaza the area in front of Lafayette Square where federal officials used chemical spray and smoke grenades on Monday to clear protesters ahead of Mr. Trumps photo op at a historic church that faces the road that Ms. Bowser had painted. (The money for the paint job came out of the citys mural program, city officials said.)
The Covid-19 pandemic has drawn attention to the significant increase in cases of domestic violence.

Local GP, Dr Margaret Connolly says the figures are stark and should provoke outrage in all of us.

"Domestic violence affects approximately one in four women and, one in seventeen men according to studies.

"In most cases the victim is a woman. The culprits are normally partners or ex partners.

"It is reported one in eight women suffer physical violence in their pregnancies and in a quarter of these cases the violence begins in pregnancy.

"This suggests that the man chooses to keep his rage under control until his partner is at her most vulnerable.

"The figures are stark and should provoke an outrage in us all.

"Yet society often turns a blind eye to this so called "domestic" violence.

"Domestic violence incorporates the gamut of physical, mental, sexual and emotional abuse including controlling, cruel and sadistic behaviour.

"The violence can incorporate all of the above and it often begins early in the relationship in the teenage years.

"The "grooming" process can begin early in the relationship where the male partner attempts to control what the girl wears, who she talks to, who she befriends and even what she speaks about.

He deliberately isolates his partner from her family and friends with the aim of making her more dependent on him.

"This can be a gradual process and the young woman will report years later that she did not realise what was happening as her life becomes more and more constricted and controlled by another human being.

"Embarrassment and shame are powerful weapons that stifles her voice.

"Unfortunately, studies have shown that GP's and doctors in emergency departments often fail to enquire about the source of obvious injuries.

"Very few doctors ask could domestic violence be the source of their patients chronic and recurrent physical and mental ailments.

"The economic cost on the health and social services is immense.

"The effects of physical - sexual and emotional abuse on the victim and her children is always traumatic.

"It is akin to torture, the adverse effects can be long lasting and may lead to the onset of many diseases.

"Domestic violence can cause post traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, heart disease, chronic pain syndromes, bowel disease and gynaecological diseases.

"It may also result in poor outcomes in pregnancy including preterm births.

"Trauma from domestic abuse is implicated in almost every physical and mental disease known to the medical profession.

"Physical assaults can result in broken bones, brain haemorrhages, miscarriages, still births, and tragically in the killing of the victim and at times her children.

"Over 230 women and 16 children have been murdered since 1996 in Ireland by partners or ex partners.

"It is known that the most dangerous time is when the woman is planning to leave or has left "the relationship".

"Domestic violence and child abuse often co-exist in this toxic environment.

"It can occur across all classes and it is destructive to the physical, mental and emotional well being of the woman and her children.

"For children, to witness their mum being repeatedly beaten, controlled, humiliated and coerced on a daily basis can be as destructive to their well being as if they were on the receiving end of the violence themselves.

"In this environment chronic fear can produce chronic stress in the children.

"They can become fearful, anxious, hopeless and helpless.

"It can lead to poor learning in school. It makes it very difficult for the child to develop close, trusting, loving peer groups.

"It can lead to a host of physical ailments and they are at a higher risk of becoming addicted to drugs, alcohol and dangerous activities as they grow older.

"It also places them at risk of depression and subsequent suicide. Many of these children will have a shorter life span by 10 or 20 years.

"The victim and her children may in the end be forced to leave their home and take refuge in shelters in order to be safe from the terror inflicted on them by their so-called partners.

"The covid lockdown has been associated with a surge in domestic violence across all societies. Femicide in the UK has almost doubled in a short few weeks.

"How can we tolerate and fail to discuss this openly and honestly.

"I believe it is the case because violence in the home is regarded as a "domestic" affair and a private family matter

"The painful reality is that our society often condones and accepts the solution, "you have made your bed, now lie in it".

"We generally encourage women to be nurturing and tolerant and "nice".

"From an early age they are encouraged to put the needs of others first.

"They are rarely taught to express anger, honestly and effectively.

"Second guessing, and making excuses for cruel behaviour is often tolerated and accepted.

"As a culture we rarely encourage teenage girls to be frank about their own needs.

"Boys are rarely taught to be emotionally expressive and vulnerable, as we can see poignantly played out in the TV series "Normal People".

"The first danger signs of physical abuse, emotional and sexual control in a relationship are huge danger signals that worse is to follow.

"If young women are not taught to prioritise their own needs from an early age it can be very difficult for them to identify such signals. Boundary violations are facilitated in such situations.

"This particularly occurs in a traditionally patriarchal society where women have been treated as second class citizens for generations.

"As a GP I believe that by establishing a trusting, caring relationship with each patient a safe haven can be created so as to allow light to be shed on such a painful, devastating issue.

"I believe the GP can act as a witness to encourage and empower each victim be they female or male to believe that they deserve better and that they should seek outside help when they are ready.

"My role is to listen and empathise and in a non judgemental approach educate about the serious and often tragic consequences of abuse for the victim and her children.

"Furthermore I am obliged to inform the victim that in cases where there are concerns about the safety of the children I must report the matter to Tusla.

"I will also provide practical support in referring her to the local Gardai/Legal Aid Board/women's aid/DVAS.

"I would wish to encourage the woman to believe in herself, that having survived an abusive relationship that she can access an inner courage to leave a violent, degrading relationship and make a better life for herself and her children."

In April, the United Nations Population Fund, the U.N.'s reproductive and sexual health agency, predicted that six months of lockdown measures could lead to 31 million more cases of domestic abuse globally.

In Ireland, domestic violence reports to the Garda have increased by 30 per cent in some areas.

The Department of the Taoiseach has said that the current 2km travel restriction did not apply to people trying to escape domestic abuse.

An Garda Siochana have said that they will continue to work with domestic abuse victims and respond to any reports of domestic violence during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic quickly.
Photo: John Keeble/Getty Images

Of the 52 companies the Bank of England (BOE) has said are receiving emergency loans from the UKs covid financing facility, nearly one third have links to tax havens, including Easyjet (EZJ.L) and Chanel, research by investigative think tank TaxWatch shows.

The BOE recently published the names of some of the companies that had outstanding loans under the initiative. Of these, TaxWatch found 14 companies with links to tax havens, which made up 31% of the loans given.

Wizz Air (WIZZ.L), British Airways parent IAG (IAG.L), ABB Finance, Baker Hughes (BKR) and Telefonica Europe (TEF) were some of the others on the list.

The publication of the list follows growing calls for the government to place more conditions on companies receiving state support, TaxWatch said, adding that the list demonstrates that companies can qualify for UK government support, even though they have relatively little activity in the UK.

The coronavirus corporate financing facility is a scheme designed for some of the biggest companies with credit ratings. Together, these 14 companies have received more than 5bn ($6.3bn) from the programme, which has given out loans totalling more than 16bn.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Family pest control firm was handed 108m PPE contract

Digger-making JCB, whose parent company is located in the Netherlands, and fashion brand Chanel, whose parent company is based in the Cayman Islands, have both won loans of 600m.

TaxWatch pointed out that one of the more interesting companies on the list is Baker Hughes, which is a subsidiary of General Electric (GE), via a Bermuda holding company. GE is embroiled in a 1bn tax dispute with HMRC over unpaid taxes going back to 2004.

It also noted that a number of companies are owned by parent companies in the Netherlands, or are incorporated in the Netherlands themselves.

George Turner, the think tanks UK director, said: The fact that UK taxpayers money is being used to make substantial loans to companies that have not filed proper accounts, are currently under investigation for bribery and corruption or are part of some tax avoidance structure demonstrates the lack of any meaningful conditions around government support for business.

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The publication of the Bank of England list reveals only a fraction of the businesses receiving Government support. Given the issues arising from just this very small group of companies, there really is a compelling argument for the Government to publish the names of all companies receiving taxpayer support, he added.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Surge in Britons search for properties abroad amid lockdown

A Treasury spokesman said: We have acted at unprecedented speed to support jobs and the economy. The COVID Corporate Financing Facility directly protects hundreds of thousands of jobs, supports some of our biggest companies cashflows and enables them to support their suppliers.

We continue to be at the forefront of global action to tackle tax avoidance, with a series of robust measures in place to tackle profit shifting arrangements.

The analysis comes after calls for the Government to deny coronavirus loans to companies deemed risky by HMRC.
BEREA, Ohio -- The Berea Police Department has not had a female patrol officer in its ranks for at least 10 years, but that has now changed.

Stephanie Santos joined the department on June 5 during an outdoor swearing-in ceremony held at Coe Lake.

Its been a long time coming, Police Chief Dan Clark told cleveland.com. Its great that shes a woman, but she was hired because she was the best qualified person. Weve just been waiting for the right person to hire, and she is going to do a great job. Im excited about her being here.

Santos comes to Berea with vast experience as a police officer and U.S. Army veteran. She most recently worked as a police officer for security forces at an Air Force base in Vienna, Ohio.

Other positions she has held include police officer in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; veterans service representative for the Department of Veterans Affairs; and military police sergeant in Fort Hood, Texas. Santos also served a tour of duty in Iraq.

I look forward to being part of the community, Santos said. This was my top pick of all the police departments I was applying for, because it has such a great relationship with the community. Thats really what I was looking for. A place to call home.

"I'm so glad they selected me," she added. "I'm very fortunate."

After pinning her mother's badge to her lapel, Sophia gave her mom, Officer Stephanie Santos, a congratulatory hug. (Beth Mlady, special to cleveland.com)

Santos young daughter, Sophia, had the honor of pinning the badge to her mothers lapel.

The police chief then concluded the ceremony by saying how pleased he is that the city found such a great candidate.

"Im really proud of Officer Santos and looking forward to everything she brings  to make our department and our community that much better," Clark said.

Read more stories from the News Sun.
The search for business prospects was just getting into full swing when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country.

Mike Fox, executive director of the Plainview-Hale County Economic Development Corporation, told the Hale County Commissioners on Friday that hed had a chance to attend just one of the major prospect fairs before the country started shutting down to control the spread of the coronavirus.

We walked away with 22 leads, he said.

Because of the restraints in place for businesses as a result of the virus, theres been little to do in the way of recruiting business prospects to the county. The first quarter of the year was a busy one for Fox, regardless.

Coronavirus hit Plainview in March and the EDC has been working with local entities and with the Plainview Area United Way to help provide support for individuals, families and businesses through these times. The EDC is also working with city officials on an economic development study to determine housing needs for Plainview, Fox told the Commissioners Court during a work session on Friday.

He noted that hes also been working with a marketing company to help generate more leads for economic development.

Fox told the Court there are still two strong business prospects in his pipeline. As more of the country continues to open, he hopes to solidify those and other deals to boost local economic development.

Following the presentation of Foxs quarterly report, the commissioners also heard a proposal from a representative of Germblast, a Lubbock-based company that specializes in disinfecting facilities, particularly health facilities and schools.

The representative presented plans to the Court to sanitize four county facilities. The court is set to review the proposal and vote on it during its regular meeting on Monday at 9 a.m.

Those two presentations took up the bulk of the meeting. Other topics discussed included a resolution regarding the United States Census. Hale County Judge David Mull said the resolution simply encourages people to participate.

The Census, he said, is important because it helps determine government representation.

The Court is set to review and vote on those and these other items on Monday. Those interested can watch the meetings on the Hale County, Texas Commissioners Court YouTube page:

 Discussion of COVID-19

 Purchase of equipment for COVID-19

 CARES

 Financial and run reports for Petersburg and Hale Center EMS

 The 2021 budget calendar

 Request for security screens at the District Clerks Office

 Update on the phone and internet bill

 Review speed limit signs on county-maintained paved roads in precinct four

 Review auction items for precinct four

 Items regarding dumpsters in Seth Ward and the Parade of Breeds

 Personnel hire in the county attorneys office
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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 20:05:06|Editor: huaxia

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DAMASCUS, June 6 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed and seven others wounded by the explosion of a car bomb in Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah on Saturday, state news agency SANA reported.

The explosion took place near the silos of the Tal Halaf area south of the city of Ras al-Ayn in the northwestern countryside of Hasakah, said the report.

A day earlier, two children were killed and three people were wounded when a car bomb went off in Ras al-Ayn. The explosion was caused by a booby-trapped taxi cab, which was detonated near the national hospital on Friday evening.

Ras al-Ayn, in the northwestern countryside of Hasakah province, is under the control of the Turkey-backed rebel groups.

SANA said the area witnesses rebel-on-rebel battles, adding that the rebels infighting renewed on Friday.

The Turkey-backed rebels used medium and light weapons in their infighting, which also includes detonating car bombs.

Turkey and the Ankara-backed rebels captured slivers of territory in northeastern Syria following a military campaign launched in October of 2019 as Turkey was aiming to quell the influence of the Kurdish-led rebel groups in that area. Enditem
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Dr Stephen Donohoe arriving at Dublin Airport, where he was greeted by his parents, John and Ger.

A young New Ross doctor has been living in quarantine in Rosslare Strand after an epic journey home from northern Australia, during which he saw the wildly different ways Covid-19 health rules are enforced.

Stephen Donohoe (30) travelled to Queensland in February, a month before the pandemic took hold in Europe, to do locuming work, prior to beginning his GP training in Limerick this July.

Having qualified as a doctor in 2017 and previously spent time in Australia with his girlfriend, he decided to return on his own.

Little did Stephen know, he would soon find himself in a country with strict rules surrounding movement in the grip one of the worst health crises in its short history as a nation.

Stephen said: 'I wanted to go back to Australia to do some work in a rural GP practice so that is how I came to be there.'

Working in Mount Gambier, he was fortunate in that there were very few cases within the community.

'Australia got hit with it [Covid-19] a few weeks after us here. We never really got hit with it in Mount Gambier.'

After several weeks he moved to Mount Isla in the Outback area of Queensland.

'There was no Covid there either but the measures were quite strict there, where there is a large Aboriginal population.'

Stephen was in Mount Isla at a time when the virus was spreading in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.

'There was a move to shut off communities like Mount Isla from the bigger population centres because the Aboriginal people - with their baseline health status - could be wiped out there [if it took hold].'

Transport in to and out of Mount Isla was prohibited and among his roles was swabbing people for Covid-19, finding no positives.

In late May, Stephen decided to return to Ireland. He had to stop off in Perth to collect some belongings and, when he arrived there, was informed that he had to remain in the Gold Coast city for a fortnight, when his return flight was for five days later.

'It was strict even to get into Western Australia. I had to apply for an exemption, saying I was going back to work. When we were getting off the plane, only 15 of us at a time were let off so it took a long time.'

Stephen and all the passengers were met by a nurse wearing full PPE who took his temperature.

'Then we were met by the police who took our details and asked where we were staying. We were told we had to mandatory quarantine for 14 days in an apartment and couldn't leave for exercise.'

Immediately regretting travelling to Perth, Stephen was in a difficult position having not informed police about his plans to leave the country after five days - which, by law, he was ultimately allowed to do.

On his fourth day in Perth, the intercom rang and four police called in to see him, explaining to him that he had a 14 day quarantine and that he might be checked up on multiple times.

He left Perth the following day.

'I had no issues at the airport. I travelled back [to Ireland] through Doha and Heathrow. The flight from Perth to Doha was about 10 per cent full and the flight from London to Dublin was almost full, with the middle seat taken away. On the Qatar Airlines flight, the air hostesses had full hazmat suits from their feet up with masks and goggles and a hood on top.'

Stephen was one of many passengers wearing a mask.

He said it took 'ages' to board the Aer Lingus flight in Heathrow.

'They seated us row by row. There was a bit of irony there from an Irish public health viewpoint as we had to fill out forms and they handed us pens to pass around. When he landed as soon as the seatbelt lights came on, everyone was up, bumper to bumper in the aisles trying to get off, with little or no social distancing. Everyone just wanted off the plane!'

Upon arrival at Dublin Airport he found it 'dead'. He was greeted by his parents Ger and John, who gave him the loan of a car to drive to Rosslare.

'We were the only flight going through the border inspection part. I was under the impression that it was going to be mandatory quarantine for 14 days. Our family has a beach hut in Rosslare so I was going there. The Immigration guy said "it's up to yourself" whether I do quarantine or not. He did ask what I had been doing in Australia but I would have thought I was high risk as I had travelled through three airports but then when you quarantine it's up to yourself.'

Stephen said mandatory quarantining should have been introduced in Ireland weeks ago.

Delighted to be back in Co Wexford, Stephen said he was notified by his friends in Perth that the police came back looking for him two days after he flew home.

'Luckily, my friends were in the apartment and told them I had gone home. If not, they would have tried calling my Australian number.'

He plans to stick regimentally to his quarantine.

'As much as I'd like to go to New Ross, I'm happy to wait to go to the [3] Bullet [pub] for a pint of Guinness.'

We were told we had to mandatory quarantine for 14 days in an apartment and couldn't leave for exercise

In Dublin Airport The Immigration guy said "it's up to yourself whether I do quarantine or not
According to information released by the Military Africa Blog on May 28, 2020, Algeria has delivered 53 Berlier logistic trucks and Land Rover 4x4 tactical vehicles to Malian armed forces. The vehicles were handed on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, at the President Modibo Keita International Airport in Bamako-Senou by the Algerian Ambassador, HE Mr. Boualem Chebihi.

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Picture showing the military tactical trucks and jeep donates by Algeria to Malian armed forces. (Picture source Military Africa Blog)

Malian armed forces are supported by many countries in its fight against Islamist terrorists. In June 2019, we have announced that Germany has donated 29 Casspir 4x4 armored vehicle personnel carrier to Mali in the effort to secure in the West African nation.

The European Union has committed to supporting the Malian army since the creation of the G5 Sahel Joint Force. Together (EU + Member States), the first envelope of 155 million euros has been released for various equipment. "Almost 70% is today achieved or delivered," said the EC Delegation for Mali.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has also delivered Streit Cougar armored vehicles to the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) on 28 January 2020, to support its ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel region.

According to our analysis of the pictures released by the Military Africa Blog, the tactical vehicles delivered to the Malian armed forces included 4x4 Land Rover 4x4 light tactical vehicles as wells Berlier GBC 8 KT 6x6 military trucks in troop carrier and tanker configuration.
A candidate needs at least 1,991 delegates to secure the nomination, with Biden crossing the threshold late on Friday.

Joe Biden said on Friday he had secured the delegates needed to clinch the Democratic nomination and face Donald Trump in Novembers US presidential election amid a pandemic, economic collapse and civil unrest.

Folks, tonight we secured the 1,991 delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination, the former vice president said on Twitter. Im going to spend every day fighting to earn your vote so that, together, we can win the battle for the soul of this nation.

A candidate needs at least 1,991 delegates to secure the nomination, with Biden crossing the threshold late on Friday after seven states and the District of Columbia held presidential primaries earlier in the week.

Biden now has 1,995 delegates, with contests still to come in eight states and three US territories.

It was an honour to compete alongside one of the most talented groups of candidates the Democratic party has ever fielded  and I am proud to say that we are going into this general election a united party, Biden said on Friday in a statement.

Biden had been the presumptive Democratic challenger since Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders dropped out of the race in April and endorsed his onetime rivals run at the White House.

At one point, the field had more than 20 candidates, with contenders dropping out as their chances faded.

Biden had a slow start and recorded his first win in South Carolina at the end of February.

After that, some other candidates seen as centrist or moderate dropped out before Super Tuesday votes on March 3, when the highest number of delegates were up for grabs and Biden won key contests.

It then became a two-horse race with Sanders, who was seen as a progressive candidate challenging incumbent Democrats.

While Sanders was a frontrunner after early races, Biden carried his Super Tuesday momentum into subsequent contests and increased his lead.

Sanders quit the race upon seeing no path to the nomination as the novel coronavirus outbreak made campaigning and outreach difficult.

Biden spent 36 years in the Senate before becoming Barack Obamas vice president.

This is 77-year-old Bidens third bid for the presidency and his success in capturing the Democratic nomination was driven by strong support from Black voters.
In Ukraine, a positive dynamics of the incidence has been observed in recent weeks. But the latest data and a frivolous attitude to the personal safety of citizens are alarming."I understand how tired everyone is of quarantine; I want to return to a full life as soon as possible, but we have no choice. The war against the virus has not yet been won. And only by our behavior and compliance with safety rules can we minimize the activity of its spread," said in the message.Stepanov urged to use masks, antiseptics and adhere to social distance."Do not neglect the rules and personal protective equipment, because not only your life, but also those people who are close to you depend on it," Stepanov said.As reported, on the morning of June 6, 26 514 cases of coronavirus Covid-19 reported in Ukraine. So, over the past day, 550 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded. Since the start of the pandemic, 777 people have died from coronavirus in Ukraine, 11 812 have recovered.
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) is questioning the legality of the Trump-sanctioned actions. But when the fencing-off of District streets and the seeding of the city with federal agents and military forces are being directed by the nations top law enforcement official, who is going to enforce the law if there is a violation? Anyway, Trump would treat any adverse finding with all the respect he accords congressional subpoenas. Painting Black Lives Matter on 16th Street and also renaming the street outside the White House Black Lives Matter Plaza, as Bowser ordered, may not speed unwanted federal authorities out of town. But it may give Trump and his troopers something to think about.
RJD facing challenges from alliance partners ahead of Bihar polls

The RJD is facing challenges from its allies in Bihar ahead of assembly polls likely to be held by the end of this year.

On Friday, three grand alliance partners Jitan Ram Manjhi, Upendra Kushwaha and Mukesh Sahni of Vikasheel Insan Party created a flutter in the state politics by holding a secret meeting in Patna to discuss seat sharing and leadership issue.

Sources said that these parties are not in favour of Tejashwi Yadav leading the grand alliance in the absence of RJD Chief Lalu Yadav who is serving a jail term in connection with the fodder scam case.

Reports suggest that the grand Alliance partners also want respectable seat share to contest in the assembly elections.

Talking to this newspaper on Saturday a leader aware of the meeting said, The goal of the grand alliance is to defeat the NDA in 2020 elections. Seat adjustments and leadership is the key issue in the grand alliance and our leaders have been discussing it during every meeting. There will be many more meetings before the election is announced but one thing is clear that senior leaders like Jitan Ram Manjhi and Upendra Kushwaha are not ready to compromise on these two issues.

The congress which is part of the grand alliance in Bihar has also been raising similar issues during its meetings. In a closed-door meeting held earlier to discuss these issues, congress leaders said that the matter will be resolved unanimously soon.

In 2015 Bihar assembly election the JD(U)-RJD had contested 101 seats each while the Congress was given 41 out of 243 seats. RJD had emerged as a single largest party with 80 seats in 2015 assembly elections while JD(U) was second with 71 and Congress 27 seats.

Jitan Ram Manjhis party HAM which had contested as part of the NDA managed to win just one seat out 21 seats it had contested in the assembly elections.

The alliance, however, did not last long as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar dumped the grand alliance and formed a government with BJP in July 2017 on grounds that his Deputy Tejashwi Yadavs name figured in the FIR registered by CBI in connection with Benami land deals.

In the current scenario when the JD(U) is out of the alliance, the congress and other smaller partners want respectable seat adjustments.

HAM Chief Jitan Ram Manjhi has also been urging the RJD leadership to form a coordination committee to resolve the seat-sharing and leadership crisis in the grand alliance.

According to Mr. Manjhi, our agenda is to strengthen the grand alliance ahead of assembly elections. We want all issues to be resolved by the coordination committee. A meeting of coordination committee should be held soon to discuss seat sharing and leadership issue.

On many occasions, earlier opposition leaders in Bihar hinted that Tejashwi Yadav lacks confidence and may not pose a threat to the NDA during elections in Bihar.

Meanwhile, the RJD on Saturday clarified that the party was not in a mood to compromise on issues being raised by its allies.

According to RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwary, political parties should analyze their strength before demanding more seats. They must realize that the RJD is the largest party in the grand alliance and as far as leadership issue is concerned our party has already declared Tejashwi Yadav as the face.
Top Chinese and Indian generals are holding a meet at a Himalayan outpost on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in a bid to end the latest frontier showdown in eastern Ladakh that has seen thousands of troops sent to both sides.

The Indian delegation of officials is led by Lt Gen Harinder Singh, the commander of 14 Corps, along with 10 other officers who were part of the earlier meetings with the Chinese counterparts, while the Chinese military is represented by Major General Lin Liu, Corps Commander, South Xinjiang Military Division and 10 other officers from the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA).

The talks, which started around 11am, are being held at Chushul-Moldo Border meeting point. This comes a day after the foreign ministry officials of both nations on Friday discussed the flaring of tensions on the disputed border.

They resolved to settle the differences peacefully, bearing in mind the importance of respecting each others sensitivities, concerns and aspirations and not allow them to become disputes, the external affairs ministry said in a statement.

The Indian side is expected to present specific proposals at the talks to de-escalate tension in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley and Demchok - the three areas in eastern Ladakh where the two sides have been on a bitter standoff for the last one month, the sources said.

It is not immediately known what will be the proposals that the Indian military will take to the negotiating table but it is understood that it will insist on return to status quo in all the areas. The two sides have already held at least 10 rounds of negotiations between local commanders as well as major general-rank officials of the two armies but the talks did not yield any positive result, they said.

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.

After the standoff began early last month, the Indian military leadership decided that Indian troops will adopt a firm approach dealing with the aggressive posturing by the Chinese troops in all disputed areas of Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie.

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. India has also been bolstering its presence by sending additional troops and artillery guns, the sources said.

Since the clashes earlier last month, there have been multiple reports of intrusions by Chinese infantry soldiers in areas which include Demchok to the South, the Fingers region on the Eastern banks of the high-altitude Pangong Lake, the Galwan River basin and more recently the Gogra post.

India says the Chinese military is hindering normal patrolling by its troops along the Line of Actual Control or LAC in Ladakh and Sikkim, and strongly refutes Beijing's contention that the escalating tension between the two armies was triggered by trespassing of Indian forces across the Chinese side.
TRENTON  Growing up, Milca Hernandez always wanted to play school.

Shed set up the coffee table in the familys Stockton Street home like a desk and stand in front of a captivated audience of two reciting the alphabet and showing her brother and cousin how to write their letters.

Hernandez, 55, was a natural-born teacher before ever receiving degrees and certifications, her first pupil attested in a fitting sendoff this week for the longtime Trenton special education teacher, who was one of the capital citys casualties in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

That was her biggest thing: She served. She served God from a young age until the days she passed away. And she served humanity, brother and ex-Trenton cop Rolando Ramos said in delivering his sisters eulogy.

Ramos and cousin Joshua benefited from then-9-year-old Milcas instruction. They entered kindergarten having mastered basics taught to kids in their first year of formal schooling, able to write their names, read simple words and do math.

She prepared us that way, Ramos said. Every day, we had to play school. It wasnt just a game for her. It was like a training, a preparation for her life.

Hernandez was the eldest of five siblings, 16 years older than the youngest, Ariel, a reverend in Trenton, and an outspoken advocate from the start.

Her parents, Angel Louis and Miriam, raised the family in the Pentecostal Church Assemblies of God in Trenton, led by the Rev. Joseph Rodriguez Sr.

Hernandez found a way to challenge conventional wisdom while adhering to the reverence and traditions of the church, a delicate tightrope dance that won over those who came to know her, her brother said.

Devoted to the church and her craft, Hernandez received her bachelors degree from Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico  Recinto de Arecibo in 1998, moved back to Trenton and began teaching in the school district the same year.

She spent most of her career at Grace A. Dunn Middle School.

She also taught Sunday school and later received a ministry certification in 2007. She went on missions  many with youth groups  to some of the poorest, most underprivileged countries in Latin America, even when relatives urged her to cut back on the travel while she dealt with myriad health struggles, including diabetes.

You couldnt keep her from doing her missionary work, Ramos said.

During her career as an educator, Hernandez taught some of the districts most intellectually challenged and disabled students, many in self-contained settings where outcomes depend on the steadying forces in the classroom.

While some teachers shied away from such tough, heart-tugging assignments, Hernandez embraced the challenge and was twice named Teacher of the Year, according to her family.

With our kids, seeing the same face every day is important, said Nicole Whitefield, executive director of the Special Parent Advocacy Group that goes to bat for special education students in the region. It helps their outcomes. To have someone like her who was dedicated and shows up on an every-day basis, she would be the greatest model for other teachers. She offered something to our students, which is stability.

Hernandez returned to school and got her masters in education from Canyon University last year, not long after her brother, a retired Trenton Police lieutenant, received his masters from Seton Hall University.

She instilled in me the love of learning, Ramos said. Im always reading. Im always trying to advance myself.

Whenever relatives told her to seek teaching opportunities outside of Trenton, Hernandez slammed the door on the idea, dedicated to the children of the capital city.

These are my kids. This is my town, shed say.

Addie Daniels-Lane, a former principal at Hernandezs school and the president of the Trenton Board of Education, said the city educators death left a tremendous void for the community.

Words cannot express how deeply saddened I was to learn of her passing. I know from personal experience and observation that she was the kind of teacher that you would want every child to have. She was a very warm, caring, knowledgeable educator who made all of her students feel valued, Daniels-Lane said. Ms. Hernandez was firm, yet fair and held high expectations for her students. She was highly respected by her colleagues and deeply appreciated by the parents of her students.

Ms. Hernandezs passing leaves a tremendous void in the lives of her students past and present, as well as the district. Sadly, the human toll of this current pandemic has become all too real for our district and her family. Certainly we extend our deepest sympathy to her family and all those who knew and loved her.

Mayor Reed Gusciora also expressed condolences to Hernandezs family, saying the tragedy of the virus is really hitting home.

The progression of this disease is so rapid that it takes a lot of families by surprise, he said. Every loss from COVID has been devastating to the community. She has a legacy of helping to educate and guide hundreds, if not thousands of students. Her contribution to special education will be long-lasting.

Hernandez and her husband of 33 years, Rev. David Hernandez, met in college and wed a year later, at a ceremony in Trenton.

She brought him home and said, This is the love of my life,' Ramos said.

The couple had three daughters, Melody, Laura, and Bianca, and became ministers in their own right, preaching at the Assemblies of God in Long Branch for the last 13 years.

She wasnt one of those preachy women who tries to impose, said Ramos, who looked to his sister whenever he struggled with his faith. You saw who she was spiritually, through her actions and her example.

Fervent in her ways, Hernandez kept a daily journal of prayers, asking for divine intercession for those around her. She kept notes every time her prayers were answered.

She held God accountable, Ramos said.

As her body started breaking down, Hernandez prayed for strength  all in an effort to keep serving.

Lord, I know you have called on me to minister to children and youth, she wrote. Give me what I need each day in order to fulfill your will in my life. Use me bring change. Help me to your voice, hands and feet in order for the little ones to hear your gospel.

Known to nieces and nephews as Titi, they recalled her as a second mom whod gently pry them from their deep slumbers to start the day.

Guys, wakey-wakey, she would say, time to get to work.

Hernandez had been sick for a few days when she went to the hospital May 27. She was tested for COVID-19, returned home and died the next morning.

The test later came back positive, making her one of eight people in the family to contract the deadly virus, Ramos said. The others have recovered.

Ramos is convinced his sister knew her time had come and didnt want to die alone, like many have in the pandemic.

The beloved grandmother of six grandsons passed away in her home, surrounded by family.

In his eulogy, Ramos recounted how his sister exemplified the Parable of the Talents in the Gospel of Matthew.

He recalled, at 13, his sister gave her first sermon, using puppets.

She changed the whole dynamic of what it was to have a message of God for the children, he said. When her master called her and said, My servant, Milca, what have you done with the talents I have given you? She didnt have to say anything because the souls of the living all reached out, the army of all those people she touched reached out, and said, We are her investment. We will testify to the investment that she made in this world. I can see Jesus coming to the gates of heaven and saying, You have done enough. You have done enough.'
OTTAWA  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appears to share Manitoba Premier Brian Pallisters concern about powwows that could breach physical-distancing health orders.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appears to share Manitoba Premier Brian Pallisters concern about powwows that could breach physical-distancing health orders.

"Local authorities need to work with public health officers to ensure that their citizens are safe, whether they be municipal authorities or Indigenous governments," Trudeau told the Free Press Friday.

"We need to make sure that were doing everything in line with public health, in order to keep our communities safe."

One of Trudeaus ministers has been pushing Manitoba to find a compromise, and argued Friday this could avoid a violent police showdown.

This week, Lake Manitoba First Nation delayed its summer powwow to July, instead of June 19-21. It will likely attract more than four times the current provincial limit of 50 people for an outdoor gathering.

Pallister has repeatedly urged Indigenous people to follow the same rule as any religious group, fearing a large-scale event would result in a surge of the coronavirus.

Last week, federal Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller said Pallister must reach a compromise.

"If you believe in self-determination of Indigenous peoples, you have to respect choices, even if you dont agree with them," Miller said at the time.

Pallister responded that it was "not acceptable" for the federal government to "send a message that because youre of a certain race and creed, you get to have big public events that exceed the rules."

On Friday, Miller reiterated his message, saying a compromise can avoid an escalation of the situation.

"If weve seen anything in the last month its that engagement and dialogue are sometimes the difference between a positive result and armed conflict. Im not exaggerating," Miller told the Free Press.

Last month, the RCMP interrupted a sun dance ceremony in Saskatchewan due to public-health rules. That provinces premier, Scott Moe, berated Ottawa for suggesting that breaking up such gatherings was akin to governments suppressing Indigenous spiritual rites in colonial times.

Pallister has said hed ask Trudeau for "clarity" on the issue. Miller would not specify Friday whether the prime minister had raised the matter.

"The respect for powwows and sun dances is something that the federal government needs to observe," Miller said.

"The best outcomes are outcomes that are led and driven (locally) and I think we should keep saying it, again because there are tangible, measurable results," he said.

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.

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Arlen Dumas said he expects bands will hold ceremonies in a safe way, even if they attract more people than provincial rules allow, regardless of what Trudeau says.

As of Friday, 16 of Manitobas 300 COVID-19 cases involved First Nations people, with the last case recorded on May 1.

None has occurred on a reserve.

"Were more than capable of looking out for ourselves; I think weve displayed that," Dumas said

Miller said Friday that a pandemics second waves tends to hit Indigenous communities harder than the first wave.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
NASA analyzes Cristobal, the big rainmaker

NASA's Aqua satellite gathered infrared imagery and cloud top temperature data on Tropical Depression Cristobal, and it revealed the heavy rainmaking capability of the storm.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts Cristobal to track northward through the Gulf of Mexico and toward Louisiana's coast. Watches and warnings have gone into effect.

On June 5, the NHC issued a Storm Surge Watch for the northern Gulf of Mexico coast from Indian Pass to Arepika, Florida, and from Grand Isle, Louisiana, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, including Lake Borgne. In addition, a Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the northern Gulf of Mexico coast from Intracoastal City Louisiana to the Alabama/Florida border, including Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.

Infrared Imagery and Cloud Top Temperatures

NASA's Aqua satellite used infrared light to analyze the strength of storms in Cristobal. Infrared data provides temperature information, and the strongest thunderstorms that reach high into the atmosphere have the coldest cloud top temperatures. On June 5 at 4:05 a.m. EDT (0805 UTC), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite gathered temperature information about Cristobal's cloud tops.

MODIS found several areas of powerful thunderstorms where temperatures were as cold as or colder than minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 56.6 Celsius). Cloud top temperatures that cold indicate strong storms with the potential to generate heavy rainfall. Those areas were located over Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, northeastern Guatemala, and out over the Eastern Pacific Ocean just off the coast of the Mexican states of Chiapas and Oaxaca.

NHC rainfall forecasts for Mexico's Yucatan and Central America called for large quantities of rainfall. NHC noted of expected rainfall, "Mexican states of Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatan...Additional 4 to 6 inches, isolated storm totals of 25 inches. Belize and the Mexican states of Tabasco and Oaxaca...Additional 4 to 6 inches, isolated storm totals of 12 inches. Southern Guatemala, coastal portions of Chiapas, and El Salvador...Additional 4 to 6 inches, isolated storm total amounts of 35 inches dating back to Saturday, May 30. Southern parts of Honduras...Additional 3 to 4 inches, isolated 8 inches." Rainfall across Southeast Mexico and northern Central America would continue the risk of life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

NHC forecasters said, as Cristobal moves north through the Gulf of Mexico, "Through Wednesday morning, for portions of the eastern and central Gulf Coast and the lower Mississippi Valley, rainfall accumulations of 4 to 8 inches, with local amounts to 12 inches, are forecast."

Cristobal's Status on June 6, 2020

The NHC said at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on June 6, the center of Tropical Depression Cristobal was located near latitude 20.0 degrees north and longitude 89.9 degrees west. That puts the center about 40 miles (65 km) east of Campeche, Mexico. The depression was moving toward the north near 12 mph (19 kph), and this general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1000 millibars. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 kph).

NHC Forecast for Cristobal

On the NHC forecast track, the center will move back over the southern Gulf of Mexico this evening, over the central Gulf of Mexico on Saturday, and be near the northern Gulf of Mexico coast Sunday evening. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Cristobal is expected to regain tropical storm strength later today. Some additional strengthening is forecast thereafter.

Typhoons/hurricanes are the most powerful weather events on Earth. NASA's expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.

###

Fore updated forecasts, visit: http://www. nhc. noaa. gov

By Rob Gutro

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

This story has been published on: 2020-06-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Paris: Police have banned a third protest in Paris that had been planned for Saturday to condemn alleged police abuses in the wake of George Floyds death.

Police cited a risk of spreading COVID-19 and fears of public unrest. The police decree noted that social distancing regulations ban gatherings of more than 10 people.

Online posts called for people to gather Saturday afternoon in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.

Paris police had previously also banned two other planned gatherings Saturday outside the US Embassy.
Dawood Ibrahim

Even as rumours swirled on Friday evening that the one of the worlds most wanted terrorists, Dawood Ibrahim, has tested positive for COVID-19, his brother has claimed that both the top don and his wife do not have the coronavirus.

It was reported earlier that Dawood and his wife were admitted to the Army Hospital in Karachi after they tested positive for COVID-19.

However, his brother Anees Ibrahim said that neither Dawood nor any his family members have tested positive for COVID-19. He also said that all of them were at their home.

It was also reported earlier that Dawoods staff too was placed under quarantine.

Meanwhile, on Saturday morning, another, rather more sinister rumour took over social media, with some sources claiming that Dawood had died of COVID-19 in Pakistan.

The official handle of a prominent Indian TV channel handle posted the above tweeted citing sources.

While there is no clarity on what the truth is, Dawood, on several earlier occasions, has been claimed dead/captured by various unverified sources over the years.
By Trend

Following intense back-door negotiations during the past week, the market expects todays fast-tracked OPEC+ meeting to be mostly about formalities, Rystad Energys Head of Oil Markets Bjornar Tonhaugen said, Trend reports.

He pointed out that after Saudi Arabia and Russia reached an agreement yesterday with Iraq and other members of the alliance, which have failed to comply with cut targets to date, the group is today expected to ratify an extension of the current 9.7 million bpd cuts by one month to the end of July.

Whats at stake for the oil market here? Well, an extension for one month itself will result in 3 million bpd lower crude production to the market in July, we believe. The market will draw down bulging crude stocks at a 3 million bpd faster pace in July after accumulating nearly 1 billion barrels of surplus into storage through the first five months of 2020. The market has mostly priced this one-month extension scenario in, we believe, so the upside to flat price is fairly limited if OPEC+ doesnt have additional cards up its sleeve. For instance, deepening the cuts for an even longer period to fast-forward the return to a more normal oil price level of $50-60, noted Tonhaugen.

The analyst believes that if all goes according to Riyadhs and Moscows plans today, official selling prices (OSPs) for July cargoes from Saudi Arabia will be announced tomorrow.

The crude market will be increasingly tight for medium and heavy sour crudes into the summer which will help the OPEC cutters revenues through continued strong crude differentials to Brent and other light sweet benchmarks, despite offering lower volumes to customers than in a cut tapering scenario.

We cant completely rule out a bullish surprise from OPEC+, neither a bearish no-deal surprise outcome. But this time around, the expectation is clearly set beforehand, the analyst concluded.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
She recently wrapped her 11 season run on the TV hit series Modern Family.

And with her newfound free time, Ariel Winter hit up a skin clinic in West Hollywood on Friday.

The 22-year-old bombshell made the most of her curvaceous figure in an all-black ensemble for the outing.

Down time: With her newfound free time, Ariel Winter hit up a skin clinic in West Hollywood on Friday

The Kiss Kiss Bang Bang actress paired black leggings with a clingy black, long sleeved top as she exited the clinic.

She also wore a colorful face mask, a concession to the COVID-19 pandemic still sweeping the globe.

Ariel's dyed blonde hair was pulled up atop her head in a loose bun.

Following her appointment, the starlet walked home alongside a gal pal, who also sported a face mask as they chatted.

Back to black: The Kiss Kiss Bang Bang actress paired black leggings with a clingy black, long sleeved top as she exited the clinic

Speaking up: Last week, Winter added her voice to the outraged chorus of those protesting the horrific death of George Floyd at the hands of police

Last week, Winter added her voice to the outraged chorus of those protesting the horrific death of George Floyd at the hands of police.

Taking to her Instagram Stories, the actress wrote, 'We all need to do better. This isn't new.'

'I know I can never even begin to imagine this kind of pain and struggle and fear just to exist, but I'm here to support and fight against this hate however I can.'

Nationwide protests against police brutality are ongoing, even as all the Minneapolis police officers involved in the killing have been charged for their involvement.

Outrage: Taking to her Instagram Stories, the actress wrote, 'We all need to do better. This isn't new'
YPSILANTI, MI  Ypsilantis operating accounts for the next two years will have few frills and strategic spending projects, according to the recently approved biennial city budget for fiscal years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022.

The citys tax base has increased by nearly $15 million, allowing the citys property tax millage to go down slightly.

But city officials prepared a leaner budget in anticipation of the economic outfall of the coronavirus pandemic, which could affect the large sum of revenue that comes from the state. City Manager Frances McMullan said they are anticipating a 20% decrease in state-shared revenue  the shortfall shown during the budget process. Road projects could also take a funding hit from reduced revenues produced by the states gas tax. City Council had three budget sessions throughout the spring to review the budget and make cuts, but often declined.

Instead, city staff presented a balanced budget, which was unanimously approved Tuesday, June 2. The fiscal year begins July 1.

The next two years is a very lean budget with very limited capital improvement and most of the budget allocated only for our normal operating expenditures, McMullen wrote in a June 2 budget memo.

Consistent review of the budget is recommended as the financial impacts become clearer through the year, city staff said in draft budget proposals.

Property tax value increase

The citys tax base increased by 4.33%, according to budget documents  from about $331 million to about $345.4 million.

The increase allows for a slight decrease in the general operating tax millage  from 18.3137 mills to 18.0298 mills  or about .018 per dollar of taxable value. But with public safety, public transit, and other millages, a homeowners total property tax will be 35.413 mills.

Road projects

Most of the major road projects described in the citys budget and capital improvement plan involve engineering costs in the next two years or minor maintenance.

Some road construction is planned for the next two years. West Cross Street from Courtland Street to Wallace Boulevard, about half a mile, is expected to start construction this month, according to the capital improvement plan also passed on June 2. That is primarily funded by a state grant of about $1.1 million but it includes $215,000 from the city.

Another project set to begin in 2021 is road construction on Oakwood Street from Sherman to Congress streets, or three blocks. The $211,200 project comes primarily from the road millage but includes $86,200 from the city.

Housing fund

After City Council passed a resolution to fund $75,000 of rent and mortgage relief in response to the economic fallout of the pandemic for the current fiscal year, staff was directed to allocate additional funds for the 2021 fiscal year. The funds are allocated through Washtenaw Countys Barrier Busters program  an application process to receive aid.

Ypsilanti approves funding for rent, mortgage relief for residents impacted by coronavirus outbreak

The funding comes from the sale of city-owned property at 206-210 N. Washington Ave. The starting bid was $105,000 and the sale is still pending.

Hiring a social worker through the public safety fund

The Ypsilanti Police Department will hire a social worker to assist the department. The social workers job duties have not been developed yet, according to budget memos.

The first hire will serve as a pilot and aid in the City developing a plan to address the mental health needs of the city, according to the May 19 memo.

The social workers annual base salary will be $65,000, funded through money from the countys public safety tax.

Debt status

Ypsilanti will pay back nearly $6 million in debts over the next two fiscal years. The city has multiple lines of credit open, beginning at $25.2 million owed at the beginning of the 2021 fiscal year. The city is expected to make about $3.6 million in payments, mostly of the principal, in the first fiscal year.

The city will then pay off another $3.6 million in the 2022 fiscal year. The remaining balance will $19.4 million.

$2 million in committed funds

The general funds balance could change in the near future. Ypsilanti previously dedicated $2 million to build a possible Amtrak station platform on the Wolverine route in Depot Town. But in March, the city did not receive a federal rail grant for the remaining cost of the project, which was expected to cost $4.6 million total.

The $2 million remained committed in the 2020 fiscal years budget and could not be reallocated during budget discussions in May. City Council will discuss the funds future use at the June 16 meeting, council members said in previous meetings.

Remove, repair or remain? Washtenaw Countys aging dams face expensive solutions

Expenditures total

The city expects to spend $33.2 million in the 2021 fiscal year and $31.2 million in the 2022 fiscal year  almost half of which comes from the citys $15 million general fund  the account which has the most funding and discretion throughout the year.

Per city policy, the general fund must have 10% of the general fund in reserves, or about $1.5 million.

MORE ON MLIVE:

Thousands of Michiganders have marched through tears and tear gas to protest police brutality. Are we finally ready for real change?

Downtown Ypsilanti businesses get OK to use sidewalks, streets for more space as coronavirus precaution

Racism is a public health crisis, Ypsilanti leaders declare in resolution that must be more than symbolic

Police brutality protests continue, restaurant patios expand downtown: Top Ann Arbor headlines May 30-June 4
The latest 13F reporting period has come and gone, and Insider Monkey is again at the forefront when it comes to making use of this gold mine of data. We at Insider Monkey have plowed through 821 13F filings that hedge funds and well-known value investors are required to file by the SEC. The 13F filings show the funds' and investors' portfolio positions as of March 31st, a week after the market trough. In this article we look at what those investors think of International Paper Company (NYSE:IP).

Is International Paper Company (NYSE:IP) undervalued? Prominent investors are buying. The number of long hedge fund positions improved by 4 recently. Our calculations also showed that IP isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds (click for Q1 rankings and see the video for a quick look at the top 5 stocks).

Video: Watch our video about the top 5 most popular hedge fund stocks.

In the financial world there are a large number of tools investors have at their disposal to grade stocks. A pair of the most under-the-radar tools are hedge fund and insider trading indicators. We have shown that, historically, those who follow the top picks of the best fund managers can outperform the broader indices by a solid amount. Insider Monkey's monthly stock picks returned 101% since March 2017 and outperformed the S&P 500 ETFs by more than 58 percentage points. Our short strategy outperformed the S&P 500 short ETFs by 20 percentage points annually (see the details here). That's why we believe hedge fund sentiment is a useful indicator that investors should pay attention to.

[caption id="attachment_30621" align="aligncenter" width="400"]

AQR CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

Cliff Asness of AQR Capital Management[/caption]

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 these. 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. Now we're going to analyze the fresh hedge fund action surrounding International Paper Company (NYSE:IP).

Story continues

What have hedge funds been doing with International Paper Company (NYSE:IP)?

At the end of the first quarter, a total of 29 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey were long this stock, a change of 16% from one quarter earlier. On the other hand, there were a total of 29 hedge funds with a bullish position in IP a year ago. So, let's see which hedge funds were among the top holders of the stock and which hedge funds were making big moves.

Is IP A Good Stock To Buy?

According to publicly available hedge fund and institutional investor holdings data compiled by Insider Monkey, AQR Capital Management, managed by Cliff Asness, holds the most valuable position in International Paper Company (NYSE:IP). AQR Capital Management has a $88 million position in the stock, comprising 0.1% of its 13F portfolio. The second most bullish fund manager is Millennium Management, led by Israel Englander, holding a $33.8 million position; the fund has 0.1% of its 13F portfolio invested in the stock. Some other members of the smart money with similar optimism comprise John Murphy's Levin Easterly Partners, Dmitry Balyasny's Balyasny Asset Management and Ken Griffin's Citadel Investment Group. In terms of the portfolio weights assigned to each position Levin Easterly Partners allocated the biggest weight to International Paper Company (NYSE:IP), around 1.2% of its 13F portfolio. Game Creek Capital is also relatively very bullish on the stock, earmarking 0.61 percent of its 13F equity portfolio to IP.

As aggregate interest increased, key money managers were leading the bulls' herd. Levin Easterly Partners, managed by John Murphy, established the biggest position in International Paper Company (NYSE:IP). Levin Easterly Partners had $27.1 million invested in the company at the end of the quarter. Dmitry Balyasny's Balyasny Asset Management also made a $15.9 million investment in the stock during the quarter. The other funds with new positions in the stock are Renaissance Technologies, Benjamin A. Smith's Laurion Capital Management, and Paul Marshall and Ian Wace's Marshall Wace LLP.

Let's check out hedge fund activity in other stocks - not necessarily in the same industry as International Paper Company (NYSE:IP) but similarly valued. We will take a look at Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO), Dover Corporation (NYSE:DOV), Healthpeak Properties, Inc. (NYSE:PEAK), and Restaurant Brands International Inc (NYSE:QSR). All of these stocks' market caps resemble IP's market cap.

[table] Ticker, No of HFs with positions, Total Value of HF Positions (x1000), Change in HF Position ATO,21,208767,-5 DOV,31,644941,2 PEAK,26,292181,0 QSR,41,2250209,-11 Average,29.75,849025,-3.5 [/table]

View table here if you experience formatting issues.

As you can see these stocks had an average of 29.75 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $849 million. That figure was $242 million in IP's case. Restaurant Brands International Inc (NYSE:QSR) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO) is the least popular one with only 21 bullish hedge fund positions. International Paper Company (NYSE:IP) is not the least popular stock in this group but hedge fund interest is still below average. This is a slightly negative signal and we'd rather spend our time researching stocks that hedge funds are piling on. Our calculations showed that top 10 most popular stocks among hedge funds returned 41.4% in 2019 and outperformed the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) by 10.1 percentage points. These stocks gained 8.3% in 2020 through the end of May and surpassed the market by 13.2 percentage points. Unfortunately IP wasn't nearly as popular as these 10 stocks (hedge fund sentiment was quite bearish); IP investors were disappointed as the stock returned 11.1% during the second quarter and underperformed the market. If you are interested in investing in large cap stocks with huge upside potential, you should check out the top 10 most popular stocks among hedge funds as most of these stocks already outperformed the market in 2020.

[company-follow-email id=51434][/company-follow-email]

Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.

Related Content
New Delhi, Jun 6 (UNI) The crucial military talks at Lieutenant General-level between India and China ended on Saturday after discussions lasted for three hours to resolve over a month-long stalemate at the borders in Eastern Ladakh.

As per the sources, the meeting has ended and 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh has returned to Leh-based Corps HQ.

The meeting was held at Moldo BPM point on Chinese side.

On Friday, the joint-secretary-level diplomatic talks held between two neighbouring nations.



Both sides agreed that in accordance with the guidance provided by their leadership, they should handle their differences through peaceful discussion bearing in mind the importance of respecting each others sensitivities, concerns and aspirations and not allow them to become disputes, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.



Indian Army on Saturday said that the officials of India and China are engaged through the established military and diplomatic channels to address the current situation in the border areas of Eastern Ladakh.

At this stage, any speculative and unsubstantiated reporting about these engagements would not be helpful and the media is advised to refrain from such reporting, Indian Army Spokesperson said in a statement.



UNI ASH SHK1847
Beijing: China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism has advised the public to avoid travelling to Australia, citing racial discrimination and violence against Chinese people in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"There has been an alarming increase recently in acts of racial discrimination and violence against Chinese and Asians in Australia, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic," the ministry said in a statement on Friday evening.

It did not give any specific examples of such discrimination or violence.

Asians of various backgrounds have said they have been harassed since the outbreak of the coronavirus, including in the United States.

China issued a warning to tourists travelling to the US earlier this year after some said they were mistreated in connection with the outbreak.
Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi (file photo)



Govt is actively destroying our economy by refusing to give cash support to people and MSMEs.

This is Demon 2.0.https://t.co/mWs1e0g3up June 6, 2020

Terming the ruling government "Demon 2.0", Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on June 6 accused it of actively destroying the economy by refusing to provide cash support to people and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Earlier this month, Gandhi had also expressed concern regarding the precarious state of MSMEs in the country, with most of the reeling under the blow dealt by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sharing a news article on the current situation of MSMEs in India, Gandhi on June 2 had tweeted, "11 crore Indians are employed by MSMEs. 1/3 of them are closing down permanently. Its criminal for GOI not to give them cash support immediately."

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 Congress leader has been calling for immediate cash support to the struggling MSMEs in the country for quite some time now. He makes this demand saying that this sector, which provides employment to a large number of people, has been one of the hardest-hit by the coronavirus-induced nationwide lockdown.

A day after rating agency Moody's Investors Service downgraded India's sovereign credit rating earlier this month, the former Congress chief called the Modi government's handling of the economy "a step above junk".

He added that a lack of support to the poor and small and medium industry indicates that the worst is yet to come.

Last month, Rahul Gandhi had also remarked that the government's nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 had failed in its purpose.

To this, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda responded by saying that the Congress leader has a "limited understanding" of the issue. He slammed Gandhi for his criticism of the Narendra Modi-led government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, while highlighting the "bold and timely" steps taken by the Centre to tackle the crisis.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has released the admit card for the PG Entrance Examination 2020. Candidates can download the hall ticket by visiting the website - www.aiimsexams.org.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has released the admit card for the PG Entrance Examination 2020. Candidates can download the hall ticket by visiting the website - www.aiimsexams.org .

Students who have applied for AIIMS MD/MS/MCh(6YRS)/DM(6YRS)/MDS, M.Sc. Nursing, B.Sc. Post Basic (Nursing), DM/M.Ch./MD (Hospital Administration) and Fellowship Programme Entrance Examination-2020 will now be able to download the admit card which will mention their name, exam timing and all the other details.

How to download AIIMS PG Entrance Exam 2020 admit card:

Step 1: Visit the website - aiimsexams.org

Step 2: On the homepage, click on Academic Courses tab

Step 3: You will be directed to a new page where you will have to select the course for which you have applied

Step 4: Once done, a new page will open where you will have to enter your Registration ID, RUC (Registration Unique Code), Password and enter Captcha before pressing login

Step 5: The admit card will be displayed on the screen. Download and take a printout of it.

Heres the direct link to download AIIMS PG entrance exam 2020 admit card - https://www.aiimsexams.org/info/Course.html

According to a report by Jagran Josh, if there is any error/s, spelling mistakes in AIIMS PG admit card 2020, candidates can get in touch with the exam controllers' office of AIIMS via email.

Candidates for PG Courses can mail - aiims.pgexams@gmail.com , MCh and DM Courses applicants can mail at iims.dmmchmha@gmail.com , while Nursing and Allied Courses aspirants can mail at paar.aiims.bscmsc@gmail.com .

AIIMS will be conducting the entrance examination on 11 June. The exam was earlier scheduled to be held on 5 June but was postponed due to COVID-19 lockdown.

According to the revised schedule, exam for AIIMS Fellowship Programme will be held from 1 pm to 2 pm. Examinations for DM, M.Ch and MD (hospital administration); B.Sc (post basic); M.Sc (nursing) will be conducted from 1 pm to 2:30 pm. The MD, MS, DM (6 years), M.Ch (6 years) and MDS exam will be held from 1 pm to 4 pm.

Candidates have been advised to follow the guidelines of the Government of India regarding social distancing and sanitization at all the centres.
Moy Keo was either born with the perfect face for his own story or he willed it into being to express the incredible texture of his journey. In that face you can almost believe youre reading the book, the portfolio, of his life.

In any case, its a face that lingers with you hauntingly, but pleasantly, as well  there is a humble, measured triumph in it or at least a sigh of survival  long after spending the two hours with him that filmmaker Calvin Keo, his son, asks of you. Its time well spent.

It is the face of a man who wanted simply to be a farmer in Cambodia where he grew up but got forced into being a child soldier by the Khmer Rouge, for a short time, before he fled, with parents and siblings, scrambling through jungles and across fields, booby-trapped with landmines, to the border.

A young Moy Keo, right, with his best friend Nhim, in the Thai refugee camp where they took photographs in the 1980s Photo courtesy of Moy Keo

From there, Moy and his family moved across into a Thai refugee camp, where theyd spend the next 10 years. A decade during which they suffered, wept, laughed, loved  Moy met his future wife there, married her there, had their first child, a daughter whom they had to bury there, not quite a year old.

It is where Moy met his best friend, only to be separated from him, it is where his beloved sister was peeled away from the rest of the family because she decided to stay with her undocumented husband and child and return to Cambodia. It is where Calvin was born.

And it is where Moy got his first camera, in his late teens, and learned how to use it.

This we learn from a wonderful documentary, an ode, really, of filial debt, from a man to his father, to both his parents, called The Photographer.

Maybe it was the journey that shaped Moys face or maybe his sons camera that draws the hard stories out of the map of his features. Especially Moys eyes, which are full of weariness, strength, sadness, at times great joy, as when he is reunited with an old friend, and a certain quality of hard-won peace. It is a face filled with memory.

It started as a 20-minute short, says Calvin Keo, son of Moy and Phan, with a yeah, right kind of laugh in his voice. It turned into a two hour, 10 minute odyssey on film, a two-year odyssey in the making, with twists and turns, including an Ontario Arts Council grant that came in just after his hopes had been dashed by a Canada Council grant that didnt.

Moy Keo in Thailand in 2017, where refugee camp used to be. Photo courtesy of Moy and Calvin Keo

Buoyed by that OAC news, Calvin threw in with his gut feeling  do it up right. He and his father got on a plane to Bangkok, in search of the Thai refugee camp, Khao-I-Dang.

The Photographer follows Moy down some blind alleys, often on a rented scooter, and along broken pathways through scrubland to find the refugee camp which no longer exists except as an education centre. And, later, through Cambodia to find his sister and his best friend. Does he succeed? Suffice it to say, there are powerful scenes.

The film begins in Canada with Moy squatting on the floor in his home, looking through albums, the camera coming in on his face. And we see here the photographs, mostly portraits, that Moy took in the camp, chronicling life there, marking weddings, including his own, and other occasions.

Moy Keo on motor scooter, on the grounds where the refugee camp he spent much of his teen and adult years in once was located. Photo by Calvin Keo

He saw a UN (United Nations) photographer in the camp, says Calvin, and was hooked. He managed to acquire a camera through his aunt who was a Buddhist nun and visited the camp periodically.

These opening scenes are intercut, as foreshadowing, with scenes of Moy, stubbly, unshaven, walking through the scraggly forest overgrowth where the camp used to be. In one tender moment, Moy, in his home, is gently wiping a photograph of his daughter who perished in the camp. Later, we see him lay flowers at the ruins of the camp temple, an offering in her memory.

She had a fever that wouldnt come down so a camp doctor soaked her in cold water, which got in her lungs, says Calvin.

Moy Keo, at the remains of the refugee camp temple, placing an offering in the memory of his daughter who died in the camp. Photo by Calvin Keo

Calvin, who inherited his fathers passion for film, has been living in Hamilton for several years now, a Fanshaw graduate working in television and film production. The Photographer is co-produced by his partner, Hamiltonian Linna Bun, whose family lived in the same refugee camp as Calvins.

Its a beautifully made film. Calvin is hoping now to get The Photographer into film festivals, such as Londons (Ontario). It premiered at Hamilton Film Festival in November and in March at the Cambodian International Film Festival in Phnom Penh. (Calvin couldnt travel there because of COVID-19.)

Jeff Mahoney is a Hamilton-based reporter and columnist covering culture and lifestyle stories, commentary and humour for The Spectator. Reach him via email: jmahoney@thespec.com

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Wisconsin officials lift 50-person limit on church services

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Days after dozens of Catholics demonstrated outside the Wisconsin state capitol, the Public Health Department for the city of Madison and Dane County changed its coronavirus guidance on Friday, removing a 50-person cap on in-person religious services that did not apply to any secular activities.

"Churches that wish to have services can do so up to 25% of their capacity," the Dane County public health department said in a joint press release with the city of Madison.

"The previous order  put in place to reduce the risk of an outbreak of COVID-19 from occurring where people gather  allowed churches to have as many services as they wanted, but asked they be capped at 50 parishioners per service," it continued.

Eric Rassbach, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, noted that houses of worship were being penalized and faced restrictions that were never imposed on other activities, such as mass protests.

"Putting an arbitrary numerical cap on worship services while allowing thousands to protest makes no sense from a legal or public health perspective. Most other governments nationwide have already lifted their COVID-related restrictions on worship. The few remaining holdouts should take note and come into compliance with the First Amendment," he said.

Rassbach was referring to the two weeks of nationwide protests spurred by the officer-involved death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who was arrested in Minneapolis for passing off a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes at a convenience store.

In a letter sent to Dane County officials on behalf of Bishop Donald J. Hying and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison, Becket and the law firms Sidley Austin and Troutman Sanders, said the Madison and Dane County's "arbitrary" 50-person cap on houses of worship not only violated the First Amendment, but it also violated the state's constitution.

"Throughout this pandemic, the Church has been a good public citizen," the letter said. "It suspended public worship before the law required, and continues to impose greater operational restrictions than required. At the same time, the Church has continued its ministry to the sick, the poor, and the incarcerated as best as possible, while generally supporting the unprecedented restrictions that public health officials have deemed necessary to combat the novel coronavirus."

It added: "To be clear, the Church has no particular interest in litigation or in a protracted dispute or an uncooperative relationship with civil authorities. However, the Church is legally and morally entitled to be treated equally with other similarly situated nonreligious associations that have been permitted to reopen up to 25% capacity."

Hying said that as a bishop, "it is my duty to ensure that Sunday mass be available as widely as possible to the Catholic faithful, while following best practices when it comes to public health."

"Indeed, in a time of deep division, it is more important than ever for the Church to provide solace and comfort to all, in the great tradition of American religious freedom," he added, assuring that the reopening process would be done "in a safe, cooperative, and responsible manner," he added.

The new order came after the Diocese of Madison took action last Friday by demonstrating against churches being threatened with $1,000 fines if they held in-person services attended by more than 50 people or exceeded 25% of their buildings' capacity.

Local officials said they were seeking "voluntary" compliance while under phase one of the county's reopening plan.

The demonstration, called "Rosary rally," was organized by two priests in the diocese named Brian Dulli and Richard Heilman, according to The Catholic World Report.

"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. "We're not interested in complying any longer with unjust orders."
Twenty-six people were killed and a village burnt in central Mali, officials said Saturday, but it was unclear who was behind the latest violence in the West African nation.

Friday's attack targeted a Fulani village named Binedama in the volatile Mopti region, said Aly Barry, an official from Tabital Pulaaku, a Fulani association.

Two other local officials confirmed the raid and the death toll to AFP, adding that the village was torched and its chief killed.

The attack comes at a time of mounting insecurity in Mali, rising popular discontent with the government, and increasing reports of abuses committed by the country's armed forces.

As is common with many attacks in conflict-riven and remote Sahel regions, it was not immediately clear who the perpetrators were. No group has yet claimed responsibility.

Tabital Pulaaku, however, accused Malian soldiers of being responsible but AFP was unable to independently confirm this claim.

A military official contacted by AFP declined to comment.

Mali, a poor nation of some 19 million people, has been in the grips of a jihadist insurgency since 2012, when Islamist fighters commandeered an initially separatist rebellion by ethnic Tuaregs in the north.

The conflict -- which has killed thousands of soldiers and civilians to date -- has since spread to central Mali, as well as to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

The ethnic mosaic of central Mali has become a flashpoint. Jihadists regularly attack military targets in the region, where fighting which has inflamed ethnic tensions.

The pastoralist Fulani people are often accused of being close to jihadists, a perception which has led to tit-for-tit massacres between them and other ethnic groups.

A local government official in Koro, a subdivision of the Mopti region, told AFP that the attack on Binedama occurred on Friday afternoon.

Two women and a nine-year-old girl, were among those killed, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

An elected official from the area where the attack took place, who also declined to be named, said that "men dressed in Malian army fatigues" had carried out the raid.

He added that they had burned down buildings and killed the village chief.

Insecurity, impunity

Without citing the source of his information, Tabital Pulaaku's Aly Barry said that soldiers had entered Binedama village in pick-up trucks before shooting and stabbing 26 people.

The organisation has complained about indiscriminate killings of civilians by local troops before, but says that it is usually ignored.

Reports of abuses by underpaid and undertrained Sahel-state armies have increased in the past few months.

In April, the UN's peacekeeping mission in Mali said it had documented 101 extrajudicial killings committed by the army between January and March alone.

Such allegations are also increasingly weighing on the United Nations -- whose Mali peacekeeping force is 13,00 strong -- as well as former colonial power France, which has 5,100 troops stationed across the Sahel.

France said this week that its forces had killed the leader of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Abdelmalek Droukdel, in Mali.

But elsewhere, military successes against jihadists have been limited and insecurity is spiralling.

In a first for Mali, a prominent opposition figure and former prime minister, Soumaila Cisse, was kidnapped in the centre of the country on March 25.

According to security sources, he is likely in the hands of jihadists.

Central Mali has also been riven by inter-ethnic violence for years.

In February, 31 Fulani civilians were butchered in the village of Ogossagou, for example.

And in April, 12 people were also killed in an attack on several villages near the town of Bandiagara in central Mali, in an attack which was blamed on Fulani gunmen.

Frustrations over insecurity, and other problems such as economic decline among other things, have also spilled over in protests.

On Friday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of the capital Bamako to demand that President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita resign.
The director of the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC) has recommended that those who have participated in George Floyd protests across the US should highly consider being tested for coronavirus.

I do think there is a potential, unfortunately, for this to be a seeding event, Dr Robert Redfield said during a House Appropriations hearing on Thursday.

The director also recommended that those who attended protests inform their loved ones and get tested within three to seven days of being out in public to prevent the spread of infection.

Protests have been sparked across the US in all 50 states over the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man. He died on 25 May after a Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground by his neck for a prolonged period of time.

The director stipulated that risk of infection is higher in major cities where there's been significant transmission, noting in particular Minneapolis and the District of Columbia as areas where significant transmission is still taking place, The Seattle Times reported.

The recommendations came during the director's testimony to the House Appropriations about the CDCs response to Covid-19.

In a discussion of the protests the director also spoke about the use of tear gas and chemical agents in connection to the spread of the virus.

In an exchange with Representative Mark Pocan, Dr Redfield noted that use of such agents can cause people to cough, which is recognised as one of the most effective ways of spreading the highly infectious disease.

Definitely, coughing can spread respiratory viruses, including Covid-19, Dr Redfield said, CNN reported.

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

I think you raised an important point we have advocated strongly, the ability to have face coverings and masks available to protesters, so that they can at least have those coverings, he said.

Other officials have also expressed fear that the large gatherings at Floyd protests could lead to a second peak in cases of the virus.

It makes me cringe on a number of levels, Dr Katie Passaretti, medical director for infection prevention at Atrium Health in Charlotte, North Carolina told NBC News about the protests.

Its a setup for further spread of Covid, she added. Its heartbreaking.

Covid-19, the respiratory disease that has led to the deaths of more than 100,000 people across the US, is thought to be mainly spread through close contact, sneezing, coughing and shouting.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms also advised protestors to get tested for the disease if they had been out protesting.

If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a Covid test this week, she said on Sunday.

Because theres still a pandemic in America thats killing black and brown people at higher numbers, she added in the news briefing, according to NBC News.

Data has emerged throughout the pandemic showing that African Americans are being disproportionately affected by the virus, both in terms of infections and deaths.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has advised that anyone planning to protest amidst the virus should wear a face covering, use hand sanitiser and try to keep within a small group at least six metres away from others when possible, among other measures.
New Delhi, June 6 : The Central government on Saturday rebutted the claim that tiger deaths are increasing in the country and asserted that their population is on the rise at six percent annually.

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory body of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, stated that tigers have been brought back from the brink to an assured path of recovery.

The authority said that the facts are evident from the findings of the quadrennial All India Tiger Estimation conducted in 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018.

"These results have shown a healthy annual growth rate of tigers at 6%, which offsets natural losses and keeps tigers at the habitats carrying capacity level, in the Indian context," it stated.

The NTCA said that from 2012 to 2019, the average tiger deaths per year in the country hovered around 94, which is balanced by the annual increase as highlighted by this robust growth rate.

"In addition, the National Tiger Conservation Authority has taken several steps under the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger to address poaching, which too, is significantly controlled as seen in the confirmed poaching and seizure cases," it added.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 10:46:36|Editor: huaxia

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RIO DE JANEIRO, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday threatened to withdraw Brazil from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Bolsonaro said Brazil will consider leaving the WHO unless it stops being a "partisan political organization."

Earlier, the WHO showed an opposite view against Bolsonaro's efforts to lift lockdowns, as the COVID-19 epidemic was still plaguing the country.

Replying to loosen the social distancing order, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said a key criteria for lifting lockdowns should be slowing transmission.

With a new record of daily COVID-19 fatalities, Brazil outnumbered Italy to become a country with the third highest infections in the world.

Brazil' s total COVID-19 deaths have surged to 34,021 after its health ministry on Thursday reported 1,437 new deaths in the past 24 hours. Enditem
By PTI

JAIPUR: A 75-year-old retired soldier allegedly stabbed his wife to death and sustained grievous injuries in the attack following a heated argument between the two over a domestic dispute in Rajasthan's Alwar district, police said on Saturday.

The elderly couple was rushed to a nearby hospital, where Lalchand Yadav died while undergoing treatment and his wife Savita, 66, was declared brought dead by doctors, they said.

The incident happened in Bhiwadi town of the district on Friday.

Yadav stabbed his wife and got himself grievously injured in the attack, Bhiwadi Circle Officer Hariram Kumawat said.

According to police, the two were upset as their daughter-in-law had registered a dowry case against her husband and both of them were also named in the FIR.

Their three sons had gone to settle the dowry dispute when the incident occurred, police said.
TORONTO, June 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- iSIGN Media Solutions Inc. (iSIGN or Company) (TSX-V: ISD) (OTC: ISDSF), a leading provider of interactive mobile advertising solutions that serves brands, commercial locations, retailers and service providers throughout North America today announced the extension to the due date of a promissory note (Note) with Korona Group Ltd. originally entered into during August 2017 and extended in January 2019.



The Note matured on January 31, 2020 and the parties have agreed to an extension of the due date to June 30, 2021. Additionally, the parties have agreed that the interest on the additional term will be by way of a warrant bonus, with the number of warrants being 12,014,000. Calculation of the number of warrants is based on the $600,700 value of the Note and the warrant exercise price of $0.05. The warrants will have a term that matches the due date of the Note, June 30, 2021 and cannot be extended. When exercised, each warrant will allow for the purchase of one common share of iSIGN.

The Company elected to satisfy this outstanding indebtedness with warrants in order to preserve its cash for operational purposes.

This arrangement is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (Exchange). The Company will issue these warrants once approval has been received from the Exchange.

About iSIGN Media

iSIGN, a Canadian company based in Toronto (Richmond Hill), Ontario is a data-focused, software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that is a pioneering leader in the areas of location-based security alert messaging and proximity marketing utilizing Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity in complete privacy. Creators of the Smart suite of products, a patented interactive proximity marketing technology, iSIGN enables the delivery of messages to mobile devices in proximity, with real-time reporting and analytics on a variety of metrics. 2019 winner of Richmond Hills Innovator of the Year award. Partners include IBM, Keyser Retail Solutions, Baylor University, Verizon Wireless, TELUS and Mtrex Network Solutions. www.isignmedia.com

 2020 iSIGN Media Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

Investor contacts:

Bruce Reilly

iSIGN Media Solutions Inc.

bruce@isignmedia.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor Its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility or accuracy of this release.
Sudhir Suryawanshi By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has decided to procure 10,000 vials of Remdesivir drug to save the lives of the critical patients fighting COVID-19.

According to the state government sources, the Remdesivir drug has been used for two IAS officers of Maharashtra  Assem Gupta and IA Kunda who were infected with the contagious virus. Although it was not permitted to use this drug, the hospital used them on compassionate ground after the consent of family members. Gupta was on a ventilator but the Remdesivir pulled him out of critical condition. Besides, this same drug was used for affluent people treatment.

Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said that on the basis of evidence from laboratory, animal and clinical studies, the Remdesivir drug has given promising result in treating MERS-Cov, SARS. He said WHO has also suggested the positive effect of this drug in COVID 19 treatment. This expensive medicine will be made available for poor and needy patients also. We have decided to procure 10,000 vial injections for treatment of COVID 19 patients, Tope added.

Suraj Samant who had approached Maharashtra government to supply the Remdesivir injection said, Our company Eskayef pharmaceuticals Limited based out of Dhaka, Bangladesh manufactures & distributes the life-saving drug Remdesivir that can help save hundreds of lives affected by COVID 19. We have shared this proposal with the government of Maharashtra for the supply of 10000 vials immediately and are awaiting their response to procure the same. Maharashtra has the highest number of COVID 19 positive patients at 82,968 and 2969 deaths in the country.


The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries has told its members that the church services will still be transmitted live on selected br...

The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries has told its members that the church services will still be transmitted live on selected broadcast stations as the church is yet to resume physical meetings.





The Chairman, MFM Media Committee, Pastor Oladele Bank-Olemoh, who disclosed this, said adequate notice would be given before the resumption of physical services.





According to him, the decision was taken because of the ongoing provision of adequate measures and installation of facilities to ensure successful reopening.





Olemoh said the ministrys General Overseer, Dr Daniel Olukoya, considered safety concerns of re-opening the church for physical services, hence the reason for the decision.





He said, The General Overseer, Dr Odukoya considered the safety implication of reopening the service in view of its crowded services, prayer and deliverance nature; vibrancy and the peculiarity of her worship modes.




WASHINGTONTanya DeLeon was standing near the new, fortified fencing at Lafayette Square near the White House on Saturday afternoon, wearing a shirt that read Black Mom Magic. Asked why she came to join the racial justice protests, she just pointed to her son Nicholas.

Were here to protest all the injustice in this country, 13-year-old Nicholas said. We want to bring awareness to everyone  all the Black people that have been killed by bad cops, even ones that havent been recorded and justice hasnt been brought to them.

And how did Nicholas feel right now?

Powerful, he said.

If there is strength in numbers, then Saturdays crowds on the streets of Washington were by a fair measure largest and most powerful yet. An estimated 200,000 people, outraged by George Floyds death 12 days ago at the hands of Minneapolis police, gathered in the newly-renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House, before the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and on the grounds Capitol Hill. They marched through residential and commercial neighbourhoods all throughout the city, in a movement against police brutality and in favour of racial justice, chanting Black Lives Matter.

April Phillips, a 47-year-old navy veteran drove three hours from Norfolk, Va., to join the call for change. Its too much and I needed to be part of it. Make my voice heard, she said. The police violence, the racism  I grew up in the south, racism is nothing new. I kept thinking it would change. Honestly, I wanted to come to D.C. because since Trump was elected, its gotten far worse.

Hey Police, let me speak to your manager, read the sign she carried  a nod, she said, to the Karen memes that have been going around. As a self-described, middle-aged white woman, she hoped to channel her privilege into the rising movement. Im very proud of my service in the Navy. But I am ashamed of America for electing the racist in chief, she said. But I am proud of this. Im proud of whats going on across America and across the world, where people of all colours and all ages are getting together to just say, this is not who we are.

In a contrast to the scenes of armed troops liberally using pepper spray and charging crowds alongside broken windows and burning buildings that defined the media image of protests on the same site less than a week ago, the mood on the street near the White House in the hot sun of the afternoon was almost like that of a concert festival. A giant Black Lives Matter mural had been painted in yellow on the road, and on it a man played a guitar and sang into a microphone. People at tables handed out bottled water and snacks, and local restaurants distributed free sandwiches and half-smoked sausage dogs. A P.A. system a block north pumped hip-hop near porta-potties and food trucks. People snapped selfies in the street near unarmed soldiers in combat fatigues.

These may be the symptoms of a movement going mainstream  and the question on some minds is whether this softer, family-friendly form of demonstration would ramp up or relieve the momentum toward addressing racial injustice. A poster near where D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser had unveiled the new road mural, and the Black Lives Matter street signs that came with it, reminded those present of an upcoming city meeting to address racial injustice in the citys Metropolitan police force.

Elijah Devine spoke loudly to remind everyone they were protesting a mans death  and too many other deaths. Someone literally put the foot on a black brothers neck, and we are right here walking around cool, singing Kumbaya? he said. Just remember what youre here for. Remember the purpose. George Floyd got killed. Sandra Bland got killed, right? Say their names! People are just walking down the street, like this is a party. Like this is a festival. This is not a festival OK? This is talking about life, he continued.

Its about changing legislation, right? Its about police reform, right? Its about prison reform. Its about putting your foot on the necks of the oppressor, not being oppressed anymore. People are too happy with being out here. This is not a happy moment. I need people to understand.

Even as some nearby were singing along and dancing to a rendition of Sweet Caroline played by a street performer, many others at the protest were keeping their focus on Floyds memory, and on the change the protest movement was calling for. My body is not a target, read a shirt pinned to the fence blocking the route to the White House. Overheard conversations dealt with the concept of defunding police departments, an idea once only heard among activists that is suddenly part of the national conversation (and the international one  Toronto City Councillor Josh Matlow tweeted support for the idea this week).

Many in the crowd were eager to comment to a Canadian reporter about Justin Trudeau kneeling with demonstrators in Ottawa.

Throngs of demonstrators near the fence were chanting, No good cops in a racist system! Seemingly every few minutes, new marches spun off from the crowd into different areas of the city, chanting George Floyds name.

At one point in the afternoon, a group of Black children  some waving Black Lives Matter flags while others held handmade signs reading in primary-school hand-lettering, Dont shoot us and Black is beautiful  ran through a series of chants and pumping their fists as a growing crowd around them took notice, calling out the names of Floyd and others killed by police. They stood in the middle of the road, facing the vista of the White House and the Washington Monument beyond the fence.

Wheres the future? They chanted. Right here!
Schools in the Middle East will need to implement a carefully planned and strategically phased approach to opening up following the deep impact of Coronavirus (Covid-19) on the region, according to Oliver Wyman, a global leader in management consulting.

With offices in 60 cities across 29 countries, Oliver Wyman combines deep industry knowledge with specialized expertise in strategy, operations, risk management, and organization transformation. The firm has more than 5,000 professionals working across the globe.

The opening strategies, said Oliver Wyman, must include a pre-opening, opening and post-opening framework and entail fundamental changes to logistics, processes and procedures to ensure safety and a smooth opening of operations for school communities.

Releasing a report Re-opening Schools Post Covid-19, the top consultant said, schools will need to train staff with enhanced roles for nurses, facilities managers and counsellors.

Other preparatory activities include physical space and scenario planning in case of infection or a potential outbreak, and procedures to track, trace and test pupils, it stated.

As part of the three-staged approach, policy makers and school planners should receive communication in the opening and post-opening stages to ensure a successful experience for the children, teachers, parents and the wider community.

During these phases, there needs to be increased temperature checks at entry, enhanced sterilization and cleaning processes, along with the limiting the interaction with other students via improved physical layouts, it stated.

Jeff Youssef, the partner at Oliver Wyman, said: "With the region facing growing macroeconomic uncertainty, a staged approach to re-opening schools post Covid-19 will allow policy makers and academic institutions to address the long-term implications of prolonged school and university closures."

"Schools remain critical as they are linked to parents re-joining the workforce and contributing to (or even remaining in) the economy. It is especially important to avoid further disruptions for graduating classes," noted Youssef.

Still, the priority is to safeguard the lives and well-being of school communities. With structural measures, governments and principals can anticipate and prepare to reopen schools successfully by putting the necessary safeguards in place, he added.

Academic institutions' closures in the region happened quickly as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, halting public civil life and regular schooling.

These closures have since affected more than 12 million learners in the GCC countries, said the top consulting expert.

After two months of lockdown, the Dubai government has announced new measures to lift restrictions on businesses; however, the re-opening of schools and academic institutions is yet to be announced, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
UPDATE: Follow live continuing coverage of the protest march.

Earlier:

Syracuse, NY -- A coalition of racial justice groups is holding a large protest Saturday in downtown Syracuse as demonstrations against police brutality continue here and in cities across the nation.

More than 2,000 people gathered outside Syracuse City Hall from 1 to 3 p.m. for a planned rally. Afterwards, hundreds of marchers have taken to city streets.

We have reporters and photographers live at the scene. Check back to this page on Syracuse.com for live updates.

You can also follow our staff on Twitter:

@ChrisLibonati

@ccarlsononSU

@Samantha__House

Updates

4 p.m.: A rally in front of City Hall with 2,000+ protesters has given way to a march through downtown Syracuse. Leaders of Last Chance for Change, the group that has formed to organize daily rallies, says they arent sure how far or where the marchers are headed yet.

We have reporters and photographers following the march as it continues past 4 p.m. Please follow our live coverage of the marchers here.

3:57 p.m. The protesters have stopped in front of the Syracuse federal building, on the west side of downtown.

Syracuse marchers downtown head west to the federal building at 3:57 p.m. on June 6, 2020.

3:50 p.m.: So far, the protest march has remained peaceful, circling downtown Syracuse.

The protesters continue to snake their way through downtown at 3:50 p.m. on June 6, 2020.

3:45 p.m.: Protesters are continuing their peaceful march through downtown. After leaving City Hall following a 1 p.m. rally, they traveled south to a field behind the ITC High School, then continued up State Street to the jail, police headquarters and the courthouse, before going past City Hall.

Its unclear where they are headed next.

3:42 p.m. The marchers continued past the jail and north on State Street. Their path took them past police headquarters, which police guarded in riot gear, and the criminal courthouse and sheriffs office, each protected by chain link fencing.

3:35 p.m.: The marchers are now headed back into downtown, headed for the jail on South State Street. Thats next to police headquarters, and the place of most of the rallies in past days. On Friday, the city set up concrete barriers, closing off that area of State Street to civilian vehicles. Theres also chain link fencing surrounding some government buildings in the area.

Protesters headed toward Syracuse jail around 3:30 p.m. on June 6, 2020.

3:30 p.m.: It appears that, at least for awhile, the protest march will continue.

3:27 p.m.: Organizers are trying to decide whether to encourage more marching now, concerned that any problems could hamper future marches. There have been no reports of violence or property damage so far. (Curtis Chaplin is one of Last Chance for Change protesters.)

Curtis is really raw and uncut right now. Telling protesters theyre trying to decide whether to commit to marching because theyre worried a mishap could hamper future marches. Nervous about something possibly going wrong.  Chris Libonati (@ChrisLibonati) June 6, 2020

3:20 p.m.: The marchers, who have remained in a field behind ITC High School, just took a knee for 8 minutes, 46 seconds to remember the amount of time a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee to George Floyds neck. The protesters at the original rally downtown did the same thing before dispersing shortly before 3 p.m.

Its unclear where the marching protesters might be headed next.

3:08 p.m.: The marchers have settled into a field south of East Adams Street, behind the Institute of Technology at Central HS.

3 p.m.: After walking down South Salina Street, the marchers turned east down East Adams Street and are headed past the Oncenter.

Syracuse protest marchers walk down East Adams Street around 3 p.m. on June 6, 2020.

2:50 p.m.: The initial rally outside of City Hall, that started at 1 p.m., is over. That one was declared officially done by Black Lives Matter organizers shortly before 3 p.m.

Nakeeta Slade of Black Lives Matter Syracuse was the final speaker at the rally downtown. The event is formally over. Lots of folks hanging around and talking about the large panel of speakers.  chris carlson (@ccarlsononSU) June 6, 2020

But hundreds have joined in a march that is snaking its way through downtown Syracuse. Its unclear where the marchers are headed.

2:45 p.m. Some protesters begin a march through downtown. The line of people stretches at least a block long. The crowd is big enough there are two chants going on at the same time, because people at one end cant hear those at the other.

Syracuse protesters march Saturday afternoon after a rally at City Hall.

2:40 p.m.: Some protesters have marched away from City Hall, surprising officers who didnt know which direction they were headed.

Officer stops them and asks them to kneel. Raises a fist.



Youre going a way we werent ready for  Chris Libonati (@ChrisLibonati) June 6, 2020

2:40 p.m.: Watch a Facebook Live video of the 1 p.m. rally at City Hall, organized by Black Lives Matter and other groups. That rally wound down shortly before 3 p.m.

Sample HTML block

2:35 p.m.: The whole crowd was just silent for 60 seconds to honor people killed by police

2:25 pm.: A member of Last Chance for Change, the group organizing daily protests and marches in Syracuse, invites people to join them for this afternoons march. At Syracuse.com: Four of the groups leaders talk about why they are marching.

Members of Last Chance for Change on the steps of Syracuse City Hall on Saturday, June 6, 2020 at a protest against police brutality. Last Chance has been the group organizing daily protests in Syracuse.Chris Libonati | clibonati@syracuse.com

2:20 p.m.: The temperature has reached 78 degrees, with generally sunny skies and some clouds, according to the National Weather Service. Some are taking a break, drinking water and refueling with snacks provided by organizers.

2:10 p.m.: Speaker tells crowd to shout Black lives matter loud enough that they can here us at the jail. The Justice Center jail is several blocks south of the rally.

1:55 p.m.: The crowd has swelled to an estimate of more than 2,000. This is what it looks like.

This is the crowd outside Syracuse City Hall about an hour into a rally against police brutality on Saturday, June 6, 2020.Samantha House | shouse@syracuse

1:45 p.m.: Two drones now flying overhead, believed to be operated by police. (Downtown is a no-fly zone for commercial and personal drones.)

1:35 p.m.: A group of Syracuse police officers, member of the public order unit, have entered city hall through a side or back entrance.

1:30 pm.: The director of the Syracuse chapter of the ACLU tells protesters how impactful their work can be. But more change is needed, he said.

1:25 p.m.: Nitch Jones, a local activist, speaks to supporting young people in Syracuse as they fought for the changes they want to see. Ends with a chant of Young Lives Matter.

1:20 p.m.: "We also deserve black joy, one organizer said. We deserve deserve to laugh. To deserve to make music.

1:15 p.m.: Speakers have started.

A Syracuse student speaks about police officers and police dogs searching through her school. She said it made her school feel like a crime scene. Im here to tell people this isnt normal.

Protesters at one point each raise a fist in the air, leading into a chant of I believe that we will win."

1:10 p.m.: The crowd has grown, with orqanizers estimating more than 1,000 people now outside city hall.

Before 1 p.m.: Hundreds of people have started to gather outside city hall. A voter registration tent is set up.

A police helicopter is flying above. A drone was spotted flying over the crowd too. Police are hanging back.

The crowd is a mix of adults, teens and children and people of all races. The rally began with music as the crowd, as one raised signs and fists in the air.

Protesters outside Syracuse City Hall on Saturday, June 6, 2020.Chris Carlson | ccarlson@syracuse.com

It has been seven days since daily protests started in Syracuse.

Last Saturday, more than 500 people rallied and marched for seven peaceful hours.

After dark, the scene turned destructive, with some people damaging 25 businesses and leading to looting at a least a half-dozen. That led to a short-lived curfew and an ongoing citywide state of emergency.

Protest planners and police each prepared well in advance of todays demonstration. Its part of the national outcry after George Floyd, a black man, was killed by a white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee to Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes.

On Friday afternoon, concrete barriers blocked off several major roads downtown, while temporary chain-link fencing surrounded certain government buildings that were damaged during the protest a week ago.

East Washing St. is blocked at S. Warren St. and guarded by a New York State Trooper as Syracuse prepares for an estimated two-thousand people at "The Fight Against Police Terror" Rally on Saturday, Syracuse, N.Y., Friday June 5, 2020. Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.comScott Schild | sschild@syracuse.

Since that first protest in Syracuse, in which neither police nor protesters suffered any known serious injuries, crowds have continued their daily demonstrations downtown, with no violent police confrontations.

But protesters havent stopped showing up. And Saturday, police and planners are expecting the largest crowd to date.
New Delhi:

No street vendor should be evicted from the city roads or harassed during an ongoing drive being carried out by civic bodies here, without following the due process of law, Delhi High Court said on Friday.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal sought replies from the Lt Governor, Delhi government, Delhi police commissioner, New Delhi Municipal Council and civic bodies here on a plea alleging unlawful and arbitrary action against hawkers by authorities concerned.

The court, which fixed the matter for September 28, said the authorities should not evict, disturb or harass any street vendor in the city.

The court was hearing a plea by Congress leader Ajay Maken, seeking a direction to the authorities that as per Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending Act, no street vendor in Delhi shall be disturbed or evicted till the completion of survey of the existing vendors and issuance of Certificate of Vending (COV), as per a scheme of the Delhi government.

Senior advocate Rakesh Khanna and advocate Aman Panwar, appearing for Maken, urged the court that till the formation of the Town Vending Committee (TVC), no action shall be taken against the vendors or hawkers operating here.

The plea alleged that despite unambiguous provisions of the Act and clear directions of this court, authorities have proceeded to illegally evict over 500 street vendors on August 17.

The civic bodies have neglected Section 3.3 of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, which states that no street vendor shall be evicted or relocated till a survey has been completed and the certificate of vending is issued to all vendors, it said.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that Aid workers face a race against time to prevent catastrophe in Yemen, a country ravaged by war and a fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak. It could be an even worse disaster if the disease spreads widely in this war-torn country.

Over the past six years, the conflict in Yemen has led to tens of thousands of deaths, mostly civilians, and has sparked the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Currently about 80% of the countrys population, or 24 million people, are in need of humanitarian aid and protection. The international community is placing high importance on emergency humanitarian relief to avoid a worst-case scenario if the situation is not remedied.

The UN's relief project for Yemen is facing a great challenge as their budgets have been cut and the situation has reached an alarming level. The UN has received only US$516.6 million out of the US$3.4 billion it needs to raise by the end of this year. Right before the conference, UN humanitarian aid organisations said they had to stop some relief operations due to funding difficulties, even asthe COVID-19 epidemic threatens Yemen.

According to Lise Grande, the head of the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, General health services in 189 of the country's 369 hospitals will start to close in three weeks. Water and sanitation services for 8.5 million people, including 3 million children, will close in three weeks. Nutritional support for 2.5 million malnourished starving children will start to close in eight to 10 weeks.

The UN hoped that this conference would raise about US$2.4 billion in aid to help Yemen address emergency humanitarian needs such as health and food. However, the amount of aid commitments has only reached around 50% of the set target.

Funding for Yemen was narrowed due to a number of factors, of which the leading reason was the Houthi rebels, who are now controlling the capital city of Sanaa and other regions. The rebels have conducted several air strikes against the interests of Saudi Arabia, the nation that is leading an anti-Houthi coalition in Yemen. The US, one of the largest donors, reduced aid to Yemen earlier this year, citing the intervention of the Houthi force in UN aid operations.

Among the participating countries in the conference, Germany decided to spend US$ 139.8 million, whilst the UK agreed to spend US$201 million on humanitarian efforts in Yemen. The US has not announced the amount of funding at the conference, but said it would make commitments in the near future. Saudi Arabia has pledged to provide US$500 million in support of Yemen, of which US$ 300 million will be transferred to UN agencies and US$ 200 million to Yemen-related projects. However, these figures are considered as a drop in the ocean in terms of the actual level of relief needed to revive this Middle Eastern country.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock warned that the world could watch Yemen "fall off the cliff" as tens of millions of people are struggling. The UN called for a commitment to provide practical aid for Yemen because the countrys health system is in need of upgrade whilst people need food immediately. Acomprehensive solution should be devised through political negotiation in order to put an end to the prolonged conflict in the country.
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[June 05, 2020] iSIGN Media Announces A Promissory Note Extension and Related Interest Terms

TORONTO, June 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- iSIGN Media Solutions Inc. (iSIGN or Company) (TSX-V: ISD) (OTC: ISDSF), a leading provider of interactive mobile advertising solutions that serves brands, commercial locations, retailers and service providers throughout North America today announced the extension to the due date of a promissory note (Note) with Korona Group Ltd. originally entered into during August 2017 and extended in January 2019.

The Note matured on January 31, 2020 and the parties have agreed to an extension of the due date to June 30, 2021. Additionally, the parties have agreed that the interest on the additional term will be by way of a warrant bonus, with the number of warrants being 12,014,000. Calculation of the number of warrants is based on the $600,700 value of the Note and the warrant exercise price of $0.05. The warrants will have a term that matches the due date of the Note, June 30, 2021 and cannot be extended. When exercised, each warrant will allow for the purchase of one common share of iSIGN. The Company elected t satisfy this outstanding indebtedness with warrants in order to preserve its cash for operational purposes.



This arrangement is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (Exchange). The Company will issue these warrants once approval has been received from the Exchange. About iSIGN Media

iSIGN, a Canadian company based in Toronto (Richmond Hill), Ontario is a data-focused, software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that is a pioneering leader in the areas of location-based security alert messaging and proximity marketing utilizing Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity in complete privacy. Creators of the Smart suite of products, a patented interactive proximity marketing technology, iSIGN enables the delivery of messages to mobile devices in proximity, with real-time reporting and analytics on a variety of metrics. 2019 winner of Richmond Hills Innovator of the Year award. Partners include IBM, Keyser Retail Solutions, Baylor University, Verizon Wireless, TELUS and Mtrex Network Solutions. www.isignmedia.com

 2020 iSIGN Media Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Investor contacts: Bruce Reilly

iSIGN Media Solutions Inc.

[email protected] Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor Its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility or accuracy of this release.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
BY DARLINGTON MWASHITA

THREE people died on the spot, while two others were seriously injured when a pirate taxi they were travelling in overturned several times along Khami Road near Delta Beverages in Bulawayo early Sunday morning.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the accident yesterday.

The Toyota Wish vehicle was carrying five passengers moving at high speed along Khami Road. The driver, who was identified as Prince Ncube, lost control of the car at a curve and the vehicle overturned several times before landing on its side, Simango said.

The deceased were identified as Prince Ncube (the driver), Mthulisi Dumani and Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu from Mpopoma suburb in Bulawayo.

- Advertisement -

The other two people, Remington Ndlovu and Thabani (surname not given) sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), Simango said.
06.06.2020 LISTEN

The Eastern Regional Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party's (NPP), Jeff Konadu has denied allegations by a disqualified aspiring parliamentary candidate in the Abuakwa South constituency, that members of the Vetting Committee were hostile to her during her vetting.

Madam Gloria Ofori-Boadu while speaking on Eyewitness News said the committee members were hostile to her.

Even the vetting that they used to disqualify me, I virtually had to flee because it was horrible. They were mean and there were so many insecurities. In fact, I was virtually harassed. And I said to myself, I have chaired a vetting committee before in Kumasi and we treated aspirants with decorum, utmost respect and dignity because we are all party members who are working together for the realisation of democracy and personal freedom in Ghana and in Africa.

When I went in there I was given a petition from some constituency executives and I was asked to say something and I said all the allegations are not true. Then the Vice-Chair of the Eastern Region whispered to him that the verdict has been decided.

Mr. Konadu in reacting to the allegations levelled against the vetting committee on the same program, denied them saying they are all untruth.

I dont think there was anything moody or any kind of atmosphere when she came to the vetting room. I think she is not being truthful. If she claimed that the Vetting Committee was hostile or was anything to her then, she is not being truthful.

If you say that someone was hostile then it is not the case. I was sitting in the room and prominent people were in the room. She [Gloria] is a lawyer and if she herself can be truthful to herself then she cannot accuse all these people of being hostile to her and Im really disappointed in Gloria, he said.

The Regional Secretary, however, urged Madam Gloria Ofori-Boadu to help push for the collective good of the party rather than going on radio to issue threats of voter apathy.

I do not see why she is now on radio beating war drums. What I believe she has to do is to come back and really work for the party so that next time when she comes, she may have a good platform to contest. If she is singing war drums, remember the party is there waiting for her.

I think she should rather come back and lets find a way to help build this party so that all of us can win the presidency and the MP so that we can continue to provide this ever good governance we are giving to the people of Ghana but if she thinks she is going to be on the radio telling us that people are going to vote against our party then, Im sorry she is not trying to play ball, he urged Madam Gloria Ofori-Boadu. Background

The NPP in the Eastern Region had in March disqualified 15 aspirants ahead of its parliamentary primaries.

The 15 aspirants who were from nine constituencies were not recommended to contest as parliamentary candidates.

The party in a statement said a detailed report and reasons for their disqualification will be sent to the National Headquarters for consideration and final approval.

Sixty-four candidates were passed in all in the region after the vetting. Notable among the candidates who did not pass the vetting process was Gloria Ofori-Boadu who had been disqualified from contesting the Abuakwa South constituency.

The Eastern Regional Secretary of the Party, Jerry Konadu, said aspirants who were unhappy with their disqualification could appeal.

 citinewsroom
Two men fleeing the wrong way on Interstate 40 were killed after a New Mexico State Police officer opened fire on their truck, which continued on and crashed into a tractor-trailer during a chase near Gallup around midnight Friday.

State Police spokesman Lt. Mark Soriano said the two men were ejected from the truck. He did not say whether the crash or the gunfire killed the men.

That is still under investigation, he said.

Soriano said none of the others involved, including the officers, and the driver and passenger in the tractor-trailer, were injured.

He did not identify the deceased or officers involved.

This information is preliminary, and the investigation is still active and ongoing, he said.

Soriano said the incident began around 11:55 p.m. Friday when Gallup police responded to two men brandishing a firearm inside a truck at the Redwood Lodge Motel.

He said that the two men drove around the officers, nearly hitting one of their vehicles and that police gave chase on N.M. 118. The driver turned the headlights on and off, traveling in the opposing lanes of traffic, before getting onto I-40, heading east.

The passenger began throwing objects from the bed of the truck at officers, Soriano said in the State Police news release. Eventually, The driver of the Dodge (truck) crossed the median of Interstate 40 and began traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes, where a Gallup Police supervisor terminated the pursuit.

Meanwhile, Soriano said a State Police sergeant who was parked in the median of I-40 fired at least one shot from a shotgun at the truck as it drove by in the wrong lanes of traffic.

After the shot, the truck crashed head-on into a tractor-trailer and both men were ejected. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

The identification of the male suspects and officers will not be released by the New Mexico State Police at this time, Soriano said.
Passengers on a Delta flight from Atlanta to Baltimore on April 20. (Rob Carr / Getty Images)

To help revive the devastated travel industry, airline trade groups and aviation manufacturers are kicking off campaigns to convince travelers that the risk of being infected by the coronavirus on a flight is low thanks to improved cleaning efforts and sophisticated cabin ventilation systems.

Medical experts tend to agree, with one caveat: The risk goes up as more passengers are crammed into a plane.

Still, a group that represents several of the nation's low-cost airlines is seeking federal regulators' permission to pack passengers into cabins without having to space them out to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

The National Air Carrier Assn., a trade group for 18 low-cost passenger and cargo carriers, wrote last month to U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, arguing against any capacity limits, including a requirement that airlines leave the middle seat vacant.

The group wrote that imposing "arbitrary" capacity limits on carriers could lead to higher fares or even airline bankruptcies.

The trade group, whose airlines have some of the most cramped seats in the industry, wrote the letter in response to requests from the top Democrats on the congressional transportation committees, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon), that Chao require airlines to space passengers out to reduce the risk of infection.

Chao has not responded to the request.

Consumer groups have also chimed in on the debate.

The head of an airline passenger rights group says that Chao and the U.S. Department of Transportation should impose rules to force airlines to space passengers out.

"If they don't do something, they are going to make us one big hot spot," said Paul Hudson, a member of an FAA rule-making advisory committee and president of Flyersrights.org, a consumer group with more than 60,000 members.

Hudson called the trade group's request to allow airlines to pack in passengers without adhering to the CDC recommendation of social distancing "ridiculous." He also wants federal regulators to require that passengers wear masks.

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The nation's largest union of flight attendants has weighed in, asking lawmakers to require masks on all passengers and, for now, prohibit leisure and nonessential air travel to reduce the risk of infecting flight crews.

The pandemic has revived a decades-old debate about the risk of being infected by a fellow passenger on commercial planes.

Healthcare experts agree with the airline industry that the risk of being infected by another passenger is low.

"It's not risk-free to travel on a commercial aircraft but the risk is relatively low," said Dr. Dean Winslow, an infectious disease specialist at the Stanford University Medical Center and a former flight surgeon with the U.S. Air Force.

Winslow and other healthcare experts say the air in a plane is frequently recirculated, mixed with clean outside air and filtered, making it difficult for germs and viruses to travel throughout a cabin. But the airflow system doesn't help much, they note, if you are seated shoulder to shoulder with a sick passenger on a long-haul flight.

"Flying on planes is relatively safe from transmission of infectious particulate if you are not near anyone else," said Dr. Timothy Brewer, a professor of medicine, division of infectious diseases at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. "If they are going to pack the plane  then there is a higher risk."

Cabin air renewed every 2 to 3 minutes, #HEPA filters and top to bottom air circulation ensure aircraft cabins are a safe environment.

Be in the know: watch how cabin air is kept clean from bacteria and viruses as it flows in and out of aircraft. #KeepTrustInAirTravel #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/3wvGQRTxU0  Airbus (@Airbus) June 2, 2020

To boost travel demand, Airlines for America, a trade group that represents the nation's ten largest carriers, recently launched a "Fly Healthy. Fly Smart" campaign to promote the industry's efforts to reduce the risk of infection on a plane. The campaign also emphasizes that cabin air is filtered through high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to generate hospital-grade air for passengers.

The International Air Transport Assn., a trade group that represents 290 airlines in 120 countries, jumped into the fray recently with a report titled "Restarting Aviation Following COVID-19." The report cites several studies that suggest that the number of passengers infected by the coronavirus on a plane has been minimal.

Meanwhile, Boeing announced last week the appointment of longtime executive Mike Delaney to lead a new Confident Travel Initiative to develop "solutions to help minimize air travel health risks amid the COVID-19 pandemic and drive awareness of health safeguards already in place."

The initiative will study the use of new disinfectants, antimicrobial surfaces and ultraviolet light in plane cabins to reduce the risk of infection. In addition, Boeing is creating graphics, videos and website pages to help airlines promote the technology currently used on the planes, said Jim Haas, director of product marketing.

"We are trying to get the message out everywhere," he said.

Delta's chief executive, Ed Bastain, said he plans to test all employees for COVID-19 as the carrier prepares for an increase in demand this summer.

The reason is obvious. Passenger traffic at U.S. airports began to drop dramatically, starting in mid-March, to a low of fewer than 88,000 passengers on April 14, based on the number of passengers screened by the Transportation Security Administration. On that same date last year, the TSA screened 2.2 million fliers.

Since then, the daily total of passengers screened at U.S. airports has climbed to a high of nearly 353,000 on May 31.

Ari Rastegar, a real estate investment executive from Austin, is among those who are ready to fly again. He stopped flying for business when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the U.S. but he is now back to taking three or four airline trips a month. He wears a mask and wipes down surfaces with disinfectant.

"Everything is a risk," said the chief executive of Rastegar Property Co. in Austin. "You could get the flu. You could get hit by a car. We can't live in a state of constant fear. We have to go on with our lives and be resilient."

Rastegar, 38, believes that the risk of being infected on a plane is relatively low as long as he wears a mask, washes his hands and wipes down surfaces. He also credits the airlines for more frequently cleaning the cabins and requiring passengers to wear masks.

"I'm taking those precautions and wearing my mask, at the same time I'm not keeping myself in lockdown," he said.

Many of the nation's airlines responded to the outbreak by adopting increased cleaning protocols and requiring passengers and flight crew members to wear face coverings. Delta Air Lines announced this week that it will keep the middle seats on planes empty through Sept. 30 to help create more distance between passengers. Other carriers, such as JetBlue, have also promised to keep the middle seat open.

Several carriers have either eliminated or reduced their traditional food and drink service to cut down on the interaction with the flight crew.

But determining with certainty the source of an infection is not easy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that any kind of travel can increase the risk of being infected because of the close contact with other people, whether in a cab on the way to the airport or in a security screening line.

The CDC adds that "most viruses and other germs do not spread easily in the cabin of planes because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes."

Inside the cabin, filtered air mixed with outside air blows down on passengers from vents above the seats and escapes through vents under the seats. The system reduces the likelihood that germs and viruses can travel the length of the cabin, according to aviation industry experts.

"The design flow of planes to recirculate air is actually very thoughtfully done," Brewer said.

In its report, the International Air Transport Assn., the global airline trade group, cited an informal survey of 18 airlines, representing 14% of the global air traffic, that found no cases of passenger-to-passenger transmission of the virus from January through March.

The report also listed a study of 1,100 passengers who were infected with the virus and had recently flown. The report concluded that of the 125,000 passengers who flew with the infected passengers, only one additional passenger and two crew members were suspected of being infected due to in-flight transmission.

But the report also cited an investigation into a flight from the U.K. to Vietnam on March 2 that suggested that one passenger transmitted the virus to 14 other fliers and a crew member. Twelve of the infected passengers were seated near the infected passenger.

The nation's airlines got a boost in their efforts when a Harvard public health expert published an opinion piece in the May 18 Washington Post, arguing that the risk of infections from flying in a commercial plane is low because the HEPA filters capture 99.9% of airborne particulates and the air is recirculated every five to six minutes.

"You are more at risk of getting sick when traveling, but it's not the airplane that's making you sick," according to the piece by Joseph Allen, an assistant professor of exposure assessment science at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "Every time you fly, you may also take a cab, bus or subway, stand in long lines at the airport, eat unhealthy foods, sit for extended durations. ... All of these factors are known to affect your immune system."

The Airlines for America "Fly Healthy. Fly Smart" campaign cited Allen's article in its campaign literature, as did the National Air Carrier Assn. in its letter to Chao.

"The concept of social distancing is nearly impossible to accomplish in enclosed spaces such as aircraft cabins," the National Air Carrier Assn. said in its letter opposing limits on cabin capacity. "Aircraft cabins, however, are safe environments."
The Queen with Sir John Kerr, who was her Governor-General in Australia. (Getty Images)

Letters sent by the Queen to her representative in Australia before the countrys dismissed its prime minister will be made public after a court ruling.

The Australian High Court has overturned a decision which stopped the letters, written in the 1970s, being released from the National Archives.

Governor-General Sir John Kerr, who was the Queens representative in Australia, dismissed prime minister Gough Whitlam in 1975 and replaced him with opposition leader Malcolm Fraser.

It was one of the most controversial political sagas in the nations history.

The letters, deemed personal and confidential correspondence, entered the National Archives of Australia and were going to remain private until 2027.

The private secretary of the Governor-General and Monarch at that time could limit the release, according to court papers.

However, Professor Jennifer Hocking made the case for the release of the letters, saying they are Commonwealth records.

Read more: Prince William talks homeschooling: 'You worry how little you know when you can't do Maths'

Gough Whitlam was dismissed when he was prime minister after refusing to resign. (Getty Images).

That would mean they should have been released in 2006, as publication should have happened 31 years after they were created.

The Federal Court accepted the Archives argument the letters were private and personal to Sir John, the recipient.

The decision was upheld by an appeals court but has now been overturned by the High Court, meaning the archives will have to reconsider the request to release them.

The 1975 event has become known as The Dismissal and happened after Labour prime minister Whitlam failed to pass a budget.

Read more: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, joins star-studded cast led by Thor director for royal acting debut

Whitlam refused to resign or call an election, leading to his sacking by the Governor-General.

After he was fired, Whitlam stood on the steps of Parliament in Canberra and said: Well may we say God save the Queen  because nothing will save the governor-general.

Sir John cut his five-year term short as Governor-General, ending in 1977 and eventually moving to London.

Story continues

The decision in the Australian court comes five years after the UKs highest court ruled letters sent from Prince Charles to government ministers should be published.

Read more: Eight things we learned as Prince Charles turned DJ on Classic FM

The letters, known as the Black Spider memos, were released after a long-running freedom of information campaign by Guardian newspaper journalist Rob Evans.

They were published with some redactions, which protected personal data of people other than Charles.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > Pandemic and the Reverse Migration of Labour in India

The current predicaments faced by of Indias migrant labour - losing livelihood and shelter in urban areas as started with the 4-hour notice for a complete shutdown in response to the Pandemic - will remain as one of the worst humanitarian crisis the country has ever faced since independence. The gruesome details of the sufferings by masses of the uprooted people lacking access to shelter, food or sources of income or even means of transport to take them back to places they came from, narrate the sub-human conditions for a vast majority of the working class in the country at this hour.

The usual pattern in rural migration to urban areas

Migrants, across states in India were calculated at 56 mn in the 2011 Census . Of above 40mn are those heading for the mega cities , and moving largely from the rural Hindi belt in North India. As further estimated, 79% of migrants to the urban cities were on daily wages, at construction sites or factories where they were employed. Another large number remained self-employed with low levels of incomes. Migrant workers as above are part of the informal workforce which is 93% of aggregate labour force having hardly an access to benefits as still exist for workers in the formal organised sectors. It may be mentioned here that even enterprises in the formal sector of the economy more than one-half of jobs are there on an informal basis , say by using sub-contracting or by casualization. A substantial part of those are performed by migrants from rural areas.

We can point out here that barring abnormal times ( as at present) the major part of the migrant flow in India has been from rural to urban areas, much exceeding those across rural or urban areas. Categories of such people, as aptly described by Sainath in one of his papers, include those who migrate on a permanent basis, having no plan to return; the seasonal migrants who temporarily return, from urban areas to their villages in harvest times, and then go back to urban centres; and finally, the footloose fetched from rural areas by contractors who have no means to decide on their future plans.

Tracing back the initial stages of migration which push people from rural to urban areas , much of such flows can be described as mobility by default. Reasons behind include the growing rural distress with agriculture failing to provide sustenance for the majority of cultivators both with small land holdings and being dispossessed of land due to factors which include heavy debt burdens. State policies to support to the ailing rural economy proved both inadequate and ineffective . With steady losses of sustainable livelihoods there has been a continuing stream of out-migration from the rural economy, both seasonal and as footloose, often escorted by local contractors on basis of payments to cover the initial travel costs and also as cuts from the meagre wages received by migrant workers in the urban centres. Migration has also been facilitated by the prevailing familial links between the rural folks and the urban workmen.

Reverse Migration from urban to rural

The current flow of reverse migration in India, which is from urban to rural , however, falls into none of the above categories describing the usual patterns in the movements from rural to urban centres. The enormity and suddenness, along with the miseries in the rush of the hapless people trying to leave the urban centres for bare survival, opens up several issues relating to the current situation.

Inflows of migrants to urban areas provided cheap labour having no legal compulsion for employers

Looking at the build-up of the migrant flows from the rural areas to the urban centres, it will be an understatement to conclude that the flow of migrants had no impact on the functioning of the urban work places. The drive provided a reserve army of cheap labour waiting to be hired at wages which could dip lower than the statutory minimum, especially after meeting the commissions due to the contractor . Nor were there any further obligation on part of the employers, given that the footloose migrants never had any legal status as working population.

With the formal organised sector units of industry and services using as much as one half or more of those employed with an informal status, it became rather opportune for the enterprises in factories, construction sites and other labour-intensive activities to make use of the migrants in their cost-cutting exercises. The remaining migrants who were not absorbed in the formal or informal work-places, continued as self-employed in various capacities ranging from vendors to shop-keepers at low levels of remunerations. On the whole the presence of the rural migrants benefitted the urban economy as a whole, providing cheap labour to factories, cheap services to households and in various other forms.

Passive role of the Indian state in relation to migrant labour

The rather lukewarm responses on part of the state to issues faced by migrants can be evidenced from the large number of related legislations on paper - mostly ineffective due to a lack of implementation. Mention may be made of Contract Labor Regulation and Abolition Act 1970 , introducing casual labor for a legal status by providing a mechanism for registration of contractors engaging 20 or more workers with a few other facilities. Failing such registration, the employer was to be held directly responsible for employment provided One can also mention the Inter-state Migrant Workmen Act 1979 ( seeking the regulation of employment and conditions of services), the National Disaster Management Act 2005 and the Street Vendors Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending Act, 2014 enacted to regulate

street vendors

in public areas and protect their rights. More recent has been the enacting of the Code on Occupation, Health, Safety and Working Conditions , seeking to regulate health and safety conditions of workers in establishments with 10 or more workers, and in all mines and docks. Above code was to replace the 13 prevailing labour laws which included the Factories Act, 1948; Mines Act, 1952; Dock Workers Act, 1986; Contract Labour Act, 1970; and Inter-State Migrant Workers Act, 1979. The Code, referred to a Standing Committee of the Parliament in July 2019 was responded positively by the latter on a date as recent as February 11, 2020.

Enumeration of above pieces of legislation provide an idea as to how those were of no relevance in addressing the informal sector workers , and in particular the migrants thrown out from the urban centres during the current crisis. An account of the sufferings currently experienced by the masses of the out-migrants in urban pockets who are trying desperately to return to their respective villages, along with the hardship of hunger and destitution which are encountered by them provide clear indications of a minimalist state in the process.

Questions can be raised as to what happened to legal status of migrants as under the Act of 1970 ? Then where are the registered contractors or employers who are responsible for employment status of the migrants in terms of the same law? Finally, what happened to the various laws stilloperative till the Code was to replace those in early 2020? It is thus more than obvious that none of the so-called corrective measures in terms of the numerous labour laws as passed by the ruling state, or the newly constructed labour codes, were of any significance at all in relation to what the migrants have been experiencing since the lockdown began in March this year.

Pro-active role of state to safeguard interests of capital

Reflecting the close alliance between big capital and the ruling state, one witnesses the steady inclinations in official policies to protect the interests of big capital. One such measure included an early advocacy , in the National Commission of Labour (2002), of the use of flexible labour as a panacea for achieving efficient growth. This sanctioned the use of casualization to restore cost-cutting and wage-productivity nexus - and as a matter of right for the employers in the organized sector. As for the unorganized sector, the Committee suggested initiation of social security on part of both employers and the state. There came up another important committee , the National Commission on Enterprises in the Unorganized Sector (NCEUS) 2006 which sought to follow up the issues relating to the unorganised sector. While the NCEUS Report recommended a number of measures for the unorganised workers addressing the low wages (or earnings) and inequal bargaining power, the Report was folded up and recommendations ignored. The action clearly contrasts the pro-active role of the government vis a vis the employers as can be seen at present.

Employers, supported by state-level Ordinances , unite to further weaken the prevailing labour protection

At least four states in India , including UP, MP, Rajasthan and also Assam have initiated a process of further downgrading labour rights by passing Ordinances which scraps important labour rights still enjoyed by the regular (ie, not casual) workers in the formal sector. For UP the measures include the scrapping of all existing labour laws for next 3 years. In Gujarat new manufacturing units are to be exempt from the current labour laws over next 1200 days. Rajasthan also follows suit in abrogating prevailing labour laws in the state. In addition, the Ordinances introduce new rules for working hours by changing the prevailing 8 hour norm to 12 hours per day. As implemented the change will take away the much struggled labour right achieved by the working class of the world more than two centuries back. To top it up, the Ordinances ensure that workers will no longer get overtime even if they continue to work beyond the stipulated 12 hour day.

Arguments have been advanced by the corporate industry in support of the Ordinances. Those concern the prevailing tendencies for small firms to avoid expansions in order to evade the labour regulations as relate to the large ones. Removal of such restrictions would, as have been argued, encourage the small ones to expand. Also the measures, as claimed, would attract Investment by making it easier to manage and cheaper to engage labour. Using the same argument, industry expects that by improving the competitive capacity, India would successfully entice foreign investors away from China. Finally, and rather unbelievably, industry also expects that stretching working hours to the 12 hour norm will be labour-saving and as such will be of help in situations where labour is in short supply. It sounds strange to hear about labour shortage in a labour surplus country like India today! Are they fearing the loss of cheap sources of labour with the decimation of workers as they try the route to their villages in the reverse flow of migrants?

One may just question here if industry in states mentioned above are right in claiming that the measures would be able to generate a favourable investment climate by scratching the few labour rights as still prevail in India? While engaging labour may be rendered both easier and cheaper, incentives to invest will also be determined by a large number of other issues ( like state of demand, infrastructure, expectations in the market) none of which can be taken for granted by moving the Ordinances.

Finally, it must be recognised that the strict labour discipline invoked by the Ordinances will relate only to the formal or the organised sector of industry and services . As reported by the ILO, Close to 81% of all employed persons in India make a living by working in the informal sector, with only 6.5% in the formal sector and 0.8% in the household sector. This tallies with the estimates provided in the official NCEUS Report for informal workers at 84% of the aggregate workforce in 2010 , as cited by Kannan and Bremen. Further of the remaining workers in the formal sector, as many as 51% were employed informally , with a casual status, according to same sources. With increasing tendencies of using flexible and casual labour, the formal sector today employs not more than 10% of the aggregate labour force and the rest of the 90% remain with the informal sector.

To continue, since 50% or more of workers engaged in the formal sector of industry in the country are employed with a casual or informal status, it remains that the Ordinance in the four states (or more to follow) may only catch around 5% of workers which currently enjoy such labour rights ( like 8 hours a day with overtime payments) as are still there. Can industry justify the Ordinances even if the benefits as expected for the prevailing and future investors in those states are realized?

Possibly the measures are being regarded both by the ruling state and by big capital as an opportune step in time of the lockdown under the Pandemic - specifically, to further the much sought-after onslaughts of capital on labour. Issues relating to the jobless informal workers swelling the numbers of the unprecedented reverse migration , all under inhuman conditions , do not form an agenda in framing such Ordinances.
From New York City to Seattle, protesters and police prepared for more George Floyd demonstrations this weekend as the national anger over the death of the black man beneath the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer showed little sign of abating.

Even the threat of perpetuating the coronavirus pandemic barely slowed the movement Friday as thousands of demonstrators continued to show up for protests, many of them wearing masks.

I think we have a good plan in place, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Friday as she outlined orders to close roads this weekend in the Loop and other areas downtown.

Image: Washington DC Protest (Carolyn Kaster / AP)

In Washington, where the White House complex is encircled by a hastily erected fence to protect President Donald Trump, protesters planned for a large turnout Saturday.

Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham said the department was preparing for a big number of peaceful demonstrators coming to exercise their First Amendment rights."

We have a lot of public, open-source information to suggest the event on this upcoming Saturday may be one of the largest that weve had in the city, Newsham said this week.

On Friday, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser had Black Lives Matter painted on 16th Street near the White House in huge, yellow letters.

Trump, who was in Maine while the street was being painted, lashed out at Bowser via Twitter. This came four days after the U.S. Park Police and National Guard were ordered to forcibly oust peaceful protesters outside the White House to make way for a photo-op at St. Johns Episcopal Church, where Trump posed a Bible.

In Minneapolis, where Floyd died May 25, city leaders agreed Friday to ban the use of chokeholds by police. They also mandated that police report and intervene any time they witness an unauthorized use of force by another officer.

Former officer Derek Chauvin was fired for kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes in an incident captured on video. He now faces second-degree murder and manslaughter charges. The three other officers who did not intervene were also fired and charged with aiding and abetting murder, according to criminal complaints filed by the state of Minnesota.

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Image: Protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Washington (Carlos Barria / Reuters)

While the Minneapolis City Council was meeting, protesters marched in the street for an 11th straight day.

In New York City, the setting for some of the biggest Floyd protests, sometimes heavy rains appeared to put a damper on Fridays demonstrations. But when the 8 p.m. curfew hit, police began rounding up marchers in Brooklyn who refused to disperse.

It appeared to be a repeat of Thursday when the mostly peaceful marches ended with outbreaks of violence in Manhattan and The Bronx as demonstrators defied a curfew and police responded with batons.

On Friday, the New York Police Department announced the suspensions of an officer who was seen on video pushing a woman to the ground at a Brooklyn demonstration and another officer who was caught on camera pulling down a protester's face mask and hitting him with pepper spray.

Up in Buffalo, New York, local officials were facing a weekend of likely protests without a riot response team after 57 members resigned from the unit to protest the suspension of two members who knocked down a 75-year-old man and left him bleeding on the pavement. The incident Thursday also was captured on video.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said the state police would be brought in to fill the gap.

In Philadelphia, Inspector Joseph Bologna was facing an aggravated assault charge for allegedly hitting a student protester in the head with a metal baton Monday, leaving him with a wound that required stitches, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

In Chicago, where there have been numerous complaints about police behavior during the protests, Lightfoot called for firing officers who are caught hiding their badge numbers or turning off their body cameras.

We will not tolerate that kind of abusive, offensive conduct on the part of police officers, period, the mayor said.

In Seattle, police Chief Carmen Best ordered officers to stop using tear gas on protesters for the next 30 days after more than 12,000 people complained about the tactics the department had been using.

Image: Protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Washington (Lucas Jackson / Reuters)

And in Miami, the local Black Lives Matter chapter was organizing a weekend of Floyd protests both downtown and in neighboring Broward County.

On Friday, police and protesters faced off when a group of demonstrators chanting, Whose streets? Our streets! briefly blocked Biscayne Boulevard and Interstate 95, the Miami Herald reported.

Largely peaceful protests were reported Friday in the Tampa Bay area a day after sporadic clashes between protesters and police erupted in the city of Tampa.
ABC News

Four people, including two adults, a teen and an infant, have been found frozen to death about 40 feet from the U.S.-Canada border while being smuggled into North Dakota, according to U.S. and Canadian authorities. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and law enforcement officers with the Department of Homeland Security performed a traffic stop Jan. 19 on a 15-passenger van about 1 mile from the border when they found two undocumented Indian nationals from Canada inside, according to the Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Less than a quarter mile away from the border, law enforcement encountered and apprehended five additional undocumented Indian nationals that walked across the U.S. border from Manitoba, Canada, according to the RCMP.
Free after almost 700 days Michael White, detained in 2018 while going to Mashhad to visit his Iranian partner. Sentenced to 10 years for insulting the supreme leader. Washington authorizes the return to Iran of the scientist Sirous Asgari, arrested for espionage. Confirmation of the release of the doctor Majid Taheri is awaited.

Tehran (AsiaNews / Agencies) - After nearly 700 days in prison, Iran has released a US Navy veteran, arrested in 2018 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for unspecified crimes. Michael White was stopped while traveling to the city of Mashhad to meet his Iranian partner; according to some sources, he insulted the supreme guide Ali Khamenei and spread his personal photos on social media.

The authorities last March ordered the release for humanitarian issues, entrusting him to the Swiss embassy representing American interests in Iran.

The release took place in conjunction with the return to the Islamic Republic of a scientist from Tehran, Sirous Asgari, who has been jailed in the United States for three years on charges of espionage. The confirmation of the release of a second Iranian prisoner, doctor Majid Taheri, announced yesterday by the Foreign Ministry of Tehran, is also awaited in these hours.

The release represents a rare example of collaboration between the United States and Iran, although Washington wanted to specify that it was not a prisoner exchange.

The 48-year-old former Navy soldier is one of six US citizens imprisoned in Iran or released on bail, but still in the country. White benefited last March from a general amnesty ordered by the supreme leader to empty prisons during the early stages of the new coronavirus pandemic.

There have been repeated appeals to the White House to ease the policy of head-on confrontation with sanctions against Iran, which also end up causing blockages and restrictions in sending medicines and basic necessities to fight Covid-19.

In a rare example of collaboration, in December the two countries reached an agreement aimed at the exchange of prisoners that concerned the Chinese-born American researcher Xiyue Wang and the Iranian scientist Massoud Soleimani.
By Valerie Volcovici and Nichola Groom

June 4 (Reuters) - Massachusetts' top attorney asked the state's public utilities regulator on Thursday to probe the future of the natural gas industry as the state moves away from burning fossil fuels because they contribute to climate change.

If the state's Department of Public Utilities opens the investigation, Massachusetts would become the third state to launch a formal process to phase out natural gas, the office of Attorney General Maura Healey said in a statement.

California and New York are also studying a transition away from relying on natural gas for heating buildings and cooking in favor of electrified systems powered by renewable sources.

In a petition filed with the DPU, Healey's office said Massachusetts would have to make large cuts in its use of fossil fuels to meet the state's goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and that the decline would require natural gas distribution companies to make substantial changes to their business models.

"There has been little public discussion of the resulting business planning and financial implications of building electrification," the petition said.

DPU said it was reviewing the filing.

National Grid Plc, a major natural gas supplier in Massachusetts, said in a statement that it welcomed the opportunity to participate in an investigation.

"The Northeast is likely to need a tapestry of solutions for heat, and our research and experience shows us that the gas network can play an integral role," the utility said.

Until recently, many environmentalists considered natural gas to be a bridge fuel to a future of renewable energy. But research is mounting that natural gas contributes significantly to global warming by leaking from distribution infrastructure and other sources.

Natural gas proponents argue the fuel is cheaper than alternatives and that the industry is limiting methane emissions with improved efficiency and leak detection. (Reporting by Valerie Volcovici in New York and Nichola Groom in Los Angeles; Writing by Nichola Groom; Editing by Peter Cooney)
RTHK: Defiant Aussies head Asian police brutality rallies

Thousands took to the streets across Australia on Saturday defying government calls while hundreds in Tokyo and Seoul also rallied to support of US protests against police brutality.

Marchers in Sydney, Melbourne and elsewhere rejected arguments from law enforcement and conservative leaders that mass protests could fuel the spread of coronavirus.

A court on Friday declared the Sydney protest illegal on health grounds, although the ruling was overturned by an appeals court minutes before the march was due to start.

The rolling, global protests reflect rising anger over police treatment of ethnic minorities, sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis after a police officer detaining him knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes as fellow officers stood by.

In Tokyo, marchers protested against what they said was police treatment of a Kurdish man who says he was stopped while driving and shoved to the ground, leaving him with bruises.

Organisers invoked the US protests, saying they were also marching in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

"I want to show that there's racism in Japan now," said 17-year-old high school student Wakaba, who declined to give her family name.

She and her friend, Moe, marching in their school uniforms, held a sign saying: "If you're not angry, you're not paying attention".

In Seoul, dozens of South Korean activists and foreign residents gathered, some wearing black masks with "can't breathe" in Korea, echoing George Floyd's final words as he lay on the pavement. Others participated in an online "viral photo protest.

"South Korea is becoming a multicultural society," organiser Shim Ji-hoon said. "So I proposed this march to have awareness of racial discrimination and make a world of living together."

With pandemic restrictions in Bangkok, activists were going online, asking for video and photos of people wearing black, raising their fists and holding signs, and explaining why they "stand united behind Black Lives Matter".

The Thai protesters plan to gather on the video-meeting platform Zoom on Sunday and observe 8 minutes 46 seconds of silence  the period that Floyd was filmed pinned under the officer's knee. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2020-06-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Saturday, June 6, 2020 at 11:33AM

Montreal-based artificial intelligence institute Mila's COVI app for iOS and Android was ready to roll out last month, but a new report from The Logic says the government opted out of using this COVID-19 contact-tracing app.

Mila CEO Valerie Pisano told the publication that the government is choosing to use other contact-tracing technology. But the institute is ready to help if they are needed.

An unnamed source told The Logic that the federal government was concerned about the information Mila's app collects. It uses data like age, sex, health conditions, symptoms, risk level, test results, and coarse geographical location to leverage its AI capabilities. The app comes with a consent option to anonymously send data to COVIwith your data being stored for up to three months.

Deep-learning pioneer Yoshua Bengio, who led the development of COVI, told the Montreal Gazette previously that the app wouldn't ask for names, phone numbers, or email addresses. It will require users to activate localization and Bluetooth functions. He further emphasized that they would not collect data or "ask for anything to make users identifiable."

Bengio has also mentioned before that most of the information will stay on the user's phones.

"We took extreme precautions. It's crucial for all of us at Mila to design AI that's both socially responsible and ethical," he said.

It's expected that the federal government might opt to use Apple and Google's contact-tracing tech. The Logic's source claims some provinces want a less complicated solution, like Apple and Google's offering.

Source: iPhone in Canada
Nearly 30 leading experts have demanded Boris Johnson launches a public inquiry to prepare Britain for a second wave of coronavirus, in another sign of a growing gulf between ministers and scientists.

The group of 27 said a second epidemic was 'probable' this winter and warned it would be more deadly than the first if the Government doesn't address its failures from the previous outbreak.

They have laid out a series of glaring shortcomings which they say have contributed to the UK suffering more than 40,000 Covid-19 deaths, the highest in Europe.

There was another indication of growing friction between ministers and scientists last night, when Matt Hancock led the Downing Street press conference alone - without being flanked by a SAGE member.

In a scathing letter published last night, the signatories criticised the Government's control freakery approach to testing and unwillingness to devolve responsibility to local public health bodies.

They also ripped into ministers for their 'inability to plan for necessary goods' such personal protective equipment (PPE) for NHS and care home workers.

Among the signatories were ex SAGE scientist, Professor Deenan Pillay, a virologist at University College London, and Professor Anthony Costello, a former World Health Organization (WHO) director and a global health expert at UCL.

The editors of two prestigious medical journals have also put their name to the letter  Richard Horton of the Lancet and Fiona Godlee of the British Medical Journal.

It is the latest sign of brewing tensions between ministers and the country's top scientists.

Last week, four experts on the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) said the decision to ease lockdown in England would risk people's lives.

Scientists at war with ministers over Covi: 27 leading experts have demanded Boris Johnson launches a public inquiry to prepare Britain for a second wave of coronavirus

Last night Health Secretary took Downing Street's daily press conference without any of Number 10's scientific advisers for the first time - in another sign of the frayed relationship

In the new letter  published in the Guardian the 27 experts said it 'seem probable' there will be a second wave in winter.

They continued: 'Many more will die unless we find quick, practical solutions to some of the structural problems that have made implementing an effective response so difficult.

'These include the fragmentation, in England, of the NHS, public health and social care; the failure of those in Westminster to engage with local government and devolved nations; the channels by which scientific evidence feeds into policy; and an inability to plan for necessary goods and services, and procure them.'

The signatories include leading professors in virology, public health and epidemiology (the study of diseases in different groups of people) at the country's best universities.

Among the signatories are ex SAGE scientist, Professor Deenan Pillay (left), a virologist at University College London, and Professor Anthony Costello (right), a former World Health Organization (WHO) director and a global health expert at UCL

The editors of two prestigious medical journals have also put their name to the letter  Richard Horton of the Lancet (left) and Fiona Godlee of the British Medical Journal (right)

SCIENTISTS DEMAND COVID PUBLIC INQUIRY: THE LETTER IN FULL The letter was published in the Guardian today. Despite strenuous efforts by health professionals and scientists inside and outside government, the UK has experienced one of the highest death rates from Covid-19 in the world, with the poor and certain minority ethnic groups affected especially badly. If, as seems probable, there is a second wave this winter, many more will die unless we find quick, practical solutions to some of the structural problems that have made implementing an effective response so difficult. These include the fragmentation, in England, of the NHS, public health and social care; the failure of those in Westminster to engage with local government and devolved nations; the channels by which scientific evidence feeds into policy; and an inability to plan for necessary goods and services, and procure them. We call on all political parties to commit to a rapid, transparent, expert inquiry to address these issues. This must avoid diverting the efforts of those responding to the crisis or apportioning blame, but should propose feasible ways to overcome the obstacles faced by those on the frontline of the response and help them to save lives. Advertisement

They said the death rate in the UK has been high despite 'strenuous efforts by health professionals and scientists inside and outside government  with the poor and certain minority ethnic groups affected especially badly'.

Office for National Statistics reports have shown the poorest in society are twice as likely to die from Covid-19 as the richest.

And Black, Asian and Minority Ethic (BAME) groups are also disproportionately affected by the disease.

Reacting to the letter, Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline: 'Personally I do not think it is time for a public inquiry.

'But it is time that the Government comes up with a better way of achieving scientific consensus and that includes seeking out different opinions and presenting the evidence in a better way than currently.

'[Today's] letter is interesting, more for who co-authored it rather than its content. There is hardly a modeller on the list, which is largely drawn from public health experts and epidemiologists.

'One of the recurring criticisms with the scientific contribution to this epidemic has been the reliance on mathematical modellers to the general exclusion of traditional public health epidemiologists and practitioners.

'Public health specialists and public health microbiologists have been the professionals that have managed communicable disease problems since World War II and to me it has been disappointing that this expertise has not been used as much as I think it should have.

'Part of the issue has been the move of public health into political departments that has certainly stifled debate and has meant that many enthusiastic bright public health doctors and specialists are now civil servants with much less freedom of action and expression.'

The UK Government has not yet committed to a public inquiry into the pandemic in Britain, but Cabinet ministers have admitted there will be 'lessons to be learned' when it's over.

But the experts in today's letter make it clear an investigation is needed immediately because the virus is threatening to spiral back out of control already, just a week after lockdown was eased slightly.

Estimates by Public Health England and Cambridge University suggest the R-rate - the average number of people each Covid-19 patient infects - is above the danger level of one in the North West and South West of England. It must stay below one or Britain will face another crisis.

The PHE/Cambridge team - whose model is based on death data from NHS England and regional health officials, antibody surveillance sampling and mobility reports - calculated that the crucial 'R' reproduction rate fell to just 0.4 in the capital in the aftermath of the lockdown being introduced.

However, the rate in London - as well as other regions - slowly began to creep up to between 0.7-0.8 before moving closer to one in the past few weeks.

At the beginning of the outbreak London was the worst affected region but the latest numbers suggest it is now ahead of all but one region in terms of recovery.

The data, published by the university, shows London is recording 1,310 cases each day - behind only the South West (778).

Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust and Sage member (left), and Professor John Edmunds (right), an epidemiologist and Sage advisor, criticised the Government for taking risks with people's lives by unlocking the country last week

In contrast, the North West of England is recording 4,100 daily infections and has an R rate of 1.01, the highest for any region in the country.

The South West also has an estimated R rate of 1. While the North East and Yorkshire is the only area to still be in the 0.8s.

It comes after four Sage experts warned that relaxing lockdown restrictions at this time risked the R spiralling out of control and causing a second epidemic.

Professor John Edmunds, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a member of Sage, said he would have preferred to see the R brought down much lower before opening back up.

Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust and a member of Sage, said on Twitter that Covid-19 is 'spreading too fast to lift lockdown in England' and NHS test and trace 'has to be fully working and infection rates have to be lower'.

Professor Peter Horby, from Oxford University, who sits on Sage and chairs its NERVTAG subcommittee, agreed, saying the R number was still close to one.

He told the BBC last week: 'What I would say is that returning to a situation where we lost control again is far worse than another week or two of social measures,' he said.

A fourth Sage member, Professor Calum Semple, said a 'brave' political decision had been made, which did not align with the science.

He told the BBC: 'Essentially we're lifting the lid on a boiling pan and it's just going to bubble over,' he said. 'We need to get it down to simmer before we take the lift off, and it's too early.'

Fears of a second wave of coronavirus were raised yesterday when Iran has become the first country in the world to report a second epidemic.

Iran has reported a second wave of coronavirus infections as its daily case total hit a record high on Wednesday as lockdown eased - having previously been falling

Officials have put the 'second wave' down to increased testing, and point to the fact that deaths have not followed suit (pictured) as evidence. Deaths often lag behind cases, because of the time it takes an infected person to get sick enough to die

The Middle Eastern nation logged a record 3,574 cases of the virus on Wednesday, beating its previous worst day of 3,186 cases logged on March 30.

Iran began easing its lockdown restrictions - which were imposed in February as the virus ran rampant - in mid-April as the disease declined.

Cases began picking up again in early May and have now been above 3,000 for three days running, even as gyms and public offices were reopened at the weekend.
Last month saw several face-offs between the Indian Army and China's People's Liberation Army along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), their long-disputed shared border, high in the Himalayas.

While the entanglement in North Sikkim was resolved locally, within the framework of mutually agreed-upon protocols, the ones in Eastern Ladakh have lingered, giving rise to speculation about China's intentions.

The last major stand-off between the Asian giants was at Doklam in 2017, and lasted for 73 days. It was followed by informal meetings between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, first at Wuhan in April 2018 and then at Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu in October 2019. During those interactions, both leaders reiterated the importance of peace in border areas for greater strategic gains. They also issued guidance to their respective militaries to exercise restraint and strengthen mutual understanding and trust.

At strategic and operational levels, both militaries have exercised restraint. However, at the tactical level, face-offs occur due to differing perceptions of where the actual border is as the LAC is not delineated on the ground. While face-offs get resolved locally, those related to the building of infrastructure, such as roads and defence fortifications, invariably take longer and require a combination of military and diplomatic initiatives.

The bilateral agreements signed between 1993 and 2013 have helped prevent the use of force beyond the occasional fistfights. Not a bullet has been fired by either side since 1975, and that is unlikely to change now.

Facing myriad internal and external challenges during the coronavirus pandemic, China can ill-afford any risky adventurism in the Himalayas. A conflict with India, its main regional strategic competitor, will not only compound its problems but will seriously impede its stated journey towards becoming a global superpower by 2050.

Some of the challenges that Xi Jinping faces today include China's contracting economy, its reignited trade war with the US, the departure of some manufacturing and the slowdown of its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. Hong Kong protests, Taiwan's intransigence, and the global demand to probe its role in the coronavirus pandemic have also added to its woes.

Moreover, barring Pakistan, which is its all-weather strategic partner in the region, Beijing's assertive behavior coupled with its alleged pandemic-related role has generated anti-China sentiment in Asian countries it assiduously befriended as part of its containment strategy against India. India would do well to leverage this to its advantage.

Mutual deterrence

China is aware of the current combat potential of the Indian military, and has seen it evolve into an accountable, responsive and potent element of national power since the 1962 Sino-Indian conflict, over the still-disputed Himalayan border.

Both militaries have been training together for many years to develop interoperability to undertake humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and counterterrorism operations. An understanding of each other's military prowess helps create mutual deterrence as each side realizes the grim consequences of a conflict. India, under the present political leadership, has demonstrated its inclination to use force when provoked. The volatile and complex proxy war arena of Jammu and Kashmir has further helped the Indian army to battle-harden its soldiers.

The possibility of Beijing using the face-offs for strategic messaging to India cannot be ruled out. New Delhi has not only joined the international chorus for a probe into the origin and spread of coronavirus pandemic but has also blocked the automatic route for approving foreign direct investments from China.

The strengthening strategic partnership between India and the US is another irritant for Beijing. China is known to employ inducement and intimidation means to deal with the external challenges and in the internal domain, whipping up nationalist fervor to eclipse various governance-related failures and inadequacies. The ongoing LAC rows serve both purposes. Unlike the earlier face-offs, this time around, the Chinese mainstream and social media have been extremely active in propagating patriotic narratives.

The reconciliatory statements issued by the Chinese embassy in New Delhi and the Foreign Affairs Office in Beijing point towards China's desire to defuse the border tensions. However, there has been no forward movement on the ground. With India determined to develop the border infrastructure on its territory, as is its right, an early resolution of the entanglements could be difficult. This is a bilateral issue with no scope for any third-party intervention: both India and China have turned down the US proposal for mediation.

Although a conflict in the near future is a remote possibility, India must continue in earnest to develop its military capability to deter aggression and, should that fail, fight to win wars for the country. Relying on any external power to fight India's wars is certainly not a good idea. As an emerging great power, India must carry its own big stick.

But for greater economic and geostrategic gains, a peaceful resolution is the answer. There is enough room in the world for the two Asian giants to grow simultaneously.
While millions have been laid off and we teeter on the brink of a global recession, one man is peering down from the summit of the biggest pile of money the world has ever seen.

Amazon boss Jeff Bezos was already the richest man on the planet before the coronavirus pandemic locked us in our homes and forced us into the arms of the internet. Soon he could become the first trillionaire in history.

Amazon's share price has soared nearly 30 per cent this year, increasing Bezos's personal fortune to $150 billion (118 billion) as demand for his online shopping, streaming and delivery services boom. And experts say that wealth of $1 trillion  a thousand billion  is within reach by 2026, so rapidly is his fortune increasing.

It is not just Amazon that is in great shape. Bezos, himself, has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent months, from self-professed nerd to a Hollywood 'player'.

He's barely recognisable, in fact. Since ditching MacKenzie, his wife of 26 years and paying her a record $38 billion divorce settlement last June (instantly making her the third-richest woman on the planet), the emperor of online shopping has undergone a complete overhaul.

The balding pate with its wispy strands of hair has been shaved and buffed to a glossy bronze sheen.

Hours with a personal trainer have left him with bulging biceps and a six-pack. Gone is the 'geek uniform' of trainers and baggy chinos, replaced by a slick designer wardrobe and Gucci loafers.

Bezos once admitted: 'I'm not the kind of person women fall in love with. I sort of grow on them, like fungus.'

Jeff Bezos and his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez during a visit to India in January this year

Michael Sanchez (right), the brother of Lauren Sanchez (left). A set of embarrassing photographs of the billionaire's private parts that were allegedly 'stolen' from Lauren's phone. It was suggested, that the pictures had been sold by Michael, who had been entrusted with handling Lauren's personal media strategy. It is a charge that Michael denies so vehemently that he is now suing the richest man in the world for defamation.

But that was before he became a billionaire with all the trappings, including a $165 million Hollywood mansion, an $80 million New York 'mega-home', a $40 million Washington DC mansion and a $65 million Gulfstream jet.

A friend to stars including Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry and Barbra Streisand, Bezos is currently building what is reported to be the world's biggest 'mega-yacht'. A second, smaller vessel will float alongside just to house his collection of helicopters.

Naturally enough for a man of his stature, he owns a private space company called Blue Origin with the goal of making space travel an everyday reality. You could fairly say that Bezos's ambitions are stratospheric  and beyond.

So it must be all the more unsettling to find himself drawn into an unedifying family drama and a legal case that threatens to bring Bezos right back down to earth, along with his glamorous new fiancee, TV host Lauren Sanchez.

And the key evidence on which he might well have to testify? A set of embarrassing photographs of the billionaire's private parts that were allegedly 'stolen' from Lauren's phone.

Indeed, Bezos's life has become a melodrama far more salacious than anything a Hollywood scriptwriter could dream up, mixing family betrayal with international intrigue involving Donald Trump and Mohammed bin Salman, crown prince of Saudi Arabia.

The case, which is gripping America, is as labyrinthine as its detail is compelling.

Michael accuses 56-year-old Bezos and his security consultant Gavin de Becker (now reportedly guarding Meghan and Harry in Los Angeles) of defaming him by falsely telling journalists that he was responsible for leaking the graphic photographs.

First, Bezos sensationally claimed the notorious US tabloid the National Enquirer threatened to 'blackmail' him with the below-the-belt selfies.

Then it was suggested, that the pictures had been sold to the magazine for up to $200,000 by the brother of his own fiancee, Michael, Sanchez, who had been entrusted with handling Lauren's personal media strategy. It is a charge that Michael denies so vehemently that he is now suing the richest man in the world for defamation.

Last night he broke a self-imposed vow of silence to tell The Mail on Sunday: 'I have protected and supported my sister 100 per cent since the day she was born. And I've willingly taken the fall for her too many times to count. What's different this time is our family has been ripped apart and Lauren doesn't seem to care.'

Michael accuses 56-year-old Bezos and his security consultant Gavin de Becker (now reportedly guarding Meghan and Harry in Los Angeles) of defaming him by falsely telling journalists that he was responsible for leaking the graphic photographs.

In Michael's version of events, Federal investigators found he had no case to answer. 'Once the FBI and Amazon's own investigators cleared me of ever possessing the pictures used to blackmail Jeff, I thought I'd get a private apology, at a minimum. But Jeff and Lauren haven't looked back,' he said. 'I've been thrown under the bus. Sadly, it's likely the next time I see them will be in court.'

Bezos first met Lauren, a keen helicopter pilot, when she filmed footage for Blue Origin, his space company  and he seduced his new lover in a humble pick-up truck. They are pictured holding hands in February

Perhaps it is no surprise that Bezos and his security consultant take a different view, saying in their legal defence  as if things weren't complicated enough  that they never accused Michael Sanchez of leaking the naked pictures in the first place.

'Mr Sanchez cannot prevail,' say the court papers filed by Bezos and de Becker.

'Multiple sources cited in the complaint and by the media over many months show that Mr Sanchez leaked personal information and materials, including private text messages and photos, to the Enquirer... neither defendant has ever accused Mr. Sanchez of leaking nude photos specifically.'

Michael says the ongoing lawsuit prevents him from speaking further, but he has told friends that he is determined to have his reputation cleared in the most public manner possible.

'Michael wants a front-page apology in The Washington Post, the newspaper Jeff owns,' a source said last night.

'He's lost his reputation, his business and his sister over this whole debacle. Michael always did what was best for Lauren but he feels totally betrayed.

'He's determined to have his day in court and it's not going to be pretty for the richest man in the world. Michael will air everyone's dirty laundry. Bring it on!'

Lauren Sanchez is pictured above in 2012. When Bezos threw his fiancee a 50th birthday party last December, guests included Orlando Bloom and fiancee Katy Perry, Oscar-nominated actor Timothee Chalamet along with billionaire Barry Diller and his wife, designer Diane von Furtstenberg

The romance between Bezos and Lauren Sanchez resulted in a flood of global headlines in January 2019, when it was revealed the billionaire had left his wife and Lauren had ditched her husband, powerful Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell.

Until that point, Bezos had seemed content to live a quiet life in Seattle with wife MacKenzie and their four children. But it has been suggested that, as his wealth grew, so did his love of 'the heady world of celebrity' and the geeky dad 'turned Hollywood'.

'Jeff loves everything about LaLaLand; the parties, the glitz, the glamour,' said a source who knows the couple.

'When he's in a room with stars, he's so happy. He's like the nerd who has finally hit the jackpot and been invited to party with the beautiful people. He has the money and Lauren has the connections. She was a minor celebrity in her own right as a D-list TV presenter in LA but through her husband Patrick, who is one of the most powerful agents in town, she knows everyone who is anyone.

'For Lauren the attraction wasn't money. She was already wealthy. It was power. And for Jeff she represented an entree into the world of glamour and showbusiness. But the truth is theirs is a real love story. They are crazy about each other. You only have to be around them for 30 seconds to realise they are like two teenagers in love. They can't keep their hands off each other. Jeff loves the glamour and excitement of being in Lauren's Hollywood world.'

When Bezos threw his fiancee a 50th birthday party last December, guests included Orlando Bloom and fiancee Katy Perry, Oscar-nominated actor Timothee Chalamet along with billionaire Barry Diller and his wife, designer Diane von Furtstenberg. Guests at another private soiree included Barbra Streisand, Demi Moore and Jennifer Lopez.

Friends of Michael say he first became aware of his glamorous sister's affair with Bezos in the spring of 2018.

'Lauren confided in him because she always told him everything,' said one. 'He's four years older but they are like twins.

'Michael wasn't just Lauren's brother, he was her agent, best friend and confidant.'

Bezos first met Lauren, a keen helicopter pilot, when she filmed footage for Blue Origin, his space company  and he seduced his new lover in a humble pick-up truck.

Jeff Bezos is pictured with then-wife MacKenzie in March 2018. Since ditching MacKenzie, his wife of 26 years and paying her a record $38 billion divorce settlement last June (instantly making her the third-richest woman on the planet), the emperor of online shopping has undergone a complete overhaul

'They were filming on his ranch and there were clearly sparks between them,' said the friend. 'Jeff came driving back in his truck and said 'Do you want to go for a ride?', and that's when they ended up back at his house and had their first kiss. It sounds a bit mundane, but for someone like Jeff it was quite thrilling.

'Michael didn't want to like Jeff because it would have been easier that way. But as soon as he met him, they hit it off. And it was clear Lauren and Jeff were madly and crazily in love. Michael asked his sister, 'If you have to choose between your husband and Jeff right now, who would it be?' And she chose Jeff. Right from the beginning Jeff asked Michael to be involved in forming the PR strategy to deal with the fallout when the affair became public.'

The Mail on Sunday has seen a written proposal drawn up by Michael that outlines, in detail, how the couple should handle their romance. It begins simply with the advice 'Breathe', before going on to say: 'Lock down social media, speak to immediate family ASAP (preferably in person).'

It had prepared 'statements' from Lauren and Jeff that echoed the ones the couple would release once their affair became public.

It is here that things start to become murky, however. Michael claims the National Enquirer got wind of the affair through, he believes, a woman who was in his sister's inner circle.

He also claims it was Bezos and Lauren who accused him of leaking both the details and the intimate pictures that the besotted billionaire sent his lover  in exchange for cold, hard cash.

Michael freely admits he entered into negotiations with the tabloid to try to 'control the narrative' and present the relationship 'as a great love story and not a tawdry affair'.

The friend said: 'Michael did what he has always done for Lauren. He was trying to protect her. They came to him and asked about Lauren's relationship with the billionaire Michael bought time for his sister. He met with Enquirer representatives and, yes, he negotiated with them because he was trying to get a 'soft landing' for the story.

'Backroom deals go on all over Hollywood, all the time. If someone is caught in an affair, you trade a story about another client to take the heat off. He did a deal with the Devil to protect his sister.'

It was not a success.

'The National Enquirer printed everything they knew about the affair and the gloves came off,' continued the friend.

'Everything Michael had hoped to avoid  a major, tacky scandal  started unfolding.'

The tabloid claimed its reporters had trailed Bezos and Sanchez 'across five states and 40,000 miles, tailed them in private jets, swanky limos, helicopter rides, romantic hikes, five-star hotel hideaways and [enjoying] 'quality time' in hidden love nests'.

It also claimed to have obtained 'raunchy messages and erotic selfies' exchanged between the lovers.

One of the texts reportedly read: 'I love you, alive girl.'

The story became a sensation and then took some further mind-boggling twists.

It was reported that Bezos's phone had been hacked in May 2018  eight months before the National Enquirer story  allegedly via a file sent by Mohammed bin Salman on WhatsApp.

Bezos owns The Washington Post, whose reporter Jamal Khashoggi was savagely murdered by Saudi operatives.

Bezos has also been an outspoken critic of President Trump, prompting speculation the leak to the National Enquirer was politically motivated.

Bezos's life has become a melodrama far more salacious than anything a Hollywood scriptwriter could dream up, mixing family betrayal with international intrigue involving Donald Trump and Mohammed bin Salman, crown prince of Saudi Arabia (pictured together)

When Bezos (pictured) threw his fiancee a 50th birthday party last December, guests included Orlando Bloom and fiancee Katy Perry, Oscar-nominated actor Timothee Chalamet along with billionaire Barry Diller and his wife, designer Diane von Furtstenberg. Guests at another private soiree included Barbra Streisand, Demi Moore and Jennifer Lopez

Indeed, Trump appeared to take great delight in Bezos's personal drama, telling reporters he wished the Amazon CEO good luck and adding that the divorce was 'going to be a beauty'.

Bezos then caused a sensation in February 2019 when he released a blog post accusing the National Enquirer and its then publisher, David Pecker, of 'extortion and blackmail'.

He published emails from Enquirer Chief Content Officer Dylan Howard who, Bezos claimed, threatened to release pictures of his penis unless he agreed to stop investigating the source of their story, something he refused to do.

'I won't participate in their well-known practice of blackmail, political favours, political attacks and corruption,' Bezos wrote defiantly.

The National Enquirer has rejected any suggestion of blackmail or extortion, while the Saudi government dismissed claims it hacked Bezos's phone as 'a soap opera'.

Michael vehemently denies he ever possessed the intimate pictures and insists his lawyers will grill his sister, Bezos, de Becker and National Enquirer staff under oath to prove his point.

The case is expected to come to court later this year.

In a statement to the website TMZ, Lauren said: 'Michael is my older brother. He secretly provided my most personal information to the National Enquirer  a deep and unforgivable betrayal. My family is hurting over this we truly hope my brother finds peace.'

Meanwhile, Michael's lawyer Tom Warren said: 'It is painful to litigate family matters in public, but Michael has suffered a great deal. His intentions were always to protect his sister.'

For his part, Michael tells friends he is determined to restore his reputation, saying: 'I never provided any of those pictures. We will see them in court.'

He denies taking money, adding: 'I did deals all the time on behalf of my sister and other clients. Money was never the motive.'

Indeed, Michael claims to have missed out on millions Bezos offered to fund a movie deal and give him a cut of any house sales.

The friend of Michael said: 'Michael showed Jeff a $100 million house in Beverly Hills. Why would Michael risk a movie deal, all of it, to allegedly sell out his sister and Jeff to the tabloids?

'It just didn't happen. Michael is still protecting Lauren to this day.

'There are no heroes in this story. When you get into this world of the super-rich, when you get around that sort of money, everyone has an agenda.

'You have absolute power and absolute wealth and both can corrupt people absolutely.'
Jacksonvilles JC Penney store has escaped the budget axe swung after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The corporate retailer released a list Thursday of 154 stores in 20 states that will be closed as part of the companys restructuring.

The Plano, Texas-based chain filed for bankruptcy protection on May 15. At the time, it had 846 department stores and 85,000 employees. JC Penney has secured $900 million in financing from existing lenders  including $450 million in new money to use during its reorganization. The company said it struck a deal with lenders to reduce several billion dollars of its debt.

Private equity firm Sycamore Partners is in preliminary talks to acquire J.C. Penney Co. Inc. out of bankruptcy should negotiations with creditors fail, according to Reuters. Sycamore Partners is weighing outright acquiring JC Penney or making an investment in the retailer.

JC Penney has struggled through a prolonged decline over the past 20 years. Efforts to reinvigorate the retailer in 2011 produced one of the worst retail turnaround attempts in recent history. The company has nearly $4 billion in debt and has not turned a profit since 2010.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated its decline  its locations were required to close as non-essential businesses shut down and most of its employees were furloughed. While some stores have begun to reopen, the retailer could not recover from sales falling by about 90% during the normally strong spring season.

The pandemic also has driven other retailers to bankruptcy  including Neiman Marcus Group and J. Crew  but JC Penney has been the largest retail casualty so far.

Five stores will close in Illinois. Those locations are in Bourbonnais, Calumet City, Carbondale, Freeport and Mount Vernon.

The Jacksonville store is at 901 W. Morton Ave.
Community Mining Scheme, a novel mining model by the Government to curb illegal small-scale mining in the country will create 16,000 direct jobs nationwide.



The Scheme would stimulate wealth creation, promote community involvement and linkages with other sectors of the economy.



So far, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources had issued 55 mining licenses to some communities; this include three licenses issued in Abosso in the Western Region, whilst Nsiana, Manso and Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region have been granted 22 licenses, Tinga in the Savannah has been granted with six licenses, Akoase in the Eastern Region with 17 licenses and Mempehia in the Ahafo Region with seven licenses.



Mr Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, the sector Minister, announced this when he launched the Scheme in Nsiana in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region.



"I assure you that my Ministry is committed to working with all stakeholders in the mining industry to ensure that minerals in the country are efficiently exploited," the Minister said.



The Community Mining Scheme is a novel mining model introduced by the Akufo-Addo's government to address the underlying causes of illegal mining, otherwise known as 'galamsey' nationwide.



It's a sure way of involving indigenes in mining ventures lawfully within their localities so that they could also benefit from their natural resource endowment and ensure sustainable livelihoods and to prevent the wanton destruction of the environment.



It's an adaptation of mining provided for under sections 81-99 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006(Act703).



Mr Asomah-Cheremeh said mining, especially gold, played a significant role in the economy of the nation and small-scale mining in particular is a major contributor in that regard.



He said, for instance, the small-scale mining sub-sector contributed 36 per cent of the total gold produced in Ghana.



As provided for within mining law, the Scheme is reserved for only Ghanaians but with emphasis on host mining communities.



To ensure a successful implementation of the Scheme, three key strategies had been outlined; such as formation of a Community Mining Oversight Committees, adoption of the Small-Scale Miners Code of Practice and provision of support services to the community miners.

Source: GNA









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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 05:53:58|Editor: huaxia

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Migrants disembark at Boiler Wharf in Senglea, Malta, on June 6, 2020. Malta decided on Saturday night to allow the disembarkation of around 425 migrants who spent more than a month at sea while the country was waiting for solidarity from other European states. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

VALLETTA, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Malta decided on Saturday night to allow the disembarkation of around 425 migrants who spent more than a month at sea while the country was waiting for solidarity from other European states.

The Maltese government rented the boats, which are usually used to ferry tourists, to continue fulfilling its international obligations to save lives of people in distress at sea.

In a statement issued late on Saturday evening, the government said the decision to allow migrants on all four boats into Malta was taken because the situation on the vessels had deteriorated due to a "commotion" abroad.

Reports earlier in the day suggested that the crew and some 20 security officers on board had to take refuge in the upper level of one of the vessels following what was described as trouble among the migrants on board.

But sources said the situation on board the vessels had deteriorated due to the bad weather that hit the Mediterranean Sea, with force 8 winds and high waves.

"The government is not ready to endanger the lives of the crew and individuals, including Maltese citizens, working with these immigrants due to the lack of action and solidarity by other European states for these migrants to be redistributed among other EU states," the government said in its statement.

It said its efforts to continue securing a relocation deal was still underway. It promised to fast-track the asylum process for the migrants arriving from countries deemed as safe. Those whose asylum applications are turned down will be returned home within days, the government said.

"This case shows that despite promises of solidarity, no other European countries were willing to share the burden," it said.

The four boats were 13 nautical miles east of Valletta where they housed the migrants rescued since the end of April. The Maltese government had rented the boats on April 30, May 7, May 22 and May 27 as more migrants were rescued in Maltese waters.

Some groups had been allowed to disembark in Malta as they were mostly children, their parents and pregnant women.
The virtual commencement speech was called off due to criticism over president Trumps response to protests over the death of George Floyd

Wichita: A Kansas technical school cancelled plans for Ivanka Trump to give a virtual commencement speech to graduates because of criticism of President Donald Trumps response to protests over the death of George Floyd.

Administrators at Wichita State University and WSU Tech announced the decision late Thursday, just hours after they had announced that the presidents daughter would be speaking to WSU Tech graduates. Administrators of both universities, which are affiliated, said Saturdays graduation for the technical university would be refocused on students, with a nursing graduate as the only speaker.

Ivanka Trump visited WSU Techs National Center for Aviation Training last fall. She responded in a tweet, saying, Our nations campuses should be bastions of free speech. Cancel culture and viewpoint discrimination are antithetical to academia. Listening to one another is important now more than ever!

The tweet included a link to YouTube video of her telling the students who finished their degrees amid a global pandemic, You are a wartime graduate, and that their training has prepared them for exactly this moment.

The announcement that the presidents daughter would speak drew immediate criticism, led by Jennifer Ray, associate professor of photo media at Wichita State, who sent a letter asking school administrators to cancel the speech. It circulated on social media and garnered 488 signatures from faculty, students and alumni before the speech was canceled, The Wichita Eagle reported.

While noting that Wichita State does not have administrative control over WSU Tech, Ray said having Trump speak would taint both institutions. Protests have broken out around the world since Floyd, who was black, died in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air.

Ray wrote that President Trump has said he might use federal military troops to quell the U.S. demonstrations and has made his callous disregard for minorities well known, while refusing to criticize police tactics during the demonstrations.

We owe it to our students to stand up for the right thing when and where we can, Ray wrote. To our students of color, and to me, inviting Ivanka Trump to speak right now sends the message that WSU Tech does not take diversity seriously.

In a separate statement, WSU Tech President Sheree Utash acknowledged that the timing of the announcement was insensitive and apologized.

Republican U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, who joined Ivanka Trump on the trip to the Wichita State facility, said in a statement that he was disappointed.

As Kansas faces many challenges recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic to get back to our booming economy, he said, now is the time for us to be working together.
Drug firms could be investigated by the Government's watchdog for 'price gouging' - inflating the cost of vital medication needed by millions of Britons - amid concerns they may profit from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prices paid by NHS chemists for antidepressants and a breast cancer treatment have soared by more than 800 per cent in recent weeks, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

And dozens of other commonly taken drugs have seen extraordinary price increases during the pandemic. These include painkillers such as ibuprofen and co-codamol, antibiotics, and even medication to treat overactive bladders.

While some pharmacies have paid over the odds in order to meet patient needs, others have been unable to - meaning that thousands of Britons may have faced delays or struggled to get the treatment they need.

Prices paid by NHS chemists for antidepressants and a breast cancer treatment have soared by more than 800 per cent in recent weeks (stock photo)

Some chemists say that due to shortages, they have at times not been able to give heart patients aspirin, which is prescribed as a blood thinner to prevent heart attacks.

Companies that supply the drugs claim price hikes are due to increased demand, lockdowns causing hold-ups in production and problems getting products from India and China, where most medicines are made.

But Government officials are also concerned that 'a minority of bad apples' may artificially inflate prices during the pandemic to make money.

Other examples of price gouging, investigated by consumer watchdogs in recent months, include high-demand products such as hand sanitiser, bleach and baby formula.

Experts are also warning that if a second wave of coronavirus hits in the winter, when demand for medicines is typically higher, there could be further cost increases and shortages.

'When there are shortages, a pharmacist will do whatever they can to source that product,' says Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies.

'If they can't get hold of it, patients will sometimes be switched on to similar-acting medicines. But with some antidepressants, for example, it's not very easy to just switch a patient from one medicine to another - and if someone suffers from anxiety and depression, not having their medicine will make them more anxious.

'Shortages of cancer drugs are also particularly difficult.

'In a lot of instances, patients are put on drugs for specific reasons and it's difficult to just substitute them for something else.'

The process of making and distributing prescription drugs is complex. Firstly, the raw ingredients that make them work, known as active pharmaceutical ingredients, need to be manufactured.

While some pharmacies have paid over the odds in order to meet patient needs, others have been unable to - meaning thousands of Britons may have faced delays (stock photo)

These are then transported to factories where they are made into tablets or prepared for injections into the patient. The finished products are traded between wholesalers until they are sold to pharmacies and hospitals, which dispense them to patients.

Today, the majority of generics - cheap, unbranded versions of commonly taken drugs - are imported from abroad. Just 20 to 25 per cent of those supplied to the NHS for use in pharmacies and hospitals are made in the UK.

About a quarter come from India, and India gets 70 per cent of its raw ingredients from China.

'We are at the end of a very long supply chain for some drugs,' says Dr Andrew Hill, honorary senior visiting research fellow in the Institute of Translational Medicine at the University of Liverpool.

'If anything breaks down, then we are in trouble.'

In February, some factories in China ceased production as Covid19 spread. And in March, India introduced restrictions on the drugs it would export, so it could meet its own demand for medicines. The effects of the disruption caused to the supply chain are still being felt in the UK.

Fin McCaul, who has owned and run a pharmacy in north Manchester for nearly 40 years, says two wholesalers he uses regularly have been recently out of stock of aspirin.

'We have been spending a lot of time trying to source appropriate products, and working with GPs to find alternatives that patients can switch to,' he says.

Shortages of prescription drugs can also be costly.

'Medicines are subject to supply and demand,' explains Martin Sawer, executive director at the Healthcare Distribution Association, which represents wholesalers.

'If there is plentiful supply, then the price comes down. If supply can't meet demand straight away, then the prices go up. These prices change on a daily basis.'

The NHS reimburses pharmacists for prescription drugs they dispense, paying a set price known as a drug tariff. But when there are problems and a drug is in short supply, pharmacies may end up paying above the listed price to get hold of it.

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If this happens, the Department of Health will meet the higher price and pay back pharmacies - this is called a concession.

The list of concession prices, published by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, gives a good indication of drugs which are in short supply. A total of 43 items were listed in March, but this grew to 74 in April and 80 in May.

Figures from May suggest the price of antidepressant sertraline was up by 823 per cent, with the NHS reimbursing 14.32 for a pack of 100mg tablets, instead of its usual 1.55. Exemestane, a hormone therapy used to treat breast cancer in post-menopausal women, soared in price by 827 per cent.

A 30-pack usually costs the NHS 6.64, but in May the concession price was 61.57.

The Government's Competition and Markets Authority has said it will investigate price rises throughout the supply chain during the Covid-19 pandemic and take action against any increases which it considers to be 'unjustifiable'.

Warwick Smith, director-general of the British Generic Manufacturers Association, says: 'If manufacturers increase prices for no good reason, then we will be the first to criticise them.'

As the UK prepares for a possible second wave of Covid-19, some experts argue that the supply chain must be strengthened to ensure patients have access to essential, life-saving drugs.

Shortages so far have not just been limited to pharmacies, Dr Hill warns. 'I've spoken to doctors who ran out of certain drugs in intensive care,' he says.

He believes the Government must now consider how it will source drugs and the ingredients to make them to avoid similar problems for pharmacies and hospitals in the future. 'At the moment, if China goes down, we don't have another option,' he says. 'The key is to have at least a Plan B, if not a Plan C. As a last resort, we should have the ability to make drugs within the UK.'

For patients worried about shortages, the advice is clear. 'Order your medicine seven days before you run out,' pharmacist Fin McCaul says. 'If there is an issue, this gives us time to source the medication, or speak to your GP about finding an alternative.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: 'Fluctuations in price for generic medicines are normal, but companies must not capitalise on the pandemic by charging unjustifiably high prices.

'The Competition and Markets Authority has set up a taskforce to investigate reports about businesses behaving unfairly, and can take action if necessary.'
Firefighters from the Spring Fire Department and the Cypress Creek Fire Department were recently recognized by the 100 Club as firefighters of the year for rescues made in their community.

Seven Spring firefighters were recognized with the honor for a rescue made last October at a Spring Motel 6, where they helped multiple people escape the burning building. The firefighters recognized were Deputy Chief Jerod Davenport, Captain Jermaine Wilson, and firefighters Rodger Hernandez, Shawn Kohl, Jeffrey Paige, Nathan Smith and Christopher Soliz.

Training continues during COVID-19: New firefighters join Spring Fire Department amid coronavirus pandemic

Smith called the award a great honor.

I was surprised at first when I found out about it, but Im just glad I could be of service and they wanted to recognize us for what we did, Smith said.

Smith said he was one of the firefighters on the first line to show up to the scene. One person had been pulled out of a third-story window and Smith was sent in with other firefighters to search the rest of the building for people still inside.

When we were halfway through the third floor we found a man in the hallway and his girlfriend was inside the room, Smith said.

On HoustonChronicle.com: 'Thousands of gallons' of oil illegally buried in Crosby, leaking into waterway, constable says

From there, they went back outside and rescued the two by helping them out of their bedroom window.

That was definitely one for the books, Smith said, three years into his firefighting career. As many would describe a career fire. Its something you may never get to be a part of in your life.

Smith said he didnt know what to expect on his way there but knew the men he was riding with were highly experienced and trusted them to focus on getting the job done.

Wilson, the officer on the crew for the rescue, said five people were pulled out in total that day, as well as some dogs.

If you can get the fire contained it makes everything better for everybody else, Wilson said. Were just trying to get the job done.

Hernandez called it the largest fire of his career, having been a firefighter for four years, and said emotions were running high going to the call and hearing there were victims trapped.

We train every shift, every tour for moments like these and it was time to put all that training and knowledge out on the field, Hernandez said.

Captain David Paige was another Spring firefighter given the honor by the 100 Club for a different fire, where he was able to rescue a mother who had been trapped on the second floor of her burning home.

Paige said they had gotten the call about the fire on the morning of Sept. 3 last year, when she stayed on the line with the 911 dispatcher the entire time until the firefighters arrived and let them know where she was inside the house.

Upon arrival, Paige climbed up a ladder to a window on the second floor, which he managed to break open and pull the woman outside.

By the time we got there she was still semi-conscious, but she could still barely stand up on her own power, Paige said.

Paige called the honor from the 100 Club a cool feeling.

For me its really just our job, Paige said. It entails that, so for them to recognize that, its great definitely, but its more for the family and the friends.

Three Cypress Creek Firefighters were also recognized by the 100 Club for rescuing a woman from her burning home in March: Lt. Jack Johnson, Eduardo Macias and Mario Medina.

Johnson said they had arrived on scene by about 3 a.m., so they knew there was a possibility of someone being inside and began pulling the hose out to put out the fire, which had already burned through the roof. They were then commissioned to search inside when they found the woman headed toward the bedroom.

From there, Jonson said they were able to get her out through the front door and onto a stretcher where emergency medical services took over.

Johnson, a firefighter of 15 years, said this was his first time to make a rescue. It was also the first rescue for Macias and Medina. Typically, the occupants are already out by the time they arrive on scene, he said.

Its crazy, Johnson said about receiving the award. Its pretty incredible, definitely very humbling for sure.

paul.wedding@hcnonline.com
India and China agreed on Friday to resolve a dispute over their shared border in the Ladakh region through diplomatic channels, the Indian foreign affairs ministry said

New Delhi: India and China agreed on Friday to resolve a dispute over their shared border in the Ladakh region through diplomatic channels, the Indian foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.

The statement came a day before top generals of the two countries are due to meet near the site of their border standoff to try and find a way to de-escalate the situation.

Indian officials said both sides would first focus on getting both the Indian army and the Peoples Liberation Army to pull back additional troops and equipment deployed in the area.

Soldiers from both sides have been camped out in the Galwan Valley in the high-altitude Ladakh region, accusing each other of trespassing over the disputed border, the trigger of a brief but bloody war in 1962.

Senior officials of the two countries held a video conference and agreed that the two sides should handle their differences through peaceful discussion and should not allow them to become disputes, the foreign affairs ministry statement said.

In Beijing, Geng Shuang, a spokesman of Chinas foreign affairs ministry, told reporters that the overall situation in the China-India border areas was currently stable and controllable.

While maintaining close communication through diplomatic and military channels, both sides are working to properly resolve relevant issues, the spokesman said, according to the statement posted on Chinas foreign affairs ministry website.

Both sides recalled the consensus reached by their two leaders that peaceful, stable and balanced relations between India and China would be positive for stability in the current global situation, the Indian statement said.
A day after Tik Tok star-turned-BJP leader Sonali Phogat thrashed Hisar market committee secretary Sultan Singh with a slipper during a visit to the Balsamand Mandi in Hisar, market committee officials across the state went on strike on Saturday and demanded the arrest of the BJP leader.

Market committee officials, farmers and commission agents raised slogans against Phogat outside the Hisar grain market.

Hisars Congress unit also extended support to Sultan and staged a protest in the city demanding the BJP leaders arrest .

Sultan Singh had admitted himself to the civil hospital for a medical examination after the assault.

On being asked if the women commission will take action, state commission for women vice-chairperson Preeti Bhardwaj said they had not received any complaint from either party.

A case was registered against Sonali Phogat under Sections 147 (rioting),149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 332 (hurting public servant to deter him from duty), 353 (criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 506(criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sultan Singh was booked under sections 354 (Assault or criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354-A and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal code.
Lagos State Government has accredited three private hospitals to manage COVID-19 cases in the state.

A statement from the Lagos State Ministry of Health quoted the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, as disclosing this at a news briefing to give situation report on COVID-19 management in the state.

Abayomi stressed that one of the accredited private hospitals is already admitting patients, adding that the other two will soon start admission and management of patients.

He said, They have passed the biosecurity compliance test. They have made modifications to their hospitals so that their staff and other patients are not put in danger or exposed to a higher risk of contracting COVID-19.



Those private hospitals have passed the test and we are just in the process of issuing them with accreditation certificate so that they can start managing COVID19 patients in the private sector.

However, even if they are managing COVID19 in the private sector, it still comes under the supervision of the Lagos State Government Ministry of Health.

Also, information about every patient managed by the hospitals must be made available to us so that we can record it in our database.

COVID-19 remains a public crisis and all public crises are managed and supervised by the Lagos state government and by extension the federal government of Nigeria, Abayomi said.

The names of the private facilities were not given in a copy of the press release obtained by Punch correspondent.

Meanwhile, Abayomi described as illegal the management of COVID-19 patients by private facilities in the state without the knowledge and approval of the government.

The commissioner stressed that every COVID-19 patient in the state must be known to the government for adequate data capturing.

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Pakistan has appointed a new envoy to Afghanistan in a fresh bid to ease tense bilateral relations.

Pakistani media said the new envoy, Muhammad Sadiq, a career diplomat, met with Foreign Minister Mehmood Quraishi in Islamabad on June 6.

Afterwards, Quraishi expressed hope that Sadiq would be able to improve bilateral ties.

Saddiq is from the Swabi district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. He earlier worked as Pakistan's ambassador in Afghanistan and as a spokesman for the Pakistani Foreign Ministry. Saddiq also served on the National Security Council.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have had strained ties for years. Kabul has long accused Islamabad of providing safe haven to Taliban militants who launch attacks against international and Afghan forces.

Pakistan has denied those allegations and blames Afghanistan for giving anti-Pakistani militants refuge to plot attacks in Pakistan, which Kabul denies.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 21:20:18|Editor: huaxia

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YAOUNDE, June 6 (Xinhua) -- At least four militants of terror group Boko Haram were killed when Cameroonian troops repelled a coordinated attack launched in the country's Far North region, the army said Saturday morning.

Weapons used by the terror group were also seized during the attack that took place Friday night in Sagme, a locality in the region.

"The terrorists came to attack the locality and were ambushed by troops who were secretly stationed there. Two of them were killed on the spot. A gun battle started and lasted for over four hours. Two others were killed in the process," a senior military officer who asked not to be named told Xinhua.

One government force was seriously injured in the battle, according to the army.

More than 2,000 people have been killed since Boko Haram launched attacks in the Far North since 2014, according to security reports. Enditem
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. CMG has intensified focus on digitalization, food safety and enhancement of customer experience. This apart, various sales-building and strategic initiatives bode well. Shares of the company have rallied 24.5% year to date against the industrys decline of 4.2%. However, the coronavirus pandemic continues to hurt the companys performance.

Lets delve deeper.

Key Catalysts

Chipotle is prioritizing its e-commerce program to gain customer confidence. The company is aggressively trying to make digital order placements more appealing to customers, thus adding more efficiency to its restaurant business in a bid to drive digital sales and retain customers despite the prevalent the coronavirus crisis. To this end, Chipotle redesigned and simplified its online ordering site, enabled online payment for catering, customized online meals and collaborated with several well-known third-party providers for delivery. During the first quarter of 2020, it also announced a successful national delivery partnership with Uber Eats.

Another initiative that has been benefiting the company is its rewards program. It has more than 11.5 million enrolled members. Over the past month, daily sign-ups spiked nearly four-fold, reflecting another positive sign that the companys digital platform is gaining traction from. Clearly, 65% of newly-enrolled rewards members is new to the Chipotle brand, up from 51% in pre-COVID-19 times. In the first quarter, digital sales soared 81% year over year to $372 million and accounted for 26.3% of total sales.

Over the past few years, the company has strengthened many of its food-safety initiatives. These include wellness checks before every shift, availability of trained nurses to evaluate employees health on the job and installation of advanced technology air purification systems to reduce the risk of viruses.

For the ongoing year, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) companys priorities will revolve around the five key initiatives, namely, use of stage gate process, optimal usage of digital programs to expand access and convenience, frequent customer interactions through loyalty programs, menu innovations and maintenance of operational excellence. Notably, these factors will help customers engage more closely with the company. Moreover, the company is focusing on unit extension to drive growth. It expects to inaugurate 150-165 restaurants in 2020.

Story continues

Concerns

Chipotles earnings results in the coming quarters are likely to be impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. The restaurant industry has been enduring traffic weakness for a while now. We believe, the pandemic mess will further dent traffic and sales in the coming quarters.

Although the companys comparable restaurant sales inched up 3.3% in the first quarter, the same was well below the 13.4% growth rate registered in the prior-year quarter. At February-end, comps were up 14.4%. However, the metric witnessed a sharp decline of 16% in March due to the coronavirus chaos. The company withdrew its comparable restaurant sales guidance due to this unprecedented uncertainty.

Stocks to Consider

Some better-ranked stocks in the same space are Domino's Pizza, Inc. DPZ, Wingstop Inc. WING and Yum China Holdings, Inc. YUMC, each currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Domino's Pizza, Wingstop and Yum China have an impressive long-term earnings growth rate of 12.5%, 11% and 9.5%, respectively.

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As coronavirus-related restrictions continue to ease, airlines are moving cautiously into their summer schedules with a touch of optimism about rising levels of passenger demand for both domestic and international flights. More overseas routes are coming back to San Francisco International in June and July, while United and American are scheduling an expansion of international service from all their hubs. Those two carriers are also expecting to expand domestic operations in July. Meanwhile, American pulls out of Oakland, offers double miles and reopens some Admirals Clubs; Delta extends its seat-blocking policy into September; and Frontier starts temperature checks.

In the latest round of schedule filings, some international carriers have indicated they plan to resume service to San Francisco International this summer. For example, Emirates most recent schedule update this week included a revival of Dubai-SFO operations on July 1, with four Airbus A380 flights per week, increasing to daily on July 15. (The airlines U.S. plans for July also include service to Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, New York JFK (both non-stop and a flight via Milan), Seattle and Washington Dulles.)

Lufthansas new plans include three weekly San Francisco-Munich roundtrips beginning June 23 with an A350-900 (this week, Lufthansa resumed LAX-Munich flights three days a week with an A350 and restarted SFO-Frankfurt service). And Cathay Pacific is expecting to operate three weekly SFO A350-900 flights from Hong Kong starting June 23, increasing to four a week on July 18.

Last week, we reported on Uniteds plans to resume flights in July from SFO to Tel Aviv, Delhi, Seoul and a consolidated SFO-Hong Kong/Singapore routing. But United will bring back international service in July from other hubs as well, restarting flights from Newark to Delhi and Dublin; Chicago OHare to Tokyo Haneda; and Washington Dulles to Brussels, London, Munich and Zurich. In early August, United expects to resume Denver-Frankfurt and Denver-Tokyo Narita flights, and by early September to add Houston-Narita, LAX-Sydney and Newark-Hong Kong.

American Airlines said this week that although demand for international flights is slower to return than domestic bookings, it is nonetheless adding more global service. This week, it resumed flights from Dallas/Ft. Worth to Amsterdam, Paris and Frankfurt; from Chicago and New York JFK to London; and from Miami to Guayaquil and Quito, Ecuador as well as Antigua in the Caribbean. DFW-Dublin will start up July 7, but Americans biggest bump in international routes will come on August 5 with the revival of LAX to London; JFK to Paris and Madrid; Chicago to Athens, Barcelona and Dublin; Charlotte to London and Munich; Miami to Madrid; Philadelphia to London, Madrid and Zurich; and Raleigh-Durham to London. To South America, American will resume Miami flights to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo on August 5, as well as JFK-Sao Paulo, followed on September 9 by JFK-Buenos Aires and Miami-Buenos Aires.

As usual, we must repeat our frequent caveat that a flight back on the books is not necessarily a flight that will operate. The airline scheduling experts at OAG issued a commentary this week along the same lines. According to OAG, As we analyze what lies ahead, even just a few weeks out, it seems that there is a gap between what is scheduled and what is expected to flyIt would seem that airlines are now looking ahead to the next 4-6 weeks and adjusting schedules on a weekly basis for that period. But that still leaves a schedule for the rest of the year that looks wildly optimistic given that it is close to what was scheduled in 2019.

Frontier

On the domestic side, United said this week that its July schedule will bring a return of service to 140 suspended non-stop U.S. and Canadian routes because many customers have told us they are considering flying again. Uniteds overall activity (domestic and international) at San Francisco International will jump from 73 flights a day in June to 116 in July, with the number of destinations served increasing from 45 to 65. The airline is planning similar or greater increases at its other hubs. Systemwide, Uniteds July operations will feature increased schedules to business destinations like New York, Boston, Seattle and Philadelphia and more flight options to reopening leisure areas like Florida, Las Vegas, Charleston (S.C.) and Portland (Maine). In the west, United will add flights to outdoor recreation markets like Aspen and Jackson Hole, and it will resume transborder service to Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.

American said domestic demand is picking up faster than international. During the first three weeks of May, it carried an average of 78,718 passengers a day, but that jumped up to 110,330 in the last week of the month. The airlines May schedule had been reduced by 80 percent from last year, so by the end of May its average load factor was a rather crowded (by todays standard) 55 percent. Thus American plans to boost domestic flying this summer, offering a lot more capacity into Florida in July as the nations favorite theme parks begin to open, along with enhanced schedules to mountain destinations in Montana, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming as national parks and outdoor recreational spaces reopen and customer demand for these destinations continues to recover.

In Bay Area developments, American this week ended its Oakland-Phoenix American Eagle service  AAs last remaining route out of OAK. Southwest continues to serve the OAK-PHX market. Delta also pulled out of Oakland last month. United pulled out years ago...

Tim Jue

To allay customer concerns about its increasing domestic load factors and the diminishing of social distancing, American is now matching United in promising to notify travelers if they are booked on fuller flights and letting them rebook on one less crowded at no extra cost. The airline is also offering double AAdvantage miles to those who sign up in advance and book during June for flights departing before September 30. At the airport, meanwhile, American set a June 22 reopening for Admirals Clubs at Charlotte, Chicago DFW, LAX, JFK, LaGuardia, Miami, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington Reagan National. Other clubs, including the one in SFOs Terminal 1, will reopen as service centers and will be available to offer travel assistance, but without the usual customer amenities for now. (Reminder: A few weeks ago, American moved its SFO operations from Terminal 2 to Harvey Milk Terminal 1.)

Speaking of fuller flights, Delta said this week said it is extending through the end of September its policy of blocking middle seats from availability. Well also continue to block the selection of some aisle seats in aircraft with 2x2 seating configurations, Delta noted. The airline said the proportion of seats available for passenger selection will be capped at 60 percent in the main cabin (including Comfort+ and Premium Select), 75 percent in Delta One and 50 percent in first class. And effective June 10, we are resuming automatic, advance Medallion Complimentary Upgrades to Delta One (domestic U.S.), First Class and Delta Comfort+  which were previously being managed at the gate  subject to availability and as permitted by the seat caps, Delta said.

As it had promised, Frontier Airlines this week started subjecting all passengers to temperature checks before boarding, using touchless thermometers. If a customers temperature reading is 100.4 degrees or higher, and time allows, they will be given the opportunity to rest before receiving a second check, Frontier said. If their temperature doesnt improve, they will be barred from flying that day and will be offered rebooking for travel at a later date.

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The Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture in partnership with the Office of Diaspora Affairs (Office of the President) and the Diaspora African Forum has held a wreath laying ceremony in honour of George Floyd.

George Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old African American, was on Monday May 25, killed on the streets by a Minneapolis police officer in the United States.

The situation has been met with anti-racism protests across the globe.

Mrs Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, who led the ceremony, said it was to pray, remember and draw attention to the injustice that continued to be meted out to our brothers and sisters all across the Diaspora.

These include the African Diaspora Community in China, who were being wrongly treated due to the pandemic.

She said Floyd was not the first black person to have used the phrase, I can't breathe when his life was threatened, adding, racism in America continued to be a deadly pandemic for 400 years and Africans in the Diaspora yearned for a cure.

We need to take a breath as human beings, it has happened before, but the present situation we face today with the death of Floyd is going to result in change.

Mrs Oteng-Gyasi said one who condoned evil was just as guilty as the perpetrator, and that was why it was right for not only the perpetrator, Derek Chauvin, to be charged but all his accomplices who together with him, ensured that Floyd's life came to a premature end.

That is why we gather here today in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the USA to change the status quo, she stated.

Racism must end, and we pray and hope that Floyd's death would not be in vain but would bring an end to the prejudice and racial discrimination across the world.

Meanwhile, the Minister said Africa continued to open its arms to invite all the brothers and sisters back home.

Ghana, and for that matter Africa, is your home, and we are ready to welcome you home. Please take advantage and come home because you do not have to stay at a place where you are not wanted.

..., Africa is waiting for you. May the spirit of George Floyd rise like the Phoenix from the ashes of racism and lift up all persons of African descent from centuries of subjugation into a new world order. Your death shall never be in vain.

Mr Rabbi Kohen, Chairman of the PANAFEST Foundation, said it was important for Africans in the Diaspora to know that Africa stood with them as one people and whatever happened to African people in one place, African people felt it in every place.

He said since Ghana carried the Black Star of Africa and Ghana had always been the icon for people in the Diaspora, it was important for Ghana to show its solidarity by standing together today in this symbolic programme to say they stand with family of Floyd and with the families of all those who have suffered throughout the years by this brutality that was taking place by the law enforcement agencies and by other institutions that have upheld the ideology and the doctrine of white supremacy.

He said the ceremony was is in solidarity for the loss of Floyd's life and also for all of the other lives that had been lost throughout the years.

It was also to take a stand against the bigotry, racism and the institutions that uphold these ideologies and doctrines that must come trembling down.

This is not a fight just for African Americans and African people, but a fight for humanity. And everyone who has a humane soul must stand up for this universal God given right, Mr Kohen said.

Mr Kohen said, the justice that they sought was the justice system that saw every human being equal before the face of the law.

So it is not just about the law enforcement agencies but the systematic action that support racism into institutions and support such things as white rights and black suffering.

This must be ended, human beings must be human beings and the law must be the same for every human being on the face of the earth.

He said until there would be justice for Floyd, there would be no peace, because if we live in the image and likeness of God, who can condemn the image of our motherland and of our blackness and of our skin?

God made us in his own image and likeness and so when you offend any human being, for the colour of their skin, then you offend God's creation and this is the only way we can get justice when we do the right things.

Mr Kohen said justice would not only start with the prosecution of those who committed the murder but go within the system itself that gave them the mind to think that they could do this and get away with it.

The breath of life in each of us is gift of God and no one has the right to take that under any circumstances when you have not gone through any process of law to be found guilty of any crime, he emphasised.

Over the years, he said, people had portrayed Africa as a place of savages and sub human beings, and that was the root cause of the discrimination.

We must begin to legislate laws that can anticipate the return of Africans from the Diaspora to facilitate their right to their citizenship and their legal existence.

GNA
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tam may not have finished high school, but that doesn't stop her teaching children in Yen Quang Commune, Y Yen District, Nam Dinh Province.

Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tam instructs students in her special class in Yen Quang Commune, Y Yen District, Nam Dinh Province.

Suffering from brittle bone disease (osteogenesis imperfecta), Tam has overcome difficulties to fulfil her dream of becoming a teacher.

At the age of 30, she weighs 15kg and is confined to a wheelchair but sets a bright example for people with disabilities with a "down but not out" spirit.

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder meaning a person's bones break easily. People with OI also have weak muscles and bone deformities.

Tam can't remember how many times she's broken a bone, as just a change in posture can break one of her bones.

As she has aged, her health problems have multiplied to include heart, lung and stomach problems.

Due to her illness, Tam started the first grade when she was 8.

Tam still vividly remembers her first days at the primary school when she couldn't do anything but sit and listen to her teacher.

Seeing his daughter struggle to study every day, Tam's father decided to help her learn and after only two days, she could memorise the alphabet. Since then, with an extraordinary will, she has been an outstanding student.

Despite her eagerness to study, Tam was forced to drop out of education after graduating from secondary school as her family couldnt afford a motorbike to bring her to the high school that was 15km away from home. In the meantime, her health was worsening.

Undeterred, Tam decided to fulfil her dream in her own way  opening a free classroom to tutor students from the first to eighth grade who live nearby or anyone who needs her help.

"Working as a teacher is difficult for normal people, but it is 10 times harder for people with disability like Tam," said Nguyen Thanh Su, Tam's mother.

Su said she felt sorry for her daughter after seeing how hard she worked.

Over the past 16 years, hundreds of students have been taught by Tam. As her reputation spread, people from more than 20km away started to come to her classroom  a class with five 'nos' (no chalk, no blackboard, no podium, no lesson plan and no fee). However, it is always full of love.

To enrich her knowledge, Tam has bought many books and learned teaching techniques. Her family also gives a helping hand by preparing lunch for those who live far away.

Nguyen Thanh Nam, a local student, said he goes to Tam's class twice a week.

"I find it interesting. We have a lot of fun," he told VTV.

Nguyen Vu Long, another student, said although the way Tam taught was quite different from other teachers with no blackboard, he liked learning in her class, adding that it was easier for him to understand.

A lot of memories of her students fill her mind but one stands out.

It was early 2018, a child with mental problems was admitted to my class. The student could not recognise or memorise the alphabet.

Knowing that the child liked drawing, I thought of ways to associate letters with pictures of animals, she said. And it worked.

After learning with Tam, the child is now able to read and write.

When asked whether it is difficult to keep going without collecting a fee from the students, Tam said: Actually I think if we think it is difficult then it will be difficult  As long as my health is strong enough and the students still love me, I will continue my journey.

To help disadvantaged students, Tam has set up a study encouragement fund.

Although the gifts are just humble books and pens, they encourage students to strive academically.

The funding mainly comes from her online work, writing poems and short stories for newspapers.

Her efforts have paid off as many students from her class have enrolled in universities in Hanoi.

Tam loves reading as much as learning and teaching and she often asks for old books from others.

Besides tutoring the students, writing poems is also one of Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tam's hobby. Photo courtesy of Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tam

She now has a small library with more than 1,500 books of different fields ranging from textbooks to comics.

"I live in a rural area, so I understand the importance of a library to people here. I hope that students can grasp more knowledge beyond school textbooks."

"Books are a treasure trove of knowledge," Tam said.

Each student in her class is guided to choose books that were suitable for their age.

Tam has also worked with private libraries to exchange books to diversify the selection for readers.

Nguyen Thi Hoan, chairwoman of Yen Quang Commune's Women Association, said despite having difficulties in daily life, Tam managed to improve knowledge for local students.

"Tam does not only give them more knowledge in learning but also how to behave with other people to make them more perfect and become useful people for society," she said.

Despite her poor health, Tam is still active in charitable activities and takes part in exchange programmes, calling on other people to overcome their difficulties and do good deeds for society.

As she said: It does not matter how long we live, it is important that we lead a life of value, bringing happiness to others. VNS

Mai Hien

Teachers overcome difficulties to help disadvantaged kids Bumpy roads cannot stop teachers in the northwestern mountainous province of Son La from fulfilling their mission of teaching pupils in remote schools.
Claiming that the number of tests for Covid-19 in Mumbai has reduced drastically despite there being a rise in cases, Leader of Opposition and former chief minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis said the Maharashtra government is suffering from action paralysis.

The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is not only suffering from policy paralysis but also action paralysis. There is no coordination among the three ruling parties, coordination is also lacking between the government and the administration. This has affected their decision making, said Fadnavis while addressing an online press conference on Saturday.

Fadnavis also alleged that testing for Covid-19 in Mumbai has dropped drastically over the past few days when the number of patients increased to a large extent.

He said that testing in Mumbai compared to state figures has dropped to 27% as on May 31, from 56% on May 1.

This is a serious lapse and the government should immediately increase the number of tests being conducted in the city, he said.

The BJP leader criticised the government for failing to implement its own announcements. They announced plans to reserve 80% of the beds in private hospitals for the poor, but in reality, the acquisition has not happened from the [hospitals associated with] influential people. The treatment announced under Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, the medical insurance scheme extended to the entire population, is not applicable in many Mumbai hospitals, he said.

The former CM also blamed the government for the lack of personal protection equipment (PPE) kits for frontline workers. The initial stock of the kits was procured from corporate houses under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) drive. To shrug off responsibility, the state has blamed the Centre for inadequate supply of PPE kits, he said.

Lashing out at the Shiv Sena, Fadnavis said that the party was inconsistent in its political stand. Sometimes they praise the Prime Minister, while the next moment they criticise him. Similarly, they attack the Maharashtra governor over some issue and bow before him the next moment, he said.

He also demanded that an adequate relief package be announced for citizens affected by Cyclone Nisarga this week. The government should look beyond the standing NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) norms for the relief package for the natural calamity. We had given relief three times more than the norms to the Sangli-Kolhapur flood-affected people last year. A similar policy should be allotted by the government for the cyclone-affected people.
NIA charges one in fake currency case

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 06: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against one person in connection with a fake currency case that was reported in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.

The case relates to the recovery of high quality fake Indian currency notes having the face value of Rs 2,49,500. The UP ATS had seized the notes from one Mohammad Murad Alam in 2019.

NIA files chargesheet in Purnea fake currency case

LAC talks: Military commanders of India-China meet to defuse border tension | Oneindia News

The case was later handed over to the NIA. Investigation has disclosed that accused Mohammad Murad Alam was involved in trafficking of high quality counterfeit Indian Currency Notes (FICN) sourced from one Sadar Ali alias Bengali of Malda, West Bengal and was supplying it to one Shahnawaj Ansari alias Bunty of Ghaziabad, UP.

He had brought high quality FICN multiple times, purportedly smuggled from Bangladesh from the same source and was supplying to the same consignee in UP.
By Zofeen T Ebrahim

I wont allow this on my watch, said an incensed chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), Hafeez ur Rehman, talking to The Third Pole over the phone from the capital city of Gilgit. He was referring to the recent announcement by Prime Minister Imran Khan in which Khan talked about opening the tourism industry and directed the provincial governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and G-B to prepare standard operating procedures in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The prime minister pointed out that the warm months were important for those whose livelihoods are linked to tourism and feared a continued closure could lead to more joblessness.

As coronavirus infections in the country spiked and fatalities increased following a relaxation of the lockdown on 9 May, many were expecting an imposition of a stricter lockdown. In fact, two weeks before the government had eased the lockdown, the Punjab health department had warned of an unprecedented spike in the rate of infections in Lahore alone. No workplace and residential area of any town is disease-free, it had warned.

In light of these apprehensions, this decision to further open tourism has raised eyebrows. Some have termed it crazy and insane.

Putting communities at risk

He [the prime minister] will be responsible for mass homicide, said Lahore-based Maria Umar, a social entrepreneur working for financial empowerment of women and who visits the mountainous regions of Pakistan religiously every year.

Hunza is probably the one place thats safe from COVID-19 and he [prime minister] is putting the lives of those people at risk by opening tourism! I want to go to the mountains and spend a week camping in Deosai, but what I need to do for myself and others is stay put where I am, she emphasised. He is giving a false sense of security to others which is going to end ugly, Umar warned.

While some in the government will eagerly point to countries in Europe which are reopening tourism hotspots like Romes Colosseum and the leaning tower of Pisa, it is important to note that these countries have largely come down from their peak phases whereas Pakistans is a few weeks away.

Pakistan is now among the worlds top ten countries when it comes to new daily deaths and cases.

Governments defence

Defending the prime ministers announcement, Aftab Rana, chairman of the National Tourism Recovery Action Committee, said the decision was neither sudden nor out of the blue, but a well thought-out one.

We have been meticulously working on developing a strategy to open up tourism now for the last three months, he said. He added that the idea is not to open the floodgates for tourists, but allow controlled tourism with strict health measures.

He said that stakeholders such as big and small hoteliers to restaurant owners, porters and transporters have been consulted by the government. Even shop owners, tour operators and guides were part of the decision-making, he said.

This was endorsed by Khushal Khan, Secretary Tourism of KP. Once we get a nod, we will ensure through the district administration and the police that the SOPs (standard operating procedures) are enforced, he said.

Khan said crowding will be limited both in terms of occupancy in guest rooms and in dining areas of hotels as well as restaurants and no one will be allowed anywhere without masks and gloves. Social distancing and disinfecting guidelines will also be put in place. He said the signage, sign boards and pamphlets for the tourists to follow the rules have already been designed.

But G-Bs chief minister Rehman remained unconvinced. It is one thing to have these on paper; quite another to implement them on the ground, he said. I oppose this emphatically!

Unfortunately, he said, his term will end on 24 June.

Pakistan on the cusp of tourism boom

The fears expressed by Rehman and others in the travel trade are legitimate. Even in big cities in Pakistan, many of the SOPs in place for public gatherings, shops and mosques have been blatantly violated. Mask wearing and face coverings are far from the norm and commercial centres are crammed with people standing close to one another.

Despite these violations of SOPs and the swelling cases and deaths, the government appears desperate to re-open travel to the mountains. Even pre-COVID-19, Imran Khan was eager to boost tourism in Pakistans scenic northern areas, with many speculating that the October 2019 visit of Prince William and Kate Middleton would put Pakistan back in the spotlight as an attractive, safe tourist spot.
by Ali Hasnain - Shafique Khokhar

In his medical entrance exam, Kamran Safdar was passed over by Quran memorisers who get a higher score by regulation. Under this system, Christians are the most discriminated group. Kamran wants religious minorities to get the same treatment as Muslims.

Lahore (AsiaNews)  Christians and members of other Pakistani minorities are victims of discrimination when it comes to university education, especially in medicine and engineering. Kamran Safdar is one of them.

After completing high school with a high score (89.44/100), the Christian student was unable to fulfil his dream of becoming a doctor because Hafiz-e-Quran, Quran memorisers, took precedence in the university admission process. By regulation, the latter get the maximum score regardless of their actual performance.

Kamran has from humble background. He lives in the Sargodha district (Punjab), and works in a pharmacy. His father sells fruit, whilst his mother is a cleaner in a hospital.

His brothers dropped out of school to work to help him fulfil his dream. But together they did not earn enough to pay the tuition at a private university, as well as the fee for the preparation course for the medical entrance exam, which costs 40,000 rupees (US0).

Nevertheless, Kamran was able to take the admission exam in 2018 and 2019 at a public university, but on both occasion Quran memorisers beat him to it.

The young Christian man feels discriminated because he has a deep knowledge of his own faith, but only Muslims are given extra points for knowing their religion.

The regulation dates back to 1987, at the time of General Zia-ul-Haq's regime. Cameron Younis, a theologian and researcher at Hope University in Liverpool, notes that the problem of the extra points for Hafiz-e-Quran students has never been addressed by politicians or the courts.

Christians are the most marginalised and deprived minor community in Pakistan, Younis told AsiaNews. To end this discrimination, deserving students should raise their voices; otherwise this injustice will continue.

For Peter Jacob, president of the Centre for Social Justice, a solid religious background is a good thing, but extra points should be given to all students, irrespective of religion.

Last month the Punjab Provincial Assembly passed a law that guarantees religious minorities 2 per cent of the places in local universities; however, many non-Muslim students are still left out.

More importantly, despite the improvement, the Christian communitys demand for access to university based on merit has not been met.
Hospitalisations in Delhi during third Covid wave significantly lower than second

Isolation facility not mandatory for flyers testing positive on arrival from at-risk countries: Check guidelin

Rajasthan Unlock 1.0: Hotels, restaurants, malls to open from June 8, but with riders

India

oi-Deepika S

Jaipur, June 06: With hotels and other hospitality units set to open as part of Unlock 1.0, the Rajasthan government allowed the activities to operate from Monday with certain conditions amid the ongoing lockdown.

In continuation of the implementation of Lockdown 5.0, the activities listed above have been permitted but they will have to follow guidelines issued by the Union Health ministry to prevent COVID-19 spread, Rajasthan Home Secretary Rajeeva Swarup said on Saturday.

Punjab Unlock 1.0: Clothing trials prohibited in shops, no 'prasad' distribution at temple

He said restaurants and clubs will have to ensure six feet distance in seating arrangements. Fast food outlets with standing table arrangement should ensure distance of at least eight feet between tables and not more than two guests on a table.

Hotels, hospitality units and shopping malls will have to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the Union Home ministry.

All Hotels shall ensure the following arrangements:

India Covid-19 infections crossed Italy's tally making it the 6th worst-hit nation | Oneindia News

Entrance to have mandatory hand hygiene (sanitiser dispenser) and thermal screening provisions.

Only asymptomatic staff and guests shall be allowed.

All staff and guests to be allowed entry only if using face cover/masks. The face cover/masks has to be worn at all times inside the hotel.

Adequate manpower shall be deployed by hotel management for ensuring social distancing norms.

Staff should additionally wear gloves and take other required precautionary measures.

All employees who are at higher risk i.e. older employees, pregnant employees and

employees who have underlying medical conditions, to take extra precautions. They should preferably not be exposed to any front-line work requiring direct contact with the public. Hotel management to facilitate work from home wherever feasible.

Proper crowd management in the hotel as well as in outside premises like parking lots-duly following social distancing norms shall be ensured. Large gatherings/congregations continue to remain prohibited.

Valet parking, if available, shall be operational with operating staff wearing face covers/ masks and gloves as appropriate. A proper disinfection of steering, door handles, keys, etc. of the vehicles should be taken up.

Preferably separate entry and exits for guests, staff and goods/supplies shall be organised. Maintaining physical distancing of a minimum of 6 feet, when queuing up for entry and inside the hotel as far as feasible. Specific markings may be made with sufficient distance to manage the queue and ensure social distancing in the premises.

Number of people in the elevators shall be restricted, duly maintaining social distancing norms. Use of escalators with one person on alternate steps may be encouraged.

Details of the guest (travel history, medical condition etc.) along with ID and self- declaration form must be provided by the guest at the reception.

Posters/standees/AV media on preventive measures about COVID-19 to be displayed prominently.

Hand sanitisers must be kept at the reception for guests to use. Guests to sanitise hands before and after filling relevant forms including A&D register.

Hotels must adopt contactless processes like QR code, online forms, digital payments like e-wallet etc. for both check-in and check-out.

Luggage should be disinfected before sending the luggage to rooms.

Guests who are at higher risk i.e. those who are older, pregnant or those who have underlying medical conditions are advised to take extra precautions.

Guests should be advised not to visit areas falling with in containment zone

Required precautions while handling supplies, inventories and goods in the hotel shall be ensured. Proper queue management and disinfection shall be organised.

Appropriate personal protection gears like face covers/masks, gloves and hand sanitisers etc.shall be made available by hotel to the staff as well as the guests.

Detailed guidelines issued for restaurants shall be followed.

Seating arrangement in the restaurant also to be made in such a way that adequate social distancing is maintained.

Disposable menus are advised to be used.

Instead of cloth napkins, use of good quality disposable paper napkins to be encouraged.

Contactless mode of ordering and digital mode of payment (using e-wallets) to be encouraged.

Buffet service should also follow social distancing norms among guests.

Room personnel should leave the packet at guest or customer's door and not handed directly to the receiver. The staff for home deliveries shall be screened thermally by the hotel authorities prior to allowing home deliveries.

For room service, communication between guests and in-house staff should be through intercom/ mobile phone and room service (if any) should be provided while maintaining adequate social distance.

Gaming Arcades/Children play areas (wherever applicable) shall remain closed.

For air-conditioning/ventilation, the guidelines of CPWD shall be followed which inter alia emphasises that the temperature setting of all air conditioning devices should be in the range of 24-30 degree Celcius, relative humidity should be in the range of 40- 70 per cent, intake of fresh air should be as much as possible and cross ventilation should be adequate.

Effective and frequent sanitation within the premises shall be maintained with particular focus on lavatories, drinking and hand washing stations/areas.

Cleaning and regular disinfection (using 1per cent sodium hypochlorite) of frequently touched surfaces (door knobs, elevator buttons, hand rails, benches, washroom fixtures, etc.) to be made mandatory in all guest service area and common areas.

Proper disposal of face covers / masks / gloves left over by guests and/or staff should be ensured.

Deep cleaning of all washrooms shall be ensured at regular intervals.

Rooms and other service areas shall be sanitised each time a guest leaves.

In the kitchen, the staff should follow social distancing norms at work place.

Kitchens area must be sanitised at regular intervals.

In case of a suspect or confirmed case in the premises:

Place the ill person in a room or area where they are isolated from others.

Provide a mask/face cover till such time he/she is examined by a doctor.

Immediately inform the nearest medical facility (hospital/clinic) or call the state or district helpline.

A risk assessment will be undertaken by the designated public health authority (district RRT/treating physician) and accordingly further action be initiated regarding management of case, his/her contacts and need for disinfection.

Disinfection of the premises to be taken up if the person is found positive.

Note: Persons above 65 years of age, persons with comorbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years are advised to stay at home, except for essential and health purposes. Hotel management to advise accordingly.
OPEC+ to meet Saturday on extending cuts, pushing for compliance FILE PHOTO: A 3D printed oil pump jack is seen in front of displayed Opec logo in this illustration picture

By Vladimir Soldatkin, Olesya Astakhova and Rania El Gamal

MOSCOW/DUBAI (Reuters) - OPEC and its allies led by Russia will meet on Saturday to discuss extending record oil production cuts and to push laggards such as Iraq and Nigeria to comply with existing curbs.

The producers known as OPEC+ previously agreed to cut supply by 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) during May and June to prop up prices that collapsed due to the coronavirus crisis. Cuts have been due to taper to 7.7 million bpd from July to December.

Two OPEC+ sources said Saudi Arabia and Russia had agreed to extend the deeper cuts until the end of July but said Riyadh was also pushing to extend them until the end of August.

"The conditions right now warrant hopefully successful meetings," Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told Reuters on Friday, adding that coordination was under way to hold the OPEC and OPEC+ meetings on Saturday.

For a graphic on OPEC+ Cuts for May and June:

https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/editorcharts/yxmvjorrwpr/eikon.png

Benchmark Brent crude <LCOc1>, which slumped below $20 a barrel in April, was up over 5% on Friday to trade at a three-month high above $42. Prices had slipped earlier this week from recent highs on uncertainty about when OPEC+ would meet.

Saturday's video conferences would start with talks between members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries at 1200 GMT and would be followed by a gathering of the OPEC+ group at 1400 GMT, OPEC said on Friday.

Three OPEC sources said an extension to cuts was contingent on high compliance. They said countries that produced above quota in May and June must promise to adhere to targets and compensate for any earlier overproduction by cutting more in July, August and September.

The energy minister of the United Arab Emirates, Suhail Al Mazrouei, called for improved compliance in a letter to OPEC+.

"As a representative of the UAE, I find it disappointing and unacceptable that some of the largest producers with capacity like (Saudi Arabia) and Russia comply 100% or more while other major producers do less than 50%," he wrote in the letter seen by Reuters.

Story continues

Iraq, which had one of the worst compliance rates in May according to a Reuters survey of OPEC production, agreed to the additional pledge, OPEC sources said. [OPEC/O]

"The Saudis have been pushing Baghdad hard to comply," one OPEC+ source said. "Iraq has agreed to the pledge to improve its full compliance with the cuts."

Baghdad blamed technical reasons and a recent change in its government for weak compliance in May, another OPEC source said.

It was not clear how exactly Iraq would agree with oil majors working on its territory to reduce output further. The country is yet to assign a new oil minister with the finance minister also performing the role of acting oil minister.

Nigeria said in a statement earlier this week it had made "concerted efforts to adhere to [its cut] commitment and will continue to do so unequivocally". The country aims to reach full compliance by the end of the month, the country's oil minister Timipre Sylva said, adding that they measured their compliance in May at 52%.

Mexico, which resisted pressure by other OPEC+ members to cut output by 23% or 400,000 bpd, agreed to cut output by 100,000 bpd only for May and June at the April meeting. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday his country was not in a position to make any additional cuts, but that Energy Minister Rocio Nahle would be taking part in the OPEC+ meeting.

The OPEC+ technical and ministerial committee meetings, which review the market and usually make recommendations on policy, were now scheduled for June 17 and 18, OPEC+ sources said.

For a graphic on OPEC May Production:

https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/editorcharts/nmopakdaopa/eikon.png

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin and Olesya Astakhova in Moscow and Rania El Gamal in Dubai; Additional reporting by Alex Lawler in London, Anton Kolodyazhnyy in Moscow and Libby George in Abuja; Writing by Ahmad Ghaddar; Editing by Edmund Blair and Frances Kerry)
GURUGRAM: The Gurugram Police on Saturday registered an FIR against renowned cardiologist Dr Naresh Trehan, Medanta Hospital and some others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case relating to the acquisition of land.

According to the Zee Media sources, Dr Naresh Trehan, who is the owner of Medanta Hospital, has been charged with money laundering and Sections 120B, 406, 463, 467, 468, 471 of the IPC. The case is related to the year 2004 when the Haryana government launched a project to build a Medicity in 53 acres of land in Sector 38 of Gurugram under HUDA.

However, it is alleged that Dr Naresh Trehan in connivance with government officials acquired this land for building his hospital due to which the state government suffered a huge loss. The action against the renowned cardiologist and his hospital has been taken on the basis of a complaint filed by complainant Raman Sharma.

In his complaint, Raman Sharma has alleged that in the year 2004, then Haryana Government had acquired 53 acres of land in Sector 38 of Gurugram for the Medicity Project but nothing like that happened.

It has been alleged that under the Medicity Project, a research center and a world-class hospital was to be constructed on this land along with a place providing shelter to patients and their family members, but nothing happened. On this land, a hospital was built by Dr Naresh Trehan for purely commercial use.

The aim of creating Medicity was to create an international level hospital in the country with facilities like research, medical studies, a hostel for students, but nothing of this sort happened. Complainant Raman Sharma also alleged that the money is being sent elsewhere. It was said that under the project, a board will be formed, which will include an official from the government, to keep an eye on the functioning but this did not happen.

It is also alleged that the cost of the whole project was estimated to be around Rs 900 crores, but despite knowing the fact that Dr Naresh Trehan could not spend so much money, he and others connived to take control of the project.

In June last year, Raman Sharma had also approached the Enforcement Directorate to file a money laundering case against the doctor. The central agency later sent this complaint to the Gurugram Police for necessary action. But nothing happened in the case.

After that, the complainant approached the Gurugram court. On the court's direction, a case has now been registered against Naresh Trehan, Sunil Sachdeva, Atul Punj, Anant Jain, and unknown government officials at the Sadar police station of Gurugram Police.
Actor Sonu Sood is continuing to send migrant workers and labourers back to their homes amid the coronavirus lockdown in the country. He has now sent 200 idli vendors from Tamil Nadu back to their homes from Mumbai, as per an Instagram post by photographer Viral Bhayani.

Sonu arranged buses for the food vendors to take them home. A few women thanked him by doing an aarti of the actor while he accepted their gratitude with joined hands. A video also shows Sonu breaking a coconut in front of the bus for good luck.

Sonus fans were in awe of his kindness and hard work. This is what people with privileges do for others!!! He has all my respect. I wish him more success! The society needs more of him. Bollywood actors should learn something from him, read a comment. His deeds look so genuine unlike others who do it for publicity, read another comment.

Also on Saturday, Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat thanked Sonu for sending migrant workers stuck in Mumbai to their home in Uttarakhand by a chartered flight and invited him to visit the hill state when the coronavirus crisis is over.

Rawat spoke to Sonu on phone to express his gratitude. Talked to film actor Sonu Sood today on phone to thank him for his humanitarian gesture. He and all religious and social organisations that helped migrants return to their home states have done a commendable job, Rawat said in a Facebook post.

Also read: Begusarai actor Rajesh Kareer asks people to stop giving him more money, says Ive received more than Im worthy of

After hearing from Rawat, the actor on Twitter said he derived more strength from the chief ministers words of praise. It was good to hear from you sir. The simplicity and warmth with which you praised my efforts have given me more strength. I will soon come to Uttarakhand for a darshan of Badri-Kedar and pay a visit to you, the actor tweeted.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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The government of Ghana organized a memorial ceremony in honor of African American George Floyd with a resolve to support blacks all over the world to break from racism.



The ceremony held at the historical W.E.B Du Bois memorial center for Pan African Culture was under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture.



"We would like to use this occasion to draw attention to the injustice that continues to be meted out to our brothers and sisters all over the world," the minister for Tourism Arts and Culture Barbara Oteng-Gyasi said.



She said the situation in the United States was so serious that it was not limited to only African Americans, but also visiting Africans.



"Racism in America continues to be a deadly pandemic, for which for more than 400 years now, our brothers and sisters in the U.S. have yearned for a cure," she said.



The minister was hopeful that Floyd's death would not be in vain, but would ignite the process towards the much-desired change.



The head of mission for the Diaspora African Forum Erika Bennett thanked the Ghanaian government for its support for the cause of Africans in the diaspora as well as honoring the memory of George Floyd.



Floyd, 46, died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes until he stopped breathing.



Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and former presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Dramani Mahama have condemned the act by the white police officer, urging an end to racism against blacks in America.

Source: xinhuanet.com









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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2020) - Oculus VisionTech Inc. (TSXV: OVT) (OTCQB: OVTZ) (FSE: USF1) (the "Company" or "Oculus") , an emerging data security provider, is pleased to report, further to the Company's news release of April 20, 2020, that the Company has completed the acquisition of 100% of the shares of OCL Technologies Corp. www.ocltechnologies.com (hereafter "OCL"), a Delaware Corporation, with its head office located in the technology hub of San Diego, California. OCL is specifically focused on providing enterprise organizations and individuals with highly-secure data privacy tools that provide sustained and continuous global regulatory compliance of data subject rights, while independently protecting all parties. With the burgeoning growth of privacy regulation worldwide coupled with strict regulatory oversight, companies are dedicating significant resources to achieve and maintain compliance. In the past two years alone, initiatives such as the EU GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation effective May 25, 2018) as well as the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act passed June 28, 2018 and effective January 1, 2020) have mandated privacy rights and data protection for entities and individuals contemplated within their legislative frameworks. In addition to these, there are additional data privacy legislative initiatives on-going in Asia and both North and South America which will require data protection solutions. Oculus believes that the acquisition of OCL is a tremendous fit within its core objective of developing robust cutting edge technologies that address focused customer data protection requirements on a global scale.

"We are very pleased today to be able to report that we have closed the acquisition of OCL Technologies Inc., an emerging data security provider, based in the technology hub of San Diego, California . This acquisition will enable the Company to participate in what has been described by Industry followers as a large growing global marketplace requiring data security solutions. The acquisition supplements the Company's DPS document protection system which will allow the Company the opportunity to further develop leading edge cyber security and data protection products. We look forward to reporting on the progress of the same in due course," stated Rowland Perkins, CEO of the Company.

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About OCL

OCL Technologies www.ocltechnologies.com, is a startup specifically focused on providing enterprise organizations and individuals with highly-secure data privacy tools that provide sustained and continuous global regulatory compliance of data subject rights. Headquartered in San Diego, California, OCL Technologies was founded by industry veteran storage technology experts and is operated by an experienced management team.

Learn more about OCL Technologies at www.ocltechnologies.com.

About Oculus

Oculus, www.ovtz.com, is a cyber security company that creates systems for document and multimedia protection to combat tampering and digital piracy. Utilizing proprietary technology originally created for embedding digital watermarking video-on-demand (VOD) systems, Oculus has created a Cloud-based document protection system based on embedded digital watermarking. The Company's systems, services and delivery solutions include document, still image and motion video digital watermark solutions and documents, photographs (still image) and video content protection. Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Oculus was founded by experts in image processing and is operated by an experienced management team.

Learn more about Oculus at www.ovtz.com or follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/OculusVT) or Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Oculus

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Anton Drescher

Chief Financial Officer and Director

For further information, contact:

Anton Drescher

Telephone: (604) 685-1017

Fax: (604) 685-5777

Email: ajd@ovtz.com

Website: http://ovtz.com/

TSXV : https://tmxmatrix.com/company/OVT

US OTC Markets (OTCQB): https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/OVTZ/security

Berlin Borse: https://www.boerse-berlin.com/index.php/Shares?isin=US67575Y1091

Frankfurt Borse: https://www.boerse-frankfurt.de/equity/oculus-visiontech

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.

This news release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among others, statements as to the intended uses of the proceeds received from the Offering. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "pro forma", "plans", "expects", "may", "should", "budget", "schedules", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "potential" or variations of such words including negative variations thereof and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors including risks and uncertainties relating to, among others, the change of business focus of the management of Oculus, the inability of Oculus to pursue its current business objectives, the ability of the Company to obtain any required governmental, regulatory or stock exchange approvals, permits, consents or authorizations required, including TSXV final acceptance of the Offering and any planned future activities, and obtain the financing required to carry out its planned future activities. Other factors such as general economic, market or business conditions or changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting the Company's industry, may also adversely affect the future results or performance of the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and Oculus assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Although Oculus believes that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance those beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions will prove to be accurate.

Investors should consider all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosed in Oculus' periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the United States Securities Exchange Commission and Canadian securities regulators. These reports and Oculus' public filings are available at www.sec.gov in the United States and www.sedar.com in Canada.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/57378
Investors who take an interest in Senior plc (LON:SNR) should definitely note that the Independent Chairman, Ian King, recently paid UK0.86 per share to buy UK130k worth of the stock. We reckon that's a good sign, especially since the purchase boosted their holding by 262%.

Check out our latest analysis for Senior

Senior Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In fact, the recent purchase by Ian King was the biggest purchase of Senior shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at around the current price of UK0.91. Of course they may have changed their mind. But this suggests they are optimistic. While we always like to see insider buying, it's less meaningful if the purchases were made at much lower prices, as the opportunity they saw may have passed. Happily, the Senior insiders decided to buy shares at close to current prices.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid UK323k for 323.95k shares. But insiders sold 27469 shares worth UK26k. In the last twelve months there was more buying than selling by Senior insiders. The average buy price was around UK1.00. This is nice to see since it implies that insiders might see value around current prices. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

LSE:SNR Recent Insider Trading June 6th 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.

Does Senior Boast High Insider Ownership?

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Our data suggests Senior insiders own 0.3% of the company, worth about UK1.0m. I generally like to see higher levels of ownership.

Story continues

So What Do The Senior Insider Transactions Indicate?

The recent insider purchases are heartening. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. We would certainly prefer see higher levels of insider ownership but analysis of the insider transactions suggests that Senior 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. While conducting our analysis, we found that Senior has 3 warning signs and it would be unwise to ignore them.

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.
In a big shift from its earlier position, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued new guidelines that say everyone should wear a three-layer fabric or non-medical mask in public to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

People aged above 60 years or with health issues should wear a medical mask in settings where social distancing is difficult, and all others should wear a three-layer fabric mask that acts as a barrier for potentially infectious droplets, according to the new guidelines released on Friday.

In light of evolving evidence, WHO advises that governments should encourage the general public to wear masks where there is widespread transmission and physical distancing is difficult, such as on public transport, in shops or in other confined or crowded environments... Based on this new research, WHO advises that fabric masks should consist of at least three layers of different material, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO.

Coronavirus outbreak: Full coverage

Wearing masks in public is already compulsory or recommended for everyone in some countries, including India, Singapore, France, Spain, Germany and Argentina, among others.

Those wearing a cloth mask should choose a three-layer fabric mask made of absorbent cotton closest to the face, followed by a polypropylene layer and then a synthetic layer that is fluid-resistant, WHO said.

The advisory includes tips on how to don and doff, discard or reuse masks . People can potentially infect themselves if they use contaminated hands to adjust a mask, or to repeatedly take it off and put it on, without cleaning hands in between. Masks can also create a false sense of security, leading people to neglect measures such as hand hygiene and physical distancing, said Dr Tedros.

Previous WHO guidelines limited mask use to healthcare workers, healthy people taking care of suspected or confirmed Covid-19 patients, and people coughing and sneezing. The health agency was against universal use because of fears that a scramble for masks would lead to shortages and deprive those who really need them of masks.

The new guidance follows research commissioned by the global health agency that found that wearing masks and keeping a distance of two metres from others are the most effective ways of stopping the spread of Covid-19. But these interventions, even when properly used and combined, do not offer complete protection from infection when used alone, and must be used with other protective measures, such as hand hygiene, found a review of 172 studies from 16 countries published in The Lancet, on June 2. Based on the available evidence on physical distancing, face masks, eye protection and handwashing, we cannot say which one is best at this point. They are all effective, but the combination of those interventions it likely better than any of the interventions alone, said study co-lead Professor Holger Schunemann of the department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact at McMaster University in Canada, in an email.

The study also found that respirators and multi-layer masks are more protective than single-layer masks. This finding is vital to inform the proliferation of home-made cloth mask designs, many of which are single-layered. A well designed cloth mask should have water-resistant fabric, multiple layers, and good facial fit Universal face mask use might enable safe lifting of restrictions in communities seeking to resume normal activities and could protect people in crowded public settings and within households, said Professor Raina MacIntyre from the Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales in Australia, in an accompanying comment. She was not involved in the study.

With the pandemic yet to peak in India, protective behaviours are critical to stop the spread of the disease. We need very strict wearing of masks, social distancing and frequent handwashing. I would say, we literally need policing of masks and other social distancing behaviours to enforce compliance whenever youre out, whether it is in public transport, office, school or a market, said Dr Randeep Guleria, director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.

Current evidence suggests that Covid-19 is most commonly spread by respiratory droplets, especially when people cough and sneeze, entering through the eyes, nose, and mouth, either directly or by touching a contaminated surface, but there is increasing concern about spread through aerosols, which are tiny saliva and vapour droplets suspended in air that are produced when we speak or breathe.

I cannot say this clearly enough: masks alone will not protect you from Covid-19. Masks are not a replacement for physical distancing, hand hygiene and other public health measures. Masks are only of benefit as part of a comprehensive approach in the fight against Covid-19, said Tedros.

The cornerstone of the response in every country must be to find, isolate, test and care for every case, and to trace and quarantine every contact. That is what we know works. That is every countrys best defence against Covid-19, he said.

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President Donald Trump and his allies have sought to blame left-wing extremists for the violence and looting at US protests over police brutality while local authorities and watchdog groups have pointed to the threat posed by right-wing movements.

A recent US intelligence assessment reviewed by Reuters this week said most of the violence at protests appears to have been driven by opportunists. But the assessment also said there was some evidence that organized extremists were tied to violence or promoting it online.

WHICH GROUPS ARE BEING SINGLED OUT?

President Donald Trump and some fellow Republicans have sought to blame the left-wing anti-fascist Antifa movement but have presented little evidence.

Liberal watchdog groups and some local authorities have warned that members of the anti-government boogaloo movement or white supremacist groups could infiltrate protests.

Federal prosecutors filed charges this week against three alleged boogaloo members accused of plotting to cause violence and destruction at Las Vegas protest.

WHAT IS ANTIFA?

Antifa, short for anti-fascist, is an amorphous movement whose adherents oppose people or groups they consider authoritarian or racist, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which monitors extremists. Antifa aims to intimidate and dissuade racists, but its aggressive tactics including physical confrontations can create a vicious, self-defeating cycle of attacks, counter-attacks and blame, the ADL said.

The FBI has been increasingly concerned about violence perpetrated by Antifa at public events, according to a 2018 report by the Congressional Research Service, a public policy research arm of the US Congress.

WHY IS ANTIFA SO WELL-KNOWN?

Antifa grew in notoriety following a 2017 rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, organized by white supremacists and white nationalists who clashed violently with counter-protesters. Trump drew criticism afterward when he said there were very fine people on both sides and blamed many sides for the violence. Trump specifically mentioned Antifa.

You know, they show up in the helmets and the black masks, and theyve got clubs and theyve got everything, Trump said of Antifa days after the rally.

Mark Bray, author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, said Trump was focusing on Antifa to redirect the conversation away from social and economic discontent in the United States at the heart of the protests.

There just arent enough members of Antifa groups out there to do everything theyre being blamed for, said Bray, a lecturer in history at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

WHAT IS THE BOOGALOO MOVEMENT?

The anti-government boogaloo movement embodies a militant ideology whose members believe the United States will enter into a second civil war, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups. Boogaloo followers anticipate the government will attempt to confiscate peoples guns.

The boogaloo ideology itself is not white supremacist, but some white supremacist groups have embraced it, the ADL found.

Whereas the militia movement (and) radical gun rights activists typically promote the boogaloo as a war against the government or liberals, white supremacists conceive of the boogaloo as a race war or a white revolution, the ADL wrote in a November analysis.

Boogaloo groups have grown in popularity online in the past year. The Tech Transparency Project, a Washington-based tech watchdog group, found tens of thousands of people joined boogaloo-related Facebook groups over a 30-day period in March and April as stay-at-home orders took effect across the United States to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Project researchers found discussions about tactical strategies, weapons and creating explosives in some boogaloo Facebook groups.

WHAT ABOUT WHITE SUPREMACISTS AND WHITE NATIONALISTS?

A small number of white supremacists and white nationalists have been spotted at recent protests, according to watchdog groups and media reports. The Nationalist Social Club, a neo-Nazi group, appeared to have had some presence at protests in Boston and Knoxville, Tennessee, the ADL said. Members of the far-right Proud Boys were seen at North Carolina and Oregon protests last weekend, according to media reports.

Nate Snyder, a former US Department of Homeland Security counter-terrorism official, said it is likely anarchists were among the protesters in recent days, but doubted they would pose a credible violent threat.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Is masked transit the future of mass transit?

Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) has called for the mandatory use of non-medical face coverings by Winnipeg Transit passengers to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. There is growing precedent for implementing such a measure: Ottawa is the first city in Canada to officially make non-medical masks a requirement for passengers and staff on its public transit system; those rules go into effect on June 15. Across the pond, England has also declared face coverings compulsory on public transport.

Non-medical masks have been a requirement for Canadian airline passengers since the middle of April. On June 3, Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau expanded those requirements to include flight crew and airport staff, as well as rail and marine workers.

JULIO CORTEZ / ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES) Travelers wear masks for protection from the coronavirus as they settle into their seats on a Delta Airlines flight before takeoff from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

On its face, pardon the pun, making masks mandatory isnt a bad idea in theory. In May, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canadas chief public health officer, recommended all Canadians wear masks in public as an "added layer of protection" when physical distancing is not possible. Physical distancing is not always possible on the bus, despite Winnipeg Transits directives to travel at off-peak times and only for essential trips, maintain distance between oneself and others at bus stops and while riding the bus, and not board an already-crowded bus.

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.

But theres theory, and then theres practice. For one, how "mandatory" is mandatory? In Ottawa, for example, rides will not be refused to non-compliant passengers, taking into consideration that some people may not have access to masks. In England, meanwhile, fines may be handed down for those flouting the rules, but questions remain about how, exactly, compliance will be enforced when the compulsory mask rule takes effect later this month.

How quickly "mandatory" becomes a suggestion.

If masks were to become mandatory on Winnipeg Transit buses, enforcement would largely be left to bus operators, which may not be realistic. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files)

In Canada, airline passengers must prove they have the required non-medical mask or other face covering with them; if they dont, they could be denied boarding. Not so in the United States, where many airline passengers are frustrated with the lack of enforcement  as well as the lack of clarity  on masking, per a recent story in the New York Times. While flight crews have no issue telling passengers they must fasten their seatbelts and return their tray tables to their upright position for take off and landing, telling passengers they must don a mask appears to be a rule that is lopsidedly enforced, leaving many people wondering: what good is having a rule if there are no immediate consequences for breaking it?

If masks were to become mandatory on Winnipeg Transit buses, enforcement would largely be left to bus operators, which may not be realistic considering that safety demands the operators attention be directed at the road ahead and not on the passengers behind.

Perhaps, then, its better to focus on encouragement rather than enforcement, which can be done via formal awareness campaigns, yes, but also the visible examples of operators and riders who do choose to wear their masks. Just like adherence to physical distancing and proper hand hygiene, compliance is ultimately up individuals. Masks are just one more thing to normalize.
06.06.2020 LISTEN

Social media is about sociology and psychology more than technology.  Brian Solis

Social media is not another world on its own but an extension of the real world displayed on technology. Hence, whatever we do there impacts our value proposition in the marketplace. According to Prof. Bob Hinson of the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) in a discussion on Zoom with Rev. Albert Ocran , there are three commandments of social media that must guide us in engaging with people and marketing of our personal and business brands. I have rephrased them to sound like the biblical 10 commandments.

"Social media is not another world on its own but an extension of the real world displayed on technology."

#1. Thou Shall Not INSULT Other People

The first commandment of social media is not to use derogatory words at other people. I have observed that in this generation some people (especially the youth) have thrown away the good value of respect for the elderly in society. Young people insult elders because they believe they deserve it because they have sinned in the public eye. Others hide behind anonymity and insult people and drag their reputation in the mud. I am not saying that we cannot comment on what other people do but we must check our language in the public domain.

"We can share our views without insulting others."

Nelson Mandela of blessed memory said that we can make our point without shouting. We can share our views without insulting others. There is so much dignity in that. Whereas Paul said to young Timothy not to rebuke an elderly in public ( 1 Timothy 5:1 ), Peter said we must answer people with respect and gentleness ( 1 Peter 3:15 ). These are important signposts of maturity.

#2. Thou Shall Not DENIGRATE Your Competitors

In his book The Walmart Way, the once COO of Walmart, Don Soderquist said that Sam Walton (founder of Walmart) will visit his competitors' shop to pick an idea or two about what they are doing right but not to go there to discover something against them. We can do better than our competitors if we are humble to learn from them and add to what we know and are doing already. Do not bring other people down in order to rise in life. I see people make other people their subject of discussion on social media whilst the people are busily achieving their dreams. The Bible says we must not rejoice when we see our enemies fall ( Proverbs 24:17-18 ).

"We can do better than our competitors if we are humble to learn from them and add to what we know and are doing already."

Just days ago, I read about how Christian blogger Tim Challies met Pastor Rick Warren whom he had written a lot about and reviewed his books. He disagrees with him theologically but before he went to meet him, he went back to review his works about the man to know if there was any way he had been unfair to him or crossed the line to say what he shouldnt have said. We must regularly review what we are sharing about other people or competitors. When Jimmy Swaggart was criticizing Jim Bakker , little did the world know that his own sin will be revealed as well. What goes around comes around.

#3. Thou Shall Not Comment On What Is UNRELATED To Your Brand

The third and last commandment is thou shall not comment on what is unrelated to your personal or business brand or you will display your crass ignorance. There are people who want to comment on virtually everything ranging from politics to academia to ministry to family and many more as if they are the repository of all knowledge. You are not! No one is! We all somehow lack expertise in certain areas of life.

"If you force yourself to discuss what you have little knowledge in, you will display your ignorance."

When I started writing, I vowed that there were certain topics I will not venture. I will not pretend to know something I have no idea about! If you are on social media, you must go into arenas where you are knowledgeable or seeking to learn but not to go and show you know when you dont. You can allow the experts to handle it better.

These are good commandments to keep us in focus whilst we express ourselves on social media. Thou shall not break any of these commandments or you will face their consequences.

What's your favorite of the three commandments? Share your views below.

Eric Otchere

The writer is passionate about sharing content that can help people make the right choices in life.

He writes a daily blog at erickotchere.blogspot.com.

He can be reached via mail at [email protected]
President of Ukraine and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed peace restoration in Donbas and the results of the Ukrainian delegation's visit to Germany on June 2, Zelensky's press service said.

The pair praised the high level of mutual understanding on key approaches to the peace process where diplomacy is the only way, the statement said.

"It was a very meaningful visit that will give impetus to the Normandy format," Zelensky was quoted by the press service as saying.

"We are open, we are ready to move forward. It is extremely important to guarantee the International Committee of the Red Cross access to the occupied territories for the verification of detainees. The OSCE SMM's access to monitoring is also important. We want to agree on new disengagement areas. Effective implementation of the agreements reached last year in Paris should pave the way to the next summit in Berlin," the Ukrainian president said.

He reaffirmed his mindedness for maximum coordination of efforts with partners, France and Germany, on the question of reaching a settlement for Donbas. "Merkel stated her support for the changes in the work of the Trilateral Contact Group initiated by Ukraine," the statement said.

Zelensky informed Merkel on the current security situation in Donbas, pointing out the problems that require more attention from Ukraine's international partners. He also thanked Germany for its clear-cut and consistent stance on the impossibility of changing the G7 format until full restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The two sides also discussed bilateral agenda including the coordination of efforts in fighting COVID-19, and their financial and economic relations.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, has said the state has commenced plans to execute home-based treatment for mild and asymptomatic cases of COVID-19, while severe cases will be managed at the isolation centres.

Mr Abayomi said this on Friday during a press briefing at the State Secretariat.

He also warned that private health facilities should not manage COVID-19 cases without the approval of the state government as this is illegal.

The commissioner said home-based care is necessitated by the increasing number of positive cases in the community which is a result of the increase in testing capacity.

He added that with the increasing number of positive cases, the possibility of running short of bed spaces in isolation facilities cannot be ruled out making it imperative to opt for home-based care for people who have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic to the infection.

We are going to define who can be managed at home and who can be managed in an isolation facility. It is a bit of a simple decision. If you are asymptomatic you qualify to be managed at home simply because most people in that category will naturally get well without any medical intervention. After all if you are not feeling any symptom you may not know you have COVID19, nothing happens to you and you may clear the virus after seven to 10 days.

The people we want to pay more attention to are the moderate to severe ones because they are not suitable for home-based care, he said.

Mr Abayomi said the process will be duly monitored, noting that mild and asymptotic patients may turn moderate or severe and will require intensive management.

He added that patients receiving home-based care will be provided with a COVID-19 pack with which they can monitor their body temperature, measure their oxygen level and be given certain vitamins and pain-relieving drugs to manage themselves.

When we manage you at home we are going to monitor you. We will call you by phone, people will come and visit you, your family members can call us. With our developed EkoTelemed, we can have a consultation with you in your house without us coming. We are going to give you COVID-19 pack where you can measure your temperature, oxygen level, give you certain vitamins and pain killers so that you can have a comfortable time while you are isolating at home, he said.

Private clinics

Addressing the issue of private health facilities managing COVID-19 patients, the commissioner said it is illegal if they do not have the approval of the state.

The commissioner disclosed that only three private hospitals have already been accredited to manage COVID-19 cases stressing that one is already admitting patients and the other two will soon start admission and management of patients.

They have passed the biosecurity compliance test. They have made modifications to their hospitals so that their staff and other patients are not put in danger or exposed to a higher risk of contracting COVID19.

We are just in the process of issuing them with accreditation certificate so that they can start managing COVID-19 patients in the private sector. Even if they are managing COVID-19 in the private sector, it still comes under the supervision of the Lagos State Government Ministry of Health, Mr Abayomi said.

If you are managing COVID-19 without government permission and we are not capturing your cases in our database, you are performing an illegal act according to the laws of Lagos State.

COVID19 remains a public crisis and all public crises are managed and supervised by the Lagos State government and by extension the Federal Government of Nigeria, he said.

As of Friday, Lagos has performed over 22,000 tests, while the state is ramping up its testing capacity from 1000 tests per day to about 2000, the Commissioner said.
The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture has invited African Americans to re-settle in Ghana if they feel unwanted in the USA.

She said at a collaboration with the Ghana Tourism Authority, Office of Diaspora Affairs and the Diaspora African Forum to organised a memorial and wreath-laying ceremony at the W. E. B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture in honour of George Floyd.

The late George Floyd was an African American who was gruesomely killed by a white American police officer in the USA on 25th May, 2020.

Speaking at the ceremony on Friday, 5th June, 2020, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Barbara Oteng-Gyasi expressed the hope that the death of Mr Floyd will put an end to racism, not only in the US but across the globe.

Racism in America continues to be a deadly pandemic, for which for more than 400 years now, our brothers and sisters in the United States of America have yearned for a cure. George Floyd was not the first black person to use the phrase I cant breathe... The present situation we face today in the year 2020 with the death of George Floyd is going to result in change One who condones evil is just as evil as the one who perpetrates it. That is why it is right not only for Chauvin to be charged but all his accomplices who, together, [killed George Floyd], Ms Oteng-Gyasi said.

She continued: We gather in solidarity with brothers and sisters to change the status quo. Racism must end. We pray and hope that George Floyd's death will not be in vain but will bring an end to prejudice and racial discrimination across the world.

Ghana, last year, opened up the country to receive Africans in the diaspora through a government initiative called the Year of Return. Thousands of African Americans and blacks from other countries visited the country.

This year, the government has launched the Beyond the Return initiative to help Africans in the diaspora to settle in Ghana and invest in the economy.

To this end, Ms Oteng-Gyasi noted that Ghana is ready to welcome every African in the diaspora who is ready to return to the continent away from the racial abuse they have suffered for about 400 years.

We continue to open our arms and invite all our brothers and sisters home. Ghana is your home. Africa is your home. We have our arms wide open ready to welcome you home. Please take advantage, come home build a life in Ghana, you do not have to stay where you are not wanted forever, you have a choice and Africa is waiting for you, said Ms Oteng-Gyasi.

The death of George Floyd, who told the white cop he could not breathe while he knelt on his neck, has sparked protests across the US for the past 10 days.

The white officer Derrick Chauvin has since been arrested and charged with 3rd-degree murder and manslaughter.

The other three officers who did not intervene and also held Floyd down when their colleague had his knee on his neck, J Alexander Kueng, Thomas K. Lane and Tou Thao have also been arrested and charged with aiding and abetting murder.
New Delhi, June 6 : The public conduct of Sonali Phogat can only be described as an aberration, with Haryana having a battery of big women leaders to boast of, starting with the first woman parliamentarian from the state Chadrawati to late Sushma Swaraj, notwithstanding its conservative society.

Apart from the former Foreign Minister, the list also includes former Union Minister and state Congress President Selja, Jindal industrial house matriarch Savitri Jindal, and JJP leader Naina Singh Chautala.

Despite having a stark gender divide in the state some of these women leaders became most popular faces in Indian politics like Sushma Swaraj, who started off as a minister in Haryana in 1977, and earned the reputation of being a people's minister until she passed away last year. She rose to occupy senior positions at the Centre.

Selja, a prominent Dalit face of the Congress, struggled hard to come up. Her launch was marked by a defeat in a Lok Sabha bye-election from Sirsa in 1987, caused by the death of her father, Dalbir Singh. She tasted victory the next time over and hasn't looked back since. She is known to enjoy the trust of both Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son, Rahul Gandhi, and is, therefore, destined to play an important role both in the state and the Congress party, irrespective of how strong her bete noire Bhupinder Singh, former chief minister, is.

Naina Singh Chautala is the first "bahu" (daughter-in-law) of the Devi Lal-clan to have stepped out of her home to join the rough and tumble of electoral politics. Standing her ground despite complications created by the conflict between her sons' political interests and the demands of the Chautala clan's value system, she has successfully chipped in for her husband Ajay Chautala. An effective campaigner, she is now into her second term in the assembly.

Chandrawati, who had been all through a state-level leader, suddenly hit the headlines in 1977 when she defeated the then Defence Minister Bansi Lal on a Janata Party nomination in the Bhiwani constituency. She also served as the state president of the Janata Party in its heydays as also Lok Dal (Ajit).

Kiran Chaudhary, well-known in the Capital's political circles, faced successive defeats in Delhi Assembly elections, except one, after which she became the deputy speaker. The Tosham assembly seat, represented by her father-in-law Bansi Lal and husband Surender Singh, in the Haryana Assembly, proved to be extremely lucky. First elected to the Haryana Assembly in a bye-election after Surender Singh's death in an aircrash in 2005, she hasn't lost any election since then. She has been a minister, as well as the leader of Opposition in the state assembly.

Chaudhary's daughter, Shruti Chaudhary, too entered politics after Surender Singh's death and won the Bhiwani Lok Sabha seat for the Congress 2009. However, she lost both the 2014 and 2019 elections.

Om Prabha Jain held the finance portfolio, which was considered a very manly domain, in Bansi Lal's cabinet in 1977. By all accounts, it was widely believed that she would be the chief minister if Bansi Lal were to be replaced by someone. But she was not very fortunate. She did not get an opportunity to display her full potential.

Kamla Verma was the president of the state unit of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and served as the health minister in Devi Lal's Cabinet. She was jailed for 19 months during the Emergency.

There were and still are good many of them who have fought, won and lost elections. For instance, former deputy speaker Lekhwati Jain, ex-MP Subhadra Joshi, former ministers Prasanni Devi and Shakuntala Bhagwaria, Sharda Rani, Sumita Singh, Basanti Devi, Latika Sharma.

Vidya Beniwal, a Devi Lal loyalist, who served as a member of the Rajya Sabha and the assembly, stood out as someone different. Because she made it a point to draw a "ghunghat" over her face in the presence of Devi Lal, as well as Om Prakash Chautala.
Vatican cardinal leads Rome prayer service in solidarity with Floyd protests.

The highest-ranking US cardinal at the Vatican, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, has deplored the unjust killing of George Floyd, praying for Floyd and his family as well as all victims of racism and injustice.

Cardinal Farrell, who is the prefect of the Vatican's office for Laity, Family and Life, presided over a prayer service in Rome on 5 June, held in honour of Floyd and other victims of racism, and calling for peaceful coexistence in the US.

The service was organised by the S. Egidio Community, a Trastevere-based Catholic charity which is deeply involved in justice and peace issues, and is close to Pope Francis.

Among the diplomats present was the US ambassador to the Holy See, Callista Gingrich, and her husband Newt, the former US house speaker.

Cardinal Farrell, an Irish-born naturalised US citizen, said the protests that have broken out after Floyds death make it clear that the civil rights movement of the 1960s has failed to resolve all of Americas race problems.

"Especially for us American citizens" - the cardinal said - "it is a source of great sadness to see how discrimination, prejudice and hatred on racial grounds still persist in our country.

Speaking earlier in the day to The Associated Press, Farrell underlined the Christian principles on which the US nation was founded: equal protections under the law, the right to life, liberty and the equal possibility of prosperity and well-being for all.

Farrell noted that African Americans "had been excluded almost as an entire group" from the opportunities that the US constitution and its principles purport to offer all US citizens, reports AP.

Floyd, an African-American, was killed on 25 May by a white Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes, while other police officers watched.

Farrell told AP that Floyd's brutal killing after his arrest was "so unreal it seemed like a movie," saying: They are trained individuals who knew that in that position, that person was not going to survive.

Farrell recalled the words of Pope Francis during his 3 June papal audience when he said: "We cannot tolerate or close our eyes to any kind of racism or exclusion and claim to defend the sacredness of every human life."

The prayer service at S. Egidio comes ahead of a Black Lives Matter demonstration, to protest "the murder of George Floyd and the systemic racism that keeps African Americans from living fully free lives in America."

The protest, which was originally scheduled to take place in Piazza SS. Apostoli, has been moved to the larger Piazza del Popolo due to the increasing numbers of people expected to attend.

The event will take place on Sunday 7 June at 11.00.
A cyclist on a Maryland trail who was captured on video roughly grabbing a young woman while she posted flyers against police brutality was arrested and charged Friday with three counts of second-degree assault, the police said.

The Maryland-National Capital Park Police said the cyclist, Anthony Brennan III, 60, of Kensington, Maryland, was tracked down after the agency received hundreds of tips from people who had seen the video, which has been viewed more than 29 million times on Twitter.

Before Brennan was arrested, social media users incorrectly identified two men as suspects, including a retired police official. The Montgomery County Department of Police and the attorney general of Maryland were forced to say that those men were not involved.

The police said that Brennan was biking along the Capital Crescent Trail near Washington on Monday at about 12:45 p.m. when he came upon three young people who were hanging flyers. Two of them were 19 and one was 18.

The flyers, described as a call for community action, read: A man was lynched by the police. What are you going to do about it? according to Capt. Jeffrey Coe, a spokesman for the Maryland-National Capital Park Police.

Brennan began to argue about the flyers and forcibly grabbed them from one of the teenagers, the police said. He then pushed his bicycle toward another one of the teens and caused him to fall to the ground, the police said.

The encounter happened as thousands of demonstrations against police violence and racism have raged across the country in the days since George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis, died after a white police officer knelt on his neck.

In the video, the cyclist, wearing bike shorts, a bike helmet and sunglasses, walks toward a young woman with papers in his hand, while another woman yells, Do not touch her! and a man yells, Leave her alone! The cyclist grabs the womans arm roughly, before another woman pushes him away, yelling, Get off of her! The cyclist then grabs his bike and charges at the young man recording the encounter, who falls to the ground.

The Maryland-National Capital Park Police said that detectives used various sources to corroborate information provided by the community before identifying Brennan as the primary suspect. After contacting Brennan and his lawyer on Friday, the police said, they got his permission to search his home, where they seized evidence.

After the police obtained an arrest warrant, Brennan surrendered to detectives Friday evening. Each count of second-degree assault carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

I am sick with remorse for the pain and fear I caused the victims on the trail, and online, Brennan said in a statement released by his lawyers, Andrew Jezic and David Moyse. I am cooperating fully with authorities. I am committed to making amends by addressing, through counseling, the underlying issues that led to my abhorrent behavior.

The statement noted that several people had seen their reputations tarnished after they were incorrectly identified as suspects online. It said that Brennan understands that his apology will not be enough to right his wrongs.

Anthony Brennan recognizes that his outrageous behavior toward the young adult victims on the Crescent Trail was unacceptable and wrong, the statement said. The outrage felt in our community and across our country is completely justified.

Brennan had worked for a branding company that distributes logos for promotional products but had not made a sale in months as the business dried up during the coronavirus pandemic, Moyse said.

The Maryland-National Capital Park Police said it appreciated the courage and civic engagement of the victims who came forward in this matter.

We thank the community for the abundance of tips and information shared, the agency said.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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The anti-police brutality protests continue for an 11th day in Los Angeles. Demonstrators are demanding justice for black Americans killed by police officers, as well as asking officials to defund the L.A. Police Department.

Here's what we're seeing on the ground. We'll update throughout the day.

HOLLYWOOD

Protestors blocked the intersection of Hollywood and Vine this afternoon, later marching down Sunset.

Hollywood and Vine right now. Its about BLM but also about the White House. Trump/Pence Out Now pic.twitter.com/OcAi1CPpc8  Josie Huang (@josie_huang) June 6, 2020

(Chava Sanchez/LAist)

(Chava Sanchez/LAist)

(Chava Sanchez/LAist)

(Chava Sanchez/LAist)

(Chava Sanchez/LAist)

A Metro bus driver honked her horn and blew kisses at the protesters, who cheered as she drove away. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

National guard signs a woman's cast at Saturday's Hollywood protests. June 6, 2020. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

DOWNTOWN

Over a hundred protesters gathered this morning at City Hall and Grand Park.

Good morning from DTLA.



National Guard headed to LAPD HQ bringing water and MREs (as @chavatweets1 noticed) pic.twitter.com/Bpx5ziLRKe  Josie Huang (@josie_huang) June 6, 2020

The National Guard was spotted heading to LAPD headquarters, with water and MRE's (military-style meals) for the day. They had a strong presence on the ground today.

(Josie Huang/LAist)

"We saw seven National Guard trucks lined up in a row," reporter Josie Huang said.

The gathering was peaceful. Blair Sebastian Toles of Van Nuys handed out flowers to protesters, who created makeshift memorials.

Blair Sebastian Toles of Van Nuys hands flowers to protesters. June 6, 2020. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

A photo of the late George Floyd, pasted on a jewelry store in downtown Los Angeles, June 6, 2020. (Josie Huang/LAist)

A makeshift Black Lives Matter memorial near City Hall. June 6, 2020. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

(Chava Sanchez/LAist)

A make-shift memorial for victims of police violence. June 6, 2020. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

#SayHerName sign at City Hall. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Protestors socially distancing at City Hall. June 6, 2020. (Chava Sanchez)

"You about to lose yo job" is from a viral tweet of a black woman being arrested by police. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Protesters at City Hall, June 6, 2020. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

(Josie Huang/LAist)

(Josie Huang/LAist)

(Josie Huang/LAist)

SIMI VALLEY

Several thousand protesters gathered in Simi Valley this morning and afternoon.

The protest began at Cochran and Sycamore, with demonstraters marching about two miles to Simi Valley City Hall. The protesters have been concentrated in a few different areas along the two-mile route, including at Tapo Canyon and Alamo.

(Aaron Schrank/LAist)

The protest was organised by high school students, and was met with controversy, including condemnation by local city councilman Mike Judge.

On Monday Judge posted a meme of protesters on Facebook with this caption: "Wanna stop the riots? Mobilize the septic tank trucks, put a pressure cannon on 'em, and hose 'em down. The end."

He later said the meme was a joke, according to CBS: "That's all I wanted to do, was make fun of the mask wearing but obviously people didn't take it that way. I don't think I did anything wrong, except maybe post a joke that was in bad taste."

Simi Valley has a complicated history with racism in Southern California. In 1992, the trail for the police who beat-up Rodney King was moved from Los Angeles to Simi Valley, after claims that jury members in L.A. would be too biased.

The four officers were found not guilty. There were no black-identifying members of the jury, which was made up of nine white members, one biracial, one Latino and one Asian.

Jason Michael showed up to support the Black Lives Matter movement. He says anyone opposing it needs to understand that racism still exists in Simi Valley.

"I mean I've had my fair share of racism being in this town in the eight, nine years that I've been here, so it's definitely prevelent," he said. "I mean, everybody knows about it. It's just everybody's quiet about it and this is a chance for everybody to show up and say that they're not quiet and, take a stance on something that's right."

A small group of counter-protesters also made an appearance today. Erin Sanchez was one of them.

"Every single person in America has their right to peacefully protest," she said.

(Aaron Schrank/LAist)

(Aaron Schrank/LAist)

PROTESTS TODAY: WHERE AND WHEN

Note: This is by no means an exhaustive list. Let us know if we missed anything and we will update.

Downtown L.A., Peaceful Protests For Us By Us, 8 a.m., organizers say their goal is "to encourage California officials to take action and help their citizens fight injustice, especially within the black community."

CalState L.A., King Hall, 10 a.m. Organizers say "We stand in solitary with our Black brothers, sistars, queer, trans, and non binary family." They also said via Instagram that they ask attendees to observe social distancing and "respect space."

USC, Jefferson Blvd. and McClintock, 10 a.m. Organized by the USC Black Students Association

Highland Park

Campus Rd. and York, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Figueroa and York, 3 p.m.

Please Join Homeless Hook Ups this Saturday as we March for Justice here in our Highland Park Community!!! #BlackLivesMatter #JusticeforGeorgeFloyd #NoSystemicRacism #Unity #HIghlandPark #Equality



Posted by Homeless Hook-Ups on Thursday, June 4, 2020

, Hollywood and Vine, 12 p.m.

Midcity, Cochran Baptist Church, 1304 S. Cochran Ave., March to Wilshire Police Station, organized by Chochran Avenue Baptists Church Social Justice Minisgtry, 9:30 a.m.

Protesters on San Vicente Blvd. in midcity. (Megan Larson/LAist)

Koreatown, Liberty Park, 3700 Wilshire Blvd., 12 p.m.

Najite Agindotans drumming team of the Olokun Cultural Group perform at the #BlackLivesMattters protest at Liberty Park in Koreatown. @KPCC @LAist pic.twitter.com/4tsSwLFZEW  Marina Pena (@bymarinagiselle) June 6, 2020

Fairfax, Pan Pacific Park, 7600 Beverly Blvd, 12 p.m.

Torrance, 3331 Torrance Blvd., 1 p.m.

Rancho Palos Verdes, Trump National Golf Club, 1 p.m.

West L.A., Wilshire Federal Building, 11000 Wilshire Blvd., 2 p.m.

South L.A., 10700 Budlong Ave., 3 p.m.

Porter Ranch, Porter Ranch Dr., 11 a.m.

West Hollywood, Plummer Park, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd., 10:30 a.m.

Century City, 10250 Constellation Ave, 12 p.m.

BACKGROUND

Around the country, protesters are expressing rage and mourning after the death of George Floyd, who died on Memorial Day after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes as he begged for mercy before becoming limp and unresponsive.

The four officers on the scene have all been fired. The officer charged with Floyd's murder, Derek Chauvin, has a history of misconduct. He has now been charged with secondd-degree murder and manslaughter.

The three other officers were charged this week with aiding and abetting Chauvin's actions.

HOW WE'RE COVERING THIS:

Reporters Aaron Schrank, Josie Huang and Stephanie O'Neil are on the ground today. Photojournalist Chava Sanchez is documenting visuals. Digital Producer Gina Pollack, Editor Oscar Garza and News producer Julia Paskin are anchoring the story and helping keep it updated.

MORE ON LA PROTESTS



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Indian Army spokesperson on Saturday stated that India and China are engaged through the established military and diplomatic channels to address the current situation in the India-China border areas. The Army spokesperson said that speculative and unsubstantiated reporting about these engagements would not be helpful, advising the media to refrain from such reporting.

The statement came amid high delegation-level talks that began on Saturday morning between the officials of both countries in a bid to resolve the month-long row over the Line of Actual Control. The foreign ministry officials of both nations on Friday discussed the flaring of tensions on the disputed Himalayan border.

The talks are happening at the Chinese-side of the Chushul-Moldo Border meeting point. The Indian delegation of officials at the meet include Lt Gen Harinder Singh, the commander of 14 Corps along with 10 other officers who were part of the earlier meetings with the Chinese counterparts. From the Chinese side, the delegation is represented by Major General Lin Liu, Corps Commander, South Xinjiang Military Division and 10 other officers from the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA).

Also read: Chinas salami-slicing tactics displays disregard for Indias efforts at peace

During Fridays meeting, both sides agreed that in accordance with the guidance provided by their leadership, they should handle their differences through peaceful discussion bearing in mind the importance of respecting each others sensitivities, concerns and aspirations and not allow them to become disputes, the external affairs ministry said in a statement.

Statements issued in New Delhi and Beijing after Fridays talks referred to not allowing differences to become disputes. The Indian statement spoke about respecting each others sensitivities and concerns, while the Chinese sides readout said the two sides should not pose a threat to each other and should enhance strategic mutual trust.

Tensions built up along the LAC following violent clashes between hundreds of Indian and Chinese troops in the Sikkim and Ladakh sectors last month. Army officers of the two sides have held several meetings along the disputed border but have been unable to break the impasse.
In a first phase, the university will not use any sort of surveillance software to monitor its students.

The University of Luxembourg explained on Friday evening that the final decision is yet to be taken. The potential use of a video-surveillance platform during the upcoming exams was recently criticised. Due to the pandemic, the exams will held online. Among others, the student association UNEL raised concerns over fundamental rights and privacy.

The university stated that it wanted to make sure that the software fulfilled all criteria, e.g. when it comes to data protection. However, because this complex process could not be completed at short notice this particular instrument will not be used. Instead, the university will make use of different approaches such as oral exams or tests which students can take home with them.

However, this does not mean that the surveillance tool will never be used. The university stated that it wanted to wait for the necessary analysis results, pointing out that only a small part of exams was affected anyway. The university will also inform students beforehand, if the tool will be used and confirmed that students will still be able to refuse being monitored by it. According to a member of the delegation, Sam Bernard, this decision was taken by the University of Luxembourg on Friday afternoon and the students were informed accordingly.

RTL article: Uni.lu: Student union criticises lack of information on video-surveillance platform

E-mail to students

Dear students, dear colleagues,

I wish to update you on the Universitys plans to organize exam sessions in a remote setting, and particularly on the possible use of a remote proctoring tool for a limited number of exams.

The University is under the obligation to ensure the integrity and safety of its exams. A remote proctoring software can help us reach this goal. At the same time, the University wishes to ensure that all modalities of use of such a tool are in line with its obligation to protect the privacy of the users.

As of today, we are still in the process of establishing that the tool under consideration fulfills all criteria in this respect. This is a lengthy and complex process which has been going on for a few weeks already. The fact is however that, at this stage, we do not yet have a fully complete picture.

For the time being, therefore, the University has decided not to use the tool under consideration for the proctoring of remote exams. Until the final details can be clarified, other forms of remote exams will be used (Webex, oral exams, take-home exams). If and when the remote proctoring tool is introduced, this will happen with adequate lead time, allowing for proper preparation and testing, and the students will keep the right to refuse being proctored via the software. In the latter case, the University would assign the student an exam in a different format.

Some of you have expressed their discomfort and have raised concerns about privacy with the solution that the University is exploring. We take these concerns seriously. However, we also take our responsibility towards students and society very seriously. It is important for all our students that we protect the quality of our diplomas. We deploy all efforts to reach this goal.

I wish all students a very good start of exams.

Best regards,
The existential question that every big tech platform from Twitter to Google to Facebook has to wrestle with is the same: How responsible should it act for the content that people post? The answer that Silicon Valley has come up with for decades is: Less is more. But now, as protests of police brutality continue across the country, many in the tech industry are questioning the wisdom of letting all flowers bloom online. After years of leaving President Trumps tweets alone, Twitter has taken a more aggressive approach in recent days, in several cases adding fact ...
In this Monday, Oct. 28, 2019 file photo, Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic, poses for a photo outside the New York Stock Exchange as fireworks are exploded before his company's IPO. In 2020, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said space is currently a $400 billion market, including satellites. Opening up spaceflight to paying customers, he said, could expand the market to $1 trillion. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

SpaceX's debut astronaut launch is the biggest, most visible opening shot yet in NASA's grand plan for commercializing Earth's backyard.

Amateur astronauts, private space stations, flying factories, out-of-this-world movie setsthis is the future the space agency is striving to shape as it eases out of low-Earth orbit and aims for the moon and Mars.

It doesn't quite reach the fantasized heights of George Jetson and Iron Man, but still promises plenty of thrills.

"I'm still waiting for my personal jetpack. But the future is incredibly exciting," NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren said the day before SpaceX's historic liftoff.

NASA astronaut Nicole Mann, who will test drive Boeing's space capsule next year, envisions scientists, doctors, poets and reporters lining up for rocket rides.

"I see this as a real possibility," she said. "You're going to see low-Earth orbit open up."

The road to get there has never been so crowded, with Elon Musk's SpaceX company leading the pack.

A week ago, SpaceX became the first private company to send people into orbit, something accomplished by only three countries in nearly 60 years. The flight to the International Space Station returned astronaut launches to the U.S. after nine long years.

In this Friday, May 1, 2020 photo provided by Virgin Galactic, the SpaceshipTwo Unity flies free in New Mexico airspace for the first time. Founder Richard Branson is the only one of the three billionaires planning to launch himselffrom New Mexico, hopefully, by year's endbefore putting customers aboard. (Virgin Galactic via AP)

"This is hopefully the first step on a journey toward a civilization on Mars," an emotional Musk told journalists following liftoff.

Closer in time and space is SpaceX's involvement in a plan to launch Tom Cruise to the space station to shoot a movie in another year or so. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine embraces the idea. He wants NASA to be just one of many customers in this new space-traveling era, where private companies own and fly their own spaceships and sell empty seats.

"Kind of a changing of the guard in how we're going to do human spaceflight in the future," said Mike Suffredini, a former NASA station program manager who now leads Houston's Axiom Space company.

Axiom has partnered with SpaceX to launch three customers to the space station in fall 2021. An experienced astronaut will accompany them, serving as the commander-slash-tour guide. Two private flights a year are planned, using completely automated capsules belonging to SpaceX or Boeing, NASA's two commercial crew providers.

This artist's rendering provided by Boeing on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016 shows the company's Starliner spacecraft. NASA astronaut Nicole Mann, who will test drive Boeing's space capsule in 2021, envisions scientists, doctors, poets, reporters lining up for rocket rides. "I see this as a real possibility," she said. "You're going to see low-Earth orbit open up." (Boeing via AP)

The ticket pricewhich includes 15 weeks of training and more than a week at the space stationis about $55 million. Besides the three signed up, others have expressed serious interest, Suffredini said.

Since last weekend's successful launch, "everybody's starting to wonder where their place in line is," Suffredini told The Associated Press on Thursday. "That's a really, really cool position to be in now."

Space Adventures Inc. of Vienna, Virginia, also has teamed up with SpaceX. Planned for late next year, this five-day-or-so mission would skip the space station and instead orbit two to three times higher for more sweeping views of Earth. The cost: around $35 million. It's also advertising rides to the space station via Boeing Starliner and Russian Soyuz capsules.

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic are taking it slower and lower with tourist flights. These space-skimming, up-and-down flights will last minutes, not days, and cost a lot less. Hundreds already have reservations with Virgin Galactic.

In this Thursday, May 9, 2019 file phto, Jeff Bezos speaks in front of a model of Blue Origin's Blue Moon lunar lander in Washington. In 2020, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said space is currently a $400 billion market, including satellites. Opening up spaceflight to paying customers, he said, could expand the market to $1 trillion. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Branson is the only one of the three billionaires planning to launch himself before putting customers aboard at $250,000 a pop. His winged rocketship is designed to drop from a customized plane flying over New Mexico.

Blue Origin's customers will launch on rockets from West Texas; the capsules sport wall-to-ceiling windows, the largest ever built for a spacecraft.

It's not just rocket rides that have companies salivating.

Beginning in 2024, Axiom plans to build its own addition to the 260-mile-high (420-kilometer-high) outpost to accommodate its private astronauts. The segment would later be detached and turned into its own free-flying abode.

Space Adventures is marketing flights to the moonnot to land, but buzz it in Russian spacecraft.

The moonconsidered the proving ground for the ultimate destination Marsis where it's at these days. NASA is pushing to get astronauts back on the lunar surface by 2024 and establish a permanent base there.

In this Dec. 11, 2019 image from video provided by Blue Origin, the New Shepard rocket takes off near Van Horn, Texas, on the sixth successful launch and landing of the same rocket. (Blue Origin via AP)

Musk's company recently won contracts to haul cargo to the moon and develop a lunar lander for astronauts.

But the bigger draw for Musk is Mars. It's why he founded SpaceX 18 years agoand why he keeps pushing the space envelope.

"I cannot emphasize this enough. This is the thing that we need to do. We must make life sustainably multi planetary. It's not one planet to the exclusion of another, but to extend life beyond Earth," Musk said after last weekend's launch.

"I call upon the public to support this goal," he added, beckoning to the NASA TV cameras.

To fulfill that vision, SpaceX is using its own money to develop a massive, bullet-shaped steel spacecraft called Starship at the bottom of Texas. Prototypes repeatedly have ruptured and exploded on the test pad, most recently on the eve of the company's astronaut flight from Florida's Kennedy Space Center.

This artist's rendering made available by Elon Musk on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017 shows SpaceX's mega-rocket design on the Earth's moon. Amazon's Jeff Bezos and Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson favor going back to the moon before Mars. Musk also is rooting for the moon, although his heart's on Mars. (SpaceX via AP, File)

NASA's Bridenstine said space is currently a $400 billion market, including satellites. Opening up spaceflight to paying customers, he said, could expand the market to $1 trillion.

The goal is to drive down launch costs and ramp up innovation, drawing in more people and more business. By NASA's count, 576 people have flown in space, with only the wealthy few footing their own bill.

The world's first space tourist, California businessman Dennis Tito, paid a reported $20 million to the Russians to fly to the space station in 2001against NASA's wishes. The Canadian founder of Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberte, shelled out $35 million for a Russian ticket in 2009. Space Adventures arranged both deals.

"It really is the billionaire boys' club," former space shuttle astronaut Leland Melvin said during last Saturday's launch broadcast. Once prices drop, he'd consider returning to space, but not without his dogs.

In this Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016 file photo, SpaceX founder Elon Musk speaks during the 67th International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico. In a receptive audience full of space buffs, Musk said he envisions 1,000 passenger ships flying en masse to Mars, 'Battlestar Galactica' style. He calls it the Mars Colonial fleet, and he says it could become reality within a century. Musk's goal is to establish a full-fledged city on Mars and thereby make humans a multi-planetary species. (AP Photo/Refugio Ruiz)

In this Sunday, May 6, 2001 file photo, U.S. multimillionaire Dennis Tito gives a thumbs up shortly after his landing in the Central Asian steppes, 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of Arkalyk, Kazakstan. The Russian Soyuz capsule carrying the world's first paying space tourist landed successfully, capping off Tito's multimillion dollar cosmos adventure. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel)

In this Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013 file photo, Bigelow Aerospace founder and president Robert Bigelow, listens to questions from members of the media during a news conference in Las Vegas. Bigelow spoke about the company's new contract to provide NASA with a habitat module for the International Space Station. In the background is a mockup of a BA 330 module, similar in function to what the new Bigelow Expandable Activity Module will be. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

In this Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019 file photo, crews work around components of the Starship Mk 1 prototype at the SpaceX facility outside Brownsville, Texas. SpaceX's debut astronaut launch in 2020 is the biggest, most visible opening shot yet in NASA's grand plan for commercializing Earth's backyard. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald via AP)

"They're ready to go, need SpaceX suits for them," he said.

Once lunar bases are established, the next step will be Mars in the 2030s, according to Bridenstine.

"Those are the kinds of things that inspire the next Elon Musk, the next Jeff Bezos, the next Sir Richard Branson. And that's what we have to get back to as an agency," he said.

SpaceX still has to get NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken safely back to Earth this summer in its Dragon capsule. But the company already is looking ahead to the next astronaut crew. Crew mission director Benji Reed got a brief taste of this future as he wrapped up a chat with the astronauts Monday.

"Thank you for flying SpaceX," he chimed.

Explore further Astronauts ring opening bell for Nasdaq from space station

 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Here is a round-up of articles from Indian news publications on how the country is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. From cancer care through the pandemic, to Mumbais efforts to ramp up its health infra, and how our cities turned the crisis from bad to worse  read these and more in todays India dispatch.

Interview How Gujarat is trying to overcome Covid-19 challenges: Gujarat has had over 18,500 Covid-19 cases, and the number of deaths in the state also continues to climb. Case fatality (deaths among those with Covid-19) stands at about 6.2 per cent, more ...
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 19:51:55|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on June 6, 2020 shows a sign reminding students to register their health information before entering a canteen in Tsinghua University in Beijing, capital of China. Graduating students of universities in Beijing are allowed to return to campuses gradually from Saturday, according to local authorities. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Graduating students of universities in Beijing are allowed to return to campuses gradually from Saturday, according to local authorities.

More than 20 universities including Peking University, the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) and Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT) are expected to welcome back over 4,800 graduating students on Saturday.

This move follows the reopening of primary and middle schools on June 1, as the COVID-19 epidemic continues to wane in the Chinese capital.

Beijing announced Friday that it would lower its emergency response to the novel coronavirus epidemic from the second level to the third level starting from Saturday.

Peking University said around 7,000 final year students will return to campus on a voluntary basis in four batches this month.

It said its staff has started to embark on back-to-campus work for graduating students since May and established 10 special teams to engage in the work.

Twelve teachers of Peking University even traveled to central China's Hubei Province, a hard-hit province of the virus, and accompanied over 200 Hubei students back to Beijing on Saturday and took care of them during the journey.

More than 1,000 workers from BIT have made preparation for the returning students in recent days, including cleaning and disinfecting elevators, canteens, dormitories, classrooms and laboratories, and ventilating other public areas. BIT is expected to see more than 200 graduating students back at the university on Saturday.

"I will finally get back to my university and I'm so excited. I missed my university so much," said Geng Baoqun, a PhD student at BIT, coming from north China's Shanxi Province.

"The university has adopted very detailed and considerate epidemic prevention-and-control measures. We also received an 'anti-epidemic package' from the university, which contains medical masks, disinfectants and food. I feel safe and reassured," Geng added.

Xu Haijun, director of the epidemic prevention-and-control office of BUCT, said the university has conducted free nucleic acid tests for all students and taken anti-epidemic measures to ensure students' safety.

Returning students of BUCT were seen at the gate on Saturday to show their health QR code, nucleic acid test reports and had their body temperatures taken, under the guidance of university staff. Face recognition facilities and temperature checking points have also been set up at the entrances of the student dormitories.

Li Peijing, an official at the China Agricultural University (CAU), introduced university plans to welcome back a total of 5,000 graduating students from June 8 to 26. Two other batches, including other postgraduate students and undergraduates, will return to the university in the following months.

"Our university canteens also adopt a meal reservation system, which requires students to book their meals in advance in a bid to avoid gathering. Meanwhile, dining-tables have been marked so that students can keep a safe distance from each other," said Xiao Li, director of the dining center of CAU.

Li Yi, a spokesman of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, said that it is far more complicated for colleges and universities to resume classes than primary or secondary schools and communities. This is because university students have to attend classes, do experiments and live and eat together.

"Therefore, universities need to strengthen epidemic prevention-and-control measures and implement those measures to make sure students are healthy and safe," Li added.

Nearly 100 colleges and universities in Beijing have carried out epidemic prevention drills in recent days under the supervision of municipal educational departments. Only those who meet the standards are allowed to have their students back and resume classes. Enditem
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INECs policy on non-provision of face masks/coverings to voters could mar the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo states, key election monitors have said.

The call was made in a town hall meeting on Wednesday, hosted by YIAGA Africa, a local election observer group, through its Watching The Vote (WTV) platform.

The meeting focused on legal issues surrounding INEC decision to host elections despite the global emergency, COVID-19, and its new policy published last week on how it would conduct the polls.

The event was moderated by Seun Akinbalole, a journalist with ChannelsTV, and had in attendance the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki and Femi Falana, a lawyer.

Festus Okoye, INECs national commissioner for information and voter education, Lanre Arogundade, director, International Press Centre were also present.

The INEC had last week released its election policy on conducting the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states for September 19 and October 10 in the context of the pandemic.

As part of its policies, in a document titled Voters Code of Conduct for Elections during the COVID-19 Pandemic, INEC said wearing of face masks at the polling units was mandatory- noting that voters should make provisions for their own face masks.

Specifics

The policy, however, drew debates among participants.

The federal government recommends the use of face masks to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control(NAFDAC) earlier said the use of non-medical masks do not prevent one from contracting COVID-19 but, they have been found to contribute to reducing the spread of infections when used widely with other preventive measures.

Henry Ewononu, head of advocacy at the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), said INECs decision of providing face masks to only elections officials could result to low voter turn out and disenfranchisement of citizens who cannot afford the face masks.

He, therefore, urged the commission to provide face masks for every voter on election day.

I fear that the INEC policy that states it would only provide face masks to election officials while voters are to come along to the polling units with their own face-covering could lead to the disenfranchisement of citizens and low voter turnout, he said.

Also, Mr Arogunbade urged that face masks should be provided by INEC to avoid politicians taking advantage of it as a means to induce voters by providing them with the masks.

Citing section 100 of the electoral act, he said state apparatus including the media should shall not be used as an advantage and disadvantage of a political party.

He also faulted the INEC election policy for not making provisions for journalists. We know what the media go through on election day.

Mr Arogunbade added: In a state where you have an incumbent running and wants to provide face masks, that could actually compromise the entire process.

But a professor of political science, Adele Jinadu, said the provision of face masks by INEC to every citizen on election day would not feasible.

According to him, the responsibility of conducting elections is a shared task of both INEC and the citizens. The society at large has a responsibility to play not only INEC, he said.

INEC

Meanwhile, the INEC chairman, Electoral Operations and Logistics Committee (EOLC), Okechukwu Ibeanu, explained the challenges INEC may face in providing face masks to the electorate.

He said such would be unsustainable as the commission cannot provide face masks for over 3 million registered voters.

He said it will cost the commission about N640 million to provide face masks to all registered voters for the elections.

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He then urged not-for-profit organisations to assist in the provision of face masks to persons, especially in the rural areas.

Mr Ibeanu had warned voters on Wednesday, during a virtual meeting with the media against wearing face masks with the logos of their political parties, to polling units.

Meanwhile, Mr Falana said the country cannot allow the churches and NGOs to carry out the responsibilities of the government.

If INEC insist that every voter must wear a face mask; that part of guideline issued by INEC is pursuant to section 160 of the constitution. But we must now go beyond the guidelines to make it work because we cannot rely on churches and NGOs (to provide masks)..

The civil right activist also predicted a low voter turnout in the two elections.

I do not expect more than 500,000 voters in each of the state, it is not possible under the current suitation, he said.

We are not talking of hundreds of million (naira) here, Mr Falana added. If INEC is going to make 500,000 (masks) at N200 (each), we talking about hundreds of thousands (naira) not millions as INEC had said.

The elite needs to understand that there are some people who are going through excruciating poverty and these people cannot afford face masks of N200, he said.

At the meeting, Mr Obaseki, who is standing for reelection in Edo, said his government had already made provisions for face masks for citizens of the state.
Dave Chappelle is more than a comedian  hes a peoples champ.

The Half Baked actor is known for using his platform to tackle hot button issues and draw attention to things that otherwise may have been overlooked. His efforts arent always publicized, but one of his lessons on race was recently revealed on Twitter courtesy of comedian Kenny DeForest and instantly took over the Internet.

Dave Chappelle at an event in June 2015 | Leigh Vogel/Getty Images

Kenny DeForests story about Dave Chappelle

In a string of tweets posted on June 3, DeForest recalled a time in 2015 when Chappelle dropped in on his hosting gig at The Knitting Factory  a concert venue in Brooklyn, New York. At some point, Chappelle decided to take the stage but rather than putting on a traditional routine, he asked the audience for headlines to riff on.

Someone shouts police brutality!' DeForest claimed, noting the appearance came amid protests over the decision not to indict an officer for the 2014 chokehold death of Eric Garner.

Chappelle apparently paused and chugged a drink before deciding to dive into the topic, according to DeForest.

Chappelle starts talking about Eric Garner and watching him get murdered in cold blood on camera and how it makes him scared for his children He said I thought body cams would help, but what good is video evidence if yall dont care?' DeForest continued.

A clearly privileged white girl (she had a wide brimmed felt hat for chrissakes) shouts Lifes hard, sorry bout it! and it takes the air completely out of the room. A collective gasp. Chappelle zeros in on her. What did you say? She repeats it. Chappelle starts going in.

A clearly privileged white girl (she had a wide brimmed felt hat for chrissakes) shouts Lifes hard, sorry bout it! and it takes the air completely out of the room. A collective gasp. Chappelle zeros in on her. What did you say? She repeats it. Chappelle starts going in.  Kenny DeForest (@KennyDeForest) June 3, 2020

RELATED: How Many Kids Does Dave Chappelle Have?

Dave Chappelle gave a full-fledged lesson on race, according to Kenny DeForest

He starts educating the crowd on the history of black people and the police. He talked about slave patrols and Rodney King and Watts and Emmett Till and Black Wall Street. He talked about Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and he talked about John Crawford III, DeForest continued before reminding fans of who Crawford was.

Crawford was a 22-year-old from Ohio who was killed by police in August 2014. Police had been responding to a call about someone waving a gun in a local Walmart when they encountered Crawford holding an air rifle he had taken from a shelf, per NBC News.

Officers claimed they shot him after he refused to drop the toy gun but footage shows him being shot almost immediately. Despite this, a judge later ruled the officers were justified in the shooting.

Chappelle then tells a story about getting pulled over in rural Ohio where he lives. This is before the Crawford shooting but after Ferguson so racial tension is bubbling. He said I may be white on paper, but Im still black. So Im nervous,' added DeForest.

But after the officer recognized him, he let Chappelle go. The twist? The same cop would go on to murder John Crawford III. His take away: I shouldnt have to be Dave Chappelle to survive police encounters,' he continued.

I know who you are Dave Chappelle & I said so why do you need my license and registration? He gets off w/ a warning. The twist? The same cop would go on to murder John Crawford III. His take away: I shouldnt have to be Dave Chappelle to survive police encounters  Kenny DeForest (@KennyDeForest) June 3, 2020

RELATED: Inside Dave Chappelles Secret Life in Ohio

DeForest claimed Chappelle went on to explain that one of his best friends is South African. He said I asked him what it was like in South Africa right before apartheid ended and he said it was chaos in the streets. There were riots & car bombs etc, but the amount of people caring hit critical mass and there was nothing they could do to stop it. The people had momentum and apartheid ended. Critical mass. Thats what we have to hit. Once enough of you care, there will be nothing they can do to stop the change. It was incredibly powerful. The crowd was somber and silent.

It was apparently an eye-opening experience for the woman

After the set, the woman reportedly went backstage to talk to the comedian.

Hat girl speaks first, DeForest recalled. I just wanted to say Im sorry for what I said and thank you for educating me. I was ignorant before, but I want you to know I learned from you tonight and I wont say things like that anymore.

Chappelle, in turn, said: Youre ok. Thats all we can ask. Know better, do better. I want to thank YOU for hearing me and listening. Thats your role. And now you know. Now youre part of that critical mass we talked about and next time you hear a friend say some ignorant sh*t like you said, its your job to correct them and share with them what you learned tonight. THEN, youre no longer part of the problem, youre part of the solution.

Chappelle himself has not addressed the story.

Read more: Azealia Banks Goes On Rant About Men in the Industry and Claims Affair with Dave Chappelle
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 31

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Export of wood and furniture from Turkey to Turkmenistan increased by 40.3 percent from January through April 2020 compared to the same period of 2019 and made up $15.7 million, Turkey's Trade Ministry told Trend.

In April 2020, export of wood and furniture from Turkey to Turkmenistan surged by 57.8 percent compared to the same month of 2019, having stood at over $5.2 million.

Export of wood and furniture from Turkey to world markets dropped by 5 percent from January 2020 through April 2020 and amounted to $1.6 billion. Over the reporting period, Turkeys wood and furniture export amounted to 3.2 percent of the countrys total export.

In April 2020, Turkeys export of wood and furniture to the world markets decreased by 28.6 percent compared to the same month of 2019, making up $340.4 million. Meanwhile, Turkeys wood and furniture export amounted to 3.8 percent of the country's total export.

From April 2019 through April 2020, Turkey exported the wood and furniture worth over $5.4 billion.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 21:10:59|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Intelligence Ministry on Saturday said that the recent release of a U.S. prisoner was solely on humanitarian purposes after deterioration of his health, Tasnim news agency reported.

Michael White, a U.S. veteran who had entered Iran two years ago, was arrested and convicted of espionage, the managing director of the anti-espionage department at Iran's Intelligence Ministry was quoted as saying.

White was released on Thursday and was finally expelled from Iran "because of deterioration of his illness and on compassionate grounds" after serving some two years in prison, he said.

"Certain U.S. officials ... were seeking to take advantage of a possible death of White due to his chronic disease and fulfill their political objectives," he said, adding that "the release of American convict prevented the U.S. from using the opportunity for an 'inhumane behavior' against Iran."

The United States released on Thursday one Iranian scientist, Majid Taheri, who had been in the U.S. jail for "violating U.S. sanctions against Iran."

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said that Iran has always welcomed the "humanitarian efforts that help release of Iranian hostages in the United States and elsewhere."

However, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Friday dismissed speculation that the release of Iranian scientists jailed in the U.S. and Iran's move to free White from prison have been the result of negotiations between Tehran and Washington, according to Tasnim news agency. Enditem
After a series of stellar performances in his over a decade old career, actor Gautam Rode says the actor in him is still unsatiated. As I was trying for a job in Mumbai for better living, I never knew I will become an actor someday. I bagged a few modelling assignments that brought me into the industry. After TV happened, I realised that I can actually switch to the character, Im portraying in front of the camera, quite comfortably. Since I had no formal training, I learned the hard way so how can the actor in me get contented? he said over the phone.

Known for his titular roles in Saraswatichandra and Suryaputra Karn, Gautam feels, Whenever television has come with shows that are from a different league, audiences have always appreciated them. Like Saraswatichandra was based on a Gujarati novel written in 80s and imagine the show went ahead and become a cult in 2013-14. And had a broadcast in 47 countries. So, its all about what goes down well with the audience else shows like Mahakumbh- Ek Rahasaya, Ek Kahani or Kaal Bhairav Rahasya Season 2 wouldnt have been so well appreciated as they were nowhere near the regular stuff happening on TV.

The suave actor has not only worked on diverse platforms including films but has experimented with different genres. I am absolutely comfortable in all genres because at the end of the day, an artiste is expected to pull off every emotion convincingly. And then its my job and I am paid for it. As far as different platforms are concerned, I have also been fan of finite shows as they work on similar pattern like films where you know when the story will end.

Last seen playing a cameo in the ongoing show Bhakharwadi, Gautam was about to make his OTT debut with a digital film. Yes, it was all set and if this lockdown wouldnt have happened, I would have completed the film by now. But due to this outbreak now it will now happen later. Though the good part is that state government has come with a set of guidelines for TV and web shoots to start in a few weeks. So, there is hope for all of us now to get back to work else we would just sit home mastering our household skills, said the Aksar 2 actor.

Married to Lucknowite, actor Pankhuri Awasthy, Gautam wishes to come back to the city as soon as things get better. I havent been to my in-laws place for long now. Also, Pankhuri to wants to visit Lucknow. So, we will plan something soon.
"The price range is right for there, which was where it was launched. It's a good start but it doesn't really apply for Sydney and Sydney is the driver of the whole economy." Mr Forrest told The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age the government needed to do three things: "Extend the timeframe, have a look at the threshold and make it apply to all new homes." The scheme is estimated to cost $688 million but is uncapped, meaning anyone who qualifies will receive the grant. There is also a renovation component; homeowners can claim $25,000 toward a renovation or knock down rebuild if their property's current value is below $1.5 million and they spend between $150,000 and $750,000 on the job. Home renovations valued between $150,000 and $750,000 can also qualify (on property worth less than $1.5 million). Credit:Louise Kennerley The government expects the grants to fund 20,000 new home builds and 7000 renovations. The package aims to stimulate the construction industry amid the coronavirus-induced recession. Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar said the federal government would work with the states "to make the delivery of HomeBuilder as seamless as possible to achieve this objective".

Applicants must sign a building contract by December 31 and construction must start within three months of signing. Critics said the tight time frame meant many people who qualify would have been planning to undertake the projects anyway. Real estate agents in the outer suburbs of major cities were inundated with calls from prospective applicants last week. Mr Boskovic, director of Bos Realty in Liverpool, said he took 70 to 80 calls in one day after posting about the program on Facebook. "I'm getting so many first home buyers saying, 'Dean tell me all about it, we want to pull the trigger on this'," he said. "There have been a lot of buyers sitting on the fence because of coronavirus - this is going to be the kick that puts them over the edge." Kresimir Kardum plans to buy an apartment off-the-plan in Liverpool, with Bos Realty's Dean Boskovic. Credit:Steven Siewert One such buyer is 27-year-old Kresimir Kardum, who plans to sign for a two-bedroom apartment in Liverpool off the plan, worth $480,000. "It's insane, I can't believe it," Mr Kardum said. "People are crazy not to utilise it. It is the government pretty much giving out free money, but it's not free money unless you capitalise on it."

It was a similar story in Melbourne, where Simonds Homes general manager Mark Richardson said the phones lit up "literally instantly" when the package was announced. "Our foot traffic has increased, our web traffic has increased and the number of deposits we've taken in the last 24 hours has been substantial - it's all very positive coming out of the hibernation of COVID," he said. Greg Deane, principal of Absolute Real Estate Strathpine, in Brisbane's northern suburbs, said: "People aren't jumping until they get all the details, but we're definitely getting some interest." The Grattan Institute's finance program director Brendan Coates said the benefits of the new build scheme would mostly flow to "outer suburban areas and maybe some areas in the middle suburbs". For the smaller renovation scheme, "you are looking at renovations in the inner or middle rings of major cities". Mr Coates said the people who would "really" benefit from the HomeBuilder scheme were retirees. "Some of them are going to look to downsize and they could use it to pay for a two or three bedroom unit in the centre of our cities and buy that new," he said.
Media and governments around the world often use phrases like the war on COVID-19 and the fight against coronavirus in referring to the ongoing efforts to mitigate the virus and its impacts. But war is an entirely different beast.

According to the Sea War Museum Jutland in Thyborn, Denmark, War is a tragedy and should not be glorified, but the story must be told and the victims remembered. This may serve to remind its visitors of the catastrophic consequences of war, and it remains highly relevant today as tensions heat up in some parts of the world, even amid the pandemic.

Many advocates of peace have expressed deep concerns over rising tensions in the South China Sea.

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Laurence Fox has said he won't take a knee with Black Lives Matter protesters as it has 'master-servant' connotations.

The outspoken actor said he would only kneel 'to propose, before god or before the queen' but stressed that others should be 'free to do what they want'.

Speaking on the 76th anniversary of the D-Day landings, Fox also said terms such as 'racist' and 'fascist' are now just 'casual insults' and have lost the meaning they carried during the war.

Laurence Fox has said he won't take a knee with Black Lives Matter protesters as it has a 'master-servant' conotation

Actor Laurence Fox says he would not take a knee: "there is a master servant relationship that comes with taking a knee that I'm uncomfortable with".



Watch live  https://t.co/WKMA4dJNlc@tvkev | @LozzaFox pic.twitter.com/q4Iv3HNrAJ  talkRADIO (@talkRADIO) June 6, 2020

This week, police officers were photographed kneeling in front of Black Lives Matter protesters in London. The move showed solidarity with demonstrators

Fox also took to Twitter to remember those who fought on D-Day 76 years ago today

He said: 'These men died on the beaches on Normandy so people are free to do what they want and if you want to take a knee, you can take a knee you just won't find me doing it.

'I'm not a particularly religious man but the times I would kneel are to propose, before god or before the queen.

'It's a master-servant relationship that comes with taking a knee that I'm uncomfortable with.

'But that's my view and anybody else who wants to do what they want to do must feel free to do that as well.'

This week, police officers were photographed kneeling in front of Black Lives Matter protesters in London. The move showed solidarity with demonstrators.

Police officers were seen getting down on one knee in front of protesters outside Downing Street this week

Police are generally advised by their senior officers to refrain from any behaviour that might bring their impartiality into question

The actor hit the headlines earlier this year after he accused ethnicity lecturer Rachel Boyle of 'being racist' after she called him 'a white privileged male' for denying the Duchess of Sussex was hounded from Britain for being mixed-race.

Since the Question Time slanging match, Fox quit Twitter stating that he became 'more and more depressed' following a ferocious left-wing Twitter backlash.

In his TalkRadio interview this morning he added: 'It's worth remembering today that hundreds of thousands of soldiers landed on the beaches of Normandy 76 years ago to fight fascism which was a real word back then and has now turned into a casual insult.

The actor hit the headlines earlier this year after he accused ethnicity lecturer Rachel Boyle of 'being racist' after she called him 'a white privileged male' for denying the Duchess of Sussex was hounded from Britain for being mixed-race

'And what we want to do is try and keep words like "racist" and "fascist" and all of those and apply them to what they genuinely mean and not use them as casual insults.

'So, it's a very difficult thing because there is racism in the world and it needs to be confronted.

'But also again overreaching the use of words like "racist" and "fascist" are unhelpful to the original cause of trying to get these things out and condemn them together.
Boris Johnson has overruled Cabinet Minister Liz Truss in a crucial battle over the future of British farming  siding with his fiancee Carrie Symonds instead.

The Prime Minister last week vowed to stem a feared flood of sub-standard American products into the UK by insisting controversial foods such as hormone-fed beef and chlorinated chicken must be subject to high import tariffs.

His move  hailed last night as a significant victory in the battle to protect higher-quality British farming as well as our traditional landscape  was a blow to International Trade Secretary Ms Truss, a staunch free marketer who is thought to have wanted duties reduced to nothing within a decade.

Crucial to Mr Johnsons decision was the influence of Ms Symonds, a long-standing animal welfare campaigner who is understood to back plans to penalise US producers who raise animals in cruel conditions.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (right) has sided with his fiancee Carrie Symonds (left) and overruled Liz Truss by ordering tariffs on chlorinated chicken in the first round of Cabinet battle on trade

She is a patron of The Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation and spoke last year at an event it hosted on the issue.

Ms Symonds has also promoted the partys policies on stopping the trade in ivory, installing CCTV in slaughterhouses, increasing sentences for animal cruelty and on recognising that animals feel suffering.

Her views helped inform Mr Johnsons decision on tariffs at a special ministerial meeting last week.

There he backed Environment Secretary George Eustice, who warned that unless high duties were imposed, cheaper, sub-standard American food would put British farmers out of business.

Secretary of State for International Trade Liz Truss (pictured is said to be fuming over the decision, with sources warning that the Trade Secretary  whose free-market views have the backing of Chancellor Rishi Sunak  could yet sabotage Mr Johnsons tough stance in post-Brexit trade talks with Washington

Ms Truss is said to be fuming over the decision, with sources warning that the Trade Secretary  whose free-market views have the backing of Chancellor Rishi Sunak  could yet sabotage Mr Johnsons tough stance in post-Brexit trade talks with Washington.

In any case, the Prime Minister still faces calls to prove he is serious about protecting British food standards, either by enshrining the pledge in legislation now going through Parliament or by a public declaration.

Writing in todays Mail on Sunday on the facing page, former Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers says: We must hold our Ministers feet to the fire to ensure they do stay firm and resolute.

She welcomed the pledge on higher tariffs but said it would be better if US chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef remained banned.

The row, at special meeting of the XS Cabinet sub-committee  the exit strategy group to manage Brexit  comes two weeks after The Mail on Sunday launched its Save Our Family Farms campaign to highlight the threat to domestic food producers if a free trade deal with Washington opened the floodgates to inferior US produce.

It also comes after 18 Tory MPs, including Ms Villiers, rebelled and tried to amend the Agriculture Bill to add protections for British farmers against low-standard imports.

Ministers horns have been locked in Cabinet over whether the price of securing a lucrative US trade deal should involve opening up the UK market to controversial US foodstuffs banned by the EU.

Ms Truss, MP for an East Anglian constituency with many farmers, is understood to believe British shoppers should have a Brexit dividend of cheaper food and proposed a plan where tariffs on US products would be reduced to zero over a ten-year period to achieve that.

Ms Symonds is a patron of The Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation and spoke last year at an event it hosted on the issue

Sources said the Prime Ministers insistence on a dual tariff regime with high levies on unhealthy or cruelly-produced food would make it uneconomical for US producers to export to Britain.

Higher-quality American products, such as organically-reared and free-range meat would be subject to lower tariffs.

Last night, the Government insisted there would be no compromise on UK food safety and animal welfare, saying that all food coming into this country is required to meet the UKs import standards.

However, some MPs privately said that did not preclude relaxing any law in the future.

The Prime Minister last week vowed to stem a feared flood of sub-standard American products into the UK by insisting controversial foods such as hormone-fed beef and chlorinated chicken must be subject to high import tariffs

And in a joint letter to Tory MPs, Ms Truss and Mr Eustice sought to calm their fears by stating that the current ban on hormone-fed meat and chlorinated chicken would remain after the UK was fully outside EU, saying any change would have to be passed by Parliament.

Neil Parish, the Tory chairman of the Commons environment, food and rural affairs committee, last month told the BBC: I trust George Eustice. Whether I trust Liz Truss in the same way Im not sure...

Last night, allies of Ms Truss hit out at what they see as attempts to demonise her as somehow the champion of unsafe food. This is complete rubbish, said one.

But one senior Minister who backs the dual tariff plan said: Our fear is that Liz Truss, a fanatical free marketeer, is so angry she will try to sabotage the trade talks by allowing the Americans to reject the tariff idea.

So although Boris has intervened, this is just a battle won. The war is definitely not over.

The National Farmers Union has described Mr Johnsons decision as a significant step forwards, but it wants the tariff enforced by an independent commission.

Fresh attempts to protect British farmers are expected this week when the Agriculture Bill begins its passage through the Lords.

Tory peer and ex-Agriculture Minister Lord Deben (formerly John Gummer) suggested that Mr Johnsons decision to allow imports of hormone-fed beef and chlorinated chicken, even with tariffs, would breach the Tories 2019 Election manifesto to uphold food and animal welfare standards in post-Brexit trade talks.

He said: Do we really want to encourage the importation of meat which is produced in a way which is illegal in Britain?

He also raised fears that once US hormone-produced beef is allowed in on a tariff basis, Ministers could reduce the levies in the future to the detriment of food quality and the livelihoods of British farmers.

A Deltapoll survey for this newspaper found last week that nearly three-quarters of respondents felt that maintaining UK welfare standards should be a higher priority than reaching a deal with Washington.
Brasilia, June 6 : Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has threatened to withdraw his country from the World Health Organization (WHO), accusing the body of being "partisan" and "political".

Addressing the media on Friday, Bolsonaro said Brazil will consider leaving the WHO unless it stops being a "partisan political organization", reports Xinhua news agency.

Earlier in the day, when asked about efforts to ease social-distancing orders in Brazil despite the growing number of COVID-19 deaths and cases, the WHO said a key criteria for lifting lockdowns was slowing transmission.

"The epidemic, the outbreak, in Latin America is deeply, deeply concerning," WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told a news conference in Geneva.

She said that among six key criteria for easing quarantines, "one of them is ideally having your transmission declining".

Bolsonaro's threat came the same day Brazil registered 1,005 deaths in a day, a record high.

Brazil currently accounts for the second highest number of COVID-19 cases and the third highest deaths in the world.

As of Saturday morning, the total number of cases increased to 614,941, with 34,021 deaths.

Last month, US President Donald Trump had announced that Washington would also end its relationship with the WHO.
A lady identified as Aminat Popoola has accused a House of Representatives aspirant, Ettu Mohammed, of rape. On June 2, 2020, Amin...

A lady identified as Aminat Popoola has accused a House of Representatives aspirant, Ettu Mohammed, of rape.





On June 2, 2020, Aminat took to her Twitter handle to accuse Mohammed, who contested to represent Mushin II constituency in the House of Representatives in 2019.





Aminat stated that she met Mr. Mohammed in 2006 at Number 19 Feyintola Giwa street in the Pako Aguda area of Lagos state.





She said at the time when the rape happened, she was 16/17 and he was 26.





However, on sighting the comments made by Aminat, Mr. Mohammed went on his Twitter handle the next day, June 3, to deny the accusations.





He acknowledged that he had an affair with Aminat but said the accusation of rape was triggered due to the way their relationship ended.





However, when Aminat saw his rebuttal, she went on to share in detail what allegedly transpired between them.





She recounted how Mr Mohammed raped her.





Read her post which she shared on her Facebook page below





I take a deep breath as I type this





My name is Aminat Popoola and this is my story. I am aware that a lot of you have come across my rape allegations against Muhammed Ettu and you have been waiting to get the full story so here goes.





I met Muhammed in 2006 at 19 Feyintola Giwa street, Pako Aguda, Surulere Lagos while visiting a friend, I am sorry but John Glory maybe you will see this, it was the year we reconnected after graduating from high school. She was operating a small mobile phone business. He approached me and talked to me and then asked for my number. I didnt have a phone at this time, so I collected his number. I never had the intention of calling but I took it anyway.





Fast forward to a year later, I went to visit this friend of mine again and that was how myself and Muhammed re-connected. By this time, my Dad had bought my first phone so we exchanged numbers. He seemed kind so I became at ease and this was how our friendship started. Yes you read right, friendship. I never saw us being more than that. He used to come to visit me in Ajegunle where I have lived my whole life, crack jokes and he would even go with me to the hair salon sometimes. Mohammed helped me to do my online jamb registration that year, he would buy me stuff, even give me money. So to me, this was a big brother little sister dynamic. I never saw him more than that.





Muhammed was persistent.





He would come to visit me in Ajegunle and I would visit him in Aguda where he told me he lived and never did he make any sexual advances towards me, so I got really comfortable around him.





I will go straight to why I am writing this.





One evening during our phone conversation, he urged me as usual to consider his proposal and for reasons I dont know, I blurted out that he was too old for me. A ten year age gap was a lot for me at that time. I didnt realize that I had hurt his feelings and I guess that he started plotting the rape from that moment.





One day, I went to visit him as usual, I had gone to this address (where he told me he lived) so It wasnt weird that I went. Oh Amina, how naive.





I will like to state clearly that before the rape incident, we never had sexual intercourse, he is not my ex. We never were in a relationship contrary to the narrative he is pushing to make me out as a wounded ex. The only time he ever penetrated me was when he raped me and this is in fact true and we both know this.





I got there that afternoon, The building as I remember is a bungalow, it has a roof attached to the front of the building which created a shed. A wide passage, face me I face you. Muhammeds apartment (as he told me) is a room self contain. Mattress on the floor, a small refrigerator. A pressing iron laid on the floor, plates, and utensils laid beside the fridge. Typical bachelor pad if we are to go by Nigerian traditional standards.





And this was how it happened,





As I came in we exchanged pleasantries as usual, I sat by the mattress. He jammed the door, and I said why are locking the door when there is no light. He didnt respond. He started to undress and I said why are you undressing, whats wrong with you?





Muhammed said,  shebi I am old abi? I will show you today . I even laughed and said ahn ahn what are you saying ? Is this a joke or what? Please I dont like this kind of joke o or I will leave.  I then stood up to try to leave by this time he had only boxer shorts on. Not only did he stop me from leaving, he started to land me heavy blows. I struggled and the more I struggled, the more blows he landed on me.





I screamed. I shouted. I struggled. At a point, i managed to grab the pressing Iron on the rug, and hit it on his head. He became so angry that he dealt me more blows. I was so helpless and powerless but I didnt stop fighting, I was going to kill him if i could just so he would not penetrate me. My eyes went to the corner where the fridge was, I saw the kitchen utensils and that was when I saw a kitchen knife. I was struggling beneath him to get there, he followed my eyes and saw I was reaching for the knife, he became more furious and started to hit me. For a moment, I thought I would die.





By the time it was over, he got on his phone and started calling his friends to come and beg me. I strongly believe that they were his accomplices. He started to apologize and that it was a mistake.





I vividly remember that I arrived 19 Feyintola Giwa around mid-afternoon and by the time this whole ordeal was over it was maybe around 5/6 pm. Do the maths.





I couldnt understand even at the time why he would dehumanize me like that and I was enveloped with shame. Understand that my shirt had been torn, my eyes red.

I was so ashamed that I decided I would bury this shame and act like it never happened. At the time, I didnt tell anyone, my parents, my friends, not a soul.





As the years went by, I started to tell my friends one by one, at different times but never did I foresee that this day would come.





I walked around the house in pain all week, acting like nothing happened. I would lay in my bed in pain, crying. And whenever I heard Grandma or any of my aunties call Aminaaaa, I would act like my chest wasnt painful, or that my shoulders werent in giving in to the aftermath of his fists, or that I didnt feel dirty between my legs.





Muhammed in his typical I-am-such-a-saint fashion continued to beg me and to solicit that I be his girlfriend which I refused. On many occasions. I became convicted that my stance on not wanting to date him was not a mistake neither was it his right to violate me. I wasnt ready to confront the latter. I just needed my mind to erase it like it never existed.





As you all already know, several years have gone by, he has tried to make contact with me severally but I just couldnt bring myself to forgive him more or less give him audience. So I decided I would forget him completely maybe the hurt would go away.





I know some of you are thinking, so why now? Why are you speaking out now?





Last year, I messaged him on Facebook and I have shared the screenshots on my twitter accusing him of raping me, urging him to do the right thing. He refused to admit via chat and instead requested for my number which my fiance urged me to give him. He called, in his words ahn ahn otipe now, ode gbagbe e. Oya mabinu now.





So i urged him to confess to his wife, his mother and all the women in his life, to admit what he did to me, to show remorse but what he tried to do was to manipulate me on the phone. I tried very hard to get him to say it but he kept deflecting and it became apparent that it was no mistake. Maybe i hurt his feelings, I didnt deserve what he did to me.





I am speaking out because I grew up, I uprooted everything I had buried. I needed closure and knowing fully well that I wouldnt get justice, I am doing this anyway. He did rape me. I am without doubt sure that he violently raped me.





I saw his post, I laughed. Because those who are in my Life know for a fact the person he described isnt me.





I am not afraid, in the absence of evidence, I am sure you have doubts and thats okay. Like every human, he has the right to debunk my allegations as he sees fit but what he doesnt have the right to do is to compose a set of lies with the aim of deflecting and pushing the narrative the Nigerian audience likes best. The one that makes me out to be a scorned ex which I am not. The one that thinks in this day and age that Women still aspire to marriage or become empty in the absence of one. The one that is trying albeit weakly to make me out to be hopeless and out for blood.





I then decided that I will not be silenced and in all of this The Black Diamonds Support Foundation has been my support system. They have allowed me to share my story, They have created a safe place to speak my truth without fear and I will always be grateful.





One day, I know that one day, my country will get it right.





I would like to thank my darling partner Clovis, for pushing me. For saying to me  baby, you have to let out all the pain. You have to let it go. . To all the people I met in France who made understand beyond reasonable doubt that my truth will set me free, I am grateful.





I know that someday my baby girl will see this and she will understand our daily talk about consent and speaking to me about anything no matter how shameful it may seem. It will sense to you Olami and you will be proud of me.





To all rape victims out there who havent found their voices, you will find it. Dont be afraid. Remember theres three sides to every story, my side, your side and THE TRUTH. The truth always prevail.





But this is my story. My name is Amina and Muhammed Ettu did rape me. I know it. He knows it and my story will never change as I am ready for what comes after.





Thanks for reading she wrote




A city employee installs a sign to change the name of the street outside St. Johns Church to Black Lives Matter Plaza NW near the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 5, 2020. (Washington Post photo by Toni L. Sandys) Read more

WASHINGTON - Legions of demonstrators streamed into downtown Washington on Saturday, bearing flags, angry hand-lettered signs, and their children for one of the biggest local protests so far over police brutality and racial oppression in the United States.

Amid hot and humid weather, people thronged the besieged White House, where authorities used tan military Humvees and dump trucks to cordon off large sections to vehicle traffic.

They gathered at the Lincoln Memorial, where a solitary black man begged white people to see the world through his eyes, and a grandmother told her granddaughter that one day she would be proud she was present.

It was the ninth day of massive protests in the District of Columbia over the death of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, and the Trump administration's militant approach to the unrest that has gripped cities across the country.

Large rallies unfolded across the District throughout the day, from the Lincoln Memorial, to Freedom Plaza, to Capitol Hill.

Demonstrators packed 16th street near the White House, marched along K street, and massed in Chinatown. They spilled onto an interstate highway.

They raised fists and bullhorns, appealed to history, and vowed to be heard.

Lafayette Square, where a heavy security fence blocked any approach to the White House, a block away, was a focal point all day.

The scene of violent confrontations between police and protesters last week, it was now rimmed with a heavy black fence, hung with protest signs, an American flag, and a torn yellow strip of police tape that read: "Crime Scene."

Sixteenth street, which District Mayor Muriel Bowser on Friday renamed "Black Lives Matter Plaza" and had the slogan painted on the asphalt in massive yellow letters, filled with a sea of people as far north as Thomas Circle.

Bowser visited the spot in the afternoon.

"I guess you told Trump about the yellow brick road!" a man called to her as she made her way down the street in a T-shirt and leggings.

Flanked by five security guards sweating in suits, she posed for selfies until the organizer leading the crowd in chants announced her presence: "She's a lady boss!"

"We would like to hear from you," he said, handing the mayor the microphone.

"It is so wonderful to see everybody peacefully protesting - wearing your masks," she began.

She called out the federal police's actions Monday in front of "the people's house," saying that today she "pushed the army away from our city."

To cheers, she spoke of her 2-year-old daughter.

"I want to her grow up in a country where she is not scared to go to the grocery store, not scared to go to work" she said. "Where she can grow up in an America where she can be a senator in the 51st state, Washington D.C."

She ended her two minutes on the microphone with a slogan, ready-made to antagonize President Donald Trump: "Today we say no. In November, we say next."

Across town, at the Lincoln Memorial, a bespectacled black man named Roger Campbell, 30, asked to address a crowd assembled there.

"Excuse me every one," he announced as he turned to face the Washington Monument. "I wrote an article recently and I wanted to read it to everyone if y'all don't mind."

The crowd moved to surround him. Phones and cameras were raised.

"I'm a little nervous," he said.

Someone handed him a megaphone.

He began to tell them how often this week white colleagues and friends had asked: "How can I help?"

"I feel that is a loaded question, due to the various answers I can and would like to give," he said. "You all should try to understand where we as black and brown humans are coming from."

He wiped sweat from his forehead. He spoke of the job interview where he was asked about his hair, the time he cut his dreads for a job, "the talk" his father gave him, which was not about "the birds and the bees."

"It is explained to us that no matter what we do or how far we go in life we will always be viewed as a black or brown person first," he said. "And with that, comes a perception of danger."

He begged the white people around him - who made up around half of the crowd - to ask their black friends instead about their experiences.

"Ask them," he said, "to see the world through their eyes."

When he finished, his voice was cracking and his hands were shaking. A woman with tears soaking her cheeks ran up to hug him.

Nearby, 10-year-old Dakotah Sileshi Mitchell posed begrudgingly on the steps as her grandmother snapped a photo on her phone.

Behind her were about 20 protesters standing silently with signs, yards away from a half dozen military men posted by the monument's pillars.

"You're going to appreciate this when you tell your children you were here," Lisa Wood Mitchell, her 61-year-old grandmother, told her.

"You've been to a lot of marches, haven't you," said Beth Ward, 61, her grandmother's friend and former college roommate.

Dakotah, who is black, wore her hair in tight pigtails as she sat down on the steps and munched on Frosted Mini Wheats.

It was the first day Ward and Wood Mitchell, both longtime District residents, have been able to make it to the protests. Both had to work all week, but have taken part in other ways.

A speaker at the memorial then began to sing the words to 'Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing,' known as the black national anthem.

Those in the crowd who knew the words joined in song, while others hummed along.

"Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us

Facing the rising sun of our new day begun

Let us march on 'til victory is won"

Earlier, Lesley Edmond, 45, who lives in Anacostia, came to the Lafayette Square fence with her son, Reginald Izlar Jr., 10. He wore a blue ball cap and gray T-shirt, emblazoned with the first names of black heroes, "Malcolm, Harriet, Martin, Maya & Frederick."

The White House sat in the distance, as if in a cage, just beyond the equestrian statue of President Andrew Jackson in the square, doffing his hat.

"This is a historic moment, four hundred years in the making," Edmond said. "My son needs to be here. This is a pivotal moment. I've never seen this in my lifetime. Just like I never thought Barack Obama would be president. Until it happened.

"I'm proud to be here, to witness this," she said.

"Also, we're here to protest this president." she said. "His lack of empathy and compassion for the people. His disregard for rule of law. For occupying D.C. We pay taxes. There should not be tanks in the city."

Edmond said they would probably not stay all day. It was already a sticky 80 degrees by 9 a.m., with forecast highs in the mid-90s.

It was her first time at the daily demonstrations, and, because of the virus, only her son's third time out in public. He is fifth-grader at Van Ness Elementary School, near the Navy Yard.

She said she brought him along "to teach him abut his rights - that he has a right to protest . . . to let him see and understand what is going on right now."

Reginald said the killing of George Floyd in police custody scared him.

Asked how he felt about being at the demonstration, he said, "I think more people should be wearing their face masks."

A few blocks north, Tom Reiter walked his dog, Koba, who was wearing cardboard signs reading: "Bring On Your Vicious Dogs."

"I'm a 55-year-old male veteran and I'm just tired of what's coming out of the White House," Reiter said. Indicating his dog, a Japanese Kai Ken breed, he said: "He's tired of it too."

At around 10:15 a.m., a crowd of about 100 protesters peeled away from the White House to march through residential neighborhoods north of the District's downtown area.

They chanted "No justice no peace!" and "Power to the people!" kneeling at intersections far from the centers of power that have been the center of recent protests, urging joggers and people sunbathing in Logan Circle to "March with us!"

Though few joined in, many drivers honked their support, and one man making a delivery on a bicycle raised a fist in solidarity.

T-shirt vendors were doing a brisk business, selling shirts that read, "I can't breathe" across a silhouette of George Floyd's face. Black shirts, blue shirts, yellow shirts, orange, small, large, XL, XXL, all $20 a piece.

Sold by a loose-knit group of District entrepreneurs, the shirts were designed almost instantly after Floyd died.

"Day it happened when he said I can't breathe, it went to print," said Jessie Watkins, 55, who lives in the District.

Watkins said business has been good., selling 17 dozen shirts on one day this week. In preparation for today's march, the group stocked up for another big day.

"A lot of times they put it straight on," said Blaine Proctor, a colleague of Watkins who worked a block away.

Some have bought as many as a dozen shirts to send to relatives, and the vendors are grateful. Even amid the pain, Proctor said, the reality is that the protests have provided his T-shirt business with opportunity that the coronavirus pandemic had taken away.

Typically, the vendors would be traveling across the country selling all sorts of shirts at festivals and other events - but the pandemic ended that.

"Covid-19, it put a stop to everything," said Proctor, who is black. "This is a blessing right here. I'm not saying I'm happy with what happened to George Floyd. I'm not."

- - -

The Washington Posts Perry Stein, Justin Wm Moyer, Rachel Weiner, Michelle Boorstein, Hannah Natanson and Justin George contributed to this report.
Histories about game-changing women have begun emerging in recent years, filling gaps with narratives that enhance what we know about momentous events in the 20th century  from two world wars to the civil rights era.

I am thinking about the young British women who were recruited to help the Royal Navy prevent German U-boats from doing further damage in the war in the Atlantic during World War II. That history was revealed in the brilliant 2019 book A Game of Birds and Wolves by Simon Parkin.

The 2016 award-winning film Hidden Figures spotlighted the contributions of African American women whose math genius helped NASA explore space and land on the moon.

And now we have No Mans Land by Wendy Moore, the story of female doctors during World War I, a marvelous book published this year.

It begins with the militancy of suffragettes in England and extends to the ravages of the flu pandemic of 1918, all with the backdrop of World War I.

The main characters are physicians Louisa Garrett Anderson and Flora Murray. They were fighting for womens suffrage at a time when women were not only denied the right to vote but were barred from prestigious medical schools. The only medicine that women could practice was in clinics and hospitals specifically for women and children, and their education and recompense was limited.

The hostility they faced for their protests, deemed illegal, landed many in jail, including Anderson.

As doctors, Anderson and Murray saw the suffrage movement in broader terms, so when World War I broke out, they lobbied to demonstrate their medical prowess in military hospitals. They were thoroughly rebuffed by the British War Office.

By hook and crook, they finagled positions with the French Red Cross in Paris, opening a hospital in a new hotel that had not yet opened.

They recruited other female physicians, nurses, orderlies and donations and supplies from their vast network of suffragettes and their sympathizers.

Their hospital in Paris, and a subsequent one closer to the front in France, earned them accolades from military men who had previously considered the idea of women doctoring soldiers ludicrous.

The prevailing sentiment was that women would not be able to handle the gurneys, the sight of blood, jutting bones or gaping chest wounds. They should certainly not be dealing with men who showed up with wounds to intimate parts of their bodies.

When Anderson and Murray and their scores of support staff returned to London to open a hospital in a former workhouse on Endell Street, they had a champion in Sir Alfred Keogh, director general of the Army Medical Services.

He had toured their hospitals and surveyed their work, reporting to the War Office that their professionalism, progressive methods, organization and cleanliness exceeded that of any other surgical hospital in the system. It was his advocacy that paved their way.

By word of mouth, physicians from Canada, Australia and the United States began arriving to work at Endell Street.

After initial pushback from wounded soldiers, the hospitals run by women became places they preferred to land for care; many requested them after laudatory reports from men who were patched up and returned to battle.

Because wounded soldiers were still being delivered after armistice was declared, the Endell Street hospital remained open as peace celebrations swelled in the streets of London. Strangers were hugging and kissing; people were elbow-to-elbow. Soon, Endell Street hospital began receiving victims of the influenza pandemic, which lasted from 1918 through 1919.

The tireless work of Anderson and Murray was almost superhuman. There was no crack in their armor. They knew they had to perform superbly and to avoid failure to overcome prejudice against female doctors. During the war, Anderson performed dozens of surgeries every day, often into the night. Their staffs awoke at any and all times to receive convoys of wounded.

During the pandemic, many soldiers who had survived the war succumbed to the flu. Many of the hospital staff fell ill, and some died. It was a cruel epilogue after years of relentless carnage on the battlefront.

Like Parkin, Moore researched her subject thoroughly, scouring old newspapers, letters, diaries and oral histories to pluck details to build a compelling narrative.

After the war, British women over age 30 would get the vote, but medical schools hung onto their prejudices, as did much of society. When women had been needed to fill positions, including those of physicians, they were desperately sought. Anderson and Murray were even granted military rank. But as soon as able-bodied men could return to the jobs, the women were shunted back to the sidelines.

It wasnt until after World War II that all British medical schools were open to women. Even then, many deans decided that women could make up only 20% of their student body. That injustice was not remedied until 1975.

History has always paid notice to powerful and heroic women such as Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks. But recognition as exceptions relegates women to a niche, while history has proved that millions of women have contributed to the better life of their peers and laid the groundwork for progress.

More of historys hidden figures need to be brought to light and for more than a designated month each year. There is surely a trove of stories still to be told.
Amid the threat of COVID-19 looming large over the world, Poland is planning to extend the ban on international flights until June 16, international media reported citing a polish government decree. Poland, which is suffering from unemployment and Economic downfall, recently restarted domestic flights. According to John Hopkins Univesity, the European nation has reported 25,410 positive cases until now.

According to reports, on June 1, multiple flights were restarted between the countrys biggest cities, including Warsaw, Gdansk, Krakow, and Wroclaw, by the state-controlled Polish airlines' LOT. However, Michal Dworczyk, the head of the Council of Ministers reportedly announced that the countrys government does not plan to open the borders so soon, He added that the decision has been taken considering the dynamics of COVID-19 in neighbouring nations.

Meanwhile, Polish Prime minister, Mateusz Morawieck, on June 6 reassured that country's economy could shrink by less than four per cent as the country continues to battle economic fallout. He also said that the unemployment rate would likely remain below ten per cent this year. Warsaw has announced an economic package worth 76 billion US dollars to steer the country coronavirus crisis. The coronavirus pandemic which has now killed 1,137 across Poland.

Amidst all this, residents in Poland are not bracing themselves for the presidential elections scheduled to take place on June 28. According to reports, the election, which was originally planned for May 10, would take place later in June with people casting their votes in person.

Read: Missing Vacay? These 7 Travel Destinations Are Reopening To International Tourists

Read: Czech Rep Lifts Travel Restrictions With Neighbours

Other nations lifting ban

Meanwhile, the Czech Republic is reportedly lifting all restrictions on travel to neighbouring Austria, Germany and also to Hungary. Prime Minister Andrej Babis has said that Czechs would be allowed to travel to those three countries without testing or facing quarantine when they return home.

On the other hand, the Australian government has reportedly revealed that international travel may not resume this year. While speaking to an international media outlet, Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said he doesnt guarantee that people can undertake overseas trip until December. He reportedly said that due to unprecedented coronavirus outbreak people cant undertake holiday and wont be able to go overseas for some time to come.

Read: Poland's PM Says Country's Economy Could Shrink By Less Than 4% This Year

Read: Australian Govt Says International Travel May Resume In 2021 Amid COVID-19 Scare

(Image credits: Unsplash)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5

By Ilkin Seyfaddini  Trend:

German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) will continue its cooperation with Uzbekistan, Trend reports with reference to Deutsche Welle news agency.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development is carrying out a major reform with the intention of reducing the number of partner countries from 85 to 60. Uzbekistan is not among the countries with which Germany is terminating joint projects, the report said.

"Uzbekistan will remain the only BMZ partner in Central Asia. Due to the positive development of Uzbekistan as a result of the reforms of the last three years, Germany and Uzbekistan strengthened their cooperation," the report says.

In 2019, BMZ agreed to support new projects in Tashkent in the field of healthcare, small and medium enterprises. As expected, these projects will be approved in summer 2020.

However, curtailing the cooperation does not mean that countries will lose Germany as a partner. At the same time, the reform will actually stop direct contacts between the states through two German intermediaries - the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and KfW Development Bank.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Friday decided to establish Overseas Facilitation Centers (OFCs) at Lahore and Islamabad International Airports to assist the Kashmiri expatriates' visit to their homeland

MIRPUR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jun, 2020 ) : Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Friday decided to establish Overseas Facilitation Centers (OFCs) at Lahore and Islamabad International Airports to assist the Kashmiri expatriates' visit to their homeland.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan in the State's metropolis on Friday.

The meeting decided to immediately provide the requisite staff for the smooth functioning of the facilitation centers.

The state government had already constituted a high-level committee under the chairmanship of Additional Inspector General Police Faheem Ahmed Khan to establish contacts and provide all possible facilitation to the overseas Kashmiris returning to the state.

The committee has been further directed to keep regular liaison with Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to acquire and share the data of the travelers to overseas desks established at the entry points of relevant district of the state.

It was decided to further mobilize the overseas facilitation centers established at the entry points of the state, for which, all required staff would be immediately deputed. Such desks would be responsible for registering the foreign returned persons, families as well sharing their data/information with the relevant District Health Officers (DHOs) and administration.

These centers would also provide the necessary guidelines and home quarantine policy of the state government to the foreign returnees.

The meeting also decided that COVID-19 tests of the foreign returned persons would be done at their homes.

The meeting was told that Overseas Coordinators appointed by the Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan would also keep close liaison with the trace and track committee.

It further told that special directives had been issued to the concerned coordinators in this regard.

The meeting was briefed that total 27310 foreign returned visited the state since February this year out of which 25,914 were contacted and kept in home isolation for the required period of the time.

Addressing on the occasion, Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan has said that state government would not add more distress to the overseas Kashmiris on their return to the homeland as they were already suffering due to the pandemic.

"They can simply register themselves on arrival and can go home while observing the recommended precautionary measures. The teams of state's health department would visit their houses for COVID-19 tests. In-case their test is positive, they would be provided complete treatment facilities", Haider added.

The Prime Minister appealed Kashmiri expatriates who intend to return to the state to take all possible care of themselves for the sake of their families and loved ones and don't mix-up with the people until the result of their corona virus test.

Meanwhile, another meeting presided over by Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan reviewed the problems and expected challenges to the tourism industry amid the COVID-19 situation in the state.

It decided that necessary planning be made to restore the industry after the decision and issuance of the SOPs by the government of Pakistan.

The meeting reviewed the proposed SOPs and decided to take input from the health department as well.

Minister Information and Tourism Mushtaq Ahmed Minhas, Minister Health Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Naqi Khan, Chief Secretary Mathar Niaz Rana, Secretary Tourism Midhat Shahzad and other senior officials attended the meeting.
BRASILIA  President Jair Bolsonaro threatened on Friday to pull Brazil out of the World Health Organization after the U.N. agency warned Latin American governments about the risk of lifting lockdowns before slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus throughout the region.

A new Brazilian record for daily COVID-19 fatalities pushed the countys death toll past that of Italy late on Thursday, but Bolsonaro continues to argue for quickly lifting state isolation orders, arguing that the economic costs outweigh public health risks.

Latin Americas most populous nations, Brazil and Mexico, are seeing the highest rates of new infections, though the pandemic is also gathering pace in countries such as Peru, Colombia, Chile and Bolivia.

Overall, more than 1.1 million Latin Americans have been infected.

While most leaders have taken the pandemic more seriously than Bolsonaro, some politicians that backed strict lockdowns in March and April are pushing to open economies back up as hunger and poverty grow.

In an editorial running the length of newspaper Folha de S.Paulos front page, the Brazilian daily highlighted that just 100 days had passed since Bolsonaro described the virus now killing a Brazilian per minute as a little flu.

While you were reading this, another Brazilian died from the coronavirus, the newspaper said.

Brazils Health Ministry reported late on Thursday that confirmed cases in the country had climbed past 600,000 and 1,437 deaths had been registered within 24 hours, the third consecutive daily record.

Brazil reported another 1,005 deaths Friday night, while Mexico reported 625 additional deaths.

With more than 35,000 lives lost, the pandemic has killed more people in Brazil than anywhere outside of the United States and the United Kingdom.

Asked about efforts to loosen social distancing orders in Brazil despite rising daily death rates and diagnoses, World Health Organization (WHO) spokeswoman Margaret Harris said a key criterion for lifting lockdowns was slowing transmission.

The epidemic, the outbreak, in Latin America is deeply, deeply concerning, she told a news conference in Geneva.

Among six key criteria for easing quarantines, she said, one of them is ideally having your transmission declining.

In comments to journalists later Friday, Bolsonaro said Brazil will consider leaving the WHO unless it ceases to be a partisan political organization.

President Donald Trump, an ideological ally of Bolsonaro, said last month that the United States would end its own relationship with the WHO, accusing it of becoming a puppet of China, where the coronavirus first emerged.

Bolsonaros dismissal of the coronavirus risks to public health and efforts to lift state quarantines have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum in Brazil, where some accuse him of using the crisis to undermine democratic institutions.

But many of those critics are divided about the safety and effectiveness of anti-government demonstrations in the middle of a pandemic, especially after one small protest was met with an overwhelming show of police force last weekend.

Alfonso Vallejos Paras, an epidemiologist and professor of public health at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said infections are high in Latin America as the virus was slow to gain a foothold in the region.

It is hard to estimate when the pace of infection will come down, he said.
Donald Trump snatched defeat from the jaws of victory on Friday while crowing to the press about a better-then-expected U.S. jobs report for May.

Economic data had predicted the report would show that nearly 20 percent of Americans were unemployed during the month due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that 2.5 million more people were employed in May than April, bringing the unemployment rate down from 14.7 percent in April to 13.3 percent in May.

BLS tied the labor market improvements to the limited resumption of economic activity that had screeched to a halt in March and April. The majority of gains were in temporary, low-paying service-sector jobs.

The report also showed unemployment among blacks is bucking the trend and continuing to rise. For the second month in a row, less than half of African Americans were working.

During his press conference, Trump made a startling reference to George Floyd, the unarmed black man whose senseless death at the knee of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin incited a week of national unrest over race-motivated police violence.

Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying this is a great thing that's happening for our country, Trump said to reporters. This is a great day for him, it's a great day for everybody."

Despicable

Of course, it was anything but a great day for the deceased man, his family and friends  or for the hundreds of thousands of enraged Americans of all races, ages and demographic groups whod participated in protests in all 50 states, as well as the citizens whod staged protests in cities abroad, including Paris and Tokyo.

Likely Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden was among those who were offended by Trumps trivializing, self-serving spin on Floyds killing.

"George Floyd's last words  'I can't breathe, I can't breathe'  have echoed all across this nation, quite frankly, all around the world. For the president to try to put any other words in the mouth of George Floyd, I frankly think it's despicable," Biden said in a speech at Delaware State University, a public historically black university in Dover, Delaware.

The American public also is becoming disenchanted with Trumps handling of race relations over the past three years. In a NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll,

67 percent of respondents said Trump has mostly increased racial tensions, including 92 percent of Democrats, 73 percent of independents, 88 percent of Africans Americans and 63 percent of whites.

Trumps remarks were delivered the morning after a somber memorial service at a Minneapolis chapel the day before, where the Rev. Al Sharpton spoke.

George Floyds story has been the story of black folks, Sharpton said. Because ever since 401 years ago, the reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed of being is you kept your knee on our neck.

Daylight protests, nights of mayhem

On May 25, Floyd, 46, lay handcuffed and on his stomach, pleading for his life as Chauvin dug his knee into Floyds neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds.

Two other officers also put their weight on Floyds body before joining a fourth officer to watch as Floyd struggled for his final breaths.

Floyd, who was suspected of passing a counterfeit $20 bill near the scene of his killing, had not been charged formally with any crime and could not have resisted arrest.

All four officers involved have been charged in connection with the incident. Chauvin faces the most serious charge  second-degree murder  while the other three face charges of abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter.

Protests began after Floyds killing was witnessed worldwide via a video taken and shared by 17-year-old Darnella Fraizer, who has since faced harassment on social media.

The video sparked outrage, sadness and a broadening awareness of the endemic brutality law-enforcement officers show toward African Americans. Responding to a Pew Research Center study, 84 percent of black adults said that, in dealing with police, blacks are generally treated less fairly than whites; 63 percent of whites said the same. Similarly, 87 percent of blacks and 61 percent of whites said the U.S. criminal justice system treats black people less fairly.

The past week has been characterized by peaceful daytime protests, followed by violent nights of looting, arson and physical attacks on police. The mayhem has resulted in curfews throughout the U.S., including in Milwaukee and Madison earlier this week.

In many cities police have responded with tear gas, clubs and rubber bullets, stirring yet more antipathy toward them. Retired top military brass harshly criticized Trump for threatening to send U.S. military forces to take control of cities where peaceful protests and riots were occurring. He ultimately gave up the idea.

The Trump administration blamed the violence on left-wing extremists who identify with the militant thinking of an amorphous anti-Semitic group called Antifa, which seeks to overturn the socio-political order. But theres mounting evidence that larcenous opportunists, anarchists and white supremacists are behind the havoc.

In fact, both Facebook and Twitter have suspended or removed accounts started by white nationalists posing as left-wingers and urging their followers to bring weapons and inflammatory devices to the rallies.
Minneapolis seeks over $55 million in aid to restore city ravaged by riots

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Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the city is expected to need well over $55 million in state and federal aid to rebuild hundreds of structures damaged or destroyed during several nights of violent riots sparked by the officer-involved death of George Floyd.

The city's Community Planning & Economic Development department has estimated that at least 220 buildings were damaged, resulting in a minimum of $55 million in costs, but that initial estimate is expected to rise significantly, according to the Star Tribune.

The city is "not yet ready to produce a credible estimate" of the losses, City Council members said Tuesday.

"We will do everything we can as we shift to recovery mode," Frey was quoted as saying. "We're recovering from crises sandwiched on top of each other, from COVID-19 to the police killing and then the looting which took place afterward."

The mayor also said he expects the full cost of the damage to be "tens, if not hundreds of millions" of dollars in the Twin Cities.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has spoken to U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith and U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar and Betty McCollum, who represent the Twin Cities, about the need for aid.

"To be realistic, the odds of that happening are, at best, very difficult," McCollum said, according to National Review. "If it is demonstrated [that] outside provocateurs committed acts of destruction then there is a clear rationale for an emergency declaration by President Trump."

Walz and the Twin Cities' mayors said last week that despite their initial beliefs that the majority of people looting and burning buildings came from out-of-state, in reality, 86% of people arrested last weekend alone lived in Minneapolis or the metro area, according to data taken from the Hennepin County Jail's roster that was first reported by news station KARE 11.

Minneapolis, looking like the aftermath of a war. pic.twitter.com/eEiF6gkJdL  Mark Higgie (@MarkHiggie1) June 6, 2020

Earlier this week, the FBI began asking for the public's assistance in identifying "violent instigators" who vandalized and torched buildings.

"We are committed to apprehending and charging violent instigators who are exploiting legitimate peaceful protests and engaging in violations of federal law," the FBI statement said in part, on Twitter.

"To help us identify actors who are actively instigating violence in the wake of George Floyd's death, the FBI is accepting tips and digital media depicting violent encounters surrounding the civil unrest that is happening throughout the country," the agency added in a statement online, asking people to submit "photos, or videos that could be relevant to the case."

Please send videos and photos of violent acts during last week's protests in the Twin Cities to https://t.co/FbTjuH3n1Q. pic.twitter.com/0kgxv0dCI6  FBI Minneapolis (@FBIMinneapolis) June 4, 2020

Rioting started two days after Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on May 25 while he was lying on the ground, handcuffed and restrained by three officers in Minneapolis. Several cellphone videos and police body cameras captured various aspects of the incident.

One bystander cellphone video taken at the scene shows former police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for several minutes as two other officers hold on to his torso and legs. According to details listed chronologically in the criminal complaint against Chauvin, Floyd had refused to get into the police squad car, "stiffened up, fell to the ground, and told the officers he was claustrophobic."

Floyd, who had moved to Minnesota to start a new life following several incarcerations and a felony conviction for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon in Texas, was arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill at Cup Foods convenience store to purchase cigarettes. The clerk had called 911 to report the crime and said Floyd was intoxicated.

On Wednesday, prosecutors upgraded charges against Chauvin to second-degree murder. Three other officers  Thomas Lane, J.A. Kueng, and Tou Thoa  have been charged with aiding and abetting in Floyd's death. All four officers were fired from the department days after the incident.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office on Monday ruled Floyd's manner of death was a homicide and stated that he suffered "a cardiopulmonary arrest while being restrained by law enforcement officer(s)." It also listed "arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease," "fentanyl intoxication" and "recent methamphetamine use" as "other significant conditions."

Protests spread to several other cities, including Memphis, Los Angeles, San Jose, Louisville, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Detroit, Portland, New York City, and Washington, D.C., among others. While some demonstrators have remained peaceful, others have resorted to violence.

On Friday, Vice President Mike Pence joined Bishop Harry Jackson for a listening session with community and faith leaders, where he said the church is the right place to address the nation's response to the death of George Floyd and the protests over racism that followed.

"I couldn't help but feel that as our nation reels from the tragic death of George Floyd, that a place to start a conversation is a place of worship," Pence said at the listening session held at Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland, where Jackson is a senior pastor.

"It's the wellspring of our nation's strength," Pence continued, speaking to a select group of black and minority leaders representing churches, businesses, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations. "It's been the wellspring of our national unity and our steady march toward a more perfect union."
San Francisco, June 6 : Amid protests across the US over the death of African-American George Floyd, a search for the term "racist" on Twitter shows President Donald Trump's official Twitter account, @realDonaldTrump, at the top under the "People" tab.

Several other accounts that featured in the search had the words "racist" or "racism" in their Twitter name or biographies.

A Twitter spokeswoman told CNET that if users mention an account alongside certain terms, the account and the keywords can surface together in search recommendations due to the way search algorithms are configured.

A Twitter search also suggests that many people using the world "racist" have also been mentioning Trump's account, said the report on Friday.

Tensions between Trump and Twitter escalated ever since Twitter had last introduced fact checks that showed up on Trump's tweets last month.

Trump later signed an executive order threatening to slash protections for social media companies.

Twitter then flagged a tweet by Trump for violating its rules on glorification of violence.

Facebook did not take any action when the tweets were cross posted to its platform.

But both the platforms disabled a Trump campaign video over copyright violations that slammed "radical leftwing groups" for the protests across the US.
Thomas Lane, 37, is charged with aiding and abetting George Floyd's murder. He had his own list of criminal and traffic convictions before joining the police force

One of the three former police officers charged with aiding and abetting the murder of George Floyd had a string of criminal offences and traffic violations before he became a cop.

Thomas Lane, 37, of St. Paul, was charged on Wednesday afternoon in relation to Floyd's death, which happened when he was on his fourth full-time shift as a police officer.

Before he joined the force, Business Insider revealed that Lane had racked up a slew of traffic violations and became an officer despite having a criminal record.

Lane was convicted of seven charges in total, among them obstructing legal process and one charge of damaging property.

He had also worked a variety of jobs in the service industry before he was hired as a police officer.

Lane's personnel file has been released by his former employer, the Minneapolis Police Department, but with many sections redacted.

His file notes that Lane left high school before graduating and then held at least ten jobs between 2010 and 2017.

During this time, he pursued his GED and a college degree as he worked as a laborer, a telemarketer, a server, a bartender, a security guard, and a sales associate.

In 2017, he began a job as a juvenile correctional officer and assistant probation officer, the file states.

Thomas Lane is seen here to the far right holding down George Floyd's legs during his arrest as the man said he could not breathe. This was on his fourth full day as a police officer

Lane is one of four former Minneapolis police officers arrested and charged with the death of George Floyd, pictured, which sparked protests across the world

The Minneapolis Star Tribune noted that Lane's attorney on Thursday said he 'previously worked as a juvenile counselor at a few "juvenile places" in the Twin Cities and once received a community service award from Mayor Jacob Frey and Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo for volunteering with children'.

However, during these years Lane was also compiling a laundry list of convictions from dozens of criminal charges and traffic violations, being convicted of seven of the charges in total.

Speeding, obstructing traffic and two parking meter violations were among the four related to traffic violations but he also faced more serious criminal charges on several occasions.

When he was 18, Lane was charged with two counts of obstructing legal process, damaging property, unlawful assembly, and disorderly conduct but details of the incident are not available.

He was convicted on two of the charges: obstructing legal process and one charge of damaging property.

Six years later, he had another run in with the law in March 2007, after throwing a party and being found guilty of hosting a noisy gathering.

Lane started as a police cadet in 2019 and was a rookie on the force, only on his fourth full-time shift, when on Memorial Day he was one of the first officers to respond to claims that George Floyd, 46, had attempted to use a counterfeit $20 bill.

During the arrest, Lane's training officer Derek Chauvin, 44, was filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes as he said he couldn't breathe.

Chauvin remained on Floyd's neck even after he had fallen unconscious and while Lane is heard asking if Floyd should be rolled onto his side, he and the other two officers present - J Alexander Kueng, 26, and Tou Thao, 34 - did not intervene.

Lane now faces 40 years in jail after being charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder  unintentional  while committing a felony and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter, culpable negligence creating unreasonable risk.

Former Minnesota police officer Thomas Lane, one of three officers charged with aiding and abetting in the murder of George Floyd, is seen in an artist's sketch attending a court hearing on Thursday. He has an unconditional bail of $1million or $US750,000 with conditions

Derek Chauvin, pictured left, is charged with second-degree murder of George Floyd. The other three former officers, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao (pictured from second left to right) have been charged with aiding and abetting Chauvin

The former cop is being held on an unconditional bail of $1million or $750,000 with conditions.

In his first court appearance Thursday, Lane's attorney argued that he was barely off probation and suggested he could do little to sway the much more senior officer Chauvin, who is charged with Floyd's murder.

'What was he supposed to do? Tell Chauvin to get off?', said Lane's attorney, Earl Grey.

Grey referred to Lane as 'a good guy,' and pointed to his inexperience in contrast with Chauvin's status as a 20-year veteran.

He reminded the judge that his client had asked repeatedly, 'Shall we roll him?' and it was his client and his alone who got into the ambulance and attempted to resuscitate Floyd with CPR.

He requested an interim hearing and the judge noted that he was setting bail as he had done for Thao and Kueng, who had appeared in court just before him; $1million unconditional and $750,000 with conditions including that he have no contact with Floyd's family.

However, in Lane's case that may be reviewed pending a hearing regarding the strength of his case.

Defense attorney Earl Gray speaks to the press on Thursday after representing former Minneapolis police Officer Thomas Lane in his first court appearance in Minneapolis

Officers Lane and Kueng were the first to arrive at the scene at 8.08pm, May 25 when someone made a 911 call reporting a man for buying merchandise from Cup Foods with a counterfeit $20.

Floyd was parked in a car just around the corner when the officers arrived. There were three people in the car, with Floyd in the driver's seat. As Lane began speaking with Floyd through his open window, he pulled his gun and asked Floyd to show him his hands.

Floyd placed his hands on the steering wheel and Lane reholstered his gun.

The footage goes on to show Floyd complying with all the officers' requests  getting out of the car, sitting on the ground, being handcuffed.

The probable cause statement notes that as he sat on the ground, 'Floyd said, 'Thank you man,' and was calm.'

Thomas Lane is seen here in CCTV footage during the arrest of George Floyd on Memorial Day

It was only when Lane stood Floyd up and tried to get him into the squad car that the man 'stiffened' and fell to the ground.

The statement said, 'Mr. Floyd told the officers that he was not resisting but did not want to get in the back seat and was claustrophobic'.

Chauvin and Thao arrived in separate squad cars at this point and all four officers began trying to push Floyd into the car as he, 'repeatedly said that he could not breathe.'

At 8.19pm Chauvin pulled Floyd from the car and he went to the ground face down. Keung had his back, Lane held his legs, Chauvin placed his knee on Floyd's neck in an act that has reverberated around the world.

Floyd said, 'I'm about to die,' he repeatedly called for his 'mama' and said he could not breathe but they held their positions as Chauvin pressed the life out of the father of two.

After five minutes Floyd stopped moving, after six he fell silent and stopped breathing. Lane said he 'wanted to roll him on his side.' Kueng check his wrist and found no pulse.

Still they held their positions. Two minutes later at 8.27pm Chauvin finally relinquished his pressure.

Video of the death has sparked protests against police brutality around the world as some call for police forces in the United States to be defunded.

The city of Minneapolis is now looking to drastically change its police department after the incident highlighted cases of extreme force used by their offices during arrests.

On Friday, the city banned the use of chokeholds as at least five city council members voiced support for disbanding the police department entirely and creating a new system involving community support, medical workers, and social workers.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 01:31:34|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The spokesman of the UN-backed Libyan government on Saturday announced launching an offensive to take over the city of Sirte, some 450 km east of the capital Tripoli, from the eastern-based army after it withdrew from western Libya.

The spokesman said the UN-backed government's forces launched five airstrikes on the eastern-based army in Sirte that destroyed military vehicles of the eastern-based army.

Mohamed Gonono on Friday announced taking over all of western Libya after controlling Tarhuna city, the last stronghold of the rival eastern-based army in western Libya that is located some 90 km southeast of the capital Tripoli, following withdrawal of the rival eastern-based army.

The spokesman of the eastern-based army of Libya, Ahmad al-Mismari, on Friday said the eastern-based army had withdrawn from western Libya due to "international pressure."

Munther Al-Zawi, a military commander of the UN-backed government's forces, said that Tarhuna was the biggest threat to the UN-backed government in western Libya, which the eastern-based used as a major hub for military operations.

"Currently, we are chasing the remnants of the militias of Haftar (commander of eastern-based army) fleeing southeast of Tripoli. We will not allow any of his forces to remain in western Libya. Now, things have changed and we will not allow threats from eastern Libya, where Haftar's is based and launches attacks," Al-Zawi told Xinhua.

"We do not have any problems with our people in the east, unlike the godfather of chaos Haftar, who caused the loss of thousands of Libyan lives in a losing war only because of his greed for power at any cost," he added.

Libyan parliament member, Mustafa Abu-Shagour, confirmed that the UN-backed government had defeated an "international coalition" that supported the eastern-based army.

"The 14-month epic fight of Tripoli ended with victory of the defenders of the country over the international coalition that brought mercenaries from all over the world to support Haftar, who wanted to destroy Tripoli and destroy the hope of the Libyans for a state. The Libyan freemen presented convoys of martyrs to repel this brutal aggression on their capital," Abu-Shagour said in a statement.

The eastern-based army launched a military campaign in April 2019, attempting to take over Tripoli from the UN-backed government.

The fighting killed and injured hundreds of civilians and forced more than 150,000 others to flee their homes. Enditem
Police have said they will be stopping people en route to planned protests in Derry and Belfast today.

The rallies are in support of the 'Black Lives Matter' campaign.

Organisers have insisted that the events will be following social distancing guidelines as well as other safety measures.

However, there have been calls for the rallies to be called off amid safety concerns over large groups of people gathering during the coronavirus pandemic.

Politicians and business leaders in Derry have been among those who called for the local rally in the Guildhall Square this afternoon to be postponed.

A PSNI spokesperson today said that officers are conducting checks on roads and transport hubs today ahead of planned protests in Belfast and Derry.

"If you are travelling to take part in a protest which will involve more than six people gathering outside, you are likely to be in breach of the Health Protection regulations.

"You can therefore expect to be stopped, advised to return home and could face a fine or court appearance," said the police spokesperson.
A Philadelphia police officer has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault after a video surfaced showing the man allegedly beating a 21-year-old Temple University student during recent protests, District Attorney Larry Krasner's office announced Friday.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner speaks to reporters on Feb. 6, 2019. (Matt Rourke / AP file)

Police Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna, a 30-year veteran of the department, was also charged with reckless endangerment and possession of an instrument of crime. He has been removed from street duty pending an investigation, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said.

Video footage appears to show Bologna hitting the student in the head and neck with a baton. The student was knocked to the ground and another officer put his knee on him to keep the student down, the Associated Press reported.

Jonathan Feinberg, an attorney representing the protester, Evan Gorski, said that the engineering student was at home recovering from his injuries after being in custody for more than 24 hours earlier this week, NBC Philadelphia reported.

Gorski needed 10 staples and 10 stitches to treat a large head wound, according to Krasners office.

"Cellphone video captured Inspector Bologna using an ASP (a collapsible metal police baton) to strike the Temple University student in the back of his head while he was participating in a mass demonstration against racism and injustice in the area of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway," Krasner said in a statement.

We are trying to be fair. Accountability has to be equal. This moment demands a swift and evenhanded response to violent and criminal acts based on the facts and evidence, the district attorney added.

Outlaw said the police department was reviewing videos that showed officers in other violent confrontations with people protesting the death of George Floyd, who died while in Minneapolis police custody last week.

I am deeply concerned about this, and as a result I have initiated several concurrent internal affairs investigations, Outlaw said.

Story continues

John McNesby, president secretary of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, the union representing Philadelphia police, said he is "disgusted" by Bologna's arrest.

"He was engaged in a volatile and chaotic situation with only milliseconds to make a decision," McNesby said in a statement. "Once again, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has rushed to judgement in filing these criminal charges without a complete and thorough investigation."

He went on to blame the district attorney for contributing "to the destruction of our great city."

The relationship between Krasner and the police union has been fraught from the very beginning. Krasner famously sued the Philadelphia police department more than 70 times before becoming district attorney.

Before Krasner was elected to office in 2017, McNesby warned that Krasner's tenure would create a "rough road" for police officers because the former civil rights lawyer "sent the message early in his career that he's anti-law enforcement."


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The son of David Trimble has followed in his father's political footsteps and vowed to represent all communities as a new mayor.

Nicholas Trimble said he will seek to be as "down-to-earth" as possible as Lisburn and Castlereagh's incoming first citizen "whatever the legacy of my surname is".

The UUP councillor took the mantle from the DUP's Alan Givan yesterday, and will serve alongside party colleague Jenny Palmer, who is deputy.

Mr Trimble said Northern Ireland was a "far different place" from when his father took office as First Minister in 1998.

He said: "I think as a society we're all working and living together.

"Unfortunately, politically, that seems to be the one walk of life where Northern Ireland has reached a bit of a stalemate, which is deeply regrettable, but I intend to fulfil the duties of mayor as well as I can, whatever the legacy of my surname is.

"I am humbled to be chosen for the role.

"I want to do it as best as I can and that's me as a human being speaking, not me as Trimble speaking."

He said he expected the year ahead to be shaped by Covid-19, which has hammered the coffers of local councils.

Mr Trimble told the chamber he felt the council had a "moral obligation" to help vulnerable residents.

He added that he would be "accessible as possible" to everybody in his role.

He has chosen food banks in Lisburn and Dundonald for his mayoral charities.

He said: "I want to see the council step up and be there for people, and be there for different communities.

"This time last year the council was bristling with optimism, with a huge capital investment programme and the Belfast Regional City Deal. And now it's going to be a very, very different setting."

DUP councillor Scott Carson said he could remember seeing Mr Trimble chaperoned off the school bus when his father was First Minister.

He "heartily" congratulated the incoming mayor on behalf of his party.
DEAL OF THE WEEK

Ballantine Wont Forget Alcindor Yamiche Alcindor, the White House correspondent for PBS NewsHour, sold a memoir titled Dont Forget to Ballantine. Sara Weiss won North American rights to the book, at auction, from the Gernert Companys Alia Hanna Habib. Dont Forget, Ballantine said, will detail how the author got into TV journalism. (In addition to her role at PBS NewsHour, she is also a contributor for NBC News and MSNBC.) In particular, Ballantine continued, the book will show how the precise path Alcindor tookas the child of Haitian immigrants and as a journalism prodigy covering Black Lives Matter and civil rights abusesinforms her point of view while reporting on one of the most chaotic administrations in modern times.

FROM THE U.S.

Ecco Goes to the Birds for Oshetsky

In a six-figure sale, Alexa Stark at Trident Media Group sold Claire Oshetskys Chouette to Ecco. Sara Birmingham nabbed North American rights to the novel at auction. Stark said the wildly original work follows a woman who unexpectedly gives birth to an owl; she added that the book explores ambition, sacrifice, perceptions of ability, and the ferocity of motherly love, likening it to works by Jenny Offill and Han Kang.

Faber Gets a D at Hanover

International bestseller Michel Faber sold his latest novel, D (A Tale of Two Worlds), to Hanover Square Press. The book, set for December 2020, was bought from Penguin Random House UK in a North American rights agreement. Hanover Squares Peter Joseph brokered the deal with Sarah Scarlett at PRH UK. In the novel, Faber (The Crimson Petal and the White), who was born in the Netherlands and now lives in the U.K., delivers a modern-day Dickensian fable, Hanover Square said. D, the publisher explained, follows a young woman named Dhikilo who notices that the letter D has suddenly disappeared from the language. The heroine then sets off on a quest to reclaim the missing letter, venturing from England into the wintry land of Liminus, a fantasy world enslaved by the monstrous Gampand populated by fearsome, enchanting creatures. Ds release commemorates the 150th anniversary of Charles Dickenss death.

Suggss Mija Travels to LBYR

Through an exclusive submission, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Liz Kossnar bought Christine Suggss YA graphic memoir, Ay Mija!: My Bilingual Summer in Mexico, for six figures. The two-book, world rights dealwhich includes a second, untitled graphic memoirwas brokered by Melissa Edwards and Alyssa Jennette at Stonesong. Suggs is the author-illustrator of Ay Mija!, which the agency said follows Suggs as she spends two weeks with her family in Mexico, experiencing her history and finding her voice. The book is set for 2023.

Winfrey Gets Sincere with Berkley

Kerry Winfrey (Waiting for Tom Hanks) sold a new novel, Very Sincerely Yours, in a two-book deal to Berkley. Stephen Barbara at InkWell Management represented the author. Cindy Hwang nabbed world rights to the book, which, Barbara said, was inspired, like the authors previous works, by her love of rom-coms and a specific kind of chemistry-building. In Very Sincerely Yours, a woman recovering from a broken heart, Barbara went on, vows to improve her life by doing one thing every day that scares her. Winfrey is behind the Tumblr A Year of Romantic Comedies, in which she chronicled watching 52 movies in the genre over the course of a year. Very Sincerely Yours is slated for 2021.

Bbury Title Explores Unsolved Murder

For Bloomsbury, Daniel Loedel preempted Rachel Rears nonfiction Chained to the Sky. The book, which Dan Conaway at Writers House sold, spans more than 20 years and chronicles the aftermath of the unsolved murder of the authors stepsister. Bloomsbury said that Rear delivers a fabulously compulsive and moving reconstruction of the dark and serpentine path... of the long-unsolved murder of her stepsister that simultaneously explores the personal impact of living in her shadow and the wider legacies of abuse and corruption. Loedel took North American rights in the deal.

Hendrix Sells Final Girl

After an auction, Jessica Wade at Berkley won two new horror novels by bestseller Grady Hendrix (The Southern Book Clubs Guide to Slaying Vampires). The deal, for U.S., Canadian, and open market rights, was brokered by Joshua Bilmes at JABberwocky. The first book under contract, The Final Girl Support Group, is, Berkley said, an homage to slasher films and follows six girls who belong to a survivors support group that has been meeting for nearly two decades. The girls, the publisher elaborated, managed to survive the unthinkableand now someone is coming for them. Final Girl is set for June 2021. The second book in the deal, a currently untitled standalone novel, is slated for 2022.

Roe Teaches Etiquette to HC

Dark Room Etiquette by Robin Roe (A List of Cages) was bought by Kristin Pettit at HarperCollins. Peter Steinberg at Foundry Literary + Media represented Roe in the North American rights agreement. Steinberg explained that the YA novel follows a 16-year-old named Sayers Wayte, whos rich, popular, and more than a little arrogant. When Sayers is abducted, all that changes. Steinberg elaborated: As Sayers starts losing track of time, he starts losing track of himself, too, and his big bright world of privilege shrinks to a single dark room. Dark Room Etiquette is set for May 2022.

Lit Startup Founder Sells Debut to FSG

Andrew Lipstein, who founded the literary startup 0s&1s, sold his debut novel to Jonathan Galassi at Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Plotting, which Lipstein sold without a literary agent, is set in the world of New York publishing and, he said, follows an up-and-coming writer who's made grand promises by an agent. When the authors novel is found out to be too close to realityand not his story to tellthe author is forced to make a Faustian bargain, Lipstein explained. 0s&1s (0s-1s.com) is a retail site that sells a selection of small press titles direct to consumers. The site, which also sells magazines, says its aim is to distribute digital literature that is truly independent, pro-author, green, and, above all, ambitious.

Correction: This article has been updated, as an earlier version misstated elements of the plot of Andrew Lipsten's novel Plotting.
AVON, Ohio -- The parking lot at the closed city pool in Avon was packed with cars on June 6 as hundreds of people attended a protest, The Change We Seek, coordinated by 2020 Avon High School graduate Jenna Mintzlaff.

The crowd carried myriad signs reflecting racial justice and peace issues as they listened to the speakers, including Mintzlaff and five other students.

Another recent Avon High School graduate, Julia Biniek, attended with her younger sisters, Olivia and Elena, as well as two friends.

Protesters carry Black Lives Matter signs during a march in Avon on June 6. (Linda Gandee, special to cleveland.com)

We came because we can use our voices to make a change," Biniek said. "We are standing up for people too afraid, because our nation is in a place where everyone is not comfortable using their voice to fight for what matters.

So, we want to use our voices in a safe environment to make a difference for those too afraid to stand up," she said.

Avon and Avon Lake police officers were scattered throughout the standing audience, and Avon Mayor Bryan Jensen and Avon Lake Mayor Greg Zilka both attended. Lowes of Avon provided a truck full of bottled water for the protesters.

Avon Lake Mayor Greg Zilka, left, stands near several police officers from Avon and Avon Lake during The Change We Seek, a Black Lives Matter protest in Avon on June 6. (Linda Gandee, special to cleveland.com)

Zilka said he was invited to the event through an email from Avon Lake High School.

The emphasis was on peaceful expression, peaceful assembly and peaceful demonstration, he said. So, I agreed to come.

He noted that Avon Lakes acting Police Chief, Sean Bockelman, was also in attendance, as was Detective Reed Reikowski and other officers.

Zilka noted that Avon Mayor Bryan Jensen said he was glad Zilka attended.

He, of course, has a number of police officers here, as well as his chief, Richard Bosley," Zilka said.

Its our belief our (police) presence here will keep it from turning ugly and negative, he said.

He went on to make a statement about police officers overall in the midst of the controversy stemming from the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Its obvious this is a very sensitive subject, Zilka said. "The vast majority of police officers are doing a great job. The vast majority of demonstrators over the past few days have also been peaceful. A small percentage have not, and that is causing further divisiveness in our country.

We are in very perilous times in regards to this situation, as well as the COVID virus, he said.

Hundreds showed up in support of racial justice and peace during The Change We Seek, a Black Lives Matter protest in Avon on June 6. (Linda Gandee, special to cleveland.com)

Bockelman commented on attending the protest, as well as on the Minnesota incident: I am extremely pleased I was invited by an Avon student, and I think we are doing our part. We are happy to come and support a peaceful movement.

Obviously, police officers completely denounce any kind of excessive use of force and we detest any incidents like that, he said, referring to Floyds death during an arrest on May 25, in which a white officer knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes.

Due to recent comments and questions by some in the media, Bockelman confirmed that police officers are not trained in chokeholds. That is nothing that is in their training, he said.

After listening to the speakers, the hundreds of protesters then walked a couple of blocks to the intersection of Ohio 83 and Detroit Road, with police officers escorting them and making sure they didnt go into the street.

Other people were already waiting there. Some said they were anti-protesters.

All remained calm, though, from beginning to end. The protesters, though very loud with their chants, stayed on the sidewalks at the intersection and didnt block traffic.

Zilka believed that what he was seeing was a positive event.

I am very pleased this is being done in an orderly manner and in a positive manner," he said.

This story was updated on June 7, 2020.

Read more from the Sun Sentinel.
"In a post-COVID world, we'll be seeking purpose and growth and connection more than ever, and travel is about connection at a basic human level," said Jordan Harvey, co-founder of Minneapolis-based Knowmad Adventures.

Adventure travel specialists discern a silver lining to the current pause in travel. Theirs may be one of the first tourism sectors to rebound - and some of their practices could be adopted more widely when the world opens to travel again.

Adventure trips tend to bring people to out-of-the-way destinations. They also often require travelers to be self-reliant, from carrying their own food and gear, to hiking or paddling themselves to a destination. Some popular stops for these kinds of trips, such as the Galapagos Islands and Peru's Inca Trail, have quotas that limit visitors. These approaches could help travelers stay healthy by allowing space for social distancing.

"The outdoors is where people are turning right now," said Greg Lais, founder of Wilderness Inquiry, a nonprofit organization that makes outdoor adventures accessible to people of all abilities. Wilderness Inquiry typically runs small-group trips to destinations ranging from Uganda to the Apostle Islands, though they are now focusing on regional overnight and day trips for families and other small groups who are sheltering together.

July 4 is their projected startup date. Over the next several weeks, they plan to nail down best practices, such as shelving gear for several weeks after a trip.

Knowmad Adventures specializes in arranging trips to the Galapagos, Patagonia and other South American destinations, earning national accolades from the likes of Travel + Leisure magazine. Harvey is also currently establishing safety protocols for his customers and their in-country guides and hosts, even as trips have ceased. But he sees a bright future.

The current pause in travel - and the fears of contagion - will make people "really open to what is less known and less traveled."

Knowmad's trips focus on sustainability, often with stays at lodges in remote places. Through July 1, the company is offering bookings with a 10% deposit, refundable up to 95 days before departure. Despite the trying times, Harvey is bullish on the future.

"When it comes to travel, we have an insatiable, undeniable need to explore our world - and ourselves."

Visit the Star Tribune (Minneapolis) at www.startribune.com
Black Grooming Entrepreneurs

13 Entrepreneurs Revolutionizing the Grooming Industry

The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service.

The fight for racial equality must be heard. Amplify is our series devoted to elevating black voices and brands, spotlighting issues, and taking action.

With additions by Alex Bracetti.

The male grooming industry has grown to become a multi-billion dollar trade  an estimated $166 billion by 2022. Major mass market brands such as Axe and Dove along with DTC brands including Harry's and Dollar Shave Club  to name just a few  have contributed to this growth by manufacturing open-minded, gender-specific products catering to the average Joe. Yet in mentioning the phenomenal success of the business, the public has failed to recognize many of its power players  and by that, we mean specifically Black men and men of color.

RELATED: 21 Best Natural Hair Products for Black Men

Bevel founder Tristan Walker once described the grooming field as a second class citizen experience for such crowds. He had a point, because most of the markets hygiene products werent formulated to tackle the coarse hair or rare skin texture of Black men. This would lead to an evolution of change, welcoming a crowd of aspiring trailblazers whove introduced innovative products and services to the community that for lack of better terms have shaped the grooming game for African Americans, and on a global level at that.

So in celebration of Black men (and women) everywhere, were putting you onto the Black entrepreneurs breaking cultural barriers and bringing change to the male grooming industry right now.

Tristan Walker : Bevel

The Stanford graduate and Foursquare alum noticed a grooming void in the Black community and sharpened his focus on creating a product for men with coarse and curly hair. Walkers vision turned into Walker & Company Brands, Inc. It quickly disrupted the industry with its inaugural launch, the Bevel shaving system, consisting of a singular razor with lotions and a special brush to fight off razor bumps. Bevel is now a mainstream name found everywhere from Amazon to Target. It has drawn financial contributions from celebrity venture capitalists including John Legend, Magic Johnson, and Nas, who also serves as a spokesperson for the brands best-selling Bevel Trimmer.

Learn more at GetBevel.com

Michael James : Frederick Benjamin Grooming

A business virtuoso whos established a credible rep from working with major beauty brands like LOreal and Revlon, Michael James applied his talents to found a multi-ethnic skin care line for modern men. In doing so, he took inspiration from a man that was the epitome of style, grace and finesse: his grandfather, the Frederick Benjamin Schumpert. Now available at Ulta nationwide, FBG products are infused with natural ingredients (spearmint, clove, hemp seed) and free of damaging substances (drying alcohols, petroleum distillates) that replenish hair for every scalp type. No discrimination.

Learn more at FrederickBenjamin.com

Sebastian Jackson : Social Club Grooming Company

Modeling his Detroit barbershop into a social experience, owner Sebastian Jackson formed the Social Club Grooming Company to serve as a community hub for people to come together, get their hair done, and speak on social issues. As a cultural advocate, hes hired a diverse staff of hairstylists with varied experience to manage people of any gender and race who step through his doors. The SCGC even promotes what its coined Shop Talks, a series of popular destination events across the Motor City where Sebastian interviews tastemakers and successful entrepreneurs  and he puts in work behind the barbers chair as well.

Learn more at AtTheSocialClub.com

Nancy Twine : Briogeo

During childhood visits to West Virginia, Nancy Twine, Founder of hair care brand Briogeo, would assume the role of sous chef to her grandmother, the town's resident beauty guru, in making her coveted homemade hair care. Upon moving to New York City in her mid-20s, Twine was forced to swap homemade hair care for store-bought leading her to quickly realize that the natural hair care on the market simply did not live up to its claims. After working in her East Village studio apartment using her grandmother's recipes (and a rockstar natural chemist team) Briogeo was born. In the years since, the brand has cracked the code to make affordable, quality hair care for men and women, focusing on texture-specific products instead of what works for guys and what works for gals. Available at Amazon, Sephora, Nordstrom  basically everywhere.

Learn more at Briogeo.com

Calvin Quallis : Scotch Porter

Calvin Quallis grew up in and out of his mothers beauty and barbershop on Long Island, New York. He didnt know it yet, but those fond memories shaped his future more than he realized. After graduating from William Paterson University in New Jersey, he worked in market research and design, before opening his own barbershop on the side in Newark, New Jersey in 2012. After establishing Scotch Porter  named after his booze of choice and one of his favorite artists, Gregory Porter  it quickly took off and he decided to take the leap of faith by quitting his day job and going full speed ahead. It paid off. For a brand that has just hit five years old, its a top seller on Amazon and made its debut in Target in early 2020, to rave reviews. With a well curated list of over 15 items, there is something for every bearded guy out there.

Learn more at ScotchPorter.com

Jamyla Bennu : Oyin Handmade

Founded in 2001, in a kitchen in Baltimore, Maryland, Oyin Handmade is a collection of completely handmade products designed to meet todays health, beauty, and style needs using natural and organic ingredients. Founder Jamyla Bennu was recently featured in Facebooks womens business profile series, She Means Business and is a member of its Small Business Council. Sticking close to her roots, she maintains her Baltimore-based boutique on North Charles Street but can be found nationwide and on Amazon.

RELATED: Companies Supporting the Black Lives Matter Cause

Learn more at OyinHandmade.com

Michael Elliot : Hammer & Nails

Who would have thought a male nail salon would blossom into a business empire? Salute as Michael Elliot raises his hand. He saw the value of integrating a salon inside a man-cave-like setting where an all-female staff performs splendor grooming services and serves refreshments. Hammer & Nails tapped into a niche market thats blown up since its inception back in 2013, while being featured on Shark Tank and recently granting franchise licenses in over 40 states to expand Elliots hand and foot grooming venture.

Learn more at HammerandNailsGrooming.com

Edward Bert Oliver Jr. : E.B.O. Beard Butter

The entrepreneurial spirit and word of mouth can get you far in this business  all you have to do is look at Edward Bert Oliver Jr. Through extensive product research and social media, the Norfolk State University graduate chose to develop and self-market his own organic line of beard care products upon seeing the markets best failing to nourish unique African-American tresses. With an increasing client base and variety of scents available, Beard Butter is steadily evolving into the go-to solution for beard conformists of all races.

Learn more at his EBO Beard Butter Shop

Adrian Fanus : Adrian Fanus Grooming

Here is a man who's kept celebs like John Legend, Idris Elba, Forrest Whitaker, and Franchesca Ramsey looking fresh in front of the cameras over the years. The brains behind luxe AF Grooming salon in Brooklyn created his own grooming line through his self-taught creativity and charming personality, which continue to capture the interest of notable celebs from all backgrounds. Fanus unprecedented approach to detail continues to make him a trendsetter in the biz  tailoring premium haircuts and skincare consultations based on two attributes: character and facial structure.

Learn more at AFGrooming.com

Andrea Polk : Solo Noir For Men

Polk once said, As a child, the word entrepreneur was never a term that was part of my vocabulary. Call it a case of divine design because it was only a matter of time before she became a power player in the beauty and grooming industry. After years of helping other corporate brands, the sales and marketing expert re-entered the male skincare realm and launched a collection of organic grooming products. Shes gone on to develop an infrastructure to minimize failure by partnering with a manufacturer that manages most operations (distribution, packaging, testing), building an elite grooming system that specializes in 2-in-1 facial and shaving products for the ethnic man.

Learn more at SoloNoirforMen.com

Aaron Wallace : By Aaron Wallace

By Aaron Wallace is an eponymous creation born out of Wallaces Croydon-based barbershop, which has set the standard for grooming with a variety of luxury services designed for the Black gent who knows what he wants. Determined to address a lack of primping solutions, the visionary behind Britains first black-owned male grooming brand embarked on a journey to break such cultural barriers with his own line of premium products. Wallace spent years delving into research and development to formulate the right hair and skincare solutions for the everyday man. Mission accomplished.

Learn more at ByAaronWallace.com

Darnell Henderson : HIMistry Skincare

Grinding since the late millennium, Hendersons all-natural skincare products for men range from cleaners and toners to shave creams and beard oils. So whats made HIMistry such a winsome brand in the grooming industry till this day? Aside from offering multi-functional products that work as both anti-aging treatments and shaving solutions, Hendersons creations are available in stores nationwide and sold online across major outlets including Amazon. Attractive packaging and competitive pricing have only boosted its diverse appeal.

Learn more at HIMistry.com

Craig the Barber : Burke Avenue

Craig Whitely  professionally known as Craig the Barber  counts David Beckham, Chris Tucker, Bryshere Y. Gray, Jeremy Piven, Jason Mitchell, and more as his clients. Inspired by the real concerns of his clients, launched his Burke Avenue Shaving Products in 2017. Keeping it simple, to focus on his one-on-one clientele, Whitley sells his Moisturizing Shave Cream and 3-in-1 Face Balm on his site as well as Amazon.

Learn more at BurkeAvenue.com

You Might Also Dig:

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A disabled woman who was pepper sprayed by police as tensions spilled over during the Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney confronted officers with a remarkable speech, revealing she was a military veteran and screaming 'look what you did to me'.

Shocking pictures showed the woman sprawled on the ground on Saturday evening in Central Station after police launched pepper spray into the crowd, hitting her square in the eye.

Footage filmed at the tense scene shows the woman ranting at police screaming 'I did nothing', explaining she was a military veteran who had been discharged after being injured on deployment.

In one particularly confronting moment, she asked the line of waiting officers: 'If this is what you do to a white woman, what do you do to black people?'

The woman, who uses a crutch and wears a leg brace, fell to the floor during the battle with police, with other protesters helping her up as first aiders urgently cleaned her eye.

Standing in front of a row of police officers, water still dripping from her face, she said: 'I said nothing.

'I did nothing, look what you did! Look what you did!

'I served five years in the defence force and I got medically discharged for being injured on deployment.

The woman, who identified herself as a defence force veteran, is seen screaming at police after they pepper sprayed her while inside Central Station in Sydney following the protest for Black Lives Matter (pictured on Saturday)

First aiders rushed to help the woman and pour water over her eyes just moments after being pepper sprayed during the protest in Sydney (pictured on Saturday)

'And this is what you did to me.

'If you did this to a white woman, what do you do to black people?'

Her fellow protesters are heard shouting 'she's disabled' as she gave the gut-wrenching speech to a sea of police officers.

Another yells 'are you proud?' as the waiting officials refuse to display emotion during the heartfelt rant.

It came after screams of 'f**k the police' rang out as Black Lives Matter protesters and authorities clashed after thousands took to the streets across Australia on Saturday.

Dramatic scenes at Sydney's Central Station saw police using pepper spray on protesters, leaving some screaming in pain and laying on the ground after tensions boiled over following a day of rallies.

What started as a peaceful protest ended in chaos at the train station, as swelling crowds were trapped in the station and began taunting police officers.

But police showed little emotion as they stood shoulder to shoulder while the crowd, who shouted 'take a knee' and 'no racist police, no justice, no peace'.

Police spray protesters with pepper spray inside Central Station following the protest in Sydney on Saturday evening (pictured) as tensions spilled over

A woman is seen laying on the ground being tended to by a first aider (pictured) during the clash in Central Station on Saturday

Several protesters were knocked to the ground by police after firing pepper spray onto the crowd in Central Station (pictured, on Saturday night)

In Queensland, south Brisbane police station was swarmed by angry marchers who chanted 'I can't breathe', the same words African American George Floyd said before he was killed while in police custody.

Protesters were seen just inches away from the faces of officers some with megaphones and others armed with signs reading 'f**k the police'.

In Sydney, protesters unleashed on authorities after the Black Lives Matter protest was ruled legal just minutes before it was due to start after being banned the night before.

One protester was seen following a police officer and demanding he show 'solidarity' with the marches, which are demanding the end to racial inequality.

The marchers were eventually pushed to Central Station by police who then appeared to fire pepper spray into the faces of the crowd.

Several young ralliers were knocked to the ground before having their eyes washed after the violent altercation.

'F**k you you f***kg pigs. Go die, every last one of you,' one angry protester is heard shouting at NSW officers.

The march started at Sydney's Town Hall, ending at a park near the large train station, where protesters refused to disperse and ended up trapped inside.

A man has water washed through his eyes after being pepper sprayed by police in Sydney on Saturday night (pictured) after clashes between protesters and authorities

Protesters help one another off the ground of Central Station after being pepper sprayed by police officers in Sydney (pictured) on Saturday

One man is treated for pepper spray injuries after he was sprayed in Sydney's Central Station by police after tensions boiled over after Saturday's march (pictured)

Huge crowds turned out at the march on Saturday (pictured) which began at Sydney's Town Hall and soon spread across the city

An arrests was made at Central Station as the evening began and activists converged - leaving some protesters struggling to breathe as the crowd swelled.

Protesters began chanting at police while they ushered them towards the station, shouting 'Justice today for David Dungay'.

Mr Dungay died in a Sydney jail in 2015 and told officers who were pinning him down 'I can't breathe' 12 times before his death.

Despite the violent scenes of crowds being pepper-sprayed, NSW Police insisted the protests had 'remained peaceful'.

Just three arrests were made.

Operation Commander in Sydney, Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing, said officers across the state reported minimal problems.

'I have spoken with commanders who have said they are pleased that all their protests were essentially peaceful,' Assistant Commissioner Willing said.

Protesters are seen berating police offices (pictured, left and right) at Central Station on Saturday evening as the marches became tense

Thousands of marchers took to the streets across all Australian states on Saturday, demanding an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody. Pictured in Sydney

The woman is seen during her heartfelt rant to Sydney police officers in Central Station (pictured on Saturday) explaining she had been injured on deployment for the defence force

'Initially, we had a tough job in Sydney as the police operation was already underway when the Supreme Court decision was overturned, but we rapidly changed plans to ensure the event would run smoothly.

'There were some concerns raised by officers on the ground around physical distancing, and while some people were spoken to, no formal police action was required.'

An estimated 20,000 people gathered outside Town Hall on Saturday afternoon despite the Supreme Court banning the protest on Friday in a last ditch attempt to enforce social distancing restrictions.

Organisers won a last-minute court appeal on Saturday to allow the march to go ahead.

Two people were arrested before the event at around 2.30pm and one man waving an 'All Lives Matter' sign was led away by police.

One man 'takes a knee' in front of a NSW police officer in Sydney following the Black Lives Matter protest (pictured) in Central Station

Police clash with ralliers in Sydney after the crowd was pushed into Central Station on Saturday (pictured) with tensions soon spilling over

One protestor has an intense stand off with a police officer during the protest in Sydney fighting for racial equality (pictured at Central Station)

The Sydney protest was moved to Central Station by police where people continued to dance and chant (pictured) in more light-hearted scenes

One shocking video taken in Brisbane showed a man aggressively approaching a police car in the street.

Despite other protesters trying to pull him off, he pushed the car up the street before jumping on its roof - as police desperately tried to reverse it away.

Crowds gathered as the man sat and then stood on the car before being told to get down, and was escorted away by police, according to the Courier Mail.

It is understood the man was not arrested.

The crowds were really well behaved,' a spokesman for Queensland Police said.

Protesters are calling for an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody and in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

One woman in Sydney was seen following a police officer and demanding her show solidarity with the protesters (pictured on Saturday)

Thousands of Australians calling for an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody have gathered for the global Black Lives Matter protests across the country (pictured, demonstrators march in Adelaide)

At least 432 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died in police custody in Australia since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody report in 1991.

The Australian protests marked global outrage over the death of George Floyd, a black man in the US who died on May 25 after a police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes during an arrest.

In Sydney, ne man was booed after he raised an 'All Lives Matter' placard as a counter-protest. He had his sign ripped from his hand and was handcuffed and led away by officers.

'Get those animals off those horses!' another man screamed at police outside Sydney's Town Hall.

A small child who attended the protest was seen carrying a sign which read: 'I didn't choose to be black, I just got lucky'.

Protesters stand in front of a barricade of police officers in Melbourne during the Black Lives Matter protest (pictured on Saturday)

A young child in Sydney is seen carrying a sign saying 'I didn't choose to be black, I just got lucky' (pictured on Saturday)

Aboroginal protesters performed a traditional smoking ceremony before the start of the Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney

A protester is seen in Sydney (pictured on Saturday) as thousands marched on the city for a Black Lives Matter protest

Two men were arrested at Town Hall Station before the protest started. Officers cuffed this man before leading him away

One woman told Daily Mail Australia the problems with racial inequality in the US were similar to ones experienced in Australia.

'I'm here to show support, I don't think I do enough. Just trying to amplify voices,' Andrea said.

'I think this has been an issue forever [in Australia].

'[What's happening in the US is] just a reminder of what's happening here. It's not an isolated problem in America.

'In light of what happens on invasion day, it's not a one off thing. It's an ongoing issue we've got to keep fighting on.'

One University of Western Sydney student said it was time 'things changed'.

'This isn't the world we should be living in. We are all the same people, things need to change,' Gabrielle said.

The nationwide protests kicked off with about 5,000 activists packing into Adelaide's Victoria Square at 12pm on Saturday.

Flinders Street Station in Sydney is seen surrounded by protesters on Saturday night (pictured) during the Black Lives Matter protest

Protesters hold Aboriginal flags and 'Black Lives Matter' signs at the rally in Brisbane on Saturday

Speaker Jack Buckskin welcomed the large turnout, telling the gathering whether Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal, they were all part of the same society.

'This is about us coming together as people,' he said.

'Today we stand united. Our movement happens with people.

'We want people to walk alongside us. This is what Aboriginal people have been asking for.'

There was a strong police presence with a police helicopter overhead but the mood among protesters and police was generally peaceful.

But the day soon took a turn as protesters charged at mounted police outside the Melbourne East Police Station, with many shouting abuse and berating officers.

At least 432 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died in police custody in Australia since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody report in 1991

A protester holds up a sign reading 'Trump is a terrorist change my mind' at Sydney's Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday

There was a large police presence in Sydney on Saturday. These mounted police officers watched calmly as the peaceful protest got underway

'RENT-A-CROWD WILL ONLY MOVE AUSTRALIA BACKWARDS' Indigenous academic Anthony Dillon has said the protests are 'ridiculous'. Writing for news.com.au he said that many protesters were not across the real issues and were protesting for the sake of it. Mr Dillon pointed to research by the Australian Government that shows Aboriginal people are less likely to die in police custody than white people. 'What we are seeing now is ridiculous,' he wrote. 'If this was just a comedy show I would be laughing. 'But the antics of activists, social justice warriors, and their rent-a-crowds only move Australia backwards.' Advertisement

Thousands of Queenslanders gathered at King George Square as part of the movement at 1pm on Saturday.

Police and the Queensland premier said they would have preferred for people show their support online but would not stop the march against First Nations deaths in custody, and violence and systemic racism towards black people.

Organisers in Brisbane vowed to storm a police station until the officer in charge leaves the station and flies the Aboriginal flag, Courier Mail reported.

The crowds were also heard chanting 'f--k the pigs' and 'KKK' as the passionate protesters rallied.

Quaden Bayles and his mother Yarraka were pictured at the Brisbane protest for Black Lives Matter.

Quaden, who has the most common type of dwarfism called achondroplasia, made international headlines in February when his mother filmed him saying he wanted to die after kids picked on him at school.

The protest started outside the Victorian Parliament where Aboriginals of the tribe native to Melbourne, the Wurundjeri, addressed the crowd.

Organiser Meriki Onus, who was wearing a shirt saying 'destroy white supremacy' then addressed the crowds.

'Aboriginal people are subjected to police brutality and racist police practices and we have had enough. Black lives matter,' Ms Onus said.

'We've got the media on us. We're in this together.'

Victoria Police announced it would dish out $1,652 to each organiser of the Melbourne rally, as it breached directions from the states chief Health officer.

In Sydney a couple were spotted getting married as crowds descended on the streets.

Speeches by indigenous Australians were met with claps and cheers by the crowd.

Activists displayed signs reading 'racism is a pandemic', 'same problems different soil', 'white silence supports violence'

Quaden Bayles and his mother Yarraka were spotted at the Brisbane Black Lives Matter rally on Saturday

An aerial shot of protestors at the Black Lives Matter rally in Brisbane on Saturday where an estimated 30,000 people attended

Family members of David Dungay Jr participate in a Black Lives Matter rally in Brisbane, Saturday, June 6

Brothers of David Dungay Jr. participate in a Black Lives Matter rally in Brisbane, Australia, 06 June

At 3pm, thousands of protesters gathered at Sydney's town hall chanting 'Black Lives Matter', 'No justice, no peace' and 'I can't breathe'

Sydney's Town Hall was packed with protesters after the courts allowed the rally to go ahead at the last minute on Saturday morning

At 4:30pm protesters took a knee for one-minute to recognise the 434 Indigenous deaths in custody since 1991.

Footage from the scene showed the crowd on their knees and hands up in the air. One woman noticed police remained standing and called them out for it.

WHERE ARE THE PROTESTS PLANNED IN AUSTRALIA? Protests are set to go ahead in several Australian cities, but Sydney has now banned its planned protest. Melbourne: Sat June 6, 2pm to 5pm Parliament House, Melbourne Sydney: Sat June 6, 3pm to 5pm  Town Hall, Sydney Brisbane: Sat June 6, 1pm to 5pm  King George Square, Brisbane Adelaide: Sat June 6, 12pm to 1.30pm  Victoria Square / Tarntanyangga, Adelaide Advertisement

'Not one of you have the guts to put your hands up,' she said.

'Raise your fists and show your support but not one of you have the guts or the courage to show us here today that you care about black people in this country.

'If you care you will raise your fist and say black lives matter.'

Australia's Chief Medical Office said that while people had the right to protest, mass gatherings were dangerous in the midst of a pandemic.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also urged Australians not to attend protests.

Protest organisers Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance have stressed safety of the community is paramount while also insisting the event outside Victoria's Parliament House will go ahead.

Victoria Police have warned rally organisers could be fined $1,651 because of COVID-19 restrictions and that fines could also be issued to individuals.

One person with COVID-19 at Saturday's rally could be all it takes to squander the gains made, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has warned.

Prof Sutton says people should stay home over the Queen's Birthday long weekend unless absolutely necessary.

'Black Lives Matter' posters are displayed in the crowd during Adelaide's protest on Saturday

Protest organisers Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance have stressed safety of the community is paramount while also insisting the event outside Victoria's Parliament House will go ahead. Pictured: A hand sanitiser station at the Melbourne protest

Protesters participate in a Black Lives Matter rally in Sydney Australia, 06 June 2020 holding signs reading 'I can't breathe' and 'Same Story Different Soil'

A woman holds a sign which reads: 'If you don't think racism exists, then you are blinded by your privilege'
When public oil and gas companies are doing relatively well, many are happy to adopt a pay-for-performance model to reward CEOs and executives. However, the tables are quickly turned when things go to the dogs. When these companies go bankrupt, the misery is shared by employees who lose their jobs; retirees see their benefits and pensions go up in smoke, while shareholders and bondholders get wiped out. In sharp contrast, it's very common for blue-chip executives who have run their companies to the ground to receive multi-million dollar golden sendoffs. Indeed, top executives of oil and gas companies going through Chapter 11 frequently receive very fat payouts in the form of cash bonuses, stock grants, and other benefits that often exceed payments during the good times.

It's not any different this time around.

At a time when hundreds of thousands of employees in the U.S. shale industry have lost their jobs, Bloomberg has reported that some 35 executives at Whiting Petroleum Inc.(NYSE:WLL), Chesapeake Energy Corp.(NYSE:CHK) and Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc.(OTCMKTS: DOFSQ) are set to receive nearly $50 million after their companies declared bankruptcy or are on the verge of doing so.

Rewarding Failure

It's the manner in which these head honchos continue to award themselves fat bonuses despite federal legislation to crack down on the practice that really grates.

The board at Whiting, an oil and gas producer that filed for Chapter 11 in April, approved a $6.4M bonus for CEO Brad Holly just days before the company went under, exceeding his previous annual compensation package by nearly a million dollars.

In May, California Resources Corp. (NYSE:CRC) warned investors about "...a substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern..." but still went ahead and guaranteed company executives their 2020 bonuses.

Related: Oil Market Heading For Months Of Deficit So, what's the justification for this egregious, bizarre, and perverse practice?

According to Kelly Mitchell, an analyst at corporate watchdog group Documented, companies do it so as to incentivize these executives to stick around because they understand the company better and, ostensibly, have better odds of pulling them through. Never mind the fact that their decisions are very often to blame for the company's sad situation in the first place. They also do it in a bid to cut costs and maximize value for creditors using tools such as tax credits or untapped resources.

No Accountability

You could argue that this practice is not unique to the energy industry and is, in fact, common in corporate America--and you would be right.

Last year, former Equifax CEO Richard Smith, walked away with a very generous ~$19.6 million in stock bonuses, $24-million pension and $50,000 in tax and financial planning services after the credit agency suffered one of the worst data breaches in the history of the U.S. Interestingly, none of Smith's compensation was docked under the company's clawback provision meant to hold top executives accountable for their actions or inactions, which was negligence in this case.

In 2014, American retailing giant, Target Corp., paid ex-CEO Steinhafel more than $30 million after he handed in his resignation following another massive hacking attack that saw millions of customers' personal records stolen.

You can also rationalize that energy executives are not individually responsible for the oil price collapse that has adversely impacted their companies (though they share collective responsibility for the overproduction that triggered the collapse).

But whichever way you slice it, it's clear that oil and gas companies go too far with their bonus payments to executives. Over the past decade, the leaders of 15 large E&P companies collected more than US$2 billion in aggregate compensation despite their companies posting total returns of -15% compared to a 150% gain by the S&P 500 Index over the timeframe.

Related: Will There Be Another Oil Price War?

It's hard to justify the hefty rewards being awarded to executives of fallen energy companies. In the case of Equifax and Target, their respective stocks did suffer big selloffs after the hacks but quickly recovered and have actually outperformed their peers by quite a wide margin since the events. In contrast, WLL shares are down 89% in the year-to-date; CRC has lost 83.5%, CHK has returned -91.5% while DOFSQ is down 95% YTD, much worse compared to the sector benchmark, XLE, which is down a more modest 30.5% YTD. Bloomberg has reported that energy companies use their peers, not the broad market, as the benchmark, and executives of companies that perform less badly than others tend to be rewarded--bankruptcy is the ultimate underperformance, meaning these guys should not be getting such huge bonuses.

Energy companies need to have some level of accountability for their executives when things go awry. They have a willing accomplice, though. According to Patrick Hughes, judges tend to sign off on these fat payouts more often than not despite laws introduced in 2005 to limit their size.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Loading University of Sydney vice-chancellor Michael Spence says staff had managed a quick transition to online learning "in an extraordinary way". "We have been meeting with student leaders on a weekly basis and believe this has been valuable in maintaining communication and allowing us to address any issues as they come up,'' he says. ''Feedback shows our move online is generally working well." But student representative council president Liam Donohoe says students were concerned poor performance this semester would affect their future prospects. They are also worried the quality of their education will suffer in coming years, as casual staff and subject offerings are cut under cost-saving measures. "Theres huge anger, and theres a lot of demand around fee compensation," he says. One target has been the student services and amenities fee, which is capped by the federal government at $308 per student each year. With students unable to participate in clubs, societies or campus life under social distancing restrictions, online petitions argue this should be reduced.

But while some Melbourne universities have offered either refunds or discounts, only the University of Wollongong in NSW will offer a rebate. And no universities have met student demand for a course fee discount. A University of NSW spokeswoman says the university had made financial investments in its digital learning infrastructure "to ensure the teaching and learning experience for all students meets the level of excellence expected from a world-class university". "For these reasons, there is no scope for fee reductions," she says. A UTS spokesman says fee reductions were not considered appropriate. "Online learning done well is an extremely effective mode of education ... The cost of delivering this quality of experience does not reduce," he says. Sydney University education student Adriana Pazin, who has been uploading pre-recorded videos of herself speaking each week instead of participating in classroom discussions, says many students around her were stagnating in their degrees. They either deferred classes or hadn't learnt much, she says.

"It's a shame that we're still forced to subsidise the university during the pandemic, by being charged the same fees for units that were poorly managed and of substandard quality. It's like paying full price for a service that hasn't been adequately provided," she says. Sydney University social sciences student Manjot Kaur has found herself struggling to stay motivated or concentrate throughout the term. A typical high-achiever, Kaur started submitting assignments late for the first time and has felt detached from her studies. "There seems to be no consistency. My units all have completely different responses," she says. High-achieving student Manjot Kaur has started handing in assessments late since learning moved online. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Some of her classes disappeared altogether. Instead of tutorials, students would submit a weekly written answer to an online forum. "There isnt depth of learning. Usually my favourite part of university is getting into debates, talking about things in person  a lot of that is completely gone," Kaur says. "You cant discuss The Communist Manifesto in 150 words, by yourself." One medical science student, who asked not to be named, says her mental health had declined due to increased stress as many in her class had struggled to keep up with course work. "I cry almost every day. I obviously put a lot of stress on myself but recent assessments have not reflected my usual high standard of work," she says. "Practical classes, which we have for every unit, are almost completely useless. Its incredibly difficult to digest the theory of practical content without performing the procedures in person."

Classes that require lab work and more practical elements will be the priority for most universities as they return to campus. Western Sydney University brought essential practical and lab research back in a limited capacity from June 1, and aims for a full return by mid-November. UNSW will implement a staggered return of student-facing staff and onshore students between July and October. The University of Sydney will increase face-to-face teaching from the end of June, allowing for 50 per cent of the usual attendance, and could ramp this up from August. It has delayed the start of semester two until August 24 to maximise chances for face-to-face learning. "Our ambition is that every student will have at least one class on campus, as our online learning continues to support collaboration and interactivity wherever possible," a University of Sydney spokeswoman says. The University of Newcastle is the only university that will resume face-to-face teaching full-time from the start of semester two, on August 3. UTS will start face-to-face teaching with class limits and frequent cleaning when the semester starts on July 27, prioritising subjects that require specialist facilities. But remote learning for all other subjects will remain until social distancing guidelines change, and some online teaching will even continue after that. "We are receiving strong feedback from students about the positive experiences they are having with online learning," a UTS spokesman says.

Loading The Australian National University will deliver courses both remotely and on campus in semester two, while the University of Wollongong has extended its remote teaching mode for the rest of the year. Some students have found an upside to online learning: they work better in a self-directed environment; cut travel time from their weekly routine; and are able to work more hours in part-time jobs. Sydney University economics student Crystal Goh says she was enjoying more free time with online classes, which she found relaxing. She would be happy to keep learning online, provided there was a fee reduction. However, there's still a crucial social element missing. "The only downside is that we don't have the opportunities to get to know our classmates and tutors more," Goh says. Sydney University business student Jamie Reid says while he did not feel his studies had been affected, his social interactions were. "You dont have your pre or post-class conversations with classmates," he says. "Trying to expand your social circle is very limited."

Spence says some students had responded very positively to some of the flexibility afforded by online learning and creative ways to use it. "Some [staff] have used virtual reality technology to give students an immersive experience, whether to learn about the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders or dissect a virtual reality animal,'' he says. ''Others have designed more effective systems for real-time feedback from students, allowing them to tailor their delivery during the class. "Online learning has required students to collaborate in new ways, and these are skills that will help them continue to collaborate once the crisis is over. ''So its been an interesting and worthwhile period. We will be gathering feedback from staff and students and reflecting on the experience in coming weeks to ensure we utilise the considerable learning from this period." But he says the university was aware how valuable the campus experience was.
TORONTO, June 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PIMCO Canada Corp. (PIMCO Canada), the manager of the PIMCO Canada Funds, will terminate PIMCO Balanced Income Fund (Canada) (the Fund), effective on or about August 28, 2020.



Investors may redeem their units of the Fund, or switch their units into the same series of another PIMCO Canada mutual fund, up to the close of business on August 28, 2020. PIMCO Canada will waive any redemption fees, sales charges or short-term trading fees for redemptions of units of the Fund. The Fund is closed to new purchases, and the Funds units will no longer be switched under PIMCO Canadas Fee Alignment Program. PIMCO Canada will send a notice to each investor in the Fund regarding the termination.

For further information on PIMCO Canada and the PIMCO mutual funds, please visit www.pimco.ca or call us at 1 866 341 3350 (416 368 3350 in Toronto).

About PIMCO

PIMCO is one of the worlds premier fixed income investment managers. With its launch in 1971 in Newport Beach, California, PIMCO introduced investors to a total return approach to fixed income investing. In the 45+ years since, the firm continued to bring innovation and expertise to our partnership with clients seeking the best investment solutions. Today PIMCO has offices across the globe and 2,500+ professionals united by a single purpose: creating opportunities for investors in every environment. PIMCO is owned by Allianz SE, a leading global diversified financial services provider.

No offering is being made by this material.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, those identified by the expressions expect, intend, will and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Funds. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect the Funds, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCOs current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations, including, but not limited to, market factors. Although the Fund, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. The Fund, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement or information whether as a result of new information, future events or other factors which affect this information, except as required by law.

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PIMCO as a general matter provides services to qualified institutions, financial intermediaries and institutional investors. Individual investors should contact their own financial professional to determine the most appropriate investment options for their financial situation. This material has been distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission. PIMCO is a trademark of Allianz Asset Management of America L.P. in the United States and throughout the world. 2020, PIMCO



The products and services provided by PIMCO Canada Corp. may only be available in certain provinces or territories of Canada and only through dealers authorized for that purpose.



PIMCO Canada has retained PIMCO LLC as sub-adviser. PIMCO Canada will remain responsible for any loss that arises out of the failure of its sub-adviser.



PIMCO Canada Corp. 199 Bay Street, Suite 2050, Commerce Court Station, P.O. Box 363, Toronto, ON, M5L 1G2 is a company of PIMCO, 416-368-3350



CMR2020-0602-1203580

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The lawyer who charged Caroline Flack with assault has defended his decision to press on with the case and insisted he made the right decision.

Former chief prosecutor Ed Beltrami has spoken out about his decision to pursue a trial, four months after the 40-year-old star was found dead in her home.

Mr Beltrami claimed he had never heard of the Love Island presenter before files for her case landed on his desk.

Caroline took her own life one day after she found out the Crown Prosecution Service was pursuing charges over an alleged attack on her boyfriend Lewis Burton, 27.

In a fierce rebuttal of accusations Flack's case was being used as a 'show trial', Mr Beltrami told Wales Online: 'You've got to do what you think is right. You cannot do what you think is popular.'

The former chief prosecutor for north London, Ed Beltrami (left), claimed he had never heard of Caroline Flack (right) before files for her case landed on his desk

Caroline had pleaded not guilty to assault by beating. Pictured, her boyfriend Lewis Burton leaving Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court in December after his girlfriend had pleaded not guilty to assault

Caroline had been blocked from speaking to her boyfriend Lewis Burton (pictured together) by a restraining order following allegations of assault, and was due to face trial on March 4

Caroline pictured weeks before her death, leaving Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court

Flowers were left outside the former Love Island presenter's Islington home as news of her death broke in February

As chief crown prosecutor it was Mr Beltrami's job to make a decision on whether to continue to trial.

Mr Beltrami said: 'To be absolutely frank with you I had never actually heard of her. Obviously when you make that decision to proceed with case you have absolutely no idea that the defendant is going to take her own life.'

He added that when the decision was taken to proceed with the case 'you have absolutely no idea that the defendant is going to take her own life'.

The charge could not be dropped just because Mr Burton did not want the incident to be brought before the courts, he said, adding: 'You just don't fold at the first sign of trouble - the fact that the victim doesn't want to know.

'You've got to look at whether you can prosecute without the support of the victim.'

Mr Beltrami added that there was a risk of 'repetition' of the alleged crime.

He added: 'People say you're looking for a show trial or you've only prosecuted because this person is a famous person. But I can assure you there aren't very many prosecutors who want a show trial. Most just want to get on with their job. The CPS doesn't really attract that sort of person.'

The CPS announced in March that it would be conducting a review into Flack's death.

It is understood the outcome of the review will not be made public.

Caroline was found at her home in Stoke Newington, London, in February by her father Ian after her friend popped to the shops but failed to get back inside the building.

Her death lead to an outpouring of grief from friends and fans alike, mourning the much-loved star who had graced TV screens for years.

After her death, Caroline's management team criticised the CPS for conducting a 'show trial'.

Her team described her as 'vulnerable' and criticised the CPS for pushing ahead with the case despite her boyfriend Mr Burton saying he did not want to press charges.

As part of her bail conditions the pair were banned from contacting each other.

Caroline was found at her home in Stoke Newington, London, in February by her father Ian

Caroline Flack was found dead at her London flat aged 40. She is pictured above attending the Brit awards last year

The last post: A collage of pictures posted by Caroline's the week before her death to her 2.4million followers, showing her playing with her dog, Ruby

Flack's friends were said to be furious that the CPS pursued the presenter's prosecution despite Burton making it clear he did not want the case to go to trial as there had been no serious injury.

Speaking after her death, a member of Caroline's management team said the CPS should 'look at themselves' and how they pursued a trial 'without merit' which resulted in 'significant distress to Caroline'.

Francis Ridley, of Money Talent Management, said: 'We are devastated at the loss of our client and friend Caroline Flack.

'The Crown Prosecution Service pursued this when they knew not only how very vulnerable Caroline was but also that the alleged victim did not support the prosecution and had disputed the CPS version of events.

'The CPS should look at themselves today and how they pursued a show trial that was not only without merit but not in the public interest. And ultimately resulted in significant distress to Caroline. Our thoughts are with Caroline's family at this time.

'An immensely talented young woman who was at the top of her game professionally and loved by television viewers across the country. In recent months Caroline had been under huge pressure because of an ongoing case and potential trial which has been well reported.'

At the time the CPS told MailOnline in a statement: 'Our deepest sympathies go to the family and friends of Caroline Flack. Given the tragic circumstances, we will not comment on the specifics of this case at this stage.'

The TV presenter, aged 40, took her own life after Lou Teasdale who was staying with her went to the shops, leaving her alone at her London home (pictured)

Lewis Burton had posted a picture of him and Caroline on Instagram, writing: 'Happy Valentine's... Love You'

The Love Island host took to Instagram in January to announce that she planned to give her side of the story but made no further statement

Contestants Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon took their own lives following their appearances on the dating programme, throwing the show's future into question

The saga surrounding her court case saw her 'step down' from hosting Love Island and the first ever winter series was subsequently hosted by Laura Whitmore.

Caroline's death also led to calls for the ITV2 flagship show to be axed.

She was the third person connected to the show who died, after contestants Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon took their own lives.

Caroline left behind her twin sister Jody, her elder sister Elizabeth, her elder brother Paul, and her parents Christine and Ian.

She also left behind her treasured French Bulldog Ruby.
Democratic US politicians have demanded urgent police reforms in the aftermath of George Floyds death in police custody which sparked widespread outrage across the world. Repeated use of excessive force by police during the protests around the country has raised concerns about the safety of US citizens.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said that protesters have the right to protest peacefully and should not be harassed, shot at by rubber bullets or tear gas. Calling for the creation of a new statewide standard for use of force in protests, Newsom said that acts of violence against peaceful protesters will not be tolerated.

Senator Kamala Harris echoed Newsoms call and thanked other state leaders for their persistent leadership throughout the years in championing reforms on police accountability. New York Governor also called for a change in policing after a video of a riot police officer in Buffalo shoving a 75-year-old old man emerged. Cuomo said that the incident offends our sense of decency and humanity.

When I saw the video from Buffalo, it made me sick to my stomach. Where was the threat? How can you walk by a person when theres blood coming out of his head? Its fundamentally inhumane & frightening.



This is a moment for change. NY will lead the way.pic.twitter.com/7UrTLq4RUo  Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 5, 2020

Washington DC mayor Muriel Bowser has been one of the most vocal politicians who have voiced anger against US President Donald Trumps aggressive approach to quell the ongoing protests. Bowser wrote to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy urging to remove National Guard from Washington DC immediately, saying they were deployed in the city without her knowledge and request.

Read: France Bans Protests At US Embassy And Eiffel Tower Over Risks Of Large Gatherings

Fight over military deployment

Bowser has also written to US President Donald Trump to withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence from the city. On the other hand, Trump has been advocating for the deployment of active-duty military troops to suppress the protests which have largely remain peaceful.

Civil rights groups including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have sued US President Donald Trump, Attorney General William Barr, and other federal officials for alleged violation of constitutional rights of protesters. Ben Wizner, director of the ACLUs Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, said in a statement that law enforcement armed with military weaponry are responding with violence to people who are protesting police brutality.

Read: US: New York Police Arrest Protesters For Defying Curfew In Manhattan
A cyclist on a Maryland trail who was captured on video roughly grabbing a young woman while she posted fliers against police brutality was arrested and charged Friday with three counts of second-degree assault, the police said.

The Maryland-National Capital Park Police said the cyclist, Anthony Brennan III, 60, of Kensington, Md., was tracked down after the agency received hundreds of tips from people who had seen the video, which has been viewed more than 29 million times on Twitter.

Before Mr. Brennan was arrested, social media users incorrectly identified two men as suspects, including a retired police official. The Montgomery County Department of Police and the attorney general of Maryland were forced to state that those men were not involved.

The police said that Mr. Brennan was biking along the Capital Crescent Trail near Washington on Monday at about 12:45 p.m. when he came upon three young people who were hanging fliers. Two of them were 19 and one was 18.
Taking a swipe at Priyanka Gandhis political interventions, deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Keshav Prasad Maurya said it was only social media which was projecting the Congress leader as a prominent national leader.

I do not take her seriously.... We have already named her Priyanka Twitter Vadra. She only tweets for 2-3 days and the media remains busy and social media shows her as a prominent national leader, Maurya was quoted as saying by PTI.

In the recent past the Congress leader, through her Twitter posts, has shone a light on the death of a farmer in Muzaffarnagar, the closing of a cycle factory in Ghaziabad, teachers appointment issue, among others.

Stressing his point further, the deputy CM spotlighted that even though the Congress general secretary campaigned for her brother Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, she could not ensure his victory. Rahul Gandhi lost the family bastion of Amethi to BJPs Smriti Irani, who is now a union minister.

...But everyone knows when she came to Uttar Pradesh to campaign for the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections hoping that she would make her brother the prime minister, she could not even ensure his victory, he told PTI.

The Congress UP spokesperson advised the deputy CM, who also doubles up as a minister, to appraise the works done by his ministry.

The Gandhi family has sacrificed its members for the nation. Before making such remarks, he should get the potholed roads in the entire state repaired as he is in charge of the Public Works Department, Ashok Singh, spokesperson of UP Congress, told PTI.

Priyanka Gandhi had offered to run 1,000 buses to send migrants workers from UP home and had sought the state governments permission for the same. The government accepted the proposal but then charged the Congress of not being serious about the issue. The Adityanath government accused the party of forgery and said the list of buses contained registration numbers of two-wheelers, cars and three-wheelers.

The deputy chief minister said Priyanka Gandhi has been critical of policies of the Yogi Adityanath dispensation only because she looks at the BJP-ruled state from a negative point of view.

Referring to her tweet on migrant labourers, Maurya told PTI, Congress does not want to see (what is happening in) Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. It is suffering from drishti dosh (vision disorder). Congress leaders, be it Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra or any other, should get their eyes tested properly.

Yesterday, speaking to HT, chief minister Yogi Adityanath called the Congress offer to ferry migrants home as bhadda mazak (ugly joke).

Priyanka Gandhi, time and again, has been highlighting the issues confronting the state.
Kanye West made another charity work by donating $2 million to pay the legal fees of BreonnaTaylor and is also planning to help the families of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, according to a recently published article.

Protests Across the Country

The protests across the different states in the U.S. are not just only because of the fatal death of George Floyd, but it is because of the increasing violence that arouses against the members of African-Americans.

The racism events in the country even caught the attention of the Latino stars, Hollywood celebrities, and athletes like Michael Jordan. Some of them documented their participation in the different protests they attended where some were hurt.

Some protests were held peacefully while others were held violently. In fact, the violence, vandalism, and looting due to protests even happened just blocks away from the White House. Banks, small businesses, vehicles parked were burnt into fire.

Kanye West Donates $2 Million for the Legal Fees and Litigation Costs of Taylor's Case

Kanye West and his wife Kim Kardashian are both helping the families of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Ahmaud Arbery following their tragic deaths. Kanye West who is known not just a rapper but a philanthropist as well.

According to a published report, Kanye West will be donating an amount of $2 million as payment for the legal fees needed by Breona Taylor's family. It can be recounted that Taylor was fatally shot eight times by police officers while serving the no-knock search warrant.

Following this, Taylor's family demanded justice and has hired a lawyer to help them demand for a thorough and fair investigation from the Louisville Metro Police Department. Sam Aguiar, one of the lawyers of Taylor, said West offered help to them by paying the legal fees and litigation costs.

Kanye West Will Also Support the Families of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery

Part of the charity work of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian is to help the bereaved families of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery. It can be recalled that Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed by a former police officer while taking a jog because he was accused of being a part of a criminal group.

Meanwhile, the most recent attack on the African-American community was with George Floyd who was arrested after he was accused of counterfeiting $20 in a grocery store in Minneapolis. The video of his brutal arrest was even captured by a video that went viral online.

According to a developing report, Kanye West has donated money to the families of Floyd and Arbery. It was also found out that West also helped small businesses in Chicago owned by the African-Americans.

Additionally, West established the 529 education plan to cover the college tuition fees of the six-year-old daughter of Floyd, Gianna. The charity works of Kanye west amid the global pandemic and unrest in the country is a call to everyone help one another instead of hating each other due to the color of the skin.

Read related articles:
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nvsna.org is very popular in Facebook. Furthermore its facebook page has 44 likes.

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Tariro Makamba recalled clearly how the nightmare started when Kudzai her husband sat her in the car and announced he had a surprise.





He then drove one-and-a-half hours from their apartment in Norton to Chikwaka Hills. Sheep, goats and picturesque thatched huts; Chikwakas golden valley was a bucolic vision. Kudzai stopped the car at the top of a drive.





This, he stated, was Great Mavaza Village. At the end of the drive stood a large residence. The sun gilded its charming  slightly run-down facade.





Its beautiful! Tariro enchanted. I was hoping you would say that, he replied with a twinkle in his eye. Ive just bought it.





I felt a cold chill running down my spine. He really had. He is  among other things  an antiques dealer, a hotelier and a distiller, and he enthused about the great deal he had struck and the vision he had.





We would renovate the house and stay there. We would move to the countryside to enjoy a quieter, more meaningful and healthier life.





However, I, the city girl who had lived in England for 20 years would find true happiness in Highlands or back in London.





Two years on, he has realised his dream but I have noticed that living in the country is very nice in theory but not in practice. The countryside is a theme park without opt-out clauses.





Our children refused to join us and they remained in England. They said Zimbabwe was a naughty corner and they had not misbehaved in any way as to be flown to Zimbabwe.





I was surrounded by sheep, cows and chickens, but for human contact I had to learn the culture to chat to the folks. I had been away for too long and even when I was in Zimbabwe, I was a town girl. The village was viewed as a punishment corner and the cinema was 70 km away.





When I sought a bit of culture, a neighbour suggested going to the grinding mill on Monday and to the cattle dip tank on Wednesdays. The notable exception was of course Christmas Day which came once a year.





The first year was bearable. The renovation of the house took up a great deal of time and building the round hut was immensely rewarding. We started taking guests and were inundated with all kinds of requests.





I realised that I had never been in a rural setting even though we had a rural home. I missed my children so much but they all refused to come home to settle. They called it your home.





I realised the fatal error we committed. We always used going to Zimbabwe as a punishment and a disciplinary measure. Little did we know how we had alienated our children from their home.





As we were growing up, my father would always remind us that if we misbehaved, we would be sent to the rural areas as a punishment. This made us fear the rural areas. They became places where you were banished to as a punishment.





Towards every holiday, you would be praying that you were not going to be punished by being sent home. This is the treatment we introduced our children to. No wonder why they call Zimbabwe, your land and our relatives your relatives. We made our own thorn beds and we had to sleep on them.





Zimbabwe became a serious punishment and as a result, it defined our childrens future. Our friends were rewarded by being taken to town during holidays.





This is the same attitude Diaspora parents exhibit. The attitude of our parents made village life to be that bad.This is the same attitude Diaspora parents exhibit.





Looking at the scenario now, our generation; the generation 40 downwards, have a serious phobia for village life.





This fear was inherited from our parents. We now have passed it on to our children in foreign lands.





This idea of making the Zimbabwe a Siberia of some sort detaches children from their roots.





Children now make it clear that their home is not Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is a place where parents take you for discipline and punishment. Most parents still warn their children that if they misbehave they will be sent home.Children now make it clear that their home is not Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is a place where parents take you for discipline and punishment.





The pride and self identification is removed by the parents who use Zimbabwe as a punishment.





Many parents have nothing good to say about their country. They bad mouth the only country they call theirs in front of children and the children have no love for their country.




Avakov reports on operations in Dnipropetrovsk region after incriminating law enforcement officers of Pavlohrad in collaboration with drug dealers

Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has said that in the Pavlohrad police department (Dnipropetrovsk region), law enforcement officers, instead of protecting and ensuring the safety of citizens, were engaged in criminal activities.

"The internal security officers of the National Police, the State Bureau of Investigations and the Security Service of Ukraine carried out investigative actions. The result of the investigation is the cooperation of law enforcement agencies with drug dealers and other criminals. From today, we begin total developments in the region," the Liaison Department of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine quoted Avakov as saying.

The minister emphasized that this was not only about the Pavlohrad police department, but also about other law enforcement agencies of the region.

"That is why we will approach this problem in a very comprehensive manner in interaction with all authorities and among ourselves. I'm deeply unsatisfied with the spread of drugs both in the entire Dnipropetrovsk region and in the Pavlohrad district," Avakov emphasized.
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Nazareth (Belgium)/Rotterdam (The Netherlands), 5 June 2020

Alychlo has successfully completed a private sale of shares in Fagron

Fagron NV (Fagron) has been informed by Alychlo NV (Alychlo) of the private sale of 3,000,000 existing ordinary shares of Fagron (the Shares). This represents c. 4.2% of Fagrons current outstanding share capital. The Shares have been sold today to several institutional investors. Following the private sale, Alychlo holds just over 10% of Fagrons current outstanding share capital.

Marc Coucke, Chairman of Alychlo: This sale allows for a further diversification of Alychlos assets while remaining a fully committed shareholder of Fagron.

Joh. Berenberg, Gossler & Co. KG acted as Bookrunner in connection with the private sale.

In the event of differences between the English translation and the Dutch original of this press release, the latter prevails.

For more information

Constantijn van Rietschoten

Chief Communications Officer

Tel. +31 6 53 69 15 85

constantijn.van.rietschoten@fagron.com

Please open the link below for the press release:

Alychlo has successfully completed a private sale of shares in Fagron




Prime Minster Justin Trudeau joined thousands on Friday in taking a knee in front of Canada's parliament in solidarity with US protesters marching against racism and police brutality.

It marked a rare public outing for the Canadian leader since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as protests spread outside the United States after police in Minnesota killed an unarmed black man.

"Far too many Canadians feel fear and anxiety at the sight of law enforcement officers," Trudeau told his daily briefing earlier in the day.

"Over the past weeks, we've seen a large number of Canadians suddenly awaken to the fact that the discrimination that is a lived reality for far too many of our fellow citizens is something that needs to end."

Trudeau, holding a "Black Lives Matter" T-shirt, chanted from behind a mask along with the crowd that extended several blocks to the US embassy, and later stood in silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds.

This was the length of time that a white police officer in Minneapolis knelt on the neck of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American, who died after pleading "I can't breathe."

Video of Floyd's May 25 death has gone viral and sparked sometimes violent protests across the United States and mass demonstrations in European capitals and elsewhere.

"Look at the diversity of this crowd," said Families Minister Ahmed Hussen, who joined Trudeau at the Ottawa protest. "These are not just black Canadians. It's everyone who's saying black lives matter."

Similar protests took place in cities across Canada.

In Toronto, Police Chief Mark Saunders and several uniformed officers met protestors marching through downtown, and also took a knee. "We see you and we are listening," he tweeted. "We have to all stay in this together to make change."

Saunders' actions drew praise from Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who called images of the city's first black police chief joining protestors "impactful."

"That's what you call true leadership," he said.

Ottawa protestor Stephane Kribodo said there was too much racism -- "in the world, in France, in the United States, in Canada."

"It's important to stand up against it if we want change," he said.

Another protestor, Sophie Scott, echoed this view, noting several recent cases of alleged police misconduct in Canada.

Two women with mental health problems, in Toronto and the town of Edmundston, New Brunswick, died after calling police for help. An Inuit man in the far north was struck by a police cruiser. "We want a just (pandemic) recovery for all and that requires taking action against racism," Scott said.

On Tuesday, Trudeau appeared at a loss for words, pausing for 20 seconds when pressed for his thoughts on US President Donald Trump's threat of military mobilization against violent protests. "We all watch in horror and consternation what's going on in the United States," he said finally.

Now "is a time to listen, it is a time to pull people together and a time to learn what injustices continue despite progress over years and decades," he added.
NEW DELHI (AP)  India's Health Ministry on Friday reported another record spike in new coronavirus cases  more than 9,800 in 24 hours.

India now has 226,770 confirmed cases with 6,348 deaths, 273 of them in the past 24 hours, the ministry said. It says the overall rate of recovery for coronavirus patients is around 48%.

There has been a surge in infections in rural areas following the return of hundreds of thousands of migrant workers who left cities and towns after losing their jobs due to a nationwide lockdown.

The more than 2-month-old lockdown is now largely being enforced only in high-risk areas, known as containment zones.

The government has partially restored train service and domestic flights and allowed the reopening of shops and manufacturing.

E-commerce companies have started to deliver goods, including those considered nonessential, to places outside containment zones.

Metro service and schools and colleges, however, remain shuttered nationwide.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, meanwhile, announced India was contributing $15 million to an international vaccine alliance.

In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region:

AUSTRALIAN COURT RULES AGAINST PROTEST: An Australian court has sided with police in ruling Friday that a Black Lives Matter protest planned for Sydney poses too much risk of spreading the coronavirus. Thousands of people were expected to rally in Australias largest city on Saturday to honor George Floyd, who was killed by U.S. police, and to protest against indigenous Aboriginal deaths in custody. But the New South Wales state Supreme Court ruled that the rally was not an authorized public assembly. The judge said "were talking about a situation of a health crisis.

 DUTERTE ANGERED BY AID DELAYS: President Rodrigo Duterte expressed relief that Filipinos are really law-abiding and that his country was not going through riots like America, which would make coronavirus quarantine enforcement formidable. Duterte made the remarks during a televised meeting Thursday night with key Cabinet officials, where he used expletives to express disgust over a range of quarantine problems. He particularly fumed over the delay in the delivery of promised financial help to the families of 32 health workers who died of COVID-19. Duterte wondered what was causing the problem, saying the Philippines wasnt like the U.S., where there is a riot going all over and it seems to be that there is no end in sight. Duterte renewed his threat to jail officials who steal cash aid meant for the poor.

Story continues

 SOUTH KOREA CASES CLIMB: South Korea on Friday reported 39 new cases of the coronavirus as infections continued to spike after rigid social distancing rules were relaxed. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 34 of the new cases were reported in the Seoul metropolitan area, where about half of South Koreas 51 million people live. The rise in infections linked to Seoul nightclubs and a large e-commerce warehouse is still far below the hundreds of new cases that were reported daily in late February and early March.

 FIJI SAYS IT'S VIRUS FREE: Fiji has declared itself free of the coronavirus -- at least for now -- after all 18 people who tested positive recovered. Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said Friday that the South Pacific island nation has just cleared the last of its active patients. Its now been 45 days since we recorded our last case. With no deaths, our recovery rate is 100%, Bainimarama wrote on Twitter. Answered prayers, hard work, and affirmation of science! Fiji, which has a population of 900,000, instituted a lockdown in certain areas in April and imposed ongoing border restrictions.

 JAKARTA MOSQUES REOPEN: Muslims in Indonesias capital held their first communal Friday prayers as mosques closed by the coronavirus outbreak for nine weeks were allowed to start reopening as part of plans to relax restrictions. Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan allowed mosques and other worship facilities to open at half capacity. Fever checks, masks and social distancing were in place. Worshipers were asked to bring their own prayer rugs and avoid shaking hands with others. The government is deploying 340,000 security personnel to enforce health rules in an effort to get the country back to normal by the end of July amid growing economic pressure.

 FIVE NEW CASES IN CHINA: China on Friday reported five new confirmed coronavirus cases, all of them brought by Chinese citizens from outside the country. Despite criticism of its initial handling of the outbreak which was first detected in Wuhan last year and allegations it withheld crucial information, China has repeatedly defended its record. Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Thursday that Beijing was committed to providing support to the World Health Organization, GAVI Alliance and other international organizations to ensure that vaccines are accessible and affordable in developing countries. The GAVI Alliance seeks to provide children in the worlds poorest countries with improved access to new and underused vaccines. Also Thursday, Premier Li Keqiang urged members of an anti-virus task force to redouble efforts to develop a vaccine and effective medications for COVID-19.

 NEW MALAYSIAN STIMULUS: Malaysia announced a 35 billion ringgit ($8.2 billion) stimulus package to bolster short-term economic recovery as it emerges from a virus lockdown. The package, which is in addition to a $60 billion stimulus announced earlier, centers on increasing employment, attracting foreign investment and revitalizing key sectors of the economy. Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said Friday it includes a 10 billion ringgit ($2.3 billion) injection into the economy in the form of wage subsidies, training programs and support for small and medium-size enterprises. Various tax breaks and rebates will help the manufacturing, property, auto, palm oil, airline and tourism sectors. He said this includes a zero tax rate for up to 15 years for foreigners investing more than 500 million ringgit ($117 million) in manufacturing and fixed property. Malaysia, which has nearly 8,300 confirmed infections and 116 deaths, eased virus restrictions last month and most economic sectors have reopened.

___

Follow AP news coverage of the pandemic at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
We need doctors right now. My God, we need doctors: to evaluate the coronaviruss assault, assess the bodys response and figure out where, in that potentially deadly tumble of events, theres a chance to intervene.

We need research scientists. It falls to them to map every last wrinkle of this invader and find its Achilles heel.

But we also need Achilles. We need Homer. We need writers, philosophers, historians. Theyll be the ones to chart the social, cultural and political challenges of this pandemic  and of all the other dynamics that have pushed the United States so harrowingly close to the edge. In terms of restoring faith in the American project and reseeding common ground, theyre beyond essential.

And Im not sure we get that.

Colleges and universities are in trouble  serious trouble. Theyre agonizing over whether they can safely welcome students back to campus in the fall or must try to replicate the educational experience imperfectly online. Theyre confronting sharply reduced revenue, severe budget cuts, warfare between administrators and faculty, and even lawsuits from students who want refunds for a derailed spring semester. And a devastated economy leaves their very missions and identities in limbo, all but guaranteeing that more students will approach higher education in a brutally practical fashion, as an on-ramp to employment and nothing more.
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The Patient Monitoring Device Market research report provides the latest industry data, growth, key segments and future trends on the basis of the detailed study. Moreover, this market report also allowing you to identify the opportunity and growth rate of the leading segment, revenue growth and profitability.

The study offers a decisive view of the global patient monitoring device market by segmenting it terms of product and end-user. The report analyzes these subsets with respect to the regional segmentation. This research study will prepare marketers for the evolving needs of their customers.

Request a FREE Sample Copy of Global Patient Monitoring Device Market Report with Full TOC At: https://www.valuemarketresearch.com/contact/patient-monitoring-device-market/download-sample

By Product

 Hemodynamic

 Remote Patient

 Neuromonitoring

 Cardiac

 Fetal & Neonatal

 Multiparameter

 Weight

 Temperature

 Respiratory

 Urine Output Monitoring Devices

By End-User

 Hospitals & Clinics

 Ambulatory Surgical Centers

 Home Settings

This research report also includes profiles of major companies operating in the global market. Some of the prominent players operating in the global patient monitoring device market are Abbott Laboratories, Biotronik SE & Co. KG, General Electric Company (GE Healthcare), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Johnson & Johnson, Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Philips Healthcare), Masimo Corporation, Medtronic Plc. (Covidien Ltd.), Nihon Kohden Corporation, and Omron Corporation. This section cover profiling of major players in terms of important aspects such as company overview, financial overview, business strategy, and recent developments undertaken during the forecast horizon.

This section covers patient monitoring device market for the regions North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Regional segmentation has been done based on the present and future trends in the global patient monitoring device market along with the individual application segment across all the prominent region.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 16:49:31|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, June 6 (Xinhua) -- More than 37 Afghans including 21 police have been killed in the conflict-battered Afghanistan over the past 24 hours amid accelerating efforts to start intra-Afghan dialogue to find negotiated settlement to the country's lingering conflicts.

According to Afghan officials, Taliban militants observed undeclared ceasefire at the end of the three-day Eid al-Fitr truce on May 26 to mark the end of Muslims fasting holy month of Ramadan, then they continued to target security forces.

They launched massive offensives on security checkpoints in Khash district of the northern Badakhshan province early Saturday, triggering a gun battle which lasted for hours, leaving 15 people including four militants and 11 police dead.

Similarly, 10 more police were killed and another wounded after Taliban militants ambushed a patrol team of police in the southern Zabul province on Friday, Interior Ministry spokesman Tareq Arian has confirmed.

At least a dozen more Afghans including civilians, security personnel and militants have been killed elsewhere in the war-battered country over the period, according to security officials.

Spike in militants activities has taken place amid bolstering peace efforts as the U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalizad reportedly on Friday embarked on his three-nation tour which includes Qatar, Pakistan and Afghanistan to bolster intra-Afghan talks.

Although Taliban attacks have dropped down since the observance of a ceasefire on May 24, security officials believe that the militants launched at least 30 offensives on security forces in each 24 hours.

To subdue militants' activities, the U.S. military for the first time since the three-day Eid al-Fitr ceasefire launched two airstrikes on Taliban militants in the western Farah and southern Kandahar provinces on June 4, inflicting casualties, a spokesman for the U.S military in Afghanistan Sonny Leggett has confirmed.

Afghanistan's Presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqi has said the government "is ready to talk with the Taliban" anywhere to end the war in the country which is the earnest desire of all Afghans.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 6

Trend:

Baku Higher Oil School will host the 1st International Scientific Conferences of Students and Young Researchers in online mode from June 8 -11, 2020.

The conferences will be dedicated to the 97th birthday anniversary of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev and will be held for the first time at the international level this year.

The dedication of the conferences to the 97th anniversary of the National Leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev is a manifestation of respect for his personality as a founder of modern Azerbaijan and its oil strategy.

This year's conference differs from the traditional conferences that have been held in previous years in format and scale.

Due to the widespread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the world, it was impossible to organize conferences this year at the arranged time and format.

The Conference on Chemistry and Sustainable Development in Chemical Engineering, to open on June 8, 2020, will include such topics as Environmental Problems and Biotechnology, Oil & Gas and Petrochemical Processes, Advanced Materials and Polymers.

The Conference on Mining and Renewable Energy, to be held on June 8-11, 2020, will discuss the following topics: Energy Conservation Technologies in Oil Extraction and Transportation Processes, Environmental Problems in Oil Production Systems and Their Solutions, Multidisciplinary Approach to Development of Hydrocarbon Layers, Basin Analysis in Oil and Gas Exploration, Production Optimization through Improved Well Operation and Layer Development, Renewable Energy, Improvement of Well Planning and Drilling Operations, Oil & Gas Engineering: Effective Financing.

The Conference on Process Automation and Information Security  2020 will be held on June 10-11, 2020. The agenda of the conference will include topics such as: Information, Measurement, Mechatronics and Control Systems; Systems Analysis; Modeling and Data Processing; Information Security and Cyber Security Issues in Industrial Networks; Application of Big Data, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Industry.

Students and young researchers from Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia and Georgia have presented theses to the conferences.
Additional reporting: Press Association

Black Lives Matter demonstrations took place as scheduled this afternoon in Dublin and around the country, in solidarity with the family of George Floyd, who died in police custody on May 25th in the US city of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The events have been organised amid worldwide protests for justice in the case, as well as an opening of conversations on racial inequities in societies around the world.

Over 600 people gathered outside the American embassy in Dublin, with organisers handing out personal protective equipment, saying they were taking necessary measures to ensure as much social distancing as is possible, in the face of Garda warnings of potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations.

Organisers argued the protest was necessary, to highlight the cramped living conditions at Direct Provision centres around the country.

About a thousand people join a Black Lives Matter protest at the US embassy in Dublin. pic.twitter.com/L59jinAdbv  Sharon Gaffney (@Sharon_Gaffney) June 6, 2020

Very moving- everyone here knelt in solidarity & then cheered for change.



We can do it. We can make sure there is no room for racism in Ireland #InThisTogether #BlackLivesMattters #BLMIreland @masi_asylum @merj_ireland @BlackPrideIre pic.twitter.com/tKeFVJHwz4  Immigrant Council.ie (@immigrationIRL) June 6, 2020

Addressing the crowd, Lucky Khambule of the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland found himself almost drowned out by chanting.

"They put a knee on George's neck. A knee on his neck. He pled out for his life, and called the officer 'Sir'. The pain was so much that he shouted out for anyone to hear: 'I can't breathe'.

"We're not here today by accident, not by chance. We here in Ireland also want to... say his name," he said via megaphone to the assembly, who responded by chanting Mr Floyd's name, among others of those who have died in US police custody.

Speaking to radio, young protesters spoke of addressing long-running social issues surrounding race closer to home.

"There is racism, though it's been silent for a long time. We're all out here to fight it together, black and white, which is brilliant," said one man of the gathering.

"Just because this isn't America, it doesn't mean that racism isn't happening here too. It's very important. It's not just since George Floyd has died, it's been happening for years," a woman in attendance said, as ongoing chants were audible in the background.

In an earlier address, Health Minister Simon Harris stated that he would prefer those moved to demonstrate to make their voices heard by writing to the US ambassador, rather than gathering for a protest.

Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan this morning called for protests and demonstrations not to go ahead, in the current conditions.

A pair of demonstrators outside the US Embassy in Dublin. Brian Lawless/PA Wire.

Meanwhile, Washington is expecting its biggest demonstration yet today, as mourners prepare for a second memorial service for Mr Floyd.

In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has joined demonstrators in taking a knee outside the country's parliament, in solidarity with the protesters.

Thousands of people are also demonstrating in central London today, as well as in cities and towns across the world.

Previous protest at the US Embassy. Picture: Damien Storan

EARLIER, @ 8.15am: Protests have given victims of racism courage to speak, organiser says ahead of Dublin rally

Black Lives Matter demonstrators have given those who were victims of racism courage to speak out, according to an organiser of today's rally in Dublin.

It is due to get underway at the US Embassy later following a large march last week in solidarity with protesters in the US after the death in police custody of George Floyd.

Similar demonstrations will take place in Cork, Galway and Sligo

Lucky Khambule says the reaction has been positive.

"It has galvanised people and amplified their voices because it made people reflect and look into their own personal experiences of racism," said Mr Khambule.

"It has given people the courage to speak up."

Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Officer is appealing to people not to attend demonstrations this weekend.

Dr Tony Holohan says it is not the time to be holding rallies here.

"I wouldn't want to take anything away from either people's right to protest or understanding of the motivation behind it," said Dr Holohan.

"It's not a comment on any of that, but we think now is not the time to be arranging mass gatherings or events that have the potential to become mass gatherings.

"We have a message first of all to those organising, to say do not organise those kinds of events, and for people who would be intending to visit them to stay away."
Dhaka, June 6 : Bangladeshi authorities have put Cox's Bazar Municipality on lockdown declaring some areas in the district near the Rohingya refugee camps as coronavirus red zone for maximum risk of infection, the media reported.

The rate of COVID-19 infection in the district housing the world's largest refugee camp has been rising rapidly for a week after the government ended the nationwide shutdown, reports bdnews24.

Md Kamal Hossain, the district administrator, said the local committee on coronavirus prevention made the decision to lock the municipality down in an emergency meeting on Friday.

It will be effective from Saturday through to Jun 20.

The district has recorded 877 COVID-19 patients so far with Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila having the highest number of infections, 364.

In the Rohingya camps, 35 refugees have tested positive for the new virus.

In the lockdown order, the authorities have banned all sorts of private, family, social, and political gatherings.

Everyone must stay at home and all modes of public and private transports will stay off the streets.

Only vehicles carrying essential goods will be allowed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m..

Groceries and kitchen markets can remain open for eight hours on Sundays and Thursdays only by maintaining physical distancing and other health safety rules.

ther shops and business establishments will remain closed.

Hospitals, pharmacies, ambulances, and vehicles carrying patients, health and essential services workers, and banking services for COVID-19 response will be out of the lockdown's purview, said the bdnews24 report.

Organisations providing emergency services will remain open on a limited scale.

Banks and financial institutions will be open on Sundays and Thursdays, while transport terminals will operate outside the red zones.

No one can hold gatherings for aid distribution.

After reopening offices and public transport system on May 31, the government said it would categorise areas as red, green and yellow zones with different sets of restrictions based on rates of infections and deaths.

Bangladesh has reported a total of 60,391 COVID-19 cases and 811 deaths so far.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, June 6 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has given a stern warning to private hospitals over coronavirus patients. The state government has also decided to deploy health department officials in private hospitals to ensure availability of beds to each and every COVID-19 patient.

Kejriwal, on Saturday, said: "All hospitals built on government land will have to treat corona patients. The government will take strict action against hospitals that refuse to treat such patients."

Kejriwal said, "Even during this crisis, some hospitals are blackmarketing the beds. I want to warn them that such a hospital will not be spared. Hospitals are built to get treatment, not to earn money." The Chief Minister added, "Owners of many private hospitals are not giving space to corona patients in their hospitals because of their high reach. I want to tell everyone clearly that no such hospital will be spared at all."

However, the Chief Minister also praised most private hospitals, saying "Most private hospitals are serving the Delhiites in this hour of crisis, but a few selected hospitals are black-marketing Corona Beds."

According to the Delhi government, a meeting is being held with private hospitals on this subject. So far, meetings have been held with 33 private hospitals and the owners of the remaining hospitals which are in the list are also being called and clear instructions are being given on this subject.

Kejriwal said, "Even today 5,300 samples have been tested in Delhi. A total of 42 labs are working for corona testing. Complaints have been received against six of them, after which action has been taken. However, 36 labs are still testing the patients. Apart from these, all government and many private hospitals have built flu clinics, where the corona is being tested."

-- Syndicated from IANS
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand on Friday reported one new coronavirus infection and no new deaths, taking its total confirmed cases to 3,102, of which 58 have been fatalities.

The new case was a Thai man who had returned from Kuwait and was in quarantine, where most of Thailand's recent cases have been detected, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the government's COVID-19 Administration Centre.

There are 2,971 patients who have recovered.

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Martin Petty)
BOISE, Idaho  Demonstrations sparked by the death of George Floyd have spread well beyond major urban centers to cities and towns across rural America.

In Boise, thousands of people attended a peaceful vigil this week honoring Floyd, the black Minnesota man who died after a white police officer pinned his neck for almost nine minutes, and others who lost their lives to police abuse. Demonstrations after the Tuesday evening vigil lasted until 2:30 a.m. for the third day in a row.

Events in Boise were among demonstrations in more than 350 cities across the U.S. since Floyds death, many in urban areas such as New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. But the protesters message against racism and police abuse has resonated in smaller cities and towns like Boise as growing minority communities begin to find their voice.

The history of movements for racial equality in rural America has been overlooked. When people think of the rural West, especially, they tend to think of white communities, said Steven Beda, a University of Oregon professor who researches rural protest movements. Many communities of color have long and important histories in these rural communities.

In Medford and Grants Pass  which Beda described as smaller rural towns in Oregon  demonstrations have been held for several days with hundreds of people participating. In Medford, police helped to redirect traffic to avoid conflict during the largely peaceful protests.

Beda said demonstrations in areas not known as metropolitan melting pots show the long history of the fight by people of color for labor and civil rights in towns where minorities are sometimes an invisible but vital force of rural life.

Boise, a city of 228,000 with a minority population of 18 percent, is not new to protests. Demonstrations supporting rights for children of undocumented immigrants were held in 2017 and 2019, and an MLK Day of Greatness Rally, organized by Boise State University students and staff, draw hundreds of marchers each year. But the size and energy of the crowds at the vigil and protests since Floyds death are unusual.

Story continues

I know these are hard times, Boise, Mayor Lauren McLean said ahead of the vigil and protests. And I know we are all hurting, especially members of the black community.

For five consecutive nights, demonstrators shouting black lives matter, George Floyd, "Breonna Taylor, and F---Donald Trump, were met with counter-protesters who open carried, held flags and chanted Donald Trump, blue lives matter and Trump, Trump, Trump. On Tuesday, Idaho State Police and Boise Police in riot gear along with more than 50 other law enforcement officers formed human barricades between the groups. No arrests were made Tuesday night.

One person was taken into custody on Monday after shots were fired near the protest and an arrest was made Wednesday in connection with graffiti on the capitol building.

The protest "speaks to the solidarity displayed across this country in calling out systemic racism that has been prevalent for decades upon decades, Tiffany Loftin, national director of the Youth & College Division of the NAACP, told POLITICO. No matter how small the community, thats incredibly powerful.

The spillover of these movements is prominent in states like California. Towns like Eureka (population 27,000) and Visalia (population 133,000) are seeing the same drive to organize by hundreds as in cities with millions.

In Visalia, local police report a blue jeep carrying an American flag and a Trump flag struck two protesters after a brief tense exchange at a stoplight.

Protestors lay on the ground as if being detained by police during a demonstration in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The same push to organize is also seen in conservative states such as South Dakota and Montana, and even smaller Idaho cities.

Sioux Falls, S.D., population 181,883, saw protests that attracted more than 1,000 people. A curfew and declaration of emergency were instituted after some demonstrators clashed with police.

The town is also home the Smithfield Foods pork processing plant where most of the employees are immigrants. Recently, the plant has been forced to close after 725 workers tested positive for the coronavirus.

Demonstrations of more than 50 people in Sand Point, Idaho Falls, Ketchum and Twin Falls have also taken place over the last four days in the conservative state. Ketchum, with a population of about 2,000, and Twin Falls the with 86,000, saw up to hundreds of people gather to march, block traffic and mourn Floyd.

Similarly, Montana has seen peaceful demonstrations in five towns despite counter-protests.

I hope these protests in smaller cities do bring visibility to some of the challenges and inequities that communities of color in rural areas face, Beda said. I hope it gets us beyond this dichotomy we draw between urban and rural America when we think about race.
Citadel founder and Chicago philanthropist Ken Griffin intends to keep in the public view the Jean-Michel Basquiat painting he recently purchased for more than $100 million (U.S.), a spokesperson said Friday.

The sale to Griffin and the price of Basquiats large-scale 1982 canvas Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump were reported by Bloomberg News, following a report in the art industry newsletter The Baer Faxt.

The vast majority of Kens art collection is on display at museums for the public to enjoy, Citadel spokesperson Zia Ahmed said when reached for comment. He intends to share this piece as well.

Basquiat was the New York artist who brought street influences into the gallery and spotlighted subjugation, racism, greed and the underbelly of America, as a close associate has written. His work has appreciated in price to record-setting levels since his heroin overdose death in 1988 at age 27.

A black skull painting of his called Untitled sold at auction in 2017 to Japanese collector Yusaku Maezawa for $110.5 million, a record for any work by an American or African-American artist. A second Basquiat breaking the $100-million barrier suggests that price was not a fluke.

In a sale a source said was completed several months ago, Griffin bought the Johnnypump painting from Peter Brant, a billionaire and leading Basquiat collector whose namesake foundation maintains public art venues in New York City and Greenwich, Conn.

Executives at the Brant Foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The painting was on display in Jean-Michel Basquiat, the inaugural show at the Brant Foundations New York space in the spring of 2019. Although exhibition photos show it with a place of prominence on a gallery wall, it was not among the works highlighted in the exhibition news release.

The website The Artwolf calls Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump, a vibrant painting of roughly 8 by 14 feet, a monumental work dating from 1982, when Basquiat reached the zenith of his talent. As is usual in Basquiat, the composition is simple, but the whole painting is a neo-expressionist tour-de-force in which the usually pleasant scene of a boy playing with his dog is painted with the rabid energy of a primitive work of Art.

Griffin is a leading donor to cultural institutions in Chicago and New York, especially. His splashiest gift here came last October, when the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago said it will incorporate Griffins name into its own after he donated $125 million.

Johnnypump will join works in Griffins collection by female and Black artists including Virgil Abloh, Lee Krasner, Isa Genzken, Mark Bradford and Njideka Akunyili Crosby.
Humans aren't the only ones who need a bit of grooming. Read more

Humans arent the only ones looking shaggy these days.

While pet grooming was designated an essential business in New Jersey, under the red phase in Pennsylvania, pet owners were on their own. But now that all counties in Pennsylvania have moved into either the yellow or green phases, that has changed.

Grooming is an essential part of not only keeping a pet looking good, but also in maintaining its health.

Here are some of the differences in pet grooming procedures, and why it is important to have grooming for your animal.

Do pets need to socially distance, too?

No. Dont worry, the distancing is limited to humans.

You cant brush an animal six feet away, which is why we all have masks on and you dont have to worry about respiratory breathing, said Floss Gerst, of Floss Pet Grooming in Stratford, Camden County.

 READ MORE: Can I drive to a county in the green phase to get my haircut?

Do the animals have to wear masks? No, she said. Even if we required it, I think the owners would object.

Remember: The virus is primarily spread between humans. There have been a few cases of animals getting the virus from people, but the CDC says the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low.

Pet pickup

Like most other businesses, social distancing is expected in how they operate. Under the yellow phase, everyone is still encouraged to stay away from others, and that means continuing contactless and curbside behaviors for businesses allowed to open, much like we have been doing with essential businesses during more restrictive phases.

Gerst says that her place has curbside pickup, and this is a practice many groomers are adopting.

 SEARCH OUR FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered

Nobody is coming into our place, she said. We are getting the pets and bringing them in; that is the main thing that has changed for us.

When making an appointment, ask how your groomer is handling things.

Mobile groomers

The mobile pet business is a popular option because you dont have to pack up your pets and take them to a grooming place. Want that option? Ask if they can perform their services entirely outside your home.

Amanda Bowman, of Fairy Tails Mobile Grooming LLC in Cherry Hill, does all her work curbside.

The only differences I have implemented is that we no longer go into a customers home, Bowman said. We request they either have the dog ready outside, or we just meet in the doorway.

If they cant groom outdoors, have a conversation first about what precautions they can take.

Why you should get your pet groomed?

There is misconception that grooming is basically haircuts for dogs, said Mike Bober, president and CEO of Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC). The reality is that grooming is much closer to a health service for pets.

First, skin care issues, potential ear infection, infected nail beds, he said. Things arent going to be immediately obvious to a pet owner, but if left untreated, they could turn into significant health issues.

If I cant get an appointment right away, can I do it myself?

The best I could suggest is to do your research, Bowman said. Dont immediately buy the first set of clippers you see. You can greatly injure your pet using the wrong equipment/tools. We [groomers as a whole] have taken the time to learn the safety inside and out, how to properly use the tools, and how to complete a groom without stress or injury to a pet.

She said maintenance is the key until you can bring your pet to a groomer.

I performed a Facebook Live video showing simple tips and tricks to keep their pets safe while things [were] on lockdown," she said. "Of course, in any situation, if there is an emergency, see your vet ASAP.

Bober is wary about pet owners grooming their animals.

The level of skill and, frankly, the level of potential for things to go bad is much higher when you are attempting to groom a dog at home than when you are attempting to cut your own hair or childs hair, he said.

If you give a human a bad haircut, that is a topical thing. That is a cosmetic issue. If you are dealing with a dog that cant communicate its stress verbally, that is unlikely to understand what you are trying to do to it, it doesnt matter how many YouTube videos you watch, you are not going to be in a good position to give that dog the level of professional care necessary to avoid injury and to make sure you are diagnosing any issues.
Chetana Belagere By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: The state government, which is seeing record highs in Covid-19 cases almost every day, has apparently decided to tweak the testing and quarantine strategies. A health department source confirmed that an expert committee met Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Thursday and a new testing strategy has been decided.

There will be some tweaking in the testing strategy and also the standard operating procedure (SOP) for quarantining those returning from high-prevalence states. The details will be divulged by the CM soon, a senior officer said.

Meanwhile, the State Health Department on Friday came up with a new SOPO for those returning from Maharashtra. Any person from Maharashtra, if he/she carries Covid-19 negative certificate from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-approved lab which is latest by two days, will be exempted from IQ (institutional quarantine) of seven days and sent for 21 days home quarantine directly, it stated.

Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Commissioner,

Health and Family Welfare Department, said, Some SOPs may change, and we will announce them soon. With a worryingly high number of cases, Maharashtra, which has become the epicentre of coronavirus, has been accused of not conducting enough tests. People coming from Maharashtra have been contributing to a large number of positive cases in Karnataka. It is unfortunate that Maharashtra is not screening or testing well, a public health activist said.
It's the cycling capital of Europe, so it's easy for the authorities to suggest to parents of children returning to school in the Netherlands in the time of Covid-19 that more of them should take their bike or walk.

That won't work as easily in many parts of Ireland, but the challenge is the same: how to avoid crowding on public transport as students and workers compete for space on reduced-capacity buses and trains in the autumn.

We don't know yet what the rules around social distancing will be in September, but the planning around reopening schools is factoring in the need to keep a minimum separation.

That impacts on everything from capacity on school buses and other public transport, to reducing the number of pupils in classrooms, to how many can sit in the canteen at any one time.

Education Minister Joe McHugh is confident the two-metre rule will change. A relaxation to one metre would make the logistics easier, but would still involve part-time attendance by pupils and small class 'bubbles', perhaps separated from other groups for the day.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dail this week about research showing that if people are more than a metre apart, they are 70pc-80pc protected, and if they are two metres apart, they are 95pc-100pc protected.

Along with distance constraints, schools will have to oversee exacting standards in cleaning and personal hygiene to minimise the risk of infection.

The already-packed daily school routine will have to include regular hand-washing and sanitisation.

Just how much school and hand cleaning is envisaged can be judged by the 24m Mr McHugh says it would cost for the September-Christmas term alone.

Department of Education guidance on what will be required of the reopened school system is expected to be published next Friday, allowing principals and boards of management to get on with their own arrangements.

Discussions are continuing with education stakeholders on the detail, and talks yesterday focused on the policy that institutions will have to draw up to guide their practice.

The policy template will amount to a checklist of what needs to be done and who is responsible for what, as well as setting out protocols, such as around entry and exit, and dropping off and collecting pupils.

They will also be allowed to ask staff and pupils, or their parents, to make a coronavirus self-declaration.

Ireland will be one of the last EU countries to reopen schools, and lessons are being learned from elsewhere in Europe. Schools are back in at least 22 of the 27 member states, generally on the basis of staggered, and controlled, returns, and it looks nothing like it did before the shutdown.

The overall experience has been positive, although with the common challenge of maintaining safe distances and strict cleaning and hygiene standards.

A recent meeting of EU education ministers heard the return had not led to any significant increase in coronavirus infections among children, parents or staff.

No two countries are going about it in exactly the same way. In Ireland, with the largest class sizes in the EU, it becomes more complicated.

In upper secondary schools in Finland, where students are no younger than 16-17, social distances of one to two metres are recommended.

There is no similar recommendation for pre-schools, primary or lower secondary, but they have reconfigured classrooms to reduce the number of pupils in them. Change to school life in Finland also includes taking it in turns to use the canteen.

Although Ireland's education minister is not keen on masks - the public health advice is that they shouldn't be used by children under 13 years of age - in France, they play a role in the return-to-school story.

Teachers have to wear them if they cannot observe social distancing, and they are compulsory for early childhood professionals.

While younger pupils are told not to wear masks, they are mandatory for 11-15-year-olds, unless there is a reason they cannot.

Social distancing makes smaller classes the norm, and France has capped numbers at 15, with pupils attending part-time, either every second day, two days out of four, or one week on and one week off, agreed locally.

In current circumstances, parental choice features in the return-to-school narrative.

The decision to reopen schools in England this week was out of tune with the views of many parents; the move backfired badly, with widespread absenteeism.

Schools in Germany were among the first in Europe to start a phased reopening and the approach remains cautious, with a combination of face-to-face classes and distance learning, and strict safety measures in place.

Denmark started reopening primary schools and creches in April and, because of the way educational facilities are co-located, they had extra space, but post-primary schools are now back and capacity is an issue.

Principals there looked for more guidance on hygiene, arguing they were not health experts and too much responsibility for what they needed to do on that front was left to them.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 01:37:48|Editor: huaxia

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ADEN, Yemen, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) airlifted on Saturday a new batch of medical supplies to Yemen's southern port city of Aden to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in the war-ravaged Arab country, a government official told Xinhua.

"A plane loaded with medical supplies provided by the UNICEF landed at Aden's International Airport," a local government official said on condition of anonymity.

"The medical supplies are very essential to help the medical teams and curb the spread of coronavirus in Aden as well as other neighboring southern provinces," the source said.

The UNICEF confirmed in a brief statement that it provided a new batch of medical supplies including personal protective equipment items to Aden.

Ishraq Subay, official spokesman of Yemen's National Emergency Committee, along with other government health officials received the new batch of medical supplies at Aden's airport.

"We received around 16 tons of essential medicines as well as protection and safety supplies all provided by the UNICEF to confront the coronavirus in the government-controlled provinces," Ishraq said.

She said that the new batch of medical supplies came after great efforts exerted by the country's government represented by Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik.

The Yemeni official called on the World Health Organization and other organizations to do their duties through providing more support for the Yemeni health sector to deal with the pandemic.

Last week, Yemen's health authorities controlled by the Houthi militia confirmed the arrival of a medical shipment dispatched by the UNICEF.

On Friday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Yemen's government-controlled provinces increased to 469 with 111 deaths and 23 recoveries since the outbreak of the deadly respiratory disease on April 10.

The Yemeni government called on donors and relevant international humanitarian organizations to provide support to help contain the pandemic.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi group seized control of much of the country's north and forced the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of Sanaa. Enditem
South Africa National Parks (SANParks) has announced that self-drive excursions for day visitors will be permitted from Monday, 8 June 2020.

We appreciate that after two months of confinement, the public is keen to engage with nature and the excitement as shown by enquiries from our loyal visitors is encouraging, said SANParks CEO Fundisile Mketeni.

He said they will ensure that the opening of national parks for self-drive excursions is done under the strictest health protocols to safeguard their staff and guests.

The health protocols will include limiting face-to-face contact between staff and guests by encouraging online and telephonic day visit bookings.

They are also encouraging guests to make full payment of conservation fees prior to arrival where possible.

The national lockdown regulations relating to movement between provinces must be observed within the parks, said Mketeni.

This means inter-provincial travel within parks that stretch between two provinces will not permitted. Guests therefore must exit into the province from which they entered the park.

Most Kruger gates to open, but some parks remain closed

The majority of gates at Kruger National Park will be open with the exception of Pafuri and Numbi gates.

Gate quotas for Kruger have been revised to approximately one third of what they were prior to COVID-19.

Three time slots for arrival will be introduced with the understanding that booked day visitors must arrive at the gate within that time span.

Slot 1 is from 06:00 to 08:00, Slot 2 from 08:00 to 10:00 and Slot 3 from 10:00 onwards.

Hides and picnic spots at all parks remain closed. Braaing at picnic sites will also not be allowed during this period.

Ablutions will be open in camps, at gates and at some picnic spots.

A limited number of shops and petrol stations will open in some parks during the course of the week and will be operated in accordance with relevant Level 3 lockdown regulations.

He said Namaqua National Park as well as Boulders and Cape Point in Table Mountain National Park remain closed for the meantime.
Evangelical church network distributes 750K meals to feed hungry during COVID-19

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A United States-based evangelical association has helped churches in over 10 countries in the former Soviet Union provide over 750,000 meals to hungry families as the coronavirus pandemic has caused economic struggles and hunger.

The Illinois-based Slavic Gospel Association, which serves over 6,350 churches across countries in Eastern Europe and Asia, has worked with its partners to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to feed families as the region continues to see spikes in the number of coronavirus cases.

Russia recently surpassed over 400,000 diagnosed cases of COVID-19 and ranks third in the world in a number of cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University & Medicine. Over 5,000 have died in Russia after contracting the virus and the country is still on lockdown.

The churches recognize that while this pandemic is a very difficult situation where many people are suffering, it probably represents the greatest opportunity for the proclamation of the Gospel since the [Berlin] Wall came down, SGA President Michael Johnson told The Christian Post. The churches and the church workers are highly motivated to do what they can to minister to the people in those communities, both in word and deed.

These people are already doing the work, Johnson added. What we are trying to do is connect people here with the churches over there and help them to purchase resources locally so they can distribute food, medicine, and other items.

SGA, which was founded in 1934 to covertly distribute Bibles to Christians in the communist Soviet Union, today serves churches in the former Soviet Union aligned with the Union of Evangelical Christian and Baptist Churches.

SGA established its Christ Over COVID campaign earlier this spring and issued a worldwide call to prayer.

In the background, the SGA has worked with its partner ministries in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world to secure financial resources to help evangelical churches in those countries serve those in distress.

Johnson said that because SGA has a giant network of churches, it can get aid to the point of need in just about all parts of those countries, even in the remotest regions in northern Siberia.

We have an infrastructure that we have established in those countries that provide all the accountability as well as the supply chain facilities, he said. "So we are able to get the resources out to people pretty quickly. Those church workers have such compassion in their countries and they meet these people at their point of need. And many of these people are at the end of their ropes.

In some cases, Johnson said church workers and volunteers are serving people who are at the point of suicide and others who havent eaten in days.

They are really meeting those needs. Many of those people are open to the word of God, Johnson said.

In order to identify the regions that need the most help at this time, SGA has coordinated with the national leaders of the Union of Evangelical Christian and Baptist Churches.

As time goes on, that network of churches that are distributing these resources continues to grow, Johnson said. We send the money over and the food and everything is purchased over there locally and distributed to the people who are in need. The churches are aware of the people in need already. In many cases, they will go to the local municipality to get a list of people who are in need and take that list and go visit those people.

According to SGA Communications Director Joel Griffith, the needs depend on the region. He said in Ukraine, where there has been an armed conflict since 2014, a lot of people are trapped and cant afford to leave even though their apartments and houses have been shelled out.

This food support is vital to them as pastors go and visit those areas, Griffith said.

In Central Asia, Griffith said poverty is horrendous and some of governments havent really been as responsive to the pandemic as others.

A lot of attention gets focused on large cities, but when you get out to the outlying villages, the impact is severe and they dont have the medical infrastructure that they do in some of the larger cities, Griffith added. So the impacts are much more severe there.

According to Johnson, SGA is also helping its local partners to feed orphans during the lockdowns.

We have access into hundreds of state-run orphanages but in many cases, the childrens homes, because of a lack of funding as a result of the collapsing economy, have had to shut down facilities, Johnson detailed.

Many of these kids are social orphans. This means at least one parent is alive but they have been taken away from the homes because of alcoholism and abuse. Now, they are being brought back to their homes. It is a very difficult situation. These workers are following these kids around and visiting them at the home to make sure everything is OK, and delivering food to them and their families.

Although some state governments in the United States are in the early phases of their reopening plans, Johnson expects the impact of the pandemic will last much longer in the countries SGA serves.

Yesterday, there was a big spike in cases in Russia. I think those counties are about three or four weeks behind us in terms of the onset of the pandemic, he said. They are in a more difficult situation than we are because they lack the medical infrastructure. And the Russian economy, which impacts a lot of those countries in that region and is based on the cost of fuel, is collapsing. It has reverberated all throughout that region.

Johnson stressed that there is still a lot of fear. But as a result of the aid, he said, many are coming to Christ.

Yevgeny Bakhmutsky, pastor of the Russian Bible Church in Moscow, said in a statement shared by SGA that there is an amazing hunger for truth and openness to the Gospel among people as church pastors are working day and night to visit, preach, consult and provide aid to people in need.

Our church has created a fund to help in Moscow, Bakhmutsky wrote. Even non-Christians (including some nominal Muslims) are donating some money to it. We are working as volunteers every day. Can you imagine  we have a dozen online Bible study Zoom groups for unbelievers now! We could not have dreamed this would be possible before!

Many people are preparing for the worst. There is less joy to be found, but churches have become truly joyful places in our society, the pastor said. Our church will soon baptize 15 people who came to faith in Christ during this pandemic. Its all happening because of your faithful assistance and help.
The Perspective

Atlanta, Georgia

June 6, 2020



Derek Chauvin

Murdering

George Floyd



A. Introduction:

The killing of George Floyd was intentional and not unintentional as local prosecutors would want the world to believe. Derek Chauvin should go to jail for life (first-degree murder) instead of going to jail for 40 years at most (second-degree murder). No reasoning or justification should acquit or absolve Chauvin from being charged with first-degree murder. His deliberate and vicious action goes far beyond second-degree murder. It is just unparalleled or unequaled to this feeble charge.



The world is craving for impartial justice. This global nostalgia seems more of a litmus test to the Justice System of the United States of America. The murder of George Floyd is fast provoking widespread protests across major cities in the USA and evoking mass solidarity elsewhere including Africa. This public outcry or rage is in response to Derek Chauvins heinous atrocity.



A 46-year-old black American, George Floyd, lost his life on May 25, 2020, after a white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, pitilessly knelt on his neck for about nine minutes. Floyd kept crying out for pardon while in handcuff. He ceaselessly yelled, I cant breathe. The sound of his shout may have seemed feeble to his murderers.



Derek Chauvin and Tou Thao could not just grant Floyds plea as he struggled to gulp his last breath. The consistent appeal from onlookers for Floyds killers to spare his life was even snubbed. This black man is no more because of allegedly using a counterfeit bill of $20 at a local store.



Did George Floyd deserve to die for $20? Has any white man been killed by a police officer for using a counterfeit bill of $20? The death of Floyd is an evocation intended for blacks worldwide to meditate. The world, especially Africa, has every reason to weep and reminisce. The atrocious passing of Floyd may be shocking and chilling, but not surprising.



In my opinion, racism remains a colonial project and a superstructure against Negroes. The black race is yet too far from total freedom. Not Yet Uhuru. What the world watched on Monday was an inhumane display of the wanton assassination of an innocent black man who died because of his color. The killing of Floyd is just more than him using a counterfeit $20.



B. The Law:

I listened to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman levying charges against prime culprit Derek Chauvin. He said, Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and third-degree manslaughter.



In my opinion, these frail charges are more of an onslaught against humanity, a step away from justice, and an incentive for racism. Since George Floyd was cruelly murdered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, his murderers are to be prosecuted in accordance with the statutes of Minnesota or under the State Jurisdiction of Minnesota which is applicable in the context of the U.S. Criminal Justice System.



What does the Law say about third-degree murder?

According to the Criminal Code specifically, Chapter 609 Section 195 of the 2019 Minnesota Statutes:



(a) Whoever, without intent to effect the death of any person, causes the death of another by perpetrating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind, without regard for human life, is guilty of murder in the third degree and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 25 years;



(b) Whoever, without intent to cause death, proximately causes the death of a human being by, directly or indirectly, unlawfully selling, giving away, bartering, delivering, exchanging, distributing, or administering a controlled substance classified in Schedule I or II, is guilty of murder in the third degree and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 25 years or to payment of a fine of not more than $40,000, or both.



The African Argument:

The action of Chauvin against Floyd was well-established and intentioned. As harmless, choiceless, and powerless George Floyd was, Derek Chauvin intentionally kept pressing his knee down his neck. The more Floyd cried out for Chauvin to spare his life, at a point he had to yell repeatedly I cant breathe, police officer Chauvin even increased the force of his knee down Floyds neck.



It was proven at that point that Chauvins motive was to kill and he did just that without any empathy or a sense of humanity. Chauvin was very normal when he committed such a gruesome act. It was never an accident. So what is unintentional about Chauvins action then? The killing of Floyd was never an accident and it cannot be either. Therefore, charging Chauvin with third-degree murder in this case is legally unjustified and logically inapt.



The May 2020 murder of black American George Floyd by white cop Derek Chauvin is similar to or graver than these cases of life imprisonment:



The February 2020 verdict of life imprisonment against 32-year-old former Los Angeles Police Officer, Henry Solis, who murdered Salome Rodriguez on March 3, 2015; The December 2014 verdict of life imprisonment against a 64-year-old ex-Chicago police officer, Steven Mandell, who was sentenced for committing murder, kidnap, torture, extortion; The December 2016 verdict of life imprisonment against a former police officer, Marcus Eberhart, after he killed a 24-year-old black man, Gregory Towns; The 2013 verdict of life imprisonment against former Grandview police officer, Jeffrey Moreland, who killed Cara Jo Roberts in November 2008; The January 2020 sentencing of 35-year-old Mateo police officer, Noah White Winchester, for 81 years after he was convicted of assaulting five women; The verdict of life imprisonment against 61-year-old Elgin police officer, Herschell Gleen, after he killed a couple.



The intentional murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin is even graver or greater in magnitude than most of the cases supra with the sentence of life imprisonment. So, why charge Chauvin with second-degree murder and not even third-degree murder or most precisely first-degree murder?

First Degree Murder vs. Second Degree Murder:

To further justify our argument for state prosecutors to levy the charge of first-degree murder against Cop Derek Chauvin, it is important for us to cite Chapter 609 Section 185 and Chapter 609 Section 19 of the Criminal Code of the 2019 Minnesota Statutes:



i) 609.185  MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE.

(a) Whoever does any of the following is guilty of murder in the first degree and shall be sentenced to imprisonment for life:

(1) causes the death of a human being with premeditation and with intent to effect the death of the person or another;

(2) causes the death of a human being while committing or attempting to commit criminal sexual conduct in the first or second degree with force or violence, either upon or affecting the person or another;

ii) 609.19  MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE.

Whoever does either of the following is guilty of murder in the second degree and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 40 years:

(1) Causes the death of a human being with intent to effect the death of that person or another, but without premeditation; or

(2) Causes the death of a human being while committing or attempting to commit a drive-by shooting in violation of section 609.66, subdivision 1e, under circumstances other than those described in section 609.185, paragraph (a), clause (3).



It is a fact that the death of George Floyd was premeditated and intentioned. Even if prosecutors want to help murderer Derek Chauvin, he should be charged with second-degree murder and not third-degree murder. But it would be fair enough if Chauvin were to have a life sentence.

With this, JUSTICE shall truly prevail for George Floyd. Furthermore, the brute action of former policeman Derek Chauvin violates chapter 5 section 102 and chapter 5 section 102.1 of August 1, 1991, Code of Ethics of Minnesota Law Enforcement, Minneapolis Police Department, Minnesota, USA.



We want to reecho our loyalty to this cause and join thousands of protesters in solidarity as the world seeks full justice for George Floyd. Let us insist on tougher charges against Chauvin. This will deter racists and chauvinists. There is no doubt that Chauvin is indeed a chauvinist.



References:

1) https://globalnews.ca//sentencing-hearing-oscar-arfmann-k/

2) https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/609.195

3) https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/609

4) http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us//pol/mpdpolicy_5-100_5-100



About The Author: Martin K. N. Kollie is a Liberian activist and columnist. He presently lives in exile and can be reached via martinkerkula1989@yahoo.com




A medical swab manufacturer was forced to discard coronavirus testing swabs following Donald Trumps visit to its Maine facility, according to USA Today.

While workers in lab coats and personal protective equipment worked on the factory floor during the presidents visit to Puritan Medical Products on Friday, Mr Trump  who did not wear a mask  walked through the facility and visited with workers.

Puritans marketing manager for the company told USA Today that the factory was in limited operation during the presidents tour and swabs produced during that time will be discarded.

Its unclear how many testing swabs will be thrown out, and why, though the move follows reports of test shortages during the Covid-19 crisis as states begin to reopen and need to expand their testing capacity.

A company representative was not immediately available to respond to The Independents request for comment.

The visit was among several White House trips to medical manufacturing facilities within the last several weeks as the president dismissed concerns that shortages in tests and other supplies at the onset of the outbreak in February and March have significantly stunted the US response.

During his Friday visit, he said: When you have more tests, you have more cases. I say to my people: Every time we test, you find cases because we do more testing. So if we have more cases  if we wanted to do testing in China or in India, or other places, I promise you, thered be more cases. But were doing a great job with the testing. And youre doing a fantastic job in getting out the swabs.

Mr Trump has insisted that anyone in the US is able to be tested, while his administration has recently accelerated production of tests as labs process as many as 400,000 tests a day. However technicians and health officials have expressed concerns about a lack of nationwide consistent strategies and inconsistent results from a patchwork response to the virus.

Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Show all 13 1 /13 Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Cheryll Mack, 46, a registered nurse in the emergency department, poses for a photograph after a 12-hour shift outside the hospital where she works. "The Covid-19 spread has affected a lot of livelihood, a lot of people's lives. It has created a crisis, death in general. So I would like to ask not one single person, but all people worldwide, to converge and join the platform that this is something that nobody can fight individually," said Mack. Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Dr Laura Bontempo, 50, an emergency medicine doctor wears her personal protective equipment she uses when she sees patients, while posing for a photograph after a nine-hour shift, outside the hospital. "The hardest moments have actually been separating families from patients, there is a no-visitor policy now and taking people away from their loved ones is very challenging," Bontempo said. "I'm used to treating sick patients. I treat sick patients all the time. It's very different knowing that the patient you are treating, is actually a risk to you as well. That's the main difference here. No one who works in hospitals is afraid of treating sick people. Just want to keep staff safe and the patients safe at the same time." Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Ernest Capadngan, 29, a registered nurse who works at a biocontainment unit poses for a photograph after a 12-hour shift, outside the hospital. "The hardest moment during the shift was just seeing Covid patients die helpless and without their family members beside them," Capadngan said. Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Martine Bell, 41, a nurse practitioner in an emergency department, poses for a photograph after a six-hour shift outside the hospital where she works. "The hardest thing in all of this, has been taking care of fellow healthcare providers. It really hits home and it's really scary when you see someone that could be you coming in and now you're taking care of them. It's also hitting home that once healthcare providers start getting sick, who is going to be taking care of the public," Bell said. "It's very stressful, everyone is on edge. We don't know who's coming in next, or how sick they're going to be, or if we are going to get a whole bunch of people or if we're not going to get no one. It's a really stressful and just a completely unusual time for all of us." Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Kaitlyn Martiniano, 25, a registered nurse who works at a biocontainment poses for a photograph after a 12.5-hour shift, outside the hospital. "We have a lot of patients and they are pretty sick right now but we have not yet been hit as hard as New York or Seattle, so I feel like we are very lucky with that so far. Every day you have to just be optimistic." Said Martiniano. "I think the reason that we are not being hit as hard right now is because so many things are closed, and because so many people are staying at home." Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Tracey Wilson, 53, a nurse practitioner in an intensive care unit (ICU), poses for a photograph after a 12-hour shift, outside the hospital where she works. "I had a patient fall out of bed today and I had to call his wife and tell her and she couldn't come see him, even though she pleaded and begged to come see him," Wilson said. "There is a lot of unknowns and with that unknown is a lot of anxiety and stress that we're not used to dealing with." Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Meghan Sheehan, 27, a nurse practitioner in an emergency department, poses for a photograph after a 12-hour shift, outside the hospital where she works. "I think the hardest moment has been the fear that lives within all of us. There is a lot of unknown right now. We fear what's going to happen tomorrow, how the emergency department will look next week when we come in. We have fears about our own colleagues, whether they will fall ill. We also fear that we could be asymptomatic carriers and bring this virus home to our families and our loved ones. There has been a lot of fear over our supplies and whether we'll run out. And then obviously there is the fear that we will see patients and not be able to do everything we normally can to help save patients' lives," Sheehan said. Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Kimberly Bowers, 44, a nurse practitioner in an ICU, poses for a photograph after a 13-hour shift, outside the hospital. "The hardest moment was a young woman who died and her family wasn't able to be here with her," Bowers said. "I think right now, it's just frustrating and scary just not knowing what comes next." Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Tiffany Fare, 25, a registered nurse who works at a biocontainment unit poses for a photograph after a 13-hour shift, outside the hospital where she works. "One of the hardest moments was having to see a family member of a Covid patient, say goodbye over an iPad, rooms away. That was a tough one, I can't imagine how hard it would be to be saying goodbye, you can't see your loved one and then they're gone," Fare said. "My team has been really great to me. We've worked really well together and we've really come together in this crisis. We don't really know each other, we all come from different units within the same hospital, so for us to come together and work so well as a team, it's been a journey but I think that's what is giving me hope." Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Dr Kyle Fischer, 35, an emergency medicine doctor, poses for a photograph after a 12-hour shift, outside the hospital where he works. "Since it's a new virus, we don't have any experience with it. For most diseases I am used to seeing it and taking care of it and this, I don't have any starting place. I know what I'm hearing from New York, I've read all of the papers it seems like, but no one knows what the correct answers are, so there's a huge amount of uncertainty and people are really, really sick. So it's hard to second guess whether or not you are doing the right thing when you think you are but you never quite know," said Fischer. Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Julia Trainor, 23, a registered nurse at a surgical ICU, poses for a photograph after a 14-hour shift, outside the hospital. "The hardest moment was having to put a breathing tube in my patient who could no longer breathe for herself and after the breathing tube went in, we called her family and the husband, of course, couldn't visit her because of visitor restrictions at the hospital. So I had to put him on the phone and hold the phone to her ear, as he told her that he loved her so much and then I had to wipe away her tears as she was crying," said Trainor. "I'm used to seeing very sick patients and I'm used to patients dying but nothing quite like this. In the flip of a switch, without the support, they're completely isolated. They're very sick. Some of them recover and some of them don't. But the hardest part, I would think, is them having to go through this feeling like they are alone." Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Lisa Mehring, 45, a registered nurse who works in a biocontainment unit with Covid-19 patients, poses for a photograph after a 12.5-hour shift, outside the hospital where she works in Maryland. "Seeing these new moms have babies has been the hardest moment along with having do their pumping for the new moms and them not being able to be with their newborn children, it's hard to think of the family that they are missing," Mehring said. Photos Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Jacqueline Hamil, 30, a registered nurse in an emergency department, poses for a photograph after a 12-hour shift outside the hospital. "The hardest moment of my shift today, I was in charge, and we had a really sick patient that was in a really, really small room and usually, when we have sick crashing patients, we can have a ton of resources and a ton of staff go in and help with the nurse and the doctors that are taking care of that patient. But due to the patient being ruled out for the coronavirus, we could only have five or six people in the room at a time and putting on all the gowns and gloves and masks and face shields to protect us in case the patient does have coronavirus, it takes a while, so the nurse that was in there, ended up being in the room for you know 6, 7 hours with minimal breaks and it was hard being in charge and knowing that she was stuck in the room and really nothing I could do to help her," Hamil said. Reuters

This week, Robert Redfield, director of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, told Congress: I dont want to get into the number of tests because I dont think thats the real issue ... Its how testing is used and whats the consequence.

In May, Puritan Medical Products, one of two companies that manufacture swab tests in the US, announced plans for a second plant in Maine with a goal of producing up to 40m swabs a month, according to a company statement.

The company was awarded more than $75m through the Defence Production Act to build US capacity for testing supplies during the pandemic.

Puritan said that it expects to begin producing swabs at its second plant by 1 July.

Nearly 2m people have been infected and more than 108,000 people in the US have died from illness related to the virus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Psychological operations against the adversary is the key ingredient in the Chinese War Zone Concept (WZC) doctrine. Although Psy Ops, as it is called, is an age-old concept since the times of Chanakya and Sun Tzu, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has refined it by influencing the influencers among the adversaries, on and off social media, to lower the morale of enemy troops and the political decision makers.

Under this strategy, its version of ground position maps and videos are leaked among the influencers to create political friction within the enemy country and seed doubt in the mind of the adversary on his capability to fight. Exaggerated information about deployed weapons systems against the enemy is circulated through official media even if the theatre weapons are untested or unproven in the field.

The basic idea is to overwhelm the enemy into panic so that his capacity to negotiate is weakened.

Just like the 73-day Doklam stand-off, the Chinese PLA is up to its old tactics to weaken the Indian resolve in the on-going stand-off at Pangong Tso and Galwan River in Eastern Ladakh. With the battle theatre totally transparent to the engagers through technology, the Chinese misinformation campaign has shrilled the pitch to seed the minds of the public with mistrust towards their government through tailored images and conjured up huge deployments to convey the threat of an imminent conflict.

Also Watch | Explained: Trumps G7 offer to India, how it may help amid China standoff

Also Read: India, China engaged to address current situation: Indian Army on Ladakh standoff talks

Like the recent Chinese propaganda over a reconnaissance helicopter drone. Never mind that in a contested airspace, a slow-moving drone can be shot out of the sky in one go.

The propaganda about deploying latest motorised cannons and missiles in eastern Ladakh by Chinese too fails to mention that India too has the same systems in its armoury, if not better.

The PLA may be a step better in indigenous development of drones but India has already blunted that edge through imports from Israel. The air force of the two countries are evenly matched with both using Russian Sukhoi-30 as their front-line fighters. The Indian Air Force calls it Mark India (MKI) and PLA Air Force, Mark China (MKC). Despite China tom-toming about its two aircraft carriers, the Indian carrier-based naval aviation is miles ahead of anyone in the region barring a select few.

Also Read: Ahead of todays meet over Ladakh standoff, India signals a realistic approach

The other critical aspect of Psy-Ops is first, to create hope of resolution through dialogue and then lead it to disillusionment among the public, which is always looking for instant noodles. It is quite evident that the resolution of the current stand-off in eastern Ladakh will require a series of engagements with small incremental steps each time, if at all. Given the heavy deployment on both sides, each side would look for concessions from the other before the status quo ante is restored.

It will also be very difficult for either the diplomats or generals on both sides to reconcile due to historical memories constantly refreshed by Chinese attempts to dominate the 3,488 kilometre long Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Also Read: As the LAC heats up, reading Chinas playbook, writes Shyam Saran

Although China marched way ahead of upgrading border infrastructure in comparison to India at the turn of the millennium, New Delhi after initial lag, is fast catching up by building strategic roads right up to patrolling posts in eastern, middle and western sector of the Line of Actual Control.

Faced with a daunting Himayalan terrain in comparison to the flat Tibetean plateau, India is surely nullifying the Chinese military advantage. The standoff in eastern Ladakh and the belligerence of the PLA should be understood in this context.

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The French military said Friday that its forces in Mali had killed one of al-Qaidas longest-serving commanders in Africa, Abdelmalek Droukdel, who has led an affiliate of the terror network for more than a decade.

The killing of Droukdel, later confirmed by the U.S. Africa Command, is a setback for al-Qaidas operations in northwestern Africa.

A very big loss for them, said Wassim Nasr, a French expert on the terrorist group.

In a statement on Twitter, Defence Minister Florence Parly of France wrote: On June 3, the French armed forces, with the support of their partners, neutralized the emir of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Abdelmalek Droukdel and several of his close associates, in the course of an operation in northern Mali.

Col. Christopher Karns of U.S. Africa Command said the United States had provided the French with intelligence and surveillance aircraft to help with the mission.

Droukdel, 50, was born in Algeria and fought the Soviets in Afghanistan before returning to his home country in the 1990s to take part in its civil war. A university mathematics graduate and an Islamist, Droukdel rose through the ranks of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, a local insurgent group that did little more than carry out gunfights with Algerian soldiers.

By the time he became the groups commander in 2004, it was all but washed up. Droukdel then sent a secret message to Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, al-Qaidas leader in Iraq.

What followed has been described as the terrorist version of a corporate merger.

Droukdels men pledged allegiance to the Qaida terrorist brand in 2006 and became the networks most loyal partner in Africa. Instead of skirmishes with Algerian troops, the group began carrying out suicide bombings, hitting targets that made clear their ambitions were no longer local. They included the headquarters of the United Nations in Algiers, which the group destroyed in 2007, killing dozens of people.

Soon, Droukdels battalions were operating in Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Tunisia and Libya.

The group financed itself by kidnapping foreigners and extracting ransoms from their governments.

Flush with cash in 2012, Droukdels foot soldiers, alongside two other rebel groups, invaded northern Mali and succeeded in seizing the countrys northern half.

The French military launched an invasion to take it back in 2013.

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OK, I have been very negative of late. Hard not to be with Boris Johnsons shower of clowns and charlatans delivering a national catastrophe. But today, a story with a happy ending, to warm your heart, and show that prime ministers are not all the same, and politicians can make a difference.

The happy ending landed just after midnight in the early hours of Thursday morning with a text from my barber: We made it!

When I wrote mid-April about 20 things I was missing in lockdown, Burnley FC games came top, and abroad was not far behind, with trips to France, Albania, Singapore, Australia and Nashville (sorry Greta) all postponed or cancelled due to Covid-19.

But there at No 14 was this: My Albanian barber, Palushis of Malden Road. My partner Fiona has done a pretty good job considering she has never cut hair before. But it is growing back in a very weird, uneven way.

I have never been one for fancy hair cuts and for years Alex Palushi, whose barber shop is a short walk from my house in Gospel Oak, North London, knows what I want, does it, charges eight quid and I give him a tenner.

We talk mainly football and politics  he a disgruntled Arsenal fan, me a one-eyed Burnley fanatic. He follows Albanian politics closely and knows I go to Tirana regularly to advise prime minister Edi Rama. He is not a fan of Boris Johnson or Brexit, warned for years Jeremy Corbyn was never going to be elected as prime minister, thinks that Keir Starmer has a chance. So, when he says he made it, what was he talking about?

Just over a week ago I got a text from him, saying his dad, who lives in Albania, was seriously ill in hospital. Alex was desperate to get home, but worried about quarantine, and whether he would have to self-isolate when he got there, and not be able to see his father. I checked it out and discovered that Albania, which went early into lockdown, was coming out of it, and the early quarantine was about to be lifted. So far, so good.

Flights, however, were hard to come by, and in the end he decided to drive with his brother. I warned he might struggle to get through France but, desperate to see his dad, he gave it a go. No joy. He was turned back at the border. So he drove north and set off by ferry for Holland, had more luck there and then drove through Holland, Germany, Slovenia and Croatia, before arriving at the Croatian border with Montenegro.

Left to right: Alex, the barber, his dad Femi and his brother Edmir (Alastair Campbell)

A naturalised Brit, Alex has a British passport. Sorry, said the Montenegro authorities, you cant go further  Covid-19 restrictions, no evidence of Dominic Cummings style exceptional circumstances. He tried to explain about his father, but got the look that said, sorry mate, computer says no.

He called me, desperate, and I gave him some phone numbers to try, and said I would also have a root around the internet to see what advice I could find. In doing so, I discovered that there is an app via which anyone can contact ministers in the Albanian government directly, explain their problems, and each minister has a team to help solve them.

If you read my blog you will know that I have spent the last few days making an analysis of the, in the main, deeply unempathetic copy and paste letters sent by Tory MPs to constituents who wrote to complain about the Johnson/Cummings scandal.

You may also know that I have been banging on about the robotic formulation used by ministers day after day as they tell us, sadly X-amount (still well into three figures) have died, and, our thoughts and prayers are with their friends and families. No, they are not. Your thoughts and prayers are with your own survival and, in Johnsons case, Cummings survival, for which you were all asked to put out near identical nodding dog tweets saying Dom loved his son and it was time to move on.

Empathy, as I said in a piece I wrote for the Standard at the start of this crisis, is about more than words of sympathy. It is about what you do to help people who need help.

Alex hit the phones and he hit the app and six hours later he was being led over the Croatian border by an Albanian diplomat, on his way through Montenegro towards Albania. They had decided that two sons driving from England to see a sick father was grounds for special help.

I also discovered that in addition to the app, people have been posting their Covid-19 related needs and problems on Edi Ramas Facebook page and he has been sorting them out as best he can, large and small.

The difference in empathy levels between a government which encourages people to ask ministers directly for help, the Albanian way, and those of our ministers, who talk the talk about how brilliant they are while failing on pretty much every aspect of this crisis, is stark, and shaming.

People might forgive lack of empathy, or even the occasional act of hypocrisy by a government adviser, if they saw basic competence. But they dont. They see gross incompetence bordering on criminal negligence which has people checking out whether government departments are considered corporate bodies covered by a possible corporate manslaughter suit (spoiler alert  they are).

In Albania, 34 people have died from coronavirus. In the UK, even on the official figures, more than 40,000, but the excess death figure is now well above 60,000. Yesterday alone, 10 times more people died of Covid-19 in the UK than have died in Albania during the entire crisis. Of course, Albania is a much smaller country, but they faced exactly the same challenges as everyone, and are much closer to Italy which at one point, until Johnson and co screwed up, looked like being the European Covid capital.

To anyone minded to make jokes about Albania, chew on this: their death per million rate is 11. Ours is almost 600. This is what Johnson calls apparent success.

When Johnson was still shaking hands in hospital and urging people to go to racing and attend football matches, Albania was in total lockdown, including strictly enforced curfews from 1pm to 5am, with only one person per family member allowed out to go shopping, monitored by online tracking.

Rama was sending me photos of empty streets. He sent me a BBC headline on Boris Johnson saying schools would stay open because closing them could do more harm than good with the message, WTF!! God help you if this is his scientific advice  Italy was ruined by this approach. He sent me a photo taken on a bus, on which a police officer, like the driver wearing a mask, ensured only healthcare workers got on. Alongside it, a picture he had seen of a packed train platform in London. Do they know what they are doing? he asked. You are heading for catastrophe. So it has proven.

Two short weeks later, the situation in Albania was sufficiently under control for Rama to be able to send doctors and nurses to Italy where, in a recent poll, he came top in an analysis of world leaders and how they had handled the crisis. His 63 per cent approval contrasted with those two more famous names down at the bottom  Trump, 29 per cent, Johnson 23 per cent.

And what does it say about the state Johnson and his Vote Leave clique have reduced the country to that a British passport is now less of a lever for progress through Europe than an Albanian app?

Perhaps No 10 should get the Albanians to take over the Isle of Wight app that was going to be a game changer. Or get Johnson to put a sock in it when he claims there is a world class test, track and trace system in place, when clearly there isnt.

I have known Rama for years, and seen someone who knows how to do the job of prime minister. I have known Johnson for years, and seen enough to know that he cant. Indeed, if it was not for the posh voice, the Eton/Oxford CV, Im not sure he would get a job sweeping the floor at Palushis barbers, let alone running one of the greatest countries on Earth.

And finally, can he get his bloody hair cut? Even if Carrie made a mess of it, it cant look worse than it does now, and a horrific mess would at least be a message for his prime ministerial brand.
As the world's battle against Covid-19 rages on, the Gorey Malawi Health Partnership has shifted its focus on looking at how the developing world is coping during the crisis.

Dr Peter Harrington of the Palms Surgery in Gorey commended frontline staff and the people of Wexford for handling the crisis particularly well, but said that he fears sub-Saharan Africa is now being overwhelmed by an expanding Covid 19 pandemic.

Realising the serious threat of Covid-19 when it reached Malawi in April, the team got to work quickly to help those that they have already built relationships with.

'The Gorey Malawi Health Partnership has supported our partners in Malawi and colleagues in Mzuzu and will continue to do so. We have sent an aid parcel, finance, and are developing at present a series of brief educational video podcasts capable of dissemination through smart phone from healthcare worker to healthcare worker,' he said.

Dr Harrington said that now is the time for solidarity with Malawi, something focused on a recent article written by Dr David Weakliam and published in the HSE staff magazine Health Matters.

In the article, Dr Weakliam says that the global nature of health has never more evident than during a pandemic such as this.

'The Covid-19 pandemic affects all countries and it is in all of our interest to work together to bring it under control. In Ireland, the government has deployed an unprecedented scale of resources to tackle the pandemic. But how will the countries with the least resources fare? These are places where many health facilities lack basic hand washing facilities with soap and running water, where personal protective equipment is lacking, and where few hospitals have intensive care facilities with adequate trained staff and medical equipment.

'Social distancing is often impractical and measures to "flatten the curve" may also flatten the economy. There are no safety nets for people who need to be able to go out to work just to feed their families'.

The HSE and its staff have established links over the years with less developed countries, such as 'ESTHER Ireland', the HSE Global Health Programme which facilitates health professionals across the Irish health service to develop longterm partnerships to address shared health problems.

Dr Weakliam explained that Covid-19 has suddenly emerged as the new priority, and now is the time to show solidarity and remain committed to working together.

'Malawi is a low income country in southern Africa with a population of 18 million and an under resourced health service. Even with external aid, it spends only about 80 per capita per year on health care, which is about 2% of per capita expenditure in Ireland.

'If Covid-19 spreads in the community, the health service will be quickly overwhelmed. Health workers will be affected and many essential health services will be disrupted'.

He complimented the long standing relationship between St John's Hospital in Mzuzu, northern Malawi, and the Gorey Malawi Health Partnership as well as the leadership it has shown during the initiative.

'Dr Peter Harrington and Dr Joe Gallagher have established an initiative with St John's Hospital to develop services for the growing number of people with chronic diseases, such as asthma and hypertension.

'Faced with the threat of Covid-19 in Malawi, the partnership has had to adjust its plans and the partnership is now about Covid-19, whatever else it is about,' he said.

'While local businesses in Mzuzu re-purposed their work to manufacture face shields, face masks and aprons, the Palms Surgery put together a parcel of critical items that are difficult to purchase in Malawi, such as thermometers and pulse oximeters. The partnership undertook a rapid multi-sectoral needs assessment using email and online meetings and they identified educational resources as of the greatest relevance to Malawi.

'While there is an array of Covid-19 resources from WHO and other organisations, the Malawian partners have found them quite confusing and some of the guidance cannot be implemented in such a low resource setting. The Palms Surgery suggested to develop a series of short educational videos or podcasts, in keeping with WHO advice, that could be shared quickly via WhatsApp.

'The technical content of the training was co-developed by the Palms Surgery, St John's Hospital and the HSE Global Health Programme. The HSE provided funding for additional technical assistance to produce and disseminate high quality videos.

'The output is a series of 14 short, engaging and educational animated videos on topics related to Covid-19, targeting health care workers in Malawi and other low resource settings.

Dr Chihana, Director of St John's Hospital, Mzuzu has since expressed appreciation for the support provided through the partnership.

'We have always valued our partnership and now in the face of Covid-19, there is strength in unity.

'When we were still thinking on the way forward, you guided us on the most important thing which is PPE. The staff are really conscious and are refusing to see patients if they don't have PPE. The other challenge being that this is depleting our little resources especially the drug budget.

'We thank you very much for your timely support in kind and also the education that will go a long way to help St John's Hospital and also people surrounding it'.

This initiative shows the value in a crisis of health partnerships between the Irish health service and less developed countries and there are immediate benefits in Malawi now but according to Dr Harrington and the team, the learning is mutual and there will be valuable lessons going forward that can be brought back to our own health service here in Ireland.

The team, as always, thanks the people of Gorey for their support of the partnership.
Angry headlines tell much of the current situation. The death of George Floyd after a police officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes; tear-gassing of protesters who've had enough; covid-19 deaths topping 100,000 and still rising; unemployment at 40 million and heated arguments over masking.

Yet only a few weeks ago, we saw kids hanging hand-colored rainbows and hearts in their house and apartment windows, with chalk messages of thanks to front-line responders and adults making masks and organizing food drives, and then briefly emerging from their homes to clap, cheer and bang pots for health-care and other essential workers.

Was that all an illusion? Kindness toward others - even ourselves - has been shown to help balance seesawing emotions, which we all have these days, and even possibly improve some health outcomes. Yet in these fraught times, somehow the idea of kindness seems quaint if not passe.

Yet it's worth noting that, even as it feels like darkness and struggle are ratcheting up, people are reaching out to others to help, even if they don't dominate the news.

In Atlanta, for instance, fraternity men from historically black colleges cleaned up neighborhood streets after a night of protest and violence. "We are better than this," the city's mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, had said the day before.

In Columbus, Ohio, the local newspaper reported, "Random acts of kindness break out amid protests," with individuals who'd just met on Facebook providing masks, protective eyewear and first-aid kits to protesters.

Ditto in Cleveland, where Ricky Smith, the founder of Random Acts of Kindness Everywhere, brought his "message of positivity" downtown to help "people think outside of themselves and help others." And last week, a man on a street in downtown Washingtonopened his door to dozens of marchers fleeing as riot police bore down firing chemicals. He provided a refuge through the night so they wouldn't be arrested for violating curfew.

In an earlier draft of this column, I'd written: "Yes, there is beauty to be found in these dark days, and its name is kindness."

I described examples of what I called the "viral nature of kindness." Ramona DeFelice Long, who lives in Newark, Delaware, told me that when her mother, a former nurse, died of the novel coronavirus in April, she asked that "people perform an act of kindness to a nurse" in lieu of sending flowers. One person sent lunch to the emergency room unit in a small hospital, and another sent a gift card to a struggling neighborhood medical professional with a family.

The pandemic, it seemed, was bringing out the best in us. But - there always seems to be a "but" - Cynthia Ambres, a physician in Los Angeles, wanted me to know how she had "witnessed how disparate the pandemic is when it comes to my community, the African American community." And that was before four Minneapolis police officers were charged with Floyd's death.

Yet, kindness may be more important than ever, especially when it comes to listening to people and hearing what causes them pain, anger, sadness - often all at once - in an emotionally and politically challenging time unlike anything most of us have ever experienced.

Why is kindness important, even - maybe especially - from six feet away?

Rose Arce, a Latina documentarian, says she has been deeply affected by the recent turn of events, but she remains an advocate for "kindness, [which] is also about empathy and understanding, about recognizing the plight of the person next to you and offering emotional support and advocacy in a moment of anger or despair." Kindness builds bridges, two-way bridges.

Ambres, the Los Angeles physician, has tried to do her part, too, donating money or food to as many homeless people as she sees. She's also been the recipient of others' generosity, telling me that strangers have offered her groceries out of their own carts when they found her standing before an empty shelf. "It goes on and on - a cycle of giving and receiving," Ambres says.

Last year, I spoke with Jamil Zaki, a Stanford University psychology professor, who studies kindness. "There's lots of evidence that our experiences, our choices, our habits, our practices go a long way to predict how empathetic we become," he told me. In researching his book "The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World," he says he learned that empathy or kindness is a skill that we can build. "Doing so is a crucial project for us, both as individuals and as a culture." Now more so than ever.

Early in the pandemic - in what was a panicky time but now seems almost calm - when my stress level was rocketing, I received a beautiful calendar created by a textile artist who lives near my home in North Carolina. Elaine O'Neil walked block after block distributing 100 of these calendars to friends and neighbors. On each one, O'Neil attached a short note: "Please accept this 2020 calendar as an I'm thinking about you" gift. And how did folks respond? "They gave me sunshine right back," O'Neil posted on her blog.

People often say that kindness begets kindness, even such small acts as a calendar or providing safe refuge for protesters, which is one reason it is seen as a way to bolster our mental health. Spreading kindness does not mean ignoring the need to protest injustice and cruelty and demand that the world be made fairer, better. Zaki and other experts say it can be another tool to help create a more just and loving world, and to keep ourselves from being overcome by anger and despair.

But to get through these trying times, we need to do what we can to stay balanced and emotionally solid to face a future that feels very uncertain. In this angry and stressed time, research says we can learn to be kinder.

We don't have to look far back to see precedent for the outbreaks and hotspots of kindness amid crisis - the HIV/AIDS epidemic, 9/11, and Hurricane Katrina produced random, and non-random, acts of kindness. I can testify to it firsthand when I lived in the San Francisco Bay area in the 1980s as AIDS was rampaging and so many were dying, including my friends.

My fellow San Franciscans came together to help. In 1985, a group called Different Spokes hosted the first AIDS bike-a-thon, raising a then-unprecedented $33,000 from 66 cyclists for people with AIDS. Three years later, a modest holiday food drive spawned the first Food Bank for people with AIDS, providing 24,000 bags of groceries to people living with HIV in just one year, its founder, Cary Norsworthy, reminded me recently.

At the same time, few in the LGBTQ community who lived through that time will forget the discrimination and stigmatization of people with AIDS and the frigid shoulder of the Reagan administration as the epidemic was emerging.

In January 1991, the New York Times reported, "AIDS Deaths Now Exceed 100,000," on the bottom-half of page 18. Indifference is another kind of violence.

In April, with the pandemic virus spreading in my hometown, Kristin Wilson told friends on a Zoom call that members of their household had been infected with covid-19, the disease caused by coronavirus. After she recovered, she told me that neighbors, in response, left baked goods and spring flowers at their door and called with good wishes.

"I've been surrounded by kindness," she said. Before turning to get dinner ready for her three kids, she added, "I hope we can keep this level of concern for other people, and I hope to be able to return the favor."

Kindness is not a cure - our challenges are far too serious - but it is a way of being that can make a difference to those around you. Right now, the biggest act of kindness any of us can do is simple - wear a mask to protect others (if not yourself), respect social distancing so we can all get back to work and life - together again, and listen - really listen - to those who are angry, depressed or in despair.
Wuhans Large-scale CCP Virus Testing Lacks Transparency

Honest News Straight to Your Home. Try the Epoch Times yourself, and get a free gift.

Wuhan had conducted 6.68 million nucleic acid tests and discovered 206 asymptomatic cases as of May 23. This was done after the Chinese CDC announced mandatory mass testing on May 11. Residents are concerned about cross contamination because the testing was not done carefully. They also said that test tubes were not properly labelled, and the results are not made available to the public. It was said that the CDC initiative was aimed at preventing a . Wuhan city, where the CCP virus first emerged late last year, is home to about 11 million people.

During an interview, Wuhan residents said the test results were not available. A resident said that the authorities are not making the test results available to the public, and say it is illegal.

The interview was conducted on May 21-22 by Yi Ru of the Chinese-language Epoch Times.
By Junius Williams

In the streets of America, the rage is clear. How do we bottle all that energy before it goes away, make it useful in other ways? In other words, what comes next?

In 1967, when the temperature rose to a boiling point on issues affecting the Black and Puerto Rican communities in Newark there was a rebellion similar to what we are seeing across America today. After the violence ceased, there was a coming together in an unprecedented fashion where we witnessed a coordinated, syncopated, inhalation of the rarified air called momentum.

We came together to take over the reins of city government, to chart our own destiny. As attractive as non-violent street action was, the politics of confrontation had to morph into the politics of voting. And we did it, bringing out 73% of the eligible voters on June 16, 1970 to elect the first Black mayor, Ken Gibson.

Look at it in a different way. Think about the 1960s in Newark as a medieval castle, surrounded by a huge wall of racism and class privilege. The rulers of the kingdom reaped the benefits of the fat throughout the land, and had an army (the police) to protect their bounty. A few Black and brown people were secure so long as they stayed in their place and played their role.

Then, here came us, the ones they called the barbarians at the gate, and through our protest and takeovers and our insurrection, we busted a hole in that wall. But busting the hole was the beginning of the empowerment process. Getting inside the wall was the completion of the victory, and that was done with the vote, on June 16th, 50 years ago.

As I said in my book, Unfinished Agenda, Urban Politics in the Era of Black Power, the power in the street is different from the power in the suites, or in government. By May 16, 1970, we controlled enough of the street to bust that hole and to redirect our army from protest to power to take over the government.

Fresh upon this latest wave of needless police violence, how do we make that conversion happen? Let us note the differences in the battles in the streets of America, from Newark. Mayor Ras Baraka has earned the trust of most of the people of Newark, so he is not the object of their anger. Baraka along with the leadership on the ground has helped sniff out the provocateurs, hell-bent on destruction to fit their political agenda. There has been very little violence in Newark, showing how we have grown over the years.

But the righteous voices cry out in pain, here, and throughout the country, many of them white as well as gay, female, Latino and Asian. The cities are no longer hollow shells, homes for Black and brown, but places where the new prosperity separates those at the top and those at the bottom in a fashion still based on race and class.

So what can we expect? If this wave of young people are organized, registered to vote and prepared to overwhelm the ballot box in November, showing their rage in a river of discontent through politics, then they will have found the stepping stones toward the new America they seek. And their work in the streets of America will achieve a different meaning.

Many young people feel they wasted time in voting for politicians who did not live up to great expectations. Yes, we the generation of the 60s have those same memories as well. Simply put, we all failed, and must now join together to figure out a process that will hold our politicians accountable once they get into office, along with the police. A daunting task, but one that must be undertaken. The time to start is now.

Junius Williams, Esq., is the Newark Historian. He is also the convener of the upcoming Teach-In, Protest to Power on Zoom on June 16.

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NEW DELHI: A Delhi Police Inspector, who was attached with the Special Cell, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in his car on Rampura main road in Keshav Puram on Saturday.

The deceased Inspector has been identified as Vishal Khanwalkar, 45.

He was a 1998-batch officer and was posted at Delhi Police's Special Cell.

At 4.20 pm, a call was received by the police regarding an unconscious person lying in a car at Rampura main road in Keshav Puram, following which a team was rushed to the spot.

During inquiry, it was found that the car was parked in front of a shop in Rampura around 11 am, a senior police officer said.

The police took the officer to BJRM hospital where he was declared dead.

Meanwhile, the police also informed Khanwalkar's family which resides in Shalimar Bagh about his death.

Khanwalkar's body has been sent for post-mortem and its report is awaited.

Delhi Police has also launched an investigation to ascertain the cause of Inspectors death.
Iran's Zarif Reveals US Prisoner Swap Deal Happened 'Despite Trump Subordinates' Efforts'

Sputnik News

13:05 GMT 05.06.2020(updated 13:17 GMT 05.06.2020)

On Thursday, the US president confirmed that former US Navy veteran Michael White had been released after spending over a year-and-a-half incarcerated in an Iranian jail, and boasted that over 40 US 'hostages and detainees' had been released since he took office in 2017.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has challenged President Donald Trump's telling of how imprisoned US Navy veteran Michael White was able to come home, tweeting that Iran and the US "achieved [the] humanitarian swap *despite* your subordinates' efforts, @realDonald Trump."

"And we had a deal when you entered office. Iran and other [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal] participants never left the table. Your advisors  most fired by now  made a dumb bet," Zarif added, suggesting it was up to Trump to personally "decide *when* you want to fix" relations.

Zarif's comments followed a pair of Trump tweets Thursday in which the president announced that White was "COMING HOME," and boasted that "we have now brought more than 40 American hostages and detainees back home since I took office."

Trump thanked Iran for agreeing to the swap, and suggested that "a deal is possible!"

White traveled to Zurich on Thursday after leaving Iran. The US national was arrested by Iranian authorities in mid-2018 during a visit to the country, ostensibly to see his partner, an Iranian woman he'd met online. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for insulting Iran's Supreme Leader and violating privacy laws, as well as unspecified "security crimes." According to Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi, White was released "after satisfying the plaintiffs" and was granted "Islamic mercy for his other crimes."

White was released in exchange for Dr. Majid Taheri, an Iranian physician. Taheri had been held in US custody over alleged violations of US sanctions against Tehran. Zarif also confirmed Thursday that Iranian materials scientist Dr. Sirous Asgari had reunited with his family this week after being freed from US custody. Asgari was arrested by the FBI in 2017 and accused of stealing trade secrets. The US government fought and lost its case against him in court, but continued to detain him indefinitely in the years that followed.

This week's prisoner swamp offered a brief respite from years of strained relations between Tehran and Washington, with tensions beginning to escalate after the Trump administration unilaterally abandoned the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and slapped the Islamic Republic with banking and energy sanctions.

Iran announced its readiness for unconditional prisoner exchanges with the US last month. Earlier, US media estimated that along with White, three US citizens of Iranian descent were being held in Iran on espionage charges, while the US was detaining about 20 Iranians.

A Sputnik

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New Delhi:

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated student party Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parsihad (ABVP) has won the positions of President, Vice President and Secretary in the latest Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections, while Congress-aflliated National Students Union of India (NSUI) secured the position of Joint Secretary.

From ABVP winners are Amit Tanwar - President, Priyanka Chabri - VP, Ankit Sangwan - Secretary. Mohit Sangwan from NSUI has been elected as Joint Secretary.

On Friday, more than 36 per cent of students exercised their franchise in the keenly contested DUSU polls with the voting percentage recording a dip of over 7 per cent from last years overall turnout of 43.3 per cent.



Meanwhile, the students council elections also took place in 44 colleges where Congress-affiliated NSUI won the five-member panels in 33 colleges while the BJPs student wing ABVP emerged victorious in 11 colleges.



While DUSU is the representative body of the students from most colleges and faculties of the varsity, colleges have their individual students councils.



The Chief Election Officer for DUSU elections, D S Rawat, said the voting went off peacefully with 35.89 per cent of students casting their vote in the morning leg of polls.



The polling which was conducted in two phases went off smoothly. The maximum turnout of 91 per cent was recorded at the Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College and the minimum was in Campus Law Centre II at 6.79 per cent, he said.



DUSU elections are largely considered trend setters in the student politics in India. Winning party in Delhi University elections add strength and credibility to its affluent parent political partys image with the youth of the nation. (With PTI Imputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
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The management of children with Burkitt lymphoma has improved considerably over recent decades. Cure rates have risen from 30% in the 1980s to higher than 85% with chemotherapy alone (LMB protocol) with no major late sequelae associated with the medication or the disease.This conventional LMB treatment was established more than 30 years ago by Dr. Catherine Patte, paediatric oncologist at Gustave Roussy and her French collaborators. However, despite this advance, about 15% of children continued to die of this condition.Rituximab is a monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody directed against lymphoma cells. This immunotherapeutic agent, developed by Roche is indicated in combination with chemotherapy as a treatment for adults with malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma.The international Inter-B-NHL-ritux 2010 clinical trial evaluated rituximab in children and adolescents by means of a Paediatric Investigation Plan in the context of European Paediatric Regulation.As Burkitt lymphoma is a rare disease (~1000/1200 new cases/year in Europe and in the US), 12 countries collaborated to address the question as to whether rituximab would increase survival of children and young adults.The Inter-B-NHL ritux 2010 phase III randomised trial was conducted between December 2011 and November 2015 and involved 328 patients age 2-18 years, treated in 176 centres distributed over four continents (Europe, North America, Australia and Asia). It assessed the effects of addition of rituximab to standard LMB chemotherapy in high-risk B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (the majority with Burkitt lymphoma).When rituximab is administered with chemotherapy, more than 95% of children and adolescents with advanced Burkitt lymphoma remain alive and disease-free after more than three years of follow-up. This new combined therapy increases overall survival by around 10% and reduces the rate of occurrence of an event (death, relapse, tumour progression, second cancer, etc.) by 70%.Aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer which develops in the lymphatic system, carrier of immune cells throughout the body. It can develop in any part of the body. It is most frequently seen in the abdomen and neck, areas which harbour many lymph nodes.It is one of the most aggressive cancers and grows very rapidly although it is rare and affects both children and adults. It is the most common lymphoma in children, accounting for more than 60% of paediatric non-Hodgkin lymphoma.Cancers are fortunately rare in childhood, but this means that the development of new drugs to treat them must be conducted internationally. The Inter-B-NHL ritux 2010 trial is an excellent example of an international cooperation of academic clinical research in childhood cancer and of the importance of public-private collaborations with the pharmaceutical industry, so that positive findings result in marketing authorisation.The trial was run as part of a Paediatric Investigation Plan. Rituximab (MabThera) has been authorised in Europe since March 2020 for the treatment of children with high-risk B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It will be available for all children and costs will be reimbursed through the health systems of member states and beyond.This international trial was sponsored by Gustave Roussy and financed by a hospital clinical research programme of the French Ministry of Health (PHRC2010), Cancer Research UK, the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research network, Children's Cancer Foundation Hong Kong, US National Cancer Institute, St. Baldrick's Foundation, and Roche.Source: Eurekalert
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 18:56:00|Editor: Lu Hui

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BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Graduating students of universities in Beijing are allowed to return to campuses gradually from Saturday, according to local authorities.

More than 20 universities including Peking University, the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) and Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT) are expected to welcome back over 4,800 graduating students on Saturday.

This move follows the reopening of primary and middle schools on June 1, as the COVID-19 epidemic continues to wane in the Chinese capital.

Beijing announced Friday that it would lower its emergency response to the novel coronavirus epidemic from the second level to the third level starting from Saturday.

Peking University said around 7,000 final year students will return to campus on a voluntary basis in four batches this month.

It said its staff has started to embark on back-to-campus work for graduating students since May and established 10 special teams to engage in the work.

Twelve teachers of Peking University even traveled to central China's Hubei Province, a hard-hit province of the virus, and accompanied over 200 Hubei students back to Beijing on Saturday and took care of them during the journey. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 18:15:24|Editor: huaxia

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JOHANNSBURG, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese embassy on Friday donated food parcels to less privileged families in Soweto township in Johannesburg, South Africa.

"We are here to pay tribute and offer support to the people of Soweto through donations of some mostly needed supplies to local community. These 1,000 food parcels and 5,000 masks are not much, while they represent the cordial brotherhood and friendship between the people of China and South Africa," said Li Nan, Charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa.

Li said, "The Chinese companies and communities in South Africa will always fight as one with the South African people to tide over difficulties."

The African National Congress youth league member Bheki Nkuta thanked China for the donations.

He said, "We thank the embassy for coming to our communities, we appreciate that."

A 32-year old resident Nolwazi Majola told Xinhua that she will share the donated food parcels with eight family members. She said they are all grateful for the donation which will supplement the food they bought with grant from the government. Enditem
A committee constituted by the district collector of Rajasthans Bikaner has fixed Rs 620 a day as the tariff for hotels and resorts, which have been converted into quarantine centres during the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to documents accessed by HT, the panel fixed Rs 210 for air-conditioned rooms and Rs 60 for non-AC rooms in deluxe class hotels and resorts with meals included.

The normal tariff in these hotels and resorts ranges between Rs 3000 to 4500 per day, including breakfast.

Hoteliers in the district are disappointed with the tariff and pending payments.

My hotel with 52 rooms was acquired by the administration on April 13 to turn it into a quarantine facility. We provided people under quarantine with three meals. Its June now and I have not got even a single penny as payment, Rajesh Chandak, a hotelier, said.

Hoteliers said they have to run from one office to another to submit bills.

Owner of a resort, where the district administration put up doctors, said he was told that Sardar Patel Medical College (SPMC) will make the payment.

When I raised bills in the medical college name, it told me to submit bills to the Urban Improvement Trust (UIT), which acquired the property, and UIT redirected me to the district collectors office, he said requesting anonymity.

Hoteliers said they had a meeting with the district collector over the payments on May 11 but they havent got any money yet.

The state government allotted untied funds to district collectors in April for quarantine centre expenses. The state disaster management and relief department, which transferred the amount, fixed Rs 2,440 as the maximum amount for one person for a day at quarantine centres.

According to the state-level quarantine management committee, there were more than 10,000 quarantine centres in the state and around 21,000 people in them. Gram panchayat buildings, hostels, schools and other such buildings have also been turned into quarantine centres.

In Bikaner, the district administration acquired 12 private properties.

District collector Kumar Pal Gautam said the tariff for quarantine centres in government or private buildings was decided by the committee with the consent of hotel owners.

The medical college will make payment to (quarantine) centres where doctors and medical staff were put up. We are examining all aspects to compensate the property owners, Gautam said.

Members of the Bikaner Hotel Association said it was facing rough time for the past year.

Business is down and we have to repay loans. When the administration acquired them to put people in quarantine, we thought we will make some money but the administration has not released payment yet, Ranveer Singh Rathor, the associations general secretary, said.

The hotel owners also complained about the mess the guests created.

Vikram Vijayvargiya, a resort owner, said guests tore bedsheets, broke washbasins and taps. He added that telephones installed in rooms are missing and they even threw mattresses in the swimming pool.
Guwahati, June 6 : The Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) run more than 80 Shramik Special trains and ferried around 1,25,000 stranded natives of eight northeastern states, officials said on Saturday.

NFR's Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Subhanan Chanda said that more than 80 Shramik Special trains so far operated and nearly 1,25,000 stranded residents of different northeastern states returned to their homes from other parts of the country.

"Over 13,000 more stranded people (residents of NE states) would be ferried in 10 more such Shramik Special trains soon from different parts of the country to the region," Chanda told IANS.

He said in all 26 Shramik Special trains have also originated from various NE states under the jurisdiction of NFR to carry stranded people from these states to their native places and states.

The NFR operates in six of the eight northeastern states, excluding Meghalaya and Sikkim, and in seven districts of West Bengal and five districts in north Bihar.

According to the CPRO, through over 400 Shramik Special trains 5.25 lakh residents were also transported in the NFR's jurisdictions of West Bengal and Bihar.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
PUNE, India, June 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to dealing with unplanned medical expenses, there are many financial options available today. However, in case of an emergency that requires immediate financing, availing the Bajaj Finserv Digital Health EMI Network Card seems like a great choice.

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SOURCE Bajaj Finance Limited
U.S. troops in Germany, numbering 235,000 during the Cold War with the Soviet Union, have been gradually reduced over the years. German officials have argued that their primary function was not to defend that country, but to defend U.S. interests by being close to Russia, serving as a transfer station and training facility for American deployments worldwide and the site of massive U.S. military hospital facilities. Germany is the headquarters for U.S. forces throughout Europe and also hosts the U.S. Africa Command.
FILE PHOTO: Logo of Bayer AG at a plant of the German pharmaceutical and chemical maker in Wuppertal

By Tom Polansek, Ludwig Burger and Sabahatjahan Contractor

(Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court has blocked Bayer AG <BAYGn.DE> from selling an agricultural weed killer in the United States, the latest setback for a business already fighting an expensive legal battle over another product.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency substantially understated the risks related to the use of dicamba, a chemical found in herbicides sold by Bayer and rivals that are sprayed on genetically engineered soybeans and cotton. The herbicides are known to drift away and damage other crops that are not resistant.

The lawsuit was among those German-based Bayer inherited when it bought Monsanto for $63 billion in 2018. The company faces separate allegations that its glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup causes cancer.

Environmental groups have sought cancellation of the EPA's approval of Monsanto's dicamba-based XtendiMax herbicide, arguing it harms nearby plants and wildlife.

The court agreed, and its ruling, issued on Wednesday, also blocks sales of dicamba-based herbicides like BASF's Engenia and Corteva Agriscience's <CTVA.N> FeXapan.

Bayer and BASF <BASFn.DE> said they disagreed with the judgment. Corteva said it was reviewing the decision and believed dicamba could be used safely.

Shares in Bayer fell 4%, while BASF's stock recovered after initial losses and Corteva's stock rose 3%.

Bayer said the ruling related to the agency's 2018 registration decision that expires in December and that it was seeking new EPA registration for the herbicide for 2021 and beyond. The EPA said it was reviewing the court's decision and would move promptly to address its order.

"Depending upon actions by the EPA and whether the ruling is successfully challenged, we will work quickly to minimize any impact on our customers this season," Bayer said.

RULING PRAISED, CRITICIZED

Story continues

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue criticized the ruling and said it was unclear if farmers who had already purchased dicamba products for the current soy season could legally use them.

"Farmers across America have spent hard earned money on previously allowed crop protection tools. I encourage the EPA to use any available flexibilities to allow the continued use of already purchased dicamba products," Perdue said in a statement.

The EPA added restrictions on the use of dicamba in 2018 and the companies adapted as a result. Bernstein analyst Gunther Zechmann said there would therefore be little effect on dicamba volumes for next year's planting season.

"The company has already made label adjustments, which has therefore made the court opinion moot," he said in a note.

The decision could cost Bayer 30 million euros ($34 million)

in lost earnings, Zechmann said.

Arkansas farmer Reed Storey said he was encouraged by the ruling, after his soybeans suffered damage from dicamba sprayed on neighboring fields from 2016 to 2018.

"It's a move in the right direction in getting the in-crop use of it stopped," he said.

Some farmers and seed dealers said the ruling could drive a shift away from Bayer's dicamba-resistant Xtend soybean seeds to Enlist E3 soybeans sold by Corteva.

Xtend soybeans account for more than half of U.S. soy plantings. Farmers turned to the product to protect themselves from dicamba sprayed by neighbors and after some weeds developed resistance to glyphosate.

The American Soybean Association trade group said in a statement it "regrets that the future of dicamba  a very effective weed management product when used responsibly  is on the line."

($1 = 0.8820 euros)

(Reporting by Sabahatjahan Contractor and Rama Venkat in Bengalurur, Ludwig Burger in Frankfurt and Tom Polansek in Chicago; Additional reporting by Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru and Patricia Weiss in Frankfurt; Editing by Keith Weir, David Gregorio and Peter Cooney)
It's been -to say the least- a turbulent few months for Angelenos, and America at large.

But Regina King was seen Friday looking somewhat peaceful while on a walk with her adorable dog named Cornbread in Los Angeles, California.

The actress, 49, was dressed eclectically in a bright red knotted fabric head wrap, and she had a black face neck pulled down beneath her chin.

Whistling while she walks: Regina King was seen Friday looking somewhat peaceful while on a walk with her adorable dog named Cornbread in Los Angeles

On her body, Regina rocked a green flight suit that covered her head to toe, adorned with several patches and badges.

The words 'I feel the need, the need for Sleep' were written on the back of the garment, around the image of a fighter jet.

The phrase is a nod to the famous line (which uses the word 'speed' instead of 'sleep') uttered by Tom Cruise in the classic 1986 film Top Gun.

Regina, it should be noted, later costarred with Cruise and Oscar winner Cuba Gooding, Jr. in the 1996 Cameron Crowe film Jerry Maguire.

Statement piece: The actress was dressed eclectically in a bright red knotted fabric head wrap and green flight suit that covered her head to toe, adorned with several patches and badges.

A nod to Top Gun: The words 'I feel the need, the need for Sleep' were written on the back of the garment, around the image of a fighter jet

Tom Cruise connection: Regina, it should be noted, costarred with Top Gun actor Tom Cruise (along with Oscar winner Cuba Gooding, Jr., pictured) in the 1996 film Jerry Maguire

On her walk on Friday, Regina had the hood of her flight suit partially drawn up over her head, and she was listening to her earbuds.

The sighting comes after the Watchmen actress appeared remotely on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live on Thursday night, during which she talked frankly about the discussions she has with her son about being a young black man around police officers in this country.

Regina opened up about the 'ongoing conversation' she has had to have with her now 24-year-old son Ian Alexander, Jr. specifically regarding police brutality.

'I think in most homes, black homes, it's not just a conversation. It's an ongoing conversation,' she said.

King also mentioned that circumstances, like the recent senseless killing of George Floyd, make black men feel like they are 'not worthy' or 'valuable' to society.

Real talk: The sighting comes after the Watchmen actress appeared remotely on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live on Thursday night, during which she talked frankly about the discussions she has with her son about being a young black man around police officers in this country

'Its another moment thats telling them that theyre not worthy  their lives are not valuable once they walk outside of the comfort of their homes.'

'The anger that they have, it just compounds every time something like [Floyd's death] happens,' explained the Academy Award winner.

And though it is important for black mothers to have conversations regarding police brutality in the United States with their sons, Regina also acknowledged that it is not a simple one.

'The conversation shifts every time because you have to find a way to support their feelings and make sure that you're letting them know that you hear them and that you do mirror the same sentiment.

'But you don't want them to do anything that's going to put themselves in a situation that they may not come back home, they may not talk to you again,' concluded King.

Regina shares Ian Jr., her only child, with ex Ian Alexander Sr., who she married in 1997 and divorced ten years later.

Acclaimed turn: King appeared in the 2018 film If Beale Street Could Talk, based on the novel by James Baldwin about a black couple in Harlem dealing with the fallout from accusations made by a racist police officer
Asia

Military armament factory workers in India hold nationwide protests against corporatisation

Tens of thousands of workers from over 40 government-owned arms manufacturing plants across India stopped work on May 29 to protest the Modi governments decision to corporatise the Ordnance Factories Board (OFB). The OFB has a total workforce of 82,000 and is the 37th largest defence manufacturer in the world.

The Modi government claims that the corporatisation is necessary in order to attract investment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government intends to allow up to 74 percent direct foreign investment in the OFB, up from the current 49 percent limit.

The protest was called by the All India Defense Employees Federation, the Indian National Defense Workers Federation and the RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh. The unions have threatened to call an indefinite strike if the government does not reverse its decision. A union ballot of OFB workers will take place between June 8 and 17.

Power sector workers across India protest against privatisation

Thousands of power workers and engineers protested nationally on June 1 against the Modi governments Electricity Amendment Bill 2020. The bill allows the privatisation of electricity distribution in all Indias states and territories. Workers wore black badges and demonstrated outside depot gates in most states.

Workers alleged that the bill is anti-farmer and anti-domestic consumer. Power generation and distribution in India operates via a cross-subsidisation system. Under this scheme richer states that make a profit subsidise the power distribution costs of poorer states and territories ensuring that power prices are kept relatively low.

India: Tyre factory workers in Tamil Nadu strike

MRF tyre factory workers at Thiruvottiyur in Chennai, Tamil Nadu downed tools on May 28 after a co-worker tested positive for COVID-19. The workers demanded decontamination and sanitation of various departments, systematic contact tracing, testing of all workers and isolation of those showing signs of being infected.

The workers also rejected recent management demands that all permanent floor-level technicians report for work. The tyre workers said the management directive was in violation of the government endorsed standard operating procedures and ignored an agreement between management and the union prior to restarting work.

Maharashtra hospital workers in walkout over unpaid salaries

Around 450 workers at the Kashibai Navale Hospital and Medical College in Pune, Maharashtra state, walked out on May 30 and protested outside the hospital over non-payment of wages of over 1,200 workers for six months.

Most of them were non-teaching staff, including nurses, ward boys, multi-purpose workers and lab technicians. Workers from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) facility remained at work during the protest.

Hospital management claimed that the pay delays were due to loss of income caused by the coronavirus lockdown. Workers rejected this, pointing out that management often delayed salary payments.

Protesters also complained that over 230 hospital workers stranded in the home villages because the national coronavirus lockdown had been terminated by hospital administration.

Bangalore construction workers protest

Construction workers protested outside the Karnataka State Building and Construction Workers Welfare Board on May 28 to demand 2,000 rupees ($26) per week financial assistance for all construction workers badly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic lock-down.

Maharashtra garbage truck drivers protest against pay cut

Garbage collection service drivers in Nagpur, Maharashtra demonstrated on June 1 against salary cuts that management claimed were the result of economic difficulties caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. Workers complained that the company, which is owned by the Bharat Vikas Group India, had paid only 15 days wages last month for newly-hired workers. As part of the protest several workers refused to collect garbage and others refused to dump collected garbage.

Kerala spice farmers demand government assistance

Cardamom spice growers and farm workers in Idukki, Kerala state held a silent protest on May 31, complaining that the state government financial assistance and essential goods were inadequate and was preventing them from harvesting. The farmers told the media that the cardamom plants had been hit by pests and that the government assistance was to allow them to purchase sufficient amounts of pesticides.

Bangladeshi water and sewerage utility workers demand job permanency

Hundreds of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) workers began an indefinite protest outside the WASA building at Karwanbazar in Dhaka on Monday. They were demanding permanent jobs for 1,500 workers hired under the muster roll system, payment of COVID-19 risk allowance and doubling of overtime pay rates.

Trade union officials accused WASA management of planning to keep the employees permanently on the muster roll and said their protest would continue until workers demands were met.

Bangladesh: Dhaka workers demonstrate against extended hours

Hundreds of Tanaz Fashion factory workers in Gazipura in Dhaka, and the Bay Creation factory in Rupganj near Dhaka, demonstrated this week against layoffs and extended working hours but without any extra pay.

Both factories were due to reopen on May 30 after the government ended its national coronavirus lockdown.

However, soon after the Tanaz Fashion workers arrived at the plant on Monday morning management closed the factory and did not pay any of the outstanding wages or allowance.

Management simply declared that the workers were sacked and falsely claimed that entitlements for all 3,000 workers had been cleared before the Eid religious festival.

Workers rejected this and began blocking the nearby Dhaka-Mymensingh highway. The demonstration ended after the police intervened, claiming that negotiations with management to reopen the factory would be made.

On Sunday, Bay Creation workers blocked the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in protest against factory management demanding that they work an extra 150 hours without pay. Police were deployed to the scene but failed to convince workers to end their protest, forcing management to withdraw its demand.

Pakistan: Sindh government hospital nurses demonstrate in Karachi

Sindh Young Nurses Association members are maintaining a protest they began on International Nurses Day outside the Karachi Press Club on May 12.

Government hospital nurses are demanding personal protective equipment (PPE) as COVID-19 infections increase throughout Pakistan and under conditions of a premature lifting of lockdown measures.

The nurses other demands include implementation of a service structure, timely promotions, the provision of health professional payments and health risk allowances, promotions and benefits for contract-based nurses and compensation to the families of nurses who have died of COVID-19.

Malaysian police break up hospital protest

About 20 non-medical workers from the HRBT hospital in Ipoh, a city 180 km north of Kuala Lumpur, protested outside the hospital on Tuesday to demand personal protective equipment. Police were mobilised to break up the protest, arresting five workers.

Workers complained that their employer, Edgenta UEMS, forced them to clean COVID-19 wards without supplying them with PPE. They were also protesting over victimisation of union activists through arbitrary changes to their hours and shifts or transferring them to distant hospitals.

While the protest was conducted in accordance with COVID-19 procedures, the five workers were arrested under a 1988 prevention of infectious diseases law and the Criminal Procedures Code. Three of those arrested were hospital union office holders and two were members of Malaysian Socialist Party.

Australia

Airport workers protest in Australian capital cities

Laid-off aviation workers demonstrated at all of Australias major airports on Thursday to demand JobKeeper COVID-19 welfare payments. The Transport Workers Union (TWU), which covers the workers and organised the protests, called on the federal Liberal-National government to reverse its decision to exclude workers at foreign-owned companies from the $1,500 fortnightly JobKeeper subsidy. Over 5,000 workers are affected by the government decision.

According to a recent survey of over 1,000 aviation workers, almost 40 percent have had no income since being stood down; 70 percent said they were worried about losing their position permanently; 30 percent had been forced to use their superannuation to cover living expenses and 20 percent said they were worried they might default on mortgages and lose their home.

The TWU and other unions covering these destitute workers have refused to call industrial action by other airline industry workers. Instead all action is restricted to irregular protests at airports or outside the offices of federal government ministers and mouse-like appeals to the government.
Attorneys representing Lake County in its federal opioid epidemic case allege that large pharmacy chains not only failed to be the last line of defense against a flood of opioids but also accelerated the supply of opioids into the communities.

Lake and Trumbull counties are scheduled for trial May 24, 2021, in the Northern District of Ohio federal court in Cleveland for cases involving pharmacy chains CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Rite Aid and Giant Eagle.

U.S. District Court Judge Dan Polster ruled in April that the two counties should be the plaintiffs in a test case to be tried in his courtroom. At issue will be both pharmacy chains roles in distributing powerful prescription painkillers to their own stores and dispensing them to patients.

Polster is overseeing more than 2,000 opioid cases filed by government entities across the country. Lake County first filed its suit in December 2017.

The people in this county are resilient and united in our cause, Lake County Commissioner John R. Hamercheck said in a statement. We are working together in ongoing efforts to battle the opioid epidemic and protect our friends, neighbors, and loved ones.

We look forward to our day in court to seek accountability and pursue the resources needed to ensure our law enforcement, medical services, and treatment facilities have what they need to help us recover and rebuild.

Ohio is among the hardest hit states by the opioid epidemic. Lake County has seen hundreds of opioid-related overdose deaths over the past decade. While those deaths are largely attributed to drugs like heroin and illicit fentanyl, Lake Countys attorneys argued that overdoses from non-prescription opioids are directly related to prescription pills.

According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, 80 percent of people who initiated heroin use in the past decade started with prescription painkillers  which, at the molecular level and in their effect, closely resemble heroin, the attorneys wrote in a court filing. In fact, people who are addicted to prescription painkillers are 40 times more likely to become addicted to heroin, and the CDC identified addiction to prescription pain medication as the strongest risk factor for heroin addiction.

The attorneys argue that the defendants contributed greatly to the opioid epidemic by by selling and distributing far greater quantities of prescription opioids than they know could be necessary for legitimate medical uses, while failing to report, and to take steps to halt suspicious orders and sales, thereby exacerbating the oversupply of such drugs and fueling an illegal secondary market.

The Washington Post last year collected and shared data from the Drug Enforcement Administrations Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System, known as ARCOS.

Obtained information now includes county-level data from 2006 to 2014. In that time period, nearly 83.2 million prescription oxycodone and hydrocodone pills were distributed in Lake County.

Thats enough for 40 pills per person in Lake County per year. Stores owned by the companies named in the lawsuit received four of the five highest pill distribution totals in Lake County over that period.

A Willoughby CVS received more than 4.5 million pills, a Painesville Rite Aid received nearly 4.3 million pills. Those locations received the most pills, according to information in the database. The Eastlake Walmart received the fifth-most with more than 3.2 million pills.

The 209-page complaint against the five companies was recently unsealed.

The chains are accused of dragging their feet when it came to setting up systems to monitor suspicious orders. CVS, for example, did not have a suspicious order monitoring, or SOM, until 2010. That policy was put into place the day after a DEA audit, according to the complaint.

As of Nov. 21, 2013, the company had only reported seven suspicious orders across all its distribution centers and pharmacies in the U.S.

The complaint also alleges that the volume of opioids Walgreens shipped into Lake County was so high as to raise a red flag that not all of the prescriptions being ordered could be for legitimate medical uses.

But Walgreens did not timely report any suspicious orders in the county between 2007 and 2014, according to the complaint.

Elsewhere in the complaint, Rite Aid is accused of conspiring with drug distributor McKesson to avoid suspicious order reporting. McKesson was Rite Aids exclusive wholesaler of Schedule II substances, including opioids, at that time.

One example of the alleged collaboration to avoid suspicious order reporting took place in Ohio involving Akron doctor Adolph Harper, who in 2015 was sentenced to 10 years in prison for illegally prescribing hundreds of thousands of doses of painkillers and other pills to customers for no legitimate medical purpose, even after at least eight customers died from overdose-related deaths.

The complaint alleges Rite Aid worked with McKesson to ensure an increase in the amount of opioids Rite Aid could order from McKesson specifically to meet the illegitimate demand from Dr. Harper. Neither Rite Aid nor McKesson reported any of these orders as suspicious.

The complaint alleges that Walmarts pressure on pharmacists to fill more prescriptions quickly was at odds with a culture and practice of compliance.

Even when Walmart pharmacists suspected diversion based on an individual prescribers prescribing practices, for years, Walmart did not allow its pharmacists to request blanket refusals to fill. Walmart, however, had always had the ability to do so, the complaint alleges.

Finally, in 2017, Walmart implemented a policy by which individual pharmacists could request such blanket refusals, which would permit the pharmacist to refuse to fill future prescriptions from that prescriber without evaluating each prescription individually.

The complaint alleges that Giant Eagle failed to maintain effective controls against diversion from its pharmacies.

The attorneys argue that red flags should have been apparent given that the Ohio Board of Pharmacy found that in a Chardon Giant Eagle in neighboring Geauga County, the company failed to provide effective and approved controls and procedures to deter and detect theft and diversion of dangerous drugs between May 2009 and January 2011. The most diverted drug was hydrocodone.

The board found [t]he drugs were stolen by an inadequately supervised technician who admitted to a Board agent that the drugs were diverted to her addicted husband and also sold to another individual.

These figures demonstrate Giant Eagles knowledge of and failure to prevent diversion, the complaint states.

A CVS spokesperson said in a statement, Opioids are made and marketed by drug manufacturers, not pharmacists. Pharmacists dispense opioid prescriptions written by a licensed physician for a legitimate medical need. Over the years, we have made significant investments in technology and procedures to support our pharmacists in exercising their professional obligations.

The plaintiffs use of small portions of decades-old documents without context is misleading and does not change the facts, the spokesperson said in the statement. We will continue to vigorously defend the company in these matters.

Spokespeople for Giant Eagle and Rite Aid declined to comment on pending litigation. Walgreens and Walmart did not respond to messages seeking comment.
The ongoing protests against racial injustice wound their way to an unlikely area Saturday morning: Alamo Heights, a city where more than 90 percent of the residents are white.

Roughly 300 marchers came out to peacefully voice their intolerance for social inequality and systematic oppression, joining the wave of protests that have swept the country in the last week or so.

Saturdays march started at the Shops of Lincoln Heights and headed south a little more than a mile to Alamo Heights City Hall. Marchers later returned to the shopping center.

Participants were predominantly white, a reflection of the demographics of a city with more than 8,600 residents. U.S Census figures show less than 3 percent of the citys population is black or African American.

Shannon Mariotti, 43, a Southwestern University political science professor, organized the event in just a couple of days with a group of friends who live in Alamo Heights.

We think you protest where you live; you march where you live, said Mariotti, donning a red mask. We didnt want people in the Alamo Heights neighborhood to think that racial justice and racial injustice were only a concern for people who live downtown. It affects us all.

There are a lot of white people who live in Alamo Heights; its a majority white community, she added. Part of what we wanted to do what just work against white silence and remind people that these days, being silent is its own kind of violence.

Mariotti brought her 6-year-old son Walter, who sported a New York Islanders cap and blue mask.

Organizers had a modest goal of letting residents who dont necessarily think about social justice see that many of their neighbors care about the issue.

Some drivers who passed the marchers tooted their car horns in support. Residents came out along the route to film marchers with their cellphones.

Alamo Heights Police Chief Rick Pruitt estimated 250 to 300 people participated in the march. Police cars blocked off the inside lane along Broadway to protect marchers, who largely remained on the sidewalks.

Before the march, Lexi Qaiyyim  a member of Young Ambitious Activists and a ubiquitous figure in the Black Lives Matter protests in San Antonio, led those gathered in the shopping center parking lot on a variety of call-and-response chants for marchers to shout, including no justice, no peace, hands up, dont shoot, and say his name, George Floyd.

Floyds May 25 death while in police custody in Minneapolis has sparked protests throughout the country.

We really want to keep everything here completely peaceful, said Qaiyyim, 24, who was working as a model and actor before the pandemic. We dont want to give anybody any reason to not support us.

Bryan Stanton, 35, who is moving from Leon Springs to Alamo Heights where he teaches theater at the high school, joined the march to support all people.

Our country was founded and grown on racist ideas, Stanton said. Its about time we get them changed. Its about time everybody came together to support a group that has been downtrodden for years.

At City Hall, East Central High School history teacher Anthony Sanchez, 25, led marchers in a chorus of Happy Birthday for Breonna Taylor, the Kentucky emergency medical worker who was shot and killed March 13 when officers burst into her home while serving a warrant in a narcotics case. She would have been 27 Friday.

She cannot be here with her family, Sanchez said, speaking through a megaphone. Her parents cannot hear that voice anymore. And that is a scar in this country that we cannot remove. But we want Breonna Taylor to know that we are here for her. We know she is watching. And because we know she is watching, I want everybody to sing Happy Birthday to Breonna Taylor.

When the tune ended, Sanchez said he wanted to make certain no more lives are taken.

Are you going to let that happen? he asked the crowd.

No! they shouted in unison.

Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. To read more from Patrick, become a subscriber. pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD
Shop Rite along Fox Street reopened on Friday, June 5, 2020. Its looting earlier in the week following George Floyd protests left a void in the Philadelphia neighborhood where residents had gone years without a full-service supermarket. Read more

It began with a humble message delivered as small clusters of National Guard soldiers stood watch from the distance in a North Philadelphia shopping center, where storefronts remained mostly covered in wooden planks days after looting sparked by George Floyd civil unrest.

I dont have the words to fix the problems we have at this moment, ShopRite supermarket owner-operator Jeff Brown said from a lectern in front of a damaged entrance to the store he was now reopening in Nicetown. It was Friday morning. People were inside shopping already.

I had covered the grand opening of this full-service supermarket back in 2013. Brown pioneered building stores in communities that corporations had written off and left for dead. Food deserts, these neighborhoods were called before Brown. Now the store was reopening five days after being ransacked as part of protests around the killing of yet another unarmed black man by police. This time, in Minneapolis.

Brown asked some of the maybe 100 people there to come to the microphone and pray. Pray for his store. Pray for everyone.

My family defines our success by what we do for people, Brown said. ... I believe our only path forward is through faith and unity with each other.

Brown passed the wireless mic to a procession of devotees. Customers who inevitably became friends because Browns store has taken care of the people it serves. It employs them. It feeds them. It boosts their property values. One woman whose seafood salad is sold inside said she had helped elect too many politicians who then went on to do just about nothing for her low-income neighborhood.

Brown? This store? They are the exception. They are the rare example of resources joining will and the needs of a neighborhood in a city with a quarter of its people living in poverty far from Center City.

I love Mr. Brown, said seafood salad maven Saudia Shuler of Country Cooking. I dont see color when I see him.

Browns ShopRite represents the place where we get our bread," said the minister who introduced those whod come to pray, Reginald Johnson of Holy Nation Baptist Church. Not only the bread that we put on our table  but the bread that we put into our bank account.

Brown had pleaded with Gov. Tom Wolf and the Kenney administration for National Guard troops after this store on Fox Street was looted two nights in a row coming out of last weekends protests. Another damaged store of his, a ShopRite in Parkside, will reopen Monday.

 READ MORE: Shop Rite owner begs for National Guard after two Philly supermarkets are devastated by looting | Maria Panaritis

The local African-American community had pulled together a group of men to stand guard at Fox Street. The National Guards arrival by midweek, however, preempted them.

We developed a plan to get 300 men to come to ShopRite to stand guard," Pastor Johnson told Brown. "But as of this morning, there were 3,700 people ... to stand in solidarity with you.

Brown is a rare figure. He does not just donate stock, or give money to a church or synagogue, or get his name on a building and call it charity. Brown sells food  one of the hardest industries to be in. He employs the people he serves at six city-area stores. And on Friday, while sweating in stifling humidity, he even wiped down the microphone himself with antiseptic cloths between each speaker, a gesture amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has forced us all into masks.

We thank Almighty God, said Rahima Abdullah of Masjid Allah in West Oak Lane. We are grateful to Almighty God Allah that Jeff and his family has come upon this community to love us.

How is it that investing in our citys lower-income neighborhoods is so rare that the very people suffering the greatest racial injustices must applaud something as simple as their lone neighborhood supermarket rising from the ruins?

But this is Philadelphia: a gilded core portrayed in glossy annual marketing and corporate reports as a Land of Plenty whose highest skyscrapers are sources of alleged community reinvestment. Meanwhile, low-income neighborhoods far from the high-income buzz are grateful for the one store that, if located a few miles into the suburbs, would be a dime a dozen.

George Floyds daughter yesterday, guess what she said? Abdullah said of Thursdays televised memorial service for Mr. Floyd. She said, My dad has changed the world!

Others in the crowd repeated the phrase and cheered. Abdullah was not satisfied, however, with the righteous cry about yet another dead, unarmed black man in these United States.

My dad has changed the world? she said. Do we have to die to change the world? No. We, as a community, must stay alive, stay awake. and make a difference today. Not when were dead.

As a second grader, Mr. Floyd dreamed of one day becoming a Supreme Court justice. So said a former teacher who appeared on TV this week with a paper the child had written years ago.

Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer responding to a call about a counterfeit bill. The cop had pinned Floyds neck under his knee for nearly nine suffocating minutes.

Too many people who live far away from our nations cities have no concept of reality beyond their own bubbles. Beyond what their priests or neighbors tell them. Beyond what they believe to be true about life in our cities, vs. what actually is true.

We want to pray, Pastor Johnson said, because we know that prayer is the language and the heartbeat of God.

It is not, however, enough.
Sri Lankas tourism industry can reopen for foreign guests from August but under strict guidelines, including multiple coronavirus tests during their stay, officials reportedly said on June 6. While speaking to an international media outlet, Sri Lankas tourism ministry said that travellers will be able to visit from August 1, however, they must carry a COVID-19 free certificate issued not earlier than 72 hours before boarding.

According to an international media outlet, even with the aforementioned document, the tourists will also have to take a virus test at the airport upon arrival. Furthermore, another check will be done four to five days later, and a third if staying for more than 10 days. The tourism ministry reportedly said that it might be inconvenient, however, it is essential to safeguard everybody and provide peace of mind.

READ: Man Arrested In Sri Lanka For Allegedly Forging Signature Of Gotabaya Rajapaksa

In addition to the series of check-ups, the ministry also informed that the regular visa fee of $40 has been increased to $100. Furthermore, visitors are only allowed to stay in hotels designated by the ministry and they are also not allowed to use public transport on the island. Moreover, only those who will spend a minimum of five days in Sri Lanka will be allowed in.

Sri Lankas economy hit by COVID-19

The new guidelines by the tourism ministry come after the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis dented Sri Lankas economy. According to a media report, the pandemic has caused a steep fall in the earnings from tourism, remittances and outflow of foreign investment. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka reportedly said that country is facing the worst financial crisis in its history due to the economic and travel curbs imposed after the outbreak.

READ: Sri Lankan Cafe Owner Feeds And Shelters Stranded Tourists

As per reports, the COVID-19 outbreak severely impacted the tourism sector, with a drop of tourist arrivals by over 70 per cent year-on-year in March. Sri Lankas tourism accounts for about five per cent of the economy, with Britain, India and China the main markets. However, the number of international tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka declined in March 2020 by 70.8 per cent in comparison to a year ago.

The central bank said, With these developments earnings from tourism were provisionally estimated to have declined to USD 135 million in March 2020 in comparison to USD 461 million in March 2019.

(Inputs from PTI) (Image credit: AP)

READ: Sri Lankan Players Resume Training, Say Sweat Not As Effective As Saliva

READ: Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Won't Annul Parliament Dissolution
FRESNO, Calif. - A man convicted of killing four white men in 2017 in a race-related rampage in Californias Central Valley was sentenced Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole, prosecutors said.

Kori Ali Muhammads sentence comes three years after he said he was fed up with racism against black people and shot several people in Fresno, killing four white men.

He was convicted by a Fresno County jury in April of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, attempted murder and other crimes, the Fresno County district attorneys office said.

He withdrew a previous plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, and prosecutors said they wouldnt seek the death penalty.

Muhammad, a black man whose defence said he was mentally ill, was accused of a series of shooting attacks on white men in April 2017 in Fresno.

In a recorded confession to investigators that was played at his trial, Muhammad said he shot Motel 6 security guard Carl Williams III and tried to kill another guard on April 13 because he felt he had been disrespected when he went to visit a friend.

A security camera recording showed Muhammad coming up behind Williams, 25, and shooting him.

It starts taking its toll on you, and you get fed up with the racism, Muhammad said. You get tired of letting things slide.

While on the run after the shooting, Muhammad learned that he was wanted for Williams killing. On the recording, Muhammad said that if he was going down for murder the best thing was to kill as many white men as he could.

On April 18, 2017, Muhammad drove through downtown shooting at white men, he said. He surrendered to police after, at one point, firing nearly 20 shots in less than a minute, authorities said.

Zachary Randalls, 34, was shot in a Pacific Gas & Electric truck.

When I walked up to the truck, I saw a Mexican driver and a white guy, Muhammad said. I didnt want to target the driver because he was Mexican so I shot the white dude.

He also was convicted of killing Mark Gassett, 37, and David Jackson, 58, and trying to shoot three other men.

Muhammad was convicted of first-degree murder for Jacksons slaying; second-degree murder for Williams, Randalls and Gassett; four counts of attempted murder; one count of shooting at an occupied vehicle; and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
A woman threatened to kill her ex-partner and threw breezeblocks at her house, a court has heard.

Margaret McDonagh faces six charges after allegedly attacking the woman at her Co Down home on Friday evening.

A police officer told Belfast Magistrates Court on Saturday that police received a report of a serious domestic incident on Boyd Avenue in Kircubbin.

The alleged victim told officers she was at home when McDonagh arrived when denied entry to the house forced her way in, damaging the door.

Portaferry based McDonagh then started punching her in the face and head before producing a knife and threatening to kill her.

The officer said the womans father lives next door and when he arrived on the scene McDonagh assaulted him as well.

She then began to throw bricks, breezeblocks and a wheel brace through the windows of the womans home in the coastal village.

McDonagh (34) also damaged the metal work and smashed all the windows on the womans car.

The victim also said she shouted: You think you know who youre dealing with. Youre dead, youre dead.

Bail was opposed over fears McDonagh, who lives in Portaferry, may contact the woman again and the risk of further offending.

The officer said the incident showed signs of being premeditated.

McDonaghs solicitor told the court that she has only minor entries on her criminal record and that the incident was out of the blue following what appeared to be a breakdown in the relationship.

District Judge Fiona Bagnall said McDonagh would be released on her own bail of 500 if she was able to find an address suitable to police.
A section of 6th Street in San Pedro was closed for seated dining on May 29. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

During the 1918 flu pandemic, Los Angeles was much more aggressive than San Francisco in combating the virus, and much slower to restart its economy.

During the current viral catastrophe, the roles are reversed.

Last week, Los Angeles announced it had received state permission to reopen hair salons, barbershops and inside dining at restaurants, even though its per capita infection rate and daily deaths were much higher than the Bay Area's. At least one infectious-disease expert was perplexed.

The last thing you want to do when numbers are increasing is loosen up shelter-in-place, said Dr. John Swartzberg of UC Berkeley. That is the bottom line. We know that sheltering in place works.

In the current pandemic, the Bay Area shut down three days before Los Angeles, helping to quickly stem the coronavirus' spread there, even though Silicon Valley was an early hot spot statewide. Its slower reopening has come under fire from some Bay Area businesses and residents, but its caution reveals much about the political differences between California's two largest metropolitan areas.

In the Bay Area, public health officers have long worked closely and enjoy the support of elected leaders, making it easier to decide health strategy as a region. The Bay Area comprises multiple counties, each with its own health officer, giving them a collective strength.

Los Angeles faces different pressures. Its neighbors have fewer coronavirus cases and moved to reopen more quickly. For all but two cities, L.A. County has a single health officer, who must alone shoulder the desires and lobbying of more than 80 different cities, each with a different agenda.

When one county moves more quickly to reopen, neighboring counties are under pressure to follow.

How do you tell somebody in Long Beach, who is suffering, that everybody living on this block can go across the street in Orange County and get their hair cut, but you as a barber can't go back to work, when there are safe ways to do that? L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti asked.

Story continues

San Francisco Mayor London Breed alluded to that pressure at a recent news conference, suggesting that Napa Countys reopening of restaurants had sparked questions about why San Francisco was moving more slowly. Every county is in a different situation, she said. San Francisco is the densest city in California, and the virus thrives in densely populated places.

Some have suggested that the Bay Area can more easily shelter in place because of its large tech industry, which involves tens of thousands of employees who can more easily work at home, as opposed to manufacturing and service workers.

But that theory isnt necessarily borne out, said Chris Thornberg, an economist who heads Beacon Economics, a research and consulting firm. He said he did not believe the regions different economies affected varied stay-at-home orders.

Furthermore, he said, because early estimates of as many as 1 million deaths nationwide proved too high, the lockdown orders in retrospect were probably unnecessary.

The data shows it were an overreaction, he said. We didnt know this two months ago and acted with an abundance of caution, and I give them credit for that. But to me, the data screams this is unnecessary.

Older people, who are most likely to die of COVID-19, might want to stay home, but younger people should return to work with masks and social distancing, he said.

Many health experts say that the Bay Areas more aggressive action and a stronger and earlier stay-at-home order have played a role in limiting the spread of the highly contagious disease. Early and effective use of a shelter-in-place order is going to seem like an overreaction if its implemented successfully, leaving hospitals with ample capacity to care for the sick.

Dr. Tomas Aragon, health officer of the city and county of San Francisco, said the Bay Area was able to shut down early and sustain closures because health authorities enjoyed the backing of elected officials and the public.

We really felt we had the support of the elected officials and also the population, Aragon said during an online forum with Breed, who confessed she was frustrated with the city's slow pace of reopening.

In Santa Clara County, health officer Dr. Sara Cody recently criticized the state for reopening too quickly. At the same time, she has come under fire from some business and tech leaders for being overly cautious.

Your public health department is operating as though nothing has been learned and nothing has changed, said a recent full-page ad in the Mercury News, signed by former tech executive Paulette Altmaier. Meanwhile, the economic damage from [sheltering in place] is fearsome and mounting.

When Contra Costa County failed to reopen as quickly as some of it neighbors, residents took to the online forum Nextdoor to criticize its health officer, Dr. Chris Farnitano.

I know theres a lot of frustration out there, Farnitano said in a news release Wednesday, but its important to keep in mind that interventions like social distancing have saved lives.

In Los Angeles, the drive to reopen the city and county largely came from the Board of Supervisors, but Supervisor Kathryn Barger said it was not influenced by political pressure. She noted that all of L.A. Countys neighboring counties moved ahead with an accelerated reopening schedule in the week before L.A. County went forward.

Everything we've done has been based on the data brought forward by public health. And that's been brought forward based on the criteria set by the state. And this board has been very careful to make sure that we do it in a deliberate and careful fashion based on public health, Barger said in an interview.

Barger said the fact that the county met the states reopening threshold and acted a week after surrounding counties reopened shows the decision was based on public health, not on anything else. But the state permits counties to have stricter rules for reopening.

The most significant measure of how quickly to reopen is the number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people, UC Berkeley's Swartzberg said. Los Angeles County has the second-highest rate in the state, following Imperial County.

Barbara Ferrer, L.A. County director of public health, said at a recent Board of Supervisors meeting that it was "time for people to be able to get back to work."

Still, she said, it was her job to worry about a possible surge in cases.

"We've always known that as more and more people are going to be out and about, we run this risk of there being a surge," Ferrer said. "It'd be one thing to see a slight increase, which we would anticipate from having more people out and about. What we have to avoid is that huge increase that causes a threat to our healthcare system."

L.A. County received state approval in part by meeting two benchmarks: stable or decreasing hospitalization rates of COVID-19 patients and a rate of no more than 8% of residents testing positive for the virus. From May 18 to May 24, L.A. County reported that of people who underwent tests, 6.7% tested positive. During that same time period, the number of patients in hospitals with confirmed diagnosis of the coronavirus declined by 1%.

In defending San Francisco's go-slow approach, Aragon noted that Lassen and Sonoma counties saw a surge of cases after taking steps to reopen. Lassen had to pull back, he said.

During the 1918 flu pandemic, Aragon said, the places that reopened slowly did better economically because they did not have large second waves of infection.

Bay Area health officers believe the reopening must be done in phases, starting with resuming the lowest-risk activities. It takes two to four weeks to observe the effect of each reopening on new infections and hospitalizations, Aragon said.

Both Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties have recently announced looser restrictions, including permitting indoor retail shopping, although much remains closed because of concerns over protests and sporadic theft and property damage triggered by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

"These are not easy decisions to make," said Garcetti in Los Angeles. "And I've always said: We would not do things one day earlier than we needed to, or one day later than we needed to. But it is very clear. We have larger-than-Great-Depression unemployment in Los Angeles."

Times staff writers Joseph Serna and Colleen Shalby contributed this report.
U.S. Air Strikes Target Taliban In Afghanistan

By RFE/RL June 05, 2020

The U.S. military says it has launched its first air strikes against the Taliban since a cease-fire declared by the militants and Afghan forces last month.

The two sets of air strikes took place on June 4-5 in two different Afghan provinces, military spokesman Colonel Sonny Leggett said.

Elsewhere, 10 Afghan security forces members were reported killed on June 5 in an attack blamed on the Taliban.

The militant group announced a three-day cease-fire with Afghan forces that ended on May 26 to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

There has since been an overall drop in violence across the country, with Kabul saying it is ready to start long-delayed peace negotiations with the insurgents.

Washington signed a deal with the Taliban in February, in which it pledged to withdraw all U.S. troops in return for security guarantees in a bid to pave the way for talks between warring Afghan sides.

Leggett said in a tweet that a U.S. air strike was carried out against 25 armed Taliban fighters "executing a coordinated attack" on an Afghan force checkpoint in the western province of Farah.

Another strike was conducted on an unknown number of Taliban fighters attacking a checkpoint in the southern Kandahar Province, the spokesman said.

"All sides must reduce violence to allow the peace process to take hold," he wrote in a separate tweet.

There was no immediate comment from the Taliban.

In the southern province of Zabul, officials said the Taliban ambushed a police convoy after setting off a roadside bomb, killing 10 Afghan officers.

Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian said the blast destroyed several police vehicles.

A subsequent shoot-out also killed four Taliban fighters, Arian added.

The Taliban has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ u-s-air-strikes-target-taliban-in- afghanistan/30655347.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.

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Canada-China Committee Needed Now More Than Ever, Says Former Canadian Ambassador to China

A former Canadian ambassador to China is urging the federal government to reconvene the Special Committee on Canada-China Relations, saying the committee is needed now more than ever.

David Mulroney is calling for the committee to return to work amid a rapidly cooling Canada-China relationship.

Through its investigative work, the Committee has offered a public hearing for people who are critical of the kind of unthinking, Comprehensive Engagement strategy that has until recently dominated what little debate weve had about China policy, he wrote in a commentary published on the Macdonald-Laurier Institute website titled Open Memo to the Special Committee on Canada-China Relations.

From my perspective, the opportunity to be part of this critical conversation about how we promote and defend Canadian interests in the face of an increasingly assertive and, at times adversarial China is something not to be missed, nor is the chance to be of some small service on an issue of national importance.

Currently a distinguished fellow at the University of Torontos Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Mulroney was originally scheduled to present before the committee on March 23; however, the meeting was postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last month, the Conservatives brought forward a motion to allow the special committee on Canada-China relations to resume in light of escalating tensions over Beijings national security law in Hong Kong, which has the potential to trample on rights and freedoms protected under the one country, two systems principle.

However, the Liberals, New Democrats, and Greens voted against the motion.

In his open letter, Mulroney points to the national security law, Chinas detention of Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, and Beijings suppression of information relating to the virus outbreak and influence within the World Health Organization as examples of urgent issues that the committee could help address.

Responding effectively to each of these examples of Chinas assaults on a rules-based international system will require significant reserves of Canadian courage and resolve, he said.

We were once a country that was willing to face up to such challenges. We need to find that courage again.

Mulroney also raised concerns over Canadas tendency in recent years to ignore or downplay Chinas egregious human rights violations and long-standing efforts to undermine democracy, citing a lack of support for persecuted groups such as Uighur Muslims and those seeking Taiwan independence.

Mulroney offers four suggestions that policy-makers should consider as they reframe their approach to China:

Effective diplomacy should reveal the truth as it is imperative for the government to be truthful to Canadians. The aim for any truly significant review is not just for policy clarity, but for coherence and coordination in its delivery. The ambassador must also be clearly and carefully aligned with the changing government policy. There will be no profound or purposeful China policy change if it is not owned or led by the Prime Minister. Protecting Canadas interests will come with its costs and risks, however, failing to do so will be even more costly.

We dont need to insult or provoke China, Mulroney said, but we do need a China policy that is smarter, much more selective, more honest, and, frankly, more courageous.
Two officers of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) suffered serious injuries during clearing work in the aftermath of Cyclone Nisarga, at two separate locations along the Konkan coast on Saturday morning.

The first case was at Shrivardhan taluka in Raigad, where Inderjeet Singh Chauhan accidentally cut all his five toes and a portion of his foot while using a mechanical tree cutter and had to be rushed to the Shrivardhan government hospital, said officers. He was given first aid at the government hospital. The amputated portion of his foot was kept in an ice-box. The officer was then rushed to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai, where he reached at 5pm. A team of orthopaedic, vascular and plastic surgeons were ready there to conduct a surgery. The operation will take six hours, said Mahesh Nalawade, deputy commandant, NDRF.

Presently, there are four NDRF teams at Shrivardhan taluka. Another two from Murud and one from Alibag were diverted for additional operations on Saturday as it is the worst affected taluka in the district.

The second incident took place in Dapoli, Ratnagiri, where an officer suffered serious injuries during road clearance duty when an electric pole fell on his head. The officer was wearing a helmet and the impact was not directly on his head. However, due to the sudden hit, his forehead dashed against the road and he received a serious injury, said another NDRF official requesting anonymity. He is stable and is under constant supervision, he added.

Following the incidents, all NDRF teams on duty were issued an advisory that read, All the commanders and rescuers need to be more alert and vigilant while on work. Unnecessary injury while being casual or by accident need to be avoided. So all are requested and directed to be more careful and alert while performing such risky jobs.

On March 31, seven NDRF teams had arrived in Raigad district in view of the cyclone Nisarga. Each team has 23 members. They first ensured the safe relocation and evacuation of citizens living along the coast, followed by awareness sessions, and finally post-cyclone restoration efforts.

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Worlds biggest social network also said that this summer it will block any ads from such outlets that target US users.

Facebook Inc will start labelling Russian, Chinese and other state-controlled media organisations, and later this summer will block any ads from such outlets that target US users, it said on Thursday.

The worlds biggest social network will apply the label to Russias Sputnik, Irans Press TV and Chinas Xinhua News Agency, according to a partial list that Facebook provided. The company will apply the label to about 200 pages at the outset.

Facebook will not label any US-based news organisations for now, as it determined that even US government-run outlets have editorial independence, Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebooks head of cybersecurity policy, said in an interview.

Facebook, which has acknowledged its failure to stop Russian use of its platforms to interfere in the 2016 US presidential election, has since stepped up its defences and imposed greater transparency requirements for pages and ads on its platforms.

The company announced plans last year to create a state media label, but is introducing it amid criticism over its hands-off treatment of misleading and racially charged posts by United States President Donald Trump.

The new measure comes just months ahead of the November US presidential election.

Under the move, Facebook will not use the label for media outlets affiliated with individual political figures or parties, which Gleicher said could push boundaries that are very, very slippery.

What we want to do here is start with the most critical case, he said.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters during a daily briefing in Beijing on Friday that social media companies should not selectively create obstacles for media agencies.

We hope that the relevant social media platform can put aside the ideological bias and hold an open and accepting attitude towards each countrys media role, he said.

Sputnik in a statement shared with Reuters news agency urged governments to regulate Facebook when it tries to impose US-inspired suppression of the freedom of speech.

Facebook is not the first company to take such action.

YouTube, owned by Alphabet Incs Google, in 2018 started identifying video channels that predominantly carry news items and are funded by governments. But critics charge YouTube has failed to label some state news outlets, allowing them to earn ad revenue from videos with misinformation and propaganda.

In a blog post, Facebook said its label would appear on pages globally, as well as on News Feed posts within the US.

Facebook also said it would ban US-targeted ads from state-controlled entities out of an abundance of caution ahead of the November presidential election. Elsewhere, the ads will receive a label.
Manchester United striker, Odion Ighalo, has revealed that he was called all sorts of names by an opposition player while playing in China.

Speaking with Sky Sports, Ighalo further said he would walk off the pitch if he is racially abused again in his career.

According to the 30-year-old who is on loan from Shanghai Shenhua, he reported the abuse to the Chinese FA, but no action was taken.

READ ALSO  Odion Ighalo Considers Super Eagles Return

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Ighalo, who called for justice to be done following George Floyds death in the US, has said he would be ready to take further action should he be subjected to racist abuse while playing.

If it happens to me I would report it to the referee and see what they do, but if they dont take action about it then Im going to walk off because it should not be done to any player or anyone in the world. In one game in China I got called all sorts of names and after the game, I didnt shake hands. I walked straight into the dressing room, I was angry, I reported it to the FA, he said.
Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg on Friday promised to review the social network's policies that led to its decision to not moderate controversial messages posted by President Donald Trump.

The announcement, which came in the form of a letter to employees, appeared aimed at quelling anger inside the company that was so severe it prompted 5,500 employees to complain and third to resign.

The outrage was sparked when Zuckerberg said Facebook would not remove or flag Trump's recent posts that appeared to encourage violence against those protesting police racism.

Mark Zuckerberg, pictured in October 2019, has vowed to review Facebook's policies allowing discussion and threats of state use of force

In the post, Trump referred to protesters as thugs and used a racist quote that was criticized for violence.

'....There THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him the Military is with him all the way,' wrote Trump.

'Any difficulty and we will assume control, but when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!'

Trump warned on Twitter that 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts'

Zuckerberg's message Friday seemed to attempt to mollify that anger: 'We're going to review our policies allowing discussion and threats of state use of force to see if there are any amendments we should adopt,' Zuckerberg wrote.

This, he said, includes 'excessive use of police or state force. Given the sensitive history in the US, this deserves special consideration.'

Social media platforms have faced mounting calls to moderate the president's comments, most recently because of the unrest gripping the United States in the wake of the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed while apprehended by police.

'The decision I made last week has left many of you angry, disappointed and hurt,' Zuckerberg said in the letter, which he posted on his Facebook page.

Mark Zuckerberg released a letter to employees on Friday to address their complaints over the company's refusal to flag controversial messages by President Trump

One of Zuckerberg's points included 'establishing clearer and more-transparent decision making process'

Zuckerberg: 'While we are looking at all of these areas, we may not come up with changes we want to make in all of them'

Timothy Aveni, a software engineer who resigned from the company, wrote on his Facebook page that the social media platform 'will keep moving the goalposts every time Trump escalates, finding excuse after excuse not to act on increasingly dangerous rhetoric.'

Zuckerberg said he is exploring possible changes on how policy decisions are made at Facebook, along with more ways to advance racial justice and voter engagement.

'While we are looking at all of these areas, we may not come up with changes we want to make in all of them,' Zuckerberg cautioned.

As per voting, Zuckerberg said: 'I have confidence in the election integrity efforts we've implemented since 2016.'

'But there's a good chance that there will be unprecedented fear and confusion around going to the polls in November, and some will likely try to capitalize on that confusion,' he said.

The letter also addressed employees' complaints that minorities have not been sufficiently represented internally.

'We're going to review whether we need to change anything structurally to make sure the right groups and voices are at the table,' Zuckerberg said.

REVEALED: 5,500 Facebook employees complained about Mark Zuckerberg's decision not to take down Trump's 'looting and shooting' posts as a THIRD employee resigns in protest

Thousands of Facebook workers demanded that their boss, CEO Mark Zuckerberg, flag President Trump's controversial post about 'looting and shooting' as a third employee has resigned in protest of the company's hands-off policy.

Internal documents leaked to The Washington Post revealed that most of the 5,500 Facebook employees who voted in a poll wanted Zuckerberg to change the company's policy allowing politicians virtually unfettered free speech.

'Fact checking and removal of hate speech shouldn't be exempt for politicians,' the Facebook employees wrote. This demand was raised before Zuckerberg when the boss held a virtual town hall this week.

Zuckerberg hosted the virtual town hall on Tuesday. During the 90-minute Q&A with employees, he defended the decision to refrain from flagging Trump's post.

He said that he didn't think that the post 'read as a dog whistle for vigilante supporters to take justice into their own hands.'

The CEO said it was decided to leave up the post because 'people need to know if the government is planning to deploy force.'

Zuckerberg also told his employees that Trump later clarified the post by 'saying that the original post was warning about the possibility that looting could lead to violence.'

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's decision to allow President Trump's post about the Minneapolis riots to remain online without a disclaimer has angered his employees, according to internal documents

On May 29, as riots engulfed Minneapolis and unrest spread to other parts of the country, the president took to social media and wrote: 'Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.'

A day after Trump's post, Zuckerberg wrote on Facebook: '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.'

He further described himself as 'the leader of an institution committed to free expression.'

Zuckerberg's response has failed to quell the unrest in his own ranks. According to the Post, many employees question his commitment to diversity given the few people of color in an executive position within Facebook.

Facebook, like other tech firms, has been criticized for its lack of diversity. Just 4 per cent of Facebook employees are African-American.

Among the company's senior leadership, just 3 per cent are black, according to the Post.

The most senior African-American at Facebook is Maxine Williams, who is chief of diversity. Williams is the only person of color involved in the company's decision to leave up Trump's posts.

Facebook said in a statement: 'We have teams around the company giving serious attention to the ideas we're hearing, especially those from our Black community.

'This is a time not just to listen but to act.'

Internal message boards show that there is a growing sense among Facebook employees that the company is in an 'abusive relationship' with the president.

They have complained that the company has not taken action against Trump's posts even though it is claimed that they violate community standards prohibiting hate speech and incitement to violence.

The internal documents also show that Zuckerberg is being perceived by his employees as bending over backwards to try and appease conservatives who have accused him and his 45,000-person workforce of having a liberal bias.

Timothy J. Aveni, 22, quit his job at Facebook to protest the decision not to flag Trump's post

Employees were further angered when Zuckerberg not only refused to put a disclaimer or remove the post by Trump, but went on Fox News and explained his rationale.

The inner turmoil at the company was amplified by the raging protests throughout the country.

The president has been accused of fanning racial tensions that exploded to the surface after the May 25 death of George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died in the custody of Minneapolis police.

On May 29, as riots engulfed Minneapolis and unrest spread to other parts of the country, the president took to social media and wrote: 'I can't stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership.

'Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right.

'These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen.

'Mark always told us that he would draw the line at speech that calls for violence,' Aveni wrote. 'He showed us on Friday that this was a lie'

'Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way.

'Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.'

'Thank you!'

Trump's tweet was slapped with a disclaimer by Twitter, which flagged the president for violating the company's rules about glorifying violence.

The phrase 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts' was made famous by Walter Headley, Miami's 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 that's why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night - or look at what just happened in Louisville with 7 people shot.

'I don't want this to happen, and that's what the expression put out last night means....

'It was spoken as a fact, not as a statement.

'It's very simple, nobody should have any problem with this other than the haters, and those looking to cause trouble on social media.

'Honor the memory of George Floyd!'

Unlike Facebook, Twitter also put a disclaimer on another tweet by Trump - this one about his claim that vote-by-mail initiatives are susceptible to voter fraud.

In response, Trump signed an executive order which threatens to remove legal protections that prevent social media companies from being sued over content posted by third parties.

Another employee, Owen Anderson, announced his resignation from Facebook in protest

Another social media giant, Snapchat, removed Trump's account from its Discover timeline, a feature that promotes notable accounts to users who do not ordinarily follow them.

The social media company explained its decision by saying that Trump's posts incited 'racial violence.'

Last week, it was learned that some 700 employees at Facebook were unhappy with the social media giant's decision to not take any action on controversial posts by Trump, despite having been flagged on Twitter.

Twitter allowed the post to remain online, but it placed a warning that it 'glorified violence.' It also did not allow users to respond to the tweet.

When the White House Twitter account posted the same tweet, Twitter also moved to impose the same restrictions.

Some of the employees called 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.

'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.'

At least three employees resigned in protest of the company's decision not to put a disclaimer or to outright delete the post.

Timothy Aveni, a software engineer, announced his resignation on his Facebook page on Monday.

'Mark always told us that he would draw the line at speech that calls for violence,' Aveni wrote.

'He showed us on Friday that this was a lie.

On Friday, it was learned that a third employee informed his bosses at Facebook that he was quitting in protest. The above image shows Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, California

'Facebook will keep moving the goalposts every time Trump escalates, finding excuse after excuse not to act on increasingly dangerous rhetoric.'

Another employee, Owen Anderson, tweeted on Monday: 'To be clear, this was in the works for a while.

'But after last week, I am happy to no long support policies and values I vehemently disagree with.'

On Friday, it was reported by Recode that a third employee has left the company in protest of the decision to leave Trump's post as is.

The unnamed employee, who is described as a 'person of color' though not an African-American, announced his resignation in an internal WhatsApp group message board.

The note, which was addressed to Zuckerberg, reads: 'I'm deeply ashamed of working in a company that gives free rein to a racist post because it is by a politician.'

'Black employees from your own company have asked you to respond meaningfully, but you remain alternately defensive and evasive ... You've disappointed us all  the few people of color in your company  and your refusal to speak out against violence against Black people is chilling.'

The day before Zuckerberg held his virtual town hall, many Facebook employees staged a virtual walkout.

The employees, who took the day off by logging into Facebook's systems and requesting time off to support protesters across the country, also added an automated message to their emails saying that they were out of the office in a show of protest.

Dozens of online posts appeared from employees who claimed Trump's post should have been censored or removed altogether.

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.

On Monday night, Zuckerberg then held a conference call with civil rights leaders who condemned him for failing to remove the post from President Trump.

A demonstrator in New York City gestures during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd on Friday

In a subsequent statement, Rashad Robinson of Color of Change, Vanita Gupta of the Leadership Conference and Sherrilyn Ifill of LDF said: 'He [Zuckerberg] did not demonstrate understanding of historic or modern-day voter suppression and he refuses to acknowledge how Facebook is facilitating Trump's call for violence against protesters. Mark is setting a very dangerous precedent for other voices who would say similar harmful things on Facebook.'

Color of Change President Rashad Robinson also told Bloomberg: 'The problem with my ongoing conversations with Mark, is that I feel like I spent a lot of time, and my colleagues spent a lot of time, explaining to him why these things are a problem, and I think he just very much lacks the ability to understand it.

'He continues to do things and make decisions that hurt communities and put people in harm's way and is not accountable for it.

'His employees are outraged. I've got outreach from some of them. Saying Black Lives Matter, saying I'm going to give money, but having your policies actually hurt black people, people will know the difference.' Some of the company's senior staff have taken to Twitter to make their discontent.'

However, in his Tuesday meeting with his Facebook employees, Zuckerberg insisted he was not deferring to President Trump.

'This isn't a case where [Trump] is allowed to say anything he wants, or that we let government officials or policy makers say anything they want.'
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The family of an 81-year-old former vicar who left his 27-year-old Romanian toy boy husband more than 250,000 have accused his young lover of being a gold digger who set out to rob him from the moment they met.

Philip Clements, a retired Church of England vicar, passed away alone on May 31 in a Bucharest hospital room that was closed to visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Widow Florin Marin - who is 54 years younger than his husband - said he was upset after Mr Clements passed away but that two days of mourning 'is enough' and that his late husband would not want him to be sad.

Instead, he is now looking forward to enjoying 150,000 he will get from a life insurance policy, a 100,000 house that was put into his name before Mr Clements died, and a 2,000-a-month-for-life pension.

In contrast, Phillips younger brother Anthony has been left with two favourite family photographs.

In contrast to the 150,000 Widow Florin Marin will get from a life insurance policy, a 100,000 house that was put into his name before Mr Clements died, and a 2,000-a-month-for-life pension - Phillips brother Anthony has been given two family favourite photographs (pictured)

Florin Marin, a 27-year-old Romanian model, has revealed that his 81-year-old British husband - retired clergyman Philip Clements - has died and that he will now inherit his estate

Mr Clements, 71, hit back at Mr Marin, telling MailOnline that all he wanted from his relationship with Phillip was money.

I told my brother this many times. Florin is nothing but a gold digger who set out to rob my brother from the moment they met. And now he has got what he wanted.

The man is a disgrace. I made my feelings clear to Anthony many times. What has happened speaks for itself. Florin has cashed in and has done very well out of my brother.

Mr Clements, a retired postman added: The whole family feels the same way. Ive spoken to my other brother Brian about it too and hes not happy either about the way Florin has taken advantage of Phillip.

We were supposed to inherit Philips estate but now its all gone to Florin. But its not about the money because I would rather have my brother alive. What angers us is the way hes been treated by his husband.

A favourite family photo Of Anthony Clements (71), brother Of Deceased Former Vicar Philip Clements, pictured with his brothers on their mother's 90th birthday, Dover, Kent

Mr Clements revealed that he fell out with Phillip soon after his relationship with Florin started. He said he last spoke to him four years ago, when he visited him at his home after the two had temporarily split up.

He said: They were always fighting and breaking up. On one occasion about four years ago I went to console Philip because he was in bits. I supported him through it, but I also told him that Florin was no good for him.

But he didnt listen. Philip was a very intelligent man but not very street wise and it was easy to pull the wool over his eyes and take advantage of him. I could see what was going on but sadly, he couldnt.

Mr Clements said that he was informed about his brothers death in a phone call from Florin on Sunday night.

He said: I had never spoken to Florin before because I wasnt happy about his relationship with my brother. I was too upset to say anything to him on Sunday night but if I get the opportunity again, I will. I want him to know how I feel.

Mr Clements added that Florin then rang him again on Monday night informing him that Philip had left him two of his favourite photographs.

He fumed: Florin told me that hed send them to me. I didnt engage in a long conversation with him because I dont like him and Im not happy about what hes done.

During the conversation, he was also told that once Philips funeral takes place in Romania, his ashes will be scattered in a lake in Bucharest he enjoyed visiting.

Pictured: Anthony Clements, brother of Phillip, who passed away alone on May 31 in a Bucharest hospital room that was closed to visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Philip was the eldest of three brothers who were raised in the village of Shepherds Well in Kent. Mr Clements, who has four grown up children and 15 grandchildren, revealed that he and rest of the family were aware of his sexuality while he was still a practising vicar.

He added: It never bothered me, and it wasnt something that we spoke about as a family. Were very open-minded people and were happy with Philip just the way he was. My grandchildren loved him. Its just a pity that he never found a good, honest relationship.

Mr Clements revealed that after Philip sold his home in Eastry, Kent he was so concerned that he was financially being taken advantage of that he reported the matter to the police.

Most of the money just vanished and you can guess where it went. The police said that I needed to produce evidence and that because my brother was of sound mind, there was nothing they could do.

But I was worried about what was going on from the moment he got together with Florin, he added.

Mr Clementss partner Rhona, 66, who has been with him for 24 years said: Philip was a lovely man and the whole family will miss him. Sadly, we will not be able to go to his funeral and we're not interested in speaking to Florin.'

The Sun newspaper reported that Florin declined to comment on the Clement family's reaction to his husband's death and inheritance.

However, Mr Marin appeared with Philip on the Jeremy Kyle show in 2018, Florin was asked about his intentions and what he thought about the perceptions that he was only with the former vicar for his money.

Mr Marin replied: I love this nickname of gold-digger, people are so interested in me thats why they have given me a nickname.

'I married him because I love him,' he added at the time.

Mr Marin (right) said that Mr Clements (left) became sick with a fever last month after he ran out of medication during the coronavirus lockdown, before being taken to hospital. He tested negative for COVID, but died overnight on May 31

Philip Clements, a retired Church of England vicar, passed away overnight on May 31 in a hospital room that was closed to visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Widow Florin Marin - who is 54 years younger than his husband - said he was upset after Mr Clements passed away but that two days of mourning 'is enough' and that his late husband would not want him to be sad.

Instead, he is now looking forward to enjoying 150,000 he will get from a life insurance policy, a 100,000 house that was put into his name before Mr Clements died, and a 2,000-a-month-for-life pension.

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Mr Florin (left) said he cried 'for two days' at the death of Mr Clements (right) but 'that is enough' and he is now determined to get on with his life and enjoy the inheritance he has been given

Detailing exactly what he received in the will, Mr Marin said he will get 150,000 from a life insurance policy, a 100,000 apartment in Bucharest that was put into his name, and a 2,000-for-life British pension - unless he remarries

Florin revealed how Mr Clements had fallen ill during the coronavirus lockdown after he was unable to visit his GP in the UK and was left running low on medication.

He insists that Mr Clements refused to go to hospital for several days - developing a fever and becoming disoriented - before he insisted on taking the elderly man himself.

Once in hospital, Florin said he was separated from his husband as he was placed on a quarantined coroanvirus ward amid fears he had the disease.

Tests came back negative and Mr Clements was transferred instead to a cardiac ward, but slipped into a coma and was placed on life support.

Florin said he then received a call around midnight on May 31 from the hospital confirming that his husband had passed away.

'People will think that I am a widow with a black hat who is crying, and I did cry, but two days is enough', Mr Marin revealed in an interview with Mail Online that took place from his 100,000 Bucharest house that Mr Clements bought and put in his name.

'Philip didn't want me to cry, he wanted people to be happy whatever happened.

'I don't want to show people my feelings because my husband died, because some people take advantage of that and there are people who are happy because of your sadness,' he added.

'I am 27 years old and I'm not challenged.'

Mr Marin will enjoy a 2,000 British widower pension for the rest of life unless he remarries.

'He was my husband and this is my right,' he said.

Mr Marin will also get 10,000 from a life insurance policy to organise a funeral, but said it will be a simple ceremony with no wake or party - and that Mr Clements' ashes will be spread in a park in accordance with his will.

In addition, Mr Marin will get around 150,000 from Mr Clements' life insurance policy.

Mr Marin also revealed he will be given 10,000 to arrange a funeral - but in accordance with Mr Clements' wishes he will scatter his ashes in a park without a wake or a party

Mr Clements (left and right) lived and worked as a clergyman before meeting Mr Marin on dating site Gaydar four years ago, when he decided to leave his former life behind and move to Bucharest so they could be together

Mr Clements is pictured among crowds meeting Prince Charles in a glimpse at his life before moving to Romania

Mr Clements (left at a gay pride parade and right at home) briefly split from Florin after disapproving of his late-night visits to clubs and a rumoured affair with a man named Jesus, but the pair eventually reconciled

They lived together in an exclusive community called Cosmopolis (pictured) on the outskirts of the Romanian capital

'My darling people, it is not my fault that left me with this money,' the 27-year-old said.

He added the the amount was 'not that huge, it's not like saying, wow, it's one or two million pounds.'

Mr Marin says he will 'always remember Philip' but hasn't ruled out future relationships.

The couple met on the online dating site Gaydar and got married three years ago in Kent - but their relationship hadn't been plain sailing.

They experienced turbulence early on when Mr Clements tried living in Bucharest.

Rows over Mr Marin's clubbing into the early hours and an alleged affair with a Spaniard named Jesus saw the former vicar move back to England after just a few months, despite having sold his home to live in the Romanian capital.

They were able to keep their romance alive with Whatsapp messaging, however, while Mr Marin moved to work in Spain.

The couple reconciled in March this year after the ex-vicar said he was happy for Mr Marin to visit gay clubs at the weekends with people his own age.

Mr Clements is pictured left during his former life as a priest. Pictured right is a book he wrote on his battle with depression

Early in their relationship, Mr Florin was living and working in Britain but as their relationship progressed they split their time between the UK, Spain and Romania before settling in Bucharest

Mr Clements fell ill during the coronavirus lockdown after running low on medication and initially refused to go to hospital (pictured left at home not long before he died) but was eventually taken there by Florin (pictured on the ward right) where he was put in isolation before passing away

Florin (right) says his husband would not have wanted people to be sad at his passing but to get on and enjoy life - which is exactly what he plans to do. He has not ruled out future relationships, but does not plan to remarry

Mr Clements had been using his church and teaching pension to help pay for their living expenses in their two-bedroom Bucharest home before falling ill.

Mr Marin had said previously he wanted to be Mr Clements' carer and didn't mind the negative opinions people might have.

During the interview Mr Marin recalled the last days he spent with his husband.

He said Mr Clements suffered from a number of health conditions and was prevented from seeing his GP in the UK because of lockdown measures to slow the coronavirus spread.

Disruptions caused by the outbreak also stopped him from receiving his medication from the UK, which may have worsened his conditions, Mr Marin said.

He began to worry about his husband's health after he developed a fever of 40 degrees.

'I thought it could be Covid-19 but I immediately said, no, because we don't go out, we don't meet people. We stayed in the balcony with the mask.'

Mr Marin called an ambulance that rushed Mr Clements to Bucharest's Elias Hospital.

'The last sight I had of him was when he was taken out from the ambulance,' said Mr Marin, who was not allowed to visit due to the restrictions imposed to curb the pandemic.

He handed nurses a letter to give to Mr Clements, and 'told him that everyone who loved him was praying for him in England and that the cat was fine and missing him.

'I told him I loved him and that everything would be fine, but I don't know if he read the letter.'

Mr Clements will be cremated and his ashes spread in 'a park with a lake in Bucharest' as directed in his will.

Philip Clements and Florin Marin on their wedding day in Kent three years ago. After a rift the pair are living reconciled earlier this year in Bucharest, but Mr Clements has now passed away following a period of ill health

Mr Clements and Mr Marin are pictured on their wedding day in Kent, before moving to the Romanian capital of Bucharest

Mr Clements (right) sold his home in Kent for 214,750 before moving to Romania and buying a flat in Bucharest. He returned to England shortly after because the pair experienced turbulence in their relationship, but Mr Clements says they have now reached an understanding and are living together again

Mr Clements (left) is pictured meeting Princess Anne (right) during his former life as a priest before meeting Mr Marin

'He didn't want people to be sad but to be happy, to be themselves,' Mr Marin added.

Mr Clements requested a private funeral attended only by his widower and a handful of relatives and friends as well as a simple religious ceremony held in his memory.

Mr Marin said he will find an Anglican priest to conduct the ceremony as opposed to an Orthodox priest from the socially conservative and anti-gay marriage Romanian Church.

He said he kept provided regular updates to Mr Clements' UK family and friends on his husband's ailing health.

Although Marin was rejected by one of the brothers, he said he is ready to 'forgive what happened in the past' for the sake of his husband.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Martin Ayih, the Commanding Officer of the Central Motor Traffic and Transport Department, has urged the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to be innovative and create satellite markets for its street traders.



He said this necessary because the street traders were now the principal cause of traffic in the Accra Central Business District.



He said in other jurisdictions across the world, there are specific days set aside for street markets but this is unlike the situation in the Accra Central Business District where street hawking traders have now become a permanent concern impeding the flow of goods.



Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, ACP Ayih said, the city authorities cant exonerate itself from the traffic chaos in the Central Business District if it continues to take tolls from wrongly situated hawking traders.



Initially they were hawkers on the streets, but cast your eyes round and you would realize that these are not hawkers but traders who have situated themselves permanently on the pedestrian walkways and quite often on sections of the main street, he said.



Walk through streets again and you would observe that many of such traders have turned their back to the main streets where they have stationed themselves and any vehicular challenge could spell disaster for many of such traders.



He said this, besides the coronavirus pandemic is the major concerning affecting effective policing in the central business district adding it is a health matter and a development concern for all to deliberate.



ACP Ayih said as an officer of the law, when you ask such traders why they have situated themselves on the streets, they say they have been given the permit by the city authorities to do so.



We have had a series of discussions with the city authorities who have indeed urged us to arrest defaulting traders; but we do arrest them, send them to court, but in a short while they are back on the streets displaying their wares for sale.



ACP Ayih said this situation has gradually affected the traffic situation as many two-lane roads have now become a one-lane roads and the public who also patronize the wares of the traders are also encouraging an illegality which is affecting all who visit the Central Business District.



He said there is the need to create temporary markets for such traders else the fight against street selling cant be won; and the police would be willing to drive them to the designated area for sanity to prevail.

Source: GNA









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I wrote the Weekly Standard article Louis Farrakhans first congressman and wrote the companion Power Line post Keith Ellison for dummies in October 2006, when Ellison was on the verge of election to Congress representing Minnesotas Fifth District.

I was provoked to write these pieces by the poor job Minneapoliss Star Tribune had done documenting Ellisons troubling past. Indeed, I had been contacted by several prominent Democrats who had dealt with Ellison and were themselves frustrated by the errors and omissions in the Star Tribunes coverage.

My long march on the trail of Keith Ellison began with a call from a source to me at work in June 2006. The source asked me to meet him at the corner of 10th and Hennepin a few blocks from my office in downtown Minneapolis so that he could hand over his clip file on Ellison. He was incredulous at the poor job the Star Tribune had done covering Ellisons past associations when  as his clip file demonstrated  the information was there for the asking in the papers own archives.

Ellison baldly suppressed his long involvement with the Nation of Islam in his 2014 memoir cum manifesto My Country, Tis of Thee. In the book Ellison presented himself as a powerful critic of the Nation of Islam without a hint of his past work on behalf of the cult. I wrote about that in the Weekly Standard article The Ellison elision.

All my work on Ellison is relevant again to his current responsibilities as Minnesota Attorney General. This is how I laid things out on Power Line at the end of the road that led to Ellisons election to to represent Minnesotas Fifth District in Congress.

After he unexpectedly won the endorsement of the DFL nominating convention for Minnesotas Fifth District congressional seat on May 6, 2006, Keith Ellison faced a serious problem. The problem was how to deal with his well-known involvement with the Nation of Islam. Had Ellison not managed to dispose of the problem, his candidacy would likely have been irreparably weakened in the competitive DFL primary field.

Ellison chose to deal with the problem by writing an audacious letter to the Jewish Community Relations Council on May 28, 2006. In the letter, Ellison staked his campaign on three assertions: That his involvement with the Nation of Islam was limited to a period of 18 months around the time of the Million Man March in 1995, that he was unaware of the Nation of Islams anti-Semitism and that he terminated his involvement with the Nation of Islam when he became aware of it.

This is Ellisons May 28 letter; click to enlarge.

Instead of undertaking any investigation, the Star Tribune reported the assertions and repeated them as facts ever since. Yet each of these assertions is demonstrably false. Their falsehood is easily established by newspaper accounts documenting Ellisons activities, speeches and beliefs over the relevant period of time.

Moreover, Ellisons long commitment to and advocacy of the Nation of Islam is reflected in the various aliases he used over a period of ten years: Keith Hakim, Keith X Ellison and Keith Ellison-Muhammad. The Star Tribune has not only failed to connect these aliases to Ellisons involvement with the Nation of Islam, it has erroneously reported that Ellison used these aliases during his student days at the University of Minnesota Law School.

Ellisons involvement with the Nation of Islam includes his support of the truth of Joanne Jacksons condemnation of Jews in 1997 as the most racist white people. In his May 28 letter to the JCRC, Ellison went out of his way to state that, unlike others, he did not come to the defense of the statement that created the controversy that engulfed Joanne Jackson. Rather, according to Ellison, he only called for dialogue. This too is demonstrably false.

Ellisons involvement with the Nation of Islam is not the most offensive of his public associations and commitments. That distinction must belong to Ellisons work with Minneapolis gang leader and murderer Sharif Willis following the 1992 murder of Minneapolis Police Officer Jerry Haaf.

Ellisons February 2000 speech on behalf of domestic terrorist Kathleen Soliah/Sara Jane Olson picked up this reprehensible aspect of Ellisons career and united it with his missionary work on behalf of the Nation of Islam. In that speech Ellison called for the release of Soliah/Olson and spoke favorably of cop killers Mumia Abu-Jamal and Assata Shakur. The Star Tribune has never gotten around to reporting what Ellison said on that occasion either.

My article summarizing the most notable aspects of Keith Ellisons public career  Louis Farrakhans First Congressman  was published in the Weekly Standard on September 30, 2006, in anticipation of Ellisons election.

Given the medias disinclination to examine Ellisons public record, or to get straight what little it has let come to the surface, we set out a Keith Ellison timeline and posted copies of some key articles as a companion to the Standard piece:

1987Ellison enrolls in University of Minnesota Law School

1989Ellison publishes the first of two articles in the University of Minnesota Daily under the alias Keith Hakim. In the first such article, Ellison speaks up for the Nation of Islam.

1990Ellison participates in the sponsorship of the anti-Semitic speech by Kwame Ture given at the University of Minnesota Law School (Zionism: Imperialism, White Supremacy or Both?). Ellison rejects the appeal of Jewish law students to withdraw sponsorship of the lecture. Ellison graduates from University of Minnesota Law School.

1992Ellison appears as speaker at demonstration against Minneapolis police with Vice Lords leader Sharif Willis following the murder of Officer Haaf by four Vice Lords gangsters in September.

1993Ellison leads demonstration chanting We dont get no justice, you dont get no peace in support of Vice Lords defendant on trial for the murder of Officer Haaf. Ellison attends Gang Summit in Kansas City with Willis.

1995Ellison supports Million Man March, appears at organizing rally with former Nation of Islam spokesman Khalid Muhammed at University of Minnesota. Ellison acts as local Nation of Islam leader in march at office of U.S. Attorney in Minneapolis protesting indictment of Qubilah Shabazz for conspiring to murder Louis Farrakhan. Ellison charges FBI with conspiring to murder Farrakhan. Ellison writes article under alias Keith X Ellison attacking Star Tribune for criticizing Louis Farrakhan. Here it is; click to enlarge:

1997Ellison appears under alias Keith Ellison-Muhammad at Minnesota Initiative Against Racism hearing in support of Joanne Jackson. Ellison defends the truth of Jacksons statement that Jews are the most racist white people. This is the Star Tribunes article on the controversy, which refers to Ellisons statement:

This is the statement that Ellison read, as described in the Star Tribune article, and published in the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder; click to enlarge:

1998Ellison first runs for DFL endorsement for state representative. Ellison identifies himself as member of Nation of Islam in Insight News article on his candidacy. Ellison runs for endorsement under alias Keith Ellison-Muhammad. This is the Insight News article; click to enlarge:

2000Ellison gives speech supporting Kathleen Soliah/Sara Jane Olson at National Lawyers Guild fundraiser. Demands Soliah/Olsons release. Asks audience to recall time when Qubilah Shabazz was prosecuted in retribution against Minister Farrakhan. Speaks favorably of cop killers Mumia Abu-Jamal and Assata Shakur.

May 2006Ellison writes letter to JCRC asserting involvement with Nation of Islam limited to 18 months supporting Million Man March.

August 2006Ellison appears at unpublicized fundraiser with CAIR executive director and Hamas supporter Nihad Awad among featured guests.

What are we to make of this? Take a look at Ellisons May 28, 2006, letter to the Jewish Community Relations Council; it served as the keystone of his 2006 campaign for election to Congress. That letter to the contrary notwithstanding, the documents posted above nevertheless by themselves establish that 1) Ellisons involvement with the Nation of Islam exceeded any 18-month period, 2) Ellisons involvement with the Nation of Islam extended far beyond the promotion of the Million Man March, and 3) that Ellison himself, far from being ignorant of the Nation of Islams anti-Semitism, actively supported it.

The steadfast refusal of the local Minnesota media to examine Ellisons public record in the course of his congressional campaign represented a striking case of nonfeasance, incompetence and willfully averted eyes that remains a story unto itself.

NOTE: This post is adapted from the post that appeared here on September 30, 2006, as a companion to my Weekly Standard article on Ellison. I slightly revised and reposted it as a companion to Faith questions for Keith Ellison.
PASCAGOULA, Miss., June 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division moved destroyer Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) to Pier Four on the east bank of the Pascagoula River today, signifying the reopening of a facility decimated in Hurricane Katrina.



The newly reactivated, 187-acre east bank features covered construction areas to improve safety and optimize ship assembly, expansive storage facilities and a fully restored pier where ships will dock upon returning from sea trials. Delbert D. Black and its crew will remain on the east bank until the ships sail-away date later this year.

This restoration and modernization project demonstrates our commitment to continuously enhancing our shipbuilding facilities to increase capability and ensure future growth, Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said. We are proud to see more of our workforce, and our customers, moving back into the heart of the city of Pascagoula.

A video and photo accompanying this release are available at: https://newsroom.huntingtoningalls.com/releases/ingalls-opens-east-bank .

Throughout the reactivation project, Ingalls cleared and recycled more than 100,000 tons of concrete which was used to construct a road base on the east bank. All of the interior and exterior lighting on the east bank will use LED technology.

Many historical features from original east bank facilities were salvaged and incorporated into new structures on the property, including all of the bricks from a 1930s guard house as well as a concrete slab into which Robert Ingalls Sr., founder of Ingalls Shipbuilding, carved his initials.

In reopening the east bank, we celebrate the 80-plus year legacy of those Ingalls shipbuilders who came before us, and look forward to continuing Ingalls legacy of building the finest ships in the world for decades to come, Cuccias said.

Huntington Ingalls Industries is Americas largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. For more than a century, HIIs Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. HIIs Technical Solutions division supports national security missions around the globe with unmanned systems, defense and federal solutions, nuclear and environmental services, and fleet sustainment. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs more than 42,000 people operating both domestically and internationally. For more information, visit:

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HII on the web: www.huntingtoningalls.com

HII on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HuntingtonIngallsIndustries

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Army Corps commanders from India and China on Saturday held extensive discussions to end the month-long stand-off in eastern Ladakh, with the communist country also conveying to New Delhi through diplomatic channels to oppose the politicisation of the Covid-19 pandemic by the US.

The meeting between senior military leaders was led by Lt Gen Harinder Singh, GOC of Leh-based 14 Corps from the Indian side, and Maj Gen Liu Lin, commander, South Xinjiang Military region, representing the Chinas Peoples Liberation Army.

Sources said the discussions continued for more than three hours, but there was no immediate statement about the outcome from either side.

After the meeting in Moldo, located opposite Chushul in eastern Ladakh, Lt Gen Singh returned to Leh and briefed Army Chief Gen M M Naravane and Northern Command Chief Lt Gen Y K Joshi.

The details are being deliberated upon within the government involving the Prime Ministers Office, National Security Advisor, Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of External Affairs.

Hours before the talk between military commanders, senior diplomats from China and India had a video conference interaction on the way forward.

Beijing wants New Delhi to oppose what it calls the politicisation of the Covid-19 pandemic by President Donald Trumps administration in the United States.

The video conference set the framework for talks between commanders of both countries.

After the meeting, Sun Weidong, Chinas ambassador to India, tweeted: They (senior diplomats of India and China) also agreed that #China & #India should deepen cooperation on fight against #COVID19 epidemic, support the #WHO, resolutely uphold and promote multilateralism & (and) safeguard common interests of developing countries.

The MEA, in a press release issued in New Delhi, stated: The two sides also exchanged views on the challenge posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and cooperation in various multilateral forums.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, issued a separate press release in Beijing, stating that the two sides agreed to deepen cooperation to deal with the Covid-19 crisis and oppose politicisation of the epidemic situation.

India refrained from joining the US in blaming China for the pandemic. It also did not echo US President Donald Trumps allegations against the World Health Organisation that it has been biased towards the Chinese and had not alerted the US and other nations well in time.
A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service weapon in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh on Saturday, police said.

The incident took place in the early hours at a forest in Pankhanjore police station area, police said.

"The deceased jawan, identified as Head Constable Suresh Kumar, was returning along with his colleagues after an anti-Naxal operation," a senior police official told PTI.

A team of BSF's 157th battalion had launched the operation on Friday from its camp in Sangam village, he said.

On the way back, Kumar allegedly shot himself with his AK-47 rifle between Ghoda and Dotameta villages, around 200 meters ahead of the camp, and died on the spot, he said.

What prompted him to take the extreme step is being ascertained, he added.

On Friday, an Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) of the same 157th battalion had tested positive for COVID-19 in Bhilai town of Durg district. The ASI was kept in a quarantine centre set up by the paramilitary forces in Bhilai after he returned from his hometown in Uttar Pradesh following his leave.

The Frontier Headquarters of the BSF, which is extensively deployed in Kanker for anti-Maoist operations, is located in Bhilai.

Security forces who are returning from other states are being quarantined before being allowed to join the duty.
Victoria has recorded no new coronavirus cases for the first time since the pandemic began, but authorities are warning the risk is not over ahead of a protest in Melbourne.

One person with COVID-19 at Saturday's Black Lives Matter rally could be all it takes to squander the gains made, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has warned.

Health Minister Jenny Mikakos. Credit:Wayne Taylor

There have been no new cases confirmed since Friday, Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said on Saturday morning.

"We've been able to achieve this through Victorians doing an incredible job of keeping themselves & each other safe," she tweeted.
Waving the flag for China View(s):

Coincidentally I am writing this column on the 31st anniversary of perhaps the ugliest episode in Chinas modern history. That was the brutal crackdown on protestors in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989 during which a still disputed number of Chinese were killed by soldiers.

It shocked the Hong Kong people, generally uninterested in politics or what little there was of it, bringing them on to the streets in their tens of thousands in support of their brethren who died while calling for basic freedoms and voicing their protest against corruption. They could not believe that the Communist regime in Beijing would turn the guns on its own people.

What was disturbing to the Hong Kong people was that the sovereignty of the territory would pass from colonial Britain to mainland China in eight years from then.

Every year since then Hong Kong people commemorated the merciless crackdown at Tiananmen with peaceful demonstrations and candle light vigils generally at Victoria Park.

Though the June 4 commemorative ceremonies were banned this year by the police who refused permission on grounds of the coronavirus, it did not stop the Hong Kong people from defying the ban to observe the anniversary.

A news report a couple of days ago in the Chinese news agency Xinhua quoting Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, prompted this column.

Sri Lanka expressed continuity of its support on sovereignty of China (over) its territory and national security in relation to Hong Kong. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on Monday voiced his countrys continuous support to Chinas sovereignty over its Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Gunawardena wrote on his Twitter account. The foreign minister made the remarks after US President Donald Trump on Friday threatened sanctions against China over its national security legislation for Hong Kong. Chinas top legislature, the National Peoples Congress, approved at its annual session last week the decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for Hong Kong to safeguard national security.

If Xinhua was trying to imply that Minister Gunawardena was reacting to President Trumps threatened sanctions against China, it does not cut much ice. It is hardly likely that Minister Gunawardena was trying to take on the US president who has a penchant for threatening everybody near and far with verbal bombardments which often mean nothing.

What concerns me is what precisely Dinesh Gunawardena was intending to say and why he said it almost on the anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown.

I cannot think of any world leader, unless it is Donald Trump in one of his early morning tweetskriegs, challenged Chinas sovereignty over Hong Kong, which is not an impossibility knowing the presidents eccentricities.

I wonder at the Gunawardena remark unless it is to provide some political ballast with the anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown which earned China universal condemnation, only days ahead.

No world leader worth his salt has denied Chinas sovereign right over Hong Kong island and the other territories which Britain ruled over until they were returned to Chinas sovereignty at midnight on June 30, 1997.

Unless, of course, the minister was implying that since Hong Kong and the other territories such as Kowloon and the New Territories were part of China, the sovereign power could do anything it wanted with them.

That is far from the truth. It is well known to those who have shown a historical interest in with the withdrawal of western colonial powers from the east including Macau which was held by the Portuguese in a different arrangement with China, that Britain and China negotiated a treaty known as the Sino-British Joint Declaration which set out the conditions under which the transfer of sovereignty is done and the validity of this treaty for 50 years from the day China assumes sovereignty. It is an international treaty registered with the United Nations, though in recent years Chinese diplomats have asserted that the Joint Declaration is a historical document and of little practical use, thus discarding it as little value.

My interest in the history of the Sino-British negotiations and the ongoing talks with serious clashes between the two negotiating powers began after I started working for the Hong Kong Standard newspaper in mid-September 1989, some three months after the tragic happenings in Tiananmen which were still reverberating in Hong Kong.

Tiananmen had turned Hong Kong, a special administrative region (SAR) of China before long, into the centre of mass protests, mainland China having clamped down on any protests on Chinese territory.

During the 10 years I spent in Hong Kong both under British colonial rule and under Chinas sovereignty it was becoming increasing clear that promises made to the Hong Kong people under the Joint Declaration and the Chinese drafted Basic Law (Hong Kongs mini constitution) would be gradually broken and the 7 million or so inhabitants of that territory left to fend for themselves.

Both signatories to the treaty would abandon them and the great Deng Xiaoping formula of One country two systems under which Hong Kong was to be governed for 50 years jettisoned by those who succeeded Deng in later years.

As one dug deeper into what went on in the negotiations between the two sides and behind them and the squabbles that now and then brought the talks to a screeching stop it was becoming increasing clear that the victims of this coercive diplomacy would be the Hong Kong people who had hardly a voice in the shaping of their own destiny.

The more one talked to prominent Hong Kong personalities and diplomats the more one was convinced that however much Deng Xiaoping would want to make his system work the more it looked chimerical as the months rolled by.

In early December 1991 one of my weekly columns was headlined Freedoms fast fading into the sunset. In it I said, The recent history of British negotiations on Hong Kong has been one of prevarication, chicanery and pusillanimous capitulation.

If the British used a scalpel to deftly slice away at Hong Kongs lifestyle, the Chinese were armed with a bludgeon to beat the Hong Kongers into subservience.

What brought about the anti-Hong Kong national security laws in the National Peoples Congress in May is clear enough. It is to tame Hong Kongs emerging young political leaders and the rising voices of dissent among the new pro-democracy groups as seen at last Novembers District Council elections which the pro-democracy groups won with ease..

The inability or reluctance of the Hong Kong Government to control and subdue the demonstrations in the city last year surely prompted the central government to introduce laws that allows it to deploy forces to do a Tiananmen if things got out of hand.

In the meantime the other signatory to the Joint Declaration is making loud noises about how it will respond to Chinese violations of the Declaration and the Basic Law.

That is a lot of bluff and bluster. Britain needs China more than ever. With Boris Johnsons loud-mouth utterances about the great virtues of Brexit, it now needs trading partners more than ever to survive in a post-Covid-19 world. It just cannot antagonise China just as Sri Lanka cannot with tons of debt burdening it.

If the Hong Kong people expect Britain to come to their aid, they need not worry. Johnson will wave a few entry visas before them. That is if Cummings is willing.
Two Buffalo police officers were charged with assault Saturday, prosecutors said, after a video showed them shoving a 75-year-old protester in recent demonstrations over the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Both pleaded not guilty to second-degree assault. They were released without bail.

The officers had been suspended without pay Friday after a TV crew captured the confrontation the night before near the end of protests.

The footage shows a man identified as Martin Gugino approaching a line of helmeted officers holding batons as they clear demonstrators from Niagara Square around the time of an 8 p.m. curfew.

Two officers push Gugino backward, and he hits his head on the pavement. Blood spills as officers walk past. One officer leans down to check on the injured man before another officer urges the colleague to keep walking.

Dozens of police officers stepped down from the departments crowd control unit Friday, in response to their fellow officers suspensions.
By Rebecca Bird

TWO organisations that represent TCI businesses have voiced their outrage at the premiers recent comments suggesting that local firms lacked generosity during the lockdown.





The Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA) and the Providenciales Chamber of Commerce said members have supported both their workers and the community.





Businesses have not only donated extensively to those in need but also paid millions of dollars in wages over the past nine weeks, they wrote to the press on Thursday (June 5).





Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson read her ministerial statement in which she spoke of the Governments crisis support and the private sector on May 29 in the House of Assembly.





"What TCI has not seen is more generosity from businesses who can donate or greater acts of philanthropy, the Minister for Finance, Investment and Trade said in concluding her speech.





"It is so important in this time to help a country that has helped you and to be a blessing when you are blessed.





"We must awaken hearts of compassion and we must recognise that no Government anywhere can meet all the needs of all its people in these times.





Hitting back this week, Ronald Saunders, president of the Providenciales Chamber of Commerce, called the premiers comments "unwarranted and unprecedented.





"Contrary to the premiers comments, the business community has put in extraordinary efforts to care for their employees and the people of the Islands, showing their generosity through actions rather than words, he said.





"Businesses have kept paying salaries, where there is little aid. They have distributed food where it is needed most. They have contributed to charities, churches and local communities.





He explained that the business community has continued to do this without receiving any "meaningful support from the Government.





Saunders called on the Government to engage with the business community and to discuss the chambers recently submitted six point proposal for relief.





"The Government must not point fingers at the very people which can help the country recover - we must instead work together with urgency.





In its statement released the same day, the TCHTA said it "could not disagree more with the premiers recent comments.





Credit for flattening of the Covid-19 curve and the current status of zero cases can be attributed to the responsible actions of the residents and businesses, it stated.





The TCHTA said that over the past nine weeks, the private sector has paid out over $77 million in wages while it was illegal to open businesses and ports were closed.





"These businesses have had to borrow funds and arrange new financing to ensure as many staff members as possible were able to keep their jobs.





The statement went on to describe numerous ways in which the private sector partnered with non-profit organisations to address the "humanitarian crisis in the TCI.





This included distributing food, donating medical supplies, and organising contracts with medical companies to ensure tourists can be cared for in the US if they become ill.





The TCHTA added that despite repeated requests it has not had any direct feedback from the premiers office or been granted the opportunity to meet with the premier.





There has also been no meeting granted by the minister of immigration or ministry of health to the groups representing the private sector.





Change of leader

Deputy Premier Sean Astwood responded to the chamber and TCHTAs statement on behalf of the Peoples Democratic Movement in a social media post later that day.





He called the comments an "undated double barrel attack on the premier which were "unwarranted, unhelpful, and calculated to coincide with each other.





He said she was right to ask for her to seek more generosity towards her people in a time of crisis.





Astwood spoke of the TCHTAs "self-serving claims that businesses were responsible for flattening the curve, adding that they could not do so without the Governments support.





"It is also offensive to a people whose Government passed laws and sacrificed all around to

ensure that your industry did not endanger us or yourselves.





"This PDM Government could not do so without the hard work on the part of essential workers, civil servants, and the entire country.





The deputy premier called for a change of leadership of the TCHTA before the Government considers any further work with the private sector group.





"No doubt this is a severely difficult time for business in TCI and around the world but it is not a time for the hotel and tourism industry and the business community to create a contest around its contribution measures while simultaneously holding its cap out in hand to Government for tax breaks and concessions.




Donald Trump has ordered the military to remove 9,500 troops from Germany, a senior U.S. official said on Friday

Donald Trump has ordered the military to remove 9,500 troops from Germany, a senior U.S. official said on Friday, a move likely to raise concerns in Europe about the U.S. commitment to the continent.

The move would reduce U.S. troops numbers in Germany to 25,000, from the 34,500 currently there.

The official, who did not want to be identified, said the move was the result of months of work by America's top military officer, General Mark Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and had nothing to do with tensions between Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who thwarted Trump's plan to host a G7 meeting this month.

A second senior administration official said the 9,500 troops would be sent elsewhere, some to Poland, some to other allied countries, while some would return home.

This official said there was less need for the large contingent in Germany due to overall increased defense spending by the U.S.-led NATO military alliance.

The second official said the change was ordered in a memorandum signed recently by Trump's national security adviser, Robert OBrien. The official said the United States started working on the plan in September and had just now got the pieces in place.

Senior lawmakers from Merkel's ruling conservative bloc on Saturday criticized the order.

The move would reduce U.S. troops numbers in Germany to 25,000, from 34,500.

'The plans once again show that the Trump administration is neglecting an elementary leadership task: the involvement of alliance partners in decision-making processes,' Johann Wadephul, foreign policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, told Reuters.

The official, who did not want to be identified, said the move was the result of months of work by America's top military officer, General Mark Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and had nothing to do with tensions between Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel

All NATO partners benefited from the cohesion of the alliance, and only Russia and China gain from discord, Wadephul said, adding: 'This should be given more attention in Washington.'

Wadephul also spoke of a 'further wake-up call' to Europeans to position themselves better in terms of security policy.

The German Foreign Ministry declined to comment.

Andreas Nick, like Wadephul a member of the parliamentary foreign relations committee, told Deutsche Welle the indications were that 'that the decision was not a technical but a purely politically motivated decision.'

Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on Senate Armed Services Committee, said the move was 'petty and preposterous.'

Andrew Weiss of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said the move was a 'huge gift' for Russia.

'With one fell swoop, Trump is showing once again that our alliances are nothing more than a political plaything,' Weiss said on Twitter.

The White House said it had no announcements but Trump 'continually reassesses the best posture for the United States military forces.'

Military personnel unload Bradley Infantry Fighting tanks of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, as US military equipment arrives to the Port of Bremerhaven the United States for the Defender 2020 international military exercises in Germany

In the statement, White House National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot said the United States remained committed to working with Germany on defense and other issues.

The move, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, is the latest twist in relations between Berlin and Washington, which have often been strained during Trumps presidency. Trump has pressed Germany to raise defense spending and accused Berlin of being a 'captive' of Russia due to its energy reliance.

About 17,000 U.S. civilian employees support U.S. troops in Germany. It is believed the United States also has nuclear warheads there.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Saturday he hoped that some of the U.S. troops that are set to be removed from Germany will be reassigned to Poland.

'I deeply hope that as a result of the many talks that we had ... part of the troops based today in Germany which are being removed by the United States ... will indeed come to Poland,' Morawiecki told private radio RMF24. 'The decision is now on the U.S. side.'
The United Front will follow up on orders from Kim Yo-jong, sister of the North Korean leader. A military pact and the common industrial area of Kaesong are also at risk. Seoul promises to ban the launch of flyers, to which dollar bills and USB sticks are attached.

Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - North Korea yesterday promised to abolish the Inter-Korean Liaison Office in retaliation for the launch of defamatory flyers from the South, transported with balloons, into its territory.

The announcement carried by KNA state agency, was made by the United Front of the Workers' Party, which has ruled the country since the end of the Second World War.

On June 4, Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, had threatened to close the Office. It was created in 2018 in Kaesong - on the western border with the South - to ensure better communication between the two sides.

The North Korean city is also home to the inter-Korean industrial complex, closed in 2016 after a missile test carried out by Pyongyang. Kim Yo-jong said the complex could be permanently dismantled if propaganda from South Korea does not end. A pact aimed at reducing military tension with Seoul is also at risk.

In its statement, the United Front remarked on Kim Yo-jong's primary role in the management of inter-Korean affairs, a sign of her growing importance in the dynamics of power in the North. Between April and May, when rumors circulated about the possible death or serious illness of Kim Jong-un, she was referred to by many observers as a viable candidate to succeed her brother.

Immediately after Kim Yo-jongs statement, the South Korean government called for an end to the launch of flyers and spoke of a specific legislative ban. Seoul leaders maintain these propaganda campaigns only damage relations with Pyongyang, and endanger the lives of those who collect leaflets across the border.

In spite of this, North Korean dissidents sheltered in the South continue to fly thousands of leaflets attacking Kim Jong-un and his regime over the military dividing line between the two countries. To encourage North Koreans to collect them, dollar bills and USB sticks are attached to the pamphlets.
Thai student returns from Russia, tests positive for COVID-19

BANGKOK: Thailand reported two new coronavirus cases on Saturday (June 6), both returnees from abroad, and no new deaths, bringing the total to 3,104 cases and 58 deaths since January.

COVID-19Coronavirus

By Bangkok Post

Saturday 6 June 2020, 04:23PM

Thais returning from India arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport on Friday afternoon. The government on Saturday reported two new Covid-19 cases, both returnees from Russia and Kuwait, with no new deaths. Photo: Sutthiwit Chayutworakan / Bangkok Post

The two asymptomatic patients from Russia and Kuwait have been in state quarantine since their arrivals, said Panprapa Yongtrakul, deputy spokeswoman for the governments Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

The 22-year-old student from Russia has been in state quarantine in Chon Buri since Monday. He tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday and was treated at a hospital in the eastern province, said Dr Panprapa.

The 39-year-old factory employee from Kuwait has been in state quarantine facility in Bangkok since May 24. The first test showed he was not infected but he tested positive in the second test on Thursday. He was admitted to a hospital in Bangkok, said the centres deputy spokeswoman.

The new cases raised the number of infections to 3,104, with 75 still in hospitals. The death toll remained at 58. No local transmission has been found for 12 days in a row, she noted.

The 39-year-old factory employee from Kuwait has been in state quarantine facility in Bangkok since May 24. The first test showed he was not infected but he tested positive in the second test on Thursday. He was admitted to a hospital in Bangkok, said the centres deputy spokeswoman.

The new cases raised the number of infections to 3,104, with 75 still in hospitals. The death toll remained at 58. No local transmission has been found for 12 days in a row, she noted.
06.06.2020 LISTEN

The Inter-Party Resistance Against New Voters Register has petitioned the North East Regional House of chiefs over the compilation of a new electoral roll with the Ghana Card and Passports as the only valid identification.

We know the EC is acting in concert with the National Identification Authority to undermine the identity of the masses of our people, North East Region natives of the group said in a statement.

They feel 255,570 natives of the North East Region who have not been issued with the Ghana Cards will be disenfranchised by the process.

In their view, it is  a tacit attempt to subvert the Constitution of Ghana, suppress the people's will and impose a government over us.

The exclusion of the Ghanaian birth certificate and the existing voter Identity Card which have hitherto always been part of the breeder documents is of grave concern to us since these two documents are popular to our people and have always been used by our people for all lawful transactions.

They want the chiefs to stop the EC from proceeding with the ploy to disenfranchise the 255,570 natives of the North East Region who have not been issued with the NIA cards and have been asked to go through the painful process of using Guarantors.

Even for the guarantor process, the group feels the painful process of using guarantors is a well-planned attempt to disenfranchise our kinsmen. Action against EC

This past week also saw two civil society groups; the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) and IMANI Africa petition the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to call on the EC to rescind its decision to compile a new electoral roll for the 2020 general elections.

The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, also unsuccessfully moved for the rejection of the ECs move to change forms of identification in Parliament.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is currently battling the EC over the attempts to compile a new register.

The NDC has also accused the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of conniving with the EC and the NIA to rig the 2020 elections .

The Supreme Court has directed the Electoral Commission to explain why the old voter ID card has been removed from the list of identification particulars for the yet to be compiled new voters register.

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 current identification requirements which were passed in 2016.

Find below the full petition

PETITION BY THE INTER PARTY RESISTANCE AGAINST NEW VOTER REGISTER TO THE NORTH EAST REGIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS ON THE BELLIGERENT STANCE OF THE EC IN COLLABORATION WITH THE NIA TO DISENFRANCHISE CITIZENS IN THE NORTH EAST REGION

Date: Thursday 5th June, 2020

The Inter-Party Resistance Against New Voters Register (IPRAN) is made up of citizens from various political parties in the country whose beliefs are that the compilation of new voters register by the Electoral Commission of Ghana at this time that our country and the world over is battling coronavirus which has ravaged our beloved country Ghana is a bad decision. But as intransigent as the Jean Mensah led EC has proven to be, still insist and chose to risk precious lives in this process, just to appease its appointing authority.

We the undersigned natives of the North East Region, acting for and on behalf of the Inter-Party Resistance Against the New Voters Register (IPRAN), NER Chapter, wish to petition your High Office through this medium against the tacit agenda of Ghana's Electoral Commission to disenfranchise our kinsmen. We know the EC is acting in concert with the National Identification Authority to undermine the identity of the masses of our people, first as citizens of the Republic of Ghana, and also the overt moves by same entities to deny the masses of their inalienable constitutional right to exercise their franchise in the upcoming December, 2020 General Elections as guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution.

Your Majesty, while we are not oblivious of the fact that, articles 43, 44, 45 and 46 of the 1992 constitution of the Republic of Ghana establishes the electoral commission, guarantees its powers and insulates it from external influence and manipulations, we are also conscious of the fact that, same constitution under articles 6, 7, 8 and 9 as well as the citizenship act 591 (2000) defines who lawfully qualifies as a citizen of the Republic of Ghana.

Your Majesty, the question as to who qualifies lawfully to register and participate in public elections and national referenda in Ghana, does not fall into residue as article 42 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana sufficiently addresses that. We need not belabor the point in adding that, the electoral commission of Ghana does not wield that power to de-nationalise any citizen.

In our humble opinion, is that, the attempt by the electoral commission to amend portions of CI 91 to limit the breeder documents for the compilation of the widely resisted new register ahead of the December, 2020 General Elections, to only the national passport and the Ghana Card is only but a tacit attempt to subvert the Constitution of Ghana, suppress the people's will and impose a government over us. The exclusion of the Ghanaian birth certificate and the existing voter Identity Card which have hitherto always been part of the breeder documents is of grave concern to us since these two documents are popular to our people and have always been used by our people for all lawful transactions.

It is Common knowledge that, the National Identification Authority last year in September/ October conducted one of the most abysmal registration exercise in the North East Region. The exercise which lasted from September, 9th to September 30th saw the masses of our people queuing up to register without success. This was occasioned by the limited number of registration machines brought to the Region and more so, the inefficiency of those machines.

In the North East Region, an estimated population of 18 years plus is 397,351 but the NIA could issue only a paltry 123,781 denying 255,570 and this amounts to 67.37% of people not being issued with NIA cards. Your Royal Highness this should attract your attention for action.

In view of the above and taking cognizance of the fact that, holding a national passport in our part of the country is limited to a negligible proportion of our population who may be privileged to have had the opportunity of travelling outside the country, it stands to reason that, compiling a new voters register by the dictates of the proposed amendment to CI 91 will not only disenfranchise the majority of our population, but will constitute an affront to our claim of citizenship.

Your Majesty, we have no scintilla of doubt that, not only will proceeding with the voter's registration with this skewed definition of citizenship come with ripple repercussions, but it will constitute a significant barrier to the masses of the natives of the North East Region who will be inhibited from exercising their political right as guaranteed by the constitution.

More so, it is without doubt that, allowing the Electoral Commission to proceed to amend CI 91 will constitute an abrasion of article 3 clause 2 of the 1992 constitution which states that Any activity of a person or group of persons which suppresses or seeks to suppress the lawful political activity of any other person or any class of persons, or persons generally is unlawful.

Your Majesty, it is appropriate to avert our minds to the fact that, the figures on the voter's role from any particular geographical area do not serve only the purpose of elections, but such figures contribute significantly to in determining the distribution of the largesse of the state as well as for purposes of creating new Constituencies, Districts, Municipalities and Regions. It is our concern that should the Electoral Commission be allowed to proceed with this unpopular registration, our Region will technically be disadvantaged in all these perspectives. Our fears are further accentuated by reports we gather from some of our kinsmen in Southern Ghana that, some of our people were physically restrained from registering down south because of their northern decent.

Your Majesty, it beats our imagination how the Electoral Commission appears zealous to compile a new voter's register notwithstanding the ravaging effects of Covid -19. It is an undisputed fact that, the health care delivery system in the North East Region is one of the most vulnerable in the country. Its vulnerability is underpinned by the fact that, we have very limited health professionals who accept postings here. More so, the infrastructural base of our health care system is relatively poor and requires urgent attention. Our fear is the disaster that might befall

us should we yield to the Electoral Commission's unjustifiable reasons for compiling a new voter's register. Covid-19 is a respecter of no man. We are reliably informed that, the best way to contain it is by strictly adhering to the safety protocols by the World Health Organization and the Ghana Health Service. We are therefore left in a state of melancholy as to why the EC appears to have thrown every caution to the dogs in their pursuit of a parochial interest as against the general good and safety of our people.

In view of the reasons stated herein and pursuant to article 3 clause 4a of the 1992 Constitution which states that,

All citizens of Ghana shall have the right and duty at all times

To defend this constitution and in particular to resist any person or group of persons seeking to commit any of the acts referred to in clause (3) of this article

We shall lawfully resist any covert or overt scheme to denationalize or disenfranchise our people.

We humbly petition you to use your High Office to intercede for the good people of the North East Region through the relevant offices so that, the EC is stopped from proceeding with the ploy to disenfranchise the 255,570 natives of the North East Region who have not been issued with the NIA cards and have been asked to go through the painful process of using Guarantors.

The painful process of using Guarantors is a well-planned attempt to disenfranchise our kinsmen.

We count on your fatherliness to act expeditiously on these germane issues of public concern.

Thank you.
Air India on Friday said they have received more than 60 million hits on their website after opening the bookings for 75 international flight to Canada and the U.S. under the third phase of Vande Bharat Mission to repatriate Indian citizens stuck abroad due to covid-19 lockdown.

Taking on to Twitter, Air India also said that around 1,700 tickets have already been booked since opening of bookings at 5 PM on June 5. Air India will operate 75 outbound passenger flights to select destinations in the US and Canada between June 9 and June 30 under the Vande Bharat Mission.

#FlyAI: Bookings for select destinations in USA,Canada,UK & Europe etc under Phase3 of #MissionVandeBharat opened at 5pm today. Around 60 million hits received till 7pm on our website & 1700 seats sold through website alone in 2 hrs. Bookings continue & tickets are being issued. Air India (@airindiain) June 5, 2020

"Those who wish to travel to the United States and Canada and fulfill required entry conditions can book themselves on these outbound flights. Some foreign airlines have already carried out evacuation flights and are planning to operate more flights. These flights will also take foreign nationals," Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted.

He said the aforementioned 75 flights will go to destinations like New York, Newark, Chicago, Washington, San Francisco, Vancouver and Toronto.

HS Puri, in one of his recent tweets, also mentioned that while international air carriers are charging upto Rs 3 Lakh for a single seat, Air India is charging one third the amount to the US.

Domestic passenger flights resumed in India from May 25 after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown. Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India.

The central government, however, started the Vande Bharat Mission from May 7 to bring back the stranded Indians from abroad through special inbound flights.

It is for the first time that outbound flights have been included under the mission.

"Under MissionVandeBharat, AI will be operating 75 flights from India to select destinations in USA and Canada from 9th to 30th June 2020. Bookings on these flights, ex India only, will tentatively be open from 1700 Hrs on 5th June 2020 only through Air India website," the national carrier said on its website.

Air India and its subsidiary, Air India Express, operated 64 flights under phase one of the mission. They plan to operate around 300 flights in the ongoing phase two of the mission to evacuate a total of 70,000 Indians stranded globally.

With Inputs from PTI
Lucknow: Taking a swipe at Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday said social media projects her as a "prominent national leader" but she could not even ensure victory of her brother and then party president Rahul Gandhi from Amethi in the 2019 parliamentary election.

Seeking to downplay the impact of Priyanka Gandhi in the state politics, Maurya said, "I do not take her seriously.... We have already named her 'Priyanka Twitter Vadra'. She only tweets for 2-3 days and the media remains busy and social media shows her as a prominent national leader."

"But everyone knows when she came to Uttar Pradesh to campaign for the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections hoping that she would make her brother the prime minister, she could not even ensure his victory," he told PTI.

Rahul Gandhi lost to Smriti Irani of the BJP in his pocket borough of Amethi in the 2019 elections.

Responding to Maurya's comments, spokesperson of UP Congress Ashok Singh told PTI, "The Gandhi family has sacrificed its members for the nation. Before making such remarks, he should get the potholed roads in the entire state repaired as he is in charge of the Public Works Department."

Priyanka Gandhi has flagged the problems faced by migrant labourers returning to their homes in Uttar Pradesh during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, among other issues.

There was also a showdown between the Congress and the state government in May after she offered 1,000 buses to ferry stranded migrant workers to Uttar Pradesh, but the Yogi Adityanath dispensation charged the party with "forgery" and said the list of buses contained registration numbers of two-wheelers, cars and three-wheelers.

The deputy chief minister said Priyanka Gandhi has been critical of policies of the Yogi Adityanath dispensation only because she looks at the BJP-ruled state "from a negative point of view".

Referring to her tweet on migrant labourers, Maurya said, "Congress does not want to see (what is happening in) Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. It is suffering from 'drishti dosh' (vision disorder). Congress leaders, be it Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra or any other, should get their eyes tested properly."

"If they (Congress leaders) want to see everything in a wrong manner because the BJP is ruling Uttar Pradesh...see it from a negative point of view and level allegations on (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi-ji and Yogi-ji, then there is no cure to it. I can only suggest that they should consult a good doctor and wear good quality spectacles," he added.

The Congress has lost its base in Uttar Pradesh and does not have any leader except those looking for just "photo opportunities", Maurya said.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  State Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce on Friday criticized Democratic Santa Fe County Clerk Geraldine Salazar for lack of preparedness and transparency as the outcome of two GOP primary elections hinged on ballots still being counted there.

The Republican Partys nomination for the 3rd Congressional District and a state senate race in District 39 remained in doubt Friday night because of the delay, the primary cause of which was a large number of absentee ballots that were turned in to the clerks office.

A record number of absentee ballots were cast in the June 2 primary election due to coronavirus concerns.

I have candidates that are just beside themselves, Pearce said during a Friday afternoon phone call. Here we are on Friday. Why cant we get these results?

Earlier in the week, a Santa Fe District Court judge granted a request by Salazar to allow her office an extension to tally ballots from Tuesdays election, giving them until 3 p.m. Saturday to complete the count.

Friday evening, Salazar released a statement explaining that some ballots were inadvertently routed in the wrong direction after being logged in as received. She disputed another charge by Pearce that poll watchers had not been provided with information by the clerks office.

GOP Chairman Steve Pearces team is afforded all courtesy and provided all information from the Absentee Boards Presiding Judge and Santa Fe County Clerks staff upon request, she said.

Pearce said Salazar knew well in advance how many absentee ballots needed to be counted and that she failed to prepare for it. He also said Salazar hasnt been transparent about the process over the past few days, declining to keep election monitors abreast of even how many ballots were left to count.

Its obstruction, a lack of transparency, inefficiency and incompetency, he said. What we dont want is for this to happen again in the fall  This is why people dont trust the process in New Mexico.

According to unofficial results posted on the Secretary of States website, Alexis M. Johnson, a retired engineer from Santa Fe, was leading former Santa Fe County Commissioner Harry B. Montoya by 775 votes. But of the ballots that have been counted in Santa Fe County, Montoya was outpacing Johnson, suggesting that he potentially could make up the difference.

The winner will face Democrat Teresa Leger Fernandez in Novembers general election for the seat currently occupied by Ben Ray Lujan.

The Senate District 39 race between Republicans Susan K. Vescovo and Joseph H. Tiano was even closer. Tiano led Vescovo by just 37 votes Friday night.

The winner of that race will go up against Democratic incumbent Liz Stefanics.
By Trend

The interest to visit tourist destinations in Iran's Isfahan, Shiraz and Yazd has reduced, said the Director General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization branch in Yazd Province Mostafa Fatemi, Trend reports citing ILNA.

"During spring, only 20 foreigners and 300 local tourists visited the city of Yazd and currently the number of foreign tourists in this city is zero," said Fatemi.

"A total of 2.3 million local and 460,000 foreign tourists have visited Yazd in spring of 2018, while the number has dropped due to COVID-19, to 300 domestic and 20 foreign tourists during spring of the current Iranian year (began March 20,2020)," he added.

"Despite that hotels have resumed working, only 10 percent of their establishments are taken. For example, a 100-room hotel only has 5 rooms taken, so they're suffering losses," said the official.

He went on to add that around 400 houses and accommodation centers were identified as 'illegal' during the coronavirus spread, due to ignoring health protocols.

"Some 200 of them were closed, and there were concerns over tours without permits," said Fatemi.

He added that economy of Yazd, Isfahan and Shiraz depends on foreign tourists.

"The guild of gold and jewelry producers was another sector that was damaged in Yazd, due to drop of tourism," he added.

"Many handicrafts production units in Yazd have suffered too," he said.
New Delhi, June 6 : The central government has set up a 10-member Task Force to examine matters pertaining to age of motherhood, imperatives of lowering maternal mortality rate and improvement of nutritional levels.

The formation of the Task Force headed by Jaya Jaitly was announced in a gazette notification issued on Thursday.

The Task Force will submit its report by July 31. Other members in the team are Member (health) Niti Aayog Dr. V K Paul, secretaries of higher education, school education, health, women and child development, legislative department apart from academicians Najma Akhtar, Vasudha Kamat and Dipti Shah.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had during her budget speech for 2020-21 proposed to appoint the task force to review the minimum age of marriage for women, study its implications on maternal health and submit its recommendations within six months.

The Finance Minister had said, "Women's age of marriage was increased from 15 years to 18 years in 1978, by amending erstwhile Sharda Act of 1929. As India progresses further, opportunities open up for women to pursue higher education and careers.

She added: "There are imperatives of lowering MMR as well as improvement of nutrition levels. Entire issue about the age of a girl entering motherhood needs to be seen in this light. I propose to appoint a task force that will present its recommendations in six months' time." The task force is trusted with examination of correlation of age of marriage and motherhood with health, medical well-being and nutritional status of mother and neonate, during pregnancy, birth and thereafter.

It will also suggest measures for promoting higher education among women and suitable legislative instruments to support the recommendations of the Task Force.

The Task Force will also work out a detailed roll-out plan with timelines to implement its recommendations.
R iot police have clashed with hundreds of protesters on Whitehall as the Black Lives Matter protests over George Floyd's death became heated.

Officers in full riot gear and on horseback moved in amid tense scenes outside Downing Street.

Thousands of anti-racist activists had gathered outside Downing Street following a rally on Parliament Square and a march through central London on Saturday.

A police horse bolted after officers on horseback charged protesters just after 6pm as skirmishes erupted.

During extraordinary scenes only yards from the Prime Minister's residence, a riderless horse was seen sprinting into the crowds. The police officer was left hospitalised by the incident.

A battle line was formed between police and the protesters and at one point a flare was thrown at officers, but tensions have since calmed.

Police horses charged at the crowds as things became heated / PA

The protest over the death of the unarmed African American in US police custody went ahead as planned despite two Cabinet ministers pleading for people to follow lockdown rules.

Mr Floyd, 46, died after a white officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck in Minneapolis on May 25.

Footage of the incident showed Mr Floyd gasping and pleading I cant breathe, after police apprehended him for the alleged use of a counterfeit $20 bill.

At Fridays coronavirus news briefing, the Health Secretary warned people against joining the demonstrations this weekend, pointing out were still facing a health crisis and coronavirus remains a real threat.

His message was echoed by Home Secretary Priti Patel on Saturday, who addressed people wanting to protest on Sky News, saying: "Please don't."

Police have formed a battle line with hundreds of protesters / AFP via Getty Images

Demonstrations were also held in Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle and Cardiff on Saturday.

The London protest had remained largely peaceful before an escalation this evening.

It follows heated clashes between police and activists outside Downing Street during the last Black Lives Matter demonstration on Wednesday.

Earlier, boxer Anthony Joshua led protesters in Watford, telling crowds: We can no longer sit back and remain silent on this senseless, unlawful killings and sly racism on another human being  based on what? Only their skin colour.

We need to speak out in peaceful demonstrations  just like today, so well done Watford. We must not use a demonstration for selfish motives and turn it into rioting and looting.

In London, most demonstrators who gathered in Parliament Square wore masks and face coverings, with some opting for gloves.

Chants included "black lives matter," while placards carried by demonstrators referenced the coronavirus crisis, with one saying: There is a virus greater than Covid-19 and its called racism.
The Karnataka government, which already has its hands full with the COVID-19 crisis, is now having to deal with the possibility of dissidence from some BJP MLAs.

The BS Yediyurappa government in Karnataka, which already has its hands full with the COVID-19 crisis, is now having to deal with the possibility of dissidence from some BJP MLAs.

The crisis began after former chief minister Siddaramaiah tweeted, "Many disgruntled BJP lawmakers have met me and, of course, expressed their displeasure."

He was further quoted as saying to reporters, "It is true that there is dissidence within the BJP and it will continue. We will not involve ourselves in anything related to it, if the government falls on its own, lets see then."

Siddaramaiah also took potshots at Yediyurappa over accusations over his son BY Vijayendra's interference in the administration. He further alleged, "People say Vijayendra is working as an unconstitutional chief minister, we are not saying it. Yediyurappa is the chief minister only for name's sake, it is Vijayendra who clears things."

The former chief minister's claims come a week after BJP leader and eight-time MLA Umesh Katti held a meeting with over 20 north Karnataka MLAs. According to Deccan Chronicle, Umesh Katti was deprived of a ministerial berth, and so, he has sought a Rajya Sabha berth for his brother Ramesh Katti.

After the meeting, Katti is said to have met Yediyurappa on 28 May at his official residence. During the meeting with Yediyurappa, Katti is said to have put pressure on the Karnataka chief minister to consider his brother for the Rajya Sabha, but claimed that the meeting of legislators was a casual one over meals.

The meeting of the 20 MLAs also triggered reports in a section of media that the chief minister would hold a meeting with a few legislators, apparently to placate them, a claim rejected by Yediyurappa. "I have noticed reports being aired by some news channels that I have convened an emergency meeting with a few legislators. It is far from truth. I would like to clarify that I have not convened any such meeting," he had tweeted on 29 May.

Rajya Sabha polls looming

Four Rajya Sabha seats represented by Rajeev Gowda and BK Hariprasad of the Congress, Prabhakar Kore of the BJP and D Kupendra Reddy of the JD(S) will fall vacant on 25 June with their retirement.

While Congress has fielded Mallikarjun Kharge as its candidate, the BJP and JD(S) are yet to finalise their candidates or strategy for the four Rajya Sabha seats from the state that will go to the polls on 19 June.

The last date for filing nominations is 9 June. With 117 members (including Speaker), BJP can ensure an easy victory in two of the four seats.

The party is scheduled to hold its core committee meeting on Saturday, where they are likely to discuss names and convey them to the central leadership, sources told PTI.

As suspense continues over BJP's pick for Rajya Sabha polls, some within the party expect names to come directly from the central leadership.

Uncertainty in Congress camp

While there does seem to be a storm brewing in the saffron party, it is not clear whether the Congress intends to make an attempt at destabilising the state government. A part of the reason could be the disquiet in its own camp over the post of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief.

On 11 March, DK Shivakumar was named as KPCC chief and he claims to have been discharging the duties of his post since then. However, his official takeover of the party reins in the state has been postponed two times.

The New Indian Express quoted a Congress leader as saying that it is best not to disrupt the Yediyurappa government as of now.

DK Shivakumar has just taken charge as KPCC chief and needs at least two years to cement himself among workers and leaders. If elections are held shortly, they may not be favourable to him, the Congress leader said.

However, the article also quotes a leader close to Siddaramaiah as saying that the bigger reason for not attempting to pull down the government is a lack of trust in the 'dissident' BJP MLAs.

With inputs from PTI
Afghans have taken to social media to denounce Iranian police after a video of a car carrying Afghan refugees set ablaze in Iran went viral, arousing new anger weeks after Afghan officials accused Iranian border guards of drowning migrants.

Afghanistans foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday three Afghans were killed and four injured in Irans central Yazd province after their vehicle was shot at by Iranian police, triggering the fire.

Video footage posted on social media showed a boy escaping from the blazing car with burns on parts of his body, begging for water. The ministry said the video was genuine and Afghans in Iran were trying to identify the victims.

The boys plea of Give me some water, I am burning was widely circulated on social media and taken up by rights groups demanding justice.

Iran has no right to kill Afghan refugees, they can seal their borders, expel all Afghans but not kill them, said Ali Noori, a lawyer and rights activist said on Facebook.

Afghans have for decades sought refuge in Iran from war and poverty in their homeland.





Iran says about 2.5 million Afghan migrants, both legal and undocumented, live there. Facing its own economic problems worsened by international sanctions, Iran has at times tried to send Afghans home.

Last month, Afghan officials said Iranian border guards killed 45 Afghan migrant workers by forcing them at gunpoint into a mountain torrent on the border.

At the time, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi issued a statement saying only that the incident in question had taken place on Afghan soil.

Iranian embassy officials in the Afghan capital, Kabul were not immediately available for comment on the latest incident.
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.
Days after Google axed the Remove China App and Mitron App from Play Store, the Mitron App is now back on Play Store. The so-called Indian alternative to the Chinese-video-making app Tiktok was removed on June 2. The App was removed because it violated certain guidelines of Google.

As per Google's guidelines, the apps that are not unique in nature or the apps that provide the same experience as the other apps to the users are not allowed on the Play Store. The Mitron app was a blatant copy of TikTok and this was one of the reasons why it was removed from the Play Store.

Talking about bringing the app back on Play Store, Google said in a statement, "A number of recent app removals received particular attention in India and we wanted to clarify our actions. Earlier this week, we removed a video app for a number of technical policy violations. We have an established process of working with developers to help them fix issues and resubmit their apps. We've given this developer some guidance and once they've addressed the issue the app can go back up on Play."

Seems like the developers of Mitron have adhered to the guidelines issued by Google and have made changes accordingly. The app has tweaked the design and also updated the Privacy Policy page. The promoter website was also built and updated.

"Mitron is a free Short Video and Social Platform based out of Bengaluru, India. It is designed for people to showcase their innovative videos inline with our theme of light humor. Mitron provides an easy and seamless interface for users to create, edit, and share their videos, and at the same time browse through a library of top videos across the globe.Our mission at Mitron is to create a platform where people can come and entertain themself with small videos posted by people across the globe and at the same time create a social incentive for people to share and create their own videos," the new description of the app on Play Store reads.

Mitron became popular in India days after it was launched due to the rise in anti-China of late. Interestingly, the app that claimed to be an Indian substitute to Chinese-app TikTok, isn't Indian enough. The app was bought by IIT Roorkee Shivank Agarwal from Pakistani coding company Qboxus. The source code provider of the app had told Indian Express that the app has too many flaws as the developer didn't alter the code after purchasing it from him for Rs 2500. He also claimed that the privacy policy of the app was not even changed before it was uploaded on Google Play Store for the first time.
Activists march together in central Seoul, Saturday, in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Yonhap





Yonhap



A group of activists held a rally in central Seoul on Saturday to voice their support for the anti-racism movement in the United States that flared up after the death of George Floyd.



Some 100 people participated in the rally, which was held in Myeongdong, central Seoul. Clad in black, they later marched toward Cheonggye Stream, with some holding pickets reading "Black Lives Matter."



The rally was organized to support the BLM movement that has been spreading across the U.S. and around the world following the death of Floyd, a black American, at the hands of a white police officer.











Yonhap
China wants India to stop development of infrastructure at the LAC

New Delhi: All eyes are set on the high-level military dialogue on Saturday between India and China to break the ice between the armies of the two countries who are involved in a month-long tense military stand-off in the Ladakh sector.

The meeting will take place at a Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) point in Moldo on the Chinese side and is scheduled at around 9:30 am in the morning depending upon the weather conditions, said sources.

The Leh-based 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh will represent India. However, Major General Liu Lin will represent China who is the commander of South Xinjiang Military Region of the Peoples Liberation Army. PLAs Corps is headed by Major General rank official, said sources.

The agenda is re-establishment of peace and tranquility at the Line of Actual Control which has been disturbed in the recent days, said sources.

India will demand a return to status quo in Pangong Tso, Hot Springs and Galwan Valley. On its part Chinese could ask India to stop development of infrastructure at the LAC which has increased the ability of the Indian army to deploy its troops in the mountainous region much faster. However, India is unlikely to agree to this demand as it believes that all construction is taking place in its own territory.

India is likely to focus on the Pangong Tso lake, where the two sides were involved in a brutal clash on the intervening night of May 5th and May 6th.

On the northern bank of Pangong lake, India claims that its area is from Finger area 1 to Finger 8 and Chinese claim their area to be from Finger 8 till Finger 2. Indias army base is around finger 3 and it patrols till finger 8. This time, sources said Chinese have placed a large number of troops between finger 4 to 8 to prevent patrolling by Indian troops. Chinese have also occupied some the peaks in the area.

In Galwan Valley, Chinese have brought their troops into undisputed Indian territory. PLA is unhappy with the 255 km Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie road which connects to the base of the Karakoram pass. According to sources till last year Border Road Organisation was able to blacktop the road till 210 km and the rest of it will be completed this year. Chinese presence at Galwan is a threat to DS-DBO road as they can cut off this crucial road. With this road, which is at a height of 17,000 feet, it will take Indian army to reach Daulat Beg Oldie from Leh in six hours against two days without it. India is also constructing feeder roads to the patrolling points from DS-DBO road for better connectivity.

There have been more than 10 rounds of talks held already between the two sides at different level from Commanding Officers, Brigade to Major General level to try to resolve the issue.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal has ordered a probe into a plea over an alleged illegal construction of a farmhouse by Telangana minister KT Rama Rao.

A bench comprising Justice K Ramakrishnan and expert member Saibal Dasgupta issued notices to the Telangana government, IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao, the state pollution control board, Greater Hyderabad municipal corporation and others while seeking their replies by August 26.

The plea, filed by Congress MP Anumula Revanth Reddy, alleged that the Telangana chief minister's son expanded his farmhouse by violating environmental laws.

"We want to ascertain the present status of the constructions made and also we want to issue notice to the party respondents as well to know their stand on the question of constructions made in connection of the violation alleged in the application regarding violation, the government orders and also the environmental laws," the bench said in its order on June 5.

The southern bench of NGT has constituted a committee to probe the plea.

The committee members include a senior officer of the regional office under the Environment Ministry, the Chennai district collector, Ranga Reddy district collector, a senior officer from the Telangana Pollution Control Board, the commissioner of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and others.

The committee will inspect the area in question and submit a factual and action-taken report if there is any violation.

"The committee is directed to submit the report to this tribunal within a period of two months through email. Registry is directed to communicate this order to the respondents, including the committee members immediately through e-mail," the bench said.

The plea, filed through advocate Sravan Kumar, alleged that the illegal construction was made in the bio-conservation zone within the catchment area of Osman Sagar Lake which is a life line for drinking water and flood control instruments situated in the limits of Greater Hyderabad, Municipal Commission (GHMC) of Hyderabad now in Telangana.
According to a contract released by the U.S. Defense Government on June 6, 2020, Vigor Marine LLC, Portland, Oregon, is awarded a $56,450,644 firm-fixed-price contract for a 210-calendar day split shipyard availability for the regular overhaul and dry docking of the hospital ship U.S. Naval USNS Ship Mercy (T-AH 19). Work will be performed in Portland, Oregon, and is expected to be complete by August 2021.

According to a contract released by the U.S. Defense Government on June 6, 2020, Vigor Marine LLC, Portland, Oregon, is awarded a $56,450,644 firm-fixed-price contract for a 210-calendar day split shipyard availability for the regular overhaul and dry docking of the hospital ship U.S. Naval USNS Ship Mercy (T-AH 19). Work will be performed in Portland, Oregon, and is expected to be complete by August 2021.

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The hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) arrives in San Diego, May 15, 2020. Mercy deployed in support of the nation's COVID-19 response efforts, and served as a referral hospital for non-COVID-19 patients admitted to shore-based hospitals. (Picture source U.S. Navy)

The USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) is the lead ship of her class of hospital ships in non-commissioned service with the United States Navy. United States Naval Ship (USNS) Mercy was built as a San Clemente-class oil tanker, SS Worth, by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, California, in 1976. Starting in July 1984, she was renamed and converted to a hospital ship by the same company. Launched on 20 July 1985, Mercy was placed in service on 8 November 1986.

A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital. Most are operated by the military forces (mostly navies) of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones. In the nineteenth century, redundant warships were used as moored hospitals for seamen.

Currently, the U.S. Navy has two Mercy-class hospital ships including the USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and USNS Comfort (T-AH 20). These ships have become prime assets in the Navy's efforts to reach out to foreign countries and provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Since 2001, the hospital ships have conducted a number of humanitarian-assistance and disaster-response missions at home and abroad, providing care to more than 550,000 people.

U.S. Navy USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) each contain 12 fully-equipped operating rooms, a 1,000-bed hospital facility, digital radiological services, a medical laboratory, a pharmacy, an optometry lab, a CAT-scan and two oxygen-producing plants. Each ship is equipped with a helicopter deck capable of landing large military helicopters. The ships also have side ports to take on patients at sea.

When fully operational, the hospital ships have a crew of about 71 civilians and up to 1,200 Navy medical and communications personnel. The precise crew composition and size varies by mission type. During humanitarian-assistance missions, the crew often includes representatives from other U.S. services, foreign militaries, and non-governmental organizations.
Ex-Joint Chiefs chairman: Trump's threat to use military on protesters 'very dangerous'

Iran Press TV

Friday, 05 June 2020 3:29 PM

Former US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Martin Dempsey has slammed President Donald Trump for his handling of nationwide protests against police violence and systemic racism sparked by the recent police killing of unarmed, handcuffed African-American man George Floyd.

"The idea that the president would take charge of the situation using the military was troubling to me," Dempsey said in an interview NPR on Thursday.

"The idea that the military would be called in to dominate and to suppress what, for the most part, were peaceful protests  admittedly, where some had opportunistically turned them violent  and that the military would somehow come in and calm that situation was very dangerous to me," he added.

Protests continued into their tenth night in dozens of American cities following a private memorial service in Minneapolis for Floyd, who was killed last week.

Trump has called on the country's governors to deploy their national guards, urging them earlier in the week that they needed to "dominate" protestors.

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper, however, has broken with Trump on using the country's military forces to crush protests, seeking justice for Floyd.

The Pentagon chief said on Wednesday that he would not invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow Trump to use the National Guard against protester

Trump's own former defense secretary, James Mattis, even denounced his handling of nationwide anti-racism protests, saying the president is trying to turn Americans against each other.

"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 said in his rebuke of the president. "We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership."

Former US defense Secretary William Perry said that the US military "was never intended to be used against American citizens, and it was never intended to be used for partisan political purposes."

Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25 after former police officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest.

Hundreds of mourners attended an emotional memorial service in Minneapolis on Thursday for Floyd

Floyd's attorney told mourners he would find justice for the 46-year-old. "It was not the coronavirus pandemic that killed George Floyd," said Benjamin Crump, who is representing Floyd's family. "It was that other pandemic. The pandemic of racism and discrimination."

Floyd's death has reignited long-felt anger over police killings of African-Americans and unleashed a nationwide wave of civil unrest unlike any seen in the US since Martin Luther King Jr's 1968 assassination.

US civil rights groups filed a lawsuit on Thursday against Trump, after police fired tear gas to clear peaceful demonstrators outside the White House before the president walked to a church for a photo op earlier this week.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6)  Authorities raided an illegal Chinese clinic operating in Paranaque City wherein unknown Chinese medicines and supplies were seized.

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) conducted the raid at Diamond Bay Tower in Brgy. Baclaran on Saturday morning. Illegal activity was discovered after a confidential report was made.

Investigation done by the City Health Office and Business Permit and Licensing Office revealed that the clinic has no business permit.

About 237 packs of unknown Chinese medicines and supplies were confiscated, and believed to be used to treat COVID-19.

Owners and operators of the said establishment are still being verified by the authorities.

Similar illegal operating clinics must be immediately reported to the authorities. In line with this, we encourage the public to coordinate with the nearest police station for any information that they may give with an assurance that their identity will be highly confidential, NCRPO chief Maj Gen Debold Sinas said.
Fort Bend County officials recently launched a virtual student art gallery to honor the memory of George Floyd through artistic expression.

As we pay our respects to Mr. Floyd, the #ArtForJustice students virtual gallery is a heartfelt exhibition of solidarity and support led by Fort Bends youth, County Judge KP George said in a press release. George Floyd spent much of his childhood in Houston, Texas. Let's honor George's life through action and artistic expression.

The artwork will be displayed in a virtual art gallery created by INVI, a minority-owned architecture visualization company based in Houston. The gallery will debut on Monday, June 8, to coincide with the public memorial and Homegoing Celebration in Remembrance of George Floyd.

Were encouraging students to submit art inspired by the call for racial justice borne of this tragedy. #ArtForJustice offers a space for young people to honor George Floyd and reckon with a tipping point moment, defining how we show up for the Black community, project organizer Karim Farishta said in a press release. Other project organizers include Delilah Agho-Otoghile, Dexter McCoy, Nathan Truong and Swaroop Rao, county officials said. Art rending can be submitted online until Sunday, June 7. For more information, visit https://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/your-county/art-for-justice

knix@hcnonline.com
The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its guidance on facemasks amid the coronavirus pandemic. WHO Director-General, Ted...





The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its guidance on facemasks amid the coronavirus pandemic.





WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, listed new precautions on Friday at virtual news conference.





WHO announced that non-medical fabric masks must have at least three layers of different materials.





The UN agency reminded that face masks must still be used in crowded situations even in areas where lockdown have been eased.

Ghebreyesus urged governments to encourage the general public to wear masks where there is widespread transmission and physical distancing is difficult.





He listed these as public transport, in shops or in other confined or crowded environments.





The WHO chief advised that in areas with community transmission, people aged 60 years or over, or those with underlying conditions, should wear a medical mask in situations where physical distancing is not possible





Ghebreyesus declared that masks alone will not protect you from COVID-19





To countries, he urged them to find, isolate, test and care for every case, and to trace and quarantine every contact.





That is what we know works. That is every countrys best defence against COVID-19.





The world has recorded 6.7 million cases of coronavirus and 395,000.
An eleventh-hour donation from a Melbourne benefactor has saved a volunteer service that supports domestic violence victims in court.

But the $130,000 donation from retired businessman David Baer will only keep the service alive for another year with federal and state governments refusing to budge over funding despite its founder being recognised as the Premiers Volunteer of the Year.

David Baer, who donated $130,00 to Court Network, with the service's founder Carmel Benjamin. Credit:Penny Stephens

Court Network has trained volunteers, recognisable by their pink lanyards, to work across all courts in Victoria for 40 years.

They walk the floor, approaching people to ask if they need help to navigate the courts, sitting with those in distress, supporting witnesses giving evidence and referring victims to community services.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday warned her party against politicising relief work for the coronavirus pandemic and Cyclone Amphan and corruption in the public distribution system.

Mamata Banerjee also instructed TMC leaders to intensify political campaign on social media highlighting her governments successes in the past nine years.

She gave those instructions during an internal meeting of the party, held over videoconferencing, on Friday evening.

The meeting went on for nearly three hours as state and district-level leaders, including district-unit presidents and select members of the state assembly and Parliament, attended it.

Mamata Banerjee inquired from the leaders about the situation on the ground and made some organisational changes at the district-level. She stressed on the need to reach every door with the governments success stories and avoid doing anything that could earn the party a bad name.

She said that the party must not get involved in the relief workleaving it to the administrationand that the relief for Covid-19 lockdown and Cyclone Amphan must reach all victims, supporters of all parties, a Lok Sabha member of the TMC, who did not want to be named, said.

She also said that the government will take strong action against people corrupting the ration distribution system and the party would not stand by anyone found involved, the lawmaker cited above added.

Her meeting came in the wake of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launching its 2021 electoral campaign, branded as Aar Noi Mamata literally meaning no more Mamata, and calling for the toppling of the TMC regime next year.

Union home minister Amit Shah is scheduled to address a virtual rally of the state unit of the BJP on June 9.

Incidentally, all of the TMCs opponents in Bengal  the BJP, the Left and the Congress  have targeted the Mamata Banerjee government and her party for corruption in providing government relief due to Covid-19 and Cyclone Amphan.

Referring to the BJPs increased political activities, Banerjee told her party that they too must start the campaign and revive public relations  through social media and at their localities  and activate the booth-level units for this purpose.

She said we needed to stand by the people on the ground and take our success stories to every door. She gave special thrust on countering BJPs propaganda on social media, said a district unit president of TMC.

No TMC leaders spoke on record because it was an internal meeting.

The TMC chief also warned the party against infighting.

Dont comment against the party staying in it. I am telling this particularly to leaders in Kolkata. If you want to go, the door is open, Banerjee reportedly said during the videoconference on Friday.

Her warning came in the wake of a series of incidents where senior party leaders, including ministers, were found criticising their colleagues.

Reacting to the news of CM Banerjees warning to her party against corruption, Left and BJP leaders said it was nothing more than a mockery of the reality.

TMC is corrupt, top to bottom. Who listens to such things? Sujan Chakraborty, the leader of the Left parties in the assembly, asked.

If she was concerned about corruption, she should have long ago acted against the corrupt filling up ranks in her party, the BJPs national secretary Rahul Sinha said.

The TMC won 211 of the states 294 assembly seats, while BJP won only three in 2016 elections. However, the BJP emerged as the states principal opposition party in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, winning 18 of the 42 seats, while the TMC won 22.
Ottawa, June 6 : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an appearance at an anti-racism protest on Parliament Hill here, showing up unannounced to hear speeches from activists demanding fairer treatment from police for minorities.

Trudeau joined the large crowd on Friday and knelt for eight minutes and 46 seconds - which is how long a Minneapolis police officer held down African-American man George Floyd with his knee on his neck before he died, reports CBC News.

The African-American man died while in police custody on May 25, while all four officers at the scene now face charges.

Trudeau tried to blend into the crowd on Friday, but TV cameras and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police security detail made his presence known to the roughly 4,000 activists gathered around the Centennial Flame on the lawn at Parliament Hill.

Trudeau told his security detail to stop pushing people as he made his way closer to the stage where the speakers were addressing the crowd.

The Prime Minister initially was met with chants of "Stand up to Trump" and "Go away" from some in the crowd.

The Trump chant was a reference to the Prime Minister's reluctance to condemn US President Donald Trump by name over his handling of the protests.

Trudeau was asked this week to respond to the President's threat to deploy active duty military personnel on protesters in US cities - a question that Trudeau answered after a 21-second pause, said the CBC News report.

Trudeau was accompanied by Families Minister Ahmed Hussen, a Somali-Canadian who has spoken out about the racism he has faced in the country.

Protesters in other cities have asked police officers to kneel to show respect for black people who have been killed in police custody.

Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders also took a knee during a protest in that city on Friday.

Meanwhile, Jagmeet Singh, the leader of Canada's New Democratic Party, also took part in similar anti-black racism protests in Toronto on Friday.

"We need to be heard. People need to be heard," Singh, a turbaned Sikh who is the first visible minority to lead a major national Canadian political party, said in a video post on his Instagram page.

"People want justice, they want systemic change and an end to racial profiling."
Christian Drosten, director of the Institute of Virology at Berlin's Charite hospital. (Michael Kappeler/AFP via Getty Images)

Germanys early response to the virus in terms of developing and deploying coronavirus tests at the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, and the governments quick response to scientists recommendations has prevented thousands of deaths in the country, according to a leading virologist.

In an interview with Der Spiegel magazine (link in German), Christian Drosten, director of the Virology Institute at Berlins Charite hospital, said that without his labs work developing a coronavirus diagnostic test in January, Germany would have been less well-prepared for the outbreak.

In mid-February we were able to routinely test for Sars-CoV-2 in Germany, Drosten said. If we hadn't been able to test so early, if we scientists hadn't informed politicians, I believe we would now have 50,000 to 100,000 more deaths in Germany.

Europes largest economy has the biggest population in Europe with 83 million people. This is compared to France (67 million), UK with (66 million), Italy (60 million), and Spain (46 million).

Germany imposed its business and social lockdowns on 16 March, with chancellor Angela Merkel making a rare TV address appealing to people to stay home to slow the spread of the virus. She described the coronavirus crisis as the biggest challenge to face the country since the Second World War.

Merkel, herself a trained scientist, said that a shutdown of this scale is not what we want to do, but what scientists say [we should do].

While Germany has recorded 182,450 confirmed cases of coronavirus, its COVID-19 death toll, at 8,472, is dramatically lower than the UK, France, Spain, and Italy.

Drosten has on several occasions attributed the low fatality numbers to testing early and testing a lot.

"We stopped a pandemic wave with comparatively mild measures, and we did it very efficiently, he told Der Spiegel.

Germanys federal health minister Jens Spahn said last week that the government may introduce new regulation to ensure everyone admitted to hospitals, nursing homes, and other care facilities will be tested for COVID-19, even if they have no symptoms.

Story continues

Spahn said that the countrys healthcare system can easily cope with testing everyone on arrival. Last week, 425,000 tests were carried out across Germany, he said. But the test capacity is more than twice as large.

By the end of April, Germanys labs had the capacity to carry out nearly 900,000 coronavirus tests a week.

Drosten, regarded as one of the global leaders in the field, has become a household name in Germany since the outbreak of the pandemic, with nearly 400,000 Twitter followers and a hugely popular podcast.

He told Spiegel that before the pandemic he had not tweeted anything for two years, but decided to assume a more public-facing role during the crisis.

As someone who works on coronaviruses, I simply saw myself as obliged to do so, Drosten said. So, in mid-January I decided to spend a large part of my time on public relations and to invest the strength of my work group into the introduction of the test.

Since lockdowns began easing in April, there have been demonstrations in cities across Germany with right-wingers, left-wingers, and conspiracy theorists protesting ongoing social distancing rules, and claiming, among other things, that the coronavirus pandemic was not real.

It is what is known as a prevention paradox. Prevention is paradoxical: nothing happened because we prevented it, Drosten said. I think one should say to the corona deniers: Look abroad. We have achieved something in Germany that no comparable country in the world has managed to do.

Drosten added that he believes it is a theoretical possibility that Germany could avoid a second wave of the outbreak.
Displaced: A family in Bunia, capital of Ituri province. (Photo: AFP/Samir Tounsi)

Some attacks "may amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes," United Nations rights chief Michelle Bachelet warned.

Her office said the casualty toll in the east of the vast country had soared in recent weeks as conflicts in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces had spread, "with disastrous repercussions for the civilian population."

Armed groups, it said, had perpetrated massacres and atrocities, while government forces had also committed major breaches.

"I am appalled by the increase in brutal attacks on innocent civilians by armed groups, and by the reaction of the military and security forces who have also committed grave violations," Bachelet said in a statement.

In Ituri, rights investigators found that violence spread into new areas after the biggest armed group, CODECO, splintered following the killing of its main leader, Ngudjolo Duduko Justin, in March.

CODECO - for the Cooperative for the Development of the Congo - is mainly drawn from the Lendu ethnic group.

The Lendu are predominantly sedentary farmers and have historically clashed with the Hema community of traders and herders.

The UN said CODECO and other Lendu fighters had for years "pursued a strategy of slaughtering local residents" in a bid to control resources.

"So far, to their credit, the targeted communities have refrained from retaliating," Bachelet said.

The UN said violence committed by the armed groups in the region had grown "increasingly more gruesome", pointing to sexual violence, beheadings and the mutilation of corpses.

Between last October and the end of May, at least 531 civilians were killed by armed groups in Ituri, 375 of them since March, it said.

Congolese armed forces and police also allegedly killed 17 civilians during the same period, it said.

KIVU ATROCITIES

In the neighbouring Kivu region, hundreds of civilians have died and hundreds of thousands have fled their homes, the Un said.

In North Kivu, military operations launched by government forces last November have led to retaliatory attacks by the main armed group, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), that have killed at least 514 civilians, the statement said.

The UN said the fighters had used machetes, axes and heavy weapons, and had also been abducting children, attacking schools and hospitals.

The security forces, it added, have also been responsible for killing dozens of civilians.

The surge in violence since September last year has forced more than 400,000 civilians in the region to flee their homes, rights office spokeswoman Marta Hurtado told AFP.

In South Kivu, meanwhile, a resurgence of ethnic-based violence in recent months has left at least 74 civilians dead, while dozens of women and children have been raped, the UN said.

The violence there has spurred more than 110,000 people, mainly women and children, to flee since January, Hurtado said, adding that the displacement had soared since March.

Elsewhere in the DRC, the UN detailed violence and killings in the coastal Kongo Central province and in the capital Kinshasa, where at least 62 civilians were killed in military and police operations against militants between Mar 30 and Apr 24 this year.

Bachelet called on Congolese authorities to "take all necessary measures to prevent the repetition of such grave violations."
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

The Navajo Nation is seeing a surge in visitors following the reopening of neighboring national parks and monuments, President Jonathan Nez said during a U.S. House subcommittee hearing Tuesday.

Nez expressed concerns that those reopenings could worsen the COVID-19 pandemic in tribal areas where he said coronavirus cases remain high. Nez said visitors may not be aware they are subject to regulations put into place to stop the spread of the virus and may be subject to fines.

He, Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., and others participating in the hearing criticized the reopening of parks such as the Grand Canyon.

Over the weekend, we had a lot of traffic, Nez said. Memorial Day weekend, we had a lot of traffic.

Nez said he was surprised there has been no outreach to states and visitors to let them know if they are in our nation, they will be pulled over, and they will be cited $1,000 for disobeying the curfew.

There was so much traffic here, he said. I havent been given the numbers from our police department, but Im sure its high.  We dont want visitors to be detained. We dont want them to have to pay a $1,000 citation because they are going through our lands.

The Navajo Nation ended its weekend-long curfew this week, but a daily curfew remains in effect from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Nez voiced concerns to U.S. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt with the Navajo Nation being close to federal parks and points of interest including the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon in Utah and Chaco Canyon. The two met during Bernhardts visit to Albuquerque two weeks ago.

Bernhardt told the Journal he would be willing to work with the Navajo Nation on issues concerning the reopenings, and mentioned an agreement to keep a route from the Grand Canyon into the Navajo Nation closed.

But it wasnt strictly enforced, is what Im hearing, from the parks end, Nez said. We have visitors coming through on the way to Page (Arizona) and Lake Powell.

Bernhardt said parks and monuments are being reopened in a responsible manner with the health and safety of park employees, visitors and residents of the communities taken into account.

That is something Haaland and Phil Francis, chairman of the Coalition to Protect Americas National Parks dispute. Haaland said the Trump administration has chosen to politicize access to public lands at the expense of public safety.

Look at what happened at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (on the North Carolina-Tennessee border), Haaland said. Less than a day after reopening, parking lots were overflowing with visitors from 24 different states, many without wearing masks.

There has been no national leadership, no plan, Francis added, calling the opening piecemeal.

He said people were ignoring barricades to closed areas at Great Smoky Mountains National Park and social distancing was not observed.

Bernhardt said masks did not need to be worn in outdoor areas where social distancing can be observed, citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Nez said Bernhardt told him he was opening all parks because his boss (President Donald Trump) wanted all the parks open.
Representatives from the local tourism industry are excited to have visitors returning to the Walworth County area now that the states Safer at Home restrictions have been lifted, but those leaders still want people to exercise caution while staying here.

Stephanie Klett, executive director for VISIT Lake Geneva, said having more people visit the area benefits local stores, restaurants and tourists attractions.

We cant blame people for wanting to come here after theyve been cooped up the past couple of months, Klett said. I think it is a complement that people think so highly of our community that they want to come here.

The Wisconsin State Supreme Court on May 13 overturned Gov. Tony Evers Safer at Home order, which closed most businesses in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Since the order has been reversed, Lake Geneva and Walworth County communities have witnessed an increase in tourism traffic.

Tammie Carstensen, general manager for Harbor Shores on Lake Geneva, 300 Wrigley Drive in Lake Geneva, said her hotel has been booked with guests during the past two weekends as visitors vacation here.

Kathleen Seeberg, executive director for the Walworth County Visitors Bureau, said she also is pleased with the number of people who have been coming to the community.

Its good for our tourism businesses that we are open to the community, Seeberg said. Its good that people in our neighboring communities want to visit us.

Carstensen said, even though the governors Safer at Home restrictions have been lifted, safety precautions are still in place at the hotel.

She said guests are required to have their temperature taken before they checking into their rooms, and people are required to follow social distancing guidelines in the lobby.

Carstensen said face masks are not required but are encouraged, and complementary masks are available.

Klett said VISIT Lake Geneva has established safety campaigns to encourage people to social distance and wear face masks.

Ultimately, were helping the visitors and were helping our community, she said.

Seeberg said, even though she is glad that people are visiting Walworth County, she also wants visitors to follow safety guidelines.

I hope people are practicing social distancing and being as safe as they possibly can, Seeberg said. Tourism is a big part of our county, but I want residents, businesses and visitors to be safe, as well.

Klett said some guidelines have been established at VISIT Lake Genevas visitors center, 201 Wrigley Drive in Lake Geneva, such as not allowing no more than four people inside the center at a time and having hand sanitizer available for walk-in traffic.

She said people have been cooperative with following the guidelines.

Nobody has been offended by that, Klett said.

Seeberg said local communities and businesses need to work together to keep both residents and visitors safe from the coronavirus.

I think we need to find a balance between bringing people to Walworth County and keeping people safe, Seeberg said. I think we can find that balance.

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U.S. Senators Introduce Legislation To Stop Completion Of Russian Gas Pipeline

By Todd Prince June 05, 2020

A group of bipartisan senators has submitted legislation to stop Russia from completing a controversial undersea natural-gas pipeline to Germany.

The five senators, led by Ted Cruz (Republican-Texas) and Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat-New Hampshire), introduced the legislation on June 4 to expand existing sanctions against Nord Stream 2, which would double Russian gas exports to Germany if completed.

The United States in December 2019 passed the Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act, which placed sanctions on vessels laying the Nord Stream 2 pipeline along the floor of the Baltic Sea, halting the $11 billion project shortly before its completion.

To get around the bill's impact, Russia has sent its own vessel to the Baltic Sea to lay the remaining 160 kilometers of pipeline. Nord Stream 2 consists of two parallel lines stretching 1,230 kilometers from Russia to Germany along the Baltic Sea floor.

The new legislation widens the sanctions in the existing law to include any entity that provides insurance, port facilities or tethering services for the project as well as any company that certifies Nord Stream 2 for operation.

"There is bipartisan and bicameral consensus that Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline poses a critical threat to America's national security and must not be completed. Nevertheless, Putin continues to try to circumvent those sanctions," Cruz said in a statement.

The United States opposes Nord Stream 2, claiming it undermined Ukraine and strengthened Russia's grip on Europe's energy industry.

The pipeline would enable Russia to reroute gas exports to Europe around Ukraine, depriving Kyiv of billions of dollars in needed transit revenue.

Naftogaz, Ukraine's state-owned natural gas company, has lobbied the United States to first pass and then expand the sanctions.

Moscow has accused Washington of using sanctions to open the door for more U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to Europe.

The United States has ramped up gas production over the past decade and has begun exporting LNG to Europe. Texas, which Cruz represents, is the country's largest producer of natural gas.

The new legislation would need to pass both houses of Congress and be signed by the president before it could become law.

Russia hopes to finish the pipeline by the first quarter of 2021 at the latest, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in January.

It took Congress seven months to pass the first Nord Stream 2 bill.

Perhaps amid concerns that Russia could complete the project before the new legislation is approved, the authors have made the new sanctions retroactive to December 2019.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-senators-introduce- legislation-to-stop-completion-of-russian -gas-pipeline/30654079.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.

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Demands for reforms to protect African Americans from police brutality echoed through parts of Portland for a ninth consecutive night Friday.

The Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd has prompted calls for change nationwide. Floyd, who was black, died May 25 after he was restrained on the ground by a white officer who kneeled on Floyds neck for almost nine minutes. That officer, and three others who were there, have since been charged.

The protests have brought thousands of people together in downtown Portland.

The ninth day of demonstrations ended like many before it: in a wave of smoke and stun grenades as police moved in to break up crowds. The Multnomah County Sheriffs Office said some protesters pushed down a fence outside the downtown jail. Portland police said people threw things over the fence at officers.

The sheriffs office confirmed in a tweet that law enforcement used gas to disperse the crowds, but did not specify the exact type of gas.

Until then, police remained distant from the peaceful demonstrations.

The crowd-control tactics at the end of the night overshadowed pledges by Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler earlier in Friday to limit the ways police respond. The police bureaus use of tear gas, stun grenades and a device that emits ear-piercing sounds on protesters in recent days had resulted in even greater scrutiny of police actions.

Wheeler said late Friday on Twitter that he would stop the police bureau from using its extra-loud sound equipment to clear crowds. Later, the mayor told demonstrators gathered near a barricaded City Hall that he would make an announcement Saturday about the use of tear gas. He referenced the Seattle mayors decision to ban tear gas.

The city of Seattle today, late this afternoon, banned the use of tear gas for 30 days, except in limited circumstances," he said. "We should do the same. Tomorrow, my colleagues and I will make an announcement.

A spokesman for the mayor did not respond to messages about the exact details of Wheelers plan.

As recently as earlier Friday afternoon, the mayor and police leaders defended the bureaus use of tear gas as necessary. At his daily press conference, Wheeler said he would support a ban on tear gas if police had a viable alternative.

Hours after the news conference, the community board that oversees Portland police denounced the bureaus decision to use force against demonstrators.

While these demonstrations are first and foremost about the worth of black lives, the response to them is also illuminating a troubling pattern of police violence against protesters that interferes with public safety and freedom of speech, the Citizen Review Committee said in a statement.

Shay Morgan joined the demonstrations Friday. Morgan said her ex-husbands nephew, Aaron Campbell, was shot and killed by Portland police in 2010. The 25-year-olds death prompted intense scrutiny, national attention and a march on City Hall.

After fatal shootings make the news, support usually fades, Morgan said. This movement is different, she said, because there is so much support.

"It makes me feel prayerful for my grandchildren and great-grandchildren that theyll be able to live in a free land truly, she said.

Thousands of people marched Friday across the Hawthorne Bridge to downtown Portland. The evening march, which drew thousands of people, appears to have been the largest event among several demonstrations throughout the Portland area.

As people began to gather for the march in Southeast Portland, a food and water station was set up near Stark Street and 12th Avenue. Stacks of donated water bottles and jars of peanuts awaited protesters.

Bianca Estrella prepared mashed potatoes and pureed shrimp and chicken gumbo gravy.

Everybody doesnt have to mobilize to make a difference," Estrella said.

Axel Gonzalez, 20, of Beaverton, attended the protests for a second time Friday to show solidarity and to protest the criminal justice system

I dont want to miss out," Gonzales said. "This is an important moment in history.

Shortly after 6 p.m., it began to rain.

Mitch Thompson, 28, of Portland, and a few others worked at a voter registration booth. More than 100 have signed up since Thursday, Thompson said.

As the event got underway, Wheeler said on Twitter that Portland police could now only use the bureaus long range acoustic device to share information and not as a sonic warning tone function.

Around 6:30 p.m., several women began giving speeches at the Southeast Portland gathering place. Hundreds of people, many wearing raincoats, stood nearby and listened.

Tonight is about black women, one speaker said.

Friday would have been the 27th birthday of Breonna Taylor, a black woman killed by police in Kentucky when they served a no-knock search warrant on her home. The Southeast Portland crowd sang happy birthday in Taylors memory, then began to march toward downtown around 6:45 p.m.

A half-hour later, the crowd of more than 1,000 people continued to make its way in the rain toward the Hawthorne Bridge.

Abhishekh Vasa, 28, decided to protest Friday for the first time to support others and to push for greater transparency in the justice system overall.

It feels good to be a part of something greater, Vasa said.

Meanwhile in downtown Portland, a few dozen protesters gathered in Chapman Square, outside the Multnomah County Justice Center.

Wheeler walked among the group and talked with demonstrators. Wearing a hoodie and jeans, he used a handheld sound system told demonstrators that he wanted to hear from them about their demands for change.

As he spoke, people shouted questions. One person asked about tear gas. He described it as ugly and said he would make an announcement about it Saturday.

By 8 p.m., several marchers had made their way from the Hawthorne Bridge to the Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

Several people addressed the crowd in the park. One person led chants of, Enough is enough.

Meanwhile, a separate crowd kept growing outside of the Multnomah County Justice Center. By 8:45 p.m., more than 1,000 people had converged there.

A fence continued to block protesters from access to the building, which has been a target of the demonstrations. Friday marked one week since people broke into the Justice Center and set a small fire inside a first-floor office building. The event set off widespread vandalism that left businesses in parts of the downtown severely damaged.

As began to set, speeches continued at the waterfront park. A speech by a 10-year-old boy, who introduced himself as Quentin, drew enormous cheer.

When did I become a threat? he asked. "I just want to live. Is that too much to ask for?

Around 9:15 p.m., City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty took the stage. Hardesty is the first African American woman to serve on city council.

She said she had received more than 12,000 emails in support of police reform, more than she has received in her entire 18 months in office.

I beg you, dont stop! she said, drawing cheers. Dont stop! Dont stop!

Hardestys speech concluded around 9:30 p.m. Many people began to leave the park.

More people began to stream into the area near the Justice Center. Shortly before 10 p.m., police used a loudspeaker to tell people to stop tampering" with the fence.

Around 10:20 p.m., police warned that officers would use crowd control munitions if people did not stop touching the fence. The crowd in the area appeared to have grown to several thousand people.

Darya Mojab stood near the fence with her arms crossed. She said she moved to the United States from Iran when she was 10 years old, and later witnessed political protests when she retuned to visit family. She said she saw a young man get shot dead during the protest. She said the sense of right and wrong has been instilled with her ever since, and brought her out to the protests.

Meanwhile, many people who had marched downtown left the waterfront park and returned to the Hawthorne Bridge, where they walked back to Southeast Portland.

The crowd near the Justice Center remained massive shortly before 11 p.m.

Michael Johnson, 62, stood 6 feet from the fence. He said his friend was killed by in a fatal encounter with Portland police in the 90s.

Im out here today because somebody has to clean up the sewage of America for posterity, he said.

Plain-clothes police officers, known as liaisons, began to talk to some demonstrators nearby. In response, people started chanting, Dont talk to cops.

At 11 p.m., the tension of the crowd heightened. Police said they had witnessed criminal activity and declared the gathering an unlawful assembly.

Over a loudspeaker, police told people to leave a wide swath of downtown. But few people left. Police started to line up in rank formation on the north and south sides of the Justice Center.

Several people began to push some sections of the fence. Police repeated demands to leave.

Around 11:10 p.m., officers set off devices that emitted loud bangs and smoke into the air. The crowd began to disperse from some parts of the fence. A large crowd remained on Southwest Third Avenue and Madison Street, on the other side of the Justice Center.

Portland police turned to Twitter to tell everyone to leave.

This is a civil disturbance and unlawful assembly downtown, police said around 11:20 p.m.

At Third and Madison, the crowd chanted, Were not leaving.

Oregonian/OregonLive reporters saw multiple people throw things over the fencing toward cops. At some points along the fence, officers set off stun grenades.

Around 11:30 p.m., police began to advance into the crowd to try to break it up further. As police moved through the crowd, small groups began to reform in nearby blocks. Police continued to set off stun grenades and smoke devices.

By midnight, many small groups of demonstrators remained throughout the city. But few people remained in the area near the Justice Center, where the clash between protesters and police began.

Portland police have not yet said how many people, if any, were arrested.

Correction: This story originally misidentified Shay Morgans relationship to Aaron Campbell. He was her ex-husbands nephew, not her nephew.

-- Dave Killen, Sean Meagher and Jim Ryan of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report.
Some acts of violence in DR Congo may amount to war crimes: UN

Iran Press TV

Friday, 05 June 2020 5:04 PM

The United Nations (UN) has warned that some acts of violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo may amount to "war crimes."

UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said in a statement on Friday that about 1,300 civilians had been killed in violence in the DR Congo in the past eight months, adding that more than half a million people had fled their homes.

Some of the acts of violence "may amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes," she said.

According to the statement, violence has surged in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu in recent weeks, "with disastrous repercussions for the civilian population."

Bachelet's office said armed groups had committed massacres and atrocities, and the government forces were also responsible for human rights violations.

"I am appalled by the increase in brutal attacks on innocent civilians by armed groups, and by the reaction of the military and security forces who have also committed grave violations," Bachelet said.

Various armed groups have been active in the country's mineral-rich eastern provinces for decades, fighting over control of the territory and its valuable resources.

Bachelet urged Congolese authorities to "take all necessary measures to prevent the repetition of such grave violations."

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The UPA Cabinet decided in 2005 to disinvest 10 percent of Indias power equipment maker public sector enterprise, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). The decision, however, had to be kept in abeyance due to resistance from the Left which supported the ruling alliance. The Left had boycotted the coordination committee meeting in protest against the move to disinvest BHEL.

Another attempt to disinvest BHEL was made during UPA 2. This time too the decision was kept on hold as the PSE withdrew its draft red herring prospectus (DHRP) for a Follow-on Public Offering (FPO) in April 2012.

The offer was initially made for the disinvestment of the governments five percent stake in the company.

BHEL is a test case to amply demonstrate the difficulty in reimagining the public sector enterprises, especially from the perspective of government stake sale. Despite divestment being a clearly enunciated objective of successive governments in India, the politics around the decision endures. The easiest thing is to retain control. However, ceding control has proved to be a key challenge, with politicians of all hues keen to see these enterprises as individual turfs.

Divestment to Privatisation?

It is, therefore, interesting to note that the Modi 2.0 aims to bring about comprehensive reforms in the PSE space. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last month said a new public sector enterprises policy will be announced soon to define strategic sectors that will have not more than four PSUs.

This is bound to pave the way for opening up of all sectors to the private sector. Strategic sectors, to be notified, will have at least one enterprise within the PSE fold but private sector will also be allowed. For the remaining sectors, PSUs will be privatised. On paper, this surely looks like being as reformist as it can get. The move is set to unleash a wave of consolidation, mergers, divestment and privatisation.

What makes the announcement unique is the outright push for privatisation. It probably also makes the case for minimum government and maximum governance a reality. PMs self-reliance pitch also gets a valid context with the government keen to shed the commanding heights economic model. The room for integration and not isolation looks like to be the correct mantra.

But privatisation is easier said than done. It is a political hot potato. The Modi government will have to risk its entire political will to make a success of the private sector play in public sector. That is why the policy fine print (notification) is quite critical. The caveats, if any, will determine the intent and the implementation agenda of the government.

Modi 1.0 raked in around Rs 2.8 lakh crore through disinvestment during its first term. The latest budget has pegged disinvestment target for 2020-21 at 1.20 lakh crore. The government missed the budgeted disinvestment target of 1.05 lakh crore for the last fiscal.

Vajpayee Model

It is interesting to note the divestment to privatisation journey in India. If BHEL set a bad template, the Vajpayee era embraced public sector reforms like never before. Vajpayee in August 2000 disinvested 26 percent of Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) equity through a strategic sale. NDA-1 privatised 12 public sector companies and these included Maruti Udyog, Hindustan Zinc, Bharat Aluminum, Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) among others. But his government fell short of the target and raked in about Rs 30,000 crore.

Sterlite Industries emerged as the highest bidder for HZL and the transaction was completed in April 2002. The NDA-1 government further divested around 19 percent stake in November 2003. The two-phase deal resulted in the government shedding 45 percent of its stake in the firm for around Rs 769 crore. While the government has yet retained a 30 percent stake in HZL, the company has since become the worlds second-largest zinc-lead miner and top-10 silver producer. The learning from HZL is unique. Simply because we have not been yet able to replicate the success with the model.

Maruti is another success story. The journey from Maruti Udyog Limited to Maruti Suzuki India Limited has been marred by controversy over control. The government finally shed its residual stake in May 2007. The Indo-Japanese partnership is a great Make in India case study but the partnership observed a bumpy ride, especially during 1995-96, when K Karunakaran served as the Union industry minister.

Reform Roadmap

Going forward, what model should the Modi government adopt as it aims to make virtue of its public sector reform announcement? Ideologically, it has to keep the following perspectives in mind:

- The 1991 reforms made it clear that privatisation is the way to go forward. Especially, there is room for the government to exit businesses where the social contract is minimal. These include tourism, hotel industry, consumer goods manufacturing, automobiles and such sectors where private players can provide consumers with abundant choice. But 30 years down the line, the government has not exited many of these businesses.

- That all public sector is inefficient and that privatisation is a panacea for all ills. No one size fits the bill. Like in the private sector, there are laggards and leaders, public sector also has winners and losers. Each PSE has to be treated as a corporate entity with a balance sheet that does the talking honestly; no bookkeeping wonders. This is where Air India makes an interesting case study. It failed to attract a right suitor last time it was put up for divestment. Now, it is on the radar again. The government, which floated an Expression Of Interest (EOI) in January this year, has proposed to sell 100 percent stake in the airline along with entire shareholding in AI Express and 50 percent in ground handling joint venture  Air India-SATS. The EOI timeline has been extended until June 30 and is likely to be extended further in view of the COVID challenge.

- That losers or more accurately loss-making companies should be sold off while profit-making companies should stay under the government control. This is as flawed as the idea of putting premium on inefficiency. Why should the burden of disease be passed on to a healthy company? If market forces have to operate, then why should someone buy a sick company? Good commercial transactions are not based on emotion.

- Definition of strategic (something that holds the key to the latest move to rope in the private sector) is highly subjective. Should the government alone decide what is strategic? Air India did a yeoman service bringing home stranded Indians from all over the world and therefore, it is time to term it as a strategic asset. This argument is flawed. It does not make commercial sense.

- That the government should divest or privatise to raise money to be spent on causes that are dear to it or have a public utility. Have we not moved quite away the maxim? Divestment or privatisation is a stated objective for enabling a commercial framework for monetising assets at a market-determined price. What if the government is the seller? What use the money is put to, is another issue and should not cloud the transactional nature of the buyer and seller? Ideology  left, right or centre  has to steer clear of the deal.

- That private sector is not entitled to draw the growth trajectory and that government alone is the sole custodian of the growth agenda. Growth with equity and growth without equity  whether in the state sector or the private sector  is an irrelevant debate today. In todays age and time, growth with equity is a prerequisite for any commercial entity for multiple stakeholder engagement. There is need to enrich the last mile connect but compliance is a regulatory challenge and the government is seized of it.

Reforms Driver?

- That we should choose the right time for the divestment agenda. If stock markets are the matrices for deciding the timing, then there is no good or bad time. There, however, are a composite set of factors that determine the sale time. There is no substitute to due diligence but it is left to domain experts under complete transparency and accountability and market pundits better stay out.

- Setting out realistic targets: The governments track record here has not been impressive. The government pegged a stiff disinvestment target for 2020-21. Meeting the target by merging loss-making units with healthy units is no great business strategy. Consolidation for the sake of consolidation is not a great idea. There is an urgent need for private capital.

- Who should champion the big-ticket change? PSEs are prime real estate for respective ministries and ministers. There are obvious conflicting turf interests. NDA-1 has shown us the way forward. Set up a divestment/strategic sale/privatisation ministry under direct supervision of the PMO. This should cut undue interference and take charge of development of a great India Inc story without being coloured by the shareholder origin. The ministrys first and foremost target should be to make a virtue of AI sale. That in turn will set up the tempo for the reforms to take shape on the ground.
Citywide, Oakland

A sign outside the now-closed Brown & Toland drive-through testing center near Lake Merritt. | Photos: Zack Haber/Hoodline

Two drive-through sites for free COVID-19 testing in Oakland  one of them operated in partnership with the city  have been shut down since Monday. In both cases, officials cited the recent protests of police violence in Oakland as the reason for their closure.

One of the sites, in the parking lot of the Kaiser Convention Center at Lake Merritt, was run by Brown & Toland Physicians Group in partnership with the City of Oakland. It's been closed since Monday, with conflicting reports on whether it will reopen.

"[The site] is not permanently closed, but there was a disruption to their operation this week," said city spokesperson Karen Boyd, adding that it was "related to the demonstrations."

Oakland public information officer Sean Mahar also said the site will "resume operations in the coming days."

However, a source at Brown & Toland said that while the site closed early in response to the protests, it had already been scheduled to close today, and would not reopen.

The other closed testing site, run by pharmacy chain CVS at East Oaklands Eastmont Town Center, says it will return next week. CVS spokesperson Amy B. Thibault cited "unrest within the community" as the reason for the temporary closure.

Via email, Thibault said the testing site had to shut down because the staff must fill prescriptions from other, now-closed CVS stores that were affected by the protests. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, four CVS stores in Oakland are currently closed, along with 10 Walgreens stores.

All team members are needed to process prescriptions during this time," Thibault said. "COVID-19 testing will pick up next week."

Asked why pharmacy workers from the four closed locations couldn't assist with the effort, Thibault did not respond.

The CVS at Eastmont Town Center has boarded up all but one of its doors. A drive-through testing center in the parking lot closed earlier this week.

Civic leaders around the country  including Schaaf  have expressed concerns over COVID-19 spreading among protesters.

Story continues

"This virus can spread so easily," Schaaf told ABC7 on Tuesday. "On Friday night, we had 8,000 protesters in a tight group. That is not safe."

But while San Francisco mayor London Breed has encouraged protesters to get tested on social media, Schaaf has remained silent.

However, she was vocal about the importance of the Brown & Toland site, which first opened on April 6. The site was designed to test up to 240 essential workers per day, including health care workers, grocery store and food bank employees and homeless outreach workers.

"We must take care of those who are taking care of us," Schaaf said at the time.

Angelica Angel, an Oakland resident who provides aid to the unhoused and was tested at the Brown & Toland site, said she's frustrated by its closure.

They seemed like they had developed a very safe system to do the testing," said Angel, noting that indoor testing feels "a lot less efficient and a lot less safe.

Being able to get tested is really important to me, said Angel. "My grandmother has a heart condition, so if I dont know my infection status, I cant take care of her.

At least three drive-through testing sites in Oakland remain open. One is a city partnership with Alphabet (the parent company of Google), operating out of Allen Temple Baptist Church on International Boulevard. It provides free testing, regardless of insurance status, every day but Sunday from 1- 7 p.m. Pre-registration is required.

An Oakland resident who was tested at the site on Wednesday said it was "extremely backed up." Despite registering beforehand, she had to wait for two hours.

A second drive-through site in East Oakland, run through Osita Health Clinic (OHC), launched services at the intersection of Bancroft Ave. and Seminary Ave. on Tuesday.

Co-owner and nurse practitioner Christiana Umeh says the clinic has not yet been crowded, and visits have gone quickly. Unlike the Allen Temple site, pre-registration is encouraged, not required. Visitors arriving on foot can also be tested.

Anyone is welcome to come in and get this test, said Umeh, noting that co-pays and fees are waived for those with and without insurance. Residents of neighboring cities are also welcome.

Osita Health Clinic's new drive-through testing center in East Oakland.

The third drive-through site, at the West Oakland Health Center (700 Adeline St.), just opened this week. Operated in partnership with Alameda County, it's open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Walk-up clients are also welcome.

Free, outdoor walk-up testing is also available at International Blvd.'s Roots Community Clinic, which is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Carbon Health, in Adams Point, offers free testing indoors with an appointment.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 12:18:01|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The door is still open for a wider negotiation with Iran, U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook said on Friday.

U.S. President Donald Trump "has had the door open to diplomacy for many years," Hook replied to a journalist a day after Iran freed U.S. citizen Michael White. "We would like to see the (Iranian) regime meet our diplomacy with diplomacy."

Hook noted as well that U.S.-Iranian contacts have so far been limited to mutual release of prisoners, not concerned issues like Iran's nuclear program.

However, he reiterated that the United States will stick to its policy of harsh economic sanctions on Iran, designed to force the Middle East country back to the so-called negotiating table over the Iranian nuclear program.

Trump withdrew Washington from the multilateral Iranian nuclear accord in 2018 and resumed unilateral sanctions on Tehran. Enditem
Here are a few of events happening this week and how to tune in (all times are Eastern).

Monday

Start off your week with the Fine Arts Film Festival, hosted and curated by the Venice Institute of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. This week-long event features 92 films that take viewers from Venice Beach to Italy, Taiwan and beyond. The films are grouped into eight series, each five to six hours long, which can be bought for $10, or an all-access pass for $20.

When Anytime

Where veniceica.org



The writer and Pride campaign strategist Fran Tirado joins Matt Ortile, the author and managing editor of Catapult magazine, to discuss Mr. Ortiles new book, The Groom Will Keep His Name. Mr. Ortiles collection of personal essays therein explores what it means to be gay, Filipino and an immigrant in America.



When 10 p.m.

Where booksoup.com/event
The United States Marine Corps has officially barred public displays of the Confederate battle flag from public spaces, including bases and military installations, following the police-involved death of George Floyd.

The Confederate battle flag has all too often been co-opted by violent extremist and racist groups whose divisive beliefs have no place in our Corps, the Marine Corps said in a social media post Friday.

This presents a threat to our core values, unit cohesion, security, and good order and discipline, the post read.

This must be addressed.

The Corps on Friday issued a MARADMIN, or a Marine Administrative Message, to all of its commanders ordering the removal of the flag as depicted on bumper stickers, clothing, coffee mugs, flags, and posters.

The United States Marine Corps has ordered a ban on all public displays of the Confederate flag. The image above shows Marines march on Pennsylvania Avenue outside the White House during the inauguration parade in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2017

The Marine Corps posted its announcement on its social media feed on Friday

The Corps on Friday issued a MARADMIN, or a Marine Administrative Message, to all of its commanders ordering the removal of the flag as depicted on bumper stickers, clothing, coffee mugs, flags, and posters

Exceptions will be made to works of art or historical displays where the flag is depicted but is not the main focus of the work.

These exceptions also cover state flags where the Confederate flag is part of the symbol, state license plates that include the image of the flag, and grave sites of soldiers who fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Public spaces that will be subject to inspection include office buildings, open-bay barracks and shipboard berthing, commissaries, schoolhouses, and front yards of military housing, according to the Marine Corps Times.

But commanders will not inspect assigned individual barracks rooms or living quarters. They will also not be inspecting assigned desk drawers, cabinets, or lockers.

Marine Corps soldiers can display the flag inside their individual backpacks, private vehicles, and in their homes.

The senior officership of the Marine Corps has taken several steps in recent months to do away with the controversial battle flag.

In April, the top Marine, General David Berger, took on the issue of racial tensions within the Corps by banning the display of the Confederate flag and other such symbols.

In a memo to the Corps on April 20, he said, 'I am mindful that many people believe that flag to be a symbol of heritage or regional pride.

Marine Corps Commandant General David Berger, who ordered the ban, has been praised for the effort to 'modernize' the Marines

'But I am also mindful of the feelings of pain and rejection of those who inherited the cultural memory and present effects of the scourge of slavery in our country.'

'Anything that divides us, anything that threatens team cohesion must be addressed head-on,' he declared.

In February, Berger sent a directive to his senior staff ordering the removal of Confederate symbols after a poll revealed 36 percent of active-duty troops in the U.S. military have witnessed white supremacy and racism in their ranks.

The 2019 survey showed that as many of half of minority service members were personal witnesses to racism with enlisted members more likely to see it than officers.

Demonstrators protest at the South Carolina State House calling for the Confederate flag to remain in 2015. The flag was removed after a white supremacist who killed nine was pictured with it. It will now also be removed from Marine bases

The troops also cited white supremacy as a greater national security threat than domestic terrorism with a connection to Islam or immigration.

'The majority of my co-workers were absolutely outstanding regarding race and work-relations and I credit military service for that,' one participant said.

'Nevertheless, somehow more racists are slipping through the cracks into the military.'

The debate over Confederate flags and statues as a hate symbol is troubling for military officials after several high-profile incidents in which troops were found to be engaging in white supremacy.

Lance Corporal Vasillios Pistolis was kicked out of the Marine Corps in 2018 and sentenced to 28 days confinement after it was revealed that he attended the 2017 white supremacist 'Unite the Right' rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, at which a counter-protester was killed.

Pistolis was identified in photos from the rally on August 12, 2017, violently smashing a Confederate flag onto a counter-protester.

'The Marine Corps' stance on membership in extremist or hate groups remains the same: there is no place for racial hatred or extremism in the Marine Corps,' Major Brian Block wrote in a statement after Pistolis' dismissal.

In 2016, 18-year-old Anthony Bauswell was also turned away from the Marines for a Confederate flag tattoo reading 'Southern Pride'.

The long-running debate about the Confederate flag and its symbols and statues has been increasingly heated in the past few years.

Cpl Vasillios Pistolis was dismissed from the Marine Corps in 2018 for attending a white supremacist rally and being pictured hitting a counter-protester with a Confederate flag

Several states and municipalities have taken steps in recent days to remove Confederate statues and symbols as the George Floyd killing has elevated the issue of race relations in the public discourse.

The death of Floyd in police hands has also pushed the US military to search its soul and to admit that, like the rest of America, it has fallen short on racial fairness.

Although the military historically has prided itself on diversity, leaders acknowledge that black troops often are disproportionately subject to military legal punishment and are impeded in promotions.

THE FLAG OF THE CONFEDERACY The Civil War-era Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia is today known as the symbol of the Confederacy What is today considered the Confederate flag was never the official national flag of the 13 states which made up the Confederate States of America from 1861 until 1865. The banner that is often hoisted at rallies today is a version of the Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia. Also known as the 'Dixie flag,' 'rebel flag', or 'battle flag,' the design has come to be associated with the racial history of the South. The Confederate States of America were formed in 1861 when 11 states seceded from the union in order to protect the institution of slavery. The North eventually defeated the South in the Civil War, resulting in the abolition of slavery. But racial injustices continued, particularly in the South, where blacks were subject to systematic discrimination and violence at the hands of whites. While the flag is often flown by non-extremists who cite Southern pride and heritage, the symbol has also been adopted by extremist groups like neo-Nazis and other white supremacist organizations, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The use of the Confederate battle flag by extremist groups has prompted widespread calls for the banner to be banned and for statues and monuments honoring Civil War-era figures from the South to be taken down. Advertisement

'I struggle with the Air Force's own demons that include the racial disparities in military justice and discipline among our youngest black male airmen,' Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright, an African American and the service's top enlisted airman, wrote in a social media post this week.

While tensions simmer between the Pentagon and the White House over the proper limits of military involvement in policing protests prompted by the May 25 killing of Floyd in Minneapolis, what goes largely unspoken is that many of the troops being called upon to help keep order are African Americans and other minorities.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said little about the Floyd killing until Wednesday, when he called a news conference and declared the death a police murder.

'It is a tragedy that we have seen repeat itself too many times,' he said.

Esper, a West Point graduate who served 10 years on active duty in the Army, called the military a leader on the racial front.

But he acknowledged it has 'much to do' to improve diversity and stop discrimination.

The military, with African Americans making up a little over 17 per cent of its active duty ranks, is more racially diverse than the country, which is 13 per cent African American, according to 2019 Census estimates.

The Army is the most diverse with more than 21 per cent African Americans, while the Marine Corp is the least, with 10 percent.

Black people make up about 17 per cent of the Navy and less than 15 per cent of the Air Force.

But there is a much greater racial divide within the active duty military based on rank.

Fully 19 per cent of active duty enlisted troops are black, but they make up only 9 per cent of the officer corps. Of those, there are just 71 who are general or flag officers, wearing one to four stars, including only two who have attained the top four-star rank.

Colin Powell, an Army four-star, was White House national security adviser and then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff before President George W. Bush named him secretary of state.

However, none of the military services has ever been led by a black officer, although that is expected to change soon. Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., has been nominated to lead the Air Force, succeeding Gen. David Goldfein.
RICHMOND  Virginias contact tracing hiring remains far short of official goals as the state moves ahead with the next phase of reopening and hundreds of state health staff remain reassigned to tracing roles.

As of Thursday, the Virginia Department of Health had only hired 168 contact tracers among thousands of applications since it kicked off a hiring campaign in mid-May.

The delay in hiring comes amid nationwide calls by health experts for more testing and contact tracing to safely reopen state economies. More than 800,000 Virginians have filed unemployment claims since start of the pandemic.

The states contact tracing workforce is tasked with tracking down the known contacts of anyone who tests positive for COVID-19, gauging their symptoms and risk level, and connecting them to testing if deemed necessary.

The department announced in April that it was angling to hire 1,300 contractors to do this work, including 200 case investigators, 1,000 contact tracers, 10 regional testing coordinators, 10 regional supervisors, 70 data managers and five data analysts.

So far, the state has hired 114 contact tracers, 46 case investigators, and 7 workers for the remaining positions, the department said in response to a request. The department has another 168 applicants at various stages.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Virginia Department of Health staff remain reassigned to contact tracing roles, including environmental health specialists and nutritionists that work with low-income women and children.

In late May, state officials said the state had 129 tracers before the pandemic, and that it had boosted that workforce to 1,270 people, mostly with reassigned VDH staff or Virginia Medical Reserve Corp volunteers. On Friday evening, a VDH spokeswoman couldnt verify exactly how many people are doing tracing work in the state.

Last month, the Northam administration committed $58 million in federal emergency aid to expand contact tracing. Virginia State Health Commissioner Norman Oliver said the work would become critical in containing the spread of COVID-19. Oliver said at the time VDH had received 6,000 applications.

As we interact more, there will be more opportunity for [people with the virus] to infect others, Oliver told the Senate Finance committee May 19. Oliver also told the committee the department expected to begin hiring several hundred people a week.

Marshall Vogt, who is leading the states contact tracing program, acknowledged the state has not met its hiring goals.

Were excited to start getting people on board. This is the start of a mammoth effort to scale up our tracing workforce in Virginia, Vogt said.

Vogt said he anticipates more workers will start next week. He said filling those jobs will be critical to abate COVID-19 and return VDH employees reassigned to tracing work back to their original positions.

We want to allow some of our reassigned workforce to start going back to work, Vogt said.

He encouraged people looking for work to visit the VDH website to apply. We are looking for people that want to serve their communities in the fight against COVID-19, are good communicators and willing to learn.

The states lagging contact tracing hiring efforts come as most of Virginia  save Richmond and Northern Virginia  is lifting restrictions that will allow for indoor dining at restaurants and gatherings of up to 50 people.

At the same time, COVID-19 trends in the state suggest the virus spread has slowed significantly here, even amid the first phase of reopening which began on May 15, and the busy Memorial Day holiday. Large protests around the country could lead to another spike.

Testing in the state is now at roughly 10,000 tests per day, with the share of positives down to around 10% from a peak of 22% in mid-April.

Gov. Ralph Northam said the positive trends led him to usher most of Virginia into the second phase of the states gradual reopening, one that will undoubtedly increase social interaction.

In past weeks, Northam and Virginia health officials have said that reopening safely will include ample testing and contact tracing, which will help isolate those who are sick from the rest of the population, the best way to contain a virus for which there is no vaccine.

Virginia officials pledged on May 6 to hire 1,000 more contact tracers to boost a workforce that was then at 325 tracers.

In a position statement issued in April, the National Association of County and City Health Officials said that during normal times, the baseline number of health care workers doing tracing work should be 15 workers per 100,000 people. During a pandemic, they said, that number should double to 30 workers per 100,000 people.

In Virginia, that would equal 1,275 workers under normal times, according to NACCHO, and 2,550 workers amid the pandemic.

Vogt said the state is aiming to have a 1,300-person tracing workforce by the end of June and to meet the 2,550 threshold by the end of the year.

We know that a well staffed contact-tracing effort is going to be critical. We have to be prepared for good data trends, or bad data trends, until we know COVID-19 is nipped in the bud, so to speak, he said.

Through the contact tracing process, the state will compile a list of known contacts for a new COVID-19 patient, people that might have been exposed to that case while they were contagious, Vogt said.

Those individuals are then contacted, and asked about any illness or symptoms. If they report any, the state will direct them to get tested. If they do not, the state will encourage them to self-quarantine and monitor their symptoms for 14 days.

What were trying to do is check in with those contacts and kind of monitor them throughout their incubation period. If they develop symptoms, we want to get them tested. If they become a case, the whole process starts over again.
An executive at a Palm Beach hospital stands between a box of surgical masks and a Purell dispenser.

"We understand you haven't been inside our hospitals for some time," she says to the camera. The executive is delivering her line for a promotional video intended to get people back to hospitals after almost three months of avoiding the place at all costs.

Moments later, the film crew records her chatting with a vascular surgeon in an idled operating room, who soothingly reassures that a hospital is the cleanest place to be outside your home. "The hospital is safer than the grocery store," the doctor says.

The video published on YouTube in mid-May is part of a marketing campaign by Tenet Healthcare, which operates 65 hospitals and about 250 ambulatory surgery centers. It's one attempt to solve a problem the entire health-care industry faces: Most patients vanished when covid-19 swept the country.

Much of routine health care came to a halt in March as hospitals cleared space for an expected wave of covid-19 patients and authorities ordered a halt to surgeries and other procedures that could be postponed. The decline in volume has clobbered hospital finances, with the industry estimating it is losing $50 billion a month.

Emergency visits dropped by 42% in four weeks in April compared to the same period last year, the Centers for Disease Control reported June 3. The number of U.S. patients getting hospital care dropped by more than half in late March and early April compared to 2019, according to data from Strata Decision Technology, which provides software to hospitals.

Some of that rebounded modestly in May as distancing rules eased, but hospital volume is nowhere near pre-covid levels. With the pandemic ongoing and many states still confirming hundreds of new cases daily, patients are hesitating to rush back to hospitals.

"The main thing that really is a gating factor at this point is patient comfort," Tenet President and Chief Operating Officer Saumya Sutaria said at a recent virtual conference with investors. Tenet declined interview requests.

To counter the public's fears, hospitals publicize what they're doing to keep patients safe. They're handing out masks at the door and spacing out chairs in waiting rooms. They're steering covid-19 patients to dedicated sites and testing staff regularly.

Hospitals need to show patients that their facilities are safe. At Catholic hospital chain Trinity Health, that includes moving patients through "covid-free" zones with separate doors, elevators and waiting areas.

"We can put all of the outreach and marketing in place, but it's only as effective as the people who execute those strategies," said Julie Spencer Washington, Trinity's chief marketing and communications officer.

The question for the entire industry is how quickly patients come back. The answer will depend on a constellation of related variables, including how reluctant people are to resume care, and the course of the pandemic. Future surges could force hospitals to shut down regular care again - and spook patients further.

Hospitals and doctors are going to have to do as much as they can as fast as they can until they can't anymore," said Lisa Bielamowicz, co-founder of consultancy Gist Healthcare.

Many patients, on the other hand, are in no rush. "They're waiting and watching rather than pulling the trigger and going to see the doctor like they would have in the past," Bielamowicz said.

The calculation for the health-care industry is different than for many other service businesses resuming operations. A hospital procedure or even a check-up is more intimate than a meal out.

For procedures that require in-patient rehab stints for recovery, the havoc covid-19 has brought to nursing homes adds another layer of concern. "Those places seem like deathtraps now, so it's much harder to bring back those patients because you need to find an alternative way for them to rehab," Bielamowicz said.

And the biggest consumers of health care are the elderly and the chronically ill, the very people covid-19 most threatens. "From personal discussions with my patients, the older and more co-morbidities that any individual has, the more nervous they are about returning," said Shauna Gulley, chief clinical officer at Centura Health, which has hospitals in Colorado and Kansas.

Patients with serious ongoing needs like cancer treatment or emergencies like heart attacks and strokes have continued to get care. And many medical problems resolve on their own. The decline in those visits - for a migraine headache, for example - reduces providers' revenue but may not harm patients in the long-term.

While people often go to the emergency room for needs better treated in other settings, now the concern is the opposite: That true medical emergencies will be neglected.

Ascension, the nation's largest Catholic hospital chain, has purchased billboards that say "Don't delay ER care." On hospital websites and social media posts, Tenet facilities reminded patients that "Emergencies Can't wait. We're Open & Safe."

Doctors fear that some patients will defer needed care too long, allowing progressive conditions to deteriorate. Clinicians at Maimonides Medical Center in the New York borough of Brooklyn have seen patients arrive sicker because they didn't come earlier, said Ken Gibbs, the hospital's CEO.

"There are unmet needs, I think that's clear," he said. "And I think the data on that will emerge, but it will take time."

Maimonides treated 471 covid patients at the peak on April 9, Gibbs said, and still had about 100 in late May. The hospital has applied for a waiver from New York State to resume elective surgeries, which are still on hold in New York City.

Some hospitals are preparing for a lasting dent in their revenue. For years, health economists have pointed to waste in the health-care system, with the estimated cost of unnecessary treatments in the hundreds of billions of dollars. covid-19 may demonstrate that patients are willing to forego some of that care or opt for more conservative treatment.

People who had delayed back surgeries, for example, may now decide that doing physical therapy at home is good enough, said Marvin O'Quinn, president and chief operating officer at CommonSpirit Health, a large Catholic hospital system.

"We've all talked about too much intervention in health care in the past," he said. "I think we'll see a new normal in terms of what patients want to do and what doctors want to do, and we will have to adjust to that."
It is a glorious picture of a field of ripening barley set against a backdrop of rolling English countryside.

A fittingly symbolic image, you would think, for the front cover of a key House of Commons briefing paper which outlines the biggest overhaul to British farming since the end of the Second World War.

But like other aspects of the Governments controversial Agriculture Bill, which many fear could spell the end of a way of life for farmers and the abandonment of our precious countryside, not everything is as it appears.

For the disturbing truth is that since the photo was taken of the bucolic Hampshire field, it has been handed over to developers who have begun building 2,000 new luxury houses on it.

 Slide me  Since the photo was taken of Barton Farm (left), it has been handed over to developers who have begun building 2,000 new luxury houses (right)

So these two pictures tell in a brutally stark way how our countryside is not being protected by the politicians who claim to be its guardians.

Of course, Commons officials were not to know that the image they chose of Barton Farm outside Winchester, taken in 2009, would become so embarrassingly out of date and symbolic of their lack of care.

But they could have had the good sense to check when they used it for the 107-page Agriculture Bill Briefing Paper.

If they had, they would have discovered, as The Mail on Sunday has done, that developers won a long-running battle against angry local residents who had fought plans for a sprawling estate of homes costing up to 890,000 each on the outskirts of the ancient cathedral city.

Until then, for longer than living memory, walkers had enjoyed strolling along the public footpath through 230 acres of arable farmland owned by the prestigious private school Winchester College.

The photo was used as the main image for the Government's Agricultural Bill briefing paper

The school rented the land to tenant farmers but in the late 1990s, announced it intended to sell.

Cala Homes reportedly paid 100 million to buy the site and there followed a dispute lasting almost 15 years before Cala finally got its way after numerous planning appeals and a High Court showdown with Winchester Council.

Steve Brine, the local Tory MP, recalled: Thousands of people signed petitions. I remember thousands were in the High Street marching, calling on the council for it to be blocked.

Local Tory MP Steve Brine recalled: 'I remember thousands were in the High Street marching, calling on the council for it to be blocked.'

'We said we didnt want to lose a landscape setting that makes this city such a pleasurable place to live in.

The council rejected the planning application in 2010  a decision backed by then Communities Secretary Eric Pickles. But Cala Homes took the case to a judicial review at the High Court, which ruled in its favour. Mr Pickles was forced to approve the development in 2012.

Photographer Neil Howard, who took the original picture, said: What an irony!

I feel the Governments attitude to the wants and needs of communities at a local level is perfectly illustrated by what has happened to this beautiful bit of countryside.

'Destroying well-used green space and working farms is not the sort of thing that should be encouraged.

Local feelings are still very strong. Paul Trenton, a retired accountant who lives near the development, named Kings Barton, said: They should never have been allowed to build it.

'Winchester used to be ringed by countryside. Now we are going to have this urban sprawl just like everywhere else.

Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: The developers had deep pockets and were never going to give up until they got what they wanted.

Residents have moved in as the initial phase of the development  420 homes and a new primary school due to open in September  nears completion.

One of the new homeowners, a woman in her early 40s, said: We are very happy with our house. Its amazing.

In total across the country, 277,000 acres of farmland, roughly the size of Bedfordshire, was lost to urban developers between 1990 and 2015, according to data from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Senior agriculture industry figures fear even more farms will be lost in the coming years if the Government opens the floodgates to imports of cheap, sub-standard food.

A Government spokesman said yesterday: We have been clear that in all of our trade negotiations we will not undermine our high domestic environmental protection, animal welfare and food safety standards by ensuring in any agreement British farmers are always able to compete.
A pedestrian was killed Thursday night on Interstate 59/20 near Fairfield.

According to authorities, the adult white male was crossing the interstate at the Valley Road exit when he was struck by an oncoming motorist. The crash happened about 7:45 p.m. in the northbound lanes.

Chief Deputy Coroner said the victim, who was pronounced dead on the scene at 8:09 p.m., has been identified but they have not yet been able to locate family members to notify them. The driver of the vehicle that struck the man did stop and cooperate with authorities.

The accident remains under investigation by the Alabama State Troopers.
New Delhi: India on Friday said it is very likely to win an elected non-permanent seat on June 17 to the 15-member UN Security Council (UNSC) for the two year-term 2021-22.

It also listed its five priorities at the UN including an effective response to international terrorism and said its overall objective would be its new approach for reforms in global multilateral institutions. New Delhi said its confidence in electoral victory stemmed from the fact that it is the single endorsed candidate of the Asia-Pacific Group. This would be Indias eighth term on the UN Security Council once it is elected.

The Government asserted that it would focus on principles such as respect and policies such as dialogue and cooperation to achieve its aims at the UN. It also emphasised Indias long-standing role as a voice of moderation, an advocate of dialogue, and a proponent of international law.

It may be recalled India has been pushing for a permanent seat in the UNSC that has five permanent members and 10 non-permanent ones. The five permanent members of the UNSCcalled the P-5are the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China. It is Indias belief that global multilateral institutions like the United Nations itself need reform now as they do not reflect the realities of the contemporary world. The menace of terrorism has also been a key concern of India which faces cross-border terrorism from Pakistan.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Indias five priorities would be New Opportunities for progress, An Effective response to international terrorism, Reforming the multilateral system, a comprehensive approach to international peace and security, and Promoting technology with a human touch as a driver of solutions. It added that its overall objective during this tenure in the UN Security Council will be the achievement of N.O.R.M.S: a New Orientation for a Reformed Multilateral System.

Launching a brochure on Friday morning, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said Indias approach will be guided by the Five Ss, as listed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which are---Samman (Respect), Samvad (Dialogue), Sahyog (Cooperation), and Shanti (Peace), to create conditions for universal Samriddhi (Prosperity).

The MEA said, As a single endorsed candidate of the Asia-Pacific Group, Indias candidature is very likely to succeed. In this case, this would be Indias eighth term on the UN Security Council; this two-year tenure will start in January 2021.

New Delhi also referred to both new and continuing traditional challenges to international peace and security that the UNSC will need to confront. According to recent news agency reports from the UN, the voting is through secret ballot although there have been certain new voting arrangements put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It further said, The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has further contributed to a more complex international economic and political environment, including by limiting the capacity of States to respond to local, regional and global challenges.
Doreen Sheldon grew up in Albany's South End and used to walk past the police station then known as Division 2 on her way to school. She was raised to have respect for law enforcement.

Now 77, Sheldon also remembers the 1955 lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till by a white mob in Mississippi. "Why do they hate us?" she remembers asking her grandmother.

I called Sheldon at her home in Wilmington, Del. ("Joe Biden's town," she said), after she initially reached out to Harry Rosenfeld, who was the Times Union's editor on the morning of Jan. 3, 1991, when Sheldon's 21-year-old son was found dead in a Division 2 cell.

The police and every other official finding concluded that Corey Sheldon, who had been arrested at his cousin's South End residence as a suspect in a Washington Park robbery two weeks earlier, had committed suicide by hanging himself with a National Guard field jacket that he had been allowed to wear inside the cell, which according to police accounts was chilly.

His mother remembers getting the news. "They came to our house in the morning, and they came up to the steps and said, 'Come to the hospital'  because he had been hurt," she said.

Police said he was discovered in his cell at 8:15 a.m.; he was pronounced dead at 12:35 p.m. The state Commission of Correction concluded months later the death was from asphyxiation resulting from a suicide attempt.

The family's $40 million lawsuit against the city  which alleged the young man has been "subjected to cruel and inhuman treatment and suffered an intentional killing or wrongful death," such as what would result from a failure to detect a propensity for self-harm  was dismissed in 1996.

Able journalists for the Times Union explored the incident in its immediate aftermath and again in recent years and found no additional evidence that Sheldon was killed, and this column won't bring anything new to light.

But what struck me as I went through the paper's archives was how the outrage that coalesced around the death of Corey Sheldon echoed what we had heard in the streets of Albany  and Troy, Schenectady, Glens Falls and elsewhere around the region  in the two weeks since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Division 2 is now known as South Station, where the first bursts of violence broke out a week ago after what had been a day of peaceful protests.

In 1991, the city's police force was led by its first black chief, John Dale  who had also been the city's first black detective and its first black supervisor. Dale called Sheldon's death a tragedy but insisted he had not been the victim of violence; the chief and Mayor Thomas M. Whalen III decried what they saw as activists' attempts to capitalize on it. They singled out Alice Green of the Center for Law and Justice and attorney Mark Mishler, two figures who remain central to the city's social justice efforts.

On Friday, Green gave a short intake of breath when I mentioned Corey Sheldon's name. It was a reminder of just how long she has been engaged in this work. "We keep doing this every time someone is killed," she said with a mix of weariness and anger.

A week after Sheldon's death, a meeting of community stakeholders was held to discuss the incident and the broader problem of black residents' distrust of law enforcement.

"I was scared (to speak out) but I couldn't take it any more," Carolyn Edmonds, an Arbor Hill businesswoman, said at the meeting, according to the Times Union's report. "I have seen people harassed, abused, beaten and charged for no reason at all." She had seen "good officers, too."

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Those are sentiments that could have come from Arbor Hill on Monday, when demonstrators blocked Henry Johnson Boulevard and lay down on the pavement to re-enact Floyd's death.

Another line from the January 1991 meeting, spoken by someone who was not identified in the resulting story: "When we start tearing up s__, we'll get better taken care of." That furious, sorrowful expression hasn't aged a day, and I'd very much like to track down the speaker and ask them, almost 30 years older, what they're thinking.

Back in January 1991, that sentiment was a harbinger of the fury that would follow the beating of Los Angeles resident Rodney King at the hands of four white cops. That episode was captured by an onlooker on his deck wielding a camcorder  the first significant example of the sort of citizen cop-watching now being practiced by everyone with a smartphone, meaning everyone.

Doreen Sheldon, who worked for decades at a now-shuttered local nursing home, still believes her son died due to police misconduct. As the father of a son only a year younger than Corey Sheldon was when he died, I can't imagine living with the pain of that kind of loss. The trauma never ends.

She and her husband moved to Delaware more than a decade ago to be close to another one of their children.

"I can't live in Albany," she said. "I can't even go there."

cseiler@timesunion.com  518-454-5619
The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government (LOCPG) in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) said on Friday that it has collected more than 130 written opinions on the national security legislation and will forward them to the national legislature.

The LOCPG said these opinions were collected from the HKSAR deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) and members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

They will be handed in to the NPC Standing Committee, which has been entrusted to make national security laws to be promulgated and enforced in Hong Kong.

Deputies to the 13th NPC voted overwhelmingly on May 28 to approve the NPC Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the HKSAR to Safeguard National Security.

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng met with HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam and several principal officials in Beijing on Wednesday to hear the HKSAR government's opinions on the national security legislation for the HKSAR.

Han said the legislation by the NPC Standing Committee in its next steps is to punish the criminal acts and activities that gravely endanger national security by a very small number of people and will not affect the legitimate rights and freedoms enjoyed and exercised by Hong Kong residents.

During the legislation process, the central authorities will hear opinions from people from all walks of life in Hong Kong in multiple ways, he said.
Avinash Ramachandran By

Express News Service

Baghdad, 2004. Its a year since American troops have occupied Iraq. There is a car blast. The Madan Tiwari household is taken over by two American soldiers in search of insurgents. Madan Tiwaris (a brilliant Vinay Pathak) family is geared up to celebrate the sixth birthday of Chintu (a bright-eyed Vedant Chibber), its youngest member.

There is shelling all around. The soldiers are forced to stay inside the house because the insurgents are retaliating. Then... there is a loud knock. A very young, yet confident voice calls out for Chintu. A local Iraqi kid and his sister are at the doorstep. We come for Chintu birthday party. Let me in. I go out I killed, here... I eat cake, says young Waheed, who has braved dust, grime, blood, and bombs to come to his best friends birthday party.

The loss of innocence is understandable in a place of perennial strife like Iraq, but what about the normalisation of violence in the minds of these impressionable kids? Over the course of just under 90 minutes, Chintu ka Birthday puts a spin on the kind of chamber dramas weve seen in Indian cinema in recent times. While like most of those, this film too is a thriller, Chintu ka Birthday also works as a family drama. A film that, for instance, a Basu Chatterjee (RIP, you wonderful filmmaker) would have made now. A film where every tear is punctuated by a smile. A film where every kick in the gut is followed by an understanding embrace.

Although the central conceit of looking at war and violence through the eyes of a child might remind you of Academy Award-winner Jojo Rabbit, Chintu ka Birthday has a strong sense of uniqueness. Everyone in the film is battling inner demons. While one soldier is already disillusioned with the search for the weapons of mass destruction, the other, who is newly deployed, is livid over the insurgents beheading his brothers in the American army. Madan and family have been trying to trust the system and return to India, but are met with multiple hurdles. Chintus fifth birthday was spoiled when America waale uncle ordered his forces to occupy Iraq.

The elder sibling Lakshmi (played by a gifted Bisha Chaturvedi) is the archetype of an Indian girl who is forced to grow up too fast for her age. She is so stoic that when she breaks down, even her parents are surprised. Words like, If you break down, what will happen to others? that are usually reserved for someone older are used to pacify her. In between all this, the narration allows us to draw parallels to people wanting to go home. We also find people not knowing what home is anymore. Is the idea of home just an extension of the construct of wanting peace and happiness? Are peace and happiness the ultimate luxuries? Or is the desire for them just imaginary fuel to keep the fire of hope raging inside us?

Written and directed by Devanshu and Satyanshu Singh, Chintu ka Birthday makes us think of these questions, but it doesnt preach. References to religious indoctrination and Saddams regime are made in passing.

The sympathy is earned and not forced out of us. Major credit for this goes to the performances of the stellar cast lead by Vinay Pathak and Tillotama Shome. As Madan and Sudha, parents of Chintu, they play outsiders in a country that is invaded by outsiders. Although Tilottama doesnt have many dialogues, her silences speak loud. Sudha believes Madan will get them through any ordeal. They have to be strong together to ensure that come what may, Chintu gets to celebrate his birthday. This becomes paramount to the family despite facing an uncertain future soon thereafter.

Through well-crafted dialogues between Madan and the two American soldiers, the writers establish how the story of the real victims tend to get buried under the debris of the stories of others. They say Saddam Hussein killed Shias, including women and children. Some say he was a great man. Who knows the truth? My personal problem is very small when compared to what the country is going through, says Madan, who is portrayed as the epitome of goodness and hope. This behaviour irks his mother-in-law, played by the inimitable Seema Pahwa.

She berates him and asks, Do you think you can smile and melt all their hearts? Of course, it is not enough. Smiling at unknown adversity isnt enough when that adversity is possible detention in Iraqi prisons infested with snakes and rats. Smiling at their home being shattered isnt enough when the alternative is outing a young kid who made an innocent mistake. But just like Madan, somewhere deep within us, we do hope that it will be enough. We do hope that the goodness in our hearts will melt theirs. We do hope that there will be light even in the darkest of places. We do hope that children can dream of a safer future. We do hope.
Operating with the backing and encouragement of President Trumpwho has threatened to deploy the military to suppress protestsand the aid of thousands of National Guard soldiers, police forces throughout the US are engaged in an ongoing rampage.

More than 11,000 people have been arrested in the less than two weeks of protests that followed the police murder of George Floyd. Most have been attacked by police and arrested for failure to disperse or violating curfews, under both Democratic and Republican mayors.

Thousands of peaceful demonstrators have been teargassed, pepper sprayed, shot with rubber bullets and beanbags, beaten with truncheons and pushed to the ground, leading to serious injuries and in some cases death. While largely ignored by the mainstream media, video after video of police attacks have gone viral on social media, fueling popular outrage.

A protester is arrested on Fifth Avenue by NYPD officers during a march, Thursday, June 4, 2020, in the Manhattan borough of New York [Credit: AP Photo/John Minchillo]

Sarah Grossman, a recent Ohio State graduate, died last weekend after being exposed to CS tear gas fired by Columbus, Ohio police during a May 30 protest. The Montgomery County coroner confirmed that he is conducting an autopsy on Grossman, who is believed to have suffered an asthma attack after being doused with the chemical.

No arrests or charges have been filed in Grossmans death.

In Buffalo, New York, a 75-year-old man is in serious but stable condition at the Erie County Medical Center after being assaulted by officers from the Buffalo Police Department at a protest Thursday. As of this writing, none of the officers has been charged for the assault, recorded on video, which rendered him unconscious. The video has been viewed over 72 million times on Twitter and is being shared widely on other social media platforms.

In the deeply disturbing assault, a Buffalo Police Department officer, identified as Aaron Torgalski, violently shoved Martin Gugino, a peace activist from nearby Amherst, to the ground. Guginos head struck the pavement and he immediately began bleeding out of his ear. Torgalski and his fellow officers ignored Guginos apparently lifeless body as they battered back worried onlookers and media.

A petition demanding the Buffalo Police Department fire officer Torgalski exceeded its goal of 300,000 signatures in less than a day, expressing the widespread outrage among workers and youth of all races against state violence.

The vicious assault came after another day of peaceful protests in downtown Buffalos Niagara Square. The protests were forced to end at 8 p.m. due to a curfew imposed by Democratic Mayor Byron Brown that is to last through Sunday. Buffalo police, clad head to toe in riot armor, formed a line with National Guard soldiers in the rear and began to violently force out the dozen or so peaceful protesters who remained in the public square.

Gugino, walking alone on the sidewalk, approached the officers with a riot helmet that had been left behind, attempting to return it to the police. Officers in the video, recorded by WBFO, can be heard yelling, PUSH HIM BACK! followed shortly thereafter by the stomach-churning thud.

The few remaining protesters and WBFO correspondent Mike Desmond, who was recording the attack, worriedly called for help. As one protester moved forward to attempt to render aid, an officer shoved him back, screaming: What the fuck you walking up on me for?

The Buffalo Police Department initially attempted to cover up the crime. Michael DeGeorge, a spokesman for Brown and the Buffalo Police Department, claimed in an initial email statement sent to reporters at 8:50 p.m. that Gugino tripped and fell during a skirmish involving protesters.

Desmond, who recorded the entire encounter, released a Twitter video showing the actual course of events approximately 20 minutes later. Less than two hours later, the Buffalo Police Department was forced to suspend two officers without pay and begin an Internal Affairs investigation. There is no doubt that had the video evidence not been released, no officers would have been suspended, much less investigated.

All 57 members of the Buffalo Police Departments Emergency Response Team resigned from the unit as a show of support for the officers who were suspended, exemplifying the class divide that exists between the working class and the police.

In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, LaToya Ratlieff is still recovering nearly a week after being hit in the head with a so-called less lethal foam rubber bullet round fired at protesters by police officers. Ratlieff, who participated in a peaceful protest with roughly 1,500 workers and youth last Sunday, was attempting to leave the protest after being hit with CS tear gas. The rubber bullet lacerated her skull and sent her falling face down onto the street, fracturing her eye socket.

The Fort Lauderdale riot police had deliberately set up their lines outside the parking garage where a majority of the protesters, including Ratlieff, had parked their cars, guaranteeing a confrontation. Ratlieff was roughly 10 yards away from the line of officers when she was shot in the forehead. When aimed at the neck or head, foam baton rounds are considered a lethal munition, according to the manufacturers manual.

Worried protesters quickly ran to her aid, braving rubber bullets and tear gas to scoop up her bleeding body and transport her to the hospital. Ratlieff gave a video interview to the Miami Herald in which she contrasted the treatment her working class brothers and sisters gave her to the treatment she suffered at the hands of Fort Lauderdale police.

These strangers are helping me, they stayed at the hospital to make sure that I was ok... So, civilians and people that have to risk themselves, cause they could get shot with rubber bullets too, came and saved me while these officers stood right there in that line and watched me bleed on that ground. They didnt move. I didnt see anyone come over to help me... not a single officer.

Still holding the expended round casing, roughly the size of an 8 ounce can, Ratlieff, holding back tears, ended the interview by asking, Why was I shot?

In a statement released days later, the Fort Lauderdale police department said it did not have specific information about the incident, and therefore no officers had been relieved of duty because of it. The police department has refused to release incident reports from the day and no investigation is pending.
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Two NYPD officers have been suspended without pay after one cop was filmed violently throwing a female protester to the ground and the other was seen pulling a man's mask down to pepper spray him - as cops finally drop heavy-handed tactics during the eighth night of George Floyd demonstrations across the city.

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea announced the suspensions on Friday saying both cases have been referred for disciplinary action. Neither of the officers were identified.

It comes amid mounting criticism of the NYPD and Mayor Bill de Blasio over police officers' aggressive treatment of peaceful protesters after some cops were seen moving in on people without provocation and bashing them with batons.

Videos of both incidents, which occurred during the first week of protests in the city on May 29 and May 30, were widely circulated on social media and sparked calls for the officers involved to be punished.

In one video, one officer was seen forcefully shoving 20-year-old Dounya Zayer to the ground as she protested outside Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The cop had allegedly called her a 'stupid f***ing b***h before pushing her.

Zayer later shared updates from the hospital saying she suffered a seizure and a concussion from the attack.

The following day, a second officer was caught on video yanking down a man's coronavirus mask to pepper spray him. The man had been among a massive crowd of demonstrators in Brooklyn and had been holding his hands up.

The NYPD officer who was caught pulling a protester's mask down to pepper spray him last week (pictured) has been suspended without pay, Police Commissioner Shea announced on Friday

A second officer, who was seen violently shoving 20-year-old protester Dounya Zayer (pictured) to the ground during a Brooklyn protest last week, has also been suspended

Protests against the death of George Floyd and police brutality continued for an eighth night in New York City on Friday, but officers were considerably less aggressive in their tactics

A woman, identified as Courtney Taylor Mesidor, smiles at a police officer as he takes her photo during her arrest for breaking curfew

Crowds dwindled on their own at various locations, though officers in Brooklyn made at least a dozen orderly arrests while dispersing one group. Pictured: A man arrested on Park Avenue

Protesters denouncing systemic racism in law enforcement march in defiance of a citywide curfew

Commissioner Shea on Friday said the incidents were 'disturbing and run counter' to the principles of the NYPD.

'The actions by these officers stand apart from the restrained work of the thousands of other officers who have worked tirelessly to protect those who are peacefully protesting and keep all New Yorkers safe,' he said.

'While the investigations have to play out, based on the severity of what we saw, it is appropriate and necessary to assure the public that there will be transparency during the disciplinary process.'

Meanwhile, protests over the death of George Floyd and police brutality continued for an eighth night, despite threats of rain and the NYPD's 'no tolerance' crackdown on curfew-breakers that saw hundreds arrested this week.

Thousands braved the damp weather and continued marching after 8pm with police generally allowing them.

Crowds dwindled on their own at various locations, though officers in Brooklyn made at least a dozen orderly arrests while dispersing one group.

About an hour earlier and not far away, protesters Randy Williams exchanged a fist bump with officers, who steadily removed one hand from their batons to shake with demonstrators.

'I get in their faces every day not with hate, not with anger,' he told the Associated Press. 'My delivery may be a little rough but the message is the same. I don't dislike cops and I have been to prison. I don't hate cops. I hate bullies'

As another sizable group dispersed on the Upper West Side, some who were walking away bantered about not wanting to get arrested because they wanted to be back on the streets Saturday.

Police officers were far less aggressive in their enforcement on Friday. Pictured: A group of cops look on as demonstrators march along the streets of NYC.

A female protester holds up a 'Defund NYPD' sign as she marches down the street

Hundreds continued marching after curfew with police officers generally allowing them

On Park Avenue, police arrested a group of protesters after they continued marching after curfew

Police began moving in on crowds and carrying out arrests about an hour after curfew kicked in on Friday

Police continued their crackdown on curfew violators on Friday, but appeared to drop their aggressive tactics

The arrests come following an eighth day of demonstrations against police brutality across the city

A woman wearing a coronavirus mask is seen being escorted by police officers in riot gear in New York City

As police began moving in on crowds and carrying out arrests after curfew kicked in, cops eased up on their heavy-handed tactics and dispersed crowds with relatively little confrontation.

Earlier, about three hundred people had gathered in Union Square for a rally organized by medical professionals who have been battling the COVID-19 pandemic at its epicenter for the last three months.

One protester held a sign that read, 'You Clapped For Us, We Kneel For You,' referring to the ritual clapping New Yorkers do each night at 7pm to salute health care workers.

Crowds also got together to sing happy birthday to Breonna Taylor, a black woman and EMT who was shot and killed by Louisville police in March. A vigil was also held in Harlem, where 200 people gathered to mark her 27th birthday.

An in Brooklyn, about 1,000 people marched down Flatbush Avenue and past Barclays Center, which has been the site of many mass protests over the last week..

The violent flareups that characterized some demonstrations last weekend have almost entirely given way to peaceful affairs. Looting that occurred on Sunday and Monday also appears to have ceased.

The tension now has occurred around the city's 8pm curfew, with police at some protests using force to enforce the order barring assemblies.

Protests against racial injustice and police brutality carried on for an eighth day in New York City on Friday

Many marched down the streets of the city despite the threat of rain

A group of protesters gathered in the rain for a rally in Union Square late Friday afternoon

Earlier, Mayor Bill de Blasio earlier said he had personally seen 'no use of force around peaceful protests' and cast doubt on people who had, belying social media posts and witness accounts of officers moving on demonstrators without provocation and bashing them with batons.

De Blasio made the comment in response to questions at his morning news briefing about teams of officers aggressively breaking up a rally in the Bronx on Thursday, leading to scores of arrests and cries of brutality.

'What an absolute disgrace. This is just not true,' City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer tweeted afterward. 'You are gaslighting an entire City.'

However, the mayor also warned police officers would be investigated after videos emerged the previous night showing cops mistreating essential workers exempt from curfew such as food delivery workers and journalists.

Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said by 'willfully ignoring the evidence' of bystanders, reporters, observers and peaceful protesters being brutalized in plain sight, the mayor is emboldening the police to cause more harm.

'I guess at this point the mayor is delusional,' Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said.

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said officers at the Bronx rally were acting on information that some in the crowd were plotting to destroy property and attack police, citing posters he said that advertised the plan.

A woman holds up a placard of Breonna Taylor, who would have turned 27 today

Demonstrations across the city remain strong more than a week after the death of George Floyd

A NYPD police vehicle was splattered with red paint as demonstrators protest against police brutality

NYPD police officers walk along a street as demonstrators march for justice

Shea said police recovered a gun, gasoline and other weapons at the event, adding that officers had done a 'phenomenal job the last couple of nights.'

About 260 people were arrested, mostly for violating curfew.

Jake Offenhartz, a reporter for the news website Gothamist who was at the rally, challenged Shea's account at Friday's news briefing, saying what he saw firsthand 'is nothing like what youre describing.'

Videos posted on Twitter showed helmeted officers charging the vocal but non-violent crowd, pushing protesters back with bicycles and bloodying some with batons.

De Blasio was skeptical, saying unnamed observers from City Hall 'saw a very different reality than what you saw.'

Shea, who gave a fiery speech Thursday denouncing a wave of vicious attacks on officers, said 'sometimes when you're in the middle of something, you dont get to see the big picture too.'

On Friday evening, the department announced an arrest of two people in connection to a June 2 incident where a police officer was hit by an oncoming car, sending him flying into the street and leaving him in serious condition.

The police department's treatment of peaceful protesters, amid smash-and-grab sprees and sporadic unrest, has come under fire as demonstrations stretch into a second weekend, spurred by George Floyd's May 25 death in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed a knee into Floyds neck.

After officers were recorded Wednesday shoving and hitting peaceful protesters as they enforced the curfew, it was Gov. Andrew Cuomo who doubted it happened, telling an Associated Press reporter that her question about the use of force was 'a little offensive' and 'incendiary rhetoric.'
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 00:02:05|Editor: huaxia

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ADDIS ABABA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases across the African continent surpassed 176,807, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Saturday.

The Africa CDC in its latest update said that the number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases rose from 171,2016 on Friday evening to 176,807 as of Saturday afternoon.

The death toll from the pandemic also rose from 4,766 Friday evening to 4,902 as of Saturday afternoon, according to the Africa CDC.

The continental disease control and prevention agency, which noted that the virus has so far spread into 54 African countries, also said that some 78,267 people who have been infected with COVID-19 have recovered across the continent so far.

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. Enditem
India surpassed Spain on Saturday to become the fifth worst-hit nation by the coronavirus pandemic after a record spike in cases for four consecutive days pushed its total infections to more than 2,45,670, according to data maintained by the Johns Hopkins University. Spain so far has recorded 2,41,310 cases.

In less than 24 hours, India surpassed Italy and then Spain to reach the grim milestone. Now only the United States, Brazil, Russia and the United Kingdom are ahead of it.

According to the Union Health Ministry, India registered a record single-day spike of 9,887 cases and 294 deaths by 8am on Saturday, pushing the tally to 2,36,657 and the death toll to 6,642. The country registered over 9,000 cases for the third day in a row. The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 1,15,942.

A total of 1,14,073 people have recovered, with 4,611 patients having been cured in the last 24 hours, said the ministry. "Thus, around 48.2% patients have recovered so far," said a senior ministry official.

The ministry said cumulatively 45,24,317 samples have been tested so far with 1,37,938 in the last 24 hours.

Of the total 6,642 fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 2,849 deaths, followed by Gujarat (1,190), Delhi (708), Madhya Pradesh (384), West Bengal (366), Uttar Pradesh (257), Tamil Nadu (232), Rajasthan (218), Telangana (113), Andhra Pradesh (73), Karnataka (57) and Punjab (48).

Jammu and Kashmir reported 36 fatalities, Bihar 29, Haryana 24, Kerala 14, Uttarakhand 11, Odisha 8 and Jharkhand 7. Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh have registered 5 COVID-19 deaths each, Assam 4, Chhattisgarh 2, Meghalaya and Ladakh 1 each.

According to the ministry, more than 70% of the deaths are due to co-morbidities.

According to the ministry data updated on Saturday morning, the highest number of confirmed cases are from Maharashtra at 80,229, followed by Tamil Nadu at 28,694, Delhi at 26,334, Gujarat at 19,094, Rajasthan at 10,084, UP at 9,733 and MP at 8,996.

The number of cases has gone up to 7,303 in West Bengal, 4,835 in Karnataka, 4,596 in Bihar and 4,303 in Andhra Pradesh. It has risen to 3,597 in Haryana, 3,324 in Jammu and Kashmir, 3,290 in Telangana and 2,608 in Odisha.

Punjab has reported 2,461 infections so far, while Assam has 2,153 cases. A total of 1,699 people have been infected in Kerala and 1,215 in Uttarakhand.

Jharkhand has registered 881 cases, Chhattisgarh 879, Tripura 692, Himachal 393, Chandigarh 304, Goa 196, Manipur 132 and Puducherry 99.

Ladakh has 97 cases, Nagaland 94, Arunachal 45, while Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Meghalaya have registered 33 infections each. Mizoram has reported 22 cases and Dadar and Nagar Haveli has 14 cases, while Sikkim has reported four cases till now.

"8,192 cases are being reassigned to states," the ministry said on its website, adding, "Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR."

(With inputs from PTI)
For as long as the elephants could remember - and that is a long time - the path to the river snaked down the hillside through jungle so dense a troop of pachyderms could simply vanish.

But about three decades ago, humans decided they, too, wanted to get to the river, to gaze at the waterfalls that cascaded into the Khao Yai National Park in central Thailand. The humans paved over part of the elephants trail with cement. They built toilets and snack kiosks.

The elephants, though, still needed to reach the river. They hewed close to the old route, the one imprinted on generations of pachyderm brains, but not so close that the day-trippers, with their picnics of sticky rice and grilled pork, would see them.

It was a fatal diversion. The new trail passed a cliff and an area prone to flash floods. Elephant after elephant drowned. In October, a baby elephant fell into the roiling waters. Others charged in to save the calf. All told, 11 elephants died.

Since the coronavirus pandemic accelerated in March, Khao Yai, Thailands oldest national park, has been closed to human visitors for the first time since it opened in 1962. Without the jeeps and the crowds, the parks 300 or so elephants have been able to roam freely, venturing onto paths once packed with humans. Rarely spotted animals, like the Asian black bear or the gaur, the worlds largest bovine, have emerged, too.

The park has been able to restore itself, said Chananya Kanchanasaka, a national park department veterinarian. We are excited to see the animals are coming out.

Pandemic lockdowns have given nature a breather all around the world, bringing animals to unexpected places. Cougars toured the deserted streets of Santiago, the Chilean capital. Wild boars have strolled through the lanes of Haifa, Israel. Fish catches off Vietnam are teeming again.

In Thailand, nature rebounded quickly, too. In late April, a herd of about 30 dugong - a relatively rare marine mammal - showed up off a cape once crowded with tourist boats. Leatherback turtles and blacktip reef sharks have returned to other holiday hot spots, too. (In other places, elephants and monkeys that normally play a part in the tourist trade are suffering, however.)

The reprieve for Thailands wildlife has provoked a debate in a country where the bond with nature has long been framed as one of domination, either the jungle consuming people or people consuming the jungle.

Beyond the pillaging of its own rainforests, Thailand is a key way station on global wildlife trafficking routes, with horns, tusks and scales from as far away as Africa making their way to China.

Wild elephants from the regions forests are trapped and mentally broken down to perform tricks for tourists. Poaching and logging are rampant in Thailand.

In 2018, a Thai construction tycoon was found in a wildlife sanctuary west of Khao Yai with a cache of weapons and the remains of a black leopard, a barking deer and a pheasant. A leopards tail was discovered in a soup pot.

Over the years, as park visitors have been educated on how to approach nature, their behaviour has improved, said Somporn Chaikarn, a Khao Yai senior ranger who has worked here for 33 years.

Tourists dont drive drunk in the park anymore, he said. Thats a big improvement.

Early in his career, Mr Chaikarn helped build the path down to the Haew Narok waterfall so visitors could gaze up at the cascades that tumble down a nearly 550-foot descent.

Over the years, park employees have tried to reroute the elephants from their old trail, building concrete posts and other barriers. They have installed checkpoints. But elephants kept returning because many of the 108 species of plant they like to eat in the park flourish there.

You cannot stop an elephant if it really wants to do something, Mr Chaikarn said.

A wild elephant stops a car on a road at Khao Yai National Park in Thailands Nakhon Ratchasima province (Getty)

Khao Yai, which covers about 155 square miles and is part of a larger Unesco World Heritage Site, is believed to have the largest population of wild elephants of any national park in Thailand.

As roads were built through the park, the elephants liked to walk on the warm asphalt and began to treat passing cars as playthings, said Kanchit Srinopawan, who was the head of the park until March and now is the director of the office of natural resources and environment for Prachin Buri province.

They like sedans, especially, because of the perfect size, said Mr Srinopawan, showing a picture on his phone of a bull elephant mounting a Mercedes-Benz.

In October, the first sign of trouble came when, amid unusually late monsoonal downpours, a panicked trumpeting echoed from the Haew Narok waterfall. The name means Hells Ravine. Floods made reaching the area impossible, but some of the rangers had a hunch about what had happened. Every year, one or two elephants die in the fierce currents, they said. And in 1992, a baby slipped, and seven others followed to try to rescue it. All eight died.

This time around, a baby elephant, around 3 years old, slipped trying to cross the river and plunged nearly 200 feet to the second tier of the waterfall. One after another, members of the herd tried to save the calf.

The only elephants in the group that did not jump in were another baby and its mother.

The panicked cries eventually quieted, and the rains stopped. But floodwaters still impeded the rangers. Days later, they found six bodies. Days after that, a drone located five more.

The deaths of the 11 elephants were preventable, and the mismanagement by the park was preventable, said Kemthong Morat, a prominent Thai conservationist who went on a hunger strike to bring attention to their safety. They seem to forget that the national parks purpose is for research and conservation. Khao Yais big tourism revenues made them forget the main purpose of the park.

Mr Srinopawan, the former park director, disagreed.

Recommended Man arrested over death of pregnant elephant in Kerala

The environmental groups say that we focus too much on tourists, not on the elephants, but we need a balance, he said. We also have to take care of the people who love wildlife and want to enjoy unspoiled nature.

The parks official Facebook account has celebrated how otters have returned to sunbathe in the river and chipmunk pups to gambol in the branches. The shy serow, which resembles a missing link between a goat and an antelope, is scampering through meadows, as is the dhole, a springy Asian wild dog.

With few cars around, the elephants, the parks dominant species, stroll the roads, chomping on foliage without needing to retreat to dangerous corners of the forest where cliffs meet waterfalls.

We should consider if we should close down the park every year, said Ms Kanchanasaka, the national park veterinarian. Nature can restore itself to its fullest.

New York Times
Rakesh Bedi

Indian TV is segueing breezily into riveting dramas, a category that got short shrift on the idiot box for more than three decades. The last time a TV renaissance happened was in the middle of eighties, when the national channel Doordarshan was invigorated by its colour palette and when the spigot of money was turned on after the Asian Games, a sporting spectacle that Indira Gandhi was keen to host to enhance Indias prestige in the world and to enable her son Rajiv to sharpen his political profile and polish up his image as an exacting doer.

A bevy of colourful and slice-of-life soaps made their way into a black-and-white Indian consciousness. Some history underlay these dramas and they, as more and more swiftly debuted on the small screen, laid the Buniyaad of a TV revolution that swept away the socialist cobwebs in the offices of the national broadcaster and also shook the ideological moorings of Indians and replaced their bondage to constricting socialist realism with a whiff of freedom from musty ideologies that were past their sell-by date. In Bollywood, the slice-of-life had appeared in the 70s with directors like Basu Chatterjee, who died this week, bringing everyman characters like Amol Palekar who competed serenely with larger-than-life angry young men blazing their way to success.

So when clones of Amol Palekar started their shaky life on TV screens, they first flickered for some time before establishing their normal and staid presences. Socialist Realism, which India had copiously borrowed from the Soviets along with their moribund economic template, celebrated the smallness of the yokel life and projected it onto the big screen in a way it looked tawdry and fake. The Rajiv years, after the ghastly killing of Indira, were trying to yank India out of its socialist slumber. The miniscule middle class, whose teeth still glistened from using socialist toothbrushes, had developed a small appetite for aspiration. The middle-class aspiration was not to acquire a 70mm personality and to go fire and brimstone at the system, but to slowly climb the greasy pole of life. The aim was to somehow get by, to achieve small successes in professional life, to own a house and give a roof to your dreams. Moderation, not magnificence, was the temper of the times.

And so were the dramas on TV. Buniyaad went three decades back into history and showed how partition tore up many families. Its canvas was huge, but the lives of its characters were ordinary and dealt with routine pain, the trials and tribulations of everyday life. Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi was more about daily joie de vivre than jejune lectures on life the angry young men gave to a system gone awry. Nukkad brought the street to us, with all its salience and smartness and salaciousness.

Then TV became infested with religiosity and the bigness and preachiness returned with a fervor for a few tumultuous years in India. This was a rerun of the socialist realist themes though in a different garb. The same moralising, the same hectoring, the same solipsism -- all of it returned cloaked in saccharine religiosity.

Then TV changed as the leader of the free world put together an alliance and rained bombs to push back an insolent middle-east dictator who, fancying himself a modern-day Saladin, was bitten by the conquering bug. TV quickly gravitated to news and every grenade and every bomb became the objects of camera attention. It all looked surreal and gory and TV was full of immaculate explosions that rippled out from the small screen into homes. This birthed gritty realism. This was a Hemingway moment for TV. The language changed, the syntax altered, the grammar became looser, the editing jerkier and more Godardian.

The Sopranos came into being in America and changed TV forever. It brought the Coppola chutzpah to the small screen. Then David Simon, a crime reporter for Baltimore Sun, brought The Wire to the small screen. And life, with all its seediness and scandals and scams, exploded on the small screen. A drama like Breaking Bad, which is now a conversational badge of honour among the upper and middle classes everywhere, would not have been possible without The Sopranos and The Wire.

In India, Bollywood, in the nineties, went crazy with silliness and sophomoric sizzle. The Indian TV went a step ahead and dissolved into sentimental, brightly lit mush. The men talked impudent gibberish and the women veiled and wailed. The dialogues came loaded with misogynism and women viewers felt emasculated watching belligerent displays of a savage patriarchy that didnt comport well with the neoliberal ethos the country was fast embracing. Neoliberalism was an economic philosophy of uncontrolled freedom, of no full stops, of neon-lit cities, of rocketing aspirations, of grandiloquent salons, of single-malt bars, of door-opening bluster. Instead of hightailing to haute couture, Indian TV, strangely, wrapped itself in chiffon sarees. Instead of talking Davos, it conversed about trifling dalliances. Instead of aspiring, it started perspiring under heavy makeup. Instead of heading outdoors with confidence, it sat indoors meekly with its timid conservativeness.

It is now, with the advent of streamers, the TV is beginning to find its language. It is slowly leaving its shallow language of shimmery sarees and sugary sentiments and adopting, with a strange hesitancy, gritty realism. The unmistakable smell of hesitancy can still be seen in the formulaic structures. It may have grasped the new grammar of realism, but, in its weird obsession for unrequired obscenities and a predilection for gratuitous sex, it has a big store of bloopers. The language looks attractive, but, off and on, the viewer comes across formula-driven errors that make her wince. Like a sudden nasty bone in well-made keema, these bloomers spoil the experience of binge consumption. Television is now so desperately hungry, said Gore Vidal, for material that theyre scraping the top of the barrel. Well, in India, they are still at the bottom of the barrel, but it is good that they at least have the hunger now.
The government leader requested ministries and localities to strengthen coordination with Lao counterparts.

The meeting focused on assessing the progress and results of the implementation of cooperation projects with Laos in the fields of electricity and hydropower, transport connection, seaport, and airport, as well as speeding up the construction of the Lao National Assembly House.

Participants also discussed measures to remove difficulties for businesses and promote bilateral trade in the context of jointly fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Pittsburgh on Monday, a protester shields himself from rubber bullets and kicks a canister of tear gas back at police. Read more

A black reporter from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says she was removed from covering the citys protests over the death of George Floyd because of a tweet, and now dozens of her colleagues, fellow journalists, her union and even the citys mayor are speaking out in support of her.

On Friday the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh and many of her fellow reporters at the Post-Gazette were demanding that Alexis Johnson be allowed cover the protests, sending identical versions of the tweet themselves and using the hashtag #IStandWithAlexis.

On Sunday, Johnson posted four photos that show trashed public spaces in the aftermath of a crowd.

Johnson, who earned a masters degree in journalism at Temple, confirmed to The Associated Press on Friday that she was told the tweet and the apparent bias it showed were the reasons she would no longer be covering the protests. She declined further comment, deferring to her guild.

Guild President Michael A. Fuoco, who is also a Post-Gazette reporter, told the AP that guild leaders were appalled by the move, and the papers editors have not yielded at all in discussions about Johnsons status.

We feel taking a black woman off the most monumental national story about civil rights in the last 50 years is punishment, Fuoco said. We have very few black journalists. Someone who has the contacts and the insights for this story, that is what you want.

He said of the tweet that he thought it was clever, I thought it was funny, and I thought it was food for thought. And thats what we are as journalists. We put things out in the public square.

Karen Kane, managing editor of the Post-Gazette, said in an email that the papers editors cannot comment on personnel matters.

Journalists from other outlets around the country and other unions were also speaking out in favor of Johnson, as did Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, who said on Twitter that her reporting has always been fair and professional.

The Pittsburgh Black Media Federation released a statement saying that to deny the African American reporter the opportunity to cover this news removes an opportunity for the Post-Gazette to present a more fair, nuanced, and informed portrait of what is happening in local communities.

Johnson on Friday thanked her union for going to bat for her.

Johnsons removal from protest coverage was first reported by Pittsburgh City Paper.
Bengaluru, June 6 : The opposition Congress in Karnataka is open to supporting Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) supremo and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda's election to the Rajya Sabha if he chooses to contest the June 19 biennial elections to Upper House of Parliament, a party official said on Saturday.

"We are open to supporting Deve Gowda if he contests elections to the Rajya Sabha from the state, as we will have 24 surplus votes in Assembly after electing our leader Mallikarjun Kharge who is the party nominee," Congress leader Prakash Rathod told IANS here.

"Our high command will decided if Deve Gowda agrees to contest and his party JD-S approaches us. It will be an honour for the state to have a person of his stature in the Upper House," said Rathod.

With the term of the four Rajya Sabha members, including 2 from the Congress (B.K. Hariprasad and Rajeev Gowda) and one each from the BJP (Prabhakar Kore) and Janata Dal-Secular (Kupendra Reddy) ending on June 25, the Election Commission on June 1 notified the bypoll in the state for June 19, and the last date for filing nominations as June 9. Vote count is slated on June 19.

With 68 Congress legislators in the 223-member Assembly, Kharge's win is assured as he needs only 44 votes, while the JD-S with 34 MLAs requires 10 more votes for its candidate's victory.

"As the last date for filing nominations (June 9) is still 3 days away, we will wait for the JD-S to formally approach us if Gowda agrees to contest," reiterated Rathod.

Gowda, 87, lost the May 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Tumkur to G.S. Basavaraju of the BJP, though his grandson Prajwal Gowda won from the JD-S bastion Hassan, defeating A. Manju of the BJP.

With 117 lawmakers, the ruling BJP will get two of its nominees elected but will face stiff contest if it fields a third candidate, who will require 15 more votes to win the battle of ballots.

Kharge, 77, a former Union Minister in the UPA government, also lost the May 2019 general elections from the Gulbarga (reserved) constituency to Umesh Yadav of the BJP.

Kharge was the party's leader in the Lok Sabha's previous term (2014-19).

"As 12 vacancies are due in the Legislative Council, including 5 by nomination and 7 through by-election after the terms of some MLCs end, both parties can help each other in getting more of their candidates elected as a quid pro quo," Rathod hinted.

As per their present strength in the Assembly, the Congress can get two of its nominees elected to the Council unopposed and JD-S 1 and the BJP 4 as each of their candidates requires 29 votes to win.

Though the Congress and the JD-S formed a post-poll alliance after the May 2018 Assembly elections threw up a hung verdict and formed a coalition government under H.D. Kumaraswamy on May 23, 2018, revolt by 17 rebels in both the parties led to the fall of their government after 14 months on July 23, 2019.

In the May 2019 general elections, both the coalition partners formed a pre-poll alliance and fielded common candidates but retained only one Lok Sabha each, while the BJP won 25 of the 28 seats the state has in the Lower House.

Of the 12 Rajya Sabha seats from the southern state, the BJP has three members -- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, industrialist Rajeev Chandrashekhar and noted educationist K.C. Ramamurthy.

Ramamurthy had defected from the Congress and got re-elected unopposed on December 5, 2019 as a BJP nominee and hence his term is till June 2022.

The opposition Congress has 5 members in the Upper House from the state - Oscar Fernandes, Jairam Ramesh, Syed Naseer Hussain, L. Hanumanthaiah, and G.C. Chandrashekar.
Editors Note: The Middlesex County Prosecutors Office said Sunday, June 7, 2020, that they are no longer searching for the vehicle. The driver was located, and the investigation was ongoing.

Police were searching this weekend for the driver of a dark-colored SUV that stuck a woman who was walking along a North Brunswick highway and left her for dead, police said.

Alysa Kristjanson, 22, of Princeton, was struck and killed at 12:58 a.m. on Thursday while walking along Route 130 in the area of a Dunkin Donuts, according to a joint statement from the North Brunswick Police and the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office.

A photo of the suspects vehicle was captured via security camera footage and was shared by investigators on Friday.

The SUV should have damage to its passenger side front light and mirror, the office said.

Anyone who recognized the SUV or had seen it was asked to call North Brunswick Police Detective Paul Pappas Jr. at 732-247-0922, or Middlesex County Prosecutors Office Detective David Abromaitis at 732-745-4436.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has said that countries like India and China would have much more coronavirus cases than America, the worst-hit country in the world, if they conduct more tests.

Trump, in his remarks at Puritan Medical Products in Maine, said that the US has carried out 20 million tests.

Compared to the US, Germany is at four million and much talked about South Korea is about three million tests, he said on Friday.

According to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, the US has reported nearly 1.9 million cases and over 1,09,000 deaths, making America the worst affected country, while the total number of coronavirus cases in India and China stand at 2,36,184 and 84,177 respectively.

India has so far conducted over 4 million coronavirus tests, according to the health ministry.

Commenting on the COVID-19 tests in the US, Trump said: "We will be well over 20 million tests. Remember this, when you test more, you have more cases."

"I say to my people every time we test; you find cases because we do more testing. If we have more cases, if we wanted to do testing in China or in India or other places, I promise you there would be more cases, you are doing a fantastic job in getting out the swabs".

Puritan is one of the only manufacturers in the world producing the high-quality medical swabs that are crucial for rapid testing.

"And every swab you make at Puritan is proudly stamped with the beautiful phrase made in the USA."

"Thanks to the testing capacity that you are making possible, our country is reopening and our economy is recovering like nobody would've thought possible," he said.

Referring to the latest monthly employment numbers, Trump said that the economy is now back on track.

"We absolutely shattered expectations, and this is the largest monthly jobs increase in American history, think of that; that's a long time."

"I think it's more than double or about double of what our highest was before so this is the largest monthly job increase in American history. And we're going to have a phenomenal next year. We're going to have a tremendous couple of months prior to the election on November 3 very, very important date," the president said.

Seeking re-election for his second consecutive term, Trump is pitted against Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in November 3 presidential elections.

Most of the opinion polls shows that Biden is several points ahead of Trump.

"It's going to be a very important election because the only thing that can screw it up is if you get the wrong president and they raise your taxes, and they open up your borders so that everybody pours into our country," Trump said.

Reiterating that he has built a strong economy in the last three years, Trump vowed to bring the economy back on track, which has been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Describing the fight against coronavirus as the greatest national and industrial mobilisation since the World War II, Trump said that his administration has marshaled the full power of the US government and US industry to defeat the invisible enemy.

"It is indeed an enemy. It came from China, should have been stopped in China. They didn't do that," he alleged.

The administration, he said, has delivered over 1.5 billion pieces of personal protective equipment to doctors and nurses on the front lines.

"We slashed the red tape to speed up the development of vaccines. And vaccines are coming along incredibly well, wait till you see, and therapeutics. And we partnered at private sector leaders such as Puritan to build the largest and most advanced testing capacity on the face of the earth, like this one," he said.

The Puritan factory in Maine, he said, quickly ramped up the production to produce nearly 20 million foam-tipped swabs each month.

"Then in April, my administration invoked the Defence Production Act to help you scale up even more. Under a USD 75 million public-private partnership, Puritan will soon double production to 40 million swabs per month," Trump added.
A surge in COVID-19 cases in the City of Kawartha Lakes continued Saturday afternoon with one new confirmed case reported by the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit.

The City of Kawartha Lakes has now had 156 confirmed cases, with 127 of them resolved as of Saturday afternoon. The health unit is also monitoring 26 people in the City of Kawartha Lakes who are at high risk because of contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The new case in the City of Kawartha Lakes raises the total cases for the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit to 181, with 150 of the cases resolved.

The jurisdictions cases had plateaued for about a week and a half at about 170 cases starting on May 22, but cases started surging again last weekend.

Despite the new cases this past week, the jurisdiction still has a rate of cases that is less than half the provincial average.

The City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton counties has 95.8 cases per 100,000 people as of Saturday, compared to the provincial average of 217.9 cases per 100,000 people.

Northumberland County has 17 confirmed cases, with 16 of them resolved as of Saturday afternoon. The health unit is also monitoring one person in Northumberland at high risk because of contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case.

Haliburton County has eight confirmed cases, with seven of them resolved as of Saturday afternoon. The health unit is also monitoring five people in Haliburton who are at high risk because of contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases.

There are no current institutional outbreaks in the jurisdiction, the health unit reported Saturday.

Ontario COVID-19 cases This interactive map shows confirmed cases of COVID-19 and deaths related to the virus as reported by public health units across Ontario. The map is updated hourly.

There have been 34 inmates at Warkworth Institution medium-security federal prison, 60 kilometres east of Peterborough, who have been tested for COVID-19, with all 34 testing negative, Correctional Service of Canada reported Saturday.

There were 32 deaths in the City of Kawartha Lakes in late March and early April, 28 of them residents of the Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon.

Even with the deadly outbreak at Pinecrest, the rate of deaths per 100,000 people in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton counties was exactly the same on Saturday as the provincial average  16.9 deaths per 100,000.

*****

The latest numbers on COVID-19 in Canada

The Canadian Press

The latest numbers of confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4:37 p.m. ET on June 6, 2020:

There are 95,017 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada.

Quebec: 52,624 confirmed (including 4,970 deaths, 18,412 resolved)

Ontario: 30,202 confirmed (including 2,407 deaths, 23,947 resolved)

Alberta: 7,098 confirmed (including 146 deaths, 6,624 resolved)

British Columbia: 2,632 confirmed (including 167 deaths, 2,272 resolved)

Nova Scotia: 1,058 confirmed (including 61 deaths, 999 resolved)

Saskatchewan: 650 confirmed (including 11 deaths, 611 resolved)

Manitoba: 289 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 284 resolved), 11 presumptive

Newfoundland and Labrador: 261 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 256 resolved)

New Brunswick: 136 confirmed (including 1 death, 121 resolved)

Prince Edward Island: 27 confirmed (including 27 resolved)

Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed (including 13 resolved)

Yukon: 11 confirmed (including 11 resolved)

Northwest Territories: 5 confirmed (including 5 resolved)

Nunavut: No confirmed cases

Total: 95,017 (11 presumptive, 95,006 confirmed including 7,773 deaths, 53,582 resolved)

*****

Ontario reports 455 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, including 68 due to a delay

Allison Jones

The Canadian Press

TORONTO  Ontario reported a spike in new COVID-19 cases Saturday, though dozens were attributed to a reporting delay, as the province extended its emergency orders for another 10 days.

There were 455 new COVID-19 cases added to the provincial total, including 68 that were part of a reporting delay between a laboratory and public health.

There were 23,105 tests completed over the past day  the third day in a row Ontario surpassed its goal of doing 20,000 tests a day.

Ontarios new testing strategy includes targeting specific workers and sometimes bringing mobile testing units to them.

In Windsor, meanwhile, local hospitals and health organizations will jointly conduct a mass swabbing for COVID-19 of 8,000 migrant workers in the area starting on Tuesday.

It comes after the Windsor region on Saturday reported the death of a second migrant worker from COVID-19. Windsor Regional Hospital said a 24-year-old man was first admitted to a different hospital on Monday, and died at their facility on Friday. The hospital said they have contacted the mans family in Mexico.

Another temporary foreign worker in the Windsor area who came to Canada in February and tested positive for the virus on May 21 died last weekend.

Approximately 20,000 migrant workers come to Ontario each year to work on farms and in greenhouses  many of them from Mexico, Guatemala and the Caribbean  and this year have been required to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival.

Outbreaks that have affected dozens of migrant workers have been reported in Chatham-Kent, Windsor-Essex, Niagara Region and Elgin County.

Ontario extended its emergency orders Saturday until June 19, including banning people from dining in bars and restaurants, and gathering in groups larger than five.

The orders that had been set to expire June 9 include the closure of child care centres, though Premier Doug Ford has said that a phased reopening plan for them will be announced early next week.

Extending the emergency orders also means the continued closure of bars and restaurants except for take-out and delivery, libraries except for curbside pick-up or delivery, and theatres, and that Ontarians looking to use playgrounds, or beat the heat at public pools and splash pads, are out of luck for now.

The province recently extended its state of emergency until June 30.

The new cases reported Saturday push Ontarios total number of cases to 30,202, which is a 1.5 per cent increase over the previous days total. It includes 2,407 deaths and 23,947 cases that have been resolved.

The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 dropped sharply, from 749 to 673 and the number of people in intensive care went down slightly, while the number of people on ventilators rose slightly.

Active outbreaks in long-term care homes decreased from 85 to 83, while the number of resident deaths increased by 25 to a total of 1,717. Those figures from the Ministry of Long-Term Care are from a separate database than the provincial totals.

Ontario called in the Canadian Armed Forces in April to help five hard-hit long-term care homes. Members said in a report that they observed cockroach infestations, aggressive feeding that caused choking, bleeding infections, and residents crying for help for hours.

One of the homes, Orchard Villa, told families in an email late Friday that the military formally withdrew from its facility that day.
Members of the Leech Lake Band of the Ojibwe Tribe harvest rice on Mud Lake, located on the Leech River, 17 miles downstream of Leech Lake Dam. For the Ojibwe tribe living in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, one of the most important traditions involves wild rice, which is now in sharp decline in the small lakes of reservations in part due to climate change. (Photo : Wikimedia Commons)

For the Ojibwe tribe living in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, traditions involve wild rice, which is now in sharp decline in the small lakes of reservations in part due to climate change. This causes fear and uncertainty in many tribal members.

University of Minnesota wild rice expert and hydrologist Crystal Ng says that it is difficult to determine the cause for the impairment of a lake. She is working closely with the tribe, and says that nobody currently has answers.

Wild rice thrives in shallow water in lakes, and to be able to germinate once spring comes, scientists say that it requires low temperatures and hard winter freezing. Unfortunately, according to scientists, Minnesota counts as among the quickest-warming US states. To add to the problem, oil pipeline construction is being planned in northern Minnesota, heart of north Minnesota's Ojibwe territory.

History says wild rice was harvestable in many shallow lakes and rivers within the Ojibwe's Lac du Flambeau reservation. This reservation spans 86,500 acres in north Wisconsin. Presently, only two lakes there has wild rice, one of which is not harvestable, according to the reservation's wild rice cultural enhancement program officials.

READ: Invasive Vegetation Releases More Carbon, Worsening Global Warming

The harvest has also severely dropped. In the 1920's, the lakes in Lac du Flambeau had about 200 pounds harvest for every family, which was sufficient for the long winter until spring. Now, a harvest of 80 pounds for each family would already be good. Each year, the number dwindles even more.

Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Northern Wisconsin Tribal Council Member Eric Chapman, Sr. says that the last two years have seen a large drop in harvest, and that it could be completely gone by the middle of the century. Chapman has lived on the reservation all his life.

The Ojibwe are now reviving their traditional ceremonies while also participating in workshops on climate adaptation. They consult non-tribal experts so that they can enhance awareness and knowledge on the native wild rice dilemma.

ALSO READ: Tropical Forests Can Tolerate Climate Change, but There Are Limits

According to experts, the drop in yield can be attributed to the channeling of the river, building of the dam, and logging. However, there is also the nuanced effects of environmental changes, such as changes in water temperature and air, extreme precipitation, and alteration of water chemistry due to erosion.

Ng shared that a problem with the wild rice implies that there is something wrong with the ecosystem. This makes wild rice a flagship species for preserving the environment as well as resource sovereignty for indigenous peoples.

Another factor is the increasing lake water levels, which can decimate an entire annual harvest. In addition, even the most subtle variations in water level, chemical composition, and temperature are able to kill them. Pickerel weed and other competing plant species also rob the wild rice of needed essential nutrients and sunlight.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Locust Attack: India Plagued With Worst Insect Infestation in 27 Years

During the stage when they break out of the surface and start to flower, sudden extreme precipitation can increase the water level and remove the roots out of the bottom, killing many of them.

Wild rice research co-investigator and University of Minnesota assistant professor Michael Dockry said that indigenous tribes have always been marginalized in climate change discussions. He says that research should integrate science and traditional knowledge.

READ NEXT: Mississippi Delta Marshes May Soon Be Gone Due to Climate Change
Air Force update for COVID-19

By Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs / Published June 05, 2020

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- In an effort to minimize the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 and to prioritize the health and safety of Department of the Air Force personnel, the following modifications have been made:

June 4, 2020

NOTE: Starting June 1, we will only send out this update on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

International Health Specialists' experience in global health engagements proved important to support the Department of Defense's relief efforts to state health care systems fighting COVID-19. The Ninth Air Force-led Task Force-Southeast provided defense support of civil authorities within Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, regions III and IV. The task force's largest mission was delivering support to a COVID-19 alternate care site set up at Temple University in Philadelphia that served as an overflow medical facility.

Read more about their efforts here: https://www.acc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2209204/air-force-international-health-specialists-bring-experience-to-pandemic-response/

The Michigan National Guard visited three long-term care facilities on May 28, including Riveridge Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, West Woods of Bridgman, and Pine Ridge Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Michigan to assist with continued COVID-19 testing in Berrien County. This initiative is part of the Michigan National Guard's collaborative effort with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the State Emergency Operations Center to assist with voluntary COVID-19 testing for staff and residents at the request of long term care facilities across Michigan.

Read more about their efforts here: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/371393/michigan-national-guard-assists-covid-19-testing-berrien-county-long-term-care-facilities

Reserve Airmen from the 433rd Airlift Wing's Medical Group returned from a 54-day deployment to the Queens Hospital Center in the Jamaica Hills area of New York City to help assist medical staff at the hospital with the overwhelming number of COVID-19 infected patients.

Read more about their efforts here: https://www.afrc.af.mil/News/Article/2207716/reserve-citizen-airmen-return-home-after-battling-covid-19/

For Chaplain (Capt.) Michael Zimmer, traditional religious services are out the window for Nebraska National Guard Soldiers and Airmen activated and spread throughout the whole state supporting COVID-19 response efforts. In April, Zimmer was activated as the chaplain for the Joint Task Force for Nebraska National Guard COVID-19 mission.

Read more about his efforts here: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/371489/nebraska-air-national-guard-chaplain-activates-first-time-during-covid-19

Essential missions throughout the Air Force still continue even during this pandemic. Below are some links to stories on how these units have adapted to make sure they can continue to execute these missions despite COVID-19.

Aviano Air Base Elephant Walk - https://www.usafe.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2209031/aviano-elephant-walk/



The Future of Enlisted Professional Military Education - https://www.aetc.af.mil/News/Article/2209081/the-future-of-enlisted-professional-military-education/



The 97th Air Mobility Wing conducts large formation exercise - https://www.amc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2209583/mighty-97th-conducts-large-formation-exercise/



Aerial refueling: Backbone of long-range Bomber Task Force missions - https://www.amc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2209569/aerial-refueling-backbone-of-long-range-bomber-task-force-missions/



The 62nd AS protects training pipeline with airlift assistance - https://www.amc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2209562/62nd-as-protects-training-pipeline-with-airlift-assistance/



AFWERX to host JADC2 demo event for government users, tech scouts - https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2209540/afwerx-to-host-jadc2-demo-event-for-government-users-tech-scouts/



Whiteman AFB flight surgeon keeps 20th Attack Squadron mission ready through COVID-19 - https://www.whiteman.af.mil/News/Article/2207789/team-whiteman-flight-surgeon-keeps-20th-attack-squadron-mission-ready-through-c/



Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy support ongoing despite COVID-19 - https://www.dvidshub.net/news/371469/mountaineer-challenge-academy-support-ongoing-despite-covid-19



A New Era Takes Flight - https://www.afrc.af.mil/News/Article/2208533/a-new-era-takes-flight/



MCA expands skills, increases lethality - https://www.acc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2209268/mca-expands-skills-increases-lethality/



EDIS helping to release wiggles and giggles during COVID-19 - https://www.usafe.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2209036/edis-helping-to-release-wiggles-and-giggles-during-covid-19/



The 309th SMXG adapts to change and continues support - https://www.afmc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2209243/309th-smxg-adapts-to-change-and-continues-support/



The 448th Supply Chain Management Wing meets challenges of COVID-19 - https://www.afmc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2209246/448th-supply-chain-management-wing-meets-challenges-of-covid-19/

Air Force Totals of COVID-19 Positive Cases as of 9 p.m., June 4, 2020.

CASES HOSPITALIZED RECOVERED DEATHS Military 571 (+2) 7 282 (+2) 0 Civilian 238 (+4) 8 128 (+1) 1 Dependents 279 (+6) 6 144 (+2) 1 Contractors 127 7 49 (+3) 2 Total 1,215 28 603 4





*These numbers include all of the cases that were reported since our last update on June 3rd.

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Police say they will be reporting the organisers of a rally in Derry today to the Public Prosecution Service with a view to prosecution.

A large crowd gathered in the Guildhall Square this afternoon for a protest in support of the 'Black Lives Matter' campaign.

The event went ahead despite appeals from the police, politicians and business leaders for it to be called off amid concerns around public safety during the coronavirus pandemic.

See here for more on today's rally - https://bit.ly/3cGoYh4.

Similar protest were held in other parts of Northern Ireland today.

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said: There were five events in support of Black Lives Matter planned to take place at locations in Belfast, Derry/Londonderry, Omagh, Newry and Portadown yesterday and today.

"Three of these events  in Omagh, Newry and Portadown - were cancelled however the events in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry proceeded, contrary to the current Health Protection Regulations.

Despite the cancellation of the Newry event, a small crowd did gather but dispersed quickly on our request.

We conducted checks on travel routes and transport hubs across Northern Ireland today, requiring people to return home rather than travel to the unlawful protest gatherings.

"I believe that these actions had a positive effect on reducing the number of people attending the protests thereby protecting the public from the spread of the coronavirus.

We estimate there were less than 500 people in attendance at each event and a significant number of Community Resolution Notices (CRNS) and fines were issued in both Belfast and Derry/Londonderry.

"A number of individuals, including organisers, will now be reported to the Public Prosecution Service with a view to prosecution. We will also conduct follow up enquiries to seek to identify others who may have committed offences.

As I have said previously, in other times, we would have been working with the organisers and protestors to facilitate a lawful and peaceful protest to mark the avoidable and unnecessary death of George Floyd, however, these are not ordinary times.

"The Health Protection Regulations are in place to protect us all during this pandemic and it is everyones responsibility to adhere to them to protect our society.
Obtain prestigious Japanese Engineering Degree at Kyoto University of Advanced Science View(s):

Kyoto University of Advanced Science (KUAS) can look back on a 50-year history as an accredited private educational institution in the academic heartland of Japan.

To take the next step and challenge on the global scale, KUAS invited a top-notch CEO of a Kyoto-based globally successful electric motor manufacturing firm -Nidec, as chairman, aiming to offer its academic resources in the international arena. The establishment of an innovative English-taught engineering faculty offering Bachelor, Masters and Doctor of Engineering, is one major example of these efforts, as KUAS continues to strengthen its commitment to being at the apex of modern education.

Generous Scholarships for International Students

KUAS is offering various scholarship programs for international students ranging from 30% to a 100% full scholarship (KUAS-E scholarship). KUAS also offers 100% full scholarship with living allowance as well for outstanding academic students (Super KUAS-E Scholarship). This enables international students to obtain quality education in one of the most innovation-driven country with minimum worry of finances and affordability. We are proud to mention the awarding of a 100% KUAS-E Scholarship to one of the Sri Lankan students who will be commencing his Masters program at KUAS in September 2020.

Acquire Industry-oriented practical skills

KUAS offers multidisciplinary engineering classes, team-based project works and capstone programs that uniquely prepare students to be successful in real world industry. It is to solve real problems and engineering issues proposed by more than 50 partner companies in Japan. It is a unique experience that enhances understanding of various issues faced in real-world industry today. Globally Experienced Professors

KUASs professors come from different parts of the world bringing along with them the very best in their fields. Their specialties are, robotics, mechanical, electrical, material and computer engineering, for example. Under their guidance and mentoring you will engage in research and learning with an experience that will last a lifetime!

State-of-art laboratories and facility

KUAS is equipped with the workshops and laboratories with state-of-art machineries and equipment, including thermal desorption analyzer, CNC machines, wire EDM machine, fiber laser cutters, 3D printers, for examples.

The newly established furnished and comfortable dormitories await the first-year students enrolling to KUAS! Dont worry about the meals. You will be provided breakfast and dinner at the dorm.

Apply online for the September 2021 program

You can apply online by uploading your Local AL results / Edexcel/Cambridge AL predicted score and TOEFL/IELTS and other necessary documents.
For advanced economies dealing with economic disruptions from the coronavirus pandemic, the response of choice has been massive stimulus packages. Africa is doing without them.

While central banks and governments in North America, Asia and Europe have offered trillions of dollars to prop up businesses hit by lockdowns and provide a safety net for the swelling ranks of the unemployed, a lack of liquidity restricts African governments from providing similar relief.

South Africa, the continent's most industrialized economy, announced a 500 billion rand ($29.5 billion) package, with less than half of that, or about 3% of gross domestic product, that's new spending. Ivory Coast came up with a support plan of $3 billion, or 5% of the world's top cocoa grower's output. Direct fiscal support in Angola, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria averages just 0.3% of GDP this year, according to Bloomberg Economics.

That compares with stimulus worth 15% of GDP in the U.S. and 12% in Canada. Japan's stimulus, including existing measures, equates to 42% of GDP.

"All these countries need is the will," Senegal's President Macky Sall said of richer nations' pandemic responses at a May 19 New York Forum Institute webcast. Others simply "cannot mobilize $2 trillion or $3 trillion to deal with the health crisis and its fallout."

Multilateral lenders and country creditors have stepped in. More than a third of the nations who've received emergency World Bank support are African and the International Monetary Fund has approved more than $13 billion in rapid funding for countries on the continent. The Paris Club suspended debt repayments for seven low-income countries under an initiative backed by the Group of 20 leading economies.

"Everyone's impacted and all countries are trying to protect their most vulnerable households and businesses," Yvonne Mhango, a sub-Saharan Africa economist at Renaissance Capital, said by phone on May 21. "We don't have the fiscal buffers and savings in Africa to put forward large fiscal stimulus packages like you're seeing in the West."

Years of poor fiscal discipline have made some African economies even more vulnerable to the crisis. Even before the pandemic, rising interest costs were crowding out crucial social and health spending.

The continent has averted worst-case health outcomes, recording fewer than 5,000 Covid 19-related deaths, less than 2% of global fatalities, but like elsewhere, strict lockdowns have stripped many of their livelihoods. Three-quarters of Africa's working population toils in the informal sector, according to a 2018 World Resources Institute report.

That means that even if governments did provide support, many workers would be out of reach of official government programs, such as South Africa's Unemployment Insurance Fund.

At the same time, the predominance of the informal sector could offer some protection and help African economies rebound more quickly than advanced counterparts, said Amaka Anku, Eurasia Group's Africa head in a May 22 interview. They're less leveraged and less interlinked, "so there's not as much of a contagion effect," she said.

But the economic shock could still be devastating on a continent that's home to about half the world's poor. Many African countries are pushing for a debt standstill to free up funds to focus on supporting citizens.

"The western world can print $8 trillion to support their economies in these extraordinary times and we are still being thrown a classical book with classical responses," Ghana's Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta said at a June 3 conference.

"The fiscal response Africa desperately needs has been tempered by varying combinations of high indebtedness, weak institutions and tightening financial conditions. Although the IMF and G-20 debt relief and concessional loans have helped, it is far from enough. This will make it difficult for most countries to lay the foundation for a swift recovery once the intense phase of the pandemic has passed," said Bloomberg Africa economist Boingotlo Gasealahwe.

- - -

Bloomberg's Pauline Bax, Ekow Dontoh and Moses Mozart Dzawu contributed to this report.
The 13-year-old girl convinced her father to give Rs 5 lakh that he saved for her education, to needy during the coronavirus lockdown.

Chennai (Tamil Nadu): M Nethra, a daughter of a salon owner in Madurai, has been appointed as a 'Goodwill Ambassador to the Poor' for United Nations Association for Development And Peace (UNADAP).

Minister Sellur Raju lauded the girl for her gesture, and said that he will urge Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to bestow the Jayalalithaa Award to her.

"A couple of days ago, the Prime Minister of India praised the girl. I am glad to have had the opportunity to meet the leaders of the UN, and to attend the event to promote the economy of the poor people. I would like to recommend to the Chief Minister that the woman should be given the Jayalalithaa Award in the coming days," the minister said while speaking to ANI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' also praised C Mohan, father of Nethra for spending his entire savings to help people in distress during the Coronavirus 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," PM Modi had said on Sunday.

UNADAP said Nethra will be given the opportunity to speak at the United Nations (UN) conferences in New York and in Geneva addressing Civil Society forums and conferences.
After 50 years in Brunswick Street, Largo Butchers is moving to Alphington at the end of the year. "The council should be making it more attractive for businesses to stay, but they are just smashing everybody from pillar to post." The vacancy rate along Brunswick Street was 9.4 per cent in 2019, according to estate agent Fitzroys. Vacancies are predicted to spike this year as a result of COVID-19. For Lease signs are popping up along Brunswick Street. Credit:Wayne Taylor Yarra mayor Misha Coleman says the council is providing direct support for local businesses as part of its response to the coronavirus pandemic. She says permit and registration fees have been refunded and application fees to display signs and have chairs and tables on the street have been waived. Grants are also available for those businesses hardest hit and interest on COVID-19 related rates payment plans will be deferred until June 2021.

Last month the council also adopted a streetscape masterplan for Brunswick Street, aimed at strengthening the vibrancy and local identity of the strip. However, to the incredulity of some locals, the projects in the masterplan have not been funded by the council, with just $60,000 set aside for a feasibility study. And some traders say the focus should be on addressing perennial problems such as parking and high rents and rates rather than beautifying the street. Fitzroy Residents' Association chair Martin Brennan was "gobsmacked" when Yarra Council voted to adopt the masterplan without bankrolling any projects. (The mayor says they are subject to funding in future council budgets.) Fitzroy Residents' Association chair Martin Brennan was "gobsmacked" the Brunswick St masterplan was not funded. Credit:Wayne Taylor "There is nothing worse than walking down a street and getting missing teeth," Mr Brennan says. "The coronavirus has increased the decline to the point where we are in danger of becoming unable to attract services and people to the street."

Mr Brennan believes we have taken Brunswick Street for granted since its cultural explosion in the 1980s and '90s as the epicentre of Melbourne bohemia. He says even the art commissioned by the City of Yarra, including the ceramic seats by artist Joe Raneri, was executed in the 1990s. The masterplan mulls some existential questions: "What are the things that make Brunswick Street Brunswick Street?" Loading It posits some answers: eclectic patterns, art, verandahs and awnings, signage and thresholds  "that moment between street, shop or home [where] a myriad of tiling patterns and terrazzo tell tales of time past and present". At its heart, the masterplan is about creating new pockets of public space at key Brunswick Street intersections where people can sit and relax. It recommends more planting, more public seats, more rubbish bins and street fountains and relocating some of the toilets.

"We are not talking megabucks, we are not looking at a gold-plated rollout," Mr Brennan says. Councillors Stephen Jolly and Bridgid OBrien abstained from voting out of frustration the masterplan was unfunded. "There is a real lack of a sense of urgency in this debate about the crisis on Brunswick Street," Cr Jolly said. "In the northern portion, from about Kerr Street north, its 'For Lease' sign after 'For Lease' sign." Mr Brennan says Yarra should borrow money to fund the masterplan. "In future budgets, this street will be dead and gone." Marios Cafe co-owner Mario DePasquale believes the reports of the death of Brunswick Street have been overstated.

Marios opened for business in 1986, focused on good coffee, quality food and having waiters better dressed than customers. Mario DePasquale believes the death of Brunswick Street has been exaggerated. Credit:Wayne Taylor Marios has drawn luminaries including Barry Humphries, Kylie Minogue, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins over the years, although its egalitarian no-bookings policy famously pissed off comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who was turned away in 1998. Mr DePasquale said the cafe remained busy on weekends even during lockdown, when it could only serve takeaway. "Babka and Alimentari have been here for years and years and continue to do well. There's a book shop next to us, Farro Pizza, Rice Paper Scissors, China Bar has opened a branch  A whole lot of stuff is happening, I just dont believe the street is in decline. Yes, there are empty shops, but if you drive down Bridge Road or Chapel Street, you will see empty shops as well."
Another member of the Bundestag from the CDU, Andreas Nick, called the possible decision to reduce the size of the American contingent in Germany "purely political." According to him, among other things, this is indicated by the fact that the Pentagon has not yet made any official statement in this regard, and it redirects requests from the media to the White House."According to my data, the German federal government has not yet been officially informed about this process, which is also a very unusual approach," he added.Nick also noted that an assessment of the specific consequences of Washingtons decision can be made only after the details become known, in particular, data on which military bases the number of US troops will be reduced and which particular units will be discussed.Nick emphasized that most of the US military in Germany is not focused on protecting the territory, but is performing missions within NATO and US military operations around the world.As reported, US President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw part of the US military contingent from Germany. Trump sent his order to reduce troops in Germany to the Pentagon on Friday, June 5.
Sri Lanka to use US$ 1bn from foreign reserves to pay loans View(s):

Sri Lanka will use US$ one billion from its foreign reserves to pay foreign debts later this year amidst the growing financial crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Treasury has decided.

A senior Treasury official said that in the wake of reduction in revenue, foreign remittances and issues in obtaining foreign loans, the funds would be used marking a drop of foreign reserves to US$ six billion from the existing US$ seven billion.

At the beginning of the year, foreign reserves stood at US$ 7.5 billion and dropped to the current US$ 7 billion.

We may have to make use of the reserves further within the year to pay up other loans also, he said.

The moves came as the government was negotiating with China to delay its loan repayments after a successful negotiations with India to delay repayment of installments of a loan of US$ one billion .

Talks were also underway with the World Bank and the IMF to reschedule loan payments.

Last year the Government repaid foreign loans amounting to US$ 4.8 billion.
South Korea Blocks NGO From Sending Bibles, Rice to North

By William Gallo June 05, 2020

South Korean police on Friday prevented a Christian activist group from sending aid and Bibles to North Korea, the latest evidence Seoul intends to prevent cross-border distributions that have angered Pyongyang.

Voice of the Martyrs Korea, a Seoul-based nongovernmental organization, had planned to float about 500 bottles  filled with rice, vitamins and Bibles  into the North from South Korea's western coast.

The activists were met by about two dozen local police officers, unidentified plainclothes officials, and local residents, who blocked a road near the intended launch site.

A day earlier, North Korea lashed out at conservative activists who for years have floated giant balloons filled with anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.

Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said North Korean defectors often involved in such activities are "riff-raffs," "human scum" and "mongrel dogs."

Unless Seoul prevents the launches, she said, North Korea could scrap an inter-Korean agreement to reduce military tensions, and it would completely withdraw from other cooperation arrangements.

Within hours, South Korea's left-leaning government, which desperately wants to improve ties with the North, said it would push for legislation to ban the launches.

The announcement raised concerns about violations of freedom of expression. Many also accused South Korea of being too accommodating to the North.

"It's surprising to hear the South Korean government sound so compliant to Pyongyang immediately after Kim Yo Jong issued threats to Seoul and cast aspersions on defector and human rights groups," said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul.

"[South Korean] President Moon [Jae-in]'s pro-engagement party may control the National Assembly, but legislation to effectively restrict freedom of expression in order to protect the Kim regime from embarrassment would be met with a conservative backlash domestically and criticism from human rights NGOs internationally," he added.

Both conservative and liberal South Korean governments have at times blocked activists from sending provocative leaflets into the North.

The materials often criticize North Korea's human rights record and sometimes include items of value, such as dollar bills or USB flash drives loaded with South Korean dramas.

Usually, officials have cited national security considerations to prohibit the launches. In 2014, North Korean border guards tried to shoot down some of the balloons, resulting in an exchange of gunfire with the South.

Mixed messages

But South Korean officials this week have given varying justifications for their opposition. The leaflet distribution, they said, not only causes tensions but also creates environmental pollution and upsets local residents.

They also have cited a 2018 inter-Korean agreement in which both sides agreed to stop tension-causing activities, including distribution of leaflets, along their border area.

The police who blocked Friday's launch cited objections from locals, who said they were concerned the move could heighten inter-Korean tensions.

"They were stopping the launch on the grounds that the property owner changed his mind and no longer wanted to permit access," said Pastor Eric Foley, CEO of Voice of the Martyrs Korea.

It is not clear how the locals knew to show up with police, since the group had not publicized their activities ahead of time. However, Foley said he notified authorities the night before of his intended launch.

The Voice of the Martyrs Korea did not intend to launch balloons. Instead, the NGO planned to toss plastic bottles into the water, allowing sea currents to carry the items into the North.

The group's bottles are viewed as less provocative than the actions of many groups, since they do not contain any anti-North Korea materials. Foley concedes, though, North Koreans could be punished if caught in possession of a Bible.

North Korea's constitution in theory guarantees freedom of religion. But in reality, all religious activity is tightly regulated, and religious activities outside of state control are treated as a national security threat.

Inter-Korean tension

Foley and other activists say they have no plans to stop the launches. He did say he was concerned because this is the first time one of his bottle launches had been blocked.

It is not clear what type of activities South Korea's government intends to outlaw or what the punishment would be for violating the rules.

The Moon government has long discouraged actions that create inter-Korean tensions, especially as Seoul's outreach to Pyongyang has become endangered.

The leaders of North and South Korea held three summits in 2018, signing a series of statements meant to decrease tension and expand cooperation.

But progress on implementing the agreements has stalled, in large part because of the lack of progress in North Korea's nuclear talks with the United States.

In recent months, North Korea has escalated its verbal attacks on the South, accusing Seoul of prioritizing its relationship with Washington over Pyongyang.

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Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The United Nations Security Council has extended for 12 months the mandate for "strict implementation of the arms embargo on the high seas off the coast of Libya"
New Delhi: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Saturday said that the Centre and state governments should work to identify and resolve the issues plaguing small and medium businesses, which are forcing them to shut operations amid the ongoing coronavirus-induced lockdown.

"There are several small and medium businesses and enterprises shutting down across the country amid the lockdown. These businesses employ crores of people. The Centre and state governments should identify reasons why these businesses are shutting down and resolve them," Mayawati told ANI here.

She said that it will ensure that the livelihood of crores of people are not affected. "The government is also talking about starting new businesses. We are not opposed to new businesses and industries. But it would be a great respite for the poor if the government is able to keep the already established businesses running," Mayawati said.

"Some states are calling back the migrant workers who left for their home states. When these migrant workers in their state, they did not look after them or provide food. That is why these migrants went to their native places in the first place," she added.

Notably, Punjab Industries and Commerce Minister Sunder Sham Arora had recently written to the Central government to arrange trains for bringing back willing migrant workers from their home states to join work as industrial units resume operations.

Mayawati also urged the state governments to ensure employment for migrant workers within their states to ensure they don`t have to leave their homes in search of work.

"Take Uttar Pradesh for example, when migrant workers came back to the state in buses and trains. The Uttar Pradesh government registered them based on their skills. Even after registration, a large number of migrant workers who have come back home are struggling to find means to survive," she said.

The BSP chief said that the migrant workers who came back to their homes in Uttar Pradesh are in bad condition. "Well educated people are left with no other option but to dig holes under the MGNREGA scheme to make a living," she said.

She said that the poor, marginalised and migrant labourers seem to be the section most-affected by the ongoing coronavirus lockdown and added that they are struggling to make a living even after coming back to their homes.

"The Central government should think about the impact it will have on education, if well-educated people are forced to do manual labour. People will think what is the point of getting an education if they have to do manual labour," Mayawati added.

Commending the Central government for deciding not to introduce any new schemes for a period of one year, Mayawati said, "Even the Centre is now saying that no expenses will be made on new schemes. Instead, they have decided to spend money on Garib Kalyan Yojna and Aatmanirbhar Bharat Nirman. This is a good step. But, the benefits of these decisions should reach the poor and unemployed."
Kabul, June 6 (IANS) The Taliban has freed 36 Afghan detainees from its custody in Farah province and handed them over to security forces on Saturday, in the latest round of prisoner swap.

However, Mohammad Shuaib Sabit, the governor for Farah province asserted that some of the released persons were civilians, reports Xinhua news agency.

The exchange of prisoners is part of the US-Taliban peace deal that was inked in Doha on February 29 to facilitate the intra-Afghan dialogue for finding a political solution to Afghanistan's prolonged war and withdrawal of the US-led forces from the country.

Under the agreement, the Afghan government has to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners for the exchange of 1,000 security forces languishing in Taliban custody.

So far, the government has released 2,700 Taliban detainees, while the Taliban has freed over 420 prisoners, 73 of them during the last few days from Balkh, Logar, Kunduz, Paktia, Paktika and Khost provinces.

--IANS

ksk/
TEHRAN, Iran, June 6

Trend:

The interest to visit tourist destinations in Iran's Isfahan, Shiraz and Yazd has reduced, said the Director General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization branch in Yazd Province Mostafa Fatemi, Trend reports citing ILNA.

"During spring, only 20 foreigners and 300 local tourists visited the city of Yazd and currently the number of foreign tourists in this city is zero," said Fatemi.

"A total of 2.3 million local and 460,000 foreign tourists have visited Yazd in spring of 2018, while the number has dropped due to COVID-19, to 300 domestic and 20 foreign tourists during spring of the current Iranian year (began March 20,2020)," he added.

"Despite that hotels have resumed working, only 10 percent of their establishments are taken. For example, a 100-room hotel only has 5 rooms taken, so they're suffering losses," said the official.

He went on to add that around 400 houses and accommodation centers were identified as 'illegal' during the coronavirus spread, due to ignoring health protocols.

"Some 200 of them were closed, and there were concerns over tours without permits," said Fatemi.

He added that economy of Yazd, Isfahan and Shiraz depends on foreign tourists.

"The guild of gold and jewelry producers was another sector that was damaged in Yazd, due to drop of tourism," he added.

"Many handicrafts production units in Yazd have suffered too," he said.
Mumbai, June 6 : Ekta Kapoor has deleted the controversial scene in her web series "Triple X-2", which invited much trouble for the producer, including a police complaint in Gurugrams Palam Vihar police station and an FIR in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

The scene in question showed an army officer's wife having an illicit affair. Also in the sequence, an Army uniform is torn -- something that has been considered an insult towards the armed forces and military personnel.

"As an individual and as an organisation we are deeply respectful towards the Indian Army. Their contribution to our well-being and security is immense. We have already deleted the scene that is being spoken about, so action has been taken from our side. What we don't appreciate is the bullying and the rape threats by the trolls," said Ekta, referring to the massive cyber bullying she has witnessed after the controversy burgeoned over the past few days.

One of the first to object was YouTuber Vikas Pathak, popular as Hindustani Bhau. He had filed a police complaint against show producers Ekta Kapoor and her mother Shobha Kapoor on Monday.

The controversial scene had landed the makers in a spot, what the hashtag #ALTBalaji_Insults_Army trending on Twitter Tuesday onwards.
Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra marked World Environment Day on Friday by visiting members of the Native Federation of the 'Mother of God' River in the Peruvian Amazon.

The government considers the people Native Federation to be the new carers for the jungle, after illegal gold mining operations were stopped in the area in 2019.

The Peruvian government said the meeting with the Native Federation is part of plans to restore the forest and oversee their health needs amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The government delivered basic health items to the population.

Also on Friday, Vizcarra and Peruvian officials visited the Tambopata Reserve where the Peruvian Environment Ministry has an extensive reforestation plan.

(Image Credit: AP)
New Delhi: In an attempt to resolve the month-long bitter standoff between India and China, the top tactical army commanders of both the countries will meet on Saturday (June 6, 2020) at Chushul-Moldo border personnel meeting (BPM) point on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The meeting is likely to be held between 8 am to 9 am.

The higher authority level talks come a day after the two countries vowed that that "differences should not become disputes" and agreed to resolve the ongoing tussle through talks.

Ahead of the military talks on the border face-off, India and China talked diplomacy on Friday on the issue. Joint Secretary, East Asia in the Ministry of external affairs Naveen Srivastava and Director General in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wu Jianghao had a video conference on the issue with both sides agreeing that "differences should not become disputes"

Giving information about the diplomacy talkh the MEA in its release said,"Both sides also agreed that in accordance with the guidance provided by the leadership, the two sides should handle their differences through peaceful discussion bearing in mind the importance of respecting each other's sensitivities, concerns and aspirations and not allow them to become disputes. "

Recalling the consensus reached by the Indian and the Chinese leadership in the 2 informal summits--Wuhan and the Chennai connect, MEA said, "that peaceful, stable and balanced relations between India and China will be a positive factor for stability in the current global situation".

In a tweet, the Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong reiterated the "strategic guidance" given by the 2 leaders and that both "China & India pose no threat to each other & represent development opportunities for each other".

In the bid to diffuse the India China face-off that has happened at the Line of actual control, militaries talks will happen on Saturday morning. 14 corps commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh will be representing the Indian side while Maj Gen Liu Lin, commander of South Xinjiang Military Region of Chinese Peoples Liberation Army will represent his country in the talks.

The Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a bitter military standoff in at least four sensitive areas in eastern Ladakh following the violent clashes between them in Pangong Tso on May 5 and 6. The two sides resorted to massive build-up and have been on an eyeball-to-eyeball situation in Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldi.
MRI hits a high of 20,000 RT-PCR tests By Kumudini Hettiarachchi & Ruqyyaha Deane Dr. Jude Jayamaha talks of the wide-ranging measures taken to ensure testing accuracy View(s): View(s):

Twenty thousand gold standard RT-PCR tests and continuing!

This is the significant achievement of the Department of Virology, Medical Research Institute (MRI) and is due to major teamwork, all categories including Consultants, Medical Laboratory Technologists (MLTs) and orderlies working night and day, says Consultant Medical Virologist, Dr. Jude Jayamaha.

So far Sri Lanka has performed around 60,000 RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests at several hospitals and university laboratories spread across the country, with the MRI having to its credit 1/3rd of the total.

Now the Department of Virology is also looking into the possibility of establishing ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), a serology assay to check people for antibodies which would indicate whether they have already been exposed to the virus.

With much discussion recently about false positives and false negatives in RT-PCR testing, Dr. Jayamaha takes the Sunday Times through the strict World Health Organization (WHO)-approved protocols of this complex procedure at his department to ensure accuracy.

The department established the test for SARS-CoV-2 (the new coronavirus which causes COVID-19) on January 26. The very next day came the samples from the Chinese woman tourist who was the first case reported in Sri Lanka.

The MRI which is the national referral centre receives 400-500 samples from all over the country each day and does seven runs daily till midnight. These samples include those from hospital patients (both new and follow-up samples), quarantine centres, random sampling from the community, those who are returning from abroad, suspected deaths and those taken as part of the SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Illness) surveillance.

Referring to how they ensure quality, Dr. Jayamaha says that early in the pandemic, 32 samples from the MRI were sent to two independent laboratories for conformation as a quality test and got 100% conformity. As another quality control measure, each test is validated against the machine as well as the RNA (ribonucleic acid) extraction method.

All this is done for quality assurance and to avoid false positives and false negatives. We also take swabs from the environment within the testing rooms, the machines and benches to make sure that there is no contamination, he said.

Certain factors could affect the end result and also the quality of the test. These factors include sample-taking, transport and processing which is the laboratory component, it is understood, with the three stages being pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical.

With vital aspects being how a sample should be taken, from where in the respiratory tract it should be taken, whether the person taking it is trained and how the sample is packed in the viral transport media before being sent for testing, the Sunday Times learns that the Health Ministry has issued guidelines, while quality checks are carried out by the Epidemiology Unit on sample collection and tallying of samples with the right labelling, while the MRI checks for leakages of samples and also the quality of samples.

Two counters have been set up at the MRI, explains Dr. Jayamaha, with the first accepting the sample-batches, tallying them against the request form and assigning a five-digit number to each sample. It is at the second counter that the staff in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) opens the triple-packing of the potentially highly-infectious sample and checks for leakage as well as for identification and labelling once again.

There are four physically separated rooms:

1st room  is the extraction room, where the sample is treated with several chemical solutions to remove substances such as proteins and fats and in the case of the new coronavirus, the RNA is extracted. This RNA is a mix of a persons own genetic material and, if present, those of the virus.

2nd room  is the master-mix room where the main PCR ingredients are added in small amounts to test tubes.

3rd room  is the sample adding room where into the small test tubes are added the extracted RNA.

4th room  is where the RT-PCR machine is and the samples are sent through it and millions of copies made of a positive sample

Going into detail as to what happens in the 4th room, Dr. Jayamaha says that it is here that the RNA is reverse transcribed using a specific enzyme and placed in the RT-PCR machine, with a mixture of viral-specific primers. The machine cycles through temperatures that heat and cool the mixture, to trigger specific chemical reactions that create new, identical copies of the target sequences of the virus.

Marker labels get attached to the newly-synthesized viral nucleic acid and release a fluorescent dye, which is measured by the machines computer and presented in real-time on the screen. It is when the measurement goes over a certain level of fluorescence through the cycle-process that there is confirmation of the presence of the virus. How many cycles it takes to reach this level is also an indicator of the degree of the viral copy numbers present.

All the four rooms have dedicated equipment and nothing is moved from one room to another to make sure that there is no contamination. The staff within those rooms even has dedicated coats, etc., says Dr. Jayamaha, reiterating that the interpretation of the amplification curve is done by people with vast experience at the Department of Virology.

The Virologists collate the findings with the other data, both epidemiological and clinical and give results as a holistic picture. This is not a push-button process. We get the raw data which is analyzed with clinical and epidemiological data and come up with the result whether positive or negative, he adds.

The real-time RT-PCR is a powerful tool when considering that analytical sensitivity is 100%. However, the clinical sensitivity would vary depending on a few factors such as the sample taken, tools used and the day of illness. The false positives and negatives can rarely come about due to this, he adds.

False positives & negatives

How do false positives or false negatives, the subject of much discussion, come about from real-time RT-PCR testing?

This is a biological factor, explains Dr. Jude Jayamaha and depends on the shedding of the virus. It could also vary depending on which section the sample has been taken from  whether lower or upper respiratory tract and the quality of the sample.

Explaining that false reports are generally a rarity, he said that a cardinal feature is to co-relate the test findings with other factors such as epidemiological and clinical features.
Untouchability is far worse than slavery, for the latter may be abolished by statute. It will take more than a law to remove this stigma from the people of India. Nothing less than the aroused opinion of the world can do it. -- Dr BR Ambedkar in New York Times, November 30, 1930.

On May 25, in two separate incidents of white racism caught on video, the American nation shook itself out of slumber. The first was the case of a white executive, Amy Cooper, who upon a tiff in the New York Central Park with Christian Cooper, a black birdwatcher, falsely accused him of attacking her. Christian asked her to leash her dog as it was against the rules in the park.

The video of her phone call to the police saying that an African American man was threatening her and her dog was shot by Christian Cooper, went viral. The social media outrage against the racist behaviour of Amy Cooper caught the attention of all. Cooper, who worked as the head of insurance investment wing at Franklin Templeton, got fired based on the companys zero-tolerance policy on racism. Her dog was taken away for mishandling and choking.

The second incident was that of the choking to death of a black American, George Floyd, by a white policeman in Minneapolis. The incident was videographed and uploaded by a 17-year-old black girl, Darnella Frazier. The arresting white police officer knelt on Floyd's neck for 8 minutes 36 seconds before Floyd became unresponsive.

Daniella was traumatised by the hate backlash online that said she should have got involved in the incident to save Floyd. The incident resuscitated the resistance against discrimination and revived the post-2015 dormant Black Lives Matter movement. The movement was created in 2013 against police brutality and acquittal of a police officer who shot dead an African-American teen, Trayvon Martin.

Widespread protests erupted on the US streets despite a huge scare of the global coronavirus pandemic. The last words of Floyd, I cant breathe have come to become the slogans of protesters. Blacks are now calling out the persisting prejudices and stereotypes against them as looters, criminals and those with unclean bodies. Most noticeable sign of protests is the presence of a significant population of whites joining the protests across America.

Even though one could argue that most of the whites in protests are anti-Trump and their intentions are merely driven ensuing Presidential elections, the scale and magnitude in solidarity of whites with blacks is unprecedented. The generational change in the attitudes in some sections of whites for the black rights and dignity is vivid and stark.

In contrast, India has showed an increasing polarisation between the untouchables and the upper caste in its fight against caste and untouchability. Unfortunately, in the Indian context, protests against any atrocities on untouchables and caste prejudices are seen as the sole responsibility of Dalits and protesters. Take the case of Una flogging incident of July, 2016, in front of a police station in Gujarat, which was videographed and uploaded with impunity by one of the floggers. The outcry was solely of the Dalits and the law to protect Scheduled Caste atrocities is yet to deliver its judgment.

Unfortunately, the assertion of Dalits is often expounded as sectarian and divisive politics in the upper caste lexicon and narratives. The reticent attitude of the urban middle-class elites on issues of caste atrocities and untouchability, and their no-caste claims are often bragged as modern urban progressive spaces.

The disregard and denial of issues affecting the dignity and self-respect of the Dalits by the upper caste in the name of progressivism is in contradiction with the voices of American whites advocating for rights and dignity of blacks.

The insouciance of Indian social and political elite on caste during the World Conference against Racism in 2001, is indeed a compromise with constitutional morality and a betrayal of normative humanitarian ideals. Upper caste reticence is in consonance with their absence in many of the mobilisations against killings, massacres, rapes and flogging ofdalits.Most vicious of the atrocities such as the rape and murder of Delta Meghwal and Rohit Vemulas suicide have not stirred the conscience of Indian upper castes.

While Americans braved the global pandemic and appeared in public protests in large numbers, the plight of lakhs of migrants workers trudging home amid lockdown evoked a tepid response back home. What is conspicuously absent in India is the lack of civic consciousness, social and moral obligation among the upper castes who want to secure their false privilege.

The Indian police are under pressure by socially dominant culture, more often arrest the victims, and harass their families and brow-beat them to compromise. There is a resistance from police to invoke the very law created by the Constitution after the abolition of untouchability. Our educated upper castes keep silent or conveniently ignore this social malaise.

Reasons for the generational changes in the USA could be attributed to the evolution of a democratic ethos strongly built in a civic culture promoted by free thinking, free press and critical enquiry of the academicians and intellectuals. In India, public spaces including media and academic circles are characterised by a social morality entangled with Brahmanical values.

Social and castepositioning of the employer dominate the professional ethos both in governmental and private sector set up. While the civic culture of USA is shaped by the modern democratic values, the civic culture in India is still enmeshed in the traditional religious values and guided by regressive caste-influenced morality.

Indian upper caste can still learn from the repentance of white supremacists for their racist discrimination and their social and moral obligation to stand with every black in protest against George Floyd and Amy Cooper cases.

The socially privileged class in India shall rather understand that the equality is not only the right of the untouchables, but also the obligation of the upper castes. If it doesnt happen soon, we will have a million George Floyd protests unfortunately so, only by the untouchables and victims in India, shaking the foundations of this nation.
Normalcy returned to Pune city, which had reported Maharashtras first Covid-19 case on March 9. On Friday, the city opened up slowly but surely as vehicle rush was seen in some parts. Mandai, Tulshibaug and a few clothing stores also began operations. Autorickshaws too plied on city roads.

Nitin Pandit, secretary, Tulshibaug Merchant Associations said, Tulshibaug, which is a one stop shop for women in the city opened with 50 per cent shops on Friday. We will be following the odd-even formula as suggested by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

While one would often see rush at Tulshibaug during pre-Covid times, on Friday, only a handful of customers were spotted.

Hemant Rasane, PMC standing committee chairman said, Covid-19 is here to stay and we have to learn to live with the virus and return to normalcy by taking adequate precautions. I took a lot of efforts to help restart business at Tulshibaug and Mandai.

While hawkers too resumed business at Tulshibaug, PMC anti-encroachment department head Madhav Jagtap said that no illegal hawkers were allowed. We conducted a drive at Tulshibaug and the arterial roads on Friday, and checked the licences of all hawkers. Only legal hawkers are allowed to resume business, he said.

Autorickshaws too returned to the roads on Friday.

Sayaji Jadhav who owns an autorickshaw said, We resumed business on Friday. For the last two months there was no income and for how many days can we sit at home? I have kept a transparent plastic cover as a curtain between the passenger seat and driver seat. However, there are less passengers and I did only two trips on Friday.

Rohit Kamble, an auto driver said, I kept a mask and sanitiser in the auto. There are less passengers and it will take some time for business to peak. In order to earn money, I need to wait for customers, he said.

Tanaji Lavate who is a senior citizen said, My family is not allowing me to drive the auto as senior citizens are more prone to the infection. I will start to ply the auto next month. Many of my friends have resumed business, he said.
Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga, Senior Advisor to the ASEAN 2020 National Secretariat and Vietnams representative at the AWPR, attended the meeting and chaired a working session.



Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga, Senior Advisor to the ASEAN 2020 National Secretariat and Vietnams representative at the AWPR (Photo: VNA)



Delegates also discussed measures to implement ASEAN leaders Joint Statement on Promoting Women, Peace and Security adopted in 2017.

They generally agreed on the significance of accelerating the implementation of the joint statement in the new circumstances, contributing to promoting the role of women in the process of peace and security in particular and maintaining an environment of peace, stability, and development in the region in general.

They also agreed to put forth a comprehensive, creative, and sustainable approach for women, peace, and security, while intensifying links between women-related networks and raising public awareness about the role of women and their participation in peace and security matters.

Mrs. Nga said women and children have been worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic as regards healthcare, the economy, employment, and social welfare.

Vietnams representatives at the meeting highlighted the countrys priorities as ASEAN Chair 2020 and non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021 in enhancing regional and international cooperation relating to women, peace, and security.

Mrs. Nga called on the meeting to seek directions to expand collaboration between the AWPR and partners and concerned parties in the region and the world and to consolidate the AWPRs operations through regular meetings and training courses.

The AWPR expects to meet online twice per year, she said, to maintain information exchange between members and tighten links among ASEAN and regional organisations.

Established on December 13th, 2018, the AWPR aims to promote womens participation and contributions to peace building and the settlement of non-traditional and traditional security challenges emerging in the region./.
Tommy Robinson has been released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of assault.

The former English Defence League leader, aged 37, was arrested by police following a report of an assault on a man at Hollywood Retail Park in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria around 8.30pm on June 4.

While in custody Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was also questioned on suspicion of a public order offence along with a 43-year-old man from the West Midlands area, a 47-year-old man from the North Wales area and a 28-year-old man from the Bedfordshire area.

Tommy Robinson (pictured) has been released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of assault on June 4 in Barrow-in-Furness

Footage shared on social media shows Robinson recording himself telling police that he 'acted in self-defence' after someone spat in his face when they arrive at the house he was staying at.

On Saturday, Cumbria Police said that all four people arrested had been released on bail and appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Robinson, from Luton, has made two trips to Barrow within the last fortnight and says he is working as a journalist to investigate claims of what he terms may be 'a Muslim grooming gang' operating in the town.

In a statement issued on Friday, Cumbria Police said: 'Four men from outside the county were arrested last night following a report of an assault.

'Cumbria Police received a call reporting an assault on a man at Hollywood Retail Park, shortly after 8.30pm.

A video was shared online showing Robinson recording himself telling police he acted in self-defence when officers arrived at the address he had been staying at

'Officers responded and arrested four men shortly afterwards in the Douglas Street area of Barrow.'

The force added: 'A 37-year-old man from the Bedfordshire area was arrested on suspicion of assault and a public order offence. All remain in police custody this morning.

'There were a number of people in the area at the time and officers are keen to hear from anyone who witnessed what happened or the moments immediately before or after.'

Last month, Detective Chief Superintendent Dean Holden, of Cumbria Police, said a year-long investigation into 'specific allegations of abuse' did not corroborate claims a group of Asian men in Barrow were conducting abuse and exploitation against individuals.

Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was arrested at Hollywood Retail Park in Barrow-in-Furness (pictured)

Robinson, from Luton, has made two trips to Barrow within the last fortnight and says he is working as a journalist to investigate claims of what he terms may be 'a Muslim grooming gang' operating in the town

He also said that police had not 'ignored or dismissed' the claims and that they had been investigated toroughly.

The statement was issued after allegations of serious sexual abuse and physical violence against a teenage girl, including graphic images of injuries, were shared widely on social media.

Following the 12-month investigation, a 19-year-old woman was charged with several counts of perverting the course of justice.
Firing during SAD rally, one person seriously injured

Parties urged to specify agenda regarding media in their manifestos
Quantum of Solace may be a sour patch on Daniel Craigs run as James Bond, and with good reason. The film was made with the bare bones of a script, and the director, Marc Forster, almost quit.

In a 2011 interview to Time Out, Craig said, On Quantum, we were f**ked. We had the bare bones of a script  then there was the writers strike and there was nothing we could do. He explained further, We couldnt employ a writer to finish it. There was me trying to rewrite scenes  and a writer I am not. Me and Marc Forster were the ones allowed to do it. The rules were that you couldnt employ anyone as a writer, but the actor and director could work on scenes together. We were stuffed. We got away with it, but only just.

Also read: Lisa Ray recalls auditioning for Quantum of Solace with Daniel Craig, says Gal Gadot was also in contention

Forster offered up his own account of the events in a 2016 interview to Collider. He said, It was tricky because we didnt have a finished script Ultimately at that time I wanted to pull out. Ron Howard pulled out of Angels & Demons which Sony was about to do and they sort of shut down, and at the time I thought, Okay maybe I should pull out because we didnt have a finished script. But everybody said, No we need to make a movie, the strike will be over shortly so you can start shooting what we have and then well finish everything else. I said Yeah but the time crunch

He continued, So ultimately I said Okay. The idea was to make a follow-up to Casino Royale and ultimately I felt like, Okay worst case scenario the strike goes on, Ill just make it sort of like a 70s revenge movie; very action driven, lots of cuts to hide that theres a lot of action and a little less story. To disguise it.

Also read: In Defence of Quantum of Solace: Before Daniel Craig retires as 007, revisit his most underrated Bond film

Quantum of Solace is the direct sequel to Casino Royale, which launched Craig as the iconic British spy. Forster said that the pressure to replicate the success of Casino Royale was on. He said, It was pretty crazy because youre under incredible pressure, especially doing a Bond film, and especially doing the follow-up Bond film to Casino Royale which is the best book Ian Fleming ever wrote, I feel, and was the best Bond movie in a long time... Then ultimately you have a follow-up with an incomplete script based on no book and you have to deliver. At the same time, we only had five or six weeks to cut the movie once we finished principal photography. You have six weeks to edit before the movie actually then goes into sound and comes out.

While not quite the critical and commercial success that Casino Royale was, Quantum of Solace ended up making almost $600 million worldwide. Craig returned for two more films -- Skyfall and Spectre -- and will conclude his run as Agent 007 with this years No Time to Die.

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Kota:

For the last 27 years, over one lakh residents of parts of Kota city have been living under the shadow of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC, which has prevented them from hosting any public functions and processions, except during marriages and funerals.

Places like Bajaj Khana, Ghanta Ghar, Makbara Patan Pole and Tipta, stretching over an area of two kilometer in Kota city where a large section of residents belong to the minority community, had been placed under the section which prohibits the assembly of four or more persons after outbreak of communal violence in 1989.

But residents claim that the restrictions were continuing till day though no law and order problem has been reported and it was a stigma for them.Locals allege that banks refuse to grant them loans and officials ignore their grievances.

Section 144 was imposed following the lifting of curfew after communal riots took place in September 1989. However, the then district collector of Kota (S N Thanwi) in September 1990 issued a circular extending the imposition of the Section till the next order, which never came.

The locals in the area are forced to lead an inferior life as they have not been to carry any cultural, social religious programmes or procession for last 27 years, state secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions R K Swami said.

We are facing apathy of the administration due to the current situation, said Sarfaraj Ansari, a local resident who was only 22 years old when the order was imposed. The locals moved court in March 2009 against the long imposition of the CrPC section in the area, Swami said.

He said though the state government gave a positive reply to the court, the restrictions were not lifted in the area where a sizeable population belongs to the minority section.

There has been no major crime or unlawful activity in the these areas for the last several years but the locals still have to face the changing dates in the court instead of an order lifting the imposed section, Ansari added.

Asked about the issue, District Collector Ravi Kumar Surpur evaded a direct reply and said that the section is invoked to ensure there is no breach of peace. Section 144 is a preventive and precautionary measure to maintain law and order situation. That is the very reason that certain practices are followed that there should not be breach of peace, should not be disturbance in the communal harmony, he said An RTI activist said that not lifting the restrictions for such a long duration is a violation of civil rights.

Imposition of Section 144 in civil area of the city for as long as 27 years is clearly violation of civil rights and is not in favour of the country and the democracy, said Phralad Singh Chadda, RTI activist in Kota. Section 144 can be imposed for a maximum of six months, an advocate Jamil Ahamed said.

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China and Serbia on Friday signed a memorandum on space technology which aims, among other things, to put the Serbian national flag on co-designed spacecraft in the future.

The memorandum was signed by Zhang Kejian, director of the China National Space Administration, and Nenad Popovic, Serbian minister in charge of innovation and technological development, via a video conference.

Zhang said the memorandum is in the common interests of both countries, adding that as many scientists as possible will engage in joint space projects.

"Our goal is to put the flag of Serbia on the spacecraft that we will jointly design," he announced.

Popovic noted that the space partnership will have an immense value for Serbia, saying it will help realize the country's strategic national projects.

Popovic said Chinese partners are willing to share their knowledge and experience in space technology with Serbia.

"We deeply respect the friendship between our two countries, and we wish for the document signed today to bond China and Serbia in friendship and economic development permanently," he said. "I am sure that our upcoming projects will pave the way for our joint vision."

According to the Serbian government, the document will envisage the "improvement of bilateral cooperation between Serbia and China in the development and use of space technology, satellite systems and the Earth Observing System, with applications in the field of smart agriculture, telecommunications, ecosystems, remote sensing systems and geolocation positioning."
Ivanka Trump, first daughter and senior adviser to President Donald Trump, listens during a roundtable in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington on May 18, 2020. (Doug Mills - Pool/Getty Images)

Ivanka Trump Denounces Cancel Culture After WSU Tech Removes Her as Commencement Speaker

First Daughter and White House senior adviser Ivanka Trump condemned cancel culture after the Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech) in Wichita, Kansas, removed her as the headline commencement speaker.

Our nations campuses should be bastions of free speech. Cancel culture and viewpoint discrimination are antithetical to academia, she said while releasing her prerecorded speech on Twitter. Listening to one another is important now more than ever!

Here is the message I recorded on May 18th for the Graduates of WSU-Tech. I know that all of these talented graduates will dream big and aspire to make the world a better place!  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) June 5, 2020

The graduates will still be able to view Trumps prepared video messages among those from 30 others, including community members, WSU Tech President Sheree Utash said in a statement on Thursday.

WSU Tech declared her removal, citing George Floyds death, within one day after the initial announcement that Ivanka Trump would be the speaker at the colleges virtual commencement ceremony scheduled on Saturday.

The invitation was extended in February and Ms. Trump offered to record a congratulatory message to graduates to be played during our event, Utash stated. In light of the social justice issues brought forth by George Floyds death, I understand and take responsibility that the timing of the announcement was insensitive.

Utash indicated that the invitation had caused controversy on the campus amidst the aftermath of Floyds death and he stands with those who fight injustice and advocate for social equity.

The commencement will focus on the graduates and their accomplishments, he said.

Police take back the streets at around midnight after firing copious amounts of tear gas to disperse protesters and rioters 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)

The death of Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest last week, has caused a nationwide uproar with occasional looting, arson, and vandalism.

Derek Chauvin, the police officer who was kneeling on Floyds neck, was fired on May 25, along with three other arresting officers

He was charged with second-degree murder and the three other officers were charged with aiding and abetting his murder.

Days after Floyds death, Ivanka Trump said she understood the frustration and rage from peaceful protesters and expressed condolences to the family of Floyd.

People in Minneapolis are hurting for a reason. Justice is how we heal, she wrote in a Twitter post. My heart goes out to George Floyds family and all Americans who are hurting.
Cosmic Or Cosmetic Changes: A Twitter Shake-Up At Russia's Space Agency

By RFE/RL's Russian Service June 05, 2020

A scroll through the official Twitter account of Roskosmos on June 3 would have turned up some striking old posts from Russia's respected state-owned space agency.

The successor to the Soviet ministry that launched the first man and woman into space, Roskosmos has become a global brand and leader in satellite and manned space launches for countries and companies around the world.

Yet some posts on its new Twitter handle, @rogozin, undermined that global image.

"I would change now, without thinking for a second, all my positions for the joy of being in the same trench with the defenders of Slavyansk!," read a post from May 2014, referring to the Russian-backed separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine.

Russia this week transformed @rogozin, the personal Twitter account of Dmitry Rogozin, the outspoken nationalist director general of Roskosmos, into the agency's new official account.

The @rogozin account has nearly 770,000 followers compared with nearly 155,000 for the old Roskosmos account, @roscosmos. The company said the change was made to end redundancy.

"We are already coordinating the press service's most important publications with the director general, so there is no point in running two parallel accounts," Vladimir Ustimenko, head of the agency's press service, told state-owned RIA Novosti.

However, it did so before deleting many of Rogozin's old, acerbic posts prior to his appointment as the head of the nation's space agency.

Once news agencies began to point out the irreverence of some of the posts now being associated with Roskosmos through its @rogozin handle, the company's social-media team moved at cosmic speed to clean it up.

By June 5, most of the eye-opening posts, including the one about the trenches in Slavyansk, were deleted.

Reined In?

But the sudden change of Twitter accounts has raised some questions about whether the outspoken nationalist is being reined in by the government.

The Twitter handle maneuver comes two weeks after Ivan Safronov, a former journalist at two of Russia's most-respected business papers, was appointed as an adviser to Rogozin on media policy.

It also comes days after an embarrassing international moment for Rogozin.

On May 30, SpaceX, a company owned by American entrepreneur Elon Musk, launched two astronauts aboard a rocket from Florida to the International Space Station (ISS).

It was the first manned rocket launch from American soil since 2011, when the United States closed the Space Shuttle program. The launch ended Roskosmos's decade-long monopoly on manned launches.

When asked during a press conference after the successful May 30 launch if Russia had sent any message, NASA head James Bridenstine said that he received congratulations from Rogozin.

Musk then responded pithily by saying "the trampoline is working," an undisguised jibe at the Roskosmos director general that grabbed media headlines.

After Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 and backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, the United States imposed a series of sanctions against Russian officials and state companies, including Rogozin.

That prompted an angered Rogozin to tweet in April 2014 that U.S. astronauts -- who were dependent at the time on Russian rockets -- could henceforth try using a trampoline to get to the ISS. That tweet has been removed as well.

Rogozin, known for his anti-American and anti-Western rhetoric, founded the nationalist Motherland party in the 2000s and later served as Russia's representative to NATO.

When Vladimir Putin returned to the post of president for his third term in 2012, Rogozin was named deputy prime minister and charged with overseeing the defense and space industries.

He was tapped to head Roskosmos in 2018. However, his tenure overseeing the industry hasn't exactly been smooth sailing for the 56-year-old.

The years-long construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East had been marred by delays and massive corruption, with some workers staging a protest over lack of pay.

In 2018, a tiny hole was discovered inside a spacecraft docked to the ISS while a rocket failure that same year caused a U.S.-Russian crew to abort its mission.

Rogozin last year called some of the criticism "exaggerated" and "deranged cries."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/cosmic-or- cosmetic-changes-a-twitter-shake-up-at- russia-s-space-agency/30655277.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.

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The weekend has brought further protesting and demonstrations throughout the country from Washington, D.C. to Southern California, with famous faces continuing to pop up in the crowds of protesters.

Two of those seen on Saturday were rocker Pink and her husband Carey Hart, who each posted to their Instagram accounts from a protest in what looked to be a sunny square somewhere in the Santa Ynez Valley where they reside.

The Grammy-winning musician, 40, posed in a blue T-shirt that displayed the word 'Nah.' over the subheading, 'Rosa Parks, 1955'.

Exercising their rights to protest: Pink and her husband Carey Hart each posted to their Instagram accounts from a protest in Southern California on Saturday

Pink, who recently survived an intense ordeal with COVID-19, had a mask on her face and a bottle of hand sanitizer tucked into her pocket.

She wore one of her trademark knotted headscarves, this one checked black and white, and she wore black aviator-style sunglasses.

The mother of two, born Alecia Moore, had her hand up in a peace sign.

On December 1st, 1955, American black southerner Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama and was subsequently arrested, sparking the Montgomery bus boycott and elevating Parks to a symbol for peaceful resistance to racial discrimination.

Documenting: Carey posted a selfie from the demonstration

Pink captioned her post with a stream of hashtags, including #blacklivesmatter, #alllivescantmatteruntilblacklivesmatter, #peacefulprotest, #dotherighthing, #whiteprivelege, #ifyoudontstandforsomethingyouwillfallforanything and #justiceforgeorgefloyd.

Both she and husband Carey, 44, posted video from the action, which showed fellow demonstrators holding various handmade signs.

On his post, Hart included a selfie as well as a picture of his wife, along with his video snippet.

Power in numbers: Both Pink and Carey posted video from the action, which showed fellow demonstrators holding various handmade signs

From her point of view: Carey filmed the protest from above his wife's head

In his caption, the former motocross competitor wrote, 'Wifey and I went to a #PeacefulProtest with our local community today.

'Stay safe everyone,' he concluded.

Pink and Hart, who have been married since 2006, have two children: daughter Willow Sage, nine, and son Jameson Moon, three.

Mom and wife: Pink and Hart have two children together, daughter Willow Sage, nine, and son Jameson Moon, three; seen on dad's Instagram
The COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown has led to a challenging economic situation and uncertainty in the market. Some of the businesses are responding by cutting down on spends, salary cuts and even laying off employees, while others are taking affirmative action to gain the most out of limited resources and fortifying themselves for the new normal once the crisis abates.

While digital has been on a growth trajectory even before the pandemic, the global crisis has accelerated digital transformation in businesses. Most industry experts believe that Digital will lead the industrys recovery and will permeate through every sector.

As a build up to our marquee event  DIGIXX 2020  Adgully is continuing with its new series, #DigitalDialogue, which will have a special focus on the digital sector, how Digital is paving the way forward for companies and brands and how it will be a brand-building imperative.

Nikhil Rungta, Country Manager, India, Verizon Media, succinctly assesses the digital transformation that India has undergone almost overnight with the COVID-19 crisis and the resultant lockdown. He also cautions brands and companies not to be digital laggards, lest they are severely disadvantaged during the recovery period.

How can companies and agencies accelerate their digital transformation process in the current scenario?

So much has changed in two months! Customer behaviour has evolved rapidly. Companies have had to drastically change course, and with it, pivot their business models. In this new landscape, brands have to now urgently reassess their digital roadmap, moving faster than ever across certain priorities. Research shows that Indians are likely to remain online in the foreseeable future. Many first-time users have even gone straight to buying the most basic staples like bread and milk online. As an immediate priority, brands have to strengthen their digital platforms, for instance, to meet this surge and consolidation in online orders and transactions.

Many brands may not have the in-house digital expertise, or be able to scale up digital transformation rapidly enough to address new needs and opportunity areas cropping up through this crisis. They will have to turn to trusted external partners to innovate with digital and tech-led solutions that are useful in a post COVID-19 world. For instance, using technology to predict where best to execute DOOH executions  based on how community mobility increases  once lockdown restriction levels are lifted. Several of our clients are also working with us to explore how they can deploy Extended Reality (XR) and hybrid digital experiences through periods of restricted mobility. With stores going to remain open-shut-open, consumers may no longer be able to visit a store to see a product physically, and even if they can, they may choose to stay away.

Cutting-edge ad formats driven by digital tech like Augmented Reality (AR) can prove tremendously useful right now. While browsing furniture, for instance, you can place a sofa virtually (at scale) in your own living room space to see if it fits. This can make the purchase decision easier when you cant see a product in person. Very importantly for brands, it can convert casual online browsing into buying. This is just one use case. Digital technologies can power a whole breed of innovative solutions that build a bridge to reach consumers in this uncertainty. Blue sky digital thinking is a must right now for every brand  the possibilities are limitless with digital tech.

How can Digital lead the recovery for brands in the new normal?

India has been massively digi-rupted by this crisis. Consumers moved online virtually overnight, leading an overwhelming shift to digital channels. Today, digital products have rapidly turned into an integral part of first-time users daily lives  these consumers are even buying staples like bread and milk online. With a digital-first approach, brands have to evaluate digital solutions and interventions across all areas of their business, across the value chain. If consumers are going to stay online, thats where brands have to meet them. Customers who recently moved online have discovered how a customised experience feels like. Theres an opportunity for brands to engage with them more deeply to earn their loyalty, by leveraging data and analytics to elevate the digital experience. This can bring them back for more.

Thinking digitally is crucial to meet the need of consumers, now that mobility will be intermittently curtailed. McKinsey research in China  which holds lessons for us as we open us  found that digital laggards could be severely disadvantaged during recovery. One of their key insights for brands is Dont just sell online; engage your customers digitally end-to-end.

I see this period being a tremendous opportunity for brands. What we believed would take 3-5 years, has happened almost overnight, with digitisation accelerating. This period of forced digital innovation for marketers, if navigated carefully, can lead to outsized, enduring gains for brands if they use this opportunity to build stronger bonds with consumers, while reimagining products and services that bring enormous utility to consumers when they need it most.
The new Kosovo government on Saturday lifted some recently imposed measures on Serb goods entering the country, in an effort to resume dialogue and improve ties with its neighbour. The decision was among the first taken by Prime Minister Avdullah Hotis cabinet of the center-right Democratic League of Kosovo, or LDK.

Hotis predecessor, Albin Kurti, introduced the reciprocity measures a few days before leaving office. These require Serbian authorities to apply the same documentation standards on goods exported to Kosovo as they require for Kosovar goods entering Serbia.

The move had replaced a 100% tariff imposed on Serb and Bosnian goods in 2018, but both actions were opposed by Serbia, which considered them obstacles to dialogue.

The LDK's governing coalition includes three smaller ethnic Albanian parties, Kosovo's ethnic Serb minority party and other minority lawmakers.

Resuming the European Union-facilitated dialogue over ties between Kosovo and Serbia remains a top challenge. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Saturday the lifting of the trade barriers paved the way for progress in diplomatic relations.

Hoti wants the United States and the European Union to be involved in the talks and help guarantee the implementation of any deal that comes out of them.

Kosovo was part of Serbia until an armed uprising in 1998-1999 by the ethnic Albanian majority population triggered a bloody Serb crackdown. A NATO bombing campaign to force Serbias troops out of Kosovo ended the war. Serbia refuses to recognise Kosovos 2008 declaration of independence.

(Image credit: Representative Image)
I have always felt that you should give back when you can, he explained.

Parks and recreation are important to Lofton. He lauded the city for pursuing upgrades to the Covington and Denson Drive recreation centers. He wants them to remain available to residents.

As a matter of fact, I just worked out at the Sportsplex this morning, he noted.

Aja complemented incumbent Dozier Smith T, who is giving up the seat, for his work on the council.

Dozier has done an excellent job with the seat, and I would just like to carry on that torch, he said.

Like his opponent, Aja is very satisfied with city services. He said he and his daughter use the parks and rec facilities a lot.

The parks and recreation team is best Ive ever seen ... the amount of programs they have for a town of this size is amazing, Aja said. Our community really does have a wonderful setup.

Smith T who was originally appointed to the council before winning a full term in 2016.

I feel like its the right time for me personally, and for work reasons, said the proprietor of Winston Smith T Building Supply. But I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the council and I will miss it. There was good camaraderie between council members and the mayor and the administration. We didnt always all agree, but we got along well together.

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Recently, the Ford government announced that schools would remain closed until September. While we agree that the safety of our children must be paramount, the impacts of school closures are not borne equally by all families.

Indeed, for immigrant families who were already suffering under the Ford governments cuts prior to the pandemic, any return to business-as-usual would only increase suffering.

Immigrant families have already been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and public health measures. In fact, a recent study in Toronto shows how racialized, low income and recent immigrant neighbourhoods had the highest cases of COVID-19, suggesting that the pandemic is intensifying pre-existing inequalities faced by marginalized groups.

Recent research has shown that immigrant parents are at elevated risk of emotional problems compared with other immigrants who are not parents. Inequities in language instruction are one of the systemic issues that immigrant parents must cope with.

Immigrant students who are English or French language learners or whose parents are not proficient in English or French, are at higher risk of being behind. These pre-existing issues are only exacerbated with school closures and the switch to online learning, where not all parents have the same capacity to support their childrens learning needs. It is thus critical for government officials to include immigrant students in post-pandemic recovery plans.

While many families have been cautiously optimistic about the governments response to the pandemic overall, we should not let this eclipse the drastic cuts to provincial social services that this pandemic has come on the heels of. We must not lose sight of how, just before the pandemic, the Ontario government announced major cuts for child care centres.

In Toronto alone, provincial cuts to child care will eliminate 760 subsidized spaces in 2020. Whereas some parents might rely on family support to assist with child care, many immigrant parents dont have that option if they are separated from their extended families. This puts an added financial burden on immigrant parents and can impact their employment.

Recently, policy experts argued that a key ingredient of the countrys recovery must be child care and that women have been disproportionately impacted. This important analysis must also consider the impacts on immigrant women, who are among the most likely to suffer the consequences of a failing child care system.

To be sure, as governments attempt to respond to the pandemic, we are learning that if there is a will, there is a way to fund services that ensure that no one is left behind.

We need assurances that the provinces pre-pandemic slash-and-burn approach will no longer be seen as an acceptable measure by this government. This is an opportunity to reimagine what education and support for families looks like in a society where basic needs are protected for all.
But because of the pandemic, the bureaus timetable has shifted by several months. The nonresponse follow-up phase is now not scheduled to begin until mid-August and will run through October. The Trump administration has asked Congress to approve a four-month delay in providing data to be used for reapportionment. The bureau is in the process of identifying criteria that will need to be in place for nonresponse follow-up to begin, Olson said.
New Delhi:

Delhi Metro train commuters are likely to shell out more with a panel recommending a sharp increase of up to 66 per cent in ticket prices. A source privy to the report said that the panel has recommended the lowest fares to be increased to Rs 10 from Rs 8 now, and the maximum fare to Rs 50 from Rs 30 at present.

The Fair Fixation Committee has submitted its report after its request for granting it three months extension was turned down by the Urban Development Ministry, the source said.

Now the DMRC board, headed by the Urban Development Secretary Rajiv Gauba, will take a final call on the Committees recommendations on fare hike, the source added. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had last time revised the fares in 2009.

The Government had in June this year set up the three-member committee under former Delhi High Court judge, Justice (retd) ML Mehta to look into fare revision issue and report within three months.

Earlier, the DMRC had proposed a five-slab fare system in the range of Rs 10-50 to mitigate the adverse impact on its financial health.

The committee had earlier this month sought a 3-month extension from the Government for submission of its report, which was turned down by the Ministry, leaving it with no option but to present its report.
A group of Pennsylvanians took steps toward unity during a Saturday morning worship service in front of the states Capitol, amid mounting tension across the country.

People of different ethnicities, ages and branches of Christianity spent nearly two hours together, singing and praying for change in the wake of the death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd.

The gathering was peaceful and at times emotional as about two dozen ministers from across Pennsylvania recounted the violence that has struck the country after Floyds death. Each one called for change  from society as a whole, but also specifically from Christians.

This is a time to pray for justice, to pray for peace and to pray for humility, said Kurt Weaver, the director of strategic partnerships for the Pennsylvania Family Institute in Harrisburg.

David Kandole, a black pastor at Harrisburgs Word of Grace Ministries, said he has experienced racism as a Christian and challenged those who identify as such to do better.

Many Christians here in our nation that knew racism is wrong, satanic, wicked  instead of standing up against this evil and exposing it, they stood in silence," the pastor said. "And some try to justify this evil with Bible verses to condone this sin.

He also recalled a conversation he had with his 23-year-old son about Floyds death. The exchange  during which his son told him he wonders if life would be easier if he was born white  has stuck with the pastor.

His son told him he was shocked to hear people ask if Floyd resisted arrest, or had done something wrong to deserve to die.

He said Dad, some people said lets wait until all the facts are out, while theyre watching the man dying [in the video], the pastor said. He said, We watch a man struggle for his life calling for his mother.

Kandole said he was struck by his sons remark that he could have been in Floyds position.

On behalf of our sons and our daughters, we owe them to stand up, Kandole said.

The service was also a time to celebrate the togetherness that comes from shared faith.

The crowd broke off into small groups for prayer at one point. People who had never met bowed their heads together. Others cried and leaned into one another, and a group of small children held hands.

As music played, members of the community knelt on the pavement with their eyes closed or lifted their hands to the sky in praise.

I think black children deserve a safer world, said Camp Hill resident Jennifer Hoover of why she felt compelled to attend the gathering.

Hoover said she has white sons, and wants black children to feel just as safe as her boys do.

Harrisburg Police Commissioner Thomas Carter was also at the service and received a blessing from the ministers.

Carter told the community to continue peacefully.

Right now we need some healing balm in this nation, and I feel the power of the Lord here right now, Carter said. Everybody is tired of the injustices in this nation. It is not a black thing or a white thing, it is a people thing."

However, he urged people to keep protests peaceful so police arent forced to get involved.

What happened to the protesters in D.C. was a tragedy, Carter said. Were not a third-world nation. We do not turn American soldiers against American citizens.

As the final notes of Amazing Grace faded out, the community broke from a final moment of prayer with a reminder to take the days lessons of solidarity into the world.

Lets go out. Lets work together, lets listen to one another, lets pray for another," Weaver said. Our future is bright and our hope is secure in Jesus Christ.

READ MORE:

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Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has threatened to pull the country out of the World Health Organisation (WHO), citing the decision by the U.S. to withdraw late last month.

The U.S. has already withdrawn. Either the WHO works without any ideological prejudices or we are out, he told CNN Brasil on Friday night.

We do not need any people from outside to give us tips about health here.

President Donald Trump said at the end of May that the U.S. would be terminating its relationship with the WHO.

He accused the UN agency of failing to enact reforms in the face of U.S. concerns over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic and that it put too much faith in information from China.

READ ALSO:

While the U.S. is one of the biggest funders of the WHO, Brazil already stopped paying contributions in 2019 and owes 33 million dollars to the organisation, according to the newspaper Folha de S Paulo.

Bolsonaro pointed to the WHOs decision to resume testing of hydroxychloroquine on COVID-19 patients, after trials were suspended the previous week.

What do we need this WHO for? The WHO recommended a few days ago not to carry on with the study into hydroxychloroquine, and now they are restarting it, he said.

Echoing Trump, right-wing populist Bolsonaro swears on the unproven anti-malarial drug as a treatment for the coronavirus.

Brazil is one of the hardest-hit countries in the world in the virus pandemic.

More than 646,000 infections have been recorded, and more than 35,000 people have died from the virus so far.

(dpa/NAN)
Czech Government Orders Out Two Russian Embassy Staff Over Ricin Plot Hoax

By RFE/RL June 05, 2020

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis says his government has designated two staff members at the Russian Embassy in Prague as personae non gratae and ordered them to leave.

Speaking at a June 5 news conference in Prague along with Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek, Babis said that the move was taken as a result of the so-called ricin affair, which turned out to be a fake incident sparked by an "internal struggle" between embassy staff.

"One of them purposefully sent to the BIS fictional information about a planned attack on Czech politicians," the prime minister said, referring to the Czech intelligence service.

Neither Babis nor Petricek took questions from reporters during the news conference. They did not name the staff members in question.

The Russian Embassy called the expulsions of the diplomats an "unfriendly step" that shows Prague is not interested in normalizing already tense relations between the two countries.

The affair stems from Czech media reports that Andrei Konchakov, deputy director of the embassy's Russian Center for Science and Culture, brought ricin from Russia to Prague in mid-March that was meant to be used in a plot to poison Prague Mayor Zdenek Hrib and two other senior municipal officials, Ondrej Kolar and Pavel Novotny.

Moscow at the time denied the reports as "fabrications."

The scandal broke out on April 26 when Respekt, a Czech investigative weekly, published a report quoting unnamed security sources as saying that a suspected Russian intelligence officer traveling on a diplomatic passport had arrived recently in Prague carrying the deadly toxin ricin as part of an alleged poisoning plot.

Czech media last month identified the suspected Russian intelligence operative as Andrei Konchakov.

The three Czech officials -- Kolar, Hrib, and Novotny -- were given around-the-clock police protection at the time.

All three have taken or supported actions that have angered the Kremlin, including the renaming of the square in front of the Russian Embassy after a slain former Kremlin critic and the removal of a statue of a Soviet-era general.

As possible payback, Moscow is suspected of having a role in a recent wave of cyberattacks in the Czech Republic.

Moscow, suspected in the 2018 poisoning in Britain of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter with a nerve agent, has said the alleged poisoning plot against the three Czechs was part of a "disinformation campaign" aimed at discrediting Russia and threatened "serious consequences" to Czech-Russian relations.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/czech-republic-expels-two-staff- members-from-russian-embassy/30654670.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.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 12:30:22|Editor: huaxia

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BOGOTA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Up to 50 people have been arrested on suspicion of illegally trafficking plants and animals in Colombia, the government said Friday.

These people illegally commercialized Colombia's exotic wildlife by advertising species through social networks or via instant messaging groups, and sold them on demand, according to a government statement.

The authorities have recovered 502 species of animals and 38 specimens of plants, and also seized 51 cubic meters of wood in the operation.

Colombia now ranks as the second most biodiverse country in the world after its neighbor Brazil. However, illegal trafficking of animals and plants has also drawn much concern in the country.

Since the beginning of this year, Colombian environmental authorities have seized 52,000 species of flora and 11,436 species of fauna, as well as over 41,500 cubic meters of wood, leading to the arrest of some 2,200 people, according to figures from the government.

Colombia had planned to host this year's World Environment Day, which fell on Thursday with the theme of "Time for Nature," but an outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic forced the event to be held online across the globe. Enditem
A farmer has denied claims he told people to break into a house as part of a campaign to obstruct a Revenue-appointed receiver.

Seamus Kane (50) could be jailed if the High Court finds him in contempt following claims he tried to sabotage the work of receiver Myles Kirby.

But in an affidavit filed with the High Court he denied directing a number of people to break into a house in Granard, Co Longford, which is in the possession of the receiver.

In the legal filing, he said the matter was being investigated by gardai and "a main pillar of law" is that "one is innocent until proven guilty".

The house is one of several properties Mr Kirby has been endeavouring to sell in a bid to recoup a 4.97m judgment against Mr Kane's brother, car dealer John Alex Kane, in relation to unpaid taxes from motor sales.

But his efforts have been hampered by what he alleges has been a campaign of interference and intimidation waged by the two brothers to dissuade potential buyers.

Seamus Kane has twice been jailed for contempt for breaching court orders and undertakings, while John Alex Kane received a two-month suspended sentence for civil contempt last year.

Both deny any interference with the work of the receiver.

Several incidents have been brought to the court's attention over the past year, with the latest being a break-in at a property in Granard known as Ledwith House last month.

This was caught on CCTV and two of the intruders later told gardai they were instructed by Seamus Kane to "kick down the door", according to an affidavit filed by Mr Kirby, of Kirby Healy Chartered Accountants.

In a further affidavit, the receiver said Mr Kane offered a "convoluted explanation" in a letter from his solicitor Brid Mimnagh.

In the letter, it was claimed Mr Kane attempted to make an arrangement for locks to be changed at another property but there was perhaps some confusion in his instructions and the people involved went to the wrong house. Mr Kirby described the explanation as "entirely unconvincing".

High Court President Mr Justice Peter Kelly heard yesterday Mr Kane intended to contest the contempt application and was seeking time to file a further affidavit and to apply for legal aid.

Ms Mimnagh said, notwithstanding the fact her client denied the allegations, he was willing to give further undertakings not to interfere in the receiver's work.

After the undertakings were given, Mr Justice Kelly said he hoped Mr Kane would not be heading back to prison again and adjourned the case to later in the month.

The judge expressed concern when told by Ms Mimnagh a decision on legal aid could take up to six weeks.

"A delay of that length doesn't seem to me to be of any great assistance from the point of view of administering justice," he said.
The near-term outlook for the FMCG market is "extremely uncertain" as the COVID-19 outbreak had a "terrible impact" and the situation remains volatile with the trajectory of the coronavirus undetermined, according to HUL.

While describing the current situation as "much more uncertain than normal", the FMCG major added that it is confident about its ability to manage the immediate crisis.

"The situation remains volatile with the trajectory of the virus undetermined, evolving hot spot geographies, the success of containment measures uncertain, the severity and duration of resulting economic crisis and the extent of structural damage unknown," HUL Chairman and Managing Director Sanjiv Mehta said in his address to shareholders in the company's annual report for 2019-20.

"There are many unknowns today and hence, the near-term outlook is extremely uncertain," he added.

Though the coronavirus and containment efforts have resulted in supply and demand disruptions, leading to a sharper growth deceleration, Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) is confident about medium to long-term growth prospects of the sector.

"Despite the near-term ambiguity, we remain confident of the medium to long-term growth prospects of the FMCG sector," HUL said, adding its strong portfolio of trusted brands and capable teams is built to survive times like these.

According to the company, despite being one of the fastest growing markets globally for FMCG products, the per capita FMCG consumption in India is still amongst the lowest in the world, giving the industry a long runway for growth.

"The complexity and volatility continue to rise. In the last quarter of financial year 2019-20, we have seen an unprecedented global breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic leading to a humanitarian crisis, lockdown across many countries and a significant economic fallout," it said, adding, "In India, the economic impact of COVID-19 is trickling in on the backdrop of an already challenging macro-economic environment."

Mehta said various containment measures and the nationwide lockdown from March 25 caused disruptions across the company's value chain.

"We continue to work closely with the government at different levels, prioritise key SKUs, make planning cycles more agile and create flexible alternatives. This is helping us reboot our supply lines to a large extent," he added.

Mehta said 2019-20 witnessed a challenging business environment with lower GDP growth and slowdown in consumption, which resulted in a weakening consumer sentiment and lower demand for the categories in which HUL operates.

For FY20, HUL's net profit was up 11.48 per cent at Rs 6,756 crore, compared to Rs 6,060 crore in the previous year. Sales stood at Rs 39,136 crore, marginally up 1.44 per cent.

HUL, which owns popular brands like Lux, Lifebuoy, Surf Excel, Rin, Pond's, Vaseline, Lakme, Dove and Brooke Bond, added that the pandemic has also impacted consumer behaviour and demand patterns.

"Health and hygiene essentials have seen an upswing with household stocking and increased awareness. Consumption trend in other essentials such as fabric solutions, coffee, oral care is fairly neutral," Mehta said.

"We are enhancing the capacities of home and hygiene products, which are extremely critical for our consumers in these times," he added. HUL is also "re-purposing" its core brands and tailoring communication in the light of the current environment.

"The Out-of-Home channel is closed, resulting in near cessation of consumption in food services, ice creams and life essentials. The impact on discretionary categories is more accentuated as it comes on the backdrop of a slowing market growth," Mehta added.

HUL said it is staying close to its consumers to adapt to the "emerging demand patterns in the short term and prepare for any lasting changes in consumer behaviour."

"Many of our categories and brands have moved quickly to re-plan their innovations, adjust to consumers buying in different channels, and re-work brand communication to make sure that it remains consumer relevant," it said.
- Kim Chiu's old interview with Kris Aquino back in 2014 has recently resurfaced online

- The netizen who uploaded the video labeled the interview as "Fill In The Blanks by Chinita Princess"

- The viral video elicited over 2.3 million views on social media and garnered over 84,000 reactions as well

- It can be worth noting that the actress trended previously on social media due to "bawal lumabas" quote and "360 statement"

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Kim Chiu has become the subject of public scrutiny after she made headlines for her "bawal lumabas" statement during the online rally event of ABS-CBN, Laban, Kapamilya.

This prompted Kim to ride along with the netizens as she even turned her viral statement into a song. The Love Thy Woman actress even collaborated with DJ Loonyo who provided an 'OG steps' to her song.

Following this news, Kim made headlines once again after her interview with MJ Felipe when netizens poked fun at her "360 statement."

However, KAMI learned that the actress went viral once again after an old interview with Kris Aquino from 2014 resurfaced on social media.

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Rice, a Facebook user, uploaded a short clip from the interview on his social media account with the caption, "Fill In The Blanks by Chinita Princess ft. Ang Haba Ng Pasensya ni Tita Khrissy."

In the video, Kim could be seen trying to explain why she became emotional, "Eh siguro kaya ako naiiyak kasi... Ay naiiyak na naman ako."

When Kris asked why, Kim replied, "Siguro kasi, yun mga... Syempre na-touch ako sa mga, ano ba yan."

Even though Kim tried to answer Kris, the actress could not bring herself to complete her answer. Kris, who was still waiting for her answer, asked once again why she became emotional.

Kim eventually answered and said, "Syempre, pag-uwi sa house, ganito. Syempre, tao lang. My gosh, ayoko na!"

As of this writing, the video has now garnered over 2.3 million views and 84,000 reactions on social media.

Watch the video below:

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As reported earlier by KAMI, Kim Chiu recently posted on her social media account that she will be guesting at Wish 107.5. Following this news, the radio station finally uploaded Kim's live performance of her song, "Bawal Lumabas". It can be noted that this is the first time the Kapamilya actress performed the song live after its release back in May. However, the online community noticed something in the video uploaded by Wish 107.5.

Kim Chiu is one of the most well-known actresses in the Philippines. She broke through in showbiz by joining Pinoy Big Brother. The Kapamilya star is in a relationship with actor Xian Lim. Her former boyfriend is Gerald Anderson.

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Source: KAMI.com.gh


For Laszlo Petrik, any talk of the Treaty of Trianon stirs up strong feelings.

Petrik is an ethnic Hungarian who lives on the Slovak side of the Danube River. His home in Hungary became part of what is now Slovakia because of the Treaty of Trianon, which was signed on June 4, 1920. The agreement led to changes in Europes borders after World War I.

Some Hungarians look at the treaty as a national trauma because it took away more than 60 percent of the countrys territory. It left millions of ethnic Hungarians living in what is now Austria, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

This is the greatest injustice ever, Petrik said. He spoke to the Reuters news agency in Sturovo near a bridge that connects the town with Esztergom in Hungary. The bridge was blown up in 1944 by German troops, but rebuilt years later, in 2001.

Half of my relatives are over there (in Hungary), and even though we still have the European Union, there is still this division, Petrik said.

Today, ethnic Hungarians cross the bridge to visit stores or work in Hungary, and Hungarians like to make visits to Slovakia.

A nationwide study found that 85 percent of Hungarians believe Trianon was the greatest tragedy in Hungarys history. The Hungarian Academy of Sciences organized the survey.

In 2010, Prime Minister Viktor Orban established the June 4 anniversary as a day of national unity as part of his efforts to bring back a sense of national pride.

Orban is a nationalist who has been in power for the past 10 years. He has won popularity at home by offering ethnic Hungarians in other countries citizenship and a right to vote in elections.

Orban has never suggested reuniting Hungary with its lost territories, and the country has friendly relations with its neighbors.

But problems sometimes arise, such as the recent decision by Ukraine to bar ethnic minorities from an education in their own languages. This greatly angered Ukraines ethnic minorities.

On Thursday, Hungarian lawmakers debated a measure that calls on parliaments of Central European states to guarantee the right to national identity as a constitutional right.

Speaker Laszlo Kover said the struggle of ethnic Hungarians for this right was important because all European nations will face a similar struggle for identity in the coming period.

Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic spoke to ethnic Hungarians on Tuesday. He said that while history had changed national borders, it was time to look ahead.

On the 100th anniversary of the Trianon Treaty I offer my hand to act together, he told a Hungarian language news website in Slovakia.

Im Susan Shand.

The Reuters News Agency reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

stir up  v. to disarrange or to recall something

trauma  n. a bad psychological experience

pride  n. a feeling of accomplishment
For the past few weeks, I have felt that our need to grieve collectively because of the more than 100,000 lives lost to COVID-19 has been a burning need ignored by our societal leaders.

The events of the past week and the horrific death of George Floyd have given us more reason to grieve. Despite personally trying to live a decent life devoid of bigotry, I see that my generation has failed horribly in achieving justice in our great country. I am so sad about that. Members of my family are not white (my husband of 44 years is an immigrant from India) and I always thought that I could not possibly be upset or angry at prejudice against him and my loved ones because, after all, we have lived a blessed life of comfort and plenty.

Why spend time being angry or hurt at bigots and their stupid sense of superiority when we had so much to be thankful for and there were so many great people who showed us love?

I was encouraged by the next generation and I tried to learn from them. When my country elected an African American president, I celebrated and I was not surprised. After all, he was everything I wanted in a president -- super smart and decent, empathetic and focused on the needs of our country. The world celebrated our great democracy and our great president with us.

But, for the past few years it has become acceptable to hate again. We have lost the trust of valued allies in the world and basic civility has been abandoned by so many people around me (they despised brown skinned immigrants, but not you, they would say to my husband).

We have lost so much after having traveled so far as a country.

And so I grieve.

I grieve for our loss of over 100,000 people to COVID and I grieve our failure to achieve justice and our loss of leadership, decency and civility.

We need a national day of mourning, a day of thought and prayer, of sadness at all we have lost, of love and kindness for one another. Then, we need to move on to repair the damage done.

(Jean Prabhu is a Dongan Hills resident)
A week after Uttarakhand cabinet minister Satpal Maharaj tested positive for Covid-19, officials on Saturday said that chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat who attended a cabinet meeting with Maharaj has tested negative.

A senior official from Government Doon Medical College, requesting anonymity said, We received the sample of chief minister Rawat earlier this week for testing as he came in contact with tourism minister Satpal Maharaj who tested positive for Covid-19 last week. The chief minister has, however, tested negative for Covid-19.

On June 1, Rawat and three cabinet ministers had decided to quarantine themselves despite the Dehradun district magistrate saying that all three were low risk contacts and they just need to follow May 18 guidelines issued by the Centre.

The three ministers, Madan Kaushik, Harak Singh Rawat and Subodh Uniyal subsequently underwent a health check-up on Monday and returned to work on Thursday.

On May 18, the Union health ministry had issued guidelines on preventive measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 in workplace settings, including maintaining physical distancing of at least one meter, using masks, frequent hand washing, following respiratory etiquettes, self-monitoring, reporting any illness, whether in self or office staff.

According to the DMs letter, the CM and the ministers were low-risk contacts and they needed to follow the directions and protocol issued by the Union health ministry on May 18 regarding the workplace.

The ministers said they did not go for testing because they were low-risk contacts.

Kaushik said, I had quarantined myself at home as per the norms, but did not go for testing as I was not suggested to do so after the district magistrate clarified that I was a low-risk contact. However, a complete health check-up was done by doctors from the district administration and my health status was monitored continuously before I returned to work.

Harak Singh Rawat, minister for forest and environment and Subodh Uniyal, minister for agriculture gave the same reasons for not undergoing Covid-19 test.

I was found to be a low-risk contact but as a precautionary measure I had quarantined myself. As we all know test kits are limited in number and I was not suggested for testing by health officials, hence I did not opt for testing. The testing kit that would have been used for me can actually be used for someone who needs it more, Rawat told reporters on Friday.

Uniyal said, A team from the chief medical officers office had come for a thorough health check-up and they found that I am healthy. At the meeting, we had maintained proper distance from Maharaj and were found to be low-risk contacts hence I did not get a test done. I am constantly in touch with health officials and have not shown any symptoms so far.
Press Release

June 6, 2020 De Lima chides Duterte over hint to help China monopolize production of vaccine vs COVID-19 Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has chided Mr. Duterte for attempting to condition the Filipino public to pin their hopes of survival on a still non-existent vaccine against COVID-19 that will be China-made without regard for its quality, efficacy or costs. De Lima, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, said any effort by Duterte to help China monopolize the production and supply of such vaccine is "tantamount to a death sentence" for the entire nation. "Duterte is doing his job excellently. As China's lackey, that is. [H]inarang na nya agad ang iba pang posibleng suppliers ng gamot katulad ng Japan, US, o iba pang bansa sa Europa. Since day 1, we have heard nothing but 'unless there is a vaccine' plus China," she said in her Dispatch from Crame No. 809. "Tama ang maghangad ng lunas sa isang nakamamatay na sakit, but for one to even hint on helping China monopolize the production and supply is tantamount to a death sentence for all of us. Mula teritoryo, pati kaluluwa, binenta na ni Duterte sa kanyang BFF! Is he also offering us as guinea pigs to the vaccine trials?" she asked. Recently, Duterte expressed confidence that China, where the COVID-19 pandemic originated, will be the first country to be able to develop a vaccine against COVID-19 which he claimed may be available by September. De Lima said other countries were able to fight the virus and flatten the curve without solely relying on other countries because their leaders prioritize the welfare of their people over self interests. "Umasa ba ang Vietnam at Taiwan sa kumpas ng ibang bansa? Hindi. Inuna at pinangibabaw nila ang kapakanan ng kanilang mamamayan. They're not lapdogs of any foreign master, that's why," she said. "Pilit tayong pinapaasa sa isang relasyong hindi naman natin maasahan. It is a one-sided and abusive relationship that is putting our country in a grossly disadvantageous position," she added. While the world is busy fighting COVID-10, the lady Senator from Bicol said China continues with its malevolent plans that have dangerous global implications. "[C]hina is intensifying its claim on the West Philippine Sea; ensnaring countries into debt traps with their national assets as collaterals; and providing international organizations like the WHO with millions of dollars as support in its attempt to "buy" influence in the world public health market," she said. "And we are right here, smack in the middle of all these Chinese slyness and maneuverings, no thanks to Duterte who once promised to defend our sovereignty with his life," she added. Mr. Duterte, who has always shown fondness to China, has since failed to stand against Chinese incursion in the WPS, and has indirectly given up the Philippines' entire EEZ in the WPS.
A critical meeting on Saturday between Indian and Chinese military officials, led by lieutenant generals from both armies, ended up inconclusively as both sides made attempts to resolve a weeks-long row along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, officials said.

This is in line with what Hindustan Times reported on Saturday that it may not be possible to achieve an immediate breakthrough to the Ladakh standoff.

The general officer commanding of Leh-based 14 Corps, Lt Gen Harinder Singh, met his Chinese counterpart, Major General Liu Lin, who is the commander of South Xinjiang Military Region of Chinese PLA. This came almost a month after tensions between India and China began building up along the disputed border. The row has already taken bilateral ties to a new low.

This was perhaps the first time that lieutenant general-equivalents from both sides met in a sensitive sector to defuse border tensions  the highest talks between India and China at the tactical level have so far usually involved major generals.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday announced that a meeting between senior Indian and Chinese military officers will be held on June 6 to discuss the border situation.

The Northern Army commander, Lt Gen YK Joshi, has been in Leh for a security review of the sensitive sector where Indian and Chinese soldiers are eyeball-to-eyeball at four locations along LAC.

Several rounds of talks between local military commanders, including three rounds of discussions between major generals, have failed to break the impasse that began with a violent confrontation between rival patrols near Pangong lake four weeks ago.

Around 250 soldiers from the two sides clashed near Pangong lake on the night of May 5-6, and the scuffle left scores of troops injured. While an immediate flare-up was avoided as both armies stuck to protocols to resolve the immediate situation, tensions swiftly spread to other pockets along LAC.

China has marshalled close to 5,000 soldiers and deployed tanks and artillery on its side of the disputed border in Ladakh sector, where India has also sent military reinforcements and matched the neighbours military moves, as reported by Hindustan Times on May 26.

Chinese state-run media has described the latest tensions as the worst since the 2017 Doklam standoff that lasted 73 days. HT was the first to report on May 10 about tensions flaring up between India and China in north Sikkim, where 150 soldiers were involved in a tense standoff a day earlier. Four Indian and seven Chinese soldiers were injured at Naku La during the confrontation.

Former Northern Army commander Lieutenant General BS Jaswal (retd) said, What has happened is that face-offs used to take place first and then the build-up. Now, they got troops who were training and this led to a build-up and then face-offs. The intention has changed. Thus, this de-escalation will not take place so easily. There will be certain amount of withdrawals in due course, but they will not completely back up from the transgressed line without taking concessions.

This is not going to be solved anytime soon, Jaswal said, adding could be longer than the 73-day Doklam. It will require military and diplomatic maneuvering.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the press at the State Department in Washington on May 20, 2020. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)

Pompeo Slams Beijings Laughable Propaganda Exploiting George Floyd Protests

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on June 6 criticized Beijings obscene propaganda exploiting the unrest across the United States, while calling out the communist regimes expansive suppression of free speech and other human rights at home.

For more than a week, Chinese diplomats and state-run media have been reveling in the chaotic race-related protests triggered by the death in police custody of George Floyd on Memorial Day.

Much of the coverage heaps criticism on the U.S. response to the protests, and also attempts to draw comparisons between the unrest in the United States with the ongoing pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, which had at times turned violent last year.

Observers say that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is manipulating the situation to stoke tensions domestically, divert attention away from its tightening grip on Hong Kong, and undermine the credibility of the United States and democratic governance.

Hawkish state-run newspaper Global Times on May 30 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 (D-Calif.) last year when she said the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong were a beautiful sight to behold.

This laughable propaganda should not fool anyone, Pompeo said in a statement on June 6.

The beautiful sight defined by US politicians has eventually extended from Hong Kong to the US. Now they can witness it by their home windows. I want to ask Speaker Pelosi and Secretary Pompeo: Should Beijing support protests in the US, like you glorified rioters in Hong Kong? pic.twitter.com/tvg0kyK8j0  Hu Xijin  (@HuXijin_GT) May 30, 2020

On June 7, national security adviser Robert OBrien warned that foreign adversaries, including Beijing, are going to take advantage of this crisis to sow discord and to try and damage our democracy.

Pompeo called out CCP propaganda that seeks to conflate U.S. actions in the wake of Floyds death with the regimes suppression of basic rights and freedom, labeling it as a fraud. He pointed to the regimes crushing of voices not aligned with the Partys views, from protesters calling for democracy to religious groups to whistleblower doctors sounding the alarm about the CCP virus in the early stages of the outbreak.

In China, peaceful protesters from Hong Kong to Tiananmen Square are clubbed by armed militiamen for simply speaking out. Reporters writing of these indignities are sentenced to long terms in prison, he said.

In the United States, law enforcementboth state and federalbrings rogue officers to justice, welcomes peaceful protests while forcefully shutting down looting and violence, and exercises power pursuant to the Constitution to protect property and liberty for all. Our free press covers events wall-to-wall, for all the world to see.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr said June 4 that three sets of actors have been involved in the protests: peaceful demonstrators, opportunistic looters, and extremist agitators, including the far-left group Antifa and other similar organizations. He said the extremist agitators are instigating violence and hijacking the protests to pursue their own separate and violent agenda.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying on May 30 responded to a tweet by the U.S. State Department that blasted the regimes encroachment on Hong Kong by writing: I cant breathe, quoting what Floyd was heard on video saying before he died.

The Chinese Communist Partys callous exploitation of the tragic death of George Floyd to justify its authoritarian denial of basic human dignity exposes its true colors yet again, Pompeo said.

As with dictatorships throughout history, no lie is too obscene, so long as it serves the Partys lust for power.
The new Madeleine McCann suspect was identified as her possible abductor seven years ago  after Scotland Yard e-fits of a man seen around the time she vanished were shown on a German television appeal.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that paedophile Christian Brueckners name was passed to police by an acquaintance who saw the programme and remembered him from the Portuguese resort where Madeleine was snatched from.

But even though Kate and Gerry McCann were flanked by a British detective during the October 2013 appeal, which was watched by millions, it is unclear whether the crucial tip-off ever reached the Metropolitan Police.

The programme featured two computer generated images of a suspect  a clean shaven, possible German speaker, aged 20 to 40  whom Scotland Yard detectives described as of vital importance to the investigation.

Paedophile Christian Brueckner, the new Madeleine McCann suspect, was identified as her possible abductor seven years ago after Scotland Yard e-fits of a man seen around the time she vanished were shown on a German television appeal. Kate and Gerry McCann were flanked by a British detective during the October 2013 appeal (above)

Of vital importance: The e-fits produced for the German Euro News TV appeal for Madeleine McCann on October 17, 2013

They hoped the images would lead to a breakthrough and Gerry told the programme: Its great the police are working so hard but we need the support of the public.

At the time, Brueckner, now 43, already had a history of sex crimes.

Sources in Germany have told this newspaper that the acquaintance detailed his suspicions in an online police form which was sent to the countrys Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), that collated the 500 witness reports and tip-offs resulting from the programme.

But it is claimed detectives failed to act on the information even after being told by officers in Brueckners home town of Braunschweig that he was a sex offender.

Paedophile Christian Brueckner (left), who is suspected of abducting Madeleine McCann (right), had only been released from a Portuguese prison just months before her disappearance from a family villa in 2007

Seven years on, Brueckner is now the prime suspect and is also being linked to three other child abductions.

BKA investigators made further inquiries about Brueckner in 2013 and contacted Braunschweig police for a second time, only to be reminded that they had already passed on what they knew of the suspects criminal history.

Scotland Yard last night declined to answer questions about the claims, saying only that Brueckner became a suspect in 2017 when an appeal provided the details of this man.

But a source in Germany familiar with the case said: The guy that came forward after the 2013 TV appeal provided really valuable information.

Brueckner, pictured in a German bar in 2011, is also alleged to have confided in a friend that he 'knew all about' what had happened to Madeleine

He said the e-fits reminded him of a strange guy he knew who he hung out with or worked with in Portugal some years earlier and named Brueckner, currently behind bars in northern Germany on drugs offences.

The BKA is responsible for liaising with foreign police forces and, it must be said, I cannot understand why they wouldnt pass the information on, especially since the programme featured the McCanns and the Met officer so prominently.

Jim Dickie, a former Met detective chief inspector who led kidnap investigations, told The Mail on Sunday: I have dealt with the German authorities on several occasions in the past and they are very strict about the sharing of information.

'It may be that they held on to it and didnt follow it up properly or that they simply werent expected to pass it on to the Met.

Intelligence like this can lead to evidence and be vitally important. Did the Met just forget to chase up with the German police and ask what they had? Thats possible too.

The two images featured on the show differ but each shows a man with an intense stare and a hint of a smile. The programme also showed a reconstruction of the events leading up to Madeleines abduction on Thursday, May 3, 2007.

The e-fits were the first to be issued in relation to the Home Office-funded inquiry into the case.

By the time Madeleine was snatched, Brueckner had long been on the radars of police in his own country and Portugal, having been convicted of sex offences and theft.

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry of Rothley, Leicestershire, 'continue to hope she is alive until they can be shown incontrovertible evidence which proves that she is dead,' family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said on Saturday

But the Portuguese police investigation into her disappearance, described as chaotic by a senior officer, disintegrated into farce.

The familys apartment was not sealed off for almost 24 hours, leading to contamination by up to 50 people and cleaners washing bed sheets, while ash from officers cigarettes was found in samples.

Within five days, police are said to have shown a nanny who looked after Madeleine in Praia a picture of Brueckner, naming him as a possible suspect, but that notion was soon discarded and Brueckner returned to Germany in the summer of 2007 and continued his life of crime, in drug trafficking.

By 2012, he had settled in Braunschweig where he ran a kiosk bar in an apartment block but his life spiralled out of control.

The German suspect had lived in a warehouse outside Praia da Luz for several years but moved into a campervan just before Madeleine vanished

One report stated that he constantly collected criminal charges. For theft, bodily injury, drunkenness in traffic, forged papers.

The number of procedures is difficult to calculate. He is also said to have abused his young Albanian girlfriend who was often seen with bruises and marks on her neck.

At this time Scotland Yard was completing its review into the disappearance of Madeleine, sparked by pressure from the then Prime Minister David Cameron.

The 2011 Met Police review, which lasted two years, followed a 2009 Home Office-commissioned report which criticised the Portuguese investigation over a number of failures, including the naming of Gerry and Kate McCann as suspects and a lack of analysis of mobile phone data.

German Federal Police have released a photo of a Volkswagen camper van, used by a suspect who may be connected to the disappearance of Madeleine 13 years ago

Police have also released a picture of a Jaguar which was used by Brueckner in Praia da Luz, Portugal, by a suspect who may be involved in the disappearance of Madeleine

As part of Scotland Yards review, they are understood to have received from Portuguese police a list of 600 names who were persons of interest.

Brueckners was among them but the Met Polices review, led by Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, settled on a list of 38 other potential suspects.

In 2013, Scotland Yard officially launched Operation Grange and officers took part in a TV appeal alongside the McCanns for information which was broadcast across Europe, including Germany.

That led to Brueckners acquaintance coming forward with his name. Last night German police were unavailable for comment.

A Met Police spokesman said: Following a request from the then Home Secretary, in 2011 the MPS started its review of the previous investigations into Madeleines disappearance.

Christian Brueckner, left, the new key suspect in the Madeleine McCann, right, case, whose identity is protected in Germany despite being in jail for raping a US tourist in Praia da Luz in the months before Madeleine vanished

'In 2013, the Met made a decision that the review would progress to a full investigation.

(Former) Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, for the ten- year anniversary in 2017, put out a statement and as a direct result of that appeal we received information which provided details of this man.

'Our subsequent enquiries led to us to decide that he was a suspect for our investigation.

We will not go into the details of what those enquiries are or what the evidence is against him, and thats to ensure that we are doing the best we can to protect the integrity of our investigation.

'We can confirm that the name of this man that we were provided with, we were aware of within the investigation, but he was not a suspect.

Last night, Braunschweig state prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters told German newspaper BILD: At the moment the criminal suspicion is based on clues. We havent interrogated the suspect yet regarding this case.
Robert E. Lee is about to be removed from the heart of the Confederacy. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has just announced the statue of Lee that has anchored a row of memorials to Confederate leaders on Richmonds Monument Avenue will be removed. This is the latest in a series of victories for anti-racist activists seeking to remove such memorials from places of public honor. It is long past the time this should have been done, but it raises questions about how to handle these monuments once they are taken down. Many of these statues have simply been moved into storage. Out of sight. Out of mind. The City of Houston has taken steps in a different direction, deciding to move the Spirit of the Confederacy statue, which was installed at Sam Houston Park in 1908, to the Houston Museum of African American Culture. This plan was discussed publicly at a forum there on Oct. 26, 2019.

In doing so, Houston offers an approach to handling Civil War memorials that is particularly important at this moment of racial reckoning.

Confederate monuments have long been controversial, but a new urgency developed around them in 2015 when a white supremacist murdered nine worshippers at the Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston. South Carolinas government responded by finally removing the Confederate flag from the statehouse grounds. A couple of years later, Mayor Mitch Landrieu had Confederate memorials removed from public display in New Orleans and gave a powerful speech explaining why. These actions spurred a defensive (and deeply offensive) demonstration by white supremacists to demand that Confederate memorials in Charlottesville, Virginia, be left on public display. That demonstration took place on April 12, 2017 and culminated in the murder of Heather Heyer. The following weekend a coalition of anti-racist Houston activists called for a demonstration to demand that The Spirit of the Confederacy be removed from Sam Houston Park.

Mayor Sylvester Turner and the city did not move quickly, and activists surely grew frustrated as years passed without evidence that the statue would be removed. But the recent plan to relocate the Spirit to the Houston Museum of African American Culture shows that the mayor and those advising him have used the time to come up with a solution that should push Houston to the forefront of this national discussion.

Those who moved more quickly  and they did so for many admirable reasons  removed statues without having decided what to do with them. When students at the University of North Carolina pulled down Silent Sam, a memorial to UNC students who had died fighting for the Confederacy, the administration was caught unprepared. It first decided to give the statue to a neo-Confederate group along with funds to pay for its preservation and presumably its display. Fortunately, that plan has been blocked. Others have also stumbled when deciding what to do. Landrieu removed the statue of Lee from its prominent spot atop a traffic circle in New Orleans, only to place it in storage. When the University of Texas at Austin removed statues of Confederate leaders from the place of honor they had long occupied on the Forty Acres, it put them in the universitys historical collections where they are more likely to be seen by scholars than by the broader public.

In each of these cases the removal of the statues represents a rejection of the place of honor that those in power had once believed the Confederacy and its memory deserved. But there was less effort to establish and publicly represent the place it should have. And the Confederacy must have an important place in any true reckoning with who we are as a city, as a state, as a region and as a nation.

Houston is confronting this history. The city does not plan to remove the statue from Sam Houston Park to place it in storage. By responding to the Houston Museum of African American Cultures request to house and interpret the statue, the city asks us to understand the spirit of the Confederacy within the context of the history of racial oppression that has done so much damage to our culture and society. This might seem the obvious context, but it is shocking how rarely the Confederacy is explicitly memorialized in those terms. Collectively we have much preferred to embed our shared memories of the Civil War in more comforting narratives  a tragically noble conflict pitting brother against brother or a battle for states rights.

By using the Spirit of the Confederacy to contribute to the museums commitment to a multicultural conversation on race geared toward a common future, Houston asks us to remember the legacy of the Confederacy in a different and more accurate way. It asks that we confront the ways that Houstons history is bound up first in the Confederacys effort to perpetuate slavery, and then in the ways that memorials to the Confederacy that were erected early in the 20th century reflected a commitment to the perpetuation of racial oppression. It is asking us to acknowledge the role that the spirit of the Confederacy and the ideology of the Lost Cause, which lay behind the original placement of the Spirit of the Confederacy at Sam Houston Park, have played in traditions of policing that have cost the lives of so many innocent African Americans throughout the nation. Houston native George Floyd is only the most recent victim of that history. The city is not erasing the history of the Confederacy by moving the statue out of Sam Houston Park; it is making history by pushing us to confront the true meanings of the Civil War and of monuments to the Lost Cause.

It is time for the city to make good on that plan, and, by doing so, push the city, state, region and nation to more honestly confront the meaning of the Confederacy.

Sidbury is a historian of race and slavery. He is the Andrew W. Mellon Distinguished Professor of Humanities at Rice University.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 22:49:19|Editor: huaxia

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NANNING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The local procuratorate in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Saturday approved the arrest of a suspect over a kindergarten knife attack.

The man, surnamed Li, was officially arrested on the charge of homicide, according to the people's procuratorate of Cangwu County.

Li, a school security worker, was accused of injuring 39 people, including 37 children, in a knife attack on Thursday morning. Enditem
PHOENIX  The Phoenix City Council narrowly rejected a plan this week that would have sharply increased funding for a newly established civilian oversight committee for the police department.

The council voted 5-4 against the proposal to raise funding for the new Office of Accountability and Transparency from $400,000 to $2.9 million, saying it was more important to get the office up and running first and that funds could be added later as needed.

The vote capped six hours of budget debate that was dominated by speakers demanding that the council cut overall funding for the police department, currently proposed at $721 million for fiscal 2021. That decision was put off until Monday, however, as the council voted to continue its budget debate then.

Wednesdays hearing came on the heels of days of clashes between police and demonstrators protesting the deaths last week of Dion Johnson in Phoenix and George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police officers.
One more imported Covid-19 case confirmed in Vietnam

A man who returned from the UK two days ago has just tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, becoming the 329th Covid-19 patient in Vietnam.









The Cu Chi Field Hospital for Covid-19 patients

The National Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control announced Saturday morning that the new patient was a 22-year-old student who resides in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi.



The man returned from the UK on a repatriation flight that landed at the Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on June 4. He and all other passengers and the Vietnam Airlines flight's crew members received health check-ups and were sent to quarantine upon arrival.



The patient had his samples taken for viral testing the same day and the results were confirmred on June 5. He is now receiving treatment at the Cu Chi Field Hospital for Covid-19 patients in Ho Chi Minh City.





This is the 189th imported case reported in Vietnam so far.

As of June 6 morning, the country has gone the 51th day in a row without SARS-CoV-2 transmissions in the community, the committee said.

On June 5, five more patients were declared fully recovered, raising the total recoveries in the country to 307, or 93.6 percent.





Among the active patients, 10 tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, and three others tested negative for the virus at least twice.

At present, 8,143 people who had close contact with patients or arrived from pandemic-hit areas are being quarantined at hospitals, centralised quarantine areas, or at home.
For 8 minutes and 46 seconds - the length of time it took George Floyd, an unarmed black man, to die at the hands of Minneapolis police - cable TV kids channel Nickelodeon's screen went black on Tuesday to sounds of inhaling and exhaling, as white text flashed "I can't breathe."

Pokemon pledged $100,000 in support for Black Lives Matter. Sesame Street is co-hosting a televised town hall meeting with CNN on Saturday morning.

These are just a few of the examples of how companies that entertain or sell products for kids are adjusting their messages, as they attempt to deal with this moment in American history and explain the complexities of racism and police brutality to children through action and words.

"It's one thing to try to preserve the innocence of children, but you shouldn't preserve the ignorance of children in a country that is multiracial that has this bad history," CNN commentator Van Jones told Reuters in an interview on Friday.

Jones and CNN anchor Erica Hill will host an hour-long special on CNN titled "Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism" in partnership with Sesame Street. The show aims to teach school-aged children how to identify inequality and speak out against it.

CNN is owned by telecommunications company AT&T Inc, whose chief executive, Randall Stephenson, urged other CEOs in a CNBC interview to speak out against racial inequality.

Experts said parents need help interpreting for children the relentless barrage of messages on social media and on television as peaceful protesters and looters clash with authorities all across the country.

"I have seen a spike in anxiety for my black kid clients because they are having access to the news," said Javonte' Bass, a clinical mental health counselor. "When the parents are watching, they're listening."

Fear of catching the coronavirus forced families indoors. Fear of dying at the hands of police are keeping kids from going back out, Bass said. One nine-year-old black child even asked Bass, "Am I going to get shot, too?"

On CNN's event, Jones said viewers should not expect a historical rundown of slavery and colonialism in the United States. The show will urge parents to teach their children empathy. "Failing to teach kids about empathy and fairness is always harmful," Jones said.

That applies to views of law enforcement as well, Jones and Bass emphasized. "Police officers are not saints or superheroes. They're human beings," Jones said. "Some are good. Most are good, but some are bad."

Education is a theme among the responses from brands for children.

"Our mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow and that includes inspiring them to be tolerant, inclusive, and kind," toy company The Lego Group said in a statement.

In addition to pausing advertising for a week to avoid marketing any of its toys, including police-themed toys, next to images of police violence, the company is committing $4 million to organizations that teach children about racial inequality.

Lego has also encouraged fans to come up with new ideas for inclusive toy sets on its platform Lego Ideas.

One of its previous sets, The Women of NASA, which featured astronaut Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space, was inspired by a submission to Lego Ideas.
A Co Londonderry sailor who found himself stranded in the Caribbean when coronavirus struck is making slow but steady progress in his race to get home in time for his daughter's wedding.

Garry Crothers (64) is making the epic 3,600-mile journey on his yacht single-handed - in more ways than one.

Having left port from the island of St Martin last Friday, Garry is currently riding the waves in the Atlantic Ocean, somewhere between the islands of Bermuda and Anguilla, on a journey that is likely to take him more than a month.

Waiting, too, are his daughters, dentist Amy living in London and Una, a GP in Newcastle in England, who has a special reason to see her father make it safely home - as he is due to walk her down the aisle in September.

With all other avenues back to Derry closed off, Garry had little option other than starting the journey on his own. No easy task, especially as he lost an arm following an horrific motorcycle accident and was facing the fast-approaching dangers of the hurricane season.

Just over one week into his lone voyage, his friend and sailing partner from disabled sailing charity Foyle Sailability, Ken Curry, said he has been keeping a close eye on Garry's progress.

"It's been very slow going since he left last Friday and he's probably not as close to home as he wanted to be," said Ken, who is in regular touch by email.

"The winds have been very light so he's had to change course and is heading north. Sailing's not just about going in a straight line, but it is a bit of a struggle at the minute." Ken, along with Garry's daughter Amy, had been due to fly out to help crew the yacht on the journey home, but coronavirus put an end to any plans, leaving Garry alone with his yacht at the end of March.

Wife Marie, at home awaiting Garry's return, admitted her nerves are wrecked. "The last few weeks we'd been desperately trying to find ways of getting him home," she said.

"Each one has shut down as coronavirus kicked in. There's been a constant knot in my stomach, I try not to think about it any more. I'm not sure anyone can do this as a hobby."

It was a long-held ambition of Garry, a former Merchant Navy man, to own his own yacht and sail the world. But the chance to realise his dream only came after nearly losing his life in 2007.

Compensation from the accident was ploughed into fulfilling his sailing dream and the physical and mental injuries - his arm was finally amputated in 2017 - enabled him, along with Ken Curry, to help start Foyle Sailability, a charity which gives people with disabilities the chance to experience the thrill of sailing. "We're all following Garry's progress now and wishing him all the best," said Ken.

"And I think he'll likely take an easier route by flying over to Oonagh's wedding in September."
The Marine Corps has banned the public display of the Confederate battle flag in public and work spaces aboard an installation.

The administrative order comes amid a racially-charged national debate over police brutality.

The order applies to mugs, clothing, posters, flags and other items. The announcement said the move was necessary because the flag has all too often been co-opted by violent or extremist and racist groups whose divisive beliefs have no place in our Corps.

The nations history and events like the violence in Charlottesville in 2017 highlight the divisiveness the use of the flag has had on society, according to the statement.

This presents a threat to our core values, unit cohesion, security and good order and discipline, the statement said. This must be addressed.

The order does not apply to art, educational or historical displays where the flag is not the main focus. The order noted that it is impossible to specify every possible exception that may apply. Commanders are expected to apply their best judgment.

No other military branch has announced such a policy, which comes as the U.S. Army faced criticism for not renaming bases named for Confederate leaders, Military.com reported.

The order comes as nationwide protests sparked by the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minnesota. Some demonstrations have turned violent, prompting some mayors and governors to remove Confederate statues and displays from public areas.

The Marine Corps announcement drew nearly 2,000 responses on Twitter, many of them in support.

Today, the Marine Corps released guidance on the removal of public displays of the Confederate battle flag.



MARADMIN 331/20: https://t.co/WLW4m70LW1 pic.twitter.com/TKoYJUL7Vo  U.S. Marines (@USMC) June 6, 2020

READ: 57 members of Buffalo police response team resign after 2 suspended for shoving elderly man
Demonstrators must protect themselves, and others, from COVID-19: UN health agency

5 June 2020 - Demonstrators who want to go into the street to make their voices heard, should take every precaution against catching or passing on the coronavirus, as the global pandemic is far from over, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

The message from the UN agency comes amid ongoing protests in the United States at the killing of George Floyd while being pinned to the ground with a police officer's knee on his neck, and concerns of a "second wave" of infections in countries where lockdown restrictions have eased.

"It's not over until there's no virus anywhere in the world", said WHO spokesperson Dr. Margaret Harris. "So, all the things we have been saying (still) apply. The best precaution is being able to stay one metre away from each other, being able to wash your hands, being able to ensure that you don't touch your mouth, nose and eyesWe have certainly seen a lot of passion this week, we've seen people who've felt the need to be out and express their feelings, but we ask them to remember: still protect yourself and others, the coronavirus is all around, protect yourselves and others while expressing yourselves."

Americas infections 'disturbing'

At a virtual Press briefing in Geneva, Dr Harris also described galloping infection rates in the Americas  the current regional hotspot for infection - as "deeply, deeply disturbing".

According to latest WHO data, the US has seen more than 106,000 deaths from the disease and over 1.8 million confirmed infections.

Latin America's largest country, Brazil, has had more than 580,000 cases of infection and some 32,500 deaths.

Governments should urgently "test, track, find everybody who has potentially got the virus" as the best available way to eradicate the disease, Dr Harris said, adding that this was the only way that many countries with different traditions and cultures had managed to "flatten" infection curves.

Low infection rate so far

She noted that globally, tests showed that only around 10 per cent of populations have been infected with the disease, for which there is no vaccine and no approved, effective treatment.

"If you've got huge widespread community transmission which makes you think it's difficult to test everyone, target, work out where you've got closed settingsareas where it's going to go very quickly through", the WHO official insisted, adding that health authorities should continue to communicate useful information about how to avoid infection.

"Find ways to assist people to do the things they need to protect themselves: the handwashing, the social distancing if possible, that is difficult when they live so closely together," she said. "But find other ways and assist them and partner those communities, help them to understand how to help themselves."

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Engineer John Haig moves an automated underwater vehicle operated by Norwegian company Kongsberg Maritime in Scotland as part of a 2016 survey of Loch Ness. The AUV's sleek orange torpedo takes acoustic, laser and photographic images. Jeff J Mitchell | Getty Images

Across the otherworldly plains of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, some 15,000 ft below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, are clustered manganese nodules the size of potatoes. The rare earth metal deposits have grown undisturbed at a rate of about a third of an inch every several million years. Now they are targets for the nascent seabed mining industry. But plucking them off this dark desert is no easy task. First they need to be found. That's where underwater drones come in. Hovering just feet above the seafloor, the machines can record unprecedented details of a surface less mapped than Mars. "If you want high-resolution information, you have to put the sensor close to what you're looking at. An AUV [automated underwater vehicle] is the best and most accurate way to do that," said Richard Mills, vice president of marine robotics sales at Kongsberg Maritime. His company's creations can relay images with a resolution of 2x2cm, much better than what's possible with a surface-level ship's sonar. The most exciting future for drone technology may not be in the sky, delivering packages for Amazon, but underwater helping to discover vast riches. The use of underwater automated vehicles is proving critical in the areas of seabed exploration and mapping. Private companies are developing vehicles with better sensors and more capabilities, while the European Union and university programs around the world are funding similar projects. In the future, when full-scale seabed mining picks up, deep valleys like the Clarion-Clipperton Zone will likely be the site of tracked vehicles slowly crawling along the ocean's floor sucking up nodules, surrounded by advanced drones feeding real-time data to crews on the surface.

The hunt for rare earth metals

The ocean's floor  where light barely reaches and the temperature is near freezing  holds potentially the largest untapped reserves of rare earth metals. So far, the independent International Seabed Authority has granted dozens of contracts for companies to explore and make environmental reports. The value of gold alone on the seafloor is estimated to be worth $150 trillion. Meanwhile, the value of nodules  containing manganese, nickel, copper and cobalt  also reaches into the trillions. And then there are deposits formed around thermal vents. With continued demand for rare metals used in today's electronics, from iPhones to solar energy components, it's clear why a number of governments and countries have started a race to the bottom of the ocean.

A rock containing cobalt and other rare metals was found in 2017 on the Pacific seafloor off eastern Japan in the first deep-sea mining operation conducted by a nation. It is displayed at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Tokyo. Kyodo | AP Images

Mining company DeepGreen Metals has three licensed areas in the Pacific, including two defined resource statements with billions of tonnes in potential metals. "We know the world will be very focused around the environmental impacts. Automated vehicles operating on the ocean floor are the only way," said chairman and CEO Gerard Barron. Drones will be great for environmental studies of potential mining areas and to follow and observe mining machines, gathering details on dust plumes that can be detrimental to deep-sea creatures, Barron said. There has even been tests for drones to collect small nodules, he said, although currently a seabed-based tracked vehicle is the most common tactic. "The most efficient way of collecting these nodules from the ocean floor is yet to be agreed upon," Barron said.

Underwater drones have come a long way in over a century of development. The first unmanned, untethered, underwater vehicle was created in 1864 and mostly resembled a torpedo. In the 1950s the University of Washington conducted research with automated underwater vehicles alongside the U.S. Navy. After that, innovation didn't move forward very much until technology allowed for smaller energy sources. Kongsberg's first AUV, made in the early '90s, is almost unrecognizable to today's model. The vehicle  which looks like a sleek orange torpedo  now takes acoustic, laser and photographic images. Recently, the robot has skimmed the bottom of Arctic waters, mapping manganese nodules in Norway. Mills predicts new sensor technology to evolve in the future, providing even more detailed images. He also thinks the next generation will have increased in-mission processing capability, including automated object detection that can quantify nodules in real-time. But the technology may be ahead of the market. Nautilus, the first company to gain deep-sea mining rights, went bankrupt last year after failing to mine Papua New Guinea's waters. The project was opposed fiercely by local conservation groups. So far, there hasn't been a successful large-scale deep-sea mining operation.

Private markets for deep-sea drones are unproved, but they already have been used in defense and crisis management. Australia's Department of Defence used the Phoenix International AUV Artemis in the 2014 search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing. LSIS Bradley Darvil| Australia Department of Defence | Getty Images
KALAMAZOO, MI  While community members provided bottles of water and granola bars to students and their families, local attorneys came to Bronson Park on Friday providing legal advice and counsel to Kalamazoo protesters who marched against police violence.

Representatives of a public defense office intended to be a resource for those protesters who had questions about their legal rights to peacefully protest.

Underneath a canopy at Bronson Park, investigator Gonzalo Vinales and attorney Jaime Nelson spoke to protesters, relaying information and advice. Some of the crowd thanked the Kalamazoo Defender associates working the table as they headed toward Academy Street.

Were out here offering information on the rights of citizens to peacefully protest and to deliver legal defense for our clients, Vinales said.

Following the video showing George Floyd, 46, handcuffed and on the ground while Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyds neck before his death on May 25, attorneys at Kalamazoo Defender, a non-profit, public defense office, released a statement on its website regarding Floyds death.

In the statement, the law office condemned what it called another tipping point with Floyds death.

While that white-on-black violence has sparked nationwide outrage, it is but one episode in a 400 year history of oppression so thoroughly woven into American culture that the American black community lives in daily trauma. That trauma was only exacerbated in recent days by the excessive force deployed by police forces across the nation and close to home. Floyds death has led to widespread protests and outrage around the country and in Michigan, according to the statement.

As the coronavirus pandemic shut down its law office located at 151 S. Rose St., attorneys at Kalamazoo Defender are making it a mission to distribute legal information to the public in anyway they can. Tinales said they have been present at protests all week so members of the community can find them while their office has been physically closed.

Were supporting the communities from which our clients come, which are directly affected by our inequitable justice system," Vinales said.

Nelson said her office has been granted approval from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety to be recognized as legal observers. In the case of Tuesdays curfew, members of Kalamazoo Defender were able to be present as independent legal observers, according to the firm.

We put this table out here on Tuesday," Nelson said. Weve been sitting in front of our building because we want people to be able to see us and know were a resource."

Since Tuesday, protesters and residents have been frequenting the table to seek legal counsel and advice.

Its also been great, because some of our clients have been stopping by and talking to us because the courts closed, the court doesnt have clear signs for what people are supposed to do, so thats where weve been the whole week and its been great, Nelson said.

Nelson said Kalamazoo Defender plans to be at the table any time another protest in the city of Kalamazoo occurs. One is scheduled for noon Saturday in Bronson Park.

Arrest of protester ignited unrest Monday night in Kalamazoo, some say

Charges filed against three people after disturbances that involved vandalism in Kalamazoo

Several hundred march in student-led protest against police brutality in Kalamazoo

Businesses stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter movement after Kalamazoo vandalism
Military Sealift Command underway-replenishment oiler USNS Big Horn in the Atlantic Ocean, October 17, 2005.

US Navy/Photographer's Mate Airman Justin Lee Losack

To fight a war in the Pacific, the Navy and Marine Corps would rely on the military's logistics fleet for food, fuel, and ammunition.

But that aging fleet, already taxed by technical problems, is likely to be one of the first things China attacks, a former chief of US naval operations said this week.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

US Navy warships have been on the front lines in the Western Pacific, carrying out freedom-of-navigation operations and other exercises to counter Chinese claims and to bolster allies in the region.

But in a conflict with China, those ships won't be the only or even the first targets, as Beijing will seek to eliminate the logistical support on which the US military relies, according to retired Navy Adm. Gary Roughhead.

"We neglect logistics, and logistics is how this country has won wars," Roughead, who was the chief of naval operations from late 2007 until his retirement in 2011, said at a House Armed Services Committee hearing Thursday.

"I will share an exchange I had with Chinese admiral during the time when I was on active duty," Roughhead added. "He made it very clear to me that our logistics ships were a primary target, because if he can take out logistics, he takes out the lifeblood of the fighting ships, if you will."

A Military Sealift Command Atlantic operations officer aboard MSC ship USNS Benavidez during a convoy in the Atlantic Ocean, February 28, 2020.

US Navy/MCS 3rd Class Jordan R. Bair

As the US military reorients for "great-power competition" with Russia and China, its ability to sustain military operations in a conflict has gotten renewed attention, especially in the Pacific, where vast ocean and far-flung islands would complicate resupply and reinforcement efforts.

"The distances that we're talking about the Pacific are huge compared to what we have been used to," Roughead said.

The military has been able to operate in the Middle East with "logistic impunity," Roughhead added. "We've been close to ports. It's been a benign flow on sea lanes, and we have to rethink that."

Story continues

The resupply issue goes beyond food, fuel, and mail. US warships can't rearm with missiles underway and would have to return to port to stock up, but China's growing arsenal of missiles can now reach much the first island chain  which includes the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japanese islands like Okinawa  where many US bases are located.

"I do believe that many of the ports that we routinely rely upon, particularly out in the Western Pacific, are going to be vulnerable," Roughead said.

US Navy submarine tender USS Emory S. Land anchored at Ulithi Atoll, December 7, 2019.

US Navy/MCS 2nd Class Richard A. Miller

A recent exercise that saw the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land sail into the Ulithi Atoll, a major World War II logistics hub, suggested the Navy is thinking of ways to do resupply on-the-go.

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger  who has already proposed a dramatic redesign that would make his force better equipped to fight a war in the Pacific  has also admitted that logistical challenges need to be resolved.

The Corps' challenge is "to develop an entirely new logistics footprint, which includes new ships to support resupply and maneuver Marines around the first island chain, littorals, and in a high-threat environment," Berger said at an event on Capitol Hill in February.

"We've got ground to make up" on logistics, Berger added. "Because if ... you're going to fight as a dispersed force, you've got to sustain that force. And our supply lines have not been challenged in 70 years. We have not worried about what's behind us. We need to focus on that now, because ... they're going to try to sever our lines."

'Challenged to meet these objectives'

Marine Amphibious Assault Vehicles exit the Military Sealift Command roll-on.roll-off ship USNS 1st Lt Baldomero Lopez.

U.S. Navy photo/Petty Officer 2nd Class Brian P. Caracci

A major problem for the military's logistics force is the logistics force itself, Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a former Navy officer, said at the hearing Thursday.

"There are problems in basically the two different elements of logistics force," Clark said.

The combat logistics force, which would support operating forces deployed overseas, faces challenges with its "fit," Clark said, "meaning it may not be designed to support a more distributed Navy because it's composed of a relatively small number of relatively large logistics vessels. So we need a more distributed logistics force to support that more distributed operating Navy."

The other element is the sealift force, which would transport troops and equipment oversees. Its deterioration has been a major concern among military officials for years.

In September, US Transportation Command performed a large-scale no-notice readiness exercise with the 61 sealift vessels assigned to the Organic Surge Fleet  US-based ships expected to be ready on short notice.

US Navy destroyer USS McCampbell and Royal Navy frigate HMS Argyll during a replenishment-at-sea with Military Sealift Command oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser.

Photo by LPhot Dan Rosenbaum

The exercise was a disappointment, with less than half the sealift fleet able to get fully prepared to set sail in the allotted timeframe.

"Readiness goals aim for the Organic Surge Fleet to have an 85% availability on any given day to support large-scale force deployments," Transcom said in an assessment. "The low Cumulative Fleet Success Rate of 40.7% suggests the Organic Surge Fleet is challenged to meet these objectives."

Those aging sealift ships need to be recapitalized, Clark said. The Navy knows that but has so far been unable to settle on a way to do it.

Clark suggested an expansion of the maritime security program  which gives the military access to government-owned and privately owned US-flagged ships  to fill the gaps. Clark has also singled out a lack of tankers as a major national-security concern.

The expenditures made so far in response to the coronavirus pandemic are widely expected to take a bite out of future defense spending, but Roughead said that investing in the defense industrial base, and on shipbuilding in particular, could aid the economic recovery.

Referring to his testimony to the committee, Roughead suggested that "now's the time to perhaps jump on some opportunities that may be there, particularly in sealift. The prices are going to be extraordinarily good for recapitalization of that fleet, [and they] might not last very long."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Malaysian prime minister names Petronas finance chief as new CEO FILE PHOTO: Petronas CEO Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin speaks during the opening ceremony of the 20th Asia Oil & Gas Conference in Kuala Lumpur

By A. Ananthalakshmi and Mei Mei Chu

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's prime minister on Saturday appointed the finance chief at Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) to take over as chief executive at the state energy company, at a time when lower oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic have hit the firm's profits.

The government of premier Muhyiddin Yassin has made a series of management changes at state-owned companies and government agencies since coming to power in March following the unexpected resignation of his predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad.

Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz, currently chief financial officer will take over from Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin as Petronas CEO from July 1, the prime minister's office said.

Wan Zulkiflee, who led Petronas for five years, will join the struggling national carrier Malaysia Airlines as chairman, Muhyiddin's office said.

The changes at Petronas come as the new coronavirus outbreak has wreaked havoc on energy demand and dampened oil prices, forcing the company to review costs and capital expenditure.

The chief executive's position at Petronas, which is fully owned by the Malaysian government, is a prime ministerial appointment.

PETRONAS VETERAN

Wan Zul, as he is commonly known, is a Petronas veteran, joining the company in 1983 as a process engineer and working his way up through the ranks.

He took over as CEO in 2015 and led the company through a period of tumultuous oil prices.

Benchmark Brent crude <LCOc1> plunged to near 12-year lows soon after he took over, prompting Petronas to cut $12 billion (9.5 billion pounds) from costs and thousands of jobs for the first time.

He championed an ambitious $27 billion oil refinery and petrochemical project with partner Saudi Aramco in the southern Malaysian state of Johor. Under his leadership, Petronas also expanded internationally.

His term as CEO was renewed in 2018 for three years.

As oil prices crashed again this year to below $20 per barrel and profits fell 68% in the first quarter, Wan Zul said Petronas would optimise costs and international capital expenditure.

Story continues

Petronas is the sole manager of Malaysia's oil and gas reserves, and a key source of government revenues.

In his new role, Wan Zul will be tasked with helping to revitalise ailing Malaysia Airlines, which is owned by sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

The government has been seeking a strategic partner for the financially struggling airline, which is still recovering from two tragedies in 2014, when flight MH370 disappeared in what remains a mystery and flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine.

(Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi and Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Helen Popper)
Kyiv City Mayor Vitali Klitschko has expressed a gratitude to European Solidarity party for its offer to nominate him as a candidate from the party at the autumn mayor's elections, but refused of the offer.

"I want to thank you for such an offer. But I note that for many years I have been being a leader of the UDAR political force, which has been always fighting and defending democratic European values. And I will run for mayor from the UDAR Party of Vitali Klitschko. And I will also lead the UDAR team in local elections, in particular, to Kyiv City Council," Klitschko wrote on his Facebook.

"For the sake of protecting the interests of local self-government, the interests of citizens, we will be ready to cooperate with all democratic forces that will act according to the rules and decently. And work in the future City Council on changes in the capital. And on changes in the country in other councils," he added.

As earlier reported, the central council of European Solidarity party offered Klitschko to nominate him as a candidate for future local elections and to head a party list at the elections to Kyiv City Council.
People eat at the Olde Nola Cookery as potential customers check out the menu on Bourbon street during the first week of Phase 1 amid the coronavirus pandemic in New Orleans May 21, 2020. Restaurants, bars who serve food, beauty salons, barber shops, nail salons, movie theaters, gyms and fitness centers were able to open with restrictions in Phase 1.
A wheat harvest campaign has begun in Turkmenistan. This year, Turkmen farmers are expected to harvest 1 million 400 thousand tons of wheat from 690 thousand hectares of land sown with winter crops.

In the country as a whole, 2 220 Claas, John Deere, Case and New Holland combine harvesters are involved in harvesting. The high-performance harvesters are operated in two shifts to allow farmers to harvest wheat quickly and without loss. Hundreds of mobile mechanical repair crews have been deployed to service combine harvesters around the clock, providing them with everything they need - fuel, fuels and lubricants and spare parts.

The delivery of wheat to 156 collection points, granaries and elevators is ensured by over 11 thousand trucks that were provided by various ministries and departments. Laboratories have also been set up by the beginning of the harvest campaign, in which specialists of the Main State Service Turkmen Standards assess the quality of incoming grain. Timely payments to grain growers for wheat are carried out through the local branches of the State Commercial Bank Dayhanbank.

 TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2022
When cyclone Amphan knocked on India's east coast along Odisha, and parts of West Bengal in May, it left a path of destruction uprooting trees and triggering massive rains and storms leading to floods.

However, in Odisha the destruction was much lesser than what was expected -- all because of mangroves.

Acting as a protective barrier, the mangrove forests, otherwise known as coastal woodlands, in Bhitarkanika National Park withstood high-velocity winds and protected the area when cyclone Amphan barrelled through the Odisha coast, leaving a trail of destruction.

The tropical cyclone had triggered damage in coastal parts, but it had spared Bhitarkanika National Park and adjoining hamlets in Kendrapara district with lush-green luxuriant mangrove cover acting as protective barrier to nature's fury.

Almost a fortnight after the cyclonic storm, the national park authorities have come out with brighter and cheering notes - the mangrove forest successfully withstood the wind velocity of the cyclone.

Representtaional Image

Because of the thick density of mangrove forest in Bhitarkanika, the flora and fauna of the park were unharmed due to the cyclone, said Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division, Bikash Ranjan Dash.

The villages on the close periphery of the national park were also saved as the mangrove cover acted as a buffer zone in protecting the human settlements, he told news agency PTI.

It is because of the mangroves that the coastal region including the national park could not be impacted by cyclone. In the 1999 super cyclone, the area was also saved as the species bore the onslaught of gusty wind. The mangrove is a proven and time-tested natural barrier against tidal surge and cyclones in these parts.

People in these parts have also realized the immense utility value of mangrove forest and are lending a helping hand to the forest department in the conservation of this tidal woodland. Mangrove forests with its intricate root system stabilize the coastline, reducing erosion from storm surges, currents, waves, and tides, the official said.

Google Maps

Bhitarakanika is one of the richest storehouses of mangrove genes. Researchers have come across 11 of the 70 mangrove species, which were at elevated threat of extinction in the world, in Bhitarakanika. Mangroves are regarded as natural barriers against the tidal surge and cyclones. Because of its rich mangrove cover, cyclonic storms from time to time have failed to make inroads into the wetland sites, he said.

Odisha with a mangrove forest area of 231 square kilometre with a major chunk of being in Bhitarkanika stands second only to Sunderbans in West Bengal.

"October 29-30, 1999-super cyclone had devastated large areas. However, our village was saved from natures fury as the standing mangroves trees acted as bio-shield. Since then, locals realized that mangrove is the lifeline for people living here. Locals here religiously adhere to the policy of protecting the forest", recalled Pradeep Das, a resident of Dangamal village lying on the close periphery of the Bhitarkanika National Park.

During the 1999 cyclone, it was the mangrove forests that considerably reduced the wind velocity.

Environmentalists have called for protection of mangrove forests,which are now a subject of commercial activity, and are falling victim to rapid urbanisation. An intense movement to protect mangroves in Mumbai has been taking place to protect the city during floods and monsoon, and maintaining the ecological balance.
Photo: The Canadian Press Healthcare professionals gather outside Barnes-Jewish Hospital to demonstrate in support of the Black Lives Matter movement Friday, June 5, 2020, in St. Louis, Mo. The White Coats for Black Lives protest was organized to stand in solidarity with those speaking out against the death of George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Protesters stirred by the death of George Floyd vowed Friday to turn an extraordinary outpouring of grief into a sustained movement as demonstrations shifted to a calmer, but no less determined focus on addressing racial injustice.

In Minneapolis, where Floyd died in police custody, the city agreed to ban police chokeholds and require officers to intervene any time they see unauthorized force by another officer. The changes are part of a stipulation between the city and state officials who launched a civil rights investigation into Floyds death. The City Council was expected to approve the agreement, which will be enforceable in court.

The countrys most significant demonstrations in a half-century  rivaling those during the civil rights and Vietnam War eras  resumed for an 11th day nationwide with continued momentum as the mood largely shifted from explosive anger to more peaceful calls for change. Formal and impromptu memorials to Floyd stretched from Minneapolis to North Carolina, where family members will gather Saturday to mourn him, and beyond.

Josiah Roebuck, a university student who used social media to help gather 100 people to demonstrate Friday in an Atlanta suburb, is confident the momentum will last.

Once you start, youre going to see this every day, said Roebuck, who has attended multiple protests. I just want minorities to be represented properly.

Protests across the country had initially been marred by the setting of fires and smashing of windows, but Friday marked the third day of more subdued demonstrations. At a heartfelt tribute to Floyd in Minneapolis on Thursday, the Rev. Al Sharpton outlined plans for a commemorative march on Washington in August, vowing that the movement will change the whole system of justice.

Floyds body was being taken to North Carolina, the state where he was born 46 years ago, for a public viewing and private service for family Saturday. Then in Texas, where Floyd lived most of his life, services culminating in a private burial will take place Monday and Tuesday.

In Washington, city workers and volunteers painted Black Lives Matter in enormous yellow letters on the street leading to the White House on Friday in a sign of local leaders embrace of the protest movement. The mural stretched across 16th Street for two blocks, ending just before the church where President Donald Trump staged a photo-op earlier this week after federal officers forcibly cleared a peaceful demonstration to make way for the president and his entourage.

The section of 16th Street in front of the White House is now officially Black Lives Matter Plaza, Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a tweet shortly after the mural was completed.

The project follows Bowsers verbal clashes with the Trump administration over the response to protests over Floyds killing. Still, the local chapter of Black Lives Matter took a swipe at Bowser on Twitter by saying the project distracts from their efforts to shift funds from local police to community investment.

Meanwhile, in a sign protesters voices were being heard, more symbols of slavery and the Confederacy came down. Mobile, Alabama, removed a statue of a Confederate naval officer after days of protests there, while Fredericksburg, Virginia, removed a 176-year-old slave auction block after several years of efforts by the NAACP.

Community activists were working to convert anger and grief into long-term action. Black Lives Matter Alliance Broward circulated a sign-up sheet at a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, protest that drew 1,500 names of people who want to stay involved. The group followed up with each person this week suggesting simple actions such as emailing or calling to demand local change.

We are taking more of the strategy of: How do we actually invest peoples energy beyond protesting? said Tifanny Burks, a community organizer. We are thinking long term.

This weekend, they were building a church altar with the names of victims killed by local police and having their family members speak. On Monday, they plan a workshop to help people engage at the local level, including mobilizing in upcoming elections.

Every single day its growing from people who want to get more involved, who want to take more actions, so were going to be mobilizing those folks, Burks said.

In Minneapolis, organizer Sam Martinez said regular meetings and a mailing list of about 5,000 has sustained the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, formed after the 2015 shooting death of Jamar Clark during a struggle with two white officers.

We meet every week, because we know thats what it takes, Martinez said.

Nakia Wallace, an organizer of protests in Detroit, said people were beginning to understand the movement's power.

The world is watching, she said, adding: The main strategy is to get people to collectively come out and make demands until those demands are met.

Another Detroit organizer, Brian Silverstein, acknowledged that maintaining the pace of protests is demanding and said less visible efforts are also important.

We may not protest every day. That is tiring, he said. I woke up this morning and it felt like my calves were falling off. A lot of our folks are elderly and cant be out in the streets. This movement is not just these marches. The marches are great, but we need to force the government to do the things we want them to do.

For the past week in Richmond, Virginia, Austin Carroll, a 28-year-old musician, has spent six hours a day marching or protesting near a soaring statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, which the governor agreed this week to remove.

Carroll, a member of Black Lives Matter, has strained his voice from yelling and his 6-year-old son, Levi, has blisters on his feet. But Carroll said they plan to continue to march every day until more changes come, including deescalation training for police.

I am tired. My voice and legs are gone, Carroll said. Were resting right now, but well be back out here marching tonight.




Thai drought may increase wheat import demand

Severe drought in Thailand is seen to diminish the country's exportable surplus of rice and potentially increase demand for imported wheat and barley in the 2020/21 marketing year, Grain Central reported.

In the first five months of 2020, this drought has adversely affected the production of off-season (dry season) rice and corn, primarily due to a lack of irrigation water as reservoirs are critically low.

Most of Thailand's rice and corn production occurs during their wet season with planting commencing in May and running through to the end of June for rice and the end of August for corn.

The corn harvest commences in September and runs to the end of the year while the rice harvest is concentrated into the last two months of the year.

The dry season production cycle is heavily reliant on the availability of irrigation water. Most of the planting occurs in November and December, and harvest is generally completed by the end of April.

The area planted to dry-season crops fell 36% to 1.4 million hectares relative to the 2018/19 crop year, after historically low precipitation during the 2019 monsoon led to record low water storage inflows late last year. Consequently, production of off-season rice and corn are forecast to decline by 41% and 25% respectively compared to the previous season.

Thailand's corn production in the current marketing year is expected be around 4.5 million tonnes, a fall of 20% on 2018/19 levels. This was mainly due to an infestation of fall armyworm in the wet-season crop and a dry spell in June and July last year, seriously slowing early crop development.

Demand for feed grain in Thailand in 2020/21 is forecast to remain relatively static at around 20.3 million tonnes as shrinking swine production, a result of African swine fever, is offset by growing production in the poultry, dairy cattle, and fishery sectors. Nevertheless, this is contingent upon a recovery in animal protein consumption to pre-COVID-19 levels by early 2021 at the latest.

Of the total feed demand, the derived demand for corn is estimated at around 8.5 million tonnes. But even with an expected rebound in domestic corn production in 2020/21, local corn producers will still only be able to supply around six million tonnes.

It is this gap, between domestic animal feed requirements and corn production, that will drive import demand for corn, particularly from neighbouring countries like Myanmar, and other livestock feeds such as feed wheat, barley and dried distillers' grain.

Thai wheat imports are forecast to decrease by 2% in 2020/21, to 3.2 million tonnes. Milling wheat is expected to make up just over one-third of these imports at 1.1 million tonnes, down from 1.4 million tonnes in 2019/20. The current season imports were higher than normal after flour millers built stocks when the government announced plans to ban the agricultural pesticides glyphosate, paraquat, and chlorpyrifos.

Feed wheat for the intensive livestock production sector makes up the 2.1 million tonnes import balance. The government retains import limits on feed wheat that have been in place since January 2017 to protect domestic corn farmers from cheaper feed wheat imports.

Under these restrictions, importers are required to purchase domestic corn before being permitted to import feed wheat at a 3-to-1 absorption ratio. In other words, to import a tonne of feed wheat, a mill must use three tonnes of domestic corn. The government also set the minimum purchase price for 2019/20 season domestic corn at THB8 per kilogramme, approximately US$252/tonne, for feed mills.

With lower domestic corn production, these constraints seriously hamper the ability of stockfeed merchants to fill the demand void with imported wheat. This is where imported feed barley comes into the equation.

Last week the Thai Feed Millers Association (TFMA) passed on its wheat tender which had called for up to 227,500 tonnes of feed wheat for August to October delivery. It was said the offers were considered too high. The lowest was reported around US$215/tonne cost & freight (C&F), AUD10/tonne higher than expectations.

Maybe this opens the door for more purchases of Australian feed barley. Australian barley prices have recovered somewhat from the sharp drop after the draconian Chinese tariffs were imposed, but at around AUD195/tonne C&F Thailand, it is significantly cheaper than the latest feed wheat tender prices.
A protester faces a row of police officers during a demonstration against the death of George Floyd at a park near the White House on June 1, 2020 in Washington, DC.

OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images

Rahul Dubey was standing outside his Washington, DC, home on Monday night when police corralled hundreds of peaceful protesters onto Swann Street.

They began firing pepper spray at the crowd, hitting people with batons, and arresting them for violating curfew, displaying a "predator-hunter mentality," Dubey said.

Dubey, 44, opened his doors to more than 70 protesters who sheltered in all available nooks and crannies of the three-story home.

He ordered pizza for them and protected them from the police through 6 a.m. local time.

"There was so many times when I was walking through the house, observing and smiling, thinking this is just an unbelievable group of people," he said.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Rahul Dubey has been hailed as a hero for opening his Washington, DC, home to more than 70 protesters who were attempting to flee from pepper spray being fired by police officers after breaking curfew on Monday night.

Although grateful for the praise, Dubey is troubled by the fact that his reaction came as a surprise.

"Why are people so shocked that I did this?" he asked. "Honestly, there wasn't a choice if you saw what I saw."

But Dubey has left an indelible mark on those who he helped.

"I mean, we all would have been arrested if he just went about his day so he is definitely a hero," Garrett Reaves said. "You know most heroes wouldn't take credit for it because that's within their nature, but he's definitely a hero in my eyes."

For his part, Dubey believes he was only "a microcosm" in something larger at play.

"With where we are in society, people are like, 'Wow, Rahul Dubey saved those people,'" the 44-year-old told Insider. "But Rahul Dubey was the guy who opened the door. I didn't save those people. If you go further upstream, why does Rahul Dubey have to open the door? That's what I want to know."

Story continues

Protesters in Rahul Dubey's home.

Meka

It's been 12 days since thousands across the United States began protesting over the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis on Memorial Day. Within 90 minutes of being arrested over a report of a $20 counterfeit bill being used at a corner store, the 46-year-old black man died after being placed in handcuffs, with his face pressed into the road, and officers' knees digging into his back and neck, cutting off his air supply and blood flow, as he exclaimed that he could not breathe.

Meka, another protester who sought shelter in Dubey's house, told Insider that the video of ex-police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes was too hard to watch.

"I've only seen the video one time," said Meka, who asked to be identified only by his first name.

"It was hard to believe it was real. I wanted to cry. I don't know, I guess it just evoked a lot of emotion out of me," he added.

Protesters are tear-gassed for a presidential photo op

Four policemen involved in Floyd's death have been arrested and charged, but his case  which follows the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky  has triggered a nationwide reckoning, with people demanding an end to systemic racism and police violence.

In some cities, however, the demonstrations have devolved into chaos, with vandalism, looting, arson, and violence obscuring the message of the Black Lives Matter movement. Numerous cases of police clashing with protesters have also been recorded and, on Monday, disturbing scenes emerged from Washington, DC.

A mile away from Dubey's residence on Swann Street, President Donald Trump declared himself America's "president of law and order." But screams and explosions could be heard in the background while he spoke because federal law enforcement officials were firing tear gas and flash bangs at peaceful protesters at Lafayette Square adjacent to the White House.

Trump and his entourage then walked across the forcibly cleared Lafayette Square and the president posed in front of St. John's Episcopal Church with a Bible.

US President Donald Trump holds a Bible while visiting St. John's Church across from the White House after the area was cleared of people protesting the death of George Floyd June 1, 2020, in Washington, DC

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / Getty Images

Still, protests continued in other parts of the nation's capital, and just over two hours later, around 9 p.m. local time, a few hundred people found themselves getting corralled onto the one-way street outside Dubey's three-story 1,600-square-foot house.

The privilege of choosing when to 'show up'

Sarah Feldmann was among them.

The 31-year-old, who works in Democratic politics, had been preoccupied the week that Floyd died, driving to New Hampshire to adopt Remy, a beagle-labrador mix, and then stopping in New York City, before returning home.

Although she had been "devastated, sad, and angry" at the news emerging from Minneapolis, Feldmann said, "I think if I'm being honest I was distracted by my new dog, but I was also uncomfortable with what my role should be in this moment. I wasn't really sure how to engage or how to show up."

On Monday, just after she talked to a friend about the need to support grieving and enraged black Americans, protesters entered her neighborhood, chanting, "March with us! Walk with us!"

For Feldmann, that was a sign  so she threw on some unmarked clothes, grabbed a bottle of water and a face mask, left some treats for her dog and keys with her neighbor, and headed downstairs to add her voice to the rallying cries of "Hands up, don't shoot," "Say his name," and "No justice, no peace."

A demonstrator walks by graffiti in Lafayette Park on June 1, 2020, after weekend protests sparked by the death of George Floyd occurred near the White House in Washington, DC.

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

As the crowd neared the intersection of 15th and Swann streets, Feldmann noticed police in riot gear beginning to flood the area.

Police blocking both sides of Swann Streets.

Sarah Feldmann

"It was scary," Feldmann said, "to try to stand up for something that you believe in  in a constitutionally mandated way  facing down these heavily armed, what looked like, soldiers."

Officers formed a blockade, prompting the group to say, "Let us march" and "We just want our voices heard."

"You could hear the emotion in people's voices as they were making their case about why we have this need right now to protest," Feldmann recalled.

Camara Stokes Hudson was also in that crowd. She had been marching near the White House when police began to herd demonstrators towards Swann Street.

"I think many people [thought] they could just like disperse and go home because it was clear that we weren't going to be able to find another place to stand," she said.

However, the police "cornered" the crowd from both directions, which made Reaves begin to worry.

The first two things that crossed his mind were "don't get killed" and "don't get arrested," he admitted, choosing to "move strategically and not emotionally," while pivoting quickly. As protesters looked for alleys so they could escape, they realized they'd all been "blocked by the police," said Reaves.

The only thing "possible was Mr. Rahul," he added.

Meka, too, remembered his nerves kicking in, saying, "I was starting to get a little scared because the longer we stood around, the more my mind kind of raced with possibilities of what would happen."

So he took out his cell phone and began recording a video of his surroundings as the chaos began.

Meka also described feeling confused "because we tried talking to the officers and they wouldn't talk to us. I know you can stay peaceful  as peaceful as you want  but if they want to get violent, there's nothing that you can really do."

The crowd, which had at one point split into two groups, decided to head onto Swann Street and join up with other protesters. Immediately, police formed a blockade at their backs, effectively trapping them, Feldmann said. They then began moving "in unison and pushing forward aggressively, basically plowing" into the demonstrators, she added.

'Get in the house'

Dubey was standing on his stoop, watching as the kettling escalated the situation.

Just moments prior, he had invited a mother-and-daughter duo to have a seat on his steps, allowed people into his house to use the restroom, and given someone access to a phone charger.

Hudson said that police blacked Swann Street at both 14th and 15th streets for about half an hour before rushing headlong into the crowd.

"With no warning, they just rushed forward on either side at the same time," she said. "When they rushed, a lot of people attempted to flee into homes nearby, largely from the tear gas but also from the police."

Dubey took a video of the protest around 9:15 p.m. and sent it to his friends, saying, "On my street, it's getting heavy." Things went downhill less than 30 seconds after he hit "send" and put his phone in his pocket, he said.

"I heard flashbangs, screaming, crunching shields, and batons smacking people," he said. "The police started trampling and shoving people forcefully. It was a sea of people getting pushed toward the other end of Swann Street, like nothing I've ever seen, and then pepper spray started flying."

A demonstrator is doused with water and milk after being hit with pepper spray from law enforcement officers during a protest on June 1, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

So Dubey jumped into action and flung open the door to his house.

"All I kept on screaming for 10 minutes was 'Get in the house, get in the house, get in the house,'" he said  so that's what dozens of protesters did. Dubey described "a tsunami of people, coughing, blinded by pepper spray, and getting clubbed in the back as they were crawling away from vicious officers who were showing no mercy."

Reaves painted a similar picture.

"I saw literally someone five feet away from me get beat with a club for peacefully protesting. They had their hands up the whole time. That's definitely traumatizing. The image is still in my head for sure," he said.

As soon as the police brigade crossed Dubey's door, he shut it and locked it.

Inside, people were crammed into the living room, bathrooms, kitchen, staircase and landing, basement, and even the patio. It was pandemonium, Dubey said.

"People were in agony, screaming, crying, and coughing, so it was just chaos over trying to figure out how to treat everyone," said Feldmann, describing an "assembly line" with cups of water being handed out to people.

'It was a predator-hunter mentality'

Pepper spray had entered through the windows so milk and a baking soda-water mixture were passed around, said Dubey.

"The first 10 minutes of being in Rahul's house was complete mayhem," Reaves said.

At one point, neighbors were sharing milk over Dubey's patio's fence to help those affected by the chemicals.

"People were in my upstairs bathroom, washing their faces in the bathtub, crying, holding each other," he said.

Feldmann, who used a bandanna to protect herself, recalled a black man telling her that he had been trying to escape, just like everyone else, when he heard someone falling on the ground and getting trampled. He turned around to help the woman and made the mistake of looking up. A policeman hit him in the face with pepper spray, he said.

"Why is it so easy for them to not see his humanity and not take into account his physical comfort, safety, and, ultimately, his life?" said Feldmann. "He wasn't a threat. He was helping someone. He'd been moving away from the protest and got penned in  there was nowhere for us to go.

"Why are you spraying tear gas other than to intentionally inflict pain and trauma? What is the purpose there? There's absolutely no meaning behind it."

Police Chief Peter Newsham justified the crackdown by saying officers had "started to see behavior that was consistent with the behavior that preceded the very violent activity that we had on the two nights before," NBC News reported.

More than 300 people were arrested in Washington, DC, on Monday night  nearly 200 of whom were taken into custody on Swann Street, per NBC News. Dubey described watching them from his bedroom window being rounded up, cuffed, and loaded single-file into police vans.

"We had what was an indication of an escalation of potential violence in the city. We had a large group that was moving in violation of the curfew," said Newsham, adding that pepper spray is utilized only if "anybody rushes a line."

Dubey disagreed, labeling police's response as "go time."

"Everyone was running and they were spraying and trying to hit them as they were running away, but there was nowhere to run to," he said. "It was a predator-hunter mentality."

"I hope we never see a display like that again," Dubey added.

For Meka, Monday night highlighted the issue he is protesting against: police brutality.

"Part of my thing is like I've been peaceful the whole time," he said. "That group was extremely peaceful that night. It was the most peaceful group I've been with. I feel like we don't really have to do anything to provoke it."

Meka continued: "They proved our point for us and getting that documented was important towards the movement, important towards raising awareness of the issue."

Telling police it was 'a slumber party'

After the initial bedlam passed, Dubey ordered Duccini's pizzas. He said he ordered half a dozen pies, but people were live streaming, tweeting, and posting updates to social media so the community rallied around them by donating 20-plus more pizzas. Hashtags like #SaveJenny  one of the people who took refuge in Dubey's house  and #SwannStreet were trending on Twitter.

Protesters were sheltered in Rahul Dubey's home.

Meka

Meanwhile, the police continued trying to "trick" and "heckle" them, Dubey said. They tried sending two decoy protesters into the house, and when that didn't work, they claimed that someone had called 911 for medical help.

"Rahul went to the door and told them that no one was having an emergency and we were simply his guests having a slumber party," Feldmann said. "Rahul was a f---ing champ."

Officers then promised to not arrest protesters if they left through an alley that's connected to the house's patio, only to hold up the pizza delivery person for nearly an hour, Dubey added.

"My first instinct was to call 911, but when the authorities are inflicting pain upon you, do you call them for help? You don't know what to do in that situation," Dubey said.

Reaves described feeling frustrated with police tactics to draw protesters out, but appreciated how Dubey persisted in keeping them safe.

To that, Meka added that the atmosphere inside the house was "like a well-oiled machine with just a bunch of people that didn't know each other like 30 minutes earlier."

Protests over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died last week after being pinned down by a white police officer in Minneapolis, continue on the sixth consecutive day in Washington, DC, United States on June 3, 2020.

Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The protesters celebrated when they were finally able to get their hands on the pizza.

One of Feldmann's friends, who works for the American Civil Liberties Union and was acting as a legal observer for those who were being arrested, texted her saying, "Oh my gosh, I'm hearing a lot of screaming. What's happening?" Feldmann replied, "Oh, that's just us cheering because the pizza was delivered."

Even after realizing they wouldn't be able to go anywhere until 6 a.m. local time when the curfew ended, no one wallowed in self-pity, Dubey said. Instead, they used "civil, insightful, and outcome-driven conversations" to plan rides for everyone come daybreak.

"There was so many times when I was walking through the house, observing and smiling, thinking this is just an unbelievable group of people," he said.

Reaves said he only breathed a sigh of relief once he was back in his own home, while Meka said that police had issued warnings that protesters were liable to be arrested in the morning for breaking curfew the night before.

"We kind of planned that if we got as much press to the door as possible, they wouldn't really harass us on national TV  so we did that," he said. "It seemed to work."

'If you're not black and you're not uncomfortable right now you're probably not doing enough'

It was a night that put on display both the worst of humanity and the best of it, said Dubey, noting that he had come up with a 1.5 to 8.5 ratio.

"The reason why I can quantify it is because it was an hour-and-a-half of pure hell," he said. "And that was followed by eight-and-a-half hours of humanity, collaboration, ingenuity, and loving each other."

People were sleeping back to back, Dubey said, adding, "It was sad and adorable at the same time."

For her part, Feldmann wandered around the house talking to people before curling up on the floor with a bedsheet tucked under her head. She described a feeling of camaraderie, respect, and community even though most people had been strangers at the start of the night.

Protesters hold roses in solidarity after police escalated violent actions against protesters , 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 via Getty Images

There was a mix of people, she said, but it underscored "how infrequently I find myself in spaces where I'm in the minority" and how important it is for people to "opt in" because many lack the choice to "opt out."

"If you're not black and you're not uncomfortable right now you're probably not doing enough  whether that's thinking, listening, learning, or protesting," Feldmann added.

As a black man, Reaves said white people can play an important role in propelling the movement forward.

"White allies, if you feel a type of way about people being treated unjustly, we need y'all the most," he said. "I don't think anything is going to change until the people who are not oppressed feel as deeply as the people who are oppressed."

Dubey, who didn't sleep a wink all night, said he was in awe of the outpouring of support, some of which came from people who he still hasn't met and doesn't know. Someone learned of the group's plight on social media and had breakfast delivered to his house early Tuesday  Pop-Tarts, fruit, and muffins were dropped into the mailbox. Volunteers also showed up to drive protesters home.

That day, he estimated that 40 bouquets of flowers, 50 cards, and six gift baskets were dropped off at his door.

Four days later, while talking to Insider, he was still surrounded by floral arrangements and described more than a dozen people dropping by to thank him. One person drove nearly an hour from Maryland and others honked as they passed his house, where he is now self-quarantining due to the coronavirus that remains in our midst, but was rendered secondary the night he sheltered the protesters.

His favorite part of Monday night was the "70 new souls" who he hopes will become permanent fixtures and positive influences in his life and that of his community.

He urged Americans and people around the world to grasp "this opportunity to open up a dialogue about the most fundamental thing on this planet: humanity," he said. "I know how important accountability is and transparency is and democracy is, but they are all subsets to humanity."

Demonstrators march on Pennsylvania Avenue towards the Capitol on June 3, 2020 to protest the death of George Floyd.

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

'I feel like we made a difference that night'

For Meka, Monday night's experience is in a league of its own.

"When you go out to the protest, you kind of get that feeling of like a community," he said, and that feeling of "togetherness" was "multiplied by 100" at Dubey's house.

"It felt amazing," he added. "It was one of the best things that I've ever been a part of."

Even though some moments were scary, his night on Swann Street inspired Meka to continue his pursuit of justice.

"If anything, it motivated me more, especially with all the support that we were seeing," he said, drawing strength from "seeing how many people care, how much it means to people for us to be out there."

Most people want and try to make a difference, but "nobody's really sure if they're going to be able to, but I feel like we made a difference that night," said Meka.

Meka and Reaves spent several days protesting before ending up on Swann Street. They plan to continue to speak out against injustice in the coming days.

"We're right back at it," said Reaves, after a two-day hiatus to mollify his mother, who was extremely worried about him on Monday.

As black men, the pair feel compelled to stand up.

"I just feel really strongly about this cause as a black man," Meka said. "There's no reason that we should be disproportionately treated badly by police the way we are."

Read the original article on Insider


(Photo : Suparatana Bencharongkul Spearheading an Agricultural Revolution in Thailand)

For most people in Thailand, Suparatana Bencharongkul needs no introduction. The daughter of Boonchai Bencharongkul, the telecommunications mogul, is effecting sustainable change in Thailand's agriculture landscape.

The agriculture sector in Thailand is highly competitive and accounts for 10.5% of GDP while employing 40% of the country's workforce. Thailand is the world's leading exporter of rice, while other major crops include cassava, sugarcane, rubber, palm oil, and coconut. Agriculture is central to Thailand's economy, while millions of people's livelihood depend on farming.

Addressing traditional farming challenges

Although the sector has seen steady growth since 1962, it is also facing significant challenges in recent times. Climate change, the need for organic farming, and growing debt are some crucial issues Thailand farmers grapple with.

Many farms in Thailand use machinery for agricultural tasks. However, there are some farms that still use traditional methods. This is because some farmers lack the means to rent or buy mechanical equipment. Some farmers are reluctant to change and desire to retain cheaper and traditional methods.

The need of the hour is innovation and development of smart farming practices to improve farm yields. This is exactly what Suparatana, who is called "Nina" by her friends, believes in.

The immense influence of her father's teachings

Growing up, Suparatana inherited her appreciation for farming from her father. She was influenced greatly by the teachings of her father, who believed farmers had the most important job in the world of feeding the inhabitants. Nina's father taught her to always care for and cherish farmers as they are the foundation of the society, who provides sustenance for everyone.

She witnessed, first-hand, the way the nation's heroes ensured food was put on the table at each household through her immersive experiences with them.

These experiences deepened her appreciation of farmers' hard work and also made her aware of the difficulties they experienced while carrying out their regular farming activities. These challenges left an impression on Suparatana and made her realize that farmers not only need appreciation but also that it was her moral responsibility to solve their day-to-day challenges.

She has seen how farmers in Thailand experience suboptimal yield as they use farming techniques that are traditional. For instance, the fertilizer application is mostly based on poor estimations and guesswork.

Change leader in agriculture

Suparatana pioneered agriculture digitalization to transform conventional farming practices. She has been a change leader in terms of the adoption of digital technology to revolutionize agriculture. These digital tools empower farmers and other stakeholders in agriculture in improving farming output by boosting operations efficiency.

It was this understanding that led Nina to transition from the telecommunications business to agriculture. She leveraged her celebrity status and following on social media to highlight agricultural concerns. She strongly believes agriculture needs, apart from existing technology, continuous process innovations to thrive.

She has used her first-hand encounters and personal experiences in growing years to shape the agriculture industry while combining wit, passion, and attention-to-detail to transform it.

Expansive initiatives

The initiatives the company has taken under Nina's leadership include Farmmanyam, Sabuymarket, Farmer Info Application, Allbio and Rakbankerd Products aimed at empowering farmers to be more competitive while enhancing the profitability of farming with the use of technology.

Suparatana's spirited efforts have also seen rapid technology adoption that has boosted production efficiency. In partnership with technologists and agricultural experts, she has been instrumental in developing novel platforms, applications, and tools that enhance the farm produce's value. While working closely with farmers, Suparatana has worked to automate different agricultural processes that boost production. She has also pioneered the utilization of evidence and data-based objective perspective and insights into Thailand's agriculture landscape.

In collaborating with farmers, it is her endeavor to ensure they leverage high-quality data in decision-making that can revolutionize agriculture. These innovative technologies also help optimize the use of natural resources, such as water and fuel, apart from chemicals and fertilizers. Suparatana effectively minimizes carbon footprint through the use of these technologies, thereby contributing to a greener and cleaner planet.

Additionally, she utilizes smart technology, including Robotics, Unmanned Aviation Systems, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, and Communication Networks, to streamline agricultural processes and practices.

Suparatana's commendable efforts also extend to the optimal use of social media, which she has leveraged to spread and create awareness on the central role of digital technologies in agriculture. Social media is one of the most popular platforms for disseminating information to farmers and other stakeholders about how integrated technologies can improve agriculture both in the current and future contexts.

She showcases her passion for agriculture on social media platforms, which serve to educate and inspire people to transform agriculture by embracing technology.

In conclusion, Suparatana has successfully revolutionized agriculture in Thailand that was facing a serious risk of being outdated with suboptimal productivity and profit. Her extensive work in this sector has helped farmers make data-based decisions, leading to improved yield and quality of produce.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 07:55:24|Editor: huaxia

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MEXICO CITY, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday that the country is unable to further decrease its crude oil production after having made the adjustments the country agreed to in April with other members of OPEC+.

"We cannot further adjust our production. We have already closed oil wells to fulfill the commitment we made," the president said at a press conference.

"OPEC members have already been informed of our position. We are complying with reducing oil production by 100,000 barrels. We have already complied," Lopez Obrador said at an event held in Villahermosa, Tabasco, where he is currently on an official tour.

The Mexican president said that Secretary of Energy Rocio Nahle will participate remotely over the coming weekend in an OPEC+ meeting where members will discuss the possible extension of cuts to oil production in an attempt to stabilize fuel prices.

OPEC+ , the organization of petroleum exporting countries and other major oil-exporting nations, agreed in April to cut oil production by about 10 million barrels per day in May and June in order to strengthen oil prices, which have fallen dramatically due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and excess production. Enditem
When there was Me Too, there was Men Too, not to forget #NotAllMen when women spoke up about sexual assault, and when Black people all around screamed that Black Lives Matter, an ignorant All Lives Matter came as the prompt reply. Every social, civil and political movement begins with a hashtag, and is always aggressively contested with an opposing hashtag, a counter movement.

Over the past week, George Floyd has become a household name around the globe, and people, celebrities and organisations all around the world have raised their voices, protesting on the streets and on social media, against police brutality and racism. On May 25, 46-year-old African-American George Floyd was brutally killed by white police officer Derek Chauvin. Video footage showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyds neck for about nine minutes as Floyd pleaded, calling out to his mother, and saying his final words that have now become synonymous with the current Black Lives Matter protests, I cant breathe.

Celebrities, both from Hollywood and Bollywood, including Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Meghan Markle, Halsey, Jamie Foxx, Dwayne Johnson, Karan Johar, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor have also showed their solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement. Either by taking to the streets and joining the protests, or writing messages and posts showing support for the movement on their social media.

Also read | Blackout Tuesday: Celebrities, organisations and people show solidarity with Black Lives Matter movement. Heres how to do it right

Several social media users called out Priyanka, Sonam, Deepika among others for being hypocritical as on one hand they promote skin lightening creams and fairness products and on the other they show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. However, it was Abhay Deols post on Instagram that really struck a chord.

The What Are The Odds actor posted a photo with three hashtags written in plain ink, #migrantlivesmatter #minoritylivesmatter #poorlivesmatter, and captioned it, Maybe its time for these now? Now that woke indian celebrities and the middle class stand in solidarity with fighting systemic racism in America, perhaps theyd see how it manifests in their own backyard? America has exported violence to the world, they have made it a more dangerous place, it was but inevitable that it would come back karmically. Im not saying they deserve it, Im saying look at the picture in its totality. Im saying support them by calling out the systemic problems in your own country, because they turn out to be one and the same thing. Im saying follow their lead but not their actions. Create your own actions, your own movement, relevant to your own country. That is what the black lives matter movement is all about! In the larger picture, there is no us and them. There is not a country thats real. But a planet in peril. #migrantlivesmatter #minoritylivesmatter #poorlivesmatter. Black Lives Matter (find out why not to use the hashtag and still support the movement).

All Lives Matter

Sara Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and most recently, Tamannaah Bhatia were at the receiving end of some serious flak for taking to their social media accounts and posting about All Lives Matter. However, Black rights activists have forever contested how the statement All lives matter completely takes away from the Black Lives Matter movement. The BLM movement is not contesting that Black lives matter more than other lives, it is simply saying that in the present scenario Black lives are relatively undervalued as compared to that of others, and that they matter too. Yes, Black Lives Matter, too.

While Sara put up the above post with praying hands as the caption, she quickly took it down when social media users started to correct her about why saying All Lives Matter was both ignorant and insensitive. However, it seems Baahubali actor, Tamannah Bhatia did not receive the memo and she posted a picture of herself with a black hand print covering her mouth, captioning the photos, Your silence will not protect you. Doesnt every life matter, human or animal? Muting any form of creation is against the universal law. We must unlearn and learn to be human again, express compassion and practice love. #AllLivesMatter #WakeUpWorld

Social media users did not take kindly to Tamannaahs post. And one user even wrote, There are a couple of things I want to point out to you miss Bhatia: DO NOT use black lives matter as an aesthetic; nobody ever said ONLY black lives matter, but all lives cant matter unless you treat black people equally; speak on up racial equality the day bollywood doesnt promote fair & lovely and ponds white beauty anymore. Speak out against your peers when they promote such products that have had an incredibly degrading and depressing effect on millions of Indian girls who are made to believe their skin colour isnt perfect.

Also read| I wont stand for racism: Meghan Markles heartfelt tribute to George Floyd

Yes, all lives matter, human and animal alike. But underplaying the suffering of an entire race by ignoring their plight proves that their lives do not matter in this warped reality. That people are completely misunderstanding the statement, nobody said that Black lives matter more than other lives, they matter too.

The purpose of the movement is to highlight that presently the situation and lives of Black people are undervalued, that Black people are arrested, convicted and killed by police more than white people, that they do not feel safe, and hopes to bring an end to this.

But if that is still hard to understand, here are some social media posts that will help you understand why All Lives Matter completely rebukes the Black Lives Matter movement.

A Reddit user explains Why is it so controversial when someone says All Lives Matter instead of Black Lives Matter?

All houses matter

All Plates Matter

A simple explainer

#BlackLivesMatter

the next time u wanna say "all lives matter*" understand what the movement is actually about pic.twitter.com/t6PiY32uc7  jite (@JlTEAGEGE) July 7, 2016

Would you crash a funeral and say I too have felt loss?

WTF is the impulse behind changing #BlackLivesMatter to #AllLivesMatter. Do you crash strangers' funerals shouting I TOO HAVE FELT LOSS  Arthur Chu (@arthur_affect) November 27, 2014

Or say All Diseases Matter at a fundraiser for a disease?

Do people who change #BlackLivesMatter to #AllLivesMatter run thru a cancer fundraiser going "THERE ARE OTHER DISEASES TOO"  Arthur Chu (@arthur_affect) November 27, 2014

Law professors response to BLM shirt complaint. Read about the whole episode here.

A Unitarian Universalist ministers explanation to a church member

Read all about it here.

A Black Lives Matter painting is seen on 16th street near the White House as protests against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, continue in Washington, U.S. June 5, 2020. Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Friday that the section of 16th street in front of the White House is now officially Black Lives Matter Plaza in defiance of President Trump. (REUTERS)

To put it simply, imagine getting into a car accident and rushing to the emergency room as you are losing blood, only to be turned away for someone with a broken thumb and the statement, All lives matter. Yes, but an internal injury could kill you, a broken thumb? Not so much.

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Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > Babri Masjid, Ram Janmbhumi and Buddhist Relics | Ram Puniyani

by Ram Puniyani

Country is under lockdown. Most of the activities related to production and construction have come to a standstill barring few. One such is the construction of the Ram temple. The path for this has been cleared by the Supreme Court judgement. This judgement has been not widely debated as Muslim side had conceded that whatever be the decision of SC, they will accept it. The Hindu side, RSS and its progeny, had hinted times and over again that come what may the temple will be constructed at the site only. SC in its wisdom did not much go into the legal ownership of land. As in earlier Allahabad High Court Judgment (2010) the faith of Hindus that Lord Ram was born there was given primacy and land was divided into three parts. As such Sunni Muslim Waqf Board has been in legal possession of the land. That apart to the jubilation of the Hindu nationalists, the Government took over the job of temple construction.

Amit Shah of BJP went on to declare that the temple will be grand and will be touching the sky. The work began this May 11 and in the levelling work which is going on, it was claimed by VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal that many objects have come up while leveling the land, which includes many objects of archaeological importance like flowers made of stone, Kalash, Aamalak, Dorjamb etc. Apart from this, during this work 5 feet Shiva Linga, 7 pillars of black touchstone, 6 pillars of red sandstone and broken idols of gods and goddesses were also discovered.

This elicited two types of responses. One was the criticism that the left Historians particularly Romila Thapar and Irfan Habib have misguided the nation and created the controversy of Babri mosque. While as K.K. Muhammad, one of the archaeologists had pointed out that there were remnants of a temple below the mosque. One twitter trend went hammer and tongs to denigrate these two outstanding historians at the same time intensifying the Hate against the Muslim kings as temple destroyers.

The second response may worry the Hindu nationalists. Seeing the photographs of the artefacts, a large section of Buddhist groups raised their voice that what has been found is not Shiv Linga, it a pillar of Buddhist culture and the carvings on the stone found are similar to the one which are there in Ajanta and Ellora. They cite the Ayodhya judgement Carnegy has mentioned that the Kasauti pillars, which were used in the construction of mosque, strongly resembled Buddhist pillars which he had seen at Benaras. Many a Buddhist groups are coming forward and planning to approach the Courts to intervene. They also plan to appeal to UNESCO heritage body to take up the issue and get the excavation done under their supervision as Ayodhya, Saket was also a place of Buddhist importance.

Their basic argument emerges from what Ambedkar had observed Indias history is nothing but mortal conflict between Buddhism and Brahmanism. (Revolution and Counter-revolution in Ancient India, - Dr. B.R. AMBEDKAR #Buddhism Vs Brahmanism, (Part 2, Chapter 7)) in contrast to the communal understanding that the basic conflict has been between Hindus and Muslims.

Ambedkar sees Indian history as being Revolution and counter-revolution. He presents Buddhism as revolution as it founded itself on equality and non-violence. For him coming of Manu Smriti, ideology of Shankar and the actions of the likes of Pushyamitra Shung aimed to wipe out Buddhism ideologically and physically. This he called as counter revolution. In this counter revolution thousands of Viharas were destroyed along with physical elimination of the Buddhist monks.

Where do we go from here, the Hindu communal forces through a sustained campaign in the decade of 1980s have constructed a version of history which is a mix of British planted narratives temple might have been there in the description of Babri Masjid to there was a temple and this temple was the birth place of Lord Ram was a clever journey of Hindu communalists. The fact is that there are many a temples in Ayodhya, whose pujaris also claim that it was in their temple that the Lord was born. Archeological efforts have not been holistic. So Muhammad could write that there were remnants of the temple underneath the mosque, while there were many differing opinions from other professional archeologists. SC refrained itself in commenting on this aspect.

Will our legal system and UNESCO heritage give credence to the total picture of history as Ambedkar sees it. One interpretation is that the Brahmanical counter reaction destroyed the places of Buddhist heritage and later some Muslim Kings plundered these. What is propagated is that Muslim plunderers destroyed these places. Muslim kings, as extensively demonstrated in rational historiography mainly destroyed the holy places either for wealth or for power rivalry. This is a case where the attack on Buddhist places begins at ideological and physical level and is followed by the plunder by succeeding Muslim Kings. Hiding this earlier attack on Buddhism also hides the reasons for elimination of Buddhism from India, the place of its birth.

The heritage of Buddhism is a valuable treasure of India, and the World as a whole. As such when the Ram temple is being built by the state one is reminded of the incident of Somnath Temple. Immediately after independence there was a demand that state should construct this temple. Gandhi, the great Hindu, said that Hindu society is capable to build its temple. State should not involve itself in such works.

His disciple, the builder of Modern India, Jawaharlal Nehru did not approve the first President of India, Rajendra Prasad, to inaugurate it. Later same Nehru who laid the foundations of industries, dams, and Universities, called these as temples of Modern India! What a contrast from present times, where the the state is building the temple while the health, education and mechanisms to take care of society, are being left in the private hands, whose major aim is profit making rather than social welfare!
Cattle vs coronavirus: Could these genetically modified cows be a solution? Coronavirus An interesting project in the USA

Scientists around the world are working to understand COVID-19 better and a team in South Dakota may be on to something, something that involves cows.

SAb Biotherapeutics have been able to make genetically modified cows produce human antibodies that work against the pathogen causing the coronavirus.

"This is promising," Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician at Johns Hopkins University's Center for Health Security, told Science Magazine.

Cows are good for producing antibodies, especially because their blood can contain twice as many antibodies as human blood per millilitre and because cows fashion polyclonal antibodies.

One cow is said to be able to produce enough antibodies to treat several hundred patients, although no antibodies generated by cows have ever been approved for treating a disease.

Clinical trials on this current project are due to begin in the summer.
06.06.2020 LISTEN

After disbursing loans worth over One Million Ghana Cedis from MASLOC to close to 800 local farmers and small-scale enterprises in Yendi recently, the Aspiring NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Yendi, Hajia Abibata Shanni Mahama Zakariah has also distributed huge quantities of farm inputs and equipment to over 600 smallholder farmers in the Constituency.

This forms part of the Deputy MASLOC CEOs yearly support to the local farmers in the constituency.

The items, which included 5,400 9kg-bags of certified maize seeds, 1,200 bags of NPK fertilizer, 600 bags of Urea fertilizer and 600 Knapsack sprayers, were meant to support the beneficiary farmers to improve on their farming business and enhance their economic conditions.

As it is usual of her, Hajia Abibatas annual support to the Yendi farmers has been done on the quiet in order to protect the dignity of the beneficiaries.

Her Campaign team spent two clear days in distributing the items to all the farmers right in their own local communities, helping them to avoid commuting long journeys to a distributing centre. Delightfully receiving the inputs, the beneficiaries, could not help but heap praises on Hajia Abibata for her yearly support.

According to them, the NPP Parliamentary Aspirant had not only been supportive and most reliable but she is also truthful in her quest to improving the lives of her constituents.

They indicated that, even though they anticipated some support from the MASLOC Deputy CEO as part of her usual yearly support to them, this years support has been very massive and way beyond their imaginations.

Hajia Abibata has been our lifeblood, inspiring us to continue to stay in farming because she makes our business less costly, attractive and more beneficial. Her support comes to us at no cost, and the proceeds come to us directly, thereby enhancing our economic well-being, one farmer noted.

The NPP Aspiring Member of Parliament and Deputy MASLOC CEO, Hajia Abibata Shanni Mahama Zakariah commended her team, led by Alhaji Shei Zakaria, for their hard work and dedication in all her activities aimed at improving the lives of her people.

She indicated that it had always been her strong desire to assist the deprived people and communities to come out of poverty by helping to enhance their economic activities.

She urged the farmers to ensure proper use of the inputs and equipment for good yield in order to generate more incomes at the end of the farming season to support their families.
Islamabad, June 6 : In the ongoing Cynthia Dawn Ritchie soap opera, Ali Saleem, aka Begum Nawazish Ali, jumped into the sand pit and revealed that the American adventurist Cynthia Dawn Ritchie was once very close to him and had even shared a room with him in the past.

This is when she had confided in him and mentioned that Imran Khan (now Prime Minister) had offered to have sex with her. Ritchie's brazen attacks have left Pakistan polity in a daze as more or less she launches a new broadside a day to raise Cain.

Talking to a Pakistani journalist, popular Pakistani telly host Ali Saleem revealed that Cynthia had never talked to him about being raped by Rehman Malik.

"If she was close enough with me to discuss Imran Khan's offer to have sex, she could also have talked about the rape she had gone through at the hands of former interior minister. But she didn't," said Ali.

This makes Ritchie's outburst all the more questionable and curious.

Pakistani media reported, "Clarifying his position on Rehman Malik, Ali Saleem said that he had no sympathies for him given that he was the man in charge of Benazir Bhutto's security on the eve of her murder and instead of probing him for his failure to provide the security, President Asif Ali Zardari had made him the interior minister of the country.

"However, I can confirm that Cynthia never talked to me about being raped by Rehman Malik," Ali said.

On Friday, Ritchie had claimed in a Facebook Live session that she had been raped by Rehman Malik in 2011 "around the time of Osama bin Laden's killing".

She had also accused former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and former Minister for Health Makhdoom Shahabuddin of manhandling her. She said that Gilani had manhandled her while he was staying at the President House.

Gilani, however, denounced her loathsome claims, saying that the blogger had accused Benazir Bhutto of getting women raped by her guards, and Gilani's sons had decided to move the court against her.

"She's alleging me of manhandling her now as a counter move only," he said in a statement.

He added that the decision to move court against Ritchie's allegations will be made after confabulations with the party.
Maybe I missed it.

Thats gotta be it.

Im busy. Theres a lot of news.

I probably just missed the statement issued by one or more Connecticut Republican politicians Monday after President Donald Trump barked at the nations governors for refusing to use the military as an occupying force and then used federal forces to hit peaceful protesters with gas and rubber bullets and good old-fashioned clobbering.

Im sure somebody said something. Hello? Operator!

Even the Episcopalians condemned this. Trump used violence to visit their church. A priest and a seminarian were both gassed while washing out the eyes of gassed protesters driven up onto the church patio.

The rector of the church, and then the bishop of the diocese and the presiding bishop of the denomination all rebuked Trump in unambiguous terms. Episcopalians! Gods Frozen People! I used to be one. I might go back now. Come for the outrage, stay for the cocktails.

It turns out what the Episcopalians need every 500 years is an obese tyrant with red-gold hair and frontal lobe damage. (Henry VIII got them going.)

But I digress. Connecticut Republicans? Yoo-hoo!

Let me direct your attention to the first thing the president said in that phone call to the governors, before he told them they would look like a bunch of jerks if they didnt dominate the protesters in their states: People here that youll be seeing a lot of. Gen. (Mark) Milley is here. Hes head of the joint chiefs of staff, a fighter, a war hero, a lot of victories and no losses and he hates to see the way its being handled in the various states and I just put him in charge.

Thats important. A face youll be seeing a lot of is the general who hates the wimpy response in the states and has been put in charge.

A few hours later, heavily armored troops of murky provenance  apparently a blend of federal park police, Secret Service, personnel from several Homeland Security agencies and possibly members of the Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU), which was formerly the fictional home of Jack Bauer in 24  assembled with clubs and shields and rubber bullets and smoke grenades and some kind of gas.

We should pause here. Trumps presidential campaign issued a blistering statement demanding a retraction from media outlets that called it tear gas. Because it did not say ACME Tear Gas on the cannisters like the ones Wile E. Coyote used. This is a common Trump technique: give them some little detail to fact check regarding the larger abomination.

Its like Darth Vader arguing with the press about what came out of the Death Star. You keep calling it a superlaser, but its actually a (patent pending) Planet Killing Beam.

What we should be arguing about: Why dont we know more about those people swinging and punching and kicking and gassing and shooting (with rubber bullets) protesters and journalists? It seems to have been some kind of Paramilitary Breakfast Blend. Who put it together?

Now, Connecticut Republican politicians, who has condemned this misuse of force? Former Defense Secretary and Marine Gen. James Mattis. Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mark Mullen. Republican U.S. Sens. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Ben Sasse of Nebraska. The government of Australia (understandably upset to see Aussie journalists punched and struck by a shield and by rubber bullets).

And George Will. Understand: Eons ago, there was a pool of pure, gleaming conservative protoplasm. It sat up, and God put a bow tie on it. From now on, said God, you will be known as George Will.

Will last week wrote that Trump must be defeated, adding, Voters must dispatch his congressional enablers, especially the senators who still gambol around his ankles with a canine hunger for petting.

Now theres a sentence!

On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Republican from Alaska, said ... something. She said she had been struggling for a long time about whether she could vote for Trump. When I saw Gen. Mattis comments yesterday, I felt like perhaps were getting to the point where we can be more honest with the concerns we might hold internally and have the courage of our convictions and speak up.

Allow me to translate: Look at my whiskers. It does seem like water is beading up on them. And my little paws are certainly wet, and so is my tail. Is it possible this ship is sinking? Because, if so 

Connecticut Republican politicians, none of you has made a peep. I covered so many of your fine predecessors. Congressmen Stew McKinney and Chris Shays. State senators Russell Post, Lew Rome and Lawrence DeNardis. State representatives John Berman and Gerald Stevens. These are good people. They wouldnt have countenanced this.

But I must be wrong. It cant be that all of them were giants and all of you, every last one of you, is rubbish. The political climate has changed somehow. You seem paralyzed by your voters. There arent many Connecticut Republican voters, and most of them still love Trump.

So youre afraid to do whats right.

But dont come to me this fall or three years from now and say youre ready to lead.

Because you could have.

And you didnt.

You know who got it right? Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. Last February, after the impeachment and non-removal, she said, the president had learned a pretty big lesson.

Boy, did he ever.

Colin McEnroes column appears every Sunday, his newsletter comes out every Thursday and you can hear his radio show every weekday on WNPR 90.5. Email him at colin@ctpublic.org. Sign up for his newsletter at http://bit.ly/colinmcenroe.
An FIR has been filed against Delhis Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for alleged violation of regulations governing management of Covid-19 virus outbreak in the capital, says PTI. The complaint against the hospital was made by the Delhi government, the news agency claimed.

The development comes three days after the Delhi government stopped Ganga Ram from conducting tests to detect coronavirus disease alleging it was flouting the norms set by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Earlier today, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had warned hospitals in Delhi against refusing beds to Covid-19 patients. He also alleged that some hospitals were looking to fleece desperate patients looking for admission. He said his government will not spare any hospital found guilty in this regard.

For Coronavirus Live Updates

On the issue of impact on the citys testing capacity due to the government banning some labs and hospitals from conducting RT-PCR tests, the chief minister seemed to suggest that the situation was under control.

Even today 5,300 samples have been tested in Delhi. A total of 42 labs are working for corona testing. Complaints have been received against six of them, after which action has been taken. However, 36 labs are still testing the patients. Apart from these, all governments and many private hospitals have built flu clinics, where corona is being tested, he was quoted as saying by PTI.

The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19

The coronavirus cases in Delhi have seen a steep rise in the last couple of weeks with the total number of infected in the national capital reaching 26,334 as on Saturday. In an attempt to expand its capacity to deal with the rising numbers, the government had issued an order on Wednesday declaring more city hospitals as dedicated Covid care facilities. Ganga Ram Hospital, too, was asked to reserve 80% of its beds for treating coronavirus patients.

Ganga Ram is not the first hospital to run into trouble in coronavirus handling related matter, on May 31, the Delhi government had issued show cause notices several prominent hospitals in the city including AIIMS, Lok Nayak hospital, RML and Safdarjung hospital to explain the reasons for apparent delay in reporting Covid death cases in violation of the directions issued by the health department of the government of the national capital territory as well as by Delhi disaster management authority (DDMA) under the Disaster Management Act.

Baba Saheb Ambedkar hospital, Guru Teg Bahadur hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty hospital--all located in the capitalwere also issued memorandums to explain the reasons for delay in reporting death cases and for the alleged violation of the directions issued by the above mentioned authorities.
A North County man at the center of a Panamanian murder investigation pleaded guilty in San Diego federal court Wednesday, admitting to fatally stabbing his girlfriend, dismembering her body with a machete and dumping her remains in the jungle.

Brian Brimager and Yvonne Baldelli in Isla Carenero, Panama, in 2011. (PHOTO COURTESY OF PANAMA-GUIDE. )

Brian Brimagers plea comes three weeks after the FBI Laboratory concluded that blood found under the handle of a machete he owned matched the victims DNA.

The retired Marine pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree foreign murder of a U.S. national, a rarely used charge that must be approved at the highest levels of the Justice Department. To bring the charge, both the defendant and victim must be U.S. citizens, and the defendant must have since left the country where the crime was committed, as in the 2011 case.

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Brimager had previously been facing a first-degree charge, which meant prosecutors would have had to prove premeditation if the case had gone to trial.

Family members of the slain woman, Yvonne Baldelli, sat in the front row of the packed courtroom Wednesday, eager to hear Brimagers admissions once and for all.

In the plea agreement read aloud by the judge, Brimager, 39, admitted stabbing Baldelli, 42, in the left side of her back with a knife, using a machete to dismember her body, stuffing the remains in a green military-style backpack and hiding the bag in the jungle.

The plea agreement calls for a recommended sentence of 20 to 30 years, although U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Miller has the discretion to sentence him up to the maximum of life in prison. Sentencing has been set for May 25. With the plea, Brimager also largely gave up his right to appeal the conviction.

With Brimager pleading guilty to all the things he did, it was good for us, Baldellis father, James Faust, said after the hearing. Its been 4 1/2 years of torture not knowing what really happened.

What continues to haunt the family is motive. The couple wasnt married, had no communal property. Why murder?

He couldve just walked away. She couldve just walked away... Faust said.

The Orange County couple moved to Isla Carenero off Panama in September 2011 for a fresh start after Brimager had left the Marines. Baldelli, with sewing machine in tow, had planned to start a bathing suit line in the tropics. Brimager would sing and play guitar in bars.

But paradise didnt last long, with witnesses later reporting that Brimager appeared to be abusing Baldelli. Shortly after arriving on the island, Brimager also began communicating with the mother of his child back in San Diego County, prosecutors said. Brimager promised to return to the U.S. to join them.

Prosecutors said Brimager was known to buy large amounts of cocaine for people on the island, and told one acquaintance that he had to leave the island because his nose was going to fall off.

Baldelli was last seen November 2011.

Brimager admitted concealing and destroying evidence of the Nov. 27 murder, including dumping a bloody mattress from their hostel in the ocean after the slaying, getting rid of Baldellis beloved King Charles spaniel and giving away many of her belongings.

Baldellis computer included a search for washing mattress blood stain, prosecutors said.

He also allegedly gave his machete to a neighbor before leaving Panama, and it was put up for sale online. Brimager is accused of posting a comment on the ad saying the machete had been his: Dont worry, I only dismembered one stripper with it so its hardly used ;), prosecutors said.

Over the next several months, Brimager sent emails from Baldellis computer pretending to be her, telling her family and friends she had happily left for Costa Rica with another man, according to the plea agreement. Brimager even traveled to Costa Rica and withdrew money from her bank account while there, he admitted.

Brimager headed back to San Diego, marrying the mother of his child within weeks and settling in Vista. He fathered a second child with her.

Baldellis family soon became suspicious and launched an investigation, eventually getting the FBI and Panamanian authorities involved. They traveled to Panama and organized search parties for her, coming up empty handed but convinced she was dead.

Meanwhile, Brimager continued to obstruct the investigation, lying to the FBI when questioned about the disappearance, the plea agreement states.

Two years after Baldelli went missing, a farm worker clearing brush in a swampy part of the island uncovered her remains, in the military-style backpack.

By then, Brimager had already been arrested in the case, on charges of lying to federal agents. A charge of foreign murder of a U.S. national was then added.

Authorities put little credence into an anonymous caller who told Panamanian investigators in 2012 that hed helped a man dispose of a missing foreign womans body in the jungle.

We dont believe anyone else was involved, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Conover.

Brad Patton, one of Brimagers defense attorneys, said a number of factors led to a change of plea but did not go into detail, noting more would be revealed at sentencing.

He wanted to resolve this matter and take responsibility for his actions, Patton told reporters outside the courthouse.

He described Brimager as a devoted husband and father who served honorably in the Marines. He said Brimager wanted to express deep condolences to Baldellis family and friends.

Brimagers wife continues to support him, Patton said. She has attended just about every, if not every, court hearing since his June 2013 arrest.

The case has made international headlines, including a 48 Hours episode on CBS that took an in-depth look at the investigation.

Brian Brimager took a young womans life in a heinous way and then further victimized her family by creating a cruel lie that she was happily traveling the world with another man, U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy said in a statement Wednesday.

Now that Brimager has finally admitted his crime, we hope that the truth, and knowing that their daughters murderer will serve decades in prison, will give this grieving family a sense of justice and peace.
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TAIPEI, Taiwan  Voters in the southern port city of Kaohsiung voted overwhelmingly on Saturday to remove their China-friendly mayor from office, just months after he lost his bid to unseat President Tsai Ing-wen in national elections.

The vote caps a roller-coaster two years for the mayor, Han Kuo-yu, who emerged from political obscurity to win the 2018 race in Kaohsiung, a traditional stronghold of Ms. Tsais Democratic Progressive Party. That victory served as a launching pad for Mr. Hans presidential bid.

Saturdays vote, known as a recall, appeared to reflect Taiwans hardening attitude toward China, which has been intensifying efforts to bring the island democracy under its control. The vote is the first time that Taiwanese voters have removed a mayor, whose status is similar to a governor in the United States. A new election will choose his successor.

Mr. Han, of the opposition party, Kuomintang, had campaigned for president on a platform of forging closer ties with Chinas Communist government, which claims Taiwan as its territory but has never ruled it. Running on the slogan, Safety for Taiwan, money for the people, Mr. Han said having better ties with China would lessen the risk of conflict and improve the economy.
Briefing with U.S. Representative to the UN Ambassador Kelly Craft On U.S. Engagement at the United Nations Security Council

Special Briefing

Kelly Craft, United States Ambassador to the United Nations

Via Teleconference

June 5, 2020



MS ORTAGUS: Thank you very much. Good morning, everyone. I'm particularly pleased today to welcome my friend and our ambassador at the United Nations, Kelly Craft, to this on-the-record briefing, which I think is her first briefing to the State Department bullpen, so be nice to her, guys.

To highlight our priorities and major lines of effort at the UN Security Council, Kelly will be on today to discuss that and will take your questions. Among other issues that we can discuss today: working to materialize Secretary Guterres' call for a global ceasefire; ensuring adequate humanitarian support to Syria's beleaguered men, women, and children; addressing China's actions to erode Hong Kong's autonomy and its democratic nature; and supporting a democratic transition in South Sudan.

Ambassador Craft will open with some brief introductory remarks, and then per usual we will devote the rest of our time to taking as many questions as possible. Remember, please, you can go ahead and get in the question queue now if you'd like. You just dial 1 and then 0. So again, this call is on-the-record, but please remember that the contents of this briefing are embargoed until the end of the call. Ambassador Craft, go ahead.

AMBASSADOR CRAFT: Thank you, Morgan. Good morning, everyone. I'm especially delighted today to have this chance to speak with each of you. And since this is my first time, as Morgan mentioned, with the State Department press corps, it's even more great to be with you, though I wish and I'm looking forward to the moment that we can actually be in person. We're going to have time to address questions on a range of important issues that have emerged in recent weeks, but I thought that I would begin by filling you in on central issues that affect the UN and make all the difference between effective policy and disfunction.

One of the central themes that has been motivating my work since joining my colleagues at the U.S. mission in September has been the credibility of the UN Security Council and of the United Nations more broadly. When the American people, and any taxpayer around the world for that matter, ask how their tax dollars are being spent, we need to be able to provide a satisfactory answer. And for too long, a gap has been growing between our words and our actions on critical issues in the Security Council.

When I first took this job I told President Trump that I really wanted to show him that the UN, and the Security Council specifically, were still institutions capable of making a difference, and to do that we have to bolster the council's credibility. I think you'll hear a lot of words today about credibility, and that's been one of my main focuses.

Some of you have seen that back in December, when the United States held the presidency of the council, our primary focus was on council credibility and unity, which involved outlining specific goals, making unbiased assessments of previous efforts, and taking steps to ensure that the council remained engaged in working towards resolving international crises just as it was created to do. And I have to say that I saw firsthand, when invited the Security Council on a trip to my home state of Kentucky, the benefits of having them outside the city of New York and to an area that the travel was relatively easy. When we all returned, the relationships that we built really flourished. And yes, we still disagreed and we still disagree, but we  it's in a more  it's more of a way that we are human and we know each other. And we also are able to laugh at ourselves and one another, so I think that has been really very helpful for the council for all of us to be together.

In the time of COVID-19, the credibility begins with me by keeping the lights on, and that's why my incredible team at the U.S. Mission has led a very swift and early effort to transition the new voting procedures and a VTC format for council engagements. It's essential for the UN to continue performing its core functions, and we've been making sure that this is happening. Far too many lives are at stake for us to be slowed down by the pandemic.

I do want to briefly touch on an issue that I'm sure that you all would be interested in, and that is the council's approach to any COVID-related products, including a potential council resolution which has  would be following the secretary-general's March 23rd call for the global ceasefire. And once again, this is going to come back to the credibility of the council. During this truly global challenge, it is of course important for the council to demonstrate unity and understanding of the gravity of this situation. As we all know, this situation knows no boundaries or nationality. But we also believe that when the council speaks, its words must not be empty. That means we will not shy away from plainly stating what is really needed to combat this pandemic  full transparency, full accountability  and that means we should not and cannot praise organizations or give voice to countries whose actions have not in fact been praiseworthy.

We've been working and we will continue to work closely with our colleagues to bring about credible council engagement on this issue. And there's been several places where our focus on credibility and meaningful action has resulted in improved outcomes since I've arrived in New York  for example, South Sudan. The council has played a critical role in encouraging the formation of a transitional government, both through consistent engagement and by traveling to South Sudan in 2019. The government there plans to hold elections in 2021. Furthermore, the arms embargo imposed in 2018 have made South Sudan a genuinely safer place. And we were glad to once again bolster the council's credibility by renewing this embargo at the end of May.

There are several other mandate renewals we secured at the end of the month, including missions in Iraq and Somalia that demonstrated the council is capable of addressing important issues. But the truth is there are several areas where the council's failure to act have deeply harmed the credibility of this council. Nowhere is this clearer than on the question of Syria and cross-border aid. And I know that you've spoken to Jim Jeffrey, and it's just very important to emphasize the importance of the cross-border aid in Syria, because it's the people of Syria that we are very concerned about.

There are millions of innocent Syrian women, children, and men that are depending on lifesaving assistance from outside of the country. Until January of this year, the assistance was coming into the country through four different border crossings. Due to Russia and China's obstruction, two of those were unfortunately closed, not for any other reason other than to voice the murderous Assad regime. And once again, what we're concerned about is not the Assad regime but the people of Syria.

The UN reporting from the secretary-general has clearly indicated that the best possible way to get desperately needed food and medicine to northeast Syria is by opening a third border crossing. However, once again, our Russian and Chinese colleagues have objected to even this strictly humanitarian endeavor.

China repeatedly states it is concerned about the Syrian people, but its continued obstruction says something very different. If China was really concerned, it would have listened to the advice of the WHO, a body whose recommendations they claim to value practically in every other arena. Some policy disagreements are not black and white, but this one is. Failure to provide humanitarian relief to Syria will send innocent people to their deaths and condemn millions to a grim future. If this council does not renew cross-border aid in July, our critics will rightly be able to ask if we're capable of fulfilling even the most basic elements of our mandate.

Most recently, we have seen the People's Republic of China block a Security Council meeting regarding what is taking place in Hong Kong. As I have said to my fellow council members in closed session last week, China's actions are in direct conflict with its international obligations and implicate international peace and security. When the world sees us failing to address a matter as urgent and important as this, it only serves to further undermine the credibility of the Security Council.

So as you can tell, there's a number of issues on which we've seen success, but a clear-eyed and honest assessment of the council activities suggests that we've got a long way to go. We need to earn the full confidence of the American people and the international community. And one of those things that Secretary Pompeo has already talked about is an extension of the arms embargo, Iran arms embargo, before the current one expires October 18th.

This is the work that I'm committed to as long as I have the honor of serving as President Trump's UN ambassador. And so with that, Morgan, I'll stop and I'll hand it over to you to begin our Q&A.

MS ORTAGUS: Great. Thanks so much, Kelly. We're first going to turn it over to Carol Morello, Washington Post.

OPERATOR: And Carol, your line is open. Please, go ahead.

QUESTION: Okay, thank you. Can you hear me? Thank you for being with us, Ambassador. A number of world leaders have expressed horror, and "consternation," in the worlds of Justin Trudeau, about what's going on in the United States, specifically about the means used to disperse peaceful protestors before the President walked through Lafayette Square for a photo op. I was wondering what kind of criticism that you were hearing and if this has made it more difficult for you to make the U.S. voice heard and listened to when you stand up for basic democratic values. Thank you.

AMBASSADOR CRAFT: Thank you, Carol. Of course, we denounce this awful killing of George Floyd. I mean, it is intolerable. It is brutality. There is no other way to define it. However, there is no moral equivalent between our free society, which works through tough problems like racism, and other societies which do not allow anything to be discussed because it has  they are of authoritative regimes.

What I really want to stress is that I would challenge anyone to compare their record with our record as far as how they treat situations. If you want to ask China why are we not talking about the Uighurs, why are we not talking about their treatment of Africans, the Tibetans  we need to have a dialogue on the difference. And I think that what's been really important that I have seen are the people in the council that have called and reached out in support of the fact that the U.S. is allowing the freedom of speech. We want that  those to be peaceful demonstrations, as the attorney general has stated, but I have seen nothing but support from my fellow council members. Yes, we have Russia and China that are trying to change the narrative, but that's normal.

So I look at the positive that we are going to uphold our democracy. We are going to allow people across the country to have peaceful demonstrations and the opportunity to speak freely. To me, there is such a distinct difference between the authoritative regimes and a freedom-loving nation as the one that we are all so honored to be able to live in. This is something that I've stressed through our open discussion at the UN, that we have democratic elections and we have a judicial system, and they do not. So thank you for that question.

MS ORTAGUS: Great, thanks. Kylie Atwood, CNN.

OPERATOR: Kylie, your line is open. Please, go ahead.

QUESTION: Thanks for doing this, Ambassador. I just have  I have two questions for you. The first is in regard to your opening remarks in which you criticize China for not listening to the WHO with regard to Syria. Given that the Trump administration has cut funding to the WHO, is your messaging at odds with the Trump administration's actions here?

And then my second question is just a follow-up with regard to everything that we've seen here in the U.S. right now. Have you provided any guidance to State Department employees who are based in New York City about partaking in peaceful protest? And are they allowed to partake in those protests if they're fundamentally focused on combating racism in the U.S.? Thank you.

AMBASSADOR CRAFT: Thank you, Kylie. When it comes to the WHO, you have seen what the President has said. I mean, we want an institution that is going to be accountable. We want an institution that is going to be making a difference. I mean, we had reforms the last time, during the SARS outbreak, to prevent this very thing that's happening at the moment. We have to take action when an organization does not follow by the rules. We have a great track record of other organizations such as NATO, the World Food Program, other organizations following through, but when there  it comes to the WHO, a multilateral institution, they have to work. China has been using the WHO; they have not been transparent. They have not allowed us to hold them accountable. And for China to not agree on Syria but yet uphold the WHO, I find  actually, I find it disgusting, to be quite honest with you.

To talk about your guidance, I just sent out a letter to my staff yesterday at the USUN. I'm on a weekly call with different groups. And you know, I sensed yesterday a lot of uncertainty and I just wanted them to know, through my letter than I e-mailed yesterday, that we  we're all in this together. It is a very difficult time in New York. I am with them. Without them, I can't be productive, so I need each and every one of them. I too wish I could be there in person just like I wish I could be there today with all of you to speak face to face. I wish I could be there in person, but we are all sheltering in place. The UN is not open, neither is the USUN. So I have reached out. It's funny you said that. I just wrote the letter 24 hours ago to send out to the USUN, because I have to tell you, everybody's feeling very uncertain at the moment, and that's why it's so important that we all  you  I mean, I have to depend on the press to be able to highlight the issues that are going on in the world, because we're not in the Security Council in person. So we have to all be able to speak freely, and I just wanted them to know that I hear them, I'm there with them, we're in this together, and we will win this. Thanks, Kylie.

MS ORTAGUS: Thank you. And now we have Edith Lederer from the Associated Press.

OPERATOR: Please, go ahead.

QUESTION: Thank you, Madam Ambassador, and apologies but I'm filling in for our State Department correspondent who is not there today. I have a question about Iran and how the U.S. is going to pursue this arms embargo, given that the Russian ambassador has said quite unequivocally that they oppose any change to the arms embargo and do not believe that the United States has any standing to invoke the snapback provision in the JCPOA because of the Trump administration's pull-out in 2018. So how are you going to try and move ahead on this? Thank you.

AMBASSADOR CRAFT: Thank you, Edith. It's great to hear your voice. Can they hear me  can  I don't  yeah, okay. First of all, the U.S. is going to exercise all of our diplomatic options to ensure that the UN arms embargo is extended. My job is to make sure that this arms embargo extension happens. I mean, I'm working very closely with the Secretary, with Brian Hook  this 2231 that's going to be coming up for renewal. What I say to people is on October 18th  and this is what the Secretary has reiterated  do we want Russia selling weapons to Iran? Do we want China selling  do we want anyone providing and/or selling weapons to Iran once this arms embargo  if we do not extend this embargo?

I'm stressing that Russia and China need to join a global consensus on Iran's conduct. This is about the people  not only the people of Iran, but the people in the Middle East. We have to think about the unintended consequences and ramifications. This is an absolute imperative that we exercise all of our options to make certain that this UN arms embargo is extended.

MS ORTAGUS: Great, thanks. Okay. I think we have 

AMBASSADOR CRAFT: Do you want me to  I think also, just because I owe to this Edith about the snapbacks, I think that I really encourage everybody to be able to read this 2231 which makes clear that the U.S. retains the right to initiate a snapback renewal for the arms embargo. Thanks, Edith.

MS ORTAGUS: Thank you so much. Next up we have Said Arikat.

OPERATOR: Please, go ahead.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) Morgan. Thank you, Madam Ambassador. Today marks the 53rd anniversary since Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem have had to endure a very brutal Israeli military occupation. Do you believe that the time has come to end this occupation? Thank you.

AMBASSADOR CRAFT: Thank you, Said. We have  in January, the President put forth a Vision for Peace, and I just want to make sure that, as I say to everybody in the council, this is not set in stone. This is not something that we are pushing. This is an opportunity for Israel and the Palestinians to sit at the table together.

I am personally deeply committed to making certain that we facilitate this peace plan. Through Jared Kushner and through President Trump and Secretary Pompeo we've been working very closely to make certain that both Israel and the Palestinians  as you remember, the President said we are here for you, we want to bring you to the table  that both sides understand that this Vision for Peace is  it's very detailed, it's very realistic, it's very implementable, and it meets the core requirements for both Israel and the Palestinian people. That's my concern, are the people.

You see both sides are hurting. Both want to go about their lives. We want the economic and their economy to grow. We want them to have their own way of life. And it's just imperative that as the USUN ambassador, that I really work very close with both of the PRs to ensure that we have people sit together at the table. Until we have dialogue, there's going to be nothing. So there is a lot of room within this Vision for Peace, but we have to have them at the table first before we know what each side has in mind. So I'm really stressing and really pushing, whether it be through a Quartet, whether it be through just my engagement at the Security Council or with the PR in Palestine  Palestinian PR, Israeli PR, we have  you have to get to the table. Otherwise, we don't know how each side is truly feeling about the Vision for Peace.

MS ORTAGUS: Thank you. Okay. Now we have Michelle Nichols from Reuters.

QUESTION: Hi, Ambassador. Thanks for doing this. Hope you're doing well. Just a follow-up to Edith's question, just to be a little more sort of direct: When are you planning to circulate the draft resolution to extend the arms embargo on Iran?

And on the World Health Organization, when does that decision take effect to withdraw? There was a resolution, I think in like 1948  not a resolution, a  or Congress  something to do with Congress saying that they would give one year notice and pay up what they owe. So I just wanted to find out when that's happening. Thanks.

AMBASSADOR CRAFT: You're welcome. It's good to hear from you. As far as going to your first question about the arms embargo, we have shared a draft resolution  the arms embargo resolution with the UK, France, Germany, I believe Estonia, and Russia. So pretty soon we'll be sharing the full 15, but we are trying to really work very carefully, very thoroughly to prepare for this October 18th, and we're speaking to different council members. Before I share any of the other members a draft, I want to make certain that everyone understands where  that we are committed to making certain that the UN Security Council does not allow this to expire in October. So they need to understand my firm, solid commitment to the people in Iran, to the people in the region, and I think they'll understand better then once they're able to see the draft embargo.

As far as the WHO, we are working with the White House and the Secretary on the timing. We have  I'm sure you know this, Michelle, being at the UN  the U.S. has given more than any country. We're at $1 billion now for combating COVID-19. And as you know, we're always the first to step up and we have done so, and the American people have been extremely generous on their own at about 11 billion thus far. So thank you for bringing that up. That's a good question.

MS ORTAGUS: Great. We have time for one more question, and we'll go to Joel Gehrke.

QUESTION: Hi, thank you. I actually wanted to circle back kind of to the  Carol's question at the top. I was wondering, related to the protests this week, the attorney general mentioned that there are foreign actors involved in disinformation efforts targeting the U.S. I wonder, do you think that China or Russia specifically are doing anything to support or stoke violence on the one hand, and is that affecting any of your engagement with them now? And then on the other hand, are you worried that authoritarians watching this kind of controversy and this kind of debate about how to contain the violence will feel emboldened to quote American rhetoric or Western condemnation of the U.S. of different policies when they want to take actions that are undeniable abuses of power and protesters?

AMBASSADOR CRAFT: Thank you. I really appreciate you bringing that up, Joel. First of all, with George Floyd, I mean, I can't stress enough how this killing was  it's awful. I mean, it's intolerable. I could go on and on. However, we have to remember that there is no moral equivalence between our free society and other societies. I mean, if you think about how we work through racism, we work through all problems, and we always prevail. Goodness prevails in the United States because we are a country of democracy. With authoritative regimes like China, other  it doesn't happen that way. They are only pushing their agenda toward us in order to hide what they're doing. I mean, we should ask them, we should challenge them. We should challenge them to compare their record with ours. What are they doing about the Uighurs? How are they handling this brutal treatment to the Africans, to the Tibetans? I mean, let's talk about  let's get the difference out in the open.

Now, when it comes to the council and my relationship with the council members, I have to say that I try to look for the positive and in ways that I can work with China, with Russia. There have been many ways with Russia working on counterterrorism. These relationships that you build  yes, we're going to disagree and there's going to be no one that's going to stand up for this country with China and Russia more than the United States and more than myself at the USUN. But you have to do it in a way that you're not cutting off the dialogue, because I have to have that dialogue in order to show the other 12 members of the Security Council that we can work together. But while we do disagree and while I make  my eyes are wide open and I voice my opinions, I might voice it with a little bit more kindness. It doesn't mean it's weakness, but I also have to let the other countries know that we are willing to work on positive reform and on bringing China and Russia to the table with us. And that's my goal.

And that goes back to that credibility issue that I was talking about, and I will say that one thing I have learned about this council and for that matter the other  the rest of the UN member-states is that we have all been affected by this COVID-19 pandemic. It doesn't matter where, what corner of the world; we've all been affected by this economically, socially, and I have seen a real gathering even in the midst of disagreements on this resolution that we're trying to put forth for the global ceasefire, I have seen a togetherness that  you know there's a silver lining in everything, and with COVID-19, even with China  I mean, they're concerned about their people. They know I'm concerned about their people.

They also know that my heart is with areas that already have conflict, and that is whether it's South Sudan, whether it's Syria. We have a horrific situation in Yemen, in Lebanon, Libya  anywhere  in Bangladesh, anywhere where there are groups of refugees, you wouldn't believe the kind of softness that I'm seeing within the council because of the COVID-19. It affects every one of us. It doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter what part of society that you are within that country.

So I'm really trying to focus on the goodness, what I'm seeing in some of the PRs, and I'm hoping that we'll have a success, that we'll be able to have a council resolution on the global ceasefire, that we'll be able then to move on to July for the cross-border issues in Syria. You've got to start somewhere, and you've got to have a positive reinforcement, and we've got to have a camaraderie, and then I can work toward pointing out the negativity. They all know how I feel, but I have to show them that I'm willing to work to get to what the U.S. stands for, and that is for the people, for democracy all over the world.

MS ORTAGUS: Well, that's a wonderful way to end, Kelly. Thank you so much for joining in. We'd love for you to come back more regularly and brief our State Department bullpen.

AMBASSADOR CRAFT: Thank you.

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LATEST, June 6, 10:10 a.m. Several Bay Area counties made changes to their shelter-in-place orders Friday to allow more businesses and activities to resume this weekend.

Here's a rundown of what's open across the Bay Area this weekend:

Outdoor dining at restaurants

Counties where outdoor dining is allowed: Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma

Counties where outdoor dining is not allowed: Alameda, San Francisco

Indoor dining at restaurants

Counties where indoor dining is allowed: Napa, Solano, Sonoma

Counties where indoor dining is not allowed: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara

Barbershops/hair salons

Counties where barbershops and hair salons are open: Napa, Solano, Sonoma

Counties where barbershops and hair salons are not open: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara

To see the full lists of whats open in your area, visit your countys public health department website (linked below) for more information.

June 6, 9:50 a.m. Below is a rundown of announcements from Bay Area counties of new coronavirus cases on Saturday. This list will be updated as more counties release details.

San Francisco reported 14 new cases to increase its total to 2,712. The death toll remains 43.

San Mateo reported 31 new cases to increase its total to 2,330. The death toll remains 88.

Alameda reported 80 new cases to increase its total to 3,805. The death toll remains 101.

Contra Costa reported 56 new cases to increase its total to 1,633. The death toll remains 38.

Santa Clara reported 30 new cases to increase its total to 2,920. The county also revised its death toll down to 143 from 144 after the county coroner "indicated that a mix-up led to a misclassification of a COVID death."

Coronavirus in the greater Bay Area: A county-by-county snapshot

ALAMEDA COUNTY: 3,805 confirmed cases, 101 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail and manufacturing

For more information on Alameda County, visit the public health department website.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY: 1,633 confirmed cases, 38 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail and manufacturing, car washes, pet groomers, outdoor museums, outdoor dining, swimming pools, outdoor religious services.

For more information on Contra Costa County, visit the public health department website.

LAKE COUNTY: 30 confirmed cases

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail, manufacturing, car washes, pet groomers, outdoor museums, offices where telework is not possible, received state approval to open dine-in restaurants, shopping malls and schools

For information on Lake County, visit the public health department website.

MARIN COUNTY: 551 confirmed cases, 17 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail and manufacturing, car washes, pet groomers, outdoor museums, outdoor dining, outdoor religious services.

Fore more information on Marin County, visit the public health department website.

MONTEREY COUNTY: 667 confirmed cases, 10 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail, manufacturing, car washes, pet groomers, outdoor museums, offices where telework is not possible, received state approval to open dine-in restaurants, shopping malls and schools

For more information on Monterey County, visit the public health department website.

NAPA COUNTY: 129 cases, 3 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail, manufacturing, car washes, pet groomers, outdoor museums, offices where telework is not possible, received state approval to open dine-in restaurants, shopping malls, schools and hair salons

For more information on Napa County, visit the public health department website.

SAN BENITO COUNTY: 105 confirmed cases, 2 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail, manufacturing, car washes, pet groomers, outdoor museums, offices where telework is not possible, received state approval to open dine-in restaurants, shopping malls and schools

For more information on San Benito County, visit the public health department website.

SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY: 2,712 confirmed cases, 43 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail and manufacturing

For more information on San Francisco County, visit the public health department website.

SAN MATEO COUNTY: 2,330 confirmed cases, 88 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail and manufacturing, car washes, pet groomers, outdoor museums, outdoor dining, swimming pools, outdoor religious services.

For more information on San Mateo County, visit the public health department website.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY: 2,920 confirmed cases, 143 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities; retail and manufacturing, pet grooming, outdoor dining

Fore more information on Santa Clara County, visit the public health department website.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY: 226 confirmed cases, 2 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail, manufacturing, car washes, pet groomers, outdoor museums, offices where telework is not possible, received state approval to open dine-in restaurants, shopping malls and schools

For more information on Santa Cruz County, visit the public health department website.

SOLANO COUNTY: 566 confirmed cases, 23 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: All "low-risk" businesses that can comply with physical distancing guidelines; received state approval to open dine-in restaurants, shopping malls, schools, and hair salons

For more information on Solano County, visit the public health department website.

SONOMA COUNTY: 624 confirmed cases, 4 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail, manufacturing, car washes, pet groomers, outdoor museums, offices where telework is not possible, received state approval to open dine-in restaurants, shopping malls, schools, and hair salons.

For more information on Sonoma County, visit the public health department website.



CORONAVIRUS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Here are answers to your most frequently asked questions about coronavirus

Should you wear a mask outside at all times?

Sweden's 'herd immunity' experiment backfires

With more research on kids and coronavirus, a UCSF doctor shares what parents need to know

WHEN WILL THE BAY AREA REOPEN?

What's open and closed in California?

These California counties reopened a month ago. Here's what happened.

Newsom details 4 stages to reopen California businesses
Chinas GDP shrank by 6.8% in the first quarter, which was its largest contraction since 1992. As one of the first countries to relax lockdown restrictions, China is now seeking to boost domestic and international demand.

Despite over 80% of manufacturing returning to its former level by late February, consumers are hesitant to spend amidst increased job insecurity and rampant unemployment.

Many experts argue that domestic consumption will continue to suffer as workers face a dearth of social protections. Yet with a mounting debt problem that raised alarms even before the pandemic hit, and the growing prevalence of employer-based social security and insurance systems  safeguarding workers protection will likely not be at the forefront of Chinas response.

In fact, Chinas recent actions towards countries struggling with debt under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and reforms to its domestic industrial workforce, foreshadow how the country will react to this crisis: increasing marketisation and semi-colonial measures to enforce capital gains from workers and countries on its periphery.

Last week, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announced that China would be committed to adding 9 million urban jobs to support workers. Looking at recent trends, this may be more of an opportunity to expand low-cost, precarious labor than to empower workers livelihoods and power.

For example, a recent report by Australian Strategic Policy Institute details how the Chinese government has been systematically relocating Uyghur minorities to work in low wage factory jobs for global corporations such as Nike, Adidas, and Uniqlo. An extension of the regimes surveillance and ethnic cleansing campaign in re-education centers, this initiative forced over 80,000 Uyghurs to relocate from Xinjiang to other industrial clusters in south China and accept low wage work under constant surveillance.

Since the 1990s, Uyghur laborers and farmers have been dispossessed and exploited by imposed quotas to sell agricultural and other natural resources to Han state-owned enterprises centered around the coastal regions. Despite international pressure, China has shown no signs of ending its systematic abuse of the Uyghurs. On the contrary, the continued expansion of Uyghurs from re-education programs into the industrial supply chain workforce suggests that China will further harness racial divisions and draconian exploitation as a remedy for its economic woes.

As the countries linked to the BRI are increasingly likely to default on their infrastructure loans, Chinas exploitation of its periphery economies is also likely to continue during the post-pandemic period.

The BRI loans are not foreign aid. We need to at least recoup principal and a moderate interest, an unnamed researcher at China Development Bank, which centrally facilitates loans for BRI projects, explained in April to the Financial Times. In general, our loans are issued according to market principles. This admission from the center of the BRIs lending engine offers a glimpse into a more insidious reality than the one posed by researchers like Johns Hopkins Deborah Brautigam, who suggests that Chinas loans may offer more progressive alternatives to global south economies than its Western predecessors. While the BRI may offer some flexible terms, the economic dependence enforced by debt will remain.

China is expected to fail to meet its pre-Covid goals of boosting annual GDP by 6% and doubling 2010s GDP and per capita income levels by next year. Regardless of whether its export market returns or a domestic stimulus package is introduced, China will likely continue its perpetuation of class exploitation under the guise of progressive commitments to social justice  as the coronavirus era will further legitimize the demand for sophisticated digital technology and surveillance infrastructure. The workers making this hardware from Sri Lanka to Xinxiang will likely continue to suffer.

Whilst China outwardly boasts its public image through delivering needed personal protective equipment, the phenomenon describedin Foreign Policy for Xinjiangs workers is pertinent to Chinese state-owned firms across the board: forced labor is concealed behind the euphemistic facade of poverty alleviation. It remains to be seen how Chinas economy will recover following the pandemic, but one thing remains all but certain: radical structural changes to empower the democratic capacities and social welfare of ordinary citizens will not be on the agenda.
A woman sells fruits on HCMC's tourist hotspot Bui Vien Street, which has become more vacant as Vietnam shut doors to foreign arrivals, May 16, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen.

Australia has pledged AUD10.5 million ($7.3 million) to support Vietnam's recovery post Covid-19, particularly on protecting vulnerable sections of the society.

At a Friday meeting between Australian ambassador Robyn Mudie and Vietnams Planning and Investment Minister Nguyen Chi Dung, agreement was reached on bilateral efforts to minimize the impacts of the coronavirus crisis on people's livelihoods.

Mudie praised Vietnams response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I have been impressed and inspired by the swift and decisive actions taken by the Vietnamese government to tackle the threat of Covid-19. With just a few hundred confirmed cases and no recorded deaths, Vietnams management of the pandemic has been exemplary, deservedly capturing the worlds attention," she said.

She said Australia has committed AUD10.5 million towards supporting Vietnams Covid-19 response and recovery in a step that further strengthens economic and development cooperation between the two countries.

Australia would support Vietnam by ensuring access to the best available economic analysis as the country shifts its focus toward stimulus and recovery and facilitate efforts to protect the most vulnerable, especially women and girls who carry much of the burden as a result of the pandemic, Mudie said.

She also said that the flagship programs through which Australia and Vietnam cooperate on workforce development, economic reform, infrastructure, gender equality, agriculture, tourism and innovation support Vietnams economic recovery priorities.

Australia is one of the successful countries in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and bringing it under control. It has recorded over 7,200 infections and 102 deaths. Australia is among countries showing effective pandemic control that Vietnam is considering reopening its doors to.

Other countries that have helped Vietnam deal with the Covid-19 crisis include the U.S., which has provided a $9.5 million support package - $4.5-million in medical assistance and the rest to help mitigate Covid-19 impacts on the Vietnamese economy.

Japan has donated biologicals worth 20 million yen ($184,600) to Vietnam in February and March and offered aid worth at least 200 million yen ($1.84 million) via international organizations to support Vietnams Covid-19 fight.

Saturday morning marked day 51 that Vietnam has gone without community transmission of the novel coronavirus. Vietnam has reported 329 infection cases so far, with the latest being a 22-year-old student returning from the U.K. on a repatriation flight.

Vietnams Covid-19 active cases stand at 22, 307 patients having recovered.

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected 213 countries and territories, with more than 397,400 deaths reported.
The eye of Tropical Storm Cristobal remains on a path to make landfall on the central Louisiana coast near Houma just after 1 p.m. Sunday. But the storm's three key threats -- life-threatening rainfall, top winds of 60 mph, and storm surge of 4 to 6 feet above ground -- could begin arriving along the northern Gulf Coast well away from the storm by 8 p.m. Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Tropical storm warnings are in place from Intracoastal City in Vermilion Parish to just east of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., including the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas and Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas.

A storm surge warning is in effect along the coast from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, Fla., including Lake Borgne. A storm surge watch is in effect from the Mississippi to just east of Morgan City.

Cristobal continued to look little like a traditional tropical system with a circular wind pattern on Saturday morning, forecasters said, probably due to interaction with a mid- to upper-level trough of low pressure and the entrainment of dry air that continues to drape across the storm's western and southern edges.

"Cristobal's satellite presentation continues to lack the appearance of a classic tropical cyclone, with a large curved band over the northern semicircle and little deep convection near the center," said Senior Hurricane Specialist Richard Pasch in a 10 a.m. forecast discussion message.

"Based on the poorly organized state of the system, some dry air entrainment, and interaction with an upper-level low, only some slow strengthening is forecast, as in the previous advisories," he said.

On Saturday morning, Jefferson Parish called for voluntary evacuation of Jean Lafitte, Lower Lafitte, Crown Point and Barataria, to begin at 7 a.m., because of the threat of surge, high tides and heavy rains. Residents were urged to bring vehicles, boats and campers with them to higher ground.

"We want to make sure residents are safe as this storm approaches so we are taking all the necessary precautions to be fully prepared," said Jean Lafitte Mayor Tim Kerner Jr.

An evacuation of Grand Isle had been ordered on Friday, and went into effect for all residents at 6 a.m. Saturday.

Where is Tropical Storm Cristobal?

At 10 a.m, the eye of Cristobal was about 345 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River, moving due north at 12 mph. The storm had top winds of 50 mph.

The storm is forecast to continue moving north toward the Louisiana coastline on Saturday and Sunday and make landfall on Sunday afternoon or evening. The storm will then move north-northwest into northern Louisiana on Monday morning.

Strengthening expected?

Forecasters expect Cristobal to slowly strengthen until it makes landfall, but its elongated structure, the dry air and moderate upper level wind shear are likely to prevent significant intensification, forecasters said.

Cristobal should reach the northern Gulf coast by about 10 p.m Sundah, and then turn to the north-northwest and then back to the north. In three to four days, it should become post-tropical and accelerate north-northeastward into Canada.

What are the risks?

In southeastern Louisiana, Cristobal's biggest threats continue to be major rainfall flooding, life-threatening storm surge outside of the hurricane risk reduction levee systems, the potential for tropical storm force winds, and the possibility of isolated tornadoes, according to the Slidell office of the National Weather Service.

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"Cristobal is likely to remain a broad and asymmetric storm when it makes landfall," Pasch said. "Therefore, users are urged to not focus on the exact forecast path as the associated winds, storm surge, and rainfall will extend well to the east of the center."

Overnight, the tropical storm warning was extended to include Baton Rouge, East and West Feliciana and Washington parishes.

Tropical storm force winds are expected to arrive by late tonight to coastal locations from central Louisiana to the western Florida Panhandle, Pasch said, including the New Orleans area.

"These winds will arrive well in advance of and extend well east of Cristobal's center," he said.

Rainfall totals of 4 to 6 inches are expected across much of the area, with a broad area from the mouth of the river through New Orleans and Baton Rouge expected see 6 to 10 inches. Some locations could see between 10 and 15 inches if they are caught under rainfall banding features.

"Major rainfall flooding may prompt many evacuations and rescues," Slidell NWS forecasters said. "Rivers and tributaries may rapidly overflow their banks in multiple places. Small streams, creeks, canals, and ditches may become dangerous rivers."

Storm surge of 3 to 5 feet above ground level is possible from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, Miss., including in Lake Borgne. Surge levels of 2 to 4 feet are possible from Grand Isle to Morgan City and of 1 to 2 feet around the shores of Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas.

The National Weather Service also issued a flood warning for the Mississippi River in New Orleans because storm surge is expected to cause the river to rise to 17 feet by 1 a.m. on Monday at the Carrollton Gauge, which is in the river at the Army Corps of Engineers headquarters on Leake Avenue.

While official flood stage at the gauge is 17 feet, levees and floodwalls protect most of the New Orleans area to river heights of 22 to 25 feet. On Saturday morning, the river was at 14.12 feet

However, a small segment of levee at the Corps headquarters campus is only about 18 1/2 feet high. On Friday, the Corps positioned large sand bags and Hesco baskets -- plastic baskets that are filled with sand -- in locations where they could be used for additional protection if surge levels were forecast to rise to near that height as the storm approaches the area.

Construction of floodwalls to bring the campus area's protection up to between 22 and 25 feet is expected to begin at the end of August. The project has been delayed by both a lack of Congressional funding and the high river conditions that have been in place this year.

When is the next update?

The next forecast update will be at 4 p.m. Saturday.

Read the full 10 a.m. advisory
Hajia Mariama Obeng, National Co-ordinator of the Ghana Muslim Mission Women's Fellowship (GMMWF) has said the Fellowship plans to rally and task health workers within their ranks to devise strategies for implementing the preventive measures imperative for communal worship.

She said in view of the high daily numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases, the easing of the restrictions on communal worship should be met with a gradual opening up programme.

For instance, she said, it could begin with some 25 worshippers to test how the social distancing and hygienic protocols would be managed, before adding up 50 and so on.

"The nature of our religion demands a lot of bodily contact, which is not allowed in this period of global pandemic, so for now, all our activities have been deferred to next year," she told the Ghana News Agency, in an interview.

Hajia Obeng advised members to continue to adhere to all the preventive measures while efforts were made to ensure their wellbeing ahead of the opening of the mosques.

In another interview, Hajia Hajara Telly, National President of the Federation of Muslim Women's Associations in Ghana (FOMWAG), said the Federation would comply with all the directives given by the President.

She said the health of their members was paramount and the lifting of the ban on mosques did not mean that the virus had stopped spreading.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his 10th COVID-19 National Address to update Citizens on COVID-19 containment measures, outlined an abridged format for in-person religious services to commence on June 5, with Muslim worship.

Adventists were to follow on Saturday, June 6, while other Christians followed suit on Sunday, June 7.

He said the decision to gradually ease the 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.

The directives require that religious leaders ensured a mandatory one-metre rule of social distancing between congregants.

Also, it is mandatory for all worshippers to wear face masks, at all times, in churches and mosques.

They are also to fumigate all their facilities premises and environs.

Each religious facility is also mandated to keep a register of names and contact details of all worshippers, fix hand washing facilities, and make provision for sanitizers, among others.

Worshippers must occupy 25 per cent of the meeting space but they must not 100 at a service, while the service must not travel beyond one hour.

GNA
MUSKEGON, MI - A months-long, $1.6 million repair project on the south breakwater structure at Pere Marquette Park is almost completed, rendering the walkway out towards Muskegons iconic lighthouse safe to traverse.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District, which covers all of Michigan and parts of Wisconsin and Indiana, oversaw the project, which began in December and was expected to wrap up by July 4.

But according to Christopher Schropp, who oversees construction for the Grand Haven area office of the Army Corps of Engineers, the bulk of work wrapped up last week.

The projects contractors, Muskegons Great Lakes Dock & Materials, did an outstanding job of getting in and getting that done to lessen the impact on people who want to enjoy the breakwater, Schropp said.

That marine construction company demolished the existing cap of the structure, replenishing missing stone underneath, capping the entire thing with new concrete, and placing armor stone along the basin and lake side, up to the shoreline, Schropp said.

All that is left to do now is apply sealant to the breakwalls joints. That work typically takes place at least 15 days after concrete is poured, to allow it to cure, Schropp said. The breakwall will likely be closed off again for one to two days to allow that to happen, he said.

If someone were to step in (the sealant) before it cures, then it would just make a mess, Schropp said.

The breakwall, a popular walkway off Pere Marquettes beach, was closed to the public in October because of safety concerns. The aging structure was unstable, especially during periods of high water and rough waves, Schropp previously told MLive.

Throughout the winter, and into the active construction on the breakwater, a fence blocked off the foot of the breakwater to discourage visitors from wandering out. That fencing has recently been removed.

The project timeline allowed for it to last until autumn, and Schropp previously said that Lake Michigans high water levels could affect the projects timeline, because placing concrete cannot be done during periods of high waves and strong wind.

#ProjectMonday Great Lakes Dock and Materials has been making good progress in Muskegon, Michigan this spring.... Posted by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District on Monday, May 11, 2020

But neither weather nor the coronavirus outbreak - which halted many construction projects in the area - slowed the projects progression, he said.

Although the project was delayed by a week or two at the start of Gov. Gretchen Whitmers first stay-at-home order, the project, which constituted critical infrastructure work and therefore could continue throughout the state shutdown, still finished well ahead of schedule, Schropp said.

A project in fall of 2016, also administered by Great Lakes Dock and Materials, cost about $100,000, and was intended to be a temporary fix while awaiting additional federal funding, said Schropp.

With the completion of this years project, the breakwall should not need more work any time soon, Schropp said.

The southern breakwater is one of two in the area of the Muskegon Harbor. It extends 1,514 feet from the shore and Pere Marquette Park. The structure is also home to the Muskegon Breakwater Light. Built in 1930, the red steel lighthouse stands at the end of the breakwater and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The aging breakwater was identified by the Army Corps and the City of Muskegon as an area of concern after a period of low water several years ago caused wood within the structure to rot. Schropp previously told MLive that that this allowed water to enter the structure, causing concrete to crumble.

Read more on MLive:

Repairs begin on breakwater off Pere Marquette beach in Muskegon

Muskegon County campgrounds reopen for the season

EPA administrator announces Great Lakes Advisory Board during visit to Muskegon
The Trump administration said Friday it will let Chinese airlines operate a limited number of flights to the U.S., backing down from a threat to ban the flights.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2014, file photo, the first Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental airplane to be delivered to Air China is moved into position from Boeing's assembly facility to Paine Field in Everett, Wash. The Trump administration said Friday, June 5, 2020, it will let Chinese airlines operate a limited number of flights to the U.S., backing down from a threat to ban the flights. The decision came one day after China appeared to open the door to U.S. carriers United Airlines and Delta Air Lines resuming one flight per week each into the country. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

The Trump administration said Friday it will let Chinese airlines operate a limited number of flights to the U.S., backing down from a threat to ban the flights.

The decision came one day after China appeared to open the door to U.S. carriers United Airlines and Delta Air Lines resuming one flight per week each into the country.

The Transportation Department said it will let Chinese passenger airlines fly a combined total of two round-trip flights per week between the U.S. and China, which it said would equal the number of flights that China's aviation authority will allow for U.S. carriers.

Delta praised the U.S. government for trying to "ensure fairness and access to China. United said it was reviewing the matter. Neither said whether the latest development in the dispute between the two countries would affect their plans. Both had hoped to offer more flights.

The Transportation Department said it might further ease restrictions if China does the same. Officials are concerned, however, about conditions China is imposing that could affect whether U.S. airlines resume their flights. Those requirements include taking temperatures of all passengers in mid-flight and suspending an airline's future flights if five or more passengers test positive for the coronavirus after arriving in China.

Chinas embassy in Washington did not respond to messages seeking comment.

The dispute between Washington and Beijing over airline service has been building for weeks and is part of broader trade and diplomatic tension between the world's two biggest economies.

In early January, there were more than 300 flights per week between the two countries, but international carriers reduced and then stopped flying to China as the coronavirus pandemic devastated demand for air travel. United, Delta and American Airlines suspended flights to China before mid-March.

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Chinese airlines reduced but didn't eliminate their flights to the U.S. They ran about 20 flights per week in February, 34 by mid-March. Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines continue flying those routes.

Travel in both China and the U.S. has partly recovered in the past two months, although it remains far below 2019 levels. In May, Chicago-based United and Atlanta-based Delta petitioned China to resume flights there, but received no response.

The Trump administration protested that China's refusal to grant access to U.S. airlines was unfair. The Transportation Department announced Wednesday that it would prohibit all passenger airline flights from China no later than June 16.

On Thursday, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said it would let more foreign airlines fly to China starting next week as anti-coronavirus controls are eased.

The order did not identify airlines, but it appeared to limit United and Delta to one flight per week because they stopped flying to China before mid-March. American, which is based in Fort Worth, Texas, does not plan to return to China before October.

The air-service spat escalated against a backdrop of a long-running trade dispute between the U.S. and China. Washington has also criticized Chinas handling of the coronavirus outbreak and treatment of Hong Kong. Chinese officials fired back this week by highlighting civil unrest and racial discrimination in the U.S.
Police officers shot and killed an unarmed man in the parking lot of a Walgreens in Vallejo, California Tuesday, during the on-going wave of popular protests against police brutality around the United States and internationally.

Sean Monterrosa, a 22-year old resident of Vallejo, was gunned down by officers from inside an unmarked police cruiser while he was on his knees, with his arms in the air. Monterossa was unarmed, though officers claimed that they feared an object in his pocketwhich turned out to be a hammerwas a gun.

Sean Monterrosa

At this point, the only details about the killing have come from the official police account and a press conference held by Police Chief Shawny Williams on Wednesday.

According to the police, in the early hours of Tuesday officers responded to a call about potential looting in a neighborhood Walgreens. They found about a dozen people in the parking lot, who immediately fled in two vehicles on seeing the police cruiser. Monterossa, dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt, appeared to have been left behind. He immediately went down on his knees and began raising his arms. According to Williams, an officer who drew up in a second, unmarked car perceived a threat at this moment and fired five shots into Monterossa through the windshield of the car. The young man was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after.

While refusing to answer reporters questions about whether he thought the use of force was excessive, Williams waxed eloquent about the horrors of the looting and burglaries that had made Monday a horrific night for his department. The police, he said, had had to deal with an orchestrated, organized assault on our city, which is why they had welcomed the deployment of the National Guard.

The Vallejo Police Department has released no details about the officer responsible for the killing, other than to say that he was an 18 year veteran of the force and that he had been placed on paid administrative leave. However, they seem to have no such hesitation about the victim. The department has let it be known that Monterrosa had a criminal record and reviewed it in detail for the media.

Tried and tested though it might be, the right-wing tactic of blackening the reputation of a victim is particularly disgusting in this context. Even if Monterossa had a criminal record a mile long, that would not in any shape or form justify his murder by the police, who had no idea who he was while unloading bullets into him. The claim that armed officers inside the safety of a car were somehow threatened by a lone man in a parking lot who was on his knees and raising his arms is patently ridiculous. Making it a point to publicize the victims supposed criminal record is nothing short of grotesque.

The picture of Monterossa that has emerged from his family, friends and larger community is starkly different from that being painted by the police. The son of immigrants from Argentina, Monterossa was working as a security guard and a carpenter at the time of his killing. His father had been a surgeon in Argentina and his mother a professional dancer. But they had settled into blue collar work after migrating to the United States. Monterossa was committed to providing a better life for his parents, and his friends and colleagues attest to his involvement in improving the lives of his community at large.

His two sisters told the San Francisco Chronicle that Monterossa had been falsely accused of a few petty crimes and stopped by the police in part because of the way he dressed and the fact that he was covered with tattoos. But he did not have any prior record. In a grim irony, the last text he sent his sisters was to ask them to sign a petition protesting against the police murder of George Floyd.

The Vallejo Police Department has a well established track record of brutality and murder. In 2012, Vallejo officer Sean Kenney made national headlines when he shot and killed three people within five months. Kenney retired in 2019, in part because of his injuries from a 2017 incident in which he shot and seriously injured Vallejo resident Kevin DeCarlo for supposedly ramming Kenneys unmarked police car.

In February 2018, Vallejo officer Ryan McMahon shot and killed Ronell Foster after attempting to stop Foster for not having a light on his bicycle. In February 2019, six Vallejo officers fired dozens of shots at Willie McCoy, 20, an up-and-coming Bay Area rap artist, who was asleep in his car at a Taco Bell drive thru.

The fact that this latest murder has taken place in the context of the ongoing protests against police brutality is chillingly telling. As Adante Pointer, a civil rights lawyer who has long represented Vallejo families, told the Guardian: The eyes of the world are on policing and yet your officers still feel comfortable enough to shoot someone under what are the most questionable circumstances. If they could do this during the light of the George Floyd protests and world scrutiny, you can only imagine what they do in the dark of the night when no one is looking.
A protester who had attended demonstrations outside the White House in Washington, D.C. last weekend spoke to the World Socialist Web Site about a vicious assault that occurred when he was attacked by a club-wielding federal police official.

On Saturday, May 30, several hundred protesters gathered outside the White House for the second day of protest against the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis five days earlier. Tweeting from the White House the night before, President Donald Trump had stated infamously that when the looting starts, the shooting starts, recalling the words used by the racist police chief of Miami, Florida against protesters in the 1960s. The same day, he directly threatened the lives of protesters in the capital, declaring that trespassers would be met by vicious dogs if they sought to go onto the grounds of the White House.

Image capturing Georges assault on film outside White House

They were brutalizing people, said the individual, who will be given the pseudonym George for the sake of anonymity. He stated he had been part of a large group of marching protesters who the federal Secret Service officials were seeking to push away from the White House perimeter Saturday at around 5 p.m.

According to George, there were no warnings. I was up front, face to face with this guy in riot gear. They were pushing people back who were locked in a human chain. Im a pretty big guy so while everyone else was getting moved back, I was standing my ground, he said. I was hit by an overhead police baton strike.

Police training manuals refer to the police baton as an impact weapon carried for defensive purposes. According to a Wikipedia entry, the weapon is used defensively to block, offensively to strike, jab, or bludgeon.

George shared several images of his beating with the World Socialist Web Site, which had been caught on film by local WTOP television reporter Alejandro Alvarez and tweeted on social media. Alvarezs tweet was captioned Insanity outside the White House. Three warnings of an unlawful assembly from the Secret Service before storming into the crowd. A lot of people have been hit with paper [sic] spray. In all the chaos, at least one person was tossed to the ground and presumably arrested.

Photo of Georges injury taken at the hospital

George was not critically injured by the encounter. However, he said that he had friends who were not so lucky. The brutality is really tragic, he said. I have friends who were hit by rubber bullets. One guy was beaten and got brain damage.

The media has sought to present the incident as though the protesters were clashing with the police. I didnt receive one warning before getting clubbed over the head by a police baton, George said. Even the local press has noted that chants of No justice, no peace and Hands up, dont shoot! could be heard coming from the crowd as they proceeded to the White House.

According to statements from the office of Democratic D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, officers from the Metro Police Department reported no serious incidents between themselves and the protesters previously throughout the day. MPD chief Peter Newsham told WTOP his forces did not make any arrests, we did not have any reported uses of force, and we did not have any injuries reported.

The US capital has been the scene of some of the most harrowing assaults on democratic rights in the past week, including the deployment of active military forces. On Monday, President Trump had federal agents assault and forcefully remove protesters from Lafayette Square so that he could walk across the street to the nearby St. Johns Episcopal Church for a photo-op. The church had suffered minor vandalism the night earlier.

The use of military force on peaceful protests recalls the darkest periods in modern history and is part of a generalized drive by Trump and his supporters to establish a presidential dictatorship in the US on the basis of the military, police and paramilitary forces, while outlawing all forms of political opposition.

There are mutual friends I have whove supported Donald Trump for years who, after last weekend, are starting to question it, George explained. They are making our case for us, he continued.

George, who is a sympathizer with the International Youth and Students for Social Equality, spoke of the political lessons he has been drawing from the experience. I used to be put off by how you guys criticized [former Democratic Presidential candidate and Vermont Senator] Bernie Sanders, but youre right about how hes trying to cover up for the capitalist state.

On Tuesday, Senator Sanders published an open letter to Senate Democratic Minority Leader Charles Schumer requesting that a series of demands be included in any federal police reform bill. Among the standard requests for civilian oversight boards, which many large cities already have, as well as utopian demands that stand no chance of being included in a final bill, Sanders called for ensuring that the resources are available to pay wages that will attract the top tier of officers in an effort to modernize and humanize police departments.

Hes saying we should give them a raise, said George incredulously. Im sorry, but you cant free market your way out of police brutality.
Srinagar:

Two youths were killed during clashes between security forces and protesters in south Kashmir on Saturday, taking the death toll in the ongoing unrest in the Valley to 75.

Sayar Ahmad Sheikh was hit by a tear smoke shell in the head at Tukroo when security personnel were trying to disperse a group of stone-pelting protestors, a police official said.



Restrictions are in place in the area under Section 144 of CrPC, which prohibits assembly of four or more people. The official said Sheikh was rushed to the sub-district hospital at Rajpora where doctors declared him brought dead.



Another youth, Yawar Bhat, died in security forces action after protestors indulged in stone pelting at Botengoo in Anantnag district, the official said.



Bhat sustained pellet injuries during the clashes, he said. With this, the toll in the unrest has now risen to 75.



Several other persons were injured in the two incidents. Clashes were also reported from the old city area and Budgam district, where at least a dozen people have been injured, he said. The situation across the Valley continues to be tense, he added.

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Afghanistans Foreign Ministry says that authorities in Irans Yazd Province have accepted that their police forces shot a vehicle carrying Afghan migrants earlier this week, killing three people.

The ministry said on June 6 that four others were wounded as the vehicle caught fire after it was shot.

A video showing an Afghan boy escaping from a blazing vehicle with burns on parts of his body has been widely circulating on social media in recent days, causing outrage among Afghans. The boy can be heard saying, Give a bit of water. I am burning.

The ministry said the video was genuine.

Abdul Ghafoor Lewal, Afghanistans envoy in Tehran, visited the four Afghan nationals getting treatment in a Yazd hospital. Photos published by Afghan media show that at least one of the injured is handcuffed to the hospital bed.

Ahmad Tarahomi, deputy governor of Yazd, told Iranian state media that police fired on the vehicle, suspected of carrying drugs and undocumented migrants, after it crashed through a checkpoint.

The Afghan Foreign Ministry said that Yazd officials have told the Afghan government that they would hold the perpetrators of the incident accountable.

The ministry added that the Afghan government would take further steps after conducting a probe.

Last month, Afghan officials said Iranian border guards killed 45 Afghan migrant workers by forcing them at gunpoint into a river on the border. Iran denied the allegation.

According to the United Nations, there are currently close to 1 million registered Afghan refugees living in Iran, while the country hosts another 2 million undocumented Afghans.

Based on reporting by dpa, Reuters, and TOLOnew.com
Andy Ngo, a Portland-based journalist, covered in an unknown substance after being attacked by Antifa in Portland, Ore., on June 29, 2019. (Moriah Ratner/Getty Images)

Journalist Ngo Files Lawsuit Against Portland Antifa

Independent journalist Andy Ngo has filed a lawsuit against Portland Antifa for assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and accused the anarcho-communist group of running a racketeering enterprise.

Antifa members and others have tried to suppress Ngos activities through a coordinated pattern of violent, harassing, and stalking behavior, he alleges in the suit (pdf), filed on June 4 with the Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland, Oregon.

Ngo is known to record protests that involve Antifa; meanwhile, hes been criticized for being biased against the group in his reporting.

The suit lists as defendants the local Antifa cell, Rose City Antifa, as an unincorporated association, and dozens of other individuals, although only five of them are identified by name: Benjamin Bolen, John Hacker, Corbyn (Katherine) Belyea, Joseph Christian Evans, and Madison Lee Allen.

It also alleges that Luis Marquez is one of the leaders of the Antifa group.

Defendants and their fellow Antifa members or supporters and allies have physically accosted and viciously assaulted Ngo at protests that he was covering, stolen his photographic equipment, publicized the addresses of his family home and mothers business, tried to force entry into his house, and stalked him in his personal life, including by attacking and stealing his phone while at a gym, the suit says.

Ngo is asking the court to grant him $900,000 in damages and to prohibit the defendants from harassing, threatening, harming him and from further engaging in racketeering activities.

The suit details several incidents, including on May 1, 2019, when Ngo was allegedly punched in the gut by Bolen and then maced by an unidentified individual.

Less than a week later, Hacker allegedly threw an unknown liquid on Ngo at a local gym in retaliation for his reporting on Antifa. When Ngo started to record the incident on his phone, Hacker took it from him. Gym staff intervened to get the phone back to Ngo, the suit says.

During protests on June 29, 2019, Belyea and others allegedly threw milkshakes at Ngo.

Portland Police issued a warning on social media that day that the milkshakes may have contained quick-drying concrete, the suit says.

Later that day, about two dozen individuals attacked Ngo, the suit says.

Without warning, Ngo was suddenly mobbed and bloodied by a group of Rose City Antifa members and others  who threw projectiles, including milkshakes, eggs, and containers; punched; and kicked him. Members also hit him in the head with plywood hard-edged sign placards, and carbon-hardened tactical gloves.

Ngo sought medical attention, was diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage, and hospitalized overnight, the suit says.

On Oct. 31, 2019, at least six masked Antifa members  approached Ngos family home and stood outside the door, the suit says.

Each of their masks bore a printout of Ngos face. They banged on Ngos windows, rang the doorbell, and tried to gain entry into Ngos family home by trying the door handle to see if the door was locked or not. They were not carrying trick or treat bags, and, on information and belief, intended to harass, intimidate, and harm Ngo.

Ngo is represented by Portland attorney James Buchal and the San Francisco-based Dhillon Law Firm, led by attorney Harmeet Dhillon. Both Buchal and Dhillon are also Republican Party officials.

Unidentified Rose City Antifa members beat up Andy Ngo, a Portland-based journalist, in Portland, Ore., on June 29, 2019. (Moriah Ratner/Getty Images)

According to Attorney General William Barr, the Department of Justice has evidence that Antifa and other groups have been behind the recent riots in order to fuel their own agenda.

We have evidence that Antifa and other similar extremist groups, as well as actors of a variety of different political persuasions, have been involved in instigating and participating in the violent activity, he said on June 4. We are also seeing foreign actors playing all sides to exacerbate the violence.

Also on June 4, investigative journalism nonprofit Project Veritas released a video in which an undercover reporter describes the initiation process and tactical training of Rose City Antifa.

The reporter said he joined the Antifa cell in July of a year Veritas didnt disclose.

Veritas provided undercover footage that shows what the reporter described as required lectures the Antifa groups prospective members need to attend. Several people lectured the prospects on how to conduct violent acts in a clandestine fashion, while minimizing risks to themselves, the footage showed.

Dont be that [expletive] guy with [expletive] spike brass knuckles getting photos taken of you, one of the lecturers is heard saying in the video.

Police are going to be like, Perfect, we can prosecute these [expletive], look how violent they are. And not that we arent, but we need to [expletive] hide that [expletive].

The lecturer apparently instructed the prospects to inflict grave injury on their opponents.

Practice things like an eye gouge. It takes very little pressure to injure someones eyes, he said.

The reporter had left the organization some time ago, according to Veritas.

Similar instructions were given at training for Antifa members in New York City, according to Veritas video published June 5.

If you get a good liver or kidney shot, its pretty much crippling them. Theyre going to be doubled over and in a lot of pain. If you break one of the floating ribs, which are small and right down here, those are also very painful. Its hard to move after that, to catch a breath. So, one good body shot could potentially give you all the time in the world to run away while theyre doubled over in pain, or really put a beating on them after that if you really dont like the person, an instructor is heard saying in the video.

Another instructor is heard saying, We just kind of wanted to, in this space, reframe the idea of self-defense as not simply, youre being acted upon by an aggressor. But its kind of a decision you make to fight back. In a lot of ways to say, I am human, and I occupy this space and I will not be [expletive] with.
Mumbai used to be a city of dreams, a city that never sleeps. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. It hit the faultlines of Mumbai, a densely populated metropolis with crumbling infrastructure. And in two months it has turned into a global corona hotspot.

First, let's understand why Mumbai got hit the most? Mumbai's urban population is estimated to be over 22 million. The population density of the city is approximately 73,000 per square mile, which makes Mumbai one of the most densely populated cities in the world.

With the sea on one side, it had little potential to grow horizontally. Thus, many people in Mumbai reside in multi-storey apartments with common sharing space and co-existence.

On the other hand, the percentage of people living in slums is estimated to be as high as 41.3% in Greater Mumbai, meaning that over 9 million people live in these areas.

Also Read: Covid-19 hotspot: At 25,317, Mumbai has more coronavirus cases than 158 countries

People in Mumbai mostly live on a shared space basis, such as in slums or flats. The commuting is also no less challenging. Mumbai's suburban railway system- the local trains carry 7.5 million passengers every day. A glimpse of how overcrowded these local trains are, even on footrests, will only reinforce the fact that Mumbai is a human jungle.

Crowding is in the DNA of Mumbai, whether it's at home or commuting to workplace. Space is the biggest infrastructure constraint in Mumbai and the city represents the complete antithesis of what social distancing is all about.

Thus, the problem and much of it relates to structural faultlines in the unplanned rapid urbanisation and neglect of infrastructure.

The skewed budgetary allocations can be found by an analysis of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai's (MCGM) current year budget which reveals that establishment expenses take away 67% of the total revenue (i.e. 2/3rd) and are increasing while the operation and maintenance expenses which have a much smaller budget at a distant 20% of revenue budget are set to contract by 12% from a year ago.

COVID-19 Emergency in Mumbai

To understand the gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Mumbai, let us look at some basic numbers. The numbers are based on BMC data as of June 03, 2020.

The hospital beds and ICUs are already running on an occupancy of 94% and 98%, and the capacity of CCC2 and O2 beds are also filling fast. With days of doubling of cases at 20 now, Mumbai in the next fortnight will have the toughest challenge of making enough beds. Additional 7,000 beds are reportedly being planned by June 2020.

With the reopening of Mumbai under 'unlock 1.0', cases are going to spike. The worst is not over yet, hence, it is time for the state government to deploy the best of its preparedness measures. While the medical and bureaucracy team may work out a detailed action plan to deal with the emergency situations, a planned way of optimal utilisation of existing resources on a non-discriminatory basis, regular communication with people and engaging them on the changing situation will be of help to improve the perception and inspire confidence among Mumbaikars.

Also watch: How lockdown has hit India's COVID-19 hotspot, Mumbai

What may be done

1. Centralised Command Centre (CCC) and realtime Info dissemination

The resources are limited, hence managing them optimally in a fair and transparent way is the challenge. A Centralised Command Centre (CCC) headed preferably by an epidemiologist may be put in place. The CCC should have full functional autonomy, as CEO of all COVID-19 facilities management.

The CCC should be technologically enabled to monitor the requirements and availability of beds on a real-time basis (the way Uber app works for vehicle hiring), 24x7 helpline for those not familiar with web-based applications. The CCC should have control over ambulances and arrange for to and fro movement of patients and hospitals. Mumbai's tech brains can partner with the medical fraternity to develop a user-friendly interface.

2. Daily press briefing

Let there be a daily press briefing from the Mumbai control room on the current status of critical infrastructure and efforts being taken, and progress thereof in ramping up critical care. Images of dying patients due to lack of ambulances, beds, ventilators, and officials' apathy are building up fear psychosis among the public.

3. National appeal to seek help from the Centre and other states

Mumbai accounts for more than 6% of India's economy contributing 10% to factory employment, 30% to income tax collections, 60% to customs duty collections, 20% to central excise tax collections, 40% to foreign trade, and Rs 40,000 crore in corporate taxes to the Indian economy. Mumbai's health is of national concern for the economy to revive.

Mumbai's own health infrastructure is now woefully short. The city needs doctors, nurses, ambulances, and critical facilities like ventilators, etc from central resources or other states, who are in a position to spare, in the form of healthcare personnel, equipment, and kits. The metropolis also needs the support of other warriors like paramilitary/military to strictly enforce social distancing in the opening of the city.

At the end of the day, we have to live with COVID-19. So, let's deal with it, as it is, in the best possible way. Mumbai has faced many crises in the past too, including bomb blasts, terror attacks, returning to normal in no time. Together we can emerge stronger from the coronavirus crisis too and build up Mumbai dreams that look shattered now.

(The writer is a public policy analyst and columnist)
When the U.S. government's official jobs report for May came out on Friday, it included a note at the bottom saying there had been a major "error" indicating that the unemployment rate likely should be higher than the widely reported 13.3 percent rate.

The special note said that if this "misclassification error" had not occurred, the "overall unemployment rate would have been about 3 percentage points higher than reported," meaning the unemployment rate would be about 16.3 percent for May. But that would still be an improvement from an unemployment rate of about 19.7 percent for April, applying the same standards.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the agency that puts out the monthly jobs reports, said it was working to fix the problem.

"BLS and the Census Bureau are investigating why this misclassification error continues to occur and are taking additional steps to address the issue," said a note at the bottom of the Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

Some took this as a sign that President Donald Trump or one of his staffers may have tinkered with the data to make it look better, especially since most forecasters predicted the unemployment rate would be close to 20 percent in May, up from 14.7 percent in April. But economists and former BLS leaders from across the political spectrum strongly dismissed that idea.

"You can 100% discount the possibility that Trump got to the BLS. Not 98% discount, not 99.9% discount, but 100% discount," tweeted Jason Furman, the former top economist for former president Barack Obama. "BLS has 2,400 career staff of enormous integrity and one political appointee with no scope to change this number."

Economists say the BLS was trying to be as transparent as possible about how hard it is to collect real-time data during a pandemic. The BLS admitted that some people who should have been classified as "temporarily unemployed" during the shutdown were instead misclassified as employed but "absent" from work for "other reasons."

The "other reason" category is normally used for people on vacation, serving jury duty or taking leave to care for a child or relative. These are typically situations where the worker decides to take leave. But in this unusual pandemic circumstance, the "other reason" category was applied to some people staying at home and waiting to be called back.

This problem started in March when there was a big jump in people claiming they were temporarily "absent" from work for "other reasons." The BLS noticed this and flagged it right away. In March, the BLS said the unemployment rate likely should have been 5.4 percent, instead of the official 4.4 percent rate. In April, the BLS said the real unemployment rate was likely about 19.7 percent, not 14.7 percent.

Economists said the big takeaway is that it's hard to collect real-time data during a pandemic and that while the unemployment rate remains high - likely more than 16 percent - it has declined a little from April.

The unemployment rate comes from a survey where Census workers ask about 60,000 households questions about whether they are working or looking for a job the week of May 10 to 16.

One of the first questions that gets asked is did the person do any work "for pay or profit?" There are then 45 pages of follow up questions that come after that. One of those questions asks if someone was "temporarily absent" from the job and why that absence occurred. One of the responses is "other."

The BLS instructed surveyors to try to figure out if someone was absent because of the pandemic and, if so, to classify them as on "temporary layoff," meaning they would count in the unemployment data. But some people continued to insist they were just "absent" from work during the pandemic, and the BLS has a policy of not changing people's answers once they are recorded. It's how the BLS protects against bias or data manipulation.

Former staffers said it's unusual that the BLS was not able to correct this problem faster.

"It's surprising the BLS couldn't come up with fixes to make this work in May," said Erica Groshen, the former BLS commissioner under Obama. But, she adds, "This is a very unusual situation. There are lots of field staff who had a tried and true way of asking questions and they were doing what they were used to doing."

The only political appointee at the BLS is the commissioner, who, Groshen said, does not have access to the data and only sees the finalized report.

"The commissioner never sees the job report before it is final. As commissioner, I did not have access to the underlying data," Groshen said. "This is a highly automated process."

Instead of focusing on possible Trump interference, many economists wish people would focus on the fact that 21 million Americans are currently unemployed and over 2 million have permanently lost their jobs.

The situation remains dire, they say, even after a few jobs returned in May as the economy reopened.
The Railway Police Force (RPF) constable who ran towards a moving train in Bhopal to hand over a packet of milk for her three-month-old daughter must be promoted and honoured for his help, the overwhelmed mother has said.

Safia Hashmi, a resident of Uttar Pradeshs Bahraich, thanked the Good Samaritan Inder Singh Yadav for his extraordinary service. She said she would always remember how Yadav ran behind the moving train to provide milk to her hungry baby.

Humanity is still alive, she said while speaking to HT.

Hashmi said she had boarded a Shramik Special train along with her daughter, Saiyada, from Karnataka to Lucknow on May 31.

She said Saiyada had been crying of hunger as the train covered about 1,000km and they could not find milk for her baby. Hashmi, who had been feeding the hungry Saiyada biscuits, asked for milk at Bhusawal railway station but in vain.

As they reached Bhopal, she requested Yadav, who was deployed at the station, for milk for her baby. Yadav immediately went to buy the milk but the train started moving from the station.

An emotional Hashmi said she cannot express her feelings in words when she saw Yadav running behind the train with a packet of milk in one hand and rifle in another.

After running for a while, Yadav managed to handover the packet through the trains window to Hashmi. The entire incident was recorded in a closed-circuit (CCTV) television camera installed at the station.

Hashmi contacted Yadav at the Bhopal railway station after she reached home and thanked him for his humanitarian service.

Yadav was also praised by Piyush Goyal, the railways minister, who said he demonstrated an exemplary sense of duty when he ran behind a train to deliver milk for a 4-year-old child.
Egypts two biggest state banks have collected 171 billion Egyptian pounds ($10.5 billion) from a new high-yield savings product they introduced in March, officials from the two banks were quoted as saying on Saturday.

The one-year product, launched on March 22, carry a 15% yield.

An official at the National Bank of Egypt said it had collected 122 billion pounds, while Banque Misrs chairman said it had gathered 49 billion pounds, state news agency MENA reported.

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Most cities saw the 24-hour average levels of dangerous PM2.5, particles that are less than 2.5 microns in diameter, within the Vietnamese standards.

The number of days with good and moderate air quality in May was also higher than in previous months.

The data was aggregated from 18 monitoring stations in Hanoi, Viet Tri, Ha Long, Hue, Da Nang, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City.

Hanoi, which is usually more seriously polluted with particulate matter than other cities, had 90% of days with moderate to good air quality.

The PM2.5 levels monitored at most stations in the city centre were within Vietnamese standards, but the concentration of the fine particulate matter reached dangerous territory in Pham Van Dong, Hang Dau and Minh Khai Streets on several days.

According to the Vietnam Environment Agency, May marks the beginning of the rainy season, so the air quality in many localities, especially Hanoi and northern provinces, is better than in the dry season months.

However, the national weather agency has warned that prolonged heatwaves in summer can affect the air quality considerably, especially in urban areas.
With newly implemented COVID-19 safety procedures in place, Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, and Iron Mountain Hot Springs will all be open and welcoming guests beginning Monday, June 8.

Glenwood Springs, Colorado, June 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Friday afternoon, June 5, tourism businesses in Glenwood Springs received the much-anticipated news from state and local governments that they would be permitted to reopen to the public on Monday, June 8.

Attractions Open for Fun but with Changes

The mountain towns major attractions including Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park and Iron Mountain Hot Springs have made significant alterations to reduce capacity, facilitate social distancing, enhance hygiene and limit the number of touchpoints throughout the visitor experience.

Like many aspects of life in a COVID-19 environment, visitors can expect some changes. Every business that is open has had their reopening plan approved, but each one is unique, especially Glenwood Springs attractions and activities, said Lisa Langer, Director of Tourism Promotion for Glenwood Springs.

The best way to make plans to visit the hot springs, adventure park or go rafting is to check their websites first. In addition to wearing a mask, you may have to purchase your admission online or arrive within a predetermined time frame.

Glenwood Springs attraction websites are up to date with all the details that visitors will need to know before arriving. For Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park and Iron Mountain Hot Springs plan to purchase tickets online and sign digital waivers. For Glenwood Hot Springs Pool, tickets will be available to purchase at the property on a first come first serve basis.

Where Face Coverings Are Required and Where They Are Not

At their meeting on Thursday, June 4, the Glenwood Springs City Council voted to extend the order for face coverings in public spaces where social distancing is not possible until further notice. Those visiting Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park should plan to wear one. While pool goers will be expected to wear masks on property, they are not required in the water. Rather, guests are encouraged to practice social distancing while soaking in the hot springs.

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Tuck a face covering in a backpack in case the need for it arises, but its not required, nor are reservations necessary to enjoy Glenwood Springs extensive network of hiking and biking trails. Outdoors, visitors can ride, hike, and walk for miles as they always have along the riverways, canyons and mountainsides in and around Glenwood Springs.

As for Hanging Lake, the National Natural Landmark in Glenwood Canyon, the trail reopened with limited capacity on June 1. Permits are required and reservations to hike Hanging Lake can be made online.

Summertime Activities Ramp Up

The green light to reopen comes as Governor Polis transitioned the state to Safer at Home and in the Vast, Great Outdoors, on June 1, encouraging those who are at risk to stay safe at home and those who wish to explore further afield to do so responsibly.

In addition to major attraction openings, Glenwood Springs activities including guided trips such as rafting, fishing, paragliding and horseback riding are open and providing visitors with the chance to get outside and have some out-of-the-ordinary experiences. Because of the reduced capacity and trips now organized according to social group size, visitors should plan to make reservations for guide-led excursions in advance.

For history buffs, the Frontier Museum will open on June 14. See how Glenwoods earliest residents lived, worked and played. Also learn about the towns connection with gambler-gunslinger Doc Holliday who is buried in Linwood Cemetery, a pioneer graveyard located on a scenic hillside above Glenwood Springs.

Outdoor Dining Expands Options for Eating

Glenwood Springs restaurants have also enacted new procedures including the wearing of masks inside restaurants while waiting to be seated. More patio, rooftop and outdoor seating options comply with new social distancing norms but also add an opportunity for an alfresco meal downtown and in various other Glenwood Springs neighborhoods.

Glenwood Springs is excited to welcome visitors back! said Langer. With health precautions in place, guests can have peace of mind while they relax and have fun with a much-needed change of scenery after months of staying at home.

About Glenwood Springs

The Land of Water, where world-famous hot springs meet year-round outdoor adventures.

For more information and to plan a trip: visitglenwood.com.

Glenwood Springs is located 160 miles (257 kilometers) west of Denver on I-70.

An online media room is available at visitglenwood.com/media.

Photos and B-roll video footage available upon request linked in the media room.

Attachments

Lisa Langer

Visit Glenwood Springs

970-230-9035

Lisa@VisitGlenwood.com


Hundreds of doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers congregated Friday morning in Pioneer Courthouse Square in solidarity with other White Coats for Black Lives demonstrations held nationwide this week.

At 10 a.m., all in attendance went silent and knelt together, one fist in the air. For many, the other hand held posters or signs with various messages.

Racism is a pandemic, one read.

You think its hard to breathe with a mask on? Try it with a knee on your neck, said another, typed on white paper.

April: I cant breathe = COVID-19. May: I cant breathe = racism!, was scrawled on an orange poster.

The crowd stood again nine minutes later, representing roughly the amount of time Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyds neck, killing him May 25 and sparking national protests. After that, the group was led in various chants during the 30-minute gathering.

We want people to understand racism is a public health crisis as well, said Colleen McCormick, who helped organize the demonstration.

This was the second such white coat event in Portland. On Tuesday evening, medical workers gathered in Pioneer Courthouse Square for a similar rally.

McCormick, who helped organize Fridays rally through Facebook, noted it was well-attended.

She brought her three young children with her, who wore child-sized lab coats and held signs they made.

Its important to me that they understand why were out here, McCormick said.

After chants subsided, a few demonstrators stood on the steps above most of the crowd to speak.

Bianca Bosch got up, holding a sign displaying a picture of Breonna Taylor, a black woman and EMT killed March 13 by police in her Kentucky home. Friday would have been her birthday.

She worked the COVID pandemic like we did, Bosch yelled to the crowd.

She led the crowd in singing a melancholy happy birthday. Bosch said she has attended some of the other protests this week, marching against inequality in the healthcare system.

I think its important especially in healthcare when there are already so many disparities that we step up and make sure everybody is getting the same access to healthcare, Bosch said. That theyre getting the same treatment when they get the healthcare, and that theyre being treated the same as their counterparts.

--Alex Hardgrave | ahardgrave@oregonian.com | @a_hardgrave

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The first research scandal of the coronavirus pandemic has created unnecessary distraction around the politically divisive drug hydroxychloroquine, scientists say.

This as questions swirl around the tiny health care company at the center of the affair.

On Thursday, most of the authors of major studies that appeared in The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) retracted their work.

The issued apologies, saying they could no longer vouch for their data after the firm that supplied it -- Chicago-based Surgisphere -- refused to be audited.

At any other time the matter might have led to hang-wringing within academia, but it has taken on a new dimension as the world grapples with a virus that has claimed some 400,000 lives.

Lancet paper

Of particular interest was the paper in The Lancet that claimed to have analyzed the records of 96,032 patients admitted to 671 hospitals across six continents, finding that hydroxychloroquine showed no benefit and even increased the risk of death.

Its withdrawal is seen as a boost to backers of the decades-old anti-malarial drug, who include US President Donald Trump and his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro.

"It's very politicized -- there is a group, probably not particularly small, who have learned to mistrust science and scientists, and this just feeds into that narrative," Gabe Kelen, a professor of emergency medicine at Johns Hopkins University, told French new agency AFP.

This is despite the fact that even without The Lancet paper, evidence has been building against hydroxychloroquine's use against COVID-19.

On Friday, results from a fourth randomized controlled trial -- carefully designed human experiments considered the most robust form of clinical investigation -- showed it had no impact against the virus.

Mystery company

The Lancet, which first published in 1823, is one of the world's most trusted medical journals.

As a result, the hydroxychloroquine paper had an outsized impact: the World Health Organization, Britain and France all suspended ongoing clinical trials.

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But things soon began unravelling after researchers noticed numerous red flags, from the huge number of patients involved to the unusual level of detail about the doses they had received.

Both The Lancet and the equally prestigious NEJM, which had published a paper on whether blood thinners elevated the risk of COVID-19 that relied on the same company, issued expressions of concern -- before the authors themselves pulled both papers.

Role of Surgisphere

Surgisphere, founded in 2007 by vascular surgeon Sapan Desai, had refused to share data with third-party reviewers, saying it would violate privacy agreements with hospitals.

However, when science news site The Scientist began reaching out to hospitals throughout the US to ask whether they had participated, it found none.

Surgisphere's internet profile has also raised numerous questions. Only a handful of employees could be found on LinkedIn, and most have now deactivated their accounts.

According to the Guardian newspaper, its employees included an adult model and until last week the contact page on its website redirected to a WordPress template for a cryptocurrency website, leaving it unclear how hospitals could have reached out to them.

Meanwhile Desai, who according to court records has three outstanding medical malpractice suits against him, has written extensively in the past on research misconduct.

"The most serious cause of fraud in medical publishing is manufactured data that authors use to support high impact conclusions," he said in a 2013 paper.
STAMFORD  Police said a 79-year-old Stamford man who could not get up after falling out of his wheelchair fired three bullets into a couch in his home Thursday night in hopes of summoning medical help.

The man after an hour was able to crawl far enough to a phone to call 911, police said.

The Crescent Street resident did not have a medical pendant around his neck to call for help, but he had a .22 caliber pistol, which he fired into his living room couch, police said. Officers checked the neighbors and found no one was injured, Sgt. Jose Alvarez said.

Police found three spent shell casings in the living room after they responded to the medical call, Alvarez said.

The man, who police did not identify, told officers he decided to fire the gun to alert neighbors he was in trouble. But no one came to his assistance so he spent the next hour crawling to the phone.

Capt. Richard Conklin said police seized the mans license to carry along with the gun he used to fire the bullets into the couch. They also seized another handgun, a shotgun and a pellet gun. The license will be sent to state police who will review whether it will be returned.

We are debating what to do with this case. ... He felt in his mind it would be prudent to shoot the pistol to raise the alarm that he was in trouble, Conklin said. At least he thought to fire the gun into the backstop of the couch and it looks as though the couch stopped the bullets.

Conklin said there will be some thought given as to whether the man is alert enough to be able to posses a pistol. He also said police will discuss with prosecutors in the Stamford States Attorneys Office whether to charge the man with reckless endangerment or illegal discharge of a firearm.

We are going to have a conversation with a prosecutor. There is some thought that due to his medical condition his life was was in jeopardy. We have not yet reached a conclusion on that point, he said.

The man was safely transported to a medical facility, Conklin added.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com
June 5, 2020

News

By JIM GARAMONE , DOD News

Defense.gov

White House Report Recommends Multi-Pronged Approach to Counter China

China is using government, military, economic, diplomatic and information levers to change the well-tested and beneficial international order, and the United States must have a similar strategy to combat these efforts, according to a White House report.

The White House addressed the whole-of-government approach to counter China  a great power competitor  in a report published last month titled "The United States Strategic Approach to the People's Republic of China."

The Defense Department has a role to play in countering China, but it is only one part of the effort. The National Defense Strategy highlights the threat.

"China is leveraging military modernization, influence operations and predatory economics to coerce neighboring countries to reorder the Indo-Pacific region to their advantage," the unclassified strategy report said. "As China continues its economic and military ascendance, asserting power through an all-of-nation, long-term strategy, it will continue to pursue a military modernization program that seeks Indo-Pacific regional hegemony in the near-term and displacement of the United States to achieve global preeminence in the future."

According to the report, China is the prime country that has benefited from the existing international order, noting that it has made tremendous progress economically since moving to a market economy. U.S. officials had anticipated that the iron rule of the Chinese Communist Party would loosen as prosperity became more widespread in the nation of more than 1.5 billion people.

But the party maintained  and even tightened  its grip. "Over the past two decades, reforms have slowed, stalled or reversed," the White House report says. "The PRC's rapid economic development and increased engagement with the world did not lead to convergence with the citizen-centric, free and open order as the United States had hoped."

When the United Kingdom handed over Hong Kong to China, Hong Kong was guaranteed semi-autonomous status at least through 2047. The Chinese are backing out of the "One Nation, Two Systems" agreement. China is also building and militarizing islands in the South China Sea and East China Sea in an attempt to assert sovereignty over international sea lanes of communication.

The United States and partner nations in the region and internationally are sailing and flying through these areas in freedom of navigation operations, the report says. The Chinese have massed troops and missiles across the Strait of Taiwan and continually threaten military action and have tied their new-found economic power and diplomacy together in their "One Belt One Road" initiative, which the report calls an umbrella term describing initiatives designed "to reshape international norms, standards, and networks to advance Beijing's global interests and vision, while also serving China's domestic economic requirements."

The "One Belt One Road" projects frequently are "characterized by poor quality, corruption, environmental degradation, a lack of public oversight or community involvement, opaque loans, and contracts generating or exacerbating governance and fiscal problems in host nations," the report says.

Beijing will probably use these projects to exert undue political influence and gain military access, the report says. "Beijing uses a combination of threat and inducement to pressure governments, elites, corporations, think tanks and others  often in an opaque manner  to toe the CCP line and censor free expression," it states.

The response to this effort is not solely military. Rather, the report says, it has to be a whole-of-government approach that combines diplomacy, economic leverage, information operations and military partnerships.

China is working to undermine U.S. alliances in the Indo-Pacific region, and "One Belt One Road" is just an arrow in the quiver aimed at subverting American influence in the region, the report says.

Meanwhile, it states, the Chinese Communist Party has no compunction about using economic, political and military power to pressure nations to follow their lead  often to the detriment of their citizens. With no visible opposition, the Chinese Communist Party can be patient, and Chinese leaders look at the competition with capitalist powers as a generational struggle, according to the report.

Capitalist nations have also engaged in generational struggles. The Cold War was a generational struggle against the Soviet Union. U.S. administrations of both political parties agreed to the overall need to confront the old Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and they followed a long-term strategy against the existential threat the Soviets posed.

It was also a whole-of-government approach, even if it wasn't called that at the time. It wasn't enough for troops to just confront the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact at the Fulda Gap between West Germany and East Germany. Intelligence agencies had to stay ahead of the Soviets. Diplomats had to negotiate with them. The people of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact nations had to see what life was really like in the West.

The result was the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Now, the formerly captive Warsaw Pact nations are members of NATO.

The National Security Strategy recognizes there has been a return to an era of great power competition, and that China is a competitor. It lays out a U.S. whole-of-government approach that it says must be taken to counter the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to overturn the international order.

"The United States is responding to the [Chinese Communist Party's] direct challenge by acknowledging that we are in a strategic competition and protecting our interests appropriately," the White House report says. "The principles of the United States' approach to China are articulated both in the [National Security Strategy] and our vision for the Indo-Pacific region  sovereignty, freedom, openness, rule of law, fairness, and reciprocity."

While China is the main competitor, U.S.-Chinese relations do not determine America's strategy in the Indo-Pacific region. U.S.-China relations are just part of the overall strategy in the region, the report says.

"By the same token, our vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region does not exclude China," according to the report. "The United States holds the [People's Republic of China] government to the same standards and principles that apply to all nations."

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6)  Albay second district Rep. Joey Salceda joined some of his colleagues who withdrew their vote for the controversial Anti-Terrorism Bill for lack of a meeting with senators to thresh out what he calls vague provisions.

Without a bicameral conference, there will be no opportunity for House members to help address the abovementioned reservations, Salceda said in a letter to House Secretary-General Jose Luis Montales, where he also asked that his vote be registered as an abstention.

Salceda said some sections of the bill may affect the right to privacy of individuals.

Section 3(i) thereof includes the tracking of individuals, and not just members of organizations declared as terrorist. Section 16 of the measure also expands the list of persons who may be subjected to surveillance or wiretapping by including persons who are merely 'suspected' of committing any of the crimes penalized under the proposed law, he said.

He said the creation of an Anti-Terrorism Council, composed of Cabinet officials with powers to order the arrest of suspected terrorists, may violate the separation of powers in particular with the Judiciarys functions.

The lawmaker pointed out another possible constitutional issue on the detention of suspected terrorists.

Under Section 29 of the measure, a person suspected of violating the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act may be detained for 14 days, extendible for another 10 days. Article 7, Section 18 of the Constitution, provides that even when the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is suspended, the maximum period that a person can be detained without charges is three days, Salceda said.

Other lawmakers who reversed their previous votes were Antique Rep. Loren Legarda, Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun, and Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon.

READ: Lawmakers deny co-authoring anti-terrorism bill
Oil companies are seeking to minimize the spread of the coronavirus as they evacuate thousands of workers from 1,800 offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico as Tropical Storm Cristobal strengthens and advances toward the Louisiana coast.

Cristobal, which was just north of Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula on Friday afternoon, is expected to head north across the warm waters of the Gulf, where it could develop winds up to 73 mph.

Cristobals path will take the storm through U.S. offshore oil fields where BP, Shell, Murphy Oil, Occidental Petroleum and other producers spent Thursday and Friday evacuating workers and preparing to ramp down or temporarily halt production.

Hurricane evacuations are routine aboard Gulf platforms, but Cristobal will arrive during the coronavirus pandemic, said University of Houston petroleum engineering professor and offshore industry expert Ramanan Krishnamoorti. Companies are taking extra precautions to prevent the spread of the deadly respiratory disease among workers who have already faced outbreaks, he said.

In a way, youre fighting two battles here  the storm and the coronavirus, Krishnamoorti said.

Pandemic: Several BP offshore workers test positive for coronavirus

At peak employment, 16,000 workers could be aboard the platforms, Krishnamoorti said. But the oil price crash and COVID-19 outbreaks on some platforms have forced offshore producers to scale back operations and reduce the number of workers well before Cristobal developed, he said.

BP, a British oil major, and Shell, a Dutch oil major, had dealt with outbreaks of the virus at their Gulf platforms this year and responded with new procedures that include segregating crews, limiting contact between shifts and implementing stricter sanitation protocols.

With thousands of workers being evacuated by boat and helicopter in fewer than three days, Krishnamoorti said, the companies are using enhanced sanitation techniques that include spraying disinfectant on seats and wiping them down and requiring evacuees to wear face masks during the flight or boat ride.

Theyre doing the prudent thing, Krishnamoorti said. Theyre being responsible to their employees and to everybody else by preventing this pandemic from spreading.

Fuel Fix: Get energy news sent directly to your inbox

Houston oil company Occidental Petroleum said Friday afternoon that all workers had been evacuated from its central and eastern Gulf platforms while production had been temporarily halted.

Arkansas oil company Murphy Oil said the company is evacuating workers. Even before Cristobal, the company had developed strict procedures for workers to return to offshore platforms, ranging from answering health and travel questionnaires to undergoing mandatory testing.

BP said it started evacuating offshore workers Wednesday and has been ramping down production at three of its four platforms. Production at the fourth platform has not been affected, but nonessential personnel are being evacuated.

Shell started removing nonessential personnel from its platforms Thursday. Evacuated workers, the company said, will adhere to coronavirus precautions including using face masks aboard helicopter flights and socially distancing themselves at heliports and aboard shuttle services. Workers also were advised to practice self-quarantine procedures at home.

All personnel will be required to pass our COVID-19 screening process prior to returning to work offshore, Shell spokeswoman Cindy Babski said.

Offshore: Shell evacuates workers after coronavirus outbreak aboard rig

Nonessential personnel are typically evacuated from offshore platforms three days ahead of a storm, with operations grinding to a halt two days before, Krishnamoorti said. A small crew that can be evacuated in a single helicopter flight remains aboard until about six to 12 hours before impact, he said.

California oil major Chevron and Irving oil major Exxon Mobil said Friday that their Gulf operations have not been affected by Cristobal.

Not all platforms are shut in, but depending on strength of the storm and the anticipated path, in some rare cases, they might not be fully shut in  just choked back for minimizing the flow, Krishnamoorti said.

sergio.chapa@chron.com

http://twitter.com/SergioChapa
Can deep water masses in the Mediterranean cross the Sicily Strait?

The Sicily Strait, an underwater relief connecting the Italian island with the Tunisian coasts, is not a geological barrier for the deep water circulation between eastern and western Mediterranean -which was always thought to be. Quite the contrary, the contribution of the eastern Mediterranean deep water flow towards the western one can reach 70%, according to a study recently published in the journal Process in Oceanography.

The new study profiles an hydrodynamic map -so far unknown- between the eastern and western basins of the Mediterranean Sea, and is led by Leopoldo Pena and Isabel Cacho, members of the Faculty of Earth Sciences and the Consolidated Research Group on Marine Geosciences of the University of Barcelona. Other co-authors of the study are the experts Ester Garcia Solsona, Eduardo Paredes and Jose Perez Asensio (UB research group on Marine Geosciences), Lucia Quiros Collazos, from the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC) and Fabrizio Lirer, from the Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR-CNR, Italy).

The innovative study sheds light on the oceanographic processes in the Mediterranean Sea using the pioneer application of neodymium (Nd) radiogenic isotopes and rare earth elements as geochemical tracers to study this complex marine area. Researchers could use this methodology thanks to the equipment of the new Laboratory of Radiogenic and Environmental Isotopes (LIRA) and the multicollector mass spectrometer PANTHALASSA of the University of Barcelona, a dual support infrastructure for research -the only one in Spain- perfect to identify radiogenic and environmental isotopes at trace levels. Scientifically coordinated by Isabel Cacho and Leopoldo Pena, the equipment was launched in 2019 in the Faculty of Earth Sciences and in the Scientific and Technological Centers of the UB (CCiTUB), respectively.

Underwater frontier between Mediterranean basins

The Mediterranean Sea is a semi-closed sea which communicates with the Atlantic Sea via the Gibraltar Strait. Surrounded by continental waters, it is divided in two basins of a similar size -eastern and western- with water masses with different properties (salinity, density, isotopic composition, topography, etc.) which connect through the Sicily Strait.

The effect of the particularly dry climate of the Mediterranean determines the creation of deep water in some areas of this marine region (Gulf of Lion, south of the Adriatic Sea, etc.). This oceanographic process takes place in some areas of the planet -North Atlantic or around the Antarctica- under different oceanographic and atmospheric conditions, and it is regarded as the engine of the global oceanographic circulation in the planet.

"The Sicily Strait is only 316 meters deep and the eastern Mediterranean basin goes beyond 5,000 meters. One of the processes that fascinated the field of oceanographic research is this exchange of water mass between the eastern and western basins through this strait", notes Isabel Cacho, Professor of the Department of Earth and Ocean Dynamics of the UB.

"According to the classic hypothesis -she continues- the strait was a physical barrier for the deep waters of the eastern Mediterranean to travel towards the western one. This oceanographic process was believed to be dominated by intermediate waters".

Radiogenic isotopes and rare earth elements: a new perspective on oceanography

The new oceanographic study uses rare earth elements and neodymium isotopes -chemical element from the lanthanide group- as conservative oceanographic tracers in the Mediterranean area. With this methodology, experts rebuilt the oceanographic structure of the Mediterranean basins using samples from water taken onboard in the oceanographic boat N/o Minerva Uno from the National Research Council (CNR, Italy). The samples were obtained in June 2016 during the oceanographic campaign in the Italian project NextData -in which the UB took part- in the central area of the Mediterranean.

"These new geochemical tools allow us to separate water masses formed in the eastern Mediterranean -warmer and salty- from the western one. The waters from the eastern basin show higher concentration of rare earth elements and a Nd isotopic composition which is more radiogenic than the western basin", notes Isabel Cacho, awardee of an ERC Consolidator Grant 2015, who contributed to promote new oceanographic research studies.

The conclusions suggest that the contribution of deep water from the eastern Mediterranean to the western area can reach about 70% of the deep waters in the Tyrrhenian Sea. This proportion -which oscillates between 30 and 70% in the eastern area of the Tyrrhenian- is higher than the calculated values with classic oceanographic parameters (temperature, salinity, etc.), in previous studies.

LIRA-PANTHALASSA: support to multidisciplinary research

Having multicollector mass spectometers (MC-ICP-MS) for the precise analysis of Nd radiogenic isotopes -present in low concentrations in the sea- is a must to conduct oceanographic studies in Spain with this new methodological perspective. The MC-ICP-MS PANTHALASSA -installed in CCiTUB and available for its users- allows users to determine the isotopic relation of most of the periodic table elements, with a high sensitivity (between 10 and 100 parts per million).

"These tools enable us to develop a leading science to study the current ocean -as seen in this study- but we can use them to see the conditions of the ocean in the past during the different climate changes. Therefore, these open new opportunities to understand the relation between climate and ocean better", notes Leopoldo Pena, member of the research group on Marine Geosciences of the UB, led by Professor Miquel Canals.

"Moreover, despite the large potential of application in disciplines related to earth sciences (oceanography, palaeoceanography, geochronology, petrology, hydrology, etc.), many knowledge fields related to environmental, archaeological, food and health studies can benefit from these leading analytic techniques".

###

This story has been published on: 2020-06-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Some of us are still clinging to the hope that the destruction the pandemic has wrought on lives and livelihoods will be offset by a kinder, simpler, more equitable aftermath for society.

In particular, theres an opportunity to address the climate crisis more directly than ever. And for investment firms, the time has arrived when the moral imperative to stop funding environmentally damaging companies and industries should finally outweigh any lingering concern about sacrificing returns to do good.

In an ostensibly positive step on that journey, the U.K.s biggest private pension provider said earlier this week that it wont invest in companies that make more than 25% of their revenue from thermal coal mining. Its also shunning tobacco makers and some kinds of arms companies. USS Investment Management Ltd., which oversees more than 68 billion pounds ($85 billion) as the guardian of the U.K. university systems pension pot, said part of the move is simply codifying existing policy  it already doesnt have any investments in cluster munitions makers, for example.

But its stated motivation for the exclusions caught my attention. USS explained in a press release that it will shun industries it deems financially unsuitable:

The traditional financial models used by the market as a whole to predict the future performance in these sectors had not taken specific risks into account. These included changing political and regulatory attitudes and increased regulation.

So the primary aim of its policy is to safeguard future returns. Theres no mention of the need to protect the environment or any reference to USS wielding its financial firepower to make a better world. In the current environment, that strikes me as rather a limited view of the pension funds role as custodian of the future economic well-being of its members. Generating a few basis points of extra alpha here and there pales in comparison with the need to ease the worsening climate emergency.

Story continues

The pension funds defense is that it can only take non-financial factors into account where they do not pose a risk of significant financial detriment on an investment. Moreover, it said in an emailed response to questions that it has good reason to believe that its more than 400,000 members share each others views on that non-financial factor.

Surely that glosses over a fundamental point: Viewed through the lens of the climate crisis and the shift in attitudes around social and governance issues, everything is effectively a financial factor, be it gender pay imbalances, carbon emissions or the risk of companies being left with so-called stranded assets that become too politically toxic to exploit.

USS isnt always this timid. In March, it allied itself with the California State Teachers Retirement System and Japans Government Pension Investment Fund in welcoming efforts to incorporate environmental, social and governance issues in portfolio construction. Skeptics that continue to question the growing role of sustainability within the global investment community should realize that they are quickly becoming the minority, the trio said.

That statement is a better reflection of the prevailing backdrop. For example, the January announcement by BlackRock Inc., the worlds biggest fund manager with $6.5 trillion of assets, that it plans to place sustainability at the center of our investment approach is starting to have real-world repercussions. BlackRock is currently challenging Korea Electric Power Corp.s planned investments in new coal-fired power plants in Indonesia and Vietnam. The second-biggest private investor in the South Korean utility, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, BlackRock said it may escalate our actions through votes in the future.

Not everyone agrees that pension funds and asset managers should be broadening their remit. Christopher Burnham, president of the U.S. Institute for Pension Integrity, recently wrote in Barrons that pension plans shouldnt be making social and political decisions for millions of members. Such actions risk opening the door for politicians to play politics with public pensions rather than adhere to a strict fiduciary standard of the highest returns at a reasonable risk, he argued.

That view strikes me as outdated, and out of tune with the prevailing zeitgeist that acknowledges fiduciary duties stretch beyond factors easily represented in an Excel spreadsheet, but which nevertheless play a significant role in how investments will perform in future.

The European Union, for one, has made clear that it expects fund managers, as well as other financial institutions, to be proactive in preventing their capital from being employed in activities that harm the planet. At the end of last month, the blocs top banking regulator said the regions banks must incorporate climate considerations in their credit policies, and assess whether borrowers are contributing to global warming. This will curtail lending to potentially lucrative but environmentally damaging projects. New regulations governing the responsibilities of asset managers are scheduled to come into force next year.

By taking what seems to me to be a very narrow view of its responsibilities to its members, the University systems pension fund has missed an opportunity to use its bully pulpit to set an example for other asset managers. Now is the time to advance the argument that capitalism can justify doing good for goodnesss sake  with less emphasis on the potential financial costs of going green, and more weight given to the ancillary benefits that accrue to society as a whole.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Mark Gilbert is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering asset management. He previously was the London bureau chief for Bloomberg News. He is also the author of "Complicit: How Greed and Collusion Made the Credit Crisis Unstoppable."

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

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2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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Linkedin Choi Ji-won (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network)  Sat, June 6, 2020 15:34 594 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdc94aaa 2 Entertainment Daejong-Film-Awards,South-Korea,parasite,film,Academy-awards,Bong-Joon-Ho Free

Once considered the nations most prestigious awards in cinema as the equivalent to the Oscars, the Daejong Film Awards went ahead Wednesday evening in a less than glamorous atmosphere, with empty seats and absent winners, including director Bong Joon-ho of the best picture-winning Parasite.

The 56th edition of the event, also known as the Grand Bell Awards, took place with no audience for the first time since its establishment in 1962 due to the ongoing novel coronavirus spread.

Parasite snatched up five wins, including the most coveted best picture and best director prizes. Nominated in 11 categories, the films big win was not unexpected, but director Bong was noticeably absent.

Kwak Sin-ae, head of the films production company Barunson E&A, read the acceptance speech on behalf of the director, adding that Bong was on a long leave following a series of international events.

Parasite also won for best screenplay and music, while the films Lee Jung-eun won for supporting actress.

A Barunseon E&A official told The Korea Herald that Bong has not been involved in an official event since attending the Oscars in February, focusing on preparing future films.

Jung Yu-mi of Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 and Jin Sun-kyu of Extreme Job, who won for best actress and best supporting actor, respectively, also did not attend the ceremony, as they were filming.

None of the other nominees for best actress -- Kim Hyang-gi, Kim Hee-ae, Jeon Do-yeon and Han Ji-min -- attended the event. For best actor, all the nominees apart from winner Lee Byung-hun of Ashfall were also absent.

Read also: 'Parasite' star Choi Woo-shik talks about new film 'Time to Hunt'

Once the countrys top film awards, the Daejong Arts Awards has seen its prestige nose-dive in recent years. In 2015, the event was boycotted by several actors and directors for requiring attendance of nominees as a prerequisite for winning. Since then the award has lost some of its luster, with continuing criticism of poor organization and unfair selection of winners, topped by events that further dented its reputation.

Many in the industry urged still more efforts by the awards organizers to bring back stars to the red carpet. Above all, the disappointing result shows how disconnected the events organizers are from the cineasts in the field, film critic Kim Sung-soo said.

Right now, the film industry is going through its worst period due to the COVID-19. Most film fests slated for the first half of the year have been postponed, new releases have been canceled and everyone in the industry is going through a difficult time. Pushing ahead with the ceremony at such a time shows that the organizers did not share such concerns of the filmmakers and actors, the critic added.

Filmmaker Lee Sang-woo pointed out that narrowing the gap between the older and younger generations is crucial.

Daejong is an old event and it needs to bring in more young voices from active filmmakers. Although star directors like Bong Joon-ho and Yoon Je-kyun may be too busy to actually take part in its running, the awards need to get such people involved to communicate with young actors and producers. If this communication works, turning the awards back into a festival for everyone wont be such big deal, Lee said.

Some called for a more fundamental change.

To regain its original reputation, it cant stop with just selecting winners that are acceptable, but it needs to be able to persuade the actors, directors and producers of the awards unique identity, critic Kim said.

Topics :

This article appeared on The Korea Herald newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
An enthusiastic crowd greeted Sen. Robert Bobby Kennedy when he arrived in Philadelphia to campaign at the beginning of April 1968.

That is everywhere except at the University of Pennsylvania. He received a cool reception and some peopled booed him.

By the time he was done, however, a reporter said Kennedy had the audience in the palm of his hand.

Just two months later, Kennedy, 42, was dead  assassinated while speaking in Los Angeles, Calif.

Kennedy was in Philadelphia on April 1 and 2, 1968.

Michael D. Mosettig of the Washington Bureau, wrote about Kennedys visit to Philly.

In downtown Philadelphia, which has been Kennedy country since 1960, his car was almost crushed by 15,000 enthusiasts, both squealing teeny-boppers and older people who noted their approval in more conventional ways.

But his confrontation with students at the University of Pennsylvania was the trips triumph. Veteran reporters called it one of the most effective Kennedy performances of his campaign. The audience, containing many backers of Sen. Eugene J. McCarthy, greeted him coolly at first, and there even was some booing.

I didnt expect it be unanimous, Kennedy cracked beforehand.

With a few more jibes directed at himself, he began warming up a potentially hostile audience.

He told his listeners it was too late for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., to enter the presidential race. That would be ambitious and ruthless, he quipped.

Quoting Thomas Jefferson, he advised the students a little rebellion now and then is a good thing.

If Im elected president, dont try it, he continued, then  Oops, thats the bad Bobby coming out.

He left the university field house with the audience in the palm of his hand.

Sen. Robert F. Kennedy addresses a throng of supporters in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles early in the morning of June 5, 1968, following his victory in the previous day's California primary election. A moment later he turned into a hotel kitchen corridor and was critically wounded. His wife, Ethel, is just behind him. (AP Photo/Dick Strobel)AP

Kennedy was shot on June 5, 1968 in Los Angeles Ambassador Hotel after claiming victory in Californias Democratic presidential primary. He died in the early morning hours of June 6, 1968  about 26 hours after he was shot three times.

He won the California primary and addressed his supporters just after midnight on in the ballroom of The Ambassador Hotel. He left the ballroom via the hotel kitchen despite being advised not to by his bodyguard.

In the crowded kitchen hallway, Sirhan Bishara Sirhan, a 24-year-old Palestinian, shot Kennedy three times. Five others also were wounded. Kennedy died at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles.

Charles Wright, a police technician, and officer Robert Rozzi inspects a bullet hole discoverd in a door frame in a kitchen corridor of the Ambassador hotel in Los Angeles near where Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was shot and critically wounded June 5, 1968. Bullet is still in the wood. (AP Photo/Dick Strobel)AP

Sirhan was arrested immediately and is serving life in prison for the crime.

The Patriot on June 6, 1968, reported that Kennedy remained in extremely critical condition last night, failing to show any improvement 12 hours after surgeons removed from his brain all but a fragment of a bullet police said was fired by a mysterious young gunman with a Jordanian heritage.

On June 7, the paper reported that Kennedys body had been returned to New York 14 hours after he died in Los Angeles of an assassins wounds at the most victorious moment of his political career.

In 2018, on the 50th anniversary of the assassination, Kennedys son, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said he supports a call to reopen the investigation because he doesnt believe Sirhan killed his father.

The Washington Post reported on May 26, 2018, that RFK Jr. said "the wrong person might have been convicted of killing my father." According to the newspaper, Paul Schrade, who also was shot in the head as he walked behind Kennedy that night, has called for the new investigation.

Robert Kennedy Jr. points to the autopsy that shows Bobby Kennedy was shot at point-blank range from behind, according to the Washington Post. But Sirhan was standing in front of him.

This points to the possibility that there was a second shooter.

Robert Kennedy Jr. also cited new evidence that shows as many as 13 shots were fired and Sirhan's gun only held eight bullets.

Robert Kennedy was buried near his brother, President John F. Kennedy, in Arlington National Cemetery.

Sirhan was convicted of the crime and sentenced to death but his death sentence was commuted to life in prison in 1972.

He has been denied parole 15 times, the last time being in 2016. Sirhan is serving his sentence at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. He is 76 years old. He will be eligible for parole again in 2021.

READ MORE

In this Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016, file photo, Sirhan Sirhan reacts during a parole hearing at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. Sirhan, Sen. Robert F. Kennedys assassin, is hospitalized in stable condition after being stabbed by a fellow inmate at a Southern California prison, Friday, Aug. 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, Pool, File)AP

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Its officially summer, and following a glorious spring, that means even more alfresco cooking over smouldering coals, smokey wood or efficient gas.

Whatever your chosen fuel, there are some fundamentals to mastering the art of cooking with fire.

Expert Genevieve Taylor says the first is taking control of the fire, by creating heat zones and learning to cook directly and indirectly. This means putting the charcoal on one side of your barbecue only and cooking off the direct heat source up to 80 per cent of the time.

Of course, just as with ingredients, the best barbecues begin with adding the best fuel to the fire. That means good charcoal thats not laden with chemicals and imported from rainforests halfway across the world, but essentially pure carbon made from sustainable British woodland.

This means you dont have to wait for the coals to become white and ashy (once all the chemicals have burnt away) to get cooking. Opt for a natural firelighter for the same reasons, such as one made from wood chippings and wax.

You can buy a chimney starter to position the coals perfectly to get things underway quicker, or you can make your own with a method, chef Tom Hunt picked up in Argentina using some charcoal, a glass bottle and some newspaper.

Sustainable British charcoal Five companies, selling environmentally-friendly charcoal from British woodland, recommended by Genevieve Taylor: Whittle & Flam: whittleandflame.co.uk

Birchwood Forestr: birchwoodforestry.co.uk

Stagg British Charcoa: stagbritishcharcoal.co.uk

Caradoc Charcoa: caradoccharcoal.co.uk

Simply place your bottle in the middle of the barbecue, roll three or four tubes of newspaper around it. Pour your lumpwood charcoal around the sides, essentially burying the bottle. Now, carefully pull the bottle out leaving a hole, acting as a chimney. Fill the chimney until its a third full with charcoal, use another tube of newspaper as a wick and light the paper. As the fire takes hold use the bigger lumps of charcoal to cover the hole and in 15 minutes you will be ready to get cooking.

Note, good coal doesnt produce much smoke, so if youre looking for that smokey flavour try some kiln-dried firewood from the likes of The Smokewood Shack.

We asked some of our favourite chefs and recipe writers what they are cooking over fire this summer, and heres what they told us:

Cooking with fire: Fruit and veg

The barbecue is the last bastion of the carnivore, but people want to eat more vegetables and less meat and I wanted to show people that fire and veg is amazing, says author of Charred, Genevieve Taylor.

Genevieve Taylor has published numerous books on barbecuing (Jeni Nott)

With steak, people talk about the maillard reaction, that caramelisation of the sugars and amino acids  well, that happens with all vegetables as well. Vegetables cooked on fire are amazing.

Veg: Parsnips

A barbecue is just another heat source, so you can cook anything on it. Parsnips take on a caramelised edge, mushrooms suck up smoke and are a sponge for flavour, classic Mediterranean vegetables such as peppers, and courgettes have a natural affinity with fire and smoke.

Preparation: If youre cooking vegetables with a dense texture, like carrots, blanche them before marinating  perhaps with cumin, chipotle chilli and garlic  so they soak up the flavour and cook faster.

How to cook: Over a medium heat, turning regularly so they dont char too quickly.

Serve with: Its often a good idea to hit the vegetables with some lemon juice and herbs to cut through the sweetness. Play with texture and colour by layering with spring onions, herbs and pecans. Balance with something creamy like tahini or ricotta.

Genevieve Taylor author of Charred: The Complete Guide to Vegetarian Grilling and Barbecue

Veg: Courgettes

How to cook: Blacken the courgettes on each side over hot coals, until the insides are smoky and tender. Cooked courgette leaves or spinach, brushed with olive oil, alongside for the last few minutes. Remove from the heat and roughly chop with a knife. Then gently crush everything together with your hands and season generously with salt and pepper.

Serve: On a platter with a generous splatters of tahini sauce or yoghurt and a drizzle of maple syrup (or similar), lemon juice and lemon zest.

Tom Hunt, chef and author of Eating for Pleasure, People and Planet

Fruit can be barbecued too  no matter what anyone else says (Riverford)

Fruit: Strawberries

Marinade: Add the strawberries to a bowl with a little sugar and a dash of balsamic vinegar. Mix well and leave to macerate for 10 minutes.

How to cook: Thread the strawberries onto skewers and place directly on the barbecue bars. Griddle for about two mins, turning once, until lightly marked  just enough to warm them and caramelise some of the sugar.

Serve: With vanilla ice cream and the rest of the marinade spooned over the top for a delectable contrast of hot and cold, sharp and sweet.

Bob Andrew, chef, Riverford

Cooking with fire: Fish

With fish, all chefs agree that the Kiss principle  keep it simple stupid  is key.

Its all about being calm and patient, let the fish and the coals do the work, advises head chef Peter Wheeden, from Londons first organic pub, the Duke of Cambridge.

Fish: Crustacea

My Spanish chef friends Paco and Patricia always bring carabineros which are like nothing else I have ever tried, extreme prawn viscerality.

The head is the tastiest bit.

Prep: Sprinkle with salt.

How to cook: Gently grill over oak coals.

Serve with: You need nothing but a good hand and face wash after  this is no finger bowl matter.

Peter Weeden, Duke of Cambridge

Fish: Monkfish

It's a bit more expensive but has a firm texture that holds up to the fire well and benefits from a marinade and light charring.

With these carabineros, the head is the best bit

How to prepare: Ask your fishmonger for cleaned fillets to your specified weight, that you can then cut into smaller kebab size pieces to skewer. Or ask your fishmonger to provide the whole tail, bone-in, which you barbecue-roast whole.

Marinade: I often go with lemon zest, olive oil, garlic, chilli flakes and some fresh herbs, and leave it to marinade for 4-6 hours or overnight. Add a squeeze of lemon just prior to cooking.

How to cook: There are two main options for grilling monkfish. The first, and by far the most-straight forward, is to grill your portioned or skewered monkfish fillets high and fast directly over the coals. You want a high heat that sears the fish quickly, 2-3 minutes on each side. The fish should be served tender  or just blushing as we like to say  as opposed to over-cooked, which will cause it to be tough and leathery.

The second option, if you keep it whole, is to slow-roast over the coals from a distance, lacquering the fish with a glaze on marinade as it cooks. This is a more technical and complicated approach but one that yields amazing results.

Serve with: A good-quality crusty baguette, a flavoured mayonnaise or aioli of sorts, and nice fresh and zingy salad to cut through it all. A perfect meal for a summer night.

Josh Katz, Berber & Q

Fish: Scallops

Prep: Thread scallops onto skewers.

How to cook: Rub the skewers in olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add to a hot barbecue. Cook for 5-6 mins, turning once or twice until tender and juicy in the middle and lightly charred on the outside.

Serve with: A salsa verde made with lots of chopped parsley, basil and mint, stirred into finely crushed anchovies, capers, garlic, mustard and loosened with lemon juice and olive oil.

Sam Richards, recipe writer, Abel & Cole

Fish: Mackerel

Prep: Rub the fish with plenty of sea salt on the inside and out an hour-or-so before cooking.

Recommended 8 best meat boxes from ethical farms delivered to your door

How to cook: Over a gentle heat with some decent smoke from good quality seasoned oak, beech or apple wood. Dont try to rush things; let the flames die back then play with the smouldering wood and embers to cook and smoke evenly.

Serve with: Summer salads; chunky cucumber with mint, red onion and coriander, perhaps with a dollop of yoghurt. Or, a good white cabbage, carrot and onion slaw  no mayo  lots of ginger, garlic, chilli, salt, sugar and a splash of fish sauce. Asparagus with peas and broad beans, a splash of olive oil and marjoram, also will do the trick.

Peter Weeden, Duke of Cambridge

Fish: Arctic char

Prep: Bone four fillets of char (each around 180g) and place in a tray and salt both sides. Keep at room temperature for two hours. Dry the fish and place skin side up on a heat resistant tray.

Marinade: Seasoning for the above two teaspoon salt, one teaspoon sugar, one teaspoon toasted fennel seeds

How to cook: Cover with hay (around 5-6in high) and set on fire. Repeat one or two times until the skin can be removed by pulling it off with your fingers from one side.

Serve with: New potato cooked with dill stems, aioli and sugar snaps.

Niklas Ekstedt from Ekstedt

Cooking with fire: Meat

Barbecue, open fire or grill style foods are an exceptionally healthy way of eating, as they use very little or no additional fat or oils, says chef Adam Gray who cycles over a thousand miles a month.

I think people have moved on from simply throwing a few sausages and burgers on a barbecue and cremating them to a crisp. They want to know where their meat has come from and if it is good quality, ethically sourced and sustainable to the UK.

Being more adventurous with cuts can be very cost effective and yield good portions, which is especially important in the current times.

Cooking a whole chicken on a brill is easy  all you really need to do is remove its back bone (Matt Austin)

Meat: A whole chicken  it feeds a crowd with minimal fuss

Prep: To butterfly a chicken, turn it over and place breast side down. Remove the spine by running your finger down the back of the chicken to identify the bone and the soft outer side of the ribcage.

What well be drinking Wine:

Morando Silvio, Naturalmente Rosso, Piemonte, Italy

Light red fruits, with subtle notes of cherries and spice, perfect with barbecue red meat

Clos des Vins Damour, Idylle, Cotes du Roussillon, France

Dry, light white with hints of citrus and topical fruits. Good acidity to compliment oily/barbecue fish

Morando Silvio, Bastardo Rosato, Piemonte, Italy

Fresh and fruity rose with a subtle sparkle. Refreshing and well matched with light vegetarian dishes

boroughwines.co.uk Beer:

Lager if you're starting early

Session pale if youre pairing with sunshine and grilled fish

Dark Lager as the sun goes down and your meat is on the charred side

theoriginalsmallbeer.com Soft drinks:

Everleaf spritz (1 part Everleaf, 3 parts tonic, orange wedge) for a classy aperitif

everleafdrinks.co.uk

Karma Cola for the ultimate food-drink bold flavour comb

karmadrinks.co.uk

Place the tip of a large sharp knife vertically to one side of the spine.

Press the blade of the knife down firmly, then in one movement, run the knife all the way down the side of the spine cutting through the soft rib tissue with your blade next to the bone, applying a good amount of pressure.

Turn the bird around and repeat so you have cut all the way down one side of each spine and it is now free.

Pull out the spine. You can now flip your bird over and flatten it out.

Marinade: Mix together 3 tbsp rose harissa paste, 3 tbsp olive oil, juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange, 1 tbsp honey,  tsp pure sea salt and coat the chicken, ideally overnight but a least a few hours before cooking.

How to cook: Barbecue over strong but indirect heat for around 30-40 mins, until the skin is crispy and lightly charred. Insert a knife into the thickest part of the leg to check it is cooked. If juices run clear, you are good to go

Serve with: Torn into wraps, with hummus and salad.

Connor Reed, chef, Pipers Farm

Cut: Flat brisket

Marinade: 2 garlic cloves, a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme, the grated zest of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Crush the garlic, herbs and lemon together and rub into meat and veg.

How to cook: Try using the lid of the barbecue and cook larger joints of meat for a longer time over a more gentle heat.

Serve with: A salad made with barbecued red onions, pickles, beetroot, parsley and lemon.

Sam Richards, recipe writer, Abel & Cole

Meat: Cull Yaw Lamb

From The Cornwall Project at Phillip Warrens Butchers

Best Cut: The chops for their tender meat and crisp juicy fat

Seasoning: A good seasoning of salt and once almost cooked, coat them in date syrup.

How to cook: Very gently over very low coals covered in ash or if your barbecue has indirect setting then use that. Turn regularly and to finish let the fire flare up a little to crisp the outside  these chops have a lot of fat on them so this will happen easily. Coat in date syrup and place back on the grill to char a little more on either side. Coat a second time in the syrup and then back on the grill. Leave to rest for five mins before eating.

Serve with: These chops are very rich from the fat and syrup, so pair them with a little red onion soaked in vinegar for a sharp kick and coriander for freshness.

Selin Kiazim, co-founder Oklava

Meat: Pork, from a heritage rare breed

Cut: The collar of a British lop pig (try Trevaskis Farm), which will offer you a depth of flavour that the finer cuts cannot.

Marinade: Create an Indian style pesto with fresh coriander, lots of garlic, mint, green chillies, ginger, olive oil, cloves, salt, cider vinegar and lime juice. Cut the pork into strips and rub it into the pork well and leave for six to eight hours to marinade. Then scrape off marinade to cook.

How to cook: If you have a barbecue with a cover then put the meat in the low heat section and lower the lid to let it cook gently. Then transfer it to the hot side to add colour and serve.

Serve with: Plain rice with some butter, peas and garlic run through. Pasta tossed with olive oil and garlic and some fresh coriander. Add crushed chilli flakes for best results.

Cyrus Todiwala, chef, author of Simple Spice Vegetarian

Cook these jerk style with Scotch bonnet chillies (Ethical Butcher) (Adam Gray)

Meat: Lamb riblettes

Marinade: Jerk style   bunch fresh finely chopped thyme leaves, 100ml clear honey, 40g ground cinnamon 2 Scotch bonnet chillies  finely chopped, 40g ground pimentos (allspice), 100ml dark rum (for 8 riblettes)

How to cook: Marinade the lamb in the fridge for 24 hours, if possible. Place the marinated lamb riblettes on a hot barbecue, rotating every 4-5 minutes until cooked all the way through. Leave to rest for 3-4 minutes.

Serve with: Apple and celeriac coleslaw  1 celeriac, 3 braeburn apples, 150g mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons English mustard,  bunch chives, salt and pepper for seasoning.

Adam Gray, chef, recipe for The Ethical Butcher

Lizzie Rivera is the founder of sustainable lifestyle guide, livefrankly.co.uk
As well as launching her new website in the last couple of weeks, local artist Orla Hickey was asked to take part in Tourism Ireland's international online campaign #FillYourHeartWithIreland.

Tourism Ireland contacted Orla after spotting a time-lapse drawing she had posted on her Instagram page, @urban_fabric_by_orla_hickey, of her vibrantly coloured drawing of Strand street in Kanturk. Her work was shared via Tourism Ireland platforms in Italy, The Netherlands, Australia, USA and the Middle East.

Her time-lapse posts show her process of creating authentic representations of Irish streetscapes and landmarks in vibrant colours to highlight the everyday beauty throughout Ireland.

"I am thrilled that I was asked to be part of such an exciting campaign where Irish artists, photographers and musicians are involved. It's fantastic to see people overseas connect with Ireland through my art," Orla said.

The campaign wants to connect Ireland with the rest of the world when people can't travel right now but want them to keep Ireland in their minds for future trips.

Drawing on her background in Architecture, Orla started her business in late 2018. She has always enjoyed art in many forms, with one of her projects as an illustrator for a beautiful children's book entitled 'Celebrating You', created by The Hr Suite, to discuss inclusivity and diversity in life.

If you would like to see more of Orla's art, visit her website at www.urbanfabric.ie or on her social media pages.
One of the countys top public health officials doesnt anticipate a spike in coronavirus cases due to large crowds of tourists visiting the area.

Instead, Carlo Nevicosi, deputy director for the Walworth County Department of Health and Humane Services, said he anticipates seeing an increase in cases as more people are tested.

I dont have too much concern of it spreading, as it is already here, he said.

After the Wisconsin State Supreme Court overturned Gov. Tony Evers Safer at Home order, which closed most businesses in an effort to curb the spread of the virus, large numbers of tourists have flocked to Lake Geneva and other parts of Walworth County.

Many of the visitors arent wearing masks or practicing six-foot social distancing guidelines. With the influx of visitors, multiple municipalities have placed some restrictions on public spaces.

In Williams Bay, the public beach is only accessible to its residents, and the city of Lake Geneva considered an ordinance that would require visitors to wear facemasks in areas where social distancing wasnt possible.

The countys health department can take some actions to curb the spread of contagious diseases. However, those actions are limited.

For example, Nevicosi said county officials cannot order the closure of a municipal park, and that decision would need to come from a local municipality.

During the Safer at Home order, Lake Geneva closed public parks, and it likely could do so again if elected officials felt it was necessary.

My understanding is the city has the option to close city parks if we see a spike in cases, Alderwoman Mary Jo Fesenmaier said.

Nevicosi said the countys health department cannot close all businesses countywide.

However, if an individual business is linked to an outbreak, the county health department can order it to close.

Until we have that information, a health safety officer cant act, he said.

The county can also order a person who tests positive for the contagious coronations to self-quarantine.

We can have a health safety officer restrict them to their home, Nevicosi said.

Jennifer Miller of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services said people should still practice social distancing guidelines even though Safer at Home restrictions are no longer in place.

Even though Safer-at-Home was overturned and places are beginning to open, that doesnt mean the virus has gone away, she said.

Nevicosi also said with people returning to Walworth County, municipal leaders are reaching out to his department for suggestions on making community events safe.

Weve had a lot of towns call us to ask how they can make their festival safe, Nevicosi said. We recommend one person per 250 square feet. That seems like a large gathering, but that is a good distance to keep people safe.

Miller cautions people to avoid large gatherings, wash their hands regularly and stay up home if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms.

We all have a responsibility to keep each other safe from this virus, Miller said.

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American forces conducted two airstrikes on Taliban fighters to foil the militant group's plan to launch attacks on Afghan security forces, a U.S. military spokesman said on Friday, in a move that could hurt the peace process.

The airstrikes, conducted in two different provinces, were the first since the start of the Eid ceasefire declared by the Taliban and Afghan forces last month.

Sonny Leggett, a U.S. military spokesman based in Afghanistan, said in a tweet that an airstrike was carried out against 25 armed Taliban fighters executing a coordinated attack on an Afghan force checkpoint in Farah province in the west. He said a second attack was conducted in Kandahar in the south.

He did not give casualty figures, and a Taliban spokesman refused to comment on the airstrikes, which were conducted at a time when the United States is steadily pulling its troops out of Afghanistan.

U.S. President Donald Trump in recent weeks has restated his desire for a full military withdrawal from Afghanistan but has not set a target date, amid speculation he might make ending America's longest war part of his re-election campaign.

But Afghan security officials and European diplomats said the fighting had yet to ebb despite all parties working towards finding a political settlement to end the Afghan war.

At least 10 Afghan security forces members were killed on Friday morning in an ambush by the Taliban in southern Zabul province, Afghan officials said.

The Taliban has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

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Despite police crackdowns, curfews, boiling heat, rain, and fears of a global pandemic that continues to plague America, huge crowds of protesters swelled to their largest size yet on Saturday in some of the countrys biggest cities.

On the 11th day of nationwide protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, tens of thousands of demonstrators descended on Union Park in Chicago, downtown Philadelphia, New York City, San Francisco, and Seattle.

Thousands converged in Washington, D.C., where protesters covered a metal fence recently erected around the entire perimeter of the White House with banners and posters calling for an end to police brutality and racism.

Trump did not make any public appearances, instead blasting out a random LAW & ORDER! tweet while totally peaceful demonstrations were underway. Later, he reminded the nation he never was very good at crowd estimates, proclaiming that the protests in the nations capital were much smaller than anticipated.

Across the nation, the almost festival-like marches and rallies provided a jarring contrast to footage of hundreds of police officers cheering outside a Buffalo, New York, courthouse that morning, in support of two colleagues charged with second-degree assault for shoving a 75-year-old protester to the ground two days earlier.

There were no reports of major clashes between crowds and law enforcement, with the exception of scuffles between demonstrators and police in Seattle that ended an otherwise peaceful day of protest in the city.

In Washington, there were no low-flying National Guard helicopters, like the ones that had buzzed demonstrators earlier in the weekreportedly on orders of the Pentagon. And in New York, where officials have been under fire over scenes of cops surging against curfew breakers and hitting them with batons, there were close calls, but they ended in de-escalation. At one point after curfew, the situation in Brooklyn seemed bound to spin out of control.

Story continues

As a crowd of protesters merged at Eastern Parkway and Brooklyn Avenue, a dozen NYPD vans rushed east, lights blaring. Squads of riot cops assembled, putting on their helmets and swinging their batons, primed for action. A protester climbed the lamppost at the intersection, while a hundred or so protesters lay down in the street. It became clear that there was an equal number of cops on the west side of the junction: The activists were penned in.

Earlier in the week, scenes like this one had ended in violent climaxes, with NYPD officers attacking, clubbing, and pepper-spraying protesters who were guilty of  well, of not much. The aggressionit literally came out of nowhere. Id kept thinking someone must have hit a cop, but that was never the case, said Jumaane Williams, a local activist who now serves as New York Citys Public Advocate. This corner seemed ripe for a replay on Saturday night.

Come back tomorrow, they will arrest you, one protester shouted. Time to disperse! If you need water or shelter follow me! another yelled.

But no one left. And there was no confrontation. While chants of fight another day, erupted, Williams and a local city councilman huddled with the police commanders on scene. After a few minutes, an agreement was set: the marchers could continue north. Most chose to hang around insteada man was being cuffed for attempting to run over some protesters, and they decided to shout some suggestions about what ought to happen to him at the prison at Rikers Island.

Scenes not dissimilar to this played out all over Brooklyn on Saturday night, with the police keeping their distance, and even making tactical truces with the protesters calling for their reform, defunding, and even abolition. At least right here, right now, theres been some pullback, Williams said. The cops are giving us some space.

Ive seen the protesters self-regulate, too, added Williams. One woman was getting too aggressive in how she approached the cops; the protesters circled around her to prevent a confrontation. Some activists threw garbage on the streets they were marching through; others cleaned up the trash.

Asked who was responsible for pulling the police back, New York's second highest-ranking public official responded: I don't know who's in charge.

Throughout the day, many marchers made the protests a family affair. Im letting them learn right here, in person. I want them to see firsthand that its not just black people fighting for them. Were all family, said Demetrius Oliver, 38, who bought his three young children to a march in Philadelphia.

The importance of demanding change for the next generation was echoed by demonstrators in other cities.

I wanted him to see what it is to protest and that he has to stand up for his rights, because he has rights, said Stacey Samuels, a nurse practitioner who attended a protest in Brooklyn with her 11-year-old son.

I think the crescendo is building, she said of the huge turnout at protests across the country.

Noah Shachtman/The Daily Beast

My whole life has been spent trying to keep my sons from being killed and out of the school-to-prison pipeline. Seven of their friends were killed, two by police. One when police were dispersing a crowd and another when he was being chased for missing a court date and crashed. The police dont act like that in white communities, said Tevis Duncan, who took part in a demonstration in Louisville, Kentucky.

I want a future that I can be proud of for my children, said Chad Nasr, a 24-year-old grad student in Louisville.

Heather Orsini, who lives in New Jersey, marched in Philly with a sign that read, If the shooting starts, get behind me. She told The Daily Beast: I know that things have been getting crazy and I want my friends to know theyre protected. That Ill protect them.

Sara Sheridan for The Daily Beast

Following days of unrest stoked by an at-times irritated and defiant President Trump, Washington, D.C. officials said they expected Saturday to mark the biggest turnout yet.

Around 2 p.m. huge crowds gathered in front of Congress and the Supreme Court and chanted the names of the victims of police brutality.

Some came with portable speakers, blasting audio of speeches from such black leaders as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcom X. Onlookers offered free water, free snacks! and complimentary hand sanitizer in the 90 degree heat.

A casually dressed Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) greeted waves of protesters passing between two Senate office buildings, handing out bottles of water and Kind bars.

I think members of Congress need to support peaceful protests, he told The Daily Beast, saying the crowds sent an incredibly powerful message of unity.

Kimberly Walker, 28, from Maryland, and some other licensed therapists set up a table outside St. Johns Episcopal Church, the church across from the White House that Trump used to stage his pointless Monday photo op. They were offering free protein bars, fresh fruit, and water to protesters.

We noticed that there was a need, that while the protests were happening... a lot of people were getting really emotional. We just wanted to kind of be out here to de-escalate everybody, Walker said. The group, who called themselves Social Workers 4 Justice said they were offering 10 minute therapy sessions and had, moments earlier, spoken to a distraught woman.

Shes like, Nobody listens to me. They dont help me. They dont have any resources for me, Walker said. And I said, What is it that you need? Lets write it down. We got a notepad out. We took some notes and then we gave her our information.

As the march passed Trump International Hotel on Pennsylvania Ave.just a few blocks from the White Housea long line of protesters started lustily booing and shouting at the wall of security and police flanking the presidents hotel. They shouted, Fuck Donald Trump and Vote him out! Others opted to walk past silently, middle fingers raised high at the presidents namesake.

Many demonstrators made clear they blamed the president for encouraging racism.

We are tired of the blatant racism in this country and Trump incited it. This had been coming for a while. We expect change, Annette Bridges, 67, told The Daily Beast in Louisville.

At a public memorial held for Floyd in Raeford, North Carolina, on Saturday as protests were underway, a local sheriff called on fellow law enforcement officers to listen to protesters and realize that we are part of the problem.

Enough. Don't let the life of George Floyd be in vain. It has become a sacrifice, Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin said at the memorial service, held 12 days after white Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin held his knee on Floyds neck until he lost consciousness and died.

A vigil was also held for Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday, a day after she would have turned 27 had she not been gunned down in a botched no-knock police raid in March. An EMT, she was asleep when she was shot eight times in her own home.

Ian Bateson for The Daily Beast

Taylors death sparked protests and an FBI investigation, but even the outrage over her death was not enough to stop other cases of excessive force by police, a fact which protesters have said makes them more determined to keep protesting.

Dont forget while we were peacefully protesting they killed David McAtee, Sadiqa Reynolds, the head of the Louisville Urban League, said at Saturdays vigil. McAtee, a black restaurant owner in Louisville, was fatally shot by authorities during protests earlier this week after he allegedly fired a gun.

Breonna was an essential worker. Everyday her mother prayed for her to make it home. But imagine that your baby makes it home and the police break through the door and shoot. What do you say? You say no justice, no peace, Reynolds said.

Demonstrators sang happy birthday in honor of Taylor and chanted her name, with plans for the crowd to release balloons to pay tribute.

Noah Shachtman/The Daily Beast

In New York City, where the streets were flooded Saturday with people coming together and sharing free food and drinks with demonstrators, there was a strong sense of hope after nearly two weeks of unrest.

There was a Muslim community that came out and prayed a few days ago. Yesterday the Jewish community was out here holding hands. People are realizing that this is a movement, this is a revolution, the last time this happened was with Martin Luther King. This is our time. People are losing patience, theyre losing hope, they dont want to live in fear. They want to live equal, said Sami Rahman, attending a protest in Brooklyn.

I couldnt sit home and watch TV.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6)  The Department of Health (DOH) said it was again including hydroxychloroquine in the so-called Solidarity Trial, a study testing different anti-coronavirus drugs and therapies, upon recommendation from the World Health Organization.

Speaking at the Laging Handa briefing Saturday, DOH Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said the WHO issued a statement saying the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine can again be included in the Solidarity Trial following the results of new studies.

"On 3 June 2020, WHO's Director-General announced that on the basis of the available mortality data, the members of the committee have recommended that there are no reasons to modify the trial protocol," a statement on the WHOs website said.

"Tayo naman dito sa Pilipinas, nung tayo po ay binigyan ng advice na ganyan, ating itinigil yung mga newly allocated  yung mga sa bago na ia-allocate pa lang. Pero yung ating mga kababayan na on hydroxychloroquine ulit, hindi naman natin itinigil. So ngayon ang status natin ipinagpapatuloy na siya ulit, na kasama na siya ulit dun sa mga gamit na sinusubukan natin for this WHO Solidarity Trial," said Vergeire.

[Translation: Here in the Philippines, when we were given that advice, we stopped (giving it to) those who were newly allocated  those who will only start receiving it. But for those of our countrymen who were on hydroxycholoroquine, we never discontinued it. So the status now is to continue it, it will again be included among those being tested for this WHO Solidarity Trial.]

RELATED: PH halts clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine in new COVID-19 patients upon WHOs advice

At least 150 Filipinos are taking part in the Solidarity Trial, a global effort to find a cure for the deadly viral illness by testing the drugs remdesivir, lopinavir/ritonavir, lopinavir/ritonavir with interferon beta-1a, and hydroxychloroquine on patients

The DOH announced on April 22 that the participation of the Philippines in the Solidarity Trial had been approved by the DOH's Single Joint Research Ethics Board.

The board reviews proposed studies to make sure they adhere to accepted ethical standards involving humans. The approval gives the green light for testing to be conducted in human volunteers.

Based on clinical trial protocols, patients included in the study must be at least 18 years old, be probable or confirmed COVID-19 cases, and have given their informed consent.
Below Deck Mediterranean fans have likely heard the story about how Captain Sandy Yawn had to outsmart a gang of pirates in the Red Sea.

BELOW DECK MEDITERRANEAN  Season:5  Pictured: Captain Sandy Yawn  (Photo by: Karolina Wojtasik/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

Yawn shared details of the account during the Below Deck Mediterranean After Show but has also spoken extensively about the terrifying encounter where guns were pointed at her vessel. Yawn said shes actually encountered pirates on a number of occasions. But adds, I was never attacked by pirates. You know how the story grows? But, Ive been chased by pirates several times.

And while shes offered detailed insight into some of her encounters she recently revealed how dangerous the pirate encounter was to her crewespecially the women working on board.

Women were not accepted in this territory

Yawn said she had to keep the women on board below deck because they were not accepted in Yemen. We found these two islands off Yemen, and made our way there at five knots on one engine and when we anchored, it was at about four in the morning, she told Express.co.uk.

When we woke up there was a military zone and we were surrounded by gunboats, she continued. And basically, all the women had to stay below [deck] and hide because we were in a place where women were not accepted.

RELATED: Below Deck Med: Captain Sandy Admits She Thought the Show Would Ruin Her Career

As a result of that, we tried to leave their territory and once we left, the boat caught on fire and that was about 15 minutes into our trip, she added. I had heard a warship [on the radio], and what had stuck out to me was a female voice and I heard this female voice on the Navy warship 68 and she stuck in my brain because I was like wow, thats really cool.

She also had crew drama at the same time

A Below Deck Med After Show producer asked Yawn to provide more details about the encounter. I was already stressed out. Like I didnt need to hear that pirates were coming, she recounted. When theyre off the bow, thats when you can tell me the pirates are here!

Then one crew member tried to kill another crew member. The chief engineer tried to kill the guy who pulled the CO2, she recalled. This was all happening at once. I actually had one guy from California who said Im going tell them Im Canadian! And Im like, Man up! Youre American. You got balls. Man up!

RELATED: Below Deck Med: How Did Captain Sandy Outsmart Pirates in the Red Sea?

In the end, her calm and controlled demeanor helped keep the boat and her crew safe. And that was a defining moment in my career. I won an award for that and my crew were fantastic, she told Express.co.uk. We did a fire drill the day before that happened so we managed to get the fire out very quickly.

And I called that warship to rescue us, I just said Im an American citizen, our boat was on fire and were stuck in Northern Territory,' she added. The coolest part about that was they said, you are our priority and you will remain our priority until you are safe and then they came and rescued us.
Press Service of the President of Ukraine

German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a telephone conversation with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky supported the reformatting of the Trilateral Contact Group, which is involved in resolving Donbas conflict. This was reported by the Office of the President of Ukraine.



"Chancellor Angela Merkel said she supported the changes in the work of the Trilateral Contact Group initiated by Ukraine," the statement said.



The head of the Ukrainian state also informed the Chancellor of Germany about the current security situation in Donbas, noting the problems that require increased attention from Ukrainian international partners.



We are open, we are ready to move forward. It is extremely important to ensure the access of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the occupied territories for verification of detainees. The access of the OSCE SMM for monitoring is also important. We want to identify new separation of forces' sites. Effective implementation of the agreements reached in last year in Paris should open the way to the next summit in Berlin," Zelensky said.

Related: Zelensky on Health Minister: I still have no complaints against Stepanov



In addition, the leaders of the countries discussed the issue of cooperation between Ukraine and Germany in the field of countering the Covid-19 pandemic and financial and economic relations.



Earlier the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, during the working visit to Germany, gave an interview in which he stated that the Ukrainian side was ready to negotiate the special status of these regions within Ukraine, without giving them the right to veto any national decisions.
In Londons Trafalgar Square, the usual crowds of tourists have been replaced by hundreds of homeless people who line up each night for hot food and drink, distributed daily by volunteers.

Nadia Balan, a 26-year-old bartender and artist from Romania, became homeless for the first time in April after she lost her job at a pub and was evicted from her room in a shared house because she could no longer afford the rent.

I work very hard. I never thought I would lose my job. Ms. Balan said, sitting on a pile of her belongings under a restaurant doorway. I am so scared, I cant sleep. Every night the streets empty, only druggies and gangs stay here and they are like zombies. There is nowhere to sleep safely.

Ms. Balan signed up for hotel accommodation, but it was not clear when she would be placed. Those sleeping on the streets must first be verified by an outreach team, which then passes the information to the local authorities.

Weve seen people whove been waiting several days or over a week just to have someone come out and see them, said Alex Norris, a caseworker for a London homeless charity, Glass Door.

In some boroughs that have much higher levels of rough sleeping than others, people are being added onto waiting lists, and then essentially being told they need to continue to sleep out until something becomes available.
LA Galaxy have released midfielder Aleksandar Katai following inflammatory messages posted on social media by the Serbian player's wife earlier this week.

In the now-deleted Instagram posts, Tea Katai reportedly mocked the Black Lives Matter movement and urged violence against people protesting over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer.

One of the posts was a screenshot from a video showing two New York City police officers driving their vehicles through a crowd of demonstrators with the caption, in Serbian, that translates to 'kill the s****!'

LA Galaxy have released Serbian midfielder Aleksandar Katai from his contract

It comes after Katai's wife, Tea (left), reportedly made 'racist and violent' posts on social media

The other post shows an apparent looter with boxes of Nike shows with the caption 'Black Nikes Matter'. The Associated Press reported Tea Katai also wrote another post in Serbian that described the protesters as 'disgusting cattle.'

The MLS club were quick to condemn the posts, asking for them to be removed on Wednesday.

'Earlier today, the LA Galaxy were made aware of a series of racist and violent social media posts by Tea Katai, the wife of LA Galaxy midfielder Aleksandar Katai,' the club said in a statement earlier this week.

'The LA Galaxy strongly condemned the social posts and requested their immediate removal. The LA Galaxy stands firmly against racism of any kind, including that which suggests violence or seeks to demean the efforts of those in pursuit of racial equality.'

As in dozens of cities across the United States, thousands have joined demonstrations in Los Angeles against racism and police brutality.

'The LA Galaxy stand with communities of colour, and especially the Black community, in the protests and fight against systemic racism, social inequality, bigotry and violence,' the team said.

'Now is the time to reflect on our role in helping fight racism in our community.'

Galaxy decided to release Katai from his contract after meeting with the player on Thursday.

The 29-year-old joined the Galaxy in December after spending his first two MLS seasons with the Chicago Fire. He has made nine appearances for Serbia's national team.

Aleksandar disowned his wife's posts in a statement on his Instagram account on Wednesday

He said what his wife wrote was 'unacceptable' and that he condemns white supremacy

Aleksandar disowned his wife's posts in a statement on his own Instagram account on Wednesday night.

'These views are not ones that I share and are not tolerated in my family,' he wrote.

'I will ensure that my family and I take the necessary actions to learn, understand, listen and support the black community.

'I am sorry for the pain these posts have caused the LA Galaxy family and all allies in the fight against racism.'

Katai had made two appearances for Galaxy this season before matches were suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He made the move to Los Angeles following a stint at Chicago Fire and has previously played for Deportivo Alaves in LaLiga.
'Everybody knows that any solution would upstage and expose official bungling.'

'That is something Mrs Sitharaman's masters will not allow.'

'No matter how high the cost in human misery, they will squander a fortune on the unnecessary Central Vista extravaganza,' notes Sunanda K Datta-Ray.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

Shri Narendra Modi-ji doesn't have to be the 'Jagadguru of Jhoot' just because a Congress functionary says so.

But Nirmala Sitharaman is surely the Marie Antoinette of Indian politics.

She would not otherwise have spoken of an annual income of 'only' -- stressing the only -- Rs 18 lakh.

Nor would she have dismissed those who wallow in such wealth as the 'lowest rung' of the middle class, again emphasising the 'lowest', in the same television programme.

Clearly, the finance minister, who has emerged in recent weeks as the prime Mminister's most articulate spokesman and ardent champion, believes that a farmer is someone who owns a farmhouse in Delhi's Chhattarpur.

Aam Aadmi Party activists must be mango sellers. Warned that migrants are revolting, she might retort like the French queen, 'Yes, aren't they?'

These are bewildering times for stalwarts of what Rahul Gandhi calls the 'Suit-Boot Party'.

They can't fathom the contrary streak in the desi psyche, the stubbornness that refuses to be locked down even when wise men proclaim 'lockdown all day keeps Covid away'.

Nor can they reconcile Modi-ji's triumphalist hugging and hand-holding with global VIPs with social-distancing.

Diplomatic nirvana may elude the prime minister until he can enclose China's Xi Jinping with his enigmatic cat-that-got-at-the-cream smile in a tight bear's hug.

But not every ruler of a limping Third World nation can boast of being on embracing terms with the Lone Superpower or even Israel's 'Bibi'.

The elbow-bumping alternative seems like surrendering an enviable privilege. If social-distancing is coldly Indian, anti-social proximity is cosily Bharatiya for touchy-feely natives.

Another paradox. Shri Amit Shah-ji, our revered home minister, has himself announced there is food aplenty in the Food Corporation of India's godowns (presumably after allowing for rodents, rotting and robbery) to feed every one of 1.3 billion Indians.

Yet, the migrants perversely insist on starving amidst this abundance. Suit-Boot wallahs would wonder with Oscar Wilde why people don't ring the bell for dinner when they feel hungry.

Why don't they eat cakes, Mrs Sitharaman might ask. Perhaps they are like the legendary Bengali Brahmin purohit, who, when asked how many rosogollas he could wolf down, shot back, 'In whose house?'

So many people going walkabout in the heat and dust is yet another mystery. Those who wanted to escape the sizzling sun or being lashed by Cyclone Amphan -- and quite rightly too -- should have avoided the pestilential plains altogether.

The British considerately created ideal getaways for every region -- Ooty, Darj, Naini -- where India and its grim truths could be blissfully forgotten.

Now that Modi-ji has sorted out those pesky Pakis -- sorry, Kashmiris --remote Gulmarg provides an even more attractive respite from reality.

That's where walkers should have walked instead of obstructing oncoming trains, blocking hell-for-leather lorries, climbing trucks laden with bursting sacks, filling tempos with sweating humanity and nudging putrefying corpses in morgue vans. No regard for hygiene or road safety!

When the Centre provided trains, migrants grumbled there were not enough of them, they didn't leave from or go to the right towns, and, ultimate horror, tickets had to be paid for. Where did they think they lived? Boris Johnson's welfare State?

Think, too, of the lack of consideration for overworked policemen who must keep roads clear for cars.

It's tiring -- and tiresome -- to have to stand in line in the heat with their lathis, whacking every passing back and backside.

That's why Yashwant Sinha wants the army with its greater experience of whacking to take over.

He must also show that his Bharatiya Janata Party was more efficient than this one and that he administered finance more diligently than today's incumbent.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal supports him because it is a party in search of a purpose. Sinha's other ally, the Aam Aadmi Party, can't afford not to plunge into every show in town.

That leaves the Marxists who first sought the military's efficient, disciplined and disinterested help in a crisis that the Union government has worsened with its heartless cheeseparing and squabbling with state leaders, the sleight of hand of an illusory Rs 20 trillion bonanza, and the megalomaniacal posturing of politicians.

Nobody knows whether the Marxist commitment really is to a sympathetic solution.

But everybody knows that any solution would upstage and expose official bungling. That is something Mrs Sitharaman's masters will not allow.

No matter how high the cost in human misery, they will squander a fortune on the unnecessary Central Vista extravaganza while a Pune auto driver spends his meagre savings on feeding hungry migrants.

Production: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
She realised many of these women shared particular challenges. "They have big families, they don't have the language, they don't have the transport," she says. While working for the police in Parramatta, Kariuki-Fyfe began a series of initiatives. She founded the African Village Market  a program to help migrants and refugees start their own businesses, which ran from 2011 to 2015. She was part of a group who started the African Women's Dinner Dance, which has brought together hundreds of women every year since 2006 for music, dancing, traditional food and stories to overcome the isolation that many feel. And Parramatta Council's 2012 Citizen of the Year did not stop there. After Horin sought subjects for a play about the violence and trauma affecting many migrant women from Africa in 2011, Kariuki-Fyfe told her story in her first stage appearance in the 2013 hit The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe, revealing her sexual abuse as a child. After the first season in Parramatta, she continued with the play for later runs at Belvoir St, in London and at the Sydney Opera House. "The hard life I went through in Kenya, The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe really helped me upload that," she says. "Because I'd never talked about it to anybody, that was the best thing that ever happened. Right now, I don't think about it. But maybe if I do think about it, it doesn't hurt because I've dealt with it. What makes me stand tall is because it didn't define me. I'm strong."

After Horin followed up with a 2016 documentary of the same name, about the play, she realised they had unfinished business. "When we were in rehearsals for the play, Rosemary was so often late and not there," she says. "I used to get rather frustrated or annoyed. She said, 'I'm busy' and, 'I'm doing really important things'. So when I finished the film I wanted to know more about what she was doing." That led to Rosemary's Way, which is about another of Kariuki-Fyfe's initiatives: a cultural exchange program to take migrant women to regional areas to meet what they call "Aussies"  Anglo Australians  who they rarely meet in their daily lives in such suburbs as Auburn, Villawood, Blacktown and Liverpool. Rosemary Kariuki-Fyfe (bottom) with Yarrie Bangura, Aminata Conteh-Biger and Yordanos Haile-Michael from The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe. Says Kariuki-Fyfe: "I remember this South Sudanese man saying 'I've been in this country for 10 years and I still don't feel I belong because no one has ever invited me into their home'. I thought, 'Wow, is this an issue?' It kept me thinking." Around that time, a group of women from Ulladulla on the south coast wanted to come to the African Women's Dinner Dance but did not have the money for motels. "I said, 'Don't worry, if you don't mind sharing beds, you can stay with us'," Kariuki-Fyfe says. "In the morning we were making breakfast, cooking eggs, when one of the ladies from Ulladulla said, 'We can [host you] and we can learn from each other'. That's how the cultural exchange program was born."

Since the first exchange to Ulladulla in 2008, Kariuki-Fyfe has taken up to 40 women twice a year into the homes of "Aussies" in such areas as Maitland, Port Macquarie, Central Coast, Bathurst, Griffith and Corowa, which has proven valuable for the hosts and hosted. Horin originally thought they might just be sightseeing trips but discovered that women spending time together, cooking meals, learning about each other's lives, then having a party in traditional dress could be a deeply affecting experience. "I think the act of just being taken into an Aussie's  as they call them  house and staying with strangers for a weekend and cooking together has a profound effect," she says. "Everybody at the end of it swaps phone numbers. What's so lovely is a lot of the women are still going back to their host's homes, such terrific connections were forged. And the fabulous thing is it meant so much to the Australians as well ... just by learning about the culture of other people." Kariuki-Fyfe, who also volunteers for Camden Council's Cohesive Communities committee, wants more cultural exchanges. "Instead of people staying in their silos, we want refugees and migrants to connect to Australians," she says. "I would like to see one united community. One united Australia. Let us all be one." Horin plans to screen Rosemary's Way around the country to make different communities more connected by understanding other cultures. That starts with a world premiere in the $10,000 Australian documentary competition in the Sydney Film Festival  the first virtual edition because of the pandemic  that starts on Wednesday.

It's a cut-down program of 33 films: 10 Australian documentaries, 10 films by European women filmmakers and 13 Australian shorts in the Dendy Awards and Screenability section for filmmakers with a disability. Features will be streamed with pre-recorded introductions and Q&As with filmmakers. Loading Festival director Nashen Moodley says it is the smallest staging since the 1950s, with many of the films that he planned to include being held back for festivals and cinema release next year. "I anticipate that given cinema production has halted virtually everywhere in the world, quite a number of the films that we considered and invited for our 2020 edition will play at the 2021 edition," he says. So how should viewers approach a virtual festival? Moodley is naturally encouraging viewers to watch as much as possible. "I'd probably watch things by section," he says. "I'd watch, for instance, all the Australian documentaries in the competition, then all the short films in the Dendys and the Screenability films perhaps in one session. But if you want to watch one film followed by a feature film each night, you can do that as well."

There will be free online competition, with the festival also partnering with SBS On Demand for screenings of 40 favourites from years past from June 10 to July 10 and the St Kilda Film Festival screening shorts from June 12 to 20. For details and tickets, selling individually or in bundles, go to www.sff.org.au. Other documentary highlights The Weather Diaries: Explores the future for the director's daughter amid threats of climate change and mass extinction. Director: Kathy Drayton. The Weather Diaries. Credit:Sydney Film Festival The Skin of Others: Portrait of Aboriginal WWI soldier Douglas Grant's life, starring the late Balang T. E. Lewis. Director: Tom Murray.
Vineet Upadhyay By

Express News Service

DEHRADUN: The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which guarantees 100-days of work, seems not faring well in Uttarakhand.

Only 22,000 people across the state were provided with 100-days of employment against the sanctioned job cards of 11.26 lakh in the financial year 2019-20. On average, only 42-days of work was provided to the registered card-holders across the state.

Mohmmad Aslam, state coordinator for MGNAREGA said, "The work is being provided as many people as we can. Wages have also been increased from Rs 182 to Rs 201 recently. Total 13626 new job cards have been issued to returnees from other states out of which 9220 people have been provided work."

The officials added that a total of 7.13 lakh card-holders under the scheme are active.

The data on the government website paints a grim picture in all 13 districts of the state where migration has become a major issue.

People from remote areas including bordering villages with China and Nepal are migrating to other parts of the country in thousands in search of better livelihood.

Madan Kaushik, state cabinet minister and spokesperson for the state government, said, "The scheme is being implemented with due diligence. Work will be provided to everyone who is registered."

In April this year, while interacting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttarakhand Chief Minister suggested the PM to increase the minimum duration of MGNREGA from 100 to 150 days.

Earlier, in February this year, to arrest migration in worst-affected 245 villages in Uttarakhand, the state government drafted a plan to provide a minimum of 100-days of work through the rural employment scheme.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5

Trend:

The number of coronavirus tests conducted in Azerbaijan has been revealed, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani Management Union of Medical Territorial Units (TABIB).

As of June 5, 5,811 tests were conducted to detect new cases of infection.

In accordance with the data, in general, 328,385 tests were conducted throughout the country.
Edward Walker says his worst moment during Tuesdays police confrontation on 4th Street occurred when he was scrambling to get under a locked parking garage gate while he was gagging, his skin was burning and he couldnt see.

A woman went under the gate with him. I crushed her, Walker says. I didnt care.

When he discusses 4th Street and the George Floyd protests, Justin LaFrancois remembers the tear gas, how the distinctive clouds choked off the block between College and Tryon streets before enveloping the hundreds of people trapped in between.

Thats when the alternative newspaper publisher said he felt like he was trying to breathe with my head in a bucket of bleach, and the thought arose he might not get out of uptown alive.

With nowhere to run, Melody Rogers, 26, says she and dozens of other protesters sat in the middle of 4th Street and huddled against the police barrage.

We thought that it would make them stop, Rogers says. But they were shooting pepper balls at us, and they continued to throw tear gas.

The three Charlotte-area residents were among an estimated 500 people who were marching Tuesday night in protest of the Minneapolis police killing of Floyd.

They are also among 10 first-hand witnesses who gave almost identical descriptions to the Observer of what occurred when the demonstrators reached 4th, and 200 or more of them were trapped between advancing lines of police.

Their accounts provide new details of a violent encounter between police and residents protesting police brutality. They also reopen critical questions about the tactics used by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in response to public protests.

Protesters scramble on 4th Street as police blocked both ends of the block and fired chemical agents at the trapped protesters.

Walker, 42 and an African American father of seven, said he remains shaken from the experience.

That was some Third World crap that they pulled, he says. On their own citizens. In Charlotte.

As they walked up 4th Street, the marchers say the police did not try to stop them nor order them to disperse.

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They just ambushed us, Rogers says.

The confrontation, captured on multiple videos, has drawn condemnation from Mayor Vi Lyles, many on the Charlotte City Council and law enforcement experts, while triggering a state investigation into the legality of the police response.

CMPD chief defends use of chemical agents but calls for additional review of tactics

CMPD did not respond to Observer requests for an interview for this story. A Friday press conference, police Chief Kerr Putney announced that his departments emergency tactics and policies will undergo an outside expert review to see if they meet the ethical and moral standards we want to hold ourselves to.

Putney earlier described the 4th Street marchers as rioters who had left a trail of violence throughout uptown. He said they had been given multiple orders to disperse, and that there was nothing to indicate whatsoever that there was intentional abuse on the part of our officers.

But on Friday, the chief acknowledged errors by his officers. He had said earlier that police who broke the law or department polices on 4th Street will be held accountable.

CMPD chief refuses to tell city who ordered chemical agents used on peaceful protesters

What happened Tuesday night, Putney said, were not (the tactics) we wanted to see.

Across the country, public safety officers have come under fire for violent responses caught on video during the Floyd protests  from outside the White House to New York and Los Angeles, and cities in between.

At his Friday press conference, Putney congratulated his officers for a fantastic job overall.

I just hate that Tuesday is overshadowing everything, he said. I get it. Its hard to watch.

LaFrancois, 27 and the publisher of Queen City Nerve, remains critical.

While he says he witnessed violence from protesters during his more than 60 hours of live-streaming last weeks protests, he said he saw none with the group of marchers that turned east on 4th Street shortly before 9:30 Tuesday night.

After the violence, when LaFrancois escaped into a parking deck, he can be heard on video cursing in disbelief.

I had been replaying that moment, replaying it again and again, maybe 50 times, he recalls. I finally had a chance to breathe and feel safe, to see what had happened outside of myself. And it was horrific.

The fact is we were suffocating, and I couldnt believe someone was trying to do that to us. As a guy who has never had to deal with racial disparities or racial profiling, I had never expected to experience that kind of brutality.

The chef

The confrontation on 4th Street occurred on the fifth consecutive night of protests in Charlotte over the police killing of Floyd, a North Carolina native and African American who died after a white Minneapolis patrol officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes.

The officer involved has been charged with second-degree murder. Three other policemen on the scene have also been arrested. All have been fired.

The case has unleashed outrage worldwide on how police treat minority citizens. In Charlotte, as in many other cities, some of the demonstrations had turned violent after dark. CMPD says more than 100 arrests have been made, six dozen officers have been injured and multiple uptown businesses were damaged.

Walker joined the protests for the first time on Tuesday night. At around 9 p.m., he said he decided to drive home because the interactions between police and a group of marchers he had joined in Romare Bearden Park were growing tenser.

On his walk to his car, he says he ran into a different group of about 500 headed west toward uptown.

They were peaceful, he said. Multi-racial. A few carried signs. Walker, a trained chef, called his wife.

Im going to walk with them a little longer, he says he told her.

The marchers included Devonte Faulkner, a recent Vance High graduate who was attending the protests for the first time along with Katie Rothweiler, 36, a marketing agent. Adonis McKelvey, who recently graduated from UNC Charlotte, also was among them.

The group had also included Charlotte minister Christy Snow. But she said she left as the marchers began the climb toward College Street because the night had been so peaceful. Otherwise, Snow says she would have stayed.

In uptown the marchers, then on 5th Street, reached a police blockade at College. They turned south before making a quick right onto 4th.

Ashley Reyes of Mooresville said she saw bicycle police on one side of the street but thought nothing of it.

None of us did, the 20-year-old said. We thought they were just there to protect us from traffic.

Melody Rogers, with her camera running, was near the front as the group neared Tryon Street. She said police showed no signs of trying to stop them.

They havent given us a dispersal order. They havent told us that were under arrest. Theres no curfew. So we just kept marching forward, she said.

LaFrancois, who estimates that he has walked more than 75 miles filming the protests, said he has been targeted at times by police pepper balls and smoke canisters even when he wore his media credentials and stood off by himself.

Now, on 4th Street, he says he turned to a walking companion to remark how peaceful the night had turned out to be.

Then, one minute later 

Your face is on fire

Rothweiler noticed the change in police tactics on 4th Street while it was still happening  riot police spilling out of a parking deck lining up behind the bike cops.

When Walker turned and looked back down 4th, he said he saw that the street had been sealed off at College by another line of police. Eerie, he says he said to himself.

Up ahead, the group was nearing Tryon when another line of police streamed from behind the building that houses Michael Jordans condominium, Rogers video clip shows.

Within seconds, the block bordered on both sides by tall buildings had been clamped shut by police.

Tear gas clouds envelops protesters who said they were trapped on 4th Street by police, who unleased a barrage of chemical agents.

Video shows officers at Tryon firing flashbang grenades that sent marchers running back down 4th Street. The line of police at College opened up with tear gas while pepper balls hailed down from officers perched above, witnesses say.

(Putney says his officers were not shooting at people, and that department policy requires them to shoot down at flat surfaces or walls only.)

Trapped in the middle of the block, the demonstrators mashed up against each other and were soon overtaken by the tear gas.

McKelvey, the UNCC grad, said he felt like he was in a gas chamber, that his body was filled with poison.

You cant help but try to touch your face or something for some sort of relief and it just burns your face even more, he said. Your face is on fire.

Walker said he was struck in the foot by some kind of projectile and fell to the pavement. He said he saw a group of young white girls run up to the line of police, but they pushed them back toward us.

By then the gas had reached him. Everything felt like it was on fire, he said.

LaFrancois, who by now used his cell camera like a second pair of eyes, searched for an escape. On his earlier walks through uptown during the protests, he had noticed the security gate to a parking garage on the south side of 4th. Now, he and others tried to wrench it upward so the marchers could slide beneath it.

Walker was one of them.

That was the worst part, he said. You could hear the pop, pop, pop of the pepper balls, and youre stuck under the gate. Nobody can move, and it was just horrific.

Shot in the back

Outside the gate, LaFrancois said he was still waiting for his turn.

For a second I didnt think I could get under it because Im a big guy so I would have to sit there and breathe that gas until it was all over, he said.

In my video it takes seconds. In real life, it felt like it took minutes.

Out in the street, Rothweiler said her boyfriend suggested they get on their knees with their hands up. Others joined in.

We were just a huge group of people huddled together, trying to protect each other, trying to protect each other from being shot, unable to breathe, unable to find a way out.

When the gas let up, Rothweiler said she ran. She said she was struck in the back of the head by a projectile. She assumes it came from police.

Im literally running away from police, begging for my life, and theyre shooting at my back, she said. I cant stop. My survival instinct was just like, You need to keep running. 

Inside the garage, Faulkner, the Vance grad, called a former teacher who had agreed to pick him up if something went wrong.

LaFrancois kept filming. As he tried to recover, he said he saw police circling the garage, blocking exits, and firing more pepper balls at those inside. One of them was a girl with an inhaler, he said, and police fired at her, too.

Eventually, he and others walked out. But not without some remorse. For perhaps the first time all week, the real-time journalist who pledged to chronicle the protest from start to finish didnt look back.

I feel terrible that I didnt go back in there to see what happened to all those people, he said.

Walker said he briefly fainted. When he came to, he unpacked the milk he had brought in case of tear gas and poured it into his eyes. After his vision cleared, he looked around.

It was like a war scene, he said.

Walker said he went to the aid of a man who appeared to be having a heart attack. When he looked up, he was staring into the gas mask of an African American cop.

I pleaded for my life, Walker said. I said, Please sir, dont shoot me no more. He said, Man, its just OK. Get up. 
If you capture images and youre going to run those images, what about contacting people in those images and asking if its OK, Gutierrez asked.

While our photographers often do ask the name of people they photograph, photo editor Rick Wiley told me, they often dont in crowd settings where numerous people may be in a photo, often moving around or marching past.

Gutierrez is right that the stakes have changed since I started my journalism career in 1995. The consequences can be steep when a person is quoted or pictured in a controversial context. But I also know that agreeing not to picture people at a protest could be a dangerous concession for us. It could set a precedent for continuing new demands for self-censorship.

I also have trouble with the blurring proposal because it singles out traditional news media while dozens, perhaps hundreds of other cameras may be operating in a given crowd. Many of those people may be livestreaming, randomly broadcasting the faces of protesters to potentially thousands of people online.

What the problem often comes down to is that people want us to be clearly on their side, or theyll consider us the enemy.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2020) - Blackrock Gold Corp. (TSXV: BRC) ("Blackrock" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of its oversubscribed non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") previously announced for $2.75 million on May 8, 2020, as subsequently increased to $4.5 million further to the Company's news release on May 19, 2020. The Company issued a total of 22,670,737 units ("Unit") at a price of $0.20 per Unit for gross proceeds of approximately $4,534,147. Each Unit consisted of one common share of the Company ("Common Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.30 until June 4, 2023.

Proceeds from the Private Placement will be used by the Company to fund a planned 7,000 metre RC drilling program (See news April 27, 2020) and evaluate historic mineralized mine dumps and tailings surface material (See news May 7, 2020) on the Company's Tonopah West property. In addition, the Company is to continue with its 2020 exploration program at the Silver Cloud property (see news January 10, 2020), with remaining proceeds to be used for general working capital.

On closing, the Company paid a cash commission of $190,190, representing 7% of the proceeds raised in respect of a portion of the Private Placement, and 950,950 finder warrants ("Finder Warrants"), representing 7% of the Units placed by such finders. Each Finder Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.30 until June 4, 2023.

The Common Shares, Warrants and Finder Warrants issued in connection with the Private Placement and the Common Shares issuable upon exercise of Warrants and Finder Warrants are subject to a hold period expiring October 5, 2020. The Private Placement is subject to final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

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One insider of the Company purchased or acquired direction and control over a total of 250,000 Units under the Private Placement. The placement to such person constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of TSX Venture Exchange Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 -Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") adopted in the Policy. The Company has relied on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 in respect of related party participation in the placement as neither the fair market value (as determined under MI 61-101) of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the transaction, insofar as it involved the related parties, exceeded 25% of the Company's market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101).

The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the securities laws of any state and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent an exemption from registration.

Blackrock also announces that it has moved its corporate head office to 2300-1177 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 2K3

About Blackrock Gold Corp.

Blackrock is a junior gold-focused exploration company that is on a quest to make an economic discovery. Anchored by a seasoned Board, the Company is focused on its Nevada portfolio consisting of low-sulfidation epithermal gold & silver projects located along on the established Northern Nevada Rift in north-central Nevada, and the Walker Lane trend in western Nevada.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements concern the net proceeds from the Private Placement and the intended use of proceeds. Such forward-looking statements or information are based on a number of assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: conditions in general economic and financial markets; exploration costs, timing and amount of exploration expenditures; and effects of regulation by governmental agencies. The actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward looking statements as a result of the risk factors including: the availability of funds; the timing and content of work programs; results of exploration activities of mineral properties; the interpretation of drilling results and other geological data; and general market and industry conditions. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this news release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law.

For further information, please contact:

Andrew Pollard, Chief Executive Officer

Blackrock Gold Corp.

Phone: 604 817-6044

Email: andrew@blackrockgoldcorp.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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/57371
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 08:09:24|Editor: huaxia

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Welcome to your new home! A total of 8 pandas arrived in an ancient town in central China. The theme park built for them has the ideal temperature for comfortable living and is full of their favorite food!
KANSASVILLE  When more than five people show up, thats a success, Marie Frederick said gleefully, sticking her fist in the air while holding a sign that said Love One Another Saturday in front of the Dover Town Hall on Highway 75.

Fredericks plan for a protest in the Kansasville area of Dover was concocted at around noon Thursday. A press release was sent out and a Facebook event went live the next day. At 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, about two dozen people showed up.

Although the smaller group was not as vocal as the throngs filling streets in Milwaukee and Madison and Minneapolis and virtually every other major city in the U.S., the sign-wielding and peace-preaching group wanted to bring light to the ongoing racial injustices in the U.S. today, and make sure that message reached small town America.

After attending a rally last week in Milwaukee and participating in Burlingtons Kneel for Nine demonstration on Tuesday  honoring the life of George Floyd who died after a Minneapolis police officer held his knee on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes on May 25  Frederick said I couldnt not do it in my own hometown.

Im tired of the grip racism has in our own country, she added. We have preconceived notions about people based on color of skin or socioeconomic class. And those kinds of things lead to racism.

The messages of racial inequities and the pleas for nonviolence are as relevant in Kansasville as they are in Americas biggest cities, according to Saturdays demonstrators.

Communities like these need to see it. People think those problems dont exist here because they dont see them, said 17-year-old Max Frederick, Marie Fredericks son. We want to demonstrate everywhere.

The Town of Dover, which has a population of about 4,200, includes the unincorporated community of Kansasville, which centers around the intersection of highways 11 and 75.

It can seem like we are in this little bubble. It can be like were not confronted with the skeletons in Americas closet, said Thea Lavin, a sixth-generation Kansasville resident who co-organized the demonstration. We have racism here in Kansasville ... We have to stand up for our black brothers and sisters.

Preaching nonviolence

One of the major talking points of Saturdays gathering was that of nonviolence.

No matter what, all people working for freedom and justice and equality need to be committed to nonviolence, said Lavin, who runs the nonprofit Supporting House of Hope, which supports children affected by trauma in the war-torn West Bank in Palestine.

Through her experience and connections in the West Bank, Lavin wants to ensure violence against people does not continue anywhere, even during the ongoing protests that seek positive change.

Reading a statement one of her colleagues  Milad Vosgueritchian, president of the House of Hope Vision School  issued this week, Lavin said that using violence and destruction to get a message across distracts from the actual inequalities that exists.

Anytime violence breaks out  whether by police, outside agitators or misguided youth  it shifts the focus away from the oppressed, Vosgueritchian wrote.

If anything changes thanks to these demonstrations, Frederick said she hopes it will be police will expand and rely on using nonlethal tactics in law enforcement.

We, as humans, dont have the right to kill anyone, she said.

Black lives and all lives matter

Although many people have used the chant All Lives Matter to push back against the Black Lives Matter movement, and how some believe that the Black Lives Matter movement detracts from the need to respect all human life equally, Tabresha Skora has embraced both phrases.

I think Black Lives Matter, but also that All Lives Matter, she said. I support both.

Skora, 21, grew up in inner-city Milwaukee before moving to Kansasville. She now lives in Bristol in western Kenosha County. She is black, but was adopted and raised by white parents.

She said one of the reasons she wanted to attend Saturdays protest in Kansasville was to show that Not only in Milwaukee does this (movement) matter. Its important to show support here too.







For her students







Im here for my students, especially my students of color who have recently expressed sadness, fear and confusion. Im here to lead by example, to give a voice to those who feel silenced by oppressive power structures, added Juliet Lena, Fredericks sister who teaches in the Elkhorn Public School District. I want to show them how to appropriately be heard. They were already vulnerable and telling me that they were in pain and lonely and just frustrated (because of coronavirus). Now they are at home watching the news more ... They feel helpless.(tncms-asset)4a681d44-a839-11ea-9301-00163ec2aa77[0](/tncms-asset)
The Lagos State House of Assembly, Speaker Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa has revealed the intendment of those labelling him with corruption allegations through SaharaReporters, describing it as a ploy by his detractors to drag him down by all means.

Obasa who appeared before the 9-man Fact Finding Adhoc Committee of the House headed by Hon. Victor Akande (Ojo Constituency 1) on Saturday 6th June, hinted that most of the expenditures of the house had the unanimous concurrence of all.

Responding to questions from members of the Committee, Obasa stated that all the allegations made by SaharaReporters in its reports were unfounded.

The Speaker stressed that the vehicles bought for the members of the House and other expenses made by the House were done with the approval of the House and that of the Fund Management Committee (FMC) of the House headed by him takes care of approvals of expenditures above N100m,his own approval limit.

We bought Land Cruisers for Principal Officers of the House. The cars we buy for Principal Officers are always higher than those of other members and we followed the due process in the purchase.

We went through the Public Procurement Agency (PPA) and others and the vehicles were distributed appropriately.

It was agreed at the parliamentary meetings on about four occasions and the Clerk of the House is the Secretary.

Also, it is not true that my wife collects N10 Million monthly from the House. Anyone who says she does should come with proofs and evidences.

My approval limit as the Speaker of the House is N100 million. Anything above that would have to be approved by the Fund Management Committee. On Prado Jeep that we bought for the members, we followed the due process like we did in that of the Principal Officers, he said.

Obasa also debunked an allegation that N258 million was spent for the printing of invitation cards for the inauguration of the 9th Assembly.

He stressed that the whole event cost N61 Million and that N1.1 Million was spent to print the invitation cards.

It is not possible to spend N258 Million to print invitation cards. We are not involved in such a frivolous expenditure, he added.

On the expenditure of N80 Million as estacode for the training of women in Dubai, the Speaker said that wives of 20 lawmakers attended the event and that he was there to declare the event open.

We gave N4 Million to each of the participants for air ticket, hotels, feedings and local travel.

Air ticket to Dubai alone is about N2 million. Some of these allegations were raised for a crusade to get the Speaker out of office.

The House of Assembly is above common standard of excellence and we have to train people, and this comes with a cost. Learning is not cheap and I have never collected N80 Million for estacode at a go before, he said.

Defending the purchase of eight Hiace buses for committee works in the Assembly, Speaker Obasa said that it was discovered that the House was spending a lot of money to repair vehicles, which he said was why the House decided to buy the brand new buses and that the buses were there for everybody to see with documents to defend the purchases.

The Speaker also denied the allegation that he spent N53 Million for a trip to the United States of America with his mistress.

We were invited by the Consular General for a programme in the United States. Later, the programme was postponed, but I had gone ahead. I had to return home and I told others not to bother to come until the postponed dates.

Obasa told the committee that it was not possible for him to spend N17 Million for cleaning of his guest house as against the allegation made by SaharaReporters.

They only remove documents and fly them around to please themselves. All our payments go through certain procedures.

The expenditure had been there before I became the Speaker. There was no way I could have spent N17 Million on cleaning my guest house.

On the issue of awarding contracts to companies belonging to me, they should come and show evidence of where I awarded contracts to myself, he said.

On the report that he tricked former governor Akinwunmi Ambode of the state to spend N350 Million for hosting a meeting of Conference of Speakers, Obasa said told the committee that this was not possible. On the report that he tricked former governor Akinwunmi Ambode of the state to spend N350 Million for hosting a meeting of Conference of Speakers, Obasa said told the committee that this was not possible.

He maintained that such was not possible since Ambode is an accountant, who rose to be the Chief Accountant of the State.

There was no way I could have tricked Ambode to release such money anyhow. We had a meeting of the Conference of Speakers, who came with three members each and we had subcommittees who were given N2 million each.

We paid for the tickets of each Speaker, we pay for their hotel accommodation, feeding and souvenirs.

We also provided local transportation for them. All these allegations are deliberate actions of my enemies to achieve their aims that they could not achieve in the House to remove me as the Speaker of the House, which was why they came up with such reports.

On N60 Million spent for social influencers, I did not sign such money. I dont even know the companies they are talking about. The BVN they are flying about is not correct.

Whatever I have done as a Speaker, all the approvals I gave as Speaker were given based on collective approval of the members of the House, he said.

The Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, who also appeared before the panel denied attending meeting in Dubai as against the report of Sahara Reporters.

Also speaking, Chairman of the House Committee on Information and Strategy, Hon. Tunde Braimoh, said that while a media parley was held by the House, he didnt know how much was spent on the event since different people handled different aspects of the event.

We provided hospitality for the few people that came. The event involved other things, there were catering and others that were given to other people to handle.

It is most uncharitable to say we spent N47.5 Million for social media influencers. We spend money on publicity and public relations.

We have programmes that we pay for on TVC and LTV 8. We have a magazine that we produce and we print 40,000 copies quarterly and distribute to schools and other places and we pay for the content, design and production, he said.

The Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni also defended the estacode for the trip to the United States of America, saying that it followed the standard procedure, and that the programme was budgeted for under conferences and seminars.

We did not buy 11 buses, we bought eight Hiace buses for committee assignments.

The cost exceeded N100 Million and it was approved by the Management Committee of the House. It was also approved by the Public Procurement Agency and the Ministerial Tenders Board and we got a Certificate of Compliance for the purchase.

The buses are in place at the car park. We have budgetary provision for the vehicles.

The women trip to Dubai was also approved for in the budget. The Speaker was there, the wife of the Deputy Speaker was there and wives of 17 other lawmakers. Each participant got money for air fare, local transportation and others, he said.

Sanni also cleared the air on N258 Million for printing of invitation card, saying that the money for the whole event was N61 Million and that only N1.1 million was spent for the printing of the programme for the event.

He confirmed that 80 cars were bought in 11 months for the 8th and 9th assemblies.

We bought 40 Corolla Cars back-up vehicles for the 8th Assembly.

The purchase was approved by the Management Committee led by the Speaker with Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh, Saka Fafunmi, Hon. David Setonji and others as members.

In the 9th Assembly, we bought Toyota Prado for members and this was approved by the Funds Management Committee headed by the Speaker.

The issue of the vehicle was discussed at the various parliamentary meetings and it was unanimously agreed by the members.

We bought 36 Prado Jeeps for members and it went through the PPA and we have Compliance Certificate for the purchase.

We also bought six Land Cruisers for the Principal Officers approved by the FMC and PPA with Certificate of Compliance.

On women empowerment programmes. We raised a submission for the programme and it was recognised by the Assembly budget. It was not paid into the account of the wife of the Speaker. The facility manager has no relationship with the Speaker of the House, he said.

The Clerk of the House, however said that some documents might have been released to Sahara Reporters through some disgruntled staffers of the House.

We have been taking steps on that and we have transferred some staff.

The files go through many tables and there is no doubt that some devilish staffers took pictures of some of these documents and send to these people.

The staff have taken oaths and this attracts dismissal. Unofficial disclosure of information attracts dismissal in the civil service, he stated.

Two officials of Zenith Bank; Mr. John Olorundare, Chief Compliance Officer,Zonal Head of Alausa, Mr. Sanni Idowu Awe also appeared before the panel.

The bank officials stated that an individual could only have one BVN.

They confirmed that different account names could not be used for one BVN and that Speaker Obasa had only six accounts with Zenith Bank.

According to them, only two of the accounts are operational; one savings and the other current account, while the other four are dormant.

Present at the meeting were other members of the committee including Hon. Yinka Ogundimu (Agege 2), Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti Osa 2), Hon. Lukmon Olumoh (Ajeromi Ifelodun 1) and Hon. Ajani Owolabi (Lagos Mainland 1).

Others are Hon. Mojisola Alli-Macaulay (Amuwo Odofin 1), Hon. Rotimi Olowo (Shomolu 1) and Hon. Akeem Shokunle (Oshodi/Isolo 1).
On May 26, the pastor of a Chinese church stated that police secretly installed security cameras to monitor their activities. According to a report, the police tried to force him to stop preaching and spreading the gospel. Pastor Ma Chao of the Guangfu house church told China Aid he was heading to a prayer meeting when he noticed three cameras outside directly pointing at the main entrance.

"Four police officers came, saying that they were investigating the church's gathering. Two of them said we were not allowed to meet," Ma said. "I was not present at the time, but pastor Wu, along with another pastor and elders were there."

The report stated that Ma has been repeatedly harassed by the local authorities as he and his wife were blocked from leaving their building due to coronavirus.

International Christian Concern reported that the church members asked the police for their identification and for the reason behind their visit but were refused. Ma believes that the police are meant to threaten him and push him out of Guangzhou.

"A police officer said that his uniform is the ID,"

"They also took pictures of the church's Bibles, hymnbooks, and said that this is where Ma Chao has his illegal gathering, so they came specifically for it."

Although Ma's church is an illegal, unregistered house church, China has used cameras to monitor the legal Three-Self Patriotic Movement congregations.

"Last year, Bitter Winter reported that 155 of the 170 Three-Self churches in one section of Huai'an city had government-mandated cameras. They are connected to a network, allowing Chinese officials to monitor Christians."

"The Religious Affairs Bureau pressured us into installing them," a member of one church in Huai'an city told Bitter Winter.

"Each surveillance camera is connected to the public security organs, as required by the Religious Affairs Bureau. They can see every move in the church. If we didn't follow their demands, the church would have to be shut down."
AAP leader Bhagwant Mann on Saturday asserted nobody from his party was in touch with Navjot Singh Sidhu and asked the Congress MLA to clear his stand on the reports saying poll strategist Prashant Kishor approached him to take him into AAP.

On Friday, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said Kishor has denied to him he was in any discussion with Sidhu to take him into Aam Aadmi Party ahead of the 2022 state polls.

"Sidhu is very much part of our party and he is in touch with our leadership in Delhi," Singh said, adding, "These things unfortunately create confusion."

Mann too said "Sidhu Sahib" should clarify his position on the issue.

"He can clarify on his 'Jittega Punjab' (YouTube channel)," said Mann, replying to a question on Sidhu during a press conference here.

"We have already clarified that neither any of our leaders in Delhi had communicated with him (Sidhu), nor we had communicated with him," said Mann.

However, the Sangrur MP said AAP will welcome anyone who comes to it without any condition and is committed to work for the state.

Sidhu, who had been at the loggerheads with Chief Minister Singh, had resigned last year as a minister after he was stripped off key portfolios in a cabinet reshuffle. He has stayed away from the media since.

Mann also slammed the Centre, accusing it of ruining the farmers with "anti-farmer" ordinances.

He termed the ordinances on agriculture reform brought in by the Modi government as an "attempt to demolish the country's federal structure."

The Centre on Friday notified two key ordinances to kick in agriculture reforms and help farmers trade freely and fetch better prices.

The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance 2020 allows barrier-free trade in agriculture produce outside the notified APMC (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees) mandis.

It proposes to bar state governments from imposing taxes on sale and purchase of farm produce undertaken outside the mandis and give farmers the freedom to sell their produce at remunerative prices.

Whereas the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance 2020 empowers farmers to engage with processors, aggregators, wholesalers, large retailers and exporters through advanced agreements on pre-agreed prices.
The number of confirmed Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Africa has risen to over 175, 000, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

The WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, gave the update on Saturday on its official twitter handle @WHOAFRO.

There are over 175,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases on the African continent  with more than 77,000 recoveries and 4,800 deaths, it said.

WHO said that South Africa, Nigeria and Algeria have the highest reported cases on the continent.

According to the organisation, South Africa has 43,434 cases and 908 deaths, followed by Nigeria with 11, 844 confirmed cases and 333 deaths, while Algeria has 9,935 confirmed cases and 690 deaths.

It said Ghana has 9,168 reported cases and 42 deaths, while Cabo Verde has recorded 7,392 confirmed cases and 205 deaths.

WHO noted that Lesotho, Seychelles and Namibia are the countries currently with the lowest confirmed number of cases in the region.

READ ALSO:

It said Lesotho had only four confirmed cases with zero death, Seychelles had 11 reported cases and zero death, while Namibia recorded 25 confirmed cases also with no death.

The organisation said that it had signed an agreement with Cabo Verde on COVID-19 response.

Cabo Verde Ministry of Health and WHO just signed a USD 650 financial agreement to support the COVID-19 response in the country.

Funds will strengthen laboratory capacity in St Vicente and Santiago Islands, and will also reinforce human resources capacity in health centers, it said.

(NAN)
Chinese claims that Australia has become more racist since coronavirus have been shut down and branded 'entirely false'.

In a shocking move on Friday, the Chinese tourism ministry said citizens should avoid holidaying in Australia because people were 'racist'.

'Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, racial discrimination and violence against Chinese and Asian people in Australia have seen a significant increase,' the statement said.

'The Ministry of Culture and Tourism reminds Chinese tourists to enhance their safety awareness and do not travel to Australia.'

But Australia's Trade and Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham, along with deputy prime minister Michael McCormark on Saturday slammed the claims.

The Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism said in a statement on Friday that 'Asian people' were being targeted with racism (pictured, commuters in Beijing on May 18)

Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham (pictured) slammed the claims as having 'no basis in fact'

'We reject China's assertions in this statement, which have no basis in fact,' Senator Birmingham told AAP.

'Our rejection of these claims, which have been falsely made by Chinese officials previously, is well known to them.'

Mr Birmingham said the decision to close Australia's borders with China during the height of the pandemic was not easy.

'This decision was criticised by the Chinese Government at the time, but it proved to be a critical decision in keeping Australians safe from the devastation faced by much of the rest of the world,' he said.

Mr McCormack also rejected China's claims, saying he didn't know where they came from.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism told tourists not to visit Australia (pictured, president Xi Jinping)

'There hasn't been a wave of outbreaks of violence against Chinese people. I don't know why this has been stated,' he said.

'All I can say is the statement is not true.

'People from China know that this is a great country to come and visit.

'We want people from China, from anywhere in the world, to come and experience Australia.'

The claims come after a string of racist behaviour was seen against people of Asian appearance during the outbreak of COVID-19.

Sophie (pictured, left, with sister Rosa) were alleged subject to a racist attack in the street in Sydney

A man was seen cracking a whip after exploding into a racist tirade outside the Chinese Consulate in Sydney

One man was captured in footage cracking a whip outside the Chinese Embassy in Sydney in April and hurling racist remarks at people lining up outside.

The racial tirade went on for several minutes with the man claiming the Chinese 'deliberately released coronavirus'.

'We know it's deliberate. Five million people left your country and spread that filthy f***king disease worldwide,' he said.

On another occasion two sisters were allegedly abused and spat on by a teenager in Sydney's inner west.

Sophie Do, 23, and her sister Rosa, 19, were allegedly called 'Asian dogs' and a 'dumb wh***' as they crossed the street and were told they 'brought corona here'.

A Filipino family living in Port Macquarie, on the New South Wales north coast, was delivered a hate-filled letter telling them to leave the country

Asian families have also had racist slurs painted outside their homes and in one instance on their garage.

One road in Epping, Sydney was sprayed with graffiti outside a home near an Asian family reading: 'Death to dog eaters'.

A Melbourne garage belonging to a Chinese family was later covered in the offensive words: 'Covid-19 China die'

Australia and China have also been in recent tensions with each other after Australia pushed for an inquiry into the origins of coronavirus.

Racist vandals spray painted 'COVID-19 China die' on the family's home in Knoxfield in Melbourne's east
New York Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has lambasted Mayor Bill de Blasio and accused him of hiding behind his biracial family after coming under criticism over his handling of the protests and rioting that have blighted the city this week.

Williams said that the mayor used his own family as a political shield.

'This is me talking, like, you can no longer hide behind your black wife and children, not anymore. You're exposed now. We are at a time when we need your leadership. It is not there,' Williams said during a press conference live-streamed on Facebook Friday.

New York Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has lambasted Mayor Bill De Blasio and accused him of hiding behind his biracial family after coming under criticism over his handling of the protests and rioting that have blighted the city this week

Williams tweeted his disgust at how 'peaceful protesters' were treated during this week's protests

Mayor Bill de Blasio is married to Chirlane McCray, His children, Dante and Chiara de Blasio, can also be seen in this picture

De Blasio's wife, first lady Chirlane McCray, is black and the couple share two children, Dante, 23 and Chiara, 25.

During his Facebook Live broadcast Williams explained how he believed the NYPD should adopt a hands-off approach to those protesters who are caught demonstrating after 8pm despite the city adopting a curfew.

Williams lays blame squarely with the mayor for failing to ensure the demonstrations were peaceful.

'Don't put additional tension spots and say you got to be home by this time', Williams said.

NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Wiilliams is pictured holding a press conference in Brooklyn, criticizing Mayor de Blasio for implementing a curfew and adding an additional 4,000 officers

Jumaane Williams speaks during memorial service for George Floyd on Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn at a memorial service and march for justice

Chirlane McCray and Bill de Blasio are seen at the George Floyd Memorial protest at Brooklyn's Camden Plaza Park. The mayor was heckled during the protest

'It's like you're not even trying. I don't know how much you care at his point to put forth a plan. I guess it's good to show up at a George Floyd memorial, but where's your plan?' Williams asked.

Williams later then said: 'This time we're in is not about the mayor's family or any one family, but the thousands of families and people across the city who are looking for leadership and action but aren't receiving it.'

Williams, who attended a rally in downtown Brooklyn earlier in the week, expressed outrage that peaceful demonstrations were broken up after cops began physically pushing protesters out.

'I can't believe what I just witnessed & experienced,' Williams wrote on Twitter, calling the use of force on nonviolent protesters 'disgusting.'

'I can't believe what I just witnessed & experienced. The force used on nonviolent protesters was disgusting. No looting/no fires. Chants of 'peaceful protest'...'. he wrote.

Williams also called the curfew ill-advised and said he was ashamed of de Blasio.

Williams is pictured speaking with NYPD officials to de-escalate a standoff between law enforcement officers and a crowd of protesters during a march that violated a citywide curfew

Protests have continued throughout the week in New York City including on Friday in Brooklyn

He also shared a video taken outside Brooklyn Borough Hall where he was heard questioning cops' heavy-handed tactics on participants of a peaceful demonstration.

'There's no looting, there's no fires, why are we pushing everyone?' he can be heard saying.

On Thursday, de Blasio was booed off stage at a George Floyd memorial in Brooklyn.

The mayor was attempting to state 'Black lives matter in New York' when he was heckled.

'Not to you!' one person yelled out while the mayor's wife stood by his side, according to the New York Post.

The mayors office has so far not returned a request for comment.
Photo: Getty

A contract worth 108m ($137m) to procure personal protective equipment (PPE) for NHS staff was awarded to a small family pest control company.

PestFix, a firm of 16 staff with net assets of 18,000, became the government's largest PPE supplier last month, The Times reports.

A number of companies were awarded multi-million pound contracts to provide face masks, gowns and visors despite lacking experience in the field.

Double Dragon International Ltd was commissioned to supply medical and surgical face masks to the NHS, in a 2.15m contract despite being a wholesaler of coffee, tea, cocoa and spices.

The contracts were approved by the government in early April when ministers were under immense pressure to improve the supply of PPE to hospitals and care homes.

Whitehall received thousands of offers of help and paid a call centre supplier 200,000 to clear a backlog of around 5,000 offers.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Key workers targeted by tax dodging firms

The National Audit Office and parliaments public accounts committee have announced they will be scrutinising the contracts to ensure they represented value for money.

The need for PPE for frontline staff is urgent and critical but tendering outside the normal rules can be risky, Meg Hillier, chair of the committee and Labour MP, told The Times.

More than 340m has been committed to procure PPE for health and social care workers but the majority of deals were agreed without a competitive tender process under emergency rules implemented in March.

According to government records PestFix, which sells supplies for pest control, secured its hundred million pound contract after responding to the call for help from British companies.

Dan England, co-founder of PestFix has disputed the published 108m value.

A Department of Health spokesman said: The Times repeatedly criticised our efforts to get PPE to the front line, yet is now claiming that it is costing too much to do so. Our priority is to protect health and social care staff, including making sure they have the equipment they need to do their job safely.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Why the 'motherhood penalty' has been amplified by the lockdown
(@FahadShabbir)

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th June, 2020) After the cacophony around masks, tests and border closures, EU countries are now focusing on the next step, striving to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, or rather vaccines, and secure access to such a substance if someone else produces it first.

On Thursday, Handelsblatt newspaper reported that Germany is set to launch an alliance of four EU nations to ensure access to coronavirus vaccines for the bloc once they become available amid worries that China and the United States might secure control over large amounts of vaccines first.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn, together with his counterparts from France, Italy and the Netherlands, reportedly said in a letter to the European Commission that the development of a vaccine was one of the most pressing issues for the bloc.

Developing a vaccine is only half the problem. The production of billions of doses will demand time, and every country around the world is now jockeying for position to pre-pay pharmaceutical companies that have the expertise and capacity to do it. Such firms are sometimes separate from the laboratories developing the vaccines.

GSK, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi are among the companies that will produce vaccines, whatever laboratories are going to come first with a vaccine.

Since the novel coronavirus was detected in China's Wuhan in late December, vaccine projects have been launched around the world. As of early April, there have been 115 such projects, with 73 of them already in pre-clinical development and five others in phase 1 of clinical development.

Most laboratories base their work on existing vaccines against different types of viruses. Normally, this would take five years, but now it is a race against time.

Laboratories try to get publicity by announcing that they are "nearly there," as France's Sanofi has done. So did British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca working with Oxford University, so did an Israeli laboratory, Migal, in Galilee. So did an American biotech laboratory, Moderna.

Moderna is a typical example of these fast-growing hi-tech companies: the firm has lost money over the last nine years, but is valued $10 billion at the Stock Exchange.

In Germany, biotech company CureVac, headquartered in the town of Tubingen in the southwestern state of Baden-Wurttemberg, is very advanced in the development of a vaccine too, with the help of the German Health Ministry's Paul-Ehrlich institute. The US, which owns some shares of the company, reportedly sought to "reserve" the potential vaccine, with stirred a backlash in Europe. Later, the firm dismissed such media reports, saying that the US had made no such offer. The company hopes to have an experimental vaccine ready in the summer and then seek a go-ahead for testing on humans.

In France, the government expressed concerns earlier in May over Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson saying that the United States has a right to the largest preorder of a potential vaccine because it had invested a lot.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe warned that a Sanofi vaccine should be a "public good" and access to it must be equitable. President Emmanuel Macron even chaired a meeting with the Sanofi leadership to deliver it this message personally.

The European Commission immediately sided with Paris and took the same position, doubting that the rule of commercial law applies here.

GREAT MARKET LOOMS FOR PHARMA INDUSTRY

Experts explain that pharmaceutical companies are not only racing to develop a vaccine, but also gearing up for their mass production.

"The public does not fully understand that there are two important elements in the production of a vaccine: laboratory research and development of the vaccine first, and then mass production of vaccine doses, which can be intramuscular injection or aerosol.

They are often different companies: the research and development laboratory and the producer of vaccine doses," Dr Jean-Luc Gala, epidemiologist and professor at the Catholic University of Louvain, told Sputnik.

According to Gala, it is possible that the EU will buy at a high price, given the cost of R&D, a patent for a vaccine and make it available to humanity, but "states will still have to pay for the production of billions of doses of vaccine which will be produced by private companies, the 'big pharma' in stride."

Thus, a huge market is "looming on the horizon" for the industry.

The professor dampens high hopes for a vaccine very soon, citing multiple technical steps that are needed to have it ready.

"Step 1 for the lab is to find the right antigens that fight the virus; they seek to identify and develop a virus surface protein, which triggers the patient's immune response. The second step is the most difficult, it is the coupling of this protein to clones of the virus (other less toxic coronaviruses, like the cold for example) to produce a sequence containing the weakened Covid-19 virus, against which we want to create immunity," Gala said.

The third stage, he went on, is a first phase of basic tests: on animals and cultures of human cells.

"We are talking about phases 0, 1, 2, 3 of the tests. First the Safety tests (absence of toxic reactions) on a small group of volunteers. Then we test on a larger group, the effectiveness of the antibodies generated and we check if there are any side effects. We also define what is the right therapeutic dose," the expert explained.

Many vaccines fail at this stage, Gala noted, because undesirable side effects emerge. Those successful move on a large-scale testing on large cohorts of patients, to compare the effects of the vaccine with a placebo.

"The first of these final tests should take place at the end of the year or early 2021. Clinical trials concern up to 30,000 participants ... The first vaccines will not be able to go into production until the spring next year. Not on the market before June 2021! So beware of announcement effects!" he warned.

A vaccine often becomes available when an epidemic ends and when it is no longer useful, except in case of resurgence of the virus later, which will be slightly different, as is the case with the influenza virus, which requires the vaccine to be adapted every year, the expert pointed out.

Epidemiologists still call for investing in basic research before a new virus comes, as the world has a new coronavirus almost every 10 years. SARS-CoV in 2002-2002, MERS-CoV in 2012 and now SARS-CoV-2. If we had developed prophylactic and curative treatments 10 years ago, we would be better prepared for fighting the novel coronavirus.

"The virus no longer clinically exists in Italy," Dr. Alberto Zangrillo, the director of the San Raffaele hospital in Milan, boldly said on Italian television on Sunday.

According to him, "the samples taken during the last ten days show an absolutely infinitesimal viral load compared to those taken a month or two ago".

In other words, recently infected patients have less strong virus than those at the start of the epidemic.

Another professor, Dr Matteo Bassetti, the head of the infectious diseases department at the San Martino hospital in Genoa, is also convinced that the strength of the virus two months ago is not the same as today." Could it be the first ray of hope? We cross our fingers.

The World Health Organization, however, warns of high risks of COVID-19 resurgence, adding that the second wave may be "truly devastating."
France recently revealed that its military forces had managed to eliminate al Qaedas North Africa (AQMI) chief Abdelmalek Droukdel. As per reports, Droukdel was killed during an operation in northern Mali. Droukdel was reportedly a key Islamist fighter and the French forces had been pursuing him for more than 7 years.

Droukdel and collaborators neutralized

According to a tweet by French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly, the operation also managed to neutralize many of Droukdels close collaborators. The French Minister also added that Droukdal was responsible for commanding all Qaida groups in North Africa and the Sahel strip, including JNIM, one of the main terrorist groups active in the Sahel.

As per reports, Droukdel took part in the Islamist takeover of northern Mali before they were driven back by French intervention in 2013. The group that Droukdel usually travels with were believed to be hiding in the mountains of northern Algeria and operates across northern Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Algeria.

Read: UN Chief: COVID-19 Compounds Dire Situation In Mali, Sahel

Read: Political, Security Gains In Somalia Could Be Reduced By Virus

Parly also revealed that French Forces has captured Mohamed el Mrabat on May 19. Mohamed el Mrabat, according to Parly, is a veteran militant in the region and member of Islamic State in the Greater Sahara. She added that the French force in the region would continue to track down militants with the help of local partners.

Read: FBI Discovers Al-Qaeda Ties In US Naval Base Shooter's Phone

Read: UN Report Claims 6,500 Pakistanis Among Foreign Terrorists In Afghanistan

Mali has had French presence since 2013. The French, a former colonial power, was dragged into the region when Islamist militants overran parts of the north. While the authorities in Mali were able to recapture a majority of the overrun territory with the help of the French, instability and uncertainty in the region is still prevalent and has even spread to neighbouring countries.

The French troops, which number about 5,100 in the region, are deployed in the region as a part of Operation Barkhane and provide support to Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad.

(Image Credit Twitter/@roscatha)
Indo-China talks: Both sides would bear in mind sensitivities,aspirations and concerns

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 06: There is positivity in both camps as talks Lt. General level talks between India and China are scheduled to be held at 9 am today.

Both sides have agreed to resolve differences through peaceful dialogue respecting each others' sensitivities, concerns and aspirations. Both sides would set up a framework for their militaries to work out a way to de-escalate tensions along the Line of Actual Control.

LAC talks: Military commanders of India-China meet to defuse border tension | Oneindia News

Handshake, breakfast, formal meet: What to expect from the Indo-China talks today

During a video conference, senior diplomats of both sides re-affirmed the consensus that was reached by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Chinese President, Xi Jinping during the two informal summits in April 2018 and October 2019. Both Modi and Jinping had agreed that differences should not turn into disputes.

During the meeting, Lt. General Harrinder Singh, who is leading the Indian delegation would insist on the restoration of status-quo. He would also demand the demolition of the bunker and the moat the Chinese PLA built to block the access to the Indian Army personnel.

The press release that was released following the meeting of Naveen Srivastava, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs and his counterpart, Wu Jianghao, Director General (Asian Affairs) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Chinese Government said, " the state of bilateral relations including the current developments were discussed. The consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries that a peaceful, stable and balanced relation between India and China would be a positive factor stability in the current global situation."

Military standoff in Ladakh: India, China agree to handle 'differences' through talks

It was also agreed that both should handle their differences through peaceful discussion, in accordance with the guidance provided by the Prime Minister and the Chinese President, bearing in mind the importance of respecting each other's sensitivities, concerns and aspirations.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, June 6, 2020, 8:54 [IST]
OK, so not all the news is good.

In Bethesda, Md., a cranky, bullish cyclist went after three teenagers hanging Black Lives Matter flyers on the fences lining the Capital Crescent Trail.

Justin Forsman, a Republican candidate in Washingtons 49th Legislative House District, jumped on Facebook to say he wouldnt be surprised if George Floyds entire death was staged to foment race rioting and looting.

And everyone is on edge, waiting for the fomenter-in-chief to dust off his Bible for another tear-gassed promenade.

But on the whole  albeit from a masked distance  its hard not to be encouraged by the enduring response to Floyds agonizing death at the hands, and knees, of Minneapolis police.

If the largest crowds are in Portland, kneeling en masse on the Morrison Bridge, peaceful protests have galvanized communities far from the states blue urban core.

Unity on the Morrison Bridge

In Hermiston, protesters gathered at Eastern Oregons busiest intersection Monday with signs proclaiming, All lives dont matter until black lives matter. In Medford, protesters marched for 10 hours through the downtown streets. In Hood River Wednesday, 150 people blocked the exit 63 overpass bridge for nine minutes, their flank protected by Neal Holste, the Hood River police chief.

Across the state line, thousands gathered Tuesday night for a vigil on the steps of the Idaho Capitol Building in Boise. As he listened to organizers read the names of black Americans lost to racial violence, Joey Alano told a reporter, This is Idaho. Things like this dont usually happen here. Were here to be with them whether we have a different perspective or not.

When 14 distraught residents of Burns, a town of 2,800 in conservative Harney County, gather to mourn George Floyd and decry police violence, the impact on the community is just as profound as what is unfolding in Portland.

Meanwhile, in Harney County ...

The first several nights of downtown demonstrations were unsettling and, far too often, destructive. Midnight is still a witching hour for police and protesters alike. But the last week of marches, better organized to isolate the bad actors in the crowd, have been powerful and instructive.

Our neighbors took to the streets on May 25 because the cops on a Minneapolis street corner  four of whom have been charged with murder  answered Floyds desperate pleas with a sadistic use of force.

So many remain on the streets, and pack the city bridges, because they can no longer ignore what is dreadfully wrong in this country, not just with police violence against black Americans, but with a president who wakes each morning screaming, Law & Order!

How these expanding protests are understood in the shadow of the pandemic may require another draft or two of history. Earlier this week, Dr. Markisha Smith, the director of Portlands Office of Equity and Human Rights, observed, The events that have transpired over the past few days and nights highlight the reality that the COVID-19 pandemic has not erased the reality that racism still exists.

White supremacy and white supremacists are not following a stay-at-home order. Racism hasnt been quarantined. We dont have drive-thru locations to test for racism. It simply shows up, in overt and covert ways. And while we anxiously await a vaccination to protect against the coronavirus, we are not looking for a vaccination for racism. Because that would mean removing power and privilege.

That transformation frightens too many people, and that fear will play powerfully in the months to come. Last Tuesday, the contagion in Coquille was the ludicrous rumors that three marauding busloads of Antifa would descend on the Coos County Courthouse at 8 p.m., riot and looting to follow.

Waiting for the Antifa bus caravan to reach Coquille

According to The World in Coos Bay, those rumors found such traction that nearly 200 locals, some armed, gathered at the courthouse and milled about for hours, wrestling with their tortured imaginations.

OK, so not all the news is good.

But so much of this movement is. In communities big and small, thousands of people who were frozen in place for the last 10 weeks have taken to the streets to share their anger and frustration. Theyve lost all patience with isolation. Theyve linked arms, and walked the walk, even when the march puts them in the grill of aggressive and defensive cops.

Their faces are masked, not, thank God, their grief for George Floyd or their unrelenting desire for change.

-- Steve Duin

stephen.b.duin@gmail.com
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite unveiled in April will debut in India on June 8, revealed Samsung's Indian branch on Twitter.

We don't know how much the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite will cost in India, but we do know that it will be sold through Flipkart and Amazon.in, with the latter accepting pre-orders after the price drop.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is built around a 10.4" LCD of 2000x1200-pixel resolution and has an Exynos 9611 SoC at the helm. The tablet boots Android 10-based One UI 2 and has two memory options - 4GB/64GB and 4GB/128GB. But it's currently unclear if both variants will be available in India.



Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite in Oxford Gray, Chiffon Pink, and Angora Blue colors

The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite comes with two cameras - an 8MP main camera on the back and a 5MP selfie shooter on the front. The tablet supports S-Pen stylus and packs a 7,040 mAh battery that fuels the entire package.

You can head this way to check out our announcement coverage of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite for more details.
All 57 members of a police tactical unit in Buffalo, New York, have resigned from that team to protest the suspension of two colleagues who were filmed shoving a 75-year-old man to the ground, local media reported on Friday.

Two members of the 's Emergency Response Team were suspended on Thursday and are being investigated after a local radio station released video of the incident involving the protester.

Local media quoted Buffalo Police Benevolent Association President John Evans as saying the officers were simply doing their job, and that their colleagues on the response team had resigned from the special unit to protest their treatment. The 57 remain police officers, local media said. Evans could not be reached for comment.

Earlier on Friday a spokeswoman for the local county's district attorney, Kait Munro, said the two officers are under investigation for potential criminal liability in connection with Thursday evening's incident outside city hall.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown told CNN on Friday that contingency plans were in place to address any policing issues due to the resignations and he said state troopers were embedded with Buffalo police to shore up their operations.

Brown said he believed the Police Benevolent Association put pressure on officers in the tactical unit by threatening to withdraw support to them if they did not resign from that team.

"I don't think unions should behave that way," Brown said on CNN. "That was not an act to protect the worker. That was an act to intimidate police officers and to not protect the residents of our community."

The video footage raised further questions about police behavior, after the death of African-American man George Floyd in Minneapolis set off nationwide street protests.

Recorded by a reporter from radio station WBFO, the footage shows the white-haired man approaching a line of officers in riot gear. One officer pushes him with a baton and a second one with his hand. He falls, a crack is heard and blood trickles from the man's head.

The video shows the majority of the officers march past the injured man, Martin Gugino, though the officer who pushed him with a baton starts to lean over him before he is motioned away by another officer. Someone is heard calling for a medic.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Friday he had spoken with Gugino and was thankful he survived. Cuomo said the police chief should fire the officers involved.

"You see that video and it disturbs your basic sense of decency and humanity," Cuomo told a daily briefing. "Why, why, why was that necessary? Where was the threat?"

Gugino, who is white, could not be reached. According to a community organizer who has known him for a decade, he is a longtime activist who has advocated for affordable housing, climate justice and police accountability and regularly protested outside the Erie County Holding Center, a Buffalo jail that has come under scrutiny for a string of inmate deaths.

"I've been doing this work for around 10 years, and I can't remember a protest Martin wasn't at," said John Washington, an organizer at People's Action in Buffalo. "Whatever the issues of justice were he stepped up and was always there."

Washington said Gugino had gone to the demonstration to protest brutality by police but "clearly" posed no danger to the officers. He said he had only been able to confirm Gugino was in stable condition.
George Floyds death proves again why America needs to defund bloated and militarized police departments.





by Sonali Kolhatkar





Not since the mass protests that originated in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014 when a white police officer killed a black man named Michael Brown has the United States witnessed the current magnitude of the movement against police brutality. The brutal videotaped killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, has pushed Americans to the limit of what they will tolerate from police. Huge, multiracial protests have broken out in hundreds of cities demanding an end to racist policing. While many of the problems can be laid at the feet of President Donald Trump, whose administration obliterated the modest Obama-era police reforms and who has delighted in openly encouraging police to be violent, the current status quo of accepting and encouraging racist and murderous policing has been a largely bipartisan project at the federal, state, and local level.





Protest in US

Protests against police brutality have a long history that predates the rallying cry of Black Lives Matter becoming a household phrase. Well before Trump was on the national scene, Democrats and Republican leaders have had many years to right the wrongs that black activists and community leaders were decrying. After Rodney Kings brutal beating was caught on tape in Los Angeles and the acquittal of his abusers sparked a historic and violent uprising, there were years of reforms aimed at the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) that resulted in only the mildest changes. The liberal city, dominated by Democrats, continues to have the largest number of police killings nationwide and to date, the citys first black female district attorney, Jackie Lacey, has refused to prosecute a single officer during her tenure.





When Eric Garner was choked to death by police in Staten Island, New York City, his horrific killing, captured on video, and his last words, I cant breathe, sparked mass protests and deep discourse about reforming police protocols. But just as in Los Angeles, the core demand that activists have been making at least since the police murder of Amadou Diallothat those who violate rights should be held legally accountablehas gone unmet. Daniel Pantaleo, the New York Police Department (NYPD) officer who put Garner in a chokehold, remained on the force for five years and was ultimately fired but never charged. Like the LAPD, the NYPD has enjoyed the protection of a largely liberal and Democratic political landscape.





During the presidency of Barack Obama, some modest reforms were enacted at the federal level, largely through executive orders as Congress remained unable to break through political gridlock. Obamas federal oversight of police departments through court-ordered consent decrees was a start, but in his last act as Trumps attorney general, Jeff Sessions signed a memorandum that undid the Obama-era consent decrees before stepping down. Trump also resumed the flow of military equipment and weapons to local police departments.





Now, as mass protests are taking place all over the nation, the images of well-armed and flak-jacketed police facing off against protesters and violently subduing them while remaining encased in protective gear stands in stark contrast to our desperately under-equipped health care workers who have been vainly trying to save as many lives as possible during the coronavirus pandemic. Police are clad head to toe in high-tech gear, face shields and body armor, with no shortage of plastic handcuffs, rubber bullets, and tear gas canisters. The optics of these modern-day gestapo-like forces roaming city streets, bashing in heads and firing tear gas into the faces of unarmed protesters are a reminder of just how many federal and state-level resources we have poured into law enforcement over the years at the expense of health care, education, and other public needs.





Even as the economic collapse triggered by the pandemic threatened to devastate public school systems, in the liberal havens of Los Angeles and New York City, law enforcement budgets remained unscathed. Californias Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom proposed big cuts to schools to compensate for massive budget shortfalls at the same time that LAPD officers were receiving $41 million in bonuses. LAs Democratic Mayor Eric Garcetti recently released this years proposed city budgettypical of previous yearswhich sets aside a whopping one-third of all city spending on police.





Similarly in New York City, the Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasios proposal to compensate for pandemic-related revenue losses is to make cuts to the school budget that are 27 times that of his citys police budget cuts. Alice Speri writing in the Intercept explains that, The U.S. spends some $100 billion annually on policing, and [i]n cities across the country, policing alone can take up anything between a third and 60 percent of the entire annual budget. And while the pandemic is forcing cities to make hard choices about which public services to slash, police department budgets have remained immune to cuts. Liberal cities like LA, New York and Minneapolis, in the words of one journalist, keep piling money on police departments.





Just as congressional Democrats for far too long have poured money into the U.S. military to fuel wars abroadeven outdoing Trumps thirst for military largessethe Democratic Partys state and local leaders have poured money into our domestic armed forcesthe policeto fuel a war on us, and especially those among us with black or brown skin.





Now, because the collective public rage over police violence and impunity has reached a fever pitch, something extraordinary is happening. A long-standing activist call to defund the police is receiving a mainstream platform. On May 30, the New York Times published an op-ed by two advocates of Black Lives Matter entitled No More Money for the Police. Black Lives Matter has explicitly called for, a national defunding of police, and is demanding, investment in our communities and the resources to ensure Black people not only survive, but thrive.





Author Alex Vitales 2018 book, The End of Policing, aptly articulated on its cover that, The problem is not police training, police diversity, or police methods. The problem is the dramatic and unprecedented expansion and intensity of policing in the last forty years, a fundamental shift in the role of police in society. The problem is policing itself. Vitales work has taken on new urgency during the protests over George Floyds killing. In a recent piece he wrote for the Guardian, he explained that the solution for local authorities to tackle police, is to dramatically shrink their function. Vitale added, We must demand that local politicians develop non-police solutions to the problems poor people face.





That means mayors and governors from all parts of the political spectrum need to stop subscribing to the notion that police can solve problems caused by poor education, health care, and jobs, and directly start diverting money from police into education, health care, and jobs. Liberal leaders in particular, who have paid mere lip service for years to social justice, need to put their money where their mouth is and wrest it out of the hands of police departments.





This article was produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute.





Sonali Kolhatkar is the founder, host and executive producer of Rising Up With Sonali, a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations.
Celebrate Cowtown Success

Program to buy beef from local cattle producers almost too successful With some shortages of beef and poultry at grocery stores, some people perhaps took advantage of a Missouri Farm Bureau program to help buy meat straight from the farm and even at cheaper prices.The new problem for one area farm is that it has almost been too successful.In rural Platte County, the people in charge of the Jowler Creek Cattle Company did not see this coming."So how's business lately?"

Drink In New Hotness

With rising heat, local health officials urge public to stay hydrated KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Temperatures are on the rise in the Kansas City area and as we enter summer, it's important to know about resources and how to stay cool when out in the heat. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing a mask in the heat can increase your risk for dehydration, according to Dr. Tom Hindsley with Truman Medical Center.

Grind House Redux In The Stix

Two metro movie theaters reopen, showing old favorites and practicing social distancing BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - Two metro movie theaters opened their doors to the public Friday. Blue Springs 8 has retro movies on all of its screens, including "Aquaman" and "Harry Potter." Screenland Armour in North Kansas City also opened, showing hits like a "Kill Bill" double feature and "Mamma Mia."

Hottie Shares Life Lesson

Iskra Lawrence Pens Note to Her 'Innocent Black Baby' Amid Protests Educating herself. Iskra Lawrence wrote a message for her newborn following George Floyd's death, then shared practical ways she plans to support the Black Lives Matter movement. How Celeb Parents Are Educating Kids About Racism After George Floyd's Death "This is my beautiful innocent black baby," the model, 29, captioned a close-up Instagram shot of her infant on Sunday, May 31.

Twitter Vs. Prez Trump

Twitter CEO: 'Not true' that removing Trump campaign video was illegal, as president has claimed Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on Friday responded to President Trump Donald John Trump Federal plan to contain Washington protests employs 7,600 personnel: report GOP Rep calls on primary opponent to condemn campaign surrogate's racist video Tennessee court rules all registered voters can obtain mail-in ballots due to COVID-19 MORE 's assertion that the platform's removal of his campaign video was "illegal," reiterating that the video was pulled because it had run afoul of the website's policy on copyrighted material.

Zuck Forced To Reform FB

Zuckerberg: Facebook will review policies after backlash over Trump posts Mark Zuckerberg has said Facebook will review its content policies after facing widespread backlash, including from its own employees, over the decision to leave up controversial posts from Donald Trump. Facebook will look at improving content policies while also building products to advance racial justice, the CEO said on Friday in response to the protests in the United States.

Arctic Suffers Red Alert

Russia declares state of emergency over Arctic Circle oil spill caused by melting permafrost Melting permafrost caused a fuel tank holding 21,000 tons of diesel oil to collapse in Russia's Arctic Circle, leading to a 135-square mile oil spill. According to Rosprirodnadzor, the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources, 6,000 tons spilled onto the ground, another 15,000 tons into the water.

Bad Coronavirus Advice Still Hard To Swallow

CDC says 40 percent of Americans surveyed tried using bleach to wash food to prevent coronavirus The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that over a third of Americans that took a CDC survey, reportedly misused household cleaners by using them on their fruits and vegetables, in the attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Boris Trumps China

Boris Johnson's excellent answer to Beijing's move on Hong Kong's freedom Cheers to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for offering millions of Hong Kongers visas and a path to UK citizenship if Beijing goes ahead with its horrible new "security law." The mainland is inflicting the legislation on the city without going through Hong Kong's own legislature, in blatant defiance of the 1997 handover, which guaranteed the city's autonomy until 2047.

Moon Dance Saturday Night

A full Strawberry Moon is happening this weekend After sunset this Friday, this month's full moon will rise above the horizon. Known as the full Strawberry Moon, it'll pass through the outer part of the Earth's shadow (the penumbra). When this happens, a penumbral lunar eclipse will occur, so part of the moon will appear darker - but it'll be so faint, that you probably won't notice it at all.

Check Camera Man Tribute

Marvin Francois: Scenes From a Life Lived For Others The moment is captured forever: A child - Marvin Francois' child - photographed in full joy. This is not by chance. It's not luck that Francois was there, snapping his lens right when the team champion of a LINC chess tournament was announced.

Locals Love Iced Coffee Candy

Kansas City's Long Lost Cold Brew Aims to Take the Bitter Bite Out of Coffee Johnny Eastlund and Jacq Adamson both love cold-brew coffee, but had trouble finding a brand on the market that they really liked, as many had a bitter taste that the pair agreed tarnished the enjoyment of the experience.

Hottieand her curvy advocacy inspires this early peek at pop culture, community news and info from across the nation and around the world . . .is the song of the day and this is thefor right now . . .
Bac Giang's Luc Ngan district plans to launch an e-commerce floor for Vietnamese lychee. (Photo: dantri.vn)

The e-commerce floor is being implemented by the northern province of Bac Giang's Luc Ngan district.

It aims to diversify the channels of marketing and trade of lychee products, as the COVID-19 pandemic makes it difficult for foreign traders to come directly in Luc Ngan to buy the fruit.

In order for the floor to operate smoothly, businesses have been given solutions such as cold storage for canned agricultural products, transportation, and potential markets including China, the European Union (EU) and Japan.

They are also equipped with general knowledge about the trading floor and management skills, as well as how to increase sales, profits, and customer confidence in the Luc Ngan lychee brand.

The total output of lychee in Bac Giang province was estimated at 16,725 tonnes with the average selling price of 25,000 VND per kilogramme by the afternoon of June 1.
A young couple who waited through a pandemic to celebrate their wedding day had to ignore 20,000 Black Lives Matters demonstrators as they gathered in Sydney.

The unknown newlyweds were spotted after tying the knot at St Andrews Cathedral in the heart of Sydney, while protesters gathered on mass nearby on Saturday.

Organisers of the rally originally anticipated about 5,000 demonstrators, but with larger than expected numbers, riled up protesters dispersed throughout surrounding streets.

On the corner of George and Bathurst Street, where the church is located, crowd numbers swelled under the watchful eye of police at Town Hall.

But that didnt stop the mystery husband and wife from going ahead with their special day - seemingly unfazed by the nearby drama.

A happy couple were spotted in the midst of Sydneys Black Lives Matter rally at St Andrew Cathedral (pictured), having no idea their special day would clash with the protest

Over 20,000 demonstrators took to the streets to protest against Indigenous deaths in police custody (pictured) on Saturday

The loving couple were seen on the steps of the iconic cathedral staring blissfully into each other's eyes while they posed for photographs.

Appearing to be completely unconcerned with the drama unfolding around them, the husband who is dressed in a classic black tuxedo is pictured embracing his new wife who is donning a traditional flowing white veil.

Demonstrations were also held in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States.

It comes amid global outrage following the death of African American man George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis while in police custody.

Organisers in Australia also hoped to highlight the number of Indigenous deaths in custody.

This happy couple said 'I do' despite a limit on guests, a pandemic and thousands of protesters (pictured on Saturday)

Not far from the cathedral at Central Station, police were seen spraying protesters with pepper spray on Saturday evening

Thousands of protesters are pictured marching down Castlereagh Street under the watchful eye of police (pictured on Saturday)

On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled the Sydney demonstration was illegal because it breached the New South Wales coronavirus restrictions on public gatherings.

But just minutes before the rally went ahead at 3pm, the Court of Appeal declared the protest could legally go ahead.

Coronavirus restrictions mean all weddings in New South Wales can only have 20 guests including the two getting married.

But the limit on guests, the pandemic and the protests, could not stop the couple from saying 'I do'.

Thousands of marchers took to the streets across all Australian states on Saturday, demanding an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody (pictured in Sydney)

Officers stand by as demonstrators 'take a knee' to honor the memory of George Floyd and protest against police brutality
After a long, painful week in Huntsville, protesters and law enforcement stepped back Friday night from another downtown confrontation with a march that ended with dancing in the park and backup officers present but unseen.

The evening started with a group of more than 100 people gathered in front of the Huntsville Municipal Complex on Fountain Row as more protesters walked up. City Councilwoman Frances Akridge prayed with the group before the march began.

Akridge stood in the middle of protesters on the sidewalk outside city hall. The agitated voices expressed frustration over police reaction at the protests earlier this week in Huntsville when tear gas was deployed at both events. Protesters also told Akridge they objected to their opportunity to protest being abridged by police.

The first term city councilwoman listened to the complaints, offered to meet with everyone at the protest and gave out her phone number. Some protesters thanked her for being there while another hugged her.

She then asked one of the protesters if they could hold hands and pray. Akridge dropped to her knees and bowed her head while holding hands with Dantraeon Calvert, a 28-year-old Army veteran from Huntsville.

Absolutely, I do feel like positive steps were made, Calvert said. "This was the first time Ive seen an elected official be willing to truly stand, come out, put themselves in a vulnerable position. As you could see, that was a very small, older lady and she was perfectly safe. We were able to lock hand-in-hand.

Protesters waiting on lights at crosswalk while marching in Huntsville protest, making sure not to give police a reason to intervene. pic.twitter.com/W8YrtWzGSi  Paul Gattis (@paul_gattis) June 6, 2020

I hope that is a sign of good faith from the people and the citizens who are out here protesting to show that nobody is interested in any type of violence, nobody is interested to stick it to the man. All the people want to see is for people to be treated fairly.

Protesters carefully obeyed the laws and walked around the courthouse and Big Spring Park on sidewalks, crossing streets at corners with the Walk signal and trailing a litter patrol behind them. We are not violent, we are not anarchists, we are not threats to anything and were trying to peacefully protest inequality in our city, media team representative Damar Thomas said was their message.

Thomas, a 2020 graduate of Oakwood University in Huntsville, accused the city of using full scale militarization in response to protests Monday and Wednesday night. Snipers and scouts on the rooftops, thats what they do overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq to enemies of our nation, he said., so why are we seeing it on our domestic soil against our own citizens?

The earlier protests Monday and Wednesday nights focused on the death of George Floyd at the hands of police and on the Confederate statue in front of the Madison County Courthouse.

Friday night, protesters stood or kneeled silently in the park for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the same amount of time Floyd was held to the ground May 25 by the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. They chanted as they walked the park, and they ended the evening dancing in the park near the Big Spring before walking to their cars.

Police were present, but reserves of more than 300 officers remained out of sight. There were still Madison County Sheriffs deputies guarding the Confederate statue at 10 p.m.

Original story: Just before 7, the crowd began moving west through Big Spring Park -- away from the courthouse square.Business owners on Huntsvilles downtown courthouse square were boarding their windows Friday afternoon saying law enforcement is warning of another protest rally tonight.

Were mobilizing a large amount of personnel, Madison County Sheriffs Department spokesman Brent Patterson said shortly before 4 p.m. Were not taking any chances.

Police in Huntsville bracing for more protests tonight. Courthouse has closed early and barricades have been returned to entrances. Huntsville fire filling barricades with water. pic.twitter.com/6Ru0FfxF5T  Paul Gattis (@paul_gattis) June 5, 2020

Patterson said the department heard another protest would be held on the square downtown, the latest in a series that have followed George Floyds recent death at the hands of Minneapolis police. We will let them have their peaceful protest, Patterson said.

Deputies had brought barricades back to the square before 4 p.m., and Huntsville police officers were also seen on the square. More heavily armed police and deputies in helmets were arriving in the area at 4 p.m. Business owners told an AL.com reporter they had been warned to protect their windows and remove flower pots and other pottery from their store fronts.

Officials said that any protest Friday has not been given permitted permission by the city of Huntsville or Madison County. The two protests earlier this week both were organized with a permit.

Gatherings following planned peaceful rallies to protest Floyds death ended in tear gas and police sweeps Monday and Wednesday nights this week.

In pre-protest patrols Friday, heavily armed police and deputies searched through thick bushes on the courthouse square to make sure nothing had been hidden. Loose bricks from the area were also removed by police.
- As the curfew and cessation of movement directive comes to an end, Kenyans have taken to social media to share their expectations

- Although many have hope on what the president will say on Saturday, June 5, others believe it will be a day of disappointment filled with premium tears

- A couple of times the president left citizens frustrated after extending the curfew and cessation of movement

As many parts of the world continue to face the coronavirus pandemic, Kenya has not been spared by the monster.

To curb the spread of the virus, President Uhuru Kenyatta imposed curfew and cessation of movement across the country.

READ ALSO: Kenyan rapper Kahush confirms he is Health CS Kagwe's son

READ ALSO: Lilian Muli puts Holy Dave on the spot for ignoring her during campus days: "You were too posh"

It has been close 70 days since the curfew and the cessation of movement was put into action and Kenyans cannot hold it any longer.

On two occasions, Uhuru extended the directives, leaving many Kenyans who expected to go back to normalcy frustrated.

READ ALSO: DP Ruto arejea kwa wazee, apewa vyombo vya kujilinda dhidi ya maadui

Saturday, June 6, is the deadline of the curfew but it remains unclear what to expect from the head of state following the increasing cases of COVID-19.

Kenyans have taken to social media to share their expectations on how the day will be like.

On Twitter, they are all divided as some hope for the best while others only see the president extending the curfew and cessation of movement.

READ ALSO: Dad's post goes viral after hilarious, honest review on baby daughter's mini restaurant

Trust Kenyans to make fun of everything and a lot of memes have been circulating online showing how many will react on Saturday.

In some of the posts, videos of Uhuru's earlier pressers have been recreated to show him laughing at the citizens' expectations.

It is never a dull moment for Kenyans online as many men claim to have sent fare to their girlfriends ready to see them immediately the country is open.

The president is expected to give a directive on what is next for Kenyans who have been through a lot staying at home.

Below are more reactions from the netizens:

READ ALSO: William Ruto seeks blessings from Koitalel Arap Samoei's clan amid storms in Jubilee Party

READ ALSO: My Simba, My precious: Julie Gichuru celebrates hubby's birthday with sweet message online

Other tweeps advised that Kenyans should not have high expectations from the president saying the day is likely to end in premium tears.

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.

The big disappointment on lock-down is loading | Tuko TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
The influential Akal Takht on Saturday said that the Sikh community is not averse to the idea of a separate state if there is an offer from the government as some hardliners raised pro-Khalistan slogans in the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar on the 36th anniversary of Operation Blue Star.

Around 100 activists led by Imaan Singh Mann, son of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president and former MP Simranjit Singh Mann, raised slogans at the Akal Takht -- the highest temporal seat of Sikhs.

Members of Sikh hardliner group Damdami Taksal along with Akal Takht Jathedar (head priest) Giani Harpreet Singh and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee officials honoured the families of those who were killed during Operation Blue Star, which was carried out in 1984 to flush out heavily-armed terrorists holed up in the Golden Temple.

Addressing the gathering, Giani Harpreet Singh said the Sikh community will always remember the unhealed wounds of Operation Blue Star.

Later while talking to the media, when asked if the demand for Khalistan was justified, the Jathedar said, "If we get it, then what else do we need? If the government of India offers us, then we will accept it."

"Which Sikh in the world does not want it?" Singh added.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Gobind Singh Longowal also endorsed the views of the jathedar and said if Khalistan is given to the community, it would be acceptable to Sikhs.

To a question on pro-Khalistan slogans raised at the Golden Temple complex, Harpreet Singh said, "There was nothing wrong in it. But they should have done it after the conclusion of the religious programme which was in progress at the Akal Takht."

'Parallel Jathedar' of Akal Takht Dhian Singh Mand, who entered the premises with the Mann-led group, also addressed the gathering.

The main programme to honour the families was organised by the Akal Takht. There was heavy barricading by police around all entry points to the Golden Temple.

Due to entry restrictions in view of the coronavirus pandemic, not more than 1,000 people gathered at the shrine.

Usually more than one lakh people visit the shrine on this day every year.

Earlier in the day, there was a minor scuffle between policemen and the group led by Maan as they were initially denied entry inside the Golden Temple. Maan sustained a foot injury during the scuffle.

Later, the group was allowed entry following intervention of senior police officers present on the spot.
British Airways planes parked at London's Heathrow Airport. (Frank Augstein/AP)

British Airways owner IAG (IAG.L) is considering taking a legal challenge against the planned blanket 14-day quarantine for travellers to the UK.

In an interview with Sky News, chief executive Willie Walsh said that the quarantine, which is set to come into force from next week, would torpedo its plans to resume flights in July.

We think it is irrational, we think it is disproportionate and we are giving consideration to a legal challenge to this legislation, Walsh said on Friday.

His comments come amid criticism that British Airways did not attend a Thursday (4 June) roundtable meeting about the quarantine with home secretary Priti Patel and the travel industry.

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said that the airlines workers, passengers, and shareholders should be told why the airlines management chose not to participate in the meeting.

READ MORE: Carmaker Bentley slashes up to 1,000 jobs

The government has opened the door and the entire UK aviation industry is meeting  airline carriers and airports  in an effort to find a way through this crisis, McCluskey said.

It is unbelievable and, frankly irresponsible, that BA would sit this out, he said.

Some 24 representatives from the aviation, maritime and rail industry attended the meeting, as did transport minister Kelly Tolhurst.

From 8 June, all passengers arriving in the UK from countries outside of the Common Travel Area, which includes Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, must self-isolate for 14 days.

Arguing that the UK was now past the peak of coronavirus cases, Patel told parliament on Wednesday (3 June) that the country was now more vulnerable to infections being brought in from abroad.

But the travel industry has argued that the quarantine period could be a killer blow during a period in which firms are already struggling.

A top executive at Swissport, the UKs biggest airport services company, said that firms in the sector would be unable to earn revenue as a result of the move.

Story continues

If you dent consumer confidence or dent the market in such a broad way, nobody buys tickets, aeroplanes don't fly, said Jason Holt.

READ MORE: Aston Martin and Lookers announce 2,000 job losses

Ryanair (RYA.L) chief executive Michael OLeary said the move would significantly reduce European visitors to the UK.

Airlines are already confronting an unprecedented crisis in coronavirus, and analysts have warned that many more may collapse under the weight of the collapse in demand from travellers.

IAG warned last month that it would be 2023 before things returned to normal.

It wont be before 2023 that we get back to the levels of flying that we saw last year in 2019, Walsh told the Transport Select Committee of the House of Commons.
Cow safaris: UP govts new plan for better safety, upkeep of stray cattle

No love for those who do not love cows: Bhupendrasinh Chudasama

'Havan' of cow dung cake can keep house sanitised for 12 hours: MP minister Usha Thakur

Now, pregnant cow's jaw blown off by explosive in Himachal

India

oi-Briti Roy Barman

Shimla, June 06: When the country still in mourning over the killing of pregnant elephant killed by pineapple stuffed with crackers in Kerala, a similar incident has come to light in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh.

This time the victim is a pregnant cow.

The pregnant cow's mouth was allegedly blown off by explosive while it was grazing at a field in the area of Jhanduta.

One arrested in connection with death of pregnant elephant in Kerala

The owner of the cow Gurdial Singh sought help from authorities and demanded strict action against the perpetrator.

Singh had blamed his neighbour Nandlal for intentionally injuring the cow.

Singh uploaded a video where the pregnant cow could be seen profusely bleeding from the jaw area and it can be assumed that it will not be able to eat for the next few days.

India Covid-19 infections crossed Italy's tally making it the 6th worst-hit nation | Oneindia News

The incident has occurred 10 days ago. Police have registered a case under the Animal Cruelty Act and investigation is on in the case.

The fresh act of animal cruelty comes days after the horrific incident of the pregnant elephant's in Kerala's Palakkad death by eating a pineapple stuffed with crackers.

The elephant suffered severe injuries to her jaw and was unable to eat anything for days.

The incident took place on May 27 while the elephant was standing in water and forest officials said that it died standing in river Velliyar after it suffered an injury in its lower jaw.

People across the country expressed outrage through social media. Forest Minister Prakash Javdekar assured of taking strict action against perpetrators. According to report a few people have been arrested and are questioned about the same.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, June 6, 2020, 16:49 [IST]
London, June 6 : Another 357 COVID-19 patients have died in Britain as of Thursday afternoon, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in the country to 40,261, the British Department of Health and Social Care said on Friday.

The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community. As of Friday morning, 283,311 people have tested positive for the disease in Britain, a daily increase of 1,650, said the department, Xinhua reported.

Charing Friday's Downing Street press briefing, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the number of people on ventilators in hospital has dropped to 571, from a peak of more than 3,000 on April 12.

These are "encouraging trends", he said.

Hancock also announced that all hospital visitors and out-patients will have to wear face coverings from 15 June.

All hospital staff, whether working in a clinical setting or not, will have to wear a type one or two surgical mask, he added.

Earlier in the day, British government's chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance told reporters in a virtual briefing that the R-number -- the average number of people that will contract coronavirus from an infected person -- for England was between 0.7 and one, while it remained between 0.7 and 0.9 for Britain as a whole.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe must wait another week for a decision on whether she will be permanently freed from jail in Iran.

The British-Iranian mother had hoped to be updated on Saturday on the progress of a bid for clemency but she has been told to call back next week.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been in Irans notorious Evin prison since 2016 but was released on furlough on March 17 as the Covid-19 pandemic swept through the country.

Update 6 June 2020 (Day 1,526) Again no news on Nazanins clemency decision. Again she was asked by the Prosecutors Office to call back for a decision next week.  Free Nazanin (@FreeNazanin) June 6, 2020

Her family were hopeful that she might be permanently released as part of an amnesty for 3,000 prisoners at the end of Ramadan which was announced by the countrys supreme leader.

But two weeks after Eid, her husband Richard Ratcliffe told the PA news agency the authorities are really playing with us at this stage.

He said: I worried beforehand that Nazanins furlough would just become a new phase of her being a bargaining chip, a way of using us to signal to the UK that there are two paths ahead, a way to keep us hovering permanently between hope and despair.

Richard Ratcliffe and the couples daughter Gabriella (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

This is no way to keep testing someone after four years of trauma. There is no halfway house in a hostage situation. We remain exposed  and will be until she is home.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at Tehrans Imam Khomeini airport while travelling with her young daughter, Gabriella, to meet her parents in April 2016.

She was sentenced to five years in prison over allegations of plotting to overthrow the Tehran government.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been afforded diplomatic protection by the UK Government, which states that she is innocent and that her treatment by Iran failed to meet obligations under international law.
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Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates sees a way to ensure that poorer regions won't be left behind in the rush for covid-19 vaccines: invest in factories all over the world to produce billions of doses.

Gates is focusing on the most promising vaccine candidates, committing funds to help ensure production capacity is ready even before any have proven to work. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is also helping purchase potential shots for low-income countries with $100 million for an effort led by nonprofit Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

The Microsoft co-founder stressed the significance of ramping up manufacturing as health officials and world leaders including U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel meet virtually Thursday in an international vaccine summit. At the top of the agenda is broadening access to potential covid-19 vaccines, seen as the key to halting the pandemic and restarting seized-up economies.

"There's a plan to have multiple factories in Asia, multiple factories in the Americas, multiple factories in Europe, and if we can make over 1 to 2 billion doses a year, then the allocation problem is not super-acute," Gates said Wednesday on a call with reporters. "If you are only able to make, say, 100 million doses a year then you have an almost impossible problem."

Access to life-saving vaccines of all kinds is a perennial issue in poor countries, and the pandemic is disrupting routine immunizations globally, putting millions of children at risk of diseases such as diphtheria, measles and polio. Gates's Seattle-based foundation also committed $1.6 billion to Gavi's broader work to deliver these standard vaccines.

The pandemic's economic turmoil has raised the stakes for covid shots. The worry is that countries will compete for scarce supplies, seeking to protect their own populations at the expense of others, said Richard Hatchett, head of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, the Oslo-based group working to accelerate experimental inoculations. That scenario would actually result in a worse outcome for everyone, allowing the virus to continue to spread, he said.

"You can't end a pandemic in a single country," he said in an interview. "Ending the pandemic as quickly as possible can be achieved only through cooperative behavior and careful allocation."

Investing in manufacturing and overcoming potential bottlenecks is also a significant focus for Hatchett.

"One of the ways out of the cul-de-sac of vaccine nationalism is having copious supply," he said. A priority "is making sure our partners have access to manufacturing capacity that, if their vaccines are successful, will allow them to scale as quickly as they possibly can."

Groups such as CEPI, Gavi and the World Health Organization are leading a push to try to secure and deploy Covid vaccines equitably around the world. AstraZeneca, the U.K. drugmaker working with the University of Oxford on its experimental coronavirus vaccine, has said it's talking with those groups about allocation and distribution. Moderna Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co. and Sanofi are among others developing experimental pandemic shots.

One part of the plan to boost access is a purchasing agreement led by Gavi called an advance market commitment. It's aimed at giving companies an incentive to invest in manufacturing while making doses available at fair prices. The group estimated it will cost about $2 billion to vaccinate the first target -- 20 million health workers -- and create a stockpile for the neediest regions.

Gates said that spending would eventually need to climb to at least $10 billion. Immunizing the world could cost tens of billions of dollars, Gavi CEO Seth Berkley said in an interview last month.

While Gavi's proposed fund aims to raise billions of dollars to pay for increased production capacity, there's no guarantee that pharmaceutical companies will charge affordable prices, according to Doctors Without Borders.

The costs of some Covid-19 vaccines could end up ranging from about $4 a dose to potentially $15 a dose, Gates said in the briefing. He said he sees about eight experimental vaccine approaches "we think are promising and scalable if they work."

While the effort will involve making financial commitments to several vaccine programs, "it's worth it," Gates said.
Suspense over JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda contesting the Rajya Sabha polls from Karnataka with Congress' support continues as KPCC president D K Shivakumar on Saturday said the party has fielded one candidate and the high command will decide on what do with surplus votes.

Shivakumar also said his official takeover as party state unit president is likely to take place on June 14. "Whatever our national leadership will decide.. for now we are fielding only one candidate, regarding surplus votes whatever our high command says, we will abide by it," he said in response to a question about supporting Deve Gowda.

Polls for four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka is scheduled for June 19. The Congress, which can win one seat with its strength in the assembly, has fielded veteran party leader Mallikarjun Kharge as the candidate, while the BJP is yet to decide on candidates for two seats it can win.

The JD(S), which has 34 seats in the assembly, is not in a position to win a seat in Rajya Sabha on its own, and will need support from one of the national parties with their surplus votes for this. Minimum 44 votes are required for candidates to win.

Speculation is rife that congress is likely to support JD(S) with its surplus votes if the regional party fields Gowda, and in return may seek favour during legislative council polls slated later this month.

Though JD(S) legislators are of the unanimous opinion that Gowda should contest Rajya Sabha polls, the 87-year-old leader is said to be undecided and weighing options.

If he contests and wins, this will be the second Rajya Sabha entry for him, the first time being in 1996 as Prime Minister.

June 9 is the last date for filing nominations. Stating that on June 8, Mallikarjun Kharge will file his nomination for Rajya Sabha polls, Shivakumar requested party workers not to come to Congress office or Vidhana Soudha, where the nomination will be filed, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Let your love and affection continue, but let's not create problems by gathering here.After the election is over, and once he (Kharge) wins, you can greet and congratulate him.

Let's not bring a bad name to his seniority for not maintaining social distancing by gathering," he said.

With Congress having 68 MLAs in the assembly, victory is said to be certain for Kharge, who will be entering Rajya Sabha for the first time in his over four decade political career.

Meanwhile, Shivakumar said he has requested Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to give permission for his official takeover as state congress president on July 14.

The event, named 'Pratigna', has earlier been postponed twice- May 31 and June 7- due to COVID-19 related restrictions in place.

"I have requested the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, Police Commissioner. Until June 8, there are restrictions in place, after that it may be eased and I hope permission will be given.

All preparations are underway for June 14," he added.
Adam Driver is an actor widely regarded for his role as Kylo Ren in the Star Wars films. Drivers parents got divorced when he was young and he was primarily raised by his step-father. Learn more about Drivers relationship with his biological father.

Adam Driver| Photo by: Rosalind OConnor/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

RELATED: Why Did Twitter Cancel Star Wars Actor Adam Driver?

Adam Drivers parents are divorced

Driver is the son of Joe Driver and Nancy Wright (nee Needham). When Driver was 7-years-old, he and his mother moved from his birthplace of San Diego to Mishawaka, Indiana. There, she reconnected with her high school boyfriend, Rodney G. Wright. At the time, he drove a cab, but after some convincing, he became a Baptist minister at the Immanuel Baptist Church in Mishawaka. He helped raise Driver as his own.

Adam Drivers interest in grownup movies made it difficult for him to make friends

After his parents divorce and inevitable move to Indiana, Driver struggled to fit in. Mishawaka is many good things, but [a] cultural hub of the world it is not, Driver told The Telegraph. Driver recalled living with his grandparents at first  something he didnt enjoy. To keep himself entertained, Driver would watch grownup movies his father showed him, like Predator and Total Recall. All the while, Drivers classmates were talking about Saved by the Bell, so he had a hard time fitting in.

So, Driver tuned everyone else out and focused more on his love of film. We didnt travel, no one could afford to go to Europe, so for me and my friends, our access to the outside world came through films. Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, and going to the movies were pretty much our only avenue to get out of this really depressed, industrial town.

Adam Driver used his parents separation as motivation for Marriage Story

Marriage Story tells the tale of a married couple who experience a heartbreaking divorce. At the core of the story, both parents are trying to do right by their only son, Henry. Driver portrayed the husband and father, Charlie, who tries to maintain some sense of normalcy for his son during a hairy divorce.

RELATED: Why Adam Driver Kept His Son a Secret

Something I thought about all the time [while shooting Marriage Story] was the things that my dad didnt do that this guy does in Noah [Baumbachs] movie, Driver explained to The New Yorker. The fighting to get custody was moving to me. My dad didnt do any of this. He didnt put up a fight. His personal experience with his parents separating and the way his father reacted to it helped him portray Charlie in Marriage Story. Driver delivers a brilliantly inhabited and shaded portrait of a man whos forced to reckon with that reality, The Hollywood Reporter wrote.

Adam Driver has a strong relationship with his stepfather

Despite his biological fathers shortcomings, Driver has a seemingly strong relationship with his stepfather. When Driver first landed the role on Girls, Wright spoke to a local publication about his step-sons success.

RELATED: Star Wars: How Adam Driver Mastered Kylo Rens Lightsaber

I dont agree with everything that he does, but I agree with his work ethic, Wright told the Southbend Tribune. Hes out there, and he works, and he works. He goes after things, [and] he does anything his agent tells him to do  [as long as] he can without [jobs] overlapping. So hes doing real well.

Its unclear whether Driver and his biological father are in communication today. Driver and his wife, Joanne Tucker, raise their son out of the public eye and keep much of their personal lives private.
Police say a major search operation in Derry has ended.

A PSNI spokesperson said the operation targeting dissident republican terrorist activity, which began in the Ballymagroarty area on Friday, uncovered a bomb, a handgun and ammunition.

The spokesperson said: "The items were found during a focused, two day search by police and military personnel of an area spanning more than 38 acres.

"This operation was designed specifically to find items we believed were being stored in this area and which posed a serious and imminent risk to the community.

"They have thankfully now been removed and will be subject to rigorous forensic examination.

"The despicable criminals using this area for terrorist purposes are reckless and continually put our community at risk.

"Despite the constant threat posed by this dangerous minority, local police officers continue to provide a community-focussed policing service to the people of Derry/Londonderry whilst simultaneously working to thwart their activities through operations like this one.

"Our chances of success are improved by support and information from the local community. Anything you know, or anything you have seen  share that information with us and help us put these criminals out of business.

"You can call us on 101, 999 in an emergency or information can be given to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."
What divided America were the methods and means protesters began using within hours of the Minneapolis riot  the attacks on police with bottles, bricks and Molotov cocktails and killings. If mob tactics are now how we make change and alter public policy, the democratic republic is dead and we have gone full Third World.

Greg Weldon, Papillion

A failed president

Kenneth A. Becker writes in the May 24 Public Pulse: All the Democrats have done for three years is to try and remove Trump from office with phony allegations, corrupt FBI, corrupt CIA, crooked Obama administration and a biased media.

He further goes on to say that our economy is great because of the increases in the 401 (k) accounts, low unemployment, and other personal observations. Does Mr. Becker not understand that most of the people in our country are not vested in a 401 (k) account, so that means little to the average citizen? Does he not understand that low unemployment is due partially to people who have given up looking for sustainable employment? Does he not understand that many of the jobs taken by low-paid immigrants are jobs that the average citizen would not want anyway?
Two individuals and the nonprofit Dont Shoot Portland filed a class action lawsuit against the City of Portland over police use of tear gas against protesters over the past week.

Police have used tear gas on several nights during protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, which have stretched over a week in Portland and nationally.

Plaintiffs Nicholas Roberts and Michelle Misha Belden were both caught in tear gas during protests in downtown Portland, according to the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs are also seeking a temporary restraining order to immediately stop Portland police from using tear gas in the city. They are also seeking a permanent ban.

Dont Shoot Portlands website says the nonprofit is known for community advocacy.

Juan Chavez, the attorney filing the lawsuit and the project director of the Civil Rights Project at the Oregon Justice Resource Center, said ending the use of tear gas is overdue.

(The law) is meant to restrain an officer from punishing a lot of people at once for nothing, Chavez said. And thats exactly what tear gas is  punishment. For people who are bystanders, for people who are peaceful protestors. Theres no such thing as a good or bad protestor when tear gas is flying.

City Commissioners Chloe Eudaly and Jo Ann Hardesty and the ACLU of Oregon have also called on police to stop using tear gas. Earlier today, Seattle banned the use of tear gas for 30 days. In a press conference this afternoon, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said he wasnt ready to make the same move, but during protests Friday evening, he said he and his advisers planned to pursue a similar gas ban to Seattles on Saturday.

The spread of COVID-19 can also be heightened by the side effects of tear gas.

PPB has repeatedly used chemical agents (tear gas) against crowds of protesters, including plaintiffs who had committed no criminal acts, posed no threat of violence to any person, and were merely engaged in protected speech, the lawsuit states. The use of tear gas is particularly dangerous at the present time because it is specifically designed to irritate the respiratory system and to cause people to expel mucus and aspirated saliva. In the midst of a global pandemic, the deadly novel COVID-19 virus is known to spread principally through aspirated saliva and mucus.

Friday marked the ninth day of protests in Portland.

-- Celina Tebor

ctebor@oregonian.com

@CelinaTebor
Prosecutors: 2 Buffalo Police Officers Charged With Assault

BUFFALO, N.Y.Two Buffalo police officers were charged with assault on Saturday, prosecutors said. The charges came after a video showed them shoving a 75-year-old protester in recent demonstrations over the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Both pleaded not guilty to second-degree assault. They were released without bail.

The officers had been suspended without pay Friday after a TV-crew captured the confrontation the night before near the end of protests.

The footage shows a man identified as Martin Gugino approaching a line of helmeted officers holding batons as they clear demonstrators from Niagara Square around the time of an 8 p.m. curfew.

Two officers push Gugino backward, and he hits his head on the pavement. Blood spills as officers walk past. One officer leans down to check on the injured man before another officer urges the colleague to keep walking.

A Buffalo police officer appears to shove a man who walked up to police, in Buffalo, N.Y., on June 4, 2020. (Mike Desmond/WBFO via AP)

Dozens of police officers stepped down from the departments crowd control unit Friday, in response to their fellow officers suspensions.

Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders, said John Evans, the president of the Police Benevolent Association, reported WGRZ.

The Emergency Response team was created several years ago and is deployed during riots and mass protests.

The City of Buffalo is aware of developments related to the work assignments of certain members of the Buffalo police force. At this time, we can confirm that contingency plans are in place to maintain police services and ensure public safety within our community. The Buffalo police continue to actively work with the New York State Police and other cooperating agencies, said Mayor Byron Brown, according to local news outlets.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz also issued a comment on the development.

Im very disappointed if they resigned. I dont know how many individuals there are, as I said I have no oversight directly, that is no oversight over the Buffalo Police Department. My goal as county executive is to ensure the safety and welfare of the entire public. The individuals who are protesting, our general members of the public who may be not as well as our local police force, because I want each and everyone one of them to be safe in all our endeavors, Poloncarz remarked.

The district attorneys office continues to investigate the incident, officials said in a news release, but the victim could not talk to investigators Thursday night.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
RACINE COUNTY  Anyone who has attended a protest, or any other large gathering, should get tested for COVID-19, according to area health officials.

Racine County has the highest rate of coronavirus infection in Wisconsin, surging past Brown and Milwaukee counties in the past week as testing ramped up statewide. As of Saturday, Racine County has 1,906 positive cases with 16,712 tests completed, a positive rate of more than 11%. Some other counties in the state, like Burnett and Marquette and Langlade, have fewer than five total positive cases despite hundreds having been tested.

In a statement to The Journal Times, Margaret Gesner, the health officer for the Central Racine County Health Department, said, Since Racine County has a high rate of COVID-19 infections, Central Racine County Health Department recommends that any Racine County resident who has attended a large protest or vigil get tested.

She advised that anyone who attended a large gathering should get tested 5-7 days after attending the event, even those without symptoms. For anyone experiencing symptoms, regardless of whether they attended a protest, they should get tested right away, according to Gesner.

Dottie-Kay Bowersox, administrator for the City of Racine Public Health Department, also said that demonstrators should wear masks and maintain social distancing as best they can.

This department still advises that individuals who are high-risk should refrain from engaging in large public gatherings. Regardless of risk category, everyone should follow hand hygiene, mask usage, and social distancing recommendations to limit their chances of being exposed, Bowersox said in a statement. Individuals should keep in mind they would be at higher risk of an exposure if traveling to an area with a greater number of positive cases and where community transmission is still active. Racine falls into that category.

On Thursday, Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that there is potential for protests to become a seeding event that allows coronavirus to spread further. He added that anyone who participates in protests should inform their loved ones so that they are aware of the risks of exposure.

When prompted by a question from U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., during a Congressional hearing, Redfield said that the use of tear gas by law enforcement could also increase the risk of COVID-19 spreading, largely because of the coughing the gas induces. The disease is primarily spread through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks, according to the CDC.

In a statement to The Journal Times, CDC Press Officer Scott Pauley said, CDC and our federal partners are monitoring closely the demonstrations happening across America. Protests and large gatherings make it difficult to maintain our recommended social distancing guidelines and may put others at risk. It is too early to know what, if any, effect these events will have on the federal COVID-19 response. Every local situation is different.

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Protesters loot a NY Yankee store during demonstrations over the death of George Floyd, in New York City, on June 1, 2020. (Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty Images)

Cuomo Calls on Looters to Be Charged With Burglary 2 and Kept in Jail

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday denounced violence against police and urged prosecutors to charge looters with crimes that come with bail to keep them from hitting the streets shortly after arrest and resuming their crime spree.

Speaking at his daily briefing on June 4, Cuomo called instances of violence against police intolerable, describing a situation the night before when two NYPD officers suffered gunshot wounds to their hands and one was ambushed and stabbed in the neck.

The police are doing an impossible job. Theyre trying to deal with the protesters. Theyre trying to stop looting. And theyre trying to keep themselves safe because the police want to go home to their families, Cuomo said.

The officers are expected to recover, and the FBI has launched an investigation into what William Sweeney, head of the FBIs New York office, condemned as a cowardly attack on the NYPD.

Cuomo said there is no tolerance against violence against a police officer. Period, before calling on New York City district attorneys to act on what he said was plentiful evidence of criminal activity and charge crimes appropriately.

Over the past week, looters and vandals have engaged in a spate of smash-and-grab thefts, targeting both big box stores and small businesses.

You have scenes of looting that are on videotape that are indefensible and inexcusable. Looting is criminal activity, number one, Cuomo said. Looting is exploiting this situation with the protests. They know that the police are going to be busy with the protesters. Theyre then using that as an opportunity to loot.

If you have looters who are using rocks, breaking windows, stealing, these people should be charged for the crime they are committing and bail set, the governor added. I understand the political environment. I also understand that the law is the law.

The governors comments come after reports that looters in New York City were being arrested only to be released shortly after without bail, a situation Cuomo denounced as nonsensical.

In an interview with the New York Post on Tuesday, NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan said most of the suspects arrested after a looting spree Monday night and early Tuesday morning would be back out.

But when it comes to a burglary, which is a commercial store, which is looting, theyre back out, he said.

Under New York state law, second-degree burglary, which carries a bail option, can be charged when a suspect uses or threatens the immediate use of a dangerous instrument.

Cuomo, a former assistant prosecutor, urged prosecutors to charge looters with second-degree burglary, rather than burglary in the third-degree, a softer, bail-free option.

The DA should charge these looters, Cuomo said. They should charge them with Burglary 2 and they should be held and set bail.

Some district attorneys refuted Cuomos claim that looting qualified for more serious charges.

In a statement cited by Fox 5 New York, the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York said, The notion that District Attorneys can charge Burglary 2 in cases where individuals throw rocks through windows of closed businesses to loot is not supported by New York States penal law.

A spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance told CBSNewYork, To date, the overwhelming majority of looting cases in Manhattan cannot be charged as Burglary in the Second Degree.

Melissa DeRosa, a top Cuomo aide, said that while some prosecutors may be reluctant to bring tougher charges, she insisted its an option.

I understand some of the district attorneys may feel uncomfortable charging that [looting] as burg 2, because traditionally they charge that as burg 3, DeRosa told the New York Post. But they have the tools available to them.

A spokesperson for the Bronx District Attorneys office, cited by Fox 5 New York, said that its prosecutors have so far charged 58 people with second-degree burglary and 28 people on misdemeanor charges related to theft and vandalism.

Earlier, Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark issued a statement in which she called George Floyds death during an arrest by the Minneapolis Police outrageous and unnecessarily tragic, but insisted violent protests were not the way to honor his memory.

His family deserves justice and his memory must be honored, Clark said. The reaction to Floyds violent death should not be violence. Damaging property and physical violence in our communities does nothing more than hurt us where we live and work.
A major trial of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine was halted in the UK on Friday after scientists found it provided no benefit for patients hospitalised with the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), but with several trials still under way, the last word is still awaited on the drugs effectiveness against the viral ailment, scientists said.

The preliminary results of the UKs Recovery trial were released a day after a flawed study that raised safety concerns about hydroxychloroquine was retracted from the highly cited British medical journal, The Lancet, following scientific scrutiny.

Following The Lancet study, the World Health Organization (WHO) suspended the hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine arm of its multi-country Solidarity Trail to validate four experimental Covid-19 treatments, but announced on Wednesday that the trials had been resumed. Researchers from the Recovery trial said they will share their data with the WHO.

The Recovery trial is a randomised clinical trial, considered the gold standard for clinical investigation, that used data from 11,000 patients in 175 hospitals in the UK to study the benefits of several experimental treatments against Covid-19. For the malaria drugs study, 1,542 patients were randomly assigned to hydroxychloroquine, and compared with 3,132 patients on standard hospital care.

Unlike previous trials that found increased risk of death, the Recovery trial found no significant difference in deaths between the two groups after 28 days. Treating patients with hydroxichloroquine did not shorten a patients hospital stay.

If you are admitted to hospital, dont take hydroxychloroquine. It doesnt work, said Martin Landray, professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Oxford, and deputy chief investigator of the Recovery trial, which has stopped recruiting patients on hydroxychloroquine treatment with immediate effect.

Another unrelated study from researchers in the US and Canada found hydroxychloroquine does not prevent disease when given within four days after high-risk or moderate-risk exposure to Covid-19. It was published in New England Journal of Medicine on June 3.

Some 203 Covid-19 trials with hydroxychloroquine are under way, 60 of which were focused on prophylaxis (preventive care), registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, the worlds the largest clinical trials database.

We need to stop discussing hydroxychloroquine and wait for further study results. Unless there is clear evidence, it doesnt help the public. Clinical trials must be completed, and that takes time, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist at WHO, told HT.

Hydroxychloroquine is a century-old malaria drug that is also approved for treating autoimmune conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Its been in the spotlight as a possible treatment for Covid because of early studies in the laboratory that showed it reduces viral load, and for public endorsements from US President Donald Trump.

Small in-vitro studies from China and Italy initially provided proof of concept by showing hydroxychloroquine lowered viral load. Its strong immunomodulatory properties are effective against autoimmune conditions like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, which gave the legitimacy for its use against Covid-19, which may drive an unregulated immune response or cytokine storm. Since then, large studies like the Veterans trial in the US and the Recovery trial in the UK have found no benefits from hospitalised patients. The authors of the Veterans trial reanalysed their data after The Lancet debacle and stand by it, said Dr N K Ganguly, former director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research.

As several trials on hydroxycholoroquine are still ongoing, the last word has not been said on the drugs effectiveness, but there is need for a cautious approach, expert said.

Its a dynamic situation and should be reviewed periodically before a studied decision is taken at the national level. Till then, all treatment using hydroxychloroquine, whether as a prophylaxis or as treatment, must be done under strict clinical supervision and the highest quality of care, said Dr Ganguly.

India is the worlds biggest producer of hydroxychloroquine, which is approved for use as a prophylaxis and has been given to asymptomatic health workers and contacts of Covid-19 patients since March 23. This was expanded to include frontline workers from May 22.

A study from India found that having four or more doses of hydroxychloroquine lowers the odds of getting infected with Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease. The study, published in the Indian Journal of Respiratory Research earlier this week, said the malaria drug lowered the risk of infection by 80% if taken as recommended.

Indiscriminate use, however, will make this drug redundant for malaria, which is endemic in India, so no one should have it without prescription, said Dr Ganguly.

The Recovery trial will continue to study the evidence from other experimental treatments, which include a combination of antivirals drugs lopinavir and ritonavir used to treat HIV; low dose of the steroid dexamethasone used to reduce inflammation; the antibiotic azithromycin; and the anti-inflammatory drug tocilizumab, and convalescent plasma therapy that uses antibodies found in the blood of people who have recovered from Covid-19 to fight the virus.

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Private Jets Nigeria, an aviation service provider, says it has suffered a loss of $5 billion due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

Omotade Lepe, the Chief Operating Officer of the association, disclosed this during the Facebook live series with the theme: The Private Jets Sector Post- COVID-19. The event was organised by the Luxury Reporter magazine.

Mr Lepe said the period has been most challenging for operators as they have suffered revenue loss, decline in flight orders and a fixed overhead cost.

COVID-19 has dealt seriously with the aviation sector generally but for the private jet operators, we can say we have lost over five billion dollars while the pandemic ravaged the world, he said.

The official said the association has put in place some measures to revamp its business post COVID-19 and to recover some of lost revenues.

He said that luxury businesses generally need to re-invent themselves because the market is becoming more competitive.

According to him, the association plans to go all out to attract business executives, corporate companies and more to recover some of the financial losses during COVID-19.

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The rich people never find private jet as a way of life, we are going to reach out to them post COVID-19, likewise lower our bar to meet with the upper-middle class, business executives, and corporate companies, he said.

The private jet business does not ordinarily warrant marketing but in view of the business outlook now, we will be reaching out to improve patronage.

We are going to stop our previous attitude of our customers know us, we are now going by the slogan: We are going to the customers.

We will be taking the private jet business to the people rather than wait for people to come, Mr Lepe said.

Mr Lepe further said that in line with the requirements of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in combating the pandemic, the private jet operators would be ensuring strict adherence to the guidelines, in addition to some other safety rules.

He said that the association would be working on restoring passengers confidence by creating awareness and training most of the crew members on COVID-19 safety rules and preventive measures.

I assure Nigerians that post COVID-19 when flight resumes, we will take the safety measures seriously.

Anyone whose temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celcius will be declined flight, passengers will be made to come with non-medical face masks.

Though, we will also make provision for whoever forgets to come with a face mask, the aircraft toilets will be disinfected constantly, the cabin crew will be made to wear protective clothes and gloves.

The private jets give room for automatic social distancing as against the commercial flights.

All these and more will be done to restore passengers confidence at post-COVID-19, he said

Earlier, Funke Osae-Brown, editor-in-chief of The Luxury Reporter Magazine and convener of the series, said the essence of the meeting was to interact on the way forward for luxury industry at post-COVID-19. (NAN)
Prince Andrew remains a threat to the royal family, and one royal expert believes he should be involved with The Firm as little as possible, if not at all.

Controversial Year For Royal Family

At the beginning of this year, the royal family has been bombarded by controversies involving the senior members of The Firm. Reports even mentioned that the members of the monarchy had to "reinvent themselves" after facing an extremely difficult year.

To recall, the Queen's eldest son Prince Andrew resigned from his royal duties following his disastrous interview with BBC. The said interview tackled his connection and friendship with the deceased billionaire and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

A few months later, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their decision to quit from their roles as senior royals in order to live a private and financially independent life.

Moreover, it doesn't help the royal family that they have to deal with the negative effects of the coronavirus crisis. Already undermanned with the departures of key royal members, it has undoubtedly been a tough first six months for Queen Elizabeth II and the monarchy.

Road To Recovery

Now, as they try to rebuild from all the controversies while carefully navigating amid the coronavirus pandemic, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams warned that Her Majesty's favorite son Prince Andrew should be "seen as little as possible."

After Buckingham Palace announced the changes in Queen Elizabeth II's diary due to COVID-19, traditional ceremonies such as Trooping the Colour have been halted. However, instead of a grand celebration, multiple reports mentioned that a small military display is about to take place at Windsor Castle on June 13.

With that, Fitzwilliams told the Daily Express that the disgraced royal might be kept out of the public eye.

"Had the Trooping gone ahead on Horse Guards, as it has in every year except 1955 when it was canceled due to a rail strike, Prince Andrew, who has stepped down from royal duties would not have attended.

Fitzwilliams also pointed out that his appearance and involvement with Epstein might become an embarrassment to the family's image.

"As the country gradually returns to a form of normality, Andrew should be seen as little as possible. If not, he will, at least whilst so many questions regarding his friendship with Epstein remain unanswered, be the focus of attention when he appears and he will continue to be a serious embarrassment for the royal family," the expert shared.

In November 2019, the 60-year-old Duke appeared in BBC Newsnight with host Emily Maitlis as he addressed his association with the American financier and sex offender.

"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 sympathize with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure," the Duke of York mentioned.

This also led Prince Andrew to withdraw from his public life until the "foreseeable future."

In addition, the royal commentator mentioned how the Queen was able to manage to revive the representation of the royal family and emerge as a "symbol of unity" amid the pandemic.

"The monarchy had a tough year until relatively recently. During the pandemic, it has become a symbol of national unity which is its main function in a crisis," Fitzwilliams pointed out.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 05:52:38|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Egypt and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reached a deal to provide the Egyptian government with a 12-month credit agreement worth 5.2 billion U.S. dollars to help the North African country deal with economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, Egyptian finance ministry announced Friday.

This agreement would be presented to the IMF Executive Board for final approval on the requested financing amount, the ministry said in a statement.

The agreement proves the continued confidence of international institutions, especially the IMF, in Egypt's economic, monetary and financial policies as well as the country's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the ministry added.

It will help preserve the gains Egypt has achieved in recent years by implementing the economic reform program, according to the finance ministry.

On May 11, the IMF Executive Board approved Egypt's request for emergency financial assistance of 2.772 billion dollars over the COVID-19 outbreak.

Prior to the COVID-19 shock, Egypt carried out a successful economic reform supported by the IMF's Extended Fund Facility to correct large external and domestic imbalances.

Egypt announced its first confirmed COVID-19 case on Feb. 14 and the first death from the highly infectious virus on March 8, both foreigners.

Until Friday night, Egypt's total coronavirus cases reached 31,115, including 1,166 deaths and 8,158 recoveries.

In mid-March, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi allocated 100 billion Egyptian pounds (6.35 billion U.S. dollars) to finance an anti-coronavirus plan.

Since March 25, the Egyptian government has been imposing a nighttime curfew, which varied between nine and 13 hours, to curb the spread of the virus.

The current nine-hour curfew will continue until mid-June, when the government will consider easing restrictions amid a coexistence plan to maintain anti-coronavirus precautionary measures while resuming economic activities. Enditem
In the early hours of Tuesday, May 19, Kenny Larson was one of thousands of Midland area residents told by the fire department to evacuate his home due to imminent flash flood danger.

Alerts about flooding and warnings of evacuation continued to light up phones as the Tittabawassee River levels raised, and more and more people abandoned their neighborhoods. Larson, who is assistant manager for the Sleep Inn hotel in Midland, recognized there would be a need for lodging that night.

He headed over to the hotel, which had been closed for over a month due to the coronavirus pandemic, and spent over an hour getting everything up and running. He had even begun to take reservations.

"We kind of had to, at the last minute, just piece everything together so we could open on such short notice," Larson said. "It was really chaotic."

Then, shortly after, law enforcement personnel showed up and explained the hotel, located at 2100 W. Wackerly St., was in the evacuation zone. Larson, who was eager to help displaced residents and was homeless for the night himself, felt terrible that he now had to close the hotel's doors. However, he understood the safety concern.

"I already had to go through that with my house then just as I was working hard to get everything open here, they came and told us to reverse everything I had just done," Larson said.

The next day the hotel got the go-ahead to open and in the following days, the Sleep Inn went from zero capacity to about 50% Larson said, housing residents whose houses were flooded or without power, as well as out-of-state restoration crews. In the last week, many guests had left - possibly returning home to flooded basements or finding alternate places to stay. However, not everyone was able to and a number of guests remain at the hotel.

Larson said he's happy the hotel can provide a dry safe place to sleep, especially as the threat of a pandemic still looms over residents.

"I was pretty bummed out when we had to evacuate here just because I knew it was going to put a lot of people in a tough time, so for me personally, I like being able to be here and help out for anybody that needs somewhere to stay," he said.

To alleviate the financial burden of living temporarily in a hotel, the American Red Cross has partnered with about a dozen local hotels and more than 60 community partners to provide three meals a day and to pay for hotel stays for flood victims. In Midland alone, there are more than 60 people lodged by Red Cross currently.

By providing meals and paying for lodging, it allows residents to focus their time and energy on long-term recovery for their own homes, said Amy Meister, executive director for Red Cross East Central Bay Michigan Region.

Meister said people are not limited in their number of hotel night stays, and the Red Cross will provide this service to individuals so long as they need it. She said they are also actively working with residents to set up long-term options like apartments or being able to rehabilitate their homes.

In addition, on Monday, the American Red Cross launched a direct financial assistance program for renters or homeowners through June 22. Call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to apply and set up an account with Red Cross to receive personalized help. Assistance lines will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 7:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Additional resources are available by calling 2-1-1 or visiting https://redcrossdisasterresources.auntbertha.com/

Another of Red Cross's hotel partners in Midland is the Best Western Valley Plaza Inn, which had a similar experience as the Sleep Inn reopening during the pandemic to welcome flood victims.

"When those alerts started going off that the dams were comprised it took us about an hour and a half - it was me, the assistant general manager, the general manager and the owner that opened this building back up in about an hour and a half. By the evening of (May 19), we had 79 rooms filled," said Leia Riley, assistant general manager at the hotel.

In addition, Midland County Fairground Manager Trish Steele said they had an influx of people staying on site in campers and RVs. Now, just a handful remain.

For a list of hotels open in Midland, visit https://www.gogreat.com/hotels/packages/flood-relief/
Watching the selfless volunteers currently working to distribute food and care for the neighbors (during the COVID-19 pandemic), we were reminded of Katherine Browne Jaques.

Some time ago, we encountered an article printed in the San Antonio Express News, July 12, 1930, that told the story of William Budd Jaques and his wife, Katherine Browne Jaques. Both William and Katherine were Republic of Texas legends who lived in San Antonio. Their infant daughter Adellia Josephine was buried in San Fernando Church (now Cathedral).

In rereading the article, we were struck by Katherine Jaques selflessly heroic actions in helping victims of cholera in San Antonio. In 1849, with a population of fewer than 3,500, San Antonio was devastated. The article states: The cholera lasted three months, but in that time, it carried off nearly a fifth of the population of the little town. In 1866, cholera again visited San Antonio. Again, Katherine worked tirelessly with the sick. Unfortunately, she contracted the disease and died in 1866.

San Antonio in its long history has seen adversity and heroes continue to come forward.

Do you have any information regarding the 1849 cholera epidemic?

 Allen & Regina Kosub

It was the most serious of three major 19th-century cholera epidemics here, after one in 1834 and before the last in 1866. The first was not well documented though consequential enough to require a reorganization of government. The third claimed 292 lives, leading to some public health improvements and in 1869 to the founding of the citys first hospital by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.

Cholera 1849 was the worst of the three, averaging 25 case fatalities a day at its peak during May 1849 and killing an estimated total of 500 in six weeks. The bacterial infection, spread by contaminated food or water, was known as the Blue Plague, for the startling, dark-purple skin developed by its victims, severely dehydrated by acute vomiting and diarrhea and wracked with painful cramping.

The disease made its way here during whats known as the Third Great Cholera pandemic, with the Vibrio cholerae bacterium spreading from Asia to Europe to North America between 1846 and 1860. Its believed that cholera came to the United States this time with Irish immigrants and spread through waterways such as the Mississippi and Ohio river systems. Cross-country travel related to the California Gold Rush also may have hastened its transmission westward.

Texas cities, including San Antonio, fell victim to epidemics, says G.F. Pyle in a 1969 study, Diffusion of Cholera in the United States in the 19th Century, because they were raw frontier towns with inadequate sanitation (and often) supported large Army populations. Among the soldiers posted here in 1848 was Gen. William J. Worth  Fort Worths namesake  serving briefly as commander of the Department of Texas before he died of cholera May 7, 1849.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the disease can spread rapidly in areas with inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking water, which describes San Antonio in the mid-19th century, while the tortuous, slow-moving San Antonio River and the acequias (irrigation canals) still were used for drinking, cooking and bathing as well as for trash dumping. Shallow-dug private wells were another source of infection, especially if sited too close to areas used for waste disposal. A traveler bringing the disease could infect a whole city by using a poorly situated privy.

Within a few days of choleras April 1849 arrival in San Antonio, the citys streets went from crowded with people and full of life to deserted (and) silent as the grave, according to the French priest Emmanuel Domenech in his memoir, Missionary Adventures in Texas and Mexico: A Personal Narrative of Six Years Sojourn in Those Regions. Ordained in 1848 in San Antonio, he may have been the first priest ordained in Texas, and with the cholera epidemic, he experienced a baptism by fire.

Calls were incessant, Domenech remembered, I saw nothing but agony and death and burials. I hardly had time to take my ordinary meals. The young priest was constantly employed in dispensing remedies, as well as in consoling and praying for the dying. In short, I was occupied with body and soul at the same time.

The remedy he was dispensing, recommended by a local doctor, was a mixture of camphorated alcohol, pepper, laudanum and cologne. There wasnt much else to offer; prescriptions included slices of peyote (the psychoactive cactus), copper amulets worn around the neck, applications of mercury-based compounds, electric shocks, tobacco smoke and cold baths. People believed that the illness came from a miasma (bad air) that settled at night, so they stayed in their homes or, if they could, made for higher ground. Katherine Jaques, who could have retreated to the family ranch, closed her boarding house and stayed to nurse the sick.

Domenech recalled that a third of San Antonios population fled the city, to Boerne or Bandera, or, if less affluent, camped out alone in the woods, where some died alone in audible agony. Along the streets, the only traffic were the rumbling oxcarts that took the dead to be buried. When the supply of coffins ran out, corpses were strapped to dried ox hides and dragged through the streets to the cemetery, where many were buried in shallow, unmarked graves.

The epidemic receded  probably because almost everyone who was susceptible to developing symptoms either had done so or had left town and because the disease moved so fast, sometimes showing its symptoms and killing in a single day. Changes in weather may also have had an effect on the water, the prime carrier of the disease.

Starting with the first municipal waterworks in 1877, San Antonio moved away from using open sources of untreated water to artesian wells. The last cholera scare here was in 1892.

historycolumn@yahoo.com | Twitter: @sahistorycolumn | Facebook: SanAntoniohistorycolumn
(Reuters) - Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, responding to widespread protests decrying racism after the death of a black man in police custody in Minneapolis, ordered on Thursday the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E.

(Reuters) - Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, responding to widespread protests decrying racism after the death of a black man in police custody in Minneapolis, ordered on Thursday the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in the state's capital city of Richmond.

Saying the statue should be detached from its pedestal "as soon as possible" by the Department of General Services, the Democratic governor acknowledged the move could stir anger from admirers of the commander, who led troops in a slave-owning state during the American Civil War.

"Yes, that statue has been there for a long time. But it was wrong then and it is wrong now, so we're taking it down," Northam told a news conference.

A spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of General Services said planning was underway to remove the state-owned statue but no further details were available.

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney cheered the governor's order as Virginia was set to enter Phase Two of its coronavirus reopening plan on Friday, when restaurants and gyms can offer limited indoor service.

"We have two pandemics in this country, COVID-19 and racism," Stoney said. "One is six months old, the other 400 years old. Both are lethal, especially for black and brown people."

The move comes after George Floyd's death on May 25 set off waves of protests and uprisings across the United States and abroad. Four Minneapolis police officers have been criminally charged.

In Richmond, protesters, many wearing face masks to guard against COVID-19 spread, gathered around the defaced statue on Monument Avenue, holding high raised fists and taking a knee in symbolic denunciation of racism. The pedestal, which has been repeatedly vandalized in recent years, this week was disfigured with spray paint reading "Stop White Supremacy" and "ALM," which means "All Lives Matter."

Stoney said the governor's order marked "a new day for our city. And for our Commonwealth."

"As a 39-year-old black man, the grandson of a housekeeper maid and son of a janitor, I couldn't be more proud," Stoney said.

(Writing by Barbara Goldberg in Maplewood, New Jersey; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Aurora Ellis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Northshore Campus announces partnership with Liverpool John Moores University UK View(s):

Northshore Campus recently announced a historic partnership with Liverpool John Moores University, UK (LJMU). This partnership would explore the potential for jointly developing academic and educational needs such as the exchange of research materials, publications and information, development and operation of collaborative programmes, exchange of students and academic staff between LJMU and Northshore Campus as well as the development of common curricula in areas of mutual interest.

Through this proposed partnership, students enrolled at Northshore Campus would have access to pursuing foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications from LJMU, right here in Sri Lanka.

This historic moment was reached with the signing of an MOU between the LJMU and Northshore Campus on the 22nd May 2020.

We are extremely pleased to sign this MOU with Liverpool John Moores University, and feel that LJMU shares many of the values that Northshore Campus places in delivering qualifications that prepare students for the real world through a blend of both academic and industrial expertise and knowledge, and providing the latest tools and technologies for our students to be leaders in their chosen fields. says, Professor Nalaka Jayakody, DSc, Vice Chancellor and CEO at Northshore Campus.

Professor Jayakody, further stated, We at Northshore Campus are deeply committed to continuing to provide our students with the best possible academic experience and knowledge and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership and exchange of knowledge and expertise.

We are delighted to sign this MOU with Northshore Campus, and are excited about the prospect of working with Professor Nalaka and his team to hopefully deliver our qualifications to our students studying in Sri Lanka says Professor Ian G. Campbell, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive at Liverpool John Moores University. We look forward to working with Northshore Campus and look forward to welcoming them as a partner college.

Through the proposed partnership, LJMU and Northshore Campus will be working towards the development of programmes, initially, in the areas of Engineering, Technology, Computing, and Science.

Professor Jayakody commented, Northshore Campus is fully prepared to deliver these qualifications through online lectures, utilizing our existing infrastructure and would be offering online as well as blended learning opportunities moving forward, considering the effects of the recent Covid-19 epidemic worldwide, and would be working closely with LJMU to provide the best possible experience for our students, including featuring LJMU faculty in delivering guest lectures and vice versa.

Northshore Campus, Sri Lankas premier higher educational institution prides itself on being dynamic, innovative and progressive in all its operations to meet the primary objective of bestowing readily employable graduates to the society. It celebrates a remarkable transformation by launching itself to broaden the horizons of its students.

Driven by the concept of providing everyone with the opportunity to access quality education in their fields of interest, Northshore revives its academic manipulation by launching several new faculties also marking a milestone in the development of its approach to education. Empowered by its values, equipped with its state-of-the-art facilities, and sailed by a highly qualified academic staff, the campus provides students with the strongest foundations for their future careers.

Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), ranked at 401 in universities worldwide and ranked number 31 in UK university listings, was originally opened as a Mechanics Institute in 1823. It is now one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK.

Named after Sir John Moores  the entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the Littlewoods retail empire  the university comprises three large campuses, with the central City campus just a short walk from some of Liverpools main sites, including the World Museum, the Walker Art Gallery and St Georges Hall.

Home to around 25,000 students from over 100 countries worldwide, LJMU prides itself on being an integral part of Liverpools cultural landscape. Tate Liverpool, the Everyman Theatre and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra are just some of the partners that support the university in making learning and culture accessible to students.

LJMUs academic partnerships include further education colleges, hospital trusts, public services and private companies, as well as other universities in Europe, Asia and the USA, with which it collaborates on world-leading research projects and study abroad opportunities for students.

The university emphasises a practical, hands-on approach in its teaching, with student facilities that include nursing and midwifery suites, science and engineering laboratories, an art gallery and a mock court room.

It also has its own Centre of Entrepreneurship that supports upwards of 2,000 students every year in developing their own businesses. In 2015, it introduced a 500,000 start-up fund to offer grants and awards for innovative student ventures.

LJMU degree courses are developed in partnership with industry partners and, with work experience being an intrinsic part of every course, the universitys graduates are much sought after by employers.

Alumni of LJMU include comedian Caroline Aherne, actor Claire Foy, Olympic athlete Beth Tweddle, and former President of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed.
For an eighth straight day, crowds filled streets across the Bay Area in the wake of the police killing in Minneapolis of George Floyd  but this time there were new cries for justice.

In Oakland, they rallied against police brutality to call for an end of a practice in which police are assigned to patrol certain schools.

In San Francisco, they expressed outrage at the killing of a 22-year-old local man by Vallejo police  a man unarmed and kneeling when he was killed Tuesday during unrest set off by the Floyd killing.

Hundreds of people also gathered in San Jose, Walnut Creek, Vallejo and Sunnyvale on Friday.

Now Playing: Hundreds of protesters gathered around Tommie Smith and John Carlos statue at San Jose State University. Video: San Francisco Chronicle

They were on bikes, in cars, on foot and at times, on their knees. They danced, honked, chanted. They conducted die-ins and sit-ins and vigils. They demanded change.

In Oakland, protesters urged the citys school board to eliminate the districts police department and the presence of officers on school grounds.

Oaklands just really amped up, said Jasmine Williams, spokeswoman for the Black Organizing Project, one in a coalition of groups organizing car marches, caravans and other events throughout Oakland Friday to advocate for the change.

The districts police department  an uncommon arrangement in California  costs $2.3 million, organizers said.

Were struggling to get money for schools right now, so why is this line item here? Williams said.

Yvette Yarbor, 58, of the Laurel District drove to the protest in her gray Equinox van. Her son graduated from Skyline High and her daughter also attended Oakland public schools.

Im just here supporting the cause, she said. We dont need police in schools.

In San Jose, hundreds of demonstrators gathered at San Jose City Hall for a multicultural event with traditional Mexican dancers performing in the middle of the plaza. Some people created altars for people killed by police, including Oscar Grant and Floyd.

Essa Tokhi, 26, joined the downtown demonstration with members of the Muslim Student Association of America and its San Jose State affiliate.

Im here to show solidarity with my black brothers and sisters, Tokhi said. We have our own issues, and we have a lot of things we gotta get right ourselves, but today were out here to support the black people.

Monserrat Andrade Lopez, 17, of East San Jose, sat cross-legged on the San Jose City Hall plaza, where she and a group of friends scribbled messages on cardboard, including Black Lives Matter and If you support a racist system, all you can be is racist.

She said that, as a Latina, she understands the fear that communities of color feel in response to police presence in general.

Other organized protests Friday included a gathering at Oaklands Lake Merritt Amphitheater for Breonna Taylor, who was fatally shot by Louisville police officers after they entered her apartment on a no-knock warrant. She was sleeping at the time. Friday would have been her 27th birthday.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

A separate vigil in Oakland honored Tony McDade, a black transgender man fatally shot by police in Tallahassee, Fla., on May 27 as they approached him in connection with a stabbing earlier in the day.

In San Francisco, protesters rode bicycles through city streets demanding justice for Floyd.

Also in San Francisco, as well as Vallejo, a protest against police brutality focused on the police killing of Sean Monterrosa, who was kneeling on the ground outside a Walgreens that reportedly had been burglarized Tuesday. Police said the officer fired through his own windshield after mistaking a hammer in Monterrosas pocket for a gun.

Hundreds of people gathered at 24th and Mission streets in San Francisco to call for justice in the killing of Monterrosa. Family, friends and community members joined to hear speakers, chant Monterrosas name and tell stories about him. A group of dancers with the Latina Task Force performed a healing ceremony.

His sisters, Michelle and Ashley Monterrosa, are calling on Vallejo police to release the body-cam video footage of the shooting and identify the officer who fired the shots.

In Vallejo, protesters also called for justice, at one point standing silently in front of City Hall, with helicopters overhead and the National Guard nearby.

Sean is part of a bigger movement, Michelle Monterrosa said. My mama always said God told her Sean had a bigger purpose. We never understood what that meant.

Rachel Swan, Jill Tucker, Lauren Hernandez and Anna Bauman are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com, jtucker@sfchronicle.com, anna.bauman@sfchronicle.com, lhernandez@sfchronicle.come Twitter: @jilltucker @rachelswan @abauman2
The COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery offer Africas youth opportunities to come up with innovations across different sectors, and create much-needed jobs, according to African Union (AU) Special Envoy Ms. Okonjo-Iweala.

We can choose to look at the crisis differently by asking: What are the opportunities that can come out of the crisis for young people, given that unemployment is a big problem on the continent? posed Ms. Okonjo-Iweala during a continental online discussion on 13 May.

Some people have invented digital trackers for tracking the pandemic  and there are all sorts of apps and technologies that are being deployed by, say Nigeria CDC, to monitor COVID-19.

The Virtual Consultation Series on COVID-19: Youth Unemployment and Economic Recovery was hosted on 13 May by the AUs Youth Envoy Ms. Aya Chebbi. Ms. Okonjo-Iweala is one of the African Union (AU) Special Envoys appointed to mobilize international support for Africas efforts to address the COVID-19 economic fallout.

According to the World Bank, youth account for 60% of Africa's jobless, and according to the AU Envoy, African countries need to engage the youth in all sectors of the economy to enhance efficiency in doing business. Agriculture, she emphasized, remains one of the sectors on the continent with a comparative advantage, and we need young people to think about how the continent is going to feed itself.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala challenged the youth to come up with innovative technologies for better food storage in the face of major post-harvest losses. In sub-Saharan Africa, the UNs Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) statistics point to 40 per cent of post-harvest losses and food waste due to problems ranging from spillage to lack of proper post-harvest storage.

Here is where young people need to come up with mind-blowing innovations as to how we can store food better, she said. But these technological innovations must be accompanied with proper infrastructure, including laying cables for broadband or accessing satellite links.

Call for transparency

Participants in the online discussion expressed the need for governments to be transparent and accountable in how they use both domestic resources and foreign aid provided to fight the pandemic. We need to be sure that the money given is put to correct use, rather than just incurring debt [and the money] going into peoples pockets, said Admire Mutimurefu of Zimbabwe.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala asked the youth to participate in initiatives geared towards tracking Africas expenditure, such as working with civil society organizations to demand to know what governments are spending. They could also devise means to track and monitor the funds. The continent is yours, you are 60% of the population. Be active in demanding transparency from your leaders. Innovate, innovate, innovate. This is the moment, she asserted.

Likewise, technology experts like Shikoh Gitau are describing the COVID-19 period as Africas stunning moment of technological advancement, especially now with our borders closed.

We only have ourselves to rely on, and therefore, we as the youth have to come up with solutions to our problems, says Ms. Gitau, who is a member of Kenyas COVID-19 Advisory Committee.

For more information on COVID-19, visit www.un.org/coronavirus
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Linkedin Yunindita Prasidya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 6, 2020 08:32 594 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdc86d00 1 Business cosmetics-company,healthcare,product,martina-berto,COVID-19 Free

Publicly listed cosmetics company PT Martina Berto, part of Martha Tilaar Group, has shifted its business focus to healthcare products as demand for beauty products dwindles amid the COVID-19 crisis.

The company has begun to produce in-demand health products during the pandemic, including hand sanitizer, hand gel and disinfectant, as well as bottled herbal drinks.

There was a crisis in obtaining hand sanitizer, that is where the idea came from: why not produce it ourselves? PT Martina Berto vice chairwoman Wulan Tilaar said during a webinar on Thursday.

Turns out this is the right strategy in order for us to survive this pandemic period.

The cosmetics company, whose products include PAC and Belia, has also seen the revenue for its red ginger product, an ingredient commonly found in jamu (traditional herbal drink), increase by up to 50 percent, Wulan said.

The companys move to shift to healthcare products is part of its so-called survival program amid the pandemic, as it has been forced to temporarily close its outlets and spas due to the social-distancing protocols to contain COVID-19.

To offset the losses during the pandemic, the company also currently offers a spa home-care service, while strengthening its digital presence through online stores and beauty tutorials.

Furthermore, Martina Berto also runs a reseller program to incentivize its employees to sell the companys products while working from home.

Martina Berto suffered Rp 24.2 billion (US$1.7 million) in losses in the first quarter this year, compared with the profits of Rp 854.9 million it reaped in the same period last year.

Martina Berto is one of many companies switching gear to producing highly sought-after items during the pandemic.

Textile companies such as publicly listed PT Pan Brothers and PT Sri Rejeki Isman (Sritex) have switched some of their production lines to making masks and coveralls.

Pan Brothers agreed to produce 20 million washable masks and 100,000 jumpsuits by April, as ordered by the government and several retailers.

Meanwhile, PT Sritex has been producing coveralls for medical workers since late January and began to deliver the products in the first week of February, the companys spokesperson Joy Citra Dewi previously said.

We use a specified waterproof and anti-microbial material that weve developed for the PPE, Joy told The Jakarta Post in a written statement in March.

Meanwhile, state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) announced it would mass-produce a ventilator prototype to meet the governments need for such specialized health equipment in hospitals across the country during the pandemic.

Martina Bertos shares, traded under the code MBTO, have also seen an upward trend since mid-May. Between May 11 and June 5, the share price increased by 22.22 percent to Rp 66 per share. However, over the year the companys shares have lost 35.92 percent of their value and closed 1.49 percent lower on Friday. The Jakarta Composite Index (JCI), on the other hand, rallied by 0.63 percent on the same day.
Convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner lost it when staff at a kiosk he ran in northern Germany began discussing the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Brueckner ran the small store selling drinks and snacks in the northern German town of Braunschweig between 2012 and 2014.

Lenta Johlitz, 34, worked for him at the corner shop and, recalling the exchange, she told German newspaper Bild: Once he totally lost it when we sat together with friends and had a conversation about the Maddie case. He wanted us to stop talking about it. He shouted, The child is dead now and thats it.

Lenta Johlitz, 34, worked for him at the corner shop and, recalling the exchange, she told German newspaper Bild: Once he (Christian Brueckner pictured) totally lost it when we sat together with friends and had a conversation about the Maddie case

Her story emerged as a former caretaker described how Brueckner would shower youngsters with toys and teddy bears as they walked to a school barely 100 yards from the kiosk.

Peter Erdmann, 64, who worked at the Grundschule Hohsteig, a primary school for around 300 children, said: The kids would come to school holding ponies and teddy bears. I used to ask them where they got them from, and they used to tell me, Christian at the kiosk gave it to us.

He used to give the kids the presents when they walked past the kiosk in the morning.

Mr Erdmann, who worked at the school between 1999 and 2016, added: At the time, I did not think anything of it. I used to go and see Christian in the kiosk, and he always came across as friendly.

I even asked him if he gave gifts to the kids, and he told me he had a little box full in the kiosk.

It turns my stomach now to think of his intentions and I wish I had raised what was going on with my bosses at the time.

Mr Erdmann said he now wants to talk to the police, adding: I regret not being more suspicious at the time.

Convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner lost it when staff at a kiosk he ran in northern Germany began discussing the disappearance of Madeleine McCann (pictured)

A former girlfriend of Brueckner has claimed that he would regularly abuse and strangle her.

The claim was recalled by Norbert M  a man who met Brueckner in 2012 and moved into his flat adjoining the kiosk. She was around 17, and blonde. She was a very small woman, puny.

She told me Brueckner hit her and strangled her. She told me that herself. I saw strangle marks on her neck.

Norbert, who asked not to be named in full, said Brueckner would allow children as young as nine to work for him on the shop till. He also claimed that Brueckner allowed his two dogs to die by leaving them inside the kiosk for six weeks while he went on holiday to Portugal.
Diplomats and defence officials from China and India might have promised to work together to ease border tensions, but they must also strive to quell a rising tide of nationalism at home, observers say.

Despite 2020 marking 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, over the past month border tensions have once again been running high, with troops engaging in fist fights and stone-throwing in the Galwan River valley between Ladakh in Indian-administered Kashmir and Chinese-administered Aksai Chin.

Since their two-month military stand-off in Doklam in the summer of 2017, both Beijing and New Delhi have boosted their border defences. That dispute was sparked by Chinas construction of a road in the area  known as Donglang in Mandarin  which is claimed by China and Bhutan, an ally of India.

While the cause of the latest conflict remains unclear, Sun Shihai, principal research fellow at the China Centre for South Asian Studies at Sichuan University in southwest China, said that India had taken advantage of the prevailing tensions between Beijing and Washington.

Indias ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is advocating aggressive unilateralism when dealing with border problems involving China, Pakistan and Myanmar, he said.

There are signs and risks emerging that some Indian officials believe they can take advantage of the tensions between China and the US, as Washington is trying to bring India into its Indo-Pacific Strategy to contain a rising China.

Manoranjan Mohanty, an expert on China-India affairs based in New Delhi, said Indias decision to revoke Kashmirs semi-autonomous status and impose direct federal rule, as well as increasing its counter-insurgency operations across Kashmir during the coronavirus lockdown, had put Beijing on high alert, as Chinas only direct road link between Xinjiang and Tibet is in Aksai Chin.

The long-running border dispute between China and India is a legacy of treaties  like the Ardagh-Johnson Line and McMahon Line  signed by the British colonial government that ruled India and a declining Chinese Qing dynasty in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Story continues

But Beijing later refused to recognise the treaties, which sowed the seeds of a territorial dispute along the China-India border, which encompasses three separate regions covering more than 120,000 square kilometres (46,330 square miles) around the Himalayas at altitudes of up to 4,300 metres above sea level.

The eastern sector, of about 90,000 square kilometres, corresponds roughly to the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, which is under Indian control but claimed by China as South Tibet.

The central or middle sector, west of Nepal, is the smallest contested area at about 2,100 square kilometres and is almost entirely under Indias control.

Nationalist sentiment is growing in both India and China. Photo: Reuters

The western sector, Aksai Chin, covers about 33,000 square kilometres and several districts in Xinjiang, and has been under Chinese control since 1962 when the two nations fought a short but savage war in which more than 2,000 people were killed.

The 1962 conflict took place during the Cold War when the world was divided between the US and its allies on one side and the former Soviet Union and its supporters on the other. Delhi at that time stood with Moscow.

In 1962, India decided to go to war with an isolated China, which had split ties with Moscow and faced a series of major problems at home and overseas, Sun said, referring to the Great Famine from 1958 to 1961 and the Tibetan uprising of 1959, which saw the Dalai Lama flee to India.

Also in 1962, the Soviet Union and the United States were embroiled in the Cuban missile crisis.

The border war started on October 20 when Chinese troops from the Peoples Liberation Army took India-controlled Ladakh and crossed the McMahon Line to win a landslide victory.

The war lasted just a month  ending when Beijing declared a ceasefire on November 20  but left a long shadow over how Delhi perceives Chinese intentions.

While we do not want war, we will not tolerate any bullying by Beijing. This is not 1962, Amarinder Singh, the chief minister of the Indian state of Punjab, said recently about the latest conflict.

Mohanty said Chinas growing naval presence in the Indian Ocean had pushed Indian policymakers to adopt a multipronged policy on the diplomatic and military fronts, including strengthening its ties with the US.

The 1962 war lasted just a month but cost more than 2,000 people their lives. Photo: Getty Images

Despite the mistrust between the two countries, Beijing-based military analyst Zhou Chenming said both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi understood the possible consequences of the worlds two most populous nations going to war.

Beijing and New Delhi have set up a five-level military communication mechanism  from brigades to chief commanders  for handling border disputes and hold regular meetings to share information, he said.

China and India must prioritise their economies as they are home to more than a third of the worlds people.

Hong Kong-based military observer Liang Guoliang said that since 2015, Beijing had shifted its national defence strategy away from its northwest regions to the coastal areas of the East and South China seas, which meant its border dispute with India was a secondary matter.

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You're invited to a wedding or other gathering and want to wear a mask

Wear it!: No, no one wants photos of masks at their wedding or big celebration. But no one wants a pandemic, either, and that's what we have. So don't feel bad about wearing a mask.

"Safety first. Pure and simple," says Grotts. "Maybe you can wear a fancy one. I wouldn't think that would be a problem at all. This is going to be around for a while, and a mask is just another precaution."

Provide it: In fact, hosts should consider providing masks if they can.

"If you're hosting a special event, you should be everything in your power to be getting masks and communicating that to guests, normalizing the practice and reminding them it will be in place at your gathering," says Smith.

Your child is invited to a gathering, and you want to ask what kind of social distancing measures will be in place
Paris, June 6 (IANS) The leader of the Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) had been killed by French forces in northern Mali, French Minister for the Armed Forces Florence Parly said.

"On June 3, the French armed forces, with the support of their partners, neutralized the emir Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQMI), Abdelmalek Droukdal, and several of his close collaborators, during an operation in northern Mali," Parly tweeted on Friday.

"Abdelmalek Droukdal, a member of the Al Qaeda steering committee, commanded all Qaida groups in North Africa and the Sahel strip, including JNIM, one of the main terrorist groups active in the Sahel," she was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Aged in his late 40s, Droukdel fought against Soviet troops in Afghanistan, and was thought to regard the former leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, as his inspiration, according to a BBC report.

Under his leadership AQIM carried out numerous deadly attacks, including a 2016 assault on a hotel in the Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou that left 30 dead and 150 injured.

In 2012 he was sentenced to death by a court in Algeria after being convicted in absentia of murder, membership of a terrorist organisation and attacks using explosives.

The charges related to three bomb attacks in the capital Algiers in April 2007 which killed 22 people and wounded more than 200 others.

--IANS

ksk/
During a virtual Kabbalat Shabbat service Friday night, Tina Chery, co-founder and president of Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, named multiple people killed by police in Boston: Burrell Ramsey, Terrence Coleman, Darryl Dookhran, Angelo West and Manuel Junior'' DaVeiga.

We cannot forget about the victims in our own backyard, our city of Boston," she said.

The service, attended through Zoom and Facebook Live, focused on mourning and healing for the lives lost due to coronavirus and the virus of racism, bigotry, and hatred.

The death of George Floyd led to protests across the country, including Massachusetts, against police brutality and racial injustice. During these protests, people have been crying out the names of those killed by police and encouraging others to do the same.

The social media campaign #SayTheirNames has users posting names, and sometimes the faces of victims of police brutality with the intent of focusing on their individual humanity, CBS reported. The hashtag often includes the names George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Philando Castile and Breonna Taylor.

Celebrities such as Kevin Hart and Chris Rock have used the hashtag.

And those names need to be continued to remember in Boston, Chery said.

If our city is to begin to heal, we must talk about the people who were killed right in our backyard over the years," she said during the service. These families are still here. They are still with us. They are not allowed to voice their pain and they are not allowed to search for justice.

She also called on other houses of worship to open their doors beyond usual hours to provide a space for these families to heal and tell their stories.

The service included action steps for racial justice," which encourages members to go to peaceful protests, donate to organizations such as Boston NAACP, support Black owned businesses and more.

Our actions must speak louder than any sermon," said Rabbi Elaine Zecher.

The service included members of the community and of Temple Israel of Boston to talk about their experience, their loss and their pain in regards to both the coronavirus pandemic and racial injustice.

It was already being planned when Floyd was killed on May 25. Thats when Rabbi Dan Slipakoff knew they had to address both COVID-19 and also the virus of institutionalized and systemic racism in our country," he said.

The suffering of this pandemic is strange and new for so many of us," said Slipakoff. "The other virus we grieve is all too familiar.

Chery spoke to both issues, naming the names of those killed by police in Boston and talking about her mother who died in May due to COVID-19.

Rachel Wexler talked about the difficulties of losing her grandmother, which is always difficult but had the added stressor of not being able to gather with their large extended family due to the pandemic.

Despite all the texting and calling with pictures and stories, its the hugs, the eye contact and the physical touch that Ive missed most," she said.

Although this was also a virtual event, it was important for those at Temple Israel of Boston to be able to gather in this way.

We need lift one another up and hold each other in our pain during these moments, Slipakoff said. For some people its finding a partner to sit in the dark with and feel that pain, and for some others its finding someone whos gonna hold their hand and take that first step forward.

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Mr David Okyere, the Director for National Disaster and Management Organisation (NaDMO) in the Birim Central Municipality, has advised residents at disaster prone areas to take pro-active measures to avert disaster during this raining season.



He advised the people to dump their litter in designated areas and avoid building in water logged areas or in water ways.



Mr Okyere gave the advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Akim Oda in the Eastern Region.



He said the Emergency Operation Centre which gives updates on weather conditions would enable officials of NaDMO to alert people in the municipality about pending weather dangers.



Mr Richard Aboah, the Officer in-Charge of Relief, Logistics and Reconstruction, said as part of its core mandate, NaDMO has started public education on rainfall and disaster risk reduction.

Source: GNA









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The Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson, has written to Wicklow sixth year students to express his support for them at this time.

His letter has been sent to sixth year 2020 students in schools of which he is a patron or which have Church of Ireland connections in the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough.

These students would have expected to begin their Leaving Certificate exams next week, had they not been cancelled due to Covid-19. The Archbishop commended students for their patience over the past weeks and months and congratulated them for finding ways to cope in the crisis.

The Class of 2020 had been denied being part of a community and a very special year group in their schools, he said. They had also been working towards a specific goal since the start of the year.

'You have every reason to be confused by what has happened. And even now when decisions have been made about The Leaving Certificate for this year, there still is confusion,' said Archbishop Jackson.

'Confusion always raises important issues about fulfilment and fairness. These questions will remain. They are currently beyond your control. I want to encourage you to do some simple things that are within your control.

'In this way, I am encouraging you to keep control over your own lives in these difficult days of the coronavirus. We continue to live in times that are as dangerous to you as they are to me and to everyone else. We all need to stay safe.'

He urged the members of the Class of 2020 to honour their gifts and talents. He added that they had no need to fear this world.

'You need to remember that you have everything to offer. The world has changed before your eyes to a world that feels a lot more closed in.

'In whatever ways others, who are also doing their best to care for your future, they too are caught in the eye of a public health pandemic that has neither secure science nor viable vaccine,' he said.

He also asked sixth years to hold on to their life goals and nurture them and to retain their friendship group.

'For some of us this is family, for others it is a smaller or a larger group of friends with whom we have shared interests and ideas and good fun inside and outside of school. Please continue to talk and to work your way through these very difficult times. Together you have more energy than you have individually.

'This energy you can still bring to this wonderful time in your lives. Many people look to you for inspiration. I encourage you to look after yourselves, not to give way to disappointment.

'I encourage you to enjoy your life, your family and friends. Remember that you are special and important to Ireland today and the Ireland of tomorrow,' said Archbishop Jackson.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 05:57:32|Editor: huaxia

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Video: On June 5, 2020, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, voices concern about the continued fighting in Libya, particularly its impact on civilians. (Xinhua)

Stephanie Williams, the UN secretary-general's acting special representative for Libya and head of the UNSMIL, is continuing her engagements with the parties.



UNITED NATIONS, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Friday voiced concern about the continued fighting in Libya, particularly its impact on civilians.

"We are following extremely closely the rapid developments on the ground in Libya as the fighting is continuing," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "Our concern remains with the impact of the continued violence on civilians, as well as the knock-on impact forcing further displacements of the civilian population."

Fighters of the UN-backed Libyan government's forces are seen in the Qasr bin Ghashir area, southern Tripoli, Libya, on June 4, 2020. The spokesman of the UN-backed Libyan government's forces, Mohamed Gonono, on Thursday announced taking over the entire capital Tripoli and expelling the rival eastern-based army. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua)

The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) calls on all the parties to de-escalate and to curb incitement and the use of hate speech. It is important to remind the parties of their responsibilities under international human rights law and international humanitarian law, he told a virtual press briefing.

Stephanie Williams, the UN secretary-general's acting special representative for Libya and head of the UNSMIL, is continuing her engagements with the parties, according to the spokesman.

Williams on Wednesday met with the five members of the east-based Libyan National Army (LNA) delegation. She is yet to meet with the delegation of the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli.

Smoke rises from Abou Slim area in Tripoli, Libya, on May 6, 2020. Indiscriminate shelling on Wednesday killed three civilians and injured 19 others in Libya's capital Tripoli, said a Libyan official. (Photo by Amru Salahuddien/Xinhua)

Dujarric said the meeting will take place in the coming days, without giving a specific date.

There is an existing draft cease-fire agreement that was presented by the UNSMIL to the parties in February. That constitutes the most solid basis for a resumption of the discussions between the LNA and the GNA and to bring an end to the fighting, said Dujarric.

The LNA launched an attack on Tripoli in April 2019. As the LNA is losing ground, the United Nations is trying to bring the emboldened GNA on board for cease-fire talks. 
Amid the dozens of George Floyd protests planned Saturday around New Jersey, local officials of all walks hope for a peaceful and unified march in Lakewood, a racially mixed community with a complex and sometimes difficult history of race and police relations.

The march and demonstration is scheduled to step off at 1 p.m., at a parking lot at Ninth Street and Clifton Avenue  Lakewoods main commercial thoroughfare  according to the organizer. From there, it will proceed for six blocks through the townships central shopping district to a public plaza at Clifton and Third Street, adjacent to the municipal building and police headquarters complex.

Some worried shopkeepers boarded up their storefronts in preparation for the afternoon demonstration, which is scheduled to end at 3 p.m.

The event was conceived by a 24-year-old Lakewood resident and budding activist named Marquis Oliver, a 2013 Lakewood High School graduate who has volunteered for food drives, cancer fundraisers and other civic work, but never took it upon himself to organize an event, much less a protest against police brutality.

Oliver, who works as a personal trainer and currency day trader while studying physiology at Kean University, said he is the same age that Trayvon Martin would be now, had the unarmed Florida teenager not been gunned down in 2012 by George Zimmerman, a white, self-styled neighborhood watchman who was later acquitted of manslaughter.

Now, being older and seeing the same thing going on for so long, you can only keep quiet for so long, he said.

Oliver called for the rally on his personal Facebook page and said the idea soon went viral. Anti-Semitic posts appeared on the page, relating to Lakewoods high Orthodox Jewish population.

Eager to assert control over the event, Oliver reached out to an influential figure in the township who is also a fellow LHS alumnus, Michael Inzelbuch, who serves as the Lakewood Board of Education attorney and is a rare member of Jewish community who attended Lakewood public schools rather than private yeshivas.

Lakewood Public Schools attorney Michael Inzelbuch, right, is shown in this file photo. Steve Strunsky |NJ Advance Media For NJ.com

The Orthodox community makes up about two-thirds of Lakewoods estimated 106,000 residents  African Americans and Latinos combine for about a quarter of the population  meaning the Orthodox cannot be out on the Sabbath between sundown on Friday and sundown on Saturday, when the march is to occur. Therefore, under a scheduling conflict that Inzelbuch and others found lamentable, he and other Orthodox will not be able to march despite their shared experience of racial or ethnic bias.

Oliver said he set the date on impulse, on the same day of the week, Saturday, when most George Floyd protests have occurred. Asked if he would welcome support from the Orthodox community, Oliver said, With open arms.

Nonetheless, in an online press conference Inzelbuch hosted for the event on Thursday, the voluble attorney expressed his and others support for the event, noting that Orthodox bakers were making cookies and challah bread for marchers. And with a forecast for temperatures approaching 90 degrees, Inzelbuch said the community would also supply bottled water to the marchers.

Lakewoods public school population is overwhelmingly black and Hispanic, and school officials and students, particularly scholar athletes, have long complained of being subjected to racial taunts by opponents from surrounding districts.

For those of you who never went to Lakewood High School, you cannot understand, our students, and our athletes, and myself as an Orthodox Jewish person, experience racism, anti-Semitism, harassment, bullying on a daily basis, Inzelbuch said during Thursdays online conference. Addressing Oliver, he added, Marquis, are we together on this?

Yes, sir, Oliver replied.

Beyond Inzelbuchs experience, Lakewoods rapidly expanding Orthodox community as a whole has been the target of online hate speech and vandalism.

Osher Perlow, a member of the Lakewood Civilian Safety Watch, an Orthodox-led volunteer neighborhood patrol, acknowledged that there was some nervousness among Orthodox and gentile business owners, though not because of Oliver or other Lakewood residents.

As far as the community, the community at large, they are concerned and worried that there will be some outside influences that will take this opportunity to come in and riot, said Perlow, who said non-Jewish members of his group would be acting as eyes and ears for law enforcement in areas away from the demonstration. That said, Perlow was reassured by what he heard at a meeting Thursday with local and county law enforcement officials, who he said had a comprehensive plan in place, to keep violence from erupting.

A spokesman for the Lakewood Police Department did not respond to requests for comment.

Mayor Ray Coles, who plans to march at the head of Saturdays procession along with Police Chief Greg Meyer, said there would be a heavy law enforcement presence, that would include officers from the Lakewood Police Department and the Ocean County Prosecutors Office and Sheriffs Department, and the State Police.

There will be no curfew imposed, Coles said, but the heavy police presence will remain in place through the night to insure that individuals outside the time and place of the planned demonstration do not cause a disruption.

The Lakewood Police Department suffered a loss of its own in 2011, when a 27-year-old white officer, Christopher Matlosz, was shot to death behind the wheel of his police cruiser in a residential neighborhood. A 19-year-old black man, Jahmell Crockam, was convicted of murdering Matlosz and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Coles, Oliver and others said they were confident the memory of Matlosz killing would not influence the response by the Lakewood Police Department to Saturdays demonstrators.

Absolutely not, Coles said, insisting the department is made up of well-trained, disciplined and racially diverse professionals. The tragedy involving Officer Matlosz was do to an individual, not an entire race of people. They respect every person in this town, regardless of their race, religion or ethnic background.

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EUGENE  Attorneys for the Civil Liberties Defense Center are calling actions by the City of Eugene, including Eugene police, in response to the last week of protests a draconian affront to the dignity of a righteously angered population and are demanding an end to preemptive curfews," the use of unlawful and unconstitutional excessive force by law enforcement and the stoppage of use of CS/CN gas, projectiles and other riot control measures commonly used by law enforcement.

In response to these protests, the Eugene police department turned Eugene neighborhoods into near-warzones, terrorizing residents from armored vehicles, gassing residents on sidewalks, harassing and detaining passersby, and shooting projectiles at residential housing, three attorneys for the CLDC wrote in a letter to Eugene city and law enforcement leaders Friday.

While the City has enjoyed the reputation of a liberal bastion of sorts, the past week has shown that even Eugene is not immune from the creep of the authoritarian norms emanating from (Washington) D.C.," the letter states. "The response of the City and, particularly, local law enforcement to the recent protests has made it abundantly clearas many protestors have claimedthat the institutions governing our daily lives have failed to meet their most fundamental obligations to protect and serve the population.

CLDC attorneys Lauren Regan, Marianne Dugan and Cooper Brinson demand the city cease and desist preemptive curfews, which were in place in Eugene May 30, 31 and June 1 after rioting and looting in downtown Eugene May 29, as well as the use of excessive force.

Earlier Friday, EPD chief Chris Skinner said his department was caught flat-footed by last Fridays riotous crowd downtown, which broke the windows and looted several businesses, set multiple fires, vandalized businesses and attacked a police vehicle.

RELATED: Eugene police chief pledges reaffirmation to police reform,' addresses use of surveillance drone, riot control measures after week of protests began with rioting, looting

The next night, the first of three straight days of curfews began, first for downtown and later were expanded city-wide each night. Sundays 11 p.m. curfew was not announced until six minutes after it began.

EPD employed a variety of riot control measures, including throwing CS gas, pepper balls and 40-millimeter foam batons that resemble rubber bullets. A reporter from Eugene Weekly was among those subjected to tear gas, despite identifying himself as a member of the press and media being exempt from the curfew order.

We are also writing to notify you of reports we have been gathering regarding the apparent random firing of rounds (both rubber bullets and tear gas/pepper spray) at people and residences without reasonable suspicion (much less probable cause) of criminal activity or any threat to militarized police, the CLDC letter states. We have reports of people in their homes having to evacuate their bedrooms due to gas/pepper spray fired at their windows; a door of a residence being knocked off its hinges by rubber bullets; reporters being physically targeted; pepper spray/gas and rubber bullets fired at people heading home (and thus not subject to the curfew); similar assaults of people who were not made aware of the late-night expansion of the curfew; and a resident sitting on his porch being hit with a rubber bullet. An alleged violation of this questionable curfew should never warrant the use of force the community has been subjected to.

The City of Eugene and Eugene Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron has told Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping he is following events in Hong Kong closely and continues to back the "one country, two systems" principle for Beijing's rule over the city, an Elysee official said.

"The President said he was monitoring the (Hong Kong) situation closely and reiterated France's support for the principle of 'one country, two systems'," the official told Reuters on Saturday.

China has approved security legislation for Hong Kong that democracy activists, diplomats and some in business fear will jeopardise its semi-autonomous status and its role as a global financial hub.

The legislation has reignited tensions between Washington and Beijing, and led the European Union to express "grave concern" last week.

Hong Kong was discussed during an hour and a half phone call on Friday between Macron and Xi, the official said.

The Elysee had reported the call in a statement late on Friday without mentioning Hong Kong.

The statement also referred to cooperation in tackling the coronavirus pandemic, saying Macron stressed the essential role of the World Health Organization, blamed by Washington for mishandling the crisis.
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Starting this weekend, the size of religious services can expand to include 25 percent of a church, mosque or temples capacity, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today.

This expansion is for regions in phase two, which includes Central New York.

Previously indoor religious ceremonies were limited to 10 or fewer people in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Cuomo said the state reported 35 deaths in the past day, the lowest death rate since the state starting tracking the virus nearly 100 days ago. Thats down from the deadliest day, when 800 died.

Compared to where we were, this is a big sigh of relief, he said.

Overall, the state has recorded 24,210 deaths from Covid-19.

Hospitalizations and intubations are also continuing to decrease, he said. Thats why, he said, he changed the order involving religious services.

Hospitalizations and intubations are also continuing to decrease, he said. Thats why, he said, he changed the order involving religious services.

Cuomo said he would also issue an executive order allowing commercial buildings to conduct temperature checks for anyone entering the building.

We didnt just flatten the curve, Cuomo said of peoples efforts to slow the spread of the virus. We bent the curve.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Cuomos office explains why Destiny USA cant reopen yet

New Cuomo order allows outdoor, low-risk recreational activities and businesses

From hair salons to gyms, experts rank 36 activities by coronavirus risk level

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

Got a story idea or news tip youd like to share? Please contact me through email, Twitter, Facebook or at 315-470-2274.
The new trips showed promise, officials said, until the coronavirus hit and the Acela, popular for business travel, was among the first services to be cut as the virus began to spread and demand for travel sank. Some Acela trips resumed Monday, but officials said the railroad doesnt expect it or its entire network of intercity passenger trains to return to normal anytime soon. It is even less clear when, or if, the new Acela nonstop will return.
Protesters will take to the streets of Elizabethtown at 3 p.m. Saturday in support of the Black Lives Matter.

Its the latest such event in central Pennsylvania following the videotaped slaying of George Floyd last month while in police custody.

Even in a small town like E-town, we understand what theyre going through," organizer Kimberly Balmer said Saturday, "and we dont want to see anyone go through that.

The organizers say theyve worked closely with Elizabethtown police to ensure the event remains peaceful and theyve instructed protesters to leave the area immediately if any violence erupts.

Local police, meanwhile, will wear body cameras during the protest as part of a one-day trial of the equipment organized by Chief Ed Cunningham.

You can watch live video from the scene here:

And follow updates from reporter Wallace McKelvey here:

Wallace McKelvey may be reached at wmckelvey@pennlive.com. Follow him on Twitter @wjmckelvey. Find PennLive on Facebook.

Read the The hunt for Ray Gricar.

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(Newser)  Stories of police attacking and killing people are cropping up online, including one about a New Mexico cop who's been charged with killing a man pulled over in a traffic stop. CBS News reports that Officer Christopher Smelser is facing involuntary manslaughter after gripping the man, Antonio Valenzuela, in a neck hold until he died. Police say Valenzuela was pulled over Feb. 29 in Las Cruces, tried running away, was tased twice to no effect, and went for a knife in his pocket when Smelser put him in a neck restraint. Police said on Facebook they fired Smelser after seeing the autopsy report. Valenzuela, 40, had an open warrant for a parole violation at the time, per the Las Cruces Sun News. In other police stories:

story continues below

Tacoma : The mayor of Tacoma, Washington, is calling for the firing and prosecution of four officers after a black man died while crying out "I can't breathe," KABC-TV reports. Manuel Ellis died March 3 due to respiratory arrest, lack of oxygen, and physical restraint, per a medical examiner's report. Police said Ellis had been seen hitting the window of a vehicle when police intervened. Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards said she was "enraged" by video Ellis being restrained on the ground.

: The mayor of Tacoma, Washington, is calling for the firing and prosecution of four officers after a black man died while crying out "I can't breathe," KABC-TV reports. Manuel Ellis died March 3 due to respiratory arrest, lack of oxygen, and physical restraint, per a medical examiner's report. Police said Ellis had been seen hitting the window of a vehicle when police intervened. Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards said she was "enraged" by video Ellis being restrained on the ground. Denver : Police are investigating an incident caught on video of police firing pepper balls at a black man who's shouting about a pregnant woman in his car, NBC News reports. What sparked the initial conflict is unclear. "Honestly, I thought I was going to die," the man, Shaiitarrio Brown, tells KUSA. "I thought I was going to be the next black man shot by police."

: Police are investigating an incident caught on video of police firing pepper balls at a black man who's shouting about a pregnant woman in his car, NBC News reports. What sparked the initial conflict is unclear. "Honestly, I thought I was going to die," the man, Shaiitarrio Brown, tells KUSA. "I thought I was going to be the next black man shot by police." Los Angeles : An alliance of homeless advocates and criminal-justice activists have sued LA over police handling of the George Floyd protests, including shooting a homeless man with a rubber bullet, the LA Times reports. The lawsuit includes a horrific photo of the wheelchair-bound man with blood pouring from the bullet wound in his eye.

: An alliance of homeless advocates and criminal-justice activists have sued LA over police handling of the George Floyd protests, including shooting a homeless man with a rubber bullet, the LA Times reports. The lawsuit includes a horrific photo of the wheelchair-bound man with blood pouring from the bullet wound in his eye. Las Vegas : Four officers who shot and killed a protester in a hail of 19 bullets were not wearing body cameras, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. But Assistant Sheriff Chris Jones said the officers aren't normally required to wear cameras. Jones said the victim, Jorge Gomez, was wearing body armor, carrying three guns, and raised what looked like a rifle at the officers.

: Four officers who shot and killed a protester in a hail of 19 bullets were not wearing body cameras, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. But Assistant Sheriff Chris Jones said the officers aren't normally required to wear cameras. Jones said the victim, Jorge Gomez, was wearing body armor, carrying three guns, and raised what looked like a rifle at the officers. Canada: Indigenous leaders are seeking answers and improved police training after an officer killed Chantel Moore, 26, in her British Columbia home during a wellness check, the Globe & Mail reports. Police say they killed her because she carried a knife and made threats.

(Read more police stories.)
Indonesia Rejects China's Offer For South China Sea Talks

2020-06-05 -- Indonesia on Friday rejected a Chinese offer for negotiations on the South China Sea, as Jakarta reiterated that it had no overlapping claims with Beijing in its exclusive economic zone.

The Chinese government, in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday, acknowledged it had no territorial dispute with Indonesia but said the two countries had overlapping claims over maritime rights in parts of the South China Sea.

Beijing's letter was in response to a diplomatic note sent by the Indonesian government to the U.N. chief on May 26, in which Jakarta rejected China's Nine-Dash Line map or claim of historical rights to nearly all of the contested waterway.

"Based on UNCLOS 1982 Indonesia does not have overlapping claims with the PRC, so it is not relevant to hold any dialogue on maritime boundary delimitation," Damos Dumoli Agusman, the director general of international law and treaties at Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service, on Friday.

He was referring to a January 2020 statement from the ministry confirming that Indonesia had no territorial dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

"It was stated that we reject (any negotiation)," Damos said.

In its letter to the U.N. this week, China argued that its maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea were "established in the long course of historical practice and consistent with international law," including UNCLOS.

"There is no territorial dispute between China and Indonesia in the South China Sea. However, China and Indonesia have overlapping claims on maritime rights and interests in some parts of the South China Sea," China's permanent mission to the United Nations said in the letter, a copy of which was posted on the mission's website.

"China is willing to settle the overlapping claims through negotiation and consultation with Indonesia, and work together with Indonesia to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea," the letter said.

Indonesia has insisted that China's claims are "unilateral" and have no legal basis in international law.

No international legal basis

In the letter sent to Guterres last week, Indonesia spelled out the Indonesian government's support for a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, when the court sided with the Philippines in a case that Manila brought against Beijing over a territorial dispute in the South China Sea.

"Indonesia reiterates that the Nine-Dash line map implying historic rights claim clearly lacks international legal basis and is tantamount to upset UNCLOS 1982," said the letter from Indonesia's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, referring to a boundary on Chinese maps that encompasses Beijing's claims in the maritime region.

A spokesman for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Jakarta used the letter to indicate that China's Nine-Dash Line had crossed boundaries set by Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

"We never know what China's intentions are in establishing a Nine-Dash Line. It may have the potential to create conditions that disrupt what was determined by Indonesia from a long time ago," ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah told BenarNews on May 29. "Therefore, we need to inform these matters by communicating our position openly to the international community."

The Indonesian letter was the latest in a flurry of documents from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China following a Malaysian submission to the U.N. in December 2019. The Malaysian government claimed sovereignty over an extended continental shelf in the South China Sea off its northern coast, potentially an area with significant undersea resources.

On Thursday, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi reiterated her country's stance on the issue.

"In a diplomatic memorandum sent on 26 May 2020, Indonesia reaffirmed its consistent position in responding to China's claim to the U.N. that could affect Indonesia's EEZ (exclusive economic zone) and also emphasize the need for full compliance with UNCLOS 1982," Retno told reporters during a virtual press conference.

'Not an apples-to-apples thing'

Meanwhile, an international maritime law researcher at the University of Gadjah Mada (UGM), I Made Andi Arsana, described China's offer for negotiation as illogical.

"Indonesia's claim is based on international law while China's claim is unilateral. It's not an apples-to-apples thing," Arsana told BenarNews, adding that Indonesia should not and would not agree to bilateral talks or negotiations on the issue.

Hikmahanto Juwana, an international relations professor at the University of Indonesia, said the Chinese response was consistent with its playbook.

"Indonesia should never allow itself to be lured into negotiating. So far, Indonesia has consistently refused and will never want to negotiate with China," he said.

The Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Vietnam  all ASEAN members  are among countries that, along with China and Taiwan, have competing claims in the South China Sea.

Indonesia is not among the claimant countries, but in early 2020 and in 2016, tensions flared between Jakarta and Beijing over the presence of Chinese fishing boats swarming in South China Sea waters near Indonesia's Natuna Islands.

In 2002, the 10-nation ASEAN bloc and China agreed on a Declaration of Conduct, which was a statement of principles on how parties should behave in the South China Sea. But completing a more detailed  and binding  Code of Conduct (CoC) has proved much harder to establish.

Negotiations began in earnest in 2016 with a tentative deadline for acceptance in 2021. A draft of the text of the agreement has been released.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 19:24:29|Editor: huaxia

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Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a rally in Philadelphia May 18, 2019. Joe Biden on Saturday kicked off his running campaign for the 2020 presidential election in Philadelphia. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

"I am going to spend every day between now and Nov. 3 fighting to earn the votes of Americans all across this great country so that, together, we can win the battle for the soul of this nation, and make sure that as we rebuild our economy, everyone comes along," says Joe Biden.



WASHINGTON, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Friday crossed the threshold for Democratic presidential nomination, according to an estimate by the Associated Press, locking up a contest for the White House with incumbent President Donald Trump later this year.

The AP projected that Biden, now the sole remaining presidential candidate in the Democratic Party -- thus its presumptive nominee -- has won 1,993 delegates to the national convention, surpassed the benchmark number of 1,991 needed for nomination.

The estimate came as Biden swept primaries in seven states and the District of Columbia Tuesday. Although the votes were still being counted, Bernie Sanders, the senator from Vermont who suspended his presidential campaign in April but remained on the ballot to gain delegates, failed to reach the 15 percent threshold to receive delegates in several contests, yielding more delegates to Biden.

"It was an honor to compete alongside one of the most talented groups of candidates the Democratic party has ever fielded -- and I am proud to say that we are going into this general election a united party," Biden said in a statement Friday night.

"I am going to spend every day between now and Nov. 3 fighting to earn the votes of Americans all across this great country so that, together, we can win the battle for the soul of this nation, and make sure that as we rebuild our economy, everyone comes along," he said.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, former U.S. vice president, attends a caucus night rally with his wife Jill Biden at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, the United States, Feb. 3, 2020. Iowa, a state in the Midwestern United States, is holding Democratic and Republican caucuses Monday night, kicking off the 2020 U.S. presidential primary. (Photo by Joel Lerner/Xinhua)

This year's presidential election came at a time when the United States is plagued by the coronavirus pandemic that has frozen the national economy, and when protests against racial injustice erupted and persisted nationwide following the killing of George Floyd, a black man, under the custody of white police in Minneapolis.

"This is a difficult time in America's history. And Donald Trump's angry, divisive politics is no answer," Biden said, as Trump threatened deploying active-duty military forces to quell the unrest.

"The country is crying out for leadership. Leadership that can unite us. Leadership that can bring us together," the 77-year-old former senator from Delaware said. "We need an economy that works for everyone -- now. We need jobs that bring dignity -- now. We need equal justice -- and equal opportunities -- for every American now. We need a president who cares about helping us heal -- now."

U.S. President Barack Obama(2nd R), Vice President Joe Biden(2nd L), Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford(1st L), and Defense Secretary Ash Carter(1st R), attend an Armed Forces Full Honor Farewell Ceremony for the president at Joint Base Myer-Henderson in Washington D.C., the United States on Jan. 4, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

There are still primaries to be held in eight states and three U.S. territories before the Democratic Party holds its national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in August, at which Biden will officially accept the nomination.

Biden has served in the U.S. Senate for 36 years before becoming Vice President of the United States in 2009, serving two terms in former President Barack Obama's administration.

Bidding for presidency for the third time, he has vowed to choose a female running mate. Among the potential choices are senators Kamala Harris of California, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts -- all of whom used to be his rivals in the Democratic race during this election circle.

Biden has been leading Trump in most of the national polls and in battleground states over recent months, according to data compiled by polling website RealClearPolitics. The Election Day falls on Nov. 3. 
Washington:

The House of Representatives passed legislation on Friday that would allow victims of the 9/11 attacks and their relatives to sue foreign governments suspected of backing acts of terrorism against the US.

The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act - approved in the House by unanimous voice vote some four months after its Senate passage - is strongly opposed by the government of Saudi Arabia, the home nation of 15 of the 19 hijackers in the September 11, 2001 attacks.

It now heads to President Barack Obamas desk, just days before the 15th anniversary of 9/11.

The White House has signaled its opposition to the measure because it would essentially waive the doctrine of sovereign immunity that protects nation states from civil suits or criminal prosecution.

This legislation would change long-standing, international law regarding sovereign immunity. And the president of the United States continues to harbor serious concerns that this legislation would make the United States vulnerable in other court systems around the world, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said back in May, after the Senate unanimously approved the bill.

The measure would allow 9/11 families to pursue cases in federal court against foreign governments, notably Saudi Arabia, and demand compensation if such governments are proven to bear some responsibility for the attacks.

Under current law, victims of terrorism can only sue countries officially designated by the State Department as sponsors of terrorism, such as Iran and Syria.

No official Saudi complicity in the Al-Qaeda attacks has been proven, and the kingdom has never been formally implicated. It is not a designated sponsor of terrorism.

In February Zacarias Moussaoui, dubbed the 20th hijacker, told US lawyers that members of the Saudi royal family donated millions of dollars to Al-Qaeda in the 1990s.

The Saudi Embassy denied Moussaouis claims. But his accusations revived debate over whether the Obama administration should release a still-classified 28-page section of the 9/11 Commission Report.

The documents were declassified and released in mid-July. They showed that while the United States probed links between the government of Saudi Arabia and the 9/11 attacks, it found multiple suspicions but no proven ties.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The University of Alaska Board of Regents has voted to cut or reduce more than 40 academic programs across the three-university system that is struggling financially.

This represents the largest number of program reductions completed by UA in recent memory, regent Karen Perdue said in a statement. It reflects the tough financial times we are in.

University administrators agreed Friday to discontinue 39 programs, reduce four other programs and conduct one program merger.

The cuts are meant to save the university $25 million as part of a spending reduction plan President Jim Johnsen signed with Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy last year. That plan agreed to cut $70 million in state funding over three years.

Programs that were cut were chosen from a larger list of programs previously selected by university administrators, university officials said. Thirteen of them had previously been suspended, some as early as 2013.

The University of Alaska Anchorage and Fairbanks campuses had the most program cuts, while only two programs were cut from the Southeast campus.

Most of the programs were cut by a single vote, but 13 academic programs were given individual consideration after a lengthy debate, University of Alaska spokesperson Roberta Graham said. Some of the programs included environmental studies, geography and geological studies at Fairbanks, sociology and theatre at Anchorage and welding and nondestructive testing at all three universities, KTUU-TV reported.

Some of the eliminated programs will remain for up to four years so currently enrolled students can complete their degrees. According to the Academic Affairs Committee, more than 600 students are currently enrolled in the cut programs but thousands more take classes from those programs in their studies, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

The board decision came one day after voting to review a possible merger between the University of Alaska Southeast and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, a move that has garnered opposition in public comments. The merger review process will include students, staff and faculty leaders.

City and Borough of Juneau and Southeast Conference also voiced opposition to a potential merger, the Juneau Empire reported.

No decision has been made about that, we are planning for our fall and spring semesters, University of Alaska Southeast Chancellor Rick Caulfield said. The Board simply asked for a study of whether that is a wise idea.

That study is due to the regents Oct. 15. Caulfield said he expects a decision to be made in November.
Healthcare workers are being targeted by rogue umbrella payment firms. Photo: Getty

NHS workers are being targeted by tax dodging schemes promising to save them money.

An investigation by BBC Money Box found that "unscrupulous" umbrella companies were taking a large cut of workers' salaries and putting them in danger of landing a hefty tax bill.

The firms, which exploit "loopholes" in the law, have been targeting social media adverts at key workers drafted in to help with the COVID-19 crisis.

Many of these employees take on work from multiple employers at once and use an umbrella company to legitimately manage their income.

Earnings from different employers are paid to the umbrella company, which then pays tax, national insurance and other deductions on their behalf. After taking a fee, the umbrella company will then pay the worker what is left.

But some rogue firms are taking large commissions in return for hiding a portion of the worker's pay from HMRC.

One advert on Twitter reads: "If you've been drafted in to reinforce the NHS response to the #coronavirus pandemic, we want to assist you."

READ MORE: George Floyd protests: Books about race and combating racism sell-out on Amazon

An undercover Money Box reporter was told it was possible to save thousands of pounds a year legally by hiding a large chunk of a worker's salary from the taxman.

One UK-registered umbrella company said workers could take home 78% of their salary, which is more than they would receive via a standard umbrella company. As a result, a healthcare worker earning 725 ($918.25) per week could take home 60 more.

In return the company would take 80 a week in fees, four times the industry standard, and the government would lose up to half the tax owed.

"It is shocking that unscrupulous promoters of tax avoidance schemes are targeting returning NHS workers during this difficult time. HMRC published [advice] on 30 March warning returning workers about this very issue, the regulator told Money Box.

"Our advice has always been to steer well clear of such schemes, and to report them to us in confidence for investigation," said HMRC.

If these umbrella companies are challenged by HMRC, workers could end up with crippling bills to pay back the hidden tax, having already lost money in fees, said Judith Freeman, professor of taxation law and policy at the University of Oxford.
A United Nations watchdog has expressed serious concern at Irans failure to allow access to the sites it wants to visit, international media reported. In a recent report, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that the Islamist republic has been blocking inspections of two suspected locations. In addition to that, it has also accused Iran of stockpiling Uranium more than the allowed limit.

The third site

Expressing serious concerns, the Vienna based watchdog reported that it has been barred entry in two locations in Iran. IAEA, in its report, also expressed suspicion that one of its sites may have been used for processing and conversion of uranium ore in 2003. The report also highlights a third site with a possible presence of undeclared uranium that underwent "extensive sanitisation and levelling in 2003 and 2004".

According to reports, the findings of the report are expected to be discussed in mid-June. In the same report, the nuclear watchdog also stated that Iran has continued to increase its stockpiles of enriched uranium and remains in violation of its deal with world powers. The agency reported that as of May 20, Irans total stockpile of low-enriched uranium amounted to 1,571.6 kilograms (1.73 tons), up from 1,020.9 kilograms (1.1 tons) on Feb. 19.

Read: UN Agency: Iran Still Violating Restrictions Of Nuclear Deal

Read: Russia Defends Iran's Right To Explore Space After US Objection Over Satellite Launch

Iran, in 2015, signed the nuclear deal with the United States, Germany, France, Britain, China and Russia. Known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, it allows Iran only to keep a stockpile of 202.8 kilograms (447 pounds). Iran has always denied the development of nuclear weapons, however, the international organisations suspect it of breaking the nuclear deal. In 2018, US unilaterally pulled out of the deal escalating tensions between the two nations.

Read: UN Agency: Iran Still Violating Restrictions Of Nuclear Deal

Read: US Shares Proposal To Extend Iran Arms Embargo With Russia

(Image credits: AP)
The HRD Ministry on Friday directed all institutes selected under the Institution of Eminence (IoE) scheme to submit Detailed Project Report (DPR) immediately and announced constitution of a project management unit to monitor the works of the IoEs.

Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank chaired a review meeting on the progress of works sanctioned under the IoE scheme.

A Project Management Unit should be established in MHRD for monitoring the works of the IOEs and HEFA in 15 days. A commitment letter from the ministry will be issued to various public institutions of IoEs that funds will be released for expenditure done as per the MOU. Construction activities are open now and work may be expedited in IoEs which have stopped due to COVID-19, Nishank said at the meeting.

DPRs for IOE works has to be submitted by institutions immediately. A vision document of three years may be prepared by each institute and sent to MHRD for compilation, he added.

The HRD Ministry had launched the IoE scheme in 2018 as per which 20 institutions were to be selected -- 10 public and 10 private -- that will enjoy complete academic and administrative autonomy. In the first lot, IIT-Delhi, IIT-Bombay and the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) were awarded the status in the public sector, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education and BITS Pilani in the private sector, while the Jio Institute by Reliance Foundation was given the tag in Greenfield category.

Last September, five public institutions including Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University, University of Hyderabad, IIT-Madras and IIT-Kharagpur, were granted the eminent status.

A Letter of Intent for granting the IoE status was also issued to five private universities -- Amrita Vidyapeetham and Vellore Institute of Technology in Tamil Nadu, Odhishas Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Jamia Hamdard University in Delhi and Satya Bharti Foundations Bharti Instiute in Mohali.

While the government will provide funding upto Rs 1,000 crore to public institutions with IoE tag, in case of the private institutions proposed as Institutions of Eminence, there will be no financial support. But they will be entitled to more autonomy as a special category Deemed University. The IoEs will also not be subjected to inspection by the UGC.
People enjoy on La Malagueta beach as some Spanish provinces are allowed to ease lockdown restrictions during phase two, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Malaga

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain will further ease a coronavirus lockdown in its two main cities from Monday, but will not start opening its borders to foreign tourists before July 1 while it seeks a common European stance on safe travel, the government said on Friday.

Health Minister Salvador Illa said some restrictions would be lifted in Madrid and Barcelona, which have so far lagged behind the rest of the country's easing programme.

From Monday, bar and restaurant patrons will be allowed to sit inside rather than exclusively on outdoor terraces, while children will be able to play outside at any time of day.

On Thursday, Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto said land borders would reopen from June 22, causing some confusion, as well as criticism in neighbouring Portugal.

"There has been no change in the government's position since day one," government spokeswoman Maria Jesus Montero told a news briefing, referring to the previously announced July 1 date.

Despite relying heavily on tourism, which generates some 12% of GDP, hard-hit Spain has been reluctant to open its borders without a European Union-wide agreement.

In a joint letter to the European Commission, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Italy's Giuseppe Conte called for a reopening plan based on "common, clear and transparent epidemiological criteria", also proposing that EU members agree on infection incidence thresholds for third countries.

In a sign that consumer appetite is beginning to return, data showed bank card spending rose by 16% in May after plunging in April, when industrial output slumped 34% according to a separate data release.

But in a reminder of the devastation wrought by the virus, Spain fell silent for a minute at midday, marking the end of a 10-day mourning period for the 27,134 people who have died. There have been 240,978 cases of the infection.

In Madrid, which accounts for about a third of the deaths, reactions to the easing were not universally positive.

"I think it's a bit risky and if there's another outbreak I don't know if we will have enough resources," dental hygienist Noemi Seco told Reuters. "I know lots of people who work in hospitals and we're stretched very thin."

(Reporting by Belen Carreno, Guillermo Rodriguez, Inti Landauro, Clara-Laeila Laudette; Writing by Nathan Allen; Editing by Andrei Khalip)
NSW is missing out on more than $8 billion a year in revenue because of a tax system that fails to adequately capture value from land rezoning and new infrastructure, the Productivity Commission has been told.

The calculation, based on NSW adopting a "betterment levy" on rezoned land similar to the ACT's, will put pressure on the commission amid its review of infrastructure contributions in NSW - and on the government as it looks for ways to fix the state's post-pandemic finances.

The metro station at Barangaroo is one of many public projects that will bolster land values in the surrounding area. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Federal Liberal MP John Alexander, currently chairing an inquiry into fast rail financing, said the pandemic's impact on public coffers made it imperative for politicians to sit up and take notice.

"For decades, all sides at all levels, governments have either been negligent or incompetent in not seizing this opportunity," Mr Alexander told The Sun-Herald. "Because we've been warned, we're entering the area of gross negligence."
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has tackled President Muhammadu Buhari, saying his governments central control system has collapsed.

PDP said this in a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, berating Mr Buhari over the recent rise in insecurity across the country.

The opposition party condemned the increasing armed robbery and kidnapping activities in Kaduna and Kogi States.

Suspected armed herdsmen had last week attacked Tudu village in Doka, Kufana District of Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna.

The attack left nine persons dead while many houses were destroyed by fire.

Similarly, about 23 persons were killed during a robbery incident that occurred on Thursday at a commercial bank in Isanlu area of Kogi State.

Failure Of Governance

Reacting, PDP berated the president over his inability to curb insecurity in the country.

The party lamented that Nigeria has become a minefield for bandits, insurgents, kidnappers, for marauders.

Its not only in Southern Kaduna. in Isanlu, Yagba East local Government of Kogi State, armed robbers went into a bank on Thursday, killed all the policemen there and killed indigenes of the community.

It is about the failure of governance, the central control system of President Muhammadu Buharis government has collapsed. Whom do you say is in charge of governance today? Ologbondiyan noted.

President Buhari is in charge of the security architecture of our nation, he is a general who has commanded troops and in spite of our expectations in our party that with the advantage of his experience he should know that when a commander begins to lose men on the field, it behooves on him to change the security architecture of country but he has not taken advice.

Earlier in the week, Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, said that President Muhammadu Buhari is not in-charge of Nigeria.

I dont really believe theres anybody in-charge at Aso Rock, Mr Soyinka, a critic of Mr Buharis administration, said on Thursday in an interview with Plus TV Africa.

I am sorry to say this, but I have been studying the trend over the past year and a half and I believe that this president is not in-charge of this nation.

Mr Soyinka supported Mr Buharis election in 2015 but turned against him before the 2019 election after he repeatedly accused Mr Buhari of poor performance and maladministration.
According to a new report from Congresss Joint Economic Committee: USAs would assist families as they pursue their own savings goals throughout life. They also note how additional savings promotes social capital  the networks of relationships and associations in society that bind us together  whether it is used to start a family, to surround children with supportive neighbors or to shore up institutions of civil society.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  All protest movements have slogans. George Floyd's has a number: 8:46

Eight minutes, 46 seconds is the length of time prosecutors say Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was pinned to the ground under a white Minneapolis police officer's knee before he died last week.

In the days since, outraged protesters, politicians and mourners have seized on the detail as a quiet way to honor Floyd at a time of angry and sometimes violent clashes with police. Even as prosecutors have said little about how they arrived at the precise number, it has fast grown into a potent symbol of the suffering Floyd  and many other black men  have experienced at the hands of police.

In Boston and Tacoma, Washington, demonstrators this week lay down on streets staging die-ins" for precisely 8 minutes, 46 seconds. Companies, including ViacomCBS and Google, used the time span in their shows of solidarity.

In Washington, Democratic senators on Thursday gathered in the U.S. Capitol's Emancipation Hall, some standing, some kneeling on the marbled floor for the nearly nine minutes of silence.

Mourners at a memorial service for Floyd in Minneapolis on Thursday stood in silence for 8 minutes, 46 seconds, asked by the Rev. Al Sharpton to think about what George was going through, laying there for those eight minutes, begging for his life."

We cant let this go, he said. We can't keep living like this.

Pausing for a full 8 minutes, 46 seconds helps turn the abstract into a reality, said Monica Cannon-Grant, the founder of Violence in Boston Inc., which organized a Tuesday protest that included the minutes of silence.

You find that thats an extremely long time to have someone have their knee in the side of your neck, Cannon-Grant said.

As she observed the silence, she said found herself thinking about the safety of her family.

All kinds of things were going through my head, she said. Mainly that I was the mom of four black sons and Im married to a black man.

Some of the power in the number comes from its striking specificity. In a criminal complaint charging Officer Derek Chauvin in Floyds murder, prosecutors say they know precisely how long Floyd was pinned to the ground.

The defendant had his knee on Mr. Floyds neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in total. Two minutes and 53 seconds of this was after Mr. Floyd was non-responsive, the complaint concludes. Police are trained that this type of restraint with a subject in a prone position is inherently dangerous."

But the timestamps cited in the document's description of the incident, much of which is caught on video, indicate a different tally. Using those, Chauvin had his knee on Floyd for 7 minutes, 46 seconds, including 1 minute, 53 seconds after Floyd appeared to stop breathing.

Prosecutors involved in the case have not responded to questions about the discrepancy.

On Thursday, John Stiles, a spokesman for the attorney general's office  which is leading the prosecution in the case  said the office has reviewed additional video footage since the original complaint was filed.

There is more evidence to review and the attorney generals office is continuing to review it, he said.

Prosecutors repeated their timeline and the 8 minutes, 46 seconds detail in charges filed Wednesday against other officers involved.

In this case, one minute is unlikely to have a major legal significance.

Seven minutes is a long time to have a knee on someones neck regardless, said Jared Fishman, a former federal civil rights prosecutor. That said, Fishman said it's a detail defense lawyers will scrutinize in court.

For those who hold up the number as part of a peaceful call for change, the precise length of time is beside the point: It should never have happened to begin with, Cannon-Grant said.

It would not be the first time that a detail takes on a life of its own.

After the 2014 death of Michael Brown, word spread in the community that the black 18-year-old had his hands up in surrender when he was shot by a white police officer. The chant Hands up. Dont shoot! quickly became a rallying cry for protesters both in the St. Louis suburb and across the country.

But it never was clear whether Brown actually raised his hands. There were no videos or photos of the shooting. Some witnesses swore to a grand jury that his hands were raised while others swore they were not. Officer Darren Wilson testified to grand jurors that Brown was charging at him, with one hand clenched at his side and the other under his shirt, when Wilson fired the fatal shots.

Several protesters said it didn't matter if Browns hands literally were raised, because his death remained symbolic of wider racial injustices at the hands of police.

___

Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed from Washington. LeBlanc reported from Boston.
Former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten poses during an interview in Hong Kong, Sept. 19, 2017. Reuters



The last British governor of Hong Kong said the city's democrats are on the same side of history as Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, and accused Chinese President Xi Jinping of "tightening the screws" on the city's freedoms.



In a video question-and-answer session from the United Kingdom, Friday, Chris Patten also called for a global reset of international relations with China.



He urged the United States to take leadership in bringing countries together in their dealings with China to prevent being "picked off" one by one by Beijing.



Patten, who governed Hong Kong until its 1997 transfer to Chinese rule, has been sharply critical of Beijing's move last month to impose national security legislation on the territory.



"Since Xi Jinping came in, we've seen a gradual tightening of the screws on Hong Kong," Patten told journalists.



Patten said he worries that the proposed law may make it harder for democratic candidates to qualify to stand for the Legislative Council election in September, and saluted them for their fight.



"They are on the same side of history as people like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King. Making martyrs of them, as China seems to be intent on doing, will make even more certain in 10, 15, 20 years' time, people will remember them, not Xi Jinping and his mafiaso," he said.



China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but its commissioner's office in Hong Kong has repeatedly condemned Patten's earlier comments. Last month, the office said it was "ridiculous and despicable" for Patten to still "cling to a colonialist mentality" and meddle with Hong Kong affairs.



China's "parliament" approved last week a decision to create national security laws for Hong Kong to curb sedition, secession, terrorism and foreign interference, saying it needs to do so because the Hong Kong government has not been able to pass the law itself. The city has been rocked by months of sometimes anti-government, anti-China protests.



Patten also called for countries to reflect on how to continue dealings with China "while recognizing that we can't let it get away indefinitely with bullying and heckling and the breaking of rules".



He likened the way China detained two Canadian citizens in late 2018 and recently boycotted Australian barley to pressure these countries to "mafia-like" behavior, and said, "The rest of the world shouldn't put up with it".



"I totally agree with those who say you need to reset, but not end, your relationship with China," he said.



Hong Kong returned to China under a "one country, two systems" formula guaranteeing its freedoms and autonomy, which protesters say are being eroded by Communist Party rulers in Beijing.



China denies the charge and blames countries including the United States and Britain of fomenting unrest. (Reuters)


Thousands of peaceful protesters returned to the streets of Toronto for a second consecutive day, and a second straight weekend, to rally against racism toward Black and Indigenous people in Canada and North America.

There were two marches Saturday afternoon: one that began at Nathan Phillips Square and criss-crossed the downtown core, and another that started at Trinity Bellwoods Park and headed to Queens Park for an hours-long demonstration. There was still a small group marching in the early evening.

Protesters at Nathan Phillips Square emphasized racism is not exclusive to the United States, days after Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Canada doesnt have the same systemic deep roots of racism as its neighbour.

There are many people who do not accept that this occurs, said Nicholas Thompson, a member of a grassroots group called Stop Killing Black Lives who organized the march from Nathan Phillips Square. The premier said that this doesnt really exist  there are many people who believe that this doesnt exist, and we cant have that change if we dont have the acknowledgment first. That is critical.

The protest was the first for Nardia Campbell, whose father and fiance live in the U.S. People think racism doesnt exist here, she said outside Toronto City Hall. We definitely need to bring it to light. The corporations need to get involved and start putting money toward Black people in Canada.

Campbell hoped Saturday was just the beginning of equality and an ongoing conversation. The Keep the momentum mantra was shared on homemade shirts worn by Efia Tekyi-Annan and fellow members of her gym, the Jenko Program, which rallied hundreds of people to the square. Tekyi-Annan said it was very irresponsible for Ford to say racism doesnt happen in Canada. She hopes the ongoing protest can act as the catalyst for uncomfortable conversations.

Its very disheartening that our leaders cant even see it, Tekyi-Annan said. We want people to know that even if youre supporting, what are you supporting? You cant just come here and hold a sign. Its more than that.

Neither of Saturdays marches was organized by Black Lives Matter Toronto or Not Another Black Life, which led last Saturdays march in honour of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, the 29-year-old woman who fell to her death from a High Park highrise in the presence of police. Korchinski-Paquets name was chanted consistently through this weekends protests, too.

It was not clear who arranged the march from Trinity Bellwoods Park but organizers handed out free masks, hand sanitizer and maps of the route as hundreds gathered at the north end of the park for a peaceful march to Queens Park.

Kiarha Cato, a Grade 12 student from Brampton, said she wanted to show up for fellow Black people and fight for equality. I see racism in school and I just feel like I should speak for my peers, she said, while holding a black and red sign that read I am here for my future.

I feel like Im targeted sometimes for the colour of my skin and I feel like its not fair.

Chanting No justice, no peace and Black Lives Matter, the Trinity Bellwoods group made its way to Queens Park, passing a COVID-19 assessment centre. Many curious onlookers watched or filmed the crowd along the route. A few raised their fists in solidarity.

Stop clutching your pearls Canada, racism exists here too, read one sign.

The group encountered a handful of anti-lockdown protesters at Queens Park but were directed to the other side of the park by police.

Protesters in both groups took a knee and observed eight minutes and 46 seconds of silence, the length of time a Minneapolis police officer kept his knee on George Floyds neck as Floyd pleaded that he could not breathe. Floyds death on May 25 has sparked two weeks of widespread protest across the U.S. and elsewhere around the world. The Toronto groups urged police to join them, with police taking a knee outside the U.S. Consulate and Nathan Phillips Square.

I want them to know that Im walking with them, Toronto police Insp. Matt Moyer said outside the consulate. I support their cause and I support exactly what theyre doing and I think that the fact that theyre showing such a demonstration for change  its what we want.

Rumours circled ahead of the marches about potential looters and threats of violence. Many stores around downtown Toronto, notably on Yonge, Bloor and Queen streets, boarded up their storefronts with plywood earlier this week as a precaution. But vocal protesters at both marches made it clear their intentions were peaceful. A man who arrived at Nathan Phillips Square early in the afternoon dressed in blackface makeup was quickly escorted away by police. He was later charged with one count of breach of peace.

Sammy Yatims mother, Sahar Bahadi, wearing a shirt that featured a photo of her son, was among those who congregated as the march reached Yonge-Dundas Square. Yatim was 18 when he was and shot and killed July 2013 after he exposed himself and pulled a small knife on passengers on a streetcar. Toronto police Const. James Forcillo was later convicted of attempted murder in Yatims death. Forcillo was granted full parole earlier this year.

Mayor John Tory told reporters Saturday that he hadnt ruled out attending a protest in Toronto. He added that he was also prepared to kneel.

I certainly would be quite prepared to take a knee  in the context of showing my respect for the protesters and my respect, even more importantly in a way, for the cause they represent, Tory said at GlobalMedic Headquarters, where volunteers were packing hygiene kits for health-care workers on the COVID-19 front line.

Tory hoped early in the day that the protests remain peaceful. I just think thats the Toronto way of doing it  heartfelt but peaceful, he said.

Thompson said he needed to see more than kneeling gestures from such officials as Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the latter of whom took a knee in Ottawa on Friday. The Black community, Thompson said, needs to hear from the city, provincial and federal governments with tangible action plans. He believes engaging the Black community and their allies is essential to taking that next step, and he was encouraged by the acknowledgment of racism he saw Saturday.

Before it was just us that were making our voices heard, Thompson said. Thats where our oppressors were able to continue because if youre silent about it then you are supporting the oppressor.

Well continue to mobilize and well eventually reach the point where theres progress.

With files from Jacob Lorinc and The Canadian Press
Memorial: A candlelit vigil in Hong Kong to mark the 31st anniversary of the crackdown of protests at Beijings Tiananmen Square. Photo: Reuters

Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei has described as almost "medieval" a new law in Hong Kong that criminalises disrespecting China's national anthem.

Hong Kong's legislature approved a contentious bill on Thursday that makes it illegal to insult the Chinese national anthem. Those found guilty of intentionally abusing the 'March of the Volunteers' face up to three years in prison and a fine of up to 50,000 Hong Kong dollars (5,700).

"It's almost like a medieval law," Mr Ai said yesterday in an interview in Cambridge, England. "You know, you have to be brainwashed and then you have no chance to express your own feelings or to make your own choice."

Mr Ai also criticised a separate national security law that China's ceremonial legislature has approved for Hong Kong, saying the move - which circumvented the semi- autonomous territory's own legislature - augurs the end for the city.

"China will establish its own so-called national security law, which will be (the) end of Hong Kong and will finish Hong Kong as a free, autonomous, independent system," said the artist.

Mr Ai joins other critics from around the world who have expressed worry over Beijing's tightening grip over Hong Kong, which is governed under a "one country, two systems" framework.

The arrangement guaranteed it a high degree of autonomy and civil rights when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Beijing's national security law, which is set to outlaw acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in the city, follows many months of often-violent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

Mr Ai was arrested at Beijing's airport in April 2011 and held for 81 days without explanation during a wider crackdown on dissent that coincided with the international ferment of the Arab Spring.

Commenting on protests around the globe following the death of George Floyd, Mr Ai praised the protesters.

"I think this reflects a much broader political problem and the people will react from all directions when they are not satisfied with this condition," he said.
India has reported 9,887 new COVID-19 cases and 294 deaths in the last 24 hours. With this, the total number of cases in the country stands at 2,36,657, including 1,15,942 active cases, 1,14,073 cured/discharged/migrated and 6,642 deaths, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data suggests. Today's rise in COVID-19 cases is the highest single-day spike in terms of both new cases and deaths reported so far.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN INDIA ON JUNE 6

On Friday, India reported 9,851 new coronavirus cases and 273 deaths. With today's rise, India has crossed Italy -- one of the worst affected nations due to COVID-19 -- to become the sixth worst-hit nation by the pandemic. In India, Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Gujarat are the four states where the COVID cases are more than 10,000. Whereas Uttar Pradesh is set to breach the 10,000 mark.

Maharashtra's total confirmed cases' tally has surged to 80,229, including 2,849 deaths and 35,156 recoveries. Tamil Nadu 28,694 cases, including 232 deaths and 15,762 recoveries. Delhi's COVID-19 tally has gone up to 26,334, including 708 deaths and 10,315 recoveries.

Though 1,14,072 patients have recovered in India so far, new hotspot areas are emerging, thus causing worry for the government. As per Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, India's 64 per cent of COVID-19 cases have come from 15 districts only, with Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai topping the chart.

Mumbai, now one of the biggest global hotspot in terms of coronavirus, contributes 57.37 per cent of the state's cases and 19.94 per cent of the Centre's cases. Delhi's total cases contribute 11.56 per cent of the nation-wide tally.

Tamil Nadu's capital has the second-highest share in its total tally at 67.91 per cent. Chennai's national contribution is 8.59 per cent. Ahmedabad's contribution to the state's tally is around 72.11 per cent, while it accounts for 6.39 per cent of the country's cases.

Tamil Nadu's Chengapattu district has been the new addition in the red zone districts. The districts account for 5.26 per cent of the state's total cases and 0.67 per cent of India's total coronavirus tally.

Also read: Coronavirus crisis: 64% of India's cases from 15 districts; new red zones worry for govt




Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's handling of the coronavirus crisis has allowed him to shed his reputation as a weak-willed puppet of other parties and even bolstered his country's image abroad, some experts say. Italy -- once the epicentre of the outbreak in Europe, which has killed around 34,000 people in the country since February -- is slowly emerging from the world's longest coronavirus shutdown, which has ravaged its economy. At the same time, the once discounted prime minister is now seeing his approval ratings soar. "Conte's management of the crisis has been broadly appreciated," said Alessandro Giacone, political history lecturer at the University of Bologna. A recent Ixe poll found that 59 percent of Italians trust Conte, who uses Facebook and direct appeals on national television to take his message to the masses. "Conte isn't seen as being a traditional politician but rather as a free agent who provides information in an independent way," said Gianfranco Pasquino, political science lecturer at Bologna's Johns Hopkins University. In a political culture known for bluster and rhetoric, Conte has been perceived as a clear head who has not tried to spare Italians from the difficult realities of the past few months, but who has spoken clearly and directly of challenges ahead. At the same time he has shown political courage in taking potentially unpopular decisions, such as Italy's long lockdown which helped stem the spread of the virus, yet drastically hurt its economy. That decision will hang over Conte's head as the country now tries to regain its economic footing after the crisis. "He dealt very well with some aspects of the crisis, less well with others," said Vincenzo Galasso of Milan's Bocconi University. - Setting the tone - When Conte was named prime minister in June 2018 by the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S), to which he is close ideologically, he was a complete unknown. A law lecturer with no political experience, the press portrayed him as a puppet whose strings were pulled by his two deputy prime ministers, M5S's Luigi Di Maio and in particular Matteo Salvini, head of the far-right League. But that all changed when Conte formed a new coalition government in September, between the M5S and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD). Conte "strengthened his position, he has much more room for manoeuvre, without deputy prime ministers impeding him", said Giacone. "During the (coronavirus) crisis, government measures became centralised, with the prime minister emerging at the fore of the political (and media) stage," he said. While stereotypes of Italy as a spendthrift nation hampered by structural weaknesses remain, "at the end of the day, the results have been more or less similar to those in most big European countries, and so Italy's own image has improved," said Giacone. After China, where the outbreak first emerged last December, Italy has "almost in spite of itself set the tone: the experiment of lockdown and its easing started in Italy. The country was a kind of laboratory," he said. Along with France and Germany, Conte was also a driving force behind the 750-billion-euro European recovery plan which was agreed last month. - Salvini down - Conte has also benefited from a slight weakening in support for far-right leader Salvini, who made a strategic blunder when he brought down his own coalition government last year. The Ixe poll found only 30 percent of Italians have confidence in Salvini. His League party, which a year ago had 35 percent of voter intentions, now has only 25 percent, though it remains Italy's most-popular single party. There could be a reckoning for Conte, however, as a fuller picture emerges of Italy's economy -- the third largest in the EU. The country faces its worst recession since World War II, with 45 percent of Italians out of work at the end of March and a third seeing their salaries slashed. "Italy stopped," Galasso said. "The employment market was hit hard and in a very unequal way because it mostly affected unskilled workers, those who could not work from home," he said. "It's not yet entirely visible, but this is a potential time bomb." A recent Ixe poll found that 59 percent of Italians trust Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte Italy is slowly emerging from the world's longest coronavirus shutdown, which has ravaged its economy Along with France and Germany, Conte was a driving force behind the 750-billion-euro European recovery plan agreed last month Matteo Salvini, the leader of the far-right League party, is seeing a weakening of support among Italians
China warned US not to interfere with its relations with India

With no sign of disengagement along LAC by China, Delhi pins hopes on diplomacy

India, China hold talks amid standoff: Here is what transpired

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 06: Indian and Chinese armies on Saturday held Lieutenant General-level talks in their first major attempt to resolve the month-long border standoff in eastern Ladakh, official sources said.

The Indian delegation was led by Lt General Harinder Singh, the general officer commanding of Leh-based 14 Corps, while the Chinese side was headed by the Commander of the Tibet Military District, government sources said.

Handshake, breakfast, formal meet: What to expect from the Indo-China talks today

The talks were held at the Border Personnel Meeting Point in Maldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.

Coronavirus: Karnataka bans transport from 5 states amid Coronavirus fears | Oneindia News

Without specifically mentioning the talks, an Indian Army spokesperson said, "Indian and Chinese officials continue to remain engaged through the established military and diplomatic channels to address the current situation in the India-China border areas."

Saturday's meeting took place after 12 rounds of talks between local commanders of the two armies and three rounds of discussions at the level of major general-rank officials could not produce any tangible outcome, the sources said.

Indo-China talks: Both sides would bear in mind sensitivities,aspirations and concerns

The high-level military dialogue took place a day after the two countries held diplomatic talks during which both sides agreed to handle their "differences" through peaceful discussions while respecting each other's sensitivities and concerns.

Earlier, sources had said the Indian delegation at the military talks will press for restoration of status quo ante in Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso and Gogra in eastern Ladakh, oppose huge build up of Chinese troops in the region and ask China not to resist development of infrastructure by India on its side of the de-facto border.

After the standoff began early last month, Indian military leadership decided that Indian troops will adopt a firm approach in dealing with the aggressive posturing by the Chinese troops in all disputed areas of Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie.

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.

The sources said satellite images have captured significant ramping up of defence infrastructure by China on its side of the LAC, the de-facto border, including upgrading a military airbase around 180 km from the Pangong Tso area.

Talks with China would be positive, but reverting to political hierarchy inevitable

The Chinese Army has been gradually ramping up its strategic reserves in its rear bases near the LAC by rushing in artillery guns, infantry combat vehicles and heavy military equipment, they said.

China has also enhanced its presence in certain areas along the LAC in Northern Sikkim and Uttarakhand following which India has also been increasing its presence by sending additional troops, they said.

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.

The road in the Finger area in Pangong Tso is considered crucial for India to carry out patrol. India has already decided not to stall any border infrastructure projects in eastern Ladakh in view of Chinese protests.

Military standoff in Ladakh: India, China agree to handle 'differences' through talks

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on May 5 and 6. The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9.
Jill Weinlein

Guests walking into The Venetian Resort will notice additional space and comfort with the new Venetian Clean Commitment as the resort reopens on June 4, 2020. Visitors will have an opportunity to experience all thats new at the Las Vegas resort this summer.

Known as the largest resort in Las Vegas with first-class amenities, both the Venetian and the Palazzo towers are reopening, as well as dozens of noteworthy restaurants, and the Grand Canal Shoppes.

While our doors have been closed, we have been busy preparing for this very moment, said George Markantonis, president and chief operating officer. Our team rallied around the call to reimagine our resort experience so guests can enjoy the excitement of Las Vegas with the comfort of knowing that weve addressed important touchpoints to minimize their risk and enhance their safety.

Jill Weinlein - Photo taken before Covid-19

Under the Venetian Clean Commitment, the resort is following guidance provided by federal, state and local authorities, represented by more than 800 individual initiatives. The company has also aligned with an independent inspection company, which will certify and audit the elements of the new resort program to provide even further peace of mind for guests.

In addition, the company is providing COVID-19 testing for all of its team members before returning to work, and optionally for all members of their household.

Guests will find The Venetian Resort they have always known and loved, from our Venetian Clean, guest suites and casinos to romantic gondola rides, complete with physically distant serenades, continued Markantonis. With two full-service casinos and our resort open, our guests will have additional room and amenities to enjoy themselves while adhering to guidelines for physically distant activities.

Inspired by the Italian Riviera, the new restyled Venetian pool deck is offering the largest private cabanas on the Las Vegas Strip. The new poolside cafe, Spritz, is from the founders of Las Vegas favorites Yardbird and Chica.

Other culinary venues opening include Hong Kongs celebrated Mott 32, sixth+mill and Matteo's. The social media favorite Black Tap Craft Burgers and Beer, plus the Las Vegas classic CUT by Wolfgang Puck will be open. Visitors will be able to enjoy craft cocktails poured at The Dorsey and Electra.

Jill Weinlein - Photo taken before Covid-19

Throughout 2020, Las Vegas Sands, the parent company of The Venetian Resort, paid each of its 10,000 Las Vegas Team Members, along with providing full health-care benefits, while its properties remained closed. The Sands has donated more than 2.5 million pieces of personal protection equipment to areas in need in Nevada, New York, California and Massachusetts. The company also donated 1,900 coronavirus test kits and 20,000 protective suites to the state of Nevada.

Sands also has made financial contributions to several hunger-relief organizations and donated 60 pallets of food, and more than 55,000 bottles of water to local organizations. The resort chefs have made more than 17,000 meals for homeless outreach, along with daily messages of love and hygiene kits.

Jill Weinlein - Photo taken before Covid-19

The Venetian Resort has launched Share the LOVE, a program to donate thousands of complimentary suite nights to frontline community heroes and first responders in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guests who want to support their community heroes, just need to book a stay directly with the Venetian Resort. Right now you can save up to 25% off when going to the Give Love package. The Venetian will donate a room for every booking.

Also part of the program, first responders and community heroes may also book a complimentary room for themselves when they stay two nights or more.
Fresh revelations are emerging that further lay bare the long-running official coverup of illegal Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) killings and other abuses throughout the US-led occupation of Afghanistan.

The Australian Federal Police is now investigating a second killing by the special forces officer, known publicly only as Soldier C, after an Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) report revealed video evidence showing the murder of a disabled Afghan farmer in March 2012.

The belated investigation comes amid a protracted closed-door inquiry by the Inspector General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF) into least 55 alleged incidents of SAS involvement in war crimes between 2005 and 2016.

Two patrol members stated that Soldier C shot Ziauddin, an Afghan farmer in his early 20s from the Paryan Nawa region of Kandahar province, in the back of the head at point blank range as he tried to limp away. One soldier told the ABC: He was obviously intellectually disabled. His head exploded. There was no need for what happened. No need whatsoever. In my book that was war crimesmurder.

Ziauddins relative Zalimulla backed up the claims. There was a raid, he said. [Helicopters] landed at about 11:00. He was about 80 to 100 metres away from where [they] landed. As [they] landed, he came towards home, he wanted to come home. He walked a distance but those people shot him. He explained that Ziauddin was mentally disabled due to being beaten by the Taliban two years earlier and could not have been a threat to the Australian soldiers.

A patrol member was ordered to dress the mans body in a battle bra chest rig containing assault rifle magazines, in order to make it appear he was an enemy combatant. When the patrol arrived back at base they were told to regard the dead man as a high value target and a legitimate kill. I knew that was a lie. Everyone there knew that was a lie, a patrol member said.

Soldier C was stood down following the showing of a soldiers helmet footage by investigative ABC news program Four Corners earlier this year, which clearly revealed the point blank execution of unarmed Afghan farmer Dad Mohammad in May 2012. Despite being initially cleared by ADF on the basis that the man had a radio (and was possibly therefore a scout for the Taliban), the footage led to a referral to the police.

The exposure of Ziauddins killing highlights the years of coverups by successive governments, both Liberal-National and Labor, of military abuses in the Middle East.

In 2016, the military commissioned an initial inquiry after supposedly becoming concerned about the impact of years of high-intensity deployments on Australias special forces. Dr. Samantha Crompvoets was hired as a consultant to gather the classified, later leaked, documents that prompted the IGADF inquiry.

The Crompvoets report, which involved interviewing a range of personnel, attributed the abuses to a military culture of unsanctioned and illegal application of violence on operations.

However, despite over 250 people being interviewed so far, not a single person has yet been charged, and the IGADF inquiry, overseen by Supreme Court Justice and Major General Paul Brereton, will reportedly only hand down recommendations later this year.

In fact, the only charge is against military lawyer David McBride, who faces a closed-door trial for allegedly leaking classified documents to the ABC in 2017. Known as the Afghan Files, they document at least 10 incidents of possible war crimes. The Federal Police also raided the ABC headquarters and two ABC journalists, Dan Oakes and Sam Clarke, could still be prosecuted.

At the same time, former special forces soldier and Victoria Cross and Medal for Gallantry recipient Ben Roberts-Smith, lauded as a war hero by the political establishment and mainstream media, has pursued defamation cases against three newspapers for more than three years.

Military documents recently released during the proceedings claim that in September 2012, Roberts-Smith took a handcuffed Afghan man called Ali Jan, placed him at the edge of a small cliff, then kicked him so he fell into a dry creek bed, before ordering another soldier, known only as Person 11, to shoot him. The documents also allege that between 2009 and 2012, Roberts-Smith was involved in another four murders during his tours of duty, including one of an unarmed civilian who had a prosthetic leg.

On Wednesday, Sandy Dawson SC, who represents the newspapers, introduced two more allegations into the proceedings. The court was told that Roberts-Smith was involved in the killings in the villages of Sola and Syahchow, both in Uruzgan province, in August and October 2012.

The first pertained to a patrol member known as Person 4 under Roberts-Smiths command allegedly asking for a throw down, which meant giving an Afghan detainee a radio to make killing him permissible under the rules of engagement.

The second concerned accusations that Roberts-Smith directed a soldier known as Person 66 to kill an Afghan detainee in a field in Syahchow, in order to blood the young soldier. Dawson said: Blooding is a term [for] the process by which a young soldier is directed to kill for the first time and is therefore blooded.

This brings the number of war crime allegations against Roberts-Smith, one of the most decorated soldiers to serve in Afghanistan, to seven.

Attorney-General Christian Porter has applied for special secrecy laws to be invoked for the defamation case, cutting off public oversight of the hearing. Porter earlier made a similar application for the McBride trial.

Attempts to attribute war crimes to bad apples in the military are a whitewash. The systematic abuses and protracted cover-ups are inseparable from the decades-long imperialist wars in, and occupation of, Afghanistan and Iraq, conducted to attempt to secure US control over the strategic and resource-rich Middle East and Central Asia region.

The special forces have been on the frontline of these operations precisely because their members are trained and conditioned to kill. Far from curbing the SAS, the current Liberal-National government is following its predecessors in boosting them.

Project GREYFIN, a $3 billion program over the next two decades, will in its first phase go toward cutting-edge body armour, weapons, and parachuting and climbing systems. This is part of a massive expansion of military spending, with $200 billion allocated over a decade for new war planes, vessels and hardware.
Sunil Dutts 91st birthday anniversary: The father who never stopped fighting for Sanjay Dutt

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Katrina Kaifs home is a boho paradise. Step inside her Instagram-ready flat with these pics

Katrina Kaifs home may not be sprawling across multiple acres but it is surely one of the cosiest. The actor lives in an adorable flat in Mumbai with her sister Isabelle and has decked it up with the simplest and also the classiest decor.

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Sonu Sood funds another chartered flight for over 170 migrant workers

Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has funded another chartered flight to help fly over 170 migrant workers to Dehradun in Uttarakhand from the city, in an aircraft operated by budget airline AirAsia India.

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After slamming woke Indian celebrities, Abhay Deol asks if theyll stop endorsing fairness creams now

After calling out woke Indian celebrities for sharing social media posts about the Black Lives Matter movement but ignoring domestic injustices, actor Abhay Deol has shared data about the popularity of fairness creams in India. Do you think Indian celebrities will stop endorsing fairness creams now, he shared, adding data about search trends.

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Shah Rukh Khan was asked about Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone joining Hollywood, this was his answer

Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra worked together in Don and Don 2 together and never since. However, he once said that he was happy for all that Priyanka has achieved in her career. In 2017, Shah Rukh was asked about Priyanka and Deepika Padukones journey into Hollywood during an interview with ANI.

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Chennai, June 6 : The major industries employing migrant labourers in Tamil Nadu are not in a hurry to bring them and are adopting a wait and watch approach, said the industry players.

Even a real estate player, who initially thought of flying a group of migrant workers to a site, later shelved that plan and is waiting for the resumption of regular train services.

On the other hand, the President of Tiruppur Exporters Association (TEA), Raja M Shanmugham, told IANS that the loss is for the migrant workers.

Shanmugham also said that the migrant workers will come back owing to reasons like better wage and also because of the absence of 'caste stigma' while working in Tamil Nadu.

Over one lakh migrant workers from Chennai alone have been sent back home through the Shramik Special trains.

Nevertheless, some real estate players are exploring the possibilities of bringing back the migrant workers by trains.

"We are exploring the possibilities of bringing back the workers. Discussions are on with the contractors. Once the lockdown norms are relaxed further, workers will come back," S. Sridharan, Director, Newry Properties Private Ltd, told IANS.

"We also mulled flying down some skilled workers here, but later changed that plan," he added.

According to the industry players, works in some sites are being carried out with the workers who have not gone back.

"In some sites, the construction work is on and at the sites where we have not started the work, they have been put on hold," Ajit Chordia, Managing Director, Olympia Technology Park, told IANS.

The industry players were of the view that the projects may suffer a delay of six months and only in October the industry will have a fair idea of the actual situation.

"Even then the challenge will be how many workers will turn coronavirus positive and what happens when a worker turns positive," Chordia said.

On wooing the migrant workers back, Chordia said: "Only specialised skilled workers can be flown down to complete a work. Otherwise, train service is the best way to bring back construction workers in large numbers." "Migrants are from different states and villages. They are brought here by contractors and sub-contractors. We don't know where they hail from," R. Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director, Navin's Group, said.

Agreeing that there will be delay in the projects and increased interest costs, Kumar said it is the same for the industry as a whole.

However, the sudden migrant workers' outflow has exposed the risk factor for several industries, be in real estate, hosiery or manufacturing.

According to Chordia, the construction industry will now look at adopting newer technologies that are less labour intensive.

"The industry may adopt prefab, Mivan or form work technology," Chordia said.

"Adoption of newer technology will be based on economics. In the case of Mivan, the labour cost will go down but the material cost will go up," Kumar of Navin's Group said.

"As regards new technology, one has to see the cost. The industry will look at them once the issue settles down," Sridharan added.

The real estate players do not expect prices to come down.

"We can't afford to bring down the selling price. Input costs like cement and steel have gone up. On the trend in land price, it will take time to see what will happen," Sridharan, who is also the Chairman, Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI), TN Chapter, said.

On the other hand, Shanmugham, President, Tiruppur Exporters Association, and a partner in Warsaw International, said the hosiery units are not majorly hit by the migrant workers going away.

He also said the coronavirus spread in the Western countries impacted the shipments and the industry's revival may not happen soon.

"Ours is a business based on various seasons. The shipment of summer season garments was affected due to the lockdown in the overseas market. The overseas buyers want us to ship the garments in next summer," Shanmugham said.

Normally, June, July and August are lean seasons for the hosiery industry in Tiruppur.

He said last year the industry targeted a turnover of about Rs 60,000 crore -- equally divided between domestic and overseas markets. However, the industry would have exported about Rs 25,000 crore worth of goods and the domestic business would have been around Rs 22,000 crore.

Owing to the China factor in the Covid-19 issue, Shanmugham said there are more enquiries from overseas.

The coronavirus has brought in new products for the industry like the face masks and personal protective equipment (PPE). Some foreign garment brands have approached the industry to make masks that will go along with the garments, he said.

Industries are managing with the migrant workers who are remaining here and also the local labourers.

According to Chordia, the outflow of migrant workers has shown their importance.

"They will get a lot more respect now than what they got previously. The state government is also thinking of building rental residential accommodation for the migrant workers," he said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken over probe into the death of Indermal Bai, a woman from the de-notified Pardhi tribe in Madhya Pradesh.

Pardhi community was branded as a criminal tribe by the British along with 150 other tribes for rebelling against the regime and was forced to live outside cities in camps. After independence, the Criminal Tribes Act was repealed in 1952 and the tribe was de-notified. However, cases of harassment of the Pardhi community at the hands of police and administration have often been reported over the last seven decades.

The agency was asked by the Madhya Pradesh high court to probe the death of Indermal Bai, a resident of Pardhi mohalla in Gandhi Nagar (Bhopal), who had set herself on fire on November 17, 2017 in front of four police officers  Gajraj, Dheeraj, Sandeep and Rajeshwar Yadav.

It was alleged that the police officers used to harass her regularly demanding Rs 20,000 bribe and threatened her that if she didnt pay, she will be implicated in a false case. She had even filed a complaint before the Collector against the police officers but the harassment did not stop.

On November 17, 2017, Indermal Bai was incited by the officers to commit suicide. She succumbed to her injuries three days later, but not before recording her dying declaration.

The police, instead of taking action against the officers, claimed she caught fire by accident.

In its order in November last year, Madhya Pradesh high court observed that why police personnel, if present at the spot during the incident, didnt take any action to stop the deceased from immolating herself needs to be probed.

The court also noted that the police didnt conduct a forensic test on the clothes seized from the deceased and it failed to take into account statements of witnesses present there.

CBI has filed the FIR on Friday naming all four police officers, who will be examined soon, an official said.
China and Serbia on Friday signed a memorandum on space technology which aims, among other things, to put the Serbian national flag on co-designed spacecraft in the future.

The memorandum was signed by Zhang Kejian, director of the China National Space Administration, and Nenad Popovic, Serbian minister in charge of innovation and technological development, via a video conference.

Zhang said the memorandum is in the common interests of both countries, adding that as many scientists as possible will engage in joint space projects.

"Our goal is to put the flag of Serbia on the spacecraft that we will jointly design," he announced.

Popovic noted that the space partnership will have an immense value for Serbia, saying it will help realize the country's strategic national projects.

Popovic said Chinese partners are willing to share their knowledge and experience in space technology with Serbia.

"We deeply respect the friendship between our two countries, and we wish for the document signed today to bond China and Serbia in friendship and economic development permanently," he said. "I am sure that our upcoming projects will pave the way for our joint vision."

According to the Serbian government, the document will envisage the "improvement of bilateral cooperation between Serbia and China in the development and use of space technology, satellite systems and the Earth Observing System, with applications in the field of smart agriculture, telecommunications, ecosystems, remote sensing systems and geolocation positioning."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 21:00:30|Editor: huaxia

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DAR ES SALAAM, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's Zanzibar authorities on Saturday announced reopening of tourism activities after they were shut down on March 20 following the outbreak of COVID-19.

"Zanzibar today has opened its tourism activities to normal both for charter flights and scheduled flights," said Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, Zanzibar's Minister of Information, Tourism and Heritage.

"All tourist hotels, restaurants and bars in Zanzibar are open from today," Kombo told Xinhua when reached by phone.

Kombo added all travelers to Zanzibar should hold medical health insurance and they should follow strict guidelines on prevention of COVID-19 imposed by Zanzibar health authorities.

He said arriving travelers will undergo screening at entry points and those found with symptoms will be sent to a designated isolation center for further tests.

On March 20, Tanzania's Zanzibar authorities announced the shutting down of all tourist hotels and a ban on all tourist flights as protective measures against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tourism is Zanzibar's largest economic sector and essential for local socioeconomic stability. Enditem
DUBAI (Reuters) - Seizing on Donald Trumps conciliatory tone after Tehran released an American Navy veteran, Irans foreign minister challenged the U.S. president on Friday to return to the nuclear deal that Washington abandoned two years ago.

Iran freed Michael White on Thursday as part of a deal in which the United States allowed Iranian-American physician Majid Taheri to visit Iran.

Trump tweeted on Thursday of White's release: "Thank you to Iran, it shows a deal is possible!"

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, addressing Trump, said on Twitter, "We achieved humanitarian swap despite your subordinates' efforts".

"We had a deal when you entered office. ... Your advisors -most fired by now - made a dumb bet. Up to you to decide when you want to fix it."

Trump pulled out in 2018 of the nuclear deal with major powers, under which Tehran curbed its nuclear work in return for the lifting of many international sanctions on Iran. Since quitting the agreement, Washington has reimposed sanctions to throttle Irans oil exports as part of a policy of maximum pressure.

Thursdays prisoner swap was a rare instance of U.S.-Iranian cooperation. Also on Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi confirmed that Zarif met Bill Richardson, a former U.S. envoy to the United Nations, "months ago" over prisoner releases.

"We have always responded positively to humanitarian efforts that would lead to the release of Iranian hostages in the United States and elsewhere," Mousavi told the official IRNA news agency.

But a top Iranian security official denied that negotiations with Washington had led to the prisoner swap.

"The exchange of prisoners is not the result of negotiations & no talks will happen in future," Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the country's top national security body, said on Twitter. He did not elaborate on how the swap had been arranged.

(Editing by Frances Kerry and Hugh Lawson)
T he French military says it has killed Abdelmalek Droukdel, the leader of al-Qaeda in north Africa.

Droukdel, known as the emir of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, was killed in an operation on Wednesday in northern Mali, along with several people in his entourage, French defence minister Florence Parly said.

Droukdel commanded jihadists in his native Algeria and then spread their movement across Africas Sahel region.

Other anti-terrorist operations in the region also led to the arrest of Mohamed el Mrabat on May 19, a major figure in the Islamic State in the Grand Sahara, Ms Parly said.

A man looks at a picture of Abdelmalek Droukdel in 2010 / AFP via Getty Images

She said the operations had dealt a severe blow to terrorist groups in the region which have been operating for years despite the presence of thousands of French, UN and other African troops.

"This essential fight for peace and stability in the region has just been a major success," Ms Parly said.

"I congratulate and thank all those who have enabled and carried out these daring operations, which severely strike these terrorist groups.

"Our forces, in cooperation with their partners in the Sahel, will continue to hunt them relentlessly."

The leader was killed during an operation in northern Mali / Al-Andalus/AFP via Getty Images

Droukdel fought in Algerias civil war in the 1990s and allied the Algerian jihadist group GSPC with al Qaida in 2006.

Under his leadership, al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks across Algeria.

Ms Parly identified him as a member of al Qaidas management committee.
Small ceremonies were held in France on Saturday to mark the 76th anniversary of the D-Day landings that paved the way for the liberation of Western Europe from the Nazis.

Traditional large celebrations were scaled back due to coronavirus restrictions and in some cases foreign war veterans did not attend.

France paid a mostly low-key tribute Saturday to soldiers who died during the Battle of Normandy 76 years ago.

On 6 June, 1944, more than 150,000 Allied troops invaded the northern French coast, marking the start of France's liberation from Nazi occupiers.

The vast campaign codenamed 'Operation Overlord' helped turn the tide of World War Two.

"Usually, we welcome up to 100,000 people at this time in June, but this year it's empty," Marcel Bastide, the mayor of the village of Arromanches in Calvados told French website France Info.

Church bells ring

The beach town held small ceremonies and for the first time without US veterans, due to restrictions on public gatherings in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Instead, church bells in Calvados were due to ring simultaneously with bells in the English Channel at 18h44 British Summer Time, to mark the year of the Normandy landings.

Those, who were able to make the journey to France, such as UK ambassador Ed Llewellyn, took to Twitter to share their thoughts.

In other places like Saint-Mere-Eglise, the first town in Normandy to be liberated on 6 June, the main museum put on a special exhibition showcasing armored vehicles from the period as well as the landing of an American paratrooper. More than 6,000 Americans died on D-Day.

Capturing the day

Despite the cancellation of traditional flag-waving ceremonies and parades due to the coronavirus, tributes were captured and shared under the hashtag #DDayOverlordLive.

Digital commemorations were also held by the Normandy Institute, which streamed a video on YouTube recalling the sacrifice of the estimated 4,400 Allied troops who died storming the beaches of Normandy.

Featured in the short film, American actor Tom Hanks is quoted as saying: "What began with the liberation of just a few yards of French beach was stretched meters at a time (...) to go on without end, at a horrible cost of human misery, blood, and lost souls."

Hanks went on to say that without the Battle of Normandy, the freedom the world enjoys today would not exist, and this is why it matters still.
Joe Biden condemned Donald Trump for invoking George Floyd's name at a White House press conference on Friday following the latest jobs report showing a decline in nationwide unemployment.

On Friday, the president said "this is a great day" for Mr Floyd, a black Minneapolis man whose death on Memorial Day while in handcuffs has galvanised global protests against police brutality.

Mr Trump promoted "equal protection under the law" and touted the latest unemployment rate, which remains in double digits following the coronavirus pandemic. He suggested a "strong" economy would help repair racial tensions.

He said: "Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying, 'This is a great thing that's happening for our country.' This is a great day for him. It's a great day for everybody."

Mr Biden, the president's likely Democratic challenger for the presidency, said that Mr Trump "was speaking of a man who was brutally killed by an act of needless violence, and by a larger tide of injustice that has metastasised on this president's watch has moved to split us based on race, religion, ethnicity."

"George Floyd's last words, 'I can't breathe', have echoed all across this nation and, quite frankly, around the world," he said from Delaware State University on Friday. "For the president to try and put any other words in the mouth of George Floyd I think quite frankly is despicable."

While the nation's unemployment rate improved slightly from 14.7 per cent in April to 13.3 per cent in May against analysts predictions, the rate among black Americans increased by 0.1 per cent to 16.8 per cent, the highest in more than a decade.

Mr Biden said the US is in the midst of a "crisis of violence, injustice and indignity" while the president is "patting himself on the back".

"He just has no idea in my view of what's really going on in this country," he said. "He remains completely oblivious to the human toll of his indifference. It's time for him to step out of his own bunker, take a look around at the consequences of his word and actions."

The former vice president was among other prominent Democrats who criticised the president for his remarks outside the White House on Friday.

California senator and former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris said on Twitter: "Keep George Floyd's name out of your mouth until you can say Black Lives Matter."
China denies that it concealed the early spread of the virus.

The Chinese government on Sunday strongly defended its handling of the coronavirus, pushing back at criticism that officials had suppressed early reports of the outbreak and contending instead that China had set a strong example for how to combat it.

A top Chinese official said at a news conference in Beijing that the government and state news media had provided early, timely and extensive information since the first cases appeared in Hubei Province late last year. In an apparent reference to the Trump administrations numerous assertions that China is to blame for the subsequent pandemic, he complained bitterly about what he described as foreign lies and slanders.

Those are completely unwarranted and unreasonable, said the official, Xu Lin, who oversees the State Council Information Office. On Sunday the agency published a detailed report on Chinas epidemic response.

Ma Xiaowei, the minister in charge of the National Health Commission, also said that China had not delayed in any way the release of information about the disease.
Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has funded yet another chartered flight to ferry 173 migrant workers to Dehradun from Mumbai in an aircraft operated by Air Asia.

According to an Air Asia spokesperson, the Airbus A320 plane with 173 migrants onboard departed from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at around 01:57 pm and landed at the Jolly Grant Airport in Deharadun at 04:41 pm on Friday.

"As another charter flight takes flight today, our efforts to help migrant workers stranded in various parts of the country have only grown stronger. Most of them have never had the opportunity to experience air travel, and the smiles on their faces brings me a lot of joy as they take this Air Asia flight to reach home to their families and friends," news agency PTI quoted the Bollywood actor as saying. Sood added he was looking forward to funding more such flights in the near future.

Last week, Sood arranged a special chartered to ferry 167 migrant workers from Kerala to their homes in Odisha.

Air Asia's head of sales and distribution, Anup Manjeshwar said that with "Umeed ki Udaan" or chartered flights for migrants, all our efforts are aimed at uniting stranded migrant workers with their families as the nation is combating its way out of the coronavirus pandemic.

Manjeshwar added the plight of migrant workers had been heartbreaking and that Sood had been a pillar of strength in these trying times.

Also read: Coronavirus pandemic: Cases in India growing but not exploding, says WHO

Also read: Aviation Ministry can't make up its mind on filling middle seats in flights
A line from the South Korean drama 'Crash Landing on You' is becoming a part of everyday speech.

"Since late last year, it's become popular for people to ask each other, 'You think you're the general or something?' to point out when someone inexperienced or young is acting stuck-up and thinks they are above themselves," shared a North Korean source who requested to stay anonymous.

The phrase was said by a North Korean soldier in the drama to a lady who was hosting an informal awards ceremony to show her gratitude for the North Korean soldiers' hospitality. However, the North Korean soldier says to the lady, "You think you're the general or something? Who are you to give us awards?"

"There's a reason why people like to ask each other if they are the general. The people are unhappy with Kim Jong Un's behavior of still clinging to nuclear and missile development even though the economy and people's livelihoods are at rock bottom due to U.S. economic sanctions and the coronavirus crisis," said a North Korean source.

The U.S. economic sanctions restricted certain exports to North Korea with the goal of depriving Pyongyang of cash and resources that could be used to fund its nuclear and missile programs.

RFA reported last month that North Korean youth were the target of investigation for sharing illegal content on their smartphones.

"Before they are investigated, people are able to hide or discard their video records before they are investigated. But the slang and sarcasm they learned from these south Korean shows remain in their minds," shared a source.

Sources say that the youth would not only be punished for sharing South Korean movies or underground music, but also for texting to each other using South Korean spellings or slang.

Media from South Korean is considered dangerous to North Korean authorities because they claim that South Korean media encourages North Koreans to escape.

South Korea's Unification Media Group (UMG) surveyed that out of 200 North Korean escapees living in South Korea, 90% consumed foreign media while living in North Korea and 75% knew someone who was punished for it. 70% shared that they believed media consumption became more dangerous to access since Kim Jong Un took power in 2011.
Some smashed store windows and looted businesses, and threw chunks of concrete at police. The crowd set fire to three police cars, a dumpster and, later in the evening, a Family Dollar store on the citys near East Side. Some stores elsewhere in the city were vandalized. Police have said shots were fired at officers, though no officers were wounded by gunfire.
Message

My heartiest greetings to all Muslims in Sri Lanka, who celebrate the Ramazan or Eid-ul-fitr together with the Islam devotees around the World.

Ramazan or Eid-ul-fitr is one of the most important festivals in the Islamic religious calendar observed by the Muslim community after a month of fasting, and sighting of the crescent moon.

Sawm or the fasting during the month of Ramazan better known as one of Five Pillars of Islam conveys the message of importance of adhering to an exemplary practice while abstaining from physical luxuries. This period of abstinence is a great opportunity to develop a sensitivity towards the starving people in the world as well as to practice the ability of self-control.

The Ramazan rituals show that one could create a peaceful living environment in an era like this, when the entire world is facing a highly complex crisis hitherto not existed in the history, only through being conscious of others sentiments, while being inclined to achieve self-control in all spheres. The spirit of Islamic brotherhood existed in the Sri Lankan society since ancient times is exemplary to the world. We should never allow any harm to that brotherhood due to acts of a small number of extremists. The true Islamic devotees believe that the extremist beliefs are against the core values of Islam. Hence, I believe that we should strongly commit to follow the teachings of the Holy Quran while eliminating the mistrust and suspicion during this period of Ramazan.

I extend my best wishes to all Islam devotees in Sri Lanka as well as around the world and may the spirit of the month of Ramazan heal the world.

May 23rd, 2020 Gotabaya Rajapaksa



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Travellers will soon be able to return to the Qantas Lounge but it won't be anything like they've experienced before.

The Australian airline will begin reopening its lounges in Canberra, Sydney, and Melbourne airports in July.

But unlucky travellers could be turned away at the door, with limits in place to control numbers of guests inside and reduce the potential spread of COVID-19.

Qantas will begin reopening its lounges in Canberra, Sydney, and Melbourne airports in July (pictured: stock image of guests in the Melbourne Qantas business lounge)

The days of buffet meals and self-service drinks are gone, the Australian reported.

Instead, guests will be offered a choice of pre-packaged meals and snacks.

There will be a staggered approach to the reopening, with the Business and Chairman's lounges the first to return, ahead of the standard Qantas lounges.

These operate on an invite only basis.

While new hygiene protocols will mean an increase in cleaning of the facilities, involving the disinfection of surfaces at regular intervals during the day.

The days of buffet meals (pictured) and self service drinks will be gone

Hand sanitising stations will also be set up at entry points and throughout the lounges and seating will be adjusted to allow for more space between guests.

However the changes will result in a reduction in capacity which means unlucky travellers may be turned away at the door.

The airline's overseas lounges may not reopen for some time, as overseas flights remain limited to only 'rescue' operations for stranded Australians.

Qantas closed off its lounges to flyers in late March across Australia and overseas in line lockdown restrictions.

The reopening comes as the airline announced it would be tripling the number of domestic flights to cater for increased demand over the July school holidays (pictured: a woman checks in for a flight in Adelaide on April 1)

The reopening comes as the airline announced it would be tripling the number of domestic flights to cater for increased demand over the July school holidays.

More than 300 return flights will be added by Qantas and low-cost carrier Jetstar at the end of the month.

By the end of July the airlines hope to return to 40 per cent of their pre-coronavirus flight frequency.

Qantas and Jetstar will be increasing their domestic and regional flight schedules as travel restrictions around the country ease (stock)

By the end of July the airlines hope to return to 40 per cent of their pre-coronavirus flight frequency

There are currently five Qantas flights per week between the two capital cities but by the end of July there will be 47.

There will be more intra-state flights in Western Australia and Queensland, particularly to places such as Broome and Rockhampton.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said: 'We know there is a lot of pent up demand for air travel and we are already seeing a big increase in customers booking and planning flights in the weeks and months ahead.'

He said if there is more demand in July they will ramp up flight schedules during the school holidays

'The one million people who work in tourism around Australia have been really hurting over the past few months. These additional flights are an important first step to help get more people out into communities that rely on tourism and bring a much-needed boost to local businesses,' Mr Joyce said.

'Customers will notice a number of differences when they fly, such as masks and sanitising wipes, and we'll be sending out information before their flight so they know exactly what to expect and have some extra peace of mind.

'Importantly, the Australian Government's medical experts have said the risk of contracting Coronavirus on an aircraft is low.'

There will be a lot of health measures during flights to give passengers peace of mind during the pandemic.

This includes contactless check-in and enhanced cleaning measures.

Masks and hand sanitiser will be given to all customers.
Trump orders big U.S. troop cut in Germany, official says U.S. President Donald Trump tours Puritan Medical Products manufacturing facility where swabs for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) tests are made, in Guilford, Main

By Steve Holland

BANGOR, Maine (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the military to remove 9,500 troops from Germany, a senior U.S. official said on Friday, a move likely to raise concerns in Europe about the U.S. commitment to the continent.

The move would reduce U.S. troops numbers in Germany to 25,000, from the 34,500 currently there.

The official, who did not want to be identified, said the move was the result of months of work by America's top military officer, General Mark Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and had nothing to do with tensions between Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who thwarted Trump's plan to host a G7 meeting this month.

A second senior administration official said the 9,500 troops would be sent elsewhere, some to Poland, some to other allied countries, while some would return home.

This official said there was less need for the large contingent in Germany due to overall increased defense spending by the U.S.-led NATO military alliance.

The second official said the change was ordered in a memorandum signed recently by Trump's national security adviser, Robert OBrien. The official said the United States started working on the plan in September and had just now got the pieces in place.

Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on Senate Armed Services Committee, said the move was "petty and preposterous."

Andrew Weiss of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said the move was a "huge gift" for Russia.

"With one fell swoop, Trump is showing once again that our alliances are nothing more than a political plaything," Weiss said on Twitter.

The White House said it had no announcements but Trump "continually reassesses the best posture for the United States military forces."

In the statement, White House National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot said the United States remained committed to working with Germany on defense and other issues.

Story continues

The move, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, is the latest twist in relations between Berlin and Washington, which have often been strained during Trumps presidency. Trump has pressed Germany to raise defense spending and accused Berlin of being a "captive" of Russia due to its energy reliance.

About 17,000 U.S. civilian employees support U.S. troops in Germany. It is believed the United States also has nuclear warheads there.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Idrees Ali, Writing by Eric Beech and David Brunnstrom, Editing by Nick Zieminski, Alistair Bell and Cynthia Osterman)
by Nirmala Carvalho

The condemnation "in the strongest possible terms" of the murder of an innocent man by Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC). The police file a first information report (FIR) against the villagers

Mumbai (AsiaNews) - Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) has reported the horrendous murder of a young Christian boy (pictured) to AsiaNews. The boy was assassinated and buried on top of a mountain, by anti-Christians, who in the past three years have fomented hatred towards Christians in the hamlets of the village of Kenduguda.

GCIC condemns in the strongest possible terms the murder of an innocent boy in the Malkangiri district of Orissa. The young man was assassinated for his Christian faith by armed radicals who continue to attack and intimidate the defenseless tribal Christians in this village of Kenduguda in the Malkangiri district of Orisssa.

The brutal murder of Sombaru took place just a month after a Christian was nearly lynched and his home ransacked. Kama Sodi was beaten so brutally that he fell to the ground, unconscious. He was repeatedly hit with sticks on the head, back and legs. He was hospitalized with serious internal and external injuries in the BSS Government hospital in Malkangiri, where he received treatment for almost a week. "

Sajan K George adds that GCIC received this information late on the night of June 4 around 11 pm: some anti-Christian extremists with the help of villagers knocked on the door of Sombaru Madkami a 7th class student, knowing full well that his father Unga Madkami was not at home. These men were armed with sticks and other indigenous weapons. They told Sombaru to go out for a meeting. They took him, killed him and buried him on top of a mountain

Subsequently they forced elderly men to participate in a meeting, but the elderly, suspecting the danger, managed to escape. The men were armed with knives and other weapons. The escaped men reported the story to the police. Meanwhile, the village men who had fled repeatedly asked the police to investigate the boy's disappearance and the police eventually went to the village.

The police have filed a first information report (FIR) against the villagers

Police found Sombaru's body on the top of the mountain. There have been contrasts and tensions due to the conversions over the past three years. The administration is also aware of the discord in different places in the village of Kenduguda ".

Local faithful do not trust the police administration. GCIC supports Christian Malkangiri district, Christian Mancha (MDCM), a local Christian forum, calling for justice and compensation for the murder of Sombaru Madkami
BERLIN  When Chancellor Angela Merkel told President Trump last week that she would not attend the Group of 7 meeting he wanted to host in Washington this month, the call between the two leaders, normally respectful in tone, turned testy.

Ms. Merkel cited the ongoing pandemic. Mr. Trump responded with a wide-ranging monologue about his frustrations with the Group of 7 and NATO and the World Health Organization. America was doing great, he said, even as citizens rioted in cities across the country. The pandemic was Chinas fault.

They hung up after only 20 minutes.

It was not a nice call, said one official who was listening and recounted the exchange.

One week later, Germans learned that the United States planned to cut its troop presence in their country by more than a quarter. Some 9,500 soldiers who have helped keep peace on the continent are to leave within the next three months. There had been no warning, and even today there is not yet an official notification.
Have they found the man who took Madeleine McCann? Police in the UK, Portugal and Germany are appealing this week for information about a new suspect - the latest development in a story which has gripped, fascinated and divided millions of armchair detectives since the evening 13 years ago when the three-year-old disappeared.

There have been many other suspects in the case. This one is different.

The evidence against German paedophile Christian Brueckner (43) may only be circumstantial.

But it's powerful and persuasive.

Brueckner, currently in a German prison, was convicted of the rape of a 72-year-old American woman living in the Algarve after he'd reportedly shown a video of the attack to someone who then went to police.

Crucially, that same witness claimed that Brueckner had boasted of knowing something about the McCann case.

Brueckner, who'd been living in Portugal in 2007, has other convictions for sex offences against young girls. He was known to steal from hotels and holiday apartments in Praia da Luz, where the McCanns were staying. He was in the area on the night Madeleine disappeared. He'd received a phone call not long before she was reported missing.

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The next day he re-registered his Jaguar car in the name of another person.

He resembles a photofit of a man said to have been seen acting suspiciously near the McCanns' apartment.

It may be pretty convincing, all this, to you and me.

But for investigating officers solid evidence is required.

There's no need to rehash here the timeline of events that followed the little girl's disappearance in 2007.

The world entire knows the story. The endless twists and turns.

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Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry have rarely been out of the headlines. Their search to find out what happened to their daughter has been relentless.

They've been sorely castigated for leaving their three small children alone that night.

Leaving the children was undoubtedly a grave mistake. But as parents we all make mistakes.

There but for the grace of circumstance...

But it was that circumstance, that twist, that was the cornerstone of so much debate about the case. Right from the beginning the story was bigger than 'child goes missing'.

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The amount of money being spent on the case - now over 11m - was also criticised. The McCanns had connections in high places. Not without some justification, the question was asked: would the Government have put the same funding and effort into the search for a working-class child?

Whoever you blame there, though, it can't be two parents desperate to discover what happened to their own little girl.

The Madeleine McCann story from start to finish has been woven with claim and counter-claim, embroidered with rumour and wild supposition. There have been countless books, TV programmes, allegations and theories.

Even the investigators clashed. Frequently.

And somewhere in the midst of all that it was as though Madeleine herself got sidelined.

There has, though, been one calm voice of genuinely authoritative insight.

Belfast man Jim Gamble, the former top police officer and now leader in child protection, is a frequent media commentator on the case.

Jim's foremost attribute isn't just his expertise. It's his humanity. You listen to him and what you are hearing is not only a man who knows the ins and outs of the case, but one who never loses sight of the human tragedy at the centre of it.

I've just finished reading The Five by Hallie Rubenhold, a book that tells the story of five women murdered in London in 1888. Very little has ever been written about their lives. Their deaths, however, - a different matter.

The five women were the victims of Jack the Ripper.

The book is a reminder of how the tragedy of lives lost is often eclipsed by the clamour of whodunnit.

Have they found the man who took Madeleine McCann? Time will tell.

But two things we know.

For the investigators who require conclusive proof, it will only be over when it's over.

For the family of Madeleine McCann, it's doubtful it ever will.

Face masks a small price to pay

Should masks be mandatory? As the debate gathers over that one I think we can take it that compulsory face-covering may indeed be headed our way. I've worn a mask (surgical, not paramilitary) a few times and can report that it takes a wee bit of getting used to. It tends to slip up over your eyes when you look down. It's a bit hot. And if you wear lipstick, it's not a great look when you take the mask off. But in the great scheme of things re Covid, a small price to pay for release from lockdown.

Woeful Trump plays to his base

On a scale of one to woeful, how bad has Donald Trump been in terms of handling crisis this week?

Most of the rest of the world has looked on open-mouthed as he's swaggered around to the tune of Macho Man with his country engulfed in turmoil. Maybe his friend in Pyongyang was impressed, though. And sadly Trump's voter base may not be as repulsed as we might think.

Will it harm his re-election chances? Possibly not when the alternative is Joe Biden.

Immigrants from Hong Kong will be welcome addition

There's been new unrest in Hong Kong this week as the totalitarian regime of China's Xi Jingping flexes muscle, conveniently against a backdrop of a global coronavirus emergency.

The 'one country, two systems' policy is being ditched in favour of 'do as Beijing tells you, or else...'

New security laws are being proposed, which would curtail the rights of the people of Hong Kong. Disrespecting the Chinese national anthem will become a criminal offence.

Presumably it's open to the Beijing authorities to decide how that will be interpreted... and who will be charged.

This week Boris Johnson has made clear he will pave the way for millions of Hong Kong citizens who hold British passports to come to the UK.

We should look to take advantage of that here in Northern Ireland, where there is already a long-established Chinese community.

Mostly from Hong Kong originally but augmented in recent years by people from the mainland, they have played a valuable and vital role, contributing so much to life in this place.

If Boris's plan goes ahead we should throw out the welcome mat.

Not just because we may be able to provide a sanctuary for those fleeing the Beijing crackdown.

But also because those people and their skills will benefit us all.
The overseas launch party of a Chinese-language book COVID-19, From Basics To Clinical Practice is held on June 5, 2020. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]



Less than three months after the Chinese-language book COVID-19, From Basics To Clinical Practice was published, three foreign-language versions of the book integrating hands-on treatment solutions to COVID-19 patients of frontline Chinese medical workers and their comprehensive knowledge of the pandemic, made their global debut on Friday.

The English, French and Spanish versions of the book were compiled by Zhang Wenhong, leader of the Shanghai team of experts in the treatment of COVID-19 cases. It was an effort from Shanghai to contribute to the global fight against the ongoing pandemic, according to Fudan University Press, which published the Chinese book and organized volunteers to translate the book into other languages.

The Shanghai-based press and Singapore-based World Scientific Publishing Company published the English book, and India-based Royal Collins published the books in French and Spanish. The books will be distributed in countries where those languages are spoken to help local medical workers, as well as the public.

Even before the Chinese version of the book was published, Zhang's team decided to grant the copyright of the book to publishers overseas free of charge in order to support countries severely affected by the pandemic to jointly overcome difficulties, Fudan University Press said.

"The pandemic is still evolving in the world and it's hard to predict how it will develop. At this moment, smooth international communication is vital, and that includes sharing the Chinese experience with other countries," said Zhang, also director of the department of infectious diseases at Shanghai Huashan Hospital Affiliated with Fudan University, at the publishing ceremony of the books in Shanghai on Friday.

Mohan Kalsi, chairman of Royal Collins Publishing Group, said he believed "the book will help more doctors in more countries to save more lives".

"Also, it was a miracle for Fudan University Press to have raced against time to organize translators from the world to accomplish translation and editing of the books within such a short time," he said via video link.

The translators were chosen from more than 600 candidates, who sent self-recommendations, resumes and trial translations of pages of the book from China and all over the world, after the press made a recruitment request online in late March. Translation teams for the three languages were soon selected, and the translation and cross-checking took only one week each.

"Translation of the book into Italian, Russian, German, Serbian and Arabic is in progress, and books in these languages will be published soon," said Zhang Yongbin, deputy editor-in-chief of Fudan University Press.


ARLINGTON, VA  More than 1,000 people gathered outside the Arlington County government headquarters in Courthouse Plaza Saturday afternoon to call for greater accountability of police departments across the country, including Arlington's own. Prior to the rally, protesters marched from the Columbia Pike Branch Library to Ballston and then to the courthouse area.

At the rally, organized by the Arlington Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, speakers emphasized that the countless rallies and marches that are happening in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis are the result of a system that has failed people of color.

"Our communities have been in a state of emergency for a long time, long before COVID-19 was brought to light. We are done dying," Julius "JD" Spain Sr., president of the Arlington NAACP, said in a speech. "Today's rally is about accountability, is about transparency, is about policy, changes in policy."

The NAACP said the first step in a long process toward gaining the trust of the African American community would be for the Arlington County Board to create a police civilian review board and to require body cameras for the Arlington County Police Department.

Protesters gathered at Courthouse Plaza in Arlington County Saturday afternoon to protest the death of George Floyd. (Mark Hand/Patch)

"If we don't get a civilian review board here in Arlington County, we've got a problem," Spain said. "If every cop, law enforcement officer in this county is not wearing body cams, we've got a problem."

Earlier in the week, the Arlington County Police Department was identified as one of the police agencies that participated in the clearing of peaceful protesters from Lafayette Park with tear gas and violent methods ahead of President Donald Trump's photo-op at a local church. Arlington County police officers also had been working with the D.C. government to quell protests prior to the incident in front of the White House.



After the Lafayette Square incident, Arlington County officials ordered the county's police officers to withdraw from D.C.



Story continues

At the rally, one of the protesters, in an interview with Patch, brought up the phrase the Arlington Way, a common reference to civic engagement in county politics. She said the movement for racial justice needs to become ingrained in the Arlington Way.

Arlington's leaders and its residents need to define the Arlington Way by talking to people of color. "Find your local angry black woman. She will tell you how she feels," the protester, who declined to be named, told Patch. "That may not be the whole story of what black Americans feels today. But you absolutely need this perspective."

Eight-year-old twins, who made their own signs, joined protesters in Arlington County Saturday afternoon. (Mark Hand/Patch)

After the rally, protesters began to march from the Courthouse area in Arlington across Memorial Bridge into D.C., where thousands of people have gathered to demand justice for the victims of police violence and greater police accountability.

This article originally appeared on the Arlington Patch
Their faces are painted on the walls so that people will not forget.

In Baton Rouge, La., grocery shoppers at the Triple S Food Mart walk by an image of Alton Sterling near the spot where the 37-year-old Black man was fatally shot by two police officers in 2016.

In the Bronx, N.Y., a portrait of Amadou Diallo adorns a building on Wheeler Avenue close to where he was killed in a hail of 41 police bullets in 1999.

But the murals that memorialize people killed in deadly encounters with police do not always survive as legacies of loss.

So it is with the mural that was painted on a Staten Island, N.Y., storefront in 2018 to mark the death of Eric Garner, who suffocated in a police officers chokehold in 2014. This week, when protesters decrying the death of George Floyd in Minnesota marched on Staten Island, they passed the spot on Bay Street where Garner had died, but the mural has been painted over.

In Minneapolis last week, Cadex Herrera, Greta McLain and Xena Goldman created a mural of Floyd near the site of his fatal encounter with police. Now Herrera and Goldman are working on another one down the block.

I hope that no one desecrates it, Herrera said. If they do, we will paint again.

The portrait features Floyds likeness crowned by a flaming sunflower that contains the names of others who have died in custody or in encounters with police. The mural, and more significantly the outrage associated with Floyds death at the hands of a police officer now charged with murder, have inspired similar images of him everywhere from Little Rock, Ark., to Idlib, Syria.

We needed to see his face, Herrera said. We needed to show that he was a human being.

When they are first painted, murals can act as ad hoc altars for public mourning. But their existence is often fleeting. A mural of Philando Castile, who was killed in 2016 during a traffic stop by a Minnesota police officer, was destroyed when the building was demolished later that year. The officer was acquitted of manslaughter at trial in 2017.

In making his 2001 mural of Diallo in the Bronx, Hulbert Waldroup dressed the officers who shot Diallo in the white hoods of the Ku Klux Klan, a depiction that upset police officials. The mural was later vandalized with black paint, but the image was restored by Waldroup.

The mural was ultimately repainted by Hawa Diallo, no relation, in 2017 with Waldroups permission after years of deterioration. The new version, requested by the community, eliminated some of the paintings controversial elements. The police officers, who were criminally charged in Diallos death but acquitted, are no longer shown. The current version emphasizes Diallos West African roots.

Everyone may not have my views, Waldroup said in an interview. When you put something on a wall, you know its temporary. Im now OK with the mural changing.

Diallos mother, Kadiatou Diallo, was present at the unveiling of the redone mural in 2017.

Time passes by, but for those who love, time will never pass, she told reporters. We will never forget what happened that night.

In Trenton, N.J., a 2014 mural marking the death of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old student who was fatally shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Mo., was removed soon after it was created.

The mural on a vacant storefront gate was sandblasted after some police officials said they worried it could damage community relations. The artist, Will Condry, protested the citys decision and eventually met with the mayor and chief of police alongside representatives from the NAACP and American Civil Liberties Union, who joined in arguing that his portrait of Brown, dressed in his high school graduation cap, should be restored.

I had a seat at the table, and I thought progress was being made, but once the attention died down they pushed me out, said Condry. I was disappointed.

Federal and state officials in Missouri declined to prosecute the officer who shot Brown, and the officer later resigned from the force.

Artists have a responsibility to promote the truth, Condry said. When you see an image of someone who was murdered by police, thats going to speak to you.

There had been tension, too, in Louisiana, where Jo Hines created the mural of Sterling in 2016. A federal investigation declined to bring charges against the officers, one of whom was later fired for having violated the Baton Rouge Police Departments use-of-force policies during the incident.

The Sterling mural has evolved over the years, gathering messages of prayer from people. Some have added images of balloons and teddy bears, small updates that allow the mural to function as a living memorial.

But Hines also remembers how tense things were when he first made the mural. Depending on what I painted, the attitudes of people would change. If I painted something angry, there could have been violence, he recalled. But I saw women and children walking by and decided that I would do something for Altons family.

Its about honouring Alton, Hines said. We know what happened to him, but allowing that person who was done wrong to live forever through a mural is a more powerful message.
The outbreak of the coronavirus has dealt a shock to the global economy with unprecedented speed. Following are developments Friday related to the national and global response, the work place and the spread of the virus.

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BY LAND AND BY SEA: Passenger traffic has resumed at the main airport in Slovenia after being suspended for more than two months of suspension as part of lockdown measures.

An Air Serbia flight from Serbias capital Belgrade was the first to land at the Ljubljana airport on Friday. Authorities say they expect most airlines to return by early July.

 Canadas transport minister says large cruises will continue to be prohibited from operating in Canadian waters until at least Oct. 31 because of the pandemic.

 May is likely to set an aviation milestone: For the first time, Chinese airlines will operate more flights than U.S. carriers, according to aviation data firm Cirium. Airlines in China have slowly added flights since mid-February, while U.S. airlines cut schedules more sharply when the coronavirus wrecked demand for air travel in the U.S. The Transportation Security Administration screened 321,776 people Thursday, down 87% from the comparable day a year ago.

 United Airlines said Friday it will cut 13 of its 67 senior-executive positions, with eight executives leaving Oct. 1 and five vacant jobs not being filled. The moves are part of Uniteds plan to cut management and support staff by at least 30% in October, the earliest it can do so under terms of $5 billion in federal aid it is getting to help cover payroll costs. American Airlines has announced a similar 30% cut in administrative jobs. United, American and other airlines are making early-retirement offers to cull workers.

DELIVERY DEMANDS: UPS is imposing new surcharges on large shippers to account for increased traffic on its package-delivery network during the pandemic. United Parcel Service Inc. said surcharges for shipments within the U.S. will start Sunday and add 30 cents per parcel to ground and SurePost deliveries and $31.45 to oversize items. The fees target high-volume shippers who are sending more packages through UPS than they did in February. The move follows surcharges that UPS began imposing on international shipments in April. A UPS spokesman said the company routinely adjusts rates to reflect costs and other factors.

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SALES SURGE: Big Lots' first-quarter sales rose 11%, with same-store sales climbing 10.3%. The discount retailer's stores have remained open during the pandemic, with many consumers shopping for essentials. While sales are up strongly for the second quarter to date, Big Lots Inc. said Friday that it anticipates those sales moderating due to factors including: rivals reopen stores, the planned cancellation of its July Friends and Family promotion, possible inventory constraints and weakening stimulus-driven demand.

SAVINGS SURGE: White House officials are predicting record saving rates as the country shut down amid the pandemic will lead to a surge in spending as states begin to reopen the economy.

Larry Kudlow, the White Houses top economic adviser, said Friday that American personal saving rates--which the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis said Friday hit a historic 33% for April--could fuel spending boom as the nation begins returning to a semblance of normalcy. Kuldows comments came as President Donald Trump met with a group of executives from eight leading American companies to discuss ongoing efforts to reopen the coronavirus-battered economy.

Among those officials who huddled with Trump and his senior aides at the White House were officials from Dunkin Brands, Gap Inc., Hasbro, Kroger, Microsoft, Southwest, United, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

TOKYO A GO GO: Tokyo will remove shutdown requests on more businesses in June, when theaters, cinemas, fitness centers and retailers in the Japanese capital can reopen after a coronavirus state of emergency ended this week.

Governor Yuriko Koike said Tokyo is now ready to move to Step 2 of a three-phase roadmap designed to gradually reopen businesses in the city. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared an end to a seven-week emergency on Monday.

 The governor of the Bank of Italy, Ignazio Visco, said in his annual address that Europes fourth-largest economy could contract by as much as 13% this year under a pessimistic scenario that foresees a magnitude drop in world trade and an intense deterioration of financial conditions.

MARKETS: U.S. stock indexes ended mixed Friday, recovering from early declines as investors worried that the U.S. and China could be headed for another confrontation, this time over the autonomy of the former British colony of Hong Kong.
Unscrupulous advertisers are mimicking the names of legitimate debt charities, research has revealed, raising fears that vulnerable people looking for help are at risk of bad advice.

Since the start of April, nine companies purporting to offer debt advice have been placed on the Financial Conduct Authority's blacklist of unauthorised firms, according to exclusive analysis for This is Money from wealth manager Quilter.

Seven of the nine include the word 'Step' in their name, implying they are connected to, or even the same as the legitimate debt charity StepChange.

Nine companies providing unauthorised debt advice, many mimicking legitimate debt charities, have been blacklisted by the FCA since April

While six of the blacklisted 'debt advisers' have had their websites taken down, those of 'Step Changing', 'Step Debt Support' and 'Step Clear to Change' are still active.

The website for 'Step Changing', 'stepchanging .org.uk', offers to 'write off up to 85 per cent of debts' with four simple questions.

In small print below, it reveals it is an 'independent website created to help users find debt help and advice. We work with FCA regulated brokers who search and compare debt products and plans.'

This suggests it is a lead generating website designed to refer as many people, who may potentially be in a very perilous financial position, as possible to debt advisers in return for commission.

Meanwhile, typing in StepChange on Google returns two adverts above a link to the charity's official website, including one to the blacklisted firm, but on this occasion, it is titled 'Step With Change UK'.

This is Money has reported on multiple occasions of the trend of debt solutions being marketed as life hacks on Google and social media platforms as a way for people to easily write off their debts.

The blacklist: The unauthorised debt advice firms consumers should avoid Business name Date blacklisted Is its website still running? Step Debt Free 2 June No Step Clear From Debts 28 May No Step Changing 28 May Yes Step Debt Line 15 May No Step Debt Support/National Direct Service 15 May Yes Step Clear to Change 15 May Yes Stepoutofdebt.org.uk 15 May No Dbt Solutions 30 April No Debt Struggles 9 April No Source: Financial Conduct Authority/Quilter

Sue Anderson from StepChange told This is Money: 'Despite Google's policy change last year requiring advertisers to meet certain requirements, which has improved the situation but not solved it, we are still seeing search engine advertising that impersonates the charity.

'Whenever we see infringements we always take action, the problem is that most adverts don't last long, but simply keep popping up again in a slightly different format.

'Always take particular care to check that you have reached the website of a genuine debt charity, and not a copycat.'

One of the sites - 'Step Changing' - admits it works with 'brokers who search and compare debt products' - suggesting it acts as a lead generator and refers people on commission

The mass impersonation of legitimate debt charities come as they are inundated with record numbers of Britons seeking help as they worry about their finances.

This is especially the case as three-month payment holidays on credit cards, loans and mortgages come to an end, leaving households who may be unemployed or furloughed on reduced income struggling to pay their bills once again.

Some 877,800 credit card payment holidays have been granted and 1.8million mortgage holidays, according to trade body UK Finance.

While some households will have saved more, 28 per cent of those surveyed by the insurance and pension provider Aegon said they had stopped saving since the coronavirus outbreak began impacting the economy.

Spot the difference: Above, the website of the real StepChange Debt Charity. Below, the website of 'Step Debt Support' which has been blacklisted by the FCA

Self-employed and furloughed people were the likeliest to have been negatively impacted, with 53 per cent of the self-employed and more than two in five of those furloughed reducing how much they have been able to save.

And although households have been borrowing less in March and April as consumer spending has fallen and paying off their credit cards as a result, there is the worry that increased unemployment will force some to turn to debt to get by.

John Crossley, head of money at comparison site Compare the Market, said: 'There is a risk that any savings could be short-lived for households.

'Our household financial confidence tracker reveals that over a fifth of families with children have turned to payment holidays to help them through the current crisis.

The website 'Step Clear to Change' says it provides 'expert debt help' but admits in small print it is an 'independent marketing website' which refers people to companies for money

He adds: 'Deferred payments will eventually need to be paid back and with interest still accruing in this period, it could lead to significant levels of consumer debt over the coming months when payment freezes to an end.

'Moreover, nearly half of 18-24-year-olds have said that their income is not enough to cover their outgoings at the moment and a quarter have had to dip into savings to help make ends meet.'

All this raises concerns that worried households could be roped into bad advice at a time when they need help the most.

Searching for StepChange on Google returns adverts from companies like the ones blacklisted by the FCA over the last two months

Sue Anderson added: 'What is most worrying is that, with the coronavirus pandemic having left many households financially vulnerable, there is potentially an even greater incentive for the scammers to try to lure people who are worried about their finances into solutions that might be lucrative for the advertiser, but not necessarily the best solution.'

Quilter's Rachael Griffin said: 'There are many government-backed services such as the Money Advice Service and The Pensions Advisory Service, which are free to use, as well as charities like StepChange or Citizens Advice.

'For some people, getting a third-party professional opinion might be the best option and so seek out professional financial advice with an authorised provider.'

This is Money attempted to contact the three companies which still have active websites.

'Step Clear to Change' described itself as a debt counselling team and denied it was misleading people, but put down the phone when pressed on why the unregulated 'independent marketing website' had come up with a name similar to that of a legitimate debt charity.

'Step Changing' did not respond to a request for comment, and 'Step Debt Support' could not be reached for comment.
A roadside bomb in northern Afghanistan killed 11 pro-government militiamen when it tore through a truck in a Saturday pre-dawn attack that officials blamed on the Taliban.

The group were travelling through Badakshan province to assist security forces in the area, officials said.

A local commander was among the fatalities, provincial governor's spokesman Sanaullah Rohani told AFP.

Badakshan provincial council member Abduallah Naji said the Taliban were responsible for the incident but the militants have so far not claimed the attack.

Local militias often work with overstretched security forces in Afghanistan, and have been regularly targeted by the Taliban.

The attack comes as overall violence has ebbed across much of Afghanistan following the Taliban's surprise three-day ceasefire against Afghan forces last month.

Officials have blamed some deadly attacks on the Taliban since the truce ended on May 26.

The US air force also carried out strikes against the militants in separate provinces this week for the first time since the ceasefire.

Washington signed a landmark deal with the Taliban in February, pledging to withdraw all troops from the country in return for security guarantees.

It could see the United States pull out its forces by mid-next year, ending a military deployment in Afghanistan that has lasted nearly two decades.

The Taliban have largely refrained from launching major attacks on cities since the deal, but have continued to target Afghan forces in the countryside.

The Pentagon has said it would continue to conduct defensive strikes in response to Taliban attacks.

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As the stakes get higher, the US has said that it has 2 million doses of coronavirus vaccine "ready to go". President Donald Trump has said that the country already has 2 million doses of coronavirus vaccine ready to be rolled out if they check out for safety. "We had a meeting on vaccines yesterday. We are doing incredibly well. We can have some very positive surprises. Tremendous progress is being made on vaccines. In fact, we are ready to go in terms of transportation and logistics. We have over two million ready to go if it checks out for safety," he said during a news conference from the White House.

The US President said that the country is doing very well in the corona drug front as well. "Likewise, we are doing very well with therapeutics. Cures we are doing well," he added.

The US has also picked five companies that are ahead in the race to search for a coronavirus vaccine. The five companies -- Moderna, Oxford University-AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Merck and Pfizer -- will receive assistance from the federal government to ensure that the process is sped up and the winner can be quickly manufactured.

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: Sun Pharma starts Phase 2 of trials; PM Modi pledges $15 million to GAVI

Meanwhile, British pharma giant AstraZeneca said that it is "on track" to roll out around 2 billion doses of a coronavirus vaccine if the ongoing trials prove successful. The company is partnering up with University of Oxford for a COVID vaccine. "So far we're still on track... we are starting to manufacture this vaccine right now, and we have to have it ready to be used by the time we have the results. Our present assumption is that we will have the data by the end of the summer, by August, so in September we should know whether we have an effective vaccine or not," AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot told BBC radio.

The company has partnered up with Serum Institute of India -- one of the world's largest vaccine producers -- to produce 1 billion doses of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine and supply to middle and low-income countries, including India.

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: Govts brace up for clinical trials; updates from India, China, Russia

Moreover, Japan aims to put a COVID-19 vaccine into use by June 2021 as the country gears up to host the Tokyo Olympics. "We will be securing production facilities in parallel with expedited vaccine development," Japan's Health Minister Katsunobu Kato told reporters. He outlined plans to use corona vaccines by the end of the first half of 2021. The Japanese government has earmarked $1.34 billion for vaccine production and distribution.

Additionally, India has pledged $15 million to coronavirus vaccine alliance GAVI at the Global Vaccine Summit hosted by the UK. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation also contributed $750 million towards the manufacturing and distribution of the Oxford corona vaccine candidate with AstraZeneca.

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: Serum Institute, CCMB, ICMR researches, other updates from India
The Evangelical Presbyterian (E.P.) Church, Ghana has directed all Presbyteries of the Church to form task forces to supervise the gradual opening of the Church's chapels for communal worship.

Congregations that are ready to reopen are to be certified by the Presbytery Task Force.

This was contained in a communique issued in Ho on Saturday after a joint meeting of the Standing Committee and all 16 Presbytery Moderators of the Church.

It was signed by Right Reverend Dr Seth Senyo Agidi, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church.

The communique directed all congregations to aspire to meet all conditions by the government before opening the chapels by 30th June, 2020, subject to review by the first week of July.

The communique directed the Presbytery Moderators to meet all stakeholders in their respective Presbyteries including Pastors, Catechists and representatives of Presbyters to thoroughly educate them on government and church directives.

It urged congregations using online worship to continue alongside their communal services.

The communique advised congregations not to be in haste to open the chapels until they met all conditions spelt out by government.

"These are in unprecedented times and we must all come together to overcome the challenges we face.

"Let us continue to give light in darkness to all who are near despair and assure them that God holds all souls in life," the communique added.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last Sunday eased restriction on religious activities but said church services should last for only an hour with maximum of 100 people.

Churches are also required to strictly observe all safety protocols to curb the spread of COVID19.

GNA
The U.S. Economy Is Down By 50% - Where Are the Job Programs It Needs? By Moon Of Aalabama June 05, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - The U.S. has a service economy. Some 70% of its gross domestic product is generated by personal consumption. The emergency measures taken to slow down the covid-19 pandemic decreased consumption by a huge margin. The GDPNow model by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta shows the slump: The growth rate of real gross domestic product (GDP) is a key indicator of economic activity, but the official estimate is released with a delay. Our GDPNow forecasting model provides a "nowcast" of the official estimate prior to its release by estimating GDP growth using a methodology similar to the one used by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

...

Latest estimate: -52.8 percent  June 1, 2020 The GDPNow model estimate for real GDP growth (seasonally adjusted annual rate) in the second quarter of 2020 is -52.8 percent on June 1, down from -51.2 percent on May 29.

Source: GDPnow via The Big Picture - bigger The GDPnow model gives a snapshot of GDP on any given day. It is not the GDP for the year, which will be down much less, but just a moment in time. With the lockdowns loosening the GDP will certainly increase again. But a haircut missed due to the lockdown will not result in a desire to get two haircuts. The meals not eaten in a restaurant during the last two month will not be made up by additional meals eaten after the reopening. The losses are for real. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter With the end of the lockdown half of the 40 million currently unemployed will likely soon be back to work. The jobs of the other 20 million will not come back for a long time. The travel and hospitality sectors will be most effected. People who do not make money can not spend any. The unemployed and the economy will not be impressed by Trump's current fake 'law and order' show or by his pandering to Evangelicals. If Trump is as smart as he claims to be he will ask Congress for a huge amount of money to be spent on infrastructure programs over the next three years. That money should be shared for projects on the national, state and local level. There are plenty of bridges, roads and rails that need repairs or replacements. But Trump isn't as smart as he claims and the people around him, as well as Trump himself, are from the FIRE economy - the Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate sectors. Such people do not value the real economy where real stuff is made and used. The stock market, on which Trump is fixated, has long ceased to be a reflection of the real economy. Propping it up again and again, as the Fed and the Treasury do, may well enrich Trump's friends, but it does nothing for the voters he needs to get reelected. Does he not understand that? And why, by the way, ain't the Democrats out in front demanding that more be done to create new jobs? They seem to have totally vanished from the scene. " Source " Post your comment here
The Islamic Centre of India on Saturday issued an advisory for those visiting mosques in view of the Centre's decision to allow reopening of religious places from June 8.

Islamic Centre of India chairman Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali advised people above 65 years and under 10 years of age not to visit mosques and instead offer prayers at home.

He also advised against crowding in mosques, stressing that not more than five people should be present at a time and social distancing be maintained, with using of masks and keeping a distance of six feet among themselves while offering prayers.

He added that the situation would be reviewed after 15 days and if required, another advisory would be issued.
A series of daily peaceful protests attended by New Orleanians kicked off on Saturday, May 30, as a show of solidarity for those around the country standing up against racism and police brutality. Each night of rallies and marches brought out more people, and on Friday, June 5, thousands of protesters calling for racial justice gathered at the locked-up Jackson Square in the French Quarter. Another large group also marched through New Orleans City Park on Saturday.

Organizers, including the New Orleans Workers Group and Take Em Down NOLA, throughout the week called for peace and unity among those assembling, many of whom carried handmade signs expressing support for the Black Lives Matter movement while handing out refreshments, ear plugs, face shields and first aid items. A group of pedicab drivers turned their cabs into roving medical supply stations.

Similar events have been happening all week across the country, sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd, a black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. But these assemblies also called for justice for a long list of black people who have died in recent years due to police violence and white supremacy including: Breonna Taylor; Tony McDade; Modesto Reyes, who was killed by Jefferson Parish Sheriff's deputies; Ahmaud Arbery; Baton Rouge's Alton Sterling; Sandra Bland; Mike Brown; and many others.

Local organizers throughout the week had emphasized police officers history of racism and antagonism, in addition to highlighting the tolls that systemic inequities and poverty have taken on the New Orleans black community.

They also voiced concern about an imbalance in the city budget's allocations for police  compared to funding for what they say are much-needed social programs.

Protest leaders also demanded justice for recent traumas in New Orleans, such as the collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel, and the high rates of cancer discovered among residents living in the predominantly black Gordon Plaza neighborhood, built atop a toxic landfill in the 1980s.

While protesters remained nonviolent, a march across the Crescent City Connection bridge on Wednesday, June 3, led to some injuries and chaos as the New Orleans Police Department shot tear gas into the crowd when a small group at the front linked arms and attempted to cross officers human barricade, backed by patrol vehicles.

The ACLU of Louisiana and the New Orleans City Council immediately condemned NOPDs decision to harm the nonviolent assembly. The organization's Executive Director Alanah Odoms Hebert called law enforcement's tactics "violent and unlawful" and said she demands an independent investigation of the incident.

This excessive use of force against protesters exacerbates the pain and anguish of black communities, imperils public health and infringes on peoples fundamental rights to make their voices heard, she said.

One protester, who did not want to give his name, suffered visible inflammation on his face and in his eyes from tear gas Wednesday.

We were making sure everybody heard, One step at a time, he recalled. As we pushed into them, they poked their batons out. They didnt hurt us, but they let us through. He said that a second line of law enforcement officers then began shooting off canisters of tear gas. A companion who was with him, who also did not wish to be named, showed several reporters a wound on her back from a projectile.

The New Orleans Police Department confirmed that it had unleashed tear gas later that evening. "We were compelled to deploy gas on the [Crescent City Connection] in response to escalating, physical confrontation with our officers," the department posted on social media.

At a news conference on Friday, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said he supported the decision.

The NOPDs response on the bridge was a stunning contrast to their camaraderie with protesters the previous evening, with whom they calmly spoke on the closed-down interstate above South Claiborne Avenue.

Around this time, the City Council had passed a resolution supporting demonstrations against police violence.

According to a June 4 report from The Lens, the resolution originally included a section commending law enforcement officers who are partners with, and not abusers of the communities they serve but the language was swiftly removed after the tear-gassing incident.

The Council now calls on law enforcement to show great empathy and restraint when confronted by protest.

Councilman Jay Banks also announced June 4 that he will look into banning the use of tear gas in the city, with an indication of support from fellow Councilman Jason Williams, according to The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate.

On Thursday, another march traveled through the Central City and Broadmoor neighborhoods to the site of the citys courts and police headquarters on Tulane Avenue and South Broad Street. There, people chanted and called for an end to racism in the criminal justice system.

Many protesters that evening wore extra safety gear, including ear plugs and face shields; others carried makeshift body shields, cautious of police. But the law enforcement presence was minimal, and the protest disbanded after heading back near City Hall without incident.

At Friday's rally surrounding Jackson Square, the park itself  which houses a statue of Andrew Jackson that protesters seek to remove  was shut down. Jackson has long been a target for Take 'Em Down. Part of the group's mission is to remove what they perceive to be symbols of white supremacy, as a part of a broader push for racial and economic justice.

Jackson, the seventh president, is considered a hero in the 1815 Battle of New Orleans, but he was also a cruel slave owner who forcibly removed indigenous people from their ancestral land.

Three white men briefly guarded the gates to Jackson Square, saying they were there to protect the statue, but after a leader encouraged protesters to disengage and ignore them, they left.

Facing the historic Jackson Square on Friday night, one speaker addressed colonialism and said that current methods of oppression against black people are just a "change in packaging" from slave plantations.

The gathering that evening culminated with hundreds of people walking toward the Mississippi River to sit on its banks for moments of reflection. Dozens lingered until midnight, singing, dancing and playing instruments before heading home.

A young man, George Horton Jr., identified himself as the cousin of Quinnyon Wimberly, who died while working on the construction of the Hard Rock Hotel. Wimbely's body has been trapped in the ruins since the October collapse.

Horton said, "I'm fighting for everyone, my nephews, my dad, my cousins. I'm fighting for Quinnyon. If he were a white man, they would have gotten him out of there."

More protests are being planned, including a June 17 march and community forum to discuss continued organizing and demands. Information can be found through the New Orleans Workers Group (www.facebook.com/neworleansworkers) and Take 'Em Down NOLA (www.facebook.com/takeemdownnola).
China Insider: CCP to Implement Pro-CCP Brainwashing Education to HK Students Starting in Kindergarten

Honest News Straight to Your Home. Try the Epoch Times yourself, and get a free gift.

The CCP plans to launch National Security Promotion Education in Hong Kong as part of the security law, the goal is to brainwash students starting at kindergarten age to have a pro-CCP stance. Teachers from the mainland who are CCP members are sent to Hong Kong to infiltrate and monitor Hong Kongs education system.

00:34 CCP Imposes Brainwashing Education for Hong Kong Students

05:58 President of Taiwan Shows Support for Hong Kong in Popular Bookstore

08:02 Swedish Politician Opposes CCPs National Security Law on Hong Kong

10:17 Hong Kong People With UK Passports Allowed to Live, Study, and Work in UK

12:29 Widespread Business Closures in Chinas Northeast

15:57 The Chinese Regime Might Be Preparing for War, Watch Full Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEmwV2X3fFY

21:04 Sign the Petition: ccpvirustruth.com

Sign the Petition to Investigate, Condemn, and Reject the Chinese Communist Party https://rejectccp.com

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Thousands of people in Mali have taken part in a protest calling on President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita to step down due to the escalating jihadist and inter-communal violence in the country.



The rally, in the capital Bamako, was organized by the Front For Safeguarding Democracy - a new alliance made up of the main opposition parties and some civil society groups.



It is led by an influential and radical Imam, Mahmoud Dicko, who has been calling for talks with the Islamist militants.



There were also several anti-government protests last month following disputed parliamentary elections in March.



As many as 10,000 people have joined Friday's rally, according to AFP. Journalists have been tweeting photos of the crowds

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.

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A scientist from Castlebridge is at the forefront of a major trial going on at the moment in Australia looking at the potential for the BCG vaccine to protect adults against coronavirus.

Professor David Lynn moved to Australia in 2014 to head up a team at the South Australian Health and Research Institute (SAHMRI) in Adelaide.

However, he is now at the heart of a trial that could have a massively positive impact, worldwide.

Prof Lynn was educated in St Peter's Secondary School in Wexford town and attended Trinity where he completed a degree in genetics.

He did his PhD in UCD where Cliona O'Farrelly, another senior academic from Co Wexford and now an immunologist at Trinity, was his supervisor.

His wife, Dr Miriam Lynn, is from Dublin and she is also an immunologist who is also part of the team working on the trials.

Speaking from his home in the Adelaide hills, Prof Lynn said the BCG trial began through a colleague of his in Melbourne named Nigel Curtis.

'It's a very big trial and it began through Nigel Curtis out of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne,' said Prof Lynn.

'He came up with the idea and it began in Melbourne and then spread out through Australia and I'm heading the team in south Australia, in Adelaide,' he added.

'We had been working in this area independently of Nigel's group and we were at the same meeting in the UK at the end of February, which was about non-specific vaccines.'

'It was shortly after we got back that Covid-19 broke out of China and as soon as we heard Nigel had begun the trial, we got in touch,' he said.

Prof Lynn highlighted the fact the trial was undertaken within 'a very fast timeframe'.

'Normally, a trial like this could take a year to plan but this time it was a matter of weeks to get it going,' he said.

'It was up-and-running in Melbourne in March and we started in early April so we are a couple of weeks behind Melbourne,' he added.

Prof Lynn said the recruitment process for people to get involved in the clinical trial in south Australia began on May 14.

With regard to overall recruitment he said they are trying to reach 10,000 healthcare workers in Australia and Europe; the trials have also now been introduced in the Netherlands and Spain as a result of their respectively high rates of infection.

Prof Lynn said the research carried out in other studies, including in countries in Africa as well as in more developed countries, found that infants with BCG vaccination have protection against other types of respiratory related infections.

He said some studies from Africa showed the death rate in infants up to the age of five was reduced significantly in those who received the BCG vaccine.

Prof Lynn said evidence would suggest the BCG vaccine could have beneficial 'non-specific' effects.

He said the studies from developed countries showed the vaccine reduced serious respiratory illnesses and sepsis.

'This virus is respiratory related and in adults the data is less because BCG is [usually] for infants,' he said.

However, he added that a study in the Netherlands two years ago saw adults being given BCG and the results from that indicated there might be some non-specific protection against viruses like SARS Covid.

Another study involving mice also produced some very positive results.

There was only one new case in south Australia within the last two weeks, however, Prof Lynn said the trials will have a two-fold purpose.

In the first instance, they will trial to see if the BCG vaccination leads to fewer cases of Covid-19.

However, even if it has no affect on infection rates the trials will also examine whether those who got the BCG jab experienced less severe illnesses.

Samples from the volunteers in the trial will be used to look for antibodies to Covid-19 and also to examine how the human immune system responds after the BCG jab is administered.

Prof Lynn explained that innate immune cells are the 'first responders' to germs and it's expected that the vaccine will prep defensive genes in such cells.

'We do not have a specific vaccine against this virus but hopefully we will in a years time but this might give non-specific protection in the interim,' he said.

With regard to the expected timeframe for the trials Prof Lynn said realistically it will be at least 12 months before results will be forthcoming.

He said the volunteers in the trial will be tracked over 12 months and bloods will be taken at specific intervals.

'That allows us to test them to see if they have any infections or not,' he said.

'We can check for antibodies in their blood,' he added.

The volunteers will also have access to an app on their smart phone and through that they can track their respiratory systems for changes if they get a cold etc.

'It means we can see if the rates are changing between people who got the BCG vaccine or not,' said Prof Lynn.

He said at the end of the trial, depending on the results, recommendations will be made.

'It might also have a protective effect on other respiratory illnesses like colds and flu, and viruses that we do not have a specific vaccine for,' said Prof Lynn.

The volunteers in the trials are predominantly healthcare workers in hospitals in Australia and Europe.

The process for participation sees them sign up as 'informed' volunteers and everyone involved is fully aware of what the trial is for and how it will be undertaken.

It's also a randomised trial which means some people will be given the real BCG jab while other participants will be given a saline, fake vaccine.

The volunteers themselves won't be aware of whether or not they have been given the BCG vaccine but Prof Lynn and the other people involved with his team will.

It's expected the trial will see around half the volunteers get the BCG jab and the other half the fake vaccine with the overall aim being to see if those who get the real jab prove less likely to test positive for Covid-19 or less likely to have antibodies in their blood.

With regard to the outlook for the trial, Prof Lynn said there is plenty of reason to feel optimistic that it will lead to positive results.

'We wouldn't have set it up on this scale if we did not think it would have an effect on Covid-19,' he said.

Prof Lynn admitted there is some cause for excitement about the trials and what they could lead to.

He said the opportunity to contribute to something that could have a positive effect on a global scale, as a result of what the world is going through now, is very rare.

'A lot of hard work goes into these trials and like I said they normally take a year [to prepare] but we have done it in a number of weeks and we are very pleased to play our part,' he said.

There are around 30 people working specifically on the trial in south Australia but they are part of a much larger team across Australia and Europe.
In January 1909, a group of notable Americans signed their names to a statement that called for a national conference focused on the civil and political rights of Black Americans. The Call was signed by the likes of W.E.B. Dubois and Ida B. Wells, and it contended that the upcoming centenary of Abraham Lincolns birth should be a day of taking stock of the nations progress since 1865.

How far has [the nation] lived up to the obligations imposed upon it by the Emancipation Proclamation? How far has it gone in assuring to each and every citizen, irrespective of color, the equality of opportunity and equality before the law, which underlie our American institutions and are guaranteed by the Constitution? asked the letter.

The unfortunate answer, affirmed over a century later by the voices of thousands of Americans this past week, is clear: nowhere near far enough.

Many signatories of the Call would go on to form the NAACP, officially established just a few weeks later. In its 111-year history, the NAACP evolved from a relatively small association focused on litigation against Jim Crow laws, into a national organization with half a million members and tangible political power.

Like many civil rights organizations, it was born from emotion, specifically anger, frustration and disappointment in the deferred promise of 1865 (the passage of the 13th amendment). But over the years, civil rights leaders like Dubois and Wells channelled that emotion into positive action, without which the United States would be less free, less equal and less just a society than it is today.

As protests spread this week across the United States and here at home  protests that have jolted so many of us out of our privileged complacency  its important to remember the legacy of civil rights organizations and their roots in protest.

The simple fact is that direct action works: from the civil rights movement of the mid-twentieth century to the Stonewall riots and the origins of Pride, protest and civil unrest has long served as a catalyst for important change. The protests surrounding the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police are no different.

Consider just how much the Black Lives Matter movement has evolved since its inception in 2013. What began as a hashtag has grown into an international phenomenon, the animating spirit of the largest protests seen in nearly 50 years. While its actions were once the subject of controversy, corporations and brands now eagerly endorse their message.

Along the way, Black Lives Matter has remained steadfastly committed to its roots as a protest movement. Local chapters of the movement have now, for seven years, led protests in response to far too many deaths, all too similar to George Floyds. With each action, the loose network envisioned by the movements founders has grown stronger.

The natural question to ask next is what happens to the Black Lives Matter movement from here? Perhaps the movement will go the way of Pride: corporatized and mainstream, far now from its roots in protest. Like Pride, victory here may not ultimately mean a set of policy changes, so much as a shifting of the Overton window  a victory of the public sense of whats possible and expected.

But regardless of where the movement ultimately goes, this is coming to a head. We are experiencing a once-in-a-generation paroxysm about the health and safety of Black communities, prompted by both the coronavirus and the latest instances of police brutality.

It is not my place to say what the demands of the protestors should be or what shape the movement should take next, but I feel it would be a tragedy to move away from the basis of the movement in protest.

After all, we have seen, again and again, how the courage and leadership of organizers and protestors alike have sustained the movement through years of growth.

That said, any meaningful, sustainable change that comes next will depend on all of us  how our expectations, our behaviour and our attitudes evolve. And that means, first and foremost, looking inward and addressing, in the words of James Baldwin, the many things we do not wish to know about ourselves.
Washington: The mayor of Washington, DC, had the slogan "Black Lives Matter" painted in massive yellow letters on a street leading to the White House on Friday in tribute to victims of police brutality as she sparred with US President Donald Trump.

Mayor Muriel Bowser's defiant message came as tensions remained high across the nation over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody nearly two weeks ago, prompting political leaders in that city and elsewhere to announce new restrictions on law enforcement.

District of Columbia mayor Muriel Bowser stands on the rooftop of the Hay Adams Hotel near the White House and looks out at the words 'Black Lives Matter' that have been painted in bright yellow letters on the street. Credit:AP

"Breonna Taylor, on your birthday, let us stand with determination," Bowser, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter in reference to a 26-year-old black woman who was shot dead by Louisville, Kentucky police in March. "Determination to make America the land it ought to be."

Bowser and Trump, a Republican, are at odds over the president's use of federal law enforcement agencies and military police to put down demonstrations. US Park Police fired smoke grenades and chemical irritant "pepper balls" to break up a protest on Monday night so Trump could walk from the White House to a nearby church for a photo opportunity.
Washington is bracing for a large protest Saturday, a continuation of days of demonstrations in the city and across the U.S. over the death of an African American man while in police custody.

The chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, Peter Newsham, told reporters Thursday that authorities expected thousands of protesters to descend on Washington for what "may be one of the largest that we've had in the city."

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser sent a letter Thursday to U.S. President Donald Trump asking him to "withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence from Washington, D.C."

The Trump administration has deployed federal military personnel and the National Guard to respond to the protests in the city, triggering widespread criticism from city officials and activists that their actions are escalating tensions.

Bowser denounced federal law enforcement officials patrolling the streets and taking action without regard to "established chains of command."

The Trump administration was widely criticized after federal authorities fired rubber bullets and tear gas Monday to disperse peaceful protesters outside the White House so that Trump could walk to a nearby church and pose for photographs with a Bible in hand.

Protests in Washington have occurred every day since last Friday. Peaceful daytime demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday turned violent after nightfall with looting and other acts of violence.

Bowser said on Thursday the 7 p.m. curfew was lifted for the first time this week as the protests became more peaceful with each passing day.

Of the planned protest, Newsham said, "We expect that Saturday's demonstration will ... be more of the same peaceful demonstrators coming to exercise their First Amendment right in Washington, D.C."

Despite the expectation of large crowds on Saturday, about 700 members of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division were being sent back to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. They were positioned in Virginia just outside Washington and did not enter the city during the protests.

The troop presence raised concerns that Trump would invoke the Insurrection Act to allow the military forces to confront thousands of people who have protested nightly in downtown Washington.

White House Says Trump Prepared to Invoke Insurrection Act The defense secretary, however, says the order by the president to deploy troops domestically should only be a last resort

The protests in Washington and in dozens of cities across America were sparked by the death of George Floyd, an African American man who died after a white policeman pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes as Floyd pleaded he could not breathe, the latest of many deaths of black Americans during or after encounters with white officers.

Floyd's death sparked nationwide protests demanding justice and systemic reforms.

Since the protests began, the security perimeter around the White House has continued to expand. The White House has not commented on the planned protest.

On Friday, Bowser formally renamed a street leading to the White House "Black Lives Matter Plaza" after authorizing city workers to paint the slogan in large yellow letters on the street.

It remains uncertain which groups are planning Saturday's demonstration.
KAMPALA  Uganda Communications Commission and Uganda Cancer Institute have partnered to provide outreach services and cancer related information to patients and the general public.

The two parties signed a memorandum of understanding in June 2019, establishing an Interactive Voice Responsive System (IVR) at Mulago National Referral Hospital, where the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) is based.

Under the memorandum of understanding, UCC supported UCI to establish, develop, implement, and study the existence and impact of an Interactive Voice Response system (IVR) in a bid to harness ICTs to improve cancer care provision.

The project seeks to achieve effective and efficient provision of cancer information to patients at the Uganda Cancer Institute and/or their caregivers and the general public in Uganda.

Patients and members of the public seeking information on cancer can get help by simply making a toll-free telephone call on 0800 100 800. The line is also being used to provide accurate information on COVID-19.

UCC, working through the Rural Communications Development Fund (RCDF), financed the project which is being implemented in three phases.

Under Phase I, UCI set up the IVR system with cancer related messages in English and Luganda. The system is now open to the public as the implementation team continues to collect feedback to improve it.

Phase II involves improvement of the current content (in English and Luganda) and developing content in four other languages  Swahili, Acholi, Gishu and Runyankore/Rukiga, as well as adding more services, including SMS.

On the other hand, Phase III is expected to scale up the achievements of the first two phases by setting up a system that integrates the IVR/call centre with a customer relations and electronic medical records system.

According to the terms and conditions of the three-year MoU, UCC is to monitor and evaluate the project, while UCI will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the facility.

In accordance with Section 3 of the Uganda Communications Act 2013, the Commission is mandated to enhance national coverage of communications services, connectivity and universal access to communications services in un-served and underserved areas.

The Commissions intervention is motivated by the need to provide technical support to Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government (MDAs) to put their content online.

The Commission also aims to support initiatives that seek to address technology literacy and the presentation of content in a way that addresses access and utility barriers owing to gender, language, illiteracy or physical inability.

Related
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to take part in an International Yoga Day programme on June 21 in Leh, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, his travel there is doubtful, the AYUSH ministry said on Friday.

In March, ministry officials had said that Leh will be the venue for the main event for the International Yoga Day on June 21 and Prime Minister Modi will attend it.

However, asked if the Prime Minister will participate in any Yoga Day event, AYUSH Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha said no public event will take place. It is not yet decided, as to whether the Prime Minister will participate in a programme. Earlier, it was decided that he will go to Leh, but now due to the Covid-19 crisis, it is not yet decided whether he will go to Leh or not, the official said.

The main event will be a big event, but it will be digital, he said, adding that the modalities were still being worked out. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, this years International Yoga Day would be celebrated on digital media platforms and there would be no mass gatherings, the government said.

This years theme will be Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family. People will be able to join Yoga Day celebrations virtually at 7 am on June 21.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 05, 2020 | 04:35 PM | MCCRACKEN COUNTY

On Friday, McCracken County deputies and Drug Division detectives performed a traffic stop on a vehicle for alleged traffic violations.





Deputies say the driver, 39-year-old Jamie Langston, was allegedly found to be in possession of a meth pipe and methampehtamine.





The front seat passenger, 29-year-old Raeann D. Naughton of Calvert City, was reportedly found to be in possession of a small amount of marijuana and methamphetamine along with drug paraphernalia.





Two backseat passengers, 31-year-old Richard "Chance" Sidener of Paducah, and 19-year-old Jacob E. Feltner also of Paducah, were allegedly found to be in possession of methamphetamine, and deputies say Feltner also had marijuana wax, suboxone, and a marijuana wax smoking device.





Deputies said Feltner and Naughton had attempted to hide some of the drugs.





All four were arrested and lodged in the McCracken County Jail.



Langston is being charged with first degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), first degree promoting contraband, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to use a proper signal, and disregarding a stop sign.



Naughton is being charged with first degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and tampering with physical evidence.



Sidener is being charged with first degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) second offense, and possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a vehicle.



Feltner is being charged with first degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) second offense, second degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and tampering with physical evidence.

Four local residents are facing numerous drug charges after a traffic stop in McCracken County.
A variety of events, from debt taken on in 2014-16 to the plunge in oil prices as Saudi Arabia and Russia battle for market share to the demand destruction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will push a number of energy companies into bankruptcy later this year.A consequence of the economic chaos the energy industry is experiencing will be a spike in bankruptcies.

As you can imagine, we are seeing a lot of activity, but not as much as we expect in the future, said John Mitchell, partner, bankruptcy and reorganization with the law firm Akerman LLP in Dallas.

Mitchell participated in an online webinar organized by Grant Swartzwelder, president and owner of OTA Compression LLC, OTA Environmental and Kimark last week to discuss bankruptcies and how it can affect companies, their customers or vendors.

Mitchell said in a phone interview afterward that he expects an acceleration in bankruptcy filings over the next three to five months.

Companies seeking to stay in business first draw on their credit lines, spend from cash or seek forbearance loans from creditors first, he said.

It takes time to dry up a credit line, spend cash or for creditors patience to run out, he said.

Also complicating matters is the coronavirus pandemic, which is keeping companies from devising reorganization plans until they know what the future will be like, discouraging investors from investing in those restructuring plans.

COVID-19 was just one of three crises hitting the energy industry, Mitchell said. Before the pandemic, the oil price downturn of 2014-2016 prompted companies to take on a lot of debt to survive or make acquisitions, resulting in a number of heavily leveraged companies. Much of that debt is coming due this year and next year, he said. Then, just as the pandemic was taking hold, Saudi Arabia and Russia embarked on a price war as they battled for market share, he said.

As companies deleverage and go through the process of reworking contracts, reworking trade relationships and deleveraging bond debt, Mitchell said many will emerge leaner and with less debt.

The possibility of bankruptcy is a concern for energy companies, -- whether exploration and production company worried about the solvency of a service provider or a service provider worried about the financial health of an E&P company.

A lot of clients have reached out to me, Mitchell told Swartzwelder. Weve taken a holistic approach to looking at their customer list from A to Z and evaluated the credit risk of each one. Thats a smart move: Analyze what you can do to shore up credit assurance, look at credit assurance and ask what assurances you can as for, whether its contractually, or if its not in the contract, ask anyway.

For companies that arent big enough to get credit assurance like letters of credit or bonds, Mitchell suggests that they educate themselves on what lien rights they have under their contracts.

Theres transportation liens, for common carriers like truckers or pipelines, warehouse liens, mechanics liens, he said. If there are steps you need to take to perfect that lien, file the paperwork with the county or state. Most oil- and gas-producing states grant mineral lien rights to contractors working on production. If you need legal counsel, please get it. You can make mistakes that could prejudice your ability to file a lien or have a say in any bankruptcy reorganization.

He recommended contacting the customer before filing a lien to try to preserve the working relationship.

I realize it may cause them headaches as they deal with their lenders, but you have to look after yourself, he said.

Under Chapter 11 reorganization, Mitchell said, often the squeaking wheel gets the grease. When a supplier or vender goes into Chapter 11, be vocal. Dont violate federal injunctions  creditors cant make demands outside the board or counsel or sue. Call the debtors attorney. Call your contact at the company about when youre going to get paid. Pester them. Creditors that are more vocal get paid earlier in the process. Be vocal with the company, not the lender.

The company may need to evaluate how critical it is to that bankrupt customer and how critical it would be for the bankrupt customer to have to replace it. If replacing the company would be disruptive to the bankruptcy process, the bankruptcy judge may allow the trustee overseeing the process to pay the debt in full. Also, agree or volunteer to serve on a creditors committee in order to gain a front seat and have a say in the restructuring.

If a vendor goes bankrupt, an E&P company may need to start requiring cash in advance or cash on delivery or even looking at alternative sources of those products or services.

If a company has been paid by a customer who goes bankrupt, there is the risk of that payment being clawed back. Mitchell said if thats the case, negotiate with the bankruptcy trustee.

If you get a demand letter in the mail for $100,000, settle for $75,000; thats $25,000 you get to keep. You might get that even lower, and now you have $35,000 or $50,000 in your pocket. Take the payment and fight about giving it back later. You can always park the money if theres a risk of having to give it back.
?? #Loreto | En representacion del Ejecutivo, la ministra de la Produccion, Rocio Barrios, arribo a la ciudad de Yurimaguas junto a la Dra. Zulema Tomas del Minsa y el congresista Leonardo Inga, donde sostuvo una reunion con el alcalde provincial de Alto Amazonas, Hugo Araujo. pic.twitter.com/aV0h2Ieoqs
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > Dissident movements within the Eastern bloc aspired to genuine socialism | (...)

One of the received ideas that became a truth after the fall of the Berlin Wall was that the Soviet blocs populations cursed communism, yet obeyed it slavishly. In fact, many social movements within the Eastern bloc had long aspired to genuine socialism.

by Catherine Samary

In the name of the communist ideal

The collapse of the Soviet bloc in 1989-1991 is still portrayed as a collection of simplistic cliches (1). British political analyst Timothy Garton Ash says that in 1989 Europeans proposed a new model of non-violent, velvet revolution (2), a reverse image of that of the storming of the Winter Palace in October 1917. Nothing incarnated this model better than Czechoslovakia and Vaclav Havel, the long imprisoned, dissident playwright who became president in 1989. This interpretation gives liberal ideology and its representatives a preponderant weight in the Wests victory at the end of the cold war.

Havel himself didnt believe this. In 1989, he said, Dissidence was not ready... We only had a minimal influence on the events themselves. To designate the decisive factor, he looked a little further east: The Soviet Union could no longer intervene, without opening an international crisis and completely putting an end to the new policy of perestroika [reconstruction] (3).

Some years earlier, Garton Ash had used the neologism refolution (from reform and revolution) (4), to reflect the combined traits of 1989-1991: a challenge to the political and socioeconomic structure of the existing system in a capitalist sense (revolutionary or counter-revolutionary, according to perspectives), but through reforms imposed from above. Charter 77  the intellectual opposition front to which Havel belonged  showed remarkable resistance to the normalisation of Czechoslovakia under occupation, but expressed no consensus on socioeconomic issues nor did it have the support of any organised social base.

Mass democratic mobilisations have, in fact, existed at the heart of these regimes: workers riots in June 1953 in Berlin, workers councils in Poland and Hungary in 1956, the Prague Spring of 1968 (prolonged by the birth of the Czech workers councils), the revolutionary trade unionism of Solidarnosc (Solidarity) in Gdansk, Poland, in 1980. It is this history that the liberal interpretation of 1989 obliterates or falsifies  and tries to appropriate by presenting it as anti-communist. These popular movements fought, not to re-establish capitalism, but on the contrary in the name of socialist ideals.

If the end of the single party was popular; the philosopher Slavoj Zizek recalled that Behind the Wall the peoples did not dream of capitalism (Le Monde, 7 November 2009). Capitalisms triumph did not arise from a mass desire, but a choice made by the communist nomenklatura: to transform its privileges of function into privileges of ownership. Although the elites grand conversion has been analysed (5), there are few studies on the social base of the old single party, which, though it became restive, did not demand privatisations.

Workers councils in Poland and Hungary

We can ask why it is the Polish working class which, out of all the countries in eastern Europe, periodically resumes the class struggle, and why now, Polish journalist and former communist militant Victor Fay suggested in 1980 (6). Each of the great Polish independence struggles was marked by powerful workers mobilisations that, after the second world war, extended into a subtle relationship with the Communist Party of Poland (Polish United Workers Party, POUP), and also with the changing policy of the Kremlin in relation to eastern European communist parties.

The rupture in 1948 between Tito (Josip Broz) of Yugoslavia and Joseph Stalin showed the conflict between aspiration to the sovereignty of a national communism and the hegemonic policy of the Kremlin. It was accompanied by anti-Tito purges in Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. After Stalins death, public apologies by his successor Nikita Khrushchev to the Yugoslav communists and the denunciation of Stalins crimes during the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in February 1956 revived the hope that Moscow would respect the egalitarian relationships, national and social, which in theory structured the Soviet universe.

Until the 1980s, all the great democratic uprisings sought, explicitly or in practice, to reduce the gap between the reality of bureaucratic oppression and socialist principles. Thus, the emergence of workers councils in Poland and Hungary in 1956 went along with the demand for the Stalinist leaders marginalisation, and was supported by significant sections of each of the parties. Discovering the limits of de-Stalinisation in the USSR, Titos Yugoslavia decided in 1956 to encourage the non-aligned movement, while affirming self-management (in contrast to centralised planning) as the Yugoslav road to socialism.

In Poland, Moscow was concerned by the triumphal return of Wadysaw Gomulka to the head of the POUP in October 1956 (from which he had been excluded in 1948), the decollectivisation of land and the favours accorded to the Church. However, Gomulkas profession of communist faith and his promise to respect the Soviet big brother pushed the Kremlin to concentrate rather on bringing Hungary to heel. Though Poland escaped Soviet intervention, its workers councils were contained, even if self-management rights were conceded in the universities: the threat to challenge these later led to the 1968 student explosion.

During the 1960s, workers strikes against planned price increases expressed the strength of an attachment to the egalitarianism and stability of employment that underlay what economist Michael Lebowitz analyses as a kind of (alienated) social contract by which the single party sought to stabilise its reign, in the name of the workers and on their backs. (7). Socialist legality, which made producers the proprietors of the means of production, was expressed recurrently in the emergence of workers councils in workplaces, while the privileges of the communist nomenklatura were simultaneously denounced. The leaders were never perceived as legitimate proprietors. It was the restoration of capitalism after 1989 which would establish their true powers of ownership, that of selling off the factories and introducing the masses to capitalist unemployment.

Social and ownership rights

Meanwhile, the party-state had power to manage enterprises, which it used to stabilise its regime, as an alternative to simple repression. Official trade unionism concentrated its action on the distribution of a social income (non-monetary and associated with employment in the big conglomerates) in the form of access to housing, health services, vacation centres or stores. In the Soviet Unions last decade, more than 60% of workers incomes originated from these collective funds in kind (8). Under this system, all economic choices and mechanisms (including prices) were perceived, correctly, as political. Hence the rapidly subversive dynamic of strikes, which switched almost spontaneously from economic issues, to the demand for social and ownership rights to be recognised as legitimate.

Indeed, in the 1960s, reforms of centralised planning would attempt to reduce waste and improve the quality of goods produced, but without substantially increasing workers rights. It was about introducing autonomy of enterprise management and encouraging directors to compress costs, which threatened the social contract. These attempts were blocked by strikes (in Poland) or would lead, as a consequence of social movements, to an enlargement of the liberties and rights of workers in the enterprises, as in 1968 in Czechoslovakia. In Yugoslavia, market socialism came to a halt in the early 1970s after an upsurge of strikes and political struggles (Belgrades June 68) against inequality and the red bourgeoisie. The violent repression of the Polish strikes in 1970 led to Gomulkas fall and his replacement by former miner Edward Gierek, president from 1970-80.

In Poland, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Rumania and the German Democratic Republic (RDA), the blocking of market reforms went in the 1970s with an opening to western imports, to respond to consumer demand and improve the efficacy of production through transfers of technology. The hard currency debt crisis which affected all these countries (9) was reflected in Poland by a new attempt at price reform, which led to an escalation of strikes, confrontations and negotiations, laying the bases for workers self-organisation on a nationwide scale in 1980-1981.

During the battle for the legalisation of Solidarnosc, there was a rise in power inside the independent trade union of a strong self-managed current (10). With more than ten million members, of which two million were Communist Party members, the independent union won the right to legally hold its congress in August 1981. A counter-power and a social project anchored in socialism and the self-managed control of economic choices was being developed (11). What then happened between 1981 and 1989 so that neoliberal shock therapy could be administered without much resistance after the fall of the Wall?

The two Solidarnoscs

The Polish Marxist intellectual Karol Modzelewski, who was deeply involved in the struggles of Solidarnosc for which he was an adviser and spokesperson, witnessed to a conception of democracy that, contrary to that of Havel, does not stop at the doors of the workplace. In Nous avons fait galoper lhistoire. Confessions dun cavalier use (12), he concludes, like Havel, that the course taken in 1989 in Poland and in all the countries of Eastern Europe was determined by the situation in the USSR. But for him, this meant that Polish workers no longer weighed on the political dynamic. The cause of this was the introduction of martial law by General Wojciech Jaruzelski in December 1981. Modzelewski estimates that 80% of its members then left the union (forced underground), which led to a profound demoralisation and the demobilisation of a whole workers generation.

He distinguishes two Solidarnoscs. One was the big union, solidaristic and fraternal, the child of socialism, capable of making history gallop. The second emerged transformed by its passage underground: it was no longer a mass workers movement, but a relatively narrow anti-Communist conspiracy. From then on, the return to legality around the Round Table of 1989 (13) produced a clash of values: everything separated the collectivist and solidaristic aspiration of the original workers union and the type of liberty without equality and without fraternity  hence precarious advocated by the new Solidarnosc, acclaimed by the pro-western liberal intelligentsia.

For the new and old elites of 1989, the West was like Mecca, says Modzelewski, who perceived at this moment a divorce between intellectuals and workers. Certainly, at the time of the electoral triumph of 1989, nearly everyone felt the taste of victory. But afterwards, they began to lose  lose on their wages, lose their work, lose the implantation in the community of the liquidated factories, lose the certainty of tomorrow and lose their social dignity. The self-managed Polish republic inscribed in the programme of Solidarnosc was in contradiction with capitalist restoration. But would it have resisted a Soviet military intervention?

A review of the Czechoslovak experience of 1968 reveals instead some arguments in favour of an open history. The traditional analysis of the Prague revolt, says Karel Kovanda (14), who was involved in it as a student, opposes the forces of the conservative bureaucracy  around the secretary of the Czechoslovak Communist Party, Antonin Novotny  to those of the liberal reformers incarnated by his successor, Alexander Dubcek, all this in a context of restructuring of the planned economy. But this superficial cleavage hides another, at least equally structuring, inside the progressives, according to Kovanda. He distinguishes on the one hand technocrats in the economic area, liberal in politics who demanded very controlled reforms... conducted from above. They were found inside and outside the Czechoslovak Communist Party, as were the members of the second component, what he calls the radical democrats. For the latter, a mass popular participation was an essential condition to undertake a change of system going beyond the cosmetic  which raised the question of the mobilisation of the workers.

Socialism with a human face

It was to boost the popularity of the reforms that Dubcek advanced the idea of a socialism with a human face from which the movements from below would emerge immediately. According to Kovanda, the Central Council of Trade Unions (URO), one of the more conservative bodies in the country, received in the first weeks of 1968 around 1,600 resolutions from local sections concerning the question of rights lost by the workers, including in the function of the official union itself. The trade union newspaper Prace launched a crusade demanding more extensive powers for the workers, while, in April 1968, the influential weekly Reporter published a column calling for a self-managed workers movement.

Concrete proposals of statutes were drawn up, in particular in the factories of CKD, the biggest industrial complex in Prague, and those of Skoda, in Plzen. In April 1968, the Communist Party central committee had to integrate into its programme the question of workers councils. In a study published that year in the review of the CPs central committee, Nova Mysl (new spirit), focusing on 95 councils, the sociologist Milos Barta stresses the rapidity with which, after the development of the process of democratisation in society, the idea of founding preparatory committees for workers councils took root and spread (15). On the eve of the entry of Soviet troops into Czechoslovak territory, on 21 August 1968, nearly 350 workers collectivities assumed that a workers council would be at their head as of January 1, 1969.

Before this surge of self-management, the project of a reform under technocratic guidance was vanishing. Positions were taken not between conservatism and reform, but between radical democracy and a return to the bureaucratic grip. The invasion only accelerated this trend. The CKD factory hosted, in the district of Vysocany, the clandestine Communist Party congress, which denounced the intervention and elected a new Central Committee, not recognised by Dubcek, himself implicated with other leaders in a spirit of compromise with the Kremlin. In this context, Kovanda stresses, the Prague Spring could only continue through the autumn to the extent that massive popular investment continued, with the transformation of the factories into bastions of economic democracy  via the councils as principal priority.

In September 1968, there were 19 councils; from 1 October, 143 others began to function. At the end of October, while the tanks of the Warsaw Pact (16) patrolled the streets, the government, still led by Dubcek, declared, without having been ordered to do so by the Soviets, that it was not appropriate to pursue this experience. This outcome led to a wave of union protests which were taken up by the press. In January 1969  after several months of occupation , the councils represented more than 800,000 persons, a sixth of the labour force (outside of agriculture), Kovanda recalls. Others were still forming in spring 1969. In late June, the existence of 300 councils and 150 preparatory committees was reported, with a prestige associated with the biggest enterprises in the country. A little more than half were CP members.

For a radical democracy

But the crackdown had begun. From January 1969, the praesidium of the party had denounced the worker and student strikes. The student Jan Palach set fire to himself on 16 January. On 17 April, Dubcek was removed from his post. During the summer of 1970, the workers councils, initially smothered de facto, were banned. The normalisation was complete.

For Jaroslav Sabata, a member of the self-management current of the CP, elected to the central committee during the clandestine congress of August 1968, the Czechoslovak communists should be proud of the Vysocany congress, which rejected the invasion of the Warsaw pact; but they should be less proud of having themselves contributed to the dispersal of the sovereign and self-managed radical democracy, which this congress supported. On the other hand, its consolidation would have immensely encouraged all the reformist forces of the Soviet bloc and of the USSR also (17).

Sabata explains that he signed Charter 77 because a radical democracy was needed inside the Communist movement also. However, the social dimension of such a democracy  subjecting the economy to collective choices made in a context of egalitarian social relations  was far from being consensual inside of Charter 77. And is completely incompatible with the treatment of the workers in the actually existing capitalism and European construction which emerged after 1989.

Catherine Samary

Catherine Samary is an economist and the author of Communism, Democracy & The Commons (co-ed), Merlin Press & Resistance Books, 2019.

Translated by Bernard Gibbons

(1) See Jerome Heurtaux and Cedric Pellen, 1989 a lest de lEurope, une memoire controversee, Editions de lAube, La Tour-dAigues, 2009.

(2) Timothy Garton Ash, 1989 changed the world. But where now for Europe?, The Guardian, London, 4 November 2009.

(3) Vaclav Havel: Le regime seffondrait dheure en heure, Le Figaro Magazine, Paris, October 31, 2009.

(4) Timothy Garton Ash, We the People: The Revolution of 89 Witnessed in Warsaw, Budapest, Berlin and Prague, Penguin, London, 1993.

(5) Georges Mink and Jean-Charles Szurek, La Grande Conversion. Le destin des communistes en Europe de lEst, Seuil, coll Lepreuve des faits, Paris, 1999.

(6) See Victor Fay, Unicite du pouvoir politique, pluralite sociale et ideologique, Le Monde diplomatique, August 1980.

(7) Michael A Lebowitz, The Contradictions of Real Socialism: The Conductor and the Conducted, Monthly Review Press, New York, 2012.

(8) David Mandel, Perestroika et classe ouvriere,LHomme et la Societe, no 88-89, Paris, 1988.

(9) See Francois Geze, Le poids de la dependance a legard de lOccident, Le Monde diplomatique, October 1980.

(10) See Zbigniew Kowalewski, Rendez-nous nos usines ! Solidarnosc, le combat pour lautogestion ouvriere, La Breche-PEC, Paris, 1985.

(11) Lire Tamara Deutscher, Le pouvoir polonais face a lexigence de democratisation de la classe ouvriere, Jean-Yves Potel, Un projet politique pour la societe tout entiere, and Ignacio Ramonet, La montee dun contre-pouvoir dans la Pologne en crise, Le Monde diplomatique, respectively May 1981, August 1981 and October 1981.

(12) Karol Modzelewski, Nous avons fait galoper lhistoire. Confessions dun cavalier use, Editions de la Maison des sciences de lhomme, Paris, 2018.

(13) This institution was in the first half of 1989 a place of discussion between members of the government and the dissident movement, including Solidarnosc.

(14) Karel Kovanda, Les conseils ouvriers tchecoslovaques (1968-1969), A lencontre, 24 August 2018 (original publication: Telos, no 28, Washington University, summer 1976).

(15) Chronologie et analyse de Milos Barta sur le "mouvement autogestionnaire, A lencontre, 20 August 2018. See also Jean-Pierre Faye and Vladimir Fisera, La Revolution des conseils ouvriers, 1968-1969, Robert Laffont, Paris, 1978.

(16) A military alliance made up of the countries of eastern Europe and the USSR.

(17) Jaroslav Sabata, Invasion or our own goal, East European Reporter, vol 3, no 3, London, autumn 1988.

(Courtesy: Le Monde Diplomatique, May 2020 The original article was published under the title In The Name of Communist Ideal)
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Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that China will continue to offer firm support for Costa Rica's fight against COVID-19 as the coronavirus disease outbreak remains serious in Latin America.



In a phone conversation with Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado, Xi said China will provide as much assistance as its capacity allows for the Latin American country in line with the latter's needs.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, Costa Rica has offered to provide medical supplies to China, Xi pointed out, adding that China will bear this friendship in mind.

China regards Costa Rica as an important partner in carrying out anti-epidemic cooperation in Latin America, and has donated supplies of epidemic prevention to Costa Rica and held video conferences to share experience in fighting the epidemic, Xi said.

China will continue to firmly safeguard international fairness and justice as well as the legitimate rights of small and medium-sized developing countries and stands ready to work with Costa Rica to strengthen international anti-epidemic cooperation, defend the efforts of developing countries to combat the epidemic, and maintain global public health security, Xi said.

Xi stressed that Costa Rica is a trustworthy strategic partner of China, and bilateral relations have developed smoothly since the two countries established diplomatic ties, with fruitful cooperation results achieved in various areas.

The pandemic has brought some negative impacts on economic and trade cooperation as well as personnel exchanges between the two countries, Xi said, adding that China's policy of promoting long-term friendly cooperation between the two sides will stay the same, and its position of supporting Costa Rica's economic development and improving people's livelihood will not change.

The two sides need to continuously support each other's core interests and major concerns, jointly plan post-epidemic cooperation between the two sides, and push forward practical cooperation under the framework of the joint construction of the Belt and Road, Xi said.

Xi said he believes that bilateral relations will surely see new and greater development after the joint fight against the coronavirus disease.

For his part, Alvarado said since Costa Rica and China established diplomatic ties 13 years ago, the two sides have enjoyed increasingly profound friendship and their mutually beneficial cooperation has been expanding continuously.

Costa Rica firmly adheres to the one-China principle and stands ready to work with China to strengthen cooperation in the fields of public health, infrastructure and culture among others, act as a bridge and gateway for China to engage with Central America and promote the relationship between Costa Rica and China to a new stage, he said.

China is a great country, said Alvarado, adding that Costa Rica admires Xi's experience in governing the country and also his announcement that China's COVID-19 vaccine would be made a global public good.

Appreciating China's firm support for Costa Rica in its fight against the pandemic, Alvarado said that Costa Rica stands ready to work with China to support multilateralism, jointly deal with global challenges including climate change, and promote world peace and development.
RAEFORD, N.C.  George Floyd's death while in police custody led to "a movement" nationwide, his eulogist said, as hundreds of mourners gathered Saturday in this rural community to mourn.

Floyd's family and friends and community members  mostly dressed in black and white, using fans to cool themselves  packed a church near Fayetteville, North Carolina, where Floyd was born. Two members of North Carolina's congressional delegation, Reps. G.K. Butterfield, a Democrat, and Richard Hudson, a Republican, delivered remarks, as did family members and local officials.

The Rev. Christoppher D. Stackhouse delivered a stirring eulogy about Floyd, noting "there was something different about that day" he died in Minneapolis.

Floyd, 46, was a brother, a son and a gentle giant who loved banana-and-mayonnaise sandwiches and had the nickname "Perry Jr.," Stackhouse said. His death on Memorial Day, captured on video, raised a public outcry from people of all backgrounds on the need to address racism and police violence against African Americans.

"A movement is happening today, and George Floyd sparked that fuel.  He sparked the fuel that is going to change this nation," Stackhouse said.

The images of protesters in city streets show America is grieving, Butterfield said. He vowed Floyd's death will be the "catalyst that will bring much-needed reform to our criminal justice system."

Jeremy Collins, director of engagement for Gov. Roy Cooper, read a state resolution to the family and presented them with a North Carolina state flag that had flown at the Capitol on Wednesday.

Some death aint about dying, Collins told family members. Some death is about waking all of us up.

Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin cited the large, diverse crowds of young protesters nationwide as evidence that law enforcement needs to change.

"I'm saying this to law enforcement all over the world," Peterkin said. "Repeat these six words: We are part of the problem."

Story continues

Protests and prayers: George Floyd memorial service brings Americans together in mourning, outrage

Photos: Protests around the world show solidarity with US demonstrators

Before the memorial, crowds gathered in a public viewing outside the R.L. Douglas Cape Fear Center. Floyd's body was placed in the center of the lobby, and mourners were allowed inside in groups of 10 and asked to wear a mask, according to Peterkin.

A man holds up a fist before a memorial held for George Floyd.

A crowd of peaceful demonstrators lined the road outside. A group of black men on horses rode into the parking lot, followed a few minutes later by a motorcycle group. Flowers and signs lined the street, including one that read George Floyd changed the world."

James Galberth, 21, a Raeford resident, said he felt like everybody in the area should be on hand to support the Black Lives Matter movement.

"I'm here to support the cause," he said, standing in line before the public viewing.

Not too far away, a man sang the old spiritual "Wade in the Water" to those waiting to get in.

Motorcyclists are driving by the George Floyd memorial on Raeford Road. pic.twitter.com/6Px3JAMQHl  RachaelRiley (@RachaelRiley85) June 6, 2020

The private memorial contrasted with large public gatherings across the nation Saturday expressing grief and anger.

In Washington, thousands gathered and marched outside the White House and the National Mall protesting police brutality. Officials expected the crowd in the nation's capital to be one of the largest since protests erupted last week over Floyd's death.

Friday night, hundreds marched down Raeford's Main Street to protest the death and to vow that something like this would never happen again.

This is important to do because this is something that is ongoing, said LaToya Gordon of Hoke County Peacemakers, a newly formed group that organized the march. Everybody felt that we wanted people to know that we can be peaceful and be heard.

Peterkin offered words of support for the group.

This generation, this new group, is taking it to a whole new level, Peterkin said. We hear you. Youre going to get it done. Were with you.

Thursday, Floyd was memorialized by family and friends at Minneapolis North Central University, an event that included a national eulogy by Al Sharpton and a national criminal justice system address by Floyd family attorney Ben Crump.

Americans across the nation have stopped to commemorate the life and grieve the death of Floyd. Floyds dying words, I cant breathe, have given life to a searing moment in the nations fraught struggle for human rights.

Artists have painted murals of his image on city streets. Protesters across the world have yelled his name and demanded justice while facing off against police officers dressed in riot gear. Cities have come to a halt, enforcing curfews and closing transit systems to discourage public gatherings and looting.

The demonstrations unfold at a time of extreme hardship for black Americans, who have disproportionately been hit by the coronavirus pandemic and its associated economic implosion. Tens of millions of Americans have filed for unemployment.

Another public viewing will be held Monday in Houston, where Floyd was raised and lived most of his life. A 500-person service will take place Tuesday at the Fountain of Praise church. Celebrities and political figures are expected. A private burial will follow.

Contributing: Marco della Cava, Grace Hauck and Joel Shannon, USA TODAY; Rodger Mullen, Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer; The Associated Press

Follow Melody Brown-Peyton on Twitter: @MelodyBrownPey1.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Floyd is being mourned near Fayetteville, North Carolina
Antibody tests being used by Public Health England could be missing a third of positive results, a study has shown as Britain's coronavirus testing fiasco deepens.

A company given 1million of Government funding in March has produced a test that doesn't yet meet 'challenging' official standards.

And the Department of Health has already cancelled orders for a staggering 70million worth of tests that turned out to be no good, while having to keep a further 20million worth and find ways to use them.

One of the two that finally were approved by officials last week was shown a particularly light touch by officials, scientists claim, and didn't appear to be tested to a rigorous standard before the UK agreed to buy millions of them.

That same test was made by a company, Roche, at which a top scientist who evaluated other antibody tests for the Government was employed as a director for almost 20 years until March  although he was not involved in its approval.

The road to antibody testing in the UK  the 'have you had it' tests  has been a messy 'long haul' riddled with money-wasting setbacks, experts say.

Approval in May of two tests made by pharmaceutical giants Roche and Abbott mean testing is finally under way for healthcare workers in Britain but experts say it could have happened months ago if officials had acted faster.

Of the tests currently in use in the UK, the EuroImmun IGg ELISA test used by PHE was found by one study to be just 67 per cent sensitive, the Roche test's sensitivity averages between 87 and 88 per cent, and Abbott's test averages 93-94 per cent.

Officials have commandeered antibody testing in the UK and last week blocked private firms from selling people home tests over fears about accuracy.

And while PHE is using a test for surveillance which may only detect two out of three positive results, on which one scientist remarked: 'What's the point?', smaller companies say they have struggled for months to get through to public health officials despite having tests readily available.

The true usefulness of the tests for the public is still up for debate, but they will be the only way scientists can get a real handle on the true size of Britain's COVID-19 outbreak at its peak, which will influence how the Government plans for a second wave.

Here, a MailOnline investigation reveals the bumpy road so far for Britain's antibody testing:

A test being used to gather Public Health England's data about how many people have had the virus already is only 67 per cent accurate, one study found;

The Department of Health has cancelled orders for 70million worth of antibody tests in its 'buy first, test later' approach because they turned out not to be good enough;

Mologic, a company given 1million by the Government in March to develop its test, produced one which does not meet the UK's accuracy standards. The company said the standard was 'challenging';

The first test to be approved by the Government, produced by Roche, was not tested rigorously enough, scientists claim;

The Oxford University expert Professor Sir John Bell, who has evaluated other types of antibody test for the Government, was a board member at Roche until March. He was not involved in the process of developing nor evaluating the Roche's test;

Diagnostics companies in Britain say they have been blanked by public health officials despite having tests available for government evaluation for months;

The UK Government has done hundreds of thousands of antibody tests but published the results of only around 10,000, with the first reports emerging in May, while countries including the US, Germany and Sweden have been publishing studies for weeks.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is pictured on a tour of a laboratory run by Mologic, a British company developing antibody tests. The company's test does not yet meet UK Government standards, which have changed since the firm was given a 1million investment. It called the 98 per cent minimum accuracy bar 'challenging'

Antibody testing data from Public Health England showed that London has the largest proportion of its population already infected with the coronavirus, while the fewest people were infected in the South West of England

Britain's hunt for an antibody test, which reveals whether someone's blood shows signs of past infection, began in earnest on March 19 when Prime Minister pledged in a public speech to get tests 'as simple as a pregnancy test' available for people to use at home.

The hope was that people would be able to find out if they had had the virus already, and the Government could track how far the virus had spread through the population.

WHAT IS AN ANTIBODY TEST AND WHAT IS IT USED FOR? Antibody tests are ones which look for signs of past infection in someone's blood. Antibodies are substances produced by the immune system which store memories of how to fight off a specific virus. They can only be created if the body is exposed to the virus by getting infected for real, or through a vaccine or other type of specialist immune therapy. Generally speaking, antibodies produce immunity to a virus because they are redeployed if it enters the body for a second time, defeating the bug faster than it can take hold and cause an illness. An antibody test, which involves analysis of someone's blood sample, has two purposes: to reveal whether an individual has been infected in the past and may therefore be protected against the virus, and to count those people. Knowing you are immune to a virus - although whether people actually develop immunity to Covid-19 is still unknown - can affect how you act in the future. Someone may need to protect themselves less if they know they have been infected, for example, or medical staff may be able to return to work in the knowledge they are not at risk. Counting the numbers of people who have antibodies is the most accurate way of calculating how many people in a population have had the virus already. This can be done on a small sample of the population and the figures scaled up to give a picture of the country as a whole. In turn, this can inform scientists and politicians how devastating a second outbreak might be, and how close the country is to herd immunity - a situation in which so many people have had the virus already that it would not be able to spread quickly a second time. Experts believe that around 60 per cent exposure would be required for herd immunity from Covid-19, but the UK does not appear to be anywhere close to that. Early estimates suggest 17 per cent of Londoners have had the virus, along with five per cent of the rest of the country  about 4.83million people. This means the virus might spread slightly slower in future but the risk of second outbreak and hundreds or thousands more deaths remains very real. Advertisement

Professor Sharon Peacock, from Public Health England (PHE), that week said officials were evaluating tests, had bought millions, and would have them available 'within days'.

But two months down the line they still haven't materialised for the public, with tests only available for health and social care staff.

Those workers are being given tests from a stock of 10million lab-based kits bought from Roche and Abbott after officials approved them last month, hailing their near-perfect accuracy.

In the meantime, PHE has been trying to track the spread of the virus through the population using a test which could be missing up to a third of all positive results.

It published results this week suggesting that 8.5 per cent of people in England had already had Covid-19  some 4.76million people  with a higher rate of 15.6 per cent in London.

But the EuroImmun IGg ELISA test it uses has been found by one study to be just 67 per cent sensitive, meaning it would detect only 67 out of every 100 positive samples.

'That's not accurate,' Dr Simon Clarke, a cellular microbiology expert at the University of Reading told MailOnline.

'The problem is it will underestimate the positives and they [PHE] won't appreciate how quickly or how extensively it [Covid-19] has spread through the population.

'If you're underestimating it by up to a third  it's important to say up to  then what's the point? There are more accurate tests on the way.

'Throughout this whole saga there has been a lot of doing things to create the impression of activity. While it's important to be active, it's also important to be accurate and if that means waiting then that's what should be done.'

The study of the test's accuracy, by the Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen, also found that it cross-reacted  gave a false positive result  when exposed to a different type of coronavirus and also two adenoviruses, which cause coughs, colds and sore throats.

PHE says in its weekly data announcements that it considers the test to be 79 per cent sensitive and that it adjusts the results accordingly.

A separate evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US estimated that EuroImmun could be 90 per cent sensitive  somewhere between 74 and 96.5 per cent  but this is still significantly lower than the 98 per cent standard for manufacturers in the UK.

Professor Eleanor Riley, an immunologist at the University of Edinburgh, said PHE would have to adjust their results to account for 'lower than ideal sensitivity'.

She said: 'This is a fast-moving situation. PHE needed to start serology [antibody] testing. There was always going to be a tension between starting early with a less than ideal test or waiting and hoping that a better test might be available soon.

'My reading of this was that they started as soon as they had a test that they felt was suitable for their purposes. On balance, that was probably the right thing to do... The crucial question is whether the test they are using currently is good enough.'

PHE's data shows how blood samples from across the country reveal varying levels of coronavirus exposure over time. Antibody levels should not decline so the falling proportions are inaccuracies in the data caused by sampling from different groups

It is Britain's high standard for the test which has slowed down its process of approving any.

ANTIBODY TESTING REVEALS 8.5% OF PEOPLE IN ENGLAND HAVE HAD THE VIRUS Up to 5.6million people in England could have already had the coronavirus, according to results of a government-run surveillance scheme. Blood samples taken from almost 8,000 people suggest up to 10 per cent of the country have antibodies specific to Covid-19, showing they have had the disease in the past. Public Health England's best estimate is that 8.5 per cent of people in England have already had the coronavirus - 4.76million people. But this, it admitted, could be as high as 10 per cent (5.6m) or as low as 6.9 per cent (3.864m). Regional variations show that the rate of infection has been considerably higher in London, with 15.6 per cent of the city's population already affected. And it has been lowest in the South West, where only 2.6 per cent of people are thought to have had the virus. These were the approximate proportions broken down by region: England 8.5 per cent

London: 15.6 per cent

North West: 10 per cent

East of England: 8 per cent

North East: 6.1 per cent

Midlands: 5 per cent

South East: 4 per cent

South West: 2.6 per cent The national prevalence of antibodies suggests that, with around 43,000 deaths from a population of 56million people, the true death rate of Covid-19 is 0.9 per cent  nine times deadlier than the flu. PHE's data was based on blood tests taken from 7,694 people across England in May, of which around 654 tested positive. It chimes with other estimates which suggest similar numbers. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) put the national level of past infection at 6.78 per cent  around 4.5million people in the UK  while Health Secretary Matt Hancock had previously announced early PHE results suggesting it was only five per cent nationwide. Advertisement

Experts have been clear that an inaccurate test could produce misleading data or even provide people with false diagnoses, wrongly suggesting they have had the virus and may not catch it again.

'No test is better than a bad test' became the repeated mantra of Health Secretary Matt Hancock and his advisers when faced with questions about slow progress.

But 'no test' remained the reality as the weeks ticked by and the virus spread unchecked across Britain and officials had no way of tracking where it had been.

'The trouble is everyone's reacted too slowly and hadn't appreciated how serious the situation was when it started,' Dr Karol Sikora, the dean of medicine at the University of Buckingham and former World Health Organization cancer chief, told MailOnline.

A frustrated Dr Sikora took matters into his own hands at the Rutherford Cancer Centres, a private clinic where he is medical director, when he bought tests from South Korea to use on his staff. Results so far have been mixed, but he believes trying out the tests is vital.

'Public Health England, which has been in charge of setting this up, has shown no real leadership at all... they have been so sluggish at grabbing the agenda,' he said.

'Really, a lot of the smaller companies that wanted to help, that have technology that could speed the whole thing up, they weren't provided control serum to help develop antibody tests.'

Antibody tests work by filtering someone's blood to look for signs of antibodies specific to COVID-19.

These are substances made by the immune system only after someone has been exposed to the virus, and store the body's memory of how to fight off the virus in future.

The vital blood samples from former patients caused an issue even for one of the Government's top scientists evaluating antibody tests, Professor Sir John Bell at the University of Oxford.

Leaked emails from Professor Bell, seen by The Telegraph in April, saw him complain that he didn't have enough blood from COVID-19 patients to do his work.

He said: 'We could not get them [blood samples] from PHE either... We are collecting ours one convalescent patient at a time.

'Now have 15, soon will have more than thirty. No generous samples however.'

Professor Bell, who is one of Britain's top scientists and a royally-appointed medical expert at Oxford, sat on the board of directors at Roche  one of just two companies to have had their tests approved so far  from 2001 to 2020.

He was paid at least 300,000 per year by the firm since 2016 until he resigned this year, according to the company's financial records  a total of 1.2million.

Roche, one of the world's biggest and most respected pharmaceutical companies, announced Professor Bell was stepping down in December 2019 and his tenure ended in March 2020.

In the same month he was appointed chair of the Department of Health's New Tests Advisory Group (NTAG).

Professor Bell's role at NTAG has been to evaluate hand-held antibody tests, known as point-of-care tests, and not the lab-based ones such as those created by Roche and Abbott, meaning he had no role in assessing the test made by his former employer.

ANTIBODY TESTING IN THE UK: A TIMELINE March 19: Boris Johnson promised to get antibody tests 'as simple as a pregnancy test' available for people to use at home. March 25: Public Health England's Sharon Peacock said the UK had bought 3.5million antibody tests and was evaluating them with a view to getting them available 'within days'. March 30: British testing companies including BioSure and SureScreen said they had been approached by the Government and told their services might be needed, but heard nothing more. April: At the start of April the Department of Health said PHE already had 800 blood samples to test for antibodies. April 2: Health Secretary Matt Hancock claimed the antibody test being used on those samples at Porton Down was 'ultra-high accuracy' but data has never been released to back this up. April 3: Universities and private labs caused uproar when they revealed the Government had turned down their offers to help with swab testing, to check who had the disease currently. April 5: Professor Sir John Bell, at the University of Oxford, published a blog titled 'Trouble in testing land', revealing that no tests he had seen so far were any good. He said it would take at least a month to make one. April 8: Professor Bell accused PHE of being unhelpful and not providing enough blood samples to analyse tests with, in leaked emails seen by The Telegraph. April 16: The New York Times reported that Britain had spent 16.5million on antibody tests that it no longer wanted to use. April 18: PHE's Professor John Newton warned people not to try to buy or use antibody tests not approved by the Government, saying 'they may put you, your family, or others at risk'. April 20: Professor Derrick Crook, from John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, published a study showing none of the antibody tests bought by the Government were good enough to use. April 24: Chief medical officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, told MPs on the Science and Technology Committee that currently available antibody tests were good enough for population surveillance but not good enough for diagnosis. May 1: Mologic, a British company given 1million by the Government in March, reveals the early results of its antibody test. It is 98 per cent specific and 96 per cent sensitive  below the MHRA's standard of 98/98. May 14: The approval of Roche's antibody test by PHE goes public, with claims it is a 'game changer' and 100 per cent accurate. May 15: The approval of Abbott's coronavirus test is revealed in the Daily Mail, with more claims of near-perfect accuracy and reports of millions being bought by Britain straight away. May 21: Matt Hancock announces on TV the early results of antibody surveys being done in the UK. He said they suggest 17 per cent of people in London have had the disease, along with five per cent elsewhere in the country. May 25: UK's first Government-provided antibody tests become available to healthcare workers. May 28: Office for National Statistics publishes its first antibody testing data. It found 60 positive results in a pool of 885 samples in England, suggesting a national infection rate of 6.78 per cent (3.7million people). May 29: PHE published evaluation of a third antibody test, made by Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, to no fanfare. It was found to be 77.4 per cent sensitive and 99.7 per cent specific. June 4: PHE publishes most comprehensive antibody survey to date, from almost 8,000 blood test results, suggesting 8.5 per cent of the population has already had Covid-19. Advertisement

Professor Bell's last engagement with the company was a board meeting in January, before coronavirus appeared in the UK.

NTAG, which has no affiliation to PHE, has not yet approved any rapid antibody tests, and does not have the power to approve lab-based tests, the only type that is currently being used by British officials to diagnose people.

Professor Bell lamented in an April blog post titled 'Trouble in testing land': 'None of the tests we have validated would meet the criteria for a good test... This is not a good result for test suppliers or for us.'

When the news broke on May 13 that Roche's test was the first to be approved by PHE, it came with claims that the test was 100 per cent accurate.

But all was not what it seemed, and scientists noted it seemed to have been evaluated with a light touch.

In its evaluation of the test, PHE noted that it missed 15 of the 93 positive samples that were used to test it, meaning it was 83.9 per cent accurate.

It hit the 100 per cent mark when tested on just eight samples which were between 41 and 50 days old  antibody tests often become more reliable over time  and this number was touted in the media on the day of the announcement.

This, one source said, was because PHE told Roche the results before confirming them publicly, allowing the company to share the news with the press.

For samples younger than 41 days, Roche's accuracy ranged between 75 and 93.3 per cent and averaged 87-88 per cent on samples older than two weeks.

In comparison Abbott's test, which hit headlines a day later, averaged 93-94 per cent on two-week old samples in PHE's analysis, with a low point of 87.5 per cent.

This means that, among the healthcare workers who are being either of the two approved tests, between six and 13 in every 100 of them are not receiving a positive result when they should.

Both tests were, however, found to be 100 per cent specific to the coronavirus, meaning they did not throw up any false positive results from blood that had never been infected.

When detailed information about the evaluation appeared, scientists also noticed that four times fewer 'red herring' samples were used for Roche than for Abbott.

Professor Sheila Bird, a statistician at the University of Cambridge, noted that fewer 'confounder' blood samples with a history of other infections  intended to trick the test into a false positive result  were included in the Roche evaluation.

Professor Bird said: 'Equally-powered evaluation of the two tests was not provided: PHEs evaluation of the Roche test accommodated 85 confounder samples versus 364 for the Abbott test.'

She said that the way the Roche test had been evaluated '[increased] precision in an unprincipled manner', adding: 'Level playing-field between the Roche and Abbott evaluations was not apparent in terms of whether the tested [blood] came from patients who had been hospitalized for COVID-19 disease or had been only mildly symptomatic.

'Both matter, especially if IgG antibody tests are to be used for population surveillance, and test-performance may be different by symptomatology.'

PHE noted that the samples Abbott's test failed to detect had been from patients who were never hospitalised  meaning they likely had milder illness and fewer antibodies  but the same note was not made on the evaluation of Roche's test.

The Department of Health said evaluations of both tests were done within five days of officials being sent the tests, and its staff used the best blood samples that were available at the time.

Professor Jon Deeks, a biostatistics expert at the University of Birmingham, was also alarmed at the way the tests were evaluated and said more blood samples should have been available to PHE by May, when the epidemic was two months old.

He pointed out that Roche's own evaluation of its test had only found it to be 100 per cent accurate when it was used on just 29 blood samples.

By comparison, Abbott found its own test to be 100 per cent accurate on 88 blood samples  more than three times as many.

The highest performing antibody tests use intricate machinery to try to produce a reaction between a blood sample and a part of the virus to see whether the person's immune system contains the substances needed to fight off the virus. Pictured: The Architect laboratory instrument that Abbott uses for its coronavirus test, which is 99.9 per cent accurate

Professor Deeks told MailOnline: 'Roche is not alone in doing this, they've just done it in the most public way.

'The numbers are spun to make it look good but when you pull it to pieces you get to a tiny subset that are producing the result, which means there's a huge margin of error.

'You wouldn't do this with drugs. They've both [Roche and Abbott] got multi-million pound contracts from results from 90-odd samples.'

PHE used only 93 confirmed Covid-19 blood samples to test the Roche machine and 96 for Abbott's. Abbott's successfully diagnosed 90 compared to Roche's 78, PHE's report showed.

CDC WARNS EVEN GOOD TESTS MAY BE WRONG 50% OF THE TIME - SO HOW DO THE TESTS FALL DOWN? The US's Centers for Disease Control & Prevention last month warned that coronavirus antibody tests may be wrong 50 per cent of the time even if they are high quality. It warned that the antibody testing is not accurate enough for it to be used for any policy-making decisions, as even with 95 per cent test specificity, 'less than half of those testing positive will truly have antibodies'. This is why: Antibody tests with what could be considered a high level of accuracy can still produce large margins of error if only a small proportion of a population has been infected. A 95 per cent specific test, for example, will always produce five false positive results from a group of 100 people. Even if it is sensitive enough to detect all the people who have genuinely had the disease, it will still return five false positives, and the effect this has on the results of a survey can be large if the number of true positives is low. If the prevalence of antibodies is low - for example, only five per cent of people in the group have had the illness - the results could end up half wrong. The 95 per cent test, in that situation, would be expected to return 10 positives - five of them right, five of them wrong. This means the functional accuracy of the test, known as its true predictive value, is only around 50 per cent. The effect of these false positives is magnified if the prevalence of the virus in the population is low, and less noticeable if the prevalence is high. For example, if 30 per cent of the population have been infected, those five false positive results would be counter-balanced by 30 true positives, making the test more like 85 per cent accurate. A more specific test can reduce this effect; by comparison a 99.9 per cent specific test would return one wrong result per thousand - 100 per million. Advertisement

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) demands that companies use at least 200 positive samples for their own evaluations.

Professor Sheila Bird told the British Medical Journal: 'PHE's evaluation does not meet the standards that would be expected for confirmation that these tests meet the criteria set by the [MHRA]'.

And a virologist at Imperial College London, Professor Richard Tedder, said at the time: 'A number of manufacturers already have large platforms capable of detecting antibody and in this respect the development by Roche is neither surprising nor remarkable.

'I find it surprising that PHE appear to have given this preferential treatment and publicity over and above the existing platforms by other companies.'

The Department of Health said that application processes may differ for companies whose tests are used for different purposes in different 'pillars' of its testing strategy.

It added: 'We cant comment on individual partners and providers of testing materials due to commercial sensitivity.'

A spokesperson for Roche said its test had 'been through a rigorous regulated process'.

'It is one of the most reliable on the market,' they said, 'reporting 100 per cent sensitivity (14 days post PCR confirmation) and over 99.8 per cent specificity. This is based on extensive testing and validation, including the measurement of over 5,200 samples.'

Data on Roche's website shows 5,272 of the 5,476 samples used were ones that had never been infected with coronavirus which proved that the test would not produce a false positive result.

PHE's director of health protection, Dr Yvonne Doyle, said in a meeting with MPs on May 22 that Roche has been involved with swab testing, which tests who is infected with the virus at the time of the test, since the beginning of the UK's outbreak.

Meanwhile, lesser known companies trying to get antibody tests approved in the UK told this website they have struggled to get through to officials at all.

A sales manager at one company, who did not want to be named, said he hasn't seen the usual procurement processes happen for antibody tests.

He said: 'We were sent copious and thorough documentation to see whether we wanted to take part in procurement of PPE and ventilators  that request followed the normal process.

'We didn't express interest because we're not in that business, but for the antibody test the goalposts were never there.

'Even in the scramble for ventilators there still was a proper procurement procedure. For the diagnostic test we're not following that at all.'

He said that huge companies like Roche and Abbot are better able to get their products in front of the Government because their other products are 'entrenched' in the NHS already, and they often have high-profile experts on their payroll.

'There will undoubtedly be experts who act as intermediaries between big companies and the Government,' he said.

'There's nobody backing on the behalf of the smaller companies but their tests aren't necessarily worse.'

The usefulness of antibody tests is up for debate because, if they are used to tell people whether or not they have had the disease, or to influence lockdown decisions, the relatively high numbers of false results could have serious consequences for people

Firms working on self-contained rapid tests which can be carried out by health workers to return results in minutes, rather than lab tests, which can take hours, have so far had no success in making it onto the UK market.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ANTIBODY TESTS? There are three main types of antibody tests: lab-based tests, point-of-care tests (POCT) and home tests. Lab tests Laboratory tests, often carried out on a machine called an ELISA, are generally most accurate tests available. They work by blood samples being collected from a patient by a qualified medical professional and then being sent to the lab. In the lab, the blood sample is then mixed with an antigen  in this case a part of the coronavirus  to see if the antibody and the antigen react together. If there is a reaction between the blood and the antigen, that means antibodies are present because it is a sign the immune substances in the blood are attacking the virus, as they learned to do when the donor was infected. The reaction is detected by the highly sensitive machine and produces a positive result, showing past illness. No reaction is a negative result. This process must be done by qualified staff and can be time consuming. Point-of-care tests Point-of-care tests, or POCTs, are ones which are self-contained in a small plastic cassette. A sample of blood is taken by a medical professional, from the vein of the donor, and inserted onto a small hole on the cassette. The blood then passes through what is called an immunoassay, which contains antigens intended to react with the blood in a similar way to the lab test. These essentially work as nets and, if the blood reacts as it passes through, a line shows up on the test cassette as it would on a pregnancy test, to indicate positive or negative. If the blood can pass the entire way through the assay without reacting the test returns a negative result. This should be performed by a medical professional to make sure a good enough blood sample is used, but is considerably faster than a lab test and can produce results in around 10 minutes. Home tests Home tests can be either of the above. People may be asked to take their own blood sample from a finger prick and to send it to a lab for analysis on an ELISA machine. This is the service currently being offered by Superdrug and other online pharmacies. But there are also hopes that POCT tests that are accurate and easy-to-use will one day become available for people to take their own blood and use at home. Currently this is not possible because the tests are not good enough that they could withstand a drop in accuracy caused by imperfect use. For example, the accuracy would drop significantly if someone used a bad blood sample (donors should not use the first drop of blood) or if they were used too soon  most tests are only accurate three to four weeks or more after infection. Advertisement

The difference between the two is that the rapid test contains all the technology on a testing cassette which looks like a pregnancy test, while the other involves sending a blood sample to a lab for it to be analysed in a high-tech machine.

One British company, Mologic, was given 1million of Government funding in March to develop a rapid test. Boris Johnson was photographed on a tour of its lab in Bedford to make the announcement.

But the test, for which early performance data has been released, does not yet hit the standard demanded by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

The MHRA standard, which has risen since the company received the funding, dictates that any non-laboratory test must be at least 98 per cent sensitive and 98 per cent specific.

This means that, from a sample of 100 people who have definitely had the disease, it must be able to spot at least 98 of them (sensitivity).

And it must also be able to spot, from a sample of 100 people who have definitely not had the disease, at least 98 negative results (specificity).

Mologic's test hits the mark on specificity (98.8 per cent), according to results published on its website, but is only 96 per cent sensitive.

In a statement the company said: 'Since preliminary data was announced on 1 May, our scientific and clinical teams have updated the design of the test to improve performance further...

'Mologic is doing everything it can to make the rapid test available for use in the UK and globally as soon as possible, as it did for the laboratory antibody test in April.

'Current MHRA targets are very challenging due to the clinical presentation of the virus and immune responses to it. It will be up to the UK government to consider whether and how to deploy reliable and validated antibody tests that do not meet current targets, as other European countries are doing.'

Other companies that spoke to MailOnline agreed the standard set by the MHRA was particularly high and that a majority of fast-acting tests would not be able to meet it.

But the Government is currently using tests that don't meet the target as part of its surveillance schemes to work out how many people have had Covid-19, PHE's Professor John Newton said in a Parliamentary committee on May 22.

People who use the tests considered sub-par never get a result so the consequences of a false diagnosis do not personally affect them, but data may be inaccurate.

And a 'buy first, test later' approach has stung officials out of 20million.

The Department of Health confirmed that it has had to cancel orders for 70million worth of tests after striking deals for them, because they turned out to be bad.

That figure was out of a total 90million, suggesting the remaining 20million could not be recouped and the tests must now be used for non-diagnostic purposes or scrapped.

The Department said some of the tests are being used for research.

One company that sold tests to Britain but didn't pass the Government's evaluation was Wondfo, which is based in the city of Guangzhou in China.

The company told MailOnline the UK bought one million tests and 500,000 of them arrived on shipments at the start of April.

The tests, the company said, are 86.43 per cent sensitive and 99.57 per cent specific. They miss the MHRA standard on the sensitivity measure, but have been widely used in China.

The company told this website: 'To our knowledge, the UK Government has not yet determined how they will use our tests. It is our understanding that the work is still in process.'

Professor John Newton, medical director at PHE, said in May that tests that had been bought by the Government but were not good enough are now being used for surveillance purposes

Antibody tests for COVID-19 with 95 per cent accuracy may be wrong up to half of the time, according to updated information from the Centers for Disease Control. A graphic reveals how the test can spot fewer than half of true positive cases, depending on how widespread the infection is

Professor John Newton, medical director at PHE, said in May that tests that had been bought by the Government but were not good enough are now being used for surveillance purposes.

Officials said the orders were cancelled 'at no liability to HMG [Her Majesty's Government' and that they were still in negotiations with other suppliers.

HEALTH REGULATOR BLOCKS AT-HOME ANTIBODY TESTS OVER ACCURACY FEARS British health officials have told companies offering Covid-19 antibody tests to stop processing finger-prick blood samples from patients in the UK, MailOnline revealed on May 27. Private tests to see whether people have already had the disease and recovered had been available from various online pharmacies from around 69. Superdrug became the first high street retailer to offer the service and numerous websites offered similar tests, including Lloyds Pharmacy. But the Government, which has previously been accused of trying to take control of coronavirus testing among the public, slammed the brakes on private tests which rely on people taking their own blood samples. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) confirmed it told firms to stop analysing the samples because the tests were not designed to be used with them and could produce inaccurate results. 'Patient safety and public health are our main priorities and it is in the interests of everyone for antibody tests to be as reliable and meaningful as they can be,' a spokesperson told MailOnline. 'There are several UK providers of testing services who offer COVID19 antibody testing using a fingerprick sample of capillary blood collected in a small container. 'We are asking all providers of laboratory-based COVID-19 antibody testing services using capillary blood collected by a finger-prick to temporarily stop providing this service until home collection of this sample type has been properly validated for use with these laboratory tests.' Superdrug and Lloyds Pharmacy were among various companies affected by the move and have had to stop offering the service. The MHRA said it was 'asking' retailers to stop but could take enforcement action if necessary. The MHRA continued: 'Use of unvalidated sample types may lead to unreliable results and as such we are working closely with the service providers, laboratories and test manufacturers to resolve the regulatory and patient safety issues. 'People who have purchased one of these sampling kits, and received an antibody test result, should not consider the result to be reliable and should not take any action on it. 'This does not affect rapid point of care tests or laboratory tests performed using venous blood.' The news came after Public Health England's testing tsar, Professor John Newton, urged people not to pay for private tests and to wait for official ones. He warned in a Science and Technology Committee meeting with MPs: 'The public need to be aware that those tests are not the same as those we have evaluated and approved for use. 'The laboratory-based tests have a much higher standard of accuracy. We wouldn't recommend at the moment that people rely on the tests that are becoming widely available.' Advertisement

The Department of Health is believed to be using the discarded tests for its community testing programme, to work out what proportion of the population has been infected, but refused to confirm the fact.

It told MailOnline the accuracy of tests being trialled for that programme was not relevant at this stage.

Oksana Pyzik, a pharmacist at University College London, said it was crucial to have high standards both for diagnosis and for community testing purposes.

'Antibody tests that are below the MHRA standard of 98 per cent sensitivity and 98 per cent specificity threaten to do more harm than good,' Ms Pyzik said.

'Inaccurate tests may increase the risk of continued transmission of the virus, skew epidemiological data and waste funds from the development of higher quality tests.

'In March, the Government refrained from mass distribution of antibody tests that had already been purchased as they did not meet standards on specificity and sensitivity, resulting in an enormous waste of funds.

'Testing is a key strategy in any pandemic response. In the UK, testing came too little and too late, once the initial peak began to plateau, and this is one of the factors that has contributed to the UK's highest death toll in Europe.'

One company which tried to have its test approved in Britain in the early days of the pandemic was MEDsan, which is based in Germany but has facilities in the UK.

MEDsan says its test is 99 per cent specific and at least 96.88 per cent sensitive but it has been unable to get approval from the British Government.

Those specifications put it below the MHRA standard but the company says it has sold 30million of them in other countries, including to the government in Monaco, and they were ready months ago.

Kai Markus Ziong, a business developer at the company, told MailOnline: 'We have tried and the approval process was very different  there was a lag of time when we put through [for evaluation].

'It was a very unclear process compared to many countries where there is a dedicated person who communicates with you. Some producers have already given up on the UK market.'

Although CE marked tests approved in Europe can be legally sold in Britain, the Government has urged people not to use tests it hasn't approved, even if they are carried out by medical professionals.

MEDsan's director in the UK, Paul Hillman, added: 'The Government wants to do all the testing itself because it wants the data, which is definitely important.

'But as the lockdown is lifted I think these rapid tests will be become part of society when you got to a hospital, an office, or an airport.

'If doctors' surgeries used the tests they could collect the data and send it back to the Government. There has to be a trade-off between Government stats and getting people back to work.

'There will be a point when they say "we have enough data, let's get people back to work"  that's where we come in.'

The company said it heard nothing useful from British officials for months and that business took a hit when care homes in the UK cancelled their orders when cautioned against buying unapproved tests.

PHE's Professor John Newton said in April: 'I advise organisations, both in the public and private sector, against the use of antibody tests that have not been verified in a laboratory setting: and none have.'

And in a bid to further control the use of tests the MHRA in May put a block on all home-testing kits, ordering labs to stop processing the results until the tests have been evaluated.

It made the move after receiving reports that tests were being used with finger-prick blood samples instead of vein samples, which could make them less accurate.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) this week banned companies from carrying out private antibody tests using finger-prick blood samples because of accuracy concerns, MailOnline revealed. Superdrug and Lloyds Pharmacy have had to suspend their services, which had been in high demand

Other companies echoed MEDsan's sentiments when interviewed by MailOnline and some firms are now exporting their tests, which were ready to use months ago, to other countries because they can't sell them to Britain.

While the UK has languished in its search for a perfect test, other countries have been forging ahead with their own antibody surveys to work out how many people have been infected.

New York State published the results from tests on 15,000 people at the start of May and estimated that around 12.3 per cent of its population of 20million was infected with the coronavirus by May 2, rising to 20 per cent in New York City. The state used a test with 97 per cent accuracy.

IS PHE FACING THE CHOP? BORIS JOHNSON PROMISES 'REVIEW' OF THE ORGANISATION Public Health England could be axed after widespread criticism of its role in the UK's testing fiasco, Boris Johnson told Tory MPs last month. The Prime Minister informed a meeting of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservatives on May 15 that he was planning a review of 'a number of institutions' once coronavirus is beaten back. Tory MPs are furious at what they consider to be PHE's hampering of efforts to develop viable antibody tests that could potentially allow people who have had the virus to return to work and life to return to something approaching normal. A Financial Times reporter tweeted: 'In the virtual 1922 meeting, the PM criticised Public Health England for its performance during the coronavirus crisis and told MPs "we will have to look at how it performed."' Advertisement

In Miami-Dade County, in Florida, authorities are using a test made by North Carolina-based firm Biomedomics, which the University of Miami said performs with 89 per cent sensitivity and a specificity range of 91-100 per cent.

In Germany, the Robert Koch Institut is using a commercial test that it declined to name, which it said is 93.8 per cent sensitive and 99.6 specific.

The RKI, Germany's disease control agency, said 'various other countries' are using the same test for their antibody surveys.

Researchers in Stockholm did a recent survey of 1,000 people and estimated that 10 per cent of the Swedish capital's 2.3million people had caught the coronavirus by the beginning of April.

The scientists, at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, said they did not know how accurate the test they used was.

The UK Government has plans in motion to carry out similar surveys in the UK, and has already tested more than 250,000 people for antibodies and published early results.

Office for National Statistics data last month revealed the results of 885 antibody tests, from which 60 people tested positive, suggesting 6.78 per cent of the population of England (3.7million people) has been infected with the virus already.

And Public Health England this week revealed that testing on almost 8,000 people found a past infection rate of 8.5 per cent, varying across the country.

The approval of tests by Roche and Abbott brings the large scale testing necessary to make accurate estimates a step closer to reality.

Professor Daniel Altmann, an immunologist at Imperial College London, said last month: 'This represents a massive step forward in the push to narrate the natural history of this infection.

'Without good mapping of how many are immune, its virtually impossible to understand how much the virus has spread.

'The fact that the search for this test [Roche's] seems to have been such an unexpectedly long haul to reach this point simply seems to speak to the fact that some things that would once have taken years of tweaking and optimising can zoom forward quickly given the backing and the will to do it, while some things in research simply take time to optimise from a standing start.'

Using regular antibody blood testing in 1,000 households across the country, to begin with, the Government intends to track levels of immunity and exposure in the population.

And a separate scheme, a trial named REACT-2, will evaluate antibody tests by using them on volunteers at Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust in London and members of the public before sending out home testing kits to up to 10,000 people and then 100,000 people later in the year, to produce mass data it can use.

In a statement to MailOnline the Department of Health & Social Care said: 'We are responding to an unprecedented global pandemic, and have rapidly set up extensive development of antibody testing to not only crucially counter the spread of the disease, but to vitally help us understand more about who has had it.

'In addition to the recent huge expansion of the UKs swab-based coronavirus testing capacity, now all NHS and care staff will be offered an antibody test.

'In a landmark deal with industry we have secured ten million antibody tests so far. We are continuing to work with suppliers on further agreements.'

Public Health England did not offer a separate comment and EuroImmun did not respond to a request from MailOnline.

Correction: For clarity, references to Professor John Bell as a 'PHE evaluator' have been removed. Professor Bell does not work for PHE; his test evaluation group, NTAG, is not affiliated with PHE; and neither he nor NTAG were involved with the approval of Roche's or Abbott's laboratory-based antibody tests.
On June 1, thousands of demonstrators rallied in front of the Riverside Public Library to protest the death of George Floyd. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The organizers behind LA Pride's solidarity march for black lives are being denounced for organizing the event collaboratively with the Los Angeles Police Department.

Festivities celebrating the 50th year of the city's Pride parade had been suspended because of the coronavirus. But this week, organizers announced that they were planning a march in solidarity with Black Lives Matter for June 14, starting in Hollywood and ending in West Hollywood.

On behalf of Christopher Street West, the group that organizes Los Angeles' Pride march, Jeff Consoletti, who runs an event production firm, submitted a special event permit application to the LAPD on Tuesday.

"For the past 50 years, we have demonstrated a strong and unified partnership with law enforcement in the annual organization of PRIDE here in Los Angeles and West Hollywood," he wrote. "Your support of this peaceful gathering is the key to its success and continues a LA tradition of support, advocacy, and the peaceful right to protest for all."

LGBTQ activists took to social media to point out that partnering with police goes against the intent of protests responding to the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and others at the hands of police.

Fran Tirado, the former deputy editor of Out magazine, posted a screenshot of Consoletti's letter on Twitter, urging fellow non-black LGBTQ people to regroup "with black organizers, so we don't co-opt the movement."

I've been informed @LAPride is, in fact, working with police for their so-called "Black solidarity" march. Attached is a screenshot of an event producer's letter to the LAPD underscoring "a strong and unified partnership with law enforcement." Homos, this is not it. pic.twitter.com/7YkndfDUrV  Fran Tirado (@fransquishco) June 5, 2020

Indya Moore, who plays Angel Evangelista on the FX television series "Pose," spoke directly to the organizers of LA Pride, telling them, "This is not it."

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"White gay men must look to black trans women and queer folk for leadership and direction," Moore said.

On Friday afternoon, Consoletti posted an apology to Instagram and withdrew his involvement from the event. Consoletti said that Christopher Street West had assured him they had the support of the black LGBTQ community for the protest, "but it has become clear that is not entirely the case."

"I apologize and now see that these actions demonstrated the type of privileged, passive, and systemic issues that permeate society today," he said in the post. "Our desire to stand with the Black Lives Matter movement was not carefully thought through. I am appreciative of the education I am receiving on how to be better and can see now that it is not right to take up space or attention from the conversation of racial inequality and the injustice Black people face from law enforcement."

West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey Horvath told WEHOville that Christopher Street West had withdrawn its request to the city for a permit to stage the protest.

A day earlier, Gerald Garth and Brandon Anthony, members of the solidarity march committee who are both black and gay, tweeted from the LA Pride account that they were listening to the black community.

"Christopher Street West is engaging Black community advocacy groups, Black LGBTQ+ organizations and community leaders to align on our mission and objectives," they wrote. "We are committed to educating ourselves on how to be an ally in the fight against systemic social injustice and police brutality and to work for justice reform."

Late Friday, the Christopher Street West board of directors posted an apology message to the LA Pride Instagram account. They said their effort was well-intentioned but that they had realized they didn't first collaborate with enough black leaders who have been on the front lines of recent protests.

"As we quickly mobilized this protest, we proceeded to approach the permitting as we would normally do with organizing the annual LA Pride Parade...," they wrote. "In that haste, we overlooked the direct police involvement that permitting involves. We understand that clearly goes against the demands for systemic police reform."

Christopher Street West and the American Civil Liberties Union had to challenge the Los Angeles Police Commission in court to get the permit for the citys first Pride parade in 1970, which itself was a commemoration of the Stonewall uprising a year earlier, where Marsha P. Johnson and other LGBTQ people of color led a fight against police violence and oppression.

Estevan Montemayor, president of Christopher Street West, did not respond to requests for comment for this story. Earlier this week, he told The Times that Johnson's struggle and courage as a black transgender woman inspired the solidarity march.

In their apology letter, the board leaders said they recognize that the organization's relationship with marginalized groups within the LGBTQ community has been problematic and said they would meet with black leaders in the coming days.

"The previously announced solidarity march scheduled for June 14 is currently being reevaluated through these discussions with more updates to be shared shortly," they wrote. "We pledge that the LGBTQ+ community will continue to speak up and speak out against racism and stand in solidarity with you on the long march to freedom and equality."
This week, the White House has likened Donald Trump to Winston Churchill, the hard-drinking and eccentric prime minister who led Britain as it faced off against the Nazis during World War II.

Some historians have responded to that with a resounding: Mr. President, you're no Winston Churchill. Others, meanwhile, have raised Churchill's troubling record on race, saying the American president shouldn't try to emulate the British leader whose disturbing views on race were rooted in 19th-century colonialism.

Historian Warren Dockter, a lecturer in international politics at Aberystwyth University in Wales, has been among many to say the two leaders' actions couldn't be more different. Churchill helped unify Britain  in stark contrast to Trump, he said.

"By Churchill going out and being seen, it was an act of defiance against the Nazi oppression," he said, referring to the leader's visits with people in areas of London reduced to rubble in the German bombing blitz.

In contrast, Trump is "literally displacing people who are trying to exercise their freedom of speech in order to do this photoshoot," Dockter added, referring to the forcible clearing of peaceful protesters in front of the White House on Monday.

At a news conference Wednesday, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended Trump's actions, saying he was sending a message that America would overcome the recent unrest related to the death of George Floyd, a black man, while in police custody in Minneapolis after then-officer Derek Chauvin was seen on video digging his knee into Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes.

"We've seen presidents and leaders across the world who have had leadership moments and very powerful symbols that were important for our nation to see at any given time, to show a message of resilience and determination," McEnany said, giving the example of Churchill inspecting the bombing damage during the London Blitz. "It sent a powerful message of leadership to the British people."

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Churchill, whose mother was American, has long been a subject of fascination in the United States, and his bust has sat in the White House for decades.

Trump has faced backlash from lawmakers and religious leaders  including the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington  after police used tear gas against demonstrators outside the White House to make way for a photo op at the nearby St. John's Episcopal Church, whose basement had earlier been set ablaze during the protests.

Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis criticized Trump on Wednesday, saying he was "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." Military leaders and Defense Secretary Mark Esper have also spoken against Trump's calls for deploying troops in response to the protests.

The Trump-Churchill comparison "verges on obscenity," said the author Erik Larson, who recently published a book about Churchill during the war.

"Churchill wept on these visits; he offered compassion and hope, and helped people find their courage," Larson tweeted about Churchill's visits to communities destroyed by Germany bombs.

Similarly, Princeton historian Kevin Kruse said in a tweet that Churchill's efforts "showed resilience against the Nazi war machine."

Kruse summarized Monday's events as: "Trump wanted to pretend he wasnt scared of his fellow citizens, so he had protesters gassed and a priest yanked from a church so he could pose outside it."

Image: A bust of Winston Churchill sits between President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May in the Oval Office of the White House. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP file)

According to Richard Toye, a history professor at Britain's University of Exeter, Churchill had "many faults, but they werent anywhere as extreme as Trumps faults.

"When Churchill was touring the bombed areas in WWII, he didnt need the British people covered in tear gas in order for him to be able to do it."

There is also Churchill's darker history.

While he has been celebrated as a defender of democracy, his legacy is tainted by evidence of racism that present-day leaders wouldn't want to be compared with, said Toye, who is a co-author of an upcoming book "The Churchill Myths."

The former prime minister held white supremacist beliefs reflective of others in the era that people who were English speaking, and notably white, were superior, he said.

"This was linked to views of evolution," Toye said.

Citing examples of land grabbing from Native Americans in the West or from Palestinians in Israel, Toye said Churchill believed it was "actually being done in the interest of promoting a higher level of civilization and therefore he didnt feel there was anything wrong with that."

Churchill supported the British Eugenics Society, a group that believed in improving humanity by the reproduction of those perceived the fittest or with desirable genetic traits, Dockter said.

Yet at the same time, he was seen as progressive in his earlier years, not using racial slurs in the same way as his contemporaries and advocating equal treatment of the Muslims and the Sikhs who fought for the British empire.

But even by the 1930s, his views had become outdated compared to the rest of society, Dockter said. As an imperialist, Churchill was vehemently opposed to Indian independence from British colonial rule. And some historians have argued Churchill even intentionally stoked the 1943 Bengal famine, which saw millions of Indians die, Dockter said.

Image: The Conservative statesman and war-time leader Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) at his Kent home (Hulton Deutsch / Corbis via Getty Images file)

Churchill was among a basket of oranges that McEnany compared to Trump's apple.

President George W. Bush throwing the first pitch of game three of the 2001 World Series following the 9/11 terrorist attacks and President Jimmy Carter's address to the nation during the energy crisis were other examples akin to Trump's leadership style, McEnany said.

By using those examples, Trump is trying to paint the protests as war and himself as a wartime president, Scott Lucas, a professor of American studies at England's University of Birmingham, said.

"This is someone who didnt serve in the military, and we know why. This is someone who has always been insecure about those who served in the military," he said. "This is someone who wants to make himself a commander in wartime and he is willing to use the American people to do that."
Joe Biden has an 11-point lead over President Trump in a new national poll, as state surveys show trouble spots for Trump in Wisconsin, Arizona and even Texas, which is too close to call.

Monmouth University pollsters talked to registered voters across the nation and found that 52 per cent now support the presumptive Democratic nominee, while 41 per cent support the sitting Republican president.

Biden has slowly made gains since March, when he essentially locked up the nomination, but also had to get off the campaign trail due to the coronavirus crisis.



Monmouths numbers showed him with 48 per cent support in March, to Trumps 45 per cent. That grew to 48 per cent in April, while Trump was at 44 per cent. Last month, Biden got to 50 per cent of registered voters, while Trump fell to 51 per cent.

Voters seem influenced by the belief that Trumps handling of the coronavirus crisis will hinder his re-election chances. The most recent racial unrest hasnt been fully baked in.

The race continues to be largely a referendum on the incumbent. The initial reaction to ongoing racial unrest in the country suggests that most voters feel Trump is not handling the situation well at all, said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.

Most of the reporting for this particular poll happened before Trumps controversial move to pose in front of St. Johns church with a Bible Monday afternoon, minutes after protesters were forcibly removed from the area using pepper balls, shields, smoke and police on horseback.

A new Texas poll that dropped Wednesday shows Biden just one point behind Trump in a state that has voted Republican in the presidential election for the past 40 years.

Forty-four per cent of Texans said theyd vote for Trump, while 43 per cent said Biden, according to a Quinnipiac survey.

Arizona, which has already elected one Democratic senator and polling suggests will elect another in November, is another state thats in play for Biden.

A Fox News poll out Wednesday showed Biden with an 4 point lead.

He receives 46 per cent of support in Arizona, to Trumps 42 per cent, with the surveys margin of error at plus-or-minus 3 per cent.

Incumbent Sen. Martha McSally, whos a Republican, gets just 37 per cent support compared to her Democratic rival, former astronaut Mark Kelly, who sits at 50 per cent support, in the same Fox News poll.

In Wisconsin, a traditionally blue state Trump won over Hillary Clinton in 2016, a Fox News poll shows Biden 9 points ahead.

He receives 49 per cent of the vote to Trumps 40 per cent.

Polling in both Arizona and Texas showed that Trump still had a solid edge when voters were asked who would be better at handling the economy.

In Texas, 54 per cent of voters said Trump, while 40 per cent said Biden.

In Arizona, 48 per cent said Trump, while 41 per cent said Biden.

In Wisconsin, Trump still had a lead when voters were asked about the economy, but it was tighter  with 47 per cent saying Trump and 44 per cent suggesting Biden would be best.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
I need you all to know that it does not stop here. We came here with demands. We didnt just come here to march. We didnt just come here to say Black Lives Matter.' We came here to get a change," said a speaker with Black Lives Matter Chicago.
(Photo : REUTERS/Andreas Gebert/File Photo) FILE PHOTO: Facebook Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks during the annual Munich Security Conference in Germany, February 15, 2020.

After weeks of internal and external pressure on the embattled company, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised sweeping changes to the social network's internal policies on threats of state use of force and voter suppression.

Zuckerberg's remarks came days after he held a tense town hall with Facebook staff. Many expressed frustration about Facebook's decision not to take action against Trump's tweets reported by rival Twitter sites as breaking their own rules.

Some of those posts related to mail-in ballots, while Twitter branded another containing the expression "when the robbery begins, the shooting starts" for flouting its rules on glorifying crime.

ALSO READ: This App Blurs Protesters' Faces When Sharing Photos Online

Your lives matter

The co-founder and CEO of Facebook also addressed protests that erupted across the U.S. and around the world after George Floyd 's death.

"To members of our Black community: I stand with you-your lives matter. Black lives matter," he wrote.

While noting that he believes the company's platforms, including WhatsApp and Instagram, Zuckerberg said Facebook will "play a positive role" in overcoming racial injustice in the U.S. and around the globe.

Facebook would review its policies on all those fronts, Zuckerberg said, preparing directly for "instances of disproportionate use of police or state force" and "political unrest." The social media platform will also include "the complexities of voting amid a pandemic."

ALSO READ: YouTube Influencer Donations To 'Black Lives Matter' Have Discrepancies?

Previously Zuckerberg said Facebook will take down every post that incites violence - regardless of who wrote it - rather than putting some warning mark on it. He said Facebook's rules currently do not include state use of force. States are legally permitted to use force, according to a transcript published by Recode.

Facebook to focus on voter engagement, radical justice

Zuckerberg said that Facebook is now considering approaches to problematic content posted on the social media platform.

"I know many of you think we should have labeled the President's posts in some way last week," he said. He clarified that he started internal discussions on how to approach those questions in the future.

While Facebook will continue to stand for giving everyone a voice and erring on the side of free expression in these difficult times, Zuckerberg "committed" to making sure Facebook will also fight for voter engagement and racial justice.

Zuckerberg, however, stopped short of ensuring imminent changes to Facebook's rules. He clarified that they are looking at all of these areas, the company might not be making improvements in all of them.

Is Zuckerberg sincere?

Zuckerberg was less committed to any real action, one Facebook employee said. However, the company CEO made several promises that he said could help "heal the divisions in our society." In recent years, critics have been railing on Facebook for its algorithmic spreading of misinformation, encouraging genocide, and failing to protect personal information to its users.

"It's encouraging to see Zuck post this, but I'll maintain my skepticism until some sort of action is taken by the company," a Facebook employee told BuzzFeed News. "I do think Zuck is being sincere in all this, I just don't know if he will be convinced to do anything."

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Everything old is on trend again, particularly if it's an original logo T-shirt from the early '90s. "It doesn't matter if there are cigarette burns or stains on the item  the buyers don't care," says Ashley Tell, who owns Global Vintage Collective on Melbourne's Church Street in Richmond. "Vintage is all about supply and demand."

Netflix documentary series The Last Dance has pushed a spike of interest in old-school basketball gear, particularly anything emblazoned with Chicago Bulls livery. "You can't even find vintage Chicago Bulls stuff in Chicago any more," says Tell, holding up an oversized, somewhat ratty Bulls T-shirt from the late '80s retailing for $150.

Vintage expert Ashley Tell in her Melbourne store. Credit:Wayne Taylor

Such shirts are known as "single stitch" items  a popular method of manufacture in the US that stopped in the mid-1990s  and can fetch designer prices. "This is the cream of the crop and it will sell  you're paying for the fact that you're not going to see another one of these."

The days of being able to unearth a gem in the Salvos bargain bin for $2 are long gone, says Tell. The fashion market is swelling at different ends of the spectrum  ultra-luxury items and rare vintage garb are both in demand  leaving the mid-market in the shade.
With resumption of economic activity following launch of Unlock1.0 by the Centre, few leading companies are luring the workers with flight tickets and extra payment to meet their deadlines for completion of the ongoing projects.

Hyderabad: Facing labour shortage due to return of migrant workers to their home states, construction firms are trying to woo them back by all means.

One of the contractors of a leading Bengaluru-based construction firm arranged flight tickets, to bring back 10 carpenters from Bihar to work on a project in Hyderabad.

While some companies succeeded in convincing the workers to drop the plans of returning home during lockdown, those who lost the manpower are now going all out to woo back them.

Worried over the losses they may incur due to delay in execution of the projects, the companies are ready to spend extra money to bring back the workers.

During the lockdown, major construction companies made all arrangements for the stay of the migrant workers at the construction sites or other locations, provided them food, medical facilities and looked after them well.

"They have succeeded in convincing a large number to stay back," said a member of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) Telangana unit

In fact the return started about a month ago when nearly 300 workers from Bihar, came back to Telangana by a train to work in the rice mills. They arrived in Hyderabad on May 8 when migrant workers stranded across the country, were scrambling to return to their home states amid the nationwide lockdown.

Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Gangula Kamlakar and other officials had welcomed the workers on their arrival with flowers.

The minister said huge employment opportunities, higher wages, and measures taken by the government for the welfare of migrants were attracting them to Telangana. This followed a request by Telangana to Bihar to send back migrant workers to the southern state.

More than 90 per cent of the workers employed in Telengana rice mills were Bihari migrants. These workers, who load and unload rice from trucks, had gone to Bihar for Holi and were left stuck there due to the lockdown.

Majority of 8.5 lakh migrant workers in Telangana are employed in the construction sector. It is estimated that over 70 per cent of the workforce in the construction sector in Hyderabad and surroundings are migrant workers, mostly from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.

Aware of the key role played by the migrant workers in the state's economy, the Telangana government did its best to make them stay back. Calling them partners in the development of Telangana, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao had announced financial assistance of Rs 500 and 12-kg rice for every migrant.

The authorities had also made arrangements for free food and stay of the migrant workers. However, desperate to return home, many left their destinations on foot.

Officials said over 1.50 lakh migrant workers have been sent to their home states by trains since May 1.

While migrants continue to return to their home states even now, industrial units, especially the construction firms, are vying with each other in offering the doles to bring back the workers.
People who regularly smoke cannabis are almost three times more likely to commit a violent offence as those who abstain from the drug, new research has found.

Scientists involved in a landmark study of almost 300,000 teenagers and young adults believe that over time, prolonged cannabis use profoundly alters the brain, making the user less able to control their temper.

In addition, the research found addicts may also suffer from withdrawal symptoms, making them irritable and prone to lashing out.

Psychiatrist Professor Sir Robin Murray, a world-leading expert on the neurological impact of the drug, said the link between cannabis use and violence was a neglected area.

Student Femi Nandap (above) stabbed public health expert Jeroen Ensink to death outside his home in North London in December 2015. Forensic psychiatrist Dr Samrat Sengupta, of Broadmoor Hospital, told the Old Bailey that the students heavy cannabis habit had triggered a genetic psychotic illness

Commenting on the studys findings, he said: This is not a surprise for those of us who follow the scientific literature or see patients who heavily use cannabis.

However, it may be a surprise to the many who think cannabis is a chill-out, anti-violence drug.

Britain has been plagued by a succession of brutal killings linked to cannabis in recent years.

In some of the cases, lawyers have argued the perpetrators should not be found guilty of murder because they were suffering from psychosis, a mental condition now understood to be exacerbated by smoking strong cannabis.

Among the killers was student Femi Nandap, who, in December 2015, stabbed public health expert Jeroen Ensink to death outside his home in North London.

Mr Ensink, 41, had popped out to post cards announcing that his wife Nadja had given birth to their daughter.

Forensic psychiatrist Dr Samrat Sengupta, of Broadmoor Hospital, told the Old Bailey that the students heavy cannabis habit had triggered a genetic psychotic illness.

Mr Ensink, 41, had popped out to post cards announcing that his wife Nadja had given birth to their daughter when he was stabbed to death by mentally ill Femi Nandap

Nandap, then 23, was given an indefinite hospital order after admitting manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The researchers decided to examine 30 individual studies examining the link between cannabis use and violence because the [scientific] literature has shown that cannabis use may lead to violent behaviours and aggression; however, this association has been inconsistent  with some studies showing a relationship and others not.

The team from Montreal University in Canada discovered 26 of the 30 studies showed a tendency towards higher levels of violence among cannabis users.

When they pooled the results  meaning they were looking at a combined group of 296,815 teens and adults under 30  they found users were more than twice as likely (2.15 times) to have committed a violent offence as non-users.

Among persistent heavy users, the risk of violence was 2.81 times higher.

The study found that prolonged cannabis use profoundly alters the brain, making the user less able to control their temper (file photo)

Writing in the American Journal Of Psychiatry, they said: This study suggests that cannabis use appears to be a contributing factor in the perpetration of violence.

Even when accounting for different life circumstances which might mean cannabis users were more likely to grow up in violent surroundings, they concluded that the effect remained significant.

Citing neurological research, they said cannabis use during adolescence may cause deterioration of neural structures associated with inhibition and sensation-seeking, adding: Such neural deficits are expected to limit ones ability to suppress the urge to act out violently and heighten the risk of developing antisocial behaviours in adulthood.
The facts point this out as follows. Data has been compiled by the Washington Post since 2015 on every police shooting in America, and killings by police of unarmed Black Americans has gone down every year since they started charting, with 2019 only showing 10 unarmed Black Americans killed by the Police. Of the 10, in 5 of these, the police officer was attacked before shooting the person. In 4 cases the officer was charged with a crime. Doesnt exactly sound like genocide of Black Americans as some far left politicians and media personalities have told us. Sure doesnt sound like systemic racism, either. Another important statistic, 48 police officers were murdered in 2019, according to FBI data.

So although we all agree that the murder of George Lloyd was horrible, it was the actions of a few bad cops, not an indictment on our police, not by a long shot.

So why is Mr Lloyds murder being played up so much by the left and the left-leaning media, to the point they have created the anger, riots, looting, that is destroying our country? One theory that stands out is for Democrats to win the 2020 elections. By now we know of the other failed attempts to take down President Trump including, Russian Collusion, Obstruction of Justice, a phone call to Ukraine, and trying to ruin the strong economy by overhyping COVID-19 and shutting down the economy.

Now that the COVID scare is winding down, and both the stock market and economy are starting to improve with 5 months to go before the general election, time for a new tactic to create fear, anarchy, and take down the president. Thats where we are today.

Pat Ropella, Mason City

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 13:22:24|Editor: huaxia

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FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, June 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 fighters including 11 local police personnel were confirmed dead as a clash erupted in Khash district of Afghanistan's northern Badakhshan province on Saturday, provincial police spokesman Sanahullah Rohani said.

The clash flared up after Taliban militants launched massive offensives on several security checkpoints, triggering heavy fighting and both sides have suffered, the official added.

According to the official, a police van ran over a mine, leaving 11 officers dead while four militants including Mullah Hamid, the shadow governor of Taliban for Khash district were also killed.

Rohani said that a cleanup operation is underway in the area. The Taliban outfit has yet to make comment. Enditem
A business representative body has given its backing to the Government's acceleration of the Covid-19 roadmap.

Ibec, the group that represents Irish business, has welcomed the announcement from Government today of the acceleration of the Covid roadmap, as well as the extension of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS). The group added that as business reopens, we must prioritise the safety of our workforce, customers and suppliers and remain vigilant on Covid.

Ibec CEO Danny McCoy said: As Ibec has previously stated, the length of the lockdown in Ireland will help determine the scale of the fall in economic activity. Todays announcement from An Taoiseach of an acceleration of the roadmap phasing, particularly in relation to hospitality and retail, is a positive and sensible response.

The extension of the TWSS scheme until August will provide confidence to employers and employees, helping vulnerable firms to stay afloat and keeping their employees engaged whilst protecting the incomes of individuals.

The health of the public and the workforce remains a primary concern for all stakeholders. The Return to Work Safely Protocol must continue to underpin how we now live and work with Covid, ensuring that the safety and well-being of people at work can be securely managed as we begin to reopen our economy.
Canadian protesters chanted 'Stand up to Trump!' to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he joined thousands at an anti-racism rally on Friday and took a knee alongside protesters

Ottawa: Canadian protesters chanted "Stand up to Trump!" to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he joined thousands at an anti-racism rally on Friday and took a knee alongside protesters.

Trudeau, wearing a black mask and surrounded by bodyguards, made a surprise appearance at the "No justice = No peace" rally in front of Parliament. His appearance came a day after police shot and killed an indigenous woman during a wellness check in eastern Canada.

Demonstrations were held in other Canadian cities on Friday, including Toronto, where hundreds walked downtown in protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, while in police custody in Minnesota.

Trudeau three times took a knee alongside other protesters, a gesture used to protest against police brutality and the treatment of African-Americans by police. Afterward, several people thanked Trudeau for kneeling.

On Monday, police tear-gassed peaceful protesters outside the White House to make way for President Donald Trump to have his picture taken holding a Bible while standing in front of a church.

Asked to comment on Trump's idea of using soldiers against protesters on Tuesday, the Liberal prime minister paused for more than 20 seconds before he said that Canadians were watching the United States with "horror and consternation."

Trudeau did not speak at the rally Friday and left as the protesters began a march to the US Embassy, near the Parliament building.

"What needs to happen is long-term change," said Sisi Akhigbe, 24, who raised more than C$9,000 online to provide drinks and snacks for the protesters in Ottawa. "We've been treated unfairly and we're tired."
A new COVID-19 app made in New Zealand was just recently released around the world and is already deemed as a "game-changing" app as it may be able to detect coronavirus infection before the symptoms show.

New COVID-19 App Could Detect Infection Before it Shows Symptoms?

According to a report by the New Zealand Herald, the app is called the elarm and is developed by a New Zealand company known as Datamine.

Datamine founder Paul O'Connor said that the company's aim in creating the app is to overcome one of the biggest hurdles of fighting the unseen enemy: the spread of the coronavirus through asymptomatic people or those who don't know that they are infected.

"Covid-19 puts a viral load on the body three or four days before any external symptoms kick in, which means the body is in distress before you know it," O'Connor explained.

"Unknowingly, a person could be infecting their vulnerable loved ones, and many others they come into contact with."

Act leader David Seymour is planning to push for Government support next week in the Parliament for the app and said, "It's an absolute game-changer and totally unexpected. This is something the Government should have been supporting since day one."

Read Also: COVID-19: Pharma Company AstraZeneca Will Start Production of Potential Coronavirus Vaccine

How Does it Work?

So, how does elarm work?

According to the news outlet, the app will work with any wearable device such as an Apple Watch or a FitBit.

Through the device, the app will then gather data and track the wearer's body temperature, heart rate, active heart rate, recover rates, heart rate variability, and oxygen saturation, which are several indicators of coronavirus infection.

The app will then record any changes that may occur and will compare it to the clinically developed models for the early stages of the viral infection.

Once the elarm app records changes that coincide with the early symptoms of COVID-19, it will alert the user and will recommend other health checks following the World Health Organization's (WHO) guidelines.

Nevertheless, the app is not capable of advising treatment as of now.

Read Also: [COVID-19 Update] Study Shows Coronavirus Patients with Type 'A' Blood May Need Ventilators

Backed Up by Research

According to research conducted by Datamine, wearable devices can predict whether a user has COVID-19 three days before the symptoms of breathing difficulties, fever, and fatigue develop with over 90% accuracy.

Furthermore, O'Connor said their company has been working with different health experts from New Zealand, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada to build the models that elarm is using to analyze the changes in a person's health data.

Michael Baker, an epidemiologist from the University of Otago Wellington's Department of Public Health, supports the app and even said that it has great potential and could be beneficial not just in the fight against the coronavirus infection, but also with other infectious diseases as well.

Nevertheless, the app is still in its early days and hasn't undergone field testing yet to see how well it works.

However, NZ has beaten the virus, so Baker said other countries with developing COVID-19 cases would benefit most from the new app.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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Screams of 'f**k the police' rang out as Black Lives Matter protesters and authorities clashed after thousands took to the streets across Australia on Saturday.

Dramatic scenes at Sydney's Central Station saw police using pepper spray on protesters, leaving some screaming in pain and laying on the ground after tensions boiled over following a day of rallies.

What started as a peaceful protest ended in chaos at the train station, as swelling crowds were trapped in the station and began taunting police officers.

But police showed little emotion as they stood shoulder to shoulder while the crowd, who shouted 'take a knee' and 'no racist police, no justice, no peace'.

In Sydney, one protester was seen following a police officer and demanding he show 'solidarity' with the marches, which are demanding the end to racial inequality.

South Brisbane police station was swarmed by angry marchers who chanted 'I can't breathe', the same words African American George Floyd said before he was killed while in police custody.

Police spray protesters with pepper spray inside Central Station following the protest in Sydney on Saturday evening (pictured) as tensions spilled over

One woman has water poured over her eyes just moments after being pepper sprayed during the protest in Sydney (pictured on Saturday)

Protesters were seen just inches away from the faces of officers some with megaphones and others armed with signs reading 'f**k the police'.

In Sydney, protesters unleashed on authorities after the Black Lives Matter protest was ruled legal just minutes before it was due to start after being banned the night before.

The protesters were eventually pushed to Central Station by police who then appeared to fire pepper spray into the faces of the crowd.

Several young ralliers were knocked to the ground before having their eyes washed after the violent altercation.

'F**k you you f***kg pigs. Go die, every last one of you,' one angry protester is heard shouting at NSW officers.

The march started at Sydney's Town Hall, ending at a park near the large train station, where protesters refused to disperse and ended up trapped inside.

Several protesters were knocked to the ground by police after firing pepper spray onto the crowd in Central Station (pictured, on Saturday night)

Protesters help one another off the ground of Central Station after being pepper sprayed by police officers in Sydney (pictured) on Saturday

One man is treated for pepper spray injuries after he was sprayed in Sydney's Central Station by police after tensions boiled over after Saturday's march (pictured)

A woman screams at police while inside Central Station in Sydney following the protest for Black Lives Matter (pictured on Saturday)

Huge crowds turned out at the march on Saturday (pictured) which began at Sydney's Town Hall and soon spread across the city

An arrests was made at Central Station as the evening began and activists converged - leaving some protesters struggling to breathe as the crowd swelled.

Protesters began chanting at police while they ushered them towards the station, shouting 'Justice today for David Dungay'.

Mr Dungay died in a Sydney jail in 2015 and told officers who were pinning him down 'I can't breathe' 12 times before his death.

Despite the violent scenes of crowds being pepper-sprayed, NSW Police insisted the protests had 'remained peaceful'.

Operation Commander in Sydney, Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing, said officers across the state reported minimal problems.

'I have spoken with commanders who have said they are pleased that all their protests were essentially peaceful,' Assistant Commissioner Willing said.

A man has water washed through his eyes after being pepper sprayed by police in Sydney on Saturday night (pictured) after clashes between protesters and authorities

Protesters are seen berating police offices (pictured, left and right) at Central Station on Saturday evening as the marches became tense

Thousands of marchers took to the streets across all Australian states on Saturday, demanding an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody. Pictured in Sydney

A woman is seen laying on the ground being tended to by a first aider (pictured) during the clash in Central Station on Saturday

'Initially, we had a tough job in Sydney as the police operation was already underway when the Supreme Court decision was overturned, but we rapidly changed plans to ensure the event would run smoothly.

'There were some concerns raised by officers on the ground around physical distancing, and while some people were spoken to, no formal police action was required.'

An estimated 30,000 people gathered outside Town Hall on Saturday afternoon despite the Supreme Court banning the protest on Friday in a last ditch attempt to enforce social distancing restrictions.

Organisers won a last-minute court appeal on Saturday to allow the march to go ahead.

It came after two people were arrested before the event at around 2.30pm and one man waving an 'All Lives Matter' sign was led away by police.

One man 'takes a knee' in front of a NSW police officer in Sydney following the Black Lives Matter protest (pictured) in Central Station

Police clash with ralliers in Sydney after the crowd was pushed into Central Station on Saturday (pictured) with tensions soon spilling over

One protestor has an intense stand off with a police officer during the protest in Sydney fighting for racial equality (pictured at Central Station)

The Sydney protest was moved to Central Station by police where people continued to dance and chant (pictured) in more light-hearted scenes

One shocking video taken in Brisbane showed a man aggressively approaching a police car in the street.

Despite other protesters trying to pull him off, he pushed the car up the street before jumping on its roof - as police desperately tried to reverse it away.

Crowds gathered as the man sat and then stood on the car before being told to get down, and was escorted away by police, according to the Courier Mail.

It is understood the man was not arrested.

The crowds were really well behaved,' a spokesman for Queensland Police said.

Protesters are calling for an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody and in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

One woman in Sydney was seen following a police officer and demanding her show solidarity with the protesters (pictured on Saturday)

Thousands of Australians calling for an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody have gathered for the global Black Lives Matter protests across the country (pictured, demonstrators march in Adelaide)

NSW's highest court had banned the Sydney protest because it breaches COVID-19 restrictions.

At least 432 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died in police custody in Australia since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody report in 1991.

One man was booed after he raised an 'All Lives Matter' placard as a counter-protest. He had his sign ripped from his hand and was handcuffed and led away by officers.

'Get those animals off those horses!' another man screamed at police outside Sydney's Town Hall.

A small child who attended the protest was seen carrying a sign which read: 'I didn't choose to be black, I just got lucky'.

One woman told Daily Mail Australia the problems with racial inequality in the US were similar to ones experienced in Australia.

Protesters stand in front of a barricade of police officers in Melbourne during the Black Lives Matter protest (pictured on Saturday)

A young child in Sydney is seen carrying a sign saying 'I didn't choose to be black, I just got lucky' (pictured on Saturday)

Aboroginal protesters performed a traditional smoking ceremony before the start of the Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney

A protester is seen in Sydney (pictured on Saturday) as thousands marched on the city for a Black Lives Matter protest

Two men were arrested at Town Hall Station before the protest started. Officers cuffed this man before leading him away

'I'm here to show support, I don't think I do enough. Just trying to amplify voices,' Andrea said.

'I think this has been an issue forever [in Australia].

'[What's happening in the US is] just a reminder of what's happening here. It's not an isolated problem in America.

'In light of what happens on invasion day, it's not a one off thing. It's an ongoing issue we've got to keep fighting on.'

One University of Western Sydney student said it was time 'things changed'.

'This isn't the world we should be living in. We are all the same people, things need to change,' Gabrielle said.

The nationwide protests kicked off with about 5,000 activists packing into Adelaide's Victoria Square at 12pm on Saturday.

Flinders Street Station in Sydney is seen surrounded by protesters on Saturday night (pictured) during the Black Lives Matter protest

Protesters hold Aboriginal flags and 'Black Lives Matter' signs at the rally in Brisbane on Saturday

Speaker Jack Buckskin welcomed the large turnout, telling the gathering whether Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal, they were all part of the same society.

'This is about us coming together as people,' he said.

'Today we stand united. Our movement happens with people.

'We want people to walk alongside us. This is what Aboriginal people have been asking for.'

There was a strong police presence with a police helicopter overhead. The mood among protesters and police was peaceful.

But the day soon took a turn as protesters charged at mounted police outside the Melbourne East Police Station, with many shouting abuse and berating officers.

At least 432 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died in police custody in Australia since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody report in 1991

A protester holds up a sign reading 'Trump is a terrorist change my mind' at Sydney's Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday

There was a large police presence in Sydney on Saturday. These mounted police officers watched calmly as the peaceful protest got underway

'RENT-A-CROWD WILL ONLY MOVE AUSTRALIA BACKWARDS' Indigenous academic Anthony Dillon has said the protests are 'ridiculous'. Writing for news.com.au he said that many protesters were not across the real issues and were protesting for the sake of it. Mr Dillon pointed to research by the Australian Government that shows Aboriginal people are less likely to die in police custody than white people. 'What we are seeing now is ridiculous,' he wrote. 'If this was just a comedy show I would be laughing. 'But the antics of activists, social justice warriors, and their rent-a-crowds only move Australia backwards.' Advertisement

Thousands of Queenslanders gathered at King George Square as part of the movement at 1pm on Saturday.

Police and the Queensland premier said they would have preferred for people show their support online but would not stop the march against First Nations deaths in custody, and violence and systemic racism towards black people.

Organisers in Brisbane vowed to storm a police station until the officer in charge leaves the station and flies the Aboriginal flag, Courier Mail reported.

The crowds were also heard chanting 'f--k the pigs' and 'KKK' as the passionate protesters rallied.

Quaden Bayles and his mother Yarraka were pictured at the Brisbane protest for Black Lives Matter.

Quaden, who has the most common type of dwarfism called achondroplasia, made international headlines in February when his mother filmed him saying he wanted to die after kids picked on him at school.

The protest started outside the Victorian Parliament where Aboriginals of the tribe native to Melbourne, the Wurundjeri, addressed the crowd.

Organiser Meriki Onus, who was wearing a shirt saying 'destroy white supremacy' then addressed the crowds.

'Aboriginal people are subjected to police brutality and racist police practices and we have had enough. Black lives matter,' Ms Onus said.

'We've got the media on us. We're in this together.'

In Sydney a couple were spotted getting married as crowds descended on the streets.

Speeches by indigenous Australians were met with claps and cheers by the crowd.

Activists displayed signs reading 'racism is a pandemic', 'same problems different soil', 'white silence supports violence'

Quaden Bayles and his mother Yarraka were spotted at the Brisbane Black Lives Matter rally on Saturday

An aerial shot of protestors at the Black Lives Matter rally in Brisbane on Saturday where an estimated 30,000 people attended

Family members of David Dungay Jr participate in a Black Lives Matter rally in Brisbane, Saturday, June 6

Brothers of David Dungay Jr. participate in a Black Lives Matter rally in Brisbane, Australia, 06 June

At 3pm, thousands of protesters gathered at Sydney's town hall chanting 'Black Lives Matter', 'No justice, no peace' and 'I can't breathe'

Sydney's Town Hall was packed with protesters after the courts allowed the rally to go ahead

At 4:30pm protesters took a knee for one-minute to recognise the 434 Indigenous deaths in custody since 1991.

Footage from the scene showed the crowd on their knees and hands up in the air. One woman noticed police remained standing and called them out for it.

WHERE ARE THE PROTESTS PLANNED IN AUSTRALIA? Protests are set to go ahead in several Australian cities, but Sydney has now banned its planned protest. Melbourne: Sat June 6, 2pm to 5pm Parliament House, Melbourne Sydney: Sat June 6, 3pm to 5pm  Town Hall, Sydney Brisbane: Sat June 6, 1pm to 5pm  King George Square, Brisbane Adelaide: Sat June 6, 12pm to 1.30pm  Victoria Square / Tarntanyangga, Adelaide Advertisement

'Not one of you have the guts to put your hands up,' she said.

'Raise your fists and show your support but not one of you have the guts or the courage to show us here today that you care about black people in this country.

'If you care you will raise your fist and say black lives matter.'

Australia's Chief Medical Office said that while people had the right to protest, mass gatherings were dangerous in the midst of a pandemic.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also urged Australians not to attend protests.

Protest organisers Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance have stressed safety of the community is paramount while also insisting the event outside Victoria's Parliament House will go ahead.

Victoria Police have warned rally organisers could be fined $1,651 because of COVID-19 restrictions and that fines could also be issued to individuals.

One person with COVID-19 at Saturday's rally could be all it takes to squander the gains made, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has warned.

Prof Sutton says people should stay home over the Queen's Birthday long weekend unless absolutely necessary.

'Black Lives Matter' posters are displayed in the crowd during Adelaide's protest on Saturday

Protest organisers Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance have stressed safety of the community is paramount while also insisting the event outside Victoria's Parliament House will go ahead. Pictured: A hand sanitiser station at the Melbourne protest

Protesters participate in a Black Lives Matter rally in Sydney Australia, 06 June 2020 holding signs reading 'I can't breathe' and 'Same Story Different Soil'

A woman holds a sign which reads: 'If you don't think racism exists, then you are blinded by your privilege'
Mumbai, June 6 : Actress Tamannaah Bhatia is facing flak on social media for her #AllLivesMatter post, with users calling her out for endorsing fairness creams in the past.

Over the past few days, celebrities including Karan Johar, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Disha Patani and Ishaan Khatter, have extended support to the Black Lives Matter movement, which has been raging in the US following the brutal death of an unarmed African-American man named George Floyd.

Tamannaah had also raised her voice with her latest post. She shared a photograph in which a black imprint of a hand can be seen on Tamannaah's face.

"Your silence will not protect you. Doesn't every life matter, human or animal? Muting any form of creation is against the universal law. We must unlearn and learn to be human again, express compassion and practice love. #AllLivesMatter #WakeUpWorld," she wrote along with the image.

The post did not go down well with a section of people, who asked her to "educate about the issue first".

"All lives will only matter when Black lives matter too. The things that happen are too unjust. Please don't take that away from them with your All lives matter # it's absolute nonsense. Please read more and educate yourself," a user wrote.

"It is nice that you are talking about black lives. But why did you act in an ad that made people feel inferior and insecure about their dark colour?" wrote one.

Another pointed out that she is using the movement as an "aesthetic".

"There are a couple of things I want to point out to you Miss Bhatia: DO NOT use black lives matter as an aesthetic; nobody ever said ONLY black lives matter, but all lives can't matter unless you treat black people equally; speak on up racial equality the day bollywood doesn't promote fair & lovely and ponds white beauty anymore. Speak out against your peers when they promote such products that have had an incredibly degrading and depressing effect on millions of Indian girls who are made to believe their skin colour isn't perfect," shared the user.

Some accused her of black-facing her neck, while some wondered why she wouldn't comment on issues relevant in India.
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Linkedin Miwa Suzuki (Agence France-Presse) Tokyo  Sat, June 6, 2020 08:00 594 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdc869ec 2 Lifestyle Shigeru-Ban,architect,architecture,coronavirus,COVID-19,shelters Free

Japan's Pritzker Award-winning architect Shigeru Ban, famous for designing buildings from paper tubes in disaster areas, says the world needs to think about tackling natural catastrophes in the coronavirus era.

And while he hopes the pandemic will lead to less of a crush on Tokyo's packed commuter trains, he warns against relying on teleworking, stressing that hands-on contact with materials is vital for great architecture.

Speaking to AFP from his Tokyo office, the 62-year-old said cities need to start planning now to mitigate the nightmare scenario of an earthquake or typhoon striking before the pandemic has run its course.

Ban has won plaudits for his involvement in disaster relief projects around the world and urged city authorities to invest in a stock of shelters that can be deployed quickly with infection prevention in mind.

"Shelters will create clusters of people. It will be too late if it takes a few days (to build them)," he stressed.

His team has designed shelters partitioned off by a frame of sturdy paper tubes with cloth hanging two metres (6.5 feet) from the top of the cubicle to the floor.

Social distancing would become practically impossible in the event of a major earthquake and officials need to make plans to ease the density in shelters, argued the Japanese architect.

The central government and local authorities have been so tied up dealing with the pandemic that it's "only recently that people started talking about what to do in the wake of earthquakes."

"I know it's not easy but I think we have to think about it," he said.

Read also: Changes in architectural design inevitable in post-COVID-19 era

3D pictures

In March, Ban was on his way to the airport for a flight to Paris but made a sharp U-turn when he heard the French capital was about to be locked down at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

Since then, he has thrown himself into his work, walking five minutes to his Tokyo office seven days a week.

"It's been probably the first time in some 16 years that I've stayed in Japan for more than a month. I've been very much moved by the beauty of spring in Japan," he said.

"I don't do anything but work. I have no hobbies and I'm not doing anything special because we are in this situation," he told AFP.

Ban has traveled all over the world for his architecture -- including building the Cardboard Cathedral for Christchurch in New Zealand after the 2011 earthquake -- but he fears the coronavirus could encourage Japanese students to stay put.

"What worries me most is that students may become intimidated. Even before the coronavirus woes, fewer and fewer students wanted to study abroad as Japan is safe and peaceful," he said.

Despite an ageing population and some of the most densely packed cities on Earth, Japan has been relatively spared by the pandemic, with fewer than 900 dead and around 17,000 cases.

And while the virus offers a "great chance" to reduce the crowding on crammed public transport, Ban said: "This doesn't mean we don't have to go out."

"It's dangerous to try to solve everything with technology. It's wrong to believe we don't have to meet up in person because we can video-conference," he said.

He added that close contact with materials was still the key to great architecture, which technology could not replace.

"Drawing parts or 3D pictures with computers is totally different from building models or creating things by actually touching and feeling the weight of materials," he said.

"This is true no matter how much technology develops."
MOGADISHU, Somalia 05 June 2020  Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) calls for the Somali Federal Parliament to reverse its decision to ban journalists from independent media from covering the Joint Session of the Federal Parliament scheduled on Saturday 6 June, 2020.

Also media officials of the Parliament told SJS, that following orders from parliament authorities they conveyed the decision to the independent media and journalists that bars independent media coverage, despite permitting only the state-owned media. We condemn the decision to suspend independent media coverage during Saturday's Joint Session of both Houses of the Parliament. We call for the Parliament officials to reverse their decision unconditionally and allow independent media to cover the event, Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the secretary-general of Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) said.

According to officials who spoke to SJS, the Saturday's Joint Session will discuss plans for conducting the 2020/2021 elections within the constitutional timeframe and therefore it is expected Somali president, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo to address the opening of the 7th Session of both Houses of the Parliament. SJS vehemently opposes any restrictions against the independent media and journalists covering the Somali Parliament.

The Parliament is the core branch, which oversights the country's democratic institutions, and only through the independent media will the public know about what legislations are being processed especially in this critical time ahead of the general elections. Somalia's whole democratic process will be undermined if journalists and independent media houses are not allowed to cover all proceedings of the important political events including the parliamentary debates on election plans and to properly scrutinize the elected representatives, Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the Secretary-General of Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) adds.

In October last year, the Lower House of the Somali Federal Parliament barred independent media from covering their sessions on what was described as lack of adequate space for the journalists inside the Parliament. The decision was, however, revoked after SJS and local media houses protested.
SCF Editorial

June 05, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - The mass protests raging across the United States over the police killing of yet another African-American man have had the salutary effect of exposing Washingtons rank hypocrisy in international relations.

In particular, before the gruesome death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers on May 25, President Donald Trump and Congressional lawmakers were building a provocative campaign of vilification against China. That campaign was related to groundless claims that Beijing had engaged in an alleged cover-up of the coronavirus pandemic.

U.S. efforts to undermine China were given added impetus after Beijing announced plans last month to apply a new security law in the semi-autonomous city state of Hong Kong.

Beijing says the new security law is aimed at quelling long-running protests in Hong Kong against Chinas sovereignty over the former British colonial territory. Those protests have been tolerated by the Chinese authorities for over a year despite the loss of lives and rampant damage to public property. It is also suspected that Washington and London have exploited the disturbances by giving encouragement to the protesters. Britains premier Boris Johnsons offer this week of issuing British passports to three million Hong Kongers is a glaring example of interference in Chinas internal affairs.

The Trump administration and bipartisan voices in Congress have been ramping up threats to impose economic sanctions on Beijing over alleged human rights violations in Hong Kong.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

How quickly unforeseen events can alter the political landscape.

This week, the world was shocked by the scale of military-police powers deployed against peaceful protesters in the U.S. For the second week running, millions of citizens have come out in demonstrations against police brutality and systematic racism. Some 400 cities across 50 states have seen multi-racial protests demanding justice over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25. Floyds callous death was but the latest in a long list of police homicides against African-Americans.

Some of the protests have turned violent, partly as a result of wanton police aggression backed up by heavily armed National Guard troops. There is also a big factor of general frustration among the populace and opposition to the massive social inequality under American oligarchic capitalism. The racist, brutish police are seen as the enforcers of a corrupt plutocracy.

Night-time curfews have been imposed in cities across the U.S. And when protesters refused to comply with curfew outside the White House in Washington DC on Monday, they were teargassed off the streets. Trump emerged from a secure bunker to mount a photo-op in which he posed to have the authority of the bible. (You could hardly make this absurdity up.)

Trumps threat of sending in combat troops to break up civil protests has been slammed by critics at home and around the world as an unlawful breach of the U.S. Constitution. Trumps move smacks of an emerging military dictatorship in supposedly the worlds self-proclaimed beacon of democracy. Even former Pentagon chiefs have come forward to condemn the heavy-handedness, no doubt betraying apprehension over the speed of Americas descent into authoritarianism, amid fears among the political class that the situation is stoking a general revolt against the federal government.

What is rather amusing, however, is how various U.S. media outlets, including the New York Times and National Public Radio, have reported on Beijing seizing the moment of U.S. disturbances and riots to portray the turmoil as another sign of American hypocrisy and decline. That is a reference to how the events in the U.S. have featured prominently in Chinese media. But not just in China. Many other media around the world have also been following the mayhem and unrest in the U.S. The implication of China cynically exploiting U.S. riots for propaganda purpose is therefore entirely misplaced.

The plain truth is that the world has been shocked by the heinous action of U.S. police officers against an unarmed man; by the relentless repetition of such barbarity against African-Americans in a country which evidently has an endemic racial problem; and the world has been aghast by the gratuitous wielding of military powers to crush subsequent peaceful protests.

It is not propaganda to point out that in addition to the above malignancy, Washington has a chronic problem of hypocrisy as shown by its arrogant attempts to lecture China over Hong Kong. (And not just China, but every other nation on the planet.)

As the old saying goes, America should put its own house in order before presuming to have the sanctimonious right to admonish others.

American hypocrisy is as old as the state itself, built as it is on the genocides of native people and African slavery. But what is new, and this is a welcome development, is how Washingtons presumed moral superiority is increasingly seen around the world to be a figment of its own self-regarding imagination. That dawning realization scuppers American moralizing and interference in other nations.
Shuhua Xiong

What We Look Like

11 Asian-American artists celebrate their experiences of culture and identity with illustrated self portraits.

By Antonio de Luca and Jaspal Riyait



 

Shuhua Xiong

Born in Shanghai, China to Chinese parents



My parents are among many other Asian parents who cannot express their feelings/love straight. Before I grew to understand that, I hardly felt loved. Instead of saying Good job my parents would say sarcastically I could be better. After I grew up and absorbed more American culture. I learned to be more expressive, and I started to appreciate my parents subtlety of expressing love. Its quiet but its stronger.

Since the coronavirus arrived this spring in the United States, there has been an uptick in acts of violence and prejudice toward Asian-Americans. For many, these incidents represent a compounded bigotry: they are wrongly blamed for the virus, and they are lumped together as a single group.



The term Asian-American masks profound national and cultural differences in the name of representation.We asked 11 illustrators of Asian descent to create a self-portrait, reflecting on their heritage, their stories of immigration, and how they identify as an Asian-American.



The self-portrait is a complex form of representation. Through facial expression, posture, brushstroke and color, the artist attempts to explore the perception of culture and self. These portraits convey how the artists see themselves and are an interpretation of how they believe they are perceived by others.

  

Gabrielle Widjaja

American born to Chinese-Indonesian parents

My Asian-American experience is defined by memorizing the lyrics to Jay Chou songs without knowing their translations, and learning how to play mahjong, because my Mandarin proficiency starts at Chinese numbers and stops at cardinal directions. The exciting part is that ones relationship to culture is never clearly defined. It ebbs and flows; it is constantly evolving.

 

Sally Deng

American born to Chinese parents



Like many children of immigrants, I was taught the value of good work ethics by watching my parents toil and overcome endless hardships. I believe I am celebrating my Asian-American culture and honoring my parents as well.

 

Joan Wong

American born to Hong Kong parents



Public school was my first exposure to Western customs. I learned English in school and spoke Cantonese at home. I ate cafeteria PB&J for lunch and rice for dinner. I dont remember a time where the duality of my identity was not on my mind. I felt a stronger desire to return to my roots. Its a shift Ive witnessed not only in myself, but in Asian-Americans as a whole. In the last couple of years we have become more visible and more heard. It has made me feel less alone and injected me with more pride.

  

Josh Cochran

Chinese-American born in Oregon; lived in Taiwan



My mother is Chinese, my father is American. I spent my childhood on the tropical island of Taiwan. Years later, when we moved to the States, I would become obsessed with how others would perceive me. In many ways those memories growing up in Taiwan really formed my identity and left a strong impression on who I am today, even after making my own path all these years later. My identity has become one of the things Ive thought about my entire life.

 

Ruru Kuo

Born in Taiwan



I want people to know that Im just a normal girl, nothing different between other American girls and me. We are all girls, humans! I work hard; its not because Im Asian, just because I work hard to achieve my goal. I do care how people perceive me, and I want people to know me through my work, not just from my appearance.




Good day,

Clean truck programs funded by California's cap-and-trade program may take a hit as the coronavirus pandemic has limited fossil fuel activity that drives the pollution reduction program. Cap-and-trade, in effect since 2016, limits the amount of carbon that companies are allowed to emit, and allows businesses to buy and sell pollution credits at an auction on a state-sponsored marketplace. But the latest auction, held in late May, produced only $25 million in revenue, down from the $600 million to $850 million raised at previous auctions over the past three years.

Among the heavy-duty truck projects funded by cap-and-trade revenues are Volvo Lights, an electric truck demonstration project, and a clean truck voucher program introduced this year. How the revenue declines will affect commercial vehicle emissions reduction initiatives will depend on the allocation of the cap-and-trade funds in the state budget, H.D. Palmer, Deputy Director of California's Department of Finance, told FreightWaves. The budget is under deliberation in the Legislature and is expected to be finalized by June 15.

Did you know?

The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners has approved a $1.5 billion budget for 2020/21. The budget is based on expectations of slower cargo volumes in the near term and a continued slowdown in the worldwide economy, due to market uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lingering impacts from the 2019 trade war.

Via Port of Los Angeles

Quotable:

"Forced dispatch or not, you can't drive into a riot situation because you are going to lose."

Ronnie Sellers of Knoxville, Tennessee, a former police officer and owner of a small trucking company, on driving trucks during the civil rights protests convulsing the country (Via FreightWaves)

In other news

SoftBank creates a $100 million fund to invest in entrepreneurs of color

The initiative comes amid a global pandemic that has disproportionately affected minority-owned businesses and as social unrest over systemic racism grips America. (Forbes)

Story continues

The Nuclear Innovation Institute and Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council (CNIC) partner on a study to identify challenges and solutions in Canada's medical isotope supply chain

Canada is a leader in the production and global supply of isotopes that play a major role in diagnosing and treating many forms of cancer. (Yahoo)

Elon Musk calls for Amazon breakup

The tweet from the electric vehicle company CEO came after former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson, a COVID-19 skeptic, claimed the e-giant censored his book. (CNBC)

Study: Autonomous vehicles won't make roads completely safe

Auto safety experts say humans cause about 94% of U.S. crashes, but a new Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study says computer-controlled robocars will only stop about one-third of them. (Fox13)

Final thoughts,

ExFreight, a digital freight forwarding service, has announced the launch of a new Carbon Calculator that tallies the pollution impact of modes of transport and shipment routing. The tool provides estimated carbon emissions for all shipment modes at the time of rating and during actual transit, including first-mile trucking, air/ocean transport, and final delivery worldwide. Data is collected and verified with all respective carriers and provided to the shipper on the company's broader digital platform. Customers are also able to input their own emissions requirements to meet the required internal standards of measurement.

Hammer down, everyone!

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) Managing Director Frederick Baba on Thursday wrote a letter to his colleagues describing his thoughts in the aftermath of George Floyd's death and the resultant protests.

Shares Impact of Racism From Early Life In The US

"To everyone who's asked me some variant of how's it going?' over the past month, I've probably lied. Or lacked the words to articulate it fully, but I'm giving it a shot," Baba wrote in an email, published by Reuters.

Baba shared the impact of multiple racially-motivated shootings, including police brutality, had on him since his childhood.

The Goldman executive's family had migrated from Nigeria to the United States in 1990. Baba recalled the case of police brutality in Los Angeles against Rodney King, that happened a year later and subsequently resulted in protests and riots.

Baba shared a personal experience with police in Chicago in 2011. He said he was "slammed...against the hood of a police cruiser," and interrogated because he matched the description of a "black male in shorts and a T-shirt."

"I went home, and I cried for the first time in years," he added.

The Goldman executive had graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology a year earlier.

Calls For Racial Equality At Goldman

Baba said while Goldman has a "commitment to equality and social justice up top," junior bankers have frequently shared feedback that they lack "commitment and support from their direct managers."

The executive called on his colleagues to reach out to diverse analysts at the bank, and support and fund advocacy organizations.

According to Reuters, Baba's letter was initially shared with a select group of colleagues, but later went viral within Goldman's internal channels, and was read by the investment bank's Chief Executive Officer David Solomon.

Other top level black executives, including Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE: UBER) board member Ursula Burns, have said that they fear for police brutality despite being financially privileged.

Story continues

"I am part of the 1%, and I still worry when I'm approached by a police person," Burns told CNBC on Wednesday.

George Floyd, a black Minneapolis man, died following an encounter with the police on May 25. A white police officer, Derek Chauvin, was seen kneeling on his neck for 8 minutes 46 seconds even as Floyd became unresponsive, an official complaint in the matter said, as reported by CNN.

GS Price Action

Goldman shares closed 2% higher at $214.82 on Thursday and were mostly unchanged in the after-hours.

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
US president Donald Trump has shared an interview in which conservative activist Candace Owens describes George Floyd as a symbol of a broken culture in black America today and insists that he was not a good person.

Mr Floyd died last month in Minneapolis after a police officer pinned him to the ground with a knee to the neck for nearly nine minutes. The killing has sparked days of protests across the US against racism and police brutality, and also demonstrations around the world.

But as the Black Lives Matters movement runs into its 12th consecutive day, with demonstrators calling for police reform and an end to systemic racism, Ms Owens said she had been left sickened by the fact that he [Mr Floyd] has been held up as a martyr.

In an interview with radio host Glenn Beck, who posted it to Twitter before it was retweeted by President Trump, Ms Owen said: George Floyd was not a good person. I dont care who wants to spin that, I dont care how CNN wants to make you think that he had just turned his life around.

The fact that he has been held up as a martyr sickens me.

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

Ms Owens said that Mr Floyd had served five stints in jail, adding: Was he really going to turn things around? Its just not true.

In posting the interview to his Twitter account, Mr Beck said: I dont care WHAT George Floyd did. The officer should have never treated him like that and killed him! But we still must ask: Is he a HERO?

Mr Trump retweeted the post without comment.

On Friday, the president was subject to widespread condemnation for invoking Mr Floyds name as he touted US jobs figures, saying the 46-year-old father of five was looking down and saying this is a great day. He also suggested a strong economy would help repair racial tensions.

Joe Biden, who has now formally clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, was one of many politicians to speak out against Mr Trump over his remarks.

The Democrat said the president was speaking of a man who was brutally killed by an act of needless violence, and by a larger tide of injustice that has metastasised on this presidents watch has moved to split us based on race, religion, ethnicity.

George Floyds last words, I cant breathe, have echoed all across this nation and, quite frankly, around the world, he said from Delaware State University on Friday. For the president to try and put any other words in the mouth of George Floyd I think quite frankly is despicable.
CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the success of his latest release "COZY PANTS," founder HollywoodHunna has made a herculean effort to address police brutality, racial injustice, and systemic racism. He stands in solidarity with those who demand their voices to be heard and supports the #BLACKLIVESMATTER movement. Out of human will, Hollywoodhunna has created the GEORGE FLOYD Collection, where it will feature three new T-shirts with impactful slogans such as "NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE," "BLM," and "GO VOTE."

Dababy wearing Hollywoodhunna

Using a screen print art style, this collection will be limited. HollywoodHunna will be donating across organizations such as "BLACK LIVES MATTER," "The George Floyd Memorial Fund," and the Floyd family who was affected by this tragedy.

You can checkout the collection through social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and directly at the HollywoodHunna website.

Joel Gonzalez, 424-303-3518, [email protected]

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Rapper DaBaby

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Hong Kong Ai Weiwei In this image made from a Skype video interview with Chinese artist dissident Ai Weiwei comments on the recent security law planned for Hong kong from a location in Cambridge, England, Wednesday, May 27, 2020. Ai Weiwei believes the newly passed national security law for Hong Kong augurs the end for the semi-autonomous city. (AP Photo/Park Juwon)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  Dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei believes the newly passed national security law for Hong Kong augurs the end for the semi-autonomous city.

Ai was arrested at Beijing's airport in April 2011 and held for 81 days without explanation during a wider crackdown on dissent that coincided with the international ferment of the Arab Spring.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Ai said he identifies with Hong Kongs democracy movement and has been working on a documentary about protests that began a year ago, at times erupting into tear gas-shrouded combat between police and demonstrators.

I experienced every detail of who they (the protesters) are, how they fight and how this is going to end, Ai said. They are so determined and very pure. So those stories are really, really hurting me.

Many in Hong Kong fear their city will become like any other in mainland China after the National People's Congress in Beijing approved the national security law. It targets people and groups suspected of sedition or other threats to safety and security and follows recent arrests of many leading pro-democracy activists in the former British colony.

According to Ai, the new measure is not lawful because even the Chinese state hasn't established its own legitimacy of control.

China's communist leaders promised to allow Hong Kong to keep its own customs territory and financial system, laws and civil liberties for 50 years after Beijing took control in 1997. Critics of the new law say it may allow mainland security organs to interfere in local law enforcement, among other things.

So, China promised one country, two systems for 50 years, now its far from that, Ai said from his home in Cambridge, England. They violated their own words. So, thats more dangerous because once youve lost the trust of the international community, whos going to (have a) dealing or have a business with someone like this?

Story continues

In old China, we have a word that means if you say something, it has to be trusted," he said.

Hong Kong's status as a safe haven for dissent has been deteriorating for years, Ai said, pointing to abductions of business figures embroiled in mainland Chinese business disputes, among others.

In one of the best known cases, five Hong Kong booksellers went missing in 2015 and were later found to have been detained in China for selling books critical of the government.

Many people still disappeared and nobody knows where they are, he said. So Hong Kong cannot allow this to happen.

Ai also mentioned the disappearance 25 years ago of a boy chosen by the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, to be Tibetan Buddhisms second-highest figure.

Nobody knows where this lama is and where his family is. And all of those human rights lawyers disappeared, Ai said. I was disappeared, he said, referring to his more than two months of detention in 2011.

When Ai was released, it was announced that he had confessed to tax evasion and fined $2.4 million bill. He has since left China on his Chinese passport and legally has the right to return. His last visit to the Chinese mainland was a few months after he first left in July 2015, his studio said.

Before protesters turned the glitzy financial center into a canvas of anti-government graffiti, Hong Kong was famous for its bustling art scene  home to the annual Art Basel and many independent galleries.

When asked about Hong Kong's future, Ai said the definition of art has been changing amid the unrest. Protest itself is a form of art, he said.

When you see what happened in Hong Kong with the protesters, the way they organize through the internet, every day they would create hundreds of different posters so fast," he said.

"No any other art industry in the world can catch (up to) that kind of flexibility, he said, referring to countless posters and graffiti slogans on Hong Kongs once-spotless walls, concrete barriers, roads, and tram tracks.

Young people in Hong Kong, they are smart, they are rational, and they are very brave, Ai said. And then in some sense, they are very innocent, and naive, and they use their life to test out their ideology.

Ais no stranger to documenting current events. In 2003, he produced a documentary film called Eat, Drink, and Be Merry, capturing carefree moments of his brother and friends against the backdrop of SARS, an infectious respiratory disease that hit Asia in 2003.

He has now turned his attention to Wuhan, the central Chinese city that became the origin of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ai said his artist friends in Wuhan have been sending him footage, even from a hospital, giving him multi-angled glimpses of vulnerable and fleeting moments of the city during its unprecedented lockdown.

I think China has handled it better (than SARS) because theyre much more experienced, Ai said. But he said theres still a lack of transparency.

They (Chinese government) intentionally covered (up) the whole pandemic as a secret for many weeks, Ai said. In a certain sense, they will never change.
Iran top security official says prisoner swap with US involved no negotiations

Iran Press TV

Friday, 05 June 2020 6:34 PM

Iranian authorities have dismissed claims by the United States administration that a recent prisoner swap between Washington and Tehran was the outcome of successful negotiations between the two sides.

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani said on Friday that US President Donald Trump is trying to use the release of American national Michael White from Iranian custody as a political gimmick as he seeks to divert public attention from his numerous failures.

"The prisoner swap has not been the result of negotiations and no talks will be held in the future (between the US and Iran)," said Shamkhani in a post on his Twitter page.

Officials in the US administration have claimed that it was Trump who got the release of White from Iran.

Shamkhani, however, dismissed those claims, saying the US president wants to cover up his failures in dealing with various crises, including the new coronavirus pandemic and the spread of anti-racism protests across the US.

"Trump's situation is so desperate, either regarding international exchanges or the coronavirus fiasco or the racist division-mongering inside America, that his team has no choice but to make up and show off artificial successes for him," said the Iranian official.

Iranian judicial authorities have insisted that White was released from prison after he managed to get the consent of a private plaintiff.

The American national, who had been in Iranian jail because of security-related charges over his role in the spread of HIV/AIDS disease in Iran, was pardoned for his other crimes based on Islamic clemency.

Iran has been open to prisoner swaps with other countries provided that such swaps do not violate its judicial independence and respect the rights of plaintiffs.

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The London Irish Centre (LIC) is delighted to announce the London Irish Charity Night In on Thursday, June 11 at 8pm, with many Irish stars joining including Niall Horan, Dermot OLeary, Laura Whitmore, Imelda May, Robert Sheehan and many more.

The event will be streamed online via the London Irish Centres Facebook and YouTube pages and the EPIC Museum Stay At Home Library page.

Settle in for a fun night of music, interviews and conversation with Irish celebrities from across the UK and Ireland. The evening will also include a charity auction with the opportunity to win great prizes from Ed Sheeran and others, all for a good cause. The event is being produced with supporting partner The Lock Inn online events venue.

I am very proud to be patron of The London Irish Centre. The LIC does amazing work across London, and right now, they need our support. As its not possible to run our usual fundraising events, Im thrilled that our friends and supporters are joining us for a little online fundraising adventure! - Dermot OLeary, London Irish Centre patron.

The LIC has been providing community services and Irish culture to London since 1954 and the Covid-19 crisis has had a huge effect on its capacity to provide this support, especially to Londons large older Irish community, who are especially vulnerable and those more recently made vulnerable.

The Centre closed its doors on Wednesday, March 18 and responded to the pandemic by reshaping its services; increasing web and telephone support to deliver over 1,100 advice sessions and 1,000 health check-in calls, training up over 30 telephone befrienders, engaging over 200 volunteers, and providing over 2,000 hot meals and food parcels to the community and becoming the first Centre shielding the vulnerable in Camden.

They have also announced the SOLAS Season - a curated series of online culture and community to keep us all connected and inspired during challenging times. This includes concerts, storytelling, classes and talks.

The closure of the Centre has resulted in a significant financial loss with the cancellation of several large fundraising events, and the necessity to raise funds for the LIC and its community is now more important than ever. Throughout the evening the LIC hope to raise 100,000 for the older Irish community it supports.

Ellen Ryan, CEO at The London Irish Centre said: I am so proud of the way we have all pulled together as a community through this crisis. Staff, volunteers and our friends have worked hand in hand to ensure that we deliver the services and cultural output needed to enable the community to feel a sense of hope and resilience for the future. We have also received crucial support from the Irish Government and Irish Embassy, London, and our partners at Camden Council. This very special event is your opportunity to join us and support our essential work to enable us to continue our recovery into the future.



Watch the event on www.facebook.com/ londonirishcentre or http:// youtube.com/londonirishcentre.



Full line up. More guests to be announced:

Dermot OLeary

Niall Horan

Angela Scanlon

Laura Whitmore

Imelda May

Felispeaks

Lisa Hannigan

Loah

Lisa Dwan

Lorraine Maher

Dara OBriain

Richard Corrigan

Gavin James

Robert Sheehan

Ciaran Cannon

Jack Lukeman

Mundy

Liam OMaonlai

Jarlath Regan

The Blizzards

Siobhan McSweeney

Maverick Sabre
Fifty-seven members of the Buffalo Police Department resigned on Friday to protest the suspension of two officers shown on video shoving a 75-year-old protester to the ground, causing him to hit his head on the sidewalk and suffer a serious injury, officials said.

The footage, shot Thursday evening by local NPR affiliate WBFO, shows the man walking up to uniformed officers in Buffalo's Niagara Square during an anti-police brutality demonstration over George Floyd's death. The officers, who had begun enforcing curfew, yell what sounds like "move!" and "push him back!" One officer can be seen pushing the man with an outstretched arm, while another shoves a baton into him. A third officer appears to shove colleagues toward the man.

The man falls to the ground. His head whips backward onto the pavement, and then he lies motionless.

"He's bleeding out of his ear!" someone yells, as blood pools beneath the man's head.

The officers then keep walking, leaving the man on the ground, before two state police officers step in to render aid.

On Friday, the police department's entire emergency response team resigned in protest of their colleagues' suspension, according to several local news reports. The team was formed in 2016 to respond to civic unrest.

"Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders," Buffalo Police Benevolent Association president John Evans told WGRZ.

The man, identified as Martin Gugino by the group People United for Sustainable Housing Buffalo, was taken to a hospital after his fall and was in "stable but serious condition," Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, D, said. Buffalo police spokesman Capt. Jeff Rinaldo said he believes the man's injuries include a laceration and "possible concussion," while Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said it was a "serious head injury."

Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood launched an internal affairs investigation into the officers after seeing the video, Rinaldo said. He declined to identify the officers who were suspended without pay.

Video of the incident provoked widespread condemnation online, as police in cities across the country fall under intensifying scrutiny for using excessive force against peaceful protesters. Poloncarz said the incident "sickened me," while New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, D, called the incident "fundamentally offensive and frightening."

Cuomo said Friday that he had spoken with Gugino, and he praised the mayor for quickly suspending the two officers.

"I would say I think the city should pursue firing," Cuomo said at a news conference. "And I think the district attorney should look at the situation for possible criminal charges. And I think that should be done on an expeditious basis."

A Buffalo police statement initially said that a man was injured when he "tripped and fell" during "a skirmish involving protesters," in which several people were arrested. That language only amplified the criticism, as the video soon showed it was false.

Rinaldo said the claim that the man "tripped" came from officers who were not directly involved and were standing behind the two officers who shoved the man. Rinaldo said that once the video surfaced, it was brought to Lockwood's attention, leading to the officers' immediate suspension.

Mayor Brown said he and Lockwood were "deeply disturbed" by what they saw.

"After days of peaceful protests and several meetings between myself, Police leadership and members of the community, tonight's event is disheartening," Brown said. "I hope to continue to build on the progress we have achieved as we work together to address racial injustice and inequity in the City of Buffalo. My thoughts are with the victim tonight."

New York State Attorney General Letitia James said her office was aware of the video.

Harper S.E. Bishop, a Buffalo resident who is the deputy director of People United for Sustainable Housing Buffalo, told The Washington Post that Gugino is a longtime member of the group and community organizer who works on issues like affordable housing and racial justice.

"Martin shows up for his people, our community, to dismantle systems of oppression," Bishop said. "That's what he was doing tonight at City Hall. He shouldn't have been met with police violence for showing up and demanding accountability for the ongoing brutality and murder of black lives."

Thursday marked the second time since last month that a viral video led to an internal affairs investigation of a Buffalo police officer. On May 10, an officer was filmed repeatedly punching a black man in the face during a traffic stop arrest, leading the Erie County District Attorney's Office to open an investigation into the officer.

Nationwide, video footage has played a key role in exposing police abuses during the protests that ignited over Floyd's death after a Minneapolis officer was captured pressing his knee into Floyd's neck.

In Philadelphia on Wednesday, a Temple University student was released from jail on charges of assaulting a police officer during a protest after video emerged showing that a police officer was the one beating him in the head with a baton, while another used his knee to press the student's face onto the pavement, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

A Salt Lake City police officer in riot gear was captured on video last week using his shield to knock down a man who was shuffling slowly with a cane, after ordering him to clear the sidewalk outside of a public library. He fell to the ground face-first. The police chief called the incident "inappropriate" and said it is under investigation, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

In Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last Sunday, an officer was suspended after shoving a black woman who was kneeling on the concrete behind him with her hands up. That incident inflamed an otherwise largely peaceful protest, as outraged demonstrators threw water bottles the Miami Herald reported. Police soon responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. One officer ended up striking a woman in the face with a rubber bullet, cracking her skull and leaving her bloodied and bruised about the face, the Herald reported.

As in the Fort Lauderdale case, police tactics have regularly turned peaceful protests into violent confrontations this week. Most infamously, federal officials in Washington, D.C., forcibly removed protesters Monday from Lafayette Square using pepper balls, batons and rubber bullets, sending hundreds running, crying from the chemical agents, so President Donald Trump could have a photo op outside St. John's church.

After Thursday's suspension of the two Buffalo officers, the New York Civil Liberties Union demanded that demonstrators be allowed to gather "without the threat of police brutality on the street tomorrow."

"Police officers cannot continue to hide behind the lie that they are protecting and serving," the NYCLU said in the statement. "City leaders need to take this as a wake-up call and seriously address the police violence during this week's protests and the culture of impunity that led to this incident. There is no place for military-geared police to enforce curfew by inflicting violence on the very people they are supposed to protect."
Cole Hair has fast become the go-to hairdresser for the eastern suburbs crowd clamouring to have their locks tended to by husband and wife owners Tom Cole and Mariah Rota.

Husband and wife stylists Tom Cole and Mariah Rota have split. Credit:Alec Bruce Mason

Society tastemaker Ellie Aitken, WAG Terry Biviano and artist Dina Broadhurst are but a few of the familiar faces who can be seen getting their weekly blowdry at the Double Bay salon.

While it's usually Cole's well-heeled clients who are the subject of gossip, more recently it has been salon owner Tom who sent the rumour mill into overdrive when he was spotted canoodling with a married female client.

Emerald City hears Rota was blindsided when salon regulars tipped her off that her husband had been seen leaving a nearby hotel with this certain well-known client on more than one occasion.
HSBC investors are under fire for their silence over the bank's decision to back controversial laws imposed by China on Hong Kong.

Major shareholders have refused to comment on whether they will be pushing the bank to change its stance, which is at odds with the Government.

HSBC, which is headquartered in London but makes the vast majority of its profit in Asia, this week said it supported laws Beijing is imposing on Hong Kong.

Major HSBC shareholders have refused to comment on whether they will be pushing the bank to change its stance, after it backed Chinese authorities in Hong Kong

Critics fear the legislation will restrict freedom in Hong Kong and increase China's power over the territory.

As the backlash against HSBC intensified, former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said the bank's support for China's national security law was a 'grave error'.

Asked if he would advise people to shut their HSBC accounts, he added: 'It is up to individuals but, personally, if I was there I would.

'I honestly think that the issue of freedom is more important than any business's worry about a particular individual profit and loss at the bottom line.'

UK investment managers such as Aviva, M&G, Legal & General, Standard Life Aberdeen and Royal London  which look after the pensions and savings of hundreds of thousands of Britons  own a large chunk of HSBC's shares.

But all declined to comment on the situation in Hong Kong, and would not reveal whether they would be lobbying HSBC to change its position.

Peter Parry, policy director at the UK Shareholders' Association, said HSBC is in a very awkward position. But this also puts its shareholders in a sticky situation.

The likes of Aviva, M&G and Royal London have a duty to uphold good governance at the companies they invest in  and many of their customers may be riled if they are seen to be tacitly supporting an erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 05:26:11|Editor: huaxia

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Syrians use ATMs in Damascus, capital of Syria, on June 7, 2020. Syrians have been complaining about the skyrocketing prices amid a tough economic situation. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)

DAMASCUS, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Syrians have been complaining about the skyrocketing prices amid a tough economic situation.

Samar al-Hafez, a housewife, told Xinhua that the economic situation has become scary in recent weeks.

"I don't know what happened and all of a sudden, the prices dramatically increased. I am now a window shopper because I cannot afford these prices," she said.

The prices of products have increased ten folds since the beginning of the crisis in Syria nine years ago. In recent months, the situation even got harder.

The new economic hardship is also coupled with a steep decline in the value of the Syrian pound against the U.S. dollar.

The local Aliqtisadi news website, or The Economic, said the prices have increased 30 percent last month, citing merchants and businessmen as saying that they had to change the price tags on food items six times last week alone.

The report said many retailers have stopped selling until the prices settle on a certain range, adding that the sales percentage has hit bottom low as people are asking more about the prices than actually buying stuff.

In al-Hamra street, people seemed so shocked to see the price tags on clothes.

"The government must do something to control this craze in prices ... my husband's salary is only enough for five days per month amid these prices," said Rula Zaitounieh, a local resident.

On social media, people started addressing the government with posts urging the official to find a way out of the economic crisis because people cannot stand this situation anymore.

Observers believe that several factors have contributed to the tough economic situation, including the closing of borders as a result of the coronavirus, and the lack of money transfer from Syrians abroad to their families.

Additionally, the U.S. has toughened the sanctions on Syria with the so-called Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act that aims to sanction the Syrian government including President Bashar al-Assad for its alleged war crimes against the Syrian people.

The law, expected to be implemented in June, also includes sanctions on any party that might aid the Syrian government.

All these factors have also affected the prices of medicine in the country amid a shortage in supply.

The head of the Pharmacists Syndicate in Damascus confirmed the loss of many pharmaceutical items in the market as a result of the halt of production by pharmaceutical factories "to pressure the health ministry into raising the prices of medicine," according to Aliqtisadi.

The problem is that the health ministry in the country set the prices of medicine to cope with the condition of the people while the pharmaceutical companies have a problem with securing U.S. dollars to buy raw materials, which pushes them to buy dollars in high prices and thus cannot abide by the prices of the health ministry.

In the capital Damascus, pharmacies are crowded nowadays with people who are taking medicines out of fear that certain types of medicines might go missing from the shelves.

In an apparent bid to try to find a fix to the situation, al-Assad on May 11 ended the service of Atef Naddaf, the minister of internal trade, and named Talal Barazi, the governor of Homs province in central Syria, as the new minister.

The decision comes against the backdrop of the bad economic situation in the country and the skyrocketing prices that couldn't so far be controlled.

Barazi, who assumed the post of Homs governor in 2013, is a Syrian businessman who holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the Damascus University. He has also run several business projects in the country.
The contract is about $4 million per year, and out of that, Robert Young pays for some of the services offered through the system, while other services are funded by the state of Iowa, Elam said. The system includes:

 A telephone hotline that is answered 24/7. This is staffed by Foundation 2, a Cedar Rapids-based company that provides hotlines in all 14 mental health regions in the state and is funded by a contract with the state.

 Mobile crisis teams of two that can go out to where a person is in crisis and talk to that person or get that person to a hospital. This also is staffed by Foundation 2.

 Tele-health options in the seven hospitals. This assures 24-hour, emergency room access to a psychiatric provider in instances where one is not available on site. Trinity-Bettendorf, for example, does not have a psychiatric unit.

 Peer respite beds in DeWitt, provided under contract with a company called Life Connections. A person who is in recovery and doing well but is still in need of help might go to this three-bedroom house for a week or so and receive counseling help from peers (people who also are in recovery) but who have had special training.
Xiaomi's new Mi NoteBook range is all set to make its India debut on June 11 and the first product in the lineup has been teased once again. The company has confirmed in a tweet that the Mi NoteBook will be offered with an Intel 10th-Gen Core i7 processor. To recall, Xiaomi India, a couple of days back, dropped a hint on the laptop, saying the Mi NoteBook will come with epic performance and 12-hour battery life on a single charge. Interestingly, if the company's claim proves to be true, then it is needless to say that the Mi NoteBook will throw a challenge directly to the likes of Apple, HP, Dell, to name a few.

There you go, Mi fans.The #MiNoteBook will be coming with the latest @IntelIndia i7 10th Gen processor.There are very few #Notebooks in India with this processor.Few more days to go to #MakeEpicHappen.Global Debut on June 11. pic.twitter.com/sEogAecX47 Mi India (@XiaomiIndia) June 5, 2020

Of late, Xiaomi India has managed to build up quite the hype for the Mi NoteBook and has been dropping hints that somehow give an inkling on the specifications and features that the laptop will sport, although no exact details are available so far. In fact, earlier this week there was another teaser suggesting that the Mi Notebook will feature slim bezels and a large display. It should be noted that this particular Mi Notebook is said to be made exclusively for the Indian audience, and if reports are to be believed, then this will not be the pre-existing Chinese model but a completely new one.

Seeing the bigger picture in a compact Notebook? That's epic!This #MiNotebook has one of the highest screen to body ratio you would have ever seen.Mi fans, I'm really excited to unveil this #India1st Notebook to all of you.Global Debut on June 11 @ 12PM.#Xiaomi pic.twitter.com/ahuZaMcliF Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) June 2, 2020

As far as the pricing of the Mi Notebook is concerned, it is not sure whether the company will unveil the laptop as an affordable model to lure more Indian customers or make it a high-end device to compete against the big players like the Microsoft Surface range or the Apple MacBooks. As mentioned earlier, the Mi Notebook India launch event is scheduled at 12PM IST on June 11. According to Xiaomi India, the event will be held online across the company's social media channels and also on Mi.com.
#SayNoToDrugs - with this hashtag Mumbai Police shared an anti-drug post recently which is not just an advisory but adorable too. In this post, the department shared a one-line caption along with a simple image.

In the posts caption they wrote about the only meow meow that is acceptable! and shared the image of a cat. Through their post Mumbai Police has urged and warned people to stay away from drugs.

Meow meow is a synthetic substance and is a common name for 4-Methylmethcathinone, informs the National Health Services (NHS) website.

Mumbai Police shared the same post on both Twitter and Instagram to create awareness:

Since being shared the posts have received thousands of likes with a flood of appreciative comments. Some wrote that its amazing that the department is taking to social media to create awareness. A few also took a hilarious route while expressing themselves.

Thats a look on the face of the cat when it was refused milk by its owner, wrote an Instagram user commenting on the felines expression. This is a good one, good way to spread info, expressed another. Take a bow bow @mumbaipolice, you guys never cease to amaze, wrote a third.

Unstoppable Mumbai Police, wrote a Twitter user, praising the departments post. This is the only version we should love, expressed another.

What do you think of Mumbai Polices post?

Also Read | How do fake news peddlers get their exclusive info? Mumbai Police shares Paatal Lok meme to answer
A Washington County jail deputy, who was placed on leave Sunday after a racist email surfaced, has now been indicted on charges of first-degree official misconduct tied to a separate case.

The Washington County Sheriffs Office started an investigation into Rian Alden after the agency received a screenshot of an email Alden allegedly sent in 2003 that contained a racist screed against people of several different races and ethnic groups, said Washington County Sgt. Danny DiPietro.

The Washington County Sheriffs Office did not immediately return a request for comment about whether the department had confirmed the email came from Alden.

On Friday, the sheriffs office said that following the discovery of the email, the Washington County District Attorneys Office decided to reopen a criminal case against Alden that had been closed in 2018. The district attorneys office presented the case to a grand jury on Friday, which returned the indictment against Alden.

The sheriffs office had investigated Alden in 2018 on allegations of use of force against an inmate at the Washington County Jail as the person was being booked. The sheriffs office investigated, and asked the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office and Oregon State Police to review the incident in 2018. The Washington County District Attorneys Office ultimately concluded it did not have enough evidence to prosecute Alden, according to sheriffs office documents. It is not clear what about the email to lead the district attorneys office to reopen the unrelated investigation.

According to sheriffs office records that The Oregonian/OregonLive obtained from a public records request, the office learned about Aldens racist email from a comment someone made to the sheriffs official Twitter account. The graphic email lists the sender as Alden and the recipient as an unknown person. The sheriffs office said it hired Alden in 2007, four years after the email was sent.

Sheriffs office records say Alden has had four official complaints made against him in his time with Washington County, including the racist email. The first complaint, in 2015, states that Alden took unauthorized time off and did not correctly document it. He was suspended for 24 hours without pay for the violation.

In September 2018, Alden was investigated for use of force  the case thats now been reopened by the district attorneys office. The report says the inmate was seriously injured during the alleged use of force, but the district attorney declined to proceed with criminal charges at that time.

Alden was accused of use of force again in March 2020, when a man said he was unlawfully arrested, had his phone seized, and Alden took him to the ground and pinned him until he could be cuffed. The report says the man had been arrested for domestic violence and child abuse-related crimes, and that investigators determined that Alden was justified in that use of force, and determined it was not excessive. Investigators in that case also said that the sheriffs office had a search warrant for the mans phone.

Following Aldens suspension on Monday, Sheriff Pat Garrett called the racist email inconsistent with the core values and professional standards of the sheriffs office.

We understand and appreciate the communitys concern over such an allegation, Garrett said in a statement. We are thankful it was brought to our attention and we are committed to a thorough investigation and appropriate action.

Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
The 36-year-old man, held for killing two of his colleagues and dumping their bodies inside a water tanker of a bar and restaurant at Mira Road, confessed that he committed the crime over denial of good food and delay in payments.

The accused Kallu Yadav, a cleaner at the restaurant, was arrested for the murder of Haresh Shetty, 42, a manager and Naresh Pandit, 58, a waiter.

Yadav has been previously jailed in Kolkata in 2013 for two years in a double murder case.

On the night of May 31, Yadav, Shetty and Pandit were drinking. After the two slept, Yadav slit their throats with a spade.

Yadav murdered Shetty and Pandit on May 31 night over denial of good food and delay in payments by Shetty. Shetty used to order food from outside while Yadav and Pandit had to eat at the restaurant which is shut for over a year due to repairs. The manager had also delayed Yadavs salary on multiple occasions. Pandit was killed because he was an eyewitness. The accused used a spade to murder the victims and we are yet to recover the murder weapon, said senior inspector Sandeep Kadam of Mira Road police station.

After the murder, Yadav called the restaurant owner Gangadahar Payyade, using Shettys phone, and told him that Pandit and the manager had left for their hometowns. He then fled to Pune. Police traced the number and arrested him on Friday night.
Podiatrist Tom Biernacki discusses advanced foot and ankle specialist large wound care center in Howell Michigan. We as podiatrists and foot doctors are so thankful to be able to serve the patients of Howell Michigan & Livingston County. We are dedicated to helping serve Brighton Michigan and Howell Michigan 24 hours a day for all your foot and ankle needs!

Advanced foot and ankle specialists of Michigan have been providing wound care and podiatry care for the lower extremity for many decades in Howell Michigan and Livingston County. The new office is directly adjacent from Saint Joseph Mercy hospital Livingston. Currently advanced foot & ankle specialists are the largest podiatrist and foot and ankle wound care center in Howell Michigan.

This clinic specializes in providing all aspects of foot and ankle care ranging from diabetic ulcers, arterial deficiency ulcer, blood flow disorders leading to ulcers venous stasis ulcers, venous wounds as well as infected diabetic wounds.

Treating the foot and ankle wound is a multidisciplinary approach. Advanced foot and ankle specialist of Howell Michigan utilize infectious disease specialists, vascular surgeons, podiatric surgeons and foot and ankle surgeons, as well as an excellent internal medicine team at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. Trust experience and proven results for foot and ankle care and diabetes care.

Advanced foot and ankle specialists of Howell Michigan and Brighton Michigan pride themselves on providing comprehensive the care and working as a multispecialty team. The four doctors at this practice are on staff at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Livingston, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Brighton, and St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Ann Arbor. Working as part of this large multidisciplined team, they can work with internal medicine doctors, primary care doctors, endocrinologists, and vascular surgery specialist to provide comprehensive care.

Advanced foot and ankle specialists have four different doctors within their practice: Dr. Tom Biernacki, Dr. John Stevelinck, Dr. Marc Bonanni and Dr. Danielle Meyka-Blanchard. All podiatrists foot doctors are on staff at St. Joseph Mercy hospitals in Ann Arbor, Howell, and Brighton Michigan. They pride themselves on serving Livingston County and Washtenaw County.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 6, 2020 11:15 594 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdc8a237 1 Entertainment music,irama-nusantara,Kitabisa,COVID-19,coronavirus,fund-raising Free

The Irama Nusantara Foundation is raising funds to help it continue its work in preserving and archiving data and information on Indonesian popular music.

As of the time of writing, Irama Nusantara had collected Rp 55,792,542 (US$3,895), surpassing its target of Rp 50 million on crowdfunding platform Kitabisa.com.

The foundation started the initiative in 2013 to archive Indonesian popular music records from the 1950s, which are available on its website.

Read also: Independent music scene struggles to keep beat alive amid pandemic

On Twitter, Irama Nusantara said it planned to digitize cassette tapes this year, as they were once the most popular means of listening to music in the country. Other plans include publishing a book and holding an archive exhibition.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the foundation to cancel its planned workshops and programs. The work-from-home arrangement has also hindered its work, along with its dwindling financial resources. Currently, the foundation is only able to focus on digital restoration, sprucing up its catalog system and transcribing song lyrics.

Irama Nusantara was initiated by Toma Avianda, Mayumi Haryoto, Alvin Yunata, Chris Priyonugroho and David Tarigan. (gis/wng)
Batten down the hatches. Former MKR judge Pete Evans is on 60 Minutes tonight in a story around corona conspiracies.

Mad as Hell

Just who is hoodwinking who? Theres no doubt COVID-19 has caused great uncertainty in the world, but does that mean we should now ignore the scientists, doctors and even politicians who are fighting to figure out ways to beat the virus? Well yes, if you believe an increasing number of increasingly angry people who are convinced coronavirus is nothing more than a sinister plot to control their lives. But what do these conspiracy theorists know that we dont, and why do so many people listen to them? Liz Hayes speaks with Australians, including the controversial celebrity Pete Evans, who are sick of being told what to do by the government and other authorities. Evans tells Hayes he fears for his safety and thinks he could be targeted because hes so outspoken. Ominously he warns, If I disappear or I have a fricking weird accident, it wasnt an accident, okay?

Reporter: Liz Hayes

Producer: Garry McNab

Jesse Jackson

Sadly, the explosion of violence and unrest in the United States this past week is nothing new. And no one knows that better than the Reverend Jesse Jackson. These days he is Americas most revered civil rights leader. In the 1960s he protested against injustice alongside Dr Martin Luther King Jr, and tragically witnessed his assassination. In the 1980s Rev Jackson twice ran for the American presidency. He was unsuccessful, but in an exclusive interview with 60 Minutes, Liam Bartlett asks Jesse Jackson to dream about what the United States would be like today if he had been elected.

Reporter: Liam Bartlett

Producer: Naomi Shivaraman

Poisoned

For any parent, the first cry of their newborn child is the most anticipated and glorious sound imaginable. It certainly was for Benish and Danial Khan when their daughter Amelia came into the world at a Sydney hospital. Within minutes of being born though, everything changed and the baby was fighting for her life. But it wasnt because she was unhealthy. There had been a catastrophic bungle at the hospital. Unknown to the doctors and nurses, when they gave Amelia what they thought was oxygen to help her breathing, they were in fact poisoning her with another gas. On assignment for 60 Minutes, Nine News reporter Chris OKeefe investigates an unforgiveable case of medical negligence.

Reporter: Chris OKeefe

Producers: Madeleine Apps, Garry McNab

8:40pm Sunday on Nine.
Saka Aliyu, popularly known as Sakky Jojo, is a Nigerian playwright best known for writing the historical play, Afonja (2018) and a prose Altine (2003).

In this interview, the author speaks about the controversy surrounding the dramatic narrative of the play as well as the attention Afonja received in terms of performance.

UJ: Please tell us a bit about yourself?

SJ: My name is Saka Aliyu, as I like to be simply referred to. Sakky Jojo is the pen name I have been using since my undergraduate days at Usman Dan Fodiyo University, Sokoto. I grew up in Ilorin where I was born and thereafter in Sokoto. I trained as a historian, with a terminal degree from Leiden University. I worked briefly in Benin, then Kaduna before joining Bayero University in 2008 as a lecturer.

UJ: What is the inspiration behind your play, Afonja?

SJ: There were some goals of writing that play. First, it is the history of my hometown and which I feel very much connected to. The story is a good recipe for playwriting, particularly the tragedy that it is. Secondly, I felt that being a controversial story, I needed to bring out the story in a proper perspective. I felt by doing so, I am doing some peacebuilding. For when a story is given in its proper perspective, it will help dissipate controversies for those who care to know the truth.

Two, the history of Ilorin with the rest of the Yoruba speaking nation can be controversial because of the contexts in which they occurred and interests and the misunderstanding that comes out of that. Personally I dont like controversies, for, in the end, it reeks of ignorance and half-truths. But then, controversies are part of the gears that move the world.

UJ: Your canons of the play, in particular, use of context instead of Act is unique, can you share light on this?

SJ: Variety, they say, is the spice of life. I was being innovative stylistically there. I was used to the acts and scenes myself. Then I noticed some playwrights using movements and I was intrigued. I thought what a way not to be clichey. So when I started writing Afonja, in the final round, I decided why not use something different and I thought context is most apt. All scenes are contexts. It is just style and my little contribution to the lexicon of drama.

UJ: Some people believe that the Afonja story is controversial, what can you say about that?

SJ: It is indeed and one of the aims of writing the play is to chip at the edges of these controversies through storytelling from historical perspectives. As someone whose history and identity is connected to that story, I felt the need to put the story in their proper contexts for clearer understanding. What you read in the media is often history in a hurry. These are often sensationalised. The stories are deeper and more connected and complicated than can be easily grasped on the surface.

At the heart of this controversy is Yoruba irredenta that from time to time tugs at the cloak of Ilorin as a politico-cultural entity. For me, as I said earlier, this play is also a peacebuilding effort, hoping it will bring more understanding and less controversy.

UJ: How does it feel to be a historian who is reconstructing history through literature?

SJ: It is a double honour for me. I found myself connected to two things, history, and literature, both using storytelling as a means of expression and finding expression in each other. While history attempts to reconstruct the past, especially the past of man as far as memory in its various forms can afford, literature tries to reflect the life of man as much as its mirrors can reflect. Unlike history, literature has leeways. It can twist in ways history cannot do. Literature can afford to be magical. Literature can augment history, which is what I have done in the play.

UJ: In your attempt at writing drama, why historical play?

SJ: Apart from the patriotic instinct, it just happened to be the first play that came to my mind. I think I am comfortable with other forms of drama. I have written satires, comedies, and adaptations too. Afonja just happened to be my first full-length play. I dont know if I will do other historical plays but for now, I think I have made my contribution in this area.

UJ: Afonja has received attention and has been performed in Ilorin, Ibadan, Gusau, Kano, and several other places. Why the widespread acceptance?

SJ: I think the play was particularly propitious (favourable). It has done well beyond my expectation given that I did very little in terms of publicity. It was first staged in Ibadan by students of Gods Blessing Comprehensive High School, Yemetu, whose teacher bought a copy.

They were the most splendid and ambitious. Unfortunately, I could not attend the performance due to my busy schedule. A friend represented me and he was most impressed as well. I feel I owe the school a great deal for the honour done to me. I had sent some copies to Ibadan for sale and it was from those copies that one was bought and used to stage the play.

Then students of the Department of Performing Arts, University of Ilorin, also staged it and it was used in one of their courses. That I owe to Professor Rasheed Adeoye who happened to be my mentor and technical guide in my first attempt at playwriting.

It was studied at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Federal College of Education, Zaria and in my own university, Bayero University, Kano, where we now have a growing Theatre and Performing Arts Department as well as in the Department of English and Literary Studies. It is out of print now and I hope to reprint as soon as I can afford to.

UJ: Do you have any regrets so far?

SJ: My only regret is that it has not been critically engaged as much I would love to see. Perhaps, that is because I have not written the play as a controversy to favour or discredit one side against the other. Humans generally love controversy and one of my aims is to show that the controversies around the subject matter are largely out of context.

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With all modesty, you will need to be widely read to critically engage with the play. What I brought to bear on the play is the whole of my lived experience. It had taken me 18 years to finally finish the play and get it published and it was 15 years since I published any work.

UJ: Can we say Afonja is an instance of Art in the service of history?

SJ: Yes, very much so, and vice versa!

UJ: Is Afonja as reflected in your book a tragic hero and what manner of tragedy is explored in the play?

SJ: Afonja is indeed a tragic hero, in the Hegelian sense as I have written in the preface.

UJ: You talk of poetic licence in the preface to the play Afonja which you noted has been given wings throughout the play. Can you expatiate that further for the readers to get a clear picture.

SJ: Poetic licence is the stuff of literature. It is the opportunity you have to spice up a story, to exaggerate or underplay, twist or even change storyline even for a historical story. It is the embellishments that make any story interesting. It is like the embroidery of literature that adds colour and beauty to the basic elements in the story.

Since even for the historical events being reconstructed we do not have the minute details, we use imagination; say to put words, actions, and even attire on the characters in believable ways. You will see stories within the story, proverbs, and cultural norms in the play.

I particularly used proverbs, allusions to Yoruba medicinal practice, coded communications, incantatory, Islamic jurisprudence, and the multiculturalism that have been part of the Ilorin milieu since the era in which the play was set. You will see the play spiced up with four languages apart from English in which it is written.

UJ: What was it like writing the play?

SJ: I enjoyed writing the play, though it had taken me longer than it should. But that has its blessings. In the years it was in limbo I had gotten two additional degrees and thus sharpened my intellect and worldview. I started in 2001, then an unemployed graduate.

Then I had to get my masters, do some social work, get employed as a civil servant, then as an academic and then getting a terminal degree. Finally, I decided I just have to break the jinx of not having any work published in almost two decades. That was the push that did it. I thought it a shame being called a writer and not having a major work out in one and half-decade. Weve got only so much time in this world.

UJ: How do you combine your writing with being an academic?

SJ: When I sent a copy to a friend at Oxford, who is also an academic, she had asked how did you do it with all the workload? It was then that it occurred to me that indeed it was not easy. Since I published it I have been trying to edit a poetry anthology and still unable to finish it, now in its third year. So it is really not easy, one needs some grace.

UJ: What are the plans for the future?

SJ: I hope to find time to publish my other works and perhaps write newer ones. I consider myself a prose person but I have not done much in that area to my satisfaction. I hope to go back to it.

Playwriting is very technical but somehow I find it easy to write. I think poetry is everywhere and a lot of people are writing it. I see myself as an accidental poet. If there is an award for unfinished works I think I deserve that award. I hope to dust my old works, polish them, and get them out there. Time is not on anybodys side.

Umar Jibril, who conducted the interview, is a writer, reviewer, and literary essayist based in Gusau. Apart from his day-job as an Ombudsman at Public Complaints Commission, Abuja, he earns a living as part-time MD of Educraft Consulting, a knowledge platform based in Gusau and Kaduna. He could be reached via ujibril85@gmail.com

We have his permission to publish.
Many will say this is too little, and far too late. They will be right. But these halting steps should be welcomed, not mocked. After all, a far larger number of GOP senators continue to make excuses for behavior they know to be despicable, or pretend to be ignorant of events they surely have followed. They still cannot admit publicly that the president is a threat to the country. If a few are beginning to find their courage, they might report back to their colleagues that there is peace of mind  and maybe less political risk than they imagined  to be found in doing the right thing.
An non-operative oil pump is seen on the outskirts of El Tigre, Venezuela

By Jonathan Saul, Devika Krishna Kumar and Matt Spetalnick

LONDON/NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is considering imposing sanctions on dozens of additional foreign oil tankers for trading with Venezuela, U.S. officials told Reuters on Friday, the latest effort to sever what Washington sees as a lifeline for President Nicolas Maduro.

Some sanctions could be announced in the near term while others could be imposed over a longer period if the trading activity persists in violation of U.S. restrictions, one of the officials said on condition of anonymity.

Earlier on Friday, four shipping sources told Reuters that potential sanctions on at least 40 various ships could be imposed soon, although the Trump administration had not finalized a decision.

Such a move could disrupt global seaborne trade by sharply raising tanker rates.

Vessels that could be targeted include 25 supertankers, which can each carry a maximum of 2 million barrels of oil, and 17 smaller vessels, the sources said.

"The net effect may be a clear message to all ship owners: consider Venezuela off limits," said a senior U.S. official.

The U.S. Treasury Department did not immediately provide comment.

A State Department spokesman said U.S. authorities "continue to engage with companies in the energy sector on the possible risks they face by conducting business with PDVSA," but did not directly address the question about the expected sanctions.

"Flag registries, shipping companies and their associated suppliers/vendors be warned: Illegal transactions with the illegitimate regime of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro may subject you to crippling financial and economic sanctions," the White House's National Security Council warned in a tweet on Tuesday.

Taking aim at two heavily sanctioned foes, the United States is also seeking to deter further fuel shipments from Iran to gasoline-starved Venezuela, U.S. officials have said.

Story continues

The United States and dozens of other nations regard Maduro and his socialist government as illegitimate because of a 2018 election widely seen as fraudulent. Maduro has accused Washington of orchestrating a coup to remove him to gain control of the South American nation's oil reserves.

PRESSURE ON MADURO

U.S. officials have steadily added tankers and shipping companies to the blacklist over their dealings with Venezuela since Washington imposed sanctions last year, and have warned of more targets if they fail to abide by sanctions.

Some U.S. officials have said privately that President Donald Trump has become frustrated by the failure to oust Maduro, who retains the support of the Venezuelan military as well as Russia, China, Cuba and Iran.

Earlier this week the U.S. Treasury said it had imposed sanctions on four shipping firms for transporting Venezuelan oil, escalating the political standoff by curbing the OPEC nation's crude exports.

Washington imposed sanctions on Venezuelan state-run oil company Petroleos de Venezuela [PDVSA.UL] in early 2019. Maduro blames the sanctions for a deep economic crisis in Venezuela that has led to shortages of basic goods.

Further tanker sanctions could have an even bigger impact than when the Trump administration blacklisted two units of Chinese tanker company COSCO late last year, market sources said. That decision caused freight rates to hit record highs, market sources said.

Earlier this year, the United States lifted sanctions on one of two COSCO units.

"Targeting tankers through more sanctions is an easier way of avoiding direct confrontation (over Venezuela). If more ships are sanctioned it will filter through into rates," one source said.

Tanker rates were already up on Friday on the main Middle East to Asia benchmark route, Baltic Exchange data showed.

A Chevron Corp <CVX.N> crude cargo has become embroiled in U.S. sanctions on shipping companies for violating restrictions on doing business with Venezuela, the company confirmed on Friday.

"There is concern that other ships/owners may be at risk for similar sanctions," shipbroker Clarksons Platou Securities said this week after the earlier designations.

(Reporting by Jonathan Saul in London and Devika Krishna Kumar in New York, additional reporting by Timothy Gardner and Matt Spetalnick in Washington; Editing by Paul Simao, Richard Chang and Tom Brown)
05.06.2020 LISTEN

A non-partisan pressure group within the Abirem Constituency of the Eastern Region, known as Young Diplomats, have expressed their excitement and contentment over the performance of the Parliamentary Candidate for the National Democratic Congress in the area.

The group believes Madam Mavis Ama Frimpong even in opposition has done marvellously well than the incumbent MP and have highlighted their willingness to send the Parliamentary Candidate to Ghana's august law making house come election 2020.

The spokesperson for the group, Robert Adabo in an interview with this news portal said, since the advent of the novel COVID-19 in Ghana, the Former Eastern Regional Minister has been on grounds doing her utmost best to get people informed on the reality of the disease and educating the masses on the need to follow the various safety protocols as outlined by the World Health Organization and for that matter Ghana Health Service.

The spokesperson for the group also acceded that through the 'Community Action Against Covid-19' project initiated by Hon Mavis Ama Frimpong, a lot of COVID-19 preventive items have been distributed to residents and identifiable groups in the Constituency to help in combating the novel virus.

Robert Adabo further expatiated that aside from the various humanitarian activities the gender activist engages in, she is also helping a lot of people further their education in the Constituency.

Secretary to the group, Michael Smith, on his part, eulogized the Former DCE of the Birim North District and said her efforts will surely not be in vain as the constituents were poised to reward her handsomely by voting massively for her in the upcoming Parliamentary elections to make her dream of making it to Parliament a reality.

Outlining the many developmental projects the gender activist undertook during her reign as District Chief Executive, the scribe mentioned schools, health facilities, and the connection of a lot of villages unto the national grid as some of the remarkable achievements attributed to her name.

Michael Smith further described the soft-speaking but bold woman as humble, honest, affable, hardworking, accessible, and visible in his constituency which has endeared her to many.

He, therefore, called on the teeming youth in the Constituency to respond to the clarion call and unapologetically render their undiluted support to the Former DCE by voting massively for her to annex the Parliamentary seat to ensure the betterment of all and sundry.
Dan and Mary Lou (Voelke) Myers are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on June 6. They were married in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1970. They have two married children residing in Midland: Brian Myers and Meredith Myers-Richetti and three grandchildren. Dan retired from Dow Corning Corp. after 30-plus years and then worked as an SAP IT consultant for 15 years. Dan served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam years. Mary Lou retired from Edward Jones in Midland, as a financial advisor, after 40 years in the financial services industry.

How they met: Dan was dating a girl who went to Drury College and lived in the same campus house as Mary Lou. Dan went to college about one hour away at University of Missouri at Rolla. The mutual friend graduated and moved away and the rest is history.
As if the current COVID-19 pandemic hadnt created enough chaos in our lives, yet another outrageous, race-based police brutality case emerged to engulf the nation in its terrifying aftermath.

Righteous street protests were infiltrated by agitators whose sole goal was to create mayhem, destroy property and upset the delicate balance of a society just getting back on its feet.

It seems enemies of the state are lurking in every corner these days. It is clear we are being manipulated by adversaries both domestic and foreign.

Of course, it started with the sickening scene of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvins takedown of George Floyd on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill. As officer Chauvin crushed Floyds neck with his knee, grinding his face into the pavement for nearly 9 minutes  and the handcuffed, immobilized suspect could barely squeeze out the words, I cant breathe  three fellow MPD cops stood by and took no action to stop Chauvin. It escaped no ones attention Floyd was a black man and the officers were not.

We all know what happened next. Justifiably angry citizens of all colors took to American streets to exercise their constitutionally protected right to assemble and protest.

But lurking within their ranks, according to law enforcement officials across the country, were vicious extremists who were determined to create pandemonium. They stoked outrage, facilitated violence by smashing store windows and encouraging looters, they set fires and then watched from the sidelines as cities burned and outnumbered and exhausted police tried to quell the chaos.

The worst of the lot were identified as left-wing radical members of Antifa  short for Anti-fascist. Members protest anything they see as authoritarian, potentially racist, homophobic or discriminatory against foreigners. They despise conservative philosophies, especially capitalism. Many in this pro-anarchy movement want to dismantle governmental authorities, including police forces. They communicate via encrypted internet messages and typically wear black; some sport ominous white plastic facemasks. After Antifa members staged violent protests at a Rally Against Hate demonstration in Berkeley, California, in 2017, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized, the violent actions of people calling themselves Antifa and said they should be arrested.

During the recent protests over states pandemic stay-at-home orders, a completely different type of disruptive group hit the streets to sow their own revolution. They are ultra-conservatives, including a growing organization with the unlikely name Boogaloo. This group seems to be a collaboration of white supremacists, former and current military members and overly aggressive gun owners who rage against politically correct ideology. They condemn government policies and police departments thought to be too liberal. They organize protests via private Facebook accounts. Many of their members dress in camouflage adorned with Hawaiian shirts. According to a recent study of internet misinformation and hate speech, the goal of these militants is another civil war to establish an all-white society.

But sadistic police officers and domestic revolutionaries are not the only enemy the nation faces.

Sen. Marco Rubio, acting chairman of the Intelligence Committee, recently tweeted At least 3 foreign adversaries are actively stoking & promoting violence & confrontation from multiple angles.

In other words, internet trolls in three countries  thought to be Russia, China and Iran  are flooding cyberspace with propaganda designed to stoke further flames of discontent in the United States. They want the worlds superpower brought to its knees. Why? Because they see an unstable America as a chance to advance themselves on the world stage.

National security advisor Robert OBrien told ABC News foreign countries, specifically China, are trying to exploit Americas racial tensions and taking some sort of pleasure in seeing scenes of turmoil on U.S. streets.

I say lets stop giving them the satisfaction.

Look, there are fewer of them than there are of us. Why are we allowing domestic dissidents and cyber terrorists based overseas to dominate our public conversation and jeopardize the safety of so many? The vast majority of law-abiding Americans simply want to work hard, raise their families, save a little money for retirement and live a peaceful life.

We outnumber the bad actors. Lets recognize their sinister manipulations and shun their destructive messages. While they push for another American civil war we can push back by rejecting their hateful propaganda.

www.DianeDimond.com; e-mail to Diane@DianeDimond.com.
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam said Wood Buffalo RCMP officers beat and arrested him in a Fort McMurray parking lot earlier this year  an allegation that is now being investigated by Alberta's Serious Incident Response Team.

At a press conference Saturday, Adam said he was assaulted by RCMP officers when he, his wife Freda Courtoreille and their niece as they were leaving a local casino in downtown Fort McMurray around 2 a.m. on March 10, 2020.

Adam says the registration on his truck was expired, but says the situation escalated when he began asking officers about what was happening. He said RCMP officers manhandled his wife, and then began to beat him.

"I dropped to my knees, and slowly I could feel I was going unconscious but all I could remember ... blood was just gushing out of my mouth," he said.

He said he was fighting to maintain consciousness, and could feel someone hitting him in the back.

"I yelled out, 'What is going on? I'm the chief of ACFN. Why are you guys doing this?'" Adam said.

Adam provided a photograph of himself with a bruised and bloody face. He is calling for the federal government to investigate.

He said if he wasn't a member of a minority group, he believes he wouldn't have been subjected to violence for having expired registration. He said he sees it as a part of broader harassment of minorities by police across Canada.

"That has to stop. Enough is enough," Adam said.

"I have a voice, and I am not scared to voice ... [what] happened to my wife, and what happened to me."

ASIRT investigating

Sue Hughson, the executive director of ASIRT, told CBC News that after a discussion with the province's director of law enforcement, it had been decided late Saturday afternoon to begin the investigation into the allegations of assault and wrongful arrest made by Adam.

In an interview, director of law enforcement Bill Sweeney said he decided to order the investigation because Adam had made an allegation that is of a criminal nature.

Story continues

"He is claiming that he has been assaulted," Sweeney said, referring to a photo of Adam provided to the media that shows a swollen eye and bruising. "And he's alleged that he was assaulted and that it was an unlawful arrest and that falls within the parameters of sensitivity of [Section 46.1 of Alberta's Police Act.]

Watch | Investigation launched after Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief says RCMP assaulted him:

"We thought it was in the best interest to have ASIRT conduct the investigation."

RCMP said Saturday that the incident was captured on an in-car video system in the police, and that after a review by superiors, it was determined that the officers' actions were "reasonable and did not meet the threshold for an external investigation."

In an emailed statement, Wood Buffalo RCMP said officers initiated a traffic stop on an unoccupied and idling vehicle with an expired plate at about 2 a.m.

"Allan Adam was one of the occupants who returned to the vehicle at which point a confrontation occurred," police wrote. "During the incident, Adam was being placed under arrest and resisted. The members were required to use force to effect the arrest."

Police said Adam has been charged with one count each of resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer, and that he is scheduled to appear in Wood Buffalo provincial court on July 2.

Adam's lawyer Brian Beresh said Courtoreille was also arrested for obstruction but was never charged. He described what happened as a clear case of police brutality, and said the vast majority of people who are stopped for an expired license are given a warning or officers simply follow the person home and ensure the vehicle is parked.

Two citizen videos of Adam's arrest were shown at the press conference. Beresh said RCMP have clearer video of the incident, and called on the police to release that footage.

"We want a full investigation of this case by an independent police force, not the RCMP," Beresh said. He said they also want the officer accused of assaulting Adam to be suspended, and called for all officers to wear body cameras.

"This is one of the clearest cases of unnecessary police brutality," said Beresh.

'Should never have happened'

Adam was supported at the press conference by a number of other Alberta chiefs and Indigenous leaders, including Assembly of First Nations Alberta Regional Chief Marlene Poitras, who said she was deeply hurt, angered, and saddened by what happened to Adam.

"The total disregard and disrespect of one of our esteemed leaders is appalling. And that should never have happened," she said.

Poitras said the community deserves answers about what happened.

"We need a fair, independent investigation that will look into why this situation escalated the way that it did. The RCMP must hold its officers accountable if there's any misconduct found," she said.

Chipewyan Prairie First Nation Chief Vern Janvier who said he was horrified when Adam told him what had happened, and that he encouraged him to share the story.

"We say that Canada has no discrimination. No, no. We live in a very, very racist country," Janvier said.

Adam was re-elected as chief of the northern First Nation in October 2019. He was first elected as chief in 2007, and served as a councillor for ACFN for four years prior to that.

In a written statement, the office of the Minister of Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness said that they were "deeply disturbed" by the graphic photo and videos of the use of force.

"People across the country have serious questions about this incident, and they deserve fulsome answers. While we cannot comment on a specific case that is before the courts, we will be following the developments of these serious and troubling claims closely," the statement reads.

"There have been a number of shocking incidents this week alone which serve as a stark reminder of this fact and our need to do much better. Each of us has a significant role to play to ensure our path forward as Canadians is bias-free."
About 200 demonstrators took to the streets of Sao Goncalo, a city in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, on Friday to protest against racism and the police killings of black people. The protesters, most of them young black students, marched to the City Hall carrying banners reading "Black Lives Matters," and shouting slogans against Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro and the police.

The demonstrators were not just joining the protests against the death of George Floyd in the United States, but against the killing of hundreds of black people mainly in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. One of the late cases that shocked Brazil was the killing of Joao Pedro Pinto, a 14-year-old boy who was inside his house with his cousins in Sao Goncalo, when police chasing an alleged group of drug traffickers fired shots into the house, killing him.

The body of the Joao Pedro was missing for almost one day, until his parents found him in a forensic institute. Federal prosecutors opened an investigation to clarify the involvement of the police in the operation that killed the boy. At the same time that the homicide rate has fallen since 2019, the killings by police in Rio de Janeiro have increased to an unseen level, according to official figures released by the Public Security Institute.
North Korea on Friday threatened to permanently shut a liaison office with South Korea as it continued to condemn its rival for failing to prevent activists from sending anti-North Korean leaflets across the border. The statement by North Korea's ruling Workers' Party came a day after the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un said the country would end a military agreement reached with South Korea in 2018 to reduce tensions if Seoul fails to stop the activists.

Kim Yo Jong also said North Korea could permanently shut the liaison office and a joint factory park in the border town of Kaesong, which have been symbols of reconciliation between the two countries.

Desperate to keep alive a faltering diplomacy with North Korea, South Korea in response said it would push new laws to ban activists from flying leaflets by balloon to the North, which triggered a debate over freedom of speech.

But an unidentified spokesperson of the Workers' Party's inter-Korean affairs department said Seoul's promise lacked sincerity and the scrapping of the liaison office will be the first in a series of North Korean steps that would cause extreme fatigue for the South.

The statement also confirmed an elevated status for Kim Yo Jong, who was described as her brother's top official for inter-Korean affairs.

Under her instructions, North Korea has decided as a first step to abolish the North-South liaison office that is occupying space in the Kaesong industrial complex while doing nothing," the statement said.

We will not hide that we for a long time have considered decisive measures to completely shut down all spaces of contact with the South and fundamentally eliminate the sources of provocations from the South, said the spokesperson of the party's United Front Department.

The latest events have strengthened our conclusion that an enemy is just an enemy...it is our determination to go as far as we can in a vicious cycle of confrontation.

South Korea's government had no immediate reaction to the statement.

Sending balloons across the border has been a common activist tactic for years, but North Korea considers it an attack on its government. Defectors and other activists in recent weeks have used balloons to fly leaflets criticizing Kim Jong Un over his nuclear ambitions and dismal human rights record.

While Seoul has sometimes sent police officers to block such activities during sensitive times, it had previously resisted North Korea's calls to fully ban them, saying the activists were exercising their freedom.

The liaison office in Kaesong was one of the main agreements reached in three summits between Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in 2018. It has been closed since late January after the Koreas agreed to temporarily shut it until the coronavirus is controlled.

Kaesong is also the location of a now-shuttered factory complex that was jointly run by the two Koreas. It combined South Korean capital and technology with cheap North Korean labour. Seoul's previous conservative government shut it down in 2016 following a North Korean nuclear test, removing a crucial cash source for North Korea's struggling economy.

During their summits in 2018, Kim and Moon issued vaguely worded statements pledging denuclearization and peace.

They also agreed to the military pact aimed at reducing conventional threats and vowed to resume operations at the Kaesong factory park and South Korean tours to a resort at North Korea's Diamond Mountain when possible, expressing optimism that US-led sanctions on the North would end.

But North Korea has suspended virtually all cooperation with South Korea in recent months amid a stalemate in larger nuclear negotiations with the Trump administration, which have faltered over disagreements on sanctions relief in exchange for disarmament steps.

North Korea has sped up its missile tests while also pressuring Seoul to break away from Washington and restart joint economic projects held back by the sanctions over its nuclear programme.
TEHRAN,Iran, June 6

Trend:

Iran's government continues to supply supportive packages to people that got affected by coronavirus spread in the form of bank loans, unemployment insurance fund and packages containing basic goods until COVID-19 is curbed, said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Trend reports via IRNA.

Rouhani said that the government will continue to supply the packages until the end of the current Iranian year (began March 20,2020), to help low-income families.

"A total of 1,200 centers across the country are ready to test people for coronavirus for free, while 17,500 more health houses are offering their services as well," he said.

Rouhani said that all the kindergartens and educational institutions will resume work on June 13 by implementation of necessary instructions.

"The National Headquarters to Fight Coronavirus has confirmed that domestic flights can start their activities on June 13, cinemas will be able to start their activity from June 21, following protocols, and working with half of their capacity," said the president.

The outbreak of the coronavirus began in the Chinese city of Wuhan (an international transport hub), at a fish market in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.

Iran continues to apply measures to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 infection.

Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease.

The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19.
A COMMUNITY is facing more delays for defences to prevent floods destroying their area again after An Bord Pleanala identified deficiencies in the councils planning application.

Its now almost seven years since the devastating floods which ruined hundreds of homes in the St Marys Park area.

And former mayor of Limerick John Gilligan, who lives in the Lee Estate, says: Peoples patience is running out.

The day after the flooding, a meeting was held in the Limerick Strand Hotel, where local TDs and councillors said the money was guaranteed, and it would take two years for the building. Its now seven years, and weve still no idea when building is going to start, he said.

Last year, council applied to An Bord Pleanala for the Kings Island Flood Relief scheme.

But one of those people who made a submission, solicitor Michelle Hayes says the national appeals body has identified deficiencies in the councils application. The body has requested substantial further information, she added.

The comprehensive scheme would see the erection of flood defences right across the island as far as the potato market, plus the relocation of astroturf pitches.

Some footpaths would be raised or altered, while glazed flood walls would be erected at some points along the route.

However, Ms Hayes, who is president of Environmental Trust Ireland argued Limerick Council needed to review and amend its Environmental Impact Assessment report to take account of new European directives.

The authority must also prepare a fresh Natura Impact Statement, and has been given until August 21 to provide the national appeals body with this.

Ms Hayes said: Im pleased An Bord Pleanala gave such weight to the environmental issues, archeological, cultural and medieval heritage impacts on Limericks historic walls, and tunnels, biodiversity, water abstraction, the loss of protected species and habitats and the effect of the Ardnacrusha hydroelectric power plant on water release.

Mr Gilligan says Limerick needs to fight its corner in relation to projects like these.

Limerick has been left behind. I think maybe we dont complain enough. I think its time some of us, our TDs in particular, stop remaining nice quiet people. We should be demanding this. Weve been through an awful time, he added.

The flash flooding took place in February 2014.
Harpreet Bajwa By

Express News Service

CHANDIGARH: On the 36th anniversary of Operation Bluestar today, a controversy erupted as Akal

Takht (highest temporal seat of Sikhs) Jathedar Giani (high priest) Harpreet Singh raked up the issue of Khalistan as he said that the union government should offer then a separate state as every Sikh wanted it and will accept it.

Otherwise, the anniversary passed off peacefully amid protests and slogan shouting by radicals at the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar.

After the culmination of the annual function at Akal Takht to mark the 36th anniversary of Operation Bluestar, Harpreet Singh in a reply to the question on slogans being raised in favour of Khalistan during the function by some hardliners said, "There is nothing wrong if slogans in favour of Khalistan are raised after the function by the Sikh hardliners. If the government offers us Khalistan, what else do we need, we will accept it, because every Sikh wants it."

Singh also said that he had no objection if Sikhs raise slogans of Khalistan outside Akal Takht Sahib but raising such slogans in the official function of Operation Blue Star is unacceptable.

Endorsing Singhs views, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gobind Singh Longowal, who was present said,"If the government offers it (Khalistan) we will accept it."

Ardas and kirtan were performed at the Takht in memory of those killed in Operation Bluestar.

Earlier while delivering his annual address at the function as it was raining, Singh said, "As Sikhs lack unity, there are these restrictions by the police for devotees at the Golden Temple."

Sources said that the police tried to stop the activists of various Sikh organizations who came early in the morning in large numbers to pay obeisance at the golden temple ignoring social distancing norms. But these activists managed to get inside the temple complex after heated arguments.

The Sarbat Khalsa appointed 'parallel' officiating Jathedar of Akal Takht, Dhyan Singh Mand along with his supporters also reached the complex.

Meanwhile, the supporters of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) had a minor scuffle as Emaan Singh Mann son of Simranjit Singh Mann was stopped by the police at the entrance of Golden Temple. But they were allowed inside after they held a demonstration.

These fringe elements were not allowed by the police to reach Akal Takht Sahib (highest temporal seat of Sikhs) in golden temple complex and thus they protested against the SGPC and the state government.

They alleged that the Akali leadership had protected Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim and was involved in sacrilege cases of Guru Granth Sahib. They also alleged that CM Capt. Amarinder Singh led Punjab government was acting as per wish of the Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal as Sukhbir and Amardiner were hand in glove.

To check the people getting inside the shrine, metal detectors were placed at the entrances for the first time. Some 5,000 police personnel have been deployed in the holy city to maintain law and order. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, health department teams were stationed to screen the devotees entering the temple complex.

The task force of the SGPC and the police in plain clothes in the golden temple complex failed to ensure social distancing.
Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media

WINSTED  A portion of Route 44 has been closed after a motorcycle crash in Winsted, according to Norfolk Public Information Officer Jon Barbagallo.

Barbagallo said on Twitter the crash occurred Saturday afternoon near Hudson Wire Hill in Winsted, closing Route 44 between Route 183 in Winsted and Route 182 in Norfolk.
Councillors call on MPs to back campaign to let our carers keep every penny of 500 payment

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Jun 6th, 2020

Local Labour councillors have called on local Conservative MPs to join the campaign to give care workers their 500 thank you payment in full. 



Yesterday the Welsh Government announced a wider criteria to the one-off 500 payment for those who provide direct care in care homes and domiciliary care in the community. The payment now includes ancillary staff such as cook and cleaners, as well as personal assistants in the community and nursing staff employed by care homes. 

Yesterday the First Minister Mark Drakeford said at the lunchtime briefing, We were disappointed to receive a letter from the UK Treasury, suggesting that they would not be waving tax or national insurance payments on that 500, but we continue to be in discussions with them. Those discussions are not yet over.

We will continue to make the case for every penny of this payment going to those people who have made such a vital contribution during the pandemic.

Today Wrexham Labour Group Leader Cllr Dana Davies said: The UK Tory Government has said it wont make this payment tax-free. This means our hardworking social care workforce wont get the whole 500 payment and it could also have an impact on those who receive Universal Credit.

The Wrexham Labour Group wrote to both Wrexham MP Sarah Atherton and Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes last month to ask them to call on their UK Government to ensure these crucial workers werent taxed, but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears. We got a token response from Sarah Atherton saying she would escalate it and have heard nothing since, and Mr Baynes didnt respond at all.

This is an opportunity for the UK Government to do the right thing by some of the people who deserve it most. We want every penny of this 500 to go to those care workers who have done so much for so many during this crisis.



Many social care staff work in private settings and do not benefit from nationally negotiated pay schemes such as the Living Wage paid in the Welsh NHS. Our social care workers are providing an exceptional service  an exception should be made in this case and they should not have to pay any tax whatsoever.



Cllr Davies is also asking members of the public to sign an online petition to show their strength of feeling via www.welshlabour.wales/let-our-carers-keep-every-penny/.

The payment will be available to some 64,000 care home workers and domiciliary care workers throughout Wales.
The accused was also involved in a case murder at Kolkata in 2013.

Thane: Police claimed to have cracked the case of double murder at Mira Road in Maharashtra's Thane district with the arrest of a 35-year-old waiter from Pune.

The accused, Kallu Yadav, was arrested on Friday for the crime he had allegedly committed on May 30, a police official said.

According to police, the murder was a fallout of a dispute between the accused and the victims over food.

The bodies of the victims, Harish Shetty (42) and Naresh Pandit (53) had been recovered from the water tank of Sabari restaurant-cum-bar at Mira Road in the wee hours of Friday, the official said.

While Shetty worked as a manager at the restaurant, Pandit was a cleaner. The accused worked as a waiter in that eatery, he added.

"Several injury marks were found on the bodies of the victims. During the probe the police came to know that Yadav has started working as at a restaurant in Pune after committing the crime," the official said.

A team of police rushed to Pune and nabbed Yadav from Parvati area on Friday.

"During his interrogation, Yadav admitted that he had murdered the duo. He said the manager used to get delicious food for himself, but offer bland meal to him. He said he was annoyed over it and decided to eliminate Shetty and Pandit," the official said.

"Accordingly, he attacked them with a spade while they were asleep. He then dragged their bodies and dumped them into a water tank at the restaurant," inspector Venkat Andhale of the crime branch of Thane rural police said.

He said that as per the preliminary investigation, the accused was also involved in a case murder at Kolkata in 2013 and had been behind bars in that connection in the past
Three weeks after it stood out as the urban exception to the states spiking COVID-19 crisis, the Houston region has begun seeing a significant increase in cases and hospitalizations.

The upturn, which began two weeks ago and accelerated this week, comes a month after Gov. Greg Abbott began allowing businesses to reopen and a week and a half after the Memorial Day weekend, both of which health officials think led people to let their guard down and come into closer contact with others. The hike followed a roughly month-long plateau the area had settled into.

This is a trend were definitely keeping an eye on, said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. If the numbers keep up in this direction, we could be headed to a place where we run out of hospital space, which obviously would be a problem.

COVID-19 patients have occupied hospital intensive-care units in the nine-county Houston area at higher levels the first three days in June than they did on any single day in May, according to date compiled by the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council, a state group that coordinates the regions emergency response to disasters. In Harris County, hospital admissions have increased at statistically significant levels the past two weeks.

Case counts of COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus, have also jumped. The rolling average in the Houston region rose from 267 on May 22 to 358 on June 4. Harris Countys dropped as low as 194 on May 31, only to come in at 262 Wednesday.

Houston took bows for its relatively fewer number of cases the first three weeks in May, attributed by officials to stay-at-home orders and decisive actions such as shutting down the rodeo. The areas 100 to 200 cases a day contrasted with nearly 250 a day in mid-May in just Dallas County, the then epicenter of spiking numbers in the state.

The Texas numbers are still high. On Friday, the states seven-day average of new cases was 1,729, the most since the state began publishing data on hospitalizations. It has been increasing since May 27.

Houston Chronicle

Dr. Marc Boom, president of Houston Methodist, called the recent increase not unexpected but nonetheless concerning. He said its manageable still, but its certainly got our attention.

The Texas Medical Center, which publishes daily statistics from hospitals in the Houston region, warned on Thursday that COVID-19 cases are growing quickly enough that they could overwhelm the amount of intensive care beds available in two weeks  though on Friday the center updated that estimate to five weeks and listed the possibility as a moderate concern.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Health officials say Houston-area's COVID-19 curve is beginning to flatten

Peter Hotez, an infectious disease specialist at Baylor College of Medicine, also suggested the recent increase may not bode well, given some of the models not only predicted this rise, but then projected the increase will accelerate even further as we progress through the summer. He said the trajectory shows the urgent need to expanding COVID-19 testing and contact tracing.

Several experts attributed the Houston-area surge to eased restrictions on stay-at-home orders with businesses reopening and people gathering on Memorial Day. They said those factors explain both the steady uptick that began two weeks ago and the bigger increase this week.

Abbott began lifting restrictions on May 1, allowing people to again leave their homes and select businesses to open at reduced capacity. He expanded the businesses and capacities in two subsequent phases, the latest Wednesday.

Despite public health admonitions reminding people of the need to continue practicing social distancing, many didnt seem to get the message, said public health officials.

I am afraid the public interprets lifting government-mandated shelter in place and closure of non-essential business that the pandemic is over and community and individual mitigation measures are no longer necessary, said Gerald Parker, director of the pandemic and biosecurity policy program at Texas A&M's Bush School of Government Service. But the virus is still in our communities and can hit the most vulnerable hard.

Parker, who said time will tell whether or not the increase in case becomes dangerous, urged people to still wear masks, limit numbers in gatherings and maintain six feet of separation from others.

Vivian Ho, a Rice University health economist, said she expected an increase in case as Houston opened up, but hoped hospitalizations wouldnt rise so quickly because older people would continue to shelter in place. I see the elderly being much more cautious, she said, but it doesnt seem to be helping. Asymptomatic people can easily bring the virus home to a vulnerable family member.

Hidalgo said she has been concerned by in-person graduations, where of course kids are going to hug, because they havent seen each other in three months and may not see each other again until their five-year reunions; reports of people going to clubs again; and bars with people sitting incredibly close together. She said a couple hundred people here and a couple hundred there is the same as having a multi-thousand person gathering.

Hidalgo cited statistics showing COVID-19 admissions at Harris County hospitals are increasing by 19.3 patients a day the last five days, 16.6 the last seven days and 2.2 patients the last 14 days. She said the COVID-19 intensive care occupancy rate  14.6 percent of all beds, just below the 15 percent Abbott laid out as a ceiling  is a matter of concern.

The growing numbers are evident at Methodist and Memorial Hermann, the medical center hospital systems treating the most COVID-19 patients. Methodist COVID-19 volumes have gone from under 100 from May 8 through May 29 to 139 Friday; Memorial Hermanns from 155 May 25 to 201 Thursday.

Adding to the concerns are a possible looming cases as a result of area protests over the death of former Houston resident George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

Were all very concerned about that, said Dr. Luis Ostrosky, an infectious disease specialist at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. A lot of people in close proximity, a lot of shouting, a lot of potential opportunities for transmission. Well be watching very carefully.

Hotez suggested it would be wise for those who attended the protest, particularly those with existing serious conditions, to get tested for the virus.

todd.ackerman@chron.com

jeremy.blackman@chron.com

matt.dempsey@chron.com
In a fascist rant delivered during the opening of a field hospital to treat COVID-19 patients, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro once again denounced demonstrators joining marches in five Brazilian cities held in solidarity with the protests in United States as terrorists and outcasts aiming to break the country.

He called for governors to deploy the National Guard against demonstrators taking part in new anti-government marches scheduled for Sunday, a day chosen as an answer to the weekly fascist demonstrations held by Bolsonaro supporters on Sundays. These rallies feature Bolsonaro himself and regularly call for a military coup and hail the brutal history of torture and executions of the 19641985 military dictatorship.

Bolsonaros latest threats came on the heels of a frenzied and terrified reaction by the president and his cabinet to the demonstrations last Sunday by youth joining the global wave of protests against the murder of George Floyd and social inequality, police brutality and racism, as well as the promotion of the latter by the Bolsonaro government. The demonstrations were met with brutal repression unleashed by state-controlled military police soldiers, which in turn protected fascist provocateurs bearing flags of the Ukrainian neo-Nazi Right Sector. Protests have grown as Bolsonaro supporters respond to the US marches by holding Ku-Klux-Klan-like nightly marches with torches at the Supreme Court and Congress in an appeal to the most backward and disoriented members of Brazilian society.

Most significantly, however, Bolsonaros rant came just three days after an opinion piece published by Vice President Gen. Hamilton Mourao published by Brazils oldest daily, Estado de S. Paulo, calling for demonstrators forceful seizure and arrest. In the article, Mourao fully endorsed the denunciations by Bolsonaro, aping Donald Trumps rants against antifa that the demonstrators were terrorists that should be proscribed.

In the opinion piece, Mourao charged that presenting the last anti-government demonstrations as democratic constitutes a clear abuse and that it was an abuse to forget who they are and to portray them as a counterposition to government supporters and transform them into legitimate demonstrators, adding that troublemakers were a police issue and not a matter for politics.

He also resurrected known authoritarian tropes of outside agitators to denounce demonstrators for bringing to our country problems and conflicts of other peoples and cultures. He further railed against the senior member of the Brazilian Supreme Court (STF), Celso de Mello, who warned on Sunday of parallels between Brazil and the Weimar Republic in the years preceding Hitlers takeover, calling the comparison irresponsible, and dismissing Bolsonaros fascist rants as rhetorical excesses, whose condemnation might lead everyone to lose their sensesthat is to say, would justify a violent reaction of Bolsonaro against the Court.

Mourao is a notorious ultra-right coup-monger, who was twice punished while in active duty for political statements against toothless attempts by Congress to review the horrific crimes of the 1964-1985 military dictatorship. He also presided over the ultra-right Military Club, an association of retired high-ranking officials that was one of the active proponents of the 1964 coup.

But Mourao wrote his Tuesday libel with the authority of someone insistently portrayed as the adult in the room of the crisis-ridden Bolsonaro administration by the oppositions former presidential candidates, Fernando Haddad of the Workers Party (PT), Guilherme Boulos of the Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL), Ciro Gomes of the Democratic Labor Party (PDT) and Governor Flavio Dino of the Communist Party (PCdoB).

The Sunday demonstrations were an initial expression of a long-suppressed class anger against Bolsonaro and the abysmal social inequality that defines Brazilian capitalism. In an act of political cowardice, the PT called for their supporters not to join the demonstrations scheduled for Sunday in order not to offer the government, what it desires, the environment for authoritarian measures. Hours later, the PT stated they were in solidarity with demonstrators and calling for them to take care and not give in to provocateurs.

There is wide significance to the unleashing of brutal police violence on peaceful demonstrators and the ominous resurrection of the reactionary dictatorship-era language of terrorism and infiltrators and external incitement by Bolsonaro and Mourao after a week in which Bolsonaros bourgeois opposition was celebrating police raids on his supporters as the sign of his demise.

The raids had been ordered by Supreme Court (STF) Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who presides over an inquiry on the incitement of far-right demonstrations against the STF by Bolsonaro supporters. It runs parallel to another inquiry, presided by the justice cited by Mourao, Celso de Mello, on the charges presented by former Justice Minister Sergio Moro as he resigned, accusing Bolsonaro of interfering in the Federal Police (PF) to protect his son, Rio de Janeiro Senator Flavio Bolsonaro. Moro charged that Bolsonaro wanted to suppress investigations that might tie his family to criminal organizations known as militias which control gambling and drug trafficking and were also named as responsible for the death squad murder of Rio de Janeiro City Councilor Marielle Franco in 2018.

Both are now at the center of the impeachment articles presented against Bolsonaro by the bourgeois opposition led by the PT, which claims Bolsonaros militia ties, interference in the PF and incitement of the far-right threaten the internal security of Brazilian capitalism.

One of the leading proponents of such charges of Bolsonaro as a threat to internal security of the Brazilian state, Estado de S. Paulo editorialized only a day before Mouraos threats that something is moving in Brazilian society and celebrated that the issuing on Sunday of the so-called We Are Together manifesto, a right-wing piece stating that as was the case with the Direct Elections Now! at the end of the 1964-1985 dictatorship, it is time to leave aside old disputes and seek common good, calling for left, center and right to be united to defend law, order, politics, ethics, families and responsible economics.

The manifesto brought together virtually all of the bourgeois and petty bourgeois opposition to Bolsonaro, from former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso to billionaire banker Alice Setubal to former presidential candidates of the pseudo-left Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL), Guilherme Boulos, Workers Party (PT), Fernando Haddad and his Communist Party running mate, Manuela DAvila.

Every major news outlet, from Globo to Estado de S. Paulo, immediately endorsed the manifesto, which has as a rallying point that Bolsonaro is a threat to Brazilian capitalism for sowing disorder by inciting the far-rightthat is, that opposing Bolsonaro is necessary from the standpoint of avoiding mass political reaction from the working class.

The apparent contradiction between a paper celebrating the opposition to the government in one day and opening its pages for a fascist rant by the vice-president in the next lays bare the unifying feature of such a so-called opposition: its loyalty to bourgeois institutions, and, above all, the repressive apparatus, which they see as being irreversibly demoralized by Bolsonaro.

That includes the criticism made of the manifesto by former PT President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who reportedly refused to sign the manifesto after his handpicked candidate for 2018, Fernando Haddad, in order to placate criticism from PT supporters to its right-wing, law and order language. The next day, however, he endorsed the right-wing manoeuvers on CNN International on Tuesday by saying the House Speaker Rodrigo Maia would have to choose one of 36 impeachment petitions against Bolsonarowhich includes the PTs own petition accusing Bolsonaro of threatening internal securityin a vote.

Even more revealing is the fact that such a unity movement is echoing the campaign spearheaded by the pseudo-left PSOL after Bolsonaros election. This campaign views Bolsonaro as the product of a subversion of an otherwise healthy Brazilian capitalism through a massive fake news campaign.

All of these forces have even adopted PSOLs portrayal of Bolsonaro, according to which his chief crime is not the management of Brazilian capitalism and its absolute disregard for workers lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, or his all-out assault on workers social rights, but being tied to Rios militias, as rogue element of bourgeois rule that should be suppressed in order not to demoralize the bourgeois setup.

Now they are all hailing the fact that the Supreme Court is working to dismantle the virtual militias organized by his supporters, possibly uncovering evidence that could be used in PSOLs petition to annul the 2018 elections because of the spread of fake news. Exposing the right-wing character of this whole movement spearheaded by the PT and the pseudo-left PSOL, Estado de S. Paulo even compares Bolsonaro to the late Hugo Chavez, an unmistakable pro-imperialist trope that is only the corollary of PSOLs campaign against Bolsonaros threats to the bourgeois order.

While Gen. Mourao responds to the objective needs of the Brazilian bourgeoisie as it presides over the worlds most unequal major economy, Bolsonaros fascist drive also feeds on the complicity of the bourgeois opposition, which shares his and Mouraos class interests and fears above all mass social opposition. Such opposition has nothing to do with the massive display of solidarity to US workers and opposition to social inequality and police violence by Brazilian working youth seen since Sunday. This movement must now proceed in conscious opposition to the bourgeois manoeuvers to channel it back behind the capitalist state, tying its hands in face of massive repression.
The Registrar of the Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), Mr Dominic Osei-Boakye has stated that, the physical campuses of the university remains closed despite the easing of the restrictions on Covid -19 pandemic by the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

According to him, the campuses will only be opened to people who want to make admission enquiries and students who need special services.



President Akufo-Addo on Sunday in his 10th address to the nation on May 31, 2020 gave a green light to universities in the country to resume lectures on June 15, 2020.



But a statement issued and signed by the AIT Registrar, he said, the Presidents easing of restrictions was prudent but their students will continue to study and write their examinations through their e-learning system.



He stressed that AIT has all the technological systems in place to continue to run the university online without meeting students physically.



We wish to inform all stakeholders that our physical campuses will remain closed to all stakeholders except people making admission enquiries and students who need special services. AIT has all the technological systems in place to continue to run the university online without meeting students physically. We have successfully run the university using our systems since the ban commenced.The university has a Learning Management System dubbed LEMASS which is effectively utilized in the delivery of online teaching and learning modes for our students, The AIT Registrar hinted.



He added that these systems were not developed as a mere survival measure, as it were, for Covid-19 as in the case of several struggling universities.



In fact, these technological systems cannot be developed in weeks or months to solve specific problem at a time.



Development of such systems and solutions takes years of dedication, discipline and commitment to arrive at a working system fit for the specific educational purpose.



The AIT success story of implementing technology in education predates COVID-19 back to 2009 when it was the only university in Ghana that had a system, which allowed students to submit assignments, access electronic library, partake in quizzes etc.



Lecturers in the university could grade their work online and assess their students in whatever form using the same system.





Therefore, a ban on physical contact with students had zero impact on their operations since they were already using systems.



All the university had to do was to deploy these systems with very few modifications due to the pandemic in order to better serve our students.



In an effort to eliminate any physical interaction between students and the faculty of AIT while still realizing the same outcomes of the teaching and learning experience, the institution deployed a clearly stated protocol to better streamline the entire online learning experience.



The AIT Protocol for the Delivery of the Online Teaching and Learning Program stipulates the five (5) different components of the process namely: Online (Asynchronous) Teaching and Learning, Online (Synchronous) Class Sessions (OCS), Scheduled Online Interaction Sessions (OIS) with learners on pre-planned topics, issues) and/or general issues during Scheduled Online Office Hours of Instructor, Scheduled Online Forum Sessions (FSO) with Instructor and Online Feedback Sessions (OFBS) with Instructor.



Mr Osei-Boakye stated that the health and safety committee of AIT believes that it is still very risky to bring students together, adding that it is even more difficult following the announced protocols to ensure their safety.



We have the safety of our students as our top priority that is why we have for the past ten years used technology to educate our students which reduces significantly over reliance on physical contact. We believe that this is the right time for our students to enjoy all the technologies developed over the years, The AIT Registrar indicated.



He further entreated AIT students and stakeholders to adhere to the safe protocols outlined by President Akuffo-Addo.



With our strength in technology, no student or any other stakeholder of ours will be put at risk by bringing them back to school.



We encourage all our stakeholders to keep safe by following all the protocols outlined, Mr Osei-Boakye advised.



AIT is a leading technology-focused private university.

Source: Daily Graphic









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In small towns and cities that sit squarely in Republican strongholds and rarely see protests, thousands of Oregonians marched, held aloft Black Lives Matter signs and chanted George Floyds name at rallies across the state this week.

They stood in solidarity in Pendleton, La Grande, Hermiston and Coquille as well as Portland suburbs like Happy Valley and Tualatin. They stood outside the courthouse in Prineville and marched into the night in Klamath Falls.

Some wore masks and some didnt, emblematic of the countrys still fresh unease with the novel coronavirus. They gathered on the sidewalk of a state highway in sleepy Monmouth and stood in a small group in Burns, leashed dogs at their feet. They marched by the hundreds from an Albertsons parking lot in Ontario, at the states eastern edge, to City Hall where they took a knee and held a moment of silence. A group of roughly 1,000 protested for 13 hours in Medford.

Less than two weeks after Floyd died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes, protests and demonstrations continue apace in Portland and Eugene, where such expressions are part of the citys DNA.

But this time, the moment of American pain spread to all corners of the state, including those where protests are something you see on the news, not down on Main Street.

Oregon has a black population of just 3%, according to the most recent census figures, far below the national rate of 14%. Protests against anti-black racism occurred this week in small towns where the black population is minuscule but where young Latino populations are booming.

Adam Boyd, a 40-year-old Medford native who works in commercial video production, grabbed his gear and documented what he said was an unprecedented moment in his hometown.

The reason that people are angry right now, I feel like its the most important issue in our country, Boyd, who is white, said of institutionalized racism.

Take the political climate of the country, sprinkle in a global pandemic and multiple months of social isolation and it seemed that nearly every community was ready to explode.

All it needed was one spark to set off the biggest forest fire that well ever see, Boyd said of his town, which is often inundated with wildfire smoke pouring into the Rogue Valley during the summer, And thats where were at.

Kadedra Hackler, a 25-year-old lab specialist at a Pendleton recovery clinic, made signs and stood on a street corner with her husband, Charles, and hundreds of others.

Kadedra Hackler, 25, moved to Pendleton a year ago. She and her husband attended a peaceful protest in Pendleton June 1, 2020.

Kadedra is black. Charles, who grew up in Pendleton, is white. It couldve been my dad, mom, sister, niece, cousins, friends, ME, her sign read in part.

Some passersby flipped off the crowd or gave a thumbs down, Hackler said. But that was the exception.

People were honking their horns and cheering along with us, she said.

On the other side of the Blue Mountains, hundreds gathered on either side of the main drag through La Grande.

John Lamoreau, a 69-year-old social studies teacher who has lived in Union County since 1986, couldnt believe the turnout. There were Eastern Oregon University students, but also a diverse group of locals, young and old, he said.

I was really proud of our community, he said.

ANTIFA BUS RUMORS

While thousands, collectively, gathered peacefully to protest police brutality and demand racial equity measures in those rural counties, there was a common presence at demonstrations in several of the smaller communities in Oregon and in parts of Idaho: armed white men, who were not law enforcement officers, standing guard.

In the past week, false social media rumors spread like a brush fire warning that leftist insurgents would be descending on these historically conservative areas to loot, riot and cause chaos, using the protests as cover.

We heard that there were going to be busloads of antifa coming, Scott Clauson, Medfords police chief, said of the loosely organized antifascist group.

Clauson said those rumors, coming on the heels of property damage in downtown Eugene on Saturday, guided his preparation for Mondays protest. He put a few more officers on the ground in case.

Medfords rally started at the plaza outside City Hall with a sizable contingent, and many took took to the streets and kept marching for hours from there.

Protesters gathered in Medford to protest the death of George Floyd, demonstrations continued for some 13 hours.

In Grants Pass, armed men hung out in a parking lot near a Baskin-Robbins to protect what locals say may be the states largest U.S. flag.

In Coquille, the seat of Coos County, law enforcement said they were inundated with calls in the 36 hours before a planned protest in the rural town of 3,800 people warning that outside agitators would use the small-town protest to cause mayhem.

As in Medford and Grants Pass, none showed up.

But nearly 200 people, some armed, took that rumor seriously. According to the Coos Bay World, a car with a Black Lives Matter sign happened to drive by the crowd and a man wearing the American flag as a cape was seen taking the sign from those in the car and shouting. Deputies recovered the sign, but the driver had already left, the paper said.

According to KOBI-TV, Klamath Falls events were largely peaceful but tense, with many armed men showing up due to antifa rumors. Some at the event were arrested for alcohol-related reasons and disorderly conduct.

The most high-profile arrests took place in La Grande and Medford, both involving white men with guns, though its unclear whether they were motivated to attend due to the false antifa rumors.

In La Grande, a man who was openly carrying a long rifle was arrested after apparently scuffling with protesters.

Lamoreau, the teacher, left before the arrest but said other gun-toting men were not directly confrontational but perhaps misguided. When you show up for a peaceful rally with guns, youre intimidating, he said, whether intentionally provocative or not.

"Would you extend that to people on the other side? he asked of the ability to openly carry a firearm, if a person was black?

In Medford, Boyd and Clauson recalled a tense moment during which a man waved a gun at protesters.

The man was arrested and charged with menacing and disorderly conduct, Clauson said. He was out on bail by the end of that night, but police kept the gun for evidence. Beth Heckert, Jackson Countys District Attorney, said Friday her office was still waiting on police reports before investigating and filing formal charges.

Protests in Medford continued into the night on Monday June 1, 202.

Boyd captured the scene on video amid the crowd. Hed never felt scared of being around someone with a gun but said that moment felt different because of the purpose of the protest. For the first time I felt like I was put into someone elses shoes, he said.

Clauson said while antifa rumors were false, he was still prepared for the unexpected. He said hes consistently fighting falsehoods. Theres been a tremendous amount of disinformation, and its fueled by social media, he said.

The rumors arent limited to those about buses filled with antifa members. Im still getting emails today, Clauson said Thursday, asking why we didnt arrest him, he said of the man his police force arrested for allegedly waving the gun.

Clauson said he thought the protest went well, saying that while there was a lot of passion and anger and frustration among the protesters, they never crossed any line.

We respect peoples right to protest, we want to provide a safe venue for them to do so, were not going to hinder that process, he said, unless theres a threat of harm to people or property.

A large crowd in downtown Pendleton June 1, 2020 during a Black Lives Matter demonstration.

THE CHAIN

Kadedra Hackler has spent every year except for the last one living in the South, in a small town about 45 miles outside Atlanta. She said racism there is more overt, and she described generations of fear she and her relatives felt living among communities where the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups run rampant.

People here have been more aware that there is a problem and dont try to deflect, she said of Pendleton. People have been scared of saying the wrong things and I tell them dont be scared, youll know when you offend me.

Hackler said she felt moved to protest because enough was enough and she feels the national issues surrounding violence against black Americans are too often swept under the rug. There is a problem, and no one wants to address those problems. We just want to be treated like human beings, she said.

Lamoreau, the La Grande teacher, said he held a sign saying Oregon ranks 7th in the nation for the proportion of black residents who are incarcerated. We need to ask ourselves why is this happening, he said.

In Medford, Boyd said he has been awakened as a result of the nationwide furor surrounding Floyds death under the police officers knee and the subsequent murder charges.

If I had children, if one of my kids was killed by anyone for no reason, I would want to burn everything down, Boyd said, Then to have the person that killed your loved one be a police officer, sworn to protect and serve, that would make it that much worse.

He believes its time for real change in Oregon and the country. Something is broken along the chain somewhere, he said.

That chain, Boyd went on, could be viewed as humanity itself. People are supposed to link together.

Everyone, he noted, bleeds the same.

-- Andrew Theen; atheen@oregonian.com; 503-294-4026; @andrewtheen

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The coronavirus death toll in the UK has risen by 204, the Department of Health has confirmed.

It said the total number of deaths from Covid-19 was 40,465 as of 5pm on 5 June, up from 40,261 the day before.

In the 24-hour period up to 9am on 6 June, 218,187 tests were carried out or dispatched.

In total, there have been more than 5,438,000 tests and almost 285,000 confirmed coronavirus cases.

Earlier this week, government data suggested that the true death toll in the UK is much higher than the Department of Health's figure and could be above 50,000.

This number was calculated by adding up the amount of times coronavirus was listed on death certificates from the Office for National Statistics in England and Wales, the National Records of Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

The estimation was also based on up-to-date figures from NHS England, Public Health Wales and the Northern Ireland Department of Health.

There are now growing fears over a second wave of the virus, after the R rate in the north-west was revealed to be over 1 on Friday.

In the government's press briefing on Friday afternoon, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, admitted that the government faced a "challenge" in the northwest and southwest regions.

On Saturday, a former Scottish chief scientific adviser called for an inquiry into the government's handling of the pandemic to be delivered within months - in time for a possible second wave of the virus.

Professor Dame Anne Glover, who performed the role from 2006 to 2011, said: "Given that second wave is likely to come at a time that is likely to coincide with seasonal influenza, and that would give us serious problems, we really need to understand what the failings have been in our apparent inability to be able to deal with this pandemic appropriately."

She stressed that the UK could suffer "very many more needless deaths" during the winter if a "rapid and transparent" inquiry did not go ahead, looking at issues such as track and trace systems and personal protective equipment.

"Nobody's perfect and it is OK to make a mistake but it would be inexcusable to make the same mistake twice," she added.

Additional reporting from PA
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio - The town braced for the worst on Wednesday afternoon as word got around: A protest was starting. Concrete barricades went up, and city offices were dismissed early. State troopers showed up. Social media hummed with details and outrage over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis.

At 3 p.m., though, there was no raucous crowd or passionate chants, just eight people standing in awkward silence. A couple of police officers stood around chatting with demonstrators, most of whom had never been to a protest. An elderly woman in a red T-shirt and sneakers said she could only protest for an hour because she had to go home and feed her cat. A few high school students nervously held handmade signs and snapped selfies. No one seemed to know what to do.

The scene surprised Vanessa Enoch, a Democrat running a long-shot campaign for Congress in Ohio's solidly red 8th District. "I thought I was going to find an organized protest and talk to the leader," said Enoch, a black woman and self-described activist. "I thought I would find speakers and all sorts of things that were organized because that is the type of protest rally I am accustomed to."

But Middletown, whose population is under 50,000, isn't accustomed to any type of rally. "You just don't see protests like this in Middletown," said Samantha Reynolds, a 23-year-old preschool teacher with a magenta ponytail and first-time demonstrator.

Enoch ended up stepping in to fire up the crowd, which began chanting, "Say his name. George Floyd!" The group began marching, at first tentatively, then more confidently. The crowd began to grow. Shirtless teenagers ran out of the YMCA to join. Customers stepped out of coffee shops. Good Samaritans hastily bought bottled water to hand out in the 90-degree heat. Onlookers honked or gave thumbs-ups. What started as a handful of protesters grew into an organized march of 80.

As protests over Floyd's death exploded across American cities over the past nine days, marked by huge crowds and intense police confrontations, another type of protest is playing out in small Midwestern towns unaccustomed to activism. In Ohio, majority-white places like Piqua (population 21,200), Troy (population 26,132) and Celina (population 10,607) saw demonstrations in front of Dairy Queens, county courthouses and strip malls.

"It's pretty rare," Piqua Mayor Kris Lee said of protests in his town. In fact, Lee couldn't recall a single other protest other than a KKK rally about 20 years ago.

Piqua has had a particularly uneasy relationship to race. Like many speck-on-the-map Midwestern cities and villages, black and white residents lived in de facto segregation until the changes of the civil rights era. But it was also in Piqua, which sits along the banks of the plodding, cocoa-colored Great Miami River, that the "Randolph slaves" arrived from Virginia in 1846 after a powerful plantation owner freed 383 in a deathbed crisis of conscience. It was one of the largest manumissions of the pre-Civil War era.

Many of the descendants live in the area to this day, including Lee, who was the first black mayor elected in this overwhelmingly white city, where 100 people, mostly white, turned out to march against racism.

Lee, a former police officer, said the modest turnout is impressive for Piqua's size. "Residents here recognize it wasn't just a tragedy for black people, but it was a tragedy for everyone," Lee said of Floyd's death.

Piqua is the seat of Miami County, which broke overwhelmingly for Donald Trump in 2016. But political lines seem to have blurred when it comes to Floyd, Lee said.

Other small towns across the Midwest have experienced similar epiphanies in the past week. One of the organizers of a recent march in Celina describes the city's reaction to Floyd's death as a watershed moment for the town, where 100 people gathered outside the courthouse on Sunday, chanting and holding signs.

Kelsey Swann, a 21-year-old Celina resident who is mixed race, joined organizers Domonique and Laina Williams as they led a march. None of them had been involved in, much less organized, a protest before.

"As we started our walk, people started joining us," Swann said, estimating that the crowd had doubled to over 200 by the end of the march.

"It was phenomenal," Swann said, adding that she felt, for the first time, that Celina understood the path she and other people of color walk every day. Or at least they wanted to. Swann said that even the few detractors - a handful of people who showed up with Confederate flags - hopefully came away with something.

"I wanted them all to know that they were loved," Swann said.

Jack Bloom - a professor of sociology and anthropology at Indiana University's campus in Gary, a city roiled by race issues over the years - has participated in and studied the civil rights movement in the United States for the past 50 years. The breadth of the Floyd protest movement in small Midwestern towns has surprised him.

"I am shocked. I am amazed by what I have seen," Bloom said.

The only modern-day parallel in small towns that he could find is the reaction to the secret bombing of Cambodia in 1970 and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.

"I think people are outraged at Floyd's death," Bloom said. "Will this go beyond to other issues? Nobody can answer that question." The grievances Floyd's death has tapped into are the same in Kokomo, Ind., as they are in Chicago, he says.

In these smaller towns, white residents are making up the majority of the protesters.

"These are all sundown towns that had a history of racial issues," Bloom said, adding that it is heartening to see what could be a new transformational awareness.

Samuel Johnson Jr. grew up in Middletown and is now a high school principal in Columbus. He said the fact that Floyd's death was so visible on video and that the arrest was for a misdemeanor made it something that resonated everywhere.

"No matter if you are in a large city or small town, you can empathize with George Floyd and come to the conclusion that this was an unnecessary loss of life and something needs to be done about it," Johnson, who is black, said.

Meanwhile, back in Celina, Kelsey Swann feels her future is changing. Swann was well-known at her high school for being involved in musicals and plays, and she was runner-up in the city's Miss Lake contest. She planned to leave Celina soon for a bigger city with more opportunity and diversity. Sunday's march changed that.

"I feel like I need to stay to make a difference. I know I touched people here," Swann said. "I need to stay here to fix this, to help make this county or city what it can be. We are not perfect, but we are not horrible either," Swann said.

She's already making plans for more marches.
For florist Laura Gomez and many other Barcelona residents, the COVID-19 pandemic has one silver lining, amid all the death and suffering.

For the first time in decades, locals wont feel outnumbered by the throngs of foreign visitors that flood Spains top tourist destination each summer.

No one doubts that their absence will deepen Spains pandemic-induced economic slump, but those like Gomez who have avoided infection hope to enjoy at least a few weeks respite from mass tourism, which they believe is ruining their hometown.

Las Ramblas are ours again, Gomez said, tending the flower stall her family has run for four generations in a prime location on that iconic Barcelona promenade. She reopened it last week after two months of lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 27,000 in Spain.

Where caricature artists normally hawk their works and the incessant chatter of the flowing crowds masks all gentler sounds, you can now hear something unfamiliar: birdsong.

You cant imagine how annoying it is with tourists, Gomez said. People asking you all day long where the cathedral is, where the beach is. I am not a tourist information office!

She still sells her dwindling number of local clients cut roses and sunflowers, bouquets, seed packets and potted geraniums, shunning the cacti in souvenir mugs that are a staple of other flower stalls.

Tourists only want to take a photo, why would they want to buy flowers? said Gomez. No one lives here anymore. Go to the outer neighborhoods and you see people in the street. Here the people couldnt take it any more and left.

Some, however, miss the vibrancy they say tourists provide.

It is a pity to see Las Ramblas like this, said Jose Montero, who works nearby and lunches daily at an outdoor restaurant on the street. Las Ramblas needs life.

The citys other top site, Antoni Gaudis La Sagrada Familia Basilica with its sandcastle-like spires, remains closed. Without the gawking multitudes, the only sign of life outside was an elderly man dozing on a bench.

But whatever their feelings on tourism, Barcelonas residents are about to feel the economic pain of living without a huge chunk of the 10 million foreigners who visit each year.

Unlike Italy, which is opening up to foreign tourists, Spain is waiting until July to lift its 14-day quarantine on incoming travelers  despite pressure to restart its economy that relies on tourism for 12% of its activity. The national statistics office said on Monday that zero tourists arrived in April. A year earlier, 7 million tourists spent 7 billion euros ($7.8 billion) in Spain.

While Europe considers how to safely resume continental travel during a pandemic, Spains government is encouraging Spaniards to vacation domestically. Catalonias separatist-led regional government has even launched a tourism campaign to attract people from elsewhere in Spain.

Many business owners and workers, however, fear they may not make it without foreigner customers.

Jesus Martin runs the Can Ramonet restaurant specializing in paella near Barcelonas seaside. He is unsure whether he can cover his costs with local clients.

This place has been in my family for three generations, so staying open is about more than just money, Martin said. We depend on foreign tourists... I am not sure if we can get by with just Spaniards.

Barcelona became one of the worlds top destinations after using the 1992 Summer Olympics to showcase its Mediterranean climate and cuisine, mesmerizing architecture, and liberal lifestyle.

Visitors kept on coming, despite a terror attack on Las Ramblas in 2017 and rioting by Catalan separatists last year. The city of just 1.6 million people welcomed a record 11.9 million tourists in 2019, almost 10 million of them from abroad.

But even though the sector provides Barcelona with 15% of its economic activity and 10% of its jobs, a growing number of citizens have soured on tourism. A survey of 3,600 residents by the city hall last year found that 61% felt Barcelona could not handle greater inflows.

Graffiti saying Tourists, go home popped up, along with protests against short-term rental platforms like Airbnb which residents blame for driving up real estate prices and forcing locals to move out. Many complain about the replacement of family-run stores by global chains, and the rowdy behavior of foreign youths lured by low-cost flights.

Barcelona has become a top destination for cheap, drunk partying. Im all for partying, but Im the first one to go out on my balcony and shout for people to be quiet, said Mario, who did not share his last name because he works in the tourism sector.

Mario was rollerblading along a beachfront free of rental bikes and Segways weaving around couples taking selfies. In place of sun-baked bodies luxuriating in the warm sun and gentle breeze, the sand was occupied by a handful of families who flouted a temporary prohibition on sunbathing and let their children frolic in the surf.

The beach has become wholesome and pure again, Mario said.

Rafaela Perez and her husband considered the hiatus from the hubbub bittersweet as they lingered on the boardwalk.

It is glorious to have all this space for ourselves, but we know that it is not good for the economy, the 63-year-old Perez said. We have neighbors who are having (financial) difficulties. And the worst is yet to come.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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Mumbai:

Coast Guard is undertaking Operation Utsav to provide seaward security and safety cover to people during Ganesh Visarjan days. The cover was in force during visarjan days on September 6 and 9 and will be in force tomorrow and September 15-16.

Coast Guard Regional Headquarters (West), Worli is deploying Fast Patrol Vessel, Interceptor Boat, Hovercraft and Helicopter on random patrol off Mumbai coast.

This is for being extra vigilant and provide surveillance against seaward threats and assisting civil authorities during Ganpati Visarjan, a CG official said.

The operation forms part of Coast Guard efforts towards realizing its motto of 'We protect' at Sea, the official said in a statement.

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A 41-year-old man who has recovered from COVID-19 died from complications due to the virus infection more than two weeks after being discharged, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Saturday (6 June). The case is Singapores youngest COVID-19 casualty.

Singapores youngest COVID-19 casualty

The Chinese national, identified as case 11714, died on Thursday (4 June) and is the 25th person in Singapore to die from complications due to COVID-19.

According to MOH, the man had recovered from the infection and was discharged on 17 May. He collapsed on 4 June and the Coroner has certified that the cause of death was massive pulmonary thromboembolism following SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 is the strain of coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

741 new coronavirus cases, singapore's youngest COVID-19 casualty

Image source: File

Mayo Clinic defines pulmonary embolism is a blockage in one of the pulmonary arteries in your lungs. In most cases, pulmonary embolism is caused by blood clots that travel to the lungs from deep veins in the legs or, rarely, from veins in other parts of the body (deep vein thrombosis).

No other information was provided about the case.

COVID-19 Patients With Blood Clots and Heart Disease

In a written reply to Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Leon Pereras question on patients with COVID-19 experiencing above-average rates of blood clots and heart disease, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said the ministry has issued an advisory to all doctors on 20 May to highlight the emerging data on these risks. Mr Gan said doctors have been advised to be watchful for cardiovascular symptoms in COVID-19 patients, and to provide guidance on the evaluation and management of such patients.

About 1 in 1000 experienced cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and blood clots so far, Mr Gan said.

Citing international data, Mr Gan added that COVID-190 patients admitted to the intensive care unit are at higher risk, as they are immobile for prolonged periods and may have multiple co-morbidities.

Story continues

new cases reported, singapore's youngest COVID-19 casualty

Image source: National University Hospital/Facebook

Doctors here should take take extra precautions such as monitoring [the propensity for the blood to clot] closely, he said.

In some cases, anti-coagulants or blood thinners are used to prevent blood clot formation. However, use of anti-coagulants must be weighed against the risk of bleeding, and our doctors will decide on a case by case basis, Mr Gan added.

As COVID-19 is a new disease, we are learning more about it as we go along. MOH will continue to monitor the emerging evidence, and work with our clinical experts to ensure the best possible care and outcomes for our COVID-19 patients Mr Gan concluded.

Additional 344 cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore on Saturday

MOH has confirmed and verified an additional 344 cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore on Saturday (6 June). Of the new cases, 7 are community cases including three Singaporeans/Permanent Residents (PR), and four work permit holders.

Of the 7 cases in the community, 5 are asymptomatic, but we had swabbed them as part of our proactive surveillance and screening, MOH said.

Amongst the 3 Singaporeans/PRs, one is a family member of a previously confirmed case, and had already been quarantined earlier. Another is a cleaner at the preschool section of an international school and was tested as part of the governments proactive screening of preschool staff. Meanwhile, epidemiological investigations are ongoing for the remaining case Singaporean/PR case.

Meanwhile, all 4 Work Permit holders had been picked up as a result of proactive screening. Of these, three cases were tested as part of our efforts to screen workers in essential services, and one case was tested as part of our screening of migrant workers deployed at public healthcare institutions. The patient had been doing building maintenance works at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and had not interacted with hospital staff or patients.

A case from the public healthcare sector was also reported on Saturday.

The patient, a 27-year-old male Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to affected countries or regions. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 5 June, and is currently warded at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases. He is employed as a physiotherapist at Tampines Polyclinic but had not gone to work since onset of symptoms, MOH said.

Separately, 350 more cases of COVID-19 infection have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities. According to MOH, a total of 24,559 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospitals or community care facilities.

ALSO READ: Social Distancing is Dead: Crowds Observed Outside School, Within Supermarkets as Restrictions Ease

The post COVID-19: Case Dies More Than 2 Weeks After Recovery; Blood Clot In Lung Artery Said To Be Cause Of Death appeared first on theAsianparent - Your Guide to Pregnancy, Baby & Raising Kids.
Chinese Mask Maker Charged With Selling Defective N95 Respirators

A Chinese manufacturer has been charged with exporting nearly half a million defective masks claiming to meet the N95 standard, the Justice Department announced on Friday.

King Year Packaging and Printing Co. Ltd manufactured 495,200 faulty and misbranded masks that claimed to be N95 respirators and sent the products to the United States for sale, prosecutors said. The masks, however, fell well below N95 filtration standards, the department added.

Prosecutors said the masks appealed directly to health professionals, with the packaging containing logos of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, when it was not approved by those two agencies.

The charges alleged in this complaint show a blatant disregard for the safety of American citizens, Acting FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski said in a statement.

According to the complaint, the manufacturer spread false documents attesting to the authenticity of the purported N95 respirators and filed a fraudulent registration statement with the FDA.

Workers produce protective masks for export at a factory in Nanchang, China, on April 8, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

In a complaint filed at a federal court in Brooklyn, the Chinese company was charged with three counts of violating the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, and one felony count of making a false statement, the department said.

For each charge, King Year faces a maximum fine of $500,000 or the greater for twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss from the sale of the faulty masks.

The charges come as part of a federal effort to stem the influx of counterfeit and substandard medical gear entering into the country during the pandemic.

In early May, the FDA barred more than 60 N95-type mask manufacturers in China from exporting to the United States, after testing found that many of their products far short of quality standards.

In April, Missouri recalled thousands of KN95 masks from China that had been distributed to first responders, after testing found that that they did not meet standards.

Outside of the United States, a slew of countries, from Finland to the Netherlands, have in recent months recalled or sent back faulty masks, test kits, and protective suits from Chinese manufacturers.
Washington, June 6 : US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook said that a diplomatic door was still open for a wider negotiation with Tehran US President Donald Trump "has had the door open to diplomacy for many years", Hook said on Friday, a day after Iran freed US Navy veteran Michael White after nearly two years.

"We would like to see the (Iranian) regime meet our diplomacy with diplomacy," he was quoted as saying by the Xinhua news agency.

Hook said that US-Iranian contacts have so far been limited to mutual release of prisoners, and not concerned issues like Iran's nuclear program.

However, he reiterated that the US will stick to its policy of harsh economic sanctions on Iran, designed to force the Middle East country back to the so-called negotiating table over the Iranian nuclear program.

The release of White came a day after Sirous Asgari, an Iranian scientist detained by the US government, had returned to Iran.

US and Iranian officials however, have insisted that it was not a prisoner exchange and two cases were not linked.

Relations between the United States and Iran have become increasingly hostile since the Trump administration's unilateral exit from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018.

Washington has been mounting pressure on Tehran through a series of sanctions.

Iran has maintained a tough stance and scaled back its nuclear commitments in response.
Fifty-eight lakh migrant workers stranded across the country have been ferried to their native places amid the Covid-19 lockdown, Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman Railway Board told reporters on Saturday.

Indian Railways has conducted the operation by running 4,286 Shramik special trains till now, Yadav said.

4,286 shramik special trains carrying over 58 lakh migrants to their destined places have been operated till now. The demand for these trains has decreased from 250 to about 137 per day. We operated 56 trains in the last 2 days: Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman Railway Board pic.twitter.com/eWNUwx0HKI  ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2020

He also said that the demand for these trains has been on a decline. The demand for these trains has decreased from 250 to about 137 per day. We operated 56 trains in the last 2 days, he stated.

Meanwhile, the central government in an affidavit has stated that the migrant workers have been provided with food, drinking water, medicines, clothes, slippers and other essentials free of cost, depending upon the requirements. In the affidavit, the Centre stated that, along with the support of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), migrant workers who were found walking on roads were provided with transportation to the nearest railway stations.

Indian Railways suspended operations amid the coronavirus lockdown in March, soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the first phase of the lockdown on March 25. Shramik Special trains were started from May 1 in Centres bid to ferry stranded migrant workers to their native states during amid the Covid-19 lockdown.

The Centre has stated in its affidavit that whenever necessary, the migrants are provided with food, drinking water, medicines, clothes, slippers and other essentials free of cost, depending upon the requirements. https://t.co/MkFH2uqSQn  ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2020

On May 12, 30 passenger trains to and from the national capital were also pressed into service followed by another 200 interstate passenger trains that were started from June 1 in Centres plan to resume rail services across the country in a staggered manner amid the coronavirus crisis.
Suspected COVID-19 patients, ranging moderate to severe categories, cannot be denied admission by any hospital in Delhi, according to an official order released on Saturday.

The decision comes in the wake of several complaints that people showing symptoms of coronavirus infection are not allowed to get admitted in various facilities.

The new order, issued by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday, prohibits hospitals from denying admission to patients suspected of having the coronavirus infection.

Earlier on Saturday, the chief minister had assured citizens there was no shortage of hospital beds in the capital for Covid-19 patients even as he lashed out at private hospitals for indulging in black marketing of beds and charging patients lakhs of rupees.

Several people had taken to social media to complain that they have been unable to get their relatives tested at Delhi hospitals or get them admitted. Kejriwal said his government has taken note of the matter and decided to deploy medical professionals at each private hospital to keep a tab on available beds.

According to the order, all hospitals operating in Delhi, whether run by the city government, Centre, local bodies, the army or private facilities, shall ensure no patient who has COVID-19 symptoms and falls in moderate or severe category is denied admission on the pretext that he or she does not have a coronavirus test report.

The directions have been given to medical superintendents, medical directors and heads of various facilities in Delhi.

The order says all such patients can be kept in COVID-19 suspected patients area till their test reports are received. Kejriwal also shared a copy of it on Twitter.

"Accordingly, if found positive, then he/she shall be kept in a COVID hospital or shall be transfer to a non-COVID hospital for further management," it said.

No hospital can now deny admission to suspect patients. pic.twitter.com/Sodij7KdCC Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 6, 2020

Kejriwal earlier said the Delhi government will depute medical professionals at all hospitals who will update the availability of beds for coronavirus patients on an official app and ensure the admission of such patients.

Kejriwal in a virtual media briefing said his government will issue an order that no hospitals will refuse admission to suspected COVID-19 patients and that it will be their responsibility to test and treat such persons. He also dismissed claims that COVID-19 tests have been stopped in Delhi, and asserted that the number of tests conducted in the city is the highest in the country.

Most private hospitals in Delhi are good but some of them are demanding money for beds, which is nothing but "black-marketing", Kejriwal said.

"We will take strong action against such hospitals and they cannot refuse patients. Some time will be needed to break the mafia who are indulging in it. These few hospitals have political approach but they should not be under the illusion that their political masters can save them," he said.

The government is talking to the owners of private hospitals to determine their problems in reserving 20% of their beds for COVID-19 patients, he said, adding that private hospitals are a critical part of Delhi's health infrastructure and the Delhi government acknowledges their role.
Researchers have identified proteins in the blood of coronavirus (Covid-19) patients which are linked to disease severity, an advance that may lead to markers that provide information on the progression of their illness. The scientists, including those from the University of Cambridge in the UK, said people respond very differently to infection with the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.

They said that while some patients develop no symptoms at all, others may get very sick and even die. In the current study, published in the journal Cell Systems, the researchers assessed the blood ...
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The brutal killing of George Floyd allegedly by a police officer has not only led to nationwide protests in the United States (US), but it also had a spillover effect in other cities of the world. The action of the police against the victim seems to be devoid of the procedural reason that shapes and regulates the criminal justice system. It can be designated as excess in reason, and hence is thoughtless. It seems to go beyond the ethical, as it defies the harnessing power of human emotions that has an arresting impact on the racial outrage. It is in this sense that the police action is also heartless. The police action suggests that reason as well as emotion seem to have lost control over the functioning of the police.

The police action seems to be lacking in procedural reason on the following grounds. First, as the images of the incident in the media show, such an action was not triggered either from aggressive or defensive resistance by the victim. Second, one could not hear Floyd casting derogatory or disrespectful comments on the police officer. In fact, he was making a desperate plea that he cant breathe. Third, the police action seems to have resulted from the over-criminalisation of non-violent offences, such as alleged use of fake currency by the victim. However, was the police action really in proportion to the provisions and procedures given in the manual of the criminal justice system of the US? Finally, the police action leading to the instant death of Floyd necessarily throttles the due process of law that would guarantee justice to a victim of police excesses.
Dateline NLD Missteps and What They Would Herald for 2020 Election

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Kyaw Zwa Moe: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! We can see that the leader of the Myanmar government and the National League for Democracy (NLD) Daw Aung San Suu Kyi continues to win the respect and support of the majority of the people. But at the same time, most of the people are frustrated due to wrong comments and actions and the inability of some cabinet members, ministers and chief ministers who she appointed. The next general election is due to be held this year, and it can be said that this year is the last year of the NLD governments term.

I will discuss with NLD Central Information Unit Secretary Monywa Aung Shin why the party could not get the right people in the right places over the past four years and whether the party will ever be able to get the right people in the right places and continue to enjoy popularity, and to what extent people will show patience. I am The Irrawaddy English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe.

It is now June 2020 and Myanmar is experiencing COVID-19 cases but the numbers are declining. The election is scheduled to be held in November 2020. How will the NLD be doing by then? My assessment is that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is still very popular with the people. But some individuals, including the ministers she chose, have disappointed the citizens. Party officials, including you, have said that in the 2020 election, the NLD may not achieve as large a landslide victory as it did in 2015 but may win enough seats to form the government. This should be largely because of the weakness of the NLD government and problems created by the ministers and chief ministers, I believe. What is your assessment of the current situation and expectations for the coming election for the existing cabinet of the NLD?

Monywa Aung Shin: For the time being, I think the party is giving priority to selecting candidates for the election. The executive committees of township chapters select the candidates, and the lists of nominees are then submitted to relevant region and state-level chapters, and then to the Central Executive Committee (CEC). I mean the CEC is the key and makes the final decision in selecting candidates.

KZM: There might have been weaknesses in selecting candidates in the 2015 election, and I had heard of the same problems in the 1990 election. Some also say that some lawmakers fail to perform their duties. Do you think good candidates can be chosen this time?

MAS: We will try our best. We know that the consequences we are seeing today are due to the weakness in selecting candidates in 2015. I dont want to say who made the selection. It is done now. It is true that there was weakness. Due to its impacts, we cant win the publics approval over the past four years. People are not satisfied with lawmakers and cabinet members including Union ministers, chief ministers and ministers of region and state governments. We guess that they did not win the publics approval. We have a research committee tasked with surveying public satisfaction regarding the cabinet members.

KZM: What did the research committee find out?

MAS: As everyone is saying, there are a lot of weaknesses. I am embarrassed to reveal the details.

KZM: The NLDs popularity with the people has declined five years into its administration. It is partly due to the cabinet members chosen by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as well as the policies of the government. The government was unable to push for peace in ethnic-majority areas or make charter amendments. But charter reform is difficult and needs a lot of negotiation with the military leadership. So, setting this aside, ministers and chief ministers apparently are not able to fully perform their duties.

MAS: Yes, there are a lot.

KZM: There are 24 ministries at the Union level in our country and 14 chief ministers in regions and states, totaling 38 individuals. So my question is, cant the NLD find 38 good options, internally or from outside?

There were problems when the NLD started to choose ministers in 2015, 2016. There were media reports about those issues. Former finance and planning minister U Kyaw Win described himself as a PhD degree holder in his CV. He himself confessed that it was a fake doctoral degreeafter it was exposed. It was widely covered in the media and drew widespread criticisms. But why did the party keep someone, who made a false statement on his CV, in his ministerial position and why did [the NLD] fail to handle it earlier? He was only dismissed on corruption charges after two yearsso two years were wasted.

There were also similar things, say, the case of the Yangon chief minister most recently. He violated the governments ban on mass gatherings. The party CEC issued a warning to him and the Presidents Office asked him to explain. This is just one of the cases. Why couldnt Daw Aung San Suu Kyi or the NLD fix these things over the past four years? The question is why cant the party replace the officials who have been the subject of widespread complaints?

MAS: It is a good question, but also tough too. Personally, I know well about selecting candidates for election but I dont know much about the appointment of cabinet members. They are mainly chosen by our leaders. They are, I think, nominated by certain groups.

KZM: I heard that it was the intellectuals or think tank of the NLD that nominated ministers.

MAS: It was not like that. There is a Central Economic Committee in the NLD. Some economic officials, but not all, were appointed based on recommendations of that committee. As far as I know, the final decision was made by the party leadership, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the president. I dont know what criteria they used in the selection.

KZM: Yes, it would be better to get this question answered by them. Some got the positions because [the party leadership] didnt know them well. But [the party leadership] should know them after one or two years.

MAS: Yes, by that time, they should have clear understanding of their capacity.

KZM: Some ministers and chief ministers have not worked much while some, far from working hard, have even made the people disappointed. Some ministers have also made inappropriate remarks, so people are frustrated. They are apparently tarnishing the image of the NLD. Why did the NLD or the NLD-led government not fix these issues quickly, in line with the interests of the people? This is the question people want to ask, and it has led to frustration. People say the NLD may not repeat the same electoral victory of 2015 due to the facts I have mentioned. How would you fix it in the months to come?

MAS: As I have said, we have to try a lot. The main driving force of the party is Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The party is driven by her. We may not win the landslide victory like we did in 2015 as you said. But to make an assessment, based on the COVID-19 response of the government and activities of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, I believe we will secure an electoral victory close to that in 2015. There is frustration with lawmakers and cabinet members. But their shortcomings will be compensated for by activities of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and others.

KZM: Yes, there might be capable officials and the majority still supports the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. But as a major party, it failed to create harmony with ethnic groups. NLD leaders have confessed that they need to fix this, but I think it is a bit late.

MAS: The party is not yet ready for it.

KZM: If so, distrust among ethnic people of the NLD as a Bamar party will only grow in ethnic areas.

MAS: Yes, it is true, especially in Rakhine and Shan states. The situation is comparatively better in Kachin State. We have to try a lot [to win the election] in northern Rakhine as well as in northern Shan State though it is likely that we can win some seats in southern and eastern Shan State, according to our research. Even if we lose in some [Bamar-majority] regions, it will only be a few seats. According to our survey, we are likely to win in some constituencies which we lost in the 2015 election.

KZM: In 2015, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi urged voters to cast votes for her party without considering the capacity of party candidates. Then people only chose between pro-democracy parties on one side and parties that are against democracy on the other. But now, it appears that voters will weigh the capacities of candidates this time. Only then will it be fair. Though a party is a pro-democracy party, if its candidate is incapable or runs in the election just for personal interests, voters will not vote for him. What policy will the NLD apply in this years election? Will it continue to say just vote for the party?

MAS: I would like to explain about it. We contested the 2015 election based on the slogan dont look at the person but the party. As we had to hurry, we were not able to conduct campaigns systematically. So we adopted that slogan and won the victory. The second party conference was held in 2018 and the central committee meeting was held the following year. I noticed that the CEC raised questions about it at those two meetings: the report of the CEC said the strategy of dont look at the person but the party is no longer practical. It called for reviewing it. But we also cant neglect the party. It is the foundation. My view is that people will continue to support the NLD. But then, our party has a responsibility to choose the right people for the right places, for the sake of people.

KZM: But, the right people arent in the right places.

MAS: Yes, they are not. There are many who are not in the right places. It is from the weaknesses of lawmakers. Some local governments still cant settle land confiscation disputes in their regions. There are still complaints about land disputes. And there are also corruption cases.

KZM: It appears that people are satisfied that the NLD and the Anti-Corruption Commission have taken legal action against former Tanintharyi Region chief minister Daw Lei Lei Maw. But as Ive said, since the wrong people were chosen, there were problems along the way. It is good that action was taken against her, but there are many other cases.

MAS: Yes, many go unpunished.

KZM: People know about those cases, but cant action be taken against [the perpetrators]?

MAS: As far as I know, some cases are even known by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

KZM: Yes, that is the point. Even ordinary people know about it. So, they ask why such disreputable and incapable high-ranking officials, either ministers or chief ministers, cant be replaced? They wonder if it is because the NLD is short on capable individuals.

MAS: It is not because the party is short of capable individuals. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi might have her norms around the choices she has made. I think she has chosen the ex-officials of the former government for her cabinet so that her party members can gain experience from them and the administration can function smoothly. This is why only a few from our party are involved in the administration.

KZM: But, voters cast votes for the NLD because they like Daw Aung San Suu Kyis leadership. So they may accept anyone she appoints, but if the appointee can do nothing after some time, she might need to review [the appointment]. This is the question people are asking.

MAS: Yes, we know. The election is just months away, and [the NLD leadership] might think they will just let the ministers complete their term.

KZM: It can be said that people are extremely patient. They have tolerated this for more than four years. The responsibility falls on government leaders and leaders of the party elected by the people.

MAS: The party leadership is mainly responsible.

KZM: I am afraid people will not show patience next time.

MAS: There is a saying people dont tolerate twice. They will tolerate for small issues, but not big ones.

KZM: The government should be responsible and accountable.

MAS: Yes, it is.

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McDonald's is set to bring back its breakfast menu and reopen another 500 restaurants as it continues to emerge from lockdown.

The fast food chain hopes to trial bringing back its breakfast menu over the next few weeks.

McDonald's CEO in the UK and Ireland Paul Pomroy said that McDonald's were working hard to bring their full menu back but only when it was safe to do so.

He expects to be trialling the return of the breakfast within a few weeks.

This follows the news that 500 more restaurants will be reopened in the next week following on from three days of restaurants being reopened this week by McDonald's.

STOURBRIDGE: Cars queue to be served at a McDonald's Drive Thru in Stourbridge on June 4

HUDDERSFIELD: An aerial shot shows cars circling a McDonald's in Huddersfield on June 3

WESTON-SUPER-MARE: A complex queuing system was set up at a McDonald's in Weston-super-Mare on June 2

With breakfast back, what will be included in McDonalds' limited menu? Main Menu: Cheeseburger Hamburger Double Cheeseburger Big Mac Quarter Pounder with Cheese McChicken Sandwich Filet-O-Fish Chicken McNuggets Chicken Selects The breakfast menu (in a few weeks) Sides & Desserts: Fries Mozzarella Dippers McFlurry (Oreo, Maltesers, Smarties) Fruit Bag What's Out? No milkshakes or smoothies No chicken wraps There are no promotional items, such as the Big Tasty Range No carrot stick bags, apple pies or muffins Advertisement

With the extra 500 openings the chain restaurants will now have more than 1,000 stores open again to customers.

However, all stores continue to operate only drive-thru or delivery services as customers are still not allowed inside the restaurants.

Paul Pomroy said: 'Next week we will switch McDelivery back on in over 500 restaurants, with the help of our delivery partners Uber Eats and Just Eat.

'As with our Drive Thru operations, it might take a little longer and we expect demand to once again be high and both of these factors might impact service times.

'But I know you'll continue to show the patience we've seen all week and I thank you again for your understanding.'

It is not yet known which 500 stores will be the next to open.

McDonald's have been serving a limited menu since starting to reopen but now they have announced that their breakfast menu is making a return.

The fast-food chain started reopening to the public on June 2 when 168 restaurants were opened offering drive-thru services and an extra 22 stores were offering deliveries.

The next day, 497 more drive-thru restaurants opened with 42 of those also offering delivery.

On June 4 McDonald's reopened another 261 restaurants which took the total number of stores back open to just under 1,000.

Customers using the drive-thru service can pre-order their meals on the McDonald's app but are asked to limit their spend to 25

Customers have been sitting in tailbacks stretching for miles all week to get their hands on Happy Meals and Big Macs as the chain gradually reopened restaurants with new social distancing measures and a 25 spending cap in place.

But furious onlookers in Wolverhampton slammed drivers who refused to move out of the way for an ambulance with blue flashing lights.

Tia-anne Sterling shared footage of the emergency vehicle battling to get through traffic, writing: 'I am absolutely appalled to see how selfish people are. No one is letting these ambulances through. I feel sick.

'Imagine if this was an ambulance for a loved one, or someone close to you! What has the world come to.'

A spokesman for the West Midlands Ambulance Service said: 'We can confirm an ambulance on the way to a patient got slightly delayed on Penn Road in Wolverhampton just after 3pm yesterday. However, the crew still arrived on scene within 15 minutes of the call being made. The call was categorised as C3, which carries a target time of 120 minutes, so this had no effect on patient care.'

LIVINGSTON: Security walks along a line of cars queuing at a McDonald's in Livingston, Scotland

This ambulance battled to get through traffic in Wolverhampton. Tia-anne Sterling shared footage of the emergency vehicle battling to get through traffic, writing: 'I am absolutely appalled to see how selfish people are. No one is letting these ambulances through. I feel sick'




By Trend

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) together with the Azerbaijani government will begin to develop a new program starting from the second half of 2020, Melek Chakmak, Head of the FAO Partnership and Liaison Office in Azerbaijan, told Trend.

The program will cover the period of 2021-2025, Chakmak added.

She said that discussions will be held on a new program for planning measures in accordance with the requirements and tasks of the current period.

"As known, the FAO organization has been cooperating with Azerbaijan for more than 20 years. This cooperation is planned on the basis of five-year program documents and is aimed at supporting the country's top priority areas," Chakmak noted.

Head of the office said the framework program of cooperation between the government of Azerbaijan and the FAO, covering 2016-2020, provides for the implementation of various measures and projects on ensuring sustainable agriculture and food stability in the country, supporting the development of six priority sectors in the field of forestry and fish farming.

"Naturally, our main goal is to ensure food security of the country, reduce dependence on agricultural imports, stimulate exports, and also for more efficient use of natural resources," she emphasized.

Concluding the results of the five-year projects of the current Partnership Program, which ends in 2020, Chakmak said that most of the goals have been achieved within the framework of this program.

In November 2016, the FAO and the Azerbaijani government signed the Partnership Program for 2016-2020.

Azerbaijan has been a member of the FAO since 1995. The organizations office in the country has been operating since 2007.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: In the midst of a raging controversy, the State Government has stripped Industry and MSME Secretary Hemant Sharma of his additional responsibilities with State-level purchase committee constituted to supervise COVID-19 related procurement of medical supplies and equipment in the State.

A General Administration and Public Grievance department order issued on June 1 stated that an earlier order allowing Sharma to assist Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare department in supervision of procurement of all essential pharmaceutical goods and availability of additional PPE and masks as well as critical care equipment stands rescinded.

The committee had courted controversy after 33 trucks loads of PPEs, sanitiser, masks and ventilators remained stranded for nearly a week after being refused acceptance citing delay in arrival. Though the State Government had to accept around 1.78 lakh PPE after it was highlighted in a section of media, two truckloads each of masks and sanitiser as well as a truckload ventilator were sent back.

Incidentally, the day Sharma was relieved from the additional responsibilities, the Odisha State Medical Corporation Limited accepted the protective gears from manufacturers. A Government spokesperson, however, said separating Sharma from procurement had nothing to do with the controversy.

"The procurement is complete. Moreover, since Health and Family Welfare department is now headed by an Additional Chief Secretary-ranked officer, there is no need of a Principal Secretary to supervise the committee related to procurement," he maintained.

Interestingly as the matter gathered steam, the Government on Friday rescinded the order that entrusted additional responsibilities to nine senior IAS officers for COVID-19 management. The officers included Surendra Kumar, Anu Garg, Vishal Kumar Dev, Dr Krishan Kumar, Aravind Agrawal, Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, R Vineel Krishna, Bhupendra Singh Poonia and Rashmita Panda.

The Chief Secretarys office, meanwhile patted all the officers for their work. "Officers assigned critical responsibilities like creation of Covid facilities, procurement of essential medical supplies, training of medical personnel, handling of returnees by rail and road, enforcement of quarantine etc have done great work and deserve appreciation," a tweet said.

Opposition seeks CBI probe in 'COVID-19 procurement scam'

BHUBANESWAR: The Congress on Friday demanded a high-level probe into the alleged procurement scam in COVID-19 management and said removal of an officer from the charge is not sufficient. "The State Government must conduct a judicial inquiry or hand over the case to the CBI," said senior Congress leader Ramchandra Khuntia here on Friday.

Referring to the claim of getting a blank cheque from the Government made by Industry Secretary Hemant Sharma for procurement of Covid-19 kits, in-charge of Congress COVID-19 control room Sudarsan Das alleged that scam will run into crores of rupees.

Masks were purchased at Rs 16 per piece from a company only two days after procurement of masks at Rs 9.90 per piece from another company. Besides, large-scale irregularities have come to the fore in purchase of PCR testing kits, he said. The BJP also criticised the Government over the alleged irregularities in procurement of the kits. Senior BJD leader Shashi Bhusan Behera said a probe will be conducted.
The government seeks to borrow billions of dollars but so far talks with the International Monetary Fund have made little progress.

As Lebanons economic crisis worsens, there are calls for nationwide anti-government protests on Saturday.

The government is seeking billions of dollars but so far talks with the International Monetary Fund have made little progress.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab has promised positive change  but as Zeina Khodr reports from Beirut, he is being criticised for a lack of action.
The Tlingit tribe is an indigenous group living on island communities in southern Alaska. Before the disappearance of the mammals for more than a century, this tribe has been hunting sea otters, not for their meat but their pelts.

According to the findings of a new study, the Tlingit tribe's ancestors hunted these mammals but were probably not for food. Currently, the growing population of sea otters is creating a massive challenge to the Alaskans.

The dramatic increase in the number of these mammals has significantly altered the ecosystem. Fishers are experiencing difficulty in getting their usual catch, such as clams, Dungeness crabs, abalone, red sea urchins, and other invertebrates.

Sea otters have proven to be a competitor in the consumption of these commercially-important sea creatures that the fishermen catch. The fishing industry has reported an economic loss amounting to $11.2 million from 1996 to 2005 due to the rise of sea otter populations.

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Previously, sea otters have been hunted by indigenous groups for thousands of years. However, they disappeared from the coasts, and their populations were extirpated due to maritime fur traders. They were once again reintroduced in the 1960s, and eventually, their numbers have increased.

This research conducted by Madonna Moss, a professor and zooarchaeology curator at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History at the University of Oregon, tackles the questions regarding indigenous populations' traditional use of sea otters. There have been calls to expand hunting since the reintroduction of the sea mammals has dramatically challenged the fishing industry.

According to federal law, only native Alaskans who live along the coast are permitted to hunt sea otters provided that the purpose is for subsistence and that the harvesting is not wasteful. The Tlingit and Haida tribes killed otters thousands of years ago for their pets for clothing, hats, and bedding. This practice has been a cultural tradition that goes back thousands of years, according to Moss.

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In her research, Moss has examined sea otter and seal specimens that have been collected earlier at two sites in southeast Alaska. She studied the samples to check for any signs on how indigenous peoples who have been using sea otters for at least 10,000 years used the mammals.

Moss also observed how present-day Tlingit members butcher otters and skin them for pelts apart from the examination of specimens she did. Upon interview of tribe members on their knowledge of ancient tribal practices before the sea otters' extinction, Moss has determined that there is little evidence of human consumption of otter meat.

On the other hand, the reintroduction of sea otters on the Oregon coast has failed in the 1970s. There are new calls to try again to bring back sea otter populations. Euro-American fur traders have annihilated the sea otter populations and have disappeared from Oregon in 1911.

Researchers are now trying to identify if the sea otters that previously thrived in Oregon are related to California otters rather than the Alaskan otters, which may explain why the reintroduction of the sea mammals in the 1970s failed.

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By PTI

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Police have observed a "significant" drop in the number of serious offences, including murder, rape, dacoity and kidnapping, during the lockdown as compared to the corresponding period last year.

This has come to light in the data compiled by the state police department, an official said on Saturday.

The data collected so far is only for the months of March and April.

The statistics for the month of May is being collected, he said.

"The data has revealed that during the lockdown, there was a slump in the number of major offences like murder, attempt to murder, rape, molestation, dacoity, robbery and thefts," he said.

During the lockdown, the police have been on the streets round-the-clock to ensure strict implementation of lockdown, the official said.

"The presence of police personnel nearby and the fear of contracting the deadly infection might have brought such serious crimes under control during this period, he added.

The first phase of the nation-wide lockdown came into force from March 25.

Although the Maharashtra government has now extended the lockdown till June 30, it has relaxed several restrictions.

According to the official, the total number of serious offences registered in March this year was 21,107 as against the 23,859 recorded during the same period last year.

As compared to the data of the same month in 2019, there is a drop in the number of cases of murder by 37, rape by 59, molestation by 65, robbery 160 and theft by 2,290 registered across various police stations, he said.

Besides that, there were 1,024 cases of kidnapping registered in March 2019 and its number dropped to 842 this year.

"There were 14,559 offences registered in April 2020, whereas this figure was 22,020 last year in the same month," the official said.

There were 171 cases of murder registered in April last year, whereas this figure was 94 this year.

The number of rape cases reported in April last year was 447 and this year's figure was 165, he added.

There tally of molestation cases was 1,107 last year, which came down to 505 this year in April.

Similarly, as compared to the 991 cases of kidnapping registered at various police stations in April 2019, the count dropped to 217 this year.

Last year, a total of 7,281 cases of theft were registered in April, but this year the number came down by 5,744 cases, as only 1,537 offences were recorded, he said.

However, there was a rise in the number of violation of prohibitory orders in April this year as compared to the corresponding period last year.

While 7,731 such offences had been registered in April last year, the tally reached 9,328 this year, the official said.
By Andre Vltchek

June 05, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - In the United States, one city after another goes up in flames, as African-Americans and other protesters are battling the police, even the National Guard, while protesting against the continuous brutal killings of black people, in all parts of the country.

The spark came, as Mr. George Floyd in Minneapolis, was killed, literally choked to death, by the police, as he was screaming in agony: I cannot breathe!

Open the main page of Yahoo.co.uk, and you will find nothing, no news, about the enormous and ongoing uprising in the United States. However, there is plenty there about Hong Kong, about the National Security Law, as well as the threats made by Trump and Pompeo directed against Beijing.

Paradoxically, one has to visit sites of non-Western media outlets, including RT, for the most detailed reporting on what is happening in the United States:

The death of Floyd, an unarmed black man who was pinned to the ground and choked out by a police officer, resonated with many protesters, even outside Minneapolis where the tragedy happened.

"I got little brothers, I got nieces, nephews, a protester named Briana Jenkins told Ruptly in Brooklyn, New York. I'm scared for them to go out in the public and not be with one of us, you feel me. You don't even want your child going to the store real quick because you don't know what could happen." While the United States, the UK and other Western countries are busy insulting the Chinese government, Hong Kong administration and the Hong Kong police, American citizens, particularly the minorities, are getting gunned down, literally murdered by the law enforcement agents at rates unseen anywhere else in the world.

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While Hong Kong rioters march under foreign flags, claiming that they are fighting for democracy, the increasingly privatized prisons in the United States are holding more detainees than in any other country on Earth. For decades, incarceration in the U.S. has not been about punishing the crime. It has become an enormous business, at the expense of millions of human lives.

In 2020, 2.3 million prisoners are being held in U.S. jails; 698 per 100,000 people, the highest rate in the world.

Since 2015, the U.S. police has killed 1,252 black people, 877 Hispanics.

Civil rights attorney and co-counsel for the George Floyd family, Lee Merritt, summarized the situation:

"America has the deadliest police culture in the modern world. There is no nation on the planet that kills and incarcerates more of its people. We are in a crisis position."

Mr. Merritt and attorney Benjamin Crump believe that there should be sanctions imposed on the United States by the U.N., because of the continual denial of basic human rights to the African-American community."

The rioters in Hong Kong should read, again and again, a recent Tweet written by President Trump, related to the protests; a tweet which shocked the entire world:

Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!"

In the meantime, President Trump is threatening China with sanctions! U.S. officials criticize China and Hong Kong for trying to stop rioters.

It is all turning into a huge, bizarre, paradoxical political gaga.

The U.S., the greatest violator of human rights, domestically and internationally, is now ready to punish China for imposing the Hong Kong National Security Law, which is by no means excessive when compared to similar laws in Europe and Asia.

For obvious reasons, images and footage from Minneapolis and Hong Kong are never played side by side, never compared, as there is no culture of comparison in the Western mainstream media: how many people die from police brutality, annually, in China and the United States? Where are human rights violated more?

And based on where human rights are being really violated, which country deserves to face sanctions?

Apart from moral issues, there are also serious economic questions. If the United States acts on its threats, and terminates the United States  Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992, it is not going to be Beijing, but Hong Kong which will be the most affected.

On 30th May 2020, Market Watch reported:

The Hong Kong economy would basically be gone, if the U.S. were to end all privileges afforded it by the United States - Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992, Diana Choyleva, chief economist at Enodo Economics told MarketWatch.

Most important, Choyleva said, is that the law mandates the free exchange of Hong Kong dollars for U.S. dollars. If the U.S. moves to restrict the Hong Kong Monetary Authoritys

access to U.S. dollars, that would be an extreme nuclear option that could devastate the regions banking and shipping and logistics sectors, while triggering widespread capital flight.

U.S. policy, domestic and international, thrives on absurdity. It is Kafkaesque. Logic is not applied, anymore.

The more confused, the more irrational it gets, the less it can get defined, exposed and consequently, confronted.

Hong Kong is turning into a victim of the dying, decomposing, empire.

The confusion of the Hong Kongs protesters is just a reflection of the intellectual and moral chaos of those whom they are serving.

[First published by China Daily Hong Kong]

Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. His latest books are:  Exposing Lies Of The Empire  and  Fighting Against Western Imperialism .Discussion with Noam Chomsky: On Western Terrorism . Point of No Return is his critically acclaimed political novel. Oceania  a book on Western imperialism in the South Pacific. His provocative book about Indonesia:  Indonesia  The Archipelago of Fear . Andre is making films for teleSUR and Press TV. After living for many years in Latin America and Oceania, Vltchek presently resides and works in East Asia and the Middle East. He can be reached through his website or his Twitter .

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Paedophile Christian Brueckner regularly visited a rundown house hidden away in the Portuguese countryside in the months after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The property  pictured exclusively and never before linked to Brueckner  could now become a focal point in the investigation into whether the German kidnapped and murdered Madeleine.

An investigation by this newspaper has established that Brueckner often stayed at the villa in the village of Foral in 2007 and 2008. He reportedly parked his distinctive Volkswagen Westfalia campervan, which was subsequently seized by German police, in the car park of a nearby restaurant.

Christian Brueckner, the German paedophile who is the chief suspect in the Madeleine McCann disappearance, stayed in this house in Foral, Portucal between 2007 and 2008

Brueckner is believed to have parked his distinctive VW T3 Westfalia camper van, pictured, outside the property

German prosecutors believe Christian Brueckner, right, is responsible for abducting Madeleine McCann, left, in a case they are treating as a murder investigation

The villa is about 40 miles from the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz, the holiday resort where three-year-old Madeleine disappeared in May 2007.

The villa, which is understood to have never been searched by police, was rented between 2002 and 2009 by a German woman called Nicole who is said to have used it for a rehabilitation programme for troubled teenagers.

A German couple who have lived in the village for more than 20 years said they immediately recognised Brueckner when he was named last week as the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine and his image appeared in the media.

I said, Thats Christian before I even read what his name was, said the husband, who asked not to be named.

The first time I met him he was hosting a party at the restaurant.

He had two dogs, one medium-sized, one small. The name of the small one I even remember, it was called Frau Muller and was always rummaging around the bins.

The female tenant was German and had a young daughter. She also had a young teenage girl living with her who was not her daughter. The woman would fly kids over from Germany and was supposedly running a rehabilitation programme for troubled youths.

Brueckners visits to the property could form a key part of police attempts to piece together his movements after Madeleine vanished. He is thought to have left Portugal shortly after and returned to Germany, reportedly telling friends that he had stolen a lot of cash during a burglary on the Algarve.

Brueckners visits to the property could form a key part of police attempts to piece together his movements after Madeleine vanished. He is thought to have left Portugal shortly after and returned to Germany, reportedly telling friends that he had stolen a lot of cash during a burglary on the Algarve

He first moved to the German of city of Dresden for a few weeks and then to Augsburg in Bavaria, staying in the attic of a home owned by landlord Alexander Bischoff, 64, for two or three weeks at a time. But according to Mr Bischoff, Brueckner was often away, including on trips back to Portugal.

In 2015 he sold the VW T3 Westfalia to the German owner of a scrapyard in the town of Silves, 14 miles from Foral. Meanwhile, Brueckners German police file lists one of his abodes as Portugal. Messines. The village of Sao Bartolomeu de Messines is just six miles from Foral.

Lia Silva, the owner of the property in Foral, said an intimidating German man would visit the villa and visit Nicole. At one point it is claimed he helped track down one of the German teenagers who had run away.

Suddenly a German guy turned up, and the rumours were that he was a private detective of some nature, said Ms Silva. Some people were afraid of him when he used to go to the restaurant.

Eventually, the guy found the runaway girl  and it turns out she was pregnant. It was a major problem. It was then that Nicole was no longer allowed to receive kids from Germany, so she lost all her income.

When Ms Silva was shown a photograph of Brueckner, she said: Yeah that looks like him, it could be him.

She added that Nicole abandoned the villa in 2009, allegedly owing 10,000 euros in rent.

I found syringes and used needles and a spoon and bricks of hashish in a shoebox, Ms Silva added. I was devastated to find that in my house.
AG Barr Says He Didnt Give Tactical Order to Clear Protesters Near White House Ahead of Trumps Church Visit

WASHINGTONAttorney General William Barr says law enforcement officers were already moving to push back protesters from a park in front of the White House when he arrived there Monday evening, and he says he did not give a command to disperse the crowd, though he supported the decision.

Barr said in an interview with The Associated Press that both he and U.S. Park Police were in agreement on the need to push back the security perimeter.

He said he attended a meeting around 2 p.m. on Monday, June 1 with several other law enforcement officials, including Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham, where they looked at a map and decided on a dividing line. Under the plan, the protesters would be moved away from Lafayette Park and federal law enforcement officials and members of the National Guard would maintain the perimeter line, Barr said.

Barr said the plan was supposed to be put into action soon after the meeting, but additional officers and National Guard troops had to be called in because of a high number of officers who had been injured throughout the weekend. It had not yet been implemented when he arrived at the park later in the evening and the crowd had grown much larger than it was in the afternoon, Barr said.

He said he did not give the officers the orders to proceedthey were already in the process of doing so when he showed up.

Attorney General William Barr (L) and Defense Secretary Mark Esper walk around downtown Washington, during curfew on June 1, 2020. (Roberto SChmidt/AFP via Getty Images)

They told me they were about to make the announcement and I think they stretched the announcements over 20 minutes. During the time I was there, I would periodically hear announcements, Barr said. They had the Park Police mounted unit ready, so it was just a matter of execution. So, I didnt just say to them, Go.'

Barr said it was a Park Police tactical commanderan official he never spoke towho gave the order for the law enforcement agencies to move in and clear the protesters.

Im not involved in giving tactical commands like that, he said. I was frustrated and I was also worried that as the crowd grew, it was going to be harder and harder to do. So my attitude was get it done, but I didnt say, Go do it.

Barrs comments on Friday were his most detailed explanation yet of what unfolded outside the White House earlier this week.

The U.S. Park Police said in a statement on June 2 that officers had used smoke canisters and pepper balls to clear the area around 6:30 p.m., after protesters became more combative, attempted to grab officers weapons, and continued to throw projectiles that included bricks, frozen water bottles, and caustic liquids.

Protestors run as riot police fire crowd control devices and move on demonstrators to clear Lafayette Park and the area around it across from the White House, in Washington, June 1, 2020. (Reuters/Ken Cedeno)

Police on horseback begin to approach demonstrators who had gathered to protest the death of George Floyd, near the White House in Washington on June 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Several different groups, including the Secret Service and Park Police, were involved in evacuating the protesters. Members of the National Guard were present but didnt engage with the protesters, Barr said.

Shortly after officers pushed back demonstrators, of whom none were arrested, a temporary fence was installed in the area. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser had imposed a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew for the day.

Barr said that there was no connection between evacuating the protesters and Trumps walk soon after to St. Johns Church. He said he had learned in the afternoon that Trump wanted to go outside, and said that when he went to the White House in the evening, he learned of the presidents intended destination.

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway had told reporters on June 2 that, There was a plan to expand the perimeter from H Street to I Street based on the events as they had unfolded the night before.

Around 7:00 p.m., President Donald Trumpaccompanied by Barr, Pentagon leaders and other top adviserswalked through Lafayette Park and and held up a bible at a St. Johns Church, which had been damaged during the protests.

President Donald Trump walks from the gates of the White House to visit St. Johns Church across Lafayette Park, in Washington, June 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

President Donald Trump holds a Bible as he visits outside St. Johns Church across Lafayette Park from the White House, in Washington, on June 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

We have the greatest country in the world, Trump said at the church, where many past presidents have attended services. Were going to keep it safe.

The short trip to the church and back to the White House came after Trump announced at a news conference that he was deploying military personnel and other federal assets to quell violent activities in Washington.

President Donald Trump, accompanied by senior aides, departs after visiting outside St. Johns Church across Lafayette Park from the White House, in Washington, on June 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

George Floyd, a black man, died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest on May 25. Floyds death and the events leading to it sparked nationwide protests expressing grief over police brutality. But in many instances, acts of violence, arson, and looting have marred the initially peaceful demonstrations.

Amid violent activities across the nation, the National Guard has been deployed in 29 U.S. states at the request of governors, and the Pentagon has moved about 1,600 troops into the Washington area as of June 3.

Trump indicated on Wednesday afternoon that he would prefer not to deploy the military and would personally rather deploy the National Guard to respond to the violence.

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
Guwahati/Kohima/Agartala, June 6 : Nagaland, which was coronavirus-free two weeks ago, on Saturday become the fourth northeastern state after Assam, Tripura and Manipur with total positive cases in three digits.

Nagaland Health Minister S. Pangnyu Phom tweeted: "13 new corona cases reported in the last 24 hours. All those who tested positive are Chennai returnees." According to the Nagaland health officials, total positive cases in the state increased to 107 since May 25 when its first case was reported.

With 154 new cases in the past 24 hours, Assam's total tally climbed to 2,397 on Saturday night, with 1,802 active cases, state health officials said.

Tripura follows with 695 cases, including 518 active cases, Manipur 143 cases (91 active), Nagaland 107 cases (99 active), Arunachal Pradesh 47 cases (46 active), Meghalaya 33 cases (19 active), Mizoram 24 cases (23 active), and Sikkim three cases (all active).

In another tweet, the Minister said that eight patients admitted at COVID-19 hospital in Dimapur had tested negative twice. They have been shifted to COVID-19 care centre and would be discharged for home quarantine under active surveillance.

With the return of around four lakh natives from south and north India, coronavirus cases in eight northeastern states have spiked, with their total now 3,449. Out of the total, 2,601 are active cases.

Four corona patients, including a 16-years-old girl, died in Assam and a veteran doctor succumbed to the disease in Meghalaya.

In Agartala, Tripura Law and Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath told the media that an FIR had been filed against a COVID-19 patient found missing from a quarantine centre in southern Tripura.

He said that four more coronavirus patients were picked up from their homes after they left quarantine centres in different parts of Tripura.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Tens of thousands of Australians rallied on Saturday (June 6) in solidarity with U.S. protests against police brutality -- after authorities in one area lifted a ban on the gatherings under the country's social-distancing rules.

A last-minute appeal at the New South Wales Court of Appeal allowed a rally in Sydney, where several thousand people marched chanting, "Black Lives matter."

Protesters took to the citys main train station, among a heavy police presence. Some were seen dousing liquid in their eyes after being pepper-sprayed by authorities.

Inspired by the death of George Floyd - who died in Minneapolis after a white policeman knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes - Australians were also calling all for an end to police mistreatment of indigenous Australians.

The protests came despite earlier requests from authorities to stay home and obey social-distancing rules which allow only for small groups to gather outside.

But after the court ruling, the New South Wales police urged people via Twitter to "keep a safe physical distance," saying they were there to "facilitate" people's movement.

More than 10,000 people rallied in Brisbane, according to police estimates, with many protesters wrapped in indigenous flags.

Many protesters wore black masks with handwritten "I can't breathe" signs on them - Floyd's last words, which have become a rallying cry worldwide for the "Black Lives Matter" movement.
By Trend

The interest to visit tourist destinations in Iran's Isfahan, Shiraz and Yazd has reduced, said the Director General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization branch in Yazd Province Mostafa Fatemi, Trend reports citing ILNA.

"During spring, only 20 foreigners and 300 local tourists visited the city of Yazd and currently the number of foreign tourists in this city is zero," said Fatemi.

"A total of 2.3 million local and 460,000 foreign tourists have visited Yazd in spring of 2018, while the number has dropped due to COVID-19, to 300 domestic and 20 foreign tourists during spring of the current Iranian year (began March 20,2020)," he added.

"Despite that hotels have resumed working, only 10 percent of their establishments are taken. For example, a 100-room hotel only has 5 rooms taken, so they're suffering losses," said the official.

He went on to add that around 400 houses and accommodation centers were identified as 'illegal' during the coronavirus spread, due to ignoring health protocols.

"Some 200 of them were closed, and there were concerns over tours without permits," said Fatemi.

He added that economy of Yazd, Isfahan and Shiraz depends on foreign tourists.

"The guild of gold and jewelry producers was another sector that was damaged in Yazd, due to drop of tourism," he added.

"Many handicrafts production units in Yazd have suffered too," he said.

---

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Popular Nigerian rapper, Zoro Swagbag, on Saturday, refuted the rape allegation leveled against him by a lady on Instagram.

The lady, identified as Yachit, accused the rapper of forcefully having sex with her in 2015.

Reacting to the claims, Zoro said that he will be charging the lady to court and he is ready to pay the legal fees for her to pursue a proper representation.

In his words;

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Rape is such a nasty act, that I will never ever take partake in it or be involved with anybody that rapes, I even find it difficult to say the word. I feel really terrible that someone has accused me of the act. I do not know exactly why she is doing what she is doing. I forgive and I pray God forgives her too, but because this will also hurt people that look up to me, my family brands I work with and fans, I have decided to take legal actions to address this. I am willing as well to provide legal support to Yachit too so she has proper representation and to make sure theres no thought of suppression or intimidation. My team also tried to contact her to understand exactly what her problems are but she labeled it suppression and trying to shut her up which is also false, this one weak me meyne but God Dey.

To make it clear, I did not rape Yachit. Im putting this out ahead of my legal teams statement.

Stay careful out there guys

Read Also: Another DMW Associate, Ichaba Accused Of Rape

See his post below:
Tipton Health Communications, a leading provider of nursing excellence, Magnet, Pathway to Excellence and PTAP consulting support, is pleased to welcome Joan Clark, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, FACHE, FAAN, FAONL, as a senior nursing excellence consultant.

In her new role with Tipton, Joan joins a team of several accomplished and well-respected executive nurse consultants. She will help Tiptons clients address unique structural and strategic challenges, including:



Creating an environment where nursing teams can efficiently provide the best care possible

Building the most effective structure to support nursing excellence

Improving engagement and satisfaction

Building leadership competencies

Enculturating nurses into systems of excellence

Educating nurses and team members

Developing Nursing Strategic Plans

Joan is an experienced and effective nurse executive consultant, mentor and nursing strategist, said Tipton Health CEO Dan Tipton. She is helping to refine our unique and comprehensive approach to nurse engagement. Joan will be working directly with hospital nurse leaders to uncover root causes of issues, gather information and feedback and provide highly actionable solutions designed to boost engagement and retention."

Joans career is highlighted by many impressive achievements. During her time as CNO at Baptist Hospital of Miami, she spearheaded back-to-back Magnet designations. She implemented the Twelve Bed Hospital model at Baptist Hospital of Miami and at Washington Hospital Center, where she also served as CNO. While at Texas Health Resources, Joan not only implemented the Twelve Bed Hospital model to 14 hospitals across the organization, but also developed systems and structures that aligned and strengthened the nursing services within the hospitals. During her tenure all wholly owned hospitals achieved Magnet or Pathway to Excellence designation.

Joan is a highly respected pillar within the nursing community, having created scholarships and ways to further nursing education, while also having served as a Magnet appraiser for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and as a commissioner on the Joint Commission Board of Directors. Joan served as American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) President in 2017, AONLs 50th year, and served as regional board member for two terms. She was appointed an AONL Fellow in its inaugural class in 2019.

She joins Tiptons growing team of executive nurse consultants, who are working to help clients adjust to the new normal in healthcare and respond to intense budget pressures on nursing departments while maintaining patient care standards.

About Tipton Health Communications

Tipton Health Communications is a leading provider of nursing excellence, Magnet, Pathway to Excellence and Practice Transition Accreditation Program consulting support to the nations hospital and healthcare systems. In addition, Tipton Health supports clients nationwide with award-winning communications services, including employee communications, human resources communications, public relations, marketing communications, intranet and Internet design, graphic design, and strategic communications. For more information, please visit http://www.tiptonhealth.com.

Tipton Health Communications products and services are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the ANCC. ANCC Magnet Recognition, ANCC National Magnet Conference, Institute for Credentialing Innovation, Magnet, Magnet Recognition Program, The Magnet Prize and Pathway to Excellence Program are registered trademarks of the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Journey to Magnet Excellence and Pathway to Excellence in Long Term Care are trademarks of the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
AFP via Getty Images

US president Donald Trump has shared an interview in which conservative activist Candace Owens describes George Floyd as a symbol of a broken culture in black America today and insists that he was not a good person.

Mr Floyd died last month in Minneapolis after a police officer pinned him to the ground with a knee to the neck for nearly nine minutes. The killing has sparked days of protests across the US against racism and police brutality, and also demonstrations around the world.

But as the Black Lives Matters movement runs into its 12th consecutive day, with demonstrators calling for police reform and an end to systemic racism, Ms Owens said she had been left sickened by the fact that he [Mr Floyd] has been held up as a martyr.

In an interview with radio host Glenn Beck, who posted it to Twitter before it was retweeted by President Trump, Ms Owen said: George Floyd was not a good person. I dont care who wants to spin that, I dont care how CNN wants to make you think that he had just turned his life around.

The fact that he has been held up as a martyr sickens me.

Ms Owens said that Mr Floyd had served five stints in jail, adding: Was he really going to turn things around? Its just not true.

In posting the interview to his Twitter account, Mr Beck said: I dont care WHAT George Floyd did. The officer should have never treated him like that and killed him! But we still must ask: Is he a HERO?

Mr Trump retweeted the post without comment.

On Friday, the president was subject to widespread condemnation for invoking Mr Floyds name as he touted US jobs figures, saying the 46-year-old father of five was looking down and saying this is a great day. He also suggested a strong economy would help repair racial tensions.

Joe Biden, who has now formally clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, was one of many politicians to speak out against Mr Trump over his remarks.

I don't care WHAT George Floyd did. The officer should have never treated him like that and killed him! But we still must ask: Is he a HERO? BLEXIT founder @RealCandaceO gave her thoughts: "The fact that he has been held up as a martyr sickens me." pic.twitter.com/0Tm47x5Cc8  Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) June 4, 2020

The Democrat said the president was speaking of a man who was brutally killed by an act of needless violence, and by a larger tide of injustice that has metastasised on this presidents watch has moved to split us based on race, religion, ethnicity.

George Floyds last words, I cant breathe, have echoed all across this nation and, quite frankly, around the world, he said from Delaware State University on Friday. For the president to try and put any other words in the mouth of George Floyd I think quite frankly is despicable.
Haunted Kate McCann once said that not knowing what happened to Maddie was like an endless torture: If they find a body we will be devastated but it will bring the hell of living like this to an end.

Now, 13 years on from Madeleines disappearance, she and Gerry appear closer than ever to discovering the truth. And they are having to confront the belief of German prosecutors that their little girl really is dead.

Not only that, but the new suspect is unmasked as a multiple sexual predator who has abused minors. Someone with 17 convictions, including the rape of a 72-year-old woman, who is now in prison in his native Germany.

Now, 13 years on from Madeleines (pictured) disappearance, she and Gerry appear closer than ever to discovering the truth

A man who lived just 25 minutes walk from the Portuguese holiday complex where Maddie was abducted. And who is under investigation over the disappearance of a five-year-old girl in woods on holiday with her family in 2015.

As the horrific details of Christian Brueckners story unfold day by day, the anguish for the McCanns must be unbearable.

To learn of his grotesque sexual predilections can only have sparked the worst kind of imaginings. To discover he was on the police radar, and possibly spotted outside the complex days before Maddie went missing must have led to a torrent of the what-ifs and if-onlys that have plagued them since she disappeared.

As the horrific details of Christian Brueckners (pictured) story unfold day by day, the anguish for the McCanns must be unbearable

But if anyone can cope with these horrors, it is Kate and Gerry McCann. Their fortitude has been astonishing. Even when they were wrongly and very publicly accused of murdering their daughter soon after she went missing, they responded with the same quiet dignity that they have always displayed. They spoke only of wanting to know the truth.

And while tirelessly searching for Maddie, they were determined for life to continue. They devoted themselves to Maddies brother and sister to make sure their life is as fulfilling as they deserve. Now, as learning what happened seems tantalisingly close, they face a terrible ordeal. But it is one they are prepared to withstand.

Recently, Kate said, I have spent days thinking: What would you rather: not know or find something you didnt want to hear?  Her answer was she needs to know. For closure and the sake of her family.

Coronavirus Shout-Outs

AND a big shout-down to the French Chanel fashion and perfume house which has pocketed 600 million in Bank of England cheap loans

To Prince Charles in lockdown telling us how much he, like all of us, misses close physical contact with his family and friends, especially his grandchildren and his father Prince Philip, who turns 99 next week. Its touching that our future King, once mocked for hugging trees, is now lauded for longing to hug his family.

To the scientist suggesting the post pandemic handshake should be Mr Spocks Star Trek Vulcan salute. Many people cannot manage to create a V between the second and third fingers, though a bit of sticky tape does the trick. And during this crisis, we all want to convey the salutes meaning: Live long and prosper.

AND a big shout-down to the French Chanel fashion and perfume house which has pocketed 600 million in Bank of England cheap loans, despite the two brothers who own it having a personal fortune of 30 billion. Yes, it certainly stinks.

To all the PC police officers who bent the knee to protesters, please pin on your fridges a picture of the unnamed, unarmed fellow officer whose face was slammed up against the wall outside No 10 by a protester who couldnt be identified because he was wearing a red hoodie  and then write underneath it: All lives matter.

Lady Gaga says her new hit album Chromatica is about inclusivity with all the colours of all the people  and about healing and bravery.

Hurrah for the courage of pops 2020 ultimate feminist freedom fighter.

Lady Gaga says her new hit album Chromatica is about inclusivity with all the colours of all the people  and about healing and bravery. So why did she wear a Victorias Secret bondage bra to promote it?

Just one question.

So why did she wear a Victorias Secret bondage bra to promote it?

The Beeb has launched its answer to Amazons Alexa. It features a man with a northern accent  they are keen not to perpetrate gender stereotyping by portraying women as the ones who answer commands. I do not hold out high hopes  every time you ask a man to perform the most simple task outside the bedroom, his answer is: Yeah, yeah, Ill do it later.

Westminster Wars

Unwise of Boris Johnson to say he took full responsibility for everything his Government has done tackling the virus. Record to date: failure over PPE, catastrophically late lockdown, planes full of incoming travellers without checks, test and trace a joke, care home residents thrown to the wolves and the highest death toll in Europe and still rising.

Shame on every MP who is not vulnerable or shielding but still refuses to come back to Parliament as the queues are too long, its inconvenient and they prefer to work from home. If our MPs dont set an example, what hope is there?

Defending his decision to make face masks compulsory on public transport from June 15, Grant Shapps says ministers were simply doing what many other countries have asked transport users to do. Indeed, three months ago.

One surprising benefit of lockdown is how many middle-aged men look fabulous with long, curly grey hair. One exception is Michael Sheen promoting his new BBC comedy, Staged. Despite his locks being unfurloughed, he still looks like a smug little gnome. What does his gorgeous girlfriend Anna Lundberg see in him  his bulging talent or his bulging wallet?

Meghan addressed graduates at her old school from her borrowed 14.5 million Beverly Hills mansion as race riots raged across America.

Im so sorry that you have to grow up in a world where this is still present, she said. Blinking back tears  with her hands crossed solemnly across her heart and raising her eyes to heaven  she was unfettered, the Meghan she really wants to be.

Little Britain was always going to be too small a stage. As for her performance, it was like watching a 15-year-old playing Joan of Arc in her first school play.

Pipe down, Cara

Model-turned-aspiring actress Cara Delevingne declares in Variety magazine that she struggled terribly with her sexuality before she came out first as bisexual, then as gender fluid.

Model-turned-aspiring actress Cara Delevingne (pictured) declares in Variety magazine that she struggled terribly with her sexuality before she came out first as bisexual, then as gender fluid

Now she wants us to know she is pansexual  attracted to another person regardless of their biological sex or gender identity. Jolly good Cara, but in the middle of a pandemic and with the world erupting in racial tension, frankly my dear, we dont give a damn  as Rhett Butler would say.

Unlike her predecessor Claire Foy, the Leftie luvvie Olivia Colman has not been nominated for a best actress Bafta after playing the Queen in The Crown.

Ones hardly surprised, as her slightly sneering depiction of a prickly and cold Elizabeth II was straight out of Corbyns Republican handbook.

Embracing Jamie Foxx at the Black Film Festival Honours, Leonardo DiCaprio pledges to end the disenfranchisement of Black America in movies after George Floyds death. Bit late mate. His recent hit, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, has a cast of more than 50 famous actors, not one of them black.

Harry Potter star Emma Watson is pilloried after posting a picture on Instagram of three black squares in solidarity with George Floyds death. The squares had white borders, which proved she failed to show true solidarity.

She said: Im still learning about the many ways I unconsciously support and uphold a system that is structurally racist. I see your anger, sadness and pain.

Perhaps Emma should have retorted with her famous Hogwarts quote: It would be quite nice if you stopped jumping down my throat, Harry, because in case you havent noticed, Im on your side.

For all her silly photo stunts during lockdown, whats not to laugh about Amanda Holden in a perfect-pink trouser suit with one sleeve missing promoting her new fashion line. Cant wait for her next creation  a dress without a skirt. I wouldnt put it past her.
Throughout the coronavirus crisis, Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine has become a familiar face.

Levine made history by becoming the highest-ranked transgender state official when Gov. Tom Wolf appointed her health secretary in 2015. As her visibility has grown in recent months, shes also endured a barrage of transphobic slurs.

On Friday, the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs issued a statement in defense of Dr. Levine.

Levine has been the recipient of some of the most vile and toxic transphobia our Commission has seen in our commonwealth in recent years," said Rafael Alvarez Febo, the commissions executive director.

Alvarez Febo hailed Levines work to save countless lives while offering a calming presence in her daily briefings on the coronavirus pandemic. It also makes the vitriol directed toward the health secretary very disappointing.

These attacks are personal, theyre transphobic," Alvarez Febo said in a phone interview Friday. "Theyre not about health care policy.

During her briefings, the commission has noted a stream of slurs aimed directly at Dr. Levine and indirectly at all transgender Pennsylvanians.

Last month, Pittsburgh radio personality Marty Griffin interviewed Levine and referred to Levine as sir in both an initial question and a follow-up.

In response, Levine said, Please dont misgender me, adding that it was really insulting.

Griffin later apologized on Twitter and said he was distracted during the interview but said it was not intentional when he used the wrong pronouns. The station, KDKA-AM, received heavy criticism for the segment, and Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto canceled an interview with the station.

In a news conference in May, Levine was asked about the transphobic comments she has seen. In response, Levine said its a stressful time during the pandemic and sometimes people say things they may not ordinarily say.

Im going to stay laser-focused on helping Pennsylvania, Levine said last month.

June is Pride Month, typically a month of celebration for many in the LGBTQ community. Now more than ever, Alvarez Febo said the commission is committed to pushing back against transphobia.

And Alvarez Febo said its the appropriate time to show support for Levine.

The commission felt kind of strongly enough was enough, Alvarez Febo said.

I hate that shes going through all of this . Were in solidarity with her, Alvarez Febo said.

Since joining the Wolf administration, Alvarez Febo describes Levine as very accessible. Levine responds to every email.

More importantly, Levine has offered important leadership during an unprecedented pandemic, Alvarez Febo said. Her visibility, with the strong backing of the governor, breaks barriers and changes perceptions.

Shes a health care professional with decades of experience, said Alvarez Febo. Shes a calming force. Shes there to help Pennsylvanians feel safe.

Wolf formed the LGBTQ commission in 2018. The commission advises the governor and state agencies on policies that impact LGBTQ communities and aims to serve as a bridge between LGBTQ groups and state government.

More from PennLive

Who is Rachel Levine? Pa. health secretary offers calm, reassurance amid pandemic

Cumberland, York, among 12 new Pa. counties that will move to green phase of Wolfs reopening plan June 12

Gov. Tom Wolf talks about reopening more of Pa.
The Telangana government on Saturday decided to postpone the remaining Secondary School Certificate (Class 10) public examinations across the state, scheduled to commence on Monday.

A decision to this effect was taken by chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao late in the evening, after obtaining the copy of the judgement of the state high court which heard a public interest litigation petition in this regard.

State education minister Sabita Indra Reddy said the chief minister had called for a high-level meeting on Sunday to discuss the high court judgement and decide the future course of action. We shall decide our strategy as to what to do in the wake of prevailing Covid-19 pandemic across the state, she said.

The Telangana government had conducted examinations for first and second language papers (Telugu and Hindi) before March 23, when the lockdown 1.0 was announced. All the other examinations have since been postponed.

Earlier in the day, the state high court directed that the state government conduct Class 10 exams all over the state as scheduled from Monday, except in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits which had been reporting high incidence of Covid-19.

Sources said the chief ,inister was of the view that it would lead to a lot of confusion if exams were not simultaneously held across the State.

A division bench of the state high court comprising chief justice Raghvendra Singh Chouhan and justice B Vijaysen Reddy, conducted a special hearing on a public interest litigation petition filed by one Balakrishna, an academic, challenging the conduct of examinations in view of Covid-19 pandemic.

The bench felt that there was a need to balance the schedule in conducting the Class 10 class examination without jeopardizing academic interests with that of safety of children who take the examinations and the support staff that conduct the examinations.

The panel initially had a sitting at 1 pm and again reassembled at 4 pm. It heard Pavan Kumar, counsel for the petitioner and State Advocate General BS Prasad.

After the postponement of the examinations by a court order, the government sought to steady the boat by making additional safety arrangements.

The Advocate General then made an application seeking permission of the court to conduct the examination and spelt out multiple precautionary measures in place.

The bench took note of the spike of Covid-19 cases in the GHMC area and made clear that examinations whose centers are in the GHMC area will be postponed. Examinations in all other centers including rural centers will go on as scheduled withing the guidelines prescribed and by maintaining the precautionary measures mentioned by the government.

The bench also clarified that for candidates who reside outside of GHMC area but the centers are within the GHMC area, the examinations stand postponed.

It recorded the stand of the government that students across the board can choose to take the examinations in September but would be treated as regular candidates.
BY VANESSA GONYE

STAKEHOLDERS have called on responsible authorities to formulate legislation and fund mechanisms to support the research and eradication of invasive plant species, vernonanthura polyanthes (sprengel) vega and dematteis (bee bush), posing a danger to edible plants, vegetation and livestock in the Eastern Highlands.

Vernonathura polyanthes is a shrub indigenous to Bolivia and Brazil.

Research indicates that it was introduced as a nectar plant for bees, possibly in the early 1990s in areas around Sussundenga, Mozambique, and has spread to the eastern parts of the country through wind action.

The bee bush is an erect shrub of up to three metres tall with striate and tomentose stems.

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Although the plant has established and naturalised itself in Chipinge and Chimanimani, it has also shown characteristics of being invasive.

Speaking at a stakeholder consultative meeting in Harare yesterday, Environmental Management Agency spokesperson Liberty Mugadza said there was need to put in place measures to deal with the invasive plant.

Our call is for it to be given national attention for management, including legislation and funding mechanisms to support awareness raising research and eradication, he said.

The plant is said to be affecting indigenous plant populations depriving communities of the benefits they have been getting from flora, including medicines and food.

There is evidence that it has more potential of spreading into the entire country through wind action. It is a serious weed also affecting livelihoods in the Eastern Highlands where we have our tea plantations, fruit orchards, timber plantations and tourism, he said.

The plant has been spreading fast since 2000 when it was first identified and is now affecting Chipinge, Chimanimani, Mutare and Mutasa districts.

Forestry Commission acting deputy general manager (research and training) Joyce Gombe said the plant was affecting forestry business.

It is really a problem for us interested in forestry and bio-diversity. It has proven to be a serious challenge in silvicultural operations in the plantations and that has increased our costs and we really look forward to a solution to the problem, she said.

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The days activists included a group of Sikhs carrying cardboard signs and two men, both middle-aged and white, who drove 665 miles from Nashville because they felt compelled to do something. Lawyers came out, as did white lab-coated doctors and nurses in turquoise scrubs. A pair of 26-year-old black women came up from Charlotte but didnt tell their parents. A trio of cousins in their 30s  one black, one biracial and one white  traveled from Baltimore, where they had attended the Freddie Gray protests five years ago. An 82-year-old black man who witnessed the 1968 riots in the District watched it all on Saturday from a folding chair, and a 2-year-old did the same in his green stroller.
The Nanton District Assembly in the Northern Region has begun an exercise to plant 8,000 tree seedlings in various communities, as part of efforts to protect the environment while mitigating the impact of climate change.



The Assembly, through its Department of Agriculture, has engaged the Youth in Afforestation under the Youth Employment Agency, to plant the seedlings throughout June.



The species include mahogany, cassia, and teak.



The exercise climaxed the Northern Regions celebration of this years World Environment Day, which is marked on June 05, to amongst others, sensitise the citizenry to support efforts at restoring the environment.



The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from Olam Ghana, an agri-commodity company, held the celebration at Nanton, on Friday, under the theme: Protecting Biodiversity: Our survival depends on it.



Olam Ghana provided 5,000 seedlings; while the Forestry Commission provided 3,000 seedlings for the exercise.



Mr Abukari Hathiramani, District Chief Executive for Nanton, said protecting biodiversity was a collective responsibility, and urged all to collectively protect trees, wildlife, and water resources from contamination and degradation.



Historical data made available by the EPA indicates more than 4,000 dams and streams had been lost in the Region between 1947 and 2015.



Bush burning, indiscriminate felling of trees, illegal mining and hunting, amongst others, have contributed to the destruction of the environment, leading to the worsening climatic conditions.



Mr Abu Iddrisu, Northern Regional Director of the EPA, condemned the rampant destruction of the environment and urged all public and private institutions to incorporate environmental management into their activities to promote its sustainability.



Mr Iddrisu asked the citizenry to, especially, take fire control issues seriously to help protect the environment.



Mr Bernard Tabil, Northern Regional Director of the Forestry Commission, pledged the commitment of the Commission to champion efforts at greening the country, saying there were seedlings available at the Commission to be accessed by communities for afforestation purposes.



Alhaji Abdul Razak Saani, Northern Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education, condemned group hunting and poor land management practices, and urged all to Let the protection of the environment be your business.



Meanwhile, Olam Ghana has supplied an additional 20,000 tree seedlings to the EPA, and would partner with it to plant them in various communities in the Region in the course of the year.



Last year, the organisation supplied 11,000 tree seedlings to the EPA for the same purpose.

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.

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By Trend

The Minister of economy and sustainable development of Georgia Natia Turnava discussed the restoration of cooperation in the field of tourism with the Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy of the Federal Republic of Germany Thomas Baris, Trend reports via the ministry.

As reported, Turnava held an online meeting with Thomas Baris.

The online meeting was also attended by Deputy Economy Ministers Akaki Sagirashvili and Genadi Arveladze, head of the National Tourism Administration Mariam Kvrivishvili and Georgian Ambassador to Germany Levan Izoria.

In addition to other priority areas of bilateral economic cooperation, the parties discussed the restoration of bilateral air traffic and cooperation in the field of tourism.

Germany has traditionally supported Georgia in many important areas, including economic development. We hope that German tourists will be among the first international travelers to visit Georgia after opening the borders. We informed the German side about the situation in Georgia and said that we were ready to receive the first international guests from July 1, said Turnava.

Georgia has completely closed regular flights in all directions since March 21. Thanks to Georgias success in combating the COVID-19 epidemic, the government decided to open domestic tourism on June 15, and open borders for foreign tourists on July 1.

According to preliminary data, Israel will become the first country from which Georgia will receive tourists. In addition to the Baltic countries, Georgia is negotiating the resumption of tourism with the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria and neighboring countries. To date, more than 20 airlines have already expressed a desire to resume flights to Georgia.

---

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Protesters march on the Brooklyn Bridge after a rally in Cadman Plaza Park, Thursday, June 4, 2020, in New York. AP



By Emanuel Pastreich




Sampson Ahi is wondering when the much talked about prosecution by Samuel Atta Akyea is going to take place.



"Atta Akyea has not even finished with the auditing he claims to be doing and he is already making allegations without any basis . . . he started saying people will be arrested and prosecuted way back in 2017, 2018, 2019 and he is still saying it in 2020; when is the arrest going to be made?" he queried.



According to him, no arrest has been made so far because there is no basis to take such action; "there is nothing there.



The Member of Parliament for Bodi constituency was reacting to the Saglemi Housing Project and allegations made by the Minister of Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea.



The act of bewitchment



Responding to parliamentary questions on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, June 4, 2020, Atta Akyea said: On the 27th day of February 2014, the then Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Honourable Collins Dauda, MP, on his own motion, rubbished the parliamentary approval and reviewed the original agreement and signed his own First and Restated Agreement with Messrs Construtora OAS Ghana Limited to downsize the number of houses to be constructed to 1,502 housing units with the same contract sum of $200 million.



He further added: I do not know if the then (Minister) had been bewitched by the Contractor.



Reacting to this, Sampson Ahi who was speaking on UTVs Critical Issues, Saturday said per the Saglemi housing project final report 2018; "in March 2017, 5.6m was paid to the contractor and it was paid under Atta Akyea, and so if we were bewitched, was he also bewitched to release this money? . . . if he claims he has no knowledge of the payment, it is a huge indictment".



"If you dont yet have the report why make allegations? This shows he was just engaging in politics . . . no one gave the contractor 80 million, that claims from the Minister, Atta Akyea is factually inaccurate . . . because of politics they are not even going to find out for themselves what is happening on grounds," he added.



Listen to him below







Collins Dauda is innocent



Sampson Ahi has meanwhile insisted that former Works and Housing Minister, Collins Dauda is innocent of all accusations being levelled against him.



"Collins Dauda has not spent a pesewa; we worked without any blemish and so they should stop the threats. Collins Dauda has done nothing wrong," he insisted.





Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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"The new Currents mobile app will replace the Google+ iOS and Android mobile apps, which will no longer be supported. After July 6, 2020, it will not be possible to opt out of Currents or revert back to Google+.", announced The G Suite Team in an email to its users.

Google shut down its social network, Google+ (AKA G Plus) on 2nd April 2019 . But for enterprise communication to continue, Google has announced another tool in place of Google+, called  Google Currents .In an email to the G Suite administrators, Google has mentioned that Currents is going to launch on 6th July 2020. All the users that were on Google+ will be transferred to Currents. It is like a rebranded version of Google+, but with a more updated look and feel, along with providing additional benefits through some extra features, content moderation, and some administrative privileges.Currents has been in the beta testing phase for a couple of months, and now that it will roll out on 6th July 2020, people are excited about the interesting features that it is going to provide. According to Googles claims, Currents is for people who want to stay updated about the current issues, and they like to discuss them with others. It is also going to help people engage more efficiently with their colleagues and employees.It is going to carry over the concept of tags and streams. These features will allow leaders and employees to exchange meaningful discussions and ideas across the organization while enabling them to gather valuable input and positive or negative feedback from other people. This will not only make the whole exchange and conversion effective and fast; it will also not flood the inboxes with company messages and emails. So, that is a huge plus!The user interface and experience will mostly remain unaffected and unchanged with a home stream ordered by chronology or relevance, and the posts from a companys bosses will be given priority.It will also allow the sharing of polls, texts, links, images, videos, and any other content saved in Google Drive too.This is how admins and leadership will be able to make the discussions across the organization effective by creating targeted custom streams to promote a particular content to a specific set of employees, or if they choose, to the entire company even.Another interesting feature is that the admins can use metrics to measure engagement across the organization platform, and they will be able to track the usage and even grasp the content which becomes popular across the organization for whatever reason.Once Currents is launched, as mentioned above, all the Google+ users will be automatically transferred to Currents, and the complete features of Currents will be available to them in five days.All the existing plus.google.com links will work but they will redirect to currents.google.com URLs.For Android and iOS, an update to Google+ will introduce its newly launched rebranded version, Currents.Read next: Google adds new features in Digital Wellbeing, Clock, and Family link
The core committee of the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party unit which met in Bangalore on Saturday has recommended the names of Prabhakar Kore, Ramesh Katti and Prakash Shetty to the party high command for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls. The BJP, given its strength in the assembly, can easily win two seats and would need 15 more votes in case of it deciding to field a third candidate.

The meeting which took place at the state party headquarters in Malleshwaram was attended by state unit president Nalin Kumar Kateel, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, cabinet ministers Jagadish Shettar, C T Ravi, R Ashoka, K S Eshwarappa, Deputy CM Govind Karajola as well as senior leaders including C M Udasi.

Union ministers D V Sadananda Gowda, Prahalad Joshi and general secretary in charge of the Karnataka unit Muralidhara Rao and D Purandareswari who is co-in-charge participated via a video conference.

While the core committee is said to have discussed various names including those of media and transport baron Vijay Sankeshwar-- a former two-term Lok Sabha MP, Tejaswini - social activist and wife of former union minister and BJP stalwart Ananth Kumar, Sudha Murthy - philanthropist and wife of Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy, K V Kamath - former ICICI bank chief, Prof M Nagaraj - a Sangh ideologue from Northern Karnataka and a few others, it finally decided to recommend the names of Kore, Katti and Shetty for the party high commands final consideration.

Prabhakar Kore is an education baron who controls about 250 educational institutions in Karnataka and Maharashtra under the Karnataka Lingayat Education (KLE) society and is a current Rajya Sabha member whose term will end on June 25.

The second name is that of Ramesh Katti, who is the brother of eight-term MLA Umesh Katti, a prominent BJP leader from Northern Karnataka. Ramesh Katti narrowly lost out the BJP Lok Sabha ticket from the Chikkodi parliamentary seat and the brothers have been pressurising CM Yediyurappa to keep what they say is his promise to send the younger Katti sibling to the upper house of parliament.

The last name on the list is Prakash Shetty a hospitality and real estate entrepreneur who runs a chain of hotels. The BJP may decide to field a third candidate only if somebody like Shetty can ensure the additional 15 votes required to get elected. A member needs 44 votes to win.

Sources in the party said that they had requested the high command to field only two candidates as they would be short of 15 votes for a third candidate. Finally the high command will decide the names from the list recommended or decide to have its own names. Since Tuesday is the last day for nominations, we expect the names to be announced on Sunday. We have not decided what we would do with the additional votes, said a senior leader of the party who didnt want to be identified after the core committee meeting.

Congress has already announced veteran party leader Mallikarjuna Kharge as its candidate, while JD(S) which has 34 MLAs and would require 10 additional votes to get its candidate elected says party supremo HD Deve Gowda is yet to take a call on contesting. The elections are scheduled for June 19 and the last day of nominations is June 9.

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By Margaret Kimberley

The nationwide protests have forced the Black quisling class to reveal themselves as agents of the racial and economic status quo.

Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was among the worst.

June 05, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - The aftermath of George Floyds murder at the hands of Minneapolis, Minnesota police has created a national political crisis. The revulsion caused by this latest killing caught on camera spawned protests in Minneapolis and all over the country. Black people are the angriest, knowing they are at risk of the same treatment and because most police killings rarely result in convictions.

But the mass actions present a problem for the rulers. Anger boiled beneath the surface after years of the race to the bottom austerity regime, the worsening economic collapse in the wake of the COVID-19 quarantine, and another Democratic presidential primary rigged by that partys donor class to defeat the prospect of even minimalist reforms.

While black people led the way, they were joined by many white people too. They are also angry about Floyds death and are primed to rise up against the injustices that are expanding and becoming more deeply entrenched against them as well. While COVID-19 created a health crisis it also left millions unemployed with nothing but meager benefits and a one-time payment of $1,200.

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White people are also angry about Floyds death and are primed to rise up against the injustices.

When these groups began a nascent campaign of solidarity, the system rose up against them in an effort to delegitimize them all. The story of Floyds cruel death began to take a back seat in the corporate media. Suddenly the propagandists who pose as journalists became concerned about the presence of white people in the protests. Who were they? Where were they from? What did they want? Were they antifa or anarchists or white supremacists?

They were quickly joined by the political class of black misleaders who did the bidding of their patrons by dismissing the acts of rebellion. St. Paul, Minnesota mayor Melvin Carter fired the first shot when he declared that every arrested protester was not from his state. But in fact the opposite was true, and 85% of arrestees were Minnesotans . Carter sheepishly responded that he had received bad information. The obvious and easily proven inaccuracy makes that assertion highly unlikely.

He and others began using very dangerous talking points. They claimed to grieve for Mr. Floyd and expressed a desire to see justice done while also saying that white protesters were using the demonstrations for nefarious ends. They even evoked the outside agitator trope from the bad old days of Jim Crow segregation. They pleaded for peaceful protest or no protest at all and some of them told outright lies.

They evoked the outside agitator trope from the bad old days of Jim Crow.

Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was among the worst. She accused protesters of disgracing her city, George Floyds memory and Martin Luther Kings legacy all in one fell swoop. She told them, Go home. According to Madame Mayor every protester was snatching liquor, setting fires and pulling knives on the police. The rebellion was dismissed as criminality and despite any claims of concern for George Floyd, she proclaimed every participant a scoundrel.

For good measure she added, If you want change in America, go and register to vote!, as if that act has magical qualities to make bad things disappear. Voting usually produces nothing more than mediocre sell outs like Keisha Lance Bottoms. It certainly wont end police violence.

The heights of the most shameful lies were reserved for Marc Morial , former New Orleans mayor and President of the National Urban League, and Susan Rice , former National Security Adviser. In separate interviews they both accused the Russian government of instigating discontent. If it is white supremacists, if it is Russians, if it is other foreign actors whove tried to exploit the pain and exploit legitimate protests, then this is a new level in our country, and they should be arrested and prosecuted as well, said the overly dramatic Morial. Rice said the protests were, Right out of the Russian playbook.

Rice and Morial accused the Russian government of instigating discontent.

It is hard to believe that either of them really believes anything they said. They are opportunists and cynics and they are joined at the hip with the Democrats donor class. These black quislings obey everyone except their own people. Their con game is to give a pretense of black empowerment while doing the bidding of others. If that means repeating disproven propaganda, then so be it.

The underlings and their patrons are afraid. They know that if young black and white people find common cause they may march for other reasons too. They may lead general strikes, demand an end to war or try to resurrect the Occupy movement. It is better to cast aspersions now instead of risking needed change that would undermine their positions.

That is why they eagerly establish curfews and say nothing about the police violence against protesters. There are no white supremacists in these actions, and they invoke the dreaded words to stoke fear and confusion. The spontaneous rebellions are but a first step in establishing real grass roots organizing that must focus on police violence, political corruption and a system which puts black people most at risk of dying in a pandemic, being arrested for little or nothing, or earning a starvation wage if any wage at all.

The Black Alliance for Peace campaign, No Compromise, No Retreat shows the way. The BAP candidate pledge will expose the likes of Keisha Lance Bottoms. Demanding that they demilitarize the police and investigate all police killings will bring about important organizational work. Their days of using their positions to undermine the popular will end only when a strong organizing apparatus forces them out.

These black quislings obey everyone except their own people.

All eyes must be focused on them, and less so on Donald Trump. There is no antifa organization, it is instead a political idea of how to fight fascism. His mutterings about it being a terrorist group should be ignored. His ravings about vicious dogs and ominous weapons at the White House trigger panic but black mayors and their friends who seek to divert attention from their own corruption pose far bigger problems.

The misleaders assisted in foisting Joe Biden upon Democratic Party voters. While Trump did his usual routine of ginning up his followers with political red meat, Biden appeared in a black church and spoke of police stopping imaginary knife wielding attackers by aiming to shoot for the legs. This deranged and dangerous nonsense is the result of high level treachery amongst the black political class and is as dangerous as any Trumpian nonsense.

The joint disparagement of grass roots protest by the misleaders and corporate media prove that it has the potential to bring real change. That is why they become more shrill by the day and it is why the people must act in opposition to them all.

Margaret Kimberleys Freedom Rider column appears weekly in BAR, and is widely reprinted elsewhere. She maintains a frequently updated blog as well at patreon.com/margaretkimberley and she regularly posts on Twitter @freedomrideblog. Ms. Kimberley lives in New York City, and can be reached via e-Mail at Margaret.Kimberley(at)BlackAgendaReport.com. - - " Source " -

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When the Covid virus knocked the world for six, Brexit faded into the background. The bad-tempered arguments were forgotten.

We joined neighbourhood groups, clapped for the NHS, smiled at strangers as we gave them a wide berth, and invented new and ingenious ways of keeping in touch.

As the Queen movingly put it: 'Our streets are not empty; they are filled with the love and the care that we have for each other.'

But now the Brexit zombie is back  and the Remainer Undead are stirring up trouble.

Top EU negotiator Michael Barnier (pictured) has turned up the volume in Brexit talks by accusing the UK of backsliding from promises he said it had made in the Political Declaration

They thought they had struck gold with the campaign against Dominic Cummings, started off by the Remain-supporting Guardian and Mirror newspapers.

Other media articles simultaneously appeared urging an extension to the present Brexit 'transition period' during which we are half in and half out of the EU.

Then, last week, a report commissioned by the Remainer organisation Best for Britain was published.

Not surprisingly, it, too, urged an extension. It rehashed the longdiscredited 'Project Fear' prophecies of economic doom, and added the Covid crisis as an extra worry.

In a clear attempt to spook Tory MPs, it proclaimed that without a deal with the EU, the economy of 'Red Wall' constituencies in the North and Midlands, won by the Conservatives from Labour last December, would be hardest hit.

Meanwhile, Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator, turned up the volume, accusing the UK of backsliding from promises he said it had made in the Political Declaration on the future relationship with the EU, and suggested extending the transition period by 'one or two years'.

Is all this just a coincidence? I don't believe conspiracy theories on principle  they are nearly always fantasies.

Yet there is clearly a campaign to put another spanner in the Brexit works as the deadline for an extension to the transition period approaches.

There is no practical reason due to Covid to delay the talks, as the British side and its forceful sherpa David Frost, the UK's chief negotiator, have repeatedly made clear.

Britain is not asking for a complex 'bespoke' deal, as it did under Theresa May, but for an off-the-peg Free Trade Agreement like those made by the EU with several other countries, such as Canada.

As Brexiteers have long pointed out, as we already have free trade and full regulatory alignment, continuing on the same lines does not require long negotiation.

Moreover, an agreement is in the interests of the EU, which has a huge trading surplus (estimated at 94billion) with the UK, which it risks seeing reduced. The problem is not Covid, but politics.

Brussels demands far more than free trade: the notorious 'level playing field' on standards continued indefinitely, an integrated defence and foreign policy, plus the continuation, in effect, of the Common Fisheries Policy.

Britain has already said it is not planning on an unfair 'race to the bottom' in its social and environmental policies, and has pointed out that in several areas its standards are higher than on the Continent.

But EU countries want not just fair trade  which Free Trade Agreements generally provide for anyway  but something very different: the right to oversee and veto Britain's domestic policies, with the European Court of Justice finally deciding the law that applies to us.

Nothing like this has been seen between democratic states. M.

Barnier says that Britain's 'geographical proximity' to Europe demands it.

He also wants British fishing grounds, which are ours under international law, to be treated as common European property.

We cannot know how much of this is bluff. But on the face of it, these demands amount to treating the UK as a subordinate within the EU's 'sphere of influence'  a concept dating from the age of imperialism, in which great empires (which some in Brussels see the EU as becoming) treat smaller neighbouring states as satellites under their supervision.

The British side and its forceful sherpa David Frost (pictured), the UK's chief negotiator, have repeatedly made clear here is no practical reason due to Covid to delay the talks

Not surprisingly, David Frost has said that this 'is not an argument that can hope to be accepted in the 21st Century'.

The EU must get its collective head round the fact that the UK is an independent sovereign state and an equal partner.

It is not difficult to understand the predicament of M. Barnier and the whole EU. Brexit and then the Covid crisis have hit them hard.

Not only has the idea of the inevitability of European integration been undermined, but its already shaky financial and economic structure has been dealt successive body blows.

Italians are outraged that Brussels failed to come to their aid when the epidemic hit.

Frontiers have been closed. Financial aid has been slow and grudging.

The whole structure of the Eurozone now faces a possibly unsustainable mountain of debt.

To crown it all, the German Constitutional Court has warned that it may be illegal for the European Central Bank to keep lending billions to Italy, and that it may forbid Germany's central bank from chipping in.

So putting off Britain's final exit, keeping its financial contributions going as long as possible, doing everything to prevent it from competing effectively with the EU, and keeping the notoriously pugnacious French and Spanish fishermen happy are all eminently desirable for Brussels.

M. Barnier, getting no joy from Messrs Johnson and Frost, wrote to UK Opposition party leaders to get their support for an extension.

The mystery is why anybody in the UK should want to go along with this.

We loyally supported the EU while we were members  with the occasional grumble, admittedly  and we followed its rules more punctiliously than most.

But now we have left. Why this desire to stay on a leash?

To extend the transition period would mean continuing to pay huge sums of money to the EU  which is now demanding even more because of the Covid crisis.

It would prolong business uncertainty. It would put a stop to negotiations to improve trade with other countries, where most of our exports already go.

So what are the arguments? The suggestion that Covid makes negotiation impossible is silly: not even M. Barnier claims this.

Equally silly are hints that Britain might be short of food and medicines  which Europeans will be keener than ever to sell us.

The real aim of an extension to the transition period is simply to string the process out, to shut off trade agreements with other countries, to keep us as close as possible to the EU for as long as possible in the hope that somehow we shall never leave and might eventually drift back.

This the Labour Party appears to endorse. Far from being an obstacle, the Covid crisis, for the very reason that it has disrupted normal activity, provides an opportunity to move on, whether towards a Free Trade Agreement with the EU, or, if it refuses, to trade on ordinary World Trade Organisation terms.

Why? Because the probable rise in unemployment means we can, and should, end free movement of people.

Because the damage done by the coronavirus crisis means the British Government can, and should, borrow to sustain damaged regions and industries without being hampered by EU controls  and indeed the cost of Government borrowing, again because of the crisis, is near zero.

And finally because when the damaged world economy is restructured in the wake of Covid, we need the freedom to seek the best opportunities worldwide by concluding trade agreements with more willing partners than the EU.
Unified world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua was on Saturday spotted hobbling on crutches as he joined the Black Lives Matter peaceful protest.

During the protest which held in Watford, the Nigerian born British fighter addressed those gathered over a microphone while sharing that he sustained the injury during a recent training.

His spokesman also confirmed that that the injury is not serious.

Read Also: Anthony Joshua Opens Up On Why He Doesnt Have A Girlfriend

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He said: Anthony felt a slight twinge in his knee whilst training. The brace Is a precautionary measure on the advice of physios. It will be further checked by his doctors but there is no immediate concern.

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During last fall's ice storm, they worked long hours, some away from their families for weeks at a time, sleeping on gymnasium floors, as they laboured to restore power to thousands of Manitobans.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/6/2020 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

During last fall's ice storm, they worked long hours, some away from their families for weeks at a time, sleeping on gymnasium floors, as they laboured to restore power to thousands of Manitobans.

In late November, Premier Brian Pallister rose in the legislature to honour their work, treating them like heroes and asking that all their names be read into the assembly's record of proceedings.

But on Friday, in response to government-mandated cost-cutting, Manitoba Hydro announced the four-month layoff of 190 of those same workers.

"Those are the staff that the corporation has chosen to deem as expendable," said Mike Espenell, business manager with Local 2034 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, reacting to the move.

In addition to the IBEW layoffs, Hydro said 12 members of its natural gas unit would also be temporarily laid off. An official with their union, Unifor, said the dozen workers include eight first responders to emergency calls.

While both unions had been offered three days of unpaid leave for all members in place of temporary layoffs for some, they said they balked at the proposal when Hydro wouldn't assure them there'd be no future layoffs.

Hydro president and CEO Jay Grewal said the 200 affected staff was a reduction from the approximately 700 layoffs the utility was originally anticipating. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun files)

Hydro president and CEO Jay Grewal announced the layoffs in a press release Friday. She said the 200 affected staff was a significant reduction from the approximately 700 layoffs the utility was originally anticipating.

"As I have said previously, this was absolutely not our preferred course of action," she said.

"We will make all efforts to minimize the impact of these temporary layoffs on service to customers, while maintaining the safety of our system and employees in every aspect of our operations."

Last week, the corporation announced that close to 1,000 managers, executives and non-union staff would take three unpaid days off over the next eight months to meet the government's savings targets. The measure was expected to save $1.4 million.

The layoffs announced Friday are expected to save $4.1 million, Hydro said.

Terry Dunlop, president of the Association of Manitoba Hydro Staff and Supervisory Employees, said Friday his 774 members have also agreed to take three unpaid days off.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 998, which represents 900 clerical and administrative staff at the corporation, has recommended that its members accept the unpaid days off, after failing to get the corporation to consider alternatives, local president Michelle Bergen said. A vote will take place next week.

The layoffs announced Friday are expected to save $4.1 million. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Bergen said 28 CUPE members are facing a four-month layoff if the proposal is rejected.

She said workers are disappointed that Hydro refused to participate in a federal work-share program that could have seen the corporation avoid layoffs or unpaid days off. Manitoba Public Insurance has enrolled 250 of its employees in the program, which tops up pay for workers who lose hours.

"We fought the good fight," Bergen said, noting that all Hydro staff at one time faced the threat of an eight per cent wage cut over a four-month period, or the equivalent of about six unpaid days.

Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor's western regional director, said Pallister misled the public when he promised to protect front-line workers during the pandemic.

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"There's no question that the heavy hand of the government is all over this," he said of the layoffs and unpaid days off. "It's sort of like hit this (cost savings) target and tell you the reasons why later."

Grewal said Friday that the layoffs will commence in the next two to three weeks.

However, that will only apply to the dozen Unifor members, who must be given two-weeks' notice of any layoff, according to their collective agreement.

IBEW's contract with Hydro requires a 90-day notice period. That would push the four-month layoff period well into fall  a time when bad weather, maybe even another ice storm, could make the workers' absence felt all the more.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
Remote working has evolved as the survival strategy for businesses to thrive in this pandemic induced economic downturn. It is safe to say that, it is the futuristic work-culture or work layout that is both beneficial to the management and the employees.

After creating a scalable in-house remote working architecture to continue processes, during the lockdown period, HashCash Consultants is now helping enterprises with the same.

The USA based company is offering services to reform existing work processes of respective businesses through augmented digital solutions making it remote compatible to cope with social distancing and other COVID-norms.

A global shift in work-culture has been the most interesting and landmark aftermaths of COVID-19. Remote working has evolved as the survival strategy for businesses to thrive in this pandemic induced economic downturn. It is safe to say that, it is the futuristic work-culture or work layout that is both beneficial to the management and the employees, commented Raj Chowdhury, CEO, HashCash Consultants.

He added, HashCash was fully functional throughout the lockdown, without a single day of closed operations, due to scalable digital solutions that we leveraged to enable the team to provide the clients with uninterrupted service. Now, we want to aid others with the same. It is time to reimagine and make necessary changes to meet the demands of the post-pandemic world, ensure the wellbeing of the employees, both health-wise and economically.



The COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown that followed has brought forced the world to rethink their normal strategies into building ones that are scalable enough to fit in any situation, so that continuity can be maintained. Its a new reality and the rules and systems need to be modified.

The over-night shift of workspace from corporate buildings to living rooms was a hard adjustment initially. However, with time, businesses have experienced the benefits of the flexibility offered by remote working. The realization has influenced most organizations to reform their operational architecture and give serious thought to give more permanency to remote work culture.

Rising to the occasion, HashCash is offering specialized solutions to enterprises to create a robust ecosystem through advanced digitization. Leveraging multiple virtual communication tools HashCash ensures seamless communication between the employees and the management. Smart office solutions include:

1. Deployment of the customized agile team communication platform, equipped with several integrations like file sharing, chat options that allow employees to communicate in groups or one-to-one.

2. Offering scalable virtual communication applications with integrated tools for enhanced connectivity that guarantees zero disruptions.

3. Interactive interface with augmented project management features.

4. Integrated HR solutions to conduct interviews, disperse offer letters, complete online initiation of the new employees, and the complete onboarding process with efficiency.

All cutting-edge solutions provided by HashCash to enable remote working is powered by augmented security protocols to uphold the privacy of the communication between employees and the management.

HashCash is a global software company. HashCash Blockchain products enable enterprises to move assets and settle payments across borders in real-time for Remittances, Trade Finance, Payment Processing, and more. HashCash runs US-based digital asset exchange, PayBito & digital asset payment processor, BillBitcoins. HashCash offers exchange and payment processor software solutions, ICO Services, and customized use cases. HashCash propels advancement in technology through Blockchain1o1 programs and its investment arm, Satoshi Angels. HashCash offers solutions in AI, Big Data and IoT through its platforms, products & services. HashCash solves the toughest challenges by executing innovative digital transformation strategies for clients around the world.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Mourners praised Annie Glenn on Saturday as a dogged fighter for those with speech disorders, a source of support for her astronaut husband and a hero in her own right.

Glenn, wife of the late John Glenn, died May 19 at 100 of complications from COVID-19. She had been living in a nursing home near St. Paul, Minnesota, to be nearer to her daughter, Lyn.

During a virtual memorial service, son David said after his mother overcame her lifelong stutter, she struck up so many conversations it seemed she was making up for lost time.

Through all of her life, the most prominent characteristic that my mother embodied, as far as Im concerned, was how she loved and cared about others, he said in a remote broadcast.

Annie treated everyone as this amazing surprise standing in front of her, recalled journalist Connie Schultz, who said many overlook the heroism required of her as she sent her husband into space.

The Glenns were married for 73 years at the time of John Glenns death in 2016. He was the first American to orbit the Earth, as well as a military hero and Democratic U.S. senator from Ohio. He often attributed his accomplishments to Annies strength and support.

Schultz, who contributed to the service alongside her husband, Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, said Glenn provided her tips on how to be a political spouse.

When Schultz lamented to Glenn, for example, that political consultants seemed to either see a wife as a prop or a problem, Glenn told Schultz: Well, then, be a problem.

Rev. Amy Miracle, pastor of of Broad Street Presbyterian Church, said it is difficult to imagine that such a well-lived life as Annie Glenns ended amid a pandemic. But she said Glenn did not really die alone.

God was with Annie, holding her hand, whispering her name, she said. Where else would God be?
One of India's leading TV and film producers, Ekta Kapoor has responded to the cyber threats she has been receiving since some days. In a statement, she said, "As an individual and as an organisation we are deeply respectful towards Indian army. Their contribution to our well being and security is immense. Yes, we shall readily tender an unconditional apology if such a demand comes from any bonafide army institution. But we wont bow down to uncivilised cyber bullying and rape threats by random elements.

Earlier in the week, Kapoor's show Triple X, which is based on the lives of army personnel, was at the centre of controversies. Many on social media were not happy with the show's content.

Former Bigg Boss contestant Hindustani Bhau has also lodged a complaint against the makers of the show at the Khar police station in Mumbai.

Raising strong objection to the web series, Martyrs Welfare Foundation (MWF) chairman Major TC Rao said that army soldiers sacrifice their lives for the country, but the series' producer and director have depicted that armymen's wives are intimate with other men at home when their husbands are away serving on the borders. "This content is highly objectionable and it could demoralise our armed forces," he said.

"Triple X-2 also has scenes where uniforms of military men, having symbols of Ashoka statue and Taj are torn apart. This is an insult to our armed forces and military personnel," Rao said.

MWF member Major SN Rao said "In a state like Haryana having representation of over 3.70 lakh army soldiers. This is an insult to them and ex-armymen like us. If Ekta Kapoor will not remove the objectionable scenes from the web series, we will intensify our agitation."

Rajender Kumar, SHO of Palam Vihar police station, confirmed receiving a complaint in this regard and said the matter is under investigation.

There were also reports that the makers have agreed to remove the controversial scenes from the show.

(With inputs from agencies)
Representative image

Pakistan-based American blogger Cynthia D Ritchie has accused three senior leaders of the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of raping and assaulting her in 2011.

She posted a video on her Facebook page on June 5, where she made the allegations, which went viral on social media soon after.

"In 2011, I was raped by the former interior minister Rehman Malik. That's right, I'll say it again. I was raped by the then interior minister Rehman Malik," she claimed.

She also said that former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin "physically manhandled" her while Gilani was staying at the "President's House" in Islamabad.

Ritchie's allegations have escalated the already bitter row between her and the party after she posted a comment on a tweet on May 28 against slain PPP leader and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, which was termed as derogatory by the party leaders who filed a complaint against her at the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Her comments came on a tweet discussing the violent confrontation between model Uzma Khan and a woman, who accused the former of having a relationship with her husband of 13 years and used this allegation to justify her violent treatment of the model.

"This echoes stories of what BB used to do when her husband cheated. She'd have the guards rape the women. Why do women condone this rape culture? Why aren't the men ever held accountable? Where is the justice system?" Ritchie wrote the comment on the tweet.

According to media reports, PPP, on the same day, filed a complaint with the FIA against Ritchie for "hateful comments and slander" against Bhutto.

In another post, Ritchie said that the rape assault against her took place at Malik's house in the Ministers' Enclave around the time of the raid in which Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan in 2011.

"I thought it (was) a meeting about my visa but I was given flowers/a drugged drink," she wrote. He also said that she kept mum as no one in the then PPP government helped her.

PPP was in power from 2008 until 2013 and Gilani was the prime minister until he was removed by the Supreme Court in June 2012 for disobeying court orders.

Ritchie also said she had informed about the incident to "someone" at the US Embassy in Pakistan in 2011, "but due to 'fluid' situation and 'complex' relations between US and Pakistan, [the] response was less than adequate".

Referring to her ongoing battle with the PPP, she said it was not really about that tweet but about the individuals who know she had a lot of dirt on a lot of people in Pakistan.

It is primarily those who use and abuse others, particularly women and the vulnerable population. And I am one of them, Ritchie was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper.

However, Gilani has denied the charges and said that he is even considering responding to such allegations, "humiliation and disgrace".

While talking to ARY News, he was asked what Richie was doing at the Presidency when she was allegedly manhandled, and why she had been staying in Pakistan.

Gilani alleged that she had come to Pakistan as part of a campaign to malign politicians.

"Who has given them the right to malign politicians?" he asked.

He said Ritchie was maligning him because his two sons had filed a defamation case against her for her allegedly defamatory tweet against Bhutto.

However, the two former ministers have not so far responded to the allegations.
Cattle import: Concerns have been addressed, say project officials By Tharushi Weerasinghe View(s): View(s):

The Government is facing harsh criticism over fresh plans to bring cattle from Australia after hundreds perished the last time they were imported in 2017.

But the proposal has been widely rehashed to reflect concerns and correct mistakes, authorities insisted this week. It is now hoped to bring in Australian cattle for breeding and not milch cows as had been done earlier. Additionally, the livestock will not be distributed among farmers, but bred at the National Livestock Development Board (NLDB) farms, so that a hardier second generation will be available to the local milk industry.

Even this proposal is subject to review by an independent expert panel comprising academics and experts in the dairy sector, said Sagarika Sumanasekara, Director of the Dairy Development Project of the Rural Economic Development Ministry. The Cabinet will make its final decision based on their report, which is due in a month.

An agreement signed several years ago envisaged the importation of livestock under a US$ 73mn Export Finance Australia loan. Its terms have now been revised in a manner that addresses the concerns of Sri Lankas dairy industry, Dr Sumanasekara said. The projects scope had also changed so it will run parallel to the Saubhagya National Programme of Harvesting and Cultivation.

The total number of milch cows to be imported via the agreement was 20,000, but only 5,000 came in before the scheme was suspended over severe criticism and failure. However, a US$ 11mn mobilisation advance was paid in 2018 to revive the projects second phase.

Now, instead of accepting the remaining 15,000 cattle, the funds will go towards growing fodder, improvement of NLDB farm infrastructure and improvement of breeder facilities. Steps will be taken to combat potential inbreeding that could hamper the productivity of local cattle.

The NLDB farms where the breeding of the Australian livestock will take place will be selected on the basis of climate and other criteria.

The main challenge to Sri Lankas dairy industry was a lack of resources to maintain livestock, said Manjula Magamage, NLDB Chairman. The lucrative importation some people favoured was not a solution to this.

Sri Lanka produced 400,000 milk litres a day when the daily requirement was 1.2mn litres. Ninety-five percent of daily production was from small-scale farmers and the NLDB must empower them, Dr Magamage said. He blamed lack of accountability as well as professional errors for the livestock importation debacles that cost the Government and private investors millions.

I am strongly against the distribution of imported animals to the general public, he said. Any animal requires 10 percent of its body weight in food. Imported cattle that produce 30-40 litres of milk can weigh up to five hundred kilograms. The bigger the animal, the higher the food requirement: 150 litres of water and 50kg of grass a day. How many of our small-scale farmers can provide these? he asked.

In February, the Government held discussions with the Australian Ambassador to revise the contract. The tender must be awarded to an Australian company under the terms of the loan, Dr Sumanasekara said. But it will no longer be Wellard Ltd which faced a backlash during the projects first phase. She also said farmers who bought  and lost  milch cows will be compensated while part of the loan will be used to assist those who had continued the project with some degree of success.

Investors are not all happy, though. Amal Suriyage has been at the forefront of a battle against the controversial deal. He called the new proposals vague and had no idea of any plans to compensate farmers who had suffered losses..

The moral integrity of the whole project is questionable because the same irresponsible officials responsible for the mess last time are also associated with the new plans, Mr Suriyage observed. The terms have to be in black-and-white, especially when its clear that some officials are prisoners of the corporate.

The viability of the new scope depends on the suitability of climatic conditions to the new breeders, feed availability, accurate produce projections and solutions for potential disease importation, said Tim Vasudeva, Director of Corporate Affairs at Animals Australia.

He called for a plan of action which addresses the concerns of Sri Lankas Auditor General  who slammed the importation of milch cows in a special report  local farmers and other stakeholders, and explains why the Government anticipates a different outcome this time.

Animals Australia was disappointed in Sri Lankas handling of the previous shipment of livestock, Mr Vasudeva said.
Director General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a news conference on the situation of COVID-19 in Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 28. Reuters



The World Health Organization changed its advice on face masks amid the coronavirus pandemic Friday, saying they should be worn in places where the virus is widespread and physical distancing is difficult.



The use of masks has been a hot topic ever since the pandemic first emerged in China in December.



"In light of evolving evidence, WHO advises that governments should encourage the general public to wear masks where there is widespread transmission and physical distancing is difficult," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.



In areas with community-level virus transmission, "we advise that people aged 60 years or over, or those with underlying conditions, should wear a medical mask in situations where physical distancing is not possible", he added.



But the UN health agency stressed that facemasks alone "will not protect you from COVID-19"  and people suffering from the virus should not be out in public if they can avoid it.



The WHO maintained its recommendation that people who are sick with COVID-19 symptoms should stay at home and if it was absolutely necessary for them or their contacts to leave home, to wear a medical mask.






Private equity firm Sycamore Partners is in preliminary talks to acquire JC Penney Co Inc out of bankruptcy should the US department store chain's negotiations with its creditors fail, three people familiar with the matter said on Friday. JC Penney, which employs roughly 85,000 people, filed for bankruptcy protection in May after the coronavirus pandemic forced it to temporarily close its more than 800 stores across the United States, compounding financial woes that stemmed from years of dwindling sales. Sycamore is weighing acquiring JC Penney outright or making an ...
Tens of thousands marched in Australia, Canada, the UK, Japan, Seoul and elsewhere in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement as Washington, DC geared up for whats being anticipated as the largest ever protest in the US against racism in the wake of the custodial death of George Floyd.

Over 1,000 people marched in Sydney after winning a last-minute appeal against a Friday ruling declaring their rally unauthorised. In Brisbane, about 30,000 people gathered, forcing police to shut down some major streets.

In the South Korean capital Seoul, protesters gathered for a second straight day to denounce Floyds death. Wearing masks and black shirts, dozens marched through a commercial district amid a police escort, carrying signs such as Koreans for Black Lives Matter.

In Tokyo, dozens of people gathered in a peaceful protest. In Paris, police banned a protest planned for Saturday, citing the risk of spreading Covid-19. In Britain, tens of thousands of people ignored official advice to avoid mass gatherings and came together to protest against the killing.

In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an unannounced appearance at an anti-racial discrimination rally in the capital Ottawa, and then proceeded to take the knee for around nine minutes, along with protesters.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo accused China of using the unrest in the US to justify denying its own people basic human rights. As with dictatorships throughout history, no lie is too obscene, so long as it serves the partys lust for power, he said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. This laughable propaganda should not fool anyone.

China has repeatedly criticised the US over the Floyd case.

The US is now witnessing a weekend of protests described as the broadest in its history, spreading even to smaller cities and small towns, including deeply conservative ones. District of Colombia, which had another night of curfew on Friday, has seen a surging number of protesters, undeterred by the heavy presence of law enforcement. They demonstrated in front of the White House, which has been turned into a fortress with tall fences and concrete barricades and walked peacefully to the Lincoln Memorial nearby.

The protests, now into their 12th day, have spread to more locations than the previous high of 650 places during the Womens Marches of January 2017, just days after President Donald Trump took office, according to a research published in The Washington Post. The study by professors Lara Putnam, Erica Chenoweth and Jeremy Pressman noted t the breadth of the protests is significant and also because they took place without advance planning and in the middle of a pandemic that has kept many Americans home
Charlevoix man denies wrongdoing despite signing illegitimate election document

Charlevoix resident John Haggard is among a group of Republicans who signed an Electoral College certificate attempting to award the states 16 votes to Donald Trump following the 2020 election  a document now under federal investigation.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci listens during the daily coronavirus briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, on April 9, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Fauci Fears George Floyd Protests May Be Perfect Setup for Virus Spread

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a Friday interview that he fears that the current bout of widespread protests raise the risk of new COVID-19 hotspots.

Every time I hear about or see the congregation of large crowds at a time and geographic area where there is active infection transmission, it is a perfect set-up for the spread of the virus in the sense of creating these blips that might turn into some surges, Fauci told radio station WTOP in a June 5 interview.

So I get very concerned, he said, calling the current situation a delicate balance, referring to the tension between protesters right to voice grievances and restrictions necessary to contain the spread of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus, the novel coronavirus that emerged from China and that causes COVID-19.

The reasons for demonstrating are valid, yet the demonstration itself puts one at an additional risk, Fauci said of the protests over the police custody death of George Floyd, which has sparked outrage and led to criminal charges against four Minneapolis police officers.

Faucis comments come as debate heats up, also among epidemiologists, over how to respond to the protests, which violate restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus.

Hundreds of health and medical professionals signed an open letter recently, arguing that the protests should receive special treatment.

We wanted to present a narrative that prioritizes opposition to racism as vital to the public health, including the epidemic response, the letter said, as reported by CNN.

As public health advocates, we do not condemn these gatherings as risky for Covid-19 transmission. We support them as vital to the national public health and to the threatened health specifically of black people in the United States, the letter said.

Others, like Mark Levine, chair of the New York City Council health committee, were even more forceful in pressing the point.

Lets be clear about something: if there is a spike in coronavirus cases in the next two weeks, dont blame the protesters, Levine wrote in a tweet. Blame racism.

Many conservatives denounced this attitude as hypocritical.

You know what erodes public trust? wrote Jonah Goldberg in an article in The Dispatch, When they say that youre a fool or monster who will get people killed for wanting to go to church or keep your business open but youre a hero when you join a protest they approve of.

You cant say goodbye to your dying mother. You might kill others. You have to let your business die. You might kill others. You must remove your kids from school. You might kill others. You can absolutely do the macarena with woke protesters, political commentator Ben Shapiro wrote in a tweet, sharing a video of Georgia National Guard members in Atlanta dancing with protesters, not wearing masks and not social distancing.

Fauci, in an interview with The Sunday Times, called the current protests a perfect recipe for spreading the deadly bug in particular because many people from other regions came to join in.

They had come in from the outside. What happens is you get people who come in [for the protest], mix with them, then go back to where they live, thats the perfect recipe for the spread of a respiratory illness, Fauci told the Times.

As I sat in front of the TV and watched the screen go from Washington DC to New York City to Los Angeles to Philadelphia, I got really concerned, he said.

I was going: Oh my goodness, I hope this doesnt set us back a lot. [After] all of the work in trying to maintain the physical distance and doing all the things, I became very concerned that we might see a resurgence, Fauci added.

His advice for people was to wear a mask when going to a demonstration and to keep it on the whole time.
Congress offer of buses for migrants was an ugly joke: Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath lashed out at Priyanka Gandhi and the Congress party over their offer to provide buses to ferry migrant workers. In an exclusive conversation with Hindustan editor-in-chief Shashi Shekhar, the UP CM said that buses provided by the Congress did not have necessary approvals and some of them were not even buses. Watch the full video for all the details. ...read more
"Our 30 new countywide Super Pantries will enable the San Diego Food Bank and our North County Food Bank chapter to distribute more food, more safely, more quickly, and more efficiently to families in need while the pandemic maintains its grip our region.

The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank and its North County Food Bank chapter announced the launch of its new Super Pantry Program at a food distribution at the North County Food Bank's warehouse on Friday morning in Vista.

The Super Pantry Program will comprise 30 high-volume food distribution centers strategically located in communities throughout San Diego County from Camp Pendleton in the north to San Ysidro in the south and rural East County communities

The Food Bank is launching its Super Pantry Program in response to the exponential increase in demand for food assistance from tens of thousands of families impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic.

The establishment of Super Pantries will reduce food lines and the amount of time families need to wait for food assistance. Each Super Pantry will distribute food a minimum of three days a week to prevent long lines experienced at one-time mass food distributions and cars being turned away due to limited supplies. With longer service hours on multiple days every week, the Food Bank can serve more households, more safely, more efficiently and more quickly.

Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic in mid-March, the San Diego Food Bank and its North County Food Bank chapter have distributed more than 10 million pounds of food over a 10-week period to an estimated 600,000 people in communities across San Diego County.

The Food Bank supplies food to San Diego Countys charitable food network through a hub and spoke model. Through this model, 500 nonprofits receive food from the San Diego Food Banks 90,000-square-foot warehouse in Miramar and the North County Food Banks 40,000-square-foot warehouse in Vista. The Food Banks member nonprofits include food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, low-income day care centers and senior centers. Currently, the Food Bank supplies food for 200 scheduled food distributions every month throughout the county.

James A. Floros, President & CEO of the San Diego Food Bank and its North County Food Bank chapter said, Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have increased the amount of food we distribute by 67%, and we are currently feeding nearly 600,000 people every month, up from 350,000 per month prior to the start of the crisis.

The launch of our new Super Food Pantry Program will greatly increase the capacity of our existing food distribution network partners. With a regional unemployment rate of 25% and COVID-19s devastating impact on our economy, the need for enhanced food distribution centers will remain for the forseeable future. Our new Super Food Pantries will enable the Food Bank to distribute more food more safely, quickly and efficiently to families in need while the pandemic maintains its grip our region.

The Super Pantry Program will start serving families on July 1, 2020. The Food Bank has issued an RFP to its 500 nonprofit distribution partners to apply to become a Super Pantry. Those accepted to join the program will receive capacity-building grants from a funding pool of $500,000 made possible by generous donors to the Food Bank. Funding will support capacity building through the purchase of refrigeration units, freezers, pallet jacks, shelving/racking, technology infrastructure, storage, safety equipment and PPE, transportation, and general food distribution supplies.

The Food Bank has been at the forefront of the Coronavirus pandemic, leading the countys charitable food network to ensure that tens of thousands of families affected by the crisis receive food assistance. The Food Bank supplies food for 200 hundred scheduled food distributions every month, distributes family food packages in partnership with school districts at more than 40 elementary school sites, and its mobile food pantries provide food assistance to residents of rural and remote areas of the county. The Food Bank is committed to serving San Diego County throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

###

About the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank and North County Food Bank

Established in 1977, the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank and its North County Food Bank chapter comprise the leading hunger-relief organization in San Diego County, providing food to people in need, advocating for the hungry and educating the public about hunger-related issues. Through a combination of programs and partnerships with more than 500 San Diego County nonprofit charities, the Food Bank acts as a central repository and distribution point for donated food. Last year, the Food Bank distributed 32 million pounds of food to working-poor families, low-income military families, fixed-income seniors and children living in poverty through a network of nonprofit organizations that work to alleviate hunger. Visit the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank at: SanDiegoFoodBank.org. Visit the North County Food Bank at NorthCountyFoodBank.org
 Flash

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday asked the entire world to change course on the environment.

"We are harming the natural world -- to our own detriment," he said in a message on World Environment Day, which falls on June 5.

"We need our entire global community to change course. Let's rethink what we buy and use; adopt sustainable habits, farming and business models; safeguard remaining wild spaces and wildlife; commit to a green and resilient future."

Habitat degradation and biodiversity loss are accelerating. Climate disruption is getting worse. Fires, floods, droughts and superstorms are more frequent and damaging. Oceans are heating and acidifying, destroying coral ecosystems, noted Guterres.

"And now, a new coronavirus is raging, undermining health and livelihoods. To care for humanity, we must care for nature," he said. "As we work to build back better, let's put nature where it belongs -- at the heart of our decision-making."
The tight security apparatus that President Akufo-Addo has set up at the countrys ports continue to prove very robust, as the hawkish eyes of the Tema Port security nip a vessel carrying people infected with coronavirus before it would dock.

The Formula 1 vessel was intercepted after intelligence confirmed that it had sick people on board. The vessel was bayed and after tests were conducted, four people were confirmed to be carrying the coronavirus.

Crew and passengers have since been quarantined.

Mr. Daniel Kwame Annang, a businessman, who witnessed the operation by the Tema Port Security told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the Covid-19 team has since been praising the sense of duty on display.

President Akufo-Addos security set up at the Tema Port here is indeed robust. When you have the Anti Covid-19 committee work so swiftly, you cannot help but to feel proud and safe as a Ghanaian, he said.

The Tema Port Covid-19 team comprises of personnel from the Navy, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, especially Port Health and other agencies.

According to Mr. Annang, the operation to stop the Formula 1 was led by the Head of the Eastern Naval Command, Commodore Sam Walker, the port security manager, Col. William Kwabiah as well as the head of port health.

They and their men acted on intelligence that the vessel was approaching and may not have had any proper health vetting for its crew and other people on board. They intercepted the vessel and allowed the Covid-19 team to perform the necessary tests. Lo and behold, four people tested positive for coronavirus, Mr. Annang narrated.

He praised the proactive style of the security team, which had ruthlessly stopped many people trying to stow into the country even before President Akufo-Addo would direct for the countrys borders to be opened up.

Last month, the same hawkish security personnel at the Tema Port arrested a group of Ghanaians who had stolen into the country after sojourning in Nigeria for months.

Before that, a group of Sierra Leoneans who also attempted to sneak into the country through the Tema Port were also arrested, processed and repatriated.

I think that kudos is in order for Mr. Michael Luguje, the Director General of GPHA and Mrs. Sandra Opoku, the Director of Tema Port, for their unique fighting spirit against coronavirus in the port, I would also want to commend them for being strict, putting the Port of Tema on such high alert, which shows that they are beginning to behave like hawks, Mr. Annang said.

Source: GNA
People suffering from rheumatoid arthritis with increased disease activity are more often affected by thrombosis. A current Swedish study came to the result that among patients with high disease activity, one in one hundred will develop venous thromboembolism within one year, a more than twofold increase compared to patients in remission. Data of the German RABBIT1 register published by the European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) show that this increased risk of thrombosis can be reduced by treatment with biological disease-modifying antirheutmatic drugs (bDMARD). This is important information, especially at this time during the COVID-19 pandemic, since thrombosis and pulmonary embolism also play a major role in COVID-19 infection. Vigilance for thrombosis during the treatment of people with arthritis is particularly recommended. Moreover, maintaining therapies to keep disease activity under control is vital.

Thrombosis is a significant medical problem. In the case of venous thromboembolism (VTE), clotting occurs inside a blood vessel and can affect the blood flow. Quick diagnosis and treatment are important as untreated deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the leg can lead to potentially life-threatening pulmonary embolism: Parts of the thrombus tear off and enter a pulmonary vessel through the blood stream. In up to 30 percent of cases, patients die within 30 days after diagnosis from deep vein thrombosis in the leg or pulmonary embolism.

Due to chronic inflammation in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, the risk of dangerous deep vein and pulmonary thrombosis is two to three times as high. "In the case of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the immune system turns against the body and causes inflammation in a number of places. Inflammation may have a disruptive effect on coagulation," explains EULAR President Professor Dr. med. Iain B. McInnes from The University of Glasgow, UK. In people who are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, the risk of thrombosis must always be taken into account.

The factors promoting thrombosis in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and the medication that potentially reduces the risk have now been examined in two current studies.

One in one hundred patients with RA increased disease activity will suffer from thrombosis

A Swedish cohort study tried to find an answer to the question of whether the degree of disease activity has an impact on the thrombosis risk (1). The team around Viktor Molander, PhD student at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm analysed the data of 46,311 patients suffering from RA taken from the Swedish Rheumatology Quality Register (SRQ) over a period of 12 years. For the measurement of disease activity the "Disease Activity Score 28" (DAS28) was used. The DAS28 assesses the disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis based on the assessment of 28 defined joints.

The study indicates a close connection between the clinical disease activity of RA measured by DAS28 and the risk of VTE: Molander came to the result that "among patients with high disease activity, one in one hundred is going to develop VTE within the following year, a more than twofold increase compared to patients in remission."

Having regular check-ups by a rheumatologist can be inconvenient. However, it is an important measure to monitor the development of the condition and whether treatment has to be adjusted accordingly." Dr. John Isaacs, EULAR Scientific Chair Professor, from The University of Newcastle, UK

Biologics can reduce the risk of thrombosis

The risk of thrombosis is also influenced by the medication used in rheumatoid arthritis cases. Conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (csDMARD) such as Methotrexate, Sulfasalazine and Leflunomide are part of the basic treatment of RA. A next step are biologics (bDMARD), which also include tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors like Adalimumab, Certolizumab Pegol, Etanercept, Golimumab and Infliximab.

The question of whether the risk of thrombosis is reduced by application of bDMARDs such as TNF inhibitors in comparison to csDMARDs was addressed in a scientific study including the lead author Dr. rer. nat. Martin Schafer from the program area of Epidemiology at the German Rheumatism Research Center, Berlin, Germany. For this purpose, the team has analyzed the data of more than 11,000 RA patients in the German RABBIT1 register, who were treated either with another csDMARD after at least one csDMARD failure, or whose treatment was switched to bDMARD.

The result: "By treatment with TNF inhibitors, the risk of major VTE events is reduced by almost half in comparison to csDMARDs," explains Schafer. According to the RABBIT data, an increase in inflammatory activity was also associated with a significant increase in the risk of VTE: The risk was approximately twice as high as a CRP value of at least 5mg/l. "For patients with an increased risk of thrombosis, alternative treatment with TNF inhibitors, and possibly other biologic drugs, should be considered instead of standard csDMARD treatment," concludes PD Dr. med. Anja Strangfeld, study manager at RABBIT register in Berlin and co-author of the study. "Reducing the inflammatory activity is also an important factor to reduce the risk of VTE."
One of the organisers behind Melbourne's controversial 'Black Lives Matter protest once said she hopes Australia burns to the ground.

Tarneen Onus-Williams has been fighting off criticism since making the comments aged 24 during an 'Invasion Day' protest in 2018.

The controversial activist will be front and centre of the rally in Melbourne's CBD on Saturday, leading thousands on a march against systematic racism in the wake of George Floyd's death in the U.S.

Violent protests and looting erupted across the United States since Mr Floyd's death at the hands of a white Minnesota Police officer on May 23.

More than 40,000 people have registered their interest to attend the protest in Melbourne in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Tarneen Onus-Williams has been fighting off criticism since making the comments at age 24 during the Invasion Day protest of 2018

Ms Onus-Williams said 'F**k Australia, hope it burns to the ground' during the Australia Day protest two years ago.

She refused to apologise for her comments but later clarified it was a metaphor calling for the entire system to be dismantled and rebuilt.

The now 26-year-old Yigar Gunditjmara, Bindal Yorta Yorta woman has held her head high in the pursuit of cultural change for Aboriginal Australians despite ongoing attacks from critics.

She's part of the Warriors of Aboriginal Resistance Group which is organising rallies across Australia's major cities in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

The other two organisers for the Melbourne event are Meriki Onus and Crystal McKinnon.

Ms Onus-Williams said'F**k Australia, hope it burns to the ground' during an 'Invasion Day' protest in 2018

The controversial activist will be front and centre of the rally in Melbourne's CBD on Saturday leading thousands on a march against system racism in defiance against police orders

The women are pushing ahead with the rally despite concerns from health authorities that a mass gathering like a public protest could cause another coronavirus outbreak.

Protesters are being urged to use hand sanitiser, wear face masks and stay home if they're exhibiting signs of a cold or flu.

Ms Onus-Williams told the Herald Sun protesting is an 'essential service'.

'If Dan Andrews is worried about public health, what about the public health issue of Aboriginal people that die at the hands of racist policing,' she said.

'We see standing for the right to somebody's life as an essential service.'

In an interview with ABC News this week the activist said they'd been working with health officials to try and manage any risks ahead of the rally.

One of the initiatives will involve giving out face masks and hand sanitiser to attendees.

'We're doing everything we can to manage any risk,' she said. But she said she'd feel 'pretty bad' if the virus spread as a result of the protest.

Organisers are pushing ahead with the rally despite concerns from health authorities a mass gathering like a public protest could cause another coronavirus outbreak

Victoria police say they'll be fining organisers of the Melbourne protest and will consider fining protesters if they deem they have breached health directives.

Deputy Commissioner Patton said they'll be trying to work with organisers since they are planning to forge ahead with the event.

'Clearly there are thousands of people who have registered interest in going tomorrow, we have been working with the organisers of this and told them we don't want this to occur,' he said.

'If it does go ahead we will probably have to apply a lot of discretion because we can't issues thousands and thousands of infringements to people.

The rally is being held despite pleas from government officials to cancel the demonstration because of fears around the spread of COVID-19 (Pictured: Protesters gather at a rally outside parliament house in Canberra on Friday)

Black Lives Matter protesters hold placards as they gather outside Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, 05 June 2020

Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged Australians not to show up to the rallies this weekend.

'Our message is very clear that the health risks of gathering in such large numbers and into close proximity are real,' Mr Morrison said.

'Let's find a better way and another way to express these sentiments.'

The rally comes after new coronavirus hotspots emerged in Melbourne's north and west,

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton confirmed some cases had spread through community transmission.

'There is risk of transmission in the community and if you don't have to do something, please don't,' he said.

'From a public health perspective, it is not the time to be having large gatherings.'

National Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said any mass gathering like the protest could spark a significant outbreak.

'One single, high-viral-load person can infect 30, 40, 50 other people,' Dr Murphy said.

'So you just need one person in a large gathering where people are packed together and moving around, and you can have a large infection. '
Forces of the Turkish-backed Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) said they launched an offensive Saturday for slain leader Moamer Kadhafi's hometown Sirte, as rival Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar backed a ceasefire.

Government of National Accord forces have repulsed a 14-month offensive against the capital Tripoli by eastern-based Haftar and are now poised to drive on eastwards taking advantage of stepped up military support from Turkey.

"The air force has carried out five strikes in the outskirts of Sirte" -- the last major town before the traditional boundary between Libya's western Tripolitania and eastern Cyrenaica regions -- GNA spokesman Mohamad Gnounou said.

"Orders have been given to our forces to begin their advance and to systematically attack all rebel positions," he added.

Sirte was taken by Haftar's forces virtually without a fight in January after one of Libya's myriad local militias switched sides.

Beyond Sirte lies the prize of Libya's main oil export ports, Haftar's most important strategic asset.

Some 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli, the town was where Kadhafi put up his last stand against NATO-backed rebel forces in 2011 and nostalgia for his ousted regime remains strong.

- Ceasefire talks -

Haftar's forces have put a brave face on their precipitate fallback from the west, saying that it was a response to mounting international pressure for a lasting ceasefire.

"Heeding appeals from the major powers and the United Nations for a ceasefire... we pulled back 60 kilometres (40 miles) from the Greater Tripoli city limits," the LNA spokesman, Ahmad al-Mesmari, said.

"We have asked friendly countries and the United Nations for guarantees... that the other side and the Turkish invaders refrain from attacking us," he told a news conference late Friday.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said after talks with Haftar and other eastern leaders Saturday that they had signed up to a declaration calling for a ceasefire from 6 am (0400 GMT) Monday.

But the GNA forces' spokesman appeared to pour cold water on the Egyptian proposals, which included a demand that militias disband and hand over their weaponry to Haftar's men.

"We didn't start this war, but we will choose the time and place when it ends," Gnounou said.

"Our forces continue to advance with force and resolve, chasing the fleeing (Haftar) militias," he said.

The United Nations' Libya mission said Tuesday that after a three-month suspension, the warring parties had agreed to resume ceasefire talks.

Libya has endured years of violence since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed Kadhafi, with rival administrations and scores of militias battling for power.

The United Nations has urged outside powers to respect a deal reached at a January conference in Berlin, ending foreign meddling and upholding a much-violated arms embargo.

The GNA is backed by Turkey and its ally Qatar.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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With hospital beds almost full, Afghan officials warn of coming disaster as suspected cases of COVID-19 surge.

As Afghan officials warn of a looming crisis, health authorities in the country reported 761 new positive cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, taking the total number of confirmed infections to 19,551.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has changed its position on face masks and is now encouraging people to wear them in crowded places, citing anecdotal evidence that supports their value in stopping the spread of the coronavirus.

Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro has threatened to pull his country out of the WHO, accusing the body of being partisan and political. With more than 34,000 coronavirus deaths, Brazil now has the third-highest toll in the world.

About 6.7 million coronavirus cases have been confirmed around the world, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. More than 394,000 people have died, including some 109,000 in the United States. More than 2.9 million people have recovered.

Here are the latest updates:

June 6, Saturday

23:09 GMT  Italy confirms 270 new cases, including a cluster in Rome

Italy added another 270 confirmed coronavirus cases to its official count, including a cluster of two dozen more cases at a Rome hospital that has been sealed off to contain the spread.

The Italian civil protection agency on Saturday also reported the deaths of 72 more people with the virus. Italys official COVID-19 death toll now stands at 33,846, but officials say the real mortality figure in Europes one-time coronavirus epicenter likely is much higher.

Italys outbreak hit the northern region of Lombardy hardest, with more than 90,000 cases out of Italys official caseload of 235,000 and more than 16,000 deaths.

20:05 GMT  No new positives in Premier League COVID-19 tests

The latest round of tests for COVID-19 in the Premier League produced no positives, the league said.

A total of 1,195 tests were carried out on Thursday and Friday, the sixth round of tests since players from Englands 20 top-flight clubs returned to training.

The previous rounds of testing produced 13 positives.

No Premier League matches have taken place since March because of the pandemic, but a restart is scheduled for June 17.

18:17 GMT  Turkey reports new deaths, cases

The number of coronavirus deaths in Turkey rose to 4,669 as the country reported 21 new deaths in the past 24 hours.

Turkey reported 878 new infections, taking its total number of cases to 169,218.

18:03 GMT  Dutch mink cull starts as coronavirus spreads to 10th farm

Dutch mink farms have begun a government-ordered cull amid concern that animals infected with coronavirus could transmit the illness to humans.

Infected mink have been found on 10 Dutch farms where the ferret-like animals are bred for their fur, according to the countrys Food & Wares Authority.

All mink breeding farms where there is an infection will be cleared, and farms where there are no infections wont be, said spokeswoman Frederique Hermie.

The government ordered the cull of 10,000 mink on Wednesday after determining that affected farms could act as a long-term reservoir of disease.

17:43 GMT  Italy reports 72 new deaths

Italy reported 72 more fatalities from the coronavirus, bringing the death toll to 33,846.

The slowing trend of deaths last month continued in June confirming that the peak of the crisis has been left behind.

The tally of active infections fell again on Saturday by 1,099, placing the total at 35,877.

However, health authorities stressed that the contagion rate is reassuring but the outbreak has not ended yet.

A woman wearing a face shield drinks coffee at a cafe as Italy eases some of the lockdown measures put in place during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Rome, Italy [Yara Nardi/Reuters]

17:41 GMT  OPEC, allied nations extend nearly 10m barrel cut by a month

OPEC and allied nations agreed to extend a production cut of nearly 10 million barrels of oil a day through the end of July, hoping to boost energy prices hard-hit by the pandemic.

Ministers of the body and outside nations like Russia met via video conference to adopt the measure, aimed at cutting out the excess production depressing prices as global aviation remains largely grounded due to the pandemic. It represents some 10 percent of the worlds overall supply.

17:29 GMT  Kazakh presidents spokesman hospitalised

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayevs spokesman has been hospitalised after testing positive for COVID-19, he wrote on his Facebook page, adding that the presidents health was not at risk.

The spokesman, Berik Uali, wrote that Tokayev, 67, gets tested regularly and that additional safety measures have been taken at the presidential headquarters.

President Tokayev continues his work as scheduled, his health is under no threat, Uali said.

The Central Asian nation has confirmed 12,511 cases and 53 deaths. It emerged from a two-month lockdown last month, while keeping in place social distancing rules and closed borders.





17:14 GMT  Impossible to play under US Opens COVID-19 protocols, says Djokovic

World number one Novak Djokovic has said participating in the US Open would be an impossible task due to the extreme COVID-19 protocols in place for the tournament at Flushing Meadows.

The US Open, scheduled to begin on August 31, will be the first Grand Slam to be played after the COVID-19 pandemic suspended the season in March. The French Open was postponed to September while the Wimbledon championships was cancelled.

I had a telephone conversation with the leaders of world tennis. There were talks about the continuation of the season, mostly about the US Open due in late August, but its not known whether it will be held, Djokovic told Serbias Prva TV.

The rules that they told us that we would have to respect to be there, to play at all, they are extreme. We would not have access to Manhattan, we would have to sleep in hotels at the airport, to be tested twice or three times per week.

Novak Djokovic in action during his quarter final singles match against Karen Khachanov [Burak Akbulut/Anadolu]

17:02 GMT  Canada reports new cases, deaths

Canadas total coronavirus cases rose to 94,335 from 94,070 the day before, according to data published by the public health agency.

The country reported a total of 7,703 deaths, up from 7,652 the day before.

16:32 GMT  Brazils Bolsonaro defends partial release of COVID-19 data

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro defended his governments move to partially withhold official data on the scale of the worlds second-largest coronavirus outbreak.

Late on Friday, Brazils Health Ministry took down a website showing the evolution of the epidemic over time and by state and municipality. The ministry also stopped reporting a total tally of confirmed cases, which have shot past 645,000  more than anywhere outside the United States  and its overall death toll.

The cumulative data  does not reflect the moment the country is in, Bolsonaro said on Twitter, citing a note from the ministry. Other actions are underway to improve the reporting of cases and confirmation of diagnoses.

Victims of COVID-19 are buried in the cemetery of Inhauma, north of the city, in Rio de Janeiro [Anadolu]

14:44 GMT  Liberia set to ease virus restrictions

Liberia has made good progress in containing the spread of coronavirus and will open its international airport and hotels on June 21, the government has said.

A state of emergency that was declared in April and due to expire on June 9 would not be renewed, President George Weah said in a statement.

Restrictions such as a night-time curfew would remain in place, though it would start later, according to the statement released on Friday.

14:28 GMT  Afghanistan warns of disaster as virus infections surge

Afghanistan is running out of hospital beds as suspected cases of coronavirus surge, officials said, warning there is a disaster coming in the impoverished country.

Afghan health authorities reported 761 new positive cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, taking the total number of confirmed infections to 19,551.

Our [hospital] beds are almost full, we wont have any more capacity very soon, Health Minister Ahmad Jawad Osmani told reporters.

There is a disaster coming, said Kabul governor Mohammad Yakub Haidary at a joint press conference with the health minister, adding that in Kabul alone there could be a million people infected.

So far there have been 327 confirmed deaths in the country.

14:13 GMT  Moscows annual book fair draws crowds despite coronavirus curbs

Hundreds of Moscow residents flocked to an open-air book fair in Red Square, though some publishing houses opted to stay away as city authorities keep most restrictions in place.

Organisers of the annual book fair, which was attended by 300,000 people last year, have implemented numerous measures to stem the spread of the virus  with chairs spaced one metre apart and temperature checks at the entrance.

The even drew up to 600 visitors within hours of its opening.

An assistant wearing protective face masks amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) holds a mobile phone at the annual Red Square Book Fair in central Moscow, Russia [Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters]

13:45 GMT  Turks stream out for first lockdown-free weekend in nearly two months

Turks streamed outside for their first weekend without a coronavirus lockdown in nearly two months, the day after President Tayyip Erdogan suddenly scrapped a stay-at-home order.

Cafes, restaurants and other facilities had reopened on Monday as infection rates slowed and restrictions on intercity travel had been lifted as the infection rate slowed. But Erdogan had intended to maintain the weekend lockdown, applied to big cities since April 11, until a public backlash.

A drone photo shows an aerial view of Ilica beach as people enjoy their time in Cesme during the first weekend without coronavirus restrictions since April 10, in Izmir province of Turkey [Omer Evren Atalay/Anadolu]

Hello, this is Farah Najjar taking over from my colleague Linah Alsaafin.

12:15 GMT  Indonesia records single-day high in new cases

Indonesia has reported nearly 1,000 new cases of the coronavirus, a new single-day high for the country that brought its total caseload past 30,000, as the government unveiled an enhanced stimulus package worth $47.6bn to anchor the virus-battered economy.

The health ministry said there were 993 newly infected people over the past 24 hours. Indonesia has confirmed 30,514 cases, including 1,801 deaths, the most in Southeast Asia.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said a 677.2 trillion rupiah ($47.6bn) stimulus package aims to strengthen the healthcare system, direct more spending toward social protection to boost consumption, and provide incentives to rescue Indonesian businesses from bankruptcy and workers from layoffs.

This is a kind of watershed event when surveillance is really spreading everywhere.#AJOPINION hears from historian @harari_yuval about global surveillance measures in response to the #coronavirus pandemic. Read more: https://t.co/DlsNglKblC pic.twitter.com/gOjDo3svxo  Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 6, 2020

10:48 GMT  Sri Lanka to reopen for tourism in August, with multiple coronavirus tests

Sri Lankas virus-battered tourism industry can reopen for foreign guests from August but under strict guidelines, including multiple coronavirus tests during their stay, officials said.

Sri Lankas tourism ministry said travellers will be able to visit from August 1, but they must carry a COVID-19-free certificate issued not earlier than 72 hours before boarding.

Even with this document, tourists will have to take a virus test at the airport upon arrival. A further check will be done four to five days later  and a third if staying for more than 10 days.

While this may be inconvenient it is essential to safeguard everybody and provide peace of mind, the ministry said.

09:33 GMT  Iranian wedding party fuelled new COVID-19 surge, Rouhani says

A wedding party contributed to a new surge in coronavirus infections in Iran, President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday, but he insisted the country had no option but to keep its economy open despite warnings of a second wave of the epidemic.

Iran, which has been gradually relaxing its lockdown since mid-April, has reported a sharp rise of new daily infections in recent days. Thursdays toll of 3,574 new cases was the highest since February, when the outbreak was first reported.

At one location, we witnessed a peak in this epidemic, the source of which was a wedding that caused problems for the people, health workers and losses to the economy and the countrys health system, Rouhani said on state TV. He did not say when or where the wedding took place.

New cases dipped to 2,886 on Friday, bringing Irans total cases to more than 167,000, with at least 8,000 deaths.

09:00 GMT  California says film, TV production can resume on June 12

California will allow film, television and music production to resume from June 12 if conditions permit after months of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, the governors office said on Friday.

Film and television productions in the Golden State have been shuttered since mid-March. The reopening will be subject to approval by local health officers, the California Public Health Office said.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, productions, cast, crew and other industry workers should abide by safety protocols agreed by labour and management, which may be further enhanced by county public health officers, it said.

However it is not clear if major Hollywood studios will be able to resume operations from next week because Los Angeles county is one of the main coronavirus epicentres in California, recording about half the infections and deaths in the state. To date, more than 125,000 cases and 4,500 deaths have been confirmed in California.

08:35 GMT  Poland to extend ban on international flights to June 16

Poland plans to extend a ban on international flights until June 16 due to the coronavirus pandemic, state-run news agency PAP said, citing a government decree.

State-controlled Polish airlines LOT restarted flights between the countrys biggest cities, including Warsaw, Gdansk, Krakow and Wroclaw, from June 1.

As of Friday, Poland had reported 25,410 coronavirus cases, including 1,137 deaths.

08:15 GMT  Number of virus cases in Africa tops 176,800

The total number of coronavirus cases in Africa rose to 176,807 on Saturday, as the continent grapples with community spread, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

At least 4,902 patients have died so far across the continent due to the virus, it said in a Saturday update.

A total of 78,267 patients have so far recovered from the disease.

North Africa has so far confirmed 51,300 cases and a death toll of 2,200; Southern Africa has 46,000 cases and 933 deaths; West Africa has 39,900 cases and 795 deaths; East Africa has 20,600 cases and 592 deaths; and Central Africa has 18,900 cases and 421 deaths.

07:50 GMT  Fans and football return to Vietnam after coronavirus shutdown

Football fans attend a match between Viettel and Duoc Nam Ha Nam Dinh of the V.League, the national football league, after the government eased a nationwide lockdown following the coronavirus outbreak in Nam Dinh province, Vietnam [Kham/Reuters]

Football was back and so were the spectators in Vietnam when the top domestic league resumed after the coronavirus shutdown.

Fans were allowed into Ho Chi Minh Citys scoreless draw with Hai Phong on Friday among three matches. But unlike Germanys Bundesliga and South Koreas K-League, which returned to action in May with empty arenas, more than 1,000 fans attended the V-League game at Hai Phong.

Allowing spectators to the matches was the result of Vietnams successful efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Despite sharing a long land border with China, where the virus originated, Vietnam, with a population of almost 100 million, has recorded just 328 cases and not a single recorded death.

Fans were subjected to temperature checks as they entered the stadiums, which were limited to half of normal capacity. They were not required to wear masks.

07:32 GMT  Hydroxychloroquine is useless against COVID-19, says Oxford study

A study of thousands of patients led by the University of Oxford has said that the hydroxychloroquine drug does not work against the new coronavirus disease and should not be given to any more hospital patients around the world.

If you are admitted to hospital, dont take hydroxychloroquine, said Martin Landray, deputy chief investigator of the Recovery trial and professor of medicine and epidemiology at Oxford University. It doesnt work.

It is being touted as a game changer, a wonderful drug, a breakthrough. This is an incredibly important result, because worldwide we can stop using a drug that is useless.

07:00 GMT  Most of 51 new South Korea cases linked to door sales

South Korea has reported 51 new cases of COVID-19, mostly in the densely populated capital region, as authorities scramble to stem transmissions among low-income workers who cannot afford to stay home.

The figures announced by South Koreas Centers for Disease Control and Prevention brought national totals to 11,719 workers and 273 deaths.

At least 34 of the new cases were linked to door-to-door sellers hired by Richway, a Seoul-based health product provider.

Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip said the spread of the virus among Richway sellers was particularly alarming as most of them are aged in their 60s and 70s. He called for officials to strengthen their efforts to find and examine workplaces vulnerable to infections.

06:40 GMT  Pakistan reports highest single-day virus deaths

A girl wearing a protective mask looks out from a train window after Pakistan started easing the lockdown restrictions and allowed to resume passenger trains, following the COVID-19 outbreak, in Karachi [File: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters]

Pakistan has broken its previous record of the highest single-day deaths ever from the novel coronavirus, reporting 97 fatalities over the last 24 hours, the health ministry said.

With the latest surge, the death toll in the country has reached 1,935.

With 4,734 new cases over the past day, the countrys number of coronavirus cases has reached 93,983, already surpassing China, and landing the country at the 17th spot in terms of coronavirus cases, the data shows. Some 32,581 patients have recovered.

Hello, this is Linah Alsaafin in Doha taking over from my colleague Zaheena Rasheed.

05:08 GMT  Indias confirmed infections overtake Italys

India has surpassed Italy as the sixth worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic after another record single-day spike in confirmed infections.

The health ministry reported 9,887 new cases on Saturday, bringing the total to 236,657.

Most of the new cases are in rural areas following the return of hundreds of thousands of migrant workers who left cities and towns after the lockdown in late March.





The lockdown is now largely being enforced in high-risk areas while authorities have partially restored train services and domestic flights and allowed shops and manufacturing to reopen. Shopping malls and religious places are due to open on Monday with restrictions to avoid large gatherings.

03:51 GMT  Beijing eases emergency response level to second lowest

Chinas capital Beijing further eased its coronavirus measures on Saturday, lowering the citys emergency response level to the second lowest.

That will lift most restrictions on people travelling from Wuhan and the surrounding province of Hubei, where the virus first appeared late last year. They will no longer face 14-day mandatory quarantines and other forms of monitoring, and those currently in such situations will be allowed to return to their normal lives.

Beijing residential compounds will not be required to conduct temperature checks and masks no longer must be worn for outdoor activities. Kindergartens will reopen and other grades still suspended will restart classes.

Beijing has reported no new cases of local transmission in at least 50 days and as many as 90 days in some districts.





02:51 GMT  China urges citizens to shun Australia

China has advised its citizens not to visit Australia, citing racial discrimination and violence against Asians during the coronavirus pandemic.

A notice issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism late on Friday said there had been an increase in words and deeds of racial discrimination and acts of violence against Chinese and Asians in Australia, due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

The ministry advises Chinese tourists to raise their safety awareness and avoid travelling to Australia, the notice said.

The move comes after China threatened retaliation following Australias decision to push for an international investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic and responses to it.

02:14 GMT  China reports three new COVID-19 cases

China has recorded three new confirmed cases of the new coronavirus as of the end of Friday, down from five the day before, the National Health Commission said.

All of the cases were imported, involving travellers arriving from abroad, the NHC said.

The total number of infections in China, where the virus first emerged late last year, stands at 83,030. With no new deaths reported, the death toll remained at 4,634.

People wearing face masks cross a street in Beijing on June 1, 2020 [Noel Celis/ AFP]

02:07 GMT  California to allow pro-sports, day camps

California broadly relaxed its coronavirus-related shutdowns, moving to allow professional sports to be played without audiences and reopen day camps, tribal casinos, museums and zoos as soon as June 12.

The most populous US state will also allow film, television and music production, a key sector of the economy that provides thousands of jobs, to restart.

Still not allowed in California are nail salons, tattoo parlors, movie theatres, nightclubs, concert venues, theme parks or higher education, the states website showed.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, left, helps pack up lunches to be delivered to needy senior citizens, along with Hot and Cool Cafe co-owner Shana Jenson, second on the left, on June 3, 2020 [Genaro Molina/ Pool via AFP]

01:23 GMT  Brazils Supreme Court halts police raids in Rios favelas

A Brazilian Supreme Court minister has banned police raids in Rio de Janeiros favelas during the coronavirus pandemic, as criticism of brutal police tactics grows in Latin Americas largest nation.

In the decision, Minister Edson Fachin forbid raids on Brazils informal shanty towns except in absolutely exceptional cases, which must be preapproved by the state prosecutors office.

Rios police forces are notoriously violent, having killed more than 1,800 people in 2019. In May, police in Rio drew criticism for an operation in which a 14-year-old boy was killed, as well as another shootout in a coronavirus-stricken favela, which drew hundreds into the streets.

Congressman Alessandro Molon, whose Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) filed the suit that resulted in the decision, called the ruling historic.

00:39 GMT  Bolsonaro threatens WHO exit

President Jair Bolsonaro threatened to pull Brazil out of the WHO after the United Nations agency warned governments about the risk of lifting lockdowns before slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Speaking to journalists, Bolsonaro accused the WHO of being partisan and political. He said Brazil will consider leaving the body unless it ceased to work without ideological bias.





Earlier on Friday, when asked about efforts to loosen social-distancing orders in Brazil despite rising daily death rates and diagnoses, a WHO spokeswoman said a key criteria for lifting lockdowns was slowing transmission.

The epidemic, the outbreak, in Latin America is deeply, deeply concerning, Margaret Harris told a news conference in Geneva. She said that among six key criteria for easing quarantines, one of them is ideally having your transmission declining.

00:01 GMT  G20 pledges $21bn dollars to fight coronavirus

The Group of 20 (G20)  a bloc whose member nations have the worlds largest economies  has pledged more than $21bn to fight the coronavirus, a statement by the group said early on Saturday.

The G20, with invited countries, has coordinated the global efforts to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, G20 members and invited countries have pledged over US$21 billion to support funding in global health, the statement said.

The pledges will be directed towards diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics, and research and development, the statement added.

Hello and welcome to Al Jazeeras continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Im Zaheena Rasheed in Male, Maldives.

For all the updates from yesterday, June 5, go here.
Self Enhancement, Inc., a Portland nonprofit that serves the black community, will provide free coronavirus testing to the African American community this weekend.

On Saturday, black residents of Portland, with symptoms or without, will be eligible for testing, said Tony Hopson Sr., director of the nonprofit. Hopson has been pushing for more testing in the African American community since at least April after it became clear the virus was disproportionately affecting African Americans.

Despite the data sounding alarm bells from the state to the county to the city, theres no strategic plan of action to specifically address prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery for black children, families and community, Hopson, along with other black leaders, wrote in an April 29 opinion piece.

Now, two months later and after sustained pressure on public health officials, Hobsons organization will be administering 300 tests Saturday at various locations.

We felt we needed culturally specific testing, Hopson said. We wanted it to be done in the community and done by an agency that looked like that community.

Earlier this week, Patrick Allen, Oregon Health Authority director, apologized to communities of color for the disproportionate effect the virus has had on Black and African American, Asian and Pacific Islander, Native American, and Latino, Latina, and Latinx people, in the U.S., and here in Oregon.

At least one Oregon tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, has seen more than 20 positive COVID-19 cases as of the end of May. Some of the states largest workplace outbreaks have been at fruit-packing plants, where employees are predominantly Latino. The state failed to disclose some of those outbreaks when they occurred.

A centuries-long history of racism and oppression have led to the very health conditions that exacerbate the impacts of COVID-19. And we at OHA were, frankly, too slow to recognize that threat and act on it, Allen said in a statement. For that, Im truly sorry.

The public health agency announced Wednesday it was expanding its recommendations for people who should get tested to include all people of color in Oregon, and a spokesman said the agency is helping to facilitate the testing Saturday.

Hopson noted that the ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed by police in Minneapolis on May 25, and the racial disparities in the coronavirus outbreak were connected. He pointed to other groups that have been shown to be more vulnerable to the virus, like the elderly, and special measures have been put in place to protect them, yet no culturally specific guidance has been given for African Americans.

That suggests we care about about the elderly folks, so we do something special for them, he said. But these other folks we dont care about. Black folks just arent viewed in the same way as other people. Your life just isnt viewed as having the same value as others.

Those interested in being tested Saturday are encouraged to visit this website to sign up and find testing locations, though spots are limited.

Hopson said he hopes to continue with more testing events specifically aimed at the black community, but hasnt made concrete plans with the state yet.

This story has been updated to correct the name of Tony Hopson.

-- Kale Williams; kwilliams@oregonian.com; 503-294-4048; @sfkale

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

Hospitals need to discharge asymptomatic, mild Covid-19 patients within 24 hours: Delhi health department

Delhi health department on Saturday said that mild or asymptomatic patients of Covid-19 need to be discharged by the hospitals within 24 hours.According to the Ministry of Health, asymptomatic and mild cases of Covid-19 dont need hospitalization. Read more

Over 1,700 Mumbai Police personnel infected with Covid-19, 121 new cases in last four days

In coronavirus disease (Covid-19)-hit Mumbai, 1,774 Mumbai Police personnel tested positive till Friday night, including 121 fresh cases over the past four days. So far, 660 Mumbai Police personnel have recovered from SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19, and the total number of active cases stood at 1,114. Read more

Ahead of 2021 state polls, Mamata Banerjee warns TMC against corruption in relief work

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday warned her party against politicising relief work for the coronavirus pandemic and Cyclone Amphan and corruption in the public distribution system. Read more

Trump promises India, China will find more Covid-19 cases with more tests

US President Donald Trump has said that countries like India and China would have much more coronavirus cases than America if they conduct more tests.Trump, in his remarks at Puritan Medical Products in Maine, said that the US has carried out 20 million tests. Read more

Rahul Dravid one step ahead of all Indian batsmen in terms of technique: Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif

Rahul Dravid would perhaps be one of the very few batsmen whose solid front-foot defence is talked about more than his run-scoring shots. Read more

Apple publishes tools to help generate stronger passwords

Apple has published free resources and tools to help developers who make password managers, and other apps as well, generate stronger passwords. These new tools, called the Password Manager Resources, are open-source on GitHub and available for developers right now. Read more

Shah Rukh Khan to be seen as a journalist in R Madhavans Rocketry: report

Shah Rukh Khan seems to have returned R Madhavans favour, who made a guest appearance as a NASA scientist in his 2018 film, Zero. Shah Rukh is reported to have shot for a small but pivotal role of a journalist in Madhavans upcoming film Rocketry: The Nambi Effect. Read more

This World Environment Day, a book to celebrate 10 Indian conservationists

With countries under a global lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, and dealing with its outbreak and spread, the one positive quotient that seems to have emerged out of this situation is that its helped the environment become better. Read more

Watch: Salman Khan sweeping off his porch at Panvel farmhouse on World Environment Day

Actor Salman Khan promoted Swachh Bharat on World Environment Day. Salman was seen sweeping leaves off his porch. The Dabangg actor helped in cleaning up his Panvel farmhouse. Salman had shared the post on his Instagram account. Reportedly, Salmans farmhouse was affected during cyclone Nisarga. Watch here
Social media has changed the face of activism, especially after the internet birthed movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo, but are our words online being translated into real world actions?

In the past week we have seen riots explode across America and the mediascape after yet another display of police brutality towards African-Americans, when graphic footage emerged of officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes.

Demonstrators protest after the death of George Floyd in Washington. Credit:AP

Maybe it was the nature of the video, or maybe it was the audible pleas of Floyd begging for his life to be spared  "Everything hurts  Please don't let me die"  but the outrage on social media has drowned out anything that isn't related to the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.

My Instagram feed on Monday was inundated with posts from my friends and public figures mourning the death of George Floyd.
Two critically important projects that promise long term jobs in Laois are still on track despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

Glanbia and Canadian company Greenfield Global have both confirmed that their projects remain on track.

Ken Finnegan is the Managing Director of Greenfield Global Ireland. The Canadian bio-ethanol producer is building a plant in Portlaoise at the IDA Business Park.

Construction is nearing completion despite the challenges of Covid-19, Mr Finnegan told the Leinster Express.

We expect to be mechanically complete by end of June when we will then begin our commissioning and validation program, he said.

Mr Finegan said once operational products made in Portlaoise they would be used in the fight against Covid-19.

Our products (ethanol, IPA and buffer solutions) which we will be blending in Portlaoise will be used by companies in Ireland and the EU in the fight against Covid so we are determined to make these products available as soon as possible. We have continued to recruit and onboard staff remotely over the last few months, said Mr Finnegan in a statment.

Meanwhile, the food giant Glanbia, told the Leinster Express recently that they remained committed to opening a cheese plant in Laois.

The company said in April that capital expenditure had been reduced to key strategic projects and essential maintenance only due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

However, the company said its project in Portlaoise remains a key strategic project.

The construction of the new joint venture project in Portlaoise with Leprino Foods and Enterprise Ireland was paused due to Covid-19 restrictions.

An estimated 130 million was earmarked for the plant wich would create 250 construction jobs and 80 positions when open.
All mosques in the Hohoe Municipality of the Volta Region remained closed to daily prayers, including the Friday prayer; Salat al-Jumuah to prevent the spread of the novel Coronavirus disease.



All mosques in the Hohoe Municipality of the Volta Region remained closed to daily prayers, including the Friday prayer; Salat al-Jumuah to prevent the spread of the novel

Coronavirus disease.



Consequently, Muslims are continuing their individual prayers at homes, checks by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) revealed.



Alhaji Mahmud Issaka, the Hohoe Municipal Chief Imam, in an interview with GNA said although the restrictions on religious activities were eased, the requirements demanded before the mosques were opened, were a lot.



He said a meeting held by all Imams in the Municipality, therefore, concluded that all mosques should remain closed until positive Covid-19 cases decreased and all restrictions lifted.



Alhaji Issaka said they also realised that once the mosques were opened, a lot would be required to effect the protocols and breaching them after reopening would be counterproductive.



Mallam Mohammed Awal, an opinion leader at Hohoe Zongo noted that it was better to allow mosques to remain closed despite the easing of restrictions to curb the spread of the disease than to have even one person infected.



He called on all Muslims to continue to observe their individual prayers and pray for the end of the pandemic.



Meanwhile, the Hohoe Municipal Office of Zoomlion Ghana Limited is fumigating churches ahead for their opening for services on Sunday, June 7.

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
Prince Harry missed out on an important celebration this year due to the coronavirus pandemic

On June 5, the Duke of Sussex would have celebrated the 12th anniversary of his first solo engagement as a working member of the royal family.

An Experience Harry Will Never Forget

It was on June 5, 2008 when Prince Harry conducted his first royal engagement by visiting a hospital in Wales. Harry, who was only 23 at that time, was greeted by well-wishers waiting outside Cardiff's University Hospital.

His visit was made even more remarkable when he engaged in an intimate conversation with one of the elderly patients in the hospital. The Queen's grandson took the time to hold the patient's hand and say kind words.

The young Prince even had a chance encounter with a newborn baby, whose mother got a bit too excited to see the royal in person. Overall, Prince Harry did very well for his first solo engagement for the royal family.

Both Harry and his older brother William have been crowd darlings since they were young. Their late mother Prince Diana would always have them in tow in royal engagements whenever she could.

His first solo duty as a member of the royal family came months after Harry was first deployed in the army to Afghanistan. When he returned to the U.K., he was promoted to the rank of a Lieutenant with The Household Cavalry.

Prince Harry's career with the army lasted for 10 years, including two tours in Afghanistan. He retired in the army in 2015 to work as a senior member of the royal family.

The year 2008 was indeed a memorable year for Prince Harry. The 12th year celebration of his many firsts would have been significant if not for the coronavirus pandemic that has everyone in lockdown.

At the moment, Prince Harry is with his wife Meghan Markle and their 1-year old son Prince Archie. They are in their new home in Los Angeles and are strictly following government-mandated quarantine.

Getting Outside Of His Comfort Zone

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their bombshell announcement at the beginning of this year, everyone wondered what life would be like for the Duke of Sussex. After all, he grew up with all the royal traditions guiding him every step of the way.

It was no surprise when news of him missing his home came out. Royal expert Tom Quinn, in his new book "Kensington Palace: An Intimate Memoir from Queen Mary to Meghan Markle," detailed how truly challenging it was for Harry to move to Los Angeles.

While Meghan may be very happy to live close to her mother, Prince Harry is reportedly suffering from homesickness. He left his family and his entire life in London to be with the woman he loves. While everyone agreed it was a brave move, people could not help but worry about him.

Andrew Morton, a royal biographer, also weighed in on Harry's adjustment in the U.S. He spoke with The Times and shared what the Duke of Sussex would find most challenging in his new life.

"(The couple) will have to get used to the paparazzi and in Hollywood, the gloves will be off. The paparazzi would be aggressive and Harry won't like that" Morton warned.

What will the future be like for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle outside of the royal family? Will their marriage survive it? Fans are hopeful that the couple would be able to see things through.
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Two Buffalo police officers were charged with assault Saturday, prosecutors said, after a video showed them shoving a 75-year-old protester in recent demonstrations over the death of George Floyd.

Robert McCabe and Aaron Torgalski, who surrendered Saturday morning, pleaded not guilty to second-degree assault. They were released without bail.

McCabe, 32, and Torgalski, 39, crossed a line when they shoved the man down hard enough for him to fall backward and hit his head on the sidewalk, Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said at a news conference, calling the victim a harmless 75-year-old man.

The officers had been suspended without pay Friday after a TV crew captured the confrontation the night before. If convicted of the felony assault charge, they face up to seven years in prison.

McCabes lawyer, Tom Burton, said after the arraignment that prosecutors didnt have any grounds to bring felony charges. He said his client is a decorated military veteran with a clean record as a police officer.

Nobody started out their day intending to hurt this fellow, Burton said. He added that if the victim had followed commands to back off, none of this would have happened.

A phone message was left with Torgalskis lawyer.

The footage shows the man, identified as longtime activist Martin Gugino, approaching a line of helmeted officers holding batons as they cleared demonstrators from Niagara Square around the time of an 8 p.m. curfew.

Two officers push Gugino backward, and he hits his head on the pavement. Blood spills as officers walk past. One officer leans down to check on the injured man before another officer urges the colleague to keep walking.

The police officers knew this was bad, Flynn said of the video. Look at their body language.

The video of the encounter sparked outrage online as demonstrators take to cities across the country to protest racial injustice sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck for several minutes.

I think there was criminal liability from what I saw on the video, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a briefing Saturday. I think what the mayor did and the district attorney did was right, and I applaud them for acting as quickly as they did.

What we saw was horrendous and disgusting, and I believe, illegal, he added.

But dozens of Buffalo police officers who were angered over their fellow officers suspensions stepped down from the departments crowd control unit Friday. The resigning officers did not leave their jobs altogether.

A crowd of off-duty officers, firefighters and others gathered on Saturday outside the courthouse in a show of support for the accused officers and cheered when they were released.

It was tremendous, tremendous to see, John Evans, president of the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association, told WIVB-TV. I just think its a strong indication of the outrage basically over this travesty.

Flynn said he understood the concerns of officers who dont feel they are being supported and pointed out that hes also prosecuting protesters who have turned into agitators and need to be dealt with as well.

There will be some who say that Im choosing sides here, he said. And I say thats ridiculous. Im not on anyones side.
A Toronto man has been arrested and charged after he turned up to an anti-racism protest in blackface on Saturday.

The man, who has not been identified, showed up wearing black paint on his face at the event in Nathan Phillips Square, where protesters had gathered to call for an end to racism and police brutality.

Toronto police said the man was arrested and charged with breaching the peace.

As he was led away he shouted: 'Don't tell me go get a tan. I got a tan.'

A Toronto man has been arrested and charged after he turned up to an anti-racism protest in blackface on Saturday

The man, who has not been identified, showed up wearing black paint at the event in Nathan Phillips Square where protesters had gathered to call for an end to racism and police brutality

Shocking footage circulated on social media shows the white man covered in black paint on his face and hands walking into the crowds of protesters.

His actions sparked outrage among peaceful protesters with some throwing water in his face and one man shouting that he was 'disrespectful'.

The man is heard in the video shouting back saying: 'If I want to put this on my face I can put this on my face.'

Toronto cops were then seen escorting the man away.

Police later confirmed the man had been arrested and charged over the highly offensive incident.

The shocking events took place as several events were held in Toronto Saturday calling for an end to racism against African-Americans.

Calls for change have been building in Canada following the death of 29-year-old black woman Regis Korchinski-Paquet in May.

Toronto police said the man was arrested and charged with breaching the peace

Shocking footage circulated on social media shows the white man covered in black paint on his face and hands walking into the crowds of protesters

She plummeted to her death from a 24th floor balcony while six cops were in the room at the time.

Korchinski-Paquet was reportedly suffering a mental health crisis, but questions have been building over the circumstances of her death.

Protests over her death have also united with global outrage over the death of black man George Floyd in Minneapolis last week, with protesters marching around the globe demanding an end to police brutality and racism.

Floyd was killed during an arrest last Monday when white cop Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes until he passed out and died.

The shocking events took place as several events were held in Toronto Saturday calling for an end to racism against African-Americans
Dispute over polls date and dissolution: Petitions dismissed, Supreme Court restores status-quo-ante By S. Rubatheesan View(s): View(s):

After ten days of hearings, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, has dismissed eight Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions that had challenged the validity of the March 2 Presidential proclamation dissolving Parliament and refused the petitioners leave to proceed.

Incidentally, the judgement day, Tuesday, coincided with the end of the three-month period during which a new parliament had to be convened in terms of the March 2 presidential proclamation.

The five-judge Bench, in a majority decision, also overruled all preliminary objections submitted against the petitions.

The Bench comprised Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya and Justices Buwanaka Aluvihare, Sisira de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardena, and Vijith Malalgoda. The hearings were held in the spacious ceremonial court room in keeping with the health guidelines related to the Covid pandemic.

Minutes after Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya dismissed the petitions, the news was welcome by the sound of firecrackers in several towns and in places not far from the court complex.

Addressing the Court on Monday, the petitioners lead counsel M.A. Sumanthiran summarised the submissions made during the hearing and countered the arguments put forward by the lawyers representing the respondents and fifteen intervenient petitioners with regard to locus standing, non-joinder of essential parties and time bars.

He said the arguments of lawyers representing the respondents and the intervenient petitioners were based on political opinions but he would purely stick to the law. His common summary of submissions went on for more than four hours.

Noting that Constitutions Article 17 referred to a unique fundamental right as compared to Article 126 that ensures other rights including language, Mr. Sumanthiran pointed out that this constitutional provision had made access to this Court itself a separate fundamental right. He referred to past judgements and told court that even though the President enjoyed complete immunity as a person while in office according to Article 35, his acts could be reviewed by the Court.

Pointing out that five counsel were appearing for four respondents named in the applications where President was represented by the Attorney General and a private lawyer while three separate counsel represented the Election Commission, Mr. Sumanthiran said this amounted to procedural impropriety. This is an application against the State, which is required to guarantee and protect the rights of citizens in addition to ensure democratic governance.

He said one of the major functions of the apex court was to interpret the law of the land by advancing constitutionalism, the rule of law and democratic governance.

He also said the election machinery had not moved since the names and numbers of the candidates had not been published in the gazette as required by law.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Indika Demuni de Silva told the bench that all 7,000 names of the candidates had been published on the website of the Election Commission. Counsel Sumanthiarn pointed out that section 24 (1) of Parliamentary Elections Act specifically required that they should be published in a gazette notification, not on the website.

Describing the current curfew as a de facto curfew since there were no legal documents available to show freedom of movement had been restricted, counsel Sumanthiran told court that despite the curfew on Sunday, he went to Hatton and returned to Colombo. Thats the state of the rule of law in this country.

Contesting counter submissions made with regard to accepting nominations on March 16, 17, 18 and 19 which were declared as public holidays  or dies non , he argued that as per the Section (5) of the Holidays Act no act carried out on such hays could be legal. He told court that since the original act was in English, it should be considered for the interpretation.

The Holidays Act has not been translated to Tamil or Sinhala to this day. It is only in English. Since the enabling Act is in English and gazettes are published in all three languages based on that, why does one look at other languages for interpretation? Mr. Sumanthiran asked, recalling one of his FR cases that had cited the Holidays Act.

The Bench was also told that when the FR petitions challenging Parliaments dissolution by the previous President in 2018 were taken up, relief was granted by the Court within one and half days but the current sittings continued for ten consecutive days. He also noted that the sitting Chief Justice was then invited to represent the President in his capacity as the Attorney General.

Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya intervened to ask the counsel whether he was making any comparisons between the two sittings. Mr. Sumanthiran replied that since the current case involved a complicated constitutional crisis compared to the one in 2018, he was grateful for allocating a Divisional Bench and granting adequate time for counsel to address the Court.

Justice Priyantha Jayawardena pointed out that the 2018 constitutional crisis followed by early Parliament dissolution was a straightforward legal dispute compared to the present case. He recalled, the late Justice Prasanna Jayawardena who was on that Divisional Bench even asked why the Court even had to take a day and half to grant leave to proceed.

The Court was informed that Parliament could not be inactive longer than two months after prorogation by the President. On the same principles, Mr. Sumanthiran argued that as Parliament automatically automatically becomes active after two months of prorogation, a dissolved Parliament also comes into active mode after the three-month mandatory period if no new Parliament is constituted. What is void is void. If the prorogation exceeded two months, you dont need a Court to declare it as void but it is always useful to have a Court to declare it, he said.

He told that in several countries courts had held that Parliament was a living institution even during dissolution and therefore could be recalled. Mr. Sumanthiran said the judgment given by a seven-judge Bench in the 2018 dissolution case had held that the President was mandatorily required to summon Parliament within specified time frames in accordance with Articles 72, 73, 75, 76 and 77 of the Constitution. Whats more? With utmost respect, your Lordships have already held that it is mandatory to reconvene Parliament? he said.

To prove his case that the March 2 dissolution of parliament was no longer valid and ineffective in law after three months period, he presented to the bench three identical documents of the gazette notification consisting of three dates: the date of dissolution of parliament (March2), the date of the election (April 25) and the date for the new parliament to convene (May 14).

Then he cited the notification whereby a new election date of June 20 had been fixed by the Election Commission. In this notification only the dissolution date had been mentioned. Mr. Sumanthiran took it up as his position to point out that except the dissolution date, other dates had lapsed over the time therefore a proclamation could not be considered as legally effective since it should have all three elements to be valid.

What we are facing today is a threshold of a great infringement, perhaps the greatest infringement that this Court ever had to face. I say this with utmost respect to the Court. Because it involves an institution through which this Court derives its authority for judicial power, he said, stressing that Parliament, as an institution that exercises peoples sovereign power, is vested with legislative and supervisory powers in addition to being a check against the Executive in defining this country as a democracy.

In concluding remarks, he noted the three month mandatory period lapsed on June 2 and again referred to the 2018 Supreme Court judgement which held that time frames specified in the Constitution including the three-month period to constitute a new Parliament were mandatory.

Laksiri Mendis, a legal academic on Constitutional law, who appeared in person as an intervenient petitioner last week told the Courts that interpretation of mandatory and directory legal provisions with regard to dynamic or purposive rule had been upheld by the Court in the past on the basis of fairness. He argued, at times, the word shall had been interpreted as may or vice versa.

Counsel Mendis earlier submitted that the relevant Constitutional provisions could be read together with the Parliamentary Elections Act 1981 to adopt a harmonious interpretation where an interpretive approach could be justified since the President was empowered to re-fix a new date for the summoning of the new Parliament under Article 70 (5)(c).

The Election Commissions counsel Saliya Peiris PC was also permitted to address the Court as the Commission had come under severe criticism by the intervenient petitioners. The allegations against the EC included that EC members were working in collusion with the petitioners and that there were questions regarding the independence of the Independent Commission.

Renouncing these allegations, Mr. Peiris said the EC was mindful of the current situation and concerns that the country could not go on for a long period without holding the polls but the Commissions top priority would be ensuring safety and health of the voters during a global pandemic.

In response to the allegation that one of the commissioners was biased, Mr. Peiris said that having different opinions in a three-member Commission on a particular subject itself showed how independently the Commission operated with some even expressing their opinions in public.

Challenging the Presidential Secretarys counsel who argued that the Commission had earlier instructed the Government to stop distributing the Rs 5000 monetary relief to the people affected by pandemic, Mr. Peiris told court that the Commission merely wrote to the Government requesting that the programme should not be used for political purposes following complaints that some candidates had taken part in such activities.

Government politicians and the petitioners, including Samagi Jana Balavegaya General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, were present when the Court delivered the order on Tuesday.

Coming out of the Court after the Order was delivered, the Government politicians welcomed the Courts decision and said they hoped the polls would be held as early as possible and they would win comfortable victory to have a majority in Parliament.

Mr. Maduma Bandara said that although he was disappointed, he respected the judgement.

Mr. Sumanthiran told journalists that despite the setback, the struggle to establish democracy would continue.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-07 06:26:26|Editor: huaxia

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HOUSTON, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Peaceful protests continued in southern U.S. cities on Saturday in the wake of the death of African American George Floyd while detained by police in Minnesota last week.

In the Texas city of Dallas, hundreds of people gathered for a prayer Saturday morning, praying for unity and peace. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson also led a group of ministers to attend a prayer at a church, local media reported.

Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax announced Saturday that the curfew banning activities in central Dallas in the past several days has been lifted. The curfew was announced last Sunday when violence and looting happened in the downtown area following a peaceful protest.

"We've seen many moving and peaceful protests over the last few days, some of which I joined," The Dallas Morning News quoted Broadnax as saying. "We heard feedback from residents ready to open and conduct business in central Dallas and we agree it's time."

In New Orleans, Louisiana, several hundred people gathered downtown to protest against police brutality. Chanting "No Justice, No Peace," the group continued marching as rain came down due to the approaching Tropical Storm Cristobal toward the gulf coast.

In the New Mexico city of Albuquerque, a locally-sponsored peaceful gathering named Albuquerque Unidos went on at the city's Civic Plaza. Protesters held their hands high in honor of George Floyd, local media reported.

Demonstrations 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 on May 25. Enditem
New Jerseys highest court on Friday ordered Gov. Phil Murphys administration to stop keeping prisoners and their attorneys in the dark over which inmates can be released under an executive order aimed at stemming the spread of the coronavirus in the states prisons.

Murphy, a Democrat, ordered in April that his Department of Corrections and the state Parole Board move quickly to determine which prisoners could be released, weighing the seriousness of their offense and the amount of time they have left on their sentence against the interests of public safety.

In a unanimous ruling, the state Supreme Court found the Democratic governors May executive order lacked basic due process protections.

A spokesman for the state Attorney Generals Office, which represented corrections officials in the dispute, declined to comment.

The Supreme Court ruling, written by Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, stopped short of requests from the state Public Defender and the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey to take over the process of releasing prisoners amid the pandemic, finding the evidence does not demonstrate that the agency has neglected to implement Murphys order.

The court also found they lacked they authority to step in and monitor New Jerseys problems in its prisons, which are run by the executive branch.

They did, however, direct administration officials to act as expeditiously as possible.

So far, 607 inmates out of a pool of more than 3,000 had been approved for home confinement or parole and about 400 of them had actually been released, either under Department of Corrections furloughs or reconsideration of their parole, according to data provided by the attorney general.

Prisoner advocates said the rollout of Murphys order has been painfully slow and contributed to New Jersey having the highest per-capita prison death rate tied to the coronavirus in the nation.

We think this is an all-hands-on-deck situation where all branches of government need to take action to make sure people survive, said Alexander Shalom, a senior attorney for the New Jersey chapter of the ACLU.

The high court ordered Murphys administration to overhaul how it is handling requests from prisoners to be released amid the pandemic, finding the state had not done enough to ensure their rights were protected.

Attorneys for the state argued that prisoners potentially eligible for release were not owed due process protections because whether to release them was an administrative decision.

The Supreme Court rejected that argument.

Under the new rules, state officials must:

Explain, in every case, why an inmate is being denied release. Currently inmates are notified only that their petition was denied, without any explanation or ability to appeal.

Provide to public defenders a secret list of inmates who may be eligible for release under Murphys order. Previously, defense attorneys were in the dark as to who, exactly, could request release.

Allow inmates to provide a statement explaining why they deserve a furlough. Previously, state authorities allowed prosecutors and victims to argue against their release but did not allow inmates to speak for themselves.

The justices also ordered lower courts to hear challenges to decisions from Murphys administration denying the release of individual inmates.

Joseph Krakora, the states top public defender, said in an interview Friday that the ruling recognized the lack of due process in the governors executive order.

We have so many lawyers who have been trying to advocate for the inmates and they really have very little in the toolbox, he said.

New Jerseys prisons have been marred by an uneven response to the pandemic. An NJ Advance Media investigation in May found New Jerseys prison system was ill-prepared to deal with the coronavirus crisis, taking weeks to implement basic prevention methods like giving inmates masks and hand sanitizer.

Now state lawmakers are investigating the response at prisons, as well as nursing homes and other facilities housing vulnerable people across the state.

We urge that the entire process  review for approval and release  be carried out carefully and expeditiously because the stakes are so high, Rabner wrote in the decision.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
The opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Saturday upped its ante against the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government over a controversial letter, which has since been withdrawn, by the state police administration that had raised apprehensions about a spike in criminal activities because of the influx of migrant workers to their home state.

The migrants have been coming back to Bihar over the past month amid the easing of nationwide lockdown restrictions that were imposed on March 25 to contain the spread of the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

The RJD wanted to make political capital out of the controversial letter by converting it into giant posters and plastering them outside its state party office in Patna, as the party wants to tap the migrant vote bank ahead of the assembly polls slated to be held in October-November.

The state police brass withdrew the letter on Friday while conceding it was a mistake.

But, RJDs Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who is also the leader of the opposition in the Bihar, made a spectacle on Saturday by climbing on a ladder and plastering the posters outside the state party office on Beer Chand Patel Marg to take the fight to CM Kumars camp.

The posters asked tough questions for the state government and blamed it for humiliating migrant labourers when it is incapable of generating jobs for them in Bihar.

Nitish Kumar sharam karo. Shramiko ko samman nahin de sakhtey, toh apmaan kyon (Have shame Nitish Kumar. If you cant give dignity to labourers, why are insulting them?), read the posters while taking a dig at the state machinery for dubbing the migrants as criminals.

Later, Yadav issued a statement and appealed to all RJD workers to publicise the contents of the letter in a bid to expose the anti-migrant attitude of the state government.

All the workers should put up posters of this letter in their neighbourhoods, panchayats, at block and district level to expose the state governments anti-migrant streak, he said.

On Friday, Yadav had slammed the state government for issuing such a letter. He had alleged that it was an insult to lakhs of migrants who have returned to their native state and are facing an acute financial crisis because of the Covid-19-induced job losses.

The RJD has been hitting out at the state government over the return of lakhs of migrants from various states in the past month, claiming it reflected how the 15-year tenure of CM Kumar had failed in generating jobs for Bihars working-class population.

The party also blamed the government for its failure to organise an adequate number of trains to bring back stranded migrants from Bihar on time.

Political experts are of the opinion that the RJDs aggressive stand on job creation for migrant workers and their socio-economic rehabilitation is a calibrated strategy to tap the vote bank among the returnees in the run-up to the assembly polls slated to be held in October-November.

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A violent scene between police and a student at a Philadelphia protest has led to a district attorney filing charges against the officer.

District Attorney Larry Krasner on Friday announced he is "filing aggravated assault and related charges against Philadelphia Police Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna for an incident involving a student who was struck in the head with a metal police baton while exercising his constitutionally protected right to protest injustice Monday."

Video circulating widely on Twitter shows a city police officer hitting a 21-year-old Temple University student in the head and neck area with a baton before the student is knocked to the ground and another officer is seen putting his knee on him to keep him down.



Jonathan Feinberg, an attorney representing the protester, Evan Gorski, said Friday that the engineering student was at home recovering from his injuries after being in custody for almost 40 hours earlier this week. Gorski got stitches and about 10 staples in the back of his head, the lawyer said.

The student was arrested by Philadelphia Police on the scene and was detained for more than 24 hours, the district attorney noted.



He was referred to the district attorneys office for prosecution, but upon "careful review of video and other evidence, including by District Attorney Krasner himself," the office said it declined to charge the student.



Instead, Bologna will face prosecution, Krasner said. KYW-TV reported Bologna has also been removed from street duty.

"There can be no safety or peace without justice," Krasner said. "My office will continue to hold people who cause harm to others equally accountable.



Earlier Friday, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said her agency was reviewing videos that showed police officers in violent confrontations with people protesting the death of George Floyd.



Video: Dallas declares June 5 George Floyd Remembrance Day

Outlaw said she had seen several of the videos and while some of the use of force seemed to be within department policy, some were disturbing.

I am deeply concerned about this, and as a result, I have initiated several concurrent internal affairs investigations, Outlaw said.

Feinberg, the student's attorney, said it was his understanding that Gorski was initially arrested Monday on allegations he had assaulted an officer and somehow injured him, but the district attorneys office declined to file charges against him.



It was unclear what caused the interaction to escalate, but Gorski is seen reaching out to separate another protester from the officer's grip before he is struck.

It happened in broad daylight, with hundreds if not thousands of people around," Feinberg said. "This officer had to know what he was doing was observable... to everyone who was there, and he did it anyway.

Outlaw said the officer in the video has been taken off street duty during the investigation. Earlier, she declined to say how many officers have been removed from duty.

Outlaw confirmed that the internal affairs department is also reviewing the decisions that led to deploying force during the confrontations on Interstate 676, as well as the decision to use tear gas and other force against the protesters.

A short time before a 6 p.m. curfew took effect, police officers were recorded by reporters, protesters and observers lobbing smoke canisters, tear gas and shooting projectiles later identified as bean bags and OC pellets  a type of rubber bullet  at the protesters who were clambering up a steep embankment and over a fence to get off the highway, trying to escape the tear gas.

Officers continued to fire even as the protesters retreated. A few dozen people were arrested on the highway, but it was unclear what charges they faced or if all of them were charged.

Lawyers, protesters, legal observers and a handful of activist organizations have strongly criticized multiple instances of police use of force during the protests, many recorded by reporters or posted on social media. A confrontation Monday involving officers firing tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters who had gotten on to Interstate 676 and were trying to retreat up a steep embankment has drawn national attention.

Outlaw and Mayor Jim Kenney sent a joint news release late Monday defending the use of tear gas. Outlaw said one of the incidents that led to the use of force was protesters surrounding a state trooper who was alone in his car, rocking it back and forth and vandalizing it.

Trooper William Butler wrote in a short summary that the unnamed trooper became stuck in traffic as it backed up because of protesters. The trooper said a group of protesters surrounded the marked patrol car in traffic and vandalized it.

Butler said the event is still under investigation.

Previously, Philadelphia Controller Rebecca Rhynhart announced she also planned to investigate officer actions during the protests.

Outlaw issued a memo to officers after the highway clash directing them to radio in any use of force as it occurred, in addition to filing standard written reports.

Outlaw said the city has made 759 arrests, including 231 for looting or burglary. Twenty-seven officers have been injured, and one remains hospitalized.

She said the city had just three reports of commercial burglaries, the category for looting, on May 29, before the demonstrations began. That rose to 29 on May 30, 247 on May 31, a peak of 411 on Monday and 181 on Tuesday. They fell to 47 on Thursday, she said.

Philadelphia officials said they expected a large crowd at a Saturday protest in the area around the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
By Steve Scherer OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian protesters chanted 'Stand up to Trump!' to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when he joined the thousands who gathered in front of Parliament in Ottawa for an anti-racism rally on Friday. Trudeau, wearing a black mask and surrounded by bodyguards, made a surprise appearance at the 'No justice = No peace' rally shortly after it began. Trudeau three times took a knee alongside other protesters, a gesture used to protest against police brutality and the treatment of African-Americans by police.

By Steve Scherer

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian protesters chanted "Stand up to Trump!" to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when he joined the thousands who gathered in front of Parliament in Ottawa for an anti-racism rally on Friday.

Trudeau, wearing a black mask and surrounded by bodyguards, made a surprise appearance at the "No justice = No peace" rally shortly after it began.

Trudeau three times took a knee alongside other protesters, a gesture used to protest against police brutality and the treatment of African-Americans by police. Afterward, several people thanked Trudeau for kneeling.

On Monday, police tear-gassed peaceful protesters outside the White House to make way for Trump to have his picture taken holding a Bible while standing in front of a church.

A day later, a reporter asked Trudeau to comment on that and on Trump's idea of using soldiers against protesters. The Liberal prime minister paused for more than 20 seconds before answering that Canadians were watching the United States with "horror and consternation."

Earlier during his daily press conference, Trudeau acknowledged "the systemic discrimination that has existed for far too long in our country."

"I look forward to continuing to see thousands of Canadians protesting peacefully right across the country," he said.

Trudeau did not speak at the rally, but listened to the speeches, after which the protesters began a march to the U.S. Embassy and the prime minister returned to his office.

Hundreds joined a protest earlier in downtown Toronto, Canada's biggest city, and similar rallies were being held in other Canadian cities. The killing last week of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, while in police custody in Minneapolis sparked protests throughout the United States and across the globe.

"What needs to happen is long-term change," said Sisi Akhigbe, 24, who raised more than C$9,000 online to provide drinks and snacks for the protesters in Ottawa. "We've been treated unfairly and we're tired."

(Reporting by Steve Scherer; additional reporting by Kelsey Johnson; editing by Leslie Adler)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The Delhi government has filed a first information report (FIR) against the medical superintendent of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Rajinder Nagar for not following protocols for testing patients with the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The FIR was filed in June on the basis of a complaint by deputy secretary of Delhis department of health and family welfare, Amit Kumar Pamasi.

On June 3, the hospital was asked by the Delhi government in an order to stop Covid testing, citing violations of ICMR guidelines.

Since then, the 66-year-old hospital has not been testing people, affecting, apart from those suffering chronic symptoms of the coronavirus disease, others who have been admitted in the hospital for surgeries because they need to undergo a Covid test before being operated on.

The FIR has been filed under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code that allows a punishment of one months simple imprisonment and/or 200 fine or six months imprisonment and/ or 1,000 fine if the offence puts human life at risk. The section of the IPC can be invoked under the Epidemic Diseases Act that has been in force in Delhi since mid-March as the city battles the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite repeated calls and texts, joint commissioner of police (central range) Suvashis Choudhary, deputy commissioner of police (central) Sanjay Bhatia and Delhi police spokesperson MS Randhawa did not respond for comment.

The order of Health and Family Welfare Department regarding guidelines for tracking and monitoring of every Covid-19 suspected cases tested in various accredited labs across Delhi wherein it was mandatory for the labs to collect sample only through the Delhi governments RT-PCR App. Further CDMO (Chief District Medical Officer) cum mission director, Central, mentioned that Sir Ganga Ram hospital is still not using RT-PCR app even till today (03/06) which is a clear violation of direction issued under Epidemic Disease Covid-19 regulation 2020, a copy of the FIR read.

RT-PCR is short for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, a test for determining if a person has been infected by Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

Gangaram Hospital has not been following the protocols, said a Delhi government spokesperson.

Sir Ganga Ram Hospital laboratory was among the seven labs in the city that were served show cause notices for allegedly flouting Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines for Covid-19 testing. On Wednesday, the government ordered that the hospital use 508 or 80% of its bed capacity for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.

There are two apps on which we have to upload the data of the patients that are being tested  one is the ICMR app and another is Delhi governments RT-PCR app, the information from which is used by the Delhi government for contact tracing. However, there was some problems in uploading the data. We did not have many clerical staff during the lockdown. We have already apologised to the government and will rectify any problems from our end. We have asked the government to grant us access to the app again, said Dr DS Rana, chairman of the board of management at Sir Gangaram Hospital.

The Delhi government has tightened its testing criteria to exclude any asymptomatic people (even those with direct contact with an infected person) without known co-morbid conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer. People above the age of 60 who have come in contact with a Covid-19 positive case will be tested, according to the new guideline set by the Delhi government. The ICMR guidelines allow for the testing of asymptomatic direct contacts such as those living in the same household as an infected person.

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Social distancing measures and remote working potential favours occupations located in Dublin and the provincial cities, a new report has found.

Sligo is ranked as medium to high in terms of potential for working remotely.

The study - Covid-19, Occupational Social Distancing and Remote Working Potential in Ireland by Dr Frank Crowley and Dr Justin Doran of UCC- uses occupational data and economic indices to examine what occupations have the most potential to adhere to social distancing measures and what occupations have the potential to carry on working remotely.

The analysis shows a wide variation of social distancing and remote working potential across occupations and within industries.

Occupations across Ireland's economy are examined at sector and regional level within the analysis, with the report stating that a one size fits all economic policy approach to the crisis, is unlikely to resolve regional inequalities across Ireland.

Jobs identified to have the least social distancing potential include protective service occupations (Gardai, Fireman etc), transport and mobile machine drivers and operatives and health professionals.

Jobs identified to have the most social distancing potential include secretarial and related occupations, science, research, engineering and technology professionals and customer service occupations.

Jobs identified to have the least remote working potential include skilled agriculture and related trades, skilled construction and building trade and transport and mobile machine drivers and operatives.

Jobs identified to have the most remote working potential include teaching and educational professionals, customer service occupations and business, media and public service professionals.

The report found that the potential for social distancing and remote work favours occupations located in the Greater Dublin region and provincial city regions.

At a town level - more affluent, larger, more densely populated, better educated and better broadband provisioned towns have more occupations with greater potential to adhere to social distancing measures and greater potential for remote working.

"Due to occupational and industrial clustering and the associated social distancing and remote working potential required, the economic crisis is likely to play out differently across places.

"A one size fits all policy approach to the crisis, is unlikely to resolve regional inequalities.

"The Irish government needs to consider carefully how local and regional policy settings could be redesigned in order to better accommodate the impacts of increased social distancing and remote working on society over the short term and how it can help deeply affected workers and businesses recover in the medium to longer term," commented co-author of the report, Dr Frank Crowley, Economist and Co-Director of the Spatial and Regional Economics Research Centre (SRERC) at Cork University Business School.
Coronavirus outbreaks at U.S. meatpacking plants continue to soar as the beleaguered industry ramps up production, scales back plant closures and tries to return to normal in the weeks after President Donald Trump declared it an essential operation.

Trumps April 28th executive order followed the industrys dire warnings of meat shortages and invoked the Defense Production Act to compel slaughterhouses and processing plants to remain open.

The order had a chilling effect on the steady drumbeat of closures that had come to symbolize the crisis throughout April and early May. Nearly three dozen coronavirus-affected plants temporarily shuttered in the month leading up to Trumps executive order. In the five weeks since then, just 13 have closed, according to tracking from the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting.

Meat production, which had briefly tanked, quickly rebounded after the order to near pre-coronavirus levels and quelled consumer fears of pork, beef and poultry shortages.

But the number of coronavirus cases tied to meatpacking plants has more than doubled since then, topping 20,400 infections across 216 plants in 33 states, the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting found.

At least 74 people have died.

Thats despite widespread implementation of protective measures like temperature checks, plastic barriers and social distancing meant to curb the virus spread inside the plants. Some of the recent outbreaks happened at facilities that had taken such steps.

Tyson Foods, for example, announced in mid-April it was providing face masks to all employees and installing barriers between workers. Since then, 24 of its plants have reported outbreaks, including two in Iowa that sickened more than 800 workers total. The company had just five plants with outbreaks prior to the announcement of safety measures.

Likewise, Smithfield Foods said it was installing barriers, adding more hand-sanitizing stations and "enhancing cleaning and disinfection" at its facilities after an outbreak at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, plant in early April. Since then, 11 of its plants have reported outbreaks, including one in Southern California in late May. It had just one plant outbreak prior to the announcement of safety measures.

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Other plants have implemented no protective measures or have failed to enforce them.

One federal meat inspector in the Midwest told USA TODAY that workers in several plants she visits on the job were not wearing masks and practiced only limited social distancing. Some, she said, had also recently tested positive for COVID-19.

Im thinking, Wow, I dont think Im safe here,'  said the inspector, who agreed to an interview on the condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak to the media.

Even after informing a supervisor at the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service about the lax conditions inside the plants, she said, she was told that as long as she had a mask, she had to work. Otherwise, she said, she was told she could use vacation time or take unpaid leave.

I shouldnt be forced to not take pay or use my vacation, or take the chance of losing my life, she said.

Across the United States, some of the highest spikes in coronavirus cases recently occurred in counties with one or more meatpacking plants  Buena Vista County, Iowa; Beadle County, South Dakota; Yell County, Arkansas; and Titus County, Texas, for example. All saw their case counts more than double in the past two weeks, a USA TODAY data analysis found.

Tyson Foods installed plastic barriers between worker stations at its meat and poultry plants to protect against transmission of the coronavirus.

'Callous disregard' for health

Experts say Trumps executive order prioritized meat production over the lives of plant workers, many of whom are rural, immigrant and undocumented and who face already dangerous conditions for low wages.

I think its a callous disregard for the health, safety and even lives of the people who work for you, said Lawrence Gostin, a Georgetown professor and director of the WHO Collaborating Center on National & Global Health Law. "Employers and government, including the president, hold a duty to every American to keep them safe, and theres a breach of that duty."

The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the effect of the executive order or the continued rise in COVID-19 cases across slaughterhouses and processing facilities.

Meatpacking industry officials said theyre working with local and federal health officials to protect workers against the coronavirus and that the plants are safer today than they were at the time of the executive order.

We strongly believe the safety measures weve put in place are helping to protect our team members and minimize the spread of the virus in the communities where we operate, said Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson.

Without the safety measures in place, the case counts might have been even higher, said KatieRose McCullough, director of regulatory and scientific affairs at the North American Meat Institute, an industry lobbying group.

Medical staff prepare to test workers for Covid-19 at Rantoul Foods on Friday, May 8, 2020, as part of a two-day mass testing event.

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union, many times an adversary to major meatpacking companies, also vouched for the industrys efforts.

Mark Lauritsen, the unions director of food processing, meatpacking and manufacturing, said conditions at plants where the UFCW represents workers have almost universally improved. Thats particularly true, he said, in facilities that closed amid outbreaks to fully rework their processes before reopening.

It really gave us the opportunity to push these employers to take that down time to reengineer and increase the safety protocols, Lauritsen said. An expansion of (personal protective equipment), enhanced sanitation, all of the other things we were pushing. Those things have all taken place.

But I want to be clear, Lauritsen said. Theres still a lot of work to be done.

Some worker protections, though, have started to roll back.

The USDA rescinded its policy that all at-risk inspectors can stay home, said Paula Schelling, acting president of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 45, citing the workplace improvements that are supposed to take place under the CDC guidance.

Employees are now being provided masks, face shields and hand sanitizer, a USDA plan obtained by USA TODAY shows.

And Tyson recently reinstated a policy that effectively penalizes workers for taking sick leave, although the company said workers sick with COVID-19 or displaying symptoms were being asked to stay home and provided with short-term disability pay.

When asked why the plants continued to have outbreaks, Tyson's Mickelson declined to directly answer but instead said that no one "can say with certainty why COVID-19 affects different communities across the country at different times and in different ways."

Order stopped a likely shutdown

Experts argued Trumps order doesnt prevent state and local public health officials from shutting down plants, though it might have discouraged them.

That was certainly the case in St. Joseph, Missouri, where Trumps order was a very important part of the citys decision to leave a coronavirus-affected meatpacking plant open, the citys director of health, Debra Bradley, told USA TODAY.

In late April, Bradley and other city leaders debated whether they could close the local Triumph Foods pork processing plant amid numerous complaints that employees were forced to work while sick and a small but steady rise in coronavirus cases.

Shut it down, St. Joseph Mayor Bill McMurray told city attorney Bryan Carter and others in an April 22 email obtained by USA TODAY. With nine cases at Triumph at the time, he pushed for the state to be notified.

Given the other meatpacking plant problems around the country, I was just very concerned that we were going to grow to a huge number of cases, McMurray said in an interview.

But Carter said regulations granting local health officials the authority to close places of public or private assembly did not apply in a statewide pandemic, according to the emails. Only the state Department of Health and Senior Services could do so.

The next day, Bradley emailed local officials that the state Department of Health and Senior Services drafted a policy allowing local health authorities to close a business in a pandemic.

She added that DHSS Director Randall Williams asked what Triumphs threshold was for closing and I told him that I dont think they intend to close.

Williams advised waiting on the results of some 2,800 tests the state sent to St. Joseph before deciding. And given the changes Triumph had made  including temperature checks and putting up barriers in the cafeteria  Bradley advised giving the plant time to act.

Trumps order on April 28 seemed to have stopped any such discussion, according to Bradleys emails. That day, Carter sent her a link to a CNN article about Trumps executive order. The articles headline: Trump orders meat processing plants to stay open.

You may have seen this already, but it looks like closing Triumph may not be an option, Carter wrote.

Two days later, DHSS announced that 126 Triumph employees had tested positive for coronavirus, including at least 92 who had no symptoms.

To date, 490 Triumph employees have contracted the virus. One of them, a 40-year-old man, has died. He had tested positive on April 22  the day local officials began debating whether they could close the plant.

Triumph Foods has remained opened despite a Change.org petition with more than 7,000 signatures calling for its closure. It has not reported any new cases since May 15. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The cutting line in the Triumph Foods pork processing facility in St. Joseph during an April 2017 visit by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. The facility employs 2,800 workers and 490 have tested positive for COVID-19.

It wasnt until we did the mass testing that we realized how widespread it was within the facility, Bradley told USA TODAY. At that point, my staff was essentially saying that because it was so widespread that it wouldnt really necessarily make a difference whether it was closed or not. And because it is identified as a critical infrastructure facility, we just went ahead and left it open.

The executive order did not include a specific mandate for plants to remain open. It did, however, suggest some states needlessly closed plants in conflict with recent guidelines jointly issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Those guidelines take priority over any state or local order to close, according to a statement released the same day by OSHAs lead agency, the U.S. Department of Labor.

Public health agencies face potential litigation if they try to close the plants, experts said. But many agreed that state and local health officials retain the authority to close them.

What I think we can conclude is that the executive order is meant to add weight to the CDC and OSHA guidance, but it is just that  guidance, said Jill Krueger, Northern Region director for The Network for Public Health Law.

Working with plants is generally preferable to shutting them down because it lets public health officials put controls in place that they can't in workers homes and communities, said Nathaniel Smith, director of the Arkansas Department of Health and president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

"We didn't close any down at the time because when it was kind of in vogue to close down we weren't really having any cases or not having very many cases," Smith said. "Now we're having lots of cases, but we're still not closing down. ... If we can make the work site safer, that's a major control point."

Weakened guidelines

The joint guidance issued by OSHA and the CDC and cited in Trumps executive order says plants must make only good faith efforts to keep workers safe.

"Modify the alignment of workstations, including along processing lines, if feasible, so that workers are at least six feet apart in all directions ... when possible, the guidelines stipulate.

A month later, its unclear what, if any, impact the guidelines have had.

They can say, Well we tried but it costs too much money, then theyre off the hook, Lauritsen of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union said. The guidelines are as worthless as the copy paper theyre printed on.

A car sporting a sign calling for a safe and healthy workplace drives past Smithfield Foods, Inc. in Sioux Falls on April 9, 2020 during a protest on behalf of employees after many workers complained of unsafe working conditions due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The pork processing plant in South Dakota is closing temporarily after more than 80 employees tested positive for the coronavirus.

Its also unclear whos enforcing the joint guidance.

Its not federal food inspectors, said Schelling of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 45, the union representing USDA inspectors.

Despite the governments official position that the joint guidelines should be in place at every plant, Schelling said regional supervisors and frontline employees have no power to ensure compliance.

We have no regulation in place that we can hang our hat on that says, Plant, you need to put these controls in place,  Schelling said. You can have the conversation, but theres nothing enforceable that can be taken against the plant.

Officials from OSHA have previously said they can enforce the guidelines under a legal provision that employers have a general duty to provide safe working conditions. But its unclear how rigorously the USDA follows up with plants to ensure changes have been made.

While Schelling agreed major companies like Smithfield and Tyson have largely improved their work spaces, smaller plants that employ a few dozen workers and have more limited resources have not.

Theres no social distancing, she said. Theres no PPE that the company employees are being mandated to wear.

The USDA issued letters to governors and major meatpacking companies on May 5 to set clear expectations for the implementation of the executive order, an agency spokesperson said in an email to USA TODAY.

Since then, the spokesperson said, the USDA has worked with the CDC and OSHA, state and local leaders and public health officials, and meat processing facilities to affirm they will operate in accordance with the CDC/OSHA guidance to keep these critical facilities open while maintaining worker safety.

But the industrys continued inability to prevent the spread of the virus points to an ineffectiveness of those guidelines, said Adam Pulver, an attorney at the watchdog group Public Citizen.

Its certainly not like were out of the woods and the problems have stopped  were still seeing daily reports of outbreaks in plants," Pulver said. "The recommended precautions are not anywhere sufficient to really prevent transmission. The only real way to prevent transmission would require really significantly slowing down and reconfiguring the way these plants operate, spacing out workers in a way that theyre just not willing to do.

This story is a collaboration between USA TODAY and the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting. The Center is an independent, nonprofit newsroom based in Illinois offering investigative and enterprise coverage of agribusiness, Big Ag and related issues. Gannett is funding a fellowship at the center for expanded coverage of agribusiness and its impact on communities.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Meatpacking plants cant shake COVID-19 cases despite Trump order
GAITHERSBURG, Md., June 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey entered a decision in the patent litigation regarding NARCAN (naloxone HCl) Nasal Spray 4mg/spray product. The Court ruled in favor of the Defendants, Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd. Emergent intends to appeal the decision to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.



We are understandably disappointed by the decision today, said Doug White, senior vice president and devices business unit head at Emergent BioSolutions. We remain committed to expanding awareness, maintaining affordability, and increasing access to NARCAN Nasal Spray, to improving public health, and to assisting those dedicated to ending the opioid crisis.

Financial Considerations

The company will provide an update to its 2020 financial outlook incorporating expectations related to this litigation, efforts to develop and manufacture COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, 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.

Investor Contact:

Robert G. Burrows

Vice President, Investor Relations

240-631-3280

burrowsr@ebsi.com

Media Contact:

Miko B. Neri

Senior Director, Corporate Communications

240-631-3392

nerim@ebsi.com
The recordings show WHO officials tried to coax China into providing more information, including with praise in public. That tactic was, in retrospect, a mistake. But privately during the week of Jan. 6, WHO officials also complained that China was not sharing enough information to assess how effectively the virus spread between people and the risk to the rest of the world. The AP said that China stalled release of the viral genome for a week because of tight controls on information and competition within the Chinese public health system. China released the genome sequence Jan. 11 after another lab published it on a virology website. Data on patients and cases was delayed, too. Were going on very minimal information, Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHOs technical lead for covid-19, said in one internal meeting. Its clearly not enough for you to do proper planning.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-06 14:49:07|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, June 5 (Xinhua) -- #PoliceBrutality, #PoliceViolence and #PoliceBrutalityProtests, have, among others, become trending hastags on U.S. social media as protests triggered by the death of George Floyd in police custody witnessed more incidents of excessive police force.

Two police officers of Buffalo, New York, were suspended without pay on Thursday after a viral video showed them pushing an old man to the ground at a protest over Floyd's death.

"When I saw the video from Buffalo, it made me sick to my stomach. Where was the threat? How can you walk by a person when there's blood coming out of his head? It's fundamentally inhumane & frightening," tweeted New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday.

The local police department first claimed the man tripped and fell, but the video told a different story. The 75-year-old man is in stable but serious condition in hospital, city leaders said.

In Atlanta, Georgia, six police officers have been fired with five of the facing charges of excessive force against two college students during a protest Saturday.

Body camera footage shows the two students, who were on their way home from picking up food when they got caught in traffic downtown caused by the protest, were hit with tasers by officers before being pulled out of their car.

A Philadelphia police commander has been charged with aggravated assault for allegedly beating a student from Temple University with a baton during a protest Tuesday in Center City district, the city's district attorney said Friday night.

The cop is seen in a cell phone video attacking the student, then jumping on the student and making an arrest.

A police officer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been relieved of duty and placed on administrative leave after a viral video showed him knocking over a protester who was kneeling with her hands up.

The shaky footage shows the officer walked away from a crowd of demonstrators before shoving the protester who was kneeling behind him.

"Hi. You're probably seeing this pinned tweet because cops are rioting nationwide and I'm trying to keep track," wrote T. Greg Doucette, an attorney in North Carolina, who has compiled 323 clips of videotaped incidents by Friday evening at his Twitter account @greg_doucette.

"The use of force by police can't pacify protests responding to the use of force by police," commented David A. Graham in his story published in The Atlantic on May 31.

"The demonstrations around the country take as their starting point that police are brutalizing citizens of color. Law-enforcement officers and agencies have two ways to respond: They can affirm that complaint with aggressive policing and overwhelming force, or they can work to show they are on the same side, against brutality ... but the aggressive strategy clearly doesn't," he said. Enditem
A largely peaceful night, as marches continue well after curfew.

Protest marches against racism and police brutality continued in New York City well past 11 p.m. on Saturday, defying an 8 p.m. curfew but allowed to continue peacefully by the police, who had moved aggressively to stop protests after curfew on recent nights.

The biggest march of the night, which began at Barclays Center as curfew fell, with well over 1,000 people, made a jubilant 8-mile loop through the center of Brooklyn.

Were in our neighborhood! Courtney Taylor, an organizer, yelled into a megaphone as the procession turned onto Church Avenue in Flatbush, a heavily African-American and Caribbean area. This whole neighborhood, they got us! The Brooklyn protest took one last knee and observed a minute of silence back at Barclays Center before dispersing with a loud cheer shortly after 11:30 p.m.
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Two Buffalo cops have been arrested and charged with second degree assault after they shoved a 75-year-old peace activist to the ground Thursday causing him to crack his head open on the sidewalk, as hundreds of colleagues gathered outside the city court in solidarity to cheer their release without bail.

Aaron Torgalski and Robert McCabe were each charged with one count of assault in the second degree in a court hearing Saturday morning over the shocking incident that left peaceful protester Martin Gugino in a 'serious condition' in hospital.

The cops were arraigned in a virtual court hearing where they both pleaded not guilty to the charges and the two cops hid from the view of the camera.

They each face up to seven years in prison if convicted of the class D felony. They were released without bail and will appear back in court on July 20.

Torgalski and McCabe walked out of the courthouse moments after the ruling and were greeted with a hero's welcome from crowds of non-uniformed colleagues and cops who clapped and cheered in support of the two officers.

Aaron Torgalski (left) and Robert McCabe (right) pictured in their mugs. They were each charged with one count of assault in the second degree in a court hearing Saturday morning over the shocking incident that left peaceful protester Martin Gugino in a 'serious condition' in hospital

McCabe (left) is pictured in the virtual arraignment where both cops hid from the cameras and pleaded not guilty to charges

Torgalski and McCabe appeared virtually in the courtroom Saturday. They face a maximum seven-year prison term

DA John Flynn said the two police officers had 'crossed the line' and 'violated the law' in what he described as the 'very unfortunate incident' in a press conference announcing the charges Saturday morning.

'Whenever you have different entities - you're always going to have individuals that cross the line and this is what we have to address,' he said.

'We obviously had a very unfortunate incident that occurred here Thursday night in the City of Buffalo,' he said.

'We had two of our police officers cross the line. We had two of our police officers charged and arrested this morning.'

He added that Gugino was just 'a harmless 75-year-old man' and said the initial reports that he fell backwards and hit his head 'obviously not true'.

Flynn insisted the decision does not show he is 'taking sides' with protesters as he revealed 39 protesters have also been charged in the city.

'Some may say I'm choosing sides here by arresting and prosecuting police officers and I say that is ridiculous. I'm not choosing sides... I'm on this country's side,' he said.

Flynn explained that the severity of the charges was necessary because the law in New York states that if the victim is 65 years or older and the perpetrator is 10 years younger than them then it is classed as a felony charge.

Aaron Torgalski and Robert McCabe were arrested and charged Saturday over the shocking incident (pictured) that left peaceful protester Martin Gugino in a 'serious condition'

Gugino, a longtime peace activist from Amherst, had been at a protest at Niagara Square near Buffalo City Hall when he was pushed. He hit his head on the ground causing it to bleed

'The victim is a 75-year-old,' he said. 'I have to follow the law.'

He admitted that if Gugino was under the age of 65 'most likely' the officers would have been given lesser charges of a misdemeanour, which carries a maximum of up to 364 days in jail.

When pushed on whether the charges would stand, he said the 'only thing I need to do is show the birth certificate' of the victim.

The only question a jury will then need to decide 'is whether or not [the actions of the officers were done with] intent or reckless'.

Flynn also said it is too simple to think the conflict in the city and across the US is between law enforcement on one side and society on the other as he pleaded both cops and protesters to find 'peace'.

A large group of law enforcement officers gathered outside the Buffalo city court Saturday morning in a show of support for their colleagues

Hundreds of cops were pictured huddled outside the court using jackets and umbrellas to block the view of the media Saturday morning

The crowd of supporters started gathering before 9a.m. Saturday outside the courthouse before moving to the area by the holding center

Members of the crowd were seen deliberately blocking members of the media who had gathered at the scene

'We obviously have a conflict in this country and I don't think it's fair to characterise the conflict as two sides - law enforcement versus society,' he said. 'It's much more complex than that.'

He also admitted he was ready to arrest the two cops Friday afternoon but held back, after the entire 57-strong Buffalo Police Department's Emergency Response Team resigned in outrage at the two cops' suspension without pay, saying he feared the city would not be safe if he made the move then.

Several hundred law enforcement officers - most of them white men not wearing face masks or practising social distancing - gathered outside the Buffalo City Court Saturday morning in protest over the treatment of the two cops.

DA John Flynn said the two police officers had 'crossed the line' and 'violated the law' in what he described as the 'very unfortunate incident' in a press conference announcing the charges Saturday morning

They started congregating before 9a.m. in the latest show of support of their colleagues, causing authorities to shutter the road from West Eagle to Niagara Square to traffic.

The crowd then moved to the holding center in front of the courthouse at around 9:30a.m. where it appeared they were being addressed by a speaker.

Members of the crowd were seen deliberately blocking members of the media who had gathered at the scene.

At one point the group broke out in raucous clapping and applause.

By mid-morning the group had grown even bigger.

A handful of protesters demanding an end to police brutality also started gathering, with one man shouting 'I can't breathe' and saying 'I only support good cops'.

At around 11:30a.m. the two cops left the courthouse and were met with cheers and clapping from the group gathered.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo welcomed the news of the charges and praised the Buffalo mayor and DA for acting quickly following the incident, one day after the governor said the footage made him 'physically sick' and had called for the two cops to be fired and face criminal charges.

A handful of protesters demanding an end to police brutality also started gathering, with one man (center) shouting 'I can't breathe' and saying 'I only support good cops'

The show of support came after the entire 57-strong Buffalo Police Department's Emergency Response Team resigned Friday in outrage at the two cops' suspension without pay

At around 11:30a.m. the two cops left the courthouse and were met with cheers and clapping from the group gathered who shielded them from view

'In Buffalo, we saw the video. What we saw was horrendous and disgusting and I think illegal,' Cuomo said during his press conference Saturday.

'I think what the mayor did and the DA did is the right thing.'

Cuomo added: 'A bad police officer is the enemy of every good police officer.'

The governor said he 'applauds' the rapid response from Buffalo authorities and pointed to mistakes made in Minneapolis where delays in bringing charges against the cops responsible for George Floyd's death sparked outrage across the nation.

The shocking footage showed the elderly man approaching Buffalo police officers in riot gear outside City Hall on Thursday

The two officers then shove him before he staggers and falls to the ground hitting his head with a crack

'I think there was criminal liability from what I saw on the video and I think what the mayor did and the DA did was right and I applaud them for acting as quickly as they did,' said Cuomo.

'There's no tolerance for delaying justice in society anymore - justice delayed is justice denied.'

Cuomo had urged the city to pursue criminal charges against the officers in his press briefing Friday.

'I was sick to my stomach... it was the same feeling I had for 90 of the past nights when I got the death tolls for coronavirus. I was physically sick to my stomach,' he said of the footage.

Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood released a statement Saturday afternoon saying the officers continue to be suspended without pay and said he was 'proud' of how most officers have handled 'one of the most difficult times in our history'.

'My officers have been through, and continue to work through, one of the most difficult times in our history. I stand by the men and women of the Buffalo Police Department and I'm proud of how they have handled the vast majority of the situations and encounters that they have faced,' he said.

A Change.Org petition calling for the firing of Torgalski has gained more than 400,000 signatures while separate footage has surfaced of officers from the same department violently tackling another protester from behind.

The petition reached 436,720 signatures as of 8a.m. Saturday morning.

It claims Gugino was 'trying to return an officers helmet he found' and says Torgalski was 'abusing his power as a police officer for NO REASON'.'

A Change.org petition calling for the firing of one of the cops reached 436,720 signatures as of Saturday morning

'Aaron Torgalski should not be in control of our safety! This man does not deserve a badge! This man should not be allowed to hold a gun and carry out the law! Fire him! And the others involved!!!' the petition reads.

Outrage has been building since the footage emerged of elderly peaceful protester Gugino being pushed to the ground by the Buffalo cops, cracking his head on the sidewalk and lying unconscious in a pool of his own blood on the ground as officers continue to walk around him.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown on Friday addressed the police department's initial statement on the incident which said Gugino had 'tripped and fell.'

'I will be the first to say that initial communication was an error, but it was a desire to respond to media inquiries really quickly and to provide information to the community quickly,' he said.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown on Friday addressed the police department's initial statement on the incident which said Gugino had 'tripped and fell' saying that was 'an error'

Martin Gugino (pictured) was in a serious but stable condition Friday at Erie County Medical Center following the altercation with cops which left him lying in a pool of his own blood on the sidewalk in front of City Hall Thursday night

After video footage of the incident emerged, Brown said officials corrected their statement and took immediate action.

When asked about the 57 members who resigned, he said the city had 'contingency plans' and assured 'Buffalo will be safe this weekend.'

'I want people out in our community peacefully protesting to know everyone who is peacefully protesting will be protected,' he said.

Brown condemned the incident in a statement late Thursday where he said he was 'deeply disturbed by the video' and made the decision, together with Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood, to immediately suspend the two cops without pay Thursday.

All 57 officers in the Emergency Response Team resigned from their positions in 'disgust' at the treatment of their two colleagues Friday.

The Buffalo Police Benevolent Association confirmed Friday that all members of the department's Emergency Response Team had resigned.

They have not resigned from the Buffalo Police Department - only the Emergency Response Team they were serving on.

'Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders,' PBA president John Evans said.

The shock move from the team came after Erie County District Attorney's Office confirmed it was investigating the officers for potential criminal liability.

'The Erie County District Attorney's Office continues to investigate the incident captured on video outside City Hall Thursday evening that resulted in the injury of (a) protester,' a spokeswoman for the office said in a statement on Friday.

However, two cops have since spoken out saying that claims they resigned in solidarity with McCabe and Torgalski are untrue and that they - and several colleagues - actually made the decision because the union said it would not legally back the officers.

'I don't understand why the union said it's a thing of solidarity. I think it sends the wrong message that 'we're backing our own' and that's not the case,' one anonymous officer told 7 Eyewitness News.

'We quit because our union said [they] aren't legally backing us anymore. So why would we stand on a line for the City with no legal backing if something [were to] happen? Has nothing to do with us supporting,' said another.

'Some of them probably resigned because they support the officer,' said another cop. 'But, for many of us, that's not true.'

The sound of a crack is heard on the video before blood is seen trickling out of the man's head. He remains lying on the ground before being rushed to hospital

Gugino's (pictured) friend Terrence Bisson told Buffalo News the 75-year-old is a peaceful activist who has campaigned against several issues including nuclear disarmament, the detainment of migrant children, climate change and Guantanamo

Many of the officers continued marching, while two cops leaned over to check on the man

BUFFALO COPS COME UNDER FIRE FOR TACKLING ANOTHER PROTESTER TO THE GROUND As calls for Torgalski's firing mount, a man who was aggressively tackled to the ground by multiple Buffalo cops in a separate incident in the city has spoken out slamming the cops' use of 'excessive force.' Myles Carter, 30, was speaking to reporters during a protest Monday night when he was rushed from behind by a large group of cops in riot gear and thrown to the floor. The shocking footage of the black man, who had his hands held up in the air at the time to show he was unarmed, being detained by officers was widely shared on social media. Carter, a father-of-five, broke his silence over the incident in a press conference Friday insisting he was protesting in a 'peaceful, non-threatening' way when the cops arrested him 'unlawfully' and using 'excessive force.' 'We were a group of protesters. We weren't throwing bottles. We weren't burning garbage cans. We didn't break a curfew,' Carter said about the activities that night. 'They zip-tied my hands behind my back as if I was some type of terrorist in the streets of Buffalo. The city that I help. I try to help as much as I can every day,' he said, adding that the Buffalo police should admit they made a mistake. Advertisement

Gugino's friend Terrence Bisson told Buffalo News Friday the 75-year-old is a peaceful activist who has campaigned against several issues including nuclear disarmament, the detainment of migrant children, climate change and Guantanamo Bay.

Bisson said the elderly man, who has a YouTube channel where he discusses such issues, would 'never resist physically any kind of orders'.

'He's a gentle person who really believes that he must stand up for what he thinks is right,' he said.

'That's why he went to the demonstration. He would never resist physically any kind of orders,' Bisson said. 'He's a bit frail, not because of his age. He has some health problems.'

The shocking footage of Thursday night's incident sparked outrage as protesters continue to gather across the US demanding an end to police brutality following the death of George Floyd in police custody last week.

The video, which was taken by a reporter from local radio station WBFO, shows Gugino, a longtime peace activist from Amherst, approaching a line of officers in riot gear outside Buffalo City Hall after the city's 8pm curfew on Thursday.

The protester has been at a demonstration at Niagara Square.

As he tries to speak to the officers, they immediately begin shouting at him to move along, before one of them pushes him with a baton and a second cop shoves him with his hand.

The elderly man is then seen staggering before falling back and hitting his head on the sidewalk.

The sound of a crack is heard and then blood is seen pouring from his head.

In the horrifying scenes, most cops ignore Gugino who lies unresponsive and bleeding on the ground and keep marching past.

The cop who pushed him with a baton is seen pausing to lean over him, before he is motioned away by another officer.

Someone is then heard calling for a medic for the man.

Gugino was taken to Erie County Medical Center where he was being said to be in a serious but stable condition.

The incident took place amid nationwide protests against police brutality following the death of black man Floyd when white cop Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes until he died of asphyxiation.

The horrifying footage of the old man left lying in a pool of his own blood on the sidewalk in front of City Hall was widely circulated on social media, sparking outrage and prompting calls for the officers involved to be fired.

The police department has also been criticized over its initial statement claiming the man 'tripped and fell.'

It comes as the NYPD, as well as police officers across the country, have come under fire for using excessive force on people protesting peacefully.
Brasilia, June 6 : Brazilian oil giant Petrobras said that it has exported a record 1.11 million tonnes of fuel oil in May, a massive 231 per cent higher than the volume exported in the same month last year, despite the COVID-19 crisis.

The record fuel exports came despite the crisis in the sector due to low prices and reduction in demand due to the pandemic, reports Efe news.

In a statement on Friday, the oil giant said the volume of oil export in May was 10 per cent more than the February figures before the pandemic led to the suspension of economic activities across the world.

"The record for exports occurs in a challenging period of the world economy with a reduction in global demand for oil and oil products caused by the pandemic," it said in the statement.

"The strategy of diversifying the destinations of fuel oil exports is effective in capturing greater participation in the foreign market," it said.

The increase in the exports came after the agreement between the OPEC members - the organization of which Brazil is not a member - to reduce production and adjust it to the falling global demand.

The company said it was able to increase its participation in the global market partly due to the enforcement of new global specifications for marine fuels that reduced the limit of sulfur content in crude oil from 3.5 per cent to 0.5 per cent.

The modification has generated a unique opportunity for Petrobras, which produces petroleum and fuel oil with low sulfur content.

According to the Brazilian state oil company, whose shares are traded on the Sao Paulo, New York, and Madrid stock exchanges, the record of exports also reflects the measure adopted by the firm to prioritize exploration and production areas more.

The management of the firm announced in May that despite the historic crisis in the sector due to the steep decline in the global demand and fuel oil prices, it maintained its goal of ending 2020 with an average production of 2.7 million barrels per day.

According to its five-year plan, Petrobras proposes to up its oil and natural gas production in Brazil up to 2.7 million BPD in 2020, 2.9 million in 2021, 3.1 million in 2022, 3.3 million in 2023 and 3.5 million in 2024.

To manage the fall in demand and global oversupply, Petrobras suspended its operations across 62 of its maritime platforms in deep water to reduce its production of around 200,000 BPD in April. But in May it increased its production.
The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is working with the Government to allow entry for international students returning to the campus to complete their academic work for the Second Semester.



They include those in the fifth and sixth years in the School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, as well as Midwifery and Medical Diagnostics Students.



A statement signed by Mrs. Margaret Daisy, Deputy Registrar (Academic Affairs), KNUST, and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Kumasi, said the students were expected to return to campus for their clinical and practical work.



Where a student is unable to return as scheduled due to travel restrictions in his or her country, arrangements would be made to have his or her examinations postponed until an appropriate time, it noted.



Meanwhile, Education Minister Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh at a media briefing on Tuesday said the Government was considering entry for such student but they would be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival, in line with anti COVID-19 health and safety protocols.



The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in his recent address to the nation, announced plans by the government to lift partially the ban on activities in educational institutions by re-opening schools for final-year students, including the universities.



The universities are expected to re-open on June 15, this year.



For more than two months now, Ghanaian schools have remained closed, following the COVID-19 outbreak on Thursday, March 12.



The statement said the KNUSTs COVID -19 Team would ensure that students who reported on campus would be examined and taken through the safety protocols as approved by the Ministry of Health.

Source: GNA









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The Associated Industries of South Carolina Foundation consists of five-member organizations that are launching the Be Pro Be Proud SC mobile workshop this fall to achieve a common goal: attracting more talent and directing them to skilled-trades careers.

Only now, the need is more urgent than ever.

Be Pro Be Proud SC was planned long before the pandemic increased the number of jobs available in essential fields like transportation and logistics, utilities, construction and diesel technology. According to the U.S. Department of Labor and Statistics, the number of jobs available in those sectors is projected to increase by as much as 25% in South Carolina over the next 10 years.

Building a workforce that aligns with the opportunities that exist in South Carolina is crucial to the future of our state, said Ted Pitts, CEO and president of the S.C. Chamber of Commerce. Be Pro Be Proud SC brings opportunities in skilled trades and professions across the Palmetto State. We need a workforce for the future, and Be Pro Be Proud SC is the solution.

AISCF consists of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, the South Carolina Trucking Association, Carolinas AGC, Home Builders Association of South Carolina, and the Forestry Association of South Carolina.

Members of these organizations realized that students must be made aware of the high-paying, skilled-trades jobs available for which training is only a fraction of the cost of a four-year degree.

The idea for a mobile skilled-trades workshop comes from Arkansas, where the first Be Pro Be Proud project was launched in 2016. South Carolina will become only the second state in the country to launch a mobile workshop and workforce development project like it.

Now more than ever, the country is seeing the value of skilled trades, said Leslie Clark, VP of operations/director of government relations for Carolinas AGC.

The high-profile mobile workshop is a custom-designed, 53-foot, double-expandable, 18-wheeler that will tour events and schools around the state. Inside the well-lit unit, visitors will experience hands-on simulators for commercial driving, forklift operation, diesel technology, utility bucket operation, heavy equipment operation, carpentry, welding and CNC machine operation.

The construction industry, in particular, is ready to hire, according to Wayne Moore, president of the Home Builders Association. The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce estimates an additional 24,000 new construction workers are needed to meet the states current building needs."

Keeping homebuilders supplied with lumber will also be a matter of importance, said Cam Crawford, president and CEO of the Forestry Association of South Carolina.

Because nearly 80% of South Carolina communities depend exclusively on trucks to move their goods, careers in transportation are crucial in keeping the economy running strong.

Attracting a steady stream of qualified, entry-level, heavy-duty technicians and drivers has always been a top priority for the supply chain, said C. Allen Ard, president and CEO of Ard Trucking Company and current SCTA board chairman.

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Four members of Philadelphias city council on Saturday asked police not to use tear gas or rubber bullets on peaceful protesters as thousands of demonstrators descended on the city.

The massive rally Saturday, that started at noon, marks the eighth-straight day of protests in the region over the death of George Floyd, who died after Minneapolis police officers pinned him on the ground with one officers knee on his neck for nearly 9 minutes.

The four council members called upon the mayor and police commissioner to maintain responsible public safety measures at the rally and commit to not deploying measures, specifically tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray or other weaponry against demonstrators exercising their rights.

The council membersKendra Brooks, Jamie Gaunthier, Helen Gym and Isaiah Thomas said the past week has shown appalling instances of police officers using excessive and unnecessary force during largely peaceful demonstrations.

The use of rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray directly to the face endangers the broader public, they said, according to a statement. They asked for police to avoid these measures Saturday and at future protests.

This brutality has brought shame to Philadelphia and thrust us into the national news cycle for the world to see. It is unacceptable.

The council members instead asked police to allow its trained and professional crowd control unit in Civil Affairs to take the lead Saturday and in future demonstrations since that unit works with organizers and maintains crowd control without the use of weaponry, according to the statement.

The council members noted that they help craft and approve the police departments budget.

We will be watching, the statement said, in closing. And so will the world.

Chopper 6 over the protest against police brutality being held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. https://t.co/0UMNn2DFWI pic.twitter.com/jNUZMoZAd8  Action News on 6abc (@6abc) June 6, 2020

The police department faced criticism for using tear gas Monday on protesters who were trapped against a fence on Interstate 676 .

A Philadelphia police commander also was charged with aggravated assault for allegedly beating a Temple University student with a baton during a protest Tuesday.

The council members statement came one day after a federal judge in Denver ordered police not to use chemical weapons or projectiles against peaceful protesters.

The Denver Police Department has failed in its duty to police its own, Judge R. Brook Jackson wrote in his ruling.

The order is immediate but temporary, according to the Colorado Sun.

READ: George Floyd case: Pa. police chiefs condemn officers knee-on-neck method seen in viral video
Is America Headed for a Post-Apocalyptic Currency Collapse?

Just when it seemed as though America may be turning the corner after months of lockdown just when it seemed as though we were on a path to reopening and gradually returning to normalcy just when the prospects of panic-induced social unrest seemed to be behind us

Americas cities erupted into flames.

Antifa and BLM-organized rioting, looting, violence, and mayhem have pushed cities across the country into pandemonium. Even if the insurrections are soon quelled  as President Donald Trump promised to do in a speech in front of the White House on Monday  the consequences wont soon go away.

Some epidemiologists seized on the protests to predict a spike in the spread of the coronavirus due to the gathering of large crowds. They claim the flattened curve could begin to steepen all over again.

The experts may be wrong, as they have often been during this outbreak. The nationwide lockdowns and social distancing rules (beyond isolating the infected and protecting vulnerable populations such as those in nursing homes) may prove to have been overkill.

The response to pandemic fears, including and especially the economic consequences, certainly contributed to driving some people over the edge. Pent up stress, frustration, boredom, alienation, fear, and other symptoms of cabin fever created the potential for a social conflagration.

Jeremy Boreing of the Daily Wire suggests that social chaos erupted in an 8-step process:

Instill fear Lock people in their houses Drive tens of millions out of work Remove the pressure valves: Sports, Concerts, Bars, Theaters, Lunch with Friends... Close the churches Dehumanize through masking the healthy Wait Strike match...

The match was the death of a suspect named George Floyd. He had fentanyl and other drugs in his system and may have been charged with a relatively minor crime. A police officer appeared to use excessive force in pinning him down. Clearly, Floyds death and the police actions that led to it deserved to be investigated.

But the establishment media decided, without evidence of racial bias by the officer  and in contradiction to evidence that shows black arrestees are actually less likely to be killed by white cops  to make Floyds death all about the incendiary issue of race. Time will tell if race played a role, but most agree the video evidence show the officer in the wrong.

And so the fire was lit.

The American Institute for Economic Research notes, Many of the overly confident planners who hatched this disaster are hunkered down in hiding. People are unlikely ever to hold the mainstream media in high regard.

Sowing the seeds of hatred and whipping up already anxious populations into a frenzy over a fabricated narrative (racism) of a single persons death means many more lives that should have mattered will now be lost to senseless violence.

The article concludes pessimistically, The best laid plans: inspired by myopic modelers, eschewing of expert opinions of dissident scientists, disregarding of essential rights, fueled by media fabrications and irresponsibility, imposed by governments at all levels. Its a new chapter of The Road to Serfdom.

Some economists are predicting a death blow to small businesses that were already under unprecedented financial strain. If they werent ransacked, looted, and destroyed by hooligans, they will feel the macro effects of urban decline and flight, plummeting consumer confidence, falling property values, and worsening budgetary crises for state and local governments.

But dont worry, Walmart, Amazon, Google, JPMorgan Chase, and all their close friends in Washington, D.C. will be just fine. In the event that any too big to fail entity runs into trouble, it will get bailed out by the Federal Reserve.

The demands for bailouts going forward will only accelerate. Lockdown relief is still being dispensed, and soon riot relief will come too.

The currency crisis will also come  perhaps later this year, perhaps further out in time.

Admittedly, most of us in the sound money camp have been surprised at how resilient the Federal Reserve Note has been for so long. But the worlds primary reserve currency has never had to weather a storm quite like the one we are in now.

No government can borrow into oblivion and no currency can be printed into oblivion without that currency losing credibility and purchasing power.

If you dont own hard money (gold and silver) now, what are you waiting for? In the post-apocalyptic America that we seem to be heading toward, precious metals may be one of the only things you can count on.

Stock up on gold and silver, guns and ammunition, and non-perishable foods plus household essentials while you still can!

When the social fabric unravels, being self-reliant becomes absolutely essential. Calling 9-1-1 during an emergency may not do much good if the police, fire departments, and ambulances are all overwhelmed.

If you store you precious metals at home rather than a secure depository, a well-concealed fireproof safe to store precious metals will protect them in the event of a home invasion.

Most burglars look for obvious things to grab quickly and then take off to limit their risk of apprehension. A decoy safe with nothing of real value inside that placed out in the open can misdirect a thiefs time and efforts while your real safe is hidden from view (and ideally built into a strong structural element such as concrete).

The same supposed leaders in positions of power who are failing us now can be expected to continue failing. The elites who control the media and both political parties seem to be operating as if wrecking the country is their goal  a point Tucker Carlson powerfully drove home on his Fox News show Monday.

Its time to get prepared both personally and financially if youre not already.

Stefan Gleason is President of Money Metals Exchange, the national precious metals company named 2015 "Dealer of the Year" in the United States by an independent global ratings group. A graduate of the University of Florida, Gleason is a seasoned business leader, investor, political strategist, and grassroots activist. Gleason has frequently appeared on national television networks such as CNN, FoxNews, and CNBC, and his writings have appeared in hundreds of publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Detroit News, Washington Times, and National Review.

 2020 Stefan Gleason - All Rights Reserved



Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




(TNS)  The Texas group that lobbies against vaccine mandates is now launching a campaign against COVID-19 contact tracing, the public health measure used for decades around the world to contain disease spread.Texans for Vaccine Choice this week called on its members to contact Gov. Greg Abbott and let him know they do not wish to be monitored or surveilled for any reason in response to a new state program hiring and training workers to identify people whove come into close contact with those who recently tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Such people are then asked to quarantine until testing shows they dont have the disease.The government should stop thinking its job is to keep everyone healthy and instead focus on protecting our rights, says a post on the organizations website . We here at TFVC will remain vigilant as our government expands greatly and the threats to our members grow.The campaign drew an immediate rebuke from Dr. Peter Hotez, the Baylor College of Medicine infectious disease specialist who has led public healths fight against the anti-vaccine movement, which he holds responsible for the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough.Thanks to the movements efforts, some 60,000 Texas parents currently obtain nonmedical exemptions for school vaccines, some 25 times higher than 2003, the first year such exemptions were allowed. A 2018 study by Hotez found Houston and three other Texas cities rank among the 15 metropolitan shot spots of such exemptions.Awful to see the #antivax lobby in Texas now going the extra measure to halt #COVID-19 prevention, Hotez tweeted Tuesday in reply to a Texans for Vaccine Choice tweet alerting people to the campaign. In the name of fake health freedoms slogans, they aspire to land thousands of Texans in our hospitals and ICUs.John Wittman, a spokesman for Abbott, noted that a contact tracing program was part of the guidelines laid out by President Donald Trump in order to reopen the state and has been used in Texas and the country for decades. He said the program is completely voluntary and that the state health department has taken steps to ensure it protects individuals liberty and privacy.The contact tracing program became ensnared in controversy last month when the Houston Chronicle reported that the state awarded MTX Group, an inexperienced, little-known private technology company, up to $295 million to hire, train and manage tracers. State lawmakers subsequently questioned the lack of transparency and legislative input for such a large expenditure.This week some conservative legislators began raising some of the same privacy concerns as Texans for Vaccine Choice.Weve never done contact tracing on a statewide scale like this before, said Rep. Mayes Middleton, R-Wallisville, the chairman of the Texas Freedom Caucus. I have questions about the potential for abuse if any of that confidential information collected gets out and about informed consent. Will people feel pressured to participate?The caucus Tuesday called for an immediate end to the contract.The program, funded by federal coronavirus emergency dollars, would expand the contact tracing the state already conducts. The state conducts tracing in counties too small to have health departments and when a county requests assistance.In order to respond to the pandemic, we need to build a picture of whats happening on the ground, how the pieces fit together, said Chris Van Deusen, spokesman for the Texas health department. Are there places the illness is occurring where we as a public health agency need to respond to limit the spread?The health departments of Houston and Harris County also have expanded their contact tracing programs. Harris County added 300 tracers  plus nearly 100 supervisors and support staff  in May, and Houston is adding 300.Dr. Umair Shah, executive director of Harris County Public Health, said Thursday that his team asks only health-related questions and other details to protect the health and well-being of other individuals at potential risk for COVID-19. He said it is vital that we remain a trustworthy public health entity in our community  therefore we take privacy very seriously.Texans for Vaccine Choice, whose website says members reached out to them concerned about the state program , posts a sample letter members can send asking the governor what assurances Texans have that additional contact tracing will not evolve into another overreaching state program that will ultimately threaten our privacy and consume valuable state resources.With so many Texans suffering financially, why are you spending $300 million on a temporary program aimed at alleviating this single outbreak that, according to your own data, is disappearing without any sort of surveilling intervention? asks the sample letter.In fact, the latest state data shows no such disappearance of COVID  Tuesdays 1,809 additional cases were the states largest single-day increase since the pandemic began.In an article published in May in the journal Microbes and Infections , Hotez wrote that the anti-vaccine movement, fueled with fresh conspiracies and new alliances, has grown stronger because of the coronavirus pandemic. Those include outrageous claims that Bill Gates or others created COVID-19 as a means to create mandatory vaccines and that vaccines in the pipeline are devices to promote the establishment of a global surveillance network in which each of us would receive an electronic tattoo through injection of a vaccine data chip under the skin.As COVID-19 spread in the spring of 2020, my prediction was the American public would recognize the urgency of developing and administering a vaccine, causing the anti-vaccine movement to dissipate, Hotez wrote. Tragically, the opposite has happened and there is risk we might see yet again a surge in Americas anti-vaccine movement.
The Sikh community will accept Khalistan, a separate state for Sikhs, if the government offers it, Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh said on Saturday.

The jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, was talking to the media on the 36th anniversary of Operation Bluestar, which was carried out between June 1 and 8 in 1984 to flush out heavily-armed terrorists holed up in the Golden Temple complex.

If the Indian government offers us Khalistan, what else do we need? We will accept it. Which Sikh is there in the world, who doesnt want it? he said.

Asked about sloganeering at Akal Takht in favour of Khalistan by Sikh hardliners, the jathedar said: There is nothing wrong in it. But they should have done it after religious programme, which was in progress at the Akal Takht, as sloganeering disrupts the function.

The vision of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale needs to be alive at this time. So, history of this episode should be penned down, he added.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gobind Singh Longowal, who was present during the media interaction, endorsed the jathedars stance, saying: if the government offers it (Khalistan), it will be acceptable to us. When do we refuse to take it? No Sikh can refuse to take it.

Taking on the Centre in context of the Operation Bluestar, the jathedar said: The Union governments gesture has remained anti-Sikh for the last 36 years.

Earlier, a bhog ceremony, ardas and kirtan were performed at the Takht in memory of those killed in the Operation Bluestar.

During the function, which was held amid heavy rain, the jathedar delivered his sandesh (address) and pointed out to police restrictions for devotees at the Golden Temple. Sikhs lack unity. This is the why there are these restrictions, he said, adding: The community members need to sit together to achieve the goals set by the Sikh leaders in 1984. For this purpose, we need good policy and honesty he said in the sandesh, while paying tribute to Bhindranwale who led the militants, and other persons killed in the operation.

Parallel acting jathedar Dhian Singh Mand, who was present at the complex along with radical Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Sakhira and others, also read out his sandesh.

The function was held amid tight security. In a first, the media was barred from covering the event inside the Golden Temple complex. Restrictions were imposed in the city to prevent gathering in the complex. There was curfew-like situation in the city and all the markets remained almost closed on Saturday.

A majority of people in the gathering were SGPC employees and police in plainclothes. Despite making efforts, the police and SGPC staff could not ensure social distancing inside the complex to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Meanwhile, the anniversary was also observed by Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal, which was once headed by Bhindranwale, at its headquarters Chowk Mehta in the district.

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T housands of people joined Black Lives Matter protests across the country despite Matt Hancock's pleas to obey the coronavirus lockdown.

Many wore masks and social distancing measures were encouraged during events in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Sheffield and Newcastle, among other cities.

At Fridays coronavirus news briefing, the Health Secretary warned people against joining the demonstrations this weekend, pointing out were still facing a health crisis and coronavirus remains a real threat.

His message was echoed by Home Secretary Priti Patel on Saturday, who addressed people wanting to protest on Sky News, saying: "Please don't."

London: Black Lives Matter George Floyd protest - In pictures 1 /33 London: Black Lives Matter George Floyd protest - In pictures People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally march on Vauxhall Bridge Road PA Demonstrators hold placards backdropped by the Victoria Memorial, outside Buckingham Palace AP People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally march on Vauxhall Bridge Road PA A protester shouts slogans in front of a line of police officers AFP via Getty Images People are seen wearing protective face masks as they demonstrate in a car REUTERS A demonstrator is seen during a Black Lives Matter protest in Parliament Square REUTERS Demonstrators wearing protective face masks and face coverings hold placard REUTERS Demonstrators are seen kneeling during a Black Lives Matter protest in Parliament Square REUTERS Demonstrators are seen during a Black Lives Matter protest in London REUTERS Demonstrators are seen during a Black Lives Matter protest in London REUTERS Demonstrators are seen during a Black Lives Matter protest in London AFP via Getty Images Protesters march towards the US Embassy AFP via Getty Images People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally march on Vauxhall Bridge Road PA People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally march on Vauxhall Bridge Road PA People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally march on Vauxhall Bridge Road PA Demonstrators block traffic outside Victoria Station AP Demonstrators hold placards backdropped by the Victoria Memorial, outside Buckingham Palace AP Demonstrators block traffic outside Victoria Station AP Youngsters shout slogans during a Black Lives Matter march AP People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Parliament Square PA Youngsters shout slogans during a Black Lives Matter march AP Protesters hold placards as they attend a demonstration in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Images Protesters hold placards as they attend a demonstration in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Images Protesters hold placards as they attend a demonstration in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Images Protesters hold placards as they attend a demonstration in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Images

But people wanted to show solidarity with those in the US campaigning against police brutality following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

They also highlighted incidents when black and ethnic minority people in Britain have been victims of racial discrimination and violence at the hands of police and others.

Most protesters wore facemasks (Reuters) / REUTERS

In London, most demonstrators who gathered in Parliament Square wore masks and face coverings, with some opting for gloves.

Placards carried by demonstrators referenced the coronavirus crisis, with one saying: There is a virus greater than Covid-19 and its called racism.

Punks made their presence known (Reuters) / REUTERS

As the rally began, one organiser used a megaphone to tell the crowds: We are not here for violence.

Today is sheer positivity, today is sheer love.

Protester Bobbi, 26, from Chingford, London, who did not give her last name, said: Were literally living in the history books, were going to be teaching our future children about this and I want to say I was here to support that.

Thousands of protesters packed central Manchester. They chanted and clapped in unison and held home-made placards bearing the initials BLM.

One protester described it as 'sheer positivity' (Reuters) / REUTERS

Several hundred marchers gathered in Newcastle, while thousands more watched an online protest organised in the north-east of England.

Demonstrators gathering at the Earl Grey Monument in the city centre were handed masks if they did not have one, while hand sanitiser was available.

Dr Christina Mobley, a lecturer who came to Newcastle University from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, attended with her five-year-old daughter.

Mnay attendees took a knee in solidarity (Reuters) / REUTERS

The historian, who is leading the project to decolonise the university curriculum, said: I absolutely felt the need to be here today. The organisers have done an amazing job.

It is really powerful to see such a young, motivated crowd coming out and organising themselves, handing out masks and working with the police.

She took a photo of one of the police officers who had taken off his helmet during the silence for Mr Floyd.

Meanwhile, an online protest organised by Stand Up To Racism  North East drew an audience of several thousand, who listened to speakers including Janet Alder, whose brother Christopher died in police custody in Hull in 1998.

Thousands attended the march / PA

In Sheffield, hundreds of people gathered on Devonshire Green to protest and hold a minutes silence.

During the gathering, which included speeches, they chanted: No justice, no peace, no racist police.
Mumbai: On Friday, the family of late music composer Wajid Khan released a statement following his demise, thanking hospital staff for taking care of him throughout the treatment.

The family also informed that Wajid died due to cardiac arrest. There has been no mention of coronavirus in the statement.

"Our dearest Wajid passed away at the age of 47 due to a cardiac arrest on 1st of June at 00:30 am in Surana Sethia hospital. He had a successful kidney transplant last year and he was undergoing treatment for a throat infection," the statement read.

"We would like to express our gratitude to Dr Prince Surana who is family and has taken care of Wajid just like a brother would, Dr Prashant Kewle, Dr Kirti Sabnis, Dr Nikhil Jain, Dr Rupesh Naik, Dr Dipen Deole, Dr Aseem Thamba and the entire hospital staff who had been treating Wajid and taking care of him beyond the call of duty and had left no stone unturned for his treatment. We thank each of you for your selfless gestures from the bottom of our hearts," it concluded.

The statement has been posted on the composer brother duo Sajid-Wajid's official Instagram account.

Wajid is survived by his wife and two children -- a daughter and a son.
The Dutch ambassador to Nigeria, Robert Petri, leaked confidential information about an extensive corruption investigation into the operation of Shell in Nigeria to the oil company, a news report has said.

NRC, a Dutch online news outlet, reported that at the end of 2017, the Dutch ambassador to Nigeria leaked the confidential information to the oil company.

An investigation into Mr Petris tenure as ambassador to Nigeria was prompted by a complaint of integrity received by the country, the report revealed. The leakage of the confidential information fueled tensions at the embassy.

After two internal investigations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled Mr. Petri back to the Netherlands in early 2019. The investigations revealed, among other things, a sick working atmosphere at the embassy.

Several partner organisations complained to the ministry that Mr Petri was too much on Shells hand.

Shell in Nigeria

Shell extracts a lot of oil and gas from Nigerian soil, and that is associated with pollution, sabotage, tax lawsuits, protests from the local population and suspected corruption.

According to the report, when Mr Petri assumed office, he had to deal with cleaning, partly financed by the Netherlands, of a major oil spill at Bodo, near Bonny Island.

Four widows of the Ogoni leaders executed in 1995 recently filed a lawsuit against Shell in The Hague. The Dutch corruption investigation into Shell around OPL 245, a gigantic oil field off the Nigerian coast, is also in full swing.

Malabu Scandal

Tagged Malabu scandal, the OPL 245 issue involved the transfer of about $1.1 billion by oil multinationals, Shell and ENI, through the Nigerian government to accounts controlled by Mr Etete.

From accounts controlled by Mr Etete, about half the money ($520 million) went to the accounts of companies controlled by Abubakar Aliyu, popularly known in Nigeria as the owner of AA oil.

Anti-corruption investigators and activists suspect he fronted for top officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration as well of officials of Shell and ENI.

The transaction was authorised in 2011 by Mr Jonathan through some of his cabinet ministers, and the money was payment for OPL 245, one of Nigerias richest oil blocks.

Although Shell and ENI initially claimed they did not know the money would end up with Mr Etete and his cronies, evidence has shown that claim to be false.

Shell, Eni, Mr Etete, Mr Aliyu and several officials of the oil firms are being prosecuted in Italy for their roles in the scandal.

As an ambassador, Mr Petris position was delicate as he must represent the interests of the Netherlands and Dutch companies, but also propagate Dutch values such as socially responsible and environmentally conscious entrepreneurship.

Mr Petri was recalled to the Netherlands after 15 months, after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs identified major problems at the post in Abuja.

Research by NRC further shows that the ministry only intervened after two consecutive inspections. First was an integrity investigation into Petri, at the end of 2018, and subsequently a specially inserted investigation into the working climate at the embassy, at the beginning of 2019.

FIOD traveled to Abuja in December 2017 as part of the criminal investigation into Shells alleged large-scale bribery in Nigeria. The embassy had prepared the visit of the FIOD officers to their Nigerian sister organisation, EFCC.

Mr Petri was found to have shared confidential information about an impending visit by the tax investigative service FIOD to Nigeria at the end of 2017 with the local Shell director. He allegedly did this during a visit with his wife to the mans residence.

Reactions

In its response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs agreed that in 2018 a report was received regarding the then ambassador. An investigation of the facts was then carried out.

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According to the spokesperson said, The investigation and its consequences are confidential.

NRC reports that Mr Petri himself did not respond.

In a response, Shell confirmed that it received information from the ambassador about the impending FIOD visit.

The oil company has done nothing with that, said a spokesman. The information has been recorded and no further action has been taken.

The Public Prosecution Service said that it was aware of the state of affairs at Foreign Affairs.

A spokesperson said, When information about an ongoing investigation is shared in confidence, it is not allowed to subsequently share this information with third parties. This could harm criminal investigations and that is of course undesirable.

The EFCC, like the Dutch and the Italian authorities, is investigating the corruption affair surrounding the Nigerian oil field OPL245.
Bamako: French forces have killed Abdelmalek Droukdel, the leader of al-Qaida's North Africa affiliate, the France's defense minister announced late Friday, in what would be a major victory for France after years of battling jihadists in the Sahel.

There was no immediate confirmation of his death from al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, known as AQIM, which has made millions of dollars abducting foreigners for ransom over the years and made large swaths of West Africa too dangerous for aid groups to access. French Defense Minister Florence Parly tweeted that Droukdel and several of his allies were killed Wednesday in northern Mali by French forces and their partners. It was not immediately clear how his identity was confirmed by the French.

Droukdel's reported death comes after French President Emmanuel Macron and the leaders of the G5 Sahel group -- Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad -- launched a new plan in January to fight jihadists in the area. France deployed 600 additional soldiers to its Barkhane force, raising the number of troops there to 5,100.

In a March video released by the extremist monitoring group SITE, Droukdel urged governments of the Sahel region to try to end the French military presence, calling the troops armies of occupation.

It was not clear how long Droukdel had been in Mali, Algeria's southern neighbor.

For years he was thought to be holed up in the Kabyle region east of the capital of his native Algeria, and many people had questioned why he was never captured by Algerian security forces, which had honed their counter-terrorism skills over the decades.

He was widely seen as the symbolic leader of al Qaida's North African branch, whose operational center for attacks shifted to northern Mali over the past decade. That led to the French military invasion of the region in 2013 seeking to counter Islamist extremist designs on southern Mali and the capital, Bamako.

Droukdel made his reputation as a feared extremist leader in Algeria, which beginning in the early 1990s was convulsed by violence in what the nation now calls the black decade.

Droukdel's al Qaida affiliate had claimed responsibility for numerous deadly suicide bombings in Algeria, including targeting a United Nations building in Algiers in 2007, shattered by a vehicle packed with explosives.

Droukdel, also known by the nom de guerre Abu Musab Abdul Wadud, transformed the Salafist Group for Call and Combat, known as the GSPC, into al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, spreading the movement across Africa's Sahel region under the umbrella of the global terror network.

More recently he had been commanding all the al-Qaida groups in North Africa and the Sahel, including the JNIM, which has claimed responsibility for devastating attacks on the Malian military and U.N. Peacekeepers trying to stabilize the volatile country.

Parly identified him as a member of al-Qaida's management committee. Related anti-terrorist operations in the region also led to the arrest May 19 of a major figure in the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, Mohamed el Mrabat, she said.

She said the operations dealt a ?severe blow? to terrorist groups in the region that have been operating for years despite the presence of thousands of French, U.N. And other African troops
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said he was pursuing charges against Inspector Joseph Bologna, who was seen striking a protester in the head with a metal baton.

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner announced Friday that he will be prosecuting a local cop for assault after a video appeared to show him striking a protester in the back of the head with a metal baton.

Philadelphia Police Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna faces two counts of aggravated assault, among other charges.

"Americans are taking to the streets to demand a remaking of political, economic, and legal systems that serve the powerful at the expense of citizens' health, welfare, and lives," Krasner said. "There can be no safety or peace without justice."

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A Philadelphia police officer who was caught on video appearing to strike a protester's skull with a metal baton is being charged with aggravated assault and other charges, it was announced Friday night.

In a video that spurred outrage this week, Philadelphia Police Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna appears to be pushing and grabbing anti-police brutality protesters before using his metal baton to strike a 21-year-old Temple University student, who was arrested and spent 24 hours behind bars. Charges against the student, who suffered a serious head wound, have been dropped.

The video contained "disturbing images," Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw told reporters on Friday, saying the June 1 incident was now the subject of an internal investigation, CBS Philadelphia reported.

Inspector Bologna now faces an external review.

"Accountability has to be equal," Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said Friday evening. "This moment demands a swift and evenhanded response to violent and criminal acts based on the facts and evidence."

In a press release, Krasner's office said that Bologna "will face prosecution for his role in the incident." He has been charged with two accounts of aggravated assault, possession of an instrument of crime, and reckless endangerment, among other alleged crimes.

Story continues

"Americans are taking to the streets to demand a remaking of political, economic, and legal systems that serve the powerful at the expense of citizens' health, welfare, and lives," Krasner said. "There can be no safety or peace without justice."

Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com

Read the original article on Insider
- Ellen Adarna keeps her fans and followers updated by posting her awesome workout videos on Instagram

- The celebrity mom shared some of her stunning photos post-workout on Friday, June 5

- Her post elicited negative comments from bashers telling her she's "malandi" and "old"

- She immediately responded to these below-the-belt comments on social media

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Ellen Adarna has been promoting self-love and positivity by being fit and healthy amid the quarantine.

She keeps her followers updated by posting about her exercise routines and keeps them entertained through her regular question and answer videos posted through Instagram Live.

KAMI learned that she recently posted a series of her stunning photos after her workout on Instagram on Friday, June 5.

PAY ATTENTION: Shop with KAMI! The best offers and discounts on the market, product reviews and feedback

"Post Light Workout Churvaloo," the celebrity mom wrote in the caption.

However, a netizen left a rude comment on her photo and even called her "malandi."

The netizen said, "Yan pala mukha ng malandi."

Ellen responded to the netizen's uncalled for comment and told her to be mindful of her words, "be careful with your words esp when you include allah in your "about me" im sure allah wouldnt like that."

Ellen's epic response to her basher garnered almost 1,000 likes from her followers.

Source: Instagram @maria.elena.adarna

Source: Instagram

Meanwhile, another netizen told Ellen that "she's getting old" followed by a sad emoji.

The celebrity mom replied with, "We all are getting old every second... even you... #commonsense"

Source: Instagram @maria.elena.adarna

Source: Instagram

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As reported earlier by KAMI, Ellen Adarna recently held another 'question and answer' portion on her Instagram account. During her Q&A session, the celebrity mom was asked about her son, Elias Modesto Cruz's father. The said question prompted Ellen to respond with a witty and funny comment afterwards. The actress also answered a few questions about love, exes, and if she is a high maintenance woman in the video as well.

Ellen Adarna is a popular actress and endorser in the Philippines. She recently admitted that she and John Lloyd Cruz have already parted ways and are on a co-parenting set-up.

POPULAR: Read more news about Ellen Adarna

Please like and share our Facebook posts to support KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinion about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts!

Source: KAMI.com.gh
Oslo, 5 June 2020

Interoil Exploration and Production ASA is pleased to publish the audited Annual Report for 2019 and the 2020 Annual Statement of Reserves in accordance with the Continuing obligations of stock exchange listed companies. The reports are also available at the companys web site.

There is no material change in the audited accounts compared to the Q4 Report, which was released on 27 February 2020.

Interoils Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 30 June 2020, in accordance with the companys revised Financial Calendar.

Interoil wishes to highlight the following recent events mentioned in the Report of the Board of Directors.

In May 2020 Turgas notified Interoil that it would resume gas off-takings from the Mana and Ambrosia fields in Colombia and Interoil restarted its deliveries accordingly.

Also, in May, Interoil agreed on a new credit line facility worth USD 1.8 million and with a term of 19 months.

Please direct any further questions to: ir@interoil.no

* * *

Interoil Exploration and Production ASA is a Norwegian based exploration and production company - listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange - with focus on Latin America. The Company is operator and license holder of several production and exploration assets in Colombia and Argentina. Interoil currently employs approximately 50 people and is headquartered in Oslo.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act





Attachments




Some moments in culture just happen; certain things seem to take on an impetus of their own and break big, and often there's no single, obvious reason for it.

We saw it recently with Normal People - a perfectly fine novel transfigured into a bona fide televisual phenomenon. Memes are another example: who, today, could even begin to explain The Dress going viral in 2015, or the insane success of 'Gangnam Style' and its endless adaptations?

This isn't new. Two full decades ago, in an Ireland that is recognisable yet markedly different to the 2020 version, an album by a struggling English singer-songwriter went supernova: first here, then in his home country, and eventually around the world.

Read More

Even now, over the phone from what he jokingly describes as "the wrong side of the Irish Sea", David Gray feels that "these things can't always be explained". "White Ladder sold so many copies or went so many times platinum, but it doesn't feel very real," he says. "Trying to make sense of it is hard."

The story of this charming man, and that record, is retold in David Gray - Ireland's Greatest Hit, a sweet and entertaining one-off documentary airing on Thursday. Reared in England and Wales, Gray was 30 when he recorded White Ladder - folk and rock songs with a soupcon of electronic beats - in his home studio and released it, in November 1998, on his own IHT label.

This was his fourth push for success and, like the previous attempts, it failed. Then a new millennium dawned, the album was reissued in May 2000 on the American star Dave Matthews' label ATO, and a fuse began to burn, slowly but inexorably.

Ireland was where White Ladder first took hold of the public consciousness.

"It just developed this unstoppable momentum," Gray recalls. "It wasn't like I was over in Ireland working the channels, out at RTE, sitting down with Gay Byrne to keep the record moving. It just kept going, it was incredible thing."

Gray describes how this success felt especially "clean" - that it had happened "for all the right reasons, it wasn't a con trick on any level. It was something that was made by the people and by us. The record just seemed to chime with people, the fact that it was genuine, and I credit the Irish with having the heart and soul to acknowledge and relish something like that."

Video of the Day

A nationwide tour that year gave the record a hearty push, as did frequent plays on RTE TV's hugely influential music show No Disco. (In a neat loop, the documentary has Colm O'Callaghan, creator of No Disco, as executive producer; original host Donal Dineen designed White Ladder's cover image and had arranged David's first trips to Ireland, alongside Donal Scannell, this programme's director/producer.)

Making the film, Gray watched some old footage of his 2000 gig at the Witness Festival, held at Fairyhouse Racecourse, just after he had played Glastonbury.

"Everything was coming together," he says, "we couldn't make a wrong move. And watching back, I was really struck by how much it meant to us; how innocent, almost naive, we were. The things we said from stage were really heartfelt; we hadn't begun to take any of it for granted. It really meant something, and still does."

Interestingly, he also credits the Celtic Tiger - sort of - with White Ladder's unlikely triumph. It was, he remembers, a "very optimistic period in Ireland, and there's nothing like a bit of money swilling around to change the mood. People were thinking more broadly, culture was happening on different scales. I could sense a big difference between the early 1990s and when White Ladder was taking off: this crazy roaring Celtic Tiger, an undentable optimism."

We had no budget, no plan; all we had was our commitment and the music

Where Ireland led, the world followed, and the figures are mind-blowing. From being a musician whose third album's title - Sell, Sell, Sell - felt like a dismal ironic joke, White Ladder has sold more than seven million copies globally and spent three full years in the British charts. It produced five smash-hit singles - 'Babylon' and 'This Year's Love' the most notable - and is still much-loved today.

Here, White Ladder remains the bestselling album of all time: certified platinum 20 times, by 2002 it had sold a staggering 350,000 copies in a population at the time of 3.9 million. The old joke about every Irish home containing "a picture of the Pope and a copy of White Ladder" had, like all the best ones, a grain of truth to it.

The album's legacy endures: in February we had a 20th anniversary remastered reissue, and the accompanying European tour was due to play here in late March/early April (those gigs are now pencilled in for next year, though Gray accepts that "it's impossible to know if that's realistic"). He has also rightly pointed out that White Ladder partly enabled the stratospheric rise of "one man and his guitar" acts such as Ed Sheeran.

It's all recaptured in Ireland's Greatest Hit, peppered with reminiscences from Sheeran, Glen Hansard, Marc Almond, Orbital's Phil Hartnoll - Gray's brother-in-law, incidentally - and, in a funny interlude, his mother, proudly producing some excruciating photos of the young David and his chronically uncool hairstyle.

"I have enormously affectionate memories of the whole thing," the man himself says now.

"It was a stupendous story that was difficult to explain, and it was a magical time. We didn't design it; how could we? It just happened, like most of the richest things in life seem to do. It felt like something that already existed, and people were seeing it in front of them. We had no budget, no plan; all we had was our commitment and the music."

There were downsides, of course. Success, Gray says, "is an impossible thing to sustain. You get trapped in it, and contending with the aftermath is a problem for everyone; negotiating success is tricky, it takes a while.

"It's not so much how you see the world, more how the world now sees you. You're mainstream, and that ubiquity seems to sand the edges off. You get pigeonholed; the detail has been lost. At the same time, it doesn't look dignified to fight against it. You just have to find a way through, and the best way is to really believe in the music."

Ultimately, the good far outweighs the bad: the "upsweep" of White Ladder's rise, that long curve of ascendance, was "incredible to experience. It was a record made for everybody, we knew we had something that was capable of carrying across to people, not just in Ireland but the UK, America These places we'd been banging our heads off the wall for bloody years, and now could actually get somewhere. Then the view began to open up, and that sense we got at Glastonbury: 'Oh my God, this is actually happening'

"It felt like much more than a weight coming off your shoulders. It was more like, you can put down the body armour; the snipers can't hit you. All the Kevlar you'd been wearing to protect yourself against the naked cynicism and indifference: you can drop it. Something wonderful is happening."

David Gray - Ireland's Greatest Hit, RTE One, Thursday, June 11, 10.15pm.
(Natural News) Marxist academic Tim Wise appeared on CNN where he proposed subjecting white children to psychological torture, proclaiming that white kids dont deserve innocence.

(Article by Shane Trejo republished from BigLeaguePolitics.com)

I think that the important thing for white parents to keep in the front of our mind is that if black children in this country are not allowed innocence and childhood Then our children dont deserve innocence, Wise said.

If Tamir Rice can be killed, then white children need to be told at least at the same age that if they cant be innocent, we cant be innocent. And if we would keep that in the front of our minds, then perhaps we would be able to be hear what black and brown folks are telling us everyday and have been telling us for years, he added.

The revolting clip can be seen here:

https://twitter.com/Just_Shannah/status/1268529177164120064

Wise runs a hate racket, similar to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) or Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), in which he calls for white people to be destroyed and subjugated.

Wise has called for riots in the streets and the destruction of property for years, having begged for the type of chaos that has recently turned America into a war zone  with the death of serial felon George Floyd serving as an inflection point.

Wise has made his opinion clear that he wants white people to be destroyed and wiped from the planet. Some have called the goals of Wise and his fellow Marxist interlopers akin to a genocide.

He wrote in 2010:

The kind of math  proves how your kind  mostly older white folks beholden to an absurd, inaccurate, nostalgic fantasy of what America used to be like  are dying. Youre like the bad guy in every horror movie ever made, who gets shot five times, or stabbed ten, or blown up twice, and who will eventually pass  even if it takes four sequels to make it happen  but who in the meantime keeps coming back around, grabbing at our ankles as we walk by, we having been mistakenly convinced that you were finally dead this time. Fair enough, and have at it. But remember how this movie ends. Our ankles survive. You do not.

He boasted in the same article about the demographic destruction of America, and noted that time was on his side as the the U.S. is flooded with third world refugees:

We dont need guns. We just have to be patient. And wait for your hearts to stop beating. Do you hear it? The sound of your empire dying? Your nation, as you knew it, ending, permanently? Because I do, and the sound of its demise is beautiful. So know this. If you thought this election was payback for 2008, remember Payback, thy name is Temporary.

As the Trump administration classifies ANTIFA as a terror group and uses federal force to destroy them, they should consider expanding that classification to include academics like Wise whose genocidal ideology could result in the death of millions if it is not stomped out for the good of mankind.

Read more at: BigLeaguePolitics.com
The Harris County District Attorneys office this week motioned to recuse a county criminal judge from roughly 140 misdemeanor cases, alleging he has shed symbolic tears over COVID-19s effect on defendants while endangering prosecutors by making them come to court for jail dockets.

County criminal court Judge Franklin Bynum said he wanted his court staffed with one prosecutor during the dockets, as his own staff has become overburdened from taking on tasks that prosecutors cant complete from afar, according to emails obtained by the Chronicle. Bynum added that all relevant state and county agencies have at least one person present in court, and defense attorneys often appear as well.

But after days of back-and-forth with the district attorneys office and an administrative judge who would have decided on the recusals, Bynum will allow prosecutors to continue working remotely, on the condition that the district attorneys office rescind its motions to recuse the cases, in writing.

At the root of their complaints, District Attorney Kim Ogg and Assistant District Attorney Michael Eber claimed that Bynum displays enough favoritism toward defense attorneys  and antagonism toward the prosecution  that makes fair judgments impossible.

Based on the staffing issue, they filed recusals on cases that appeared on the two days of Bynums jail docket this week, according to the email. .

Antagonism does not get much deeper than intentionally exposing someone to death, they wrote in the motions. Judge Bynums animosity for the State and for the role it plays in the criminal justice system has now motivated him to intentionally and unnecessarily subject the States prosecutors, their families and their children, to high risk of contracting a deadly disease.

Bynum on Friday assured that he values the safety and health of defendants and those who work in the courts.

Our local judges have all been tirelessly committed to get our courts working for the people again, he said in a statement. We are working hard to restore capacity to hear cases while also protecting public health.

The District Attorneys Office did not respond to requests for comment.

The dispute began with a June 1 email that Bynum wrote to prosecutors in his court, telling them that his jail dockets will be on Wednesdays and Thursdays as the county courts begin transitioning back to a normal schedule. On those days, he wrote, the state cant appear remotely.

I will not answer any questions about this, the email reads. Do not make any inquiry of me or my staff about these procedures. This is very simple.

Bynums request came as courts reopened to non-essential proceedings this week. A statewide court order has created guidelines for social distancing and maximum group size, and stipulates that courts must continue to use all reasonable efforts to conduct proceedings remotely.

In its motions, the DAs office said that Bynums decision violated several of the state supreme courts emergency orders regarding the COVID-19 state of disaster, as well as a county stay-at-home order and proposed operations for the local courts.

Through several letters of correspondence, Judge Susan Brown of the 11th Administrative Judicial Region of Texas, which oversees courts in a six-county region, repeated that Bynum was violating the state order.

The district attorneys office appeared to view Bynums June 1 email as an official order, which Bynum denied. But the prosecutors also rejected an alternative solution Bynum offered, which would have prevented them from coming to court.

State civil District Judge Robert Schaffer, who oversees the administrative office of the district courts, responded to the exchange on Wednesday as well, saying He cant tell the DAs office how to staff cases. Why is he doing that?

Bynum offered to speak to Schaffer, who gave his number. They exchanged no further emails, according to the thread.

On Thursday, assistant district attorney Joshua Reiss offered to withdraw the recusals verbally  and Bynum insisted on a written filing because of his courts protocol. Reiss requested to make an official record of the weeks events and didn't receive responses from Bynum, according to the exchange. Reiss forwarded the emails to Brown, saying he believed Bynum was acting in a retaliatory manner.

The state successfully motioned to recuse Bynum from another case in April. He had originally found the case to be without probable cause, but a grand jury indicted the man arrested on a 2017 theft case.

He conducted a video conference with Eber, condemning the state for pursuing the charge and calling the case a waste of resources during a pandemic. He canceled the defendants upcoming trial setting because he was able to be released from jail, and he posted the video to Youtube.

Brown, the judge over the administrative region, ultimately ordered Bynums recusal from that case.

The DAs office then asked Bynum to voluntarily step off the cases cited in their motions this week, or to refer the motions to Brown. After days of negotiating, he and the DAs office reached their agreement, resulting in the motions being withdrawn on Friday.

Bynum, a member of Houston Democratic Socialists of America, was elected to Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 8 in 2018.

samantha.ketterer@chron.com
Its certainly, in the study we ran over the past couple of years, the most used app in Australia among almost all groups, says Professor Kath Albury, a Swinburne University researcher. [But] it doesnt mean everyone liked it, she adds. When you're the space everyone is in, Albury explains, you're also the space that will have the highest volume of negative experiences. The 'hookup app' label A criticism that has followed Tinder is that it is a hookup app. Seidman, who has been at the helm of Tinder since 2018, points out that the app is built specifically for young people. More than half of its users are aged 18-25. How many 19-year-olds in Australia are thinking about getting married? he asks.

When two Tinder users swipe right on each other's profile, they become a match. Were really the only app that says, hey, theres this part of your life where things that dont necessarily last still matter, Seidman says, And I think anybody who has ever been in that phase of life says yes, I totally resonate. Samuel, a 21-year-old from Sydney, says that like most of his friends, he mainly uses Tinder. It has the most amount of people on it, so its easier to find people. He says most others his age arent looking for a serious relationship, which he acknowledges can lead to rude or shallow behaviour but says thats what Tinder is there for. Albury says when people refer to Tinders hookup app reputation, they aren't necessarily criticising casual sex. Instead they usually mean there are sexually aggressive behaviours on the app. The concern is that hookup apps become the space where users dont respect boundaries, Albury says. Condie believes the visual nature of Tinder can be problematic. Its more like shopping for a new jumper.

Jordan Walker, 25, from Brisbane, agrees. Somebody just asked me the other night if I wanted to come over. We hadnt had a single word of conversation. Walker says she uses Tinder because it's the best place to meet people but says she's had many bad experiences. I go onto dating apps to date and that doesnt seem to be the intention of most people, she says. Were really the only app that says, hey, theres this part of your life where things that dont necessarily last still matter. Elie Seidman, Tinder CEO But criticism isnt strictly for Tinder users. Bec, a 27-year-old Melbourne woman, deleted Tinder a couple of years ago after getting fed up. She began using Hinge and Bumble, which are viewed as more serious, but she says she still gets disrespectful messages. Gemma, 21, from Newcastle, has had enjoyable dates through all apps but has also received some really mean and nasty abuse or has been ghosted after sex. All users spoken to raise pros and cons. Does this just reflect dating generally as the messy, imperfect riddle it always was? Sort of. Albury says the apps often cause the kind of general tensions that people have when dating. In the past, sleazy pickup lines in bars were rife and women were often wrongly assumed to be out for male company. But Albury says it's possible that apps may lead people to feel disinhibited because they can't see the shock or hurt in someone's face.

For gay men, the experience of Tinder is often very positive, says 24-year-old Zachary Pittas. For gays its kind of the only one thats not gross ... [whereas] Grindr is clearly for a hookup. His main issue with dating apps is they feel shallow, but he blames users: Its our behaviour that needs to change. 'This is not an alternate universe' Albury agrees that when it comes to poor behaviour on dating apps, it's the users that are the problem as opposed to the apps. That said, she believes apps also need to help people feel safer. Both Tinder and Bumble have a function that detects lewd messages, while Bumble introduced photo verification, with Tinder following. Measures for verifying identity, blocking users and reporting have helped, Albury says, but complaints should also be thoroughly investigated. Then there are the infidelity claims, with one US survey of 550 undergraduate students finding that 8.9 per cent were physically intimate with someone from Tinder while in an exclusive relationship.

Overall, Seidman says Tinder is working hard to eliminate bad behaviour. But we also say to our members, at the end of the day, this is not an alternate universe. Its a big community and ... if society has problems, unfortunately those societal problems dont just suspend themselves at the door. Tinder CEO Elie Seidman believes virtual dating will become the norm. Walker would prefer to meet someone in real-life but she says to have social interactions outside of people you know is rare... I just dont know what the alternative is. Albury says dating in a pre-app era is often romanticised. She points out that establishing chemistry and navigating relationships is tricky, online or offline. It takes time and it takes an element of experimentation, she says.

The meeting people part of dating is different because of the apps, but getting to know someone and being in a relationship or having sex, thats still on you and the person  the app cant do that for you. Albury says people shouldnt see dating apps as intrinsically risky. In our study, people had great benefits and wonderful experiences. There are people who said they felt more confident, that it was easier to meet people, that it helped their social anxiety. Ashley and Ben Murray met on Tinder in 2016. Credit:Margan Photography The reality is people are now more likely to meet their life partners online than through personal contacts. A 2017 Stanford University study of more than 3000 people found that about 40 per cent of heterosexual couples met their partner online, compared to 22 per cent in 2009. Ashley Murray, 28, and husband, Ben, are among those who have benefited. The couple even gave Tinder a mention in their wedding ceremony, having met on the app in 2016.

Murray says she was messaged by her share of creeps but says overall her experience was positive. Without Tinder, I think we would have never crossed paths. Entering the 'second wave' It's clear that the dating apps arent going anywhere. And its why changing usage patterns during COVID-19 have been particularly interesting. In Australia, Tinder users have been connecting for longer online, with conversations up an average of 16 per cent. Pittas says he has had lengthier chats on Tinder during COVID-19, finding people have been more open to talking. With one match, he had daily message exchanges, paragraphs and paragraphs of conversation for 2-3 weeks. Seidman believes the pandemic has accelerated a shift towards virtual dating that was already brewing. He might be right. Just last year, Tinder launched Swipe Night, a live online adventure where users could meet new people. And Bumble introduced its video chat function in mid-2019. Bumble's country lead for Australia, Lucille McCart, says it was originally introduced as a safety feature. During the pandemic, the number of video calls jumped by as much as 76 per cent.

Its taken on a whole new life as a product feature, McCart says. I really think this can become part of dating culture moving forward. Its a really great way to test that connection. When you have a great back and forth over text, you dont always know if that will translate to a face-to-face conversation. Video chat is a great stepping stone. Getting to know someone and being in a relationship or having sex, thats still on you and the person  the app cant do that for you. Professor Kath Albury Bec has enjoyed makeup-free video dates during the pandemic. I might even do that moving forward... It makes me more comfortable to then meet them [in person]. If dating culture of the past decade proves anything, its just how quickly we are willing to adapt. Online dating is now just dating, Seidman says, and he points out that for young people with years of experience of digital social media, going on a date virtually is not such a big step. The future is being pulled forward, Seidman says. If six months ago you wouldnt have done a date on video, well, today youll try it.

He says he has observed people hacking together digital experiences, for example, meeting on Tinder then going on a date in video game Animal Crossing or doing a cooking lesson. Another shift is that more people use the apps just for non-romantic banter  Tinder's international function and Bumble's friend-finder are proof of that. Seidman believes this digital hanging-out will define the second wave of Tinder.Its not so much an if, its a matter of what and when, he says. Is it Zoom Bachelor, or trivia night or games? Youll see us try a lot of things. The result, Seidman believes, will be better connections. And the Tinder babies? He expects there are many more to come. Some surnames have been withheld
The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic has claimed 400,000 lives globally since it surfaced in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year and went on to ravage countries across the world that are now attempting to revive economies battered by the lockdowns imposed to curb the spread of the Sars-Cov-2 virus that causes the disease.

It took nearly four months for the death toll from the respiratory illness to reach the grim milestone of 100,000 deaths. As the virus spread from China  where it first originated in December 2019  to find a strong foothold in Europe, the number of fatalities doubled to 200,000 in another 15 days.

The subsequent 100,000 deaths were added in 20 and 23 days, respectively, offering a glimmer of hope that many of the hot spots such as Spain, Italy, UK and France may have seen the worst.

Although European countries have begun to reopen businesses and industries, Latin America, particularly Brazil, has emerged as the latest epicentre of the viral disease, according to the World Health Organization.

In the United States the hardest-hit country with 1.97 million cases and 111,658 deaths -- the numbers have continued to mount even as the rate of the infection appears to be slowing down.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump said the economy was bouncing back and that the country was largely through this horrible pandemic.

I think were doing really well, he added.

Countries such as Mexico, Russia and India too are clocking thousands of daily new cases and hundreds more fatalities, driving part of the third wave of the pandemic after the first in China and the second in Europe and the US.

Till Saturday, 400,012 fatalities had been recorded from 6,916,826 cases world over. It means the case fatality rate  defined as the proportion of deaths to total infections -- from Covid-19 stood at 5.8% on Saturday, according to data by worldometers.info.

At 246,472 cases, India on Saturday overtook Italy to become the country with the sixth-highest number of Covid-19 infections.

However, with a death toll of 6,873 from the disease and a fatality rate of 2.8% till Saturday, it is significantly lower than the case fatality rate of other hard-hit nations such as the US (5.6%), UK (14.2%) and Italy (14.4%).

Experts say the number of deaths from the pandemic is a more accurate representation of the virus prevalence in a region instead of the number of infections, as a large percentage of Covid-19 cases are asymptomatic and are never officially reported.

The fatality rate, they add, will eventually determine if the health infrastructure of a country will survive the public health crisis or be burdened by it.

We know that the absolute number of deaths will go up with the increasing number of cases, but has there been a change in the proportion or case fatality rate?... And, if the case fatality rate is indeed going up, then that is a cause of concern Dr Jugal Kishore, head of the department of community medicine at Safdarjung hospital, had told HT.

At its early peak, the pandemic forced half of humanity into some form of lockdown and risked tipping economies into the deepest recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Governments from Africa to Europe to Asia are now focusing on reviving economies toward a post-pandemic normal.

Seeking to revive the key tourism sectors in time for the summer season, the European Union said it could reopen borders to travellers from outside the region in early July, after some countries within the bloc reopened to European visitors.

Still, bleak numbers streamed in from Latin America.

Brazils death toll rose to more than 35,211 on Saturday, the third-highest number of virus-related deaths after Britain and the United States.

The curve is steepening -- the sky is the limit, Julio Croda, an infectious disease specialist and former Brazilian health ministry official, said about the trajectory in his nation. The current data show no signs of stabilisation.

Tolls are also rising sharply in Mexico, Peru and Ecuador. And in Chile, deaths have risen by more than 50% in the past week.

Russia reported 8,855 cases on Saturday, bringing the total number to 458,689, according to data from the governments virus response centre. The death toll increased by 197 to 5,725 people.

Fresh concerns have arisen over another wave of infections as lockdown restrictions are eased across the world.

In South Korea, considered a success story for its quick response to control the virus spread, 51 new cases were reported on Saturday, mostly in the densely populated capital region, as the authorities scrambled to stem transmissions among low-income workers who cant afford to stay home.

With no certain cure and a vaccine only in the development stage, scientists believe that lockdowns and social distancing measures are the only way to stop the virus.

(With inputs from agencies)
AstraZeneca AZN has signed agreements with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, and the Serum Institute of India (SII) supply its coronavirus vaccine, AZD1222, which it is developing with Oxford University, if successfully developed

The company signed a $750 million agreement with CEPI and Gavi to support the manufacturing, procurement and distribution of 300 million doses of the vaccine. Delivery is expected to start by the end of 2020. The two organizations are backed by Bill and Melinda Gates. The license agreement with SII will enable supply of one billion doses for low and middle-income countries, with a commitment to provide 400 million doses before the end of 2020.

AZD1222 is currently being evaluated in a phase II/III study, with around 10,000 volunteers, which Oxford University initiated recently. Last month, AstraZeneca received more than $1 billion in funding from BARDA to help produce the vaccine. AstraZeneca recently also secured agreements to supply at least 400 million doses to the United States and United Kingdom.

AstraZeneca is also developing its approved drugs including Calquence and Farxiga as a treatment for COVID-19.

AstraZeneca shares have gained 8.1% so far this year against the industrys decrease of 1.7%.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has identified AstraZeneca among the five companies, which are most likely to be successful in making vaccines to prevent COVID-19, per a New York Times report.The remaining four companies are Moderna MRNA, J&J JNJ, Merck MRK and Pfizer.

As part of the Operation Warp Speed (OWS) initiative to rapidly develop a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, the administration narrowed down on the five promising candidates from an extensive list of probable candidates, which are being developed by around a dozen companies. The White House aims to begin widespread vaccination of its citizens by the end of this year.

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The identified companies will reportedly receive extra federal funds, help to run their clinical studies and manufacturing assistance.

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Around 800 Kashmiris stranded in Dubai due to the Covid-19 outbreak have arranged two chartered flights for their return to the Valley and urged the Indian government to expedite the clearance for their landing in Srinagar. The stranded Kashmiris said that they had been appealing to the Centre to evacuate them to the Valley as they were facing severe problems surviving there without jobs.

Many of them are under distress with some of them facing medical emergencies, visa issues and others running out of money. Sajad Ahmad, one of the stranded Kashmiris, said that so far only one ...
Ram Gopal Varma recently reacted on Naga Babu's tweet, in which he praised Nathuram Godse for killing Mahatma Gandhi. RGV, who is known for making controversial statements, gave a mixed reaction over the views of Chiranjeevi's brother, Naga Babu.

In an interview with one of the leading portals, Ram Gopal Varma said, "I partly agree with him that Godse's motivation of killing Gandhi was patriotism. I disagree with the murder of Mahatma Gandhi, but the act was done with Godse's view of patriotism. My opinion on Gandhi is extraordinary, he was a great man who used an unusual, unheard and remarkable weapon called non-violence. I admire Gandhi a lot as it is not easy to influence millions of people."

Ram Gopal Varma also revealed that he is penning a film based on Nathuram Godse's perspective and intention behind killing Mahatma Gandhi. The Climax director said, "I strongly believe that Godse's motivation to kill Gandhi was 100 per cent patriotism. I read a book on Gandhi's grandson who was fascinated on why Godse has killed his grandfather. I also read Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre's Freedom At Midnight and followed Godse's confession in the court. My film The Man Who Killed Gandhi will be from Godse's perspective. Gandhi will appear in the last scene."

For those who are unversed, Naga Babu's tweet about Nathuram Godse sparked controversy on the internet. A Congress leader has also lodged a police complaint against the actor for praising Godse on Twitter.

Also Read : Ram Gopal Varma Makes Cheap Comment On Women's Assets; Twitterati Slam Filmmaker

Meanwhile, Ram Gopal Varma is currently gearing up for the release of his web film Climax starring adult star Mia Malkova. The film is releasing on June 6 at 9 pm on Shreyas ET. RGV is also busy shooting for his next film based on the Coronavirus pandemic. The trailer of Coronavirus is also released and it got a positive response from the masses.

Also Read : Ram Gopal Varma On His Joke About Being COVID-19 Positive: 'I Tweeted Because I Was Getting Bored'
George Floyd's family members gathered for a song-and prayer-filled private memorial service in North Carolina on Saturday, after an earlier public viewing of his body drew long lines of mourners from around the country.

Family members and public officials spoke at the service in Raeford, North Carolina, honoring Floyd, whose death last week in Minneapolis police custody has sparked protests around the world against police brutality and racism.

"Some death ain't about dying. Some death is about waking all of us up," said Jeremy Collins, a spokesman for North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. Floyd's death "woke all of us up."

Another speaker, Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin, urged law enforcement across the country to acknowledge that "we are part of the problem."

"We as law enforcement officers don't have the authority to bully, push people around and kill them because we have on a badge and a gun," he said. "It's got to change. We keep talking, we keep talking, we keep talking until it happens again. ... Enough of talking. Don't let the life of George Floyd be in vain."

Rev. Dr. Christopher Stackhouse with the Lewis Chapel Missionary Baptist Church gave the eulogy, referring repeatedly to the day Floyd died, May 25, as somehow "different."

"Although it took 8 minutes and 46 seconds for him to die, it took 401 years to put the system in place," Stackhouse said.

But, the minister said, "Something was different about that day."

A movement is happening in America, and Im glad that all of us can say that it was George Floyd that sparked a fuse, he said, adding that his death and the ensuing protests have sparked conversations between black parents and their children about racism.

A choir sang songs and Bible scripture was read at the service. Isaac Floyd, George Floyd's uncle, sang at the service.

Another family member, Ruby Floyd, said to the crowd, "We're bringing love back into the universe."

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Collins from the governor's office presented the family with a flag that had flown over the state Capitol. Floyd's family also received official resolutions from the governor's office and the Lumbee Tribe.

Most of the mourners wore black, except members of Floyd's family who were dressed in white. Floyd's body rested in a closed gold coffin at the front of the room.

Before the private ceremony began Saturday afternoon, thousands of people from around the country had arrived by car, motorcycle or public transportation to attend a public viewing, NBC affiliate WRAL in Raleigh reported. As a hearse carrying Floyds coffin arrived, mourners chanted "black power" and "no justice, no peace."

Floyd's body was escorted by the Hoke County Sheriff's Office ahead of the viewing that was held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Floyd, who was black, died on May 25 after officer Derek Chauvin held his knee on his neck for more than eight minutes. In a video, Floyd begs as he is pinned on the ground: "Please, please, please. I can't breathe."

Roger Floyd, George Floyd's uncle, said what broke his heart the most about his nephew's death was when he called out to his mother who died years ago from cancer. "That's when I said he was probably dying at that point," he told WRAL.

Chauvin, who is white, was fired by the Minneapolis Police Department and arrested on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter. The murder charge was upgraded to second-degree Wednesday.

Three other officers involved also lost their jobs and were taken into custody on charges of aiding and abetting murder, according to criminal complaints filed by the state of Minnesota.

Image: (John Bazemore / AP)

Floyd's sister, Bridgett Floyd, is a resident of Hoke County, where Raeford is, according to WRAL. She told the outlet that he was born in Fayetteville and eventually moved to Texas.

A memorial service is planned for Houston on Monday, followed by a private service the following day.

Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin issued a statement on Facebook asking for people attending the public viewing Saturday to "be respectful to the sensitivity of the familys time of grief."

"The memorial is about the life that Mr. George Floyd lived and this is a time to embrace the family with expressions of love and kindness," he said.

Gregg Packer said he took an overnight train from Long Island, New York, to North Carolina to attend the viewing.

I felt like I needed to come down here to support the protests and the family of George Floyd, he told The News & Observer. I hope that we can all get along with each other, that we can start treating each other the way we all should."

Image: George Floyd (Ed Clemente / AP)

Barbara Clark, who was also at the viewing, said she was reminded of when she attended the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which erupted after four police officers accused of beating Rodney King were acquitted.

"It reminded me of when I was in California for the riots in 92. Always flashing back to the same thing. Black men getting murdered,"' she told the outlet.

Erik Carlos of Fayetteville said Floyd's death hit close to home. "It could have been me. It could have been my brother, my father, any of my friends who are black, he said. "It was a heavy hit, especially knowing that George Floyd was born near my hometown."

The first memorial service for Floyd was held Thursday in Minneapolis. Among the attendees were Floyd's younger brother, Philonise Floyd; family attorney Benjamin Crump; Rev. Al Sharpton; actress Tiffany Haddish; comedian Kevin Hart; rappers T.I. and Ludacris; the Rev. Jesse Jackson; Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey; and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, was also at the service. Her son died in 2014 during an arrest on Staten Island in New York City, as he, too, pleaded "I can't breathe."
Vijayawada: If chief minister Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has his way, the state's industrial policy will be turned on its head. To promoters, this will mean that the long process of setting up a facility in Andhra Pradesh will begin, not end, with an environmental impact assessment. And the final nod will depend on the promoters commitment to a clean and safe environment.

Chairing the first State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) meeting here on Friday, Jagan Mohan Reddy said while 'green projects' will get automatic clearances, those falling in the red and orange categories will be processed in a new format. The new policy will focus on achieving twin objectives: timely completion and safe environment.

Asking his staff to create buffer zones around new industrial projects, the chief minister said no residential development should be allowed there at any cost. While industries are located in far-off places, allowing residential colonies around them is resulting in a perennial threat to the environment, he said.

The chief minister said de-risking the capital investment made by an industry by ensuring hassle-free and timely completion of the project is the biggest incentive for entrepreneurs. He (the CM) is of the view that we should not wash off our hands after giving clearances or agreeing to give incentives. We should handhold them till they commence production and thereafter too if need be, said Mekapati Goutham Reddy, minister for industries, IT and infrastructure.

The chief minister, himself an entrepreneur before taking a plunge into politics, explained to officials how IRR calculations would go haywire if the commencement of production is delayed by even a month. "The biggest incentive could be if we can ensure the project is completed a month or two in advance," he said.

Jagan Mohan Reddy insisted that the government should only promise those incentives that it can fulfill. The policy should be honest and transparent, he said and alluded to the Telugu Desam Party regime failing to pay incentives of Rs 4000 crore to industrialists. We have cleared around Rs 450 crore to MSMEs and will gradually clear all dues. The government will provide land, water and power besides well-trained local skilled and semi-skilled workforce and will always be proactive to resolve their problems, if any, he added.

Ministers Goutham Reddy, K Kanna Babu, P Subash Chandra Bose, P Ramachandra Reddy, B Satyanarayana, G Jayaram, Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney and Industries Special CS Karikal Valevan were present at the meeting.
Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most, that has made it possible for evil to triumph.  Haile Selassie I

For many years now, many of us have been concerned about the predation, plunder, pillage, the open thievery, looting and exploitation of our natural resources by foreigners not only in galamsey and rosewood but also in the new oil and gas sector, all in the name of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Big Shame To Ghanaians.

Between January 2014 and December 2016, Ghana reportedly lost about $10.6 billion in gold smuggling alone. No one has accounted for the loss in diamonds, manganese, timber, with only rosewood getting some attention.

$10.6 billion of gold smuggled? What about the value of the one smuggled between 2000 and 2013 and between 2017 and 2019? Can somebody answer the village economist and analyst?

And you say I'm not qualified to talk about those things and criticise those at the helm of affairs, under whose watch those things occurred? Come on! Let's be serious for at least a day in 2020.

Ghanaians must wake up or perish in the hands of vampire multinationals and their criminal accomplices perpetrating those economic crimes against them.

I don't care whose ox is gored. 'Truth is God,' said Mahatma Gandhi.

Again, between January 2011 and December 2018, Ghana lost over $9 billion because it signed very bad, obnoxious and retrogressive oil contracts with the so-called foreign investors.

A Professor of Economic History of the University of Cambridge, Gareth Austin, has identified the countrys oil find as a vital and valuable resource that needs careful management to aid accelerated national development. According to Prof. Austin Gareth, It will be better to keep the oil find underground if its exploitation will go to benefit expatriates or foreign investors at the expense of nationals. He said this in September 2017, while delivering a keynote speech at a public lecture organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) on the theme: Ghanas Economic History, 60 Years after Independence. He said with non-renewable resources such as oil, it was important to have government ownership rather than foreign ownership and added that, there is need for the government to own the find and if pushed to the limits, the option is to keep the oil find on the ground. Wow! But yet, Ghanaian leaders refused to heed to the wise counsel much earlier because it was coming from us Ghanaians; and rather keep moving in the wrong direction to our eternal resource doom. What a country with such a stone-deaf and dim-witted political and technocratic elite whose vision cannot go beyond their opaque and very narrow interests!

In this 21st century, where countries are deriving full benefits and having enough money from their resources to develop their countries and create opportunities for their citizens to have some good life, Ghana has become the El Dorado where these foreigners come and loot us in the public glare, with the full connivance of some fellow Ghanaians. My heart bleeds for this beautiful country. Leadership has failed us big time. Laws have not worked an iota. Institutions have become dysfunctional. The country has become an open field where all kinds of people from all over the world are rushing to cash in on the free booty and go scot free. Is that how we administer and manage a country's natural resources, the blood life of every economic development?

After the countrys leaders have done that big harm to the citizens, our leaders tell us there is no money in the coffers of the country. Most of our statal and para-statal institutions cannot and cannot not receive their statutory financial allocations to function as early as possible. MMDAs are often in arrears for about one to two quarters, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is almost collapsing, if not collapsed yet. Hospitals do not have enough supplies of medicines and have almost cunningly reverted and resorted to the old Cash and Carry system. Contractors are not paid for years after completing their projects. In the midst of all this, our leaders are not even ashamed. They go abroad with cups in hands looking for crumbs and handouts in the form of grants, aids and loans.

The new trend now is to go raise money from the international market in the form of bonds and Eurobonds with their attendant long term implications on the economy, while in our own soil, in our own backyards, billions of dollars of our resources are being looted and siphoned away by foreigners and their Ghanaian accomplices and subalterns. For example, Ghana has issued Eurobonds eight times in our past; 2007-$750million for 10year, 2012-$1billion for12-year, 2014-$1billion for 12-year, 2015-$1billion for 15-year, 2016-$750 million for 5-year, 2018-$2billion for 30-year, 2019-$3billion for 30-year and again this year 2020-$3billion for 41-year. All these loans have been contracted for long term, the latest being the longest on the African continent.

The West which is the greatest culprit and beneficiary of and in all this, will be doling out as loans our own money that they have looted through their Multinational Companies and empires spread all over Africa, which are raping, plundering and pillaging African resources. Every year all these Western conglomerates take more from Africa than they bring in as FDIs or Oversea Development Assistance (ODA). What a perverse world we have been made to accept as normal!

It really pains me to see poverty in Ghana and the rest of Africa. A country and continent so endowed with natural resources that can take everyone from poverty and make every citizen a first class citizen. But what do we see today? We are called a middle income country with third world characteristics. Formerly, we went Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) but now we can rightly be called Highly Indebted Middle Income Country (HIMIC). How pathetic!

Who will save us? A new crop of LEADERS who would have received two types of education: personal Afrocentric type of education and modern leadership skills imbued with development and governance knowledge based on problem-solving rather than position-occupancy. These two things, when well combined, can do the trick for Ghana and Africa. Are you ready for that wave of leadership in Africa? I am ready. Hope you are too.

A Wounded and Bleeding Ghana.

"Politics is too important to be left to politicians alone," Kofi Annan.

After losing out on minerals over many centuries of exploitation, pillage and plunder by the Caucasians, our leaders have gone on the same slippery and dangerous trajectory with our new oil discoveries. When President Kufour was presented with the first sample of the oil from the Jubilee Field in June 2007, he said something that I would like to quote here: "Oil is money, and we need money to do the schools, the roads, the hospitals. If you find oil, you manage it well, can you complain about that?"

"With oil as a shot in the arm, we're going to fly, going to really zoom, accelerate," he said. "And if everything works, which I pray will happen positively, you come back in five years, you'll see that Ghana truly is the African tiger for development."

Kufour dismissed suggestions that Ghana may follow in the footsteps of other countries that have mismanaged their oil wealth.

Some are doing it well and I assure you if others failed, Ghana will succeed because this is our destiny to set the good pace for where we are. So were going to use it well, he said.

Indeed, almost ten years down the line, look at the pitiable, pathetic and sad story of Ghana, the African tiger former President prophesied her to be.

Below are the figures for production and revenue earned from the Jubilee Field from 15th December 2010 to 31st December. 2018.

Total Production: 315,021,308 million barrels

FOCs Take: 257,689,986 million barrels (about 80.5%).

GoG Take: 53,444,527 million barrels (about 19.5%)

Total Revenue: $ 24,083,353,858

Due Ghana: $ 5.013 Billion

Due FOCs: $ 19,116,353,855 Billion

Speaking at the launch of the nations latest Floating Production and Storage Offloading (FPSO) vessel named after him in Singapore, the former president John Agyekum Kufour had this to say, we still grapple with a lot of economic and social difficulties in our bid to make our oil find a blessing and note a curse.

According to him, although Ghana is now counted among the oil-producing countries in the world, our country is yet to become the land of milk and honey that many pray for.

Former President J. A. Kufour has bemoaned Ghanas inability to capitalise on its oil find to become a nation that rubs shoulders with other oil producing countries but the crux of the problem started with him when he signed an agreement with KOSMOS and Tullow which breached the existing Petroleum Laws in the country, PNDCL 64 and 84 and gave KOSMOS and Tullow the cash cow that the Jubilee Fields have turned out to be. He set the unwholesome precedence followed by the NDC despite our persistent admonitions and cries not to thread that perilous path. Alas! Greed overcame them!

Prof. Austin Gareth further explained: How Ghana uses the oil is crucial, both the use and abuse of oil revenue is very important. It can create jobs for the construction industry when oil prices are high and reverse the case when prices are down; Oil can be used to reinforce growth of the country and build infrastructure.

But the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) released some damning report about how the Government of Ghana has been misusing the oil and gas revenue. Some of the monies couldnt be accounted for, some projects mentioned in previous budgets are non-existent on the ground, those constructed too are of poor quality and/or uncompleted and abandoned, etc. What a joking country!

After almost 10 years of oil production, the FOCs made over $19 billion while Ghanaians, the sovereign owners of the resource, made just a little over $5 billion. All the money invested into the exploration, development and production so far is put at about $4.5 billion, to which Ghana is a contributor too in hundreds of millions of dollars. When our leaders are challenged on why Ghana is getting such low shares, they answer that, "we did not invest anything and that the FOCs brought in the money and the technologies." All that is a calculated and shameless lie forced down the throats of gullible Ghanaians who can't read or have refused to read, to learn, unlearn, and relearn. Their warped, closed, slavish and out-of-use mind and mentality is now stinking high in almost all national decisions, policies, programmes and projects. They have sold almost all conscience to the Caucasians and Asians and are doing as much harm, or arguably worse as in the Congo, to the masses as the slave raiders and masters of centuries past. The white slave traders were realising what they considered as a super profit of 30%. Can our brilliant economists and accountants calculate for us what the yield is on the Jubilee cash cow?

We can learn best practices from others in other jurisdictions. It is not rocket science. The Kenyan Government tried it on Turkana County people (spear-wielding cow herds); they said No way. The resource belongs to us. You cannot do that thing here. The law was changed to give them a fair share of the revenue from the negotiated government 60% share from the Production Sharing Agreement the same Tullow agreed to with Kenya.

Ghanaians, how much is your share in Jubilee and all the agreements signed so far? Well, it appears the chiefs and prominent people in the Western Region have been taken care of with some oily handshakes and told, after all, the oil and gas are far in the ocean, not on their lands. People of Anlo, Keta, Ketu, South Tongu and Ada East, and all other districts in the Voltaian Basin, I ask you: How much is your share ownership in Keta Delta Block and the Voltaian Basin? Did you know you may be relocated when there is a find? How are you getting organised to demand fair share of the oil revenue, since your lands are going to be expropriated? This one, at least, part of it is on solid land, the lands that your forebears fought with their blood to possess and preserve for you. What are you going to do now, that a very unique opportunity has presented itself to you that you can seize and win gallantly for your posterity? You sit down there in your homes and look on for the predator to do you irreparable and irreversible hurt and damage? Oh! I am pained. My heart bleeds every minute of the day for my homeland and my kin and kith.

Shame unto you, you leaders! Shame unto you, citizens! You must fight tooth and nail and get your fair share and demonstrate until those obnoxious, evil-intended contracts are cancelled. You think it is impossible? No, go ask Kenyan Turkana Masai people, since your vaunted book-long people have failed you. They will teach you the trick of how they did it.

Your children and grandchildren will curse you if you don't defend and protect the oil and gas resources for them as others are doing.

After all, the money the FOCs have taken out of Ghana, all these ten years, is it not more than all our loans, grants and aids? Are we so mentally poor, to allow our natural resources being pillaged and plundered in daylight robbery all in the name of bilateral trade and FDI?

Article 257 Clause 6 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana states that every mineral in its natural state in, under or upon any land in Ghana, rivers, watercourse throughout Ghana, the exclusive economic zone any area covered by the territorial sea or continental shelf is the property of the Republic of Ghana Ghanaians are sovereign owners and beneficiaries of the oil and gas resources. The Foreign Oil Companies are finders and traders. They cannot take more than the rightful owners. They have their level of profit to make. They cannot create value for their investors more than the possessors of the resources. There is the gold standard, the best practice. Ghana currently is the ONLY country on the planet Earth where FOCs take more revenues than the host country. There is no single country the whole world doing what Ghana is doing with its resources. Ghana has freely given its oil and gas resources to the Multinationals. We have lost it again in the 21st century. What a shame!

Leaders and politicians in Ghana, beware, and be HIGHLY conscious of your actions and decisions now. You are working against generations unborn, a sin Mother Nature will not pardon you for.

The Good book says in Proverbs 29:1 that: "when righteous men are in authority, the people rejoice, but when evil men bear rule, the people mourn." Ghanaians are mourning. Cant you hear their mourns?

Joel Degue ([email protected])

Resource Development Expert/Consultant,

Founding Member/Secretary, Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Management (CNREM) www.cnrem.org

References:

1. https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/oil-resources-need-careful-management-prof-austin.html

2. https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/First-Lady-launches-FPSO-John-Agyekum-Kufuor-in-Singapore-506602

3. https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/illegal-miners-smuggled-7bn-worth-of-gold-in-2016.html

4. https://www.graphic.com.gh/business/business-news/us-3-6bn-of-gold-smuggled-from-january-2014-to-january-2016.html
- Lauren Young became viral after she tagged DJ Loonyo as "bobo" over his mass testing "explanation"

- Apparently, fans of Loonyo were not happy with the comment of the actress and turned their ire against her

- Some of them took to body-shaming and called the actress as "laos" and "mataba"

- The feisty sister of Megan Young hit back at Loonyo's fans and a word war ensued

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Lauren Young took center stage when she commented on DJ Loonyo's attempt at explaining face masks as "bobo."

The fans of DJ Loonyo bashed the actress, and even body-shamed her by saying that she's "laos" and "mataba."

Unperturbed, the actress gave a sarcastic reply to the bashers and even took their comments and responded to them one by one.

Here are the responses of Lauren to the bashing she received from DJ Loonyo's fans:

Basher 1: Laos ka naman.

Lauren: HINDI KO PO GUSTO SUMIKAT. I act because it pays my bills not because I crave for your f* approval."

Basher 2: "Artista ka pa naman"

Lauren: So magbabait baitan ako? Wala akong opinyon dapat?

Basher 3: Di ka jojowain niyan

Lauren: THANK GOD!!! Porket babae ako crush ko siya? ASA KAYO.

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She responded to body-shamers by saying that yes, she's fat, and so?

"Oo mataba ako! Ano ngayon???

Did I make statements that could possibly influence my followers to think the wrong way because I had incorrect information while oozing with confidence? NO. Tse. Kainin ko kayo eh.

Body shaming is so 2019. Read a f* book and grow up people."

PAY ATTENTION: Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news!

In a previous KAMI report, Lauren Young slammed DJ Loonyo as "bobo" after his explanation on face masks went viral.

Lauren Young is a Filipina actress and endorser. She used to be a Kapamilya but transferred to GMA. She is also the younger sister of Megan Young.

Please like and share our amazing Facebook posts to support the KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinions about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts and views on different matters!

Source: KAMI.com.gh
Bengaluru, June 6 : Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, here on Saturday, allowed hotels and restaurants to reopen, but asked them to follow all Covid-19 precautions.

"As per the guidelines of the Union government, restaurants and hotels are being allowed to open in the state, but following the prescribed precautionary measures is mandatory," said Yediyurappa.

He also held a meeting with the tourism and transport sector organisations regarding a promotional drive to revive tourism and remove the obstacles. A delegation of bus owners association, hotel owners and taxi owners also participated in the meeting.

Yediyurappa assured them that he would review their demands and initiate appropriate decisions.

The Chief Minister also released a booklet of guidelines to be followed after reopening of hotels, tourist spots and hospitality wings.

Deputy Chief Minister Lakshman Savadi, Tourism Minister C.T. Ravi and KSTDC president Shruthi and other senior officials were also present.
The Abibinsroma Foundation has observed the United Nations (UN) World Environment Day with a call on Ghanaians to clean their immediate environments regularly and free themselves of diseases.



The observance of the UN day by Abibinsroma took the form of a cleanup campaign which saw mostly the youth cleaning the Chemu Park of filth that was destroying the beauty of a tree planting project at the site.



The campaign was also to create a healthy environment around a satellite market set up at the park by the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.



In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Friday at the Chemu Park, Community Seven, Tema, the Coordinator of Abibisnroma Foundation, Mr. Bob Amiteye, said the foundation chose the site to demonstrate how markets ought to be kept clean in safeguarding human health.



We are encouraging citizens to clean up their respective localities so that together we can have a sustainable environment for us to thrive as a nation. When the environment is down then our health is down because our environment is our health, Mr. Amiteye said.



He observed that when people feel part of a process they identify with it and they want to see it grow and this is the message we are sending to people; we can all do it in our own small way. And wherever you find yourselves, together we can make our world a worthy place for us.



Miss Tourism Ghana, 2019, Ms. Celestina Obeng, in appreciating the work of Abibinsroma, said, I think its laudable because protecting the environment goes in the long run to affect our lives positively. We cant live in a dirty environment; we should live in an environment that is clean, which will protect us from contracting diseases.



Ms. Obeng said it was everybodys responsibility to collectively teach the people to keep a clean environment because as we embark on such exercise, others who see us do it learn from it and may replicate it where ever they are.



The second runner up, Miss Toursim Ghana, Princess Emmanuella Apuri Awedana informed that a clean environment is related to a disease free environment.



Ms. Awedana observed that Miss Tourism is about promoting tourism in Ghana and if Ghana is not neat there is no way it would attract tourists and a lot of income would be lost.



The Secretary of Abibinsroma Foundation, Ms. Cecilia Yankey, informed that, as a maiden programme of the foundation, they believed that this step would give the market women the consciousness they needed to continue with such exercises themselves.



Ms. Yankey urged the general public to be conscious of their environment because without the environment humans cannot survive.



Abibinsroma Foundation is a Non-Governmental organization that champions issues of the environment, sanitation, climate change and championing societal needs.



The cleanup campaign was supported by the Tema Metropolitan Assembly and the Member of Parliament for Tema Central, Mr. Kofi Brako.

Source: GNA









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Former Vice President Joe Biden, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, smiles during an primary night rally in the Baldwin Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, U.S., on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.

Joe Biden won enough delegates on Saturday to become the Democratic presidential nominee in November's election against President Donald Trump, NBC News projects.

To win the Democratic Party's presidential nomination on the first ballot at the party's convention, a candidate must receive support from a majority of pledged delegates  at least 1,991 of the total 3,979 pledged delegates available.

Heading into the weekend, Biden had already amassed a projected 1,970 pledged delegates after winning a series of Democratic primaries on June 2. He now has 2,000, according to NBC News.

The presumptive nominee will be officially selected by delegates at the Democratic National Convention, which was postponed amid the coronavirus outbreak and will now be held August 17-20 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

"This is a difficult time in America's history. And Donald Trump's angry, divisive politics is no answer," Biden wrote in a Medium post.

"The country is crying out for leadership. Leadership that can unite us. Leadership that can bring us together," he said. "We need an economy that works for everyone  now. We need jobs that bring dignity  now. We need equal justice  and equal opportunities  for every American now. We need a president who cares about helping us heal  now."

But by the time voters had a chance to begin making their preferences known in early February, the contest had essentially narrowed to a six-way race between Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Michael Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg and Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.

The former vice president got off to a rough start, finishing a distant fourth in an Iowa caucus marred by technical glitches and irregularities, and netting an even worse fifth-place finish in the New Hampshire primary. He fared slightly better in the Nevada caucus, coming in second to Sanders  but finishing with less than half the votes earned by the Vermont senator.

He turned his campaign around in South Carolina, where in the state's primary he took nearly half the vote, won every county in the state and crushed Sanders 49 percent to 20 percent, buoyed by exceptionally strong support from black voters.

Within days, both Klobuchar and Buttigieg dropped out of the race and endorsed Biden, setting the stage for a Super Tuesday near-sweep by Biden, who emerged from the big day of primary voting with more delegates than any other candidate.

From there, there was no looking back. Warren dropped out two days after Super Tuesday, while Sanders waited a few weeks but bowed out in early April as stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus outbreak upended the remaining primary voting nights.

Trump, meanwhile, became the presumptive GOP nominee in March, according to NBC News' Decision Desk, following his projected wins in the Florida and Illinois Republican primaries. Those projected wins put him over the threshold of delegates needed to officially become his party's nominee.
Cynthia Dawn Ritchie, a Pakistan-based blogger from the United States, has accused senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders of molesting her in 2011, a week after the opposition party filed a complaint with the Federal Investigation Agencys (FIA) cybercrime wing against her for hateful comment and slander against slain Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

In a video message posted on Facebook, Richie alleged that she had been raped some nine years ago by the then Interior Minister Rehman Malik and was physically manhandled by the then Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the Federal Minister of Gilani's government, Makhdoom Shahabuddin.

"In 2011, I was raped by the former Interior Minister Rehman Malik. That's right, I'll say it again. I was raped by the then Interior Minister Rehman Malik," she said in a live video on her Facebook page, also accusing former Federal Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin and ex-Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani of physically manhandling her.

Cynthia also tweeted about the same that garnered a strong reaction from PPP leaders and supporters.

The timing of the allegations leveled by Cynthia is crucial, at a time when the popularity of PPP and PML has increased and protests in Pakistan against Imran Khan's government have intensified. Cynthia is being used by ISI to discredit mainstream politicians.

ISI is trying to side-line both PPP and PML as it fears that they will not be a perfect puppet-like Imran Khan. Moreover, as both the mainstream parties retain significant popular support, they demand their importance, unlike Imran Khan who is more like an ISI spokesperson. As Imran Khan and his PTI do not have enough ground-level presence, he can never challenge ISI.

The ruling establishment and the ISI in cahoots are using her as a stalking horse against the principal opposition party PPP and she is known to be close to the ruling government.

In a separate tweet, Cynthia said that she was not going to spare Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

She tweeted, Dont worry Im not going to leave the N-League out. Theyre next. InshaAllah.

Former premier Gilani denied the charges leveled by Cynthia and said that the allegations are a form of humiliation and disgrace.

Gilani said those raising such allegations should be ashamed and asked whether a person of the prime minister's stature could do such an act at the Presidency.
The Rajasthan government on Saturday issued orders allowing hotels, restaurants and malls to open from June 8, while adhering to Covid-19 protocols such as wearing masks, social distancing and hygiene.

An order by home secretary Rajeev Swarup said in continuation of theimplementation of lockdown 5.0 order dated May 31, hotels, restaurants and malls will be permitted to open from June 8.

The order said hotels and other hospitality industry would be allowed to open on the condition that they follow the guidelines issued by the union ministry of health and family welfare in its order dated June 4, 2020 and put in place preventive measures in hotels and other hospitality units to contain spread of Covid-19.

The order stated that restaurants too would be required to follow all the standard operating procedures given by the union health ministry on preventive measures in restaurants to contain the spread of the disease.

As per the order, table seating arrangements will have to ensure a distance of at least 6 feet between them.

Fast food restaurants with standing table arrangements will have to ensure a distance of at least 8 feet between tables and not more than two guests per table.

Shopping malls too will be allowed to open but will have to adhere to all guidelines on preventive measures.

The guidelines issued by the Centre include measures such as temperature checks of visitors and staff, masks, social distancing, hygiene and staggered entry of visitors. Cinema halls, childrens play areas and gaming zones in these establishments will remain shut.
Hyderabad, June 6 : The Telangana government has once again postponed the Class X exams, scheduled to begin from Monday.

Education Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy announced this on Saturday night, hours after the Telangana High Court allowed the state government to conduct the remaining Class X exams across the state, except in Greater Hyderabad in view of the high incidence of Covid-19.

The court had asked the government to allow students in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits to appear in supplementary exams later and treat them as regular students.

The minister said the decision to postpone the exams was taken keeping in view of the observations made by the high court. She said Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao will take a decision about the future course of action with regard to the exams at a meeting on Monday.

While taking a final decision, the government is likely to consider the suggestion of the court to give grading to the students on the basis of their performance during the academic year instead of conducting the exams in view of the current situation.

Though the state government had informed the court that it is ready to conduct the exams across the state, including GHMC, the court made it clear that the lives of students can't be risked for exams.

The bench wanted to know who will take responsibility if any student dies of Covid-19. It also wanted to know how the exams will be conducted if an area in which exam centre is located is declared containment zone.

Though the government conveyed to the court the difficulties the authorities concerned would face in repeatedly preparing the exam papers, the court remarked that students' lives were important than the technical issues.

As per the schedule announced on May 22, the exams were to be held from June 8 to July 5.

The government had also doubled the number of exam centres to ensure social distancing.

The state government had filed a petition in the high court, seeking review of the interim orders passed by the court in March and the permission to conduct the exams in May as per the revised schedule.

On March 20, the High Court had directed the state to postpone the Class X exams, scheduled for March 23 to April 6, in view of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The state had conducted the exams for three papers of the first and second languages before March 22 as per the original timetable.

The state Cabinet earlier last month decided to conduct the exams for remaining papers. It moved the High Court, seeking permission for the same keeping in view the academic calendar and the interests of 5.50 lakh students.
Ivanka Trump was removed as the headline speaker at the virtual graduation ceremony at Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology in Wichita, Kansas, the school announced late Thursday night, hours after it was announced that she was set to make a speech.

Ivanka, the 38-year-old daughter and senior advisor to President Donald Trump, had prerecorded a commencement speech weeks ago that was scheduled to highlight the school's virtual ceremony on Saturday.

On Thursday, WSU Tech President Dr. Sheree Utash tweeted a new statement saying Ivanka would no longer be delivering the headline speech.

"In light of the social justice issues brought forth by George Floyd's death, I understand and take responsibility that the timing of the announcement was insensitive," Utash's statement reads. "For this, I'm sorry. That was never the intent, and I want you to know I have heard you and we are responding."

The White House did not respond to PEOPLE for comment on the sudden cancellation.

A wave of protests against police brutality and racial inequality has swept the United States over the last week, following Floyd's death. Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old black man, was killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis on May 25.

Video of Floyd's death showed former officer Derek Chauvin pressing his knee into the back of Floyd's neck as he repeatedly told the officer, "I can't breathe." Chauvin is now facing second-degree murder charges.

RELATED: Trump Criticized for Invoking George Floyd's Name While Touting Latest U.S. Jobs Report

WSU Tech refocuses commencement ceremony on graduates.



Read a personal message from WSU Tech President, Dr. Sheree Utash at: https://t.co/4YdmNf6VfF



Read a joint statement with @WichitaState President, Dr. Jay Golden at: https://t.co/4ImeH7Afsj pic.twitter.com/9FWGe4970N  WSU Tech (@wsutech) June 5, 2020

RELATED: Trump's Ex-Defense Secretary Breaks Silence  Likening President to Nazi Divide-and-Conquer Strategy

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Ivanka was invited to speak at the school in February, Utash said on Thursday.

The president's daughter had prerecorded her commencement address last month prior to Floyd's death and the speech focused around the coronavirus crisis, which caused schools across the country to shut down in their final months and host virtual graduation ceremonies instead.

The school said Ivanka will still appear in an additional optional video message featuring 30 speakers, which students can choose to watch following the ceremony. It is not clear to what extent Ivanka's role will have in the optional video.

"You commence at a moment unlike any other," Ivanka said in her pre-taped speech, according to a White House transcript of her remarks given to PEOPLE this week.

Those words  spoken prior to Floyd's death  carry a different weight now, however.

President Trump has been accused of fanning the country's divide in the wake of Floyd's killing, tweeting out that protesters were "THUGS" and that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts."

The president's critics have said the latter remark  which NPR reported is a reference to a racist statement made by a white Miami police chief during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s  has only intensified violence from the mostly peaceful protests around the country.

Recently, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker told the president directly on a phone call that his rhetoric was "inflammatory" and he was contributing to the growing unrest around the country.

That same day, Trump caused another nationwide rebuke after his administration ordered military police to clear an area of peaceful protestors around the White House so the president could stroll to a nearby church for a photo-op. The move raised concerns over Trump's use of the U.S. military against its own civilians and he was criticized by his former Defense Secretary Gen. James Mattis, who warned Trump was a danger to the country.

"Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American peopledoes not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us," Mattis, 69, wrote in a statement sent to media outlets on Wednesday.

A similar division played out after Ivanka was initially announced as WSU Tech's headline speaker. "I respect and understand the sharply divided reaction to todays announcement," Utash wrote. "The college stands with those who fight injustice and advocate for social equity, and were profoundly proud of the diversity and social change being brought forth by our students, alumni, faculty, and staff."

To help combat systemic racism, consider learning from or donating to these organizations:

 Campaign Zero which works to end police brutality in America through research-proven strategies.

 ColorofChange.org works to make government more responsive to racial disparities.

 National Cares Mentoring Movement provides social and academic support to help black youth succeed in college and beyond.
The demonstration was one of several scheduled on Saturday in the city and suburbs, and the latest in more than a week of protests that followed Floyds death. Unlike downtown demonstrations a week earlier that erupted in looting and violence, the event was peaceful and police reported no disturbances or arrests.
LANSING  Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a group of 25 leaders in health care and education to serve on the COVID-19 Return to Learn Advisory Council.

The group of experts includes educators, parents and students who will work closely with the governor as she continues to put the health and safety of our students and educators first.

Health Department of Northwest Michigan and Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department Health Officer, Lisa Peacock, was among those appointed to this advisory council.

I am honored to represent the voice of public health and northern Michigan on this committee," said Peacock. "Our region has unique strengths and challenges which need to be considered in planning and Im looking forward to working together with educators, parents and students to inform the development of a safe and effective return to school plan. In public health, we recognize that graduating from high school is one of the most important determinants of future health and it is critical that our Michigan students have an equitable opportunity to successfully achieve this milestone.

The Advisory Council was created to identify the critical issues that must be addressed, provide valuable input to inform the process of returning to school, and to ensure a smooth and safe transition back to school. The Council will act in an advisory capacity to the Governor and the COVID-19 Task Force on Education, and will develop and submit recommendations to the COVID-19 Task Force on Education regarding the safe, equitable, and efficient K-12 return to school in the fall.

This group is prepared to carefully examine the data and consult with experts to help determine what is best for kids.

The Return to Learn Advisory Council will recommend actions to remove statutory and administrative barriers to delivering education before Phase 6 of the MI Safe Start Plan and help develop and improve systems for academic support for students who experienced learning loss during the Spring/Summer 2020. The Council must report regularly to the COVID-19 Task Force on Education on its activities and make recommendations on an ongoing basis.
(Newser)  Two police officers in Buffalo, NY, were suspended after a video circulated showing them shoving an elderly man to the ground during a George Floyd protest on Thursday evening, and now an entire unit within the city's police department has resigned. USA Today cites the Buffalo News in reporting all 57 active members of the Emergency Response Team, which shows up to handle riots and other situations requiring crowd control, quit their unit Friday, though they haven't stepped down from the police department overall. The Buffalo mayor's office tells CNN that a few members of the unit aren't currently active and hadn't left with the others. "Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders," the president of the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association tells WGRZ. However, two of the 57 officers tell WKBW that's not the case.

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"I don't understand why the union said it's a thing of solidarity. I think it sends the wrong message that 'we're backing our own,' and that's not the case," one says. The other adds: "We quit because our union said [they] aren't legally backing us anymore. So why would we stand on a line for the city with no legal backing ... ?" Meanwhile, the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reports Martin Gugino, the 75-year-old peace activist shoved to the ground, remains in serious but stable condition and is alert. Gugino's own tweet from earlier Thursday, before he was injured, spoke to his feelings on protesting. "Protests are exempt from curfews because Congress (and mayors) may make no laws that abridge the right of the people peaceably to assemble and complain to the government," he wrote. "The government should receive the complaint with thanks, not arrest the people or beat them." (Read more Buffalo stories.)
Google said state-based hackers have targeted the campaigns of both President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, although it saw no evidence that the phishing attempts were successful.

The company confirmed the findings after the director of its Threat Analysis Group, Shane Huntley, disclosed the attempts Thursday on Twitter.

Huntley said a Chinese group known as Hurricane Panda targeted Trump campaign staffers while an Iranian outfit known as Charming Kitten had attempted to breach accounts of Biden campaign workers.

Such phishing attempts typically involve forged emails with links designed to harvest passwords or infect devices with malware.

The effort targeted personal email accounts of staffers in both campaigns, according to the company statement. A Google spokesman added that "the timeline is recent and that a couple of people were targeted on both campaigns. He would not say how many.

Google said it sent targeted users our standard government-backed attack warning and referred the incidents to federal law enforcement.

Graham Brookie, director of the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab, called the announcement a major disclosure of potential cyber-enabled influence operations, just as we saw in 2016.

His tweet referred to the Russian hacking of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and subsequent online release of internal emails some doctored that US investigators determined sought to assist the Trump campaign.

Neither the Biden nor the Trump campaign would not say how many staffers were targeted, when the attempts took place or whether the phishing was successful.

Both campaigns have been extremely reticent about discussing cybersecurity.

The Trump campaign has been briefed that foreign actors unsuccessfully attempted to breach the technology of our staff," the campaign said in a statement.

"We are vigilant about cybersecurity and do not discuss any of our precautions. The Biden campaign did not even confirm the attempt.

We are aware of reports from Google that a foreign actor has made unsuccessful attempts to access the personal email accounts of campaign staff," it said in a statement.

"We have known from the beginning of our campaign that we would be subject to such attacks and we are prepared for them. Hurricane Panda, also known by security researchers as Zirconium or APT31 an abbreviation for advanced persistent threat is known for focusing on intellectual property theft and other espionage.

Charming Kitten, also known as Newscaster and APT35, is reported to have targeted the US and Middle Eastern government officials and businesses, also for information theft and spying.

In October, Microsoft said hackers linked to Iran's government had targeted a US presidential campaign and the New York Times and Reuters identified the target as Trump's re-election campaign.

Campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said at the time that there was no indication that any of our campaign infrastructure was targeted. A former director of the National Security Agency, Keith Alexander, said Thursday during an online seminar that he fully expects geopolitical rivals of the US to take advantage of the Covid-19 crisis and unrest in the US.

This is an increased time I think for adversaries to hurt our country and I do think they will take that during elections, he said.

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Photo credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI - Getty Images

From Women's Health

The murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers has sparked a global outcry for justice, with protests in all 50 states and in many countries across the globe.

"As a mother of a black son, and the wife of a black husband, its really frightening," says Dr. Ashley Denmark, MD, an internist at the Missouri Baptist Medical Center and founder of the Project Diversify Medicine campaign. "We all have experiences. We all have stories. And we feel like we have to use our voice and advocate at this level because we cannot allow for this to continue to happen. Its petrifying." Dr. Denmark adds that she's asked her husband to stop running in their community out of fear for his safety.

But...how are you supposed to protest social injustice and systemic racism in the middle of a pandemic without putting yourself at risk?

Dr. Denmark reminds that taking action can mean many things, beyond joining in-person protests. "I advise people to stay at home to limit the spread of COVID-19 and find other ways to advocate," she says. "The first one is voting this November and creating grassroots movements to advocate for making policy changes. Then transition to protest, if they must."

If you feel compelled to protest right now, Dr. Denmark says it's important to wear a mask and sanitize, sanitize, sanitize. Below, she offers some more guidance and context on navigating this unchartered territory as safely as possible.

How do you expect protests will affect COVID-19 outbreaks moving forward, particularly in black communities?



I think its going to be a bad outcome, but Im hoping for the best. I think therell be a spike in COVID-19 cases. Im concerned that because of the protests we are going to be at an even greater risk, especially when I dont see a lot of people with masks on.

I understand our frustration and that were tired of the injustices, but we have to make sure we are protecting ourselves, otherwise were going to see a huge spike in cases. Our community is already saturated with COVID-19 cases. And while younger people may not have as many adverse outcomes, theyre still at risk. Theyre not exempt from dying of COVID-19.

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They also may be carrying it home to that vulnerable mother or grandmother or grandfather at home who may be at a larger risk of death. So we know that theyre putting their family at risk by not protesting smarter and strategizing and organizing better to bring about that change. Its good that people are becoming more aware and standing up and coming together, but we have to keep ourselves safe.

So while youre out there, try social distancing as much as you can. Make sure youre wearing your mask. Otherwise, I fear that this is going to have a major blowback in our community with COVID-19 cases rising because people out there protesting dont seem to be worrying about it now. And I understand the anger, but we have to be safe.

What should people who want to protest keep in mind to minimize their COVID-19 risk while doing so?

You must social distance as much as you can. And wear a mask. By doing those things, you not only protect yourself, but youre also protecting your community. People are out there yelling and shouting and being passionate without a mask on, and I fear it wont be good in the end.

And remember: Any time you touch your mask, wash your hands. Anything youre touching while youre out protesting can possibly infect you or someone at home, so its better to always err on the side of caution than not.

Will wearing a fabric mask protect you during a protest?

Just wearing a surgical or a homemade mask doesnt prevent you from getting COVID-19 itself, but it can prevent you from spreading it if you have it. And thats the problem right now, a lot of people are not masking.

If youre out and about, be very careful. Ive seen people on TV touch their mask and then touch other people, and Im like, Oh, dont do that!

If you touch your mask and you need to touch something else, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer. And, its okay to carry a little hand soapplus your hand sanitizerwith you and use a bottle of water to wash your hands as frequently as possible.

Is there anything you should do beforehand to prepare to safely protest?

Just have your mask ready and be smart. And remember, any time you touch your face mask, sanitize or wash your hands.

What about afterward?

Before you enter your home, decontaminate in your garage or anywhere outside the housejust like a doctor would, just like I would.

You should take your shoes off and wipe them down with antibacterial cleaner or sanitizer. If you can, remove all your clothing, put it in a bag, and put it in a washer and wash with hot water.

If you cant take your clothes straight to the washer, keep them in the bag until you can get them washed. Leave your shoes outside the home before you enter, too. After you take off your face mask, wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer.

Then you need to thoroughly wash your hair because COVID-19 can travel on there as well.

Do you recommend people get tested for COVID-19 after protesting?

Those who are having symptoms of novel coronavirus (dry cough, high fever, shortness of breath) should definitely be tested, even if they think the symptom is something common. If you think its just a dry cough because its allergy season, you should get tested. If you have a fever, get tested.

And if you know youre out there and youre not social distancing and youre not wearing your mask, get tested because you may be an asymptomatic carrier.

What have you personally felt comfortable doing to protest, as a medical professional right now?

Even though Im not out there marching because of my job as a clinician, Im protesting in my own way for the community. Im trying to get more black and brown people into medical school. So Im investing my time in working one-on-one and in groups to help people get their medical school applications in place.

What weve realized with this pandemic is that there are not enough black and brown doctors, doctors that look like those people struggling the most with the virus, in the profession.

Research has shown that when black and brown people go through medical school, they often go back to their communities and open up clinics and serve those who really need healthcare. If we had more black and brown doctors, we'd have more people to help the black communities get through COVID-19 right now because they'd have more access to clinics within their reach.

Youve posted on your account and on @projectdiversifymedicine that racism is a public health issue; could you explain what you mean by this?

Some people dont even have access to food and water. So now were unhealthy. Now, we are in places with poor education. Now we cant learn the proper education, in general, let alone the education we need to properly take care of our bodies or to get a good job. Basically, we dont have the education we need to take care of our bodies. We dont have the education we need to get a good job.

So with no good jobor a job with the lowest wage possible because of improper educationwe cant get the health insurance we need to get to the doctor we need, if any at all. So with all of that, we are now in a situation where we have poor health because of the racism we faced.

What else do you think is important for people to keep in mind right now?

As African Americans, we have a harder time getting to that American dream because that path isnt really for us. I know it, going from a dishwasher to a doctor myself. My journey was harder, like most in the black community. From the beginning, our job is to make it. I really hope that as Americans we can all come together and unite, and really realize that we are all the same.

I also want more black and brown people in medical school, in white coats. Im the first African American female internist physician at my hospital in its 130-year history. Im one of one, like a pair of Italian shoes! The fact that Im the first anything, for blacks, its really frightening. And that says were not doing enough.

America needs to be more aware of the need to diversify the medical field. I promise COVID-19 would not have been that bad if a lot of minorities had access to healthcare. They would have had more access to their hypertension checks and diabetes checks within their communities. So we have to make sure were doing the front-end work to make sure that our communities have the same access as everyone in this country, and I believe having more black and brown doctors is a greater opportunity for that access.



Note: This interview has been edited and condensed for space and clarity.

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Marines got the official order to remove all items featuring the Confederate battle flag from public areas and workspaces Friday night as protests across the country continue into their 11th day following the death of George Floyd.

Marines can no longer wear T-shirts or drink coffee from mugs featuring Confederate flags on base, according to new force-wide guidance on the ban. The ban also applies to bumper stickers, posters and any other public displays of the flag on Marine Corps installations worldwide.

Read Next: 'Only African American in the Room:' Next Air Force Chief of Staff Speaks Out on Racism in Ranks

"The Confederate battle flag has all too often been co-opted by violent extremists and racist groups whose divisive beliefs have no place in our Corps," a Marine social media post about the policy states. "This presents a threat to our core values, unit cohesion, security, and good order and discipline. This must be addressed."

The policy directs Marine commanders to identify and remove displays of the Confederate battle flag within workspaces and public or common-access areas on their installations.

The guidance formalizes a directive Commandant Gen. David Berger first gave in February to begin removing Confederate materials from Marine Corps installations. Berger told Military.com in March that the decision was "about focusing on how we can get better."

"Things that divide us are not good," Berger said. "... When on government property, we have to think as a unit and how to build a team, a cohesive team."

Floyd's death has led to nationwide protests, some of which turned violent and prompted states and Washington, D.C., to activate National Guard units. Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25. His death has reignited debate over police tactics and racism in the U.S.

The situation is prompting mayors across the country to remove Confederate statues and displays from parks and other public places.

None of the other military branches have announced similar policies to bar Confederate displays on base. The Army has faced criticism for its decision not to redesignate bases named for Confederate leaders.

The Marine Corps' new policy states that commanders have the authority to "take reasonable, necessary, and lawful measures to maintain law and order, and to protect installation personnel and property."

Authorized inspection areas include not only work areas on base, but also storage rooms, recreational areas, bathrooms and living quarters -- to include open-bay barracks and shipboard berthing, schoolhouses and yards or external porches on government-owned housing.

"This includes, but is not limited to, depictions of the Confederate battle flag on automobile bumper stickers, clothing, and other apparel," the policy states.

Commanders aren't allowed to conduct inspections for Confederate items in individual barracks rooms, assigned lockers, backpacks, private cars or military housing.

The ban doesn't apply to state flags that incorporate the Confederate flag, state-issued license plates with a depiction of the flag, or Confederate soldiers' grave sites.

The policy also won't apply to areas where the flag is displayed for educational purposes, including the National Museum of the Marine Corps or entry-level training sites, including Marine Corps recruit depots.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Related: Top Marine Explains Why He's Banning Confederate Flags on Bases
Summer Fun Silenced???

Still no word on when Worlds of Fun will reopen after COVID-19 delays Hide Transcript Show Transcript on stage here at worlds of fun. You're in for a real treat with Lily and Amanda and echoed topsy turvy. That is a little bit hard to classify, I guess. How would you describe your Cirque du shenanigan ary? Really, sir Titian and a gallery about you.

Cowtown Downpour Postscript

Storms level trees, cause power outages around Kansas City metro KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) - Overnight thunderstorms with high winds and lightning took down parts of trees and led to power outages around the Kansas City metro early Friday morning. Damage could be seen on both sides of the state line, with limbs blocking roadways and falling into homes.

KC Taps Comeback Keg

Kansas City Breweries Begin to Reopen Taprooms in Next Phase of COVID-19 Response As area businesses cautiously emerge from mandated COVID-19 quarantine and restrictions, a number of breweries throughout greater Kansas City have reopened their taprooms. During the ongoing pandemic, breweries have been financially impacted in multiple ways. Restrictions led to the loss of revenue from taproom beer sales, events and merchandise.

Wel-Rounded Debate

Body Confidence, Body Positivity And Self Esteem - The Complicated Truth Behind Instagram And Body Image Woes Body confidence. We see this term bandied about a lot but what does it mean? Especially during a time when (according to images across social media) most people are spending their waking hours dressed professionally top half only (video conference ready) and wearing slippers...or is that just me?!

Celebrate Hole New World

Today Is National Donut Day - Here's Where to Get a Free Donut Krispy Kreme, Dunkin' and more have exciting deals today Friday, June 5 is National Donut dDay and these places are offering some sweet deals to celebrate the sugary treat. Duck Donuts chain which has locations spread across the mid-Atlantic and Southeast is turning the day into national a whole weekend of celebration.

Prez Trump Economic Tribute Inspires Continued Outrage

Trump's comment 'this is a great day' for George Floyd draws immediate outrage - live The moves are part of a stipulation between the city and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, which launched a civil rights investigation this week in response to the death of George Floyd in police custody. The City Council is expected to approve the agreement Friday.

Sign Of The Times Debuts

Activists paint giant 'Black Lives Matter' message on the road to the White House Two blocks of Washington, DC streets bear the giant, yellow-lettered message

Healthy Fashion Advice . . .

Coronavirus face masks should be worn in public, WHO says in updated guidance In a continued effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday updated its guidance to recommend that governments around the world encourage the widespread use of fabric face masks while in public settings.

Global Outrage Against U.S. Police

'Your Pain Is My Pain': global anti-racism protests rage FRANKFURT/LONDON (Reuters) - Protesters around the world took to the streets again on Friday, despite coronavirus warnings, in a wave of outrage at the death of African American George Floyd in the United States and racism against minorities in their own nations.

New Super Powers Pledge Peace

China and India Try to Ease Tensions at Disputed Border NEW DELHI-China and India are elevating talks between military leaders to try to calm tensions along their disputed borders in the Himalayan mountains. Chinese and Indian troops have faced off for a month along a remote stretch of the mountainous frontier following a brawl between units patrolling one disputed area.

Kansas City Artsy Tourism Revival Underway

Kansas City's Arts Scene Starts To Reopen - Here's What To Know About Visiting Just in time for First Friday, some arts organizations will continue to offer virtual events and activities, or open by appointment. But others are starting to re-open to the public with social distancing guidelines in place. For visitors, as well as businesses, the experience will be much different in the COVID-19 era.

Check Hot Pink Forecast

Rain will end and give way to sunshine and temperatures near 90 KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Share in our weather experience on the weather blog. Click on the blog at the top of the page for more information. For a full list of weather alerts, click here.

Hottieis one of the world's most captivating Insta models and a fearless advocate for for body acceptance. Right now she inspires this informative and educational glimpse at pop culture, community news and more . . .And this is thefor right now . . .
by Wang Zhicheng

They had been closed for about five months due to the pandemic. Churches are the last things to be reopened, after industries, restaurants, cinemas, street markets. Permits from all levels of authority and guarantees on preventive health measures are required. Questions on religious freedom, on the silence of the bishops and the Vatican.

Beijing (AsiaNews) - The Chinese government has issued a notice that it will be possible to reopen churches for worship after almost five months of closure due to the pandemic. But the bureaucratic process and the conditions for reopening make the return to places of worship for faithful very difficult.

When China isolated Wuhan on January 23 (epicenter of the pandemic from Covid-19) and then gradually extended the measure all the provinces of the country, the churches were immediately closed. Priests and faithful had to resort to online masses, rites, indications to sanctify the festive precept without mass, family prayer, etc.

Since the beginning of March, the country has begun to return to life again and reopened industries, restaurants, and even cinemas and street vendors. Churches were left closed until June. But even now, the conditions for reopening them to the faithful are unnerving.

Paul, a priest from central China, complains: To open the church we have to get a permit from the authorities at every level: from village, city, province and this requires time and travel. In addition, we must prepare the church both to welcome the faithful and to guarantee sanitary conditions. The sacred buildings can in fact be reopened only on condition that the parishes guarantee pandemic prevention measures such as temperature control, masks, disinfectants, seating, entrance and exits etc.

In some provinces, such as in Sichuan, special permission is required to resume catechism courses. In other provinces, the Patriotic Association demands that the reopening take place with sermons on love of country and with patriotic songs, according to the rules established by the New regulations on religious activities, which require "sinicization" and "patriotism" towards the Chinese Communist Party for every religious gesture.

"Of course - continues Fr. Paul - celebrating mass with the people is very important and more significant than attending online, but I ask myself: do we really have freedom of religion, as stated in our Constitution? Religion does not seem to belong to us; it belongs to the Party. But must our bishops, who enjoy the favors and benefits that the Party grants them, always remain silent? And does the Vatican, which signed the Provisional Agreement two years ago realize this? ".
They are bookends in a tragic streak of encounters with U.S. law enforcement, milestone markers that claimed the lives of black people. The eerily similar last words of "I can't breathe" uttered by Eric Garner and George Floyd echo across six years of accumulating carnage in the nation's history as protesters in the burning streets of American cities keep pleading for the recurring nightmare to end.

From the police chokehold that cost Garner his life in New York City to a police officer pinning Floyd's neck under his knee in Minneapolis, demonstrators are repeating the same complaints that black people are paying the disproportionate and ultimate price of lethal actions of law enforcement.

Black lives have been lost in numerous police encounters between Garner's death in 2014 and Floyd's death on May 25. Protesters pouring into the streets of major cities have recited names such as Walter Scott, the 50-year-old South Carolina resident who was shot in the back in 2015 by a white North Charleston police officer following a routine traffic stop, and Jordan Edwards, 15, who was in a car leaving a house party in a Dallas suburb when he was shot to death by an officer who opened fire on the vehicle.

While officers have been arrested and charged in some of the cases, loved ones of most of those killed are still seeking justice.

Here are just a dozen high-profile deaths, searing episodes that have added to a cauldron of anger and pain now boiling over across the country:

Eric Garner

Garner, 43, was confronted by undercover police on July 17, 2014, on Staten Island in New York City and accused of selling untaxed cigarettes, also known as loosies. A video of the encounter showed the more than 300-pound Garner, who was unarmed, resisting and saying he was tired of being harassed as officers moved in to arrest him.

One undercover officer, Daniel Pantaleo, who is white, came up behind Garner and placed him in a chokehold that had been banned by the New York Police Department, and, with the help of other officers, they got Garner on the ground. While still in the chokehold, Garner told the officers multiple times, "I can't breathe" until his body went listless. Garner was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

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The incident was caught on video by a witness.

PHOTO: Eric Garner, seen in this undated Facebook photo, died while being arrested by police in Staten Island. (Facebook)

Numerous acts of civil disobedience erupted in New York City and across the country in the wake of Garner's death with protester using the words "I can't breathe" as a rallying cry for justice. Although the case was presented to a grand jury, none of the officers were indicted. It took five years before Pantaleo was fired in 2019 by then-NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill.

Michael Brown

Brown, 18, was shot to death on Aug. 9, 2014, in Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, during an encounter with Darren Wilson, who was then a Ferguson police officer. Wilson, who is white, was investigating a complaint of shoplifting at a convenience store and claimed Brown matched the description of one of the suspects when he saw the teenager walking down a street.

PHOTO: Michael Brown is seen in this photo posted to Facebook, May 19, 2013. (Courtesy Brown Family/Facebook)

Wilson alleged, according to grand jury transcripts, that Brown approached the window of his patrol car and a struggle ensued over his gun before Brown attempted to run away. Wilson claimed that he was pursuing Brown when the teenager turned around and charged towards him with the "most intense aggressive face I've ever seen on a person." Wilson, according to the transcript, said he opened fire multiple times when Brown appeared to reach for something in his waistband.

But an eyewitness, Brown's friend, Dorian Johnson, claimed that Brown had his hands up and told Wilson "don't shoot" when he was killed. Brown, who was unarmed, was shot six times.

The killing was followed by days of protests in Ferguson and across the country with demonstrators chanting "Hands up, don't shoot."

While the case was presented to a grand jury, Wilson, who resigned from the police department in November 2014, was not indicted. The U.S. Department of Justice conducted an investigation and in 2015 cleared Wilson of civil rights violations.

Akai Gurley

Gurley, 28, was with his girlfriend in the stairwell of a Brooklyn, New York, public housing project on Nov. 20, 2014, after she had just braided his hair when two New York City police officers on foot patrol entered the same darkened stairwell. One of the officers, Peter Liang, who had drawn his pistol, fired a single shot. The bullet ricocheted off a wall and fatally struck Gurley, who was unarmed and deemed an innocent bystander.

The shooting set off protests from coast to coast and Liang, who was a rookie officers, was fired from the NYPD.

PHOTO: Akai Gurley is seen in this undated photo that was posted to public Facebook page created in his memory. (Akai Gurley/Facebook)

He was charged with second-degree manslaughter and convicted by a jury in February 2016. At Liang's sentencing hearing, a judge reduced his manslaughter conviction to criminally negligent homicide.

Liang was sentenced to five years of probation and 800 hours of community service.

Tamir Rice

Rice, 12, was alone at the Cudell Recreation Center in Cleveland on Nov. 22, 2014, playing with a replica toy Airsoft gun when a 911 dispatcher received word from a caller that a male was in the park randomly pointing a gun at people.

PHOTO: Tamir RIce is seen in this undated photo provided by his family. (Courtesy Rice Family)

While the 911 caller told the dispatcher the gun was "probably fake," the detail was never relayed to the two police officers who responded to the call and spotted Rice at a gazebo holding what they say they thought was a real gun. Within two seconds after arriving on the scene, one of the officers, Timothy Loehmann, opened fire twice, hitting the boy once in the torso. He died a day later in a hospital.

The episode was captured on surveillance video.

The case against Loehmann and his partner, Frank Garmback, was presented to a grand jury. On Sept. 28, 2015, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty announced that the grand jury decided not to indict the officers.

In May 2017, Loehmann was terminated from the Cleveland Police Department for submitting inaccurate details on his job application and other administrative policy violations,

Freddie Gray

Gray, 25, was taken into police custody in Baltimore on April 12, 2015, for possessing a knife. He was handcuffed and placed in a police van and while being transported to a stationhouse, he sustained a spinal injury and went into a coma. Gray died in a hospital about a week after his arrest, prompting riots in Baltimore and protests across the country. His death was ruled a homicide.

PHOTO: Freddie Gray, 25, is seen in this undated photo. (Courtesy Murphy, Falcon & Murphy)

Six Baltimore police officers faced criminal charges in Gray's death, ranging from manslaughter, second-degree assault, misconduct in office and false imprisonment. All of them were cleared of the charges.

Philando Castile

Castile, 32, was with his girlfriend and her 4-year-old daughter when he was pulled over on July 6, 2016, in St. Anthony, Minnesota, a suburb of Saint Paul. St. Anthony police Officer Jeronimo Yanez asked for Castile's license and registration. Yanez, a Hispanic-American, also inquired if Castile had any firearms.

Castile told Yanez that he did have a registered gun in the car, prompting Yanez to say, "Don't reach for it then." Castile's girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, claimed Castile was reaching for his driver's license and told the officer he wasn't pulling out the gun.

PHOTO: Philando Castile, 32, was shot and killed by police in Minnesota during a traffic stop, July 6, 2016. (Facebook)

But Yanez opened fire on Castile, shooting him five times at point-blank range. In the aftermath of the shooting, while still inside the car with her child, Reynolds began recording on her cellphone and posted it to Facebook Live.

Yanez was charged with second-degree manslaughter and two counts of dangerous discharge of a firearm. A jury acquitted him of the charges in June 2017, but he was fired from his job by the City of St. Anthony. The city also reached a $3.8 million settlement with Castile's family and Reynolds after they filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

Stephon Clark

Clark, 22, was shot multiple times in Sacramento, California, on March 18, 2018, setting off days of protests in the state capital and across the country.

The fatal shooting occurred after officers responded to a 911 call reporting someone breaking car windows. Authorities said a police helicopter spotted Clark in the area and followed him, eventually spotting him jumping a fence into the backyard of what turned out to be his grandmother's house.

PHOTO: An undated family photograph of Stephon Clark who was holding his cellphone when he was fatally shot Sunday night by two Sacramento police officers who fired at him 20 times, the department said Tuesday. (KXTV)

Officers Terrence Mercadal, and Jared Robinet responded to the home and told investigators they thought Clark had a gun, only to later discover he was holding a cellphone. The officers fired 20 shots at Clark. An autopsy by the County of Sacramento coroner's office determined Clark was hit seven times.

The shooting was partly captured on police body-camera video.

In March 2019, Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert announced that Mercadal and Robinet would not face charges. Federal prosecutors later declined to file civil rights violation charges against the officers and they were returned to full active duty.

Botham Jean

Jean, 27, an accountant at the international auditing firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers, was in his apartment eating ice cream on Sept. 6, 2018, when Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger entered his home after mistaking it for her own and fatally shot Jean believing he was an intruder.

PHOTO: Botham Jean is seen Feb. 27, 2014. (Jeff Montgomery/Harding University/AP, FILE)

Guyger was fired from her job, arrested and charged with Jean's killing.

In October 2019, a Dallas County jury convicted her of murder after deliberating for less than two days. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Atatiana Jefferson

Jefferson, 28, was in her home playing video games with her 8-year-old nephew at 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 12, 2019, when she heard a disturbance in the backyard of her family's Fort Worth, Texas, home. She grabbed a registered pistol from her purse, went to a bedroom window to investigate and was fatally shot by a police officer, who went to the house after a neighbor called 911 and asked for a welfare check because he noticed the front door was open.

PHOTO: A mourner pays respects before the start of the funeral service for Atatiana Jefferson on Oct. 24, 2019, at Concord Church in Dallas. (Stewart F. House/Getty Images, FILE)

An investigation determined that Aaron Dean, the officer who shot Jefferson, and his partner never knocked on the door or identified themselves as police. The officers entered the backyard of the home and Dean allegedly opened fire almost as soon as he saw Jefferson standing at the bedroom window peering out.

After being shot, Jefferson "yelled out in pain, and fell to the ground," according to the affidavit.

Dean resigned from the police force within days of the shooting and was charged with murder.

Breonna Taylor

Taylor, 26, a licensed EMT, was shot to death in her own apartment in Louisville, Kentucky, when three white police officers executed a no-knock warrant on March 13.

The three plainclothes police officers rammed down the door and were alleged to have "blindly" opened fire into Taylor's apartment, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed in April by Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer. Taylor was shot at least eight times and died.

PHOTO: This undated photo courtesy of Breonna Taylor family shows Breonna posing during a graduation ceremony in Louisville, Ky. (Family of Breonna Taylor via AFP/Getty Images)

Taylor was accused of accepting USPS packages for an ex-boyfriend who police were investigating as an alleged drug trafficker and used her address, according to the warrant.

The police said they knocked several times before using a ram to open the door and were allegedly met with gunfire from Taylor's new boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, authorities said. Walker said he called 911 before firing one shot from his licensed firearm, striking one of the officers in the leg.

The three officers involved in the episode were placed on administrative reassignment pending an investigation and are named as defendants in the lawsuit filed by Taylor's mother.

The FBI announced on May 22 that it has opened an investigation into the police-involved shooting death.

Ahmaud Arbery

Arbery, 25, was out for a Sunday jog on Feb. 23 in Satilla Shores, Georgia, near his home in the city of Brunswick, when he was allegedly accosted by white retired police officer Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son, Travis McMichael, 34, who claimed Arbery matched the description of a burglar who had been targeting homes in their neighborhood.

PHOTO: Ahmaud Arbery, who was shot and killed in Brunswick, Ga., on Feb. 23, 2020, is seen in an undated photo provided by Marcus Arbery. (Handout via Reuters)

Armed with a shotgun and a .357 magnum handgun, the McMichaels allegedly chased Arbery down in a pickup truck and attempted to make a citizens arrest, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. After Travis McMichael confronted Arbery with a shotgun, a struggle ensued and Arbery was shot to death.

The McMichaels were arrested on May 7 and charged with murder and aggravated assault.

The shooting was captured on a cellphone video taken by William "Roddie" Bryan Jr., 50, who has denied any involvement in the slaying. But on May 22, Bryan was arrested and charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment stemming from Arbery's death.

George Floyd

Floyd, 47, was confronted on May 25 by police called to a convenience store in Minneapolis to investigate a complaint that he used a counterfeit $20 bill.

During the encounter that was caught on video, officers removed Floyd from his car, handcuffed him and escorted him to the sidewalk where they ordered him to sit down. At some point, Floyd, who did not appear to resist, was walked to a nearby squad car, where an altercation occurred.

PHOTO: George Floyd is pictured in an undated photo released by the office of Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump. (Courtesy Ben Crump Law)

The video, taken by one of Floyd's friends, shows him face-first on the ground next to the squad car and Officer Derek Chauvin with his knee digging into the back Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. Floyd is heard repeatedly pleading "I can't breathe," begging for his life and calling for his mother as his body went listless. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Chauvin was fired from the police force within days of the incident. Chauvin was arrested on May 29 and initially charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. The third-degree murder charge was later upgraded to second-degree murder.

Three other police officers involved in the encounter with Floyd -- Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng -- were also fired from the Minneapolis Police Department and on June 4 were arrested and charged with second-degree aiding and abetting felony murder and second-degree aiding and abetting manslaughter.

From Eric Garner to George Floyd, 12 black lives lost in police encounters that stoked mass protests originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
PORTLAND - The death of George Floyd has touched Portland as it has so many other cities and towns across the state.

During its regular meeting Wednesday, the Board of Selectmen approved a Proclamation of Solidarity that laments Floyds death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer May 25.

The proclamation also says Portland abhors injustices and declares that racism, bigotry, prejudice or violence have no place in the town, the state or the nation.

The board resolved to address racism that happens here in our town, adding, We welcome all residents to voice their concerns and to come together to create positive change in our town.

The proclamation was developed in a series of discussions over the past week involving residents and town officials.

Floyds death occurred as a police officer knelt on his neck for more than 8 minutes as he was being restrained during an arrest. Video of the incident sparked nationwide condemnation.

Contributed photo

Following a peaceful march in Middletown Saturday night, several residents reached out to First Selectwoman Susan S. Bransfield to see whether Portland would hold a similar event.

Bransfield said she had discussed the issue with Youth Services Director Mary Pont.

In light of the comments and inquiries, Bransfield and Pont held a conference call Monday with several residents, including Selectman Michael Pelton.

It was a very good call, Bransfield said Friday. A lot of very good formation came out of it.

Together, Bransfield and Pelton began to sketch out ideas for a proclamation to be presented to selectman.

In the meantime, Superintendent of Schools Philip B. OReilly wrote a two-page open letter to the community sharing his thoughts on Floyds death and its ramifications.

The Board of Education adopted a statement Tuesday night that said the board is committed to confronting institutional racism and social injustice.

Acknowledging the advantages and privileges we have benefited due solely to the color of our skin, the board said its members must confront their own bias and privilege in order to successfully teach and advocate our children to value each and every person.

As Pelton and Bransfield continued to fashion the proposed proclamation, unbeknownst to them, Michael Hernandez, the newest selectman, began working on a statement of his own.

Hernandez read his comments into the record during Wednesdays meeting. Several residents attending the meeting via Zoom shared their thoughts, as well.

Bransfield asked whether selectmen would approve of holding an event this weekend in solidarity with those protesting Floyds killing.

Selectman Edward J. Sharr Jr. said he didnt think it would be feasible to hold a demonstration on such short notice.

Bransfield then proposed holding a demonstration June 19, the day in 1865 when slaves in Texas learned they had been freed. The day is known as Juneteenth.

A peaceful protest that was to be held on the Arrigoni Bridge Tuesday was canceled out of concerns about safety on the bridge, which currently is undergoing an extensive renovation and repair project.

Mary Flood, the Portland resident who proposed the silent vigil, had agreed instead to hold her rally on Juneteenth at Riverfront Park. Selectmen agreed to that idea .

Bransfield took the comments made by Hernandez and the residents and reworked the proclamation, which she published Thursday.

The proclamation closes by resolving that, We stand committed to peace, justice, and freedom for our citizens here in Portland and in solidarity with all Americans.
Instead, Russia last year deployed mercenaries to back Hifter, achieving its strategic objectives under the cloak of deniability. About 1,200 of the Russian fighters are reportedly from the Wagner Group, controlled by Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a businessman with close ties to the Kremlin. Putin has not denied the presence of Wagner Group mercenaries in Libya, but he also said in January that they did not represent Russia or its interests.
Hyderabad, June 6 : With the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordering a probe into the alleged illegal expansion of his farm house, Telangana Minister K.T. Rama Rao on Saturday reiterated that he does not own the property.

Rama Rao, who is the son of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, tweeted that he will seek legal remedies by exposing false allegations.

"The NGT case filed against me by a congressman is a deliberate personal vilification campaign based on utter false statements. It remains a fact that I don't own the property as clarified by me earlier, I will seek appropriate legal remedies by exposing falsehood of allegations," tweeted the minister for industry, information technology, municipal administration and urban development.

The NGT ordered the probe after hearing a petition filed by Congress MP Anumula Revanth Reddy alleging that Rama Rao, who is also the working president of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), expanded the farmhouse by "violating the environmental laws." The bench has asked the minister, the Telangana government, the state pollution control board and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to reply to its notice by August 26.

It also formed a committee, comprising a senior officer from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, the Chennai District Collector, the Pollution Control Board, Commissioner and others.

The committee has been asked to inspect the area and submit a factual and action-taken report if there is any violation in two months.

In the petition, Revanth Reddy alleged illegal construction in the bio-conservations zone in the catchment area of Osman Sagar Lake. Reddy also alleged that the minister's act was likely to affect the water storage capacity of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar Lakes.

Meanwhile, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has backed Rama Rao.

"We are with you @KTRTRS , continue to do the good work. Political detractors are frustrated & also because you have been a successful minister," tweeted AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi.
Jim McDonald enjoying the chance to go for a stroll along the beach

With the temperature hovering at 20 degrees, scores of people travelled to Duncannon beach on Wednesday to kick back and relax from the Covid-19 madness, including some people who have been cooped up indoors, cocooning.

Noreen Doyle is no stranger to Duncannon Beach, living in the seaside village. Over the past few weeks since restrictions were eased for people aged over 70, she has been enjoying the terrific vista the beach affords from a bench in a viewing area at the top of road leading down to the golden sand.

Noreen found not being able to spend time with her grandchildren very difficult during the cocooning period. 'I would have seen them because they're living locally but not in the same way,' she said.

Joined by her daughter Niamh and granddaughter Cara, she was in no hurry anywhere, taking in the sea breeze and protected by a lovely sun hat. Cara said she was enjoying spending more time in the company of her granny.

Along the beach, adults were sun bathing, children were digging sand castles and elderly people were strolling, making the most of the fine weather.

Another Duncannon resident, Ronan Cleary, was enjoying a walk with his daughter Aoife when we caught up with him.

'This is about the busiest it has been,' Ronan said, taking in the rows of cars along the beach.

Both Ronan and Aoife were enjoying a break from the homework.

A cocooning woman who was driven from New Ross to the beach by a neighbour, said: 'It's quare lovely! I've been on my own all of the time and been doing video calls which is something new for me. I'm after putting on weight so it's good to get out.'

Jim McDonald from Duncannon said he is a new man ever since he was allowed go for walks on his beloved beach again. 'I am a widower for 22 years. I live on my own so it wasn't a big change for me. I missed my freedom, especially going out to the shops.'

A constant presence on the hill leading up to the Star of the Sea Church, Jim enjoys sitting out on his chair and reading, waving at people as they pass by in that friendly way of his.

Jim (81) said: 'This is the busiest I've seen it.'

He said his neighbours have been very good to him and his daughter does his weekly shop, so he is well looked after.

'This would've been far worse if it was winter and you're looking out at wind and rain.'

He said the Nphet advice has worked and the figures are low.

A Co Waterford resident, who was on a deck chair enjoying a snack, surrounded by her grandchildren, said she was loving her trip to Duncannon, having travelled over on the ferry from Passage East.

She spoke of the heartache of missing family during Covid-19, as her grandchildren, toes dug deep into the sand, munched on buttered Tayto baps. The children, clearly loving the fine weather, said they miss their friends, before tucking into said baps.

A man who travelled from Graiguenamanagh with his three young children, said his children needed a break so he took them for a drive and ended up in Duncannon.

Surrounded by beach toys and picnic food, with a beach badminton set and net, he said it is very difficult for young children who live in an estate, adding that just the children expect that he is always able to play and have fun just because he's working from home.
Activists in Charlotte and nationwide have flocked to the streets in support of the movement against police brutality and systematic racism against Black people brought on by the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and others at the hands of police officers. Videos showing protesters being arrested, sprayed with chemical agents and shot with rubber bullets at largely peaceful rallies have revealed the importance of being prepared for any situation.

If youre thinking about joining the front lines of this cause, it is responsible to also consider the possibility of arrest. As of Thursday, more than 10,000 people had been arrested at the recent protests across the U.S., according to an Associated Press count. In Charlotte, more than 100 have been arrested.

Here are some tips from the ACLU site about how to be prepared for your next protest, and what to do if youre arrested:

What to know before you go:

Your rights are the strongest in traditional public forums. These include places such as streets, sidewalks, and parks. You also have the right to protest on government property (e.g., buildings) as long as access to the building hasnt been blocked or youre not interfering with what the government building is designed to do.

Private property owners can speak freely on their property. The government does not have the right to restrict your speech if it occurs on your own property or with consent of the property owner.

Counter-protesters also have freedom of speech and must be treated the same by the police. Police are permitted to keep antagonistic groups separate, but should allow them within sight or sound of each other.

You have the right to photograph anything in plain sight, when you are lawfully occupying any public space. If organizing on private property, owners may set rules related to photography or video.

Police cannot confiscate or demand to view your photographs or videos without a warrant. They also cannot destroy your property or data. They do have the right to demand that citizens cease any activities which interfere with legitimate law enforcement operations.

Dont bring weapons or items that could be considered weapons. Per NC General Statute 14-272.2, any person participating in, or present, at a parade or demonstration is prohibited from carrying or having access to dangerous weapons. This includes any object capable of inflicting serious bodily injury or death when used as a weapon.

If youre going to protest, make sure to go with someone, said Glo Merriweather, who led a direct action training at Freedom Park on Thursday afternoon. Always have a buddy who is accounting for you so if you get missing, if you disappear in the jail, someone is looking for you, Merriweather told hundreds of people gathered for the sessions.

If videotaping, be aware that there is a legal distinction between visual photographic records which are fully protected under the law, and the audio portion of a video, which some states have tried to regulate under state wiretapping laws.

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Glo Merriweather, center, teaches a breakout session to people during a Peoples University training session at Freedom Park in Charlotte, NC, on Thursday, June 4, 2020.

If you feel your rights were violated:

When possible, write down everything you remember regarding the encounter in question including the officers badge and patrol car numbers and the agency they work for.

Get the contact information for any witnesses present.

Take photographs of any injuries received

File a complaint with the agencys internal affairs division or civilian complaint board.  Per ACLU

If you are arrested at a protest

In the event you are arrested, remain calm.

Dont panic. Dont think just because they took you into custody that youre going away for days or weeks or that your life is over. Respectfully tell [the officer] youre not going to answer any questions, said Charlotte attorney George Gibbs of Gibbs Law.

If youre taken into custody, theyre going to do a pat-down search. If handcuffed, be respectful and try not to resist. Let us deal with [any issues] on the back end. Let the attorney deal with the difficult part, Gibbs said.

When it comes to being questioned, know your rights.

If you feel uncomfortable [while in custody], say, Id like to speak with legal counsel. Once that happens, and youre in custody, interrogation has to cease, Gibbs said.

Also, its important to note your physical location and to let people know thats where you are.

Know where you are in the city limits. For example, if youre in Union County, Gibbs said on knowing your surroundings in the event of an arrest. Keep people informed and be prepared. If you do get arrested, go silent. Youre not going to talk your way out of it.

So you want to help Charlottes Black community? Donate to these local organizations.

Charlotte attorneys representing protesters

Here are a few local attorneys who have indicated an interest in representing protesters free of charge:

Attorney George Gibbs  Gibbs Law

(980) 228-6387

Attorney Andrew Gordon - The Law Offices of Andrew L. Gordon, PLLC

(704) 951-7657

Attorney Kristen Dewar

(704) 312-2239

Hall & Dixon PLLC

(704) 993-6825

Matthew Griffin contributed to this story.

Heres why you should support Black-owned businesses in Charlotte and elsewhere
Pham Van Dien, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Administration of Forestry, talks on the countrys efforts to consolidate the legal framework on wildlife protection.

A great hornbill (scientific name: Buceros bicornis) in Bach Ma National Park, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. Known in Vietnam under the common name of 'land phoenix', the bird is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.  VNA/VNS Photo



Could you give us a brief overview of Vietnams legal system regarding the wildlife trade?

Vietnam has actually paid attention to the building of legal regulations on the management and protection of wildlife since quite early. In 1963, the Government Council had issued a provisional ruling which bans killings or acts that cause harm to a number of wild animal species, including birds and forest animals, especially if they are not causing damage to peoples safety or economic activities (Decree No.39-CP, signed on April 5, 1963).

In 1964, Vietnam became the 121st member of the international agreement Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

And so far, we have codified the convention into its domestic legal framework via 60 wildlife management legal documents  covering the fields of forestry, fisheries, environmental resources, investment, administration and crime  including seven laws and codes, four decrees, one resolution, one decision from the Prime Minister and three circulars.

Vietnam or 183 CITES members do not actually put in place a complete ban on wildlife management, but institute bans on certain species. The Prime Minister has issued a ban on importing ivory and rhino horn specimens (Decision No.11 /Q-TTg).

A list of over 200 endangered, precious and rare wildlife species banned from exploitation and use for business investment purposes is also issued together with the 2014 Law on Investment.

The CITES Secretariat has placed Vietnam under the Category 1 group, which indicates that its national law has satisfied the requirements of the convention  designating one management authority, prohibiting trade of specimens in violation of the convention, penalising the trade of such specimens, and confiscating specimens illegally traded or possessed.

However, it still needs to be acknowledged that the Vietnamese wildlife legal framework is lacking in systematic coherence and there are several overlapping items across different regulations.

Recently, there have been reports suggesting that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic originated from wildlife, so governments around the world need to take quicker and more drastic actions to end the wildlife trade completely, to prevent similar crises. What is your thinking on this?

Currently, many international studies have posited that SARS-CoV-2 might be zoonotic, that the virus originate from wildlife  likely bats. Findings demonstrate similarity of the DNA sequence of SARS-CoV-2 virus causing the disease in humans and the coronavirus in wildlife is about 90 to 93 per cent, which is not high enough compared to the usual cases of 97 per cent or higher for zoonotic diseases, so to date, we cannot be resolutely sure that the COVID-19 outbreak originated from wildlife.

However, we could not rule out the risks of virus existing in animals undergoing mutations into strains that infect humans, as history has shown in the cases of Ebola, MERS coronavirus, SARS or H5N1, etc.

The complete termination of illegal wildlife trade is Vietnams commitment, in line with international practice and certainly supported by the public. I would like to reiterate that Vietnams laws on this issue are quite exhaustive, but it is important to systematise them to better carry out management efforts.

Putting an end to the wildlife trade is not an easy task, it should be carefully considered to balance conservation with development needs, in order to achieve sustainable development. And this balance is precisely what governments are gravitating towards in management and policy implementation.

How effective has the implementation of prohibitions been in Vietnam?

The prohibited wildlife list has contained 200 species that are banned from exploitation, use, investment and trade.

Regarding management, we have listed all banned activities such as hunting, trading, breeding, possessing, processing, importing and exporting of wildlife against regulations. The legal economic activities concerning wildlife are managed in line with CITES and Vietnams particular situation, with coordination between relevant sectors and transparency.

On the penalty level, the levels of administrative fines and criminal punishments in compliance with CITES were quite clear and harsh. For example, in Vietnam, wildlife offences could result in maximum 15 years in jail, while the cap in the US being five years, 10 in Malaysia and 12 in China.

Vietnam has designated 18 State agencies who have the responsibilities to ensure CITES compliance.

We need to look at the fact that the huge profits from wildlife trade have prompted many to ignore legal regulations. Do you think raising penalties is the way to go?

Data have shown that globally, wildlife crimes are now among the most profitable activities, just behind arms smuggling, drug trafficking and human smuggling.

Strict penalties are of course necessary, but they are not the only effective solution. For example, the United Nations remarked that many countries have failed to stem drug trafficking activities despite severe punishment, including death penalties.

In order to effectively manage the wildlife trade, we need to implement comprehensive measures, with law enforcement being the key. There should be better cooperation between lifting the capacity of those involved in wildlife protection efforts, improving effectiveness of the investigation, prosecution and judgement, in coordination with raising awareness, improving livelihoods and applying technology in wildlife traceability. We also need better forecasts to effectively disrupt the illegal movement of wildlife from or into the country.

Vietnam Administration of Forestry is finalising a draft version of the Prime Minister's Directive on a number of urgent measures for wildlife management. The directive is expected to bring about a significant "turning point" in wildlife protection in Vietnam. Could you share some information about this draft, or the immediate and long-term goals that the directive is aiming for?

We have advised the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to submit to the Prime Minister this Directive.

The draft Directive deals with urgent solutions in law enforcement, mobilising the whole political system to better control wildlife hunting, capturing, raising, trading, importing and exporting.

The specific content of the Directive, however, will be decided by the Prime Minister.

Currently, we are preparing a detailed plan to put in place immediately when the Directive is issued, in order to achieve practical effects and supplement legal documents in this field and continue to show a responsible image of Vietnam to the world community. VNS/VGP

Legal loopholes hinder Vietnams efforts in wildlife protection Despite strengthened law enforcement to protect wildlife, legal loopholes are hindering Vietnams efforts, activists have said.
COVID-19 Makes Coding Go Virtual at LearnWare Academy View(s):

Lockdown and curfew took everyone by surprise in Sri Lanka. One day it was business as usual, the next, everyone was working in isolation. The initial panic and confusion will be etched in our minds for years to come. While many wrung their hands in worry, an intrepid few possessed the ingenuity to change with the times. LearnWare Academy is one such entity.

Being a tech-based company, LearnWare had the expertise to switch from physical to virtual teaching in record time. The team designed course content to cater to online sessions in a matter of two days after lockdown to support existing students. The lockdown created a hitherto unprecedented demand for online lessons among the general populace. This prompted LearnWare to accommodate new requests for enrollment. Many new students from around the island have used this opportunity to join the weekly and monthly online coding camps for an affordable investment. These camps, which are ongoing, continue to assist those who wish to pursue creative opportunities in their childrens education.

LearnWare uses a varied coding curriculum with a strong emphasis on Interactive or STEM learning to cater to children aged 5 to 16. They are mindful of global needs and, in addition to coding, they also focus on skills such as complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, decision making, and cognitive flexibility in their lesson plans.

Online sessions simulate physical classrooms as closely as possible. Students are introduced to new concepts with the support of visual demonstration and then, with the constant guidance of the lecturer, they are encouraged to build an application, computer game or animated story. Through this, students also gain knowledge in mathematical concepts, technology adoption, electronic science and engineering. Since the classes are live, students can clarify their doubts immediately, unlike pre-recorded sessions which are less interactive. Students also undertake timed assessments every month. Furthermore, each student has a personal account where all their work is stored. This is

accessible anytime, anywhere and encourages self-learning. This interactive and innovative approach to teaching has given numerous children the courage to venture into the world of technology and coding.

The education of children must not suffer during this time of global pandemic, and it is vital that they continue learning. Parents, too, need as much support as possible since they are required to take on the role of teacher, while trying to figure out new routines and coping with other home and work-related stress in this trying time.

The current situation has also placed an emphasis on the importance of technology. Children are home-schooled with the support of online learning systems, and employees are encouraged to work from home with the help of online portals and communication tools. Therefore, it is technology that helps to bridge the gap and connect with the outside world. Familiarity with technology will give

children the boost they need in this new world. And, coding is the basis of all the technology used right now, be it social media applications, software, or tech tools. So, it is essential for children to understand and learn coding to communicate and succeed using technology.

Educational institutions such as LearnWare provide an invaluable service. Although Sri Lanka is a developing nation, LearnWare is working to introduce the latest technology and teaching methods so that the children of our country will lack for nothing in a competitive global environment.
The samples of a 73-year-old man, who died six days ago in Uttarakhands Almora, has tested positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), health officials said on Friday.

Officials said the man, a resident of Talai village under Syaldey block of Almora, had returned on May 21 from Delhi where he was staying with his son. He was quarantined after thermal screening at Mohaan.

His condition deteriorated on May 29 and he was brought to the community health centre in Bhikiyasain but he died the way, said an official.

He died on the way and his swab sample was taken for testing, Dr Savita Hyanki, chief medical officer (CMO) of Almora, said.

Doctors took his sample as a precautionary measure and sent it for testing. The report was received six days after his death on Thursday evening which showed he tested coronavirus positive.

Administrative and health officials rushed to the deceaseds village on Friday and isolated his wife, two sons, two nephews and daughter-in-law. Three people, who were with him while he was being brought CHC, have been put under institutional quarantine.

Six of the deceaseds family members have been isolated in Almora. Others who came in his contact or his family members have been put under institutional quarantine in Bhikiyasain, Rahul Shah, Bhikiyasains sub-divisional magistrate, said

Dinesh Joshi, president of the local traders union, said Syaldey market has been closed for four days to check the spread of Covid-19 since the deceaseds sons were seen in the area.

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By Nancy Lapid

(Reuters) - The following is a brief roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.

Taking blood pressure medicines linked to lower COVID-19 mortality

Regularly taking drugs to control high blood pressure appears to lower the risk of becoming severely ill or dying if people with hypertension become infected with the new coronavirus, a new study found. Among nearly 2,900 people hospitalized in China with COVID-19, patients with high blood pressure had twice the risk of death and were more likely to need mechanical ventilation than those without hypertension, a known risk factor for severe COVID-19. But those taking drugs to control their blood pressure had a significantly lower risk of death from COVID-19 than those not treated for their hypertension, researchers reported on Thursday in the European Heart Journal. This was true even if patients were taking blood pressure drugs known as ACE inhibitors or ARBs. Several papers have suggested these drugs might increase COVID-19 susceptibility, but in this study, "the results were in the opposite direction, with a trend in favor of ACE inhibitors and ARBs," said coauthor Fei Li of Xijing Hospital in Xi'an, China. The American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association and Heart Failure Society of America have all recommended that patients continue taking hypertension drugs prescribed to them. (https://bit.ly/3cDTwjH; https://reut.rs/2MxVQy6;)

More precise test recommended to predict blood clots in severe COVID-19 patients

Standard tests performed in intensive care units (ICUs) to assess blood clotting risk in COVID-19 patients have been less than optimal, with catheters in veins and arteries frequently - and unpredictably - becoming clogged by blood clots. Heart surgeons in Texas, hearing of the problem, suggested use of a thromboelastography (TEG) test, which looks at how quickly a clot forms, as well as its strength and stability. TEG is used most often for open heart surgery and trauma patients. When the Texas doctors studied 21 ICU patients with COVID-19, almost two-thirds had developed clots that could be predicted by the TEG test, but not by standard tests, according to a report on Friday in JAMA Network Open. "The TEG test should be performed on all COVID-19 ICU patients immediately to find those who are at a higher risk of clotting," study coauthor Dr. Todd Rosengart, chair of the DeBakey department of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said in a statement. By the time catheters are clotting, "the horse is out of the barn," he said. For patients at higher risk of blood clots as indicated by the TEG test, the researchers recommend use of additional blood thinners. (https://bit.ly/2Buzf34)

Story continues

Less invasive, self-performed swab tests may be as good as tests done by healthcare workers

When people with upper respiratory symptoms need to be tested for the coronavirus, having them swab the inside of their nose might be just as effective as having a healthcare worker collect nasopharyngeal samples, researchers suggested on Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine. At outpatient clinics in the Puget Sound region of Washington state, 530 patients collected samples from the tongue and from two places inside the nose. A nasopharyngeal sample was also obtained by a healthcare worker. As it turned out, nose samples collected by the patients were more than 90% accurate at identifying coronavirus infections. If these early results could be verified in larger studies with broader populations, the researchers said, self-swabbing of the nose would be more comfortable for patients and safer for the healthcare workers who would have less exposure to aerosolized virus droplets and would require less personal protective equipment. (https://bit.ly/2UbjPan)

Retracted studies shine harsh light on respected journals

Two of the world's most highly respected medical journals - The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine - on Thursday withdrew papers written by the same team of authors about COVID-19 treatments, citing concerns about the data. The high-profile Lancet paper had reported treating COVID-19 with hydroxychloroquine increased the risk of death, based on an observational review of 96,000 patients worldwide. That finding led the World Health Organization and others to halt major trials. Other researchers quickly questioned whether data on so many patients could have been collected and analyzed in the short time since the pandemic began. When Surgisphere, the company that provided the data for both studies, refused to transfer its dataset for independent review, several of the authors said they can no longer vouch for its veracity. "Science will not move forward if others can't check researchers' work. The need for speed is no excuse," said Dr. Ivan Oransky, vice president of Medscape and co-founder of the Retraction Watch blog. The recent events are "also a reminder that policy U-turns based on a single study are almost always a bad idea," Oransky told Reuters. (https://reut.rs/2Y663qJ;)

(Reporting by Nancy Lapid, Saumya Joseph and Michael Erman; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
Kate Middleton feels blindsided about the Tatler report claiming she's tired from all her royal duties. Allegedly, she cannot even believe that it was written for one reason.

The editor-in-chief of Tatler is a close friend whom she vacationed twice.

Was she betrayed? Or is the truth just exposed?

According to society bible, Tatler," Kate Middleton feels the combination of exhaustion and being trapped in the royal family. She is also accused of having a fall out with Meghan Markle just because they could not see eye-to-eye as to whether Princess Charlotte should wear tights as a bridesmaid at her wedding.

Quite rare for the royals, the Kensington Palace immediately released a statement claiming all these allegations false. A few days later, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge filed legal action against the magazine for all the said "lies."

However, personally, even though there is now a legal action on the course, Kate Middleton is said to be hurting. She cannot believe that this Tatler article would spread so many lies against her when the editor-in-chief was a friend!

The writer of the offensive piece, journalist Anna Pasternak was called to remove the article entitled "Catherine the Great" through several legal letters. But Kate believes that the material should not have been published in the first place. It's not usually the writers who get to decide if their writeups get published but the editor-in-chief, so Kate felt more hurt.

According to the Sun, Kate was shocked by the article, not just because the contents were not true, but because an old friend of hers from St. Andrews University, Tatler's editor-in-chief, Richard Dennen allowed it to happen.

They were in the same art history course, and they were even legit neighbors! They lived two streets away in the past so their friendship cannot be discounted. They even went to France together in 2004, the year when Kate and William put a hold into their relationship.

Dennen has never hidden the fact that he and Middleton were close. In 2015, he shared a now-deleted candid photo of Middleton enjoying a sandwich while in the airport. The caption was kind of cute too. 'Before life got serious and we still ate wheat and flew economy,' and the hashtags #TheCourtJester and #TheKensingtonCrew," he wrote.

Moreover, he was a guest on Kate and William's wedding! He has claimed that he only met William twice, but he must be a really good friend of Kate to be invited at all.

What is interesting about this story making it to the public is that Dennen, in the past, had been all praises for Kate Middleton. He described her as being very measured and controlled, which s suitable for the palace.

"That is perfect because you don't want someone who's going to be falling out on the Kings Road face down, wasted after a boozy session," he said back in 2011.

That said, the fact that the two know each other well should not hinder Kate Middleton news from ever making it to the public anyway, as long as it is the truth. At present, it is still unclear who is speaking the truth, but it is interesting that the palace even reacting to such.
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, across the United States and across the world.

Second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter charges have been filed against Derek Chauvin, the ex-officer who prosecutors say held his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. The three other officers have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting manslaughter. All four officers have been fired.

Governors in 32 states and Washington, D.C., have activated more than 32,400 members of the National Guard.

Today's biggest developments:

Trump wanted 10K troops in DC Denver PD ordered to limit using chemicals in protests Broncos join Denver protests Hundreds march across Golden Gate Bridge

This story is being updated throughout the day. Please check back for updates. All times Eastern.

10:30 p.m.: 'Black Lives Matter = Defund the Police' painted in Washington, DC

As the crowds dispersed Saturday in Washington, D.C., a new mural was revealed.

"Black Lives Matter = Defund the Police" was painted in yellow on 16th Street in front of the White House.

The "Black Lives Matter" mural was already in place, however, the "Defund the Police" was new.

Protesters are actively painting "DEFUND THE POLICE" on 16th Street in NW Washington, two blocks north of the White House. This is being done in a similar font and color as the BLACK LIVES MATTER mural unveiled earlier this week. No word if this was approved by DC Government. pic.twitter.com/TgkVte0Hzr  Kevin Lewis (@ABC7Kevin) June 7, 2020

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser revealed the "Black Lives Matter" painting on Friday.

Story continues

9:02 p.m.: Trump wanted 10,000 troops to quell protests

At a heated White House meeting last Monday morning, President Donald Trump said he wanted 10,000 troops in Washington, D.C., and other cities to quell that protests over police brutality in the wake of George Floyd's death, according to a senior U.S. Department of Defense official.

However, Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Gen. Mark Milley and Attorney General Bill Barr all opposed such a move, the senior official told ABC News.

In the end, there were 1,600 active duty troops sent to the D.C. region on standby in case they were needed.

It was the National Guard that was the primary force, with 5,100 guardsman called up, all of whom remain in Washington, D.C.

8:15 p.m.: Protester dies from injuries after being struck by car

A protester has died from his injuries after he was struck by a vehicle in California, police said.

A video of the incident on June 3 showed a crowd marching westbound on California Avenue toward Oak Street in Bakersfield, according to police. The protester, who was only identified as an adult male, was then seen moving northbound across the eastbound lanes when a vehicle struck him.

Police initially reported he suffered "major injuries." On Saturday afternoon, his death was reported.

The vehicle had its headlights on and was not driving above the speed limit, police said.

There were no drugs or alcohol in the protester's system, police said.

Police are still investigating and have asked the public to come forward with any information.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the Bakersfield Police Department at (661) 327-7111, or by emailing Officer C. Ott at cott@bakersfieldpd.us

7:47 p.m.: Large peaceful protesters crowd Washington

Thousands flooded the streets of Washington, but there was a different tone from a week ago.

The protests were not just peaceful, but joyous too. People were out celebrating, dancing in the streets, with vendors giving away hot dogs and selling ice cream cones.

A DJ played music on 16th Street.

The diversity of the crowd was notable with a wide range of ages and a lot of families.

Courtney Walker told ABC News she brought her 2- and 4-year-old sons out today despite the risk of the pandemic, because the risk of not protesting is too great.

PHOTO: DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, center, speaks to demonstrators gathered on the newly named Black Lives Plaza during a peaceful protest against police brutality and racism, on June 6, 2020 in Washington. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

"I feel like if I don't come, I'm risking their lives," she said.

Michael Howard marched while holding hands with his 10-year-old son Christopher saying he hopes to "chip away" at the systemic racism plaguing this country, and set an example for his son.

"For things to happen in this society it takes all of us, and this is the part he's playing," he said.

PHOTO: Demonstrators protest Saturday, June 6, 2020, near the White House in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo)

In front of the White House, we encountered passionate protests and frustration with the lack of action in Washington.

Allison Jennings has been here all week and stressed that white Americans have to get more involved -- and educated.

"The reality is that we are the ones who have more power. We need to be the ones to make the change," she said.

6:20 p.m.: Protests sweep NYC

An estimated 20,000 people protested throughout the New York City, according to ABC New York station WABC.

Protests in Manhattan saw thousands march from Union Square to Washington Square, while in Brooklyn protests thousands marched over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan.

PHOTO: Demonstrators gather at Washington Square Park, during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in New York City, June 6, 2020. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

Other protests took place throughout Harlem in the morning.

The city is still under an 8 p.m. curfew, but people have been out peacefully protesting beyond that time.

5:29 p.m.: Protest spreads to small NJ township

It is not just big cities that are seeing protests against police brutality, as residents of a small New Jersey township also took to the streets.

A march in Saddle Brook Township began at 3 p.m. and drew about 200 people.

Saddle Brook police joined the protests, and a Bergen County sheriff's deputy raised his fist in solidarity.

Saddle Brook Township is home to about 13,500.

4:49 p.m.: Hundreds march across Golden Gate Bridge

Hundreds of protesters in San Francisco marched on the Golden Gate Bridge, through traffic and in lanes on the bridge.

Hundreds of protesters are now in lanes on the Golden Gate Bridge for the #BlackLivesMatter demonstration in San Francisco. Here's what it looked like a little while ago. Watch live here: https://t.co/HG5vl9ftqS pic.twitter.com/3ki1oDK3q3  ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) June 6, 2020

Several other protests are planned for Saturday in the Bay Area, in Oakland, Berkeley and at the former site of Candlestick Park, according to ABC San Francisco station KGO-TV.

3:47 p.m.: Broncos join protests in Denver

Broncos players joined a protest in Denver at the Capitol.

Jeremiah Attaochu, a linebacker, started the demonstration off with a prayer.

He thanked God for "bringing all of us together for one purpose and one purpose alone: to address the issue of racism."

Attaochu also thanked the crowd for "stepping out on the battlefield of life today."

"If you ain't with us, you against us." pic.twitter.com/OT0Vqfw3cj  Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 6, 2020

Von Miller, also a linebacker for the team, addressed the crowds as well.

"The time is always right to do what's right," Miller said. "It's 2020. Muhammad Ali, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jim Brown ... still fighting this fight, and it's up to us to keep it going."

Saturday marks the first full day protests after the citywide curfew expired and after new restrictions were placed on Denver police. A federal judge ruled Friday that the Denver Police Department must scale back its use of chemicals and projectiles in protests.

3:14 p.m.: NYC Health Department shares tips on how to safely protest amid COVID

The New York City Health Department has released tips for how to safely protest during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The department noted that it's still recommending to avoid large gatherings.

However, if one is planning on to go out, officials recommend the following: Wear a face covering and make sure it fully covers your nose, mouth and chin; carry only what you need ( including goggles, hand sanitizer, your own water bottle, snacks, an ID, any medication you may need); carry saline in a squirt bottle; go with a small group; and have a plan for safely exiting.

PHOTO: A man holds a photograph of Breonna Taylor on her birthday as he kneels with other protesters on Atlantic Avenue during a solidarity rally for George Floyd on Atlantic Avenue, June 5, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (Frank Franklin II/AP)

Once at the protest, the department recommends using noisemakers, drums or written signs to protest rather than shouting, which could possibly increase exposure. The NYC Health Department also recommends maintaining as much physical distance as possible between you and those not in your group, practicing healthy hand hygiene, not sharing water bottles or megaphones, and being aware of both your physical and mental health.

Upon returning, immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and assume you have been exposed to COVID-19 so avoid contact with others, particularly those over 50 or who have a serious health condition.

2:30 p.m.: Thousands gather in US cities for more protests

Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., to protest police brutality. The two protests are among many planned throughout the country.

In Philadelphia, thousands gathered at the city's art museum before making their way to City Hall.

Organizers and the crowd chanted "No justice, no peace. No racist police."

PHOTO: Demonstrators raise their fists at the Lincoln Memorial during a protest against police brutality and racism, on June 6, 2020, in Washington. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)

In Washington, D.C., 3,000 people were at The Lincoln Memorial and another 3,000 were near Lafayette Square, according to DC Police Traffic.

Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told the Associated Press on Friday that local officials were projecting between 100,000 and 200,000 protesters.

PHOTO:Protesters gather along 16th Street NW near the White House during George Floyd protests, on June 6, 2020, in Washington, on the 12th day of protests. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

10 a.m.: Floyd protests even more widespread than Women's March

Far more places have held protests already than held Women's Marches in January 2017, according to preliminary data from The Washington Post.

Women's Marches occurred in 650 locations -- and then had more participants than any other single-day demonstration in U.S. history.

The Floyd protests are the broadest in U.S. history -- and are spreading to white, small-town America, the data revealed.

7:33 a.m.: NYPD arrests 40

The NYPD arrested at least 40 people during largely peaceful protests Friday night.

6:10 a.m.: Trump retweets video attacking George Floyd

Hours after saying he hoped George Floyd was looking down "from heaven" and saying, "This is a great thing happening for our country," in regards to May's unemployment numbers, President Donald Trump retweeted a video that attacked Floyd's character.

The video clip was from conservative radio host Glenn Beck.

"I don't care WHAT George Floyd did. The officer should have never treated him like that and killed him! But we still must ask: Is he a HERO?" Beck tweeted.

In the clip that Trump retweeted, Beck and conservative commentator Candace Owens attack Floyd's character, bring up his alleged criminal background and question why people are using his death as a call to action for social justice.

"This is a guy with a very long record and a very long criminal record," Beck said. "He was said to be cleaning up his life by his family, I hope that was true. Is this really the guy that black America ... is this the symbol of black America today?"

MORE: 74% of Americans view George Floyd's death as an underlying racial injustice problem: POLL

"Yes," Owens responds. "The fact that he has been held up as a martyr sickens me."

She said he's a symbol "of the broken culture of black America today ... George Floyd was not a good person."

4:53 a.m.: Judge orders Denver PD to limit chemical use in protests

A federal judge ruled Friday that the Denver Police Department must scale back its use of chemicals and projectiles in protests.

Judge R Brooke Jackson of U.S. District Court, District of Colorado, said some actions of "what I hope and believe to be a minority of the police officers in Denver and the nation during recent days (and before) not only vis a vis persons of color but against peaceful protesters of all backgrounds have been disgusting."

Jackson ruled that tear gas and non-lethal projectiles can only be used after a supervisor at the rank of Captain or above at the scene "specifically authorizes such use of force in response to specific acts of violence or destruction of property that the command officer has personally witnessed."

The court's ruling also said that projectiles may never be shot toward the head, pelvis or back and that they are not to be shot indiscriminately into a crowd.

"Although I do not agree with those who have committed property damage during the protests, property damage is a small price to pay for constitutional rightsespecially the constitutional right of the public to speak against widespread injustice," Jackson wrote in his ruling. "If a store's windows must be broken to prevent a protestor's facial bones from being broken or eye being permanently damaged, that is more than a fair trade. If a building must be graffiti-ed to prevent the suppression of free speech, that is a fair trade. The threat to physical safety and free speech outweighs the threat to property."

Additionally, all officers deployed to demonstrations must have their body cameras worn at all times and must not intentionally obstruct the camera from recording.

The judge's ruling, according to ABC affiliate KMGH in Denver, came after four residents filed a lawsuit against the city of Denver, claiming police officers violated protesters' constitutional rights. They also asked the judge to temporarily halt the use of tear gas, pepper balls, spray and other non-lethal projectiles.

PHOTO: A demonstrator wears a face mask and latex gloves while waving a placard along Lincoln Avenue during a protest Tuesday, June 2, 2020, in Denver over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man in police custody in Minneapolis. (David Zalubowski/AP)

Denver PD said it would comply with the judge's ruling and that most of the orders are in line with department policy already.

"A federal judge issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) clarifying #DPD use of non-lethal dispersant devices," the department said in a statement. "In the meantime, we will comply with the judge's directions, many of which are already in line with our community-consulted Use of Force Policy."

ABC News' Aaron Katersky, Mary Bruce, Luis Martinez, Matt Hosford, Matthew Fuhrman, Ely Brown, Joshua Hoyos, Jeffrey Christman and Lauren Lantry contributed to this report.

George Floyd updates: Trump wanted 10,000 troops to quell protests originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
As a family of actors, they have taken part in more than their fair share of moving scenes.

But last week the phrase took on a second meaning for Belgravia star Alice Eve  as she roped in her thespian parents Trevor Eve and Sharon Maughan to help her move house.

Alice, 38, called out instructions from the window of the 700,000 West London property where she had been spending lockdown as her parents packed the car in the street below.

Belgravia star Alice Eve (left) roped in her thespian parents Trevor Eve and Sharon Maughan (pictured) to help her move house, after spending lockdown living with her brother George Eve

Mr Eve, 68, and Ms Maughan, 69, were joined by their sons George, an actor and musician, and producer Jack, who helped to load Alice's belongings into a 4x4 Audi

Alice, 38, carried a black bag and metallic pedal bin out of the house (left) and Mr Eve, 68, and Ms Maughan, 69, waited on the street for her bring the rest of her belongings to the car

Arriving in a face mask which he subsequently wore around his neck, Mr Eve, 68, who played TV detective Eddie Shoestring, carefully put his daughter's belongings into the back of a 4x4 Audi, before driving to her new bachelorette pad a few streets away.

He and Ms Maughan, 69, best known for her appearances in a series of Gold Blend coffee adverts, were joined by their sons George, an actor and musician, and producer Jack.

Alice, dressed in a white summer skirt, Converse trainers and floppy hat, carried a black plastic sack and metallic pedal bin to the car before walking to her new address with the family dog.

Alice was dressed in a white summer skirt, Converse trainers and floppy hat as she walked to her new bachelorette pad with the family dog

The Belgravia star seemed to have her hand's full as she put black plastic sacks and carrier bags outside of her brother's home ready to be packed

It is understood the Oxford-educated actress, who splits her time between London and Los Angeles and is a naturalised American citizen, has spent lockdown with George.

After three years of marriage, in 2017 Alice split from her teenage sweetheart, financier Alex Cowper-Smith, whom she met at exclusive Westminster School. She is now thought to be single.

Alice, whose Hollywood credits include Men In Black 3, played Susan Trenchard in Belgravia and recently said 'I don't have any aversion to flesh or showing it' in her roles.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 4

Trend:

Azerbaijani Prime Minister, Head of the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers Ali Asadov appealed to the population in connection with a sharp increase in the number of cases of coronavirus infection.

To prevent the coronavirus infection that was spreading in the world and Azerbaijan since February, the Azerbaijani government has taken and is taking urgent and decisive measures from the very beginning, Asadov added.

"The Operational Headquarters was created under the Cabinet of Ministers to rapidly take the preventive and urgent measures upon the Azerbaijani presidents order dated February 27, 2020, the prime minister said.

The Operational Headquarters announced the special quarantine regime in Azerbaijan from March 24 through April 20 in accordance with the Law on Sanitary and Epidemiological Health, Asadov said. The mass events were canceled, land borders of the country were closed, movement among the countrys cities and districts was stopped.

To strengthen the fight against coronavirus, the special quarantine regime was gradually tightened, the prime minister added. During this period, the necessary measures were taken in all spheres to prevent the threat of the spread of the epidemic in Azerbaijan in accordance with the presidents instructions. Such measures are also being taken now.

The main goal of all the steps which are being taken is to protect the health and lives of our citizens, Asadov said. The taken measures have yielded positive results and have been indicated in the statistical indicators. Proceeding from the recommendations of doctors and taking into account the statistical data, the Operational Headquarters has begun to gradually mitigate the rules of the quarantine regime since April 27.

During the quarantine period, the main requirement of doctors and other officials is the compliance with sanitary-epidemiological and hygienic rules, the prime minister said. Most of the people, appreciating the conducted work, showed solidarity and initially complied with these recommendations and requirements.

But, unfortunately, I would like to stress that during implementation of mitigating measures recently, most of our citizens did not comply with the established rules and recommendations on self-isolation, Asadov said. As a result, the number of infected people has risen sharply in recent days.

Proceeding from this fact and in accordance with the appeal of the medical headquarters, the Operational Headquarters has made the following decision today.

The quarantine regime will be tightened in Azerbaijans Baku, Sumgayit, Ganja, Lankaran cities and Absheron region due to an increase in the number of cases of coronavirus infection from 00:00 (GMT+4) on June 6 through 06:00 (GMT+4) on June 8.

The Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers made a corresponding decision, Asadov added. The compliance with the requirements specified in the decision is mandatory. If the number of cases of infection in the countrys other cities increases, the quarantine regime will be also tightened there.

The Interior Ministry will monitor the process of the implementation of the decision, Asadov said. In conclusion, I would like to stress once again that the goal of all taken measures is to protect the health and life of citizens."
Bay League boys and girls basketball teams will play five league games and then there will be a tournament to determine seeding for CIF-Southern Section playoffs.
Canadian protesters chanted Stand up to Trump! to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he joined thousands at an anti-racism rally on Friday and took a knee alongside protesters. Trudeau, wearing a black mask and surrounded by bodyguards, made a surprise appearance at the No justice = No peace rally in front of Parliament. His appearance came a day after police shot and killed an indigenous woman during a wellness check in eastern Canada. Demonstrations were held in other Canadian cities on Friday, including Toronto, where hundreds walked downtown in ...
An oil well in eastern Assam continued to spew natural gas "uncontrollably" even on the 10th day on Saturday as the Oil India Limited (OIL) waited for an expert team from Singapore to help it plug the damage caused by the "blowout."

Scared local residents staged a protest on Saturday demanding steps to quickly plug the damage complaining that the condensates are "dangerously contaminating" the water bodies near the Bagjhan oilfield in Tinsukia district, where the mishap took place on May 27. They also expressed fear that it could affect the flora and fauna in Dibru Saikhowa National Park situated about 4-km away.

An official statement issued by OIL on Saturday said associated condensates was coming out with the gas but water was being sprayed and collected in a pond near the well site itself and then safely transported to its heaquarters at Duliajan. "Utmost care has been taken to arrest condensate spillage to surrounding areas. A bund has been created around the well site to prevent the contaminated water runoff to surrounding areas and nearby water body," it said.

The Oil PSU had earlier said the gas producing well at Baghjan under Baghjan oil field had suddenly become active at around 10.30 am on May 27. Nearly 6,000 people have been shifted to relief camps as a precautionary measure.

The statement said poor weather condition was hampering the work progress for removal of some equipment from well plinth and development of approach road for removing equipment from the site. "OIL has engaged local fishermen with boat to identify oil spill, if any, in Maguri Matapung Beel (a wetland) so that immediate remedial action may be taken up as required. Meantime, one Guwahati based firm is also lined up for bio-remediation of oil spill in the area," it said.

An official said they were waiting for a team of experts from Singapore to reach the site in order to plug the damage caused by the well blowout. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had earlier requested Union pertroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan to seek help of international experts to plug the damage.
The Enforcement Directorate headquarters at Khan Market has been sealed till Monday after five of its employees including a special director rank officer have tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Saturday.

The employees were found infected after the agency carried out section-wise testing at its headquarters in the wake of some Covid-19 cases being reported from other floors of the Lok Nayak Bhawan in Khan Market, where the ED office is located.

All the ED employees who were found infected with Covid-19 after proactive testing are asymptomatic, officials said.

All of them have been admitted to isolation facilities for treatment while people who came in contact with them have been quarantined.

According to procedure, the headquarters of the agency have been sealed for 48 hours and is expected to resume operations on Monday.

In order to check the spread of Covid-19, a protocol has been put in place for sanitising the ED headquarters twice a week and all documents too. Daak (post) is sanitised before it is handed over to officers and other staff of the agency.
Warden Patrick Sadiki Karabaranga has been taking care of orphaned mountain gorillas for over a decade at a national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He cares for the gorillas as though they are his own children, he says.

Having developed such a close bond, Karabaranga has shared many intimate interactions with the apes, and they have shown to be quite inquisitive creatures when it comes to the behavior of their guardiansand in particular the devices they use. The warden often holds up his device for a selfie with his extended gorilla family, and they respond with great interest.

I think its the curiosity to see themselves on the phone that entices them to take selfies with me, the warden explained, as reported by Daily Mail. I do a lot of my work with orphan gorillas, they are like my human children.

The warden at Virunga National Park in Rumangabo has been taking care of these orphaned mountain gorillas for over a decade. Here, one gorilla peers curiously into the camera from a short distance away. (Caters News)

Patrick Sadiki Karabaranga takes selfies with curious orphan gorillas as part of his job as a warden in Virunga Park in Rumangabo, Democratic Republic of Congo. (Caters News)

The curious nature of these mountain gorillas is apparent from the photos of them together with their human counterpart at Virunga National Park, which they call home.

The gorillas arrive at the sanctuary at a young age, and many of their parents were killed by poachers. As a result, they mostly learn from their caregivers, according to park ranger Mathieu Shamavu from the sanctuary. In terms of behavior, he told the Associated Press, they like to mimic everything that is happening, everything we do.

The park staff try to give the apes as much access to their natural environment as possible, yet they inevitably exhibit almost the same behavior as humans, the ranger adds.

Warden Patrick Sadiki Karabaranga piggy-backing a mountain gorilla. (Caters News)

Warden Patrick Sadiki Karabaranga poses for a selfie with two curious friends. (Caters News)

From a job point of view, the work really gives us love, Shamavu emphasized. When we live with these gorillas, when we see them each time  when they see us, they are very happy.

However, the park noted that selfies with wild animals should ordinarily be avoided at all costs, advising, It is never permitted to approach a gorilla in the wild.

We want to emphasize that these gorillas are in an enclosed sanctuary for orphans which they have lived [in] since infancy, the park shared in a Facebook post. The caretakers at Senkwekwe take great care to not put the health of the gorillas in danger.

Warden Patrick Sadiki Karabaranga with a gorilla friend thats keeping its fingers busy fidgeting with its nose. (Caters News)

The work carried out by the team at Virunga National Park is especially important in light of their ongoing battle with armed poachers. The parks website states that their territory represents one of the most biodiverse on the planet and includes endangered mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, savanna elephants, and lions.

The park has periodically had to deal with armed rebel groups as well as poachers. In May 2018, two British tourists were kidnapped and held for two days by rebel gunmen before being released, Euro News reported. A Congolese female ranger was killed trying to protect them.

Warden Patrick Sadiki Karabaranga taking a selfie with a pair of curious mountain gorillas. (Caters News)

Warden Patrick Sadiki Karabaranga and a friend take a selfie together. (Caters News)

From June 2018 to February 2019, the park was closed until conditions stabilized enough to ensure visitors safety. Since that time, the park has trained and armed Elite Anti-Poaching Units who protect the animals, guides, and tourists.

As the struggle continues into 2020, Karabarangas amazing selfies remind us that these beautiful, intelligent, and vulnerable mountain gorillas need our protection from our fellow humans who would do them harm.

Warden Patrick Sadiki Karabaranga with a friendly mountain gorilla. (Caters News)
YEREVAN, JUNE 6, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani troops violated the ceasefire regime nearly 100 times on Artsakh-Azerbaijan contact line in the period of May 31-June 6, during which over 1000 bullets were fired in the direction of Armenian border guards from different caliber weapons.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Defense Ministry of Artsakh, the front line units of the Defense Army stay committed to the ceasefire regime and keep control of the situation.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
KABUL (Reuters) - Afghans have taken to social media to denounce Iranian police after a video of a car carrying refugees being set ablaze in Iran went viral, arousing new anger weeks after Afghan officials accused Iranian border guards of drowning migrants.

Afghanistan's foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday three Afghans were killed and four injured in Iran's central Yazd province after their vehicle was shot at by Iranian police, starting the fire.

Video footage posted on social media showed a boy escaping from the blazing car with burns on parts of his body begging for water. The ministry said the video was genuine and Afghans in Iran were trying to identify the victims.

The boy's plea of "give me some water, I am burning" was widely circulated on social media and taken up by rights group demanding justice.

"Iran has no right to kill Afghan refugees, they can seal their borders, expel all Afghans but not kill them," Ali Noori, a lawyer and rights activist, said on Facebook.

Iranian embassy officials in the Afghan capital Kabul were not immediately available for comment, but a local official in Iran earlier denied police were responsible for the blaze.

Police fired on the vehicle, suspected of carrying drugs and undocumented migrants, after it crashed through a checkpoint, Ahmad Tarahomi, deputy Yazd governor, told state media.

After its tyres were hit, the vehicle continued to drive away on its wheel rims, igniting sparks which started the fire, Tarahomi said.

Afghans have for decades sought refuge in Iran from war and poverty in their homeland.

Iran says about 2.5 million Afghan migrants, both legal and undocumented, live there. Facing its own economic problems worsened by international sanctions, Iran has at times tried to send Afghans home.

Last month, Afghan officials said Iranian border guards killed 45 Afghan migrant workers by forcing them at gunpoint into a mountain river on the border.

At the time, Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that the incident had taken place on Afghan soil.

(Reporting by Orooj Hakimi and Rupam Jain; additional reporting by Dubai newsroom; editing by Robert Birsel and James Drummond)
While he was in jail in the United Kingdom contesting a request by United States authorities to have him extradited to face drug trafficking charges, Buruji Kashamu, a former senator who represented Ogun East District, obtained information about the 9/11 attacks and tried to pass it over to the U.S. government, court documents recently obtained by PREMIUM TIMES have revealed.

The September 11, 2001 attacks were a series of coordinated attacks by terrorists who flew hijacked planes into the World Trade Centre in New York, the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, and into a field, a near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The attacks, which the U.S. government said were carried out by the Osama bin Laden-led group, Al Qaeda, killed nearly 3,000 people and left 25,000 others injured.

On December 18, 1998, the UKs Metropolitan Police arrested Mr Kashamu, who was travelling with a Benin passport. Police found $230,000 in cash in Mr Kashamus possession. Meanwhile, he had seven months earlier been indicted by a grand jury for conspiracy to import heroin into the U.S.

Mr Kashamu was indicted following incriminating evidence provided by three of his alleged co-conspirators. They alleged that the man they said was also known as Alaji or God was the leader of the heroin smuggling ring. Mr Kashamu was detained at the Brixton Prison pending the completion of his extradition process which had been initiated by the United States Department of Justices Office of International Affairs.

Mr Kashamu says he was not the leader of the drug-smuggling conspiracy. He has claimed that the so-called Alaji, the drug-smuggling kingpin was his brother, Adewale Kashamu, who was allegedly killed in 1989 by the personnel of the Nigerian Customs. He says he shared a striking resemblance with his deceased brother.

On January 10, 2003, Timothy Workman, a magistrate in the UK, dismissed the extradition request put forward by the United States, stating among other things that Mr Kashamu indeed had a similar-looking brother who was killed in 1989 by Customs officials. The Magistrate also found that certain assertions by the U.S. government in the extradition proceedings were untrue. He subsequently ordered the release of Mr Kashamu.

However, the United States has not relented in its quest in extraditing Mr Kashamu to the U.S. to face trial for the alleged heroin-smuggling conspiracy he led. It argued that it is not bound by Mr Workmans conclusion that Mr Kashamus brother was the co-conspirator because Kashamus extradition proceeding was a preliminary proceeding and not a proceeding in which the full merits, and the full evidence, were considered.

Magistrate Workman himself recognized that this Court and the jury were the ultimate determiners of the credibility of the witnesses, including on the issue of Kashamus identification as the leader of the heroin smuggling conspiracy, and that his decision was limited to the matter before him, it stated in its response to a 2009 application by Mr Kashamu at a United States District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division.

The U.S. government said The government believes in good faith that Kashamu, and not any alleged brother, is the co-conspirator in this case because two members of the Kashamus alleged heroin-smuggling ring, Catherine and Ellen Wolters, independently identified Kashamu, through his arrest photograph, as the person whom they knew as Alaji. The government, to the undersigned attorneys knowledge, has never received any photograph of the alleged brother and has been unable to test the veracity of Kashamus claim about him.

As recent as 2015, the U.S. government attempted to extradite Mr Kashamu using the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) but the attempt was aborted by an order of a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Kashamu offers to provide information about 9/11 attacks

According to an affidavit he swore to on February 2, 2009, Mr Kashamu said while he was being held in prison, he shared a cell with a Muslim radical who told him that there were plans to bomb the United States.

I informed my Chicago lawyer, Thomas Durkin, of this information and he informed the appropriate authorities. We received no response, he wrote.

He added that after the 9/11 bombings he was contacted by a United States Attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, to provide details of what he had been told by his cellmate.

I was told that if I pleaded guilty to the case (heroin smuggling) and provided information that I knew regarding the bombing of the World Trade Centre, I could receive a favourable plea bargain. I could not accept the offer because I am not guilty of the case, he wrote.

A handwritten letter by S.J Humphrys, an officer at the Brixton prison written on December 30, 2001, also confirmed that Mr Kashamu met officers from Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, in respect of the said information he was told about the 9/11 attacks.

I can confirm that D.S Andy Weld and D.C Richard Jordan from Scotland Yard (SO12 anti-terrorist Squad) came to see Mr Kashamu on 28/9/2001 and spoke at length with me present with regard to the horrific events of September 11th in New York. The meeting concluded with Mr Kashamu handing over approximately three pages of topical terrorist information, he wrote.

The two SO I2 officers returned at a later date collecting a further seven pages of additional terrorist information. The two officers finally came on 6/11/2001 for a further meeting with Mr Kashamu, they thank(ed) Mr Kashamu for the information and I stated it was extremely useful they then continue to ask about terrorists living in London who were linking with a terrorist that had been arrested in Washington.

They further stated that the U.S government were requesting that Mr Kashamu would continue to give further evidence against those terrorists in a US court. In concluding this meeting they confirmed that the US government found the information extremely valuable.

I can once again confirm that all those information was handed over with me present as a witness to the above proceedings, he wrote.

On August 21, 2002, in response to a request by Mr Kashamu, his U.S. lawyer, Mr Durkin, wrote a letter to Mr Kashamu about his offer to cooperate with the United States authorities regarding information you might have with respect to activities of interest to them.

Mr Durkin stated that his record showed that later in March 2001 he had several conversations with Mr Fitzgerald regarding information connected to the World Trade Centre bombing case.

My record also reflected the fact that on September 21, 2001, I received on your behalf a proffer letter from the U.S Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Illinois regarding the terms of a meeting you were to have with the US agents regarding potential information concerning the attacks which occurred in New York and Virginia on September 11, 2001. This meeting took place at Brixton on October 2, 2001.

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At the meeting, Patrick Blegen of our firm forwarded eleven pages of documents to Special Agent Joe hummer of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Copies of these documents were sent by facimile to me by Assistant U.S Attorney Diane MacArthur on October 3, 2001. I have maintained copies of these documents in our files, and at your request copies were forwarded to you by one of our assistants on May 22, 2002, he wrote.

U.S. promises not to use Kashamus testimony against him

On September 21, 2001, Mr Fitzgerald wrote Mr Durkin about the said information his client (Mr Kashamu) offered to share with US authorities.

As you have discussed with Assistant United States Attorney Diane MacArthur, the government is conducting an investigation into the attacks which occurred at the World Trade Centre in New York City and the Pentagon Building in Virginia on September 11, 2001.

Of course, the government welcomes any information that may aid it in reaching a proper determination of the matter. Accordingly, the government seeks a proffer of the testimony of your client, Buruji Kashamu, regarding his knowledge of the facts underlying this matter.

He explained that the U.S. government required that the statement to be given by Mr. Kashamu should be completely truthful while adding that anything revealed to the government by you or your client, during the proffer cannot and will not be used against your client, Buruji Kashamu, in the governments case-in-chief at trial, in the extradition proceeding pending against Kashamu or in aggravation of your clients sentence, in accordance with sentencing guideline 202.8.

Contrary to My Kashamus claim in his affidavit that he was offered to provide the information for an offer of a plea bargain, which will lead to a reduced sentence, Mr Fitzgerald stated that the government is completely free to pursue any and all investigative (illegible word) derived in any way from the proffer, which could result in the requisition of evidence admissible against your client.

Furthermore, if your client should subsequently testify contrary to the substance of the proffer, or otherwise present a position inconsistent with the proffer at sentencing for any purpose, nothing shall prevent the government from using the substance of the proffer at sentencing for the purpose, at a trial for impeachment or in rebuttal testimony, in a prosecution for perjury, or in this pending extradition proceeding.

The letter did not say anything about a plea bargain leading to a reduction of jail term upon sentencing.
On the first day of the city no longer updating the public over the weekends on coronavirus figures, an individual has died as the city has broken into the 20s for the first time.

The City of Laredo announced that the 20th victim was a woman in her 70s with underlying health conditions. She had tested positive for COVID-19 and was being treated at Doctors Hospital of Laredo when she died on Friday.

As the novel Coronavirus takes its toll across the country and around the world, Doctors Hospital is saddened to confirm that a patient passed away yesterday who had tested positive for COVID-19, said Doctors Hospital in a statement. We send our deepest and heartfelt condolences to the family during this difficult time.

The health and safety of our patients and staff are our highest priority, as we continue to deliver high-quality healthcare in our community. Doctors Hospital is working closely with City of Laredo Health Department following the Centers for Disease Control guidelines, and we have implemented proactive precautions and protocols.

The statement by the hospital also provided a look into what they are doing to ensure that all workers and people going to the hospital continue are separated from those that are sick.

READ MORE: Laredo ties single-day high with 20 coronavirus cases, 594 total

We are screening all individuals entering the hospital, monitoring for symptoms in patients and implementing isolation protocols, if needed, Doctors Hospital said. We continue to encourage the public to help prevent the spread of disease by practicing precautions such as social distancing, thoroughly washing hands, covering coughs/sneezes and avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth. See our Health Alert update at ichoosedoctorshospital.com, and follow us on Facebook for updates.

As for the City of Laredo Health Department, they continue to promote for residents of the city to continue practicing good hygiene and social distancing practices.

The Laredo Health Department also reminded the public that the coronavirus can be present in their system even while the person presents no symptoms. While some may not have symptoms, others may initially have mild to moderate symptoms that can include high fever, cough and shortness of breath.

The majority of patients will recover, but some may need to be hospitalized due to complications, said the health departments statement. The majority of our local positive cases have recovered while isolated or quarantined in their home. Please follow the City of Laredo Health Department COVID-19 prevention guidelines regarding social distancing and proper hygiene. It is highly recommended that persons stay home, not gather in groups and cover their nose and mouth when around others.
Stockholm, June 5, 2020  Anoto Group AB (Anoto or the Company) today announces that its education subsidiary Knowledge AI Inc (Knowledge AI) has been awarded a contract worth 10,000 USD to conduct a paid pilot for its education solution KAIT in Chile, South America.

Knowledge AI is working with the Agrosuper Foundation, which is a philanthropic foundation of a multi-billion dollar South American conglomerate Agrosuper SA, to roll-out the KAIT platform in South America. The contract will pay for the setting up of Amazon Cloud as well as translating the KAIT software to Spanish. The pilot is expected to start in the second half of 2020 with a school in Chile. Once the pilot is successfully completed, the Foundation is expected to fund the distribution of KAIT to schools in the region for philanthropic reasons.

This is our first commercial pilot in South America and we are fortunate to find a Foundation interesting in investing in improving the quality of education in South America, says Joonhee Won, CEO of Knowledge AI Inc.

For further information, please contact:

Johannes Haglund, Chief of Staff

For more information about Anoto, please visit www.anoto.com or email ir@anoto.com

This information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, on June 5, 2020 at 08:50 CET.

About Anoto Group

Anoto is a publicly held Swedish technology company known globally for innovation in the area of information-rich patterns and the optical recognition of those patterns. It is a leader in digital writing and drawing solutions, having historically used its proprietary technology to develop smartpens and the related software. These smartpens enrich the daily lives of millions of people around the world. Now Anoto is a cloud based software solution provider based on its patented dot pattern technology which provides a methodology for accumulating digital big data from analogue inputs. Anoto Cloud includes Anotos four solutions: KAIT  the worlds first AI solution for offline education; ACE  Anotos new and improved enterprise forms solutions; aDNA  Anotos secure interactive marketing solution; and Dr. Watson  Anotos biometric authentication and security solution. Anoto is traded on the Small Cap list of Nasdaq Stockholm under ANOT.

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Rains and end of curfew signal rise in dengue By Shaadya Ismail View(s): View(s):

Officials are preparing for a rise in dengue cases caused by rains and the resumption of normal life following the lifting of curfew.

A three-day control programme organised by the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) will commence from June 11-13, with schools, government institutions, quarantine camps and hospitals the main focus.

NCDU Director Dr. Aruna Jayasekera said because a peak is expected in June and July the public needed to be vigilant in reducing mosquito breeding grounds.

The main concern is that people have started moving around after staying indoors for two months and this might lead them to neglect their surroundings yet again, he said.

There were 20,216 dengue cases existent on June 3, the NCDU said.

The Colombo Regional Director of Health Services reported 2,901 cases while Trincomalee reported 2,218, Batticaloa, 2,129 and Jaffna, 1,847 cases.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa this week issued directives to governors and local government authorities to prepare a mechanism to control an imminent outbreak.

Instructions have been given that Environmental Police units should monitor risk areas in collaboration with health authorities and local government organisations.

The President and the Prime Minister have called for follow-up meetings once a week to evaluate progress.

A four-day cleaning programme was launched on Thursday in areas identified as high-risk areas in Colombo city limits.

On the first day alone, 2,883 houses were inspected and the aim is to inspect 10,000 houses by the end of the programme, the Colombo Municipal Councils Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni, said.

He said between from January to mid-March, 189 cases had been filed against individuals charged with allowing dengue breeding places to exist on their properties. Last year there were 893 cases and fines amounting to Rs. 2.7 million.

The only positive outcome of the pandemic was that people started cleaning their houses, as a result of which the number of breeding places in houses have been greatly reduced, he said.

Dr. Wijayamuni pointed out that mosquito density had risen this year.

There have already been 22 dengue deaths  that is twice the number that fell prey to COVID-19, which is an indication that dengue should not be neglected, he said.

We are hoping to revive the dengue rapid response team this year but the most important message to the general public is that we need community participation, which is vital in combating this disease, Dr. Wijayamuni said.

I carried out inspections on houses, shops and construction sites in Fort. In most of the houses, rain gutters were creating the greatest number of potential breeding places for mosquitoes, the Public Health Inspector (PHI) for Fort, M.B. Lal Kumara, said.

Dengue cases are gradually increasing in the Kandy area. There were reports of 51 dengue cases just last week, the Kandy Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Nidhershini Periyasamy, said.

Kandy Municipal Council, Gangawatakorale, Kundasale and Yatinuwara have been identified as high-risk areas.

Ten teams composed of members of the armed forces, police and health authorities will be employed in the June 11-13 control programme in the Kandy area.

The Gampaha Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Chandrani Senaratne, said attention to combating dengue had been blocked by the coronavirus curfew, which had prevented dengue prevention teams from being mobilised.

The Gampaha RDHS has identified Seeduwa, Biyagama and Dompe as high-risk areas.

Dr, Senaratne also feared there would be an increase in dengue cases now that the curfew had been lifted.

Schools, religious institutions, government institutions and construction sites reported a 100 per cent increase in the number of potential breeding sites, she said.
(Newser)  A man who spent nearly three decades behind bars, most of them on death row, after he was convicted at his second trial of killing a 4-year-old girl in Philadelphia was released Friday after prosecutors concluded he very likely didn't do it. Walter Ogrod left death row and the State Correctional Institution-Phoenix hours after his charges were reduced and he was granted bail in the 1988 death of Barbara Jean Horn. His lawyer, James Rollins, said Ogrod's first stop would be a relative's backyard barbecue. "He was very pleased and relieved to be out of prison," Rollins said, per the AP. "He is very tired." Ogrod's lawyers say police coerced a false confession from him in the death of Barbara Jean, who his defense lawyers say may have died of asphyxiation and not blows to the head, as prosecutors argued at trial.

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A prosecutor apologized to Ogrod, 55, who still faces a small chance of a third trial, at a hearing Friday. "I'm sorry it took 28 years for us to listen to what Barbara Jean was trying to tell us: that you are innocent, and that the words of your statement of confession came from Philadelphia Police ... and not you," a prosecutor told Ogrod, per a release. They say that jailhouse informers fabricated statements from him, and that eyewitness accounts of a man who left the child's remains in a box don't match Ogrod's appearance. Prosecutors and Ogrod's lawyers agree there's no physical evidence linking him to Barbara Jean. Ogrods first trial ended in a mistrial when one juror announced he didn't agree with a not guilty verdict as the foreman was about to read it. He was convicted after a second trial in 1996 of first-degree murder and attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse. He has spent most of the intervening years on death row.

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